Kaieteur News

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$1.6B Ocean View NEWS hospital an absolute - full investigation to be disaster carried out - New Health Minister

Thursday Edition

AIETEUR

August 06, 2020 - Vol. 13 No. 31

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Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

Price $80

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15 new faces join ce nt re

PPP/C Cabinet - Finance Minister yet to be named

Special team appointed to

CARICOM Chair defends “interference” in Guyana’s investigate 19

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political situation State agencies p.

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Granger and Ramjattan ‘buse-out’ new PPP/C’s Cabinet p.

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Break-in at Forensic audits to bep. NICIL/SPU p.3 Police, Army to 18 done on all COVID 8 office at LBI play bigger role - Attorney

spending

General

- $1.6 million cash, cheques missing

in COVID fight- DCMO

All contracts will be scrutinised

- New Public Works p.

Minister 17

Regardless of who is in office, demand - Experts urge Guyanese transparency for oil sector p.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday August 06, 2020

Kaieteur News

Thursday August 06, 2020

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Regardless of who is in office, demand transparency for oil sector N

ow that the PPP Government is in place, one of the key matters it will be hurrying to address relates to the country's illpreparedness to handle the oil industry. As it advances efforts in this regard, international industry experts are urging Guyanese to ensure that they demand transparency and a depoliticized regulatory process for the management of the oil and gas sector.

Specifically making this comment in an opinion piece sent to Kaieteur News were Dr. Remi Piet, a Senior Director at Americas Market Intelligence (AMI), and Arthur Deakin, an Analyst at AMI. Both were keen to note that the decisions of the new government will play a fundamental role in how the abundant petrodollars are spent in creating either a resource-dependent or a resource-rich society. In this regard, the oil consultants noted that citizens must ensure policymakers are held accountable and that decisions are made based on t h e m e r i t o f applications—not in the interest of a political party or politician.

Even though the COVID-19 pandemic has unleashed unprecedented demand shocks throughout the industry, the experts noted that the Stabroek Block partners have the financial resources to weather the storm and have reiterated their long-term

- Experts urge Guyanese

Dr. Remi Piet, a Senior Director at Americas Market Intelligence commitment to Guyana.

On this note, Dr. Piet and Deakin opined that the government would be wise to ensure all parties meet at the table as partners and make certain that the forthcoming oil money is put to good use for the Guyanese people.

Dr. Piet and Deakin noted that a main objective should be to provide opportunities for the people of Guyana while diversifying the economy.

They said that oil majors, in collaboration with the government, should continue to develop onshore infrastructure and create jobs for local citizens.

With respect to the latest swing of volatility in oil prices, Dr. Piet and Deakin said that this has put countries highly dependent on oil revenues, such as Ecuador and Venezuela, gasping for financial

Break-in at NICIL-SPU - $1.6 million cash, office at LBI cheques missing

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o l i c e a r e investigating a break-in at one of the offices of the National Industrial and Commercial I n v e s t m e n t s Limited/Special Purposes Unit (NICIL-SPU) at La Bonne Intention (LBI) estate compound, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Police sources disclosed that the “break in” occurred sometime between 17:50hrs Tuesday and 07:00hrs yesterday. It was disclosed that $1.6M in cash along with millions worth in cheques were reported missing. According to

information reaching this publication, police were seen conducting investigations in the compound early yesterday.

It was later revealed that someone had broken into a NICIL-SPU office located in the compound. This newspaper was also told that the office housed key business documents involving NICIL/SPU. Kaieteur News contacted Racheal Henry, one of the officials in charge of the NICIL-SPU LBI location, to verify these claims.

However, up to press time, (continued on page 9)

resources.

The experts said that Guyana should avoid this at all costs and implement specific policies aimed at knowledge transfer and support to local entrepreneurship. With the correct policy frameworks, they asserted that the country can define a path away from the pitfalls of resource curse scenarios.

Further to this, the petroleum consultants were keen to note that the development of the energy sector is needed for Guyana but stated that it has to be harnessed as a vector of value creation.

In this regard, they said

that revenues from oil will need to be channeled towards diversification both within the extractive sector and in the rest of economy.

To complement this, they said that Guyana needs to embark on the strengthening of regulations in the energy and mining sectors, led by the presence of established actors.

Dr. Piet and Deakin opined that this would lead to a pipeline of alternative energy projects and regulated mining operations.

More importantly, the experts stated that revenues from the extractive sector should serve to support private entrepreneurship and

ExxonMobil, take your knee off our neck

Arthur Deakin, Analyst at Americas Market Intelligence strengthen institutional and corporate governance. They believe that it could also help restructure the sugar

industry, and agriculture as a whole, whose efficiency, standards and costeffectiveness need to be improved.

Even as government pushes for Guyana's authorities to ensure there is a move towards diversification, the experts stressed that this alone will not be sustained unless structural reforms are undertaken, institutions are strengthened and a strong regulatory framework is implemented.

They said that this will not be done overnight but the path is clear for this to be accomplished. They concluded, “…Guyana has been dealt pocket aces; it is up to the next administration how they decide to play the remainder of their hand.”

INY 1

LIZA DEST

- making falsehood appear as truth

I

t is said that hypocrisy is the audacity to preach integrity from a den of corruption. We have had too many of false “saviours”. Their empty promises mean no good.

A liar begins by making falsehood appear like truth, and ends with making truth itself appear like falsehood.

With our country trying to disentangle from an unnecessary electoral twist, a familiar preacher seeks once again to take advantage of our vulnerability. Exxon is calling on us to hurry up or we will lose big.

Lose what? All Guyanese know by now that we have essentially surrendered all of the abundant offshore resource with which we have been blessed. What we are witnessing is a continuation of the systemic racism practised

by Europeans and their descendants during colonialism.

Slavery, indentureship and labour exploitation in

the Americas, Africa and Asia were their methods of dispossession.

Until our people stop drinking the Master’s Kool Aid and stop thinking that the only people or ideas of value are those that are validated by him, then we are doomed to be forever dependent vassals, living in subjugation and off crumbs.

Independent thought is the means towards true independence and value for our people’s labour and resources.

We use the opportunity, in this moment of acknowledgement of the historic social and economic injustice that is at the heart of traditional extractives deals, to raise the continuing manipulative practices of multinational companies.

We know that many others are suffering the same fate; ONLY if we stand together with unified voices do we have a chance to make these multinational corporations take their knees off our necks, so that we as a people can breathe.

TE

BAUXI

SUGAR

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Kaieteur News

Thursday August 06, 2020

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

Publisher: GLENN LALL TEL:624-6456 Editor: Sharmain Grainger Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

A woman made of the finest steel

A

fter the honeymoon glow of her appointment had worn off, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh ran into a blizzard of suspicion.

In view of how events played out for long months at a time, it would be far more accurate to say that the blizzards and avalanches and mudslides all dumped on her head.

But through all of this, Ms. Singh, showed she was made of the finest steel, never bowing or bending, even though the breaking point had to have threatened on more than one occasion.

In a singular Guyanese example of courage under fire, Ms. Singh was a rare profile in rarer courage. We salute her for never flinching. We hail her for never swerving. And we laud for remaining unflappable in the face of a tsunami of overwhelming situations all fraught with the raw edges of Guyanese bigotries, the unsparing realities of our accumulated political malice.

Now that there is a moment of temporary calm, we here at this paper take a moment to look at where things are today, and a little bit more of how she did. The first thing that should be said is this: as long as there is one Guyanese somewhere with one breath in his or her body, there will be disagreement and fury, if not controversy, over the final moments leading up to the declaration developments at GECOM. No matter how much we commend her for a job well done, and the rest of Guyana also, there will be someone, highly likely many, who takes serious objection to this narrative and position of ours.

Nonetheless with that duly acknowledged and discerned, it would take an alien who is a total stranger to the ways of Guyana, and especially its now settled elections culture, to not pay tribute to how the Chairwoman of GECOM, Ms. Claudette Singh, conducted herself, managed the business before her, and herded the bag of unruly cats that were part of her charge. Concerning the latter, that would be the six politically named commissioners to GECOM. It could not have been easy. It certainly was never smooth or without blemish, where over a million eyes and ears waited to question and condemn, and to second guess and scorn, this decision or that, the next pause or movement, and on and on ad infinitum.

Because of the nature of the job and the extremely sensitive responsibilities attached to it, Chair Singh was not able to respond to critics, to argue with dissenters, or to convince cynics.

Ms. Singh had to take it all on the chin and remain standing, without appearing to be ruffled and, believe it or not, without seeming to sweat. Some were low blows that questioned her integrity, that labeled her prejudiced, and that had to have hurt with the accumulated vileness. We here in Guyana owe this daughter of the soil for her steadfast devotion to the task at hand and her unerring instinct to think on her feet and be confident enough and strong enough to make decision after decision that everyone knew was sure to provoke the greatest of anger, and the worst of insults flowing from suspicions about the most biased of motives.

We are familiar with such situations since we have come in for more than our share of the savaging and searing.

And is because of this that we can empathize deeply with Justice Singh. For this is what Guyana and Guyanese are about sometimes when they do not get their way, when they feel thwarted, and they look for someone at which to lash out blindly and woundingly. This was the lot, time and again, of Chairwoman Singh, who through it all stood her ground and did her duty, regardless of how the cookie crumbled.

Like we said earlier, and this is regardless of how her final decision(s) has been received, Ms. Singh did her duty and showed all of us what it means to be courageous and withstand withering fire from all angles and all comers. If only we had more like her in the many.

To Chairwoman Claudette Singh we say: well done, very well done!

The standard of this year’s CSEC examination DEAR EDITOR, It is understood that the CSEC examinations are being used to prepare our students for the world of work.

However, as a concerned parent and a former CXC student myself, I wish to express my most profound displeasure with the format that this year’s examination would have taken. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, CXC was forced to abandon the paper two component of the examination, allowing for the paper one to be written by students after five years of secondary schooling. It must be noted that the marks given for the students’ School Based Assessments (SBAs) would also be used in the final analysis. The fact of the matter is, these SBAs contain a high percentage of

teachers’ input since many students especially those from the lower secondary schools fail to complete this assessment to an acceptable standard.

Hence, the respective subject teachers are tasked with correcting and recorrecting until they (SBAs) are up to CSEC standard and then allocating marks which is technically the teachers marking their own work.

With regards to the paper one, the students have been joyfully claiming that a very alarming number of questions are being repeated from previous years. So in essence, the paper one component of the examination, which is being administered contains many questions which the students had access to prior to the examination. This leads

one to ask the question: “Is this year’s CSEC examination truly designed to determine the competence of the nation’s children?”

As I see it, this year’s examination without the paper two component was a test of the students’ ability to remember answers for questions from past papers.

Surely, the purpose of examining the students’ competence on the syllabus would have been defeated. I recalled a few countries around the Caribbean were against this format, but for some reason, the current structure was still implemented.

I learnt that CXC has a policy where no paper one should be leaked to the public. However, a simple check on YouTube and the

regular bookstore would tell otherwise.

With this in mind, no wonder teachers complain about the little interest shown by students about the little interest shown by students with regards to the content for the various subject areas.

The students recognized that they are given assistance with their SBAs by teachers and the paper ones are easily accessible, so why worry too much about content.

With the COVID-19 pandemic likely to continue, I sincerely hope that CXC does not continue with this examination structure for 2021 because the world of work will be a nightmare for these students.

Yours respectfully, Concerned parent

What exactly is shared governance? How does it work?

DEAR EDITOR, Editor, I note your letters’ column carried a letter from Sean Ori calling for Shared Governance (KN August 4).

What exactly is Shared Governance? How does it work?

Shared Governance has been the most mentioned term - not the most debated in Guyana. And, it has never been properly defined.

I will always consider David Hinds as the person who has promoted this term more than anyone else in the 1990’s. The way he defined it: The prospects of the PNC ever winning an election is nil, given Indians being the majority of the population (probably 51%). Such being

the case, he argued that African-Guyanese are “permanently excluded from executive power”. He recommended that PNC and PPP must agree to share the Cabinet - 50% of the Ministers must be PNC, other 50% PPP. The premise of Hinds’ argument does not exist today. Indians are no longer 51% of the electorate - and the PPP is not guaranteed to win every election. In fact, PNC/ AFC won in 2015.I have always been opposed to Hinds’ concept of Shared Governance. I believe Hinds’ idea is really appeasement and accommodation of “racial voting” and would take Guyana away from the path

The future is fraught with danger and ripe with opportunity

DEAR EDITOR, The US council on Foreign Relation published an article entitled: ‘It Is Time to Abandon Dollar Hegemony’, on July 28, 2020. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. placed a spotlight on the US economic deterioration by issuing a bold warning on 28 July 2020 that the dollar is in danger of losing its status as the world’s reserve currency. Ratings agency Fitch on Friday downgraded the outlook for the United States to negative from stable, warning of high debt and deficits made worse by the coronavirus downturn.

Gross domestic product from April to June plunged 32.9% on an annualized basis, according to the US Commerce Department. Neither the Great Depression nor the Great Recession, or any other slump over the past two centuries has ever caused such a drastic decline in the US

economy.Guyana’s number one trading partner is the US and most of our tourists; most of our remittances come from the US and thousands of Guyanese who live there. The US debt is US$26.6 trillion and 136.5% of GDP. Currently, the US is borrowing 62 cents out of every dollar it spends. This situation is getting worst because US legislators are planning at least, another trillion dollar stimulus which will be borrowed. Guyana has its own internal problem such as crime, corruption and poverty but we must pay attention because a major geopolitical shift is occurring. I estimate that by the end of 2025, a new global monetary system will occur. Guyana and the Caribbean need a contingency plan. The future is fraught with danger but ripe with opportunity.

Yours truly, Brian Ellis Plummer

of forging evolution of real democracy.

Shared Governance is not a solution for what ails Guyana. Perception of parties being ethnic/racial is the real problem. Africans perceive PPP in power as an Indian government; Indians perceive PNC in power as an African government. The solution: both must do much more to change that perception. And, each must try to win over greater shares of support from the alternative race group.Another name for Shared Governance is consociational or Apanjhaat democracy. It had been tried in Suriname. It blew up in violence in the 1980’s, paving the way for Bouterse to seize power. Africans and Indians play sports together, celebrate each other ’s weddings, festivals, drink in the rum shops together. Why can’t they form political parties that are genuinely non-racial?

Ori should spell out what he means by Shared Governance and how it works.

Ralph Seeram (former columnist for KN) once listed 25 items that showed Hinds’ concept of Shared Governance will not

work; impossible to work.

PNC should assume its role as Opposition party as per the Constitution. PNC should recruit more Indians into its fold and elect an Indian to be its leader. Make itself attractive to Indians and make a serious effort to win over a greater share of Indian support. PNC should apologize to the Indian population for all the fraudulent elections from 1968 – 1985 and the attempt to steal the 2020 election – if only to win their goodwill and begin a political dialogue with that constituency. Reinvent a Winston Murray. That is the key to PNC winning elections in Guyana. Frankly speaking, David Granger came to power in 2015 on a base of Indian support. Shortly after assuming the presidency, he blew-up that Indian base of support - and that’s the main reason why he lost the election in 2020.

Guyana needs leaders who are committed to building genuine democracy.

Their first loyalty must be to the State and second to their party.

Mike Persaud

A Time for Remembrance DEAR EDITOR, The time has come for our nation to finally acknowledge the massacre of the 60’s. It is with great anticipation that I await our new government’s taking of the action towards educating all current and future generations of Guyanese about the historical acts of violence that took place just prior to our nation’s independence, so that we may avoid such violence in the future. In addition to the academic acknowledgement of such atrocities, it would be appropriate for our new government to also establish a memorial for these fallen souls.

As a school-child, we all would tour the key monuments and sites in Georgetown. It is important that such a memorial becomes a part of those educational activities. Our history must be acknowledged and remembered so that we avoid repeating such mistakes in the future.

Warm regards, Mr. Changlee Chairman The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

Thursday August 06, 2020

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Kaieteur News

It was my privilege to serve this country DEAR EDITOR, Permit me the space, please, to share something of a personal note. It may be timely and meaningful during a period of heavy whispers and dark fears about witchhunts and forced resignations, and similar such developments, whether engineered or contemplated or imagined; if real, it does not contribute to mending. This has special meaning for me, which is why I wish to do it publicly.

As many know I am a returnee, a virtual stranger here.

I have never been affiliated with a political party, never attended a political meeting or rally, or any such thing; did not know any of the political principals from any side of the divide. Thus, it was a total surprise, when out of nowhere, the then Hon. Minister of Natural Resources, Mr. Raphael Trotman, extended an invitation to me to lend a helping hand at a state agency. He renewed that invitation three years in succession, despite a few attempts by me to depart. It was my privilege to serve this country; I am humbled. My tenure at the Guyana Gold Board will be a cherished memory, for

several reasons.

Mr. Trotman never (I mean never) interfered or sought to influence the work that we did. We shared and discussed, and the rest was left to me and the board. We disagreed, to be sure, but the independence, which I had tabled at the initial conversation was always given free rein to function; it is the way things should be. I thank him for the confidence and trust placed in me and the team. I liked working for and with the man; things were done on a structured and honourable basis between us: no surprises, no blind sidings, no embarrassments. I thank him again. We worked through challenges and crisis and always, level heads prevailed.

Once more, the appreciation flows and profusely. Like I said, I was able to get on with the responsibilities independently and fluently. That was priceless and will be treasured as a model of what should be. I encourage the new Ali Administration to listen and take a page from this book.

I found it appealing that, despite my lack of political history or pedigree, the then

minister reached out to an outsider, a largely unknown entity (save for my writings), an Indian man no less and said: let us put our heads together and work together to do something positive. To be truly clear, I was not a supporter of any kind, an Indian one, a diaspora one, or a stealth one. But Mr. Trotman came to me and said: I think you can fulfill this responsibility; now go and do it well.

Again, I humbly recommend that President Irfaan Ali and his group deliberate and decide along these lines. Trust a few strange people, a couple of outsiders, some unknown faces in which to deposit trust and support. They do not have to be tried and true supporters.

Lots of positives (so I believe) became possible because of the bold step taken

by Trotman, and one who contributed heavily to those positives was Ms. Eondrene Thompson, General Manager of the Gold Board along with her team. To her, I extend a special word of gratitude. I say this unequivocally and from the heart: in all my years of working here, in North America, in Latin America, a

little in Asia and in Europe, and to some extent back here again, I am yet to encounter Ms. Thompson’s equal in terms of comportment, honesty, and singular dedication to duty, honest dedication.

The work that was done could not have been executed without someone of her calibre at the side.

To the Cabinet and ultimately President David Granger to whom I think these appointments tier up, I say thanks for the opportunity to serve the citizens of this country. I trust that I brought dignity and professionalism to the task at hand, and honesty and honour to all endeavours, and I mean all endeavours without fail. Time and environment will judge how I did. And last, to my fellow citizens, it was my special privilege to serve, to strive, to make the words written and the positions taken come alive in the doing and the living. I do hope that I did exemplify what it is to be a humble servant-leader, a genuine servant helper. May God bless all Guyana and Guyanese in the days ahead.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

Joinder parties can be the conscience of the nation DEAR EDITOR, I offer sincere congratulations to the joinder parties ANUG, LJP and TNM on their attainment of one seat in Parliament.

To many, this one seat may appear insignificant.

However, I see it to be as significant as a wedge, which though small, can hold a mighty door in place and keep it open. An opening that can channel the fresh winds of change, let out stale rhetoric and allow Guyana to soar.

I see this as a new time for Guyana.

The emergence of fresh voices, fresh minds and fresh thinking. The involvement of enthusiastic (young) people committed to Guyana. Com-

mitted to making our country a place where everyone enjoys a good standard of living - one where all live in harmony with each other and the environment.

With this seat, you, the joinder, can be the conscience of the nation, setting aside egos to be true servant-leaders, and so help guide our country to an era of true peace, prosperity and the greater good.

I pray that you will use this opening, though small, to bring wisdom and balance to Parliament for the good governance of Guyana. A Guyana where a good standard of living will be the lived reality of all, especially those who now live in abject poverty, barely

able to eke out a living. I pray that you can help put in place systems where the large numbers of idle and ‘lost’ youth will be educated, trained, motivated and empowered so that they too can contribute meaningfully to the upward movement of our country.

May God protect us all, bless our beloved country and lead her to achieve and enjoy the fruits at long last, of her great potential, in a homeland of which we can all be proud.

Sincerely, Joan Collins

Congratulations!

DEAR PRESIDENT ALI, Congrats!

Never ever forget that it is because of the Free Western Democracies (USA, Canada, Great Britain, EU) that you are in office today. The APNU+AFC would not have conceded otherwise.

Ambassador Lynch and all the other Ambassadors and High Commissioners have to be recognized!

Michael Rahaman Chicago

The window dressing often displayed in our politics has lost most of its glamour DEAR EDITOR, The euphoria, which Guyanese are presently caught up in is most understandable after what the country has gone through during the last five months.

The support that many gave was with a view to preserving our still fragile democracy while others saw it differently by putting party interest and the defense of democracy in the same basket.

Whichever way it’s viewed, I am happy for all Guyana that the fiasco has ended, at least that which had prevented a lawfully elected government from taking office.The real test of this victory is still a long way from being considered a true victory for all Guyana in terms of mending the fragile relationship between the two main political parties, which once again share a narrow margin of victory confirming that the practice of ethnic voting is alive and strong.

Currently as it stands, the Coalition has come out of this battle all the worst for prolonging the agony of the PPP/ C’s victory and all those who fought to maintain a free and fair electoral process.

I have seen and heard too many promises of inclusive governance by the main contenders and have a very low tolerance for believing that there will be any significant difference to that which was obtained in the past.

For starters, as mentioned above, the foundation bases of both parties are built on ethnic support and both sides will not want to experiment with this formula. The fundamental difference this time around is that the PPP/C now has the benefit of hindsight, which is more significant than it ever was in past

elections.The PPP/C cannot and should not make the same fatal mistakes of the Coalition by ignoring the real concerns of all Guyanese, which is that of feeling and experiencing fairness and equality at all levels of their circumstances. Guyanese will be holding President Ali to his unforgettable and indelible words during his swearing-in that his will be a “Government for all of The People”.

In politics, words are cheap and often whimsical but this time around, they will be under a microscope that will be carefully analyzed and used as evidence against the President and his party should they fail to deliver in a tangible way.The window dressing often displayed in our politics has lost most of its glamour so the people are no longer fooled. I would rather see a cabinet of all Black or in this case, all Indian just as long as their intentions are honourable and fair to everyone concerned be they black, brown or polka dot.Congratulations to President Ali, and the new Government of Guyana. May your term prove to be the undoing of all that, which have kept this great and prosperous nation from attaining its true potential.

Sincerely, B. A. Ramsay

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President’s Ali Cabinet is youthful, dynamic and one of the most qualified ever DEAR EDITOR, Just three days after he was sworn in as the 9th President of Guyana, President Irfaan Ali and the PPP have sworn in its full Cabinet and have begun the difficult task of healing Guyana and putting Guyana back on the right track. In the first real test for the young, dynamic President, he has proven that he is the right person to be leading Guyana at this time. With the experienced and time-tested and crisis-tested, Bharrat Jagdeo at his side, His Excellency, Dr. Ali, has so far, just three days into his presidency, proven that when the Guyanese people overwhelmingly voted for the PPP, they made the correct choice.

President Ali’s Cabinet is youthful, multi-racial, genderbalanced. There are no token appointments, no person appointed as cosmetic frills just for image purpose. It is a Cabinet that is highly qualified, with virtually everyone qualified as a professional. The Cabinet not only reflects the make-up of Guyana, but it has representatives from all the geographical areas of Guyana. There are 19 ministers in this new Cabinet, almost 33% less than the Granger-led APNU+AFC government which had 29 ministers. The cabinet includes 14 new faces. Two thirds are under 50 years old.

The average age of this new cabinet is less than 45 years, compared to the geriatric cabinet they replaced.

Five years ago, during the 2015 election campaign, David Granger and APNU+AFC promised that, if elected, their government would be one that give youth a chance to shine, to play a meaningful role in Guyana’s developmental agenda. For five years, young people were relegated to the bottom of the ladder, told to wait for their time. Their time never came and it is one of the reasons Granger and APNU+AFC was voted out. Now in 2020, Dr. Ali has delivered on his promise to allow young people to play a meaningful role in Guyana’s development. In fact, in Charles Ramson, one of the many youthful leaders of the PPP, the new government will have a highly qualified professional providing leadership for the development of culture, youth and sports. It is not just his youth, his professional training, it is also his love for and his own experience in sports that make this appointment one that all the people of Guyana should celebrate.

There are other youthful members of the cabinet, such as Dr. Vindhya Persaud, Ms. Susan Rodrigues, Ms. Sonia

Parag, Deodat Indar, Colin Croal, Nigel Dharamlall, Hugh Todd, Vickram Bharrat, all newcomers, but also all youthful professionals, all with distinguished career already. Even among those who have served as Ministers before, they are still youthful and experienced, including Priya Manikchand, Anil Nandlall, Frank Anthony. Veterans like Robeson Benn, Gail Teixeira, Pauline Sukhai and Juan Edghill will join Jagdeo and Ali to propel Guyana forward in a period that promises to see the greatest growth spurt for our country.

Nandlall has shown that he is capable and is now going to establish himself as CARICOM’s most accomplished Attorney General.

Frank Anthony has been a Cabinet member for many years, but has always been earmarked for the Ministry of Health. Priya Manikchand demonstrated her suitability for the education sector, which she led so ably in the last PPP Government. This will be an opportunity to push education forward in a way never seen before in our country. Edghill was an excellent shadow minister for Infrastructure and with his experience, as the Minister in the Ministry of Finance in a previous PPP Government, would bring the kind of leadership this sector desperately needs.

Jagdeo’s experience will provide great support for the new ministers, including the new Prime Minister. Jagdeo’s acumen in finance and his economic strength will provide the guidance for this young Cabinet. Importantly, the Oil and Gas sector needs leadership and I expect Jagdeo to play a critical role in this regards. Guyana was short-changed with the deal, which the previous government made with Exxon and other oil companies. The new Government must try to get concessions from Exxon and others to make the deal more palatable for Guyanese.

Critically, the new Agriculture Minister must work with Cabinet to restore sugar.

There must be immediate moves to reopen sugar estates. This is a promise that must be kept at all cost, not because of political reasons, but because Guyana’s economy needs a vibrant sugar industry. The rice industry has kept Guyana’s economy afloat for the last five years. But this does not mean that rice farmers had it easy. The rice farmers were basically left adrift by the Granger-led government.

This new government must recognize the contribution of the rice industry and recog-

nize that this industry can play an even bigger role in the new Guyanese economy. The fishing industry became orphaned by the last government. It is time that due recognition is given to the fishing industry.

The Minister of Health has a huge challenge. COVID19 is a dangerous epidemic in Guyana. The new Minister must immediately begin to implement an aggressive programme to control and prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. At the same time, the hospitals are in a mess and the supply chain has disintegrated. These are challenges the new Minister will have to manage immediately.

It is only three days since the new government took over. But already the Guyanese people are excited about the possibilities. President Ali has made moves that generate confidence and excitement among the Guyanese people. The Cabinet is one of the youngest cabinets ever and also one of the most qualified ever. It is a powerhouse Cabinet. This is what the Guyanese people voted for. If we all work together, our future is secured.

Together we are stronger.

Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

Guyana’s warmth is radiating with humility as the changing of the guard is in process DEAR EDITOR, The show is already on the road the minute the curtain came down, the very second the honourable lady finished singing. Since the swearing in ceremony last Sunday, President Dr. Irfaan Ali wasted no time and on the very day, he swore in Prime Minister, Mark Phillips; Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, Attorney General, Anil Nandlall and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira. Monday and Tuesday were spent meeting with key personnel from the ministries and the public sector and conducting a tour for familiarization purpose. Wednesday was identified as the swear-in ceremony for the Cabinet, a highly contested and much anticipated moment that Guyana hungrily waited for.

The PPP/C was kept out of power and in abeyance for the past five years, unjustly so for almost two years because of APNU+AFC total disregard for the Constitution of Guyana and discarding all rules and regulations with scant respect for law and order. The result from the NCM was strangled, challenged and dragged through the courts until the APNU+AFC Party was slapped in the face

JULIUS FAERBER IS MY NEIGHBOUR DEAR EDITOR, This writer at the time of writing this letter is residing at Lot WD 107 Government Quarters, Post Office Street – Leonora, West Coast Demerara and my neighbours are President Irfaan Ali to the east and former Regional Chairman of Region Three, Julius Faerber to the west. To the north is the Atlantic Ocean and to the south is the Leonora Police Station.

I have been residing at this Government Quarter for nearly five years now and I must say that when I began occupancy of the house back in November of 2015 with my letter of permission to occupy, it was Faerber and his family that warmly welcomed me and requested that we live as loving neighbours.

I believe that we indeed did live as loving neighbours. I remember vividly during Hindu religious holidays, he would share sweet meat with me and I will do same. I remember sharing with him gooseberry, passion fruit and vegetables from the kitchen garden, which I planted in the yard space. I remember when my mother-in-law passed away, it was Faerber who came first and it was his wife that covered the corpse with

Thursday August 06, 2020

a sheet. I remember attending religious functions at his home and never did I ever pass him or his family straight without saying a good morning or a good afternoon. In fact, his deceased mother-inlaw and I used to frequently communicate and even at her funeral which I attended, Faerber embraced me.

Notwithstanding the above, even though Faerber is using the parapet of the street, which I use as his garbage site, I never complained.

Even though he blocked the drain, which I was using as my drainage, I never complained and even though he fenced the reserve, I never complained simply because I remember the words, “Let’s live as loving neighbours.”

Fast forward to Sunday, August 2, 2020 when His Excellency Irfaan Ali took the Oath of Office as President of Guyana. Faerber changed. It started with loud chattering but I simply locked my doors and stayed inside.

Tuesday, August 4, 2020, I was told that Faerber ‘instructed’ the substantive Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Three to write me and demand that I vacate the government house (Continued on page 18)

by the CCJ. More time was wasted deliberately during the election process. Their 2011-2015 manifesto was thwarted because of APNU+AFC Party’s sabotage by non-cooperation, non-support and voting down all proposals for the key projects. The PPP/C Party was a minority government and lacked the advantage of securing enough votes, thus, all the major developments were vetoed. Now they have the golden opportunity to implement those much needed and essential projects that can catapult this nation into a modern future that spells development with pertinent infrastructure and galvanized the economy to indiscriminately propel the lives of Guyanese from poverty to prosperity through equitable distribution.

On Monday, it was heartening to note that the Director of Public Prosecutor, Shalimar Ali-Hack dismissed the three private charges filed against the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), retired Justice Claudette Singh, alleging misconduct in public office. The complainants that filed the charges against the GECOM Chair were Lorraine Joseph of 16 Melanie Danishana, East Coast Demerara; Onita Walcott of 25 Section B, Victoria Village, East Coast Demerara and Keith Ondaan of 2987 Central Amelia’s Ward, Mackenzie, Linden. Guyana has suffered tremendously from all the fictitious and vexatious cases that were litigated by the APNU+AFC party for various reasons. This has been a very expensive exercise for the people of Guyana and it is a welcoming move by the DPP to throw this matter out only five days since they were filed but not served. The last election was a reminder of the dark ages and such bitter and malicious taste must not be allowed to find its way on to Guyanese tongues ever again. Madam Chair, Justice (Ret’d), Ms. Claudette Singh performed a magnificent job under tremendous and horrible conditions, challenged from all areas in different dimensions to feel the steel and metal from many a sharp shooter, within and without.

But she never buckled and never failed to uphold her dignity even when on the surface it appeared as if she was being discriminative.

But she did come through the mined field to deliver a declaration as confirmed by the will of the people and accredited by CARICOM. Guyana is thankful to the learned lady who hugged the floor to belt the sweetest tune

on stage; Guyana was privileged to the past five months.

Guyana’s warmth is radiating with humility as the changing of the guard is in process. The APNU+AFC party passed the baton on to the PPP/C Party and now they are saddled with the mantleship of responsible, sensible, possible, credible and plausible stewardship to govern this nation for another possible five years at least.

President Ali, at his swearing in ceremony on Sunday, had promised a “people-centered, accountable government” that will utilize the best resources to manage all sectors in a “transparent manner and accountable manner”.

The last government was overshadowed with numerous and tremendous corruption, collusion, fraud, discrimination, injustice, lies and dishonesty. Yesterday saw the swearing in of 19 more ministers to manage various portfolios. Anxiety and curiosity also played a nagging role in trying to anticipate the unfulfilled ministerial positions.

While some seasonal and familiar faces occupied strategic positions, experience was blended with youth as many young, vibrant and promising personalities emerged to stamp their authority respectfully. This foliage of freshness certainly champions the call for the new and exciting generation to be allowed an opportunity of zeal and perseverance to pedal Guyana into the next technological and developmental stage with vigour and vitality as its arms, strength and endurance as its feet, wisdom and astuteness as its head, foresight and keenness as its eyes, patience and tolerance as its ears, attention and alertness as its nose, motivation and innovation as its voice, ambition and determination as its shoulder and responsibility and reliability as its body.

The entire Guyana sends very warm wishes and congratulates all the ministers who will form the new Cabinet and give them an opportunity to live up to the ideals of honesty, dignity, integrity, truth and justice, committing themselves to serve the people of Guyana fairly as they have so sworn. Good luck to all and Guyana enthusiastically looks forward to your close interaction with the masses, along with efficient and quality service as you lead this country to an endless horizon. May the Almighty bless all chosen to serve and may you always be guided by His grace.

Respectfully, Jai Lall

Thursday August 06, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 07

$1.6B Ocean View hospital an “absolute disaster” - full investigation to be carried out - New Health Minister New Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony

N

ewly appointed Minister of H e a l t h , D r.

Frank Anthony has coined the recently-commissioned Ocean View Infectious Diseases Sanatorium “an absolute disaster” and as his opening mandate as Health Minister, he is vowing that a full investigation will be carried out.

Anthony, subsequently after his appointment, told the media that the Ocean View Hospital is “literally a shell”, adding that what the previous administration did

was refurbished a building but not much else.

“One would have thought that the facilities would have been there but what you have is a space and there is nothing else,” the new Health Minister said.

What is worse and according to him “almost criminal” was the designation of sections of the Hospital for the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

“An ICU,” he explained “would require certain basic minimum standards so for example oxygen…that oxygen would have to be piped in through the walls, which means that in the construction of that building, you needed to have pipes laid into the wall so that the oxygen can come in.”

But all that was done, Dr. Frank Anthony said, was that a section was designated for

Former Health Minister, Volda Lawrence the ICU but all the necessary pipes to funnel the needed oxygen is visibly missing.

The Health Minister pointed out that the hospital also has a “suction issue” and while it was designed to handle the intake of high

dependency Coronavirus (COVID-19) patients, the facility cannot deal with them.

Another additional problem he said that has to be investigated is the air circulation in the building.

He explained “because one of the problems you have with an infectious diseases hospital, you have to limit the air flow within the rooms…because if we are not careful, then you can have cross contamination within the building itself.”

What is more alarming, Dr. Anthony added, was that the hospital was built but no plan was in place to acquire the human resources needed.

“The former President launched this hospitalthere's no staffing structure in place; the doctors who would be working there, none of them have been told,

and they don't know where they are coming from.”

At a minimum, he stated, at least 20 doctors would be needed for the hospital, none of which is in place because of the current shortage of medical staff due to the pandemic.

T h e c o s t f o r construction, according to Dr. Anthony, is also cause for major concern and even more alarming, he said, was the cost to equip the building.

Former Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence, had put the price to acquire the needed equipment for the sanatorium at “three times” the $1.6 billion construction cost.

That is something the new government would have to find.

“In terms of medical equipment, you would need

things like ventilators, none of that is there as I said- we have a shell, and if we are going to be able to utilize that, then we would have to do some more renovations, to put in these things like oxygen and centralized suction and all of that. Plus, we would have to buy all the equipment in terms of beds, ventilators, the consumables and a whole a host of things,” he said.

While the previous government had birthed the idea of an Infectious Diseases Hospital due to the World Health Organization (WHO) estimating that Guyana would deal with an influx of COVID-19 patients, it is believed that it would take a long time before the hospital is prepared to begin their intake of high dependency patients.

Granger, Ramjattan 'buse-out' new PPP Cabinet

T

h e D a v i d Granger/Khemraj Ramjattan-led APNU+AFC coalition yesterday went on a tirade against the governing People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) following the appointment of the new Cabinet at the Arthur Chung International Conference Centre.

The coalition made it clear that it sees the appointment as a “rubberstamp” Cabinet under the “authoritarian” control of Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo. The coalition hurled insults at Jagdeo, and challenged the legitimacy of the Cabinet of President Irfaan Ali. Read the full statement below: APNU+AFC sees new fraudulent 'Cabinet' as Jagdeo rubberstamp The APNU+AFC Coalition has taken note of the PPP's naming of 'ministers' who will now form a fraudulent 'Cabinet'.

The naming of the various 'ministers', resulting from fraudulent elections, is in itself uninspiring and appears to be a hodge podge of misfits

and Jagdeo loyalists.

The nation can expect to be besieged by nothing but blind loyalty to the dictates of Jagdeo - from the 'President' to the most junior 'minister'. The new 'Cabinet', illegitimate as it is will be nothing more than a rubberstamp of Jagdeo's maniacal control 'freakism'.

This 'Cabinet' is a creature of Jagdeo.

There is the return of Robeson Benn who picked up the moniker of 'Bruck Up Benn' during his tenure a Minister of Public Works. He is now appointed to the Home Affairs portfolio. This is a sad day for citizen safety and security in Guyana when a callous, heartless authoritarian as Benn is taking charge of Guyana's public security.

The ordinary citizens would be justified in being engulfed in fear and trepidation as they go to bed tonight. It was Benn who barged into the National Communications Network and demanded that a local song be banned from the airwaves. This belligerent dictator is now being put in command of the security forces.

A tainted and toxic

APNU+AFC Leaders, David Granger and Khemraj Ramjattan individual as Kwame McCoy who the PPP, in shame, hid from public view for the last five years suddenly surfaces and is made a 'minister'.

August 5, 2020 will be recorded as a day of infamy, shame and disgrace in Guyana's national, governmental and parliamentary history.

Vickram Bharrat lacks experience and competence and is a complete misfit at the Ministry of Natural Resources. Mr. Bharrat does not even have the benefit of wither serving a full term as

a n o p p o s i t i o n parliamentarian (he came in as a late replacement for Charles Ramson Jr.) nor did he shadow the portfolio.

Ramson Jr. must consider Bharrat's appointment to Natural Resources as a slap in his face as he (Ramson Jr.) is the only member of the 'Cabinet' who hold qualifications in the oil and gas sector, yet he has been banished from this portfolio.

The appointments of Anand Persaud, Joe Hamilton and Nigel Dharamlall reek of gross incompetence and

clearly demonstrates the dearth of quality leadership in the PPP. It would appear as though the 'Prime Minister', Mark Phillips, is without portfolio, yet he has a junior 'minister' whom, it appears he will be required to babysit as his fulltime occupation.

Notably, no appointment was made for the critical portfolio of finance. No mention was even made.

We take note too that several high-ranking PPP executives and leaders have been sidelined or discarded.

These include Clement Rohee, the former General Secretary; Indra Chandarpaul, head of the

women's arm of the PPP; Robert Persaud, a former Minister of Natural Resources; Shyam Nokta, Odinga Lumumba, Harry Gill, Jennifer Westford, Africo Selman and Dharamkumar Seeraj, among others.

It is further evident that the Jagan legacy in the PPP has been unceremoniously demolished and discarded.

Today, Guyanese have witnessed what the APNU+AFC has warned of that the PPP has not, in any way changed. It remains a oneman authoritarian cult and this has now been formalised with this fraudulent de facto 'Cabinet'.

proofreader WANTED Must be able to work Flexible hours Apply with Application and CV to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Thursday August 06, 2020

Special team appointed Forensic audits to be done to investigate 19 on all COVID spending - Attorney General State agencies

A

P

resident Irfaan Ali has appointed a special technical team to immediately conduct a “Rapid Financial and Management Assessment” into 19 key agencies.

Those agencies are as follows- the Guyana Power and Light, the Guyana Water Incorporated, Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, the Central Housing and Planning Authority, the Guyana Forestry Commission, the Guyana Gold Board, the National Industrial and Commercial Limited, the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission, The Lotto Fund, the Guyana Energy Agency, the Guyana Rice Development Board, the Guyana Oil Company, the Guyana National Shipping Corporation, the Guyana Office of Investment (GoInvest), and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).

The special technical team comprises Christopher 'Kit' Nascimento, Public Communications Consultant; Chartered Accountant and Attorney–at-law, Christopher Ram; Nigel Hinds, Certified Public Accountant and Sasenarine Singh, Financial Consultant.

Additionally, the team will also be conducting a review of the operations, policies and programmes of the Department of Public Information (DPI), the

Christopher 'Kit” Nascimento

Nigel Hinds

Sasenarine Singh

Christopher Ram National Communications Network Incorporated (NCN) and the Guyana National Newspaper Limited (Guyana Chronicle).

Further, the team will address the matter of the functions of the Guyana Broadcasting Authority (GNBA).

This move almost mirrors what was done back in 2015 by the then A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) David Granger-led coalition where he had commanded the services of Christopher Ram and Nigel Hinds to conduct investigations into then f o r m e r P P P / C administration.

According to reports, a total of $133 million had been spent on forensic audits for several State agencies and other bodies.

Security guards placed at Charity market after break-ins

A

fter more than five months and a series of breakins, security guards will finally be posted at the Charity marketing area, on the Essequibo Coast.

This is according to the Regional Chairm a n o f R e g i o n T w o (Pomeroon/Supenaam), Devenand Ramdatt. Ramdatt was at the time speaking with several programme heads within the region, at the Anna Regina State House.

Based on reports reaching Kaieteur News, there has been a series of break-ins at several stalls within the Charity Market. In fact, seven in two weeks. In one night, there were five.

This included a boutique, pharmacy and grocery.

Kaieteur News understands that the Regional Democratic Council aided in providing security for the market. A senior personnel within the security firm, however, indicated yesterday that the security personnel deployed to the Charity Market, were recalled some five months ago.

The senior personnel went on to say that the decision was made, following instructions from the Regional Executive Officer of Region Two, Denis Jaikaran.

Jaikaran's decision was reversed yesterday, nevertheless, when the Regional Chairman instructed the security firm

The Regional Chairman, Devanand Ramdatt to redeploy security guards to the market. Charity is the second largest commercial community on the Essequibo Coast. The community is supported primarily by residents living in the Pomeroon, and even parts of Moruca.

ttorney General, Anil Nandlall, has raised concerns about Government expenditures during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, explaining that forensic audits will have to be done to bring the financial accounts of the country “up to standard”.

Following the swearing in of 19 government ministers yesterday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, the AG fielded questions from the press.

“We have to do a lot of work in a very short period of time, and in a very difficult circumstance.”

He stated that the country's finances are, legally speaking, in a state of chaos.

Since there was no budget, there has been no authorized spending, Nandlall said. “…yet monies are being hauled out of the

Consolidated Fund. The law says you can only do that with Parliamentary approval.”

Parliament was dissolved in December 2019 to facilitate elections. However, in March, former President David Granger had issued an order under the Public Health Ordinance to expend public funds as the government saw it necessary for the effective consolidation of COVID-19.

Yet, scrutiny of the government's spending has faced several hurdles.

The Ocean View COVID19 hospital, for instance, has received significant attention for the hundreds of millions to build it ($1.6B). Despite the concerns raised, the former government had made no attempt to come clean.

“There are serious violations of the financial laws that have taken place over the past several months,” Nandlall told this newspaper.

Attorney General, Anil Nandlall “So it's a lot of work that has to be done; a lot of forensic audits have to be done, but we are going to get there.”

He opined that the Auditor General, who has already started audits on the spending in this period, will have tremendous difficulties because “none of the laws were being complied with.”

Fishers willing to comply with Covid-19 measures, asking for Corentyne River to be reopen

Boats at the Corentyne River

W

ith hundreds of families affected due to the closure of the Corentyne River for the past five months, the fishers are asking for the river to reopen. They said that they are willing to comply with any COVID-19 measures.

President of the Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Mohindra Persaud, yesterday wrote a letter to the Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Capt.

Gerry Gouveia.

In the letter, he stated that the Upper Corentyne Fishing Industry has been affected by the closure of the Corentyne River due to COVID-19.

The letter further noted that over 200 families are affected directly because of

the closure of the river, leaving the fishers without a job since this is their only source of income.

Persaud stated that the UCCI is suggesting that all organization must be committed to take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of all employees, customers and communities.

They have to follow the advice of the public health authorities and proactively implement a range of precautionary measures.

After Guyana recorded its first case of the novel Coronavirus Disease in March 2020, a temporary ban on fishing was implemented and ever since the fishers have been pleading for assistance and for the Guyana

Government to get the Suriname authorities to allow them to fish.

The Suriname authorities, as part of their COVID-19 measures, are not allowing fishers in the waters they patrol. The fishing industry is one of the industries badly affected by COVID-1, since fishermen are unable to venture out to sea to ply their trade in the Upper Corentyne. The water falls (water-falling spots are ideal for nesting and spawning of fishes) in Suriname's jurisdiction.

In the past, the fishing industry was overwhelmed with piracy attacks but this is an entirely new scenario that has battered the industry with no indications of how it will recover.

Thursday August 06, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 09

VOA is not all propaganda B

efore television came to Guyana, radio was popular. There was hardly a home without a radio.

In my home, there was a radiogram – consisting of a radio and a gramophone or record-player. The radio unit on my radiogram had shortwave, medium and long wave bands.

Every morning apart from listening to the local radio, I would tune in on shortwave to listen to the BBC World Service, Caribbean Service.

There was a one-hour news programme of the main news stories around the world.

There were also interesting programmes, including, at times, live coverage of Test Match and county cricket.

The Caribbean Service would end around 10am each morning. If you wanted to continue listening to the World Service, you had to use another shortwave band but unless you had an external antenna, the reception usually was very poor. The Caribbean Service would resume in the afternoons and go way into the evening. It was among the staples of lovers of radio before the advent of television. Voice of America (VOA) was also available on shortwave throughout the day. But the reception was better at nights.

During the dark days of

political repression, Guyanese would be forced to listen to the Radio Antilles newscast each evening in order to get the truth about their country's politics.

The state-media then, as now, was totally controlled by the government and was biased and partisan and very often twisted the facts. Radio Antilles operated out of Montserrat. It stopped its service in 1995 by which time there were two independent newspapers in Guyana, the Stabroek News and the Kaieteur News.

But without Radio Antilles, Guyanese would have been in the darkness about much of what was taking place in the country.

Prior to the advent of television, the main source of information came from the radio. Guyanese tuned in to foreign radio broadcasts from the BBC, VOA and Radio Antilles for news and information.

VOA is owned by the American government but, like the BBC, it is not about solely disseminating the American viewpoint. When it does provide the perspectives of the American government in a commentary, it informs the listener that the views expressed on the programme are those of the US government. It can and does provide in most instances

fair coverage.

VOA is a valuable source of information of a variety of issues and it does have excellent features. The first time I heard Chick Corea was on a late-night VOA programme. The VOA still has excellent arts and culture features as well as a international news programmes which bring news from all around the world.

This is not to suggest that the VOA does not have a political role. It does. The VOA is seeking to reach audiences in countries where there is no free press or where the press is being suppressed or there are such perceptions.

VOA, because it is a liberal multi-media service, has attracted its fair share of accusations that it is a propaganda arm of the United States government. It has been accused of having a political agenda. VOA Persia Service has been accused of vilifying Iran. It has also been critical of Venezuelan President, Nicholas Maduro.

But most western media can be similarly accused. But similar criticisms cannot be made of most of the content of the VOA. With the Internet, one no longer needs a shortwave radio to listen to programmes of the VOA or the BBC. The state-owned NCN used to

Dem boys seh...

Friends with benefits

D

em boys seh if you want turn Minister in de Pee Pee Pee Cee, yuh gat to befriend Jagdeo. De man does reward he friends with Minister wuk.

Fuss was he friend, Manny. De man was a travel agent so he decide to mek he Minister of Business. Dem boys ain't know who business he bin look after de government, he own or he best friend.

Den he mek De Man-

Zoor a Minister with de same responsibility. But at least De Man-Zoor did bring some of he votes with he. He bin do a good job though.

But Donald bin like Irfaan mo, so he drop Jagdeo friend, De Man-Zoor .

Now, Anand bin Jagdeo friend lang before dem other two and even before Bobby.

And like he had to ask whether goat bin bite he. He get TV licence. He get radio licence. He might have even gotten a National Award. But

all dem friend wah come after he get Minister wuk.

But he patience pay off.

He get Minister wuk now.

Dem boys bin asking if he was Minister of de Cinema.

But dem hear he is a junior Minister of Local Government.

Now what Anand know about local government other than putting up tower in countryside?

Talk half and nah bother ask if Kwame bin friend with Bharrat too.

Break in at NICIL-SPU office at ...

From page 3 the official was still with police investigators.

She stated that all she knew was “there was a breakin of one of the offices” but was not sure which one. It was also unclear as to who made the report to police.

When asked if there were any guards on duty, she responded: “Yes, there are normally security guards

who are stationed at front gate of the estate compound”. The compound in question is gated and was once part of the vibrant LBI estate, which was eventually closed.

Henry promised that she will give more clarity on the issue later since she was at the time being detailed by investigators on their findings. Under the previous

administration, NICIL/SPU was responsible for the privatization and divesting of four major sugar estates in Guyana that were closed.

T h e s e i n c l u d e Wa l e s , Skeldon, Enmore and Rose Hall.

NICIL/SPU recently came under scrutiny for the sale of critical lands in the Ogle area that are worth billions.

relay BBC programmes, mostly late at night. It also did the same with Chinese stateowned television network.

With the internet, you no longer need a shortwave radio to listen to programmes aired by the VOA or the BBC. These are now streamed online and you can actually download programmes or otherwise listen at your own convenience.

The internet has changed radio and it has certainly changed, for the better, the programming which listeners can access from services such as the BBC and the VOA. Those who are tired of

television news – and especially of CNN, MSNBC and Fox News – may wish to consider radio once again.

The BBC has multiple radio channels which are available online. And the VOA is also streaming its programmes.

VOA is not all propaganda. Its news reporting does embrace, g e n e r a l l y, j o u r n a l i s t i c standards.

The VOA conveys the American liberal values of a free press and a democratic government. And are those not the same values to which our local politicans claim to subscribe.

Guyanese, if they wish, can opt to view foreign radio stations such as the BBC and the VOA as instruments of western propaganda. But in so doing, they will be missing out on some quality programming, from which the older radio-listening generation benefitted.

(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

Thursday August 06, 2020

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Giving the AFC nine seats is a complete act of PNC's self-destruction T

he PNC has the Statement of Polls (SOPs). The PNC knows which Indian, African and Amerindian areas in all of Guyana that gave their votes to the APNU+AFC. Keith Lowenfield has GECOM's SOPs. If the PNC has thrown away their SOPs then he can give them GECOM's.

The PPP has published their SOPs online. So the analyst has access to the SOPs to see how ethnic voting went. I looked at quite a large number of those SOPs and the electoral devastation of the AFC was comprehensive.

Not in one; I repeat, not ONE district, town, village or enclave where East Indian predominate did the APNU+AFC got even five percent of the vote. In Nagamootoo's hometown of Whim, APNU+AFC was thrashed. In Ramjattan's home of Number 48 village,

APNU+AFC was similarly treated.

Unlike 2011 and 2015, Indians made a complete withdrawal from the AFC in 2020. If the PNC assigns nine seats to the AFC then that is equivalent to 46,000 votes. The entire country knows that the AFC did not get 6,000 votes muchless 46,000.

There are several reasons one can offer the proposition that awarding the AFC nine seats would mark the slow self-destruction of the PNC. First, for the coming years, the PNC is going to be in a state of mental uncertainties.

There is going to be a lull in activities.

Stalwarts will leave creating many vacancies that will be filled by undesirables like James Bond and Simona Broomes which will further dent the credibility of the PNC. Secondly, with the young population Guyana has, the

PNC is not going to return to power way beyond the foreseeable future.

In 2030, those who are 18 years today will be a mere 28 years old and they will not forget what the PNC did for five months in 2020. Added to this, it is highly unlikely that a bad performance by the PPP over the next five years can generate a PNC victory in 2025.

Thirdly, it is in the long term interest of the PNC to secure those 31 parliamentarians for the PNC itself.

The more seats available to the PNC, the more personnel it has at its disposal, the more income its leaders will have because 31 PNC parliamentarians will be collecting a monthly salary, part of which will have to go to the party's income.

Fourthly, why give away nine seats to another party that is of no electoral and

political asset to you? The PNC's war room has to be filled with dysfunctional minds if those leaders feel that the AFC has something to add to the PNC over the next five years. For all intent and purpose, the AFC is a dead entity.

Fifthly, if the PNC gives nine seats to the AFC is it virtually keeping the AFC alive? What the AFC will most likely do is to ask those nine MPs to donate from their parliamentary salaries to keep the AFC office going. In essence then, the PNC will be using its resources to sustain the AFC. Surely, realpolitik has to guide the PNC in its current relation with the AFC. If asked to guess what the PNC will do, I think two directions will be taken in the coming days. One strong, anti-AFC group is going to argue that the era of the AFC has come and gone and therefore the PNC must

move on and consolidate the physiology and biology of the PNC and take its rightful place in parliament by having its 31 MPs. An opposing school will argue that in the aftermath of the crisis, it would be terrible public relations for the PNC to take all 31 seats. This group will not go beyond four seats for the AFC. Even though this faction will not ditch the AFC, the assignment of nine seats is out of the question. I think this is where the AFC will fight among itself because the PNC will demand Indian names so as to balance the ethnic mix in the A P N U + A F C ' s parliamentary edifice.

Since the PNC is short on Indian names, it would make sense for PNC leaders to ask the AFC to balance the parliamentary composition by submitting Indian names.

Here is where the AFC's implosion will come

Frederick Kissoon because some top African personnel in the AFC's hierarchy will have to be left out if the PNC is only giving four.

If you look at the attitude of the PNC leaders during the election campaign to the sharing of jurisdiction if APNU+AFC had won, you will see that the PNC did not recognize the AFC's viability. The PNC will not give the AFC nine seats.

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

Thursday August 06, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Thursday August 06, 2020

Estate worker found dead in tug A

n Albion estate worker was found lifeless in the tug, which he was working in at the backdam of the Albion Estate.

Dead is Latchman Balram, 36, of Lot 126 Auchlyne Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

Lolita Balram, his devastated wife, while at her father's home in Auchlyne, told reporters that her husband left for work Tuesday afternoon around 16:30 hours to work the night shift.

But while he was supposed to return home yesterday morning, instead she received the shocking news that her husband had met with an accident while working in the backdam.

"I called and they tell me that is not a bad accident and that he just unconscious and dem taking he to the Port Mourant Hospital."

She said when she arrived at the hospital, she was forced to wait for over two hours until eventually two persons from her husband's employer, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) showed up at the health institution.

Balram disclosed that she was then informed by the two officials that her husband was no more.

"Them said that the machine operator was driving and he was in the punt/tug bailing out water and

His grieving wife, Lolita, with their three children

Dead: Latchman Balram like the operator na focus and when he eventually turn back, he na see my husband."

She said they told her that the operator stopped worked and made a check in the tug and there he discovered her husband lying lifeless inside.

According to the grieving wife, when she eventually got to see her husband's body, she noticed black and blue marks on his right side eyes.

He was scheduled to work the night shift for the entire week and

was the sole breadwinner of the home.

A post mortem is expected to be

done in Georgetown shortly.

G uySuCo officials have signaled their intentions to assist

the woman after the PM is conducted. He had been employed at the estate for the past nine years.

Kaieteur News

Thursday August 06, 2020

PAGE 15

New York crash leaves GNBS ban use of dial scales mom, two children dead T

NEW YORK, N.Y. (CBS NewYork) — Tragedy struck an immigrant family in the B r o n x . Tw o v e h i c l e s carrying loved ones were struck by a truck upstate Sunday night. A mother and two her children are dead.

Four other members are injured.

As CBS2's Tony Aiello reports, inside their Bronx home, there are a collection of white frame photos on the wall. The wealth of pictures speaks of a family built around love. It's a family now shattered by the deaths of Zulika Gayapersad, her daughter Chelsea and son Justin. “We're literally shaken to the core, can't function, can't move,” Zulika's son Aamir Jagdeo told Aiello. “So much stuff to do, we can't bring ourselves to do it.

Unreal, absolutely unreal.”

The tight-knit family has roots in Trinidad and Guyana. The victims were killed Sunday night when the car they were riding in was rear ended by a fast moving tractor trailer near the Kingston exit on the New York State Thruway.

Relatives in a second vehicle were injured. They were returning from a weekend upstate with family.

T h e l o s s f o r Vi s h n u Gayapersad is unimaginable: His beloved wife and two children are gone.

“I don't have the words right now to say what is going on,” he said. “I don't believe this is happening.”

he Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) has decided to ban the use of domestic dial scales for trade in the local and commercial markets.

This was according to a press releases it sent out yesterday. It was disclosed that this decision was made after numerous complaints were made by consumers.

As a result, GNBS said it is taking a stance to eradicate this malpractice in the market place so consumers can be satisfied with accurate weights and value for money.

GNBS also highlighted a

Chelsea and Zulika Gayapersad (credit: Family handout) The children both attended nearby St. Raymond's Elementary School. Chelsea loved art and music and Justin was a Nintendo Mario superfan.

And at the center of the family was Zulika, devoted mom with a huge heart.

“Absolutely beautiful person, very compassionate,

very kind, very caring, did a lot for the family,” said Jagdeo.

The family wants answers from state police investigators, who tell CBS2 criminal charges against the truck driver are a possibility.

For now, they are planning a triple funeral and finding the strength in each other.

Villager arrested for murder of Crane's shepherd

A

villager has been held in connection with the murder of Darrel James, 21, who was found with his throat slashed near a community ground at Crane, We s t C o a s t D e m e r a r a (WCD).

Kaieteur News understands the suspect who is in police custody was known to the deceased and lived close to the field where the body was recovered.

James was murdered on Sunday sometime after he left his Lot 79 Crane Housing Scheme residence at around 8:30 am. He left to take the sheep to the pasture.

Roxanne Bess, the dead man's mother, told this publication said that she learnt of his demise from another young man who also tends sheep in the community.

Murdered: Darrel James The woman noted, however that “Plenty people know that he does graze the sheep and they don't trouble him.”

The woman recounted that when she arrived at the ball field, her son's body was lying in the grass not too far from the flock, which he had taken out to graze.

Bess, who was still in shock over her son's death when she spoke to Kaieteur News, said that she could not believe that her son's life was snuffed out in such a brazen manner. She is convinced that someone must have seen something since the incident happened in broad daylight.

“My son is a peaceful person and he always helping somebody. He never had trouble with people,” she stressed.

Villagers who gathered at the scene of the crime on Sunday had speculated that the man was beaten before his throat was slashed.

Police detectives later confirmed that the body bore several marks of violence and the dead man's belongings were found scattered in bushes except for his Samsung S8 phone that was missing.

Domestic dial scales are now being banned by GNBS

few reasons to justify why it will not stamp or verify such scales for market use. It stated that the domestic dial scale was designed for

household use only. GNBS also noted that the mechanisms of these scales were not designed for (continued on page 18)

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Govt. signs agreement to host UNCTAD conference

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - CMC – Barbados yesterday signed an agreement to serve as the host country for the 15th session of the United Nations Conference

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on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Ministerial Conference (UNCTAD 15) that was originally due to have been held in October this year.

“The government of Barbados is committed to delivering a conference that allows for the universal participation of UNCTAD’s 195 member states while fully protecting the health and safety of both the visiting delegates and the local population of Barbados,” Prime Minister Mia Mottley said at the signing ceremony, as the October 18-23 event had been postponed because of

the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.“We aim to provide a platform for consequential deliberation and action by Ministers and for serious engagement with civil society. Above all, we are determined to make UNCTAD 15 an inclusive and unforgettable event that offers significant opportunities for the creativity and entrepreneurship of the people of Barbados,” Mottley said.

The conference, which will be held under the theme “From Inequality and Vulnerability to Prosperity for All,” is UNCTAD’s highest decisionmaking body and is held every four years.During the conference, policy makers assess

the current trade and development issues, discuss policy options and formulate global responses to the challenges affecting states – particularly developing states. The conference also sets the organization’s mandate and work priorities.Mottley, who signed the accord here with the UNCTAD Secretary-General, Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi, who signed the document in Nairobi, said “the COVID-19 global emergency and its extreme repercussions have exposed the need for a fundamental rethinking of many of the assumptions that previously underpinned the international economic order.

Thursday August 06, 2020

PAGE 17

Kaieteur News

CARICOM Chair defends “interference” in Guyana’s political situation

Vincent - CMC – The chairman of the 15-member regional integration movement, CARICOM, yesterday defended his decision to “interfere” in the political situation in Guyana insisting that it was important for democracy to be have been maintained in the CARICOM country.

Gonsalves, who is also the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, told listeners to his weekly radio programme that soon after President Irfaan Ali had been sworn into office on Sunday, he telephoned him to congratulate him on his victory, interference” in Guyana’s political situation Ali, 40, was sworn into office a few hours after the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) had declared him the winner in the presidential elections over the incumbent David Granger and also gave the People’s Progressive Party /Civic (PPP/C) victory over the ruling coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).

GECOM had given the results based on the outcome of the national recount that had been supervised by a three-member CARICOM team after both the APNU and the PPP/C had claimed victory. The APNU has since said it intends to file election petitions challenging the election results.

“I spoke to both President Ali and Vice President (Bharrat) Jagdeo on the morning after they were sworn in.

Message of thanks for CARICOM were sent by them to the CARICOM Secretariat and to myself as chairman of CARICOM. “We issued a message…welcoming the declaration (by GECOM).

What precipitated the final declaration was the decision by the Chief Justice first and then by the Court of Appeal unanimously strike down another effort to drag this thing on”.

He told radio listeners then when he wrote the personal editorial on Guyana “the crazies here in St. Vincent

add the Grenadines and the wilder persons associated with the former government in Guyana, you know how bitterly they denounced me, saying I was spewing the agenda of the PPP. “I repeated then and I do now that I had metaphorically no dog hunting in the race.

All I wanted to see was democracy in Guyana. That the will of the people be respected,” he said, adding “it is strange that because he had defended democracy in Guyana, a New York based Guyanese organisation, which had given an award for democracy had decided to withdraw that award.

“It is the first time a man who got a prize for democracy has had it withdrawn for standing up for democracy.

Well that will tell you something about that organisation, not about me,” Gonsalves said, adding that he has no knowledge as to whether he had returned home with the “award” or left it behind in the United States.

The New York-based Car-

All Public Works contracts will be scrutinised -Minister Edghill “We are not gonna allow the skullduggery of yesteryear to continue,” was the sentiment expressed by Guyana’s newly appointed Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill.

He announced that his office will be fully scrutinizing the multi-million dollar contracts awarded by the previous administration.

Edghill told Kaieteur News: “We are gonna operate in a very responsible, principle and accountable manner.”

“Tomorrow I get to my desk, I expect to be briefed. I expect to have full disclosure from all of the officers responsible and when we see what is there, we will take the necessary actions but you could be assured that everything that we do, will be for the public good, protecting the public purse, and to ensure that there is transparency in what takes place,” he said.

While he noted that his office will be delving into all of the contracts that were awarded since January 2019 to current, special attention will be paid to those big name contracts awarded in 2020 where there was no budgetary allocation to capital projects.

“So we will be reviewing all of that on a case-by-case basis,” the new Public Works Minister said.

Of special interest, Edghill, a former Junior Minister of Finance, pointed out that the $352 million contract awarded to Brian Tiwari for the construction of rip-rap sea defences at Content, Mahaicony; the transfer of a key piece of water front property to B.K. Marine Incorporated; and the $587 million contract for the procurement of eight bucket trucks to conduct maintenance works for

the state-run Guyana Power and Light (GPL), will be receiving special scrutiny to ensure that taxpayers’ dollars were not squandered.

“People have no appetite for fighting, witch-hunting and we also have no appetite whatsoever for squandering the public purse. So, my intention is to be very principled, pragmatic, and protect the public good and the public purse.”

ibbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) said its board of directors had voted unanimously last week to revoke the Democracy Prize it had awarded to Gonsalves saying the move “was yet another fallout from Gonsalves’ controversial role in the Guyana elections.

“Gonsalves has backed Guyana’s opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP), which claimed it won the March 2, 2020 for which there are no declared results,” the CGID said then, adding that he also angered Guyanese by claiming that the incumbent APNU lost the elections and that Granger should “take his licks like a man,” and give up power.

Gonsalves said that the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) had taken the opportunity to link itself with the took the opportunity during the CGID “and a narrow group of people in Guyana who wanted, clearly to disallow the people’s will and seeking to use the law to subvert the will of the people.

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves “It is not surprising that the NDP would have done that because in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the NDP has sought to use the law to subvert the will of the people in the last elections. We won the elections fair and square, all the observer missions….everyone of theme said the elections reflected the will of the people.

“But more important that all the observers, when the evidence was tested in court….the evidence was presented, documents presented

and everything was turned inside out by the judge, examination in chief….and the judge ruled that the petitions…had failed”.He said the NDP wanted to support what “this narrow group wanted to do in Guyana to deny the verdict of the people.“Free and fair election, verdict of the people, challenge it if you want by petition, just like how the NDP challenged here and lost,” he said, adding that the intention was “to undermine the will of the people”.

PAGE 18

Thursday August 06, 2020

Kaieteur News

Fire destroys home of visually impaired association official The Joint Services are expected to play a more prominent role in the planning and execution of the national strategy to tackle the COVID19 pandemic.

The increased role of the army and the police at the level of the National Taskforce on COVID-19 was on Monday highlighted during the first meeting between the newly elected President Irfaan Ali and members of the health team.

During the discussion, Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO), Dr. Karen GordonBoyle, highlighted the issue among those in need of urgent redress.

Dr. Gordon-Boyle noted that the role of the Joint Services in the fight against the pandemic is urgently needed particularly along the border communities which has been most affected by the disease.The suggestion to increase the input of the joint services was accepted in light of the increasing cases of the virus in the border locations at Region Nine and the mining areas in Region Seven.

Guyana currently has over 500 positives cases of COVID-19 with Regions Seven and Nine reported as having the highest number of infections.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, in a recent breakdown of the

DCMO, Dr. Karen Gordon-Boyle

regional distribution of positive cases, noted that Regions Seven and Nine have been flagged for having several hotspots for the spread of the disease.

According to the CMO, as a result, in the space of 96 hours (4 days), Guyana has reported 96 new cases.

He reminded that the Coronavirus is not selective or exclusive; it’s everywhere including the neighbouring territories- Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname.“So everyone, everywhere, in all the 10 a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r e gions, needs to make that special effort to continue playing a part in spreading the message about COVID-19.

There should be no letting up; complacency and worse still a laissez faire attitude can

be our undoing,” he said.Dr. Persaud also sought to dispel some of misconceptions about COVID-19.

The CMO noted that talks such as the disease doesn’t exist, that wearing a mask causes the disease and testing brings about the disease can do more harm than good.

The CMO said, “We need to dispel these myths if we are going to break the back of the camel; not only in Regions Seven and Nine but in every community.”According to Dr. Persaud, this is the only way that Guyana can be supportive of the selfless efforts of the health workers on the frontline who are risking their lives to prevent the further transmission of the Coronavirus disease.

15 new faces join new Cabinet From centre pages formerly served as Ministry of Finance; was an advisor to former President Jagdeo, and Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Committee (ERC).

Businessman and Accountant, Deodat Indar, will serve within the Ministry of Public Works. Indar was President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and was Vice Chair of the Private Sector Commission (PSC).

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce will be headed by Oneidge Walrond, daughter of Grantley

Walrond. She is a former Magistrate, and was one of the persons suggested by Jagdeo to serve as Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

Kaieteur News also learnt yesterday that Prime Minister Phillips will be responsible for Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA). He will also handle the portfolio of Telecommunications, formerly handled as a separate Ministry by Cathy Hughes. A former Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Brigadier Phillips will sit on the Defence Board. He will

also oversee the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and Public Information.

The Finance portfolio is expected to be under the control of the Ministry of the Presidency until a Minister is appointed.Following the swearing in of the Ministers yesterday, President Ali called the appointments a “multifaceted fusion of experience and skill-sets” and challenged the Ministers to move swiftly to ensure the country is taken care of. The government is expected to provide clarity on other Ministerial responsibilities in a publication of The Official Gazette.

The remains of the house President of the Guyana Association for the Visually Impaired (GAVI), Leon Amsterdam, 61, and his family, lost their Stanleytown, West Bank Demerara (WBD) home two Sundays ago to fire.

Amsterdam’s two-storey wooden and concrete house went up in flames at around 01:00hrs that day.

Kaieteur News understands that Amsterdam, who is also visually impaired, was at his sister’s house when his house caught afire.

According to his sister, Ann, it was a female neighbour who had alerted them that her brother’s house was on fire. The neighbour awoke to the sound of a loud car horn being tooted repeatedly. She (the neighbour) peeped out her window and saw a car parked in front of her house. Someone from inside the car then shouted: “Look that house next to you burning down from the back.”

JULIUS FAERBER IS MY NEIGHBOUR From page 6 in 72 hours and further the REO must copy the letter to him and the Regional Police Commander.

Editor, when I heard the letter, I laughed and as I pen this missive, I am still laughing. Let me make it pellucid here and now. I am a geographic candidate for the APNU+AFC coalition in the recently concluded Regional and General Elections.

I campaigned for the coalition. I walked the street fighting for the coalition in this democratic, sovereign State called Guyana.

Like many of the persons who are still in the employ of Government who did it for the PPP in 2015, I did it for the APNU+AFC in 2020. It is public knowledge. As an employee within the Public Sector of Guyana, I am aware that first, there is no rule barring public servants from campaigning for a po-

litical party of their choice. Secondly, it is the Regional Executive Officer who is the custodian of all Government properties in regions and thirdly, after the declaration of election results, Regional Chairmen no longer exist until Regional Councillors take their oaths of office and elect a Regional Chairman. Editor, former Chairman Faerber’s bone of contention is one that I cannot understand but I do know that his house has many people living in it so maybe he needs another house and I guess the Government house closest to him will be perfect.

Notwithstanding the above, if it is the desire of the newly formed Government to have me vacate the Government house, I respectfully request that it be done within the confines of the laws of Guyana and in keeping with the Public Service Rules.

Ganesh Mahipaul

Lost home: GAVI’s President, Leon Amsterdam

The woman panicked when she heard this. She immediately ran out of the house and made her way to Ann’s place, which was a short distance away.

By the time Ann and her brother arrived, the building was completely engulfed in flames. An emergency call was made to the fire department and firefighters came shortly after to contain the blaze.

Ann told Kaieteur News that her brother lost everything but thanked God that he

nor his wife or their two adult children and young grandchild were not at home when the fire started.

She recalled that on the Saturday before, his children and grandchild had left the house to spend time with other relatives in Georgetown.

Also later that afternoon, his wife journeyed to spend the night with an ill relative in Patentia. Amsterdam did not want to be alone at home so he decided to sleep over at her place.

GNBS ban use of dial...

From page 15 continuous use and prone to be damaged easily.

Kaieteur was further informed by an official from the Public Relations Department of GNBS that vendors and retailers have been using these scales for years.

He said many tend to purchase these domestic scales because they are much cheaper. However, such

scales are not and will not be approved by GNBS, he iterated.

The official explained that GNBS will be carrying out verification exercise of the scales used in the market place in September. Should vendors and retailers, after the verification process, continue use the non-approved dial scales, law enforcement officers will move to seize them.

Thursday August 06, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

IPL 2020 SOPs: Rigorous testing, restricted movement, one team per hotel ESPNcricinfo - The IPL has laid out a rigorous testing process for players and support staff who will need to clear at least four tests along with a week-long quarantine before they can start training in the UAE. Details of the testing process and frequency feature among the draft document of standard operating procedures (SOPs), which the IPL shared with franchises on Monday.

The SOPs include details on dos and don’ts during travel, lodging and training during the 53-day tournament, which is scheduled to be played at three venues in the UAE - Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah - between September 19 and November 10. The BCCI is yet to announce the tournament schedule as it awaits a formal nod from the

Indian government.

ESPNcricinfo understands that teams have been asked to travel with “minimum” contingents and not before August 20. Among the SOPs, the IPL has permitted families of squad members to travel to the UAE and stay inside the bio-secure bubble, but the final decision on that front will remain with each franchise. However, the IPL has made it mandatory that each team will need to have a medical doctor on board to help the franchise mitigate risks as well educate the squad during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Testing protocols As per the draft SOPs, IPL has recommended to franchises that all members carry out two tests before their squads depart for the UAE.

An IPL logo displayed on a smartphone with a computer model of the COVID-19 virus. (Getty Images) Those two tests will need to be done at 24-hour intervals as per the World Health Organisation norms. They will also need to be done before the player or coaching/support staff member assembles in the city where they will board the flight for the UAE. The validity of the second test result will need to last for at least four days (96 hours) including the date of landing

Thursday August 06 , 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Your mind is buzzing like a bee, Aries. You're apt to find that there's very little you can do to slow it down.

Make sure you add compassion to the chain that's holding everything together.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Your engine may sputter this morning as your gears begin to turn, Libra. It could be that you're working out something important in your mind that's helping clarify your emotions.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Mornings aren't usually your best time, Taurus. You aren't fully awake until afternoon.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your world may seem rather tight and rigid this morning, Gemini, but the good news is that difficulties are apt to melt away as the day progresses.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Be careful not to overdo things today, Scorpio. You may so zealously want to meet your goals that you overshoot the mark by quite a bit.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) This is one of those days in which you're better able to stand back and look at your emotions intellectually, Cancer. Your freedom-loving nature isn't built to deal with heavy emotional baggage and turmoil, so don't bother trying.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Prepare for a surprise today, Leo. Perhaps it will come from someone else or perhaps it will come from you.

Either way, by evening you're apt to be feeling quite loveydovey and rather spaced out.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22) Things seem to be going quite well for you in many respects, Virgo. Your thinking is clear, your emotions are under control, and the puzzle pieces are fitting into place.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Tempers may get hot today when someone says something that pierces you to your core. Address this problem right away, Sagittarius, instead of letting it fester through the rest of the day.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Don't be surprised if you leap out of bed with a spark of inspiration that wasn't there last night, Capricorn.

Let your dreams linger a bit before you face the world.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Sometimes your emotions overtake your rational thoughts, Aquarius, and you end up acting on impulse.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Review your day as you watch the sunset and observe the clouds turning from white to purple, Pisces.

Make sure that your head is in tune with your heart. Think about the day's emotions and thought patterns and how they affected your actions.

in the UAE. The player or staff in question can only fly out if both those tests come out negative. Anyone infected will need to undergo the mandatory two-week quarantine period as per the guidelines of the Indian government. After that, the person will need to undergo a fresh set of two tests and clear them before joining the squad in the UAE. Once the squad lands in the UAE, all members are to undergo another test at the airport before heading to the team hotel. From this point, the IPL testing protocol will kick in.

As per the protocol, every squad will undergo a man-

datory seven-day quarantine in the team hotel. During this week every squad member will be tested thrice - on days 1, 3 and 6. Once all those results come back negative, the squad can start training.

After that, all squad members will be tested on the fifth day of every week throughout the tournament.

As far as the non-Indian players and staff are concerned, they will need to carry the negative result of the test carried out in the last 96 hours before arriving in the UAE. As per the local rules, during the tournament squads travelling to Abu Dhabi will need to carry negative test results carried out in the previous 48 hours. As per the IPL guidelines, if the weekly test result has expired during the course of travel to Abu Dhabi, squads will need to undergo a fresh test again.

Testing positive during the tournament In such a scenario, it is understood that the person in question would need to isolate but outside the bubble, considering that aerosols -

respiratory droplets - can easily be transmitted. That infected person would be put in a sanitised room within the same hotel. One of the guidelines recommends having a few rooms where the squad is staying to isolate any infected person(s).

No stepping out of the bubble It is understood the IPL has made it clear no person can go in and out of the biosecure bubble during the course of the tournament.

Strict social distancing norms have been recommended, including squad members discouraged from having any close contact even within the bubble which includes moving between hotel rooms.

Squad members have also been asked to wear masks outside their rooms at hotels and avoid any unnecessary movement.There will be exceptions. If an injured player needs to visit a hospital for X-rays or scans, then the guidelines suggest the movement be restricted to the clinic with minimal interaction with outsiders.

One team per hotel As per the guidelines all eight teams will stay in separate hotels. The franchises have been asked to book a hotel or resort exclusively for the squads with no outsiders allowed. If that is not possible, then IPL has recommended they stay somewhere with a separate wing, entrance and exit.

16th DMW Festival ...

From page 27 with the Covid-19 disease so the availability of the complex will be an issue.

The National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue that has been used to host hockey tourneys in the past remains an option.

It is a fact that the GHB is a well-oiled machine when it comes to planning and running off tournaments and the head of the GHB, Philip Fernandes, noted that his sport body is prepared on very short notice to put plans in action to host the DMW festival.

Last year’s 15th edition of the DMW festival saw clubs from the twin-island republic of T&T sweeping all three (male, female and veteran) divisions after a fruitless 2018 campaign.

Queen’s Park Cricket Club (QPCC) beat defending champs Pepsi Hikers in the men’s division, while George United usurped GBTI GCC on the distaff side and QPCC bested Bounty GCC Vintage in the veteran’s division.

(Calvin Chapman)

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Thursday August 06, 2020

Kaieteur News

40th Anniversary of Guyana’s lone Olympic Medal - And still no honour for Mike Parris

By Sean Devers Sixty-two-year-old Michael Anthony Parris is only Boxer from the Englishspeaking Caribbean to win an Olympic Medal and is still the only Guyana to do so and today is the 40th Anniversary of that tremendous achievement.

But the still very active Parris says there is little to celebrate Guyana’s only Olympic Medal although it feels like yesterday when he won the Bronze Medal on August 6, 1980 in Moscow.

It was four decades ago in the cold conditions of the former Soviet Union that a proud Parris stood on the Medal Podium and heard Guyana’s National Anthem being played.

“Being chosen to represent Guyana at the Olympics was the most memorable moment of my life. Being the first

Guyanese to win an Olympic Medal was the icing on the cake,” an emotional Parris told Kaiteur sports from his Shirley Fields Riddley home yesterday.

The National Sporting Ambassador says he has ignored by all elected Governments after the death of President Forbes Burnham but is hopeful that this might change with a new Government being elected.

“A few years ago I went to a senior Government official in the Sports Ministry and asked for a duty-free concession to buy a car. I did not get the duty-free concession and at times I feel what I did for my country has been forgotten even by some in the sports fraternity,” lamented Parris who is a Taxi driver.

In 1980, the United States led a boycott of the Summer Olympic Games in Moscow

to protest the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan but 80 countries sent athletes including Guyana who sent an eight-member team.

Parris recounted that leading up to the Olympics there was a lot of work, determination, hard training and sacrifice.

“We were encamped for a few weeks in the GDF compound under the watchful eyes of the late Courtney Atherly, Ashton Angel and a few other Coaches.

The climatic conditions in Moscow were different to what we were accustomed to but because of my ambition and determination to win at the Olympics I did not allow that to affect me.

I came up with a strategy to stay indoors and exercise in an AC room so that my body could get accustomed to the cold so I could have

Babar Azam, Shan Masood lift...

From page 22 not out, Pakistan had recovered from 43 for 2 to 121 for 2 and the players faced a long stay in the dressing rooms.

Manchester was eventually bathed in bright sunshine but, by the end of moppingup operations, play resumed under lights with the dim skies back overhead.

Archer, who had bowled one ball before the lengthy stoppage, finished his over with plenty of short stuff, which meant Root was forced to turn back to spin, bringing himself on with Bess.

Masood added just one run, having faced 152 balls - more than any other visiting opener

in England since 2016 - for his 46 not out before bad light forced play to be abandoned for the day.

In the course of his innings, Masood had two lives, both from Jos Buttler off the bowling of Bess. On 45, he survived an edge through to the keeper, and he hadn’t added to his score when, after the rain break, he charged at Bess, attempted to hit the ball to the leg side but missed, only to be saved when the ball bounced out of Buttler’s gloves. At the other end, Azam had moved to an unbeaten 69 off 100 balls in a third-wicket stand of 96.

Scores: Pakistan 139 for 2 (Azam 69*, Masood 46*) v England.

adjusted to the conditions there. I did not go to the march-past, I just stayed in my room and trained,” remembered Parris.

“There were so many people, but you would not see anyone from Guyana. Security was tight. Everywhere you went there were soldiers.”

On the road to his Bronze Medal Parris got past Nigerian Nureni Gbadamosi, a boxer from the US Virgin Islands and Mexican Daniel Zaragoza. In the Semi-finals he was beaten by Cuban Juan Hernandez in very competitive bout.

“The feeling of standing

on the podium was unexplainable. It was a great achievement…my emotions were all over the place. I felt very proud to be the first Olympic Medalist from my Country Guyana.

Just standing there and seeing the Guyana flag in the air. I think I got cold sweat from joy, and seeing so many people…I don’t think I could get that feeling again.

The Olympics changed my life in so many ways.

I was able to return to my County as a proud Champion.

I was more recognised, respected and acknowledged for my hard work,” explained

Richardson excited to be part of Tridents winning setup KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Andrew Richardson has embraced his new role with Barbados Tridents, and hopes he can help the reigning Caribbean Premier League champions chart a winning strategy in the upcoming campaign.

The 38-year-old former first class cricketer, a member of the Jamaica Tallawahs management last season, will serve as coach/manager for the August 19 to September 10 tournament set for Trinidad.

Having captured the CPL title in the past with the Tallawahs both as a player and management, Richardson believes he can bring the winning mentality to the existing successful Tridents setup.

“I know what it takes – the formula – to win the CPL. I had been a part of the Tallawahs set-up, one of the most successful franchises in the CPL,” the Jamaican told the Observer newspaper here.

“I’m really looking forward to it. It’s a double role – the

same thing I had been doing for the Tallawahs where I was the manager and the bowling coach.

“There are big shoes to fill because the Tridents won the tournament last year and people are expecting great things from them.”

Tridents proved a surprise quantity last year, emerging from a slow start to reach the playoffs before stunning unbeaten Guyana Amazon Warriors in the final to win their second title.

The unit, led by Test captain Jason Holder, has retained the core of players from last season but has also strengthened with the signing of Afghanistan leg-spinning star Rashid Khan and Australian batsman Marcus Stoinis.

Richardson said hopes of a title repeat in the camp were high, especially since Tridents possessed the ability to play a high quality of cricket.

Parris, the 1980 National Sportsman of the year.

But all the adulation soon came to a screeching halt after the demise of President Burnham.

Parris still hopes that he will be recognised by the Government for his remarkable achievement in Moscow four decades ago.

If not, it would be a terrible shame and add fuel to the claims that since President Burnham died none of the other Governments are interested in the welfare of outstanding former Guyanese Sportspersons or the development of Sports in Guyana.

Jamaican Andrew Richardson.

“The Tridents have a good bunch of guys, a good setup. I expect great things, as long as we play the sort of cricket that we can play,” he noted.

“We have to execute on the day because with T20 cricket it’s played on the day.

It’s not played in the dressing room, it’s not about the best team on paper. It’s always the team that comes out and executes the plan better and also minimises mistakes.”

Richardson’s swansong with Tallawahs was hardly a memorable one. The Kingston-based franchise finished last in the six-team standings with just two wins in 10 outings, to miss out on the final four for the first time.

The former fast bowler said while he wished Tallawahs well, his focus was on success with Tridents.

“Home is always home but wherever you can get the opportunity to make your mark you take it,” he stressed.

“I’m just looking to grow as a coach. I do wish the Tallawahs all the best as I always do because as I’ve said home is always home. But, hopefully, Barbados turn up and play the best cricket this season.”

Tallawahs open their campaign on August 19 against St Lucia Zouks at the Brian Lara Academy.

Thursday August 06, 2020

PAGE 25

Kaieteur News

‘Mental preparations helping players to adjust’ in Quarantine - Omar Khan GAWin players T&T ahead of CPL

By Sean Devers This is the eight season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) since the inaugural tournament in 2013 and 33 matches will be played from August 18 to September 10 in Trinidad.

The CPL is contested between Barbados Tridents, Jamaica Tallawahs, St Lucia Zouks, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, Trinbago Knight Riders and Guyana Amazon Warriors and is usually played in six Countries.

However, due to Global pandemic COVID-19, a request was made in June to the Trinidad & Tobago Government for all the games to played in Trinidad.

CPL is the ‘biggest party in sports’ due to the pulsating atmosphere it creates with massive crowds of dancing, flag-waving fans in the stands, especially in Trinidad where many, with little interest in cricket, turn up for the ‘fete’.

But this year things will be different due to pandemic since no spectators are allowed and all of the teams will stay at the Hilton Hotel in Port-of-Spain where they will be quarantined for two weeks.

On July 27, CPL got the approval from the T&T Government for the tournament to hosted at two venues; Queens Park Oval in Port-ofSpain and the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, South Trinidad which is approximately a 40-minute drive apart. The day after approval, Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar called on Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley to cancel the hosting of the tournament due to surge of COVID-19 cases on the Island.

It is against this background that the eight Guyanese on the Guyana Amazon Warriors, two of whom had made themselves unavailable for the recent West Indies tour to England, departed for Trinidad on a chartered flight last Monday evening.While Ramnaresh Sarwan led Guyana to the inaugural Stanford T20 tournament in Antigua in 2006 and the West Indies T20 Championships in 2010 in Trinidad to qualify for the Champions League T20 tournament in South Africa, the GAW has never won a CPL title, despite playing in five of the seven finals and reaching the semis six times.

“All the players have arrived safely in Trinidad and are quarantined at the Trinidad Hilton for 14 days.

They were tested this

Omar Khan morning (Tuesday) and will be tested again after seven days. Once they are negative they could be allowed to practice after the initial seven days. However, the total mandatory days is 14, which was agreed to, by CPL and the Government,” Warriors’ Manager Trinidadian Omar Khan told Kaieteur Sports from the Hilton Hotel on Tuesday evening.

Khan, who has been GAW’s Manager since the CPL was formed, informed that after 14 days the teams will be allowed full practices before the tournament starts two days later.“If all goes well and everybody remains negative, then there is a possibility that the teams could be allowed to practice after the eighth day,” Khan added.

The long serving Manager who never had the chance to lift the coveted Trophy although his team has been the most consistent team in the tournament, says the players are adjusting well.

“The Hilton Hotel is taking care of all meals requirements and they are very well taken care of with regards to meals so far.

As you know it’s different circumstances, we have done a lot of meetings and mental preparations for the players to be able to adjust and adapt to the quarantine period which entails staying in their rooms and not going out. But it is a part of being disciplined and a part of their overall development as young professional cricketers. I am sure that we will come through this as a better team with better and more developed players and be ready for the tournament,” continued the Trinidadian.

“Playing without crowds will be something that will be totally different but under the circumstances everyone understands safety comes first.

It’s going to have an impact on the performance in terms of not being able to feed off of the crowd but I am sure that CPL is working together with the Government agencies

here and the Queens Park Oval and the Brian Lara Academy to create an environment and atmosphere that will make it exciting,” said Khan.

“I believe the competitiveness between the local and Regional players is something that brings out the best and it will still be competitiveness. Players playing for pride, players playing to enhance their reputations.…so yes I think there will be lots of good competitive cricket despite not having crowds, I don’t think it will have a major impact on the standard of the Cricket,” the Warriors’ Manager concluded.

The 27-year-old medium pacer Singh is the American player selected, while the Guyanese pair of Sinclair and Nedd are the U-21 players in the squad. They were both members of the West Indies Emerging Players Team that won the last Regional Super50 in Trinidad.

The Warriors face host and three-times champions Trinbago Knight Riders from 10:00 hrs in the opening game of a double header at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy where the other match will see defending Champions Barbados Tridents battle St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in a day/night

fixture from 19:30 hrs.

The Guyanese franchise will be in action the next day at the same venue when they face the Patriots from 19:30hrs before opposing Jamaica Tallawahs at Brain Lara Academy on August 22.

On August 23 the Warriors play St Lucia Zouks before the actions shifts to Portof-Spain where they take on Tallawahs at the Queens Park Oval on August 25.

GAW play the Knight Riders on the 27th and Patriots on August 30 in POS before returning to Tarouba to complete the preliminary rounds with matches against Tridents on September 1 and Zouks the next day.

The Semi-finals are set for September 8 at the Brian Lara Academy where the finals will be contested on September 10.

The GAW squad: Kevin Sinclair, Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Brandon King, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Odean Smith, Anthony Bramble, Shoaib Malik, Shadab Khan, Qais Ahmad, Naveen-ul-haq, Imran Tahir, Ross Taylor, Chris Green, Ashmead Nedd and Jasdeep Singh.

Imran Tahir (Getty Images)

Nicholas Pooran (Getty Images)

ICC wants a biosecurity manager for 2021 Women’s Could we see a full Eden Park at the 2021 World Cup Women’s World Cup? For now, in-ground fans ESPNcricinfo - The ICC is looking for a biosecurity manager for the women’s 50-over World Cup, as planning continues for an event around which there remains a fair amount of uncertainty. The World Cup is scheduled to take place in New Zealand in February and March 2021, but the ICC is yet to officially take a call on its status, although the Board will meet on Friday to discuss this and other ICC events.

It is not necessary that a decision on the tournament has to be taken then, especially as there is still some distance to be covered between now and the tournament. But plenty remains to be done, not least a place to host the qualifiers - postponed indefinitely from July 2020 in Sri Lanka because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

As of now, only England, Australia, South Africa, India and hosts New Zealand are confirmed participants; three more spots are to be filled via the qualifiers. The UAE has come up in discussions as a

remain in the plans. (Getty Images)

venue, though the IPL window, which runs until November 10, squeezes that option a little.Biosecurity protocols have already been drawn up by the World Cup’s organising committee, in consultation with the ICC, New Zealand Cricket, and the New Zealand government. It’s understood that the role of the biosecurity manager would be to implement those. One part of that plan would involve teams arriving two weeks earlier than planned.

Quarantine regulations in New Zealand currently re-

quire a two-week isolation period after entering the country. Teams were originally expected to arrive in New Zealand towards the end of January, but an earlier arrival would impact cost considerations for the tournament.

For the moment, planning for the tournament involves fans at the ground. New Zealand has been one of the countries least affected worldwide by the pandemic, and following a strict lockdown that began in March, is now all but virusfree (New Zealand’s ministry

of health website recorded figures for August 5 as 24 active cases, with two changes in the count in the previous 24 hours). Spectators have been present at rugby games in the country, without limitation, since mid-June and there are few restrictions once visitors have completed their two-week quarantine.Tickets are not yet on sale for the tournament and, unless late developments change things, they are likely to go on sale sometime in September or October.

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Thursday August 06, 2020

Kaieteur News

Babar Azam, Shan Masood lift Pakistan on stop-start day Shan Masood works the ball to the off side, England v Pakistan, 1st Test, Old Trafford, day 1, August 5, 2020 © Getty Images

ESPNcricinfo - Babar Azam and Shan Masood lifted Pakistan on a day punctuated by shifting fortunes on the field and above it as the first match in the three-Test series against England began.

A moment of silence to remember those who have lost their lives in the Covid-19 pandemic before play began under heavy skies put the match in perspective and emphasised the efforts of both countries to stage this contest behind closed doors at Emirates Old Trafford.

Having been in England for a month, preparing in the relative anonymity provided by England’s series against West Indies, Pakistan arrived to their first Test since February as questions swirled over their readiness to face an opposition which has three matches’ worth of competition fitness in them.

By the time rain brought about an early tea and delayed the evening session by nearly three hours, it was batsmen Azam and Masood who looked to be in a groove against a bowling attack that seemed to have turned rusty at lunch.

After his captain, Azhar Ali, won the toss and elected to bat first - opposite number Joe Root said he would have done the same - Pakistan opener Masood withstood a tricky period against Stuart Broad and James Anderson first up, accompanied by Abid Ali in a partnership that was approaching fifty when Jofra Archer entered the attack.

Having rounded off his first over with a couple of steepling bouncers which were evaded well by Abid, Archer struck with the first ball of his second over when he bowled Abid with a beauty through the gate and into

GFF’s Pre-Season Window Extended Unanimously agreed by RMA’s, Affiliates, Elite Clubs and endorsed by FIFA Georgetown: The GFF 2020/2021 Pre-Season Transfer Window has now been extended to August 23, 2020 in order to accommodate any hindrances that interested parties might have experienced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

This decision was made in consultation with its Regional Member Associations (RMA), affiliates and Elite League Clubs and endorsed by FIFA following an official request from the GFF. According to the FIFA correspondence dated August 5, the endorsement was granted “consistent with (i) the guidelines and decisions regarding COVID-19 approved by the Bureau of the Council on 6 April 2020 and (ii) FIFA circular no. 1720.

Meanwhile, the GFF’s President, Wayne Forde, said the GFF “…is actively drawing up plans for a robust restart of football nationally and would like to give each registered club the opportunity to prepare for a competitive season. The GFF will be announcing these plans once the COVID19 Task Force and the Ministry of Public Health provide the requisite clearance for the resumption of competitive sports. In the meantime, we urge our members to continue to respect the COVID-19 guidelines.”

The original 2020/2021 Pre-season Transfer Window opened on June 1, 2020 and closed at midnight on July 31, 2020.

GFF’s General Secretary, Ian Alves, in his correspondence to the members urged the use of electronic communication for the processing of transfers: “In light of the continuing situation concerning the COVID-19 pandemic,

Wayne Forde

and the public advisories as issued by the relevant Government Agencies, and the fact that the GFF Secretariat is only opened on a needto basis, having only essential staff on duty on any given day, RMA’s, clubs, and other interested stakeholders are encouraged to conduct their transfer transactions via the use of electronic communication.

Transfer requests can be emailed to competition@guyanafootball.org or info@guyanafootball.org, and these will be responded to as necessary.

Babar Azam drives down the ground © Getty Images

off stump, thus ending a patient start by Abid and the partnership on 46.

After a brief rain interruption, Masood settled, guiding Archer through the bare gully region with smart, soft hands for four.

But then Chris Woakes, who had relieved Anderson after five overs, struck with a full delivery that thwacked Azhar Ali on the pad in line and sent him on his way for a six-ball duck, despite his swift call for a review, which only confirmed the lbw decision.

That brought Azam to the crease and he showed his class, somehow escaping a testing first delivery from Woakes that narrowly missed the outside edge and off stump and negotiating the ever-challenging Archer.

But it was against Anderson after lunch that Azam settled into his stride, finding the

boundary three times in as many overs to bring his spell to a swift end.

Anderson even became the first bowler to be called for a front-foot no-ball - a rarity for him - by the third umpire in Tests under the new system being trialled during this series when he over-stepped bowling to Azam in the 31st over.Meanwhile, Masood was enjoying almost as good a time against Broad and, by the time Root turned to Archer and the offspin of Dom Bess, the batsmen were in a decent flow. They had put on 78 runs together and, as Azam brought up his half-century off just 70 balls with a punch into the covers off Bess and then passed it with two runs behind square off Archer, the rain hit.

By that stage, Masood had moved to 45 (Continued on page 20)

Poor planning cost Windies series win: Sir Andy

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Pace bowling legend Sir Andy Roberts believes a lack of proper planning by West Indies following their win in the opening Test at Southampton, led to their poor form in the remaining matches and their eventual series defeat to England.

West Indies took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series with a four-wicket victory but then collapsed to heavy defeats, losing the second Test by 113 runs and the third by 269 runs, to further extend their 32-year wait for a series win on English soil.

“Considering the way they played in the first Test match, I think after that they didn’t sit down and plan for the remainder of the series,” Sir Andy told the Mason and Guest cricket radio show.

“I think we went to England not to win the series but to defend the Wisden Trophy and it showed in the planning.”

Pointing to the use of fast bowler Shannon Gabriel as an example, Sir Andy said the Trinidadian should have been better managed, considering he had just recovered from an ankle operation last December.

Gabriel snatched a nine-

wicket haul in the first Test but appeared jaded and struggling with his fitness in the remaining games and picked up only two wickets.

“One must remember that Shannon Gabriel last played cricket in September, October last year, and apart from that he had an ankle operation which ruled him out of the original touring party,” the legendary Antiguan explained.

“I thought after performing so well in the first Test, they should have left him out for the second Test because England would have to win consecutive matches to win the series.“But all of us could see how Shannon bowled in the second Test and then you continued with him again in the third Test match so we didn’t plan very well.”

He continued: “They played literally the same team every game. I would have liked to see both Alzarri Joseph and Chemar Holder play together in a Test match. You have some young firepower and I think they should have used them in one of the Test matches.”

Sir Andy also criticised the strategy by the West Indies seamers, contending they were too predictable and

too often allowed the English batsmen to dictate matters.

In fact, the 69-year-old said enough short balls were used against some batsmen who were clearly not comfortable with that length, and this again reflected the lack of strategic planning.

“Ben Stokes is a fine allrounder but Ben Stokes [knew] exactly what balls he was getting. Ben Stokes was walking out of his crease to our medium-fast bowlers,” Sir Andy contended.

“And if you check the last Test match when he got bowled by Kemar Roach, that [dismissal] came along because Kemar Roach bowled him a few short balls which he wasn’t getting in the previous Test matches so we have to look at how we’re planning.

Some of the worst techniques I seen to fast bowling is among the England opening pair [of Dom Sibley and Rory Burns], they’re not comfortable with short balls but we did not use enough short balls in this series.

“I’m not saying to overdo it but you have to make them (batsmen) think. [You can’t allow batsmen to] just sit back and know what is coming at them.”

Thursday August 06, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 27

16th DMW Festival doubtful

Philip Fernandes; head of the GHB.

T

he 16th annual edition of G u y a n a ’ s Premier hockey tournament; the Diamond Mineral Water (DMW) International Festival, seems an uphill battle to run off in 2020 due to the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB), which coordinates the tournament that have seen teams from USA, Canada, Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago (T&T) competing over the years, in a statement

Action in last year’s DMW Hockey festival.

to the media last week has noted that they will remain optimistic in having the event contested.

The DMW festival usually hits off in late November and concludes in early December each year, which will give the organisers four months to gauge the level of control of

the deadly virus in the 592.

A positive sign to note is that the spread of covid-19 in the capital and surrounding regions has been managed well with the National Covid-19 Task Force set to enter phase five next week that will result in the reopening of gyms, malls theaters and cultural

facilities.

The challenges that remain include the fact that Guyana’s main indoor facility, the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) that is located on Homestretch Avenue, has been converted into a quarantine facility to treat persons that are infected (Continued on page 23)

‘Mental preparations helping players to adjust’

Shimron Hetmyer

Keemo Paul

- Omar Khan GAW players in Quarantine in T&T ahead of CPL

t r o p S

Poor planning cost Windies series win: Sir Andy

Michael Anthony Parris

Sir Andy Roberts.

40th Anniversary of Guyana’s lone Olympic Medal And still no honour for Mike Parris Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8452, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.