Kaieteur News

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Minister Edghill NEWS questions where $200M In asphalt went

Tuesday Edition

AIETEUR

August 11, 2020 - Vol. 13 No. 32

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

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Price $80

Online readership yesterday 192,139

Min. of Communities paid hundreds of millionsNoto over proof of work done 50 contract workers- Minister Dharamlall p.

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Van West Charles, Christopher Jones - told to immediately sent packing return govt. properties See stories on page 3

Public not aware of US$8M IDB

funded criminal justice project

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- Anil Nandlall

Trinidad Special team launches Govt. paid p.2 returns investigation into $50M for Buju Rowley 16p. ranks' shooting of Banton tickets, p. to power unarmed men 18 not PNC/R

Office of the President takes charge of Natural Resources and Finance p.

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Kaieteur News

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Tuesday August 11, 2020

Govt. paid $50M for Buju “Satan” wanted for murder of Corriverton man Banton tickets, not PNC/R

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nvestigators in Berbice, who up until Sunday had a lead to the whereabouts of the suspect in connection with the shooting of a bystander in Corriverton, have now issued a wanted bulletin for his arrest.

Rocky Profitt, 39, called “Satan", is wanted by the police for questioning into the murder of Marlon Fordyce on August 7, 2020 at “AA” Kingston, Corriverton, Berbice.

Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Profitt is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 333-2151, 3335564, 333-3876, 226-6978, 2258196, 911 or the nearest police station.

Police said all information will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Commander-in-charge of Region 6, Calvin Brutus, had stated that there was a shooting that resulted in the wounding of a bystander. He further disclosed that the incident stemmed from a chopping that took place Thursday night between a resident of

PNC/R General Secretary, Amna Ally with recipients of tickets

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hile the People's National Congress Reform (PNC/R) continues to peddle the narrative that they did not utilize tax payer dollars to purchase hundreds of tickets for the “I AM LEGEND” Buju Banton Concert back in May 2019, sources within the new People's Progressive

Party Civic (PPP/C) administration have confirmed that tax payer funds were indeed used.

They revealed that a total of $50 million dollars was taken out of the Lotto Fund to purchase the tickets costing $5,000 a piece, a total of 10,000 tickets. The reggae superstar Buju Banton visited Guyana for his 'I am

Legend' concert at the Guyana National Stadium, as p a r t o f G u y a n a Independence Carnival celebrations. The show was promoted by High Frequency Entertainment, in collaboration with King Leo Promotion and the Guyana Carnival Committee.

Back in 2019, the then A (continued on page 12)

Dead: Marlon Fordyce

: WANTcEallDed Satan ffit

Rocky Pro

Little India, Corriverton and another.

Brutus stated that one person was injured during the chopping and the friends and relatives of the victim ventured to the attackers' house in retaliation.

He added that two persons known to the victim, who was chopped, showed up with a car and opened fire and a stray bullet hit Fordyce, who was standing nearby. The gunmen then escaped and evaded police who showed up at the scene.

Fordyce was rushed to the Skeldon Hospital then to the New Amsterdam Hospital and subsequently to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he succumbed.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 11, 2020

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Public Works Ministry yet GWI boss, Van West-Charles, sent to see BK's $352M contract packing

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inister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, yesterday indicated that he has not yet seen the $352M contract that was awarded to BK International Incorporated by the previous Public Infrastructure Ministry. This multi-million contract was awarded on June 16 by the then ministry headed by David Patterson, for BK to construct “emergency' rip-rap sea defence works between Danzig and Content in Mahaicony, Region Five.

This project followed after powerful high tides had devastated parts of coastal Guyana in 2019, with thousands of families living near the shoreline struggling to keep their belongings, livestock and farmlands from being damaged by saltwater that had breached the coastland.

During an interview with Kaieteur News yesterday, Minister Edghill had stated that while he has not yet viewed the contract, but that he has received a briefing regarding it, while stating that the contract is currently u n d e r “ a c t i v e consideration”.

“But the bottom line is,” Minister Edghill maintained, “that the farmers, residents and the people must be protected by having the

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill

breach fixed, and the longer you take it could mean that the breach could only worsen.”

BK International Inc., owed by Brian Tiwari, had been awarded the contract on June 16. However, two months have passed and no significant work or mobilization has begun on the project by the contractor.

This was confirmed when Kaieteur News had visited the project site on July 19 and then later last week when the junior Public Works Minister, Deodat Indar, had visited the same site.

Compounding issues is the fact that an advancement of $105M was made by the previous A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration to BK for the 'emergency' sea defence

works.

H o w e v e r, B K International, in a statement to the press yesterday, provided details of the advancement that were contrary to what was told by Kaieteur News by Minister Indar. What BK specifically indicated in its statement yesterday was “The contract cost is $352 million. BK international was awarded $52 million as advance payment. This sum represents 15 percent of the contract cost.”

The statement further went on to state that BK's chief engineer, Ganesh Sawh, had said that his team was issued a commencement order on June 22, 2020.

However, according to the contractor, “there was a fault in the design provided to BK International” and “an

Guyana has 64 new COVID-19 cases in three days - CMO

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uyana's COVID19 cases have climbed to 568 with Chief Medical Officer within the Ministry of Health, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud in an update yesterday noting that over the period 7-10 August, 64 new cases were reported.

He said that the cases came from Regions 9, 7, 8 and 4. The CMO disclosed that there are 357 active cases in institutional isolation, 38 persons in institutional quarantine and four persons in the COVID-ICU. He said that, to date, 189 persons have recovered.

The CMO also pointed to rising global statistics and cautioned that citizens should continue taking precaution. In this regard, he pointed the World Health Organisation (WHO) a #Wear-A-Mask challenge launched last Friday, with partners from around the

world. Guyana, the CMO, said has joined in this initiative and we are encouraging persons across the country to participate.

Dr. Persaud explained, “You can participate in the challenge by taking a photo or a video of yourself wearing a mask, share it and nominate your loved ones or friends to do the same.

Remember to tag the Ministry of Health's Facebook page using the hashtag #wear-a-mask in your post.

By wearing a mask, you are sending a message of solidarity to those in the frontline fighting against coronavirus and protecting people, especially those most vulnerable, from COVID19.”

Further he urged Guyanese to come forward and get tested if they are showing symptoms of COVID-19 especially if they

have been in contact with someone suspected of being infected.

Dr. Persaud stressed that persons who have concerns about their status regarding COVID-19 can make contact with our testing sites for an evaluation.

“We can continue to do all the things we need to do safely,” he said, “and in a way that does not compromise public health in Guyana.

Being tested means you know your status and gives you the ability to seek the necessary treatment and further prevent the spread of this detrimental disease.

COVID-19 is here with us and will not go away by us denying or ignoring its presence.

It is real as we know from the many persons who we lost and the agony and sadness of their families and friends.” Guyana's death rate remains at 22.

approach was made to the Public Service Ministry and the correction was made on August 3, 2020.” With this, Sawh said that practical work commenced the very next day. Again, this is contrary to what was revealed to Kaieteur News

by Minister Indar, who visited the site on August 7th.

During Minister Indar's visit he was informed by Sawh that the breach would be fixed in 40 days' time, contrary to what an engineer at the site had told Kaieteur News weeks ago, who at the time indicated that the seals would've taken at last two years to complete.

Nonetheless, Indar was quick to question the lengthy duration of the project, which he reminded, has cost millions in losses to farmers along the embankment. With this, Indar emphasized that this seal should have been in place since July.

Minister Edghill related yesterday that the ministry will be meeting with all of the contractors that have not been performing works on their projects. He shared that yesterday he met with Courtney Benn Contracting Services concerning a number of roads yet to be completed.

“We also met with the contractors for the Mandela and Sheriff Road construction” he said, and highlighted that the ministry is expected to convene a meeting with the contractors for the controversial US$150M Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

These meetings” Edghill said “will be aimed at rectifying the issues at hand regarding their works.”

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a n a g i n g Director of the state-owned Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Dr. Richard VanWe s t - C h a r l e s h a d h i s services terminated via letter yesterday. The letter was issued by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr. Garvin Cummings According to the letter which was seen by this publication, Van-WestSent packing: Dr. Charles was notified of the Richard Van-West Charles termination of his contract and was immediately directed to proceed on administrative Guyana which may still be in leave until the end of his your custody,” the letter said.

Van West-Charles, a contract on October 29, 2020.

His contract was between former minister in the October 1, 2018 to September People's National Congress (PNC) was appointed Chief 30th, 2021. “ Y o u a r e h e r e b y Executive of GWI in 2015, requested to immediately but came under much return any property and criticism for a number of records of the Government of personal business dealings.

Sports Director, Christopher Jones, sent packing

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he Director of S p o r t s Christopher Jones was yesterday immediately relieved from his post and will be replaced by popular football promoter Kashif Muhammad. This was revealed by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Hon. Charles Ramson Jr. Jones, an executive member of the People's National Congress, served in the position for just over five years, replacing the People Progressive Party's Neil Kumar, after the Granger administration assumed (continued on page 12)

Christopher Jones

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 11, 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

Language and Citizenship in the COVID-19 era The advent of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in Guyana has – as it has elsewhere – served in part to map the gaps, and chasms, in our society in critical areas. Our shortcomings in healthcare facilities is one such area, one that was used as cover for the disastrous Ocean View project thinly disguised as a COVID-19 hospital.

Our economic infrastructure has suffered and the necessary lockdown has highlighted just how many of our citizens live economically precarious lives.

At present, the Ministry of Education is struggling with the difficult choice of opening schools or not, with the only workable solution – the use of the Internet – presenting only a partial solution because of how far behind we are in technological equity.

There is also the awareness of inability to adequately police lockdown measures with citizens defying stipulations of the order and gathering for social events even as our numbers of infections keep increasing.

As this newspaper has highlighted in recent days, several of our hinterland communities, the new hotspots for COVID-19 infection, represent a concentration of all those challenges – inadequate healthcare coverage, tenuous economic circumstances, low technology coverage, and poor policing capacity. Added to all of that is one challenge that we continue to either pay inadequate attention to or try poorly to occasionally play catch up with.

That is the challenge of language equity and inclusion.

While Guyana’s official language is English, our rich linguistic heritage is more complex. In addition to the nine Amerindian languages, a small number of Guyanese are also known to speak particular localized dialects of Hindi, Portuguese, French, Spanish and Dutch, while the majority of Guyanese speak various forms of a more or less standard Creole.

Adding to that complexity of the linguistic tradition is the migration-associated influence of new languages ranging from the influx of various nationalities working in the burgeoning oil industry, a significant number of refugees from the crisis in Venezuela, to increased cross-border economic activity with Brazil.

The concept of language as a critical and inalienable element of citizenship and individual identity is gaining increasing traction international, with last year, 2019, for example being named the International Year of Indigenous Languages. The programme for the Inauguration of the President received praise this past weekend for the inclusion of a Macushi prayer, a clear sign of the heightened appreciation for indigenous language.

In contrast, however, as commendable as that was, part of the reason COVID-19 continues to spread in Indigenous communities in particular is because we have not moved far beyond token gestures when it comes to Indigenous language inclusion, and towards the ultimate goal which is recognizing, institutionally and legally, that language is a fundamental and inalienable aspect of citizenship.

As the new government is being installed hundreds of miles away on the coast, the Wapichan people of the Rupununi, according to the South Rupununi Development Council, are fighting to ensure that adequate information on COVID-19 prevention is presented in a language they understand, the Wapichan language.

As coastal communities are saturated with messages and programming in English, from television to the Internet to radio to the newspaper, inadequate information in general, and far less, on the pandemic is making it to our Indigenous communities.

Our failure to fully integrate indigenous languages into public service delivery is insensitive at best. Our failure to accelerate indigenous language inclusion in the public education, particularly in early childhood education continues to be shameful and terrible. However, the situation when it comes to the absence of indigenous information on the greatest pandemic the world has ever seen, particularly in Region Nine, with porous borders with Brazil, is completely unacceptable.

It is in fact a violation of a basic right of citizenship.

Dawning oil realities DEAR EDITOR, The new administration is getting confirmation of the volatility and vigour of oil sentiments and outlook. It is crude, to say the least.

The title of an online article from Oilprice.com is ominous and is filled with foreboding for President Ali and his people. In truth, that applies to all of Guyana, too.

The caption of August 9 read, “Are oil majors giving up on Guyana?” Surely, this cannot be happening already.

Among the anxieties and alarms in the foreign oil world is the native curse of “resource nationalism” that has reared its ugly and selfish head. Well, that is how it appears to the big people concerned about their investments and returns, and who are the movers and shakers in the oil universe.

The article warned that “Guyana risks losing a whopping 1.5 billion in revenues if Exxon…decides to postpone the Payara

project by one year.” Rystad Energy, as stated in the piece, pointed out that “elections helter-skelter” and “political decision making” and the “prolonged impasse” all contributed to a “significant slowing down of government approvals” which “jeopardized the Payara development plan”. Well, the best that I can offer in response is welcome to politics Guyanese style, and get used to it, for there is more from where that came.

Separately, there is no comfort in the breast of the oil people with the new people at the helm in Guyana because, according to Oilprice.com, “a PPP takeover might not bode well with US commercial interests.” In time, those misgivings will mount, unless they get their way. One would ask why this should be so since the PPP owes so much of its victory to heavy American influence and still closer involvement by that country. The answer is simple: “the party had

promised to revisit the country’s upstream terms to increase the state’s intake.” I would let my fellow Guyanese know that that is a no-no and equivalent to blasphemy and the kiss of death in the capitalist world. And in that world, there is none more rampaging and rapacious than the oilmen. Guyana may have to be taught some harsh lessons for being uppity with its oil wealth.

But there is a silver lining among the clouds, compliments of the PPP, which oilprice.com was quick to point out. It said, “despite elections vows to revisit Guyana’s milestone contract with Exxon (2% royalty rate and 50% profit sharing after cost recovery)…the new administration seemingly has dropped the subject for good.” Now I had promised to not criticize the new government for the first 100 days, and I am sticking to that word given. All I am doing today is sharing as a

messenger. But I sense trouble and am sending an early warning: it will not be smooth sailing. Manage expectations, control actions.

The article went on to hail the quality of Guyana’s crude, and that it stacks up well against the competition. That was about the most favourable thing I gathered from this oil albatross that is quickly reminding the PPP of the sharpness of its fangs and the willingness by the oil bosses to deploy them.

Clearly, it is going to be a hell of a rough ride in the days ahead, and that is on more than one front, but with oil always being in the center of things. Good luck, Guyana. I am watching to see how the local political bigwigs are going to react and with what kind of strength and passion.

I would hope that all of that was not used up in the recent elections brawls, which are still far from over.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

New York Guyanese celebrate Irfaan Ali’s victory DEAR EDITOR, Guyanese Americans celebrated Dr. Irfaan Ali’s inauguration at small ‘victory get together’ at parks, social clubs or bars or rum shops, backyards, offices, homes, mandirs, and elsewhere.

There has been widespread enthusiasm among Guyanese for the change in government.

There was a sigh of relief reminiscent of what occurred in October 1992 when free and fair election was restored to the country. Everyone was in some kind of victory spirit following the August 2 declaration that democracy had returned to Guyana and the PPP was officially declared the winner.

There was joy of relief from August 2 evening when the ‘shocking’ news came that Granger conceded defeat and Dr. Ali was sworn in as President. That Sunday evening and days after, there were joyful reactions and a sigh of relief that the struggle for the ballot was all over. And this past weekend Guyanese Americans wanted to celebrate the occasion that the PPP/C party and nation had won, and they gathered in small numbers at various locations to take in the sight at the Cultural Center as well as to be part of some kind of celebration of the victory (triumph of democracy).

Guyanese would never forget that experience - five long months to declare an election that should have taken a mere five hours. They tuned in on social media on Sunday, August 2 to watch the swearing in and on Saturday August 8 to see the

inauguration proceedings after which they engaged in receptions (food, beverage, loud music). Dr. Irfaan clearly communicated his vision for the country. It was a most brilliant speech; the best in my view that he delivered.

The pitch and body language was spot on as was the contents. His remark to enlist the diaspora in the rebuilding work was cheered.

Victory parties continued on Sunday afternoon at barbecues. And earlier in the day, at the mandirs I visited, people were in celebratory mood expressing their happiness that justice was finally served. Pandits referenced the electoral victory to the ancient scriptures.

Almost every Guyanese followed developments in Guyana on a daily basis since the passage of the no confidence motion in December 2018. They were disheartened that the coalition refused to accept the result of the NCM and violated democratic principles. They were further disappointed when the regime refused to accept the outcome of the free and fair vote that all observers and opposition parties stated that the PPP won. Intervention from the international community led to the acceptance of the electoral true verdict.

Everywhere I visited on Saturday and on Sunday interacting with celebrants and in conversations with hundreds of Guyanese over the last week, there were praises for President Ali, Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo;

Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, among others, who were in the forefront in the struggle for the ballot and the historic achievement of August 2. Laudatory remarks were uttered about the monumental struggle waged

by Jagdeo and Nandlall; Guyanese Americans see them as heroes. Their struggle is seen as iconic by Guyanese.

“Dem boys get belly fo fight.

Nobody nah fight like dem.

Dem propa fight”. They describe Anil as the most brilliant legal mind and the most articulate in Guyana.

Media persons like Freddie Kissoon, Neil Marks, Chris Ram, and this writer, among others were also praised for their role in exposing the electoral fraud and calling on the government to accept the will of the voters. The independent media was also recognized for its contributions. Without the exposure of the fraud in the media houses, and appeals to the international community as this writer repeatedly did, the regime would have gotten away with the fraud.

Guyanese Americans say that those who assisted in defending the ballots must be offered a constructive role in the development of the country.

Guyanese Americans also express gratitude and appreciation to their Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch and the Ambassadors of the BCE countries for the role they played in protecting the ballot. Guyanese Americans are most grateful and proud of the work of Ambassador Lynch. She is a

heroine among Guyanese; not since Ambassador George Jones in 1992 has an American diplomat stood out more in defending the will of Guyanese voters and in championing democracy in Guyana. Great praises also went out to the Canadian, the British and European Ambassadors as well as Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Owen Arthur, and Bruce Golding. Many condole the passing of Mr. Arthur who they describe as a champion of democracy in Guyana.

Every Guyanese (100%) with whom I spoke (in person and on the phone) were enraptured, pleased, and overjoyed with the outcome.

They expressed words of joy, happiness, and delight that the PPP/C won. They expect great things to happen in their country. They are very upbeat about the future.

They pledged their support to the new government.

Great moment for Guyanese who will be treated equally by the government after five years of marginalization and victimization. They are very upbeat about the future. They say the hard work of nation building begins.

They pledged their support to the new government. But though very supportive of the PPP, not everyone is pleased with the Ministerial appointments.

Questions were raised about selection of Ministries; some say there was a mismatch – meaning individuals would (Continued on page 6)

Tuesday August 11, 2020

We can only be accused of transparency DEAR EDITOR, We have taken note of the statement made by Minister Gail Teixeira to the effect that some $4 billion were left in the accounts of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) and are unaccounted for since the PPP/C demitted office in 2015.

As I chaired the Board from February 2016 to February 29 2020, I wish to respond to her erroneous statement. I am, however mindful of a few things at this juncture.

1.

The current administration has appointed a team in the personages of Messrs. Nascimento, Ram and Hinds to do an analysis of the period from when the administration changed hands in 2015 to the present.

It is not within my professional culture, nor my understanding of things, to

speak in any detail before their report is submitted. This, in spite of television interviews with Messrs Hamilton and Dharamlall that sought to impugn my character during the election campaign.

2. There was a forensic audit undertaken by Mr. Anand Goolsarran in 2015 when the PPP/C demitted office. That report and the GFC’s response to it have been posted on the GFC’s website for some time now.

The public can read it and draw their own conclusions.

The relevant links can be found on the website: www.forestry.gov.gy. h t t p s : / / www.forestry.gov.gy/wpcontent/uploads/2016/04/ GFC_Forensic_Audit_2015.pdf h t t p s : / / w w w. f o r e s t r y. g o v. g y / wpcontent/uploads/2016/04/

G F C _ M a n a g e ment_Response_to_Foren sic_Audit_2016_1_14.pdf 3. The books of the GFC are subject to audit by the Auditor General and are submitted to the Ministry of Natural Resources along with the GFC’s annual report.

These are required by law, to be tabled in Parliament.

4. I am more than happy to speak to my record when it is appropriate to do so.

As you know, during the years of my tenure, the Commission and the Board have ensured that information is available to the press and stakeholders, and have responded promptly and openly to all requests for information over these past years. We could, I suggest, only be accused of transparency.

Jocelyn Dow

Lincoln Lewis responds to Glenn Lall on ending of column Dear Editor, Permit response to the Publisher’s Comment, titled “David Hinds and Lincoln Lewis quitting Kaieteur News” in the 2nd August 2020 edition. This issue has to do with the withdrawal of the column, “Eye on Guyana with Lincoln Lewis.” It can be stated categorically, without fear of successful contradiction, that I have never “tried to present as fact misinformation” nor was it ever said to me “to use the space provided to uplift and accurately inform the Guyanese public without regard to race or creed.”

Further, at no time has the newspaper communicated I “went against the basic tenets of responsible journalism.” I take it there

was no need to and basically outside of the incidents below my relationship was problem free.

In the two years as a columnist there were two instances in the post-voting day period (after March 2nd) where I was asked to withdraw articles. One, after the publisher expressed discomfort with my analysis of the acting Chief Justice’s position on the contempt case brought by the late Reeaz Holladar because such conflicted with the paper’s position. Said article was published in another newspaper.

The other instance dealt with my response to a columnist where I was asked not to respond in kind. In a prior case involving the same

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Kaieteur News

individual then editor Adam Harris withheld further comments by both parties.

However, because I felt that I was due a response this was sent to another media outlet for publishing.

All my work is published in the public domain and can be reviewed for libel and inappropriateness. Those who are bold enough to be honest in these times have seen and can attest to my intolerance for misrepresentation about issues or against persons. I take seriously my civic duty as a citizen; passionately articulate and defend my views, but never from a position of (Continued on page 6)

Where there is a will there is a way DEAR EDITOR, The GAWU was pleased to see President Dr Irfaan Ali spending a few moments, during his inauguration address, to speak about the sugar industry. Indeed, the President adequately summed up the situation in the industry which, we hold, was glaringly ignored and sidelined by the past regime.

Our Union is on record in expressing our dismay as it regarded the callous manner in which the former Administration cast aside the industry and the several thousand who depended on its operations. An article, on August 10, in another newspaper revealed former workers of Rose Hall Estate have still yet to recover from the closure now almost three years ago.

It is not to say that the Coalition was not warned.

Our Union, among others including President Ali, had

warned of the ramifications of the cold-hearted decision.

But for our chorus of voices, the APNU+AFC simply chose to ignore the obvious and plunge headlong into the minimization of the industry without even the slightest clues of how it would address the economic and social fallout. Their actions which can only be described as heartless have set back the well-being of thousands. As the article alluded to earlier pointed out, the workers and their families have seen their standard-of-living curtailed as they seek to make their ends meet. We share President Ali’s views when he said this is not the Guyana we should want at any time.

Our Union, certainly like the thousands who have been plunged into hardship and misery, were most heartened to hear of the Government’s commitment to bring back a semblance of

normalcy to their lives. For them, the days and weeks since closure are probably the most difficult they have faced in their lives and ones they wish never to endure again.

We recognize that re-opening will not be a quick process and the Government has a great deal of work to do.

We have learnt that several movable assets were sold at fire sale prices and equipment and buildings were allowed to fall into disrepair. The conditions of the abandoned cane fields are yet another steep challenge.

But as experience and time have shown, where there is a will there is a way. Our Union is hopeful that the process can commence in earnest at soonest and some degree of normalcy and hope can be restored.

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU

Questionable moves DEAR EDITOR, The new Government has committed itself to the reopening of the closed sugar estates, the reinstatement of Community Service Officers in Indigenous villages and has replaced the word “Indigenous” with “Amerindian” in the naming of the Indigenous Ministry. It appears as though the vision of the government for Guyana is to undo what the previous government has done whatever the consequences

to the citizens of the country.

Everyone knows that the sugar industry was nonprofitable when the PPP demitted office in 2015 and required regular bail out which was sucking the life out of our economy hence the closure of some estates by the previous government. No feasibility study was done or new model for the industry was adopted by the new government before this decision was made. We don’t want our oil money used to upkeep a failing industry

just to find work for people loyal to the PPP party.

Before 2015 Community Service Officers were employed by the PPP government. The officers had no clear mandate and can just be seen walking around the Communities aimlessly and waiting for salaries. Presently in most Indigenous Villages youths have their own businesses which were acquired through the HEYS programme executed by the Coalition government.

Patrick Fitzpatrick

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Kaieteur News

We must learn to live with COVID-19 DEAR EDITOR, We must learn to live with COVID-19. On August 9, 2020 there was 20, 024, 263 cases of COVID-19 worldwide and 773, 995 deaths.

University of Alberta virologist, David Marchant, who has spent his research life looking for a treatment for the dangerous respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), has said that vaccines aren’t a certainty. “I’m not optimistic that we’ll find a vaccine in the next few years because we have so little data on the coronavirus,” said Marchant, who holds the Canada Research Chair in Viral Pathogenesis.

“In fact, I propose that this virus will become endemic. Viruses aren’t things we can fight; they’re things you learn to live with, treat and mitigate.”

I am convinced that COVID-19 will be with us for many years to come and we must continue to live. We test, contact trace and quarantine infected persons, not uninfected persons. Thinking lockdown, wearing mask and social distancing will stop the spread is utopian; it might slow it down but that is still not conclusive.

The fight against COVID19 is a marathon not a sprint.

We must do actions we can sustain. Lockdown has a detrimental effect on the economy and must be use surgically if at all. Strategic testing and quarantine an infected person is more effective than locking down an entire country or section of a country.

Because testing is expensive and time consuming is no reason not to do it. It cost far more in economic loss than to spend the time and resources on

testing and quarantining infected persons. Thousands have lost their jobs because of lockdown and other COVID-19 practices. This practice of rampant lockdown is penny wise and pound foolish. Life must go on.

Although I do not like wearing mask because of the long term health risk due to breathing in too much carbon dioxide and viral load, it is better than this lockdown. Social distancing in open air is uncertain because the breeze blows the droplets far and one cannot calculate the optimal distance. I have done several mathematical models and there are too many variables.

The processing power of my laptop is too small.

Practicing good hygiene always contributes to good health. Billionaires in the US have increased their wealth by US$637 billion since March, 2020. It is not the pandemic but government actions that cause unnecessary hardship on the most vulnerable.

It can be handled differently. The lockdown hurt the poor the most and government aid is usually politically bias and inadequate.

Eventually government will have to increase taxes and make spending cut and the poor will be disproportionally affected. Protect lives by quarantining the infected not the healthy.

We must protect the vulnerable such as the elderly and people with other illness such as hypertension and diabetes. “Wealth is not about having a lot of money; it’s about having a lot of options.” — Chris Rock Yours truly, Brian Ellis Plummer

Tuesday August 11, 2020

End the ethno insecurities DEAR EDITOR, The new Government is in place. The promise was made to give urgency to Constitutional reform. The citizens are eager for a more inclusive and representative Government. Whenever the project gets off the ground, the Preamble and sections 9 and 13 of the Constitution should feature prominently in the minds of all who will be invited to make proposals.

Also, the changing ethno makeup of Guyana, (Indo

40%, Afro 30%, Mixed 20%, Amerindian 10%) presents the opportunity to ensure that greater numbers of the population feel they will have meaningful representation by parties which reflect all Guyana’s peoples.

What if, as with the quota of women in Parliament, it is mandated for all political parties to have no more than, (for example) , 30 percent of Indos and Afros; and no less than 20 percent of Mixed, 10 percent of Amerindian and

10 percent of nonpoliticians? Women and youth quotas should also be included.

It will then become difficult, or even pointless, for parties to use the race card to get support.

They will instead be forced to compete for votes by convincing the people that they are to be trusted to develop Guyana into the type of country stipulated in the Constitution.

The goal must be a shared Guyanese identity.

The ethno insecurities which seem to prevail and haunt the nation must be brought to an end.

The formula should also be used to determine the make-up of Cabinet and all other institutions.

Something else to ponder, is why Guyana needs a President and a Prime Minister?

With respect, Faiyaz Alli

GECOM 2020 - Finding Closure DEAR EDITOR, The imbroglio (using a mild word) is at last over.

Never in the history of Guyana, or any country in the world, has such an election been so disgracefully conducted, with such underhand thievery for the sole purpose of rigging so as to stay in power. The conduct has been obviously repulsive. The underlings in GECOM did the biddings of

APNU+AFC, cowardly and defiantly defying all – in Guyana, the world, including international organizations.

The rigging insulted the sensibilities of reasonable people. The nation became a laughing stock and an embarrassment. What an ignominious shame!

When the dust is settled, I urge that those who were part of the messy process should be made to account

for their actions.

There should be no revenge politics or recrimination. A full Inquiry should be conducted, not only for the puppets, but also for the puppeteers.

The conduct of the responsible officers was duplicitous, betrayal of the oath of office, and tantamount to treason.

Those found culpable should get their deserved

penalties.

If young folks can be jailed for possessing a tiny quantity of ganja, people guilty of treasonable activities should receive the severest punishment according to the law, hopefully as a deterrent; and hopefully that there should never be a recurrence in the future.

Yours truly, G. Girdhari

Services needed in Region 8 DEAR EDITOR, I take this time to wish our new Head of State, President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and his administration the best in all endeavours engaged for the variety of benefits deserved by the Guyanese people. The purpose of this letter is to highlight some of the developmental services needed in Region #8 - Potaro Siparuni. To date, neither of the two (2) Sub Regions of the Potaro Siparuni district have any of the following: - a Lands and Survey Office - a bank

-a Guyana Revenue Authority office - a sport complex - a technical institute/trade school - an Adult Learner’s Education College - a library - nor a Business Registration Office.

With regards to infrastructural developments, in addition to the construction of the road which has commenced and the need for more bridges, a bridge at Mango Landing, Essequibo River is also required.

Lincoln Lewis responds...

From page 5 misrepresentation and/or gutfeelings. I civilly parted company with the newspaper as a columnist not from a position of acrimony, but one based on personal convictions for it was difficult to read the rancour and misrepresentation that to me signalled the newspaper’s departure from upholding credible journalism as a foundation on which society must be built.

It was also noted attacks allowed on me, calling for me to no longer be allowed to be a columnist, likewise it was brought to my attention I was treading on sacred political ground and creating tensions.

Being mindful of the political environment I thought it a wise decision to leave before being asked to or forced to become sterile in my writings since the newspaper’s pathway of diverse frankness had changed.

Whereas there is respect for the Publisher’s right to articulate his position on my departure as a columnist I find the misrepresentation as mentioned in his comment to be unfortunate and unnecessary. I hope it was a result of journalistic slips and not willful, for I have held him to a high standard over the years based on the niche his papers held in holding all governments accountable without exception, that we in Guyana had grown accustomed to.

I have friends in Kaietuer News and still have high regards for the potential of this media.

Lincoln Lewis Publisher’s Note: Lincoln Lewis will continue to be Lincoln Lewis and Glenn Lall will continue to be Glenn Lall. I wish Lincoln Lewis well and hopes he will use his pen as a weapon to end the abuse of the nation’s patrimony.

As it relates to employment, it is public knowledge that neither of the two (2) national mining companies of Guyana are truly owned by Guyana given the balance of shares hence the following proposal: In each of Guyana’s rich mining districts, we can and should establish national mining operations for the categories of minerals found in the districts, creating employment for hundreds of miners, cooks, property protection personnel, technical support officers, drivers and operators of heavy duty machinery (who will then become public servants) interdependent

upon a range of goods and services provided locally and abroad. Bearing in mind that Rome wasn’t built in a day, we do not expect an immediate manifestation of the aforementioned but President Ali and his administration upon their visit(s) to Region # 8 should hear similar sentiments mixed with others on their inaugural and every other visit to the Region which should cement our dire need for these things. May the Almighty bless Guyana, all of our leaders and last but not least, the people they serve, forevermore.

Regards, Young Resident of the Municipality of Mahdia

New York Guyanese...

From page 4 be better served in other ministries to match their skills.

They say the best person must be selected for a task. They feel Charles Ramson should be in oil and gas although some feel experts should be hired for that field.

And almost everyone queried the exclusion of Mr. Seeraj in agriculture. But one person said not everyone can be a Minister although they say Seeraj and some other party stalwarts deserve Ministerial positions because of their commitment, dedication, competence, and service to the party.

People wished the youthful Ministers well and think the inexperienced

Ministers would learn their job very fast and handle their task with competence and integrity.

Guyanese are very pleased that the PPP has returned to office.

They are confident that the PPP will serve the country well. But at events I attended, several speakers appealed to the PPP leadership not to repeat mistakes made when it was in office and to listen to the views of the public.

Many say they would visit when the airport opens and flight resumes. Some even talked of returning and settling in Guyana. They see hope now that Guyanese can achieve their dream.

Yours truly, Dr Vishnu Bisram

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 11, 2020

PAGE 07

Minister Edghill questions Office of the President takes charge of Natural where $200M for asphalt went Resources and Finance M

Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat

I

n response to “several queries”, the Office of the President (OP) of President Irfaan Ali said in a brief yesterday that it will retain oversight responsibility for the areas of Finance and Natural Resources.

While President Ali has appointed several ministers to execute duties for the portfolios of Local Government, Public Infrastructure, Education, and Health, he is still to fill the post of Finance Minister, an omission that has prompted significant comment and criticism. In addition to other key responsibilities, the person occupying that

President Irfaan Ali

portfolio would be responsible in the short term for preparing a national budget, funding government operations to the end of the year; Kaieteur News was made to understand from members of the government that the budget is expected to be presented by early September.

The Ministry of Natural Resources, in contrast, is currently headed by Minister Vickram Bharrat. The minister told Kaieteur News, yesterday, that he is still engaging the senior officers in charge of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Energy Department, the

Guyana Gold Board and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC). He said that engagements thus far on what he has inherited indicate that there has been significant wastage and abuse which he intends to correct in the coming months.

The Minister said that the forestry sector, in particular, needs a great deal of attention as hundreds of workers have not received their July salaries while millions of dollars remain outstanding to utility companies. Minister Bharrat said that these matters have already been brought to the attention of Cabinet and are under review.

i n i s t e r responsible for Public Wo r k s , J u a n E d g h i l l , yesterday revealed to Kaieteur News that some $200M is owed to the Demerara Harbor Bridge Cooperation (DHBC) for asphalt procured by the previous A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration. This hefty debt has raised further concerns with Edghill as he now questions which projects the tonnes of asphalt went to complete.

It was during an interview with Kaieteur News yesterday afternoon when Edghill highlighted that he became aware of the debt when he had assumed office, only some days ago.

In fact, it was on Thursday last when the General Manager of the DHBC, Rawlston Adams, had convened a meeting with Edghill, at which point he indicated that the previous infrastructure ministry had owed the Demerara Harbor Bridge $200M. According to the Public Works Minister, the asphalt, which is assumed to be in tonnes, were procured one

Trial begins for Soesdyke man charged for bigamy

T

hree months after he was charged for bigamy, the trial for Michael Taylor has commenced in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts.

On his first appearance before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, Taylor denied the allegation which stated that he married another woman, while still being married.

The charges were filed under the Section 83(1) of Criminal Law (Offences) Act, which stipulates, “Everyone, who being married, marries any other person during the life of the former husband or wife, whether the marriage takes place in Guyana or elsewhere, shall be guilty of a felony and liable to a term of imprisonment for seven years.”

Several witnesses have already testified against Taylor 38, an airport ramp attendant of Lot 1 Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara. He is currently out on $50,000 bail and is expected to make his next court appearance on August 20, 2020.

Ta y l o r ' s a t t o r n e y

Charged for bigamy: Michael Taylor previously told the court that her client is a law-abiding citizen, and a father of two, who had no knowledge of the crime. The court heard that Taylor was unaware that he is still married to his first wife due to the fact that she promised to divorce him before he moved out their marital home sometime ago.

H o w e v e r, t h e l a w y e r admitted that there is no record before the court to show the couple had ever filed for a divorce.

The charges were filed after Taylor's first wife, found out about his wedding last February and she notified the General Registrar's Office (GRO). After the hearing, she told Kaieteur News that she reported her husband to the authorities after she found out that he had remarried without divorcing her. She claimed to have married Taylor in 2015.

The couple has two children and reportedly lived together five years before they split.

The woman claimed that her husband moved out of their Timehri, East Bank Demerara home last November and went to live with his girlfriend at Soesdyke. The couple reportedly separated after the wife confronted her husband about his infidelity.

However, the wife found out about her husband's second marriage from a mutual friend, months after he moved out. According to the woman, “De person call me and say you deh home and your husband have big wedding going on.”

Naturally shocked at the news, the woman said that she

started to investigate the claims.

“I went all over to find out and if there is anything I could do,” she told this paper, “Then a lawyer advised me to go to GPO to the Registrar's Office and find out if they were m a r r i e d l e g a l l y. ” A s instructed, the wife visited the registrar's office and presented her marriage certificate.

She said that soon after, o ff i c i a l s a t t h e G R O uncovered another marriage certificate in the name of her husband and his new wife.

According to the woman, the second marriage was registered in January 2020.

She said that she learnt from the Head of the GRO that a crime had been committed and that the matter would be forwarded to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Guyana Police Force. She said that she was later contacted by the department to give a statement, which she did. Subsequently, her husband was charged with bigamy and placed before the court.

Previous Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson month leading up to the March 2, General and Regional Elections. The last procurement of asphalt, notably, was dated at July 31, two days before the Guyana Elections Commission had declared Dr. Irfaan Ali as President.

Meanwhile, General Manager of DHBC told Kaieteur News last evening that all of the orders were made by the Chief Roads Officer under the then Public Works Ministry. “They” Adams said, “would usually write to us requesting for an order and would ask us to deliver for the different road projects.”

When enquired about whether DHBC had informed the previous ministry about balances that were outstanding, Adams responded in the affirmative. “ We w o u l d t e l l t h e m everyone month what they owed us,” he said, while adding that the then ministry has always been late on their payments.

Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill Compounding issues is the fact that the previous APNU+AFC failed to make themselves available for a takeover and transition meeting when the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had assumed office.

With this Edghill had expressed “If you have a handover then you have an institutional passage, but now we have to go into everything and we don't want it to look as though we are conducting a witch hunt.”

Nonetheless, the minister indicated that he's working to receive the details regarding the procurement of the roadbuilding material.

“We have to see the justification for that expenditure,” Edghill said, “that it was indeed procured and on what terms,” while also adding that the $200M debt just shows the “slack management of the DHBC

Granger addresses PNC/R on way forward - Harmon, Broomes coopted to Central Executive

Joseph Harmon

T

he Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the People's National Congress Reform (PNCR) met yesterday at the party's headquarters,

Simona Broomes Congress Place with leader, David Granger, addressing the gathering on the way forward.

It would reportedly be the first meeting of the CEC (continued on page 16)

PAGE 08

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 11, 2020

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 11, 2020

PAGE 09

The Inauguration Address P

r e s i d e n t Mohamed Irfaan Ali's inauguration address has generated a fierce debate. It has been the subject to less than flattering front page commentaries, editorials and letters to the editors.

Ironically, the President's address drew sustained applause and was greeted with a standing ovation upon completion. The attendees were no doubt caught up in the emotion of being present at what was a VIP and VVIP affair.

These VIPs and VVIPs had waited five months for this occasion. And they exhaled with vigorous and sustained hand clapping, oblivious to the fact that they were applauding the superfluous and superficial.

President Ali's address was poorly crafted. It was heavily punctuated with shibboleths and tired clichés.

Ali was equipped with bag full of slogans such as the Guyanese people standing as “one people, one nation, one destiny”, “every citizen within it is equal and will be treated equally”, “my first and last responsibility will be to the people of Guyana” “walk with kings … but never lose the common touch”, "no one will be left behind”, “scratching a living”, “people…must not be second-class and thirdclass citizens in their own land”, “we must climb the mountain top of prosperity” and “we still have a nation to

build and a people to raiseup”.

The President's speech writers fell asleep on the job.

He described those who defended democracy as being part of the “lexicon of heroes of our nation”. There can be a legion of heroes. But a “lexicon of heroes”?

All of these are meaningless clichés, slogans and jargons unless they are backed by policies which would allow them to be realized. Ali's address – full of words but lacking in substance – failed this vital test.

The PPP/C had five years to prepare for government and five months to wait to assume office. It hit the ground running but in which direction is not clear, at least not from the President's address. It clearly did not develop a detailed sectorstrategies approach before it assumed office, as many assumed it was doing while in the Opposition and in the interregnum between the elections and the declaration of results.

An inaugural speech presents a newly-minted President with the occasion to inform his country's citizens how their lives will be changed by the end of his term. It provides an opportunity for him to move beyond articulating shortterm measures. President Ali did not seize this chance.

The President browsed over a number of areas in his presentation: private sector

d e v e l o p m e n t , e n e r g y, infrastructure, training, sugar, labour relations, constitutional reform, security, territorial integrity, COVID-19, labour and foreign relations. While an inauguration speech may not be suited to deal comprehensively with all of these issues, it should at least outline the broad policy framework. This was a major shortcoming of the President's address.

The President's inauguration address was in dissonance with his swearing-in address. He said then that constitutional and electoral reform would have been among his priorities.

Electoral reform escaped mention in the inauguration address.

And constitutional reform, he said, would be pursued through a consultative process – euphemism for placing such reforms on the backburner.

The President offered no proposals as to the type of reforms which are likely to emanate from his government. Perhaps he has none.

The role of the private sector was given special prominence. But even they would be disappointed with the promises made.

The President made a proposal for a singlewindow clearance system, something which has been promised about for more than 10 years. Nothing was said about tax reform and no

..........................................................

Dem boys seh...

We tired scratching; is time we start living!

G

uyana is about to become de richest country in the Caribbean. And eventually it gun become one of de richest places in de world. If Guyana get what it deserve from dem oil companies, nobody nah gat fuh wuk in this country again.

Dem could sit back and sip whisky and smoke cigar all day. Dem boys seh suh.

Despite all de oil we gat, Pressie wan put people back fuh scratch a living. He concern about de sugar workers wha like yard fowl scratching de dirt fuh see if dem find any corn. And right next door dem gat a corn field.

But dem head so buried in the dirt dat dem nah see de

field full ah corn.

He worrying about de NI-CIL selling out dem scrap iron wha dem call sugar factory.

It remind dem boys of when you and yuh neighbour fighting over a rotten fence wha divide y'all two property.

And while yuh fighting over this rotten fence, somebody carrying away all yuh furniture through de front door.

We nah gat no reason fuh be squabbling over sugar and rice when we gat oil.

Dem boys nah seh nah plant sugar and rice. Dem boys thinking about the mentality of dem people wha running de country.

Dem living in de past.

Dem concentrating pun

scratching a living from rice and sugar while dem oil companies fetching away de country wealth by de tankers.

De President give wan speech last Saturday. He talk wrong. He nah talk wha dem boys want to hear. Was a pitta-patta speech. He sprinkle lil here and sprinkle lil there.

De person or persons who write dah speech should be sent packing. Dem nah thinking modern. Dem nah thinking about mekkin Guyana rich. Dem thinking about keeping Guyana in a state wheh all dem gun continue to do for generations is to scratch a living.

Talk half and tell Pressie he should listen to Santokie!

specific measures were detailed as to the manufacturing sector.

Except for the half-baked measures announced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the speech was terribly short on specifics.

No plans were detailed for the resuscitation of the sugar i n d u s t r y. I t w a s n o t mentioned how the 50,000 promised jobs would materialize. Nor did he state his approach to parliamentary reforms or about his promise to streamline the public service.

T h e g r e a t e s t

disappointment, however, was the PPP/C's backpedalling on its commitment to renegotiate the deplorable terms of the ExxonMobil contract.

The President was strangely silent on this issue committing to ensure instead that all Guyanese benefit from the petroleum industry.

But strangely he was silent on revamping the local content policy and about his plans for the ill-equipped Department of Energy.

The promise of oil riches will become a mirage unless the oil agreements' unfavourable terms are

immediately renegotiated.

Ignoring this demand during his address represents an egregious oversight on the part of the President for which he owes this nation an explanation. After all, it was his party which promised to renegotiate the oil agreements.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Tuesday August 11, 2020

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

I'm buying some journalism books for Clement Rohee C

lement Rohee has a letter in the August 1, edition newspapers. When you read it, you cannot help but think that Rohee is still to learn a lot about an aspect of life in which he has fifty years of experience – politics While Mingo and Lowenfield were rigging the 2020 election in March, it was in that month Rohee became 70 years of age.

S u r e l y, R o h e e m u s t understand a thing or two of how society operates. I think I will buy a few books on

journalism for him.

To understand some of the things Rohee forgot along the way, let's quote him. He writes: “Harris and Glenn Lall were bound to fall out. It was only a matter of time.

Lall is a pragmatist, Harris is dogmatist….When the chips are down Lall would adjust politically and go with the flow. After all, he has a newspaper to sell. He must take into account the circulation of his newspaper and the innovations of his competitors.”

I would advise readers to place emphasis on the following assertions of Rohee, “go with the flow”, “has a newspaper to sell,” and “innovations of his competitors”.

Rohee is simply saying that Lall must take into account the circulation of his newspaper and what his competitors are up to in relation to what Harris is doing at the paper because after all, he has a newspaper to sell. Rohee fails to take into account all newspapers must operate within basic philosophical guidelines. All

have done so. All are doing so. All must do so.

Newspapers and television stations have to encapsulate some fundamental norms that underpin post 20th century civilization.

There are norms and values that guide human behaviour and newspapers, as an obligation to civilized life, must insert them into the newspaper's overall conceptualizations.

It is outside the scope of this column to offer an enumeration of what these norms and values are but obviously some priceless

ones stand out - anti-racism, equality of gender, recognition of the functions of laws in society, people's right to vote for a government of their choice, etc.

The discontinuation of the columns of Harris then Lincoln Lewis and David Hinds is a huge contradiction of what Rohee wrote. It was not based on Kaieteur News' observation on how its rivals are thinking. One can argue that the likely competitor with the Kaieteur News is the Stabroek News.

I made reference in one of my previous columns (Monday, July 13, 2020, “Election rigging: Faces of dangerous journalism.”) to the editorial position of the New York Times when recently it dropped an Op-Ed piece by Republican senator, Tom Cotton.

The senator stated that Trump was right to reflect on the need to call in the army to quell nationwide protest.

The paper explained that this was against what it stands for.

A newspaper cannot think of publishing an opinion piece that justifies the rigging of an election in

Frederick Kissoon which citizens' votes were thrown away and as a result, an unelected group will rule indefinitely.

While Lewis and Hinds were advised that the Kaieteur News policy was against journalism that supports election rigging, what its competitor did was not taken into consideration because the Stabroek News had continued to publish Henry Jeffrey's endorsement of the rigging.

It is unfortunate that Rohee can reduce the obligation of Kaieteur News to certain fundamental values that humans in the 21st century hold dear to the newspaper's need to go with the flow so the newspaper could sell and thus keep one step ahead of its competitor.

What, Jeffrey, Lewis and Hinds did was unthinkable and no newspaper in the world should permit them to go consistently on a tantrum inciting racial feelings and endorsing the most blatant, ugly and reprehensible rigging on a national election in the modern world. I cannot speak for Stabroek News in relation to Jeffrey, but the Kaieteur News tolerated Lewis and Hinds for far too long.

Here are some acts of Lewis and Hinds that should not find a place in any publication. Lewis wanted an election candidate in the 2020 poll, David Granger, to take action against the election body if that body declares a result that Granger doesn't accept.

In other words, Lewis was advocating that the loser in an election can scrap it.

Hinds stated that if the CCJ rules against his party, the APNU, then it will be a political decision tantamount to a coup. Both of these PNC surrogates had contemptuously dismissed all the legal and constitutional rules that hold a civilized society together.

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

Tuesday August 11, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Tuesday August 11, 2020

New Education Minister meets with MISU to discuss e-learning strategies

N

ewly-appointed Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand yesterday met with the M a n a g e m e n t Information Systems Unit (MISU) of the Ministry to discuss effective strategies for e-learning.

The meeting was attended by Head of the MISU, Indar Singh; the Chief Planning Officer (CPO), Nicola Johnson; Assistant Chief Education Officer- Nursery, Samanatha Williams; Systems Development Coordinator, Imran Mohamed; and the Director of National Center of Educational Resources Development (NCERD), Jennifer Cumberbatch.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickhand The meeting, according to the ministry, was intended to formulate effective and eff icien t s tr ateg ies to provide e-learning education for students in Guyana given the presence of the novel

Manickchand during the meeting yesterday with MISU staff coronavirus. This includes seeing students being able to access schooling from home in order to prevent the potential spread of the COVID-19. No decision was taken, however, on whether these strategies will be implemented for the upcoming school year.

Minister Manickchand had met over the weekend with Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony, former Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, along with

senior health officials to discuss the safety of students and the potential re-opening of schools. These officials included Chief Medical O ff i c e r, D r. S h a m d e o Persaud and Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Karen Gordon-Boyle. A source within the Ministry of Health stated that upon the conclusion of that meeting, the initiative of introducing e-learning surfaced.

Following her swearingi n l a s t We d n e s d a y,

Manickchand had expressed that the safety of all staff and students in schools is the ministry's top priority as the new school year approaches.

She further added that the ministry will be looking at the science, data, and reality the livelihood of families to determine the best way forward. She also stated that the ministry will be taking into account global best practices and comparing them to Guyana's education system to see what works best.

Govt. paid $50M for Buju...

From page 2 Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change ( A P N U + A F C ) administration had purchased an undisclosed amount of the tickets for the concert to

distribute among supporters.

Then Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo had blasted the coalition for that act and accused them of taking taxpayer dollars to make the purchase. PNCR Executive Amna Ally, in turn, was quoted in sections of the media denying the claim.

She had responded, “Government money? Sorry, it is not Government's money, it is the PNC's money and we are distributing it to people. I cannot remember the amount that we bought but we are

distributing.”

Asked why the purchase was made, Ally had said “We believe that it is a good opportunity for people, generally, to go to the Buju Banton show.”

Despite the allegation being confirmed, the party still continues to maintain that it used its funds to make the purchase. Most recently, Ally was quoted in another section of the media doubling down on her claim that the tickets were not purchased using tax payer dollars.

Sports Director, Christopher Jones...

From page 3 office in 2015. When contacted by this publication yesterday, Minister Ramson said only that the decision to fire Jones was done “in the best interest of the people of Guyana”. The Minister noted that he will be addressing this and other related issues at an upcoming press conference.

According to the Minister, replacing Jones will be Kashif Muhammad, co-director of the popular Kashif and Shanghai Organization. Muhammad, formerly, of Linden is said to have over 30 years of experience in the sports sector.

This publication was informed by a reliable source, that Jones had renewed his contract as the Director of Sport on March 31st, weeks after the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

In addition to this, Kaieteur News was made to understand that Jones, during his tenure, was in receipt of a monthly salary of $497,000 as well as other additional benefits.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 11, 2020

PAGE 13

Soesdyke car crash kills one, injures four

Dead: Quamie Dalton

O

ne person has died and four others severely injured in a car crash which took place yesterday along the Soesdyke Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Dead is Quamie Dalton, 24, a minibus conductor of Ice House Road, Timehri.

The Crushed “greens minibus�

The mangled car The fatal crash occurred at around 02:00Hrs while Dalton and his friends were heading home in a car from a birthday party in Supply.

Police said that the car was travelling at a fast rate when the driver struck a median, lost control and veered off the road crashing into a light

pole before toppling several times.

A c c o r d i n g t o eyewitnesses the car was speeding down the wrong side of the public road and then made a sudden dash for the right side slamming a light pole in the process.

The car then rode up a

sand heap, sailed through the air and landed on a small minibus parked at the side of the road.

Nearby residents rushed out to scene to render assistance.

An unconscious Dalton and his friends were removed from the wreckage

and an ambulance was called to transport them to the Diamond Diagnostic Center.

At the hospital, doctors labeled Dalton as critical, treated him and placed him on a life support machine while his friends received treatment and were referred to the Georgetown Public

Hospital Corporation (GPHC). At around 06:00Hrs Dalton succumbed to his injuries.

The driver, who received minor injuries, is in police custody and according to a source has told investigators that the car suffered a tire blow-out.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Tuesday August 11, 2020

Berbice Rice Farmers ask for compensation after losing rice crops due to heavy flooding

R

ice farmers in Berbice are now calling for compensation for their rice crops lost due to flooding that began last Friday. Following the heavy downpour of rain last Friday night, many areas in Berbice saw a high rise in water levels. This caused flooding in homes and damage to home gardens and livestock.

Rice farmers in the region have also claimed to have lost hundreds of acres of rice due, the second time this has occurred in as many years.

According to one rice farmer, who spoke to Kaieteur News, he had lost over 80 acres of rice due to flooding that occurred last year.

He stated that the flooding resulted from improper irrigation systems in the area that were not being addressed by the relevant authorities.

The farmer, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that he had then decided to make an official complaint to the then President David Granger and, in his letter, he lamented that his community was being neglected by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA).

The farmer showed this newspaper a response that was

written to him by Granger in a letter which stated that the President had acknowledged his complaint and he would have forwarded the letter to the then Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder. Granger further stated that Holder would conduct an investigation on the situation and give the farmer a response.

The man says that no response was given to him and the irrigation issue persisted which resulted in the flooding occurring again this year.

He also claimed to have made four to five complaints during the course of last year to this year to the NDIA, but responses were never given and the irrigation issue in the backdam areas worsened further.

He added that the farmers themselves made attempts to pump out some of the water, however their attempts were futile. He said that four excavator machines were sent to resolve the issue but upon their arrival, the damage was already done.

He claimed that the backdams were muddy and slippery and the machines could not be brought in properly to resolve the issue.

The farmer related that since their arrival they have been parked and few further attempts were made (continued on page 16)

A heavily flooded rice field

Water breach in the dam area

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 11, 2020

PAGE 15

Min. of Communities paid hundreds of millions to over 50 contract workers No proof of work done - Minister Dharamlall

By Shikema Dey

T

he then Ministry of Communities with Minister Ronald Bulkan at the helm expended over $800 million in salaries to 56 contract staffers with no evidence found by the new administration to account for their work since 2015.

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall made that disclosure yesterday during his first press engagement at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre after a review of the records was conducted.

“We found that in the Minister Secretariat of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, 23 staff were earning as much in total per month, 7.73M per month,” he told the press.

Among those staffers, he said, were political appointees of the previous A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change ( A P N U + A F C ) administration.

“From our records in the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development,” the Minister added “we have been unable to verify and validate the performance of these staff because there is no record of their work, no documentation of their performance.”

Since the new People's Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government took office a week ago, none of the 56 staffers have shown up to work.

The Minister pointed out that one Special Ministerial Advisor on Local Government, Oscar Clarke was earning $418,674 per month; a non taxable duty

allowance of $25,000 per month and a telephone allowance of $15,000 per month. Clarke is a veteran member of the People's National Congress and a representative of APNU on the Georgetown City Council.

“Since we have taken office,” the Local Government Minister said, “we have not seen him and from the reports we have received, is that this individual turned up to work three half days per week e a r n i n g t h i s monumental…almost when you add it all up, possibly close to half a million per month,” Reference was also made to another Special Advisor, Rupert Hopkinson, who was earning $376,807 per month with a non-taxable allowance of $70,000 per month and a telephone allowance of

Gang shoots at police after being found with stolen car - teen in custody

A

gang on the Essequibo Coast opened fire on polic Sunday night, after they were found driving a stolen car. According to police, the shooting occurred sometime around 20:00hrs, at Zorg.

Based on reports, a police patrol noticed the car, PWW 8236, being driven without headlights. After becoming suspicious, police gave chase of the suspected vehicle.

Police said that during the pursuit, the occupants of the car opened fire on them.

Police returned fire on the vehicle, which resulted in the driver of the car losing control. The car eventually came to a stop and a number of men exited the vehicle and fled the scene.

The driver, who was identified as an eighteenyear-old male of Onderneeming Sandpit, was left behind. Police eventually searched a haversack that was in the teen's possession, and found a pair of gloves,

The stolen car

one crowbar, and one knife, one piece of jewelry with initials, a mask and a plastic strap.

He was arrested while the vehicle was taken to the Suddie Police Station.

According to a senior

police source, the stolen car has been linked to a robbery that was committed last Friday at Riverstown on the Essequibo Coast. During the robbery, the same bandits made off with the victim's car and valuables.

Local Govt, and Regional Development Minister, Nigel Dharamlall

Former APNU+AFC Member of Parliament, Barbra Pilgrim

Oscar Clarke

Rupert Hopkinson

$10,000 per month.

Hopkinson was a former REO for Region 2.

He also pointed out that Minister Bulkan also boasted of two other Advisors; Carmichael Thorne and Samuel Paris.

Th orne was earning $488,250 per month plus $30,000 per month in nontaxable allowances, and telephone as well as a travel allowance of $20,000 per month.

“That is over $500,000 per month. And we have no record of any of the work they would've done,” the Minister said.

He noted that these are persons whose contracts were renewed even after the passage of the December 2018 No-Confidence Motion and renewed for a substantial period so their contracts are still in effect.

“The fact that they have not yet turned up to work means that they are in terrible breach of their contracts,” he added.

The Local Government Minister revealed that with many of the names found are “political operatives” of the APNU+AFC employed

within the Community Councils Department. A total of 36 persons were found.

“They are apparently stationed in the Regions and when I spoke to the REO's, they themselves were not supervising these individuals,” Minister Dharamlall said.

He pointed to former Member of Parliament of the APNU+AFC in Region 6, Barbra Pilgrim who was being paid $210,982 per month, a non-taxable allowance of $10,000 per month and a telephone allowance of $10,000 per month.

Also on the list were Simpson DaSilva, Manbodh Rahaman, Daryl Khan, Latchmin Azeez, Carol Nurse, and Ganesh Mahipaul who served as an APNU+AFC Counting Agent during the National Recount process.

Minister Dharamlall revealed, “Mahipaul is on the payroll, assigned to the Regional Democratic Council of Region 3 earning a salary as a Community Development Officer and contracted since August 1, 2015 earning a salary of

Ganesh Mahipaul

Former Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan $210,982 per month with a non-taxable duty allowance per month.”

Between the Community Development Council (CDC), and former Minister Ronald Bulkan's Secretariat, the Minister said, the payroll was approximately $13.5 million per month.

“In five years, $13.5 per month; that is supposed to work out to about $160 million dollars per year, on average… By five years, that is over $800 million dollars that these 56 persons have earned on the backs of taxpayers without evidence of their effort,” Dharamlall added.

The new minister made it clear that every employee will be held accountable as they address the matter on a case by case basis.

“The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development,” he said “will ensure that as we go forward, that everyone who works for that ministry, and in support of that ministry, will exude the greatest of professionalism, the greatest of competence and the greatest of respect in the conduct of our duties.”

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 11, 2020

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Incumbent Prime Minister Keith Rowley giving his victory speech last night.

Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley, last evening celebrated another general elections win. Just after 10:30hrs, Rowley declared 22 seats to the United National Congress' 19 seats declared.

Addressing a small gathering of PNM supporters at Balisier House, Dr. Rowley thanked his wife, Mrs. Sharon Rowley for her undying sup-

Twenty-year-old Vikash Persaud, a route 32 minibus conductor of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, was on Friday charged for the indictable offence of rape. He was reOne single/double apart- leased on $350,000 bail and is ments, Providence. One expected to make his next newlybuilt top/bottom floor, court appearance on SeptemHague 2 Smyth Street, W.C.D. ber 4, 2020.

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having announced from very early on that there would be no public gathering at Balisier House. The Prime Minister has promised sober leadership as he continues his tenure in office.

“We are one peopleTrinidad and Tobago. We have one government and we will so conduct ourselves in the parliament,” he said.

Minibus conductor charged for allegedly raping 14-year-old

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port, according to a Power 102FM report.

He said Trinidad and Tobago is facing serious times, but he made it clear that he would not abandon his responsibility as the Prime Minister of this country.

He further thanked his supporters for adhering to social distancing measures put in place by the PNM party,

the act. After which he used the money to pay the hotel bill and kept the rest for himself.

When the child returned home, her mother inquired about the money, and the teen disclosed what happened.

The matter was reported to the Leonora Police Station and the Childcare Protection Agency.

An investigation was launched and Persaud was later arrested and charged for rape of a minor.

Berbice Rice Farmers...

From page 14 to pump the rest of the water out of the drainage system.

The man believes that the lackadaisical attitude of the NDIA and all other relevant authorities is the main reason for the issue, as flooding has and always will occur.

He stated that if swift action was taken in resolving the issue it would have saved him and many farmers like himself the trouble of having to finance new crops which would severely impact their way of life.

He also stated that as a consequence of the flooding and negligence of the relevant authorities he and other farmers have no choice but to ask for compensation because financing a new set of crops will be expensive.

The farmer indicated that he is ready to sue but is unsure of where to start; however, he said, he will be persistent until the authorities cease their failure to address urgent concerns that can affect people's livelihoods.

Granger addresses PNC/R on way...

From page 7 after the March 2nd elections fiasco which the PNC/R, as the biggest party in the incumbent coalition, was handed a first term loss.

According to the release, “Party Leader, Brigadier David Granger, addressed members of the CEC on the recently concluded General and Regional elections, the current political situation and the way forward.”

It was also disclosed that in accordance with Section 17 (1) (f) of the Constitution of the People's National Congress, Joseph Harmon, and Simona Broomes were co-opted by the Leader of the Party to serve as

members of the Central Executive Committee of the PNCR, with effect from Saturday 1st August 2020.

Harmon, although playing a prominent role in government was not included in the Central Executive in the 2018 internal elections of the party, failing in his bid against Volda Lawrence for Chair of the party. Broomes, a miner, was initially hailed as a beacon for her work in the Trafficking-inPersons cases but has courted controversy in recent times, including a recent arrest and charge for assault of two men.

According to the PNCR, in its statement, Harmon and

Broomes were formally and “warmly” welcomed to the Executive Committee.

“Mr Joseph Harmon,” the release stated, “who served as Election's Agent for the APNU+AFC gave a detailed elections update and a summary of Coalition's performance. The Central Executive Committee was also given a brief on pending legal matters by Mr. Basil Williams, SC.” According to the PNC/R, the CEC also deliberated on matters arising from Granger's address and the APNU+AFC performance at the General and Regional elections.

The meeting was chaired by Chairwoman Lawrence.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 11, 2020

PAGE 17

COVID-19 protective equipment Guyana, UK to further cooperation handed over to police Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, (at right) handing over PPE to the Commissioner of Police (ag), Nigel Hoppie

UK High Commissioner, Greg Quinn with Minister Hugh Todd

M

inister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, yesterday handed over a quantity of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the Guyana Police Force to aid the fight against COVID19.

According to the Ministry, the equipment – which includes K-95 masks, protective coveralls, gloves, face shields and protective goggles – was received by the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons in the

form of a donation from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The items will be used to aid frontline officers from the Guyana Police Force's Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Unit, and other departments who are actively involved in the fight against trafficking in persons.

After recognizing the potential health risks posed to officers who interface with victims and perpetrators of human trafficking, the Ministerial Task Force saw it

necessary to insure that all precautions are taken to prevent the spread of COVID -19, the ministry explained.

Distributions of PPE were also made to the Ministry of Social Protection's Counter–Trafficking in Persons Unit, and to a number of TIP Shelters and Transitional Facilities for the use in activities related to combating trafficking in persons and assisting in protecting victims of trafficking during the COVID-19 pandemic.

D

uring a courtesy call yesterday, H i g h Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Guyana, Greg Quinn, conveyed congratulations to Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, on his recent appointment.

“We have had a lot of cooperation in the past and we will do as much to continue,” said High Commissioner Quinn.

According to Todd, Guyana sees the United Kingdom as a main developmental partner.

“I am excited to be part of this new push between Guyana and the UK and I am sure that our interactions will be progressive,” the Foreign Minister stated.

Furthermore, he emphasized that: “We continue to be strong supporters of the UK. Our Partnership is very valuable to the people of Guyana.”

Among other things, the two discussed security, the agreement on Air Services signed in 2018, Small Island Developing States (SIDS), development aid, and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Georgetown Mayor and City Council for the twinning of Georgetown, Guyana and Aberdeen, Scotland. Guyana and the United Kingdom established diplomatic relations on May 26, 1966.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 18

Public not aware of US$8M IDB-funded Criminal Justice project - Anil Nandlall

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ttorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall has expressed his dissatisfaction with the management of an InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) US $8 million funded project titled “Support for the Criminal Justice System Program” that has been ongoing since 2017.

According to a release from the Ministry, Nandlall visited the project office yesterday in Hadfield Street, in the same building that formerly housed the Leader of the Opposition's office while David Granger was in that post.

“The Attorney General,” the release noted, “stated that he is pleased that such a project is ongoing in Guyana and expressed his unwavering support to it.

However, the Attorney

General expressed deep regret that since the commencement of the project in 2017, the public is not aware of its nature, nor objective. Minister Nandlall expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which the project is unfolding and that its impact is not being felt by the people of Guyana.”

Nandlall, according to the release, expressed an intention to review the project documents to ensure that it is being efficiently and effectively managed. The release also stated that upgrading the Sentencing Policy, the Bail Act and Legal Aid programme are among the top matters on the AG's agenda According to the release, the AG in his address to staffers of the Support Programme pointed to a need for a Sentencing Policy in Guyana. He noted that

there are sentencing guidelines, which were drafted under a previous project but never implemented.

In this regard, the Attorney General tasked the team with reviewing and modifying those guidelines, if necessary, so as to avoid duplication.

Further, he stated that Guyana is in need of a new Bail Act and that one is already drafted at the Legislative Drafting Department of the Attorney General Chambers. He urged that the Act be reviewed and updated, if necessary, to avoid wastage of valuable resources.

Notably, the Attorney General expressed the need to have a legal aid programme be grounded on some form of statutory footing and must be nationally oriented and not

confined only to Georgetown, as there are people in need of legal aid right across Guyana.

The Legal Affairs Minister reminded the staff that the project is funded by a loan that will eventually have to be repaid by the people of Guyana and therefore, the ultimate beneficiaries of the project are the people of Guyana and that they must strive to ensure that the people reap maximum benefits from this project.

According to the release, the main objective of the project is to contribute to the reduction of high concentrations of prison population in Guyana. The more specific objectives are to reduce the proportion of inmates who are pre-trial detainees and increase the use of alternative sentencing in the country.

Tuesday August 11, 2020

Special team launches investigation into ranks' shooting of unarmed men

Dead: Cecil Sampat

A

special team working directly from the Police headquarters at Eve Leary has commenced a thorough investigation into the shooting of two unarmed men in a car by police ranks on Mandela Avenue three weeks ago.

According to Public Relations officer (PRO) of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Assistant Commissioner, Royston Andries-Junor, the team began its investigation on Friday last.

This was two days after one of the victims, Cecil Sampat, 39, succumbed while receiving treatment for gunshot wounds at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Doctors have also told the other victim Winston Frazer, 28, that he will most likely remain paralyzed for the rest of his life.

After weeks of silence the GPF visited relatives of the deceased man. On Sunday last acting Commissioner of Police Nigel Hoppie , Commander of Police Division Four 'A', Simon McBean, along with PRO Andries-Junor and a woman pastor turned up at the late Sampat's home where they spoke with family members.

Sampat's sister, Erica Tuleram, told this newspaper that the pastor prayed for them and the high ranking officers expressed their condolences on behalf of the police force. She said that they granted her all assurance that a thorough investigation into the matter will be carried out. They also assured that when the investigations are over, those responsible will be brought to justice.

“In return I told them as

Paralyzed: Winston Frazer well that I will not give up the fight either and will fight till I get justice for my brother's life”, said Tuleram.

She continued that “within two days they promised to brief or give me an update on the findings of the investigation.”

Kaieteur News understands that during the visit the officers explained to the family that they had recently occupied their respective posts and were instructed to take over the investigation. They promised that the special team will review statements taken from the ranks said to be involved and look at the evidences that were collected.

Kaieteur News had reported that previous investigators were told by the ranks that the men were armed and opened fire on them first.

According to reports on July 25 ranks from the Impact Base Unit traced a car with four occupants from Agricola East Bank Demerara (EBD) to D'Urban Street and Mandela Avenue. They intercepted the car and proceeded to open fire on the men. Sampat and Frazer received gunshot wounds to their backs while the other occupants, Seon Greenidge and Joshua Letlow escaped unhurt.

The men were taken out of the car, allegedly beaten and had their hands swabbed for gun powder residue before the injured Sampat and Frazer were taken to the hospital. Ranks involved were unable to find any firearm in the men's possession which would have corroborated their statements. As a result more than half a dozen ranks were then taken into custody.

Tuesday August 11, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 11, 2020

Tuesday August 11, 2020

Kaieteur News

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LeBron James is still adapting to playing without fans: ‘It’s a very weird dynamic’ Yahoo Sports - The NBA bubble is a weird place to play. It doesn’t matter if you’re a green rookie or a seasoned veteran, playing in an empty arena in front of virtual fans is an adjustment.

And if you’re four-time MVP LeBron James, who has played in front of full, loud arenas for most of the past couple decades, it’s a really big adjustment. Several weeks into the NBA’s bubble restart, the Los Angeles Lakers star admitted that he’s still working to get acclimated to it.

James struggling to adapt “I am getting more and more used to being out there.

It’s a very weird dynamic. I

haven’t played in an empty gym in a very, very long time,” James said on Saturday night after the Lakers’ latest loss, via USA Today. “It’s been a very long time since no one has been watching me play the game. I’m just trying to find that rhythm and lock in.”

James said that he can’t remember ever playing a game that “really counted” in front of an empty gym. Fans have been ever-present at his games since breaking out and attracting notice as a high school freshman 20 years ago. But it’s not just the lack of fans, it’s the entire setting that has James struggling to get comfortable — though he

feels like he’s made some strides.

“I’m getting more and more comfortable playing in an empty gym,” James said. “Just having the backdrop here is a lot different from playing in a high school gym or a college arena where you’re playing in the summer time, whatever the case may be.

It’s very dark, extremely dark. You can literally hear a feather hit the ground.

I’m just getting more and more comfortable playing with my game here in the bubble.”

James says he’s still getting adjusting, but his numbers don’t seem to be

Tuesday August 11, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Today you could be hit with some exciting news, Aries.

This could involve new people or equipment coming onto the scene or an entirely new project or course of action that you'd never have dreamed of.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Information that you receive from others and from within your own heart could compel you to participate in some ambitious projects, Taurus.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You could meet some fascinating people, Gemini, and perhaps learn Earthshaking information that impacts your life. You might consider new lifestyle options.

CANCER(June21–July22) Group activities or social events in your neighborhood, if possible, could put you in touch with new and exciting people who eventually become friends, Cancer.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Today you could decide to attend a virtual workshop or social event involving people in a spiritual, metaphysical, or intellectual field.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) New information could come at you from all sides today, Scorpio. Books, magazines, TV, the Internet, and conversations are likely to bring exciting knowledge your way that reinforces some of your convictions.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Surprising news about your finances and the economy in general could cause you to feel confident and secure about your financial future.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Some fascinating new information, possibly spiritual or metaphysical, could come today from periodicals, TV, or the Internet. This could set you on a new course of study, Capricorn.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Have you wanted to move in a new direction, Leo? If so, this could be when you get the lead of a lifetime. You might receive unexpected information indicating possible new sources of income to pursue on your own.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Dreams and meditations could lead to insights about how best to handle your finances. Your intuition is very strong. Also, you could receive some surprising ideas from media sources.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Unusual circumstances could arise that change your creative orientation, Virgo. It's likely that they involve the gathering, sharing, and using of information. You may consider some unusual options that involve changing jobs.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) A small social event or group rally could put you in touch with some new, exciting people in interesting fields. You might run into an old friend you haven't seen in ages. An attractive new person could arrive on the scene.

suffering much at all. In five games he’s shooting 45.2 percent and averaging 21.6 points a game, with 9.6 rebounds and 6.4 assists.

Those are all a little lower than what he was averaging before the shutdown, but it’s far from alarming. (If you want to talk alarming, the Lakers’ 2-4 record in the bubble is what you’re looking for. Woof.)

LeBron: ‘The fans are missed’ James originally took a hard-line stance on playing without fans when the COVID-19 pandemic first began to hit the U.S. in March. He said that he plays for the fans, so how could he play without them?

A few days later he changed his tune, as people started to understand the enormity of the pandemic. The NBA shut down shortly after, and he’s remained on board ever since. He still misses the fans, though.

“The fans are missed,” James said to USA Today. “I hope that someday the pandemic and COVID can get under wraps, and we can take all the precautions that’s needed and get it figured out in America where we can get our fans back into our arenas and stadiums and things of that nature. It’s huge for sports.”

Until then, he’ll have to keep getting comfortable with playing in front of virtual fans in empty arenas. He won’t stop longing for the return of fans, though. Any kind of fan.

“I definitely miss our fans being at Staples Center, and also going against the fans that boo me,” James said.

Ferro is the first champion in...

From page 20 of winners, so I’m really happy to have the trophy with me,” said the Belgian-born Ferro.

She struck 51 winners and broke Kontaveit’s serve five times in a clinical display as she clinched the title on her second match point.

The result ensures Ferro will make her world top-50 debut at number 44 when the latest WTA rankings are released on Monday.

Estonia’s Kontaveit, ranked 22nd, has now lost five of the six finals she has contested.

LeBron James says it’s still very weird to play in an empty venue without any fans. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

PAGE 22

Kaieteur News

GFF hosts consultation sessions with Regional Member Associations The President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Wayne Forde, conducted a series of consultations and sessions with representatives from the Regional Member Associations (RMAs), Affiliates and Elite League Clubs to obtain a firsthand account the impact COVID-19 has had within the respective RMAs jurisdictions.

The sessions, which began on July 24 and concluded on August 4, were organised in small groups at a time in adherence with the COVID-19 social distancing guidelines.

Forde, in commenting on the meetings, said they were informative and there was optimism among members: “It was indeed a pleasure to spend time with our football family and see how well everyone was coping in these challenging times. While we have a duty to engage with our primary stakeholders when key decisions are being contemplated, it goes without saying, that it will require a

massive team effort to kickstart football once the situation improves and the requisite approvals and protocols are announced.

These meetings were informative and enlightening and I felt that everyone left feeling optimistic and motivated to put in the work

that is so badly needed to ensure that football makes the best use of future opportunities.”

Among the issues discussed at the meeting were the following: The decisions made by Concacaf and FIFA to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on

football across the Region.

Present plans and obtain feedback on competition formats being developed by the GFF for the resumption of on-field football activities.

Present plans for the material and financial support the members will have access to during 2020 and 2021.

Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee.

“You put all that together and it’s just not fair that somebody after 29 events on the PGA Tour has all of those skills and has their whole career in front of them.”

Morikawa, who last month picked up his second career PGA Tour win, was not on anyone’s radar at the year’s first major until firing a 65 in the third round that left him two shots back of the leader.

In the final round he delivered the drive of his life at the par-four 16th which led to an eagle that all but clinched the Wanamaker Trophy and cemented his place among the cast of young standouts in the

golfing world.

“There’s a maturity there that at 23, it shouldn’t exist,” former British Open champion Justin Leonard said of Morikawa. “The skillset that he has is a little different than what we see in a modern young player.”

PGA Championship runner-up Paul Casey, who finished two shots back, praised Morikawa’s maturity and said the previously unheralded American will remain a force.

“There’s always a lot of — there’s always kind of a new wave,” English Ryder Cup veteran Casey said.

“There’s always a bunch of guys that rock up on the scene, and he didn’t necessarily get the most publicity out of the group he was in, but you know, I can

consider myself veteran; I’ve been around the block, so I know talent when I see it.”

Morikawa, who was 65th in the rankings at the end of 2019, shot up seven places to world number five after his win, is eager to relish the spotlight and anything but complacent after the biggest win of his career. “When I woke up (on Sunday), I was like, this is meant to be. This is where I feel very comfortable. This is where I want to be, and I’m not scared from it,” said Morikawa.

“I think if I was scared from it, the last few holes would have been a little different, but you want to be in this position.

“It doesn’t stop here. I’ve got a very good taste of what this is like, what a major championship is like.”

Ferro is the first champion in five months as WTA Tour returns (Reuters) - France’s Fiona Ferro became the first WTA champion in five months on Sunday as she overpowered Anett Kontaveit 6-2 7-5 to win the Palermo Ladies Open, the first Tour event to be staged since the COVID-19 epidemic shut down the sport.

Ferro went 10 matches

Ferrari should cut ties with Sebastian Vettel now - Gerhard Berger

TD Ian Greenwood presents at the GFF members consultations.

Morikawa faces major expectations after PGA Championship win (Reuters) - Collin Morikawa displayed nerves of steel in the final round of the PGA Championship on Sunday where the young American fended off a slew of big names to grab his first major and ensure he will no longer fly under the radar.

In only his second career major start, the 23-year-old Morikawa was a model of precision at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco where he finally pulled away from a tight leaderboard with a remarkable drive that set up a late eagle.

“In the strokes-gained era, this is the first time a player has ever led in fairways hit, proximity to the hole and strokes-gained putting,” said

Tuesday August 11, 2020

unbeaten in regional exhibition events after the Tour was suspended in March, and continued to gather further momentum with five more wins in Palermo this week as major tennis returned in the Sicilian capital.

“I think it was my best match of the week,” the 23year-old Ferro said after landing the second title of her

career with a dominant display. “I was feeling relaxed... I don’t know why because it was a final! I wasn’t really feeling pressure.”

Several exhibition events have taken place globally since the sport was halted in early March due to the pandemic but the women’s claycourt tournament in Palermo was the first across both the elite WTA and ATP tours in five months.

There were strict health protocols, including limited number of fans and no handshakes between players after the match.

Players and officials underwent COVID-19 tests every four days and one player who tested positive pulled out of the tournament last weekend.

“I had a good intensity throughout the whole match, I didn’t miss a lot, made a lot (Continued on page 19)

Former Toro Rosso team boss Gerhard Berger celebrates with Vettel following the German’s maiden win of his career at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix. (David Davies/PA) PA Media: Sport - Former Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger believes his old team should sever ties with Sebastian Vettel.

The four-time world champion’s future looks on increasingly shaky ground after he finished 12th at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix.

Vettel spun on the opening lap and then publicly accused his team over the radio of “messing up” his recovery drive with a poor strategy call.

The 33-year-old, who is a lowly 13th in the championship, nine places and 35 points behind teammate Charles Leclerc, is being replaced at Ferrari by McLaren’s Carlos Sainz next year.

But speaking on Austrian TV, Berger, who had two stints with Ferrari in the 1980s and 1990s, said: “For the mood in the respective teams, it would be best to switch to the 2021 line-ups now.”

It is understood that Ferrari have not approached McLaren to seek the possibility of releasing Sainz from his post.

Vettel is poised to join Racing Point in 2021. And one theory is that Vettel’s transfer could be brought forward – with Sergio Perez moving in the opposite direction as a temporary fix.

Nico Hulkenberg, who has impressed as a standin for Perez, could also be a short-term option for Ferrari should Vettel’s time with the Italian team arrive at a premature end.

Vettel was hired by the Scuderia as the man to end

their drivers’ championship drought which extends back to Kimi Raikkonen’s triumph in 2007.

But, despite having the machinery to take the fight to Lewis Hamilton in 2017 and 2018, he was comfortably outclassed by Britain’s sixtime world champion.

Ex-Ferrari chief Ross Brawn believes Vettel and his old team should sit down for make-or-break talks to ensure the relationship does not spiral out of control.

“It’s going to be a measure of Sebastian and the team how they deal with the rest of the season,” said Brawn, Ferrari’s former technical director who engineered Michael Schumacher’s run of five straight championships at the turn of the century.

“They clearly have a very frustrated driver, and they need to find ways of keeping it together for the rest of the year for the interests of both of them.

“They need to try to turn a lose-lose into a win-win.

When I met these situations in my career, I’d sit down with the driver one-to-one and understand what the issues are.

“Then you look at bringing people into the discussions, engineers etc, that are going to be helpful to improve things.”

The Formula One circus will head to Barcelona in the coming days for this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, with Hamilton 30 points clear of Sunday’s victor Max Verstappen in the championship.

Tuesday August 11, 2020

PAGE 23

Kaieteur News

Germany bars fans from soccer matches till at least end of October BERLIN (Reuters) Germany agreed yesterday to extend a ban for spectators in stadiums at Bundesliga soccer matches until at least the end of October due to the coronavirus pandemic, authorities said.

The Bundesliga season restarted in mid-May after a suspension of more than two months, becoming the first European league to resume under strict rules to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

The German Football League (DFL) had hoped authorities would accept an updated proposal to allow fans in stadiums again under certain conditions.

But the health ministers of Germany’s federal and 16 state governments rejected the proposal, pointing to rising numbers of coronavirus infections, the health ministry of the state of Berlin said.

“In particular, local health authorities are currently focused on contact tracing, the school start and the return of holidays travellers,” it said.

As other major events in Germany remained banned until the end of October, the ministers agreed that no exception could be made for soccer matches, adding that their decision would not be revisited before autumn.

“We need to stay vigilant.

General view as the players from both teams and officials line up on the pitch before the match that will be played behind closed doors while the number of coronavirus cases grow around the world. (REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/File Photo) In the current situation, spectators in the stadiums would be the wrong signal,” Health Minister Jens Spahn

said in a tweet.

Pointing to an uptick in coronavirus cases over the past few days, Spahn warned

against taking any avoidable risks that could further increase the infection rate.

Government officials have

repeatedly urged Germans to stick with such precautionary measures as social distancing and the wearing of face

masks, but the rising number of infections suggest some have become less careful during the summer months.

Frustrated Lewis Hamilton Former champion Kuznetsova latest to withdraw from U.S. Open suggests Red Bull under-inflated (Reuters) - Former U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova has joined a growing list of players who have decided not to play in this year’s tournament due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Russian world number 32 yesterday announced her decision on Instagram where she also said she would skip the Western & Southern Open which is being held in New York this year instead of Cincinnati as a lead-up to the Aug. 31-Sept.

13 U.S. Open.

“Due to an unfavourable situation caused by coronavirus, and therefore the inability get together all my team, I made a difficult decision to refuse to participate in Cincinnati and the U.S. Open,” said Kuznetsova.

“I feel very sad, because I have been waiting for these tournaments so much, but the pandemic changes all plans. I hope the situation will be more positive by the next tournaments.”

The 35-year-old

tires for F1 win at Silverstone

Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova in action during her semi final match against Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka at the Qatar Open. (REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari) Kuznetsova beat compatriot Elena Dementieva in the 2004 U.S. Open final to win the first of her two career Grand Slam titles.

In her most recent New York appearance, Kuznetsova suffered a shock first-round defeat to teenage qualifier Kristie Ahn in 2019 after

having struggled for much of the last year with a wrist injury.

World number one Ash Barty, Elina Svitolina and Kiki Bertens are among the other leading players who have also decided to skip this year’s U.S. Open because of the virus.

Autoweek - Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton clearly isn’t used to looking up at drivers from other teams on the Formula 1 victory podium.

A frustrated Hamilton even went so far as to insinuate on his radio during the 70th Anniversary F1 Grand Prix that race-winning Red Bull may have even under-inflated Max Verstappen’s tires for Sunday’s race at Silverstone.

While Verstappen raced to victory and the Mercedes cars driven by Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas struggled with excessive tire problems, world champion Hamilton said on the radio: “He must have less pressure in his tires or something.”

Former Red Bull driver Robert Doornbos didn’t like the sound of that.

“Hamilton is a really bad loser if he’s going to assume that,” Doornbos told Ziggo Sport.

After the tire problems, which included failures at the first Silverstone race,

Pirelli reacted by increasing mandatory tire pressures for the second.

Hamilton called the tires “balloons,” after Sunday’s race but denied accusing Red Bull of cheating.

“When we start the race, we have minimal pressures and they increase during the race,” Hamilton said. “With more laps, they go on a steep rise and I assume that we just went on a much steeper rise and increase in pressures. “(Red Bull) must be able to keep their pressures lower than ours and that’s why ours were blistering. That was just a theory that I had. I wasn’t saying that they have different settings to us, because we all have the same minimum.”

Given that Red Bull managed to win despite the fact that the Mercedes is clearly a quicker car, Red Bull consultant Dr. Helmut Marko said Sunday’s win for Max Verstappen gave the energy drink-owned team hope.

Verstappen’s win moved him to second place in the

standings, just 30 points behind Hamilton (a driver can earn a maximum of 26 points in a race).

“There is still a lot to come from us,” Marko said.

“The world championship is not over for us yet.”

Even Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ team principal, agrees with that.

“Red Bull is a title opponent for us,” Wolff said.

“It will be anything but a leisurely stroll. Without the retirement at the first race, Max would be much closer to Lewis now. Yes we have the fastest package, but it is not the fastest under all circumstances. That is why we have to learn how to tune our car so that the tires do not suffer like that.”

As for whether Verstappen can repeat his winning feat this weekend in Barcelona, however, Hamilton is not so sure.

“I expect it to be similar to the first Silverstone race,” Hamilton said. “The tires will be at the limit, but not quite as bad as in this race.”

PAGE 24

Tuesday August 11, 2020

Kaieteur News

American fighter, ‘Black England’s James Anderson quashes retirement talk as he eyes return to form Beast’, now has the most KOs (Reuters) - England’s most successful bowler James Anderson says he is not pondering his test retirement but conceded the decision to step away could be taken out of his hands if he continues to underwhelm.

The 38-year-old has endured a frustrating summer, managing just six wickets in his last three tests, fuelling speculation that his 17-year test career could be drawing to a close.

Anderson struggled for rhythm in England’s threewicket win over Pakistan in the first test at Manchester but the Lancashire pacer confirmed that while he was disappointed with his effort, the thought of hanging up his boots had never crossed his mind.

“There’s no truth to that.

It’s been a frustrating week personally, I felt out of rhythm and probably for the first time in 10 years I got emotional on the field and let that get to me,” Anderson told reporters yesterday.

“I think after one bad game, there are some whispers that go around but I don’t really think that’s fair.

I’ve just got to work hard and hope I get the nod for the next game.”

Anderson, who has picked up 590 test wickets,

in UFC heavyweight history

England’s James Anderson during the warm up before the start of play, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

(Mike Hewitt/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo) said earlier this year that he was hungry to keep playing for England and yesterday he reiterated his desire to carry on until next y e a r ’s A s h e s s e r i e s i n Australia.

“I want to play as long as I possibly can. If I keep bowling the way I did this week, the opportunity to retire will be taken out of my hands.

It will be a selection issue.

But, for me, I’m still hungry,” he said.

Anderson is on the brink of becoming the first pacer to pick up 600 test wickets but he admitted his focus was not on personal milestones.

“It’s not a huge incentive for me really. I want to be bowling well and contribute to winning,” he said. “If I get 600 wickets then great, if I don’t, I’m happy with what I’ve got.”

The second test will begin on Thursday at the Rose Bowl in Southampton.

Ace Husbands shines with double to lead Bajan success TORONTO, Canada, CMC – Veteran jockey Patrick Husbands rode a double at Woodbine here Saturday, to headline strong Barbadian success at the prestigious western Canada racing oval.

The 47-year-old won with 8-1 chance Hatmaker Holiday in race seven before returning to win the last event on the 10-race card with favourite Marjorie’s Dream.

Chris Husbands, who is of no relation to Patrick Husbands, also picked up a win in race two with 5-1 bet Pluie d’Avril while Keveh Nicholls won race nine with 5-1 chance Saltini.

A seven-time champion at Woodbine, the inimitable Patrick Husbands opened his account in a six furlong sprint when he made all the running with brown filly Hatmaker Holiday to beat the two-yearold fillies by 1-½ lengths.

The Josie Carroll-trained Hatmaker Holiday shot from the gates to set a torrid pace of 22.85 seconds for the quarter and 46.03 seconds for the half, and leave the final turn with a two length lead.

Derrick Lewis in action during UFC Fight Night knockout. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Insider.com - Derrick Lewis, an American fighter nicknamed “Black Beast,” set the record for the most knockouts in UFC heavyweight history after yet another brutal finish at the “UFC Vegas 6” event Saturday.

A possible reason for why Lewis was so desperate to end the fight early is because he needed to go to the men’s room, saying in his postmatch interview that he was desperate for “a s—.”

A Louisiana-born Texan, Lewis, 35, swapped shots with Aleksei Oleinik at the behind-closed-doors UFC Apex.

Lewis began the fight in fast fashion, unleashing head kicks and other

significant strikes in an attempt to faze Oleinik.

In total, Lewis landed 35 of his 42 strikes and he ended the fight for good in the second round with violent ground-and-pound.

It was the 11th knockout win in the UFC for Lewis, a company record.

After the fight, the UFC commentator and fighter Paul Felder conducted a socially-distant interview, in line with coronavirus health and safety measures, with Lewis.

The fighter, believing he was off-air at the time, said: “I gotta take a s—, now.”

He later added there is scope to add to his knockout streak in the

future as he wants to continue improving.

“I believe I have improved a lot, but I’m still not where I need to be,” Lewis said. “I’m still not really comfortable where I need to be fighting at.

“I just knew that I had to put pressure on him, because of the way he fights, he doesn’t really move his head, so anything that I really threw at him was going to land.

“Everything worked j u s t t h e way we talked about,” he said. “I plan to fight again, maybe in December. If I get there and dominate whoever my next opponent is, then I believe I’ll be next for the [UFC heavyweight] title.”

PCB launches CAS appeal against Akmal’s reduced ban for anti-corruption breach Barbadian jockey Patrick Husbands.

For My Elbi chased down the lane but Husbands carried the filly confidently to the wire.

Husbands’s second win came in identical fashion as he produced a gate-to-wire ride aboard three-year-old chestnut filly Marjorie’s Dream to dismiss the threeyear-old and upward maiden fillies and mares by a whopping eight lengths.

The pair outsprinted Trading Bay to the lead and then opened up a lead that proved unassailable in the

stretch, and Husbands never once touched his whip, gearing down the filly down approaching the wire.

Chris Husbands, meanwhile, combined with four-year-old chestnut fully Pluie d’Avril to collar the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares by threequarter lengths in a 7-½ furlong trip while Nicholls partnered seven-year-old gelding Saltini to a two-length win over the three-year-olds and upward over the same distance.

(Reuters) - The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) yesterday said that it will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the reduction of batsman Umar Akmal’s ban for an anti-corruption breach.

The middle-order batsman was banned in April for failing to report approaches to engage in corrupt practices ahead of this year’s Pakistan Super League Twenty20 competition.

An independent adjudicator last month reduced Akmal’s three-

year ban to 18 months, saying Akmal’s confession that he failed to report match-fixing approaches on two occasions had left “no room for doubt as to the veracity of the charges”.

The PCB said the decision to file an appeal was made following a review of the independent adjudicator’s order, which said the ban was reduced “on grounds of taking a compassionate view”.

“The PCB doesn’t take any pride in seeing a cricketer of Umar ’s stature being banned for corruption, but as

a credible and respectable institution, we need to send out a loud and clear message to all our stakeholders that there will be no sympathy whatsoever for anyone who breaches the regulations,” the board said in a statement.

Akmal’s 18-month ban had been backdated to Feb. 20 when he was provisionally suspended and the 30-year-old will be eligible to play from August 2021.

He last played for Pakistan in a Twenty20 International against Sri Lanka in Lahore last year.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday August 11, 2020

PAGE 25

FIBA gives green light for 3x3 AmeriCup T

he Americas Board was informed about the decisions of the FIBA Executive Committee regarding the FIBA Calendar for World and Senior Continental Competitions in case the November window of the AmeriCup Qualifiers will not be possible to be played.

FIBA said they will continue the preparations and will exhaust all reasonable opportunity (including special safety measures) to play the games in November, and in case this is impossible due to the pandemic, the games in November would be postponed to February 2021, and the games in February 2021 would be played in a window during July 5-13 after the Olympic Qualification Tournament.

The dates of AmeriCup Women 2021 and AmeriCup 2022 remain the same, as communicated in previous correspondence and in the letters from the FIBA headquarters.

The Americas Board has

ratified the 2021 Competition Calendar for Youth competitions, Senior zone & sub-zones competitions and Club competitions, as prepared by the Regional Office in the Americas.

In addition to the ratification of calendars, FIBA Secretary-General Andreas Zagklis presented the concept and plans for the implementation of a Zone cup – the 3×3 AmeriCup, as well as Zone/Sub-Zone qualifiers to the 3×3 AmeriCup that will be organised in 2021.

The plan and structure for this project was also approved by the Americas Zone Board.

In a release to the media, FIBA noted that, “With our competition schedules for 2020 and 2021 and the plans to implement the 3×3 AmeriCup now formalised, approved and scheduled for September 2-5, 2021, the America’s Regional office will now focus on the operations and execution of these events, while maintaining the health and

safety of all our players, teams, staff and stakeholders as a priority.”

G u y a n a ’s P a t r i c k Haynes, who serves as C O N C E N C A B A’s Secretary, reasoned that FIBA’s 3×3 AmeriCup has been formalised and approved, “the Central America and Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CONCENCABA) sub-zone will execute two FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup qualifying events in 2021, FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup Qualifier – CBC (March 19-21) in the Caribbean and FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup Qualifier – COCABA (April 23-25) in Central America.”

Haynes who is also the Secretary of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF), said that they (CONCENCABA) will also be, “Focusing on executing all Centrobasket Championships in 2021 including Centrobasket Women’s Championship (January 31 – February 8), Centrobasket U-15 Championship for Men and Women, (March 10-14),

Guyana’s Patrick Haynes (right), along with Chairman of FIBA 3x3 Commission, Former NBA great Andrei Kirilenko from Russia (centre), and Deputy Chairman Uganda’s Ambrose Tashobya.

Centrobasket U-17 Qualifiers for Men and Women, (April 28 – May

American Gauff finds her voice amid protest over racial A injustice

(Reuters) merican tennis prodigy Coco Gauff says she finally found the right words to speak out against social and racial injustice after appearing at a Black Lives Matter protest rally.

Outspoken on social media, Gauff has released videos protesting against killings of AfricanAmericans in the U.S. amid widespread outrage following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man in police custody in Minneapolis.

But the 16-year-old’s most notable contribution came through a speech during a peaceful protest in her hometown of Delray Beach, Florida in June.

“I was talking off the cuff and was really nervous,” Gauff told a virtual news conference on Sunday. “But the message gets through when you’re speaking from your heart.

“I definitely think George Floyd opened a lot of people’s eyes but I feel this topic has been close to me ever since I was a kid.

“I was finally able to put it into words because to talk about this issue you need to

2), Centrobasket U-17 Wo m e n C h a m p i o n s h i p (July 14-18) and the

Report: Mike Tyson’s exhibition bout with Roy Jones Jr. postponed to November

Y

Cori Gauff of the U.S. in action during her match against Sofia Kenin of the U.S. at the Australian Open. (REUTERS/Edgar Su) be educated on the topic.”

Gauff spoke at the rally after her grandmother Yvonne Odom, who was the first black student at her high school in 1961, addressed the crowd.

“I’d say I felt calm because of my grandmother.

She’s taught me a lot over the last few years,” Gauff said.

“My grandmother was the first to integrate high

school in Seacrest, Florida, so I’ve learned from her stories.”

Gauff, who rocketed to fame by beating her idol Venus Williams at last year’s Wimbledon, returns to action for the first time since the coronavirus shutdown at the Top Seed Open, which began in Lexington, Kentucky, yesterday.

She will be joined by

Venus, Serena Williams, Sloane Stephens and Victoria Azarenka in a strong field.

“Obviously, I missed competing but I think it was a good little break for me as I still consider myself in a developmental stage,” Gauff said.

“I got to work on a few things and now I’m really excited to get back on court.”

Centrobasket U-17 Men’s Championship (July 2125).”

ahoo Sports Mike Tyson’s return to the ring will have to wait just a little bit longer.

Tyson’s eight-round exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr. was postponed on Sunday afternoon, according to The Athletic.

The fight was originally scheduled to take place in Southern California on Sept.

12. It has been tentatively rescheduled for Nov. 28, two days after Thanksgiving.

According to The Ring’s Ryan O’Hara, the bout was pushed because Tyson’s team felt it could maximize revenue on the pay-per-view fight by pushing it back.

The fight was initially set to take place at Dignity

Health Park in Carson, California, without fans present.

Tyson hasn’t fought since June 11, 2005, when he fell to Kevin McBride.

The 54-year-old former undisputed heavyweight champion was teasing his return for quite some time on social media, dropping training videos that showed he is still an incredible fighter.

Jones hasn’t fought in a few years, either. The 51year-old last stepped into the ring in 2018.

There were going to be several notable fights on the undercard, too, including one between YouTuber Jake Paul and former NBA player Nate Robinson.

GFF hosts consultation sessions with Regional Member Associations

rt o p S

Report: Mike Tyson’s exhibition bout with Roy Jones Jr.

postponed to November

President Forde speaks at one of the consultation sessions for RMAs.

Fans will have to wait a little bit longer to see Mike Tyson step back into the ring. (AP/Kamran Jebreili)

Morikawa faces major expectations after PGA Championship win

Collin Morikawa celebrates after winning the 2020 PGA Championship golf tournament at TPC Harding Park.

(Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

Ferro is the first champion in five months as WTA Tour returns

France’s Fiona Ferro in action during her second round match against Spain’s Garbine Muguruza.

(REUTERS/Benoit Tessier)

Germany bars England’s James Anderson quashes fans from soccer retirement talk as he matches till at eyes return to form least end of October

FIBA gives green light for 3x3 AmeriCup Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.