Kaieteur News

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AIETEUR NEWS

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

Why was the US$1M

Thursday Edition December 03, 2020 - Vol. 13 No. 48

bank deposit by James

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $80 readership yesterday p.

995,588

Bond not red-flagged?

8

Avoid being trapped; sign short term oil, gas deals Updated Petroleum And Environmental Laws Will Keep - Institute Exxon In Check p.

of the 3 Americas

Govt. sues firearms dealer over failure to honour $380M weapons deal with GDF p.

14

Chinese contractor 30-year sentence demands more money for ex-GDF rank for completion of CJIA who killed expansion project toddler in fire p.

20

p.

11

Corruption of public officials…

p.

23

Nigeria oilfield sale by - lawyer Minister was legal tells court

R e c e n t l y, w e s p o k e a b o u t t h e modernization of our country’s petroleum laws. This is absolutely necessary to protect our oil wealth.

However, this need can be used by our politicians for their benefit and that of the international financial community. It can also provide the opportunity for the World Bank to lend us more money, thereby saddling us with further debt.

In the meantime, we must scrupulously monitor how our environmental laws are being enforced. Guyana’s environmental laws provide some protection against the excesses of the oil companies.

Exxon stands as the greatest threat, potentially the most likely polluter of our environment.

The company is in a hurry to extract the most oil in the shortest time, given its poor balance sheet, shareholder anxieties, and its contractually sanctioned ability to produce oil here cheaper than anywhere in the world.

Things are so good for Exxon in Guyana, that we are paying the bulk of the company’s expenses to produce our oil.

Modernizing petroleum laws without, at the same time updating the country’s environmental laws, will only invite more well-arranged reviews that benefit producers and politicians to the detriment of the country.

We must continue to watch, apply pressure, and implement our environmental laws with integrity and consistency while we modernize the country’s petroleum laws.

Updated petroleum and environmental laws will keep Exxon in check, make it think twice about abusing our resources and give us much-needed breathing room to protect the environment.

National Printers sends non-cooperating Finance Manager on leave - asks Audit Office to investigate purchase of used $100M p.

3 printing equipment

Listen to what your leaders don't want you to hear and know...11:00 am today on 99.1/99.5FM radio (Rebroadcast)

Kaieteur News

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Today for a rebroadcast

R OO U E T E 1 RRAADDII I A K 9.

9 .5 99

Thursday December 03, 2020

Senior Journalist Jounalist Kiana Wilburg

O EQUIB | ESS A R A R DEME ICE e e nc BERB ffer

The Radio

with a

A

Di

The

Glenn Lall

Show:

K/News Publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall

Tell it Like it is!!!

Listen to what your leaders don't want you to hear and know...11:00 am today on 99.1/99.5FM Kaieteur Radio Stream us online www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/radio or Download

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Security officer arrested after gun find, granted bail

Senior Journalist Kemol King

security officer, who was arrested for the possession of firearms, was yesterday granted bail in the sum of $150,000. The security officer, Marvin Singh, age 46, of Park Street Enterprise, East Coast Demerara (ECD) yesterday appeared at the Vigilance Magistrate's Court before her Worship Snr. Magistrate Fabayo Azore, where the charge was read to him. Singh pleaded not guilty and was placed on bail. The matter is said to be adjourned to January 21, 2020.

Singh was on Saturday arrested by ranks on patrol after he was caught throwing a gun near a “stand” at Chico Ramas Gas Station, Coldingen, ECD. According to the police report, the incident occurred at around 23:20hrs. Based on information received, Singh was imbibing alcohol with some friends after curfew hours at the gas station when a team of police ranks on patrol approached them. The police report stated that at the time, a Toyota Allion motor car was parked with a female seated in the front passenger seat.

Several males were seen seated

Granted Bail: Marvin Singh on a bench just next to the car.

The report stated that the individuals were warned and told to return to their respective homes. Police said that they saw the security officer approach the car and remove an object from the rear door that appeared to be a gun. The man reportedly went to the western half of the gas station and threw the object near a “stand”. Upon searching the area, the ranks recovered a 9mm gun along with 12 live rounds of ammunition. The individuals was arrested and taken to the Vigilance Police Station.

Thursday December 03, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 03

Avoid being trapped; sign short term oil, gas deals - Institute of the Americas G

uyana should avoid being trapped in long term deals which force it to adhere to terms that could make its energy sector financially unsustainable.

The Government can learn from its past negotiations with companies like ExxonMobil and sign deals that are short term, with an option to renew, and manage the terms.

This advice comes from the Institute of the Americas, an independent non-profit policy center.

In a report titled 'Guyana's Gas-to-Power

Potential', the Institute said "Guyana can learn from Ghana and work to negotiate competitive terms that do not leave the country in financial strife."

Ghana had approved a gas project in 2015 under a long-term contract. That contract includes a 'take-orpay' clause which forces the

country to pay hundreds of millions of dollars every year for unused gas.

Ghana failed to properly assess its demand for gas, and so, it did not sign an agreement based on that demand.

The Institute said that having a short term contract would be good for Guyana,

as it would allow it to make beneficial changes when it is time to renew the contract.

"This will allow the country to respond to changes in demand and gas prices," the report states.

In any case, when the contract is being signed, the Institute advised Guyana to make the terms flexible and

competitive.

"Ideally, any contract should allow for maximum flexibility in both pricing and volume to accommodate fluctuations in demand…

The pricing in the agreement should be competitive and tied to the global natural gas market to ensure that the country avoids overpaying for its resources."

Ghana is currently overpaying, due to an oversupply of natural gas and tariffs criticised as unfair. In 2019, its bill for unused gas was US$250M. The role of the World

Bank in Ghana's project has also been questioned, with non-governmental organisations dubbing the project a fiscal burden.

The Bank financed the project with over US$1B. The World Bank is now being challenged to prove that Guyana's gas project will not end up like Ghana's. A joint letter was sent to the institution by I n t e r n a t i o n a l L a w y e r, Melinda Janki; former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran, and cofounder of the Oil and Gas Governance Network, Darshanand Khusial.

National Printers sends non-cooperating Audit Office to investigate Finance Manager on leave - askpurchase of used $100M State auditors have been called in to investigate possible financial wrongdoings at the GNPL.

printing equipment exorbitant prices while bypassing local printers which had the capacity.

The Ministry of Education, under Nicolette Henry, had remained largely silent despite repeated calls by local printers for explanations.

It will be recalled that in

T

he new board of the state-owned Guyana National Printers Limited (GNPL) has sent home its Finance Manager, Shawn Victorine, and has called in the Audit Office.

According to the company which is supposed to print on behalf of Government, the official has not been “cooperating” to provide updates on the finances of the entity.

“The Chairman and Directors of the Guyana National Printers Limited (GNPL) at an emergency board meeting on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020, unanimously decided that Finance Manager of G N P L, M r. S h aw n Victorine, proceed on leave with immediate effect to facilitate an audit of the

Suspended: Finance Manager, Shawn Victorine company's finances,” a board statement said.

The board said that the Auditor General, Deodat Sharma, has been written to and invited to carry out an audit by the Chairman,

Dexter Phillips.

GNPL's board said that Victorine has not been cooperating with official directives for information on the company's finance, thereby stalling the work of the board.

“There are serious concerns over the finances of the company including the purchase of used printing equipment acquired for over $100M which is nonfunctional among other financial transactions.”

The board said that it remains hopeful that the audit could be undertaken in an expeditious manner while Mr. Victorine remains on leave.

GNPL had come under the spotlight after it became known that the entity printed books - text and exercise books - outside of Guyana at

November 2016, the then President, David Granger, visited the La Penitence facilities of the state-owned entity.

Over the years, it had been critical in producing exercise and text books for distribution in schools; birth, (continued on page 18)

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Kaieteur News

Thursday December 03, 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

The Guyana Police Force Guyana needs a vibrant Police Force, to speak to commonsense. At the individual and community level, citizens, be they urbanites or villagers yearn for an institution that they can trust, in which to place their confidence.

Like everything else, policies and procedures are encouraging things. The same can be said about ethics, training, and modernization, and many other elements that are left unmentioned, with the understanding that they combine to speak to the inspiring, the dependable. But though they go a far way, and represent much, those numerous components and efforts only mean something when there is the quality of people - in the ranks, on the streets, in the low, middle, and high offices, and carrying stripes or stars (or nothing) - to make all those tried and true ingredients come alive in the delivery of what is honest and unwaveringly principled.

We think it is worth repeating: all the documents about how to go about the various challenging circumstances and contingencies, and all the training and counselling and grooming, only come to mean something of deep substance, when there is the caliber of men and women that are true to job, duty, constitution and calling. If not, then the rest mean nothing and what Guyana would have in its national law enforcement agency, is name only. It would be one that given the passage of time, be exposed for what it is at the heart, as distrusted by most.

However, if there are only a handful of high-caliber officers present, then this society is in for a lot of anguish, more trouble than it cares to know or could possibly imagine. For if literally a few, then they would be too few to make the kind of enduring difference for better that is so desperately needed. Ask any citizen, and the result is more likely than not going to be that there is the belief and firm conclusion that there are only a few of such sterling inspirational presence in the Guyana Police Force. At the risk of great understatement, that has to be concerning.

That is, a world of ominous and sinister criminal darkness lurks for Guyanese who seek to live a law-abiding existence, who wish to feel secure and actually are because they have protectors in uniform that are there in a line of defence against whatever may come.

What citizens need is the comfort that comes from the assurance that here are not just a few dedicated and untouchable officers of the law, but that there are many and in the great bulk of their known, feared and respected presences. They would overwhelm those who dare to think on the side of erring through willfully violating the law and responsibility vested in them the standards expected.

The faithful serve as role models and genuine observers of the way that things should be done, by how they conduct themselves and in projecting an aura that they will brook no breach by comrade or commander. However, for them to flourish, for the norms that should be for the benefit of citizens first and the Guyana Police Force itself next, there must be many of them. There must be more than there is believed to be present in the ranks and higher. There must be that nucleus on which to build, from which to project police power and authority for good.

The good we have not had for a long time to the extent that would stir to a greater appreciation of the efforts of our police. The latest in the line to come before the public is of something about a large sum of public monies (G$150M, to be precise) that is under review for the worst of reasons. To put differently, there is this situation where reportedly senior officers of the law are the ones, who are thought to have acted on the other side of the law.

Not unreasonably, watchers and the fearful, ponder what this could mean in the street, where criminal cash have a powerful hold. What are the implications when there is corrupting money - easier and plentiful - separates law and justice from injustice and lawless? If the GPF is a shaky presence, then Guyana has only the crumbling.

Elimination of violence against women and girls will remain an illusion if not adequately addressed DEAR EDITOR, As we join with the world in observance of the sixteen days of activism for the elimination of violence against women and girls, Help & Shelter acknowledges all funding agencies, government ministries, non- governmental and civil society organisations, faith-based organisations and other groups who have been diligently working to address issues surrounding intimate partner and other forms of violence affecting our country, being mindful however that we should not get stuck in the vicious cycle of reinventing the wheel but seeking to build upon existing foundations, to expand beyond our comforts, take new risks and embrace new challenges as we seek to eliminate violence in all its forms against women and girls in a world impacted by the novel corona virus pandemic.

The past year has been very challenging for many and has been no different for us at Help & Shelter who have had to adopt new measures in providing much needed education, counselling, shelter and other support mea-

sures to survivors of violence and others affected by the scourge of violence.

In Guyana, the number of deaths as a result of intimate partner violence continues its upward trajectory, reaching in excess of twenty victims so far this year, with young adults accounting for the most severe and extreme forms of homicide/suicide, alerting us to a population that needs urgent attention.

Although we have seen a decline in face-to-face clients compared to the same period last year, with COVID-19 lockdowns and curfew measures, the incidence of violence against women and girls in Guyana and the wider world has skyrocketed. Between April and November we have recorded over a 300% increase in calls to our hotline service.

Our shelter is at full capacity and over the past seven months we have had to refuse over 35 survivors and their children.

One critical observation from reports made is the fact that women and their children not only suffer violence but are often faced with the reality of homelessness should

they make the decision to escape their abusers.

Over the past year, around 33% of our clients complained of being put out of the home by abusers or other family members, being engaged in battles to avoid being put out or having nowhere to go or the means to provide accommodation for themselves and children.

Elimination of violence against women and girls will remain an illusion if every aspect of the problem is not given adequate and effective attention.

It is a known fact that women and girls are in the majority the survivors of violence and men the main perpetrators, yet very little is done to address male attitudes and behaviors toward the use of violence.

The focus appears to be targeting contributing factors rather than the contributor.

We at Help & Shelter reiterate that men and boys (perpetrators in particular) need to be a key target population in this fight.

Over the years we have engaged with male perpetrators of violence referred by the courts and other agen-

cies. The main objective of these engagements is to provide education and impress upon perpetrators the importance of being accountable for their violent actions and taking responsibility for change.

Two important observations are the lack of information about what constitutes violence and ignorance of the law relating to domestic and sexual violence among men.

Added to this is the need for spaces where men can open up and speak about their violent childhood experiences which are at the root of many men’s violence against women.

Help & Shelter encourages all sectors in their various capacities to “Orange your world: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect” in bringing about the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls.

Yours faithfully, Josephine Whitehead Danuta Radzik Colin Marks Linda Hustler-Gray Niveta Shivjatan Shondelle Branche Kevin Massiah For Help & Shelter

Crime a Serious Concern...The

Marcus Bisram robbery highlights a serious crime situation in Guyana

DEAR EDITOR, Reference is made to your news reports (Nov 1, 2) on the robbery of Marcus Bisram (no relationship to me).

On my visit to Guyana interacting with people, crime is a serious concern.

Respondents in a survey express satisfaction on how the country is proceeding on the economic front and the attempt to address the effects of Covid. People praised the government (almost 100% approve of the policy) for rendering immediate relief to them through the $25K cash grant to each household, as well as for the uniform and school child grants; there are complaints that many households did not get the grant.

However, people are not pleased over the crime situation that seems to be getting out of control.

The Marcus Bisram robbery has focused attention to crime in Guyana; people are fearful of where they go and even in being at home. They lock up their homes before dark and are careful to host visitors.

The need for government to tackle this ugly crime situation was stressed by well known former UG sociologist Dr. Tara Singh in recent articles on this subject in the press.

The crime problem has also attracted the attention of letter writers. The gravity of the crime situation has been expressed by some well to do business people and professionals in a dramatic fashion. They related: “What’s the point of having an excellent job, a high income, a lovely home, a beautiful family, a nice car, and other perks or niceties.

But as soon as you enter the street, you are gunned down in a drive-by shooting or in an armed robbery or robbed and or killed in a home invasion.”

The recent robbery of Bisram at his relative’s home at No 74 Village Corentyne has catapulted this scourge to center stage and is also a classic example of how the robbers have become brazen.

All the media reported on the dusk time robbery.

Despite Mr. Marcus having the company of some 17 people at his residence, six armed robbers entered the premises nonchalantly, brandishing guns and a machete.

The bandits created a cloud of fear and nervousness among the guests and occupants of the residence; they forced everyone to give up jewelry, cell phones, and cash with a total value of $15 million of which $5 million in cash

were to pay for Marcus’s legal fees.

The armed bandits sudden appearance startled the victims who became immobilized and reluctantly complied with whatever instructions uttered by the criminals.

The police have since detained eight men for questioning.

It is a shame that Mr. Marcus and other victims of robbery and violence must go through these traumatic situations.

Had Mr. Bisram not been detained by the state on what his friends, family, and humanitarian colleagues, he would have never been subjected to this crime.

His lawyers and friends have warned that his life is at grave risk in Guyana.

He was indicted for conspiracy of murder, a charge which he vehemently denies.

He was acquitted twice by a Magistrate, acquitted by the High Court, and when the DPP appealed the decision, he was again acquitted by the Full Court.

The DPP has appealed the decision to the Guyana Court of Appeal with a hearing set for later this month.

Mr. Bisram is viewed as a humanitarian philanthropist.

He has contributed immensely to numerous chari-

table causes.

His work in Jamaica, US, Guyana and elsewhere is well documented in published articles. Several leading community and spiritual leaders, like Pt. Prabhu Ramrattan, Dr. Satish Prakash, Pt. Tillack Seerattan, Dr. Tara Singh, Dr. Hame Persaud, Professor Girjanauth Boodraj, VJ Bisram, and Pt. Rajin Balgobin describe him as a fine humanitarian.

They have commended him for contributions to provide relief to the poor and neglected.

The DPP and Marcus’ lawyers should seek an expedited determination of his case rather than continuous postponements. Marcus needs relief from further torment, humiliation, and targeting by criminals. Meanwhile, the state and the public must take a tougher stand against crime.

The police must take preemptive actions against robberies and the court must make examples of those caught.

My support goes out to victims of crime. It is hoped they would get speedy justice and have the strength to overcome trauma and excruciating pain.

Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Thursday December 03, 2020

There needs to be established standards for government electrical work DEAR EDITOR, With all the emphasis being placed on the elimination of sub- standard works done by contractors contracted by the Government, one would expect that technical specifications and information supplied in the bill of quantities for contractors to follow would adhere to relevant standards or at least make sense.

Sadly successive governments have ignored this basic requirement and documents with confusing and senseless instructions to contractors is still the order of the day.

For example in the solar power field, a disconnect between a 12v battery bank and 2000w inverter must have at least a 166 amps rating but multiple contracts recently handed out in Region 9 required one with a 60 amp rating which in reality would immediately trip or burn when the inverter is loaded.

Likewise, a 60 amp disconnect is needed between a 60 amp charge controller and

battery bank but a 15 amp one is required in the document which would either trip or burn.

There are no electrical standards being followed in the solar power installations and anyone with an electrical idea is sub-contracted by contractors to do their installations which results in different styles and appearance in work for the identical contracts and is the main reason for the failure of these installations shortly after completion. In some cases AC circuit breakers are installed in place of DC ones.

In the house wiring section, most instructions are not written in electrical language and do not follow the electrical code but is rather confusing and in many cases contradict the electrical standards of Guyana. For instance one recent contract given out in Region 9 states that installation of the meter circuit must be done to Lethem Power Company standards instead of the Electrical Inspectorate

requirements. Most of the buildings are wired with cheap Chinese cable and electrical fittings despite the National bureau of standards efforts to eliminate this. To make it all the merrier these contracts are approved by Government Engineers and payments are made.

My message to the Minister of public works is that you can’t hold contractors responsible for sub- standard work when the technical specifications and other information issued to them is flawed. Neither can the Ministry issue instructions that contradicts the standards of other Government Agencies like the Government Electrical Inspectorate.

It is also a slap in the face of the Inspectorate and by extension the Government when electrical work on Government buildings are being done by unlicensed people and then approved by Government Engineers.

Yours truly, Patrick Fitzpatrick

Ali Administration is bent on returning the country to pre-2015 DEAR EDITOR, Something must be said for longevity in politics. In their book ‘We Shall Not Fail: The Inspiring Leadership of Winston Churchill’ Celia Sandys and Jonathan Littman note that some leaders stay on far too long, outliving their usefulness.

Comments attributed to the venerable Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo still reverberate when he spoke on the subject of choosing of PPP leaders which, ‘includes identifying persons who are exhausted and replacing them with those who are vibrant and ready to move the party forward.’ He said, “If you’re spent, there is a place for you but you shift down a bit and allow others to emerge and be new leaders.”

The theory and practice of this principle seem remote one from the other. We were pleasantly surprised by the announcement that Dr. Roger Luncheon would be returning to the Office of the President.

Dr. Luncheon’s response in 2011 to the court when asked

about qualified African Guyanese who could serve at the time as ambassadors, he stated callously they were none. Perhaps, we should not have been surprised, but disappointed. As from all indications the Ali Administration in actions and attitudes is bent on returning the country to pre-2015. We see former Dr. Bheri Ramsarran and Dr. Leslie Ramsammy are back at the Ministry of Health with Dr. Frank Anthony. The nation can judge whether their return has been consequential. We are spellbound by the latest iterations of Pauline Sukai, Jennifer Westford, Ashni Singh, Robeson Benn, Juan Edghill, Kwame McCoy and many others. There is also Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Government Chief Whip Gail Teixeira. Editor,

when the Honorable Minister entered Parliament in 1992 I was thirteen. Now a Member of Parliament myself I look to the MP as a senior elder. The Minister’s government came to the helm of state promising ‘a heavy agenda for the 12th Parliament’. The absence

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Kaieteur News

of any agenda period thus far begs the question if the Honorable Member, like her other returning colleagues, still has the stamina needed and up to the job.

With longevity comes experience; we value institutional knowledge, no doubt.

Yet a recent Harvard Business Review article is instructive, “Executives are doers; they execute. Knowledge is useless to executives until it has been translated into deeds.”

We watch on, fingers crossed.

Yours truly, Sherod Avery Duncan, MP.

US Republicans are behaving in the exact atrocious manner that APNU+AFC did DEAR EDITOR, As a troubled world sits tensely on a slippery precipice awaiting the much prolonged and controversial acceptance of Donald Trump acceding to an electoral win in favor of Joe Biden, Iran on the other side of the globe is putting the world on the alert with advance notice of retaliation for the assassination of their top nuclear scientist last week.

Iran is blaming Israel, America’s ally, for the killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a high–ranking official in the Defense ministry.

Iran’s parliament voted to end international inspections of its atomic sites as early as next month, if America does not lift the key sanctions, including removing penalties for dealing with Iran’s oil and banking industries. Similar sanctions are imposed on Venezuela.

The International Atomic Energy Organization (the United Nations body that conducts the nuclear inspection in Iran), reported earlier that the country’s enriched uranium stockpile has risen eight-fold since Trump quit the pact, two years ago. It is American sanctions that brought relief to Guyana’s election upheaval, instituting visa restrictions on all those who were involved in undermining democracy, in particular key members from the APNU+AFC Party, GECOM personnel and other stakeholders.

President Donald Trump is currently engaged in numerous court battles, petitioning the results showing President-elect Joe Biden winning by over seven million votes and claiming fraud and

irregularities. Over thirty such cases encouraged and fought by one time Attorney-General, Rudy Giuliani, were either withdrawn or thrown out by the courts, resulting in an embarrassing loss for Trump and Giuliani for lack of proof and evidence, frustrating the judges and members of the GOP. The Republicans are behaving in the exact atrocious manner as the APNU+AFC did. The APNU+AFC engaged in frivolous and vexatious petitions, as instructed and advised by the then Attorney General, Basil Williams, wasting time and money and testing the patience of the CCJ, only to have all the cases denied by tired but intelligent judges. Guyana became the laughing stock of the Caribbean and world, thanks to the nescience of the APNU+AFC administration.

Granger refused to demit office and was eventually ousted by external influences, purported to be from heavy boots.

Not strange but true, the US Attorney General, William Barr, is advising the President, Donald Trump, that the Justice Department has found no proof of widespread voter fraud that would tip the results of the presidential election. Talk about free and fair election, this finding rehashes the fairness of the justice system, unlike that portrayed by the former Attorney General of Guyana who found himself losing all his pitiful appeals with the CCJ. The CCJ remained unmoved and unimpressed with his court theatrics, lies and deceits. As was expected, Trump hinted that the FBI and DOJ might be “involved” in

an unspecified fraud conspiracy to elect Biden. Exactly what Granger and cohorts did when they couldn’t get their own way with their bullish attitudes.

The APNU+AFC attacked all the national and international observers, the CARICOM election re-count team, CARICOM heads and all stakeholders who opposed their attempts to defraud the election system.

They even accused all the innocent and hard-working polling station workers of collaborating with the PPP/C to deny them a victory. Imagine the ludicrous absurdity of this claim for fabricated “irregularities.” No wonder there is the state of denial by the APNU+AFC and their persistent refusal to produce the original Statements of Poll to date.

Why this secrecy if there is nothing to hide? Why forging lies and deceiving their own followers that they won the election the very night the election ended when they knew otherwise?

Each polling station was represented by the APNU+AFC coalition and the PPP/C and most Guyanese can count and divide except the members from the coalition who still cannot devise a scientific formula to find the secret to resolving simple mathematical problems. How can big men and women belittle themselves in the eyes of the academic world and still (Continued on page 6)

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Kaieteur News

Some simple, basic advice on COVID-19

DEAR EDITOR Seeing photographs of two presidents and their spouses ostensibly without masks prompted my letter of December 01, 2020 essentially saying that leaders should lead by example. In one of the dailies (December 02) are two photographs: one of the Finance Minister and Head of PCMD without masks, and the other of eight GOA individuals all, except one (two improperly), without masks (ironically giving out sanitizers).Something is seriously wrong in society. Despite the daily geometrical huge increase in Covid-19 spread and death worldwide, many individuals disregard basic commonsense strategies to curtail catching the

virus. They go about doing things as though all is good and dandy. Well, all is not good and dandy. This is a different time that calls for serious approaches in safeguarding ourselves, our families, and all those around us. I am tempted to be caustic in my admonishment, but defer and hope that good judgement prevail – without exception.

Here are some simple and doable things: 1. Keep indoors. Go out only if really necessary – for work, grocery, medicines.

2. Keep away from gathering or crowd, e.g., places of worship, meetings, gym, cinema, etc.

3. Keep your distance – at least 6 feet. No hugs; no kisses; no handshakes.

4. When going out wear a mask or face covering – the

mouth and nose.

5.Try not to touch surfaces with your bare hands, including countertops of banks and offices, rails, gas pump, etc. If you do sanitize immediately.

6.Insist that visitors to your home or office wear mask. You do the same.

7. Sanitize hands often. (I use 70% alcohol in spray bottles.)

8. Do not place hands and fingers on face, mouth, nostrils, eyes, ears.

9.If you have an office, sterilize/sanitize desk, chairs, door handles/knobs every time anyone leaves the office.

10.Wash hands with soap and water after any suspect contact (at least for 20 seconds).

Thank you.

Gary Girdhari

US Republicans are behaving in the...

From page 5 want to rule Guyana by grabbing power through the back door?

To add salt to an open bleeding wound in American “politricks,” Georgia Voting Implementation Manager, Gabriel Sterling, a Republican himself, angrily chastised President Trump and the state’s senators in retaliation to threats and intimidation addressing the state’s election workers, and he implored to the president to acknowledge his electoral defeat in the state and “stop inspiring people to commit potential acts of violence.”

He declared, “This is the backbone of democracy and all of you who have not said a damn word are complicit in this.” Strong and forceful words spoken by a fearless and just servant of the government who refused to back down by any violence or danger. Guyanese would recall, leading PNC/R executives urging their kit and kin to stand by to work overtime election night. Who would forget the mental and physi-

cal harassment by APNU+AFC and law officers during the counting process of the ballot boxes?

Didn’t the same PNC/R executives threw their own under the bus? Didn’t they reward their own for collaboration?

Didn’t they corrupt the system with transparent clumsiness in front the eyes of invited dignitaries? How silly can assumingly intelligent people behave when the whole world is witnessing their dastardly and disgusting behavior? No wonder foreign diplomats, heads of governments, including our own sisters and brothers from the Caribbean, shun the APNU+AFC, including their big wigs, politely and diplomatically distancing themselves from such unwelcomed company! To date, many of Guyana’s academics have been ridiculed and reproached for their silence during the fight for democracy.

Donald Trump is enacting the tragedy of comedy as did Granger and both of them are

openly the subject of laughter on the world market.

Granger went into hiding and so did Trump. Granger’s sonin law urged him to concede and so did Trump’s son-inlaw. Most dignitaries at home and around the world congratulated President-elect Joe Biden and so they also did with President Irfaan Ali. The world has accepted Guyana’s election result as legitimate and President Irfaan Ali as being legally elected, except Granger and his cabal of a few rebels.

Come next month, Trump will find himself alone, isolated and out in the cold, but will not call on Granger to comfort him with warmth for company. Granger has been a bad example for him and our Caribbean sisters and brothers are wary of this and will not welcome him with open arms in their country. But then, he’s going nowhere because he is too ashamed to face anyone, “eye to eye.” Dr. Tara Singh is patiently waiting for his response to his request Yours truly, Jai Lall

Thursday December 03, 2020

Guyana is a place filled with lunatics DEAR EDITOR, Any honest lookback would confirm that Guyana is a full-fledged lunatic world; definitely not a fringe element of local lunatics anymore.

Take a look, and recognize them from the parade that was 2020.

Elections confirmed that this country has nearly 750,000 resident lunatics.

They are not fringe lunatics, but hardcore ones, who rave, rant, and foam at the mouth in nostril flaring, fist flinging, glassy-eyed madness. The only exceptions are those already institutionalized for unrelated maladies. The day that any election anywhere does that to me, it is time to put away; the authorization is executed.

GECOM proved to be a lunatic asylum all by itself; one so stocked from floor to roof and in the damn yard and extended parking lot, too; I extend that to the whole of Guyana. The PNC had them by the millions, the PPP in the tens of millions, and social media by the hundreds of millions. Guyana has more lunatics than China and India combined, and that is from the current incomplete census.

Where Elections 2020 was concerned, there were mainstream media lunatics, opinion lunatics, religious lunatics, Black and Indian supremacist lunatics, and lunatics from even the ranks of the Diplomatic Corps, believe it or not. Lunacy is contagious, a worse pandemic, in this society during elections times.

COVID-19, what is that? A rare species of lobster? I thank God for the wisdom that allows me to fail the lunacy tests on that one. God help us! But, then I remember that truth: those whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make stupid.

They give them oil to drive to incurable madness and drown themselves in it; then elections in which to cavort in endless sociopolitical orgies. Nobody has to identify Guyanese lunatics, they do it themselves.

As I speak now of the beauty of the office of the presidency, be assured that

there is no association with lunacy. But I study the incumbent, discern a man who suddenly discovers that he is president, and wonders what to do about it, with it, and with himself. His biggest problem is the dilemma before him.

The first is how to manage the embarrassment of a competitor presidency; the second is whether to approach the delicate tasks at hand with a crowbar or a pickaxe; or a revealing grin, which he is getting more skilled at, as the days multiply. It is said that uneasy is the head on which the crown rests. I can’t locate the head, which I may shrink from if found, if it actually exists.

It took me awhile, but I now conclude that America is a lunatic society; no fringe about that one anymore. The Iranians were on to something with that bit about the ‘Great Satan.’ Just look at what it did here (just like in Burnham and Jagan time), how it corrupted the peoples of this place by playing them against one another, so that the Red, White, and Blue can fly over Venezuela, with oil and Exxon thrown in as bonuses.

Look at what it made us do to one another, the kind of disturbing lunatics that it made of 750,000 people. It did so through uttering one word, waving one flag: democracy.

What a set of sophisticated imbeciles dealing with backwater ignorant lunatics! Its own presidential election confirmed that beyond any doubt, with the biggest lunatic of all.

Next, Exxon threatened to take its investment in Guyana elsewhere if it didn’t get its way. Somebody either is a lunatic or think that Guyanese are lunatics with no understanding.

Exxon ‘deh baaad’ and it still mekking nize. Weh de companee gun guh? Weh it gwine geh a like deal? Deh tink wee stupidee! Of course, the way things ended up with Payara and the PPP sugarcoating of it, Exxon did have it right: Guyanese are the ones who are confirmed and certified lunatics; helpless,

pathetic ones.

Then, there was the miracle of miracles in one unmatched lunacy. Guysuco was not even a full month old in October and the place turn around. The Titanic capsized and Guyanese ingenuity made it surface right away.

What is this: Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp? We live in a real Alice in Wonderland world on an Animal Farm in a Glass Menagerie. Talk about flaming lunatics in this society, and this is clearly a case of Madman: The Legend lives. Where do we get these people from, who proudly flounce their lunacy before all? I continue.

In his inauguration, His Excellency bravely spoke of unity. Then came Cotton Tree to remind hee and wee that this is our one destiny. The comatose opposition suddenly discovered that it had a constituency and struggled to restore some of its former relevancy. Doan tek worreez: how much more can its leaders lose? In fact, given their oil winnings (as adjudicated by the PPP one-man powerball commission) APNU powers have been more than well compensated for their oil concessions and elections losses. Like I keep saying, inclusive governance is here; except we don’t recognize it for what it is: reciprocally rewarding governance for the top dogs.

If anybody accuses me of any of those abominations, I am gone to some far-off place.

Ulan Bator sounds exotic and hospitable at this time.

I sense that it is a good place to write several national biographies, including the juicy volumes about how Guyanese got shafted for decades, which I am just smart enough and lunatic enough to deliver.

For such is the scale of lunacy cherished here, with cult leadership and party paramountcy the operative labels.

Only in Guyana could such a state of lunacy prevail that all citizens are overjoyed as to how they are and things are.

Yours truly, GHK Lall

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L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Thursday December 03, 2020

Kaieteur News

Guyana does have local content policies on oil and gas.

We have unwritten policies that BENEFIT PPP/C AND APNU+AFC FIGURES ONLY. Guyanese political players have the relationships and enjoy the rewards.

PPP/C and APNU+AFC cheats have the contacts and cash that come from those relationships.

Local content!

It is already functioning just fine for the APNU+AFC and the PPP/C. Why fix what is not broken?

PAGE 07

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Thursday December 03, 2020

Why was the US$1M bank deposit

by James Bond not red-flagged?

I

f an ordinary man attempts to deposit a large sum of cash into a local bank account, he would have to endure stringent procedures with an austere line of questioning due to Guyana's strict anti-money laundering legislation.

However, when People's National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) member, James Bond, deposited US$1 million into an account at a commercial bank in the city, the transaction, it would seem, triggered no red flags.

This has caused questions to be raised as to how many more large transactions like this have passed under the radar.

In fact, the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) was not even notified of the transaction, Kaieteur News was told.

This paper had reported that Bond pocketed the hefty sum for the sale of prime state lands leased by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) to ARKEN Group Inc., a company in which Bond appears to be a principal.

Those very lands in question are a small part of ongoing investigations

Screenshots of the bank statements detailing the transfer transaction to James Bond

being undertaken by the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) into the largescale giveaway of state lands at Peter's Hall and on the East Coast of Demerara during the APNU+AFC

tenure.

As the investigations progressed, Kaieteur News received copies of the bank statement detailing Bond's bank transaction.

Back in 2019, on

Murder of abusive brother in defence of sister-in-law...

Kind-hearted businessman posts bail for accused

L

ashena Morgow, the woman who allegedly killed her abusive brother last week in defence of her sister-inlaw, is out on bail and a lawyer has committed to offering pro bono services to h e r. T h i s a s t o u n d i n g development in the matter is in fact the handiwork of Frank De Abreu, the owner of De Sinco Trading on Sheriff Street in the capital city.

Clearly, the recent fire that destroyed a section of his business a few months ago was not a deterrent to De Abreu. Upon reading of Morgow's plight in the newspaper, he decided to pay the $250,000 bail assigned to her when she appeared in court on a manslaughter charge last Thursday.

Released on bail: Lashena Morgow

Businessman Frank De Abreu

According to De Abreu, having learnt of the circumstances that led to the 31-year-old woman being arrested and charged, he felt inclined to lend his support

as far as possible. He first paid the bail and went on to solicit the services of the lawyer who also had compassion on the woman and opted to work pro bono.

October 15, Bond received US$195,000 from Trinidadbased Lennox Petroleum Inc. on behalf of GLASS Holdings Inc., the local oil and gas Logistics Company the lands were sold to.

Lennox Petroleum deposited the funds into a local bank account with Bond listed as the beneficiary. Then again, on November 21, the last tranche of funds for the sale were released; a whopping US$757,800 right into Bond's account.

Such a large transaction should have immediately triggered red-flags as per the Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act 2009, the city bank, deemed the “reporting entity” is required to pay special attention to “all complex, unusually large business transactions, unusual patterns of transactions, whether completed or not, that have no apparent economic or lawful purpose and inconsistent with the profiles of the persons carrying out such transactions.”

That reporting entity would also have to “verify the background and purpose of the transactions or business relations and record its findings in

PNC/R member, James Bond writing.” Then, that information would be transmitted to the Financial Intelligence Unit.

The FIU was established and operates within the ambit of the Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act (AML/CFTA) 2009 and its Regulations.

The Unit, which has responsibility for requesting, receiving, a n a l y z i n g a n d dissemination of suspicious transaction reports and other information relating to money laundering, terrorist financing or the proceeds of crime, should have been

notified about Bond's bank transaction, but was not.

In addition to this, a source from the Bank of Guyana (BoG) explained to Kaieteur News that Bond's transaction should have raised concerns because of the mere fact that he is in the political lime light.

“If you are a politically exposed person, a PEP, one is supposed to examine it a number of times. It does not just go away like that, go unchecked like that. PEPs are looked at differently, so any transaction should have raised eyebrows,” the source explained.

Bond is currently out on bail after being arrested as the probe into the lands giveaway progress.

However, the US$1 million deal is not the only one Bond allegedly benefitted from.

Tw o b u s i n e s s m e n embroiled in the scandal – Life 1 Pharms Inc. Director, Avalon Jagnandan, and Director of A-Z Pharmaceuticals Medical Supplies and Equipment Inc., Eddie Doolal, fingered Bond as being the mastermind behind land deals, which saw 30 acres of state lands being transferred to Chinese national, Jianfen Yu. Not only that, Bond was said to have also pocketed more than $120 million from both deals.

Thursday December 03, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 09

Suriname, rather than Guyana, should be worried A

worried look was painted all across his face. I asked him what was the problem and he blurted out that he was concerned about the reopening of the GuyanaSuriname Ferry Service next week.

I queried why he was so worried. He said that he was worried about the spread of COVID-19 from Suriname since, according to him, Suriname was teeming with COVID-19 infections.

I had advised him that it was Suriname, which should be more worried. Because the COVID-19 situation in Guyana is far more worse than what exists in Suriname. In fact, Suriname has done remarkably well in combatting the pandemic.

The facts are that both Guyana and Suriname have about the same number of total cases. Guyana has 5,449 cases, while Suriname has registered 5,319.

However, the main difference is that Suriname's curve of total cases has begun to bend to the right while Guyana is showing no indication of a tapering off.

Suriname has only 117 deaths as compared to Guyana's 151, which is about 25 percent less than Guyana's. However, the most important statistic is the number of active cases.

Suriname has a mere five active cases. The number of active cases in Guyana is 768. It is Suriname therefore

which has to be more fearful of the resumption of the ferry service.

The COVID-19 pandemic is about to change.

The approval, which has been granted in the United Kingdom for the vaccine, is a game-changer. The problem is that Guyana is not likely to get this vaccine until early in the New Year. Initially, only three percent of the population will receive the vaccine and later another 17 percent. The government is not saying how it intends to source the remaining vaccines for mass immunization.

The government has indicated that it is leaning towards first immunizing the elderly and persons with comorbidities, rather than to having, frontline workers receive the jab first. The data would tend to support the government if it goes this route. The healthcare system is not overwhelmed. Only three cases are presently in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit. On the other hand, the majority of the deaths have been persons over 55 years. Therefore the elderly should be first in line, unless there is a dramatic change in circumstances in the next few weeks.

Not everyone will take the vaccine.

There are people around the world who are insisting that they will not be taking the vaccine.

And even some health care workers in Guyana are skeptical. So much for these

person's faith in science. At the start of the pandemic, this column did say that it will take science, not politics or social distancing, to stem the spread of this pandemic. And science has delivered a vaccine. Yet, people are scared to take the vaccine for fear of complications.

Many of those who are fearful of the vaccine can be seen walking around the place without masks on.

There is still a great deal of slackness when it comes to abiding by the COVID-19 regulations. Persons can be seen not only without masks but also many persons are wearing their masks improperly. It appears now to be popular fad to wear the mask beneath your nose.

It appears that the only reason some persons are wearing masks is to be allowed entry into some business places. Once they are out of those places, the masks are either pulled down below their chins or set aside.

Guyanese are highly undisciplined. A few months ago, there was a protest over social restrictions in a community in Region One. Footage of the protest was shown on television. One man was protesting against the regulations. His placard read “There is no COVID19.� Strangely, despite his non-belief in the pandemic, he was wearing a mask.

The reopening of the ferry service will be a great

A money boys seh... free-for-all S Dem

ome people do well when de Coalition was in power. Dem fill dem pockets good... and not with sweetie.

Dem boys seh once yuh deh in de right circle was like a free-for-all. Some people move from hustling to becoming multimillionaires.

Dem man set fuh life. Dem nah gat to wuk another day in dem life. Money flowing fuh dem like honey.

Glenn Lall, the de publisher of this newspaper, feels dat with de oil Guyana gat, all of we should have been able to sit down, kack up we foot and sip whisky all

day. We should have been able to receive a cheque each month in the mail, just like wah does happen in dem oilrich countries. Instead we gat fuh deh borrowing money all around de place.

Dem boys seh Jagdeo was de King for borrowing.

He borrow so much money dat even the Treasury didn't know how much money borrow.

But de country get lucky.

Dem get debt relief, compliments of a man who dem used to call de Wolf. De man dead recently. Guyana owe dat man big time fuh wuh he bin do fuh help

forgive lots of de country's debts.

Mo debts coming though. All de money wah dem oil company spending pun field development costs gat to be paid back.

And when de bills come, de government gan get diarrhea. De people gan get drown in debts.

But don't talk too hard.

Some of dem politician wah defending de oil agreements know dat dem bread well buttered‌ if you get my drift.

Talk half and leff de other half fuh when de oil money start spend.

relief to small traders. Many of them peddle their goods between Guyana and Suriname and they use the ferry service. They will now be able to make some money.

But not withstanding that there should be put in place requirements for COVID-19 testing. No person should be allowed to use the ferry unless that person has been tested and has a certificate to

show.

This will mean a cost to the small traders. But it is a small price to pay to ensure safety. It makes no sense asking persons coming through the airports to be first tested for COVID-19 when persons crossing by river will be allowed in without having a test. With antigen tests now available, the testing can be done right

at the ferry terminals.

Guyanese should welcome the reopening of the ferry service. It is Suriname, which has to be worried, especially given the recent spike in cases in Region Six. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Thursday December 03, 2020

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

The Cassandra Crossing of Raphael Trotman T

here was a popular movie worldwide when I was young.

I remember going to the cinema after classes while I was a UG student to see it. A terrorist afflicted with a deadly, infectious virus is discovered on a train going to Sweden.

Fearing that all the passengers are contaminated, the American military officer on board commanded the train to divert its route and take an alternative direction.

He wants the train to stop in Poland where the passengers could be quarantined at a special place, which was a former Nazi concentration camp. But in taking that route, the commander was told it was a suicidal trip because the train has to pass over an old, dilapidated, disused Polish bridge, the Cassandra Crossing.

The commander insisted.

The Cassandra Crossing collapsed under the weight killing large numbers of people. Raphael Trotman, Chairman of the dying

political outfit, the Alliance For Change (AFC), is offering himself to the government as a bridge between the PPP and the APNU+AFC. This is what he told this newspaper. Either Trotman is a narcissist or a funny man or has post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There are some strange things taking place among the leadership of the AFC since it lost power and the characteristics strongly resemble PTSD. In my column of Friday, November 27, 2020, “The PNC betrayed African Guyanese; here is the evidence,” I referred to a statement one of the top big wigs in the AFC made during the election crisis.

In a long discussion within the hierarchy of the AFC, that person advocated the racial division of the Guyanese territory. Only Dr. Vi n c e n t A d a m s m a d e objections and he was trenchant in his response.

More on this later.

Lately, several of these bigwigs have been drinking

heavily to the point where alcoholism is quickly approaching.

Why these mental stresses? The AFC leadership cannot accept the reality that it has lost the government of a country that in the next five years will have the resources to use that will make it difficult to lose votes in forthcoming national elections.

The brutal, vicious reality that is blocking the normal psychology of AFC leaders is that as a political organization, the AFC does not have a future and that is as certain as night follows day.

Trotman offering the government to be a bridge between the opposition and the government in some matters he says that are in the national interest, is a joke.

This offer needs Freudian analysis. This gentleman is living in the past where he and Khemraj Ramjattan were literally seen as new politicians with a different political culture. That era is dead and gone forever. The

political career of Trotman and Ramjattan is dead and gone forever.

More importantly, given Trotman's deportment during the five-month electionrigging saga, it is literally impossible for the PPP leadership to accept the hand of conciliation from Trotman. He, no doubt, earned the nation's disdain over his position on the rigging. It was a nasty, vile, odious, repugnant stance not to mention the inherent asininity in it. Trotman argued that the report of the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) to GECOM cannot be rejected

by GECOM because the CEO's report is final and legally binding. Simply put, it is the law, it is the constitution (see my columns of Wednesday, July 15, 2020, “The crass

ignorance of Raphael Trotman” and Thursday, July 23, 2020, “The Lone Ranger starring Lo Lo and directed

by Raphael Trotman”). I was told that Trotman who is a lawyer was advised on this

Frederick Kissoon position by two non-lawyers – Vincent Alexander and Lincoln Lewis. Obviously, Tr o t m a n s h o u l d h a v e

consulted the law books and the constitution himself.

It is bordering on narcissism for Trotman to think that he can act as a bridge between the government and the opposition. First, his acceptance of the rigging makes his bridge looks like the Cassandra Crossing.

S e c o n d l y, h i s u n i q u e relationship with David Granger makes his bridge looks like the Cassandra Crossing. Thirdly, he sits on the opposition benches so why will President Ali see him as different from all other APNU+AFC leaders and single him out to be someone who can act as a bridge?

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

Health Ministry records 26 new COVID-19 cases

T

he Ministry of Health yesterday recorded 26 new COVID-19 cases, pushing Guyana's total number of confirmed cases to 5,449.

This was presented in the Ministry's daily dashboard update which also revealed that 726 persons are in approved home isolation, 39 are in institutional

isolation, 35 are in institutional quarantine and three are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit at the Liliendaal Infectious Disease Hospital.

The COVID-19 death toll remains at 151 and 4,530 persons have recovered.

Additionally, 30,736 persons have been tested for the virus countrywide to date.

Thursday December 03, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

GTT warns as scammers target children

Thursday December 03, 2020

Young Guyanese creates board game to foster learning - Education Ministry to buy quantity for schools

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, with developer of the game, Linden Cave.

O

fficials at the G u y a n a Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) are said to be incensed by a scam that targets the nations' children to gather sensitive information.

Moreover, the company in a statement reminded customers to stay alert and be aware of scammers especially during the Christmas season.

“It is important that we remain vigilant as these

fraudsters are ever evolving.

Most recently, we received scam reports involving children,” Public Relations Manager at GTT, Jasmin Harris, said.

“We are pleading with parents to alert their children to be aware of scammers.

Also, we are urging persons to report any suspected cases of scamming to 0488 or any police station,” she added.

The PR Manager indicated that currently the company only has its Blue

Friday promotion ongoing, which will end on December 4, 2020. “It is our duty as a company to completely satisfy our customers – helping to keep them safe from scammers included,” said Harris.

The company advises all to visit the company's promotional page at https://www.gtt.co.gy/prom otions to verify ongoing promotions or call its customer care number at 0488.

T

hirty-four-yearold Linden Cave o f Goedverwagting, East Coast of Demerara has created a board game titled 'Real # 1 Guyanese' that will go on sale from next week.

The trivia board game tests players' knowledge on questions that are related to Guyana. It looks at four areas - Arts and Culture, Science and Nature, History, and Geography.

During a meeting with the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, at her office yesterday, Cave said that he wanted to conceptualize a learning initiative that is informative and engaging at the same time.

Minister Manickchand said that she is heartened to see that Guyana has such talented young people who can contribute to the

development of human capital.

The Ministry of Education will be purchasing a quantity of the game to be used in schools.

Added to that, Minister Manickchand said the new curriculum will be focused on delivering content in more engaging ways outside of chalk and talk and enthused that more innovative ideas like these would be welcome.

She also said that a game of this nature will serve the education system well and it can only be advantageous for this to be introduced into the classrooms.

Not only will the game augment the traditional teaching Minister Manickchand opined, but it will bring about variety in terms of how content is delivered to students.

Added to the advantages

of the game, the Education Minister said what is even more satisfying is the fact that Cave is using his knowledge and creativity and contributing to his financial independence. The game is estimated to take about 30-45 minutes to be completed. It utilizes a set of cards with facts, a board with icons and other additional pieces that forms part of the game.

The Goedverwagting resident said that soon he will be introducing two additional games into the market.

These will both look at things Guyanese, with one being a Creolese Card game, where the clue on the card has to be interpreted in Creolese. The other game will test players' knowledge on people, places and things that are unique to Guyana.

(MoE)

The board game

Thursday December 03, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

Dr. Bob Ramnauth heads new - entity to open new lands, MMA-ADA board develop Phase Two of the scheme - land-use policy also to be developed

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, with the recently installed MMA-ADA Board of Directors.

O

n Tu e s d a y, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, officially installed the Board of Directors for the Mahaica Mahaicony AbaryAgriculture Development Authority (MMA/ADA) Scheme.

With the installation of the new Board of Directors, persons in the scheme will now be able to have their land lease and use issues resolved at the Board level.

During the brief meeting,

Minister Mustapha told the new Board Members that with the new investments coming on board for agriculture, they must work aggressively to guide Government with formulating policies to develop the scheme.

“MMA is the largest and one of the most important agriculture schemes in our country. With the experience of the persons on this Board, I think that we can move MMA from where it is now to greater heights, but we

have to work together. The renewed interest we've seen in agriculture over the last three months is a result of our pro-activeness.

We've been reaching with farmers and the various stakeholders in an effort to get an idea of some of the issues they were faced with, as well as, promote what Government has in store for them. A number of persons, both locally and overseas, have expressed interest in the sector. It is now up to us to ensure we prepare the

necessary infrastructure and put the necessary policies in place to facilitate these investments.

Recently, I made a presentation to the delegation that came from Dubai on how we can improve and increase rice production by 100 percent over the next four years. If we are going to achieve this, the MMA has to play the most important role in terms of opening new lands and developing the second phase of the MMA Scheme,”

Minister Mustapha said.

Newly appointed Chairman of the Board, Dr. Bob Andy Ramnauth, urged the new members to take their role seriously and to work as a collective to resolve the issues in the scheme.

“You are not here by chance. Your experience and expertise have afforded you the opportunity to be here.

We all bring to this table, a wealth of knowledge; if you look around this table you see knowledge, wisdom,

youth, vigour and vitality and that is what we need to move this scheme forward.

We are here to perform a task.

We should be able to help farmers and change the lives of these farmers. Over the past couple of years we would have seen the deterioration of agriculture in our country, therefore as members of this Board we have a task to reverse that,” Dr. Ramnauth said.

Minister Mustapha (continued on page 14)

Elderly, persons with multiple illnesses to be given first preference A COVID-19 vaccine…

s part of its plan to shortly roll out a COVID-19 vaccination programme, government will be giving first preference to the elderly and persons with multiple illnesses (co-morbidities).

This announcement was made by Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, during his COVID-19 update on Tuesday.

Guyana will be receiving COVID-19 vaccines through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility, which includes organizations like t h e Wo r l d H e a l t h Organization, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and GAVI – the Vaccine Alliance.

COVAX was created in April with the aim of ensuring lower-income countries acquire vaccines for at least 20 percent of their population.

Guyana will access the first set of vaccine doses to administer to three percent of the population through C O VA X , w h i c h t h e y recommended be used on health care and frontline workers and another 17 percent is also expected after the first set is received.

Despite this, Dr. Anthony said that the elderly and persons with co-morbidities would be more at risk.

“They are asking countries to prioritize that three percent more towards frontline workers, which

would include healthcare workers and other persons who are engaging the public constantly.

In our context, we are leaning towards having the elderly and persons who have co-morbidities because these are persons more at risk,” the Health Minister said.

Additionally, health officials around the country had contended that most persons who succumbed to the virus were elderly or had underlying conditions.

Since the onset of the virus in March, the Health Ministry has been lamenting that these persons are likely to die from COVID-19, urging that they be more vigilant.

The Ministry has already set out to establish efficient storage facilities for the vaccines upon arrival, which will be done by retrofitting government storage bonds within each region, according to Dr. Anthony.

Recently, the Ministry published bids for construction of an upper floor cold storage vaccine bond at its Kingston, G e o rg e t o w n M a t e r i a l s Management Unit (MMU).

“The facilities would be upgraded and expanded in some cases because we would need the additional space.

We'll be adding new freezers appropriate for the types of vaccines that we'll be getting and, in some

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony cases, we will have to do some power upgrades since

they will have to be stored at specific temperatures,” Dr. Anthony had previously stated.

Guyana will be receiving the Moderna vaccine, which was found to be 94.5 percent effective, and the Pfizer vaccine, which is 95 percent effective and was recently approved for use in the United Kingdom from next week.

The Moderna vaccine can be stored in a standard refrigerator with temperatures of two to eight degrees Celsius (36 degrees to 46 degrees Fahrenheit) for 30 days while the Pfizer vaccine has to be stored at very cold temperatures of minus 70 to 80 degrees.

Kaieteur News

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Thursday December 03, 2020

Govt. sues firearms dealer over failure to honour $380M weapons deal with GDF T

he Government has filed a lawsuit a g a i n s t businessman, Larry Singh, over his failure to honour an arms deal worth over $380M with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

According to documents electronically filed in the High Court, Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, in his capacity as the State's legal representative, has asked the Court to grant orders to recover over $369M from Singh for his failure to supply arms and ammunition to the GDF. The Fixed Date Application (FDA) outlined that the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) had granted approval for the GDF to sole source the supplies in three contracts awarded to Singh for a total of $380,527,421.00 but he only supplied $10,932,150.00 worth of the weapons to the army.

According to the details of the contracts dated March 30, 2016, November 18, 2015 and December 15, 2014, the GDF sought to

Firearms dealer, Larry Singh procure 500 x 10-gauge blank cartridges; 50 x Taurus 9mm pistols; 500 x AK-47 Rifles; 200,000 x 7.62 x 41 balls and 50,000 x 9 mm; 50 x 9mm glock pistols; 500 AK-47 rifles; 200,000 x ball ammo; 50,000 9mm ammo and 32,100 9mm ball STD and an additional 100 AK-47 rifles.

The documents noted however, that the only items Singh supplied were 500 x 10-gauge blank cartridges; 200 x 12-gauge blank cartridges and 50 x 9mm

glock pistols.

The AG is therefore asking that the Court find Singh liable of breach for each contract.

Alluding to terms of the contract, the AG pointed out that each contract contains a clause stating that, “GDF shall not be liable for, in respect of any damages or compensation payable by law, in respect or in the consequence of any accident or injury to the supplier in the performance of his duties under the contract and the supplier shall indemnify and keep indemnified the Force against such damages and compensation and against all claims, demands, proceedings, damages, costs, charges and expenses whatsoever in respect thereof.”

Additionally, the AG said that the respondent (Singh) in all three of the contracts agreed to supply quality products in Georgetown, Guyana to the GDF; to be solely responsible for shipment of the weapons from countries of origin to Guyana; to ensure that the correct weapons are delivered within 150 days

'Big Head' for sentencing in NY court next April after plea deal

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ocal businessman a n d h o t e l i e r, Shervington Lovell, is to be sentenced in a New York court on Friday, April 16th, next year.

According to court documents, the order was made by Judge Paul Gardephe on November 25th, 2020. Lovell's lawyers have until March 26, 2021, to make submissions with the US government's deadline on April 2, 2021.

The Probation Department was ordered to prepare a pre-sentence investigation report for Lovell.

It came out last month that the embattled hotelier had asked US prosecutors for a plea deal, according to court documents.

It will be recalled that the businessman, along with other persons, Steven Antonius and Ricardo Ramirez, otherwise called Argemiro Zapato-Castro, were arrested at the Norman Manley International Airport, Jamaica on October 25th, 2018. They were all found with cash that was

Plea deal ready: Shervington Lovell seized by the Jamaican authorities. Lovell has links to Hotel Tower as well as at least one hotel in New Amsterdam, Berbice.

The men were arrested when a police party from the Jamaican Fugitive A p p r e h e n s i o n Te a m conducted special operations at the Norman Manley International Airport pursuant to a request from the United States Government and an arrest warrant pursuant to the Extradition Act of 1991.

Lovell, Antonius and Ramirez; Guyanese, Surinamese and Columbian nationals respectively, were located and arrested and their persons and properties searched. During the search, the cash was found and seized by the police under the POCA on the suspicion that it had derived from unlawful conduct.

All three men indicated that the cash was obtained from legitimate businesses that include gold mining and a car wash, but neither of them was able to verify the existence of the said businesses.

FID investigated and found that none of the alleged businesses existed and that none of the men were found to possess licences for the operation of a gold mining business. The men were extradited to the US in late 2018.

They are being accused of conspiring to ship hundreds of kilos of cocaine to Europe.

US prosecutors told the NY court last month, in a (continued on page 17)

Goods ordered but not supplied after the Bill of Laden is provided.

In an affidavit in support of the court action, GDF Chief-of Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess, pointed to the general terms of the contract which states that in an event that the contractor appears to be performing the services of an unprofessional or in substandard manner or if there is any reason or cause to believe that the contractor is causing undue delay in the supply of the ammunition then the contractor is to be given a written warning and

seven days from the date of receipt of the warning, to rectify the situation.

The terms added further that in the event that the contractor fails to rectify the situation in the aforementioned circumstances, then the F o r c e m a y, w i t h o u t prejudice, terminate the agreement and the contractor shall be liable to the Force.

It was emphasized that, “any differences regarding the interpretation or application of this agreement shall be resolved amicably

by the consultation between the parties. [However] the differences, which are not resolved in the matter, are to be referred to the Secretary, Guyana Defence Board, for determination.”

In reference to the aforementioned conditions and warranties contained in the contracts, the AG said that the respondent has failed and or refused to supply the number of weapons and or ammunition for which he has received payments and he is indebted to the GDF in the manner set out in the claim.

Dr. Bob Ramnauth heads...

From page 13 further stated that Government also expects the Board to be proactive as it relates to land use policies in the scheme.

“I am happy to have Mr. Andrew Bishop on the Board. He is a former Lands Commissioner so he has great knowledge on land use.

With his experience and the experience of other members, I am sure we can develop a proper land use policy for the MMA, which is needed if we are to properly develop the scheme. Many persons visit me during my Farmers' Open Day with a lot of disputes with lands in this area. I would like to suggest that the Board discuss setting up a Lands Dispute Subcommittee so that we can have that implemented as soon as possible. It should comprise someone with a legal background, a farmers' representative and someone

with knowledge on proper land use and management,” Minister Mustapha said.

The subject Minister also said that focus must be placed on zoning and developing lands for cattle rearing in the Scheme.

Two weeks after taking office, Government approved $90 Million to carry out much needed infrastructural works in the MMA-ADA Scheme.

Mohamed Zaid Rafeeoodeen, who was elected Vice Chairman of the Board, thanked Minister Mustapha for this timely intervention, which saw funds being made available to carry out much needed drainage works in the scheme.

“I must take this opportunity to thank Minister Mustapha for intervening at a very early stage when this Government started in August by helping farmers in the MMA. You

would've made available, through the Government, a large sum of money to put into the MMA. With this intervention, we were able to clear, deweed and put on maintenance well over 300 channels.

If we were not able to have this done at that stage then rice farming in this Region, not only would've been difficult, but would've been near impossible,” Mr. Rafeeoodeen said.

Members of the newly elected Board of Directors include Dr. Bob Andy Ramnauth (Chairman), M o h a m e d Z a i d R a f e e o o d e e n ( Vi c e Chairman), Vickchand R a m p h a l , D r. D w i g h t Wa l d r o n , L i o n e l Wo r d s w o r t h , A n d r e w Bishop, Aditya Persaud, Madanlall Ramraj, Moses Rampal Dawchan Nagasar and Curbette Victorine (General Manager/Ex Officio).

Thursday December 03, 2020

Kaieteur News

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PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Thursday December 03, 2020

Thursday December 03, 2020

Kaieteur News

Suspected 'fowl thief' nabbed in Sussex Street canal

Suspected to be a fowl thief in the Charlestown neighbourhood, this anaconda was captured last night in the Sussex Street canal.

Its capturers believe that it had just swallowed a meal and was escaping by swimming away in the canal.

PAGE 17

'Big Head' for sentencing...

From page 14 letter to the judge, that they want the exclusion of time under the Speedy Trial Act until the anticipated plea hearing. “As the Court is aware, the defendant, Shervington Lovell, has indicated his intention to enter a plea agreement between the parties and plead guilty before Your Honor. The Court had previously scheduled the plea hearing

for October 28, 2020, but the defendant required an adjournment to sign copies of the plea agreement and the consent to remote proceedings form.

The parties now anticipate the plea hearing will be rescheduled to a date in approximately two weeks.�

The arrest of Lovell had sent shockwaves in Guyana, as he is well-known in the local business world.

PAGE 18

Kaieteur News

Thursday December 03, 2020

National Printers...

From page 3 death and marriage certificates, Official Gazettes and other parliamentary documents including the budget estimates, calendars, labels, other forms and cardboard boxes.

However, despite celebrating 80 years in operations, a lack in investments and mismanagement has been bleeding the operations.

In late 2016, during the visit, the President promised that he will assist in facilitating a cash injection to help reverse the losses.

Reportedly, $100M was plugged into the operations to upgrade and modernize the printery. A used printing press was acquired from overseas and installed early 2018 but it has failed to deliver.

That was the same year that GNPL started to procure exercise books and text books in Trinidad and Tobago. During its time in opposition before 2015, the

Coalition had criticized instances of sole-sourcing and other procurement procedures which would have closed the door to transparency and accountability.

To make things more insulting, it appears that even the text books that Guyana have rights to, including Timehri Readers and Fun With Languages, are not being printed here.

The number of exercise books needed annually is said to be over 500,000.

Operating since 1939, the GNPL had 80-plus staff members, many of whom have worked at the printery for over 30 years, and who have accumulated considerable expertise and experience working under trying conditions.

Officials of GNPL told Kaieteur News that several transactions appeared to be suspicious under the previous board and that “numerous instances of what appears to be fraud� are appearing.

Thursday December 03, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Spotlight on challenges faced by Persons With Disabilities

...As Int'l Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed

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ll are at risk for COVID-19 and this has become abundantly clear to those within the blind society.

Ganesh Singh, the P r o g r a m m e a n d Communications Officer of the Guyana Council of Organizations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD), has taken note of this state of affairs.

Singh in a statement said, “the consequent lockdown has brought greater focus on the challenges of this community.”

As GCOPD joins the United Nations (UN), members of the international and regional disability community and Guyanese living with disabilities to observe International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) today, Singh has brought sharply into the spotlight the challenges faced by Persons With Disabilities (PWDs).

IDPD is observed on

December 3 and this year it embraces the theme: “Building back better, towards a disability inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 world.”

The annual observance of IDPD was proclaimed in

2020, there is a need more than ever to promote an understanding of the plethora of issues plaguing the lives of PWDs in Guyana.

These issues have long affected the independence and productivity of this

“As we observe IDPD 2020, there is a need more than ever to promote an understanding of the plethora of issues plaguing the lives of PWDs in Guyana.

These issues have long affected the independence and productivity of this marginalized group.”

1992 by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. It aims to promote the rights and well-being of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and to increase awareness of their situation in every aspect of political, social, economic, and cultural life.

With this in mind, Singh said, “As we observe IDPD

marginalized group.”

Even though he acknowledged that the entire world has suffered as a result of COVID-19, Singh revealed that due to the social location of PWDs, their difficulties were further exacerbated by the pandemic. This community of vulnerable people, he

added, has always been forced to live on the fringes of society, resulting from the stigma, discrimination, and social barriers they have to face on a daily basis.

“As we rebuild the Guyanese economy post COVID-19, we call on the government and other stakeholders to ensure that PWDs are considered and included in all rebuilding and development plans and the contents of the Guyana PWD Act 2010 are implemented in a timely manner,” said Singh.

As he commended initiatives taken thus far by government to promote and fulfil the rights of PWDs, Singh, on behalf of GCOPD, outlined some measures that, once implemented, can help to improve the lives of PWDs. GCOPD, according to Singh, calls on the nation's policy makers to develop a programme for the allocation of a monthly

Two accused plead guilty to manslaughter in Bath arson/murder

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wo men, who were part of a gang back in 2016 that caused terror by executing two brutal murders within days on the West Coast of Berbice, have pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.

Rooplall Abrahim, called ' Vi j a i , ' 2 4 , o f B a t h Settlement, West Coast Berbice and Gocoul Madanpaul, called 'Clown,' 18, of 175 Block B, Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice, are on trial before Justice Brassington Reynolds in the Berbice High Court for the gruesome murder of Anita Baichan.

The crime was committed in 2016 at Plantation Hope/Bath, West Coast Berbice.

Abrahim had pleaded guilty before the trial began but Madanpaul had opted to go to trial. However, when the matter began the man decided to change his plea.

A probation report was ordered and sentencing has been deferred.

The case for the prosecution as presented by

Gocoul Madanpaul and Rooplall Abrahim outside the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court State Prosecutor, attorneyat-law Abigail Gibbs, is that Abrahim and Madanpaul murdered Baichan in the course of a furtherance of arson in relation to a dwelling house.

It was reported that the two men entered the home and held up Baichan and her son Moshim Khan as they demanded cash and jewellery.

The bandits, one armed

with a cutlass and the other with two knives, tied and gagged the woman and her son.

They handed over $250,000 and some silver jewellery, but the bandits demanded more.

After robbing the woman and her son, the bandits set the house on fire. The woman, whose hands and feet were bound with duct tape, could not escape the

burning building.

The bandits had confessed to entering Baichan house since around 02: 00 hrs. before committing the crime around 04:00 hrs.

Abrahim was charged on several occasions, including a case for the rape/murder of a 13-year-old girl when he was 16.

Abrahim, who was hiding out by the seaside after the incident, was captured days after in the swampy area by police using boats and a number of recruits.

The preliminary inquiry was conducted by Magistrate Rondell Weever in the Fort Wellington Magistrate's Court.

During their preliminary inquiry, the men showed no remorse and had even showed their middle finger to the media on a number of occasions.

The mother of one of the accused was also jailed for seven days during the Preliminary Inquiry for disorderly behaviour in court.

“Disability Grant” to qualified PWDs, as a living allowance.

This grant should be administered separately from the “Public Assistance” Grant; ensure that qualified and skilled PWDs be allocated a small percentage of all public sector jobs; ensure that all public schools are accessible and are governed by a relevant Special Education Needs policy that promotes the integration and full participation of children with disabilities, ensuring they acquire a m e a n i n gful education; allocate more resources to the SEN with emphasis on the use of technology in the classroom and teacher training; ensure that all public buildings are accessible to PWDs, in compliance with the Guyana PWD Act 2010 and ensure that PWDs have a voice in the expenditure of the revenues from the oil and gas sector.

The GCOPD is the

GCOPD, Programme and Communications Officer Ganesh Singh umbrella body that represents the majority of Disabled People O rg a n i z a t i o n s ( D P O s ) from across Guyana, working in the areas of advocacy and capacity building.

The DPOs represents all types of disabilities. For further information, persons can email Singh using ganeshyvg@gmail.com or call him on (592) 6528975.

Alleged prison escapee gets $100,000 bail

T

wenty-four-yearold Shawn Collins of Ketley and Drysdale Streets, Charlestown, Georgetown, who reportedly escaped from the Camp Street Prison during a riot in 2017, was on Monday granted $100,000 bail for the offence.

Collins appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts before Principal Magistrate Sherdel IsaacsMarcus, who read the charge to him. Collins pleaded not guilty to the charge.

It is alleged that on July 9, 2017 at Camp Street, Georgetown, while being in lawful custody pending a criminal trial, Collins escaped from custody.

According to reports, just before 17:00 hrs. on the day in question, at the Camp Street Prison, there was an uproar and the prison was set on fire. The police prosecutor told the court that during the uproar, Collins and other inmates took the opportunity to escape.

Following the unrest, prison officer, Odinga Wickham, succumbed to gunshot wounds inflicted on him by inmates at the prison; his colleague, Hubert Trim, sustained chop wounds to the head, and prison officers: S i m e o n S a n d y, E r r o l Daphness, Drexel

Shawn Collins moments after he was recaptured Gonsalves, Jason Maltoy and Dominic Mingo, were also injured.

Following the prison break, a manhunt was launched and they were all recaptured by a Joint Service Operations. Collins was subsequently charged for the offence.

After granting the defendant bail, Magistrate Marcus ordered that Collins report to the Alberttown Police Station at 18:00 hrs. every first Friday of every month, until the determination of the case.

Collins is expected to make his next court appearance on December 21, 2020.

Kaieteur News

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Thursday December 03, 2020

Molly Hassan is new GuyOil 30-year sentence for ex-GDF rank who killed toddler in fire Deputy GM

T

he Board of Directors, management and staffer of the Guyana Oil Company Limited (GuyOil) has a new Deputy General Manager. Her name is Molly Hassan.

She was the former Chief Executive Officer of the state-owned National Communications Network which runs a string of television and radio stations across the country but had resigned in 2016 shortly after the Coalition government entered office.

According to a government statement, Hassan is the holder of a Diploma in Marketing from the University of Guyana, a Bachelor of Arts in Business (Marketing) from the Anglia Ruskin University and a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign with specialisation in Business Analytics and Digital Marketing.

Hassan previously contributed to the private and public sectors in the areas of FMCG, furniture and electronics, media management and fast food operations.

A

GuyOil Deputy GM, Molly Hassan (left) interacts with a staffer She has over 20 years of combined professional experience in the areas of management, marketing and customer service, a government statement said.

The core responsibilities of the Deputy General Manager include Sales and Marketing, Business Dev elopment, Corporate Social Responsibility and Quality Control of GuyOil's eight service stations and terminal facilities.

Hassan was interviewed and selected by the Board of Directors and joined the company on Monday last. “The Deputy General

Manager intends to focus on ensuring that the company meets its volumes target and improve the delivery of its services.

M s. Hassan will be working along with the General Manager, Mr. Trevor Bassoo, to ensure that GuyOil achieves its goals and objectives by implementing strategic and efficient methods. Ms. Hassan will have the full support of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff as she functions in her role as Deputy General Manager,� the statement revealed.

sentence of 30 years in prison was handed down to Nigel Dodson, a former rank of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) after he was found guilty of the murder of eight-month old, Romain Seth. The murder was committed in the course of arson, on January 23, 2017, at Kaneville, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Dodson was found guilty of the murder, hours after a mixed 12-member jury at the Georgetown High Court deliberated on the matter yesterday. The sentence which was imposed

by Justice Sandil Kissoon, outlines that the former army rank will only be eligible for parole after serving 25 years of his sentence.

Dodson was represented by attorney-at-law, Adrian Thompson, who asked the court, prior to sentencing, to consider that his client was very young when he committed the act. As such, the attorney said if given a chance, he believes Dodson can be rehabilitated and return to play a meaningful role in society.

However, State Counsel, Nafeeza Baig, told

Sentenced: Nigel Dodson

Eight-month old, Romain Seth

the Court that Dodson should be given a sentence that is commensurate with the act, he committed.

She noted too, that the former army rank had planned to commit the heinous crime in that, he even threatened the toddler's grandmother before setting fire to the building, which resulted in the death.

The facts of the case stated that Dodson lived in proximity to the toddler and on January 21, he went to that home-- to the child's grandmother, Michelle Menezes, claiming that he

had placed a firearm in a tree in her backyard and he was not finding it.

As a result, he is alleged to have threatened the family to set the place on fire and kill everyone in it.

Two days later, the home was set ablaze and the toddler perished as a result.

Additionally, an eyewitness had reportedly seen Dodson exiting the premises via a fence after the fire was set.

Following the sentencing, Dodson maintained that he was innocent and does not know why he is still in jail.

School uniform and supplies voucher Housing Ministry engages West Dem. distribution launched in Georgetown communities on developments

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Minister within the Ministry of Housing, Susan Rodrigues

M

inister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, recently met with representatives from 14 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) within Region Three (Essequibo

Islands/West Demerara).

The meeting, according to the Department of Public Information (DPI), was geared at identifying areas of concern in the different constituencies, and informed them of the Government's development plans for the region.

Villages represented at the meeting were La Jalousie, Blankenburg, Stewartville, L a G r a n g e , Tu s c h e n , Uitvlugt, Zeelugt, Vergenoegen, Greenwich Park, Parika, Canal Number One and Two, Malgre Tout, among others.

he Georgetown Department of Education on Tuesday launched the distribution of the School Uniform and Supplies Voucher programme in the Georgetown Education District. The launch ceremony was held at the Ketley Primary School on Ketley Street in Charlestown, Georgetown.

Assistant Chief Education Officer (Primary), Rabindra Singh, said yesterday that the voucher programme is one way Government and the Ministry of Education is ensuring that the nation's children have access to education.

He urged parents to use the vouchers for its intended purpose - that is to procure supplies for their children to use as they remain engaged while at home and for the eventual re-opening of schools. Singh also encouraged those present, to speak to other parents in their communities to visit the schools that their children attend to uplift the worksheets provided by the

A parent signing to uplift a voucher Ministry.

He told the parents that the Ministry needs their intervention to ensure children receive the worksheets so that they can use them and have them returned to the schools for teachers to review and grade. He said that in some cases, it may be difficult for some parents to assist their children with completing the worksheets.

However, according to the ACEO (Primary), the students should attempt the work so

that teachers can know what help they need if any. He thanked the Ministry of Education and the Government of Guyana for coming on board to assist parents, particularly at this time.

The school uniform and supplies voucher has been doubled in value and now stands at $4,000. Each child in the public school system is entitled to a voucher and their parent can uplift same at the school they attend.(DPI)

Thursday December 03, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Venezuelans among three First Lady, Human Services remanded for slitting Ministry to collaborate on pork-knocker’s throat children’s welfare matters

Removal of street children, adoption…

Murder accused: Angel Figuera

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(From left: First Lady, Arya Ali; Human Services Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, and the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Shannielle Hoosein-Outar, following the meeting.)

The adoption of children, orphanages and removal of children off the streets were among the programmes discussed for potential collaboration between the Human Services Ministry and Office of the First Lady.

During a meeting yesterday at the Ministry’s Head office, Dr. Vindhya Persaud outlined the initiatives to First Lady Arya Ali, which would strengthen the welfare and rights of vulnerable children, the ministry explained in a release.

“Cognizant of the fact that Mrs. Ali is interested in

children’s welfare, Hon. Persaud indicated that the First Lady would be an excellent partner in the Ministry’s sensitization campaign to remove children off the streets and adoption of children.”

The Minister also stated that “she is happy to support Mrs. Ali’s plans” to engage businesses to adopt orphanages, adding that her Ministry will provide the technical expertise for the initiative. Touching on the Ministry’s successful cottage industry initiative, Minister Persaud stated that over 200 individuals are currently

undergoing training to be familiarized with business models, the legal and social components needed when developing or expanding their respective businesses.

Against this backdrop, Minister Persaud offered to include Mrs. Ali in the Ministry’s programme, which is seeking to empower women to be financially independent.

“Our Ministry has a number of exciting initiatives and plans which will be rolled out shortly to extricate women from violent environments and to push them to become strong independent women,” Persaud added.

Jamaica, UK to lead global climate change coalition KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change, Pearnel Charles Jr, is set to assume co-chairmanship of the NDC Partnership at a high-level members forum today.

The NDC Partnership includes over 180 developed and developing countries as well as major international institutions and non-state actors that leverage their resources and expertise to provide countries with the tools needed to implement national emission reduction targets.

The minister will represent Jamaica in this global coalition of countries committed to cutting their individual greenhouse gas emissions, while the United Kingdom’s Energy Minister, Rt Alok Sharma, will serve as the other co-chair.

Sharma is also president

of the 26th conference of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, also known as COP 26.

As NDC co-chairs, Jamaica and the UK are taking over from Costa Rica and the Netherlands. Jamaica joined the partnership in 2018.

“The confidence placed in Jamaica is recognition of the country’s strong leadership and efforts on the climate change agenda, which the NDC Partnership supported through tangible financial and embedded support at the Office of the Prime Minister in 2019,” Charles said.

According to the minis-

try, the emissions reduction targets, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are revised or updated every five years to encourage countries to raise their climate ambitions

and build resilience against the negative effects of a changing climate.

The ministry said Jamaica first submitted its NDCs in 2015, with an updated submission this summer.

In a joint statement, Charles and Sharma said that while controlling the COVID19 pandemic and driving economic recoveries are at the forefront of domestic agendas, the climate alarms are deafening and cannot be ignored.

“This year is vying for the hottest on record. Wildfires raged in both hemispheres. At the same time, tropical cyclones, hurricanes, and flood events have been recordbreaking and devastating.

Political strife is exacerbating longstanding inequalities and injustices.

All of these require swift, decisive action,” they said.

wo Venezuelan na tionals are among the three men who were remanded yesterday for allegedly slitting the throat of a pork-knocker on November 27 last.

The pork-knocker, Kevin Allam, 26, of Turn Basin, Port Kaituma, Region One was slain while trying to protect his wife from robbers.

Charged with his murder are Nadeem Baksh, 22, a miner of Airy Hall, Essequibo Coast, Region Two; Angel Figuera, 20, of Estado Barinas, Venezuela and Gilberto DaSilva, 22, of Barrancas, Estado Monagas, Venezuela.

Murder accused: Gilberto DaSilva The defendants appeared at the Port Kaituma Police Station and were not required to plead to the indictable charge read to them, via Skype, by Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs.

It is alleged that they murdered Allam on November 27, 2020 at his shop located at White Water Backdam.

They are expected to make their next court appearance on December 22, 2020.

Kaieteur News had reported on Monday that the bandits also removed a quantity of raw gold from the man’s shop after killing him.

According to reports, the men had attacked Allam’s

Murder accused: Nadeem Baksh wife first. They began pulling the woman’s hair and Allam, who was nearby intervened to protect her.

Outnumbered, Allam fell victim to a severe beating with a piece of wood in the presence of his wife.

He fell to the ground helpless and was then dragged outside where the men reportedly slit his throat with a knife.

The wife pleaded with the men not to kill her too, so they left her alone and escaped with the gold.

Fast work by police resulted in their arrest just hours later. They were caught at Water Front, Port Kaituma.

PAGE 22

Thursday December 03, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Principal Magistrate Sherdel Marcus-Isaacs on Tuesday, granted an order for the 26 Haitian nationals, who were detained during a police operation last month, to be deported back to their homeland.

The order was granted although the Haitians were not officially charged or placed before the court.

The Association of Haitian Nationals in Guyana, through attorney-at-law Darren Wade, filed a motion in the High Court for the Haitians to be put before the court.

However, the matter was brought before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and a deportation order was granted.

According to Wade, the Haitians were not charged and were not put before any court, making it difficult to understand on what grounds the deportation order is being supported.

The lawyer posited that the Haitians entered Guyana legally and were granted six months stay by the Immigration Department. The lawyer said that he intends to fight the deportation order in the High Court, since he believes it was wrongfully granted.

According to a press release, the 26 Haitians were discovered between November 7 and November 8, 2020, at a city hotel and in a minibus en route to Linden – Mabura Road.

It is reported that, out of the 24 Haitians discovered, there were 10 males, nine females, two boys and five girls.

The Haitians were being kept in protective custody, while the police force had launched an investigation.

The Haitians are suspected to be involved in a Human Smuggling or Trafficking in Persons circle.

It was later revealed by Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, during a

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Haitians at the CJIA sometime back, waiting to be picked up. press conference that the seven Haitian children who were found during the two police operations might not be related to the adults, and they may have been traf-

ficked.

Minister Benn had said that when Haitians enter the country, they usually disappear without any trace. For that reason, when this batch

of Haitians entered the country they were under strict police surveillance, subsequently leading to them being arrested. The Minister also told reporters, that he is anticipating the Haitians can be sent back to Haiti shortly and the government will be seeking to implement visa requirements for Haitians who wish to travel to Guyana.

Guyana, as part of CARICOM, had dropped the need for visas for Haitians.

In a statement, Opposition Member of Parliament and Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister, Amanza WaltonDesir said, “A Haitian National is a CARICOM National. All CARICOM Nationals are entitled to enter into another CARICOM Member State and be issued an automatic six month stay, hassle free - that is to say, without harassment or the imposition of impediments.”

The Shadow Minister added, “The treatment of our Haitian brethren is inexcusable, it is wrong.” She criticized the detention of the Haitians and compared the way they were treated to other foreign nationals who enter Guyana in large numbers.

Guyana’s rice quota to Brazil to be increased by 24,000 tonnes Guyana will soon be exporting an additional 24,000 tonnes of rice to Brazil, taking the total to 34,000 tonnes.

The decision was taken following a Technical Committee Meeting between the two countries yesterday, a press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said.

The meeting, which was held via video conference, was chaired by Foreign Secretary, Robert Persaud. The press release stated that “Brazil agreed to increase Guyana’s current rice quota from 10,000 tonnes to 34,000 tonnes.”

This comes on the heels of a recent visit by Ernesto Henrique Fraga Araújo, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs of the Federative Republic of Brazil to Guyana and his meeting with His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali. The Brazilian Foreign Minister had requested an expansion of the Partial Scope Agreement between the two countries.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this agreement seeks to “to foster bilateral trade flows, by the exchange of tariff preferences between the parties, cooperation on trade matters and increased participation of the private sector,” the release read.

Guyana and Brazil have also agreed to have further discussions on establishing

-neighbours explore total removal of duties on several products

Guyana is to ship more rice to Brazil with the likelihood of taxes to be reduced on several products. a working relationship on the development of rice varieties.

This will see collaboration between the Burma Rice Research Institute of the Guyana Rice Development Board, and rice research institutes in Brazil.

“This is to ensure that the two countries can undertake collaborative research into different rice varieties to support commercial production and assess intellectual property protection of same,” the release stated.

An agreement was also made to have further bilateral discussions on the use of Phostoxin instead of Methyl Bromide for the fumigation of

rice exported to Brazil.

Guyana and Brazil have agreed to continue consultation on increased market access for sugar from 10,000 tonnes to 25,000 tonnes.

Guyana is also seeking to have buyers from Roraima and other regions in Northern Brazil by establishing business connections.

Additionally, the two countries are exploring a 100 per cent duty reduction on product lists submitted by both parties. The press release said this will result in an increase in the number of tariff lines receiving preferential access under the Agreement for both sides.

Thursday December 03, 2020

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Kaieteur News

DPP reduces murder charge to manslaughter for cops accused of killing unarmed civilian The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has reduced a murder charge to manslaughter for two police ranks accused of killing an unarmed civilian. Cecil Sampat, 39, was among four men in a car that came under rapid gunfire from several police officers on July 25 last, along Mandela Avenue, Georgetown.

Sampat and the driver of the car, Winston Frazer, had received multiple gunshot wounds.

However, Sampat died on August 5 last, while receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). The driver, Frazer, survived but has been left paralyzed.

The police ranks claimed that the men in the car were armed and had fired at them.

An investigation later revealed that no firearm was recovered from the men in the car to support the claims.

Several officers were then placed under close arrest and a special team conducted a probe into the matter.

On August 14, two ranks, Corporal Godwin Thomas and Constable Troy Munroe were remanded to prison for the murder of Sampat, but this newspaper has learnt that the DPP has directed that the murder charge against them be discontinued and that they be recharged for manslaughter instead.

Kaieteur News understands that while Thomas and Monroe have not yet been officially recharged with man-

slaughter they were both released on $500,000 bail each since last Thursday.

Sources claim that a presidential guard is expected to join Monroe and Thomas in being charged with manslaughter for Sampat’s death.

Meanwhile, Sampat’s family says they have been kept in the dark about the developments.

“We were left in the dark,” said one of his relatives. “We went to court on Monday and it was only then that we were told that the defendants have been released since last Thursday,” the individual continued. “It was only then too, that we are told that the DPP has [directed] that manslaughter be instituted against them instead of murder,” the relative noted.

As the family awaits the announcement of a new court date, Frazer’s wife on the other hand has said that she has not been contacted by the authorities since he left hospital.She too wants some form of justice. “No one is telling me anything about the investigations,” she said.

“There are still bullet fragments lodged in my husband’s spine, he chose not to do the surgery because doctors said it was a 50/50 chance of survival,” continued the woman. “He is alive yes but he is bedridden; he is paralyzed and has suffered multiple health complications, I need justice too,” she added.

On July 25, Frazer and Sampat had gone bar hopping with two other friends, Seon

Dead: Cecil Sampat

Paralyzed: Winston Frazer.

Manslaughter accused: Constable Troy Munroe.

Manslaughter Accused: Corporal Godwin Thomas.

Greenidge and Joshua Letlow, in a car.

They were reportedly at Agricola imbibing when Sampat said he wanted to go home. While leaving, Greenidge recalled that they

saw some men, in a parked white pick-up, trying to stop them. The survivors claimed that they did not know it was police and continued on their way.

At Houston, they said the

same white pick-up switched on siren lights. Greenidge had told Kaieteur News, that he could not speak on behalf of Frazer (the driver) as to why he did not stop but speculated that it might have been be-

cause they were under the influence of alcohol and breeching the COVID-19 curfew measures.

Minutes later, they came under gunfire from patrol ranks on Mandela Avenue.

Woman suffers broken leg after Corruption of public officials….

Nigeria oilfield sale by Minister Vlissengen Road accident was legal - Lawyer tells court

The injured woman being carried into the ambulance by paramedics.

A 61-year-old woman, on Tuesday, broke her right leg after she was involved in an accident at the corners of Regent and Vlissengen Roads, Georgetown.

The injured woman is identified as Gale Morris of Pike Street, Kitty.

According to a police report, the accident occurred at around 19:30 hrs. involving motorcar PPP 7574 and motorcycle CH 5042, in vicinity of the Zoo. Based on the information received, the driver of the car, Jason James, age 27, of B field Sophia, Georgetown reportedly told police that he was travelling south along the center drive lane of Vlissengen Road, when he stopped to turn right (west) into Regent Street.

In doing so, he ended up colliding with the motorcycle that was going north along the western side of Vlissengen Road. Because of the collision, Morris the rider of the motor-

cycle fell on to the roadway. In a video seen

by Kaieteur News, the woman was seen lying face down in a conscious state on the road with blood oozing from her head. A pubic spirited person was seen lying alongside Morris trying to keep her awake, rendering any assistance she could. Persons were heard in the background yelling not to move the woman and to “keep her alert” while waiting for the ambulance to arrive. The woman was then picked up in a conscious condition by paramedics and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and then transferred to the Dr. Balwant Singh’s Hospital where she was examined by a doctor. It was reported that she suffered a broken right leg and lacerations about her body and was later admitted as a patient in the female surgical ward. The driver of the motor car was released on station bail.

Investigation into the matter is ongoing.

MILAN - (Reuters) - The sale of a Nigerian oilfield to Eni and Royal Dutch Shell was legally “perfect” and there was no proof of any corruption, a lawyer for former Nigerian oil minister Dan Etete said yesterday.

Antonio Secci told a Milan court that prosecutors in the case had been unable to show exactly what role Etete was meant to have had in the alleged corruption of Nigerian public officials - if he had corrupted politicians or had simply been an intermediary between the two majors and the Abuja government.

Eni and Shell acquired the offshore OLP 245 field in 2011 for about $1.3 billion from Malabu, a company owned by the former Nigerian oil minister.

Prosecutors allege that about $1.1 billion of that money was siphoned off to politicians and middlemen,

Former Nigerian oil minister Dan Etete

half of it to Etete himself.

Shell says the 2011 agreement was a settlement of longstanding litigation, following the previous allocation of the block by the Nigerian government to Shell and Malabu.

Secci told the court the money had first been paid into an escrow account owned by the Nigerian government before then being transferred to Malabu “without any corruption (involving Nigerian public officials) emerging.”

He called for his client to

be acquitted.

Besides Eni and Shell, another 13 people, including current Eni Chief Executive Claudio Descalzi, are involved in the long-running graft case.

All the defendants have denied any wrongdoing, saying the purchase price was paid into an official Nigerian government account with all subsequent transfers being beyond their control.

Defence lawyers for the former Shell managers involved will be heard in the trial on Dec. 9.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 24

Thursday December 03, 2020

Chinese contractor demands more money for completion of CJIA expansion project M

ore than U S $ 1 5 0 million has already been exhausted on the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) renovation project but, according to the Chinese Contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), more money would be needed to ensure that it is completed per government's specifications.

The company indicated this in its revised work plan for the project that was recently submitted to the Public Works Ministry.

That request, however, did not sit well with Public Wo r k s M i n i s t e r, J u a n Edghill, who made it clear that the governing administration will be expending no further funds on the project.

“It is a solution that does

not fit within the US$150 million programme that was signed as the original contract. We are coming from a position that whatever is the solution, it must not require the Government of Guyana to have to spend any more money,” the Minister told Kaieteur News.

“We have a count of US$150 million; US$138 million from China EXIM Bank, US$12 million from GOG, we have already gone pass the US$150 million because of the two extra air bridges. We have had to pay for some work in terms of getting the tarmac fixed. We had had to spend additional money outside of the contract to do other things, to get the airport running,” he said. According to the Minister too, any other solution posed by the contractor has to “somehow”

be within the purview of the initial contract sum.

CHEC was given a final chance to submit the revised plan capturing the agreed upon terms in the initial contract signed, along with an outline of how the long list of defects at the country's main port of entry will be fixed and a revised deadline.

The initial contract specified that Guyana's new and modern port of entry should be one with facilities for eight air bridges, new terminal space to accommodate the absent air bridges along with aprons and taxiways to facilitate the completion of the extended runway.

According to the Public Works Minister, 200 issues have been identified for repairs in the revised work plan. “Some of it,” Minister Edghill explained, “are

works that have already been done, that have to be fixed that are not satisfactory; some of the things to be done are not yet done; some of the things are done but not done according to scope, and those are the things that have to be fixed, over 200 items that have been identified by the project engineer and project consultant to the contractor. The revised scope which we are defending, that's the eight air bridges and others.”

However, to correct all of this, CHEC said, government would have to invest more money to see it done.

Previously, the Minister had indicated that “strict action” would be taken against the contractor if it had failed to submit the revised work plan lacking the key components from the

initial contract.

With a new work plan submitted, demanding more money, Kaieteur News questioned the Public Works Minister on what would be government's next step. To this, he said, “all the necessary actions to ensure compliance and to ensure that the interests of the people of Guyana are met will be taken.”

Contention continued to grow over the cost of the airport, after in January of this year, recent invitations for bids advertised in the daily newspapers had indicated that the airport needed a new fence for its public car park and an access-control security hut.

These intended projects, which stand outside of the US$150 million and counting contract, are not alone.

Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill There are also plans for a new parking lot valued at $122 million, a cargo facility, a commercial centre, an office area and a parking lot, all advertised last year.

It has been argued, however, that these projects should never have been left out in the first place, as contractors have told Kaieteur News that the amount and quality of work being done to renovate the terminal building since it began, could have been done for US$5 million –30 times less than the already more than US$150 million that taxpayers are expected to foot.

Thursday December 03, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Thursday December 03, 2020

Thursday December 03, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Australian Open to start on February 8, players can train during quarantine - reports MELBOURNE (Reuters) Next year’s Australian Open could be pushed back to a Feb. 8-21 window and players would be allowed to train outside their hotel rooms during quarantine, Australian media reported yesterday.

Tennis Australia has been in talks with the Victoria state government over the coronavirus protocols to be established for those arriving ahead of the Grand Slam at Melbourne Park, which is currently scheduled for Jan. 1831.

State officials have confirmed players will have to undergo quarantine and that the tournament will likely start one or two weeks later than scheduled.

Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital, has

not recorded a new case of COVID-19 in over a month after a nearly four-month hard lockdown to combat a second wave of infections.

According to reports widely carried in the Australian media, Tennis Australia Chief Executive Craig Tiley confirmed in an email to players that authorities had agreed to allow players to train during two weeks of strict quarantine.

“It’s taken a while, but the great news is it looks like we are going to be able to hold the AO on Feb. 8,” the reports quoted Tiley as saying.

“Players will have to quarantine for two weeks from 15 January, but the Victorian Government has agreed to special conditions for AO participants - agreeing that they

need to be able to prepare for a grand slam.

“There will be strict conditions, but after quarantine, players are free to stay where they want, go where they want, play lead-in matches and then compete in an AO in front of significant crowds in a great Melbourne atmosphere for the first time in many months.”

French newspaper L’Equipe also reported a Feb. 8 start for the year’s first Grand Slam, adding that players would be allowed out of quarantine to train for up to five hours a day.

Tennis Australia said it was awaiting confirmation from the Victoria government.

“We do hope we will have announcements very soon, but await details and sign off

Thursday December 03, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Your self-esteem may be challenged by a fast-paced talker or unpleasant situation, Aries. Don't accept things as they appear at first glance.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Indecision may leave you helpless at a crossroads today, Libra. Others around you could be just as undecided regarding their direction.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Jump on board the fast train and see how far it takes you, Taurus. You will be surprised how far you can go with minimal effort.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Latch on to the expansiveness that comes when you connect with others in the social arena, Scorpio. Communication is a key part of the day. You will find that if you go with the flow, you will land exactly where you need to be.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Flexibility is important today, Gemini. Take the relaxed, laidback approach. Trying to ram your ideas through isn't the best tactic. Having tunnel vision will restrict you in many ways.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Things coming at you from all sides are forcing you to make a move, Cancer. Try not to feel pressured into something you don't want to do. A nervous restlessness is apt to take over your being and urge you to act.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Lock into the practical, grounding force that is not only realistic but also flexible.

Attend to details and organize yourself, Leo. Be aware that you may need to alter your course in order to fit with the group energy.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22) Today is one of those days in which prosperity is much closer than you think, Virgo.

You will find what you seek, but it's up to you to take the first step to going after it.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Connect with the stable, grounding energy of the day, Sagittarius, but beware that tension may come in the form of fast talk and misguided information. People might be fickle and frantic.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The expansive feeling you might be experiencing is apt to be squelched today as you get the feeling that you've lost touch with reality. Make sure you connect wit AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Walk to the beat of your own drum, Aquarius. If you try to latch on to the glib, fast-paced information of the day, you might lose your voice in the crowd.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Talk to the person sitting next to you on the bus, Pisces, or the one behind you in line at the store. He or she may have a piece of wisdom to share that will change your life forever.

Tennis balls are pictured in front of the Australian Open logo before the tournament.

(Reuters/Thomas Peter/file photo) Tennis Australia CEO, Craig Tiley (Action Images vai Reuters/ Andrew Couldridge)

from the Victorian government,” the governing body said in a statement.

The region’s Premier Daniel Andrews said yesterday that the details of quar-

antine arrangements were being finalised.

“Unlike every other tennis tournament that the men’s and women’s tours will play this year, only the Australian

Open is a tennis tournament in a city where it can likely be assumed that those players will bring the virus here,” he said.

“So we are unique in that we’ve built something that no one else has built across the nation ... and on that basis, we have to safeguard that, (and) I think we can.”

USWNT settles with U.S. Soccer...

From page 29 contemplated is the structure that is equitable and provides flexibility for both teams.”

The settlement still needs to work its way through the legal system. The judge needs to approve the settlement, and because this is a class-action lawsuit, members of the class – other former USWNT players – must review the settlement and have a chance to raise any objections.

Once the settlement is finalized, the judge will then need to grant the USWNT permission to move forward with its appeal.

The USWNT will have 30 days to file, and then it could take months for the appeal to be ruled on.

Fisherman Masters skipper..

From page 33 players stood up well,” he added.Fraser copped the manof-the-match and most valuable player award and Hassan said he laid the foundation for their success. “Fraser can be very destructive and he showed what he is capable of on Sunday. He played an excellent innings and we just had to support him. Greg (De Franca) and Troy (Lewis) batted well too, so it was an excellent final.”Hassan has expressed gratitude to their sponsors, Payless Variety Store, Star Party Rentals, Satrohan Sookdeo and Rockaway Group of Companies.

PAGE 28

Thursday October 08, 2020

Kaieteur News

GCB/Tropical Springs O-40 T20 cricket

Balgobin & Ramcharran score fifties in penultimate round

By Sean Devers Half centuries from Manishwar Balgobin and Chabiraj Ramcharran highlighted the latest round of the GCB/Tropical Springs O-40 T20 cricket Tournament when the penultimate preliminary round of the rain affected Demerara zone was contested at Everest in the City and the Enmore Community Centre ground on the East Coast yesterday.

Bel Air Rubis Ultra Tec and West Demerara Masters emerged with victories at Enmore, while West Demerara Mavericks extended their unbeaten streak to six matches with their win at Everest.

No matches were played in the Zone where Jai Hind Legends and West Berbice, both unbeaten have advanced to Sunday’s play-off in the Ancient County. No game was played in the Essequibo zone.

At Everest overnight and early morning left the ground in a sodden condition but Everest Masters got a walkover from KV Constructions who had withdrawn from the tournament after playing in the opening round.

The second game at Everest was reduced to 13 overs when the action eventually commenced in bright sunshine.

West Dem Mavericks beat Sand Piper Masters by 34 runs after posting 103-6 in their allotted 13 overs on a sluggish outfield and a good track be-

Seon Bedessie clobbered three sizes in cameo 22 for West Dem Mavericks at Everest yesterday. fore restricting Sand Piper Masters to 69-7 when their overs expired.

Balgobin (56) and Lalta Suknanad (13) took the score from 26-1 in the fourth over, to 72 before Suknanad departed under blue skies with a strong breeze blowing from the Atlantic Ocean just over 100 meters beyond the Northern Sightscreen.

However, Sohan Bedessie who clobbered three sixes in a cameo 22, with two of his sixes coming off consecutive deliverers from Bhupendra Deokie, rallied past the three-

figure mark.Sand Piper Masters struggled to score at the required rate and lost their first four wickets for 31 runs before Rickford Samaroo (30) and Ryan Mangah (16) steadied the ship briefly by putting together 30 for the fifth wicket as Davindra Ramdihal finished with 3-22.

Over at Enmore, West Dem Masters beat Regal Masters by five wickets after scoring 120-5 with five balls to spare in a game reduced to 17 overs, replying to Regal Masters’ 119-7 off 18 overs.

Former Berbice batsman

Davindra Ramdihal had 3-19 West Dem Mavericks beat Sand Pipers by 34 runs.

Eion Abel reached the boundary three times and cleared it once in an attractive 45 and along with Roy Persaud (19) who joined forces in the first over with the score on 4-1, added 54 for the second wicket before Persaud fell to Steve Haripaul in the seventh over.

Chien Gittens, with an unbeaten 16 and Shawn De Souza (10) also reached double figures in a losing effort for Regal Masters.

Sugrim Boodram (2-12) and Haripaul (2-15) were the best bowlers for West Dem

Rickford Samaroo top scored for Sand Pipers at Everest yesterday.

Masters who were led to victory by a 91-run stand between Ramcharran and Sudesh Persaud (31) after three wickets had tumbled in the space of three runs.

Conrad Boele had two of the wickets to fall.

In the second game at Enmore, RP Construction were bowled out for 89 in 19.3 overs as Jai Kishore led the way with 29 and got support from Hemraj Jailall who scored an undefeated 15.

Oslyn Batson had 2-2 and Nadir Baksh 2-10 for Bel Air Rubis Ultra Tec who re-

sponded with 88-5 with four balls to spare to win by five wickets as Richard Ramdeen (27) and Shawn Massiah and Baksh making 21 each.

The next round is scheduled for Saturday with four matches in the Demerara Zone.At Everest West Dem Masters will get a walk-over from KV Construction and Everest Masters face-off with Sand Pipper Masters, while at Enmore, Regal Masters battle RP Construction and West Dem Mavericks come up against Bel Air Rubis Ultra Tec.

Giroud scores all four as Chelsea sink Sevilla to win group BBC Sport - Olivier Giroud scored all four goals in a comprehensive Chelsea victory over Sevilla that ensures the Blues take top spot in Champions League Group E. The Frenchman scored early in each half with two delightful finishes after being fed by clever passes from Kai Havertz and Matteo Kovacic respectively.

He completed the treble with a flicked near-post header, then converted a penalty after he was bundled over in the box.

Already assured of qualification for the last 16, Chelsea made nine changes to the team that drew 0-0 with Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday.

Both Havertz and Christian Pulisic made their first Blues starts since October following illness and injury, w hile 19-year-old

midfielder Billy Gilmour came off the bench for his first appearance of the season.

Sevilla, also sure of their place in the knockout stages, were without a number of first-choice players and were forced to give a debut to

goalkeeper Alfonso Pastor after Tomas Vaclik was injured in the warm-up.

There was little the 20-year-old could do about the goals and his saves ensured Chelsea’s winning margin was not greater.

Giroud makes his point - again Giroud had made only one previous start for Chelsea this season, in the EFL Cup defeat by Tottenham, but this haul came after he scored a stoppage-time winner as a substitute against Rennes last week.

His path to regular Premier League football is blocked by Timo Werner and Tammy Abraham, but he could do no more to take the opportunity presented to him in southern Spain.

The former Arsenal man put in a complete performance, not only displaying clinical finishing, but also a physical presence that tortured the home defence.

Chelsea found regular joy with runs from midfield and it was Havertz’s early burst that ended in a lay-off to Giroud, who cut inside and tucked inside the far post with his

Olivier Giroud (left) was making only his second Chelsea start of the season. (Getty Images) left foot.

The second goal was a joy, a dinked right-footed finish over Pas-

tor, while the header from N’Golo Kante’s cross from the right completed a ‘perfect’ hat-trick.

The spot-kick, drilled in with his left-foot, was Giroud’s final act before he was withdrawn.

Thursday October 08, 2020

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Kaieteur News

USWNT settles with U.S. Soccer over unequal - which sets stage for equal pay appeal working conditions Yahoo Sports - The United States women’s national team and its boss, the U.S. Soccer Federation, will not face off in court after all — at least for now.

The USWNT was set to take claims of unequal working conditions at U.S. Soccer to trial in January, but the two sides have reached a settlement, they announced Tuesday.

Both sides hailed the settlement as a positive step forward. The USWNT says it finally achieved long-denied equal working conditions, while U.S. Soccer says the settlement formalizes the already-ongoing efforts to repair its relationship with the USWNT. “This settlement is good news for everyone and I believe will serve as a springboard for continued progress,” U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone said in a statement.

But the settlement also sets the stage for the next phase of the ongoing legal fight between the players and the federation.

A settlement on equal pay, however, does not appear to be imminent.

In a conference call Tuesday, Parlow Cone said the $67 million in backpay sought by the USWNT would “bankrupt the federation.” But she said she remained hopeful there is a compromise.

“I hope that the women and their lawyers see that we are taking a new approach,” she said.

“The way we reached this settlement [over working conditions] was in a collaborative way. There was a lot of backand-forth in trying to understand where each side was coming from, so my hope is that we continue down this path and are able to find a resolution on all aspects of the litigation.”

The USWNT’s equal pay case is back in play The settlement is unrelated to the USWNT’s allegations of wage discrimination, which were dismissed by a judge in May. The USWNT vowed to appeal that decision, but had to wait until after the trial over working conditions. Now that the two sides have settled, the USWNT will be able to move forward with its planned appeal on equal pay.

“We are pleased that the USWNT players have fought for — and achieved — long overdue equal working conditions,” said USWNT

spokeswoman Molly Levinson in a statement. “We now intend to file our appeal to the court’s decision which does not account for the central fact in this case that women players have been paid at lesser rates than men who do the same job.

“We remain as committed as ever to our work to achieve the equal pay that we legally deserve. Our focus is on the future and ensuring we leave the game a better place for the next generation of women who will play for this team and this country.”

Mediation attempts over the equal pay claims have been unsuccessful so far. In August 2019, the players accused the federation of being unwilling to negotiate in good faith. The federation, meanwhile, accused the players of refusing to even meet in March of this year.

But U.S. Soccer, reacting to the working conditions settlement, took a hopeful tone that a resolution on the equal pay claims is possible.

“With today’s filing, the USWNT is likely to proceed with an appeal of the court’s ruling on May 1,” Parlow Cone said. “We hope today’s positive step forward will result in the USWNT accepting our standing offer to discuss contract options.

“As a former USWNT player, I can promise you that I am committed to equality between the USWNT and USMNT. My goal is, and has always been, to come to a resolution on all equal pay matters and inspire a new era of collaboration, partnership and trust between the USWNT and the federation.”

What the settlement achieves for the USWNT The settlement includes the adoption of new policies for charter flights, venue selection, staffing and hotel accommodations.

Going forward, both teams will fly on the same number of charter flights, play at “top-tier venues” and “maintain comparable budgets” for hotels, the legal documents say. Both teams will also have support staff of between 18 to 21 federation employees.

Detailed terms of how these policies will be implemented, such as the venue selection process, are under court seal because they divulge “sensitive information” about “internal workings” of the team. The new policies will be folded into the USWNT’s collective bargain-

The USWNT has settled with U.S. Soccer over unequal working conditions, which means the focus will shift to the players’ appeal of the equal pay decision that went against them in May. (Maurice Van Steen/ANP Sport via Getty Images)

ing agreement, which is not public but has been leaked.

The USWNT players had alleged U.S. Soccer booked them in inferior hotels to the men, flew the women on commercial flights while the men got charters, scheduled USWNT games on subpar fields and provided less staff to support the women’s team.

U.S. Soccer has said it had already remedied most of those claims, such as scheduling more charter flights for the women and ending the practice of scheduling USWNT games on artificial turf while the men always played on natural grass. From U.S. Soccer’s perspective, the settlement formalizes what the federation had already begun doing.

The USWNT side, however, says it would not have settled if it did not achieve equal workplace conditions that had otherwise not been provided or guaranteed.

“We achieved the assurances of equality in working conditions with the MNT that was the reason for filing the complaints about these working conditions,” Levinson told Yahoo Sports.

“The proof is that if the MNT ever gets a better policy in these areas, the players have a right to substitute that, as well.”

In all instances, the legal filings state that U.S. Soccer will adhere to these new policies for “a minimum of four full years.” After that, “any subsequent changes to the policy shall be subject to collective bargaining with the USWNTPA.”

The USWNT’s current CBA expires at the end of 2021, and the men have been operating under a CBA that expired at the end of 2018.

“Our goal with both teams is to provide the best worldclass services that we can and for it to be equitable,” U.S. Soccer CEO Will Wilson said

in a conference call. “Obviously there’s differences between the men’s and women’s calendar, so what we (Continued on page 27)

Cricket West Indies officials happy with ‘concise and tight’ Covid-19 protocols in Bangladesh ESPNcricinfo - Cricket West Indies (CWI) officials, currently in Bangladesh to inspect the bio-security plans and health protocols in the country ahead of a proposed tour next month, are “very impressed” with the “concise and tight” arrangements.

The three-format tour could yet be shortened, but question marks hanging over it might have been dispelled for the time being.

Dr Akshai Mansingh, the CWI director, and security manager Paul Slowe arrived in Dhaka on November 28, and conducted a survey of facilities in Dhaka and Chattogram, including at airports, hotels, stadia, practice facilities and hospitals over the past few days.

They will now report their observations to the CWI board of directors, who will then make a decision on the tour.

“The protocols that were described to us by the BCB were very, very well thought out,” Mansingh said at a press interaction. “The fact that there has been three competitions prior to our coming and one [Bangabandhu T20

Cup] going on now obviously, they are well practiced [with bio-secure bubbles]. We are very happy with what we saw in Dhaka and Chattogram.

The facilities are excellent.

The Covid protocols are concise and tight.

“The national approach, both in the hotels and hospitals that we visited, comply with all international standards recommended for Covid-19. From a medical point of view, we are very happy and we now have to present our findings to the board of directors of CWI. I am very confident what we saw is probably as good an arrangement as you can have anywhere in the world.”

Mansingh said that the tour dates hadn’t yet been firmed up, mainly because of the quarantine protocols that the West Indies team would have to adhere to before and after arriving in Bangladesh.

“According to Covid protocols, there will be at least seven days where we have to make sure we are not contaminating Bangladesh,” he said.

“So we have to make sure we are in quarantine. It is not just days, but negative tests as

well.

There have to be at least one negative tests before coming and three negative tests while in Bangladesh.

That period is usually seven days, and that’s why the exact dates have to be worked out now.

“Certainly for the first three days, we suggest inroom quarantine.

After the third day, we do a second test. After that is negative, we would like to do some practicing within our squad, but not exposing ourselves to anybody else until seven days are passed. We will have inter-squad practice and activities. After Day 7, the recommendation is that we should have net sessions with Bangladeshi players,” he said.

The BCB hasn’t hosted any international cricket during the pandemic, with Australia and New Zealand having postponed their tours scheduled for June and August respectively.

Bangladesh also haven’t toured any country, having come close to going to Sri Lanka before that tour was called off in September.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday December 03, 2020

India win tense final ODI after seeing off Maxwell threat AFP - India survived a blistering Glenn Maxwell halfcentury to hold their nerve for a 13-run victory and deny Australia a one-day international series clean sweep in Canberra yesterday.

While the explosive Maxwell was at the crease Australia were on track to reel in India’s 302-5 total.

But Jasprit Bumrah got the crucial breakthrough bowling Maxwell with a trademark yorker for 59 off 38 balls studded with three fours and four sixes.

That left Australia 38 runs away from victory with three wickets and 35 balls left, but India claimed the remaining wickets to clinch victory with three balls left.

Australia won the opening two matches in Sydney by 66 runs and 51 runs, but India emphatically ended their five-game ODI losing streak — their worst since January 2016 — to pull off an exciting victory ahead of Friday’s first of three Twenty20 matches against the Australians in Canberra.

India’s victory was made possible by an unbroken 150run partnership between man-of-the-match Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja to swing the momentum after

India captain Virat Kohli (C) was dismissed by Australia’s Josh Hazlewood (R).

Josh Hazlewood once again proved Virat Kohli’s nemesis.

“I have been working hard to play for my country, happy that I’ve got the opportunity,” Pandya said.

“You need to be on your toes when it comes to playing against Australia. You got to push hard and face the challenge against them.”

Hazlewood again got the measure of the India master batsman, dismissing him for 63 to put the tourists under mid-innings pressure in the

dead rubber.

Kohli’s exit threw down the gauntlet to Pandya, who finished top-scorer with 92 off 76 balls with some late fireworks with Ravindra Jadeja 66 (50), who seized the momentum for India, adding 76 runs in the last five overs.

“We were put under the pump in the first half and in the second half of Australia’s innings,” Kohli said.

“I would have liked to go on for a bit longer, but it was a great partnership between

Maradona’s shirt is not for sale, says...

From page 33 like having it. It has incredible sentimental value.

“I’ve had people knocking on my door non-stop and the phone’s constantly ringing from every TV and radio station, and even foreign stations.

“It has been uncomfortable and it hasn’t been nice.

There has been a bit of flak flying around saying I wanted a million or two million and am

hawking it around for money.

I find it disrespectful and totally wrong. It’s not for sale.”

It was Hodge’s wayward aerial flick that Maradona chased before using his hand to push the ball past England keeper Peter Shilton. He was also one of the England players left trailing as Maradona slalomed through to make it 2-0.

“I have to say I have never once blamed him for the hand-

ball. Not once,” Hodge added.“It was out of order but people who play football know that you try things now and again.

“A striker will normally slow down with a big keeper coming out thinking he might get hurt, but Maradona didn’t. The bravery to take on a 6-feet-1-inch keeper when he was 5 feet 5 inches showed he didn’t give a damn. He was as brave as a lion.”

Hardik Pandya bottom-edges a pull past the keeper © AFP

Pandya and Jadeja.

“The team needed that kind of a boost. That’s needed when you play a team like Australia.”

Kohli was out when a review instigated by wicketkeeper Alex Carey picked up a faint spike on ‘Ultra-Edge’ off Hazlewood which reversed the on-field decision.

It was Hazlewood’s third dismissal of Kohli in the three-match series and a massive breakthrough for the Australians who had reduced India to 152-5 in the 32nd over.

“I thought we fought really well,” said Australia captain Aaron Finch, who topscored for his team with 75 off 82 balls.

“It was a great partnership between Hardik and Jadeja. If we got one of those wickets, we could have chased 240 max.”

Marnus Labuschagne, promoted to open the innings in David Warner’s injury absence, played on T. Natarajan for seven bringing Steve

Smith early to the crease after century-plus opening stands in the first two games.

India got the vital breakthrough in the 12th over dismissing Smith, coming off man-of-the-match centuries in the first two games, for just seven to an innocuous legside flick off Shardul Thakur.

“They have been close back-to-back games.” Smith said. “A good series of cricket against a quality outfit. I think this wicket did more with the new ball, it was a bit different as compared to Sydney.”

Alex Carey was run out by Kohli for 38, ending a productive partnership with Maxwell.

Maxwell produced a pro-

digious reverse sweep for six off Yadav which covered 100m high into the stands in arguably the biggest hit of the season and then he brought up his half-century with another six of Natarajan.

Bumrah ended Maxwell’s fireworks to India’s great relief with one of his trademark yorkers, bowling the Australian dangerman and leaving the home side tantalisingly close to victory before India held on for a tense win.

Scores: India 5 for 302 (Pandya 92*, Jadeja 66*, Kohli 63, Agar 2-44) beat Australia 289 (Finch 75, Maxwell 59, Thakur 3-51, Bumrah 2-43) by 13 runs.

One further Covid-19 positive in Pakistan touring squad ESPNcricinfo - One further positive Covid-19 case has been confirmed among the Pakistan touring squad in New Zealand bringing the total to eight.

The latest case confirmed yesterday was one of three that were under investigation from Tuesday with the other two still to be determined.

“This person is a member of the Pakistan cricket squad and was one of the three cases reported as under investigation yesterday,” a statement from the New Zealand Ministry of Health said.

“They have now been confirmed to have an active COVID-19 infection. The two other cases remain under investigation.

“The team is not allowed to train until the Canterbury DHB medical officer of health determines they are satisfied that any training activities are unlikely to transmit Covid-19.”

Two of the eight positive tests have

been deemed “historic” and not infectious with the PCB saying in a statement that those players are now isolating on the same floor as other members of the squad who have tested negative.The PCB added that following day nine tests today, those who continue to return negative test results are expected to be able to train for the rest of their time in managed isolation and after day 12 tests those who clear the 14-day health check will be able to leave managed isolation.

“The PCB has been maintaining a close contact with the Pakistan team management in New Zealand and have kept them updated on the return to training process,” the statement said. “The management and the players are fully supportive of the process and keen to get back on to the field as soon as they are compliant with the New Zealand Government rules.”

A view of the Bay Oval at Mount Maunganui.

(Getty Images)

Thursday December 03, 2020

PAGE 31

Kaieteur News

Mick Schumacher to join Haas for 2021 season BBC Sport - Mick Schumacher, son of seventime Formula 1 world champion Michael, will race for the Haas team next season.

The US-based team said the 21-year-old had signed a “multi-year contract”. He will partner Russian Nikita Mazepin.

German Schumacher said the move was “a dream come true, a dream I have been chasing since I was three years old”.

Ferrari, with whom he has a long-term contract, said the “eventual aim” was for him to drive for them in F1 “one day”.

Schumacher will be at Haas for at least the next two seasons.

Ferrari have signed Spaniard Carlos Sainz for 2021 and 2022 to partner Charles Leclerc, who has a contract with the Scuderia until 2024.

Haas team boss Gunther Steiner said Schumacher had “earned the opportunity” with his performances in Formula 2, in which he is leading the championship going into its final round in Bahrain this weekend.

“The prospect of being on the Formula 1 grid next year makes me incredibly happy,” said a “speechless” Schumacher.

German Schumacher thanked Haas and Ferrari for their “trust”, adding: “I also want to acknowledge and extend my love to my parents. I know that I owe them everything.

I have always believed that I would realise my dream of Formula 1.

“A huge thank you must also go to all the great motorsport fans out there who have supported me throughout my career.

I will give it my all, as I always do, and I look forward to going on this journey together with Haas F1 and them.”

Schumacher’s F1 debut next year will come on the 30th anniversary of his father’s own entry to the sport, at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix.

Michael Schumacher had a glittering career which ended with him being the most successful driver of all time, with 91 wins and seven World Championships.

Britain’s Lewis Hamilton has this year surpassed Schumacher’s win record and equalled his tally of championships.

Michael’s medical condition is unknown following a skiing accident in 2013 in which he suffered severe head injuries.

Mick Schumacher is leading the Formula 2 series going into the final round. (Getty Images) The 52-year-old has not been seen in public since.

His son’s career has been guided carefully by the family and Michael’s former manager, Sabine Kehm, to ease him through the motorsport ranks while keeping the inevitable public interest off his shoulders as much as possible.

But the attention on him has been intense since he came more into the public eye, starting with a demonstration drive in his father’s 1994 titlewinning F1 car at the Belgian Grand Prix in 2017.

Schumacher said on Wednesday: “It’s quite clear I have been under the spotlight since a very young age

due to the sport I do and love, and probably a bit more than usual.

“Nevertheless, it is something I am able to get used to.

I am able to deal with it well, the results speak for it. I will

do the same as usual and try to keep the same rhythm that I have.”

Schumacher has said in that past that comparisons with his father were “never a problem” for him, and described Michael as “my idol and very special”.

“It’s amazing to be racing the same sport,” Schumacher said. “It’s a sport we both love so much, so to be able to go a similar path and get to know the sport inside out is amazing.

“And to finally reach my goal - everybody’s goal is F1 - to be one of those 20 drivers is something incredible. I am just really a bit overwhelmed and happy to be confirmed and that I am going to be standing on the grid next year.”

Schumacher said he had

chosen 47 as his race number in F1 because of “a funny mix of things”.

He said four was the number he carried when he won the European Formula 3 Championship in 2018, seven is a number that is “close to me”, partly because it is the number of championships his father won, and 47 is the number reached when you add up the birth dates of all the members of his family.

He won the European Formula 3 title in his second year in the category, made his F2 debut last season, winning a race at the Hungarian Grand Prix, and has won two races

so far in a consistent 2020.

Schumacher is 14 points clear of Briton Callum Ilott with two races to go at this weekend’s round at the Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain.

Athletes to be tested ‘every 96-120 hours’ during Games - organisers’ report

Anthony Joshua v Kubrat Pulev: 1,000 fans to watch fight at Wembley Arena Olympic rings, which were temporarily taken down in August for maintenance amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, are towed by a boat for reinstallation at the waterfront area at Odaiba Marine Park in Tokyo, Japan December 1, 2020. (REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon)

Anthony Joshua (left) has won 23 of his 24 professional fights, while Kubrat Pulev has a record of 28 victories and one loss. (Getty Images)

BBC Sport - Up to 1,000 fans will be able to attend world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua’s fight against Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev on 12 December at Wembley Arena.

A limited number of fans can now attend live sport in England following a relaxation of coronavirus restrictions.

Local authorities in London have approved a crowd and safety measures and guidelines will be in place.

Great Britain’s Joshua will defend his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO world titles against mandatory challenger Pulev.

They were due to fight in June but it was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I can’t tell you how happy I am to see fans returning to our live boxing events,” said Eddie Hearn, managing director of Matchroom Sport. “Whilst the team have done an incredible job over the last 10 months we live and breathe through the energy and atmosphere that a live crowd generates.

“It’s so fitting that they can return for an AJ fight, when through the last few years he has broken all kinds of attendance records in the UK and beyond.

This is such a positive move for boxing and all sport. Welcome back!”

The fight was originally due to take place at the O2 Arena but has been moved because of promoter logistics.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Athletes will need to provide a negative COVID-19 test taken less than 72 hours before arriving in Japan for the Olympics and will be tested “every 96-120 hours” during the Games, according to a report published by organisers yesterday.

During talks between the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, the Japanese government and Tokyo Metropolitan Government, further guidelines for how the Japanese capital plans to host the rearranged Games next year were discussed.

Current visitors to Japan need to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival but athletes and other key stakeholders arriving for the Games will be exempt from those restrictions.

More than 15,000 athletes are expected in Tokyo for the Olympics, which begin on July 23, with the majority stay-

ing at the purpose-built Athletes’ Village.

The report detailed that a testing centre would be set up in the village for in-competition testing.

Organisers will also be encouraging athletes to spend less time in Tokyo than they usually would.

“We want to be considerate to the athletes, so the village doesn’t get too dense,” Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto told reporters after the talks.

“After the Games are finished, we want the athletes to go back home as early as possible.”

Reports in the Japanese media earlier on Wednesday claimed that “large-scale” numbers of overseas visitors will be allowed into Tokyo for the Games.

However, the interim report stated that a final decision on the number of foreign

spectators and other personnel from abroad wouldn’t be decided until the spring.

The prospect of the Games going ahead safely next year have been boosted by the development of vaccines against COVID-19, including the Pfizer shot ap-

proved by Britain yesterday.

A successful vaccine could make many of the COVID-19 countermeasures being discussed by Games’ organisers obsolete but Muto stressed they were going ahead with or without the vaccine.

“Regarding the vaccine, just recently we have started to see positive news but at the moment it is not available yet,” he said.

“What might happen, what could happen, it is unclear... so we are working under the assumption that the vaccine isn’t available.”

PAGE 32

Thursday December 03, 2020

Kaieteur News

Thisara Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva Ambrose questions Andre Russell’s power unbeaten Jaffna Stallions commitment to West Indies cricket Dhananjaya de Silva and Thisara Perera put on a rapid century stand. (LPL)

ESPNcricinfo - How the match played out Jaffna Stallions lost early wickets. Jaffna Stallions rallied through the middle and late overs, thanks largley to Thisara Perera. Then Jaffna Stallions’ bowlers locked the opposition out. The script for this match was largely the same as for the Stallions’ victory on Monday over Dambulla Viiking. With Colombo Kings having lost earlier in the day, Stallions are now the team to beat in the LPL - the only side that are yet to lose a game after three outings. They’ve not been pushed in any of their matches either. This win over Kandy Tuskers was by a whopping 54 runs.

Thanks to a good Powerplay spell from Munaf Patel, and some decent early overs from Dilruwan Perera and Asela Gunaratne, Tuskers had Stallions pinned early.

Their total at the end of the fielding restrictions was 26 for 2 - the lowest in the tournament so far. They would go on to lose Tom Moores in the eighth over, and Shoaib Malik in the tenth, but at no point did they seem flustered.

Dhananjaya de Silva kept the frequent fall of wickets from

turning into a full-blown collapse by batting cautiously, making only 15 from his first 20 deliveries before gradually raising the tempo to finish on 61 off 38.

Tuskers slumped to 131 all out in the 18th over in response, with Brendan Taylor (46 off 32) and Gunaratne (31 off 24) the only batsmen to make a serious run at the target.

Stars of the day Perera was the driving force behind the Stallions’ recovery once again, blasting 68 off 28 balls - an innings that included five sixes and as many fours, helping propel his team to 185 for 8 on a pitch that not many batsmen prospered on. As is often the case for Perera, the confidence from his batting flowed into his bowling, and he picked up 2 for 9 in 2.1 overs. He had also hit 95 not out in Monday’s match against Viiking.

Wanindu Hasaranga was excellent as usual with the ball, taking 2 for 17 from his four overs, his googly wreaking havoc yet again. Usman Shinwari was also outstanding with the ball, however, dismissing both the Tuskers’ dangerous openers -

Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Kusal Perera - inside the Powerplay, on his way to figures of 3 for 17 off three overs.For the Tuskers, Gunaratne was perhaps their best bowler, taking 2 for 20, though his full quota wasn’t used. Kusal Perera’s captaincy continues to be puzzling.

Turning point De Silva and Perera came together with the score on 49 for 4 in the tenth over, and propelled the Stallions towards their commanding score with perhaps the partnership of the tournament so far. They made 118 runs off 47 balls in each other’s company, and on this pitch, that’s a monumental momentum shift.

The big miss Not a major miss, because it came towards the end of his innings, but Perera was dropped on 50 off the bowling of Nuwan Pradeep in the 17th over - Naveen-ul-Haq spilling the chance at deep midwicket. Perera would go on to hit two more sixes and a four before getting out.

Scores: Jaffna Stallions 185 for 8 (Perera 68, de Silva 61) beat Kandy Tuskers 131 (Shinwari 3-17) by 54 runs.

SportsMax - Andre Russell has been lighting up the Lankan Premier League with both bat and ball delighting his many fans around the world.

His 65 off just 19 balls for the Colombo Kings late last week, made news around the world further enhancing the Jamaican’s reputation as one of the world’s best T20 players.

However, not everyone is happy that the Jamaican is playing in Sri Lanka after declining an invitation to represent the West Indies during the recent T20 series in New Zealand where the West Indies lost 2-0.

The third match was washed out.

Among them is former West Indies fast bowler Sir Curtly Ambrose, who believes Cricket West Indies, needs to review its decision to allow players like Russell to represent the regional side only when it suits them to do so.

CWI CEO Johnny Grave recently explained that Russell received a No-Objection Certificate to play in the Lankan Premier League

because the player does not a centralized contract with CWI. That situation has rankled the fast-bowling great.

“The guys who are in control, in authority, have to decide to make some serious decisions and stick with it for the cricket to move forward. I think that we are going about

this thing too casual. Guys can do what they feel, come into the team when they feel like, go to ply their trade to the different franchises , leave West Indies cricket for dead and then come back into the team,” Ambrose said while speaking on Mason & Guest radio show in Barbados on Tuesday.

“To me, that is a no-no.

We have to show some form of commitment to West Indies cricket.

We have to make some drastic and hard decisions and stick with it and the cricket can get better.”

Chief selector Roger Harper said Russell declined the invitation to represent the West Indies citing the need to clear his mind after being

in quarantine lockdown for both the Caribbean Premier League in Trinidad and Tobago where he played for the Jamaica Tallawahs franchise and then, the Indian Premier League in Abu Dhabi where he played for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Ambrose said while he is not opposed to the player taking a break, once he returned to cricket, his priority should have been the West Indies.

“Because he wants to clear his head for a while to get his mind together, I have no problem with that because cricket is a high-pressure game.

So if you want to clear your head for a while, take your mind off cricket I have no issues with that, but if you are going to reject playing for your nation, your country, and then two weeks later you’re playing for somebody else, that to me is a no-no,” Ambrose said.

“Where is the commitment? That tells me that you don’t want to play for the West Indies. If that is the case, just say so.”

Martin Snedden replaces Greg Barclay as New Zealand Cricket chairman ESPNcricinfo - Martin Snedden has been elected as the new chairman of New Zealand Cricket (NZC), after the post became vacant following Greg Barclay’s election as the ICC chairman.

Snedden, who played 25 Tests and 93 ODIs between 1980 and 1990, has played prominent roles at NZC in the past too - as chief executive and a board member of the organisation from 1990 to 1992; 1999 to 2001 and again from 2013 until present.

In his new role, Snedden will be NZC’s representative on the board of the ICC, “a task with which he is very familiar, having been seconded to the role in 2013 and 2014 during Stuart Heal’s tenure, as well as being a member of the ICC chief executives committee from 2001-2007", as an NZC statement put it.

“I’d like to thank Greg for the outstanding direction and guidance he’s given the board since being elected as chair in 2016,” Snedden said in the NZC statement. “It is a measure of the success he

has overseen in this role that he has now been elected the ICC chair.

“Equally, I’d like to thank my fellow NZC directors for their support. I know that, together with chief executive David White and his excellent management team, we’ll help lead the sport out of this global pandemic and embrace a strong and sustainable future.

“I look forward to working with the members of NZC, the Major Associations and Districts Associations, as well as the New Zealand Cricket Players Association and the wider cricket family in New Zealand.”

Snedden has been in se-

Martin Snedden has replaced Greg Barclay as the chairman of the New Zealand Cricket Board. (Getty Images)

nior positions elsewhere too, including as chief executive of the 2011 Rugby World Cup and as a director of the World Masters Games 2017. He is currently part of the NZC Board’s Women in Governance project sub-committee, member of the board’s HighPerformance Advisory Group and director on the board of Women in Sport Aotearoa, and a trustee of the Cricketers’ Hardship Trust.

He will, however, have to immediately stand down from his role as consultant lead of One Cricket project, an initiative aimed at reviewing and improving the delivery of cricket in New Zealand.

Thursday December 03, 2020

Kaieteur News

Fisherman Masters skipper Hassan credit team effort for win

F

isherman Masters’ Skipper Hassan has lauded his players’ efforts for their win in the recently concluded Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL) Inc Prime Minister’s T20 Cup 4.

Fisherman Masters edged Wellman Masters by three runs on Sunday last at the Everest Cricket Club to take the over 45 title.

They were largely indebted to opener Keith Fraser who smashed 178 as they posted 240-4.

We l l m a n M a s t e r s responded with 237-5 with Greg De Franca scoring 108 and Troy Lewis 87.

Hassan said his players supported each other on and off their field and they didn’t take any team for granted.

“The final was a tough game, Wellman Masters were chasing well, but our players never gave up. We were always confident and the (Continued on page 27)

PAGE 33

Maradona’s shirt is not for sale, says Hodge LONDON (Reuters) Former England midfielder Steve Hodge says he has spent a week fending off potential buyers for the shirt worn by Diego Maradona in

the infamous 1986 World Cup quarter-final but insists it is not for sale.

Hodge, 58, swapped shirts with Maradona after England’s 2-1 defeat in

Steve Hodge playing for the All Stars XI in the Alexander XI v All Stars XI Keith Alexander Benefit Match. (Action Images / Craig Brough)

Owner of Fisherman Masters team Pooran Singh (left) and Skipper Zameer Hassan with their prize.

M e x i c o C i t y ’s A z t e c a Stadium, the match in which Maradona scored his socalled “Hand of God” goal before also scoring one of the best ever seen at a World Cup. The iconic player’s death last week, aged 60, has created a frenzy of interest in the shirt, which belongs to Hodge but resides in England’s National Football Museum in Manchester, and an American sports memorabilia expert said it could be available for $2m.

Hodge, however, has disappointing news for anyone thinking of making him an offer.

“I have had it for 34 years and have never once tried to sell it,” Hodge told BBC Radio Nottingham. “I (Continued on page 30 )

Andre Russell

Ambrose questions Andre Russell’s commitment to West Indies cricket t r o Sp

GCB/Tropical Springs O-40 T20 cricket

Manishwar Balgobin blasted six fours and a six in a pugnacious 56 yesterday at Everest.

Balgobin & Ramcharran score fifties in penultimate round

Cricket West Indies officials happy with ‘concise and tight’ Covid-19 protocols in Bangladesh

CWI and BCB officials inspect the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. (Raton Gomes/BCB) Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8452, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.