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AIETEUR NEWS

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Guyana yet to install five years

Saturday Edition December 19, 2020 - Vol. 14 No. 49

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

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of IMF recommendations

Price $80

Online readership yesterday, 94,233

World Court rules it has jurisdiction to hear GuyanaVenezuela border case p.

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AFC Leader holds one of the world’s worst oil contracts as a badge of honour p.

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Haitians at centre Cop on bail for of controversy allegedly raping depart Guyana relative, 13 p.

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Joseph Harmon again dodges question on promised oil and gas press conference p.

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Guyana-Venezuela border controversy...

ICJ ruling a victory for Guyana - President Ali p.

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Listen to the Glenn Lall show at 11:30am to hear how our leaders giveaway our lands and saddled us with oil bills

Saturday December 19, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Guyana-Venezuela border controversy...

ICJ ruling, a victory for Guyana - Pres. Ali

P

resident Irfaan Ali declared the l a n d m a r k judgment handed down by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Guyana/ Ve n e z u e l a b o r d e r controversy case yesterday a win and testament to what can be achieved through cooperation.

The World Court ruled that it has the jurisdiction to preside over Guyana's case concerning the validity of the 1899 Award about the border between British Guiana and Venezuela and the related question of the

definitive settlement of the land boundary.

Ali joined government ministers, heads of the disciplined forces along with senior Foreign Affairs officials at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre to listen to the ruling read by the ICJ's President Judge Abdulgawi Ahmed Yusuf.

In his address after the judgment, President Ali stated “It is a great moment indeed for Guyana, whose governments and people have been united in looking to international justice to uphold the territorial

integrity. It is testimony too, to what we can achieve as a nation.

Added to that, Ali opined that the World Court's decision demonstrates too that international law can be “brought to bear” to ensure the preservation of Guyana's patrimony.

With the ICJ ruling it has jurisdiction to preside over the case, Guyana still has a battle ahead as the court will next hear the merits of the case to decide on Guyana's claim that the Arbitral Award of 1899 is indeed valid and binding on both countries.

“It is to that phase of the case that we now bend our will in unity as a nation and with conviction in the rightness of our case…Our greatest strength is when we are united. This case is just an example of that unity,” the President noted.

Further, Ali expressed hope that Venezuela, now that the ICJ passed its ruling, would consider participating in the proceedings.

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, Hugh Todd, who was also in (continued on page 12)

President Irfaan Ali delivering his address at the ACCC

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd

Advisor on Borders Carl Greenidge

Kaieteur News

Saturday December 19, 2020

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World Court rules it has jurisdiction to hear GuyanaVenezuela border case The Peace Palace, which houses the World Court in Hague, Netherlands

By Rehanna Ramsay

T

he International Court of Justice (ICJ) – otherwise known as the World Court – yesterday ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear the Guyana-Venezuela border case.

The 12-3 decision of the 15 member bench of the International Court, which live-streamed via the Court's website yesterday, was viewed by a contingent of local dignitaries including President Irfaan Ali; members of his Cabinet; former Speaker of the National Assembly, Barton Scotland; former Minister of F o r e i g n A ff a i r s , C a r l Greenidge; and other officials who converged at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC)

to hear the delivery of the judgment.

Delivering the ruling from the Court's seat at the Peace Palace in Hague, Netherlands, President of the ICJ, Justice Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, noted that the Court's jurisdiction to hear the case is founded upon the conferral of both countries in the authority of the UN Secretary-General under Article Four, Paragraph Two of the February 17, 1966 Geneva Agreement.

That agreement was brokered by then UN Secretary General U Thant.

The ICJ President said that the agreement allowed the Secretary-General to choose a means of settlement under Article 33 of the Charter of the United Nations, which included judicial settlement.

In the circumstances, the ICJ found that the questions of the validity of the 1899 Award and of the definitive settlement of the land boundary dispute between Guyana and Venezuela fall within the Court's jurisdiction.

While examining the legal effect of the decision of the Secretary-General on its jurisdiction under its statute, President Yusuf noted that “[t]he jurisdiction of the Court comprises all cases which the parties refer to it and all matters specially provided for in the Charter of the United Nations or in treaties and conventions in force.”

The Court, he said recalls that Venezuela has argued that the Geneva Agreement is not sufficient in itself to found the jurisdiction of the

President of the ICJ, Justice Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf

Court and the subsequent consent of the parties for the Secretary-General to choose the means of judicial settlement. “…[But] the Court concluded that, by conferring on the SecretaryGeneral the authority to choose the appropriate

means of settlement of their controversy, including the possibility of recourse to judicial settlement by the International Court of Justice, Guyana and Venezuela consented to its jurisdiction.”

It was nonetheless noted that the ICJ does not have

jurisdiction to entertain Guyana's claims arising from events that occurred after the signature of the Geneva Agreement.

In this regard, Justice Yusuf said that Guyana had contended that the Court's jurisdiction extends to all the claims submitted in its application, on the grounds that the Court's jurisdiction is determined by the text of the Geneva Agreement.

Further, in giving an overview on the contentions, J u s t i c e Yu s u f n o t e d Guyana's argument is that since the 1899 Award delimited the boundary between Venezuela and the colony of British Guiana, the controversy between the parties is territorial and the Court must therefore necessarily determine the (continued on page 12)

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Kaieteur News

Saturday December 19, 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

Marijuana On December 2, a United Nations body, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, in a majority vote, decided to remove cannabis, or marijuana, from its classification of most dangerous drugs, a position that what Caribbean people have called ganja had held for 60 years.

Shortly after that, in perhaps a related development, the government of Guyana announced that Cabinet was considering non-custodial sentences for marijuana possession.

After all, it was in August that Attorney General Anil Nandlall had stated that changing the marijuana laws was not on top of the government’s legislative agenda.

Yesterday, AG Nandlall, SC, confirmed that Cabinet was ready to amend the 1988 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act to reflect government’s intention. Interestingly enough, in the interim between the original announcement on intention and yesterday’s update, the minority opposition, previously a majority government, held a press conference in which they submitted, not tabled, what purports to be an amendment bill to Parliament.

No explanation was offered on why they had not tabled and passed the same bill after five years in office.

To be clear, the APNU+AFC opposition has zero moral standing when it comes to marijuana decriminalization. The global tide on marijuana decriminalization had turned completely under the Granger administration’s watch with progress stances taken on the issue not just across the world but in the Caribbean as well.

In contrast, Granger as President was clearly at odds with his own campaign promises and his own legislature when it came to taking concrete steps towards even conditional decriminalization.

For example, while the Rastafarian community had met with him during campaigning and submitted a brief on why the continued criminalization of marijuana was oppressive, in late 2015, Granger – in excusing his refusal to even consider decriminalization – offered a rationale that was as disingenuous as it was obtuse.

In an invited comment published in another section of the media, the then President offered the frankly idiotic excuse that because his administration was focusing on the prohibition of smoking in public places, that decriminalization of marijuana would be “contradictory” to that goal.

The already poorly enforced ban on smoking in public places would not have extended simply to tobacco products but marijuana as well.

Secondly, the ban on public smoking would have had as its rationale the heavily documented negative impact of both tobacco smoking in itself as well that of second hand smoke from tobacco products. Marijuana, in contrast, has had no similar negative side effects attached to it.

In 2016, APNU+AFC Parliamentarian Michael Carrington, used as a mere prop in the opposition’s recent theatricality, had submitted a draft amendment bill, one that never made it past submission for one simple reason – the Granger administration’s failure to decriminalize marijuana was, to put it bluntly, the direct outcome of the former President’s anachronistic and indecent class prejudices and a consequent disregard for poor people, including those who overwhelmingly have voted for him in three elections.

From the beginning to the end of his tenure that prejudice would manifest itself, whenever he deigned to even speak directly on the issue, in inanity.

Bracketing his 2015 excuse for non-decriminalization was his campaign trail commentary earlier this year when, during a rally in Linden, he had condemned the growth and use of marijuana, disregarding his failure to amend, as his government had supposedly committed to in 2018, the legislation to approve non-

We can do better, together DEAR EDITOR, In the period of observing the 16 Days of Activism, many civil society organizations and government agencies engaged in public education activities to raise awareness of gender-based violence and child abuse.

During this period of heightened awareness, a number of cases of child abuse and abuse of women were reported but the case being highlighted here in this piece is that of the teenage girl who was arrested and taken into police custody during the period of the 16 Days of Activism.

The arrest resulted from the search of her home which uncovered various quantities of an illegal substance.

Although there are various issues around the incident, it is of pertinent importance that the efforts of the Acting Chief Justice in resolving the matter in a manner that reflect the understanding of how delicate the matter is.

This delicacy, however, was not reflected by the leading newspaper that reported on the situation.

Instead, the series of events that were reported reflected the overall lack of proper care, by s e v e r a l k e y s e r v i c e providers, for safeguarding children.

Of course, it would be easy to a llocate blame and give recommendations but the fact of the matter is that Guyana is filled with such matters and services providers are faced with difficult decisions on a daily basis. Of course, it would be easy to allocate blame and give recommendations but the fact of the matter is, that Guyana is filled with such

matters and services providers are faced with difficult decisions on a daily basis.

Given this fact, it is possible that some cases will be mismanaged, thus the room for improvement is yet great among service providers with the greater responsibility resting with the public to demand a good standard of service and to raise awareness where and when service providers do not respect the rights of those whom they are providing the services for. The public also has the responsibility and right to demand a greater level of expectation in connecting with the protection of all children.

The first matter of concern is the inadequate level of supervision afforded that 14-year-old girl by her caregiver/s.

Illegal substances were kept in the home and, if that couldn’t be an indicator of poor parenting, these substances were kept in the child’s personal space in the home. There are many negative effects that can result from such actions.

The grooming of the child into a life of crime, for example, is a major area of concern. The situation also reflected negatively on the caregivers since the availability of the illegal substances could also encourage the 14-year-old girl (or any child) to be involved in drug use/abuse.

While it is obvious that illegal substances should never be in one’s possession, it should also be noted that it is not as advisable to have children in the same surroundings as such, given

custodial sentences for small amounts of marijuana. In short, five years of sleight of hand and anti-poor backwardness while the rest of the world was moving ahead.

There are three critical dimensions when it comes to the issue of marijuana consumption. The first has to do with the issue of basic justice – the reality is that primarily poor people are being locked up for what is essentially a drug that is far less harmful than legal drugs like alcohol and tobacco.

As Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley put it last year as his country passed legalization legislation, ”Marijuana had been legal for the upper class for a long time. The privileged elite has been smoking marijuana for a long time, any change now is to free up poor people from an unnecessary jail… It’s a social justice issue.”

The second has to do with cultural rights in a plural society – the continued criminalization of marijuana is a direct assault on the religious rights (and rites) of the Rastafarian faith in Guyana.

Thirdly, at a time when Guyana needs to engage in economic diversification, particularly in the agricultural industry, the continued classification of cannabis as an illegal drug not only prevents the cultivation commercialization of cannabis sativa that is marijuana, it absurdly criminalizes the cultivation of another type of cannabis sativa used for industrial hemp, and cannabis indicata which also has capacity to produce cloth.

the severity of its negative effects on children.

The report reflected that the arrival of the police was greeted by the presence of one person who claimed to be the older sister of the girl, (aged 27 years).

The reports also indicated that the girl was questioned about whom else was in the residence with her, a question to which she answered that her mother who was in her 40s was out of the home at the time. Afterward, the teenager was escorted away from the premises by the police who sought to hold her in custody given the illegal substances that was found in the home.

Supervision issues aside, the decisions of the police are a significant point of concern.

This is a 14-year-old girl and there are new juvenile justice legislations to guide the police role in any matters with children. Why arrest the teenage girl? Why not wait for the parent to return?

Why not take the person who claimed to be the older sister into custody instead? Why not take the older person who claimed to be the sister into custody along with the teenager? The answers to these questions should not be difficult, there needs to be greater levels of transparency to build trust in police hence, everyone should have clar ity on the process of this case. Services providers (particularly the Guyana Police Force) have greater responsibilities to safeguard everyone and the general public should expect more humane services from all our Police Officers. There is, without a doubt, room for improvement here.

For all we know, the mother was deeply concerned when she arrived home again and noticed her child missing, leading to her filing a missing person’s report or even initiating public outcry via social media. The child, on the other hand, may have been scared and possibly traumatized being in police custody for days.

Improvement in services including training, coaching and exposure to new legislations and policies is what is needed to curb the frequency of such events as this.

Educating Police Officers on how to deal with situations involving abused ( e m o t i o n a l l y , psychologically, etc.) young girls or boys or even minors who are involved in illegal activities can also help the process along. Improvement also includes developing skills to approach recipients of the services in a more considerate and supportive manner.

The average teenage girl is not trained to be involved in the trade/use of any type of drug. There must be some reason why this girl was exposed and there must be someone who is responsible for exposing her. More than likely, she needs adult support to be removed from the situation and perhaps even more support to not be entangled with this type of situation again.

When children and vulnerable families come into contact with service providers it is generally because a protective environment does not exist and thus, services (Continued on page 5)

In this regard, the announcement of the noncustodial sentences for small amounts of marijuana is to be sure not a step, just a half-step in the right direction towards a first step of decriminalization.

Continued criminalization is in itself unjustifiable considering first that a non-custodial sentence still reflects a criminal conviction, something that has implications for everything from a job opportunity that needs police clearance or a foreign visa application.

Also, non-custodial sentences are intrinsically antipoor and in practice can very well make no difference to working class people since, with continued criminalization, failure to adhere to the conditions of a non-custodial sentence will result inevitably in a custodial sentence.

The fine or community service that a rich teenager can easily afford the money or time for, a poor teenager with financial difficulties or employment commitments that make the difference between a meal and starvation will not be able to afford and hence end up in jail anyway.

The decriminalization of marijuana is a necessary first step in what should be legalization followed not by a free-for-all of public smoking and general, drugfilled decadence as the most backward among us seem to believe, but by strong responsible regulatory legislative framework, one that penalizes abuse but does not continue to criminalize fair use. Now is not the time for half measures.

Saturday December 19, 2020

How could the ERC in its current posture spearhead a national conversation?

DEAR EDITOR, I crave your indulgence on the matter of the Ethnic Relations Commission and it’s in genuine efforts to appear to be constructive and contributing positively to national outcomes such as National Reconciliation. In my own view, Reverend John Smith and his fellow Commissioners seem to be engaged in apparent attempts to beat a path of confrontation with the Executive of our great nation, the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. I also refer to the recent comments by His Excellency, Dr. Irfaan Ali, on the posture of the ERC on many issues of national interest. I commend President Ali for ‘calling a spade a spade’.

The participation of certain individuals in a national conversation, fresh on the heels of attempts by those very persons to rig an election is nothing short of comical, yet a worrying development. It seems that the ERC, even as a constitutional commission,

seems to hold the view that it’s an island by itself and can do as it pleases with whomever it pleases. The Commission’s positions beg the question of whether those who preside over its decision-making are truly interested in the whole notion of racial harmony, reconciliation or simply put, the concept of “country first”.

While I do not hold to the view that an acrimonious relationship between the commission and the executive should exist, the Commission is essentially by its actions, adding fuel to that proverbial fire. Any objective thinker would have questioned the refusal of the Commission as a whole to unambiguously rebuke those who attempted to thwart the will of the people following the March 2, 2020 polls. Instead the nation was treated to a few generalized and unspecific sputters.

The fact that the commission assumed a spectator posture in many instances speaks volumes of the mindset and seemingly,

Cut out the 4:30 morning openings of the Demerara Harbour Bridge DEAR EDITOR, From my assessment of the 4:30am opening of the Demerara Harbour Bridge; it is still creating heavy traffic build up. I would suggest that

adjustments be made as follows: 4:30am openings be absorbed by 4:00am and by 8:30am openings.

Sincerely yours, Paul Ramrattan

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Kaieteur News

the political preference by many members of the ERC. It is also safe to say, in my view, that as the APNU+AFC Coalition attempted to unleash its diabolical plan on Guyana, to retain the executive power, cause it what it may, ERC’s ‘consensual’ silence was more than what it seemed. The ethnic makeup of the Guyana Elections Commission, in my view, ought to have been enough for the Commission to raise red flags and sound alarms long before the holding of elections 2020. The thought of consensual silence is opposed by many but broad-based silence is more than instructive of a particular mindset. President Ali’s recent lamentations over the failure of the commission to stand up in the face of wrongdoings are well founded and justified.

There are those who argue that such a transgression is insufficient.

Then one wonders what is the motive of a national conversation that excludes input from the executive. The non-invitation of the Dr. Irfaan Ali Administration in the planning and/or input beforehand in no way, shape or form is also indicative of the need for the re-examination of the commission and whether it has operated or is fulfilling its mandate with the inclusion of all stakeholders, more so, the (Continued on page 6)

Crass treatment of NIS pensioners DEAR EDITOR, I have been uplifting my NIS Pension Book from the Brickdam office for 12 years now. And it has been a virtual nightmare since.

My most recent experience was yesterday, 18th December 2020, as was the experience of about (only) six persons waiting to uplift their Pension Books also.

There are some NIS staff members who seem to enjoy a sadistic pleasure to have pensioners wait for hours to be attended to. Six pensioners were waiting for over an hour

for our books. I had to show a senior NIS staff a WhatsApp message I was sending His Excellency the President, which got us our books in less than 10 minutes.

It is my considered view that the National insurance Scheme has developed a DNA akin to sadism, bar a few employees. The place reeks of malaise.

Yesterday’s experience was not singular – not for me, not for thousands. And certainly not of recent. And certainly not at the Brickdam office only.

Members of the media

should talk to those of us who are unfortunate to be NIS pensioners.

President Ali’s interventions over the past weeks only touched the needle point of the misery pensioners experience. Our years of service to this country are being rewarded with punishment by most employees of the NIS. I make bold to say: NIS NEEDS AN OVERHAUL! SOME STAFF NEED TO BE GIVEN MARCHING ORDERS! Taajnauth Jadunauth

...We can do better, together From page 4 providers have a greater responsibility to give hope and excellent service also.

The education of parents and guardians on how to properly supervise and provide child-friendly care for minors will help the process along.

ChildLinK, the Childcare and Protection Agency and several NGOs provide parenting skills education sessions that have helped many parents to improve their communication and care for their children.

ChildLinK is working to create a Guyanese society where every child grows up

in a loving, safe and secure family and community.

The Recovery S a f e g u a r d i n g Reintegration initiative is supported by the Delegation of the European Union to Guyana and partners with the CPA and several agencies to reintegrate children to safe families and educate the wider society on the prevention of child abuse.

Please write us with your comments and questions.

Let us know how you would like to get involved in protecting children in your community by emailing us at admin@childlinkgy.org.

Report child abuse by calling the CPA on 227-0979, the closest Police station or ChildLinK on 233-3500 or e m a i l : admin@childlinkgy.org.

Altogether the decision to be better as a nation is our greatest strength. We can do better, together.

Yours sincerely, Khadidja Ba Communications Officer ChildLink

PAGE 6

Truth and a just political dispensation is needed for national reconciliation DEAR EDITOR, Our agenda (GUA) for the New Year 2021 will be the continued promotion of National Reconciliation, Peace, and Justice while our Cultural Heritage remains the Substratum.

National Reconciliation can only be achieved when it is grounded in Truth and a Just Political Dispensation in which all Guyanese Stakeholders Fundamental Rights to inclusive Governance is Recognized, Respected and permitted by the Governing Authority as stated in Article 13 of the Guyana Constitution.

It must rotate around a common agenda which translates in the empowerment of Guyanese to

land for housing and small scale Agricultural Cultivation, benefit from our mineral resource extraction and our oil/gas wealth.

Guyanese are being conditioned ever since we have been granted independence to live within a narrow confine as in George Orwell’s Animal Farm. And on this occasion as in the Plunder of our Bauxite, Gold, and Timber, the wealth of the Nation is being accrued by the Political Elites. There will be no objection or expectation of any money from the wealth generated by our oil/gas sector to help alleviate our people from their povertystricken existence which is an Evil and inhumane design.

And yet there are so many of our Guyanese compatriots with their Academic Accreditation who unwittingly allow this to happen, unable to see the bigger picture that we are standing on a political precipice and who are yet to realize that the Creative Arts is the Illuminating Force that has guided humanity out of the Dark Ages and yet again we have to endure the harsh experience of not missing the water only when the well runs dry. Best Wishes for the season and a Prosperous New Year 2021.

Yours Faithfully, Desmond Alli (General Secretary Guyana United Artists GUA)

Were Guyanese wrong about the ERC under the PPP/C? DEAR EDITOR, Irfaan Ali is not an “honest interlocutor” even by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo’s standard on the subject of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC). Mr. Ali has come out swinging against the ERC as an excuse for his administration’s notable absence from the ERC’s ”Virtual National Conversation on Improving Ethnic Relations” earlier this week. The nation agrees that the ERC needs to refocus on its mandate, become agile and relevant again but Ali’s People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) compromised the ERC far more than that last few months ever would.

Firstly, another newspaper has astutely pointed out that the alternative facts adumbrated by Ali that the ERC ”went into hiding” during the recent General and Regional Elections is far from accurate since the Commission issued statements on at least two occasions during the protracted process.

Secondly, in that very electoral process to which Mr. Ali speaks there is an infamous incident on the stairs of GECOM Hadfield Street location when Glen

Hanoman, a PPP/C supporter and lawyer was prevented by two female African police officers from ascending without proper identification or authorization. Mr. Hanoman turned to Mr. Ali who was close by and said, “Dr. Ali, mark these police faces, when the government change they must know their jobs are in jeopardy.” Mr. Ali said nothing in return to assuage the situation. The racial overtones were unmistakable. Additionally, several times during the very election cycle, avowed PPP/ C supporters from “Aunty Suckie” to characters like “Sofiyah Persaud”, said some of the most despicable things that should never be contemplated in the minds of human beings much less to be uttered. Where has this new Mr. Ali been “hiding” all this time?

Mr. Ali, at the apex of the PPPC’s power, has no moral authority to call out the ERC, however grave their failings, when his party has contributed to the Commission’s state. If there are Guyanese who are confused about the PPPC’s role on any question of race must read University of the West Indies scholar Kean

...How could the ERC in From page 5 main stakeholder. Worse yet, the ERC in its wisdom and as President Ali describes it, popped up with names on its own volition, some of whom have been identified as individuals at the forefront of attempts to derail Guyana’s

Saturday December 19, 2020

Kaieteur News

democracy and subvert the will of the people.

How could they possibly spearhead a national conversation? This certainly wasn’t a workshop on how to rig an election.

Yours Respectfully, Erin Northe

Gibson’s work, Cycle of Racial Oppression, on the race politics of the Guyana Government during the tenure of Bharrat Jagdeo; read the Report on Minority Rights in Guyana by the UN Independent Expert Gay MacDougall. I refuse to submit here Guyanese academics who have written extensively on the subject matter for avoidance of the charge of bias. However, the 2010 research work of Freddie Kissoon stands the test of academic and legal scrutiny and is inescapable. In his seminal work, “Ethnic power and Ideological racism: Comparing presidencies in Guyana Kissoon argues convincingly, “Even if one argues that when old parties are defeated and newer ones win elections, there are changes in personnel, the situation in Guyana is the total public realms cannot be easily explained save for racial engineering.”

In another section, Kissoon states, “There is a relentless, almost frenetic process of African disappearance in all dimensions of substantial power. And this decrease is a result of governmental edicts, policies by the ruling elites and attitudes of Indian power-brokers.”

This could have been written last month, an indication that the more things change with the PPP/C, the more they stay the same.

The academic chronicles and catalogues, among infractions, how the then Guyana government refused (Continued on page 22)

Guyana will never allow itself to be dragged back to the dark days DEAR EDITOR, I am appalled and angry at the statement purportedly made by a sitting member of Parliament, a politician and a former Minister of Government.

The statement attached to that person’s name is no joking matter and should be investigated properly by the Ethnic Relations Commission, the police and the party’s Executive to arrive at the truth. Hopefully, the ERC would not drag its foot on this matter.

If true, such a harmful statement being made by a former Senior Minister of the A Partner for National Unity and Alliance for Change Government would be telling.

It is racist and misinformed not to mention misguided. It is in bad taste and could make the line between racial hostility and racial tolerance disappear.

We have come a long and far way as a people. We have sacrificed a great lot to finally be able to achieve racial tolerance amongst all the

people of Guyana. We have crossed the border and bridge of indifference and now we are arriving where we want to be. Sure, we have a long way to go but no man, not even a Former Parliamentarian is going to get in the way of progress.

Guyana will never allow itself to be dragged back to the dark days where there were cases of race hate and it was acceptable to be openly racist.

Regards, Attiya Baksh

Teachers deserve an increase in salary for this year DEAR EDITOR, It is that season of the year where people purchase gifts, decorations, confectioneries and supplies to celebrate but not even Santa is aware of what this holiday season is going to be like for the teachers in this country.

For a very long time now, holiday bonuses have been a way for employers to show appreciation for their employees. Everyone is looking forward for that extra holiday cash added to their salaries and most positions of employment in Guyana benefit from this ’Christmas Bonus’, The President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, was very generous to the lawmen when he announced that they will be benefitting from a two-week tax-free bonus for the holiday season.

Mr. President, I am now compelled to ask, what happen to the educators of

this land? Are they not a part of this holiday season? Do you honestly believe that salaries alone would be sufficient to help defray holiday expenses?

It should be noted that since the closure of schools on March 13, 2020 and to date, teachers were never given any guidance or direction on the way forward.

They took it upon themselves, utilising their own resources, to engage learners on a virtual platform, mainly on WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

Furthermore, teachers are still being instructed to go out there, in the midst of rising COVID-19 cases, and distribute textbooks, exercise books, printed learning materials and uniform vouchers. I think it is the right time of the year to recognize the full worth of these efforts

of our educators.

In the event that a ‘Christmas Bonus’ is not granted, I am urgently requesting for teachers to be given what’s rightfully theirs, a percentage increase in salaries.

Earlier this year, the Government of the day, presented a $330B ‘people centred’ emergency budget out of which $52B was allocated for the education sector, yet teachers haven’t received their increase in salaries for this year. I wonder, was this budget really ‘people centred’? Teachers deserve an increase in salary for this year, retroactive from January, as well as the outstanding difference on the previous pay increase.

Kindly give our teachers what they deserve.

Yours Sincerely, Ashan Bacchus

The perfect Xmas gift guaranteed to lift the spirit DEAR EDITOR, The conventional approach is a thing of the past. While Xmas is a festive season that represents peace on earth and goodwill to mankind, my sentiments go out to all those who have lost loved ones during the year, especially those who were murdered by their spouses in domestic violence. We are still in shock at the senseless murders of so many young women and men, who have so much to offer, but have been cut down in the prime of their lives. No need for a reminder as to how unprecedented is this Xmas season. Research reports have showed that while we have become extremely dependent on text messages and emails to communicate with our family members and close friends, a phone call is more likely to produce the feelings of connectedness that we crave. While, unquestionably, people feel more connected through voice-based media, there are still elements of fear about awkwardness that are propelling them towards text –based media.

Over the next few days, we will feel the urge to reconnect with family and friends, an urge that has certainly been strengthened on

account of the pandemic-driven social distancing recommendations that make inperson meetings more difficult. While it might be more advantageous to send a text or email, especially a group message, to say Happy Holidays, it will also be unmistakably impersonal. The recipients will give it a quick glance and move on. By the end of the day, it will be largely forgotten.

However, if you set aside a block of time to make a series of phone calls, then undoubtedly the effect will likely endure throughout the remainder of the day and well into the future. Those on the other end of the call will be much more appreciative, and will cherish and remember that you cared enough and that you took the extra time to catch up with them. Conclusively, this neverhappen-before, one-of-a-kind Christmas has left many of us at a loss when it comes to gift giving. This year, a phone call might just be the perfect present. However, do not forget during the phone call to tell those close to you how much you love and appreciate them.

So wherever you are, whatever you choose to do. Have a truly reflective time.

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!

Seasons greetings!

Yvonne Sam

T N U L B . . .

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L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Saturday December 19, 2020

Kaieteur News

We've got politicians who like to present themselves as Lions representing the People and the People's interests.

However, when it comes to facing the People on basic questions on the Oil and Gas sector, questions that have to do with management of the People's wealth, these lions suddenly become sheep.

One Lion in Government is yet to take up a full invitation to come and discuss the Kaieteur and Canje blocks give away on Kaieteur Radio.

One Lion in Opposition three months ago promised a full press conference to discuss the Kaieteur and Canje blocks give away but keeps giving excuse after excuse why he isn't holding it.

It may be that these shape-shifting Lions are just wolves in sheep's clothing after all.

PAGE 07

Saturday December 19, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Guyana yet to install five years

of IMF recommendations

By Kiana Wilburg

O

ver the last five years, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been one of Guyana's key partners in developing the technical capacity that is needed to properly govern the oil and gas sector.

In addition to this, the financial institution has been at the forefront of highlighting many loopholes in Guyana's oil deals as well as its legislative and regulatory framework, which can aid in mitigating significant value loss.

In this regard, it has produced several reports between 2015 to now which o f f e r c r i t i c a l recommendations that should be adopted. In spite of the prudent advice it has offered in these documents, there has been no significant

application by Guyana's political leadership.

For example, on numerous occasions, the IMF has appealed to Guyana to strengthen its petroleum fiscal regime through the revision of the Petroleum [Exploration and Production] Act 1986 (PEPA), the Petroleum [Exploration and Production] Regulations 1986, as well as other tax laws and sector regulations.

The IMF has been keen to note that while the PEPA gives the government broad powers to grant petroleum prospecting and production licences, and to negotiate oil contracts, it is silent on processing and refining of petroleum products, pipelines and other modes of petroleum transportation, as well as how petroleum marketing arrangements are to be observed.

In spite of this, the country has been pushing ahead with the marketing of its oil and plans to bring gas to shore.

Additionally, with regard to the lopsided oil deal, the IMF has expressed alarm over the opportunities Guyana gives Exxon Mobil and its partners to be abusive in the way they add interests to its expenses, all of which would be recovered in full.

Left unchecked, the IMF said that this can have a detrimental effect on the oil profits that would be left to share. In one of its reports, the IMF said it is a wellestablished industry norm to have limitations on how much interest can be charged and deducted on loans by oil companies.

It noted that some countries disallow interest expenses or limit the amount of debt permitted for cost

recovery purposes through caps.

Other countries, it advised, go the route of prescribing that interest may be deductible only on borrowing to fund development costs or a maximum percentage of such costs.

Interest on loans to finance exploration is not allowed. Considering the dire consequences this loophole can have for Guyana, the IMF said it would be appropriate for Guyana to limit the amount of debt for cost recovery purposes or disallow interest expense altogether.

Further to this, the IMF has called on Guyana to close other fiscal loopholes in existing Production Sharing Agreements; undertake a policy review of fiscal terms contained in existing PSAs to ensure that these are implemented

appropriately, and assess areas of improvement for future investment; design a new generally applicable fiscal regime for upstream petroleum projects that increases the government take and limits the scope for individual negotiations; introduce a revised production sharing mechanism for new PSAs that provide the government with a higher share of profit oil as the profitability of projects' increases; and publish a model PSA that includes the minimum fiscal terms accepted by the government for future contracts.

The IMF has also called on Guyana to apply tighter ring-fencing arrangements to contracts so that oil companies would be unable

to deduct the costs associated with exploring other wells or developing other projects from another field that is producing oil.

The foregoing represents a mere fraction of the IMF's recommendations which the nation's leaders have failed to implement, yet continue to tell the nation that every possible measure is being put in place to protect the oil sector.

DPP's appeal in Marcus Bisram case...

Oral arguments commence in Appeal Court T

he Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Shalimar Ali –Hack, S.C, yesterday commenced her oral arguments in the Court of Appeal, contending that her

order to have former murder accused, Marcus Bisram committed to stand trial for the murder of Faiyaz Narinedatt was lawfully made and that there were several errors in the judgment

that allowed Bisram to walk free of the murder.

The DPP yesterday gave part of her arguments virtually before the Appeal Court and attorney-at-law, Arud Gossai who is representing Bisram.

She is expected to give the rest of her arguments on January 13, 2021.

The hearing follows a decision by Justice Simone Morris- Ramlall, who ruled in June that Bisram was unlawfully committed to stand trial in the High Court for the capital offence of murder.

Additionally, the Judge had granted orders quashing the decision of the Magistrate to commit Bisram to stand trial in the High Court for the offence of murder; prohibiting the DPP from proffering an indictment in the High Court charging Bisram with the offence of murder again.

However, the DPP is challenging Justice MorrisRamlall's decision on the grounds that there were errors in the judgment and maintained that her order to have Bisram committed to stand trial was lawfully made.

In her argument yesterday the DPP told the court that there is sufficient evidence against Bisram for him to be committed, based on evidence that was given by the main witness.

She also stated that while the Magistrate did not make out a prima facie against him or did not find sufficient

The Director of Public Former murder accused, Prosecution (DPP), Marcus Bisram Shalimar Ali –Hack, S.C. evidence for Bisram to be committed, she believes that there is sufficient evidence and the case should be reopened and the jury should be allowed to decide on the credibility of the evidence.

She also stated among other things that with a jury properly directed there can be a conviction for the murder of Narinedatt, who was killed between October 31, 2016 and November 1, 2016.

Before moving to the Court of Appeal, the DPP had file for an appeal before the Full Court challenging the Judge's decision. Two days after making that appeal, she withdrew the case and

indicated that she will move to the Court of Appeal.

The Director was asking the Full Court to set aside/reverse the judge decision and highlighted among other things that that the judge erred in law in striking out parts of the state's affidavit without giving it an opportunity to be heard.

The DPP stated that her directions, were given under Section 72 of the Criminal Law (Procedure) Act and were lawful, proper and reasonable, adding that Bisram's arrest was also lawful and proper; she asked the Full Court that he be committed to stand trial at the next sitting of the High Court's Criminal Assizes.

Saturday December 19, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 09

The blow-blow parade continues in the government D

uring the recent Te s t m a t c h between the West Indies and New Zealand, local viewers would have been surprised to see spectators at the Test venue. Most of these spectators were sitting close to each other and most were not wearing masks.

Guyanese would have been asking themselves how this could be happening given that the world is in the midst of a pandemic. They would have also been perplexed that the West Indies players had to train for almost a month in isolation, yet here were spectators attending the match as if there was no COVID-19 threat.

The reason that spectators were allowed to watch the match and were not forced to wear masks is because New Zealand has one of the best records in containing the pandemic.

New Zealand has a population of five million persons or about seven times that of Guyana. However, it only has slightly more than one-third of Guyana's total coronavirus cases and a mere 25 deaths compared with 159 for Guyana.

New Zealand success was a result of having an effective lockdown during the early stages of the pandemic. It has also tested more than 25 percent of the population and this was

Dem

boys seh...

I

f somebody nah recognise de government, how can dat person be said to consent to de same government doing something. Is dah wah gat dem boys baffled.

De ICJ seh how by virtue of signing de Geneva Agreement, Venezuela give consent to having de matter resolved through judicial settlement and since de ICJ is an organ of de United Nations, it mean dat dem give consent to de matter being heard there.

Dem boys asking how a country could give consent to a court which it has never

coupled with a quick response in identifying and isolating cases and undertaking contact tracing.

These were the simple secrets of New Zealand's success. Today that country has only 43 active cases, a tremendous achievement which allowed it to have spectators during the justc o n c l u d e d Te s t s e r i e s between West Indies and New Zealand.

In contrast, Guyana has more than 6,000 cases and six times the number of deaths. Guyana is not getting it right and while the people are primarily to be blamed, the government is not setting a proper example.

The government continues with its wildness.

While the Minister of Health is urging that citizens limit their social gatherings this Christmas, his colleagues continue to host and attend large gatherings.

Yesterday, there was a large event, attended by more than 100 persons, all seated under the same tent, at the National Stadium. The purpose of the meeting was to share out titles for government house lots.

This was totally unnecessary. There was no need for so many persons to be brought together. The people could have gone into the Ministry of Housing, based on appointments made, and uplifted their titles. There was no need for

the pappy-show, which is expected to be rolled out to other Regions, thereby exposing more persons to the risk of COVID-19 infections.

A number of government Ministers and officials gathered at the Conference Center in order to watch a decision, which was being streamed, live. There was no need for so many persons to be assembled in a central place. They could have followed what was taking place from their offices. But the emphasis is on publicity rather than safety and this is why Guyana is in the mess in which it finds itself in relation to the pandemic.

Why are children being packed into school halls in order to receive Christmas gifts? Why cannot these gifts be distributed without all the ceremony and fanfare? What matters is the act of giving the children something, not the publicity of doing so?

During the pandemic, a certain newspaper publisher distributed 12 truckloads of hampers to poor persons. He did not publish it in the newspaper because he was more interested in helping people than in gaining popularity from this exercise.

Many of the persons who attended a recent gift-giving exercise were not wearing facemasks. There was no need for people to be brought to a central location in order

De decision nah changing de colour of de sky recognized and which it publicly stated dat it does not recognize.

But dat is how law is a complicated thing. So you gat to read the judgment to understand how to unravel dat puzzle. Dem judge however mek a point dat nobody nah hear about it.

Dem seh dat a resolution by judicial settlement does not necessarily mean de end of de controversy.

In other words, leh we suppose dat Guyana win de case when it finish in de next 10 years. Dat does not mean dat Venezuela is going to withdraw its claim. All it means is dat Guyana gat de

backing of international law on its side. But dat never stop de big and bad countries from doing what dey want.

Dat too gat dem boys confused.

Dem boys seh dat de Prezzie talk about unity yesterday. But dem nah had none of de main Opposition party people in attendance.

So much for national unity.

Dem boys seh at least Soulja Bai can seh how is he start de ball rolling but dat nah mean dat de ball is he own.

Talk half and try fuh find out how much money we gat to find fuh fight de case and wah difference it gan mek!

for gifts to get to the children.

The Minister of Health has to speak to his colleagues and let them know that their actions are in direct

opposition to what he is preaching. He is trying to limit social gathering so as to contain the spread of the pandemic, while many of his colleagues are on a blow-

blow parade.

(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

Saturday December 19, 2020

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

A mystery during the five months of rigging now explained I

n all the analyses from independent commentators, no one has touched on a mystery during the five months of election rigging. It was on Tuesday, March 3, that international and local observers detected a fishy movement in the command centre of GECOM – there was an abrupt halt to the last stage of the counting of the votes.

Nine Regions were completed and accepted by GECOM with Region Four still to be finalized. The next day, March 4, the world saw that the 2020 election was being rigged when Clairmont Mingo began to insert fictional numbers into the Region Four tabulation.

When that happened, it forced the international observers and the PPP/C to release statements of poll that revealed the loss by the incumbent. Knowing that it had lost, the APNU and the AFC, as two separate entities, went on the offensive with shouts of

victory.

Of the two entities, the AFC fired off the first salvo of going on the attack. The next day, Thursday, March 5, Cathy Hughes and Khemraj Ramjattan held a press conference at the PNC's election campaign head office at Lamaha and Camp Streets and informed the nation that the government had intercepted a group of Russians, that came to tamper with the election, and they were arrested and deported.

Research on the attitudes of the leaders of PNC and AFC would show that from Friday, March 6 onto August 1, the day Granger conceded defeat, there was no longer any mention of the Russian dimension.

Here was a brilliant strategy of deception in politics that could have paid dividends in a world torn between big power rivalry, but both the PNC and AFC dropped it immediately after March 6. If the incumbent cried about American

intervention then that could have found ears in Canada, the UK and Washington.

Why was this horse not flagged?

From March 6 to August 1, the Russian intervention was avoided like the plague in the countless descriptions of the PNC and AFC of what the PPP did.

There was the dossier prepared by a relative of President Granger, Michael Granger, as contracted by the PR firm, JJ&B, which was hired by the PNC. The dossier linked the PPP/C with China and argued that a PPP/C victory would see the PPP/C take Guyana into the orbit of both China and Russia. But there were no details of Russian election tampering.

Joe Harmon was the front man for the cries of PNC and AFC. He cited the following - deliberate discarding of the thousands of ballots of the security forces; migrants long gone from Guyana had voted;

dead people with names on the voters' list voted; crucial documents were missing in many ballot boxes.

Chris Jones and Sherod Duncan ran a nightly Facebook feature denouncing the PPP/C tampering but no mention of the Russians. Dr. Melissa Ifill, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of UG, asserted that the American firm, M e r c u r y, s h a p e d t h e narrative for a PPP/C victory but she did not cite the Russians. Dr. David Hinds, Rickford Burke and Mark Benschop, from their homes in the US incited every night, cussed down every night but not a word about Russian involvement.

By the end of July when Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, literally threatened Granger with sanctions from international law in a telephone conversation that Granger initially refused to take, the Russian strategy was long dead. Why did the PNC and AFC kill the

Russian thing? Here is what happened that has never been made public.

After Hughes and Ramjattan told the world about the Russians, the US Embassy contacted Ramjattan and asked for more details. He was the

Frederick Kissoon Minister of Public Security so he would be in possession of the documents.

Interestingly, Ramjattan gave oral details but declined to offer documents, which he said, were a security matter

that had to be okayed by Cabinet. Ramjattan thought he was on safe ground because Cabinet was not meeting and would not be meeting, so no documents.

The US Embassy knew Ramjattan and Hughes were playing games. Weeks passed and the American Embassy received no documents. When Ramjattan was not forthcoming, the US Embassy asked President Granger for information. The Russian stratagem died there and then. The Office of the President informed the US Embassy that it knew nothing about the Russian involvement and heard about it from the AFC press conference.

The Embassy then informed the Canadian, EU and UK diplomats that the Russian thing was fake news. The PNC had no interest in the Russian story because it knew that it was a wild card the AFC introduced into the arena that was a pathetic sight.

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

Saturday December 19, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Haitians at the centre of controversy leave country T he 26 Haitians nationals, recently been at the centre of suspected smuggling/ human trafficking controversy, have left the country. This was confirmed by their attorneyat-law hired by the Association of Haitian Nationals, Darren Wade, who spoke to Kaieteur News yesterday.

His confirmation came after reports surfaced that the 26 nationals had “disappeared” from the hotel they were staying at on South Road and persons saw two minibuses pick them up.

The Haitians were picked by authorities within the period of November 7 and November 8. One set was discovered by the Trafficking in Persons Unit at the hotel on South Road and the others were picked up in a mini-bus en route to Linden – Mabura Road during a police roadblock. Of the 26 Haitian nationals; there were 10 males, nine

females, two boys and five girls.

They were subsequently placed in protective custody at the Hugo Chávez Centre and an order to have them sent back to their homeland was granted by Chief Magistrate Sherdel IsaacsMarcus on December 2, after the matter was brought to the Georgetown Magistrates' Court.

The order was later challenged, after the Association of Haitian Nationals in Guyana hired Attorney Wade to file a motion to block their deportation until the constitutionality of their detention is given argument in the court.

Wade had said that the Haitians were not charged or put before any court, making it difficult to comprehend the deportation order and he questioned on what grounds it was supported. He maintained that they entered the country legally and were granted a six-month stay by

Saturday December 19, 2020

Haitians at the CJIA sometime back, waiting to be picked up

the Immigration Department.

The motion was filed during a hearing on December 3, in which Chief Justice Roxane GeorgeWiltshire temporarily halted their deportation and they were released from the holding facility.

The Haitians were given the option to be supervised and fed or released to an address of their choice and they chose the latter. They requested to be taken to the very hotel they “disappeared" from.

A hearing of the case was conducted yesterday and Chief Justice GeorgeWiltshire asked the state to (continued on page 20)

World Court rules it has jurisdiction to...

From page 3 boundary between Venezuela and Guyana, which implies first deciding whether the Award is valid.

He said that “Guyana further argues that the Court

would not be in a position to reach 'a full agreement for the solution' of this dispute by addressing “any outstanding questions,” which is the objective set forth under Article IV of the Geneva Agreement, without first ruling on the validity of the Award.”

On the other hand, the World Court President noted that in its memo, Venezuela alleges that the question of the validity of the 1899 Award is not part of the controversy under the Geneva Agreement.

“According to Venezuela,” he said “the Geneva Agreement was adopted on the basis that the merits of the contention of nullity of the Award could not be discussed between the parties as the “validity or nullity of an arbitral award is non-negotiable.”

The judge said that Venezuela considers that “the subject-matter of the

Geneva Agreement is the territorial dispute, not the validity or nullity of the 1899 Award.”

He noted further that Venezuela adds that a legal dispute such as one regarding the validity of the 1899 Award is not susceptible to a “practical” settlement.

The Guyana- Venezuela border issue stems from a quarrel that dates back to 1787. The two countries had made an arbitral award establishing the boundary between them in 1899 but their latest quarrel came after a 2015 Presidential decree from President Nicolas Maduro saw Venezuela claiming Essequibo and its offshore territory.

The claims resulted in Venezuela's naval invasion into the area on numerous occasions to stop any exploration from taking place in those quarters.

The claims were met with protests from Guyana,

the dispute that now lies in the hands of the ICJ, the international court established by the United Nations Charter for a resolving such issues.

A refusal by Venezuela, in March of this year, to participate in the matter on the grounds that the ICJ lacked the jurisdiction to adjudicate the border complaint meant that the Court had to determine the preliminary issue of jurisdiction before it could hear and determine the merits of the territorial case in accordance with international law.

Moments after the ruling, Venezuela's Foreign Minister, Jorge Arreaza, issued a statement to the press published by Unionnewsnet, in which he stated that the national government rejected the decision of the ICJ, as it does not view the Court as competent to handle the matter.

ICJ ruling, a victory for Guyana...

From page 2 jubilation at the ruling, stated that this was achieved through the inclusive approach taken by government. He also added that while Guyana respects Venezuela and its people, it also has to protect its own sovereignty and selfinterest.

Todd remarked “This has been a longstanding issue that we have been dealing with for decades that has no political confinement. It is an issue that requires the involvement of each and

every citizen regardless of color, race, class, or political affiliation.”

That approach was evident in government's move to retain former Coalition Foreign Secretary, Carl Greenidge as an Advisor on Border Issues and as an Agent in the matter.

Greenidge, who attended the viewing, remarked that the judgment is one Guyana sought and noted too, that careful attention must be paid to the language used in the judgment and

explanation provided.

“We are pleased to see this case brought to a forum and accepted which ensured the definitive resolution of a controversy which has bedeviled our country and neighbour since 1982.

The issue has been characterized by endless interminable repetition of processes and argument,” Greenidge stated, adding that in the background Guyana lost territory, investments and the opportunity to improve the well-being of its people.

Kaieteur News

Saturday December 19, 2020

PAGE 13

CH&PA opens house lot distribution exercise T

he Ministry of Housing and Water through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has commenced its 'Dream Realised Housing Drive 2020' land allocation exercise.

The two-day event which commenced at the Guyana National Stadium Providence yesterday saw more than one thousand eight hundred applicants.

The event was attended by key Housing Ministry officials, including Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal, Minister within the Ministry of Housing, Susan Rodrigues and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) within the Central Housing and Planning A u t h o r i t y ( C H & PA ) Sherwin Greaves.

In an address to the participants, Minister Rodrigues said that the exercise is in keeping with the government's manifesto commitment to distribute 4,000 houselots before the end of 2020.

She noted that it is also part of their target to allocate at least 10,000 house lots per year.

Despite the challenges, she said that the Ministry vigorously pursued its work

Junior Minister of Housing, Susan Rodrigues year.

We will be allocating 3,500, 500 more than mandated,” he said. Next

Minister Rodrigues allows participants to pulls numbers from an envelope during the allocation exercise programme to ensure h o m e o w n e r s h i p countrywide.

The Junior Housing Minister said that the work was hampered by the fact that the previous administration left no systems in place to access available lands, infrastructure and other measures necessary to create or enhance housing.

She said the CH&PA had

to overcome substantial odds to fulfill its housing commitments.

“All of the odds were against us when we took office in August of this year.

People had lost confidence in housing because, by the previous administration's own admission, they had only allocated 7,000 house lots in five years, “the Minister added.

Meanwhile, CEO

Interdicted police officer granted $300,000 bail on fatal dangerous driving charges

A

n interdicted policeman, who was involved in a smashup on the Whim Public Road in August of this year, made his first court appearance at the Whim Magistrate Court to answer to three counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

Simon Alder appeared before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh and is accused of driving motorcar, PWW 582, in a manner dangerous to the public on August 2.

His actions caused the death of 21-year-old Jessica Leitch of Rose Hall Town; 21-year-old GDF Air Corps officer, Kwesi Lewis, of Corriverton; and 25-year-old Reon Moriah, a labourer, also of Corriverton.

A lder, who was represented by attorney-atlaw Dexter Todd, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Charged police officer, Simon Alder

I n addition to the dangerous driving charges laid to him in court yesterday, Prosecutor Orin Joseph told the court that Alder was charged with driving an uninsured vehicle to which he pleaded guilty.

He was fined and pleaded guilty for DUI. His attorney, via Zoom, made a bail application and pointed out that Alder is still a serving member of the Guyana Police Force.

T he prosecutor, however, informed Todd and the court that Alder was in fact interdicted.

M agistrate Singh subsequently placed him on $100,000 bail on each count.

He was ordered to report to the Springlands Police Station monthly.

He is set to return to court on December 21 for report.

Greaves noted 'Dream Realised' is an important initiative in delivering the proposed 50,000 house lots over five years.

“His Excellency has a mandate that we allocate 3,000 before the end of the

week, the Ministry is taking Dream Realised back to Berbice, and there are plans to host it in Region Three.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Saturday December 19, 2020

AFC Leader holds one of the world's worst oil contracts as a badge of honour

By Mikaila Prince

W

hile former Minister of N a t u r a l Resources and Alliance For Change (AFC) Chairman R a p h a e l Tr o t m a n h a s conceded that the Stabroek Block Agreement is lopsided and therefore warrants an international investigation, Leader of the AFC Khemraj Ramjattan, is of the belief that that agreement is one of the best decisions the coalition has ever made.

Ramjattan made these and other utterances on Thursday evening on a Facebook prerecorded video, where he told listeners that, “That oil production agreement that we made was one of the best decisions the Government of Guyana under the APNU+AFC

made. You had Venezuela coming down on our backs, drawing a line. [President Nicolas] Maduro made a decree that all that water out there belongs to Venezuela…

You also had people who were saying that the best thing to do is to bring an American oil company that could take care of the Ve n e z u e l a n t h r e a t ; ExxonMobil one of the biggest oil companies.”

To date, there is no evidence to show that that controversy played any part in the deliberations, and that excuse came after the US$18M signing bonus was exposed. Ramjattan even labeled this paltry $18M signing bonus as an achievement, but research has shown this money on the lower end out of similar oil finds.

Alliance For Change Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan Ramjattan continued, “We managed to get a better deal than what Janet Jagan

signed onto—namely from 1% to 2% royalty and 50/50 profit sharing.

This decision was the best decision in my books….

People like the Kaieteur News and Christopher Ram and so on don't like the idea that we entered; we entered because we were the government of the day, and they can talk all manner of nonsense that they want.”

This contract was kept from the public, for a year and a half after its signing, by the David Granger administration. The then Government had also hid from the public that it received a signing bonus from ExxonMobil, of US$18M, which it kept in a special account.

When the contract was finally revealed and subjected to public scrutiny, it became apparent that its provisions were substandard and crafted in such ways that Guyana would suffer significant value leakage. Contentious public debates have been waged for years, including when the contract was highlighted in an early 2020 report by the internationally respected non-governmental organisation, Global Witness.

The non-governmental organization had said that Trotman had ignored expert advice on multiple occasions and had signed the agreement away in a short period. Most importantly, the firm had said that Guyana left US$55B on the table because of its failure to secure a fair deal.

In addition to Guyana giving up the billions of dollars with the current Stabroek contract, there are a number of other issues with the Stabroek Block contract.

These include precontract costs discrepancies; taxes that are paid by Guyana on behalf of the oil companies; unspecified interest rates expensed to Guyana for loans to the oil entities; weak environmental standards; Guyana's inability to control the amount of oil being produced; and infrastructure cost anomalies between the Liza One & Liza Two Floating Production, (continued on page 20)

A small sample of the almost universal condemnation on various aspects of the Exxon Stabroek Block deal by various international agencies.

Global Witness report, Signed Away: “Guyana is set to lose out on up to US$55 billion from the Stabroek licence – an average of US$1.3 billion per year in a country with an annual budget of US$1.4 billion, according to a new analysis…To get its deal, Exxon employed aggressive and rushed negotiating tactics.”

University of Houston Instructor, Tom Mitro: In his over 30 years experience in the industry, Mitro said he has never come across a PSA with more troubling provisions than those contained in the Guyana-ExxonMobil deal.

The Oil Consultant who is versed in contract renegotiation posited that one may see isolated cases where one or two of the odd clauses are present in other contracts.

“But so many, [that is to say, 13 unusual provisions] all in the same agreement is unheard for me,” the University of Houston Instructor stated.

Based on the dozens of contracts he has reviewed, Mitro said that undoubtedly, the Guyana-Exxon PSA stands out as the worst.

Inter-American Development Bank: The ring-fencing arrangement in a PSA framework can constrain the allocation of income and expenditure for profit sharing and tax purposes.

With a tight ring-fence, the scope to consolidate income and expenditure across multiple fields is restricted.

However, this is undone by the PSA framework also allowing the contractor to allocate cost oil to any field within the contract area.

This asymmetrical treatment of profit and cost oil is likely to benefit contractors with multiple fields within their contract areas at the expense of delaying government revenue.

For example, a contractor with multiple fields can significantly reduce the amount of profit oil to be shared from a producing field by allocating cost oil from various fields under development to the producing field.

This could have significant implications in terms of delaying government revenue, especially if a large, multi-field project is developed in phases.

Saturday December 19, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Saturday December 19, 2020

Kaieteur News

Man remanded to prison for Arakaka Police Outpost arson attempt

A

n Arakaka man was remanded to prison for allegedly setting fire to the Arakaka Police Outpost a week ago. Roscoe McIntyre, 29, of Central Arakaka Village, Region One, who was arrested on December 12 in relation to incident, made an appearance at the Port Kaituma Police Station before Magistrate Delon Bess, via Skype, on Thursday.

McIntyre was charged, under Section 143 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act Chapter 8:01, with setting fire to a public building. He pleaded not guilty to the indictable charge and was remanded to prison.

According to Kaieteur News' previous reporting on the incident, Roscoe was accused of breaking into a home and stealing clothes and a bottle of gasoline. It was the same gasoline that McIntyre allegedly used to set the police outpost on fire.

Remanded: Roscoe McIntyre McIntyre allegedly barricaded the door with a padlock and lit the building on fire. At the time, police ranks were inside performing duties in the Enquiries Office.

The police report stated that the front door of the building was scorched and a five-gallon bottle that was at the front door was partly burnt.

Reports are that no one was injured during the incident.

Saturday December 19, 2020

Kaieteur News

Health Ministry records 34 new COVID-19 cases

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he Ministry of Health yesterday reported 34 new COVID-19 cases, increasing the total number of confirmed cases to 6,076 as indicated in their daily dashboard update.

The dashboard also shows 588 patients in home isolation, 35 in institutional isolation and six in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit

(ICU).

An additional 19 persons are in institutional quarantine and, 91 more persons have recovered. The total number of recoveries, according to the Ministry, is 5,288.

The COVID-19 death toll remains at 159 deaths.

PAGE 19

Cathy Hughes clears air on alleged Facebook post F

ollowing the Ethnic Relations Commission launching an investigation into an inciting comment allegedly made by Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament (MP), Catherine Hughes, the politician took the opportunity and cleared the air on the issue yesterday.

Recently, a post was made on his Facebook by attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes, Hughes' husband, regarding an altercation between relatives of the slain Henry cousins and police ranks.

A screenshot of a comment supposedly made by the AFC MP started circulating.

In the screenshot Hughes was seen saying “Why, Why, Why. Has this family not had more than most can bear?

Madness” to which someone responded, “It seems to me as though someone wants a civil war in this country, our people are being too quiet and these people need attention”. The image then showed Hughes supposedly responding to the comment saying “This country needs a civil war”.

After the image circulated the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) released a statement stating that they have expeditiously started an investigation into the comment that was “calling for an undesirable and dangerous action which can potentially impact negatively

on ethnic relations”.

During a virtual press conference hosted by the AFC yesterday, Hughes denied making the comment, saying that it was “fraudulent” and “wholly untrue”.

The MP then shared an original version of the screenshot highlighting that it was photoshopped. “What the culprit did is to create a screen shot of part of the conversation thread. He or she then created a fake screen shot in which they forged a response purported to be from me, and inserted the forged comment into the fake screenshot. It is this fake screenshot, maliciously doctored and tampered with, that was shared on several whatsapp chats,” Hughes said.

Giving a side by side view of the original and tampered image, she pointed out that the font used in the fake screenshot was different from the font in the original image. She further stated that if persons were to check Nigel Hughes' original post on his Facebook page her authentic statement as shown in her screenshots would reveal a different version of what was said in the fake screenshot.

She lamented that the allegations has caused severe and untold damage to her character and she would have reported the matter to the Commissioner of Police and responded to a request for information from the ERC. ”This is a cybercrime and

given my strong personal stand against racism in all its forms I wish to ensure that my name is cleared. What is worrying is that this is easy to do, has happened to many persons with dire and dangerous consequences and will happen to many others given today's technology,” she expressed.

She said that the proper technologically based monitoring of our social media environment is needed and is the foundation on which accurate forensic investigation should be conducted.

Hughes stated that before the 2020 elections; she met with the ERC and discussed the importance of them investing in a digital c o m p u t e r- b a s e d m e d i a monitoring system rather than “placing persons in front of a TV screen or radio for long hours listening to content”, which she described as old fashioned.

This newspaper attempted to contact the ERC to find out if they did a preliminary investigation to verify the alleged comments made by Cathy Hughes before announcing a larger investigation; if such a preliminary investigation was done, what were the steps involved; and what was found in the preliminary investigation that warranted the public announcement of the current investigation into the alleged post.

However, the ERC was unable to give a response before press time.

Saturday December 19, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

Cabinet approves decision to amend law on custodial sentencing for small amounts of marijuana - AG Nandlall

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uring a recent interview, A t t o r n e y General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall announced that Cabinet has approved the decision to amend Guyana's law to remove custodial sentencing for small quantities of cannabis.

The AG noted too, that deliberations are still ongoing on the quantity that would not attract a jail sentence.

The previous A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition Opposition just weeks ago submitted a Bill to the National Assembly to amend sections of the Narcotics Act to have jail time removed for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Nandlall deemed the move by the Coalition a desperate attempt to gain “cheap political points.”

“This is nothing but a political gimmick. I say so because what they are doing there is simply reacting to the fact that we have made it public,” Minister Nandlall posited.

Back in 2016, AFC Member of Parliament, Michael Carrington first laid the Bill to amend the Narcotics Act. According to Nandlall, the then Coalition government made no move to have it debated or pushed on the agenda.

“The President at the time, Mr. Granger, I believe, rejected it. So now that they see that the PPP is pushing it and that we have galvanized great support for the measure, they come now foolishly trying to present themselves as the one to table the Bill for the first time in the Parliament,” he added.

Government is being guided by the statistics provided by the Director of Prisons on the number of

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Mohabir Anil Nandlall

Former President David Granger

inmates incarcerated for marijuana possession, in order to determine the quantity that could be exempt from custodial sentencing.

T h e i s s u e o f decriminalization the possession of small amounts

of cannabis has been a contentious issue over the years as lengthy sentences were handed to persons caught with small amounts of the illicit drug.

In fact, those sentences equate to the hefty years handed to those caught with

large amounts of either cannabis or cocaine.

The Coalition had campaigned on this prior to its 2015 win but later on, after being elected, former President David Granger changed tack. In late 2015, Granger had stated that it would have been “quite contradictory” if government conceded to decriminalizing cannabis while also pushing for legislation to prohibit smoking in public places.

“I don't want to state a government position but as far as I can see…it is contradictory to work towards banning smoking which is known to be a leading cause of death w o r l d w i d e a n d decriminalize smoking at the same time,” he had said.

Later on, in 2018 he had announced that Cabinet had approved the removal of custodial sentences for possession of small amounts

of marijuana, noting that the needed amendments to the existing legislation would be done after the Parliament returned from recess but nothing came to fruition from that promise.

On the 2020 campaign trail, Granger appeared to change tack again, urging the youths at a Linden political rally against the idleness of smoking and planting cannabis but to engage in value-added cultivation.

It should be noted that Guyana had previously committed to the Caribbean Community after a regional report on cannabis use, that it would pass legislation to lessen the penalties for the possession of small quantities of marijuana use for religious use.

That report was issued during the Granger administration yet no move was made to make the recommended changes to Guyana's legislation.

AFC Leader holds one of the world's worst oil contracts...

From page 14 Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels.

Notably, Trotman has admitted that he thinks government should have done better with the deal, but that he was instructed to sign the agreement.

After years of refusing to clarify who instructed him to sign, it was only a few weeks ago that he offered to Kaieteur News that it was former President David Granger who had issued the instruction.

This newspaper would have published, as one of its investigative pieces, a comparative examination of Guyana's PSA with ExxonMobil against that of others. It turns out that out of over 130 PSAs this newspaper examined, Guyana's is in a class of its own.

It is the only one, which has more than a dozen odd provisions all in one place. For example, the PSA sees the government paying the contractor's

income tax out of the country's share of the profits – none of the other 130 PSAs examined show this arrangement.

Further, Guyana's PSA is the only one out of 130, which has very moderate work obligations for contractors who are vested with offshore licences.

Additionally, the GuyanaExxonMobil PSA is the only one out of 130 contracts, which has no ringfencing provisions to prevent costs of unsuccessful wells being carried over to that of successful wells.

There is also no sliding scale for royalty to increase as production improves.

Finally, Guyana's PSA is the only one out of 130 that allows insurance premiums to be fully recovered as well as interest on loans and financing costs that are incurred by the contractors. The 130 PSAs examined are part of a register on www.resourcecontracts.org.

Haitians at the centre of...

From page 12 prove that it obeyed the Combatting in Trafficking in Persons Act, after Attorney General Anil Nandlall said that the Haitians had been deemed victims of human trafficking.

The Chief Justice said that the Haitians had been permitted to stay in Guyana for si x m o n t h s , a n d questioned whether they were given a victim advocate and advised on their status, all of which falls under the Combatting Trafficking in

Persons Act. She requested that the Attorney General and Attorney-at-Law D a r r e n Wa d e , s u b m i t t h e i r positions in writing by January 15, 2021, and they will have to return on January 27, 2021, for clarification or decision.

Both attorneys will also have to submit arguments on why the case should or should not continue since the Haitians have already left the country.

Saturday December 19, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 21

Joseph Harmon again dodges question on promised oil and gas press conference L

eader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon, has yet again dodged on his commitment to host an oil and gas press conference, aimed at delivering information on the awards of the Kaieteur and Canje Oil Blocks, among other pressing sector-related issues.

Yesterday, during his first press conference in over a month, Harmon was reminded that it had been three months since he had first committed to hosting the special press engagement. Against this, Kaieteur News pressed the Opposition Leader about when this conference would be held, or whether it would be held at all.

In response, the Opposition Leader skirted around giving a direct answer, after which he indicated that he had been contacted by Kaieteur Radio for the A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) to sit in on a

December 31 Kaieteur Radio programme. This programme, Harmon said, is aimed at discussing the future of oil and gas in Guyana. “We have agreed to sit on that forum and we will speak on the matter at that time. Beyond that, I will not have anything further to say,” Harmon said to this publication yesterday.

Notably, when Kaieteur News reached out to Kaieteur Radio to find out whether any member of the APNU+AFC would be attending the said programme, representatives responded in the negative.

“We had reached out to the coalition, requesting them attend the end-of-year programme, but they never confirmed their attendance,” a representative from Kaieteur Radio indicated.

Harmon made his first promise of the special oil and gas press conference on October 2. This was in the wake of Kaieteur News having, for weeks on end,

produced articles on the shoddy awards of the two lucrative assets, the Kaieteur and Canje Oil Blocks that were signed away by the Donald Ramotar administration under questionable circumstances.

For the entirety of the coalition's term in government, Harmon had played a key figure at the helm of the Ministry of the Presidency (MotP). He was Minister of State, then Director-General and throughout that period, the Ministry of Natural Resources fell under the Presidency, giving him oversight over the sector.

Yet, later, on October 20, Harmon had told Kaieteur News that he was relying on this publication's information to take action on the Kaieteur/ Canje Oil Blocks giveaway.

A month after that, on November 20, at another press conference, Kaieteur News had posed questions to Harmon about the award of the

Cop on bail for allegedly raping relative, 13

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policeman was on Wednesday placed on $150,000 bail for allegedly raping his 13-year-old cousin when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts.

The defendant denied the charge which stated that during the month of December 2019, in Georgetown, he raped a child under the age of 16 while knowing, or could reasonably have been expected to know,

that she is his cousin.

On November 25, the police officer made his first court appearance before Magistrate Rondell Weever and was not required to plead to the charge. He was remanded to prison and the matter was adjourned and transferred to the Chief Magistrate, who placed him on bail on his second court appearance.

The matter was then adjourned to December 28, 2020.

According to information,

the child told investigators that last December, after she exited the shower and was heading to the bedroom. The defendant entered the bedroom a few moments later and raped her.

In October, the defendant made another attempt to sexually assault the child but she was able to record a short video of him trying to pull off her pants. The matter was reported and the defendant was arrested and subsequently charged for the offence.

Minibus driver remanded for allegedly killing female passenger

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minibus driver was on Tuesday remanded to prison for allegedly killing a female passenger during September 2020.

The defendant, Travis Gordon Benjamin, of Central Amelia's Ward, Linden, appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, when the indictable charge was read to

him.

The charge stated that between September 25 - 27, 2020, he murdered Vanessa Bishop.

The court was told that the defendant and the deceased were not known to each other. It is reported that on September 25, about 22:00 hrs. at Peter's Hall, East Bank Demerara, Bishop stopped Benjamin's bus and boarded the vehicle but never

reached her destination.

However, on September 27, around 04:30 hrs., Bishop arrived at the Georgetown Public Hospital with wounds about her body.

She was admitted but later died. The matter was reported and an investigation was launched. Benjamin was arrested and subsequently charged with murder. The matter was adjourned to January 5, 2021, for report.

blocks. He had avoided giving a direct answer and indicated that information would be shared at the special press conference.

Notably, when David Patterson, Opposition Shadow Minister for Oil and Gas, was

asked on November 28 about Harmon's press conference commitment and whether he was aware of the intended conference, Mr. Patterson responded, “I have read about it, but unfortunately, I have not engaged the Leader

of the Opposition so obviously, I would not comment on that.”

Patterson had then added, “But obviously, if the Leader of the Opposition…maybe will hold the press conference when it is convenient.”

PAGE 22

Kaieteur News

Saturday December 19, 2020

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From page 6 “to cooperate on a project by the Ethnic Relations Commission to investigate racial bias in the award of state scholarships.” During that period the UNDP employed consultant Lawrence Latchmansingh to conduct a survey on how stakeholders perceive the work of the ERC. Summarizing his findings, Mr. Lutchmansingh told the audience that it is the general

feeling, he discovered in talking to African-based organizations, that the ERC is viewed as being a progovernment outfit that denies the practice of racism against African Guyanese by the Government.

After his presentation and the revelations that came o u t o f i t , t h e E R C ’s Chairman, Juan Edghill, told the audience that the consultant’s Report will

not be made public.”

All of Guyana knew what the then ERC chairman, Mr. Edghill, meant to the PPP. To d a y he sits comfortably in the PPP/C’s administration as a Minister and a member of Cabinet.

We r e the Guyanese people wrong about the ERC under the PPP/C? Sherod Avery Duncan, MP

Saturday December 19, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 23

PAGE 24

Kaieteur News

Saturday December 19, 2020

Saturday December 19, 2020

PAGE 25

Kaieteur News

...Lewis Hamilton: Toto Wolff says there is no ...Hellen Obiri: ‘Wavelight From page 29 absolutely no question about that; he’s just got immense talent. And he is a very likeable chap because I’ve got to know him a little bit.

“But at the end of the day all these decisions predominantly sit with Toto. Toto has to run that team.

“The one thing I would say about Lewis is there has been no diminution of his skills. He clearly is absolutely at the top of his game, despite the fact he is 35.”

...Ainslie’s America’s Cup Hamilton equalled Michael Schumacher’s record of seven Formula 1 world championship this year. (PA Media)

Saturday December 18, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Whether you acknowledge it or not, there's a child inside you who needs tending, Aries. You're proud of the person you've become - and well you should be.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Today could be a turning point for you, Libra. Is it possible that you've finally learned how to say no?

You're the one everyone asks for help.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Think of today as a wellearned rest day, Taurus. You're usually the one people turn to when they need consolation.

Today, in spite of the tension in the air, your words seem to have no effect.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Today's planetary positions urge you to assert yourself, Scorpio, but take care not to take this encouragement too far. You tend to go a bit overboard when making a point.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Today take stock of all that's occurring on the home front, Gemini. Think back over the last few months and you will see how much of your attention has been on work rather than loved ones.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You have a strong creative component to your personality. You should use it more.

Today's planetary positions will influence both your creativity and productivity.

CANCER(June21–July22) Think long and hard before making commitments, Cancer.

Much is at stake, especially where your love life is concerned. It's likely that a proposal is coming your way.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) You're highly sensitive and highly intellectual, Capricorn. This is a wonderful combination and part of what makes you a superstar.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You will be busy today. Nevertheless, you still may end the day with your desk piled high with projects - not because you're unproductive, but rather because you're popular and your work is valued.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You may be inclined to stay in bed today with the latest best seller, Aquarius. Who wouldn't want to spend the day this way? Alas, that isn't going to happen. The planets are practically pulling the covers off you and pushing you out of bed.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You've been working exceptionally hard, Virgo. Today is a good day to recharge your batteries. It seems everyone wants a piece of you. You may have reached the point where you have nothing left to give.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You have a lot to offer, Pisces.

Everyone appreciates what you have to contribute. Yet you've been unable to give yourself credit for all that you've accomplished.

From page 31 in the Auckland event, hosts Team NZ, INEOS Team UK, American Magic and Italy’s Luna Rossa.

INEOS Team UK is believed to have the largest budget, reportedly bankrolled

by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe to the tune of 110 million pounds (US$150 million).

The warm-up races, which run until Sunday, have no bearing on the America’s Cup proper.

Racing gets serious in January, when the three challengers compete for the Prada Cup, with the winner earning the right to take on Team NZ for the America’s Cup in March.

...Players ‘overwhelmingly From page 26 incidents” at Millwall, Colchester and Cambridge.

An EFL spokesman said: “Taking the knee has, quite rightly, been a player-led initiative taken in support of the anti-discrimination and antiracism message across football and wider society.

“The league’s position, which has remained consistent throughout this period and is a position shared across the professional game, is that we will continue to respect and support the decision of individual players who wish to take this form of action as we respect players’ freedom of expression on this issue.

By definition it has to be an individuals’ choice as to whether they wish to ‘take a knee’ before a match if it is to remain an effective stance.

“We have provided guidance to match officials and clubs to help them support players on matchdays and the position has remained the same since the return of EFL fixtures in June, so there shouldn’t be any confusion on this matter.to tackle all forms of discrimination in our game.”

From page 30 percent because you know there is something which s going to boost you [during the race].

“It is like you are doping I can compare those two, to me they are the same.” She also hinted that special events using the technology involving specific athletes targeting records is also an issue.

“I think it can be fair if all athletes are there not one or two - more like 12 athletes where anybody can break the world record,” she pointed out.

“So for me it is better than to put one athlete in a race. If it’s available, let it be available to all.” The 31year-old, who is the sixth fastest woman of all time over 5,000m, also says that the technology removes some of the human endeavour needed to break world records. “[It would be better] We use pace setters because you know they reach a point

then drop out so that you can push yourself but for wave light technology it can take you maybe up to the finish,” “You can just watch, ‘I am inside the world record or outside world record,’ but when you are running alone, you can’t know whether you are inside or outside world record.”

“I can’t compare former world record holders like Dibaba, like Bekele and the current world recorders because for them they struggled to break the world record. “And now, you don’t need to struggle because you have technology that can help you up to the end.”

She admitted that technology is part of the way sport develops but says that it needs to be thought about before it is introduced. “For me it is good to see the new things coming but sometimes we need to work extra hard and not depend on other things. The way we used to do before,” she concluded.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 26

Saturday December 19, 2020

Qatar 2022: Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium unveiled to the world with spectacular launch

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n the presence of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, along with an enthusiastic physically distanced crowd, Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium hosted the 48th Amir Cup final on Qatar National Day to become the fourth fully operational FIFA World Cup 2022 tournament venue to be inaugurated.

Yesterday’s inauguration took place exactly two years ahead of Qatar’s 2022 final.

The stadium – which will become the new home of Al Rayyan Sports Club – follows Khalifa International, Al Janoub and Education City in being declared ready to welcome the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and the Arab world.

The 40,000-capacity venue will host seven matches during Qatar 2022 up to the round-of-16 stage.

Following a spectacular prematch ceremony featuring music, cultural performances and stunning visual effects, along with a riddle recited by presenters

Hamad bin Mohsen Al Naimi and Ali bin Rhema Al Marri, the final between Al Sadd and Al Arabi kicked off.

Among the dignitaries in a t t e n d a n c e w a s F I FA President Gianni Infantino, who praised the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) for the successful completion of another Qatar 2022 tournament venue.

“The Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium is a wonderful football stadium,” said Infantino.

“The atmosphere is incredible, with the seats extremely close to the pitch.

Even with a physically distanced crowd, I could feel the passion of the fans. I am sure this will be a perfect football arena in 2022 when it hosts matches during the World Cup.” He continued: “I would like to congratulate Qatar and HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the completion of this venue. The country is very well prepared for the next FIFA World Cup and on track

Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium © LOC to host a memorable instalment of the tournament – the first in the Middle East and the Arab world.”

Built on the site of the Al Rayyan Sports Club’s former stadium, the venue is adjacent to the Mall of Qatar and within walking distance of Al Riffa station on the Doha Metro’s Green Line.

The stadium’s most striking feature is a glowing façade, comprised of patterns that characterise different aspects of Qatar: the importance of family, the beauty of the desert, native flora and fauna, and local and international trade.

A fifth shape – a shield – brings together all the others,

representing the strength and unity that are particularly relevant to the desert city of Al Rayyan.

HE Hassan Al Thawadi, the Secretary General of the SC, said: “The inauguration of Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on Qatar National Day is another important milestone on the road to 2022 and a triumph that is testament to the efforts of everyone involved in putting on such a successful event during a global pandemic.

The stadium and surrounding precinct are sure to be a source of pride for Al Rayyan Sports Club and everyone who lives in this historic city. “Looking

ahead to 2021, we look forward to unveiling more stadiums in the New Year, as we ensure that all tournament venues are delivered well in advance of the big kick-off in 2022,” added Al Thawadi.

Nasser Al Khater, the Chief Executive Officer of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC, said: “Tonight was an immensely proud occasion for Qatar and the people of Al Rayyan.

It was also another opportunity to test our readiness for Qatar 2022, with thousands of fans enjoying the spectacle, despite the challenges caused by the ongoing

pandemic.

We look forward to developing the Qatar 2022 fan experience further next year when we host more major tournaments, including the FIFA Club World Cup and FIFA Arab Cup – events that are sure to excite football lovers in Qatar, across the region and around the world.”

The match was attended by a host of other famous footballing faces, as well as AFC President HE Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez and UEFA President Aleksander Èeferin.

Players ‘overwhelmingly support’ continuing to take a knee, says PFA after consultation BBC Sport - Players are “overwhelmingly in support” of continuing to take a knee to highlight racial inequality and fight discrimination, says the Professional Footballers’ Association.

The players’ union consulted members on whether they wanted to continue the gesture after some fans booed it.

Members were asked whether an alternative should explored, but they wanted to continue with “this act of solidarity” before kick-off.

“The results were clear,” said the PFA. “ P l a y e r s overwhelmingly support continuing this act of solidarity despite any adverse responses that may be received.”

The union added there had been a “lack of leadership” for English

Football League players, who had been left in a “difficult position” following the recent negative crowd reaction at several matches across the EFL. But it said the outcome of its consultation with players from the Premier League, EFL and Women’s Super League (WSL) should give “the EFL and the clubs involved the information needed to support the players”.

A number of Millwall, Colchester United and Cambridge United fans booed their players taking a knee before kick-off in the past two weeks. One supporter was heard booing at Exeter City and was ejected from the ground as a result.

The Millwall Supporters’ Club said the booing before the south London club’s match against Derby was not

motivated by racism, but “in opposition to the political views held by the Black Lives Matter organisation”.

England manager Gareth Southgate was among those who said he views taking the knee as showing solidarity and not a political statement.

“This powerful symbol of solidarity represents the players’ commitment to antiracism and is not an endorsement of any political position,” added the PFA. “It is a peaceful act of unity that highlights a persistent and systemic issue.”

Among the widespread condemnation, Cambridge chief executive Ian Mather described the booing as “completely abhorrent to anything the club stands for”, though he praised other supporters for attempting to drown it out with applause.

He said that the club would support players

Players, officials and staff at Premier League and EFL games have been taking a knee since the 2019-20 season restarted in June to show their support for the movement for racial equality. (Getty Images) continuing to take a knee, and any fans who booed would face a ban.

However, at Millwall’s first home fixture after the fans booed, the players linked arms with QPR players instead of kneeling.

“The initiative has been player-led from the outset,” said Jason Lee, the PFA equalities executive.

“The purpose of the discussions and survey was

to make sure that we were continuing to represent what the players wanted on this issue.

“We can now take this position forward with authority when in dialogue with media, clubs and the EFL.” Following the news that Millwall players would be linking arms with QPR, the EFL said: “Our position remains unchanged and we

will continue to support the wishes of our clubs’ players either on an individual or collective basis.

“We will facilitate the communication of the message that discrimination in any form is unacceptable and not welcome within our game or our communities Not Today or Any Day.” The FA is investigating the “crowd-related (Continued on page 25)

Kaieteur News

Saturday December 19, 2020

PAGE 27

Paris 2024: UK Sport funding decisions signals shift towards greater diversity and winning ‘the right way’ BBCsport - UK Sport decisions on funding for Paris 2024 signal a move towards greater diversity and winning “the right way”, says chair Dame Katherine Grainger. British sports will receive £352m for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, split across 43 sports.

New additions like surfing and skateboarding have been funded while some traditional sports have seen their budgets reduced.

“It is a really important and exciting moment,” Grainger told BBC Sport.

“There are two key things - broader diversity and broader engagement and that winning is still important but how we win is equally crucial to everyone in the system. “Everyone is on board to make sure that we win in the right way and that it isn’t just a nice tagline to have.

“This isn’t just a phase it is an evolution of the system

Rowing is one of several sports that have seen a reduction in funding

and the how [we win] being so powerful and popular now.”

Those without the right culture ‘not welcome’ - UK Sport’s “no-compromise” approach linking funding strictly to medal potential which was announced in 2004 - has been blamed for a

series of recent athlete welfare and bullying scandals.

However, a change in strategy was announced in October, focusing the future funding of Olympic and Paralympic sport on medal potential over a 12-year period instead of four, with a

“progressive approach” intended to produce success over a wider range of sports.

“What we’ve done is taken a holistic view of the sports in terms of looking at their athlete cohort and their potential for the future,” chief executive Sally Munday, told BBC Sport.

Paceman Amir accuses Pakistan cricket of ‘mental torture’ and quits internationals AFP - Controversial Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir on Thursday announced retirement from international cricket in protest over the “shabby” treatment he said he received from management.

The 28-year-old, who had already retired from Tests, was not selected in a large 35-member squad for the New Zealand series last month and was also overlooked for the home series against Zimbabwe.

“I don’t want to play international cricket anymore,” Amir, who has previously been banned for match fixing, told AFP. “I was always available for white ball cricket but I have had shabby treatment from the team management who have mentally tortured m e , a n d t h a t ’s unacceptable.”

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed Amir’s decision.

“PCB chief executive Wasim Khan spoke with Amir this afternoon who confirmed that he has no desires or intensions of playing international cricket and, as such, he should not be considered for future

Mohammad Amir was Pakistan’s top wicket taker in the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

international matches,” a PCB release said.

“This is a personal decision of Amir, which the PCB respects.”

Amir angered head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and b o w l i n g c o a c h Wa q a r Younis with his abrupt decision to retire from Test cricket in July last year.

Younis accused Amir of “ditching Pakistan” while continuing to play league cricket to earn money.

“I know my body better than anyone and that decision was primarily taken

to save my body,” Amir protested.

A m i r r o s e t o international fame in 2010 as a young left-arm paceman.

Legendary Pakistan paceman Wasim Akram described him as “the most talented fast bowler”.

But Amir’s career hit a roadblock when he was banned for five years in a spot-fixing case.

He was caught, along then Test captain Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, by a sting operation into the orchestration deliberate no-

balls in return for money in a Lord’s Test against England in 2010.

Of the three, only Amir returned to international cricket in 2016. A year later he helped Pakistan win the Champions Trophy with three wickets in the final against arch rivals India.

He was Pakistan’s best bowler with 17 wickets in last year’s World Cup. Amir took 119 wickets in 36 Tests while his tally in 61 one-day internationals is 81 and 59 in 50 Twenty20 internationals.

“We’ve looked at how they run their programmes, the cost of running their programmes, and we’ve looked at how they’re going to make sure that culture is at the heart of what they do.

“We’re very satisfied

with the sports that we’re investing in that they are committed to having the right culture. “We will work together with the sports to make it very clear that if you’re not going to put good positive culture at the heart of what you do you’re simply not welcome.”

Former rower Grainger G r e a t B r i t a i n ’s m o s t decorated female Olympian - has been head of the national funding body for the last three years and she added: “We have a duty to do well by the public pound and to say it needs to reach as many as possible and in the right way.

“It needs to have this heart of solid integrity and trust in the system. “I want our sporting community to be known internationally for its people-first approach and also known for upholding the highest standards of integrity.”

Olympic & Paralympic funding Olympic sport Amount awarded Archery £2,134,257 Athletics £22,175,520 Badminton £3,154,358 Boxing £11,395,507 Canoeing £12,108,836 Cycling £27,601,684 Diving £8,463,542 Equestrian £11,085,964 Gymnastics £12,510,990 Hockey £12,376,622 Judo £5,446,804 Modern pentathlon £4,391,183 Rowing £22,212,008 Sailing £21,338,088 Shooting £5,802,749 Swimming £16,590,017 Taekwondo £7,776,898 Triathlon £6,806,550 Paralympic Sport Amount awarded Boccia £3,473,835 Para-archery £2,633,644 Para-athletics £9,065,401 Para-badminton £1,106,833 Para-canoe £3,032,881 Para-cycling £7,829,158 Para-equestrian £3,011,243 Para-shooting £1,692,915 Para-rowing £3,139,577 Para-swimming £7,829,247 Para-table tennis £3,717,787 Para-taekwondo £563,162 Para-triathlon £3,814,618 Powerlifting £1,612,722 VI Judo £847,617 Wheelchair basketball £4,197,157 Wheelchair fencing £1,599,819 Wheelchair rugby £2,650,289 Progression Sport Amount awarded Basketball £1,350,000 Climbing £1,562,811 Fencing £1,672,485 Skateboarding £1,672,485 Surfing £1,350,000 Table tennis £1,350,000 Weightlifting £1,350,000

Kaieteur News

PAGE 28

Saturday December 19, 2020

Mayer and Thomas the overnight leaders in Réunion Athletes competing at the Meeting de la Réunion

Cassandre Aguessy Thomas at the Meeting de la Reunion (Ilop Prod) © Copyright

WorldAthletics - Kevin Mayer and Cassandre Aguessy Thomas are the overnight leaders in the decathlon and heptathlon, respectively, at the Meeting de la Réunion, the opening competition of the 2021 World Athletics Challenge Combined Events series, in St. Paul on the French Indian Ocean island of Réunion.

In his first decathlon appearance since last year’s Wo r l d C h a m p i o n s h i p s where an injury knocked him out of the competition in the pole vault, Mayer tallied 4350 points to lead compatriot Makenson Gletty by 286 points while Thomas,

this year’s French champion, collected 3641 to lead Ukraine’s Hanna Kasyanova by 78.

Mayer led from the outset, winning the 100m in 10.68 for 933 points ahead of Gletty who clocked 10.81 for 903. Mayer sailed 7.40m in the long jump, the second farthest of the day, to extend his lead to 100 points, before padding it further with a 16.20m effort in the shot put, again the best of the competition, garnering 806 points. He topped 1.97m in the high jump before capping the day with a 48.87 run in the 400m.

“I’m a little rusty,” the

world record-holder told Athle.fr. “ I had a great day with some friends, I had a lot of fun. I’m a little below what I usually do, but it is December, so we must not panic.” Mayer’s goal is to secure the 8350 Olympic qualifying standard.

Gletty, 21 and a relative newcomer to the event, performed consistently across most events, reaching 15.37m in the shot put, the third best on the day, and topping 2.00m in the high jump, one of four men to clear that height, before wrapping up with a 50.79 in the 400m for a 4064 point day one tally.

Italy’s Simone Cairoli, a six-time national champion and the architect of the viral ‘quarantine decathlon’, is in third with 4060.

The 30-year-old, a 2.07m jumper at his best, also topped 2.00m before ending the day with a 49.04 run, to move up four spots in the standings.

Taavi Tsernjavski of Estonia is fourth with 4043, just ahead of Frenchman Ruben Fado, who tallied 4032. Ukraine’s Oleksiy Kasyanov’s ambitions to secure a qualifying standard for a fourth Olympic appearance, soured in the long jump where the 35-

year-old, twice a world indoor silver medallist in the heptathlon, failed to produce a measured jump.

In the heptathlon Thomas opened with a lifetime best 13.54 performance in the 100m hurdles, the second best of the morning, before taking the lead for good after a 1.77m clearance in the high jump, another personal best, worth 941 points. She reached 13.14m in the shot put before ending her day with a 24.65 dash over 200m.

Kasyanova, the 2013 world champion, opened the day with a 13.71 clocking in the sprint hurdles, the day’s

third fastest, and dipped to fourth overall after a 1.74m clearance in the high jump. A 13.65m effort in the shot put moved her up to second before a 25.20 clocking over the half lap gave her 3563 points for the day.

Evelis Aguilar of Colombia closed the day well, winning the 200m in 24.02 to move up from sixth to third, 10 points back with 3553. Anaelle Nyabeu Djapa of France is fourth, another nine points back with 3544, with Mari Klaup of Estonia fifth with 3518. European U23 champion Geraldine Ruckstuhl trails the field in eighth with 3165 points.

Russia relieved after Olympic doping ban shortened

M

OSCOW (Reuters) The Kremlin said yesterday it regretted Russia was unable to avoid doping sanctions but some officials declared a small victory after sport’s highest court halved a ban on athletes competing at the Olympics under the Russian flag to two years.

The decision, announced by the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Thursday, softened sanctions issued by global anti-doping authorities in response to Moscow intentionally providing it with doctored laboratory data that could have identified drug cheats, something it denies.

The Kremlin said it was good that the ruling, which some foreign sports officials have said was not tough enough given Russia’s doping offences, allows some Russian athletes to compete at the world’s most prestigious sporting events.

CAS said the decision means Russians who are not suspended have a chance to compete in the Olympics and world

championships as neutrals – without the Russian flag on their uniform and without the country’s anthem sung at official venues.

“Of course we regret this (overall ruling), we view it negatively,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “But at the same time, the main thing is that athletes are getting the right to take part in competitions” as neutral

competitors.

T h e Wo r l d A n t i - D o p i n g A g e n c y ( WA D A ) s a i d t h e measures were “the strongest set of consequences ever imposed on any country for doping-related offences.”

Russian officials, despite their disappointment at more sanctions, focused on the fact that the decision was not worse.

“The outcome today is a victory for Russia,” Mikhail Bukhanov, acting director of Russian antidoping agency RUSADA, said on Thursday.

“CAS did not restrict clean athletes’ right to compete at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as at world championships.”

Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin said it was “positive” that the sanctions would only last until December 2022, instead of four years.

The ruling leaves Russian athletes without their flag and national anthem at next year’s Tokyo Olympics, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and at the 2022 soccer World Cup in Qatar.

‘SLAP ON THE WRIST’ Russian officials fumed that the sanctions bar them from attending the Olympics and other major events for two years.

They cannot be appointed to or sit on committees or serve as board members at organisations that must abide by the WADA code during that period.

“It’s not right to say the least to extend the sanctions action to cover

civil servants,” RIA news agency quoted Matytsin as saying.

The sanctions do not apply to a government official invited to attend a major sporting event by a foreign head of state.

“This is just one other dark outcome in a long 10-plus year effort for the Russians to corrupt sport, to cover it up and essentially get away with it,” Travis Tygart, CEO of the United States AntiDoping Agency (USADA), told Reuters.

“And let’s not forget this slap on the wrist, a light slap on the wrist, was exactly what happened (at the 2018 Winter Olympics) in Pyeongchang.”

Many Russian athletes were sidelined at the past two Olympics and the country was deprived of its flag for the Pyeongchang Games as punishment for state-sponsored doping at the 2014 Sochi Games in southern Russia.

Russia, which has in the past acknowledged some shortcomings in its implementation of antidoping policies, denies running a state-sponsored doping programme.

Kaieteur News

Saturday December 19, 2020

PAGE 29

India finish 62 ahead after Ashwin, seamers run through Australia

Tim Paine counter-attacks © Getty Images

ESPNcricinfo - As daynight Tests can do, the action in Adelaide went into fast forward as 15 wickets fell on the second day with India responding to what looked like a below-par batting effort with a superb team performance from the bowlers in which R Ashwin benefited from the pressure created by the three quick bowlers.

That Australia ended as close to India’s 244 as they did was down to a fine innings by captain Tim Paine

Chandrapaul Hemraj, Kennar Lewis boost Somerset Cavaliers

A

fine all-round performance from Guyanese Chandrapaul Hemraj and a fine half century from Kennar Lewis guided Somerset Cavaliers to a nine-wicket victory over Samp Army when the US T20 Open tournament continued at the Central Broward Regional Park in Florida.

Hemraj picked up 2-10 off three overs as Samp Army posted 133-3 from the allotted 20 overs, batting first. Kunal Sehgal top scored for Samp Army with 61 which came off 55 balls and included four fours and two sixes, while Sanjay Stanley made 59 with three fours and two sixes.

Openers Hemraj and Lewis put on 94 to give their team a solid start. Lewis struck six fours and five sixes in a top score of 61, while Hemraj remained unbeaten on 50 off 25 balls with four fours and five sixes; Cavaliers won in 9.5 overs.

In another match, Atlanta Paramveers defeated 22 Yards by six wickets. 22 Yards made 111 all out in 18.5 overs, batting first. Guyanese Sherfane Rutherford scored 33 and Ahad Malik got 21; Wayne Parnell claimed 3-29, Khary Pierre took 2-19 and Akeal Hosein 2-19.

Atlanta Paramveers replied with 114-4 in 19.4 overs. Steven Taylor struck 46 not out and Chris Gayle 39; Dane Piedt captured 217.

Brampton Pacers beat Afghan Zwanan by four wickets. Batting first,

Trevon Griffith

Afghan Zwanan managed 133-9 from 20 overs. Paul Palmer made 45 not out and Cody Chetty 34; Mark Deyal took 2-18, Salman Nazar 2-20 and Junaid Siddiqui 2-25. Brampton Pacers responded with 1356 in 18.5 overs. William Perkins scored 31 and Asad Zaidi 27 not out; Ronsford Beaton took 2-27.

22 Yards overcame Afghan Zwanan by seven wickets. Afghan Zwanan batted first and posted 102 all out in 19.4 overs. Opener Cody Chetty slammed three fours and two sixes in scoring 51 off 58 balls.

Jasdeep Singh picked up 316 while Devendra Bishoo took 2-16; Ashmead had 226 and Asad Ali 2-25.

22 Yards replied with 103-3 in 14 overs. Guyanese Trevon Griffith stroked four fours and two sixes in an even 50 off 38 balls with

four fours and two sixes.

Brampton Pacers beat Atlanta Paramveers by four runs. Brampton Pacers managed 157-8 from 20 overs. Williams Perkins led with 73 and Mark Deyal scored 62; Damian Ebanks bagged 5-13 and Akeal Hosein 2-34. Atlanta Paramveers responded with 153 all out in 19.5 overs.

Rayad Emrit and Akeal Hosein made 41 apiece as Leonardo Julien grabbed 423 and Junaid Siddiqui 3-19.

US All Stars defeated Punjab Blues by nine wickets. Punjab Blues scored 115-7 from 20 overs, taking first strike. Gurinder Saini made 49 and Aditya Joshi 22 not out; Rajesh Sharma claimed 4-23.

US All Stars scored 1161 from 11.3 overs in reply.

Zeeshan Ashraf struck an unbeaten 73 while Zishawn Qureshi got 21.

who was left unbeaten on 73 while Marnus Labuschagne, with a somewhat skittish 47, was the only other player to pass 15 and the rest of the top six made 35 between them.

The match took on dimensions not entirely dissimilar to two years ago although on this occasion the margin on first innings was wider.

But India could not get through six overs unscathed as Pat Cummins breached Prithvi Shaw’s defenses Australia have exploited a technical failing that may end Shaw’s series after one match - but under lights the loss of one wicket was acceptable damage.

All the India bowlers played their part - the wicketless Mohammed Shami was the first of the quicks to find a fuller length with Jasprit Bumrah making the initial incisions and Ashwin producing a delightful piece of bowling to snare Steven Smith which left Australia firmly on the back foot, from where they did not really recover.

Thanks to their bowlers, India largely got away with three dropped chances.

Initially with the ball, Bumrah and Umesh Yadav offered a little too much that Australia could leave but the new-look opening pair of Joe Burns and Matthew Wade did not make any impression on the scoreboard.

The first runs came in the fifth over and when Wade, opening the batting for the first time in first-class

cricket, was trapped lbw from round the wicket it was 16 for 1 in the 15th over.

Labuschagne, who started his innings by yelling ‘no run’ as he left the ball alone, nearly fell to an early edge that just evaded Wriddhiman Saha but there was a more clear-cut chance when he had 12 and topedged a pull towards long leg where Bumrah made a mess of it, unaware he had more room to the rope than he thought. After lunch, he was given a second life when Shaw dropped a simpler chance at square leg, but India mixed the poor with the very good to stay in charge.

Smith had scored one run in 28 balls when Ashwin sent down a delivery that went straight on - whether by design or not - that was edged to slip to send Ashwin off in almost a lap of celebration.

At 45 for 3 in the 27th, India had a grip on both the wickets and the run rate.

Ashwin then worked over the left-handed Travis Head who chipped a soft return catch and that brought Cameron Green in for his first Test innings with Australia tottering.

There were early signs of crisp footwork - a back-cut behind square was full of timing - but he became Ashwin’s third wicket when a pull went no further then Kohli at midwicket.

Labuschagne and Paine started a recovery, but it only went as far as a stand of 32 when Umesh Yadav skidded one into Labuschagne’s pads

to leave the bowlers exposed. Cummins could not see out the over as he fended a short delivery into the gully and at 111 for 7 a deficit in three figures was on the cards.

Paine had shown urgency at the crease from the start although he, too, had been given a life on 26 when a hook was spilled by Agarwal at deep square - and managed to conjure 80 runs from the last three wickets. Mitchell Starc, who earlier went into the top 10 of Australian Test wicket-takers, was run out coming back for a second but Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood hung around.

Paine went to his fifty with a strong square cut and followed it with a slash over the slips as Kohli’s face grew a little more impatient to wrap things up, but perhaps also partly aware of the tricky period his top order would face under lights.

Ashwin removed his opposite number, Lyon, for his fourth wicket but was thumped for two boundaries

by Hazlewood to further chip away at India’s lead meaning a return to Yadav who claimed the No. 11 with his first ball back.

If you’d offered India a lead of over fifty at the start of the day, they would have grabbed it. Australia are far from gone, but it feels like India’s game to lose.

Scores: India 244 (Kohli 74, Starc 4-53) and 9 for 1 lead Australia 191 (Paine 73*, Ashwin 4-55, Umesh 340) by 62 runs.

Lewis Hamilton: Toto Wolff says there is no rush to finalise F1 champion’s new contract BBC Sport - Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff says there is no rush to finalise Lewis Hamilton’s new contract and it could wait until well into the New Year.

Hamilton’s deal runs out at the end of 2020 and talks are at an early stage.

Wolff said: “We are not worried about eventually getting it done. We are not putting a special date to it because we don’t want to be under pressure.

“Sooner or later it needs to be done and at the latest before we go testing [ahead

of the 2021 season].”

Pre-season testing next year runs over just three days a t S p a i n ’s C i r c u i t d e Barcelona-Catalunya on 2-4 March.

Wolff said that he and Hamilton had always intended not to start contract negotiations until this year’s championship titles were won.

But he said Hamilton contracting coronavirus before the penultimate race of the season had “delayed us a little bit”.

Wolff added: “We had such a successful run of

championships in the past seven years there is no reason not to continue. He is on the top of his game and will be for a while, and that’s why continuing together is a no-brainer.”

Mercedes announced on Friday that chemicals giant Ineos was to take a one-third shareholding in the team, with Daimler and Wolff holding equal amounts.

Ineos boss Sir Jim Ratcliffe said: “Lewis is either the greatest, or one of the two or three greatest ever racing drivers. There is (Continued on page 25)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 30

Demerara 50 overs U-19 cricket

GT take title

Saturday December 19, 2020

GABF hosts first virtual AGM

Georgetown Captain Dwayne Dick receives the Championship trophy from GCB’s Kavita Yadram.

GABF General Secretary Patrick Haynes

Heavy rain at Everest in the City and Enmore on the East coast of Demerara resulted in both final round matches in the Demerara U19 Inter Association being

washed out without a ball being bowled.

As a result Georgetown were declared Champions of the four-team competition which also involved West

Demerara, East Coast and East Bank.

The tournament, which commenced last Monday, was badly affected by the adverse weather.

The 2020 Georgetown Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) Annual General Meeting (AGM) was for the first time held virtually, with member associations and Affiliates via video conference last Sunday.

The AGM was cochaired by GABF President; Michael Singh and the GABF General Secretary; Patrick Haynes with GABF Executive Board in attendance.

Singh began the proceedings by addressing the unique circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which prevented the AGM taking place physically this year.

He noted that the GABF reacted swiftly when the COVID-19 pandemic became a crisis, with quick call on cancellation of events and rescheduling others, while preparing a detailed roadmap for return to play later on with constant consultation with all stakeholders and taking into account the health of participants.

Haynes posited that, “The pandemic has hit the whole world and our societies in a way we could never imagine 10 months

Head of the GABF, Mike Singh ago. Sport is no exception and we have all been struggling to support basketball in Guyana; to support our athletes to prepare for the upcoming Basketball World Cup Qualifiers, youth qualifiers and other National competitions; and of course also to support and help the different sub associations Berbice, Georgetown and Linden, and our affiliates namely the coaches and officials’ councils.”

The AGM was presented with reports by the President – year in review, while Vice President of Marketing; Alex Graham, presented the new strategy for the creation of a Marketing Commission that will be tasked with responsibilities of sponsorship, marketing, corporate identity and the rebranding of the GABF including their digital assets and events.

Technical Coordinator; Junior Hercules, presented the roadmap for return to play utilising the guidelines provided by FIBA. Meanwhile, Haynes presented the GABF Strategy 2019-2027 with focus on the three main priorities: Empowering subassociations, Women in

Basketball and enlarging the GABF family. The strategic roadmap included developing youth basketball, continuing to build 3x3 basketball, reshaping of national club competitions, the proposed construction of a center of excellence for the GABF national club championship (MECCA), and the creation of sustainable financial growth.

The general secretary then updated the members on regional and international activities outlined by FIBA, including the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers and the 2021 FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup Qualifiers planned for 2021, along with the Women in Basketball initiative by FIBA Americas - Adelante Women’s Forum and the increased allotment of FIBA Game Officials for Guyana.

Haynes, who sits on FIBA’s 3x3 commission, concluded by saying that, “The GABF is strengthened by the work done in each of the regions in Guyana, our commitment is to their empowerment and it was important to have the opportunity to listen to their specific set of circumstances and exchange ideas to maximize growth.”

World Athletics responds to CAS decision on RUSADA

W

orldAthletic s - Wo r l d Athletics notes the decision announced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) yesterday, regarding the Russian Anti-Doping Agency’s non-compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code (Code), to ban Russia from international sports competitions for a period of two years.

Wo r l d A t h l e t i c s i s pleased that CAS’s decision was guided by the international standard which World Athletics helped to set following the stand the sport took in 2016. For the sake of clarity, the decision by CAS today does not change the process that World Athletics has been going through with RusAF over the last five years.

The World Athletics

Council will consider whether to allow Russian athletes to compete again as Authorised Neutral Athletes in international competitions (including allowing up to 10 ANAs to participate in World Athletics Series events and the Tokyo Olympic Games) at its next meeting, in March 2021, or earlier if the Taskforce so recommends, based on the progress made

by RusAF.

Saturday December 19, 2020

Kaieteur News

Ainslie’s America’s Cup challenge back on course AFP - British sailing legend Ben Ainslie steered his America’s Cup challenge back on course yesterday after trading barbs with defending champion Team New Zealand both on and off the water.

Ainslie’s INEOS Team UK yacht managed to finish both of its heats at a warm-up event in Auckland after a disastrous start on Thursday when it broke down and was left dead in the water.

Ainslie’s boat was still beaten convincingly by Team NZ in both heats but the four-time Olympic champion was relieved to simply compete after the previous day’s embarrassing flop.

“It was much better than yesterday,” the four-time Olympic champion said, admitting the boat remained “a click off the pace from the Kiwis”.

“We were able to get around the course, everything was working as it should and the guys did a really good job.”

American Magic and Italy’s Luna Rossa also faced off in two races, claiming a

win each.

But the fiercest clash of the day was off the water between INEOS Team UK and Team NZ, who flatly rejected Ainslie’s accusation that a part they supplied had caused his yacht’s technical issues.

Ainslie said the problem was the hi-tech foiling arms that lift the 23-metre (75foot) yachts above the surface of the water.

Team NZ has supplied the parts to all of the America’s Cup racers but the Briton said the hosts had been reluctant to share details that could resolve the problem.

“We’ve probably lost weeks of this campaign on the water dealing with the foil cant system,” he said.

Team NZ described the remarks as “completely incorrect and inaccurate”, saying all four syndicates involved in the regatta were using the same component and had to take responsiblity for its maintenance and operation. “ I n Te a m N Z ’s experience if all maintenance and start up

procedures are followed c o r r e c t l y, t h e s y s t e m operates as designed,” it said in a statement.

“As far as the defender (Team NZ) is aware INEOS Team UK’s foil cant system is fully operational.”

Four yachts are involved (Continued on page 25)

PAGE 31

Demerara 50 overs U-19 cricket

GT take title

rt Spo

Demerara U-19 Champions Georgetown Virat Kohli leaps high while R Ashwin is all smiles after a key strike Š Getty Images

Chandrapaul Hemraj, Kennar Lewis boost Somerset Cavaliers Chandrapaul Hemraj

India finish 62 GABF ahead after Ashwin, hosts first seamers run through Australia virtual AGM Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.