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Monday Edition December 21, 2020 - Vol. 13 No.52

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Guyana can plunge itself into more debt even with oil Gas money injection -IDB Quarterly Report

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Guyana’s political

opposition is asleep at the wheel on oil Listen to the Glenn Lall Show at 11:00am, to hear how our leaders gave away our lands and saddled us with oil bills on 99.1/99.5FM Kaieteur Radio. (Rebroadcast)

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Kaieteur News

Monday December 21, 2020

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

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

EDITORIAL

The Ethnic Relations Commission

In recent news, the Ethnic Relations Commission announced that it has launched an investigation into a post purportedly made by AFC Executive and APNU+AFC Parliamentarian, Cathy Hughes, causing the politician to lament in two separate releases that she did not, as the post says, call for “civil war” in Guyana and that her reputation was severely damaged.

A cursory glance of the original screenshot to anyone familiar enough with Facebook would see that picture had been manipulated, with the comment purportedly made by Ms. Hughes not only unable to found online but with basic aspects of the forgery apparent, like, for example, the font in the screenshot different from the regular Facebook font as seen in other comments in the same screenshot.

That said, considering her own involvement in creating and perpetuating obvious and dangerously divisive fictions earlier this year, from claims that Russians hackers were here to influence the vote to the lie that the Granger administration won the March 2020 election, Ms. Hughes might want to rest easy that her alleged reputation might not have actually suffered that much.

In the broader picture, however, this most recent incident highlights two very important things. The first is our continuous ethno-political divisions and how they remain vibrantly alive after the greater part of a century. The reason that the fictional Hughes call to arms is so dangerous is that she represents one half of a political divide consisting of two players who have in fact repeatedly brought this nation to the brink of civil strife. The sentiment attributed to the sitting Parliamentarian might not have come from her but it is one that was repeatedly threatened on social media by persons stoked by the false claims made by the Granger administration that it was a victim of a nonexistent international conspiracy to unseat it, as opposed to having legitimately and convincingly lost an election.

Guyana is a tinderbox of racial unrest and both major politic groupings have continued to play with matches around it whenever it has suited their tribal, partisan purposes.

The second issue highlighted is the utter absence of capacity and basic good sense in the current management of the ERC. The announcement of an investigation into Hughes for a comment that the burden of evidence shows that she did not make arguably has been more damaging to ethnic relations than the comment itself. Publicly calling an investigation into a sitting parliamentarian with no technically competent preliminary investigation gave unnecessary credibility to an act of incendiary fraud.

In a year in which the Ethnic Relations Commission had arguably the greatest need and opportunity to fulfill its constitutional mandate, it has and continues to proceed in gaffes and half-measures, and when it is supposed to be taking bold steps to hold politicians accountable for their divisive actions, it instead has set itself up for accusations of a lack of credibility from those very politicians. For example, in its failure to adequately address the statements made by one of its very own Commissioners Roshan Khan a few months back, it opened itself to criticism from the Opposition.

Therefore when the APNU+AFC was asked why it was not taking the concrete step of presenting its otherwise unsupported claims of ‘ethnic cleansing’ in the public service since it finally demitted power, it cited the inaction of the Commission against Khan.

Conversely, President Irfaan Ali, while he was technically incorrect that the Commission was absolutely silent, recently lambasted the Commission for its inaction and during the David Granger-led five month attempt to steal the elections, that inertia being the reason he gave for boycotting the ERC’s uneventful two-day ‘national conversation’ on race last week.

As for that ‘conversation’ itself, what this country needed in the wake of our most divisive elections in recent history, and the worst political crisis we’ve had since that of the late nineties (which incidentally spawned the ERC), was a genuine engagement with credible persons honestly and intelligently talking to each other about race, politics,

Help most definitely needed DEAR EDITOR, Like so many things that have to be touched by Guyanese political leaders, once that happens, then matters become garbled and murky.

Yet even through the careful dissembling, something surfaces glaringly: the politicians, who live this way and operate this way end up tainting everything and compromising themselves.

And this goes all the way to His Excellency, President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali. Editor, when the nation’s chief executive behaves in the

manner that he does over the Cotton Tree murders and the ongoing investigation (if it may still be accurately termed such), then he does more than make himself look lesser than he is, he smears two of the names - one inherited, the other given at birth - that he wears proudly.

He does that smearing of what those names represent in their soaring majestic reach and, arguably worse still, he profanes the sacred Koran on which he swore so piously.

For where the president is and what he grapples gamely, but in ungainly fashion with,

to mislead by recreating his earlier position on those murders, brings pointed questions and sharper criticisms, about his sincerity and his understandings of the non-negotiable demands of honest, trustworthy leadership.

In the intensely bubbling cauldron of the immediate aftermath of those grisly murders (and surrounding escalations), President Ali promised the Henry family, and the extended warring dysfunctional Guyanese family, that a full investigation would be the order of the day.

I ask pardon for using my own words, but I interpreted President Ali’s assurances and reassurances as intended to: a) comfort the families; b) reduce the heat and edge of menacing circumstances; c) provide space, time, and opportunity to proceed with official probe, wherever it leads; and d) serve as directive to the Guyana Police Force to proceed full speed ahead, in a no-holds barred, no sacred cows untouched, and no stone unturned approach. At least, those were the primary (Continued on page 6)

Is GECOM guilty of gross dereliction of duty for not taking disciplinary action?

DEAR EDITOR, Guyana’s Labour laws provide for summary dismissal from employment by the employer for good and sufficient cause relating to an employee’s conduct and performance on the job.

Under Section 7 of the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act, a contract of employment, without term limit, may at any time be terminated: - by mutual consent of the parties; - by notice to the other party; or - by either party for good and sufficient cause.

Good and sufficient cause include refusal to carry out lawful instructions on a timely basis, providing fictitious and fraudulent information and reports to the employing authority, misconduct, inefficiency, dilatory tactics, insubordination, and unprofessional conduct and behaviour in the execution of contractual and statutory duties.

Why is there apparent inaction and paralysis or hesitation by GECOM in relation to the conduct and performance of the senior staff of GECOM and other recalcitrant and complicit staff of the

Secretariat in the March 2, 2020 national elections? Why is there no prompt disciplinary action taken by GECOM to replace these obvious recalcitrant public employees who are public servants, paid by taxpayers?

Those GECOM employees, who breached the Constitution and any election law, in the conduct of their duties must face prompt disciplinary action including termination and dismissal for good and sufficient cause. GECOM’s failure or delay or awaiting the outcome of Court cases in a gross dereliction of duty by GECOM.

Court matters, whether criminal or civil, are separate and apart from employment disciplinary actions. Those who breached the law or commit any offence must be prosecuted in the courts and bear the full force of the law.

This is separate and apart from any employment disciplinary action taken for good and sufficient cause.

Time for action now GECOM! Do not hide behind the outcome of court Cases.

GECOM must take disciplinary action without delay as an employer.

With thanks, Joshua Singh

Let the debate on partition be free and harmonious DEAR EDITOR, Kindly allow me to respectfully respond to Freddie Kissoon’s column of 12-18-20 titled “an AFC parliamentarian openly called for ethnic

partition”.

Freddie Kissoon informs us that an African AFC MP called for partition of Guyana and there was no objection by his colleagues.

and the complex, dangerous interplay between them. What we were given instead was a complete avoidance of the nexus between race and politics presented ironically not simply by persons the majority of whom had some senior political affiliation or the other, but some of whom were (and arguably are still) directly involved in promoting racist politics. Essentially, the Commission had the brilliant idea of dressing up arsonists in firemen’s clothing and enlisting them to help put out a smouldering fire.

At a time when, on paper at least, the very powerful Commission should be front and centre in tackling our ethno-political divisions, a handful of Guyanese at best would be able to name three Commissioners, and less would be able to name the Chair alone. Like the political fortresses that the ERC is meant to keep in check, the Commission is clearly suffering an acute crisis of leadership.

This is unfortunate considering that the Commission already has two things in its favour – a Constitutional mandate that leaves it free from political interference and a significant annual budgetary allocation. Instead of cosmetic and self-defeating theatricality, what the Commission should be doing is investing in a multi-year programme that is based on grassroots community interventions mixed with an increase in technical human resource capacity, particularly in the area of conflict resolution, within the Secretariat itself.

As it is now, however, no one at the Commission seems to recognize that as the increased public revenue that comes with oil further threatens to cement divisions in this society, it is only the ERC that has the power, the mandate and the moral responsibility to lead, competently and with integrity, the reconciliation that will save us from breaking completely apart as a nation.

If the Commission does not get its act together, a manufactured quote from a politician is going to be the least of our worries.

Why is Freddie so surprised at this?

I for one support Mr Eusi Kwayana original 1961 suggestion to partition Guyana.

Freddie himself writes “In a troubled land bedeviled by ethnic strife for 70 years, journalism owes it to the people of Guyana to identify their leaders who want to break up Guyana.” So said, so done Freddie.

After 70 years we still cannot get along as the West Berbice riots exemplified.

Given that there was no objection by the rest of his AFC colleagues it shows that there is an underlying undercurrent of sympathy for each group going their separate ways by a party that gave it their best shot and sees no other way forward.

What’s the fuss Freddie?

Freddie wrote that “In this county, a sitting MP who is in fact inside the hierarchy of his/her party voiced a preference for the ethnic separation of the Guyanese territory, and no media house, no other political party, no one from civil society has entered a debate with this person about that untenable position generated from a dangerous temperament”.

Well thanks to Freddie the

debate to partition Guyana has begun all over again like night follows day.

Let the truth be told with no holds barred. Let the Press be free to facilitate the debate in a harmonious manner.

Lets name some of the prominent usual suspects who believe that their ethnicity comes first and that they would be better off on their own. Mr Lincoln Lewis wrote “I am African first then Guyanese second”.

Dr. David Hinds constantly argues from an Afrocentric viewpoint and has never rejected his mentor’s Mr. Kwayana’s call for partition. So does Mr. Eric Phillips whose Afrocentricities are legendary.

Freddie, nothing is “shocking, sickening or psychologically twisted” nowadays where race relations is concerned.

With Ms Kathy Hughes being investigated by the Ethnic Relations Commission over facebook comments what can be more surprising now of the AFC? They have finally woken up to the truth that all is not well in the state of Denmark.

Faithfully, Sultan Mohamed

Monday December 21, 2020

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Kaieteur News

GUYANA, AFRICA, CARIBBEAN WATCH AND WAIT FOR VACCINE DEAR EDITOR, How and when will Guyana and other poor developing countries in the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, and Asia get the vaccine to combat (slow down) the Covid-19 virus?

They watch and wait for the vaccine because they lack capacity to develop one. Few have the resources to pay for the vaccine to inoculate or immunize their population.

And fewer have resources or scientific capacity to produce their own vaccine.

So inevitably, the poor countries will have to get the vaccine from those that manufacture or produce it. Only four countries (UK, USA, Germany, Russia, all White countries) plus China and India have produced or are close to producing a vaccine that fights the virus. India manufactures over 60 percent of the world’s vaccines, and it has orders to manufacture over three billion of the Covid vaccine.

India is overwhelmed with orders but the Indian government says it has instructed manufacturers to expand capacity to save the world from the virus.

It is amazing that just decades ago, most of the world shunned or hadn’t much positive things to say about India, including almost half Guyanese, and now the world turns to India for a vaccine for survival.

So how will Guyana or the poor countries get the vaccine?

The country can order directly from India but how many vaccines can Guyana financially afford and how many can India supply given the entire world, including the four White countries that discovered a vaccine, is turning to India for orders?

Vaccines can also be sourced from China that has rolled out its version, which the developed world has avoid.

Two African countries with resources and scientific lab to develop a vaccine, Nigeria and South Africa, are entering the first phase of lab experimentation, and as such many months away from producing one; human trials are being conducted on one vaccine in South Africa. Mexico, Argentina, Brazil are experimenting in the first and second phases of vaccine development.

The World Health Organization has ordered one billion vaccines, less than a third of what is needed to immunize the population in poor countries with one dose; two doses are needed. It is not reported from which manufacturer(s) WHO ordered and it is not known how they will be distributed.

In all likelihood, the WHO ordered vaccines would be distributed to the 92 poor countries proportionally

Training in public relations needed DEAR EDITOR, On Thursday 17th December, 2020 at about 7:30pm I drove into a Rubis gas station to purchase a bottle of cooking gas. I paid for the gas with a $5000 note, when the employee proceeded to give me $400 change in small notes of $20 and $50 whilst having $100 notes in his hands. I asked what he was doing giving me all the small change, and he gruffly replied that he was giving me my change with an air and attitude of ‘Take it or leave it’.

He just nonchalantly walked away, leaving me with my ‘church collection’ in my

hand.

This is not the least good for customer relations, as I for one would prefer to take my business elsewhere.

These big businesses who advertise so much top products and services should at least expose their employees to some level of training in public relations, as after all, it’s the public that is their business, while at the same time the employees should be made aware that the public’s support is the primary reason for their employment.

Thank you.

Yours respectfully M. S. Baksh

based on population size. The wealthier countries can afford the vaccine. India and China, with 2.9 billion people, won’t need WHO vaccines since they are utilizing and paying for their own.

The 1.2 billion people in the developed countries would also pay for their own vaccines.

WHO funded vaccines would go to poor countries, some three billion people, excluding India and China, of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Caribbean. Guyana may get just about 50K; it is reported that Guyana is also sourcing some 50K vaccines from India, still well short of over 1.6M needed.

As a friendly ally, India is likely to facilitate Guyana’s request but not before February. India plans to inoculate 300M of her 1.4 billion citizens by then, training almost 200K medical staff to carry out the immunization programme set to begin in January.

And which vaccine should people take or Guyana order?

Which is most effective or efficacious?

And which has side effects.

The side effects of the four vaccines that have been rolled out would not be known until weeks after human immunization.

The four ‘White countries’ reported an efficacy of over 90 percent, meaning it worked to disable or prevent the virus of 90 percent of those tested in phase three (final) trials. China reported an efficacy of over 70 percent and Indian trials of phase three so far is over 75 percent; one is almost 99 percent though the human trials have been relatively small. Indian

scientists want to continue testing before any roll out of a vaccine which is likely to be ready in early or mid January.

The Indian trial of the three vaccines is continuing and a dozen more vaccines are in the pipeline finishing up phase two, with six close to entering phase three, or final human trials that would take up to three months of experimentation and studies.

The Indian government prefers to inoculate its citizens with its own locally produced vaccine, likely in mid January.

As such approval for immunization of the four (White countries) rolled out vaccines is pending; approval is likely to be granted for at least one which was developed in partnership with Indian scientists at a private drug manufacturing lab in India with trials on 29K Indians and is currently being produced in India by the millions of bottles daily.

India is producing virtually all, over 100m, of the Russian developed vaccine that is also being tested in India among thousands of Indians.

The separate Indian government funded vaccine development (experiments, animal trials, human tests, and production) would be the cheapest and the Indian government under Prime Minister Modi has committed to making its government funded vaccines available to the world with priority given to its South Asian neighbours.

The Modi government says it would work with governments around the world to make available vaccines developed or produced in India.

Modi has been interacting with leaders of developed countries in facilitating production of vaccines in India (Continued on page 6)

A response to GHK Lall DEAR EDITOR, Seasons Greetings to you and all Kaieteur staffers!

Reference is made to GHK Lall’s December 20, 2020, epistle in your august newsprint.

Whilst Mr. Lall waxed lyrical, on two perceived points, his entries are unsupported by even a tiny fragmentation of fact, his extrapolation and exploitation of public sentiment on sensitive issues, creates a too overwrought state of incendiary anxiety that can lead to itchy negatives and twitchy consequences.

As a caveat, I have no ax to grind with Mr. Lall as I do not know him but to Mr. Lall’s first vexation of the two Guyanese erudite men resigning from NICIL, I am somewhat flummoxed by the adulterated reasons he proffered.

Admittedly, on October 17, 2020, when Mr. Nigel Hinds resigned from NICIL, he cited his ethical values and mores (which is in the public domain, no bombshell, Mr. Lall).

However, on December 16, 2020, when Mr. Christopher Ram resigned from NICIL, he, decidedly, did not divulge his reasons.

Based on the above known facts, I am now compelled to ask Mr. Lall whether he had an exclusive interview with Mr. Ram and/or Mr.

Hinds where exigent circumstances were divulged to him and, he, Mr. Lall, created a comparative analysis matrix to arrive at his pronouncements. Should Mr. Lall answer in the negative then the public should enquire if Mr. Lall had an epiphany.

Humour us, all, Mr. Lall.

The public deserves to question the veracity of your statement and an obligatory response will be optimal lest your statement be dismissed as bombastic and/or cheap theatrics.

To your second contention that President Irfaan Ali is following a scripted narrative is a nullity you concocted as, again, it is devoid of salient facts but overflow with abstractions and quite nebulous, at best Donning your Machiavellian mask and foisting sesquipedalian language and opprobrious comments as a harbinger of doom, and attempting to conduct a “schmear” campaign against Dr. Irfaan Ali’s government is quite disingenuous and contumelious.

Learned as you may be (I know not if you are) you, Sir, are entitled to your opinions but not your own facts.

English Philosopher Jeremy Bentham’s (1748-1842) encapsulation that “ the greatest good for the greatest number” is as close as one can get to utopia.

That utilitarian statement is incontrovertible to this day and manifesting in President Ali government’s momentum and trajectory for a better Guyana for ALL Guyanese.

Mr. Lall, please reflect on the aphorism that, “One would have to break a few eggs to make an omelette”.

Perhaps, your storied mind will find some soothing consolation therein.

Yuletide Greetings to all!

Regards, Jonathan Subrian Esq.

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Kaieteur News

Time for new and younger leadership in the PNC DEAR EDITOR, Immediately after the five agonizing and harrowing months when a combative warfare was waged by members of APNU+AFC to remain in office through rigged elections, the former Minister of Public Health and Chairman of the People’s National Congress (PNC), Mrs. Volda Lawrence, was sidelined from the main decision-making process of the party.

Throughout the five-month ordeal, Mrs. Lawrence and a few other PNC members were at the forefront fighting tooth and nail to make sure that the votes were counted accurately and in a transparent manner.

Most of the senior members of the party were missing in action. So for the leader of the party to exclude the party’s top executive is clearly a reflection of his infantile and silly behaviour. And to the surprise of many, not a single member of the 35-member PNC executive group had issued a public statement condemning his atrocious, vindictive and ruthless action. To add insult to injury, without any justified reason, the leader singly handedly excluded the PNC stalwart from Parliament and handpicked his surrogate to replace her.

It was a horrible decision, which if not corrected urgently could lead to the demise of the party, which is on the throes of being fractured permanently.

The reason why no executive member condemned his

action is precisely because most of them were afraid of reprisals from the leader who demanded total loyalty from the PNC executives. Loyalty to the party leader has been one of the foundation principles of the party, but that was more than 60 years ago when the party was founded.

Today the PNC has evolved and should make room for independent thinkers, but it has not. It is still the rule that those who had opposed the leader would face strong disciplinary action with the possibility of being expelled permanently from the party.

This has and continued to be the carte-blanche or absolute power wielded by the leaders of the PNC over the decades. The executive must remain loyal to the leader or face the consequences.

It is the leader’s way or the highway. In an earlier period, a similar treatment was meted out to Vanessa Kissoon and Sharma Solomon and like Mrs. Lawrence who is the most popular leader of the PNC today, yet the executives have remained silent. Such undemocratic and dictatorial approach is absurd, offensive and outdated must change if the PNC is to win elections long after their leaders have expired.

Several members of the 10 PNC groups in the Tri-State region have to follow the directive of the leader to toe the party line and pledge their loyalty to him, if not, they too will be shunned by the party

and their respective groups in the diaspora. At the turn of the century, the PNC leadership established an umbrella organization known as the North American Region (NAR) whose primary role is to make sure that its member PNC groups abide by the rules.

NAR is supposed be a neutral organization which means that it should not support any-one candidate for the leadership within the party, but it did so on several occasions. Its actions have led to major disagreements with several of its member groups in the New York diaspora to the extent that many of them have rescinded their membership from NAR and are operating independently. Today, NAR has become redundant and is a complete failure.

Contrary to the belief of many in the PNC, the party remains divided into two factions—the Volda Lawrence faction and the David Granger faction. To end the factions, the current leaders who are in their 70s must be prepared to pass the baton to a younger, enlightened, compassionate, selfless and talented leaders like Vanessa Kissoon, Sharma Solomon and Thandi McAllister and others with Mrs. Volda Lawrence at the helm to challenge the government on all issues. Time for new and younger leadership in the PNC. Yours truly, Dr. Asquith Rose

Monday December 21, 2020

Proper preventative lifestyle is not an option during the pandemic DEAR EDITOR, A Reuter report tells of Chilean President being fined $3,500 because he posed with a bystander without wearing a mask. Appropriate laws should have similar compulsion and applied in Guyana and elsewhere.

As I write, the US is experiencing the highest Covidrelated deaths (over 309,000), which in my opinion is due to early denial and refusal to follow guidelines, that is, many in high profile leadership positions did not portray lifestyle behaviours as mandated by scientists and medi-

cal professionals.

The Guyana press report disproportionate numbers of Covid-19 cases (over 6000) to date.

Here again, leadership behaviour is demonstrably not adhered to in all cases.

For example, President Irfaan Ali and members of the Guyana Police Force partook in an annual Police Commissioner’s Breakfast when all were noticeably mask-less. Tradition, notwithstanding, must take second place during the pandemic; prudence is the better obligatory alternative. But then,

commonsense is not so common.This is not the first time when President Ali was seen mask-less. This is injudicious! Advisors and protocol officers, please take note.

Proper preventative lifestyle is not optional. It is foolhardy to do otherwise.

No matter how big and powerful one is, this virus does not discriminate; it is an equal opportunity killer.

Haad eays people, listen: when yu na hear, yo gun feel.

I urge: let us all strive to do the right thing.

Thank you, Gary Girdhari

Help most definitely needed From page 4 elements that I extracted from presidential presence in West Berbice and related presidential words and postures.

Editor, I regret, I’m even ashamed, to share that on most occasions that I give His Excellency the benefit of the doubt, he is anything but, and proves most unworthy of the trust.

He spits in the face and stabs in the back with one betrayal of truth after another.

Be assured that I can recover from all those; but I have severe uncertainty that fellow citizens are equipped with the same apparatus to withstand the continuing disingenuousness of the president.

I say this because today, President Ali speaks a different language, one reminiscent of ancient hieroglyphics and for which one of those much-touted new-fangled translation programmes is needed to interpret what he is saying, what he really means, and where he is going. Or, more pointedly and damningly,

how and where he desires the Cotton Tree investigation to evolve and conclude.

I feel justified in saying this, because today the president speaks about the GPF having to determine if it needs help.

If he were another person, I would have thought this: surely, he jests. But then I am aware that this is a man who takes himself seriously.

Too seriously, and to the point where the fanfare of his trumpets drowns out good sense (or any room for humour).

I face this brutal reality: the Guyana Police Force needs as much help as it can get on many things, because of lack of tools and resources, equipment and technology, and manpower and methodologies.

Those absences have been impressed upon us, on more than a few occasions, for rudimentary matters before it.

The police force tries, but its arms are short, its aggregated minds have some mansions unexplored. It does need help, and everybody knows this. It

needed that help months ago, and the president knows that, too. He knew then, and he knows now.

Thus, when President Ali opens his mouth on police needs for the Cotton Tree investigation, he confirms one thing.

It is that he is full-fledged hedgehog mode. President Ali is hedging. He is searching for his shadow. He could have spared himself the self-incrimination, and spared the Henry family and us in this holiday season.

The president should have stayed in hibernation, rather than risk coming across as vacuous and groping blindly for wisdoms that elude. That risk is experienced when he embraces deceptions and dodges. I pray for the president. And I pray for Guyana. I do so because I ponder how long he and his people think that both can get away with such, be it relative to Cotton Tree, or on other issues that trouble. The knotted results.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

Guyana, Africa, Caribbean watch...

From page 5 and shipping them abroad.

African and other poor countries prefer not to rely on vaccines from abroad, but they have no choice since they can’t get one anytime soon.

But drug manufacturers in rich countries could hoard

supplies, leaving poorer nations vulnerable. They would be better off courting India and China.

The latter has been donating vaccines to several friendly countries including Indonesia, and some Asian and Arabic countries have ordered the Chinese vaccine.

European countries have not

ordered the Chinese vaccine, preferring the American or German or British vaccines for reasons they won’t divulge.

Guyana should study all the possibilities of efficacy and follow the advice of WHO on vaccine procurement and or access more from India.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

Monday December 21, 2020

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Kaieteur News

The moral majority was missing in action People are asking, “Where was the moral majority when the attempt at rigging the elections was taking place?” Where were all the God-fearing, sanctimonious and self-righteous persons who are considered the conscience of the nation?

Used here, the moral majority is not confined to any specific religion organization.

It includes all those whose role is to promote moral values, especially helping people to choose right from wrong.

The moral majority – used in this broad sense – was silent for the five months between March and August when electoral democracy was facing one of its gravest threats. Those who like to pontificate on social concerns, found it convenient not to utter a syllable about what was taking place in the country.

What was taking place was theft on a grand scale.

This was an attempt to steal the will of the people.

It is not that the moral majority was afraid. If the moral majority is afraid then morality itself is under threat.

The moral majority was not at all intimidated by what was taking place in our society.

They simply chose to remain silent because when it comes to local politics even the moral majority is divided.

Taken as a whole, the moral majority was not opposed to one side rigging the election to seize political power. That for them was not an issue which they wished to concern themselves. They did not see the issue as being one of honesty and fair play. They were prepared to

turn a blind eye to electoral dishonesty. Even though that is a moral question, for them it was convenient to ignore the moral implications of the attempts at stealing the elections.

Yet, this same moral majority has been and will continue to be vociferous on other issues. But on the most fundamental issues they failed the tests of impartiality and consistency.

If the moral majority wishes to reclaim any semblance of credibility it should speak up now. It still has a chance to condemn the sinister plot to degrade democracy and to put Guyana back into the stone ages of dictatorship.

Moral values are under threat in Guyana. Gambling, which is so often seen as immoral is widespread across Guyana. So widespread it is that a man is alleged to have tried to rob one betting facility. Judging from the number of vehicles which were outside of a certain facility last night, it is either the gambling or something else must be doing brisk business – in the midst of the COVID-19 threat.

Now that is something which should upset the moral majority. But they appear insensitive to such issues.

They have said nothing about the rise in public gambling. They have said nothing about the opening of shops and stores on Sunday, usually considered as a day of worship for some religions.

The moral majority cannot afford to be amoral much less immoral. They have said nothing about the numerous striptease joints which have mushroomed up across Guyana.

Some of these places are located near churches.

The moral majority has to remain silent on these issues because it knows that people will point fingers towards them and ask them where they were when the country was enduring five months of torture waiting for the election results in the midst of a global pandemic. The moral majority will not be able to answer as to their silence.

Yet this is a most important issue to them because it is established that dictatorships threaten the moral order of society.

Dictatorships are founded on dishonesty. They are born of fraud and deceit. Guyanese have had plenty of that between March and August of this year. Fraud and deceit are supposed to be moral issues.

But the moral majority remains silent.

Dictatorships, such as the one which was being attempted between March and August of this year, survive on violence.

The moral majority claims to abhor violence. Yet, it is this same moral majority which turned a blind eye to the threat of violence which would have ensued had a dictatorship been imposed on the country It is not too late for the moral majority to press for certain things. For one, it should demand that those found guilty of attempting to steal the elections face the full gamut of legal sanctions. But more important it should insist on moral sanctions for such wrongdoing.

Those who tried to steal the source of national sovereignty – the consent of the

Dem boys seh ...

Wonders never cease to happen!

De first anniversary of oil production come and gone without a fuss.

Dem oil company did promise de people dat it would produce on average of 120,000 barrels per day for de first year and dat Guyana’s take would have been US$200M. Dem boys seh dat it tek dem oil company a full year fuh reach de 120,000 barrels.

So dat means Guyana money gan get more short.

De excuse was some injector problem. Dem boys seh if it tek dem so longh fuh

fix a lil problem, how long it gan tek to fix a big one? Y’all think about dat. And while yuh thinking remember dat money losing It tek a year and still Guyana nah get fuh spend a cent of de scraps wha dem oil company throw its way. And de reason why is dat certain things which shoulda been in place still nat in place and therefore de money can’t spend.

In de midst of de pandemic Guyana gat US$20M sitting down in a bank book in New York simply because one

party decide dat it wanted to rig de elections.

Dem boys bin done talk how Guyana not going back there. We had enough of dat in de past fuh go through dat again.

So dem boys want everybody fuh know dat dem should tek de US$200M and buy more supplies of de vaccine because from de way things going we might need to immunize everyone fuh obtain herd immunity.

Talk half and find out how suddenly dem oil company fix de flaring problem.

people – should pay the consequences, however, severe are those consequences. The time has come for the moral majority to show some backbone and consistency and to demand that the full force of

the law be applied to electoral fraudsters.

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

Monday December 21, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Monday December 21, 2020

Drivers injured in Montrose Smash-up Scenes from the Montrose smash-up which left two injured

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Two drivers are now hospitalized following a smash-up yesterday along the Montrose Public Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD).Seriously injured are Kellon Albert, 37, of Lamaha Street, Georgetown and Rajah Chato, 42, of Dhanraj Street, Kitty. The smash-up, according to police, took place around 06:15Hrs in the vicinity of Apex Academy.

Investigators reported that Albert was reportedly driving his motorcar towards Georgetown, along the southern carriageway. Arriving at Montrose he lost control and drove over the concrete medium onto the northern carriageway slamming into another car which was heading east. That car was driven

by Chato.Eyewitnesses recalled that Albert was speeding and had “flew” past them just minutes before crashing into Chato’s

car.In videos posted on Facebook both cars were severely mangled and debris of the accident were scattered across the road. Public-spirited citizens rushed to their assistance. An injured Chato was conscious and was seen sitting in the passenger’s side of the car. He was bleeding from cuts and bruises to his arms and legs.

Albert lay unconscious in his car for a while but later he regained consciousness and tried to move. Persons could be heard telling him to “relax himself” and not to “rush or fight it”.They were both helped out of their cars and transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Doctors there admitted them immediately.

Police are continuing its investigations.

Monday December 21, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Monday December 21, 2020

Monday December 21, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Man Utd hammer Leeds in crazy game to go third Scott McTominay’s strike after 67 seconds was Manchester United’s first home league goal from open play since the 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace in their first match of the campaign. (Getty Images)

BBC Sport - Scott McTominay became the first player to score twice inside the first three minutes of a Premier League game as Manchester United climbed to third in the table with a remarkable victory over old rivals Leeds at Old Trafford.

The midfielder found the bottom corner with a ferocious drive after just 67 seconds, before dou bling his

tally moments later with a clever finish from Anthony Martial’s pass.Bruno Fernandes and Victor Lindelof increased the home side’s lead, with Liam Cooper’s header reducing the arrears at the end of a pulsating first 45 minutes.

Daniel James broke clear of the Leeds defence to re-

store the hosts’ four-goal advantage 20 minutes into the second half, before Fernandes added his second of the game from the penalty

spot after Martial had been tripped by Pascal Struijk.

Stuart Dallas curled home a stunning second consolation for Leeds - a fitting end

to one of the games of the season.The victory lifts Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ’s side above fourth-placed Everton on goal difference, while Leeds remain seven points above the relegation zone in 14th.

Sports Personality of the Year 2020: Lewis Hamilton crowned winner

Lewis Hamilton has been voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2020.

BBC News - Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has been voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2020.

One of F1’s all-time great

drivers, he equalled Michael Schumacher’s record of seven world titles with his fourth consecutive championship in 2020.

The 35-year-old, from Stevenage, also surpassed Schumacher’s total of 91 grand prix wins.

In a public vote, Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson finished second while jockey Hollie Doyle was third.

“I want to say congratulations to all the incredible nominees,” said Hamilton.

“I’m so proud of what they have achieved and I want to say thank you to everyone that has voted for me.

“I wasn’t expecting this knowing there’s so many great contenders.

“I want to say Merry Christmas to everyone - it’s been such an unusual year and I want to mention all the front line workers and all the children round the world, I want you to try and stay positive through this difficult time, I’m sending you all positivity. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

It is the second time Hamilton has been crowned Sports Personality of the Year, having first won the award in 2014.

He is also a four-time runner-up, most recently in 2018 and 2019.

Hamilton, who holds the record for most pole positions, won 11 of the 17 grands prix during the 2020 season, which started four months late due to the coronavirus pandemic. He achieved three further podium finishes.

The Sports Personality of the Year 2020 was broadcast live from MediaCityUK, Salford, in front of a 1,000strong virtual audience and millions of BBC One viewers.

Football pundit Alex Scott joined the presenting line-up alongside Gary Lineker, Clare Balding and Gabby Logan to look back on a truly unusual year of sport.

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Monday December 21, 2020

Kaieteur News

Lack of wind curtails racing in America’s Cup prelude AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Racing in the Christmas Cup prelude to sailing’s America’s Cup was abandoned yesterday because of a lack of wind on Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf.

Only one of four scheduled races — the first semifinal between America’s Cup defender Team New Zealand and British challenger INEOS Team UK — was started in a fading breeze.

Team New Zealand was leading by more than a lap, or two legs of the six leg course, and was within 60 meters of the finish line when the 45 minute time limit elapsed and the race was abandoned.

The second semifinal between United States challenger American Magic and Italy’s Luna Rossa could not be started before the time limit for the day’s racing also elapsed, leaving the final and race for third and fourth places uncontested.

The race between Team New Zealand and Team UK had a bizarre finish as the wind faded almost entirely, meaning neither boat was able

to stay on its foils.

With their hulls in the water, the boats drifted slowly downwind towards the finish line and Team New Zealand couldn’t catch enough of a breeze to finish in the required time.

The loss of racing was a small setback to teams who now face a brief lull before the America’s Cup proper begins in the New Year.

The America’s Cup World Series which was won on Saturday by Team New Zealand and the Christmas Cup are not part of and don’t count towards the Cup regatta.

Racing over four days was still valuable, giving the

defender and three challengers their first opportunity to race against each other in the high-tech AC75 class yachts; to assess the performa nce of their own boats in race mode and collect raceday data on rivals.

The challengers now head back to their bases to crunch that data and to make any modifications they deem necessary before the Prada Chal-

lengers Series begins on Jan. 15. The series runs to Feb. 22 and the winner will face Team New Zealand in the 36th Cup match, beginning March 6.

The British challenger INEOS Team UK faces the greatest workload in bringing its race boat Britannia up to a competitive level after a disastrous World Series in which it lost all six races, withdrawing from one and suffering numerous technical problems.

The World Series proved Britannia struggles to stay on its foils in light winds and major changes may be necessary to improve its performance before the challenger series begins.

Team UK is thought to be the best-funded challenger with around US$160 million in financial backing and the technical and equipment issues it has faced have been a major surprise.

Skipper Ben Ainslie acknowledged problems with Britannia’s light airs performance but also blamed the team’s technical problems on a system supplied to all teams

by Team New Zealand.

Team New Zealand yacht, left, and Britain’s Team UK compete in the America’s Cup World Series on the Hauraki Gulf off Auckland, New Zealand, Friday, Dec. 18, 2020. (New Zealand Herald via AP)

The hardware and software systems control the cant-

EBFA/Ralph Green U-11 League to be bigger and better in 2021

ing foil arms and the British team has struggled to make the system work efficiently.

Other challengers have also reported problems but have been able to devise solutions.

Ainslie, a four-time Olympic sailing gold medalist, said Team UK will take away the lessons of the World Series and Christmas Cup and work hard to overcome its weaknesses.

“In terms of understanding why we’re struggling in the lighter airs in particular it was a good learning experience to analyze the other

teams, to actually get a proper look for real when they’re racing at what they’re doing, what’s the set-up on their boat, what are we missing and how can

EBFA Ralph Green U-11 League 2nd placed team, Riddim Squad.

Sponsor of the annual East Bank Football Association / Ralph Green Under-11 League, USA based Ralph Green, has informed that the fifth edition of the tournament which should have been played this year but suffered like many other sports due to the covid-19 pandemic, will be bigger and better in 2021.

Whilst stating his disappointment with not being able to have the youths engaged this year, Green said that the safety and health of the future stars who exhibit their skills during competition is priority and promised that next year’s edition would be exciting. ”I want to assure the EBFA and players that whilst many would have been disappointed given the fact that the tournament did not come off this year, next year we would be coming bigger and better. I am in discussion already with coordinator Franklin Wilson, looking at ways of enhancing the tournament. We have already procured two sets of goals for the tournament and looking at other ways of making the experience for our youngsters, more memorable.”

A total of twelve teams participated in the 2019 edition of the

tournament which was won by Vurlon Mills Academy which edged Riddim Squad FC 2-1 in the final; all the matches were played at the Guyana Football Federation National Training Centre, Providence, East Bank Demerara.

Timehri Panthers won the third place game getting past Kuru Kururu Warriors, 3-1. The other competing teams were, Agricola, Eagles FC of Stewartville, Swan FC, Friendship All Stars, Diamond United, Samatta Point/Kaneville, Grove Hi Tech, and Fruta Conquerors.

An increase in teams from 12 to 16 is being considered as well as teams receiving complete uniforms. Currently, teams are presented with branded shirts (inclusive of the EBFA logo) to play, whilst branded size 4 balls are also used.

The 2019 edition saw each player collecting a knapsack whilst Coaches were outfitted with polo shirts. Each player from the first and second placed teams was presented with replica trophies while the third and fourth placed teams got medals.

Plaques were presented to the Most Valuable Player, Best Goalkeeper, Highest Goal Scorer, Most Promising Player, Most Disciplined Player and the Best Coach.

we improve our performance,” Ainslie said.

The recent racing also seemed to show the Italian boat Luna Rossa is particularly fast in light airs and the United States challenger

American Magic, with its race boat Patriot, is strong in the moderate to higher wind range.

The winds for the World Series and Christmas Cup were low to moderate, ranging between six and 15 knots.

American Magic helmsman Dean Barker said the AC75s are hard to sail in low wind.

“When you drop off a foil it’s sort of game over,” Barker sadid.

“These boats are challenging in the bottom wind range, to just keep foiling 100 percent of the time.”

Defender Team New Zealand’s Te Rehutai — the indigenous Maori word for sea spray — was highly tuned for the recent racing and was clearly the fastest boat on show.

But, racing on the edge of control times, Team New Zealand made a number of boat handling errors which it will address in coming weeks.

Shami out of rest of...

From page 28 report to the BCCI and team management, the NCA noted that Sharma would need to build on his bowling workload in order to be completely fit to be selected for the Test series.

In his first media briefing on the eve of the Australia tour, in November, even Kohli wondered why Sharma was not completing his rehab with the rest of the squad which would have kept him in contention for the Test series.

It is understood the BCCI wanted to ensure Sharma

was completely fit and ready in the long-term as India are scheduled to play a fourmatch Test series against England at home soon after the Australia tour.

India will then tour England for another five-Test series in mid-2021.On November 26, the BCCI said although Sharma had “completely recovered” from the side strain he sustained during the IPL, he “is building up his workload in order to achieve Test-match fitness” and he was “ruled out” of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Monday December 21, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Seifert leads New Zealand home to wrap up Pakistan T20 series Mohammad Hafeez was in destructive form, plundering 99 from 57 deliveries.

AFP - Tim Seifert’s 84 not out trumped an unbeaten 99 by Mohammad Hafeez as New Zealand claimed the second Twenty20 against Pakistan by nine wickets in Hamilton yesterday to take the series with a game to spare.

The Black Caps chased down Pakistan’s 163 for six with four balls to spare, after winning the first game in Auckland by five wickets.

Kane Williamson, back in the side after paternity leave, hit the winning runs with a boundary to be not out 57 but said the game was all about the bowling of man-of-thematch Tim Southee and the batting of Seifert and Hafeez.

Seifert faced 63 balls for his 84, while Hafeez was in destructive form, which he attributed to taking up golf, as he plundered 99 from 57

deliveries while Southee restricted the remaining Pakistan batsmen with four for 21.

“It was a good surface, one that had a little bit for the bowlers and obviously if you could build partnerships you could gain some momentum,” Williamson said.

“It was really satisfying to get across the line. A fantastic knock by Seifert, a really good effort with the ball and obviously a brilliant knock

by Hafeez, the master.”

Opener Seifert batted through the innings and although denied a century because of the quality of his partners, he did match his careerbest 84 against India last year.

He put on 35 for the first wicket with Martin Guptill, who was out for 21, and shared in a 129-run stand with Williamson.

New Zealand’s Kane Williamson and Pakistan’s Shadab Khan (right) shake hands after the second T20 match.

The 40-year-old Hafeez, out first ball in Auckland, was almost on his own for Pakistan with a career-best 99 which included 10 fours and five sixes.

It was his fourth half-century from six innings in the past year and he put the consistency down to taking up golf.

“I started golf last year and I realised the basics of the game are similar — good balance, good base, good swing, good follow-through that really worked for my cricket in the last year,” he said.

Mohammad Rizwan’s 22 was the next best score for Pakistan and captain Shadab Khan put the lack of a decent total down to his players not adapting to New Zealand conditions.

“It’s not a technique issue, we’re

New Zealand’s Tim Seifert on his way to an unbeaten 84 in a winning effort against Pakistan in the second Twenty20 international in Hamilton. not used to the pitches and that’s why the conditions are a little bit difficult,” he said.

“We have young openers and they will learn quickly, hopefully.”

Tim Southee was the pick of the

New Zealand bowlers with four for 21.

Scores: New Zealand 164 for 1 (Seifert 84*, Williamson 57*) beat Pakistan 163 for 6 (Hafeez 99*, Southee 4-21) by nine wickets.

Josh Hazlewood breaks into top five, Virat Kohli narrows gap at the top with Steven Smith ESPNcricinfo - Josh Hazlewood has climbed to the fifth spot in the ICC Test bowling rankings following his astonishing 5 for 8 against India in the second innings of the day-night Test in Adelaide, which Australia won by eight wickets.

This is the first time since March 2018 that Hazlewood has been among the top of five Test bowlers in the world.

Hazlewood was at No. 9 before the start of the Test. After the Adelaide Test, he jumped four slots to reach 805 points.

Pat Cummins, who picked up seven wickets in the match, continued to head the table with 910 points. His gain of six rating points opened up a 65-point gap between him and second-ranked Stuart Broad (845).

For India, R Ashwin took four wickets in the first innings to become India’s top-ranked Test bowler, going past Jasprit Bumrah.

Currently at the ninth spot, Ashwin was the only spinner in the top ten.

Among batsmen, Marnus Labuschagne’s 47 and 6 helped him achieve his best-ever rating he was at No. 4 with 839 points.

Virat Kohli, who ended the year without an international hundred - for the first time since 2008 gained two points courtesy his 74 in the first innings. This, and a rare failure for Smith (1 and 1*) that saw him lose ten rating points, narrowed the gap somewhat between the two at the top. However, Smith still has a lead of 23 over Kohli, who wouldn’t be playing a part in the rest of the series as he returns home for the birth of his first child.

In other significant movements, Tim Paine’s unbeaten 73 lifted him to a career-best 33rd place, while Joe Burns’ unbeaten 51 in the second innings helped him to the 48th spot.

Josh Hazlewood leads Australia off after registering figures of 5-3-8-5 © Cricket Australia/Getty Images

PAGE 28

Shami out of rest of Australia Test series with fractured forearm ESPNcricinfo - Fast bowler Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of the rest of India’s tour of Australia. It is understood Shami has suffered a fracture on his right forearm, which was revealed after he underwent scans immediately after the Adelaide Test ended. The news will come as a crushing blow for India, who lost that Test inside three days after being bowled out for their lowest Test total ever.

The BCCI is yet to make an announcement on the development.

As for Shami’s replacement, the team management has to pick one from the trio of players: Kartik Tyagi, T Natarajan and Shardul Thakur. Incidentally neither of these three fast men were part of the original Test squad.

Both Natarajan and Thakur stayed back after the whiteball leg of the Australia tour to join Tyagi as net bowlers.

Shami, who batted at No.11, sustained the injury while fending awkwardly at a short delivery from Pat Cummins on Saturday.

After being taped on his right forearam Shami decided to bat on, but then signalled

Monday December 21, 2020

Kaieteur News

he could not continue and walked back to the dressing room. He didn’t return to bowl either in the fourth innings.

At the post-match presentation, India captain Virat Kohli said Shami was in “pain” and could not even raise his bowling hand.

Shami’s absence means the Indian fast bowling attack is now left with only Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini and Mohammed Siraj. Both Saini and Siraj are uncapped in Test cricket.

In addition to Shami’s absence, India will be without Kohli, who will miss the rest of the series as he returns home on paternity leave.

Who should replace Shami?

The Indian team management has a difficult choice to make on who should replace Shami in the Test squad.

Thakur, who plays for Mumbai, is the most experienced seamer among the reserves, with 206 wickets at an average of 28.55 in first-class cricket.

Natarajan, a left-arm seamer, forced his way into India’s limited-overs squads for the Australian tour on the back of his impressive perfor-

mances in the IPL for Sunrirsers Hyderabad. In firstclass cricket, Natarajan, who represents Tamil Nadu, has limited experience having picked up 64 wickets in 20 matches at 27.03.

Twenty-year-old Tyagi was part of the India Under19 side that made the World Cup final in South Africa earlier this year. A right-arm fast bowler, Tyagi played for the Indians in the first warm-up match against Australia A recently, going wicketless. He has played two matches for Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy, picking up three wickets.

The Ishant Sharma question Shami’s injury might also force the selectors and the team management to reflect on their decision to not to include Ishant Sharma in the Test squad despite him being declared fit by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in November.

Sharma, who picked up an injury during the IPL while playing for the Delhi Capitals, went to the NCA in Bengaluru in September and was ruled fit around November 19.

However, in its assessment (Continued on page 26)

Gobert, Jazz agree to $205M extension

Doping-Russian former weightlifting world champion Kashirina suspended - report

Russia’s Tatiana Kashirina competes in the women’s +75kg group A clean and jerk weightlifting competition at the ExCel venue during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 5, 2012. (REUTERS/Suhaib Salem) (Reuters) - Russia’s fivetimes world champion weightlifter and Olympic medallist Tatiana Kashirina has been temporarily suspended for an anti-doping rule violation, Russian news agency TASS reported yesterday.

Kashirina, who won silver at the 2012 Olympics and five gold medals at the world championships between 2010 and 2018, was one of the favourites for a gold medal at

next year’s Tokyo Games.

The report said Kashirina, 29, was suspended after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) took results of doping tests of Russian athletes between 2012 to 2015 from the Moscow Laboratory during an investigation.

She previously served a two-year suspension from 2006-08 for violating antidoping rules and her latest ban will prevent her from

competing during the Games qualification period which runs until April, 2021.

Kashirina would have had to compete as a neutral as Russian athletes remain barred from major international events, including the Olympics, under the country’s flag until 2022.

A Swiss court upheld doping sanctions on Russia this week but halved the original four-year WADA ban.

Brilliant Canelo Alvarez shines in unanimous win over Callum Smith

LA Clippers centre Ivica Zubac (40) takes a pass as he is defended by Utah Jazz centre Rudy Gobert (27) during the second quarter at Staples Center. (Robert Hanashiro-USA Today Sports) Rudy Gobert has agreed to a five-year, $205 million extension with the Utah Jazz, the three-time All-NBA center revealed to ESPN yesterday.

Gobert, 28, was eligible to earn up to the same $228 million deal that Giannis Antetokounmpo received from the Milwaukee Bucks, but said he took less to give the Jazz flexibility to build the roster.

“I want to win, and I feel like leaving this money on the table for the team just to be able to have better talent around me and Donovan (Mitchell) was really impor-

tant,” said Gobert. “I want to win, and I believe in this group and I believe in this organization, and I was willing to leave that money on the table for them.”

As for being awarded the largest deal ever given to a center, Gobert said it showed faith from the team.

“It means that they believe in me,” Gobert said.

“They believe in what we’ve been building over the years with this whole organization, with coach (Quin Snyder) and all the guys.”

In addition to his All-NBA accolades, Gobert has been

named Defensive Player of the Year twice, made four AllDefensive teams and was an All-Star this past season, when he averaged 15.1 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks.

The 27th overall pick in 2013, Gobert has averaged 11.7 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks over 474 career games (382 starts), all with Utah.

The Jazz, who went 3-0 in preseason play, open the regular season at the Portland Trail Blazers at 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

(Field Level Media)

Yahoo Sports - Canelo Alvarez was the shorter man, but far from the smaller man Saturday in his super middleweight title unification bout against Callum Smith at the Alamodome.

Alvarez showed why he’s the best fighter in the world in running away from Smith to capture the WBA and WBC titles by scores of 119-109 twice and 117-111. Yahoo Sports had it a shutout, 120108, for Alvarez.

Alvarez walked Smith down from the first bell, backing the bigger man up repeatedly and punishing him with crushing shots. Smith had an eight-inch height advantage, but that was the only edge he had on this night.

Alvarez’s offence was diverse, as he threw every punch there is, and he connected on 43 percent of his total punches and an astounding 57 percent of his power punches.

He was so good that he

must be seriously in the conversation now as the finest Mexican-born fighter of all time.

That’s been Julio Cesar Chavez for years, and he set a standard that didn’t seem reachable. But Alvarez is closing ground fast and soon there will have to be a discussion.

He’s a brilliant all-around fighter whose defense against Smith was on display throughout the night. He parried and slipped punches, moved his head and feet and was in command all night, holding Smith to just an 18 percent connect rate.

He has won world titles at 154, 160, 168 and 175 pounds, but rarely has he looked as good as he did on Saturday.

Still, Alvarez wasn’t ready to call it the best.

“It’s one of the best nights for me and I won the unified titles,” Alvarez said.

“It’s one of the greatest nights I’ve had, but I’ll go for

more.”

The only blight against Alvarez on Saturday was that he didn’t finish Smith, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying.

He was hitting him with both hands, on the head and in the body, hard, quick and vicious. Smith was reeling several times, but he showed his toughness by refusing to go down.

His brother, Liam, was knocked out in the ninth round by Alvarez in 2016 in a 154-pound title fight, and this was not much different.

“He’s a good fighter, I have to give him credit,” Callum Smith said.

He’s better than good.

Let’s get that right: He’s great.

There is no finer fighter in the world at this moment, a moment when there are a lot of super elite fighters in their primes.

Alvarez, though, is one of the best and he’s beginning to push himself into that alltime territory.

Monday December 21, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Big Bash League: Dan Christian stars in Sydney Sixers win over Adelaide Strikers

Verbal agreement in place for Joshua-Fury, says Hearn

Dan Christian has played 329 Twenty20 games - Shane Watson is the only Australian to have played more. (Getty Images)

Anthony Joshua to fight Tyson Fury in a heavyweight unification bout says Promoter Eddie Hearn.

SportsMax - There is a verbal agreement in place for Anthony Joshua to fight Tyson Fury in a heavyweight unification bout, with promoter Eddie Hearn seemingly suggesting the Middle East as the likely venue.

Joshua’s ninth-round stoppage of Kubrat Pulev last week kept him on a collision course with Fury, who has not fought since defeating Deontay Wilder to claim the WBC title, which is the only belt Joshua does not own.

Wilder has a rematch clause he can trigger for a third fight with Fury, however, Joshua’s promoter Hearn is insistent the only bout either camp is concerned about is one that will crown a Briton as the undisputed champion.

Speaking at the post-fight news conference for Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez’s victory

over Callum Smith, Hearn said: “They’ve been ongoing none stop, the next move is drafting of agreements which is going on right now. “[There’s] a lot of work to do on that but only minor points in my opinion to resolve. So I think you’ll see over the next few weeks getting into that position where we can get into the market place and look at where that fight might take place. But as I’ve said before no one is looking at another fight from either team other than that one.”

Asked about a verbal agreement, he added: “Yes, yes I mean we have a verbal.

“AJ has a fighting exclusive with Sky, Fury with BT, in America Fury with ESPN, AJ with DAZN. Minor again, then the silly stuff, who walks out first, who gets the better

Leao scores fastest ever Serie A goal to set up Milan win REGGIO EMILIA, Italy (Reuters) - AC Milan forward Rafael Leao scored the fastest goal in Serie A history, hitting the target after six seconds, to set the Serie A leaders on their way to a 2-1 win at Sassuolo yesterday.

In an astonishing start, Hakan Calhanoglu collected the ball straight from the kickoff and opened up the Sassuolo defence with an incisive pass to Leao and the Portuguese beat goalkeeper Andrea Consigli with an angled drive.

After Calhanoglu had a goal disallowed for offside in the build-up in the ninth minute, Alexis Saelemaekers added a second following a powerful Theo Hernandez run in the 26th minute. Domenico Berardi pulled one

changing room. AJ thinks he’s the A side, Fury thinks he’s the A side. Anthony Joshua [is the A side] - when you talk about as a global brand and the biggest draw globally in that fight, it’s clear it’s AJ. He has three of the belts - this is why AJ could fight in December and Fury couldn’t.

“It depends where it could take place, if it’s in the Middle East I think Ramadan runs until mid-May so the end of May, early June is target for that fight. If it’s in the UK May-June is great as well.

“But the only way that fight can take place in the UK is if 90,000 fans can attend.

Even then guys could be taking 50 per cent of the purse in another territory, but right now with the UK going into another lockdown, who knows if we’ll see those kind of numbers?”

AC Milan’s Rafael Leao celebrates scoring their first goal. (Reuters/ Jennifer Lorenzini)

back for Sassuolo late in the game.

Milan, again missing injured forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, remained unbeaten after 13 games and lead the standings with 31 points, one ahead of their neighbours Inter Milan.

BBC Sport - Dan Christian hit the second-fastest half-century in Big Bash history to propel the Sydney Sixers to a 38-run win against the Adelaide Strikers.

Christian reached 50 from only 15 balls in Hobart to help the defending champions reach 177-5 from 20 overs.

The 37-year-old then struck with the ball, removing Sussex’s Phil Salt for 28 to end a rapid start to the chase.

Adelaide ended on 139-7, with Carlos Brathwaite, Steve O’Keefe and Ben Manenti taking two wickets each.

The Strikers at least took the Bash Boost point for hav-

ing the better score after 10 overs, while the Sixers climb to third - three points behind leaders Hobart Hurricanes with a game in hand.

Christian’s assault was all the more remarkable given the struggles his team-mates had experienced earlier against the moving ball.

The Sixers were labouring on 58-3 after one ball of the 12th over when Christian arrived at the crease but the man who captained Nottinghamshire to the T20 Blast title in the past summer then belted five sixes and four fours.

The only quicker half-

century in the BBL is the 12ball 50 smashed by West Indies batsman Chris Gayle for the Melbourne Renegades against the Strikers in 2016.

Although Salt and Jake Weatherald gave Adelaide a flying start, they were tied down in the middle overs by the off-spin of Manenti, the experience of left-arm spinner O’Keefe and the tricks of Christian, who took 1-25 from his four overs.

Scores: Sydney Sixers 5 for 177 (Christian 50, Hughes 46*, Worrall 2-12) beat Adelaide Strikers 7 for 139 (Wells 36, O’Keefe 2-8, Manenti 2-23) by 38 runs.

Thompson-Herah beats Fraser-Pryce to top of T&F News 2020 100m podium Elaine Thompson (right got the gold over Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

SportsMax - Elaine Thompson got the gold over Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in Track and Field News’ Podiums for 2020.

The magazine, considered the bible of the sport, has selected the three best athletes in each discipline ranking them for gold, silver and bronze, based on their performances during the season.The three athletes selected in the Women’s 100m were unbeaten during the season but for T&FNews, Elaine Thompson was their gold medalist by virtue of her worldleading 10.85 in Rome on September 17. The 2016 double Olympic champion also ran 10.87 in Doha on September 25 to close the season.

The Jamaican national record holder also had another sub-11 clocking in a 10.92 run at

the National Stadium in Kingston on August 22, near where she ran a wind-aided 10.73 at Jamaica College on July 25.The silver medal was awarded to the four-time World 100m champion, whose season-best 10.86 came at the National Stadium in Kingston on August 22. The two-time Olympic 100m champion also ran 10.87 at the same venue earlier that month.

Upcoming star Sha’carri Richardson was the bronze medalist based on her 10.95 run at the Montverde Academy in Florida on August 11. The 2019 NCAA 100m gold medalist and U20 world record holder also had windaided times of 10.79 and 10.83, times that galvanizes the legitimacy of her 10.75 personal best.

PAGE 30

Monday December 21, 2020

Kaieteur News

Cricket Australia mulls 3rd, 4th test swap after COVID spike Indian players celebrate the wicket of Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne on the third day of their cricket test match at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020. (AP Photo/David Mariuz)

SYDNEY (AP) — Cricket Australia will consider swapping the third and fourth tests of Australia’s cricket test series against India due to a COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney where the third test is due to be played.

Australian media reported yesterday CA officials have a contingency plan to switch the Sydney test and the fourth test in Brisbane if the outbreak worsens.

Officials currently are confident the Sydney test can go ahead as planned from Jan. 7.

If the tests are swapped, the Sydney test will be played

from Jan. 15 to 19.

A total of 30 new COVID infections were reported in Sydney on Sunday all associated with an outbreak in the city’s northern beach suburbs.

The new cases caused the New South Wales state government to impose fresh restrictions on public and private gatherings.

CA’s coronavirus working group was due to meet Sunday to discuss the Sydney outbreak and its impact on the test series.

“The third Test is more than two-and-a-half weeks away, which provides us with

time to assess the evolving public health situation on the northern beaches of Sydney,” CA interim chief executive Nick Hockley said.

“We have made no changes to our schedule and our preference remains to play the match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

“CA has prepared for the possibility of COVID-19 hotspots and state border closures over the course of the summer.”

The plan to swap the third and fourth tests is being considered in case Queensland state closes its border with New South Wales.

Australia’s Joe Burns plays a shot against India on the third day of their cricket test match at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020.

(AP Photo/David Mariuz)

That would mean players and television crews could not travel from Sydney to Brisbane between the third and fourth tests.

Victoria state on Sunday declared Sydney a hot spot and said it would close its borders from midnight to travelers from Australia’s largest city.

Australian test opener David Warner beat the closure, flying by private plane on Saturday from Sydney to Melbourne to isolate before

joining the Australian team bubble ahead of the Boxing Day test.

Warner is recovering from

a groin injury sustained late last month during the one-day international series against India.

An alternative plan, to play consecutive tests in Melbourne which will host the second test from Dec. 26, exists but is thought unlikely because CA does not want to cancel the Sydney test.

The Sydney test also could be moved to Manuka Oval in Canberra.

Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins said the Australian players are aware of the issues involving the Sydney outbreak and are confident Cricket Australia has matters

under control.

“Of course, we have been chatting about that.

Fingers crossed it doesn’t escalate too much,” Cummins said.

“But Cricket Australia have been amazing with our medical staff.

“They have thought of every contingency and been red-hot on our discipline with mask wearing and isolation before coming into the bubble.

Fingers-crossed Sydney can look after themselves.”

Australia leads the series 1-0 after winning the first test in Adelaide by eight wickets.

Leicester win at Tottenham to go second Team 1Liverpool 2 Leicester 3 Man Utd 4 Everton 5Tottenham 6 Southampton 7 Man City 8 Chelsea 9 West Ham 10 Wolves

P 14 14 13 14 14 14 13 13 13 13

BBC Sport - Leicester City climbed to second in the Premier League as they overcame top-four rivals Tottenham to move four points behind leaders Liverpool.

In a hard-fought battle between the sides starting the day third and fourth in the table - Spurs one point above the visitors - it was the latter who established themselves as champions Liverpool’s closest challengers courtesy of Jamie Vardy’s penalty and a Toby Alderweireld own goal.

Vardy confidently dispatched his spot-kick in the

GD 17 9 7 6 11 6 7 12 5 -4

Pts 31 27 26 26 25 24 23 22 21 20

fourth minute of first-half injury time, after referee Craig Pawson was advised to review Serge Aurier’s needless shove on Wesley Fofana via the pitchside monitor.

A VAR review for offside disallowed James Maddison’s well-taken finish three minutes after the restart, but Vardy’s header from Marc Albrighton’s excellent cross deflected in off Alderweireld to double Leicester’s advantage after 59 minutes.

Vardy’s opener arrived at the end of a closely contested opening 45 minutes, during which Spurs captain Harry Kane’s saved free-kick in the

Leicester City have scored eight Premier League penalties this season, three more than any other team.

(Getty Images)

34th minute and Foxes midfielder Maddison’s deflected shot from distance were the only other attempts on target.

Son Heung-min was denied at close range by Kasper Schmeichel as Jose Mourinho’s disappointing hosts were left frustrated in

search of a response, while Leicester went close to a late third through Youri Tielemans.

Beaten 2-1 by Liverpool in

their top-of-the-table meeting on Wednesday, former pacesetters Tottenham find themselves six points adrift of the lead.

Monday December 21, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 31

Locals excited about new golfing community Several golf enthusiasts have expressed their delight about the new golfing community that will be built at Maraiko Bay Resorts in Mahaica, East Coast Demerara following a trip to the area on Sunday last.

The Guyana Golf Association and Nexgen Golf Academy have been working feverishly in promoting the sport and a number of locals have undertaken training sessions at the Academy in Woolford Avenue.

As part of their promotion, the Maraiko Bay Resorts, which drew worldwide attention in August 2020 when CIMGRO officially unveiled its impressive design for its US$1.4B Golf and Country Club Estates, has opened a first of its kind sales centre in Giftland, the country’s largest mall, and promises to give away a Free Condo to one of their first 100 clients and one year use of a complimentary electric car to the first 100 renters.

Maraiko Bay’s amenities include a school, hospital, shopping centre, PGA standard championship Golf course, marina and a fabulous beach. Every one of the luxurious, yet affordable homes are snuggled amidst centuries old trees and all are designed to provide an unimpeded vista of the majestic Mahaica River, the fabulous PGAstandard 18-hole championship golf course and the magnificent two miles of wide sandy beach along the Atlantic Ocean.

Samaria Deonauth a local golfer, who is also part of the Nesha’s Flower Land, said the project will help to improve the standard of the sport here. “We have limited entertainment in Guyana so with this venture Guyanese can expect a lot more when it comes to golf. This will enhance the skill level of the players which will pave the way for them to compete on the international level,” she said.

Melissa Khan, a new comer to the sport said this is

The Maraiko Bay beach at the Mahaica River.

a wonderful undertaking.

“This will boost tourism and the sport of golf. Having a PGA standard course can do a lot for the sport so our players should be able to better their performance both locally and overseas.” Leon Dowlin a re-migrant stated that this augurs well for the Guyanese community.

CIMGRO plans on developing just 34% of the massive 1,000+ acre site for housing needs. An aggressive construction schedule that is supported by local and international companies with years of experience and expertise, coupled with innovative, multi-faceted construction solutions, makes the delivery of Phase I (nine holes of golf, condos, homes, shopping, school and hospital) possible in the projected timeframe, according to the developers.

One of the developers, Rudy Ramalingum explained that their approach to design and construction was unique in that by offering investors the land for construction of homes, hotels, shopping centers and other amenities at low prices or as a joint venture, they are being flooded with dozens of offers from companies and individuals who see Guyana as the last investment frontier in the 20th century.

Prospective local buyers and renters can visit the Maraiko Bay showroom at Giftland Mall every day from 10:00hrs -21:00hrs and register to win a complimentary visit to the project that includes a beach and river tour, lunch and beverage.

Shami out of rest t of Australia Test r o p S series with fractured forearm

Canelo Alvarez punches Callum Smith during their super middleweight title bout at the Alamodome on December 19, 2020 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Matchroom via Getty Images)

Mohammed Shami was struck on the hand while batting and had to retire hurt, Australia vs India, 1st Test, Adelaide, 3rd day, December 19, 2020 Š Getty Images

Brilliant Canelo Alvarez shines in unanimous win over Callum Smith

Vurlon Mills Academy Captain Christian Enderson receives the Fourth EBFA Ralph Green U-11 League champions’ trophy from Ralph Green.

EBFA/Ralph Green U-11 League to be bigger and better in 2021 Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8452, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.