Kaieteur News

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AIETEUR Guyana should Monday Edition secure sliding NEWS scale for profit oil in - Oil Kaieteur, Canje contracts Expert January 18, 2021 - Vol. 14 No.03

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

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

Price $80

Online readership yesterday, 90,734

Call Exxon’s bluff and demand renegotiation -

Dr. Vincent Adams, Former EPA Head

-They can’t survive without Guyana Large Guyana, Suriname oil finds hint region is sleeping supergiant Fortune 500 company moves reg. HQ to Guyana to give Guyanese jobs Businessman

La Grange businesswoman’s murder…

Alleged female mastermind who escaped from police toilet reportedly active on Facebook

Court document reveals…

stopped, robbed by Applicant’s name used without permission to file case p.14 armed bandits at Eye Lash Backdam against Haitian deportation

Guyana has not blocked flights from UK despite new COVID-19 strain detected

Disaster looms… Guyana

lacks

capacity to handle oil, much less gas-to-shore - Ram Join Glenn Lall and Chris Ram tonight at 7:20pm on 99.1/99.5FM Kaieteur Radio, to hear how our leaders will use the gas-to-shore project to put ropes around our necks.

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Kaieteur News

Monday January 18, 2021

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

Oil sector audits Under the current scheme, oil sector audits will take forever to get done, and when that actually comes to a conclusion at some time, it would be so distant and late in the day, as to have little meaning, and less appeal. In view of the amount of money spent, the accompanying paperwork that would be involved, the necessary extended ‘drilling down’ to get to the bottom of things, and the customary back and forth between auditor and auditee, Guyana’s audit of its oil sector could be an unending exercise. This is what concerns us with these audits of oilrelated activity and spending, almost all of which this country is responsible for, and must honour.

As we look at what is in place, and take matters a little deeper, we at this paper have no alternative but to say that expectations on audit reports and whatever is embedded in them look like they are going to be yet another engagement with futility, in going through the motions, for the purpose of registering that something is done and nothing else. The audit outlook at this time must be called for what it is: it is grim and leads nowhere. Exxon and its partners will see to that, for they have been in this game for over a century now, so they know what to present, what to paper over, and what to pretend is in order, even when many such matters are not. No one - no individual, no company, no group or agency - functions in a business and environment for over a hundred years and ends up learning nothing.

This is what Guyana faces, as it stares at bills that would sink the Titanic, or stall a Hercules C-130 cargo aircraft on the ground, since there is so much weight involved. Kaieteur News in its January 13th edition noted how this country is going about overseeing its oil business, “Only 10 GRA officers auditing Guyana’s billion-dollar oil sector.” We say it right off the bat: 10 officers are not enough, and this is with due regard for their training and accumulated skills. Here is why this is our position, some of which was incorporated in the article referenced, and the rest of which is basic commonsense.

Currently, there is in excess of US$6B in oil related expenses to check and analyze and review and arrive at reasonable conclusions. To place this on a domestic footing, that US$6B is the equivalent of approximately twelve hundred billion Guyana dollars. However, this is approached and examined, it has to be a high mountain of paper to be sifted through, to be looked at, not by any impractical piece by piece of paper, but by some reassuring sampling methodology, some representative aspect of the population of invoices and prices. We would expect that a significant portion of these invoices and prices to have been executed with American businesses and those from other countries. This alone places our local audit team at a disadvantage, with regard to any cross-checking and robust follow-up to ascertain the integrity of what is submitted by Exxon and its peoples.

Further, when we consider that the audit team from the GRA is made up of 10 officers, this just made a burdensome job assume all the characteristics of the largely undoable.

We say this because of what has to be the sheer volume involved in what would be an uphill task, under normal circumstances, for a billion US dollars (GY$200B), but here we are talking about US$6B, and with more coming on a daily basis, since activities are ongoing and not at a standstill. It is our thinking at this paper that 10 officers only permit skimming the surface and probing at the edges, if that. This team has its work cut out for it, and one has to wonder how far it would-or could-get, given the limited number of auditors set aside for this vast and sensitive task.

We in this society do well to remember always that we are responsible for those billions of dollars in expenses incurred by Exxon. Up to this time, the company has not dealt with us in a manner that speaks to open and balanced partnership. With US$6B at stake, and which Exxon desires to pawn off all of it on us, we cannot afford to be complacent, or take this lightly. Yet, from all indications, this is precisely how we are going about things, with the results now almost foregone. It is that the US$6B is owned by us Guyanese.

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ON THE DONALD RODNEY CASE Guyana Court of Appeal and

DEAR EDITOR This is an open letter to the Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs. We direct our letter to you as the Minister within the legal system responsible for the administration of legal affairs and for the dispensation of justice to all citizens of Guyana.

A few of us who are signing this document testified in the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry installed under the President Donald Ramotar led PPP/C regime in 2014 and documents in support of the Inquiry were willingly supplied. There was criticism and pushback against the Inquiry but we thought it was important to testify.

We have been witnesses to a corruption of the legal process in the prosecution of Donald Rodney on the charge of “being in possession of explosives without lawful excuse or authority” resulting in a conviction on February 26, 1982 before Magistrate Ms. Norma Jackman in which there was a gross miscarriage of justice.

Mr. Donald Rodney was found guilty and placed on $4,000 bail and he has fought through many fora including the local courts to quash the conviction and affirm his innocence.

It is significant that he was offered a Presidential pardon (prior to the 2014 Rodney Inquiry), a process in which you, as then Attorney General, were involved, and which Mr. Rodney politely

declined since acceptance by him would have been tantamount to a confession of guilt in a crime he did not commit.

The case of Donald Rodney is one of the most notorious cases of the perversion of justice in our legal history.

As yet we can find no precedent in the Commonwealth Caribbean or beyond. We are outraged that Donald Rodney has been struggling for justice in the courts since 1982 and in spite of all his spirited documentation and activism and defence of himself, his case lingers without justice.

Mr Rodney’s case has been subject to attention by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) by Amnesty International (AI) and by the Commission of Inquiry into the circumstances of the assassination of his brother Dr. Walter Rodney, following the charge brought against him that arose directly out of the plot successfully executed to destroy his right to life. The ICJ report concluded that the Donald Rodney trial “did not meet the minimum standards of due process of law as encapsulated in the International Convention on Civil and Political rights to which Guyana was already a party at the time” and since 1995 recommended to the then Attorney General, Hon. Bernard De Santos SC that Donald Rodney’s appeal “should be speedily brought to an end.” Presently Rodney’s appeal is with the

has been adjourned without a date.

This case was also a plot to criminalize Donald Rodney, in order to fortify the state’s version of the killing of Walter Rodney.

For clearer understanding of the ordeal through which Donald Rodney has been subjected it is of course important to recognise the political context and the subversion of the courts under the state doctrine of paramountcy of the party.

Mr Rodney’s counsel was the highly respected lawyer Senior Counsel Mr Doodnauth Singh himself later an Attorney General, who in that capacity made efforts to secure the extradition of Gregory Smith from Surinam.

Since Donald Rodney was the major eye-witness when a bomb was remotely exploded and killed his brother Walter Rodney and gave a public statement of the incident that absolved him from criminal liability, a statement that was not undermined by any forensics or other circumstantial evidence, the charge against him had no valid legal basis and could only have been laid against him as a part of yet another conspiracy.

It is this aspect of the case that concerns us and motivates us to seek your intervention to remove his unjust conviction. It is not for us to assert that the prosecution did not make out a prima facie case. In any event, Donald Rodney was called upon to lead a defense.

He chose to make an unsworn statement in which he affirmed his innocence, querying the role of the police where a presumption of innocence is not observed.

That statement was not recorded by the Magistrate.

Instead, substituted in its place is a fabricated version amounting to a confession by Donald Rodney which remains on the Court and public record to this day. In recent weeks Donald Rodney supplied us with this false statement, one that provided new angles and information on his long struggle for justice in the courts and which we feel compelled to bring to your attention immediately.

After the clear and unequivocal statement made

by Donald Rodney, which we witnessed directly on February 24, 1982 (as we have now checked), the court went on to deliberately and maliciously alter said statement made in open court on or before 1988. The fictitious statement came under the head: “Donald Rodney Unsworn States” (pages 17 and 18 enclosed – full transcript available at C.J. No. 7634/80 and/or Action 43/ 06 of Full Court).

The last sentence on page 17 sought to incriminate Donald Rodney to suggest “he knew” that he had an explosive device. On page 18 there are two blatant untruths. First, one sentence portrays the incident as an “accident”.

Then Donald Rodney is said to be found “at the (Continued on page 6)

Oil can be either good news or bad news for Guyana DEAR EDITOR, Oil. Good news or bad news?

Of course, it is good news that one of the poorer countries in South America such as Guyana has found an element that can perhaps boost the economy and standard of life in the country.

However, with such opportunities there arise those people in authority to become greedy and unjust towards the weaker.

Even as mature adults we sometimes become greedy and act like children fighting over a toy instead of looking after the well-being of others.

As a Muslim of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at it is our belief that true justice requires sacrifice. Sacrifice from our leaders and those who are in power.

The Holy Quran Chapter 4 Verse 136 emphasis on this matter is laid stating: “O ye who believe! Be strict in observing justice, and be witnesses for Allah, even through it be against

yourselves or against parents and kindred. Whether he be rich or poor, Allah is more regardful of them both that you are. Therefore, follow not low desires so that you may be able to act equitably. And if you conceal the truth or evade it, then remember that Allah is well aware of what you do.”

One has to remember that one day he or she will be accountable before God and will be held accountable towards the way he treated others.

On January 1st 2021, His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at worldwide warned such leaders by stating “May we fulfil our obligations and turn ever more towards God Almighty and raise our standards of worship. May the people of the world, whilst realising the purpose of their creation, fulfil their obligations towards Allah the Almighty. Instead of usurping the rights of oth-

ers, may they, according to the commandments of Allah the Almighty, fulfil the rights of one another.

When materialistic people fail to do so, God Almighty draws their attention towards their responsibilities in His own way. May we, and people of the world understand this important point and make good our life in this world and the next.”

This short statement contains the blueprint of building a better society here in our

very own cities in Guyana.

Our people are hopeful that something good will become of this newfound oil.

However, if the government and those in power fail to help the layman, the ones in need there would surely be civil unrest because of it. My prayer is that this news of oil surely benefits Guyana in the best way possible and its people be given comfort because of it.

Yours truly, Maulana Fahd Peerzada

A case of the pot calling DEAR EDITOR The Opposition Leader is critical of government hiring a lobbying firm when, according to him the MoFA has the capacity and capability which can perform acts as the lobbying firm making it a nonsensical move (‘Govt. hiring lobbyist to do what Foreign Affairs Ministry could have done -Harmon’ KN Jan 16) Did not the former AG hire a number of legal luminaries to do work when the Ministry of Legal Affairs and AG Chambers has the resource personnel to perform acts as the luminaries making it a nonsense move?

A case of the pot calling.....

Yours truly, Shamshun Mohamed

Monday January 18, 2021

IN CELEBRATION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY DEAR EDITOR, Mankind’s quest searching for the ultimate purpose of life in this world remains inexhaustible.

Although the answer remains pronounced in the philosophy of the saints and sages, guided by the choice of religious influence, acknowledging and adhering to these principles and concepts remain two-fold.

The refusal to acquiesce to any form of confinement, relishes the splendor of independent thinking and action, not necessarily carefree or careless, and, reserved is the freedom of choice.

But, what eventually surfaces, is the burning question of obtaining peace of mind and the undying search for the road to peruse and discover the secret of this possibility with all probable elements.

The conditioning of the mind as taught by the discipline of yoga and meditation spontaneously emerges rather than submerges.

Mahatma Gandhi is indisputably the modern day world’s keeper of peace and, is a symbol which represents shriving for emulation, not imitation.

He has created a precedence, a road difficult for others to follow and his methodology, challenging to adopt.

He has millions of followers and admirers throughout the universe and his teaching and life style, have inspired many to become more responsible citizens of the world, profess his concepts and implement his principles. America, the land where dreams come thru, is fertile with many such students and Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., bears testimony to this statement.

There was a time when African Americans were barred from participating in ordinary life.

They couldn’t eat at the same table, attend the same school, use similar bathrooms or share the same washing machines. Segregation was enforced by Jim Crow laws down South. It made Africans

illegal to mix with whites. They policed them and Africans had to live in separate neighbourhoods.

They had specific jobs and they had to talk to whites with the utmost respect.

Any retaliation was treated with jail time, injury or death. Up North, there was no Jim Crow laws but an unspoken law which limited the Africans to a second class citizen status. Martin Luther King Jr. grew up in a middle class family in the midst of all that inequality in 1929, having born on January 15th.

His great grandfather and father were pastors at the local church. He attended religious colleges up North in Philadelphia and Boston. He noticed blacks and whites mixing more freely than he had seen growing up. King JR. moved to Montgomery, Alabama with his wife Coretta in 1953, becoming pastor and community leader.

His life changed when Rosa Park was arrested for refusing to give up her seat in the bus to a white man. King Jr. joined forces with activist JoAnn Robinson, to organize a massive boycott of the Montgomery Bus System.

This was to be the beginning of a hallmark in history for the Blacks in the world.

For one year, they refused to ride and walked. Many were attacked just for walking instead of taking the bus. Dr. King’s house was bombed.

Along with many other protesters, he was thrown in jail.

These injustices drew national attention to the issue. Eventually, in 1956, a Supreme Court decision banned segregation in buses.

After that victory, King Jr. organized a group of churches dedicated to nonviolent protests for civil rights. He was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi whose nonviolent leadership helped free India from British rule. Over the next decade, he led many marches and protests all over the country.

The biggest was the march on Washington for jobs and freedom in 1963.

Hundreds of thousands gathered at the Nation’s Capital to support Civil Rights.

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Kaieteur News

It was there that Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his momentous “I have a dream” speech. “One day, right there in Alabama, little black boys and girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and girls as brothers and sisters.

I have a dream today.”

King’s gift for public speaking helped inspire millions of people.

His words gave the hope and courage to believe in the future he envisioned.

Two years later, the protests he led throughout Alabama caught the world’s attention.

People watched in shock as local police turned fire hoses and attacked dogs on peaceful protests. People felt threatened by change. In fact, making folks uncomfortable was kind of the point with all this protests. In a letter written from a jail in Alabama, King said, “Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and establish such creative tension that a community that has constantly refused to negotiate, is forced to confront the issue.” In other words, things change only when conditions are made stressful, people demand it.

Despite his numerous arrests and degrading treatment, the result was worth it. His work pressured Congress to pass ground breaking laws, moving society closer to his vision.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 overturned segregation laws around the country.

In 1964, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He went on to fight against poverty and the Vietnam War. Then in 1968, MLK was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. His killer, James Earl Ray was captured months later.

He was only 39 years old, but in his short life, he changed the face of America.

Without his influence, who knows how long it would have been before equal rights were protected for everyone.

We still struggle for equality rights. But thanks to Dr. King JR. and other Civil Rights (Continued on page 6)

The communistic is bandied about as the democratic DEAR EDITOR, I observe His Excellency, President Dr. Irfaan Ali, and the Hon. Vice President, and I discern at the slick cunningness of both in two glaring areas.

One is their crudeness with this oil of ours, the other is their self-professed wisdom at this presidential charade, masquerade, and full-fledged Gatorade bath for this nation of stupendously sickly citizens. First, I touch oil, though concerned about its polluting effects.

On most things, Dr. Ali is loud and proud; except on the underlying truths of Guyana’s oil, he is proving to be a firstrate quack, a medicine man and bush doctor with an incurable record half year into his shadowy tenure.

He and the Vice President, two of the most honorable people that this society can unearth, are ringing and brimming with billion-dollar projects, with enriching plans, and with doing great things for the people.

But on oil, both are the equivalents of soggy cardboard and empty shadows with either developments or disclosures that belong in the public realm, toward the same people that they swear to serve.

Frequently, I try to figure out which book they swear on, and if oaths of office mean anything to these two fine peerless gentlemen; the same difficulty is encountered when I seek to determine which people they are talking about, who are the ones they speak of so smartly and sweetly.

I give both the benefit of the moment, and think that it is not the greedy Exxon people (and local collaborators), not the crooked party people (champions of democracy only), and not those peopleGuyanese and foreignerswho have only one objective: plunder at will, reap the richest harvest in the swiftest

time.

No! I do not for a moment believe that the president or Vice President are cut from such crafty cloth.

Neither of them, though I ponder their silence on oil, their shiftiness with accuracy and accountability, and their crude covers over this black gold that soaks our land. Listen to them: when they should be speaking earnestly and inspiringly on oil, they are both the exemplification of Twirly and Twisty, those two screws from olden days.

They need to grow up and realize that Guyana has a mature base that is not in any degree misled or mistaken about what they represent deep down with this oil of ours.

Their body language, the scent of their leadership sweat, their shaky and unconvincing postures and gaits with the nation’s oil, all scream to the world and the heavens: watch them!

Listen to them and follow them every step of the way.

And appreciate that the truths and untruths of their self-serving solutions are not in the interests of either people or country or the future.

The president and Vice President in word and deed, in shrinking and retreat from sharing the whole story-and the real stories-of this oil have condemned themselves to the worst of suspicions, to the darkest of calculations, and to the most untrustworthy of leadership standings before hopeful natives and savvy exploitative foreigners.

I am at a loss that, why any man, any leader, would want to attract such calumny upon himself by the dodginess perfected and the jagged sharpness that is now so much in character.

No amount of money, no height of prestigious place, no degree of power is worth that loss of face, of regard, before peers in the region, if

not the world. And this brings me to the second area, which is the presidency itself.

We believe we are smooth and so skilled at chattering about constitution and democracy and accountability.

The two men under the harsh searchlights think themselves very good at those.

But examine them and this embarrassment, this slapstick leadership concoction that they have put together, with the tacit obeisance of others, like the legal hawks and good doctors and spiritual comrades in the midst.

There is no equivalent for this in CARICOM. Not Rowley nor Mottley nor any of the other leaders and places.

Cast the net beyond the region and encompass the continents, and Guyana’s leadership tango is about leaning forward and bending backward.

It is some spectacle and not the symphony that the two of them believe.

We are unique in this regard, save for what the Russian strongman orchestrated before: thus, the communistic is bandied about as the democratic.

If men will breach so blatantly for power, and so dismissively in public, then there is no limit as to what they will do clandestinely with what is below the earth, murky, and beyond the comprehension of most Guyanese. Guyana’s leadership tag team may think that they fool most, and perhaps they do.

But they don’t fool me and a considerable number of others, whether it is on oil, or leadership, or most other matters.

Yours truly, GHK Lall

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An open letter to the Attorney...

From page 4 scene” and said “I looked at my brother and he was dead.”

This is nonsense, not only from all the reports, including those of Karen De Souza and Andaiye who were first at the scene when Donald Rodney came to their home in a state of shock, seeking urgent assistance (for Walter Rodney), and who were the ones who in fact informed him that Walter Rodney was dead.

In sum the entire statement is false as Donald Rodney did not discuss the events of June 13, 1980 in his court statement, except to stand by his pre-trial statement given to the police.

It is important because our reading of the court proceedings coincides with Donald Rodney’s and paradoxically (given the political context and that this was the state media) with the Guyana Chronicle report on his conviction of 1982.

We are witnesses to what transpired in the courtroom at the trial on the morning of February 24, 1982. Also present that day were Mr. Rex McKay - special prosecutor, one Ms DeMerieux (now deceased) – UWI Senior Law Lecturer and representative of Amnesty International (AI), and an unnamed media reporter from the Guyana Chronicle newspaper, amongst others. We attest to the fact that Donald Rodney did not make a statement of confession and that the statement attributed to him in the Magistrate’s record is utterly false, and this can be corroborated by contemporaneous reports of the trial appearing in Open Word and the Daily Chronicle in question of February 27, 1982 under the headline “18 months prison for Donald Rodney”, and by the 1983 AI annual report available online which stated in one section: “In a statement read to the Court Donald Rodney alleged ... that neither he or his brother knew that it [a two-way radio] contained an explosive device.”

Very importantly, the Guyana Chronicle statement addressed the lack of factual evidence and there was no hint of admission of an offence, thereby wholly supporting our contention.

Open Word, then a publication of the Working People’s Alliance, in its March 1, 1982 issue actually commented in a headline on “Frank Reporting by Chronicle” stating in its summation that “the

Monday January 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

Chronicle then went on to quote from Rodney’s statement in his own defence which Dayclean, his party’s organ, predicts will go down in political and constitutional history alongside statements made by other freedom fighters.”

Honourable Attorney General, the undersigned, who were in court on the day in question, in spite of the time that has passed, recall clearly some aspects of the atmosphere of the courtroom and subsequent consistency in Brother Donald Rodney’s case.

We state unequivocally that we know what Donald Rodney stated in open court, a public statement (even reported in the government owned Chronicle) that we witnessed.

Each of us holds different recollections of the court day in 1982 but they all converge on the atmosphere and Donald Rodney’s passionate denunciation of the charge and conviction.

Westmaas and Abbyssinian recall Magistrate Norma Jackman’s nervousness in her chair, turning pages and a general shiftiness. Westmaas recalls Donald Rodney’s passionate outburst denouncing the magistrate and the system.

Abbyssinian and Westmaas recall the sign that existed on the wall above Magistrate Norma Jackman’s chair: “God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference” Eusi Kwayana was at the press table in court taking notes in solidarity with Donald Rodney, and his reporting was carried in Dayclean and Open Word both contemporaneous reports.

At two annual Walter Rodney symposia Eusi Kwayana declared himself as available witness or plaintiff in the resolution of this injustice.

There was public outrage at the conviction in 1982 and

after Donald Rodney was placed on bail, a protest fast was undertaken by Eusi Kwayana, Bonita Harris, Abayomi Osaze, Mobutu Kamara, and Nigel Westmaas as “long as Donald Rodney remained in jail.” On March 9, 1982 the bail amount was raised by public subscription and the fast ended.

It is also significant that after her ruling Magistrate Jackman was promoted and given the position of Commissioner of Title on March 1, 1982, just days after presiding over Donald Rodney’s conviction.

Given this chronology of events and our own factual witness, we call upon you, as current Attorney-General of Guyana and as the chief legal advisor to the government and the President to take whatever action lies within your authority to resolve this long standing issue with a view to positively addressing the pending appeal by Donald Rodney, a citizen of Guyana who has suffered beyond measure since the fateful day of June 13, 1980 when his brother, Dr. Walter Rodney was assassinated.

In sum, taking into consideration our account of what transpired in court in the trial of Donald Rodney and the circumstances we have brought to your attention, we urge you as the officer answerable to the human rights community for Guyana’s compliance with international treaties including those guaranteeing a fair trial to take note of this grave miscarriage of justice.

For your information, Donald Rodney’s current appeal, namely Criminal appeal No 2 of 2019 where the latest order has been pending since 23rd May 2019 (attached), orders that the Record of Appeal be prepared and the Appeal to take its normal course thereafter.

Kindly acknowledge receipt of this letter.

Yours truly, Abbyssinian Carto Karen De Souza Moses Bhagwan Nigel Westmaas

Bids open for infrastructure works at East Bank, East Coast The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), on Tuesday, opened 245 ——-bids for one government ministry at their Ministry of Finance (MoF) office on Main and Urquhart streets.

Notable projects from these bids included

infrastructural development works at Little Diamond on the East Bank Demerara, as well works at Mon Repos, La Bonne Intention, Vigilance, Bladen Hall and Strasthpey on the East Coast of Demerara.

Below are the companies and their bids.

Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) Infrastructural Development Works at Little Diamond in six lots

Infrastructural development works at Mon Repos

In celebration of Martin...

From page 5 leaders, we know that great change is possible. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday in the US, marking his birthday and observed on the third Monday in the month of January.

There is an urgent need for many in Guyana to emulate

the likes of Martin Luther King Jr., Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan and Mahatma Gandhi and to follow in their footsteps.

The entire Guyana will enjoy peace, equality, progress, liberty, prosperity and justice.

Yours truly, Jai Lall

(Continued on page 17)

Monday January 18, 2021

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Kaieteur News

Why are some persons not willing to accept that the police have solved the murders of the Henry cousins?

Last September’s brutal murders of the Henry cousins led to the creation of narratives aimed at explaining the murders, justifying certain responses and denying certain facts.

These hastily-constructed narratives influenced the public’s perception of the circumstances which led to the deaths as well as justified the violent reactions which followed the murders.

One of those narratives was that since the boys bodies were found in a predominantly East Indian area that the deaths were as a result of race-hate. Some disgraced politicians capitalized on this narrative, going as far as urging villagers to defend themselves.

Violence erupted just after the deaths and intensified following this narrative of communal hatred. People were beaten and robbed, vehicles vandalized and roads blocked, all in the name of justice.

A rice-farming family faced the brunt of the suspicions fomented following the discovery of the bodies. Their home was attacked on the very night of the incident.

Family members were arrested and detained. Not long after the grandson, of one of the men arrested, was killed in what may have been a reprisal.

Narratives were even created for the death of this teenager, Haresh Singh. These narratives were meant to deny that retaliation was the motive for his death. One narrative was that those who killed Haresh were attempting to silence him for what he may have known about the Henry boys’ death. It was also al-

leged that Haresh was associated with the boys, a fact denied by his family. These narratives were intended to deflect from the motive of a retaliatory killing.

Another narrative, not unfamiliar in murder cases, is that the boys were angels.

They were innocent of wrongdoing.

They would go into the backdams to pick coconuts, and there was no need for them to steal any coconuts since the family also had a coconut farm.

This narrative further added to the speculation that the Henry boys deaths amounted to a crime of racehate.

People tend to hold on to narratives once it justifies what they believe or what they wish others to believe.

People latch on to narratives because it helps to deny what they wish to be denied. It was even alleged during the police investigation that a politically-exposed person had told the family to say that the deaths were race-based. This allegation, if true, would suggest that there were forces seeking to keep the racebased narrative alive.

There were therefore a number of narratives which were swirling around following the deaths of the Henry cousins. It is in this context that pressure was being brought to bear on the police to find the killers and to do so quickly.

The police have now made arrests and filed charges. It is alleged that the police have a confession.

However, if what the police is suggesting is true, it means that the narratives that were previously pedalled are

now totally discredited.

And people do not like to believe that they were wrong or were being led astray.

They will stick to their original positions instead of being seen to be proven wrong.

This accounts for some of the reservations which are being expressed about the guilt of the men who are now before the court If what the police is saying is true, then the race-hate narrative has to be thrown through the window. It also means that much of the violence which ensued was based on a fiction.

Secondly, if what the police is saying is true, then it means that the murdered Henry cousins were not the angels which they were made out to be. And this too may explain the resistance to accepting that the police may have solved the case.

The family of the two cousins is asking for evidence, apart from confession.

This will have to come during the trial.

So, they will have to be patient.

But they would know that if hundreds of persons trampled on the crime scene and then the police were blocked for days from getting to that location, the chances of unearthing valuable forensic evidence is reduced.

Given the compromising of the crime scene and the inability of the delays of the investigators in accessing the crime scene, the best chance of solving the crime depended on human intelligence. And it appears that this is what led to the present charges.

But in so doing, a great many of the narratives which

Dem Boys Seh…

Dolphin and people fallin’ dead Two dolphins wash up pun de Essequibo Coast.

One bin look like it get ketch in a fisherman’s net. De death of de other wan ain’t fully determined yet. But we can’t rule out dat it happen because of pollution.

De Waterfall paper bin talking all along about de flaring, de dumping of ballast water and de discharge of waste and chemicals from de oil operations. De waterfall paper show wah happen in some countries, like Nigeria wah had to start importing fish because people

frighten fuh eat fish from de sea after oil start to drill.

Dem boys want know if de EPA gan investigate de quality of de water wah we fishermen gat fuh fish in. Dem boys feel dis is an urgent matter cause dem boys nah wan to gat another health crisis.

De pandemic bad enough.

De numbers going through de roof again. And de government instead of getting stricter, dropping dem guard again.

Dem boys want tell de COVID-19 Task Force dat Barbados only gat seven

deaths. And we gat 170. Barbados is a little island and dem do 87,000 tests even though dem population is far less than half of we own.

Since August all we hearing bout is testing and still we nah reach 45,000 tests yet.

Dem boys seh we gat to tek action before we end up like England and some parts of Uncle Sam weh dem hospital overflowing. De people gat fuh become more disciplined because de government nah give a damn.

Talk half and do de other half.

were used for explanation, justification and denial have been dismantled.

And this may explain why there is resistance to persons accepting that the crime has

been solved.

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

Monday January 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Monday January 18, 2021

Region Six accounts for 19 of 57 new COVID-19 infections

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Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) has accounted for 19 of the 57 new COVID-19 infections recorded yesterday.

This is according to the Ministry of Health’s daily dashboard update which indicated that Regions One and Eight alone recorded no new cases. The dashboard also notes that the total number of confirmed cases has increased to 6,908.

Further, the dashboard shows there are three persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit, 45 in institutional isolation, 525 in home isolation and 34 in institutional quarantine.

The COVID-19 death toll remains at 170 deaths while 39 new recoveries were recorded. This brings the total number of recoveries to 6,165.

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Kamla warns of possible food crisis NEWSDAY - Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is urging the government to take immediate steps to allow food importers sufficient foreign exchange to prevent a possible increase in food prices.

In a statement on Saturday, she said citizens continue to complain about increases in the prices of basic food items at the supermarket while the government was not doing anything to alleviate the burden, particularly on the poor.

Persad-Bissessar recalled that under her administration in an effort to keep food prices manageable over 6,000 items were made VAT free.In contrast, she said the government had reduced VAT from 15 per cent to 12.5 per cent, but reduced the number of items that were once exempted.

She said the country was yet to see any benefits from the proposed $500 million stimulus investment into agriculture aimed at boosting food security.

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar She called on the government to expand the list of food items to be exempt from VAT and develop the domestic food production to avoid a possible food crisis.

Forde cracking down on landowners Daily Nation - Minister of the Environment Adrian Forde says he is at his wits’ end with landowners who default on cleaning their lots and is prepared to bring legislation to have a new ticketing system introduced to get them up to par.“This is unacceptable in Barbados. There is no beauty in having an iconic song Beautiful Barbados and Barbados is being in an ugly state. This is not who we are and this is not the acceptable level. A warning was sent out from yes-

terday. I will be taking a zero-tolerance approach and I will make sure the legislation becomes available where Government can do something about those persons legally or otherwise,” he said.Forde was speaking in relation to Lisa Boyce-Harvey, who earlier last week brought to this newspaper’s attention an overgrown neighbouring lot that had been posing both an environmental and health challenge to her 90-year-old grandmother in Montrose Gardens, Christ Church.

Monday January 18, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 17

Bids open for infrastructure works at East Bank, East...

Infrastructural development works at 1767 Cummings Lodge in seven lots

Infrastructural development works at La Bonne Intention in four lots

Infrastructural development works at 1787 Cummings Lodge in two lots

Infrastructural development works at Vigilance, Bladen Hall and Strathspey in seven lots

Infrastructural development works at Annadale in three lots

PAGE 18

Kaieteur News

Monday January 18, 2021

PAGE 20

Kaieteur News

Monday January 18, 2021

Monday January 18, 2021

Dasrat, Nandu, Ashiek Motor...

From page 25 delighted to support Berbice Cricket as it was on the move.

Former senior national captain Damodar Dasrat positively responded to a request from BCB President Hilbert Foster for a donation of a laptop.

The laptop would be used

by Public Relations Officer Simon Naidu to issue press releases and assist in the publication of magazines, educational materials etc. Dasrat, a former Berbice Captain who had the distinction of dismissing Indian maestro Sachin Tendulkar during his career, was a useful medium pacer and solid middle order batsman.

Dasrat, who now resides in Canada, stated that he was delighted to give back to the Berbice Cricket Board as it had

played a major role in his development as a cricketer.

Businessman Ray Ali, owner of Ashiek Motor Spares of NO2 Village, Canje donated $50,000 towards obtaining inter-county caps for the Berbice Under 15, Under 17, Under 19 and female cricket teams.

The BCB since 2008 under the Presidency of Keith Foster had introduced the Berbice Cap System and has continued it to date.

Ali, a former executive of the Young Warriors Cricket Club stated that he was a keen follower of Berbice Cricket and always wanted to come on board as a sponsor.

The Berbice Cap System, he noted was a good way of making sure that players have memories of being a Berbice player.

Mental preparation is crucial...

From page 25 appointed West Indies Assistant Coach in January 2019.

Crandon, Guyana’s head Coach since 2012, explained that mental preparation is crucial if Guyana is to break the 16-year drought of not winning a Regional 50-over title.

In 2005 KFC cup, Ramnaresh Sarwan scored 462 runs with three centuries; the most runs and most centuries in the tournament, while Mahendra Nagamootoo captured 12 wickets for a tournament high.

Sewnarine Chattergoon scored a delightful century in the final at Bourda before Neil McGarrell’s six off Suleiman Benn, helped Guyana beat Barbados on the Duckworth/ Lewis system.

“The mental aspects of the game has been of high

Monday January 18, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Some deeply buried feelings about your mother and family could come up from the past today and need release.

Don't be afraid to show your pain and anger.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You're a service-oriented person by nature, Libra, and today the opportunity to spend time serving those in need could well present itself.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Group activities in your neighborhood could lead to positive changes in your community. You will enjoy exchanging ideas and information with others, Taurus, and could come away from these activities feeling exhilarated.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

If you've been hoping for a lucky break, Scorpio, this is the day it might come, especially if it involves love and romance.

Or you might have been hoping for acknowledgment on the job, in the field of education, or by someone who means a lot to you.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

Today you might find yourself in the public eye. Acknowledgment for work well done could come your way.

It might also involve an increase in income.

CANCER(June21–July22) Expanding your horizons is the key for today, Cancer.

Communications received from distant states or foreign lands could have you entertaining the idea of traveling to those places. Learning is very much on your mind.

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Changes in your home could take place now. These are positive, Sagittarius, though they might seem a bit overwhelming. Some could even be described as upheavals.

Perhaps someone moves in or out.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) You're a logical person, Capricorn. When insights come to you through ESP, you tend to doubt their validity.

Don't do this.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Some very intense dreams could take you back to the past, perhaps your childhood or past lives. Write down any dreams you remember, Leo.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Some great news could change your life forever. It might involve a new partnership of some kind or opportunities in your community.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) An old friend you haven't seen for a while could suddenly reappear, and you might view this person in a different light as a potential business partner, source of inspiration, or even a romantic possibility.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Today you're likely to feel especiall y romantic and

sexy, and anxious to get together with a love partner.

This doesn't mean you aren't in the mood for socializing in general.

importance during preparations and I am looking forward to us playing smart cricket.

To do well we have to be able to keep that sharp focus throughout the games and we need to identify and win the crucial moments and be able to maintain calmness, control and execute well under intense pressure,” stressed Coach Crandon.

It is understood from a CWI official that the deadline for the submission of teams was last week Saturday and all the Franchises have selected their squads.

The Kieron Pollard led Trinidad Red Force side, packed with mostly international players, will start as pre-tournament favorites.

However, only theGuyana Jaguars and the Windwards Volcanoes have not released their team to the public as yet.

Positive Adams wants to excel...

From page 23 since he was playing at the U19 level and is pleased to render assistance. “I had a chat with Ricardo, he was pretty good at the U19 level

Australian Open to go ahead...

From page 23 she told reporters in Melbourne on Sunday. “The program is set up to keep people safe.”

Cassar also warned players to stick to quarantine rules and threatened them with A$20,000 ($15,400) fines and having them moved to an even stricter facility after two players made low-level breaches, opening their hotel room doors to talk to others.

“So they’ve been warned and Victoria police will continue to follow up,” she added.

and certain issues came up with him. I continued to follow his career and I saw him in the national senior team. I know he has the potential to do better and I decided to assist and hopefully he can do his talent justice,” said Singh.

Singh indicated the Adams had thought about quitting, but he decided to get more involved with his career and help him along.

Adams has so far appeared in seven list A matches for Guyana scoring 54 runs in five innings and taken six wickets.

Thakur, Sundar revive India’s ...

From page 22 Sydney despite being in a strong position.

“We’ve got a nice little lead now, 50 ahead. I think we’re ahead of the game,” Hazlewood said. “Two big days to come.”

Scores: Australia 369 and 21 for 0 lead India 336 (Thakur 67, Sundar 62, Hazlewood 557) by 54 runs.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 22

Monday January 18, 2021

Thakur, Sundar revive India’s hopes in series deciding test BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Test rookies Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar combined for a rearguard century stand that f r u s t r a t e d A u s t r a l i a ’s bowling attack and lifted India from a precarious position yesterday into almost first-innings parity in the series-deciding match.

The partnership formed with India in serious trouble at 186-6 in reply to Australia’s 369, and with no more recognized batters in the pavilion, and added 123 runs — an Indian record for the seventh wicket at the Gabba.

Thakur, in his second

test, got off the mark with a six and raised his maiden test half century with another six off Nathan Lyon and topped India’s scoring with a 115ball 67. Sundar posted 62 from 144 deliveries in his debut test innings. In between the boundaries, the lower middle-order batters dodged, ducked and were hit by short balls peppered at them by the Australian fast bowlers.

The pair had been elevated to the starting lineup for the fourth test and took three wickets each over the first two days after a string of injuries to India’s bowling stocks culminated

India’s Shardul Thakur bats during play on day three of the fourth cricket test between India and Australia at the Gabba, Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

in pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and leading spinner Ravichandran Ashwin being ruled out of the match in Brisbane.

When Australian paceman Josh Hazlewood (5-57) completed a fivewicket haul by clean bowling a wildly-swinging Mohammed Siraj for 13, India was all out for 336 late on day three — just a 33-run first-innings deficit.

Australia reached stumps at 21 without loss, an overall lead of 54. David Warner was unbeaten on 20.

The series is level at 1-1 with two days remaining and it appears that India is on track to at least force a draw that would ensure it retains the Border-Gavaskar trophy.

Thakur acknowledged the situation was difficult when he went into bat, facing up to the crowd, the Australian pace bowlers, a batting partner he’d rarely played with and India in a tough position. But he said

he was confident he and Sundar had the temperament for test cricket and were capable of digging in. And he recalled some advice India coach Ravi Shastri.

“I remember Ravi Shastri telling me ‘if you perform in this country you will be rewarded and people are going to love you for your performances’,” Thakur said. “Keeping those things in my mind, I just kept playing. I was just hoping for a turnaround, and it happened.”

Hazlewood praised Thakur and Sundar for the way they took on the game and admitted the Australians “just let a few moments slip.”

“Credit to those two guys, batted beautifully,” he said, but Australia “probably let pressure off at certain times across the day. There were a few half-chances there we could have grabbed, may have made a difference.”

Hazlewood was the pick of the Australian bowlers and was rewarded for his tight line with a ninth fivewicket haul in a test innings.

India resumed yesterday at 66-2 ready for an extended day after rain washed out play late on day two, and added 99 runs for the loss of Cheteshwar Pujara and captain Ajinkya Rahane in

Australia’s Josh Hazlewood, who took 5 wickets, appeals unsuccessfully for the wicket of India’s Shardul Thakur during play on day three of the fourth cricket test between India and Australia at the Gabba, Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

the morning session.

Hazlewood made the first breakthrough of the day by removing Pujara for 25 off 94 balls, teasing the 90test veteran forward to a good length ball which found the edge and carried through to wicketkeeper Tim Paine.

Rahane mixed some elegant strokes with some expansive shots outside off stump and his luck finally ran out on 37 when he edged a Mitchell Starc delivery to Matt Wade at third slip.

Hazlewood struck early in the middle session, too. He dismissed Mayank Agarwal (38) and, six overs later, he

had Rishabh Pant (23) spectacularly caught at gully

by Cameron Green.

The Australians haven’t lost a test match at the Gabba since 1988 but have been held to draws. To win the series, they need to score runs quickly today with the aim of setting a big target and then bowling India out in the fourth innings. That’s something they weren’t able to do in the third test in (Continued on page 21)

Nervous England lose quick wickets in chase to win Sri Lanka Test AFP - Sri Lanka rattled England with three quick wickets late on the fourth day of the first Test in Galle yesterday, but the visitors remained favourites to win the match with just 36 more runs needed and seven wickets in hand.

England were expected to comfortably close in on a victory after Jack Leach took 5-122 with Sri Lanka all out for 359 in their second innings, leaving the visitors needing only 74 to win.

But Sri Lanka struck early, with Dom Sibley (2) and Zak Crawley (8) falling to left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya. Captain Joe Root was run-out for one after a mix-up with Jonny Bairstow.

Bairstow and Dan Lawrence, who was making his debut, took a nervous England to 38-3 as bad light brought an early end to proceedings at Galle International Stadium.

Earlier, left-armer Jack Leach tighten the noose around the hosts with a fivewicket haul while off-

Lahiru Thirimanne completed his second Test hundred.

Dom Sibley scored six runs in the match.

(Sri Lanka Cricket)

spinner Dom Bess claimed three wickets.

Sri Lanka were bundled out for 135 runs in their first innings.Angelo Mathews struck 71 after hitting his 36th half century in Tests to hold fort at one end after opener Lahiru Thirimanne made 111 to steady the innings.

This was Thirimanne’s second hundred of his Test career and his first in seven years.England, who made 421 in their first innings on

the back of a fine double century by Root, had struck in the first over after lunch, with Bess having Chandimal caught at first slip.

Mathews stitched a 48run partnership with Dickwella before the wicketkeeper-batsman nicked one behind off Bess.

England took a review against Mathews after the on-field umpire ruled not out to an lbw appeal from Bess.

However, replays showed the ball was missing the

stumps.Leach said his haul was hard-earned but that he was glad to get some wickets on his return to Test cricket after 14 months.

“I felt actually my pace needed to be a little bit quicker. I think this morning I felt I probably didn’t bowl at great pace and therefore it was easier for them to get back and create room for themselves,” the Somerset bowler said.

“I reflected on that. And when I was to return, I felt I

wanted to bowl a little bit faster and more direct, I guess, at the area I was trying to bowl.”Leach suffers from Crohn’s Disease and had a bad run with illnesses during England’s winter tours of New Zealand and South Africa. He said he was feeling tired and sore after the day’s exploits.

“I guess I’m gonna need to rest up but you know, I’m just taking a day at a time, taking a game at a time,” he added.

“So you know, I guess something I’ve learnt is you never know what’s around the corner, so I’m just try to enjoy each day and see what happens really.”

The match is being played in an empty stadium due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Scores: England 421 and 38 for 3 (Embuldeniya 2-13) need 36 more runs to beat Sri Lanka 135 and 359 (Perera 62, Thirimanne 111, Mathews 71, Leach 5-122, Bess 3-100).

Kaieteur News

Monday January 18, 2021

PAGE 23

Positive Adams wants to excel for Guyana

By Zaheer Mohamed A lot has been said about the talent of 26-year old Essequibo all-rounder Ricardo Richard Adams. He last played for Guyana in 2018 and an injury kept him out of the game for some time. Adams has done well for Essequibo, spearheading the county to a number of titles. In 2019 he was the leading wicket taker in the Cricket Guyana Inc. 50-over franchise league with 21 scalps including a hat-trick and an eight-wicket haul; he also did well with the bat, but narrowly missed out on national selection.

However, the Covid-19 pandemic led to the postponement of all cricket and forced players to train privately. With no cricket for a prolonged period, Adams remains positive of realising his full potential.

His talent was spotted early in his career and following his first regional U19 season which proved fruitful, he was included in the Guyana 50-over senior team and a bright future beckons.

Subsequently, Adams found himself under the

radar of the Guyana Cricket B o a r d ’s d i s c i p l i n a r y committee and this hampered his progress somewhat.

Realising the importance of discipline, Adams continued to ply his trade and has caught the eyes of many cricketing pundits. He has a string of outstanding performances, but feels his best is yet to come. Speaking with Kaieteur Sport recently Adams said he wants to excel for his country. “Once given the opportunity I will put in my best efforts.

Playing for your country is an honour and a challenge, I relish challenges and I am confident of doing well.”

Adams indicated that he has been training indoors and is eager to get back on the field. “There is always room for improvement and I am working harder to improve in certain areas, including fitness so that I can enhance my strengths and challenges.”

Adams, undoubtedly one of the leading limited overs cricketers in Guyana, said he has set himself high standards, moreso since becoming a father. “Being a

Ricardo Adams

Ricardo Adams after scoring a match- winning century for Essequibo. father helps me to be more responsible and this assists me in making proper decisions. I am a more positive individual,” he stated. Adams who plays for Hyde Park of East Bank Essequibo and Police SC indicated that he is being given extra motivation by his employer Rajkumar Singh,

New GFF Disciplinary committee receives FIFA-Approved Disciplinary Code Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde has presented t h e F I FA - a p p r o v e d Disciplinary Code to the newly-appointed Chairman of the GFF Disciplinary Committee, enabling the Committee to begin its work with a priority on resolving outstanding cases.

The new composition of the Committee was proposed by the GFF Executive Committee and approved by the GFF Congress in December 2020. It includes Chairman Eusi Anderson, who serves as General Counsel at CSMDANCO, State Counsel Shawnette Austin and former Guyana Trades U n i o n C o n g r e s s Vi c e President Lancelot Baptiste.

The Congress voted to replace the former Disciplinary Committee following a long period of inactivity and a lack of communication that led to a backlog of outstanding disciplinary matters.

During a meeting with

the new Chairman on Friday, GFF President Wayne Forde underlined the urgent need to address and resolve the list of outstanding cases as soon as possible.

“It is vital that the new Disciplinary Committee moves swiftly to provide clarity on matters that have remained unresolved for far too long,” President Forde said. “We look forward to seeing progress on those issues as we work to enhance the governance and reputation of football. The Executive Committee has every confidence that the n e w, h i g h l y - q u a l i f i e d members of the Committee will act with i n t e g r i t y a n d professionalism in the interests of good governance.”

The GFF Disciplinary Committee is one of three independent judicial bodies within the framework of football governance, alongside the Ethics Committee and the Appeal Committee.

It examines and passes judgement on all disciplinary matters relating to GFF members, affiliates, officials, players, clubs, intermediaries and match agents.

“I am humbled by this appointment as the Chairperson of the Disciplinary Committee of the Guyana Football Federation. I look forward to working with the football fraternity in Guyana, our partners in the Caribbean and our partners globally to improve the circumstances of football in Guyana,” Anderson said.

“Undoubtedly there will be challenges, undoubtedly there will be opportunities, but my resolve remains to bring the best of my skills, ability and time to bear in this new dispensation.

I look forward to serving everyone in football and working with the local fraternity to build strong strategic partnerships for the overall improvement of football.”

C E O o f Movements Family of Mahdia who has been a keen fan of Adams over the years.

“I didn’t make the best of choices earlier in my career, but we all make mistakes.

His support is encouraging, he persuades me to train

harder and offer valuable advice,” Adams related.

Seeing fellow countrymen going places serves as an extra motivation for Adams and his combination with Singh pushes him even further.

Following a background

check with the cricketer who hails from Wakenaam, Singh decided to provide support after he was impressed with the player.

In an invited comment, Singh said he has been following the player ever (Continued on page 23)

Australian Open to go ahead despite players’ quarantine anger M E L B O U R N E (Reuters) - Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley has confirmed the year’s first Grand Slam will go ahead from Feb. 8 despite anger from players forced into hard quarantine in Melbourne due to positive COVID-19 cases on their charter planes.

Seventy-two players and their entourages have to isolate for two weeks in their hotel rooms in Melbourne and are no longer able to leave them to train after infections were reported on three flights carrying them to Melbourne.

A positive case was reported late yesterday from the third flight which landed a day earlier and had ferried 58 passengers from Doha, where the Grand Slam’s qualifiers were held.

Twenty-five players were on board but the passenger, who tested negative before the flight, is not a player.

“The 25 players on the flight will not be able to leave their hotel room for 14 days and until they are medically cleared. They will not be eligible for practise,” the Australian Open said in a

statement.

Other players who arrived in different planes are also undertaking a mandatory 14-day quarantine but are permitted to leave their hotels for five hours a day to train, raising questions about the integrity of the Grand Slam.

Tiley said the tournament would start as scheduled but governing body Tennis Australia would look at altering the leadup tournaments to help affected players.

“We are reviewing the schedule leading in to see what we can do to assist these players,” Tiley told the Nine Network yesterday.

“The Australian Open is going ahead and we will continue to do the best we possibly can do to ensure those players have the best opportunity.”

E a r l i e r, q u a r a n t i n e authorities said they had recorded a fourth COVID-19 infection among the passengers on the two charter flights carrying players to Melbourne.

A broadcaster on the flight from Los Angeles had tested positive, adding to an aircrew member and a tennis

coach on the same plane who were reported on Saturday.

The other case was Sylvain Bruneau, the coach of Canadian Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 U.S. Open champion. Bruneau was a passenger on a charter flight carrying 23 players from Abu Dhabi. ‘ I W O U L D H AV E STAYED HOME’ Some of the affected players complained about their detention.

Romanian Sorana Cirstea, the women’s world number 71, said on social media: “If they would have told us this rule before, I would not play in Australia. I would have stayed home.”

Swiss player Belinda Bencic said she and the other 46 players were at a disadvantage.

“We are not complaining (about being) in quarantine.

We are complaining because of unequal practice/playing conditions before quite important tournaments,” she said.COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria boss Emma Cassar said authorities had provided consistent advice.

“The rules for close contacts haven’t changed,” (Continued on page 23)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 24

Monday January 18, 2021

Dr. Tulsi Dyal Singh, Brian Ramphal and Pooran Singh renew sponsorship BCB Year of Investment

- Lloyd Simpson donates office Photo Copier BCB President Hilbert Foster and PRO Simon Naidu pose with the photocopier.

Dr. Tulsi Dyal Singh

O

verseas based Guyanese continues to support the work of the Hilbert Foster led Berbice Cricket Board. Three long term sponsors have renewed their sponsorship for 2021, while a former executive of the pro-active cricket board donated a photo-copier to assist in the day-to-day administration. Dr. Tulsi Dyal Singh, his brother Dr. Puran Singh and Brian Ramphal are the latest overseas based Guyanese to join hands with the board to fulfill its mandate in 2021, which has been named “Year of Investment”.

Dr. Tulsi Dyal Singh, a Guyanese born Medical Doctor living in Texas, USA has renewed his sponsorship

Brian Ramphal of the BCB countywide coaching programme and also the 2021 Cricket Academy at the combined cost of $1.4M. The coaching programme would consists of the hosting of eight mini academies across Berbice with a combined 240 youth cricketers and eight special clinics for bowlers, batsmen, wicketkeepers and spinners.

Additionally, the BCB coaches would also visit twenty cricket clubs in Berbice to conduct sessions with hundreds of youths. At the end of these sessions, a total of seventy promising players would be selected to be part of the Annual Dr. Singh Cricket Academy during the month of August.

Foster, who is spearheading the massive marketing drive

Dr. Puran Singh

for Berbice cricket, stated that the objective is to have a pool of junior cricketers that would represent the county over the next five years at the Under 15, Under 17 and Under 19 levels.

Barbados based Dr. Puran Singh for the 3rd successive year would be sponsoring the BCB National Players Financial Scheme.

Under this programme, junior and female players who gain selection to the national teams would receive a financial stipend of $10,000 each. In the event that Covid-19 forces the tournaments to be cancelled, the funds would be used to provide educational materials and cricket gears to less fortunate Under 15

Cricketers.

Over the last three years overseas based Guyanese Brian Ramphal, who is involved in the technology business has invested heavily into the development of Berbice Cricket. His sponsorship for 2021 includes the hosting of the annual award ceremony, Father and Mother of the Ye a r p r o g r a m m e s , Information Posters, 20/20 Cricket Tournament and gears for youth programmes.

Foster described the

Singh brothers and Brian Ramphal as one of the main reasons, why Berbice Cricket has been so successful since 2018 and hailed them as the county’s unsung heroes.

Noting that 2020 was very successful for the BCB despite the COVId-19 pandemic, Foster disclosed that the year of Investment would be the best in the eighty-two years history of the BCB. Meanwhile, former BCB Committee Competition and

UCCA Executive, Lloyd Simpson, fulfilled his commitment to the board by handing over a photocopier to the President.

The BCB uses vital funds on an annual basis on Office administration expenses and Foster noted that the donation would assist the board to save funds.

Simpson, who lives in the USA, stated that he was delighted with the positive development taking place in the county and felt privileged to contribute.

Local B’ball officials for FIBA 3x3 training

G

u y a n e s e basketball officials will be looking forward to participate in the FIBA 3×3 Officiating Basics Webinar, p r e s e n t e d b y CONCENCABA. The Webinar will take the form of three sessions, on January 19, 27 and 28 and will serve as an introduction to 3x3 officiating, according to General Secretary of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF), Patrick Haynes.

The training will include officials not only from Guyana but also counterparts from nine other nations will be involved in the historic first session on the 19th from 19:00hrs.

Haynes, who also serves on the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) 3x3 committee, noted in his correspondence to the media that the Introductory Webinar will focus mostly on the

difference between 5v5 and 3×3 basketball, with the audience being both referees and table officials.

He articulated that the, “The focus of the GABF is to increase the pool of officials in our Federation for referees, table officials and statisticians, with this initiative, it will help drive the overall national federation improvement plan, as defined in our strategic roadmap.”

Meanwhile, with regards to the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers, the new date is April 7 to 11 in El Salvador. The previous date was February 17-21 in the same country.

Haynes revealed that the GABF has not been granted clearance to begin preparations, however, “The team will be making the necessary adjustments to begin training at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall,” pending approving.

The provisional squad

Flashback! 2018 FIBA/GABF regional workshop for officials at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

that the GABF has identified to begin training includes S t a n t o n R o s e , Tr a v i s Belgrave, Travis Burnett, Akeem Crandon, Delroy

James, Anthony Moe, Nikkoloi Smith, Yannick Tappin, Timothy Thompson, Ray Victor, Shaine Webster, Terron Welch and Kevon

Wiggins.

Guyana sealed their first FIBA World Cup Qualifiers appearance after winning the John Yates Trophy in 2018

after thumping Antigua & Barbuda 83-70 in the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Men’s Championship final.

Kaieteur News

Monday January 18, 2021

PAGE 25

Mental preparation is crucial for Guyana’s success in Antigua

By Sean Devers A full strength Guyana Jaguars team will aim to lift their ninth Regional 50-over title when this year ’s Regional Super50 bowls off on February 4 in Antigua where Guyana captured its first title in 1980.

As the preparatory work for this tournament continue, teams lead by pugnacious West Indies left-hander Shimron Hetmyer and National Captain Leon Johnson face-off in the first of three practice matches at the LBI ground today from 09:00hrs.

The second practice match should take place on Thursday before the final game is set for Saturday and no fans are allowed in keeping with the pandemic protocols.

Guyana Jaguars Head Coach and former Guyana fast bowling All- Rounder Esuan Crandon spoke with Kaieteur Sport yesterday about the team’s preparations.

“Today’s practice match is very important since every opportunity we get to

First practice match set for LBI today

Shimron Hetmyer

Leon Johnson

Esuan Crandon

prepare is essential to the team and the first practice match is no different.

It’s an opportunity for all the players to prove their worth and it will also allow us to see how well the individuals understand and

play their roles.

I am expecting a keenly contested practice game tomorrow (today). We should expect high quality and intensity throughout our practice matches and hopefully we can get some

good weather and preparation heading this Super50 tournament,” said the Berbician who has 90 wickets from 38 First-Class games and 29 scalps from 28 List ‘A’ matches.

Crandon, whose national

career lasted between 2001 and 2011, posited that the pitch at the CGI’s facility at LBI is fairly new and not a lot of practice sessions or matches have been played on them.

“We practiced on it a few

times and it’s getting better and with consistent proper preparatory work it should be good for games,” added Crandon who was part of Guyana T20 team for the Champions League in 2010 in South Africa.

Crandon, who turned 39 last month, lamented that the squad’s physical preparation was difficult during the first few months of the Pandemic.

“Players were restricted to strength and conditioning work at home via Zoom.

It was tough for most of them, some were fortunate to have facilities available to them.

The past couple of months we were able to do a lot more outdoor work and the players were able to benefit more from those sessions.

I am happy with the results in general, taking into consideration the challenges we faced.

Yes, we are not happy with fitness levels of a few players but they are not far off with consistent work,” said Crandon who was (Continued on page 23)

Dasrat, Nandu, Ashiek Motor Spares among latest set of donors to the BCB Year of Investment

T

he Berbice Cricket Board continues to benefit from the assistance of former national players who are based overseas along with several passionate supporters of Berbice Cricket. The BCB in the first two weeks of 2021 has attracted close to seven million dollars worth of support in form of financial sponsorship and necessary items.

The main feature of the successful marketing drive has been the massive support the BCB has obtained from former and current players including Clayton Lambert, Ray Joseph, Leslaine Lambert, Kevin Darlington, Kevin Sinclair, Romario Shepherd, Shimron Hetmyer, Mahendra N a g a m o o t o o , Vi s h a l Nagamootoo, Narsingh Deonarine, Hemnarine

Arjune Nandu

Chattergoon, Jeremy Gordon and Troy Halley.

The latest former players to come on board are former national captain Damodar Dasrat, former West Indies Under 19 all rounder Arjune Nandu, former RHTYSC player Mankarran Singh and

Ray Ali hands over donation to BCB Asst Secretary Ameer Rahaman.

Damodar Dasrat

businessman Ray Ali of Ashiek and Son Motor Spares.

Nandu, a former member of the historic Port Mourant Cricket Club donated eighty thousand dollars towards the hosting of a one day, four teams tournament at the Port

Mourant Ground. Nandu, who played for Guyana at the junior and senior level, also represented the West Indies at the Under 19 level.

Port Mourant, UG Elites Ta i n B l o c k F o u r a n d Tamarind Root would play each other for the Arjune

Nandu Challenge Cup. Former RHTYSC and Port Mourant opener Mankarran Singh is also on board with sponsorship for a o n e d a y, f o u r t e a m tournaments at the Kennard Memorial Ground. The winner of the tournament

would carry home a financial prize and the Mankarran Singh Trophy. The four teams would be Ramnarine Memorial, Kildonan, No43 and Kennard Memorial.

Both Nandu and Singh stated that they were (Continued on page 23)

GFF President Wayne Forde presents the FIFA-approved Disciplinary Code to the newlyappointed Chairman of the GFF Disciplinary Committee Eusi Anderson (right).

t r o Sp Ricardo Adams was the leading wicket taker in CGI Jaguars 50-over franchise league in 2019.

Positive New GFF Disciplinary committee receives Adams wants to excel for Guyana FIFA-Approved Disciplinary Code p.

20

Thakur, Sundar revive India’s hopes in series deciding test India’s Washington Sundar ducks to avoid a bouncer during play on day three of the fourth cricket test between India and Australia at the Gabba, Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

General view during Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and Austria’s Dominic Thiem match at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park, February 2, 2020. (REUTERS/Hannah Mckay)

Australian Open to go ahead despite players’ quarantine anger Mental preparation is crucial for Guyana’s success in Antigua First practice match set for LBI today 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.