Kaieteur News

K

Patterson should NEWS be removed as PAC Chair immediately - Edghill

Thursday Edition

AIETEUR

January 21, 2021 - Vol. 14 No. 03

p. Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online 14 Price $80

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

readership yesterday, 84,551

Nation without monthly - Chris oil production reports Ram p. 8

Message from the Courtney Benn sued AG Chambers.. Organ Donor Publisher of Kaieteur p.

News to our Professionals over $400M for 3 p.

2 Transplant Bill to be I breaching St. Rose’s High School contract ready early May 2021

Biden’s Govt. would be more amenable - Jan to review of Stabroek Block deal Mangal

p.

13

Bogus CANU officer Oil sector to endure another year detained for trying in the doldrums to arrest man - Wood Mackenzie Analysts p.

3

p.

2

Former Ministers Patterson and Ferguson received over $6.7M in gifts from Harbour Bridge, other agencies p.

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- items included: bed, iPads, computers and jewellery

have been in the newspaper business for 26 years, during which time I have consistently been exposing the wrongs in our society. I am prepared to continue on the path on behalf of all Guyanese.

Guyana needs strong and smart leadership. I am not seeing this presently. The lack of leadership threatens our future and those of our children. What will become of them if there is nothing left for them to inherit?

Our country is blessed with tremendous wealth. But what are we, the people, obtaining as owners of these resources?

And what is being left for our children?

Mr. David Granger, as President, had the integrity to make public the lopsided oil contract which was signed by his administration. How many of you have taken the time to read and analyze its contents? If you have done so, what contributions have you made to the ongoing debate over the give-away of our oil blocks and the sell-out of rights to our resources?

Guyana has become the laughing stock of the whole world. Everyone now wants a share of our resources and, if possible, for nothing or next-tonothing. Our leaders are ready to bend over and surrender our patrimony. Our bauxite, gold, diamonds, timber, manganese, and now, our oil wealth are disappearing into corporate treasuries, while leaving crumbs that are thrown at us. Our resources are being handed out to friends, cronies and to foreign multinationals who specialize in raping a country's resources.

Imagine your parents own a huge agricultural estate on which a variety of crops are cultivated. Would you sit quietly and allow your parents to give away all and leave nothing for you? When are you going to become concerned and to speak out against this travesty?

I call on you to join us in condemning the theft of your future and that of your children.

Listen how Guyanese are getting low paying jobs from these foreign companies, and how our leaders are happy with that on the Glenn Lall Show @ 11:00AM (Rebroadcast)

Kaieteur News

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Thursday January 21, 2021

Organ Donor Transplant Bill to be - AG ready as early as May 2021Chambers A

ttorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall S.C., has met with members of the Guyana Medical Council and Dr. Kishore Persaud, the Head of Department, MultiO rg a n Tr a n s p l a n t a n d Vascular Access Surgery at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), and his team as part of efforts to introduce legislation to facilitate organ donations for cadaveric or brain dead patients.

According a release from the Chambers of the Attorney General, the Organ

Transplant Bill will be ready for the National Assembly as early as May. As such, the meeting with the AG is the first of many to follow by the Government of Guyana in its pursuit of enacting the legislation.

Guyana's legislation on organ transplant, particularly from cadaveric or brain dead patients, has been in draft format for close to a decade, with no serious steps taken towards implementation.

Dr. Persaud has been among the group of local

AG Anil Nandlall S.C. at the meeting with members of the Guyana Medical Council and Dr. Kishore Persaud and his team medical professionals lobbying for implementation of the legislation, given the benefits, which it can have on the increasing number of patients in need of urgent transplant surgeries.

The doctor who deals especially with renal failure patients had noted that there are hundreds of persons who are on dialysis, and desperately in need of transplants. He has so far partnered with the European-based Donation and Transplant Institute to start streamlining the implementation of organ donor and transplant

legislation here.

In the release yesterday, the AG Chambers noted that Guyana is currently bereft of legislation governing, authorising and regulating the donation of tissue and organs to persons who meet the criteria of either being a donor or recipient of such donation.

In addition, the statement noted that in order to protect the citizens of Guyana from being victims of trafficking in human organs and tissue, the legislation will also propose to address the prohibition of trade in human tissue, organs and blood and as a result will

create offences and penalties to monitor such dire incidents.

According to the statement, a consultative approach has been agreed upon which will include consultative engagements involving all stakeholders and associations and their collective input will be channelled into the legislation and ensuing regulations.

The release said too that a process was outlined to execute the agenda of the Bill with the AG indicating that the Bill shall be ready for Parliament on or before May 2021.

Bogus CANU officer detained for trying to arrest man

A

man posing as a Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) rank was arrested yesterday after he was caught trying to arrest a man for narcotics.

While police have not officially confirmed the incident, Kaieteur News has seen a recorded video of the fake rank being handcuffed by two policemen on motorbikes. The man, who the fake CANU rank was trying to detain, has been identified only as Dameon.

According to Dameon's friend, Raj Persaud, the attempted arrest took place at Middle and Thomas Streets, Georgetown.

He claimed that a neatly dressed man with body (continued on page 8)

The Fake CANU rank at the Brickdam Police Station

Thursday January 21, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 03

Oil sector to endure another - Wood Mackenzie year in the doldrums Analysts

By Kiana Wilburg

I

n spite of the unprecedented economic peril that was brought upon the oil industry with the COVID-19 pandemic, there remain several optimists who firmly believe that 2021 will be the year of recovery.

But other analysts such as those attached to international oil and gas consultancy group, Wood Mackenzie, are cautioning observers to temper their hopes as recent assessments show that the industry is poised to spend another year in the doldrums.

Expounding in this regard was Fraser McKay, a Senior Analyst at Wood Mackenzie. In his

contribution to the Wood Mackenzie report, McKay said that the upstream oil and gas sector will be depressed while adding that he expects investment levels to remain flat at about US$300 billion in 2021.

He said, “Falling prices would mean rapid cuts, whereas at higher prices, contingency and resilience will outweigh enthusiasm to take advantage of a nadir in service sector costs.”

Strategically, the Wood Mackenzie official said that companies will focus heavily on stability and financial resilience while adding that investment decisions will reflect this priority.

Kaieteur News understands that Wood

Mackenzie expects 20 or so big project sanctions in 2021, up from just over 10 in 2020, but just half the prevailing pre-pandemic trend.

Further to this, the international consultancy group said that the merits of these will increasingly be judged on their environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG)

credentials. “The class of 2021 will not all be lowcarbon, low-cost trailblazers. But the direction of travel is oneway in terms of industry stakeholder aspirations,” said McKay. The analyst also said that Wood Mackenzie expects continued downsizing in the service sector as he added that this will lay the

foundation for improved margins, even if activity does not increase as forecast between 2022 and 2025.

In terms of the focus for the industry for 2021, Wood Mackenzie's Senior Vice President of Corporate Research, Tom Ellacott, was keen to note that new businesses and new business models are emerging from the wreckage of 2020.

He said this has demonstrated clearly that companies will focus their investment on building a foundation which will be sustainable across a range of scenarios.

Ellacott asserted that companies will continue their relentless focus on boosting margins in upstream and downstream.

The Wood Mackenzie SVP made it clear however that diversification into new and cleaner energy sources will accelerate as more players commit to decarbonisation.

“The Euro Majors will put more meat on the bone in 2021,” said Ellacott. He added that geo-political factors such as the change in the U.S. administration and shifting global sentiment will pressure international oil companies and national oil companies (NOCs) to lay out road maps to net-zero emissions.

In conclusion, Ellacott said governments will have to explore fiscal policies that support the global green initiative, while also balancing the need to restore budget deficits.

Courtney Benn sued for over $400M for breaching St. Rose's High School contract A

ttorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, has brought litigation on behalf of the State against Courtney Benn Contracting Services Limited, suing the service for more than $400M for a breach of contract in relation to its failure to complete building the St. Rose's High School.

According to court documents, the AG is claiming damages in excess of $100M against Courtney Benn for a breach in the contract dated August 18, 2018 and the addendum on December 23, 2019 for the reconstruction of the said school.

The Claimant (AG Nandlall) is also seeking the sum of $41,230,435 as liquidated damages calculated at 10 percent pursuant to the provisions of the contract dated August 18, 2018 for the reconstruction of the St. Rose's High School, Church Street, Georgetown.

In the third claim, the AG outlined that the contractor is liable to pay $105,812,929 due owing and payable under the Performance Bond issued by CARICOM General Insurance

payments that he collected from the Government of Guyana.

He said too that the insurance company is liable to pay all monies owing on the advanced guarantee and performance bond to the Government of Guyana and interest in accordance with Section 12 of the Law Reform Miscellaneous Act, Chapter 6:02, Laws of Guyana.

The lawsuit against Courtney Benn Contracting Services is the second of its kind, this week. On Tuesday,

CEO of Courtney Benn Contracting Services Limited, Courtney Benn Company, which is also listed as a respondent in the matter.

The performance bond is in relation to the contract issued on August 18, 2018 and December 23, 2019 for the reconstruction of St. Rose's High School.

Additionally, the AG wants Courtney Benn to pay aggravated damages in the sum of $100M for a breach of the contracts.

In the application, Nandlall said that the contractor is also liable to pay restitution to the tune of $67,337,538 for the advance

the AG filed a similar lawsuit against BK International for errant works and failure to honour contracts in the construction of the $827M Yarrowkabra Secondary School.

The legal proceedings follow months after the AG dispatched letters to the Company Secretary of both of the local contractors.

In his letter, which was disseminated to Courtney Benn last November, the AG noted that even though the Government of Guyana had

provided an addendum for the contracts to be completed, he still fell below the scheduled work programme.

Nandlall specified that the contract sum was increased to the sum of $412,340,357, despite the fact that Courtney Benn Contracting only managed to complete nine percent of the schedule of works for the state-of-the-art school since 2018.

In his letter, the AG noted that as a consequence of the

company's breach of the terms of the contract, the Government of Guyana exercised its right to terminate the contract with immediate effect.

The termination, he said, was grounded on the breach of Clause 40.2 (a) for failing to comply with the scheduled works; as well as the breach of Clause 40.2 (g) read along with the special conditions of the contract for inordinate delay in the completion of works under the contract.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday January 21, 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

Pharmacy of the world Many Guyanese are worried about when this country will get its first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines. It does not matter which firm the shipment comes from, be it Pfizer or Moderna or Oxford. All that matters is that we have something that gives us a weapon and some hope in this fight. Anything that provides us with a fair chance of surviving this pandemic, an assault that does not go away but increases in intensity and casualties. We can argue and clash later about equity and fairness in the distribution of the limited number of arriving vaccines, and who got, didn’t get, and should have gotten. What would be encouraging is that there are vaccines, with more promised to come, to help us possibly and instill some confidence in us.

For some time now, India with over a billion people of its own, and double digit millions of confirmed cases, was expected to be in the forefront of a successful vaccine development and release, but it has languished a little behind its richer contemporaries in the West. But now that is of the past, and the country is gearing up to recover the lost time. This is what an online article from Reuters dated January 20 and titled “India, ‘pharmacy of the world,’ starts COVID vaccine exports,” confirmed and announced to a watching and anticipating world. It is a fact that India has deservedly earned that accolade of ‘pharmacy of the world’ and with the COVID-19 pandemic raging even more alarmingly in this feared second wave, it is hoped that the country’s pharmaceutical powerhouses can make good on all that is incorporated in that caption. We, here in Guyana, listen and look on with high hopes.

As reported by Reuters, India has already commenced exportation of vaccines approved under a licence from “Oxford University and AstraZeneca and one developed at home by Bharat Biotech.” India is also expected to give clearance for public distribution and usage of at least two other vaccines in the next few months. This is good news and at a stark and challenging crossroad in the struggle against this diabolical virus. It is already good news for the citizens of Bhutan, which was the first country to receive a shipment of the coveted vaccines from India. Next in line for shipments are “the Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, and the Seychelles.” And after the necessary regulatory hurdles are scaled, then “Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Mauritius,” are slated to be next in line.

With actions such as these to its strategic partners and surrounding neighbours, India is indeed living up to its well-known reputation for being the ‘pharmacy of the world.’

The shots are branded COVISHIELD and are made by “the Serum Institute of India, the world’s biggest vaccine maker.”

Once this product proves to be successful, and earns a comforting record, it is likely that the Indian laboratory (or laboratories), are going to have to work around the clock to respond to the huge and urgent global needs. It is but one aspect of the Indian authorities push, through what is neatly termed ‘vaccine diplomacy.’

As we wait here, we would like some of that to come our way and as quickly as possible. Our health officials have informed Guyanese that the first shipment of vaccines is expected to be in the second quarter. That looks a little long way off, but we have no choice but to be patient, while observing all the regulations and precautions put in place by this country’s COVID-19 Task Force. All Guyanese must hope that some of India’s ‘vaccine diplomacy’ through its unfolding exports - sure to balloon in weeks to come will grace these shores and early.

As has been long accepted in this society, there is a close and special relationship between Guyana and India.

The thinking of Guyanese authorities and people has to be that this country will feature somewhere in India’s vaccine export plans, and that we are well-positioned to be among the earlier recipients of India’s shipments. As the Reuters coverage pointed out, “Many low and middle-income countries are relying on India, the world’s biggest vaccine maker, for supplies to start COVID-19 immunization programmes and bring an end to their outbreaks.” Make no mistake, Guyana numbers among those relying on India’s benevolence and prioritizing of some shots for us.

We will take them thankfully.

Mr. Patterson should do the honourable thing and resign as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee Dear Editor, The recent disclosures that expensive gifts were purchased for the General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) and two former ministers, is another blatant example of the lack of ethics and professionalism demonstrated by and under the former government. The notion of ethics underscores a moral duty and obligation to distinguish between right and wrong or good and bad.

It embodies a consciousness of moral importance and professionalism. Professional ethics are guiding principles that are expected to be followed by people in positions of public trust.

Unfortunately, both ethics and professionalism seem to have eluded those who approved, processed, and accepted the gifts in question.

While the existence of a code of ethics or conflict of interest policy at the DHBC or the Ministry of Public Infrastructure is an important consideration, distinguishing between substantial gifts and mere tokens of appreciation is a relatively simple matter of

professional judgment. The perception of any gift of value given to or accepted by a government and/or pseudogovernment official can be easily construed as a conflict of interest and, therefore, deemed inappropriate. Under certain circumstances, such practice borderline bribery and corruption.

In reference to Mr. Adams, General Manager of the DHBC, it was noted that the Board of Directors purportedly approved the gift.

Be that as it may, it should not matter whether the governing board approved the gift.

What matters is the General Manager ’s professional judgment, which seemed to be lacking at the time.

Considering the appropriateness, timing, and value of the gift in question, he should have politely refused the jewellery on ethical grounds. While Mr. Adams resigned and took the moral high ground to repay and return the gift, this is only due to a special audit exposing the ethical dilemma he ultimately failed to navigate responsibly. What should have been a routine and respectful decline of the

gift has now cost him his job.

In a recent statement, Mr. Patterson noted that “at no time did I ever request, solicit or influence in any way the action of any agency in relation to the presentation of gifts to me or other officials of the government” and “that the gifts presented to him during his incumbency were fully compliant with the procurement guidelines of the giving agency.” It should not matter whether a gift was requested or solicited or if the acquisition followed stipulated procurement policies, procedures, or practices. What matters is Mr. Patterson’s poor judgment and apparent lack of ethics to accept a gift of significant value at taxpayers’ expense.

Additionally, the value of the gift he received cannot be dismissed as mere memorabilia or a token of appreciation. Thus, Mr. Patterson should do the honorable thing and resign from his position as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. This breach of public trust suggests that he is no longer “fit and proper” to champion accountability in Guyana.

The next question is whether the practice of buying expensive gifts for public officials was far more pervasive under the former government than is currently known. Thus, the heads of other government ministries, departments, regions, and agencies should be called upon to disclose similar gifts bought for public officials using taxpayers’ dollars, and every effort should be made to recover the value of such gifts.

Abiding by ethical standards and practices is non-negotiable for a country expected to benefit from a windfall of oil revenues in the coming years. Hence, these revelations also underscore the greater need for ongoing ethics training across government entities. At a minimum, all public officials should undergo annual ethics training and be required to sign a code of ethics. I also join Mr. Rohee in calling for the Audit Office to be granted law enforcement powers to pursue and combat fraud, waste, and abuse.

Yours truly, Omchand Mahdu

Minister Dharamlall’s commitment to block local government rates and taxes increases would be unconstitutional Dear Editor, On November 20, 2020, Guyana Chronicle carried a headline: Constitutional reform meaningless without constitutional compliance – Attorney General.

In the text of that article, the then and present Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, was reported to have ‘urged that adherence to the Constitution is of equal importance as the reform itself.’ At the Turkeyen and Tain Talks held under the theme “Constitutional Reform: to court brave change or leave well enough alone,” he is reported to have said: “At present the need for constitutional compliance trumps the need for constitutional reform in Guyana.”

These pronouncements came to mind when I read an article captioned: “No increase in rates and taxes Govt. assures” in Guyana Times of January 17, 2021. In that article, the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, is reported to

have said that “the People`s Progressive Party/Civic had opposed the decision to increase taxes by the previous coalition Administration and as such, will not be taking that same path.” He went on to say that “We assure our citizens that there will be no increases in rates and taxes.” The reference here is the property taxes which are rated by and paid to local authorities (municipalities and neighbourhood democratic councils).

I take umbrage with those pronouncements, which if actualized, will be blatant disregard for, and breach of, the Constitution and the laws of Guyana.

May I hasten to state that I am not in any way lobbying for increases in property taxes, at the local level. That is a matter that warrants a discussion in its own right. I am drawing attention to the brazen and blatant flouting of the Constitution that is being touted by those who swore to uphold the Constitution but are on a daily rampage to vilifying others for

supposedly flouting our laws.

Article 75 of the Constitution states: “Parliament shall provide that local democratic organs shall be autonomous and take decisions which are binding upon their agencies and institutions, and upon the communities and citizens of their areas.”

A bipartisan Local Government Task Force was established to recommend amendments to the local government laws, among other instruments, for the purpose of giving life to the constitutional provisions (amendments).

Among the amendments recommended and legislated into law is the following: Section 54 (2): “For the words ‘approval,’ substitute the word ‘notification’ and delete the words ‘and the Minister may approve of them either in their entirety or subject to such changes as he may think fit’.”

That amendment was made to Part VI (ESTIMATES and RATES) of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT and

relieved the Minister of the power to approve the Estimates of Neighbourhood Democratic Councils and the Rates therein prescribed.

It provides for a fiscal aspect of local autonomy, in keeping with the provision of Article 75 of Constitution.

Minister Dharamlall and the Manifesto to which he referred are therefore embracing unconstitutional and unlawful acts until and unless that provision that provide for autonomy at the local level is amended or repealed.

I therefore return to Nandlall‘s exhortations: compliance! and pose the question: is he knowingly, as the Attorney General, the custodian of our laws, abandoning his gate keeper function and facilitating administrative malfeasance?

Was his view that compliance is essential to constitutionality merely lip service and that what‘s good for the goose is not good for the gander?

Yours truly, Vincent Alexander

Thursday January 21, 2021

President Biden’s inauguration address was a work of Supreme Art Dear Editor, In just about 21 minutes and almost 2,600 words, America’s 46th President, Joseph Biden, sparkled in the transcendence of American craftsmanship and American eloquence that resonated across a stricken land and a watching, raptly listening globe.

From my perspective, this is the stirring essence of the singular grandeur of America, in the themes touched upon by the new president assuming the mantle of office in a tempestuous atmosphere and in the tones he embraced and extended that were graced with just what a parched and poisoned land needed to slake it fears and dry its tears.

As inauguration addresses go, Mr. Biden’s final product was a work of supreme art.

It touched the senses, it stirred the hairs at the back of the neck, and it gave somber reassurance that the greatness -the true greatness - of America is still there to be tapped and maximized and tasted.

After all the toxins, the long winter of political discontent, it was humbling, as an American, to hear of working for peace, of strenuous and genuine efforts towards unity, and of racial justice and harmony.

There are many pieces to be picked up, and President Biden picked the first small ones, even if in soaring words only.

If I were to be so crass as to measure his words, I think that on the Beauford scale, they registered with all the

strength of a force 12. In physics, there is something called radiation; on Wednesday, Joe Biden radiated the luster of an America brought to its knees, but one still gleaming with promise, with hope that attract millions from all over, with the dreams of a place blessed with so much, yet that was forced to come to grips with its dark side and worst nightmares.

Perhaps, that selfdiscovery was necessary, too, if only for the cathartic power that it generates in response.

And on Inauguration Day, the new president was the catharsis that American has been groping so futilely for, and for the longest while.

I heard that favorite one that still has the power to strike a chord: every difference of opinion does not equate to a difference of principle. It must not degrade to that, and that must be embraced as a sacred principle.

Mature men and women do so, live by that code; they are wiser and stronger and better for it. It is time to say, let there be an end to the easy readiness for total war for what civilized men and civilized times demand must be the best that can be found in us.

The president has set himself a tall order, and his vision and cause are not helped by a hopelessly divided and bitter society.

But he does not appear to be flinching or swerving before the circumstances faced, the hard challenges that stand arrayed against his program,

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Kaieteur News

his very presence.

He must go on resolutely, with a keen ear to listening to the rhythms and cadences of his countrymen, including those who are scattered across distant parts of the globe.

President Biden will succeed if he is honest and humble, and alongside those two cornerstones, there must be the honourable.

I wish him well. I expect much from him and his team.

America needs it, and so does the rest of the world, too.

I need it and could use it, after four harrowing years of the memorable and the totally forgettable. Except that there is so much that cannot be forgotten, because if that is done, then it is to the peril of both the individual and the wide collective.

I welcome President Joseph Biden, and as I wish him the best, I leave him with the words of that sublime Roman orator, Cicero: salus populi suprema esto, which translates to: the welfare of the people should be the highest law.

As we have learned to our great anxiety and distress, it should never be: regis voluntas suprema lex (the king’s will is the supreme law).

That was practiced and it failed abjectly.

Now, Mr. Biden must work tirelessly to undo the damage and to restart along a different pathway that is decent and dignified.

He has rekindled some embers with the right words.

Now he must embark with the right steps tried. Amen.

Yours truly, GHK Lall

The main road into Chateau Margot is in a deplorable state Dear Editor, The main thoroughfare leading into the small hamlet of Chateau Margot on the East Coast of Demerara is in a deplorable state. This main road from the East Coast highway is daily becoming an impassable one. When it rains, we have ditches almost as deep as one foot wide at several points along this only entrance road to the hamlet of Chateau Margot. Of utmost concern is the canal that

straddles its eastern side.

Because it was again dug deeper recently and the earth sold, the road named Chimney Road could be renamed “canal road.” This is because the canal is almost about to swallow it, as it is slowly and inexorably moving into the canal.

It seems that the powers that be at the Regional Democratic Council whose office is at Triumph Village and the NDC office which is

at Better Hope, East Coast Demerara are turning their heads the other way while blocking their ears.

They are pretending that they do not hear or see that Chateau Margot road with its large pot holes and broken back is inexorably moving into the deep canal.

Please, could the powers that be attend to this serious matter urgently?

Yours truly, Rooplall Dudhnath

Squatters are destroying the community of Good Hope, Phase Three Dear Editor, Residents living at Good Hope Phase Three on the East Coast of Demerara are calling on the relevant authorities to investigate and remove squatters who are taking up illegal residency on Government reserves and private properties.

These squatters are involved in all sorts of illegal activities, which are affecting law-abiding citizens daily; some of these activities include illegal GPL and GWI connectivity, selling of marijuana, and planting of same.

Added to this, they are dumping and burning garbage on the roadways, blasting of offensive music day and night.

These squatters have been destroying our peaceful community, even more frustrating, we have invested so much money in this village

and now we are now forced to consider selling out our properties for below market value just to keep our families

safe.

Yours truly, Name and provided

address

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Thursday January 21, 2021

Kaieteur News

Govt. yet to receive $72M worth of mobile scales that were procured in 2016 - Public Works’ PS says supplier unreachable Members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), during a meeting, were on Tuesday told that three mobile scales costing some $72.2M that were procured in 2016 are yet to be received by Government.

The PAC had met with officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Public Works and Natural Resources to begin the consideration of Guyana’s public accounts for the fiscal year of 2016.

During the meeting, Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Public Works Ministry, Vladmin Persaud, revealed that the Jamaican Company, NevPro Realization Limited, which was awarded the contract to supply the scales, has been unreachable.

Kaieteur News was told in January 2020 that the procurement of the mobile scales was an initiative of the then Coalition Government to reduce the damage of Guyana’s main public roads by heavy-duty vehicles.

Speaking with this newspaper at the time was the then Junior Minister of Public Infrastructure, Jaipaul Sharma, who explained that his Government planned to place the scales at major entrances to Georgetown.

Sharma had named Berbice, Parika and Linden as points for the scales. He had added

The PAC meeting in progress on Tuesday. too that the initiative was catered for in the 2020 annual budget.

According to the current PS Persaud, out of the three scales procured, only two

were shipped by the company and these are still at the Laparkan Storage Bond.

Persaud added that a cost for the storage of the scales will be submitted to the

The 1980 Guyana Constitution lacks the very ingredients of constitutional morality Dear Editor, Reference is made to your Editorial, titled, “Constitutional Reform, Again” dated January 20, 2021, which was read with interest. Of note, I wish to refer to my article in your Letters Column: Kaieteur News, May 29, 2019 on the 1980 Guyana Constitution.

Further, it is my view, should constitutional reform not take center stage at this t i m e i n o u r c o u n t r y ’s h i s t o r y, “ o n f i x i n g a fundamentally flawed constitution.”

Then; we as a so-called nation would just be endorsing all of the PNC rigged elections between

1968 and 1985 including the 1978 fraudulent referendum, which was the catalyst to birth the 1980 Constitution – one which lacks the very ingredients of constitutional morality ….what more to speak of constitutional compliance.

Sincerely yours, Paul Ramrattan

Ministry next week since they have not been officially handed over as yet.

With regards to the third scale, the Public Works PS stated that, “We have tried several times to make contact with the supplier. We are unable to make any contact with the company. It seems as though they have come off the face of the earth. We can’t find any information of the company.”

Persaud went on to inform

the PAC members that the Attorney General will be engaged in the matter. In fact, he said that a letter has already been prepared and will be sent to the Attorney General.

He added too that a letter will also be sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for assistance in reaching the company.

Meanwhile, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Ms. Gail Teixeira, who was present

at the meeting, condemned the then Ministry of Public Infrastructure because of how it dealt with the matter.

Teixiera stated, “I am amazed that one: there has been no disciplinary action taken against anybody in the Ministry; there has been no calling in of anybody to investigate, even the police.

There has been no lawyer ’s letter… I can’t understand a Ministry being so indulgent.”

Bostic: Fewer than 1 000 to go Daily Nation - Minister of Health and Wellness Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic says there are fewer than 1 000 COVID-19 test results still to be cleared at the Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory.

The minister said the lab was in the last stage of erasing the backlog which was caused by technical issues and overwhelming numbers in late December and early January.

Wi t h o u t g i v i n g a timeline, Bostic assured the public the backlog would soon be a thing of the past.

“We have made considerable progress and we will be in a better position to report to the country at the next press briefing but I can tell you that we are in the final stages of mopping up the balance of those outstanding tests.

When I say we are in the

Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic final stages, I am speaking in relation to less than 1 000 tests that are outstanding.

The aim is to finish this exercise in very short order,” he said.

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L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Thursday January 21, 2021

Kaieteur News

How can the Alliance For Change (AFC) still consider itself a bastion of transparency and accountability when David Patterson, a man who received millions of dollars in “gifts” from agencies over which he presided, as its general secretary?

Even more egregious for this nation is that this same politician now sits at the helm of the National Assembly's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) – a powerful body responsible for scrutinizing the spending of taxpayers' dollars.

We cannot be serious!

The government must take care of this grand corruption, and let the handling of this matter be a precedent for how officials will be dealt with when they disrespect the nation and play around with its wealth.

PAGE 07

PAGE 08

Kaieteur News

Thursday January 21, 2021

Nation without monthly oil production reports - Ram T

hirteen months i n t o o i l production, the nation should be receiving monthly updates on the status of oil production in the Stabroek Block, and other details. ExxonMobil is mandated to report this information to the government, but Guyana does not know what the government knows.

These and other comments were shared by attorney-at-law and anticorruption advocate, Christopher Ram, during Kaieteur Radio's - The G l e n n L a l l S h o w, o n Monday night.

He said that the government should have a monthly production report detailing the quantity of crude oil produced, as well as natural gas.

This is because the agreement signed with ExxonMobil, Hess and CNOOC for the Stabroek Block arrangements requires full disclosures on operations therein.

“The government would

Attorney-at-Law, Christopher Ram have received by now at least 11 [of the monthly production] statements,” Ram said. “[But] we are not being told any of these things…

We don't know what the government knows.”

Ram noted that the lack of monthly production statements from the government is part of a wider issue of information, which should be shared with the public being kept under wraps.

This applied to the discourse on Monday night, during which Kaieteur News publisher Glenn Lall and Ram were discussing the gas-to-shore project.

Concerns about a potential oversupply of natural gas in the future are what led Ram to point out that the public should receive regular reports of how much associated gas is coming up

from the Liza well.

Historically, public disclosures of documents and information related to the petroleum industry have come after sustained calls for their release, and criticisms from the press. If they were publicly shared without being beckoned by the media, those disclosures have not been consistent.

This is the case with the monthly production statements.

When oil production started in December 2019, the public received oil production reports, which also included the revenues received in that month from royalties and the sale of the crude. The Ministry of Finance was the agency responsible for producing them.

“The regular publication of the [report] will allow for greater transparency in this new sector of the economy,” the Finance Ministry had said while announcing the reports, “ensuring that the public is fully aware of the amount of petroleum being produced and revenues being generated. Such transparency is important, given the magnitude of revenues that will be generated from this resource.”

A few of these reports were produced and published but the regular publications waned during the elections saga. They did not resume when the new administration took over in August. The website of the Ministry of Finance has been down for weeks, as it is being revamped.

Bogus CANU officer detained...

From page 2 camera, handcuffs and driving a heavily tinted white Toyota Premio, pulled up next to Dameon.

Persaud revealed that the man told his friend that he was a CANU rank and cautioned him that he was wanted for narcotics. The man then asked Dameon to accompany him to the Brickdam Police Station.

D a m e o n , h o w e v e r, refused and asked the man to present his ID, but he refused. The fake rank then tried to force Dameon into the car when the two patrol ranks turned up on their bikes.

Dameon complained to the ranks and the man jumped into his car and sped

away.

The ranks however gave chase and cornered him.

They too reportedly ask him to present his ID which he failed to do. He was then arrested and taken to the Brickdam Police Station.

According to Persaud, at the Station there was someone making a report who identified the man as someone who tried to rob them by posing as a CANU officer.

Persaud posted the man's photograph on Facebook warning persons of the fake CANU rank.

Persons who are familiar with the man commented on the post that he is a known “thief from the West Coast of Demerara (WCD).”

Thursday January 21, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 09

Cash-cow for cronies or a money spinner for citizens?

T

oday, I examine the criticisms that the gas-to-shore (GTS) project lacks transparency. The fact that information about the project is absent does not mean that it is not feasible; it simply means that the government has not yet facilitated the transparency needed for an informed assessment of the project's environmental and economic soundness.

The GTS project will be the largest onshore investment. It will surpass the cost of the beleaguered Skeldon Sugar Factory. That factory ended up costing taxpayers US$180M. The political responsibility for this behemoth must be laid squarely at the feet of Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, under whose presidency the project was developed.

Jagdeo had promised that even if he had to get personally involved, he would fix the project. It has not been fixed. Jagdeo's involvement in that calamity may be the reason why the public is circumspect about the GTS project. For many, this is another costly and aimless excursion by Jagdeo.

It may be in President's Ali's interest for him to remove Jagdeo from any involvement in the project.

Given Jagdeo's track record with major projects, there is bound to be a loss of

Dem

boys seh...

P

eople dying like rice in America and de UK. In Uncle Sam, two people falling dead every minute from COVID and in de UK, a person dying every minute.

Is like a World War tekking place. America lose mo people to de COVID dan dem lose in World War 2.

Dis second wave wuss dan de fuss wave. Dat is why dem boys keeping sehing dat we gat to tek dis thing more serious.

Dem gat some new variants out there dat causing de thing fuh spread mo fast. Since de winter

confidence in his ability to successfully execute a project of this magnitude.

The failure of the government to make known the various studies about the project will only add to the suspicion that political rather t h a n t e c h n i c a l considerations are behind the decision to situate the landing point for the gas pipeline and plant at Wales.

Too little has been made know at this point in time, and this accounts for the reservations about the project.

When the government was planning to build the Amalia Falls Hydroelectric Facility, the developer wanted a buy-in from the Opposition. The PPP/C was forced to hold a briefing with the parliamentary Opposition in the hope that it could woo its support. This did not happen. The Opposition rejected the project; and the developer walked.

Amazingly, the PPP/C wants to resurrect this project while at the same time promising to build a gas plant. This is all the more reason why there should be greater transparency because there is no explanation as to how all this energy is going to be utilised.

The President has said that the cost of electricity is likely to be cut in half. This alone should render the project unfeasible. Given the

amount of gas, which is and will eventually be produced by petroleum operations, there is no reason why the cost of energy from a natural gas plant should only be halved.

It makes no sense building a natural gas plant to reduce energy costs by 50 percent. Energy costs needs to be slashed by at least 80 percent if Guyana's manufacturing is going to be competitive. There is no reason also why any household should have ever again to pay for electricity if such a plant is established.

With such a project, there should be an abundance of energy to provide at least 300MW free to consumers.

The elephant in the room, however, is the financial model, which will be used.

The government may be thinking of a public private partnership. The PPP/C's record with this sort of arrangement is well-known.

It benefits friends and cronies while using the state to finance much of the capital costs. The Marriott Hotel and the Berbice River Bridge are prime examples where a flawed financial model has benefitted syndicated and preferred investors rather than the country.

The cost of the GTS project is expected to be prohibitive. The government should offer this project to ordinary citizens. The

Frank talking slow while de virus moving fast! start, de number of deaths in de UK almost double. And to think dat dem was de fuss to vaccinate.

Dat is why dem boys keep sehing how Guyana can't depend solely on de vaccine fuh stop de spread.

We nah gan get de vaccines fast enough fuh inject people fast enough fuh stop de virus in its tracks fast. We gat to try fuh slow down de corona long before de vaccine come hay or else funeral parlours gan do brisk business.

Dem boys concern bout de number of new cases since de year start. Instead of things getting better, like it

getting wuss. De number of cases rising and Frank still as cool as a cucumber. He talking slow while de virus spreading fast.

Somebody gat to tell he dat he strategy nah wukkin'.

De number of active cases increase by more dan 50 percent recently. Dat is dread. Dat is frightening.

Is time fuh a new strategy.

If de situation continue dis way, de corona nah gan never end in Guyana. It gan carry all ah we and Frank gan still deh as cool as cucumber.

Talk half and tell Frank is time to stap being so cool.

government can finance this project by offering shares, with a guaranteed rate of return back by a state guarantee, as is the case with the GuySuCo bond, which NICIL organised.

Presently, there are tens of thousands of ordinary citizens who are receiving less than one-two percent interest on their savings in the bank. If the government

can guarantee a rate of return of four percent, many of these ordinary citizens are going to be willing to invest in the project.

The small man is not going to ask for 20 percent, the rate of return, which was once touted for Amaila. They are going to settle for four percent since this is four times what most of them are receiving on their savings

accounts.

In this way, the people of Guyana can be sure that the GTS project will be their own. It will not be another cash cow for cronies but rather an investment by citizens.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Thursday January 21, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

The big, big lie of 2020 is about to become the truth of 2021 I

had many friends among the AfricanGuyanese race when I was a radical activist in the era of the presidencies of Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar. Many of those friends were not just ordinary relationships.

My psyche was completely canopied with the knowledge that these friends of mine were multiracial, democratic activists that like in the Walter Rodney era of the seventies wanted a free Guyana where

race and class did not matter.

The attempted rigging of the 2020 election and the support of that evil by these African-Guyanese friends drove a stake in the heart of my soul.

Were these people moral frauds all along and praised Indians like Freddie Kissoon, Christopher Ram, Glenn Lall and others because they wanted us, as Indians to bring down an Indian government?

But my eyes were opened a few months before

these so-called friends were exposed by the rigging of the March election.

I am going to offer you just three examples before I expand on the caption of this column.

The first one is in relation to the publisher of Kaieteur News, Mr. Glenn Lall.

During the controversy that followed the no confidence vote, I began to hear African Guyanese criticizing Mr. Lall making two accusations: that he was racist and that he was

battling for the PPP. The only emotion that I could generate as a reaction went like this; why wasn't he a racist and a PPP fan when his newspaper was exposing wrong-doing for years of an Indian government that people like you praised him for? The other two involved top authorities at Kaieteur News that I am not going to name.

It was in the middle of 2019. I got a call and was asked why I am going after the government. I enquired what the problem was. I was told that my opinion that public servants were taking political instructions from ministers could not be printed.

I was extremely enraged.

My denunciation took the form of a question: “why when I wrote those things against the PPP government, you carried it.

It is my opinion not yours.” I immediately rang Mr. Lall who was in Florida and he instructed that my opinion must be carried.

The third example was when I was told that a column on oil could not be carried. The speaker said to me, “Freddie, how can I carry these things, these people are my friends.” He was referring to three ministers that I condemned in my analysis. My revulsion was obvious.

It meant that he was uncomfortable with his friends in the PNC being

criticized by Kaieteur News.

The next day, I insisted that my dropped article be printed for the next edition.

Of course, certain people showed their true colours (in both senses of the use of the

Frederick Kissoon word) after the rigging of the March election began.

I come now, after a long diversion, to the headline of this article. Last Saturday, as I was about to enter the Kingston seawall area with my dog, I saw a couple of friends enjoying themselves.

One of them is a longstanding buddy.

As we talked and the topic of the new government came up, he said that both PNC and PPP rigged but the PPP out-rigged the PNC. I asked, “What rigging are you talking about?” I had not seen or spoken to him since the five-month controversy. I expected far better from someone with his intelligence and experience.

But I knew where he was coming from. The 2020

election caused tremendous racial rift.

The big, big lie of 2020 is soon to become the truth and will be a global truth, like the global truth that the Democrats fairly won the US election.

I cannot comment on the election petition of the PNC and AFC because the subject is before the courts. But the edict of the Chief Justice that GECOM's statements of poll (SOPs) must be produced in court will have tremendous value for understanding the fiction of tampered ballots.

There are four sets of SOPs - those of the PPP, the APNU+AFC, the small opposition parties and GECOM. The PNC has adamantly refused to release its SOPs. The PPP has. They are available online.

GECOM never made its SOPs available to the press and the public.

I cannot comment on the court case, but I am legally entitled to express how I feel about the six different results the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) declared and the PNC's decision to hide its SOPs. Both the CEO and PNC know what they are hiding.

The CEO cannot hide his SOPs any longer.

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

Thursday January 21, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Thursday January 21, 2021

Effects of school closure for another year can last for generations - UNICEF's Executive Director I

f schools are closed for another year, the effects will be felt for generations to come according to the Executive Director of the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Henrietta H. Fore.

In a statement issued on January 12 last, the Executive Director said, “Despite overwhelming evidence of the impact of school closures on children, and despite increasing evidence that schools are not drivers of the pandemic, too many countries have opted to keep schools closed, some for nearly a year.”

She lamented that as

countries across the world approach the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic and cases continue to rise, much effort should be made to keep schools open or prioritize them in reopening plans for the country or problems will be encountered for many years to come.

According to Fore, the closure of schools due to pandemic lockdowns affected 90 percent of students worldwide and more than a third of them were left with no access to remote education.

Adding to that, she said, “The number of out-of-school children is set to increase by 24 million, to a level we have not seen in years and have

fought so hard to overcome.”

The closure of schools has also affected children's ability to read, write and do basic math. Some even suffered a loss of skills necessary to progress in the economy of the 21st century.

Fore further stressed that the health, development, safety and well-being of many children are at risk and the most vulnerable among them will “bear the heaviest brunt.”

She said that without school meals, many children have been left hungry, with their nutrition worsening.

They are also losing their physical fitness because there has been a reduction in mobility due to the lack of

Executive Director of UNICEF, Henrietta Fore daily motion. Also highlighted was that there are no more interactions with their peers on a daily basis and children have been showing signs of mental distress. The Executive Director said that

without the safety net that schools often provide, they are more vulnerable to abuse, child marriage and child labour.

“That's why closing schools must be a measure of last resort, after all other options have been considered,” Fore maintained.

She also maintained that in cases of lockdowns, schools must be among the first to reopen once relevant authorities start lifting restrictions. There is also a need for catch-up classes, which should be prioritized to ensure that children who have been unable to learn remotely are not left behind.

Fore recommended that the risk of transmission be assessed at a local level which would be a key determinant in decisions regarding school operations. Where there are high levels of community

transmission, health systems are under extreme pressure and where closing schools is deemed inevitable, she said that safeguarding measures must be implemented.

This includes ensuring that children who are at risk of violence in their homes, those reliant on school meals and whose parents are e s s en t ial w o r k er s c an continue their education in their classrooms.

However, Fore still believes that nationwide school closures should be avoided as much as possible.

Notably, Guyana's schools would have been closed for physical classes since March last year and a conditional reopening for face-to-face classes was only approved last November for grades 10, 11, 12 and Technical and Vo c a t i o n a l E d u c a t i o n students.

Kaieteur News

Thursday January 21, 2021

PAGE 13

Biden's Govt. would be more amenable to review of Stabroek block deal - Guyana's Fmr. Petroleum Advisor

W

i t h t h e swearing in of the United States President, Joe Biden, and Vice President, Kamala Harris, expectations are that there will be shifts in the country's foreign policy.

Former Petroleum Advisor to the President of Guyana, Dr. Jan Mangal, had said in a November letter to the editor that the change in administration could help Guyana's bargaining position against oil companies.

“The recent change in the U.S. administration has the potential to improve the negotiating strength of Guyana versus the oil companies,” he had said, “and this could affect production [and improve Guyana's share of oil revenue from the Stabroek Block] if Guyana leverages this strength.”

In this regard, the most contentious issue is that of

Dr. Jan Mangal the potential for renegotiation of the Stabroek block production sharing a g r e e m e n t ( P S A ) . D r.

Mangal believes that the Biden administration would be more amenable to a renegotiation of the deal.

Dr. Mangal is a staunch advocate for Guyana to get a better deal. He had said that,

“For Guyana to succeed, it has to maximize its share of the oil revenue, and then not squander it.”

Attorney-at-Law Christopher Ram, also on Saturday pointed to a need to consider the change in US government, and how it would affect the future of Guyana's oil industry.

During a panel discussion at Moray House Trust, Ram said “The question of where we are would have to consider the implications of a change in administration in the United States of America…”

Criticisms of the lopsided deal and calls for its renegotiation have not waned over the years. Just days ago, former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran, said “It is the future generations that will have to pay the price for what happened in relation to the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with

Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th US President by Chief Justice John Roberts as Jill Biden holds the Bible, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP) ExxonMobil…”

In his criticism of the “pittance” Guyana is receiving for the exploitation of its resources, Goolsarran said that the now withdrawn Global Witness report advocating for the renegotiation of the Stabroek PSA is still valid. The early

2020 report had said that the US government should push Exxon to renegotiate the deal.

Notably, the report's withdrawal was on the basis that Global Witness no longer intends to support renegotiation, as it would appear to contravene the

anti-corruption watchdog's climate policies. Global Witness noted that it stands by the integrity of the report's findings. One of these was that the unfair deal would result in Guyana losing US$55 billion over its lifetime.

In April 2019, US (continued on page 20)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Thursday January 21, 2021

Patterson should be removed as PAC Chair immediately

I

n light of former Public Infrastructure M i n i s t e r, D a v i d Patterson's involvement in the multi-million dollar giftbuying scandal, Public

Wo r k s M i n i s t e r, J u a n Edghill, has called for Patterson's removal as Chair of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

With the PAC currently

scrutinizing government's spending in 2016, Edghill has urged Patterson to recuse himself from the meetings until investigations in the scandal are concluded.

- Edghill In a press statement, Patterson insisted that the reports and “revelations” against him are a deliberate attempt to derail his objective of overseeing the government's expenditure and procurement practices through his chairmanship of the PAC. Those reports, he said, “would have precisely the opposite effect, as I will be guided by the oversight rules, laws and policies to relentlessly ensure good governance, including proper expenditure according to best practice.”

Minister Edghill during at a press conference yesterday urged him to “do the decent thing and resign.”

Patterson said he assumed that gifts presented to him were fully compliant with the procurement guidelines of the “giving agency”.

But Minister Edghill stated, “this is the kind of gifts that Mr. Patterson accepted.

He thought everything was okay, he never solicited. Yet

Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill

Former Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson

Linden woman fined for calling another a “crass”

A

woman was on Tuesday fined after she pleaded guilty to telling another woman “she is a f*&@king crass.”

The woman, Michelle Daniels, 47, of Wisroc Housing Scheme, Wismar, Linden, Region 10, appeared in the Linden Magistrate's Court before Magistrate Wanda Fortune.

Daniels pleaded guilty to

the charge which stated that on January 1, 2021, she used abusive language on Holly Washington.

Magistrate Fortune ordered Daniels to pay the fine of $10,000 for the offence or two weeks imprisonment.

Daniels was also put on a 'keep the peace' bond for one year, and was warned that if she fails to adhere, she will spend three months in jail.

at no time at all, did he say to agency heads 'why are you bringing me all these expensive gifts?' Where is the moral compass?”

“When you are caught with your hands in the cookie jar, you throw the agency heads under the bus. Where is the level of decency?” the Public Works Minister asked.

Edghill called for the Integrity Commission to investigate the matter, noting that any gift over US$50 must be declared. If these gifts were not declared then, he stated Patterson is guilty of an offence.

It was during an audit of the state-owned Asphalt Plant at Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara that the gift-buying scandal was discovered after auditors noted a $900,000 bracelet purchase for Rawlston Adams, the General Manager of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC).

Checks were then made at the other agencies under the Public Infrastructure Ministry's purview and it was discovered that millions of taxpayers' dollars was spent on items for then Minister Patterson and his Junior Minister, Annette Ferguson.

The discoveries resulted in a shakeup at the DHBC with Rawlston Adams no longer holding the post as GM. He was said to have tendered his resignation yesterday.

Those actions, Minister Edghill stated, were necessary to ensure public confidence as it relates to public monies being spent.

In addition, he also put on record that a shakeup is imminent at the other agencies that facilitated the gift buying spree.

Kaieteur News

Thursday January 21, 2021

PAGE 15

Installation of drainage pumps for flood prone areas to be completed by next month - Agri. Minister D

rainage pumps procured last year through a US$4M Line of Credit from India are currently in the final stages of installation.

This is according to information released by the Ministry of Agriculture.

It was revealed that on Tuesday Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, met with Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr. K. J. Srinivasa to discuss the status of the pumps which are being installed in several flood prone areas along the Coast.

Minister Mustapha informed the delegation that he recently met with the contractor from India and was given an update on the installation of the mobile and fixed heavy-duty pumps.

“I met with the contractor about a week ago.

There were some issues that were brought to my attention. I raised them with him and he assured me that by the first week in February, we can have all these pumps fixed and working. When that happens, we will be able to move ahead with commissioning the pumps,” Minister Mustapha said.

Counsellor, at the Indian High Commission, Mr. Vijayakumar Kizhapate, while providing an update on the installation of the pumps, said that additional

Minister Zulfikar Mustapha; High Commissioner, Dr. K. J. Srinivasa, High Commission Counsellor, Mr. Vijayaku Kizhapate, during the meeting

brought two more engineers from India and they are taking care of those issues.

Yesterday they said things are coming along alright and that by this week all those minor issues should be resolved,” Mr. Kizhapate said.

Minister Mustapha also said that, with Government working on developing a comprehensive plan for a

Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr. K. J. Srinivasa engineers had arrived from India to ensure the pumps were fully operational within the given time frame.

“We have installed three mobile pumps at Ruimveldt, Sussex Street and Cowan

Street. The other fixed pumps, two were installed at Devonshire Castle and Hampton Court, one at Hope, and one at Nootenzuil.

There were some minor issues. Last Saturday, we

complete upgrading to the country's drainage system, this year's budget should see allocations being made to acquire additionaldrainagepumps.

“I'm optimistic that, with the new budget, more funds will be made available to acquire additional pumps because, around the country, there is a need for more pumps. Quite frankly, if we are to properly upgrade the

country's drainage capacity, we have to make these types o f i n v e s t m e n t s n o w, ” Minister Mustapha said.

OPENING NEW LANDS Minister Mustapha also informed the delegation that his Ministry is working towards increasing and (continued on page 22)

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Thursday January 21, 2021

Kaieteur News

Thursday January 21, 2021

PAGE 17

Former Ministers Patterson and Ferguson received over $6.7M in items from Harbour Bridge, other agencies - items included: bed, iPads, computers and jewellery

Patterson and his gifts K

Former Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson

R

eferencing Patterson's statement, Minister Edghill said it is “barefaced” and merely contains words that lacked consistency.

“He said I don't wear jewellery but he was seen photographed wearing gold bands and so on,” Minister Edghill noted.

In total, according to the Public Works Minister, Patterson received from those agencies under his control a total of $2.664 million in gifts and personal effects.

Not only that, the purchase of the gifts spanned the five-year period during the Coalition's tenure in office, and even included some that were purchased in 2020, during the five-month election impasse.

For several of his birthdays (May 4), the then Minister received multiple gifts from the various agencies under his purview.

In 2016, he received several gift items from MARAD with invoices stating that the payment was for “Gifts for Minister Patterson's Birthday.”

In 2017, documents show that he received a band from the GGAA valued at $117,000 purchased from King's Jewellery World.

Included in that purchase was

an additional US$90 for the addition of Patterson's initials using 14K gold.

In August 2018, MARAD also approved payments for gift items for Patterson birthday valued at $243,000.

Also in May 2018, he received gifts as well with vouchers spelling out payments of $76,818 and $300,000.

From the CJIA, in 2018, he also received a pen valued at $25,000 from King's Jewellery World.

On May 6, 2019, Patterson was also said to have received another gift from King's Jewellery World valued at $516,000.

Moving on to 2020 when the country was faced with the elections debacle, the then Minister received a host of gifts for his birthday celebration in May. On May 4, 2020, documents show Patterson received a gift from MARAD valued at $$704,292.

On the very same day another gift was presented valued at $387,486, both purchased from Steve's Jewellery World by the very agency.

The T&HD also presented Patterson with a gift valued at $54,700 on the same date.

aieteur News had reported that former Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson, had received from the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DBHC) and the Asphalt Plant, gold jewellery valued at some $500,000 paid for by taxpayers' dollars.

The allegation was vehemently denied by Patterson but his tune changed after even more damning evidence came to the fore, showing that those were not the only agencies that he received expensive gifts from.

In a statement, Patterson deemed the reports against him “misleading and mischievous” and done with the intention of embarrassing him to further political advantage.

Patterson noted too that the “practice of giving memorabilia and other gifts” to Ministers is not a novel undertaking.

He even reminded that Ministers from both sides of the political divide have been presented with gifts as well to mark special occasions.

“In my case, at no time did I ever request, solicit or influence in any way the action of any agency in relation to the presentation of gifts to me or other officials of the government,” Patterson explained.

“I believe it is also necessary to state that I had no prior knowledge of any decision or details relating to the purchase or presentation of gifts to anyone, including myself,” he added.

The former Minister stated that he was under the assumption that the gifts being presented to him during his tenure were fully compliant with the procurement guidelines of the “giving agency.”

The standard policy directives stipulate how such matters should be handled as directed by Cabinet decision, by circular from the Ministry of Finance or by Board policy.

Further on he said, “It has also come to my attention that it is further alleged that I received a number of electronic items, such as phones, iPads and laptops. This is absolutely untrue, and I categorically deny it.

Whoever fabricated this lie obviously does not know that for security and other reasons, I do not accept electronics of any kind from a n y a g e n c y, i n c l u d i n g t h e government, and I have always personally selected and purchased

Former Junior Public Infrastructure Minister, Annette Ferguson

Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill all electronic items I own.

For instance, for this reason, I did not accept a mobile telephone offered by the Parliament to Ministers.”

But documents from the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), the Transport and Harbour Department (T&HD), along with more from the Harbour Bridge paint a different picture.

And these were all the agencies under Patterson's purview during his stint in office.

These documents were all presented to the media yesterday by Patterson's successor, Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill.

Household supplies and electronic gifts It was not only Patterson who benefited from gifts, but his Junior Minister of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, did too.

In total, Ferguson received $1.4 million in gifts from the very agencies listed.

But it was not just jewellery. In fact, both Patterson and Ferguson, according to Minister Edghill received $6,757,015 in electronics and household materials all from the DHBC. Those items, he explained, were not listed as asset registers but merely donations.

On the list of items he noted, two dell desktops computers valued at $387,222 were purchased for both Ministers along with Apple iPAD Airs priced at $213,750 each.

In addition to that, purchases were also made of televisions, printers, cocktail tables, hallway tables, rugs, safety boots, a bookshelf, two dell PC's valued $164,600 each, along with a kingsize bed set, a king-size mattress, a queen-size bed set and chest of drawers, Minister Edghill told media operatives.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 18

Thursday January 21, 2021

Father of two killed in two-car collision in Berbice A

father of two is now dead and several others injured after the cars, which they were in collided on the No. 23 Public Road, West Coast Berbice.

Dead is 29-year-old Andre Joseph, a father of a two-year-old and a four-year old. He was the driver of one of the cars and lived at Lot 32

No. 53 Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

The injured persons have been identified as 39-yearold Collis Johnson of Lot 73 No. 53 Village, Corentyne; 49-year-old Ron Mitchell of Lot 28 No. 53 Village, Corentyne and 29-year-old Hywon Williams of Lot 32 No. 53 Village, Corentyne.

Reports are that the

accident occurred sometime around 04:40hrs yesterday when motorcar HC 7191, driven by Johnson, was proceeding west along the southern side of the No. 28 Public Road.

He was heading to Georgetown. Kaieteur News understands that the surface of the road was wet because the rain had poured earlier.

According to reports, Johnson was approaching a turn in the road when he saw motorcar HB 2975, driven

by Joseph, proceeding east along the northern lane at a fast rate.

The reports revealed too that while negotiating the said turn Joseph lost control of his vehicle and veered head-on into the path of Johnson's vehicle. Both vehicles were damaged as a result.

Also, both drivers and the passengers sustained injuries and were all picked up in a conscious state and taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital.

However, Joseph was pronounced dead on arrival and the others, though stable, were admitted for observation.

A breathalyzer test was conducted on the driver of

Dead: Andre Joseph motorcar HC 7197 and the reading was zero micrograms.

Meanwhile, a female cousin of Joseph told the media that he was working in Georgetown.

He was a mechanic and part-time hire car driver, she noted.

At the time of the accident, she said that he was heading home.

However, according to the cousin, after the accident, jewellery and an undisclosed sum of cash were stolen from Joseph's person.

His wife was too devastated to speak with members of the media.

A post mortem is expected to be conducted on the body shortly.

(Malisa Playter-Harry)

The scene of the accident

Kaieteur News

Thursday January 21, 2021

PAGE 19

76 medical professionals set to graduate from GPHC's post grad. progs.

D Despite COVID-19 restrictions…

espite the challenges of operating during the COVID-19 pandemic, 76 medical professionals have successfully completed post-graduate programmes offered by the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation's (GPHC) Institute of Health Science Education (IHSE).

Head of the IHSE and Director of Medical Education at GPHC, Dr. Alexandra Harvey, told Kaieteur News during an interview that like most agencies, the IHSE had to adapt to operating under strict COVID-19 measures.

She explained that despite the conditions, the post-graduate trainees in the class of 2020 --some 44 doctors and 32 nurses were able to complete their programmes.

“Indeed, 2020 had been a tough year, we had to operate in keeping with COVID-19 protocols which meant we had to introduce virtual classes but through it all, we were able to persevere and candidates were able to complete their courses,” Dr. Harvey said.

She noted too that “like always, the candidates worked hard, maybe even harder to ensure that they successfully completed the 2020 work programme.”

The IHSE head noted that in addition to the virtual classes, whenever the class met, it was also under strict restrictions.

“Everyone had to wear their masks, practice the recommended social distancing rules and hand hygiene methods and so on,” she said.

and nurses.

Given its mandate, the IHSE has been hailed for introducing a next-level type of medical education at Guyana's national health institution. According to Dr. Harvey, the IHSE has been the initiator and continues to be the leader in this country for postgraduate medical education.

Dr. Harvey explained, “Prior to 2006, this type of training was not available in Guyana… Starting initially with one programme but we now have expanded to more than 14 certified programmes with more on the horizon.”

Director of the IHSE, Dr. Alexandra Harvey

According to Dr. Harvey, this February, the doctors and nurses will be presented with their post-graduate certificates in a number of courses including Surgery, Anesthesia, Internal Medicine, Psychiatry, Paediatrics, Emergency Medicine, Radiology, Obstetrics And Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Family Medicine and Neonatal Intensive Care.

“This will be done virtually of course, since we are still operating under the COVID-19 protocol,” she said.

Since 2006, the IHSE has been working closely with the University of Guyana (UG) which provides medical accreditation for the various programmes for qualified doctors

Boxing Day accident at LBI…

Drunk driver gets three charges

The scene of the accident.

(File photo)

A

4 7 - y e a r- o l d man, who struck down Akeem Fernandes, 25, with his motor car last Boxing Day while intoxicated, was yesterday slapped with three charges when he appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrate's Court.

The defendant, Seandell Shannon, a salesman, of Hope Estate, East Coast Demerara, appeared before

An injured Fernandes at the accident scene.

(File photo)

Magistrate Alisha George to answer to the charges.

Shannon was charged with: (1) driving motor car PSS 3512 while being under the influence of alcohol; (2) driving an unlicensed motor vehicle, and (3) driving an uninsured motor vehicle. He pleaded guilty to all three charges and was fined $52,500.

According to reports, the accident occurred around

21:51hrs. on December 26, 2020, at the Choke Rubis Gas Station, La Bonne Intention (LBI).

Reports are that the m o t o r c a r, d r i v e n b y Shannon, was travelling east at a fast rate along the southern lane on the northern carriageway of the LBI public road.

The driver reportedly lost control of the car and veered (continued on page 20)

Dr. Harvey said too that given its mandate to provide continuous training to healthcare professionals, the IHSE has since helped hundreds of medical doctors and nurses obtain their post-graduate certificates.

Annually, the institute, which is housed in the compound of the GPHC, boasts of providing scores of doctors and nurses with the specialised line of post-graduate medical certificates.

At present, a new batch of post-graduate medical students has started to enroll for a host of specialised health education programmes for the year 2021.

PAGE 20

Kaieteur News

Thursday January 21, 2021

COVID-19 cases surpass 7,000

G

uyana has surpassed 7,000 COVID-19 cases. This development was made public by the Ministry of Health which announced yesterday that there were 65 new cases of the virus.

The total number of COVID-19 cases now stands

at 7,015.

The Ministry's dashboard also indicates that Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) accounts for 45 of the 65 new cases. The only regions that recorded no new cases are Regions Two and Five.

It also shows that seven

patients are in the COVID19 Intensive Care Unit, 543 in home isolation, 29 in institutional isolation and 22 in institutional quarantine.

Additionally, a total of 6,266 persons have recovered from the virus.

The COVID-19 death toll remains at 170.

Biden's Govt. would be more...

From page 13 Ambassador Sarah Ann Ly n c h h a d a d d r e s s e d criticisms of the deal, noting that the US government would play no role in the possible renegotiation of the deal.

“We certainly believe that Guyana is a sovereign country,” Lynch had said, “so that would be for Guyana to work that out with the private sector to see if there is room for renegotiation. We certainly won't interfere with that.”

Furthermore, when former US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo visited Guyana in September last year, the deal was of concern.

Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalist, Shaun Tandon, had asked President, Dr. Irfaan Ali and Secretary Pompeo whether the deal is equitable. Neither man addressed the question directly. However, the President said that they did not discuss ExxonMobil and the related issues.

There were concerns that

Pompeo's visit was meant to pressure the government to approve ExxonMobil's US$9 billion Payara project.

“We don't apply political pressure connected to our commercial enterprises,” Pompeo had told the press.

At another point in the brief, he said the US will do what it can to “help American companies be successful, have access, have opportunities to be engaged in fair and transparent business dealings in Guyana.”

Drunk driver gets three charges From page 19 off the left side of the road and collided with the right side of motor car PGG 7331 which was parked on the northern parapet of the road.

The motor car then hit Fernandes who was sitting on the same parapet.

As a result of the collision the car ended up toppling

over.

Information received revealed that both vehicles were damaged and the man was picked up in a conscious state and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where he was seen and examined by a doctor who admitted him.

An eyewitness told a

Kaieteur News reporter that the man on the parapet was seen eating his food, when the car came crashing into him.

A breathalyzer test was conducted on the driver and he was found to be over the legal limit.

He was arrested and an investigation was launched.

Thursday January 21, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 21

Former AG claims bias, wants Judge to recuse self from hearing libel case filed by Nandlall A

n application has been filed in the High Court by former Attorney General, Basil Williams, S.C., for Justice Priya SewnarineBeharry to be recused from a libel case brought against him by the current Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C. In this application, the former AG pointed to what he calls an apparent bias on the part of the Judge.

According to the document, the application is for a declaration that Justice Sewnarine-Beharry recuses herself from further hearing the matter filed by Nandlall on April 4, 2017.

Nandlall had filed for damages over libel and slander allegedly published

by Williams at a press conference aired by the Stateowned National Communications Network (NCN) to the effect that he would be charged for the missing law books, unaccounted for during his previous tenure as Minister o f L e g a l A ff a i r s a n d Attorney General.

He had been charged for allegedly stealing the books,

Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall, S.C.

Justice Priya Sewnarine –Beharry

Former AG: Basil Williams, S.C.

but was later acquitted after the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) directed that Magistrate Fabayo Azore discontinue the matter.

However, even before he was charged, Nandlall accused Williams of slander and sued for compensation to the tune of $125M over his alleged harmful statements made to the press.

The matter, which is before the High Court, had several interlocutory hearings.

At one point, Justice Sewnarine-Beharry had even dismissed the claim

over a breach of procedural compliance in accordance with the new Civil Procedure Rules (CPRs). Nandlall appealed the decision to throw out the case to the Full Court and the matter was reinstated before Justice Sewnarine-Beharry.

According to the court documents, Williams in his defence filed in May 2017, denied that he had libeled or slandered Nandlall since he had spoken in the capacity of Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, who is tasked with being a

custodian of State Assets with a duty to give transparent answers on his stewardship.

Williams submitted that Nandlall was in fact charged a s h e ( Wi l l i a m s ) h a d informed the press of the offence of larceny by bailee for the 14 missing law books.

In his application, the

former AG noted that when the libel case came up before Justice Sewnarine-Beharry it was heard on diverse occasions since filing.

According to Williams, Justice Sewnarine-Beharry ordered that the libel trial be stayed until criminal proceedings in the Magistrates' Court against Nandlall are completed.

He claimed too that she has been adjourning it from time to time until it came up for fixtures on January 15, 2021. To this end, the former Attorney General contends that, the staying of the trial of the matter until criminal proceedings are over by Justice Sewnarine-Beharry raises the likelihood of bias on her part and a predetermination of the issues raised in the application.

Stated in the application is “that staying the matter until the criminal proceedings were determined, conveys that Justice Beharry attaches

greater importance to the outcome of the charge rather than that the charge itself confirmed the Claimant's [Nandlall] contention that I said he would be charged. The Claimant being charged with larceny of the missing law books established my defence of truth and fair comment on a matter of public interest.�

Further, in his application Williams pointed to an instance when his then attorney-at-law, Mr. Patrice Henry, appeared before Justice Sewnarine-Beharry, and she stated that should the criminal charges be dismissed, then the libel suit will be sustained and if Nandlall is convicted of the criminal offence then the libel suit will be dismissed.

Added to this, Williams claimed that the great disparity in the award of costs

by Justice SewnarineBeharry to him as compared with the award to Nandlall raises concerns of the apparent bias.

PAGE 22

Thursday January 21, 2021

Kaieteur News

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Outgoing U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Ajit Pai said potential Chinese espionage and threats to U.S. telecommunications networks and internet freedom are the biggest national security issue that regulators will face in the next four years.

Ajit Pai told Reuters in an interview there is a “wide array” of activity from China that was of concern, including of surveillance, economic espionage and potential “injection of malware into networks here in the United States or around the world.

There are a number of bad things that can happen when insecure equipment is used to handle sensitive information.”

Pai was named chairman in January 2017 by former President Donald Trump and stepped down yesterday.

During his tenure, the FCC cracked down on Chinese network manufacturers like

(FCC) chairman Ajit Pai Huawei and ZTE. Last month, the FCC began the process of revoking China Telecom’s authorization to operate in the United States. China Telecom is the largest Chinese telecommunications company. “The Chinese Communist Party has a very determined world view. They want to dominate this space and exert their will — even

beyond their own borders,” Pai said Tuesday. “That is a serious threat not just to internet freedom but to national security for us and for many of our allies.”

The Chinese foreign ministry said in December U.S. claims about risks to national security were false.

The FCC first warned in April might terminate U.S. operations of three state-

controlled Chinese telecommunications companies including China Telecom.

In 2019, the FCC voted to deny state-owned China Mobile the right to provide U.S. telecommunications services, citing risks the Chinese government could use the approval to conduct espionage.

Under Pai, the FCC formally designated China’s Huawei and ZTE Corp as national security threats, barring U.S. firms from tapping an $8.3 billion government fund to purchase equipment from the companies.

Congress approved $1.9 billion in December to pay for replacement of Chinese-made equipment in U.S. networks.

In April, the FCC approved Alphabet unit Google’s request to use part of an U.S.-Asia undersea telecommunications cable, but not to Hong Kong, after U.S. agencies raised national security concerns.

Greece optimistic about talks with Turkey but won’t discuss sovereignty

ATHENS - (Reuters) Vacancy exist for the follow- Greece will approach talks ing positions: 1 civil engineer, with Turkey next week over 1 secretary. Call 608 2114 their disputed territorial claims in a hopeful spirit but Pitmen and Hauler operator for will not discuss issues it interior location. Applicants considers as sovereign must be experienced. Call 618rights, Prime Minister 2020 Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Workers for P.S.G.C.S yesterday.

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615-7784 “We will attend with optimism, self-confidence,” New York marketting firm wants to hire sales managers.

Paid Training. Serious Candidates. Email: sally@jwiz.com From page 15 Bus driver, hire car driver improving Guyana's agriculTel#225-3234, 698-7807 tural production over the next few years. This, he said, (1) trained and qualified night will be done through the desecurity graud must have: velopment of new areas earvalid police clerance two refmarked for agriculture. erences. contact sofia razak @ “There are a lot of areas 266-3256 that will be developed for agricultural purposes and we need to have proper infrastructure in place. For example, I plan to start work on developing the second phase of the MMA Scheme.

If that happens, over 100,000 acres of land will come under cultivation. So we'll need proper drainage, proper irri-

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis Mitsotakis said, but there would be “zero naivety” from Athens about the talks, which were unofficial and non-binding.

“There will be no discussion on national sovereignty,” the conservative premier added.

Mitsotakis said the

discussions were expected to resume at the point where they were interrupted in 2016.

Ankara and Athens held 60 rounds of talks from 2002 to 2016, but plans last year for a resumption foundered over a survey vessel that Turkey sent into disputed waters and disagreements over topics to be covered.

The latter issue remains unresolved, as Greece only wants to address the demarcation of maritime zones in the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey says all issues should be tackled, including air space and the status of some Aegean islands.

“It is not right to pick one of those (issues) and

say ‘we’re holding exploratory talks’,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said earlier this week, criticising Greece’s approach as nonconstructive.

Mitsotakis told parliament that if the two sides failed to reach agreement, they should at least agree on the way the dispute could be referred to an international judicial body.

Before drafting the bill on the Ionian Sea, which e x t e n d s t h e c o u n t r y ’s limits for the first time since 1947, Greece held negotiations with its regional neighbours, Italy and Albania.

Parliament approved the draft law late yesterday.

...Installation of drainage pumps for flood prone gation and additional pumps to boost the system. In Essequibo, there is a project that was supposed to start a long time ago called the Aurora Agriculture Development Project.

I'm looking to start some work there so that we can make lands available to persons interested in farming. During my first outreach to Essequibo when I became Minister, persons were asking about Government's plans for the project and I assured them that it is something, which we were actively pursuing. In Berbice, the Canje area and

the Cookrit Savannah, we'll need a lot of work to be done in those areas. I also want to start zoning these areas. Instead of having cattle and rice together, which usually results in conflicts with the farmers, I want to zone them to ensure cattle rearing has its designated area and rice cultivation has its designated area,” Minister Mustapha said.

The subject Minister further stated that, in addition to the installation of more drainage pumps, the infrastructural works needed for the development of these areas will in-

clude the establishment of canals and sluices, where necessary.

“In cases where it is possible for us to do the outfall close to the Atlantic Ocean, we'll do so because then the siltation will be minimal, but if it's a far distance, we'll have to depend on the pumps,” Minister Mustapha explained.

Minister Mustapha, along with H.E. Srinivasa, will be conducting another assessment tour to the newly installed and existing drainage pumps in Georgetown within the coming days.

Thursday January 21, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 23

PAGE 24

Kaieteur News

Thursday January 21, 2021

Thursday January 21, 2021

Reggae Boy Brown was allowed to leave Bengaluru FC to seek more playing time

Jamaica international Deshorn Brown.

SportsMax - Bengaluru FC coach Naushad Moosa insists the club parted ways with Jamaica international Deshorn Brown in order to allow the player to search for more playing time.

The 30-year-old forward recently completed a move to top-flight Indian team NorthEast United, away from Bengaluru, who he joined last year on a one-and-a-half-year deal. Brown scored three goals in 17 appearances and increasingly found first-team football hard to come by.

Moosa replaced outgoing coach Carles Cuadrat, as the club looks to begin a rebuilding process, that has seen the former B-team coach step up as head coach.

Thursday January 21, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) There is some likelihood that the mood at home is fraught with tension. Did you dare to express some contrary intellectual opinion? In any case, it looks like your self-confidence is stronger than usual right now.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) It would seem that your sensitivity is in slight conflict with your actions. You continue to go through the motions and do what you planned to do, but it seems like your heart isn't in it anymore.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You may have been spending or saving too much money, Gemini. It's clear that a rebalancing is in order if you're to find pleasure rather than eternal frustration.

CANCER(June21–July22) You've been stamping the ground impatiently. You're waiting for the moment to jump into new adventures with renewed vigor after your meditation of the last few months.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) If you find yourself tired and irritable now, Leo, you should know that this is normal. You may have had a few months that were a little too studious.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) This is going to be a good moment to look elsewhere, Virgo. You should do just as the artist does when he has worked on a painting for too long, which is take a step back.

PAGE 25

Kaieteur News

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) This is the right moment to extricate yourself from relationships that have seen their day, Libra. This won't be easy, but you must.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You took off like a bullet a few days ago, Scorpio, making great progress in a short amount of time. But now you're grappling with doubts that are undermining all your energy.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) There is some likelihood that thoughts of your love life will haunt you today. Perhaps you're intrigued by the idea of exploring certain realms of your relationship that remain secret.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Today more than ever you will yearn to escape from the daily routine. You're thirsty for new sights and sounds, new faces and places.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Finally, you're on the mend, Aquarius. The minor ailments that have been dragging you down lately are beginning to disappear, and you're about to regain all of your physical energy.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Do you feel a little under the weather? It's possible, considering all the emotional turmoil you've been through lately. As you know, the work itself isn't what gets you down but rather your worries about the future.

“When you talk about Brown, as a club we want to help the player. Now if you see Ajay (Chhetri), he is getting playing opportunities with East Bengal. Brown was not getting enough playing time (at Bengaluru). So, for his development, we should allow him to go and play [elsewhere]. We thought we should help him get more playing time,” Moosa said.

Brown will be looking to regain his goalscoring form with the Highlanders who will be without Kwesi Appiah who is set to miss the rest of the season with an injury.

The Jamaican has previously played for the likes of DC United and Colorado Rapids.

It is hoped will be able to link up with Idrissa Sylla and Luis Machado.

Brown has played 14 games for Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz since making his debut in 2013.

...PCB to seek government From page 26 played over two legs in Multan and then Rawalpindi - followed by the first-class tournament Quaid-e-Azam trophy, held fully in Karachi.

Four remaining games of the fifth edition of the PSL in Karachi were followed by a home series homes against Zimbabwe.

The National T20 Cup and the home series against Zimbabwe was not open to crowds, and the upcoming two-Test, three T20I series against South Africa will also be played in empty stadia.

The PSL is scheduled to start on February 20 with 34 matches in total.

Pakistan did experience a surge of coronavirus cases over the winter, though cases did begin to tick downwards after the closure of schools last month. The government has urged people to take necessary precautions, but enforcement remains low and most public places - shopping malls, marriage halls and public transportation - are fully open. However, with set to reopen next week and the PSL still over a month away, any decisions taken over crowd involvement at the league are set to remain subject to change as the situation evolves.

...Kings XI Punjab’s big purse From page 27 current form for Melbourne Stars in the BBL is encouraging. The Kings XI have also jettisoned the likes of Mujeeb Ur Rahman, K Gowtham and Karun Nair to significantly enhance their purse. No other franchise has a bigger purse than the Kings XI ahead of the upcoming auction.

Balance purse: INR 53.2 crore What they said “The plan was to keep the core of the team, and make sure the players who were part of the team last season will continue this year as well. We believe that this group along with whoever we pick at the auctions to fill those gaps will be able to turn things around for Kings XI Punjab,” Anil Kumble, the head coach, was quoted as saying by the Kings XI website.

What they need?

Maxwell again? Or probably another gun middle-order finisher. An overseas bowler who can bowl at the death to back up Arshdeep Singh and Chris Jordan.

With Gowtham, Mujeeb, and J Suchith all being released, they also don’t have a specialist fingerspinner in their squad (apart from Harpreet Brar) Rajasthan Royals Major talking point They’ve had captaincy

troubles time and again. Two seasons ago, they replaced Ajinkya Rahane with Steven Smith midway through. Now, after finishing last in 2020, they’ve backed Sanju Samson to take over the leadership role, while offloading Smith, who has been a pillar of the franchise for many years. All the other players released have mostly warmed the bench over the years. They’ve appointed a new director of cricket in Kumar Sangakkara, who will lend plenty of experience to an already accomplished coaching set-up.

Balance purse: INR 34.85 crores What they need?

Ben Stokes is their premier allrounder, but they’d do well to have a back-up for him in another overseas allrounder. While they’ve stocked their squad with three legspinners, all Indian, they’d also look to have some offspinners in their line-up for variety.

What they said: “As the IPL has grown, the captaincy has become a year-round task, and as such strong local Indian leadership has become increasingly important. Sanju made his debut as a Royal, and it has been a joy to watch his development over the last eight years. He is the ideal person to lead the Royals into the 2021 season.”

Kaieteur News

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Thursday January 21, 2021

Novak Djokovic: ‘My good intentions Rishabh Pant moves have been misconstrued as selfish’ up to 13th in Test rankings; Joe Root T back in top five

he Telegraph Novak Djokovic insists his letter to Australian Open organisers has been ‘misconstrued’ after a heavy backlash to his suggestions on how to support players in quarantine.

Following a raft of charter flights from Los Angeles, Doha and Abu Dhabi over the weekend, 72 players are confined to their hotel rooms in Melbourne after positive coronavirus tests.

A number of stars have expressed criticism at the handling of the situation which means they are unable to practise for two weeks b e f o r e n e x t m o n t h ’s Australian Open.

In a letter to tournament director Craig Tiley, men’s World No 1 Djokovic asked for the isolation time to be reduced, better food and for players to see their coaches.

These requests were swiftly rejected and drew condemnation from Australian politicians.

Djokovic is in Adelaide, where he has been able to train and kick-start his preparations for the opening grand slam of the year.

And in a statement on social media, the Serbian defended himself and offered an apology for

Novak Djokovic hits back amid criticism of Australian Open ‘suggestions’ to help quarantined players. (AFP) comments made by players.

“My good intentions for my fellow competitors in Melbourne have been misconstrued as being selfish, difficult and ungrateful,” he wrote.

“This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Not every act is taken at its face value and at times when I see the aftermath of things I do tend to ask myself if I should just sit back and enjoy my benefits instead of paying attention to other people’s struggles.

“However I always choose to do something and be of service despite the challenging consequences and misunderstandings.

“I’ve earned my privileges the hard way, and for that reason, it is very difficult for me to be a mere onlooker knowing how much every help, gesture, and good word mattered to me when I was small and insignificant in the world pecking order.

“Hence, I use my position of privilege to be of service as much as I can where and when needed. I have always had a very good relationship with Craig and I respect and appreciate all the effort he puts into making the Australian Open a place to look forward to coming back to each year.

“In our email exchange I

used an opportunity to brainstorm about potential improvements that could be made to the quarantine of players in Melbourne that were in full lockdown.

“There were a few suggestions and ideas that I gathered from other players from our chat group and there was no harm intended to try and help. I was aware that the chances were low that any of our suggestions would be accepted, just like the request to quarantine with my team in Melbourne instead of Adelaide, was denied prior to our travel, because of the strict government regulations.

Since I couldn’t be with other players in Melbourne, I made myself available if needed.”

Earlier in the day, Tiley defended Tennis Australia amid claims of preferential treatment to the likes of Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams.

“I get the feeling it is perceived as preferential treatment,” Tiley told reporters in Australia.

“But they’re the top players in the world. My general rule is if you’re at the top of the game, a Grand Slam champion, it’s just the nature of the business. You are going to get a better deal.”

PCB to seek government permission for crowds at PSL - If approved, the PSL could see stadia filled at up to 30% capacity ESPNcricinfo - The possibility of crowds at the Pakistan Super League is not out of the question, with the PCB open to it pending approval from the government. The PCB wants to have stadia at 30 per cent capacity in both Karachi and Lahore, and awaits permission from the government before going ahead with their contingency plans. The PCB intends to host up to 10,000 spectators at the National Stadium Karachi (capacity 32,000), and a maximum of 8000 at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore (capacity 27,000).

In the last update from the National Health Centre in September, sports got the green light to resume at grassroots and recreational levels with adequate safety measures in place. But the guidelines were separately designed for indoor and outdoor sports. The last

The PCB are trying to ensure the PSL isn’t played in front of empty stadia this year. (Associated Press)

available guideline reads: “Spectators should be allowed for sports/ games with outdoor pavilions while ensuring six feet of distancing between them.” It forbade the number of spectators from exceeding 50% of seating capacity.

Since cricket is the most popular sport in the country and draws the largest

crowds, the PCB will need federal and provincial approval to have crowds at the PSL, with the regulations concerning what is permitted determined at government rather than PCB level.

Welcoming crowds back at the PSL will be the next major step after the PCB conducted the cricket season so far behind closed doors.

Professional cricket returned to Pakistan in September after a 24-week hiatus forced by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 2020-21 domestic season had kicked off with PCB forming a bio-bubble for teams in hotel with strict standard operating procedures. It had started with the National T20 Cup (Continued on page 25)

Rishabh Pant played a match-winning 89 not out at the Gabba.

(Getty Images)

ESPNcricinfo - India’s Rishabh Pant and England’s Joe Root both made significant jumps in the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings, following their recent exploits in the Brisbane and Galle Tests, respectively.

Pant, the top-ranked wicketkeeper on the batting charts, climbed to a career high No.13 after his 89 not out at the Gabba sealed a famous series win for India.

Root, meanwhile, returned to the top five with his highest ratings points tally of 738 in two years, as his first innings 228 against Sri Lanka was enough to push him up six places, overtaking the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara and Babar Azam.

Australia’s No. 3 Marnus Labuschagne also recorded a personal milestone, as his first-innings century in Brisbane took him past Virat Kohli to third spot, with a career-best 878 rating points.

Despite a disappointing series as captain, Tim Paine moved up three places as well to 42nd following scores of 50 and 27 in the decisive fourth Test. Among the Australia bowlers, Josh Hazlewood made the most significant leap, overtaking New Zealand’s Tim Southee to bag fourth spot.

Hazlewood claimed six wickets at the Gabba, including a haul of 5 for 57 in the first innings.

For India, who had several players chipping in with crucial contributions throughout the series, there were quite a few personal highs. Opener Shubman Gill moved up 21 places to 47th after making a crucial 91 in the second innings in Brisbane, while Pujara went up one spot to seventh following his dogged 56 off 211 deliveries.

Mohammed Siraj, who made his debut during the second Test in Melbourne, jumped up 32 spots to 45th in the bowlers rankings after he took a five-wicket haul at the Gabba. Shardul Thakur and d e b u t a n t Wa s h i n g t o n Sundar, who provided one of the first turning points in the f o u r t h Te s t a g a i n s t Aaustralia with their partnership of 123 in the first innings, were also rewarded with individual milestones.

Sundar reached No.82 on the batting list, while Thakur, who claimed seven wickets during the Test, shot up to No.65 in the bowlers rankings.

The other significant movers on the list were England’s spinners Jack Leach (40th) and Dom Bess (50th), after they both claimed five-wicket hauls in Galle. Lahiru Thirimanne, Sri Lanka’s lone centurion in the Test, moved up 12 places to take the 87th spot on the batting list.

Thursday January 21, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 27

Naomi Osaka continues her off-court fashion dominance as the New Global Ambassador for TAG Heuer Bazaar - When the world was first introduced to Naomi Osaka’s brilliance as a burgeoning tennis star, we also discovered her signature, experimental style. The 23-year-old’s personal fashion statements include bold prints, standout sneakers, and eye-catching accessories, which she interchanges between her sleek and sporty competition looks on the court.

Considering her thoughtful approach to dressing and accessorizing, her new partnership with TAG Heuer comes as no surprise—she’s now the renowned watch brand’s newest global ambassador.

Osaka is “excited” for her new role, and as someone who pays attention to craftsmanship, teaming up with the luxury watchmaker just made sense. “I know it sounds cliché, but a timepiece is really timeless, and it’s important to consider style, quality, and history,” she tells BAZAAR.com.

With three Grand Slam wins under her belt, Osaka can also relate to the brand’s “Don’t Crack Under Pressure” motto. “It really spoke to me at this level of tennis, because everyone is good enough to win. It comes down to handling the pressure and the mental side of the game,” she says.

Osaka also understands how a single accessory can make an outfit, whether she’s curating her outfits for game time or down time. “I enjoy fashion, and part of putting together my looks on and off the court involves accessories and watches. It’s a subtle addition to an outfit but something I think rounds out a look. For me, accessories are an opportunity to be bolder and really elevate a look, so I like unique designs that draw people’s attention,” she shares.

Functionality is also key.

As someone who spends most of her time practicing, Osaka needs a timepiece that

can endure her daily workouts. “On the court, my look is about ease of movement, not something that feels too confined or distracts from my play,” she says. “Off the court, I will go for a more oversized or fashion-forward look. Either way, I love to wear bright colors and statement pieces when I can.”

When she’s not winning matches all over the world or decompressing at home (she credits playing video games, reading manga, and cooking as some of her go-to ways to relax), she’s using her platform for social change.

During the US Open in September, Osaka brought awareness to ongoing Black Lives Matter protests that were taking place across the nation following the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and too many more.

Each day she competed, she wore a mask with the name of a Black person taken from the world too soon, and

Naomi Osaka’s fashion trend has been making the headlines.

(TAG Heuer)

unjustly killed. She bore their names not just to demand justice, but to encourage sweeping societal change too.

The US Open was a moment when the athlete asserted herself as more than a sports star, but a genuine voice calling for a better, fairer, more caring, and more

equitable world.

“For me [speaking out] wasn’t something I did for my career, or something that was ‘planned.’

It was something that had been bothering me for quite some time, and it felt like the right thing to do,” says Osaka.

“I always knew that I

wanted to speak up, I just didn’t quite know how. In 2020, I decided to speak up and to stress how important it is for everyone to stand up for social injustice.

There’s nothing wrong with celebrating our differences. Being different is what makes each of us the special people we are.”

Kings XI Punjab’s big purse and the return of ‘Chinna Thala’ - Hetmyer retained as Paul and Rutherford let go ESPNcricinfo Chennai Super Kings Main talking point Suresh Raina’s retention.

The 34-year old had abruptly left the IPL’s bio-secure bubble in the UAE in August and had opted out of the 2020 season. He had also retired from international cricket last year, but the Super Kings’ management has put faith in him once again.

Sherfane Rutherford scores leg-side runs in the CPL.

Having not played top-flight cricket since IPL 2019, Raina recently returned to action for Uttar Pradesh in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s, finishing with one half-century in five outings.

Balance purse: INR 22.9 crore What they need?

Having released Harbhajan Singh, the Super Kings don’t have a specialist

offspinner in their squad.

Filling that hole will be on the top of the checklist at the auction next month. With Kedar Jadhav gone and MS Dhoni fading, they need a versatile middle-order batsman to take the load off Ravindra Jadeja.

What they said “He [Raina] is one of our best batsmen in the last ten years. He had to miss out last year but he is back now and we are happy with him.”

Delhi Capitals Main Talking point: Last season’s finalists have not touched their core squad, especially the Indians. They have released the overseas players who struggled to make the first XI, including Sandeep Lamichhane, Jason Roy, Alex Carey and Keemo Paul.

Fast bowler Tushar Deshpande, who blew hot and cold last season, has been released too. Shimron Hetmyer, however, has been retained as has Chris Woakes, who had pulled out of IPL 2020. The Capitals, though, have traded out two players, both allrounders, after initially retaining them.

Australian Daniel Sams and Indian Harshal Patel have moved to Royal Challengers

Shimron Hetmyer services in the IPL has been retained. ©BCCI

Keemo Paul strikes the Jesus pose to celebrate a wicket © BCCI

Bangalore.

Balance purse: INR 12.80 crore (before the Sams and Patel trade) What they need: The Capitals definitely need a wicketkeeper since Carey, their back-up when Pant was injured, has been released. An Indian

gloveman will be ideal because that means the XI doesn’t need multiple changes if Pant needs replacing. They also only have five overseas players in the squad, so they might get foreign back-ups for the likes of Rabada, Stoinis and Hetmyer.

Kings XI Punjab Main talking point Letting go of two of their biggest buys in the last auction: Glenn Maxwell (INR 10.75 crore) and Sheldon Cottrell (INR 8.5 crore). Maxwell had meagre returns in IPL 2020, but his (Continued on page 25)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 28

Thursday January 21, 2021

108 years after racially motivated trial, court docket for Black heavyweight champ Jack Johnson goes public C h i c a g o Tr i b u n e CHICAGO — The building hasn’t seen a trial in months, so to have a jury verdict suddenly pop up on the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse docket last week was unusual enough.

Then there was the date the verdict was returned: May 13, 1913.

That was the day an allwhite jury in Chicago convicted Black heavyweight champion Jack Johnson of federal charges of transporting a white woman across state lines, a case that would later be held up as a deplorable example of institutional racism in early 20th century America.

J o h n s o n w a s posthumously pardoned by President Donald Trump in 2018. But it wasn’t until Friday that the paperwork — along with images of some of the handwritten documents from Johnson’s trial — were officially entered into the court’s electronic court docketing system, marking a final chapter in a sensational saga that garnered international headlines 109 years ago.

U.S. District Court Clerk Thomas Bruton said presidential pardons are typically scanned and entered electronically onto a

Black heavyweight champion Jack Johnson and the woman at the center of the allegations, Lucille Cameron, who refused to cooperate with authorities. case when they come in, making it part of the official record. But in the case of Johnson, there was nothing to attach the pardon to, leaving the clerk’s office in a bit of a quandary.

The clerk’s ledger for

federal Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis includes the case caption, “United States vs. John Arthur Johnson, alias Jack Johnson,” and a charge, “Vio of White Slave Traffic Act.” “When I got this from the

White House there was nowhere to go with it,” Bruton told the Chicago Tribune on Tuesday. “I wasn’t going to just put it in a vault somewhere and sit on it.”

So Bruton instructed one of his deputies to do some research, and what he came back with was startling.

At the National Archives c e n t e r o n t h e c i t y ’s Southwest Side, not only were there several digitized images of the trial court’s original handwritten ledger, but also an image of the jury verdict form and the scrawled signatures of the 12 people who convicted Johnson.

“It was pretty rare for them to have this from a case this long ago,” Bruton said.

Included in the ledger for federal Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis was the case number, 12-5066, a caption, written in flowing cursive, “United States vs.

John Arthur Johnson, alias Jack Johnson,” and the charge, “Vio of White Slave Traffic Act.” Below that were two pages of entries from various court dates in Johnson’s case, along with the clerk’s fees at the time, including 25 cents for the filing of the indictment and a dime for an attorney filing a notice of

Conor McGregor facing multimillion-dollar lawsuit filed by woman during UFC 257 fight week

M

MA Junkie As Conor McGregor prepares for his first bout in a year on Saturday at UFC 257, a multimillion-dollar lawsuit has been filed against the Irish star.

According to a report by the Irish Independent on Tuesday, a woman is suing McGregor in a personal injury lawsuit. Additionally, the woman’s mother has filed a second, smaller personal injuries action claim. The claims reportedly were filed Monday, with an unnamed associate of McGregor’s also listed as a co-defendant.

For legal reasons, the specifics of the allegations cannot be disclosed at this time. The women are represented by Coleman Legal Partners and are

looking for separate trials.

“Proceedings have been served. We can make no further comment as the matter is before the courts,” Dave Coleman, of Coleman Legal Partners, told the Independent.

The newspaper added that McGregor “has denied any wrongdoing.

The matter was previously the subject of an extensive investigation by An Garda Siochana.”

In a statement, McGregor spokesperson Karen J. Kessler told the Irish Independent the following: “After an exhaustive investigation conducted by the G ardaí w hich, in addition to interviews of the plaintiff, included interviewing numerous sources, obtaining witnesses’ statements,

examining closed circuit footage and the cooperation of Conor McGregor, these allegations were categorically rejected. The plaintiff knows the facts contradict the assertions in this lawsuit. Mr. McGregor will dispute any claims and is confident that justice will prevail.”

Over the past several years McGregor has found himself in hot water for a number of indiscretions outside the octagon. In April 2018, he was arrested after throwing a dolly through a bus window that carried various UFC fighters.

Several people, including fellow fighters, were injured.

In March 2019, McGregor was arrested for grabbing, stomping, and stealing a fan’s phone in Miami. Less than one month

after that arrest, McGregor was caught on video assaulting a patron at a pub in Dublin.

Also in March 2019, The New York Times reported McGregor (21-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC) was being investigated in his home country of Ireland for sexual assault. In mid-October, the newspaper reported a second sexual assault allegation against McGregor from a different accuser.

In September 2020, McGregor was arrested in France on allegations of sexual assault and indecent exposure. McGregor was interviewed and released by officials, and his team subsequently issued a statement and vehemently denied all wrongdoing.

None of those sexual assault cases have resulted in charges against McGregor.

withdrawal.

Creating an electronic docket for Johnson’s case did come with one glitch.

The system only counts the last two digits of the year a case was filed, so there was no way to distinguish it from cases filed in 2012, Bruton said.

He also hesitated — if only for a moment — posting the jurors’ signatures, which typically is not done because of privacy issues. In this case, the panel’s members are long dead.

“I don’t think jurors’ security is an issue anymore,” Bruton said.

Nicknamed the “Galveston Giant,” Johnson was a legendary boxing figure and became the sport’s first Black world heavyweight champion at the height of the Jim Crow era in 1908 when he knocked out Tommy Burns in Sydney, Australia. Two years later, after Johnson retained his title by beating a white former champion, Jim Jeffries, deadly riots erupted across the country.

Johnson was also a larger than life figure outside the ring, ruffling feathers with his flamboyant partying and dating white women in a time when interracial sexual relations were still taboo.

His legal troubles in Chicago began to ramp up in October 1912 after the mother of a white woman he was dating went to the police and complained that Johnson had brainwashed her daughter, the Chicago Tribune reported.

“How can I help it if the girl is crazy about me?”

Johnson was quoted by the Tribune as saying. “I am going to pick my own girls, and nobody is going to dictate to me either.”

The stories soon led to ugly racist incidents. A huge crowd gathered at State Street and Walton Place, where a figure labeled “Jack Johnson” dangled from a telephone pole. “Nobody seemed to know who had hanged the negro pugilist in effigy,” the Tribune noted, “and no effort was made to remove it.”

The woman at the center of those allegations, Lucille Cameron, refused to cooperate with authorities.

On Nov. 7, 1912, however, Johnson was arrested on a federal indictment for bringing a different white woman from Pittsburgh

across state lines, an alleged violation of the Mann Act. “Johnson Arrested, Weeps and Pleads When Handcuffed,” blared the Tribune headline.

Six months later, an allwhite jury deliberated for just an hour and 38 minutes before finding Johnson guilty, according to the Tribune’s account. The story described Johnson as having an “air of indifference” during the trial, but that his “smile faded as the clerk pronounced the word guilty.”

The lead prosecutor on the case, Harry Parkin, told reporters the verdict would “go around the world” as an example of the dangers of “miscegenation.”

“This negro, in the eyes o f m a n y, h a s b e e n persecuted,” Parkin said, according to the Tribune.

“Perhaps as an individual he was. But it was his misfortune to be the foremost example of the evil in permitting the intermarriage of whites and blacks. Now he must bear the consequences.”

Johnson was later sentenced to a year and a day in prison, but fled to Canada with Cameron, whom he’d married while free on bond.

He remained a fugitive for seven years, traveling from Europe to Mexico, where he fought bulls and ran a bar called the Main Event.

Johnson returned to the United States in 1920 and turned himself in. He served about a year in federal prison and was released in 1921. He died in 1946 in an auto crash in North Carolina, after storming out of a diner where he’d been asked to sit in a rear section reserved for Blacks.

The push for a posthumous pardon for Johnson, led by his greatgreat niece, gathered steam over a number of years, finally landing Trump’s attention in 2018 after actor Sylvester Stallone and other celebrities drew awareness to the case.

Bruton said Tuesday his office was thrilled to be able to add a final note to such a historic case. It’s also a reminder of how far the judicial system has come, he said.

“To look at what the court was like then and now look at where we are today, it’s refreshing,” Bruton said.

Thursday January 21, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 29

Shakib returns with 4-8 as Bangladesh defeats West Indies Kyle Mayers drives down the ground, Bangladesh v West Indies, 1st ODI, Mirpur, January 20, 2021 © AFP via Getty Images

Akeal Hosein celebrates with team-mates after dismissing Liton Das, Bangladesh vs West Indies, 1st ODI, Mirpur, January 20, 2021 © AFP via Getty Images DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Shakib Al Hasan claimed 4-8 on his return to international cricket as Bangladesh made a winning start to the three-match ODI series by beating West Indies by six wickets in the opening game yesterday.

All-rounder Shakib was back after being given a twoyear ban by the International Cricket Council in October 2019, with one year suspended, for failing to report approaches from a bookmaker.

Thanks to his wily leftarm spin, Bangladesh bowled the tourists out for 122 in 32.3 overs before reaching 125-4 with 97 balls to spare in reply.

Debutant Hasan Mahmud and fellow fast

bowler Mustafizur Rahman also played key roles for the home team, taking 3-28 and 2-20 respectively.

Rain held the players up for about an hour after Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal won the toss and asked West Indies, featuring six ODI debutants, to bat.

Shakib, in his first game for Bangladesh since the 2019 World Cup, bowled seven overs in a row and ripped through the middle order as West Indies lost three wickets for 11 runs.

Debutant Kyle Mayers and Rovman Powell, who hit two sixes, provided some resistance with a partnership of 59 for the sixth wicket.

Mahmud picked up his first wicket by having Powell caught behind for 28

and followed up by trapping Raymon Reifer lbw for naught with his next ball.

Mayers top-scored with 40 before being undone by a Mehidi Hasan delivery that spun sharply.

Tamim, captaining the side for the first time after being appointed last March, then gave Bangladesh a flying start to its reply by hitting 44 before being stumped off West Indies captain Jason Mohammed.

Leg-spinner Akeal Hosein also clean bowled Tamim’s fellow opener Liton Das for 14 to claim his first wicket on his debut.

But Mushfiqur Rahim, who finished 19 not out, ensured victory with a reverse-swept boundary past third man. Hosein finished

with 3-26 from his 10 overs.

It was Bangladesh’s first match after a nine-month layoff due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The series is part of the ICC World Cup Super League which will determine which teams qualify for the 2023 World Cup in India.

A host of West Indies players, including ODI captain Keiron Pollard and test captain Jason Holder, have skipped the tour. The squad was also affected when fast bowler Romario Shepherd and leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr., tested positive for COVID-19.

The teams play the remaining ODIs on Friday and Monday, followed by two test matches in February.

Aliann Pompey Invitational returns on June 19

F

ive months remain before the National Track and Field Center (NTFC) becomes a hive of activity for the 2021 edition of the Aliann Pompey Invitational (API) and the organisers of the much anticipated event have issues a few updates.

The Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), Sleepin Hotel & Casino, Ministry of Tourism, Sentinel Security, Atletismo Sudamericano (formerly ConSudAtle) and World Athletics have all returned as partners and sponsors of the event with additions to the list expected over time.

In a correspondence to the media, the organisers informed that persons now have the opportunity to preorder official API watches by sending a message to the

Aliann Pompey Invitational social media accounts on Facebook or Instagram which will be followed by detailed instructions to complete the order.

Men’s and women’s watches will be available for purchase and will be shipped to US addresses., however, for orders in Guyana, they will be available for pick up between June 17-20.

The cost of each watch is GY$10,000 with wholesale prices available for quantities of more than 10.

The last day to pre-order is February 28.

So far, there have been several discussions with Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr. and he has expressed his support and commitment to the success of this

international competition, and has pledged the support of his Ministry.

Meanwhile, founder of the API, Guyanese Olympian; Aliann Pompey, was quoted saying that, “I am thrilled that we can move forward with this year’s API for a number of reasons. We can’t deny the effects that the pandemic has had on our lives.

To say the desire for a sense of normalcy is great is an understatement. I think this is the opportunity to bring sports back in a major way.

It gives the athletes a chance to qualify for the Olympics that is slated to begin at the end of July.”

Pompey cited that there will be a few challenges for the event but, “Health and safety is absolutely at the

forefront of everything we will do.

We have to make sure we adhere to local and international protocol and beat practices so that we are not contributing in any way to the spread of the coronavirus.

I am thrilled that our partners and sponsors are back for another year.

I can’t stress enough how much of our success has been because of their support.”

The AP Invitational, which ran off its inaugural event in 2016, saw 11 athletes, all from overseas, move on to compete at the Olympic Games in Rio. “It is therefore our hope, to once again be seen as a conduit to the Tokyo Olympic Games,” Pompey concluded.

Kaieteur News

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Thursday January 21, 2021

England look to sweep Sri Lanka as India await

A

FP - Joe Root’s England will look to sweep Sri Lanka in the second and final Test, starting tomorrow, as they prepare to face an India side buoyed by their sensational victory in Australia.

England, who resumed a tour that was halted in March by the coronavirus pandemic, won the first Test in Galle by seven wickets and start a four-Test series in India on February 5.

India are riding high after Tuesday’s stunning win in Brisbane, which snapped Australia’s 32-year unbeaten streak at the Gabba and clinched the series 2-1.

“If we can go into that series with a 2-0 win it would do us a world of good for our confidence,” said England coach Chris Silverwood.

“All being well by the time we get to India we’ll have hit our straps fully and be ready to hit the first game hard.”

After skittling Sri Lanka for 135, the tourists should have strolled to victory with Root scoring 228 of England’s first innings of

Joe Root will captain England in the second Test.

421. But the hosts’ batsmen put up fierce resistance in the second innings.

Stuart Broad, Sam Curran and Mark Wood led the pace component of an attack that twice bowled out Sri Lanka.

But Silverwood said the team would rotate their options for the second Test,

also in Galle, with James Anderson, Chris Woakes and Olly Stone also in the squad.

“Looking at what we’ve got in front of us with a lot of Tests in India as well, it’s highly likely that there will be rotation and rest within the seamers’ line-up,” Silverwood said.

“There’s plenty of things

Man City go top after beating Villa

B

BC Sport - Late goals from Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan ended Aston Vi l l a ’s r e s i s t a n c e a s Manchester City moved top of the Premier League for the first time this season, for a few hours at least, with a hard-earned 2-0 victory.

Pep Guardiola’s side will be knocked off the summit later on Wednesday if Manchester United beat Fulham, but the determination they showed to claim their sixth successive league win underlined that they are here to stay in this title race.

Villa’s first team, playing their first game since New Year’s Day because of a coronavirus outbreak at the club, showed no after-effects of their 19-day hiatus and produced a dogged defensive display.

They held out until the 79th minute, when Rodri controversially stole the ball off Tyrone Mings and fed Bernardo, who brilliantly fired into the top corner from the edge of the box.

Rodri was offside before he returned to an onside position to challenge Mings and Villa manager Dean Smith was sent off for his protests.

It meant he was not there to see Gundogan make sure of the points from the spot soon afterwards after Matty Cash handled a Gabriel Jesus header, in what was a far more straightforward decision for referee Jon Moss.

City’s perseverance pays off For long spells on a miserable night at Etihad Stadium it appeared that City’s breakthrough would never come.

Things might have been more straightforward for City had Bernardo converted from close range when a corner was headed into his path after four minutes, but instead Emiliano Martinez made a brave save at his feet and set the tone for a battling Villa performance.

City had 24 efforts at goal before Bernardo eventually broke the deadlock, but 12 of them

were blocked and the closest they had come to a breakthrough was when Joao Cancelo’s second-half shot bounced back off the bar.

Villa rode their luck, especially when Martinez denied John Stones from a corner and the ball somehow evaded Gundogan when he appeared certain to follow up and score, but they also had chances of their own.

Bertrand Traore almost

on the table at the moment, so we have to do what’s best for the players and equally, making sure that we’ve got the strongest balanced attack out there to make sure we win the Test match as well.”

Stone, who played just one Test for England and can bowl at over 90 mph, said persistence remains key for

quicks on the subcontinent’s spin-friendly pitches.

“It’s a challenge that we all look forward to,” Stone, who is not sure of his place in the XI, told reporters yesterday.

“Although the pitches aren’t seamer friendly, if you can get that breakthrough and do that holding role, you add to the attack. There will be times when you have to do the hard yards.”

- Moeen out Silverwood confirmed that Moeen Ali, who is out of isolation after testing positive for coronavirus, is unlikely to play.

England’s performance in the next five Tests will decide the finalists of the i n a u g u r a l w o r l d Te s t championship.

They are currently ranked behind New Zealand, India and Australia with the top two teams reaching the final. England need a convincing series win to stand a chance of going to Lord’s.

Sri Lanka meanwhile are hoping to bounce back under stand-in captain Dinesh

Chandimal, with regular skipper Dimuth Karunaratne out with a broken finger.

Kusal Mendis was one of five players moved out of the team’s biosecure ‘bubble’ for the second match after being dismissed in Galle for his fourth Test duck in five innings.

Former captain Angelo Mathews said his team’s batsmen should rely on their strengths and score runs.

“Joe Root played a magnificent innings. We can learn a lot out of him the way he batted, but sometimes the shots that he played we can’t play,” said Mathews.

“So we need to be able to understand what we can and what we can’t do on these wickets against their bowlers. And it is just that — not be conservative.”

Sri Lanka, who recently suffered a 2-0 Test loss in South Africa, are hoping to have paceman Suranga Lakmal fit for the final game.

Spinners including Lasith Embuldeniya, Dilruwan Perera and Wanindu Hasaranga remain key on a Galle track expected to favour the turning ball.

Bernardo was denied by Martinez in the fourth minute, and finally broke the deadlock with City’s 25th attempt. (Reuters)

made the most of a slip by Kevin de Bruyne but his curling effort was well saved

by Ederson, who also had to claw away a goalbound Douglas Luiz effort to secure his side’s fifth consecutive clean sheet.

Villa vibrant on return to action Villa leave Manchester empty handed, just as they did in their previous Premier League game against United on 1 January, but they

deserve great credit for their performance here.

Nine unnamed players and five members of their backroom staff had tested positive for Covid-19 at the start of January, and the club’s training ground only reopened on Sunday.

They had seen their past two league games, against Everton and Tottenham, postponed but this was a reminder of the way they were playing before their

season was interrupted.

Smith was December’s manager of the month after his side stayed unbeaten across five games and ended the year in fifth.

They have dropped out of the top half while they have been out of action but on this evidence that is a false position - the defensive improvement that has been the hallmark of their season was again on show here, as was their spirit.

Kaieteur News

Thursday January 21, 2021

PAGE 31

Gold is Money claim Wiltshire birth anniversary dominoes title

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old is Money were crowned champions of t h e M a r k Wiltshire birth anniversary dominoes competition which culminated on Sunday last at Turning Point.

Golf is Money took an early lead scoring 14 games, while Phantom made nine and All Season’s Racing Service eight in the first sitting. Gold is Money continued to dominate as they chalked up 18 games in the second sitting, while All Season’s Racing Service managed 12 and Phantom seven.

The third sitting saw All Season’s Racing Service scoring 15 games, while Gold is Money made 13 and Phantom seven.

Gold is Money marked

12 games in the fourth sitting, while All Season’s Racing Service got nine and Phantom eight.

Gold is Money marked 18 games in the fifth sitting to maintain their stranglehold on the title, while All Season’s Racing Service made scored 12 and Phantom 11.

Gold is Money maintained their dominance in the sixth sitting to win the contest as they scored 86 games, while All Season’s Racing Service took the runner up spot with 81 games and Phantom, who drew the bye to the final, placed third on 76.

Clearance Whitehead and Shawn Morgan made 17 games each for the winners, while Amanda Singh scored 17 and Raymond Ali 16 for

the runner up side. Rawl C a m e r o n a n d Ty r o n e Ambrose marked 17 apiece for Phantom.

Gold is Money won the semi final encounter scoring 81 games ahead of All Season’s Racing Service with 77 and Phantom on 66.

Tony Imtiaz made 17 and Mark Welch 16 games for Gold is Money, while Ali managed 16 and John Freeman 15 for All Season’s Racing Service. Gangster leading players were Steven Collymore and Shellon Collymore with 16 and 15 games each.

Whitehead was named the most valuable player, while Amanda Singh was voted the best female player.

Gold is Money took home a trophy and $175,000 while All Season’s Racing Service

The victorious Gold is Money team.

received a trophy and $75,000.

Phantom took home a trophy and $50,000, while

Gangster pocketed a trophy and $20,000.

Singh’s XI beat Johnson’s XI by 6 wickets - Coach Crandon disappointed with batsmen

O

n a slow spinfriendly LBI track, left-arm s p i n n e r Gudakesh Motie befuddled a Leon Johnson’s XI batting line which raised concerns as they head into next month’s Regional Super50 tournament in Antigua.

The 25-year-old Motie, who has played just 11 List ‘A’ games, captured 5-22 from 10 overs and got support from fellow Berbician; fast bowler Keon Joseph who had 2-28, as Johnson’s XI catapulted from 60 without loss to 107 in 32 overs yesterday in the second of three scheduled games at the LBI ground on the East Coast of Demerara.

Vishaul Singh’s XI responded with 108-4 to win by six wickets on the slightly heavy outfield.

Chanderpaul Hemraj hit four sixes and a couple of fours in shot-filled 41 and along with fellow lefthander Trevon Griffith, who made 16, shared in 60-run opening stand before losing the nine wickets for just 31 runs.

But the worrying aspect of their innings yesterday is that when set the batsmen orchestrated their own demise with ‘soft’ dismissals as they failed to go on to get big scores.

Romario Shepherd followed up his four-wicket haul yesterday by breaking the partnership, removing Hemraj before Shimron Hetmyer one of 12 players

Chanderpaul Hemraj hit a shot filled 41 yesterday.

who opted out of the West Indies tour to Bangladesh due to safety and personal reasons, suffered his second failure in consecutive matches.

The Young Warriors lefthander departed at 61-2 when he was trapped LBW to the impressive Joseph for a six-ball duck.

Joseph struck three runs

later when Griffith was sent packing, while Johnson, one of five left-handers in the top of a team hunting its first 50over title in 16 years, was caught and bowled by offspinner Kevin Sinclair for four at 76-4.

Motie got rid of Chris Barnwell (4) as wickets tumbled at regular intervals before a last wicket stand of

16 between Jamaican Ramal Lewis (14) and Anthony Adams (0*) saw their team to a three-figure total.

Singh’s XI began their run chase inauspiciously when the left-handed Assad Fudadin (6) fell to Hemraj’s useful left-arm spin, coming off the mark with a six.

The consistent Ricardo Adams, another left-hander, and Tevin Imlach carried the score to 66 before Imlach (34) was removed by Barnwell who soon removed the left-handed Singh for nine. However, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, another Southpaw, with a cameo unbeaten 28 decorated with two sixes and two fours, saw their team to victory.

Jonathon Foo, who was surprisingly not selected in the squad which departs these shores on January 30th despite a good Super50 in 2019, was unbeaten on zero.

Barnwell, another bowling option, finished with 2-18.

Head Coach Esuan Crandon expressed disappointment with his batsmen, adding they batted poorly in both games.

“The batters could have batted better, could have shown more application and fight against the spinners on a wicket which suited them.

Not taking anything away from the spinners, but most of the batters fell to soft dismissals,” Crandon said.

The final practice game commences at 09:00hrs tomorrow at the same venue.

(Sean Devers)

Gudakesh Motie took 5-22 yesterday.

rt o p S Shakib Al Hasan is congratulated for a wicket © AFP via Getty Images

Shakib returns with 4-8 as Bangladesh defeats West Indies Singh’s XI beat Johnson’s XI by 6 wickets - Coach Crandon disappointed with batsmen

Kings XI Punjab’s big purse and the return of ‘Chinna Thala’ - Hetmyer retained as Paul and Rutherford let go

Arinze Chance

Aliann Pompey

Aliann Pompey Invitational returns on June 19

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