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July 07, 2021 - Vol. 16 No. 16

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- Threatens to finish her off if she continues talking

Guyana to pay US$ Millions for 2nd dry hole in Canje Oil Block Goldsmith crushed to death by sand truck Eleven persons in custody after Linden police raid Almost two months after Peter Headley killing…

Change Oil Contract!!!

Despite inclement weather, these citizens decided to join the protest calling for the change of the Exxon contract.

File still with Police Complaints Authority

Stabroek Block PSA reveals…

Govt. left to stand upfront costs of any environmental - Can only bill oil companies for damage “reasonable costs and expenses” Jagdeo, Brassington Gas-to-shore electric power plant costing Guyana 3 times more than renewable energy @11:00am on Kaieteur Radio 99.1/99.5FM

Kaieteur News

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Wednesday July 07, 2021

Guyana to pay US$ Millions for 2nd dry hole in Canje Oil Block Jabillo-1, the second well that was recently drilled in the Canje Block, turned out to be a major disappointment as it did not show evidence of commercial quantities of hydrocarbons.

Making this known to the market was Eco Atlantic Oil and Gas Limited, a relatively new oil company to the industry.

Eco recently bought shares in JHI Associates Inc., a private company incorporated in Canada. It is one of the original owners of the offshore concession that was suspiciously awarded in 2015 by the Donald Ramotar administration.

In its statement to the press, Eco said the Jabillo-1 Well was drilled to test Upper Cretaceous reservoirs in a stratigraphic trap. The well was positioned offshore Guyana, approximately 265 km northeast of Georgetown, in 2,903 meters of water and was safely drilled to a total depth of 6,475 meters.

It said too, that the Stena DrillMax Rig is currently operating in the ExxonMobil Operated Stabroek Block and is expected to move on to drill the Sapote-1 Well in the eastern portion of the Canje Block. The Sapote-1 Well is expected to be spud in midAugust 2021 with an estimated drilling time of up to 60 days.

Eco was keen to note that the Sapote-1 prospect is located in the southeastern section of Canje, and is a separate and distinct target from Jabillo. Sapote-1 lies approximately 100 km southeast of Jabillo and approximately 50 km north of the Haimara discovery in the Stabroek Block, which encountered ~207 feet (63 meters) of high quality, gascondensate bearing sandstone reservoir. It is also approximately 60 km northwest of the Maka Central discovery in Block 58 which encountered ~164 feet (50 meters) of highq u a l i t y, o i l - b e a r i n g sandstone reservoir.

Should Sapote-1 turn out to be a noncommercial discovery, Guyana will have to stand the costs for it along with Jabillo-1 and the first well that was drilled called Bulletwood-1. These deepwater wells cost over US$100M each to drill.

Guyana would ultimately stand the costs of these wells since ExxonMobil, as the operator of the block, is not bound by any ring-fencing provisions in the Canje Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA). It is also absent in its Stabroek Block PSA which governs over 20 discoveries. As a result of this loophole, nothing prevents ExxonMobil from charging its expenses on one block against the revenue

Map showing the location of the Canje Block offshore Guyana. made in another.

The Canje Block is operated by ExxonMobil’s Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited with a 35% working interest.

TotalEnergies Exploration and Production Guyana B.V hold a 35% stake, while JHI

Associates (BVI) Inc. has 17.5% and Mid-Atlantic Oil & Gas Inc. has 12.5%.

In his statement to the international market, Gil Holzman, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eco Atlantic, commented, “While the update is

disappointing, this is the nature of oil exploration. Our stakeholders continue to support our exploration efforts and look for us to continue to define these near term high impact opportunities.”

He added, “Our next focus is the Sapote-1 prospect to be spud in the upcoming weeks which brings us another opportunity to share in what we hope to be another major ExxonMobil led discovery…‘I am happy that we managed to become a part of JHI and the Canje Block exploration program in time that offers our stakeholders a stream of high impact catalysts and an ongoing drilling program operated by ExxonMobil.”

Holzman said he is quite confident that Eco’s Canje Block exposure will yield great returns and oil discoveries as it also paves the way to a broader exposure and collaboration in the Guyana-Suriname Basin.

ABOUT ECO ATLANTIC Eco Atlantic is an exploration and production company with interests in Guyana and Namibia, where significant oil discoveries have been made.

In Guyana, Eco Guyana is part of the Orinduik Block and holds a 15% working interest alongside TOQAP Guyana B.V. (‘TOQAP’) a company jointly owned by Total E&P Guyana B.V. (60%) and Qatar Petroleum (40%). Operator of the block, Tullow Oil holds 60% of the interest.

The Orinduik Block is adjacent and updip to ExxonMobil Operated Stabroek Block, on which 20 discoveries have been announced and over nine billion barrels of oil equivalent recoverable resources are estimated.

Jethro-1 was the first major oil discovery on Orinduik Block. The Jethro1 encountered 180.5 feet (55 meters) of net heavy oil pay i n a L o w e r Te r t i a r y sandstone reservoir.

Joe-1 was the second discovery on the Orinduik Block and comprised of high quality oil-bearing sandstone reservoir, with a high porosity of Upper Tertiary age. The Joe-1 well encountered 52 feet (16 meters) of continuous thick sandstone.

In Namibia, the company holds interests in four offshore petroleum licences totalling approximately 28,593km2.

Wednesday July 07, 2021

Kaieteur News

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Stabroek Block PSA reveals…

Govt. left to stand upfront costs of any environmental damage - Can only bill oil companies for “reasonable costs and expenses” A

ccording to the 2016 Stabroek B l o c k Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), is expected to take all reasonable measures in accordance with international petroleum practice to remedy any pollution such as an oil spill that occurs as a result of its operations.

However, should Exxon not act promptly in this

regard, the Government is expected to take action following which, it can bill the contractor but only for “reasonable costs and expenses” that occur.

Highlighting this aspect of the PSA in his recent writings was Chartered Accountant and Attorney-atLaw, Christopher Ram. The columnist noted this aspect of the contract as being quite absurd since airlines have to give bonds or lodge deposits in the event that there are potential claims against them but oil

“Tell your wife to bring the money” - Bandit tells husband Five men armed with a handgun and cutlasses, yesterday invaded the home of a businessman and instructed him, “Tell your wife to bring the money.”

This happened after they had beaten the businessman, 59, with a handgun to relieve him of the jewellery he was wearing at the time.

The robbery took place just after 03:30hrs. at his residence located at Rechtdoor-Zee, La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WCB).

The couple was outside eating while his daughter took the garbage out.

His daughter reportedly heard a gunshot and as she hurried into the house, the family saw the bandits running into their yard.

“They took us inside and began relieving us of our jewellery in the presence of my four-year-old grandson,” related the man.

After stripping the businessman of his jewellery, one of them began to beat him because he could not give them anything more.

“They said ‘gimme more, gimme more,’ I give them my wallet and told them I have nothing more,” he recounted.

It was at this point that they dealt him a blow to his head with the gun. The

bandits even terrorised the family by placing cutlasses to their necks as the others tumbled the house.

One of the invaders then reportedly told the businessman that his wife had all the money and instructed him to “tell her bring it for them.”

The wife did not wait for instructions and rushed for a bag, which contained a significant amount of cash and handed it over to the bandits who escaped subsequently.

Police reported that neighbours heard their screams and called the police who arrived shortly after.

The businessman said the bag contained all the money they had including “box hand money” which belonged to other people.

In total, with cash and jewellery, the bandits carted off close to $2M in cash and jewellery.

They also escaped with the victims’ cellphones.

The businessman told this newspaper that he is left traumatised and fearful that they might return to harm h i m a n d h i s f a m i l y, especially his young grandchild.

He has since moved out of the area and relocated to another place with his family.

companies in Guyana, which are arguably engaged in the riskiest business of all, have no such obligation.

He also highlighted the fact that none of the Stabroek Block partners namely Esso, Hess Corporation or CNOOC Petroleum Guyana, made provisions for an oil spill. He was able to ascertain this following a review of the companies’ financial statements for 2020. What he did discover however is that the companies have already made plans to recover $67B for decommissioning which will take place in another 20 years.

Decommissioning refers to the safe removal of the pieces of equipment that have been attached to the seafloor to extract the oil.

These include special pipes and platforms.

Ram had previously highlighted that the companies are being allowed to charge Guyana

for an activity that will occur in the next two decades, is not only an anomaly, but also an area for gross manipulation and abuse since the decommissioning plans have to be approved first by the Government before they can be executed.

It therefore leaves one to question how the Stabroek Block partners could know years in advance, what they would be spending and move to recover same now.

Over the past two years, this newspaper has reported on the fact that Guyana is yet to receive official documentation or any piece of evidence for that matter to say that ExxonMobil would stand the costs for clean up and restoration programmes, following any oil spill by its subsidiary from the Liza Phase One, Liza Phase Two, and Payara projects.

In the absence of full coverage insurance, stakeholders have expressed

Chartered Accountant and Attorney-at-Law, Christopher Ram

deep concern about the billions of dollars in expenses Guyana would be left with following any irreparable damage that follows from an oil spill.

What has also left stakeholders in a deep state of worry is the fact that Guyana has no independent study on the potential

harmful effects on its marine life from an oil spill.

There is also no provision in the Production Sharing Agreement for the Stabroek Block, which ensures ExxonMobil would undertake to do such a study and provide compensation should Guyana, be affected in this way.

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Kaieteur News

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

Flooding - when will we learn?

As every Guyanese will agree, this last flooding fits any expansive descriptions. From the Great Flood of 2021 to the Noachian Deluge of Guyana to the Greatest National Inundation, all fit, even leave some ground to cover. But, as we all know, it was bad, as in a national disaster of unprecedented proportions. It was not a village underwater, or a community somewhere way out there in the vastness and remoteness of Guyana, but all over was flooded, and with damage still being assessed. The PPP Government did some things that were helpful and, so too, did teams of tireless public servants. We thank them all.

But we have to get real and face ourselves in the mirror on this morning after, and ask ourselves in all soberness, whether we are doing the best, we can. We must ask ourselves, whether leaders or citizens, how much more we can do, at all levels, from top through middle down to the lower levels of this soaked society now made shorter in the pocket, losers in crops and livestock, in household damage, in the wider mining and agricultural sectors, and in possible present and later health issues.

We look at how we have reacted, what we have done, and where both leave us. Leaders and emergency people made flying visits, for which the positives are given. But is that all? Emergency supplies and aid have followed on the heels of national and regional leaders taking firsthand surveys of the damage and wretchedness that were so much an inseparable aspect of this great flood, and which impacts will be felt for a long time to come. Again, we salute as good and helpful, but what more can be done and, here is the essence of all of this, done before?

As sure as Guyana is by the equator, there will be more rainfall in Guyana but, God forbid, not to this enormous degree. Our location and seasons and all the rest are known, but there are the unknowns that still cause contradictions that lead to fierce clashes.

By this, we mean climate change, the fallouts from that, and the brutal consequences for poor Third World societies, like Guyana.

This much has become the norm, and is no longer a matter for debate: hot places get hotter, and locations prone to flooding are drowned in more rainfall. It seems that those are now part and parcel of our existence. Hence, we must prepare, which means before.

We learn of developments involving koker operators, about who was absent, or negligent, or sleeping on the job, and of harsh punishments handed out to them.

But they are not all over, so such can be isolated and dealt with efficiently, which still leaves large areas of Guyana, and large numbers of Guyanese, looking to the skies fearfully, holding their heads in agony, and shedding tears, either seasonally or annually, without pause. It is a case of a new day, but the same old story. Next, Guyanese read (we present the stories) of more pumps and more money, and we say that those are good, but they always seem to be after the fact.

When taken together, we are running around, like puppies without a clue, and limit ourselves to putting out fires. This is what brings contentment to us, causes minor and major self-congratulations.

But tomorrow and the next rainy season still stare us in the face, with oceanic water hanging menacingly over our heads first, and then rising from our feet past our beds, while instilling dread in our heads.

What about then is what we must ask of ourselves from now. This 2021 flood is almost history though, for many, it will never be. Contingency plans are nice and comforting, but they are fallback options in a likely emergency. What we need to do is get ahead of emergencies, to take charge of destiny, to alter the course of our watery history.

It must be about the major gaps in our system, our culture of carelessness by citizens, our predatory conduct by crooked politicians, and our deficiencies in expertise.

And about billions spent, little gained. What will we do about those before the next big flood comes?

Wednesday July 07, 2021

The MoH could have kept this nation and parents abreast Dear Editor, I refer to the recent media statement by the Ministry of Health (MoH) titled, “Let us all be responsible and stop politicising COVID-19.” The MoH’s statement took aim at my sharp anger at what I called the Hon. Minister’s and government “concealment” of this number. I am still to see where and how I went wrong, and as supported by details furnished by the MoH itself in its statement.

First, on a daily basis there is a “dashboard” with numbers publicised in the media on the latest infections and fatalities relative to COVID-19 presence in this country. That is good and has been most helpful in alerting Guyanese to where matters stand, and how they need to be, to use that specific word in the title of the MoH’s statement, “responsible.” I applauded that before and do so now. It was still better and very revealing when that same

daily COVID-19 dashboard encapsulated even more specifics about the numbers - discrete, as in actual digits single or otherwise - on how many and other surrounding details. In addition, and almost enlightening, there were pieces of information about which Administrative Region, the number of new cases, the breakdown into males and females.

I emphasise that this was all clear and comforting, because Guyanese had a solid idea of what was going on, where things stand, and what they (we) all needed to do to protect ourselves, and to protect others.

Editor, but nowhere in that daily running dashboard were there any specifics, any separate and pointed reference to children. I ask to be pardoned for my ignorance, if it is expected that there should have been recognition and acceptance of them (the children) being

lumped under “males” and “females.” I make no conclusions as to why the daily public releases could be so specific on most other crucial elements of the impacts of the COVID-19, but somehow there is nothing about children.

I am grateful, and all Guyana should be, for the MoH’s statement, which identified that “statistics” were shared. But the MoH’s statement itself did make the belated admission that “the Ministry in the past did not disaggregate the numbers as per age group in our daily reporting.” I will not jump on that admission with a ‘gotcha’ and seek to score points, but simply say that the MoH could have kept this nation and its parents abreast with the same specificity as it had so cleanly done with males and females and Regions and the rest. This was too vital and sensitive to be categorised under vague

“statistics.” That was and is not good enough, and ought to have been disclosed just as the other categories were delineated. It is my position that this did not help; it is one by which I stand.

Editor, I agree and thank the MoH and Minster Anthony for information on children infected in dorms, and I am sure that testing and the whole works have been done. Where I must most strenuously disagree and tender my resentment is that what I wrote amounted to being irresponsible, and that this gravest of issue was used for “politicising.” I will not return the favour to either the Hon. Minster or the MoH public relations people. This is too alarming an issue to descend to any partisan squabbling. And as much as that may be too much for political parochial and narrow-minded Guyanese to discern, there are those who (Continued on page 6)

GuySuCo stands a better chance at viability as solely a domestic supplier of sugar Dear Editor, It is not my intention to get into a back and forth with Vishnu Bisram, but I wish to correct his egregious misrepresentations of my previous letter. There are too many misrepresentations to address, so some key ones are provided below so readers can be aware of the information quality employed in Bisram’s letters.

Bisram wrote private cane farming in India was seven times more productive than

GuySuCo’s cane farming; such a dramatic comparison is intended to support giving land to the workers who would grow cane more efficiently according to Bisram. This comparison is incorrect and could have easily been researched. 7180MT/hectare (depending on source) and 54 MT/hectare are the average cane yields for India and Guyana (seven estates) respectively.

Guyana’s best estates, Albion and Blairmont have a

reported history of achieving 63 MT/hectare and 74 MT/ hectare of cane yield.

Reference was provided in my letter of GuySuCo’s CEO, Sasenarine Singh, in a YouTube video saying the new GuySuCo will produce 100,000-150,000 MT sugar per year. At no time did the GuySuCo CEO say the new production levels was based on a model developed by the previous coalition government, as stated by Bisram. An observation was

made by me that this production level seemed similar to the target the coalition government had previously communicated.

My letter stated India made a profit selling sugar internally but exported sugar at a loss. Agricultural Reporter for Bloomberg News based in Delhi, Partik Parija, in an article titled “World Largest Consumer of Sugar Wants People to Eat More Sugar,” detailed the effort to (Continued on page 6)

Wednesday July 07, 2021

PAGE 5

Kaieteur News

Public trust in police serves to reduce responsiveness of communities to leaders that have ulterior motives Dear Editor, Please allow me space in your edition to express some thoughts on incidents of public disorder that occurred in Region No. 5 during 2020/ 2021.

The Mahaica-West Berbice, Region No.5, of Guyana is a geographical area that has enjoyed relative peace historically. Residents of the rural farming communities that comprise the Region tolerated each other despite their different ethnic and religious identities and other differences. There is far more cooperation than conflicts within the communities and among them. Political leadership was the major contributing factor to the isolated incidents of public disorder experienced by some communities of the Region over time.

One can speculate that such political leadership was, in significant ways, once again present and influential in the protests that commenced in that Region during the grossly unusual, by any standards, general and regional elections that lasted five months between when votes were cast and results were declared in 2020. The deductions that I have made were done by navigating through publicly available information and referencing them against my more than 33 years of law enforcement experience. I am cognisant of the fact that modern technology in communications is like a coin with two sides. It brings with it both positive and negative sides. Electronic and social media appeal to people of all walks of life, but while they help persons to be better informed, enlightened and abreast with developments around the world, it also serves as a medium for misinformation, propaganda and fake news.

The first set of contemporary disorder in the Region was in solidarity to other protests countrywide that were related to peoples’ dissatisfaction with the delay in the declaration of the March 2, 2020 elections results. In some cases, protestors got disorderly and

blocked main public roads in places around the country.

This was the case at Cotton Tree Village, West Coast Berbice, where the police who were deployed to restore order clashed with protestors resulting in Police Sergeant Iberan and Constable Fraser being chopped by protestors and Constable Grant being beaten by them on March 6, 2020, the said date and place where protestor, Sewdat Hansraj, was shot and killed by the police.

The second set of disorder began on August 30, 2020, simultaneously in Belladrum and Paradise Villages, West Coast Berbice, and in Mahaicony. These protests were subsequent to the Police arresting Mr. Clairmont Mingo, the Guyana Elections Commission Returning Officer for Region 4 of the March 2020 elections, on allegations of electoral fraud. Placards held by the protestors that read “Free Mingo Now,” “Black Lives Matter,” and “The Crime Chief is PPP Stooge,” are all indicative of political leadership of the protestors.

In all three areas, protestors blocked the roads by burning tyres across them. Police Constable Ross was injured when protestors at Belladrum threw bricks and bottles at the police ranks who responded and 49-year-old, Collis Reynolds, was injured by shotgun pellet as the police opened fire on the protestors in their efforts to control the violence.

The third and most intense wave of disorder commenced at Cotton Tree village on September 6, 2020, subsequent to the discovery of the bodies of cousins and murder victims, Joel Henry and Isaiah Henry. Their bodies were discovered in a clump of bushes near a coconut farm aback of the said village. The disorder intensified on the following day after a visit to the homes of relatives of the Henry cousins by leaders of a political party. Roads were blocked by residents of several villages and many suffered violence at the hands of protestors. On September 8, 2020, for example, a motor

lorry valued $5.5 million driven by Owen Carmichael who was transporting a load of paddy, was stopped by the protestors at Hopetown Village public road. The protestors robbed him of his gold jewellery and cellular phone and parked the lorry crossway on the road before vandalising it. On the said day, Brian Kendell, was assaulted and robbed of several items, which he had in his car, by protestors who were armed with guns and who had blocked the road at No. 4 Village bridge, West Coast Berbice. Also, a house at No. 22 Village, West Coast Berbice, was also set on fire that day; On September 9, the following day, 17-year-old, Harish Singh, was murdered at the back of No.3 Village. On the said day, Prettipaul Hargobin, was beaten and killed by protestors at Bath Settlement public road. Jagdat Khaloo, Ricardo Shiwlall, Devan Karran, Sathul Shivchand, Marlon Dharamai and Seve Karran were charged by the police with his murder in September 2020.

On March 30, 2021, Sooroojdeo Deochand was murdered in his home at No.3 Village. Mark Henry, a relative of the deceased Joel and Isaiah Henry, was charged with his murder. Media reports indicated that his murder was an act of revenge for the murders of the Henry cousins. Then, on June 29, 2021, Phillip Anderson, Joel Gittins, Gladston Henry and Charles Scott were charged with the murder of Harish Singh. Once again, media reports suggested that Singh’s murder was an act of revenge for the murder of Joel and Isaiah Henry.

I made my deductions of these horrible events while acknowledging the fact that the police are still collecting evidence in ongoing investigations and that several gaps existed in the related set of information that is available publicly. My take is that perhaps Joel Henry and Isaiah Henry became aware of evidence suggesting that syndicates of an organised criminal enterprise is operating in their community.

They understood the security

threats posed to their community by such enterprise and maybe, driven by altruism, decided to do something about it. It may have been either through motivation by adventure or by a lack of sufficient trust in the authorities or both, that they apparently decided to act independently in taking away the incentives for the criminals to operate in their community by destroying their field of cannabis. The two paid the ultimate price for the heroic efforts. Akash Singh, Vinood Gopaul and Anil Sanchara were charged with their murders in January 2021.

The high level of mutilation of the bodies of the two Henrys coupled with the “X” shaped wound on the forehead of each of them, are indicators that the perpetrators did not just wanted to kill them, but they wanted to kill them in a way to make a statement to others (i.e. “don’t mess with us”).

Statement killings are the Modus Operandi of persons involved in organised crime similarly as mass killings are the Modus Operandi of terrorists. Kaieteur News, in its September 15, 2020 edition, reported that the Henry cousins were killed elsewhere and dumped at the location where the bodies were found.

While this also indicated a nexus to organised crime, the newspaper article also revealed a possible link between the murders and cannabis cultivation.

A lingering question in the minds of many is what was said to the relatives and sympathisers of the Henry families by the politicians when they visited that caused the intensification of the violence. The New York Times newspaper dated September 11, 2020, stated that former president Granger backed the protestors and quoted him as saying to reporters “we have to establish some self-defence

in our society to protect our children, protect our women, our young people” during his visit on September 7.

President Granger demitted his office as President of Guyana, which he held for five years, one month prior to this incident. What therefore was the threat that the residents of the community needed to defend themselves against? Why did he not establish a mechanism to protect them from such threat while he was in office? In my privileged position as Commissioner of Police, until my retirement in 2018, I attended the weekly National Security Committee meetings that were chaired by President Granger. At no time did an issue of security of any community in Region 5 arise.

Consequently, no security threat was defined and no action plan was developed in the absence of such need.

Narratives such as race hate and communal conflicts were peddled after the former president’s visits. These narratives ignored facts and sought to justify the violence.

A video that I saw showed the father of one of the deceased Henry cousins dispelling assertions that the community was experiencing any such race hate or communal violence. In fact, he (the father) said that some of his best friends are of East Indian descent and resides in the community. Were the last set of protests related to race hate and communal conflicts or was it a case of people in small communities that allows for mutual monitoring responding to politically motivated sentiments with a trust developed through romanticised political leadership? While mutual monitoring premised on rational thinking that if a member does not respond in like manner as the group, the others will know and the member will attract negative consequences, trust developed through

romanticism of leaders is neither necessarily based on the integrity of the leader nor the leader ’s honesty, selflessness, or concern for the welfare of the followers.

Action in such cases is driven entirely by emotions.

Was it also the case of a continuous trend of election related violence in which the murders of the Henry cousins were used as a platform to express emotions relating to the outcome of the 2020 elections? It should be noted that post-independence Guyana has experienced violence prior to the declaration of the results in every elections until 1992 when the violence was present but occurred after the declaration of results. This latter trend continued to today with the exception of 2015 when the only two recorded incidents of violence were on elections day. I allow you to draw your own conclusions in your own time.

To a large extent, wherever one ends up in life has a strong nexus to the actions they take on what was said by those they chose to listen to. I strongly believe that in this set of unfortunate circumstances, had residents in the region been advised differently by their leaders, that is, on the basis of careful analysis of the facts and visible indicators, Harish Singh, Prettipaul Hargobin, Jagdat Khaloo, Ricardo Shiwlall, Devan Karran, Sathul Shivchand, Marlon Dharamai, Seve Karran, Sooroojdeo Deochand, Mark Henry, Philip Anderson, Joel Gittins, Gladston Henry and Charles Scott would have likely been living normal lives today.

Before public criticisms about cases built on confessions alone and a lack of forensic evidence, as I anticipate will appear in the near future, just remember that according to media reports, (Continued on page 6)

PAGE 6

Wednesday July 07, 2021

Kaieteur News

Selecting the next Commissioner of Police Dear Editor, As a concerned citizen of Guyana and a former member of the Guyana Police Force, I’d like to espouse my thoughts on how I believe the next commissioner should be selected and appointed.

Kindly indulge me for a little while.

Whoever is the president of the day and the leader of the opposition must get together with individual lists of potential candidates they approve of, along with the reasons for the selection. The two leaders must agree that they are selecting a Commissioner of Police (CoP) who will be sworn to be loyal to the constitution and not a government. Or for that matter a political party.

Having done that, the next thing is to amalgamate the two lists and by way of careful consideration and proper investigation, arrive at a short list of half the original number of candidates. The parties would then add two other names to their individual lists of candidates. One for each party. This is to give them a chance to add a suitable candidate who might not have made the original lists, but with a better understanding of what their opposite number is looking for in a commissioner. There ought to be no compromise as it relates to the personal integrity and honesty of candidates. None of what I’ve said so far is anything new, as it’s all provided for in the

constitution of the country.

I am now going to take a radical diversion from the norm and boldly suggest that the next Commissioner of Police in the Guyana Police Force should not be a serving member of the current force. Yes, I said it.

Absolutely not. The reason for this is that, it will be a gargantuan task for any commissioner coming in, to turn around the face and fortune of the department.

His first priority is to command a disciplined force. As my old boss, Ignatius McRae, would say, this is a disciplined wuk. Well, you can’t do disciplined wuk if you have indisciplined workers. Next is to assemble a team of officers whose job would be to do a public relations blitz, in an effort to restore the public trust in the department. Police cannot

...The MoH could have kept From page 4 have no party to protect, only a society for which there is caring. Health officials speak of asymptomatic; they should know there is another called apolitical, objective, and fearful, too. Digest those, please.

Similarly, it will have to suffice that if I were interested and engaged in politicising, then I would not have anything favourable to speak of Minister Anthony and his ministry’s vaccine rollout and administration.

I would not denounce his predecessor for failing to give Guyana the whole story on where this country stood with the virus. Perhaps, the minister and MoH people conveniently

forgot, but the record in SN and KN so confirms. Further, I would have found opportunity to jump into the issue of the pricing of that Russian vaccine shipment from a UAE supplier, and taken a partisan slant, but I did not.

I have seized opportunities to praise our health professionals (and minister) for tireless efforts in the face of a crisis. To suddenly, therefore, rear up and rail about “politicking” is infra dig, and the MoH should know it.

I call upon its professionals, not to see devils and partisanship, where there are none. To appreciate concerned patriotism, however alien such may be to local minds, is part of the ethics and ethos of a genuine

democracy, and not this resorting to scurrilous and unfounded assertions and conclusions, damnations, about “politicising.”

The MoH should question itself, as to who really took this there, and for what purpose?

I close by leaving this with Minister Anthony, the MoH, and all its professionals, I strongly believe that some good work is being done. I believe that some mistakes, slips, have been made, and are understood.

But this late breaking news about 1,567 children cumulatively testing positive was neither Minister Anthony’s nor the MoH’s finest hour.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

...GuySuCo stands a better chance at From page 4 persuade Indian citizens to consume more sugar. Partik wrote “…..If per capita consumption rises to global average, domestic demand will climb 5.2 million tons per year, according to Sudhanshu Pandey, the top bureaucrat at the food ministry.

That would slash the surplus, cut overseas sales and save government money by reducing export subsidies.” Bisram wrote my analysis about India’s sugar industry was incorrect, providing a mind spinning reasoning linking accounting gimmicks to politicians seeking government assistance. I could hear a famous judge saying,” if it doesn’t make sense, it cannot be true.” Partik Parija’s article flanges up with the known desire of the Indian government to discontinue sugar subsidies.

Of course, there are the usual talking points. 1) The industry brings in foreign exchange. How about using net foreign exchange as a measure, doesn’t GuySuCo use foreign exchange, and is it worth obtaining the net foreign exchange at such a high

cost? 2) GuySuCo does more than produce sugar; it provides services in health care, irrigation, etc. There is no reason why these services will not continue, the government not GuySuCo should be funding these government services anyhow.

But how about the other Guyanese in remote parts of the country, who don’t have good roads, light, health centres, proper schools, etc. The funds to improve their lives are being put in a money losing endeavour with no end in sight unless there is change.

Electricity reliability could have been improved and the road to Brazil completed to open more business opportunity. 3) Socioeconomic measures and not financial viability should be the measure used to assess the sugar industry. What are these socioeconomic measures; are they widely known measures. Is there a list/report of Guyanese industries with their socioeconomic rating, is the sugar Industry the only industry that qualifies for large government subsidises based on socioeconomic measures?

There is no discussion without the unproven claim that

all countries developed and underdeveloped subsidise their sugar industries perpetually.

There are around 15 countries in the world that produce sugar below the world market selling price.

Why would such countries need to subsidise their sugar industry, interestingly about a third of these countries are underdeveloped countries and they do not export sugar. Then there is the model described in my previous letter, i.e., most sugar producing countries have industries that cannot produce sugar below the world market selling price but can sell sugar internally at higher prices, resulting in a viable industry, Consider if GuySuCo’s sugar production was equal to Guyana’s sugar demand, then the country would have a viable industry at the current local selling price for packaged sugar. Let’s hope the new strategy is successful and Guyana finds a niche in the Caribbean selling packaged sugar at positive margins without competition.

Yours faithfully, Deryck C. Daly

function effectively on their own without the public trust. I’ve known many a crime to be solved as a result of information given to the police by the old lady down the street, or the little boy who dreams of being a detective someday. I personally sat at my desk on several occasions and an informant would walk into the station or call and give valuable information, which led to crimes being solved. You will not have that if the police and civilians continue to have a hostile posture towards each other.

Together we are one.

A valuable asset for the next commissioner to have is visibility. Come out from behind desk sometimes and move around the country in an impromptu fashion. Be vocal when appropriate on matters of importance to the public safety. The holder, after all, is the Commissioner of Police and has serious authority at their disposal.

Use that authority but do not operate outside of mandate. If a Deputy Commissioner acting as CoP ask himself this question, Would I prefer my legacy to be that of the best Deputy Commissioner, or one of the worst Commissioners? I personally would take being the best deputy any day.

A number of Commissioners of Police have faded into oblivion because they made no positive mark on the force.

Some were either corrupt yesmen afraid of their own shadows or political hacks who were grossly incompetent. I’m not inclined to call names, but anybody who follows police matters would confirm this.

The next CoP must be

prepared to disclose to some competent authority his financial assets before ascending to the office and upon retirement.

No compromise should be made here. The question most are asking at this point is, since no policemen are to be considered where do we get the candidates from? This is not rocket science and there is precedence for this type of thing. Both Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago have successfully turned to the military for leadership at the helm of their respective police forces. In Jamaica’s case three times. Currently Trinidad and Tobago boasts one of the most dynamic and successful Commissioners of Police in the Region in Gary Griffith, a former Captain in the army.

The upper ranks of the Guyana Police Force are in shambles, and I don’t recognise a single individual who would be effective in the role as head of the force. To be fair, in a couple of cases, there are officers who have the police knowledge and experience to do a good job, but the problem is one of perception here. Those officers fairly or unfairly have been tainted with either the red or green paint of some political organisation or the other.

Thus, in my mind should not be considered for the job at this juncture. It is too critical a period in our existence to take that chance.

Governments’ role in ensuring the Commissioner of Police succeeds is to give him the personnel and equipment to allow him to do his job.

The commissioner must, I repeat must, demand

accountability from his commanders and other senior officers in order that discipline may trickle down to the rank and file. If I were commissioner, every police officer, male or female, and irrespective of their particular skill sets, would have to serve at least one month per year doing general duties at an outstation. There is no reason why there are specialists in the police force who can’t function as policemen and policewomen. I know of at least one officer who spent 99 percent of his career in a particular department where he had no interaction with the public and as such was never exposed to actual law enforcement. He became a very senior officer and then they put him in charge of a division. That is a recipe for disaster and the particular officer is not the problem.

Politicians ought to avoid making incendiary statements such as wanting or expecting the commissioner to be loyal to the government. That is nonsense and very backward thinking.

It’s time we start to put country first and not our individual comfort zones.

Finally, my advice to the next commissioner is to be firm but be fair when leading the men and women.

Don’t be a tyrant but make discipline a motto. To the youngsters who aspire to be policemen, I remind them that the public is not the enemy. Criminals are, and the police force is not an avenue to riches. For that, find another profession.

Yours truly, RA Dickson, Ex Homicide Investigator

Glenn Lall is heroic Dear Mr. Lall, As a born Guyanese I so admire your fearless fight against that Monster, ExxonMobil, who continues to take advantage of all Guyanese people due to the fact that the Government (last and current) has no spine to re-negotiate the contract.

May I ask what and who are they afraid of to bring these folks to the table and look them in the eye, and let them know that they are robbing

the innocent Guyanese people?

May I humbly suggest that you get the ordinary man, woman and youths to sign a petition through advertising in your popular newspaper?

Stations can be set up at various business places, variety stores, and churches to have the folks come in and sign the petitions. I would be willing to volunteer my time.

Someone like you who are not afraid can pull this off I am

sure. Be the HERO for your fellow Guyanese folks, you are already halfway there at this point.

I believe if you ask for help through your newspaper you can get the nation behind you and the current Government will have to listen to the people.

You are a fair person, God will Bless you keep fighting for your fellow Guyanese!

Respectfully Yours, (Mrs.) Elaine Currie

...Public trust in police serves From page 5 during the seven days of protests the police were prevented from properly processing the scene where the bodies of the Henry cousins were found, and that people were trampling all over the scene. That therefore, would have likely destroyed valuable forensic evidence that may have existed.

The circumstances outlined also behoves me to recognise the outstanding work of the detectives involved in the investigation, and their leadership as well as to encourage the Guyana Police Force to work assiduously in closing the trust gap between the organisation and the various communities of Guyana.

Experiences around the world and in Guyana have revealed that public trust in the police served to reduce the responsiveness of communities to leaders that have ulterior motives.

Yours faithfully Seelall Persaud, DSM MBA Retired Commissioner of Police

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BL TLUNT.. UNT...B BL Wednesday July 07, 2021

Kaieteur News

The Guyana Revenue Authority has completed the cost recovery audit for US$460M ExxonMobil claimed it spent post 2015 on exploration work in the Stabroek Block. It also completed the audit of over US$1B that was expended by Exxon and it’s partners on development projects up to 2017.

But since completing these audits, GRA has yet to tell the people of this country what the findings were.

Why are Guyanese being kept in the dark about these audits and their results ? Why is the government failing to set itself apart from the coalition administration which had placed a cloak of secrecy on the sector ?

The people of this country deserve much better than this level of gross disrespect and lack of transparency!

PAGE 07

PAGE 08

Wednesday July 07, 2021

Kaieteur News

Opposition files no-confidence motions against Frank Anthony, Robeson Benn

T

he A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition has filed two noconfidence motions against Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, and Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn.

The no-confidence motions were hand delivered yesterday to the Clerk of the N a t i o n a l A s s e m b l y, Sherlock Isaacs, by Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon.

Speaking to members of the media outside Public B u i l d i n g s y e s t e r d a y, Harmon said that the motion is being brought against Dr. Anthony because the Minister of Health has failed to draft a proper plan to deal with the COVID-19 situation.

H e n o t e d t h e government’s failure to

Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony. address the acquisition of Sputnik-V vaccines and its arrangement with Sheik Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum is also among the reasons for filing the motion against Anthony. Further, Harmon noted that the Minister of Health has persistently demonstrated

Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn. his inability to effectively undertake his duties in the health sector for the welfare of the citizens.

“Dr. Anthony must bear direct responsibility for the health care crisis and disaster he has placed Guyana in, imperiling the lives and the (Continued on page 22)

Kaieteur News

Wednesday July 07, 2021

PAGE 09

COVID gone wild in Berbice!

F

our more deaths yesterday! The C O V I D - 1 9 coronavirus death toll as at yesterday stood at 482.

Only on Monday, some people were breathing a false sigh of relief when there were two days without any deaths, and only 11 cases.

However, that was only because the testing level was low on Monday, 278 tests, when compared to yesterday’s 1,193.

As at last Monday, Region Four remained the Region with the highest number of confirmed positive cases. It was way ahead of any other Region, registering 9,379 confirmed cases.

However, it is not Region Four, which the Government should be worried about. It is Regions Five and Six – West Coast Berbice and the Corentyne.

These two Regions have had the highest rate of growth of coronavirus since January. This represents a reversal of what existed at the commencement of this year.

At the start of the year, Region Five had the lowest number of confirmed cases.

It had registered 100 cases at as January 1, which was lower than all the other Regions. So Region Five was then considered, and had been since the outbreak of the pandemic, the Region with the lowest number of

Dem

boys seh...

cases.

It has now climbed from 10th place to 8th place.

Region Five now has more confirmed cases than Region Eight, which is the smallest Region population wise. It also has more cases than Region Two. But more worrying has been the rate at which the confirmed cases are growing in Region Five. The total number of new cases has increased since January, the highest growth rate in new cases around the country and even higher than Region 10 which has the lowest vaccination rate.

Region Six has not fared better. It was in 7th place in January in terms of infections, which means that six other Regions had a higher incidence of the disease.

S i n c e J a n u a r y, t h e number of confirmed cases in Region Six has moved from 304 to 1,600.

And this is in less than six months. But even more frightening is that the increase has been 577 percent, the highest rate of increase in the country and even higher than Region Four, which had an increase of 245 percent.

The eastern part of Guyana, Regions Five and Six, are therefore the most worrying COVID-19 hot spots. The authorities need to be worried since these cases could hardly have been

imported from Suriname – the ferry service had been closed for most of the year.

So what is responsible for this massive growth in cases in Regions Five and Six? It could well be that this is due to greater infections among the younger population who have dropped their guard.

As this column has pointed out there is a lot of activity – liming and socialising – taking place after working hours. People in the villages are visiting one another and meeting at roadside corners and having a chat or meeting at open-air bars and having a drink. And this can be contributing to the large increase in cases in those two Regions which prior to January had a fair record of controlling the pandemic.

There is also the possibility that most of the new cases were imported.

The airports have been reopened and persons have been coming in, many are visiting in the rural areas and they can be bringing the virus with them. But in the absence of evidence to establish this, it can be highly probable that the increases in cases in Regions Five and Six are due to increased social contact by members of the population of these two Regions.

One of the problems is that there have been no Region-specific emergency

De guvment nah gat confidence in de Opposition too

Wan Hay-Eff-See man was surprised to read bout de no-confidence motion wah file yesterday by de Opposition.

He seh how de Hay-Eff-See symbol is de key but he can’t understand why dem always getting lock out of decision-making.

In de meantime, de guvment also surprise.

Dem seh (and dem correct) how dem never hear bout wan no-confidence motion against a Minister.

De only confidence de minister gat to enjoy is dat of de President. But like de Coala-Shun nah understand parliamentary conventions.

However, de guvment decide fuh file a counter motion in de parliament. Dem seh dem lose confidence in de Opposition.

De guvment seh de Opposition like wan eraser; it does get smaller after every mistake de guvment mek.

De guvment also seh how de Hap-Nu nah gat confidence in itself. So dat is why it filing wan no-confidence motion

Dem boys hope dat when de time come fuh de Speaker count de votes, he maths nat like “you-know-who?”

Dems boys seh deciding wat is majority is not de Opposition strang point.

Dem boys done know dat de matter gan end up all de way to de CCJ. De Coal-a-shun gan dispute dat 34 is de majority of 65. Dem gan seh how yuh need 2/3 majority fuh defeat de motion.

Is mo laughing stock Guyana gan become.

It mek dem boys remember when de journalist ask de Coal-a-Shun: “How much is 1+1?”

De Coal-a-shun check dem addition book and seh it is 2 but fuh safety sake leh we add half and den round it off to 3.

De journalist spot a lawyer in de house and ask he de same question: “How much is 1+1?”

De lawyer tek de journalist to de side and whisper: “How much do you want it to be?”

Talk half and wait fuh de confusion!

measures tabulated. The same regulations apply across all Regions and this is a major humbug to helping to reduce the incidence of the

virus’s spread in Regions Five and Six. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not

necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Wednesday July 07, 2021

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

The Stabroek News, GHRA and Guyana’s surreal existence

O

ver 60 percent of G u y a n a ’s population was not born when Mr. Mike McCormack formed the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) 45 years ago. Mr. McCormack has headed that entity since then.

In this country, you will win any bet if you put your money on persons who have achieved more than 30 years in their respective organisation giving up their leadership.

In the Trade Union Congress, Public Service Union and the Olympic Association, the leaders have gone beyond 30 years in office.

There are many more like them.

McCormack is an exception. Chalking up over 40 years as the leading person in any organisation is the complete shutting out of younger talent. Why do persons in this country want to lead their organisation for over 30 years?

There is no space in a column to analyse this psychological anomaly but

the obvious factor at work is the factor that existed since pre-colonial times and is not likely to go away anytime soon although with a vast young population that Guyana has that motif may not survive.

The answer is power.

There is a deep, psychic gravitation to power that resides in the Guyanese nationality. It is ubiquitous.

It exist everywhere – business, politics, social associations, trade unionism, etc.

Once an organisation is formed, the head person wants to stay on indefinitely.

Here is how the AFC’s constitution approaches power. The operative word is “may.”

The constitution states that the leader “may” not seek a third term.

The AFC was founded by two lawyers. Do you think the word “may” was accidental? It was deliberately left as a grey area so that the incumbent can run for as many terms as he wants because the constitution did not say “cannot” but “may not.”

Unless the power mentality is dissolved in the psychic make-up of those who aspire to achieve social status in Guyana, we are going to have persons permanently leading their organisation until they die.

Who or what is the GHRA. It was founded in the era of the anti-Burnham movement from the 70s.

Like so many antidictatorship groups, the GHRA played no small part in opposing the demonic authoritarianism of President Forbes Burnham.

Guyana went through a p s y c h o l o g i c a l metamorphosis after 1992.

From 1992 onwards, Guyana bore no resemblance to the epoch of Burnhamite dictatorship.

Capitalism, competitive elections, television culture, private schools, foreign investments, lightcomplexioned values were now the norm.

What happened then is that the glorious days of the 1970s and 1980s dominated by certain organisations like the WPA and the GHRA had

Frederick Kissoon l o s t i t s relevance. But these entities survived. And like Guyana, they too underwent a psychological metamorphosis.

Feeling locked out of Guyana’s direction by the electoral and political domination of the PPP since 1992, organisations like the WPA and the GHRA began to embrace a subtle anti-PPP mentality.

The other side of this coin is that the PPP when it came to power in 1992 seemed to have forgotten its heroic friends who helped toppled Burnham, both the WPA and GHRA included. I still think this was a terrible

lapse by Cheddi Jagan.

As Guyana’s landscape kept changing, the GHRA literally faded away.

Human rights causes were now taken up by the two independent dailies – Kaieteur News and Stabroek News and individuals like Mark Benschop, and organisations like trade unions.

As Guyana moved on in the 21st century, the GHRA began to fade. The GHRA fought no battles, espoused no causes, came to no one’s rescue.

As poverty associated with neo-liberal economics widened, as the state became less sensitive to human rights violations best described in the words of the then Home Affairs Minister that he had so much on his plate to be bothered with torture of accused persons, the GHRA disappeared.

What happens today is that the GHRA operates in predatory mode.

It stays alive if it picks on issues that give it publicity.

Its main supplier of publicity is the Stabroek

News (SN). For two consecutive days, the SN has given front-page (yes frontpage) coverage to positions of the GHRA that are politically offensive, expressive of an anti-PPP rage and dangerously inciting.

One is that it claims that the witnesses that are alleged to have lied in the Haresh Singh murder inquiry are being politically harassed.

The other is a denunciation of the new anti-crime agency.

The Stabroek News was full of praise for the GHRA in its editorial yesterday. But here are the newspaper’s words about the GHRA that are insane, unbelievable and downright morally shameless, “We have a GHRA that is sufficiently alert and sufficiently nonpartisan.”

If the GHRA is alive and non-partisan, then trust me, Hitler is alive and living in Guyana.

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

Wednesday July 07, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

PAGE 12

Kaieteur News

Wednesday July 07, 2021

Goldsmith crushed by sand truck

R

ajin Persaud, 38, a goldsmith of Foulis, East Coast Demerara (ECD), is now dead after he was crushed by motor lorry GWW 8721 driven

by Tillackram Dindial of Hope West, Enmore, ECD. The accident occurred at approximately 19:30hours on Hope West, Enmore Access Road, ECD, on Monday.

Kaieteur News understands that the motor lorry was stationary on the northern parapet of the access road in the vicinity of the driver’s premises offloading some sand.

As the driver of the motor lorry lowered

the tray and started to reverse, his wife shouted at him indicating that he ran over one of their dogs.

Upon checking, he observed an identifiable male under the truck with what appears to be blood about his body.

He was then picked up by public-spirited citizens and escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was pronounced dead by a doctor on duty.

A breathalyser test conducted on the driver of motor lorry GWW 8721 revealed no alcohol.

Further investigation is in progress.

Wednesday July 07, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

Eleven persons in custody after Linden police raid Following a police raid that occurred on Monday, a total of 11 persons were detained after they were found with cannabis and a stolen firearm.

According to a police report, the police acted on information received and dispatched a party to conduct raids in the Wismar Station District in search of drugs, guns, ammunition or anything unlawfully obtained. The police ended up detaining 10 males along with one female and 11 grams of cannabis sativa after searching several homes. The age of the males

who were detained ranged from 20 to 33, and a 21-year-old female.

The first detainee was arrested with a firearm and eight matching rounds of ammunition, which is the property of Grantley Rodney that was stolen on Sunday.

He was also arrested for a series of break and entry acts and larceny. The sixth and eleventh detainees were arrested for possession of narcotics. The articles recovered were photographed and lodged and the detainees remain in custody, pending investigations.

Wednesday July 07, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Case against duo charged in Henry boys’ murders discharged by Magistrate

M

agistrate, Peter Hugh, yesterday discharged the case presented against two men for the murder of Isaiah Henry, while the men will be remanded pending the outcome of the preliminary inquiry into the murder of Joel Henry, Isaiah’s cousin.

The mutilated bodies of the two teens were found dumped in the Cotton Tree backdam last year, and earlier this year three men

- DPP says there is sufficient evidence to charge the two were arrested and charged for their murders.

Two of those men, Vinod Gopaul and Anil Sancharra, who were jointly charged for the murder of Isaiah Henry, had that case discharged at the Blairmont Magistrate Court yesterday. Attorney, D e x t e r To d d , w h o i s representing the two argued that the State had not

presented evidence of murder against Gopaul and Sancharra.

Magistrate Hugh, in support of Todd’s argument, subsequently ruled that on the close of the prosecution’s case there was no admissible evidence of murder established against the twonamed accused. However, (Continued on page 21)

Vinod Gopaul Anil Sancharra

Kaieteur News

Wednesday July 07, 2021

PAGE 15

Policeman in hiding after brutally attacking spouse -Threatens to finish her off if she continues to talking

A

police constable stationed at the Mahaica Police Station located on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), has gone into hiding after he almost killed his commonlaw wife last Tuesday by brutally assaulting her for nearly two hours.

The battered woman, a mother of four, is still recovering from the ‘severe beating,’ and is now living in fear of being murdered, because the cop has threatened to ‘finish her off’ if she continues to talk about his vicious attack on her.

“He said, ‘I don’t want to go on the bad side because if so, a lot of people will die’… at this point I am just scared for my life and my kids,” related the woman.

A report was lodged at the Mahaica Police Station and investigators have launched a manhunt for him but he cannot be found.

Investigators acknowledged that they have received reports of the death threats made to the woman by their colleague, who they said they have been trying to locate, but so far, all attempts have proved futile. It is believed that the cop might be heading to Mahdia, Region Eight, to escape being arrested.

Kaieteur News was informed of the case and of the woman’s fears by Melissa Atwell, popularly known as Melly Mel, and Head of You Are Not Alone (YANA). The woman had reached out to Atwell after her spouse continued to threaten her.

This newspaper contacted the victim yesterday to hear her story, which can only be described as horrific and terrifying.

She was still traumatised but managed to recall details of the brutal assault by a man she has been living with for almost two years.

On Tuesday July 1, she had accompanied him to his friend’s birthday party.

While there, she said one of his friends had called him to head to work at the police station. She claimed that she suspected that he was cheating with someone and did not believe that he was actually heading to work, so she decided to contact the friend to verify if it was true.

The battered woman bleeding from her eyes after the severe beating at the hands of her spouse, a police constable.

This move somehow aggravated her spouse who unleashed a vicious beating on her. She said he started a little after 11:30hrs, assaults that continued for hours and eventually end at her home around 02:00hrs. the following morning.

It began by him assaulting her publicly at the party by hitting her repeatedly and then shoving her into his car and driving off. After travelling for a short distance, the cop allegedly stopped the car and continued to beat the woman until she was unconscious.

“He started beating me in the car until I lost consciousness,” she said.

After a short while later continued the woman, “I caught myself (regained consciousness) and remember feeling for something behind the back car seat to defend myself.”

She claimed that she found “something” and struck him to the head with it. The hit to his head allegedly enraged him more and he over powered her and unleashed another brutal attack on her. At this point, according to the woman, she was already weak and almost helpless. The cop drove off again and stopped in front of her house where he allegedly beat her again.

“I tried to escape by

opening the car door but could not and I started screaming for my daughter to come,” recalled the woman.

Eventually, she said, she managed to open the door and fell out of the car but the cop stepped out too and reportedly ran around to where she had fallen and began kicking and cuffing her about the body.

The woman claimed that she got so weak that last thing she remembered before falling unconscious for a second time, was him picking her up and throwing her back into the car while allegedly saying “This is it now. I carrying you to the seawall and kill you.”

Sometime later, she recovered and found herself lying on her “back step” (stairs).

Noticing that he was not around, the woman said that

she gathered enough strength and tried to escape by jumping over a fence into her neighbour’s yard.

She reportedly fell down and probably the crashing sound alerted him. The woman recalled that as she

tried to get up, he came running to pick her up. The fall had alerted her neighbour too, who came out to investigate.

“My neighbour asked him what happen, but he told (Continued on page 21)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 16

Wednesday July 07, 2021

Top cop should act on PSC’s promotion list - Paul Slowe D -- threatens threatens legal legal actions actions

espite being suspended, Police Service Commission (PSC) Chairman, Paul Slowe, has written to acting Police C o m m i s s i o n e r, N i g e l Hoppie, asking him to act on the promotion list for Police Officers that the PSC had published. Slowe also threatened legal action against Hoppie if he failed to respond by noon yesterday to his letter. However, up to press time, the Police Commissioner had not responded to Slowe.

On June 16, 2021, President, Ifraan Ali, suspended the members of the PSC including Slowe, a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police.

Despite his suspension, in a letter dated Monday June 5, 2021, Slowe wrote to Hoppie, instructing him to prepare a Special Promotion Order. He stated in his letter, “As you are aware, you are

required to cause a Special Promotion Order to be prepared so that the promoted ranks and other members of the Force can be informed of the promotions.

The Quartermaster also uses the Special Promotion Order to issue badges of rank to the newly promoted ranks.”

According to Slowe, if Hoppie does not act on the letter by ensuring the preparation of the Special Promotion Order, he is defying the ‘legitimate’ action of the PSC by not promoting the ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

The letter also outlined that the suspended PSC expects the Police Commissioner to publish the Special Promotions Order and to instruct the Quartermaster to issue the

newly promoted ranks with their badges of rank. Slowe then threatened legal action against Hoppie for him to obey the PSC and noted in his letter that he has until noon yesterday to respond.

It was also noted in Slowe’s letter that PSC’s lawyer, Selwyn Pieters, has sent a letter to President Ali informing him that his purported suspension of the members of the PSC was unconstitutional and of no legal effect. It was also stated that the President was informed that the PSC would continue to do its work until the end of its term in August 2021.

According to reports, Slowe was not only suspended from the PSC but c h a rg e s w e r e b r o u g h t against him and other retired

and serving members of the PSC in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Those charged are retired officers Assistant Commissioner, Clinton Conway; Assistant Commissioner, Claude Whittaker; Senior Superintendent George F r a s e r ; S e n i o r Superintendent Michael Sutton and Superintendent Mark Gilbert. Other serving members of the GPF charged are, former Police Finance Officer, Senior Superintendent Marcelene Wa s h i n g t o n ; A s s i s t a n t Commissioner, Royston Andries-Junor; and Police Finance Officer, Assistant Superintendent Marlon Kellman.

The Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), an arm

Police Service Commission (PSC) Chairman, Paul Slowe.

of the GPF, brought the charges against them.

The joint charge alleges t h a t S l o w e , C o n w a y, Whittaker, Fraser, Gilbert, Andries-Junor, Washington, Sutton and Kellman between March 1, 2019 and July 7, 2020, at the police headquarters, Eve Leary, conspired together with others to defraud the GPF of $10,056,000. The charge further alleges that Slowe, Conway, Whittaker, Fraser and Gilbert were paid the sum of $10,056,000, without following the correct procedures, in allegedly reviewing the Force’s Standing Orders, which had already been reviewed.

Moreover, Slowe is also accused of sexually assaulting a female officer he denied the allegations publicly but has not returned to Guyana to face the charges.

Kaieteur News had reported during last month that President Ali had suspended the PSC after he had followed the constitutional process involving each member being asked to show cause why he should not be suspended.

The members of the PSC were informed of their suspensions via letters.

On June 28, 2021, the case filed by Senior Superintendent of Police, Calvin Brutus, to challenge the Police Service Commission’s (PSC) 2020 promotion list on the basis of what he termed as “unfair criteria for elevating officers,” has been thrown out by Chief Justice (Ag), Roxane George-Wiltshire.

Brutus had moved to the High Court in a bid to block promotions for senior members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) until the

decision not to promote him was recanted. Among other things, Brutus complained that the PSC’s decision not to promote police officers with pending disciplinary complaints regardless of the nature or seriousness of such complaints, “perpetuates a permanent injustice” against him and others who are scheduled for promotions.

However in her ruling, Chief Justice (Ag) GeorgeWiltshire essentially said that there is nothing unlawful about considering disciplinary matters when making a decision whether to promote a police rank or not.

Moments after the c o u r t ’s d e c i s i o n w a s rendered by the Chief Justice, the PSC released a list of officers who were promoted in 2020.

This triggered a statement issued on behalf of the Government by Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall, S.C. He said that the Government would not recognise the 2020 list of police promotions issued, since the PSC had been suspended by President, Irfaan Ali, since June 16, last.

The statement further noted that the President’s decision can only be rescinded, revoked, set-aside or reversed by the President himself, or by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Nandlall stayed that the attempt of the PSC, therefore, to countermand, disobey and disregard the President’s decision, not only amounts to an effrontery to the highest executive office in the land, but also is simply absurd.

As such, he noted that the purported list of promotions by the PSC would be ignored.

Wednesday July 07, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 17

Three children now hospitalised with COVID-19, one in ICU Last week Tuesday the Minister of Health, Dr. Frank A n t h o n y, d u r i n g h i s COVID-19 update stated that four children were currently hospitalised with a more severe form of the Coronavirus.

Yesterday during another update, the Minister announced that three children are now left hospitalised and out of the three, one is currently in the COVID-19 Intensive Care

Unit (ICU).

The Minister in his interview said, “So as of today we have 61 persons who are in the hospital, with 14 of them in the ICU, of those 61 persons that we have in the hospital, three are children, two are in the wards… and one child now is in the ICU.” A c c o r d i n g t o D r.

Anthony, the children in the ward prognosis deemed “quite good” while all three

are being monitored closely.

The Ministry, in a recent statement highlighted that the children hospitalised had underlying comorbidities.

“In rare cases, children can become seriously ill and need hospitalisation and intensive care. One of the possible adverse outcomes has been termed multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C),” the Ministry lamented.

Since the pandemic

started last year March, some 1,567 children were tested positive for the virus.

The Health Minister last week noted that children as young as one month are contracting the severe form of the disease.

This publication back in May, had reported that a 17year-old boy had succumbed from the virus, making him o n e o f t h e c o u n t r y ’s youngest COVID-19 fatalities.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony.

PAGE 18

Kaieteur News

Wednesday July 07, 2021

Suspect who allegedly killed man who told him not to enter yard, slapped with manslaughter charge The chainsaw operator who allegedly killed the man, who told him not to enter his yard, was yesterday slapped with a manslaughter charge and was placed on $300,000 bail.

The defendant, Bennedict John, 49, of Ituni, Upper Demerara River, appeared in the Linden Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Wanda Fortune.

John was charged with manslaughter contrary to Section 94 of the Criminal Law Act Chapter 8:01.

The charge alleges that on June 30, 2021, at BQ Ituni, Region 10, he killed 56-year-old Fredrick De Souza, of Ituni.

He was not required to plead to the indictable charge. Bail was then granted to the defendant and the matter was adjourned to August 28, 2021. John is required to report at the Ituni Police Station every Monday and Friday until the completion of the matter.

Kaieteur News had

Charged, Bennedict John. reported that DeSouza succumbed to the injuries that were inflicted on him by John during an altercation.

The defendant had told the police that after he entered De Souza’s yard, the man used a picket and allegedly dealt him a lash.

He claimed that he retaliated

by disarming De Souza and using the said picket to inflict injuries to the deceased.

De Souza’s body was discovered lying in front of a house at BQ Ituni, with wounds to his head, abdomen and feet - in an unconscious state. He was taken to the Ituni Health Care Centre, and later transferred to Linden Hospital Complex where he later succumbed to his injuries.

The police have reported that the suspect was contacted and he too bore a wound above his right eye.

When questioned about how he was injured, the suspect told the police that De Souza had warned him not to enter his yard but he did it anyway, which caused an altercation between the two resulting in both of them being injured.

The suspect was escorted to the Ituni Health Care Centre to receive treatment for his injuries, and later taken into custody.

Wednesday July 07, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 19

Minister urges locals to ramp up production as oil leads to construction boom

A

b o o m i n construction has been brought on by the oil-driven growth of Guyana’s economy, but the country is struggling to meet the boom’s demands on its own. Despite being a r e s o u r c e - r i c h c o u n t r y, Guyana has been importing hundreds of thousands of tonnes of construction material every year.

Even then, the supply is still not enough. There has been uproar over the steep prices of building materials.

But the Government is looking to turn the tide.

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, sounded the alarm yesterday on operators and suppliers to

boost production of construction materials, during a seminar at the Regency Suites and Hotel. It was held by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), to encourage effective management of quarriable resources.

“It is quite embarrassing that we are a country with so many natural resources, more so in the quarrying, mining side,” Bharrat said, “and for the last couple of years, we have been importing over 200,000 tonnes of aggregates every single year.”

He revealed that as recent as last year, the demand for aggregate was

about 900,000 tonnes, but local supply only met about 650,000 tonnes.

When the new government came in, it called on the eight quarry operators to boost their production, Bharrat revealed. He said the Government even recently issued several quarry licenses and is reviewing documents with the aim of issuing more licenses.

By facilitating the opening of new quarry operations, and by expanding existing operations, the Government is hoping to ramp up employment and business opportunities for Guyanese, who are expected to supply

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, at the GGMC’s Quarry Seminar, Regency Suites and Hotel.

products at reasonable prices, in return, for the average Guyanese to benefit from.

If this fails, the government will have to

continue to import aggregates in line with growing demand, but it prefers not to move foreign currency out of Guyana.

“With our plan, with our

vision to modernise and to transform our economy and to build new highways, and with oil and gas bringing to Guyana so many (Continued on page 22)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

Wednesday July 07, 2021

Three men, one woman succumb from COVID-19

Y

esterday, the Ministry of Health (MoH) reported that four more persons, who tested positive for the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, have died. According to the Ministry, the latest fatalities are that of a 75-year-old woman from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), and three men: a 71-year-old from Region 10 (Upper

Demerara-Berbice), and an 81-year-old and an 82-yearold both from Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

All four persons died over a three-day period (June 2 to June 4) while receiving treatment at a medical facility. As a result of this, the country’s COVID-19 death toll moved to 482.

Further, the MoH in its daily COVID-19 dashboard

recorded 179 new COVID19 cases, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 20,568.

The dashboard also shows that 14 persons are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 96 in institutional isolation, 1,510 in home isolation and three in institutional quarantine.

To date, a total of 18,466 persons have recovered from the virus.

Wednesday July 07, 2021

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

...Policeman in hiding after brutally

Motion against Speaker signals UNC’s ‘fightback’

From page 15 them that everything was okay and took me away,” the woman told Kaieteur News.

The cop unleashed yet another beating on her and allegedly tried to inflict more damage with a shovel. She remembered holding on to his feet and begging for him to spare her.

“I grabbed his foot and said ‘please don’t do it, I have two kids to live for’,” she recounted.

Instead of leaving her alone, he allegedly responded, “Everything will finish tonight.”

Luckily, her daughter heard her screams and opened the door.

“She say ‘mommy what

happen’ and I told her to call my mom, aunty and brother to take me to the hospital.”

Her daughter reportedly closed the door, presumably to do as she was told but with the door closed, the cop continued his brutal assault.

The woman said that he began choking her until she fell unconscious for a third time.

“The next thing I remember was me lying on my bed and he was putting clothes on me,” she related.

Terrified the woman called out for her daughter again and instructed her to call 911.

The officer afterwards reportedly picked up a bag and left the house.

Police arrived minutes later around 02:00hrs. The battered woman was reportedly taken to the hospital by the cops but her attacker has not been seen since.

However, he has since made phone calls to the woman threatening that if she does not drop the case then “people will die.”

Atwell, who is currently out of the country, told Kaieteur News yesterday that she is fearful that the policeman will find the woman and make good on his threats to kill her – she said that currently, through YANA, she is trying to find a temporary safe place for the woman and her children until the man is arrested and charged.

...Case against duo charged in Henry boys’ Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar NEWSDAY - Opposition Leader Kamla PersadBissessar had thrown down the gauntlet and is preparing to fight back against what she terms inequality of treatment inside and outside Parliament by the People’s National Movement (PNM) Government and its supporters.

Persad-Bissessar said it is time for her to “stop playing nice.”

Her first salvo is filing a motion of no confidence in the Speaker of the House, Brigid Anisette- George, despite knowing full well the UNC does not have sufficient numbers to carry the vote.

Nevertheless, she said this is the only weapon the UNC possesses under the standing orders to show the weakness of the Government, the erosion of the democratic process, and injustice, Addressing the UNC’s Virtual Report on Monday night, Persad-Bissessar said, “This fight is not about UNC and Kamla. This fight is about freedom and democracy of our entire nation.

“I entreat you to stand up and fight, because one day, if we don’t, it would be too late, and you will no longer be able to enjoy the liberties you have enjoyed in our system of democracy.”

Speaking from her heart, she said, the former prime minister explained her rationale for her action.

“In the Parliament, the Speaker shuts the Opposition down while the government side campaigns and hurls the most abusive insults at us, against all parliamentary

Speaker of the House, Brigid Anisette- George

decency.”

In response, she said, supporters tell her, “Kamla, don’t answer. Just let the vile insults that are thrown at me or the rank and file and supporters, let it pass. That I should speak only about policy and plans, stick to the facts and figures.

“I have been there, done that. But as your leader I have a responsibility to protect the UNC from the desperate attacks of the PNM.” To supporters asking why she has has not sought legal redress to remove the Speaker, she explained that the courts have no jurisdiction over the Speaker, nor is her removal an option.

“You can only do it (remove her) with the support of the other side.

“Then people say, ‘Why you let her brutalise you?

Why you let her shut you down?’

“Well, we follow the parliamentary practice and procedure. And now they have really stepped over the line in managing the proceedings of the Parliament.

“We have filed a motion of no confidence in the Speaker of the House of Representatives for the manner in which she has been conducting the Parliament.”

She said Government is given a free pass to go merrily down the stream.

“But the UNC has to go upstream, constantly in battle, constantly having to fight against these fakeoutrage people.”

She said it is near

impossible to have the kinds of debate that obtained when the late Patrick Manning was prime minister.

“We had our conflicts, differences of opinions, but whatever Mr Manning may have been, he was a gentleman. We conducted Parliament business in a certain way which we do not see now.”

She said now it is impossible to present two opposing sides of an argument rationally and let people make their own decision in quiet, logical contemplation.

“The relentless partisanship, noise, attacks against us, and the slanted playing field make this simply not an option.”

She said some people who want to ride with the elites hurl abuse at the UNC rank and file because they feel ashamed of them.

“People can eat their fancy cheese with their partyin-power friends, I will eat my talkari and pelau with my members. I am not ashamed. I love them.

“Caste and class have been wiped out from the UNC under my leadership. Equality of opportunity is the order of the day.

“Some denigrate our MPs, councillors and activists because they came from poor backgrounds but want the bloc of UNC votes to ride in into Parliament.

“UNC supporters are bright, hardworking people. I love my UNC family. I will never be ashamed by the fake-outrage mob into silence.”

From page 14 they are to remain in custody until the completion of the PI for Joel Henry. The court is set to commence the PI of Joel Henry’s death on August 10, 2021.

Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, S.C. has since written to Magistrate Hugh requesting the documents that were taken at the PI pursuant to Section 72 (1) of the Criminal Law Procedure Act Chapter l-0:01 of The Police vs. Vinod Gopaul and Anil Sancharra

for the offence of Murder of Isaiah Henry.

The DPP said that there was sufficient evidence against Gopaul and Sancharra at the time the charge was instituted and consequently “needs to ascertain why the accused were discharged and take appropriate action.”

The GPF’s Communication Unit had indicated that a statement would be released ‘shortly’ in relation to the dismissal of the murder charge against the two, but none had been sent up to press time.

Akash Singh, 20, called

“Monkey,” a fisherman of Zeelugt Squatting Area, East Bank Essequibo, was charged separately for the murders; his step-brother, Gopaul, 30, called “Magga,” of Yakusari, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice, and Sancharra, 34, called “Dan pole” and “Rasta,” a labourer of D’ Edward Village, West Coast Berbice, were jointly charged. Prior to the court proceedings, police had indicated that they secured a confession and it was on those grounds that the men were charged.

PAGE 22

Kaieteur News

Wednesday July 07, 2021

...Opposition files no-confidence motions against

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From page 8 health and wellbeing of every citizen…We all know that the situation in Guyana in respect to the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spiral out of control, the number of deaths is about 478 or thereabout and that is basically a runaway train,” the Opposition Leader stated. As such, he requested that the

House express a lack of confidence in the Minister of Health and called for his immediate resignation.

In the case of the Home Affairs Minister, Harmon said Benn ought to resign because crime is out of control.

“Crime is out of control, when you have a private citizen in the bright lights of Main Street,

gunned down and onto to now we can’t find, with all the cameras around, we still cannot find who did it,” Harmon said.

The Opposition Leader claimed, “The APNU+AFC Coalition, in filing these noconfidence motions, is acting on behalf of hundreds of thousands of Guyanese who have lost all confidence in the

performance of these two incompetent ministers to perform their duties.”

The Clerk is expected to examine the motions against the Standing Orders and submit the motions to the Speaker, Manzoor Nadir, who will decide on whether these motions could be placed on the order paper for debate.

...Minister urges locals to ramp up production as oil From page 19 investments, we realise that the demand for building materials would increase tremendously.”

He said that this oil-producing nation has embarked on a transformation phase for the next 5-10 years.

A series of hotels are expected to be built over the next few years as well, with the sod turned for Courtyard

by Marriott in the compound of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) over the weekend.

The Government has announced a series of road projects. The contract signing for the Linden to Mabura road, according to Bharrat, is expected

in a matter of months.

The Minister said the Government has already issued close to 5,000 new house lots since it took office, as part of its plan to issue 50,000 lots by 2025.

“That by itself will create a significant demand for building materials,” Bharrat said.

“How I see it, the demand will probably reach 1.5 M tonnes in another year or two.”

During an interview with the Guyanese Critic on June 14, Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, said that Government has been trying to address the high cost of construction material, from multiple channels. The Government removed taxes from most construction materials, but other factors are outside the

Government’s control.

“There were and are some issues with the global marketplace in relation to the cost of steel and the cost of shipping.

But those, we expect, are transitory factors,” Dr. Singh said. “At some point in time, the market will regulate itself.”

He added that the Government is hoping that increased production from and competition among locals will play a part in driving down prices.

More than a week earlier, on June 5, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, had spoken about the construction boom and how the Government was aware of efforts to open as many as 20 large concrete plants. The President questioned why it cannot be Guyanese tak-

ing the initiative to meet the demand. “What hampers the local chambers of commerce in Region Three to bring together their business leaders and say let’s form a company and let’s build a concrete plant in Region Three?”

Dr. Ali said.

He urged locals to move away from the individual approach to business, and to adopt a collective approach, in concert with those they have tended to treat as competitors.

“The scale of development, the scale of transformation, the scale of investment is completely different from what we’re accustomed to,” the President had said.

“That is why we have to build the model, a business model that speaks to that scale…”

Wednesday July 07, 2021

Kaieteur News

PAGE 23

Almost two months after Peter Headley killing…

File still with Police Complaints Authority It is almost two months since Peter Headley was shot and killed by a police officer, and the investigation into his death is still to be completed by the Police Complaints Authority (PCA).

On the night of May 15 last, Headley and 29-yearold, Rondel Daly, were arrested after they were suspected to be involved in a robbery. Headley was shot by one of two ranks while he was being transported to the Providence Police Station.

Those two cops were later placed under close

arrest for his killing while an investigation was launched.

Last month, Acting Commissioner of Police, Nigel Hoppie, had informed this publication that the investigation is in an advance stage of completion. According to Hoppie, “We want to ensure that no stone is left unturned, so we caused a c o m p r e h e n s i v e investigation to be done with the independence, which we thought is necessary. As soon as that is done, the file will be sent to the DPP and will be

made public.”

However, it is still unclear whether the investigations were completed or if the ranks are still under close arrest. While it was reported in other sections of the media that the file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, S.C, when contacted by this media house, the DPP’s Public Relations Officer, Liz Rahaman, clarified that the file is at the PCA and has not been filed with the DPP’s office.

According to previous reporting, ranks had intercepted Headley and Daly for a suspected robbery that occurred in Herstelling on May 11.

Sometime around 20:45hrs. at Nandy Park, police stopped and searched Headley’s motorcar. There, ranks found a television set, which they suspected was stolen in the Herstelling robbery. Daly was arrested and placed in the police patrol vehicle while Headley was placed in the front passenger seat of his car,

when one rank entered the driver’s seat and the other entered the back seat.

While transporting him, the ranks claimed that Headley allegedly reached under his seat and pulled out what looked like a gun.

According to police reports, this had caused the rank sitting in the back seat to shoot him. An injured Headley was reportedly rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where he died while receiving treatment.

A post mortem was

Shot and killed, Peter Headley. conducted on his body and it was revealed that he died from perforated lungs from a single gunshot injury. On May 21, Daly was charged for the Herstelling robbery and was remanded to prison.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 24

Wednesday July 07, 2021

Barbados-based Company installs phones within local prisons - MMG+ to facilitate top-up

P

risoners within the Guyana prison system, will now be able to maintain contact with their families as Barbados-based “ C o r r e c t i o n s Communications” have installed over 30 phones within the local prisons.

According to a release from the Guyana Telephone a n d Te l e g r a p h ( G T T ) C o m p a n y, C o r r e c t i o n s Communications is a Barbados-based company that provides innovative communication solutions in prison settings across the Caribbean. It designs, installs and maintains communication and media services at no cost to the prison and correctional services - – or the Guyanese taxpayer.

GTT noted that the company has recently collaborated with Mobile

Money Guyana (MMG+) and the Guyana Prison Service to provide convenient ways for family and friends to top up their relatives’ phone credit accounts in prison.

The telecommunications company said that over thirty phones have been installed in the Timehri prison, while the installation of some 50 phones is underway in the New Amsterdam prison.

According to GTT, the company has indicated that it will work in the coming months to install more phones in the other prisons. .

The system that has been installed will allow prisoners to maintain meaningful contact with their family and friends during their time in prison.

“Since the collaboration, MMG+ has on-boarded the company as a new biller within its app to allow people

to purchase phone credits for their relatives in prison. Each inmate will have an account set up to facilitate their making a call to preapproved numbers,” GTT said in the release.

Meanwhile General Manager of MMG+, Bobita Ram, explained that the unique medium is to allow persons to stay connected with their relatives in prison.

“I guarantee that the MMG+ service will provide absolute convenience to both parties, since sending funds to the account can be done within mere seconds from a mobile device or an MMG+ agent anywhere in the country.” He said.

Speaking on the system becoming live at Timehri prison, Corrections Communications’ Caribbean Manager, Ed Wozniak, spoke of his company’s expertise in providing the

innovative communications solution within the local prisons.

“Our company was founded by prison professionals with many, many years’ experience working in the field. We are committed to working with prisons to provide communication solutions that will allow prisoners to maintain their ties with family and friends. We believe this is beneficial for the prisoners and their families and for the development of a safer society.” Wozniak stated.

He added, “Allowing prisoners to have access to telephones is no longer a privilege. It is an essential element in supporting prisoner rehabilitation, reducing stress and maintaining good order in the prison. Research across the world has shown

convincingly that successful reintegration reduces subsequent re-offending and this will lead to a safer Guyana. This system will allow prisoners an easy and affordable means to connect with their families and friends.”

Deputy Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliot lauded the two companies for collaborating with the local prisons in providing such a fitting solution for the benefit of all.

He noted, it is his hope that this new method will reduce the number of illegal phones found within the local prisons. “We are delighted to have this new system implemented in our prisons, especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic. I believe this will reduce the number of persons visiting the prisons daily to connect with their

General Manager of MMG+, Bobita Ram. relatives.”

“Over time, we have seized a number of illegal phones within the system as many of the prisoners tried to communicate with their families, so we look forward to that number being reduced and to this organized system and all it has to offer,” he stated.

Persons interested in utilising the service can access more information via C o r r e c t i o n s Communications website (www.advanced-com.com )

Wednesday July 07, 2021

PAGE 25

Kaieteur News

Australian Grand Prix Formula 1 race canceled in November

In this March 16, 2019, file photo, Formula One cars race on the circuit during the final practice session for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill, File)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian Grand Prix has been canceled after local organizers and Formula One couldn’t come up with a compromise over Australia’s strict travel and quarantine issues relating to the COVID19 pandemic.

The race was postponed from its original seasonopening spot on the F1 calendar on March 21 and had been rescheduled for Nov. 21.

The 2020 Australian GP at the Albert Park street circuit in Melbourne last March was called off at the last minute at the start of the coronavirus pandemic shutdown.

“It’s very disappointing that these much-loved events can’t proceed but this is the reality of the pandemic, but until we get much higher

...Sabalenka finally bares Wednesday July 07, 2021 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) If an emotional issue is bringing you down, Aries, find healthy ways to relieve the situation. Overeating won't solve the problem.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Whatever you visualize today will likely materialize in the near future, Taurus. People are clamoring to make themselves heard, so jump in with your opinion.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Inflated egos might block your progress today, Gemini, so be on the lookout for people trying to get a bigger slice of the pie than they deserve. Be realistic in terms of how you allocate resources to people around you.

CANCER(June21–July22) This day will be agreeable, Cancer. There is a dynamic energy in the air that's fueling your fire. Have a good time regardless of what you do.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Don't be quick to criticize today, Leo. Keep things positive and think about how you can compliment someone. Your heart might need a bit more attention than usual, so surround yourself with people who bring your spirits up rather than drag them down.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Things might reach a climax in some way today, Virgo.

Set aside time to think about what you can do to love yourself. Maybe you've been thinking so much about group needs that you've failed to think about how to take care of yourself.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Don't wait for someone else to take the lead today, Libra.

Take charge. Do what you know is right even though someone else might disagree with you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Put on a noble demeanor before you leave the house this morning, Scorpio. The key is to smile from ear to ear and just keep smiling. There's a great deal of power available to you, so put it to good use.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You might find that your emotions are going through a powerful transformation, Sagittarius. Use it to add a bit of spice and passion to your day.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Give special attention to others today, Capricorn. Remind people how much they mean to you. Adopt a childlike attitude of excitement and adventure.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Proceed with passion, Aquarius. Get out of gloomy mode. Don't sit home and mope. Get out in the sunshine, literally as well as figuratively. Don't stay cooped up inside when there is a big world out there to explore.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) This is your day to shine, so turn it up a notch, Pisces.

Brush your hair before you go out, and make sure you're wearing flattering attire. You have the chance to propel your emotions into an upward spiral.

From page 30 after setting up a clash with fellow big-hitter Karolina Pliskova.

“I actually thought that I will never make it to the second week. “We worked a lot with my psychologist and with my coach.”

Asked what was getting her through the pressure moments this week, she said it was simple.

“Just breathe. Keep fighting. Keep doing everything you can. That’s it. Actually, that’s it.”

Growing up in Minsk, grass is hardly a natural surface for Sabalenka. Tunisian Jabeur was exactly the kind of tricky player to exploit any mental doubts, but apart from some clumsy errors on a couple of set points in the 10th game of the first set, Sabalenka was dominant as her firepower held sway.

“I just enjoy everything on this surface. It’s actually tough to play on the grass, but I really enjoy every second on the court. It’s about everything: about serving, about returning, about moving, about everything actually,” she said.

Tennis can be such a mentally demanding sport and over-thinking can be a dream killer. For Sabalenka, just channelling the inner tiger, turning the power dial up to 10 and thumping forehands and backhands, might just be the best policy.

“Since I start playing tennis, I was just working, just enjoying, just fighting, just hitting the ball so hard. I wasn’t really thinking about being on this level,” she said.

“Today it surprised me but I didn’t feel that pressure of being in the quarter-final for the first time.”

vaccination rates we cannot return to more normal settings,” Victorian Sports Minister Martin Pakula said.

“There’s a few months to go, but they need to plan, and they need to have contingencies in place. Given the very low national twodose-vaccination numbers . . . we’re simply not in a position to give F1 management the sorts of guarantees and assurances and comfort that they need.”

Victorian state Premier Daniel Andrews all but confirmed its cancellation earlier in the day, saying running such large events is “very challenging” given Australia’s low vaccination rate and international travel restrictions.

“When you’ve halved the

number of people coming into the country, when you’ve got 10% of people vaccinated when you want and need 70 or 80% to have had the jab, we’re not at that point,” Andrews said. “The timing doesn’t quite line up, and that makes it very, very challenging.”

Formula One already has a race scheduled in Sao Paulo, Brazil for Nov. 7, which left little time for a potential hotel quarantine before the Australian race.

Pakula said he had spoken with Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali and that next April might be a possible spot on the 2022 F1 calendar for Melbourne.

“We’ve been talking April with F1 for some time,” Pakula said.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 26

Wednesday July 07, 2021

Mark Cavendish wins stage 10 of Tour de France to move within a stage of Eddy Merckx record

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he Telegraph Mark Cavendish is on the brink of making yet more Tour de France history after winning his 33rd career stage in Valence.

The Manxman has long brushed off questions over Eddy Merckx’s record of 34 wins, but will not be able to avoid them much longer after another dominant display both from him and his Deceuninck-QuickStep team.

After his team took control in a finale blown apart by crosswinds, the

Manxman held off the charge of Wout Van Aert and Jasper Philipsen to take his third win of a race he had not expected to start - extending his lead in the points classification in the process.

It was another masterclass in such conditions from Deceuninck-QuickStep, with world champion Julian Alaphilippe at the front of the charge as the peloton split towards the end of the 191km stage 10 from Albertville.

Sonny Colbrelli, Cees Bol and Andre Greipel were

among those who had to fight to get back on - with the energy spent meaning they were unable to impose themselves at the end.

Not that DeceuninckQuickStep looked in any mood to let them or anybody else have a chance - bossing the road to ensure it was they who had position in the final bend to put Cavendish where he needed to be.

“It was an old-school, run-of-the-mill, like you read in the cycling magazines, textbook leadout,” Cavendish said. “Just getting the lads on the front, pull as fast as they can so no one can come past you.

“We knew this finish, I didn’t make it the last time we came here in 2015, I got dropped, but we studied it and we knew if we took that last corner wide, we could keep the speed up.

“It actually split in the wind. We didn’t try to split it, we were confident we had the team for the sprint, but

again I’m just humbled.

“I’ve got the winner of the Tour of Flanders (Kasper Asgreen), the world champion who’s been in the yellow jersey here (Alaphilippe), Michael Morkov who’s going to the Olympics to try to win the Madison, the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad winner (Davide Ballerini) leaving everything on the road for me.

“I just had to finish it off.

I’m grateful to all of them. I didn’t have to do anything just the last 150 metres. I’m thankful to everyone.”

Last Tuesday’s win on stage four had been Cavendish’s first in the Tour in five years. After three in a week, the record is now in touching distance still with many more opportunities to come as long as Cavendish can survive the mountains starting with a double ascent o f M o n t Ve n t o u x o n Wednesday.

The sprint finish - and the regrouping of the peloton -

meant there was no change at the top of the general classification, with defending champion Tadej Pogacar still two minutes and one second clear of Ben O’Connor, with Rigoberto Uran the next closest challenger five minutes and 18 seconds down.

Stage 10 results Mark Cavendish (GB/Deceunick-QuickStep) 4hrs 14mins 07secs Wo u t v a n A e r t (Bel/Jumbo-Visma) Same time Jasper Philipsen (Bel/Alpecin-Fenix) Nacer Bouhanni (Fra/Arkea-Samsic) Michael Matthews (Aus/Team Bike-Exchange) Michael Morkov (Den/Deceuninck-QuickStep) Andre Greipel (Ger/Israel Start Up Nation) Peter Sagan (Svk/BoraHansgrohe) Anthony Turgis (Fra/Total Energies)

Cees Bol (Ned/Team DSM) General classification after stage 10 Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates) 38hrs 25mins 17secs Ben O’Connor (Aus/AG2R Citroen) +2mins 01secs Rigoberto Uran (Col/EF Education Nippo) + 5mins 18secs J o n a s Vi n g e g a a r d (Den/Jumbo Visma) +5mins 32secs Richard Carapaz (Ecu/Ineos Grenadiers) +5mins 33secs E n r i c M a s (Spa/Movistar) +5mins 47secs Wilco Kelderman (Ned/Bora-Hansgrohe) +5mins 58secs Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz/Astana) +6mins 12secs Guillaume Martin (Fra/Cofidis) +7mins 02secs D a v i d G a u d u (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) +7mins 22secs

Kaieteur News

Wednesday July 07, 2021

Going the extra half-mile: Retired Usain Bolt trains for 800 event

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P - Usain Bolt: 800-meter sprinter. That’s right, the now-retired world’s fastest man is not only changing diapers these days but also distances as he makes a brief comeback for a promotional race.

The new father of twins selected the 800 meters, a two-lap endeavor measured in minutes, not seconds, like he’s more accustomed. The training has been grueling for the 100- and 200-meter world record-holder but has made him miss the action.

Sort of.

“When I go to the track and start training, then I don’t miss it that much,” cracked the 34-year-old Bolt, whose nearly 13-year reign as Olympic champion in the 100 and 200 will come to an end at the Tokyo Games. “I’m excited to be training and just running and seeing what I can do.”

Since his retirement in 2 0 1 7 , B o l t ’s l i f e h a s involved making records (he’s a music producer) and raising a family. He and his partner, Kasi Bennett, recently welcomed twins, Saint Leo and Thunder, to their family (they also have a

young daughter named Olympia Lightning). He also enjoys a good soccer match (he wants to meet French soccer standout Kylian Mbappé because “he’s fast”) and of course a well-run race — especially a distance event such as the 800.

Bolt’s best time over two trips around the track is 2 minutes, 5 seconds, he said.

But he quickly added: “I did that in my track shoes. If I put the spikes on, I can make it under 2 minutes.”

FYI, because he’s all about world records: The top 800 time is 1:40.91, set by David Rudisha of Kenya at the 2012 London Games.

Bolt is undertaking the new distance in part for a promotion — and to simply put on those spikes again.

His opponent won’t be on the track, either.

He is going up against a CarMax customer who is getting an instant online offer for a vehicle on their phone as Bolt speeds around his home track. The July 13 “race” will be streamed on his Facebook page.

It may even be punctuated by his signature “Lightning Bolt” pose at the

finish.

“I definitely miss it a little bit,” Bolt said of the adrenaline rush from competing. “I’m excited to be training and just running and seeing what I can do.”

To prepare, he has been riding his Peloton bike and in training doing something he rarely used to do — circle the bend of the track and just keep on going. He is running lap after lap.

“Just to get my legs ready for the lactic acid and my lungs for the air that I need,” he explained.

Bolt believes he can still clock 10.2 seconds in the 100. His coach thinks he might be closer to 10.4.

“I guess one day we’ll test it out,” said Bolt, who set his world records in the 100 (9.58) and 200 (19.19) at the 2009 world championships.

He insisted his return to a lane, though, isn’t a sign that he’s leaving the door open for a comeback.

“Definitely not,” Bolt emphatically said. “This is just a one-off challenge to see if I still got it.”

If? “I’m trying to be humble and cool,” Bolt cracked.

Usain Bolt from Jamaica celebrates winning the gold medal in the men’s 200-meter final during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics. (AP Photo/ David J. Phillip, File)

In this Dec. 13, 2019, file photo, Usain Bolt watches the first half of an NBA basketball game between the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

PAGE 27

Kaieteur News

PAGE 28

Elaine Thompson-Herah beats Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce; Olympic sprint picture jumbles NBC Sports - Elaine Thompson-Herah upset Tokyo favorite Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in a meeting of the last two women to win the Olympic 100m at the Gyulai István Memorial in Hungary yesterday.

It was the highlight race of a meet that clouded the Olympic medal forecast in most of the flat sprints.

Thompson-Herah clocked 10.71 seconds, .01 off her personal best. FraserPryce was second in 10.82, one month after running 10.63 to become the secondfastest woman in history.

The Olympic favorites are Thompson-Herah, Fraser-Pryce and Brit Dina Asher Smith (not in Tuesday’s race), following American Sha’Carri Richardson‘s suspension.

Richardson clocked 10.72 in April.

The track and field season continues with a Diamond League meet in Monaco on Friday, live on NBCSN at 2 p.m. ET. Also Tuesday, world champion Steven Gardiner beat American Michael Norman in a battle of the two fastest 400m sprinters in this Olympic cycle.

Gardiner, who in a May race fell to the track and was carried into the infield, won in 44.47 seconds. Norman, who won the Olympic Trials in 44.07, was third in 44.65 behind Bryce Deadmon.

South African Wayde van Niekerk, the Rio gold medalist and world-record

Elaine ThompsonHerah upset Tokyo favorite Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in Hungary.

holder, was a late scratch.

Van Niekerk is coming back from tearing an ACL and meniscus in his right leg playing celebrity tag rugby in 2017.

South African Akani Simbine won the men’s 100m in an African record 9.84 seconds to become second-fastest in the world this year. Only U.S. Olympic Trials champion Trayvon Bromell has gone faster in 2021 (9.77). Bromell was not in the field in Hungary.

Going into yesterday, the seven fastest men in the world this year were Americans. Now, Simbine, fifth in Rio, has eyes on becoming the first person from an African nation to win an Olympic 100m medal since Namibian Frankie Fredericks’ back-to-back silvers in 1992 and 1996.

Jamaican Shericka Jackson won the women’s 200m in 21.96 seconds,

distancing Bahamian S h a u n a e M i l l e r- U i b o (22.15). Miller-Uibo was defeated in a 200m that she finished for the first time since the 2017 World Championships.

Miller-Uibo, the Rio Olympic 400m champion, is preliminarily entered in both the 200m and the 400m for Tokyo but has said she will race only the 200m. Both events, however, changed drastically in recent weeks.

The seven fastest 400m women in the world since the start of 2019 are all not expected to race the event at the Olympics. The eighthfastest woman since the start of 2019 — American Wadeline Jonathas — has a top time of 49.60 in that span, which is 1.23 seconds slower than Miller-Uibo’s best.

In the 200m, American Gabby Thomas ran the third-fastest time in history

Paul DeNobrega claims Team Alanis’ road race title Paul DeNobrega of Team Evolution pedaled his way to victory when Team Alanis staged its 55-mile cycle road race on Sunday last.

The win was his first of the 2021 season as he clocked 2 hours 27 minutes .08 seconds in the event which started and ended on CARIFESTA Avenue, with Half Way Tree being the turn back point.

Deeraj Garbarran took the runner up spot, while Alex Mendes placed third with Andre Green, Ralph Seenarine and Paul Choo-

wee-nam completed the top six rewarding positions in the senior category.

M a r i o Wa s h i n g t o n continued his inspiring form, winning the junior division ahead of David Hicks and Sherwin Sampson in that order, while Mendes, Choo-wee-nam and Kwame Ridley were the top three finishers respectively in Masters category.

Clavicia Spencer won the female division, while Talim Shaw captured the Masters over - 50 title ahead of, Kennard Lovell and Shameer Baskh in that order.

at the Olympic Trials, a 21.61 that is .13 better than Miller-Uibo’s personal best.

In the men’s 200m yesterday, Canadian Andre De Grasse won in 19.97, edging the second- and thirdplace finishers from the U.S. Olympic Trials. Kenny Bednarek ran 19.99, and 17year-old Erriyon Knighton crossed in 20.03, both slower than their Trials times.

Grant Holloway, who at U.S. Olympic Trials was .01 off the 110m hurdles world record, won in Hungary against a field of Olympic medal contenders.

Holloway, the world champion, prevailed in 13.08 seconds, well off the 12.80 world record but clearly ahead of Olympic silver medalist Orlando Ortega of Spain (13.15) and Sergey Shubenkov of Russia (13.19).

The field lacked Rio gold medalist Omar McLeod, who finished last at the Jamaican Olympic Trials and was not named to the team.

Shubenkov is the only man other than Holloway and McLeod to break 13 seconds in this Olympic cycle, with a best of 12.92 in that span.

Jasmine CamachoQuinn of Puerto Rico confirmed her Olympic favorite status by winning the 100m hurdles in 12.34.

Camacho-Quinn is the only woman to break 12.4 seconds this year, and she’s done it three times.

Paul De Nobrega

Wednesday July 07, 2021

Reign national Champion, Darius Moonsammy.

CAC Bodybuilding C/Ships

‘Razor’ sharp focus for Ramsammy El Salvador showdown

By Calvin Chapman T h e G u y a n a Bodybuilding & Fitness Federation (GBBFF) had announced late last month that they will be sending a seven (7) member team to the 2021 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) B o d y b u i l d i n g Championships that is scheduled to be held in San Salvador, El Salvador from August 11th -16th and among those elite athletes, Darius ‘Razor’ Ramsammy was named.

Speaking to Kaieteur Sport yesterday, the 24-yearold, well sculpted specimen, had nothing but positivity and optimism to note when quizzed on his expectations for the tournament.

The 2019 bronze medalist shared with this publication that he expects to have a haul of nothing less than two medals this time around since he will be competing in two events; and failure is simply not an option.

R a m s a m m y, w h o ascended to National Champion status after winning his weight class and the overall competition at the Resilience meet on December 12 last year at the National Cultural Center, revealed that despite the pandemic, staying in shape and being competition ready has not been challenging since most gyms are open

during the day under strict covid-19 protocols, as opposed to in the infancy stages of the outbreak in Guyana where gyms were closed and remain restricted for over six months.

‘Razor’ Ramsammy will be competing in the Classic Bodybuilding and middleweight classes.

The Lifestyle Fitness gym trainer divulged that, “Gym was always my escape from the difficulties of daily life. And, it was the actually coach Videsh Sookram (who will be accompanying the team to El Salvador) that got me competing in the sport of bodybuilding.”

Currently, Ramsammy, who uses exclusively Rockbody Nutrition supplements, revealed that in terms of raising the US$1500 (inclusive of airfare and accommodation) that is need to attending the 2021 CAC Championships, things have been somewhat sluggish. “It’s going slow to be honest, I’ve reached out to a few entities but I have yet to get some definite response”, he mentioned.

Meanwhile, the President of the GBBFF, Keavon Bess, has given the team a vote of confidence, stating that he is very confident that each athlete on the seven-member team will medal once they make it to the stage in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Kaieteur News

Wednesday July 07, 2021

PAGE 29

Italy into Euro 2020 final with penalty shootout win over Spain

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BC Sport - Italy beat Spain on penalties to reach the Euro 2020 final after an enthralling semi-final at a noisy Wembley.

After Alvaro Morata’s penalty was saved, Jorginho strolled up to score and set up a final with either England or Denmark in London on Sunday.

Federico Chiesa looked as if he had sent Italy - who are unbeaten in 33 games - to the final in normal time with a delightful curled finish to cap off a quick counter.

But Morata stepped off the bench to slot an equaliser with 10 minutes to go after a one-two with Dani Olmo.

However, the Juventus forward’s penalty miss in the shootout proved costly as Spain lost a semi-final for the first time in their history.

Fears about an empty stadium or quiet crowd proved unfounded despite tickets still being on sale during the day, and with fans unable to fly from either country without having to quarantine for too long to watch the game.

Roberto Mancini’s Italy side have been arguably the best team in the tournament and had won their previous

Italy have reached their 10th major tournament final, progressing to the final of the European Championship for the fourth time. (Getty Images) 13 games - and deserve their place in the final.

However, this was the toughest they have had to work, and they only managed one shot between Morata’s equaliser and the shootout.

It is an especially sad end to the tournament for Morata. He has wasted numerous chances during the tournament - with his family having to endure threats from fans - and his equaliser looked set to change the narrative before he failed from the spot.

Mancini’s machine

keep on going Italy’s style of play has changed as the tournament has gone on, with the Azzurri reverting to their old defensive ways, and it has taken them through to the final.

They were free-scoring and impressive in the group stages - while also solid at the back - taking their run to 11 wins in a row without conceding.

But they needed extra time to beat Austria in the last 16 and then dug in to beat Belgium 2-1 last time out.

Mancini took over a team

that failed to even qualify for the 2018 World Cup and has now led them to the next major final.

Surprisingly, the fourtime world champions have only ever won one European Championship - all the way back in 1968.

They lost the 2000 and 2012 finals - but will hope to go one better this time at Wembley.

Emerson was a competent but unspectacular replacement for the injured Leonardo Spinazzola at leftback and hit the bar from a tight angle with their only

effort of the first half.

Their breakthrough came from a counter-attack that began with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and ended with Chiesa’s perfect finish from near the edge of the box leaving Unai Simon rooted to the spot.

They had a couple of chances to wrap the game up, but Domenico Berardi shot straight at Simon both times before Morata equalised.

From that stage on it looked as if they were playing for penalties - and that was the way it turned out.

The Azzurri got off to the worst possible start when Manuel Locatelli’s penalty was saved, but they converted the rest of their spot-kicks with Jorginho nonchalantly waiting for Spain keeper Simon to move before slotting the other way to send them through to the final.

Spain’s wastefulness catches up with them Spain have grown into the tournament and go home as the top scorers to date with 13 goals. And yet it should have been much more.

Ten of those goals came in two games and otherwise they have struggled in front of goal. Slovakia are the only

team they beat in 90 minutes at Euro 2020.

They started with no recognised striker on Tuesday - Morata was left on the bench - with Mikel Oyarzabal and Dani Olmo lively but wasteful in front of goal.

Luis Enrique’s side ended with 16 shots to Italy’s seven - but managed only one more effort on target than their opponents at Wembley.

Spain had won all five previous semi-final appearances in major tournaments - including their successes in 2008, 2010 and 2012 when they dominated world football - but that 100% run has now come to an end.

They played some good football and deserved to level when Morata ran onto Olmo’s return pass to slot home.

But in the shootout Olmo blazed over before Morata’s weak kick was saved.

The summer is not over for six of them, however, with Olmo, Simon, Oyarzabal, Pau Torres, Eric Garcia and Pedri - who all played yesterday - in Spain’s Olympic football squad. The tournament in Tokyo starts in 17 days.

Ashleigh Barty beats Ajla Jackson beats Miller-Uibo Tomljanovic to reach at Gyulai István Memorial semi-finals for first time BBC Sport - World number one Ashleigh Barty crushed fellow Australian Ajla Tomljanovic to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals for the first time.

Barty, 25, won 6-1 6-3 and will play Angelique Kerber in the last four.

K e r b e r, t h e 2 0 1 8 Wi m b l e d o n c h a m p i o n , progressed after a convincing 6-2 6-3 win over Karolina Muchova.

Aryna Sabalenka will take on Karolina Pliskova in Thursday’s other semi-final after wins over Ons Jabeur and Viktorija Golubic respectively.

It means that at the last four Grand Slams, including Wimbledon, the 16 semifinal places have been taken by 16 different players.

Barty, the 2019 French Open champion, was no match for compatriot To m l j a n o v i c , c r u i s i n g through the opening set as

she won six games in a row, three of which were to love.

B u t To m l j a n o v i c appeared stronger in the second set, breaking Barty in the opening game, although she did not hit her second winner until the sixth game when she seemed set to launch a fightback.

She broke Barty again in the seventh but Barty soon stormed home, taking victory on her second match point with an ace - her fifth of the match. “Ajla is an incredible competitor, she was always going to bring out the very best in me,” said Barty.

“This is a dream come true, genuinely. I know you hear that a lot as athletes, but this is my dream and I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity.”

Barty will meet Kerber for the fifth time in their semi-final, after the German’s dominant win

over Czech Muchova.

“It’s the ultimate test,” said Barty. “Angie has obviously had success here before. “I love that matchup. I love playing Angie. she knows her way around this court and I hope I can play well.”

Kerber, the only previous winner left in the women’s draw, wrapped up the first set with ease and had the composure to see off the Muchova’s spirited effort in the second.

It marked her 10th consecutive win on grass, having won the Bad Homburg Open in June.

“I’m really looking forward to playing against Ash,” said Kerber. “We have never played on grass court.

She’s played so great the last few months, years.

“I know that I have to play my best tennis, and she will push me to that, to give everything out there.”

Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson

SportsMax - Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson continues to send clear signals that she will be a force to be reckoned with in the sprints this Olympics, after registering a convincing win over the Bahamas’ Shaunae MillerUibo, at the Gyulai István Memorial meet, yesterday.

Jackson, who was formerly a 400m specialist, stepped down to the shorter distances this year and has had impressive results. The sprinter clocked new personal bests of 10.77 and

21.82 last month at her c o u n t r y ’s n a t i o n a l championships.

In Hungary, yesterday, the runner continued in that vein, dismissing the field to finish first in 21.96. Jackson seized control of the race early and comfortably held off a typically fast-finishing Miller-Uibo, who took second in 22.15. Dafne Schippers, the 2017 World Champion, was third in 22.70.

In other action, both Caribbean athletes in the

men’s 110m hurdles failed to secure a podium spot.

Jamaica’s Ronald Levy finished fourth with a time of 13.25 and Shane Brathwaite was 7th in 14.10. The race was won by the United States’ Grant Halloway who took the top spot with a time of 13.08.

In the women’s 400m hurdles, Jamaica’s Janieve Russell took third in a season’s best 53.68. The race was won by Netherland’s Femke Bol in a meet record 52.81.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 30

Wednesday July 07, 2021

England ODI squad forced to self-isolate after positive Covid-19 tests Ben Stokes to captain replacement team against Pakistan after three players, four management test positive

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SPNcricinfo England’s entire ODI squad has been forced to self-isolate two days before the start of their series against Pakistan following seven positive Covid-19 tests among the team’s players and management.

Three players and four members of management returned positive results from a round of PCR testing in Bristol on Monday, after the third ODI against Sri Lanka. “In collaboration with Public Health England, Public Health Wales and Bristol Local Health Authority, those impacted will now observe a period of self-isolation from July 4 following the UK Government’s protocol on quarantine,” an ECB statement said.

“The remaining members of the party have been deemed close contacts and will also isolate.”

The ECB confirmed that the limited-overs series against Pakistan will go ahead as planned, with Ben Stokes due to return to international duty ahead of schedule and captain the squad, which features nine uncapped players. Several have been pulled out of the ongoing round of County Championship fixtures to join up with the new squad and will undertake PCR tests in order to ensure the safety of the new squad.

Chris Silverwood, England’s head coach who had been due to take time off during the white-ball series, will return to oversee the team. Both of Silverwood’s assistants, Graham Thorpe and Paul Collingwood, were part of the group now having to self-isolate.An ECB

England’s entire squad has been forced to self-isolate. (AFP/Getty Images) spokesperson confirmed that the majority of those who tested positive are asymptomatic, with those unwell not currently experiencing “significant” issues. The 10-day isolation period, backdated to July 4, means all involved are ruled out of the three Pakistan ODIs, to be held at Cardiff, Lord’s and Edgbaston.

Tom Harrison, the ECB’s chief executive, said: ‘’We have been mindful that the emergence of the Delta variant, along with our move away from the stringent enforcement of biosecure environments, could increase the chances of an outbreak. We made a strategic choice to try to adapt protocols, in order to support the overall wellbeing of our players and management staff who have spent much of the last 14 months living in very restricted conditions.

“Overnight we have worked swiftly to identify a new squad, and we are

grateful to Ben Stokes who will return to England duties to captain. We also recognise the impact this news will have on our first-class counties and their men’s playing squads and thank them, along with our partners Sky and Royal London, for their ongoing support in dealing with this pandemic.’’

The ECB had been keen to move away from the idea of biosecure “bubbles” this summer, amid a recognition of the toll such restrictions take on players and staff.

England have a Covid compliance officer, Phil Davies, who has been advising the squad on what they are able to do in and around different venues, depending on local data.

England players are also part of the nationwide vaccination programme Jason Roy posted on Instagram about receiving his first jab on Monday.

Everyone in the group had received at least one shot of

Sabalenka finally bares her teeth on big stage LONDON (Reuters) Aryna Sabalenka wears a tiger tattoo on her left forearm and packs a fearsome punch with a mighty serve but until this week the world number two has played more like a kitten at the Grand Slam events.

Yesterday, however, the 23-year-old Belarusian bared her claws in ferocious fashion to power past Tunisian Ons Jabeur 6-4 6-3 and reach the semi-finals at Wimbledon.

Despite being the second seed, few would have batted an eyelid had Sabalenka joined the exodus of the big names in the first week of the tournament.

After all, despite an impressive 10 career WTA titles, she had never got past the second round at Wimbledon and her deepest runs at a Grand Slam were to the fourth round at the 2018 U.S. Open and this year’s Australian Open.

Entering this year ’s

Wimbledon she was the only top-20 seed yet to reach a major quarter-final, but something appears to have clicked and finally she has harnessed her natural power and athleticism with greater self-belief.

“I was struggling on the Grand Slams with all emotions going through.

After every slam I was so disappointed about myself that I can’t handle this pressure,” she told reporters, (Continued on page 25)

the vaccine.

There has still been a regular testing regime, which led to a number of match officials going into isolation after the T20I series against Sri Lanka as a result of a positive test for Phil Whitticase, the match referee. Concerns around biosecurity also saw Sri

Lanka send home three players - Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka after an unsanctioned trip into Durham city centre.

England’s next opponents, Pakistan, have been been in managed isolation in Derby since arriving on June 25. The first

ODI is due to take place in Cardiff on Thursday, with the ECB indicating there would be no changes to the schedule or ticketing arrangements. The second ODI, at Lord’s on Saturday, is in line to be at full capacity as part of a government pilot.

The PCB released a statement saying it had been in close contact with the ECB over “concerns about the health and safety of its players” after being informed of developments on Monday evening.

“The PCB is satisfied by the assurances and guarantees provided by the ECB on behalf of its medical panel, and feels comfortable with the existing protocols that have been put in place to ensure all the Pakistan players and player support staff remain safe and secure throughout the duration of the series,” the board said.

“The PCB has also been in touch with its team management and has advised them to exercise extra caution while in the hotel or at the match venue.”

Hurkacz sends Medvedev crashing out and sets Federer date

Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz ousted second seed Daniil Medvedev.

LONDON (Reuters) - Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz ousted second seed Daniil Medvedev after the pair returned yesterday to finish their rain-hit match and reached his maiden major quarter-final where he will meet eight-time Wimbledon winner Roger Federer.

World No.2 Medvedev was leading Hurkacz by two sets to one on Monday with the fourth set on serve when play was cancelled for the day because of rain after the players had spent two hours and 25 minutes on Court Two. But the 24-year-old Hurkacz, seeded 14th, looked a completely different player when the match restarted under the closed roof of Centre Court, triumphing 2-6 7-6(2) 3-6 6-3 6-3.

“Playing on this unbelievable court, probably the best in the world, with an amazing crowd is really special,” Hurkacz said in his on-court interview.

“Daniil is an unbelievable player. We battled so hard on Number Two Court. So to win is incredible... I knew I needed to get off

to a strong start today and I think I did a pretty good job.”

Hurkacz could not have hoped for a better start as he broke Medvedev immediately after the resumption with the Russian doublefaulting on break point. The Pole then held serve to level the match at two sets each.

Medvedev took a comfort break at the end of the fourth set having just played two games but things did not change when he returned to court.

The Pole broke the Russian’s serve to love at the start of the deciding set to continue his ascendancy before a second break sealed the fate of the contest with Medvedev finding the net with a low forehand volley on match point.

Next up for the world number 18 will be the 39-year-old Federer, the 20-time major winner, who defeated him in their only previous meeting in 2019 at Indian Wells.

“Roger, what he does, the titles he has won, is a real inspiration,” Hurkacz said about the Swiss great. “I will be hoping to get a little bit of support tomorrow.”

Wednesday July 07, 2021

Kaieteur News

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