K
AIETEUR NEWS
Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly
Granger denies Mingo’s vote rigging in Washington Post
Wednesday Edition July 08, 2020 - Vol. 15 No. 27
Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Price $80
Online readership yesterday, 135,369
Former APNU MP and Linden Mayor benefit
state lands from NICIL
CCJ ruling on COVID-19 Guyana elections precaution: recount set for today PSC calls on police to enforce rule of law without favour
A nurse checks a man’s temperature before allowing him to enter the Supreme Court yesterday.
- endorses ERC’s call for “responsible” behaviour
US Congressman supports Secretary of State’s decision to take action against those undermining Guyana’s democracy
Miner buried Man killed alive after over horse - residents torch pit caves in dispute suspect’s house
2nd wave of COVID-19…
Int’l market to lose 2.5 million barrels of oil per day - Rystad Energy
Granger enters major contracts, appointments, etc. - despite promising not to do so in 2019
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday July 08, 2020
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL TEL:624-6456 Editor: Sharmain Grainger Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
What will be the reaction after the CCJ rules? We wait again on our betters at the CCJ, for what is pronounced sometime today, on how we should proceed about our elections business. This latest journey to the CCJ reveals much about what is wrong here, in its rancid intellectual ferment. Looked at panoramically, it is about what is wrong in our hearts, our thinking about things, and about how we have come to evaluate matters, especially elections. Given our crippled state, appealing to the CCJ brings the conclusion that such is always inevitable. It is the unsteadiness of our reliance upon ourselves, our level of trust, our confidence in our truths, and that we are no less honourable in the way we approach the burning issues of our nation. Look at us now before the CCJ, with the world watching. They see effortlessly our limitations laid bare, our pride denuded, our embarrassments and humiliations piled mountain high. We are so deficient in learning and skills that we need judges from foreign shores. We are so lacking in lawyerly prowess that we have to obtain counsel to interpret and advocate on behalf of our own constitution. Then, we turn around and seek to influence them or curse them. Our local lawyers are loud with appealing superficialities that ring sweetly. Things such as what is constitutional and unconstitutional, what is valid and invalid, and what should be credible and not. The great majority of them thunder about travesty and transparency, while only a few can stand up to the same in their personal and professional lives. They are so paltry and pathetic in the practice of their profession that we are forced to reach for men more learned, more skilled, more versatile in the dexterities and intricacies of their thinking to lead us from the dark abyss in which we are so hopelessly trapped. And this is on our selection of a government, our reading of our constitution.We are so crippled as a society that an exercise as rudimentary and routine as counting our votes prompts the Mayday calls for clean foreign eyes, clean foreign minds, and clean foreign hands to oversee us decide upon a leader and a government. When that succeeds in taking us only so far, then we resolve to repeat the dependency by reaching for the clearer heads and trustworthiness of our foreign brethren in the CCJ. On matters of elections, the CCJ is our automatic default option. The question is whether we will listen to what comes from the CCJ later today. In a nutshell, will we manifest to be about the law, and not of the calculations and manipulations of men? All eyes are on the coalition leadership mainly. How will it respond, and what will be the options of its opponents, for that matter, all of the rest of us trapped citizens? Once again, our hope is that there will be faithful adherence to what is adjudicated by the CCJ, no matter the individual (or collective groundswell) of disappointments that the ruling(s) did not go the way anticipated, that there is defect-imagined, faked, or instigated-in whatever it hands down.Because our mentalities are so configured and devoted towards the warped, we see things and people that haunt and horrify, where the truth of the matter is that there are none. For even the esteemed jurists of the CCJ have come under fire; they are leaned on, in a most unbecoming manner, to go the coalition’s way. But because our political leaders, their supporters, and most other citizens are so unswervingly suspicious, even now there is some sentiment that underhanded conspiracy is in the works, and that it will result in electoral injustice. This is what we have done locally while mangling people and process. This is what we have now taken a step farther to Trinidad, which puts the CCJ in a bad spot, and subjects it to taint, should it rule a certain way. We have exhausted every option locally, today we depend on the results of the CCJ’s deliberations, and even that voice the coalition appears ready to blank out and disregard. May better sense prevail, and may it not be so. Soon enough, we will demonstrate how much we are of the legal and constitutional and the judicial. Or how we really are at the core, meaning only of the weaknesses of unprincipled men.
The UK wants a positive relationship between China over Hong Kong, but will not overlook responsibilities DEAR EDITOR, My good friend the Chinese Ambassador laid out his Governments position on Hong Kong in a letter published in the media on 17 June. As the other signatory to the relevant agreements, let me take this opportunity to lay out the UK position. In short, we believe Beijings imposition of a wideranging national security law in Hong Kong is a grave and deeply disturbing step and (as the Foreign Secretary, the Rt. Hon. Dominic Raab, said on 01 July) constitutes a clear and serious violation of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration. We are firm in our belief that the law violates the high degree of autonomy enjoyed by the executive, legislative and judiciary in Hong Kong and is in direct conflict with Hong Kongs Basic Law. The Foreign Secretarys statement (https:/ /www.gov.uk/government/ speeches/foreign-secretarystatement-on-nationalsecurity-legislation-in-hongkong) sets out our concerns
in more detail. As the Foreign Secretary said on 01 July: Today I have the depressing but necessary duty to report to the House that the enactment of this legislation, imposed by the authorities in Beijing on the people of Hong Kong, constitutes a clear and serious breach of the joint declaration … China has broken its promise to the people of Hong Kong under its own laws, and has breached its international obligations to the United Kingdom under the joint declaration. Having committed to applying the UNs international covenant on civil and political rights to the people of Hong Kong, China has now written into law wide-ranging exemptions that cannot credibly be reconciled with its international obligations or its responsibilities as a leading member of the international community. There should be no doubt that the UK will not duck our
historic responsibilities to the people of Hong Kong. We will now proceed to change the arrangements for those holding British Nationals (Overseas) status and their family dependants. This will provide them with a route to British citizenship. We will also continue to raise our concerns with China and press for a solution which respects the long-standing One Country, Two Systems. However, Chinas disregard for its international obligations should be concerning for us all as it goes against fundamental principles of international law and the rules based international system. The Joint Declaration is a legally binding, international treaty, registered with the UN. China has breached that treaty. As the Foreign Secretary also said: We want a positive relationship with China. We recognise its growth, its stature, and the powerful role it can play in the world. It is precisely because we respect
China as a leading member of the international community that we expect the Chinese Government to meet their international obligations and live up to their international responsibilities. They have failed to do so with respect to Hong Kong by enacting legislation that violates its autonomy and threatens the strangulation of its freedoms. It is a sad day for the people of Hong Kongone that can only undermine international trust in the Chinese Governments willingness to keep its word and live up to its promises. Let me conclude by saying the UK wants a positive relationship with China. The Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister have made that clear. But we will not look the other way when it comes to Hong Kong and we will not ignore our responsibilities to its people. Regards, Greg Quinn UK High Commissioner to Guyana
The Richmond Hill Playground has been slated for sale by NICIL
DEAR EDITOR, This concerns the Richmond Hill Playground which is located in Linden. I am a resident of Richmond Hill located in Mackenzie and this is a quiet neighbourhood where residents are not confrontational. This community playground I must say is owned by NICIL but has always been earmarked historically as the playground. On the plan it is stated as an open space. The playground has been unused for a number of years. Recently I noticed in the news that NICIL is selling lands around Guyana but I didn’t expect them to sell a community playground. From the knowledge I have, I know this is totally wrong as the land should be used for that purpose alone and not for housing. At this time an individual is erecting a structure to edge of the playground and on inspecting the playfield there are survey markers at different locations on the field. Some residents are very concerned about this development but no one wants to come forward so I have chosen this avenue for I do not have the resources to challenge legally at this point in time. I have attached a picture of said playground and structure being erected. Kevin Spencer
Distinguished artist, Francis Ferreira, has passed away DEAR EDITOR, Francis Ferreira, a distinguished Guyanese artist has passed away. He will be remembered for his more than four decades contributed to the visual arts both at home and abroad. Two times winner of the National Visual Arts competi-
tion, Francis placed second in the Guyana Visual Arts Competition 2018. He was an Executive member of the Guyana United Artists (GUA) and Founder of the Main Street Group of Artists. The Guyana United Artists have experienced the loss of some of its most prolific and
outstanding members over the past two years including Winston Strick, Mervin Phillips, and Peter Edwards. Remaining members who have migrated from Guyana are Gary Thomas, Aubrey Estwick, Ras Ita, Carl Anderson. Our ranks are depleted (Continued on page 5)
Wednesday July 08, 2020
We are heading from a democracy to a dictatorship DEAR EDITOR, With everything that is happening right now regarding the elections impasse and threat to our democracy I find it fitting to share with the readers my little understanding of what constitutes a democracy and why its important for Guyanas democracy to remain intact. According to the M e r r i a m - We b s t e r dictionary a democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free and fair elections. The elected government is tasked with managing the affairs of the State. This would include: foreign diplomacy; military defense; maintenance of domestic order; administration of justice; provision of public goods and services; promotion of economic growth and development; and the operation of socialinsurance and social-welfare programs among other things. It is also worthy to note that the administration of the state should be done so that the majority of citizens can benefit, not just a select few. In Guyanas case, our elections are held every 5 years and its during this period where the citizens get to determine if they are satisfied with the performance of the current government or if they need to elect a new government who they perceive will act in their best interest. Elections in my opinion serve as a form of checks and balance on the executive, which minimizes the executives ability to abuse the trust that citizens placed in them.
Now if we go back to the definition of the term democracy, we would see that the power to elect the government is in the hands of the citizens. On March 2, 2020, the citizens of Guyana exercised that right and voted to elect a government of their choice. Whether specific individuals or parties agree with the outcome, its not for them to decide, its for the majority of Guyanese based on the legitimate CARICOM observed recount it clearly shows that in excess of 15,000 Guyanese wants the PPP/C to govern the affairs of the State instead of the current caretaker APNU+AFC government. This is the result which reflects the will of the people as provided for in a democracy, hence the will of the people should be respected if we want Guyana to remain a democratic state. I assume that the current APNU+AFC caretaker government is of the view that they are better poised to govern Guyana, but unfortunately for them they are not the ones to decide. And if they continue in their attempts to suppress the will of the people and take away the right from the citizens to elect a government of their choice, Guyana will be moving away from a democracy and heading towards a dictatorship. Now some readers may ask what a dictatorship is, using the same MerriamWebster dictionary a dictatorship can be defined as a form of government in which absolute power is concentrated in a dictator or a small clique. Using the current scenario and if Guyana is to slip into a dictatorship it means that the PNC, which is disguised as APNU+AFC, will have the
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absolute power to select who will rule the country, as they are currently attempting to do and there would be no electoral process. Thus a President will be forced upon the citizens whether they approve of the individual or not. The citizens wouldnt have a choice in deciding who governs the country. Many of you may recall the unilateral appointment of retired Justice James Patterson in October, 2017, which was done by Caretaker President Granger, luckily the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) was there to intervene and rule that the appointment was unconstitutional. However, if Guyana is to slip into a dictatorship, the dictators would take away any jurisdiction which the CCJ currently has. And the APNU+AFC dictators will be the ones making the laws and enforcing same. They will also be free to employ their family and friends in strategic positions and pay them large salaries. So we must ask ourselves if this is the Guyana we want, where our leaders are not held accountable and are free to do as they please. If its not then, we must reject the brazen attempts at transforming Guyana into a dictatorship which the APNU+AFC is currently seeking to do. Regards, Ronley Kendall
GECOM Chair can retrieve electoral is not certain of the duress dia critiques of her actions situation under which the Chair found resulting in the nation seeing DEAR EDITOR, GECOM Chair Ret d Justice Claudette Singh has come under critiques and scandalous attacks in the media (including social media) over her management (and supervision) of the counting and recounting of ballots and her instruction to the CEO Lowenfield on a declaration of the final results. She trusted certain staff and Commissioners who are not impartial and professional and apparently misled her. These scathing critiques, criticism, and attacks are unsubstantiated and should be ignored. The Chair deserves praise for her work. It is not easy managing a divided Commission of three government and three opposition Commissioners each side competing for support of their position. She has been eminently fair at every stage of the process. At each stage of the electoral process, she looked at both sides of the equation and made the right decision that allowed the election, count and recount to occur. At times, she went out her way to be fair, unbiased, and objective. She has been courageous to straddle a middle road by following the law. And she seemingly takes a position that dots every “I” and crosses every “t”. It is true the Chair could have ordered Mingo to end the fraud on March 4, but one
herself that day and the next week. Since then, however, she has functioned impartially and professionally, especially when complaints of fraudulent count were brought to her attention and where she recognized the law was violated. She has been consistent in upholding the law. Along this line, I am confident that the Chair would act expeditiously to bring the declaration of the results to an end right after the CCJ ruling regardless of how the Apex Court rule. The recount order cannot be violated. Otherwise, it would lead to sanctions on GECOM staff, politicians, and the business community for aiding and abetting fraud. It is human to make errors. Election trained lawyers I spoke with point out that minor errors were made in the management of the count and the instruction given to Lowenfield to prepare the statement of final declaration. The leniency and tolerance of the Chair allowed Lowenfield to execute his skullduggery to favor one side She now has an opportunity to correct previous errors as well as to take a neutral, lawful position in bringing the process to closure. She must act firmly and sternly in dealing with Lowenfield and the commissioners the recount is lawful and is complete. It is time for a declaration of the results. This would end me-
Distinguished artist, Francis... From page 4 five of the remaining 11 senior artists are unwell, sick, and in need of proper medical treatment. Going blind is a common medical problem for many sculptors. As the General Secretary of the GUA, I have always highlighted the plight of the
senior artists who have given their golden years to this country and at the end of the day die of lack of money to buy basic food items, medication and who cant afford to have the services of private medical institutions. If the Georgetown Public Hospital was a “better” place
Guyanese politicians wouldnt have to seek overseas medical attention.Our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Francis Ferreira. May his soul rest in peace. Yours Faithfully Desmond Alli (General Secretary Guyana United Artists GUA)
her as a heroine protecting Guyanas democracy and free and fair election. The chair gave a general, as opposed to a specific, directive to the CEO on the data to be used to prepare the final declaration. She must send him an addendum and which tables to use for the declaration. The CEO cannot produce an opinionated result. As argued by observers and according to ROPA, it must be based on the CARICOM monitored publicized recount of valid votes that was also approved by the Chair and a majority of the Commission, four of seven members. The chair has an opportunity to correct past errors and retrieve the electoral situation. The country expects her to now do the right thing and declare the right winner as per the recount. So far, she has followed the letter and spirit of the law. The chair must continue to follow the law after the CCJ ruling and not be influenced by critiques, attacks, threats, and emotions. That is why she is called the iron lady and is seen by many as mother of democracy. She will build her reputation by acting decisively and courageously. The whole world is now looking at what the chair would do to address expected defiance from the CEO. She must follow the law. Her decision must be one of justice and fair play. Her decision and instruction to the CEO for a final declaration must fit the circumstances of over four months of unnecessary delay that must serve the interest of justice and be guided by the CARICOM-monitored recount. If she acts accordingly, her poll numbers would be stratospheric. Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram
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Wednesday July 08, 2020
Grangers policy shift on police heads retirement is hypocritical and sinister DEAR EDITOR, David Granger, still squatting in the President’s Office, last week instructed the Chief of Staff of the GDF, Brigadier Patrick West, to proceed on pre-retirement leave. Brigadier West will reach retirement age next year, but has accumulated nine months of deferred annual leave to cover all remaining time on the job. Last week, in accordance with policy Mr. Granger himself insisted on when he assumed the Presidency in 2015, Mr. Granger instructed the Chief of Staff to immediately embark on his pre-retirement leave, effectively ending his tenure as Chief of Staff. By itself, this is innocuous, consistent with policy. Still, given that a new President is soon to be sworn in, and a new government, the practice is that the new President would have been the best person to effect this movement and to select the person to act as the Chief of Staff until the time for the formal installation of a new Chief of Staff. But this diversion from best-practice is a story for another time. The same exact circumstances exist with the Police Commissioner, Mr. Leslie James, who will attain retirement age early next year. Like Brigadier West, Mr. James has accumulated more deferred annual leave (ten months) than the time left before his retirement. He should have proceeded on pre-retirement leave several months ago, if the policy Mr. Granger
insisted on in 2015 was applied. On Tuesday (June 30), Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, the squatter in the Ministry of Public Security, confessed he has no idea why Mr. James had still not proceeded on pre-retirement leave. Once a reporter posted this story, Ramjattan, as usual, denied he said such things. Regardless, the continued presence of Mr. James on the job is not in accordance with policy, the same policy Mr. Granger used to instruct the Chief of Staff of the GDF to immediately proceed on pre-retirement leave. The same set of circumstances applies to the Deputy Police Commissioner, Ms. Maxine Graham. She has accumulated six months deferred annual leave, more time than time left for her retirement. She is still on the job. The policy that was applied so effectively by David Granger in the case of Brigadier West has not been applied for the two most senior officers in the Guyana Police Force. Given West was so quickly vanquished, why the special and differential treatment for James and Graham? Why has Granger acted so resolutely when it comes to Brigadier West of the GDF, but applies a different set of lens, for the Guyana Police Force? Granger, uncharacteristically, responded rather quickly to this question. He has indicated that the two most senior officers of the police force are engaged in an
ongoing operation related to the March 2 elections and it is not an appropriate time for them to proceed on pre-retirement leave. This explanation leaves more questions than answers. If the reason specified by Mr. Granger is an ongoing special operation, how come the squatter Ramjattan is unaware? Inquiring Guyanese minds are now busy with rampant speculation, given the special and differential application of the pre-retirement policy, particularly in the midst of a barefaced attempt to steal the March 2 elections. It is not unreasonable for most Guyanese to think something is seriously amiss. It comes at a time when it was reported that two weekends ago, Mr. Granger called in the Chief of Staff of the Army for a meeting at Granger’s home. There was no information as to the nature of that meeting. It comes at a time, more sinisterly, when Mr. Granger staged a radio show in which he made pellucid he expects GECOM to use Lowenfield’s bogus report to declare him the winner. That Mr. Granger so unequivocally informed the nation only Lowenfield’s tabulation must be considered for the swearing in of the President lead most Guyanese and other stakeholders outside of Guyana to believe Granger will stage a coup d’état in our country, through a thieving of the elections. Since Granger ’s pro-
nouncements, two things derailed Granger’s last weekend swearing in plan. The CCJ set a date for its decision on July 8. More significantly, the US Secretary of State (equivalent to a Foreign Affairs Minister) announced he has instructed his staff to prepare sanctions against those who are trying to steal Guyana’s elections. Mr. Pompeo’s declaration that the US has shifted gears from threatening sanction to implementing a sanction regime has caused Mr. Granger to sober
up a little and again fall back on his posture he is awaiting a declaration from GECOM. Mr. Granger’s hypocrisy relating to the March 2 elections leaves too many Guyanese suspicious of the differential actions taken with the Heads of the army and the police. The election shenanigans have led the majority of Guyanese to see sinister motives, thinking maybe Mr. Granger did not have confidence in Brigadier West’s willingness to go
along with any planned illegal occupation of the government, disregarding the elections results. Therefore, the policy of pre-retirement leave only applied to him and not other security officials. It is also unfair on both the Police Commissioner and his deputy because it gives the impression that both are willing to go along with Granger’s illegal path. Yours truly, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy
This global shutdown is unprecedented and will have unprecedented consequences DEAR EDITOR, The Treasury Yield Curve went negative at the end of June 2020. The Treasury Yield Curve is a benchmark for other debt such as bank lending rates and mortgage rate and is used to predict economic output and growth. This indicates that the United States economy is contracting. Forty percent of the US is either halting reopening or shutting back down. Guyanas number one trading partner is the US and the majority of tourists and remittance to Guyana comes from the US. This mean Guyana must innovate to thrive in the global recession. US Presidential Election is in November 2020 and whoever wins will have to increase
taxes to mitigate the economic haemorrhage the US is experiencing. The US is borrowing 51 cents for every dollar it spends. Its debt is 26.5 trillion dollars or 133% of GDP. This means US citizens will have less disposable income as their government increase taxes. Along with the economic recession, the reduced real net income will reduce tourism and remittance from the US. All other economic activity even the consumption of oil will decrease. More inter-regional trade and a more robust internal economy need to develop. Import substitution to reduce the need for US dollars must become a priority. The US has the most cases and
debt of COVID-19 and will likely take the longest to recover. Their chaotic political situation will not help. This is a lean time where the fundamentals such as food, shelter and clothing will be become modal and premium commodities. There is precedent in human history where more than half of the global economy shut down and only essential services were allowed to function. This means there will be unprecedented consequences and no amount of monetary policy will increase production and consumption. People are scared and scared people consume less; focusing on essentials. Yours truly, Brian Ellis Plummer
Wednesday July 08, 2020
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Granger enters into major contracts, appointments, etc - despite promising to not do so in 2019 Incumbent President, David Granger, has entered into a plethora of multi-million dollar contracts and appointed a number of state boards, despite promising to not do so in 2019. This was following the Consequential Orders handed down by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) which validly passed the December 21, 2018 no-confidence motion. On July 14, 2019, following the consequential orders and declarations of the CCJ, the Granger administration had accepted that it was in “caretaker” mode. In fact, the Government said it will restrain the exercise of its legal authority. “This means that while the Government will continue its routine management of the country, it will also address urgent issues that are in the public interest,” the Granger government had noted in a statement to the press on that evening. Later on September 19, 2019 the CCJ determined that, by convention: “the Government is expected to behave during the interim period as a caretaker and be so restrained in the exercise of its lawful authority.” Granger said, “My Government has accepted that it is now in an ‘interim’ mode. Government is exercising restraint on its executive authority. Overseas travel by Ministers has been restricted to
essential. No new policy is being implemented nor are any major agreements being signed…” However in a matter of months, post the March 2, General and Regional elections, the Granger-led administration not only awarded billions of dollars in contracts but acres of prime East Coast lands to developers, appointed members across state boards, among other major undertakings. From March 3 to June 22, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) had awarded over $2B in contracts for just over 45 governmental projects, according to information gleaned from NPTAB’s website on contracts awarded during that period, as a previous Kaieteur News article revealed. A $1B contract to retrofit the Ocean View Hotel on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), a $352M contract which was awarded to BK International Incorporated to construct rip rap sea defenses in Mahaicony, Region Five; the awarding of 130 acres of prime land situated on the ECD which have a price tag of millions of dollars, are just some of the big-money projects that have been awarded by the tender administration board since March 2.. Other contracts, which are smaller when compared to the enormous contracts listed
Incumbent President David Granger above, include $107M awarded to General Engineering Supplies for ‘operations and security of National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) mobile and fixed pumps’ within Regions Two, Three and Four; $84M awarded to Rampaign Wilson Construction for the remodeling and rehabilitation of two police stations, one in Wismar, Region 10 and the other in Mahdia, Region Eight; and $60M awarded to Memorex Enterprise for operation, servicing and monitoring of heavy-duty equipment under the NDIA. These contracts listed are just three of some 43 plus contracts, which carry a price tag of $838M in total, as NPTAB data shows. The award of such contracts in a post-election environment is problematic, as Section 54 of the Procurement Act of Guyana specifically
states that, “The Cabinet shall have the right to review all procurements the value of which exceeds fifteen million Guyana dollars. The Cabinet shall conduct its review on the basis of a streamlined tender evaluation report to be adopted by the authority mentioned in Section 17 (2).” The Act went on to state that, “The Cabinet and, upon its establishment, the Public Procurement Commission, shall review annually the Cabinet’s threshold for review of procurements, with the objective of increasing that threshold over time so as to promote the goal of progressively phasing out Cabinet involvement and decentralizing the procurement process.” By taking into consideration that the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance
For Change (APNU+AFC) dissolved Parliament in December of last year, it leaves questions regarding which constitutional body the government received approval from to award the contracts such as the $1B renovations to the Ocean View Hotel, BK’s $352M sea defense project, as well as the contract to market Guyana’s portion of oil. Even as the Procurement Board had announced that it had raised the threshold for ministries and State agencies for goods and services to $10M, while the limits for construction contracts would be $15M, these projects go way above that threshold. In addition, the coalition had illegally appointed 44 members across five state boards, which was an order posted in the Official Gazette. According to the order,
which was signed by de facto Minister of State, Dawn Hastings, on June 22nd, five were appointed to the Environmental Assessment Board (EAB); seven to the Wildlife Scientific Committee (WSC); nine to the Protected Areas Commission (PAC); 11 to the Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC) and another 11 to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The order states that these appointments under the presidential sector are set to come into “immediate effect” and are expected to last for the duration of one year. Former Attorney General and executive of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C), Anil Nandlall, had posited that these appointments were “wholly illegal” and linked the fall of Cabinet to such.
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Wednesday July 08, 2020
Kaieteur News
Scotiabank to close Bartica branch The Bartica branch of Scotiabank to be closed in November.
Canadian-owned Scotiabank has announced the consolidation of its Bartica, Region 7 branch with that of the one at Parika. “The Bartica Branch will close on November 27, 2020. This decision was made after careful consideration of several factors including the ever changing customer landscape and how and where we can best serve our customers.” The bank yesterday said that this consolidation will result in the transfer of its customer accounts at the Bartica branch to the Parika location, East Bank Essequibo, effective November 27, 2020. “Customers will be contacted with details on their accounts. Should customers not wish for their accounts to be transferred to Parika, they are asked to contact us on 223 4357 (HELP) to discuss alternative options.” The bank, which had contemplated selling
its operations in Guyana, and a number of Caribbean territories, said that in addition to its remaining branch locations, it has made significant investments in digital banking. It had cancelled the sale after local authorities would have reportedly met with them. The bank said it is pleased to offer customers robust alternate banking platforms such as Scotia OnLine and Mobile Banking, ATMs, and TeleScotia. “These help customers bank safely and securely, 24/7 eliminating the need to visit the branch. We do anticipate as with any change there will be questions. Our customers may find it helpful to speak with a branch advisor for useful tips on their accounts and the transition and stay tuned to gy.scotiabank.com for updates.”
PSC calls on police to enforce rule of law without favour - endorses ERC’s call for “responsible” behaviour
The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has called on the Commissioner of Police to ensure that the Force applies the law without favour, against attempts to incite or participate in public disorder. The Commission made these comments in light of protests carried out by supporters of APNU+AFC on Monday, warning the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) not to interfere with Guyana’s sovereignty in its ruling. The Coalition’s campaign manager had told the Court that to assume jurisdiction in the recount case, set for a ruling today, would be a violation by the Court of its enabling treaty. “We believe it unfortunate that any one of the political parties currently represented in the case before the CCJ should attempt to preju-
PSC Chair, Gerry Gouveia dice the ruling of our Apex Court in the matter before it,” the PSC stated. “We however, recognize the rights and freedom of peaceful and orderly protest but we wish to emphasize that political street protest at this particularly sensitive time by one political party can rapidly invite counter protest from their opponents with real potential for these
protest to descend into disorderly and possibly violent behaviour.” Both major parties have been making public statements seen by some sections of society as intending to prejudice the ruling of the Court. The PSC said that all leaders and stakeholder groups should act in a much more responsible manner and to ensure those whom they influence do likewise. It also reaffirmed its demand for all stakeholders to respect the rule of law and the democratic process.In addition, it endorsed the statement of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) “for all Leaders and Stakeholder Groups to act in a much needed responsible manner and to ensure those whom they influence do likewise”.
Wednesday July 08, 2020
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Today’s decision is not about who wins the elections
T
he outcome of the elections of 2nd March 2020 will not be decided today by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ); it will be decided later this week by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). It is unfortunate that expectations are being engineered on both sides of the political divide that today’s verdict by the CCJ is decisive to the outcome of the elections. This is far from the truth and it is regrettable that so many persons are misinformed as to what is taking place at the CCJ today. The ruling today has nothing to do with who has won the elections. There is only one winner today and that is constitutional certainty. The case before the CCJ is about the interpretation of Guyana’s Constitution; it will not decide who will govern Guyana for the next five years. It does not matter how the CCJ rules today. The Chairperson of GECOM has to declare the results and announce the winner. In so doing she is not bound by any nefarious report of the Chief Elections Officer. In making a declaration
she is required to only be advised by the Chief Elections Officer. Advice does not imply acceptance. As was the case in the past when there was an erroneous calculation of the results of the 2011 elections, GECOM can refuse to accept an erroneous report and send it back for amendment. There is a history to this issue about the GECOM Chairman being advised by the Chief Elections Officer. In the 1997 elections, former Chairman of the Commission, Doodnauth Singh, made a declaration without even informing the full Commission. This was because he was prescient enough to foresee the plot which was being hatched by the PNC to force an annulment of the declaration of a President. He therefore swore in Janet Jagan as President in order to avoid a greater crisis. One Commissioner was so aggrieved that she broke down into tears upon learning of the decision. Don’t ask me why. During the Constitutional Reform process which followed those elections, certain changes were made to the Constitution to avoid a dec-
laration being made before a full meeting of the Commission was summoned. Among the amendments made therefore was that the Chairman should first be advised by the Chief Elections Officer and that there has to be a meeting of the Commission. The intent was clearly to prevent a declaration being made behind the backs of the Commission but the constitutional changes were never intended to bind the Chairperson or the Commission to whatever report was submitted by the Chief Elections Officer. Were this so, it would invert Article 161 of the Constitution which gives the Commission overriding powers over the electoral process. Charles Dickens was wrong. The law is not an ass. The law will not condone an entire election being decided on the basis of the dishonest declarations by two men. The law did not countenance the Bingo numbers and it will not subscribe to any similar electoral perversion. If the law ever reaches that stage, then the law can no longer protect the people and the rule of law can be said to have been extinguished. If the Constitution be-
Dem boys seh ...
Cashing-in before de swearing-in De Waterfall newspaper report how de guvment doing a consultation about de design of de bridge wha Patto wan build across de river. Dem boy believe dat de consultation is sala-wala. It is a pappy show. It is a put on. Dat is wha dem boys believe. Dem boys know dat de guvment still is a caretaker administration and dem can’t go ahead with no major projects. But dem boys seh dat this is de hand-out season and dem boys feel dat somebody trying fuh hand-out a contract to somebody else dat they know. Dem boys feel this is how de guvment handing out kan-tracts to dem friends and cronies. Dem cashing-in before de swearingin. De money fuh de bridge nah coming from de Treasury. De guvment borrowing it from de Cee-Dee-Bee. And dem farrin bank does call fuh consultation so dat de project can look like if it approve by de people.
But dem boys know dat since de COVID19 restrictions in place, de consultation nah gun get people because is a virtual consultation. Instead of a consultation, dem boys feel dat deh gun have a confunction – sheer confunction nonsense. Dem boys believe in dem heart dat de design dun decide. And dat de virtual consultation is just fuh rubber-stamp what already agreed upon. Dem boys know dat de Cee- Dee-Bee following all wha going on in Guyana and dem nah gun move forward with any project until a new guvment get swear-in. So dem boys wan tell people nat fuh get excited about de consultation. Is just wan pappy show and de report wha gun come out of it gun get cancel when it land pun de CeeDee-Bee desk. Talk half and wait fuh de next consultation!
comes worthless, then tyranny reigns supreme. The Constitution protects your right to free speech. Without the protection of the Constitution, you can be silenced. The Constitution protects your freedom of movement. Without this protection your freedom to move can be restrained. The Constitution prevents you from being arbitrarily arrested or imprisoned. Without the protection of the Constitution, the government will be free to throw you in jail at their whim.
The law is not an ass and those who believe that they can do as they please and get away with it will have to answer to the law because without such accountability, there is no protection. Guyana must remain a country planted thick with laws. No one man must assume that he is above the law or for that matter the Constitution. If that materializes, all of us are in mortal danger. The decision today is not about who wins the elections.
It is rather about ensuring the protection of the rule of law through the rightful interpretation of the Constitution. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
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Wednesday July 08, 2020
Kaieteur News
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
I don’t give a damn who is Indian, African, White, etc. The more David Hinds write, the more he exposes a one-dimensional psyche in which the obsession with Guyanese of African ethnicity becomes almost psychotic. David seems mentally incapable of writing a sociological or political analysis without mentioning that he is African, that Guyanese Africans emerged from slavery, that African Guyanese need to have their due share. And it goes on and on. In his letter yesterday on me, it is the expected banal repetition – race, slavery, African Guyanese, etc. It has
become sad and tragic that an analyst can see only one dimension of Guyana‘s sociology. Of course you cannot win once you are non-African because the fall back position is inevitable. It is saturated in people like David Hinds. Here it is – we, non-African Guyanese will never understand how African Guyanese feel, because we don’t have the background of slavery. Unfortunately that cannot explain all the modern dilemmas of Guyana. And the reason is simple – others will contend that they came too and demand their share and
want respect. As David writes, the cobwebs are extending their tentacles and sadly he cannot see that. Here is a titanic contradiction. Let’s quote him; “African Guyanese embraced and protected Freddie when his newfound heroes wanted him expired.” By newfound heroes he means the PPP. So he should ask himself why the PPP wanted me killed and not him, Eric Phillips, Barrington Braithwaite, Tacuma Ogunseye, James Bond, etc. I must have done something terrible for the PPP to want to kill me. But if my memory serves me right, the PPP is Indian, I am Indian, who did not proclaim my Indianess and join my Indian brethren in the Indian led-PPP government the identical way David, Bond, Philips, Braithwaite, Ogunseye are sticking together with their African brethren in the PNC. Could it be that the PPP wanted me expired because I betrayed my Indian govern-
ment and criticize my Indian brethren in power? Or could it also be that I am just not interested in the ethnic composition of my government but their human rights record. I did not know that my African brethren protected me when my “new found heroes” wanted to kill me. The Kaieteur News owned by an Indian man did not succumb to the threats of the Indian government and stopped me from writing. Maybe that Indian owner also betrayed his Indian government by retaining me.As to my newfound heroes; this is where the moral bankruptcy of David can be found. I have “newfound heroes” all because I assert my right to vote for Lenox Shuman and want to have that vote counted. Because I want Guyanese to vote and to have free and fair elections in my country, the PPP is my newfound heroes. In his letter, David proclaims Kwayana is his hero. Nothing wrong with that. The world will see nothing wrong with that. What the world will see as wrong is when you imposed your icons on others. Kwayana is someone I have immense respect for, but he is not among my collection of heroes.
The 2020 election drama has shown me a side to Kwayana that has compelled me to examine the methodologies he has used to depict Guyanese contemporary political history the past 70 years. I am saying most unambiguously that I no longer see Kwayana the same way because his attitude on the election impasse tells me he does not analyze situations objectively. I get the pellucid impression that Kwayana selects facts that suit his purpose, intentions and agendas. I believe he has used those questionable methodologies to obscure facts that if not, the recording of Guyanese history would be richer. Here is a man who has more than a dozen publications on Guyanese historical events and when you look at his interpretations of the 2020 rigged election, it has to cause you to question the contents of those publications. He leaves independent media houses like Stabroek News and Kaieteur News and quotes from the Chronicle. He quotes from an APNU+AFC candidate, Ganesh Mahipaul but is deliberately oblivious to many opposition candi-
Frederick Kissoon dates some of whom have admirable integrity. He tells us that he cannot comment on Claudette Singh because he doesn’t have the facts. But he has the facts to know that campaign money was spent without it being accounted for. He knows there was postelection violence. How did he know about these things when he doesn’t live in Guyana? It is this same lopsided approach to fact-gathering that should cause us to question his objective analyses in his publications. Finally, David, I have no ethnic eye when I criticize people, something you wouldn’t understand. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Wednesday July 08, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Wednesday July 08, 2020
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Granger denies Mingo’s vote rigging in Washington Post P resident David Granger has denied, in the American daily newspaper The Washington Post, the only proven instances of vote rigging in Guyana’s 2020 electoral process, those of the fraudulent Region Four tabulations controlled by Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo. “I don’t see any corruption, any fraud,” the President told the Post in a recent interview. “If there’s any fraud, it went into the boxes when the ballots were cast March 2.”
The President’s comments are detailed in an article titled ‘Why Guyana’s political stalemate matters’ by the post’s columnist on foreign affairs, Ishaan Tharoor. The President has repeatedly refused to admit or even acknowledge the rigging which led to the Region Four declarations of March 5 and 13. He has instead, opted to say that the reason there had to be a national recount, is that the “irregularities” claimed by the coalition were discovered.
The coalition’s claims of procedural irregularities and voter impersonation were only made after the recount began, and are recorded in the recount observation reports. That these claims found their genesis only after the recount began is well documented by local media. The national recount was necessary because of two attempts by Mingo to rig the elections in favour of the APNU+AFC coalition. The first attempt led to a March 5 declaration which was found
Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo by the Court to be unlawful. As a result, it was vitiated by Chief Justice Roxane GeorgeWiltshire. The second attempt was through a tabulation marred by a lack of transparency and accusations of electoral fraud from five political parties, leading to a declaration on March 13. Its results were slightly numerically different from the first, but both were skewered to favour the coalition, though the national recount has found the PPP/C to have won the elections by 15,416 votes. The recount results have been certified as credible by CARICOM, and its conclusions are backed by all of the international observers. This newspaper’s investigations had uncovered that the scheme used by Mingo was one which added bogus
President David Granger
votes to APNU+AFC and subtracted valid votes from PPP/C, over a series of Region Four ballot boxes. This was confirmed repeatedly as the recount progressed. Not only did the recount correct Mingo’s figures, but it revealed that the Returning Officer, in his declarations, had conjured about 15,000 votes on top of the actual total of 460,352 valid votes cast in the general election. Much to the dismay of the international commun i t y, t h e c o a l i t i o n h a s taken an offensive stance against statements made by foreign diplomats, heads of government or activists which appear critical of APNU+AFC and its positions. In response to the constant protraction of the elections process, US Secretary
of State Mike Pompeo, on the trail of accusations that Guyana could become a rogue state, has ordered officials in his department to hold those who undermine Guyana’s democracy accountable, a move largely seen as indicative of the genesis of individual sanctions. Pompeo, the Organisation of American States (OAS) and CARICOM have all denounced what they term as “gamesmanship” which CARICOM’s outgoing Chair and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley said leaves much to be desired. Tharoor said that Granger told Today’s WorldView, a newsletter formed by the Post, that “Guyana is not a rogue state” and denied the claims, of gamesmanship, simply stating “I’m not a gamesman.”
Wednesday July 08, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Wednesday July 08, 2020
Hopetown resident joins elite band of 100 year olds
At centre: Dorcas Lynch is flanked by her two sisters
Dorcas Lynch a popular resident of Hopetown Village, West Coast Berbice has joined the elite band of centenarians. She is the second of 14 children from the union of the late Victor and Sarah Mars of Number Twenty-two Village, West Coast Berbice. During her childhood years, she was always involved in church activities as well as other activities organized within the community, and so she became a very popular personality within the district.
Her community involvement continued throughout her adult life until her age did not allow her to be as active. She was a member of the church choir, and she is still a member of the Mothers Union. Mrs. Lynch has been described as a devoted housewife and a farmer who gave birth to seven children, four of whom are still alive. She also has 19 grandchildren and 32 great grandchildren and 56 nieces and nephews. Mrs. Lynch always sought to instill sound discipline in her children. And they and their descendants have been showering her with love in return Among other things, Mrs Lynch was recognized on her birthday for the ice cream she made whenever the church needed. The centenarian resides
in the district surrounded by many relatives and close friends. She has three sisters alive, ages 89, 90 and 92, two of whom were there to celebrate with her, while the third, who lives overseas, joined via zoom. Many other relatives who also reside abroad joined via zoom. At age 100, Mrs Lynch continues to be involved in knitting to keep herself occupied. She also gives good account of herself at dominoes, and she still would engage herself with crossword puzzles. A staunch Christian, Mrs. Lynch believes that it is God, through his grace and merciful kindness, who gives her the strength to live from day to day. Her advice to the younger generation is to give God the glory, and to eat the correct type of food.
Miner buried alive after pit caves in A 55-year-old miner was buried alive on Monday last after one of the walls of a mining pit caved in on him. The mishap occurred at around 11:30hrs at Black Water Backdam, Cuyuni River, Region Seven. The miner, Louis Armstrong also known as Jessie, of Lot Six Second Street, Meadow Bank, Georgetown was at the time working on a Six Inch Land Dredge. According to reports, the man was working a “pit facing” which fell without warning and pinned him beneath a heap of gravel. His colleagues immediately rushed to dig him out. After a few hours of toil they were able to retrieve his lifeless body. A call was made to the Bartica Police Station to report the fatal incident. Armstrong’s body, according to information received, was transported to the Bartica Regional Hospital where it was examined.
US Congressman supports... From page 3 this will also assure “benefits of democracy and liberty” to Guyanese. “Democracy and freedom together with a free enterprise economy can become the forces that build a strong nation, grow your economy and promote the wellbeing of every citizen. These are what Thomas Jefferson called the blessings of liberty,” he said in his letter. In closing, he asked Granger to assure Guyana “the blessings of liberty and immediately provide for the orderly transition to the new and duly elected government.” With the results of the March 2, 2020 Election confirming a victory for the PPP/C, there have been frequent calls for the incumbent to demit office and concede to his lost. The President, however, at a recent forum made it clear that “I cannot claim victory, which I have not done, and I cannot concede defeat, which I have not done unless I am notified formally by the Chairman of the Elections Commission what the results of the elections of the 2nd March, have been.”
Wednesday July 08, 2020
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Kaieteur News
COVID-19 cases increase CCJ ruling on Guyana by seven - DCMO elections recount set for today - urges persons to behave in a responsible manner
As of yesterday, COVID19 cases increased by seven, bringing the country’s total to 284. According to information out of the Public Health Ministry all of the cases originated in the Mabaruma sub district of Region One. During the Ministry’s daily update, Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO), Dr. Karen Boyle, said that “125 persons have recovered but our COVID-19 deaths have now climbed to 16. In institutional isolation we currently have 143 active cases, 19 persons in institutional quarantine, and 11 persons in the COVID ICU and to date we have tested 2,926 persons with 2,642 being negative.” She added that “the number of positive cases continues to be a source of grave concern for the Ministry of Public Health. Over the past week, we have recorded another 25 new cases distributed in Regions One, Three, Four and Seven with four COVID related deaths.” The DCMO also addressed the issue of
repatriating nationals in her update yesterday. She said, “I also wish to remind our repatriating nationals of their agreement prior to their departure from overseas concerning their seven-day period of quarantine. Repatriating nationals need to remember that even though their PCRtest results may be negative prior to their departure, they still have to cooperate with the health officials and provide accurate information on their arrival in Guyana.” “Our surveillance unit is tasked with following up on every single repatriate checking in daily by phone for early detection of signs and symptoms of the disease. This requires, among other things, the daily checking of body temperatures and hence, all repatriates are required to bring thermometers with them. Kindly support our effort by reminding your family members to come armed with a thermometer,” she added. Turning her attention to a recent incident regarding the transporting of Brazilian nationals to Georgetown, Dr.
DCMO, Dr. Karen Boyle Boyle said, “I wish to allude to the irresponsible actions by our citizens in Region Nine whose intent was to transport Brazili a n n a t i o n a l s t o Georgetown, ignorant of their COVID status and cognizant that the COVID19 situation in Brazil is out of control. In fact, as of today (July 7), Brazil has 1.63 million confirmed cases and 65,631 deaths.” The DCMO also called on the media to be responsible when reporting on COVID-19 deaths. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), globally the total number of cases is 11,327,790 with 532,340 deaths, while regionally, the number of cases to date is 5,820, 840 with 265, 024 deaths.
The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) is expected to deliver a judgment in the case regarding the Guyana Elections Recount at 3:00 pm today. The case before the CCJ is one which leaders of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), Irfaan Ali and Bharrat Jagdeo, appealed a decision rendered to Sophia, Georgetown resident, Eslyn David, on 22nd June 2020. The decision was handed down before the Chief Elections Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Keith Lowenfield, submitted his report on the results of the General and Regional Elections held on 2nd March 2020. David had filed a Notice
of Motion for several reliefs, among the reliefs sought is an interpretation of the words ‘more votes are cast’ in Article 177(2)(b) of the Constitution of Guyana. The Court of Appeal in its decision ordered that the words are to be interpreted as meaning ‘more valid votes are cast’. The Court also ordered the decision be stayed for three days. Jagdeo and Ali, who were added as Respondents before the Court of Appeal, claim that the decision was wrong for many reasons, including that the Court of Appeal did not have the jurisdiction to hear and determine the Notice of Motion. The CCJ had granted special leave to appeal
President of the CCJ, Justice Adrian Saunders against a decision of the Court of Appeal of Guyana delivered on 22nd June 2020.
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Wednesday July 08, 2020
Wednesday July 08, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Wednesday July 08, 2020
Kaieteur News
Still no solution to illegal vending in front of Mike’s Pharmacy Vending continues in front of Mike’s Pharmacy
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lmost two weeks after a complaint was brought to the attention of City Mayor, Ubraj Narine, concerning the poor sanitization and illegal vending in front of Mike’s Pharmacy at Robb and Alexander Streets, Georgetown, the City Council is still to derive a solution. In June the owner of the pharmacy expressed concerns about the “extremely poor” sanitization of the stall owners vending in the vicinity of his pharmacy. Kaieteur News had contacted Mayor Narine, who had said, “As it relates to the garbage disposal, we already have measures implemented
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to prevent garbage piling up at that area and this is the first time I’m hearing complaints of persons vending there.” The Mayor had posited too, that he will look into the concerns of the business owner and that he will be meeting with the City Council’s COVID-19 Task
Force on July 2, 2020, to discuss the issue and come up with a possible solution. However, up to yesterday (July 7th) there was no solution to the problem since the vending continued in front of the pharmacy. The owner of the pharmacy said, “As a pharmacy it looks really bad to have the
garbage around the store like that. I had to close off some of t h e e n t r a n c e s t o t h e store because even to the pavements are untidy.” He added that he wants a healthy and clean city and with the current pandemic he wants his customers to feel safe while shopping.
Wednesday July 08, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Wednesday July 08, 2020
Kaieteur News
Fmr. APNU MP, Linden Mayor benefit state lands from NICIL Weeks before the March 2nd general and regional elections, the state-owned National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) processed several transactions for lands across the country. In addition to its own Privatisation Specialist, Racheal Henry, benefitting, there are details emerging now of at least two other officials who would have also received pieces of land via NICIL. The two officials are Jermaine Figueira and Waneka Arrindell. According to the Official Gazette dated March 21st, 2020, which would have been days after the elections, Minister of Finance Winston Jordan signed two pieces of land on February 28th to two brothers- Jermaine Figueira and Jemaine Figueira. Jermaine Figueira happens to be the Member of Parliament for the A Partnership For National Unity who famously was seen nudging his colleague, Charrandass Persaud, after the latter voted yes to a noconfidence motion on December 21st, 2018, against the Coalition which was in Government. He is one of the leaders of the coalition’s campaign in the elections for Region 10. The former MP received 1.851 acres of land. It is described in the
Official Gazette as Lot 50 B, being a portion of Plantation Fair’s Rust or Lot 44. His twin brother, Jemaine Figueira also would have benefitted. This brother, of Wisrock Housing Scheme received a smaller size of 0.46 acres described as Lot 134 A, a portion of Plantation Noitgedacht or Lot 43 located on the Right Bank of Demerara River. Minister Jordan also signed off on the transaction on February 28th, 2020, but it was not published in the Official Gazette until March 21st, 2020.Meanwhile, on January 31st, 2020, Minister Jordan also signed off on a piece of Region 10 land for Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arrindell. Arrindell of Green Valley, Wismar, received the 0.2112 piece of land in Plantation Noitgedacht. The transaction appeared in the February 15th, 2020 Official Gazette. The transactions would mirror that of Racheal Henry, NICIL’s Privatisation Specialist. Days after the March 2nd elections, she too received a plot of land in Region 10. She lives in Campbellville, Georgetown. The property was described as 0.152 of an acre, bearing Lot number 7B, or Lot 43, located on the right bank of the Demerara River. The transaction was signed off on
Benefitted: Jermaine Figueira February 28, 2020, days before the elections but only published in the Official Gazette on March 21, 2020. On Monday, Henry was called and asked about the transaction. She said immediately that she had no comments. She also said she is unhappy about the coverage of NICIL by a number of media houses. Henry was a key player in the much-publicised transactions involving prime lands at Ogle, which
Benefitted: Waneka Arrindell
were once under sugar cultivation but now being divested by NICIL to raise money for the beleaguered Guyana Sugar Corporation. Listed as the Head of the Business Development Unit of NICIL, Henry would have been one of the point persons in striking deals with a number of overseas investors. Three hotels were promised to be built in the area not far from Ogle Airport.
There was a flurry of sod-turning exercises at Ogle shortly before the elections. The lands would be seen as strategic as they are located not far from a planned highway that will link the East Coast to the East Bank of Demerara, to reduce the daily congestion. The Opposition - the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, which is tipped to regain power, has vowed to relook at the transactions.
Wednesday July 08, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Coco Gauff: The 16-year-old tennis star on... From page 27 reminder from Gauff that she does nevertheless still know how to be a teenager. She has been enjoying m a k i n g Ti k To k v i d e o s during lockdown and getting her parents to join in with the dances. She has also been learning French and reading a lot of books. And while she has enjoyed the extra time at home she is now ready for the WTA Tour to resume in August after it was suspended in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. “I’m ready to get back on court and travel again I like travelling more than I like staying home,” she says. The first Grand Slam
after the restart will be the US Open, followed just a fortnight later by the rescheduled French Open. Many people will be wondering just how far she will go this time. “She has the ability to be the greatest player ever, even better than Serena and I never thought I’d say that,” BBC presenter and former French Open champion Sue Barker says. “Serena is without question the best so far. Coco has all the attributes, physically, mentally, she has the game, she’s going to be superstar, with the press she is so engaging, she has just got absolutely everything. “If she can start winning Grand Slams by 18
then who knows how many s h e c o u l d w i n . We ’ r e seeing Serena desperately trying to equal Margaret Court’s record [of 24 Grand Slam singles titles] - Coco could outdo that and I never thought that would happen.” Ve n u s Wi l l i a m s declared “the sky is the limit” for the young American, while former Wimbledon champion John McEnroe said last year he would be “absolutely shocked” if she was not number one in the world by the time she is 20. Gauff, who won her maiden WTA title in Linz in October, does not talk in those terms though. “I definitely feel pressure but not so much
Wednesday July 08, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You'll find little comfort in your emotions today, Aries. You may want to simply stick to business. Concentrate on getting things done in your regular routine.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Get your head out of the clouds. You'll find out that nitpicky details you failed to attend to earlier are now coming back to haunt you. Don't postpone your work any further.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Try not to be smothering today. You may want to seek comfort in conversations with others but find that this only produces grouchiness on the part of all involved.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Today you need to finish whatever you didn't get done yesterday, Scorpio. Themes of the journey include discipline and paying attention to the sand slipping through the hourglass.
GEMINI (May 21–June 20) There's a damper on your emotions today that could leave you feeling like a pot of simmering water. Just by knowing there's a lid on things you're likely to heat up more quickly than usual.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Put aside frivolity for a day. This is an important time to prepare for the future. Don't take another step forward before you know you're on solid ground.
CANCER (June 21–July 22) It could be hard for you to feel connected to anyone today. You're probably better off keeping to yourself. If you're feeling sad or depressed, it's best to work through these feelings on your own.
CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) People may be a bit critical of you today, Capricorn, and you would do well to hear what they have to say. Be receptive of feedback from others so that you may establish a healthy ego.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You may feel a sense of restriction to the day, but in truth, this is for your own good, Leo. You'll find that your acute sense of discipline comes in handy today as you tackle work with incredible enthusiasm.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Maintain your psychic shield today, Aquarius, because you'll need it. People's comments may seem harsh even if they mean well.
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Find comfort in your work today. Although it may sound ridiculous, you'll find that getting things checked off your list is the most rewarding activity of the day.
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Unfortunately, this isn't a day for fun and games, Pisces. In fact, you might feel an annoying emotional weightiness, making you feel less energetic than usual. There's a sober tone that's asking you to take a hard-nosed look at reality.
because of my past results, just because I always put pressure on myself on the court. Lately it’s not been pressure to win but just pressure to have fun and make sure I play the right way,” she says. That is because she knows how damaging the wrong kind of pressure can be, having admitted earlier this year to feeling “depressed” because of the “pressure that she needed to do well”. “I was experiencing this maybe just before Wi m b l e d o n h a p p e n e d because that’s when I first transitioned onto the pro tour,” she says now. “I didn’t really know what to expect or what to do, juniors and pros to me was a completely different experience, because you go from being number one junior to being not even ranked in the pros. And it takes a lot to build your ranking up. “When I let all of that go and didn’t focus too much on numbers that was when Wi m b l e d o n happened and my results really went up. I think that time and that moment in my life definitely prepared me to have that breakout at Wimbledon.” It could also be that she finds herself more prepared than many players to deal with what will be a very different-looking tennis tour when it resumes - but for different reasons. The US Open will be taking place behind closed doors, meaning no raucous home crowds cheering her on. “It will be easier for me to address,” she says. “I’ve only been on tour a year so I will just go back to my junior years when we didn’t have much of a crowd - when there’s only your parents at the tournament, I’ll just go back to my - I guess - my home.”She’s also got an added incentive to do well in these events as she will finally get her driving licence in November. She may want to upgrade from a hoodie to a car with any prize money. Apart from chasing Grand Slam titles, she has just one more little thing to sort out: “Once I learn how to park, everything will be perfect.”
Wednesday July 08, 2020
British Athletes Commission calls for investigation of abuse claims MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - The British Athletes Commission (BAC), which represents the country’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes, has called for an investigation of allegations of bullying and abuse within British gymnastics. British media reports have cited allegations from a number of ex-gymnasts describing abusive behaviour from coaches and staff. “We are deeply troubled to hear the comments made by some British athletes relating to culture and welfare issues within British Gymnastics,” the BAC said in a statement on Tuesday. “No athlete should be expected to tolerate an abuse of power or poor practice. The performance environment should be a place of mutual trust and respect where athletes are supported in achieving their best. “The BAC is worried to
hear of athlete experiences which appear not to reflect these standards and would urge that any allegations are investigated thoroughly.” The sport’s governing body, British Gymnastics, said it was encouraging any gymnasts, past or present, who has concerns to contact their Integrity Unit. “British Gymnastics condemns any behaviour which is harmful to the wellbeing of our gymnasts. Such behaviours are completely contrary to our standards of safe coaching. Our Positive Coaching Behaviours programme, which is mandatory for all coaches, sets out clearly why such behaviours are harmful and unacceptable. “Our Integrity Unit investigates all allegations reported to us or identified by our national network of club welfare officers and takes disciplinary action to prevent recurrence.”
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Vardy’s late strike earns Leicester point at Arsenal LONDON (Reuters) Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy pounced to score a crucial late equaliser as they hit back against Arsenal to draw 1-1 in the Premier League yesterday after the London side’s substitute Eddie Nketiah was sent off late on. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s 20th league goal of the season looked like handing the hosts a fourth successive win to maintain their late push for a top-four finish. Visiting keeper Kasper Schmeichel made several fine saves to keep Leicester in the game after Aubameyang’s 21st-minute goal, but the visitors came back strongly in the second half. Arsenal had Nketiah sent off in the 75th minute for a reckless tackle on James Justin — a decision made after referee Chris Kavanagh viewed a pitch-side monitor. Leicester then levelled in the 84th minute as Premier League top scorer Vardy found space at the far post to tap home Demarai Gray’s low cross for his 22nd goal of the season. Vardy had an anxious wait as the decision was checked by VAR for a possible offside but the goal stood and the Foxes looked favourites to
grab a late winner and claim their first league win at Arsenal since 1973. They had to make do with a point, however, although that will be a relief for manager Brendan Rodgers whose side had earlier been leapfrogged in the table by Chelsea. Leicester, who have won only twice in 10 league games, are four points above fifth-placed Manchester United who have a game in hand. Arsenal would have closed the gap on Leicester to six points had they managed to hold on but remained nine back in seventh spot with four games remaining. “We should have been three or four nil up in the first half,” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said. “We lost two points, we lost Eddie and we will see now for how many games. But we go to Spurs (on Sunday) now and try to win three points.” Leicester began the game in sprightly fashion but were rocked when Arsenal youngster Bukayo Saka played a sliderule pass across the greasy surface for Aubameyang to slot home. The hosts were rampant for a while and Schmeichel made crucial saves to deny Alexandre Lacazette, Hector
Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring their first goal, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (Shaun Botterill/Pool via REUTERS) Bellerin and Saka as Leicester wobbled. Arsenal were less of a threat after the break, however, and Vardy scuffed one effort when he should have scored. Nketiah’s red card paved the way for more late pressure
Milan hit back with three goals in five minutes to floor Juve
Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their second goal, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo) MILAN (Reuters) - AC Milan scored three times in five astonishing second-half minutes as they hit back from two goals down to beat visiting Serie A leaders Juventus 4-2 yesterday, the first points dropped by the Turin side since the season restarted last month. Juve appeared to be cruising to another win when
Adrien Rabiot put them ahead with a solo goal two minutes after the break and Cristiano Ronaldo added a second with a typical effort, his 26th league goal of the season. But Juventus collapsed after Zlatan Ibrahimovic pulled one back with a penalty in the 62nd. Franck Kessie equalised four minutes later and Rafael Leao put them
ahead one minute after that before Ante Rebic completed the scoring in the 80th. Despite the defeat, Juve, on 75 points, stayed seven clear with seven matches to play after second-placed Lazio earlier lost 2-1 at lowly Lecce. Milan climbed to fifth with 49 points although they are still 14 points adrift of the top four.
and Arsenal finally cracked as Vardy struck. “I think this is a really,
really important point for us to keep the momentum going,” Rodgers said. “My
only disappointment is that we didn’t go on and win the game.”
Chelsea close in on Champions League spot with 3-2 win at Palace LONDON (Reuters) Chelsea kept up their push for a top-four finish in the Premier League and Champions League football next season with a 3-2 victory at London rivals Crystal Palace yesterday thanks to goals from Olivier Giroud, Christian Pulisic and Tammy Abraham. The visitors took a twogoal lead inside half an hour through Giroud and Pulisic but Palace responded with a Wilfried Zaha goal before the break. Abraham made it 3-1 after 71 minutes only for Christian Benteke to strike back a minute later. Palace then piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser and in added time defender Scott Dann hit the post while only a last-ditch tackle by Kurt Zouma denied Benteke. The win took Chelsea up to third, leapfrogging Leicester City who were at Arsenal later on Tuesday, to stand five points clear of fifthplaced Manchester United, who visit Aston Villa on Thursday. Palace stay 15 points clear of the relegation zone. Frank Lampard’s Chelsea side went ahead in the seventh minute when former Blues defender Gary Cahill pulled up with an injury, giving Willian all the time he needed to cut the ball back for an easy finish by French striker Giroud.
Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic in action with Crystal Palace’s Mamadou Sakho, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (Justin Tallis/Pool via REUTERS) The visitors doubled their lead 20 minutes later as Willian fed Pulisic on the edge of the box and the American shrugged off his marker Joel Ward to fire a fierce angled shot past goalkeeper Vicente Guaita. Chelsea looked in complete control and only a fine save by Guaita prevented Willian from adding a third goal after Pulisic burst through the Palace lines. But the visitors, who threw away a lead to lose at West Ham United last week, allowed Palace back into the game in the 34th minute when defender Reece James
misplaced a pass and Zaha fired a powerful shot past surprised keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. Abraham seemed to have wrapped up the win for Chelsea late on when he fired a low shot in off the post after being set up by fellow substitute Ruben LoftusCheek. But Palace hit back within a minute when Patrick Van Aanholt got to the byline and squared for Benteke to tap the ball in. The hosts then almost snatched a draw when Dann hit the woodwork but Chelsea held on to secure three vital points.
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CAS dismisses Santos case against NBA: Bucks, Kings close practice facilities after positive COVID-19 tests Barca over Neymar transfer
Brazilian soccer player Neymar (R) shakes hands with Barcelona’s president Sandor Rosell after signing a five-year contract with FC Barcelona, in front of their offices close to Camp Nou stadium. June 3, 2013. (REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo) BARCELONA (Reuters) The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has rejected Brazilian club Santos’ case against Barcelona relating to the signing of Neymar in 2013, the Spanish club said in a statement yesterday. Santos had presented a claim to soccer ’s world governing body FIFA in 2015 asking for 61,295,000 euros ($69.21 million) in compensation and damages after Barca made a payment to Neymar’s father and the family company N&N before signing the Brazil forward for an initial fee of 57 million euros. “The CAS found that the contract between Santos and Neymar was ended by mutual agreement and that Barcelona did not flout the transfer agreement when it paid additional fees to the player’s father and the firm N&N,” Barca said. “Barcelona did not commit
any fraudulent conduct when it signed a pre-transfer agreement with Neymar nor when it signed the transfer with Santos.” The statement added that Santos had been ordered by CAS to pay Barca’s legal fees of 20,000 Swiss Francs ($21,253.99). Neymar’s transfer from his boyhood club to Barcelona was shrouded in legal troubles, leading Spain’s High Court to launch a fraud and corruption investigation into the player, who denied any wrongdoing, over the value of his transfer. The investigation also led to Barca’s then president Sandro Rosell, who brokered the deal, resigning from the club in 2014. Neymar enjoyed a trophyladen four years at Barcelona and formed a world-beating front three with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez before joining Paris St Germain for a
world record fee of 222 million euros. Neymar then sued Barca over the partial payment of a loyalty bonus worth 26 million euros but lost the case and was ordered to pay his former club 6.7 million euros for breach of the last contract he signed with them in 2016. Despite their legal battles, the Brazilian tried to force through a return to Barcelona last year and refused to train with PSG at one point, but the Catalans ultimately failed to meet the French side’s asking price. Barca were expected to make another swoop for him this summer but president Josep Maria Bartomeu said on Wednesday the club were unlikely to make another offer for Neymar due to the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. ($1 = 0.8856 euros) ($1 = 0.9410 Swiss francs)
Alonso set for F1 return with Renault in 2021: report (Reuters) - Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso is set to return to Formula One with Renault in 2021, the BBC reported yesterday. Alonso, who left Formula One at the end of 2018 after a final season with McLaren, won his championship titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006. The Spaniard, 38, has made no secret of his desire to return to the Formula One grid, with the French manufacturer having a vacancy. Alonso could join Frenchman Esteban Ocon and replace Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who is moving to McLaren at the end of the 2020 season. “I don’t know if he is going to join or not with us but definitely if he could come back here I’d be very happy,” Ocon said last week. Renault were not immediately available for comment.
Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Fernando Alonso during a press conference. (REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo)
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association closed their practice facilities due to positive COVID-19 tests, the teams said on Monday, as the league prepared to resume its season. Teams across the league are expected to travel to Orlando, Florida, this week to restart the season, which was abruptly suspended in March due to the COVID-19 outbreak, with players living and playing at Walt Disney World. A spokesman for the Bucks confirmed the team had closed its practice facility after receiving test results from Friday but declined to comment further. The team’s first scrimmage in Florida is scheduled for July 23 against the San Antonio Spurs. A member of the Kings’ traveling party to Orlando also tested positive, prompting the closure of the team’s practice center. A spokesman said the team still plans to travel to Orlando this week. Its first scrimmage is July 22. The Denver Nuggets and the Brooklyn Nets also closed their practice centers after players tested positive last month. The Orlando restart officially begins on July 30. The NBA said last week a total of 25 players and 10 staff members had tested positive for COVID-19 since June 23, when testing began.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo’s hand is seen as he plays with the ball during the training ahead of the NBA Paris Game 2020 in Paris, France January 23, 2020. (REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes)
IPL will only be staged abroad as a last resort: BCCI
The shadow of a man falls on a backdrop with the logo of the India’s cricket board BCCI before the start of a news conference to announce its cricket team’s coach, in Mumbai, India, August 16, 2019. (REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas) NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India’s cricket board will only consider staging the Indian Premier League (IPL) abroad as a last resort if there is no other way to salvage the lucrative limited-overs tournament this year, a top BCCI official has told Reuters. The annual tournament was originally scheduled to begin on March 29 but was postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19. India’s death toll from the pandemic surpassed 20,000 yesterday. Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates have offered to host the league but BCCI treasurer Arun Singh Dhumal said the board was optimistic about staging it on home soil. “We’ve to consider India first and then think of overseas,” Dhumal told Reuters. “They have sent these proposals in case we want to organise it there. “We will discuss it in the next IPL
governing council meeting where we will take a call.” The 2009 edition of the franchise-based league, which coincided with India’s elections, was held in South Africa and the UAE hosted the early matches of the tournament five years later for the same reason. The BCCI, facing a $535 million (£428.31 million) loss of revenue if it cannot stage the IPL this year, would be keen to slot it into the Twenty20 World Cup’s October-November window if that event was unable to go ahead in Australia due to the pandemic. The uncertainty around the World Cup, the BCCI has said, has created a scheduling headache for cricket boards trying to recoup some of the losses caused by the pandemic. “Everybody is under the pressure because of the uncertainty,” Dhumal added.
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Coco Gauff: The 16-year-old tennis star on secrets behind her special potential BBC Sport - One of the least surprising things Coco Gauff can tell you is that she started to learn to drive at 13. Of course she did. After all, this is the American teenager who last year stunned five-time champion Venus Williams in the first round of Wimbledon - and then astounded the public by taking all the hype in her stride. By the time she turned 16 in March this year, Gauff had won her first tour-level singles title, knocked defending champion Naomi Osaka out of the Australian Open, broken into the top 50 and become a powerful voice speaking against racial inequality. Her poise, eloquence and maturity beyond her years have won many admirers. And you really don’t need to look too far to see where she has got it from. On 1 July, 2019, a 15-yearold American stepped out on Court One to face her idol Venus Williams at Wimbledon. Those who follow the stats might have noticed Gauff had become the youngest player to qualify for the main Wimbledon draw since the Open era began in 1968. Others were asking the press office whether to pronounce her name ‘Gawf’ or ‘Goff’ - it’s the latter - and no matter how they were pronouncing her surname, they were still calling the teenager by her given name, Cori.
Gauff, currently ranked 52 in the world, was born in March 2004. (Getty Images) But a 6-4 6-4 win over a player who had won four Grand Slam titles before she was even born changed everything - Coco had arrived. She became the hot ticket as she progressed through the rounds, saving two match points against Polona Hercog to reach the last 16. There she lost to eventual champion Simona Halep, leaving to a standing ovation from a crowd who had been well and truly charmed. Gauff made a lasting impression, not only with the pundits who predicted a trophy-laden future, but also with the public who saw a humble teenager who was “thankful for the experience” and planned to merely buy a new hoodie with her £176,000 prize money. Her profile rocketed. “I went from probably 30,000 followers [on social media] to 500,000 overnight, and definitely got a lot of recognition from really famous people all around the world,” she tells BBC Sport.
“It’s something I’m still not used to but definitely wasn’t used to then.” Yet she handled the media spotlight like an old hand, unfazed by her ‘promotion’ to the biggest news conference room, usually reserved for the top names, and not intimidated by her billing on the show courts or the players she faced. At least that’s what it looked like from outside. She tells it slightly differently. “I was really nervous don’t get me wrong - I didn’t look nervous but I was nervous inside,” she says of the victory over Williams. “My parents always taught me to be calm in those moments and remember that pressure is a privilege. That’s what I remembered during those moments.” Gauff’s parents Corey and Candi were seen cheering wildly from their seats as they watched their daughter’s big moments. Her mum’s celebrations even went viral. They had given up a lot,
Gauff, pictured with her mum and dad after winning her maiden WTA title in October. (Getty Images) in a family gamble along the lines of the Richard Williams model, whose daughters Venus and Serena’s training was kept in-house amid his certainty they were destined for huge success. Gauff’s dad - a former college basketball player quit his job as a healthcare executive to become his daughter’s head coach, while her mum - a former college athlete - has overseen her home schooling. It is her family that is keeping her grounded and motivated. “My determination to win is one thing that always drives me, and also my brothers - to inspire them to get up and work hard. I know they look
Gauff was ranked 313 in the world when she beat Williams - 24 years her senior - at Wimbledon. (Getty Images)
up to me so I try to be a good example,” she says. It seems her younger siblings are as switched on as she is. “Every time I go to a tournament I ask them what they want. From Australia my youngest brother Cameron said he wanted a shark tooth necklace and my other brother Cody, he’s 12, asked for 1% - or it may have been 10% - of my prize money. He is so money-orientated, which is not a good thing! “He would probably start at 50% and bargain his way down to 10%! But he still hasn’t got any yet.” That 10% would amount to 30,000 Australian dollars (£17,000) after Gauff reached the fourth round in Melbourne. She knocked out defending champion Osaka in straight sets in the third round having again beaten Venus Williams in round one. She then lost to eventual champion Sofia Kenin in three sets having taken the opener but had once more proved she could stand toeto-toe with players she had looked up to for years. She has a photo of herself as a youngster going to the US Open as a fan, where Venus Williams is playing in the background on Arthur Ashe Stadium, while she also has a signed tennis ball from Serena. Now she’s the one being mobbed for autographs and interviews. “I just be myself, I don’t really focus on the cameras. I just be myself and hope that works out,” she says. It is not just on the court where Gauff is coming face to face with her heroes. One of her favourite people to meet was Michelle Obama. “She gave me really good
advice,” she says. “She’s a big inspiration to everyone across the world, not just because she was the First Lady. She continues to push boundaries for women of colour.” A lot of those words could apply to Gauff herself. Earlier this month she made headlines with an emotional speech at a Black Lives Matter protest in her home town of Delray Beach, Florida, saying “we need to take action” and that it is “sad” she was protesting against the “same thing” her grandmother did “50-plus years ago”. She even appeared to challenge Roger Federer to do more when, in a response to the 20-time Grand Slam champion’s ‘Blackout Tuesday’ black square social media post marking George Floyd’s death in police custody in the United States, she shared a link with him on ‘Ways to Help’. A powerful video she posted about the killings of African-Americans asks “Am I next?” and on her Twitter feed she says: “I promise to always use my platform to help make the world a better place.” She is not even old enough to vote yet. None of this has come as any surprise to her mentor, Serena Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou, who first met Gauff when she was 10 and who believes she is “different” to other players. “At 14 she was more mature than women on tour who are 25,” he told the Guardian earlier this month. “That’s incredible. She has an inner strength that is completely unusual.” There is still a reassuring (Continued on page 24)
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Cricket West Indies hosts first-ever virtual Annual General Meeting ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies (CWI) hosted its 21st Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday, July 4. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting, which is usually held at the end of March, took place virtually via video conference, the first time this has ever been done using this technology. The meeting was well attended, with each of the Territorial Board Member Associations fully represented. Special member representatives in attendance were from the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA), the West Indies Cricket Umpires’ Association (WICUA), the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce (CAIC), and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Several members of the CWI Board were also in attendance, as observers. The main agenda items of the AGM were the reading of the audited accounts of CWI for the financial year October 1, 2018 to September 30, 2019, the appointment of the Auditor for the ensuing year,
and the presentation of the Finance Report. After five hours of presentations and discussion, CWI President Mr Ricky Skerritt announced that non-financial matters, likely to include a presentation of the upcoming report by the Task Force on Governance Reform, will be taken at the next opportunity for a safe face-to-face Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM). The Audited Accounts for the year ended September 30, 2019 The Members accepted the audited financial statements presented by CWI’s Auditors, KPMG and received the Independent Auditor’s Report. KPMG was reappointed as the Auditor of the company for the financial year October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020. Presentation of the Financial Report The Chairman of CWI’s Finance Committee, Wilford “Billy” Heaven, presented a comprehensive report on the period under review. The report included an overview of the company’s profit and loss and its statement of
financial position. It highlighted a number of reorganizational and costsaving initiatives which had been implemented, with the help of the PKF Financial Review, in an effort to strengthen the company’s weak financial situation. A lengthy discussion on cost management, the traditional funding cycle, and our COVID-19 financial strategy, ensued. Tributes At the start of the meeting, several participants paid tribute to the departed legendary West Indies batsman Sir Everton Weekes, who passed away on Wednesday, July 1 at age 95. An Official tribute was tabled on behalf of the Leeward Islands Cricket Board (LICB) by the President of the Nevis Cricket Association, Carlisle Powell. The meeting observed a moment’s silence in Sir Everton’s honour and extended heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. The meeting also recognized the recent passing of the following members of the regional cricket fraternity: · Cleon Smith, Former
Jamaica Women’s Head Coach · Hugh Perry, Former President of the Portland Cricket Association · Anil Persaud, Former Guyana Cricket Board Assistant Secretary · Dame Patricia Symmonds, Life Vice President of the Barbados Cricket Association The President called on participants to show great support for, and extended well wishes himself to, the West Indies team in England preparing for the upcoming three-match Test Series on the Sandals Tour of England 2020, which starts today, July 8 at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. Commenting on the success of the meeting, Mr Skerritt stated: ”Planning and implementing CWI’s first ever virtual AGM reminded us how much the cricket and commercial worlds have been transformed by COVID-19. But the length of time taken, excellent turnout, and active participation at the AGM were also great reminders that West Indies Cricket is a public good that brings our region
CWI President, Ricky Skerritt together and needs the ongoing support of all stakeholders.” Details of the audited accounts are now available on the CWI section of
the www.windiescricket.com website and can be found h e r e : h t t p s : / / www.windiescricket.com/ cricket-west-indies/cwiaudited-financials-2014-2019.
Guyanese Cort back on the U.S. women’s league dedicates track after seven-month break season to social justice
Leroy Cort on the go last weekend in the LRRS at New Hampshire speedway. Guyanese daredevil, Leroy Cort, returned to competitive racing on two wheels over the weekend when the London Road Race Series (LRRS) continued at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, which usually hosts the only NASCAR National Series race in the New England region. Cort managed two podium finishes in his six starts during the four-day consecutive racing extravaganza that he described as ‘extremely challenging’. The speedster shared that, “I am still recouping and after not riding for over seven months it was challenging beating my body for four days of riding and each day got
more competitive than the last.” Cort finished the four-day meet with a second, a third place and a fourth place finish; in which he was pipped by a mere 0.037 seconds to the podium. The independent competitor also picked up a two sixth place finishes and a DNF. Cort was wheeling away in second place before mechanical issues curtailed that race. The motor racer who dons the 581 number shared that, “All in all it was a good weekend which showed me exactly where I am now and highlighted how much harder I need to work towards the future rounds.”
“I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to my sponsor out of Guyana, Eat In’s Snackette @eatinsgy and to all of my family, friends and fans that support me back home.” He continued that, “It really is a great feeling to be representing my home country and always having to correct the folks saying “GEEANA”.” Cort #581 will resume racing action in the LRRS round two, next weekend (July 18th and 19th) and he will be looking to boost off with some wins to not only increase his ranking in the LRRS but also to have an extra special 38th birthday. (Calvin Chapman)
Cathy Engelbert speaks at the 2017 Fortune magazine’s Most Powerful Women summit in Washington, U.S., October 9, 2017. Photo taken October 9, 2017. (REUTERS/Joshua Roberts) (Reuters) - The U.S. Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has said teams will wear uniforms bearing the names of Black female victims of police brutality and racial violence during the league’s opening weekend. The WNBA, which plans to begin its 2020 season in late July amid the COVID-19 outbreak, added that players would wear warm-up shirts displaying the ‘Black Lives Matter’ logo on the front and ‘Say Her Name’ on the back throughout the campaign. The announcement comes in the wake of weeks of protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man who died under the knee of a white police officer in
Minneapolis. “We are incredibly proud of WNBA players who continue to lead with their inspiring voices and effective actions in the league’s dedicated fight against systemic racism and violence,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. “Systemic change can’t happen overnight, but it is our shared responsibility to do everything we can to raise awareness and promote the justice we hope to see in society.” The WNBA was classed as a leader among professional leagues in terms of racial and gender hiring practices in a report by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) in 2019.
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‘Do it your way’ - Joe Root’s message for Ben Stokes ESPNcricinfo - Joe Root has told Ben Stokes to “do it your way” as he captains England for the first time against West Indies today. Root will miss a Test match this week for the first time since 2014 to attend the birth of his second child, with Stokes taking the reins instead. In his pre-match press conference, Stokes said that he would be “silly not to” tap into the experience around him in the side, and revealed that Root had left him a note on the hanger of the captain’s blazer encouraging him to be himself. “The best message that I’ve received was when I got my photos done yesterday
with the blazer,” Stokes said. “Rooty just left a message on the hanger which said: ‘do it your way.’ “When I first got asked I said I’d be open to opinions. Just because Joe’s not here, that doesn’t mean I’m not going to use him. Joe’s always been very open and willing [to listen] to advice from players, so I think I’d be stupid to go away from that. We’ve got so much experience in this team that it would be silly not to lean on that if I feel like I need some advice. “With Joe and his personal situation it’s been a case of letting him deal with that. I haven’t been on him too much but I know as soon as the Test match starts, I
know he’ll be at home watching and I know that his phone will always be available for me to get in contact with him if I need to.” Stokes has previously pledged to take “the positive route” as captain, and said that he thought England have more of an identity as a side now than during their 2-1 series defeat in the Caribbean last year. Since Chris Silverwood replaced Trevor Bayliss as head coach following last summer’s Ashes series, the Test team has played a more familiar style of cricket, with a particular emphasis on the top order batting for long periods of time. While England’s top six in the first Test will be
‘Balanced’ Tallawahs expecting to do damage in 2020 Hero CPL
Andre Russell is a key fixture in the Tallawahs outfit. Sports Max - Coming out of Monday’s 2020 Hero CPL Draft, Jamaica Tallawahs CEO Jeff Miller believes the franchise has managed to assemble a balanced team that will be able to do some damage when the competition gets underway in Trinidad in August. The two-time champions endured a disastrous season in 2019 when they won only two games and finished at the foot of the six-team s t a n d i n g s . Wi t h t h e disaster behind them, the Ta l l a w a h s d ecided on a complete overhaul of the squad that included releasing veteran T20 batsman Christopher Gayle while retaining only five players from the previous campaign. In Monday’s draft, the Tallawahs brought in 2016 T20 World Cup hero Carlos Brathwaite and the big-hitting Glen Phillips to complement Captain Rovman Powell, Andre Russell and Chadwick Walton. They have also added Nkrumah Bonner and
Andre McCarthy. Meanwhile, Fidel Edwards, Veerasammy Permaul, Sandeep Lamichhane and Preston McSween have bolstered the bowling. “I am hoping that we have a better team. We were rebuilding and that was the whole idea,” Miller told Sportsmax.TV yesterday. “After retaining the five we were looking to rebuild around them.” Miller explained that they brought in Edwards, the former West Indies pace bowler, to partner young fast bowler Oshane Thomas and McSween to support them both. Right-arm leg-spin bowler Sandeep and Permaul, he said, add a cutting edge to a bowling attack that he expects to be effective on the pitches in Trinidad. “We expect the pitches to be bowler-friendly,” Miller said, indicating that he believes the pitches in the twin-island republic to wear as the tournament
progresses. Miller is also hopeful that the Tallawahs’ batting will deliver this coming season. He is relying on the experienced Powell, Russell, Phillips and Walton to get the bulk of the runs but in Brathwaite and the returning Andre McCarthy, he is expecting additional stability and firepower. Brathwaite, he believes, can “do damage” at the back end of the innings but further up the order is where he expects McCarthy to finally deliver on his potential. “I am hoping that McCarthy and Nkrumah Bonner can solidify the number-three slot. I am hoping that a maturing McCarthy can step up to the plate,” he said. Without going into detail, Miller hinted that they might have missed out on some players they were hoping to sign but those players were drafted by other franchises before the Tallawahs had a shot at them.
short on experience, with just 109 caps between them, Stokes said that there is now a much clearer blueprint than has been the case in recent years. “I think there’s a lot more clarity with everybody,” he said. “We have an identity as a Test team. Whereas in times gone past, a few lads might have felt under pressure with guys knocking the door down in a negative way, now we look at that in a positive way where there’s competition for places in the team. “If you’re not performing well as a player, there’s someone right behind you ready to come in. That’s a great place to be in, especially as an international side. We have an identity now as a Test team. For us going forward, it’s about building on that identity. We have a goal of becoming the best team in the world so we’re building towards that.” England named their side for the first Test yesterday afternoon, with the question of which fast bowlers to leave out the only decision that needed to be taken following the announcement of a 13man squad on Saturday. James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood were competing for three spots in the playing XI, with Stokes and offspinner Dom Bess rounding off the bowling attack, and the selectors have made clear over the course of the past two weeks that the side picked for the first Test will be the best one available to them, despite plans to rotate later in the summer.
Ben Stokes will captain England for the first time this week. (Getty Images) “It’s not very often that we’ve been in a situation where we’ve got six or seven bowlers to choose from,” Stokes said. “It’s a real headscratcher as somebody who’s got to choose the side but as a bigger picture it’s a great place to be in as a team. “I feel as if we’re in a position now as a Test team like we were with the one-day team in 2015 and building for that World Cup. I feel as if we’re building towards the Ashes in Australia and also India. To have the crop of fast bowlers that we now possess
especially is a great place to be in as a Test team. “I’ve been dreading it the last three days, having to deliver bad news to some lads. It’s obviously not a nice thing to have to do, but that comes with being the captain and with being in a leadership role. It’s got to be done. With the schedule that we have, with six Test matches in seven weeks, there’s going to have to be a lot considered going forward. We’ll have to wait and see what the future brings in terms of the Test matches after this.”
FIFA agrees to mediation in dispute with TTFA Sports Max - FIFA has agreed to settle their dispute with the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) through mediation. According to lawyers from New City Chambers representing the WilliamWallace led executive, FIFA indicated on Monday its willingness to settle the matter amicably. “I can indeed confirm that FIFA has indicated a willingness to pursue mediation,” Dr Emir Crowne told Sportsmax.TV on Monday, shortly after receiving word from FIFA’s representatives. Dr Crowne indicated, however, that there is still some way to go before the process of mediation can begin. “The logistics of the mediation are still being
Dr Emir Crowne says FIFA has declared a willingness to have their dispute with the TTFA settled via mediation. worked out, but it is nonetheless a welcome sign, especially in a dispute with so much at stake and where maintaining relationships is key,” he said. In late June, the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) reached out to lawyers representing FIFA requesting mediation in their dispute over the appointment of a normalization committee in March.
FIFA dissolved the William Wallace-led executive by way of a letter on March 17, and a normalization committee appointed just four months after the TTFA Annual General Meeting in November 2019. FIFA cited poor financial management and the FA’s massive debt as reasons for the appointment of the committee to oversee the association’s affairs.
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Wednesday July 08, 2020
Europe’s top-flight clubs face 4 billion euros in lost revenue due to COVID-19 BERN (Reuters) - The novel coronavirus pandemic is likely to cost Europe’s topflight football clubs around 4 billion euros (3.59 billion pounds) in lost revenue, a study published by the association which represents them said yesterday. The analysis by the European Club Association (ECA) also warned that the biggest losses would be felt next season, even if it is played in full. “The financial impact of COVID-19 on European clubs, as far as we can see now, is already a seismic shock, even with most competitions up and running again,” said ECA chief executive Charlie Marshall. “The financial impact does not stop when the game resumes. Rather, it will
continue into the next season and we must take measures to create a more sustainable football industry in the long run.” European football was brought to a near standstill in March and, although many leagues restarted last month, most had to do so without spectators. This was a particular blow in smaller leagues where clubs are more dependent on gate receipts for their income. There are more than 700 first division clubs in Europe’s 55 national associations although a recent study by European soccer ’s governing body UEFA showed that the top 30 of them rake in nearly half of the total revenue. The ECA study said that clubs’ revenue would drop from an estimated 22 billion
European Club Association (ECA) Chairman Andrea Agnelli and other ECA representatives hold news briefing after the 23rd ECA General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, September 10, 2019. (REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo) euros to 20.4 billion this season and from 23.1 billion euros to 20.7 billion in 2020/ 21. These numbers did not include income from the
transfers of players, it said. Marshall said the upcoming transfer window would provide an indication of the state of football’s
health but that clubs and leagues should take the opportunity to build more sustainably for the future. “This is imperative as we
are still living with COVID-19 and, if nothing else, we have learned that being flexible and prepared for unpredictability is part of our future,” he said.
England v West Indies: Brian Lara says tourists Windies skipper Holder not interested in personal must try to win in four days accolades BBC Sport - West Indies must try and win the Tests against England in four days because they cannot last five days, says legendary batsman Brian Lara. The three-Test series starts today at Southampton. The tourists have a strong fast bowling line-up but their batsmen average only 23.59 in 19 Tests since their most recent tour of England in 2017. “They have to be able to pounce immediately,” said Lara, who will be part of the BBC highlights programme. “England are not beaten very easily at home and are overwhelming favourites.” Lara, who scored a record 11,953 runs for West Indies in 131 Tests, said the series would depend on how quickly they can adapt to English conditions. “They have to hit the road running and stamp their authority on England,” said the 51-year-old. “I don’t think they can last five days, so they have
to take these games in four days. They have to establish a lead and keep it.” The opening Test at Southampton and the second and third at Old Trafford will be played in a bio-secure environment and behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic. West Indies have been in the UK since 9 June to prepare for the series. They are holders of the Wisden Trophy after winning 2-1 in the Caribbean last year, but have not won a series in England since 1988. “It’s going to be a series that’s watched all around the world and everybody is hoping to see a competitive series,” said Lara, who scored 34 Test centuries. “It would mean a lot to all West Indians if they could win. “If they play good cricket on the first day of the Test series, show they have the mettle to perform against England, that’s the key.”
LONDON (Reuters) West Indies skipper Jason Holder says he is not interested in personal accolades ahead of the first test against England starting today despite it being billed as a clash between the world’s best two all rounders. Holder, trying to become the first West Indies captain to win a series in England since Viv Richards in 1988, is top of the ICC’s all rounder rankings with Ben Stokes, who will skipper England for the first time this week, second. “I don’t really like to get into these perso n a l accolades or ICC rankings,” Holder told a news conference ahead of the match at the Ageas Bowl, the first international cricket fixture since the novel coronavirus pandemic struck. “Ben has always been talked up and quite rightfully so, he’s a really good cricketer, but the ICC rankings say that I’m the No. 1 ranked all rounder and maybe don’t get as much credit as probably I deserve, who knows? “I don’t get caught up with it to be honest. Journalists are there to write their stories, I am merely here to play cricket. It’s always a good battle on the field when you face competitors like Stokesy, face competitors around the world.” Holder, 28, has been described by former England skipper Michael Atherton as the best West Indies captain since Richards.
West Indies Jason Holder celebrates taking the wicket of Sri Lanka Dimuth Karunaratne. (Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith/File Photo) He led his team to a 2-1 series victory over England in the Caribbean in 2019, scoring his maiden Test double hundred in the first Test at Bridgetown that led to a 381-run win. Though England won 2-1 at home in 2017, West Indies managed a memorable victory at Headingley. BOWLINGATTACK West Indies have a formidable-looking bowling attack and Holder believes enough experienced heads in the squad to make things extremely difficult for Stokes who will be standing in for Joe Root who misses the game because of paternity
leave. “If you look at the calibre of players we’ve got — Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope have had success here in England and that is just to name a few,” he said. “I am more than confident that these guys will do well in this series.” Holder will be embarking on his 33rd test as captain and, having reached 100 Test wickets against India in Jamaica last year, he needs only 102 runs to reach 2000 in Test cricket. That double has only been achieved by two other West Indies players — Garfield Sobers and Carl
Hooper. “Before captaincy I’m a player and my performances must stand out: I must perform my role for the team,” Holder said. “With bat in hand I’ve got to make runs, with ball in hand I’ve got to take wickets and in the field I’ve got to help the guys hold on to chances.” Asked if he had any words of advice for Stokes, Holder said England were in safe hands. “He’s an excellent cricketer, a great competitor and I’m sure the guys in his dressing room look up to him.”
Kaieteur News
Wednesday July 08, 2020
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Series drought, pandemic overshadow Windies quest
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OUTHAMPTON, England, CMC – A 32-year-old series drought on English soil and the first global pandemic in one hundred years will serve as the daunting backdrop when West Indies clash with the hosts in a much-anticipated opening Test of world cricket’s first-ever “biosecure” series starting here today. Viv Richards’s starstudded unit were the last West Indies side to earn success here when they thrashed England 4-0 in a five-Test series in 1988. Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, the oldest member of the current West Indies side, was only three months old. Since then, West Indies have struggled for results in England, emphasised by their lone win in their last 16 Tests here in as many years. Their bid to end that disappointing run has been made no easier with the series being staged amid the COVID-19 outbreak which has caused 286 000 infections and resulted in 44 000 deaths in the United Kingdom alone. To mitigate against the threat of the virus, the threeTest series is being played behind closed doors at “biosecure” venues and players have been isolated from the public for the duration of the tour. Strict sanitisation and social distancing protocols have been employed at stadia. For instance, using saliva on the ball has been prohibited along with celebratory hugs and highfives and handshakes at the toss, while players must use their own water bottles. The series, however novel, will mark the return of international cricket to the global itinerary ever since COVID-19 forced a cessation of the game last March but captain Jason
Shannon Gabriel
Holder said West Indies’ motivation and hunger had not been impacted by the changes. “The mood in the camp is very good. The guys are really excited to get back on the field. It’s been a while since we’ve played international cricket so everybody is really relishing the opportunity,” Holder told reporters on Tuesday via Zoom. “We’ve had four solid weeks of preparation and I think the guys have worked really hard to get themselves back up to match fitness and I think more or less it’s the green light to go now. “Everyone has been talking about it for the last couple weeks and most of the guys are just awaiting the first ball to be delivered.” He continued: “I am excited. Everyone is excited. We were sat up at home for a couple months and we haven’t been doing what we’ve been accustomed doing for years so I think it’s a really positive moment for cricket. “I’ve been watching
the football on TV, Formula One is just about to kick back in and there’s been a bit of horse racing here and there and golf. “It’s been a bit different but I guess after a period of time people would become accustomed to this new norm. It is what it is and we’re all just finding ways to cope with it.” Pandemic aside, West Indies face a formidable challenge in keeping hold of the prestigious Wisden Trophy which they captured so impressively in the Caribbean last year with a stunning win in a three-Test series. Then, England found themselves outplayed away from home but in their conditions, boast an impressive home record of not having lost a series in six years. Holder, who oversaw last year’s triumph, said West I n d ies w er e u n d er n o illusions about the size of the task before them. “I think cricket has to be played on the day. What I
would say is that England are probably favourites in their home conditions,” the topranked all-rounder in Tests pointed out. “They are a very, very strong side in their home conditions and it’s proven; they’ve got a really good track record at home so we’ve got our work cut out if we want to beat England. “England are not just going to roll over and die, they’re gonna come at us very, very hard and those guys want to win just as badly as we do so I really expected a keen contest and it’s a matter for us to dethrone England in their ow n backyard which is not going to be easy for us.” West Indies enter the Ageas Bowl Te s t e n e r g i s e d b y a strikeforce that is expected to feature a four-pronged pace attack. But concerns linger over their batting which has struggled in recent time to scale the heights required. Main opener Kraigg
Brathwaite has averaged 21 from his last 15 Tests inside the last two years, Shai Hope has averaged 20 from 14 matches during the same period while Roston Chase, once a linchpin, has averaged 25 from his last 12 Tests. And with left-handed opener John Campbell and Shamarh Brooks having played just nine Tests between them, it has underscored the need for a massive effort from the batting order, and Holder was quick to reiterate the importance of the whole team pulling their weight. “Based on the recent past of our fast bowlers doing really well – they’re obviously experienced as well too – and if we can definitely get the runs on the board [it will augur well for us],” Holder said. “And it doesn’t have to only come from the top order. We’re putting a lot of emphasis on the top order and yes, they probably haven’t lived up to the
expectations but it’s still a team sport. We’ve just got to put runs on the board. “However we get them, personally I don’t care. It’s just a matter for us to put the runs on the board and make our bowlers have something to work with.” The match bowls off at 11 am (6 am Eastern Caribbean time). SQUADS: WEST INDIES – Jason Holder (captain), Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Kraigg Brathwaite, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Chemar Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach. ENGLAND – Ben Stokes (captain), James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Dominic Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Joe Denly, Ollie Pope, Dom Sibley, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
Kemar Roach
rt Spo Captain Jason Holder.
Alzarri Joseph
Series drought, pandemic overshadow Windies quest Leroy Cort on the go last weekend in the LRRS at New Hampshire speedway.
Cricket West Indies hosts first-ever virtual Annual General Meeting CWI President, Ricky Skerritt
Guyanese Cort back on the track after seven-month break
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