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AIETEUR Exxon burns over p. Sunday Edition 360 million cubic 9 NEWS July 12, 2020

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

feet of gas in one month

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Price $140

- Will continue to pollute the atmosphere with hundreds of cancer causing toxins well into August

Online readership yesterday 161,162

Absent Lowenfield sends in falsified - govt. commissioners report also a ‘no show’ p.

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Local courts continue to flout time limit for delivery - as CCJ publishes of judgments decisions in minutes p.

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UWI Chief Congratulate Lowenfield says world will Irfaan Ali, accept no other “eyes pass” GCCI tells option than - Sase GECOMGunraj Pres. Granger recount results p.

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PPP calls on judiciary to resist abuse of its systems p.

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Lowenfield acting

Show them you have backbone Claudette Singh G E C O M ’s c h a i r, Retired Justice Claudette Singh, must act and do so immediately. She has no other choice.

The Commission’s Chief Elections Officer ( C E O ) , M r. K e i t h Lowenfield, has repeatedly engaged in the most flagrant acts of insubordination, through calculated disrespect and continuing disregard for clear directives issued by Chairwoman Singh.

M r. L o w e n f i e l d ’s gross disavowal of one order after another from the Chair of the Commission would not have been tolerated in any organization worth its salt, or in any environment that aspires to democratic norms and ideals.

He has done as he sees fit and both unilaterally and arbitrarily, through reports that are so skewed that they border on the criminal.

H e h a s disenfranchised over a hundred thousand Guyanese voters.

No man, no official, should be allowed to act so manipulatively and capriciously.

He has

h i j a c k e d G u y a n a ’s electoral process and holds this nation hostage at his whim and through his corrupting tactics.

Chairwoman Singh must move quickly to replace him.

His replacement does not necessarily have to be from within the ranks of the GECOM Secretariat, which is saturated with partisan elements.

The Chairwoman must manifest courage and a backbone that will not bend before the barefaced daylight robberies resurrected from decades ago.

This is the 21st century. This has to be a new and better Guyana. It must be a place of the lawful and the democratic, and where the will of the people must be honored and not desecrated by the likes of the CEO and those who stand behind him.

She must fire the CEO immediately and without ceremony. Start with somebody fresh tomorrow.

Let this election be closed out and give Guyanese a chance to live again.

in bad faith and - OAS against democracy p. 3

Kaieteur News

PAGE 02

Sunday July 12, 2020

Absent Lowenfield sends - Govt. Commissioners in falsified report also a 'no show'

By Shikema Dey

G

uyana's Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield once again, defied a direct order by the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and presented to the Commission, yet again, a final election report with falsified figures and not those amassed from the National Recount.

After seeking clarity from the Chair, Ret'd Justice Claudette Singh on precisely what the final figures would be derived from, Lowenfield was ordered to present himself before the entire seven-member Commission yesterday, at 11am with the final report containing the accurate figures.

The CEO, however, failed to show up to the meeting along with the three government nominated Commissioners, Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin and Desmond Trotman. As a result of their absence, no quorum could be had but nevertheless, the CEO sent his report.

That report did not reflect the results of the recount, instead showing a win for the incumbent A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition. On the cover letter of his report, Lowenfield

told Justice Singh that she provided no “clarifications” to the queries he made in his July 10 letter to her.

He acknowledged receipt of her subsequent letter affirming her previous orders and noted his understanding “that Article 177 (2) (b) of the Constitution affords the technical officer the right to advise the Chairman of the elections results that ought to be declared.”

On that premise, he said, he prepared and submitted the report, “in accordance with my statutory and constitutional duties and all applicable laws.”

Lowenfield's new figures In his new report, the CEO claimed that a total of 475,118 valid votes were cast in the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections; however the recount shows that a total of 460,352 valid votes were cast.

On his newest calculation of the votes, the incumbent Coalition got 236,777 valid votes while the Opposition People's Progressive Party (PPP) attained 229,330 valid votes with 5,090 going to the triparty joinder: A New And United Guyana (ANUG), The Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and The New Movement (TNM). Those

Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo figures would give the Coalition the 33 majority seating in Parliament with 31 going the PPP and the remainder to the tri-party joinder.

The accurate recount figures place the win with the Opposition with a total of 233,336 valid votes while the Coalition trailed behind with 217,920 valid votes and the remaining 5,214 went to the joiner parties. With the recount numbers, the PPP would be positioned for 33 seats in Parliament, while 31 went to the Coalition and remainder to the joined parties.

The recount figures are said to accurately represent the will of the electorate who exercised their democratic franchise on March 2, over

Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield four months ago. The recount process consisted of a total recount of the ballots cast – i.e every single ballot present in the 2,339 ballot boxes were examined, counted and the numbers tabulated at the end of it. An o ff i c i a l c e r t i f i c a t e o f tabulation was prepared and signed by GECOM officials a l o n g w i t h t h e representatives of every political party which contested the elections.

Matching with Mingo Not only did the CEO present to the Commission a report containing falsified figures, he also included the fraudulent declarations made by controversial Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo on March 13.

Those numbers are still being held in abeyance and can be viewed on GECOM's official website under District declarations.

GECOM Chair, Justice Claudette Singh rtd.

Mingo back on Friday March 13 issued his second declaration for District Four claiming that the Opposition PPP gained 77,231 votes and incumbent Coalition gained 136,057 votes.

Lowenfield included the exact numbers in his report despite, numerous reports showing that Clairmont Mingo fraudulently added votes to boost the Coalition win and deducted votes from the Opposition. The recount of Region Four revealed that the Coalition got a total of 116,941 valid votes while the PPP got 80,920 valid votes.

What Mingo did was add a total of 19,116 to the Coalition's number and deducted 3,689 votes from the PPP. Where are the SOP's?

With the surrounding controversy regarding accurate number of votes cast for each party in the March 2 Elections, questions

have arisen on why the GECOM Chair has not yet demanded the official Statements Of Poll (SOP) from Lowenfield, for them to be released publicly.

The PPP had made numerous calls on the Coalition and GECOM to make the SOPs public, however, those calls were unanswered. It should be noted that back in 2011, then Opposition Leader, David Granger had requested that GECOM release copies of the SOPs in their possession.

That request was later facilitated by GECOM, under former Chair Steve Surujbally, who agreed to hand over scanned copies of the public documents for the November elections held that year.

While the recount uncovered the massive fraud carried out by Clairmont Mingo in Region Four, the Coalition continued to maintain that their SOPs were identical to the numbers declared by Mingo.

The party refused to release their SOPs to the public even as the same was done by the Opposition.

Lowenfield's varying reports Keith Lowenfield has submitted a total of three final election reports to the Commission, all containing falsified numbers rather than the correct, certified figures from the recount. The numbers in each report differ vastly from the other, where he either deducted or inflated the numbers to provide a (continued on page 14)

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 12, 2020

PAGE 03

PPP/C calls for Lowenfield's dismissal T

he People's Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) yesterday called for the dismissal of Chief Elections O ff i c e r ( C E O ) , K e i t h Lowenfield, after he failed yet again to adhere to instructions of the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (Ret'd) Claudette Singh.

“GECOM has a constitutional mandate and duty to dismiss Lowenfield forthwith, for his fraudulent conduct, his dereliction from duty and his vile insubordination and to immediately appoint another Chief Elections Officer to carry out its directions contained in its various letters to Lowenfield,” the PPP/C noted in a statement.

The press release further made it clear that Lowenfield's conduct not only amounted to gross “insubordination” but that is “an egregious dereliction of

his duty”.

Additionally, it noted that the CEO committed intentional fraud after he chose to include figures in his report which were “fraudulent and fictitious.”

The PPP/C, which was booted from office in 2015 after 23 years in office, has b e e n h a n d e d v i c t o r y, according to vote figures.

Additionally, the release noted yesterday, “Article 162(1) (b) of the Constitution adequately empowers the Commission to issue such instructions and take such actions as appear to be necessary or expedient to ensure impartiality, fairness and compliance with the provision of this Constitution or any Act of Parliament on the part of persons exercising powers or performing duties connected with the Electoral Process”.

The PPP/C statement also pointed out that Article 161 (a) provides that “the Elections Commission shall

Attorney-at-Law, Sanjeev Datadin be responsible for the efficient functioning of the Secretariat of the Commission, which shall comprise the officers and employees of the Commission, and for the appointment of all the staff to the offices thereof inclusive of all temporary staff,

Lowenfield acting in bad faith and against democracy - OAS

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n its strongest statement yet, the Organisation of American States (OAS) has condemned Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, for his repeated attempts to frustrate the democratic process, arguing that he is acting in bad faith and contrary to the interest of democracy in Guyana.

The CEO continues to flout the instructions of the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (Ret'd) Claudette Singh- for him to present a report on the results of the national vote recount.

Lowenfield has yet again attempted to present results to GECOM which do not reflect the recount's findings.

“There can be no justification for this action,” the OAS stated yesterday.

Though the recount has shown the PPP/C to have taken the lead with 233,336 votes, ahead of the APNU+AFC coalition's 217,920 votes, Lowenfield's falsified report seeks to place the coalition in the lead with 236,777 votes ahead of the PPP/C's 229,330 votes.

The numbers largely resemble those of the declarations held in abeyance by the Elections

Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield Commission, including the fraudulent March 13th declaration produced by Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo.

“Let us be very clear,” the OAS stated. “The only democratic solution for Guyana at this time is respect for the results of the national recount.

No other figures – neither those prepared prior to the recount, nor those recently invalidated by the Caribbean Court of Justice, nor any others that may be

unilaterally devised by the Chief Elections Officer – can have any place in the final determination of results. A new electoral process is also an unacceptable solution.”

The OAS General Secretariat intends to report on the developments in Guyana to the OAS Permanent Council. The Council has immediate responsibility for directing the Organisation's ongoing actions, and is one of two political bodies of the OAS, alongside the General Assembly.

Guyana could face being ejected from the 35-member state as part of sanctions if an illegal president is sworn in.

The OAS reminded that the Inter-American Democratic Charter notes the responsibility of the hemisphere to seek after good democracy. Article 1 of that Charter states that “The peoples of the Americas have a right to democracy and their governments have an obligation to promote and defend it.”

“It is past time,” the OAS stated, “that the current leaders of Guyana comply with their democratic responsibilities and allow the newly elected government to take its place.”

recruited for the purposes of boundary demarcation, registrations of persons and elections and shall have the power to remove and to exercise disciplinary control over such staff.”

Meanwhile, speaking with Kaieteur News yesterday, attorney-at-law Sanjeev Datadin, who is also a candidate for the PPP/C, related that since Lowenfield is employed on a contract basis as the CEO, the Commission can choose to immediately relieve him of his duties on the grounds for repeated failure to carry out the instructions given to him by the Commission.

This, Datadin explained, would be subjected to the commission rejecting Lowenfield's falsified report submitted yesterday which gave the APNU+AFC coalition a 7,447 lead with

236,777 and PPP/C 229,330.

Actual recount figures indicate that the PPP/C won the March 2 election by gaining 233,336 votes while the APNU+AFC received 217,920.

The decision to dismiss Lowenfield by the commission would then be followed by the appointment of a new Chief Elections Officer.

The newly appointed CEO would then be instructed to complete and submit a new report based on the recount figures as ordered by the commission, the lawyer said.

When asked about the implications that would follow should the GECOM chair fails to take action against Lowenfield, Datadin noted that GECOM is the public body “charged with

defending our democracy” and “failure to take action against someone undermining that democracy would imply that the commission does not take their job seriously.”

M o r e o v e r, D a t a d i n further stated that failure of the GECOM chair to take action against Lowenfield's act of insubordination would be a “travesty and permanent erosion to our rights as a people.”

Adding to this, the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), The Citizens Initiative (TCI), The New Movement (TNM) and the United Republican Party (URP) have all called for the immediate dismissal of Lowenfield after he made sever attempts to delay and frustrate the outcome of the March 2, General and Regional Elections.

Youth plunged to death in Cuyuni River A shallow part of the river where Rickford Newton plunged to retrieve the football

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nvestigations into the death of Rickford Newton, 19, revealed that the teen plunged to his demise in the Cuyuni River, Region Seven.

Newton of Byderabo, Bartica died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) on Wednesday last while receiving treatment for fatal injuries he had sustained during a football match.

Initial reports stated that the teen injured himself severely at Armu Backdam, Cuyuni on July 3rd when he jumped to receive a pass.

He was transported to the Bartica Regional Hospital in a critical condition and was air-dashed to GPHC. Doctors at GPHC

- investigations find

conducted a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and found that Newton suffered a fractured skull, neck and a broken left arm.

The teen subsequently succumbed to his injuries.

An autopsy conducted on his body revealed that Newton's death was caused by a fractured spine.

However, family members suggested that Newton might have been murdered.

To bring closure to the case, police decided to visit the scene yesterday to ascertain the correct circumstances surrounding the teen's demise.

Investigators learnt that Newton was indeed involved in a football match with some Venezuelan women.

The ball somehow got away

and fell into the Cuyuni River nearby.

The teen then ran and plunged into the river to retrieve the football.

Persons who witnessed the incident said he went under the water and resurfaced faced down and motionless.

His friends rushed into the river to assist him and discovered that he was unconscious and bleeding from the head.

They pulled him from the water and made arrangements for him to be transported to the hospital right away.

Upon a closer look at the area where Newton had plunged, investigators found that it was a shallow part of the river laded with a rock bed.

PAGE 4

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: 225-8491, 225-8458, 225-8465 Fax: 225-8473 or 226-8210

Editorial Yesterday, it was what if today it is what now

By Saturday morning, the deadline had been extended to 11am. The day before, it should have been final at 2pm. On Saturday morning, what was everyone’s mind is best summed up as: will he? And then, if he did, what will it be? Now that it is Sunday, and given what the CEO of GECOM did yesterday and the rest that transpired since then, the only questions remaining are these four now merged into one: what next, to where and how and with whom? This is where we are as a paper, and as society, and what we forced to ask when nothing is organizationally or legally binding, nothing is relevant or applies to the coalition, and nothing will be responded to in any recognized conventional and civilized lines. This is the political and leadership barbarism that now resonates across Guyana’s elections horizon and its accompanying ruptured social and racial landscape.

We can roast Mr. Lowenfield as much as such delights on a slow-turned spit stirred to concentrated intensity. He is not budging, just look at where he is fastened irremovably.

The CCJ pinned on him the deserving labels of acting “unilaterally” in an “unlawful validation exercise” through the “non-transparent and arbitrary.” Though those reveal the depths of his capriciousness and premeditated inclinations to criminality, the dogged CEO, like the Teflon man, gleams. He is not budging and that is the reality. So, what and to whom next, the leader of the land?

We can press as insistently as we please for besieged chairwoman, Ms. Claudette Singh, to declare a result. But if such is based on anything but a submitted and certified report from the CEO, it is guaranteed that the Coalition and its leadership will go the greatest lengths to question the validity and authority of such an action. Hence, the Coalition appears prepared to undermine and resist the power of any declaration, as based on such origins, to command movement on its part towards the expected conceding and relinquishing of office that should follow. That, too, is not happening. So, what next?

We can appeal to the known patriotism and once-believed principled nature of Mr. Granger, but as this is done, the names Pyrrhus and Scipio-one a king, both military generalsshould be recalled and the history of how they dealt with those who opposed them be revisited. In the rawest terms, there is no victory that is too costly, no price that is too much to pay. Guyana’s President Granger-historian and military man to the deep soul, but now posturing as pristine and pious politician-is neither moved nor listening either.

He, too, is not budging; and seems committed, like General Scipio, to sow with salt. The warnings of sanctions from the international community lack power as deterrents that urge reconsidering, bring pausing, encourage conceding.

On these, and every other component that stands against him, the president is not budging, also. Once again, who to and what next?

Our ostensibly learned judges have been dressed down in a public lecture by the CCJ, as to what the law really is about, and should come to represent when the scales hang in the most delicate of balances with regard to such issues as “validity” and what should or should not constitute a word as rudimentary as “more.”

But that, too, has resulted in the now unmoving disdains that characterize anything and everything to do about elections in this country. Thus, the local judiciary lies in tatters, and exposed for what it pretends not to be. And since that doorway is now sealed firmly shut, then what? To what and where next?

In this primitive and parochial Guyanese world, the speed of our electoral degradation is exceeded only by that of our moral decline. There is no interest in honoring laws, as our intents are anything but honorable, merely embody rank partisanship of the widest racial strain. Since, we are determined to go down the road of barbarism, then things jell to this fateful plain: Peter pays for Paul, and Paul pays for all. In view of our unheeding and unmoving circumstances, all are Paul. And all will have to pay whatever price is bargained for the scent of victory.

Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox Send your letters to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com

It is high time that the international community act against those involved in rigging DEAR EDITOR, It is with much disappointment and chagrin that I, and countless other Guyanese (living in Guyana and in their new adopted countries around the world), view the goings on in their native ‘land of the free’. The old PNC stalwarts have not learned a thing about freedom and democracy since the unfortunate Burnham rigging days. If anything, it seems like the present rigging crew would like to relive those days with the hope that the rest of the world will turn a blind eye... fortunately, they can’t and would not.

The international community, as represented by so many honourable states and organisations have been keenly observing the madness that is taking place. With elections having been complete now for more than four months and still no declared winner, it’s obvious that the incumbent APNU+AFC has lost the election to the main opposition party (the PPP/C), as verified by a total recount of all ballots, but it seems like they do not intend to relinquish power.

It is also obvious that they have used every trick they

could think of to thwart the will of the Guyanese electorate.

The international community has seen through all of this – they stand by the Guyanese people for democracy in Guyana, and have indicated that they will not accept this bold, barefaced attempt to steal the election.

I submit that it is now high time that the international community take some action now against those involved in the rigging, since not doing so can surely embolden other bad actors some of whom are already saying publicly that no action will be taken against anyone and have gone as far as painting the international community as toothless paper tigers.

The international community should recognise that those involved in the electoral fraud in Guyana are pushing ahead despite threats.

It is well known who the bad actors are and I humbly suggest that taking action now will not only help to keep Guyana as a democratic nation but can also save lives.

Sincerely, C. De Barros

Sunday July 12, 2020

PAGE 5

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Bicycle patrols are a good idea The Granger administration but need some improvements had imagined that

DEAR EDITOR, Each time I am in downtown Georgetown, I observe several officers of the Guyana Police Force riding around on bicycles, which would normally be something that is commendable and reassuring for our citizens in terms of improved security in the commercial center of our capital.

However there seems to be a couple of things that are odd about their modus operandi.

First, these officers seem much more keen on chasing and stopping vehicles to check on the validity of the vehicle fitness certificates, insurance certificates and drivers licences, a function of officers of the traffic department rather than that of a bike patrol unit.

In other countries bicycle police officers are used to traverse congested roads,

pursue fleeing suspects through a variety of environments, and for quietly monitoring or following suspects.

The ability to arrive on a crime scene first or sneak up on individuals engaged in criminal activity makes bicycle police officers instrumental in patrolling the downtown areas of cities. They also provide greater visibility and accessibility in crowded urban areas like parks, concerts or malls, allowing officers to immediately respond to emergencies including providing first aid to injured or ailing members of the public and arresting and detaining criminals until transportation can be arranged. But not so here in Guyana.

Even more perplexing is their attire. While Bike Patrol officers wear bike helmets which help protect their faces,

heads, and brains if they should fall, our officers are wearing uniform berets and forage peaked caps, instead of using bike patrol shorts that are lined with chamois pads they use long uniform trousers in this blistering heat.

Instead of using Coolmax polo shirts that are fade resistant and made with moisture management fabric and reflective tape, they are instead using standard uniform shirts and worse they place over those shirts special law enforcement tactical vests with specialized pockets of the outside and lining on the inside which probably makes them ten times hotter rather than wearing tactical duty belts.

Not to fail to mention their footwear, they can be (Continued on page 6)

Time to end this nightmare DEAR EDITOR, Justice Claudette Singh’s letter on July 9, 2020, requesting Mr. Keith Lowenfield to submit the recount report signaled to the entire world that she was ready to move on with declaring the March 2 elections’ results. To the nation’s dismay, Mr. Lowenfield failed to submit the requested report because he needed further clarity.

Justice Singh’s letter was crystal clear and left little or no room for interpretation.

There is absolutely nothing to clarify. Mr. Lowenfield is only pussyfooting as he does not strike me as someone deficient in the English language. Hence, this latest antic can only be seen as another treacherous act perpetrated by the

APNU+AFC and their cohorts to thwart the will of the Guyanese people.

That Mr. Lowenfield is hinting at ignoring the recount results by contending that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) judgment noted that the recount order and the Constitution of Guyana are at odds is yet another disgraceful attempt to rig these elections and keep the incompetent Granger Administration in office.

According to the CCJ, it is Mr. Lowenfield’s attempts to disenfranchise over one hundred thousand voters in a non-transparent and arbitrary way that is inconsistent with the highest law of the land, the Constitution. For him to

suggest otherwise is pure balderdash.

Anywhere else in the free world, Mr. Lowenfield’s behaviour would not be tolerated. At best, it is tantamount to insubordination of the highest order. At worse, it can easily be described as electoral fraud. Regardless of the description, he should be summarily dismissed since it is clear that he has no intention of complying with the request, clarification or not. However, his dismissal will not bring us any closer to a declaration of the results.

This is because the Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO) and next in line is Ms. Roxanne Myers, a known APNU+AFC sympathizer. Of (Continued on page 5)

the world would stand by

By now, the whole world has witnessed and rejected an overt, clumsy, brazen, barefaced attempt to thief the elections in Guyana.

There is dismay, justifiably so, that 132 days later, the winner of the March 2 elections, the 9th President of Guyana, has not been sworn in, the winning party has not been able to form the new government, and the new parliament is still to be convened.

So that it is clear, the PPP convincingly won these elections freely and fairly. Since 2015, it was the third overwhelming electoral win for Bharrat Jagdeo’s PPP. The PPP won more than 60% of the votes in the 2016 local government elections, more than 66% of the votes in the 2018 local government elections and now more than 51% of the March,2020 elections that had a dozen political parties contesting. Dr. Irfaan Ali is the 9th President of Guyana, even if the “truth hurts”. We knew these facts by early Tuesday, March 3 and it is, therefore, more than annoying that 132 days later, President Irfaan Ali has not been sworn in.

President Irfaan Ali has not been sworn in because David Granger’s rigging cabal is still determined to thief the elections. But the rigging cabal has discovered that thieving the elections has been more difficult than they imagined.

Their gamble that the world would stand by quietly and permit electoral rigging in Guyana has backfired, backfired like a tsunami. Granger’s rigging cabal had anticipated that outside the PPP, everyone will give them a pass.

They had banked on a myth that the new political parties and civil society, including the private sector, hated the PPP more than they detest electoral rigging and dictatorship. They had gambled that the media in Guyana and the Caribbean would turn a blind eye to the rigging and dastardly manipulation of the results because they hated Bharrat Jagdeo and the PPP more.

They had imagined a world in which CARICOM, the Commonwealth, the OAS, the ABCE countries, the international observers preferred Granger and his version of the PNC, even if they had to pretend they did not see any rigging.

After all, the Commonwealth, CARICOM, the OAS, the ABCE countries stood by quietly, leaving the struggle up to Cheddi Jagan’s PPP during the Burnham and Hoyte dictatorships.

Granger’s PNC even assumed that the international stakeholders would do the same for Granger’s PNC. David Granger was never a hostage of the rigging cabal, he was the leader of the rigging cabal, all along: it became obvious since early 2018 that Granger was setting it up.

His illegal appointment of James Patterson to chair GECOM was one of the signal acts that he and his version of the PNC was already deep in the planning for a

rigged election. Thus, besides those in APNU+AFC who were the directors of the rigging machinery, there was the rigging arm in the Commission, with the three Commissioners and Lowenfield.

It was Lowenfield who permitted Clairmont Mingo to tamper with the Region 4 results.

Hundreds of Statements of Poll from the March 2 counting of ballots were misrepresented by Mingo, allowing him to submit two Region 4 declarations on March 5 and March 13.

On March 14, Lowenfield used the March 13 Mingo fraudulent declaration to submit a report to GECOM, with APNU+AFC illegally declared the winner of the March 2 elections. Since then, Lowenfield has submitted three more reports, all with different numbers.

So the elections have had seven declarations, only two with the same numbers - the Statements of Poll results from March 2 and the Recount, both showing the PPP won with more than 233,000 votes.

These were the only two declarations based on actual ballots. All the others were based (Cotninued on page 5)

PAGE 6

Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Kaieteur M@ilbox

THE SITUATION IN GUYANA

DEAR EDITOR, As human beings, we all have our beliefs and interpretation of past and current events.

This shapes our attitudes and, in the case of the media, editorial policy and proclivities.

The present situation in Guyana requires all of us to leap beyond these proclivities or if we prefer prejudices for the sake of a secure and viable Guyana.

In view of the above, I can see no difficulty with you publishing this letter, which seeks ultimately to mend and not rend, to heal and not peel, a wounded and unhappily divided nation.

I have earlier pleaded long before the Elections that there is the urgent need for our political leaders to talk and find a Modus Vivendi. It is the only, and I repeat only mechanism to salvage and save Guyana.

This need to sit and talk without the media is a matter of grave urgency.

I say urgent, since COVID-19 has exacerbated conditions globally and having an adverse effect on Guyana. Yesterday, the Director General of WHO made an impassion plea for solidarity in dealing with this murderous health pandemic.

In similar vein this need is for good sense and solidarity among our leaders. COVID-19 may subside in the not too

distant future, but unless every side of the political divide recognizes that in the present charged environment, neither the Courts nor even GECOM can really help us to settle down and move forward as one people.

We need to sit and talk to each other with civility and sincerity. A prerequisite to talks must be a public affirmation to subscribe to an unchangeable moral code, which we cannot get from any judiciary, internal or external.

For much is left in the hands of Judges and those identified to interpret man’s constructed laws. In this regard, we need to leap beyond human moral sense.

We have been reminded, in an Encyclopedia of Philosophy, that “The moral sense is also an influencing motive in our pursuit of virtue and our avoidance of vicious behaviour, and it plays a part in our bestowal of praise and blame.”

The key issue and the real challenge is to find some uniformity which will invest all of our leaders with a sense and passion for morality, where the theology of some folks is “thiefology,” and therefore see nothing wrong with stealing, corruption, the manipulation of institutions and our man-made laws and regulations.

It is now popular for us to lean on the experiences and principles of two countries

that have generally influenced Guyanese of every generation. These are USA and UK. Today, we regard them, and rightly so, as great nations and bastions of democracy and justice.

It is their history, prowess and internal conditions that propelled them to greatness.

We must not forget that in the UK, for example, they traversed a road where they once beheaded their King and saw the suspension and the restoration of Parliament.

Great Britain controlled a vast empire over which they boasted. The sun never sets.

In the United States we find a few who make simplistic statements about democracy in Guyana. They ignore, for example, that the United States maintains the largest and most powerful military in modern history, which in essence has always supported their interpretation of democracy.

Rightfully, the Americans rose up against King George III, which led to their declaration of Independence in 1776, making a solemn promise for equality and justice for all men. But less than one hundred years later the American Civil War broke out between the north and south.

The issue of enslaved Africans was foremost, yet one hundred years later, black people was still struggling to enjoy the promise or democracy which presupposes a

quality of opportunity in every aspect of life and the true meaning of their creed that all men are created equal.

We witnessed the war in Mexico which was anchored upon expanding Anglo-Saxon concept of democracy. Of course, in this region, we had the invasion of Grenada in 1983, which almost split CARICOM in two, all in the name of democracy.

Grenada is a tiny island of 110 citizens, less than the number who lives in Georgetown and less than those that congregate in a shopping mall on any day in any European or North American city.

Guyanese must work tirelessly to agree on morals and an uncompromising code of conduct for all persons in position of influence and authority. Political leaders, religious leaders, public officials including teachers and the security forces must be men and women with strength and good character.

Guyana, thanks to our colonial history, is suffocating because of this question of ethnic identification, where from my analysis, perhaps eighty percent of voters are influenced by race. Happily, we have twenty percent population that have risen above considerations of race and religion.

The above is not the result of a scientific analysis but my own conclusion having traversed every part of Guyana for over six decades.

Talks must therefore not seek to avoid this real issue.

We have today an interesting situation where to my mind, the CCJ for whatever reason has cast aside our laws and assaulted our sovereignty, commenting on matters suggesting a bias and avoiding what is the crucial issue of the integrity of ballots cast in our 2020 Election.

As a lay-person, I find it completely irrelevant, the CCJ’s reference to the December 15, ‘No Confidence” motion.

They side-stepped the circumstances, which led to the ballot recount and what ought to be the consequences of that ballot recount.

The Agreement for the Recount was brokered by CARICOM and signed by the representatives of the two principle players of the 2020 Elections, PPP represented by Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo and Leader of the Coalition, David A. Granger.

In life’s journey, you experience many examples of what we term collateral damage but that have always been vagaries of life on earth. I am a simple man and could abide by simple answers.

I hope that by the time this letter is published we can see GECOM moving ahead so the nation can settle in to be governed by a President identified as a result of a fair process.

Yours truly, Hamilton Green

The Granger administration...

From page 6 on manipulations of bogus spreadsheets by Mingo and Lowenfield.

The Chair of GECOM has rescheduled the Saturday aborted meeting to Monday at 11.00 hours.

This meeting will be legally reconstituted whether APNU+AFC commissioners choose to attend or not.

Hopefully, the GECOM Chair will lead the commission to reject the fraudulent Lowenfield report. At this

meeting, she has to censure Lowenfield, appoint another officer within GECOM to prepare the legal report, a report reflecting the true results.

With the true results in hand, she should schedule a declaration meeting.

While, APNU+AFC commissioners will likely boycott that meeting also, she can then reschedule that meeting for the next day, when she needs only three commissioners to legally declare the winner of the

elections, in accordance with the laws of Guyana.

It is not easy, but because it is the right thing, it is hard.

The only way for Guyana to move forward with progress and prosperity is to travel on the road of democracy.

After 132 days, enough is enough. This coming week, we must swear in Guyana’s 9th President President Irfaan Ali. Yours truly, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

Time to end this nightmare From page 6 course, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) can hire a replacement from the outside, but this will take time and the country will be no closer to a result.

While Mr. Lowenfield’s actions are not entirely surprising given all that we have seen in the last 130 days, it begs the question of where do we go from here? Perhaps

Mr. Lowenfield is buying time for his handlers to concoct another frivolous court challenge.

Or perhaps his stonewalling is designed to frustrate the Opposition and its suppo r t e r s t o such an extent that they would have no other alternative than to take to the streets, thus p r o v i d i n g M r. G r a n g e r with the basis for

d e claring the state of emergency he hinted at not so long ago.

Whatever the real reason for Mr. Lowenfield’s failure to comply with Justice Singh’s request, it is clear that all stakeholders except the APNU+ACF are growing impatient. It is high time that Justice Singh put an end to this nightmare.

Yours faithfully, Omchand Mahdu

Bicycle patrols are a good idea...

From page 5 seen pedaling around in heavy duty military boots instead of using athletic bike patrol shoes.

Never can they be seen wearing tactical eyewear though they are exposed to spills and splashes, long days in sunlight, projectile objects and people who simply don’t cover their mouth when they cough. This is in spite of the fact that eyes can be a portal

to diseases like Covid-19. Research also suggests that prolonged ultraviolet (UV) exposure can cause painful eye injuries and contribute to cataract formation and other long-term injuries.

What is bewildering is the fact that these special bicycles that they ride, 170 of them along with accessories, were donated by the United States Government along with specialized bike patrol

training provided in Las Vegas, Nevada, yet one has to wonder why the force could not have outfitted them properly to do their jobs professionally and with pride rather than having them suited up in conventional uniforms with archaic equipment, riding around like in the old days before policemen used motorcycles and cars.

Yours truly, Ravindra Thakur

Sunday July 12, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox Kaieteur M@ilbox The conspiracy begins with David Granger as its architect and ends with him being sworn in

DEAR EDITOR, The masks are finally coming off and the identity of the riggers of elections and thieves of votes of citizens is being laid bare.

Those, including myself I must confess, who thought it was the trio of Commissioners using Lowenfield, Mingo and Myers were the real crooks are now recognising that the conspiracy begins with David Granger as the architect and ends with David Granger being sworn in. That call was made yesterday by Volda Lawrence on her Facebook page the same day that Lowenfield defied GECOM. Volda Lawrence was reacting to a report of the response by Chief Elections Officer Lowenfield who in his fifth or sixth declaration of the results of the vote has reverted in the main to his March 14 declaration which featured the fraudulent phantom declaration by Clairmont Mingo of Polling District No. 4, which was itself a breach of a court order, for which Mingo has had contempt charges filed against him.

Lawrence of course was a co-signatory with Mingo in the false PD 4 District declaration, the penalty for which is prescribed in section 137 of the Representation of the People Act to include both monetary fine and jail time. In other words, Volda Lawrence is part of the group of individuals who have been systematically and criminally dismantling Guyana’s democratic structures to impose Granger and the APNU+AFC on the people of this country as they cement dictatorship in Guyana.

Yesterday, Lowenfield should have complied with a directive of the GECOM Chairman to carry out his constitutional duty to submit a report under section 96 of the Representation of the People Act first requested by the Chairman on June 23, more than three weeks ago.

Instead, demonstrating disrespect and insubordination to the Chairman, Lowenfield re-sent a report presented since March 14 which was clearly overtaken by Order 60 dealing with the Recount, and subsequent judicial pronouncements.

Lowenfield, who has been running from the service of a criminal summons, does not care: he knows he has not only the PNC-R’s three GECOM appointees in his corner but also the executive and coercive arms of the State,

including Granger, behind him. It was no surprise then that Alexander in a news report purported to speak for Lowenfield, saying that Lowenfield would respond to the Chairman.

As a measure of the scale and nature of the coordination among the rogue elements in GECOM’s Secretariat and the PNC-R’s three GECOM appointees, Lowenfield absented himself from the meeting, as did the Commissioners.

But the conspiracy does not stop there. It includes Granger’s alter ego Joseph Harmon and Granger himself.

If anyone had any doubt that Granger had an iota of decency about him, that illusion was dispelled by Granger in a bizarre display of deceit in his unmasked speech to his supporters on the day the CCJ handed down their decision, a decision with which everyone associated some finality and the return to democracy. Not only did we under-estimate Granger’s deceit.

We have been witnessing the despicable act of Granger’s changes in the leadership of the GDF in anticipation that Irfaan Alli will be sworn in as President and he Granger will then be considered to be engaging in an act of subversion against the state. There is clearly no limit to what Granger’s determination to deliver Burnham’s dream of a PNCdictatorship in Guyana. That limit is not circumscribed by the possibility of crippling sanctions against Guyana.

GECOM Chair Claudette Singh has shown immense patience in dealing with the PNC-R renegade Commissioners and the rogue elements in the GECOM Secretariat. As Chair, she has a duty to ensure that the principal function of GECOM is carried out: to hold and complete elections. A retired Judge of the Court of Appeal should not allow a lawbreaker to embarrass her and frustrate the execution of the work of the Commission. Lowenfield is an employee of GECOM and not as he thinks, a constitutional office holder.

His continued employment is subject to his contract and the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act. That Act provides for dismissal without notice where there is serious misconduct. It is hard to think of anything more serious than Lowenfield’s persistent attempt to subvert the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act.

Once he is terminated, an acting Chief Elections Officer should be named who should be requested to do what Lowenfield has unlawfully refused to do, thereby holding the country to ransom.

The receipt and consideration by GECOM of the section 96 of the ROPA report will allow the March 2, 2020 elections to be declared.

All that would be left to complete the process is for the Chair to arrange with the Chancellor for the swearing in of the new President.

Granger’s tenure will then constitutionally come to an end and all authorities, powers, protection and allegiances associated with a lawful President will cease to exist.

Granger has boasted that the GDF is the only military in South America which has never been part of a coup. I am sure that the higher ranks of the Army will want to maintain that proud tradition.

I am confident too that the Chancellor of the Judiciary will carry out her constitutional

duty to swear in the President rather than designate any other judge to carry out that function as the Constitution provides.

Finally, the APNU+AFC+WPA Coalition, including the three PNC-R commissioners, keeps repeating their false claim of electoral fraud committed by PPP/C in the March 2 elections. If they are so certain of their “overwhelming evidence”, they should confidently pursue the election petition where they

will guarantee a fair and speedy hearing. One thing they can be certain about, a PPP/C Government that is found to have been sworn in on the basis of rigged elections, will not be able to survive a single day, let alone their 132 days and counting since the March 2 elections or the 479 days since elections were supposed to be held no later than March 21, 2019 after the December 21, 2018 No Confidence Motion.

Yours truly, Christopher Ram

PAGE 8

Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

PPP/C calls on judiciary to resist abuse of its systems The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) is now cautioning the judiciary to ensure that its systems are not abused and manipulated by the APNU+AFC coalition, in any potential bid to delay a declaration of the certified recount results.

Those results show that the PPP/C has secured a total of 233,336 votes, ahead of the coalition’s 217,920 votes. Despite the certification of those results, and clear instructions from the Chair, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh to submit a report of those, Chief Elections Officer(CEO), Keith Lowenfield, is now on his fifth attempt to have fraudulent results declared by the Elections Commission.

The first attempt was when Lowenfield requested a meeting of the Commission in March to submit a report of the elections results, including Mingo’s fraudulent March 5th declaration, which has since been vitiated.

The second was when Lowenfield submitted a report which included Mingo’s fraudulent March 13th declaration, currently held in abey-

ance. The third was when Lowenfield, following the recount, submitted a preliminary report suggesting that GECOM dump nearly 270,000 votes on trumped up claims and electoral fraud and irregularities. The fourth was when he submitted a report seeking to dump 115,844 votes in a bid to unilaterally determine the credibility of the votes tabulated at the recount.

This time around, on the fifth attempt yesterday, Lowenfield is seeking to add nearly 15,000 ghost votes to the actual votes cast, with a tabulation which largely resembles the declarations held in abeyance and includes Mingo’s fraudulent March 13th declaration.

The Chair is not expected to accept Lowenfield’s falsified report. Many are calling for Lowenfield to be dismissed, as he is largely perceived to be operating in bad faith as the coalition’s agent.

However, the PPP/C has noted that it has received information about APNU+AFC, which it called “the Rigging Cabal”... is actively judge-

shopping in their efforts to get some form of judicial assistance to execute their illegal, fraudulent design to defeat the will of the electorate and steal the next Government.”

Eslyn David, an agent of the coalition, had attempted to have the Appeal Court give Lowenfield legal cover to strike out 115,844 valid votes from the recount figures, an attempt which ultimately failed as the Appeal Court’s ruling was struck down by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) last week.

The PPP/C noted that the Caribbean Court has passed down a judgment, and concluded its judgment with the words: “Now the law must run its course.”

“We call upon the Judiciary not to allow its processes to be abused and manipulated to perpetrate a fraud upon the Guyanese electorate,” the party stated.

It noted that the court cannot direct the Commission on how to perform its functions, nor usurp the functions of the commission, as long as the commission acts within its constitutional mandate.

Ex-cop found guilty of dousing lover with corrosive substance

Ex-cop Cassandra Boucher, 31, of School Street, Albouystown, was on Friday found guilty of dousing her lover with a corrosive substance.

Boucher is expected to make another court appearance tomorrow pending a probation report.

On her first court appearance, Boucher denied the charge which stated that on November 7, 2018 at Camp and North Road Georgetown, she unlawfully and maliciously wounded Anthony Paul with intent to maim, disfigure or cause him grievous bodily harm.

Boucher is being represented by attorney-at-law, Adrian Thompson, who told the court on a previous occasion that his client made several reports of abuse against her lover and the matters were never dealt with.

The court also heard that Boucher acted in self defense and that there is a medical certificate to show that she received injuries.

According to the police prosecutor, Boucher and Paul shared a relationship which subsequently ended after the latter found out that she was pregnant for someone else.

The court heard on the day in question around 10:20 hrs, Boucher called the victim and requested to be taken to the hospital since she was not feeling well.

Paul then went to the defendant’s home and she went into the backseat of his vehicle.

He proceeded to take her to the hospital.

However, while in the vicinity of Camp and North Road Georgetown, Boucher went into her purse and took out a small glass bottle and threw a liquid on Paul’s left side face and body.

Guilty: Cassandra Boucher Paul immediately drove to GPHC where he was examined by a doctor and admitted for his injuries.

The matter was then reported and Boucher was arrested. She admitted to the offence, hence the charge. Boucher was out on $300,000 bail.

Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 9

ExxonMobil burns over 360 million cubic feet of gas in one month - will continue to pollute the atmosphere with hundreds of cancer causing toxins well into August

EPA Head, Dr. Vincent Adams

By Kiana Wilburg For last month alone, American oil giant, ExxonMobil, burnt over 360 million cubic feet of gas thereby polluting Guyana’s atmosphere with hundreds of cancer-causing toxins.

Based on recent indications by Head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Head, Dr. Vincent Adams, it appears that this trend of causing alarming damage to the nation’s environment will continue well into August.

The EPA Director told this newspaper yesterday that the oil giant has been burning approximately 12 million cubic feet of gas per day since May. He revealed as well that it was only a few days ago ExxonMobil was able to get a

key piece of the Liza Destiny’s gas compressor system into Germany to be fixed. Dr. Adams said that the equipment is expected to return by month end and once installation is done, ExxonMobil should bring an end to flaring by mid-August.

ExxonMobil had blamed the technical issues for the flaring.

The EPA Head said that until such time, the oil giant will continue to burn 12 million cubic feet of gas per day.

Dr. Adams said he has made it clear to the operator of the Stabroek Block that it has to stay within that target.

He said, too, that steps have been initiated to tighten the loopholes in the company’s permit which allowed it to flare in the first place. In an invited comment,

ExxonMobil’s Public and Government Affairs Advisor, Janelle Persaud reminded that the company has cut crude oil production on the Liza Destiny FPSO to reduce the amount of gas being flared.

Kaieteur News understands from Dr. Adams that the company is still hovering around 80,000 barrels of oil per day.

Persaud was keen to note that some gas compression equipment is being repaired abroad while adding that ExxonMobil anticipates its arrival in the coming weeks so as to safely complete final commissioning of the gas handling system. She said, too, that key specialist technicians required to repair the equipment have been mobilized.

TOXIC EFFECTS According to a special study conducted by the World Bank, flaring releases gases that are not only harmful to one’s health but also disastrous to the climate. According to the report that was perused by this newspaper, flaring releases more than 250 toxins including cancer causing agents such as benzopyrene, benzene, carbon disulphide (CS2), carbonyl sulphide (COS), and toluene.

It also releases metals such as mercury, arsenic, and chromium and nitrogen oxides.

Another study that was conducted by the Suez (Continued on page 10)

Dem boys seh...

Rigadier is the chief cook and bottle washer Wherever good people go, good things does happen. Wherever evil goes, bad things does occur.

Both sides of de political divide gat dem own devils. De J6aggy boy is wan wicked fella. He did not feel he could meet he match. But now he get surpass in wickedness.

Dem boys believe dat de chief cook and bottle washer in de mischief wha tekkin place is de Rigadier. De man playing like if he nah gat a hand in nuttin wha happening. But dem boys believe that is more than a hand he gat in things; he gat he finger pun de trigger.

Dem boys seh dat de rigging is not de work of de devil. It is de devil of all devils.

It is evil incarnate. The scent of sulphur is high and it

burning yuh nose hole.

Dem boys also smell something rank. Dem asking how is it de West man from the de GDF get send pun preretirement leave but two others in de police force still deh pun de wuk even though dem gat sufficient leave fuh tek dem past dem retirement.

Something fishy here.

The smell get ranker when dem boys see how de Rigadier promote wan man to Brigadier in order to ensure dat he mo senior than dem others and so he gun get de top wuk in de army. Dem boys believe that promotion must not be selective and dat other colonels should also have been eligible fuh promotion.

And may de best man win even if de best man name Bess.

Dem boys does warn

people about dabbling in evil.

When yuh go crab dance yuh bound to get mud pun yuh skin. When yuh dabble with de devil, yuh bound to end up like vampire and become a bloodsucker.

It was Michelle Obama who once said that the presidency doesn’t change who you are… it reveals who you are.

And that was how we get to know who Jagdeo really is and now comes Granger evil being revealed.

Granger evil is being displayed for the world to see.Talk half and pray dat those who rigging election, gun be able to live with the consequences not only from de devil but also from de Man Above.

PAGE 10

Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

UWI Chief says world will accept no other option than recount results

Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, Sir Hilary Beckles has joined the current and past heads of CARICOM, Ralph Gonsalves and Mia Mottley, as well as the former Prime Minister of Barbados, Owen Arthur, in calling for Guyana to embrace the true results of the 2020 polls, evidenced by the findings of the national recount of votes.

He said that there is no other option that would be acceptable to the region and the wider world.

The recount shows that the PPP/C has gained the most votes at 233,336, ahead of the APNU+AFC coalition’s 217,920.

The CARICOM Scrutineers Team has certified that the elections were credible and that the recount results are completely acceptable. All international observers have endorsed the CARICOM team’s findings, and support a declaration being made on the basis of those results.

Below is the UWI Vice Chancellor’s full statement A New Day in Guyana Sometimes it requires a personal rather than political or professional perspective to see beyond the borders of a seemingly divisive circumstance, and to offer a dispassionate comment. I was named by my father after his cousin, Hilary Alfonso

McDonald Beckles.

“HAM Beck”, as he was called, was little known in our native Barbados, but his contribution to nation building in Guyana is well-respected. In the late 1940s, he fled “Bim” for “BG”. He taught classics for near three decades at Queen’s College in Georgetown, where he also became principal.

His commitments to Guyana straddled the diverse ethnic and cultural scene. He married an Amerindian woman, and considered himself a research authority on Hindu culture and Indian civilization. He admired the colony’s ethnic diversity and adopted the new nation of 1966 as his home. Supporting the nation’s dream for democratic development and the equality of ethnicities was his personal quest.

Through those eyes, I came to embrace the wonderful land of a thousand rivers.

I know something of its history and culture, including the good and the bad times evident in its turbulent journey to and beyond nationhood. It has been a torn and tortured terrain with divisive seeds sown in the colonial waters that nurture the rich land.

The determined evidence of the debilitating deployment of ethnic identity as expressions of indigenous nationalism can be seen in far too many places. But, above it all,

UWI Vice Chancellor, Sir Hilary Beckles greets President David Granger during the 38th Meeting of the Conference of Heads in Grenada, 2017

there is also the compelling story, in the history from sea walls to sugar estates, of commitment to the paramount principle that the will of the people should not be toppled, but respected.

The people have spoken.

And so has the highest court.

From the 2019-2020 electoral campaign and franchise exercise, their will is now known. With much pain and sacrifice the process has been monitored and reviewed by CARICOM. The findings of the outcome should be declared and implemented.

There is no other option that will be acceptable to the region and wider world. The future of the nation is assured with the compliance of State

to the popular will. The regional court is counting on the integrity of the polity to protect the democracy.

Fear of the future is not an acceptable explanation for franchise frustration in the present. Ethical conduct, and not ethnic constructs, is expected to rule when democracy is in need of advocacy.

The children of indigenous survivors, the chattel enslaved, the deceived indentured, and others in between, must now converge at the rendezvous of victory. The minority party should stay the course and continue to contribute to the sustainability and maturity of the integrated, multi-racial nation.

In this regard, despite the

challenges of late, the nation has much to teach its region and the world beyond. This year is the 40th anniversary of the violent taking of Walter Rodney’s life.

It was forfeit because of the socially and politically integrated values he held most dear. He was from that generation of outstanding Guyanese scholars nurtured

by HAM Beckles.

I join with the current and past Heads of CARICOM, the Honourable Ralph Gonsalves

and the Honourable Mia Mottley respectively, and with the former Prime Minister of Barbados, the Honourable Owen Arthur, in calling for the official embrace of the evidentiary truth of the election. Every hour that the celebration of a new day is allowed to sour, the greater will be the tarnish on the varnish of the history of a great nation.

Hilary McD Beckles Professor of Economic History

Dalip Trading owner robbed at gun point Gun-toting bandits yesterday morning robbed Angad Dalip, owner of Dalip Trading’s at his Industrial Site location at Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

According to information received by Kaieteur News, the 69-year-old man was robbed as he made his way into his business’s compound at around 11:30 am.

The bandits, who made their escape on a motorcycle, reportedly relieved the elderly man of $280,000 cash which was intended to pay employees of the general industrial and supplies facility.

They also took his wallet and two cell phones; an Apple Iphone valued at $200,000 and one Samsung S3.

The matter was reported to the police who visited the scene.

According to police sources close to the case, Dalip reported that he was attacked by two males who arrived on a motorcycle- one was carrying a gun.

CCTV’s footage of the robbery will soon be released to the public. The matter is currently being investigated.

ExxonMobil burns over...

From page 9 University in Egypt agrees with the findings of the World Bank Group, while adding that flaring is a significant contributor of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane.

When released into the atmosphere, these gases trap heat to a significant degree. The University’s Department of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering was keen to note that flaring is also considered to be extremely harmful to the environment since it releases methane which has about 25 times greater global warming potential than carbon dioxide.

Other pollutants such as sulfur oxides (SOx) and volatile organic components (VOC) are also released from flaring.

These are considered major causes of acid rain and fog which harm the natural environment and human life. Taking these and other harmful environmental effects into consideration, nations such as Guyana are urged to limit and/or prohibit flaring. (SEE LINKS FOR STUDIES: http://large.stanford.edu/ courses/2016/ph240/miller1/docs/emam.pdf; AND http:// documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/ 1 9 3 8 0 1 4 6 8 7 7 9 6 5 0 3 0 7 / p d f / 295520Flared0G1on0Strategy01public1.pdf)

Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

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PAGE 12

Lowenfield “eyepass” GECOM - Commissioner Gunraj Electoral Commissioner, Sase Gunraj, yesterday said that Chief Elections Officer(CEO), Keith Lowenfield “eyepass” the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), after it was revealed that the official failed to submit a report on the results of the recount, in line with the instruction of the Chair, Justice (Ret’d), Claudette Singh.

Addressing the press outside of the Commission’s Kingston office yesterday, Gunraj noted that this is the third instance in which Lowenfield has disregarded the Chair’s instructions.

Gunraj said that he views Lowenfield’s actions as a very clear and flagrant violation of the specific instructions contained in the Chair’s letters to Lowenfield.

The CEO, in his absence, sent in a report which did not reflect the results of the recount, with figures largely similar to the 10 declarations held in abeyance, including the fraudulent March 13th declaration produced by Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo.

“Now, I can choose to use all the nice words,” Gunraj said, “like contemptuous and all of that, of the instructions, and violation of the instructions. But you know what the word is that was on my mind this morning when I saw that? It is that the CEO eyepass the Commission. That is the position.”

Gunraj said that he is not surprised by these developments.

“You know why? Because, leading up to

Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

COVID-19 death toll rises to 17

Commissioner Sase Gunraj the non-arrival of my colleague Commissioners, I had already seen on social media, indications of this. So it tells me that persons out there know what is happening. It tells me that they have an indication of what the forward steps, the forward insidious steps that the riggers are attempting to do.”

Gunraj further reported that there was no quorum at the meeting because the three Government-nominated Commissioners did not turn up.

He argued that the Commission “can’t be hamstrung by the actions of one or two people who are hell-bent on holding this country hostage.”

Table showing the latest COVID-19 update One more person has died from Covid-19 and another positive case recorded as Guyana continues to battle the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier yesterday, the Ministry of Public Health confirmed this new development via a press release.

The latest COVID-19 fatality has been identified as a woman in her 60s.

According reports, the woman had tested positive for the virus and was reportedly admitted to the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit

(ICU) at the West Demerara Regional Hospital, West Demerara.

However, her condition worsened which caused multiple complications leading to her death on Saturday at the hospital.

Apart from this recent fatality, the total number of persons in Guyana who tested positive for the Novel Coronavirus, has crept up to 291 with one new case recorded yesterday.

Fourteen persons have also recovered from the virus thus reducing the total number of active cases in the country from 140 to 126.

The West Demerara Regional Hospital

Sunday July 12, 2020

The Palms is now COVID-19 free The Palms Geriatric facility on Brickdam, Georgetown

The Palms Elderly Care Facility is now COVID-19 free as its final three patients have made full recoveries from the virus.

The Palms reported its first case of the disease in April and within a matter of weeks, 12 residents were added to the Home’s record of COVID-19 cases.

Since then, two residents from the Geriatric Care facility have succumbed to their illness.

Several staffers of the facility were also quarantine.

However the Ministry of Social Protection (MoSP) has recorded several recoveries among the residents including Zorie De Mattos, 105, and Rosaline Hamilton, 91.

The residents are among seven patients convalesced.

On Friday, the MoSP announced the last of its residents- 66 year-old Robert Baiku; Cleo Brotherson, 69; and Gaitree Kaloutie, 57, will

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Kaieteur News

spend a few days in the facility’s Infirmary before they are moved to the General Ward. They had all recovered from the Coronavirus disease.

The Ministry said that the dedicated staff and doctors from the Ministry of Public Health are credited for this milestone.Speaking on the recovery of the patients, the Director of Social Services, Whentworth Tanner, noted that since then the discovery of its first case, the facility has been extremely careful to contain the illness because of their vulnerability to the disease.

“COVID-19 presented unprecedented challenges to The Palms and our team.

Thanks to the perseverance of our staff and the guidance from the Georgetown Public Hospital, 10 residents have fully recovered and there are no COVID-19 resident cases currently in the facility. With the continued health and

safety of our residents being our primary concern, we have conducted additional staff and resident retesting to further verify that our home is completely free of COVID19.”In the meantime, the MoSP said it had extended its gratitude to the following persons who worked tirelessly to ensure the COVID 19 patients were given roundthe-clock care: Avae Collins; Sheba Thoma; Hollis Brazh; Christel Nedd; Simeon Marc; Romona Matthews; Shellon Pillay Chester; Tracy Alleyne; Alina Cozier; Odessa Sealey; Latroya Joseph; Richard Holder; Tonia Mc Pherson; Aba Crawford; Marissa Blackman; Marilyn France; Samantha Douglas (Palms Administrator); Donette Mingo (Medical Services Coordinator); Mohammed Ganie (Palms Assistant Administrator); Jacqueline Clarke; Tamika Teixeira and Renetia Watts.

Congratulate Irfaan Ali - GCCI tells Granger

Arguing that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C) has won the March 2nd General and Regional Elections by some 15,000 votes, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) is calling for the incumbent President David Granger to congratulate president-elect Irfaan Ali. In a statement to the press yesterday afternoon, the GCCI made references to other politicians including former Prime Minister of England, Winston Churchill, and former President of the USA, George Bush.

The GCCI was keen to note that the men, despite being described as patriots to their countries, nonetheless lost great elections they contested in, and conceded without hesitation.

“President Granger need not feel hurt,” the GCCI said, “Winston Churchill delivered a massive war time victory to England, but the British voters in 1945 elected Clement Attlee as Prime Minister.

Churchill is reported to have said in response, “I thank the British people for the many kindnesses shown towards their servant.””

The Chamber further re-

lated to when George Bush lost to Bill Clinton in the USA’s 1992 Presidential Election, he conceded with these words: “I remain absolutely convinced that we are a rising nation. We have been in an extraordinarily difficult period, but do not be deterred, kept away from public service by the smoke and fire of a campaign year or the ugliness of politics. As for me, I’m going to serve and try to find ways to help people.”

Against this, the GCCI said that this “could also be said of our country, especially at this juncture in its history.”

As a major opposition in the Parliament, the chamber expects that the A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) to “continue the fight, ensuring honesty, integrity and de-

cency for the citizens in the entire goings on of Governing the country and holding the PPP/C accountable to delivering on campaign promises.”

In the end, however, the GCCI expects unity on major national issues such as the border controversy with Venezuela; with regards to the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic, among other issues affecting the country.

“We expect unity in knowing that four months later after E-Day, it is time for the nation to move on and get on with the business of implementing policies that benefit the Guyanese people and that all starts with the outgoing President Granger’s congratulation of Dr. Irfaan Ali now,” the GCCI said in their conclusion.

PAGE 14

Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

A review of Mingo’s Region 4 fraud

By Mikaila Prince Kaieteur News is today chronicling a plethora of occasions when the Region Four Returning Officer (RO), Clairmont Mingo, had inflated the votes in his district in favor for the A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), while also aiming subtracting votes from the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C).

This publication, in a series of extensive and verifiable articles, had exposed how Mingo’s General Election declaration of Friday, March 13, 2020 gave the Coalition 136,057 votes, while the recount showed the correct figure to be 116,941 votes, indicating that the Returning Officer fraudulently inflated the Coalition’s Region Four total by 19,116 votes.

His declaration also gave the PPP/C 77,231 votes, when the party’s rightful total – according to recount figures – is 80,920 votes, indicating that Mingo exacted a deflation of 3,689 votes on the party.

The votes taken from the PPP/C were not enough to offset the votes given to the Coalition, hence, about 15,427 ghost votes were added by Mingo to the total number of valid votes cast. While the recount showed that 202,077 valid votes were cast in the Region Four General Election, Mingo’s declaration had taken the total up to 217, 425.

The results of the national recount tabulation show that the PPP/C has won the recount with a grand total of 233,336 votes against the APNU+AFC Coalition’s 217,920 votes; Mingo had

caused the victory to sway in the other direction, giving APNU+AFC 236,990 votes to the PPP/C’s 229,489 votes.

Kaieteur News has produced verifiable reports, demonstrating Mingo’s manipulation of votes in 32 ballot boxes from the East Bank of Demerara. Our analysis of those boxes shows that Mingo’s tabulation subtracted 391 votes from PPP/ C, and added 1,514 votes to APNU+AFC. This amounted to a total variance of 1,905 votes from the corresponding Statements of Poll – the other 13,000 plus ghost votes were scattered over what would have had to been at least dozens of ballot boxes.

The paper’s analysis is based on audio recordings, provide by The Citizenship Initiative (TCI) and A New and United Guyana (ANUG), of Mingo’s General Election numbers being called out during the Kingston tabulation, and figures supplied for four ballot boxes by the Head of the Organization of American States (OAS) Observer Mission, Bruce Golding, in the mission’s preliminary report on Guyana’s 2020 Elections to the OAS Permanent Council.

The inflated ballot boxes On May 10, Kaieteur News had published that the Statements of Recount for ballot box No. 4058, a polling station at Supply Primary School, polling division 412131B (ii), counted during the national recount at Workstation 10 showed that, for the General Election, APNU+AFC secured 93 votes, while the PPP/ C secured 91 votes, and for

Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo

the Regional Election, APNU+AFC secured 94 votes, while the PPP/C secured 88.

However, video evidence of Mingo’s Hadfield Street tabulation shows a GECOM staffer reading very different figures, under his supervision. The clerk, after reading out the number of the ballot box #4058, read that APNU+AFC secured 163 votes, while the PPP secured 71 votes. While the video clip did not indicate whether the tabulation in question was for the Regional or General Election, the figures were clearly contradicted, those of the SOR in favour of the Coalition by either 70 votes for the General Elections or 69 if the tabulation referred to the Regional Elections.

It should be noted that Mingo’s tabulation did not only produce a higher APNU+AFC vote but pro-

duced a lower PPP/C vote as well, either by 20 votes if the tabulation figures were general or 17 votes if they were regional.

On May 19, a Kaieteur News analysis of information showed that between just 17 boxes, Mingo’s general election tabulation subtracted 331 votes from PPP/C and added 778 votes to APNU+AFC. This indicates that, for just those 17 ballot boxes, Mingo’s general election tabulation produced a total variance of 1,109 votes from the figures on the corresponding statements of poll.

While members of the governing coalition have consistently dismissed the figures on the statements of poll (SOPs) which have been made public by political parties, and which have been posted outside each and every polling station for public scrutiny, the statements of recount pro-

duced by the GECOM work stations during the National Recount for these 17 ballot boxes, are overwhelmingly in correlation with the numbers on the SOPs provided. It should be noted that the coalition has so far refused to provide copies of the SOPs in its possession and which various representatives have claimed to be in alignment with Mingo’s figures.

On June 1, we reported evidence of a 25th ballot box that shows Mingo manipulated the votes of his District’s electorate to favour the governing Coalition, APNU+AFC. This box, Ballot Box 4143, is one recounted from a polling place housed at a private dwelling, Tracey Matthew’s Residence at Kaneville, Grove Housing Scheme, used as a place of poll on Election Day. For this box, labelled 4143, the original statement of poll showed 72 votes for PPP/C, and 120 votes for APNU+AFC. Mingo’s tabulation added 50 votes to APNU+AFC, increasing the count to 170. The statement of recount showed an increase from the statement of poll of one vote for APNU+AFC, 121, likely due to a previously rejected vote being now considered valid at the recount.

Later on June 3, evidence of seven additional ballot boxes emerged, thereby taking the total to 32.

The ballot boxes, which derived from the Diamond Nursery School on the East Bank of Demerara, IPE Private School in Golden Grove, the New Diamond/ Grove Primary School, as well as the Grove Primary School, illustrate how

Mingo, across these seven boxes, subtracted 51 votes from the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) and added 301 to the APNU+AFC. For ballot box 4115, the SOP showed 178 votes for PPP/C, and 133 votes for the APNU+AFC. Mingo’s tabulation subtracted 20 votes from the PPP/C, decreasing the count to 158, and added 30 votes to APNU+AFC, increasing the count to 163. The SOR showed the same result as the SOP. For ballot box 4118, the SOP showed 160 votes for PPP/C, and 81 votes for APNU+AFC. Mingo’s tabulation subtracted 20 votes from PPP/C, decreasing the count to 140, and added 20 votes to APNU+AFC, increasing the count to 101. The SOR showed a decrease of one vote for APNU+AFC, from the SOP, to 80.

For ballot box 4128, the SOP showed 119 votes for PPP/C, and 94 votes for APNU+AFC. Mingo’s tabulation subtracted 10 votes from PPP/C, decreasing the count to 109, and added 60 votes to APNU+AFC, increasing the count to 154. The SOP showed the same result as the SOP In ballot box 4134, the SOP showed 122 votes for PPP/C, and 139 votes for APNU+AFC. Mingo’s tabulation added 48 votes to APNU+AFC, increasing the count to 189. The SOR showed an increase of two votes for APNU+AFC, likely due to previously rejected ballots, now considered valid.

For ballot box 4138, the (Continued on page 52)

Absent Lowenfield sends in falsified report

From page 2 false win for the incumbent Coalition.

In his first preliminary report on June 13, which contained a summation of the Observation Reports (ORs) from the National Recount, Lowenfield claimed that a total number of 182,260 valid votes were cast – 125,010 went to APNU+AFC, 56,627 went to PPP and 1,010 went the tri-party joinder.

The justification he gave for that those figures stood on the claims of irregularities brought by the Coalition during the recount process, including dead and migrant voters, missing statutory documents and spoilt ballots etc.

In that first report, Lowenfield dumped a total of 275,092 valid votes from the March 2 Elections, disenfranchising a large section of the electorate. He then issued another report on June 23 where he dumped 115,844 votes. Lowenfield claimed that a total of 344,508 votes were cast in the elections with 171,825 votes going to the Coalition, 166,343 votes going to the PPP and 1,776 to the joinder parties. To account for the vast difference from his initial report, Lowenfield offered no explanation.

With his latest report, Lowenfield added 14,766 votes, claiming that a total of 475,118 votes were cast at the March 2 polls. Questions were pointed to the CEO through the GECOM WhatsApp group to account for the changes but once again, no explanation was offered. The CEO, as statutorily ordered, has to complete a simple calculation of fixed figures at the end of every electoral process, to determine the number of votes cast in totality, the total number of valid votes for each party that contested the election and most importantly, the allocation of parliamentary seats. Neither the Constitution nor the Election Laws make any provisions for Lowenfield to subtract and add votes at his will.

Lowenfield's tabulation

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 12, 2020

PAGE 15

Bisram's mother, Two arrested after gun tossed accomplice from car that eluded police patrol guilty in $4M T cop-bribing case

Extradited US-based businessman, Marcus Bisram

Murdered: Faiyaz Narinedatt

Maryanna Lionel

Sharmilla Inderjali

S

harmilla Inderjali, m o t h e r o f extradited USbased businessman, Marcus Bisram, and her co-accused, Maryanna Lionel, were on Friday found guilty of offering a police officer $4M to suppress evidence.

The defendants appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly who handed down her ruling stating that there is sufficient evidence against the defendants and as such she found them guilty of the offence.

The sentencing for Inderjali and Lionel was deferred until July 12, 2020, where their attorney, Sanjeev Datadin will make a plea of mitigation before sentencing is imposed.

Inderjali, 45, of Number 72 Village, Corentyne, Berbice and Lionel, 25, sister of one of the accused charged with the killing of Faiyaz Narinedatt, were out on a total of $3M bail.

It is alleged that the women, during the month of

November 2016, offered a detective at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, $4M for him to suppress evidence against Bisram.

Bisram of Number 70 Village Corentyne, Berbice, and the United States of America, was charged with the murder of Narinedatt which allegedly took place between October 31, 2016 and November 1, 2016 at N u m b e r 7 0 Vi l l a g e , Corentyne, Berbice.

He is charged along with Orlando Dickie, 39, of Stevedore Housing Scheme, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown; Radesh Motie, 39, an excavator operator, of 124 Number 78 Village, Corentyne, Berbice; Diadath Datt, 18, of 98 Number 71 Village, Corentyne, Berbice; Harripaul Parsram, 49, of 164 Number 71 Village, Corentyne, Berbice and Niran Yacoob, 37, of 65 N u m b e r 6 7 Vi l l a g e , Corentyne Berbice.

It is alleged that Bisram (continued on page 49)

wo men were on Thursday last apprehended by police ranks patrolling along Crown Dam, Industry, East Coast Demerara (ECD) for the possession of an unlicensed semiautomatic pistol loaded with nine live ammunition.

According to police, about 20:45 hrs on Thursday night, police ranks intercepted a motor car minutes after it sped away after seeing the patrol's vehicle.

According to officials as the ranks approached the vehicle, they observed a male who was seated in the front passenger seat tossed an object through the window.

Upon immediate investigation, the weapon and live rounds were retrieved.

The driver and occupant were immediately ordered to step out of the vehicle where a search conducted on their persons as well as their vehicle revealed nothing else of evidential value.

The men were promptly detained.

The suspects who reside at Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo and Durban and Camp streets, Georgetown and 11th Avenue, Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD) are currently in custody assisting with the investigation.

The weapon and live rounds found

Kaieteur News

PAGE 16

Sunday July 12, 2020

Our Frontline Worker of the Week is…

Garbed in PPEs, Dr. Doodnauth takes his place on the frontline at the GPHC.

Dr. Balram Doodnauth

By Sharmain Grainger

T

he word hero in recent months has become quite common place. In fact, just about everyone working on the frontlines, across the globe in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has been described as 'an hero', especially those within the health care system.

But some have questioned whether these hard-working people should be afforded the title of hero?

One of the several definitions offered by the Merriam-Webster dictionary is that “a hero is a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities.”

Taking this definition into consideration, we can safely conclude that indeed it is apt to label those within the health sector, heroes.

Many within the health system, from cleaners to doctors, have been working beyond the call of duty in the fight against COVID-10 one of the most contagious diseases known to mankind.

They continue to do this daily by essentially putting themselves in harm's way, for the virus causing COVID-19, like so many other threats they face, is not one that they can see coming.

Moreover, it takes a great amount of courage to knowingly face such a gargantuan threat to help protect others.

Can you, for a second, imagine all the health workers, overwhelmed with fear (and they must fight fear daily), decided that they would stay away from work in order to protect themselves and family thereby allowing a COVID19 onslaught? Our 700,000 odd population would quickly be annihilated. But, with each passing day, it becomes pellucid that despite challenges, those within the health system are resilient and unwilling to let our existence grind to a halt without putting up the most valiant of fights.

At all cost they press on and indeed are making a massive impact evident by the small number of deaths, though far too many, and the increasing recoveries our nation has recorded. Letting up, they know all too well will mean a win for COVID19 and they are not prepared

Dr. Balram Doodnauth

and then Sparta Primary before moving on to the Anna Regina Multilateral School to complete his secondary education.

Making time for his beautiful family to take that chance and we here at Kaieteur News salute them for that.

Moreover, for the past few months, we have been doing our part to recognise some of these heroes.

Though our pages are not nearly enough to appreciate these outstanding and selfless characters, we do hope, that in some small way, we are motivating them to faithfully rally on in the quest to save lives and help reduce the spread of the dreaded disease.

UNIMAGINABLE While they might have ambitiously dared to delve into the field of health care in

are a very diverse people “ We with tremendous capabilities and if we work hard in service to each other we will overcome the greatest obstacles.

”

order to help save lives, quite a few of our heroes have confessed that they never imagined, during their lifetime, having to deal with a threat of such daunting proportions. It is no secret that anyone could be susceptible to infection, hence constant reminders are echoed for persons to

safeguard themselves, and others, by continually practicing social and physical distancing, cough and sneeze etiquette and mask wearing.

When all attempts at safeguarding one's self fail, it is on the health care workers that we rely. Among those playing the hero in the

fight against COVID-19 is a medical practitioner and dedicated son of the soil named Balram Doodnauth.

“It fills my heart to be a servant in this beautiful country,” he readily quipped recently.

But he could have easily become a cricketer had circumstances not swayed him in the direction of health care. The elder of two children born to Tulsie Doodnauth, a carpenter, and his wife Nandranie, on November 22, 1984, Dr. Doodnauth, our featured frontline worker, grew up at Lima on the Essequibo Coast.

He attended the Danielstown Nursery School

COMPASSIONATE Back then, playing cricket was definitely one of his favourite pastimes. But there was yet another passion he simply couldn't shake. “I always wanted to help people. Even as a child I would put everyone before me,” said Dr. Doodnauth. It was this very trait that would help to steer him into the heroic profession he now finds himself.

Reflecting on a younger version of himself, he revealed “as a teenager I had typhoid fever and my mom took me to a private doctor and we couldn't pay for the full course of treatment so the doctor only gave us half.

I started to think of all the other people, like me, who couldn't full their prescriptions.” To the young Balram Doodnauth becoming a doctor was the ideal career path to tread if he was truly going to help others. “In every career one is able to help others but being a doctor allows me to connect with people more than the physical,” he confided.

It came as no surprise to his parents when he shared his desire to become a doctor. His journey to becoming the doctor he is today started in Santiago, (continued on page 50)

Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

This week’s beauty is the captivating Arian Dahlia Richmond.

This 21-year-old is participating in the upcoming Miss Emerald Pageant.

Her photograph is provided by Missosology Guyana. Kaieteur News wishes her all the best!

Arian Dahlia Richmond

PAGE 17

Kaieteur News

PAGE 18

Sunday July 12, 2020

Helping to revive a critical public health service…

NBTS Director, Dr. Pedro Lewis,

By Rehanna Ramsay

I

n 2015, the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) - a critical service provider in the public health sector was operating with the minimal essential staff. The Director post at the blood bank was also vacant and the service was basically running on autopilot.

But all that changed, when Dr. Pedro Segismund Lewis, a general practitioner at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) specializing in haematology (the study of medicine and treatment of the blood), decided to step up to the challenge and assume the position as Director of the NBTS. In his capacity as leader of the team, this week's 'Special Person' used his time and efforts to help transform the work of the NBTS for the better.

Over the past five years, Dr. Lewis and his staff have worked assiduously to ensure that the NBTS moved from coping with the demand of blood from health care facilities across the country to adequately meeting those needs.

The team received a public commendation from the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) for improving operations at the NBTS last year as well as added support from the Pan American

is a 'Special Person' Health Organisation/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO).

D r. L e w i s r e c e n t l y explained that raising the standard of the NBTS was at the cost of a heightened public awareness campaign and blood drive.

He disclosed that the blood bank was always

Dr. Lewis noted that the campaign was necessary since the blood bank supplies public/private hospitals healthcare facilities across the country.

“There is only one NBTS in the country and we supply to healthcare facilities throughout the country on a daily basis so our work is

“

There is only one NBTS in the country and we supply to healthcare facilities throughout the country on a daily basis so our work is never over. We have to keep going, the NBTS is critical to ensuring that hundreds of surgeries and other medical procedures end successfully.

hosting blood drives to meet the needs nationally, but when he assumed the lead post of the service that increased.

Dr. Lewis explained that the increased sensitization not only helped to push the cause of the blood bank; it highlighted exactly how critical giving blood was in order to save lives.

It led to the massive collection of blood, plasma, platelets and other types of life giving bodily fluids.

In the company of members of his team at the blood bank

”

never over. We have to keep going, the NBTS is critical to ensuring that hundreds of surgeries and other medical procedures end successfully,” he said.

In addition to the work at the blood bank, this week's 'Special Person' is actively involved in helping to write the protocol for the experimental treatment for COVID –19 patients.

In this capacity, he is responsible for the collection of the convalescent plasma

from the recovered COVID19 patients that contain the antibodies against the virus which is to be used to treat patients suffering from the deadly infection.

Dr. Lewis is also a part –time lecturer at the University of Guyana in the Faculty of Health Sciences.

He teaches his specialty -haematology and blood banking. He is a happily married father of one, who holds the belief that family support is essential to his success as a medical doctor.

EARLY INTEREST Growing up in a modest household along the Essequibo Coast, the young Lewis showed an early interest in the field of medical science.

This is understandable given that his mother, Bernadette Abrams, worked as a Matron at the Suddie Hospital, Essequibo Coast.

His father, Segismund Abrams (Lewis), was a clerk at the Guyana Power Light Company.

Our 'Special Person' is the eldest of five siblings raised in a modest Abrams Zuil, Essequibo household.

As the older brother to P e d a n t h o n y, P e r r i a n o , Pedrico and Petricia, Dr. Lewis spent many of his boyhood days doing much of the usual stuff boys of his time did.

He played cricket, grazed cows and took care of pigs

NBTS Director, Dr. Pedro Lewis and other domestic animals, swam at the seaside and c r e e k a n d g o rg e d o n whatever fruits there was to find.

While that was fun, the young Lewis found himself frequently sneaking through his mom's medical books and records. He would stare at illustrations up until he was capable of reading them on his own. This was where his earliest desires to work in the medical field originated.

As he explained, “Though then I didn't know exactly how this would materialize, it was certain that it's where my calling was.”

As a youngster, Dr. Lewis knew reaching his goal would require much studies and academic success. So, he worked hard to keep his grades up when

he attended Fisher Primary, the Abrams Zuil Secondary School and Anna Regina Multilateral.

After completing his secondary education, Dr. Lewis went on to pursue the Diploma in Science programme at the G e o rg e t o w n Te c h n i c a l Institute (1999-2000).

He later went on to the University of Guyana to pursue an Associate Degree in Medical Technology.

Between 2006 and 2013 he read for his Medical Degree in General Medicine from Calixto Garcia University of Havanna, Cuba and from 2018 to 2020 he obtained a Specialist Degree in Immunohaematology, Blood Banking, Cellular Therapy and Hematherapy from Asociacion Argentina (continued on page 47)

Dr. Pedro Lewis sets up equipment for blood collection at the NBTS

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 12, 2020

PAGE 19

Decade of Dictatorship I

nstead of the muchtouted decade of development, Guyana, it seems, is headed for a decade of dictatorship.

Unless the naked grab to hold on to power by the ruling APNU+AFC is diffused, Guyana will return to the days of dictatorship.

Those who had promised the Guyanese people change are now on the verge of delivering a return to the old discredited and backward political culture of rigged elections. The APNU+AFC has taken a thirty-five year leap backwards into political degeneracy.

The last rigged elections was in 1985, before most of the young people of the country were born. They have never tasted the bitter medicine of dictatorship.

They may soon do so compliments of the APNU+AFC. The young people of this country, whose future seemed bright because of the oil find, now have ominous reasons to despair. Even though there can be economic growth in the absence of democracy, there can hardly be human development with an unaccountable government in place.

The experience of countries in South-east Asia, where dictatorial and authoritarian regimes led to economic growth and high levels of industrialization is deceptive. It masks the grave human rights abuses, extreme economic exploitation of workers and s a d i s t i c h u m a n regimentation which took place. Success came at a horrid price.

Democracy is not perfect, indeed it is far from perfect.

But it is still the best system available, far more superior to any of the political options which have been tried or are being proposed.

A democratic rupture is taking place in Guyana. An election is being stolen in the crudest fashion possible. The rigging has lacked sophistication and finesse.

The rigging has taken place bald-facedly in full view of the eyes of the international community, and it has been defended and justified shamelessly by the APNU+AFC and a small minority of its supporters.

The rigging has abused the system of due process.

Specious court actions have been filed, aimed not at upholding the law and citizens' fundamental rights, but of frustrating the

democratic will of the people. Even when the courts have ruled, there were attempts to circumvent and offer ingenious interpretations to the court's rulings, as is now the case in which once political activist saying that the CCJ decision was political.

The riggers have turned around and artlessly blamed the victims. The riggers have had the temerity to accuse the winners of electoral malpractice even though the only fraud which has been substantiated was done with a bed sheet and a spreadsheet and done in front of the eyes of world. No good can come from this act of brazenness.

All of this does not augur well for this country's future.

The possibility of a rogue government is too frightening to contemplate.

But it is a real possibility considering the attempts which have been made, even at this late stage, to frustrate the final declaration of the elections' results.

Guyana is heading down the path to a return to political dictatorship which everyone thought was banished 28 years ago. Guyana has had experience with this before.

No one, not even the supporters of the rigging, should find pleasure in a return to this degenerate past Dictatorship is deadly. It is characterized by discrimination, dispossession and depressed living and working conditions.

Development becomes its first victim. An immediate loss of investor confidence and massive capital flight takes place.

All the oil revenues in the world cannot compensate for the high political and personal risks which are triggered by a return to dictatorship.

In the case of Guyana, it is not expected to see any significant oil revenues until 2026. The pandemic is only partly to blame for this Exxon is not yet producing at the 120,000 barrels per day.

Even the anticipated US$300M may be elusive.

If an illegitimate government is put in place, there is likely to be immediate international sanctions which would mean that Guyana will not see a cent of this revenue.

Even the trickle which Guyana should have received will dry-up, and with the hopes of our young people.

A government which is not politically accountable is not likely to be financially or

economically accountable.

The stealing and misallocation of resources will only get worse.

Favouritism and nepotism will be the order of the day.

It will be jobs for friends and family and there will be widespread mismanagement, incompetence and corruption.

At the political level, dictatorship employs methods of brute force, repression, and suppression.

Human rights will become the first causality. Persons

will find it hard to secure justice at any level of society.

Persons would not be able to speak; the press will be muzzled. Critics of the government will be victimized and no recourse will be available since the hands of justice will become tight-fisted. A 'wrong and strong political culture' will reign supreme.

All of this will lead to mass migration to the West, the Caribbean and neighbouring states. People will want to get out regardless

of what it takes.

The international community now remains Guyana's only hope. If they fail Guyana, then the young people should make a decision to get out of the country it will be no place in which they would want any longer to call home.

If the international community is implicated in negotiating a medium-term exit strategy for an illegitimate government, it would be complicit in the denial of democracy. It

would result in the international community reaping its own bitter harvest because young and old will flock to the West, East and North to escape the decade of dictatorship.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

Sunday July 12, 2020

Re-thinking CARICOM Development Model After COVID-19

By Sir Ronald Sanders

G

overnments around the world, including in Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, h a v e e m e rg e d a s t h e principal players in the health and economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The private sector, for the most part, has

taken a back seat with many companies turning inwards and concentrating on safeguarding their own survival, rather than playing a broader role.

This occurrence could foreshadow a new model for economic development in the future, particularly for small states.

Governments had to embrace extraordinary roles

to provide economic relief, including for private sector workers. In richer nations, governments have provided what is called 'furloughs'.

Under this scheme, governments in the United States and some countries in Europe have extended unemployment benefits to these private sector workers who, though they still technically retain their jobs,

receive no pay from their employers.

In CARICOM countries, where governments lack the resources of richer countries to furlough private sector workers, governments have intervened with Central Banks to make money available to commercial banks at low interest rates so that these banks can, in turn, extend repayment periods for mortgages at reduced rates of interest.

Additionally, they have provided food hampers for the needy.

Governments have also become the leaders in investing in health services, enlarging hospital and other medical facilities – a task which will continue into the future. One of the influential factors in the active involvement by governments in the health sector is the need for 'health sovereignty' – the ability to cope with the health needs of citizens at home, rather than sending them abroad.

For example, Antigua and Barbuda's Minister of State in the Finance Ministry, Lennox Weston, pointed out recently, that whereas, as part of its medical benefits scheme, the government sent its citizens abroad for treatment not available at home, the epoch of COVID-19, which closed borders and severely restricted air transportation, underscores the importance of 'health independence'. In the future, Governments will have to establish and sustain medical facilities for conditions formerly treated abroad.

The retreat of the private

sector from economic activity l e f t m a n y governments in small countries solely with the burden of keeping their economies from total collapse. Not only did employment in the private sector decline but so too did their payment of taxes.

Indeed, some private companies looked to governments for economic relief.

If the effects of COVID19 continue to disrupt supply chains and sales in industries such as tourism and manufacturing, more private sector companies will either fail financially or seek financial aid from governments. All of this points to a larger role for the state in the economy in the years ahead, following decades in which Western nations, that control the global economy, dismissed the value of state intervention. They preached that the private sector is the driving force behind sustainable economic growth and a key source for creating wealth and jobs – a theory that collapsed in the pandemic.

There is no question that a viable private sector has a role now, and will continue to have a role, in recovering economies as nations come to grips with living in a COVID-19 world. However, going forward, governments might have to re-evaluate the relationship of the public sector and the private sector in economic growth and development.

The shortcomings and

Sir Ronald Sanders vulnerabilities of too great a reliance on the private sector, as the engine of growth, have been revealed by the effects of the pandemic. There is now, perhaps, a case to regulate companies more robustly to make them more resilient to future shocks and downturns.

It is alarming that many companies operated on small margins of retained capital with little provisions for emergencies. A review of business models that rely on lengthy tax concessions and endless duty-free waivers from governments, may also now become appropriate.

One thing is certain, if these private sector vulnerabilities and shortcomings are not addressed and reformed, they are doomed to be repeated, pushing governments to become the chief burden-bearer, even as their own revenues from taxes and duties dwindle.

This consideration applies to the governments of all CARICOM countries.

As members of an integration organisation, b o u n d b y t r e a t y, a n d committed to a single market, they should adopt a mutually supportive stance in constructing a new model (continued on page 46)

Sunday July 12, 2020

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

---Hinds’ Sight by Dr. David Hinds---

Power Sharing, One Party Rule and the Current Impasse

There is a tension between multiethnic cohesion and the imperatives of the winnertakes-all electoral system we have embraced. That tension is being played out in the current political impasse. Some people have invoked the absoluteness of the electoral system as laid out by the constitution. They argue that consideration of any other construct must come after an outcome of the winner-takesall election. On the other hand, it is argued that the very fact that after four months the winner-takes-all election has not thrown up a declared winner, points to its inadequacy in meeting the democratic needs of the country.

Those of us who advocate for a power sharing executive as a solution to the impasse do so out of concern for the stability of the country. It is by no means a disre-

gard for democracy. In fact, it is meant in the final analysis to strengthen democracy. It, of course, responds to a broader form of democracy that goes beyond the formal simple majoritarian democracy under which the election was contested.

That reasonable proposition is seen as anti-democratic and is framed as a move to deny victory to those who have claimed it for their respective parties. Yet, despite those claims, after 19 weeks we are still to have a declaration of the winner. Whatever the reasons advanced by both sides for the delay, the fact is that the formal system has not thrown up a declared winner. Whether we do so now or next year, we must at some point accept that something is wrong with our system of choosing a government.

From my standpoint we

must begin with a critique and abolishment of the winnertake-all system. The implicit embrace of potential and actual one-party dominance encourages a zero-sum competition which in turn leads to the electoral gridlock we are currently experiencing. But the lure of absolute power makes it exceedingly difficult for our leaders and their followers to even begin to consider an alternative form of contestation and governance. This explains the six decades of debate of power sharing without any actual positive outcomes.

This inability to move beyond winner-takes-all is further fuelled by the unreasonable advocacy by some that racial sentiments are akin to false consciousness. They reason that people vote along racial lines because they are encouraged to do so by racists and by the major parties.

There is also the new narrative that there is no need for power sharing since there is no longer a majority ethnic group. This means that we can have frequent turnover of governments, thus bringing us to the end of race in Guyana. In this post-racial Guyana, the insecurities and fears of the ethnic groups will evaporate, and Guyana would achieve its aspiration of one people, one nation, one destiny.

I am not so optimistic that there is a causal relationship

between the decline of a majority group and the death of racial elections. In fact, I believe the situation would be hardened as the 2020 election is teaching us. It is for that reason that I believe that power sharing is a superior option to one-party governance and could get us out of the current impasse.

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

More of Dr. Hinds’ writ-

Dr David Hinds ings and commentaries can be found on his YouTube Channel Hinds’ Sight: Dr. David Hinds’ Guyana-Caribbean Politics and on his w e b s i t e www.guyanacaribbeanpolitics.news.

Send comments to dhinds6106@aol.com

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Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

Jankie Mahadeo and Old Ma’s will

By Michael Jordan

T

he seawalls that protect Guyana’s coastlands from the Atlantic hold decades upon decades of secrets…secrets of hidden love affairs…of rites to unseen forces…and of murder.

And if these walls could somehow talk, they would perhaps spill the secret of who took Jankie Mahadeo there seven years ago.

On the morning of Friday, August 19, 2005, members of a police patrol stumbled upon the body of a middle-aged woman in the vicinity of the Everest Cricket Club. She was fully clothed and police could discern no marks of violence.

However, they did notice that there was froth at the victim’s mouth and this led them to suspect that she had been poisoned.

Two days passed before a family from Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara, came forward to identify the victim.

She was Jankie Mahadeo, called ‘Anita’, a mother of three who had migrated to Trinidad some 25 years ago.

According to the relatives, Mahadeo, accompanied by her five-year-old daughter, had arrived in Guyana about a week prior to her death. She had stayed at the relatives’ Pouderoyen home. She had informed the relatives that she intended to renew her passport and visit her mother, who was ill.

According to a female relative, at around 08:00 hrs on that fateful Friday of August 19, the cousin’s husband took Mahadeo to the Immigration Office to have her passport renewed. He then left her there. On instructions from her husband, the cousin said that she went to the Immigra-

Mahadeo to have two pictures taken for her passport.

Mahadeo reportedly then caught a route 45 minibus with the intention of returning to the Immigration Office.

That was the last time that the relatives would see her alive.

The relatives recalled that Jankie Mahadeo had left

Mahadeo had promised to visit a North Road, Bourda family who had taken care of her when she was a child. On checking at the home they were told by a male occupant that the woman had indeed visited, but that she had left shortly after making a call to a brother who lived in the

tion Office to check on Mahadeo. The woman, who had a stall in Water Street, said that she checked on Mahadeo and then left the Immigration Office.

At around noon, Jankie Mahadeo arrived at her cousin’s stall where she had lunch. According to the cousin’s story, her husband eventually arrived and took

home with $20,000 in local currency and US$100. She was also wearing a quantity of jewellery, including a diamond ring. The cash and jewellery were missing when Mahadeo’s corpse was found. The family members began to worry when several hours passed and the woman failed to return their home.

One relative remembered that

United States. The man said that Mahadeo had indicated that she was going to look after her passport. The same man confirmed to Kaieteur News that Mahadeo had visited him that day.

According to him, the woman was in a jovial mood and “was hugging everybody.” He recalled that Mahadeo asked to make a phone call to her brother in the US and he allowed her to make the call. He also recalled that Mahadeo was repeatedly checking the time and that she said that she had to go and see her mother.

She also said that a taxi was

waiting for her and eventually left after promising to return another day.

The man said that he did not follow Mahadeo outside and so had no description of the car or of the driver who picked her up.

But the plot thickened a few days later when Mahadeo’s eldest daughter arrived in Guyana and alleged that she had come to see ‘Ma’, a Guyanese woman with whom Mahadeo had grown up. The woman was the mother of the same man whose home Mahadeo had visited. According to the daughter, her mother had stated that ‘Ma’ had a ‘Will’ for her.

She said that some of her relatives were suspicious of the man’s account of Mahadeo’s visit to his home. Five days after Mahadeo’s body was found, a pathologist examined the corpse and determined that she had been manually strangled.

Detectives promptly arrested the man who Mahadeo had visited on the day she went missing.

They suspected that Mahadeo might have been caught in the middle of a family dispute over a will and that this dispute might have led to her being slain.

Checking further, detectives discovered that the old woman who had taken care of Mahadeo as a child had died several years prior to Mahadeo’s visit.

The old woman had reportedly indeed left a will. The man who police had detained and

his brother reportedly both had copies of the Will.

However, Jankie Mahadeo’s name was not included on any of the docum e n t s .

On Friday, August 27, 2005, detectives released the businessman after determining that he was not involved in Mahadeo’s murder.

And according to some detectives, it appeared that the taxi driver who picked up Mahadeo from the North Road home might have vital information about her death.

Police said that they had information that Mahadeo had a relationship with a taxi driver. The official said that detectives attempted to locate the taxi driver. They failed to find him.

Like I said, if the seawalls could talk, they would perhaps lead police to the man who strangled and dumped Mahadeo’s body there several years ago.

In other words, it may take a small miracle to solve this crime.

If you have any further information on this case or any other, please contact us at our Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown office or by telephone.

We can be reached on telephone numbers 592-2258458, 592-225-8465, 592225-8482 or 592-225-8491.

You need not disclose your i d e n t i t y .

You can also contact Michael Jordan at his email a d d r e s s : kamarangnight@gmail.com.

Sunday July 12, 2020

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Kaieteur News

==THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN==

Desmond Trotman and the congenital danger in Homo sapiens

M

any moons ago, I was in the minimart of the Shell gas station at Ogle.

I honestly don’t know what happened.

There are things that happen when you are in an emotional rush and you don’t know why you do the things you did. I remember my wife and I were touring the city on Montreal and in an overcrowded street, I ended up putting my hand around the neck of a Chinese woman.

I momentarily lost sight of my wife and thought the lady was her.

So I rushed into the minimart and ended up in front of this gentleman who was before me.

He looked intensely and admonished me. I know I was wrong but when I turned around and saw who he was, I became enraged.

I am not going to name him because I am not going to give fools the opportunity to sue me.

This man aided and abetted the rigged elections of Forbes Burnham and participated at a deep level in

Burnham’s assault on freedoms and rights in Guyana.

I let him have it, exclaiming that I refuse to listen to him telling me what is right and wrong in life and walked out telling him, he has a corrugated value system.

This structure of fluid and amorphous value system is part of human existence.

But it is for me the most dangerous line fault in civilization. It is what has caused slavery, countless wars and several episodes of genocide.

If I was still teaching the first year course in philosophy at UG, I would have asked my students to read a letter of June 24 in the Stabroek News written by WPA executive and GECOM Commissioner, Desmond Trotman. It is one of the most demonstrative examples of the corrugated values, mores and norms, we, humans have.

Let’s look at Trotman’s value system.

He wrote that he found the behaviour of the UN representative in Guyana to be disrespectful and obscene in how she approached GECOM. He said he informed

the representatives of the ABCEU countries that GECOM is independent and should not be dictated to.

He said he told the EU team that it is not proper for them to sit at statutory meetings of GECOM. He wrote that he insisted to the Carter Centre team that their approach to the holding of general elections were unacceptable.

He informed us that he told the US Ambassador that meeting privately with GECOM commissioners is interfering in Guyana’s internal affairs.

He wrote that the behaviour of the Canadian High Commissioner in barging into a GECOM meeting was wrong.

Here are six examples of a human acting in his capacity as a director of a country’s election commission enunciated on things and actions he felt were wrong, improper, unethical and illegal.

Now this very commission director witnessed an employee of the very council falsely and barefacedly inserting non-existent votes in

his tabulation that would lead to a false election result.

This employee’s action was witnessed by the world through live streaming by those present.

Yet this very director approved the employee’s fraud and through his approval along with two others of his fellow directors and the election commission’s chairperson almost resulted in an illegal government.

This director continues to endorse improper, unethical, illegal, wrong and improper actions of the election commission of which he is a decision-maker.

Here then is an incandescent situation in which we, humans conduct our affairs in life based on convenient approaches to moral values and ethical rules. Mr. Trotman thinks it is wrong for the Canadian High Commissioner to walk in uninvited to a GECOM

meeting.

He thinks it is unethical for the American Ambassador to meet privately with his colleagues of the election commission.

But Mr. Trotman sees nothing immoral or illegal with what Clairmont Mingo did.

Mr. Trotman sees nothing wrong with the horror show Keith Lowenfield has perpetuated on the electoral foundations of this country.

Mr. Trotman voted in one of GECOM’ statutory meetings to accept a declaration of the results that was based on fictional numbers.

In other words, he voted for a rigged conclusion.

This discussion of Trotman’s value system should stimulate the interest of those interested in moral philosophy.

What is laid bare in the situation with Trotman is how we, humans set about living

Frederick Kissoon our lives in the world. We distinguish between right and wrong based on their convenience to us.

The confusion and perversion will never end once civilization exists.

But it constitutes a tragedy because it gives humans license to justify their bestial nakedness.

It gave Trotman the opportunity to defend his twisted value system in defending rigged elections.

(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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Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

GNBS to calibrate infrared temperature guns for COVID-19 I

t is advisable that all in frared temperature guns being used to check body temperature be calibrated by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS). In a statement, the GNBS advised all stakeholders in all sectors including: Aviation, Health, Education, Retail and Commercial, Manufacturing, Forest, Tourism and Hospitality, Mining, Energy, Agriculture and Services of this recommendation.

This, the body said, is necessary to prevent error in the accuracy in the measurement of temperature.

Additionally, GNBS has

shared some guidelines that all users of infrared temperature guns should follow.

These include: temperature gun labels should be in English; methods of use for temperature guns vary in terms of range and conditions.

Always strictly follow manufacturer guidelines when using these devices; do not touch the sensory areas of temperature guns.

Cleaning must be done according to the set guidelines by manufacturers; do not drop or expose the device to physical shocks; always store the device properly when not in use; this is key to prolonging its life and ac-

A GNBS-Lab Tech calibrating an infrared temperature gun. curacy and devices for ear measurement must not be used to take readings on the skin. “Please note that the

GNBS has the capacity to verify infrared temperature guns with a minimum measuring range of 16.5 cm,� the GNBS added.

Please visit the link below to view the World Health Organisation (WHO) advisories on Infrared thermometers which may assist in your ef-

forts: https://gnbsgy.org/wpcontent/uploads/2020/07/ WHO-IR-thermometeradvice.pdf

Sunday July 12, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Invaluable sources of information which ought to be preserved for posterity (A heritage of service. A review of David Granger’s The British Guiana Volunteer Force, 1948-1966, ISBN 978-976-8178-27-5; The Guyana People’s Militia, 1976-1997, ISBN 978-9768178-29-9; and The Guyana National Service, 19742000, ISBN 978-976-817832-9.)

Public order was essential to the existence of the colonial state, the officials of which were grossly outnumbered by their colonial subjects. Control of the masses through the use of force helped to sustain colonial rule for more than 350 years. Volunteer militias and police forces were among the principal organisations established to protect planter and imperial interests in the British West Indies.

The newly-independent states of Caribbean inherited these coercive organisations but did little to change their essential character, thereby perpetuating a model of social control designed by the colonial regimes. Some governments attempted to create their own organizations as a means of addressing the problems of chronic unemployment and defence but, often, fell into the trap of seeing their new creations mirroring the old colonial forces.

David Granger’s military trilogy – the British Guiana Volunteer Force; the Guyana People’s Militia and the Guyana National Service –examines three such organisations.

The first, the British Guiana Volunteer Force, was a colonial creature aimed at supporting the police in maintaining public order. The second and third were institutions patterned, in some measure, after European, Eastern European and Middle Eastern (possibly Israeli) models during the era of socialist experimentation.

The British Guiana Volunteer Force, which succeeded the British Guiana Militia, was established in 1948 and is considered the progenitor of the Guyana Defence Force which came into being in 1966.

Some of its members were incorporated into the Defence Force. Its brief existence – a mere 18 years – is a fascinating story, especially since it encompassed one of the most tumultuous pre-Independence periods in the country’s political evolution.

Granger provides an excellent account of the establishment and experience of the Volunteer Force but, however, is restrained in his criticism. He alludes to a report which raised concerns about the Force’s operational capability and how its limitations

were linked to the type of training it received but the Force had other limitations, not least of which was the lack of popular enthusiasm for volunteerism. One source, for example, pointed to how the absence of public support constrained recruitment and attendance at parades during the Force’s first three years.

The Guyana People’s Militia and the Guyana National Service, on the other hand, suffered more from the effects of political perceptions rather than from popular support for their objectives. The Militia was established in December 1976 and the National Service in October 1974. Both reflected the ideological orientation of the government ofthe-day and the threat to the country’s territorial integrity posed by Venezuela.

The Militia was established primarily as a source of support for the regular Defence Force and as a means of responding to national emergencies.

The Guyana National Service emerged from a proposal by a United Nations Consultant which was intended to alleviate youth unemployment and poverty through vocational training. The need to establish such an organization was laudable enough and, at first, the Guyana Youth Corps was created for those purposes.

A visit to the Israel Defence Force by a Guyana Defence Force delegation to study the ‘Nahal’ and ‘Kibbutz’ systems of militarised border settlements, however, explains why this Service developed along paramilitary lines in order to contribute to border security.

The National Service aimed at training persons with the skills necessary for devel-

opment as one of its principal objectives. It was viewed, also, as a means of accelerating hinterland development through the establishment of farms which cultivated cotton and legumes.

Both organisations were burdened with undertaking social and economic objectives. They were both criticized as being used for partisan political purposes.

Kenn Danns – in his book Domination and Power in Guyana: A Study of the Police in a Third World Context – observed that while membership in the Militia was open to all, the main source of its recruitment was from the ruling People’s National Congress political party. He concluded that the People’s Militia was one and the same as the PNC militia.

Danns argued that, despite its seemingly laudable objectives, the National Service acquired a dubious reputation because the military top-management was illequipped by training and disposition to manage such an organisation. His assessment was that servicemen were engaged in tireless and purposeless drilling.

Granger does not shy away from the criticisms levelled against both the People’s Militia and the National Service which he acknowledges but, surprisingly, does not contradict.

The three books are smartly sectionalized along more or less similar lines. They each provide information of each Service’s origins, objectives, organization, mobilization, consolidation, training and, ultimately, their dissolution.

Granger, while not declaring explicitly who was responsible for the demise of

the National Service and the People’s Militia, leaves little doubt as to the role of the post-1992 government in the dissolution of both organisations. He acknowledges, however, that both were affected by a declining economy in the 1980s. Readers will have to arrive at their own judgment as to whether these organisations would have become defunct regardless of the position adopted by the post-1992 government.

This trilogy –The British Guiana Volunteer Force, The Guyana People’s Militia and The Guyana National Service –fills a void in understanding the role of coercive organisations during the later

years of the colonial regime and the early period of newly-independent statehood. The books are an invaluable source of information which ought to be preserved for posterity because of the significance of security in the country’s history.

The three books are highly recommended. They represent an important addition to political studies.

Guyana still faces the challenges of fashioning mass organisations which allow for citizens’ participation in defence, development and public order. The experiences of the British Guiana Volunteer Force, the Guyana People’s Militia and the

Guyana National Service are instructive about the successes, failures, costs and benefits of such organisations.

The past is a weathervane for the future. The experiences of the three services can be a kernel from which can spring new organisations geared to address the age-old problems associated with national security and national development. What cannot be disputed is that all three epitomize the country’s rich heritage of service.

(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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Kaieteur News

Coronavirus: We were winning the race and then took our foot off the pedal

By Dr Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine

Over the past few weeks, we have seen a surge in

COVID-19 infections in Guyana. We have one of the highest death rates in the Caribbean and there is worry that a stronger, mutated strain has reached our shores. During

the initial outbreak when persons were more fearful and took more precautions, we managed to slow the spread to the point where we got ahead of it. Unfortunately,

many became irresponsible and flouted preventative measures causing the virus to surge and get ahead of us.

Today, I will shed some light on how we ended up where

we are and remind you of the necessary steps that are needed for us to get ahead before it’s too late.

You cannot overcome the problem if you do not acknowledge it.

There are too many myths being spread by non-experts about COVID-19. The biggest one is the virus is not real and it’s a political gimmick. While our political situation has hampered our response to this pandemic, this virus is not a gimmick and we need to wake up to its reality. Patients cannot fake such an illness and medical findings cannot lie to us. I have seen my share of patients with this infection and some have presentations that I have never seen before in my practice. The faster we stop acting stupidly and accept the facts, the sooner we will be able to take actions to collectively mitigate the spread of this virus.

Our Political situation is a morbid distraction.

I cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the fact that during the entire period of the pandemic in Guyana, we have been waiting on the results of an election.

During pandemics, focused leadership is paramount to ensuring the population has a clear direction to maneuver the many challenges that arises.

Unfortunately, the focus has been more on elections rather than the pandemic. Countries that have been successful against the pandemic have leaders that were precise, efficient and responsible with their actions and a population that was focused and adherent to appropriate guidelines.

Unfortunately, our leadership and population have not been as effective in the response to this pandemic. The faster we get our act together and overcome our unnecessary political impasse, the sooner we should be able to mount a more responsible response to this worsening pandemic.

Sunday July 12, 2020

Dr. Zulfikar Bux Is wearing a mask to help save lives such a big thing to ask?

While the mask campaign had its initial success and helped to curb the spread of the virus, persons became complacent and we are now at a point where the number of persons not wearing masks far outnumbers those wearing masks. I am honestly getting tired of reminding persons daily to wear their masks. We are in the most devastating period of our lifetime and all that it takes for us to survive this onslaught is for us to all wear a mask. Yet, we cannot get such a simple act correct after months of advocating and providing the evidence for mask use. Have we become so selfish and negligent that doing such a small act to save lives is beyond us?

Please, let us get our act together before this virus separates us from our loved ones; wearing a mask may be your best gift to your loved ones and all of humanity.

The next couple of weeks are critical.

The surge in cases these past few weeks can only mean one thing; this virus will get out of control within the next couple of weeks if we do not get strict with preventative actions. If it gets out of control, do not think that the medical system in Guyana will be able to cope. Our system was never designed for such an occurrence. Many lives will be lost to the disease and many more will be lost due to the inability to access medical care in an overwhelmed system. To compound this, more health workers may become infected leaving the country with less medical personnel to take care of an overwhelming load of new patients. But, we can avoid all of this by making the much needed changes from today.

Let us all dig deep and take the steps to prevent this virus from spreading. Let us stay home, social distance, wear a mask and practice proper hygiene.

Sunday July 12, 2020

[In case you missed them, we are repeating, in their entirety, some of the big stories we published during the past week.]

SUNDAY GHANA SEES SUCCESS WITH LOCAL CONTENT POLICY DONE BY TT EXPERT GUYANA REJECTED – 86% OF UPSTREAM JOBS HELD BY GHANAIAN CITIZENS As a result of utilizing experts like Trinidadian local content and energy strategist, Anthony Paul, the Government of Ghana is now reaping the rewards of a robust policy that ensured its citizens to have first preference in their oil industry.

Today, Ghanaians represent 86 percent of the oil and gas workforce.

This was disclosed in the government’s 2019 Reconciliation Report on Ghana’s Petroleum Holding Fund.

According to the 126page report, the number of employees holding management positions in the oil industry was 721 out of which 602 are Ghanaians and 119 expatriates.

To t a l number of employees holding Technical Core Positions was 2,714 of which 75.9 percent (2,059) were Ghanaians and 24.1 percent (655) expatriates.

Other relevant roles totaled 2,515 of which 97.9 percent

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Kaieteur News

(2,463) were Ghanaians and 2.1 percent (52) were expatriates.

The Government of Ghana was also pleased to report that the effective implementation of its Petroleum (Local Content and Local Participation) Regulations 2013 which was built on the strength of its Local Content Policy, produced commendable results.

In this regard, the government said it saw a significant increase of domestic companies that registered to participate in the upstream petroleum industry. As at the end December 2019, about 800 indigenous Ghanaian companies had registered with the Commission to supply goods and services to companies in the oil and gas industry.

The total value of contracts awarded to those indigenous companies amounted to approximately USD$72.70 million and for the joint ventures (JV) between foreign companies and locals, those amounted to approximately US$360.50 million in 2019.

Another success for the Government of Ghana relates to the establishment and activation of its Local Content Fund. The Fund which provides resources to support local content initiatives accrued US$2.77M from oil companies.

The foregoing achievements were due to the foundation that was set in Ghana’s Local Content Policy

by Trinidadian Expert,

Anthony Paul.

SHUMAN’S PARTY REQUESTS REMOVALOF LOWENFIELD – CITES 12 REASONS WHY IN LETTER SENT TO GECOM CHAIR The Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) has written to the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (Ret’d), Claudette Singh, requesting the immediate dismissal of Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield.

The letter cited 12 occasions where the CEO conducted himself in a manner that demonstrated no respect for the will of the electorate.

In the letter penned by Presidential Candidate and leader of the party, Lennox Shuman, he stated “Over the last four (4) months, Mr. Lowenfield has conducted himself in a manner that does

not command the confidence of the public and continues to demonstrate no degree of respect for the electorate, the Guyanese people nor the structures and institutions that were meant to protect and safeguard the will of the people.”

“That the CEO,” they stated, “clearly demonstrates a bias, we are resolute in our view that the CEO, Mr. Keith Lowenfield, has completely and absolutely lost the confidence of the Guyanese electorate, and we believe the above as laid out provide undisputable grounds for Mr. Lowenfield’s immediate removal/termination from his post as CEO and for his expeditious replacement with a candidate more amicable to the terms and operations of law abiding statutory officers in democratic institutions.”

Making his argument, Shuman listed the various acts of the CEO that “contributed to the complete and absolute loss of confidence in him.”

The party accused Lowenfield of “Gross negligence with regards to the safeguarding of elections documents”; the very documents used as the basis of fraud allegations by the incumbent Coalition.

During the National Recount, the Coalition had demanded that GECOM discard 29 ballot boxes, threatening more than 7,000 votes cast by electors from the East Coast of Demerara. Critical statutory documents such as the counterfoils, Official List of Electors (OLE), poll books, folios, spoilt ballots, damaged ballots, and proxies were found to be missing upon examination of the boxes during the recount.

It was later reported that instructions were handed down to the Deputy Returning Officers and Presiding Officers at varying polling stations on the East Coast to exclude those documents from the ballot boxes; a directive passed by

Lowenfield’s clerk, Carlyn Duncan.

GRANGER GOVT. APPOINTS 44 MEMBERS ACROSS FIVE STATE BOARDS AFTER ELECTIONS The Coalition, headed by President David Granger, has illegally appointed 44 members across five state boards, an order posted in the Official Gazette has disclosed.

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 come into “immediate effect” and are expected to last for the duration of one year.

Meanwhile, former Attorney General and executive of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C), Anil Nandlall, posited that these appointments were “wholly illegal”. He gave a breakdown of the laws and events that lead to such.

The Attorney-at-Law pointed back to the December 21, 2018 no-confidence motion (NCM) in which the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) had deemed to be validly passed and which placed the government into a caretaker status—a status which the President admitted to.

“A caretaker government,” Nandlall said, “is bound in law to behave as a caretaker. The caretaker of a property, for example, is not the owner… and therefore can’t make fundamental changes of any type; decisions of any type, or enter into new contract, or

make new appointments.”

It is against this that Nandlall said that the government is to only perform routine functions and making new appointments would be illegal since it is not routine.

“Its behaviour was further compounded,” he said, “when Parliament was officially dissolved and a date was set for the elections.

Certainly, after the elections the situation became worse, especially after the results of the elections are known and the Coalition has lost the government. Clearly, they can’t make appointments to boards.”

Nandlall noted that at the “appropriate time”, those appointments will have to revisited and reviewed “with a view of rescinding them,” he said.

MONDAY NEW DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT CLAIRMONT MINGO’S FRAUDULENT DECLARATION It has been 124 days since the controversy marred-day of March 4; a mere two days after Guyanese ventured to the polls to cast their ballots for the 2020 General and Regional Elections.

On that day, that the country sat on edge, anticipating a declaration of the results for the election but this did not happen. Instead, a series of dramatic events at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Media Center at the Ashmin’s Building on High Street, forced the tabulation process to be delayed even further, eventually.

While many narratives emerged as to what really happened inside the Ashmin’s Building that day, Kaieteur Radio recently engaged with CanadianGuyanese Attorney-at-Law, Selwyn Pieters, who served as a local electoral observer for the Guyana Bar Association for the 2020 (Continued on page 28)

PAGE 28

From page 27 elections process, where he gave his account of the proceedings.

WHAT HAPPENED? In an interview on Kaieteur Radio’s Room 592, Pieters’ explained that he came to Guyana on February 26, and was at the Media Center on March 4 with a front row seat of the events.

Detailing his experience, the attorney stated that the electoral process was a smooth one despite a few minor hiccups along the way but these were quickly resolved by the staff of GECOM who he noted worked tirelessly to ensure that the March 2 polls went off without a hitch.

However, things started to go sour on March 4. As Pieters recalled, he and other observers arrived at the site very early in the morning.

“There was a huge convoy to the GECOM Command Center,” he told the radio show hosts, “the Chief Electoral Officer from Canada, the Carter Center, other people, myself from the Bar Association, we all got there for about 8’clock in the morning, because the tabulation was supposed to start early that morning. We were all just standing around socializing because GECOM isn’t doing anything” Close to 11’clock in the morning, they received information that Clairmont Mingo, the Region Four Returning Officer initially at the centre of the controversy, had apparently fallen ill in one of the offices on the third floor of the building.

“Shortly after that,” Pieters recounted, “an ambulance came and wheeled him out with a mask on, an

Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

oxygen mask. We also heard that his deputy called in sick that same day.”

According to him, the observers began questioning “what next”, raising concerns about who was going to step up to the task, but shortly after, the tabulation resumed.

US$150M (AND COUNTING) CJIA RENOVATION CONTINUES TO INVITE BIDS FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKS The Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation (CJIAC) continues to invite bids for construction works, despite the signing of a US$150M (and counting) expansion contract in 2011, which was expected to be enough to transform the port into a regional transit hub. Recent invitations for bids advertised in the daily newspapers indicate that the airport needs a new fence for its public car

park and an access control security hut. These intended projects, which stand outside of the US$150M contract, are not alone.

There are also plans for a new parking lot valued at GYD$122M, a cargo facility, a commercial centre, an office area and a parking lot, all advertised last year. The PPP/ C’s general secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo in early 2019 had stated that the exclusion of so many projects from the initial blueprint was due to the Government wanting to leave room for local contractors to benefit. A similar claim was made late last year during the advertisement of some of these projects, by APNU+AFC Minister Jaipaul Sharma.

It has been argued, however, that the projects should never have been left out in the first place, as contractors have told Kaieteur News that the amount and quality of work being done to renovate the

port since it began could have been done for US$5M – 30 times less than the US$150M (and counting) taxpayers are expected to foot.

The cause of this remains a contentious back-and-forth between the two major parties, whose governments the project spans. It was signed in 2011 under then President Bharrat Jagdeo, and then passed through the truncated presidency of

Donald Ramotar. When the David Granger administration took over in 2015, it claimed a very defective plan needed adjustments. Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson had said that upon assumption of office, the APNU+AFC administration had found that only seven percent of the work was completed, with claims for US$90M (more than half of the contract sum), casting aspersions on the PPP/C’s management of the project.

The adjustments were kept from the general public for several years. It was only after this newspaper’s sustained exposure of several red flags related to the project that Patterson gave this explanation. $1B RETROFITTED COVID CENTRE TO BE COMPLETED BY JULY 13 – TASK FORCE The US$5Million (G$1B) project to turn Ocean View International Hotel into a state-of-the-art Hospital for the incubation, isolation and quarantine of persons infected with the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is expected to be completed by July 13th.

This is according to National COVID-19 Task Force Secretariat Logistics Officer, Colonel (Ret’d) Nazrul Hussein.

During a virtual press

conference on Saturday Hussein said “(the) Infectious Diseases Hospital on the East Coast is about 95 percent completed. It is anticipated that all outstanding works and minor changes will be completed by the 13th of July (2020).”

The sanatorium, he added “will be fully dedicated to the COVID-19 response and for any other infectious diseases that may arise in the future.”

On June 22, Kaieteur News reported that seven contractors were sole sourced by the Public Health Ministry to complete the ‘retro fitting’ or furnishing of the Hospital.

A Memorandum to the Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, from the Permanent Secretary of the Public Health Ministry, Collette Adams showed that the works were separated into eight lots: Lot 1’, the “Remodeling o f t h e M a i n Wi n g , Installation of Medical Gas, HV AC – negative pressure system, Construction of Operating Theatre, Construction of R.C. Ramps and Laundry Room and Rehabilitation of Main Plumbing System and Distribution Networks” was awarded to International Imports & Supplies at $381M ($381,825,605).

‘Lot 2’, the “Remodeling (Continued on page 29)

Sunday July 12, 2020

From page 28 of East Wing, Rehab of Roof, Construction of Power Supply Room, Construction of gate on the ground f l o o r, Installation of New Electrical Mains, Perimeter lighting and Automatic Gate” was awarded to Ivor Allen at $388M ($388,402,665).

‘Lot 3’, the “Installation of Lift” was awarded to KP Thomas & Sons Contracting Inc at $49M ($49,201,944).

‘Lot 4’, the “Construction of Southern Concrete Fence, Timber Revetment, Construction of R.C. Base for Triage Area and Holding Area for I n f e c t i o u s Wa s t e ” w a s awarded to James Nicholson Construction Services at $54M ($54,761,525).

‘Lot 5’, the “Construction of Northern Fence Concrete Fence, Timber Revetment, Construction of R.C. Base for Morgue and Concrete Walkways for projects for the MOPH” was awarded to Associated Construction Services at $64M ($64,728,615).

‘Lot 6’, the “Construction of one (1) incinerator for sharps and medical waste” was awarded to Andy Moore at $4.1M ($4.1, 000,000).

TUESDAY GAZETTE SHOWS NICIL MANAGER RECEIVED STATE LANDS DAYS AFTER ELECTIONS Days after the March 2 General and Regional Elections, a senior official of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Inc. (NICIL), a state-owned company that handles privatization for government, received a plot of land in Region 10.

According to the March 21, 2020 Official Gazette of Guyana, which records transfers of State properties, the land was transferred to Privatisation Specialist,

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Racheal Henry. Although Henry’s address is listed as Campbellville, Georgetown, the property in question is located at Plantation Noitgedacht, in Linden, Region 10.

The property is 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 February 28, 2020, days before the elections but only published in the Official Gazette on March 21, 2020.

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 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 sodturning 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.

One of the transactions made the news after the beneficiary, Navigant Builders, which had developed the iconic Windsor Estates on the East Bank Demerara, reportedly received the lands in their name although the transaction was not paid for and completed. The matters raised serious questions about NICIL’s handling of the state lands, about 1,000 acres that had become opened

between Ogle and Enmore for development.

EXXONMOBIL TO MOVEAHEAD WITH FIRST WELL IN KAIETEUR BLOCK In spite of the logistical and economical challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, it appears ExxonMobil will still be moving ahead with plans to drill the first well in the Kaieteur Block.

Making this disclosure was Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Hess Corporation, John Hess.

His company is one of the partners in the Kaieteur Block along with Ratio Petroleum and Cataleya Energy Corporation (CEC).

Hess disclosed that ExxonMobil, which is the operator of the block, will be drilling the first well in the second half of the year.

With respect to the prospects of success, Hess said that he is encouraged by the geology.

He highlighted that the majority of the discoveries in the Stabroek Block, which borders the Kaieteur Block, are found in the Campanian and Santonian layers.

They are 15,000 feet and 18,000 feet deep respectively.

Hess said that the partners see a lot of the oil-rich sand channels flowing from the Stabroek into the Kaieteur.

“So it is highly prospective but you have to drill to see what you have,” the CEO noted.

Further to this, the Chief Executive Officer said he is confident about the

possibilities for success given the technology that is available to the operator for deep water drilling.

The Tanager-1 well is expected to be the first target as it is estimated to hold 256.2 million barrels of prospective resource according to Competent Persons Report (CPR) conducted by the Netherland, Sewell & Associates Inc. (‘NSAI’).

The report also noted that the co-venturers have a 72 percent chance of success.

The Kaieteur Block is located approximately 155 miles (250 kilometers) offshore and covers 3.3 million acres (13,535 square kilometers).Three-D seismic survey was completed in 2017 on this block. Results showed that it holds a gross estimated prospective resource of 2.1 billion barrels for nine prospects.

Making this disclosure was Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Hess Corporation, John Hess.

His company is one of the partners in the Kaieteur Block along with Ratio Petroleum and Cataleya Energy Corporation (CEC).

Hess disclosed that ExxonMobil, which is the operator of the block, will be drilling the first well in the second half of the year.

With respect to the prospects of success, Hess said that he is encouraged by the geology.

He highlighted that the majority of the discoveries in the Stabroek Block, which borders the Kaieteur Block, are found in the Campanian and Santonian layers.

They are 15,000 feet and 18,000 feet deep respectively.

Hess said that the partners see a lot of the oil-rich sand channels flowing from the Stabroek into the Kaieteur.

“So it is highly prospective but you have to drill to see what you have,” the CEO noted.

Further to this, the Chief Executive Officer said he is confident about the possibilities for success given the technology that is available to the operator for deep water drilling.

The Tanager-1 well is expected to be the first target as it is estimated to hold 256.2 million barrels of prospective resource according to Competent Persons Report (CPR) conducted by the Netherland, Sewell & Associates Inc. (‘NSAI’).

The report also noted that the co-venturers have a 72 percent chance of success.

The Kaieteur Block is located approximately 155 miles (250 kilometers) offshore and covers 3.3 million acres (13,535 square kilometers).Three-D seismic survey was completed in 2017 on this block. Results showed that it holds a gross estimated prospective resource of 2.1 billion barrels for nine prospects.

NICIL’S FORCEFUL POST-ELECTION LAND DEALS WARRANT FULLINVESTIGATION – CHRIS RAM – FINANCE MINISTER MAYBE DIRECTING “MAD RUSH” Anti-corruption advocate Christopher Ram is of the

view that the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) should be investigated for its conduct, as it relates to its forceful bid to sell off acres of prime lands to private developers despite not collecting full payments.

“The conduct of NICIL,” the attorney-at-law told Kaieteur News, “raises serious questions of legality and legitimacy which warrant not an explanation but investigation and probably prosecution.”

Ram’s comments follow news that about 130 acres of land controlled by NICIL were signed away by Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, all in a single day – June 6. The opposition, People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/ C) had raised questions about the sudden string of sales, calling it corrupt.

The mad rush to legalise the land deals occurs within the context of a protracted electoral process, in which there have been several attempts to rig the results of the elections in favour of the governing APNU+AFC Coalition, even though the national recount has shown that the PPP/C won the elections by 15,416 votes in the General Election.

“At the very least,” Ram said, “significant sections of the public are clearly concerned at the reports of NICIL seeking to force transactions on persons as a façade for the justification of other more substantial transactions.”

Navigant Builders, a developer had last year (Continued on page 30)

PAGE 30

From page 29 entered into an agreement with NICIL for 30 acres of land for development by Windsor Estates, at Plantations Goedverwagting and Sparendaam on the East Coast of Demerara. However, after the electoral process became contentious, the company this year announced that it decided to suspend its plans until the electoral impasse is resolved.

Despite this suspension and the company’s consequent refusal to complete the payment, the Minister signed away the lands and gazetted the vesting order. When this matter was ventilated in the press, NICIL published what it said were three cheques from Navigant for initial payments. However, a senior officer with Navigant told Kaieteur News that it had suspended payments on all three.

Kaieteur News had spoken to another developer, who is also a recipient as indicated by the vesting orders, of acres of prime lands on the East Coast of Demerara. Under a request of anonymity, the developer said that the company did not make a full payment for the lands – only an initial payment earlier this year. Yet, the company was notified by media reports that the lands were vested to it.

When concerns were raised about the matter, NICIL sought to excuse the sudden sales by reminding of the Government’s commitment to bail out the aching Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). It said that it had started to collect initial payments late last year on the lands in question, and that since it recognised the urgency of GuySuCo’s request for a bailout, it saw the need to regularize the vesting orders to make funds available.

Ram said that the manner in which these deals are done, run the risk of Guyana losing “unquantifiable sums of money” which the country

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Kaieteur News

cannot afford.

“The directors of NICIL,” he added, “can hardly justify their action as being in the public interest… NICIL seems like another untethered animal that appears completely oblivious to the lame duck nature of the Government and the Minister it serves.”

WEDNESDAY FORMERAPNU MP AND 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 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 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 sodturning 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.

GRANGER ENTERS 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 noconfidence 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 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 (Continued on page 40)

Sunday July 12, 2020

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Ours is the duty to build a govt. that works for all

W

. HawleyBryant in 'The Song of Guyana's Children' reminds us that we are “Born in the land where men sought El Dorado, Land of the Diamond and bright shining gold, We would build up by our faith, love and labour, God's golden city which never grows old.”

In pursuit of the aforesaid, the Preamble of the Constitution of Guyana requires that we “Forge a system of governance that promotes concerted effort and broad-based participation in national decision-making in order to develop a viable economy and a harmonious community based on democratic values, social justice, fundamental human rights, and the rule of law.”

This is the overarching spirit and intent to guide development, through a set of principles that would

guide our relationship, the management of our business, and the security and protection of the nationstate.

It is therefore important to establish from the outset what is the fundamental requirement to forge the system of governance we set for ourselves. Article 13 which outlines the 'Objective of the political system' expressly states, “The principal objective of the system of the State is to establish an inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for the participation of citizens, and their organisations in the management and decisionmaking processes of the State, with particular emphasis on those areas of decision-making that directly affect their wellbeing.”

It should be noted “inclusionary democracy” replaced “consultative democracy” in the 1999

constitutional reform exercise. This was behind the backdrop of concerns the consultative process lent to and justified exclusion of stakeholders- political and non-political. Inclusion is expected to bring about greater involvement and ensure the human rights of all in the developmental process of the people and country-i.e. to be treated as equal with dignity and respect.

Article 13, which represents a declaration of intent, awaits legislation to strengthen and deepen the democratic processes of the State. Nineteen years after it is yet to see any meaningful action from the politicians through laws, programmes, and policies. It is my view where the politicians- who are representatives of the people- are failing to act, the people must demand actions from them.

Since 1992 there is evident growing fluidity in

which group or party holds control of the Executive and Legislature, but this reality is not matched with corresponding respect by the politicians to respect the will of the people, their right to freedom of association and e c o n o m i c s e l f determination. To continue to ignore these realities would be to the nation's peril because they run contrary to the constitutional system of governance and the basic rights of the people.

The role and function of the Executive and Legislature impact our dayto-day lives in intimate ways, and we must ensure these redound to our collective well-being. The Executive has day-to-day administrative responsibility in conceptualising, developing and implementing policies and programmes within the confine of laws, universal declarations, international conventions, and charters.

This branch operates at three t i e r s - t h e y a r e national/central, regional, and local governments.

Careful examination of the Executive would see inclusion of so-called losers (i.e. opposition) in every tier.

I would like to urge a rethinking of the notion that ours is rigidly a winnertakes-all system that shuts out losers, given the constitutional provisions. If we look at the United States for instance the losing presidential candidate is excluded from the legislature and the executive.

As per Articles 110 and 184 in our Constitution the Leader of the Opposition forms part of the Executive.

Upholding the spirit and intent of inclusion it would be appreciated the Leader of the Opposition's role is not only to oppose but to also oversight, propose and support. There are instances in the Constitution where

specific involvements are identified, such as consultation with the President on appointment of Chancellor of the Judiciary and the submission of a List for appointment of GECOM Chairman.

These approaches are intended to forge consensus through engagement and spirited debates where necessary, even as there exists recognition of the potential for disagreement.

But consensus should be the aim.

In the Regional and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils there is seat at the t a b l e b a s e d o n proportionality of the votes received, which allows for the input of all. Forty years after Articles 75 and 76 which attend to financial devolution of power to the people, via the regional and local government systems, the nation still awaits legislation to give these (continued on page 48)

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Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 12, 2020

g .. n i t s. s re ture e t In rea C

T

P

he Patagonian mara (Dolichotis patagonum) is a relatively large rodent in the mara genus Dolichotis. It is also known as the Patagonian cavy, Patagonian hare, or dillaby. This herbivorous, somewhat rabbit-like animal is found in open and semi-open habitats in Argentina, including large parts of Patagonia. It is monogamous, but often breeds in warrens shared by several pairs.

It resembles a jack rabbit. It has distinctive long ears and long limbs. Its hind limbs are longer and more muscular than its fore limbs and it has a longer radius than humerus. The feet are compressed, making them hoof-like. The fore feet have four digits while the hind feet have three digits.

Its tail is short, depressed, and hairless. It has a grey dorsal pelage with a white patch on the rump separated from the dorsal fur by a black area. In addition, the mara has a white underside with a somewhat orange flank and chin.

The average Patagonian mara has a head and body length of 69–75 cm (27–30 in) with a tail of 4–5 cm (1.6–2.0 in). It weighs 8–16 kg (18–35 lb).

Unlike most other cavids, such as guinea pigs and capybaras, the anal glands of the mara are between the anus and the base of the tail rather than

atagonian mara (Dolichotis patagonum)

being anterior to the anus.

Patagonian maras are found only in Argentina, from 28 to 50°S. They prefer to live in habitats with shrub cover, but they also inhabit overgrazed and barren soils in the Monte Desert biome.

In northwestern Argentina, they primarily inhabit lowland habitats such as forest and creosote bush or larrea. Maras prefer sandy and low shrub habitat in Valdes Peninsula.

They have adapted well to a cursorial lifestyle on the open plains and steppe, with long legs, reduced clavicle, and well-developed sensory organs making them capable o f r u n n i n g a n d communicating in these open habitats.

When running, maras have been compared to deer and antelope. They feed primarily on green vegetation and fruit. In the Monte Desert, monocots make up 70% of their diet, while dicots make up 30%.

Preferred grass species eaten are those of the genera Chloris, Pappophorum, and Trichloris, while dicots that are eaten include Atriplex lampa, Lycium spp., and Prosopis spp.

Maras are primarily diurnal and around 46% of their daily activities involve feeding. Their temporal activity rhythms are related to environmental factors.

Light, precipitation, and temperature have positive effects on annual activities,

while darkness and relative humidity have negative effects. Their preferred temperature is around 20 °C (68 °F)C. Females spend more time feeding than the males, due to the demands of gestation and lactation.

Males spend most of the day sitting, being vigilant for predators. Predators of maras, particularly the young, are felids, grisons, foxes, and birds of prey.

Maras are also host for parasites such as the nematode worm Wellcomia dolichotis.

T h e i r s o c i a l organizations have a unique combination of monogamy and communal breeding.

Being monogamous, pairs of maras stay together for life, with replacement of partners only occurring after one's death. The male has almost the sole responsibility in maintaining the pair by following the female wherever she goes.

A male marks his female with urine and marks the ground around her with secretions from his glands and with faeces, making the grounds around the female a mobile territory. Pairs breed together alone or with other pairs in warrens shared by up to 29 pairs.

Maras breed, at least in southern Argentina, from August to January. Gestation lasts 100 days in the wild.

Most births in Patagonia occur between September

and October, which is before the summer dry season and after the winter rains.

Females produce one litter each year in the wild but can produce as many as four litters a year in captivity.

Young can walk almost immediately postpartum.

Dens are dug during the breeding season for the young to be raised. Litters from one to 22 pairs are grouped together in these dens.

Communal living provides protection from predators with the survival rate for young being higher in larger groups than in smaller groups. One pair visits the den at a time for around one hour and the other parents circle around the den.

One or two pups are nursed at a time by a female.

A female may sometimes nurse a young from another pair. While a female may prevent young other than her own from nursing her, some young are able to steal milk.

Mothers do not actively cooperate in raising their young. For the first three weeks, young remain near the den.

At this time, distance between individuals is low, with frequent body contact, huddling, allogrooming, and extended play among the pups. After this, the young are able to leave the den and graze with their parents.

Young are weaned after 13 (continued on page 46)

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Sunday July 12, 2020

Principles of Traditional K O

BO

Book: Dragon Rises, Red Bird Flies - Psychology and Chinese Medicine Author: Leon Hammer, M.D. Critic: Glenville Ashby, PhD

D

r .

L e o n Hammer's 'Dragon Rises, Red Bird Flies - Psychology and Chinese Medicine,' exhaustively examines the philosophy behind an ancient medical practice.

In this didactic study, Hammer establishes that Chinese medicine is a myriad and complex array of diagnostic, therapeutic, and philosophical information that shows a clear relationship between parts of the human body as they relate to normal functioning and development of illnesses. It is a principle that originated in the Daoist concept of universal cosmic energy as the determining factor of life and health.

Although an ardent proponent of Chinese m e d i c a l d o c t r i n e , D r.

Hammer cautions against viewing this model as ideal.

“The very special

Chinese Medicine

attrib utes of precision, predictability, exactness, and systemization which characterize Chinese medicine,” he argues, “are also its greatest drawbacks.”

He emphasizes that “disciplines require new questions and new answers, as well as the immutable wisdom of the old.”

D r .

H a m m e r distinguishes between the diagnostic process as practiced in the East and the West. In the former, there is an unmistakable therapeutic quality to diagnosis.

“Mastering the pulse and face reading can tell people things about themselves and their lives which seem to bypass the usual resistance encountered in the psychotherapeutic process,“ Dr Hammer writes.

“The maladaptive patterns of thought, behaviour and feeling which we identify as pathological are identified by a high degree of rigidity.”

In one case study he explains how a diagnosis can demonstrate the interplay between somatic and p s y c h o l o g i c a l abnormalities. “One patient had a pulse of 68 tension in the liver and gallbladder and

stagnation between the liver and heart; her tongue was swollen with mucous and a tremor...the palms of her hands had a blue colour and blue lines...” He immediately formed an impression that “the patient was a moody and somewhat depressed with a considerable amount of r e p r e s s e d a n g e r. ” H e elaborates, “Changes in pulse rate at rest...are indicative of a person who is somewhat moody and depressed and who is probably very worried and unstable emotionally.”

Dr. Hammer concedes that Western psychoanalytic theory on somatization disorder, in particular, conversion and somatic diseases, explores repression and body dysfunction; and such psychological states can trigger and exacerbate psychosomatic ailments, such as, peptic ulcers, bronchial asthma, and even infections.

But this diagnostic approach in the West pales in comparison to Chinese medical culture. Of this, he exemplifies, “Chronic anger is blocked in the muscles of the upper back that control the movement of the upper extremities, as well as the lower back (holding back).”

Anger he states, affects the liver.

Of this marriage between psychological states and

biological functions, he continues, “Large intestines symbolizes 'elimination' in all its many senses, including the elimination of bad thoughts as well as bad energy (faeces). Likewise, the small intestine separates the pure from the impure in food and it is also responsible for separating out pure from impure thoughts, reabsorbing the pure and passing on the impure to the large Intestine.”

Our emotional disposition, according to Dr. Hammer, affects vital organs, for example, the debilitating impact of sudden fear, guilt and worry on the heart. He also cites two schools of thought regarding the adverse impact of fear and sadness on kidney functions, inviting readers interested in deeper research on the subject to explore Felix Mann's 'The Channels of Acupuncture.'

Interestingly, while western medicine has advanced studies in eleven regulatory systems in the human body that include the cardiovascular and haemopoetic systems, the gastrointestinal system, and the immune and lymphatic systems, Chinese medicine has added a defining element that gives these systems the very life force they need to function. This life force is called Qi, an energy that

“shapes all future functions and functional relationship that constitutes life.“ The energetic dynamism of this force is encapsulated in the theory of Yin and Yang and the Five Phase System in Eastern lore. This complex system follows seasonal movements.

Dr. Hammer describes the interplay between seasons, elements and the human anatomy. “Beginning with the spring,” he writes, “we have the Wood phase (Liver and Gallbladder), which generates and is 'mother' to the summer or Fire phase (Heart, Small Intestine, Triple Burner, and Pericardium), which in turn gives rise to the late summer or Earth phase (SpleenPancreas and Stomach), which then produces the autumn or metal phase (Lung and Large Intestine).

The Metal phase creates the

winter or Water phase (Kidney and Bladder) which completes the generational cycle and begets again the spring and Wood phase.”

To p u t t h i s i n t o perspective we must view this system as a cyclical relationship between physiology and the elemental system. Dr. Hammer explains, “Theoretically, when an emotion affects an organ, such as the Liver (Wood phase), the other organ in the phase system would be the next to be affected, - in this instance, the Gallbladder. In homeostasis or treatment, the controlling phase, i.e., the Liver, in this case must be strengthened.”

Clearly, physiology, psychology and nature interweave to determine the constitutional health of a patient. In the systemized (continued on page 50)

Sunday July 12, 2020

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THE

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Sunday July 12, 2020

STORY WITHIN THE

Sick to my stomach

By Leonard Gildarie

S

igh! More than 130 days since the March 2nd elections, Guyana has descended into more madness.

An elections executive has told his boss to go to hell and a number of political parties have killed every chance of ever being able to participate credibly in future elections.

As I write, the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (Ret'd) has ordered Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, to present the results by 11am.

On Friday, reportedly, Lowenfield left the GECOM headquarters as he was about to be issued with a second ordering him to do his job.

He said that he received a death threat. He walked out of a meeting with his bosses.

There were bets that he won't comply and that he would be a no-show as of yesterday.

Well, as of 11:30am, it was true‌he and three of the Coalition commissionersVincent Alexander, Charles Corbin and Desmond Trotman- were no-shows.

Since December 21st, 2018, the people of Guyana, no stranger to hardships, witnessed several jawdropping moments.

It was unbelievable the maneuverings of the Coalition.

I said it before and will say it again.

There were tears in my eyes in 2015 when David Granger was sworn in. He was the embodiment of goodness. I interviewed him months ago and was impressed.

This grandfatherly man was decent. He had taken a country that was at crossroads and despite surrounded by a number of incompetents and corrupt persons, he was singing the

right songs.

Even when there was deep worry over the armyizing of Guyana, with former soldiers at the helm of key institutions, I believed that he had a right to surround himself with people he felt fit the bill.

The statements of his disillusioned son-in-law, Dominic Gaskin, were a wake-up call. Here was a family member and a former minister brave enough to warn about the pitfalls ahead if the coalition marches ahead on the wrong path.

Last week, shortly after the decision by the Caribbean of Court of Justice, the good Brigadier did the unthinkable. He raised doubts about the authority of that regional court, which is Guyana's highest court of appeal.

I heard such talks of distrust from a few but believed the president was above the fray.

For him to stand there surrounded by police and making a mockery of the courts was a shock.

Unmasked, and literally he was, my president instead of placating supporters, who naturally want to hear positive words, he made it clear that recount figures, as witnessed by CARICOM and the world for 33 days were null and void.

He is saying that the same court, the CCJ, that ruled that Bharrat Jagdeo, cannot run for a third term, was no good.

Columnist Freddie Kissoon, in 'Room 592' on Kaieteur Radio on Friday evening said that any actions to swear in Granger would trigger a collapse of CARICOM. Guyana helped found C A R I C O M . T h e headquarters of that regional body is in Guyana.

We have used CCJ on a number of cases.

The world is looking at astonishment at Guyana. The United Nations, yes, you got

Leonard Gildarie it right. The same body whose court in The Hague is looking at the Venezuela border, has warned Guyana.

The UK Foreign Minister, Elizabeth Sugg in a statement, said that every vote must count and Guyanese have waited too long. She called on GECOM to declare the results.

The messages from all over the world have been the same‌declare the results according to the recount.

Guyana is heading to a collision course that will have no good outcome.

The ambitions and greed of a few threatens the future of this country.

There are some ugliness which have come to the fore.

Through selfishness, we have brought our people back to more than a century when people of different ethnicities fought because of sugar plantation politics and greed.

G E C O M ' s Commissioner, Sase Gunraj, described Lowenfield's behaviour as an eyepass.

That is the understatement of the year. He reportedly submitted a second list yesterday which did not reflect the recount.

As I write, I could not but reflect on the rumours that the Coalition wants to trigger a situation where a state of emergency could be enacted and as such hold in abeyance the elections results.

The buck stops at Granger's feet. He is the one to be blamed. History will remember this time and it will not be fond ones.

Someone wrote it is the beginning of a full-fledge dictatorship.

I have started living my life without fear.

The world will not tolerate this. The region will not tolerate this.

I started off by saying that David Granger, I believed, is a decent man.

I will end by saying that I hope he proves me right. I would hate to remember him this way.

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

Sunday July 12, 2020

From page 30 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

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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.

GRANGER DENIES MINGO’S VOTE RIGGING IN WASHINGTON POST President 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 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.

THURSDAY CARIBBEAN COURT OF JUSTICE RULES 5-0…

LOWENFIELD’S JUNE ‘REPORT’INVALIDATED – THROWS OUTAPPEAL COURT’S DECISION – LOWENFIELD’S CANNOT DISENFRANCHISE THOUSANDS OF VOTERS – GECOM TO MEET 1:30PM TODAY The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), in a unanimous decision Wednesday,

rendered the decision of the Guyana Court of Appeal in the elections recount case invalid.

The judgment was wrought by a five-member panel of judges inclusive of the Court’s President Justice Adrian Saunders, Justice Jacob Wit, Justice Maureen Rajnauth-Lee, Justice Peter Jamadar and Justice Denys Barrow.

As a consequence, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is expected to meet 1:30 today to deliberate on matters related to the results of the March 2, 2020 Regional and General Elections.

RULING In a delivery of the decision lasting less than an hour, Justice Saunders told lawyers involved in the case that the majority decision handed down by the Appeal Court was made without jurisdiction and should therefore be set aside along with the Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield’s report that was based on it.

He said that it is for, “GECOM to ensure that the election results are swiftly declared in accordance with the Laws of Guyana.”

Added to that, he stated

that it “is now for GECOM to ensure that the CEO submits a report in accordance with its directive of 16th of June in order to proceed along a path directed by the laws of Guyana.”

That directive was from GECOM Chairperson Rtd. Justice Claudette Singh to submit the report in accordance with the elections recount results, which placed the PPP/C Opposition 15,000 votes ahead of the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition.

Before Lowenfield complied with the directive, Sophia, Georgetown resident Eslyn David had approached the Court of Appeal in a Notice of Motion (NoM) questioning the credibility of the CARICOM-supervised GECOM recount She sought the Court‘s interpretation on a number issues, chief of which was whether the words “more votes cast” in Article 177(2)(b) of the Constitution, when taking Order Number 60 of 2020 (establishing the Recount) should be interpreted to mean “more valid votes.”

The Appeal Court had (Continued on page 38)

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From page 37 rendered a decision answering a single question posed by the applicant. The decision under Article 177(4) which purports the Court of Appeal‘s judgment is final.

Despite a three-day stay in place, GECOM’s Chief Elections Officer (CEO) of Keith Lowenfield submitted, one day after the decision, a report to the commission invalidating some 115,000 votes in favour of the A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) regime.

MATTER NOW LIES WITH GECOM – PRESIDENT GRANGER Following Wednesday’s historical ruling made by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), incumbent President David Granger as well as his campaign co-chairman of the governing coalition Joseph Harmon, have both said that the matter now lies within the confines of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

In sharing his reaction following the ruling, President Granger alluded to that fact that the CCJ rendered invalid the decision of Guyana’s Court of Appeal which had ruled on June 22 that Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, must calculate the election results on “valid votes”— thereby disenfranchising 115,844 voters.

“The CCJ has not allowed the position that our Court of Appeal has taken but it means that the matter will now have to go back to the Election Commission. So the matter is not closed, it now has to go back to the Election Commission,” the President said to his supporters beyond the gates of State House.

Campaign co-chairman of the APNU+AFC, Harmon shared similar views to that of his party leader. “The end of this matter in the Caribbean

Court of Justice” Harmon said, “puts the matter back to GECOM for the final decisions to be made in the declaration and swearing in of our President.”

Granger also spoke of the electoral impasse which has grappled the nation for over four months since Guyanese went to polls on March 2, but he maintains that the impasse occurred as a result of the voting irregularities that were claimed to have been discovered by the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC).

He said to his supporters, “We all went out on the 2nd of March; March passed, April passed, May passed, June passed and now we’re in July. It is the first time this has happened in the history of our country and it has happened because there are some bad elements out there who tried to manipulate the vote by having votes recorded for dead people, people who had migrated, more votes in a polling station than they had electors.

US, CANADA PILE PRESSURE ON GECOM TO MAKE DECLARATIONS The US State Department has supported the ruling handed down by the

Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the Jagdeo, Ali et al appeal case and called on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to declare the winner of the March 2, 2020 Election using the recount figures.

Acting Assistant Secretary for the US Department of State’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, Michael Kozak, tweeted Wednesday: “The @CaribbeanCourt had ruled.

It is time for #GECOM to declare the winner of Guyana’s election based on the national recount vote.”

Kozak stated that “The will of Guyana’s voters cannot be ignored.”

The recount figures show that the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) won the March 2 polls with 233,336 valid votes while the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition trailed behind with 217,920 valid votes.

Those figures saw a recount, which tipped in the opposition’s favour, and as such, Dr. Irfaan Ali as the country’s next president.

It has been more than four months since the elections with Guyana in limbo and facing the negative impacts of COVID-19.

Joining Kozak Wednesday was Michael

Grant, Canada’s Assistant Deputy Minister for the Americas.

He noted the important ruling Wednesday from the CCJ in a tweet.

“It’s time for the election results to be announced by #GECOM based on the recount. No more delays.”

FRIDAY CLAUDETTE SINGH ORDERS LOWENFIELD TO SUBMIT RECOUNT FIGURES BY 2PM TODAY -TELLS HIM: ‘YOUARE UNDER THE “DIRECTION” AND “CONTROL” OF THE COMMISSION’ Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chair, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh Thursday ordered Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield to submit a report of the recount results by 2 pm today, under the legal procedure leading to a declaration. The recount shows the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/ C) to have attained 233,336 valid votes, a lead of 15,416 votes ahead of the APNU+AFC coalition’s 217,920 valid votes.

The Chair qualified her request for the recount figures, by saying that they should be the “valid votes counted in the National Recount” – not by his own metric – but “as per Certificates of Recount generated” from the recount exercise.

A letter of this nature was addressed to Lowenfield previously on June 16 for a submission deadline of June 18, and he had disregarded it.

His reason for doing so, as expressed in a public letter, is that he has duties to execute as a constitutional officer.

This time around, Justice Singh reminded Lowenfield that as CEO, Section 18 of the Election Laws Act No 15 of 2000 stipulates that he is subject to the direction and control of the Commission.

The Commission was

expected to meet Thursday, but that meeting was postponed to today, as Government nominated Commissioners reportedly expressed that they needed more time to study the written judgment of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), passed down on Wednesday.

The Court had ruled that, in the appeal of the recount case which had been adjudicated by Guyana’s Appeal Court, the Kingston Court’s judgment was unlawful as it did not have the jurisdiction. The Appeal Court’s ruling had moved Lowenfield, in his disregard for the Chair’s direction, to submit a report intending to invalidate 115,844 votes. The move sought to hand a false victory to APNU+AFC. As a consequence of the CCJ’s striking down of the Appeal Court’s ruling, Lowenfield’s then report was invalidated, and the CCJ said that it was for GECOM to direct Lowenfield to present the results of the recount, in accordance with the direction of the GECOM Chair.

In a Facebook post Thursday, Opposition nominated Commissioner Sase Gunraj notified the public of the postponement to today.

“Hasn’t this country and its people suffered enough?”

Gunraj asked, alluding to the fact that the electoral process has dragged on four months.

After an uproar on social media over the postponement, Government nominated Commissioner Vincent Alexander took to Facebook, commenting on a post to say that the document of the CCJ’s judgment was only delivered at 12:30 pm, and that persons complaining are doing so out of ignorance.

The CCJ’s judgment had been made available on its website and circulated online shortly after the judgment was handed down on Wednesday.

The Court, in its ruling, noted how long the electoral process has lasted and that the country has gone without a Parliament for well over a

year. It said that no one in Guyana would regard this state of affairs as satisfactory and expressed the fervent hope that there would quickly be a peaceable restoration of normalcy. … NICIL’S SALE OF PRIME EAST COAST LANDS K/NEWS PUBLISHER FILES COURT CASE TO QUASH LAND DEALS Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall, has filed an application in the High Court seeking to quash the June 11, sale of 130 acres of prime East Coast Demerara lands by the incumbent A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition government.

National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Finance Minister Winston Jordan and the Attorney General Basil Williams are listed as the respondents in the fixed date application drafted by Attorney-at-Law, Sanjeev Datadin.

According to the document, Lall is seeking a declaration from the Court that the de facto Finance Minister and NICIL had no power or authority to transfer state lands to any person or entity not under the control of the Minister, pursuant to Sections 8 and 11 of the Public Corporations Act (PCA); Cap. 19:05.

The application stipulates that Lall wants orders from the Court aimed at quashing the deals made on June 11, 2020

by Minister Jordan and NICIL that were published in the Official Gazette numbered Order No. 64, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72 and 73 – on the grounds that the sale was unlawful, made without legal authority, ultra vires, malicious, made in excess of jurisdiction, made without adequate legal consideration, null void and of no legal effect.

The Publisher filed the application in his capacity as a private citizen of Guyana.

(Continued on page 39)

Sunday July 12, 2020

From page 38 According to the application, he referred to Sections 8 and 11 of the PCA which stipulates that the Minister of Finance is empowered to authorize the transfer of State properties from only entities of the State. The PCA and its provisions of vesting order in general are not intended to apply to private companies.

Section 8 of the PCA provides that “(1) The Minister may by order transfer to a corporation or to any other person, or place under its control the whole or a part of (a) any undertaking or any other property of any other corporation or any other person or other body corporate owned by the State or in which the controlling interest is vested in the State or any agency on behalf of the State; (b) any commercial, manufacturing or research undertaking of the State; and (2) The corporation, other body corporate, or undertaking affected by an order made under subsection (1) shall comply with any directions which may be given to it by, or under the direction of the Minister so as to give effect to the order.”

Those specific sections, the Claimant contends cannot be employed to transfer property owned by NICIL to any private individual.

He noted that the all of the entities to which the land were sold are private companies and that the PCA and its provisions of vesting orders in general are not applicable to private companies which meant that the purported transfer by Minister Jordan was unlawful, ultra vires and null and void.

“The essential and key precondition of the statue is that it applies to property of State being transferred to an entity under the control of the Minister, there is no authority to vest the specific State to these companies as mentioned in Orders published in the Official Gazette,” the application said.

After the filing of the

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application, Lall explained that “the patrimony of this country must be disposed of transparently and in a manner which ensures value for money.” He added that “if the lands and the country’s natural resources, which are being given out, are done in a transparent manner and at real market value, Guyana can alleviate poverty, eliminate its foreign debt and triple the salaries of public servants.”

He said, too, he will continue with his efforts, regardless of which government is in place, to ensure the best deal for the people of this country.

Lall said that what is taking place with the disposal of the nation’s wealth has been taking a toll on his physical and emotional health. He noted that for the past 27 years his newspaper has been reporting on numerous acts of skullduggery in relation to public resources. He said that he decided that henceforth he will not just be reporting on these issues but also will be doing whatever is within his means to protect the interests of the Guyanese people.

The massive land deal came to light after the vesting orders, bearing Minister Jordan’s signature were posted on Facebook, immediately raising questions as to how so many acres of land were sold in a day and also mounting suspicions that the incumbent Coalition government may be giving away lands before demitting office.

SATURDAY LOWENFIELD FAILS TO SUBMIT ELECTIONS REPORT – TELLS COMMISSION HE DIDN’T UNDERSTAND INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN – LEAVES IN A HURRY CLAIMING HE RECEIVED ADEATH THREAT – GECOM CHAIR DEMANDS COMPLIANCE BY 11AM SATURDAY Guyana’s Chief Elections

Officer (CEO) Friday failed to present to the Commission his final elections report using the figures from the National Recount since he needed further ‘clarification’ resulting in the GECOM Chair ordering him to return with the report as directed by 11am Saturday.

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chair, Ret’d Justice Claudette Singh had on Thursday evening wrote to the CEO with clear instructions that he should present to the Commission, his final report on Friday at 2pm.

Her instructions followed the landmark judgment delivered by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the Jagdeo Ali et al appeal case.

In her July 9 letter to the CEO, the Chair had said “Pursuant to Article 177 (2) (b) of the Constitution and Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act Cap 1:03; you are hereby requested to prepare and submit your report on the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections by 2pm on July 10 using the valid votes counted in the National Recount as per Certificates of Recount generated therefrom.”

She also reminded the CEO that Section 18 of the Election Laws Act 15 of 2000 stipulates that he is subjected to the “direction and control” of the Commission.

On Friday, however, Commissioners from both sides of the political divide and the Chair turned up for the meeting, expecting to be presented with a report but this did not happen. Instead, the CEO presented a letter to the Commission in which he sought ‘clarity’ on her directives.

Lowenfield told the Chair, in his letter, that he reviewed the July 8 judgment of the CCJ and said that, “some clarifications are imperative prior to the preparation and submission of the requested report to safeguard against any action deemed to be unilateral.”

The CEO pointed to

paragraphs 41 and 45 of the CCJ’s ruling where they “endorsed the view that GECOM cannot determine credibility, so therefore the Recount Order No. 60 cannot be executed in its entirety.”

As a consequence, he said, a final credible count as conceived by the Commission and as expressed in the Recount Order “cannot be attained.”

Lowenfield told the Chair that her “missive suggests a change in operation procedures” and asked for clear guidance on whether the final report should be based on the ten district declarations being held in abeyance or rather the figures from the National Recount in light of the CCJ’s judgment.

The CCJ ruled that the Court of Appeal (COA) did not have the jurisdiction to hear the case presented by private citizen Eslyn David and consequently, they invalidated Lowenfield’s report dated June 22 where he sought to dump 115,844 valid votes, citing the COA ruling as justification.

“Death threat” After presenting his ‘clarification’ letter to the Commission, the CEO hurriedly exited the GECOM Headquarters with his

security in tow. Opposition Commissioner Bibi Shadick followed shortly after and told the media that Lowenfield left because he claimed he received a “death threat”.

Media operatives camped outside the GECOM HQ, saw an ambulance in the compound while Lowenfield was exiting, raising suspicions that he may have fallen ill. However, when the ambulance left empty and Lowenfield with his entourage followed.

She told the press that when the CEO presented his letter, “he said he didn’t understand, he seeking to quote the CCJ judgment and misquoting the judgment.”

A discussion ensued, she explained, and shortly after the Chair provided the clarity sought by the CEO and took the decision to send a further letter reiterating her instructions.

While the Chair was preparing her letter, according to Shadick, was when Lowenfield revealed to the Commission that he received the “death threat” and left.

Calls were made to the acting Commander of ‘A’ Division, Senior Superintendent, Paul Azore to inquire whether an official police complaint was lodged by Lowenfield but

these went unanswered.

“Full compliance by 11am today” Shortly after Lowenfield had left, Justice Singh issued another, curt directive to the CEO: “In response to your request for guidance on which the results of the March 2, 2020 Elections can be declared, you are accordingly advised that my letter dated July 9 stands.”

She then ordered the CEO for the third time to submit his report, today at 11am when the Commission will assemble again to provide Guyana with a declaration of the results of the four-month long electoral process.

“Sanctioning the CEO” Questions were posed to the Commissioners on whether the Commission can relieve Lowenfield of his statutory functions if he fails to present a report.

To this, Commissioner Vincent Alexander stated that Lowenfield cannot be removed from his post, not even temporarily, to allow someone to perform his functions.

“The Commission cannot substitute somebody else for him unless it’s a course of disciplinary action that he is (Continued on page 40)

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From page 39 suspended, off the job and, therefore, since the job has to be done, we substituted somebody else for him,” he explained.

Opposition Commissioner, Sase Gunraj however, noted that the consequences for Lowenfield would be grave should he fails to carry out the directives requested by the GECOM Chair.

Explaining, Gunraj said, “The law dictates that the CEO is a creature of the Commission, he doesn’t act on his own, he is not entitled to act on his own and if he fails to carry out the lawful instructions, obviously that has to be met with consequences and there is a raft of consequences which can flow from that.

If your employer and the employment laws cater for that as are several employment practices, if you fail to carry out what is asked, there are many disciplinary actions that can be taken. What must be borne in mind here is that a nation is waiting for these results.”

The Constitution provides for disciplinary action to be taken against the CEO and other “election officers” attached to the Commission.

Article 161 (a) (1) of the Constitution provides that the “Elections Commission

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shall be responsible for the efficient functioning of the Secretariat of the Commission, which shall comprise the officers and employees of the Commission, and for the appointment of all the staff to the offices thereof inclusive of all temporary staff, recruited for the purposes of boundary demarcation, registration of persons and elections and shall have the power to remove and to exercise disciplinary control over such staff.”

An “election officer” the Constitution spelt out can be the Chief Elections Officer, the Deputy Chief Elections Officer, a returning officer, a deputy returning officer, an election clerk, a presiding officer, an assistant presiding officer along with a poll clerk and others.

UN SECRETARY GENERAL CALLS FOR SWIFT ELECTION DECLARATION The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, on Thursday called on all of Guyana’s political leaders and their supporters to “recognize and accept” the final official results of the March 2 elections.

Guterres, through a spokesperson, was at the time responding to questions concerning the political situation in Guyana, referring to 8th July ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice, as a “final instance.”

The Secretary-General stressed the importance of announcing the final official results of the March 2 General and Regional Elections to the Guyanese people as soon as

possible, stating that the declaration will bring an end to an impasse that has lasted more than four months.

Guterres encouraged Guyanese to refrain from any act or statement that may fuel

tensions or incite violence. The Secretary General’s call for a quick end to the political impasse is just one of many from the international community over the past four months.

Other international bodies

such as the Organization of American states (OAS), The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, The Elders, and Carter Center, were just a few to come forward with their call to action.

Sunday July 12, 2020

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Dangerous chemicals hiding in everyday products It was long believed that you could acquire “better living through chemistry.”

But that may really not be the case. In a landmark alliance, known as Project TENDR, leaders of various disciplines have come together in a consensus statement to say that many of the chemicals found in everyday products can result in neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and attention-deficit disorders.

“Ten years ago, this consensus wouldn’t have been possible, but the research is abundantly clear,” said Irva Hertz-Picciotto, an environmental epidemiologist at the University of California, Davis and co-chairwoman of Project TENDR.“At some point, we say we know enough to take preventative action,” said Frederica Perera, a professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University.

Perera is also a signatory on the statement.

Last year, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (PDF) stated that “Widespread exposure to toxic environmental chemicals threatens healthy human reproduction.” Other medical groups such as the Endocrine Society (PDF), the world’s oldest and largest organization devoted to researching hormones, have expressed similar concerns.

But this is the first time that leading scientists, doctors and policy advocates across various disciplines have come together to say that the science on toxic chemicals is clear: They can harm brain development.

Everyday chemicals carry toxic burden These everyday chemicals, including organophosphates, flame retardants and phthalates, can be found in food, plastics, furniture, food wrap, cookware, cans, carpets, shower curtains, electronics and even shampoo.

They are pretty much everywhere around us.

Scientists and researchers are concerned that many of these chemicals may be carcinogenic or wreak havoc with our hormones, our body’s regulating system. But the impact of these chemicals may be most severe on the developing brain, Perera said.

Brain development is the “most complete and most rapid during the first nine months, prenatally,” she said.

During that time, neural connections and pathways are being developed.

“Any interference by a physical stress like a toxic chemical or other stressor can disrupt this natural progression that is so very delicate

and complex,” explained Perera.Though the group hopes to come up with regulatory recommendations to reduce this toxic burden, there are some simple things that individuals can do to reduce their exposure.

Chemicals to watch for.

ORGANOPHOSPHATE PESTICIDES Organophosphate pesticides (PDF) are a class of neurotoxic chemicals used as warfare agentsin the 1930s.

However, today, they account for about half of all pesticide use in the United States. And they can make their way onto crops that we use as food sources. Areas that spray pesticides heavily, such as farms, may find higher rates of exposure.

Children exposed to higher levels of these pesticides have been found to have higher rates of attentiondeficit hyperactivity disorder.

You can reduce your exposure to them by eating organic and using alternative pest control methods.

PHTHALATES These chemicals soften plastics and help scents and chemicals bind together.

Exposure to phthalates has been associated with lower IQ levels.

They can be found in shampoos, conditioners, body sprays, hair sprays, perfumes, colognes, soap, nail polish, shower curtains, medical tubing, IV bags, vinyl flooring and wall coverings, food packaging and coatings on time-release pharmaceuticals.You can reduce your exposure to phthalates by using unscented lotions and laundry detergents, microwaving food in glass containers rather than plastic, using cleaning supplies without scents, and avoiding air fresheners and plastics labeled as No. 3, No. 6 and No 7.

POLYBROMINATED DIPHENYL ETHERS These chemicals are used as flame retardants, chemicals that can slow the speed of a flame. They can be found in televisions, computers, insulation and foam products, including children’s toys and baby pillows.

Products can shed ethers that can accumulate in dust.

Exposure to these ethers have been associated with thyroid issues.There isn’t a directory that lists which products have these ethers, but consumers may still be able to reduce exposure by looking for products that advertise themselves as free of flame retardant. These chemicals were found in a lot of older foams, so replace products such sofas and pillows that have exposed foam. And use a high-

efficiency HEPA filter vacuum to clean up dust.

AIR POLLUTANTS Air pollution from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil or gas is usually associated with respiratory issues. However, these pollutants can also include nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde and benzene.

Higher exposure to air pollutants has been associated with lower birth weights, preterm deliveries and congenital heart defects. The

ucts use glues containing formaldehyde.

LEAD Lead is a naturally occurring metal. It was banned from gasoline in the 1970s but can still be found in older homes that used leaded paint. Lead can also make its way into water, because of corrosion from old water pipes. Lead is also used in a variety of products like industrial paints, car batteries and wheel weights.

Lead exposure has been

World Health Organization (PDF) considers exposure to benzene a major public health concern.Aside from trying to avoid polluted areas, you can make sure to buy furniture and products that advertise themselves as formaldehydefree. Try to avoid buying furniture made with particleboard, plywood or pressed wood. Many of these prod-

associated with ADHD, lower IQs and developmental delay.

Infants and toddlers are at greatest risk for lead exposure because they frequently put their hands and toys in their mouths after they may be exposed to lead in dust.

Find out if you have lead in your water by reaching out to your local water supplier or even getting an at-home

test kit from a home improvement store. If your home was built before 1978, test your paint. If the paint is chipping or peeling, it will need to be stripped or covered.

Homeowners may want to consider using a professional who is lead-safe certified to help you. Parents can also talk to your doctor about having your children tested for lead if there is reason for concern.

MERCURY Mercury is a naturally occurring element, but it can also be released into the environment from the burning of coal and oil. Mercury can also be found in some household items such as thermometers, light bulbs and oldermodel clothes dryers and washing machines. Mercury in the environment can make its way into fish and shellfish.

Some fish, such as some kinds of tuna, may have higher concentrations of mercury.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, exposure to mercury in utero may impact memory, attention and cognitive skills.

While you can’t completely eliminate mercury from your environment, you can reduce your exposure to mercury by avoiding fish high in mercury. Try to use mercuryfree thermometers. When getting rid of household items with mercury, reach out to

your state or local household hazardous waste collection center for advice.

POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS Between 1929 and 1977, thousands of tons ofpolychlorinated biphenyls were used worldwide. Production of the chemical in the U.S. was banned by the EPA in 1977, but they can linger (PDF) in the environment for a long time and make their way into the food chain. These chemicals have been used as coolants and lubricants in electrical equipment because they are good insulators.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, polychlorinated biphenyls are associated with cancer in occupational settings and has been associated with issues with motor skills and short term memory in children.

Much like mercury, they have made their way into our food sources, particularly fish and some meat. To avoid polychlorinated biphenyls in your food, the Environmental Defense Fund suggests, before cooking, removing the parts where toxic chemicals are likely to accumulate, such as the skin, fat and internal organs. When cooking, make sure to drain away fat and avoid drippings. http:// edition.cnn.com.

Multivitamins: Should You Take One? Our bodies need many different vitamins and minerals to function properly. Vitamins and minerals also offer us protection against a host of ailments, including heart disease and some cancers, such as colon and cervical cancer.

The good news is that we can get most of the vitamins and minerals our bodies need daily by choosing the right foods and eating a wide variety of them.

Still, many people take a multivitamin daily as an insurance policy — just to be sure they are getting all the vitamins and minerals that their bodies require.

“A multivitamin is a good idea for the trace elements,” says Donald Novey, MD, an integrative medicine physician with the Advocate Medical Group in Park Ridge, Ill. “You want a multivitamin for all those little things at the bottom of the ingredients list. The ones at the top of the list are familiar and the ones we can’t avoid if we’re eating enriched foods. It’s the trace elements at the bottom that are the ones often missing.”

Trace elements include chromium, folic acid, potassium, iron, manganese, selenium, and zinc.

DAILYVITAMIN: OUR NEEDS CHANGE WITHAGE Vitamin supplements can be particularly important during certain stages of our lives, Dr. Novey says.

For example, women in their childbearing years can benefit from folic acid, which decreases the risk of some birth defects.

A pregnant woman needs a multivitamin, starting in the first trimester, to ensure that the baby receives proper nutrition. Active and older women can benefit from increased calcium, which can help prevent bone loss and fractures. Vegetarians also can benefit from taking extra calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamins B12 and D. Does it matter what time of day you take a multivitamin? Not really, says Stephen Bickston, MD, AGAF, professor of internal medicine and director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at Virginia Commonwealth University Health Center in Richmond.

However, he says, some people find it helpful to take vitamins at the same time every day.

If it becomes part of their routine, they are less likely to forget.

Also, he says, some people feel that if they take their vitamin with food, it is less likely to cause stomach upset. “I often recommend that people take a chewable vitamin,” Dr. Bickston says, “because they seem to be well tolerated, even in people who have serious digestive conditions, which is what I deal with in my practice.”

DAILY VITAMIN: TIPS FOR SHOPPING FOR THE RIGHT MULTIVITAMIN Do you need to buy brand name vitamins? Novey says vitamins are like any other consumer product: “You get what you pay for.”

He suggests shopping for vitamins in health food or natural food stores. Read the label and make sure its expiration date is at least a few months away.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s advice on how much to take — or the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) — is often writ-

ten as “% DV” for percentage of daily value on the label. However, be careful because the DVs on the label may not take into consideration the different requirements for age and gender as RDAs do.

Multivitamins can be beneficial, but doctors warn not to be suckered by “mega” vitamins.

The amount of vitamins in a standard multi is generally what you need for health benefits. Rarely do people need more than the RDA of any vitamin. When it comes to vitamins, the toomuch-of-a-good-thing rule can apply, Bickston says.

DAILYVITAMIN: ENSURING GOOD HEALTH Clearly, eating a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, lean meats and poultry, and low-fat dairy products is the best way to get your daily dose of vitamins and nutrients to keep your body functioning properly and to ward off illnesses.

But taking a multivitamin daily is a good backup plan, and an easy way to fill in any gaps in your diet. http:// www.everydayhealth.com.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 42

Circus escape Billy was getting excited.

It was the day of the circus!

Billy loved the circus – all the animals and the people. It was so much fun!

At eight o’clock Billy and his parents arrived at the huge red and white striped tent called the ‘Big Top’.

The ringmaster shouted with his huge booming voice, ‘Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!’

Then the lights went up to the top of the tent and Billy saw a man and a woman dressed in sparkly clothes balancing on a huge swing.

They flew through the air.

‘Ooooo!’ shouted the people every time they flew. It was very, very exciting.

A door opened and the lions bounced into the ring – there were six of them all looking huge and fierce and dangerous. The man in the middle was the lion tamer.

Billy watched as he put his head in the biggest lion’s mouth. ‘Ooooo!’ shouted the people in horror and amazement.After the lions came the clowns. They were wearing brightly coloured clothes – blue and yellow and red with spots of green. They had red noses and painted faces and funny red hair. They fell over, told lots of jokes and did lots of very silly things.

‘Ha, ha, ha!’ laughed the people – and Billy laughed too.Finally the elephants arrived in the ring - there were three enormous grey elephants and one smaller one. The small one balanced on one leg and did lots of tricks.

Then it stopped and looked up at Billy. ‘Hello,’ said Billy to the elephant. ‘I’m Billy.’ ‘I’m Minny,’ replied the elephant to Billy’s surprise.

Then suddenly the small elephant turned around and ran towards the door of the

Sunday July 12, 2020

Junior page To make these DIY bookmarks you’ll need:

tent. It ran out of the tent into the street and off into the town. All the people rushed out of the circus tent screaming, ‘Aagh! The elephant – it’s escaped!’

‘Help!’ cried the ringmaster. ‘Minny the elephant has escaped!’

Minny was a very happy elephant. It was the first time she had been out of the circus!

It felt good to be free!

She ran along the main street towards the main square. She saw the fountain in the middle of the square.

She climbed into the big fountain and sat down in the water.

People tried to walk by but Minny sprayed water at them using her huge trunk! ‘Oh, this is much more fun than the circus!’ cried Minny.

After a while Minny decided to explore. She went along the street and into the big supermarket. All the people who saw Minny ran out of the supermarket screaming! Minny had a wonderful time – she helped herself to the bananas and scoffed a large chocolate cake, ten packets of biscuits and a large number of buns.

When she had finished eating Minny decided to explore again so she went out into the street. In the distance Minny saw a big house, but there was something strange about it – there was a red light all around it.

Minny got nearer to the

house and then she heard the people in the house shouting and screaming. ‘Help!’ they shouted. ‘Save us!’

Minny rushed into the garden opposite the house.

There was a big pond with lots of water. She put her trunk in the water and took in as much water as she could. Then she rushed over to the house and sprayed the house with water.

She did this many times and the flames and fire died away.

From the top window Minny could see a small boy.

He opened the window and Minny took him out of the house using her trunk.

‘Minny!’ he cried. ‘It’s me!’

‘Hello, Billy,’ said the elephant.‘You saved me!’ cried Billy. ‘You are the bravest elephant in the world!’

Billy’s mother and father came rushing out of the house.

They couldn’t believe what they saw! Billy was safe and their house was safe – and all because of an elephant.

The next day all the people in the town made a crowd outside the town hall. They gave Minny the elephant a special medal. Billy rode around the square on Minny’s back, waving and smiling at all the people.

They went slowly back to the circus to rejoin the other elephants. Minny was so happy that she never wanted to escape from the circus again.

· pattern · felt scraps – red, black, yellow, purple, pink, blue, white · white school glue ·elastic · clear tape (optional) · small googly eyes (optional) · hot glue gun and gluesticks

F

irst have the kids cut out the shapes using the patterns.

I find it’s best to tape the pattern piece to the felt and then cut. It helps hold everything in place.

Use the school glue to glue all of the pieces together and let it dry.

Cut a piece of elastic 16 inches long. Cut a rectangle of felt that will fit on the back of the bug.

For this part, the little kids will need some help with a hot glue gun. Glue the elastic like in the photo below.

Glue the rectangle of felt over the elastic to cover the ends.

That’s it!

Galaxy Connect the dots to make edges so that each circle is surrounded by a symmetrical galaxy shape, and the puzzle is completely tiled with galaxies. Each galaxy shape must be rotationally symmetric, having an identical appearance when rotated 180 degrees.

The best feeling I get

I feel so nice when I eat Ice cream, cookies and fruit cake, Chocolate, candy and other sweets, As well as burgers, pizza and milk-shake.

I also get very happy When I celebrate my birthday Go to the park, seawall and creek, And enjoy Christmas and other holidays.

But the thing that makes me feel the best, And makes me proud indeed, Is when I try to help someone, Or give them something they need.

I start by doing more work at home, Then try to make my family feel good; Next I am kinder to all my friends, And help my neighbours in any way I could.

by Uncle Roy

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 12, 2020

TEEN TIME

PAGE 43

Develop Healthy Relationships

Love

with Family Members and Friends I am sure that the enjoyable things that happened to you in the past that you most remember are not the big ones, like the time you went on a trip, or the presents that you got at Christmas, or your birthday.

The things that stick in your memory, and allow you to go over them and enjoy them once again, are the times you connected with the members of your family or some friend. These are the times when you feel at one with them, that you are together whatever happens, when you felt the sense of

belonging to a group that you enjoy being with, and being loved.

This proves that life is not about acquiring money and other stuff, or being a big shot, or even having a great career.

It is all about building relationships with others, especially those closest to you.

Here are a few things you can keep doing to develop healthy relationships with those who mean so much to you:Treat people the way you want to be treated; Let people know you

appreciate them and admire them for doing something good; Express gratitude to those who share their lives with you; Remember that manners can make the difference between a loss and a win; Speak with love and respect; Be kind to yourself and to others; Express yourself to your parents, brothers and sisters, a friend, someone you trust, especially when your emotions seem out of balance;

Pay attention and act according to your conscience; Ask for help when you feel something is above you; Tell the truth always, and be honest in all your dealings; Try to give some of your time and energy towards your community; Live up to your principles irrespective of what others say or do.

Follow these rules and you will always be in control of your life, and touch the lives of the people you meet in a meaningful way.

Masyu The finished puzzle will contain a loop made of horizontal/vertical line segments that connects all the white and black circles. The line going thru a white circle must be straight. However, there must be at least one corner made on the dot immediate preceding or immediately following the white circle (or on both dots). The line going thru a black circle must turn a corner on the black circle. Both of the lines emanating from this corner need to go straight through the next dot before making any more turns.

by Kendacia Harwood Love is something, if you give it away, You will end up with more than before; It is just like a magic penny, Hold it tight and you have no more.

It never hurts to send forth love, For we have so much to spare; God gave us some extra helpings, So that we will have much to share.

It never hurts to find someone, Who lives with pain and sorrow, And bring that someone hope and faith, Enough to face tomorrow.

It never hurts to pray for those Who cannot find their way; If we were lost and lonely too, We’d want someone to pray

Of all the things we have to strive for, building happy relationships with the others in our life is the most important.

Solutions to last week’s

Futoshiki

Colour the picture

PAGE 44

The golden rules of caring for short hair

1. Comb it less frequently Luckily, short hair doesn’t need to be brushed as often as long hair.

As Sapphire Lewis of Bleach London explains, “Short hair is less likely to tangle than long hair. Brushing it through with fingers is generally enough to shape and style it a bit.” Paul Edmonds agrees that your fingers are often a better tool than a brush. He says, “For styling use your fingers to give you the shape lifting where you need to get volume at the root.”

Invest in a bristle brush If you do want to run a brush through your hair, the experts recommend adding a bristle brush to your hair care arsenal. Andrew Garden says, “If a sleeker style is your preference, then I would suggest blow drying the hair with a small Denman brush to create a smooth finish, with minimal volume. For texture avoid brushes and manipulate with your fingertips.”

2. Reduce your use of heated products Find a style that doesn’t require a straightener “Don’t use heat-styling tools daily. Flat irons, curling irons and even blow drying can damage the hair shaft. Damaged hair is not able to retain colour the way that healthy hair can,” says colourist Marie Robinson.

“I almost never blow-dry my hair or use hot tools,” she adds. “I usually apply Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray, go to bed with damp hair, and wake up with waves.”

Use a cotton bud to get rid of flyaway strands You might experience Sapphire Lewis, salon manager of Bleach London, describes as “weird sleep patterns”. We’ve all been there when we wake up in the morning to discover our hair has defied all rules of styling and is sticking up in different directions. Luckily, Paul Edmonds has a sneaky tip to help you deal with the problem, that doesn’t involve using damaging heating products.

3. Trim your hair every three to six weeks Maintain your shape Heading to the hair salon every three weeks might sound excessive but shorter hair styles, particularly closer crops, require a little more maintenance than your usual cut. This is based on the fact that your hair usually grows about half an inch per month.

Hair stylist Paul Edmonds, whose clients include Emma Thompson, Michelle Dockery and Margot Robbie, believes the cut of your hair is the most important thing to consider. He says, “Short hair is all about getting a great cut. Getting the structure, length and thickness right for your face shape is key, making sure you consider the direction of the hair growth and thickness at the hairlines.”

With this in mind, be sure to ask for a full consultation with your stylist before they wield any scissors (particularly if you are going for a dramatic chop...)

Consider your hair length Andrew Garden, a hair stylist at the renowned Radio salon says, those with less blunt styles can get away with less frequent trips to the hair salon: “If the shape is slightly softer and the emphasis is more on texture, then visit the hairdressers every four to seven weeks.”

Don’t forget you can get your fringe trimmed for free at most salons across the UK. 4. Wash your hair every day Short hair needs more regular washing If there’s one thing experts agree on, it’s that shorter hairstyles require more washing than longer ones. This is because they can become greasy more quickly, although the exact number of times your hair will need washing will depend on how your hair responds to the level of oil produced by the scalp.

5. Rinse in a blast of cold water for extra shine If your short hair is looking a little lacklustre, try this quick and simple trick to add a boost of gloss.

Next time you wash your hair, finish off with a blast of cool water.

This will soothe the heat damage done to your hair during showering, which can often result in splintered cuticles. https://www.stylist.co.uk/beauty/hair-hairstyle-hairdresser-shop-buy-beauty-onlinecelebrity-hairstylist-bob-lob-the-golden-rules-of-caring-for-short-hair/136856

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 12, 2020

A TAXING PROBLEM

Sunday July 12, 2020

Entertainment

Enetworks to air 2020 Styrian Grand Prix at 9 AM

For all the motor racing fanatics, the Enetworks team is all geared to satisfy our cravings this morning with the broadcast of the 2020 Styrian Grand Prix at 9 AM. For those who may not be familiar with this event, it is a Formula One motor race that is scheduled to

be held today at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria.

The race is due to be the second round of the 2020 Formula One World Championship.

The race is also due to mark the first running of the Styrian Grand Prix. Do enjoy.

Wine Review: The Fiordaliso Pinot Grigio This wine takes its delicate colour from the grey tinted skins of Pinot Grigio grapes grown in Delle Venezie.

The grapes are harvested in late September, becoming the method of wine for white wine cold settlement showed.

The selected yeast fermentation takes place at 16 - 18 ° C, the wine is kept in stainless acer and remains there until the sterilization of the bottle is completed.

In terms of pairing tastes, it is pale yellow and carries an aroma of wild flowers with hints of honey. Its banana taste is not excessively dry, soft, fresh and lively, with a pleasant lingering aftertaste of ripe pears.

It is suitable as an aperitif and extremely versatile, this wine will accompany virtually any food best served at 8-100c.

PAGE 45

Kaieteur News

How Kim Kardashian Really Feels About Kanye West’s Presidential Aspirations Kim Kardashian is “very concerned” about Kanye West after recent comments he made regarding his presidential run raised eyebrows across the internet, a source tells E! News.

Earlier this week, the rapper-turned-aspiring politician gave what Forbes described as a “rambling,” “four-hour” interview about his experience battling COVID-19, his presidential campaign plans and his mental health, among other topics. Recalling his well-documented struggle with bipolar disorder, Kanye told Forbes, “God just gave me the clarity and said it’s time [to run for president.]

You know I was out there, ended up in the hospital, people were calling me crazy.

I’m not crazy.”

“Between all of the influences and the positions that we can be put in as musicians—you go on tour, you put out all these albums, and you look up and you don’t have any money in your account,” he said. “It can drive you crazy, through all of that I was looking crazy because it wasn’t the time. Now it’s time.”

We’re told Kim, who has yet to comment publicly on Kanye’s latest interview, is addressing her husband’s recent behavior behind closed doors.

“Kim is very concerned for him,” our source says.

“She understands that he goes through this from time to time. He’s very passionate in everything he does, which

Kim respects, but she doesn’t always agree with his actions.”

“She knows that Kanye is very serious about running for president and she publicly supports him,” the insider adds, however the Kardashian-Jenner family is working privately to support the 43-year-old’s needs.

“Everyone in the family is concerned when he starts acting like this. They want to help him in any way they can and sincerely care about his well-being,” the source says.

In a 2019 interview with Vogue, Kim offered rare insight into their life at home, and the ways she supports Kanye when he experiences what she called “episodes.”

“It is an emotional process, for sure,” the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star

said at the time. “Right now everything is really calm. But we can definitely feel episodes coming, and we know how to handle them. For him, being on medication is not really an option, because it just changes who he is. Traveling a lot does set it off, so he doesn’t travel as much as he used to. But honestly, I never want to speak for him, because I am not in his mind.”

West previously said he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 39, explaining in a 2018 interview, “I think everybody got something. But, like I said on the album, it’s not a disability, it’s a superpower.”

As for his potential race to the White House, West took to Twitter on Thursday, July 9 with a video of himself registering to vote for the first time.

PAGE 46

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 12, 2020

Re-thinking CARICOM Development Model After COVID-19 From page 20 for their relations with the private sector, particularly foreign investors. One of their weaknesses is their own competitive approach to the private sector, whereby they vie to secure investment based on who gives away the most.

In the wake of the d e s t r u c t i v e e ff e c t s o f COVID-19 on the economies of CARICOM states, existing and unresolved issues have flared-up. A case in point is the imbroglio over LIAT 1974 Ltd, the financially troubled airline which, despite all the struggles it has faced, has served the Caribbean safely for 64 years.

Like all other airlines throughout the world, COVID-19 pointed a dagger at LIAT's heart.

In the U.S. and elsewhere, airlines survived the effects of the pandemic, only with government help.

For example, the U.S. government is reported to have pumped $25 billion into six big airlines, including Delta, American and JetBlue, along with four smaller carriers, to pay workers and keep them employed until September.

The principal government shareholders in L I AT, e x c e p t t h e government of Antigua and Barbuda, faced with their own daunting financial

constraints, chose to liquidate the company.

This action has created friction in the regional group and predictions of its demise.

But, history has shown that, despite such predictions in the past, CARICOM has proved to be politically resilient with all parties recognizing that there are more benefits in retaining the organisation than abandoning it.

Solving the problem of LIAT and regional transport, like the issue of reevaluating the role of governments in relation to the market, requires a reshaping of CARICOM based not on national rivalry but on regional collaboration so that every nation benefits from the fruits of integration.

The equation will never be equitable given the differences in populations and resources, but at least it should be fair.

(The writer is Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the United States and the Organisation of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and at Massey College in the University of Toronto.

The views expressed are entirely his own.)

Responses and previous c o m m e n t a r i e s : www.sirronaldsanders.com

Patagonian mara

From page 33 weeks.

Maras make a number of vocalizations during grazing or slow locomotion. When seeking contact, a mara emits an inflected "wheet" while a low, repetitive grunt is made when following a conspecific. Maras tooth chatter and emit low grunts when threatened.

They also produce a series of short grunts when grooming. Scent marking is used by maras for complex and intense social interactions.

Maras stretch and sniff the soil and then sit upright with an arched back and the anogenital area flattened to the ground, a process known as anal digging. In addition, a male stands on his hind legs and urinates on a female's rump, to which the female responds by spraying a jet of urine backwards into the face

of the male.

The male's urination is meant to repel other males from his partner, while the female's urination is a rejection of any approaching male when she is not receptive. Both anal digging and urination are more frequent during the breeding season and are more commonly done by males.

Patagonian maras are considered to be a near threatened species.

Historically, maras have ranged from north-central Argentina south almost to Tierra del Fuego.

Nevertheless, maras have been greatly affected by hunting and habitat alteration and have been extirpated in some areas, including Buenos Aires Province. The mara skins have been used for bedspreads and rugs.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 12, 2020

PAGE 47

NBTS Director, Dr. Pedro Lewis, is a...

From page 18 H e m o t e r a p i a Inmunohematologia Therapa cellular (AAHT) in A rg e n t i n a , U n i v e r s i t y Hospital of Pilar.

CHOOSING MEDICINE However, for Dr. Lewis the path to becoming a certified medical doctor and hematologist was not straight.

Prior to embarking on a medical career, Lewis worked at Banks DIH from 2000-2001 as a Lab Technician in the Chemistry lab prior to attending the University of Guyana.

He also worked at the NBTS as a Medical Technologist under the stewardship of Dr. Clement McEwan and Ms. Lynette Hardy from 2004 to 2006.

His work with the blood bank was so exemplary that he was awarded the Best Performing Medical Technologist in 2005.

Dr. Lewis stressed, however, that a career in medicine was always his first love. Thus, after completing his studies, he worked as a General Practitioner at the GPHC and the Diamond Diagnostic Centre from 2014 to 2015.

O w i n g t o t h e combination of work e x p e r i e n c e a n d qualifications as both a Medical Technologist and Medical Doctor a request was made for Dr. Lewis to be transferred to the NBTS in December 2015.

CRITICAL SERVICE When Dr. Lewis decided to return to the service of the blood bank, the post of Director was vacant for two years and the NBTS was running on the minimum amount of essential staff.

“It was basically running on autopilot,” he said adding that “I discerned that the staff was enthusiastic to do more

With his lovely family wife, Jennel, and their four year-old daughter, Nailah

and try different things.”

As head of the team, Dr. Lewis pushed a massive sensitization campaign, which led to the satisfactory collection of the high demand for platelets with the introduction of the procurement and use of the apheresis machine which allowed the blood bank to not only meet the demand but also improve on quality.

In addition, Dr. Lewis was instrumental in drafting the completion of a Transfusion Guideline and Strategic Plan in Blood Banking for increase in collection of blood products; implementation of an Immuno-haematology Lab which allows the facility to do profound testing and identification of antibodies in all blood units.

He also pushed for the creation of more collection sites with a new collection site in Region Nine and increased human resource capacity at all collection sites.

Dr. Lewis explained that given the NBTS' responsibility to supply the entire country, the biggest challenge of blood banking and transfusion medicine is not limited to collection, distribution but now emphasis has to be extended to the usage of blood products since there are countless therapeutic possibilities.

Most recently, Dr. Lewis and his team have been involved in the collection of convalescent plasma to aid with the treatment protocol of COVID-19 patients.

He explained that the convalescent plasma is plasma collected from recovered COVID-19 patients that contain the antibodies against the virus.

“That plasma is then used to treat critical patients who suffered from the infection with the intention of using it to fight the same viral infection.”

Dr. Lewis said, however, that his career is one which has its fair share of challenges and therefore teamwork is key to any success story.

He credits the achievements of the NBTS to the collective effort of the staff, Public Health Ministry, PAHO/WHO and many other stakeholders and organizations that contribute to the entire process.

BIGGEST INFLUENCE In addition to a supportive team from the blood bank, the Health

Family support is always important to him

Ministry and the amazing team at PAHO/WHO, Dr. Lewis said that his genuine love for his work is a motivation. He also counts his extended family and friends among his biggest supporters.

He said, “The biggest influences originated from my extended family and being around very good people and mature individuals.

I cannot complain when it comes to support from my family, wherever my parents come short, there is always an uncle, an aunt or even my grandparents, and this speaks also in the area of discipline.

I also have constant support from Argentina and my mentor Dr. Anna Del Pozo.”

Aside from work, Dr. Lewis is an avid lover of cricket. While he doesn't get to play the sport much, he always enjoys watching a good match.

In addition, he loves spending time with his family.

Asked about motivating factors of his career, Dr.

Lewis said, “I'm married to a very smart and beautiful woman, Jennel Lewis. She is a teacher and holds a MBA in Education.

We've been married for 14 years. It's simply wonderful to be married to someone who isn't just your spouse but also your friend.

I'm proud to say that she has been extremely supportive of my occupational and academic aspirations as much as I have been of hers.

We have a beautiful four year- old daughter, Nailah who is as passionate as her mother.”

He added, “being a doctor has given me a very tangible way to help people.

It gives me a feeling that I am truly impacting lives, making a difference and truly contributing positively to society.

My daughter thinks I'm a superhero because of what I do. If you ask me, that's motivation enough.”

F u r t h e r, t h e N B T S Director stated that having a supportive partner makes balancing work and family pretty easy.

“Family time comes easy

because when I'm not working I'm spending time with the people that matters most, family.

We ' d d o s o m u c h together, it'll range from studying together late at nights to cooking together to being able to enjoy the little things like kicking ball or running around with my daughter or just goofing off with my wife and daughter.

It's basically working, family and keeping my knowledge as current as possible,” he explained.

Asked what advice he would give to other people aiming for a career in medicine, Dr. Lewis said “it is important that you are passionate about caring for people because in essence, being a doctor is being a humanitarian.

Also be prepared to study and work hard at being a doctor.”

He stressed too that “there is no end to when you're going to be done with studying, but if you're truly loving what you do, you'll see that it comes with the territory.”

Kaieteur News

PAGE 48

Sunday July 12, 2020

F-1 M-1 Students Taking Full Online Courses in Fall 2020 Cannot Remain in U.S.

By Attorney Gail S. Seeram

O

n July 6, 2020, the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP) announced modifications to a temporary exemptions for nonimmigrant students taking online classes due to the pandemic for the fall 2020 semester. In summary, F-1 M-1 students taking full online courses cannot remain in the U.S. - they must attend in-person classes full-time for the fall 2020 semester.

Temporary exemptions for the fall 2020 semester

include: 1. Nonimmigrant F-1 and M-1 students attending schools operating entirely online may not take a full online course load and remain in the United States. The U.S. Department of State will not issue visas to students enrolled in schools and/or programmes that are fully online for the fall semester nor will U.S. Customs and Border Protection permit these students to enter the United States. Active students currently in the United States enrolled in such programmes must depart the country or take

other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction to remain in lawful status. If not, they may face immigration consequences including, but not limited to, the initiation of removal proceedings.

2. Nonimmigrant F-1 students attending schools operating under normal inperson classes are bound by existing federal regulations. Eligible F students may take a maximum of one class or three credit hours online.

3. Nonimmigrant F-1 students attending schools adopting a hybrid

model—that is, a mixture of online and in person classes—will be allowed to take more than one class or three credit hours online.

These schools must certify to SEVP, through the Form I-20, “Certificate of E l i g i b i l i t y f o r Nonimmigrant Studen t Status,” certifying that the programme is not entirely online, that the student is not taking an entirely online course load this semester, and that the student is taking the minimum number of online classes required to make normal progress in their degree programme.

The above exemptions

do not apply to F-1 students in English language training programmes or M-1 students pursing vocational degrees, who are not permitted to enroll in any online courses.

Schools should update their information in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) within 10 days of the change if they begin the fall semester with in-person classes but are later required to switch to only online classes, or a nonimmigrant student changes their course selections, and as a result, ends up taking an entirely online course load.

Nonimmigrant students within the United States are not permitted to take a full course of study through online classes.

If students find themselves in this situation, they must leave the country or take alternative steps to maintain their nonimmigrant status such as a reduced course load or appropriate medical leave.

Due to COVID-19, SEVP instituted a temporary exemption regarding online courses for the spring and summer semesters. This policy permitted nonimmigrant students to take more online courses than normally permitted by federal regulation to maintain their nonimmigrant status during the COVID-19 emergency.

Orlando Immigration Lawyer Gail Seeram advises F-1 and M-1 students to seek guidance from their school

Gail S. Seeram counselor. If the F-1 M-1 students taking full online courses at current school then maybe the student may want to transfer to another school that has in-person classes so not to violate their F-1 M-1 status.

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

NOTE: Immigration Law Offices of Gail S. Seeram offers a free consultation to discuss related fees for a process and explain options.

Our office will NOT tell you how to complete the legal process on your own. If you seek legal representation, then legal fees will be due to our office.

Copyright ©Law Offices of Gail S. Seeram, 2020. All Rights Reserved.

Attorney Gail Seeram, LL.M., J.D., BBA Call | text 407-292-7730 WhatsApp 407-3531363 E m a i l : Gail@GailLaw.com L i v e c h a t : www.GailLaw.com Download FREE App: Gail Law

Ours is the duty to build a govt. that works for all From page 31 meaning. Outside of a Bill brought to the House in 1990 by then Minister of Regional Development, Jeffry Thomas, to give meaning to these articles and had one reading, nothing happened since.

It is time for all of us, regardless of race, class or creed to benefit from this nation's bounty. We are reminded of Guyana's promise and the task of the people to fulfil in the words of 'My Guyana, Eldorado' “My Guyana, time's unfolding More and more thy destiny, To r e d e e m i n l a s t i n g splendour All the years had lost to thee; And the dawning of thy glory O'er the long long night is

cast O arise triumphant, glorious, From the ashes of the past.

O arise, triumphant, glorious, From the ashes of the past” We the people must move to ensure we forge the system of governance we set ourselves. We must eschew acts of non-cooperation and sabotage, transgressing of rights, violating laws, intolerance for dissent or alternative views. For too long these have stalled our growth, hovering over us as dark clouds hiding the bright potential of a nation and her people.

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

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 12, 2020

PAGE 49

Bisram's mother, accomplice guilty...

From page 15 procured Dickie, Motie, Datt, Parsram and Yacoob to murder Narinedatt.

While a judge recently ruled that there is insufficient evidence against Bisram and the matter was d i s c h a rg e d , t h e o t h e r accused men were committed to stand trial at the Berbice High Court.

According to reports, on the day of the killing, Bisram had a party at his home, which Narinedatt and a few others attended.

At some point Narinedatt went to the back of the yard

to urinate. Bisram allegedly followed Narinedatt and began making sexual advances towards him. It was reported that Narine slapped Bisram and pushed him away.

It was then that Bisram allegedly instructed his friends to kill Narinedatt. It was reported that the overseas-based Guyanese told his friends he would ensure they would not be caught.

Several men allegedly beat Narinedatt at the businessman's premises.

He was reportedly then

taken to a roadway and beaten until he fell into a drain.

The men then reportedly took the carpenter by vehicle to Number 70 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, where they dumped the body and drove over it with a car to make it appear like a road accident.

Bisram was arrested in N e w Yo r k a f t e r t h e Government of Guyana asked for him to be extradited.

He was finally brought back last year and formally charged.

Amitabh Bachchan, son Abhishek positive for Covid-19

I

ndia (Outlookindia.com)- Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan said on Saturday he has tested positive for coronavirus and has been shifted to a hospital.

In a Twitter post, he said his family and staff have been tested and results are awaited.

He also asked everyone who had come in contact with him in the last 10 days to get tested as well.

The 77-year-old actor has been admitted to the isolation ward of Nanavati hospital in Mumbai, news agency PTI reported.

Yatee

People across the country have tweeted their wishes for his quick recovery.

Reports said Amitabh's son Abhishek Bachchan has also tested positive for Covid.

More details are awaited.

Bachchan was recently seen in Shoojit Sircar's Gulabo Sitabo, co-starring Ayushmann Khurrana, which was released digitally on Amazon Prime Video.

He is also scheduled to host the season 12 of the popular quiz show, Kaun Banega Crorepati.

Ena

Bhena Surajdai

Kaieteur News

PAGE 50

Dr. Balram Doodnauth From page 16 Cuba and continued with a master's in emergency medicine at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). The latter programme is conducted in collaboration with the Vanderbilt Medical Center of the United States and the University of Guyana. Aptly trained, Dr. Doodnauth has been functioning as an Emergency Room (ER) physician for the past four years at the GPHC. VERSATILE PROFESSIONAL In his current capacity, he explained “we deal with all t y p e s o f e m e rg e n c i e s ranging from trauma to psychiatric for all ages - from newborn to the elderly. The emergency room is the face of the hospital. It's where all the unstable and

undifferentiated patients present, some via referral, by Emergency Medical Service (EMS) or as walk-ins.”

According to him, “the initial assessment and management of the patient will determine the overall outcome. As such it is important to always think of the worst thing that can happen to the patient. Our mantra is saving lives, limbs and sight.”

His days are often filled with “excitement and challenges” since, according to Dr. Doodnauth, “we never know what will show up at our doors or how many referrals will come. But the uncertainties ignite me to supervise a team that attends to 75 to 100 patients on every 12-hour shift.”

PURPOSE DRIVEN Although part of his

existence is to be husband to a “gorgeous woman” called Melissa and father to “two amazing daughters” Aniyah, 9, and Kadisha, 7, Dr. Doodnauth is convinced that each individual has a greater purpose in life. He is of the firm belief that “it is my purpose to provide healthcare”.

As he, with conviction, expounded that health is a nation's wealth and that health care workers like himself have an essential role to play, especially during the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, he quite candidly admitted that being the hero does in fact comes with some struggles.

There are some innermost fears that must be fought daily, Dr. Doodnauth confessed, as he pondered on the contagious nature of COVID-19. “It is a scary

thought of carrying it home to my wife and kids, but then I think of all the d e c o m p e n s a t e d hypertensive or diabetics and the possible heart attacks or polytraumas and I push the fears aside and gear up with my PPE,” in the fervent quest to help save a few more lives.

Dr. Doodnauth has a crucial role in the ER at the country's main COVID-19 facility - the GPHC. In the ER he is one of the doctors tasked with dealing with unstable patients with respiratory issues – one of the symptoms that COVID19 patients are known to manifest.

Some of these patients, he explained, arrive as emergency cases and others are sent to the ER after they would have been screened by health workers at a screening unit set up near the East Street entrance of the hospital. Once these patients are referred to the ER it means that they require oxygen or other forms of

Sunday July 12, 2020 therapy, Dr. Doodnauth revealed, pointing out that “we are equipped with the skills and knowledge to acutely manage and stabilize these patients. We go as far as intubating and placing them on ventilators if there is a need before the patient is transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).”

MAKING A DIFFERENCE It is no small task to be an ER doctor especially since, according to Dr. Doodnauth, “every patient that walks through the door is considered to have COVID19 until proven otherwise.”

For this reason, his appeal to all members of the public is to “take all precautions… wear a mask when in public; we are given the opportunity to do a small task that will make a huge difference.”

Although Guyana may be plagued with many challenges, perhaps even more than many nations, Dr. Doodnauth is of the firm view that “We are a very diverse people with tremendous capabilities and if we work hard in service to each other we will overcome the greatest obstacles.”

But once he gets through

with his role of helping to save lives, his heart yearns for home at Farm, East Bank Demerara where his girls eagerly await his safe return.

“Home is where the heart is. I have a role as an ER physician at work but at home I have a role as a father and husband. I'm very disciplined with my roles and make few exceptions,” he confided.

Given the great demand for this time since COVID19 entered our shores, Dr. Doodnauth admitted that finding time for family can at times be very difficult. “Our job is very demanding. After a 12-hour shift in the ER one can be physically and mentally drained” but he has long learnt the importance of prioritizing.

Moreover, when he is not working, he finds times to “enjoy doing projects at home with my kids... I like woodworking and gardening” also, he revealed, “I try to read at least one new page each day”.

For being a dedicated doctor on the frontline waging war against the dreaded COVID-19 threat, we say a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Balram Doodnauth, 'Our Frontline Worker of the Week'.

Principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine From page 34 and wholistic structure of Chinese medicine, healing is realized when these many variables are keenly monitored and addressed.

Dr. Hammer decries the western approach to healing that has weaponized medicine to confront and eradicate illnesses. It is a method he believes that “has compromised the human body in the process.” He avers that “Western medicine is heir to Cartesian thinking and the industrial revolution, and is aimed at controlling, even defeating nature and the universe...hence the often fatal side effects of allopathic medicine.

“In Oriental medicine,” he notes, “the patient is the primary factor in the development of the disease and the agent who needs to be strengthened to cope with the disease. It views illness as an expression of a personal violation of nature.

It calls upon the person to become aware of how he is interfering with the flow of his own nature. He is encouraged to examine how he lives, how he thinks, how he feels, his habits, and his values, in order to understand why he is ill - medicine and life are one.”

Clearly, nature and the

human body form an indissoluble connection. It is within this framework that treatment is prescribed.

Dr. Hammer's presents a s c h o l a s t i c a n d comprehensible oeuvre that is an invaluable resource for medical practitioners and lay persons.

As globalism thrives, many leading medical facilities in the West are instituting Eastern cultural values as part of their integrative and complementary medical practice.

The medical ethos is fast changing, ever adopting new systems and methodologies to address daily medical challenges. 'Dragon Rises, Red Bird Flies' adds to the volume of literature now embracing the demonstrable value of Chinese Medicine.

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

F e e d b a c k : glenvilleashby@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter@glenvilleashby.

Publisher: Eastland Press - Seattle ISBN- 10: 0- 939616-475 Available at Amazon Ratings: Essential

Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

Local courts continue to flout time limit for delivery of judgments - As CCJ publishes decisions in minutes

I

n 2009, the Guyana Par liament passed legisla tion making it compulsory for judges to deliver their written or oral decisions within 120 days after the conclusion of the matters.

The legislation was introduced to give judges a prescribed timeline for delivery of decisions, in wake of a culture of delay which has hampered the effectiveness of the Judiciary.

For too long, there had been complaints of delays.

The Judicial Time Limit Act of 2009 made provision for inter alia, penalty for judges who continuously breach the law; of which the ultimate sanction is removal from office.

However, this was not enough to motivate some high-ranking members of the judiciary to deliver their decisions on time. Some have re-

tired and others promoted to senior positions without handing down their decisions.

This publication has learnt that this has resulted in hundreds of court cases languishing in the judiciary without a decision either orally or in written form.

The failure by both Justices of the High Court and the Court of Appeal to give judgments on time has significantly hindered the delivery of the course of justice as well as the efficacy the judiciary, especially when compared to other courts in the region, part i c u l a r l y t h e Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) which publishes its judgments on its website within minutes after matters are concluded.

In recent years, the local judiciary has drawn criticisms from the CCJ for the lengthy

delays in delivering judgments and for clearly contravening the Time Limit for Decisions Act 2009.

Attorney-at-law, Sanjeev Datadin, explained the impact of the failure by the courts to render decisions on time.

He said that in many cases, the Judicial Time Limit Act is honoured in the breach.

Datadin said that: “The rules are more often broken than observed.”

The lawyer stressed that particularly the impact of not writing a judgment is severe on the outcome of a case.

“If a judge fails to provide a written judgment in a case and there is no record of the decision, it can prove to be extremely problematic if/ when there is consideration for an appeal,” Datadin added.

He explained that the writ-

Pensioner found murdered at Kuru Kururu farmhouse A pensioner’s body was found lying in his yard at Track B, Kuru Kururu, Linden/Soesdyke Highway, East Bank Demerara (EDB) on Friday night with a chop wound to the back of his neck.

The body has been identified to be that of Terrence Alstrom,66, by his son.

The discovery was made around 22:30hrs on Friday.

Police said that Alstrom had moved to the area some time ago and built a farm house where he lived alone and isolated from neighbours.

Nevertheless, his children and other relatives would check up on him from time to time either by visiting or via phone calls.

In fact, the last conversation they had with their dad was on Thursday morning.

On Friday, however, when family members contacted Alstrom, they got no response.

It was also unlike Alstrom not to call or text them as well.

As the hours went by and still no word or answer from their father, Alstrom’s son decided to visit his farm house where he made the gruesome discovery.

The police were called and investigators made their way to the scene immediately.

Alstrom’s body was examined and it was discovered that there was a chop wound to the back of his neck.

ten decision was essential to the records of appeal.

“In the absence of that important piece of information, the matter cannot be properly considered for an appeal.”

Moreover, he stressed the case is likely to be stalled because it cannot be appealed.

The lawyer stressed that this frustrates the course of justice and put undue pressure on the judiciary. “…because here we have it that litigants spend their time and money on matters that will not get a fair treatment in the justice system,” he said The lawyer also pointed to instances where matters were stalled after a judge had retired without writing their judgments and had even been elevated to a senior position without providing their decisions.

“This has clearly resulted in undue pressure on the judiciary since in those circumstances, it is either the matter has to start all over again after reassigned to another judge who already has his/her quota of work to complete,” he explained.

The Judicial Time Limit Act of 2009 prescribes that inter alia “a judge who pre-

Chancellor of Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings- Edwards This mechanism was codisides at the trial of a civil case shall give a written or oral fied and incorporated as part decision and reason for the of Article 197 (3) of the Condecision at the conclusion of stitution.

It reads that: “A judge the hearing of the case or as may be removed from office soon as possible after the conclusion of the hearing but only for inability to perform not later than one hundred the functions of his office and twenty days (approxi- (whether arising from infirmately four months) from the mity of mind or body or any date of the conclusion of the other cause) or for misbehaviour or for persishearing.”

Amongst the recommen- tently not writing decisions dations under the law is a or for continuously failing mechanism for a penalty to be to give decisions and reaimposed when judges persis- sons therefore within such time as may be specified by tently fail to do so.

The penalty recom- Parliament and shall not be mended was the ultimate so removed except in accorsanction of removal from of- dance with the provisions of this article.” fice.

A review of Mingo’s Region 4...

Murdered: Terrence Alstrom There were also notable bruises to his back. His house was inspected but everything

was intact except for Alstrom’s cell phone which was missing.

From page 14 Statement of Poll showed 118 votes for PPP/C, and 158 votes for APNU+AFC. Mingo’s tabulation added 30 votes to APNU+AFC, increasing the count to 188. The Statement of Recount showed a decrease of one vote for each party, to 117 and 157 respectively, likely due to previously valid votes now considered rejected.

For ballot box 4157, the SOP showed 71 votes for PPP/C, and 103 votes for APNU+AFC. Mingo’s tabulation added 90 votes to APNU+AFC, increasing the count to 193.

The SOR showed a decrease of one vote for APNU+AFC, to 102, likely due to a previously valid vote now considered rejected at the recount.

Finally, for ballot box 4158, the SOP showed 80 votes for PPP/C, and 132 votes for APNU+AFC. Mingo’s tabulation added 20 votes to APNU+AFC, increasing the count to 152. The SOR showed the same result as the Statement of Poll.

So far, this newspaper has verified Mingo’s vote rigging to have impacted 32 ballot

boxes, with the inclusion of the aforementioned seven ballot boxes, all coming from polling places on the East Bank of Demerara.

The manipulation occurred during the tabulation process when instead of calling out the numbers reflected on the original SOPs at various polling stations, the Returning Officer produced figures that invariably added votes to the Coalition and in many instances subtracted votes from the opposition.

The regional and international communities have all called for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to make a final declaration only on the results of the national recount. These communities have also threatened individual sanctions if a declaration that lacks credibility is announced. Notably, the incumbent President David Granger, as well as other highstanding members of the governing coalition, have maintained that Mingo committed no acts of fraud President David Granger had 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.

Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

STANDARDS IN FOCUS

IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON SMALL BUSINESSES – A WTO PERSPECTIVE The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) as the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Enquiry Point for Guyana has been playing a meaningful role in ensuring that businesses involved in the manufacturing and exporting of products are knowledgeable of current standards and technical requirements relevant to trade.

However, over the last few months, there has been a notable disruption in production and trade due to the COVID 19 Pandemic worldwide.

In response to the pandemic, the WTO Secretariat published an information note looking at how micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It notes the impact of supply chain disruptions on MSMEs and the extent to which smaller businesses are represented in the economic sectors hardest hit by the crisis.

The report notes that supply chain disruptions can have a particularly severe impact on MSMEs because sourcing from new suppliers or absorbing price increases is more challenging for a smaller firm with limited supply options and capital.

Also, the WTO report looks into a wide range of measures taken by governments to support MSMEs. These include measures to address cash flow issues, expand trade opportunities for MSMEs, and to make them more resilient. According to the report, 44 WTO members had introduced such measures by the end of April 2020.

The note describes how international trade provides MSMEs with opportunities to diversify revenue streams and better navigate the COVID-19 crisis. It also outlines that work at the WTO can support small businesses by promoting the importance

of transparency, facilitating the exchange of best practices, highlighting the need for increased access to trade finance, and encouraging the full implementation of the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement.

According to the WTO report, MSMEs are the backbone of many economies, representing 95 percent of all companies worldwide and accounting for 60 percent of employment. Many MSMEs depend on international trade for their activities, either because they export their products through direct or indirect channels, or because they import inputs to manufacture the products that they sell domestically. They are major employers of women and young people, and a key driver of innovation.

The report found that MSMEs are particularly exposed to the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic impact because of limited financial resources and borrowing capacity, and because of their disproportionate presence in economic sectors affected by social distancing measures and transport disruptions.

MSMEs are also particularly exposed to trade restrictions on agricultural products.

Where MSMEs are highly integrated into global value chains (GVCs), supply chain disruptions can create existential risk for MSME importers and exporters, either because of shortages of necessary parts or through shocks to demand.

Further, pandemic-related challenges add on to the existing, well-known trade obstacles encountered by MSMEs, and therefore undermine progress towards more inclusive trade.

Some Governments have primarily introduced urgent stimulus and backstop measures for MSMEs, such as liquidity support to address

cash flow issues, to preserve jobs and ensure business continuity, as well as measures to expand trade opportunities for MSMEs. A few governments have also introduced measures aimed at developing the resilience of MSMEs and building their capacity to overcome future shocks to demand and supply chains.

To limit the impact of the current crisis on MSMEs and to build their resilience, MSMEs must have better access to regulatory and market information and affordable trade finance, as well as to streamline customs procedures and requirements.

Greater use of digital tools and e-commerce would also benefit MSMEs. Lastly, the WTO can and will continue to contribute to supporting MSMEs through transparency mechanisms in WTO committees and bodies, as well as in the Informal Working Group on MSMEs. WTO will also continue to facilitate the exchange of good practices in terms of MSME support measures and through full implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement, amongst other crucial measures to enhance trade.

Local manufacturers and exporters are encouraged to get familiar with the GNBS WTO Enquiry Point, which continuously offers information that is crucial for trade.

For further information, regarding the work of the WTO Enquiry Point, kindly contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0065, 219-0066, or 219-0069. You can also visit COVID-19 www.epingalert.org or email wto-tbt.enquiry@gnbsgy.org for more details.

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

U.S. warns citizens of heightened detention risks in China BEIJING - (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department warned American citizens yesterday to “exercise increased caution” in China due to heightened risk of arbitrary law enforcement including detention and a ban from exiting the country.

“U.S. citizens may be detained without access to U.S. consular services or information about their alleged crime,” the State Department said in a security alert issued to its citizens in China, adding that U.S. citizens may face “prolonged interrogations and extended detention” for reasons related to state security.“Security personnel may detain and/ or deport U.S. citizens for sending private electronic messages critical of the Chinese government,” it added, without citing specific ex-

amples. The state department also did not say what prompted the security alert.

The security alert comes as bilateral tensions intensify over issues ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic, trade, the new Hong Kong security law and allegations of human rights violations against Uighurs in the Xinjiang region.Washington and Beijing recently exchanged visa bans against each other’s officials, underscoring the deteriorating relations.

The Chinese foreign ministry could not be immediately reached for comment outside of business yesterday. Beijing called on Wednesday a similar warning issued by Australia about the risk of arbitrary detention in China “completely ridiculous and disinformation.”

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Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Office Assistant/Inventory Clerk.Mima Decor.Maths & English required,mimadecor12 @gmail.com.Tel#227-0186.

Maid to cook and clean for East Bank area.Call#615-9132.

Security Officers to work, preferably ex army, police or disciplined services.Age 2440.Contact#223-4172/6396648.

Articulated Hauler Operator for Interior location.Applicant must be experienced.Call#6182020.

PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS & SUV’S CALL :656-0087/643- 5122 E M A I L : P R O A U T O R E N TA L @YAHOO.COM HEALTH

One Apartment for rent at Mon Repos ECD, Market Street. Tel# 614-0005/6024105.

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, G R A D U AT I O N , W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620

Herbal Remedies- Diabetes, Hypertension, Hyplori, Gall & Kidney Stones, Respitory illness, PCOS etc. Contact Sparman# 676-5924

Businessplace. Any kind of business. Alexander St.Kitty.

602-5076/225-0701

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Lodge Apartments (Durban) Unfurnished $40,000-$60,000 P/m, Furnished (for Visitors) $600/1000 USD.Contact#6338514/697-6421.

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One Industrial Electrician to work on Circuit.Call#623-2274.

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Call 659-8845 Email.

Spectrumimaging32 @gmail.Com Telemarketers. Experienced Only. Call 659-8845 Email.Spectrumimaging32 @gmail.Com We buy land cash and we can help you to pay off housing or the Bank.Tel#617-9930 FOR SALE For sale Deer Brand Camphor. Call#628-0016.

6x6 Army General Truck & Log Trailer-$6M,JCB 410 4X4 Leader $5M.Call#6653676/673-4002.

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EXERCISE CARE WHEN BUYING COSMETICS

Most people are unaware of the importance of the human skin. The skin is one of the most important organs of the human body and provides covering for the other organs and protects them from infection and damage. It maintains an equilibrial temperature of the body and gets rid of waste by perspiration. Oftentimes, when the skin is damaged by cuts, bruises, burns or abscesses, such damage is not regarded seriously and this results in the skin being weakened or permanently damaged.

It is the skin which makes the human body beautiful or pleasant to the eye and accounts for the term “beauty is only skin deep”. It also provides the human body with a pleasant odour.

The cosmetic industry therefore concentrates on making the skin more beautiful and making it more pleasant smelling.

In both eastern and western civilizations, cosmetics were produced and used and cosmetic industries were at various stages of development. In the west, the cosmetic industry took its recognizable root in the 18th century in the royal and other palaces where the queens and grand ladies concentrated on making themselves more beautiful.

Ladies such as Madame de Pompadour and Madame de Maintenon of the French Royal Court are legendary in this regard.

Various methodologies and formulas for beautification, skin and hair care and giving the body pleasant odours were evolved mostly using natural products such as natural oils, mud packs, eggs, spices, gums to produce nail polishes and colours to produce rouges, lipsticks and so on.

This culture of beauty very quickly spread to the growing middle classes who were thrown up by the industrial revolution.

Cosmetic industries came to be established everywhere in the west and science, especially Chemistry, was applied in developing and creating new products including moisturizers, deodorants, soaps, mascaras, perfumes and colours such as rouges and lipsticks and so on.

Many of the chemical substances used to produce these cosmetics were toxic and ultimately dangerous to health. Producers claim that the amounts of toxins in their products are so comparatively small that they

will do little harm. Despite such assurances, many of these poisons could cause cancer and other diseases and age the skin prematurely.

In Europe, 1300 toxic substances are banned from use in the cosmetic industries while in America it is only 13.

In other words, the cosmetic industry is unregulated and depends on self-regulation. Accordingly, it is believed that all cosmetics are toxic even to a minimal degree.

We s t e r n - p r o d u c e d cosmetics generally use an alcoholic-base while Eastern or Asian cosmetics were formerly oil-based and used natural products such as herbs, essential oils and even flowers.

Today, Asian cosmetic industries have been rapidly transformed into alcoholbased and the cheaper ones are more toxic than their western equivalents.

The cosmetic industries in western countries have already divided themselves into three categories.

The first category are those producers which have well-equipped laboratories and pride themselves in having products where toxicity is negligible. Such products are prestigious and more expensive. Such top-ofthe-line products are made by companies like Chanel.

Then there are firms like Avon which aim at making products which are quite safe but sold at more affordable prices. The third category is made by small companies and are of indifferent quality though cheaper in price.

The labelling of the first two categories tend to be standard and easily recognizable while the third

category tend to be flashy and attractive and keep changing as long as the company survives.

Fifty or sixty years ago, top-of-the-line cosmetics were available in the shops in Georgetown but importation of such became one of the first casualties with the economic difficulties and shortage of foreign exchange which had afflicted the country.

Today, almost all cosmetics are imported from America by boutiques or from East Asia by very small importers.

The East Asian imports tend to be sold on the pavements and roadside and present much risk not only from toxicity but the fact of their odours lasting for a very short time. Another pitfall in buying these cheap cosmetics is that they are sometimes forgeries of wellknown brand names like Brut or Avon.

Consumers are enjoined to be careful in avoiding substandard products because such could permanently damage the skin. For example, cheap lipsticks could destroy the upper skin of the lips and leave the lips dis-coloured.

Or cheap perfumes, after a short time, begin to have the odour of food essences.

Fortunately, the “natural look” is now in fashion and most women wear little or no make-up.

We would like to reiterate that cosmetics are of varying quality and that the cheaper ones may have toxins which may damage the skin.

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

Sunday July 12, 2020

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Sunday July 12, 2020

Wells reaches 20-goal mark after hitting brace LONDON, CMC – Bermudian striker Nahki Wells took his season tally to 20 goals yesterday after bagging a brace that lifted Bristol City to an emphatic 3-1 away victory over Middlebrough at the Riverside Stadium and kept alive their slim English Championship play-off hopes.

Wells, 30, opened the scoring with a sixthminute gem, curling the ball into the net from outside the box via a post, after being found by Andreas Weimann, who provided the assist for all three of his side’s goals.

Wells put the icing on the cake, stabbing home from close range in the 79th minute

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Kaieteur News

after a Jamie Paterson rocket had given the visitors a 2-0 interval lead.

Britt Assombalanga scored a late consolation goal for the hosts, who have not won at the Riverside in 2020 and remain in a scrap to avoid relegation following a third successive home defeat.

The win – the second for City’s caretaker boss Dean Holden following the sacking last week of head coach Lee Johnson – left the Robins in 11th place but only three points out of the play-offs with three games remaining.

Wells has now scored five goals for City to add to the 15 he netted earlier in the season while on loan at Championship rivals

Bermudian Nahki Wells celebrates his second goal against Middlesbrough yesterday.

Queens Park Rangers before being sold by Burnley, his former Premier

Sunday July 12, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Expect a lot of letters and phone calls from lovers, close friends, or children today, Aries. You might also want to make a few yourself.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Studying some paperwork involving your finances could bring a pleasant surprise. You’re better off than you thought, Taurus!

Dividends or benefits of some kind might be forthcoming.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Today some information might come your way that inspires you to come up with some valuable new ideas. Your own intuitive faculties are operating at a very high level.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Your intuition, physical and intellectual energy, and insight are at an all-time high today, Cancer. You'll probably want to spend much of the day alone.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You could well be bubbling over with physical energy today, Leo. You might want to spend your day visiting with friends.

You could pick up some interesting information from them.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Visitors in your home, perhaps invited by others in your household, could put a crimp in your desire to be alone and hash out your thoughts today, Virgo.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You’re very intuitive by nature, and today you should be feeling especially so. Don't be surprised if you spontaneously tune in to the ideas and emotions of those around you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) This should be one of those days when you feel as if you could conquer the world.

You feel strong and determined, Scorpio, and willing to do whatever it takes to get wherever you want to be.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) A business or love partner could bring opportunities for advancement your way today, Sagittarius. You may decide to draft or execute legal papers that could be very important to your future.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) A The hard work and good business sense that you’ve put into your job may finally be paying off.

Expect some positive changes to take place at the workplace this week.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Insights that may come welling up from the past could be put to work for you in a positive way. You could use them as inspiration for a creative project of some kind.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Your home might need some work today, Pisces. You and other members of your household could decide to join forces and get everything done.

League parent club, for £4 million (US$5 million) to City in the January transfer window.

Said Holden afterwards: “I enjoyed the performance, the boys have gone out in the last couple of games and the pressure has been lifted really.

“We scored three fantastic goals. All in all, I don’t know how many chances we created, but we created enough to warrant the victory.”

Before kick-off tributes were paid to Jack Charlton, the former World Cup-winning England defender, who has died aged 85.

Charlton led Middlesbrough to topflight promotion in his first managerial job 46 years ago.

Liverpool’s home winning...

From page 61 a moment, and we’ve been great at that,” he said.

“We hit the bar late on but I think three points would have been over-egging it, we defended well and our keeper played well,” he said.

Saturday 11th July 2020 Results: Norwich 0 - West Ham 4 Watford 2 – Newcastle 1 Liverpool 1 - Burnley 1 Sheff Utd 3 - Chelsea 0 Brighton 0 - Man City 5

Referee Assessors...

From page 62 included Assessors from the Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands, were the Role of Assessors, the assessments process and grading Referees. The areas of focus for the upcoming programmes include Fitness, Nutrition, Safe guarding Children in Football, Sexual Harassment, Integrity and Incident Report Writing.

Turning Point claim Pre Caricom day dominoes title Led by 15 games from Sandra Nurse and 14 games Samantha Vickery, Turning Point emerged victorious with 80 games when the final of the Pre Caricom day dominoes tournament was contested recently at R and R Sports Club, Meadowbrook.

Spartons took the runner up spot after chalking 73 games with Gordon Flatts scoring 17 and Andrew Hope 15. Executive finished in third position on 56 games; Selwyn Prescott and Arthur Cross scored 16 and 15 respectively.

Executive marked 75 games to win the semi final encounter with Prescott and

Rawl Peters making 15 games apiece. Turning Point and Big Boss made 70 games apiece, but Turning Point earned their berth in the final with more fours after both teams were tied on the same number of sixes and fives.

June Watts and Sandra Denny scored 17 and 15 games in that order for Turning Point while Lourine Reid made 14 for Big Boss.

The winning team received a trophy and $70,000, runner up a trophy and $35,000 and third place a trophy and $20,000.

The competition was sponsored by Trophy Stall, Ryan Boodhoo and Hits and Jams.

PAGE 60

Michael Anthony wants a Velodrome...

From page 59 produced an excellent performance.

Guyana got two gold medals, a bronze and 4th which made it all more memorable,” added Michael.

The first race he ever won was a mountain bike race in a cycling event in Linden back in 2010.

“I cannot remember my first juvenile win but I do remember my best and that was becoming the Juvenile Caribbean Cycling Champion in 2012 and a week after my first ever senior win at just 16 years old, in the National Park,” Michael proudly remembered.

He also spoke of benefits the truncated US trip.

“In terms of representing Guyana, the programme would have helped to improve our performance.

Once back in Guyana we will still be allowed to participate in our National Championships and also in various cycling events when called upon.

The standard of cycling is on the rise in my opinion due to the fact that key players are being exposed to more intense cycling abroad which will boost their performance.

Those key players returning to Guyana help in more ways than one; the knowledge and techniques gained are shared with other fellow cyclists.

The invitation of overseas cyclists to Guyana also helps in boosting our overall level in cycling,” said Michael.

“For me due to the coronavirus pandemic, training has been reduced and I am still training because I love the sport, however, it is difficult to commit to a rigorous training routine with no sight of competition and goal in mind for a specific type of training to get there.

Training for me is the hard part of cycling and if I train hard enough then racing gets easier. So with no race in sight right now, it is more of just riding to keep fit and enjoying my bike

Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

rather than intense training,” Michael explained.

He would also like to see more people getting involved in the sport; cyclists, fans, support and sponsors since cycling is a very expensive sport.

“It is also hard and expensive to train, working hours to compete internationally to represent our Country Guyana which we love so dearly.

Cycling is more of a team sport and without the assistance of key persons to support you, motivate you and look out for you, it is going to be much harder to get where you want to be in cycling. Preparing and undergoing rigorous training to be the best, cyclists need support from their Sponsors as they become part of your Team,” continued Michael.

Michael said his Dad is his number one Sponsor and continues to give of his best since his involvement in the sport.

“I would like to publicly thank you Dad for all your efforts which are very much appreciated. And to my Mom, my brothers Nigel Jr., Montell, Kareem, Keanu and my sister Kemaya Anthony, they all played a part in many ways over the years.

I must also include my grandparents and one of my biggest fans, my aunt, Coreen Norville, who always keep up-to-date with my every move and lends support whenever she can.

I have also had a lot of help from my past clubs which includes my home Club, Linden Bauxite Flyers, Team Cocos which is managed by Mr. Davis, Team Evolution, Heatwave of Trinidad and Coach Edward Watson, Velo Club Sinnamary of French Guiana, and most recently Carlton Wheelers Cycling Club and the Foundation Cycling Team of the New York,” the Lindener concluded.

Michael thanked everyone else who have supported his cycling journey which is on an upward climb.

Deeney on target as Watford roar back to beat Newcastle LONDON (Reuters) Watford striker Troy Deeney eased his team’s relegation fears with two second-half penalties as they beat Newcastle United 2-1 yesterday for their second straight Premier League victory.

Deeney blasted his spot kicks straight down the middle in the 52nd and 82nd minutes to give the home side a win which leaves them 17th on 34 points with three games to play, six ahead of thirdbottom Bournemouth who

have a game in hand.

The game began with a minute’s silence to mark the passing of former Newcastle and Ireland manager Jack Charlton, who won the World Cup with England as a player, after he died on Friday aged 85. The players also wore black arm-bands in tribute.

Dwight Gayle had put mid-table Newcastle in front after 23 minutes when he steered the ball home after a superb glancing header from a corner by visiting defender

Federico Fernandez, which looked to be heading in at the far post.

Watford came roaring back at the start of the second half, with Deeney putting them level from the spot seven minutes in after Matt Ritchie upended Kiko in the box.

Deeney had another chance shortly afterwards but his stinging shot was saved

by Martin Dubravka, and strike partner Danny Welbeck had a shot deflect off two Newcastle players before looping over the keeper and

landing on the roof of the net.

The Hornets weren’t to be denied, and when Javier Manquillo wrestled Ismaila Sarr to the ground Deeney stepped up once again to smash the ball home for the winner Having come back from a goal down to win 2-1 in midweek against nowrelegated Norwich, Watford boss Nigel Pearson praised his team’s fighting spirit.

“It doesn’t matter how we win at the moment, as long as we do, and this gives us a little bit more of a chance (of staying up),” he said following the final whistle.

Watford’s Troy Deeney celebrates scoring their second goal from the penalty spot with teammates, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (Pool via REUTERS/Richard Heathcote)

Usain Bolt, sleep-deprived dad, budding cyclist, would unretire if the man in charge called NBC Sport - Usain Bolt isn’t doing much running these days, but he would unretire if one person asked: longtime coach Glen Mills.

“If my coach came back and told me, let’s do this, I will, because I believe so much in my coach,” Bolt said this week in a video interview with Variety. “So I know if he says we’re going to do this, I know it’s possible. Give Glen Mills a call, and I’ll be back.”

Mills coached Bolt to eight Olympic titles and world records in the 100m (9.58 seconds) and 200m (19.19) before the Jamaican legend retired in 2017. Bolt has occasionally visited the track since, which may have been a mistake.

“My coach gets too excited when I come to the track,” Bolt said, “so I stay away.”

Bolt’s days are now spent as a father to daughter Olympia Lightning Bolt, born in May and introduced to the world via social media on Tuesday last. Bolt said parenting is harder than breaking a world record.

“I got sick the first week because I was scared to fall asleep,” said Bolt, adding that he has been spit up on a few times. “So I stayed up at night just watching her because I’m a heavy sleeper. But I’ve learned that I’m going to wake. I’m going to get up no matter what. I’m getting better, and I’m learning.”

Bolt said he was unaware that Serena Williams‘ 2-yearold daughter is named Olympia (as a middle name, but she goes by Olympia) until this week’s reveal. His girlfriend, Kasi Bennett, came up with the name.

“My girlfriend, I told her, I think you’re putting a little bit of pressure on her to name her Olympia,” said Bolt, who previously said he would not encourage his child to take up sprinting. “But, we’ll see, I’m not going to force her to do anything.”

In retirement, Bolt has been seen doing a step class, riding a Peloton and playing professional soccer. Lately, he’s been road cycling with friends, upping the mileage

every week.

“I have a newfound respect for cyclists because you see the Tour de France, they make it look easy. It’s not,” Bolt said.

Bolt expressed disappointment with the Olympic postponement to 2021, even though he’s not competing anymore. He does hope to be in Tokyo in some capacity. He found a silver lining.

“The only good thing about, is that I actually get to take my daughter next year if the world gets back,” he said.

“One of my moments is to have my first born just to walk on the track with me. That’s something that I always thought about.”

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 12, 2020

PAGE 61

Michael Anthony wants a Velodrome built in Guyana - Nat Cyclist eyes qualification for 2020 Olympics

By Sean Devers

T

wenty-threeyear-old National Cyclist Michael Wickham Anthony wants to see a Cycling Velodrome built in Guyana and was training in New York for the Olympics qualifiers before the Global Pandemic COVID-19 started to spread.

Michael, who hails from the Hilly, Sand and Clay Region (Linden), has the talent to make his Olympic dreams come true if he continues to put in the hard work.

In March 2020, Michael and another Guyanese Cyclist, (Jamual John) were recruited by the Foundation Cycling Team in New York to train with them in the United States to improve their skill to prepare for possible qualification for the 2020 Olympics. The Olympics have been rescheduled for 2021.

“COVID-19, however, had other plans and amongst other events, all sporting activities were cancelled.

We decided to return home to Guyana to be with our families at this time,” informed Michael.

Seeing the construction of a Velodrome here is whole other matter. Since the death of President Forbes Burnham in 1985 none the Governments has placed any real emphasis on the development of sports in

Guyana.

“I would like to see a Velodrome built here in Guyana so we can start developing our skills and competing worldwide in that aspect of cycling and would really like to see more opportunities to facilitate cyclists who chose cycling as their profession or lifestyle,” said the Linden Bauxite Flyers rider.

Michael was born in the Mining Town of Linden in Region 10 on August 15, 1996 to Nigel and Semone Anthony and is one of six siblings including one sister whom he calls his “princess” that is until his baby niece was born and took over that title.

Primarily a ‘Road Cyclist’, Michael attended the Watooka Day Primary School, Mackenzie High School, Linden Technical Institute and was attracted to riding from a very young age.

“Life for me growing-up was the normal, everyday after school I always looked forward to going home just so I could get to be with my friends and find different sports to take part in amongst other things.

But racing up and down the streets with any bike or equipment with wheels which my friends and I could get our hands on, was the most exciting,” revealed Michael.

At Primary school the

Michael fulfilled his desire to race with Orville Hinds.

Michael (left) during a race on Carifesta Avenue.

multi-talented youngster participated in athletics before transitioning from a middle distance runner to a cyclist in his early Secondary School years.

“I always liked riding.

Back in the days, the boys in my family got the nickname “bobby riddell- ride well” since we could not see a bike and leave it alone.

Most times, once someone visited us with a bike my brother, Montell (my partner in crime and who cycled as well back in my junior days) we would take it for a spin and if by chance two bikes came, well then its race day for us.

After I was gifted with a bike by a friend in my late Primary School years, I started riding to school and racing each and every cyclist on my 10-mile trip to and from school each day.

My family hated the idea, however they trusted me to be safe on the roadways,” disclosed Michel whose favourite food chowmein.

Michael with members of his family.

After watching the likes of Mark Lewis, Michael Nelson, Al Green, Rastaf O’Selmo and Orville Hinds among others back in 2010.

He decided to start training with hopes to race with them one day. Hinds was one of the best cyclist from Linden and Guyana.

In 2015 in Barbados, only Hinds (14th) and

Guyana’s representatives at the Caribbean Elite Cycling Championships, (from left to right) Michael Anthony, Orville Hinds, Geron Williams and Alanzo Greaves.

Michael (15) of the fourmember Guyana team completed the gruelling 90mile road race at the Caribbean Elite Cycling Championships in Barbados which was won by Jamaican, Marloe Rodman.

“I’m a road cyclist since Guyana does not have a Velodrome.

But I was fortunate to ride on one such track in Trinidad in 2015 where I was awarded the most outstanding Category 2 Cyclist.

Track racing is fun and I would love to do it again s o m e d a y, t h i s t i m e representing Guyana on an International Stage such as the Olympics and World Championships,” said Michel, who first represented Guyana in 2011.

He has had the opportunity to ride in Suriname, the Dominican Republic, Anguilla, Aruba, Tr i n i d a d a n d To b a g o , Barbados, French Guiana, Cuba and the US - New York and his favorite Sportsmen are; Boxer Muhamad Ali, Jamaican sprinter Usain bolt and cyclists Lance Armstrong, Fabian Cancellara and Mark Cavendish.

“My favorite sportsmen are persons that impacted the world of sports greatly as I would like to do someday.

Cycling is not just a sport it is a lifestyle since training is almost all year round, five to six days a week, averaging 3-5 hours a day. We do it and more, since it is what we love. We want to be the best and to leave an impact wherever our wheel touches,” added the Carlton Wheelers Cycle Club member.

“There are various styles of riding to which one can adapt in cycling for example, setting pace, sprinting, climbing, I chose to be an allrounder as I trained myself to do all, but sprinting is still my favourite and I see it as the best skill in the sport,” Michael continued.

I have a few memorable races but the Junior Caribbean Cycling Championships held in the Dominican Republic was my first big moment.

Being 16 years of age, not only did I win but I came in solo to cop Gold in the juvenile category. It was my first big meet representing Guyana and my team and I (Continued on page 58)

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Kaieteur News

Gabriel, Joseph inspire England collapse as Windies tighten grip SOUTHAMPTON, England, CMC – Speedsters Shannon Gabriel and Alzarri Joseph rocked England in the final session with fiery spells as the hosts collapsed spectacularly losing five wickets for 30 runs in a nightmare 75-ball period, to leave West Indies with an excellent chance of winning the opening Test here yesterday.

Cruising at 249 for three late on the penultimate day with Zak Crawley and captain Ben Stokes well entrenched, England suddenly lost their way in the face of Gabriel and Joseph’s hostility, and limped to the close on 284 for eight – a lead of 170 runs heading into Sunday’s pivotal final day at the Ageas Bowl.

Gabriel finished with three for 62, while Joseph claimed two for 40 to rescue a day which seemed headed England’s way from the outset.

Part-time off-spinner Roston Chase had earlier taken two for 71, his wickets

Alzarri Joseph bowls © AFP via Getty Images coming in the first and second sessions respectively.

Zak Crawley, in only his fifth Test, top-scored with a career-best 76 while opener

Dom Sibley chipped in with exactly 50 – his second halfcentury in his seventh Test.

For the second time in the match, Stokes got a start but failed to carry on when he perished for 46 while opener Rory Burns hit 42 in a 72-run opening stand with Sibley, which got England away to an excellent start once they resumed on 15 without loss.

Having won the first session to be 79 for one at lunch and also dominated the second to be 168 for three at tea, England seemed poised to bat West Indies out of the game in the final session, especially with Crawley and Stokes taking control.

The 22-year-old Crawley, unbeaten on 38 at tea, struck eight fours off 127 balls while the left-handed Stokes, yet to score at the final interval, faced 79 deliveries and blasted six fours.

Boundaries flowed at the start of the final session, Crawley punching Chase to the ropes at cover to move

Sterling hat-trick as Man City hit five at Brighton BBC Sport - Raheem Sterling scored his third hattrick of the season as Manchester City swept Brighton aside to ensure they will finish in second place in the Premier League.

City had lost their three previous away league games, including a defeat at Southampton last Sunday, but they never looked like suffering another slip-up on their return to the south coast.

Sterling, who now has 27 goals in all competitions for City this season, inflicted most of the damage on a Brighton side who never managed to make the game a contest.

The England forward put Pep Guardiola’s side ahead with a superb low finish from outside the area, collecting a Gabriel Jesus flick and cutting in from the left before firing

into the opposite corner of the net.

More chances followed for City, and Jesus had a shot deflected against the bar before he got on the end of Rodri’s knockdown from a corner to make it 2-0.

The punishment did not end there for the Seagulls, as City continued to pour forward with Kevin de Bruyne pulling the strings, although a 19th league assist of the season eluded him The Belgian fired a freekick against the post after half-time and it was his driving forward run that led to Riyad Mahrez crossing for Sterling to head home City’s third goal at the far post.

Moments later it was 4-0, when Mat Ryan spilled Bernardo Silva’s shot and the Portuguese followed up to tap home.

Sterling, whose previous hat-tricks came against West Ham and Italian side Atalanta, had the final word in bizarre fashion when he chased a pass into the area and saw the ball bounce off the back of his head and cross the line as he was challenged by Ryan.

Brighton were completely outclassed and did not manage a single shot on target.

Sterling ensures City do not lack firepower City knew before the weekend that they were sure of finishing in the top four, but they will not know if they will be in next season’s Champions League until Monday, when they find out the result of their appeal against their two-year ban from Europe.

They are still in this year’s

competition, however, and their chances of negotiating a tricky looking route to next month’s final are surely improved by Sterling’s fine form in front of goal He already had four goals in six games since the Premier League restarted and his haul at Amex Stadium means he has now surpassed the 25 club goals he scored last season and has made this his most prolific personal campaign.

Jesus, too, was able to add to his tally despite some poor finishing early in the game, and he has now hit the 20-goal mark in all competitions.

Even without the injured Sergio Aguero, there is clearly no shortage of firepower in this City side, although far tougher assignments than this one lie ahead.

Sterling’s hat-trick means he has 17 league goals this season, and a total of 27 in all competitions - making this his most prolific club campaign. (Getty Images)

into the 40s before collecting two more fours through point in the bowler’s next over – the first a cut and the second a reverse sweep – to bring up his second Test fifty.

Chase, bowling in tandem with part-time off-spinner Kraigg Brathwaite, proved ineffective and even when Gabriel and the wicket-less Kemar Roach were handed the second new ball after 11 overs, there was no immediate success for West Indies.

In fact, Gabriel was punched to the cover boundary off the back foot by Crawley in his second over back and when Stokes smashed back-to-back fours through the off-side, the over had leaked 13 runs and West Indies were running out of ideas.

But Holder quickly rung the changes, introducing himself for Gabriel and struck in his second over, removing Stokes to a catch by Shai Hope at the first of two gullies, the left-hander sparring at a widish ball that lifted.

Stokes’s dismissal opened the floodgates for West Indies and the tide of the game shifted. In the following over, Crawley chipped a return catch to Joseph and Jos Buttler

perished four overs later, bowled off the inside edge to Joseph for nine after being reprieved by DRS in the previous over when he was adjudged lbw to Holder.

With England reeling on 265 for six and just under halfhour left in the day, Holder summoned Gabriel again and he provided two key strikes in the second over of his new spell.

Dom Bess (3), earlier dropped by wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich off Joseph on one, lost his off stump to the first delivery and Ollie Pope played on to the final delivery for 12, after failing to negotiate a lifter that jagged back.

Earlier, Chase grabbed the only wicket to fall in the first session when Burns scooped a short ball to John Campbell at point, in the fourth over before lunch.

Sibley, who faced 164 balls and struck four fours, added a further 41 for the second wicket with Joe Denly (29) before glancing a leg-side catch to Dowrich off Gabriel, on the stroke of the first hour after lunch.

Denly faced 70 balls and counted three fours but perished with tea approaching, clipping Chase to Holder at short mid-wicket.

Sunday July 12, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Norwich relegated after Antonio’s four-goal salvo for West Ham

West Ham United’s Michail Antonio in action, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (Pool via REUTERS/Tim Keeton) (Reuters) - Norwich City were consigned to relegation from the Premier League after a resounding 4-0 defeat by West Ham United yesterday with Michail Antonio scoring all the goals for the visitors in a virtuoso performance at Carrow Road.

The result leaves Norwich, relegated from the Premier League for a record fifth time, bottom on 21 points — 13 adrift of 17th-placed

Watford who beat Newcastle United 2-1. There are still three rounds of fixtures to play.

“I’m really disappointed for this and for all our supporters,” said Norwich manager Daniel Farke. “We wanted to beat the odds again but when the dust settles the outcome is more or less what was expected.”

West Ham, who are 16th, moved six points clear of the

relegation zone and are above Watford on goal difference.

Antonio constantly troubled the Norwich defence with his presence in the box and the 30-yearold struck twice in each half to become the first West Ham player to score four in a league game since 1981, doubling his season’s tally.

“It’s an amazing feeling.

When I scored the first two I

West Ham United’s Michail Antonio scores their third goal to complete his hat-trick, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (Pool via REUTERS/Ian Walton) could see they (Norwich) were quite open so it was a great opportunity,” Antonio told BT Sport.

“This is my first match ball and hopefully I can get some more.

It’s been free-flowing attacking football since we came back (after the COVID19 hiatus). The gaffer told me to wait in the box and I’m just pouncing on those opportunities.”

West Ham went in front from a corner after 11 minutes when an unmarked Antonio fired home from point-blank range at the far post after latching on to Issa Diop’s flicked header.

He doubled the lead with a header from another set piece before halftime.

Antonio completed his hat-trick nine minutes after the restart when he was put through on goal and scored

his eighth of the season with another close-range finish in the 74th.

West Ham’s Mark Noble pulled the strings in midfield, constantly finding Antonio in dangerous positions, while goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski was barely tested and only needed to make two straightforward saves to keep a clean sheet.

Liverpool’s home winning streak ends in draw with Burnley LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) - Liverpool’s 100 percent Premier League home record ended yesterday as the champions were held to a 1-1 draw by Burnley at Anfield.

Jay Rodriguez equalised for Burnley in the 69th minute after Andy Robertson had given Liverpool a first-half lead.

Liverpool, on 93 points, must win their last three games if they are to beat Manchester City’s record total of 100 points from two years ago. Burnley are ninth on 50 points.

The last time Liverpool failed to win at Anfield in the league was in January, 2019, when they drew 1-1 with Leicester City.

Burnley could even have pulled off a famous victory when Johann Berg Gudmundsson stuck the bar three minutes from fulltime.

Burnley keeper Nick Pope, continuing to make the case for promotion to the England number one spot, kept Liverpool at bay with a series of good saves, including a brilliant reaction to keep out a powerful close-range effort from Mohamed Salah in the 18th minute.

But Liverpool’s

Burnley’s Jay Rodriguez scores their first goal, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (Pool via REUTERS/Oli Scarff) domination finally came to fruition in the 34th minute when Fabinho floated in a cross from the left and Andy Robertson met it with a perfectly angled header into the top corner.

Pope was outstanding again to keep out a Sadio Mane drive with the Burnley keeper largely responsible for

the Clarets heading in at the break only a goal down.

Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino should have had his first league goal at Anfield this season but scuffed his shot against the post in the 49th minute.

Burnley gradually grew into the game and drew level with a superb finish from

Rodriguez after James Tarkowski had headed down a deeply hit free kick.

Liverpool had one more opportunity in stoppage time but Salah’s weak effort was easy for Pope.

“We should have scored two, three or four goals at least,” said Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp.

“The referee let a lots of challenges go so it was clear that if the ball comes into the box it was dangerous. They did what they are good at and I respect that,” “For moments it was Liverpool against Pope, he did really well, but we should have scored. We didn’t close the game and they took their

moment. It feels like we lost a game,” he said.

Burnley boss Sean Dyche hailed the way his side approached the second half.

“Second half I reminded them that the pressure was off, just go and play. Get it forward and ask them more questions. You’ve got to find (Continued on page 57)

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Sunday July 12, 2020

Kaieteur News

Chelsea’s Champions League hopes Allyson Felix wins 150-meter hit by McGoldrick double for Blades sprint in the Physically-Distanced, Virtual Inspiration Games

Sheffield United’s David McGoldrick in action with Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (Pool via REUTERS/Shaun Botterill) SHEFFIELD, England (Reuters) - David McGoldrick scored twice for Sheffield United as they upset Chelsea with a 3-0 win in the Premier League at Bramall Lane yesterday.

Chelsea’s grip on a top four place — and Champions League qualification — was weakened badly by the result and they could fall to fifth if Leicester City beat Bournemouth today and Manchester United overcome

Southampton a day later.

A fourth straight home win in the league for Chris Wilder’s side boosted their hopes of a first-ever appearance in the Europa League as they moved up to sixth on 54 points.

McGoldrick had not previously found the net in the Premier League since winning promotion with Chris Wilder’s team but opened the scoring when Oli McBurnie’s shot was pushed out by

Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and the Ireland striker fired home.

McBurnie then doubled the lead in the 33rd minute with a powerful, angled header from an Enda Stevens cross.

The 32-year-old McGoldrick wrapped up the win in the 77th minute, slotting home after Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger failed to deal with a low ball from Lys Mousset.

PopSugar.com - We already know that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics were postponed due to novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and the pandemic has affected sports across the globe. But, on July 9, track and field athletes from around the world competed in the Inspiration Games, a special virtual competition that’s part of the Diamond League international circuit. Ninetime Olympic medalist and four-time Olympian Allyson Felix came out on top in the women’s 150-meter sprint.

The Inspiration Games were streamed live, where 30 athletes competed simultaneously at seven different venues. Felix, part of Team North America, used a track in Walnut, California, and crossed the finish line in 16.81 seconds. She competed against Bahamas’s Shaunae Miller-Uibo, the 400m Olympic champion in Rio 2016, and 2019 World Championship 200m bronze medalist Mujinga Kambundji of Switzerland. Miller-Uibo came in second with Kambundji finishing third.

“It feels sort of like practice, but not even because there’s really no teammates or anything,”

Referee Assessors benefit from online training Georgetown: Te n Guyanese Referee Assessors have benefited from a two-day virtual workshop held for Assessors and conducted

by Guyanese Head of the Bahamas Refereeing Department and Concacaf Instructor/Assessor, Mrs. Dianne Ferreira-James.

The workshop, held on July 6 – 7, was the first in a series of training programmes, which will be hosted by the GFF to enhance the competencies of Assessors and Instructors.

Following the conclusion of the session, participant Natasha Lewis commented on its value: “The workshop brought clarity to some concepts and increased my knowledge base.

Consequently I will be able to provide an enhanced quality of assessment for Referees that will aid in their personal development and quality of local officiating.”

Among the areas covered in the training, which (Continued on page 57)

Referees participate in the online Assessors Workshop.

Mrs. Dianne Ferreira-James (right) during the online programme with her Guyanese counterparts.

Allyson Felix (pictured) won the 150m at the Virtual Inspiration Games. (Getty/Harry How) Felix said on NBC Sports after the 150m race. “It’s hard to challenge yourself, so I think that’s the big thing with running solo.” She noted that she missed the feeling of excitement you get when racing in front of a crowd with other runners. “I don’t think there’s anything that can compare to that,” she added.

“But I love this sport and so any chance to get out there and run . . . it’s been a long time . . . I’m all about it.”

Felix went on to say that athletes see the hardships

that the world is going through, so they “just want to bring a little bit of joy” and to encourage appreciation for sport during this time. Other highlights from the competition include Felix winning the women’s 3x100m relay with Olympian Tianna Bartoletta and 2016 world under-20 100m champion Candace Hill.

Team North America came out the winners overall ahead of Team Europe and Team World, reports the Olympic Channel.

Guyanese Referees Instructors to participate in regional training programme Georgetown: Ingram Johnson and Abdullah Hamid will be among 37 of their regional counterparts to participate in FUTURO III, a Referee Instructors Programme, from July 11–15.

This year the programme will be hosted via an online platform due to the COVID19 pandemic and, according to a correspondence from FIFA, it “will focus on the education of referee technical instructors from member associations.”

The candidates, who were selected by both FIFA and Concacaf, will be expected to be in session from 08:45 to 12:00 each day. Joint selection of candidates, FIFA notes, “is key to the successful organisation of the course and for the continued development of refereeing in the associations.”

National knowledge transfer of key principles is an

Sherwin Moore expected output of the sessions. Sherwin Moore, former FIFA Referee, will participate as an observer of the sessions along with two Concacaf personnel.

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 12, 2020

PAGE 65

A youngster trying her hand at the game.

Golf - new and improved!

O

ne great concept has taken on the challenges of the day in the midst of confusion, stress, and uncertainty...golf in the city!

Nexgen Golf Academy, conveniently located on Woolford Avenue in the h e a r t o f t h e c i t y, i n collaboration with the Scouts Association of Guyana, has created a peaceful oasis that conforms to the COVID-19 social distancing

guidelines.

The Academy features an international standard driving range with target greens, chipping, putting green (under construction), coaching for all levels and ages and fun team building f o r y o u r c o m p a n y ’s employees.

Planned improvements include picnic tables under the trees, with service of food and snacks from several top providers and with lights soon to be added,

the Academy is expected to be the place where everyone who plays or is interested in learning the game will meet and of course as always, golf is the absolute best networking activity.

Since its launch two weeks ago, more than 75 persons whom had never played golf have visited and been wowed by the experience.

Interestingly enough, the majority of new players have been women and children

and it has become the workout spot for people who cannot get to a gym.

Comments range from “I’ve always wanted to try”, “this isn’t as easy as it looks” and “what a great workout” with rave reviews about the level of service, coaching and professionalism being offered (the Academy is open daily from 6 am-6pm, until the curfew is lifted).

“We plan on hosting the first event that is compliant with social distancing

President of the academy Aleem Hussain shows a beginner how it is done.

guidelines wherein every h o u r, 2 0 p l a y e r s c a n participate in shooting for points and the winners will receive $100,000 in cash and prizes on a weekly basis,” said Rudy Ramalingum, the Academy’s director.

The prizes will be sponsored by different companies and will create a fun sporting activity that anyone can participate in and still be safe.

When visiting the

Academy, persons are encouraged to learn about history of 100+ years of Scouting in Guyana from Chief Scout Andrew Ramcharitar or President of SAG Ramsay Ali and can donate or sign up to become a Scout if they have an interest.

For more information about the Academy and weekly activities, please visit nexgen golf academy on Facebook or call 6450944.

Rain master Hamilton storms to Styrian GP pole (Reuters) - Six-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton lived up to his rain master reputation with an astonishing lap to put his Mercedes on pole position for the first Styrian Grand Prix at Austria’s Red Bull Ring yesterday.

In a session that started 46 minutes late after a washed out final practice, the Briton powered through the spray to go top with a time 1.216 seconds quicker than Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

The pole was a recordextending 89th of Hamilton’s F1 career.

McLaren’s Spaniard

Carlos Sainz qualified third, a career best, with Hamilton’s team mate Valtteri Bottas — winner of the season-opener from pole at the same circuit last weekend — fourth fastest.

The Finn was 1.4 seconds slower than Hamilton, who will be seeking his 85th grand prix win today.

“What a tricky day,” said the champion after a performance that his team boss Toto Wolff hailed as simply out of this world.

“The weather was incredibly difficult out there for all of us. A lot of the time you couldn’t even see where

you were going.

“I had a big aquaplane at one point — I definitely had my heart in my mouth - but I was able to improve and put in a nice, clean lap. I love these days.”

The battle was between Hamilton and Verstappen, with the Dutch 22-year-old — himself pretty handy in the wet — going fastest two minutes from the end but then losing control and sliding wide.

The champion, who can move a step closer to Michael Schumacher’s alltime record 91 wins today, made sure pole was his with an extraordinary final effort

Hamilton storms to pole in wet Styrian GP qualifying. (Autosport)

of one minute 19.273 seconds.

“Very rarely do you see performances that are just not from this world,” said Wolff. “When you look at the onboard from his lap, he was balancing the car on the edge, aquaplaning, throttle control was incredible.

“And I can’t remember that we have seen 1.2 seconds between first and second,” added the Austrian.

Verstappen, a two times winner of his team’s home Austrian Grand Prix but the first retirement of the season last weekend, said visibility had been appalling.

Today promises better conditions, however.

“You can’t see a thing, it is hard to see the braking zones but that is the same for everyone. I think in the dry we can have a good shot at it,” said Verstappen.

Frenchman Esteban Ocon qualified fifth for Renault, with Alex Albon sixth for Red Bull and Pierre Gasly seventh for Red Bullowned AlphaTauri.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo, suffering a sore

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton wearing a protective face mask talks to the media after qualifying in pole position, following the resumption of F1 after the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (Joe Klamar/Pool via REUTERS) knee after a crash in Friday practice, will line up eighth for Renault and McLaren’s Lando Norris ninth after a three place grid penalty incurred in Friday practice.

Four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel was the fastest of the struggling Ferraris, but last in the top 10 shootout, with team mate Charles Leclerc

only 11th.

British youngster George Russell will start 12th in his Williams team’s highest grid position since 2018 and his best qualifying yet.

Today’s race, named after the southern Austrian state where the circuit is located, will be the first time a track has hosted two grands prix in the same season.

rt o p S

Alzarri Joseph runs in to bowl, England v West Indies, 1st Test, 4th day, Southampton, July 11, 2020 © AFP via Getty Images

Zak Crawley bats against West Indies © Getty Images

Shannon Gabriel successfully appeals for the wicket of Dom Sibley, England v West Indies, 1st Test, 4th day, Southampton, July 11, 2020 © Getty Images

Gabriel, Joseph inspire England collapse as Windies tighten grip

Ben Stokes congratulates Zak Crawley on his half-century AFP via Getty Images

Golf - new and improved!

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