Kaieteur News

Govt. legitimacy K NEWS rests on declaration of recount results - EU

Thursday Edition

AIETEUR

July 23, 2020 - Vol. 13 No. 29 Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

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

Price $80

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Online readership yesterday 156,131

Granger will not accept recount figures p.

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David Granger

- Latest coalition statement signals departure from prior commitments

It is the responsibility of OAS to protect democracy p. 3

- Venezuela Ambassador to the OAS

Exxon’s reports to EPA silent on toxic effects of flaring AG to join appellant in matter - Lowenfield withdraws from active participation p.

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Elections declaration case for Saturday...

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E’bo man charged Exxon’s environmental Three dead in for setting fire damage in West Africa to CID office, 17p. should be a wake up separate road p. p. accidents 7 army building call for Guyana 3

Karen Cummings sends false report on CCJ Judgment to OAS

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Kaieteur News

Thursday July 23, 2020

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 23, 2020

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Exxon's environmental damages in West Africa should be a warning signal to Guyana

By Sueann Wickham

G

uyana should observe the trail of damages ExxonMobil has left in West African nations and take heed immediately.

Exxon Mobil, one of the biggest oil giants with over 37 oil refineries in 21 countries, has seen tremendous amounts of lawsuits for violation of human rights and pollution all across the world. Countries like Nigeria and Chad have barely reaped the benefits of their oil revenues but however experienced the f u l l b l o w o f environmental damages.

Nigeria Nigeria has been an oilproducing nation for over 60 years and is one of the poorest nations in West Africa. On top of being extremely corrupt and having 45% of the population below the poverty line, oil companies like Exxon and Shell have left the country not only poorer than they were before their presence, but with severe environmental challenges as well. Nigeria faces pollution and way more environmental issues than they can afford and due to corruption of their leaders citizens benefit from little to none of the oil revenue

received.

In 2010 ten ExxonMobil had one of the largest oil spills offshore Akwa Ibom, a Southern-Coastal state of the country. Environmentalists, journalists and local people reported that the spill lasted for days even though Exxon claimed the leak was less than 300 barrels; the company had also claimed that the spill was isolated the same day it occurred.

The spill was confirmed

by ExxonMobil's subsidiary in Nigeria, Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) and was just one of the two oil spills were recorded in May and June 2010 respectfully at the Qua Iboe oil fields off Akwa Ibom.

The spill was said to have had a tremendous impact on fishermen in the area as it contaminated waterways killing large amounts of fish in the process. Akwa Ibom state fishermen collectives h a d c a l l e d f o r compensations to be made to their members who suffered the hardships of the spill but it is unclear whether any was given.

Nigeria later cautioned Exxon about their spills as these two were just a few out of the many that occurred over the years. The company recorded four more oil spills within the same area in the short course of six months, which was followed by protests by women and

youth for two days straight.

There were reports of soldiers allegedly beating protesters with one woman suffering a broken leg.

In 2003, Justice Abdullahi Mustapha of the Federal High Court in Lagos held the oil company responsible for damages that occurred due to floating crude oil. These damages were said to be a threat to the ecology of the coastal communities of Bonny, Brass and Andoni official.

In the ruling ExxonMobil was ordered to pay three Niger Delta communities 1.4 billion naira (US $10.1 million) as compensation for the effects of their January 1998 oil spill

that caused the communities of Bonny, Brass and Andoni severe damages. Over 40,000 barrels of oil were spilled when a pipeline connecting ExxonMobil's offshore Idaho platform to the Qua Iboe oil export terminal, suffered a nasty breach. Many impoverished communities in the region had accused Exxon, its subsidiaries and the Nigerian government of cheating them out of the wealth produced in their own land and causing massive environmental damage in the process.

ExxonMobil had argued in their defence that it was not oil from its facility that (continued on page 18)

It is the responsibility of OAS to protect democracy - Venezuela

By Kemol King

P

e r m a n e n t Representative of Venezuela to the O A S , G u s t a v o Ta r r e Briceño, has commended the Organisation of American States (OAS) for the stance it has taken on the electoral situation in Guyana.

He said that it is the responsibility of the OAS to preserve and defend democracy, as evidenced by the Inter-American Democratic Charter.

That document binds the OAS and all countries in the hemisphere to maintain the highest democratic principles and to defend it wherever it is threatened.

Briceño was part of Tuesday's special meeting of OAS' Permanent Council that was convened to discuss the crisis in Guyana.

He pointed to Article 23 of the Charter, which states: “Member states are responsible for organizing, conducting, and ensuring free and fair electoral processes.” Without the guarantee of democracy, Briceño said: “We consider it impossible to achieve the goals in development of human rights and security which we aspire to.”

Briceño commended the Observer Mission Chief of the OAS, Bruce Golding, for the presentation he gave on the Guyana situation.

Golding, a former Prime Minister of Jamaica, shed

Permanent Representative of Venezuela to the OAS, Gustavo Tarre Briceño

US-backed de jure President of Venezuela, Juan Guaido

light on the fraud of Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, highlighting the continued frustration of a democratic resolution of the process by

the APNU+AFC coalition and its allies.

T h e Ve n e z u e l a representative stressed that it has been months since the people of Guyana cast their

ballots, without a declaration of the elections results.

Briceño said that throughout the period, there have been serious violations of the will of the people. He endorsed Golding's statement that the will of the Guyanese people must be upheld.

He also concurred with the statement of the Secretary General, Luis Almagro that the damage to Guyana has been pronounced, and agreed with Golding's statement that it will take a generation and significant institutional reform for Guyana to recover its image “In this regard,” Briceño said, “we join the calls made

by CARICOM through Ralph Gonsalves, its Chair and the US delegation that the will of the people of Guyana must be respected,

and their democratic right upheld. We call for this situation to be resolved quickly and in a peaceful manner.” The representative explained that the Venezuela government is optimistic for a resolution, given the strong stance of the OAS. However, he said it is unfortunate that issues like this continue to arise in this hemisphere, noting that this is not the first time the OAS has had to address irregularities in relation to an electoral process.

He said that what is happening in Guyana reminds him of what has been occurring in Venezuela for the last 20 years, “with

the dictator Nicolas Maduro” who continues to proliferate the situation.

Briceño was not appointed by the President Maduro.

He was appointed by the Venezuelan politican, Juan Guido, who has claimed the Ve n e z u e l a p r e s i d e n c y.

Maduro called Briceño a “political usurper” when the OAS voted to accept his appointment in April last year. Though Guyana had voted not to recognise the legitimacy of Maduro's presidency in January last year, it abstained from voting on Briceño's appointment. (Translation

by Shervin Belgrave)

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Thursday July 23, 2020

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL - Tel: 624-6456 Editor: Sharmain Grainger Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Democracy or the Abyss This week, with an election looming ahead, protestors in a certain country were picked up and loaded into vans by secretive agents of the state. The country’s leader, a brash man fond of the pomp and ceremony of military parades has given every indication that he will not be giving up in upcoming elections, even in the face of his flagging popularity, and pushback against his dismissive attitude to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a plummeting economy.

To be clear, the country under question is Belarus where currently protestors in the capital, Minsk, are in upheaval against the crippling rule of the man described as Europe’s last dictator, Alexander Lukashenko.

Lukashenko has been in power in Belarus for the last quarter century, increasingly consolidating his power the way that all dictators do – clamping down on the free press, creating increasing hurdles for opposition politicians to contest elections, and brutally suppressing protest action.

In recent weeks, lead competitors for the presidential elections slated for next month have either been arrested on trumped up charges or conveniently been told that their registration documents for participation in the polls fell short of legal requirements. A recent online poll, while not precisely scientific, showed Lukashenko’s popularity at a ludicrous three percent, a rating critics say is based largely upon the leader’s initial dismissive reactions to the COVID19 pandemic, with him describing infection as a mere ‘psychosis’ and recommending a strong shot of vodka to cure it.

The country’s leader has given every indication that he will not be giving up in upcoming elections, even in the face of his flagging popularity, and pushback against his dismissive attitude to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as a plummeting economy. To be clear, this country under question is Donald Trump’s United States of America where currently different sections of the country are in upheaval against police violence against African-Americans in countrywide Black Lives Matter protests.

Written about events in Portland, Oregon, in the country that has been represented as – and in the past justifiably so – a beacon of democracy, this article published yesterday in the UK Guardian yesterday could easily have been written about the events in Minsk: “The arrival of the federal officers, drawn from several agencies including the US Marshals Service and the border patrol, fleetingly sent a wave of alarm through the demonstrators after men in camouflage began snatching people off the streets in unmarked vans. Those detained said they were dragged into the courthouse without being told why they were being arrested or by whom and then suddenly let go without any official record of being held. It smacked of police state tactics.”

While resistance – most notably by a groups of women, mostly mothers, linking arms to protect other protestors – has seen a retreat from the shadowy government forces, Trump has proclaimed the crackdown a success and intends to expand the programme with Chicago the next place on the list slated for what New York Times opinion columnist labeled in her most recent column, published two days ago, “Trump’s Occupation of American Cities [Has Begun].”

This sort of action, measured next to both Trump’s sliding in the polls against Democratic contender Joe Biden and his recent statements this week that he was unsure whether he would leave office if he lost, calls into question not only the fabric of American democracy but the legitimacy of America’s standing as a policeman for global democracy.

In his presentation to the special meeting on Guyana’s elections held two days, Secretary General of the Organisation of American States (OAS) Luis Almagro said that this country faces two pathways in the near future – Democracy or the Abyss.

Whether it is Alexander Lukashenko’s successfully entrenched quarter century dictatorship in Belarus or David Granger’s clumsy four-month attempt at a coup, democracy globally may very well find itself in danger of being dragged into the abyss of authoritarian rule by the sheer gravitational of the current descent of America.

In the elections slated for this November, American voters are going to have Almagro’s stark choice before them as well – Democracy or the Abyss. What that choice is will have implications not only for them but for the rest of the world.

Unity for non-violent actions to stop “dressed up” coup DEAR EDITOR, In reality, there is a slowmoving “dressed up” coup with de facto power that is unlawful and illegitimate.

A very small multi-ethnic elite of unscrupulous middle class politicians, professionals and business people want to overturn the results of the free, fair and transparent recount of votes from the 2020 election.

To deflect from the real reasons for their electoral loss, this APNU+AFC elite are trying to fool their working class and poor members and supporters, from mainly one major ethnic community, into rejecting democracy. They covertly blame another major ethnic community for all the social and economic problems in the country. They are fostering a fear among their supporters that they will be excluded or marginalized from the promising oil revenues.

Now, we must be motivated more than ever to find solutions to Guyana’s most serious problem, that is, inter-ethnic rivalry. In the 2020 election, at least 95% of African voters supported the APNU/AFC and at least 95% of Indian voters supported the PPP/C. The creeping dictatorship is using the rivalry to divide the nation, to co-opt opportunists, and to install provocateurs who will foster chaotic and undisciplined behaviour.

Some observers have optimistically stated that “many, many supporters have deserted the PNC”, and “except for a few who do not number more than the fingers on two hands, the APNU+AFC (PNC) elite has no following in the Diaspora”; and they “would find it extremely difficult to win even 25 seats in the 2025 elections”. We have to hope that these observers are right.

One observer proposed that overcoming “the ethnic enclaves will be surely helped by the policies that will be implemented by the future government of the PPP/C”.

Which policies? A public discussion of these policies is now the business of every member and supporter of the PPP/C and every other Guyanese. We have to be confident that the policies of the PPP/C will address the concerns, fears, expectations and needs of all ethnic communities, including the over two hundred thousand persons wh o voted for the APNU+AFC in 2020.

What we need are details and clarity. It is not sufficient for the leader of one Party to talk about joint government and the leader of the other Party to talk about inclusiveness, but both of these leaders have never demonstrated in action what they mean by joint governance and inclusiveness.

We are facing the possible

consolidation of a dictatorship. How will we stop it and defeat it? Sanctions will help but the key will be nonviolent actions to unite the general population.

Strategically, we have to encourage APNU+AFC supporters to reject outright the dictatorship, or we have to support many APNU+AFC workers, professionals and business people to take a neutral position because they will be among the real losers under the sanctions, not the small multi-ethnic elite of riggers.

Most importantly, the democratic forces will have to win the hearts of our soldiers and police officers who want to serve all Guyanese and who do not want to be ordered to use force to repress or execute innocent people in any ethnic community.

Along with the political parties, civil society organizations must become equal actors on the Guyana “anti-dictatorial stage”.

Elected trade unions, farmers’ organizations, business organizations, religious institutions, legal and medical associations, the University of Guyana and local thinktanks must all be involved.

Therefore, an antidictatorial movement will not be built by well-intentioned comments. The PPP/C will have to offer the better deal for a new political system that will implement inclusive governance and bring an end

to unfair ethnic and class competition within and across all ethnic communities.

Immediately after the PPP/ C is sworn in, there will be intense interest and encouragement from CARICOM, the OAS, the USA, the UK, the EU, and the Commonwealth for new governance measures to move Guyana forward.

Former Chairwoman of CARICOM Mrs. Mia Mottley stated that, after the declaration by GECOM that the PPP/C won the election, “there must be room for all regardless of who wins and who loses”. We will have to welcome this as brotherly and sisterly love, and not protest that it is interference.

The main initiatives have to come, first of all, from us, ordinary Guyanese people within Guyana and in the Diaspora.

We must first change our mindset and reject a destiny for “our dear land of Guyana” of political stalemates, unfair competition, persistent poverty and the c o n t i n u ous bouts of political insanity.

Then, we have to push and pull all of our female, young and male leaders, primarily from the working class and farmers, to sincerely and concretely work for national unity and equal economic opportunities for all ethnic communities.

Yours truly, Geoffrey Da Silva

NY group urges expanded sanctions DEAR EDITOR, The NY Guyana Democracy Project (NYGDP) penned a thank you memo to Caricom and OAS for their support to pressure the caretaker government of Guyana to accept the will of the electorate of the March 2 elections. The NYGDP has also called for implementation of more effective sanctions against what it calls “democracy busters’. The NYGDP, headed by former UG Professor (Senior Lecturer) Dr. Tara Singh, is comprised of a group of academicians and other activists who champion democracy in Guyana.

The memo was sent to the Secretary General of the OAS, Mr. Luis Almagro, and Chair of Caricom, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves. NYGDP notes that the APNU+AFC incumbent regime has been defiant in accepting the outcome of the elections that showed the opposition PPP won 33 seats as against 31 seats for the ruling coalition and one seat for a joint list of minor parties. It says that “the

regime has been coming up with one gimmick after another, a new daily narrative to justify its intransigence.

The regime has shown total disrespect for the country’s constitution as well as for the will of the people as expressed in their votes”.

The NYGDP memo states that “the de-facto government has adopted a hardened position to undermine democracy, plunging the country into a prolonged constitutional crisis ever since elections were held on March 2, 2020.

That was preceded by another major constitutional crisis when the APNU+AFC government failed to step down from government within three months after the successful passage of a No Confidence Motion (NCM) against it on December 18, 2018”.

NYGDP charges, “that the government has been abusing the court process for over four months to prevent the declaration in order to hang on to power, irrespective of the destruction they are

causing to the country”.

The letter thanked the regional organizations for their great efforts in trying to get APNU+AFC to respect the will of the Guyanese electorate. It notes, “If Caricom did not play a central role in the electoral process, the outcome would have been stolen”.

The memo notes that Guyana’s Chief Justice ruled last Monday that the Caricom verified recount data must be used to declare the results of the March 2 elections. The CCJ similarly ruled two weeks ago. These data show that the PPP/C won the elections by a margin of 15,416 votes. The government has appealed the latest CJ’s ruling further delaying the declaration. After the COA ruling, there is likely to be another appeal to the CCJ. NYGDP writes, “The regime has shown no interest in capitulating. Their level of intransigence is buttressed by their support of the armed forces. Once again, we, Guyanese, depend upon Caricom and OAS in

particular to pull us out of this election quagmire and help us to protect and defend democracy in Guyana and the wider Caribbean region”.

NYGDP fears the rise of another Venezuela in the form of an authoritarian un-elected government in Guyana. It pens, “It’s our considered judgment that OAS cannot afford to have another Venezuela in its backyard.

Additionally, Caricom is deeply concerned that the Granger governing party is setting a bad example for the rest of the Caribbean, in particular”.

NYGDP feels that “the behaviour of members the regime over the past week has shown that visa revocations will not necessarily be a deterrent to their bad behaviour”. The prodemocracy group has called on the OAS for imposition of phase II of sanctions that would freeze assets for democracy-busters to discourage them from abusing the courts.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

Thursday July 23, 2020

Undue applause, but when the cheering is over DEAR EDITOR, As much as there is disagreement with positions taken, and there is loathing the ways things were gone about, some recognition is due for supporters for their party’s cause, even ones distinctively defeated.

Today, I write not about personal ambitions or any such thing, I simply look straight ahead.

Whenever the celebrations over the triumph of democracy are over, and real governance begins, I would like to hear and read from them about the rising from the ashes of the past five months, in fact, of the last 19 months.

There is so much that I am expecting from the guardians and champions of democracy, all of them who rallied against those (like me) who wrote that we have to live on our own and that we must find a way likewise. In the event that we manage to do so leaders and parties, and supporters and citizens the scrutiny will be on what they really stood for, where they stand at that time in the future. All the

Singhs and Lalls and Smiths and Joneses will be watched to see what they are really about then, what it was that all the effort was about, when the dust settles.

In fairness, they are entitled to accentuate the positives. But by the same token, the expectation and standard is to see repeated demonstrations of honesty and authenticity in holding the feet of their successful electoral people to the fire of the highest heat. After some 23 years in power and with full knowledge of the peculiar arts of Guyanese governance norms, ignorance cannot be feigned, the learning curve is short, if at all. I will acknowledge that there are promises for much remedial work to be done with regards to suspect financial shenanigans since elections day. But aside from those disturbing developments, I would like to appreciate all those claiming at the honourable and principled in the media channels to take to those same channels and speak out with the same zeal and

energy (frank truths, too) when their leaders and the surrounding cast do wrong.

Editor, I cannot recall any of the Opposition people calling it out during its lengthy tenure. I recall only a few (very few) who did so in the time of the coalition. I speak for myself only, with a handful of examples only. The early and inexcusable parliamentary pay raise within a short span following the May 2015 elections; the sharp questioning of a few coalition minister re their efforts and, sometimes, their, competency; and the award before elections of lands and contracts, where procurement and those supposedly purifying procedures did not live up to expectations. As more examples, what was the disposition of a tape and the whistleblower worker that fingered a senior C e n t r a l Te n d e r B o a r d official; and then my repeated cautions to the head of state himself that he had surrounded himself (Continued on page 6)

How nasty to the ‘legitimate interlocutor’ DEAR EDITOR, It tells the level of desperation the caretaker government has sunk to when its members would see it fit and proper to twist and falsify facts to suit their shallow narrative at no less a forum than the OAS. The most alarming of the falsifications were the one, which said the Caricom Scrutineer Team did not stay

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to the end of or complete the recount process, and in so doing sought to dishonour and discredit the report. (“In bizarre twist, Foreign Minister calls Caricom Report a ‘fallacy’ “ Newsroom July 22).

How nasty to the trusted and ‘legitimate interlocutor’!

It is disappointing the St. Vincent and Grenadines rep whose prime minister is the current Chair of Caricom did

not refute this glaring and false misrepresentation touted as truth during her presentation.

Just what is hoped to be gained by this blatant untruth to the international community at which Caricom was represented is to be wondered? This distortion Caricom will correct at its imminent meeting on Guyana.

Shamshun Mohamed

Timely Old Truths DEAR EDITOR, Permit me to share some old lessons on lying as taught by my long deceased parents.

My mother Linda said: ”a liar must have a good memory”. It therefore follows that we must remember that promises made, or oaths sworn to, should be kept.

My father Albert said: ”a liar is a coward and a thief”. Just in case those lessons may

have escaped us in our life, one must remember the 11th Commandment (author unknown) “Thou shalt not be found out”.

Our current situation prompts the question: Caretaker of whose interest?

Father God deliver us your Guyanese people, from all that may be evil.

Sincerely, Albert Rodrigues, Jnr.

Things nah look prappa DEAR EDITOR, I have followed the numerous cases that have engaged the courts in Guyana and the CCJ in Trinidad, since the one dealing with the No Confidence Motion, the appointment of Patterson, et al.

And then the presentations before the Permanent Council of the OAS at its Special Meeting on 21st July to address Guyana’s current political crisis. It was shocking to hear the misrepresentations made barefacedly by Basil Williams, and the undiplomatic presentation by his colleague.

I immediately wondered if such misrepresentation could not engage a Judicial Review Tribunal, in the case of Williams, to have him answer for any misleading statements he made. I hope that the higher Judicial Tribunals have taken note.

Then I remember hearing from someone of an Attorney, named Mayo Robertson, having had some incident in a country he practices or practised and wondered if it is the same Mayo who is featuring in these political cases.

And after mentioning this to a friend, she promptly asked me if I didn’t hear about a high judicial functionary who it is alleged has or had some sort of relationship with a high government functionary. Were this true, shouldn’t such a judicial functionary excuse himself or herself from adjudicating

in any matter involving the government?

I wonder...

Now to the Chairperson and CEO of GECOM…since I assume that both of these functionaries are being paid, I am wondering what prevents the Chairperson from instructing the CEO to prepare his report BASED o n t h e R E - C O U N T, b y Thursday 23rd July, 2020.

Should this instruction not be complied with, he should be promptly dismissed and the Deputy appointed to act as CEO and should be similarly instructed to do so by Friday 24th July, 2020.

Should this functionary also fail to comply with the instruction, a similar management decision should be taken.

While all this is taking place, Counsel must be sought to advise the Chairlady on the next step.

She must decide whether she can make the required declaration or have someone appointed as CEO who would comply with

her instructions.

I have carefully refrained from saying that the Chairlady should make any declaration while the matter is in the domain of the Court of Appeal. In fact, she has missed a couple of opportunities of doing so.

However, to beat them at their own game, and assuming that the decision of the Court of Appeal, is in favour of using the Re-count numbers, the Chairlady must be in a position to have the PROPER results waiting to make the required declaration appointing Irfaan Ali as the President of Guyana.

According to ALL, except those intending to thief the elections, this matter has gone on TOO LONG. GUYANA needs to Resume BREATHING. If COVID-19 doesn’t find us (and hopefully it wouldn’t) then most likely the torture the nation is unnecessarily going through, might do so.

Regards, Harry N Nawbatt

PNC attention seeking DEAR EDITOR, The PNC led APNU+AFC have behavioural problems.

They misbehave pretending that they have power.

The PNC led APNU+AFC do not have power over the majority of Guyanese but only on their hapless supporters who do not know better.

It is obvious that they are attention seekers. There will come a time for Guyanese to

rise up against the PNC led APNU+AFC as they continue to try to subvert the will of the Guyanese people.

The majority of Guyanese do not (DO NOT) consent to be ruled by the PNC led APNU+AFC. Word of advice to the PNC led APNU+AFC: Do the right thing.

Democracy will prevail.

Yours faithfully, Sean Ori

PAGE 6

Coalition brings further embarrassment to all Guyana DEAR EDITOR, The FITUG, like many Guyanese, paid close attention to the Organisation of American States (OAS) Permanent Council meeting on July 21, 2020 which addressed the prevailing situation in our country. The convening of such an engagement is yet another tell-tale sign strong international concern about what is taking place in Guyana. It also demonstrates the seriousness of the situation that is currently unfolding and which can have several consequences for Guyanese.

The OAS, in considering the Guyana situation, received interventions from the de-facto Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Legal Affairs. The contributions of both senior Government officials could only be described, in our view, only

served to bring further embarrassment to our people.

Both Ministers peddled, in our view, clearly false narratives obviously, in an attempt, to mislead the OAS. This we contend is tantamount to seeking to insult the intelligence of the hemispheric body.

We had to wonder whether the Government team believed sincerely that the OAS is unaware of what is really taking place in Guyana.

We consider the OAS and by extension, its members are most informed about Guyana’s state-of-affairs. We do not believe for any moment that the OAS accepted the slanted opinions and cherry-picking of certain aspects of Court pronouncements by the Government. The fact that the de-facto Administration thinks it can really hoodwink the OAS and by extension,

the world is most humiliating.

Indeed from the interventions of our hemispheric brothers and sisters, was a vivid demonstration that they were not sidetracked or sucked in by the propaganda of the Coalition regime. They were most forthright in their calls for the APNU+AFC to accept the will of the people and to exit office. We share the view that prolongation of the process, which is quickly approaching five (5) months, must be brought to swift and peaceful end. There is need for a transition in Government as the economy tethers and the lives of thousands of Guyanese hang in the balance. The selfish ways of a greedy few should not be allowed to persist but democracy must triumph.

Dawchan Nagasar General Secretary N.A.A.C.I.E

Undue applause, but...

From page 5 with too many trusted people, who had mostly betrayed him. Because when they did so, it was the same up the creek without a paddle for the larger population.

There is more, but those quick reminders ought to be enough for this conversation.

My hope is that those who did well in the campaigning and electioneering, in the propagandizing and overall

Thursday July 23, 2020

Kaieteur News

raising of roofs and shining of lights will not suddenly convert to the weakness and feebleness of dim, unseeing bulbs.

I take no position, I make no judgment, at this point.

Instead, I give the benefit of the doubt.

I give it because my own expectation is that what transpired was not primarily about winning (at any cost also), but of wanting to have and live in a better Guyana.

And of wanting, also, to be about not what political fruits are forthcoming as reward (and hence to be guarded against losing), but of giving of self in the highest ideals of self-sacrifice and impeccable patriotic comportment.

After all, this is what democracy and clean governance is all about, what was fought for, and what has to be proven day in and day out.

I do trust that we will hear from all of them, who were so loud and livid before. Time will tell.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

Guyana must again hang its head in infamy DEAR EDITOR, Guyana must again hang its head in infamy and its citizens live with humiliation.

Our country most certainly has entered record books as we now have the longest ever election process in the world.

Now when Guyanese go abroad they would be remembered for Jim Jones and the world’s longest election.

Never has our country, even under the ruinous days of Mr. Burnham, has descended to such low ebb.

Our country has the entire OAS convene a special meeting to discuss the Guyana situation. Such notorieties are reserved for the worst of the lot and this is what Mr. Granger has done to us.

As I looked at the OAs meeting, I could not help but feel ashamed as a Guyanese after I listened to the presentations of AttorneyGeneral, Mr. Basil Williams, and Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr. Karen Cummings, to a meeting of the OAS on July 21, 2020.

These officials went into the gutter and lied to the OAS, which tells me that there is no shame the cabal would endure or perpetuate once they must hold on to power.

It seems to me too that Mr. Williams and Dr. Cummings are not only telling the lies but they very much believe them.

How else can we explain that they did not even flinch once as they sat stoically and addressed the OAS? Indeed,

they are a special kind of human who apparently lie without any remorse no doubt intending on perpetuating their guilty ways.

As I consider the actions of the ruling cabal, I am reminded of the stories I read and heard about from the holy books. Whatever your faith, each religion has captured episodes of evildoers seeking to impose their reign and way. But as those good books have thought us evil never triumphs.

I am sure as time recorded and history reminds us that these evildoers too will not win.

Yours sincerely, Liebert Alleyne

Principles are principles and they ought to remain sacrosanct DEAR EDITOR, I have concluded that the GPSU must have observed a different election from everyone else for it to reach the conclusions it recently disclosed. According to what I saw in the media, the workers union said it determined that they were irregularities, which marred the voting process. I had expected to learn more from the Union about its conclusions and I thought it would have offered specific examples of the irregularities it claimed occurred. Rather the GPSU offered abstract and empty statements as it sought to justify a hardly justifiable call for the elections to be

annulled. It begs the question that having knowledge of such occurrences what prevented the Union from making its views known earlier. Did it have to wait on any master/s?

The GPSU’s findings indeed stand out as they are the only observer grouping that has found s u c h i ssues during the election. It comes back to my statement that the Union had to be observing a different election. There exists no evidence that upholds this conclusion and the elections were given a clean bill of health that is until the actions of Mr. Mingo, which has gotten us where we are

presently.

I am saddened that a long-standing Union like the GPSU would throw caution and its credibility to the wind and unashamedly lend a voice to the Government.

Principles are principles and they ought to remain sacrosanct and not compromised on the whim or fancy. The action of the GPSU causes me great unease and causes me to wonder how can they really and on principled grounds represent their members?

Clearly, they have shown their hands and their members need to take notice.

Yours faithfully, Patricia Persaud

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 23, 2020

PAGE 07

Granger will not accept recount figures

By Shikema Dey

A

statement issued by the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition yesterday outlined the clear position of their leader, de facto President David Granger that he will not be accepting any declaration based on the figures derived from the National Recount.

This represents the most significant departure yet from prior commitments made by Granger, “We maintain,” the statement said, “that the Elections Commission can only make a 'declaration' based on valid votes. The recount process which was conducted, painstakingly, for thirty-three days revealed massive irregularities and

extensive fraud which cannot be foisted on the Guyanese people to contrive an outcome that betrays the will of the electorate.”

This is the latest doubling down on the President's position as expressed in his remarks to supporters outside of State House on July, in the wake of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruling in the Irfaan Ali vs Eslyn David et al case.

Granger told supporters that, “The matter will go back to the Election Commission but as far as we are concerned, we have evidence that there has been massive fraud and irregularities and we will continue the fight to make sure that your votes are counted.”

Granger's recent position stands not only in direct

conflict with international consensus on the credibility and validity of the National Recount figures, but also with his previous commitments to stand by what he referred to as the four Cs: the Constitution, the Court, the Commission, and CARICOM. Constitution President Granger in the past has repeatedly stated that he would “abide by the Constitution of Guyana.”

The party's statement in fact says that, “Any attempt to include fraudulent votes in a 'declaration' will constitute a violation of the constitution and the fundamental principles of democracy. We maintain that the Elections Commission can only make a 'declaration' based on valid votes.”

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) had

Three dead in separate road accidents

T

hree persons are n o w d e a d following separate road accidents that occurred on the East Coast and East Bank public roads within the last five days.

The most recent fatality is that of a pedal cyclist who was struck by a motorcar on Tuesday last.

According to the police, this deadly accident took place around 18:50hrs along the Melanie Public Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

It was reported that the dead cyclist, identified as Wayne James, 53, of Cinema Road, Melanie Damishana, swerved into the path of a motorcar. The pedal cyclist was proceeding east along the public road when all a sudden he made a dash to go north. According to the driver of the car, he applied brakes but could not avoid colliding with James.

The impact flung James a short distance away where he hit head on the paved road.

He was then picked by the driver in an unconscious state and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The police were notified of the incident and took the

- Latest coalition statement signals departure from prior commitments

another vehicle. His vehicle struck the woman.

He was placed before the Diamond Magistrate Court where he was charged by Magistrate Dead: Judy Latchman. He was Lamina charged with causing Adrian death due to dangerous driving.

He was granted bail in the sum $100,000.

However, this was not the only fatal accident that dri occurred on the East Bank ver into custody. that Sunday evening.

At around 19:30hrs that Meanwhile, police on the East Back of Demerara night, a 22-year-old man was (EBD) have managed to also struck down and killed wrap up investigations of an by a motorcar at Long Creek accident which claimed the along the Linden/Soesdyke life of a pensioner along Highway.

Police said the dead Linden Soesdyke/Highway.

Police said that the dead man, Leo Smith, who woman, identified as Lamina resides in the Long Creek Adrian, was struck down by community, was walking a motorcar while crossing along the corner of the road the highway on Sunday last when the driver of the car, number plate PTT 1959, at around 18:30hrs.

Persons who saw what reportedly lost control and transpired picked up Adrian collided with him.

The police were called to and rushed her to Diamond Diagnostic Centre where the scene and James was doctors pronounced her picked up and transported d e a d . P o l i c e l a t e r to the Linden Regional apprehended the driver of the Hospital where he was car responsible for the pronounced dead on arrival.

The driver was woman's demise.

I n v e s t i g a t i o n s apprehended by police and conducted revealed that the was later released on station driver, Delwyn Moore, 25, bail as investigations into the was speeding and overtook matter continue.

David Granger however, in their ruling in the Irfaan Ali vs Eslyn David et al case stated that, “Unless and until an election court decides otherwise, the votes already counted by the recount process as valid votes are incapable of being declared invalid by any person or authority other than the High Court through an election petition.”

What the CCJ also did in their ruling was to overturn the judgment passed by the Appellate Court deeming it invalid and of no effect. As a consequence, the 23rd June report of the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield that was supported by the President and his party that was based on this decision was similarly of no effect.

The President's statement then indirectly supports a departure from the Constitution on this critical issue as decided by the Guyana's apex court.

Court With regards to the courts, President Granger has always maintained that he would “respect their rulings”; however, despite saying in his statement that the party “as always, remains committed to the judicial process,” he disregarded the ruling made by the Guyana's

apex court in the Eslyn David case.

The Coalition, not satisfied with the judgment passed, filed an application in the High Court to regurgitate the same argument hashed out at the CCJ. The Chief Justice (CJ) Roxane George-Wiltshire in her ruling stated clearly that the relief sought by application, Mesinga Jones, an APNU+AFC counting agent was already settled by previous court decisions.

Nonetheless, the party again disregarded the CJ's ruling and filed an appeal with the Appellate Court.

To u c h i n g o n t h i s , APNU+AFC in their statement said, “The appellant Misenga Jones seeks to set aside or reverse the entire judgment of Chief Justice Roxane George” and added that such an appeal is (continued on page 18)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Thursday July 23, 2020

Karen Cummings sends false report on CCJ Judgment to OAS I

n a letter to the Chair of the Organization of American States (OAS) Permanent Council, Luis Cordero, Guyana's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karen Cummings sought to falsely represent the judgment of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on the recount case.

In the letter, dated July 19, 2020 – sent ahead of the special meeting of the Council, held on Tuesday, July 20 – Cummings stated that the “The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) was then approached and, in its ruling, invalidated the Recount Process, on the grounds that the Recount Order No. 60 of 2020 ought not to contradict the constitution of Guyana.”

The Caribbean Court stated in paragraph 47 of its full judgment in Irfaan Ali vs. Eslyn David et al, “Unless and until an election court decides otherwise, the votes already counted by the recount process as valid votes are incapable of being declared invalid by any person or authority other than the High Court through an election petition.”

The Court not only held that the recount process

could not be invalidated unless in an election petition after a final declaration is made; it held also that only the High Court has the jurisdiction to take up that mantle.

In presenting this false report to Ambassador Cordero, Cummings was arguing for the position of the coalition, which favoured not the transparent recount that showed it lost the elections, but the Returning Officers' district declarations, which most notably included the fraudulent March 13 Region Four declaration that would give the coalition a false national lead.

This became evident in the continuation of the Minister's letter, where she stated, “It [the CCJ] ruled, also, that the Chairman of the Election Commission must therefore act in accordance with the Constitution of Guyana and declare the elections results based on the Report presented by the Chief Election Officer. The Report presented by the Chief Election Officer on 11th July 2020 indicated that APNU+AFC received 236,777 votes and the PPPC, received 229,330 votes.”

Former Attorney General and PPP/C Executive, Anil Nandlall

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams

Those results were presented in a report by the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, largely based on the ten declarations made by the Returning Officers. In presenting this report to the Commission, Lowenfield disregarded multiple instructions handed to him in letters by the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), retired Justice Claudette Singh. Rather than giving Lowenfield the latitude to present any report he wished to, Guyana's apex Court

condemned his move to act unilaterally.

That Lowenfield is subject to the direction and control of the Commission was iterated by Justice Singh's lawyer, Kim KyteThomas in her argument to the High Court in the case of Misenga Jones vs. GECOM et al. Kyte-Thomas argued that “Lowenfield cannot go off on a frolic of his own and put himself above GECOM, the laws of Guyana and even the Constitution.”

This argument was upheld by Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire in her Monday ruling, in which she stated, “It is the Chairperson and GECOM that have the constitutional mandate” and that “the CEO cannot act on his own.”

Lowenfield's argument in that case, had also sought to discredit the recount, and that was summarily dismissed by the Chief Justice as “hopelessly

flawed”. Notably, the Chief Justice's judgment was premised on respect for the rulings of the CCJ and the Court of Appeal on cases pertaining to the recount, as it depended on the precedents set and decisions made by those Courts.

Probe launched into alleged arson attempt on Suriname Embassy

False reinforces false The content of the letter from the Foreign Minister to the Council Chair is consistent with another false statement made by the Attorney General, Basil Williams on Tuesday, the day of the special meeting, when he also falsely claimed that the CCJ nullified the recount.

Following the address by the two Ministers, PPP/C executive Anil Nandlall condemned Williams' false report.

“He [Williams] continues to spin a narrative that defies reality,” Nandlall said. “The narrative that he's

reciting is a narrative that is inconsistent with everything that every other person and every other organization have observed and spoke about and wrote about in relation to the Guyana elections. He just misrepresented completely, the ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice, its purport and effect.”

Nandlall further explained that the false narrative peddled by the coalition is what “the people of Guyana and the entire region have had to be confronted with and deal with on a daily basis – misrepresentations, lies and fabrications.”

He said that they so do, because “their repeated attempts to rig the elections are being uncovered and discovered and made public…”

The special meeting of the Permanent Council was adjourned and is set to continue at an undetermined date. Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the OAS, Sir Ronald Sanders had told Kaieteur News that the OAS, a union of 35 states, could authorise all of its member states to sanction Guyana as they see fit, if what is currently happening in the country is determined to have constituted a violation of the democratic principles of the region. Such action would have repercussions on CARICOM as well, since all CARICOM states are member states of the OAS, and its resolutions would be binding on them.

COVID-19 forces Lands and Surveys to introduce LiveChat

T

The Suriname Embassy building in Queenstown

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etectives at the Major Crimes Investigation Unit at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Police Headquarters have launched an investigation into an alleged arson attack on the Suriname Embassy yesterday morning.

According to a source, around 01:00hrs person(s) allegedly tossed a Molotov

cocktail at the embassy – located at the corner of Anira and New Garden Streets, Queenstown, Georgetown – which resulted in telephone wires being scorched and tiles on the lower flat receiving minor damage.

An alarm was raised, and due to swift action by the security guard, the flames were extinguished; the fire

service and police were then summoned.

The police reportedly found items that were used in the alleged arson attempt.

While the police have not made any official statement confirming the arson attempt on the embassy, other sources have confirmed that the incident happened and that an investigation was launched.

he Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) has introduced a new communication feature in its services to allow customers easier access to information and services provided by the commission in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The new feature, which is a LiveChat option offered by the Commission's website www.glsc.gov.gy, allows members of the public to chat in real time with staffers of the commission on accessing information on lease applications, letter of expressions, surveying,

payment methods. It also provides a platform for inquires and complaints, among other services.

Commissioner Trevor Benn, Head of GLSC, told Kaieteur News that this new feature is a result of efforts by the commission to meet the needs of its customers during the current COVID19 situation.

He explained that individuals have been flocking the commission's office in large numbers and due to the restrictions, the facility cannot accommodate everyone if it is to ensure that the social distancing requirement is followed.

“To ease the burden on the people and the commission, we have decided to set up the LiveChat option,” he said.

Further, Commissioner Benn also pointed out that the “people demanded” this option since there has been numerous messages on the GLSC Facebook page.

However, the large number of messages required someone manning the page full time.

The option also allows persons to leave offline messages, which will be responded to during its operating hours- 8:00am4:30pm Mondays-Fridays.

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 23, 2020

PAGE 09

Osaze and the plight of working class activists O

saze, who died recently, was a militant working class activist of the Working People's Alliance. He was also known in cultural circles as an artist and an exponent of African drumming. Some persons pronounced his name as Osas-say. He was particularly active during the late 1970's and early 1980's when the WPA was in its heyday.

Osaze used his musical and artistic talents to promote multicultural respect. He had an amazing ability to synchronize African rhythms to other genres, including Christian and Hindu music. Whatever the genre, he could seamlessly interpolate his African drumming into these genres, creating 'sweet, sweet' music. He demonstrated how African rhythms could transcend race and religion.

But while his music was able to transcend boundaries, he himself was never able to hurdle class prejudices inside and outside of his party. Osaze, like so m a n y o f t h e W PA ' s outstanding working class activists, died in poverty.

This is the price which working class persons have paid for their support of middle-class political leadership.

Many working class youths, like Osaze, were mesmerized by Walter

Rodney. Walter had a big following among working class youths. Kwayana too once had a following of street followers, drawn mainly from Buxton. These working class youth joined the WPA in the hope of contributing to a working class liberation from the Burnham dictatorship.

These activists were not men and women without ability. They had skills and they had know-how. They may have not been all certified but they were not without the means to earn a decent living in a fair society.

Their misfortune was that they became victims of the middle class leadership within and outside of their party. Having taken up the struggle against the Burnham dictatorship, they were to pay a huge price.

They were ostracized by their families, their friends and their own people.

Once you were associated with the WPA during the days of “Civil Rebellion”, you were designated as an enemy of the state. You were liable to be arrested on sight, beaten by thugs or placed under surveillance. The PNC had a recognition handbook which was given to policemen so that they could easily identify and harass opposition activists.

If you worked for the government, you could be liable to be dismissed or

transferred to a remote location for any act which displeased the PNC government. A headmistress of St. Roses High School and teachers from Corentyne were issued with letters of transfers in retaliation for their support for strike action.

Because of the high-level of political repression, even your own family and friends distanced themselves from you. They too were fearful of political victimization because of them associating or merely being seen in the company of WPA activists.

The PNC was so repressive that they would plant spies in the classrooms at the University of Guyana to see who was being critical of the government. These spies were often exposed when it came to final examinations. They were not registered as students and so they could not - nor were they interested - in writing examinations. Their sole purpose was to be in classroom to see who were critical of the PNC and to report this to their political masters.

Nobody wanted to have anything to do with you if you were associated with the WPA. It would have been almost impossible for you to secure a job in either the public or private sector – the latter being fearful of being victimized. The workingclass cadres of the WPA were

Dem boys seh...

Nah name yuh child after de Rigadier Dem boys rememba dat long ago when yuh get you fuss picknee, you does wan open de sacred book fuh find name. Nuff parents find name fuh dem children in de Bible.

But nowadays, yuh gat to be careful how yuh picking dem Bible names. Look how David, Joseph and Moses tun out. One man named he dog 'Five-Miles'. When his wife friend ask him why he did dat, he she: “Well, from now I can tell all my friends that I walk 'Five-Miles' every day!”

A pregnant woman fell into a coma during childbirth. When she regained consciousness, she was told by the nurses dat she was the proud mother of twins, a boy and a girl.

The nurse told her, “You

do not worry about finding names for them. Your brother done name them already.”

The mother almost caught a fit since her brother was not right in the head. In panic, she asked the nurse, “What names he gave them?” The nurse said: “He named the girl De-nise” The mother heaved a sigh of relief and said, “Well dat is not so bad. What did he name de boy?”

De nurse answer: “Denephew”.

But if you think dat was bad, think about the father who named his three sons Poo, Shut-Up and Manners.

One day, the three brothers were walking along the road when a car hit Poo

and he lay injured on the roadside. Manners agreed to stay and help he injured buddy while Shut-Up went to the police station to report the accident. Shut-up ran into the station and shouted: “My brother was just been hit by a car!”

This is how de convo went: The desk sergeant replied: “Ok, first I need to know your name.”

-“Shut up”.

-“No, I need to know your name.”

-“Shut up.”

-“Excuse me but where are your manners?” asked the Sergeant.

“Round the corner picking up Poo.” Talk half and careful who yuh name yuh child after.

therefore left on their own and forced to huddle behind leaders who after the death of Walter Rodney, could do little to assist these working class activists.

T h e W PA b a r e l y survived through donations from overseas friends and organizations. But when dictatorship ended, the donations dried up, and with it any chance of the party being able to help the party's working class activists who had carried the party's torch under Walter Rodney.

Those, like Osaze were forced to eke out an existence. There were so many others who were left with no support, no prospects except to try to earn a living from their artistic skills. Cultural industries are however underdeveloped and unsupported in Guyana. And so it was difficult for Osaze to make a living from his

drumming and art work. But he tried.

Another activist, known as 'Bun Beef' suffered the same fate. Working class activists paid a huge price for opposing the Burnham dictatorship and for blindly following a middle-class leadership.

The PNC would usually send thugs to assault and terrorize opposition activists. One of those thugs was a man called Blue. He ended up being a minibus driver. He used to openly boast about breaking-up W PA m e e t i n g s a n d physically assaulting activists on behalf of the PNC. For all the dirty work he did for the PNC, he ended-up a pauper. He was forced to beg for money on Regent Street. The middle class leadership of the PNC had no time for him after he became too old to beat-up people.

7

A few years ago, he was homeless and found dead on a parapet outside of the Georgetown Hospital. That is how the middle class political leadership in Guyana treat their working class activists. They use them and then dump them.

Working class activists have paid a huge price for their opposition to dictatorship. Osaze was one of them. He is now reunited with the ancestors but he must be looking down, with a rueful smile on some of his former comrades, who are now comfortably in bed with the would-be dictators and, sadly, using his name to justify their selfish and divisive agenda.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Thursday July 23, 2020

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

“The Lone Ranger” starring Lo Lo and directed by Raphael Trotman I

received an email from a well known diaspora Guyanese in which I was asked to publish an opinion as to whether the new government should not take a relook into serious past accusations made against people like Raphael Trotman and others now that they have shown their true colours.

My reaction was; “Why don't you write a letter to the Kaieteur News and Stabroek News” to which he replied, “They would be afraid of libel from Trotman and not carry it.”

I asked him why accusations against Trotman, Nagamootoo, Granger, etc. should be reopened? He said that after

the passage of time when you look at what people have turned out to be, then you wonder if we shouldn't look again at their past. Then with forceful pronouncement, he said; “Freddie, after all you wrote recently about Eusi Kwayana. You don't think there are secrets in his past?”

It is that statement that caused me to contact some lawyers. I said to them, I plan to write the following words, and queried whether they are libelous. Here they are; “The accusations made against Trotman and others in the past, maybe, should be relooked at.” Sanjeev Datadin, Anil Nandlall and Sase Gunraj told me there is nothing in those words that

libels Trotman.

Another prominent lawyer told me the same but said he does not want to be identified but I can transmit his name to my editor.

He did say I can go public with the information that he has taken Joe Harmon in front of the Legal Practitioners' Committee to be disciplined.

I think it is a fair question that needs probing. I have intense curiosity about what David Granger and Joe Harmon knew about the Walter Rodney tragedy.

A certain well-known trade unionist repeated in front of me and David Hinds what former army chief, Godwin Mc Pherson (deceased) told him about

the Rodney event. I hope David does not deny that Granger and Harmon were very highly placed in the army hierarchy at the time.

What about the movement of ballot boxes from the polling stations in the 1973 elections? Was the army high command involved?

Let's return to Trotman, this time not about the past but the present. Trotman using unambiguous language said that the report of the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield (Lo Lo), has to be accepted

by GECOM and there is no law or constitutional provision that can result in a rejection of his report.

In my column of Wednesday, July 15, 2020 under the title, “The crass ignorance of Raphael Trotman,” I wrote the following; “If the CEO in Guyana can submit a report and the body that administers the election system has to accept it, then we are talking about the most omnipotent person in Guyana. This gentleman then determines all by

himself who becomes president.”

I don't know if the present generation from the working class and the rural peasantry folks are aware of an exclamation we had back in my days as a small boy.

I think even the Georgetown middle classes knew it. When you “big up” yourself then you were shamelessly brought back down to earth, we would say, “yuh look like a cent ice.”

Well Raphael Trotman look like a cent ice after the Chief Justice (CJ) ruled on the omnipotence of Lo Lo. She used the word, “Lone Ranger”, meaning he could not pull his gun whenever he wanted to in any circumstances and remain above the law because he is not above the law.

Trotman made him the Lone Ranger. But the Chief Justice made him an ordinary citizen that is accountable to his bosses.

The CJ ruled that Lo Lo has bosses whose edicts he has to adhere to. Above I made reference to past accusations against people like Trotman.

Frederick Kissoon We must also look at their past education background.

Surely, it has to be an embarrassment to any law professor that one of his past students can proclaim to the world that in Guyana, the law and the constitution give unlimited power to one person to decide who wins the national election and who will be the president.

What goes through the mind of a trained lawyer that would make a statement for the world to see that any number that the CEO presents to Guyana's election body that organization has to accept it even though it is as stale as cow dung left in the mud for months. Since there is no sun, the dung remains stink and fetid. What was Trotman drinking when he uttered his massive asininity?

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

Thursday July 23, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Guyana bracing for thunderstorms

T

he Ministry of Agriculture's Hydrometeorologi cal Department yesterday warned residents to prepare for thunderstorms, especially over the northern areas.

This is as a result of Tropical Storm Gonzalo.

In a statement, the Hydromet Department disclosed that the National Hurricane Center had initially reported it as a tropical depression.

However, it was subsequently upgraded to a

Thursday July 23, 2020

Current and forecasted area where the center of TS Gonzalo will most likely be in the next five days. The yellow line shows the most likely trajectory

tropical storm at about 09:00 hrs yesterday.

Ad d i t i o n a l l y, t h e Hydromet Department noted that Gonzalo is not expected to directly impact Guyana unless the system changes its trajectory and begin to travel towards the south-west of its current position or it increases to in excess of 400 kilometres, which the department noted, was very improbable.

The department further stated that it will continue to monitor the situation.

Mazaruni inmate busted with marijuana in bucket

The suspected marijuana that was found in possession of the convicted inmate

A

convicted prisoner is currently being processed for court after he caught with more than a kilo of suspected marijuana in the Mazaruni Prison compound, Region 7.

Police said that inmate was spotted, at around

07:45hrs yesterday with a bucket, by a prison officer.

The inmate was acting suspiciously.

The officer then decided to walk towards where he was. Upon seeing the officer approaching him, the inmate ran behind the prison chapel but was pursued and

apprehended.

Officers searched the bucket he was carrying and found the suspected marijuana.

Kaieteur News understands that convicted inmate is currently serving a 20-year sentence at the Mazaruni facility for murder.

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 23, 2020

Govt. legitimacy rests on declaration of recount results - EU

Spokesperson for the EU's diplomatic service, Nabila Massrali

T

he 27-nation European Union (EU) yesterday issued a strong statement, warning that a legitimate Government can only be sworn in on the basis of a declaration of the credible results of the recount, supported by all Guyanese leaders and electoral stakeholders.

The EU had fielded an electoral observer mission to Guyana's elections.

The statement comes from the European External Action Service, which is the diplomatic service and combined foreign and defence ministry of the European Union.

“Following the elections in Guyana on 2nd March 2020, the clear ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) now provides a solid foundation for a peaceful

and democratic solution to Guyana's post-electoral crisis,” it said.

The CCJ had invalidated a report of the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, who had attempted to stray from the results of the recount.

While the results of the recount showed a win for the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) with a more than 15,000 vote lead ahead of the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition, Lowenfield in that report, added more than 20,000 ghost votes to grant the Coalition a false win at the March 2 elections.

The EU said that it is now up to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to “rapidly” issue a declaration based on the credible results of the recount certified by the Caribbean Community, in line with the CCJ's ruling.

Such a declaration, the union said, “is urgent and essential for the country.”

Their statement comes just one day after 21 countries, participating in a special meeting of the Organisation of American States (OAS) Permanent Council, called on GECOM to declare the results to Guyana's more-than-fourmonth-long election using the valid figures from the national recount.

Decomposed body in well…

Autopsy report reveals miner sustained head, neck injuries

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n autopsy report has revealed that a miner, whose partially decomposed body was found in a well at Puruni Landing, Mazaruni, Region Seven, had sustained head and neck injuries.

The post mortem that was conducted yesterday detailed that the dead miner, identified as Calvin Hamilton, 29, of Aranaputa Village, Region Nine, died as a result of blunt trauma to the head and asphyxiation due to drowning, c o m p o u n d e d b y compression injuries to the neck.

Hamilton's decomposing body was found on Sunday last at around 17:00hrs by an employee of a nearby

drinking spot who visited the well to pump water for his boss.

S u b s e q u e n t investigations revealed that Hamilton worked for a Brazilian mining company called “Hard Rock” and was last seen alive by his company's manager on Friday.

Police also found out that the miner was also seen by others drinking at a bar on the landing at around 19:00hrs that evening. One individual even claimed that Hamilton left the bar later that night heading for his camp.

As investigations continue, Hamilton's family are currently preparing for his cremation.

PAGE 13

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Thursday July 23, 2020

traffic Exxon's reports to Region 10 ups - 40% decrease in clampdown EPA silent on toxic serious accidents recorded for first half effects of flaring Officers engaging drivers in road safety sensitization

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or every oil development project in the Stabroek Block, ExxonMobil is required to submit a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

This document outlines the implications of the said project on the environment.

For the EPA, this report is key as it helps the authority to have a full understanding of the consequences of the project's worst case scenarios and whether it is worth the risk.

To date, ExxonMobil has submitted and received approval for EIAs for the Liza Phase One and Two development projects. Liza One is already producing about 80,000 barrels of oil per day while Liza Two is still receiving key infrastructural installations.

A third EIA was submitted for ExxonMobil's Payara project which is still awaiting the EPA's authorization.

These three documents acknowledge that there will be temporary, non-routine flaring when gas is not reinjected into the reservoirs.

By the same token, however, ExxonMobil and its consultants on the said reports, neglected to inform the EPA about the toxic chemicals that would be

An image showing what flaring looks like

released into the atmosphere during those activities much less the impact it would have on the environment.

The issue of flaring has been a most topical one for local and international environmentalists following the disclosure by the EPA that ExxonMobil has burnt over nine billion cubic feet of gas since May last.

EPA, the guardian of Guyana's environment said that ExxonMobil was forced to flare the gas due to mechanical issues experienced with its gas compressor system for the Liza Destiny oil vessel.

The faulty equipment is currently in Germany being repaired. In the meantime, ExxonMobil continues to burn associated gas at a rate of 12 to 15 million cubic feet

per day. At this rate, it will flare another billion cubic feet by mid-August.

Extensive research conducted by Kaieteur News shows that gas flaring contributes to climate change, which has serious implications for the world.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, was keen to note in one of its studies that gas flaring is actually a major source of greenhouse gases (GHG) contributing to global warming which could accelerate the problem of climatic change and harsh living conditions on earth, if not checked.

It was noted that flaring releases carbon dioxide and methane, the two major (continued on page 16)

R

e g i o n Te n ' s T r a f f i c Department has introduced several measures to ensure full compliance from road users.

The department also boasts a 40% decrease in serious accidents for the first half of 2020.

Head of the Department, Inspector Sherwin Henry, disclosed that the region has recorded a total of 11 road accidents with zero fatalities, during the period January - June 2020 as opposed to 15 accidents and two fatalities for the same period in 2019.

This represents a 27% decrease in road accidents when compared last year and a 40% decrease in serious accidents.

Further, he noted that for the first half of the year, 760 persons have been taken

Officers engaging in enforcement exercises before the courts for traffic offences in the region.

The officer also noted that the department continues to work in keeping with its mandate.

In the market area,

drivers have been engaged in road safety discussions, where the importance of safety regulations and precautions was stressed.

Officers within the department have also engaged in the brightening and repainting of road signs.

Henry added that despite the efforts made, motorcyclists continue to disregard the road safety regulations primarily by not wearing helmets.

Additionally, speaking about the current COVID-19 situation, Henry pointed out that the department continues to work with a number of agencies to enforce the guidelines, including the need for wearing masks in public.

He noted that there are currently two checkpoints in Bamia and Mabura where his team works along with Immigration Officers, health care providers, sanitizers and other personnel to enforce the orders.

To date, more than 65 persons have been charged for breaching curfew and orders in the region. The persons have been issued fines ranging from $10,000$16,000.

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 23, 2020

PAGE 15

Beloved Jamaican Singer, COVID-19 tally now 350 Dobby Dobson, Dies At 78 as 11 more test positive Jamaica (Jamaica Gleaner)- One of Jamaica's most beloved singers, Dobby Dobson, has died at the age of 78.

Dobson passed away at 4:30 p.m on Tuesday at a hospital in Florida.

Tommy Cowan of Glory Music reported that Dobson had COVID-19.

“I was told a couple days ago that he was in a bad way. He had Alzheimer's for a while now and was in a home, then he was diagnosed with COVID." Highland 'Dobby' Dobson was nicknamed 'Loving Pauper' after one of his better-known songs.

Dobson started singing in the early 1950s and recorded hit songs such as That

Dead: Dobby Dobson Wo n d e r f u l S o u n d a n d Mexican Divorce.

He had stints with legendary producers Coxsone Dodd and Duke Reid, recording as a member of both The Virtues and The Sheiks.

His signature song,

Loving Pauper was done for Reid.

Dobson, despite making a name for himself in the music business, kept his day job as a salesman and proofreader for The Gleaner.

The singer's big break came in 1971, when he recorded That Wonderful Sound for Rupie Edwards.

It sold over 40,000 copies in the Caribbean and was followed up by Endlessly, which created waves in the UK. In 1979, Dobson migrated to the United States.

In August 2011, he was conferred with the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer (OD) for his contribution to reggae music and Jamaican culture.

Homeless man found dead under market stall

T

he body of Víctor Persaud, a male of East Indian descent, was yesterday morning found at the Mon Repos Market, East Coast Demerara (ECD). According to police reports, the man is between the ages of 50 to 60 years old and has no fixed place of abode.

Police enquiries disclosed that a female, who would normally go and check on the man, told Roopnarine Mohamed, the owner of Big K Taxi Service, that she found Persaud lying motionless underneath a stall at the market.

The businessman, after checking, immediately called the Beterverwagting Police Station and reported the matter. Police have since processed and photographed the scene.

The body was examined for marks of violence but none was found. It was taken to the Lyken Funeral Parlour. An investigation has also been launched into the matter.

Guyana Covid-19 dashboard as at July 22, 2020

T

Dead: Víctor Persaud

he Ministry of Public Health ( M o P H ) yesterday reported that the number of confirmed cases of the novel Coronavirus continues to climb rapidly, with 11 new cases recorded.

This brings the country's total number of cases to 350 as at July 22.

Presently, there are 166 active cases in institutional isolation at various facilities throughout Guyana, with 33 in institutional quarantine.

The Ministry has also reported two more recoveries from the virus, bringing the total number recoveries to 165.

Meanwhile, the total number of deaths stands at 19. To date, a total of 3,919 persons were tested for the COVID-19 with 3,569 of those tests returning negative.

Since March 11, Guyana has seen a surge in positive cases despite the steady calls for adherence to the

guidelines set by MoPH as well as the National Covid19 Taskforce, with Regions 1 and 7 accounting for the majority of confirmed cases in the country.

Moreover, the World Health Organization has reported a total of 14,562,550 positive cases worldwide with the Americas accounting for 7,702,075 of the positive cases and 311,569 deaths out of the 607,781 worldwide totals.

Trini suspect held in connection with Cops seize shotguns, 2017 murder of Guyanese national arrest two farmers stabbed in the chest, and his Chaguanas,

A

Tr i n i d a d a n d Tobago man has been held for the murder of Guyanese national Meshach Yoel Mentore, also known as Joel.

According to a Loop TT news report, Mentore, 29, was killed on February 18, 2017 in Chaguanas.

The suspect was held over this past weekend, and investigators are expected to approach Director of Public Prosecutions, Roger Gaspard SC, for instructions on how to proceed against the suspect.

Mentore was found dead in the living room of his apartment along Henderson Street, Chaguanas. He was

Murdered Guyanese: Joel Mentore

throat had been slit.

A police report had said t h a t a r o u n d 11 : 1 5 h r s , Mentore's roommate found him in the living room of their apartment, unresponsive and bleeding from multiple stab wounds to his neck and chest.

Inspector Douglas and officers of the Chaguanas CID as well as Sgt. Ramjag and others of the Homicide Division Region III responded. The roommate said he last saw Mentore alive around 04:00hrs when he was going to the bathroom.

Mentor, a restaurant host, was pronounced dead at the scene.

with ganja

P

olice yesterday busted two farmers with ganja plants and three unlicensed shotguns at Moco Moco Village, Central Rupununi, Region Nine.

Ranks reported that they found a 23-year-old farmer with 341 grams of suspected cannabis in his home.

They took possession of the illegal substance and pressed him to tell them where he got the ganja.

He then took the ranks to his farm and showed them a field with thirty cannabis plants measuring from five to seven feet in height.

Not long after, another farmer, 59, was busted at his camp with three unlicensed shotguns. A search was then conducted at his farm and 41 cannabis plants measuring from one to five feet in height were discovered.

The farmers have since been detained and the plants were destroyed by fire.

The seized shotguns

PAGE 16

Thursday July 23, 2020

Kaieteur News

Over 1,000 students benefit from educational packages in Region 1

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Over 1,000 students in the Mabaruma and Matarkai, Region One, became beneficiaries of educational packages prepared by the region's Department of Education (DOE) in collaboration with Guyana Aid Region One Inc; a New Yorkbased non-profit organization.

Speaking with Kaieteur News, District Education Officer, Marti De Souza, said that it is his belief that nursery education is of the utmost importance, hence the initiative for the provision of relief packages was born. “…with schools still closed, the Department of Education in Region One is focused on ensuring that continuous learning remains intact.” De Souza explained that after schools were closed in March, two things were certain the first was that parents of nurs-

Marti De Souza (right) poses with parents

ery children did not have adequate materials to do any kind of work with their children and secondly, due to lack of wireless internet connection and technological resources, it would have been difficult for any effective 'online' class be held with children.

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dren of grades 1, 3 and 5, based on the curriculum set out by the Ministry of Education for the August term.

He explained that he met with the teachers, who studied and came up with content catering to the four core areas of studyLanguage, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.

The DEO explained the approximately 80,000 pages for workbooks were done with help from Guyana Aid, who donated five toner inks to the education department.

This donation, he noted, saw over 1,000 children in Mabaruma and some in Matarkai benefitting.

Furthermore, the DEO revealed that after word of the educational relief packages spread, his team received many requests

from persons throughout the country for the local workbooks to be made available.

The COVID-19 pandemic has, without a doubt, had an overwhelming affected on society, specifically on the delivery of educations across the country.

The Ministry of Public Health had hinted to the re-opening of schools in its daily update to the nation on Monday, despite the alarming number of cases being recorded daily.

In its release, the Ministry stated that, "Similarly, the Ministry is urging schools that are scheduled to reopen for the new academic year to begin thinking and drawing up a comprehensive plan to mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus in our schools.

Some of the workbooks created by Mabaruma's Department of Education

Exxon's reports to EPA silent... noted that flaring contributes to local and regional environmental problems, such as acid rain with attendant impact on agriculture, forests and other physical infrastructure. The acid rain results in environmental degradation, which includes soil and water contamination, and roof erosion.

Furthermore, there have been over 250 identified toxins released from flaring including carcinogens such as benzopyrene, benzene, carbon disulphide (CS2), carbonyl sulphide (COS) and toluene; metals such as mercury, arsenic and chromium; sour gas with Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) and Sulfur Dioxide (SO2); Nitrogen oxides (NOx); Carbon dioxide (CO2); and

methane (CH4) which contributes to the greenhouse gases . ExxonMobil's EIAs, including the one under review for the Payara project, make no mention of the foregoing.

It does note, however, that a flare system will be provided for the collection and safe disposition of produced hydrocarbon gases resulting from unplanned, non-routine relief and blow-down events.

ExxonMobil noted that relief events occur to prevent overpressure scenarios in the process equipment.

In addition, the American oil giant stated that temporary, non-routine flaring will occur during equipment maintenance, process upsets, and start-up.

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 23, 2020

PAGE 17

Elections declarations case set for Saturday…

AG to join appellant in matter; Lowenfield withdraws from active participation A

lthough he is listed as a respondent, Attorney General, (AG) Basil Williams S.C, has indicated an intention to join appellant, Misenga Jones in the matter filed to overturn the decision of the Acting Chief Justice (CJ) Roxane George-Wiltshire in the election declaration case.

Jones, an A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Counting Agent, had filed an appeal after the CJ ruled that the figures derived from the recount of the March 2, 2020 Regional and General Elections are valid and unless overturned by a Court in an election petition, it is the only data that could be used for the final declaration.

That data shows a victory for the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C). Jones is asking the Appeal Court to overturn the CJ's decision.

During the Case Management Conference (CMC) held via zoom y e s t e r d a y, p r e s i d i n g Appellate Court Justices

Rishi Persaud, Dawn Gregory along with High Court Judge, Priya Sewnarine- Beharry gave directions to a number of legal teams involved in the case.

Attorneys on record for the case include Trinidadian Senior Counsel, Douglas Mendes; Guyanese lawyers, Devindra Kissoon and Anil Nandlall for the PPP/C; Senior Counsel from Trinidad John Jeremie along with Attorneys, Mayo Robertson and Roysdale Forde for Jones; Senior Counsel, Ralph Ramkarran for the Liberty and Justice P a r t y, ( L J P ) ; K a m a l Ramkarran for A New United Guyana (ANUG); Sanjeev Datadin, Stephen Singh and Jameela Alli for the United Republican Party (URP); Attorney Kashir Khan who will appear in association with Mohamed Khan for The Citizen Initiative (TCI) and Change Guyana; and Timothy Jonas for The New Movement (TNM).

Attorney-at-law, Kim

Kyte-Thomas is appearing for GECOM's Chairperson, Justice (Ret'd) Claudette Singh and the Attorney General, Basil Williamsn, S.C is appearing for state alongside attorney-at-law, Maxwell Edwards.

Also on record for Chief Elections Officer, (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, the third named respondents in the matter, is, Neil Boston S.C. Boston indicated, however, he will not be actively participating in the appeal and as such will not be filing any submissions.

The judges ordered that the representatives of each party to file their submission with the court electronically by 3:00pm today.

The lawyers were instructed that their submissions should not be more than 10 pages and they will granted at least 20 minutes each to present their oral arguments .

Of note, the AG is also expected to file the grounds of his cross -appeal and submissions by today as well.

E'bo man charged for setting fire to CID office, army building

M

ere five days after his mother was charged with killing a taxi driver, Keyon Davis, 24, an excavator operator of Hibernia, Essequibo Coast was dragged to court. Yesterday, he was read charges two counts of setting fire to public buildings belonging to the state.

The defendant, Davis, appeared before Magistrate Esther Sam at the Suddie's Magistrate Court where he was not required to plea to the indictable charge.

It is alleged that on July 14, 2020 the defendant maliciously set fire to the CID office located at Anna Regina police station. He was also accused of setting fire to the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) Second Infantry Battalion at Maria's Lodge, Essequibo Coast.

Magistrate Sam granted the defendant bail in the sum $200,000 on each charge. The matter was adjourned to August 5th, 2020.

According to reports, on July 14 it was hectic day for fire fighters along the Essequibo Coast. They were forced to battle and contain two fires at the two government buildings in the wee hours of the morning.

At around 03:30hrs that day, the GDF

Second Infantry building was set on fire. About an hour later it was reported that CID headquarters in that Region Two area was on fire as well.

An investigation was launched and fire officials concluded that Charged: t h e f i r e s w e r e Keyon deliberately set. They Davis added that kerosene along with other flammable substances was used to ignite the fires.

Police took over the investigations and began the hunt for the arsonist.

Investigators stumbled up evidence indicating that both fires were linked to one individual.

There was also a possibility, based on the pattern used to start the two fires, that the same perpetrator might have been responsible for an earlier attempt on July 8th to set the Suddie Magistrate Court alight too.

As the case developed, police were led to excavator operator, Keyon Davism as the prime suspect. It was soon discovered that he was the son of a police special corporal, Vanessa Milo, who was charged on July 18 for manslaughter.

Police had believed that he was upset with the police over the matter and decided to light the fires as revenge.

High Court Justice, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry The Appeal Court set the hearing of the oral presentations to commence on 10:00hrs on Saturday.

Jones' matter is the third case filed on behalf of supporters of the government to prevent GECOM from making the declarations which would have placed Dr. Irfaan Ali, as the next president of Guyana.

In this case, the APNU+AFC Counting Agent wants the court to make a declaration that the CEO could instead use nothing but a report based on the March 13 district declarations as the basis on which a final election declaration would be made.

That report with the fraudulent March 13

Justice of Appeal, Dawn Gregory

Justice of Appeal, Rishi Persaud

APNU+AFC Counting Agent, Misenga Jones

Attorney General, Basil Williams S.C

declarations made by Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, has been rejected by the Guyana

Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairperson, retired Justice Claudette Singh.

Security guard loses home to fire

I

yana Thompson, a security guard attached the Professional Guards Service (PGS), held her two children tightly as she witnessed her home being destroyed by fire yesterday.

The fire consumed Thompson's onestorey wooden house located at 13th Field, Section A, South Sophia just after 09:00hrs.

Thompson had just arrived home from her job and made her way to a shop opposite to purchase chicken. As she was exiting the shop, her two children ran out of the house screaming, “Fire! Fire!”

She dropped her bag and rushed to the house to investigate but the smoke and flames were too much, forcing her to retreat.

Neighbours tried to assist as well but to no avail. The fire station was also contacted.

However, by the time firefighters reached the location, the woman's house was burnt to the ground. The woman's husband was later informed and left his workplace immediately to assist his family.

A neighbour took Thompson and her family into her home while the husband tried to make arrangements.

Meanwhile, Odessa Primus, a social media personality, took it upon herself to seek

assistance. She was successful in locating a house where the family can be accommodated. Anyone desirous of assisting this family can make contact with them on mobile number, 608-2346.

Also last evening a home at 4th Street, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, went up in flames Fortunately, no one was hurt.

(More details in tomorrow's edition of Kaieteur News) The home of the security guard on fire

PAGE 18

Thursday July 23, 2020

Kaieteur News

U.S. gives China 72 hours to shut Houston consulate - Trump says other closures ‘always possible’ B E I J I N G / WASHINGTON - (Reuters) The United States gave China 72 hours to close its consulate in Houston amid accusations of spying, marking a dramatic deterioration in relations between the world’s two biggest economies.

The U.S. State Department said yesterday the Chinese mission in Houston was being closed “to protect American intellectual property and Americans’ private information.”

President Donald Trump said in answer to a question at a news briefing it was “always possible” other Chinese missions could be closed too.

“We thought there was a fire in one that we did close,” Trump said. “I guess they were burning documents, or

burning papers, and I wonder what that’s all about.”

Overnight in Houston, firefighters went to the consulate after smoke was seen. Two U.S. government officials said they had information that documents were being burned there.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the consulate was operating normally.

The ministry said Washington had abruptly issued the demand to close the consulate on Tuesday and called it an “ u n p r e c e d e n t e d escalation.”

The Chinese Embassy in Washington had received “bomb and death threats” because of “smears & hatred” fanned by the U.S. government, spokeswoman

Hua Chunying wrote in a tweet.

“The U.S. should revoke its erroneous decision,” she said. “China will surely react with firm countermeasures.”

Communist Party rulers in Beijing were considering shutting the U.S. consulate in the central city of Wuhan in retaliation, a source with knowledge of the matter said.

U.S.-based China experts said Beijing could also opt to target more important consulates in Hong Kong, Shanghai or Guangzhou, something that could hurt American businesses.

Richard Grenell, who served until recently as acting director of U.S. national intelligence, suggested the United States could close the Chinese consulate in techheavy San Francisco.

“ I t ’s a c l o s e c a l l . I would have done both (Houston and San Francisco) but it also makes sense to start with one,” he told Reuters by text.

The Houston move comes in the run-up to the November U.S. presidential election, in which Trump and his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, have both tried to look tough towards China.

Speaking on a visit to Denmark, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo repeated accusations about Chinese theft of U.S. and European intellectual property, which he said were costing “hundreds of thousands of jobs.”

While offering no specifics about the Houston consulate, Pompeo referred to a U.S. Justice Department indictment on Tuesday of two Chinese nationals over what

it called a decade-long cyber espionage campaign that targeted defense contractors, COVID-19 researchers and hundreds of other victims worldwide.

Pompeo also referred to recent speeches by the head of the FBI and others that highlighted Chinese espionage activities.

“President Trump has said: ‘Enough. We are not going to allow this to continue to happen,’” he told reporters.

Republican Senator Marco Rubio, acting chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, described the Houston consulate on Twitter as the “central node of the Communist Party’s vast network of spies & influence operations in the United States.”

The New York Times quoted the top U.S. diplomat

for East Asia, David Stilwell, as saying that the Houston consulate had been at the “epicenter” of the Chinese army’s efforts to advance its warfare advantages by sending students to U.S. universities.

“We took a practical step to prevent them from doing that,” Stilwell told the Times.

Stephen Biegun, the State Department’s number two diplomat, told the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee the decision was made in response to “longstanding areas of concern.”

He said these included intellectual property theft and commercial espionage, as well as unequal treatment of U.S. diplomats, exporters, investors and media in China and abuse by China’s security services of the welcoming U.S. posture toward Chinese students and researchers.

Exxon's environmental damages in West Africa should ...

From page 3 had caused the damage complained against by the communities. Its subsidiary MPN expressed disappointment in the court's ruling and later signalled for appeal. The MPN claimed it had closely monitored the spill with Nigeria's local environmental and oil authorities and found that the three communities were not affected.

CHAD Even though Chad had discovered oil since the 1960s, Exxon only started production in 2003. Exxon entered the country despite the heavy amounts of corruption and poverty, offering to revolutionize the country's economy. The company ap-

peared to be so promising that President Idriss Deby government threw out two other oil companies that were then operating in the country to solely deal with Exxon.

Citizens of Chad were optimistic about the wealth the country was set to receive however, Exxon took advantage of the corruption, taking their oil and leaving the burden of heavy environmental damages.

Based on a report by the Chad-Cameroon Petroleum Development Project and Monitoring Alternatives Group in 2011, several complaints were filed by villagers.

This report contained the complaints of 25,220 persons belonging to 4,107 households in 25 villages in the Doba Basin oil field area. The

complaints concerned the Chad-Cameroon Petroleum Development and Pipeline Project that was approved in June 2000 by the World Bank.

Other companies like Royal Dutch Shell and Elf Aquitine were also involved in the project but dropped it due to controversies. Exxon then picked up on the project with support from the World Bank to raise support within the international community under strict environmental and social standards.

Nevertheless, the project saw villagers complaining about dying trees and cattle due to waste oil. These oil facilities reportedly reduced the local population's vital living space and their cultivable lands. The high-tension wires from the pipelines saw the

constant breaking of land into small parcels.

The project also saw the introduction of “quarries” also known as burrow pits where sand and gravel needed for the project was dumped.

The heavy rains saw water being accumulated in these pits and it later posed as a hazard to the general population. Instances occurred where children and animals drowned the pits, leaving villagers in absolute devastation.

The villagers also saw water levels refusing to drop, resulting disappearances of animal and plant species.

The Nya, Pende and Loule Riverways that sourced water for the entire project saw interferences with the villagers' ability to source food as well.

These river-ways were used as source for seafood for these villagers and due to contamination of the waterways many of the fish died leaving villagers on the hunt for another source of food.

The villagers also lamented that their cultivated lands were being flooded making it harder for farmers to have a way of life.

Villagers also reported being plagued with conditions like diarrhea, conjunctivitis, and schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease, contracted after villagers reported drinking contaminated waters. Mediocre compensations were in turn offered by Exxon, set at CFAF 17,500 to 180,000 which converts to US $308.551 to US $317.36 dollars per individual and household. Most of the

villagers simply refused.

In addition to the mass pollution caused by the toxic wastes ejected, the heavy pollution forced many villagers to abandon the area in search of healthy lands and a way of life.

Just recently, Guyana was made aware of ExxonMobil's dangerous flaring at its Liza Phase One Project and reports

by Environmental Protection Agency Head (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams stated that the oil giant is currently burning 2 million cubic feet of gas per day.

It was also reported that the flaring is releasing 250 toxins including cancer causing agents into the atmosphere which can be of severely harmful over the course of years.

Will Guyana follow the same path as West Africa?

Team revealed that the Opposition People's Progressive Party (PPP) won the March 2 Elections with a more than 15,000 valid vote lead ahead of APNU+AFC. Instead of conceding to their clear loss, the party continues to argue that the recount merely uncovered mass fraud and irregularities and stated that any result from the process would be tainted and unlawful. A majority of these allegations were raised by APNU+AFC during the recount process and to date, no hard hitting evidence has been provided to support them, a point raised in the

CARICOM report. Moreover, the three-member CARICOM Scrutineering Team in their report confirmed the results showing a win for the PPP and while they noted the irregularities brought to the fore by APNU+AFC, they stated that it would not affect the results. That report also received widespread support from a host of stakeholders in the international community.

The Coaliton's opposition to that report reached the doors of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the Irfaan Ali vs Eslyn David litigation and a clear ruling was handed

down, validating the recount results. Also, it should be noted that the President affirmed on more than one occasion confidence in the CARICOM team to overlook the recount process deeming them the most “legitimate interlocutor.”

In fact, Granger had said, “I am very confident in CARICOM's ability and integrity and I would just like to repeat what the Ambassador of Barbados to Washington said, that CARICOM is the most legitimate interlocutor on the Guyana situation. I am inspired by that remark and I share the sentiment that CARICOM is the most legitimate interlocutor on the Guyana situation.”

declaration of results based on valid votes,” every attempt made by the GECOM Chair, Justice Claudette Singh to produce a declaration has been met with court actions brought by the party and its supporters.

Even though the President has expressed high confidence in the GECOM Chair, declaring publicly his “trust” for her and the Commission, his actions have told a different story, including the Coalition's court challenges to her instructions to GECOM CEO to prepare a report based on the recount figures.

Those actions have also coupled with what has been condemned by observers, including the United Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch, as gross disrespect for the Chair; this includes slanderous postings by supporters on social media and a mock fu-

neral for Singh, held by APNU+AFC supporters in front of State House, one in which her effigy was placed in a coffin and kicked. Asked

by Kaieteur News last week to specifically condemn these attacks on the Chair, Granger had refused, saying only that the attacks were not “a policy” of his administration.

Granger will not accept recount figures

From page 7 “lawful, proper and guaranteed under the Constitution, our supreme law.”

CARICOM APNU+AFC said in their statement that, “The recount process which was conducted, painstakingly, for thirty-three days revealed massive irregularities and extensive fraud which cannot be foisted on the Guyanese people to contrive an outcome that betrays the will of the electorate.”

The results of the recount, supervised by a high-level CARICOM Scrutineering

Commission While the statement said that APNU+AFC is “committed to a lawful and credible

Open to Dialogue The Coalition ended their statement, noting that they are “open to dialogue with other political parties and stakeholders on the way forward for our country.”

“The APNU+AFC Coalition,” claimed the statement “is prepared to act responsibly to bring a resolution to the ongoing political situation. We remain confident of a credible and legitimate outcome to the elections.”

Thursday July 23, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 19

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Kaieteur News

Thursday July 23, 2020

Thursday July 23, 2020

Jofra Archer reveals racist abuse on social media during isolation

Jofra Archer bowls in the Manchester nets © Getty Images

ESPNcricinfo - Jofra Archer has revealed he has received racist abuse on social media during his spell in isolation following the biosecurity breach ahead of the second Test against West Indies at Old Trafford as he opened up on how difficult the last week has been for him.

Archer broke protocol when he opted to drive back to his flat in Hove last Tuesday instead of heading straight from the Ageas Bowl to Old Trafford under the strict guidelines laid down for this series. He was forced to miss the second Test then was handed a fine and written warning by the ECB. In his Daily Mail column

Thursday July 23, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Today you could feel full of energy and eager to get out for some exercise, Aries, but other responsibilities might threaten to keep you from doing it.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Libra, you're likely to want to retreat into your bedroom and slam the door today. You won't feel like talking or socializing with anyone, not even those closest to you.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Your energy is probably pretty low today. You won't feel like socializing, nor will you feel like staying in and reading or watching TV.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) This might prove to be one of those days in which it's very hard to get anything related to work or communication off the ground.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Career and financial goals could seem completely stalled, and this could have you depressed, frustrated, and in something of a panic.

Don't fall into this trap.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You might have planned to make a particular purchase today, Sagittarius, but a quick check of your financial situation could reveal that it would be better if you waited until your next payday.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) A colleague could be in a very bad mood,and therefore not the easiest person in the world to deal with. In fact, today he or she could resist working at all, and you might feel obligated to take up the slack.

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) A lack of physical and mental energy as well as motivation could have you in a lethargic mood today, Capricorn. You won't feel like doing much of anything.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Plans to go away on vacation or perhaps a business trip could be put on hold today, Leo. Events you might have been scheduled to attend could be temporarily postponed.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Usually you enjoy talking with others, Aquarius, but today you won't even want to answer the phone. Your physical stamina and mental energy are low, and you could feel out of sorts.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) This isn't a good day to visit the racetrack, Las Vegas, or any store that sells lottery tickets. Stay away from the stock market, too, Virgo.

Speculation of any kind now could be risky at best and disastrous at worst.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) A group of friends might want you to go out with them today, but you probably won't feel up to it. Your financial situation could also require a little belt-tightening now, so you may not feel you can justify the expense.

he talked about the impact of social media and the “fickle” nature of how a sportsman can be a hero one minute and heavily criticised the next. He said he understood that was the nature of playing international sport, but revealed he had discussed some of the abuse he has received with the ECB. “Some of the abuse I have taken over the past few days on Instagram has been racist and I have decided that enough is enough,” Archer said. “Since Wilfried Zaha, the Crystal Palace footballer, was abused by a 12-year-old online I drew a line and I will not allow anything to pass, so I have forwarded on my complaints to the ECB and that will go through the correct process.

“No one is going to be amazing all the time.

Sometimes I feel it’s not a fair world - really and truly. Over the last few days, I have unfollowed and muted a lot of social media profiles to get away from it.

I won’t be going back on it. I find it unnecessary noise. Take two wickets and everyone is back on the bandwagon again. It’s a fickle, fickle world we live in.”

Archer twice tested negative for Covid-19 during his five days in isolation and is eligible for selection for the final Test starting on Friday, but said he struggled to bowl in the nets when he was given dispensation to leave his room at the on-site hotel.

“I found I was struggling for motivation in the circumstances when it came to returning to bowling in the nets.

When I walked outside of my room for the first time since being placed into selfisolation for breaking the Covid-19 protocols, I heard the cameras clicking with every single step I took,” he said.

“The whole spectacle made me feel uneasy. I know what I did was an error of judgement and I have suffered the consequences of that.

I haven’t committed a crime and I want to start feeling myself again.”I spoke briefly to the doctor about how I’m feeling and also to Ben Stokes on Monday night.

Ben tried to advise me on how to deal with being in the spotlight of international sport.

He vowed to back me and support me. Now, I need to be 100 percent mentally right so that I can throw myself into my cricket this week.”

Olympics Athletics Coach...

From page 22 I walked to crease Police needed 87 to win and Mark Crandon said to me ‘just block’ and was giving me the last ball of the over to bat.

DCC won by 22 runs.

I remember that game because of the way we fought and thought if the top order had shown fight we would have won. Joseph bowled me one that was in Donovan Matthews’ gloves before I had played a shot…. he was the fastest bowler I have faced.

Another Memorable first division game for me was when I got Chanderpaul caught at gully for 33 at Malteenoes off the fourth ball of the over. I got so excited with dismissing a Test batsman that I went down to fine-leg thinking that the over was done and wondered why nobody was changing positions to the amusement of everyone.

In those days first division cricket was like a Test match with very large crowds and car drivers stopping on the road to watch,” continued Wilson who disclosed that Clayton Lambert was the most difficult batsman he has bowled to.

Wilson said he got into coaching when he lost the interest to move his cricket to a higher level and wanted to give back to cricket since he loved coaching.

A leg-injury which put his Athletics career on hold

for almost a year, prompted Wilson become a level 1 cricket Coach in 1996 just after he had passed his Athletics Coaching Course.

He used his Athletic Training to help Police pacer Trevor Benn make the Guyana Senior Squad and also helped Chris Barnwell and Derwin Christian get fit.

“I was not given an opportunity to Coach at Police since I was seen more as a physical trainer. I Coached the Police female team after Eddy Nichols and the late Daniel Richmond were transferred and Karen Cort, Dianne Ferrier-James and Abena Parker made the Guyana Team.

But female cricket died out and I could not get past the Coaches at Police at that time. Among the Coaches at Police at time were National U-19 Coach the late William Jeffery, and National Youth Coaches Wayne Jackson and Bharat Mangru.

“In 2011 Ramesh Sunich brought his Trophy Stall female softball team for me to Coach and they won two tournaments including the GTT 10-10 title which was my most memorable time as a Cricket Coach with June Ogle and Kavita Yadram from that team playing for Guyana in hardball cricket,” Wilson concluded.

In part two, Wilson, a 200 and 400 meters’ runner and Long Jumper, explains why he quit Athletics and how he became an Athletics Coach.

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Thursday July 23, 2020

Kaieteur News

South Africa could play Anderson hoping to partner series in B’dos just after CPL Broad in search of series win South Africa could tour the West Indies for a bilateral series for the first time since they won the Sir Vivian Richards Trophy 2-0 in the Three-Test series in 2010.

These revelations were broken by Veteran Cricket Commentator Guyanese born Reds Perriera on the Voice of Barbados (VOB) on Tuesday.

The 81-year-old Reds, who live in St Lucia, stated on Andrew Mason’s Tuesday night’s Radio programme in Barbados, the CWI CEO confirmed that preliminary discussions were being held but no date or itinerary has been confirmed as yet.

The series could take place at the Kensington Oval in Barbados where the South Africans could fly from London to the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados. The tour is tentatively set to commence about 10 days after the CPL (which is set for Trinidad behind closed doors), concludes on September 10.

If approved this series could be the fifth Caribbean tour since 1992 when South Africa reclaimed Test status when their ban due to the apartheid system was lifted and lost their first match after re-admission in the One-Test series in Barbados.

The West Indies Board and their South African counterparts will have to discuss a number of issues before approval for the series is given.

CWI will have to discuss all Health related protocols due the Covid-19 pandemic with the Barbados Government to see what can be arranged with regards to testing of teams, if spectators will be allowed in the venue and other Covid-19 issues.

The last time West Indies played South Africa in a Test series the hosts defeated West Indies 2-nil in a ThreeTest series in 2015. (Sean Devers)

2007 World Champs experience in Osaka lit Shelly’s competitive fire SportsMax - With two Olympic 100m titles, four World Championship 100m titles and a 200m title, and a World Indoor title among 18 global medals, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has had a legendary career. However, it took a trip to the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan to light the flame that propelled her to success.

“I came back home with a fire,” the 33-year-old icon told former Miss Jamaica Universe and Miss Universe runner-up Yendi Phillips on Phillips’ YouTube show Odyssey.

In the video that has so far garnered almost 55,000 views, Fraser-Pryce revealed that when she joined MVP Track Club, she was still not certain that a career in track and field is what she wanted to pursue.

Even when she was selected to be a member of the Jamaican team, she was still uncertain that this was her path in life.

“I only wanted to go, to go. I was so nervous. I was unsure of who I was at the time…still wasn’t sure what I wanted to do,” she said.

“If anybody had asked me at the time what I wanted to do, I wouldn’t say an athlete.

It was just there; an opportunity.”

Her indecision about what path she wanted to follow manifested in how she

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce trained during those early days.

“I got to training late most days, didn’t go to the gym because me did believe me was a go get tough. I went to practise and never completed the workouts. That changed when I went to the World Championships,” she said.

However, before the change occurred, Osaka proved to be quite difficult for the then 19-year-old upstart from Wolmer’s Girls. In Japan, she was a member of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team that won the silver medal that

year.

However, when she was told that she was running she said she cried because she didn’t want to run. The occasion also unsettled her.

“Separate and apart from that you’re thinking that this is a big thing and I didn’t want to mess it up,” she said.

History will recall that she did not mess things up.

Instead, a new reality dawned on her.

“I think what it did for me was that I saw something different. It is almost as if my eyes opened up to a reality that ‘them people ya wuk hard, you nuh’. You see the grit, the glory, you see defeat, you see so many different things, emotions, people crying when they crossed the line.”

It wasn’t all bad though.

There were great benefits to being a member of a medalwinning team.

She remembers sitting in the stands cheering teammate Veronica Campbell chasing down the USA’s Tori Edwards but just coming up short at the line. The USA won gold in 41.98 while Jamaica was a mere 0.03s behind in 42.01.

Belgium was third.

She happy for what was her first medal but also because “Me inna di money,” she said laughing.

As a member of the relay squad, Fraser-Pryce collected her share of US$40,000.

England’s James Anderson celebrates with Stuart Broad after taking the wicket of South Africa’s Faf du Plessis. (REUTERS/Mike Hutchings/file photo) MANCHESTER (Reuters) - England’s most successful bowler James Anderson feels he and Stuart Broad should be paired together to lead the bid for a series win in the decisive test against the West Indies.

The hosts are spoilt for choice ahead of tomorrow’s start of the third test at Old Trafford with Anderson, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood all looking to return to the team.

However, Broad, Sam Curran and Chris Woakes all made positive contributions to England’s 113-run victory in the second test, which ended on Monday.

A schedule of six matches in seven weeks against the West Indies and then Pakistan means England have had to rotate their bowlers and Anderson does not underestimate the difficult choices facing coach Chris Silverwood and captain Joe Root.

“I presume the best three players will play but it’s going to be a difficult decision for Joe and Chris and there will be some disappointed guys,” Anderson told a news conference yesterday.

There have been suggestions that

Anderson, who turns 38 next week and has a record 587 wickets for England, and 34-yearold Broad will likely not bowl again together but Anderson said he hoped this was not the case.

“Our record together speaks for itself and I’d really like to think that if we are both fit and England are picking their best bowling attack then we’d both be in that,” he said.

“It’s a good position to be in because it shows we have strength in depth,” Anderson added. England’s camp is still dealing with aches and pains after the exertions of the second test, also in Manchester, where they levelled the series after losing the first in Southampton.

“There is a bit of stiffness with the bowlers but that’s inevitable,” Anderson said.

“It’s about being smart with the practice now and going into Friday really fresh.

“We have a great opportunity to win the series and we want to kick on from last test’s win. If we keep looking to improve I’m sure we’ll put in another good performance this week.”

Top local performers recognised in observance of International Boxing Day As part its International Boxing Day celebrations held yesterday (July 22) the International Boxing Association (AIBA) had requested that every national boxing federation select and nominate individuals from their federation to be awarded for their achievements and performance.

The Executive of the Guyana Boxing Association in collaboration with its Coaches and Referee/ Judges Commission selected a number of boxers and officials for

awards. The list includes t w o A I B A T h r e e St a r coaches and two reigning Caribbean champions. In addition one AIBA One Star Referee/Judge has received the nod.

The GBA selectees are: 1. Best Elite Male Boxer: Keevin Allicock 2. Best Youth Female Boxer: Abiola Jackman 3 . B e s t Yo u t h M a l e Boxer: Mark Crawford 4. Best Coach: Sebert Blake 5. Best Official: Te r r e n c e Poole MS Technical Director 6. Best Referee/Judge: Lawrence Assanah

Abiola Jackman

Thursday July 23, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Ferrari restructure F1 technical department (Reuters) - Ferrari announced a restructuring of their Formula One technical department yesterday after struggling in the first three races of a season so far dominated

by Mercedes.

The sport’s oldest, most glamorous and successful team — last year’s runnersup — are fifth in the championship with Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc pushed into more of a midfield battle.

Ferrari said in a statement the team would have a more focused and simplified chain of command, with the heads of each department given “the necessary powers to achieve their objectives.”

Ferrari said Enrico Cardile would head up a new Performance Development department.

Other roles stay the same, with Enrico Gualtieri overseeing the power unit, Laurent Mekies remaining as Sporting Director in charge of trackside activities and Simone Resta head of chassis engineering.

“We are making changes to the technical side of the organisation so as to speed up the design and

development on the car performance front,” said principal Mattia Binotto.

“A change of direction was needed to define clear lines of responsibility and working processes, while reaffirming the company’s faith in its technical talent pool.

“The department run by Enrico Cardile will be able to count on the experience of Rory Byrne and established engineers such as David Sanchez. It will be the cornerstone of the car’s development.”

South African designer Byrne, 76, was a key figure during Ferrari’s golden era in the early years of the century with seven-times champion Michael Schumacher in a team led by Jean Todt with Ross Brawn as technical director.

Ferrari have not won a driver’s title since Kimi Raikkonen’s success in 2007 while their last constructors’ crown was in 2008.

Vettel, a four-times world champion with Red Bull, is leaving at the end of the year with Monegasque Leclerc the face of the future.

Binotto said Ferrari had to

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and mechanics during practice at the Singapore Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. (REUTERS/Feline Lim) “make a decisive change, raising the bar in terms of the responsibilities of the department heads.”

“We have said it several times, but it’s worth repeating: we have started to lay the foundations of a process

which should lead to a new and enduring winning cycle,” he added.

“It will take some time and

we will suffer setbacks like the one we are experiencing right now in terms of results and performance.”

Tokyo 2020 preparing to deliver Games with COVID-19: CEO Muto TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo Olympics organisers are preparing to host the Games next year even if the global coronavirus pandemic hasn’t eased substantially, organising committee chief executive Toshiro Muto told Reuters on Tuesday.

The Tokyo Olympics had been scheduled to start on Friday but were put back to 2021 b e c a u s e o f t h e pandemic.

Since then, organisers have scrambled to rearrange an event that has been almost a decade in the making whilst trying to ensure next y e a r ’s Olympics are safe for athletes, officials and supporters.

Muto said that although organisers hoped the threat posed by the virus could be reduced, nobody knows what the situation will be when the Games start on July 23, 2021.

Organisers are assuming coronavirus will remain a major problem.

“It is rather difficult for us to expect that the coronavirus pandemic is contained,” Muto told Reuters. “But if we can deliver the Games in Tokyo with coronavirus, Tokyo

Toshiro Muto, Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee Chief Executive Officer, speaks in front of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games mascot Miraitowa and Paralympic mascot Someity during an interview with Reuters. (REUTERS/Issei Kato) can be the role model for the next Olympic Games or other various international events.”

Muto said he hoped Tokyo 2020 could be the benchmark in a postpandemic world. “ B y d e l i v e ring the

Games successfully in Tokyo we strongly hope that can create a legacy that is in the history of mankind.”

NEW SPONSORS The delay to the Games will incur additional costs for organisers.

The International

Olympic Committee has already estimated that the postponement will cost them $800 million but the Japanese side has been less forthcoming in giving exact figures.

Muto said the final figure wouldn’t be known until December but hoped that bringing on new sponsors, despite the grim economic forecast, would help bridge the gap.

“I know that businesses are in dire circumstances because of coronavirus but still there are companies who are coming forward to say they want to sponsor the Games, which we appreciate very much,” Muto said.

“It is a bright piece of news.”

Yesterday, Tokyo 2020 a n n o u n c e d t h a t To k y o Skytree, the tallest tower in the world, is joining as a new Games sponsor.

Muto said he hoped all of Tokyo 2020’s current sponsors would extend their contracts until the start of the Games next year, although this will come at a cost.

A poll conducted by Japanese public broadcaster NHK last month found two-thirds of

Tokyo 2020’s corporate sponsors were undecided on whether to continue their support.

“We are hoping that there will be additional contributions (from existing sponsors) in terms of sponsorship fee because of the postponement of a year,” M u t o s a i d . “ We w o u l d appreciate a lot if they agree to this.”

Muto did not give the names of any other new sponsors.

SEPTEMBER MEETINGS The Games were already set to cost more than 1.35 trillion yen before the postponement, and increased spending might further alienate a public already sceptical of an Olympics they once embraced.

A recent poll conducted

by Kyodo News found that fewer than one in four favoured holding the Games as scheduled next year.

Muto said meetings would be held starting in September, with members of the Japanese government and the local To k y o Metropolitan Government on how best to rebuild support for the Games.

“By making a nationwide effort to implement all possible, conceivable measures to battle coronavirus, the people of the world will be able to come to Tokyo with a peace of mind,” he said. “Once we create such an environment, I think people’s opinions will change.”

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Thursday July 23, 2020

Kaieteur News

Olympics Athletics Coach Lyndon Wilson loves cricket more than Athletics (Part 1)

By Sean Devers “Cricket is my number one sport. If there is cricket on TV on one Channel and Athletics on another, you bet I would be watching cricket,” these were words of fifty-one-yearold three times AAG’s Coach of the year, Sergeant Lyndon Wilson, the National Athletics Coach who was Guyana’s Head Coach at the 2012 London Olympics.

Very surprising, most would say, since it was because of his involvement in Athletics that Wilson has had the opportunity to visit many countries, see many state-ofthe-Art Athletics Stadiums and meet some prominent people.

But what many don’t know is that Wilson was a good enough pacer to be invited to National youth trials in 1986, 1987 and 1988 and bowled to Carl Hooper, Keith Semple, Nolan McKenzie, Paul Persaud and the late Neezam Hafiz in those trial games.

In 1988 when we went to Barbados, Calvin Belgrave just ‘pipped’ him for the fast bowling spot in the Guyana U-19 team.

Wilson is also a qualified Cricket Coach, an International Cricket scorer and a former Police first division pacer.

In 2009 Wilson was selected as fitness Trainer for the Guyana First-Class team when Ravendranath Seeram was head Coach and helped with some coaching also.

Wilson was accredited as an Athletics Coach in 1996 and passed his level 1 cricket coaching course the same year.

In 1997, despite his inexperience, he was appointed Head Coach for Team Guyana at inter-Guiana Games.

Wilson, also a Sports Administrator, spoke about how he became an Athletics Coach, the build-up behind his surprise appointment as Head Coach for the Olympics and how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted him.

He also spoke of his disappointment with maintenance of the National Athletics Stadium at Lenora West Demerara during this two-part feature.

Wilson was born on December 18, 1968 and grew up on the East Coast Demerara in the Village of Mahaica.

He attended Helena Nursery, Helena Primary and the Bygeval Secondary school and was obsessed with sports from the time he

Former Police first division pacer Lyndon Wilson. could walk.

Wilson is the second of five children (3 boys and 2 girls) born to Charles and Marva Wilson and played every sport at school.

“I got interested in running at Nursery school.

We would get crayons, rulers, snacks and sweets and little gifts when we won and I would win most of the times.

In Secondary school we had more sports options, “I participated in athletics, cricket, volleyball, Basketball, football, hockey and table tennis. Sports was in my genes,” said Wilson.

He said life growing up, he was always very active and very sports orientated, adding that in those days’ schools had a sports term. He was not only very active on the field of play since was married twice and is the father of 21 children.

“I was the spectacle to my Village as a little boy walking around with my trophies and Medals I had just won and I was proud of my achievements. Yes, I also balanced my education and sports activities. As a youngster growing up I always believed in balancing the two,” informed Wilson, who resides in Mahaica although he works in the City.

“I grew up in the country and always loved running.

One of our main objectives when we were coming home from school was run and to catch those tractors that would go to rice fields or farm lands and most of the times I would get there first and jump on the Trailer.

There were so much challenges in the Village. We had to go the next Village to fetch water and I would run to reach the pipe first since there were many others there to get their bucket filled,” Wilson informed.

Wilson began as a wicketkeeper and off-spinner but Ex West Indies pacer Colin Croft, Ex West Indies Keeper Milton Pydanna and Ex Guyana Keeper Sidney Jackman

Wilson (standing left) with GTT 10-10 Champions Trophy Stall female team. changed him into a pacer because of his height.

“In those days International and National players would be sent to coach in schools. I would bat at number four and bowl first change.

I liked pace bowling and wanted to be like Colin Croft and Michael Holding but I began to pattern myself after Australian swing bowler Terry Alderman since I used to swing the ball both ways but mostly an out swinger.

I played for Jonestown Youth Club as Captain in Mahaica and played one third division match for GCC and one for DCC when Colin Alfred was Captain,” Wilson disclosed.

His interest for Cricket and Athletics stemmed from his strong background in sports as a little boy.

“Sports keeps you fit and healthy it brings joy to you when you do well. Cricket is my number one sport although most people know me from running and coaching Athletics for a long time.

I had a little yellow transistor Radio since I was four…five, I was listening cricket when Sobers was playing, I knew about Clive Lloyd even before I ever saw him.

I would be in school when West Indies were playing and bend my head close to the desk to listen to the score and when the teacher (Miss Chan) asked why was I bending so low I would tell her that I was

seeing the blackboard better since I had eye-problems; and she bought it.

One day she came over and caught me listening to cricket and did not impose any punishment on me because she wanted to know the score. It was the 1975 World Cup semi-finals and when I told her the score she belted out ‘We will be in the finals…We will be in the finals’ and I was so amazed,” Wilson remembered with a chuckle.

Wilson played his first competition at 15 in the Eddy Grant U-16 tournament on the East Coast as Jonestown Youth Club Captain.

“That’s where I first saw Chanderpaul as an eight-yearold playing for Unity and since then I knew he was Test material and up to now we are good friends. I scored 84 and took 4-34 and that match was my most memorable U 16 game.

“I joined the Guyana Police Force in March 27, 1987 just after leaving school. I worked for two months at the National Sports Council on Brickdam when Hamilton Green was the Sports Minister.

At Police my good friend Bharrat Mangru said if I bowled in-swingers I would get more LBWs and so we worked on that until I almost forgot how to get the ball to go away.

I played third, second and first division for Police but since they were so much batsmen ahead of me I began

paying more interest on my bowling,” added Wilson.

He got involved in scoring when he joined Police. “If I was the 12th, 13th or 14th man I did not like running out with the water so I would pick up the scorebook.

The late Rudolph Haynes (former first-class Umpire) played an important role in me being a scorer. He taught me all about scoring so later when I became an International scorer I knew exactly what to do if I was the official scorer or the Radio scorer. We used the Boxhill book, which is very detailed and entails more concentration. Scoring with the computer is much easier.

The thing I developed most from scoring was concentration. I remained focused and was not distracted or got frustrated even when there was lots of noise. I have scored 13 Test matches and close to 20 ODIs and countless regional and local inter-county matches,” explained Wilson.

The first time the young Cop scored an International match was in 1992 when Patrick Patterson hit Pakistani’s Mudassar Nazar’s helmet and got six leg-byes.

At age 20 Wilson scored for GBC Radio when Niam Chan did commentary in the 1989 Regional U-19 tournament in Guyana.

Not being selected for Guyana in his final year at youth level broke his spirt and he never played with the same

interest.

“I loved cricket and felt I could go on to play for the West Indies if the selectors at the time were more open minded and did not look at special clubs and where you came from. I think I would have been a part of the Guyana team at a young age when I was called to trials and that put me back a bit and I no longer took it serious and just played for the love of it and not to go higher.

I got frustrated and there was nobody around to talk me out of that psychological effect. I had to battle those feelings as a little boy all by myself. My father was busy working to provide for the family so I don’t blame him.

The senior players at Jonestown Youth Club like the Nichols brothers and lots of others who were involved in Guyana’s cricket were not that interactive, they would talk to you about cricket but not about what was affecting you psychologically or advise you to stay focus and explain what you should do mentally in such situations,” Wilson lamented.

At age 24 he made his first division debut for Police against DCC under the Captaincy of Wayne Jackson and played against McKenzie, the late Andre Lyght, Lynden Joseph, the late Lennox Hunte and Semple.

“We lost that game but I batted for over two hours without scoring a run. When (Continued on page 19)

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 23, 2020

PAGE 25

KK Persaud Memorial dominoes FIBA lifts suspensions on all set for August 9 at Tuschen competition after 5 months

A keen competition is anticipated on August 9 at Tuschen.

T

he inaugural Karan Kumar Persaud memorial dominoes competition has been set for August 9 at Devin/Chagel sports bar, Play Field Street, Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo.

The competition which is being organised

by Yugesh Persaud is expected to attract

teams from Wakenaam, Tuschen, Greenwich Park and Parika. Entrance fee is $4,000.

According to the organiser, the competition will be held annually and a keen contest is expected. Interested teams can contact Persaud on 693-1135 for registration.

Karan Kumar Persaud was a former Wakenaam businessman.

Windies coach Simmons expects fired-up Roach for final Test SportsMax - West Indies coach Phil Simmons expects a fired-up Kemar Roach for the third and decisive Test against England after the pace bowler finally broke a long drought.

Roach ended the second Test with overall figures of 4 for 95 but that did not tell the full story.

Prior to that, the pace bowler, despite crafting excellent, economic spells, had failed to claim a wicket for the entire first Test. In fact, Roach’s dismissal of Ben Stokes ended a wicket drought going back to August 31, 2019, and lasting 521 deliveries, or 86.5 overs.

It was a strange for the fast bowler, who

starred for the West Indies team the last time the teams met in the Caribbean, where he claimed 13 wickets, with one five and two four-wicket hauls. Now that he has got the monkey off his back, however, Simmons expects more wickets to come, which would be good news for the Windies.

“It’s great to see him getting wickets, it’s been a while since I have seen him bowl so well and not get wickets,” Simmons told members of the media on Sunday.

“I’m glad he is back in the wickets that will just fuel his fire for the next Test match.”

The West Indies will play England in the decisive Test, at Old Trafford, beginning tomorrow.

SKN Patriots to miss out on Rassie van der Dussen due to Covid19 travel restrictions

S

portsMax - The St Kitts and Nevis Patriots will not have the services of Rassie Van Der Dussen for the Patriots for the 2020 season of the Hero CPL. The Patriots had selected the prolific T20 batsman during the CPL draft earlier this month.

The 31-year-old cited travel restrictions caused by the Covid19 pandemic as the reason why he will not be able to fly to the Caribbean for the tournament that is to be held in Trinidad and Tobago starting next month.

“Very sad to announce that I will, unfortunately, miss #CPL this year.

Circumstances, lockdowns and closed borders made it impossible for me to get to

Rassie Van Der Dussen the Caribbean in these times,” he said in a post on his Instagram account on Tuesday.

“Good luck to the @sknpatriots, a team close to my heart. I will be following the #biggestparty closely.”

Van Der Dussen has scored 406 runs for South

Africa in 15 matches for South Africa after making his debut against Zimbabwe on October 9, 2018.

He was the leading runscorer during the 2017–18 Sunfoil Series, with 959 runs in 10 matches and was the joint-leading run-scorer in the 2018–19 CSA T20 Challenge tournament, with 348 runs in 10 matches.

In franchise cricket, he has represented the Vancouver Knights in the players’ draft for the inaugural edition of the Global T20 Canada tournament where he was also the leading run-scorer with 255 runs.

In October 2018, he was named in Jozi Stars’ squad for the first edition of the Mzansi Super League T20 tournament.

Following the report of the last meeting of the FIBA Medical Advisory Group (MAG), FIBA has decided to lift the suspension of all FIBA competitions that have been in place since March 13, 2020.

The restart of FIBA Competitions (Basketball and 3×3 Basketball) will be based on the adjusted calendar confirmed by the FIBA Executive Committee in April and the calendars for continental/sub-continental youth and club competitions approved accordingly by the Zone Boards, after consultation with the FIBA MAG. The FIBA MAG has identified a number of best practices of professional leagues that have restarted their competitions recently and collected many health protocols.

In order to help National Federations and Leagues with the planning for the return of their competitions in the next months, in addition to the Guidelines for the Return to Basketball published on May 26, FIBA will make available the collected national restart protocols to its members and will continue to provide advice through the FIBA Medical Commission.

Compliance with the applicable decisions of public authorities alongside FIBA’s rules and guidelines is of paramount importance for the health and safety of our players, coaches, officials and fans.

FIBA will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation on a daily basis and communicate further updates in regard to

Jermaine Slater, head of GABA FIBA Competitions regularly.

Head of the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA), Jermaine Slater, has welcomed this moved and in a social media message, he has urged players to be ready since GABA plans on rolling out their programmes as soon as the green light is given by the National Covid-19 Task Force.

Keevin Allicock and Sebert Blake

rt o p S

Olympics Athletics Coach Lyndon Wilson loves cricket more than Athletics (Part 1)

Top local performers recognised in observance of International Boxing Day South Africa could play series in B’dos just after CPL

Wilson top scored in a friendly game in 2012 in England.

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