Kaieteur News

K

AIETEUR NEWS

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

Election declaration case... Saturday Edition

Appeal amounts

to an abuse of court's

July 25, 2020 - Vol. 14 No. 29

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

process - GECOM Chair

Price $80

p.

13

Online readership yesterday 134,562

Lowenfield released on $450,000 bail for fraud charges

p.

8

APNU+AFC supporters flout COVID-19 restrictions to cheer Lowenfield at court p.

7

Keith Lowenfield

Middle Road residents in fear of bicycle, motorcycle p. bandits 15

Coalition plans Region 2 weekend - Regional Commander outreach unaware of meetings p.

3

Senior Counsel, Neil Boston, and Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield among others leaving court yesterday.

EPA needs to stop granting ExxonMobil permits in absence of critical info on flaring - Int'l Lawyer p.

2

Bar Association urges all to stand against attacks on Appeal Court Justices

p.

3

- says silence of political leadership disappointing, regrettable

Saturday July 25, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 02

EPA needs to stop granting ExxonMobil permits in absence of critical info on flaring - Int'l Lawyer

I

nternational Lawyer, Melinda Janki has expressed alarm that

the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted two permits to

American oil giant, ExxonMobil even though its Environmental Impact

Assessments (EIA) lack critical information on the harmful effects of flaring.

In those documents which Exxon submitted to the EPA, it admits that there will be temporary flaring or non-flaring during equipment maintenance, process upsets, and start-up.

It also notes that a flare system will be part of the Liza Destiny vessel for the collection and safe disposition of produced hydrocarbon gases resulting from unplanned, non-routine relief and blow-down events. What is noticeably absent however is crucial information on the harmful toxins that are released into the atmosphere when the gas is flared and not re-injected.

Over the last two weeks, Kaieteur News has reported extensively on the harmful carcinogens and greenhouse gases that are released into

[from left] International Lawyer, Melinda Janki and EPA Director, Dr. Vincent Adams the atmosphere when flaring is done. Upon noting that the EIAs did not have such critical information, the international lawyer told Kaieteur News that the EPA was therefore granting permits without the full knowledge of how

ExxonMobil's operations could impact the environment. She categorically stated that the only prudent decision going forward would be for the EPA to cancel the said permits, and grant same only (continued on page 9)

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 25, 2020

PAGE 03

Bar Association urges all to stand against attacks on Appeal Court Justices - says silence of political leadership disappointing, regrettable

T

he Bar Council of the Guyana Bar Association (GBA) is calling on all people to speak out against the recent attacks on Justices of the Court of Appeal, ahead of the hearing set for today on the elections declaration case “The Bar Association once again condemns,” a statement from the GBA said, “the recent inflammatory, malicious and racially charged statements, made over the past two days, through various forms of media, targeted again at the

Court of Appeal in yet another pending election matter. The Guyana Bar denounces and objects to any member of the judiciary being subjected to scurrilous, disrespectful, racial and indecent attacks, which do or have the tendency to scandalize or lower the authority of any court. All such actions which interfere with the due course of any judicial proceedings or obstruct the administration of justice in any other manner must be condemned.”

This is not the first time

that legal and judicial officers have been attacked during the elections process.

As the Council noted, “For the third time this month, we are moved to once again speak, as we have previously done condemning attacks on the judiciary, attorneys-atlaw and generally, persons in the lawful exercise of their profession and duties.

Over the past four months, judges presiding over matters touching and concerning the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections have been subjected to distasteful

Caribbean Airlines applies to GCCA for flights to Ogle Airport

unrelenting personal and other attacks which not only bring them into odium but also serve the undesired result of undermining public confidence in our judicial system.”

The Council said that the attacks have plunged society into a new, unimaginable low. It noted that the Court is

not immune from public criticism but such criticism must be fettered within the ambit of law and governing legal principles. In the case those principles are breached, the Council reminds that legal proceedings may be instituted against the perpetrator(s), with

imprisonment a possible penalty where applicable.

The Council said that political leaders, especially, should assuage and guide their supporters in responsible conduct. Their silence in the face of these attacks, the Council said, is disappointing and regrettable.

Coalition plans Region 2 weekend outreach - Regional Commander unaware of meetings

R

eports from the Guyana Civil A v i a t i o n Authority (GCAA) have indicated that Caribbean Airlines has applied for a licence to facilitate flights to the Eugene F. Correia International Airport at Ogle. These services are intended to be between Bridgetown, Barbados-Ogle and Port-of-Spain, TrinidadOgle.

Caribbean Airlines is currently extending their services to many places regionally after competitor LIAT's closure has, in recent weeks, seemed imminent. As of now, the future of the smaller regional airline is still uncertain however even after considerable efforts were made by Antiguan Prime Minister Gaston Brown to save the franchise.

Even though LIAT has stated that it is possible that their flights can be in the air within 60-90 days, Caribbean Airlines is still

determined to provide their services here in Guyana. If the licence is approved, flights can operate daily between the named destinations.

However, each flight would only be able to facilitate a maximum of 68 passengers.

With Guyana's airports set to be opened to flights from August 28, Caribbean Airlines has also published heavy restrictions which apply to all of their flights.

Passengers who refuse to wear a mask, for example, will not be allowed to board the aircraft.

In a statement, the airline s a i d , “ We r e q u i r e a l l customers to wear a facemask/covering throughout their entire journey at all Caribbean Airlines touch-points from check-in at the airport, departure gate areas, jet bridges and on-board the aircraft for the duration of the flight.”

The GCCA had issued similar statements to

incoming passengers for flights scheduled when the airports opens on August 28.

Penalties for refusal to wear masks were mentioned; however, the legal bases of the penalties are yet to be confirmed by this newspaper.

A Caribbean Airlines flight carrying 147 Guyanese from destinations like Cuba, Jamaica and Barbados arrived yesterday; that flight was approved by the GCAA. The two-stop flight left from Kingston Jamaica, headed to Havana Cuba then to Barbados before its arrival in Guyana.

The returning Guyanese are being subjected to sevenday self-isolation in their homes and were required to produce a negative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PC) and COVID-19 test.

Additionally, this newspaper learnt that the returning passengers will be required to check in frequently to ensure that they are isolating as instructed.

W

hile the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition has planned a packed itinerary of public meetings in Region Two set for today, the Guyana Police Force commander for that regional division is unaware that meetings are being held.

On Thursday, an image was circulated on Facebook purporting to be an official agenda for the public meetings.

The speakers assigned to various communities along the Essequibo Coast and further inland were: Annette Ferguson, Minister with responsibility for Housing; Youth Minister Simona Broomes; APNU+AFC counting agent Ganesh Mahipaul; People's National Congress Executive. Gary Best; Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix; Social Cohesion Minister, George Norton; Minister of

State, Dawn Hasting; and Business Minister Haimraj Rajkumar are scheduled to deliver addresses at the public meetings.

Notably, Rajkumar, who hails from the region, is the only Alliance For Change representative slated to speak.

The meetings begin at 9:30 am, with the latest one scheduled for 12:30 pm – the communities they cover include Danielstown, Suddie, Good Hope, Q u e e n s t o w n , C a p o e y, Mashabo, Mainstay, and Charity.

Concerns have been raised over the meetings being held in contravention of COVID-19 restrictions; when Kaieteur News sought a comment from People's National Congress Reform (PNCR) General Secretary Amna Ally, she refused to divulge any details, telling this paper that, “I will not confirm or deny anything about these meetings.”

The COVID-19 guidelines implemented by Health Minister, Volda Lawrence make no provision for large social gatherings during the pandemic.

The order gazetted on June 18 states that no person shall host attend or visit a private party, a recreational or competitive sporting event; a wedding, other than the bride, the bridegroom, official witnesses and the marriage officer; a banquet, ball or reception; a bar or rum shop; a wake or vigil; a gym; a spa; a club or discotheque; a meeting of a fraternal society, private or social club or civic association or organisation; or any other social activity.

The order also stated that where gatherings are allowed, they shall not exceed ten persons.

“I want to say to you,” Ally said, “…that whatever (continued on page 13)

PAGE 4

Saturday July 25, 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

Guyana will not be held to ransom Guyana will not be held to ransom by the APNU+AFC. The ruling Coalition will not succeed in trampling the democratic will of the people. The APNU+AFC has overstayed its welcome. The people of Guyana decided this on 2nd March. It is time for the Coalition to succumb to the people’s will and facilitate a democratic transition to a new government.

The country has been in limbo for more than four months, and for no reasons other than the dishonesty and obdurate refusal of the Coalition to accept the results of the elections of 2nd March 2020. Since the conclusion of voting, the country has witnessed the most blatant and barefaced attempt to rig the elections. These attempts have been described by the Head of the Observer Mission of the Organization of America States (OAS) as the most transparent attempt he has ever seen to rig an election.

From the manipulation of the tabulations of the results, to bizarre declaration, to the refusal of an election officer to comply with lawful instructions to an unending series of litigation and now to the attempts to prevent a lawful declaration of the elections’ results, the APNU+AFC has been on a collision course with the democratic will of the people.

The international community has rejected the APNU+AFC’s nefarious plot. De facto President David Granger and his government now stand isolated internationally. Not a single state has expressed its support for the APNU+AFC. The Organization of American States (OAS), the Commonwealth, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the European Union (EU) – which collectively account for more than two-thirds of the countries of the world – have been unanimous in their demand for the results of the recount to be used for the official declaration of the results.

The European Union has said that the legitimacy of the election – and consequently that of the consequent government – will depend on the recount results. The international community has signalled in no uncertain manner that any attempt to foist any regime other than the PPP/C will not be recognized.

Any continued efforts to disrespect the will of the people will have dire implications. International aid, so desperately needed to combat the coronavirus pandemic, is likely to be only dispensed on humanitarian grounds and through nongovernmental organizations. Developmental assistance, such as support for financing key infrastructural projects, including our sea defences and the Linden to Lethem Road, will be put on hold. Investment will dry-up as investors become fearful of political risks.

The country is also likely to become an outcast. Should the APNU+AFC refuse to demit office, the country is liable to be expelled or suspended from the OAS, the Commonwealth and the Caribbean Community. Any suspension of Guyana from the Caribbean Community will have serious implications for the thousands of Guyanese who are presently lawfully working in the islands by virtue of the free movement of labour under the Caribbean Single Market and Economy. Should Guyana be suspended from CARICOM, skilled-Guyanese will no longer be eligible to work without a work permit. This will result in thousands of Guyanese being deported back home. Guyana’s exports to the Caribbean will also suffer. Guyana exports its good dutyfree within the CARICOM single market and the loss of this preferential will make Guyana’s exports less competitive in these markets. This could result in a loss of market-share and a cessation of exports.

An illegitimate regime therefore has both political and economic consequences. It will lead to political ostracism and economic pain. This will filter down to the ordinary citizen already reeling from the economic impact of the fourmonth old political impasse and COVID-19 restrictions.

Those who believe that they will enjoy support for hijacking democracy are sorely mistaken. The people are in no mood to allow their democratic rights to be trampled upon by a small clique bent on protecting the interests of their

A shameful episode in history of the country DEAR EDITOR, Guyanese were long accustomed to electoral riggings committed by the PNC. But these were done in secret or behind closed doors utilizing varied stratagems. The refusal for the government to accept defeat after the votes were counted on March 3 was the first for the country. It is a most shameful resistance to defy the will of voters. A few countries in Africa tried such resistance but ultimately caved in. Guyana should not allow itself to be compared with African dictatorships.

Since 1992, when democracy returned after 28 years of authoritarian rule, democracy has been institutionalized after a long battle against the oppressive dictators.

Guyanese must never allow these gains to be reversed and must fight tooth and nail to have their votes that were recounted to be used for a declaration.

Guyanese in America are deeply disturbed by the reluctance of the Coalition Government to respect the rulings of the Guyana court on the election matter. In America, Guyanese are accustomed to a

society of law and order and respect for court rulings. In fact, Guyanese and other minorities rely on the court for enforcement of their civic rights. They expect the same in Guyana where the incumbent government has been defiant against the international community and the court. The CCJ spoke definitively to bring finality to the election – use the recount to declare the results.

That was three weeks ago, but it is being ignored and the judicial process in Guyana is being abused to prevent a declaration of the results.

In the US, Guyanese of all ethnicities, minorities relative to the dominant White race group, have been victims of racism and occasional electoral fraud. But when they approached the court, they got justice. When the court spoke, the government and the dominant White people who controlled the levers of power, listened and respect the law. It was the court that ended racial segregation and electoral fraud that empowered Black Americans. The court recognized the injustice of electoral fraud that prevented Blacks from getting a fair share of electoral representation and the court corrected it. It was also the court that corrected the historic

injustice of segregation and lack of political representation in South Africa. White judges were relatively fair to the non-Whites like Blacks, Indians, and Coloureds or Mixed. The governments during and postapartheid respected the rulings of the court. It is shameful that the same is not happening in Guyana whose final court declared that the recount exercise must be the basis for the declaration of the March 2 election. Imagine racist governments in South Africa and America, long opposed to equality and the right to vote for non-Whites, have gone past their racism and allowed Blacks, Indians, Mixed and others to vote and have their vote counted. But in Guyana, a non-White state, in this era of the year 2020, the government is unwilling to have the votes counted and used as the basis for an election declaration. A non-White government is unwilling to heed the ruling of a court. Such behaviour is worse than what happened in Jim Crow USA and apartheid South Africa.

Guyanese and the people of the world will long remember this resistance to law and reluctance to accept electoral defeat as a most shameful episode in the

history of Guyana if not the world. A government lost a free and fair election but is unwilling to step down. It is long past the time to put an end to judicial recourse as the plan to stop the declaration of the results.

And the court must also stop being a part of the plan to tolerate electoral fraud.

Guyanese say some judges clearly compromised their integrity or a spirit of fairness that existed even among White racist judges in South Africa and America. The court must stop entertaining appeals and filings of matters that are ‘res adjudicata’ (already decided upon to finality). The current matter before the CoA should be dismissed quickly. Judicial integrity requires that judges act unanimously to throw it out. I recall in my studies of American constitutional law on desegregation (Brown vs Board of Ed), Chief Justice Earl Warren surveyed the judges and those who planned to vote no desegregation; he convinced them with lucid arguments why they must vote yes. No judge should oppose as important a matter as equality of all people regardless of race or colour.

Likewise, no judge should (Continued on page 6)

The choice before us DEAR EDITOR, The latest developments between the USA and China to many echo the beginning of a cold war if not a warm one. With it comes a clear but difficult choice to be made on our continent’s coast. Being wed to China and historically close to Communism if not Socialism does present a danger that should be avoided. It is clear that how

Venezuela goes so does the risk to Guyana.

The choice before us is one that a bipartisan Parliamentary Committee should take, however the current dynamics in the political atmosphere does present some barriers.

It is imperative that those barriers are overcome quickly to avoid a long walk in the wilderness for the loser of this

key diplomatic decision that lies ahead. Economics suggests that our future remains pegged to the USA. However, the influence of China and its Allies continues to grow. Oh beautiful Japan, what joy it would be to be in your disciplined embrace.

The security of a firm and cooperative alliance with the UK, USA, Japan and France is historically nurturing and

the Swiss continue to walk that fine line as an example for many to follow. Europe is where we have historically stood and Canada has also been a strong partner. The choice before us should be clear.

Best regards, Mr. Jamil Changlee Chairman The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

GECOM needs to declare the recount results; an election petition is the tool to challenge the declaration in court DEAR EDITOR, As a politically neutral observer of Guyanese and Swiss descent residing abroad, I have raised in the past concerns that the number of votes cast in the 2020 General Elections appear to be too high (see Guyana Chronicle of July 11, 2020)[1].

In short, with an estimated 477,910 eligible voters living in Guyana and 460,295 votes cast in the 2020 general elections, the voter turnout would be 96.3%. This is rather unrealistic for many reasons and uncommon in liberal democracies. To date, I still have not seen any credible

financiers and to conceal the secretive and perfidious deals.

A return to dictatorship will grant a license for the further rape of the country’s patrimony. Carpetbaggers like nothing better than to deal with illegitimate regimes. A return to dictatorship will continue to enrich a few at the expense of many. A return to dictatorship will see result in a massive wave of exodus, both legal and illegal, of Guyanese to the Caribbean, North America and Europe.

For the sake of themselves and their children, Guyanese must reject the attempt of the APNU+AFC to remain in power against the people’s will. All right-thinking citizens must reject the return to political dictatorship. It is Guyana’s only chance.

and convincing evidence disproving my analysis.

However, given the recent court decisions, I believe that time has come for GECOM to declare the results on the basis of the recount votes. It is in the national interest to move on. As I understand, Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield is not willing to do so as he has serious issues with the validity of a significant portion of the votes cast. He is entitled to his views, but the Guyana High Court does not support them. Hence, my advice to Mr. Lowenfield is to step down in order to clear the way for GECOM to declare the results of the recount.

Importantly, however, I encourage Mr. Lowenfield,

the APNU+AFC or any other party with evidence of election fraud to challenge the declaration by filing an election petition in accordance with the provisions of Article 163 of the Constitution of Guyana.

This will be the proper and constitutional venue to present evidence in support of the notion of too many votes cast or any other election irregularities concerning the 2020 General Elections. Foreign governments and international organization will hardly be able to label such actions as illegal.

Andre Brandli, PhD Professor of Molecular Pathophysiology University of Munich, Germany

Saturday July 25, 2020

PAGE 5

Kaieteur News

Guyana is restless and sleepless and cannot stand alone DEAR EDITOR, A rainbow is not a tangible item nor is it a mirage but an optical illusion that may be described as a multicoloured arch in the sky, produced by prismatic refraction, reflection and dispersion of light within droplets of rain in the air. This meteorological phenomenon decorates the sky in the day with the help of the sun and also in the night with the support of the moon. Artists dabble with its bright colours of red, orange, yellow, green, cyan (light blue), Indigo (deep blue) and violet. In every religion and culture, on seeing a rainbow, some may associate a spiritual meaning to represent hope, inspiration, promise and a bridge linking earth to heaven. In Chinese legend, it is a symbol of “yin and yang,” recognizing five colours in harmony to represent perfect balance. For animal lovers, on the demise of a cat or dog in particular, the rainbow comforts the owners with a belief that, the lost pet would travel on that bridge to a far beyond and continue to live and play happily. In Southeast Texas, USA ( Guyana’s powerful ally and perhaps a key deciding factor if not influencer), there is the “Rainbow Bridge,” a through truss bridge that crosses the Neches River, handling westbound traffic only (the Veterans Memorial Bridge serves the eastbound traffic).

Guyana’s weather is playing havoc and certainly

lived up to its name and nature for the past weeks and a similar pattern is promised going forward.

Its meteorological, psychological and political effects synchronize if not run parallel and concurrent, reflecting a deeper significance, painted with the colours of doom and gloom and do affect the daily lives of the impoverished Guyanese. Many are praying to the Divine, looking up to the heaven, desperately peeping, peering and searching for the blessed sight of the beautiful and colourful rainbow in the sky, desperately expecting and pinning a ray of hope that we shall overcome all the obstacles and hurdles, waiting for the promised day when good will triumph over evil, truth shall survive and the land will once again be fertilized with the blood, sweat and tears of loving Guyanese, living in unity and strength to build a more prosperous Guyana so that equality, justice and fraternity will truly paint a representative picture with the rainbow colours, portraying the path that leads to one people in one nation with one destiny. Let us hope the tropical storm Gonzalo passes without any damage so that Guyana can see a rainbow.

At the rate the APNU+AFC Party is dictating the pace of this nation, this country is uncertain if and when a new government will

be allowed to administrate the affairs of this nation. With all the shenanigans, pussyfooting, Tom foolery, the political mischievousness, economic misdemeanours, tongue twisters, lies, deceits, malicious attacks, financial misconduct, vexatious court litigations and dangerous propaganda perpetrated by the APNU+AFC Party, this callous behaviour stifles the will of the people to freely and creditably elect the PPP/C Party to occupy their rightful place as the legitimate government of Guyana for the next five years at least. The majority of the Guyanese electorate has voted and the Madam Chair for GECOM has promised to uphold the laws of this country when she swore on the Holy Book to abide by the constitution and do that what is only right and just. Ms. Claudette Singh needs to clear the dark clouds and show the rainbow to the public so that this Divine inspiration will translate to the immediate conclusion of the election process with the legitimate recount result. This is the first bridge that Guyanese need to cross.

If and when the PPP/C Party is allowed to govern, they will then be allowed to reveal their manifesto that has the potential to translate a dream into reality with a jam packed programme. This agenda promises an umbrella that covers and protects all of Guyana, embraces each person, reflects equitable distribution and

An important lesson to be drawn from the COVID-19 pandemic DEAR EDITOR, An important lesson to be drawn from the COVID-19 pandemic is that authoritarian regimes that disregard the human rights of citizens will take advantage of any crisis, even a global health crisis.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is a case in point. Iranian authorities are using this period to intensify persecutions against the largest non-Muslim religious minority in the country– the Baha’is. Amid the pandemic we have seen a wave of antiBaha’i propaganda and arbitrary arrest. Last month, at least 77 arrests were made across the country of people whose only “crime” is their belief. The sentences that follow are absurdly harsh and

send them to prisons where the COVID-19 virus is rapidly spreading.

Indigenous to Iran, the Bahá’i faith is a world religion which recently celebrated the bicentenary of the birth of its prophet-founder, Bahá’u’lláh.

The central tenant of His teaching is the essential unity of humankind. Baha’is in Ireland are gravely concerned by the state-sponsored dehumanization and campaign of persecution faced by fellow believers in

the cradle of the faith. We are also proud of the fact that more than several countries around the world MP and Prime Ministers and leading medics have signed a statement calling on the Iranian government to cease arrest and imprisonment of their Baha’i citizens.

As matters stand today, the safety of an entire Iranian Baha’i community relies completely on the vigilance of the international community.

Yours sincerely, Rooplall Dudhnath

accommodates the need for development and prosperity in a united and peaceful manner.

The proper management of COVID-19 repercussions takes precedence and a general review of the PPP/C Party’s priorities has to be revisited, going back to the planning board. How fast and how much Guyanese can start to enjoy the benefits of a new government cannot be openly guaranteed or correctly anticipated. This is so because of the sad state of affairs the APNU+AFC Party currently maintains the status quo of this nation. What type of damage control do you implement to harness this bankrupt nation will be a gigantic challenge and so you cannot count the chickens before they are hatched.

All eyes will definitely be watching the PPP/C Party once they get in office. Every action will be scrutinized. All ears will be opened, waiting and listening for the sound emanating from even the drop of a pin. The “rumour mongers” will be working overnight. Voices will be so vocal that throats will be parched from their outbursts.

The least error will be chastised and opponents will be on a determined mission to audit each and every transaction. Mistakes will not be allowed or forgiven and there will be no room for a second opinion. They will have to hit the ground hard, running as fast as possible without pausing for breath.

That is the unrealistic expectation that the

opposition will tolerate. As such, the PPP/C Party will have to be on their P’s and Q’s each and every second, must cross their T’s and dot their I’s and leave no space for blots. Their actions will be under the microscope and the hand of the surgeon will be poised with a scalpel. Bear in mind, those who mean well will want the PPP/C Party to succeed and, don’t be surprised, the current critics of the APNU+AFC Party will be the ones to continue to provide critical support either with their voices or the fingers or both. The PPP/C Party will certainly need to stay in line and not repeat any mistakes they would have incurred before. But, let us cross that bridge when we reach it.

The APNU+AFC Party has been caught with their pants down on numerous occasions; they are deeply wounded, badly hurt, in a hole and cornered. They have placed the knee on the backs of their very own supporters and are ashamed. But they need a way out because they are approaching the end of the game knowing that they are not the winner, especially with the US implementing immediate sanctions with more to follow.

Their last resort is to be brazen, look defiant and want to negotiate with the instrument of bartering, borrowing, begging and bargaining as a disguised tool. But the silence of distrust speaks louder than their bullish demand. Their sole intention to own and control, precedes any

compromised intention.

Voicing publicly their total disregard for the scrutinized CARICOM recount result and refusing to accept its creditable and legitimate declaration unleashes a threat rather than a comment, sounding a clear warning.

Luckily, the international community has our backs covered and is supportive of a democratic Guyana. The international community wants the APNU+AFC Party to accept the legal and legitimate election recount result as the creditable declaration and allow GECOM to complete the election process without further mischievous court litigations. Guyana cannot abuse those honourable dignitaries who have been out spoken against the APNU+AFC Party thwarting the will of the people. We came a long way with the entire world holding our hands and so, we cannot burn the bridge we have crossed. The APNU+AFC Party with a ring leader for a rogue, certainly does not mean well and does not have the interest of Guyana at heart, otherwise, he would have prevented the court litigation starting Saturday with the COA. Guyana is restless and sleepless and cannot stand alone; it still needs the blessings and help of the entire international community to safely cross the rainbow bridge in order to achieve real freedom from the cabal of rogues.

Respectfully, Jai Lall

PAGE 6

Saturday July 25, 2020

Kaieteur News

The Coalition is in the Wilderness DEAR EDITOR, It was interesting to learn that some senior members of the APNU coalition have finally acknowledged that the Recount Numbers are legitimate in keeping with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and the Chief Justice of Guyana ruling that GECOM must make the declaration using the recount votes. Despite the clear and comprehensive rulings by the CCJ and the Chief Justice that any aggrieved party(s) must file an election petition after a new president is sworn in, APNU continues to abuse the legal system. Since the election on March 2, 2020, the APNU coalition has realized that the PPP has won the election but instead of accepting the results, they have flooded the Courts with several cases in order to buttress their position. And so far, they have lost every case.

The reaction from many prominent Guyanese is that the senior members of the coalition are not only confused and dictatorial, but they are

downright dishonest. Many including David Granger, Joe Harmon and Moses Nagamootoo, to name a few, have refused to accept the results of the recount despite the fact that both President Granger and Bharrat Jagdeo have invited a team from CARICOM to scrutinize the recount. In fact, Mr. Granger has publicly stated that he was very confident in CARICOM’s ability and integrity and as the most legitimate interlocutor in the Guyana situation. However, Mr. Granger has refused to accept the pronouncement by CARICOM that the recount was credible. We have concluded that the allegations by the APNU coalition that more than 100,000 persons who voted were either dead or migrated is so silly that even a ten year old would not believe them. Plain and simple, APNU has lost the election and instead of accepting defeat, they have been hiding behind the courts, and spreading fibs to their supporters that they have won and the PPP has rigged the

elections. We want to tell Granger and his team that when a government, which has control of the electoral machinery allowed the opposition to rig an election and won it, then that government is not fit to govern the country.

Their allegations are just that “allegations”. They have not been proven and we are confident that no court will accept APNU’s fairy tales. The Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, now the Chairman of GECOM has rightly said the members of APNU should “take their licks like a man”. APNU should know by now that the courts have not ruled in their favour and will not do so in the Misenga Jones case that is before the Guyana Court of Appeal. The Chief Justice has issued a stern warning to APNU lawyers not to waste the court’s time and resources by filing cases under different names that have already been adjudicated by the CCJ. This according to the Chief Justice is an abuse of power and the legal system. Shame on the

Granger cabal. Even the Chief Justice has seen their crooked ways which the international community will not accept.

The truth is APNU has run out of legal options available to them and GECOM will not and cannot save them.

So with no options remaining, they have become very vicious, bombastic and satanic in their inhuman-like behaviour. They have attacked every institution, every organization including GECOM, every country including Canada and the United States and every individual including the former Prime Ministers of Barbados and Jamaica, the current Prime Ministers of Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines all of whom have told the Granger government that the recount votes are valid and must be used to make a declaration of the winner, be it APNU or the PPP. As the former Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin has said, the world is against

THERE’S A HOLE IN THE BARREL

By Tulsi Dyal Before Liza One and Liza Two, before barrels of oil by the billions There was Liza, pronounced in rhyme with miser, and her famous bucket.

You might remember Harry on the radio, going back and forth with her About the hole in the bucket which he claimed was impossible to fix.

GECOM saga takes me back to that, except that was funny, this is not.

While Keith has Claudette

playing catch with twenty two By outrigging the infield with fraud, insolence and insubordination And ExxonMobil has Guyana’s EPA between Scylla and Charybdis, The barrels’ bottoms are falling out. Who is there to fix them?

My wife’s name is Claudette too, and if she had asked me for my opinion, I would have advised her to firstly fire Keith, for flagrant violations.

Second, to hire a new CEO

with character, knowledge and experience.

The name I would offer is Joegen Majasingh who rode in that rodeo before.

If there was someone, I really wanted on my team I would incentivize him or her by paying just a dollar less than me And give a firm two year contract that if for any reason that person has to leave I will buy the contract out, at full value for the time remaining.

Since money is not the

only value I can offer and that alone might not suffice I will throw our organization’s weight behind A nomination to honour him with the Order of Roraima.

A bucket, a hole, a straw, an axe, a stone and water.

Like this land of many waters and even more eye water.

Every day that this continues, is another day lost to us To see Guyana in its bounty in the rest of our lifetime.

the coalition and it cannot win. It is time to give-up; elections have consequences because members of the cabinet have abandoned the people who elected them to office in 2015. Further, it is inept for those arrogant members of the coalition to attack their CARICOM and other members of the international community who have called on them to exit their offices. We are reminding them that Guyana is a signatory to the CARICOM, the OAS, the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations Civic Charter, which states that every member state has a right to promote democracy and fair and free elections. Failing this, other member states in those organizations can intervene to make sure that democracy prevails and the will of the people is respected in elections.

Whatever Granger, Harmon, Nagamootoo do or say at this stage, no longer matter. We are of the firm opinion that they will have to leave office and they know it, but it seems they are content on holding hundreds of thousands of people hostage because of their greed and lust for power. Their actions fit neatly in what Lord Action said, “absolute power corrupts

absolutely.” As the former Prime Minister of Jamaica has said, the Granger cabal has damaged the image and reputation of Guyana so badly that it will take more than a generation (one generation is considered to be 20 years) to restore. The Granger cabal should no longer hold the nation hostage; it will not bode well for them because of the tough personal sanctions that will be imposed on them by Canada, Britain and the European Union and perhaps money laundering charges. The U.S has led the way but as announced by the State Department, tougher sanctions are on its way. So this is the scenario APNU members face; they will lose power and will be sanctioned, which means that they would not be able to travel to the U.S, Canada, Britain and the Western Europe. In other words, they will lose power and the privilege to travel to the above mentioned countries where most of their relatives reside. But they have options: their friends in Russia, China, Cuba and North Korea will accept them. Until then, they will be in wilderness.

Regards, Dr. Asquith Rose and Sasenarine Singh

The GECOM Chair is a highly respected member of the Legal establishment DEAR EDITOR, It is apparent that someone, most likely a troll, is attempting to link my name to a social media posting that seeks to besmirch the good name and character of Justice (Retd.) Claudette Singh.

When l originally saw the post, l commented that such ludicrous statements as contained therein, are reprehensible and totally unwarranted.

Furthermore, l was asked by numerous persons, during

the past several months, what was my opinion of Ms. Singh, in her position as the GECOM Chairperson, and l hold a singular position.

‘She has attained her status, as a highly respected member, of the Legal establishment, through years of hard work and dedication to her profession, and is unlikely to compromise her honesty and integrity, at this juncture of her life, for anyone.

Stanley Ming

A shameful episode in... from page 4 oppose the transparent recount of votes to declare an election.

No judge should dissent on the power of an election commission to instruct an election officer bent on perpetrating electoral fraud on a nation. Every vote is equal; none should be thrown out; racist White judges didn’t throw them out in America. The nonWhite people fought for justice. We remember well the struggle of Gandhi, Plessy, Mandela, Rosa Parks, King, Sohan Singh, Lewis, among others that led to our freedom.

It was a long battle. But they persevered and won. The Whites heard their pleas,

voices and cries and said enough was enough – they gave the non-whites their freedom and the right to vote and have their votes counted fairly.

The Government of Guyana must follow in the footsteps of those racists in America and South Africa – and free their people. The Guyanese people and the world anxiously await if judges will make a similar ruling that 33 is not a majority of 65 or ‘more votes’ means ‘valid votes’. Is there such a thing as counting ‘invalid votes’, non-Guyanese ask.

Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 25, 2020

PAGE 07

Coalition supporters Concede and then flout Covid-19 restrictions we'll have talks to cheer Lowenfield at court LJP, ANUG tell Granger:

Presidential candidates of LJP, ANUG, Lenox Shuman and Ralph Ramkarran

T

he Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and A New United Guyana (ANUG) yesterday told the incumbent President David Granger that he must first concede his loss to the March 2, General and Regional Elections, and only then will they engage in any form of dialogue with him.

ANUG in their statement to the press said that it will not engage in dialogue with the APNU+AFC caretaker government, as its call for such dialogue is shrouded in duplicity.

The coalition had said that it “remains open to dialogue with other political parties and stakeholders on the way forward for our country” and that it is “prepared to act responsibly to bring a resolution to the ongoing political situation.”

“If the coalition is indeed prepared to act responsibly,” ANUG stated, “the first act would be to concede; they have lost the 2020 Regional and General Elections.”

Instead, the Granger coalition has endorsed the fraudulent declaration produced by Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo.

“It is nothing short of dishonesty and another display of the duplicitous nature of the leadership of APNU+AFC to say they are prepared to act to resolve a situation, a situation which they have created and is within their power to resolve.” ANUG said.

ANUG is prepared, it noted, to have talks with a legally elected government, parliamentary opposition, other political parties and stakeholders on the way forward for the country, following the final

declaration of the votes tallied by the recount process.

Meanwhile, LJP highlighted yesterday that the time for engagements should have occurred before the December 22 No Confidence Vote (NCV), and that any dialogue with the APNU+AFC only serves to legitimize what the smaller party considers to be a dictatorship.

The party said that the coalition has shown contempt for Guyana in all their actions leading up to date and the international community as of late, while also adding that the APNU+AFC continues to show the utmost disrespect for anyone who points out their attempts to rig the elections while holding Guyana at ransom is clear demonstration that they are disingenuous, irresponsible and duplicitous.

Against this LJP wrote, “It is oxymoronic to be a dictator and want to call yourself a "resistance" when all that you are resisting is the will of the people.”

The small party indicated that it is open to dialogue only with legitimately and democratically elected governments, and should the APNU+AFC be genuinely interested in constructive dialogue, conceding that they have lost these elections would be viewed as a genuine first step.

“After the new democratically elected government is sworn into office, the Liberty and Justice Party will actively pursue dialogue with all legitimate and interested stakeholders in finding a progressive path forward for Guyana,” the party stated.

“Release our Nelson Mandela, release our Nelson Mandela…valid votes only, he didn't do anything wrong, release our Nelson Mandela, free Lowenfield, free Lowenfield, he didn't do anything wrong , ” were the chants of a group of A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) supporters yesterday outside of the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts while Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty was conducting the hearing of the private criminal c h a rg e s a g a i n s t C h i e f Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield.

The crowd expressed displeasure and anger about the fact that Lowenfield was summoned to court to answer to three private criminal charges; fraud, misconduct in office, and breach of public's trust. The charges were brought by Opposition People's Progressive Party (PPP) member Desmond Morian and The New Movement Party (TNM) executive Dr. Daniel Josh Kanhai.

Morian is

represented by attorney-atlaw Glenn Hanoman while Kanhai is represented by Mark Conway and George Thomas.

The courtroom in which Magistrate McGusty presides over is situated near the public road, at the corner of the Avenue of the Republic and Croal Streets, Georgetown. Not only did the supporters ignore the COVID-19 restrictions but also disregard that near the court is a noise-free area.

Scenes from court yesterday

Throughout the hearing, there was an increase in security at the court with police officers stationed on the pavement outside of the court compound and around the building. The number of supporters kept increasing as they gathered at the main entrance of the court where the reporters were standing and started shouting, “Valid votes, valid votes, no surrender, no surrender,” while others shouted “Free Lowenfield”.

As the reporters waited outside of the court, a few supporters started verbally abusing reporters, using obscene language. The police however, did not intervene nor attempt to remove the supporters.

Present with the supporters outside of the court was, Minister with Responsibility for Youth Affairs within the Ministry of the Presidency, Simona Broomes and Alliance For Change executive, Sherod Duncan.

When the matter was finished, as attorneys-at-law Glenn Hanoman, Mark Conway and their clients were exiting the court compound, the coalition supporters rushed to the gate and started shouting, “Y'all is some crass, get y'all crassing self out of the place.” The supporters then followed them to their vehicle where they then gathered around and started hitting on the automobile shouting, “Get out the damn place, crasses.”

Saturday July 25, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Lowenfield released on $450,000 bail for fraud charges C

hief Elections Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Keith Lowenfield, yesterday made his first court appearance to answer to three private criminal charges: fraud, misconduct in office, and breach of public's trust. He

was released on a total of $450,000, and is expected to make his next court appearance on August 14, 2020.

Lowenfield was yesterday arraigned before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts, with his lawyers, Nigel Hughes and

Senior Counsel, Neil Boston.

The charges were brought by Opposition People's Progressive Party (PPP) member Desmond Morian and The New Movement Party (TNM) executive Dr. Daniel Josh Kanhai.

Morian is represented by attorney-at-

law Glenn Hanoman while Kanhai is represented by Mark Conway and George Thomas.

Initially, Lowenfield was expected to make his first court appearance on July 3, 2020. However, after he failed to appear in court, Hanoman explained to the Magistrate that the court bailiff made several attempts to serve him with the private criminal charges, all of which ended in vain since the GECOM CEO kept evading the notice. As a result, the Magistrate issued a summons for the CEO to appear in court, which was

eventually served on Thursday, last.

According to the first charge, it is alleged that Lowenfield, between the 5th day of March and 23rd day of June, 2020, at Georgetown, conspired with person(s) unknown to commit the common law offence of fraud, to wit, by representing to the Guyana Elections Commission that tables attached to his Election Report dated 23rd June, 2020, accurately reflected the true results of the said election, in order to materially alter the results of the said election, with intent

to defraud, knowing the said tabulation to be false.

The second charge stated that between the 5th day of March and 23rd day of June, 2020, while performing his duty as the Chief Elections Officer of The Guyana Elections Commission, without lawful excuse or justification, willfully misconducted himself at Georgetown, by ascertaining results of the 2nd March, 2020 General and Regional Elections for Guyana knowing the said results to be false, the said willful misconduct amounting to a (continued on page 15)

Police Commissioner should further investigations into threats against GECOM Chair - PSC

T

(From left) Attorney-at-law, Mark Conway; Dr. Daniel Josh Kanhai, Desmond Morian and attorney-at-law Glenn Hanoman

he Private Sector Commission (PSC) is calling for the Commissioner of Police to probe investigations into the recent attacks on Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chair, Claudette Singh.

As of recent, the GECOM Chair has been receiving attacks and threats via social media in relation to her refusing GECOM Chief Executive Officer Keith Lowenfield's doctored report that showed a win for the APNU+AFC coalition.

On Monday July 20, a salesclerk saw himself being charged for threatening to kill the GECOM Chair and her family via a Facebook p o s t . T h e m a n , Ry a n Williams, was released on $50,000 bail and is expected to make another court appearance on August 3.

Williams, who claimed to be a supporter of the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (AFC+APNU), made a post under the fictitious name “Raheem Raahman”. In his post, he had stated that, “If you Claudette Singh think you will declare fraudulent votes so that the PPP will win, well think again bcuz you and everybody in ur house will f@#$ing dead”.

His post sparked a police investigation and he was subsequently arrested.

The PSC highlighted that they have observed the increase in distasteful threats being directed against

Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Gerry Gouveia Claudette Singh and, as the declaration time quickly approaches, it is important that these threats are investigated.

They also added that, “It is clear, therefore, from where these posts have emanated and that they are a deliberate and criminal attempt to influence the decision of GECOM with regard to the declaration of the results of the elections.”

The organisation is calling for the Commissioner of Police to lead his troops in thoroughly investigating these cybercrimes so that the “despicable exploitation of Facebook” can come to an immediate end.

They also noted the General Secretary of the People's Progressive Party, Bharrat Jagdeo's “firm condemnations” of these cybercrimes, and called on

GECOM Chair, Claudette Singh APNU+AFC to exercise the same and set a positive example for their supporters.

They also encouraged smaller parties to do this as well.

Opposition GECOM Commissioners Bibi Shadick, Robeson Benn and Sase Gunraj have also condemned the attacks on the GECOM Chair. In a statement they had argued, “While Commissioners may not always agree with the Chairwoman, she always discharged her duties with professionalism, fairness and impartiality, and in keeping with the tenets of the Constitution and other legal provisions.”

The Commissioners also scolded senior members of the APNU+AFC coalition for engaging in such conduct as well and asked that they desist from doing so.

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 25, 2020

PAGE 09

How was the curfew for you?

T

he COVIDcurfew has presented some difficulties for persons and families. A great many persons simply found it difficult to not go out at nights or be outdoors in the company of others.

One person said that having to be under lockdown with his family was one of the more terrifying experiences he has ever had.

Another said that not being able to go outside was like living in a prison.

Such statements would not have been made forty years ago. Back in the day, people went home after work and stayed him. The weekends would be time for visiting family and going to the cinema but not many people left their homes after sunset.

Long before television came to Guyana, families would spend quality time together after the sundown.

In my home, everyone, young or old, had to be in the house by 6:30pm. This was the rule. You could not be

seen outdoors. You know that after the ballgame was over, you had to return home by 6:30pm so that everyone could sit down to dinner.

As late as the early 1970s, when night fell, dinner consumed and the children having completed their homework, members of the household would usually sit either in the sitting room or on the verandah and discuss various matters, but mainly the events of the day.

In those days, there was no television and for news, we relied upon the radio. But that was not the only source of information.

Those members of the household who worked would return with their own stories and the titbits of information they had picked up. Even the housewives who went to the market would also return with stories they had heard.

At nights, families would sit together and share these stories. They would also find some time to read or play cards before retiring. These activities tended to bond the

household and provided an environment in which everyone looked out for his or her own family.

Sometimes while chatting on the verandah, you would look over and see your neighbour and his family doing the same. And you would exchange greetings and even discuss matters without having to leave your home.

That was one of the benefits of living in a traditional society. Everyone within a street knew each other.

And within the home, there were hardly any secrets and even when there was the odd dispute, there was no shortage of people to bring the two disputants together.

There was also a great deal of communal support.

In most villages, everyone got to know the other. Even within the towns, it was unusual for a resident to not know the households on the streets in which he lived. Thus, if someone had a problem, he could always appeal to his neighbours for

Dem boys seh...

De green state tun de gas state

D

e tropical storm Gonzalo decide fuh mek a right turn and stay far off de coast of Guyana. De situation so bleak that if Gonzalo bin pass over Guyana, it would have tun from a tropical storm to a tropical depression.

De Rigadier bin talk about Guyana becoming a green state. But dem boys seh he now tun Guyana into de gas state.

Is sheer gas passing.

Exxon flaring gas since last December. Dem boys read dat de permit wah Fat Boy give to Exxon is so vague dat

even de local environmental watchdog not in a strong position fuh do much about it.

De Hap-New+Hay-EffSee wan dialogue. Dem boys seh dat is passing wind. Dem wan stick around rather than step aside.

It mek dem boys rememba de story of de woman wah went into de expensive jewelry shop.

She look around in de showcase and spot a nice diamond bracelet. As she bent over to look at it more closely, she accidentally farted. She look around nervously fuh see if anybody

hear. When she turned around, there was a salesman right behind her.

De salesman was as cool as a cucumber. He tun to de lady and seh, “Good day, Madam. How can I help you today?”

De lady, a little more confident now that she's gotten away with her little accident, asks, “How much fuh dis lovely bracelet?” De salesman replies, “Madam, if you farted just looking at it, you're going to mess yuh self if I tell you de price.”

Talk half and try nat fuh pass wind when yuh deh in public.

EPA needs to stop granting ExxonMobil permits in absence...

From page 2 after the EIAs are corrected.

The lawyer said that the EPA is mandated by its governing legislation to protect the environment at all costs. “There is no room for discretion,” she stated.

Since December 25, 2019, ExxonMobil has flared over nine billion cubic feet of gas due to a malfunctioning gas compressor system for the Liza Destiny. This newspaper understands that the equipment has been sent to Germany to be fixed and should be

returned by the end of the month for installation. Once this occurs, it is hoped that the flaring would come to an end by August 10. By that time, ExxonMobil will have flared another billion cubic feet of gas.

Head of the EPA, Dr. Vincent Adams has since admitted to Kaieteur News that he has no independent means of verifying what ExxonMobil submits on the gas it has flared.

The regulatory body is therefore left with no choice but to accept what it is being told by ExxonMobil.

support, which was almost always forthcoming. Such, also, were the benefits of living in a traditional society.

There are many reasons why Guyanese survived the hard times of the late seventies and eighties. One of those reasons was due to the free exchange of information that took place within communities. If for example, the then Guyana Stores would be selling cooking oil, the following day and someone in the street got wind of this, that

person would not keep this information to himself but would pass it on to their n e i g h b o u r .

And if one member was short of a scarce commodity and another had, you could bet the latter would share with the person in need.

The curfew over the past three months was an opportunity for families to spend that quality time together, talking, playing a card game, doing some work around the house, cooking together, sharing a meal

together without the distractions which are now part of modern day living.

Sadly, many people found staying indoors a terrifying experience. What about you?

(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

Saturday July 25, 2020

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Eusi Kwayana: Long journey back into Sydney King

I

w r i t e t h i s assessment here with utter confusion in my mind. I honestly don't know

where to start. There are times when people you admire become so foolishly strange that you are trapped

in bewilderment.

Here are the words of Eusi Kwayana in defense of the depraved, carcinogenic,

Mephistophelean, Faustian, debauched, ghoulish defrauding of the Guyanese people of their right to vote for leaders of their choice in 2020: “Many may wonder at the USA's high activism in our affairs in the face of a global pandemic of the present scale. However, it is of some relief to some sectors in the US Empire, to find diversion in the affairs of a mini-state when faced at home with a unique uprising of a multi-racial nature in resentment of present day lynching.”

They say in life that respect comes out of selfrespect. Its meaning is simple – if you do not respect yourself, why should others respect you. In writing, those words quoted above that came from Kwayana's pen, he has humiliated himself thus it gives his critics latitude to use trenchant adjectives to describe his distortions and open bias.

It is pathetic nonsense to say that the US has selected Guyana to interfere in its internal affairs so as to deflect the internal, domestic pressure the US government is facing from nation-wide protest.

Come on Kwayana, you cannot have degenerated so b a d l y. W h y A m e r i c a n foreign policy-makers would choose of all countries, a land that most Americans do not know about or care about and could not be bothered with what the US government says about it?

The essential polemical point of this column is that, at 96 years of age, Kwayana has embraced a desire to return to what he was when he was Sydney King. His journey back to being King is completed. He has atavistically returned to the racially charged demagoguery of the sixties in which subliminal violent advocacy was part of his

vocabulary before he travelled on the road to Damascus.

Against this analytically judgment, I say with pellucid energy and unambiguous forcefulness, Kwayana's historical writings must (I emphasize the word, must) be questioned. Kwayana may have passed on to the generations born after the sixties, a mountain of subjective, biased and racially charged pronouncements that we need to cleanse.

His legacy is hanging by a thread. Let's see if we can cite more of his thoughts on the 2020 election rigging to see if in fact, he has deceived these generations. Here is him again; “As is known, I have refrained from making pronouncements on a situation I could know only by hearsay and also through reports of persons with a political bias one way or the other.”

This man truly disrespects himself. He wrote those words more than four months after the election rigging denounced by persons with absolutely no connections to the PPP and PNC, some of whom are international figures. The list includes a former president of Liberia and many members of the Black Caucus of the US House of Representatives. I am accusing Kwayana of being selective. This is a perspective that he has no doubt saturated his writing with the past 70 years. But wait there is more to come.

He asserted; “I have noted that Prime Minister Gonsalves, like many of the persons and agencies he has cited, has been speaking with finality on a process that was at that time before Guyana's courts of law.”

So how is it this gentleman knows what emanated from Gonzales, knows the US is interfering in Guyana's affairs, but doesn't know

Frederick Kissoon what the past president of Liberia and members of the Black Caucus said about the elections?

How is it that this gentleman doesn't know that the Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, Professor Hilary Beckles, who heads the Caribbean Reparations Commission, has made a pronouncement on the 2020 elections in Guyana in which he has called on the APNU+AFC to accept the results which showed it lost.

Here is Kwayana once more; “I only wish to warn, as I have done since the 1960s…here in Guyana, in the tissues of every general election are the fibres of communal struggle resulting from conscious designs of the colonial occupation.”

Can any revisionist Guyanese historian tell us what Kwayana left out when he made this observation?

Here is the answer. The roles he played in picking up from where the colonials left off in preaching race politics thus expanding “the fibres of communal struggle” as he is currently doing. As Kwayana winds down the age, the soul has finally completed its long journey – Sydney King is reborn.

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

Saturday July 25, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

PAGE 12

Saturday July 25, 2020

Kaieteur News

Guyana COVID-19 death toll raises to 20

G

uyana recorded its 20th COVID1 9 d e a t h y e s t e r d a y, w i t h o n e additional case of infection being also recorded.

During the Ministry of Public Health's daily update yesterday, Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO) Karen Gordon-Boyle did not go into specifics about the identity of the latest fatality,

- One new case also recorded but noted that the number of positives cases recorded is now 352 with the number of active cases in institutional isolation being 154.

Additionally, the DCMO said that a total of 33 persons are in institutional Deputy Chief Medical Officer, quarantine and 4 persons are Dr. Karen Gordon-Boyle in the COVID-ICU.

To date, 178 of the total 352 infected persons have recovered.

The DCMO also highlighted some guidelines that schools, which are scheduled to reopen for the

new academic year, must take into consideration when drafting a comprehensive plan to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

In closing, Dr. GordonBoyle further urged persons

to continue to wear face masks when leaving their homes for work and other essential services, practice social distancing and to wash or sanitize their hands frequently.

She also insisted that Guyanese adhere to the 8 pm curfew.

Leaning left:

This delivery truck ended up in an awkward position on the road at Versailles, West Bank Demerara.

(Dylan Walker photo)

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 25, 2020

PAGE 13

Elections declarations case...

Appeal amounts to an abuse of court's process - GECOM Chair C

hairperson of the G u y a n a E l e c t i o n s Commission (GECOM), retired Justice Claudette Singh has called the latest appeal of the elections declarations case “frivolous”, “vexatious” and, among other things, an abuse of the Court's process.

In submissions filed by her Attorney-at-law, Kim Kyte-Thomas, the GECOM Chair called for the appeal to be dismissed on the ground that it lacks merit.

Kyte-Thomas is expected to present oral arguments on behalf of the Chair when the appeal case commences at 10:00 hours today.

In her written submissions filed with the Appeal Court, the lawyer outlined several grounds on which the matter should be dismissed.

In keeping with her original contentions, she stressed that the Appeal Court challenge should not be permitted at this point in time. According to KyteThomas, while it is obvious that the intention of the appellant is to have the election annulled on the basis of alleged irregularities, any applications of this nature is a hindrance to the electoral process.

“I submit,” the attorney argued, “that this can only be addressed by way of an Election Petition. Any challenge to the validity of an election and any dispute or claim of any irregularities or illegalities in relation to an election can only lawfully form the basis of an Election Petition after the result has been declared.”

She further submitted that the findings and decision of the Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire represent long-established jurisprudence of electoral laws and the electoral regime in respect to the issues raised in the appeal.

Kyte-Thomas's

submissions are in keeping with a ruling by Chief Justice ( C J ) R o x a n e G e o rg e Wiltshire in case filed by Misenga Jones, a National Elections Recount counting agent for A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change,(APNU +AFC), to block a declaration based on the recount figures which show the opposition People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) winning the elections.

The Chief Justice had dismissed Jones's application to invalidate the national recount, given that the reliefs sought were already decided in previous litigation by the Court of Appeal and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). The CJ, in her ruling, had stated categorically that, “persons cannot be allowed to waste the time and resources of the Court to revisit issues already sufficiently adjudicated.”

Key grounds in which the CJ rooted her decisions were the principles of stare decisis and res judicata.

The first principle requires a Court to premise its litigation on precedents, and the latter dictates that if a matter has been adjudicated by a competent court, it cannot be re-litigated. She had pointed out too that litigation on this matter has substantially contributed to the protraction of Guyana's 2020 electoral process for four and a half months.

In her ruling, the CJ noted that, “There must be finality to judicial decisions.” She noted that, “Myriad persons cannot be permitted to engage the court with multiple applications regarding the same issue which has been decided, and shield behind the claim that they were not a party to the previous proceedings. To so permit would be to waste precious judicial time and resources. In short order – this cannot be allowed.”

Despite those details of

Coalition plans Region 2...

From page 3 the Coalition does is the Coalition's business. If we have a programme, we will execute our programme in the best interest of the Coalition.”

The Divisional Commander for Region 2, Superintendent Crystal

Robinson, when asked by Kaieteur News whether the party received permission to host their public meetings, she was unable to confirm such.

“I have no application and at this time, we are not granting permission,” the Commander said.

the CJ's adjudication, Roysdale Forde, attorney for Jones announced, moved to appeal the ruling shortly after.

That appeal was

accompanied by a cross –appeal tendered on behalf of Attorney General, Basil Williams, who is also an executive member of the incumbent APNU+AFC.

GECOM Chairperson retired Justice Claudette Singh

Attorney-at-law Kim Kyte-Thomas

PAGE 14

Saturday July 25, 2020

Kaieteur News

SRDC condemns Region 9 REO for misinforming media and threats made to Toshaos

T

NOTHING UNUSUAL...just a Pitbull minibus drinking water at the National Hardware turn, East Bank Demerara. (Gerard Khan photo)

h e S o u t h Rupununi District Council (SRDC) on Thursday condemned the actions of Region Nine's Regional Executive Officer (REO) Carl Parker after he erroneously informed a media entity that a COVID19 patient has escaped health officials before being placed into institutional quarantine.

In its statement, the SRDC disclosed that is has been closely monitoring the

situation in several villages and satellite communities located in the South Rupununi including Katuur, the latest community to be affected by the Coronavirus.

The statement further pointed out that the information presented to the media by the REO did not reflect the current situation in the communities, specifically Potarinao and Katuur.

“Unlike the REO,” the statement said, “the SRDC has been in daily contact with the Toshao and others from Potarinao and satellite villages, and can confirm that no patients in Katuur had even been tested for COVID19 until yesterday.”

“For the REO to state that there was a positive case coming from Katuur, South Rupununi and travelling to Tiger Pond, South Pakaraimas is premature and causing confusion among villagers and the overworked village council of Potarinao,” the SRDC said, adding that it was only yesterday that the medical team visited Katuur since the start of the pandemic.

Furthermore, the SRDC revealed that it has made several recommendations to the Region 9 COVID-19

REO of Region 9, Carl Parker Task Force for a more effective COVID-19 response, and to date nothing has been done in relation to those recommendations.

Instead, at the latest Task Force meeting, the REO recommended that Toshaos now be charged for hiding their villagers who cross into Guyana. In addition to this, Toshaos were told that if case numbers rise in their villages, they can expect little help from the regional authorities.

The SRDC pointed out that REO's baseless statements not only mischaracterize the source of the virus's spread into the communities, but are a direct threat to violate the human (continued on page 15)

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 25, 2020

PAGE 15

Middle Road residents live in fear of bicycle, motorcycle bandits

By Shervin Belgrave

R

esidents of Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown have secured themselves in the wake of increased attacks from armed robbers that prowl their neighbourhood on bicycles and motorcycles.

Kaieteur News learnt of this, while at the scene of a suspected robbery and fatal shooting of a 23-year-old marketing representative, Navin Samaroo, on Thursday last. Samaroo was driving along the Street when two men on a motorcycle rode up beside him as he slowed down at a pot-hole. The pillion rider shot the young man and grabbed a bag from

his car before speeding off with his accomplice. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) by a nearby resident, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

When visiting the scene of the shooting on Thursday, this newspaper observed that location was not crowded with curious onlookers.

Almost everyone had remained indoors – while some were seen peeping through their windows, a few were brave enough to stand in their yards but behind locked gates.

No one had a clue of how the fatal shooting occurred.

The most anyone could tell both journalists and the police was that they “only heard a

loud explosion”. Some detailed that they had peered outside, saw the car and taught it was a punctured tyre.

Others said that they learnt of the shooting after an alarm was raised by a few pedestrians and motorists

Mon Repos fire victims receive assistance

A family five whose home was destroyed by fire on Wednesday last at Mon Repos East Coast Demerara (ECD) is expressing gratitude for assistance received since the tragedy. Yesterday, they were visited by former Attorney General Anil Nandlall who made the small contribution on behalf of the People's Progressive Party towards the family's task of rebuilding. In this photograph, Mohabir Anil Nandlall stands with the members of the affected family on the lot where their home once stood.

SRDC condemns Region 9 REO for misinforming media and threats...

F rom page 14 r ights and to deliberately abandon the government's responsibility to protect the health and welfare of its citizens.

M oreover, the council noted that Toshaos have been tirelessly working towards keeping their communities safe from the virus, noting that the SRDC along with village councils have been regularly conducting monitoring trips in an effort to prevent illegal crossing at the 180km border with little support from the taskforce.

I n expressing sentiments in the passing of two senior citizens in the Potarinao Village, the council implored the health authorities to increase the amount of testing kits in an effort to effectively monitor the number of cases coming out of the South Rupununi.

A dditionally, the council urged the Regional Taskforce to make a collaborative effort to closely monitor the vast open borders in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus in its communities.

Dead: Navin Samaroo passing by.

According to the police investigating the case, the residents were “tight-lipped”.

A few became comfortable with this reporter and began to reveal the reasons why the residents of Middle Road remained locked up in their homes.

One woman, Mary (not her real name) said that, as of recent, she was forced to lock her gates 24/7. She detailed that she along with family members are afraid to step out of the house because of the number of armed robberies that have been occurring recently in the area.

“We are afraid to go to work that we put ourselves in expense to use taxis…We don't want to walk down the street because someone might

attack, kill or rob us”, said Mary. The woman went on to say that every day, they are forced to listen to the harrowing tales of robberies in their neighbourhood.

Another man who asked to remain anonymous said that these occurrences have been on the increase. He highlighted that bandits on bicycles armed with knives would prowl the area in the wee hours of the morning. He claimed that his neighbours and himself were attacked and robbed more than once while on their way to work.

The man was quite vocal and said that he wants more police patrol in the area.

“A regular police patrol in middle road won't be too difficult of a task, because the police station is right next door”, he said.

As Kaieteur News continued to go house to house for details on the shooting, more residents began echoing that armed robberies are a common thing in Middle Road.

John (not his real name) told this newspaper that he fears for his children's lives.

“My son uses this road to go to work,” 'John' said, “He leaves early in the morning

Police on Middle Road investigating Thursday's fatal shooting

and comes home late in the evening. I am afraid that one of these days they might shoot him and kill him because he dresses well and buy his lil fancy thing and plus he get a nice phone”.

John detailed that these bandits would ride up and down the streets with motorbikes as well: “These motorbike boys are normally armed with guns, they even thieving people motorcycles as well… Look the other day, them ride up to a man and he wife stick them up and then ride away with the people bike” He said that he is angry that the Ruimveldt Police Station is not far away and these crimes continue to occur every day.

Meanwhile another resident told Kaieteur News that these bandits are also sneaking into their yards at nights looking for bounty. He claimed that recently he lost valuable items from his yard worth more than $50,000.

The resident said, “This is not the first time that I have lost things from my yard but with this shooting, I am even more afraid that they might start entering our homes in the night as well and kill us”.

Lowenfield released on $450,000...

From page 8 breach of the public's trust in the Office of the Chief Elections Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission.

The third charge alleges that Lowenfield accepted falsified figures from the District Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, knowing that the said figures do not match the results from the National Recount.

The particulars of that charge allege that Lowenfield, between the 5th day of March and 23rd day of June, 2020, at Georgetown, conspired with person(s) unknown to commit common law fraud, to wit, by

representing to the Guyana Elections Commission, that tables attached to his Election Report dated 14th day of March, 2020 accurately reflected the true results of the said election, in order to materially alter the results of the said election, with intent to defraud, knowing the said tabulation to be false. He was not required plea to the indictable charges that were read to him.

Principal Magistrate McGusty granted Lowenfield bail in the sum of $150,000 for each charge, even as Hughes had asked that his client be released on self bail, since he is the CEO

of the GECOM. Glenn Hanoman in an interview with this paper said that he had made no objection to bail being granted to Lowenfield but asked for it to be granted in a substantial amount.

He also raised concerns about the CEO still being employed with the Guyana GECOM since he is the custodian of the entity and has access to important documents and witnesses that can be used as evidence against him.

Hanoman also asked for the CEO to lodge his travel documents, but this request was denied by the magistrate.

PAGE 16

VACANCY Office Assistant/Inventory Clerk.Mima Decor.Maths & English required,mimadecor12 @gmail.com.Tel#227-0186.

Articulated Hauler Operator for Interior location.Applicant must be experienced.Call#6182020.

SERVICES Visa Forms Preparer.

Tel#626-7040, Publish your Death Annoucements & In Memoriams online. Email: dthmemo@gmail.com

(1) Welder to do grill work.Tel#625-5763.

Wanted one sales person.Call #680-7402.

Experienced Baker,Junior Baker,Bettencourt’s Diner 38 Durban Street,W/Ville.Tel #231-1368/223-1938.

ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6006887: We create A/works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included.

One male to work on chicken farm in the interior.Must have knowledge of poultry farming and medications.Contact #680-2702

One Accounts Clerk. Must have passes in Maths & English. Apply at Alabama Trading 65 Robb Street Bourda

Urgently need land to buy in Herstelling or Farm.Direct from Owner.Tel#627-0753/6179930.

Manager needed for restaurant & bar. Must be computer literate & business oriented. 3-5 years experience.

Email:bailpi@hotmail.com

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620

WANTED

Body work Technician.

Contact #668-7033 Neil.

Appliance repairs, spares & Service to refrigerator, washing machine / d r y e r, t r e a d m i l l , s t o v e , d i s h w a s h e r, d e e p f r y e r.

Call#694-9733.

HOUSE PLAN TO DRAW, OR ESTIMATE. GIVE USA CALL: 216-0671/6928464. WHATSAPP #6220267 We Sell and Plant trees and palms for shade and flowers.Call#612-1848.

Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158

PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS & SUV’S CALL :656-0087/643- 5122 E M A I L : P R O A U T O R E N TA L @YAHOO.COM AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL & TOW TRUCK SERVICE: PICKUP, 9-11 SEAT MINI BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPORT & FAMILY OUTINGS, CHEAPEST RATE#698-7807.

FOR RENT 1 bedroom apartment for working couple/single person $32,000 & $35,000 monthly, light & water included,2 months security.Tel#6230076.

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, G R A D U AT I O N , W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620

Two 2 bedrooms apartment for rent in herstelling $40,000 & $35,000. 1 month rent, 2 month security. Call: 696-1680 One two bedroom bottom flat to rent $50,000 per month.Tel#672-7194.

TAXI SERVICE GR TAXI . CALL: 219-5000, 227-2100 225-7878, 227-1982 FOR SALE VEHICLE FOR SALE 1 Suzuki Escudo.Excellent condition, Low Mileage (50,000Km).$3.4M Neg.Call #649-0956.

For person to assemble bicycle. Apply at Alabama Trading 65 Robb Street Bourda Cook/Baker for interior location.Applicants must be experienced with verifiable references.Call 618-2020.

Fully Furnished, Grill/Mesh Windows, Doors. North and Oronoque St Bourda, 3 bedrooms A/C. Domestic / Business #226-7012 CAR RENTAL

Saturday July 25, 2020

Kaieteur News

One three bedroom house & Land.Located@Fifth Street,Windsor Forest WCD, For Serious enquiry.Call 6962841

Nanny.Contact#223-5274/2275003.

Domestic.Contact#223-5274/ 227-5003 Build a sucessful online business. Earn in USD weekly.

Must be teachable & couchable.$175 USD to register.638-5979 LEGAL NOTICE 2020-HC-DEM-CIV-FD-131 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY , D I V O R C E A N D MAT R I M O N I A L JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION PETITION NO. FD-131BETWEEN:(YOUNG)CORNELL RICHARD Petitioner -and(YOUNG) DONNA nee HAZEL Respondent TO: CORNELL RICHARD YOUNG (Last Known Address) Lot 71 Craig Public Road East Bank Demerara, Guyana TAKE NOTICE that on the 30th day of January, 2020 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by CORNELL RICHARD YOUNG, the Petitioner in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 11th day of March, 2020 the Petitioner was directed to effect service of his Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) Consecutive Saturday issues of the Kaieteur News Newspapers,

LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE CONTD

LEGAL NOTICE 2 CONTD

a daily Newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around Guyana and on the Worldwide Web (Online).

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorneyat-Law at the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), Answer and/or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 28 (twenty-eight) days from the date of the Second and final publication of this Notice.

TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is re-fixed for Directions Hearing on Wednesday the 29th day of July , 2020 at 10:00am before the Honourable Madam Justice Damone Younge via Zoom Meeting ID: 722 9960 1793;Password:2RKaJQ at the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown.

IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to Defend Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce.

The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts (Georgetown, Demerara). The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

Dated the 8th day of June, 2020

BETWEEN:- (MANGAL) AGNES nee ALGREE Petitioner -and- (MANGAL) SAHADEO Respondent TO: SAHADEO MANGAL (Last Known Address) Calle Zoilo 26 Centro, San Felix CD Guayana City, Venezuela.

TAKE NOTICE that on the 21st day of November, 2019 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by AGNES MANGAL nee ALGREE, the Petitioner in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 26th day of June, 2020 the Petitioner was directed to effect service of her Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) Consecutive Saturday issues of the Kaieteur News Newspapers, a daily Newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around Guyana and on the Worldwide Web (Online).

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), Answer and/or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 42 (Forty two) days from the date of the Second and final publication of this Notice.

TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is re-fixed for Directions Hearing on Tuesday the 8th day of September, 2020 at 10:00am before the Honourable Madam Justice Damone Younge in the Directions Hearing Room of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown.

IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service /Notice of Intention to Defend Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce.

The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts (Georgetown, Demerara). The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

Dated the 7th day of July, 2020

LEGAL NOTICE 2 2020-HC-DEM-CIV-FD1419 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION

Nineteenyear-old lures, rapes minor in Health Post A 19-year-old man has allegedly lured and raped a 13 year old student of Kako Village, Upper Mazaruni.

It is understood that on Wednesday July 15, the victim and her sister went to the suspect's home to watch a movie. According to information received, the suspect and victim are related.

After some time, the victim's sister left the home and the suspect used the opportunity to invite the victim into a room at the village's Health Post, which is located next to his home.

He then proceeded to sexually assault the child, until he was interrupted by the victim's sister.

The village captain was notified and a police report was filed on Sunday July, 19.

A medical report was also obtained.

The suspect was apprehended and later released on $100,000 station bail, after having spent 72 hours in the lock up.

As the police await information on the charges to be laid, he is required to report daily to the police station.

LEGAL NOTICE 2 CONTD

TO LET Two Bedroom house for rent in Providence with one washroom.Call#614-0562/ 656-0558.

2 bedroom downstairs apartment for rent at ‘C’ Field Nurses Quarter, Sophia.

Call#658-4478.Couples only. $35,000 monthly Land for sale at Greenwich Park.Houses for rent.Call#6848520/675-5256/666-4153.

PEN PAL An Afro guyanese man is interested in a single woman, Ages 45-55.Text or Call#6869719

Saturday July 25, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 17

PAGE 18

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 25, 2020

Saturday July 25, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 19

PAGE 20

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 25, 2020

Saturday July 25, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 21

PAGE 22

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 25, 2020

Saturday July 25, 2020

PAGE 23

Kaieteur News

Archer needs support over racist abuse, says Holder LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — West Indies Captain Jason Holder said Jofra Archer needed support after receiving racist abuse for breaching COVID-19 protocols as cricket could not afford to do without the talented England fast bowler.

Archer was stood down f r o m E n g l a n d ’s s e r i e s levelling win in the second Te s t a t O l d Tr a ff o r d , receiving a fine and a written warning, after it emerged he had breached the biosecure regulations governing the series by making an unauthorised trip to his home in Hove.

Barbadian-born paceman Archer indicated in his Daily Mail column o n We d n e s d a y t h a t ,

following online racist abuse, he may not be in the right frame of mind to play in the third and final Test with the West Indies, also in Manchester, starting today.

“For him (Archer) to have been racially abused in New Zealand last winter (a Kiwi fan was subsequently banned till 2022) and for it now to be resurfacing would traumatise any individual,” Holder wrote in his Daily Mail column published yesterday.

“More than ever, now is the time for us all to unite behind him and show as much support as we can,” said Holder of his fellow Bajan cricketer Archer.

“We need to eradicate racism and abuse and

a n y t h i n g w e a s a We s t Indies team can do to help him we will do.”

While this series has seen both teams unite behind the banner of Black Lives Matter, Holder said social media companies needed to do more to stamp out racist abuse.

“Social media is always in our faces every time we pick up our phone and I think the people who run Instagram and Twitter, in particular, need to get a firmer grip on what goes on,” said the 28-year-old all-rounder.

“You just cannot pop up on someone’s social media and leave an abusive comment and get away with it.”

Holder, yet to speak to Archer about the abuse

Saturday July 25, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Don't be so nosy about others' affairs today, Aries. If you were meant to be included in the conversation, you'd have been invited.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Other people could have some seriously opposing opinions about how things should be done. Be prepared for battle, because others are likely to have sharp tongues.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Information is apt to come in erratic bursts today. You'll find that a great deal of nonverbal communication is revealed and you should listen not only with your ears but also with your eyes and heart.

CANCER(June21–July22) Information is apt to come in erratic bursts today. You'll find that a great deal of nonverbal communication is revealed and you should listen not only with your ears but also with your eyes and heart.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) If you aren't paying close attention today, you might miss what's said. Important information is being relayed quickly, so don't miss out on the action.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Don't be so nosy about others' affairs today, Virgo. If you were meant to be included in the conversation, you'd have been invited. Suspicion of other people's actions and motives will only cause them to lose their trust in you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You may be feeling a little bit lost in the dust today, Libra. Somehow what you're thinking and feeling isn't exactly coordinating with the current conversation.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Your thinking is clear and sharp, and your mental awareness keen. You should use it to head toward new, forward-thinking projects.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You're apt to come up with some new, radical thoughts today, which you should feel free to share with others. There are opportunities around that you should grab hold of.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Today is a terrific day to express your thoughts. You'll find your mind especially clear and ready to tackle any mental issue that comes your way.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Someone may challenge your mental capabilities today. Your natural tendency might be to take the information, mull it over for a while, and come back with your decision or opinion at some later date.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Unexpected information may be coming at you today from out of the blue. You'll find that this information is extremely important, so make sure to keep all lines of communication open.

he’d received, said it was important those close to the 25-year-old Sussex rising star rallied round him now.

“However much you try to ignore these things, they can come back up so he needs to find a coping mechanism and it’s equally important for those around him to understand what he’s going through so they can then help him get past what he’s facing,” Holder explained.

“World cricket wants people like Jofra Archer on the field and it’s not good for the game to see what he’s been going through.”

Jason Holder

PAGE 24

Saturday July 25, 2020

Kaieteur News

LeBron addresses Breonna Taylor, Merriman Funeral Home Inc supports Wiltshire dominoes tourney social injustice

Team LeBron forward LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates in the fourth quarter of the 2020 NBA All Star Game at United Center. (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports) Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James wasn’t interested in talking about basketball in a postgame press conference following Thursday night’s scrimmage.

Instead, James started the nearly 15minute session by talking about the shooting death of Breonna Taylor, a Black emergency medical technician in Kentucky who was killed in March when plainclothes officers executed a no-knock warrant related to a narcotics investigation.

James, 35, then focused on the lack of progress in race relations over the past four years before transitioning into the meaning of Black Lives Matter.

“First of all, I want to continue to shed light on justice for Breonna Taylor and to her family and everything that’s going on with that situation,” James said following the Lakers’ 108-104 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

James wrote “#Justice4BreonnaT” in marker on his sneakers for the game. It’s a gesture he has done in the past dating to the death of Trayvon Martin, a Black 17-year-old who was killed near Orlando in 2012.

“Never afraid to speak about things that I was knowledgeable about, that I had insight on and that I was up to speed on,” James said. “With the Trayvon Martin case that was obviously years ago, with that situation I spoke about that, that situation. The George Floyd incident that happened not too long ago, that’s a horrible incident. And obviously

the Breonna Taylor situation.

“It’s unfortunate that — well, it’s fortunate that we had the George Floyd video to see it.

I mean, is that what we need to see — a video of Breonna being killed — for people to realize how bad the situation is?”

James then turned his attention to the phrase Black Lives Matter.

“A lot of people kind of use this analogy, talking about Black Lives Matter as a movement. It’s not a movement,” James said.

“When you’re Black, it’s not a movement. It’s a lifestyle. We sit here and say it’s a movement, and, OK, how long is this movement going to last? ‘Don’t stop the movement.’ No, this is a walk of life. When you wake up and you’re Black, that is what it is. It shouldn’t be a movement. It should be a lifestyle. This is who we are. ...

“I don’t like the word ‘movement’ because, unfortunately, in America and in society, there ain’t been no damn movement for us. There ain’t been no movement.”

A 16-time All-Star, James is averaging 25.7 points, 10.6 assists and 7.9 rebounds this season.

The Lakers are slated to open the restarted season on Thursday against the Los Angeles Clippers at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando. The Lakers currently are the top seed in the Western Conference, 5.5 games ahead of the Clippers.

(Field Level Media)

Boxers finally return home after eventual frustrating stint in Cuba The four Olympic hopeful boxers, who journeyed to Cuba for a training stint and were stranded due to the coronavirus lockdown, returned home last evening.

Colin Lewis, Desmond Amsterdam, Dennis Thomas and Keevin Allicock had arrived in the Caribbean’s largest Island for a threemonth training stint back in early January and were scheduled to return home in March.

The Cuban trip was aimed at giving the pugilists every opportunity to properly prepare for the now suspended Olympic qualifiers in Argentina in April.

The 2020 Olympics were scheduled for Tokyo Japan from July 24 to August 9 but will now be contested next year due to the COVID-19 virus.

The travel protocols implemented worldwide saw airports being closed including our own Cheddi Jagan and Eugene Correira airports closed to international flights. This was relaxed to allow certain special flights, but a special charter was needed to bring the stranded boxers home which the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) could not afford and appealed to the government and the Guyana

Olympic Association for assistance.

GBA President Steve Ninvalle pursued every available avenue to get the team home and the efforts eventually paid off with the team returning home after that extended stint which took a turn into the realms of frustration for the fighters who expressed same and the desire to be home in this uncertain period that has devastated the world in more ways than one.

The boxers arrived home around 6:30pm yesterday and were met by Ninvalle and National Coach Terrence Poole.

Merriman Funeral Home Inc, situated at Bent Street, Georgetown has supported the Mark Wiltshire and Colin Mc Ewan dominoes competition which is set to commence at 13:30hrs today at Turning Point.

Supervisor Danessa Persaud yesterday presented the third prize to Wiltshire who expressed gratitude to Persaud. He said an exciting competition is expected since some of the top city teams are expected to be in action. Persaud wished the teams well, adding that she is looking forward to a successful tournament.

Entrance fee is $12,000 and the winning team will take home $120,000, runner up $60,000 and third place $30,000. The competition will conclude tomorrow. Wiltshire is calling on the teams to be present at the venue at least 30 minutes before the schedule start time. Among the teams set to take part are Mix Up, Gold for Money, Quiet Storm, TNT, Blue Bird, C7, Turning Point and Providence.

Teams can contact Wiltshire on 659-8672 for registration.

Mark Wiltshire accepts the cheque from Danessa Persaud.

IPL 2020 to start on September 19, final on November 8 or 10 ESPNcricinfo - The 2020 Indian Premier League (IPL) will be played between September 19 and November 10 in the UAE. Brijesh Patel, the IPL Governing Council chairman, told ESPNcricinfo that the final could be played on November 8 or 10, with a definitive decision expected soon.

Even as the BCCI has set the ball rolling for relocating the IPL to the UAE, it still needs the nod of the Indian government. Earlier this week Patel had said that the permission “will come” and had confirmed Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah will be the three main venues for the tournament.

Patel said the tournament dates had been “circulated” among the IPL Governing Council members but he did not confirm whether there is a Governing Council meeting scheduled which was speculated to take place this weekend.

He further said that key points including the schedule along with the contours of what a biosecure bubble would comprise would be finalised and communicated to the franchises soon. It is understood the franchises were informed only about the tournament dates on Thursday and were told further details would emerge soon.

One key advantage of having the tournament in the UAE is the quarantine period is less relaxed. Currently anyone travelling into the UAE needs to test negative before flying in, and also has to take a test upon landing. If

Mumbai Indians will defend their trophy at a new venue this time. (BCCI) both those tests are negative there is no quarantine required. But if a person lands without having done a test prior to flying in, then a quarantine period is mandatory.

The IPL will comprise 60 matches and will be played over 51 days (in case final is on November 8). In the original schedule prepared in March for this year, the tournament days stretched to 50 to keep the double-headers minimal, a request of the franchises who did not want players to suffer during the peak Indian summer. It is likely the double-headers will remain minimal even in the

UAE. It remains to be seen whether the IPL will stick to evening matches commencing at 8pm IST despite reservations from host broadcaster Star Sports, which was sceptical about games stretching past midnight. It is likely that the IPL will reconsider advancing the start time to 7.30 pm IST. Wi t h t h e f i n a l o n November 8 or 10, the Indian players will also have enough time to quarantine for two weeks in Australia for the Test series scheduled to start on December 3 in Brisbane.

Saturday July 25, 2020

PAGE 25

Kaieteur News

Pope, Buttler help England recover against West Indies in decisive Test SportsMax - Ollie Pope and Jos Buttler made unbeaten half-centuries to give England the edge on day one of the decisive third Test against West Indies at Old Trafford.

The Windies reduced England to 122-4 after Jason Holder won the toss, Kemar Roach the standout bowler with 2-56 in Manchester yesterday.

Pope (91 not out) and the under-pressure Buttler (56no) raised their bats for the first time in the series, an unbroken stand of 136 taking Joe Root’s side on 258-4 when stumps were drawn 15 minutes early due to bad light.

Rory Burns earlier made 57 at the top of the order before he was superbly caught by all-rounder Rahkeem Cornwall, playing his first match of the series.

England moved Ben Stokes up to number four and picked a five-strong bowling attack, including

Ollie Pope is forward to drive © Getty Images Jofra Archer and James Anderson, so the Windies will be disappointed not to

have made further inroads but weather could prevent either side from forcing a

win.

Roach snared Dom S i b l e y, a c e n t u r i o n i n

‘I was tricked into becoming an Athletics...

From page 22 generate revenue to maintain the Stadium. When a facility is not frequently used it gets old quicker.

The Manager there, Mr Williams, is doing a good job in shuffling the dates for Athletics and Football, but those around him like the caretaker need to show more interest.

In the mornings there are several dogs there and when they defecate they would scratch on the track, while the biggest problem is the washrooms facilities.

We don’t have 10,000 people but five minutes after an event you go to the washrooms; pipes not working, urine bowls overflowing, toilets not flushing, so there are a lot of things that can be done to improve the Stadium.

If you have people supervising the venue a lot of those discrepancies will be avoided,” Wilson added.

“The postponement of CARIFTA 2020 is very disappointing since there were a lot of young Athletes for this CARIFTA. After seeing what was done in the past two or three years in terms of Medal hauls in CARIFTA, we keep climbing the ladder and are moving from getting four or five to eight and nine medals and will soon get double figures.

For me, I think Police could have had four persons on that team and out of so many clubs to get four out a

possible 20-member team would have been glorious.

Some of the Athletes on their last year could lose out, but I have been hearing that the Athletic Association is trying to see if they can modify the 2021 format to allow those persons who are in their last year to still compete.

In 2021, instead of saying U-18 and U-20 we can say U20 and stick in U-18s or Youths and Juniors and stick in some U-21 events which will make every team larger.

I am disappointed to see those Athletes were so pumped up and rearing to go.

We saw then in the couple trials leading up to CARIFTA pushing it.

We did not have much qualifiers up to the point of COVID-19, but you were seeing Athletes peaking at the right time. Too many times we saw Athletes peaking just for the trials, which means they still have three weeks for the competition.

This year I felt Athletes would peak at the last trial and then taper into the real competition since you had a three-week window period where they would have been upping their performance and not being burnt out.

By this I mean, many Athletes get to CARFITA burnt out because of the effort they put in to qualify.

This year the Coaches and the AAG took a different stand and worked the Athletes into CARIFTA, not

From left, Shanella Martin, Coach Wilson, Tattiana Blair and Shuntel Browne after a session. only thinking about the Trials to make the team and that is what made it so disappointing for everyone,” said Wilson.

Wilson said the COVID-19 and the Curfew could be a blessing in disguise. While it has affected his Coaching due to the Social distancing rule, it has forced families to spend more time together and brought out several skills that some never even knew they had.

Wilson says commitment, support, family discussions

and love for what he does are the reasons he can successfully function as a Coach, Trainer, Sports Administrator and cricket scorer, while still finding time for his family.

“The Administration of the Guyana Police Force from 1987 to now provides me with the time to do whatever I am doing in the Sporting area and I am thankful to them and to everyone else who have helped me,” Coach Wilson stated.

England’s victory at the same venue last week, leg before without scoring from the final ball of the first over but the Windies suffered a blow when an injured Shannon Gabriel left the field.

England were 66-2 at lunch after captain Joe Root (19) was brilliantly run out by a direct hit from the alert Roston Chase after paceman Gabriel was able to return.

Roach produced a peach of a delivery to clean up Stokes, Man of the Match in the second Test following two magnificent knocks, for 20 prior to Burns bringing up a patient 126-ball half-century.

Cornwall then took centre stage to see the back of Burns with a brilliant one-handed reaction grab for at first slip off the bowling of Chase, leaving England four down before tea.

The classy Pope looked anything but a man out of touch with the Windies bowlers looking weary, finding the rope with a flurry of glorious drives and bringing up his 50 off 77 balls.

Buttler was watchful before dispatching spinner Cornwall for two sixes in an over and also reached his half-century, with West Indies unable to strike with the new ball.

Roach closes in on double-century Roach was the pick of

the Windies bowlers and conjured up a special delivery to see the back of the in-form Stokes, who made a hundred and a rapid half-century to set up a series-levelling win last week.

The Barbados-born fast bowler made a great start by trapping Sibley in front and then got one to nip back in and bowl Stokes, the newly-crowned topranked Test all-rounder, through the gate for his 199th scalp in the longest format.

Cornwall makes his presence felt Cornwall had to be patient to get his chance to play a part in the series and although he was wicketless, the sizeable allrounder certainly made an impact on the first day of his third Test.

The 6ft 6in tall, 22 stone Antiguan, selected instead of Alzarri Joseph, snaffled a sharp chance to get rid of Burns and generated turn without reward.

Pope and Buttler to the rescue England were in danger of being dismissed cheaply when Buttler joined Pope at the crease, only for the fifthwicket pairing to turn the tide.

Pope has been out of sorts in the series, but returned to form in style with elegant strokes on both sides of the wicket and Buttler offered great support with a timely knock with his place under threat.

PAGE 26

Saturday July 25, 2020

Kaieteur News

‘I was tricked into becoming an Athletics Coach’ says Lyndon Wilson

By Sean Devers Fifty-one-year-old National Athletics and Police Progressive Youth Club Head Coach Sergeant Lyndon Wilson made his debut as a National Coach in the 1997 inter-Guiana Games held in Guyana and made Police 400 Meter runner Winston George an Olympian at the 2012 London Olympics.

Wilson who was awarded the AAG’s Coach of year for three consecutive years from 2010, was a promising 200 and 400 Meter runner who also competed in the Long Jump.

However, due to a serious leg-injury in 1996, his Athletic career was all but over and although he competed in 1997 he quit competition.

Wilson now spends a lot of time talking to his Athletes, not only about the sport but also about what’s bothering them as Individuals at the end of training sessions so they won’t go through what he experienced as a teenager when was left out of National U-19 cricket team and failed to get any psychological help from the seniors at his club.

“I had the opportunity in Hungary to do a short stint Course on Society and Socialization. Society and peer pressure can make you become what you don’t want to become. I love mentoring young people and seeing them grow, not only as athletes but as a person,” said Wilson.

“My first opportunity to Coach a Police Athletics team came in 1996 when I did my IAAF level 1 Coaching course and I thank Coach Kenrick Smith who was then the Police Athletics Coach.”

“I suffered an injury that would have put me out of Athletics for at least a year but I was around helping Coach Smith. He told me a

Coaching Course was coming up and he wanted me to attend.

I thought that he wanted to end my athletics career but then I said to myself, at this age with this injury giving myself one more year to recover, will carry me into 1997. I decided to do the course since I would still be a part of Athletics.

I did the course in July 1996 and placed fifth and I could say that Coach Smith tricked me into Coaching because he was saying I was doing a fine job as I helped with the youngsters. But it’s due to him I am in the Coaching arena,” said Wilson.

Wilson began Coaching of the Police in 1996 when Police Coaches Kenrick Smith and Colin Boyce left to go to the Master’s Games in the USA in July when the annual Police Championships were held.

“They were scheduled to return during the first week in August and all was thrown at me, not only being the Coach, but the Administrator of the event.

I took it from there and even when they came back I remained Coach of the senior Athletes. Again I think I was tricked into it, since they knew they were leaving but would not have gotten to go if they did not find someone strong and good enough to run off the sports properly.

But I thank them for what they did. Without them I would not be what I am today,” stated Wilson who has been a coach for 24 years.

Wilson was selected to Coach team Guyana for 1997 the Inter-Guiana Games in Guyana.

“When I was selected as Head Coach there was lots of talk about me not having any

Guyana’s 400m Olympian Winston George with Coach Wilson.

experience and why was such a young person given the job of such a large team (28 persons 14 boys and 14 girls).

Even seasoned Coaches were talking, but Mr Blackmore, who was then the President of the AAG supported me.

I accepted and even Cornel Rose, who was saying I was too young for the job, provided advice as did Coaches Colin Boyce, Dennis Smith, Martin Stephenson and Leslie Black.

Guyana finished with the most Gold and Silver Medals.

The 5,000 was the only track event in which Guyana did not win Gold and Silver; gaining Gold and Bronze.

The ‘Starter’ was ill on the final day and I did his duties.

So I started as a Coach and finished as a ‘Starter’ and that was my first International Event as a Starter,” said Wilson.

Wilson, a level 3 Coach, said the biggest challenge for him as a Coach comes from the Administrators.

“They want the Athletes to do well but they are not putting in what they should for the Athletes to perform well. You would work hard to get the Athlete to that level but when it comes to getting the Athlete out there to compete, getting the right type of supplements, the right type of encouragement…yes they get that from their Coaches but the encouragement is not coming from that level poses a very difficult challenge for me and my athlete.

The other thing is that they don’t really see the sport putting us on the map, they are not coming down, not listening to the persons doing the ground level work, which are the coaches. They don’t seek advice and that creates a great challenge… sometimes you get frustrated.

But because you are working with youths who have a goal ahead you can’t give up on them because of what Administration is not doing, you have to continue working towards that goal,” Wilson continued.

His speciality is sprints and relays but when he did his first Course he was taught to be a broad base Coach so while his speciality is still sprints and relays, he also coaches Jumps (high, long & triple).

In the throws Wilson prefers the Discus because he likes to see it going like a flying saucer through the air.

“In 2005 I did a two-week middle and long distance Olympic Solidarity course in Brazil and I fell in love with middle and long distance training. Then in 2006 I did a

Coach Wilson (left) with team Guyana at the 2012 Olympics in London. three-month Course in General Athletics and Psychology in Hungary and finished fourth of 33 participants.

I love Coaching relay teams, that is where I gained my top marks in Hungary,” informed Wilson who is certified in strength and conditioning.

Wilson’s most memorable moment in Sports was the 2012 London Olympics.

“It was a dream come true for me. After my injury and I never making it big in Athletics, my dream was still to be at the Olympics, as a Manager, Coach or whatever area I could have get on the team as,” Wilson revealed.

That dream came true when Winston George qualified for the Olympics in 2011 at the Alba Games in Venezuela.

“It was memorable for me not only because I was there at the highest level or my dream came true but because of what happened before we got to those Games in Venezuela.

Winston and I had a plan that we stuck to and were able to execute. In the mornings when everybody was sleeping we would get into the car and go to Linden Highway and spend hours in that cold morning dew to make sure he perfected what we wanted.

The other thing is, Winston was selected to go to the South American Seniors while some other persons were picked for the Alba Games in Venezuela.

However, they did not get to go to the South American Games due to financial problems.

The AAG President then was Colin Boyce who decided they would try to get them in the Alba Games which was a Government contracted Games among South American teams.

The late Hugh Denbow was Manager of that team and fought to get them in since this was their last opportunity to qualify for the Olympics,” informed Wilson.

George and the other two sprinters, who were in Jamaica training, eventually got into the Alba Games and George was able to get the ‘B’ qualifying time for the Olympics. The ‘B’ qualifying standard is accepted if a country does not meet the qualifying standard.

“I was only selected as Coach at the last minute. They had already picked Joe Ryan to go but GOA President K. Juman Yassin said it was only fitting that he put me on the team since they had one available space for an Official or Athlete but no other Athlete made the qualifying time,” informed the father of 21 children.

Wilson was selected Head Coach since George qualified from local based training and was Coached by the Policeman.

“Another thing we faced was that the Police sports was scheduled for the same time and the then Commissioner Leroy Brummell saw Boyce and my name on the list and said we were not allowed to travel at the same time. Boyce was the senior so I left on the Wednesday of Police Sports and Boyce left on the Saturday after Sports finished.

That made it more memorable since I was there to see my Athlete run and I was there to see my dream come true,” said Wilson, who spoke about his experience at the Olympics.

“When it comes to our preparation, we were at minus zero. Those athletes are on another level.

Their professionalism is so different from our athletes.

Even when dealing with Jeremy Bascom and Aliann Pompey, the two Americabased athletes, they were so different, they knew the things they had to eat, the right supplements…their approach was just at another level,” Wilson noted.

Wilson feels the National Athletics Stadium needs to be better managed if it is to become a true International venue.

“We need a warm-up area which will make us a more International venue and we would get more Athletics coming to Guyana. I think the Management of the Stadium …. not the Manager…. the Management…. which includes all the workers, lack the understanding what the Stadium is really there for.

Some are there only because they are earning a salary.

No track remains perfect throughout its lifetime; you have to work on it to take care of it.

There is need for a lot more equipment there, special rakes and brooms used to clear around the jumping pits.

The wrong brooms can damage the rubber and more competition there will help in the maintenance and will also (Continued on page 21)

Kaieteur News

Saturday July 25, 2020

PAGE 27

GFF’s Forde not surprised with Walter Moore’s ambitious transition to coaching

Wayne S. Forde President GFF

C

iting that Walter ‘Boyd’ Moore is always an ambitious individual be it on or off the football field, President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Wayne Forde is not at all surprised that the former ‘Golden Jaguar’ defender has made the transition to the technical segment of the beautiful game.

Moore who retired from the sport for good in January of 2020 had retired from the game after ten successful

Flashback! Walter Moore during a coaching session with U-17 national players back in May of 2017 at the #5 ground, WCB. years of playing from Under15 and at every level thereafter back in 2016. He had decided to come back to the sport after chatting with another former national defender and buddy, Charles ‘Lily’ Pollard who encouraged him to come back and assist the

youngsters who needed guidance, and he readily acquiesced. His love for the sport was already showing signs then of a transition to coaching as he made a trip to Guyana back in 2017 with FF Jaro Head Coach, Kristian Heames; the two were on a talent spotting trip

Swiss attorney general offers to quit after court rebuke over FIFA meeting

Z

URICH (Reuters) - Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber offered to resign yesterday after a court concluded he covered up a meeting with FIFA head Gianni Infantino and lied to supervisors while his office investigated corruption s u r r o u n d i n g s o c c e r ’s governing body.

The 54-year-old, who has been Switzerland’s most senior state lawyer since 2012, denied lying but offered to resign to protect the reputation of his institution.

“If they (the court) do not believe me as attorney general, then the Office of the Attorney General will be harmed,” he said in a statement.

Lauber had clung to his job despite damning reports from a government watchdog and calls to quit from campaigners over slow progress in corruption cases ranging from Brazil’s Petrobras to Malaysian state fund 1MDB. Narrowly re-elected last year, he was also facing a parliamentary impeachment process, while a special prosecutor is reviewing criminal complaints against him.

“During the protracted time it has taken Lauber to go, he has managed to systematically run down the institution of the Attorney General’s office,” said Mark Pieth, a law professor who is Switzerland’s best-known corruption fighter.

“Although FIFA is very interesting, the really serious stuff for Switzerland as a financial centre are the cases like 1MDB and Petrobras ...

It’s embarrassing it’s taken so long for him to go.”

THREE MEETINGS WITH INFANTINO The final straw for Lauber came on Friday when the Federal Administrative Court said he committed several breaches of duty, lied to investigators and made “implausible” statements about the meeting with Infantino, who denies any wrongdoing.

Upholding only part of his appeal against a punishment from the Supervisory Authority for the Office of the Attorney General, the court reduced a punitive cut in Lauber’s pay.

While Lauber had acknowledged two meetings with Infantino in 2016, he had denied a third meeting

reported by media to have occurred in 2017, prompting a disciplinary probe by the agency that supervises the attorney general’s office.

He later said he did not recall the third meeting but that it must have occurred based on diary entries and text messages.

FIFA was embroiled in the worst corruption scandal in its history in 2015 which led to its president Sepp Blatter being banned from the sport while several dozen officials were indicted in the United States on corruptionrelated charges.

A member of the Swiss p a r l i a m e n t ’s j u d i c i a l committee welcomed Lauber’s decision. “In his position the attorney general has to be above suspicion and it would have been damaging if he remained,” Ursula Schneider Schuettel told Reuters.

FIFA said it was legitimate and legal for its president to meet with the attorney general as he examined crimes carried out against the organisation. “It’s no violation of anything. On the contrary, it is also part of the fiduciary duties of the President of FIFA,” a spokesman said.

to Guyana.

He had also participated in some coach sessions with the National Under-17 team then and is just continuing with his unending love for the game at another level.

GFF President, Wayne Forde commented on the move by Moore: “Walter

Moore is making an intelligent transition, we don’t expect anything less of him, he has always been an exemplary individual on and off the field. We wish him well in his Coaching journey and hope that over time, it will bring him full circle to Guyana’s football.”

Moore of course is relishing the day when he would be able to come back to these shores to give back and compliment the GFF’s forward thrust in the field of coaching which is one of the Federation’s main pillars in building a solid foundation and platform for the game.

Spo

Jos Buttler and Ollie Pope put on a fifty stand Š Getty Images

Boxers finally home after eventual frustrating stint in Cuba

rt

Kemar Roach celebrates with his team-mates, England v West Indies, 3rd Test, Old Trafford, 1st day, July 24, 2020 Š AFP

Pope, Buttler help England recover against West Indies in decisive Test

Steve Ninvalle (2nd left) and the boxers after their return from Cuba yesterday. (From left) Dennis Thomas, Colin Lewis, Keevin Allicock, Desmond Amsterdam and Terrence Poole.

Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.