K
AIETEUR NEWS
Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly
All parties must respect elections outcome - India p. 7
Sunday Edition July 26, 2020
Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Price $140
Online readership yesterday 118,626
Decision due on Thursday
Don't aid and abet elections - GECOM Chair pleads fraud with Appeal Court p. 7
Army had spent almost $700M for four planes;
only two operating
p. 8
One of the Islander planes
All projected parliamentary parties Guyana already in a reject talks with Granger coalition dictatorship - Paul Tennassee p. 10
p. 3
Guyana requires additional 460,000 acres of mangroves to offset - Conservationist emissions from ExxonMobil's flaring p. 2
Mixed responses from Govt. officials on visa revocation p. 9
Kaieteur News
PAGE 02
Sunday July 26, 2020
Guyana requires additional 460,000 acres of mangroves to offset emissions from ExxonMobil's flaring - conservationist
T
o d a y, G u y a n a joins the rest of the world in celebrating International Day for the Conservation of
Mangrove Ecosystems. Instead of the occasion serving to evoke feelings of immense pride for Guyana's efforts, it is one that brings
great disappointment and concern for industry stakeholders including conservationist, Annette Arjoon-Martins.
In a comment shared with Kaieteur News yesterday, Arjoon-Martins related that today leaves her in a state of worry, especially
Conservationist, Annette Arjoon-Martins when one considers the harmful greenhouse gas emissions being released by ExxonMobil offshore Guyana. A passionate advocate for protecting Guyana's environment, she reminded that ExxonMobil would have flared approximately10 billion cubic feet of gas via the Liza Destiny vessel due to mechanical issues it experienced with the vessel's gas compressor system. The conservationist was keen to note, however, that at this point in time, Guyana does not have the required acres of mangroves to offset those emissions. To do so, the nation would need an additional 460,000 acres. Expounding further on the importance of the International Day for the Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystems and Guyana's current state of affairs, she noted that the former was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO in 2015 to raise awareness of the significance of mangrove ecosystems as “a unique, special and vulnerable ecosystem.” She said it was also adopted to promote
solutions for their sustainable use, management and conservation. Whilst some Guyanese are aware of the importance of mangroves as nature's sea defence, Arjoon-Martins posited that not many are aware of the other important services of this highly productive forest type. In this regard, she noted that one very relevant and standout service is that of “carbon sequestration.” In simple terms, the conservationist explained that mangroves remove proportionally more carbon belowground, and have higher below- to aboveground carbon mass ratios than any other terrestrial trees. With respect to Guyana, she noted that an inventory of its mangrove forests was done in 2018 which established that there are 82,437 acres. She was keen to point out that this can only sequester or remove 50,287 million metric tonnes (Mt) of carbon dioxide (CO2). “If one were to put this in (continued on page 16)
Kaieteur News
Sunday July 26, 2020
PAGE 03
All projected parliamentary parties reject talks with Granger coalition A
ll of the other parties projected to win seats in the National Assembly besides APNU+AFC, have rejected calls for dialogue from the David Granger-led coalition. APNU+AFC's position had been widely opposed by over 20 countries at a meeting last week of the Organisation of American States (OAS) Permanent Council, which called on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to declare the results of the national vote recount. Following the meeting, the coalition issued a statement claiming that it “in the national interest, and with a view to maintaining stability and peace, remains open to dialogue with other political parties and stakeholders on the way forward for our country.” It said that the “APNU+AFC coalition is prepared to act responsibly to bring a resolution to the ongoing political situation.” However, the rest of the statement peddled misinformation about alleged electoral fraud being uncovered by the national vote recount, with the aim of discrediting it. This is in line with the party's narrative which aims to have the fraudulent Region Four declaration produced by Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, along with the other district declarations, stand in place of the results of the national vote recount as the basis on which a final declaration is made. This was not lost on any of the parties which responded. The General Secretary of the People's Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, released a strongly worded statement,
explaining that the party will fiercely resist the coalition's attempt to stage a coup if Granger refuses to accept a declaration of the recount results. “No one should be surprised as the PNC which Granger leads and which is essentially the APNU+AFC, has a history of not accepting the results of every election that they have lost since 1992.” “If Granger and his band of riggers believe that they can continue to hang on to office after the declaration has been made,” Jagdeo said, “then they are living in a fool's world.” He said that the coalition statement is in clear defiance of the Chief Justice, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), GECOM and the international community, from which sanctions will escalate. He urged Guyanese not to worry, and to work and ensure Guyana has a declaration that is reflective of the will of the people. The PPP/C won the elections with a 15,416 vote lead ahead of the APNU+AFC. A joinder of three parties was fortunate to win a single seat, judging from projections. It comprises the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), A New and United Guyana (ANUG), and The New Movement (TNM). All three parties made s t a t e m e n t s s e p a r a t e l y, refusing the call for dialogue and called on Granger to concede. TNM said it is not open to dialogue, noting that it has been calling on the coalition to concede since March. “The New Movement notes the games your political organization has been playing since the representative for the nation, seated in parliament, passed
Projected parliamentary parties' presidential candidates: [from left] APNU+AFC's David Granger, TNM's Asha Kissoon, LJP's Lenox Shuman and ANUG's Ralph Ramkarran a successful No Confidence Motion (NCM) on December 21st, 2018 (one year, seven months and three days ago). Those games have now diminished into child's play after the 2020 General and Regional Elections (GRE).” The party is of the view that the leadership of the coalition is not genuine and therefore, dialogue of any kind is likened unto a “stillbirth”. “We see and foresee the games you are trying to play and the straws you're trying to clutch at,” it said, “and we are proud to say that we will not be one of them.” Finally, TNM called on the coalition to accept defeat and release the country “from [its] damaging grips.” LJP said that the time for dialogue was December 22, 2018, the day after the passing of the no-confidence motion, at which an election date should have been resolved. The President had ended up announcing a date for elections almost a year later. The party placed on record that any dialogue with a dictatorship would only serve to legitimize the
dictatorship, and added that it will only engage in constructive dialogue with a legitimately and democratically elected government. “Should the APNU be genuinely interested in constructive dialogue,” the part said, “conceding that they have lost these elections would be viewed as a genuine first step.” The party of Lenox Shuman also took the opportunity to reject the “disrespect” shown by the coalition for anyone who speaks out about its constant attempts to rig the elections. It renewed its call for Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, who has
staunchly aided the coalition's attempts to rig the elections, to be fired. ANUG called the Granger coalition's statement duplicitous, explaining that if it were really prepared to act r e s p o n s i b l y, i t w o u l d concede. “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. If they are indeed prepared to act responsibly, this can be done immediately with the simple act of
conceding.” ANUG stated. Like LJP, ANUG said that it will engage in open dialogue with any legally elected government, parliamentary opposition, other political parties and stakeholders on the way forward for the country. “Once this is done, ANUG is determined to be at the forefront of any talks putting the issues of constitutional and electoral reform high on the agenda.”
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Sunday July 26, 2020
Kaieteur News
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KAIETEUR NEWS Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL - TEL: 624-6456 Editor: SHARMAIN GRAINGER Tel: 225-8491, 225-8458, 225-8465 Fax: 225-8473 or 226-8210
Editorial
Whither Guyana? Fraudulent elections – an infamous bragging right of Guyana. Just when we thought that rigging of Guyana’s elections were dead and buried with Burnham and Hoyte, the Granger-led PNC has resurrected the harsh reality of rigging. From 1964 to 1985 and now in 2020, elections have been engineered and commandeered to benefit the PNC - and now the APNU+AFC of which the PNC is the main party. In a week’s time, it would be five months since March 2020 elections. The PNC’s recalcitrance continues with an insistence that David Granger is sworn in amidst all the cleverly engineered but unproven allegations of fraud and mismanagement - which can only be litigated at an elections court. Granger seems happy to swear in from a fraudulent Mingo declaration. Neither the March 2nd count nor the Recount showed the massively inflated numbers of votes per Mingo’s spreadsheet. Meanwhile, the plight of Guyanese is ignored by Granger and his team. No proposal or discussion has emerged to address the suffering of the people. What exactly they would do for Guyana if they form the next Government? The tragedy of the Harmon/Nagamootoo-led COVID task force is a sad but real example of a Granger-led government. What is clear is that Granger wants to remain as President at all – or any – cost. What is unclear is how he hopes to govern. And, of increasing concern is a Grangergovernment’s ability to take the country forward. Sanctions aside, Guyana faces serious challenges ahead. Presently we do not have a Parliament that can vote funds toward any sector. More importantly, the sourcing of such funds will be a nightmare. How will the productive sector be expected to produce within a paradigm of export/import restrictions? The labourintensive rice and sugar sectors are dependent on imported fertilizers and chemicals – all in the face of the continuous slide of the exchange rates, sanctions notwithstanding. Our oil potential has already been mis-managed and decimated by poor leadership and wanton disregard by the incumbent and, the oil revenues are not within the reach of an illegitimate government. Meanwhile, the health sector is reeling from the shortage of pharmaceuticals across all primary and secondary health facilities. The bloated public service is not a productive sector and the extractive industries cannot feed the nation. A bleak future can be discerned regardless of how one may tweak the permutations. And finally, what is even more dangerous for Guyana is the end to any future credible elections. The PNC wants to stay in power for the foreseeable future. Never again could a general election be held in Guyana in which the PNC can conceivably embrace any oversight or conclusion by any foreign-based group. CARICOM, Carter Center and other agencies will not be allowed to observe – and in any case, if they do observe, their reports will not be accepted. GECOM itself will continue to be threatened. Granger has shown a propensity to manipulate GECOM and direct its affairs – or, tie it up in continuous court action. GECOM may, again, become an arm of the PNC – even more than it is presently with the unambiguous signals of the Chief Elections Officer. With regards to any “negotiation”, the political parties opposed to Granger have signalled an unwillingness to negotiate under the duress of an illegal government. And in any case, such negotiations may fail for lack of trust. After all, if the incumbent can perverse the Constitution, how can it be held to any agreement? This ominous and foreboding future faces Guyana – which only four years ago dreamed of massive wealth and development to compete with the most developed countries of the world. Unfortunately, all of this has been cast into the pit of racist and opportunistic aggrandizement of a man who seems bent of recreating the aura of a “maximum leader” and whose eyes seem to be set on the title as the First Dictator of the 2020s.
Send your letters to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com
The private criminal charges against Lowenfield set a serious precedent DEAR EDITOR, The three private criminal charges of alleged felony and misconduct brought against Keith Lowenfield, Chief Elections Officer (CEO), pertaining to the execution of his duties can tomorrow happen to any public servant. This includes the headmaster/mistress, general manager, supervisor, chief medical officer, et al. That person may be you, a family member, or someone you know. Public sector workers, in the performance of their duties, are guided by administrative guidelines and policies within the framework of the Constitution and Laws of Guyana that give meaning to their organisation’s existence. The CEO has been placed on $450,000.00 bail. This immediately brings into
question the need for bail reform in our society. There is evidence in the public domain where elected officials/politicians were placed before the court on more egregious charges and were not given bail but released on their own recognisance. Why such was not granted a worker, at the level of the CEO, this wellknown figure? This case, whereas in this instance it directly impacts the CEO, affects all public servants. It sets a profoundly serious precedent and carries implications for any worker in the future, particularly those who hold public office. Anyone can decide, on any given day, to file a charge against a public servant in the execution of duties. It says that any public servant, in the discharge of
official duties, could be denied workplace justice and be placed immediately in a court of law by any public citizen whether or not they understand the issues at hand. This has dire consequences for employment in terms of attracting persons to the public service and creating an independent and professional service. This has consequences for continuity, setting a trend that could lead to purging of the public service should there be a change in government at any time. This case is an abuse of political privilege and an indication of what is to come. Left unchecked it will spiral across the public sector. What we are witnessing here is public servants being threatened in the execution of
their duties. This is a display of tactics of autocratic regimes with the potential for tyrannical vengeance. The floodgate is now opened for others to carry the commissioners to court and the judges on any ‘frivolous’ charges of misconduct relating to their duties. We are heading into dangerous and murky waters. I am calling on society to mark Friday 24th July and take note because it will come back to haunt us. The deterioration and undermining of administrative principles and practices are a threat to industrial stability and livelihood and the opportunity to perform duties without fear of political or other vindictiveness. Yours truly, Lincoln Lewis
Sunday July 26, 2020
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Oil companies are here to make Mr. Kwayana is careful money, not be our best friends not to jeopardize his status DEAR EDITOR, I refer to your article “EPA needs to stop granting ExxonMobil permits in absence of Critical info on Flaring” (July 25th). What an absolute mess already! Certain oil companies are notorious for destroying the environment and habitat of oil-producing countries, in underdeveloped and third world areas. Take a visit to the Delta Region of Nigeria and other African countries and see how international oil companies have so polluted the environment; and made some areas uninhabitable. Do you know why they are still able to destroy these environment up till today? Because they can get away
with it. It is that simple. The oil companies are in business to make money, not be our best friends. They most certainly do not conduct themselves in this fashion in developing countries, so I suggest, Dr. Vincent Adams, EPA Head, that you listen again to what the International Lawyer Melinda Janki is telling you. Obviously, she has the interest of Guyana at heart, and has again laid out problem areas with ExxonMobil’s operations. It’s really disappointing for anyone at the EPA to say they cannot independently verify the toxins, or whatever else due to flaring, being put in the environment by ExxonMobil, in Guyana, and
are left with no choice but accept what ExxonMobil tells them. Really? This is 2020 for heaven’s sake. There are NGO’s and various oil supporting businesses, all over the world, able to perform this function for a small fee. Has the EPA asked surrounding oil producing countries how they verify what is put into the environment by oil companies? I am sure with the right contacts, this information can be procured by one of the many oilsupporting entities for free. These things are done. I assure you, right now, the oil company is having a good laugh, at Guyana’s expense. Yours truly, Chi Kansi
Shared governance is necessary but conceding defeat must come first DEAR EDITOR, The coalition has been sending out feelers for ‘power sharing’ or ‘shared governance’ as a solution to the political crisis. But this idea only comes after the coalition has recognized that there is no avenue left to make a claim for an electoral victory. The highest court has ruled against the regime – only the recount can be used to declare the outcome and it shows that the incumbent coalition lost. It was prepared all along to govern alone and even claimed victory. But now against the wall, it says there should be shared governance. In general, I support power sharing. It has been a long held position that in a plural society like ours, one race-based party should not rule a country to the exclusion of other parties that represent other races. It is a recipe for instability and even ethnic disturbances. But in Guyana, the 2020 election campaign was not over shared governance. Preceding the campaign, I appealed to the parties to embrace shared governance. I lamented the fact that the political parties failed to come up with a plan for shared governance inclusive of all parties. There were no takers to the idea except for ANUG and other small parties. The PPP spoke about inclusive governance during the campaign and now also says that after the swearing in there would be inclusion of other parties in government formation. In opposition, the APNU+AFC coalition spoke of inclusive and shared governance in 2015 but abandoned the idea when in government; it hogged everything and even
alienated those who championed their cause and helped them to victory. Since shared governance was not a campaign issue, it would be unprincipled to bring it up now after defeat as an opportunity to grab a bite of the mango. A country cannot reward a party that tried rigging its way into office. It would set a bad precedent for the future of democracy and good governance. Shared governance over time is inevitable. It would happen and must happen by law. It is a positive development that the PPP has committed to the language of ‘inclusion’ and that the coalition now wants a piece of the mango instead of all of it. The PNC’s supporters should get a share of the mango. But first, the PNC must concede defeat, end judicial abuse, allow the declaration of results, and swearing in of Irfaan Ali as the President who has already been so deemed President as per the recount numbers announced by
GECOM. After that, there can be discussions on inclusive governance. There is no reason why the PPP would not want to work with the other parties under a big tent to advance the development of the nation. The PNC should take note that all of the opposition parties have been united on ‘the coalition must concede before any other discussions take place’. The PPP also said it would consider the idea of shared governance with the coalition providing it ends its court shenanigans. The coalition should heed that response from the minor parties and the PPP! Guyanese are frustrated and want an urgent resolution to the political crisis. The country is suffering with the economy shrinking and thousands losing their jobs since the election. The coalition should bring the election to closure. And the court must reject further appeals and filings on frivolous issue. Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram
in the United States
DEAR EDITOR, In a letter which appeared in the news media on July 21, Mr. Eusi Kwayana, aka Sidney King, expressed wonder at the USA’s high activism in Guyana’s affairs in the face of a global coronavirus epidemic of the present scale. He felt it was of some relief to some sectors of the US Empire to find diversions in the affairs of a mini-state when faced at home with a unique uprising of a multi-racial nature in resentment to present day lynching. He further stated that the US State Department is not part of this uprising. The unique uprising and mayhem presently ongoing in the USA is the result of policies and programs being perpetrated particularly on Blacks and minorities to their detriment by the Trump’s Government of which the US State Department is a constituent part. Therefore, it is disingenuous for Mr. Kwayana to state that the US State Department’s divisive policies are not contributing to the demonstrations and uprisings. He was however, cautious in his criticism of what appeared to him to be present day lynching in the US but was careful to note that the US State Department was not part of this terrible crime. After all, as a 96 years old Guyanese living in Georgia and probably receiving one or all of these benefits - Social Security, Medicare/ Medicaid and, depending on his yearly income, a free phone, food stamps, subsidized
housing, etc. he has to play it safe in what he does and say so as not to jeopardize his US income. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that Mr. Kwayana chose to live in America not because of the atmosphere created by the vigilante organisations in Guyana which he claims he detests but because of all the free goodies and wonderful climate he is getting there and which he would have never received living in the backwater country he came from unless he was a ‘ Hamilton Green’. Finally, Mr. Kwayana claims he is a Caribbean citizen of Guyanese origin living in the USA. In reality, there is no such title as a Caribbean citizen since members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) cannot automatically work and live freely in any member state. Further, CARICOM does not issue passports to its members. His Guyanese passport was issued by the competent authority in Guyana with the wording ‘Caribbean Community’ stamped on its top front cover for whatever benefit it stands for. Mr. Kwayana has every right to propagate the welfare of his community and to ensure they receive their rightful slice of the economic cake they helped to bake. However, this should not be done with biased racial/political overtones to tip the scale. Yours truly, Charles Sohan
Freddie sensationalizes Kwayana’s words in his recent column DEAR EDITOR, I have just read Freddie Kissoon’s column titled “ Eusi Kwayana: Long Journey back into Sydney King.” When I read the headline, I knew the column would have little or nothing to do with it. That is a Freddie Kissoon staple. If you write a daily column, as Freddie does, it is hard not to indulge in fiction, fantasy, character assassination, madness on paper, gossip, and malice. Those are also Kissoon staples. Freddie quotes widely from a recent Kwayana letter to the media on the 2020 election and in his malice towards Kwayana turns the man’s words of wisdom into a cuss-
out. And when the reader is waiting for him to quote Kwayana from the 1960s when he was Sydney King, it never came. They will never come because Freddie has no interest in them. His interest is in using sensational headlines to assault the integrity of an African Guyanese, Guyanese, Caribbean and Black treasure. Having said that, I hope Freddie proves me wrong and actually does his research. I can help him. Thanks to a mutual colleague, I have access to a lot of Kwayana’s writings from the 1940s to the present. Yours truly, David Hinds
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Sunday July 26, 2020
Kaieteur News
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A looming constitutional Young people should not lose hope in the future crisis is before us The sojourn into a legal merry-go-round has so far been disastrous for the Granger administration anxiously seeking respite from a sympathetic court. The Court of Appeal, which in the recent past made a few baffling judgments in favor of APNU+AFC is their last hope, and any shred of approbative decision will be fiercely ballyhooed to justify their bizarre claim to victory. On the contrary, a decision that fails to conform to their hardened position will be treated with scant respect. The recent attacks on judges of the CoA is a precursor to what could happen in the event of an unfavorable outcome. The Chief Justice’ recent judgment against APNU+AFC is already being dismissed as “irrelevant,” and the CCJ’s carefully constructed decision, when not mischievously misrepresented, is scorned upon as unwanted interference into the legal affairs of a sovereign state. In fact, AG Williams’ pathetic presentation at the recently convened OAS meeting
referred to the Apex Court’s existence as the brainchild of the PPP/C government, dangling the suggestion of bias by the premier Caribbean Court. A constitutional crisis is looming because Granger has declared that he would not accept any court decision that fails to recognize Mingo’s infamously flawed tabulation. Granger now disavows the results of the Recount, which emerged from an agreement between him and Jagdeo, brokered by the then CARICOM Head, Prime Minister Mia Mottley. Marooned on an island of their own making, being ostracized by CARICOM, the OAS, EU, the Commonwealth, and with the US and Canada already imposing a diplomatic squeeze, Granger and his cadre of loyal soldiers are doubling down, becoming more strident in their poisontipped remarks. False assurances, pigheaded obstinacy and political skullduggery have given way to hostile attacks and threats, the latest against GECOM’s Chairperson with the clear intent to thwart any
attempt by her to perform her constitutional duty. No one who dares appealing to the APNU/AFC government to step aside to allow for a smooth transition of power is spared from invectives, innuendos, and character assassination. The false narratives and highly charged language of leaders of APNU/AFC are undoubtedly stirring up bitterness, anger and hate in an environment of sharp racial division and mistrust. A boiling cauldron of frustration and bitterness is sizzling beneath a disquieting calm. Once more, the rancid smell of “black gold” threatens to impose a curse on another country, Guyana whose rulers, driven by an obsessive thirst for power are bent on subverting the democratic process to seize power. The shameless power grab in the face of worldwide condemnation exposes the moral turpitude, and muddled thinking of a political clique terrified by the prospective of losing out on the management of a projected oil bonanza. Yours truly, Ramdular Singh
DEAR EDITOR, Permit me to offer some words of encouragement to Mr. Dennis Anthony Glasgow, who wrote a beautiful, honest letter (‘Guyanese Youth are losing hope because of the politics of the old’) published in KN on 7-24-2020. As I read Mr. Glasgow’s letter, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of deja vu, as his sentiments mirrored my own feelings post-2015. After having given both the major parties my votes over previous elections and been sorely disappointed by their lack of follow through on campaign promises, coupled with their childish behaviour in parliament and in government, I was left feeling the same sense of hopelessness and shame at our older leaders. It is for this reason that I decided to step away from the nasty political culture nurtured by these traditional parties and join together with other younger folks to form The Citizenship Initiative (TCI). One particular part of his letter struck home; “We need
to ensure that the young people, who will inherit this Guyana, are integrally involved in decision making as we move towards this new era of leadership that we deserve. I am not saying, select young people as tokens or select young people just because they are young but select young people who are capable, ready and willing to serve. We have many of them, it is just a matter of drawing them out by demonstrating that this “petty race baiting” nonsense is a thing of the past.” To the young man and all others like him reading this letter, I first of all want to say you are absolutely right with all of your sentiments. I would like to encourage all of you to not lose hope, but instead get yourselves involved with a group that shares the same sentiments and is fueled by the desire to break the cycle of traditional stagnant, lip-service leadership that Guyana has been faced with over the years. Mr. Glasgow writes, “I call on political parties to ensure that young people are represented in parliament. The same way we have established quotas for women to be represented in the house, I ask for parties to consider quotas for youth involvement at all levels of governance.” I’d like to ask Mr. Glasgow to take a look at TCI’s website and go through our manifesto
pillars, the first of which is ‘Participatory Citizenship, Enhanced Governance and Public Accountability’. Item number 6 on our Constitutional Reform agenda under this pillar is: “The inclusion of constitutional guarantees for youth involvement, similar to the current gender quota, specifically the constitutional provision that party representation in the national elections must include 30 percent of candidates 35 and under.” I encourage him to explore those pillars, which I hope will result in illustrating to him why TCI was formed and our goal to challenge, improve and hold accountable all leaders of Guyana, regardless of political affiliation. We also want what is best for the country, and it is from young, strong, honest minds like Mr. Glasgow’s that the spark necessary to ignite the wind of change in leadership will occur. I encourage Mr. Glasgow and any youth leaders who are looking to join the dialogue to reach out to TCI, we welcome your ideas, your passion and your conviction to move Guyana away from the old political ways and into the future. Do not lose hope – the future belongs to the young, brave and talented Guyanese like yourself. Step up and seize it. Yours truly, Shazaam Ally The Citizenship Initiative
SWEAR UPON YOUR VISA By Tulsi Dyal I know dat some of you will challenge me When I seh dat grangerize is a word Ah gon give you odds of thirty three to one That it’s really in de dictionary. If you want to bet against me You gon have to swear upon your visa And if you nah got one, Ah wonder why, There’s got to be a reason. Grangerize means to augment or inflate Something like a book or a spreadsheet With things that weren’t there before! Pictures, numbers, other piece of fantasy. It’s one thing to grangerize a book But how do you grangerize a country? You harmonize some fraud and lies And deny de sanctity of de choice.
Sunday July 26, 2020
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Kaieteur News
DECISION DUE ON THURSDAY
Don’t aid and abet elections fraud – Claudette Singh pleads with Appeal Court dispute as is outlined by the complaints of the appellant. Rather, she said contentions foisted on the Court by way of appeal are best suited for an Elections Petition. The lawyer added, “These are matters for an election court after the final declarations has been made.” She held that, as such, the appeal lacks
GECOM Chairperson, Claudette Singh Attorneys arguing against the appeal filed by A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance For Change, (APNU+AFC) Counting Agent, Misenga Jones to block the final elections declarations have asked the Court to ensure that electoral fraud is not perpetuated in Guyana. Jones through her lawyers, Mayo Robertson, Roysdale Forde and John Jeremie want final declarations to be made based on a report containing the disputed figures of the March 13, Region Four declaration. The crux of Jones’ complaint is that Section 22 of the Election Law Amendment Act (ELAA) is unconstitutional and Order 60 of2020 by which the recount was conducted is invalid and of no effect. This is contrary to a decision by the Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George- Wiltshire which she ruled last week, that the final declarations must be made on the basis of the figures from the elections recount process. The recount figures show a victory for the opposition People Progressive Party Civic over
merit. Kyte-Thomas also noted that 9 of ten of the questions raised by Jones’ appeal formed the case of Ulita Moore – a case which was just weeks ago brought to the Court. “This matter is clearly res judicata and this is an attempt at re-litigation which amounts to an abuse of the
Court’s process,” the lawyer said, adding that in light of her expressed views, the Court must act swiftly to dismiss the appeal since the nation needs closure to the electoral process. Trinidadian Senior Counsel, Douglas Mendes arguing on behalf of the Continued on page 10
All parties must respect elections outcome - India Attorney, Kim Kyte-Thomas
the APNU +AFC. In her submissions before Justices of Appeal Dawn Gregory, Rishi Persaud and High Court Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry yesterday, Kim Kyte-Thomas, Attorney for Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) retired Justice Claudette Singh, pleaded with the Court not “to aid and abet illegalities” committed by agents of GECOM by legitimizing the report containing March 13 fictitious figures presented by Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo. She was not the only lawyer ardently arguing this point; Trinidad-based Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes representing the People Progressive Party Civic (PPP/ C) was amongst the list of opposing legal teams making similar presentations. ELECTORAL FRAUD Leading the arguments on the issue of electoral fraud, Kyte-Thomas, former Solicitor-General, contended that when the Court properly examines the case, there is no other conclusion that can made except that the appellant (Jones) is asking the judiciary
to aid and abet specific illegalities which led the March 13 Region Four declarations. The appellant is asking the Court to set aside figures of the recount process which was hailed at transparent by Guyana’s Apex Court, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), and instead rely on the March 13 declarations. “Your Honours, I ask this Honourable Court not be used as an instrument of fraud. They dressed up their application in a lot of legalese but that is what they are asking this Court to do,” she said. Relying on the legal provisions cited in her written submission, Kyte-Thomas noted that GECOM is tasked with the duty of ensuring that its statutory officers carry out their functions in keeping with the law. She said, “That is what GECOM is doing by directing the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), who is a statutory officer within the Commission and e is subject to the disciplinary control of GECOM.” Further, the attorney noted there was no election Guyana’s Court of Appeal
The Republic of India, the largest democracy in the world, has called on all parties in Guyana to accept the outcome of Guyana’s Election. This was said recently by the spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Anurag Srivastava. The David Granger coalition has lost the March 2nd general elections, according to a recount. His government has been accused of constantly frustrating the declaration of the results of the elections. He said that India has closely been following the developments of Guyana’s elections, with four months now since they were held. “As a time-tested friend of Guyana, India looks forward to the early conclusion of the electoral process in the interest of democracy in Guyana,” Srivastava said.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Anurag Srivastava
India is the most recent of a plethora of countries which has called for parties to respect the final decision of the March 2, General and Regional Elections. Earlier this week, 21 of the 35 member-states of the Organization of American
States (OAS) had appealed to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), to announce a declaration only based on results from the national recount. Observer missions and members of civil society have also called for the same.
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Sunday July 26, 2020
Kaieteur News
Army had spent almost $700M for four planes, only two operating
In 2018, just about three years after it entered office, the APNU+AFC coalition government moved to buy four planes for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), two Islanders and two Skyvans. The two Britten-Norman Islanders arrived around August 2018 while the two Shorts Sc-7 Skyvans reportedly came in June last year. In excess of $700M, according to reports, was used to purchase the four planes. According to several sources, one of the Islanders remained stripped since it came in 2018 because of technical problems, while millions of dollars were spent on the other Islander to make it airworthy. One of the Skyvans, since arriving in June last year, barely flew a few months before being grounded. Kaieteur News was told that it would cost as much as the purchase to bring the Skyvan up to be deemed airworthy. The situation with the planes, which were touted to increase the army’s capacity especially in manning the wide open borders of Guyana,
would raise alarm bells as to the transparency in their procurement. In May 2018, the Coalition was grilled in the National Assembly after an application was made for $484M in additional funding for the GDF for the purchases. The approval was granted for the additional sums representing final payment towards the purchase of four fixed-wing aircrafts. Faced with numerous questions about the purchase from the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/ C), the then Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, who had responsibilities for the Army, disclosed that the Islanders were first manufactured in 1976 while Skyvans were first manufactured in 1977. Both models are no longer being manufactured. The Minister disclosed that the Skyvans, which were being used for troop transport and parachuting were being brought from Belgium through Liberty Aviation, an American company that operates from North Carolina. The Islanders, according to Harmon, were being
File photo: Minister Harmon, in 2018, in conversation with Commanding Officer of the Air Corps Lt. Col. Courtney Byrne, Director-General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Egbert Field, then Chief of Staff Brigadier West and Officer-in-Command at the Flight Operations Department, Major Mohinder Ramjag. purchased from Brazil which utilized the planes for passenger and cargo services. “The Skyvans and Islanders are aircraft; people
who have them don’t sell them. It’s like having a RollsRoyce,” Harmon had stated to justify the purchase of the aircraft. PPP Parliamentarian, Clement Rohee, had pressed Harmon on the availability of spare parts for the aircraft given that they are out of production. Harmon pointed
out that while they are not being produced, there are many countries around the world that operate these aircraft and therefore spares and training are not an issue. “They are sought-after aircraft because of the capability,” Harmon had explained, “They allow for short take off and landing.
They allow for the use of the type of airstrips which we have in Guyana, 90% of which are short type of airstrips. Therefore, these two types of aircraft are specifically suited for those circumstances.” Harmon had told the National Assembly that there are seven fully trained and Continued on page 54 One of the Islander planes
One of the Skyvans
Sunday July 26, 2020
Kaieteur News
Mixed responses from Govt. officials on visa revocation
President David Granger
Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture Annette Ferguson’s response to Kaieteur News. A week after the United States government had announced sanctions in the form of visa revocation on “individuals responsible and complicit in undermining democracy in Guyana,” officials from the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) shared mixed responses when questioned by Kaieteur News on the status of their visas. US Secretary of State,
Mike Pompeo, on July 15th had made good on his nation’s threat of sanctions for those complicit in electoral fraud, as he also called for incumbent President David Granger to “step aside” and demit office, following his loss of the March 2, General and Regional Elections. The sanctions, ranging from terminated visas to frozen assets, are expected to be imposed in phases, starting
with the upper echelon of the party. Kaieteur News made contact with a number of APNU+AFC officials. The majority of them refused to answer questions regarding the status of their US visa, while the remaining provided mixed responses. Answers were requested for these three basic questions: as of March of this year whether they were in possession of a US visa; whether between March and the date the enquires were made had they been contacted by the consular section of the US embassy with regards to the revocation of that US visa; and if they had, was the revocation of that visa been linked to sanctions announced so far by the US government? Second Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Affairs, Sydney Allicock, was the only official who gave a comprehensive response to Kaieteur News. Allicock, who also represents the Guyana Action Party (GAP), confirmed that he is in fact in possession of a US visa. Continued on page 55
Dem boys seh...
Egg-ball gun abandon Moses De talk all week was about de media man who visa get tek away. He start lashing out at everybody. De Americans mek he a real PROnot a Public Relations Officer – but a Professional Rigging Outcast. De Critic talk how de man nah resign from de wuk. He was escorted to the door by de security. De sanctions biting hotter than red ants. Dem boys know dat some ah dem wha visa get pull feel that de Americans bluffing. Now dem realize dat dem nah gun see plane step no more... Dem nah gun see friend and family in Uncle Sam no more because when yuh visa get pull is hard fuh get a new one. Dem worry wha gun happen if dem get real sick and need medical attention. Dem nah wan go Georgetown Hospital. But is suh when you want support people wha rigging elections. Things gun get wuss. If dem who rigging
really believe dat them can survive sanctions, dem gun hold dem head and dem belly and bawl when Uncle Sam clap de second lash pun them. All dem farrin country gat fuh do is fuh stop dem banks from doing business with de riggers. Dat is all dem gat fuh do. Rigadier and Joe Shan Lin gun run in de bush and hide. Rig-juttan gun jump in a hole and conceal he self. And de Man, whose name deh in de Bible wha bin part de Red Sea, gun stay in he house all day. Even he friend, de Egg-ball man called HimRan who use to write about cricket and direct things at de Kranicle, nah gun be there fuh he. As fuh de PRO, he gun gat fuh beg lodging at him new-found best friend stone place. Talk half and ask yuh self why some of dem media men suddenly gone quiet.
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Sunday July 26, 2020
Kaieteur News
Guyana already in a dictatorship – Paul Tennassee Former Guyanese politician, Paul Nehru Tennassee said that Guyana is already in a dictatorship, and that if President David Granger refuses to accept a declaration of the results of the national vote recount, he will have consolidated that dictatorship. Tennassee addressed the public on Kaieteur Radio’s Room 592 on Saturday evening. He had headed the Democratic Labour Movement (DLM), a political party which existed in the 1980s and contested the 1985 elections in the fight for free and fair elections. He is now a director at The Roraima Institute (TRI), a nonpartisan research and policy institute, and a professor at the University of the District of Columbia in Washington, DC USA. There, he teaches in Government and Political Corruption, among other things. Explaining how he arrived at his view, Tennassee said, “Constitutionally, since March of last year, we were supposed to have an election
Professor and former Guyanese politician, Paul Nehru Tennassee
President David Granger
based on the no confidence motion and so. So from April last year to the elections of March this year, if you do not have a sitting parliament, what do you have in a country? You have a dictatorship. You have a dictator.” Tennassee pointed to the importance of Parliament as a representation of the people’s sovereignty. “The people are sovereign
but the people delegate that sovereignty to the parliament that they elect,” he said, “There is no parliament. So we have had a dictatorship from then to now.” He noted that there is talk of calling a state of emergency in Guyana, and stated implicitly that the function of such would be to consolidate said dictatorship. The election situation, he
indicated, is not in tension with his view of the system. The Granger coalition has lost the election, but it refuses to accept its loss and has been claiming that its leaders think the coalition won. “We maintain,” the party said in a statement last week, “that the Elections Commission can only make a ‘declaration’ based on valid votes. The recount process which was conducted, painstakingly, for thirty-three days revealed massive irregularities and extensive fraud which cannot be foisted on the Guyanese people to contrive an outcome that betrays the will of the electorate.”
“My personal view,” Tennassee told Kaieteur Radio, “is that I do not believe that the PNC leadership does not know that they lost the elections. I think they know they lost the election, but they’re not being honest.” He noted that all of the political parties as well as the international observers have said that the APNU+AFC has lost the election. “How are you going to say that these reputable international organizations are telling a lie? Why would they tell a lie?” he asked. “We have had a history where the PNC has developed tremendous expertise to rob elections,” he said, “to
organize fraudulent elections.” One of the issues pointed out is that the coalition leaders are presenting an issue of race to their AfroGuyanese supporters in an effort to promote an ideology of ethnic nationalism. “They claim they are speaking for all the African people in Guyana,” Tennassee said. “And they are saying that they fear that if the PPP comes to office, even though they win the elections, and they know that, that there will be what you call ‘Indian domination’. They have presented to the African people a situation that is Continued on page 53
Don’t aid and abet... From page 8 PPP/C made similar contentions. He noted that it was the fraud which was perpetuated by Clairmont Mingo that led to the series of litigation. He noted that it is because of the controversy relating to Mingo’s declaration and his denial of requests for recounts, that GECOM issued Order 60 requiring the recounting of all the ballots in all 10 Districts. According to the Mendes, the recount was to be carried out under the supervision of the CEO who was required to report on the results of the recount. He noted that GECOM was then to decide whether to require the CEO to produce his report in accordance with the recount. GECOM in fact so decided and directed the CEO. “However, despite the express terms of Section 18, the CEO refused to comply with GECOM’s instructions but instead prepared a report using Mingo’s fraudulent declaration and accordingly giving the APNU the majority of the seats in the National Assembly and presumably returning Mr. Granger as the President. He did so because he was of the view that the recount was unlawful,” Mendes said. Noting that the issues had been previously outlined in cases before, Mendes said it was his respectful submission that it was fruitless spending any time on examining the niceties of the law on res judicata. “This Court had determined these matters before,” he held. In his presentation, Mendes also beseeched the Court to take into consideration that the case filed Jones is asking the Judiciary to make legal a final declaration based a report by the Chief Elections Officer containing the disputed March 13 declaration in District Four.
AN ABUSE OF PROCESS Senior Counsel, Ralph Ramkarran in his representation of Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) also alluded to the abuse of process. These contentions were also submitted to the Appeal Court by way of his written submission. According to that submission, Ramkarran noted that issue of abuse of process was not formally raised in the High Court. He stressed that the matter in the appeal arises from the facts already proved and from the decision of the Chief Justice: “In her decision, the Chief Justice said:, ‘In the light of the discussions the decisions of the CoA and CCJ have guided me in answering the issues that have arisen as a consequence of the 28 claims for reliefs sought by the applicant.’” Apart from Section 22 which was specifically cited, Ramkarran noted the CJ pointed that there are a number of reliefs claimed in this application which were claimed in or mirrored in the claims in Ulita Moore, and others. “Indeed,” he added “although couched in different terms, the application for the most part mirrors that in Moore, and in effect, are similar to that of Ms. Eslyn David in the Ali case.” NEW ISSUE Meanwhile, arguing in favour of the appeal, Senior Counsel John Jeremie held that the issue of the illegality of Section 22 and order 60 of 2020 was never raised in the applications before. He held that it is their contention that Section 22 of t he ELAA is Unconstitutional and Order 60 is invalid and of no effect. The lawyer therefore noted that Section 22 of the ELAA confers upon GECOM a wide, unfettered and unregulated discretion to make laws which is ultra vires the Constitution and
contrary to the rule of law. According to him, Section 22 tramples upon the separation of powers doctrine by conferring on GECOM an arbitrary law-making power to make, amend and repeal primary legislation by mere order. He noted that, “The delegation of power to GECOM to modify existing Acts of Parliament related to elections is undeniably unconstitutional. Article 160 of the Constitution vests Parliament with the exclusive authority to enact election laws.” “The wide effect of Section 22 of the ELAA is such that GECOM can of its own volition set out its own unmonitored policy, such as Order 60, with respect to the conduct of elections. It is also submitted that for GECOM to make orders and modify law affecting the proceedings of an election by mere order well after the election has occurred is contrary to the rule of law and in particular, to the principles of legal certainty and legality. GECOM is incompetent so to do,” he explained. In contrast, several lawyers presented their submissions in favour of the legality of ELAA and Order 60 of 2020. Of note, Ralph Ramkarran for the Liberty and Justice Party, (LJP); Kamal Ramkarran for A New United Guyana (ANUG) highlighted historical facts behind the creation of the ELAA and its constitutionality. Those submissions were supported by Sanjeev Datadin, Stephen Singh and Jameela Alli for the United Republican Party (URP); Attorney Kashir Khan who appeared in association with Mohamed Khan for The Citizen Initiative and Change Guyana; and Attorney, Timothy Jonas for The New Movement (TNM). The Court of Appeal is set to rule on the matter on Thursday at 11:00 am.
Sunday July 26, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Sunday July 26, 2020
Kaieteur News
Venezulan migrant dies while in search of a better life By Shivanie Rampersaud
Mahendra Beria and his mother
Every mother has a child who is considered her “pet” or the favourite one, and as the saying goes a mother’s best friend is always her son. Twenty-four-year old Mahendra Beria aka “Chino” was no different. In fact, he took the bond even further and became his mother’s saviour. Mahendra, born in El Tigre, Venezuela on December 5th, 1995 to Guyanese parents Rosalind and Krishna Narine could be described as the ideal son. His friends and family call him the “apple of his mother’s eye.” His story is one of sacrifices and love for his family. Beria and his family escaped hunger, deprivation, crime and extreme poverty under the brutal conditions that their homeland is facing and came to Guyana approximately two years ago in search of a better life.
According to his cousin, Carolina Beria, Chino, comes from a family of six. His parents, he and two of his three siblings originally sought shelter at his maternal grandmother ’s home in Leonora Pasture, West Coast Demerara. She explained that the family settled in the small wooden house, excited to start their new life even though the house could barely accommodate the large family, unlike the posh one left behind. However, shortly after, reality hit and the family realized that life in Guyana was not a bed of roses and they were once again forced to make ends meet. This is when Chino’s mom opted to seek employment to aid in the sustenance of the family. This didn’t sit well with him, since he felt that his mother should not have to take on such a responsibility, but, given the family’s situation Rosalind went ahead and took a domestic job. While working one day she became ill due to the fact that she is hypertensive. As a result of this, Chino immediately stopped her from working and assured her that he would provide for the family. In an emotional social media post his uncle, Pandit Chunelall, described the young man’s choice: “Chino’s mom Rosalind opted to do menial jobs to aid in the sustenance of the family. But Chino, the dutiful son that he was, would never allow it. Stepping up to the plate, he reassured his mother that as long as he remained alive he would work as a man and provide for the family as best as he could. He never desired for his mother to be exploited by anyone. True to his word, his loving mother received from his hands every penny of his earnings.” The post added that “A month ago he was offered a
Mahendra Beria and his grandmother job in the mining region up the Mazaruni River which demanded a lot of sacrifice on his part. But he didn’t mind at all. His greatest joy was to be able to support his parents and two siblings. Destiny however, had other plans.”
In an unfortunate twist of fate, on Tuesday, July 21, the Chino, while at work, was involved in an accident on the Arawai Trail, in the Mazaruni River. According to official police reports he was Continued on page 56
Mahendra and his family in good times
Sunday July 26, 2020
Kaieteur News
PAGE 13
Family of latest COVID-19 8 new Covid-19 cases recorded 9 victim demands answer Relatives of Guyana’s latest COVID-19 fatality, Roger Martindale, 56, of 9th Street Bartica, are now demanding answers from the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) regarding the circumstances. They believe that he contracted the Novel Coronavirus while being a patient at the Bartica Hospital, Region Seven. Speaking with Kaieteur News, the late man’s nephew, Dwayne Fordyce, expressed his disappointment in Region Seven’s Health Department. He said that they failed to notify the family of Martindale’s passing. Fordyce explained that on Sunday, Martindale complained of difficulty breathing and was rushed to the Bartica Regional Hospital where he was examined by a resident doctor. An x-ray was conducted and it was revealed that the Martindale’s lungs were in a deplorable state due an underlying medical condition. In addition, relatives were informed that due to the severity of damages to the man’s lungs, he was not expected to make a recovery. Martindale was then admitted to the hospital where he was allegedly transferred to the wing in which COVID-19 patients were being treated. Consequently, Martindale died on Monday night. However, public health officials only announced on Friday that the man died due complications of the virus. Fordyce said that it wasn’t until Tuesday morning that the family learnt of the Martindale’s passing. This was after the man’s brother stopped by the hospital to deliver his breakfast. Fordyce also revealed it was a security guard who made the revelation to the dead man’s brother. “My uncle stopped to drop off breakfast for his brother but he was not allowed to enter the compound so he gave the food to the security guard to drop off. But the security guard returned and told my uncle that there was nobody in the ward and that his brother had died the night before.” Additionally, a COVID-19 test was conducted on Martindale before his body was released to his family for burial. It was on the day of his funeral that relatives of the deceased were informed of the man status by
Guyana has been seeing a steady increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. Yesterday, the Ministry of Public Health confirmed another eight positive cases bringing the country’s total confirmed cases to 360. The Ministry through its COVID-19 dashboard reported that the number of persons in institutional quarantine is 33 while
DIED: Roger Martindale a senior member of the Regional Taskforce. “We were having a family gathering after the funeral when a member of the taskforce passed by and told us to take precautions since a test was conducted on my uncle and showed he was positive for the virus.” Bewildered as to how it was possible, Martindale’s relatives are now demanding answers from the local health department adding that they are prepared to go the extra mile in ensuring their questions are answered. Kaieteur News reached out to the hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr. Jillian Jardine-Apple for clarification of the matter. However, the doctor indicated that she was not at liberty to relay information pertaining to the matter since it would be a breach of the patient’s confidentiality.
the number of persons in institutional isolation has increased 160. Additionally, four persons remain in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).while the number of recoveries has increased to 180. To date there has been 20 fatalities. Individuals are advised to continue to follow all regulations and to take all necessary precautions to avoid the spread of the virus.
Kaieteur News
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Sunday July 26, 2020
Our Frontline Worker of the Week is…
Dr. Dacia Embrack By Sharmain Grainger
F
or months now, Guyana, like many other countries across the globe, has been waging war against the dreaded coronavirus disease, COVID-19. Health workers on the frontline are under pressure to keep up with the ever-increasing rate of infection and though the deaths here have been few, they are far too many for this still developing nation. On the verge of exhaustion, some health workers have questioned whether they made the right call – to risk their lives by delving into a fierce battle against a formidable foe to do their part to keep us from heading down the path of extinction. Taking such a risk was not nearly an easy decision, many have confided. In fact, quite a few are still baffled at how effortless, in a matter of months, it has become to respond to COVID-19. This is especially since an ignorant few threaten to undermine the gains made by refusing to employ simple measures such as wearing a mask or practicing social distancing. For Dr. Dacia Embrack, one of the health workers on the frontline at the country's premiere public health institution – the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), staying focused on the mission becomes easy when she reflects on the reason she opted, several years ago, to be a part of the
medical field. “There are times I want to give up, there are times I think to myself, if no one else cares, then why should I? Why am I putting myself at risk when there are persons not even willing to even wear a facemask?' are some of the questions that plague her mind at times. But in a split second the answer envelops her very being, much like switching on a high intensity LED light in a pitch-black room, and she quickly, with even more gusto, resumes her battle stance. “I want to help people, I want to help my family, I want to help my country,” said a passionate Dr. Embrack who often reminds herself, “I am doing this for the persons who do care, the persons who are trying their best to stay safe…the persons who are working hard every day to do what it takes to provide for themselves and their families while staying safe.”
ELDEST OF THREE Indeed, ever since she was a girl, Dr. Embrack said she knew she wanted to become a health care professional. This was
Dr. Dacia Embrack
With a fellow frontline soldier who happens to be the love of her life triggered by the fact that her mother, Shelly Embrack, was a nurse. It was Nurse Shelly's union with, Leonard E m b r a c k , a photographer/videographer
Having a moment with some of her colleagues
this for the persons “whoI amdodoing care, the persons who are trying their best to stay safe…the persons who are working hard every day to do what it takes to provide for themselves and their families while staying safe
Family helps to keep Dr. Embrack focused on her passion for helping to save lives
”
that led to the birth of our Frontline Worker on March 20, 1991. She was christened Dacia Onezh Embrack, the eldest of three girls. But before her two sisters, Olivia and Danica, came along, she and her parents were part of an extended family living in her paternal grandmother's home at Guyhoc Park, Georgetown. At the age of four, and her younger sister just a baby at the time, Dr. Embrack recalled her father moving his family to C Field, South Turkeyen. Two sisters eventually became three and together they created some fond memories at their new home, some of which Dr. Embrack
was eager to share. After school, for instance, she recalled, “I would usually be home hanging out with my sisters. We would go through my mom's cook-books and try to recreate the recipes. Sometimes we would have to substitute ingredients and that, most times, did not work in our favour,” said Dr. Embrack, laughing out loud. When she wasn't busy dabbling in the kitchen, she often found time to escape in a good book. “I love to read, and I read a lot,” she disclosed as she reflected on the younger version of herself. Remembering the move to South Turkeyen, Dr. Embrack recalled that back then utility services such as
electricity was simply nonexistence for their household. “We used kerosene lamps and I would sit by the lamp at nights to read. I read stories to my younger sister after I would have completed my homework and sometimes I would even sneak a torchlight into my bed to finish a book I was reading after my mom would've sent us to bed,” she remembered with glee. Dr. Embrack's educational journey started at the St. Christopher Nursery school when she lived in Guyhoc and then continued at the Turkeyen Nursery. She then went on to the Winter Gardens Primary (continued on page 52)
Sunday July 26, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
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Sunday July 26, 2020
Guyana requires additional 460,000 acres of mangroves... From page 2 context of the acreage required to offset the 10 billion cubic feet of gas flared by Exxon to date, Guyana's national inventory is way below what is required. It would require 460,621 acres of mangroves to offset Exxon's flaring which has emitted approximately 755,116 Mt of CO2 to date.” In keeping with this year's theme and the damage being done to the environment by ExxonMobil's flaring, ArjoonMartins said it is important for one to understand the interconnectivity of the mangrove forests, surrounding wetlands, rivers and ocean, its related services, and the need for protection.
She further stated that a recent mangrove survey undertaken by a team of international and local specialists in Region One holds great promise. The team is convinced that the mangrove ecosystem of the Barima Mora Passage is the most intact in the country and has all the requirements to be nominated as a World Heritage Site. “Whilst Guyana has a system of Protected Areas, there are no World Heritage Sites. It may be worth setting a goal to achieve this distinction just in time to celebrate International Day of Mangroves Ecosystems 2021,” the conservationist concluded.
An image showing a section of Guyana's mangroves
Sunday July 26, 2020
Ariella Basdeo
Meet the alluring Miss Ariella Basdeo. This beauty currently resides in the USA and describes herself as energetic, intelligent, and always happy. Her favourite quote Is, “The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.�
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
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Sunday July 26, 2020
Helping to keep the nation fed amid COVID-19…
Farmer Derick Alli
Farmer Derick Alli By Romario Blair
P
eople rarely refer to farming as a dignified career, after all, the person tilling the muddy fields, often has nothing more than a primary school education. A world without agriculture, however, will simply mean a world of starvation and poverty. This therefore means farmers are as important as our doctors, lawyers and engineers. The Pomeroon region for instance, is often referred to as the food basket of Guyana, as many industrious farmers work tirelessly to supply the nation with bountiful produce. Derick Alli is a farmer from the Lower Pomeroon River who developed a passion for farming since around the tender age of six or seven. Alli cultivates 40 acres of citrus, cash crops, coconuts, bananas and plantains in his home community of Merlborough, which is located in the Lower Pomeroon River. Even at the age of 64, Alli's passion for farming is very much alive as the urge to farm runs deep within his veins. Though many would look down on the farming profession, Alli said that he believes it is quite noble.
is a 'Special Person'
“Farming is a very old profession,” said Alli during a recent interview with me. Making reference to the holy book, he went on to say, “if you go back to when God created the world, Adam was the first farmer since he was placed in a garden to call his
farmers. In 1955, he was born to Gafoor and Petronella Alli at the Charity Hospital on the Essequibo Coast. His grandfather, he explained, originated from Lusignan on the East Coast of Demerara and later
“
If the government should neglect farming we are going down the wrong road. Farm produce will sell more when the oil and gas industry is up and running. I urge the government to place more emphasis; pump more oil revenues into the agriculture sector because at the end of the day, we all need food to survive.
home, and I consider farming to be a very noble profession… In the agriculture sector, common sense outweighs education, sometimes you may not have the required qualification but you have the practical knowledge.” LIFE IN THE POMEROON According to farmer Alli, he was practically born into farming as both his father and grandfather were
His family is his pride and joy
”
purchased land in the Pomeroon and moved there. When asked how long he had been in the farming business, Alli said, “I grew up on the farm and by age six or seven I was already on the farm doing my thing. Childhood was carefree in the Pomeroon. There is a vast difference between living on the road (coast) and country living; as a child although we had responsibility we had time to
play, and you had time to plunge in the river and swim.” Alli said that the one thing he remembers the most about his parents, is t h a t t h e y w e r e disciplinarians. “My father was of Indian decent and my mother was mixed. Growing up then was much d i f f e r e n t t h a n t o d a y, especially when it comes to respecting persons older than you… in those days, young children were more disciplined.” In sharing one of his childhood experiences, he said, “growing up, people use to call each other false name, and by people I mean the grown-ups. So one day this man was passing by, and my brother and I decided that we would call him the false name we heard our parents call him. The man run me and my brother, grab my little brother and drop some lash on he with his sandal. When he complained to my father my brother got a second dose, so it was no nonsense in those days,” Alli recounted. It was experiences like those, he said, that taught him valuable lessons which he was able to apply in various stages in his life.
TAKING UP THE MANTLE Sadly, at the age of 10 farmer Alli's father passed away, leaving 10 children and his wife behind. He said that at this point, things had become quite difficult financially. “Things were difficult then because in order to go to school I had to wash and wear one pants and one shirt,” he said. At the age of 16, he recalled, he was left with no choice but to leave school to fend for his younger siblings and widowed mother. Displaying a massive sour sop
“I left school at 16 because I had all the rest of siblings behind me so I had to work to send them to school and I had to support my mother too… We were still kids then but we didn't have weekends off because it was on the farm all the time,” said Alli. In the 1970s, Alli temporarily gave up life on the farm and joined the public service. “At one point I was a public servant at the Charity Post Office. Later in 1974 I joined the police force for two years and then I worked as a fisherman, then as a miner,” he revealed. Alli said that the need to be self-employed eventually brought him back to the farm. “One of the reasons I stuck to farming is because I don't like being employed by other people. I like being my own boss… and with farming there are lots of benefits; for one you get your own products, anything you need you plant it yourself,” he explained. He further revealed that farming has kept him fit and healthy throughout the years. “Almost everybody when I tell them my age, they don't believe because I don't look like 64. At my age I don't have any complaints and I eat healthy - from the farm to the table,” he said with pride. CHANGES OVER THE YEARS With over 55 years in the industry, farmer Alli said that there have been many changes in the agriculture sector when compared to back in the day. He explained that the biggest challenge today, is the unavailability of markets for produce. He (continued on page 50)
Kaieteur News
Sunday July 26, 2020
PAGE 19
The days of dictatorship are over
T
here is growing apprehension that the APNU+AFC is taking Guyana down the path of dictatorship. This fear is predicated on the belief that the APNU+AFC will not relinquish power and therefore will have to find a way to maintain itself in power, and that this way could only be through political dictatorship. Paul Nehru Tennessee, the former leader of the Democratic Labour Movement which had contested the 1992 elections, discussed this possibility in an interview on Kaieteur Radio last Friday evening. He was of the opinion that the only way open to sustain a dictatorship would involve a return to the Burnham model. Guyana appears to be heading towards dictatorship. However, it will not be as easy this time around as before because the objective conditions are vastly different and do not lend themselves to a successful resurrection of the Burnham model of political dictatorship. For one, the international environment is changed. Burnham received support from the West because he was seen as an opportunist and as a foil to prevent a communist regime, emerging under Jagan. The Communist threat no longer exists. The West no longer harbours the same trepidation about communist regimes as it did before. Burnham was tolerated by international community. Guyana, despite being a dictatorship under Burnham, was still able to participate in meetings of the Commonwealth, the Caribbean Community and the Non-Aligned Movement. This time things are different. The APNU+AFC has already found itself isolated internationally. The West has imposed visa restrictions on persons and the United Kingdom will do so once an illegitimate government is sworn in. Guyana's regional
credentials have also taken a hit. The scurrilous attacks by the APNU on the staff of the Caribbean Community makes it more likely than ever before that the Secretariat will be removed from Guyana. Even before the elections crisis, CARICOM had experienced difficulties in attracting highly-qualified staff to work in Guyana. The vile attacks which are being levelled against senior staff members of CARICOM may force the Heads of Government to take a decision to remove the Secretariat out of Guyana should the country, as expected, be suspended from participation in the organs of the Community. The Organization of American States (OAS) will most definitely impose sanctions on Guyana should the APNU+AFC not demit office. There is more than a strong possibility that it will call its individual member states to take action against any illegitimate government. If that action involves travel restrictions, it will mean that most government officials will be unable to leave the country since no country will accept them. Second, it will not be easy to maintain the same level of social control as during the Burnham dictatorship when there was a virtual police state. Dictators are always fearful of being toppled. They constantly have to look over their shoulders. They have to have a wide network of spies and hatchet men to do their dirty work. This will make governance extremely unstable since, in keeping with the nature of political dictatorship, everyone will be under a cloud of suspicion. Maintaining a police state was a key element of the Burnham dictatorship. This will be hard to replicate. People will now be more willing to resist the sort of impositions which will be made on their personal liberties. The regime will find it difficult to drive fear into the hearts of people as
Burnham once did. Third, civil society is now much stronger and will resist. Burnham, for example, had marginalized the private sector and thus weakened any resistance coming from that source. He had brought more than 80% of the economy under state control. The dominance of the state sector meant that the PNC, under Burnham, could use economic power to control people and prevent resistance to dictatorship. The state was then the largest
employer and this made it easier for the dictatorship to force people to be loyal to the ruling PNC. Things are different now. Political dictatorship is likely to receive a strong push-back from civil society should political dictatorship rear its ugly head again. The private sector is now the dominant in the economy. And it has shown greater backbone in exposing and condemning the rigging of the elections and the failure of the APNU+AFC to concede
defeat. It will also be more difficult to use race as a weapon to divide the people. More than one third of the population is now of indigenous extraction or mixed races. The two main race groups in the country are both minorities. Given the ethnic composition of the population, the race factor will not be as effective in dividing the people as it used to be. Any resort to political dictatorship therefore is bound to collapse. The
writing, as they say, is on the wall for the APNU+AFC. As desperate as the APNU+AFC is, to hang on to power, it will find the task of sustaining a dictatorship impossible. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Kaieteur News
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Sunday July 26, 2020
A tale of two neighbours By Sir Ronald Sanders
R
ecent electoral events in Guyana and Suriname, which border each other on the north-eastern coast of the South American continent, display a remarkably d i ff e r e n t a p p r o a c h t o democracy that could be the determining factor in catapulting Suriname's development and prosperity well ahead of Guyana's. The two countries have many similarities and some
differences. One of the principal differences is that Suriname endured coup d'états by the military, whereas Guyana has not, although the latter is notorious for disputed elections with losing parties accusing the governing party of rigging the elections. There is a twist in the latest elections, held in Guyana on March 2nd 2020. After all parties and observers declared the elections to be free and fair, the governing party, APNU+AFC, claimed
that the opposition party, the PPP/C had somehow fixed the elections. The coup d'états in Suriname were both led by Desiré Delano " Dési" Bouterse, who became the de facto leader of the country from 1980 to 1987, and then again from December 1990 to May 1991. Bouterse, eventually won two terms in office by way of the ballot box from 2010 to 2015 and 2015 until May 25, 2020 when his National Democratic Party lost elections.
As elections in these two neighbouring states were approaching at the beginning of 2020, if any public polling were taken on which government would have refused to leave office, even if it had clearly lost, it would have undoubtedly reflected Bouterse's. After all, a man who had twice seized power at the point of a gun was a superior candidate for discarding the will of the electorate, democratically exhibited in elections. Not so. In the end, the Suriname elections result was declared on June 4, and Bouterse conceded to the Opposition parties, led by Chandrikapersad 'Chan' Santokhi of the United Reform Party. Bouterse himself placed the Presidential sash of office on Santokhi at a ceremony on July 16. In the meantime, the declaration of the result of the Guyana elections has been prolonged for over four months. A constant cycle of appeals to the Courts by supporters of the APNU+AFC now halt a result being declared. Even after the highest Appellate Court, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), pronounced on the matter, appeals have been made to lower courts to overturn the CCJ's judgement – an act unprecedented in the history of global judicial systems. A striking similarity about Guyana and Suriname is that they have both become
beneficiaries of major finds of oil and gas that promise to place them amongst the richest countries in the Western Hemisphere. The revenues from oil and gas sales would transform them from backwater nations to countries, whose economic power would make them significant influencers in the Caribbean and the hemisphere. But, there is a corollary to that observation. It is that Suriname and Guyana each has to be an acceptable state in the world community, with governments that demonstrably adhere to democracy and the rule of law. The days of rogue governments operating with impunity in the international community are over. There are several mechanisms by which Suriname and Guyana are tested. These include the CARICOM Charter of Civil Rights, the Inter-American Democratic Charter in the Western Hemisphere and the UN-adopted International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Suriname has now demonstrated its readiness to honour its commitments under these binding agreements, giving its own people, the international community and investors in its oil and gas industry the confidence that, in moving forward, democracy and the rule of law will be respected.
Sir Ronald Sanders Suriname has every prospect now of establishing itself as a leader-nation in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), utilising its new oil and gas wealth to help finance regional integration in crucial areas such as air and sea transportation; food security; providing concessional financing for development projects through the Caribbean Development Bank; and acting as a strong interlocutor for CARICOM in international affairs. Guyana, on the other hand, once a strong leader and an important voice in regional and global affairs, risks being ostracised in the regional, hemispheric, and international communities. No number of braggadocious political claims about Guyana's 'sovereignty', and why it doesn't need the United States, CARICOM, the Organization of American States, the European Union or any other country or international institution, changes the reality that Guyana does need a constructive and respected relationship with all of them. For sure, there is a great (continued on page 48)
Sunday July 26, 2020
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Kaieteur News
---Hinds’ Sight by Dr. David Hinds---
It is a Stalemate: The leaders must begin to talk It is almost five months since the March 2 elections and to my mind we have entered the zone of a stalemate. When a situation gets to that point, it is time for the major stakeholders to act in the interest of the country. Failure to do so amounts to a dereliction of their responsibility to the Guyanese people as a whole. Currently, the APNU+AFC is fighting its case in the courts while the PPP is grounding its case in the feeling that it has won the election, a position supported by the diplomatic community and other observer groups. This past week the APNU+AFC said that despite its view that it won the election, it was ready to talk. But the PPP promptly said no; it would only talk after it is declared the winner. Ours is a fragile polity that bends easily. That should be uppermost in the minds of all stakeholders—local and “foreign. “ For me we had
reached the point of a stalemate long ago. On May 3, almost three months ago, I rang that bell. My views then are my views now. I end today’s column by repeating those words. “When historians look back at the aftermath of March 2, 2020 elections, they would ask some very searching questions. One such question would be this—where was the leadership? In times of crisis, a country looks to its leaders for reassurance. Regardless of which side of the political divide one happens to be one, at the end of the day ordinary, regular citizens want to be assured that at the end of it, life would resume and perhaps better would come. Or two major leaders are not giving hope to the nation. They seem preoccupied with their shortterm battles at the expense of the long-term political health of the nation. After almost two months, Guyanese want answers. Why is this thing not ending?
When will there be a winner? Unfortunately, our politicians are unable to provide plausible answers to these questions. Some would claim that they do have answers. Others would argue that their answers are not really answers. Early in this process, I spotted where this thing was headed, and I told some close friends that this would be a prolonged process. I arrived at that conclusion based on my study of elections in ethnically divided societies. But more importantly, I have paid keen attention to recent Guyanese political history, both as a student and as an activist. As I observe the back and forth between the two sides and the public discourse it spawns, I cannot help but being disappointed. The whole thing is reduced to a simple question—who wins and who loses? No matter how and what else we discuss that question is inescapable. It is the central question. Yet, the length of
time it takes to arrive at the conclusion suggests that there is need for a radical intervention by the leaders even as they await the results of the recount. Mr. Granger and Mr. Jagdeo need to start talking about Guyana’s future—at least the immediate future. Maybe because we have been able in the past to dodge the inevitable, the leaders are somewhat flippant about the effect the last eight weeks have had on the society and beyond. Studies have shown that the scars of these
moments of crisis tend to persist beyond the moment. One would think that the so-called Civil Society organizations would be the ones to facilitate the conversations I reference. But Civil Society has for all intents and purposes been consumed by what has transpired since March 2.” (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.) More of Dr. Hinds’ writings and commentaries can be found on his YouTube
Dr David Hinds Channel Hinds’ Sight: Dr. David Hinds’ GuyanaCaribbean Politics and on his website www.guyana caribbeanpolitics.news. Send c o m m e n t s to dhinds6106@aol.com.
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Kaieteur News
Sunday July 26, 2020
Sunday July 26, 2020
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Kaieteur News
==THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN==
In this most tragic Guyanese moment, reflect on this Bacharach song For countless Guyanese souls, the feeling is that this country has been set back by decades given the horror show that has been taking place since a simple counting of votes was aborted in order to rig the 2020 election. The former Prime Minister of Jamaica, Bruce Golding, intoned it will take a generation. The question is: can we recover at all? Guyana lived through some tsunamic moments where existence was virtually threatened, the worse being the troubles of the sixties. But we were a colony then and the British had the power to intervene to stop societal collapse and it did. Since the terrible tragedy of the sixties which culminated in the racial violence in MacKenzie where the Indian community suffered severe loss of life and Africans too in the Sun Chapman incident, we haven’t had such an uncertain moment as we are in at this very time. The dictatorship of Burnham never pitted Guyanese against Guyanese as we are currently witnessing. A few reasons explain
this. Firstly, Burnham used a healthy economy to sustain the country. Even though Indians were opposed to Burnham, when UG opened its new campus at Turkeyen in 1973, a majority of the students and lecturers were Indians. Secondly, the PPP opposition did not confront Burnham with a violent agenda except for sporadic burning of canefields. Thirdly, the Georgetown middle class was opposed to Burnham and together with the emergence of Walter Rodney, managed to keep racial animosity at very low levels. Fourthly, there were exit routes into Trinidad, Barbados, Canada and the US for those who wanted to leave. After a global democratic wave in the middle of the 1980, Guyana left its tragic past behind. We rejoined the global democratic order. The society saw the expansion of the economy that President Hoyte created after 1988. Then came chances of an immense take off with the marketing of huge oil discoveries. Guyana now stands at the precipice. Since March 4, there are
no signs our future is secure. What is taking place right now has no parallel in this part of the world. Life today in Guyana is more uncertain that at anytime when banana republics dominated the landscape in South and Central America. Today in Guyana, we are seeing educated people throw away their university training to support tribal rigging of the national election. We see iconic Guyanese throw away their legacy to support racial domination that do away with the right to vote. We see long standing journalists prostitute themselves at the altar of racial emotions. Close friends have parted ways because of racial incitement. Neighbours are suspicious of each other because these authors of incitement are preaching race hate. We are living in one of the most dangerous times Guyana has ever seen. The fundamental values of freedom and liberty are about to disappear if we allow once more a small group of people to rule Guyana forever. It is incumbent of all
Guyanese, a majority of whom have close relatives and family members who live in other countries enjoying the right to vote, to join the journey towards a freer country and stop four months of psychosis that has enveloped their country. I leave you with: “Love’s Still the Answer,” the secondbest song of Burt Bacharach I love, after his smash hit, “Alfie.” Please reflect on this song. It tells us that love and life are still worth saving. At this tragic moment in Guyana, we must save these priceless values. Twenty years ago I would have told you that the world was round Good and sound Freedom bound The future was secure Now I’m not so sure It seems like gravity has been reversed And getting worse Nothing works
And everybody hurts Yes there’s a trail of tears Down through the years Of broken hearts It’s still so hard To let the sun shine in Love’s the answer No matter what, I swear love is It’s still the answer Just like it always was Such a simple truth Love never changes Or betrays a friend From the start Love was part Of some fantastic plan Some brotherhood of man And now it’s down to us We either shine the light Or darkness rules Our children lose We’re free to choose our fate To find our way Beyond this veil of tears The sky is clear And every star
Frederick Kissoon Stands for a heart That lets the sun shine in Love’s the answer No matter what, I swear love is It’s still the answer Just like it always was Love’s the answer No matter what, I swear love is It’s still the answer Just like it always was (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
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Sunday July 26, 2020
Kaieteur News
Black Lives Matter - A Missed Opportunity? By Dr. Glenville Ashby As Black Lives Matter takes on pop culture status, black lives are being snuffed out in a spate of reckless violence. Amid calls to
defund, and in extreme cases, dismantle the police, there is growing frustration and fear in black communities, not of law enforcement, but of emboldened criminal elements.
Still, we search for the good of the past as a compass for the present and future. Storied tales of black achievements are surfacing like never before. One such illustrious picture that speaks
to the grit of a people is that of Black Wall Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the 1920s. Black Wall Street evoked envy and, ultimately, a pogrom. Today, we recall this stupendous and tragic chapter of black history to confirm America’s racial sins. But never have we stopped to consider the qualities that produced black entrepreneurship and selfreliance amid Herculean adversities. Liberal America and Black Lives Matter refuse to entertain such a discourse. Black America is rooted in conservative values, not unlike those in the Caribbean. Religious orthodoxy and the family had defined the black construct during Reconstruction, Jim Crow and Segregation. Robert Fogel and Stanley Engerman’s ‘Time on the Cross’ expounds on this intriguing dynamic without ignoring the reality of forced separations. The Civil Rights Movement hinged on religious values, and it was the institution of the family that gave the movement an august, austere and impenetrable tone. No lesser personage than psychiatrist and author, Dr. Cress Welsing, stated that there was a mystique, a solemn pride during the marches of resistance. She called it one of the most dignified moment in black American History. But something went horribly wrong with the criminalization and effacement of the black male (fatherless homes), warehousing of people into already beleaguered districts, government dependency, failed schools, gangs, drugs, sexual profligacy and a wanton disregard for the unborn black child. In fact, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2011 Abortion Surveillance Report states that “of the over 44 million abortions since the 1973 Roe vs Wade Supreme Court ruling, 19 million black babies were aborted. For a minority group (13.4%) of the United State population, it is an alarming statistic that must be viewed within the context of the black family. Only recently, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York disavowed Margaret Sanger, its founder, over her
eugenic ideology and her overtly racist values. The tragedy must not be lost on the black community. While pointing the finger at institutional racism is arguably a start, it is not the solution; neither is tossing monuments into lakes, silence in the face of looting and violence, and blaming law enforcement and authorities for every ill, perceived or real. Sometimes we have to look within for answers. Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s ‘The Negro Family: The Case for National Action Report’ (1965) emphasized the importance of the black unit in healing the wounds of the past. This was challenged as blaming the victim. Many scholars focused on institutional change. Whitney Young, then executive director of the National Urban league saw “family instability as peripheral,” and that the problem was prejudice. This binary conversation on the state of black America is very much alive. Surely, both viewpoints are worth exploring. But introspection is far more taxing. It is far easier to project our anger at each other or those we are told are our oppressors. Maybe, many of our problems are as much psychological as they are sociological. I examined this theme in my book, ‘Conflict of Identity: From the Slave Trade to Present Day,’ where I argued that violence in the inner cities and the use of the Nword among blacks speak to a wounded psyche, a kind of unconscious self-hatred. As most Black Lives Matter activists call for defunding the police (as opposed to reforming the institution), black children continue to be victimized by lawlessness and lack of educational freedom (poor kids are unable to attend a school of their choice). I recall the indelible words in the 1991 movie, ‘Boyz N the Hood,’ “Either they don’t know, don’t show, or don’t care about what’s going on in the hood. Black on black crime is not a deflection. It is a sad reality that has numbed inner cities. Any activist organization in good conscience must address this pathology. As an oppressed minority,
Dr. Glenville Ashby we have so little room for error. Minority groups within a large body politic do not violently feed on each other. That’s a rule. History has proven that much. Yet, it persists in black communities. Surely, Black Lives Matter will rather keep us focused on those that died at the hands of police. Tragic as it is, it pales when compared to the mounting gun violence in some black communities. Peddling fear and guilt to advance a myopic, selfserving agenda is disingenuous. The time is rife for real change and not for perfecting the fascist tactic of cancel culture to silence dissent. Not a word has Black Lives Matter uttered on the thousands slaughtered on the streets of Chicago, Baltimore and Philadelphia over the last decade. Not that this movement is financially hamstrung. Corporate America has pledged millions to Black Lives Matter Global Network; and not much can be said for transparency. Black Lives Matter is at the crossroads, at the cusp of success or failure. The present awaits. This movement must disengage itself from fringe groups riding its meaningful, populist message. How do Black people benefit from autonomous zones established by anarchical outfits as we saw in Seattle and now Portland? For starters, Black Lives Matter must recalibrate its message to include transformative initiatives that promote education, mental health, self-reliance, business, and justice reform. Only self-worth will engender genuine respect and admiration of a people. Short of that, we are condemned to repeat the self-defeating sins of yesteryear and be at the receiving end of scorn and derision, masked as they might be. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.) Feedback: glenvilleashby@ gmail.com or follow him on Twitter@glenvilleashby.
Sunday July 26, 2020
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Kaieteur News
Coronavirus: Survivors are left with devastating complications By Dr. Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine The COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc; we are now close to 16 million cases with over 600,000 deaths worldwide. The death rates are higher in those that are older or have pre-existing medical conditions. This has given a false sense of security to many that are younger as it is thought that once you are young, you will survive the COVID-19 infection and get on with life. Consequently, many persons have flaunted restriction guidelines and are now responsible for surge in cases worldwide. What is unfortunate, is the overwhelming evidence of distasteful complications that this disease is leaving in survivors. What is even more alarming, is the reality that these complications are also occurring in the young who had mild or no symptoms when they were infected.
Today, I will highlight some of these complications so that you see why it is so important to practice preventative measures and avoid this disease altogether. SCARRING OF THE LUNGS We are mostly aware that the lung is one of the primary sites of damage from the COVID-19 infection. It causes our lungs to become inflamed and make it difficult for us to get oxygen into our blood. Survivors are now complaining of persistent coughing, burning in their chest, and worse of all, persistent shortness of breath. Some cannot walk a few steps before they have to stop to breathe. Others are like asthmatics that have to visit the hospital frequently for oxygen. Researchers are worried that the scarring that is occurring in the lungs may be permanent and many will be scarred for life. EXCRUCIATING PAINS Some survivors are
returning to their doctors in severe pains which is difficult to treat. Doctors are often baffled as they cannot figure out the cause of the pain. Yet, their patients complain of the “worse pain of their life” and have to be on strong doses of pain relievers. Researchers are not sure why patients have such levels of pain but are theorizing that it may be damage to nerves which are not being picked up by scans. The worry is that we may have a population of survivors that are dependent on strong doses of pain medications for the rest of their lives. HEART DAMAGE There are many cases of survivors whose heart function has been compromised by the infection and will not be able to live a normal life. For some, the virus causes inflammation to the muscle of their heart leading to a weaker heart that cannot properly deliver blood
around their body. Some of these survivors are left with permanent heart failure and may need a heart transplant or medications just to ensure they live to see another day. LIVERAND KIDNEY DAMAGE Our liver and kidneys are vital organs that perform many lifesaving functions for our body. One of these functions include the excretion of medications. Some may need these medications during or after the disease to ensure their survival. There are cases where patient’s kidneys and/or liver have been damaged to the point where they cannot excrete these lifesaving
medications. These patients are either awaiting transplant or have to get regular dialysis to ensure their survival. COGNITIVEAND MENTAL HEALTH IMPACTS Because of the inflammation and clot formation, there are survivors who are presenting with varying degrees of brain damage. While some are confused, depressed and hallucinate for unknown reasons, there are others who are getting strokes and have permanent memory loss as a result of the infection. This will only lead to more mental health problems as the disease continues its spread. There are many other
Dr. Zulfikar Bux complications that science is figuring out as the disease continues to spread rapidly. At this rate, I am worried that we will be left with a population that has many disabilities and cannot be as productive as we were before the pandemic. We need to take this disease more seriously and practice preventative measures. Coronavirus is not just a life and death matter; it’s also about the suffering for those who escaped death.
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Sunday July 26, 2020
Kaieteur News
A model for teaching African-Guyanese history in the country’s school system (A review of David Granger’s and Barrington Braithwaite’s The Era of Enslavement, 1638-1838. ISBN 978-976-8178-25-1.) The Era of Enslavement, 1638-1838 by David Granger and Barrington Braithwaite is an illustrated story which is aimed at giving children a graphic account of the history of African enslavement in Guyana. The book, first published in 2008 by Free Press, is an important contribution to the transmission of AfricanGuyanese history. Every ethnic group has a responsibility to pass on its history, however traumatic, to succeeding generations. Africans have had a proud tradition of transmitting their history by oral, visual and written means. Earlier works on African enslavement were written, invariably, from the perspective of the oppressors. This book follows the tradition of the descendants of Africans who, since 1838, have been providing a more authentic
account of African enslavement. African enslavement cannot be unwritten or undone. It can be pushed into the recesses of history through de-emphasis and selective amnesia, however. This can produce a sterile story which distorts and revises the record of African enslavement. Future generations are entitled to an accurate account of their ancestral history. They should be spared the threat posed by historical amnesia or revisionism. African enslavement is a central feature of Guyana’s history. Africans and their descendants were enslaved for more than 200 years, beginning during the Dutch occupation and ending under British regime. Africans were transported forcibly from their homeland and brought to the Colony, under inhuman
conditions. They were auctioned upon arrival and consigned as chattel to toil on the Colony’s cotton, coffee and sugar plantations. Their exertions on the plantations created the wealth which was expropriated to enrich the economies of Europe and America. The world is now coming to comprehend the fact that the wealth of Western Europe and North America was built on the proceeds of the greatest crime against humanity – human enslavement. The descendants of enslaved Africans are a free people today but they still bear the onerous burden of the legacy of more than two centuries of human enslavement. Schools have a pivotal role in transmitting such knowledge. The primary schools’ curricula incorporate basic accounts of the arrivals of various peoples and elements of the cultures but such history does not engage in much detail about African enslavement or Chinese, Indian or Portuguese indentured labour. The Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination provides for a much better understanding of human enslavement in the Caribbean. The Era of Enslavement fills a gap in disseminating knowledge of African enslavement in Guyana, therefore. That experience shares many commonalties with Caribbean slavery but also has its own distinct features of which every local student should be knowledgeable. David Granger is a fit person to perform this task. His efforts in researching, preserving, propagating and transmitting history are wellknown. He is the author of numerous scholarly publications – including Crime against humanity: The Trans-Atlantic Trade in Captive Africans; Crime without Punishment: the Caribbean case for reparative justice; and, The Emancipation Movement: The pursuit of dignity and liberty –which examine the African experience in Guyana. The Era of Enslavement, 1638-1838 traces the origins of slavery and accounts for its slow development during the first 150 years of Dutch rule. The book highlights the
regimen of arduous work, backed by punishment for even the most minor of indiscretions and infractions to which the enslaved were subjected and details their dreadful living conditions, including their diet and housing. It concludes by examining the process leading to Emancipation in 1838. The book, while written as an illustrated text for children, is better suited for secondary school students. It provides a general overview of the African enslavement in the Colony. The Era of Enslavement, 1638-1838 is a collaborative effort between David Granger and Barrington Braithwaite, the latter providing the illustrations. With more than 30 years of producing drawings, illustrations, sketches and cartoons, most of which address AfricanGuyanese themes, Braithwaite has a fine eye for historical authenticity. His drawings depict accurately the items and objects in their historical context, down to the minutest details. Braithwaite’s drawings are the product of scrupulous research. Braithwaite is underrated as an artist and his work has not received the recognition which it deserves. Braithwaite recalled that, after a bout of early criticism from his peers, he bought some books on anatomy and started to study the human body. The influence is evident in his art
which emphasizes torso, limbs and muscles. His illustrations in the book are cluttered with human imagery which detract from the purpose of storytelling and are better suited to canvas and paint rather than paper and ink. This in no way diminishes Braithwaite’s ability. David Granger has written extensively on AfricanGuyanese history. With this book, he has made another invaluable deposit in the bank of knowledge of African enslavement and, consequently, to the preservation and propagation AfricanGuyanese history. David Granger, as President, has emphasized the link between education and culture. Addressing, the General Assembly of the International Year of People of African Descent- Guyana. He argued that, in its wider cultural context, education extends beyond the classroom noting that education: “…involves peoples’ histories, race, religion and economic political and social relations. Culture, in turn, can impact on the values of education and the way it is organized and taught…Education prepares people for social integration and cannot be divorced from its cultural context and content. It has to be responsive to that context and to the challenges which it presents.” The Era of Enslavement, 1638-1838 represents a model for teaching AfricanGuyanese history in the country’s school system. Educators should not shy away from the responsibility to transmit cultural knowledge, even if it involves experiences as abhorrent and gruesome as African enslavement. The Era of Enslavement 1638-1838 should be listed among the recommended texts for secondary school students. They will benefit from the knowledge, penmanship and artistry of two of foremost proponents of African-Guyanese history – David Granger and Barrington Braithwaite. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Sunday July 26, 2020
SUNDAY CONSTRUCTION OF LUSIGNAN HELIPORT COMMENCES – BUT NOW RESIDENTS BEING CONSULTED Residents of Lusignan, East Coast Demerara (ECD), are complaining of being left in the dark as construction of a US$15M commercial heliport continues. They say that there was no proper public consultations. These concerns were raised after the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) sent out public consultation forms on July 13 to residents of the community notifying them of the application for the construction of the heliport. This was more than a year after initial constructions began. The forms, which were distributed to residents, sought feedback from residents on their feelings concerning the construction of the heliport and whether the project will have an impact on the community. Kaieteur News reached out to CH&PA to ascertain details of the ongoing project, especially with regards to the level of consultations. A representative of CH&PA informed Kaieteur News that contact should be made to the department heads of the authority who were not in at the time. Furthermore, Kaieteur News reached out to head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams, after residents claimed that the ongoing project, which borders both residential and commercial lands, was in breach of several environmental guidelines including its close proximity to the sea defence reserve. Responding to these allegations, Dr. Adams said that the EPA had followed the appropriate guidelines in the granting of permit for the
Kaieteur News
commencement of construction to Orinduik Development Inc. Adams additionally noted that the development company was required to submit two separate applications, the first being an application to construct the heliport facility including a hangar for maintenance of helicopters, a two-storey passenger terminal and a fuel farm for storage and dispensation and the second being an application for the construction of a deepwater wharf on the shorefront of the sea defence reserve. The EPA head informed this publication that permission was granted for the first application on the fulfillment of requirements by the company in the application process. These requirements, he stated, included the granting of permission for the construction of the heliport by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Ministry of the Presidency and the submission of a no-objection from the Civil Defence Commission and Neighbourhood Democratic Council. Expounding further, Adams noted that permission has not yet been granted for the second application since the company did not meet the requirements necessary. When asked if an Environmental Impact Assessment was conducted to determine whether the construction of the deep-water wharf will directly affect the sea defence reserve, Adams indicated that it will be done once the developer submits the necessary documents required. He further noted that it is only after the assessment is conducted will the EPA make its final determination. In addition to addressing concerns raised regarding the lack of public consultations, Dr. Adams revealed that the developer along with Ministry officials held a public meeting in February 2019, before the commencement of construction. (Continued on page 28)
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From page 27 However, it was poorly attended by residents. PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, GPL REFUSE TO RELEASE CONTRACTS ON $352M SEA DEFENCE, $587M BUCKET TRUCKS Despite a series of requests sent to these agencies, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MoPI) as well as the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) have refused to share with Kaieteur News, the contracts of the $352M awarded to BK International Incorporated for a sea defence project in Region Five, as well as the $587M spent to procure eight trucks. Previously, Kaieteur News had reported that the Public Infrastructure Ministry as well and GPL had, within a space of a few days, awarded two multi-million contracts— one to repair 500 meters of sea defence in Content, Mahaicony in Region Five and the other to procure eight bucket trucks to conduct maintenance works for the state-run power agency. Following the awarding of the $352M contract to BK, which was signed on June 24, Kaieteur News reached out to the MoPI via eight separate emails and a series of phone calls, requesting that the Ministry release the contract. This was with the intention of ascertaining the details of the project such as start to end date, the scope of works, specifics on how the money would be spent, among other crucial details. On Kaieteur News’ sixth request, the Public Infrastructure Ministry via its Public Relations Officer (PRO), Krest Cummings, had finally responded. She told this publication in an email on July 13 that, “I am seeking approval from my superiors to release the requested document to you on behalf of the Sea & River Defence Department”. Cummings said that a follow-up would be completed until July 15 and linked this to COVID-19 restrictions. However, two days after the promised deadline, no response was provided to Kaieteur News regarding the publication of the contract. Several calls were made to Cummings’ office and two additional emails were sent to her, but still no response was provided. This is the same predicament Kaieteur News faced with the publication of the $587M allocated for the eight bucket trucks by GPL. In a statement by GPL dated at June 22, the agency had revealed that no monies were paid to the Massy
Motors, the contractor selected to procure eight bucket trucks which carried a price tag of $587 million— despite a purchase order illustrating otherwise. In addition, but most importantly, the agency failed to give specific costs new equipment. In light of this omission, an email was sent to GPL’s PRO, Shevion Sears Murray, in which the contract was requested to be released, in order to ascertain how much was spent on the cost of the equipment, the cost of retrofitting, the freight, certifying, as well as the insurance for the bucket trucks in question. A series of phone calls and emails were sent to the PRO, all of which went unanswered. Up to press time last evening, no response from GPL or MoPI was provided to this publication’s requests. ANOTHER BILLION CUBIC FEET OF TOXIC GAS WILL POLLUTE THE AIR – CIEL PRESIDENT EXXON’S FLARING … – EPA CAN DO NOTHING DUE TO LOOPHOLES IN PERMIT According to the Head of
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams, the burning of associated gas by ExxonMobil on the Liza Destiny vessel, anchored some 120 miles offshore Guyana, is expected to last until mid-August. It is the hope of Dr. Adams that the flaring would come to an end by this time since it is his understanding that the American multi-national would have received and installed a key piece of the gas compressor system that was sent to Germany to be fixed. By that time, however, ExxonMobil would have already flared an additional one billion cubic feet of gas which would pollute the atmosphere with hundreds of toxic cancer-causing chemicals. Pointing this out during an interview with Kaieteur News recently was head of the Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Carroll Muffett. The environmental lawyer was keen to remind that it was the EPA which revealed that ExxonMobil had already flared nine billion cubic feet of natural gas by May 20, last. Since then, the oil giant has
been flaring 12 to 15 million cubic feet of gas per day. At its rate, Muffett said, “Exxon will flare another billion cubic feet of gas by mid-August– 10 billion cubic feet in all–and burned the energy equivalent of nearly 1.7 million barrels of oil.” The President of CIEL said every day this continues, ExxonMobil is releasing not only climate change-causing carbon dioxide, but toxic pollutants like sulfur dioxide, benzene and toluene with potential impacts for human health and the environment not only in Guyana itself, but in countries downwind of the Liza One Project. Muffett said, “Exxon appears to have concluded that it can go on doing this without fear of consequence, retribution, or regulation. I think Guyana’s people should be asking the EPA–and asking themselves–is Exxon right (to do this to us)?” One Guyanese who has questioned without fear, the actions of ExxonMobil and that of the EPA, is conservationist, Annette Arjoon-Martins. The transparency advocate told Kaieteur News that she remains stunned that
despite ExxonMobil promising the EPA that their environmentally irresponsible flaring would have ceased at the end of July, the public is being told that it is going to extend into August. Arjoon-Martins said, “In light of the several years of us hearing how lucky Guyana is because Exxon’s exploration and production are the gold standard, I am concerned that from startup six months ago to present, their compressor equipment and its devastating malfunctioning is more akin to that of a copper standard.” MONDAY ILLEGITIMACY, SANCTIONS ATTRACT CORRUPT BUSINESS PARTNERS IN OIL SECTOR – TRANSPARENCY ADVOCATES Former Petroleum Advisor to the Granger Administration, Dr. Jan Mangal and University of Houston Instructor, Tom Mitro, are in agreement that an illegitimate government suffering from the imposition
of sanctions can easily attract members of the petroleum underworld. These experienced consultants posit that a country in such a weakened state is likely to give almost anything to such elements for their suvival. The industry stakeholders made these and other comments during an exclusive interview with Kaieteur News on the effects Guyana’s oil industry would feel following the imposition of sanctions by the USA on Government officials. Last week, the United States foisted sanctions – currently in the form of visa restrictions – on those who have been complicit in undermining Guyana’s electoral process. Such persons include the incumbent President David Granger and the executives of his party, the A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC). The sanctions can also extend to the party’s financiers and family members. These sanctions were imposed following attempts by the coalition administration via its surrogates, to avoid the (Continued on page 29)
Sunday July 26, 2020
From page 28 declaration of the elections results. The results clearly show that the APNU+AFC faction lost the March 2, General and Regional Elections to the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C) by some 15,000 votes. Some have argued that if the Granger-led government refuses to step aside, the US administration would not hesitate to impose further penalties which could be economic in nature. While such sanctions could have a crippling effect on the country, Dr. Mangal is of the view that oil majors like ExxonMobil which are extracting and exporting Guyana’s crude, would not be affected. The Petroleum Consultant said that ExxonMobil is a “very important company” to the US, as s u c h ; i t s sanctions would be executed in such a way that it protects the oil giant’s profits. He also argued that Guyana being in such a weakened state would become an ideal playground for ExxonMobil. Dr. Mangal stressed that the American company thrives in countries which are falling apart. He said, “Look around the world in places like Chad in Africa and elsewhere. They (ExxonMobil) actually do better commercially in those environments. They
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do better in places which are falling apart, in places where there is civil war, in places where there is an illegitimate government, where there is dictatorship.” The petroleum consultant is of the view that if the APNU+AFC fraudulently remains in power, then it will receive international and regional backlash from many. As a result of this, he said that Guyana will be desperate to form new relations—which will be quite difficult. SARA HAS NOTHING TO SHOWAFTER SPENDING OVER $600M IN THREE YEARS – RAM SAYS AGENCY HAS BEEN A “COMPLETEAND EXPENSIVE FAILURE” Since being in operation for approximately three y e a r s , t h e St a t e A s s e t Recovery Agency (SARA), has received at the very least, $600M in taxpayers money to fight corruption. But given its performance record to date, there are many who believe that the agency has been nothing but a complete waste of tax dollars. One such person who remains resolute in this view is Cha r t e r e d Accountant and anticorruption advocate, Christopher Ram. D u r i n g a n i n t e rview with Kaieteur News, Ram
highlighted that the coalition, like the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), had shown the necessity for asset recovery without the “heavy hand of politics.” He noted however that the APNU+AFC has been at best, irresponsible in handling this matter. E x p o u n d i n g f u r t h e r, Ram reminded that the coalition had appointed one of the Executive Members of one of the parties within the coalition, who in turn, appointed persons whose major qualification appeared to have been their association with the APNU+AFC faction. In this regard, he was referring to Professor Clive Thomas who is an Executive Member of the Working People’s Alliance ( W PA ) as was subsequently appointed Head of SARA. He later brought onto his team, Aubrey Heath-Retemyer who is closely aligned with the coalition. Turning his attention to the funding the agency received to date, Ram noted that in 2018, the agency had a budget of $260M and in 2019, it received $285M. For its establishment in 2017, it also received another $116M. Since receiving those sums, Ram said that SARA has failed to produce at least one case where state assets were recovered.
Ram recalled that the agency had gone after Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) back in September 2019 with claims that it had acquired a property in Kingstown that houses its headquarters for $244M less than its actual value. The High Court however, ruled in favour of the bank, on the grounds that SARA lacked the legal standing for such a matter. In this regard, Ram recalled that he had argued years back that the SARA Act would place the agency in direct conflict with the Constitution – a position he still holds to this day. “There is clearly a place for state asset recovery,” Ram continued, but he said that the SARA Act is “too wide, internally inconsistent, complicated and inconsistent with Guyana’s constitution.” He said that it seeks to give the State enormous powers while depriving citizens of their corresponding rights. Continuing on this point, the lawyer reminded of a case brought by Social Activist Ramon Gaskin which challenged the constitutionality of the agency back in 2017. At that time, the agency was attempting to recover billions of dollars from a case with Queens Atlantic Investment Inc. (QAII), the company which bought the Sanata Complex. According
to reports, SARA was expected to recover more than $3B in state assets from that shoddy deal but the case was halted because of the litigation brought by Gaskin. TUESDAY GECOM MUST USE RECOUNT TO DECLARE RESULT – AG, JONES, LOWENFIELD SUBMISSIONS “HOPELESSLY FLAWED” – LOWENFIELD CANNOT BE A LONE RANGER, IS BOUND BY LAW AND DIRECTIONS OF GECOM – CHIEF JUSTICE(AG) Chief Justice (Ag), Roxane George -Wiltshire has dismissed the latest application filed to compel the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to rely
on nothing but disputed figures to make the final election’s declarations. The case filed by Misenga Jones, a Counting Agent for A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU +AFC), was thrown out after the Chief Justice (CJ) determined five main issues raised by her application. Jones had petitioned the High Court for several orders, among them a declaration to prevent the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield from using the recount figures, which show a victory for the Opposition People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) over the incumbent APNU+AFC. The APNU +AFC counting agent wanted the Court to make a declaration that the CEO could instead use nothing but a report based on the March 13 district declarations as the basis on which a final election declaration would be made. That report with the fraudulent March 13 declarations made by Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, has been rejected by the GECOM Chair, retired Justice Claudette Singh. In her ruling Monday, the CJ determined the figures derived from the recount of the March 2, 2020 Regional and General Elections are valid and unless overturned by a Court in an election petition, it is the only data that could be used for the declaration. Justice George-Wiltshire stated too that the previous ten declarations cannot be “resurrected”. At several points in her ruling, the CJ stressed the issues outlined in the application breached the principles of res judicata which essentially meant that the issues outlined in the application were already considered and determined by a court of competent jurisdiction and therefore should not be further pursued by the parties in a similar course of litigation. Justice George-Wiltshire (Continued on page 30)
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From page 29 specified that the issues of Jones’ application has already been dealt with by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and Court of Appeal (CoA) and as such could not be otherwise determined by the High Court. The judge said that the High Court is also bound by the rulings the CCJ and CoA—both competent Courts of higher jurisdictions. OILSALEAGREEMENTS REMAIN SHROUDED IN SECRECY – DESPITE GY-EITI, ENERGY DEPT.’S COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY Almost two months ago, global watchdog Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) sought to remind Guyana of the importance of making oil sale agreements public, especially when one takes into consideration, the commitment given by the APNU+AFC government to be transparent in all dealings for the oil industry. Even after this appeal was made, neither the local chapter of the EITI nor the Energy Department has made these agreements public. Since producing oil from the Stabroek Block in December 2019, Guyana would have pre-sold three cargoes of sweet, light crude to Shell Western Supply and Trading Limited. The oil giant has already received two cargoes. For the first lift, Guyana received US$55M and for the second, US$35M was paid to the government. That money has been transferred to the Natural Resources Fund (NRF), which is being held in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Kaieteur News recently contacted the Head of GYEITI, Dr. Rudy Jadoopat and informed him that the agreements in question were not available on the agency’s website to allow for public scrutiny. Dr. Jadoopat acknowledged that the documents are not there but noted nonetheless that when they become available to the local chapter, they will be released in keeping with the EITI Standard on public disclosure. Importantly, the Director of the Energy Department, Dr. Mark Bynoe, had given a commitment in January to be completely transparent regarding the sale of Guyana’s crude public. However, the Director and his department are yet to make good on this promise. As a result of the inaction of both parties, the international body whose
Sunday July 26, 2020
Kaieteur News
standards Guyana pledged to uphold, has called on the authorities to correct their actions. EITI reminded that implementing countries are expected to disclose sale agreements related to the State’s share of production or other revenues collected in kind. The international corruption watchdog also said that the public disclosure of information on the sale agreements such as the identity of the buyer, committed annual and monthly oil volumes to be bought and sold, the price to be paid and mechanisms for price adjustment, are critical to public oversight. STOP WASTING COUNTRY’S TIME WITH COURT CASES- LJP, TCI The Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and The Citizenship Initiative (TCI) have called on the governing A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) to stop wasting the nation’s time, as the coalition, once again, indicated that it would challenge another clear court ruling. The LJP and TCI issued their statements Monday evening following Monday’s decision by Chief Justice (CJ) Roxane GeorgeWiltshire, in which she ruled that the national vote recount must be used to declare the results of the March 2, General and Regional Elections. George-Wiltshire also ruled that the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, is not a “lone ranger” and must do as he is directed by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). During the ruling, Attorneys-at-Law Mayo Robertson and Roysdale Forde, who represented the applicant Misenga Jones, disclosed that they plan on approaching the Court of Appeal with the objecting of contesting the CJ’s decision. Considering that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and the Chief Justice were “comprehensive and clear” in their previous judgments, the LJP sees the approach to the Court of Appeal as a waste of the court’s and country’s time “and it is an obstruction of the elections declarations by the PNC that we are hopeful will levy further sanctions on the perpetrators that continue to torture this nation through this process,” the LJP wrote in their statement to the press. Meanwhile, the TCI wrote in their statement to the press that they remain concerned that “despite such a clear and concise ruling, there is yet to
be another court matter.” TCI therefore calls on all parties to abide by the rulings and not waste any more of the court’s time. Incumbent President David Granger has repeatedly said that his party is not interfering in the work of the GECOM. However, matters were brought to the courts by three Coalition supporters under the guise of “private citizens”. The first case was brought by APNU+AFC Candidate, Ulita Grace Moore, on March 17, seeking to block a CARICOMsupervised recount. Moore was an East Coast Demerara candidate for the Coalition in the 2018 Local Government Elections and she was on the Region Four list of candidates for the regional elections. In her application, Moore through her Attorneys-atLaw, government aligned Mayo Robertson and Roysdale Forde had requested that the Court order GECOM to utilize the fraudulent declarations made by Clairmont Mingo on March 13. The High Court had ruled on the case in favour of Moore; however that ruling was overturned by the Full Court, paving way for the National Recount. After the recount was completed, showing a clear win for the Opposition, another Coalition supporter, Eslyn David, brought a motion to the Court of Appeal in attempts to block the CEO from presenting to the Commission, his final report using the figures from the recount. WEDNESDAY GUYANA HASACHOICE: DEMOCRACY OR THE ABYSS? – OAS SECRETARYGENERAL The Secretary General of
the Organisation of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, gave a stern address to Guyana’s leaders at a meeting of the Permanent Council Tuesday, noting that Guyana has a choice: Democracy or Abyss? The OAS has endorsed the results of the recount process, and has joined hands with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the rest of the international community in calling for the electoral process to be resolved swiftly and democratically. If the situation goes any other way, Guyana has been warned that many consequences would await it. The United States Canada and the United Kingdom have already announced consequences for persons who have acted to undermine Guyana’s democracy, or those who are purposefully complicit. Commentators have noted that Guyana’s neighbour, Venezuela’s experience, would be an instructive situation for Guyana’s leaders to study before they decide to continue taking this country down an undemocratic path. The Bolivarian Republic has faced international condemnation, as it continues to fall into the abyss Guyana is said to be standing on the precipice of. Almagro had requested that the Chair convene a meeting of the Council, following repeated attempts by agents of the APNU+AFC coalition to frustrate a declaration of the results of the transparent national vote recount. Present at the meeting of the Permanent Council were Guyana’s Attorney General Basil Williams and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings. Those two officials represented the positions of the APNU+AFC Government in resisting the calls of the international community to allow a
peaceful and orderly transition of power. But Almagro pleaded with them, that it is time for leaders to work together to strengthen the unity of the country, and not allow it to be pulled apart. He said that such unity is an imperative social need. The Secretary General noted that it has been over 140 days since the elections were held. OAS Observer Mission Chief, Bruce Golding, told the Permanent Council that the Election Day process and the Recount process were smoothly executed and transparent. Starting from the interruption of the tabulation of the Region Four results by Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, Almagro said that this was the first of a chain of actions intended to alter and hide the correct results, to confuse the citizens of Guyana and block the expression of the will of the people. He said that the OAS mission had announced that it would retreat from Guyana on March 13, but pointed to the need to verify the results in a transparent manner. At this point, the Mingo had attempted to rig the election results twice. Almagro said that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) decided that a solution would be a national recount. IT WOULD TAKE A GENERATION TO REPAIR DAMAGE TO GUYANA’S IMAGE – OAS OBSERVER CHIEF, BRUCE GOLDING Head of the Electoral Observer Mission of the Organisation of American States (OAS), Bruce Golding, gave a comprehensive breakdown of recent developments in Guyana’s electoral process Tuesday to the Permanent Council, during which he said that the damage done to Guyana’s image since March will take a
generation and significant institutional reform to repair. Such a view was premised by Golding on repeated attempts of certain electoral stakeholders to fraudulently alter the results of the elections to hand the APNU+AFC coalition a false national victory. This has resulted in an electoral process which has gone on for four and half a months, with more litigation likely to further protract the process.”A litmus test of any democracy,” the former Jamaica Prime Minister said, “is the peaceful and orderly transfer of power if that is so ordained by the expressed will of the people. Sadly, Guyana has failed that test. The people of Guyana are not to be blamed. They expressed their will in a commendably peaceful and orderly manner on March 2. But the pernicious actions of a few have wreaked considerable damage to Guyana’s image and reputation. Even if this debacle is soon and satisfactorily resolved, it will perhaps take a generation and significant institutional reform for that damage to be fully repaired. The people of Guyana did not deserve this.” Golding, in a previous address to the OAS, had demonstrated how the Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, produced altered figures by subtracting votes from the PPP/C on the statements of poll, and added votes to the APNU+AFC coalition. Tuesday, he continued by explaining the events occurring during the national recount, then those after, to present day. The OAS has fielded observers to Guyana’s entire electoral process, inclusive of pre-polling day preparations, the conduct of the poll on Election Day, the counting of votes, the tabulation processes conducted by the Returning (Continued on page 37)
Sunday July 26, 2020
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From Cuba to Guyana with Love....
The story of two doctors in love, and the challenges they face By Enid Joaquin
D
r. Elber Oreste B o r r e g o Almaguer and Dr. Delleana AndersonBorrego Almaguer, are a husband and wife team, whose story of romance, adventure, hard work and challenges, capture the essence of a classic love story that stretched from Cuba to Guyana. Dr. Borrego Almaguer is a Cuba-born, naturalized Guyanese, while his wife, Dr. Delleana, is a Guyanese by birth, from the mining town of Linden. He is an unemployed General Surgery Assistant Instructor, while she is a General Medical Officer (GMO) attached to the Linden Hospital Complex. Both studied medicine in Cuba, and graduated in 2018. They were later married twice – first in Cuba, and then again in G u y a n a . D r. D e l l e a n a confessed recently that in Cuba, they had two ceremonies, one at her fatherin-law's and the other at her mother-in-law's because her husband's parents are divorced, and they wanted to please both on their own turf. Dr. Delleana returned to Guyana with her husband, soon after their first wedding. It was a blissful time, and the young couple was optimistic that life would be good. "When we came here, I brought some money to upkeep us, until we start to work. We never imagined that the process for me to find a job would take so long," Dr. Borrego Almaguer lamented. He confessed that the money was soon used up, and he was still not able to secure a job, in the health sector. In desperation, he sought employment with James and Sons Supermarket on Republic Avenue in Linden. He did what was required, even cleaning the floor, and was very happy
Dr. Elber Oreste Borrego Almaguer and his wife Dr. Delleana
“
I live and I breathe medicine; I have all the necessary qualifications, and I sent out all the relevant documents to the Ministry of Health, but still I'm without a job. Every time I present one document, they would ask for another one, and that is how it's been going on for the past year. - Dr. Elber Oreste Borrego Almaguer
”
because he always thought that it was just a "provisional" job. However, he was forced to quit, after only three months, because of the many taunts and insults, from insensitive customers. "I feel like a prisoner at home, because without my citizenship I couldn't get a job with the government, I
document, they would ask for another one, and that is how it's been going on for the past year,” he confided. Because of this, he lamented “I'm presently relegated to being a house husband. I stay home and do the house work, while my wife goes to work!" Dr. Borrego Almaguer related that he feels very
Sancti Spiritus.... that's five hours by bus. So we planned our free time and visited each other every weekend.” He recalled too that moving to Guyana was seen as a great move since “life is hard in
The couple on their wedding days
cou ld only work in a supermarket. But because of what happened while I was there, I decided to adapt my home, as my prison," he sadly confessed. Meanwhile, his wife had gained employment as a general practitioner at the Linden Hospital Complex. It is a pill, that is very hard for her husband to swallow, as he feels that he should be the one, providing for them. "I live and I breathe medicine; I have all the necessary qualifications, and I sent out all the relevant documents to the Ministry of Health, but still I'm without a job. Every time I present one
frustra t e d , because his wife has to work so hard. He further explained, that had he been working, there would not be so much pressure on her. However, though frustrated as well, Dr. Delleana takes everything in stride, as she loves her husband very much. "I feel for him, because I know that he so wants to take care of his responsibilities, but he cannot do it, because he's not working.” She reminisced, on how well he took care of her in Cuba, and even assisted with her studies. Dr. Borrego Almaguer also reflected on those early days of courtship, "In Cuba, my wife studied at a University, in another province, I was in Havana and she was in
Cuba, with the many sanctions imposed on the country. Every day it is a battle to survive, so I bought all the basic necessities for my wife (girlfriend at the time). When I went to visit her I took everything for her, and that's normal for me, even if I don't have anything for me, I gave her everything." TABLES TURNED Now in Guyana, the tables have turned, and it is Dr. Delleana that has to take care of her husband. In an emotional tone, she related, "people look at me, and some of them say, I'm taking care of a foreigner, because obviously, I'm the one working and so I take care of the bills, the car and everything." But that does not bother D r. D e l l e a n a , w h o reminisced on the good times when her husband
used to pamper her and take her to the most prestigious and popular places in Cuba. Those times are forever etched in her memory. "We used to travel for hours every weekend to be with each other. Either one of us would make the trip.” She pointed out that on those weekends, her husband took her to the most "elegant" events, such as ballets, the best restaurants and hotels. Even his mother, who Dr. Delleana says, treats her like her own daughter, also joined in spoiling and pampering her. She shared that her husband fell head over heels in love with her, and sometimes even ditched a few classes, just to spend time with her. He would also go without things he needed just so he could provide for her.
"He would rather go hungry, so that I could eat...I even remember one time when I needed some personal stuff, you know what I mean, he went out and got them for me." H e r e i n Guyana, he wants to do the same, D r. D e l l e a n a maintained, but without a job, this seems near impossible. "In Cuba, he had taken really good care of me, and so I know that he enjoys taking care of his responsibilities. So now that he's here, with all his qualifications and no job; and I'm not ashamed to say he is much more intelligent than I am, so it is frustrating…sometimes whenever I get angry, he thinks its because he's not working." This makes it difficult for Dr. Delleana, who never wants her husband to feel emasculated, because he's unemployed. GREATEST WISH Dr. Borrego Almaguer said that his greatest wish is to help people, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic. He said too that he is even willing to offer his services voluntarily, until he can gain official employment with the Ministry of Public Health. "For every new trained doctor, a country has to invest thousands of dollars, and I'm right here... they didn't invest anything in me, (continued on page 46)
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A
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g ts in s... re ture e t In rea C
T
he agami heron (Agamia agami) is a mediumsized heron. It is a resident breeding bird from Central America south to Peru and Brazil. It is sometimes known as the chestnutbellied heron, and is the only member of the genus Agamia (Reichenbach, 1853). In Brazil it is sometimes called Soco beija-flor, meaning 'hummingbird heron', thanks to its unique coloration pattern. The agami heron is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, due to predictions of future habitat destruction within its range. This uncommon species is 66–76 cm (26–30 in) in length. It is short-legged for a heron, and has a thin bill which is considerably longer than the head. The neck and underparts are chestnut, with a white line down the centre of the fore-neck, and the wings are shiny green. Wispy pale blue feathers decorate the crown, sides of the fore-neck, and lower
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gami heron (Agamia agami)
back. The legs, bill, and bare facial patch are dull yellow. During the breeding season the facial patch can change colour to reddish. The sexes are similar, but juveniles are largely brown above with a white foreneck, and streaked brownand-white under-parts. The normal clutch size is two blue eggs. The agami heron is a Neotropical species occurring in Central and South America. The distribution area of the species extends from southeast Mexico through central and Caribbean Central America through the Amazon basin in South America, covering the following countries: Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil. This species is rare in open areas. The agami heron's habitat encompasses
swamp forests, mangroves, forest streams and freshwater wetlands. They mostly occur from sea level to 300 m elevation. Records exist from 2600 m in the Andes. They nest in both single species and mixed species colonies on platforms of sticks in bushes and trees over water. Very few colonies are known to date but some are quite large, up to hundreds or even over a thousand nests. The following locations of colonies are known within the distribution area of the species:on a tiny island at the centre of a lagoon in the middle of the Pacuare Nature Reserve, Costa Rica, in the Tapiche Reserve, Peru, the Marais de Kaw-Roura National Reserve and Amazonian National Park, French Guiana, and other colonies outside of protected areas in Colombia, Mexico and Belize. Despite its stunning plumage, this reclusive species preference for shade and overhanging vegetation
means that it is rarely seen. This is a quiet bird, but pairs and family groups may make various snoring or rattling sounds. Rattling sounds and slow walking away are a typical response to disturbance. Agami herons stalk their prey (fish, frogs, small reptiles, and snails) in shallow shaded water in forested areas. They often stand still on perches or directly in the water, or moving very slowly. They rarely wade in open water. Several courtship behaviours have been described and are used by both sexes. Lores can change colour to an intense red, and both sexes show a shortlived silver crest. This species is very discreet and scientifically little known, which is a c h a l l e n g e f o r conservationists. Its remote habitat and secretive behaviour may explain its apparent rarity. However, it is considered as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List due to future habitat loss in the
Amazon. Conservation efforts should concentrate on protection of important colony sites, developing a
better understanding of the range, habitat needs and biology of the species. [Source: Wikipedia]
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K O O
A life that shone
B
Book: Theodore Thomson Flynn - Not Just Errol's Father Authors: Tony and Vicki Harrison Critic: Glenville Ashby, PhD
S
cientist Theodore Thomson Flynn might have been dwarfed by Errol, his celebrated son, but in the field of academia, in p a r t i c u l a r, m a r s u p i a l embryology, his contribution is legendary. Authors Tony and Vicki Morrison paint an authentic and unembellished picture of Flynn's early years. We draw our own conclusion on the extent that his father's infidelities and his parents' wrangling shaped his
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beha viour. Surely, Flynn took a page from his father's book and proved very much a lady's man, but overriding all else was his brilliant mind Flynn was born in 1883 to a shipwright who was far from financially secure. He proved astute, academically punctilious, and mature in his teenage years. He showed a keen interest in the sciences and became a pupil-teacher serving his apprenticeship in Hillston, located 900 miles west of Sydney. It was an arduous assignment. Apprentices were 13-16 years and received instruction from a principal teacher before and after school. Flynn immediately showed flashes of poise and intelligence. He was never tardy and was characterized
bright! as “diligent, obedient and attentive to his duties.” Sharply moulding his interest in marsupial anatomy was Professor James Peter Jill, a revered figure with whom Flynn later collaborated at the University College of London. Flynn's appointment as biology lecturer at Tasmania University at the time of his marriage to Lily Young in 1909 chartered a new professional direction. In his new assignment, he was innovative and adventurous. He was balanced, dedicated to his professional vision but equally indulgent, displaying the least diffidence in non-collegiate activities. We learn that Dr. Eric Guiler, “one of Theo's students viewed him as a “very powerful personality full of drive and energy that led him to many adventures, credible and otherwise,” while another student found him genial, lively, and engaging. Flynn's research
centred on diseases of ants and animals, anatomy, and development of marsupials unique to Tasmania. His salary doubled and he enjoyed generous perks including half the year to pursue personal research. But Flynn's lofty ambitions outpaced the budget of the university. This ruffled feathers for years. With the deficit covered by Ralston funds, he was made Dean of Science in 1911, a position (outside one year) that he held till 1920. There are risible anecdotes that shine light on Flynn's nature and love for work. His son, Errol, recounted his father's “habit of keeping the animals he was studying in the back garden of his home,” and another tale of “a pet potoroo in his university room and [that] followed him around as he taught and studied.” The story continued that the small marsupial went looking for him at a ball, sniffing its way through
many dancers till it found its mark racing up Theo's trousers to “nestle into his pocket.” During this period, Flynn assumed distinguished posts and was never short of accomplishments. He became a member of the Royal Society, a move
that advanced his career becoming a Trustee of the Tasmanian Museum in 1911. He studied the Devil (Sarcophilus urainus), the Thylacine, the Tiger Cat (Dasyurus), Bandicoots (Perameles), the Opossum Mouse (Dromica) and the (continued on page 45)
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THE
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Sunday July 26, 2020
STORY WITHIN THE
We have fallen By Leonard Gildarie
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few days ago, I saw something that shook me. It is the truth. But to even be having such conversations, the perversion is evident. Somebody wrote that it is the folks from Queen's College who are to be blamed for the state of Guyana. First, it was Forbes Burnham, then Cheddi Jagan and now David Granger. We have thousands of former Queen's College students in Guyana who have made their mark in Guyana positively. I can point out several including lawyers and former government ministers who stood tall. We can point to engineers and bank employees, and yes, even media personnel. But it was one of the many shameful side plots that have emerged in this last four months. Shift the narratives, blame somebody. As I write now, the Court of Appeal is hearing yet another case coming from the March 2nd unresolved elections. We are not sure who is funding the court cases to pay lawyers. It will cost in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The authorities will have to make clear and assure the people of this country that we are not being saddled with the bills. I don't want to use the word perversion, but surely any court case by private citizens will have to be borne by the applicants. In addition to Queen's College coming out as collateral damage, almost everybody else not agreeing that the Coalition lost have come under attack. We could not have sunk any lower this week when an anonymous attack, shared on social media, was launched at CARICOM, specifically at the Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, and chairman, Ralph Gonsalves. As I speak, two petitions are circulating to remove Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George and Justice Priya S e w n a r i n e - B e h a r r y. Unbelievable, is it not? The Western countries, and their representatives, have also been on the receiving end of accusations, some honing in on sexual
p r e f e r e n c e s . Independent media houses and of course the GECOM c h a i r, J u s t i c e ( R e t ' d ) Claudette Singh, were not spared. The narratives from March 2nd have been rapidly shifting day in and day out. From fraudulent figures that had no basis, to walkouts by diplomats from the Ashmin's building, the stories would paint a picture of the People's Progressive Party/Civic finding billions of dollars to pay off media houses, diplomats, the CARICOM, the US, Canada, Britain and the European Union and now India. Brazil and more than 20 countries of the OAS were clear, move on‌make a declaration on the recount. The language was not flattering. It was hard to listen to Venezuela lecturing us at the recent public meeting of the OAS' Permanent Council. We should never have been placed in such a position. It is impossible to think that we would invite foreign observers and when they speak, we accuse them of being one-sided. The Court of Appeal will be ruling very shortly. GECOM will have yet another opportunity to do the right thing, the correct thing. We cannot as a country remain in this limbo for too long. The gains we have made are quickly being erased. Perhaps the biggest hurt is the continued wedge being driven between our people. The hurt and frustration from the political situation, coupled with the covid-19 fallouts, have left our people like a headless chicken. Brazil, as we speak, our neighbour, has reportedly recorded more than 60,000 cases overnight with more than 1,000 deaths from covid-19. The rupununi areas remain in lockdown and food shortages have led to a desperate situation for region nine, our biggest administrative area in terms of geography. Why any rightthinking, responsible leader would want such a situation to continue is beyond explanation. The impasse has drawn sharp critiques from media houses with the coalition becoming more and more a solitary silhouette.
Leonard Gildarie I have said it before and w ill rep eat. The n ext administration will have one of the toughest ever jobs. The president will have to lead a people who expect more from our oil and gas. The president will have to heal the deep ethnic feelings which have been fuelled by a few. He will have to rebalance an economy that is on the verge of collapse. From social programmes, to economic subsidies, the interventions will have to be bold and ambitious. Let us be clear, the ethnic insecurities have been fanned by a few who have little ideas of the damage they have done, both inside and outside of guyana. I am losing friends fast because they are forced to follow family who back a political entity and singing a song which has been a family of one. It breaks my heart. Can we overcome? President granger will have to dig deep within and be the man that many believed him to be when he entered office in 2015. A family man who stood by his word. A leader who wanted a country that is rich in its history. We have, as a people, started to have a true understanding of our worth. Leaders will have to deliver. More than 40 percent of the people of this great country threw their support, according to the votes, behind the coalition. That has to count for something. The battle would have been lost. But 2025 is coming up. The people will be watching. They will want results. A strong opposition will have to play its role and be watchful. We d e m a n d t h e opposition play its role. It is dangerous to contemplate that a government will be there which believe that it can do what it likes. The opposition will be our ears and eyes. The ball is in your court president granger. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Sunday July 26, 2020
From page 30 Officers, and the national vote recount. Golding told the Permanent Council of the allegations made by the APNU+AFC agent during the recount, which were recorded in the observation reports drafted for each ballot box. “A significant number of these allegations concerned unsubstantiated claims of voter impersonation,” Golding stated. “Neither the OAS electoral observer mission, nor any of the other accredited observers who visited polling stations on election day, hundreds of polling stations – I must point out – have reported any significant instances of objections based on impersonation made by the polling agents of the APNU+AFC who were present in most, if not, all polling stations.” He reported that the polling day process was peaceful and orderly, and was so described by all observers. THURSDAY GRANGER WILL NOT ACCEPT RECOUNT FIGURES – Latest coalition statement signals departure from prior commitments A statement issued by the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition Wednesday outlined the clear position of their leader, de facto President David Granger that he will not be accepting any declaration based on the figures derived from the National Recount. This represents the most significant departure yet from prior commitments made by Granger, “We maintain,” the statement said, “that the Elections Commission can only make a ‘declaration’ based on valid votes. The recount process which was conducted, painstakingly, for thirty-three days revealed massive irregularities and extensive fraud which cannot be foisted on the Guyanese people to contrive an outcome that betrays the will of the electorate.” This is the latest doubling down on the President’s position as expressed in his remarks to supporters outside of State House on July, in the wake of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruling in the Irfaan Ali vs Eslyn David et al case. Granger told supporters that, “The matter will go back to the Election Commission but as far as we are concerned, we have evidence that there has been massive
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fraud and irregularities and we will continue the fight to make sure that your votes are counted.” Granger’s recent position stands not only in direct conflict with international consensus on the credibility and validity of the National Recount figures, but also with his previous commitments to stand by what he referred to as the four Cs: the Constitution, the Court, the Commission, and CARICOM. Constitution President Granger in the past has repeatedly stated that he would “abide by the Constitution of Guyana.” The party’s statement in fact says that, “Any attempt to include fraudulent votes in a ‘declaration’ will constitute a violation of the constitution and the fundamental principles of democracy. We maintain that the Elections Commission can only make a ‘declaration’ based on valid votes.” The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) had however, in their ruling in the Irfaan Ali vs Eslyn David et al case stated that, “Unless and until an election court decides otherwise, the votes already counted by the recount process as valid votes are incapable of being declared invalid by any person or authority other than the High Court through an election petition.” What the CCJ also did in their ruling was to overturn the judgment passed by the Appellate Court deeming it invalid and of no effect. As a consequence, the 23rd June report of the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield that was supported by the President and his party that was based on this decision was similarly of no effect. The President’s statement then indirectly supports a departure from the Constitution on this critical issue as decided by the Guyana’s apex court. Court With regards to the
courts, President Granger has always maintained that he would “respect their rulings”; however, despite saying in his statement that the party “as always, remains committed to the judicial process,” he disregarded the ruling made by the Guyana’s apex court in the Eslyn David case. The Coalition, not satisfied with the judgment passed, filed an application in the High Court to regurgitate the same argument hashed out at the CCJ. The Chief Justice (CJ) Roxane GeorgeWiltshire in her ruling stated clearly that the relief sought by application, Mesinga Jones, an APNU+AFC counting agent was already settled by previous court decisions. Nonetheless, the party again disregarded the CJ’s ruling and filed an appeal with the Appellate Court. Touching on this, APNU+AFC in their statement said, “The appellant Misenga Jones seeks to set aside or reverse the entire judgment of Chief Justice Roxane George” and added that such an appeal is “lawful, proper and guaranteed under the Constitution, our supreme law.” CARICOM APNU+AFC said in their statement that, “The recount process which was conducted, painstakingly, for thirty-three days revealed massive irregularities and extensive fraud which cannot be foisted on the Guyanese people to contrive an outcome that betrays the will of the electorate.” The results of the recount, supervised by a high-level CARICOM Scrutineering Team revealed that the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) won the March 2 Elections with a more than 15,000 valid vote lead ahead of APNU+AFC. Instead of conceding to their clear loss, the party continues to argue that the
recount merely uncovered mass fraud and irregularities and stated that any result from the process would be tainted and unlawful. A majority of these allegations were raised by APNU+AFC during the recount process and to date, no hard hitting evidence has been provided to support them, a point raised in the CARICOM report. Moreover, the three-member CARICOM Scrutineering Team in their report confirmed the results showing a win for the PPP and while they noted the irregularities brought to the fore by APNU+AFC, they stated that it would not affect the results. That report also received widespread support from a host of stakeholders in the international community. The Coaliton’s opposition to that report reached the doors of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the Irfaan Ali vs Eslyn David litigation and a clear ruling was handed down, validating the recount results. Also, it should be noted that the President affirmed on more than one occasion confidence in the CARICOM team to overlook the recount process deeming them the most “legitimate interlocutor.” In fact, Granger had said, “I am very confident in CARICOM’s ability and integrity and I would just like to repeat what the Ambassador of Barbados to Washington said, that CARICOM is the most legitimate interlocutor on the Guyana situation. I am inspired by that remark and I share the sentiment that CARICOM is the most legitimate interlocutor on the Guyana situation.” Commission While the statement said that APNU+AFC is “committed to a lawful and credible declaration of results based on valid votes,” every attempt made by the GECOM Chair, Justice Claudette Singh to produce a declaration has
been met with court actions brought by the party and its supporters. Even though the President has expressed high confidence in the GECOM Chair, declaring publicly his “trust” for her and the Commission, his actions have told a different story, including the Coalition’s court challenges to her instructions to GECOM CEO to prepare a report based on the recount figures. Those actions have also coupled with what has been condemned by observers, including the United Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch, as gross disrespect for the Chair; this includes slanderous postings by supporters on social media and a mock funeral for Singh, held by APNU+AFC supporters in front of State House, one in which her effigy was placed in a coffin and kicked. Asked by Kaieteur News to specifically condemn these attacks on the Chair, Granger had refused, saying only that the attacks were not “a policy” of his administration. Open to Dialogue The Coalition ended their statement, noting that they are “open to dialogue with other political parties and stakeholders on the way forward for our country.” “The APNU+AFC Coalition,” claimed the statement “is prepared to act responsibly to bring a resolution to the ongoing political situation. We remain confident of a credible and legitimate outcome to the elections.” KAREN CUMMINGS SENDS FALSE REPORT ON CCJ JUDGMENT TO OAS In a letter to the Chair of the Organization of American States (OAS) Permanent Council, Luis Cordero, Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karen Cummings sought to falsely represent the judgment of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on the recount case. In the letter, dated July 19, 2020 – sent ahead of the special meeting of the Council, held on Tuesday, July 20 – Cummings stated that the “The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) was then approached and, in its ruling, invalidated the Recount Process, on the grounds that the Recount Order No. 60 of 2020 ought not to contradict the constitution of Guyana.” The Caribbean Court stated in paragraph 47 of its full judgment in Irfaan Ali vs. Eslyn David et al, “Unless and until an election court decides
otherwise, the votes already counted by the recount process as valid votes are incapable of being declared invalid by any person or authority other than the High Court through an election petition.” The Court not only held that the recount process could not be invalidated unless in an election petition after a final declaration is made; it held also that only the High Court has the jurisdiction to take up that mantle. In presenting this false report to Ambassador Cordero, Cummings was arguing for the position of the coalition, which favoured not the transparent recount that showed it lost the elections, but the Returning Officers’ district declarations, which most notably included the fraudulent March 13 Region Four declaration that would give the coalition a false national lead. This became evident in the continuation of the Minister’s letter, where she stated, “It [the CCJ] ruled, also, that the Chairman of the Election Commission must therefore act in accordance with the Constitution of Guyana and declare the elections results based on the Report presented by the Chief Election Officer. The Report presented by the Chief Election Officer on 11th July 2020 indicated that APNU+AFC received 236,777 votes and the PPPC, received 229,330 votes.” Those results were presented in a report by the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, largely based on the ten declarations made by the Returning Officers. In presenting this report to the Commission, Lowenfield disregarded multiple instructions handed to him in letters by the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), retired Justice Claudette Singh. Rather than giving Lowenfield the latitude to present any report he wished to, Guyana’s apex Court condemned his move to act unilaterally. GOV’T LEGITIMACY RESTS ON DECLARATION OF RECOUNT RESULTS – EU The 27-nation European Union (EU) Wednesday issued a strong statement, warning that a legitimate Government can only be sworn in on the basis of a declaration of the credible results of the recount, supported by all Guyanese leaders and electoral stakeholders. The EU had (Continued on page 38)
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From page 37 fielded an electoral observer mission to Guyana’s elections. The statement comes from the European External Action Service, which is the diplomatic service and combined foreign and defence ministry of the European Union. “Following the elections in Guyana on 2nd March 2020, the clear ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) now provides a solid foundation for a peaceful and democratic solution to Guyana’s post-electoral crisis,” it said. The CCJ had invalidated a report of the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, who had attempted to stray from the results of the recount. While the results of the recount showed a win for the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) with a more than 15,000 vote lead ahead of the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition, Lowenfield in that report, added more than 20,000 ghost votes to grant the Coalition a false win at the March 2 elections. The EU said that it is now up to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to “rapidly” issue a declaration based on the credible results of the recount certified by the Caribbean Community, in line with the CCJ’s ruling. Such a declaration, the union said, “is urgent and essential for the country.” Their statement comes just one day after 21 countries, participating in a special meeting of the Organisation of American States (OAS) Permanent Council, called on GECOM to
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declare the results to Guyana’s more-than-fourmonth-long election using the valid figures from the national recount. FRIDAY PPP/C WILL FIERCELY RESISTANY COUPATTEMPT Opposition Leader, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, Thursday sent a strong message to President David Granger-led A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition that he will fiercely resist any attempt hatched to hold on to power after a declaration is made. “If Granger and his band of riggers,” Jagdeo said in the statement “believe that they can continue to hang on to office after the declaration has been made, then they are living in a fool’s world.” Jagdeo made reference to the statement issued by the Coalition Thursday and called it a “clear defiance” of the international community, the Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George Wiltshire; the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). They have all been clear that any declaration has to be made on the basis of the figures from the national recount. APNU+AFC, in its statement, affirmed President David Granger’s position that he will not be accepting a result made by GECOM using the numbers from the recount that confirm a victory for the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) at the March 2, 2020 Elections. The party said “We maintain that the Elections Commission can only make a ‘declaration’ based on valid
votes. The recount process which was conducted, painstakingly, for 33 days revealed massive irregularities and extensive fraud which cannot be foisted on the Guyanese people to contrive an outcome that betrays the will of the electorate.” The position expressed by the Coalition, however, contrasts with previous pronouncements by Granger who had made it clear that he would accept any declaration made by GECOM and also abide by the Constitution, the rulings of the Court, CARICOM and the Commission. Jagdeo went on to say “If the international community was prepared to condemn and levy sanctions against people who are trying to undermine democracy, even before the declaration, just imagine the consequences the riggers will face if they refuse to leave office after the declaration – essentially staging a coup d’état.” “Needless to say,” he added, “such a move will be met by fierce resistance by the PPP and other forces fighting for democracy.” Unsavory actions of the APNU+AFC during the electoral process have already started to attract sanctions from the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. The sanctions which have targeted Coalition members and financiers may eventually include others if a declaration, from the recount numbers, is not made. GUYANABROKE ITS OWN LAWS TO FACILITATE EXXON’S FLARING – INT’LLAWYER According to the nation’s
laws, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is mandated to protect the environment for the benefit of present and future generations through measures designed to prevent pollution. In spite of this, the EPA still granted to ExxonMobil, a permit, the language of which is so ambiguous, that the oil giant is allowed to pollute the nation’s air space with over nine billion cubic feet of gas which contains toxic carcinogens and greenhouse gases. During Thursday’s episode of Kaieteur Radio’s programme, Guyana’s Oil and You, EPA Head, Dr. Vincent Adams reminded that ExxonMobil has been flaring gas since last year Christmas due to a malfunctioning gas compressor system for the Liza Destiny vessel. Dr. Adams noted that the faulty piece of equipment has been sent to Germany to be fixed. Once it returns, he is hopeful that the flaring can come to an end by August 10. Until such time, Dr. Adams said that the permit’s vague language does not leave the EPA in a strong position to say or do more than wait. In the meantime, he assured that moves have been initiated to close loopholes in the permit. International Lawyer, Melinda Janki, who was also a guest on the programme expressed that she was sympathetic of the circumstances Dr. Adams seems to be caught in. She was keen to note however, that neither Dr. Adams nor the EPA has any legal standing to allow ExxonMobil to pollute the atmosphere until its gas compressor system is fixed. The lawyer pointed out that the EPA in allowing this to occur, is flouting the nation’s laws which require that the agency control or prevent pollution. Janki said, “It is important to note that the permit that was issued to ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) was issued before he (Dr. Adams) arrived on the scene. So he inherited a situation that is most unsatisfactory…and I agree that the permit’s language is badly written…” That said, Janki said it is prudent for the EPA to remember that its function by law is to protect the environment. “…It is bound by the Constitution which guarantees the right to a healthy environment, to prevent pollution,” the lawyer added. With this in mind, she insists that the EPA should shut down ExxonMobil’s operations until it can produce oil in a safe and
environmentally friendly manner. In response, Dr. Adams sought to explain that such decisions are not always so clear cut. The EPA Head said, “…I am not a lawyer, I just go with the guidance that I get from the Act, my reading of it, and guidance I get from government attorneys…But we live in a real world and everything in life has a benefit versus a risk. I am not here to defend flaring. I am against it…but sometimes you have to weigh the pros and cons.” SIX SOUTH AMERICAN NATIONS SAY DECLARE CARICOM-CERTIFIED RECOUNT FIGURES The Governments of Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay and Peru have jointly called on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to formally declare the results of the CARICOM-certified recount, and for all political stakeholders to respect the transparent process as it demonstrates the will of the people as expressed on March 2. CARICOM had found that the recount results represent the will of the Guyanese people, and stated that it should form the basis of a declaration. The six governments noted and endorsed the Organisation of American States (OAS’)s support for the recount, as well as that of the European Union. They also stated that they value the actions being taken by the OAS. The OAS on Tuesday had held a special meeting to discuss the Guyana situation, during which 22 member states were represented in a firm call for a declaration of the results of the transparent vote recount. This statement from the six South American governments was made through the Forum for the Progress and Integration of South America (PROSUR), an initiative for an intergovernmental regional bloc. They have expressed
concern about the delay in the conclusion of the electoral process in Guyana, as elections were held since March 2. PROSUR said that the situation threatens Guyana’s stability and threatens democratic principles. The countries, like Guyana, are signatories to the Inter American Democratic Charter – a document signed by countries of the Americas, committing to defend and preserve democracy in the hemisphere. The APNU+AFC coalition, which currently holds de facto power in Guyana, has not endorsed the transparent vote recount, but the district declarations, which most notably include the fraudulent Region Four declaration which was made on March 13 by Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo. The six governments have emphasized that one of the essential guidelines of PROSUR is respect for democracy. The declaration which began the process to form PROSUR is called the ‘Declaration of Santiago for the renewal and strengthening of South America’. Section five of that declaration, for which Guyana is a signatory, states “That the essential requirements to participate in this space will be the full validity of democracy, of the respective constitutional orders, respect for the principle of separation of the Powers of the State, and the promotion, protection, respect and guarantee of human rights and fundamental freedoms…” PROSUR is an initiative meant to replace the Union of South American States (UNASUR) from which most initial member states have withdrawn, due to the region’s debilitating relationship with Venezuela. Amidst the withdrawals from UNASUR, PROSUR held its first summit in 2019, and excluded Venezuela. Apart from the six states making the joint statement, Argentina and (Continued on page 39)
Sunday July 26, 2020
From page 38 Guyana are PROSUR member states as well. SATURDAY LOWENFIELD RELEASED ON $450,000 BAIL FOR FRAUD CHARGES Chief Elections Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Keith Lowenfield, Friday 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 Friday 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-atlaw 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
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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 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. APPEALAMOUNTS TO AN ABUSE OF COURT’S PROCESS – GECOM CHAIR Elections declarations case… Chairperson of the Guyana Elections 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 Kyte-Thomas, 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 (CJ) Roxane George-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 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. EPA NEEDS TO STOP GRANTING EXXONMOBIL PERMITS IN ABSENCE OF CRITICAL INFO ON FLARING – INT’LLAWYER International 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 nonflaring 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 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 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.
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Sunday July 26, 2020
Kaieteur News
Herbal Remedies and Health Benefits of Neem Neem Tree, also known as ‘Azadirachta indica’ is a tree native to India. In Sanskrit, neem is arista, which means something that is perfect, imperishable and complete. Not only its leaves, but the tree’s seeds, roots and bark also contain important compounds that have many medicinal and beauty properties. The tree is supposed to denote ‘good health’ in our Ayurveda. Neem is best known for its anti-aging properties. Due to its antioxidant properties, neem protects the skin from harmful UV rays, pollution and other environmental factors. The vitamins and fatty acids in neem improve and maintain the elasticity of the skin, reduce wrinkles and
fine lines. This make you and your skin look rejuvenated and youthful. Neem is also beneficial in fighting against fungal infection. Its anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties keep the harmful bacteria and fungi at bay. Thus, it protects the skin and keeps the skin related diseases away. Ayurveda, which follows the natural ways for treatment and medicine, has been using extracts of neem tree as a key ingredient, for good health and well being. Here are some of the herbal remedies, health benefits and magical properties of neem… 1. Neem Herbal Remedy and Benefit: One tree pharmacy Not only in Ayurvedic
medicines, neem tree extracts have been a part of many home remedies that Indians have been following since time immemorial. We use neem to treat hair and skin issues. 2. Neem Herbal Remedy and Benefit : Anti-fungal and anti-bacterial Neem leaves are used to treat fungal and bacterial infections. They are used to treat warts as well as chicken pox. Either the paste is applied on the affected area or the person is made to bathe in neem water. It can also treat foot fungi. 3. Neem Herbal Remedy and Benefit : Insecticide You can keep neem soaked cotton near your windows or burn neem leaves
to ward off insects. It is extremely effective and is used to fight mosquito menace. 4. Neem Herbal Remedy and Benefit : Increases immunity Many Ayurveda experts recommend daily intake of neem capsules. Neem tea is also widely prescribed to reduce fever, especially the malaria one. Since neem tastes bitter, the tea acquires a similar taste but works magically. 5. Neem Herbal Remedy and Benefit : Nature’s toothbrush Chewing neem twigs for dental hygiene and care is an age-old Indian tradition. In Indian households, people used to brush their teeth
SKIPPING ROPE VS RUNNING http://watchfit.com: If you want a workout that delivers cardiovascular benefits, strength benefits, and the nostalgia of being a kid again look no further than a jump rope! Studies have shown that jumping rope burns about 720 calories in an hour (based on about 120 to 140 turns per minute and varies with intensity, type of rope, height and weight) and provides improvement in strength, agility, coordination and endurance. The question most people ponder when deciding if they should invest time jumping rope is the whether or not it will deliver results. Most want to know if jumping rope is as challenging and/or better than running. The answer is simply…yes! Jumping rope works most of the muscles in your body. Your arms, shoulders, core, and legs are engaged when jumping rope which provides a more efficient workout than jogging on a treadmill. When given the option of jumping rope vs. running, I prefer the rope! Although the muscles in your calves are exerting most of the energy, your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glute muscles are also working. Regularly jumping rope will increase leg and knee strength, jumping ability, and running speed. Now that we have established the lower body muscle recruitment and benefits of jumping rope, let’s discuss the upper body involvement. As you jump and keep balance, you are using your chest, back, and core muscles. As you are turning the rope, you are utilizing your forearms, triceps, biceps, and
- An Expert’s view
shoulders. Using a weighted rope is a great way to increase the upper body recruitment and energy you exert while jumping. When it comes to weight loss, it is important to burn more calories than you take in. This is where jumping rope can be a great benefit. There really is no way around that equation. Because you are working so many muscles simultaneously in the body, the calorie burn during rope jumping is high. There is one downside to jumping rope and that is the joint pain associated with jumping on hard surfaces. Joints in the knees, hips, and
ankles can become achy. In order to counteract this, you can do the following: 1. Take an over-thecounter pain reliever 2. Wear shoes with good shock absorption 3. Use arch supports if needed – a doctor can advise on this 4. Jump on soft surfaces such as grassy areas, running tracks, and wood floors when possible 5. Cross-train with lowimpact cardio choices such as walking, swimming, and elliptical If, after reading this article you are still conflicted about jumping rope vs. running, I
will leave you with this last bit of information. According to Jump Rope Institute (founded by former Olympian Buddy Lee), “research has shown jumping rope for a minimum of five minutes a day can improve physical fitness and when you build to ten minutes of nonstop jumping at 120 RPMs it can provide the same benefits as the following”: 30 minutes of jogging, two sets of tennis singles, 30 minutes of racquet and handball playing, 720 yards of swimming and 18 holes of golf. Give jumping rope a try and decide for yourself!
using twigs of neem. And these days you find neembased toothpaste to ensure good dental health. Due to its antibacterial, antiinflammatory and antifungal properties, it keeps away all sorts of dental infections and diseases. 6. Neem Herbal Remedy and Benefit : Strong and long hair Neem also helps in strengthening hair quality and promotes growth of hair. Neem paste is also used as a hair conditioner. Due to its antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties, neem is an excellent way to curb dandruff. This makes hair follicles stronger, thus encouraging hair growth too. It provides the required nourishment and conditioning to the roots, making them stronger and shinier. 7. Neem Herbal Remedy and Benefit : Treat skin disorder There are many formulations in Ayurveda that are used to treat skin issues. It is because it has a detoxifying property. It is used to treat sczema and other skin infections. 8. Neem Herbal Remedy and Benefit : Healer Neem can heal wounds without leaving any ugly scars. It also prevents septic infections. Neem is commonly used to heal wounds because of its antiseptic properties. Apply a little amount of neem oil onto the wounds and on scars, daily. Neem Oil contains the necessary fatty acids, which
also promote wound healing and make your skin healthy. 9. Neem Herbal Remedy and Benefit : Acne relief Neem also has antiinflammatory property that reduces acne. The neem oil is believed to relieve skin dryness, skin itchiness and redness. It also prevents pimples and skin blemishes. 10. Neem Herbal Remedy and Benefit This is not it. Neem is also used in organic farming. The popular neem seed cake, which is basically a neem seed residue which is left after oil extraction, is extremely beneficial for enriching the soil. It also brings down nitrogen loss and works as a nematicide. OTHER BENEFITS Neem is also an excellent source of moisturizer for the skin. By applying neem oil, the fatty acids and vitamins in it moisturize and condition your skin, making it clearer and youthful. The vitamin E in neem oil repairs the damaged skin and also limits the effect of environment changes that can lead to skin damage. You will commonly find neem used in products such as bath powders, shampoos, skin lotion, toothpaste and many companies have even started marketing neem leaf capsule for better immunity. With the dengue menace round the corner, it also works as a brilliant source to repel insects. (https:// neemfoundation.org/herbalremedies-20-health-benefitsof-neem/)
Sunday July 26, 2020
The Apothic Dark Wine: The name Apothic was inspired by “Apotheca,” an enigmatic place in the 13th century Europe where wine was blended and stored. Only the most distinctive California grapes are used to craft the wines which create bold flavors, tasting notes, and intense aromas. The winemaker strives to tell a story with the grapes and unique flavour, anything from drama, to intrigue, to romance any wine lover will appreciate. Apothic wines demonstrate the creativity and innovation which is found in every bottle of Apothic Wines. Let’s explore Apothic Dark and you can decide if it’s the right wine for you between all their unique flavors! Apothic Wines has a range of wines that are produced by E.J. Gallo, California’s largest wine exporter. From the first
Apothic Red wine release in 2010 to the six varieties they currently produce, Apothic Wines has become known for their full-bodied, fruit-forward wines with some residual sugar. APOTHIC WINES Apothic has an interesting website with a virtual tour – through the Shazam app – of their wine cellar. There is also an interactive Tasting Challenge that Apothic describes as a “night of bold tastes and intriguing moments.” The Challenge uses either Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa to guide you through your tasting. Wine consumers loved the easy-drinking style and Apothic now has six varieties of blended wines: · The red blend is made with Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. It has notes of black
cherry, vanilla, and mocha; · The white blend is made with Chardonnay, Riesling, and Moscato grapes. It has notes of peach, honey, pineapple, and vanilla spice. · Inferno is red wine that has been aged in charred, white-oak whiskey barrels for 60 days. It has a variety of notes and strong whiskey characteristics including maple, spice, red fruits, caramel, cedar, and black tea. · Crush is made with Zinfandel, Petite Syrah, Pinot Noir, Teroldego, Petit Verdot, and other grape varieties. It has notes of ripe berries, cherry, rhubarb, caramel, and milk chocolate. · The brew is made with Petite Syrah, Teroldego, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and other grape varieties and infused with cold-brewed coffee. It has notes of coffee, red fruit, and toasted oak and less caffeine
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Three of the tastiest Bacardi cocktails More than a hundred years later, Bacardi which is distributed by Ansa McAL, occupies a leading position in the world among manufacturers and exporters of alcoholic beverages. In fact, this rum continues to be used by the best mixologists around the world to create some of the tastiest cocktails you would ever savour. Here are just three of them you can make to entertain your friends this Sunday. Enjoy. 1. PINA COLADA Drink invented pirate Roberto Cofresi. B 1820 he treated his team this cocktail, raising her fighting spirit. But after the death of Roberto recipe was lost. Only 1954 Caribbean, the bartender Romona Marrero managed to find the right proportions. On experiments he spent more 30 days. Pina ColadaStructure: Bacardi white - 50 ml; Black Bacardi - 15 ml; pineapple juice - 100 ml; coconut syrup - 50 ml; lime juice - 2 teaspoons; pineapple - 80 gram; ice - 160 gram. Preparation: Mix in a blender Bacardi rum, syrup, pineapple and juice Lama. Add ice, then whip. Pour into a cocktail glass and garnish with a slice of pineapple. 2. MOJITO According to one version
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«Mojito» translated from the African language as a “little witchcraft”. The recipe appeared in 1942 year at Havana Bar, belonging to the family Martinez. Institution still works. MojitoStructure: Bacardi white - 100 ml; soda (Sprite) - 200 ml; sugar syrup - 30 ml; mint - 15 leaves; lime - 1 thing; ice cubes - 500 gram. Preparation: put mint in a glass, add the juice of one lime and sugar syrup. Then put several circles of lime and fill the glass with ice up to the top. Pour the rum and soda, mix gently. Garnish with a sprig of mint. 3. CUBA LIBRE In the literal translation “free Cuba”. Name appeared
in 1900 year, when an employee of the US Army Capt. Russell drinking in a bar in Havana your favorite cocktail, consisting of rum, lime juice and cola. By chance, he learned, drink that has no name. Russell proposed to call it “Cuba Libre” in honor of the island’s independence from Spain. Now, this refreshing drink on a daily basis by millions of people. Cuba LibreStructure: Bacardi Gold rum - 50 ml; Cola - 150 ml; ice cubes - 200 gram; lime - 40 gram. Preparation: fill a tall glass with ice cubes, squeeze the juice into a quarter of lime. Add rum and Coke and mix the cocktail spoon. Garnish with a few slices of lime.
CALIFORNIA’S MOST INTRIGUING AND AROMATIC BLEND than a standard cup of decaf. · Dark is made with Petite Syrah, Teroldego, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Tannat. What Does “Red Blend” Wine Mean? In the United States, a red blend wine is any red wine that is not produced from one single grape, but a mixture of grapes. Red blends sell more by volume than Pinot Noir or Merlot. Wine producers make blended wines because it allows them to design the taste and flavor profile of a wine. Wine producers start with a red wine base and add other grape varietals for spice, richness, depth, and to enhance acidity. If they want to soften the tannins in a Cabernet Sauvignon, they can add Merlot. Syrah grapes can add more flavor to a watery Pinot Noir. A problem with classifying red blend as a type of wine is that there is no specification as to which grapes must be contained in the wine. Any red wine grape could be used, from Merlot to Pinot Noir to Cabernet Sauvignon to Syrah – and every other red wine grape that is grown. Basically, whereas most Cabernet Sauvignon wines within the same region will have similar taste profiles, you cannot expect all red blends to have similar taste profiles. While red blends are generally medium- to fullbodied with a rich, juicy flavor and relatively easy on the wallet, it does not necessarily have to possess that flavor profile. It is a matter of trial and error and tasting the red blends to see which one suits you best. In Spain, Rioja wine has customarily been produced
with Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Graciano grapes. The most important reason that wine producers blend wines is that the wine will appeal to more wine drinkers when it contains dark, fruit flavors and low acidity. In fact, Wine Enthusiast lists red blend varietal wines from around the world and they all taste significantly different. Wine Enthusiast states the following about Red Blends: “Wines under the red blend category vary in color, aroma, flavor, structure, and age ability. Red blends from cool climates tend to be light and bright, while those from warm climates tend to be bold and dark. The varieties used, the region where they were grown, the season, as well as winemaker decisions, all play an essential role in how
a red blend will taste.” How Are Red Blends Actually Made? Making a Red Blend is a labor-intensive project. Each grape varietal is individually crushed and fermented. When the juice has been extracted, the wine producer creates the blend through blending trials. There is a lot of tasting and trial and error before the blend is considered complete. At times, white wine grape juice is added to provide further tones and balance. APOTHIC DARK The Apothic Dark, a limited-release wine, is a fuller, more savory, red blend and uses the Shiraz/Syrah, Merlot, Zinfandel, and other grapes. It is a very dry wine with dark berry flavors of plum, blackberry, and blueberry combined with luxurious notes of chocolate and coffee. It is often described as rich, bold, and intense with a 14 percent alcohol content. Apothic Dark has a dark purple color, medium tannins, and a smooth finish. Apothic Dark has won a number of awards, including a Silver medal in the 2018 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, a Bronze medal in the 2017 Dan Berger’s International Wine Competition, a Gold medal in the 2017 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, and a Bronze medal in the 2016 TEXSIM International Wine Awards. The average price for a bottle of Apothic Dark is nine dollars and it has an aggregated critic score of 86 out of 100. Enjoy Apothic Dark at room temperature. It pairs well with beef, lamb, poultry, veal, pot roast, strong cheeses, and wild mushroom risotto.
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TT cracks down on illegal migration as COVID-19 cases increase PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - CMC – The Trinidad and Tobago government yesterday said it would crack down on legal Venezuelan migrants engaged in illegally allowing their relatives and friends from the South American country to enter the island as health authorities confirmed an increase in the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases here. National Security Ministry Stuart Young, speaking at the Ministry of Health virtual news conference, said the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) and other national security agencies will be searching for and detaining anyone involved in human trafficking or anyone harbouring illegal immigrants. ‘The police are going to be launching operations. We h a v e p i c k e d u p a number of Trinidadians…bringing across illegal immigrants and they are going to be charged. The police shall be charging them,” Young said, adding that Venezuelans who are here legally will have their documentation revoked if they are caught harbouring or helping illegal immigrants. ‘Anyone found engaged in illegal activity including the harbouring of illegal immigrants, your cards will be revoked. Any (legal) Venezuelan migrant found assisting in harbouring or bringing illegal immigrants into the country, your ability to be here will be revoked and you will be deported.
Sunday July 26, 2020
Kaieteur News
National Security Ministry Stuart Young Those who want to transact this business, you’re breaking the law and we will be taking action.’ Young said that landlords who rent their premises to migrants must enquire as to whether they have the requisite documentation to be here. ‘All of those persons including landlords who want to capitalise and profit from illegal immigrants, they are putting us at risk from the spread of COVID-19,” he said, warning that anyone caught knowingly harbouring illegal immigrants will be detained and charged and condemned Trinidadians who were assisting in trafficking or harbouring them. ‘The truth is locals are involved in the scheme of human trafficking. When you are in a community and you know (who it is) call us at 555, give the information because those locals are putting the rest of the population at risk.’
Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram told reporters that the latest five cases were primary contacts of one person who had tested positive for the virus, bringing the total number of known cases to 147. Dr Parasram confirmed that a primary school in Maraval on the outskirts of the capital had to be closed after a student, a primary contact of another positive case, was sent to school for two days while exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. As a result, approximately 76 children and their families will be under home quarantine for 14 days and are being monitored by health officials as a result, Dr. Parasram said , adding that as a result of that case, there are approximately 200 secondary contacts which are also being monitored and isolated. He said all primary contacts of another earlier positive case said to be the main cause of the local spread, were negative. Dr Parasram added that there has been an increase in the number of community tests being submitted within the past week. Meanwhile, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said the report of the first nonimported covid19 positive case on Tuesday has resulted in restrictions being reinstituted for homes for the aged and visits to patients in hospitals. Deyalsingh said e ff e c t i v e S a t u r d a y, n o visitors will be allowed at homes for the age and that visits to patients in hospital will be restricted to one visitor per patient and only for an hour long period. Deyalsingh said that while the government was poised to allow the entertainment industry to reopen this week, last week’s events have resulted in those plans being reviewed. He urged people to wear masks in public and for business owners to reinforce the no mask, no service policy for customers. Deyalsingh reminded the public that COVID-19 remains alive and that people may have lowered their guard and it was time to recommit to the public health regulations A Health Ministry release on Saturday noted that all five new cases “are primary contacts of a recently positive covid19 patient. All established protocols have been implemented”.
PM hints at only CARICOM observing August 10th poll
Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley (right) and party supporters on Friday night (CMC Photo) PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - CMC – Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley says it is unlikely that the Commonwealth would send observers to Trinidad and Tobago for the August 10th general elections, but that there has been a positive response from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to the invitation. Rowley, speaking on a People’s National Movement (PNM) “Friday Night Virtual Lime with Dr Rowley” said that he had received communication from the Commonwealth indicating that it had become expensive to undertake the venture given that the observers would have had to be placed in quarantine for a 14 day period as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. He said the Commonwealth had also pointed to the fact that there are no commercial flights to the country as a result of the lockdown of the borders due to virus. “We may not have a Commonwealth team,” Rowley said, noting that he was against having the government here meet the costs of the Commonwealth team given that if a favourable report is submitted at the end of their observation, the government would be accused of having paid for that report. He said the government had also explored the possibility of a third party assisting the Commonwealth team in getting to Trinidad and Tobago and is still awaiting a response from those parties. Regarding the CARICOM observer team,
Rowley said he had received communication from the Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat indicating that three countries had agreed to provide a team. “So we’re waiting to hear what that means. The Secretariat will now ask each country to send a representative,” Rowley said, adding that the CARICOM observers will also have to get here by this weekend. But Rowley made it clear that Trinidad and Tobago is not worried at the possibility of no observers being able to arrive here. “We’re no banana republic and overly troublesome – we conduct ourselves. Unless someone intends to misbehave,” he said, adding that while he would have welcomed the observer teams “sometimes they make interesting comments if you have to make adjustments”. On Friday, the leader of the main opposition United National Congress (UNC), Kamala Persad Bissessar said almost two weeks after the government had indicated that invitations had been sent out, there were no public response to the invitations. “With the heightened level of alertness after the new local cases of coronavirus (COVID-19), the window for the required 14day quarantine period for observers before the election date is closing. The Prime Minister must act immediately to have these observers here by this weekend so they can be cleared in time for the election,” she said.
Suriname records high number of COVID cases in a day
PA R A M A R I B O , Suriname - CMC – Suriname has recorded more than 1,300 cases of the coronavirus (COVID-18) since the first case was detected on March 13, health authorities have confirmed. There have been 23 deaths. They said that the Dutchspeaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country had 71 new cases on Friday and that is the third time that more than 70 new cases have been reported in a single day, following the 76 on June 27 and 79 on July 16. But the Director of Public Health, Amar Ramadhin, speaking at a news conference has appealed for “calm” seeking to assure the country that “for now, the situation is still under control”. “Let’s take a positive look too. Of the total number of
President Chandrikapersad Santokhi people, 62.5 per cent of the cases were declared cured. That gives some peace and tranquility. Let’s focus on that. We try to control the rest with measures to get,” he
said, noting that the new measures are expected to be announced by President Chandrikapersad Santokhi this weekend. The authorities have said that Suriname has 1,305 positive cases of the virus, while 804 persons have recovered. There are now 478 active cases with two persons being treated in the intensive care department. There are 338 people in quarantine. “What we should focus on is that when people are tested positive they are isolated as soon as possible and the contact tracing process gets underway as quickly as possible, so we know who they have been in contact with and can quarantine those people “Let’s rather look at the detection path that needs to be done very well,” Ramadhin said.
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Kaieteur News
A life that shone... From page 34 Flying Squirrel (Petsurus). “The anatomy and function of the female reproductive system became his specialty and remained so for much of his life.” Later, he gravitated to politics as he accepted positions in the Tasmanian Fisheries Commission, marking a “parallel career and involvement in fisheries that lasted nearly 20 years.” Flynn's professional life was not without some glaring missteps that were scrutinized and officially addressed. “Theo's was meticulous in his scientific research and teaching,” we learn, “but he appeared to apply no such dispute to his record keeping.” As the expert in marsupial, Flynn was approached to supply overseas museums and zoos to which he had access. His sales became a source of dispute involving the Curator and Secretary of the Tasmanian museum. The inquiry showed that Flynn had “shown carelessness and negligence that have placed a very serious burden on the administration and are publicly discredible [sic] to the university, and “the degree of culpability comes perilously near to one which calls for drastic action.” No punitive measures were taken because of Flynn's stellar contribution to his field. Flynn vigorously defended his position, attributing any discrepancy to nothing more than carelessness in his part and viewed the investigation as born out of jealously. Despite this period of disquiet, Flynn was conferred a science doctorate from the University of Sydney as he cemented his place as a leading authority in embryology. By the 1929s, his involvement in the fisheries industry grew. His position as a board member of Tasmanian Fisheries Development Ltd helped develop the industry. He sought assistance from the State Development Board “to undertake a scientific investigation to prove the suitable months of the year for fishing, the habits of the sardines, the best method of fishing for them, and other data desirable, if not necessary.” Throughout, he diligently advocated that a centralized planning and operational institution would effect the development he sought. As a director of the Fisheries Development Company, Flynn “outlined a very ambitious programme of research, and proposed a comprehensive study of the biology and ecology of the oyster and crayfish, and the development, recognition of larval forms...” As he excelled in academic and public life, his finances were strained by family com-
mitments and rescission of monies to his Chair of Biology at the University of Tasmania. Apart from academia, the authors examine Flynn's family life, the burden of his travels, the repeated changes in livings arrangements, and his relationship with his son, Errol, who failed academically. One of Errol's missives proves that much: “It seems to me Dad that I've arrived at the crucial point of my life, next month I will be 23 and I realize I've reached the end of a prolonged adolescence.” He continued, “I eschewed education mainly through my own impulsiveness and distaste for the grind of the uninteresting parts. I've never passed an exam in my life but no doubts beset me that I could if I decided to.” Tellingly, his father “declined to invest £300 for three years in his son's tertiary education.” Ironically, it was Errol's success as an actor that eased the finance challenges of his parents. Stardom, though, was besmirched by statutory rape charges. Although acquitted, the stain lingered. Deteriorating health amid questionable life-changing decisions indicated that Flynn's son was fast spiralling toward his demise. The inevitable occurred in 1959. His mother, Marelle, wrote of his passing, “Great loss of Errol. My poor boy knew he hadn't long to live but told no one...He was very fond of Theo.” Eight years later, tragedy struck when Flynn's wife, was struck by a car and killed. Failing health, financial challenges and the loss his son and wife took its toll on Flynn. He succumbed on October 23, 1968 at the age of 85, a shell of himself. Flynn's life shone bright, not only for students and scholars in the field of research biology, but everyone that knew him. Amid his human frailties, he displayed an incomparable drive for life that reflected in his scholastic and pedestrian pursuits. He optimized his every talent and was admired for his joie de vivre, his ingenuity, and his vision. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.) Feedback: glenvilleashby@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter@glenvilleashby Theodore Thomson Flynn Not Just Errol's Father by Tony and Vicki Harrison Publisher: Artemis Publishing Consultants, Tasmania, Australia Copyright 2019 ISBN: 978-0-646-59478-1 Available at Amazon Ratings: Highly recommended
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The story of two doctors in love, and the challenges they face From page 31 so giving me a job is a great deal for the government, because they never invested in me!" Although he misses Cuba a lot, and his family, especially his mother, Dr. Borrego Almaguer said that he feels very comfortable here. "Guyana is my home now, I'm a Cuban Guyanese! I loved this country even before I came here, because my wife always talked about Guyana…the culture, food and so, but after I arrived at the Cheddi Jagan Airport, I fell in love with everything for myself.” “I love Linden, I feel myself as a Lindener. When I go out of the area, for example to Berbice, to visit my cousin there, I always miss Linden, and I'm eager to return home," he shared. CULTURE Dr. Borrego Almaguer has adapted pretty well to the Guyanese way of life, but there is one aspect of the local culture, that he does not understand. To illustrate his point, he said that it is common in Cuba, to greet with hugs and kisses, as there's a strong spiritual connection, between family, and even
friends. He, however, observed, that things are much different here, and that most people are not very “open” and seem very reluctant to express emotions. According to him, not a day goes by without him speaking to his mother. He always tells her, "I love you Mommy". "I never hide my feelings, I'm a transparent person, and sometimes that puts me in trouble, but I prefer it that way." "My philosophy of life is 'if you feel it, tell it', that's what I always do, if I find something which I don't like, I just communicate my disagreement, but if I'm feeling happy and lovely, I express my feelings as well! I'm always hugging my wife!” he said. He added, “We are not a perfect couple, sometimes we have arguments because we have different points of view, but at the end of the day, we resolve every issue, because we love each other!" Dr. Delleana says that her husband has taught her to b e f o rg i v i n g , a n d s o presently, she finds it easier to forgive, and get along better with others, despite differences.
SMITTEN The flames of love ignited, after Dr. Borrego Almaguer, saw a picture of Delleana Anderson on Facebook. Smitten by her beauty, he started making enquiries about her. He said that they eventually met at church in Cuba. The rest, as they say, is history! It is a love story, not without its challenges, but one which could be further consolidated, if the husband is afforded the opportunity to work and provide for his wife, the way it was intended that man should do from creation. Almost a fortnight ago, Dr. Borrego Almaguer was granted his Guyanese citizenship and shortly after he posted an article about moves being made for a vaccine for the Coronavirus (https://guyanasouthameric a.gy/news/2020/07/21/theupcoming-coronavirusvaccine-by-dr-elberalmaguer/). He now eagerly awaits his dream job as a medical practitioner within the local health sector not only to help the nation combat the threat of the dreaded disease, but to eventually fully support the woman he fell in love with and today calls his wife.
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3-Step Process For U.S. Citizens Living Abroad & Filing For Foreign Spouse By Attorney Gail S. Seeram
U
.S. citizens who are living abroad with their nonU.S. citizen spouse and want to relocate back to the United States, must file a Form I130 Petition for an Alien Relative for their spouse and/or children to join them. This is one of the most common immigration petitions that we see at our Orlando immigration law
office, and we have helped thousands of families begin their lives together in the U.S. The process for these petitions is quite long, with processing times taking approximately one year from the time of filing to final approval, so you need to plan if you all want to move back to the U.S. at the same time. 3-Step Process For Family Immigration Applications The spousal/family
immigration process involves three steps: 1. File Form I-130. This is the first step in your application to bring an eligible relative to the United States. The form is filed with U.S. Customs and Immigrations Services (USCIS). You must file a separate form for each noncitizen family member that you wish to bring the U.S. 2. Department of State Review. Once the application has been
accepted and approved by USCIS, it is sent to the U.S. Department of State and the National Visa Center for review and processing. 3. Interviews at Local Embassy. The Department of State forwards the application to the U.S. embassy located in the country where your family member is currently residing. Family members will be called for in-person interviews. Tips And Advice For
Applicants Although family immigration applications do not have to wait for visa numbers or participate in the visa lottery, there are still some challenges to the process. 1. F i l e s e p a r a t e forms for spouses and children. Each person who is planning to immigrate to the U.S. who is not already a U.S. citizen, must file a separate Form I-130. There are no family applications. 2. You'll Be Asked To Share Your Relocation Plans. During the interview, you will be asked to provide proof that you plan to relocate back to the United States with your U.S. citizen spouse/parent. 3. U.S. Tax Returns Can Help. The U.S. citizen should have been filing their U.S. taxes with the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) every year that they were abroad. You will be asked to share these returns as part of the application process. If you do not have such tax returns, a joint sponsor may be needed. (The views expressed in
Gail S. Seeram this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.) NOTE: Immigration Law Offices of Gail S. S e e r a m o ff e r s a f r e e consultation to discuss related fees for a process and explain options. Our office will NOT tell you how to complete the legal process on your own. If you seek legal representation, then legal fees will be due to our office. Copyright ŠLaw Offices of Gail S. Seeram, 2020. All Rights Reserved. Attorney Gail Seeram, LL.M., J.D., BBA Call | text 407-292-7730 WhatsApp 407-3531 3 6 3 . E m a i l : Gail@GailLaw.com L i v e c h a t : www.GailLaw.com Download FREE App: Gail Law
A tale of two neighbours From page 20 deal of reform that is urgently required within Guyana to establish truly independent and sustainable institutions which reflect racial inclusion and balance in their composition, especially in their decisionmaking boards. Racial and religious understanding and appreciation must become integral to the education curriculum. Fear that the proceeds of revenues from oil and gas will be sequestered into the pockets of a few, or for the benefit of one racial group over another, has to be addressed by the adoption of laws governing transparency and wealth distribution and by severe penalties for their violation. The electoral system also requires root and branch transformation, including by ensuring that no politician serves on the Elections Commission or appoints anyone to it – that task should be passed to representative bodies of civil society and enshrined in law. But, more than anything else, those who seek political office should understand that they are elected to serve the nation, and not to become the nation's overlords. And,
when the majority of the electorate vote to relieve them of office, they should leave, recognising that political office is not their right to hold; it is the people's right to give and to take away. Bouterse of Suriname showed, in the end, that he understood well that Suriname's interest in the 21st Century would have been gravely blighted had he chosen to remain despite the will of the people. In this tale of two countries, adherence to democracy and the rule of law has set the Surinamese people on the path to progress, while the Guyanese people are being hobbled from striding forward on that rewarding road. (The writer is Antigua and Barbuda's Ambassador to the U.S. and the OAS. He is also a senior fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and at Massey College in the University of Toronto. The view expressed are entirely his own.) Responses and previous c o m m e n t a r i e s : www.sirronaldsanders.com
Sunday July 26, 2020
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Komal Chand remains, wife return home after stuck 5 months in Cuba The body of the late Komal Chand being offloaded
The late Komal Chand with wife, Rukhmin and three children - Yohani, Mavendra and Navi he body of the late trade (NCTF) granted approval for the other industries in Guyana. Chand, 75, was accompanied unionist, Komal Chand, body of the late trade unionist to by his wife, 64, on February 22nd. a r r i v e d o n F r i d a y return to Guyana from Cuba. Chand joined the Guyana He died in Cuba on April 8th. evening at the Cheddi Jagan With Guyana on a lockdown I n t e r n a t i o n a l A i r p o r t o n a Agricultural and General Workers' Caribbean Airlines flight from Union (GAWU) in 1975 as the with its borders and airports closed, union's organising secretary and the family has been desperate to Cuba. Chand died in April while later served as the organisation's bring his body home. However, receiving treatment for pneumonia President up to the time of his there had been no permission from the National COVID-19 Task Force in Havana, Cuba. He was passing. Described as an individual who until the issue was raised by the accompanied by his wife, Rukhmin, who was also stuck for was committed to his work, Chand worried family. The flight Friday also included dedicated his career to fighting for the last five months there. In the latter half of May, the the protection and rights of workers several students who were studying National COVID-19 Task Force in the sugar, rice and numerous medicine in Cuba.
T
The Chand family met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings on the matter. Chand's son, Mavendra, 34, yesterday indicated that arrangements are being made with regards to the funeral. While the plane had been arranged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with assistance from the Cuban government, the passengers and the Chand's family had to pay their part of the expenses. The local health authorities have been slowly allowing
controlled flights in to bring Guyanese who are stuck abroad. In fact, officials said that they remain fearful that the floodgates would be open at this time when the country remains on partial lockdown and with limited space to quarantine persons. GAWU itself had been critical of the decision by Government not to allow the union leader's remains to be brought home. The union said that it had written President David Granger for his intervention.
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Farmer Derick Alli is a...
From page 18 disclosed that back in the 1970s there was greater government involvement which had helped to boost agriculture in the Pomeroon. According to him, “In 1972 there was severe flooding in Pomeroon and the government assisted the farmers tremendously then. During those days there were a lot of oranges in the
Pomeroon. What the government did is that they use to purchase the oranges and use to dump them, just so that they can assist the farmers.” Alli said that today there is no fix system in place which allows farmers to effectively market their produce. Instead, the “hucksters” arrangement is in place. Hucksters are
persons who usually move produce from one point to another in the Pomeroon, often from farmers to the markets. Alli explained that at times, this arrangement can be exploitative. “Sometimes these hucksters they come and they see you struggling with all these produce and they will call any price. When you
With his loving wife Bridget
calculate you know very well you cannot make back a profit, and because it is perishable you gotta give it off. We refer to that as unfair market prices because as a farmer you will have to exercise a lot of patience to grow your crop to get the right produce and it is unfair to give it away in a sense for a poor price.”
Alli said that in the 1970s, the government also boosted marketing tremendously, through the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC). “So with the GMC, farmers use to carry their produce to the corporation and they use to help sell it.” ADJUSTING TO COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic has no doubt taken a heavy toll on almost every aspect of our lives, including the economy. Alli said that farming has been affected to some extent too. The farmer said that there has been a decline in the sale of some produce, while there has been an increase in the demand for others. He explained that since the world is on lockdown, the demand for coconuts, for instance, has been on a decline. “Most people who buy the coconut they buy it for export, so because the export market is close down they are buying less water coconut.” Alli explained that as persons become more conscious of their health needs, there has been an increase in the demand for citrus. “What we noticed is that there has been an increase in the demand for oranges, tangerines, and lemons… on the market we hear persons talking that they need to stock up on their Vitamin C t o h e l p f i g h t o ff t h e
Coronavirus so while we lose on the coconuts, we gain on the citrus,” he informed. According to Alli, agriculture has been here from since the day man was created and therefore without it “we will plunge into starvation.” On that note, he said that the government should place much more emphasis on the agriculture sector even as he noted “If the government should neglect farming we are going down the wrong road. Farm produce will sell more when the oil and gas industry is up and running. I urge the government to place more emphasis; pump more oil revenues into the agriculture sector because at the end of the day, we all need food to survive.” Apart from consistently toiling on his farm, Alli has been happily fathering eight children, three of whom he shares with his wife Bridget. He is also the proud grandfather of 12. When asked what he values most in life, Alli said, “I value my family and we try to make the very best of life. In 1999 my wife and I got baptized into the Full Gospel Church and today I am an Elder there. Three of my children are also members of the same congregation,” he proudly revealed. For remaining dedicated to farming even in the face of a pandemic today we at Kaieteur News bestow farmer Alli with our title of 'Specia Person'.
Sunday July 26, 2020
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More ‘run around’ to recover bail money Renrick Ramgobin of Plaisance, East Coast Demerara (ECD), is beginning to realize that the ‘run around’ to recover his bail money might cost him more than the bail amount. Kaieteur News had reported on July 22nd that Ramgobin had became frustrated after he was given a royal run around for eight days by police to recover his bail sum of $25,000. A traffic rank had pulled him over on July 12th at the intersection of the Ogle Airport Road and the Railway Embankment. He was asked to produce his license and legal
documents for his 1,000-watts electric motorcycle. Ramgobin had told police that he was informed that there was no need for license and documents for a motorbike under 50CC. The rank took Ramgobin to the Sparendaam Police Station, seized his bike and released him on $25,000 bail. The matter was clarified the very next day and Ramgobin got back his bike but his bail money was not returned. The traffic officer had written a note at the back of his bail receipt which read “return bail money” and told
Seventeen cops under close arrest for allegedly shooting two unarmed men Almost dozen and a half policemen are now under close arrest after they were accused of shooting at four unarmed men yesterday on D’Urban Street and Mandela Avenue. Two of the men were hit while the other two escaped unhurt. The shooting incident took place at around 02:00Hrs after the ranks on patrol had tracked a car from Agricola to the location. The two men injured were identified as Winston Fraser, 28, a Banks DIH employee of East La Penitence, Georgetown and Cecil Sampat, 39, a stocker/operator at John Fernandes Terminal. Kaieteur News was unable to ascertain the identity of the other two men who were uninjured. This newspaper learnt that both of the injured men received gunshot wounds to their back and were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). The last update received on the men’s condition was that Fraser
remained in ICU while Sampat was taken to the operating theatre for surgery. As it relates to the shooting of the men by police, Kaieteur News was told by a source that officers from the Agricola Outpost went to a location in the Agricola community and spotted the car at a party. It is alleged that when ranks got closer to the car the occupants opened fire at them and sped off. Other patrol officers were alerted and the car was tracked down and cornered at D’Urban Street. There the occupants opened fire on police again, which forced officers to retaliate by shooting back. However, a subsequent investigation revealed that officers did not find any firearm in the men’s possession. Despite this, investigators proceeded to swab the men’s hands for gunpowder residue. This publication has since been able to confirm that the men had been drinking at a location in Agricola on Friday night.
East La Penitence man slapped with $13M fine on ganja charge - gets 4 years for drug trafficking Jason Heligar, age 41, was sentenced on Friday last to four years imprisonment for trafficking cannabis. Heligar of Independence Boulevard, East La Penitence, along with his 20-year-old accomplice, Mark English of CField Sophia, had appeared at the Linden Magistrate’s Court to answer to the charge of possession of narcotics with intent to traffic. Both men attended a virtual hearing before Magistrate Wanda Fortune where Heligar pleaded guilty, while his accomplice, English, pleaded not guilty. English was remanded to prison until August 17th. Heligar had also received a fine of $13,608,000. It was reported that two men were carrying 9072 grams of cannabis when they were apprehended and the drugs seized by police.
him to return later that day. However, “later that day” turned out be eight days. Ramgobin spent more than $5000 that week in transportation and food alone just “running up and down” to recover his $25,000. The man nearly lost his job after his boss refused to give him more time off. The Commander of the district, Royston AndriesJunor, had intervened in the matter and Ramgobin was instructed to report to the district headquarters at Coveand-John, East Coast Demerara. At the headquarters, the
- police says Govt. system to blame deputy commander handed Ramgobin a document and instructed him to uplift his money at the Police Finance Department at Eve Leary, Kingston, Georgetown. The following day, with great expectancy, he traveled and gave the document to the officers at Eve Leary but he was disappointed once again. Instead of money, he was given a slip with the date to return for the cash. The slip indicated that Ramgobin
must return on the August 12th to recover bail. Kaieteur News contacted a high ranking police officer for an explanation on the “royal run around”. The officer said that the Guyana Police Force is not to be blamed for this. He claimed that it is the government system that is responsible for the long drawn out process of recovering bail money. He further stated that he is aware that a lot of persons are
beginning to speculate that the ranks are taking the money for themselves. However, he said this is not so. “The money does not stay in one place, it moves from place to place and when it reaches in the Government’s hands it takes a long time to recover it”. He added: “When it passes through this system there is a lot of paper trails and work that are required to recover even the smallest amount.”
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…DR. DACIA EMBRACK
From page 14 School and later gained a place at the North Georgetown Secondary School where she completed her secondary education. DEFINING PATH Although she was long consumed with the desire to join the health care profession, Dr. Embrack admitted, “I just didn't know the path I would have had to take in order to get there.” As a girl, she revealed, “I wanted to be a nurse because I wanted to nurse persons back to health. My mom actually got me interested in Medicine because she would tell us stories of her day at work and how good she felt taking care of her patients and I think that inspired me.” But as she grew older, Dr. Embrack said that she came to the realization that “females can be doctors as well... I always thought that females were nurses and males were doctors.” Reflecting on the path to becoming a medical practitioner, she disclosed, “after secondary school I applied to the University Of Guyana to study Medicine, however, I did not gain entry because I was told I needed to have more Science subjects. I then applied to the Government Technical Institute (GTI) where I completed the Diploma in Science course after which I applied for the Assistant Pharmacy Course offered by the Ministry of Public Health. I was actually doing that course when I heard about the scholarship programme to study Medicine in Venezuela, and I applied.” Dr. Embrack recalled that her studies started in 2010 and turned out to be a “wonderful experience”. During her studies, which ended in 2016, she gained an absolute appreciation for the role of a doctor which, she explained, “is to maintain and restore human health through the practice of medicine, and that's not only physical health
but mental health as well.” “We go about this by examining patients, reviewing their medical history, diagnosing, administering treatment and counseling patients on their health and well-being. We focus not only on individual health but collectively as well… how it can affect the family unit and in turn affect society one way or the other,” she added. Stressing that “health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being in which disease and infirmity are absent,” Dr. Embrack expounded further that “it's our job to ensure humans are at their optimal health as much as possible. Not only is it our job to promote health but, most critically, to prevent illness and injuries. To help prolong human life, it's important that one is in optimal health. Better health is central to human happiness and wellbeing. This is quite critical for the existence of the human race.” FRONTLINE READY With ample knowledge and skills to help safeguard the nation, Dr. Embrack, about four months ago, accepted a role on the frontline at the GPHC as part of the hospital's COVID19 response. Her place is in the COVID-19 Surveillance Department. The Department, she revealed, has three eight-hour shifts and “the busiest shift for us is the 8am to 4pm shift. We usually Triage all patients entering GPHC with respiratory symptoms and/or fever using the COVID-19 checklist that was created by the COVID-19 taskforce.” Depending on the results of the checklist, a patient can either be sent to the Accident and Emergency Department for further management, if unstable and needs urgent care, or admitted if suspected to be positive for COVID-19, Dr. Embrack noted. A shift usually starts with the members of the team ensuring that stocks are intact, and a
perusal of a list of persons to be tested follows. “With everything in place, we would begin to see patients as they arrive until the end of our shift then hand-over to the doctors coming in for the next shift. We would always decontaminate our work area and ourselves between shifts,” Dr. Embrack added. Given the crucial role she plays these days, Dr. Embrack believes that she is being able to truly fulfill the obligation that comes with benefiting from a scholarship – serving the nation to the best of her abilities. But she didn't always think that she was good enough for this role. In fact, she divulged, “When I first volunteered to join the Surveillance Department, I was very nervous. I wasn't sure I had what it required to do the job, however, after working along with some great doctors and nurses as the ones we have on our team, everyday gets easier,” Dr. Embrack intimated. Learning to cope as a health worker on the frontline has helped to amplify that “we cannot beat this pandemic alone; each one of us has a part to play in the eradication of this virus. Health professionals cannot do it alone, we need the help of every citizen, we have to work as a team if we're going to beat COVID19,” Dr. Embrack insisted. UNWINDING IN PEACE Although she is married to a colleague on the frontline, Dr. Lefane Luxama who understands all too well how demanding the job can be, Dr. Embrack said they are still able to set aside quality family time. This is important, for it is this aspect of their lives that keeps them grounded and passionate about the mission to help save lives. In addition to engaging in fun family activities, which are not many these days, Dr. Embrack unwinds sometimes simply by watching some of her favourtite shows on Netflix. She also has a knack for architecture
Sunday July 26, 2020
Ready to help slay a deadly contagion. and even spoke of designs she has created for a home she intends to build. She also has a passion for house-plants, revealing with pride, “I love to go plant shopping and watching videos about plants on Youtube.” She currently has an amazing collection of about 50 house-plants. And when she isn't busy getting her hands dirty, she takes time out to play with the recent additions to her family – seven pitbull pups. “I play with them every day before work and when I get home...it's very therapeutic,” she confided.
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CONSUMER CONCERNS
Vinegar and Its Culinary, Medicinal, and Cleaning Uses By Pat Dial Vinegar is one of the substances, from ancient times, which has been used worldwide. It was known among the Babylonians, ancient Indians, Hebrews, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans and used in cooking, medicinally and as a general cleanser and sanitizer. The most famous Biblical reference to it was when Jesus was mockingly given wine vinegar while he was on the cross. It was also prominent during the Black Death Pandemic, in Europe during the Middle Ages, when some doctors prescribed its use as a body cleanser. The word ‘vinegar’ derives from two French words - ‘vin’ meaning wine and ‘aigre’ meaning sour, and indeed, “sour wine” is an apt description of it. The widespread use of it partly derives from the ease with which it is produced: It is made from any carbohydrate source that can undergo fermentation. Such
carbohydrates include apples and grapes, commonly used in Europe and oats, barley, rice and even beer. The basic production of vinegar is fairly simple: The yeast in the carbohydrates ferments the natural food sugars into alcohol, then the acetic acid bacteria (acetobacter) converts the alcohol into acetic acid. The fermentation period could be weeks or months, depending on the kind of vinegar one expects to produce. The alcohol content of food grade vinegar ranges from 5% to 2% and the acetic acid content would be between 4% to 6%. If the acetic acid content goes beyond 10% it becomes unhealthy to use. Until World War II, Guyana imported its vinegar mostly from Canada and Britain. During the war, however, vinegar like so many other imported foodstuffs became scarce or impossible to obtain and this forced local people to produce substitutes. The
substitute vinegar which was produced was done by the drug stores which merely mixed acetic acid with water. There was no standard or control over this locally produced vinegar which could sometimes have too high a percentage of acetic acid making it very unwholesome to use. Fortunately, this locally produced brew was used mostly to preserve peppers and in achars and chutnees and in preserving green mangoes and other green fruit. After the end of the War, some vinegar was again imported but it was more expensive than the local mixture and this led to consumers continuing to use it though they were aware that it was inferior to real fermented vinegar. Demerara Distillers Ltd (DDL) saw the opportunity of producing vinegar and had their laboratories work on producing a world-class product. DDL succeeded in
Man wanted for rape nabbed with illegal firearm
An alleged rapist wanted by the police was yesterday nabbed with an illegal firearm and a quantity of ammunitions at Apaiqua Landing, Upper Mazaruni River, Region Seven. The suspect, identified as a gold buyer of 98 Leonora, West Coast Demerara (WCD), was nabbed at around 12:00hrs. A search was conducted on him and ranks found a pistol with four live 9mm rounds, a magazine and two 12-gauge cartridges. Police said that the gold buyer was wanted for allegedly raping a child under the age of 16 earlier this year. Kaieteur News also learnt that this is not the first time that the suspect has been accused of rape. In October of 2014, he was one among two persons who
The illegal gun and ammunition found in the rape suspect’s possession. were charged for raping a woman in the mining town of Mahdia, Region Eight. He was subsequently released on $100,000 bail. It is unclear whether he was ever convicted of the offence. Nevertheless, the victim in
that first case had claimed that he along with another individual had drugged and rape her at a location within the area. She even claimed that men had assaulted and bitten her while committing the act.
Guyana already in a dictatorship... From page 10 almost existential. They are telling the African people their very lives are being threatened, that during one of the PPP administrations, about five hundred young Africans were killed. This is a fact; when I go to do listening interviews, I speak to people in the PNC and the PPP and the people in the grassroots, and people of other parties.”
Tennassee said that if the Granger coalition continues to go down this road and “mess up Guyana, there is going to be a very big vacuum in the AfroGuyanese community for leadership.” He said that Guyana is lucky now to benefit from a “geopolitical windfall” where the international community has united far and wide in calls for a declaration of the results of
the national vote recount, and in defence of democracy in Guyana. This is a windfall, Te n n a s s e e s a i d , t h a t Guyana must use its development after this election saga has ended. He opined that Guyanese will have to organize and work in concert with the international community to bring the Granger dictatorship to its knees in the shortest possible time.
producing a white vinegar which could easily blend with other ingredients in cooking or in use with salads and was of the highest quality. An export market became immediately available. Most Guyanese consumers now use DDL vinegar which goes under the brand name EHP Fermented White Vinegar. In the last year or two, the big supermarkets have been promoting vinegar and have been explaining the different types of v i n e g a r, t h e i r colour and for what they are used. There has been much talk of vinegars like apple cider, grape and malt. In Guyana, such promotion has been small since the consumer population seems to be securely committed to
the DDL produced vinegar. Out of this promotion has, however, arisen two positives - the first is the emergence of a large number of recipes which use vinegar celebrating its culinary use and the second is the identification of a large number of medicinal and cleansing uses for vinegar. Among the most popular medicinal uses claimed for vinegar are: it reduces the risk of heart disease; could control high blood pressure; has an anti-tumour activity; could help to regulate blood sugar; could support healthy weight loss; and that it may have anti-microbial effects and could even fight colds. These medicinal uses are supported by Alternative Medicine, but Formal
Medicine has not so far given them acceptance. Its cleansing uses have been more widely accepted and adopted and these would include cleaning of metals as in garages, mopping of floors, and killing weeds, most molds, bacteria and germs. Among its most known side effects are that it could damage the esophagus and tooth enamel and in general, it is a caustic substance if not used sensibly. Vinegar has, however, been co-aeval with human civilization and will continue its worldwide usage. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
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STANDARDS IN FOCUS
VACANCY Office Assistant/Inventory Clerk.Mima Decor.Maths & English required,mimadecor12 @gmail.com.Tel#227-0186. SERVICES
WANTED
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.
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
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
Urgently need land to buy in Herstelling or Farm.Direct from Owner.Tel#627-0753/6179930.
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
CAR RENTAL 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.
Wanted one sales person.Call #680-7402.
Body work Technician. Contact #668-7033 Neil.
Experienced Baker,Junior Baker,Bettencourt’s Diner 38 Durban Street,W/Ville.Tel #231-1368/223-1938. One Accounts Clerk. Must have passes in Maths & English. Apply at Alabama Trading 65 Robb Street Bourda Manager needed for restaurant & bar. Must be computer literate & business oriented. 3-5 years experience. Email:bailpi@hotmail.com For person to assemble bicycle. Apply at Alabama Trading 65 Robb Street Bourda
Live in Maid,Boys & Girls to work in Interior.Call#684-7960/ 674-9999.
Cook/Baker for interior location.Applicants must be experienced with verifiable references.Call 618-2020.
Mini Bus & Hire Car Drivers.Call#225-3234
Nanny.Contact#223-5274/2275003. Domestic.Contact#223-5274/ 227-5003
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 Fully Furnished, Grill/Mesh Windows, Doors. North and Oronoque St Bourda, 3 bedrooms A/C. Domestic / Business #226-7012 One two bedroom bottom flat to rent $50,000 per month.Tel#672-7194. Businessplace. Any kind of business. Alexander St.Kitty. 602-5076/225-0701
Build a sucessful online business. Earn in USD weekly. Must be teachable & couchable.$175 USD to register.638-5979 FOR SALE One three bedroom house & Land.Located@Fifth Street,Windsor Forest WCD, For Serious enquiry.Call 6962841 All in one buy, entire boutique closing down, sale all ladies clothing JL bland, over 2000 pieces #225-0571/600-5076 New home sea view,four bedroom, three toilet $40,000,000 GYD Tel#6751510. Mix Great dane male dog seven month fully vaccinated.Call#614-0562/ 656-0558. 2008 Nighthawk Black Pearl Honda Accord 2400cc American Automatic for sale USD$14000.Contact 346-8180822.
VEHICLE FOR SALE 1 Suzuki Escudo.Excellent condition, Low Mileage (50,000Km).$3.4M Neg.Call #649-0956.
LAND FOR SALE TAXI SERVICE GR TAXI . CALL: 219-5000, 227-2100 225-7878, 227-1982
In today’s fast pace environment, many businesses especially those that supply food and food products, package their products to go in containers made of a variety of materials including paper and plastic. If improperly disposed of, some of these containers can adversely affect the environment in which we live for decades because of their nonbiodegradable qualities. The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) strongly supports the drive towards preserving the environment for future generation- it has over the years facilitated the development of a range of environment related standards. One such standard, which was proposed by the Environmental Protection A g e n c y (EPA), is the National Standard Specification for the labelling of commodities – Part 19: Labelling of biodegradable food containers. This standard is compulsory. T h e E PA ( E x p a n d e d Polystyrene Ban) Regulations, which were approved in December 2015, made provisions to prohibit the importation, manufacture and sale of such products in Guyana; and deters the use or provision of polystyrene containers by food services establishments. The regulations support the use of biodegradable and other environmentally-friendly containers or packaging for food products instead of polystyrene products. Since the implementation of the ban, polystyrene products, which are non-biodegradable are no longer allowed t o b e imported into the country. LEGAL NOTICE 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
PEN PAL An Afro guyanese man is interested in a single woman, Ages 45-55.Text or Call#6869719
National Standard available for the labelling of biodegradable food containers
Farm (East Bank) $4M Herstelling (110X60ft) $7M S c h o o n a r d (100ftX50ft)$5M.Tel#6481635.
Land for sale at Greenwich Park.Houses for rent.Call#6848520/675-5256/666-4153. One spacious two bedroom apartment at Goedverwagting. Call#649-9876 Rooms in Albertown. Call#225-3234.
The labelling standard for biodegradable food containers was developed by the Te c h n i c a l Committee – Environment of the GNBS to support the enforcement of the EPA regulations. This national labelling standard specifies the requirements for all biodegradable food containers manufactured in or imported into Guyana. The standard defines biodegradable materials as materials which degradation results from the action of naturally occurring microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and algae. Meanwhile, food containers include any vessel or receptacle used to store, contain or transport edible products, be it solid or liquid, including but not limited to plates, cups, boxes and bowls. For the labelling requirements, the standard shall be read in conjunction with the Guyana Standard GYS 9-1 Labelling of goodsPart 1: General principles, which is available at the GNBS. Firstly, the standard requires that all biodegradable food containers manufactured, imported, sold or offered for sale be legibly labelled with the material composition. The raw materials used for making the container shall be safe and of food grade quality. Secondly, the time to decompose must be stated and this time must not exceed
nine months under controlled conditions. Thirdly, there should be an indication on the label as to whether the container is microwavable or not. This is necessary because some of these containers can become flammable with exposure to microwave heat. Fourthly, there must be an indication that the container had received a biodegradable certification from an agency recognised by the Environmental Protection Agency. Finally, the purpose or use and the storage conditions are optional information for inclusion in the label. Local manufacturers, suppliers and users of biodegradable food containers should ensure that containers they claim to be biodegradable are meeting the labelling requirements of this standard, which can be purchased from the GNBS. Further, stakeholders can consult the EPA for more guidance relating to this product. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.) For further information, contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 2190064-66. Please visit our website: www.gnbsgy.org and like our Facebook page: gnbsgy
Army had spent almost $700M... From page 8 certified engineers for the aircraft. He explained that while the aircraft will be assigned to the GDF, other joint services agencies will have access specifically on matters of aerial surveillance. According to Harmon, the decision for the purchase was made at the level of the Defence Board, of which he was key decision maker. It had been disclosed an initial payment of $213M was made by the GDF to the companies. Some $73M was budgeted for the military’s transportation-related expenditure. Harmon had explained that to fill the gap to the initial payment, monies were diverted from capital projects, which saw government deciding to scale back on buildings and water supply projects. In August 2018, Harmon had commissioned the two Islanders. It was stated then that the Islanders were expected to be used in search and rescue operations, evacuations, troop transport and tactical observation. They were also to be used to conduct surveillance throughout Guyana including the offshore Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). It was announced that the army was also seeking to buy four brand new helicopters and one unmanned aerial vehicle as part of its recapitalisation.
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Montrose smashup leaves one dead A horrific accident yesterday along the East Coast public road has killed one and left another critically injured . The fatal accident took place just after 17:00hrs at Montrose, East Coast Demerara (ECD) after a driver lost control of his white Toyota Fielder. The severely injured driver has since been identified as Eric Sukhrahane, 41, of Crown Dam, and the dead passenger as Trevor Mangal, 40, of Industry. According to eyewitnesses, the driver was allegedly racing with another car when he lost control and slammed into a parked minibus belonging to a cleaning company. The impact caused the bus to damage other parked vehicle. The while Fielder spun and toppled several times before coming to a halt. After the wreckage,
The damage to the minibus.
Dead: Trevor Mangal nearby residents rushed out to offer assistance and found Mangal lying unresponsive on the road. The driver, however, remained trapped in the car. Police were called and arrived shortly after. Mangal was picked up and placed in the police car while the residents helped free Sukrahane from the car. He was still breathing. Continued on page 56
Another parked car that was damaged.
Two injured in motorbike collision Two young men are now injured after their motorbikes collided at the Hadfield and Lime Street junction. The accident occurred around 11:30hrs yesterday near the popular Latino Bar in Georgetown. The victims of the accident are Akeem Sandy,28, of Hunter Street and Sheldon McAllister, 26, of Lot 23 Middle Street. Sandy was said to have received severe injuries and is currently in a critical condition. McAllister reportedly suffered minor concussions and is in stable condition. Video footage showed the young men being treated by on site paramedics. However, they were both later rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) to receive further treatment. Based on the latest updates.
The wrecked Fielder.
Mixed responses from Govt. officials... From page 9 He noted, however, that he has not contacted by the US embassy. Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, Valerie Patterson, shared the same comments as Allicock. She stated that she too had not been contacted by the US embassy even though she is in possession of a US visa. However, one minister chose to answer differently. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karen Cummings, in her reply, sent an infographic illustrating irregularities her party claimed to have uncovered during the concluded national recount. Notably, a number of these “anomalies” such as voter impersonation that was alleged to be unearthed by the party have been refuted by many—as highlighted in a series of extensive and verifiable articles published
by Kaieteur News. Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, sent a rather memorable and humorous response. Rather than providing comprehensive answers to the questions posed to her, Ferguson instead chose to reply with a series of smiley faces emojis. Messages were also sent to Minister of Telecommunications, Cathy Hughes; Minister of Culture Youth and Sport, George Norton, and Minister of Public Service, Sarabo-Halley, who all viewed the messages that were sent to them. No responses were given, and surprisingly, Hughes and Sarabo-Halley blocked this reporter’s number from their WhatsApp. This was confirmed upon noticing that subsequent messages sent to them could
no longer be delivered. Contact was made with Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo; Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan; Minister of Business, Hemraj Rajkumar; Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence; Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson; Minister of Education, Nicholette Henry; Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman; Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally; and Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan. Messages were also sent to the three governmentnominated commissioners working for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Vincent Alexander; Charles Corbin and Desmond Trotman. However, none of the 11 officials listed above provided a response to the calls or messages sent out to them. On July 20th a message
containing the same questions asked above was sent to President David Granger via his Director Public Information and Press Service Unit which operates under the Ministry of the Presidency (MotP) and is headed by Ariana Gordon. Up to press time last evening, however, no response was submitted. Notably, US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, had told journalists on July 16th that those persons had not yet been notified about the sanctions on them, but that they would be told if they seek to travel. The embassy later clarified that the affected officials would be told. The Ambassador was tight-lipped about the identities and categories of persons affected, pointing to US privacy laws which prohibit her from releasing such information.
Injured: Akeem Sandy
Paramedics and one of the crashed bikes at the scene.
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Montrose smashup... From page 55 They were both rushed to the Georgetown Public hospital Corporation (GPHC) where doctors pronounced Mangal dead. The driver was admitted. The car that was said to be racing with the Fielder was nowhere to be seen. Family members of the dead man told Kaieteur News that prior to his demise, his last conversation with his mother who is overseas. He told her he would call when he reached home.
Venezulan migrant dies...
Mahendra in younger days From page 12 traveling on a tractor when the driver lost control and jumped from the vehicle causing him and another young man to do the same. This resulted in him sustaining severe injuries to his head and about his body. Chino along with his coworkers were reportedly picked up by other coworkers and taken to the Bartica Regional Hospital where they were examined. Beria whose condition was listed as critical was air dashed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where he succumbed to his injuries at 15:00hrs. The cause of death has since been listed as a fractured skull. REFLECTING ON CHINO Carolina Beria speaking to Kaieteur News said that she and “Chino” grew up together in their hometown, El Tigre. She fondly shared that “when he was little he looked like a Chinese boy, in Venezuela we call Chinese, Chino, that’s how he got the pet name Chino.”. She also related that he has always been very supportive to his family and described him as a very generous person. Reflecting on their life growing up, she pointed out that they would always take trips together. Beria
highlighted that whenever they took a vacation Mahendra would always make his mom’s gift a priority. She said “he loved his mother so much that he would always say that, my mommy needs this, or she wants this, I have to buy it for her, we can’t leave here until I buy it for her. If it’s a new bed sheet or whatever he has to get for he, he ensures he gets it before we leave. He loved his family so much he wouldn’t buy anything for himself but he always buys for his parents or brothers and sister.” Sharing more of their life together, Carolina pointed out that Chino was always trying to make everyone happy. “He was funny, never took things too seriously, you know, he’s always joking and laughing. He was so jovial,” he said. In another sentimental social media post Mahendra’s other cousin, Rafael Beria said “Chino was always a cheerful person and with a smile he fixed everything. He only had body and adult size but his character and shape was of a child. Those of us who had the pleasant time to meet him know he was a great person. You left an indelible footprint on us, Rest in peace little brother.” Mahendra Beria will be put to rest today at 13:00 hrs at Kaashi Dhaam, Ruimzeight WCD.
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Quarrie urges stakeholders to rise up and challenge leadership ...Association boss Blake defends performance of administration of JAAA Jamaica Observer Olympic gold medallist and former executive of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) Donald Quarrie has called for a change at the top of the local track and field body, saying the sport needs “more capable” leaders who were respected by corporate Jamaica. The California-based Quarrie said, come November when the elections are due, the delegates should vote for someone who will “inspire change”, and called on the voters not to sit back but to make the change happen. “The job of the JAAA is a
work in progress; we want an association led and directed by a much more capable person, someone who is not only well respected in the JAAA, but also in corporate Jamaica,” he said. President of the JAAA Dr Warren Blake has, however, hit back and defended his stewardship by daring anyone to show where the association has fallen short of its mandate. “Someone needs to point out where we have fallen down,” he told the Jamaica Observer. “My administration has been the most successful over the last four years; we
have topped our medal haul at virtually all major international meets. We have never had it so good,” he said. Blake, who has served as president for nine years so far over consecutive terms after the death of Howard Aris, said he has not given any thought to whether he would be seeking a third term, “and I will not be pressured into making any decisions”, he said defiantly. Quarrie, the 200m gold medallist at the Montreal Olympics in 1976, said while a new administration must look at pushing the
Sunday July 26, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You might have to do a bit of adjusting today in order to experience a harmonious understanding with the people around you.Feel free to go for the gold. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Your love life is a kaleidoscope of shapes and colors today, Taurus, full of complicated patterns and everchanging displays of beauty. A new perspective is revealed everywhere you turn. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Turn up your aggressive nature regarding your romantic life, Gemini. You may find that a small spark is all that's needed to rekindle a smoldering fire. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Today is a very powerful day for you. You may find yourself going to extremes in certain areas of your life, especially when it comes to your romantic nature. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You may not understand what all the fuss is about today. Suddenly there's a fire burning all around and you may be left questioning the motivations behind others' actions. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Get your broom out of the closet today. Your job is to brush away the cobwebs from the corners of your emotional bedroom. Use the intense transformative energy of the day to say goodbye to stale and unsatisfactory relationships.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) There may be a great deal of charge in your battery today, Libra, but you could be unsure about where to put all this energy. Get up and do some exercise. Give your body the workout it needs. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Let your love light shine today. There's a great deal of passion in your heart that needs to be expressed. Let your romantic nature take the reins, and allow your creative nature to blossom. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) People might be a bit argumentative when it comes to romantic issues today, Sagittarius. Your instincts could be telling you to restrain yourself and hold back. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Consider going on a trip with a close loved one. A longterm break from the current reality may be just the thing needed to infuse a new blast of romance into your life. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Today is one of those days in which if you want love, you need to go out and get it, Aquarius. Don't waste your time sitting at home and sulking. Be adventuresome and take that first step. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Things should flow extremely well for you today, especially when it comes to anything having to do with love and beauty. Throw a party, or at least invite some close friends over for dinner.
sport forward, “we cannot control the past, but we need to work toward a brighter future, and a change of leadership will lead to new ideas”. He added that there needs to be “changes within the association and a brighter future, because what we do today will define our tomorrow”. “ We n e e d t o s t a r t making changes now... the question is, are we going to sit down and wait for a change or are we going to stand up and make the change?” Quarrie noted. “Athletes, coaches and officials need to inspire change and should speak out without fear or favour, so we need to symbolise openness and accessibility to information that sometimes involve the athletes, coaches and officials,” he added. Quarrie said future leaders have to be guided starting now. “The juniors are our future. Some of them just don’t know it as yet and so we have to prepare, motivate and guide them, and sometimes we will have to catch them in whatever direction they might fall. At the end of the day it’s about perfection, it’s about progression. The athletes are saying, ‘What about us?’ The new admin needs to reply, ‘It’s about you’,” he reasoned. Despite the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Quarrie cautioned the athletes not to drop their guard, but to be prepared. “Because of COVID-19, the athletes are having a major setback regarding performance and income,”
QC Alumni Boosts Golf... From page 63 first time.” The Academy plans on hosting several training camps for children and newcomers to the game in the coming months, along with several covid compliant activities that will allow players to compete for a variety of prizes and awards! Mings Products and Services also plan on joining several other major companies that plan on participating in a variety of initiatives at the Academy that will involve target practice for prizes. For reservations or information about the Academy, its services and programmes, visit their Facebook page Nexgen Golf Academy or call 645-0944.
Donald Quarrie (Jamaica Observer photo) he explained. “I hope they will stay in shape so that when they start preparing for next year, it will be at a higher level,” said the former sprinter. Meanwhile, Blake has
stoutly defended his tenure, saying the administration had done well apart from the World Championships in London 2017, when the country got only four medals due to what he described “a series of disasters”. The JAAA boss pointed out that it was his administration that had shifted the focus from just track events to field events and made sure there were coaches to coach the events, and that per capita, Jamaica has more certified coaches than most countries in the world. When asked whether the performances on the track were a good indication of the strength of the administration, Blake said: “Yes, the two go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other.”
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Premier League 2020-21 season to kick off on September 12 (Reuters) - The 2020-21 English Premier League season will begin on Sept. 12 and the final round of matches will be held on May 23, the league announced Friday. The new season, originally scheduled to begin on Aug. 8, has been delayed this year after the Premier League suspended the 201920 season for three months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The current season will end with a final round of fixtures tomorrow, giving teams about seven weeks to prepare for the next campaign. However, teams still competing in the Champions League and Europa League will have less time to prepare should they advance deeper into the knockout stages, with the finals of the two competitions to be held on Aug. 23 and Aug. 21 respectively. The new season kicks off after the international break with European soccer ’s governing body U E FA a n n o u n c i n g l a s t
month that Nations League matches would be played between Sept. 3-8. Leagues across Europe will be looking to wrap up their seasons next May with the postponed 2020 Euros set to begin on June 11, 2021. The Premier League also added that they would continue to consult with the Football Association ( FA ) a n d t h e E n g l i s h Football League (EFL) regarding the scheduling of domestic competitions. The EFL announced later Friday that the second-tier Championship, third-tier League One and fourth-tier League Two seasons would also kick off on the weekend of Sept. 12 and conclude on May 89, 2021. The playoff finals next season will be held in the final weekend of May. T h e C h a m p i o n s hip’s regular season concluded on Wednesday with the playoff final to be played on Aug. 4. League One clubs voted to end this season early with the final table calculated on a points-per-game basis but
Picture taken July 22, 2020 Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson, teammates and staff celebrate with the trophy after winning the Premier League. (Pool via REUTERS/Phil Noble) held the playoffs behind closed doors. Champions Coventry City and Rotherham United
were automatically promoted along with playoffs winner Wycombe Wanderers.
There was a similar outcome in League Two with Northampton Town winning the playoffs to go up along
with champions Swindon Town, as well as Crewe Alexandra and Plymouth Argyle.
Report: Pacers’ Sabonis Wavell Hinds succeeds Dave Cameron leaving bubble with foot injury as Kensington Cricket Club president Indiana Pacers All-Star center Domantas Sabonis is leaving the NBA bubble in Florida for treatment on a “significant” left foot injury, ESPN reported Friday. The 24-year-old big man could miss the rest of the season, according to the report. Sabonis, who averaged 18.5 points and 12.4 rebounds in 62 starts this season, has been dealing with plantar fasciitis. Sabonis signed a four-year, $77 million extension in October and made his first NBA All-Star Game in February.
The 11th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Sabonis has averaged 12.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 291 games with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2016-17) and Pacers. Indiana could also be without twotime All-Star Victor Oladipo when the team restarts the season on Aug. 1 against the Philadelphia 76ers at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando. Oladipo has been participating in practices but has said he may opt-out when play resumes. (Field Level Media)
Sacramento Kings’ Bogdan Bogdanovic in action with Indiana Pacers’ Domantas Sabonis. (REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas)
SportsMax - Former West Indies opener Wavell Hinds is the new president of the 141-year-old Kensington Cricket Club. Hinds, the president and CEO of the West Indies Players Association, was the sole nominee for the post as outgoing president Dave Cameron did not seek reelection. Hinds was subsequently approved unanimously during the cricket club’s annual general meeting and election exercise at the clubhouse on Thursday, July 23. Hinds, in his brief remarks following his elevation, urged the members of the club to “protect the assets of the newly upgraded facility.” He also wanted to the club to “continue with its development programs from under 15 all the way to senior”, adding that the club must maintain its core values of integrity, respect and rich in spirit, talent and love. Hinds also invited with the support of the membership gathered, to appoint Cameron, President Emeritus, which allows him to be a part of the new executive. Cameron served in the role of president since 2001 and has been a member of the club for just about four decades. In his remarks, he thanked the
Hinds (right) replaces Cameron (right) who did not seek re-election. community, membership and the partners of the club for their support. He succeeded the late Vincent Wong and Noel Silvera. Cameron is firm in his belief that Kensington can be transformed into a “modernday sporting organization with a great business partnership aimed at creating world-class players.” Meanwhile, Hinds’ executive that will include Radcliffe Daley – 1st Vice President; David Bernard Jr – 2nd Vice President; Carole Beckford – Secretary; Guatam Kumaraswamy – Treasurer; Wayne Lewis –
Assistant Secretary; Marlon Kennedy – Assistant Treasurer; and Brian Blair – Club Captain. Lorna Litchmore, Raymond Smith, Delbert Gayle, Jamie Hay and Ryan Francis will serve as executive members. During the last three years, the club won three major trophies and are the defending Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) T20 champions. In the incomplete, senior cup competition, the team played four matches this season that was cut short because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sunday July 26, 2020
Seniesa Estrada maintains undefeated streak after insane 7-second KO win Yahoo Sports - Seniesa Estrada wasted no time on Friday night, and added another knockout to her resume in the process. Estrada dominated Miranda Adkins at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California, securing the knockout victory just seven seconds into the fight — one of the fastest knockouts in boxing history. Adkins didn’t even land a punch herself. She took seven quick blows, four of which drilled her straight in the head, in the seven seconds before the bout was called. The fight was over well before it could even get going. Estrada, the interim WBA flyweight champion and WBC silver junior flyweight
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Boxer Seniesa Estrada needed just seven seconds to secure her win on Friday night. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images) champion was initially slated to take on Jacky Calvo on Friday night, though Calvo withdrew due t o a k n e e injury. That’s when Adkins stepped in for her sixth career bout. The win marks Estrada’s
19th straight and maintains her perfect undefeated record. Perhaps most important, however, it keeps her on track to being among the best in the sport’s history — something she feels she’s right on the cusp of.
Andalusia MotoGP: Quartararo beats Vinales to pole, Marquez fails to set time Autosport - Fabio Quartararo claimed his second MotoGP pole of 2020 at the Andalusian Grand Prix after Maverick Vinales had his last lap cancelled, while Marc Marquez did not set a time. Reigning world champion Marquez completed 18 laps in FP3 and a further 10 in FP4, after Honda confirmed he would carry on following the morning session. But Marquez only completed an outlap on his RC213V before pulling out of Q1, and has decided to withdraw from today’s race. To make matters worse for Honda, Alex Marquez crashed at the end of Q1 and appeared to hurt his right arm - though escaped any serious injury and will start 21st. Vinales set the early pace in Q2 with a 1m37.217s on the factory Yamaha, and improved on his follow-up effort to a 1m37.102s to take a 0.187-second advantage over Pramac Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia. Quartararo guided his Petronas SRT Yamaha to top spot with a 1m37.007s in the closing stages on his second run, which didn’t come under threat until the death. Vinales lit up the timing screens through sectors one and two, but ran outside track limits on the exit of Turn 7 and his 1m36.907s was cancelled, shoving him back to second by 0.095s.
Fabio Quartararo claimed his second MotoGP pole of 2020 at the Andalusian Grand Prix. Bagnaia held onto third for his first front row start in MotoGP, with Valentino Rossi heading the second row on his works team Yamaha ahead of top KTM runner Miguel Oliveira ( Te c h 3 ) h a v i n g c o m e through Q1. Franco Morbidelli also came through Q1 and will start sixth for SRT ahead of Jack Miller (Pramac) and top Honda man Takaaki Nakagami on the year-old LCR bike. Brad Binder will start ninth after a late mistake at the last corner on his KTM, with Joan Mir (Suzuki) 10th, Danilo Petrucci (Ducati) and Pol Espargaro completing the top 12 after the KTM rider crashed at Turn 2 late on. The biggest scalp in Q1
came in the form of Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso, who failed to get himself into the pole shootout session amidst a difficult second Jerez weekend for the factory Ducati rider. Dovizioso could only muster 14th on the grid - his worst qualifying since Germany last year - and missed a place in Q2 by 0.144s, with the injured Cal Crutchlow beating his former team-mate in 13th. Johann Zarco couldn’t convert his strong one-lap pace from FP2 in qualifying and will start 15th on the Avintia Ducati ahead of Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro. Alex Rins was 20th on the Suzuki having had to ride through a shoulder injury.
Former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone Escalates Political War of Words with Lewis Hamilton
Seniesa Estrada wasted no time in landing several telling blows to deck Miranda Adkins. (From Yahoo Twitter video grab)
Horse racing: Enable wins King George stakes for record third time (Reuters) - Enable made history at Ascot when she became the first horse to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes for a record third time yesterday. Trained by John Gosden and ridden by Frankie Dettori, Enable was in second place at the bell for the final turn before the
Italian coaxed her into the lead on the home straight as she comfortably beat Sovereign and Japan by 5-1/ 2 lengths. The win also made Dettori the joint most successful jockey in the event — alongside Lester Piggott — with seven wins. “She’s unbelievable.
She’s six, but John has done a great job,” Dettori, 49, told ITV. “Three King Georges has never been done before and now we’re going to try the impossible and win three Arcs. I love her so much.” The event was held without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Autoweek - Last week, Lewis Hamilton called out both FIA president Jean Todt, and F1 CEO Chase Carey for lacking leadership amid his Black Lives Matter activism. The Mercedes driver also criticized F1 greats of the sport Emerson Fittipaldi, Mario Andretti, and Jackie Stewart, along with former F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, even accusing the latter of lacking education. Ecclestone, 89, is not taking the shot without taking one of his one. He has been lashing out at Hamilton through the British newspapers, saying, “Lewis, you state that I am uneducated and ignorant. I have the same level of schooling as you. At least I had a reason—I was at
school during the last war, not always under the best conditions. You are lucky because if I had not been as properly educated, perhaps Formula 1 would not be as it was for you to benefit as you have. “Don’t think about what your skin color is— think about what color your mind is. Don’t envy others. Just improve and catch up.” Given the option, Todt says he would love to keep world politics out of Formula 1. FIA president Todt said to media outlet AFP France that he had a “long chat” with Hamilton in the wake of the six-time world champion’s latest critical comments. “I have a lot of time for anyone with a calling, a commitment, and I think it’s great when a leader in their
field wants to get involved,” Todt said. “And we at the FIA have been involved for a very long time in diversity, gender equality—provided it is not a political debate. He is referring to the controversial and Hamilton-inspired “take a knee” moments that have been occurring before the races in the spectator-less corona era. Hamilton, 35, has said he would like to convince those of his rivals who choose instead to stand. “There are some who may want to kneel down, there are some who may not want to express themselves in the same way,” Todt said. “ I t ’s f r e e d o m , i t ’s democracy, and we must ensure that those principles are absolutely respected.”
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The real reason behind Mike Open Letter from Guyanese Tyson’s return to boxing Expat in the United States Letter to the Sports Editor
on Windies Cricket Dear Sports Editor, My name is Winston Skerrett and I am expat living in the United States who is disheartened by the complete mismanagement of West Indies Cricket and the strategic approach taken by WICB to mitigate the issues facing WI Cricket. I am also embarrassed by the performance of WI players, but understand WI cricket performance is a reflection of the administrative prowess WICB to manage WI cricket. It is now incumbent upon WICB to maintain the standard of WI Cricket by selecting the correct players, while constructing a sustainable development cricket plan. The onus is now on WICB to maintain WI Cricket as an economic, social and political brand for all West Indians. WI Cricket is a social movement that provides hope and encouragement to expats globally, while serving as reminder at home to young West Indians anything is possible and they too can dream of one day overcoming obstacles in life. The metamorphic nature and symbolism of a strong WI Cricket deconstructs the global myths of white supremacy doctrine so much prevalent in contemporary world politics. This symbolism is no different to the pride that comes from a strong Jamaican track team winning gold medals, triumphing over the giants of the Global North by discarded residents of the Global South. WI cricket serves a social movement similar to the sweet sounds of Calypso and Soca music coming from Trinidad & Tobago, reggae music from Jamaica and folk music of Guyana. Embedded in its lyrics are defiant messages urging the marginalized in the ghettos to hold their heads up high to fight the good fight. More importantly, WI Cricket serves as an economic engine for the Caribbean by providing a vehicle for which expats and Europeans could enjoy while planning their vacations to the region. A strong respected WI Cricket Team provides investment opportunities for Foreign Direct Investment by Multi-national Corporations looking for opportunities in a globalized world. Globalization has provided economic vehicles through the advancement of technology to advance the development of WI Cricket, but WICB has failed to capitalize on these developments.
The failures of WICB to capitalize on globalization are evident in the manner in which administrative decisions are made concerning WI Cricket. Over the years WICB has mismanaged WI Cricket brand built by Garfield Sobers, Rohan Kanhai, Weeks Worrell & Walcott, Clive Lloyd, Vivian Richards and Brian Charles Lara. WICB has taken cavaliering approach when making strategic decisions concerning the viability of WI Cricket with impunity. WICB has failed to understand the conceptual frame works of economic development, global financial markets and political forecasting to position WI Cricket in a position to capitalize on the global shifts which has occurred. W I cricket has fallen low in the pecking order and is now surpassed by countries which were once considered developing nations in the game. The abundance of cricketing talent produced by WI Cricket over the years largely in part by the endogenous strength of players has now vanished. The WICB has now produced players with monster egos, inflated salaries and demonstrative buffoonish mannerisms, Players, who earn more than the average American College Basketball player and European Academy Football player. The current crop of WI Cricket players’ performance is a direct reflection of WICB management of WI cricket. Long gone are the days in which the giants of WI Cricket provided absolutism to WI cricket. Today’s crop of WI Cricket players assume the mantle of lackluster performance, coaches asleep at the wheel during global broadcast of games, managers mismanaging teams and failing to articulate & execute strategic game plans. WI cricket is now embedded with players capitulating when faced with adversity on the field betraying their forefathers who paved the way for their existence in a sport once dominated by colonial powers. One can only wait to see what the next twenty years of WI Cricket would entail and how long will WICB remain unresponsive to the changing global cricket environment; and when would WICB present a development initiative for the future of WI Cricket. Regards, Winston Ivor Skerrett Maryland, USA.
Yahoo Sports - If this were, oh, 2004 it might be a safe assumption that Mike Tyson is fighting because he needs the money. It’s the same sad story that has played out dozens, if not hundreds or even thousands of times over the years. On Thursday, Yahoo Sports broke the news that Tyson, now 54, will come out of a 15-year retirement to face 51-year-old former champion Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition bout on Sept. 12 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. The assumption by many is that the former undisputed heavyweight champion is broke and needs the money. Nothing, though, could be further from the truth. UFC president Dana White is a close friend of Tyson’s. At a June 28 post-fight news conference in Las Vegas, White noted that he’d talked to both Tyson and Evander Holyfield and urged them not to fight each other. White said that Tyson told him there is something deep inside of him that motivates him to try it again. “I’m a fighter, and that’s what I d o , ” W h i t e r e c a l l e d Ty s o n telling him. A l m o s t a m o n t h l a t e r, i t became official that Tyson would headline a card promoted by Triller against Jones, the former pound-for-pound king who won world titles as a pro at middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight. Tyson blew much, if not all, of the $300 million he’d earned during the bulk of his boxing career and ended up in an acrimonious lawsuit with promoter Don King. But the man who in 1986 became the youngest man ever to win the heavyweight title when he blew out Trevor Berbick at what was then known as the Las Vegas Hilton lives a comfortable life these days and has no money concerns. Now, to be fair, he’ll probably make a lot of money in this one, even though it’s going to be an exhibition bout with larger-thannormal gloves and a promise for them to not try to take the other’s head off. Andy Foster, the executive
Former boxer Mike Tyson isn’t stepping into the ring in 2020 because he’s broke. (Reuters/Steve Marcus) officer of the California State Athletic Commission, held a Zoom with Tyson and Jones not long ago to discuss the fight. They promised him they weren’t looking to KO the other. Foster approved the fight, pending both of them passing comprehensive physical examinations that will be conducted by the commission. But even with that promise to just move lightly around the ring and not take any risks, this will be an attraction. Tyson is one of the biggest n a m e s i n b o x i n g ’s h i s t o r y, arguably second only to Muhammad Ali as the most iconic figure the sport has known. Oh, there are others, such as Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, George Foreman, F l o y d M a y w e a t h e r, M a n n y Pacquiao and Jack Dempsey and maybe a few more, who would be in the running for that honor. But it’s not a long l i s t a n d Ty s o n ’s n a m e s t i l l carries a lot of clout, in and beyond the boxing community. The date they chose for the fight is the same one that Canelo Alvarez is expected to fight on, though Alvarez and Golden Boy Promotions have yet to finalize a deal. Alvarez is the biggest draw in boxing now, at least in the U.S. if not the world, but he’ll have trouble competing against Tyson, particularly if Alvarez has a less-than-exciting opponent. Getting that kind of opponent for Alvarez is proving to be
difficult because of the lack of fans caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Alvarez makes more than $30 million a fight, so there isn’t a lot left to pay an opponent if there are no fans in the stands paying upward of $20 million for the right to attend. G o l d e n B o y, A l v a r e z a n d DAZN are on a deadline to make a deal, so if it doesn’t get done soon, it could wind up moving to a different date. But believe this: The Tyson-Jones pay-per-view w i l l b a d l y h u r t S h o w t i m e ’s planned Sept. 26 PPV that features Jermall Charlo versus Sergiy Derevyanchenko and Jermell Charlo against Jeison Rosario. People don’t often buy more than one pay-per-view a month, and with Tyson and then UFC 253 scheduled for Sept. 19, it’s going to make it a tough sell for the Charlos. The fight for Tyson will be a way to launch his new Legends Only League, which will feature athletes from different sports. Facing Jones will give Tyson the opportunity to sate his competitive desires while also helping to launch his new business. If it doesn’t work, it’s no big deal because he has plenty of money and plenty of successful businesses. It’s not a good thing to see anyone over the age of 50 fighting, but at least Tyson isn’t planning to challenge Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua. Golden Boy CEO Oscar De La Hoya, like Ty s o n a m e m b e r o f t h e International Boxing Hall of Fame, is mulling a comeback at 47 and said he couldn’t rule out a fight against Alvarez. That would be disastrous. This is Ty s o n the businessman using his popularity to launch another business. Will it lead to him campaigning on a regular basis? Probably not. But if you think he’s fighting because he’s broke, about to hit the streets and desperate for cash, think again. This is 2020 and while he’s a vastly different fighter than he was in his prime, so is he a vastly different person. This Tyson knows full well what he’s doing and isn’t looking to risk his long-term health in search of a few cheap bucks.
Miller-Uibo sounds 200m warning shot with sub-11 clocking SportsMax - Olympic 400-metre champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo, who is likely to just run the 200 metres in Tokyo next year, has sent a strong message to her opponents after a sub-11-second clocking at the Back to the Track meet in Claremont on Friday. Miller-Uibo, who has tried in
vain to have the 400 and 200 metres spread out at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, will likely be running just the half-lap event and not defending her title. She went a long way on Friday to show she was getting faster, clocking 10.98 to smash her personal best twice after first easing to 11.03 in the heats.
The time puts Miller-Uibo in rarified air, the tall Bahamian now just one of four women to ever run sub11 over 100 metres, sub-22 over 200, and sub-49 over 400. Miller-Uibo got the better of 17year-old United States athlete Tamari Davis, who clocked 11.15 seconds, and Jamaica’s Natalliah White, 11.19.
Sunday July 26, 2020
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Stuart Broad inspires England with bat and ball as West Indies come unstuck ESPNcricinfo - A throwback performance with the bat and a more modern turn with the ball from Stuart Broad had England in control of their destiny after the second day of the deciding Test against West Indies. James Anderson weighed in heavily as part of an enviable England seam attack in favourable conditions at Emirates Old Trafford to leave West Indies 137 for 6 - still 33 short of avoiding the followon - when bad light stopped play.
England’s position was not nearly as promising after a mini-collapse sent them from 258 for 4 at the start of play to 280 for 8 inside the first hour. The scene was set for Ollie Pope, resuming on 91 not out, to reach his second Test century and Jos Buttler, unbeaten on 56, to convert a confidence-boosting knock into a statement-making big score. But neither of the protagonists from the previous day featured and nor did the rain that was expected to wipe out all of
Saturday’s play, but which didn’t make an entrance at all. Shannon Gabriel ignited West Indies’ charge with the second new ball - which was only 3.4 overs old before bad light had stopped play the previous evening - when he had Pope out without adding to his overnight score in an eventful spell. Gabriel twice overstepped while hitting Buttler on the pad, with replays also suggesting he’d found an inside edge both times. He then had Pope put down at slip by Rahkeem Cornwall, who had taken a blinder there the previous day and whose slips fielding is highly rated. On this occasion, Cornwall got both hands to an outside edge from Pope at waist height but shelled it to hand the batsman a life. With the first ball of his next over, however, Gabriel got his man when Pope aimed to whip a straight ball into the leg side, but it whizzed past his bat and crashed into middle and off. Kemar Roach then claimed his 200th Test wicket when he had Chris Woakes out, chopping on. Having waited the best part of 11 months and 521 deliveries before breaking his wicket drought in last week’s second Test, Roach became the ninth West Indies player to reach the milestone. Gabriel had Buttler out for 67 to a sharp, low catch by Jason Holder at second slip, then and Roach and Holder
combined to dismiss Jofra Archer, Holder taking another good slips catch. That brought Broad to the crease and it was the Broad of old, the one known for his batting ability and regarded as a genuine all-round talent before he was struck by a Varun Aaron bouncer on this ground in 2014. On this occasion, he raced to fifty off just 33 balls - equal thirdfastest by an England batsman. He sent a thunderous six off Roach high over midwicket and drove Gabriel intently for four, but Broad took a particular liking to Holder’s bowling, picking off three fours from one over and two consecutive fours off his next. Broad also brought up his half-century with a blazing stroke over backward square off Holder. It was Roston Chase who got rid of him, Broad sending a low full toss sent straight to Jermaine Blackwood at deep midwicket, but not before he had put on a very handy 62 from 45 balls. It was Broad’s 13th Test half-century but his first since 2017. In keeping with the nostalgic theme, old heads Anderson and Broad opened the bowling for England. Broad, 34, may object to being put in the same age category, having recently stated his intention to emulate Anderson, who turns 38 this month, and keep taking wickets well into his late 30s. Broad started well,
Stuart Broad and James Anderson discuss bowling plans © Getty Images enticing an edge from Kraigg Brathwaite that went to Joe Root at slip with his fourth ball, the 10th of the innings. Anderson then watched as Ben Stokes produced a rare fumble to put down John Campbell at second slip. The outside edge reached him at a decent height but Stokes went low and dropped it as the under-pressure opener, on 10, survived. It was a while before England made another breakthrough, but they did it in style with Archer setting Campbell up with a series of full-length balls before unleashing an unplayable short one at his ribs, the ball
flying off the bat handle and looping to Rory Burns at gully. Campbell was gone for 32. Anderson got his rewards with an excellent delivery that straightened late to have the struggling Shai Hope caught behind just before tea, and he removed the inform Shamarh Brooks three balls after the resumption, this time finding the inside edge to give Buttler another catch. Broad had Chase out lbw to match Anderson’s figures of 2 for 17 and when Woakes flattened Jermaine Blackwood’s middle stump, West Indies were left needing a big partnership from captain Holder and Shane Dowrich.
Bolt is Sportsmail’s Olympic No. 1: ‘Sprinter restored our faith in athletics’ SportsMax - Usain Bolt’s Olympic exploits have been voted the most stunning of Olympic moments by the Mail Online’s Sportsmail. It is not immediately clear what criteria British tabloid employed to arrive at its decision, but they pitted Bolt’s record-setting achievements against several iconic Olympic moments including Jesse Owen’s four gold medals at the Berlin Games of 1936, Carl Lewis’ four gold medals at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles and Ben Johnson’s shame in 1988. Also in consideration were decathlete’s Daley T h o m p s o n ’s standout victory in 1984 that “cemented himself as one o f B r i t a i n ’s g r e a t e s t ” , swimmer Michael Phelps’ massive medal haul in 2008 and Bob Beamon’s world record long jump in 1968 in
Mexico City. However, at the end of it all, Sportsmail concluded that “when it comes to our Olympic no. 1, all hail lightning Bolt. “Out of the suspicion and the apathy and the fading grandeur of the Olympics came that yellow and green blur and a personality that was twice as bright,” Sportsmail said in its effusive praise of the now-retired Jamaican icon. “What he started at the 2008 Games in Beijing, and continued through two more at London and Rio, not only restored the old church but put a bit of faith back into it. Has there ever been a sharper marriage of talent and character and event? If (Ben) Johnson was the poison, then Bolt was the cure, kicking off with that astonishing appearance in Beijing.
“It was the 100m that got us, of course. He was the world-record holder by the time he got to China but it says everything about the speed of his emergence that the 21year-old Jamaican had set that mark of 9.72sec in only his fifth senior race at the distance, two months before the Games. “When he arrived in Beijing, his profile outside athletics was limited and Michael Phelps was already seven golds deep by the Saturday of the 100m final. “What came next is the stuff of legends. On a belly full of chicken nuggets - he would later explain he was eating 100 a day - Bolt danced on the start line, then unfurled that lanky frame from the blocks and covered 100m in a barely believable 9.69sec. He took 41 strides to become the
quickest man in history (mortals take around 45) and when he was done he struck a pose that folk the world over would now recognise. “He went on in those Games to break Michael Johnson’s world record in the 200m, then won the 4x100m gold (later stripped as a teammate doped) and a further six Olympic golds across 2012 and 2016 before his retirement. He is the greatest sprinter ever and quite possibly the greatest Olympian; a man who had a golden touch for any company that hired him (Virgin reported a 2.4 per cent rise in revenue after taking him on, Puma 10 per cent) and sporting success like few others. He arrived at a time when the Olympics badly needed a hero. Now that he has gone, there is a vacancy that needs filling.”
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Cricket South Africa unveils plans to tackle racism in the sport ESPNcricinfo - CSA has made public its plans to tackle alleged racism in cricket in the country, its Transformation Committee announcing a sustainable response strategy project called Cricket for Social Justice and Nation Building (SJN). “The national outcry by cricket fans, the greater South African public and broad stakeholder groups could not be ignored,” CSA said in a statement while talking about the project. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement became a part of cricket after Daren Sammy spoke of a “degrading” nickname he had been given in the Sunrisers Hyderabad dressing room, and then moved up a notch when Lungi Ngidi, in response to a question in a press interaction, called for the cricket community in South Africa to “make a stand”. Soon after this, 36 prominent South African players and coaches of colour expressed their support for Ngidi, followed by the likes of Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis speaking out. It all culminated in South Africa’s elite cricketers - as well as support staffers, CSA officials, and members of the commentary team - taking a knee at Centurion’s SuperSport Park ahead of the
3TC match last Saturday. CSA will set up a Transformation Ombudsman responsible for managing complaints while also ensuring that players and fans unite. CSA aims to appoint the ombudsman by August, with Dr Eugenia Kula-Ameyaw, the independent director and transformation chair, tasked with ensuring that the process flows smoothly. “Transformation needs to happen in our lifetime and as the Board we need to fully deliver on that mandate. Having heard what our explayers shared, my focus as the Transformation Chair was to come up with a solution, hence the Cricket SJN concept,” Kula-Ameyaw said. “I am grateful that the Board supports this initiative. The office of the Transformation Ombudsman is a solid brick that we can use as a foundation to deal with racism and discrimination in cricket.” “We are sorry that our cricket players had to endure the emotional hardships that they did; subjugated by their peers along racial lines under our new democracy that enjoined us to embrace reconciliation and inclusivity,” CSA Board chair Chris Nenzani said. “SJN is the first-of-its-kind project
Andile Phehlukwayo and Lungi Ngidi take a knee before the start of the 3TC match. (AFP via Getty Images) meant to rid cricket of apartheid racial discrimination. This is the very important project that all stakeholders must make sure it succeeds for the future sustainability of cricket. “The fortunes of cricket, its players, stakeholders, and fans are not going to be held to ransom by the wayward few who definitely have no place within our ranks,” he
added. “We are determined to pull out all stops to ensure that healing takes place for those who have been wronged, and that perpetrators are exposed, sanctioned, and isolated.” The SJN also aims to form a Restoration Fund in order to deal with the opportunity cost due to discrimination as well as “promote and intensify” the diversity,
belonging and inclusivity programme implementation. Dr Jacques Faul, the CSA’s acting chief executive, said, “It has been a very challenging time for Cricket South Africa, and we have to acknowledge that what we have heard was not easy to digest. However, I am also encouraged by our plan to address this. We will need the buy-in from all our
stakeholders to ensure a racism free future at Cricket South Africa. “We commit that never again shall we be found wanting and will consolidate our efforts to assure an inclusive cricket environment, free of any discrimination, racism or any other ill that negate the gains of the democracy that we fought so hard for.”
League, players agree on adjustments for 2020 season
An overall view of the stadium during the opening kick of Super Bowl LIV between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs at Hard Rock Stadium. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
(Reuters) - The NFL and its players’ union agreed on changes to the 2020 collective bargaining agreement on Friday, clearing the way for training camp and the upcoming season. Training camps are set to open for all players on July 28, with the season opener slated for Sept. 10, as the league, players and teams across the country adopt health and safety protocols designed to reduce the risk of playing amid the coronavirus outbreak. “We have worked collaboratively to develop a comprehensive set of protocols designed to minimize risk for fans, players, and club and league personnel,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a written statement. “The season will undoubtedly present new and additional challenges, but we are committed to playing a safe and complete 2020 season, culminating with the Super Bowl.” Goodell said that the NFL and NFLPA’s medical directors “guided” the plans, which received the endorsement of the CDC, as well as state and local health officials. Teams have already begun limiting the number of attendees allowed in stadiums on game days, with some teams including the New York Giants and New York Jets precluded from having any fans in attendance at all, in order to mitigate the spread of COVID19. The league said earlier this week that any fans attending games will be required to wear facemasks.
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Sunday July 26, 2020
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GBA grateful to stakeholders support in getting boxers home Colin Lewis, Desmond Amsterdam, Dennis Thomas and Keevin Allicock; the four Guyanese boxers that departed for Cuba in January for a three-month training stint in preparations for the now postponed Tokyo Olympic qualifiers, finally arrived back home on Friday night. The pugilists were stranded on the Spanishspeaking Island in excess of 100 days since travel protocols implemented worldwide saw airports being closed including Guyana’s Cheddi Jagan and Eugene Correira airports. 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) c o u l d n o t a ff o r d a n d appealed to the government and the Guyana Olympic Association for assistance. Team Captain, Colin Lewis, in a correspondence to the media, noted that the boxers reached peak fitness and were developing well
during their training stint in Cuba before the pandemic strike and he expressed gratitude to be back home and gave much thanks to the Government, the Guyana Olympic Association and all the stakeholders that played a part in getting his team back to the shores of Guyana. Head of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Steve Ninvalle noted that, “We are extremely happy that they are finally back home, it has been a very long and frustrating haul for everyone involved. We would like to of course extend gratitude to the national sports commission, the Guyana Olympic Association, Ambassador Ivan Evelyn and everyone who supported even with words of encouragement. I hope that something like this never happens again.” The boxers will have a week off in which they will be in self-quarantine after which they will be psychologically evaluated that will determine when they can resume training.
QC Alumni Boosts Golf in Georgetown Mr. Colin Ming is an avid golfer who attained a single digit handicap whilst winning several tournaments over the years and served in executive positions at the Lusignan Golf Club and has been an advocate of growing the game of golf for many years. Several years ago, together with his friend, Neil Jones of the USA, a plan to introduce the game to students of their Alma Mater Queens College was set in motion and over two dozen Junior golf sets were acquired for that purpose. However, until now it was difficult to put all of the pieces of the puzzle together in a manner that he felt would work until Mr. Ming was approached by fellow QC alumni Aleem Hussain of the Nexgen Golf Academy with a plan to introduce the game to schools in Georgetown, and he immediately felt that it was a great opportunity to put the golf clubs to use. The Nexgen Golf Academy is conveniently located on Woolford Avenue, in the schools’ zone, in the
heart of Georgetown and offers classes for all ages and levels of play. The golf range is fully lighted and opens until 8 pm whilst providing a safe, fun environment for everyone to learn the game. President of the Guyana Golf Association and Nexgen Golf Academy, Aleem Hussain, stated, “With 25 sets of children’s clubs available (due to the generosity of Mr. Ming and Mr. Jones) on a daily basis,
Steve Ninvalle (2nd left) and the boxers after their return from Cuba Friday. (From left) Dennis Thomas, Colin Lewis, Keevin Allicock, Desmond Amsterdam and Terrence Poole. A golfer going through her paces at the academy.
we can now introduce this incredible sport to hundreds of kids in a manner that truly tests their abilities to concentrate and perform under pressure. The goal of the Nexgen Golf Academy is to allow many players to become familiar with the sport and by bringing the game into Georgetown, more new players can have the opportunity to try it for the (Continued on page 56)
Banks DIH Limited Ride for Sprite giveaway Promotion nears conclusion Banks DIH Limited continues to take the lead among local businesses in their benevolence to its customers even during the Covid 19 Pandemic which continues to create havoc in the world including Guyana. The Beverage giant had rolled out a massive give away initiative, the countrywide promotion, the “Get a Ride For Sprite Consumer Promotion”, started June 22nd and is due to conclude July 30th. The company is giving away over 100 bicycles with draws set for Berbice, Linden, Bartica, Essequibo and in Georgetown. Whilst some locations will see participants winning three bicycles weekly others will see participants winning two. To enter the competition participants’ are required to collect and placed 3 x two liter labels or 6 x two ounce labels or ten 355 ML labels into an envelope with the necessary information and deposit same at one of the participating supermarkets. According to Berbice Sales Manager Nandram Basdeo the initiative is part of Bank DIH way of giving back to the community from where its garner its support. He said that despite the hardship associated with the Covid 19 the company sees it fit to give back in a tangible way. He said that apart from assisting members of the community, the initiative should boost Sprite sales across the country. One drawing was held last weekend at the Company’s New Amsterdam, Berbice. The three winners were Deokarran of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, Mona Chung of New Amsterdam and Ravindra Bissessar of
The Ride for Sprite Logo displayed across the country.
No 2 Village, East Canje. Presentations were done by Mr Basdeo, Indoor Manager Ms F. Kendall Hardy and other staff members. (Samuel Whyte)
Kemar Roach acknowledges reaching the 200-wicket mark © Getty Images
rt o p S
Stuart Broad claimed the first wicket of West Indies’ innings © Getty Images
Stuart Broad inspires England with bat and ball as West Indies come unstuck
Miller-Uibo sounds 200m warning shot with sub-11 clocking
Shaunae Miller-Uibo
Some of the children clubs that were handed over to the academy.
QC Alumni Boosts Golf in Georgetown
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