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Ex-Surinamese K NEWS Finance Minister hiding out in Berbice

Thursday Edition

AIETEUR

July 30, 2020 - Vol. 13 No. 30

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Appeal Court Three separate private to rule on criminal charges filed elections against GECOM Chair declaration - to appear in court August 5th case today p.

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Charges against GECOM Chair have no merit - lawyers IDB underscores need for Minister Sharma swift conclusion to election replaces God to improve COVID response with Granger Ex-Army officer Defaulters who fail to submit pleads guilty declarations will face the court p.

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to killing wife

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- Integrity Commission Chair

An end to political crisis is urgent- UN Rep.

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Jordan blames NCM for failure to enact debt legislation but passes 17 bills after motion

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Kaieteur News

Thursday July 30, 2020

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Thursday July 30, 2020

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IDB underscores need for swift conclusion to elections to improve COVID-19 response

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h e I n t e r A m e r i c a n Development Bank (IDB), one of Guyana's generous lenders, has pointed to the need for the electoral process to be concluded, to improve its COVID-19 response.

“The outcome of Guyana's regional and general elections remains uncertain… settling the elections is important for the government to respond to the coronavirus pandemic,” the bank stated in its second Caribbean Quarterly Bulletin for 2020.

It noted Government's response to the crisis, including suspension of school activities, closure of the airports, establishment of the COVID-19 Task Force, etc.

However, it said that since Parliament was

dissolved in December 2019 to facilitate elections, the government cannot pass legislation on economic policy or access oil revenues accumulating in the Natural Resource Fund.

The 2020 General and Regional Elections process has dragged on for nearly five months, with a ruling on a declaration case to be handed down by the Court of Appeal today, and an appeal of that ruling likely at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

The incumbent coalition is actively in support of the use of a fraudulent district declaration produced by Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, as part of the basis of a final declaration.

Though Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chair, Justice

(Ret'd), Claudette Singh, has said that the credible results of the national vote recount are to be declared, the coalition is being accused of continuing to frustrate her efforts.

In a letter posted in the state newspaper yesterday, Minister of Finance Winston Jordan vouched for Government and the measures it has taken to provide relief to citizens and businesses. “ O b v i o u s l y, t h e pandemic would have led to many households and businesses changing their spending priorities and patterns.” Jordan said.

“This is the reality of the pandemic and government continues to work within budgetary constraints to ensure that all are able to meet their basic needs.”

The IDB said that the crisis is affecting both lives and livelihoods. The Bank conducted an online economic survey across six countries in the region.

In Guyana, it said that among the households surveyed, the percentage of households earning less than the minimum wage i n c r e a s e d f r o m approximately 13% in January 2020 to approximately to 45% in April 2020.

It also found consistent reductions across all income levels in households earning above the minimum.

The highest share of households suffering job

losses and business closures, it said, are from lower levels of the country's income distribution.

“These dynamics have influenced food security and domestic violence,” the Bank stated.

Households, it said, are struggling to cover basic needs, with poorer households reporting going hungry and eating less healthy.

As for domestic violence, it was noted that the risk increases with stress and confinement.

Elaborating on measures taken by Government, Jordan said: “Since March, some of the measures put in

place to help the citizens include tax waivers on medical supplies, deferment of payment of both corporate and individual advance taxes and PAY E , d e f e r r e d l o a n payments, debt deferrals for up to six months for University of Guyana students, grants to small businesses, and food vouchers and hampers for those most affected by the pandemic.”

The Minister added that Government has drafted several other measures to accelerate post-pandemic growth, but that those cannot be implemented within the current environment.

Jordan blames NCM for failure to enact debt legislation but passes 17 bills after motion

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inister of Finance, Win s to n Jordan, is blaming the noconfidence motion (NCM) for his failure to pass debt management legislation and, by extension, his management of Guyana's debt. However, the record shows that the National Assembly approved several laws after the no-confidence motion was passed.

Jordan was, in making the statements, responding to a

letter in a daily which appeared critical of the Government's management of the economy under COVID-19.

Though the writer made no mention of debt, the Minister saw the need to say that government's efforts to manage debt were derailed by the NCM. “Unfortunately,” he said, “our efforts to formalise domestic debt arrangements, by way of a public debt management legislation and

ensuing regulations, which would see the issuance of longer term instruments to finance domestic debt, was derailed by the no-confidence motion.”

The NCM was passed on December 21, 2018.

Subsequently, four sittings of the National Assembly were held in 2019.

Jordan's claim is that the motion inhibited formalization of legislation.

However, the Assembly passed 17 Bills in 2019 and

Appeal Court to rule on elections declaration case today

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he Appeal Court is expected to hand down its decision today at 11:00 am in the elections declaration case filed on behalf of A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition agent, Misenga Jones.

Jones is challenging the ruling of the Acting Chief Justice (CJ) Roxane GeorgeWiltshire in which she determined that the figures derived from the recount of the March 2, 2020 Regional and General Elections is the only data that could be used for the declaration of the election results.

The recount figures show a victory for the Opposition People's Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) over the incumbent APNU+AFC. As such, Jones an agent of the APNU-AFC coalition appealed the decision, listing several grounds in which she believes that the CJ purportedly erred in making her determination on the most recent case filed to block the declarations of the elections.

Jones has asked the Appeal Court to set aside the whole decision of the CJ on the grounds that the Judge inter alia erred in law when she held that the issue of

Constitutionality on Section 22 of the Elections Laws Amendment Act was res judicata.

She listed twenty grounds as the basis of which the appellant believes the CJ erred in law in making a determination of the case.

Among them, Jones claimed that the CJ erred in law when she held that the issues in the case were res judicata and outlined that the CJ erred in law when she misconstrued paragraphs 106 and 107 of the judgment of the majority of the Court of Appeal in the Ulita Grace Moore versus Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan carried 10 Motions.

Notably, on January 3, the Assembly approved 12 Bills, including the Natural

Resource Fund Act, and three Motions. On April 26, the Assembly passed one motion.

On May 15, the Assembly passed five Bills, and six Motions. A sitting of the Assembly was even held on May 23. Parliament was not dissolved until December of 2019 to facilitate the elections.

Meanwhile, debt continued to rack up so much that 2019 ended with US$1.3B in external debt.

The Ministry was quick to excuse the figure in its recent updated End of Year Outcome Statement, by stating that the debt is actually 4.7 percent below the projected amount of approximately US$1.4.B. Overall, external public

debt accounted for 77.3 percent of the total public debt stock as at December 31, 2019.

Turning its attention to the domestic public debt stock, the Ministry had noted that this stood at US$383.6 million, which is 7.1 percent below the US$412.8 million projected at Budget 2019.

This variance was primarily attributable to principal repayments on some fiscal Treasury bills, which matured but were not reissued. The share of domestic public debt was 22.7 percent of the total public debt stock, as at the end of 2019, 0.4 percentage points below the Budget 2019 projection.

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Thursday July 30, 2020

Kaieteur News

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

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

EDITORIAL

Environmental, occupational and health safety in the mining sector Gold mining is a major economic sector. Prior to the discovery of oil, it was the country’s largest foreign exchange earner. The country produced almost 642,000 ounces of gold last year and gold exports brought in US$876 M in foreign exchange, more than three times what Guyana is expected to earn this year from oil.

The gold mining sector however is not as glittery as it appears. The industry has very poor environmental and safety standards and the artisanal, small and medium-scale gold mining operations are not entirely at fault. Large-scale miners, including foreign conglomerates, have less than stellar records when it comes to environmental standards. One of the world’s most tragic mining environmental accidents occurred in Guyana at Omai Gold Mines in 1995. The disaster led to toxic tailings being discharged into Guyana’s rivers. Compounding the environmental concerns is the emergence of evidence which now points to issues about industrial safety. Last October, a geologist working at a foreign-owned gold mining company was killed when the mining pit in which he was working collapsed, burying him under debris.

Yesterday, this newspaper referred to a report which it saw and which concluded that the mining company was responsible for the accident. The report noted that the mining company had failed to provide a safe, sound, healthy and secure working environment and that this was a significant factor in the geologist‘s death. The company, through one of its spokespersons, however denied knowledge of the report. It contended that it had been absolved of responsibility by reports from two government agencies.

Foreign companies are allowed to escape greater scrutiny of their operations because of the fragmented nature of environmental, health and safety regulations. A number of agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Occupational Health and Safety Authority of the Ministry of Social Protection, have responsibility for regulating the mining sector and often there are overlaps in their responsibilities. These overlaps could result in conflicting reports which could reduce the effectiveness of environmental, health and safety compliance.

The government’s approach to investigating related incidents appears to be uncoordinated and disjointed. At present, investigations can be undertaken by any number of agencies. The Occupational Safety and Health Department of the Ministry of Social Protection, for example, has powers to request reports attesting to the integrity of mine construction. Whether it has the technical capabilities, however, judging from its wide remit for occupation safety, to undertake an assessment of the causes of a mining accident is not clear. The Environmental Protection Agency is authorized under the Environmental Protection Act to regulate activities in the mining sector, but its capacity to investigate environmental damage and mining safety is limited.

The agency has been experiencing problems in recruiting skilled-Guyanese. Last year, it was reported the EPA had advertised for a number of positions, including petroleum, geological and environmental engineers. Despite receiving hundreds of applications, there were concerns about the availability of persons with the required skills and experience. In short, there were many applications but few who could be considered suited for the positions.

The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) is the principal agency engaged in the management and regulation of the gold mining sector. The GGMC has responsibility for ensuring compliance with health, safety and environmental standards in the mining industry. It should therefore be accorded the lead status in undertaking investigations into mining accidents until such time as a multi-agency approach is undertaken into all

We shall not be bullied nor shall we stand by quietly and watch these women, or, anyone else, being bullied DEAR EDITOR, The vile and baseless attacks on: the Barbadian Prime Minister and former CARICOM Chair, Mia Mottley; Chairperson of the GECOM, retired Justice Madam Claudette Singh; Chief Justice Madam Roxanne George-Wiltshire; Justice Madam Priya Sewnarine-Beharry; and attorney at law Mrs. Kim Kyte, as well as the Canadian High Commissioner, Her Excellency Lilian Chatterjee and Her Excellency US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch, have embarrassed and angered me as a Guyanese, and, as a Guyanese woman.

We know the APNU+AFC Coalition leaders are bullies and must have their way.

What better example do we need to demonstrate this than the last 146 days where they have absolutely refused to accept that they lost the March 2nd Elections! As bullies, of course, their objective is to cow people into subjugation and submission; this too is the objective behind the horrendous attacks on these women in public life.

And, we, in response, especially Guyanese women, must say “NO” we shall not

be bullied nor shall we stand by quietly and watch these women, or, anyone else, being bullied.

They tried it with former Prime Ministers Owen Arthur (now sadly deceased) and Bruce Golding as well as Prime Ministers Mia Mottley and Dr. Ralph Gonsalves —all of whom were outspoken about the actions of the APNU+AFC Coalition.

The PNC, has a special contempt for women, and, although the Chairperson and General Secretary are both women, it is these leaders who bear the most responsibility for the attacks on these women who have distinguished themselves in their various fields.

Fundamentally the PNC, born again as the APNU+AFC Coalition, and its leaders are misogynists.

Why do I say this?

It is the PNC, organized and led by many PNC women, who mercilessly attacked President Janet Jagan – a woman who gave 66 of her 89 years of life in service to Guyana and its people; and who gave up her American citizenship in the 1950s to serve this country. The colour of her skin and the place of her birth were the basis for

this vilification, coupled with supplications to supernatural forces to “wuk pun she”. That was 20 years ago. President Jagan refused to be bullied.

I did not think that l would see another female effigy in a coffin being abused, beaten and stomped on again; but PNC predictably did it again, this time with the Chairperson of GECOM as their target.

I was at the US Embassy reception when Minister Priya Manickchand was abused for expressing in a very sophisticated and measured speech her government’s disagreement with comments made by the then US Ambassador. I can still remember the shouts from the Guyanese audience of “tek way she visa”, and, moreso “old thug” Hammy Green approaching the head table shouting “tek way de mike from she, shut she down”. My friend Priya lived with the name calling and ridicule for years as “Satira Gyal”, and, she too refused to be bullied.

I say unapologetically that the PNC/APNU+AFC, in and out of government, have held women in contempt based on their misogynistic views; these views include the way they treat their own

women folk.

The women in the PNC have been very loyal going back to Burnham days; they have been the backbone of the protesters in front of the National Assembly, fundraisers, polling agents, and go anywhere their party sends them throughout the decades. In what way have they been rewarded?

After being out of government for 23 years, their government rewarded their loyal supporters, especially their women supporters, with 200 more taxes leading to more hardships and increased poverty, reversals of the social programmes, reversals of social safety nets for women, children and the elderly, loss of 30,000 jobs and the decline in all sectors of the economy, and, now during the COVID-19 pandemic, abject neglect of the poor and vulnerable in our society, many of whom are PNC female supporters.

Some facts may help to demonstrate their misogyny: • Among the 28 member executive there are only 3 women who are Cabinet Members; • Professional women were pushed aside for the new (Continued on page 6)

The solution to Guyana’s problem DEAR EDITOR, What is the solution to Guyana’s problem? I have the answer but it depends on whether those concerned will want to embrace my solution that has always worked and is guaranteed to work for us.

I want to remind all concerned that our crisis stems from the racial division that was introduced to each one of us from the time we gained independence and it is now at an epidemic level which is worse than the coronavirus.

The coronavirus will leave us eventually but we seem bent on holding on to racial hatred as we continue to blindly sow seeds of discord bringing us to the very sad place where we have to look up to see bottom. May God help us to see the folly of our ways

before it is too late?

It is said that “He who pays the piper calls the tune” but I am appealing to all of us not to dance to the tune of a movement but listen to the words of the song and carefully reason out what you are hearing against truth.

Only then can you be sure that your decision will take you to the destination that will reward you and the future generation of our blessed nation. I have a question for all of us. If God has blessed us with the amazing gift of a mind of our own, why are we acting in ignorance and allowing this great gift to be manipulated by others?

Please stop! Look at the facts and listen to and embrace truth and you can be sure you cannot and will not go wrong.

Some of us promote the

mining accidents.

If the environmental, and occupation and health safety situation is to be improved within the mining sector, greater attention will have to be paid to streamlining investigations into mining safety and environmental standards. The present approach which allows more than one agency to investigate a single accident can lead to fragmented investigations and conflicting findings. This cannot be helpful in holding mining companies accountable for mining accidents.

notion that the answer to our problem lies with the Madam Chairperson of GECOM or President Granger but let me inform you that as important as these offices are, they cannot change the human heart. God can change their hearts and they desperately need our prayers.

Guyana has a folksong that says “Captain, Captain Drop me ashore, I don’t want to go anymore” and I know some of us want to follow that song.

But I am hopeful that we don’t jump ship at this stage.

Let us work together to change the direction with the solution which I am going to present, but please bear in mind that a problem cannot be solved unless we start from the root. That is exactly what we are going to do to reverse the condition of our country.

First we have to acknowledge that racism has dominated our country. If you know and believe me, look at all the letters and comments and without reading go to the bottom to see the signature and you will know the content. Afro Guyanese will crucify Indo and Indo

Guyanese will do the opposite. This is so sad but it is the reality of the condition of our minds.

Second, sincerely repent and ask God to forgive us for allowing racial hate to dominate our minds and then ask God for the strength to follow this new path. Let me assure you that God will hear and answer your prayers.

Please bear in mind that the word of God says: “We will know the truth and the truth will set us free. Anything less than the truth is bondage and slavery to evil and wickedness.

I read a Proverb daily to be encouraged to use wisdom in all my decisions and I want to share a few verses from yesterday’s reading of Proverbs Chapter 29: Verse 4 - “By Justice a king gives a country stability”; Verse 7 - “The righteous care about justice for the poor”; Verse 12 - “If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked” and finally I return to Verse 1 - “A man who remains stiff necked or stubborn after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed without remedy”.

Harold Beharry

Thursday July 30, 2020

Arson attempts, why so many, why now?

DEAR EDITOR, Though we are in some form of peace time, this one is of the kind that is most sensitive to the touch. And as I try to make some sense of the recent spate of arsons, I question why so many now, with an emphasis on government buildings, and with particular emphasis on the GHRA building?

By way of background and dealing with state-owned buildings first, I recall: an abandoned army building, the Umana Yana, the Court at Suddie, a police location somewhere (excuse me) have all been in the mix. I have been back for several years now, and I do not think that there were so many instances of actual fires set, or attempts to do so, involving government property in all that time. Yet here we are with a flurry of them occurring almost on the heels of each other, and especially around this tense time. Because I am so cynical, I refuse to settle for these as the handiwork of either loose cannons or lone rangers or thrill seekers. These fires were neither electrical nor haphazard, as in random.

So, what and who is left?

I n o w g o f u r t h e r.

Government buildings are not family owned or part of any family feuds (go carefully on this whole family business here); not biological ones anyway.

Then, there is no partnership involved, but in the peculiar and unique concoctions of Guyana, there just may be, but not along the traditional commercial lines. Think of a word beginning with “p” and of families locked in an extended dispute, an impasse, so to speak, with the courts abused and misused by the adversarial parties. Having ruled out family and partnership, there is one group remaining.

That would be addicts, meaning the usual junkies and crazies and crop of deportees. The usual ones, I knock out. It is the official ones, those operating with an eye to gaining rushes and fixes to

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satiate national cravings. I hope by now that Guyanese get where I am going with all of this.

It is that all of the regular suspects capable of, and who would usually resort to arson to settle scores are off the hook. So, if they are not implicated, then who and what am I missing? The way I see it, there are groups with frustrating problems on their minds that are not getting their way that have decided to take matters up a notch through several carefully selected arson targets. If nothing else, and at the very least, a message is sent, and a warning (several of them) delivered when engagement in the skulking and cowardly acts of arson occur. I think the situation speaks for itself and could only point in one or two directions. I put nothing past nobody. Nothing!

And none!

I get even more specific now and spend a few moments on the matter of the Guyana Human Rights Association. If that is not arson, then I don’t know what is. And by that, I mean arson of a certain kind, with a certain kind of prints and other related forensics. Those who dare to question, or challenge, or object are targeted, and in the GHRA, there is no better target. All the signs and portents are writhing in the direction which I pinpoint in such a nuanced fashion.

Now here we are with national anxieties of an impending crisis, and a profoundly pervasive one.

The guns present in this society are endless.

And so, too, are the accelerants and human authors (and those behind them) to make multiple acts of arson possible.

These arsons are deliberate and not accidental; they have p e r v e r s e o u t comes as objectives. They have intellectual ownership. This is where I stand.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

OWEN ARTHUR’S PASSING DEAR EDITOR, The passing of former Prime Minister of Barbados, Owen Arthur, is a great loss to Caribbean intellectual thought, practice and leadership. I co-authored with him in 1985 a UWI published book, entitled ‘Commercialization of Technology and Dependence in the Caribbean’, and witnessed at first hand his seamless transition from political-economy steeped academia to political activism and ultimate political power.

His assumption of the position of Prime Minister in 1994 and assignment by his peers, until his demitting office in 2008, as “lead Head of Government” for furthering of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy process, resulted in very significant acceleration in regional economic integration.

This acceleration coincided with my stint as Economic Advisor to the then Secretary-General of CARICOM, with specific

responsibility for deepening the Single Economy process, and I can therefore attest that Owen Arthur had a real understanding of the intricacies and requirements of true economic integration and it was a revelation to observe the drive and energy with which he sought to educate his colleagues on the issue at their various Heads of Government Conferences.

When Professor Owen Arthur spoke, everyone listened. It is therefore not surprising

that, with the ending of his three term leadership in 2008, the economic integration process began to lose momentum and to experience a virtual “pause”.

I wish to extend my sincere condolences to his wife Julie and the extended family; and to the Government and people of Barbados.

Owen Arthur joins a very select group in the pantheon of truly great West Indian leaders.

Maurice Odle

Debating a concept that is still ill-defined DEAR EDITOR, There are some writers and politicians who are advocating for the implementation of shared governance as a way out of the nagging political crisis that strikes the country at regular intervals. While no one has provided a model of shared governance, other than to indicate that it is probably restricted to executive power sharing, the debate continues over this nebulous concept.

A politician of one of the new political parties, always claim that the political mess in Guyana is attributed to the winner-takes-all (WTA) system. He does not explain why, in other democracies in the Caribbean and elsewhere, the WTA system does not necessarily lead to political crisis. What leads to the mess is that politicians deviate and depart from ethics, morality and rules. What may be more important for the electoral system is to first seek an attitudinal transformation set in motion by re-educating politicians and others on the craft of effective governance.

Even if we expand the shared governance concept

(beyond cabinet) to embrace all levels of the government apparatus, there is no evidence to show that this system will be better than WTA. The current ill-defined theoretical construct of shared governance has to be refined through research and analytic rigour. It’s hard to understand how anyone could engage in a subject when there is no agreement on its definition.

I am not averse to any new idea or model to replace existing ones; but caution that these must be properly investigated before any decision is made on its possible viability. Currently, the shared governance debate is dominated by political polemics and platitudes. How many democracies across the world, are blessed with shared governance even in the limited sense described in this letter? None! The main argument for shared governance is not any perceived intrinsic strength that it may possess, but rather

the perceived weakness of WTA. There are a number of questions that we should seek to answer as part of the research process. Some of these are listed here.

1. Can anyone say which democracy in the world has a system of shared governance?

2. Can anyone show that shared governance is better than winner takes all?

3. Isn’t it true that in any democracy, usually one party or on rare cases a coalition wins and the other(s) lose?

4. Does losing mean,that the losing party necessarily has no say in governance?

5. Does the winning party govern only for themselves or for all parties and groups?

6. If there is discrimination of any kind, why does anyone think that this could be cured by shared governance?

7.

Wouldn’t the requirement of an ethnic impact statement (EIS) be able to address the problem of racial discrimination?

8. In an election, each party has a manifesto. Why, if a party wins an election based on its manifesto, shouldn’t it be allowed to translate manifesto promises into law?

9. Isn’t the election in a democracy about competition of ideas and ideology?

10. Isn’t it true that electoral competition is not based on race alone but also on other factors as well?

11. Isn’t it true that every party has a support base grounded in race, religion, idelogy, or tribe? Does this necessarily mean that they are wholly in-group centric?

If we secure credible answers to these questions and they point towards a system of shared governance, then these could be consolidated into a model and become part of constitutional reform.

Otherwise we have to look at alternative solutions such as a federal-type system proposed by Ravi Dev. Dr. Tara Singh

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The PPP/C has the numbers in its favour, the APNU+AFC does not DEAR EDITOR, Daniel Kahneman, Israeli psychologist and economist and 2002, Nobel Memorial Prize Nobel Laurate once said; “ There is something fundamental about the human mind, namely, that humans are blind to the obvious, and that we are also blind to our own blindness.”

Hamilton Green’s call to President Granger for him to take “...a massive step forward to take us out of this confused environment. To “Put aside the constitution, put aside the laws” and to “Take action so that your people, our people Guyana will honour you no matter what it costs,” is a true caricature of what the Israeli psychologist referred to as ‘blindness of the human mind.’

Way past the biblical three score and ten, Mr. Green is now blind not only to the obvious, viz; that his party has lost the elections, but to his own blindness in not recognizing his party’s electoral defeat.

But there is more to it.

Green’s reference to “Your people, Our people” has an unambiguous, ominous ring to it that needs no further elaboration.

And his “... no matter what it costs,” is reminiscent of the militaristic ‘give no quarter’ battle cry.

In effect, Mr. Green has called on his Commander-inChief to ‘Cross the Rubicon, a decision fraught with unforeseeable consequences for which there is no turning back once a decision is taken.

Recall the infamous ‘Declaration at Bartica’ to the

effect that, “War Break, we can’t let them win in social media nor on the streets”.

This is clearly synonymous with Green’s ‘Straight Up’ call to Granger to take “a massive step forward”. The coded language is clear.

Questions have been asked whether Mr. Green was aware of the implications of what he said and, depending on the audience he was targeting, whether he said something wrong or right?

After being found guilty of lack of political morality in the court of public opinion, Green then sought refuge in cognitive dissonance. In a pious statement, he claimed that the words ‘put aside the constitution and put aside the laws are inappropriate’ and that ‘They are neither reflective of my beliefs nor stance in the context of Guyana.’

Make no mistake about it, Green meant what he said. Thus the damage is already done. Mr Green must know that: ‘Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment’ (Mathew 12:36).

In case Mr Green does not know, the public has found it well nigh impossible to reconcile his ‘moral and spiritual’ revivalism with just two of the Ten Commandments: ‘Thou shall not steal’ read, votes and; ‘Thou shall not covet thy neighbour’s goods, meaning the victory that belongs to the PPP/C. This is not the first time Green has made statements that are at odds with

Guyanese customs, traditions and mores. And lest we forget; practice is the criterion of truth.

Mr. Green’s confession must be viewed through the prism of paranoia that is now obvious in the hierarchy of the APNU+AFC. To the three plus seven illegals, it is morally right to rig to stay in power because of the wrongs that were meted by slaveowners during the days of slavery, and not by generations of Guyanese 182 years thereafter.

By way of circular reasoning the three plus seven cabal, defines and redefines, interprets and reinterprets clauses in our constitution only to ensure that they remain in office.

It is called exceptionalism or paramountcy of the Party under a different guise.

Keith Lowenfield is the APNU+AFC’s ‘Soldier of fortune’ for 2020. He is no different from the Andy Jacobs of the 1990’s known for production of the infamously corrupted voters’ list that had to be discarded resulting in the postponement of elections for two years.

Guilty men in the three plus seven cabal realize they are cornered, and US visa restrictions,(plus more to come), has undoubtedly triggered a worrisome state of affairs among the ‘Good Lifers.’

Try as hard as they can to paint a legal landscape favourable to them, the fraud committed cannot be wished away.

Multiple well documented and credible

evidence of electoral rigging on the cabal’s part prevails.

The evidence is overwhelming. And no amount of alternative facts trotted out by the caretaker administration will convince, much less dissuade the international community.

The APNU+AFC has imprisoned themselves in Mingo’s elections matrix and Lowenfield ‘fix it’ declarations. A ‘get out of jail card’ can be secured only by conceding defeat, and a GECOM Declaration favourable to the PPP/C. In a historical context, discourses on historical experiences by Marx and Hegel, two German philosophers, can be placed in paradoxical juxtaposition to Guyana’s historical experiences in respect to electoral fraud committed by Jacobs and Lowenfield.

First with Marx’s; “History repeats itself first as a tragedy and secondly a farce.” And secondly, with Hegel’s; “Although things do indeed seem always unprecedented, history does actually give us a clue as to our ultimate destination.”

With Jacobs’ handiwork at rigged elections which seemed unprecedented and comical at that time, it nevertheless, did offer a clue of what was to come were the PNC to return to power in whatever shape or form.

Twenty eight years after,

it was Keith Lowenfield who was tasked with the responsibility by his handlers to bring Guyana to the ‘Ultimate destination’ favourable to the APNU+AFC by way of electoral fraud.

However, his efforts ended up being a farce.

Bibi Shadick is right; “Fire Lowenfield or they will go back to the court,” further delaying our country’s arrival at the Hegelian ‘Ultimate destination” or the Marxian farcical elections.

That aside, the irony of Guyana’s electoral politics is demonstrated in the Hegelian thesis; “The only lesson history teaches us is that nobody ever learned anything from history.”

Clearly, the PNC, the key mover and shaker in the coalition is among the nobodies who have “never learned anything from history.”

An advertisement calling on the three government sponsored Commissioners to resign, and a claim that there is a ‘carefully orchestrated plan to oust’ the three plus seven cabal, is a straw clutching attempt to attract sympathies to its ignominious elections track record.

Clearly, no past lesson/s have been learned.

The PPP/C has the numbers in its favour, the APNU+AFC does not, but wants to take the numbers from the PPP/C. Since it can’t do so legally, it chooses to

sow the seeds of lies, deception and threats while holding its anti- COVID 19 outreach meetings.

Since November, 2017 the questions were posed: “You have to ask yourselves how the PNC gained office in 1964, ask yourselves how did it remain in office and what did it do during that year ask yourselves how the PNC wound retain office after 2020”.

Who better than Hamilton Green could have answered the questions posed by Granger since he, Green was one of Burnham’s key soldiers in the 1960’s?

In an interview with St. Lucian journalist, Earl Bosquet on January 25, 1998, President Janet Jagan had this to say: “If it had not been for the responsible behaviour of the PPP/C, I am afraid this country may have gone into the abyss that we went into in the 1960’s.”

The coalition administration stubbornly refuses to leave office, and notwithstanding the fact that it is merely a caretaker government, it must behave responsibly, to prevent our country falling into the abyss.

It must concede it has lost the March 2 elections and have GECOM fulfill its constitutional mandate by declaring the PPP/C the winner based on the national recount.

Yours faithfully, Clement James Rohee

We shall not be bullied nor...

From page 4 political directorate, overwhelmingly comprised of senior citizens, urban middle class men and former military officers.

• The number of female Permanent Secretaries declined from 33% to less than 15%, despite an increase in the number of Ministries; • The posts of Director of Budget, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Director of Public Prosecutions, Registrar of the Land Registry, Registrar of the Deeds and Commercial Registry, Registrar General of the General Registration Office, the Director of Telecommunications, all held by women as was three of the nine Heads of Missions.

These were reduced to two women in those seven posts and 2 female Heads of Mission, despite an increase in the number of Foreign Missions and Consulates.

One of the many legacies of the one term APNU+AFC Coalition has been the alarming rate of open discrimination against

women, most especially of Indo-Guyanese women and Amerindian woman, particularly in the public sector.

Of special note has been the public abuse and accusations in the media of women holding high positions in the public service. In 2017 alone there were three such cases of women in high positions being subjected to public humiliation by no less than the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs.

When in 2016 the government closed down the Integrity Commission, the Youth Entrepreneurial and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP) (based in the interior regions), and the Amerindian Land Titling Unit, for example, the majority women staff lost their jobs. The government terminated 1,972 Amerindian Community Services Officers (40% were female).

With the closure of the four sugar estates in 2016 and 2017, over 7000 workers lost their jobs, of which 2000 were women. These were seen as mere “collateral damage.”

In 2017, the then Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin admitted publicly that the group hardest hit in the small business sector was the group headed by female single parents. These include those involved with catering, hair and nail craft, sewing and tailoring.

Based on the APNU+AFC government policies of gender and ethnic discrimination, women and children have been the main victims.

The most recent assault on these outstanding women in public life exposes once again the PNC “cloven hooves” of misogyny and racism, of their disdain for the professionalism and independence of the judiciary, and disregard for the constitutional cloak protecting the Chairperson of the GECOM. I have no doubt that these women will stand steadfast and not be bullied by anyone; they will continue to uphold the constitution and serve Guyana.

Yours faithfully, Gail Teixeira

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 30, 2020

PAGE 07

Charges against GECOM Chair have no merit - lawyers A

mere five days after Chief Elections O ff i c e r ( C E O ) , K e i t h Lowenfield, was slapped with fraud charges, three charges of 'misconduct' have now been brought against the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) C h a i r, J u s t i c e ( R e t ' d ) , Claudette Singh.

Those charges however, according to three prominent attorneys-at-law have no merit and represent another attempt by the A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition to abuse the judicial system.

A t t o r n e y - a t - L a w, Sanjeev Datadin, picked apart the three charges filed by the three 'private citizens' and noted that they are nothing more than a “blatant attempt at malicious prosecution.”

“There is absolutely no basis in it,” he told Kaieteur News, “it is an abuse of process. The foundation of the principles is that there must be specific duty laid out in some statute, guideline or book that says that Claudette Singh must do these things.”

Drawing a parallel to the charges that the CEO received, Datadin said that the first charge brought by one Onita Walcott of

GECOM Chair, Ret'd Justice Claudette Singh

Attorney-at-Law, Sanjeev Datadin

Senior Counsel, Ralph Ramkarran

Attorney-at-Law, Christopher Ram

Victoria Village, East Coast Demerara (ECD) “made no sense.”

Explaining his stance, he pointed to the fact the CEO had no discretion to determine validity of “anything”, that power is vested in the High Court.

However, Lowenfield took it upon himself to do same which is why he was charged.

He pointed to the alleged misconduct…that Singh between 14th March, 13th June and 23rd June, acted unlawfully when she refused to accept the CEO's report.

The problem with this charge, according to

Datadin, is that it is not the GECOM Chair who accepts or rejects the report, it is the GECOM Commission.

“She doesn't take it,” he explained. “The task is for her to make a declaration but the declaration that she must make has to go to the board which is GECOM Commission, so you see why it would make no sense.”

Moving to the second charge brought by Lorraine Joseph of Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara, Datadin pointed out that while they alleged Justice Singh breached the Recount Order Number 60, no indications were given

how it was done.

“How did she breach the Gazetted Order?”

He continued: “They haven't said, which means that in itself is madness.

Presumably, she is saying that they are not following Order 60. But if you look at Order 60, it speaks of GECOM, not the Commission…GECOM… so she has no role there.”

With regard to the third charge brought by Keith Ondaan of Amelia's Ward, McKenzie, Linden, Datadin stated that while they are again alleging misconduct, “there is no provision in any law that says she has to Gazette anything…there is no provision; that is something she can choose to

do or not to do.”

According to him, no criminal charges can be instituted on the GECOM Chair because there is no “statutory dictation or underpinning for the actions she took”.

“We will have to teach them now misconduct is because apparently what they have done is they have learnt by the use of misconduct at the charges that have been laid against Lowenfield, that this is an interesting avenue for them to abuse. But they have no understanding, there are no statutory rights which they are alleging; there is no statutory dictation to her so they can be no misconduct.”

Senior Counsel, Ralph

Bandits brutalize E'bo couple in home invasion

A

n Essequibo coast couple had to seek medical treatment yesterday after a brutal attack by three armed bandits late Tuesday night.

According to reports, Gordon Williams, more popularly known as 'Harry', and his wife Lorna, were both attacked by armed bandits in their Perseverance home, Essequibo Coast.

The robbery occurred sometime around 22:00hrs. Williams was at home with his wife and two male relatives at the time of the robbery. The man told this publication that three men barged through the front door of his home. One was armed with a gun, another with a crowbar and the third had a hammer.

Harry said the men immediately began beating him, demanding that he hand over his cash and jewelry. In describing the ordeal, which lasted for about an hour, Williams said: “The bandit them tie up me neck with a tape and choking me, asking me to give them the pouch with the money and jewelry… The bandit that had the gun tie we up and the other two search the house for the pouch.”

The man said that after an hour, the bandits found the cash and jewelry, which he claims amounted to millions.

While fleeing the scene, the bandits reportedly fired a warning shot. They used the

'Uncle Harry' who was badly beaten by the bandits

Perseverance beach to escape.

According to Williams, the bandits may very well be persons he knows.

“During the robbery, one of the bandits them keep saying to “leff Uncle Harry alone.” So it gotta be people that know me.” Police indicated that investigations are ongoing.

Ramkarran, was of the view that the charges are nothing more that “sign of desperation.”

In a short comment to Kaieteur News, Ramkarran stated: “This is part of APNU+AFC sign of desperation. Justice Claudette Singh is a woman of great respect and honesty and she is doing her job according to the laws and according to the Constitution.”

“There is nothing wrong,” he added “with her conduct so far. This is an attempt to intimidate the Chair.”

Also commenting on the charges was anti-corruption advocate and attorney-atlaw, Christopher Ram. “I certainly don't think that they have any merit.”

“I believe this is all part of a larger strategy by the PNCR elements of the APNU+AFC Coalition to frustrate the democracy process and return us to the era of rigged elections except that this time, I think it will have immensely adverse and unfavorable consequences on Guyana.”

Kaieteur News made efforts to reach out to attorneys-at-law Roysdale Forde and Nigel Hughes.

Hughes declined to comment on electoral matters and Forde, when contacted, stated that he had not seen the charges.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Thursday July 30, 2020

Three separate private criminal charges filed against GECOM Chair - to appear in court August 5th

T

he Chairperson of the Guyana E l e c t i o n s Commission (GECOM), retired Justice Claudette Singh, is expected to make her first appearance in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts, on August 5, 2020after three private criminal charges were filed against her yesterday morningalleging misconduct in public office.

According to the court documents seen by this newspaper, the complainants – Lorraine Joseph of 16 Melanie Danishana, East Coast Demerara; Onita Walcott of 25 Section B, Victoria Village East Coast Demerara; and Keith Ondaan of 2987 Central Amelia's Ward, McKenzie Linden – filed the three charges under the Common

Law Act, alleging that the GECOM chair in the state of Guyana acted recklessly and unlawfully when she refused to accept the CEO's report; disregarded the advice of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel and breached the recount order in the Official Gazette.

The first charge, filed by Walcott, states that Claudette Singh, being appointed and performing duties of Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, at Lot 41 High and Cowan Streets, Kingston, Georgetown, between March 14, 2020, and June 23, 2020, acted recklessly and unlawfully when she refused to accept the CEO's report on the March 2, Regional and General Elections 2020.

The second charge, filed

by Ondaan, is that Claudette Singh, being appointed and performing duties of Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, Lot 41 High and Cowan Streets, Kingston, Georgetown, acted recklessly and unlawfully when she disregarded the advice of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel Mr. Paul Fung-aFat SC on May 17, 2020, that a Recount of the votes of the March 2, 2020 Regional and General Elections was unlawful- unconstitutional the defendant knowingly caused the Gazetting of Recount Order in the Official Gazette on May 4, 2020, and an Amended Recount Order on May 29, 2020.

The last charge, filed by Joseph, is that Claudette Singh, being appointed and

performing duties of Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, Lot 41 High and Cowan Streets, Kingston, Georgetown, acted recklessly and unlawfully between May 29, 2020 and June 23, 2020, when she breached the Recount Order gazetted in the Official Gazette on May 4, 2020, and Amended Recount Order on May 29, 2020.

The charges against the GECOM Chair were filed days after the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield was released on a total of $450,000, bail by Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty for three private criminal charges alleging fraud, misconduct in office, and breach of public's trust.

The charges were

Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), retired Justice Claudette Singh brought by Opposition People's Progressive Party (PPP) member Desmond Morian and The New Movement Party (TNM) executive Dr. Daniel Josh Kanhai.

The Court of Appeal is also expected to deliver a verdict in another electionsrelated case, the Misenga

Jones appeal, at 11 am today.

When contacted by this newspaper yesterday evening, the GECOM Chair said that she has no comment as it relates to the charges filed.

As of press time, there was indication on whether the orders were as yet served on her.

Ex-Surinamese Finance Minister hiding out in Berbice - National Assembly meets today on whether to pursue charges

F

ormer Surinamese Finance Minister, G i l l m o r e Hoefdraad, who is wanted for questioning in his home country, has reportedly been spotted in Berbice.

According to persons who know Gillmore Hoefdraad, he was seen in the company of a number of well-dressed men, in the Corentyne area.

“These men came to buy liquor. It was obvious that they were foreigners from the way they were dressed.

They were also speaking Dutch. They buy some things to drink and went across the road,” a businessman from Berbice said yesterday.

It was explained that many Berbicians, who have families and do business with Suriname, would stream news from there. “So we know the minister. We see his face. It was him and some well-dressed people.”

The men have not been seen for a few days now since the story was first reported in Kaieteur News

Suriname's ex-Finance Minister, Gillmore Hoefdraad on Tuesday.

Suriname authorities had suspected he fled here.

It was unclear whether Surinamese authorities have asked their counterparts in Guyana for help. What is known, is that attempts to solicit a comment from Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, have proven futile.

Authorities, if they find the former minister in Guyana, will be highly interested as to how he came

here. The country's borders have been closed with Surinamese security forces patrolling the Corentyne River which separates it from Guyana.

Persons who have attempted to cross would be breaking COVID-19 regulations. The former Finance Minister is wanted for questioning into alleged irregularities at that country's Central Bank.

This week, there were reports from Suriname that Hoefsdraad's lawyer has written to the country's National Assembly requesting that the matter not be brought again unless there are new developments in the case. Hoefdraad is the Finance Minister under the recently ousted government of Desi Bouterse.

According to Suriname's daily newspaper, De Ware Tijd, Hoefdraad has been identified as a suspect in the criminal investigation into malpractices allegedly committed at the Central Bank of Suriname (CBS) by the then governor Robert van

Trikt.

The Public Prosecution Service wants to hear from the former minister in the ongoing investigation.

At the beginning of this week, the Attorney General, Roy Baidjnath-Panday, sent a motion to Parliament for Hoefdraad to be charged. An earlier attempt in May was struck down when the then coalition, led by Bouterse, voted against granting the claim.

Hoefdraad has reportedly been informed by Parliament that a renewed action has been filed against him.

De Ware Tijd reported Monday that bailiffs were unable to serve the former minister summons since he was not found at his address.

Guyana's border with Suriname has been problematic when it comes to monitoring illegal crossing, whether movement of persons or illicit trade.

There have been reported cases of breaches even as Guyana has closed its borders for four months now as part of the national

The 'Bank Road' area, Skeldon, Corentyne, where the former minister and a group of men were spotted measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Suriname's new reports said yesterday that its National Assembly (NA) decided on Tuesday to appoint a special committee.

According to coalition faction leader, Asiskumar Gajadien, the appointment of this committee has everything to do with the renewed request by the Attorney General to charge the former Finance Minister.

The first meeting is set f o r t o d a y. I t w i l l b e determined if the matter is to be heard again.

It does not matter if Hoefdraad has fled.

According to Gajadien: "I don't want to anticipate matters, but if Hoefdraad does not show up, parliament will make a decision about it," emphasized the coalition group leader.

In the meantime, Hoefdraad's lawyers, Murwin Dubois and Frank Truideman, have asked the National Assembly, in an urgent letter, not to consider the renewed request.

They believe that the same issue cannot be addressed twice..

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 30, 2020

PAGE 09

Chickenomics A

number of the major poultry producers are reporting that there was glut in the local market as a result of the COVID-19 p a ndemic. As a consequence, sales declined by about 50% and prices fell to their lowest ever, which in turn forced a cutback in production which will now mean prices will begin to increase.

Chicken is the poor man's meat. The price of chicken is below that of both beef and pork.

Beef sells for around $400 per lb; pork $500 per lb and mutton and duck can reach as high as $900 per lb. Poor people therefore settle for chicken. It is the most affordable meat. Fish such as Bangamary can be retailed for about $120 per lb but snapper and trout are far more expensive.

Poor people therefore are huge chicken eaters. It is their main source of protein.

Chicken has been retailing recently for as low as $200-240 per lb. plucked on account of the falloff in demand. A glut developed because demand fell by as much as 50%.

This is the real effect of the COVID-19 and election impasse. Purchasing power has diminished in the e c o n o m y. W h e n p o o r people's ability to purchase chicken could lead to a decline in sales by 50%, it shows the degree of suffering inflicted as a result of the elections crisis and the Coronavirus pandemic.

The closure of in-house dining in restaurants cannot result in a 50% decline in chicken sales. Poor people cannot afford to dine out. So the fall in demand for chicken is a direct result of a cutback on personal consumption by the poor.

And when the poor cutback on eating, it means that things are extremely tough for them.

This is the reality which the Coalition has refused to accept. The APNU+AFC is a middle-class government and it is out of touch, woefully so, with the suffering of the poor.

Just the other day, a man turned up at a construction site begging for a job. The man explained that he has children and that he wants to work so that he can put food on his table. He was almost in tears. The contractor had no vacancies but he was so moved by the man's desperation for a job that he called the foreman and ordered him to find something for the man to do because he cannot in good conscience send the man away.

This is happening all across the country. Poor people are finding it tough.

In response, the government continues to live in its own fantasy land.

It speaks about macroeconomic numbers which show that the economy has been growing and is expected to grow by about 40% this year, 10 times the average growth rate over the past five years.

But that growth was

supposed to be 84%. It too has contracted by half and it is taking place far out in the oil fields in the Stabroek block. It will only provide a few ripples to the economy. It is not going to put food on the table of the poor who are begging for jobs.

The longer it takes to settle the election conundrum, the more the poor will suffer. The more the Coronavirus pandemic response is mismanaged, the longer it will take for the economy to be restored to some normalcy and therefore the more prolonged will be the suffering of the poor.

Poor people are having it hard. The lines outside the money transfer agencies are becoming longer. But not everyone has a relative or a friend overseas who can afford to send a 'freck' to help tide the poor over until the riggers stop their games and until the mismanagement of the Coronavirus response is regularized.

Macro-economic variables such as GDP growth is not going to ease the suffering of the poor people. Instead of Jordonomics - which is based on taxing people and excessive bureaucratic spending – what the leaders should do is look at the chickenomics.

It will tell them the true story of suffering in the country and the need for immediate interventions to boost personal incomes of the poor.

Now is the time – if there ever was - for cash

Dem boys seh...

Claw-dette looking fuh lawyer

D

em boys nah know how many of ya'll old enough fuh remember Dr. Hu. He used to cut go-dee.

He used to cut it right deh in he clinic, stitch you up and send yuh home.

He was not only a good go-dee doctor.

He was also a smart man who know how fuh mek money pun dem lawyer who does like fuh play dem know all de tricks in de trade.

One day Dr. Hu put up a sign which read “Me cure any sickness fuh $100. If me can't, me give you $500.”

A lawyer pass and see de sign and decide he gan mek some fast money off of Dr.

Hu. He walk in de clinic and tell de doctor, “ I can't taste anything!”

Dr. Hu turn to he nurse and seh,' Bring bottle # 43.

He put 2 drops pun de lawyer's tongue. The lawyer quickly spits it out and holler, “ Uhg! That taste like gasoline!”

Dr. Hu seh, “ Dat will be 100 dollars. De lawyer pay up.

He went back de next day and seh, “Doctor, I lose meh memory!”

Dr. Hu tun to de nurse and seh,' Bring bottle #43.”

De lawyer shout, “ But dat is de thing dat taste like gasoline."

Dr. Hu tun to he and seh,

“Yuh memory come back.

That will be 100 dollars."

By this time de lawyer frustrated. He went back de next day with an unbeatable plan. He tell Dr. Hu how he blind. He can't see.

Dr. Hu hold he hand and take him to de cash register.

Dr. Hu tek out five $1 bills and give it to him.

De lawyer tun to Dr. Hu and seh. "But you seh if you can't cure me you gan pay me $500. How come yuh only give me $5."

Dr. Hu tun to de lawyer.

"Dat will be 100 dollars" Talk half and wait fuh see whether Nigel de Who gan rush fuh represent Clawdette!

grants to poor households.

Do it now!

(The views expressed in this article are those of the

author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Thursday July 30, 2020

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Lincoln Lewis, Henry Jeffrey and the role of the newspaper since WW2

T

h e r e i s a disclaimer at the bottom of my columns from management which explicitly assets that these reflections, viewpoints, emanations, outlooks, offerings, analyses are not necessarily the policies the newspaper embraces.

I will not make any comment on the philosophical stamp of the Stabroek News, a national institution and an independent sister newspaper. It would be impertinent of me to

delineate the shape of that newspaper's philosophical outlook.

But briefly, having read the Stabroek News each day since the day of voting on March 2, it is clear to the world the newspaper, like the Kaieteur News, has taken an ideological position on free and fair elections in general not only in Guyana. When a newspaper does this, then op-ed pieces cannot ignore these valued guidelines.

Against this argument, I don't believe Henry Jeffrey's support of the caricature that still goes on as an election

count should be tolerated.

Jeffrey does not even hide his subjective banalities by citing at least one situation where one can conclude that the opposition PPP and other opposition parties rigged the 2020 poll.

In several columns, the infuriating, ugly biases are regurgitated to the point of disgust.

Here are the two recurrent ugly decimals in Jeffrey's so-called academic ramblings. One is that an election's fairness has to be judged by the electoral list and since Guyana's list was a

bloated one, the 2020 poll cannot be classified as free and untainted. This asininity has been debunked by a social scientist far more intellectually finessed than Jeffrey. Peter Wickham pointed out that Barbados has a similarly swollen list but the removable names have never voted. It is the identical situation in Guyana. An ill-shaped list can only vitiate the results of the 2020 election if the bloated list was operationalized. That did not happen. The unnecessary names of dead and migrated

people did not vote including my deceased mother-in-law whose names remained on the list but no one voted for her.

Jeffrey's second pathetic refrain is that both parties have been rigging elections in the past and 2020 was no exception. That's it! No proof, no description of how the opposition did the rigging, no explanation of how such a tight manual voting system could have been manipulated and hundreds of local and international observers and thousands of election agents missed it. Jeffrey's position on the election is an abuse of press freedom.

Next is my own newspaper – Kaieteur News.

It was brought to my attention that in the Chronicle, Lincoln Lewis has announced that he has stopped his Sunday columns.

I do not have influence with the editorial management of this newspaper but it was expected that Lewis and Jeffrey were violating the principles under which a newspaper published.

Since the Second World War, the birth of the United Nations, the assertion of the decolonized Third world and the rise of the feminist movement worldwide, newspapers have adopted some inflexible positions on certain values that hold civilization together, These values are numerous and include the recognition that the subject of the Holocaust must never be treated lightly, the equality of gender, and the upholding of the value of racial equality.

It is unthinkable that a newspaper in the 21st century would approve a column on genetic inferiority among races; acceptance that women do not deserve the same pay scale as men; vigilante justice should

Frederick Kissoon supplement police work; free and fair elections are not relevant to governance; people should be hanged for death by dangerous driving etc.

No newspaper, once it has a philosophical outlook that encapsulates the values that are necessary for civilization to continue should publish these anathematic expressions.

The county of Guyana was virtually crippled for decades because it did not have competitive elections.

In, March 2020, democratic elections were halted and a rigging process replaced it.

I would like to think that the Stabroek News and the Kaieteur News, along with prominent, independent regional newspapers have, as part of their editorial outlook, the priceless value of free elections.

On this basis, the Kaieteur News and Stabroek News should not allow expressions that justify what Mingo did, what Lowenfield did, what GECOM Secretariat did, and what APNU+AFC are doing. A media house has to stand for something. Jeffrey, Lewis and Hinds will say if they are not stopped, the unthinkable – Guyana should not have elections because the APNU+AFC is a superior moral force to all other parties and politicians and the APNU+AFC deserve to run Guyana permanently.

Actually David Hinds had come out and said that.

Kaieteur News is a better newspaper without Lincoln Lewis.

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

Thursday July 30, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

PAGE 12

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 30, 2020

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 30, 2020

PAGE 13

Minister Sharma Tennis rolls stuffed with ganja replaces God with Granger

A

woman, 29, is facing jail time after she was arrested yesterday for attempting to smuggle ganja in tennis rolls to a remand prisoner at the New Amsterdam, prison, Berbice.

Presently in custody is Hemwattie Charandeo also known as 'Heerawattie Seepersaud' of Dispensary Dam, Ankerville, Port Mourant, Berbice.

Reports have indicated that the incident occurred yesterday when Charandeo was taking self-support items for an inmate, Bilall McLennon.

It was during a compulsory search of the items at the self-support office by a prison officer that the ganja was found hidden in tiny transparent plastic parcels.

The plastic bags were removed and weighed. The items amounted to 11 grams and later confirmed to indeed be cannabis.

The suspect is presently in police custody.

I

t appears that de facto Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Jaipaul Sharma, has changed the person he shows spiritual devotion to. In fact, screenshots from Facebook show that Sharma has begun to “serve” his party leader and incumbent President David Granger. In a June 20 Facebook post made by Sharma, the minister expressed his concerns with what he referred to as “irregularities” in the conduct of the March 2, General and Regional Elections.

When challenged by one commenter about the inaccuracies in his post, Sharma responded with a Biblical incantation: “My friend you sound like SATAN! My answer to you, be gone SATAN! For it is written that I shall serve H.E President David Granger him only shall I serve.”

This appears to be Sharma's personal interpretation of Matthew, Chapter 4, Verse 10: “Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God,

Busted: The tennis rolls with the ganja

Police seeks help identifying man found dead 5 months ago

I

A screenshot of Sharma's comment and serve him only.'"

Jaipaul Sharma originally served as Junior Finance Minister, representing the Justice For All Party (JFAP), founded by his father C.N.

Sharma, one of the parties constituting A Partner for National Unity. He however switched over last year to David Granger's People's National Congress (PNC).

Two more COVID-19 cases recorded

G

uyana recorded two more COVID19 cases yesterday, taking the total number of persons to test positive for the virus to 398. Despite the upward climb, four persons have successfully recovered.

With this recent development, the total number of persons who fully recovered from the Coronavirus now stands at 185, while the death toll remains at 20.

However, health workers are still working tirelessly to treat a total of 193 active cases, of

which three are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The remaining 190 are in institutional isolation in various facilities across Guyana.

Meanwhile, citizens are reminded to continue practicing social distancing in the workplace, public spaces, and while using public transportation to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus. They are also reminded to practice frequent hand washing or sanitising and always wear a face mask if they must go out.

The unidentified body found along the Railway Embankment at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD)

nvestigators, for a second time, are pleading with the public for its help in identifying the body of a male that was found at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD) in February.

The remains are that of a fair skin East Indian male in his 50s.

The body is also said to be medium built and approximately five feet, six inches in height.

The body was discovered clad in a red jersey and dark coloured pants along with a pair of red sneakers.

According to reports, residents of Good Hope woke up on the morning of February 2nd and saw the corpse lying at the side of the Railway Embankment Road.

Crime scene investigators had observed that the body bore a (continued on page 15)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Thursday July 30, 2020

Ex-army officer, pleads guilty to killing wife

T

wo years after he ini tially denied killing his reputed wife, ex Army Captain, Orwain Sandy has admitted to the crime. Sandy, 38, stood arraigned on a murder charge before High Court Justice, Sandil Kissoon on Tuesday where he opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.

During the High Court hearing conducted via Zoom, Sandy was represented by attorney at-law, Ravindra Mohabir while state prosecutor, Lisa

Cave presented the case against him.

The former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Captain of Lot 130 Section 'C' Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara, nonetheless admitted to shooting his reputed wife, Reona Payne 14 times, killing her.

Mohabir asked for a probation report to be conducted on his client before sentence is imposed.

The judge obliged the request and deferred the sentence to August 4, pending the probation report.

The killing occurred on March 31, 2018 at First Street, Alexander Village, Georgetown, following a heated argument.

Sandy surrendered to officers at the Ruimveldt Police Station, shortly after he shot Payne, a travel agent, at point blank range.

According to the facts of the case, the couple was arguing with each other as they were approaching First Street, Alexander Village in a White Audi PWW71 63.

Sandy reportedly pulled out his hand gun and shot her several times as she tried to

escape.

He reportedly drove himself to the police station where he reportedly told the police what had transpired.

He also handed in his weapon and was placed in custody.

Sandy, who was the aide-de-camp to then Chiefof-Staff, Brigadier Patrick West, was interdicted from duty shortly after.

Payne was a mother of three and Sandy a father of two.

The two were living together for about three years.

Ex - Army Captain, Orwain Sandy and his reputed wife, Reonna Payne

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 30, 2020

PAGE 15

Defaulters who fail to submit declarations will face the court F

ive months after the Integrity Commission published a list with the names of 25 Members of Parliament and 52 Officials who failed to declare their assets for the period, 1 July, 2018 to 30 June, 2019, the Chair of the Integrity Commission, Kumar Doraisami says that the defaulters will be prosecuted, since they are obligated to make a declaration to the commission when required.

When Kaieteur News contacted Doraisami to follow up on whether everyone on the list had since submitted declarations, he responded, “Not all of the defaulters had complied.” He mentioned that he cannot release the names of the defaulters.

– Integrity Commission Chair

Chair of the Integrity Commission, Kumar Doraisami While Doraisami did not state if there will be a new publication of the list of defaulters, he added that the list will be revisited sometime after today.

The original list was

publicized on January 25, 2020, via the Official Gazette noting that as of January 24, 2020 over seventy-four persons in public life failed to submit their declaration for the period July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019.

Heading the published list of names were: Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams; Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan; Minister of Social C o h e s i o n W i t h Responsibilities For Culture, Youth and Sport, George Norton; Minister of Public Service, Tabitha SarraboHaley; Minister of Communities Annette Ferguson; Minister within

An end to political crisis is urgent- UN rep.

U

nited Nations (UN) resident coordinator to Guyana, Mikiko Tanaka, has once again called for the swift end of Guyana's protracted elections—a process which has dragged on for over four months.

In a tweet on Tuesday, the UN representative stated that many young people in Guyana are passionately engaged in climate action.

She further highlighted

that these young Guyanese need “political space” in order to be heard and to contribute to the betterment of the environment and society. It is against this background that the UN rep urged: “An end to the political crisis is urgent!”

Earlier this month, Tanaka had called for peace to prevail as Guyana awaits the declaration of results for the March 2, General and Regional Elections.

UN representative to Guyana, Mikiko Tanaka

Burglars steal from church building, sets it afire

B

urglars, on Friday last, broke into a building owned by the Roman Catholic Church and made off with several items.

The bandits also set small fires around the building before making their escape.

The building, located at Lot 222 South Road and Wellington Street, houses the Catholic Media House and

the Youth Office.

Officials related that they were awakened by loud noises and the smell of smoke. Checks in the bottom flat found that the place was ransacked, including the reception area.

Reports are that there were renovations being conducted on the very bottom flat of the building.

There was evidence of

papers that were set afire, near the building's entrance.

According to officials, this is the second time that such an incident has occurred.

In 2018, several other sections of the building were ransacked by burglars where the perpetrators made off with electronics and other items.

No one has been arrested with a police investigation underway.

Police seeks help identifying...

From page 13 number of bruises and severe injuries to the face and head. Blood spots were also noticed on the road close to where the body was found. This and other evidence have led investigators to believe that the individual might have been a victim of a hit-and-run accident. Police have been unable to link a vehicle or its driver to the alleged accident scene.

Also preventing the investigations from moving forward is the fact, that the body has never been identified.

Anyone with information that may lead to the identification of the body are asked to contact the nearest police station or the Guyana Police on telephone numbers, ?229-2289, ?2293564, ?229-2557, ?229-2019, ?274-0409, ?2202222,225-3650,226-1929,911.

the Ministry of Presidency with the responsibility for Youth, Simona Broomes; and Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture with responsibility for Rural Affairs, Valerie AdamsYearwood.

Former MPs Jennifer Wa d e , R a j c o o m a r i e Bancroft, John Adams, Richard Allen, Mervyn Williams, Michael Carrington, Jermaine Figueira, Audwin Rutherford, Barbara Patricia Pilgrim, Donna Mathoo, Reynard Ward and Dr. Rupert Roopnarine were also named, as well as Speaker of the National A s s embly, D r. Barton Scotland, and Clerk of the N a t i o n a l A s s e m b l y, Sherlock Isaacs. The list also includes a number of employees from various government agencies and ministries.

According to the Integrity Commission Act,

anyone who fails to make a declaration without reasonable cause shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine of twenty-five thousand dollars and to imprisonment for a term of not less than six months nor more than one year.

Section 2, Chapter 22 states, “Any person who—(a) (i) fails, without reasonable cause, to file with the Commission or the President, as the case may be, a declaration which he is required to file in accordance with the provisions of this Act; or (ii)knowingly files with the Commission or the President a declaration that is not complete or is false in any material particular; or (b) fails, without reasonable cause, to comply with a request made under section 18 or 21 (2) by the Commission, the President or a tribunal, within the time specified there for by the

Commission, the President or the tribunal, as the case may be, or gives incomplete or false information pursuant to the request.”

The Act goes on to say that anyone failing to furnish information as requested: “Shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine of twenty-five thousand dollars and to imprisonment for a term of not less than six months nor more than one year, and where the offence involves the nondisclosure, by the declarant, of property, which should have been disclosed in the declaration, the magistrate convicting the person shall order the person to make full disclosure of the property within a given time and on failure to comply with the order of the magistrate within the given time, the said offence shall be deemed to be a continuing offence and the person shall be liable to a further fine of ten thousand dollars for each day on which the offence continues.”

PAGE 16 VACANCY

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Goed Fortuin woman dies at lover's home on E'bo Coast Police on the Essequibo Coast are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a woman, 32, who reportedly passed away while in the company of her lover last Tuesday night.

The dead woman was identified as Romona Inniss, an unemployed woman of 42 Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara.

Based on reports reaching Kaieteur News, the woman visited her male friend, 47, on the Essequibo Coast over the past weekend.

Police enquiries disclosed that the victim, who was re-

portedly intoxicated, suddenly began to cough and vomit blood.

Shortly after, she became unconscious and was taken to the Charity Hospital, Region Two, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Based on information reaching this publication, the woman's lover, who is said to be from the capital city, repairs boats in Charity, on the Essequibo Coast.

The man reportedly rents a house in Somerset.

It was disclosed that the woman and another female were seen drinking at Charity

the afternoon before her demise. At that time, the man was reportedly attending to business in Georgetown.

The man told police that while in his apartment, the woman fell and lost consciousness.

He said that when he observed blood oozing from the woman's nose, he rushed her to the Oscar Joseph Hospital in Charity. The woman was later pronounced dead on arrival. The body is presently at the hospitals mortuary awaiting an autopsy.

The man is in police custody.

Thursday July 30, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

...Keith Semple blames himself for not playing Test cricket From page 21 quite shaky and I didn’t see much of a future for me in that environment,” said Semple who came home last Christmas.

“I would say that one of the biggest challenges in my career, and for many other players around that time, was the lack of any real guidance as to what to expect when transitioning from under-19 to first-class cricket.

It was a matter of learning on the job and figuring things out for yourself as you went along. And at that age I was not confident enough to approach senior players for advice.

Most players would tell you that they wish they knew the things they do now at the start of their careers so if we

can have more senior players mentoring and guiding young players as they come through, it would make a huge difference. Players would also have to be receptive to advice,” Semple continued.

He is not involved in Canadian cricket but was approached to get involved with Ottawa Cricket now that he is living in the area but said he has not yet decided.

He enjoys travelling, spending time with my wife, Alexis and watching sports.

“I’m a true sports fan and will watch any sport at the elite level. I enjoy playing golf but haven’t played for a while.

I’m hoping to get back to playing soon.

Speaking about the Coronavirus Pandemic, Semple said it has been quite

challenging.

“Luckily the Canadian government has been doing a great job in controlling the spread so things are not too bad here.

Also, Costco was deemed to be an essential service and has remained open throughout so I was not affected in terms of work.

I was also able to work from home and have only recently returned to working in the office as Canada slowly reopens,” Semple stated.

The former West Indies batsman also gave his views on improvement of Windies Cricket.

“I think the standard of cricket has to be improved at all levels leading up to firstclass. The players need to have a burning desire to

Thursday July 30, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) This is going to be a rather intense day. On the positive side, you'll accomplish a lot.

On the less positive side, you may be exhausted by the end of the day.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) This isn't the most cheerful time, because important issues are rearing their heads again and forcing you to address them. You'd rather not, but you can't wish them away.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Today it's important that you make your own decisions and stick with them, Taurus. Much as you prefer to depend on others, your judgment really is best.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Don't try to force anything or anyone right now, Scorpio. You'll find that today's elements are just as stubborn as you are.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You're a dreamer. Everyone loves you for it, but today the planetary aspects urge practicality. There are personal issues to resolve, and it does no good to have your head in the clouds.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Much has happened recently, Cancer. Have you allowed enough time to process it? It's likely that big changes are brewing at home or work.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You've made progress these past few weeks, especially where your temper is concerned.

It has taken some effort, but it does seem that you can overcome your tendency to speak before thinking.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) This is likely to be an intense day. Family and friends may seem testy, so you're advised to stay out of their way.

Don't worry - it isn't anything you've done. It's the planetary energy. If you can go someplace private and shut the door, do it.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You're incredibly productive, with good business sense, Sagittarius. However, lately you may have felt dissatisfied with where you are in life. As you look around, you might wish you had more possessions to show for all your hard work.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You have a keen analytical mind that has served you well in business. Alas, Capricorn, this characteristic doesn't always serve you well in your personal life.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) This is the beginning of an exciting period in your love life, Aquarius. Your relationship with a significant other may have been in a rut lately, but that's about to change.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You have a passionate nature, Pisces. Sometimes it's difficult for you when other people don't share your exuberance. This is a good time to tone things down a notch.

succeed and be among the best in the world and not just be satisfied with being the best in their territory or in the Caribbean.

If that desire is strong enough they will push themselves and do what’s necessary to succeed because the raw, natural talent is there.

“It requires lots of hard work and dedication to succeed consistently at the highest level. We also need competent coaches, especially at the junior levels, to assist and guide the players in the right direction, while the pitches across the region need to be improved as this will assist the development of both our batters and bowlers.

“The cricket culture and environment in the 80s was much different. The game was more competitive at all levels and the success of our test team that was so dominant at that time, motivated all the young players to want to aspire to reach that level of excellence.

Over the years’ standards have gradually fallen and that fierce competitiveness is not there anymore. There has been a decline in the standard of club cricket from when I started playing to when I left Guyana and I think this is mainly due to migration of players.

Afghan girl takes up...

From page 23 return to power, Afshar replied: “God willing, this will not happen, because our government will not allow the Taliban to do so ... If they want to violate our rights, we will stand against them and resist. I will not leave my country, and I want to stay here and serve my country.”

Her mother, Frishta Afshar, head of the women’s committee of the National Motorcycling Federation of Afghanistan, agreed.

“Some people do not agree with this, and they have a negative view, while others agree and encourage,” she said. “In any case, my husband and I will support her as much as we can, and we want to take Negin to the highest peaks of success.”

For the time being, such dreams are on hold.

Sayed Nabiullah Sadat, the motorcycling federation’s president, said the motocross team had been invited to competitions in Iran and Malaysia, but the coronavirus pandemic had disrupted those plans.

Keith & his wife Alexis at their home in Canada.

Once players no longer feel they can get into the WI or Guyana team most of them, including myself, leave for better economic opportunities abroad.

Unfortunately, this means you have less and less experienced and quality cricketers playing local club cricket hence the declining standards.

Even the ones who remain in Guyana are reluctant to keep playing,” said Semple who says he follows Guyana and West Indies cricket closely.

He thanked his father and

brother Winston for getting him to play from an early age.

“The person who probably did the most for me was former DCC president Sherlock Atwell who dedicated his time and resources to developing junior cricket at the club.

I am very grateful for all that he did, not only for me but all the other youngsters who came through the club at that time. After I got into the senior team Roger Harper was always willing to lend support and advice during tough periods,” Semple concluded.

PAGE 22

Thursday July 30, 2020

Kaieteur News

World Test Championship progressing as planned, says ICC ESPNcricinfo - The fate of the T20 World Cup out of the way, the ICC’s attention now turns to the World Test Championship (WTC) and in particular, the six Test series postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Progress will not be quick, cautioned the ICC, but for now, matters are proceeding as planned.

The very first WTC was due to be completed by the end of March 2021, each of the nine sides having played six series home and away over a two-year period. The top two sides would then play a final, planned for next summer in the UK. But that schedule has been thrown into disarray because of the impact of the pandemic, and only now are members working out ways with the ICC to reschedule their commitments.

Priority at the moment is on the six series already postponed: Sri Lanka vs England, one Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh, Bangladesh vs Australia, West Indies vs South Africa, Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh and Bangladesh vs New Zealand.

“We’re in discussions with the members now with rescheduling of the series that

A Test series between Bangladesh and Australia is among six that got postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. (IDI via Getty Images) have been postponed to date,” Geoff Allardice, the ICC’s general manager cricket operations, said.

“With the English summer looking like getting both the Test series through, the next ones I know there’s been some talk in the media about West Indies v South Africa are looking to find a suitable time.

But outside that series, the next scheduled ones are in

late November in New Zealand. So, the focus will come back on the six postponed series and when they might be able to be replayed.

“With some of them, discussions are underway but we’re in the process of getting updates from all member countries as to what they’re looking at. At the moment, everything is

‘Concacaf could have eight World Cup spots for 2026’

proceeding as planned. The series on in England right now are part of the WTC and all of the series that have been identified will be part of the Championships. It’s about getting a feel for whether they can all be completed within the competition window ending in March next year.”

But given the fluid nature of the impacts of the pandemic - with some countries still to

reach a peak and others experiencing, or on the verge of, an expected second wave - decisions won’t be taken quickly. Unlike with the T20 World Cup, which was eventually postponed earlier this month, there isn’t a pressing need for a cut-off date by which decisions need to be taken.

“In the last few months, we’ve learned that things change quite quickly,” Allardice said. “One week you think that you’re not going to play for a while and then things begin to open up at a government level and then all of a sudden, things look possible.

“A lot of the series we are talking about, if we are saying N o v e m b e r- D e c e m b e r, January-February, they are six to eight months away and it’s still hard to predict where things will be in some countries that far out. We haven’t got a firm drop-dead date in mind. We are going to get a feel in the next month or two from member countries about when they’ll be able to resume and what their upcoming seasons look like, including the matches and series they need to

reschedule that have been postponed.”

The next cycle of international cricket could also see efforts made to include an international T20 league in the calendar. The idea was discussed during the planning stages for this cycle but the constraints of the existing FTP meant it went no further.

“It was something that was discussed at length and continues to be talked about in terms of how do you achieve it practically,” Allardice said. “What is the right number of teams, the format of the competition?

Sometimes you couple ODIs series with Tests series, so how do you do something different without making the league the same number of teams against the same opponents but in T20Is as well?

“Ideally you’d like to incorporate more teams in a Twenty20 structure. Given the constraints of the FTP we were looking at a few years ago, it was a bridge too far then but that doesn’t mean it won’t be on the things we’re trying to achieve in the next calendar.”

Holder falls, Roach rises in ICC bowling rankings

- Montagliani wants region to take advantage of opportunity SportsMax - Concacaf president Victor Montagliani has asserted the confederation is looking to fill eight spots at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Canada, United States and Mexico.

The ambitious plan could come to fruition as a part of a unique set of circumstances that surround the competition. As hosts of the tournament Canada, Mexico and the United States will automatically be granted spots.

The situation will leave the region’s normal three and a half spots available to Concacaf’s other teams. In addition, however, because it won the bid to host the tournament, Concacaf will receive another half spot.

Half spots are confederation playoffs between teams, which sees the winners advancing to the tournament.

According to Montagliani, a major part of the confederation’s focus will be on ensuring the region is able to take full advantage of the situation.

“What has been confirmed is that we have six direct spots and then we have

Kemar Roach and skipper Jason Holder during the just concluded series.

Jamaica in action at the 1998 World Cup. a half a spot, which means we go to a playoff. Now, because we also won the bid and we won the right to host the World Cup, we gained another half a spot. So, that means we have six plus two halves,” Montagliani explained to the SportsMax Zone in an interview on Monday.

“I’ve been very clear that one of the reasons we are investing in the League of Nations, expanded Gold Cup and all the things that we are doing is because we really want to set that bar that we have eight Concacaf nations at the 2026 World Cup if we can win those play-off spots.”

SportsMax - West Indies captain has fallen two places in the latest ICC Test bowling rankings released yesterday following his side’s massive loss to England in the third and final match in the #Raisethebat series.

The West Indies lost the series 2-1 and relinquished the Wisden Trophy they won in the Caribbean in early 2019.

Holder’s ranking took a hit after his underwhelming

showing at Old Trafford where he took only two wickets for 107 runs as the West Indies fell to defeat by 269 runs.

At the end of the second Test that was also played at Old Trafford, Holder had 834 ranking points. However, having underperformed with the ball in the final Test, the Barbadian lost 24 ranking points, which triggered his fall down the rankings.

However, he maintains his number 2 ranking in the allrounder rankings behind England’s Ben Stokes.

Meanwhile, Kemar Roach, who took his 200th Test wicket in the final Test in which he snared four wickets, collected four ranking points to move up a spot from 16th in the rankings.

Shannon Gabriel holds firm at 19. Chase is at 31.

Thursday July 30, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Keith Semple blames himself for not playing Test cricket

By Sean Devers More a Surgeon than a Butcher, former Demerara, Guyana and West Indies middle order batsman, 49year-old Keith Semple was a classical right-hander whose majestic on-driving and impeccably caressed cover drives were eye-catching.

A brilliant 182 for Demerara against Berbice in the GTM Inter-County U-19 tournament earned him a place on the National youth teams in 1988 in Barbados and 1989 at home.

He scored his first fifty in his second match with a fluent 64 against Jamaica at Wanderers in Barbados in 1988 and his only century; 101 against Jamaica at the Everest in the second round in 1989.

In 10 Regional U-19 games Semple scored 409 runs at an average of 29.21.

He made his first class debut in 1990 but was guilty of not converting good starts into big scores and averaged 27.51.

Semple scored 2,311 runs from 56 matches between 1990-2001 with two centuries and 17 fifties which was not a true reflection of his talent. His highest first class score was a delightful 142 against Jamaica at Sabina Park in 1994.

He has 29 First-Class wickets.

In 50-over cricket Semple made 1,095 runs from 58 matches with 79 being the highest of his eight fifties while in seven ODIs he scored 64 runs with a highest score of 23.

Semple, who bowled medium pace, played in the Lancashire and Northern Premier leagues and represented Darwen Cricket Club, in the United Kingdom until 2008. In 2012 he moved to the British Virgin Islands and played domestic cricket in the Leeward Islands.

With West Indies cricket in decline in the late 1990’s, Semple was one of several players selected more on potential than production.

After successful ‘A’ team series against Bangladesh and India in which he registered a couple of fifties, Semple joined Lance Gibbs, Clive Lloyd, Roy Fredericks and Roger Harper as ODI players from DCC when he made his debut on January 22, 1999 against South Africa in Johannesburg.

This was the first ever tour to South Africa and the ODI squad, managed by Clive Lloyd, included Guyanese Semple, Chanderpaul, Hooper, King and Neil McGarrell.

Clayton Lambert was in the Test squad with lost 5-0, the first time West Indies had ever been ‘White Washed’ in

Keith Semple plays a pull for the West Indies A team during the match against England at Chedwin Park in Jamaica on January 25, 1998. (Getty Images Getty Images) a series.

West Indies also lost the ODI series 6-1 after winning the second ODI by 43 runs when Chanderpaul made 150 opening the batting.

Semple now resides in Ottawa, Canada with his wife Alexis and is employed as a Graphic Designer by Costco Wholesale Ltd. Semple was born on August, 21, 1970 in Georgetown to the late Winston Semple and Frances ‘Florence’ Semple, but he grew up in No. 28 village, Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice, before moving to the City at eight.

He attended St. Ambrose and New Comenius Primary before going to St. Stanislaus College and spent a couple of years at GTI doing a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering.

“Sports was very important when I was in high school. Saints had cricket, football, basketball, volleyball, hockey, tabletennis and badminton teams when I entered in first form.

Saints produced National cricketers Timur Mohammed, Travis Dowlin, Rohan Sarjoo, Kenneth Wong and Tyrell Tull.

“We learned about all those sports in PE and were encouraged to play them by our PE teacher Mr. Neville Alert who was himself a first division footballer. I played cricket and football but also played a lot of basketball, volleyball and table-tennis in

school,” added Semple who said cricket was always a part of his life growing up.

“We would make bats and balls from anything suitable we could find. I still have the scar on my forehead caused by a carnation milk tin after being hit by a beamer. I enjoyed fishing in the many canals and trenches around the village and flying kites around Easter time,” said Semple, who has one brother and two sisters.

Semple became interested in cricket due his father’s love

for the game.

“My dad loved the game very much so my brother Winston and I were always encouraged to play from a very early age. Winston was more passionate about the game than I was so was always dragging me down into yard to play with him.

Unfortunately, a nasty accident while running in the yard at home put an end to his career just as he was about to blossom out.

Academics was always important to me but more so my parents. They wanted me to priorities academics over sports and pushed me in that direction.

It was only after I made the Guyana U-19 team and then the senior team shortly after that they eased up and allowed me pursue cricket as a career,” informed Semple whose favourite Sportsmen are Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Roger Federer and Brian Lara.

Semple’s first match was an inter-school match against Cummings Lodge Secondary from East Coast and he eventually joined DCC after being turned down by two other clubs.

“My first attempt at joining a club came when Nigel Duguid (International umpire) who we knew from primary school, took Winston and I to join the famous Watto (Desmond Watkins) Saturday morning cricket Clinic at GCC. We didn’t have white pants so he told us we couldn’t take part and need to come back when we had full whites. Winston pushed my parents to get the pants but I never did.

My second attempt was made at joining Malteenoes

some years later after playing a school match there. I was told that they had enough youngsters and I should come back the same time next year. I never did and ended up joining DCC a year later.”

“At U-19 level I remember moistly our battles against Malteenoes, which were always intense affairs. My most memorable game in U19 cricket was the 182 I scored in Inter-county against Berbice,” disclosed Semple, whose brother Winston is now the President of Malteenoes.

His most memorable FirstClass match was his 142 at Sabina Park in his fourth match since it was the first time he had batted at number three.

When asked who is the fastest bowler he had faced?

Semple said there were quite a few but he remembers fast spells of bowling rather than the fastest bowler he had faced.

“Some fastest spells that stand out in my memory are Jacques Kallis in Durban, SA, Curtly Ambrose in Anguilla and Vasbert Drakes/ Otis Gibson in Barbados.”

The stylish right-hander admitted to being surprised at his ODI selection but not disappointed in not playing Test cricket.

“Yes, I was a bit surprised because at the time I thought my time had passed. But I think my selection came as a result of some fairly solid allround performances on the ‘A’ Tour to Bangladesh and India, which preceded that ODI series.

I don’t think I was consistent enough at firstclass level to force my way into the test team. I am more

Keith (3rd from left standing) was the only one from 1989 Guyana U-19 team to play International cricket.

disappointed that I wasn’t able to make the most of my talent and perform better at that level.

It was a great experience to have played in that era with some of the greats of WI Cricket. Initially it was a bit intimidating coming up against players who I grew up idolizing but as I got more comfortable playing at that level I just wanted to compete and show that I was good enough.

Back then we only played one round of first-class matches so if you got off to a bad start then had a game or two rain affected, your season could be over before you knew it.

So it was quite intense and competitive knowing that you only had a small window to make a mark,” explained Semple.

Semple left Guyana in 2002 for England to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design after playing his last match in Guyana against Essequibo at Everest in 2001.

“When I completed my degree in 2007 I joined my wife in the British Virgin Islands where we spent 5 years before moving to Canada.

At the time I that realized my playing career was coming to an end around 2001/2002. I had a couple of options available to me. Remain in Guyana and pursue coaching or use the opportunity while I was still playing league cricket in England to go back to school and continue my education.

I chose the latter since my relationship with the Guyana Cricket board at the time was (Continued on page 19)

PAGE 24

Thursday July 30, 2020

Kaieteur News

2021 Concacaf Gold Cup

‘Golden Jaguars’ Head Coach Márcio Máximo to maximise all options to qualify for Rd of 16 With the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) announcing that this nations Senior Men’s National Team (SMNT) aka as the ‘Golden Jaguars’ has qualified for its second successive appearance at the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup, Head Coach of this team, Brazilian tactician, Márcio Máximo is aiming to further cement this nation’s history in the confederation.

Guyana first qualified for this tournament, the pinnacle of the sport in Concacaf in 2019 which saw the event being expanded from 12 to 16 teams with its first match played against the USA and witnessed by almost 20,000 fans at the Allianz Field in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Máximo who took charge in August 2019, presided a successful run for Guyana in the Concacaf Nations League, League B Group C which also included Jamaica, Antigua & Barbuda and Aruba; the Golden Jaguars ending second in the group which Jamaica won.

The Brazilian had taken over the reign of leading this flagship team after Michael Johnson was appointed Head Coach in June 2018 and resigned in August 2019 after he took up a new position in England.

Johnson it was, who led this nation on the historic journey of qualifying for its first Concacaf Gold Cup in 2019 where Guyana ended third in a tough group containing runners-up United

States, Panama and Trinidad & Tobago.

An elated Máximo expressed gratitude to the President, Executive of the GFF as well as its Technical Director Ian Greenwood, his support staff and the players for the tremendous work they have all been doing to date and is confident that the best is yet to come.

Of the 12 teams (Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Cuba, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Montserrat, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago) which will contest the Concacaf Road to Gold Cup Qualifiers in the week before the kick off of the Gold Cup Group Stages on July 10, 2021 in the USA, four will advance to the final 16 round of the Gold Cup. “I’m extremely proud with the team and staff that worked hard for the Nations League, they deserve it. Our GFF President, Mr. Forde has supported us extensively, he has given us the belief that we can do it and we applaud him for the programme the GFF has developed and for his visionary leadership.”

Máximo is stated that their target is not just to go to the USA to participate but to create further history.

He posited: “Our local players have to take extra motivation with this opportunity and work even harder than ever. All football community as fans, clubs, directors, media, sponsors,

SMNT Head Coach Márcio Máximo and other Technical Staff chatting with his charges after a warm down session on Feb. 28, 2020 at the GFF National Training Facility. government and others should be integrated in this challenge. Everybody we will take benefits with football shining.” The competition for places in the team would not be straight forward as players would have to earn their places, Máximo stressed. He informed that players coming from overseas does not have guaranteed places and would have to battle to earn same.

“If they come and just coming to enjoy, that will not work out as they must be able

to understand the message and compete. Our locals is the same thing, there is no priority for nobody. Here we have around 70-players in our pool including many young players and the fight for the 20-places for the training and 14-places for the games would be intense.”

The experienced Head Coach further informed that along with his Technical Staff, they would be creating the challenges for the players who all have to display

consistently, discipline, desire and commitment.

“We would be looking at creating a third category of players apart from the local and overseas known as export players; players that grow in Guyana like Cortez and play outside. In the future we would like eight (8) international players, eight (8) export players and eight (8) local players, the best and this is ideal.”

Máximo also believes that the local clubs have a duty to

invest even more in the development of their players who can go on to make them proud as opportunities are opening up all the time for players to ply their trade overseas.

“Clubs need to invest more in their training, facilities and the likes to create more players, discover more players, to give opportunities to more players especially young players; this would really transform football in Guyana.”

Fausette believes Guyana will medal at Pan Am Junior Hockey C/Ship

By Calvin Chapman Saints Hockey Club (SHC) midfielder, Shakeem Fausette, during a recent interview, shared that he is very confident that if the Pan American Junior hockey championships hits off as scheduled in Chile next April, then Guyana will leave with at least a bronze medal.

The seventeen-year-old lad, who has been playing the sport for almost six years now, explained that he is confident because of the

experience he sees within the junior squad. Fausette explained that many of the players, including him have been regular fixtures with their senior club sides and the National senior training squad, which will help the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) put forward a strong outfit.

The aspiring Lawyer, who currently attends Nations’ Sixth Form, gave much praise to SHC and National men’s coach, Robert Fernandes.

Fausette posited that he owes everything to the level III certified coach for encouraging to get involved with the sport and hailed his coaching philosophies as nothing short of “phenomenal.”

While Fausette managed to win the GHB under-16 indoor tourney last year with SHC after banging in a

leading 12 goals, he was disappointed to finish third behind the winners and perennially favourites GCC and the ever improving Old Fort in the GHB outdoor development league.

Many persons often say that sport helps them to be more relaxed when it comes to academics but for Fausette who has strict parents, Hockey is his motivation to do well in school because only then will he be able to get on the field and so far, he has been excelling with eight passes at the C.S.E.C. examinations.

Before the Covid-19 lockdown last March in Guyana, Fausette was a part of the National training squad for the now postponed South America Championships that were scheduled to be hosted in Peru but he is not being

deterred and staying fit at home with exercises so he can be at a decent level whenever training resumes.

Fausette is 100% supportive of resuming training due to the fact that the FIH (International Hockey Federation) has sent out return to play guidelines to the respective affiliate federations and he noted that those guidelines coupled with individual responsibility will be vital when training resumes.

Although being a SHC player, the youngster singledout Meshach Sargeant of GCC who trains with the national team alongside him as his favourite team-mate, “Although we haven’t played together on national duty, we have really good chemistry and form some good plays during training.”

Shakeem Fausette

Kaieteur News

Thursday July 30, 2020

PAGE 25

Afghan girl takes up motocross RHTYSC, MS/BCB Basil and champions women’s rights Butcher Memorial Project to

KABUL (Reuters) - For 16-year-old Negin Afshar, riding a motorbike around a dirt track in Kabul isn’t just about the excitement. It is also a way to show that Afghan women can be tough too in a country where concerns are growing that hard-earned rights might be lost.

Encouraged by her parents, Afshar took up motocross about a year ago after having competed for Afghanistan in athletics when she was younger.

Wearing a white helmet and black and red motorbike suit, she trains with male riders on a barren lot surrounded by warehouses and private homes.

“When I saw the men motorcycling here, I decided to pursue motocross to inspire Afghan women and show that they can do this tough sport as well,” Afshar said during a break from practice.

“I tried to be one of the first women to take this path, and I hope we can encourage others as well.”

She and her mother worry that pursuing her passion may not be so easy in future, with the hardline Islamist Taliban movement

assist dozens of cricketers

D

Negin Afshar, 16, one of the motocross racers is seen during a training session in Kabul, Afghanistan July 23, 2020. (Reuters/Omar Sobhani) bidding for a share of power in a country where it has led a ruthless insurgency since 2001.

When the group ruled Afghanistan in the late 1990s, girls were not allowed to attend school, women could not work and they had to wear allenveloping burqas when they left their homes.

In recent months the

Taliban has projected itself as more moderate, as it seeks to turn battlefield gains into formal recognition. Talks with a governmentmandated committee remain stalled amid violence and mutual suspicion.

Asked whether she was concerned about the rights of girls and women being eroded should the Taliban (Continued on page 19)

ozens of less fortunate cricketers drawn from cricket clubs across the Berbice Coastline and Linden would benefit shortly from the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club/Berbice Cricket Board organised Basil Butcher Memorial Project. The project has been organised in memory of the late West Indies batting legend who died last year at the age of 86 years in Florida, USA and was later buried in his home village of Port Mourant in Berbice.

Secretary/CEO of the RHTYSC, MS, Hilbert Foster, who is also the President of the BCB, stated that eighty-seven young cricketers would receive one piece of cricket gear as the both organisations join hands with the Butcher Family to honour the legend on the 3rd of September, the 87th anniversary of his birth.

The cricket gears to be shared out over the course of the next month would include helmets, batting pads, batting gloves,

wicketkeeping gloves and wicket keeping pads. The project would also include the distribution of bicycles, school bags to less fortunate students and scorebooks to cricket clubs in the Lower Corentyne Sub-district. A total of 550 food hampers has already been distributed out of a projected one thousand in what Foster described as the first in many tribute projects to honour outstanding Berbice players.

Mr. Butcher’s family, led by his widow, Pam Butcher, has given their blessings to the project and is actively assisting via the setting of a GO FUND ME ACCOUNT IN THE USA. Butcher eldest child, Keith Foster, is the President of the RHTYSC and served as President of the BCB between 2007 and 2014.

T h e R H T Y S C Secretary/CEO stated that ten of the youth cricketers would be from his club, while the others would be selected based on the recommendations of clubs across Berbice. Great effort, he stated would be made to

make sure that all five subassociations benefit under the project. The sub associations are Upper Corentyne, Central/Lower Corentyne, New Amsterdam/Canje, Berbice River and West Berbice.

Butcher made his test debut on the 28th of November, 1958 in India and became the fourth Berbician to play test cricket after John Trim, Rohan Kanhai and Ivan Madray.

He played 44 test matches, scoring 3104 runs at an average of 43.11 with seven centuries and sixteen half centuries. Butcher went on to serve Guyana and the We s t I n d i e s a s a n administrator and was solely responsible for the development of the game in his adopted hometown of Linden. Foster is encouraging cricket clubs in Berbice and Linden to nominate youth cricketers, so that they can benefit.

Nominations can be made to the RHTYSC and BCB Facebook accounts or by calling 337-4562 or email at foster_hilbert@yahoo.com.

2021 Concacaf Gold Cup

‘Golden Jaguars’ Head Coach Márcio Máximo to maximise all options to qualify for Rd of 16

Flashback! Senior and Under-20 ‘Golden Jaguars’ and Technical Teams listening to Head Coach Márcio Máximo and Wayne Dover following the January 18, 2020 joint training session.

rt o p S

Fausette believes Guyana will medal at Pan Am Junior Hockey C/Ship

Shakeem Fausette (on the ball) in action for Saints Hockey Club against GCC.

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