Kaieteur News

K

AIETEUR Schools to re-open for Thursday Edition NEWS Grade 6, CSEC CAPE exams p.

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June 04, 2020 - Vol. 13 No. 22

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

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

APA worried about Indigenous, hinterland students' preparedness

Price $80

p.18

Online readership yesterday 152,614

With current 13,000 vote lead

by PPP, Granger coalition says recount results not credible 236990 229489

p.17

250000

200000

150000

100000

A P N U + A F C

174499

P P P / C

A P N U + A F C

187549

P P P / C

GECOM should note Mingo's inflated votes during recount tabulation p.7 - ANUG Chair

Covid-19 pandemic has blood bank reserves at 13p. critical level - NBTS Director pleads for donors

GTU registers p.8 objections for dates for NGSA, CSEC and CAPE Previous Declarations Recount to Date p.

Taxi driver who killed 14 Six more come forward businesswoman likely to refute immigration info p. to be charged this week 50000

0

Top Cop sent to GECOM

3

- victim suffered head injuries, broken ribs

Guyana, other borrowing

p.

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nations must be transparent with COVID-19 aid - World Bank Group President

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Kaieteur News

Thursday June 04, 2020

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 04, 2020

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Six more come forward to refute immigration info Top Cop sent to GECOM

By Shikema Dey

S

ix more persons have presented signed oaths of affidavits to refute the information sent by the Immigration Department to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) that they departed Guyana and never returned.

This now amounts to 14 persons who the Immigration Department incorrectly claimed left the country.

False information On the first list of 172 names, Kaieteur News exposed that eight persons were falsely named in the claims made by the APNU+AFC Coalition.

Now, another six persons

whose names were published on that list have come out to refute those claims.

Kaieteur News received a signed affidavit from Safeek Anand Kumar, listed as #55. The Immigration Department claimed that Kumar, born on March 22, 1976, residing at Zeelugt, E a s t B a n k E s sequibo, departed Guyana on September 27, 2013 and never returned on/before Election Day. In the affidavit, Kumar swore under oath that he was present in Guyana on March 2 and voted at the Elections on the said date.

An affidavit was also received from Sursattie Ramnarine listed at #54 on the Top Cop's list. The Immigration Department claimed that Ramnarine,

born on September 29, 1981, departed Guyana on June 4, 2019 and never returned on/before Election Day. Ramnarine, of Philadelphia, East Coast Demerara swore that she was present in Guyana on March 2, and voted on Elections on the said date in accordance with the Statutory Declarations Act, Chapter 5:09 of the Laws of Guyana.

Mohammed Sheik Ameer, born on March 26, 1967 was listed as #159. The Immigration Department claimed that he departed Guyana on June 4, 2019 and never returned on/before Election Day. Ameer of Tuschen, East Bank E s s e q u i b o , h o w e v e r, presented a signed affidavit as evidence to Kaieteur News, swearing that he was present in Guyana on March 2, and voted on Elections on the said date.

Anna Persaud, born on January 1, 1983 is #62 on the

list. The Immigration Department claimed that she departed on August 15, 2016 and never returned on/before Election Day. Persaud of Tuschen East Bank Essequibo, in a signed affidavit swore that she was present in Guyana on March 2, and voted on Elections on the said date.

Roberto Narine, born May 2, 1993 was listed as #70 and the Immigration Department claimed he departed Guyana on May 31, 2015 and never returned on/before Election Day. A signed affidavit was also presented, where he swore under oath that he was present in Guyana on March 2, and voted on Elections on the said date.

Additionally, Ramoutar Akash, born January 10, 1993, was listed as #160. The Immigration Department claimed that he departed Guyana on May 18, 2019 and never returned on/before

Top Cop: Leslie James E l e c t i o n D a y. A k a s h presented a signed affidavit where he swore that he was present in Guyana on March 2, and voted on Elections on the said date.

Five more persons refute second list from Coalition From the second list of 307 names sent to GECOM

by Joseph Harmon, five

more persons have come out to say that the claims that they were out of the jurisdiction were false. The allegation being leveled against the APNU+AFC Coalition has now grown to 11.

Kaieteur News made contact with Kimberly Bisnauth, listed as #243. The young woman employed with Caribbean Airlines at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport explained that her friend sent her a screenshot with her name on the list. She said that she voted on Elections Day with an oath of identity because she does not have an identification card. She cast her ballot at the Soesdyke Secondary School early and made it for work that same day.

“I was shocked because I know I voted early, me and my mother and we came home and I went straight to (continued on page 7)

Coalition doubts it listed Attorney as out of country - But Observation Report states otherwise Region Four Official List of Electors

Observation Report for Ballot Box #4497

A

fter it was revealed that the Coalition claimed that a prominent attorney, Devindra Kissoon was not in the country on Election Day, the party now doubts that it submitted his name as a person who was

not in Guyana on the date of the Election. But the Observation Report linked to the ballot box containing the Official List of Electors on which Kissoon is listed, clearly states otherwise.

In a press statement released last night, the

Coalition said “In an attempt to refute and cast doubt on the APNU+AFC's recent identification of persons who were not in Guyana at the time of the March 2 election, the PPP/C stated that Prominent Attorney Devindra Kissoon was in

Guyana on March 2, 2020.

Fake News. The APNU+AFC never submitted the name of Devindra Kissoon on any of their lists as a person who was not in Guyana on the date of the Election.”

The evidence shows this

to be false.

The Official List of Electors (OLE) for Region Four clearly states that for Division #413251A - BEL AIR PARK at the polling station “AFRICAN MUSEUM”, Kissoon's full name, Devindra Ramesh

Tiwari Kissoon” is at serial #157. This is the very serial number listed by the APNU+AFC agent Seivewright Benjamin as belonging to a person claimed to be out of the jurisdiction on Election Day, on the (continued on page 17)

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Thursday June 04, 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

Juveniles - crime and punishment A mind is a terrible thing to waste. And so, too, is a life that starts out wrong from a very tender age. But that is what we have here in Guyana, with increasing frequency and intensifying alarm at the individual, community, and national level. The issue at hand boils down to this: What is the best manner in which to handle our young offenders, who fall afoul of the law and in heinous and mostly shocking ways?There are no easy answers, given the age of the group, juveniles, that is looked at today. When the calculating and brutal natures of some of their felonious handiworks are considered, broad societal thoughts relative to careful and special case-by-case handling of their situations are overwhelmed by the settled fears, ongoing frequency, and escalating anxieties that accompany each news report of the latest depredation. There is little room for compassion and leniency, there is less patience with any special arrangements that give the impression of coddling those accused of terrible crimes.

In Guyana, the record of such juvenile involvements and active participations-it may even be said, leadership roles-in vicious criminal acts is long and disturbing, there is little by the way of the comforting, or taking these instances for granted. A university lecturer was killed in his own home that was invaded by some youths, who befriended him and then betrayed him most horribly. Recently, a female security guard’s life was ended in a “brutal and senseless killing” by allegedly a teen and his friend (KN June 1). Here was a woman struggling to make an honest living to provide for herself and loved ones, and she is murdered by those who could be her children.

The sympathies of society are far and few in a time when an environment where the wanton and callous are almost the order of the day, and at the hands of those who have their whole life ahead of them. The question and issue continue to plague: What to do with them? What is the most appropriate means to dispense punishment? Or should any punishment regime place emphasis on transformation and rehabilitation?Though many may have little patience with such, and present the stoniest of countenances, the circumstances weighing down are heavy, the related mitigating circumstances are plentiful. First, many of these youths are from single family homes, without the constant discipline of adult supervision, because that sole parent is out on the road seeking to make a living. Attached to that is grinding poverty and the needs, the street opportunities and temptations that follow as close shadows of exposed and troubled youths.

The wrong role models are there to attract with proof of the prosperity of the fast life. Unprepared callow youth, many of them school dropouts, are poorly equipped to resist the rich lures dangled before their empty stomachs and wanting eyes. The usual report before long is of the news item of the latest horrifying crime. Against this dispiriting backdrop, there must be recognition and admission that our protective systems, our corrective systems are strangled and overwhelmed.

The easiest and reflex response is jail them, as in do the crime, pay the time, and for the longest time possible. But what are we doing here, other than feed a monster that, most likely, could come back and devour? For if the best that we can think of is to lock them up and throw away the key, then we have just contributed to making them lifelong, career criminals, with misdemeanors making way for felonies and felonies building upon felonies for years and decades into the future.According to that same KN article, there is a better approach recommended by a senior Childcare expert through the introduction of ‘boot camp’ which would monitor, groom, and “promote good ethical and responsible behaviour and positive youth development”. In view of our current crime concerns, and with much juvenile involvement, this may be a hard sell with little embracing of such a position.Nevertheless, we support such a remedial first step in cases that cry out for such specialized handling.

It is our view that filling the jails hurt society more later. It is worth a try.

Somebody has to say something, it might as well be me DEAR EDITOR, I do not want to hear about the ‘violent history’ of George Floyd, as expressed by a Minneapolis police union leader, who reminded members of that in a letter.

What I know and hear is that he is dead in heinous and clearly unjustified circumstances. That is enough for me, and there can neither be juxtaposition nor attempt at justification by dredging up what should have no relationship with his agony and brutal murder.

In the same vein, I do not want to hear that what is happening through much of the United States has anything anymore to do with his death or with outraged protest.

That high ground was surrendered when the burning and looting and random killings took over and which distract from when the latest casualty in the police wars against minorities met his violent end on a sidewalk in Minneapolis. It distracts from the quiet rage and the continuing pain that come from now preparing to bury another fallen son, brother, father, spouse and friend from the criminalities in that same war, long protested against, long swept under the carpet through one police cover up and judicial technicality (wink and nod) after another. No! I have no stomach for any of those stratagems anymore that question the applications and weightings of the scales

of justice.

And along the same lines, I have neither patience nor use now or anytime for what is widespread and full scale mob thuggery and banditry masquerading as outpouring of human outrage, as responding to the grief of losing one more into the maw of the wanton and the lethal, of one more human sacrifice at the altars of street justice and police justice.

For this is no longer about mourning or outpouring; it is the savagery of the streets watched and condoned, even tacitly encouraged, to roam free in not even concealed criminal opportunism and criminal excess. Straight and simple and just as unvarnished.

It is too much, has gone on too long, and been allowed too much space to operate and flourish. If the coast is that clear, if the defenses are that nonexistent, and if the leadership is that hesitant and retreating, then I, too, might be tempted to try my hand and see what I could go out and bring home.

David Dinkins was made to fall when he was accused of such mayoral and leadership failure decades ago.

Somehow, I sense that there will be no fall guys this time.

But that is buried and forgotten history.

Now, it is from those chiefs of today, all proud New Yorkers - a president fighting his own demons, a governor too removed from the center,

and a mayor over his head that I would like to hear something from: Timely and constructive leadership; frank and firm generalship; and calming and steadying stewardship. The problem is that, at a moment of dire need, of great danger (I speak not of property) there is this worst possible combination that could be at the helm, that I can recall. I would like to hear also from mature and sober black leaders and elders: The message is not being maximized; the objectives are being obscured and defeated; and what is happening is playing right into the stereotypes that existed before and are now even more fixed. The memories of the many fallen are being desecrated by such depravities.

Two wise and seasoned black men, black leaders of outstanding character dared to go against the grain, to break the mould.

One is a hitherto and relatively ‘unknown’ mayor by the name of Ras Baraka, while the other is none other than President Barack Obama.

The former is the son of a controversial, but illustrious father, and is the mayor of Newark. That would be the same place that was torched and today still wounded from the urban battles of 1967.

There was a huge solidarity march last weekend that was impressive for its discipline, restraint, and general peacefulness. I would like to

see more of that kind of determined and powerful leadership from the front in white and black America right now.

I would be delighted to behold the same right here in Guyana today.

President Barack Obama, the second black leader, stepped forward since last week to articulate this gem publicly “Let’s not excuse violence, or rationalize it, or participate in it. If we want our justice system, and American society at large, to operate at a higher code, then we have to model that code ourselves” (USA Today, June 1, as excerpted from Medium).

Like I told a few Guyanese brethren since: If that is not profound, then nothing is. I applaud him for his depth, his courage. But where are the other voices that should be saying one word: Enough!

And then follow up with two more: Go home. It is past the time to go home. Many pieces wait to be picked up, scars to be healed.

And none more so than the family that grieves and the communities that already hurt, and which will pay a still harsher price.

My last thought is this: After all the talking and posturing in this country, where are the kind of leaders, the people of reconciling and healing, like Ras Baraka and Barack Obama? We, too, are going to need it.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

GPHC must restart family planning services ASAP DEAR EDITOR, I am writing this letter to remind the management and directors of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) about the crucial importance of sexual and reproductive healthcare.

Weeks ago, in the initial phases of the Coronavirus pandemic response, a decision was made to stop providing family planning services at GPHC. While one appreciates the caution being exercised in this challenging time, the fact is that family planning is an essential health service and access to contraceptives plays a crucial role in women’s physical and mental wellbeing.

Numerous research studies have shown that access to contraception improves women’s lives in innumerable ways - child spacing ensures healthier pregnancies, fewer childbirth complications for both mother and infant, less unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions, while simultaneously boosting female empowerment by allowing women the opportunity to fulfill their educational potential and become active partici-

pants in the workforce. Access contraception and family planning services has also been shown to greatly improve the quality of life of women/girls living in poverty and experiencing abuse and violence- something which remains epidemic in Guyana.

When women and girls have bodily autonomy - i.e. control of their reproductive choices and the ability to make independent decisions about if, when, and how many children to bear- their mental health also improves there is less stress, depression, suicidal ideation, etc.

For all these reasons, it is essential that women and girls of reproductive age have consistent and affordable access to sexual and reproductive health services.

This is even more important in this time of the Coronavirus pandemic when many women’s lives have gotten even more difficult than usual with many experiencing significant loss of income, more interpersonal violence, increased caregiving challenges, and additional stresses.

The last thing most

women need now is to worry about how and where to obtain contraception and family planning services. It is not enough to simply refer persons to community health centers; those who were accessing these services at GPHC would have had their reasons for choosing that location over others and it’s important that those decisions be honoured.

Sadly, the public health system of Guyana has long failed to meet all the needs of Guyanese women and girls.

One glaring failure is the lack of safe abortion services at most public health facilities nationwide; the fact that this essential reproductive health service remains unavailable in eight of the 10 regions of Guyana twenty five years after abortion was legalized, speaks volumes about the low level of respect for women’s health, lives, and wellbeing among those with the authority to effect systemic change.

The irony however, is that access to contraception and family planning services can help reduce the demand for abortions.

It is therefore imperative

that GPHC resumes provision of these key services immediately.

It is clear that the Coronavirus will be with us for the foreseeable future and our task at this point in time is to figure out how to navigate this new normal. Months into the pandemic, we now have a much better understanding of how to deal with the virus and there is no reason why the family planning clinic at GPHC cannot be reopened as long as proper sanitation and physical distancing measures are put into place.

Women and girls are both the foundation of a healthy society, as well as the most vulnerable, and it is important that Guyanese women and girls are able to obtain the information and tools they need to make the best decisions for themselves in terms of their sexual and reproductive well being.

With or without the Coronavirus, this must be a priority for those who care about creating a better Guyana.

Sincerely, Sherlina Nageer, MPH

Thursday June 04, 2020

Death by a Thousand Cuts: How Stanley Ming’s Attempt to Cast Doubt on the Electoral System Tragically Failed DEAR EDITOR, This letter summarizes a detailed response to Stanley Ming’s analysis regarding our electoral system and more subtly his attempt to cast doubt on the credibility of the 2020 election results. The detailed response is available to the public.

On May 20, 2020, about 80 days after the March 2, 2020 elections and about 1,800 days after the 2015 elections, Stanley Ming questioned the validity of the OLE, voter turnout, and valid votes cast in the 2015 elections. Before addressing his core question and claims, it is worth noting that the single question Ming raised relates to the 2015 elections and not the 2020 elections, although this is what his analysis seeks to cast doubt on in our humble view.

While public debate on this issue is always welcome and important, the timing of Ming’s concerns raised serious questions about the motive given that the nation is embroiled with the most transparent electoral fraud in its history. Ming’s analysis epitomizes the expression ‘death by a thousand cuts’ – a figure of speech that refers to a failure that occurs as a result of many small problems. Indeed, his analysis suffers from a combination of poor assumptions, selective use of data, improper comparisons, poor measurement and interpretation of data, and most of all, a lack of clarity on the issue he attempted to investigate, related factors, and their relationships with the electoral outcomes. Consequently, while his analysis may appear orderly on the surface, it failed tragically let alone to support his efforts to cast doubt on the 2020 elections and more specifically the underlying presumption of possibly widespread voting by persons not entitled to vote or by the dead. At the heart of his analysis is the argument that the 2015 OLE is bloated. Ming asked: How is it possible that for 2015, the OLE contained 570,787 persons with a voter turnout of 416,055 and 412,912 valid votes? He also noted that these numbers show that compared to 2011, the OLE

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Kaieteur News

increased by 95,291: the voter turnout increased by 73,819, and valid votes increased by 70,676. First, an increase in voter turnout of 73,819 is not unheard of in our history.

Based on Ming’s numbers, in 1997, voter turnout increased by 99,961 (almost 100,000) over 1992. The same is true for valid votes. In 1997, valid votes cast increased by more than 96,000 over 1992. Thus, the mere suggestion that the increase in voter turnout or valid votes in 2015 is an anomaly would be ignorant of historical facts. More evidently, in 2012, based on the census data, the number of people aged 15- 19 was 84,798.

People who were 19 years in 2012, a subset of this age group, would largely be eligible to be on the OLE in 2011 since they would have been of the age 18 in 2011. But all the persons who were aged 15-17, the bigger subset of the this age group, who were not on the 2011 OLE would become eligible to be on the 2015 OLE since even the youngest in that sub-group would be age 18 in 2015.

What this shows is that in 2015, there was in influx of eligible voters on the OLE due to demographic shift. This does not account for the total increase in the 2015 OLE but almost certainly most of it. Persons who were entitled to be on the in 2015 but were not on it for whatever reason would also contribute to the additional persons added.

The same dynamics apply to the 2020 OLE which is what Ming is really concerned about but avoids attacking it directly.

Again, for emphasis, if Ming had paid attention to the evidence, he would have been more informed. In 2012, the number of people aged 1014 was 83,139. None of these individuals would have been eligible to be on the 2015 OLE since even those who were age 14 in 2012 would only have been age 17 years in

2015. However, almost all these individuals are eligible to be on the 2020 OLE since even the youngest who were age 10 in 2012 would be age 18 in 2020. Thus, like 2015, there is a large cohort of new electors eligible to be on the 2020 OLE. What the evidence shows is that the increases in the OLE in 2015 and 2020 are not magical but driven largely by demographic shifts. Perhaps, the most unfortunate part of the analysis is the clear trail it left behind that exposes the likely motive for the exercise which is to undermine the 2020 elections by not attacking it directly but by attacking the credibility of the entire system focusing on the 2015 elections. More specifically, to develop a theory that would provide some basis to the baseless claims of widespread irregularities in the 2020 elections resulting in illegitimate votes. Not only do the data he provided failed to support his presumption, they also turned it on its head.

In the process, he sacrificed not just statistical standards, and basic research, but several related facts which include the rigorous process involved in getting on the OLE as well as voting on elections day. No system of election is perfect. However, Guyanese can be confident that the 2020 OLE and the elections are robust and credible.

The only threat to our elections is the fraud that Mingo perpetrated on the tabulation process in Region 4 and ongoing efforts to tarnish the credibility of the results of the elections and deny the will of the people.

Respectfully, Dhanraj Singh, Economist Joel Bhagwandin, Financial Analyst

It is not how many people are on the voters’ list but how many actually voted DEAR EDITOR, This is really going too far now. To even suggest that over 80,000 extra people voted in 2020 compared to any other recent election is total nonsense. Research discloses that the number of people who voted in 2001, 2006, 2011, 2015 and 2020 are as follows.

In the 2001 General elections 396,516 valid votes were cast.

In the 2006 general Elections 336,375 valid votes were cast. A DECREASE of 15.17% the turnout in this election was very low.

In the 2011 General elections valid votes cast was 342,126 increase of 1.7 % over 2006 In 2015 the total votes cast was 415,970, an increase of 21.58% over 2011.

In 2020 the total votes cast was 478,359,

an increase of 14.9% over 2015.

In region/district 4 Ringo added at least 13,000 votes to the APNU/AFC, and when the final result is declared it will reduce the amount of votes cast [my estimation] 11.78%.

So it is not possible to show from the recent historical numbers of votes cast in an election that there is any significant increase in voter turnout consisting of dead and migrated persons in 2020!

The votes cast in our elections vary in turnout from a low of 69.34% in 2006 – to 91.72% in 2001.

It is not how many people who are on the voter list that matters Stanley Ming, it’s how many who actually voted!

Tony Vieira

CRIME AND JUSTICE DEAR EDITOR, The world has been aghast at the recent sight of a white police officer squeezing the life out of George Floyd in Minneapolis. This was a blatant act of racism and police brutality and must be condemned.

Such inhumanity is considered justified when a section of the population of any country is relegated to the status of second class citizens. Apart from discrimination based on race, in many countries there are some who by some twisted logic tend to regard those who came later as lesser citizens regardless of the sacrifices of their forefathers and their ongoing contributions to national development.

In Guyana too where race plays a major role in politics, there is a small group of so called intellectuals who feel that there should be a hierarchical categorisation of citizenry based on when our forefathers first landed on our shores.

A crime is a crime and hopefully justice will be meted out to the police officers in-

volved.

In Guyana, a horrendous potential crime is about to be re-enacted unless the Elections Commission is committed to assert its independence and is prepared to separate the wheat from the chaff.

The APNU and its political concubines are determined to remain in power at any cost. The APNU has wasted no time in whipping up its base support into a frenzy claiming victory in the recent general elections. This is a manoeuvre to set the stage for social unrest. The APNU is an offspring of the former PNC which has a history of electoral malfeasance. A leopard cannot change its spots even if it moves from spot to spot.

The complicity of the AFC is based purely on self interest and perhaps the same applies to the WPA. I had the privilege of rendering medical care to Donald Rodney for injuries sustained when his brother Walter was killed, after which members of the WPA and its supporters shouted shame on the PNC. Now I say shame on the

WPA. The attempt by the Government of the day to create discord among the Guyana Police Force and the GDF is fraught with danger. When it comes to law and order, I trust that the security forces will put their country first and make every effort to protect the lives and property of everyone regardless of their perceived political affiliation.

We are here because our forefathers were brought here.

We were born here, we have all worked hard to make a contribution to this country and all Guyanese deserve equal justice and protection.

In a democracy the right to vote is sacred. Evil machinations of the electoral system must not be allowed to triumph and those who seek to subvert the system must not be rewarded. The International Community is watching and hopefully will intervene with appropriate sanctions if APNU and its cohorts attempt to hijack the elections.

Dr. Ganraj Kumar, Former Leader Liberator Party

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Thursday June 04, 2020

Kaieteur News

RESPONSE TO MR. SANKAT DEAR EDITOR, I refer to the letter by Mr. Navin Sankat titled, “GHK Lall should provide evidence of his claims of ‘manipulations and massive cheating’” (KN June 3).

I am trying to shake this habit of responding to such invitations as I express appreciation to Mr. Sankat for the time spared for, and interest in, things regarding elections Guyana, which is another personally troubling trait I seek (unsuccessfully I should add) to discard. The following should be helpful in assisting Mr. Sankat to clear the air, should he be so inclined.

First, Mr. Sankat must be much more of an alien than me (more hardheaded, I would hope not) to be seeking the enlightenment of ‘evidence’ at this belated and unholy hour. From the very first time I heard of it, I said this cannot be so, should not be so, and it must not be made to stand.

But there it stood in unabashed glee. It is the situation of a country of approximately 750,000 citizens boasting of the inconceivable.

Meaning, that there is an eligible voters list, or OLE as it is grandly labelled, of some 630,000 inhabitants. Please forgive the approximations. I will not ask, how this could be so, but simply tender that it boggles my limited mind to absorb the now established, but not universally accepted, reality of upwards of 80% of Guyana’s population could be listed as ‘eligible’ under any regime. That is, a robust,

comprehensive, and cleanly filtering regime. I think that this statistic speaks for itself, and should serve to persuade Mr. Sankat, that all is not so well in this regard. In fact, whatever it is that obtains, it is egregiously inaccurate and unacceptable to me and numerous others.

And unlike the many others, I no longer have any warm attachment to the proceedings, beside the civic and the clinical.

To arrive at such a number and percentage called for much craftiness towards studious preparations on the ground, the related sophistications of which I confess to lack. But there things stand nit as silhouette, but as monument worshipped by some, despised and profaned by others.

Second, and as if to furnish corroboration of my position, the well-intended, but most untimely and most menacing, house to house registration process to amend was aborted in quick order.

Though there may have been much to dispute, I am constitutionally unconditioned to comprehend why anyone, or any group, would object to what was a disinfesting and sanitizing process. Not like an ineffective cosmetic exercise on a long unbathed body, but a truly washing and ventilating exercise that went way below the skin of the numbers and all that went in those. In my admittedly narrow outlook, I would have thought that the rational and

practical thing to do was to probe for thread snakes before they grew and accumulated into full-fledged serpents. In other words, get to the bottom of the OLE snake pit. To pursue and settle for the opposite, as was energetically done, reeks of fear, of cover up, and of continuing the darkness that hung over the whole contest from the inception and which is now here to stay.

I regret that we did not have the needed examination back then, when it was absolutely relevant and necessary, instead of allowing it to be abruptly curtailed. I regret that Mr. Sankat found it necessary to be reminded, or to be enlightened, as to the existence of this beast and all the associated passions about its vital statistics. Try as I might, and as much as I may wish, none of this is going to go away. Not now, not after recount, not whatever the aftermath emerges to be.

With regard to any additional evidence that Mr. Sankat may need, such will be provided by circumstances to come, which just could remind us in the worst way possible of what we did suppress in our short-term thinking and to our peril.

I fear that what Mr. Sankat may easily dismiss would not be so lightly ignored by those to whom it is a matter of life and death. To Mr. Sankat, I extend every assurance of my best.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

EPA fails to blaze up ExxonMobil like it does local companies DEAR EDITOR, I am appalled by these EPA statements of gas being flared by Exxon in the Liza field. Quantities of 2 million to 80 million cubic feet per day are being bandied about. Further, an additional amount is now being flared because ExxonMobil has encountered a ‘small’ problem. Needless to say, these quantities are being reported by the operator Exxon and we onshore have to accept whatever they say.

I cannot believe, Editor,

that the Guyana Government does not have REAL TIME monitoring on board the Liza Destiny.

These systems are well known and widely available and it’s time that the Department of Energy get its act together and invite tenders for the service, instead of asking “how high” when Exxon says “jump”.

We Guyanese, as 50/50 partners, need to know what is happening out there and why things are not going

smoothly.

Worse yet the EPA, which likes to publicly blaze small companies in Guyana for far less environmental damage, triples up their regulatory bureaucracy and takes its own sweet time to process their various environmental permits, is suddenly unable to flare its mouth at this unconscionable burning up of excess natural gas by ExxonMobil.

Regards, Garfield Williams

Proven knowledge must be a guide in any crisis, and we are now in one...

DEAR EDITOR, I write this letter on the premise of what l have experienced, witnessed and know. I have functioned in the media for over 40 years, and l am rooted in my community, l am an artist, writer, folklorist, a founder member of Acda and the representative of afroguyanese groups on the erc, l do not write this letter from the premise of the latter. This is from ‘me’.

This letter will be sent to all print media l do expect that it will be treated as previous letters and not be published.

I particularly address its contents to my fellow citizens of Gecom. This elections of 2020 has become contaminated with contentions, of late some very convincing, there have been an attempt to even pro-

mote an ethnic terror wave, this failed because off on the ground activists who have prevailed successfully to prevent the attacked from retaliating, the attacks are now viral on social media.

We watch the wasp supremacy actions of the republican administration in the US of the continuous deaths of Afro-Americans and the reluctance to alleviate it, even as we greatly admire the collective support for change across the racial divide in that country.

In this country there is an unchanged cultural and ethnic polarisation, keep that way for political reasons, not by all political parties, but one predominantly. What there is undoubtedly is an unabated negative stereotypical sub-

liminal and vocal narrative directed at the Afro-Guyanese community that has become almost innate. Going forward with the 2020 elections how will any of what is before us, in the public consciousness be reconciled, in good faith by all.

The opposition has its media houses who are relentlessly promoting its mandate; the alternative fact finding for the government supporters is singularly the chronicle.

This is a social hand-grenade, how it is managed based on the facts l have related will determine the nature of the future. I implore you; manage the pin sensibly and with courage.

Barrington Braithwaite, Artist /writer, social activist

An efficient government is needed DEAR EDITOR, Our Hon. President, Mr. David Granger kept his word and elections were held. Now the results are being questioned. I, personally do not mind how many international observers were here to observe the voting process but in the end it is The People of Guyana, who shall have the final decision which Party should rule Guyana for the next five years.

It has been almost three months and Guyana still has no government.

Accordingly, all the boxes in every region have to be recounted.

It is my very humble opinion that there are very good and intelligent persons in all the political parties. They should sit down at a table and form a government . In this The People of Guyana shall have an efficient government. If this does not occur Guyana will be the poorest country in the world when, in fact, it is has the very real

possibility to be one of the wealthiest.

When businesses are laying off workers on a daily basis I would ask where are these workers going to acquire funds to feed their children and in some case their parents, pay their rent, light, water and electricity bill, mortgages, etc?

Eventually the entire economy will collapse and we will suffer drastically from hyper inflation as has already seriously infected the Suriname economy and has ravaged the Venezuela economy like the economic sickness that hyper inflation is. It devalues the currency rapidly and renders persons’ life savings, house value and wealth meaningless in a short period of time.

What I mention above will most assuredly happen if the government and opposition cannot demonstrate democracy at work.

After all we would simply be following the destructive

path of our two immediate neighbouring countries.

Let me turn my attention to the Coronavirus.

It is my opinion that this was a man made created virus so that certain countries and conglomerates could take advantage of small and medium economies of other countries of the world and take their natural resources and buy up their companies stocks at rock bottom prices The people of these countries then own even less of their country and are further victimized by another form of stealth neo-colonialism.

I would like to be proven wrong but it is my considered opinion that by the end of the pandemic the concentration of the world’s wealth will be in even fewer hands than before and the top 0.5% of the wealthiest will have increased their wealth by at least 15 20%. Put another way this will be over two trillion dollars.

Thank you, Anthony Kissoon

There is no compelling need to concede defeat at this point DEAR EDITOR, There is a scene in Julius Caesar, a play by William Shakespeare, in which Brutus (one of the assassins of Julius Caesar) is led to believe, by indeterminate shouting, that his ally, Cassius, had suffered a major defeat and, rather than seeking to ascertain the true facts of the situation and continue preparations for battle, he chose to commit suicide.

Had he been patient and wise enough to ascertain the correctness of the situation, it was very likely that the combined forces of Cassius and Brutus would have defeated the armies of Mark Anthony and Augustus.

Ever since the No Confidence Vote (NCV) of December 2018, and immediately after the March 2, 2020 Elections, the PPP/C and its surrogates, Ms. Gail Teixeira being the most recent example, have employed a mixture of bravado, insults and threats to goad and demand that the Granger-led Coalition concede defeat and engage in self-destruction.

This unsophisticated and desperate strategy has not worked, and will never work, as President Granger has consistently and patiently sought to acquaint himself with the correctness and requirements of the overall situ-

ation. The PPP/C, in my view, never concedes defeat preferring to claim that it was cheated and to engage in treachery, deceit, fraud and public disorder to achieve its objectives.

There is no obvious and compelling need for anyone to concede defeat at this stage.

The National Recount of ballots will soon be complete and a victor will be declared.

GECOM must be allowed to complete its work without hindrance and threat from anyone and the State must ensure public order.

Yours truly, Oscar Dolphin

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 04, 2020

PAGE 07

GECOM should note Mingo's inflated - ANUG votes during recount tabulation Chair C

hair of A New and United Guyana, Timothy Jonas told reporters yesterday that the party will be advocating for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to note every time that the actual results from a ballot box vary from the numbers produced by Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo.

So far, most of the other regions have been recounted, and sometime today, Region Four will be the only Region left to be completely recounted.

“When those boxes are called and counted, we will be following that count. And when the count is complete, we will be saying to the supervisor in charge that, if your count shows, as we are sure it will show 76 votes for APNU, and we see according to Mr. Mingo's spreadsheet, 106 votes given

by Mr. Mingo instead of 76,

ANUG Chair, Timothy Jonas that information is on GECOM's record.”

Jonas said that the party will be utilizing the 100+ statements of poll it has gathered for Region Four to compare. But he explained that the spreadsheet produced by Mr. Mingo is in

GECOM's possession, and that it should have no trouble accessing that record to do comparisons during the tabulation.

“ANUG is keeping a close eye because it's now getting hot. We are being placed at a homestretch where it's at a stage where it's the contentious ballots left to count,” Jonas said.

The ANUG Chair added that the party will ask the supervisor in instances where there are variations, to note them on the observation sheet.

One issue he noted that could arise is that a supervisor may refuse to note an objection.

The attorney said that there has already been a pattern of 'tyranny' during the recount process, where a supervisor refuses to note an objection made by the party, while giving much more latitude to Coalition agents to delay the process.

“There has been a myriad

of little acts of tyranny going on in there. They are designed to frustrate,” Jonas said.

“There has been a consistent pattern to allow by the APNU agent, not just an objection but to give him information.”

“

while they would give such latitude to Coalition agents, the same latitude is not afforded to parties like ANUG. For instance, he said that when the supervisor is checking the list to see whether the name is ticked off, ANUG would ask to see

ANUG is keeping a close eye because it's now getting hot. We are being placed at a homestretch where it's at a stage where it's the contentious ballots left to count.. - Timothy Jonas

In many cases, parties' representatives have said that Coalition agents may call scores of serial numbers, asking the supervisor whether those numbers were ticked off to indicate that those persons voted, and then object to the ticked numbers. APNU+AFC representative Aubrey Norton has confirmed this.

Jonas said that there are GECOM supervisors who,

”

the list and the request would be refused.

“There are some who will bend over backwards,” Jonas said, “to slow the process down, to accommodate unreasonable requests and when objection is taken, to decline to entertain the objection.”

He said that the party has complained verbally about the issue and that the matter has been discussed at

meetings.

He said that he will inform the press if the supervisor refuses to note objections during the Region Four tabulation.

Jonas has said before that, from his observation of the operations of some staffers of GECOM, that the Secretariat is compromised.

He said yesterday, “if I was anxious not to have Mr. Mingo exposed, now is the time that I would try to do something to try to interrupt the process.”

Kaieteur News has so far verifiably reported on how, for just 35 of the already recounted Region Four ballot boxes, Mingo subtracted 391 votes from the PPP/C, and added 1,514 votes to APNU+AFC. The Returning Officer is still employed by GECOM, and according to GECOM's Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward, is acting as a registration officer in Region Five.

Six more come forward to refute immigration info Top...

From page 3 work,” Bisnauth said. The young woman noted that while she left Guyana on January 10 for the US, she returned in Guyana on January 14, a mere four days later. She provided photos of her passport with the entry stamps from immigration to prove that she returned.

Nizea Bacchus was listed as #272. She, when contacted

by Kaieteur News was shocked that her name was listed as having migrated. The woman told this paper: “My sister message me at 7:45 and tell me my name is on the list of persons out of the country.

So I go and check and see my name on there as 272.”

According to her, she last left Guyana on October 26, 2019 for Suriname and returned seven days later.

Images of her passport sent to Kaieteur News aligns with this story.

Bacchus expressed her disappointment that her name was included in such a claim.

The young woman said “I didn't feel too nice about it because I know I was right in my country and I didn't go nowhere knowing that elections coming up.”

On the list, Neil Kumari Behari was listed as #212. In an interview with this paper, Mrs. Behari refuted the claim

and stated that she was in Guyana, and that she voted on March 2 at the Leonora Primary School. The woman explained that she has never left the country before despite having a passport.

That passport, she said, expired and she never got a new one citing that she had nowhere to travel.

Ibraheem Ali, #202 on the list told Kaieteur News that he voted at the Leonora Technical Institute on March 2, the same polling place as People's Progressive Party Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali. The young man explained that he travelled to Suriname in 2017 and returned home. Images of his passport provided to Kaieteur News shows that he left Guyana on July 8, 2017 and returned on July 28, that same year.

Ali said that passport expired and he never travelled with the new one.

The fifth person, Thelma Dorothy Surajpal was listed as #249. The woman explained to Kaieteur News that she and her husband ventured in the wee hours of March 2, to cast their ballots at the Covent Garden Primary School. The woman was at a loss as to why her name was listed. “I don't know why, how that be,” she told this

paper.

Coalition makes false claim about Retired Superintendent of Police who served on Granger Assassination Plot COI When ballot #4516 was being recounted yesterday, the APNU+AFC agent Shonelle Smith-Daniels claimed that serial number 183 of Retired Assistant Superintendent of Police, Salena Marshall was out of the jurisdiction on Elections Day and could not have voted.

But this was not so, as the woman was present in Guyana on March 2 and voted at the March 2 polls. Marshall served on the Commission of Inquiry, commissioned by incumbent President David Granger to investigate allegations of a plot to assassinate him.

The APNU+AFC in a press release late last evening sought to refute an allegation that one Alder Bynoe was listed as being in Guyana on March 2.

The party made reference to the list published in this paper, containing 172 names of persons who the Immigration Department claimed was out of the jurisdiction on Elections Day. That list contained Bynoe's name but at no point

was his name singled out to indicate that he was in the country on March 2.

In a letter penned to the GECOM Chair, Justice Claudette Singh, Bynoe said “GECOM registered me as an elector and my name appeared on GECOM's

Official List of Electors for the 2020 General and Regional Elections. Further, I can confirm that I am usually a resident in Guyana, although I was out of the jurisdiction on elections day.”

The Coalition retracted

the initial press release and replaced it with a new one.

Missing from the new release was the paragraph that referenced Alder Bynoe.

Kaieteur News sought to inquire when the same was removed by up to press time, no response was received.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Thursday June 04, 2020

GTU meets with MOE, UG, US, other stakeholders seek int'l accreditation registers objections for dates for NGSA, CSEC and CAPE for oil and gas courses

W

G

uyana's moves to build its oil and gas capacity is advancing with talks underway for the accreditation of engineering courses. With Guyana starting production in December, there has been growing debate on the country's preparedness.

Ye s t e r d a y, t h e U S Embassy in Georgetown announced that it helped to host a webinar on the topic of international accreditation for the Faculty of Engineering and Technology (FET) at the University of Guyana (UG).

In the virtual seminar, present were Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch; UG Chancellor Prof. Edward Greene; Chair of UG Transitional Management Committee Prof. Paloma Mohammed-Martin; President of Exxon Mobil Guyana Rod Henson; Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Vincent Adams; President of the Guyana Association of Professional Engineers, Stuart Hughes, and students and faculty from UG. Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology (ABET) is an internationally recognized accreditor of college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology, the US embassy explained.

“Accreditation is a peerreview process that certifies

the quality of the postsecondary education and provides assurance that programs meet top-tier global quality standards for engineering. Educational institutions or programs with ABET certification also undergo periodic reviews to ensure that established criteria are being met.”

U.S. Fulbright Scholar, Prof. Norman Monroe, has been working with members of the FET on the accreditation process, which normally takes about 19 months.

“Achieving ABET

accreditation for UG's engineering programs will increase opportunities for international employment, advancement and prosperity for graduates and allow Guyana to unlock the opportunities provided by the oil industry. There is only one institution with an ABET accredited program in the Caribbean and I look forward to UG becoming the second.” said Ambassador Lynch.

The oil and gas industry in Guyana has been largely dependent on overseas expertise so far.

ith the dates for the sitting o f t h e National Grade Six Examinations officially announced by the Ministry of Education (MoE) the Guyana Teacher's Union is once again voicing its disapproval of the timeline.

In a post via social media, GTU President Mark Lyte noted that the union objected to the proposed dates for both NGSA , CSEC and CAPE. Lyte stated that the union met with MoE on Thursday, May 29, 2020 where a plan was shared as it relates to the proposals for these examinations.

“A General Council meeting is planned for Friday, June 5, 2020. We will make a decision and issue a press release on Friday. We will also be monitoring the preparedness of schools based on MoE's COVID19 proposal.

“We urge all public school educators to stay safe and follow the advice which will follow General Council this Friday.”

Having received the official time table from the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) for the sitting of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate

(CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), the Ministry of Education (MoE) has announced on Tuesday that the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) will be held on the 1st and 2nd July, 2020.

The announcement by the Ministry came as the dates of CSEC and CAPE have been given as 13th July, 2020 – 4th August, 2020 and 13th July – 31st July, 2020 respectively.

The Ministry said that the examinations will be written using the paper-based modality.

With the closure of schools due to COVID-19, NGSA originally set for April 8 and 9 was postponed.

Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry, said that in light of the curfew and other measures put in place by President David Granger and the National COVID-19 Task Force, schools will not re-open before June 3.

Minister Henry noted that her office recognises the importance of the exam and is working to ensure that no child is disenfranchised.

“The Ministry would have to get the blessings of the National Task Force and the Ministry of Public Health when the plan is finalised,”

GTU President Mark Lyte she stated.

In the interim, the Education Ministry said it will be providing continued academic learning online via social media platforms along with more traditional media, such as television and radio.

Persons can visit the Ministry's website (https://www.education.gov. gy/web/) to access NGSA Practice Test Papers in the four core areas.

The Guyana Learning Channel (Channel 42/Cable 29) is also providing several programmes for Primary School students from 09:00hrs – 12:00hrs

Guyana, other borrowing nations must be transparent with COVID-19 aid - World Bank Group President

T

h e f i s c a l resources of international lending agencies such as the World Bank have been scaled up to help countries cope with the economic and social effects of the COVID19 pandemic.

Through its Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF), the bank has allocated US$195 million to more than 60 countries. Just recently, Finance Minister, Winston Jordan revealed to the media that Guyana is in receipt of a US$1M grant under the PEF. The financial institution has also pledged to deploy US$160B in financial support over the next 15 months in more than 100 countries. This includes US$50 billion in grants and highly concessional loans.

Even as it is eager to provide this much needed financial assistance, the World Bank has sent a strong message to all governments collecting its aid, to ensure transparency is at the heart of all spending. Making this point a few days ago was President of the World Bank Group, David Malpass. The official stated that transparency should cover all financial commitments and debt-like instruments while noting that and efforts should be made to reduce the use of non-disclosure agreements and instances where the lender knows more than the people in the borrowing country.

Malpass said that these steps toward financing, liquidity and transparency are important and will help a

Finance Minister, Winston Jordan lot. He noted however that it would not be enough.

Making reference to one of the Bank's most recent

reports on Global Economic Prospects for 2020, Malpass said it was found that a deep global recession is pending while adding that it would be accompanied by a collapse in global trade, tourism and commodity prices and extraordinary market volatility. Further to this, the World Bank Group President said that the pandemic will have severe and long-lasting socioeconomic impacts that may weaken long-term economic growth prospects, lower investment because of elevated uncertainty, and lead to the erosion of human capital.

With this in mind, Malpass said that policymakers can make a robust recovery more likely by maintaining private sector systems and infrastructure

President of the World Bank Group, David Malpass and allowing markets to allocate resources toward productive activities.

Expounding further, he said that balance sheet stress imposed by the recession may reveal sovereign and corporate weaknesses. The official suggested that policymakers can resolve balance sheet related problems by ensuring transparency of financial commitments.

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 04, 2020

PAGE 09

Thousands of Complaints Do Little to Change Police Ways

I

n nearly two decades with the Minneapolis Police Department, Derek Chauvin faced at least 17 misconduct complaints, none of which derailed his career.

Over the years, civilian review boards came and went, and a federal review recommended that the troubled department improve its system for flagging problematic officers.

All the while, Chauvin tussled with a man before firing two shots, critically wounding him. He was ad mo n is h ed f o r u s in g derogatory language and a demeaning tone with the public. He was named in a brutality lawsuit. But he received no discipline other than two letters of reprimand.

It was not until Chauvin, 44, was seen in a video with his left knee pinned to the

neck of a black man, prone for nearly nine minutes and pleading for relief, that the officer, who is white, was suspended, fired and then, on Friday, charged with murder.

His case is not unusual.

Critics say the department, despite its long history of accusations of abuse, never fully put in place federal recommendations to overhaul the way in which it tracks complaints and punishes officers — with just a handful over the years facing termination or severe punishment.

Even as outrage has mounted over deaths at the hands of the police, it remains notoriously difficult in the United States to hold officers accountable, in part because of the political clout o f p o lice u n io n s , th e reluctance of investigators, prosecutors and juries to second-guess an officer's split-second decision and the

Derek Chauvin wide latitude the law gives police officers to use force.

Police departments themselves have often resisted civilian review or dragged their feet when it comes to overhauling officer disciplinary practices. And even change-oriented police chiefs in cities like Baltimore and Philadelphia — which over the last few years have been the sites of

No new COVID-19 cases; almost 1,700 tests conducted

T

he Ministry of Public health yesterday reported that there are no new cases of the novel Coronavirus recorded.

An additional 27 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases remains at 153- this is inclusive of 12 deaths and 70 persons who have recovered.

To date, 1, 699 tests have been conducted with 1,546 of those yielding negative results.

Currently, 71 active cases are in isolation at various facilities across Guyana; two patients remain in the COVID-19 ICU at the

GPHC and 25 in institutional quarantine.

“Citizens are asked to always practice social distancing in the workplace, public spaces, and while using public transportation to reduce the spread of the coronavirus disease. They are also reminded to practise frequent hand washing/sanitising and always wear a face mask if they have to go out.”

Meanwhile, the WHO has reported that as of June 3, 2020, globally the number of confirmed cases has increased to 6,287,771 with 379,941 deaths. In the Regions of the Americas, positive cases number 2,949,455 with death climbing to 165.311. (DPI)

Dem boys seh...

People start coming in backtrack to Guyana De po-lice gat dem boys 'fuffuckle'.

Dem boys nah know whether dem dead or alive.

Dem nah know whether dem in Guyana or outside. Dem boys can't ask Claw-dette because she nah know who she is much less wheh she deh.

Dem boys hoping dem name nah appear on one of dem list wha de Harmon-ica Man prepare.

Dem boys seh if dem name appear, dem po-lice dem gun seh dat dem boys come in de country backtrack.

Dem boys could not help

but remember de time when Guyanese use to go backtrack from Guyana.

Today, people coming in backtrack to vote, de po-lice seh.

Dem boys remember Peter de Man with de Tool who own de School of de World. De man get attack at he home and he tell de police who is de man who shoot he.

De police seh: “Dah nah possible because de man bin out de country at de time.”

Dem boys now wondering. De po-lice arrest a man and dem ask he fuh he name.

De man answer: “Me nah know!”

De arresting officer tun to he and ask: “How come yuh give we yuh name?”

De man replied: “Don't blame me. Blame de police.”

De arresting office seh: “Wah de po-lice gat fuh do with you name?

De man reply: “Last week, de police tell me fuh give dem meh name….. so ah give dem… Me ain't get it back yet!”

Talk half and pray dat Claw-dett nah find she name pun wan ah dem list wah de harmonica man send to she.

high-profile deaths of black men by white officers — have struggled to punish or remove bad actors.

The challenge has played out against and reinforced racial divisions in America, with largely white police forces accused of bias and brutality in black, Latino and other minority communities.

Floyd's death came just weeks after Ahmaud Arbery, a black man in southeast Georgia, was pursued by three white men and killed, and after Breonna Taylor, a black woman, was fatally shot by police in Kentucky.

Their deaths have unleashed a wave of tremendous protests across the country, extending far beyond Minneapolis on Friday, with protesters destroying police vehicles in Atlanta and New York, and blocking major streets in San Jose, California, and Detroit — all cities that have wrestled with accusations of police misconduct.

In Minneapolis, authorities took quick action against Chauvin and three other officers involved in

Floyd's death, firing them one day after a graphic video emerged of the encounter.

But that does not mean the officers are gone for good.

Public employees can appeal their dismissals — and in scores of cases across the country, the officers often win.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press analyzed five years' worth of such appeals and found that between 2014 and 2019, Minnesota arbitrators — a group that hears a range of public service complaints — ruled in favor of terminated law enforcement and correction officers 46% of the time, reinstating them.

In three terminations involving law enforcement officers that were reviewed t h i s y e a r, t w o w e r e overturned.

Dave Bicking, a board member of Communities United Against Police Brutality, a Twin Cities advocacy group, said many disciplinary actions are overturned because they are compared to previous cases, making it hard for departments to reverse a

history of leniency or respond to changing community expectations.

“Because the department has never disciplined anybody, for anything, when they try to do it now, it's considered arbitrary and capricious,” he said.

Bicking described a history of attempts to clean up the Minneapolis police force, which is overwhelmingly white and for decades has faced accusations of excessive force, especially by African American residents.

In Minneapolis, a city heralded for its progressive politics, pretty parks and robust employment, the racial divide runs deep. From education to wages, African Americans are at a disadvantage, graduating at much lower rates and earning about one-third less than white residents.

And while black residents account for about 20% of the city's population, police department data shows they are more likely to be pulled over, arrested and (continued on page 15)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Thursday June 04, 2020

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Nagamootoo's figures came from the ghost ship T

here is only one personality in the movie “Ghost Ship” that overshadows the presence of Moses Nagamootoo with some papers in his hand. That personality is the amazing Italian beauty, Francesca Rettondini singing the evergreen Italian ballad, “Senza Fine.”

The hundreds of people dancing to “Senza Fine” on the cruise liner while Nagamootoo goes through his papers are dead people, what we call in Guyana, “jumbies.” It was these

ghosts on the ship that handed Nagamootoo the 2020 election results that he wrote in the Chronicle of March 8; “…in the 2020 elections 473,352 persons voted, as against 412,012 in 2015.

From those numbers, the APNU+AFC polled 237,004 votes and the PPP/C 229,344, which gives the former a narrow lead of 7,660 votes. Again, it was a narrow margin as in 2015.

And when computed, the unofficial projection is that the Coalition would again have a one-seat majority in the National Assembly”

As we near the end of the recount, with 20 percent of boxes left to tally, at the time of writing the PPP is leading by just over 18, 000 votes.

The recount so far gives the APNU+AFC 162, 557.

I f y o u t a k e Nagamootoo's numbers, it means that the APNU+AFC will receive about 75, 000 votes more. But when you look at where the boxes are left to be counted, 75, 000 is an impossible achievement.

In Region 6, a PPP stronghold, there are 30 boxes to be opened. Surely that lead of 18, 000 is going to increase with a voting population of 64, 000. There are 25 boxes to check for Region 10 of which the APNU+AFC will collect a majority but that district has a voting number of 22, 000.

In Region 4, there are (at time of writing yesterday) 364 boxes many of which are in PPP areas.

So it leaves the question to be asked – with votes coming in for the PPP in Region 6 and Region 4, could the APNU+AFC acquire 75, 000 votes? Nagamooto has to answer that.

An intriguing part of the results of the recount numbers so far is the vote catch for the small parties.

Let us look at Nagamootoo's numbers in the Chronicle and in that compartment, you will see that the AFC did not bring anything to the PNC's table. Cathy Hughes's words at the AFC's November 2019 press conference are haunting the PNC. Mrs. Hughes said the PNC never won an election on its own. The PNC went with a dead coalition partner and thus was on its own and thus lost the 2020 battle.

Here are the votes the small parties got according to Nagamooto. ANUG2,288; Change Guyana2,024; Liberty and Justice Party 2,263; People's Republican Party -858; The Citizen Initiative-679; The New Movement-230; United Republican Party394. The total is 8,754. The preachers of the fake ballots from the cemeteries and migrants need to ask Nagamootoo how those small parties were able to collect almost 9,000 votes.

Now that Mingo's rotten

mangoes were discovered in the recount, Nagamootoo's ghost friends did a number on him. With a lead of 18, 000 so far by the PPP plus 7000 for the small parties from the recount so far, it is analytically simple to explain why the APNU+AFC lost.

Three factors are at work that explains the 2020 election result. First, those third party votes were the ballots that persons withdrew from the AFC in 2020 that they gave the AFC in 2011 and 2015.

Secondly, the current lead by the PPP includes the votes that went to the AFC in 2011 and 2015. I repeat for the umpteenth time – the PNC could not have pulled it off because the PNC entered the election as essentially the PNC. Its coalition partner, AFC, had gone deep into the ground in the Le Repentir Cemetery.

Thirdly, mixed race citizens, Amerindians and undecided voters showed bitter annoyance at the APNU+AFC and decided to punish them. If you look at the APNU+AFC campaign

Frederick Kissoon six weeks before polling day, there was immense emphasis on Amerindian areas.

Even the First Lady was drafted into the campaign because she appears to be partly Amerindian. That failed for the PNC because even though she is a fine, decent woman, the First Lady had no political experience whatsoever so her presence in Amerindian village were more formalistic than politically oriented. It did not translate into magic.

Finally, for the PNC to have won, the turnout had to be in the late seventies and early eighties. Nagamootoo in his Chronicle thing put it at 71 percent. That is extremely disappointing for a party that wrested power from the PPP and was the incumbent that was promising so much.

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

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 04, 2020

PAGE 11

SBM Offshore donates gloves and Essequibo cattle farmers masks to Civil Defence Commission seek help to capture jaguar

F

Country Manager of SBM Offshore, Herve Laurioux hands over supplies to Director General of the CDC, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, at the company's Prashad Nagar, Georgetown office, on May 29, 2020

S

B M O ff s h o r e o n Friday donated a quantity of gloves and masks to the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) as part of efforts to aid in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A release stated that Country Manager of SBM Offshore, Herve Laurioux handed over the items to Director General of the CDC, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, at the company's Prashad Nagar, Georgetown office.

“The safety and health of

everyone during this pandemic is a top priority. SBM Offshore is happy to provide personal protective equipment to the CDC to help with its important COVID-19 response in affected communities,” Mr. Laurioux said. Lieutenant Colonel Craig said the CDC welcomed the donation from SBM Offshore and stated that the supplies will be distributed to frontline workers.

“We appreciate this gesture and definitely will ensure that these supplies get to those persons who need it the most so

that they can effectively carry out their duties,” the CDC Director General said. The supplies included 15,000 masks and 15,000 gloves.

As the global impact of the COVID-19 virus intensifies, SBM Offshore's priority remains the health and safety of staff, contractors, their families, and the communities around the world in which the company operates. SBM Offshore has also been working to ensure the safety of its operations across all activities.

armers on the Essequibo Coast are seeking assistance from wildlife officials in capturing a jaguar that they believe is killing their cattle.

Based on information reaching Kaieteur News, farmers within the Somerset and Berks area on the Essequibo Coast, have been losing cattle to jaguars for quite a number of months.

Reports are that cattle farmers have lost ten cattle within four months.

Essequibo cattle farmers say This publication that a jaguar is on the prowl, understands that farmers stalking and killing their animals usually rear their cattle in a pasture, which is located in Dredge endangered jaguars were indeed Creek; an area that is in close proximity behind the disappearance of cattle.

Since it is illegal to hunt or kill to the Lower Pomeroon. It is suspected Jaguars in Guyana, trapping the cat that the Jaguars roam the dense jungle, seems like the only solution for the which is located behind the pasture.

One farmer said that just last month farmers.

They believe that the Guyana he lost a calf to the Jaguars.

W i ldlife Conservation and “I went down a Tuesday to the Management Commission can assist pasture and I find a calf dead. The jaguar bite it up and like he de eating it, them.

“We can't get rid of this thing alone. but only half way he eat and then he That's why we need the wildlife people gone. But that unusual, cause all the to come help we trap it so they can carry rest a time you don't really see back it somewhere else because is na easy anything much.”

Reports are that farmers have seen losing all em cow. We really need them jaguar paw prints in the pasture, which help and we happy if them can look into bolstered the farmers' belief that the this situation.” Said a cattle farmer.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Thursday June 04, 2020

'Rookie' Assistant Presiding Office error resulted in 83 rejected votes from Sophia Polling Station

By Shikema Dey

T

he human error of a young Assistant Presiding Officer (APO) resulted in a total of 83 ballots being deemed void from the Sophia Nursery School polling place, lower level polling station L-Z 41333Ciii.

At the recount yesterday, ballot box #4549 was opened and recounted and the alarming numbers of rejected ballots were discovered.

Incidentally, this was the same box that APNU+AFC Coalition objected to on May 22, two weeks ago, despite the box not yet opened to be counted.

On the Observation Report seen by Kaieteur News, it stated that 83 General ballots were rejected; 82 for want of the official Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) sixdigit stamp and the remaining ballot because it was marked for more than one party's list of candidates.

According to the Report, of those 82 rejected ballots,

Note left by Presiding Officer offering an explanation for the high number of rejected ballots 69 were clearly marked for the APNU+AFC Coalition while 12 were clearly marked for the Opposition People's Progressive Party (PPP) and one was unmarked.

Additionally, three Regional ballots were rejected; two for want of official mark and one marked

for more than one party list of candidates. A check of the Statement of Poll (SOP) for that ballot box shows identical numbers of rejected ballots.

The Presiding Officer of the polling station cited that an inexperienced APO (continued on page 14)

Observation report for ballot box #4549

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 04, 2020

PAGE 13

Covid-19 pandemic has blood bank reserves at critical level - NBTS Director pleads for donors Screen shot of Advisory published on State Owned NCN

The National Blood Transfusion Services

S

i n c e t h e Implementation of the Covid-19 Emergency Measures on March 16, 2020, blood supplies have been dwindling at the National Blood Transfusion Services (NBTS).

But as of recent the massive reduction of available blood units has forced the NBTS to operate at a “hand to mouth” level.

This is according to the NBTS Director, Dr. Pedro Lewis who explained that as fast as blood units are collected from donors they are taken out of the stores

leaving the blood bank with little or no reserves for emergency cases.

He noted that this puts the lives of many patients at risk, especially pregnant mothers and accident victims. As a result of this concern the NBTS has been led to publish a nationwide advisory on state-owned television, National Communications Network (NCN) for an “urgent need of blood.” Dr. Lewis explained that the reason for the Blood Bank's current state is primarily because of the Covid-19 Pandemic The NBTS director said

Director of NBTS, Dr. Pedro Lewis

that major blood drives that are normally held countrywide were cancelled in adherence to the implemented CVID-19 restrictions.

This has been a big blow, said Lewis, “because we are not able to collect large units of blood as per norm.”

He gave examples of previously held blood drives at where the NBTS collected 400 or more units of blood within a two-day period.

“Normally the 'Swami School's' (SVN) blood drive would be held two times annually, in May and

Schools to re-open for Grade 6, - NGSA will remain CSEC CAPE exams paper-based

W

hile adhering to strict physical distancing and other guidelines, schools will be reopened to facilitate students preparing to write the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) examinations.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Education released the Gazetted orders of the necessary health protocols to ensure the safety of all students and teachers.

Face to face contact between teachers and students is permitted at respective schools but classes shall not be held every day.

Schools will be opened to teachers and auxiliary staff on June 8. Grade Six students across Guyana are expected to return to school on June 15.

Among the health interventions being put in place are temperature checks at the schools' gates along with the restriction of unauthorised vending and parent visits inside the school compounds.

All schools will have appropriate sanitation stations. Specially designated sick bays will be organised to accommodate any student who may exhibit any symptoms of the Novel C o r o n a v i r u s .

Sweeper/cleaners will be trained in infection prevention and control practices Additionally, according

to the measures, physical distancing stickers and other signage will be employed.

Only 15 students will be allowed in each classroom and classes will not be held every day.

Masks will be provided by the Ministry of Education and all students and staff are required to wear masks every time they are in the school compound.

Grade Six students will sit the NGSA on July 1 and 2 and the Ministry has decided to have all local candidates eligible for these exams use the traditional paper-based modality.

Test papers will be placed on desks before student arrive to reduce physical contact.

Transportation will also be provided for all vulnerable students and

those who live outside of their school's catchment area. Students who previously benefited from the hot meals programme will be provided with meals.

The gazetting and publication of the official Examination Order follows the release of the official timetables for the NGSA (12 July), CSEC (13 July - 4 August) and CAPE (13-31 July) by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).

Approximately 15,000 students are expected to sit the NGSA while 20,000 students are expected to sit the CSEC examinations and while over 30,000 are registered to sit CAPE. The timetables can be a c c e s s e d h e r e . [https://www.cxc.org/downl oad-timetables/]

November,” said Lewis.

In addition, Lewis said that other cancelled blood drives would have also contributed significantly. He noted that in the past the blood bank would have recorded close to 60 units of blood per day from these drives. Another factor that has aided in leaving the NBTS supplies at crisis level is donors' fear of visiting the Blood Bank's facility located within the compound of the Georgetown Public Hospital's Corporation (GPHC).

“Persons fear that if they come to donate bloods at the NBTS facility they will catch Coronavirus, so very few persons come to donate blood,” continued Lewis”.

Adapting to the situation, the NBTS has decided to set up mobile “blood drives” with the use of buses stationed at various locations

across Guyana.

Lewis said that these mobile units will be strategically placed at market squares such as the Stabroek Market, Lenora Market, Parika Market, etc.

“As is required by Ministry of Public Health social distancing will be observed and persons will be screened for Covid-19, sanitized and given a footbath before they enter the Mobile units.”

Appointments can also be made with the NBTS to have the “Mobile units visit your homes, or persons can visit the various regional hospitals across Guyana.

“Please Donate Blood, Guyana. We need it”.

Anyone wishing to make an appointment you can contact the national Blood Transfusion Services on 226-7182/227-0418

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Thursday June 04, 2020

Taxi driver who killed Labourer businesswoman likely charged to be charged this week for killing - victim suffered head injuries, broken ribs brother during Dead: land dispute 61-year-old

T

A

Charged: Khemlall Bisnauth

4 4 - y e a r- o l d l a b o u r e r o f Shieldstown Village, West Bank Berbice was yesterday charged with the murder of his brother.

Khemlall Bishnauth called "Bison" was arrested on May 30 and was charged with the capital offence.

He appeared at the Fort Wellington Magistrate Court before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh. Bishnauth was remanded to prison until July 1, 2020.

A post mortem examination revealed that the victim died from a stab wound to the chest.

It is alleged that the brothers were imbibing at separate locations in the village when Khemlall went to his brother and the two began to argue, allegedly over a plot of land that belongs to their father.

Khemlall then allegedly stabbed his brother in his chest and arm.

The victim succumbed minutes later.

he taxi driver who allegedly beat Sattie Beekharry to death with a padlock is likely to be charged this week, as a postmortem yesterday revealed the brutality of the attack. Police said that the postmortem, conducted by Government Pathologist Nehaul Singh, revealed that Beekharry, 61, sustained blunt force trauma, which left her with fractured ribs and haemorrhaging of the brain.

Investigators are likely to receive advice today on charges against the 35-yearold Prashad Nagar taxi driver, who has reportedly confessed to killing Mrs. Beekharry. The popular businesswoman was slain at around 15:00 hrs last Monday in her Lot 152 Begonia Avenue, Atlantic Gardens, East Coast Demerara home.

He reportedly told investigators that he went to

Sattie Singh

the businesswoman's home to collect money that was owed him.

An argument ensued and he allegedly picked up a padlock and struck Mrs. Beekharry repeatedly.

Neighbours had recalled seeing the taxi driver arrive at Mrs Beekharry's home in a silver Toyota Raum.

Shortly after, they heard

raised voices and screams of “Murder! Murder.”

They then summoned the police, who found the heavily grilled residence locked when they arrived.

After forcing their way into the building, police found Mrs. Beekharry lying face down in a pool of blood.

The suspect was caught hiding in the ceiling.

'Rookie' Assistant Presiding Office...

From page 12 resulted in the high number of rejected ballots.

“Please be advised, I observed the APO was folding the ballot paper incorrectly, I immediately corrected her and showed her how to fold and stamp the ballots for the regular voters. Consequent to a very busy morning, and working with new persons who never

worked with the GECOM election, I had to pay attention to all new persons employed in my team,” the PO detailed.

The Coalition had raised allegations of a large number of rejected ballots being discovered in their strongholds. In fact, the party had raised objections to this ballot box but the accusation was made

prematurely, weeks before the box was opened to be recounted.

“Breaking news: Sophia Nursery School, at the lower level polling station L-Z 41333Ciii, our agent found 61 unstamped ballots ( I N VA L I D ) . P r e s i d i n g Officer failed to stamp” read a post on the official APNU+AFC Facebook page on May 22.

The issue of unstamped ballots is still being addressed at the level of the GECOM Commission with no decision being taken on the way forward despite the numbers deemed “concerning” by the elections body. So far, for the general recount, a total of 1,536 rejected ballots across the five tabulated regions were discovered. Of that figure, 380 came from District One; 251 from District Two; 485 for District Three; 256 for District Five and 164 from District Seven.

This figure excludes the 83 found in ballot box #4549.

Kaieteur News

Thursday June 04, 2020

PAGE 15

Guyana makes case to Germany for COVID-19 financial support - raises concerns over blacklisting of countries

F

oreign Minister of G u y a n a , D r.

Karen Cummings, yesterday participated in a video-conference with counterparts from Latin America, the Caribbean and Germany to discuss joint measures to contain the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) as well as a course of action to counter the economic impact.

In her address, Dr. Cummings expressed appreciation for the support and cooperation of partners such as Germany.

“It is our hope that the partnership will spur a stronger international response that is all encompassing to ensure equitable and fair access to medical and financial resources; allow sustained response to the pandemic; the development of holistic recovery plans; and the

Minister Karen Cummings prepares to address her counterparts

creation of more resilient health, social, economic, technological and researchled systems,” she stated.

German Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, hosted the video-conference under the framework of Germany's Latin America and Caribbean Initiative, which was launched in 2019.

According to Cummings “the domestic and global situation have changed drastically since our engagement in Berlin last year and unfortunately, the region finds itself trying to manage its vulnerabilities while at the same time providing the necessary social and economic

structures.

“In the case of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) of the Caribbean, COVID-19 has exacerbated the vulnerabilities and increased the susceptibility to shocks particularly at a time when the region is preparing for the 2020 hurricane season.

“I must tell you, that in Guyana the public health measures that are being put in place are costly and negatively affecting our economy. The cost of medical equipment and supplies along with the human resource scale up required at this time, is challenging for some small countries like Guyana, where already we grapple with a vast coastland and difficult hinterland terrain.”

She said that Guyana has taken the bold step to establish a Centre for

Thousands of Complaints...

From page 9 have force used against them than white residents. And black people accounted for more than 60% of the victims in Minneapolis police shootings from late 2009 through May 2019, data shows.

When there was a civilian review board to field the complaints, it would recommend discipline, but the police chief at the time would often refuse to impose it, said Bicking, who served on the board.

Across the country, civilian review boards — generally composed of members of the public — have been notoriously weak.

They gather accounts, but cannot enforce any recommendations.

In 2008, the Police Executive Research Forum issued a report on disciplinary procedures in Minneapolis, at the department's behest. It recommended resetting expectations with a new, matrix specifying violations and consequences. But Bicking said the department soon fell back to old ways.

In 2012, the civilian board in Minneapolis was replaced by an agency called the Office of Police Conduct

Review. Since then, more than 2,600 misconduct complaints have been filed by members of the public, but only 12 have resulted in an officer being disciplined, Bicking said. The most severe censure has been a 40-hour suspension, he said.

“When we say there's a failure of accountability and discipline in this city, it is extreme,” he said, adding that the City Council had promised to review the board, but has yet to do so.

Any member of the public may file a complaint, and experts say that the volume of complaints may reflect a host of issues other than actual misconduct, such as the level of trust the community has in its department.

Maria Haberfeld, an expert on police training and discipline at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, said Chauvin's complaint tally averaged to less than one a year, not unusual for a street officer, and probably not high enough to trigger an early warning system.

But the patchwork nature of the city's disciplinary tracking was clear in Chauvin's case. The city released an Internal Affairs

summary with 17 complaints. The city's police conduct database listed only 12, some of which did not appear to be included in the summary, and Communities United Against Police B r u t a l i t y, w h i c h a l s o maintains a database, had yet more complaint numbers not included in the first two sources. The nature of the complaints was not disclosed.

Chauvin was one of four officers who responded to a call on Memorial Day that a man had tried buying cigarettes with a fake $20 bill. The other officers, identified by authorities as Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng, also were fired and remain under investigation. The county attorney said he expected to bring charges, but offered no further details.

Neither Lane nor Kueng had misconduct complaints filed against them, according to the department.

But Thao faced six in his career and also was the subject of a lawsuit that claimed he and another officer punched, kicked and kneed an African American man, leaving the man with broken teeth and bruises.

According to the lawsuit,

the incident occurred in early October 2014, when the man, Lamar Ferguson, then 26, was walking home with his girlfriend. A police car approached and Ferguson's girlfriend kept walking.

The lawsuit states that Thao asked Ferguson to put his hands on the roof of the car and then handcuffed him. The complaint said that the other officer then “falsely stated there was a warrant out” for Ferguson's arrest regarding an incident involving family members. Ferguson told the officers he had no information to tell them. During the encounter, “Officer Thao then threw” Ferguson, “handcuffed, to the ground and began hitting him.”

Patrick R. Burns, one of the lawyers who represented F e rg u s o n , s a i d i n a n interview Friday that the city settled the case for $25,000.

“What I learned from that case and several others I have handled against the department is that some of the officers think they don't have to abide by their own training and rules when dealing with the public,” he said.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

Disease Control.

“However, there is still need for critical financial support to undertake other significant and costly health system strengthening initiatives required to competently manage the spread of the Coronavirus in Guyana. In order to effectively address the COVID-19 pandemic, small economies like Guyana must rely on the availability of concessional resource availability.”

According to the Foreign Minister, Guyana's response to the crisis through the prioritisation of public health and preservation of human resources has resulted in the diversion of already scarce resources and the seeking of new resources to combat and manage the spread of the Coronavirus.

This is despite the reduced

ability of some countries to earn revenue from tourism, trade with related sectors has been severely impacted.

“Guyana remains convinced that the region's consistent call for the adjustment of the criteria for access to concessional financing must be heeded by those who exert the greatest influence on the system to give consideration to the specific vulnerabilities faced by the Caribbean.”

The official also expressed concern about the continued placement, without consultation, of states on blacklists despite compliance with and adherence to international financial standards and best practices.

“Such continuing actions compound the region's efforts towards sustainable development.”

PAGE 16

Thursday June 04, 2020

Kaieteur News

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The Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGMC) has teamed up with the Pan – American Health Organization, (PAHO) to implement a list of countermeasures to help safeguard miners against the spread of COVID-19.

President of the GGDMA, Adron Alphonso told Kaieteur News, that the Association has been working with PAHO to develop the guidelines to help miners, particularly small and medium scale operators survive the pandemic.

The document is being drafted even as the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has identified several COVID -19 hotspots Regions One and Seven—areas essential to mining.

Alphonso explained that while the large scale operations are likely to have a more formalised way of dealing with the pandemic, many medium and small scale operators may not be so equipped.

“That’s why we reached out to PAHO, to get clarity on what measures are best to suit the smaller operators since

they may be even more at risk of the disease.”

He said the policy, which should be available by next weekend, will encompass of a number of issues including how to recruit staff; how to transport them to and from a mining location in the interior; how the staff should conduct themselves in the camps in keeping with the set guideline of social- distancing ad personal hygiene and how to interact and deal with the indigenous communities so as to reduce the risk of contracting or spreading the disease.

“I think this virus caught everyone by surprise and like every other sector, miners are seeking to find a formula that best suits our conditions of work to ensure some level of normalcy can be achieved as we live through the pandemic.

We must introduce these measures since we don’t know how much longer this situation will be with us. As we know that the COVID-19 situation is a fluid one that’s why we reached out to PAHO to help guide us through the process. “ As such, Alphonso noted

that the document is also being developed to cover long term issues stemming from COVID-19.

“It is a work in progress.

We are trying to make the protocol document as simple as possible. It will either take the form of pamphlets or brochures outlining guidelines to cater to the specific needs of those involved in the sector.

We are working with PAHO to determine what measures are more practical and on just how persons can operate in a safe and efficient manner.

In the meantime, Kaieteur News understands that GGDMA has embarked on relief efforts to provide mining camps and health post in the interior with adequate cleaning and sanitation supplies.

The Association has also teamed up with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) to spread awareness on the dangers of the virus to its 200 plus medium and small scale miners.

Meanwhile, much larger operators like the Guyana Goldfields have implemented several counter measures to protect against the spread of

the disease.

In its 2020 first quarter report, the Canada – based firm said that it instituted a number of safeguards to continue to operate in a safe manner.

“These include, reduced number of employees at site so as to accommodate single room occupancy in the mining camps; social distancing practices; temperature checks at check-in for flights to site including voluntary time off when employees have any symptoms associated with the virus; limited passengers on flights in and out of site and wearing of personal protective equipment on flights and situations where social distancing is not feasible.

The firm said that open pit mining and plant operations continue largely unaffected at this time, utilizing the additional safeguards put in place to maintain employee health and safety.

The firm noted nonetheless that gold sales continue to occur in the normal course, albeit through amended supply chains and timing due to restricted flights in and out of Guyana.

Thursday June 04, 2020

PAGE 17

Kaieteur News

With current 13,000 vote lead by PPP, Granger coalition says recount results not credible With last night’s updated recount numbers projecting a significant lead for the opposition, the APNU+AFC late last evening sent out a press release calling the recount results not credible.

According to this paper’s latest analysis of the numbers coming out of the recount exercise, 84% of ballot boxes have been counted so far, amounting to 369,770 votes for the General Elections.

This number is 105,819 votes shy of the current total of votes from the original count, 475,589.

At present, GECOM holds a pair of declarations for each of the 10 regions. Those are being held “in abeyance”.

Commissioners and the Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward had said that the declaration coming out of the recount will automatically replace those which are held in abeyance. However, a declaration from the recount will not be produced until all regions have been counted, according to Commissioners and the order for the recount.

Before a declaration is made, GECOM has to consider the numerical results alongside the observation statements, which include thousands of claims by APNU+AFC of electoral fraud.

With the People’s Progressive Party currently leading the APNU+AFC coalition by 13,050 votes via recount, this means that the coalition would have to secure 12.3 percent of that 105,819 to catch up to the PPP, with the opposition gaining no more votes. And if the coalition were to emerge as the winner, in keeping with the previous declaration, it would have to also secure the majority of the remaining 87.7

percent or 92,769 to secure the 7,501 lead it enjoyed over the PPP according to the previous declaration.

That lead that the coalition enjoyed in the declarations currently in abeyance came from the 58,826 vote ‘win’ of Region Four, handed to them by the region’s Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo in tabulations that this paper has revealed as being pervasively fraudulent.

As of last night, the disparity between the Mingoimpacted numbers and the recounted numbers was clear.

While the difference between the PPP’s current recount vote of 187,549 and the previous total of 229,489 was 41,940 votes, the difference between the APNU+AFC’s current recount vote of 174,499 is 62,491 votes short of the previous total of 236,990.

In a statement published late last night discussing developments at the recount, the coalition put forward its clearest statement yet on how it would treat the final outcome of the recount: “Any results emanating from this process cannot be considered credible because of the high incidence of fraud.”

The party referred to a statement purported to have been made by the PPP/C’s Anil Nandlall, that “once a fraud has been committed, it nullifies or voids the entire process.” The party said that it expects the PPP/C not to shift the goal post and that it will stick to this position.

APNU+AFC representative Aubrey Norton had told media operatives on May 22 that “the process teems with irregularities. From the inception, I said it cannot be con-

sidered to be anomalies anymore.”

Norton had said that the many allegations the Coalition is making are enough to prove that “this is a clear case of electoral fraud and rigging.”

He also said “I would say the thing to do is not to run too far ahead of the process.

Let the process [run] its course. Once it takes its course, under the order, GECOM has to do its assessment, and let us await the position of GECOM, and then we can take it from there.”

In its most recent statement, the coalition claimed “The APNU+AFC has been exposing evidence of electoral fraud perpetrated on this country by the PPP/C. We will continue to do so during this recount exercise.

The recount process has revealed that the election of March 2, 2020 was riddled with fraudulent practices; the dead voted, people out of the jurisdiction voted, many unstamped ballots, missing certificates of employment, missing poll books, ballots cast over and above the number on the OLE and other fraudulent practices.”

Despite this claim, the coalition has not produced any verifiable evidence to prove that there is electoral fraud. The party has presented its unsubstantiated claims as ‘evidence’. In fact, many of the claims the Coalition made have been proven to be false.

The President had had a brief engagement with the press after he visited the recount venue, the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on May 17 last. Moving over to the National Aquatic Centre,

Coalition doubts it listed Attorney as...

From page 3 observation report for that polling station.

Kaieteur News has published the Observation Report for Ballot Box 4497, which clearly states “APNU+AFC agent objected to serial numbers 89, 93, 157, 244 and 251. It is alleged that the electors were not in the jurisdiction on Election Day.” Not only was Kissoon in Guyana on Election Day, he observed the Elections as part of the AmCham observer mission. An attached photo shows Kissoon while he was observing the Election.

A photo of Kissoon as an AmCham observer on Election Day

the President was asked whether he will accept the results of the recount. In response, President Granger said, “Whatever declaration is made by the Chairman, [Justice Claudette Singh] of the Elections Commission would be regarded as legitimate by the Coalition Government.”

The questions had come at a time when members of the Coalition, Basil Williams and Roysdale Forde had declared the recount to be illegal, and had questioned the legitimacy of the results which would come from it.

Stating emphatically that it was he who had ultimate authority for speaking on be-

half of the governing Coalition, Granger said “As President of Guyana and leader of the Government, it is my policy that any declaration coming from the Chairman of GECOM will be accepted by the Government of Guyana.”

Pointed to claims against the credibility of the elections, Granger had said that the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections were conducted in a “free, fair and orderly” manner, and that the question of the credibility of the process is still to be determined.

The President had said that it would be “premature” for pronouncements to be

made on whether the March 2 polls were credible and that the recount serves this purpose – “to determine the credibility of the ballots which were cast on the second of March.”

“I would say,” Granger noted, “that the elections were well managed and were orderly. Whether the results are credible is to be determined and that is the job of the Elections Commission.”

While he has committed to accepting “whatever declaration” comes out of GECOM, Granger has completely avoided abiding by or committing to the outcome of the recount.

PAGE 18

Thursday June 04, 2020

Kaieteur News

With schools reopening…

APA worried about Indigenous, hinterland students’ preparedness The Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) has expressed concern over the planned reopening of schools to facilitate the writing of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) examinations.

The Ministry of Education said that it plans to reopen schools between June 8th and August 15.

The APA said that it is very “concerned about Indigenous and hinterland students who have been heavily impacted by the repercussions of the COVID 19 pandemic.

“We have learnt of the intentions to move ahead in the next month with the National Grade 6 as well as the CSEC examinations but our anxiety lies in exactly how prepared are the children to write these exams.”

The APA, in a statement, pointed out that soon after Guyana’s first case of the novel Coronavirus was recorded in March, the Ministry of Education announced the closure of all schools to adhere to the guidelines for not

congregating in large groups.

“This closure began on March 16 and remains in effect to date, and it means for almost three months, children nationally have not been in schools and have been negatively impacted.

For hinterland students and the delivery of education, the impact has been even more severe.”

According to the APA, sometime after the closure, the Ministry of Education announced that E-learning would be facilitated and that workbooks for Grades 2, 4 and 6 (children writing those exams) would be provided to schools, but children in grades 1, 3, and 5 were not provided for, as well as children in the secondary level.

“The Guyana Learning Channel, by means of regional radio stations, would supplement the hard copy workbooks. We have since learnt that some Regional Educational Officers took the very laudable initiative to provide some workbooks for Grades 1, 3, 5 but it is not clear if these were done for all of the regions.”

In fact, APA said, secondary students living in dormitories away from home had no

choice but to return to their respective communities.

“The University of Guyana also presented their strategy which allows students to continue studies through online classes.

However, where this is not possible, these students would be left to consider taking a leave of absence from pursuing their studies. But this has not worked out well for indigenous and hinterland communities. While the efforts to bridge the technological gap between the coast and the hinterland through the establishment of ICT hubs and e-government internet access is commendable, very few of those stations provide reliable internet to sustain elearning.”

Little Internet The APA noted that in instances where private internet service is available, it is often expensive to utilize for prolonged periods. Many communities do not have a reliable source of electricity, or none at all. In some cases, communities cannot access regional radio stations, let alone television stations.

“Where there may be radio stations, not every family has a radio or listening

device to tune in. For all grades of students but especially secondary and university students or those in vocational institutions, whether they remain in the city or have returned to their respective communities, not having access to the technological resources such as computers, or even tablets to participate in virtual classes or complete necessary course work, have also been a challenge.”

APA stressed that this means that across the board, many students have had to stop whatever form of classes they have been accustomed to attending and therefore have been without teaching and learning sessions for more than two months.

“Even some of the very teachers have struggled to adapt to the sudden transition in teaching regime and they must not be forced to go on leave of absence. It is difficult to understand how the children, and even adult learners, who face all of these difficulties now have to hear that exams will soon be upon them.” It questioned what representation, if any at all, that the Ministry of Education has made on behalf of students from indigenous and

hinterland communities to the CXC Council.

“The Council has said that in territories where the online testing infrastructure challenges are insurmountable, candidates will be allowed to sit the examinations using the paperbased modality but this does not take care of the gaps in learning and the serious challenges the students would have faced in keeping up with studies for their exams. The CXC Board has also left it to the various countries to work out where children will sit their examinations.”

APA said it wants to know how the authorities intend to deal with students on the hinterland scholarship programme?

UNPREPAREDNESS “Will they write the CSEC examinations in their current locations? Will the Ministry support them financially if there are many failures and children have to rewrite exams? Does the Ministry know how prepared the Grade 6 children are for the exams?”

In another situation, APA also disclosed, students on the hinterland scholarship programme and those with Public Service Ministry

scholarships are yet to be paid stipends or are finding it difficult to access same due to them being at home in the hinterland.

“Are any measures being put in place to ease this much needed resource? These situations are very concerning for our hinterland students who are already challenged by the many disparities in accessing quality education that exist between hinterland students and those who reside on the coastland.”

The Amerindian body said that it is clear that COVID- 19 has exposed the educational inequalities and digital divide in the educational system, something that the authorities surely should have known before.

“We urge that students from indigenous and hinterland students be afforded constructive redress and not be made to face situations for which they are not prepared. We urge that the Ministry consider an extended timeframe that allows for students to get back into the school and other learning system to be able to cope with the various exams facing them.

Thursday June 04, 2020

PAGE 19

Kaieteur News

Carroll: We owe ‘tremendous amount’ to Kaepernick

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) throws a pass before the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. (Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports / Reuters Picture Supplied by Action Images)

Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at CenturyLink Field.

(Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports)

Thursday June 04, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Although you've been feeling especially strong physically over the past few days, Aries, today you might feel a little under the weather.

You could even experience some giddiness.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Emotional matters could hit the fan today at a (virtual) group meeting of some kind.

Those around you communicate with are apt to be feeling especially stressed and volatile, Taurus, so be prepared for anything.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Stress might be getting the better of a household member today, Gemini. This person feels emotionally volatile.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Friends, neighbors, and relatives could be feeling especially stressed out and explosive today, Cancer. This isn't a good day to initiate intense communications with them.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) The economy could well take another dip, Leo, and you might hear from people expressing concerns about financial matters.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22) Oppressive stress on you or those close to you could cause disconcerting upsets within your relationships today, Virgo. Try to be objective and work things out rationally instead of going to pieces.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Stress could take a toll on you today, Libra. You might temporarily lose your ambition and be left wondering if it's all really worth it.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Surprising new developments in close friendships or love relationships could come your way today, Scorpio. Someone might move away or perhaps move closer to you.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Unexpected developments might interfere with your home life or with plans to spend a quiet evening with your family, Sagittarius.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You may be looking forward to talking on the phone with someone dear who lives far away, Capricorn, but circumstances beyond your control could get in the way.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Although business and money matters continue to go well, some rather unsettling news regarding either your finances or the economy in general could reach you today.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You may have been looking forward to communicating or spending time with the people you care about t o d a y i f possible, but circumstances beyond your control throw some unexpected obstacles in your way. Do n ' t p a n ic, Pisces.

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said it took too long for the NFL to recognize Colin Kaepernick taking a stand when he took a knee during the national anthem.

“I think that there was a moment in time that a young

man captured. He took a stand on something, figuratively took a knee, but he stood up for something he believed in — and what an extraordinary moment it was that he was willing to take,” Carroll said as a guest on the podcast of Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr and San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

Kerr, who has been an outspoken activist on issues of national interest, agreed wholeheartedly.

“To me, it’s really hard to look at what’s going on right now with all the violence and the protests and not look back to four years ago and say, ‘Look, this guy was trying to peacefully protest and nothing came of it,” Kerr said. “The killings went on and nothing changed and he was actually ridiculed so it’s a real tough one to think about.”

Kaepernick remains unsigned and reached a settlement with the NFL to set aside his lawsuit for collusion to keep him out of the league. The Seahawks were one of the few teams who talked contract with Kaepernick during his time as

a free agent. But Kaepernick said Seattle’s interest was overblown, and he refused to meet the team’s request to promise not to kneel during the national anthem.

“And the whole mission of what the statement was, such a beautiful,” Carroll said. “It’s still the statement that we’re making right today. We’re not protecting our people. We’re not looking after one another.

We’re not making the right choices. We’re not following the right process to bring people to justice when actions are taken. So I think it was a big sacrifice in the sense that a young man makes, but those are the courageous moments that some guys take.

“And we owe a tremendous amount to him for sure.”

“We have to go beyond and act and take the action and it’s going to be a challenge for people. I feel frustrated I’m not doing enough,” Carroll said.

“I’m not on it enough. I can’t get active enough to create the change. I think we need to make progress, not just change.”

(Field Level Media)

League targets mid-October finish to virus-hit campaign (Reuters) - The National Basketball Association has targeted Oct. 12 as the last possible date to complete the 2019-20 season, which has been on hold since midMarch because of the COVID-19 pandemic, ESPN reported on Tuesday.

The report, which was based on unnamed sources, said a timeline shared with teams showed Oct. 12 as the latest the best-of-seven NBA Finals could finish and a proposal would go to a vote of the league’s board of governors today.

The NBA Finals typically

The NBA logo is displayed as people pass by the NBA Store in New York City, U.S., October 7, 2019.

(REUTERS/Brendan McDermid) conclude around mid-June.

Both the NBA and players association were still discussing details on a returnto-play format, the report said.

The NBA was the first North American sports league to suspend its season due to the COVID-19 pandemic after one of its players tested positive for the new coronavirus in mid-March.

Last month the NBA said it was in talks with The Walt Disney Company about restarting th e s e a s o n a t Disney World in Florida in late July.

The plan would see games held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex which is inside the Orlando resort and has hotels and three arenas, and would allow the league to limit outside exposure.

PAGE 20

Thursday June 04, 2020

Kaieteur News

West Indies name Test squad and list of reserves for proposed Sandals tour of England ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies’ (CWI) selection panel named a fourteen (14) man Test squad and list of eleven (11) reserves for the proposed Sandals Tour of England 2020. Subject to the final approval of the UK Government, the West Indies will defend the Wisden Trophy in three back-to-back Test matches to be played behind closed doors, starting on July 8. The touring party, who will all be tested for COVID-19 this week, are scheduled to fly to England on private charters on June 8.

The West Indies squad will live, train and play in a “bio-secure” environment during the seven weeks of the tour, as part of the comprehensive medical and operations plans to ensure player and staff safety.

The bio-secure protocols will restrict movement in and out of the venues, so the selection panel has also named a list of reserve players who will travel to train and help prepare the Test squad and ensure replacements are available in case of any injury.

Darren Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer and Keemo Paul all declined the invitation to travel to England for the tour and CWI fully respects their decision to choose to do so.

As previously stated, CWI will not hold this decision against these players when

considering future selection.

The two newcomers to the Test squad are middle-order batsman Nkrumah Bonner and fast bowler Chemar Holder.

The 22-year-old Holder – who is not related to captain Jason Holder – was the leading fast bowler in the West Indies Championship with 36 wickets in eight matches at 18.91 each, and was one of the successful ICC U-19 World Cup winning side in 2016.

Bonner, 31, will be making his Test squad debut after being one of the leading batsmen in the 2020 West Indies Championship with 523 runs in seven matches at an average of 58.11.

He has previously represented the West Indies when he played two T20 Internationals back in 2011 and 2012.

Head Selector Roger Harper stated, “The new cricketing environment will take some getting used to.

However, being in England and working together for four weeks before the first Test will give the squad the opportunity to get acclimatized and hopefully, mentally and technically adjusted to the demands of the new environment. Playing in July could be a blessing as the weather is likely to be warmer which will allow the squad more of an opportunity to play its best

cricket.

“I think we have a squad that will be very competitive.

More than half of the squad were involved in the victorious Test series against England in the Caribbean last year so they will bring that experience, that knowledge and belief with them and marry it to the enthusiasm and vitality of the newcomers.

The experience of the players who toured England before in 2017 will also benefit the squad greatly. I expect that the bowling unit will once again provide a serious challenge for England and our batting will have to deliver.

England is a tough team when playing in home conditions, however, I think the West Indies has a good chance of retaining the Wisden Trophy.

We will have to bat consistently well to do so.”

Harper added: “Chemar Holder is an exciting young fast bowling talent who is coming off an excellent domestic First-Class season. He should enjoy bowling in English conditions.

He could prove a real asset to the team in England.

Nkrumah Bonner is an unflappable character. His ability to hold the innings together and bat through tight situations could serve the team very well. Jermaine Blackwood returns by sheer weight of performance in the domestic

First-Class season. His patience and application were evident and that resulted in much greater consistency which I look forward to him taking back into the Test arena. His experience of playing Test cricket in England should stand him in good stead.

“Raymon Reifer has been around for a while and has proved to be a real competitor with both bat and ball – qualities that will add great value to the team. Shannon Gabriel is working his way back to full match fitness after his ankle operation last year. The four weeks leading up to the first Test will be of tremendous benefit to him. A fully fit and firing Shannon adds great potency to the bowling attack, so it is important to have him back at his best.”West Indies are scheduled to arrive in Manchester on June 9 and will be based in Manchester for a three-week period before moving to Southampton for the first Test at the Ageas Bowl. They will then return to Manchester for the second and third matches at Emirates Old Trafford. All these matches will be played behind closed doors and are still subject to UK Government approval.

WEST INDIES TEST SQUAD: Jason Holder (Captain) Jermaine Blackwood

Nkrumah Bonner Kraigg Brathwaite Shamarh Brooks John Campbell Roston Chase Rahkeem Cornwall Shane Dowrich Chemar Holder Shai Hope Alzarri Joseph Raymon Reifer Kemar Roach RESERVE PLAYERS Sunil Ambris Joshua Da Silva Shannon Gabriel Keon Harding

Chemar Holder

Kyle Mayers Preston McSween Marquino Mindley Shane Moseley Anderson Phillip Oshane Thomas Jomel Warrican PROPOSED MATCH SCHEDULE July 8-12: 1st Test at Ageas Bowl, Southampton July 16-20: 2nd Test at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester July 24-28: 3rd Test at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester

‘Big Three’ join #BlackoutTuesday campaign against racial injustice (Reuters) - Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic were among the tennis players who joined the #BlackOutTuesday campaign against racial injustice, as protests continue over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in police custody.

Floyd died after a white policeman pinned his neck under a knee for nearly nine minutes in Minneapolis on May 25.

Men’s world No. 1 Djokovic posted black screenshots on his Twitter and Instagram pages with the message “Black Lives Matter”, and was joined by Federer and Nadal, the other members of the “Big Three” of men’s tennis.

Grand Slam winners Maria Sharapova, Petra Kvitova and Stan Wawrinka were among other players who signalled their support for the campaign.

African-American teenage phenomenon Coco Gauff and Japan’s Naomi Osaka

Switzerland’s Roger Federer and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic before their group stage match. (REUTERS/Toby Melville) have also expressed their anger over Floyd’s death.

Replying to Federer’s Instagram post, the 16-yearold Gauff commented: “Click the link in my bio to get resources on HOW YOU CAN HELP! THANK YOU.”

Osaka, whose father is Haitian and mother is Japanese, said people should be doing more than posting “the black square”.

“I’m torn between roasting people for only posting the black square this entire

Spain’s Rafael Nadal in action suring his semifinal match against Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas. (REUTERS/Susan Vera)

week ... or accepting that they could’ve posted nothing at all so I should deal with this bare minimum bread crumb they have given,” she posted on Twitter.

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) posted a

black screen shot as well as a statement against racism on its social media handles.

The USTA, organisers of the U.S. Open Grand Slam, said it was “extremely disappointed, angry, and heartbroken” at the hardships faced

by communities of colour in the United States.

“The African-American community is an integral part of our tennis family and the USTA stands unwaveringly against racism and injustice of any kind,” it added.

Thursday June 04, 2020

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

Bravo, Hetmyer, Paul decline tour of England ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – West Indies will be without key batsmen Darren Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer when they leave in a few days for their historic “bio-secure” tour of England, but two newcomers have been included in a squad that chief selector Roger Harper believes is up to the challenge of holding onto the Wisden Trophy.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced in a statement yestersday that left-handers Bravo and Hetmyer, along with all-rounder Keemo Paul, had opted out of the 14-man team selected for the threeTest series that will be played behind closed doors from next month, amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has already infected close to 280,000 people in the United Kingdom and caused almost 40 000 deaths.

“CWI fully respects their decision to choose to do so.

As previously stated, CWI will not hold this decision against these players when considering future selection,” the statement said.

The side is captained by Jason Holder and includes regulars Kraigg Brathwaite, Roston Chase, Shai Hope and Kemar Roach.

Jermaine Blackwood, dropped three years ago, has returned following his heavy scoring in the recent West Indies First-Class Championship.

“His patience and applica-

tion were evident and that resulted in much greater consistency which I look forward to him taking back into the Test arena. His experience of playing Test cricket in England should stand him in good stead,” Harper said.

The new faces are middleorder batsman Nkrumah Bonner, making his Test squad debut after being one of the leading batsmen in the 2020 West Indies Championship with 523 runs in seven matches at an average of 58.11; and 22-year-old fast bowler Chemar Holder, the leading fast bowler in the West Indies Championship with 36 wickets in eight matches at 18.91 each, and a member of the successful ICC U-19 World Cup winning side in 2016.

“I think we have a squad that will be very competitive.

More than half of the squad were involved in the victorious Test series against England in the Caribbean last year so they will bring that experience, that knowledge and belief with them and marry it to the enthusiasm and vitality of the newcomers,” Harper said.

“The experience of the players who toured England before in 2017 will also benefit the squad greatly. I expect that the bowling unit will once again provide a serious challenge for England and our batting will have to deliver.

Darren Bravo has made nearly 200 appearances for the West Indies across all three formats (AFP Photo/Ishara S. Kodikara)

Kemo Paul training.

England is a tough team when playing in home conditions; however, I think the West Indies has a good chance of retaining the Wisden Trophy.

We will have to bat consistently well to do so.”

Harper also expressed high hopes for the newcomers.

“Chemar Holder is an exciting young fast bowling talent who is coming off an excellent domestic First-Class season. He should enjoy bowling in English conditions. He could prove a real asset to the team in England.

Archery Guyana continues to represent at International Virtual Competition Archery Guyana proudly fielded two archers for the 60X ISOL Remote Shoot Competition held on 31st May, 2020.

This was the ninth stage of this novel Virtual Competition where approximately 100 archers from 16 countries as far flung as Norway, Australia, Britain, Belgium and even closer to home- British Virgin Islands participated.

The aim of this competition is to keep archers focused on maintaining fitness and competitiveness during the world wide quarantine resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Winnette Lawrence and Robert Singh both competed in the 30m Compound and the 30m Recurve Bows categories respectively. Both categories comprised of two sessions with 36 arrows each.

Robert Singh on his first venture at this competition scored 556/720 and placed 7th in a group of nine archers.

Singh commented at the end of the competition that it was a tough competition with high

calibre archers producing high level scores. Singh noted that while he was satisfied with his performance he also recognised that there was room for much improvement.

Winnette Lawrence, on her second venture in this competition, pointed out that she experienced issues with her equipment which affected her performance. She scored 563/720.

Lawrence previously explained how the competition works: “Registration had to be done online and we had to choose which session we would shoot, and distance, because of lockdown some persons had to scale down their target face to suit a distance.

For inspection of the bows we had to take a picture of it as well as the target face and send online. They also send a QR code for you to log on and send scores, after every end we had to send pictures of arrows in target for scoring.”

In the Sunday’s competition, Winnette Lawrence re-

grettably experienced equipment failure. In a statement, she said: “My stabilizer broke and my sight got loose. I am placed 12 out of 12, but still proud of myself to continue to the end amidst the failure of my equipment, so I blame myself 75%, as an elite archer being placed 182 in the world I should have known to always check my bow and arrows before going into a competition.”

The next stage for this Virtual Competition is stage 10 scheduled for Jun 7th, 2020 and Archery Guyana is working towards having its members continue to participate.

Archery Guyana urges Archers with access to ranges or home facilities to participate. For more information: e m a i l archeryguyana@gmail.com.

All archers are mandated to observe their National health and safety requirements and the World Health Organisation’s guidelines pertaining to controlling and preventing the dreaded Covid-19 virus.

Nkrumah Bonner is an unflappable character. His ability to hold the innings together and bat through tight situations could serve the team very well,” he said.

Subject to the final approval of the UK Government, the West Indies will defend the Wisden Trophy, starting July 8. The players, who will all be tested for COVID-19 this week, are scheduled to fly to England on private charters on June 8.

West Indies are sched-

uled to arrive in Manchester the following day and will be there for a three-week period before moving to Southampton for the first Test at the Ageas Bowl, July 8-12.

They will return to Manchester for the second match on July 16-20 and the final encounter at Emirates Old Trafford on July 24-28.

The squad will live, train and play in a “bio-secure” environment during the seven weeks of the tour, as part of the comprehensive medical

and operations plans to ensure player and staff safety.

The protocols will restrict movement in and out of the venues.

“The new cricketing environment will take some getting used to,” Harper said. “However, being in England and working together for four weeks before the first Test will give the squad the opportunity to get acclimatized and hopefully, mentally and technically adjusted to the demands of the new environment. Playing in July could be a blessing as the weather is likely to be warmer which will allow the squad more of an opportunity to play its best cricket.”

CWI selectors have also chosen 11 reserves to accompany the squad on tour, among them Sunil Ambris and Shannon Gabriel, to train and help prepare the Test squad and ensure replacements are available in case of any injury.

Gabriel is working his way back to full match fitness after an ankle operation last year, and Harper said the four weeks leading up to the first Test would be of tremendous benefit to him and the team.

“A fully fit and firing Shannon adds great potency to the bowling attack, so it is important to have him back at his best,” the CWI chief selector said.

PAGE 22

Thursday June 04, 2020

Kaieteur News

AAG touting three track meets before August month-end

The AAG is working toward the August 8th and 9th for Senior Championships.

By Calvin Chapman The President of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), Aubrey Hutson, disclosed with the media yesterday some news that he believes will be well received by local athletes.

Huston explained that the AAG would’ve gotten correspondence from World Athletics (governing body of track and field) indicating that August eighth and ninth were reserved for national federations/ associations worldwide to hold their National senior championships and to that end the AAG is working with those guidelines, while at the same time looking at the state’s progress

in terms of reopening the country in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

He stated, “With this in mind, I would like to see as president that we hold some kind of competition that will help prepare the athletes for the Senior championships in August.

I also plan on having the discussion with my executive committee for us (the AAG) to even hold our National Junior Championships around the same time as the senior showdown.”

The president also proposed that if the green light is given for the respective Championships, the AAG will forge ahead with a Road

Race either on July 19th or 26th as a precursor to the National Youth and Junior and Senior Championships.

When quizzed on what he anticipates the general feedback from the athletes and clubs will be following this proposal, he revealed that, “Basically, the clubs have been pushing, the athletes have been calling, asking when we will be resuming competition and asking for our calendar for the rest of the year.

Athletes have been training even during the lockdown and they are eager for competition, they are the people who have been pushing the hardest and they would be the happiest if we could’ve announced

AAG has proposed July 19th or 26th for a Road race event.

Aubrey Hutson; head of the AAG that the season will resume tomorrow.”

Currently, the South American 10k scheduled for November is still on the books and the association is waiting for Courts Guyana Inc. to reopen its doors so they can go in and discuss the possibility of the most lucrative and longest running 10k event in Guyana, the Courts 10k continuing this year.

Anil Kumble: ‘Let’s get spinners back in Test cricket’ ESPNcricinfo - Anil Kumble, the former India captain and chairman of the ICC’s cricket committee, believes cricket should utilise pitches to even up the contest between bat and ball. The former legspinner, who is the third-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, said that it was time for teams to consider playing two spinners even in Australia and England by roughening up the pitch.

“The advantage that cricket has over other sports is that there is an element of adjustable variance in the pitch, which not many sports have,” Kumble said during a webinar, organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Wednesday.

“You could manage the pitch in such a way that you could bring about a better balance between bat and ball.”

Incidentally, Kumble made this suggestion a few hours after Sri Lanka head coach Mickey Arthur told ESPNcricinfo that his bowlers preferred saliva over sweat to shine the ball. Arthur is part of the ICC cricket committee that recently recommended that saliva should not be applied on ball in cricket as Covid-19 is a respiratory infection and rubbing spit could result in spreading the virus, which is highly contagious.

However, bowlers remain

unconvinced. In a chat with the former fast-bowling pair of Ian Bishop and Shaun Pollock recently on the ICC’s video series Inside Out interviews, India quick Jasprit Bumrah said there needed to be an “alternative” to shine the ball other than sweat.

“Based on medical advice, we believe that saliva could be the major contributor to carrying this disease and that’s why we banned the use of saliva, although it’s second nature in cricket,” Kumble said. “That’s something that players will find hard to manage.”According to Kumble, the pandemic offered another opportunity to “bring spinners” back into Test cricket. Outside the Indian subcontinent, especially in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand or Australia) countries, the norm has been to include just one spinner on pitches favouring seam bowling.

“You can probably leave grass on the surface or even rough it up and have two spinners,” Kumble said. “Let’s get spinners back in the game in a Test match. Because if it’s a one-day or T20 game, you’re not worried about the ball or shining of the ball. Sweat can certainly take care of that.

“It’s [a] Test match that that we’re taking about and in a Test match why not get two spinners? [I] would love

How about India playing both R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in Australia? (AFP) to have two spinners playing in Australia, two spinners playing in England, which never happens. Not often do you see that happening. Of course in the subcontinent, you have two spinners playing. So, in cricket you have the surface you can play around with and bring about a balance between bat and ball. All of us are yearning to start the game and not really worried about saliva or sweat or condition of the ball - we just want to play cricket.”

‘They’ve all been injured for the last three months’ According to Kumble, the other key factor team managements would need to pay close attention to is manag-

ing the workloads of the bowlers. Last month, while releasing guidelines for players returning to cricket at all levels, the ICC suggested teams would need to exercise extreme caution over bowlers’ workloads to avoid serious injuries like stress fracture of the spine.

Kumble concurred with that. “That’s why I believe that at training, they’ll have to start slowly. Because it’s not just about coming back and playing in a match,” he said. “It’s also about coming back from two-and-a-half months of lockdown. Especially if you are a bowler, you need to have those bowling overs under your belt before

Anil Kumble, the chairman of ICC’s cricket committee, is in favour of “managing” pitches to promote an even contest between bat and ball. (Getty Images) you start competing. So it’s important that you slowly and gradually come back into the sort of normalcy that you can.”He also said that a safe way for squads returning to sport would involve training in a “bio-secure zone” followed by playing practice matches between themselves before playing a Test match.

“I know England have announced a potential Test series against West Indies, subject to the government allowing them, but there again the players will have to have some sort of a cushion [or] a backup in terms of loading up their body to be able to sustain a Test match because bowling 30 overs for a fast bowler…

30-40 overs for a spinner is not going to be easy,” Kumble said. “And even for a batsman, the muscles which you use when you’re batting are totally different.

In a match situation, you’re doing everything in a split of a second and you’re not training for those, especially in a home condition. So, you need to build it up and probably have a few friendly games before you get into an important Test match.”

Kumble also said one good way to build the players’ confidence was to treat the current situation as if the entire team was returning from an injury, and handle the players with care. “It’s like when someone is injured and he’s coming back from injury, how do you monitor him? That’s how you need to look at the entire squad now,” he said.

“They’ve all been injured for the last three months and they’re now coming back into training. So, you need to slowly load them up and then start building their skill levels. I think it’s mostly [about] the confidence. Once the players are out and training it comes back very quickly. It doesn’t go away; you’ve been doing this for all your life. It’s just a matter of being out there and training with the team. Within a few weeks, you’ll be back to your usual self.”

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Kaieteur News

Thursday June 04, 2020

Lack of tournaments forced Akaze Thompson Hopes for local Women’s Franchise league play in T&T

By Sean Devers t 27, Demerara Captain and National fast bowling all-rounder Akaze Thompson began as a promising sprinter before she transitioned into cricketer who has been representing her Country for almost a decade.

Her first taste of overseas cricket came when she was in the sixth grade when she was picked in a Guyana Windball Cricket team organised by Allister Munroe of the Al Sports Promotions for a female tournament in Barbados.

In 2011 Thompson made her debut for Demerara, the smallest but most populated of the three Counties in Guyana, before making her National debut against Barbados in Bim the same year.

Her best bowling figures for Guyana is 4-26 against Windward Islands in 2018, while her highest score is an attractive unbeaten 66* against Dominica in 2014.

Thompson was born on October 21, 1992 to Patricia Amsterdam and Orson Thompson and grew up in Lodge Housing Scheme. She attended the Sacred Heart Primary, and St. John’s College.

A

my childhood. I think since at the age of four I was always playing with the ball and bat,” explained the aggressive right-hander.

“Before cricket I was in to Athletics, I ran the 100, 200 and 400 races. I got interesting in cricket at a very young age because I was always following my older brothers around so when they used to play cricket in Lodge where we all grew up.

I would go outside and play with them so when I was in grade 6 our school was picked a team to play in the Al Sport Windball competition.

I went to the trials and was picked as the captain.

From there I was picked for the Guyana female Windball team to play in the Windball tournament in Barbados and since then cricket was something I love,” said Thompson, who was hitting sixes as a school girl.

“I must say I didn’t have no big challenges growing up.Yes, as girls we were allowed to play cricket and it was easy because the bigger boys would always give us batting and bowling, in our case we would get two chances to bat.

She said girls were encouraged to play cricket at both primary and secondary

Akaze Thompson (2nd right sitting) with the Guyana Team last year.

Her most memorable match playing for Guyana was when Guyana beat Barbados in the semi-finals in Dominica in 2015.

“We were so happy going to finals for the first time and also was a great feeling to defeat such a big team as well.

My most memorable moment in cricket was in 2018 when I was selected in the female Franchise Tournament held in Trinidad, I played for LCB Central Sharks along with fellow Guyanese and West Indies player Shemaine Campbell.

Thompson was part of the winning Franchise in T&T. “Life growing up for me was amazing, I lived with my parents and other siblings, I’m the youngest of four children so I was the baby, my parents always supported me in any sports I was doing.

Growing up for me was just fun, I got to enjoy every bit of

school.

“I played for Ghandi youth club in the 2nd Division tournament, Police sports club and Hibiscus Female club in Trinidad and To b a g o , ” i n f o r m e d Thompson who says she prefers bowling to batting.

We won the tournament that year and it was a great feeling,” Thompson said.

Only the present West Indies Women’s players are contracted and the experienced all-rounder give her views on female cricket locally.“For me I think more

tournaments should be played for the women cricketers, get some of the females contracted or have a franchise league to get us playing as much cricket as possible so that when the regional competitions come around we can be more prepared and ready to win the tournaments,” said Thompson.

Thompson said that apart from cricket she works with her friend Kerisa Christian who owns an online shipping business when is not playing.

“I don’t have just one favorite cricketer.

I have five cricketers who I love and admire very much starting with Chris Gayle.

Virat Kholi, Ms Dhoni, Ab DeVillers and Andre Russell are the others,” said Thompson whose one wish would be to have world peace.

The Police Sports Club player also spoke about the Global Pandemic which has shut down sports.

“Well it’s tough for me because I really miss playing cricket but I try to push in as much work outs at home,” added the pacer.

Thompson said if you’re not contracted by CWI, you have to still work part time in order to balance yourself.

“I play in Trinidad and we have Tremayne Smartt and Heema Singh playing in the U S A Wo m e n ’s c l u b tournament.

“I would like to thank the Al Sports Promotions, that’s where I started playing first, Ms Bowen and the hibiscus Club, my parents, Coach Orin Bailey, Coach Andre Percival and Coach Linden Fraser. Mr Fraser would always send me drills and

call almost every day to encourage me and my family and friends who always supporting me,” continued Thompson.

“To all the young ladies

who want to play cricket, follow your dream, train, work hard, be discipline and success will come around, don’t give up,” Thompson advised.

Thompson smashes one past cover during the Women’s 50-over Franchise in T&T.

Akaze Thompson bats against Windwards.

West Indies name Test squad and list of reserves for proposed Sandals tour of England

Shimron Hetmyer is among a trio of West Indies players who will not travel to England (David Davies/PA)

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Captain Jason Holder wins back Wisden Trophy, February 2019.

Bravo, Hetmyer, Paul decline tour of England p.21

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Archery Guyana continues to represent at International Virtual Competition p.21

Robert Singh completing his end under the watchful eye of Coach Umasankar Madray.

Winnette Lawrence in action during her shoot.

AAG touting three track meets before August month-end p.

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Lack of tournaments forced Akaze Thompson play in T&T Hopes for local Women’s Franchise league p.

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