Kaieteur News

PAGE 4

Monday June 08, 2020

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL (624-6456) Editor: SHARMAIN GRAINGER Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

EU Observer Report: GECOM The EU Observer Report in 64 sweeping pages travels the sorry, sordid picture of the unholy mess that is Guyana. It was mostly there: from ethnic polarization to ethnicfocused voting, from GECOM’s blatant failures at the leadership and management levels to significant media bias, from the cascade and influence of dark campaign financing money to the urgent need for comprehensive electoral reform from almost every angle conceivable. It was all there, this snapshot of a study of Guyana and its ghastly national viruses, its unbending ways, and its need to do the substantial now and then build upon those reinvigorating essences. That was how we read it and how we interpreted it, what we gathered from it, as to what we need to do to give ourselves the chance to avoid the quagmires and impasses that have crippled us for the past eighteen months, if not forever. As another indication of how bad things are here, this briefest of studies and accompanying reports was not a sociological or economic study, but of an elections process only, yet there was a total of 26 recommendations from something as limited as this. Where to start in saying something by lending a voice? Embedded in those 26 recommendations were what was termed eight priority ones, as in requiring immediate attention. We start with GECOM only today, with more to follow in due course. As regards GECOM, what could be said about what the EU’s observer team noted about it? We will try to be helping as we seek to contribute to the healing that is so vitally necessary for this society at present. First, the report pointed out that “GECOM abdicated its constitutional duty to take all actions necessary to ensure compliance with the law.” In other words, senior leadership compromised itself, and that starts and ends with the chairperson, who now stands stained and tattered through internationally observed dereliction of duty. As much as we sympathize with retired Justice Claudette Singh, it is on her that rests the ultimate blame and responsibility in the unnamed references in the EU’s report. For at the end of the day, the head takes the fall. Certainly, the management team and the most senior levels should be not be spared mention, as even the most charitable reading of the report questions integrity and devotion to the requirements of the law of the land. This was neither followed nor recognized on a consistent basis and was totally trampled upon when the more sensitive and crucial calls had to be made. These were not forthcoming from either the chair or upper management. To repeat: The chairwoman failed miserably, and we regret having to say this. And so, too, did the visible senior management of the Commission, who sought to perpetuate several obvious frauds on a divided and incited Guyanese electorate. This was and remains dangerous. To have failed so abjectly to display leadership and will for the nonpartisan and the national beggars the mind, and betrays the accumulated constitutional trusts placed on the leadership of GECOM when those mattered the most. Second, Recommendation 2 calls for a comprehensive “overhaul” of GECOM in relation to its “composition and functioning,” We agree wholeheartedly and call upon our fellow Guyanese to join with us in picking up the cudgels and demand a new and different GECOM, one that is committed to serving, first and above all, not rank political objectives, but the interests of country and citizens. Nothing else will do; anything else will fail and leave us in the same dark, ugly racial place in which we have been trapped for so long, and which was highlighted as never before from March 2nd to now. For GECOM as it is currently constituted cannot function, is handicapped in delivering. which as all Guyanese know is an arrangement and apparatus dedicated to what frustrates, perpetuates racial distrusts and incitements, and leads to the routine and blatant failures that plagued the agency since March 2, if not before. For starters, a different look, a wider cross-section,

It is time to consider Truth and Reconciliation DEAR EDITOR, It is not too early to be earnestly thinking of Truth and Reconciliation amongst all our people, for the good of our people and country. No, my head is not in the clouds and my feet off the ground. I am aware that as I write, the biggest hurdle still stands before us – getting to and getting past the eventual Declaration that the PPP/C won our March 02, 2020 elections and that for the next five years the PPP/C will be sitting in the seat of our Government, still-young Irfaan Ali our President and Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips our Prime Minister. Hanging before us all Guyanese, and particularly the leading members and supporters of our outgoing Coalition Government, is the question of what further dangerous, destructive detours would they take our people and country through. It is evident since December 21, 2018, that there has been much struggling within, between and amongst the various leading personalities of our Coalition and their supporters – a struggle they must resolve within, between and amongst themselves. Recall the initial acceptance by our Prime Minister Nagamootoo and

our President Granger the following day (seemingly so) that the No Confidence Motion of December 21, 2018 had been validly passed and that there would be elections within 90 days. Then, within a few days there began the backtracking and reversals, the frustrating delays and putting our people and country to the razor’s edge in the court cases and the contrived arguments such as 34 not 33 is the required majority of 65. Recall the issue of dualcitizenship which their AG introduced (some say on his own volition and to his own ends), the seeming intention to comply, then the sidestepping and eventually, after about a month the resignation of four of their Ministers. Recall also the various thrusts of varying forcefulness to have Mr. Granger sworn in at dawn, as our returning President on the basis of those openly blatant and outrageously fictitious Mingo declarations; the assertions and denials about the “Guyana Dossier” submitted to the USA Government - was it submitted by the Government of Guyana or the APNU/AFC parties in coalition? – the seemingly

David Hinds’ column show a polarising activism DEAR EDITOR, After reading Dr. David Hinds column “There is knee on Black Guyana neck too” (KN, 7th June 2020) I am not sure that the gentleman understands how polarising his activism is. It polarised Guyanese in the past and will polarise Guyanese again. I am not sure that Dr. Hinds knows what he is trying to achieve. Is it more empowerment for Black Guyanese? Is it political power, economic power and social development for Black Guyanese? Is it a United Guyana? If it is all of the above, then a combative approach will not work as there are other races as well. How about trying to build bridges in between communities as oppose to burning bridges in between communities? I understand that people

want respect, but Dr. Hinds seems to want respect for being Black as opposed to being a person. Respect is something that you earn from people not demand from people. People will never respect you for who you are if they do not know you. Hence, building bridges in between communities is essential in people getting to know each other. Aside from the above, Dr. Hinds does not come across as a person who respects other races. This is not to say that he is racist. He sees the flaws in other races as oppose to the good in people. Every race has miscreants. I wish Dr. David Hinds success in his activism but I just wish he would consider its effects on polarising Guyanese. Yours Faithfully Sean Ori

depoliticization (more civic-oriented), and unambiguous roles, procedures, and practices fully described. It is why we say what the EU is constrained by the protocols of temperate official reporting from saying: Discard the existing mechanism, dismiss the leadership personnel, and start from scratch with new laws, new policies, and a thoroughly new composition with new people more reflective of Guyana. In sum, this whole business of GECOM needs to be declared a testimony to national bankruptcy. This is what we say: scrap this abomination of an entity, as it is currently constituted. Start over from scratch with a clean canvas and

different initial positions of the President and his Head of his Ministry would not have escaped notice. We of the PPP and PPP/C and indeed all Guyanese should be forever grateful to the persistent insistence of the Ambassadors of the Western Countries and their Central Governments, former PM Owen Arthur (of Barbados) heading the Commonwealth observers, former PM Bruce Golding (of Jamaica) heading the OAS team, PM Mia Mottley (of Barbados) current Chair of CARICM and a most concerned close neighbour, PM Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago that the Guyanese people and country have so far been spared the travesty of a Mingo declaration. As we come to the end of our recount, new additional Coalition personalities have jumped in advancing outrageous, outright big-lies about “skinning up” the

voting by tens even hundreds of thousands of dead and migrated persons. We have seen in the end a miserly list of 172 claimed dead and migrant voters, many of whom are showing up and showing that they are very much alive and whether migrated or not were very much in Guyana on March 02. The leaders of the Coalition and their supporters should hang their heads in shame, for the first couple they challenged as being out of Guyana have shown that they were in Guyana and claimed that they voted for the Coalition! Recognizing those discernible contentions hitherto, within, between and amongst the leading personalities of the Coalition and their supporting groups, the question is who/what will prevail from here on? Will they eventually, however reluctantly and grudgingly Continued on page 6

Referring to President as ‘sanctimonious gangster’ is nasty DEAR EDITOR, In undiplomatic language, the caretaker president is being referred to in Caribbean circles a ‘sanctimonious gangster’. This is nasty plain and simple. Regardless of our views and opinions of the caretaker president such a description and language has no place in Caribbean diction and cannot be condoned and must be condemned. Shamshun Mohamed

APNU’s constant beating down of own polling day staff is disturbing DEAR EDITOR, Please permit me a little space in your newspaper to say a few things about Guyana’s election that’s bothering me. I want to start with the coalition constant and overbearing beat-down of the polling agents that worked recently concluded election. The way they’re being talked about by the upper echelons in the APNU is very disturbing to say the least. APNU is basically calling them incompetent and compromised and it seems that none of them are either willing or able to defend themselves from the daily attacks. The sad part about it is that if election were held

tomorrow, 95 percent of those same people will be working the polls as agents of APNU. For all the fraud that APNU is claiming that happened, not even one of the polling agents or election observers were able to detect it on Election Day. Just a suggestion for the APNU: instead of spending forty thousand US dollars monthly on a lobbying firm, maybe invest that money on education for your polling day staff and maybe, just maybe you won’t have to bash them daily. I wonder what the likes of David Hinds and Lincoln Lewis have to say about the daily bashing of these workers. Yours Faithfully Ayaz Mohamed

a new paintbrush. It has to be one that is inclusive and diverse in the richness of this endowed land. It must be of the widest cross-section of the clean, conscientious, and incorruptible. We should be able to find a few. And a few is all that it takes to start somewhere new, somewhere better. We have much backbreaking work to do in this country, GECOM and the media are only part of the hard challenges. But we must not shrink. We must tell ourselves confidently that we have what it takes to make this Guyana of ours a better place. If nothing else, let that be the lesson from Elections 2020.

Monday June 08, 2020

Kaieteur News

The Ministry of Education is exposing our children to danger DEAR EDITOR, Today the world over there is what many are calling a ‘new norm’. What had been routine is no longer possible due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Individuals, families, communities and whole countries have been forced to change. Where there have been any success essential ‘business’ is being carried out in new ways – individuals and groups have innovated. The Educational sector is no exception to this. There are now several examples across the globe of countries and communities which had not sufficiently innovated and returned largely to the way they were. These examples include the impact of the reopening of schools when it seemed the spread of the virus was under control. In some of the wealthiest industrialised countries (Berlin, China, and Taiwan) the reopening of schools has been followed by increased number of COVID 19 cases among the students. These schools were subsequently closed, but the damage was already done. Positive examples in education are seen in places like England, where 1.5 million students were preparing to sit the GCSE, A Levels and AS Levels examinations, but the Government there has cancelled the examinations and devised an alternative means of awarding grades to the students. Right here in Guyana at the University of Guyana we saw a rapid move to online classes midway through the 2nd semester even though many lecturers and students were not fully prepared for this. The system evolved, lessons were quickly learned, adjustments made, and students will soon complete the semester without having returned to the physical campuses. Considering what we have seen in communities better equipped and financed than Guyana, I am greatly concerned about the decision of the Ministry of Education (MOE) to agree for the sitting of the NGSA and CXC CSEC and CAPE examinations in July and August. I am further concerned by the decision to reopen schools for students preparing to sit these examinations. These decisions are unnecessary and reckless given our realities and I will illustrate this. Since the first case of COVID 19 was documented in Guyana in early March, many Guyanese have not

altered their life styles and as a result we have added an average of 1.74 new cases per day. This rate is expected to go up as businesses reopen even before the first wave of the disease has passed. The movement of students to and from school will most likely lead to further increases in rate of infection. It is worthwhile to note that COVID 19 cases in our neighbouring countries of Brazil and Suriname have recently increased significantly and our borders are porous. My daughter is one of those students preparing to write the CSEC examinations. One of her classes was called to meet at school to address SBA’s for a few hours. I personally observed students and teacher without masks, no special sanitisation provisions, students sitting close by each other to share resources or just because they had not seen each other in a long while. I can imagine what will occur when greater number of students return to schools across the country. I have noted the plans of the MOE for the protection of the students and teachers at schools. I have also observed on occasions that what is announced as planned never materialises. However, even if the MOE puts all measures in place at every school in the few days since the announcement has been made, there are still major issues that will be left unaddressed. What will occur with the transportation of students to

and from school given that most students are dependent on public transportation? Even with the limited assistance to some communities promised, many of the less well-off families likely now lack the ability to provide the necessary protection for students. What of supervision of students outside of the school hours? Is it expected that all parents will come to receive their children from school or more likely that many students will have to make their way home? Conditions at schools will likely lead to masks not being used as required. The temperature, humidity and general discomfort with the use of mask will all contribute to this. Our children will be put at great risk, for what cause? What of other measures such as washing hands and sneezing and coughing into elbows: are all students aware of how to do these properly? What of schools in the interior where students travel longer distances? What of those students from interior locations who attend schools in Georgetown and hard returned home during the crisis? What of the schools where students come from across the country and live-in? Even if we assume that all students will be safe from the novel coronavirus, we must consider the impact of students being caused to sit examinations during this season. Many will be coming Continued on page 6

WHEN SANCTIONS PIN PON JOSEPH’S COAT Mih having trouble wid mih kyart One wheel heading for de gutter, De other missing ee main spoke, And de axle still pon life support. Ah hire dis lady Clarioteer To put tings back in order. But you won’t believe de actions Ah seeing from de chair. Mih use to wuk wid donkey kyart. Wha does keep de wheel from wabbling? You have to clip de linchpin tight And meck sure dat it stay secure. Chacha Sam send we down a lady She name is Saranand Linchpin. Hope she tekkin name and namba Of all de actas acting falsely. And when de Ides of June come rung: Results should line up wid de score. Odderwise, all awee gon pay de price, When sanctions pin pon Joseph’s coat. Tulsi

PAGE 5

President deserves applause for use of recount as basis of election declaration DEAR EDITOR, Guyanese applaud the President for reaffirming his support for the recount exercise in the face of adverse posturing and issuance of ultimatums to GECOM by his colleagues. Guyanese are relieved that the President has reaffirmed his commitment to the recount as the basis for a declaration of the results of the election. Voters tell this writer that tabulations from the recount must be used for a declaration of the outcome. The purpose of the agreed upon recount was to ascertain the certification of the original count. They feel that since the recount has been conducted amidst an agreement between the government and opposition, supervised by GECOM and under ‘scrutiny’ of a three-member CARICOM team, it must supplant the count. It is noted that the recount has been very open and transparent as witnessed by domestic and international observers including the OAS and EU. As per interactions with voters and from views obtained by poll interviewers, the SOP fraud of ballot certification by Mingo on March 4 of Region 4 shocked the conscience of Guyanese from all political persuasions. The certification was described by observers and by voters as bizarre and surreal. They never thought that electoral fraud would be attempted in public view in the presence of international diplomats and observers. It required extraordinary courage to rig a count in public view. In this modern day, rigging is almost impossible on camera. There was a relief when the fraud was nullified in the high court that ordered a new certification of ballots for region 4. But the court was defied and the fraud repeated for certification of Region 4 SOPS on March 13. Guyanese expressed disappointment in the behaviour of the chair who failed to take action to stop the fraud. She saw her likeability, favorability, and performance numbers dived but reversing course in recent days. Voters are unanimously in agreement with

the international community that fraud must not be legitimized. They want the declaration of the winner that can only be obtained from the recount. They also say that political parties must begin to accept that legitimate governance must come from the will of voters, not from electoral fraud. Political parties can no longer depend on manipulation of electoral rolls, impersonating or ‘impostering’ voters, stuffing ballot boxes at the closure of voting time, violence and threats, fraudulent certification of SOPs, and GECOM staff to manufacture a victory for them. The outcome of the election now depends on the vote of GECOM Chair Claudette Singh. The chair must accept the recount as the basis for the declaration. Otherwise, she and the country would face international sanctions. Affirming the recount would allow Guyana to remain an accepted member of the family of democratic nations, cause Guyanese to accept the results, allow the country to move forward, and start the rebuilding process. Guyanese thank the President for his statements to accept the declaration by the Chair as per the tabulations of the recount. The President and the coalition have been taking a beating in public opinion amongst traditional supporters with the shenanigans being displayed since March 4. The coalition has been losing support initially for refusal to display SOPs to buttress claims of victory and now for coming up with red herrings over jumbie and immigrant voters and other unverifiable allegations. The coalition supporters advise that their party peacefully accept the outcome and start rebuilding. They remind the leadership that a strong opposition is needed to critically hold a government accountable given the imminent oil wealth on the horizon. The international community has warned the coalition that it would not be recognized unless it adheres to democratic norms and accept the outcome of elections. Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram

PAGE 6

It is time to consider Truth and... From page 4 accept that they lost this one and peacefully leave office? Who knows? In what has occurred in our country since December 21, 2018, we PPP and PPP/C have once again been repeatedly put to the test and paid our dues. Whatever earnest Guyanese might have thought of Mr. Bharat Jagdeo and Mr. Irfaan Ali, before, they must acknowledge and give credit to their patience and tolerance over these 90+ days of working for a true Declaration of our Elections results. I will go further and say that I learnt early that Cheddi saw the necessity for an equally committed party to people and country, one working like the PPP to win every elections, if only to keep the PPP genuine and selfdisciplined, preventing its members from falling to the known human failings. Cheddi did not see the PPP and the PNC as enemies, natural or otherwise, but like two teams each with a commitment to people and country, each arguing and working to advance Guyana with policies and actions and in the general direction it judged best for all. Cheddi wanted not a weak PNC but an equally strong and responsible “good” PNC, the two parties respecting each other. I remember soon after 1992, one reciprocated exchange visit of a team of leading PPP members to Congress Place and a team of leading PNC members to Freedom House. Cheddi was not being disingenuous in holding that a “good” PNC could win fairly against the PPP at an election. Cheddi would have been worldly enough to know of the differing views amongst his supporters which were suppressed by the generally undeveloped, unsophisticated views of our supporters at that time, as well as frightening acts of the PNC. I have been of the view that if Mr. Hoyte could have taken one further step in the run-up to our 1992 Elections

Monday June 08, 2020

Kaieteur News

and acknowledge and apologize for their series of rigged elections and all that had been done to Dr. Jagan, the PPP’s members and supporters, Hoyte might have lost some Afro votes in the 1992 elections but his portrayal as “Desmond Persaud” would have rung truer and he might have been more than equally compensated with Indo votes. Considering the historical record of the historical PNC they should be attracting few votes - few Afro votes, few Indo, few Amerindian and other votes. Our younger Guyanese generation may well ask of me, “What do you think are our possibilities after that truthful declaration?” My answer would be “I hope we get on a road of truth and reconciliation”. Not wanting to seem evasive as I end, I will give my views on the two main ideas of ‘shared governance’ being suggested for our better governance in the short to medium term. One is essentially a shared Cabinet, including PPP/C, PNC/APNU, AFC and others. The Swiss and Belgian Constitutional arrangements and evolved history may be pointed to and studied as models, but I am in accord with the e a r l i e r, long-held instinctive inclination (until a very late change) of Mr. Hoyte to not favour a shared PPP and PNC Cabinet – there will be real danger of an irresistible, undefeatable dictatorship; how would the PPP and the PNC go to the next election? Would we not just be moving the dissensions seen in our Parliament/ National Assembly to our Cabinet? And if not, why not? Some argue that such arrangements at this time would tend to entrench the present personalities and freeze the current relationships in our society and politics. Further, what we have been taken through by leading members of the Coalition and their supporters since December 21, 2018, would leave questions for

some time about their commitment to Nation. I am more inclined to the view that some amount of adversarial relationship within the boundaries of a “National Spirit” is essential to minimize big mistakes. There is need for two or more independent political parties. So, I would advocate that we soldier on for some time still on the path we were put on (which may be termed “Inclusive Governance”) starting with the reforms that were demanded of Mr. Hoyte and continued step by step by us, the PPP/c, whilst we were in Office. Broadly speaking, whilst final decision rests with the Group in office, the opportunities for participation of the Opposition and Civil Society in the Affairs of the State are to be steadily increased in a timely manner, with an increasingly matching access to knowledge and information and resources, and membership of all State and Government Boards, Authorities and Commissions as of a right, and increasing areas of veto rights. More and more, the Group in office, must seek and win the informed approval of the governed. There are some who argue that the above taken too far inappropriately, is a recipe for stagnation for developing countries such as ours (and even for developed countries in times of great and rapid technological and social change). For example, Mr. Henry Ford is said to have said, that when he was thinking of engine driven vehicles, if he had asked someone f r o m t h e c i t y, w h a t h e would like to have, he would have said, “a faster horse” and if he had asked a farmer, he would have said, “a stronger horse”. Just over a hundred years ago, few could then have imagined engine driven vehicles and what they could do. Whatever we do, Truth and Reconciliation would be a great and essential focus and foundation. Yours truly, Samuel A. A. Hinds Former Prime Minister and Former President

The death of George Floyd presents an opportunity for interracial solidarity DEAR EDITOR, The year 2020 is only halfway through, but this has already been one for the books. While we currently battle a global pandemic, we are simultaneously witnessing a pivotal turning point in societies across the world. We watched in horror as an inhumane act cost a man, Mr. George Floyd, his life. An incident which had a much better chance of resulting in another outcome had his race been different. His race. It was this moment that people from all walks of life recognized that significant actions must be taken immediately to bring about an actual change. It has sparked a civil rights movement like no other and will no doubt be a catalyst towards the implementation of new and much needed standards. It has also given us the opportunity to shed light on a dialog that has been happening far before our time. It is this moment in time that has people all around the world engaging in a conversation about the issue on hand - racism. As a Guyanese-American, I know far too well that our own community is no stranger to ethnic and racial tensions. It is one which we urgently need to not only address, but prioritize and there is no better time than now. Take for instance the recent conflicts during our national elections.Yes, there are multiple factors contributing to the situation,

but we cannot ignore that race is not one of them. The name calling, the bullying, the outright disrespect on social media in the past few months has been outrageous and embarrassing to be frank. We can and must do better. Many people often struggle to speak up in fear of what others may think or say. I am all too familiar with this because I tend to fit into this category myself. My past experiences have definitely shaped this and at times, the easier thing to do is to not get involved or simply stay behind the scenes. B u t n o w, m o r e t h a n ever, is NOT the time to be silent. Enough is enough and we should all be fueled by the fact that the current event we are dealing with is not a political issue, it is a humanitarian one. Anyone who feels otherwise, should check their privilege. To believe it, we must first seek to understand it. We all know the famous quote by Gandhi, “Be the change you wish to see in t h e w o r l d . ” We l l t h a t change starts with each of us. It starts by recognizing similarities instead of looking for differences. It s t a r t s by listening and educating ourselves on the historical and daily struggles of our diverse cultures. I t s t a rts at home by teaching our next generation and in many cases, the elder generations, that there is no room for racism i n o u r society. It starts by being aware and checking ourselves if or whenever

we refer to a cultural stereotype in our conversations. It starts and ends by recognizing that racism brings no good, but only seeks to divide and ignite hatred. It is here that we need to understand the importance in the power of our choices. The power to choose our own words, our actions and reactions. The power to choose to be empathetic and considerate towards others. The power to choose to voice our opinion on matters that make a difference. We each have a place in this world and a limited amount of time to pave our paths and perhaps most importantly, make the right choices. The choices that will impact our future generations to come.So choose wisely. To my Afro-Guyanese brothers and sisters – Please know that you have fellow Guyanese from each of our diverse races that stand in solidarity with you. We are listening. We are learning. We are looking to a better future. And at this given moment in time and in history, we proudly state “Black Lives Matter.” To ALL my Guyanese brothers and sisters –We each need to ask ourselves, “Which side of history will I choose to be on?” We can only hope that it is the side which makes a lasting impact and a positive change in this world we all call home. But only we have the power to make that choice. Respectfully, Anita Jaikaran, MBA

The Ministry of Education is exposing... From page 5 from stressful situations, to which the stress of attending school over the next few weeks is to be added. These students are of age to feel the psychological impacts of this situation. So, if adults are facing anxiety and depression, what should we assume is occurring with children? What might be the

impact of wearing masks during examinations given the temperature, humidity and general discomforts, even for the healthiest students? This situation has revealed and continues to reveal the inadequacies, inequalities and inequities in our systems. I do not assume we can fix them all now, but I do think we can do much better than we are doing. It is my opinion, and that of many others, that there is no need for these examinations to be held as currently scheduled. There are opportunities for greater innovations to be tested and systems changed. This is the perfect time for the MOE to leap forward in the elimination of the inequalities and inequalities

in primary and secondary education and to devise an innovative way of transitioning student from primary to secondary. The MOE seems to have failed to see the opportunities in the situation and as a result have taken decisions that will put children and the society as a whole at great risk. I am now giving thought to withdrawing my daughter from the CSEC exams in 2020. As she may return to school soon, I will be making observations of the situation and documenting the same. I expect that other parents will do the same and take a decision on the need for legal action to bar the MOE from exposing our children and communities to this danger. Yours truly, C R Bernard

PAGE 8

Kaieteur News

Monday June 08, 2020

Medical professional considers lawsuit Guyanese woman, Canadian over false claim of electoral fraud held with card-making devices Ramona Chanderballi, a young medical professional is considering legal action against the Guyana Police Force after her name ended up among a list of persons who purportedly committed electoral fraud. Chanderballi a resident of Windsor Forest West Coast Demerara said that she was shocked to find out that her name was objected to by the Coalition and placed on the observation list for polling district 332222E as a person who voted but was not in the country. In a video message posted on facebook to refute the claims, Chanderballi noted she exercised her constitutional right to vote on March 2, 2020. According to her, that was the last time she was out of the country was in June 2019. “I was abroad for just over a week while I attended the international scientific conference in the USA, where I was the first Guyanese to attend and represent this country,” she said She continued that “As a young professional, I have spent my entire life in service of the Guyanese people. I’m currently a frontline health worker and I represent

Ramona Chanderballi Guyana on a number of local and international forums. This breach of my privacy is a direct attack on my reputation both locally and abroad.” Given the far reaching effects of such an allegation, Chanderballi has sought legal advice on how to proceed with the matter. She is already considering filing a lawsuit against the persons responsible for placing her name on the list. The young medical professional revealed that her lawyer has prepared a letter to the Chief Immigration Officer demanding answers

as to who requested the release of her personal information as well as on whose authority and under what legal provision that information was disclosed without her knowledge or consent. Chanderballi had said she feels violated that her name was included on the list of persons who purportedly committed electoral fraud. “I feel violated that my personal records and information on my travels are being accessed by persons I do not know and have not consented to them accessing same. I also feel violated that my name was added to a list and distributed to numerous persons to support a clear lie. I demand to know who released my personal information, I demand to know who published my personal information on that list claiming I migrated and committed electoral fraud. I demand to know how many people have possession of my personal travel records. “This is a violation of my right to privacy and it places a very public accusation of electoral fraud against me as a young professional. Continued on page 17

From left: Canadian national Kingson Yogonathan and Guyanese national Geeta Mohabir were charged due to appear in court on charges of making counterfeit cards and possessing card-making equipment. (Photos courtesy the TTPS). Trinidad (Loops News)- Police have charged a Canadian man and a Guyanese woman with trafficking counterfeit cards and having card-making equipment. In a statement, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) said officers of the Fraud Squad’s ABM Task Force have been investigating the case for weeks. The TTPS said 30-year-old Kingson Yogonathan of Pine Place, Mausica, and 27year-old Geeta Mohabir, a Guyanese national of the same address, were due to appear before a Port of Spain Magistrate on Monday June 8, 2020, charged with trafficking counterfeit cards and possession of cardmaking equipment. Kingson Yogonathan, 30, a Canadian of Pine Place, Mausica, was charged with two counts of trafficking in counterfeit cards and one count of possession of card-making equipment, while Geeta Mohabir, 27, a Guyanese national, of the same address, was charged with one count of possession of cardmaking equipment and one count of trafficking

in counterfeit cards. The two were held by officers of the ABM Task Force, during an anti-crime exercise conducted in the Northern and Central Divisions between Thursday, June 4, 2020 at 5.00 pm and Friday June 5, 2020 at 12:40 am. During the exercise, officers went to an apartment at Pine Place, Mausica, where they observed a male suspect leaving the premises in a motor vehicle. The car was intercepted and the man searched, which resulted in four counterfeit cards, along with several ATM receipts, being found hidden in his left shoe. A further search of the apartment resulted in one bulletproof vest, a red dot scope, a quantity of card skimming equipment and a quantity of counterfeit cards being found and seized. A female suspect who lives at the address was also detained in connection with the finds. Yogonathan and Mohabir were charged with the offences by PC Solozano, of the ABM Task Force on Saturday June 6, 2020.

Motorcycle bandits rob M&M Snackette

The Houston M&M outlet.

Bandits on CG motorcycle escaped with cash after holding two employees of the M&M Snackette at Houston, East Bank Demerara at gunpoint at around noon yesterday. The proprietor of the snackette said that two men pulled up on a dark coloured motorcycle and entered the outlet. One man approached the counter and requested cane juice from one of the two employees who were present. He then asked to use the washroom but the employee explained there were none available for customers. The ‘customer’ then forced his way through a door leading to the back of the counter. He then pulled out a hand gun, relieved both staffers of their cell phones and

ordered them to lie on the ground. The robber then emptied the cash register before exiting the snackette and escaping with his accomplice. The proprietor was immediately contacted by his traumatized staff. He then contacted the police and shut his business for the day. The owner also told Kaieteur News that prior to the robbery at his Houston outlet, there were two other robberies in the street adjacent to his Peter’s Hall EBD outlet. The man claimed that he had personally made a report on behalf of the victims. The women were allegedly robbed of their cell phones and valuables by two men who rode up to them on a motorcycle.

Monday June 08, 2020

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

KNEE ON DEMOCRACY’S NECK Walter Rodney, who was assassinated 40 years ago, never underestimated the importance of race. He appreciated how race could transcend class and how it could be easily manipulated by the political and economic elites to divide the working class. Walter Rodney was a Marxist. He, however, did not commit the cardinal sin of so many other Marxists who treated race as subsidiary and secondary to class. According to Alex Dupuy (Race and Class in the Postcolonial Caribbean, 1996), Rodney had come around to rejecting the notion that racial contradictions were the most fundamental source of social cleavages and conflicts. Rodney, favoured, a class perspective within which racial divisions and contradictions expressed themselves. Dupuy argues that Rodney had arrived at the conclusion that the postcolonial Caribbean petite bourgeoisies had become a new ruling class with its own interests which was opposed to those of the working classes. Rodney saw racial identification as having the potential to divide the working class. “As a class, therefore, the postcolonial petite bourgeoisie was no longer a progressive force that could be counted on to advance the cause of equality and social justice.” Rodney cautioned against race being used to camouflage class interests. In History is a Weapon he wrote about the foolishness of race and warned both Indians and Africans about being deceived by the myth of race. He observed that time and again this myth had been used to deceive the masses. This is what he said: “It is clear that we must

get beyond that red herring [race] and recognise that it is intended to divide, that it is not intended in the interest of the common African and Indian people in this country. Those who manipulated in the 1960s, on both sides, were not the sufferers. There were not the losers. The losers were those who participated, who shared blows and who got blows. And they are the losers today.” Race continues to be used to divide the working class and to camouflage the interests of the bourgeoisie and petit bourgeois. The economic elites want to keep the working class divided because a strong working class reduces economic exploitation which is at the heart of capitalism. What better way to divide the working class, in multiracial societies, than to do so using race. Race can also be used for narrow political ends such by elements within Rodney’s party, the Working Peoples Alliance (WPA). They are betraying Rodney’s political and intellectual legacy by invoking race rather than seeing beyond the camouflage. Their actions are dividing rather than uniting the working class. Rodney must be turning in his grave to see what some of his former colleagues have become. The working class is divided. The two main political parties, the PNCR and the PPP in Guyana have long been seized by the petit bourgeois and economic elites. The PPPC has long been seized by the bourgeoisie. The middleclass elites within the PNCR will never allow a working class leader to take control of that party or to pursue anything other than neoliberal policies.

A strong alliance was forged between the economic elite and certain Ministers in the APNU+AFC government. This has allowed for the APNU+AFC to become an instrument of rich and powerful business interests who have reaped rich rewards at the expense of the working poor. Eight weeks into the lockdown and workers who live day to day have not yet received any hampers to tide them through a most difficult period. But a decorative glass front, costing millions, is being applied to the 2 billion plus dollar sanatorium on the East Coast. By the time that facility is finished the COVID19 threat may have passed but quite a few persons would be smiling all the way to you know where. There is no working class party in Guyana. None. A New and United Guyana (ANUG), the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and all the other small parties cannot be classified as working class parties even though they appeal to the working class for support. These parties have failed to define themselves ideologically, which is another device used by right wing and right of center parties to gain popular appeal. They can easily be subsumed by the petit bourgeois. There is one small party which has rejected neo-liberalism but it does not espouse a working class ideology. The WPA has once again resorted to racial mischief. One of its leaders is espousing African victimhood in Guyana no doubt hoping to use it for narrow political ends. This is another attempt at dividing the working class along the lines of race rather than seeking working class solidarity across ethnicity. The working class has no friends at present among the

DEM BOYS SEH

Soulja Bai dance like Travolta Dem boys from de Waterfalls paper send some questions fuh Soulja Bai answer. De man issue a statement on Saturday. It lang, lang but short, short when it comes to dem boys’ questions. Dem boys want know if Soulja Bai gun accept de results of de recount. But like Soulja Bai in a dancing mood. He danced around de questions wha dem boys send. He gat mo moves dan Travolta. Dem boys seh he scanting, slipping and sliding all over de place. All he seh is dat he gun abide by any declaration wha de GEE-CUM Chairman mek.

He talkin all kind of story wha nah gat no relevance. He seh GEE-CUM gat fuh study Caricom Report. Like he nah rememba dat de court seh dat GEE-CUM is wan independent body which gat to mek its own decisions and nlt obligated to Caricom. Dem boys get news fuh Soulja Bai. Dem boys nah trust GEE-CUM, Claw-dette, Lolofield or Mine or Yours. Dat is why dem boys asking wan simple question to Soulja Bai: “Will you accept the results of the recount?” Dem boys nah wan go near GED-CUM with a tenfoot pole. Imagine documents from

29 polling books gone missing in action. Dem boys seh 29 Presiding Officers in one area can’t mek mistake like dat. Dem had to get instruction from somebody. Dem boys gat a suspect. Dem boys still waiting fuh GEE-CUM fuh provide de names of dem DROs who GEE-CUM claiming never get any instruction fuh put dem documents in de poll bag. Dem boys believe dat GEE-CUM get compromise a long time now and dat is why dem boys nah trust them from now till de end of nevah. Talk half and wait fuh Claw-dette do she lastminute dance.

country’s political elites. What we have masquerading as mass-based parties are large political groupings, divided along the lines of race and which are controlled and dominated by political and economic elites. Had the WPA been true to Rodney’s legacy, it would have retained its working class roots rather than becoming a victim of ethnic politics. It has fallen victim to the very virus which Rodney

cautioned against: the division of the working class along the lines of race. If there is any knee on any neck in Guyana, it is on the neck of democracy. Electoral democracy is being suffocated by those who are using race to camouflage their naked class interests. Democracy is being denied in Guyana by those who want to use the working class so that the interests of their rich friends are not

jeopardized. And unfortunately, the working class is going to allow itself to be divided and continue to be the losers. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

PAGE 10

Monday June 08, 2020

Kaieteur News

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Kwayana’s is revealing a tendency to malice, never before seen

I have submitted twice in these columns since Mingo’s ugly and graphic rigging of the 2020 election that the subsequent crisis has become one of the most priceless events that occurred in Guyana because it yielded a goldmine of revelations from which the current and subsequent generations will be better informed about the Guyanese character. For three months the world has witnessed one of history’s most rigged general elections in which words like “evil”, “macabre”, “bizarre” and “ghoulish” do not fully adequately provide the world with the factual dimensions; there aren’t such words. When in history has a party in a national election claimed victory and after three months refused to provide even one piece of paper to prove its victory? After three months, not even one statement of poll has been

released by the APNU+AFC leadership that has been in their possession since the night of March 2. In this journey of Guyana’s self-destruction, many who dwell among us have been exposed as destructive people, uncaring about their own country whose population is defined as having seventy five percent of citizens under the age of 40 and half of that population as below 25 years. Someone like Eusi Kwayana (who has lived outside of Guyana for a considerable number of years) is one of those persons who fought for free and fair election from 19681992. Mr. Kwayana would have seen first-hand how biased and unprofessional Harold Bollers, the chairman of the elections commission, was in those times. I saw first-hand the horrible mal-administration of Bollers but

I say in all honesty; anyone who lived under Bollers and Claudette Singh and could give Singh a pass grade and treat her as a better administrator than Bollers is a person guilty of malice. Never before in the electoral history of the Caricom region, has another country produced a Claudette Singh. Mr. Kwayana has a published letter on me in yesterday’s edition of this newspaper, titled, “Mr. Kissoon is revealing a tendency to malice that I never detected before.” I would like Mr. Kwayana to know that the feeling is mutual. I believe I have seen snippets of malice in him from his poor defence of Singh and his evasive willingness to comment directly on Guyana’s most rigged elections since independence. I say unapologetically, Kwayana’s positive words on Singh is a betrayal of everything Walter Rodney stood for. Kwayana, perhaps like all his colleagues

in and out of Guyana, in the Walter Rodney movement (I chose that appellation instead of Working People’s Alliance, a name that is now leprous), has denigrated the beauty of Walter Rodney. This exchange with Mr. Kwayana all started when I detected that malice as contained in the following words of his; “I for one, consider it unhelpful to prattle about facts I do not have…the impressions I am getting are not founded on facts that may pass my own test…I cannot pretend to be unaffected by the statement of (Singh) that she intended to deliver to the public a valid election. I have often wondered to what extent those who appealed to her public spiritedness…have taken the necessary steps to support her started aspirations. I am in no hurry, as Mr. Kissoon seems to be, to pass judgment on the

brief incumbency of the Chairperson of Guyana’s Election Commission”. The above were the words of Kwayana more than two months after Singh proved that Bollers was an angel compared to her. Now three months after Singh’s deportment was laid bare for the world to see Kwayana writes again. I ask readers to note the time of three months. Here is Kwayana again; “I also remember wondering whether the officials responsible for appointing her had taken the trouble to ensure the respective bodies of supporters to act in such a way as not to frustrate the aspirations of the GECOM head for a fair election. The whole commission is acting in relation to the March 2 Elections in a very charged local and international atmosphere. My fear is that Freddie Kissoon may prejudice the chairperson’s reputation by selecting me, a 95 year old activist with a

Frederick Kissoon lot of baggage, as a supporter of this official.” The tendency to malice by Eusi Kwayana is here for everyone to see. It is not party supporters that detracted from Singh’s aspirations to have a free poll. It is Singh herself that calls into question if she ever had such aspirations. Maybe Kwayana can tell us what reputation of Singh he is referring to. I end where I began; this election has shown us what some people are made of that we thought we knew so much of. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

Monday June 08, 2020

PAGE 15

Kaieteur News

GUYANESE HORROR FICTION KAMARANG…

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHILD WHO STRAYED TOO FAR By Michael Jordan The cops came about an hour after Sealey entered the Jaguar’s Den. He was sitting by the bar, watching Alvin Benn sweep several beetles and cigarette butts into a spade. “Beetles like flipping rain last night,” Alvin Benn grumbled to no one as he headed to the dustbin. Sealey glanced at his watch. Nine-fifteen. There was still a hint of mist in the air. He himself still felt a chill in his bones from his dip in the river. A few stragglers from the night before were there; some asleep at their tables, some still drinking. One miner sat alone, nodding in drunken sadness to the voice of Patsy Cline that came to him from Alvin Benn’s old jukebox. Mentore had slept out.

Bap Reggie, drunk as a lord, was still in bed. Sealey had left Leon asleep, too. The boy had staggered in after midnight with the smell of cassiri and the scent of the girl on him. He had pulled off his boots, thrown himself in his hammock, and gone promptly to sleep. He was lighting a cigarette when Shirleen entered the disco. She was wearing clogs, a yellow shirt knotted at the front, and skin-tight pants. She shifted away from the outstretched hand of a halfdrunk miner, walked quickly over to Sealey, and sat next to him. “Hi Shirles,” he said. She just nodded. She fumbled in her bag and finally came up with marijuana joint. She leaned to him for a light. The spliff glowed as she dragged hard on it. He wondered what had

brought her to the disco so early. The prostitutes were usually late risers. Shirleen looked in need of sleep herself. Her eyes were redrimmed. Her straightened hair was hastily combed. She wore no makeup; not even the customary dab of powder on the neck and breasts. She dragged again on her spliff, sighed, and stared gloomily at the table. “You okay?” She shook her head. “Had a screwed-up night.” She pulled out a thin gold chain from beneath her shirt…squeezed the small crucifix at the end, then looked up again suddenly, the red-rimmed eyes on him.”Where Leon?” “Sleeping.” “Where?” The words came out sharply. “At the logie.” “Oh.” She squinted at him

for a moment longer, then said: “Take care of that boy, Vibert Sealey.” “I’ll do that,” he said, wondering at the sudden concern. She seemed about to say something else—something important, he sensed. Instead, she dragged at the dwindling spliff, and began to prattle about some of the latest happenings at Kamarang. Some prostitute had gotten her hand broken by a miner who she had tried to rob, and talking about robbing, RuthAnne and Patricia still hadn’t turned up, since they disappeared from the landing— Movement out of the corner of his eye, and he turned in time to see two men entering the disco. The older man was a police sergeant named Caesar, who had been stationed at Kamarang for

about three years. The younger man looked familiar, too. Sealey thought he might have seen the man when he had gone to the station to lodge his gold and shotgun. The detectives headed straight for the bar, where Alvin Benn was reading a newspaper. The older one nodded at Sealey. He shook his head in amusement at Shirleen, who was brazenly grinding out the remains of her spliff on the table. The policemen were in plainclothes, but both had black notebooks. He saw now, too, that their shoes and trouser bottoms were stained with mud and moss. These men had just come from the jungle. Caesar ordered a quarter of brandy. He poured a small shot, drank quickly, then pushed the bottle over to the younger detective. The young cop grimaced and shook his head. “Take a shot man…” Caesar said. “You will feel better.” The detective, staring down at the counter, shook his head again. Benn was looking at them. “Something happen, Calvin?” Caesar wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “We just come from over the river. We find a dead child in the jungle. The whole flippin stomach tear out.” “Christ,” Benn whispered. “Jaguar?” “Dunno yet.” Caesar glanced across at Sealey. “Is one of ole Perez greatgrandsons.” Perez. Sealey suddenly felt cold. He pressed out his half-smoked cigarette, excused himself from Shirleen, and hurried back to the logie. He changed into a pair of high-topped boots, and put on the brown, broadbrimmed Stetson hat he wore in the bush. He collected two bottles of whiskey from a carton and put them in a small shoulder-bag. Bap Reggie was nowhere in sight. The boy was still asleep in his hammock. Leon’s shirtbuttons were loose, revealing the imprint of fresh teethmarks just above his left nipple. Sealey had a vision of the girl bending to Leon; her wide, full-lipped mouth seeking his chest. He hurried over to the Kamarang Police Outpost, uplifted his shotgun, then went down to the river. A boy in a corial took him to the other side. He stepped ashore, and took the track that led to the Amerindian village, and to Perez’s hut. It was a small settlement of thatched huts and land cleared for farming. Usually,

there would be children playing near the huts, or splashing in the river. But today, the children huddled together, wide-eyed and silent. Men milled around in small groups, with shotguns and skinny hunting dogs at the ready. He caught the smell of deer-meat smoking at a nearby fireside. There were three women in Perez’s hut. Myra, Perez’s youngest daughter, sat in a tibisiri chair next to a younger woman, who had apparently been crying. The third woman lay in a hammock as she nursed a baby. Myra rose to greet Sealey. “Uncle Vibert,” she said, attempting to smile. He held her hands and squeezed them gently. Her fingers were cold. There was grief and fear in her eyes.She glanced back at the woman in the tibisiri chair, who was crying again. “That is the mother.” Sealey nodded at the redeyed girl, then turned back to Myra.” Where your daddy?” “He outside with the body. I will get someone to take you to him.”She called out to a passing boy. Sealey followed the boy down a path that led to the back of the village. They came to a spot about fifty yards from the huts, where Sealey saw a small gathering of men. He caught the same tension that he had noticed before. Again, some of the men had shotguns. Sealey pushed his way through the small group. He saw Perez and one of his sons within the circle of men. A policeman in uniform was there. They were standing around a sort of wooden platform. On it, wrapped in a piece of canvas, was a bundle with the unmistakable shape of a child. Sealey edged his way to Perez, who was staring at the bundle. The old man glanced up. “You heard.” Sealey nodded. Perez turned back to the wrapped-up form. “My youngest great-grandson,” he said. Sealey vaguely remembered a chubby boy of about three sitting in Perez’s lap when he had passed through the village on his way to the landing. Perez moved closer to the platform. Gently, he began to unwrap the canvas that covered the child. A sigh went up from the circle of men as the body was bared to their view. The child was naked. If you looked at his face, you might have thought him asleep, except there was a gaping hole where his stomach should have been. Something had scooped it out

Cover design and illustrations by Harold Bascom clean. Sealey could see the edges of a few broken ribs. Perez stared at the child for a moment. He plucked a dry leaf off the boy’s chest, then ran his fingers gently though his hair. “My youngest great-grandchild,”

he said again, looking into the boy’s face as if he was speaking to him. Then slowly, he covered the body. He touched the wrapped-up form once more, then stepped back into the crowd. Continued on page 16

PAGE 16

Monday June 08, 2020

Kaieteur News

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHILD... From page 15 “What did this?” Sealey asked. His voice sounded hoarse and far away. “We not sure yet…” he sensed something evasive in his friend’s voice. “How it happened?” It seemed that the boy and some of the other children had been playing hide-and-seek on the outskirts of the village. It was only when dusk fell and they FOR RENT SERVICES were leaving for home that the Visa Forms Preparer. PLANNING AN EVENT? others realised that he wasn’t Tel#626-7040, Publish your BIRTHDAY PARTY, with them. They had thought Death Annoucements & In G R A D U A T I O N , he had wandered home. But Memoriams online. Email: W E D D I N G S , he wasn’t there, or at any of dthmemo@gmail.com ANNIVERSARY, ETC. - the other huts in the village. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: They had begun to search, ICONIC MARKETING & 216-1043; 677-6620 but then night had fallen. PRINTING –TEL: 6006887: We create A/works, 3 bedroom unfurnished apt in They found him this morning logos, business cards, Eccles, 1st Scheme Gingerlilly in the forest, in an area about posters, etc, placements of Ave. Parking available. an hour’s walk from the settlement. ads included. Contact# 233-0044 “You saw anything in the area PLANNING AN EVENT? One (2) bedroom apartment to tell you what happened? Like BIRTHDAY PARTY, located at 11 Hadfield St, animal tracks?” G R A D U A T I O N , Lodge. Call: 622-4722 In answer, Perez touched W E D D I N G S , Sealey lightly on the shoulder ANNIVERSARY, ETC. - One Bedroom Apartment to then began to shift away from CALL DIAMOND TENTS: rent, Houston, need working the crowd. His two sons, with 216-1043; 677-6620 couple, no kids. Tel#627-0251/ their shotguns, and a middle664-2861 aged hunter with two skinny FOR SALE 10 K Sq ft, 25 Public Rd, dogs followed. Sealey again sensed that tension. He knew, 1500 lb 5 inch palatine, 1 Agricola. US 3K Neg (Long somehow, that something Term Avail). Tel or Whatsapp winch. Tel#667-8921/220-7655 strange was about to occur. #647-572-3378/289-980-2711 Price Negotiable Perez walked until they Business/Office: South Road, were out of sight of the crowd, German Shepherd pups Hadfield Street, Saffon St then he stopped. The group vaccinated & dewormed, pure Residence: Diamond & Pearl paused at the edge of the breed. #622-0015/220-8559 East Bank. Contact Ray’s forest. “I take you to the place Realty #627-9685 where we find the boy,” he said. “Then we talk.” One bedroom apartment 25ft They walked a little x 22ft for working couple or further, until they came to a single person $36,000 monthly small trail. Perez and his two water included. Call: 638-8858 sons checked their shotguns. The hunter glanced at the trail, then spoke to Perez quickly in the Akawaio dialect, while gesticulating at the trail. TAXI SERVICE Perez answered him in the GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: dialect. He pointed angrily at 219-5000; 227-1982 & 225the trail with his shotgun. 7878 (24HRS) The hunter fumbled in his pouch and took out some VEHICLE FOR SALE crushed leaves. He passed 1 Suzuki Escudo.Excellent some to Perez and his two condition, Low Mileage sons, and, after a moment’s (50,000Km).$3.4M Neg.Call hesitation, to Sealey, who watched as the men put the #649-0956. leaves into their mouths. Sealey followed suit, almost PEN PAL too puzzled to notice the Male seeks female (18-35) to pungent taste. He knew of the live with or marry. Call: 643- binas Amerindians used to CAR RENTAL 0067 give them good luck on the PROGRESSIVE CAR hunt. There was the one WANTED RENTAL: CARS & SUV’S where you rubbed ginger CALL:656-0087/6431 General Domestic. Call: 615- into cuts on your hands. 5 1 2 2 , E 3379 There was the one where you MAIL:PROAUTORENTAL @YAHOO.COM Truck Driver & Security. Tel# 218-5105/218-1156 AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL & TOW TRUCK (1) Live in domestic and girls SERVICE:PICKUP,9-11 to work in the interior. Tel#684SEAT MINI BUS, GOOD 7960 FOR AIRPORT & FAMILY OUTINGS, CHEAPEST 1 maid to cook and clean for East Bank area. #615-9132 RATE#698-7807. VACANCY TO LET Self contain rooms for working couple/single person $35,000 monthly. Light & Water, Lodge. Call #623-0076, 2 months security

VACANCY Domestic. Contact# 223-5273/ 223-5274 One Live-in/Night Babysitter. Interested persons kindly contact tel# 600-6887

Cook/Baker for interior location, applicants must be experienced with verfiable references. Call: 618-2020 Sales Representative. Contact# 223-5273/223-5274

put slime from a frog’s skin up your nostrils. But these crushed leaves were not a hunting bina. This was supposed to be a powerful charm to protect persons walking through the forest alone, and to protect them during sleep, and against evil. What evil did Perez think awaited them in the jungle? Now the men spat out the chewed-up leaves. They muttered something again. Then Perez nodded, checked his shotgun again, and stepped into the trail… At first, the trail was wide enough for them to walk in pairs. But gradually, they were forced to walk in single file as they went deeper into the forest. At one point, they startled a flock of parrots out of a fruit tree, and the birds flew off, cackling like schoolgirls. But as they went further, silence enveloped them, save for the panting dogs and the sound of their progress. Suddenly, Perez signaled, and they turned off the track into another trail; the ground soft beneath their boots and thick with decaying leaves. Sealey could see where the earth had been disturbed by the clumsy feet of the policemen who had gone before then. As Sealey stepped into the trail, leaves from a stray branch brushed his face. Their touch stirred some buried memory and he suddenly thought, with surprise, I have been here before! For a moment, even the feel of the rotting leaves beneath his boots seemed disturbingly familiar. But he shook off the feeling of déjà vu and continued down the trail. They had been walking for about ten minutes down the new trail when they came across the first dead baboon. The first thing that alerted Sealey was the faint reek of carrion; the smell growing stronger as they stepped deeper into the jungle. Then, at a bend in the trail, Perez signaled them to stop. He stared into the bushes on his right, then squatted on the ground. At first, Sealey thought he was looking at the carcass of a large, furry dog. But on stepping closer, he realised that the creature was a baboon. It lay on its back, big teeth bared, long limbs sprawled. The vultures had taken its eyes, and something else had taken its stomach. The hunter squatted besides Perez, disturbing a hoard of feasting cow-flies. A quick exchange in Akawaio, then Perez signaled to them to continue. About a minute later, they found the second baboon. Its body lay in the centre of the trail. Its eyes were still intact, but its entrails were missing. This carcass was fresher, but about a day old, Sealey guessed. This one was

female. One of its teats hung from a flap of skin. Its humanlike paws were clenched tight in death. Perez glanced at Sealey. He nodded grimly, then continued. And now Sealey sensed that the men had grown more alert. The dogs, pulling on their leashes, made occasional, yipping sounds. Perez’s pace had increased. His sweat-soaked cotton jersey stuck to his back, but he was almost loping along now like a youngster. Sealey knew that there would be no tears from this old man, though he would get drunk tonight. And he would not rest until he had hunted down whatever that had killed his great-grandson. Was it a jaguar? Such attacks were rare. There was a case, several years ago, when a little girl had gone into some bushes to play and had startled a shejaguar and her cubs. It had torn the child’s scalp clean off. But Sealey felt in his bones that this was different. It was in the men’s reaction to the sight of the dead monkeys. It was in the feel of the forest. Usually, he had always felt at ease in the jungle. But somehow, the jungle felt different today. Suddenly Perez stopped and said, “Here.” They had reached a semiclearing in the forest. Perez pointed to a spot to the left of the trail. The grass here was pressed down, as if something had been lying there. There were splotches of blood on the ground. And now the dogs erupted into hysterical barking; crouching low, noises pointing to the crushed grass, tails locked between their legs. The men looked around hastily, squinting in the semidarkness, shotguns pointing to and fro. After awhile, the hunter murmured to the dogs and the barking subsided. Perez peered into the forest a few moments more. Eventually, he lowered his shotgun and squatted to the forest floor.”This is where we find the little one,” he said, his voice a half-whisper. He looked at Sealey, who had

squatted besides him. “You notice anything strange?” Sealey scanned the spot where the body had been found then said: “Not much blood.” Perez nodded in agreement. “Maybe it feed somewhere else.” “And then bring the body here?” Perez shook his head. “Don’t think so. No blood anywhere else. We checked.” He squinted at Sealey. “Notice anything else?” A faint, rankish smell that he couldn’t quite place. He sniffed the air. There it was again… “You smell it too,” Perez said. “Not jaguar smell. And the boy’s body. No scratches. You know how jaguar eats.” Sealey nodded. A jaguar would have held the body down with one paw while it tore at the body with its teeth. The body should have had scratches made by the big cat’s paws. And so should have the monkeys’. “One more thing,” Perez said. “Look.” … Perez picked up a twig and pointed to the spot with the body had lain. And now that Perez had shown him, Sealey saw the faintest of footprints. Sealey stared at the footprint, feeling more unsettled by it than by anything he had seen so far. What could it mean? As if Perez had read Sealey’s mind, he said: “We don’t think that the little one was killed by a jaguar. We think he was murdered.” “What?” Sealey heard the shock and dread in his own voice. Perez nodded. “He killed by something more dangerous than jaguar.” Perez paused, then ended: “I think he killed by a bush dai dai.” (Taken from the Guyanese supernatural novel, KAMARANG by Michael Jordan. Cover design by Harold Bascom.) (Kamarang is now available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, as well as at Austin’s Book Store. You can also contact Michael Jordan for an autographed copy on +592 645 2447 or email a d d r e s s kamarangnight@gmail.com)

Coalition tells GECOM... From page 3 emphatically told this publication that they were in Guyana on the day of the elections, despite contrary claims being peddled by the APNU+AFC. Opposition- nominated commissioner Sase Gunraj appeared baffled as to how the coalition arrived at their 84,000 irregularities. In fact, he rejected it while adding that he would not subscribe to such claims. Gunraj noted evidence, or lack thereof, on the basis of which he rejected the thousands of irregularities. “There is absolutely no evidence to substantiate any of the allegations that have been contained in any of the observation reports that have so far been brought to the tabulation room.” Even as “flawed” as the election process seems to be, Gunraj highlighted that the Commission must still make declarations as it is vested with the authority of the Constitution of Guyana.

Monday June 08, 2020

PAGE 17

Kaieteur News

Retirement homes step up COVID-19 counter-measures following Palms outbreak An outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus at the Palms has caused a number of other geriatric facilities to beef up their counter measures. Kaieteur News spoke to representatives from a few retirement homes who shared the steps taken to protect resident in light of the prevailing COVID-19 situation. Bonita Moore, Administrator of Uncle Eddie’s Home in Tucville noted that the retirement home has been under strict observation ever since Guyana reported its first case. Moore noted however that ever since the outbreak

at the Palms, the home has been in constant contact with the Ministry of Public Health, (MoPH) to ensure that its 20 plus residents remain free of the virus. “All residents have been restricted from leaving the home as well as visitors restricted from coming here. Prior to the situation with the Palms, we had already started implementing the certain counter measures. “We have set up a sink outside for our staff and have been observing the guidelines on social distancing and personal hygiene,” she said. According to Moore,

since the situation at the Palms, the home has been the recipient of a number of donations. “We received a number Personal Protective Equipment, (PPE) and sanitization products and even a temperature machine. So our staff has the adequate mask and gloves to function on a daily basis.” Further, she said the MoPH has been sending a medical team to check on the residents. The COVID-19 Unit has also been conducting a regular sanitation exercises at the facility. We also stay in constant contact with the

Teen of Guyanese parentage accepted... From page 12 law degree so that’s what I am aiming for,” she said. She explained that sports management has been close to her heart ever since she fell in love with doing in it in High School. “I was always good at school but I didn’t play sport because of my asthma…then my high school coach Mr. Robert Jones encouraged me to get involved. He offered to let me manage the boys’ basketball team, I took up the challenge, researched as much as could about it and I have loved it ever since.” Gajadhar noted that her work with the boys’ basketball team boosted her confidence and helped her decide on a career path early on.

“It‘s something I never knew I wanted to do until I tried it.” She also sees the need for more female representation in the sports industry. “I think that’s part of why I want to be in sports management because it is a very maledominated field so there is definitely need for more females to break the glass ceiling.” In the meantime, Gajadhar who is expected to graduate from St. John’s in 2025, hopes that other girls would follow her footsteps and aim for careers that they are most passionate about. “I would advise other little girls, to follow their dreams no matter how big or small.” (Rehanna Ramsay)

In search of a dark skinned... From page 14 Production Unit (M.P.U) of the Ministry of Education that was instrumental in putting out the very first supplementary readers for the children of Guyana in 1973. Then, its coordinator was Agnes Jones and the art director (the man who oversaw the art for the books, was African American book illustrator/ instructor, Tom Feelings. “The aim was to create books for Guyanese children from stories drawn from the Guyanese experience, and illustrated by Guyanese illustrators capable of filling those books with images that the Guyanese child would be able to relate to, having experiences the Guyanese children would be able to empathize with. President Burnham was conscious of the fact that a people educated through books written and illustrated by the white foreigner who feels their culture superior to the local culture, would continue to engender continued loss of self-worth in the local population. “The aim was to create local books appropriate to the Guyanese sociological, economic, and historical experience. “Since I’ve always been nationalistic and wary of books written by Europeans (who provided the brunt of our education through reading) I welcomed being part of what was a very important revolution in the education of the Guyanese child. As someone who learnt to illustrate books, it was an opportunity to draw children who looked like the children I saw about me in my everyday life. I knew how important this was for our local boys and girls—especially the ones who did not look like little white boys and girls in the books we imported from Longmans and other European educational-book publishers. I knew how important it was for a dark-skinned, hardhaired Guyanese boy/girl to open a book and see a drawing/painting of a laughing, darkskinned, hard-haired boy/girl looking back from the pages.

“Of course, there was push-back even from education officers who felt that the images I drew were ‘ugly’ because they weren’t the creamy-skinned, mulatto representation they were expecting in our local books. The criticism didn’t daunt me. I enjoyed every bit of it until I left and the M.P.U. segued to being the unit that did the Timehri Readers. “I don’t know what derailed the local books momentum we’d been on. Why should such a project like the Timehri Series be no more, is a mystery and a serious disappointment,” Bascom said. “ It’s as if, as a nation, we have given up on ourselves being the molders of our own intellectual destiny and are calling, once more, on the spirits of our colonial past, to possess us again … to our own detriment and intellectual demise.” Graphic artist Barrington Braithwaite pointed out to me that there is a market for Guyanese books for children and young adults. His beautifully illustrated graphic novels “The Adventures of Brer Anancy: Voyage to the New World,” and The Mighty Itaname,” were produced and printed locally. They have all been sold out. As a self-published writer, the challenge he faces is accessing enough funds to produce and print his work. The demand for my supernatural novel Kamarang, also reassures me that there would be a market for locally written children’s books, that are inhabited by creatures from our rich treasure trove of mythical creatures. I’ve already introduced my granddaughter to some of them, including some I made up. Hopefully, I’ll put some of these creatures in a children’s book, and the heroine teaming up with Brer Anancy to battle the evil bush dai dai, would be a brown-skinned princess like my grand-daughter.

Public Health Ministry to ensure that no one here is affected by the virus. Similarly, Kella Ramsaroop of the Dharm Shala (Elderly Shelter) in Albouystown told Kaieteur News that the MoPH has been offering support to them throughout the pandemic. According to her, the gates of the Dharm Shala remain closed. “We have restricted visits to the home and our residents stay behind closed doors to keep safe. We are following strictly the guidelines of the Ministry of Public Health since we have some of the most vulnerable group to protect. “We ensure they get their meals and have access to the television and radio, so they don’t need to leave for anything.” According to Ramsaroop, the surroundings of the Dharm Shala are santised regularly. “We also encourage the staff and residents to wear masks.” She said nonetheless that the restrictions have proven difficult for a few residents who opted to leave the home. “We have three persons that left because they were no longer allowed to go and come back as they like.” Meanwhile, a female representative of Byers Senior Citizens Home on

Retirement homes beef up COVID-19 countermeasures following Palms outbreak Robb Street told this newspaper the MoPH conducted COVID -19 tests on the twelve elderly occupants The Byers Home staffer explained too that the home is regularly sanitized, With the advent of COVID -19, the MoPH has issued several warnings of how the public should protect themselves against the spread of the disease. The MoPH had also identified the elderly among the most vulnerable to contract the disease.

Unfortunately, in late April, the Ministry reported that the Palms Elderly Home had its first case and the patient subsequently died. The Palms was placed under lockdown with several members and residents in quarantine while some were placed in isolation. But in a matter of weeks, six more residents, all female, were added to the Palms Geriatric Home’s record of COVID-19 cases. There have since been two deaths at the geriatric home.

Medical professional considers lawsuit... From page 8 I condemn this act and call on all Guyanese to do the same,” she said Chanderballi is not the only person who has come forward to refute the claims. Kaieteur News has uncovered more than 26 persons whose names have been wrongly placed on the list of ‘overseas voters.’ The persons have all verified that they were in the country and voted at the March 2, 2020 Regional and General Elections contrary to claims of the APNU+AFC. Late last month, APNU+AFC campaign cochair Joseph Harmon wrote a letter to the GECOM Chairperson Justice Retired Claudette Singh claiming there was evidence of electoral fraud. In the letter Harmon stated that “During the recount, agents of APNU+AFC made objections at the counting stations to the voting and counting of ballots by certain electors after the counting agents indicated that the said electors were recorded as having voted at the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections. Our investigations have revealed that electors were outside the jurisdiction and

were recorded as voted.” Additionally a list containing 207 names, along with that letter, was forwarded to the Commissioner of Police. A list containing 172 of those names was returned and ‘confirmed’ as being out the country on Elections Day by the Deputy Chief Immigration Officer, Ewart Wray. Kaieteur News saw and published a subsequent list submitted on 30 May that had

310 persons. The Police Force had responded to the first article by Kaieteur News featuring just three persons refuting the claims, insisting on the accuracy of the information given to GECOM. Since then several other persons have come forward and requests for comment from the Force on subsequent articles have gone unanswered.

PAGE 18

Monday June 08, 2020

Kaieteur News

GECOM fails to provide statement it claims was signed by DROs The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is yet to produce a statement it claims was signed by a group of Region Four Deputy Returning Officers, refuting allegations made by another Region Four DRO, Paul Jaisingh that it was GECOM who had ordered that critical documents not be placed in the ballot boxes on Election Night. Jaisingh had said, in a letter to GECOM, that he had received instructions from Carlyn Duncan, Clerk to the Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo to exclude certain statutory documents from their ballot boxes when they completed the count on Election night. Jaisingh had said in his email to the Chair of GECOM, Justice Claudette Singh, that Duncan gave instructions “to include only unused, valid and rejected ballots in the ballot boxes,” and that “this was communicated to the respective Presiding Officers who complied.” Jaisingh added “As a result, the other documents

were placed in the bag provided. This instruction was given on Election Day a few hours before the close of the poll. Other Deputy Returning Officers affected by this decision can confirm the same.” In response, the Commission had sent out a press release claiming that “A group of Deputy Returning Officers (DROs) who were responsible for clusters of Polling Stations on the East Coast of Demerara, Region 4 has submitted a signed statement to the Secretariat of the Guyana Elections Commission refuting allegations that the Clerk to Region 4 Returning Officer, Ms. Carolyn Duncan instructed them to advise the Presiding Officers to not include the official documents in the ballot boxes at the close of poll. This statement refutes an article being circulated on social media which emanated from an e-mail sent to the Guyana Elections Commission by another DRO, Mr. Paul Jaisingh.”

- As new evidence emerges confirming that Commission staff gave instructions to remove documents Despite repeated requests to view the statement it claims was provided however, or the identities of the DROs who were said to have signed the statement, no proof has been provided from the Secretariat. When GECOM’s Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward sent the press releases to members of the media on Saturday afternoon in a Whatsapp group, one reporter asked Ward for a copy of the letter, so that it could be presented alongside Jaisingh’s letter. Ward said that she would seek permission to do so. As it got closer to press time on Saturday night, Ward was asked multiple times, including by Kaieteur News, for a copy of the letter and she did not respond. Other questions were posed to Ward on that day, in relation to the matter, about the DROs in Region Four and the

From left, GECOM Officials: Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo; Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward; Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield polling stations and subdistricts managed by them. She was also asked which of the DROs supposedly sign on to the letter, and was reminded even up to last night, that the press awaits a copy of the letter. All of these questions went unanswered. Noticing discourse about the matter in the public, one young man, Steve Anthony Datta took to Facebook yesterday to ventilate his account of what happened while he worked as a Presiding Officer at Enmore Hope Primary School. Datta’s polling station was not among the 29 implicated in the aforementioned matter, but he had noticed a Facebook post by a Coalition spokesperson, Christopher Jones, that “electoral fraud” was detected at the polling station Datta presided over. Jones stated that for the polling station, “72 ordinary ballots cannot be accounted for. No unused ballots in

envelope.” Datta pointed out his years of experience in banking and accounting, to underscore that he would not be engaged in any “unethical issues” or matters of fraud, and asked whether the political agents of the PPP and the Coalition would have signed off on the process if they had noticed any fraudulent act. He said that the Presiding Officers were instructed via a Whatsapp group created for the Election that the unused ballots should go into the bags, not the ballot box. To support his claims, Datta provided screenshots of the Whatsapp group, created on February 17, just weeks before the Election. Datta said that on Election Night, as the screenshot shows, that at 18:04hrs, a Clerk to the Deputy Returning Officer for that area forwarded three messages which stated “Unused ballot going into the

bags”, “Not the ballot box” and “Please inform ur PO”. The Coalition has been making a series of unsubstantiated allegations of electoral fraud against the PPP, since the start of the recount, and intensified this campaign when a significant portion of the boxes had been recounted, putting the PPP in a considerable lead. Just days ago, when the PPP’s lead became almost insurmountable, the Coalition declared that the elections results coming out of the recount cannot be considered credible, and asked GECOM to discard the valid votes cast for the 29 East Coast boxes, for which the area is a stronghold of the PPP. Justice Singh decided yesterday during a meeting of the Commission, to allow the tabulation of the near 7000 valid votes from the 29 boxes on the grounds that the voters should not be disenfranchised.

Claims of widespread fraud tarnish Commonwealth technical staff – Arthur Head of the Commonwealth Observer Team, Owen Arthur, wants to put on record his belief that accusations of fraud and widespread rigging on Election Day stand to tarnish the reputations of two Commonwealth-funded consultants attached to the Guyana Elections Commission. In an exclusive interview with Kaieteur News yesterday, the head of the Commonwealth Observer Team to Guyana’s elections said that he was concerned that recent claims of widespread ‘fraud’ in the process will have implications for two consultants who worked to help GECOM develop its electoral systems.

“The Commonwealth not only observed the Guyanese elections,” Arthur said, “but it had provided technical assistance to GECOM in the form of two experts, high qualified people from other countries in the Commonwealth, experts in electoral matters who helped to define and develop and perfect the electoral process that was implemented on election day. These men’s reputations now stand to be buffeted by allegations that the system that they helped to define and develop was characterized and tainted by massive fraud.” Arthur told this paper that the two men have been working with the GECOM Secretariat for about a year

leading up to the polls and that their reputations were without question in the Commonwealth. He said that all senior political stakeholders who had engaged with the consultants in the lead up to the elections had expressed satisfaction with their work. PM Arthur says that he was privileged to lead a team of professional people and that the elections day activities were conducted without any significant hurdles. He said that he was privileged even to observe a counting activity first hand. He expressed the hope that the country’s issues would be resolved quickly and that the country would get back to some sense of normalcy.

Monday June 08, 2020

PAGE 19

Kaieteur News

The visionary fortitude of each federation/association will be tested going forward By Franklin Wilson The way forward for many, if not all, of the sports associations and federations in Guyana would come under tremendous scrutiny whenever we return to some level of normalcy after the coronavirus pandemic eases. Every nation in the world has come under the radar for the way they have been handling the crisis, some have stood up to the challenge and have come up with strategies to contain and control, while other nations have been stuttering in their response to the deadly disease which has seen over 400,000 deaths

worldwide with over 7 million persons infected. The sports world has not been speared and while we’ve not been hit as hard in this arena, the test awaits ahead; how association/federation leaders will map the way forward. At the world level there’s been much strategizing going on as the international bodies seek to return as fast as possible to normalcy. Well, the same has to take place here. Some associations/federations have been meeting and working on how they would be dealing with the aftermath

of the coronavirus. For sure, the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) and President K.A Juman Yassin would have their work cut out in rendering assistance not only financially but from an administrative perspective as well. Many of these bodies have been stuttering from an administrative standpoint, visionary leadership being one of the major challenges. The lack of competitive activities has added to that dilemma and it would be a serious challenge to rise like a beacon whenever normalcy returns in whatever shape or form.

Monday June 08, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Every once in a while, everyone must analyze his or her life. But you tend to be too pessimistic when you ponder yours. You get easily carried away, and you often exaggerate. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You'll have to use a cunning strategy today. The day will be tense and delicate. Some of your friends may try to put some pressure on you to obtain certain things. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Today, Gemini, you'll become quite introspective and reflect on your life. You probably heard some discouraging news concerning someone close to you, and it could leave you feeling blue. CANCER(June21–July22) Have your friends ever told you that you could be a great teacher? At home, you're the one who's talking all the time. You're almost compelled to make others listen to you. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You've been working hard lately and giving a lot of your energy to others, Leo. Today you're feeling tired. There will be tension in the air throughout the day. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today, Virgo, you'll undoubtedly ask yourself a lot of questions. You tend to be rather introverted, and you typically need a great deal of freedom. You're usually an energetic person, but with the current astral energy at play, you may feel lonely and doubtful of your abilities.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You'll be the savior of the day. Your wisdom and patience will be your best assets today. You'll be of great help to those around you. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You shouldn't work as hard as you do. You might have a lot of energy, but your body needs to rest from time to time. There is more to life than work. Try to take some time off to relax and recharge your batteries. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You'll be lost in your thoughts today. The celestial atmosphere is right for enabling you to ponder a frustrating aspect of your life. Often your partner is far away from you, yet you need your sweetie beside you. CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) People around you might have been expecting a bit more cooperation on your part. You could be nicer and more concerned about their needs. It seems that you've been ill-tempered recently. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) If it were up to you, you'd rather stay in bed reading than confront the world. Deep inside, however, you know you need to reach out to others. You feel that you can't be left out of society. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Generosity is one of your best qualities. You have the uncanny ability to give without expecting anything in return, and you gain a great deal of power and light from this generosity.

Athletes no doubt, would be holding their leaders to account and finding funding to host competitions and tournaments would be yet another major challenge. Businesses have been facing their own tests also; the political landscape has added to the list of challenges which means that readily accessing funds to offset activities for athletes in all the sports would present a stern test for presidents and their executives. Some associations/ federations, which have access to funding from their international bodies, might have an easier pathway when it comes to competitions and tournaments and even in such instances the level of visionary leadership in charting the way, would be interesting to see. The female segment of most of the sports would need way more help and support. Many have been proffering the notion that our female athletes stand to lose (suffer) more or even be shut out; however, this must not be allowed to ever happen. The level of attention that would be given to our female athletes would be interesting to see, it must have a high level, of priority. Associations/federations must plan and put systems in place to capture and cater for our female athletes in a

Gower salutes... From page 20 the exception of football, probably, if you haven’t got live sport you’ve got nothing to pin tomorrow’s newspaper or the next five-minute clip on television or radio. “The losses this year will be sizeable and any loss of income impacts the whole game, from the Test team to counties, to clubs and schools.” Gower said the sport had been grappling with a number of major issues prior to the pandemic. “There were lots of problems in cricket before Covid-19, particularly in terms of the nations outside India, Australia and England, and issues around finance and structure. “They won’t go away on their own but if all this does help foster a spirit of cooperation, so much the better. “It would be great if there was a feeling of all being in this together and if the old power struggles could be set aside in favour of keeping everyone in business, getting games on and keeping everyone safe,” he insisted.

GOA President K.A Juman Yassin serious way now, more than ever. While we have been on shutdown, one would expect that presidents, secretaries and their executive members have been interacting using the respective social media platforms to prepare for the re-start of action, whenever that is.

Failure so to do would be evident and reflective in how these bodies are able to rebound and cater for the resumption of activities. Those which have failed to plan would come under severe scrutiny from their constituents, or at least one is tempted to think so. Time will surely tell.

PAGE 20

Kaieteur News

Monday June 08, 2020

Gower salutes Windies ‘spirit of co-operation’ AFP - David Gower has urged the rest of world cricket to follow the West Indies in demonstrating a “spirit of co-operation” as the global game looks to get back on its feet amid the coronavirus. The West Indies are due to arrive in England next week, ahead of a three-match Test series rescheduled for July even though the pandemic has claimed at least 48,000 lives in Britain, according to official figures. International matches are central to the financing of the game at all levels, with the England and Wales Cricket Board estimating it could lose £252 million ($316 million) if there are no fixtures at all this summer as a result

of COVID-19. “The West Indies have done us a favour,” former England captain Gower told Britain’s Press Association. “It is a unique situation and one with huge pressures. “It will be a huge relief for these games to happen because getting going again is the key.” Gower, the newly-installed president of the Lord’s Taverners, a cricket-related charity that supports disabled and disadvantaged young people, added: “Let’s face it, last year was extraordinary with the World Cup win (by England) and an exciting Ashes but the problem for any sport is that the public consciousness only lasts a short while. “With (Continued on page 19)

Monday June 08, 2020

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

Mixed martial arts: Dominant Nunes defeats Spencer to defend featherweight crown (Reuters) UFC featherweight champion Amanda Nunes dominated Felicia Spencer and scored a comprehensive decision victory on Saturday in retaining her crown, becoming the first two-weight UFC champ to successfully defend both belts. The Canadian challenger went the distance at the UFC 250 event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday, but she was completely outclassed, as Nunes won every one of the five rounds on the judges’ scorecards.

“I studied her very well, I know she’s tough and I have to be sharp if I have to go five rounds, I have to be dominating,” a beaming Nunes told commentator Joe Rogan after the fight. “That was my goal, defending my two belts at the same time. I defended both belts, you know, I’m the greatest! I’m so happy right now!” she added. Spencer fought bravely but her limitations were exposed early on as Nunes caught her with a stiff jab and then took her to the mat,

Honor A. P. wins Santa Anita Derby; Improbable wins Gold Cup ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Honor A. P. won the $400,000 Santa Anita Derby by 2 3/4 lengths Saturday to move into the Kentucky Derby picture. Ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, Honor A. P. ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.97 and paid $6.40, $2.60 and $2.20. It was Smith’s third straight win and fourth overall in the West Coast’s major prep for the Kentucky Derby. The Grade 1 race was run without spectators or media at Santa Anita because of the coronavirus pandemic. “I miss the fans, but I just got to pump myself up,” Smith said. Authentic returned $2.20 and $2.10 as the heavy 1-2 favorite for trainer Bob Baffert, while Rushie was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third and paid $3.40 to show. Trained by John Shirreffs, who oversaw superstar Zenyatta, Honor A.P. was purchased for $850,000 as a yearling. He is a ridgling, a male horse in which one or both testicles do not descend. “We knew that he has tactical speed and Mike can put him pretty much where he wants,’’ Shirreffs said. “On the backside, we hoped he would get comfortable and to have a nice kick in the end, and it all worked out well.” Honor A. P. earned 100 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, which has been rescheduled to Sept. 5 because of COVID-19. That moved him into second with 120, two points behind leader Tiz the Law, on the Derby leaderboard which determines the 20-horse field for the race. “It’s up to him whether we run him again before the big dance,” Shirreffs said. “We have to see how the

horse comes out and how he feels, but you’d always prefer to run. Running is probably the best option rather than training up to it, but we’ll wait and see how it all happens.” T h e v i c t o r y, w o r t h $240,000, increased Honor A. P.’s career earnings to $362,200. Authentic earned 40 points and is now fourth on the Derby leaderboard. Rushie earned 20 points. Anneau d’Or finished fourth and earned 10 points. Unbeaten in three previous starts, Authentic broke outwards leaving the gate but was less than a length off the lead from his outside post position heading into the first turn. From there, he pressed the pace while three-deep, was in a good position while second at the top of the lane, but couldn’t catch Honor A. P. In the $300,000 Hollywood Gold Cup, 6-5 favorite Improbable won by 3 1/4 lengths over Higher Power. Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke and trained by Baffert, Improbable ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.69 and paid $4.60, $3 and $2.40. Higher Power returned $4 and $3. Tenfold was another 4 1/2 lengths back in third and paid $4 to show. “I got the consolation prize,” joked Baffert, who won his fourth Gold Cup after losing the Santa Anita Derby earlier. “This horse has been training so well. Drayden had him in the perfect spot and he had plenty left for the run home. This horse is only going to get better.” Improbable earned $180,000, increasing his career winnings to $1,129,520.

where she controlled her with ease. A flurry of punches by Nunes the end of the second round almost put a stop to the contest, and Spencer somehow survived a late choke attempt at the end of the fourth, although her forehead to swelled up heading into the final round. With Nunes barely breaking a sweat, the doctor

was called into the octagon late in the fifth to examine a cut on Spencer, but the 29year-old was able to battle on to the end of a onesided contest that cemented Nunes’ status as one of the sport’s most dominant champions. After beating Miesha Tate to win the bantamweight belt in July 2016, the 32-year-old Brazilian has been on a tear

for almost four years, defending that title with violent knockouts of former champions Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm. She then stepped up to featherweight and added that title by demolishing the muchfeared Cris Cyborg in just 51 seconds, knocking her unconscious with a superb display of boxing in December 2018.

The problem for Nunes and the UFC now is that there is no challenger on the horizon that looks capable of threatening Nunes, who hasn’t lost since she was knocked out by Cat Zingano in September 2014. “I don’t know what is next, but I’ve proved (myself) already. Tonight I closed a cycle, and I’m proud of myself and my team,” Nunes said.

PAGE 22

Monday June 08, 2020

Kaieteur News

Blackwood focussed on avoiding past mistakes KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Batsman Jermaine Blackwood has welcomed his recall to West Indies colours for the upcoming England t o u r, a n d s a y s h e h a s resolved not to make the same mistakes which led to

his ouster three years ago. The 28-year-old became a virtual fixture in the Test side after making his debut in 2014 but despite a century and 10 halfc e n t u r i e s i n 2 8 Te s t s , developed a reputation for

rash stroke-play and reckless dismissals. He helped West Indies to a historic win at Leeds on their last tour of England in 2017 but then managed only 15 runs from his next five innings and was axed. “I’ve been out of the Test team for [almost three years], and getting back to the set-up I feel very good. I worked very hard to get back,” the Observer here quoted the Jamaican righthander as saying. “My goal is to try to [learn from] the mistakes that I made in the past. Now I’m older and have more understanding of what I need to do in terms of when I get to a half-century. “I have a lot of halfcenturies and the conversion rate is very poor so I’m looking to better that, if I get the chance.” Case in point, with West Indies on 246 for four and chasing 322 for victory on the final day of the second Test at Leeds, Blackwood entered to lash a pulsating 41 from 45 balls to turn the

tide firmly in the Caribbean side’s favour. But with two runs r e q u i r e d f o r v i c t o r y, Blackwood suffered a rush of blood, missed a wild charge at off-spinner Moeen Ali, and was stumped. Cognisant of the need to change his mindset, Blackwood curbed his natural ultra-attacking instinct during the recently concluded first class championship and reaped dividends, topping the run charts with 768 runs from eight matches at an average of 51. The highlight of the season was his stellar career-best 248 against Leeward Islands Hurricanes – the seventh highest individual score in the history of the first class championship – and Blackwood said that new maturity was one he hoped to display going forward. “I’m looking to take this approach that I had in the four-day [tournament],” he noted. “Everybody [has] always

Jermaine Blackwood. been telling me to just bat some balls because the way that I score fast, once I’m out there for hours I’m going to score. I took that approach in the four-day and I’m gonna take this right through my career.” Blackwood will be heading to England with a history of an excellent record against the hosts, averaging 55 from six Tests. In addition, his only Test hundred has come against the English – an unbeaten 112 on the 2015 tour of the Caribbean. Blackwood, who boasts a career average of 30, said he

was not fazed by the prospect of returning against the likes of powerful England on their home turf. “I’ve played in England a few times, so I know the conditions somewhat. England have a very great bowling attack but I’m just going there to do my thing,” he stressed. “I’m just going there to put my best foot forward and to go out there and score runs. I don’t really care who I’m playing against, I’m just looking to score runs and spend some time in the middle.”

Kaieteur News

Monday June 08, 2020

AIU says suspended Naser missed four tests as she pleads innocence

(

Reuters) - World 400 meters champion Salwa Eid Naser was provisionally suspended for registering four “whereabouts failures”, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said yesterday. The Bahrain athlete, who won gold at the World Championships in Doha last year, pleaded her innocence despite being suspended by the AIU on Friday for failing to make herself available for anti-doping tests. In an Instagram video, Naser had said she had “only missed three drug tests” and that the missed tests came before the September event in Doha. “The investigation into Ms Naser ’s three whereabouts failures in 2019

was ongoing at the time of the Doha World Championships and she was not provisionally suspended at that time,” the AIU said in a statement. “Following conclusion of the investigation and a fourth whereabouts failure in January 2020, a Notice of Charge was issued and Ms Naser subject to an immediate provisional suspension.” According to World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules, any combination of three whereabouts failures — filing failures or missed tests — within a 12-month period by an athlete constitutes an anti-doping violation. Athletes guilty of whereabouts failures could

face two-year bans or a minimum of one year depending on the degree of fault. The AIU added it would not comment any further as the disciplinary process was still ongoing. The 22-year-old Naser, who had said she had not been tested this year, hoped she could soon put the issue behind her. “It can happen to anybody. I don’t want people to get confused in all this because I would never cheat,” she had said on the video. “Hopefully, it’ll get resolved because I don’t really like the image... It’s going to be fine. It’s very hard to have this little stain on my name.”

Umpire Gangapersaud Shivdyall passes away The Guyana Cricket Umpires’ Council and the Berbice Cricket Umpires’ Association have expressed sympathy to the family of the late umpire Gangapersaud Shivdyall. A release from the BCUA read; “It is with a very sad and heavy heart that we learnt about the passing of Berbice first division umpire Gangapersaud Shivdyall of Fyrish Village, following an

accident at the No 19 Public Road. We were informed that he was riding his motor cycle when he was struck down. Indeed it is a sudden blow to the cricket family. Condolences to the brother’s family from the BCUA. A text from the GCUC stated that, “On behalf of all Umpires and Members of the GCUC, we wish to extend our sincere condolences to the relatives,

The late umpire Gangapersaud Shivdyall friends, and associates of Bro Shivpersaud Shivdyall. To BCUA, the umpires family and fraternity we share your lost and grief. Please extend to the family our deepest sympathy. May his soul rest in peace.”

PAGE 23

Local referees for three month FIBA training The Guyana Basketball Officials Council (GBOC) is set to benefit from a three-month Referees’ Online Training programme which is being facilitated by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in collaboration with the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC). The programme which begins today will feature four modules that will each last approximately two weeks and will conclude on August 14. Today’s session, like the others, will be done via the popular Zoom app and it will feature rules of the game basketball pertaining to Travelling, Unsportsmanlike Foul, Block/Charge and Communication. In an invited comment with Kaieteur Sport, head of the GBOC, Dexter Douglas, shared that he was happy that the local officials will have this opportunity to do this course since it will help strengthen and update the knowledge of both seasoned referees and newcomers. He further posited that, “I hope that we can have as much participants as possible. Not only officials but coaches and players as well because many don’t know all the rules of the game and this would benefit the sport locally in general. Many times at games,

GBOC officials will be involved in the FIBA referees online training programmes. coaches and players contest some clear calls and this is mainly because they don’t understand all of the rules.” Following the first module that will finish on June 19, module two will run from June 25 to July 6 and will feature rules pertaining to Backcourt, Individual Officiating, Mental Skills, Act of Shooting and Ball Control. Subsequently, module three will run from July 14 – July 25 with focus on Three-person officiating, Basket Interference, Intro to Basketball Knowledge, Contact Criteria and Game Tempo while module four that deals with Coach/Player & referee relationship, Flopping/Post Play, Fitness and Nutrition, Special Situation and game Management will commence on August 3rd.

The visionary fortitude of rt Spo each federation/association Gower salutes will be tested going forward Windies ‘spirit of co-operation’

Thank you West Indies - Former England captain David Gower (L, with Ian Botham). (AFP/File/Carl De Souza)

Guyana vs Panama at the Concacaf Gold Cup at the First Energy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio.

Mixed martial arts:

Amanda Nunes of Brazil punches Felicia Spencer of Canada in their UFC featherweight championship bout during UFC 250 at the UFC APEX. (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via USA TODAY Sports)

Improbable, with Drayden Van Dyke aboard, wins the Grade I $300,000 Hollywood Gold Cup horse race Saturday, June 6, 2020, at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. (Benoit Photo via AP)

Dominant Nunes defeats Spencer to defend featherweight crown

Honor A. P. wins Santa Anita Derby; Improbable wins Gold Cup

C R K Stable’s Honor A.P. and jockey Mike Smith win the Grade I $400,000 RUNHAPPY Santa Anita Derby Saturday, June 6, 2020 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. (Benoit Photo via AP)

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