Kaieteur News

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Millions more to Tuesday Edition NEWS slip into extreme poverty due to Covid-19 AIETEUR

June 09, 2020 - Vol. 13 No. 23

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- worst recession since World War II looms - World Bank

Online readership yesterday 242,088

Mingo conjured 15,000 plus ghost voters p.

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Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo

250000

233336

217920

PPP puts Supreme Court on notice for any intended

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200000

150000

100000

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A P N U + A F C

The final outcome - the PPP/C outscores APNU+AFC in elections recount

P P P / C

elections court filings Two in custody p.8 for alleged rape of Corentyne woman Murder suspected as pensioner's remains found in burnt-out 13p. backdam campsite - love triangle suspected to be motive

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A timeline of Guyana's elections and recount saga

100 days of uncertainty…

p. 15

M&M robber caught in video fingered in 11p. other robberies

All political parties accept PPP victory except Coalition - Highlight plans for way forward p.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 09, 2020

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 09, 2020

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Millions more to slip into extreme poverty - As COVID-19 slated to plunge global economy into worst Recession since World War II

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ccording to the l a t e s t Wo r l d Bank forecasts, documented in its June 2020 Global Economic Prospects report, the effects of the coronavirus pandemic along with shutdown measures to contain its spread have plunged the global economy into a severe contraction.

In this regard, the financial institution noted that the global economy is expected to shrink by 5.2% this year. It said that this would represent the deepest recession since the Second World War, with the largest fraction of economies experiencing declines in per capita output since 1870.

The bank said that economic activity among advanced economies is anticipated to shrink 7% in

2020 as domestic demand and supply, trade, and finance have been severely disrupted.

It was noted that Emerging M arket and Developing Economies (EMDEs) are expected to shrink by 2.5% this year, and would represent that group's first contraction in at least sixty years. With respect to per capita incomes, the bank said that these are expected to decline by 3.6% and will tip millions of people into extreme poverty this year.

Further to this, the World Bank said that the blow is hitting hardest in countries where the pandemic has been the most severe and where there is heavy reliance on global trade, tourism, commodity exports, and external financing.

While the magnitude of disruption will vary from region to region, the World Bank said that all EMDEs have vulnerabilities that are magnified by external shocks.

Moreover, it noted that interruptions in schooling and primary healthcare access are likely to have lasting impacts on human capital development.

Under the baseline forecast—which assumes that the pandemic recedes sufficiently to allow the lifting of domestic mitigation measures by mid-year in advanced economies and a bit later in EMDEs, the World Bank said that adverse global spillovers ease during the second half of the year, and that dislocations in financial markets are not long-lasting.

In fact, global growth is

Giftland Mall erects barriers, boards windows as recount winds down

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ith growing fears that a n o n acceptance of the national recount would spark unrest, the Giftland Mall at Tu r k e y e n h a s s t a r t e d blocking its glass windows, and have erected barriers to block the entrance to the mall.

Confirming that precautions are underway, Chairman of Giftland Group, Roy Beepat, said he is taking no chances with several small businesses located in the mall. His security

manager, Yogesh Baksh, explained that workers have installed plywood over the glass windows and installed steel doors at all entrances to prevent any possible intrusion. “ We h a v e a d d e d additional bright lights around the mall. We have built 7-ft high barriers with razor wire at the top to be placed at our entrance at the access road and other entrances,� he disclosed.

In addition, the mall has increased its security presence with more armed

personnel on the grounds.

The national recount of the March 2nd votes is currently ongoing with the process expected to wrap up and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to start soon to consider the results.

However, there has been increasing worry that some persons could use the period of uncertainty to cause trouble, a scenario that is not unknown. A number of other city businesses including even Scotiabank have also started taking precautions.

forecast to rebound to 4.2% in 2021, as advanced economies grow 3.9% and EMDEs bounce back by 4.6%.

However, the World Bank said that the outlook is highly uncertain and downside risks are predominant, including the possibility of a more protracted pandemic, financial upheaval, and retreat from global trade and supply linkages.

The financial institution was keen to note that a downside scenario could lead the global economy to shrink by as much as 8% this year, followed by a sluggish recovery in 2021 of just over 1%, with output in EMDEs contracting by almost 5% this year.

Further to this, the World Bank said that the pandemic highlights the urgent need for health and economic policy action, including global cooperation, to cushion its consequences, protect vulnerable populations, and strengthen countries' capacities to prevent and deal with similar events in the future.

The bank said too that it is important for emerging market and developing economies, which are particularly vulnerable, to strengthen public health systems, address challenges posed by informality and limited safety nets, and enact reforms to generate strong and sustainable growth once the crisis passes.

The bank said that

emerging market and developing economies with available fiscal space and affordable financing conditions could consider additional stimulus if the effects of the pandemic persist.

It said that this should be accompanied by measures to help credibly restore medium-term fiscal sustainability, including those that strengthen fiscal frameworks, increase domestic revenue mobilization and spending efficiency, and raise fiscal and debt transparency.

The financial institution was keen to remind that the transparency of all government financial commitments, debt-like instruments and investments is a essential while reminding that it is a key step in creating an attractive investment climate.

The World Bank Group which is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing

countries has been taking broad, fast action to help developing countries strengthen their pandemic response.

It is supporting public health interventions, working to ensure the flow of critical supplies and equipment, and helping the private sector continue to operate and sustain jobs. The bank disclosed a few weeks ago that it will be deploying up to US$160 billion in financial support over 15 months to help more than 100 countries protect the poor and vulnerable, support businesses, and bolster economic recovery.

This includes US $50 billion of new resources through grants and highly concessional loans.

Last month, the Bank provided Guyana with US $1 million to assist in the country's fight against COVID-19, a fifth of the money the government had requested some months ago.

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Tuesday June 09, 2020

Kaieteur News

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

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

EDITORIAL

To where?

The recount is over. It is time for GECOM to declare the results and make official the now nationally and internationally known winner of this most grinding of Guyanese elections. This must be done with the minimum of delay, the utmost urgency. But as we call for this, we get the strong sense, and are faced with the overpowering reality that it just may not be so. For from some not-sostrange intuition, there is the premonition that the going will not be smooth or positive from here.

Where is this country going? All things considered, especially the existing endless embroiling and embittering current circumstances, are we going anywhere? In view of its precarious edge on which we are perched, now that the stormy recount is over, can we as a society, we as its collective peoples, go anywhere? Do we have what is required to take this overheated, over -strung home of ours to another place, anywhere else, other than in the lost mazes and hazes that lead all of us further downhill?

The Chair of GECOM has an obligation to act now, will she? The incumbent caretaker president has a responsibility to act now and honour his previously given word and commitment made before all about his readiness to accept “whatever” declaration is made by GECOM, will he?

In answer to all those questions, we at this publication are pained to state that we do not think that it will be so, as graced by the deeds from the two pivotal leaders identified.

Similarly, we do not envision, and no less sadly, that we, as a society of many peoples, have what it takes, to rise and deliver what these most immediate and menacing of times demand. We are not going anywhere.

Our systems and structures do not allow it or encourage any such outward or upward vision, along with any of the corresponding interest and efforts to carry us somewhere else, besides where we are hopelessly bogged down. And neither, too, do our narrow outlooks and heated passions permit the principled occurring. Elections 2020 will not be over, until it is finally, totally, really over. Recount finished credibly or not, international observers positions or not, factual situation or not. We are not going anywhere.

These are the promised realities of our stormy arena.

The courts will move, like emergency room surgeons, to stanch recognized bleeding issues on an expedited basis.

For however the courts rule, in what promises to be an ongoing procession of narrow petitioning, the tensions intensify in what is now the crunch time of the endgame.

On the outside in wider Guyana, underlying malaise and malevolence drag everyone down.

There is neither respite nor retreat, absolutely no give from any political or racial quarter, in any degree. Thus, we remain inextricably lodged where we are like a beached deoxygenated beast, and with the weight of our accumulated burdens driving us deeper into the quick-sand that is our political and social real estate.

Separately, the international community may be forced to do more than counsel and mediate. It may have to unleash its long threatened nuclear option: sanctions. The pitches are to teach the coalition a lesson, the one that is deserving and overdue, according to its political and civic opponents. That may be so, but whatever is applied does not corner the coalition alone, it has the potential to cripple this society and bring it to its knees. And the longer that there is determined holding out, the more piercing and intolerable the pain across the expanse of citizens.

Against this backdrop, one question remains: do international sanctions help us to heal the diseases that are now so nationally ingrained? We say no! But they provide opportunity to channel in the right political direction. That direction has only one bearing, one destination: to the table of conversation, to arm’s length engagement, to some vision that lifts us out of the current elections disasters.

Local voices have emerged from the heavy static to insist on a new model. As we have said persistently at this paper, the model we have dooms us to the follies of today and the sure failures of the future. It is time to figure out a different way, if only to distance from the lost way long travelled.

An appeal to leaders, particularly the president DEAR EDITOR, My heart is heavy, and it takes a lot to do that, given where I have been. My mind, too, is blurred, and that rarely happens, even when I go off on the deep end. And the deep end is where we are as a people, a country, and place with still resident hopes of some semblance of a viable future. I do not like where we are at all, where matters seem poised to go. My first stop is before the president. It is my only one.

From my humble place at the bottom of the barrel of this society, I call upon my president, our president, President David Granger to listen for a moment, to give me a hearing through all the other sounds and messages and development with which he has to deal and from which he must emerge with a vision as to where this country, this beloved Guyana of ours, needs to go.

I came back here because I thought and felt that it was going some place that I could go with Guyana from the distant

back of the line. At present, it is not going anywhere.

But the downward.

To w a r d s the dark.

Definitely to the dangerous.

I do not mention anything about petitions and possible annulments, or constitutional crisis and social suffering. But I do sense keenly the eerie, the perilously ominous, the ruinously upheaving. I say most respectfully to Mr. Granger, as a son of this soil (me, he, and all the others), as a returnee, as a servant, as a hurting citizen: Let us not go the route contemplated.

Please. Let us refrain from venturing into the unhelpful, the social defeating, and the nationally uncharted.

I say this, because as I read pronouncements from His Excellency, and as I interpret them with the scant wisdom that is my limited gift, I think of where we have come from since March 3 and where we are t o d a y, S u n d a y, J u n e 7 .

First, it was - victory was assured, so be calm and patient. Then, it was - we

have been subject to massive fraud, but we have won, and now be calmer and more patient. And just last week, I do recall hearing the first interests and inclinations, the first readiness and the first push towards a governance arrangement that is on a national scale and dual (maybe more) construction.

Not coincidentally, and never untimely, another honourable man of this land, one Mr. Samuel A. A. Hinds, a former president and prime minister no less, spoke earnestly of the need for a start to be made with Truth and Reconciliation.

What could be more profound? More practical?

More powering towards our infinite possibilities?

I don’t know, but I do know this: whatever is involved in such Truth and Reconciliation, I am for it, of it, and with it through and through. For from that could come the first stirrings of healing that this society so direly needs, and like never before. Elections 2020 has mangled us, left us

distraught. Many once overseas-based Guyanese who came here with the highest hopes have taken to the air in yet another exodus from this stricken land, and stricken it is.

That they do so amidst a global pandemic is all the more telling.

The opportunity for me to go also has been present from the start.

But I go nowhere. For here I stay. I am too old to run. I am too settled to stir.

Perhaps, I am too stupid to know better. Now I give a little bit of myself today. I pray that it will be well received, despite its graceless language. I call quietly but insistently upon President Granger to do the right thing. He understands where we are, to which I add this: we are hurting, and we are disturbed. I am. We are worried as to the newest direction, the wrong road that may be travelled with the not irrelevant nor immaterial objections and resistances harboured, given all the writings on his side of the wall. I am (Continued on page 5)

Is the objective to win at all costs?

DEAR EDITOR, Is this the message that our nation would like to embody? It was the summer of 1988, during the Olympics in Seoul, the world watched in awe, and excitement as Canadian Sprinter Ben Johnson outshined his opponents. Johnson received Canada’s first gold medal since 1928. He was dubbed as the “the fastest man ever”. I remember how ecstatic and honoured the country of Canada was during that specific moment in history.

Johnson cemented himself as Canada’s best sprinter by smashing world records and stampeding his opponents one by one, all in styleable “gold” fashion. Johnson’s acclaim to fame would have brought him a loyal fan base and millions of dollars in sponsorships. But WAIT! All of Johnson’s glitter was not all gold… There came a shocking revelation that sent waves throughout Canada and the entire sports world when the anti-doping Olympics body declared that Ben Johnson had tested positive for Stanozolol, a performance enhancing drug.

It all ended for Johnson with shame, tears and international embarrassment. He had betrayed not only his fans and his supporters, but also his country and the integrity of the sport. This all happened just three days after ascending to the podium.

There was a similar case of Lance Armstrong, the American road-racing cyclist, sports icon who won 7 consecutive wins in the Tour de France from 1999 - 2005.

Like Johnson, he also was considered one of the elite athletes in his sport for a long period of time until doping allegations surfaced. An investigation was filed which concluded that Armstrong had been using performance enhancing drugs and was deemed as “the ringleader of the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping programme that sports has ever seen.” All of Armstrong’s achievements were disqualified. These

samples clearly showed that the end result does not justify unethical means of getting there. And almost always, it will come back to bite you.

With that said, Guyana has concluded the first phase of the recount tabulation process and is currently awaiting the final declaration from the Chairperson of GECOM for the winner of March 2, 2020 Election results. The questions that engross so many Guyanese within the political sphere is, how do we account for the multiple irregularities, accusations of fraud and ballot tampering? Can a clear winner emerge? If our country is to thrive and prosper, we

must be willing to hold our leaders and policymakers accountable. A ‘cut throat’ and disingenuous culture only breeds more distrust and hostility. In order to stiffen the resolve, GECOM has two alternatives. Disqualify the cheaters or nullify the election. Ask yourself this, what message does our country send to our young children?

Would we want our child to tell their parents: “I made an A grade, but I cheated?” Will you be happy? Is the objective to win at all costs? This is something to ponder!

Best Regards and Well Wishes to our Country.

Lady Wendy, Entrepreneurial Mentor

The media should resist promoting alcohol consumption at this time DEAR EDITOR, There is sickening news (Kaieteur News 7 June, 2020) that Ansa McAl will be going on an alcohol promotion for Father’s Day. Ansa McAl must have missed the news that men are more vulnerable to COVID-19, and that Guyana’s public health officials have asked men to be conscious of their health seeking behaviours.

The World Health Organization notes, “At times of lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, alcohol consumption can exacerbate

health vulnerability, risktaking behaviours, mental health issues and violence.

PAHO/WHO reminds people that drinking alcohol does not protect them from COVID-19 and encourages governments to limit alcohol consumption during the pandemic. https:// www.paho.org/en/news/14-42020-alcohol-does-notprotect-against-covid-19and-its-access-should-berestricted-during In this time of stress and uncertainty in Guyana, Ansa McAl is missing the

opportunity to promote health, wellness and safety for fathers and their families.

The private sector should not be promoting alcohol use now. Guyana bears a burden in its health and social sectors because of the culture of alcohol consumption.

Ansa Mcal and other actors in the alcohol industry should do better, and not be contributing to that burden.

The media should resist promoting alcohol consumption at this time.

Yours sincerely, Vidyaratha Kissoon

Tuesday June 09, 2020

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Kaieteur News

A victory that GECOM and all Guyanese must not lose DEAR EDITOR, Guyana like the United States (U.S) and every other country around the world is not without electoral challenges. Whereas the U.S. reserves the right to resolve its electoral disputes, it seems as though Guyana does not deserve the same level of right to exercise judicial and other reviews over its systems. There has been intensive lobbying of U.S congressmen and women to speak about our election, even as it is in process and under the agreed scrutinising eyes of CARICOM. The action is disrespectful to the C a r i b b e a n c o m m u n i t y, which is Guyana’s primary regional partnership, grouping, and “most significant interlocutor.”

It has not escaped attention that the recent representatives speaking to this issue are not without taint to their characters. Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz has a sordid track record on credible elections when she headed the Democratic National Convention. She was forced to resign in disgrace on the eve of the party’s 2016 convention for her involvement in rigging the democratic process to favour the candidate who she supported as against the other.

Who is she to talk about credible elections? The point is we are on the right side and she is allowing

herself to be used to deny us due process and the use of our laws in the determination of credible election. Guyanese can now relate to how Bernie Sanders must have felt though his was not a national election but a p r i m a r y.

Wa s s e r m a n Schultz alleged electoral corruption was condemned by Democrats and Republicans alike. We have a national election where t h e s t a k e s a r e h i g h e r, where we have visible and countless illegality in the process and Schultz is used to tell Guyana that we must accept.

What they are signalling to us is that white is right and they determine the fate of people of colour even in places where they exercise no legal control and jurisdiction. Shame on the opposition. Shame on those Guyanese who encourage this situation where those who we vote for cannot make decision for this country but bring foreigners to tell us what to do.

T h e s e solicited, perhaps hired commentators, clearly do not to want to regard our Constitution and Election laws in determining credible resolution as promised in the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM)’s gazetted Order of 4 t h M a y, 2020.

Determining that credibility as per Order

relies on numbers and observation of the voting process on Election Day. The Order is a legal document and noncompliance constitutes a violation of the law. Some, local and international, seem bent on flouting this.

This is disturbing and unacceptable.

It is also not lost on meequally as the U.S representatives were they truly paying attention to Guyana- that for less than what is being revealed from our recount exercise, no U.S electoral board would have certified/declared such as a result. As recent as the 2018 election, the North Carolina Election Board voted not to certify/ declare a congressional election for the 9th District because of “claims of irregularities and fraudulent activities.”

According to the Board, it wanted “to assure that the election is determined without taint of fraud or corruption and without irregularities that may have changed the result” and proceeded to conduct an investigation into the charges. The National Public Radio reported the investigation was propelled by just “six sworn statements from voters in Bladen County alleging that people came to their doors and urged them to hand over their absentee ballots,” which is a violation of that state’s electoral laws

The Ministry of Education can find a way to delay the sitting of the NGSA Exam DEAR EDITOR, It is heartening to see parents beginning to speak out against the Ministry of Education’s unfortunate and brash decision to hold examinations from early in July 2020 as Guyana struggles to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. I encourage other parents to continue to make their concerns heard loudly for it is the health and safety of our families that are at stake.

The editorial of another newspaper on 7th June, 2020 was an insightful one that correctly identified an issue at the heart of this debacle: the possibility of the families of both students and teachers being infected with the COVID-19 virus as a result of the untimely reopening of school for examination level students and the sitting of

examinations. It is a risk that is too great for our nation to take.

For the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examination, which my 11year-old daughter is scheduled to write, the editorial also presented a sensible and practical solution.

It is for the Ministry of Education to delay the sitting of the examination to a time when it is safer but which would still allow for schools to be reopened before January 2021.

This may be achieved, as the editorial suggests, by working through the holidays and finding ways to speed up the marking of the Grade Six Assessment. I believe that this is a practical solution that would address the concerns of students, teachers, parents and the Ministry of

Education. It is my sincere hope that the Ministry would pursue this option. We now live in an extraordinary time when a CNN report of 5th June, 2020 reminds us that “new cases of the novel coronavirus are rising faster than ever worldwide, at a rate of more than 100,000 a day over a seven-day average.”

Our neighbouring Brazil has recorded the astoundingly grim figure of over 36,000 COVID-19 related deaths! We cannot allow the risk that the Ministry’s decision presents.

In these extraordinary times, the Ministry must take a different approach. If the Ministry does not listen to the pleas of parents, then we must consider taking legal action to stop the Ministry from exposing our children and teachers to this deadly virus.

Yours sincerely, Mela Ganesh

(1st December 2018- Amid Fraud Allegations, North Carolina Election Board Wo n ’t C e r t i f y H o u s e Race).

Guyana, like the U.S and every other country around the world, is not without electoral challenges. Whereas the U.S. reserves the right to resolve its electoral disputes, it seems as though Guyana does not deserve the same level of right to exercise judicial and other reviews over its systems.

Note is also taken that the Organisation of American States (OAS), U.S, Britain and European Union have spoken out on the election or submitted final report in as much as the process is not completed.

This is submitted at a time that questions the credibility of the process and allegations still being addressed. They have done this country a disservice

with injudicious interfering with our processes, setting out to undermine our laws.

They came to observe but set out to operate as though they are presiding over the process.

Guyanese should not be bullied by other nation’s public servants. They can’t go to their countries and determine how elections must be run much less show open contempt for the laws and processes governing same. The dictation they want to give to us, in their own country they cannot do it. The audacity of them!

Guyanese need to take note that this process of recolonisation encouraged by persons who posture that they have our interest at heart must be equally condemned. For the persons being lobbied to dictate has no interest in our growth but how much chaos they can create between races and groups as they siphon off our

bauxite, gold, diamond, oil, gas and other resources.

Already one of the heads of mission about to retire with plans to take up a position with a particular oil company even as he fraternises with the young girls in Guyana. For those who owe the Treasury hundreds of millions of dollars, we know why they lie and are desperate to have regime change by any means necessary. They don’t want to pay taxes consistent with the laws but expect the small to comply and shoulder the responsibility for them.

At the end of the day, regardless of which party one supports, regardless of who win, lose or draw, the integrity of our electoral process must be paramount and safeguarded. It is that integrity, that credibility, that feeling of fair play and the will of the people in a fair process that must guide us. This is a victory that GECOM and all Guyanese must not lose.

Lincoln Lewis

An appeal to leaders, particularly...

From page 4 worried that misjudgment and misdirection is too close to the heart to be denied, to be waved aside, to be ignored and not acted upon in what is genuinely believed truly serves interests of party and constituency.

To the president, I humbly and respectfully appeal, I exhort: let us for once in this blessed (and cursed) place, put the nation first, all of it, in

its every corner and cranny, in all of its beauteous diversity. Mr. President, I come today, like never before as a brother, as a follower, as one who is still a believer. I believe in the promise of this country. I believe that the power in which I believe in more than anyone and anything else will guide to get to the right state of mind and to the right decision that has to be made. Let it be made with the

democratic taking precedence.

I still believe and I must trust. For if I don’t have that, then what else do I have? I believe and that is why I stay, why I plead, why I continue to trust. I keep doing these things, even sometimes I don’t know why.

I just do. Mr. President, please do, too. May God bless the president, Guyana, and all Guyanese.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

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Tuesday June 09, 2020

Kaieteur News

Mr. President, Let your Those who break the rules and treat animals word mean something inhumanely should be held accountable DEAR EDITOR, I appeal to my political leader and President of Guyana, Mr. David Granger, to honour his words and the commitment he gave to Caricom and the opposition.

He must be a man of his words. What would people in Guyana, the Caribbean, and around the globe think of a man who does not honour his words?

I call on other religious leaders to appeal to President Granger to throw in the towel – we lost fairly. We were not cheated. Stop fooling our supporters. Just like the PPP when it was in government, our officials were arrogant, neglecting our base and not listening to the cries on the ground. So don’t make excuses of fraud for the loss.

They won’t do the party any good. We must accept defeat and move on.

This defeat was our own doing. Some in the coalition government were busy enriching themselves and ignoring the base supporters as well as those from the other side who voted for us in 2015.

We dis-robed the AFC to the point where they could not service their supporters. And we ill-treated those from the other side that crossed over

and voted for us in 2015 to bring about the victory. But they were put out of our political house as unwelcome guests even though we need their support for an electoral victory. Their ill-treatment was a disrespect accorded to political guests. Inevitably, they were forced to return to their political home from whence they came and were re-embraced by their party.

I would have liked my party to win the re-election but defeat is not the end of the world.

We will overcome and in five years, we will make a return. Inevitably, the PPP will repeat their blunders (as some in that party can’t help themselves) and we will be back in the saddle.

I remind Mr. Granger that he called for the recount and the opposition agreed to it.

Mr. Granger said he would respect the outcome of the recount. It is now completed and he and our party lost. Let us respect the will of the voters. Concede defeat so we can start national healing, and let us start the rebuilding of our party right away to return in government in five years.

Yours truly, Bro. Joshua Emmanuel

DEAR EDITOR, The Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission (GWCMC) recently posted online the closed seasons for wildlife in Guyana. The post stated that the trapping, killing, hunting, wounding, and sale of selected species is prohibited during the following periods: Ø Sloths: From April 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020; Ø Tufted Capuchins: May 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020. Ø Others (see GWCMC online post).

The GWCMC post went on to say that any person engaging in the trade of these and other species will be liable to pay a fine of $750,000 to $2,000,000, and

imprisonment up to 3 years.

On April 9, 2020 (8 days into closed season) at the Transport and Harbour Stelling, Water St., Georgetown, approximately 12 sloths and other wildlife were seen arriving on the boat from Mabaruma. Pictures were posted on Facebook by Andrew Campbell and the Wildlife Commission was notified.

On the morning of Wednesday, May 13, 2020 (42 days into closed season for sloths), I received a distressing call from an animal lover, Andrew Campbell, informing me that he was at Transport and Harbour Stelling and had just witnessed sloths and other wildlife being offloaded from a boat just arrived from

Mabaruma. I immediately called the Wildlife Emergency cell number (648-8839) but by the time, the authorities arrived at the wharf, the wildlife had been picked up.

With the season for capturing and sale of wildlife closed for many species, how is it that multiple boxes and cages of wildlife can be openly stacked at the Kumaka Wharf, loaded and transported on Government boats, and offloaded onto a public wharf in Georgetown, without being detected by authorities?

Since the Guyana Livestock Development Authority Officer in Mabaruma is required to issue a health permit for all wildlife transported from Mabaruma, why did the Captain of the boat not alert

GLDA? Why did the boat Captain not alert management authorities of Transport and Harbour in Georgetown since T and H are required to notify the Wildlife Commission (GWCMC)?

Does GWCMC have protocols in place that inform best procedures for rapid communication of suspected smuggler activities?

While I disapprove of the Wildlife trade in general, I do not criticise the activities of registered traders who follow the rules and treat animals humanly. However, those who break the rules and treat animals inhumanely should be held accountable to the full extent of the law.

Yours faithfully, Syeada Manbodh

Thankfully, we have now gone past the ‘Mingo’ hurdle DEAR EDITOR, If there is only one element of substance that t h e r e c e n t l y c o n c lu d e d recount exercise has established, it is that the Mingo Region Four Declaration was irretrievably flawed and

should now be thrown in the dustbin of our electoral history.

The now ‘infamous’ Mingo Declaration will be remembered down the corridors of time as an attempt in broad daylight to thwart the will of the

Guyanese electorate.

Thankfully, we have now gone past the ‘Mingo’ hurdle.

It is now for GECOM to ensure that the results of the recount are fairly and accurately tabulated and a Declaration of the results be

done without undue delay.

I take this opportunity to commend GECOM for a commendable job done in the recount exercise and look forward to the Declaration of the results on the basis of the recount.

Hydar Ally

Need for a joint appearance of national unity DEAR EDITOR, The recount exercise is done. It is clearly established that the opposition PPP has won the elections. Nothing can change this fact as the recount has happened in public view without any attempt to alter the results.

It is time for all political forces to accept the outcome and think of the future of the nation. We must focus on rebuilding the country. We

must move on. It is time for national healing and reconciliation.

This country has been in political uncertainty and debilitating instability for too long – over 18 months. The incumbent APNU+AFC must embrace the opposition PPP. The latter must be prepared to embrace all political forces and in fact, both the Leader of the Opposition and Presidential candidate Dr.

Irfaan Ali said as much. There is room for all on the table. I congratulate the President Elect although the tabulation of the results is not official.

All political and community leaders must extend a helping hand to the winner.

To ease tension, the President and PM should call the Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, and the PPP Presidential candidate Dr. Ali along with his PM

candidate and congratulate them on a well-fought campaign. He should offer his government’s support and cooperation for the transfer of government.

It would ease tension if the President and his PM and the Opposition Leader, President Elect and his PM candidate would make a joint appearance of national unity.

Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Let us hope that good sense prevails DEAR EDITOR, I am confused. Following the election on 2nd March, 2020, the APNU/AFC declared that they had won.

There was no doubt and no question in their minds.

How now they are saying that thousands voted illegally? If that were in fact so then all of those illegal voters had to have voted for the APNU/AFC. Isn’t that logical? After all you said you won.

The APNU/AFC has made us the laughing stock of the

world. And they need to stop.

They are looking more and more stupid and desperate by the minute. In fact, they have destroyed any semblance of credibility that they may have had. Unless all of their supporters are blind and devoid of any common sense, they too have to see that this makes no sense.

The recount has come back almost exactly the way it was going before the intervention of Mingo.

Now suddenly they want a government of national unity. David Hinds, Eusi

Kwayana and all are now on that band wagon. But where were they when all these power crazed machinations were going on? Hinds was a candidate for the APNU/AFC.

Did he want unity government when he was a candidate? Let us hope that good sense prevails.

Regards, Dino Martin

Fighting for the soul of David Granger DEAR EDITOR, I have read a statement attributed to Hamilton Green: “Election and politics are not the business of Angels and Saints”. Well, he is wrong. We go into politics to help people.

But power can be intoxicating.

In the one hand, David Granger has The Christian Bible. In the other hand, he has The Guyana

Constitution.

One offers salvation for the soul and a path to Heaven. The other offers power here on earth over people. Which one will he choose and is it worth it?

As The Good Book says, what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?

Yours faithfully, Sean Ori

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 09, 2020

PAGE 07

All political parties accept PPP victory except Coalition

By Shikema Dey

W

ith the March 2 , 2 0 2 0 General and Regional Elections recount concluded, seeing the Opposition People's Progressive Party (PPP) emerging the victors with an unassailable lead, the other political players who contested in the elections have accepted the results and are in the process of moving forward, sharing different views on their plans to bring change in Guyana.

That is with the exception of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition who continue to maintain that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) cannot deliver credible elections results using 'illegal and fraudulent' votes.

The results of the tabulation show that the PPP has won the recount with a grand total of 233,336 votes against the APNU+AFC Coalition's 217,920 votes.

While the tabulation of the votes has been completed, no declaration has been made, and the very last District, Region Four, is yet to be certified.

The Coalition, in a statement by Campaign CoChair Joseph Harmon stated

- Highlights plans for way forward

Chairman of A New And United Guyana, Timothy Jonas

Citizenship Initiative Head, Rondha Lam

Leader of the United Republican Party, Dr. Vishnu Bandhu

“ Ta b u l a t i o n i s n o t Validation: once only valid votes are counted.” If this is done, he noted, the Coalition will emerge victorious.

Throughout the process, the party has made claims of dead and migrant voters and systematic electoral fraud, all of which are unsubstantiated. This paper yesterday made multiple attempts to make contact with several senior members of the incumbent administration, including Harmon, to offer their views on the way forward but none were answered.

Invitation for participation – PPP While he has avoided any commitment to shared governance at the executive level, PPP Presidential candidate and effective President-Elect, Dr. Irfaan Ali, told Kaieteur News that he was looking forward to inviting political parties and civil society stakeholders to providing input into state infrastructure particularly at the level of boards and other policy creation and implementation mechanisms.

“I have a duty to all

Guyanese,” Ali said, “PPP supporters, yes, but also to all Guyanese to ensure that their voices are heard.”

He said that recognition needs to be given to the various stakeholders who were involved in the recount process and who lent their support to “upholding of democracy”, including the small parties, Guyanese at home and in the diaspora and the various international partners like CARICOM, the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

Ali said that he intends to

Dr. Asha Kissoon, Head of The New Movement reach across the aisle and floated his intention, for example, of inviting all other contesting parties to meet with a PPP/C government and share key highlights of their manifesto and other plans.

“Before all that is done, however, we need to put the elections behind us before we can talk about embracing the future together,” he said.

Moving forward – TCI The 2020 Elections saw the emergence of a string of new political parties, most of

Effective President-Elect, Dr. Irfaan Ali which have been active and visible during the recount.

For The Citizenship Initiative (TCI), priority is commencing preparations for the Local Government Elections (LGE) and to build on the credibility attained during the elections season.

Kaieteur News spoke with Presidential Candidate, Rondha-Ann Lam who said that the 2020 Elections was educational, teaching lessons that many take years to learn.

“We got an intimate look into the elections process, (continued on page 15)

COVID-19 Task Force greenlights phased reopening of airports

T

he National COVID-19 Task Force has set into motion a blueprint for the 4stage phased reopening of the country's airports to international travel. This was disclosed by Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Lt. Col. Egbert Field.

At a webinar hosted on Monday by the GCAA, the aviation body submitted the blueprint to 48 local, regional and international stakeholders.

“They [the stakeholders] were able to make some very valuable contributions that we will be looking it, not only now but in the future to see how we can take aviation into the post-COVID-19 p e r i o d , ” t h e D i r e c t o rGeneral told DPI.

Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Lt. Col. Egbert Field DG Field was adamant the reopening of the airports must not be rushed. To that effect, the GCAA head stated

that critical planning, as outlined by Phase 1 of the blueprint, is essential to the airports' resuming international travel.

During this phase that began June 1, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were developed to guide health, safety and security at the airports and aboard flights in light of COVID-19.Further, the GCAA has already drafted regulations that will bolster the SOPs by applying penalties to individuals and entities should there be any infractions.

DG Field added that training for stakeholders to interact with passengers also forms a necessary part of the phased reopening plans.

Phase 2 is expected to be set into a higher gear with travel

The Cheddi Jagan International Airport is unrolling a number of systems to protect passengers.

permitted for diplomats, foreign workers. It will also see an increase in repatriation flights while

moving towards the resumption of regional and international travel. This phase will culminate on July

31. For Phase 3 which will commence in August, paving the way for more travel of (continued on page 8)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Tuesday June 09, 2020

Mingo conjured 15,000 plus ghost voters Chart showing the Mingo-impacted outcome of the Guyana General Election against the actual outcome

A P N U + A F C

By Kemol King

T

he National Recount of votes has proven that Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo rigged that district's tabulation process and, in doing so, conjured more than 15,000 ghost voters in his unsuccessful bid to secure the APNU+AFC Coalition a fraudulent victory in this year's General Election.

Mingo's General Election declaration of Friday, March 13, 2020 gave the Coalition 136,057 votes, while the recount showed the correct figure to be 116,941 votes, indicating that the Returning Officer fraudulently inflated the Coalition's Region Four total by 19,116 votes.

His declaration also gave the PPP/C 77,231 votes, when the party's rightful total – according to recount figures – is 80,920 votes, indicating that Mingo exacted a deflation of 3,689 votes on the party.

The votes taken from the PPP/C were not enough to offset the votes given to the Coalition, hence, about 15,427 ghost votes were added by Mingo to the total number of valid votes cast.

While the recount showed that 202,077 valid votes were cast in the Region Four General Election, Mingo's declaration had taken the total up to 217, 425.

The results of the national recount tabulation show that the People's Progressive Party has won the recount with a grand total of 233,336 votes against the APNU+AFC Coalition's 217,920 votes; Mingo had

P P P / C

A P N U + A F C

P P P / C

Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo caused the victory to sway in the other direction, giving APNU+AFC 236,990 votes to the PPP/C's 229,489 votes.

Kaieteur News has produced verifiable reports, demonstrating Mingo's manipulation of votes in 32 ballot boxes from the East Bank of Demerara. Our analysis of those boxes shows that Mingo's tabulation subtracted 391 votes from PPP/C, and added 1,514 votes to APNU+AFC. This amounted to a total variance of 1,905 votes from the corresponding Statements of Poll – the other 13000 plus ghost votes were scattered over what would have had to been at least dozens of ballot boxes.

The paper's analysis is based on audio recordings, provide by The Citizenship Initiative (TCI) and A New and United Guyana (ANUG), of Mingo's General Election numbers being called out during the

Kingston tabulation, and figures supplied for four ballot boxes by the Head of the Organization of American States (OAS) Observer Mission, Bruce Golding, in the mission's preliminary report on Guyana's 2020 Elections to the OAS Permanent Council.

Background Allegations that there might be attempts to rig the elections began mid-March shortly after the contentious pair of declarations of the Region Four results by Mingo was ruled as unlawful

by Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire.

A slew of circumstances had halted the tabulation and when it resumed, Mingo returned with a spreadsheet, which showed numbers while observers and party representatives did not see inputted onto the

spreadsheet.

Though there was much protest over this, especially by the PPP, Mingo had gone ahead and made declarations based on those figures. The PPP challenged the declarations for the general and regional elections in Court and successfully got them vitiated.

The Chief Justice had sent Mingo back to the table, after she found that he did not stick to the law on the procedure necessary for the count. The illegality that occurred, according to the Court, is that Mingo did not allow the persons entitled to witness the process the opportunity to observe when he placed the figures from the statements of poll on to the spreadsheet, if he did that at all.

It did not help the situation when the second general and regional declarations for Region Four,

made on March 13, also followed a tabulation marred by a lack of transparency and accusations of electoral fraud. Five of the contesting political parties had reported to Kaieteur News that Mingo produced inflated statements of poll, with numbers that were clearly clumsily doctored.

Political parties reported that the statements of poll were projected in such a way that they could not ascertain the veracity of the numbers or the authenticity of the documents. Observers and political parties reported that when they asked Mingo to view the security features on the statements of poll, they were rejected.

Nevertheless, Mingo made a second pair of declarations of the Region Four General and Regional Elections results, which did not command enough public confidence for GECOM to

consider them at the time for the announcement of the official elections results.

Mingo's first pair of declarations was at odds with his second pair, but the governing coalition did not appear to care for that and signed off on the declarations both times.

Joseph Harmon, APNU+AFC campaign cochair had revealed that the party hoped its presidential candidate, David Granger, would be sworn in quickly.

That did not happen, as calls began to mount, particularly from the international community, for a fair and credible conclusion to the electoral process. Though attempts were made by an APNU+AFC candidate, Ulita Moore to prevent the recount, GECOM finally managed to get the recount underway, and it has exposed his manipulation.

Two in custody for the alleged COVID-19 Task Force greenlights... rape of a Corentyne woman

T

he police on the Corentyne are investigating an alleged rape that occurred on the Corentyne foreshore on the 4th June 2020. Regional Commander Calvin Brutus confirmed that there were three persons originally in custody but one was released on station bail while the two others remain arrested.

A c c o r d i n g t o information provided by the

police, the young woman, aged 26, who is married, was imbibing with a male when he asked her to follow him to the foreshore.

There she said, she was held at knifepoint and was raped by two men (one of which she identified) in the presence of the male who she was imbibing with.

While it is unclear how she made her way out from the foreshore, Kaieteur

News was told by the police that she relayed what took place to her husband who then confronted the male his wife was drinking with and a fight ensued.

The husband reportedly injured the man.

A medical was conducted on the alleged victim but Brutus disclosed that the results were not made available to him as yet.

The police are investigating.

From page 7 foreign nationals and the persons in the tourism and business sectors. It will run until year-end when phase 4 will kickstart. That phase leads to the further reopening of the airports into 2021.

Throughout all phases, the Director-General noted there will be continuous engagement with all stakeholders to make adjustments where necessary. Further, he pledged GCAA's commitment to working

alongside other states within the region to have a harmonised reopening strategy.

“We have got to keep an eye on the environment,” the Director-General emphasised. The circumstances are said to be fluid and therefore subject to change. Presentations at Monday's webinar were made by Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Hon. Jaipaul Sharma, officials from the Timehri and Ogle airports

along with the Ministry of Public Health's Chief M e d i c a l O f f i c e r. T h e International Civil Aviation O rg a n i z a t i o n ( I C A O ) , International Air Transport Association (IATA) and representatives of airlines also made presentations.

On March 18, Guyana closed its airports to international travel to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The emergency measures that include the airports' closure have been extended to June 17. (DPI)

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 09, 2020

PAGE 09

Guyana needs to breathe again N

ow that the elections recount is over, it is time for the other immediate priority to be addressed: the COVID 19 epidemic. Unless this problem is brought under control through more enlightened policies, the country's economic problems will be further exacerbated.

Even before COVID-19 reached Guyana, the country had a huge hole in its economy. The Checking Account at the Bank of Guyana which had a G$15B surplus in 2015 now has a negative balance of more of than G$82B. This amounts to US$400M in the red, more than the country will earn from oil this year. In fact, the projected US$300M in oil revenues will have to be revised downwards given the steep decline in oil prices in recent months because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 has made things worse. Business is at a standstill. Many workers are unable to make ends meet.

The poor are finding it difficult to put food on the table because of the restrictions which are in place to contain the spread of the virus.

The country's financial system is under stress. Most of the persons who owe the banks will have to have their loan payments rescheduled.

This will place tremendous pressures on the financial system which, if it collapses, will bring the entire

economy down with it.

Small businesses are already facing the crunch.

Many vendors have complained that they are unable to vend their wares because of the restrictions.

They have bills to pay and their suppliers want their money.

Even before the elections, the rural economy was in a dire state. The closure of the sugar estates and severance of thousands of workers have led to a depressing situation in rural communities. Heavy taxation has not helped.

Unless COVID-19 is brought under control, these and the myriad of other problems in the economy will worsen. COVID-19 therefore has to be the number one priority for the new government.

The economy needs to be reopened but this has to be done carefully so as to not lead to a spike in infections.

The past six days have seen only one additional case, but a decision on when and how to reopen the economy and put people back to work cannot be based solely on the number of new cases or the growth of new cases.

The more important metric is the reproduction rate of the virus for which the government has not been forthcoming.

F o r t u n a t e l y , PAHO/WHO has been. Two weeks ago, they reported that the reproduction rate was 1.3. This is not as serious as in some other countries but it

is still far too high to risk a return to normalcy. Unless the rate reaches 0.7, it would be ill-advised to reopen the economy.

A number of Guyanese who were stranded overseas are now being readmitted into the country. Most of them are coming from COVID-19 hotspots and therefore they are required to undergo a test for the virus at least 48 hours before travelling.

Upon arrival here, they are expected to be quarantined at home for seven days. Why are these persons not being tested immediately upon arrival?

Anything can happen in the 48 hours between when they were tested overseas and when they arrive here.

The public has a critical role to play in containing the spread of this highly infectious and deadly virus.

But the daily health bulletins which are issued by the government is so sparse that the only consolation it offers is the news about how many new infections there are.

Unless there is a new and more effective local approach to this pandemic, the economic impact will be greater.

A number of businesses, in the entertainment and tourism sectors will find it difficult over the next years.

People are not going to frequent the bars, the cinemas and even the malls as much as before. This will hurt these businesses.

Persons will not travel as much as they did.

..........................................................

Dem boys seh...

Dem children want Mingo mark dem test papers

C

OVID-19 serious. And while it nah affect dem picknee as bad as it does dem ole people and dem who gat sick, nuttin' spreads a virus faster dan infection in de schools. Dem boys know dat dem children gat fuh write dem test fuh go high school and fuh get certificate fuh find wuk. But dem boys seh safety come fuss.

Dem know plenty parents concerned about dem picknee going back to school before de pandemic end. B ut dem surprise fuh learn dat de children want protest and even mo surprise why dem want protest.

Dem school children nah vex about de tests. Dem concerned about who marking de paper. Dis had dem boys baffle so dem boys had to ask. Dem boys find out dat de children

nah want dem teacher mark dem paper. Dem want Mingo.

During de election recount dem find plenty, plenty prablem with Mingo's numbers. Dem boy hear dat one of dem GECOM official tell de man: “So you inflate Region 4 votes a lot.”

Mingo reply: “No, I only add 14% VAT.” Well dem boys nah need calculata fuh know dat is more than 14% Mingo increase some of dem votes by. But he also decrease some.

So dem school children better careful wuh dem wish fuh. If dem ask fuh Mingo, some of dem might get mo marks but some of dem might also lose marks.

Talk half and leh we hope dat dem children safe when dem writing dem tests.

Right now, businesses are breaking at the seams.

Some non-essential businesses have had no choice but to violate the social restrictions and open.

They simply cannot afford to lose any more money. They still have payments to make to banks and suppliers and there is no income.

Guyana has been holding its breath for far too long.

The country's economy needs to be taken off its ventilator. It needs to breathe on its own again.

And this is why it is important that the country gets a government as early as possible. The faster we get a legitimate government in

place, the faster the country will be able to tap into the many sources of international finance which will be needed to help the economy recover. There is a lot of work to be done.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Tuesday June 09, 2020

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

African power in Guyana: A Reply to David Hinds D

r. David Hinds, in a letter on me, once wrote; “But he (Freddie) is not entitled to create his context and fit other people neatly into them.” In reply to that statement (see my column of Thursday, May 14, 2020, “International and local observers: Not some but all.”), I wrote; But this very crime he accuses others of, he is perpetuating on the Guyanese people. David Hinds has introduced an ocean of irrelevant contexts to justify a process of electoral fraud. When you speak about fraud, he said election is not the issue.”

In his last Sunday KN column, irrelevant or non-

existent contexts are again raised.

And the continuous thread running through his columns since the March 2 election is that the March 2 election is irrelevant to Guyanese especially African Guyanese.

Anyone reading that commentary of his last Sunday could not have missed the subtle context of inserting the bestiality of racist determinism AfricanAmerican continue to suffer and highlighting analogies to Guyana.

I hope AfricanAmericans read the comparison and advise him not to do so again because it is insulting. The exceptional racism of the American

landscape against African dwellers has no modern parallel. I suggest David read an analysis by a great columnist, Black British sociologist, Gary Younge, in the current issue of the New York Review of Books.

Black Americans do not have any form of power in the US. Even in sports, the franchises are owned by white billionaires. The Whiteman has had his knee on Black America since slavery was introduced into the US. The analogy with Guyana is patently absurd.

Anyone from another planet reading David’s Sunday column would think that strands of similarities between the experiences of

African people in Guyana and the US exist.

I do not share the same sociological adumbration about Guyana as Ravi Dev, but much to his credit, he has kept the paradigm of the ethnic security dilemma alive in an understanding of power distribution in Guyana.

The two tragedies have different derivatives.

African Guyanese do not have economic power AT ALL (deliberate emphasis of “at all”).

In fact, about five Portuguese families have more land holdings than the entire land-owning AfroGuyanese stratum.

There is a lacunae buried deep in the psyche of African Guyanese that until this ethnic security dilemma of economic barrenness is extirpated, Africans will never accept that Guyana is fair to them.

Indians feel that the state in Guyana has historically been anti- Indian. There is a prism buried deep in the psyche of Indians that once Africans control the totality of state activities, Indians will be treated as second class citizens and will have to accept that fate.

In the psyche of the I n d i a n P P P, A f r i c a n Guyanese will use state

power to weaken the PPP in government. The examples the PPP offers should not be dismissed easily - rigged polls in 1968, 73, 78, 80, 85 and post election violence in 1992, 1997, 2001 and the Buxton troubles.

If you accept this theoretical formulation then both Indians and Africans have power but different types of power. David’s contestation that there is a knee on African Guyanese neck is rhetorical bravado that has no place in polemics on Guyana.

African leadership in this land accepts the deterministic perspective that unless state power is captured then the ethnic/economic dilemma of Black people in Guyana will never wither away.

It was Nigel Hughes who superbly remarked in March that the PNC made a fatal mistake in relying on elections instead of constitutional reform. Here is where the PNC has lost the support and admiration of the world.

You relied on electoral power in 2015 and you succeeded. That became your end game. In 2020, you again put your fate in elections. When you lose, you shout that Black people are facing disaster in a game

Frederick Kissoon of zero-sum ethnic battle.

David Hinds and countless others like him were part of the 2015 capture of the state through elections.

They agreed that elections were the way to go.

David himself became a candidate. Elections were held.

The PNC lost. Now all of a sudden the role of elections is no longer the solution but constitutional reconstruction to stop the erosion of African well-being.

This is a game that the world does not intend to play with the PNC and its intellectual defenders like David. For the world, the PNC was happy to rely on elections to continue its hold on power.

When it lost what it agreed to participate in, it now sees that game as no longer having relevant.

People have a right to vote.

No form of power-sharing should deny that. The PNC and David are doing that right now.

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

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 09, 2020

PAGE 11

Eighty persons recover PPP puts Supreme Court on notice for any intended from COVID-19 elections court filings - No new cases in seven days

W

ith eighty recoveries from the coronavirus, the Ministry of Public Health,(MoPH) is still warning that the public continues to exercise the guidelines set to protect them against the disease.

Giving an update on Guyana's progress, Dr. Ertenisa Hamilton, Director of Primary Health Care, noted that while there has been no new cases in the past seven days, it does not mean, however, that the nation can return to business as usual.

“In fact, I encourage you to be extremely vigilant, as our vulnerability for imported cases is heightened given the current situation in the countries around us. In the last 24 hours, Brazil recorded 30,830 new cases and 1,127 deaths; Suriname now has ninety positive cases with eight new cases in the last 24 hours and in neighbouring Venezuela, there are 58 new cases,” she said.

Dr. Hamilton reminded that all Guyanese play an important role the crisis.

“If you follow all guidelines, we will be on our way to limiting transmission and flattening the curve making our return to normalcy sooner than later. I plead with you for us to work together to defy the corona virus disease,” she said.

A c c o r d i n g t o D r.

Hamilton, the figures show that of yesterday, of the eight tests done, there are no new cases, our COVID-19 deaths remain at twelve and the number of confirmed cases 154.

“To date,” she noted, “the total number of persons tested is 1,816 with the total number of negative cases being 1,662. In total, 2,651 tests have been conducted.

We currently have eightyfour (84) persons that have recovered, fifty-eight (58) active cases in institutional isolation, two (2) patients in the COVID ICU and fourteen (14) persons in

T

Dr. Ertenisa Hamilton institutional quarantine.

According to WHO, the global statistics shows the total number of cases is 6, 799, 713 with 397, 388 deaths. In the Region of the Americas, the total number of positive cases is 3, 234, 875 with 179,394 deaths.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Hamilton noted that kudos must be given to the rapid response, mobile unit and surveillance teams and the s t a ff a t t h e N a t i o n a l R e f e r e n c e L a b o r a t o r y, whose coordinated efforts are allowing the MoPH to track, diagnose and manage patients in an efficient manner.

M&M robber caught in video fingered in other robberies

O

ne of the bandits caught on a CCTV video robbing an M&M Snackette outlet at Houston, East Bank Demerara (EDB) might have been fingered in other robberies.

Last Sunday, bandits on a CG motorcycle escaped with cash and cell phones after holding two employees of the outlet at gunpoint.

In video footage seen by this publication, one of the bandits posed as a customer before forcing his way through a door leading to the back of the counter. The man pulled out a gun, pointed it at the employees and shoved them to the floor.

The robber then relieved the employees of their cell phones and emptied the cash register before escaping with his accomplice.

Kaieteur News later learnt that the man seen in the video was identified as the same individual who had robbed a man and his daughter at gunpoint earlier that day.

The victims were walking along Pandit Street, Bagotstown, EBD when their assailants rode up to

The robber who held employees at gunpoint and escaped with cash and cell phones them on a motorcycle and relieved them of cell phones and cash. This media house also understands that the alleged bandit is from the Agricola area and is believed to be responsible for a

number of robberies.

Police are currently on the lookout for the suspects.

Please see video on Y o u t u b e (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=EreSZmWF6T0)

he Opposition P e o p l e ' s Progressive Party (PPP), in anticipation of a court action by the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition against the results of the March 2 Elections, has written the Registrar of the Supreme Court, requesting to be heard before any order is made.

The letter was written by Attorney-at-Law and Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall who serves as the PPP legal representative.

“Please be informed that, should any legal proceedings be filed in the Supreme Court of Judicature in relation to, or in connection with, or in any manner whatsoever, touching and concerning the National Recount of ballots cast at the General and Regional Elections held in Guyana on March 2, 2020, being conducted by the Guyana Elections Commission, at the Arthur Chung Convention Center, I hereby respectfully request an opportunity to be

Attorney-at-Law, Anil Nandlall heard before any Order of Court is made or any relief is granted by any Court in the Supreme Court of Judicature in respect of any such legal proceedings. I act for and on behalf of the People's Progressive Party/Civic, an interested party that would be aggrieved or affected by any such order or relief,” the

letter said.

The letter was also sent to the Registrar of the High Court of the Supreme Court of Judicature and the Registrar of the Court of Appeal. The results of the national recount of ballots cast on March 2 shows that the PPP has won the recount with a grand total of 233,336 votes against the APNU+AFC Coalition's 217,920 votes.

Despite those figures, the Coalition continues to maintain that credible results cannot be made using “illegal and fraudulent votes.” The party claimed that it uncovered evidence of electoral fraud which have “affected” 84,000 votes.

There were allegations of dead voters, as well as votes cast for those who were out of the jurisdiction on E-Day. No substantive evidence, however, has been provided by the Coalition to support the allegations being made and dozens of persons accused of being out of the country have comfort with evidence refuting the incumbent's claims.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Tuesday June 09, 2020

Marine Conservation celebrates World Oceans Day - ground-breaking MoU signed for collaboration on oil sector

I

n the absence of a marine monitoring programme to hold the emerging oil sector accountable for their operations impact on the marine environment, the 20year-old Guyana Marine Conservation Society (GMCS) recognised that it had to look outward where that capacity exists.

That search ended when it found Global Fishing

Local conservationist, Annette Arjoon-Martins, working with a rescued sea turtle.

Watch (GFW), a Delaware non-profit organization with which the non-governmental organization (NGO) determined the existence of a shared purpose after a series of meetings.

“Both parties recognised the benefits to be derived f r o m i n c r e a s e d collaboration, cooperation and interaction for support of marine spatial planning in Guyana and development of

new research and management tools,” the GMCS said yesterday.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for two years was developed.

Areas for a collaborative framework and fundamental cooperation included benefiting from each other's initiatives, and supporting collaboration among staff, students, researchers and academics associated with

both parties.

“Areas of mutual interest for priority action included capacity building for ocean monitoring and marine spatial planning, potential impacts of oil and gas development and related vessel traffic on offshore and coastal habitats and species, conservation priority areas under changing climate, and the design of new tools under development at GFW that will aid in monitoring and management of marine areas in Guyana,” the GMCS explained yesterday.

Intellectual property that is jointly developed under the MOU, which includes but is not limited to research data, analysis, reports and findings, will be jointly owned by each party.

Coordinator for the society are well-known local conservationist Annette Arjoon-Martins, while coordinators for Global Fishing Watch (GFW) are Paul Woods and Kristina Boerder.

CEO of GFW Paul Woods and President of GMCS, Annette Arjoon Martins, with the signed MoU GMCS facilitated an incountry visit by the team from GFW in February 2020 for them to engage with relevant national partners, including the Department of Fisheries, Guyana Coast Guard, Department of Environment and the University of Guyana.

A half-day workshop was facilitated by the Ministry of Agriculture and several presentations on the work of GMCS, GFW and Marine Spatial Planning benefited the 24 representatives from agencies as well as local and international NGOs who participated.

According to Arjoon-

Martins, the partnership has already yielded results such as enabling collaboration with Skytruth, a non-profit environmental watchdog that uses satellite imagery and remote sensing data to identify and monitor threats to the planet's natural resources.

Its stated mission is to "use the view from space to motivate people to protect the environment". Upon request from GMCS, the o rg a n i z a t i o n p r o v i d e d relevant data on the flaring of gas by Lisa 1, which commenced on Christmas Eve of 2019 and has emitted over 9 billion cubic feet so far.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 09, 2020

PAGE 13

Murder suspected as pensioner's remains found in burnt-out backdam campsite

T

he police on the West Coast of Berbice are investigating the death of a 61-year-old pensioner of Shieldstown, after he was suspected to have been burned to death at a campsite in the Shieldstown backdam.

In custody is a man who once shared a relationship with the victim's married daughter.

Dead is Abdool Basheer Rahoop, 61, a father of 10.

According to the Commander for that region, Yonnette Stephens, the matter is being investigated as an incident until there is evidence to prove otherwise.

She, however, confirmed that a male who was with the man at the time of his death is presently in police custody.

He told police that he was imbibing with Rahoop at the backdam location when someone threw an incendiary into the structure, causing it to catch afire. He reportedly stated that he ran out the makeshift structure but the victim was left inside.

The flames reportedly spread rapidly through the structure and Rahoop who was trapped inside was burnt to death, leaving only fragments of skeletal remains.

At the home of the dead man, Kaieteur News spoke with his wife, Dhanwanttie Ramkissoon, 49 of Lot 4 Shieldstown, WCB. She related that the person in police custody is known to the family since one of her daughters had once shared a relationship with him.

Ramkissoon disclosed that on Saturday, the suspect visited their home to pick up her husband to catch fish at the backdam location, but her husband did not want to go.

“He take my husband to the backdam,” she said, “although he didn't want to go but he tell he how he gon go and catch lil hassar and bring it out and sell and get lil money.”

She further stated, " but he carry the man at the rum shop and buy three bottle rum and carry am and drunk am so by time dem reach where dem binna go dem done drunk so me na know what happen".

- love triangle suspected to be motive about the extra-marital affair his wife was having with the suspect.

Meanwhile, the family of the dead man also

Dead: Abdool Basheer Rahoop Ramkissoon stated that her husband and the suspect would regularly imbibe together and so on Saturday, they both left for the backdam around 15:00 hrs and were expected to return today, Tuesday.

She said it was the suspect that told her that her husband "get burn up" at the backdam and that he was going to make a report. He was however taken into police custody to facilitate the investigation.

Kaieteur News also spoke to the victim's daughter who had shared a relationship with the suspect, Bibi Nesha Bashir.

She stated that although married to someone else for some 16 years, she had shared an on and off relationship with the suspect but had severed ties with him almost two years ago.

However, the man remained friends with her father. She believes that the suspect killed her father "fuh tek out spite, he kill me daddy, me know that.”

The woman's present partner, Zaman Ali says that he has been married to her for 16 years but because of marital issues, she had struck up a relationship with the suspect "but me does got to go bring she back.”

He referred to the suspect as a family friend but also believes that the man killed h i s f a t h e r- i n - l a w. H e believes that the man is capable of such an act because he was allegedly once beaten by him with a piece of wood, three months ago, during an argument

complained that the police ventured to the location without taking a relative and as such, they were not satisfied with that since they

believe that a relative should have accompanied the police to the location. Questioned about it, Commander Stephens stated, "I don't

know anything about that".

The investigation is continuing while the remains of the dead man are being stored at a funeral parlour.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Tuesday June 09, 2020

US Congressman introduces resolution urging acceptance of recount results

Y

esterday US Congressman Sanford D. B i s h o p , J r. i s s u e d a resolution in Congress encouraging participating political parties them to be contented with the recount results and the subsequent final declarations of the 2020 Regional and General Elections.

Bishop, a 14-term Democrat representing, Georgia's second congressional district, in his resolution commended the citizens of Guyana for exercising extreme restraint and courage throughout the tedious post-electoral process that has stretched for over three months since the elections were held on March 2, 2020.

Bishop stated that, “The people of Guyana have demonstrated enormous

patience and courage during this recount. I remain hopeful that once the results of the recount are finalized, Guyana can embark on a future of great promise that reflects the will of their people.”

While the Coalition, after celebrating victory based on inflated votes in its favour by Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, is now claiming that the elections were massively flawed, after the final recount showed it lost the elections by 14,000 votes. Observers from the Organization of American States (OAS), the Carter Center, European Union and the Commonwealth described the voting process itself on election day as free and fair – however, they have pointed that that there were discrepancies in the Region

US Congressman Sanford Bishop Four tabulation process, leading to the decision being made to have a recount facilitated by the Guyana Elections Commission under the observation of the a high-

level team from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

While encouraging Guyanese to be patient with the recount process, he urged them to be civil, saying “Finally, the resolution calls on the citizens of Guyana to remain calm and to respect the rule of law and human rights as the recount proceeds under the framework of respected democratic norms.”

Bishops' resolution has been co-sponsored by four fellow Democratic Congresspersons: Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. also from Georgia; Alcee L. Hastings of Florida; Donald

M. Payne, Jr. of New Jersey; and Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas.

This adds to a growing bipartisan list of US legislators from both houses of Congress who have intervened calling for a respecting of the results of the recount.

The five Democratic supporters for this resolution serves as the latest contrast to New York Congressman and Chair of the Democratic National Caucus Hakeem Jeffries' exhortation to US government officials to stay out of Guyana's business during an interview with New York-based Coalition supporter, Rickford Burke.

While Jeffries had said that a

growing number of members of congress were increasingly “disturbed” by what he referred to as US meddling in Guyana's politics, he has not addressed the issue since and no other member of either house of Congress has taken his position.

According to Bishop's website, this is the second such resolution he has introduced in Congress, the first being in 1998. This would have been after Guyana's controversial 1997 elections, which was followed by violent riots and an elections petition challenging the PPP/C victory.

Fire Service personnel caught helping water company to access hydrant illegally

T

he Guyana Water Incorporated ( G W I ) i s reminding the general public that tampering with its infrastructure is punishable by law. This reminder comes in light of a recent discovery that a water company, Arctic Waters, has been filling its approximately 10,000 gallon capacity truck with water from a fire hydrant for sale to its customers.

Officials from GWI on Saturday witnessed the company doing so from a fire hydrant located in G a r n e t t S t r e e t , K i t t y, Georgetown. “ A r c t i c Wa t e r s , i n committing such action, has evaded paying some $6,750 per tank of water and the utility will be taking strict actions against them for this illegal activity,” the stateowned water company said Saturday in a statement.

It appears that at least one fireman helped in accessing the water via the

The photos were snapped by GWI staffers who caught the water company accessing the hydrant illegally with the help of personnel from the Guyana Fire Service.

hydrant.

“GWI also takes this opportunity,” the statement noted, “to condemn the actions of rogue officers within the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) who seek to condone and assist in such activities, as was also witnessed by officials from

the utility. Fire hydrants exist only for use in the event of a fire and emergency cases where GWI sees fit based on its own assessment.

Tampering with GWI's infrastructure attracts a fine of $30,000 for residential customers and $65,000 for non-residential customers.”

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 09, 2020

PAGE 15

100 days of uncertainty…

A timeline of Guyana's elections and recount saga

By Mikaila Prince

T

he Guyana E l e c t i o n s Commission (GECOM) yesterday completed the national recount exercise, an operation which lasted 35 days, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on the East Coast of Demerara. The close of day tabulation showed the PPP/C with a total of 233,336 votes while the APNU+AFC had 217,920 votes. These figures effectively give the PPP/C a win in the recount of votes and, implicitly, the 2020 General Elections.

Certification for the votes of Region Four, the most decisive and contentious district, is expected to be signed today by the contesting parties, following which the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) will submit a report of the tabulation to the Commission. Deliberations on that report would ensue, and subsequently, a final declaration would be announced on the results of the national recount.

But how did the Elections Commission, and by extension the country, arrive at a recount exercise? How, for 100 days, was the country and its 780,000 citizens caught in a state of unrest and uncertainly, while also trying to survive and thrive in the era of the novel coronavirus?

This article seeks to highlight the climatic, baffling, defining, and often disheartening moments of what was deemed as the

'Mother of All Elections', and what personated as the gasoline that ignited the recount.

March 2- A 'grand' day!

Guyanese woke up hours before the polls opened, much to the dismay of late sleepers, beckoning to their neighbors, family and friends, in some areas, to get out and vote. In some parts, persons banged pots, pans, while others blew horns. Polls kicked off smoothly as reported by the Chair of GECOM, Justice Claudette Singh (ret'd), and labeled the day as a “grand” one.

Representatives of international observation missions the Carter Center, the European Union (EU), the Commonwealth Group, and the Organisation of American States (OAS), all related that they were pleased with how the process was going.

Discrepancies delay elections results Three days had passed and the results had not yet been announced.

Slothfulness was discovered with the regional declaration of the results, which according to GECOM, was a result of discrepancies in the tabulation. The city of Georgetown and other parts of the country were caught at a standstill as they awaited the results. Stores and schools remained closed as the anxiety of citizens manifested into fear. Stakeholders ventilated their concern over the delay.

On March 5, Region Four Returning Officer (RO) Clairmont Mingo, the infamous RO who was later proven to have rigged votes in favour the governing coalition, fell ill and was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Mingo complained of feeling unwell and his halted tabulations temporarily. Kaieteur News was reliably informed that in Mingo's absence, an unverified spreadsheet system was introduced to continue tabulations but this process was stopped after it was discovered that the numbers on the spreadsheet and the ones on the approved Statements of Poll (SOP) did not match.

Despite clear discrepancies process Mingo declared that the APNU+AFC had won Region Four by an enormous margin and had, essentially, triumphed in the March 2 General and Regional Elections. Chaos erupted.

Observer Statements and Interfering Russians On March 6, following the Region Four declarations, international diplomats issued a forceful statement which declared that the results for that district lacked credibility as they were not verified by the SOPs. Head of the Carter Center Observer Mission, Jason Carter had expressed that, “Nobody knows if these results are verified or not. There is still an opportunity for this to be

transparent and for the elections to gain credibility and we urge all, including GECOM, to abide by the provisions that are available for the verification of the results.”

Moving forward, still on that same day, but later in the afternoon, Executive of the PPP/C and former Attorney General Anil Nandlall had secured an injunction in the High Court to restrain officials of GECOM from declaring the results of the 2020 elections, unless the electoral process as prescribed by law is compiled with.

Further, amid tension and high emotions the Alliance For Change (AFC) had emerged with a damning allegation that the PPP/C had attempted to tamper with the integrity of the Elections results with the help of foreigners. Khemraj Ramjattan, Executive of the AFC and Prime Ministerial Candidate of the Coalition, had reported that on E-Day, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) arrested three “Russians” who were allegedly meeting with leading members of the opposition at the Marriott Hotel. Ramjattan relayed that they were forced to deport the foreign nationals after their “intelligence realized that there was some conspiracy to tap into GECOM's computer system”.

According to Joseph Harmon, an executive of the coalition, steps were being put in place to swear in

incumbent President David Granger for a second term.

Against this, the Ambassadors of the ABC-EU countries issues stern warnings and hinted sanctions as a consequence of those actions.

Man shot dead during protests, rioting– Cops, women and children injured, vehicles damaged It was absolute chaos in several parts of Region Five and Region Six as supporters of the PPP/C descended onto the streets to protest for a verification of Region Four SOP and a recount of the region as well.

Hundreds of visibly angry and frustrated persons attired lit wooden pallets, tyres, old abandoned cars and buses throughout the public road from Experiment Village and throughout several other villages on the West Coast Berbice. The protestors also blocked the roads with agriculture machinery parts, an old guard hut and tree branches while chanting “GRANGER MUST GO”.

One man lost his life during the riots, while schoolchildren and women were assaulted by the angry mob.

Region Four declaration unlawful– CJ orders return to vote tabulation process Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, on March 11, issued an order for Mingo to return to the legally prescribed procedure for tabulating the

votes for the Region, after she deemed the previously declared results unlawful.

The ruling follows proceedings filed by Reaz Holladar, a private citizen who challenged the GECOM on the grounds that the RO failed to comply with the electoral procedure prescribed by Section 84 of the Representation of the People Act. The CJ, in her consequential orders, instructed Mingo to return to the process by 11:00 hours the following day.

On March 13, Mingo issues another Region Four declaration, this time at the GECOM Kingston office, shortly before midnight.

Once again, his numbers placed the coalition ahead in the elections.

The media had been invited to witness the declaration, but upon arrival at the location, Kaieteur News reporters were almost assaulted, and then chased away from the centre by a crowd screaming “No media!”

Photos of the declarations were sent to the media after the declaration. The Regional Election result showed that APNU+AFC gained 130,289 votes, while the PPP/C gained 74,877 votes. In the General Election, APNU+AFC got 136,057 votes and PPP/C got 77,231 votes. Votes gained by other parties were all less than a thousand. The OAS observer mission, headed by former Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding, (continued on page 16)

All political parties accept PPP victory...

From page 7 campaigning, moving up towards the recount, and ultimately the recount helped us to see the inner workings of GECOM, how the votes are tabulated, to the declaration of the winner. It was the baptism of fire, but at the same time, it was an educational experience that perhaps, as a politician, it would have taken years to learn,” Lam told this paper.

According to her, despite the party not making a dent in the elections, the vision they brought to the table will stay with Guyanese many years to come.

“What TCI is looking to do,” Lam said “is build on the credibility that we have established, the integrity that we have maintained. Six

hundred and eighty people voted for us. It might seem like a little bit but it meant a lot to us. It meant that 680 people believed in us.”

Ending the winner-takesall system – ANUG For A New and United Guyana (ANUG), a change to the “winner-takes-all system” is their primary focus in the years to come. Chairman of ANUG, Timothy Jonas told this paper that the party will be pushing for constitutional reform and inclusive governance, two integral topics that are blasted during campaign season and according to Jonas, forgotten when the hard work begins.

He explained that the very system is what polarizes Guyanese every five years

“because you have a winner and a loser.”

“ANUG is going to be, from day one, saying to the PPP that you need to have shared governance where that opposition whether you like them or not, you must acknowledge that they represent 40 odd % of the population,” Jonas said.

He stressed “That 40 odd percent of Guyana needs to be represented in decision making.

And the system needs to change that representatives of that specific party are in there making decisions with you.”

Jonas made the party's position clear that is there any delay in “constitutional reform, we will be quarrelling.”

He said, “We are waiting

because we know from long, hard experience, when you win elections, you stop talking about constitutional reform, you stop talking about shared governance and you start enjoying yourselves.

So we are waiting.”

Towards greater youth involvement – TNM The New Movement with Presidential Candidate, Dr. Asha Kissoon at the head, is of the belief that youth should play a more “active role at the highest level of Guyanese politics.”

This, according to the party, will “bring a breath of fresh air to this divisive and toxic political climate we will inherit.”

TNM in a statement called on Guyana's youth

population, to not be manipulated by political leaders.

The party said “Resist the urge, especially by political leaders who enjoy cordial relationships behind the scenes, to endanger your lives on the streets in confrontation with your political opposition and police.”

TNM also called on the new political parties to ban together, in order to be a vibrant third force and bring an end to the “majority government” trend.

“The time has come,” the statement said, “for us to come together at the center of the Guyanese political spectrum to offer critical analysis and workable alternatives for the Guyanese people.”

Address racial discrimination – URP For the United Republican Party, the issue of racial discrimination and segregation needs to be addressed by the new government.

Leader, Vishnu Bandhu in a statement, urged the new leaders to “come off of their high horses and think of creating a level playing field for all.”

According to him, “Our country needs to heal the scars of racism which have consumed our country for decades.

The tradition of riots and disobedience after almost every election must be stemmed and citizens from all races, creed, and class must have a feeling of belonging.”

PAGE 16

A timeline of Guyana's elections and recount saga From page 15 withdrew, and noted in their statement that the required standard of fairness and transparency not met by Region 4 RO.

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RECOUNT On March 14, President Granger and Leader of the PPP/C Bharrat Jagdeo had both agreed to recount all votes, as announced by Chairman of CARICOM and Barbadian PM, Mia Mottley.

A high-level CARICOM team provided with the aim of scrutinizing the recount. The recount was expected to comment on March 16, but it was soon stalled the following day.

PPP/C Executive Nandlall cited a signature from the President on the “aid memoire”, the legal document that spells out the terms and conditions of the recount. The President, at the time, explained that he was seeking legal advice before signing on.

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APNU+AFC supporter Ulita Moore had blocked the recount. The recount, now further stalled, pushed the CARICOM team to withdraw from the country. Following the injunction, PM Mottley said, “It is clear that there are forces that do not want to see the votes recounted for whatever reason. Any Government which is sworn in without a credible and fully transparent vote count process would lack legitimacy.”

The stalled electoral process, security threats, and a growing coronavirus global pandemic caused Carter Center, EU observers to withdraw from Guyana on March 21.

Twenty-nine days after the elections, the Full Court throws out injunctions that blocked recount.

In a unanimous ruling on March 31, the Full Court, which comprised of Chief Justice (Ag) Roxanne George and Justice Narweshar Harnanan, ruled that the High Court does not have the jurisdiction to hear the application filed by Moore for an injunction to block GECOM from moving forward with plans to have a nationwide recount.

The Court of Appeal on April 5 handed down a ruling which effectively cleared the

way GECOM to proceed with the nationwide recount of votes cast at the elections.

Nonetheless, after long, exhausting days, GECOM finalized proceedings for the national recount, which was then set for May 6, and to be audio-streamed on Facebook for the world to hear. Initially, the recount was given a timeline of 25 days, which could not have been achievable at the time, considering how slow GECOM was moving with the recount. An addendum was served, which extended the recount until June 13, and the declaration is to be announced three days after.

APNU+AFC FRAUD ALLEGATIONS The APNU+AFC Coalition has, since the beginning of the recount, made objections it purported to be serious enough to question the credibility of the electoral process, as it occurred on March 2, 2020. As the recount continued, representatives of the Coalition began to tabulate the allegations its agents were making, and used them as the basis for accuse the PPP/C of electoral fraud. To support its campaign, it had erected its very own media centre on the lawns of the National Aquatic Centre to disseminate information, and dubbed the campaign 'Operation Eagle-eye'.

The allegations made by the Coalition, for each polling station, were noted in the observation report prepared during the recount for its corresponding ballot box.

The party's claims generally focused on missing documents, a failure by GECOM to reconcile all of the documents meant to be in the ballot boxes, and other procedural irregularities, as well as accusations that votes were cast using the identities of persons who are dead or who were out of the jurisdiction on Election Day. As the claims made by the Coalition began to accumulate, members of the media began to challenge the Coalition to provide verifiable proof of its claims, but it has not provided any, to date. Many of the claims made, particularly in relation to migrant voters, turned out to be false, after they were ventilated in the press.

Other political parties, including the PPP/C, began to object to the Elections Commission allowing the Coalition to question the lawfulness of the process, arguing that any investigation of such matters should be the exclusive jurisdiction of the Court. But the Chair of GECOM, Justice Claudette Singh decided to collect evidence from the Coalition about its claims of 'dead voters', and to investigate

claims of 'migrant voters' by asking the Immigration Department, run by the Police, to assist GECOM in verifying the accuracy of the claims.

The Department had responded by providing a report claiming that 172 persons were out of the country. However, Kaieteur News collected testimonies from 24 persons who refuted the information from the Immigration Department as inaccurate, after finding out that their names were on the list. In response, the Police accused those persons of returning to Guyana illegally.

In addition, GECOM's Public Relations Officer Yolanda Ward said that GECOM did not check the list it got from the Coalition, to determine whether ballots were indeed issued to the names on it.

Coming down to the end of recount, the Coalition also notably attempted to have valid votes cast at 29 polling stations from the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) – a stronghold of the PPP/C – discarded due to the fact that certain statutory documents were not found when the boxes were opened. One Returning Officer, Paul Jaisingh, wrote to the GECOM Chair, telling her that he acted on instructions from the Clerk to the Region Four Returning Officer, when he told his Presiding Officers to put the documents in the poll bags, instead of the ballot boxes.

In response, the GECOM Secretariat claimed that a group of Region Four DROs refuted Jaisingh's claim, with a joint statement that they had received instructions to ensure all the documents were placed in the ballot boxes. But GECOM refused to provide any proof that the letter existed.

More evidence later emerged that DROs were instructed to have their POs leave documents out of the ballot boxes, when one PO posted screenshots of a WhatsApp Group conversation where his DRO's Clerk forwarded such instructions to the POs at the close of poll.

Nevertheless, the GECOM Chair decided to allow the tabulation of the valid votes for the 29 boxes and recount went on smoothly.

The Coalition, in turn, decided to use the inclusion of the boxes as one of the bases on which it argued that the results of the recount cannot be considered credible. It argued that the tabulation of the results, placing the PPP/C in the lead, was not yet validated. This takes us to present day with the final declaration expected from GECOM, unless some other intervention prolongs the saga.

Tuesday June 09, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 17

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 09, 2020

Tuesday June 09, 2020

PAGE 19

Kaieteur News

Sydney makes surprise bid for Fury-Wilder rematch

Tyson Fury beat Deontay Wilder in their second fight in February. (AFP / John Gurzinski)

Tuesday June 09, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) That little child you once were and that you're trying so desperately to forget is still causing you problems.

Why do you try so hard to deny that sweet and tender part of you that comes out even in your adult life?

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You need to cut down on stress and stop getting upset over nothing, Libra. Even if up until now you haven't been able to figure out what is really bothering you, today you'll understand some of the mysteries of life.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) You'll have all the inspiration you need to get to work on some of the problems that have been plaguing your group lately, Taurus.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Those arrogant types really need to watch out around you. Even if they don't mean you any harm, you head straight to the attack in order to make them understand that they don't intimidate you.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your family is encouraging you to reconsider some of your long-term plans, Gemini. In fact, some of your loved ones' needs are changing. But the solutions you come up with may not be enough. Just don't panic.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Without a doubt, your day will have important consequences for the future of your love life. The doubts you may have today, especially concerning your feelings, are likely to push you to think about things before you make any decisions.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) This is an important day for you, especially if you're an artist. The work you have already begun is beginning to escape your grasp.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) - Are you an intellectual or a poet, a novelist or a playwright? The celestial energy leaves you alone with your anxieties and questions. You are sure of only one thing words are the friends you've decided to spend the rest of your life with.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You're naturally involved in things and bursting with energy. You're also trying to work on how you relate to other people.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Have you been working yourself too hard and denying yourself many of the pleasures that you see others enjoying that you'd like to have?

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today you may be wondering just how much you should get involved in a certain conflict between family members or in your career.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Perhaps your family is far away and you miss them a lot, Pisces. You need to realize that you can count on your friends.

AFP - Australian city Sydney has made an audacious bid to host a blockbuster heavyweight rematch between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, with promoters eyeing Boxing Day for the trilogy superfight.

Promoter Dean Lonergan has tentatively booked Bankwest Stadium in the city’s west for the bout, The Australian reported yesterday. Semi-autonomous Chinese city Macau is also in the running.

“I put a proposal to (Top Rank promoter) Bob Arum about six weeks ago by way of email to bring down here the world heavyweight title fight between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury,” Lonergan told the newspaper.

“The day I suggested was December 26 here so we

would (broadcast) to the USA on Christmas night.”

Lonergan wasn’t immediately available to confirm the comments.

Following a controversial draw in December 2018, Britain’s Fury, unbeaten as a professional, overpowered American Wilder in Las Vegas in February, beating him in seven rounds.

Wilder has activated the rematch clause in his contract, with a time yet to be fixed after the original date of July 18 was scrapped because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Arum confirmed in a Sky Sports interview at the weekend that Sydney was in the mix, along with Macau.

Both cities have got on top of COVID-19, and appear more likely to allow fans than the US or Britain.

Las Vegas could still host the fight if spectators are allowed back into venues.

“Our friends in Australia are talking about doing this

fight, probably in Sydney.

That’s a possibility,” said Arum, who previously promoted ring great Manny’s Pacquiao’s bout against Australian Jeff Horn in Brisbane.

“There are six big casino properties in Macau,” he added. “We’ve talked to them. They’re ready to put up money for the Fury fight against Wilder in November or December.”

Lonergan said Boxing Day would be symbolic, marking 108 years to the day since African-American Jack Johnson was crowned the first black heavyweight champion by beating Tommy Burns in a world title bout in Sydney.

“Jack Johnson was the first Afro-American to crack the big time in the US. I think it would be incredibly significant if you did it down here to celebrate what he did all those years ago to chase Tommy Burns down,” he said.

PAGE 20

Athletics ex-boss stands trial for taking bribes to clear Russians of doping PARIS (Reuters) - Lamine Diack, the former head of the governing body for world athletics, was at the heart of a corruption scam that saw Russian athletes pay sixfigure sums to have their names erased from doping lists, prosecutors told a French court yesterday.

Wearing a dark grey suit, Diack, 87, who led the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) from 1999 to 2015, stood before the French judges on the first day of trial as charges of corruption, money laundering and breach of trust were read out.

Prosecutors allege Diack solicited bribes totalling 3.45 million euros ($3.9 million) from athletes suspected of doping to cover up test results and let them continue competing, including in the 2012 London Olympics.

They also say Diack obtained $1.5 million of Russian funds while negotiating sponsorship and television rights to help finance Macky Sall’s

campaign for the 2012 Senegal presidential election, in exchange for slowing antidoping procedures.

Diack has previously denied wrongdoing. He spoke on Monday only to confirm his identity and is due to testify tomorrow.

His lawyer William Bourdon described him as “serene and determined”.

“The fact financial exchanges took place is not enough on its own to prove corruption,” Bourdon told reporters at the end of the first session. Diack, who has been under house arrest ahead of the trial, faces up to 10 years in jail if convicted.

His son, Papa Massata, who fled France for his native Senegal after the French investigation began, is also accused of playing a role in the plot, and is being tried in absentia.

The court rejected a request by Papa Massata’s French lawyer that the trial be postponed because coronavirus border restrictions meant his

Senegalese lawyers could not be present. Senegal has refused to extradite him.

Four other defendants have been charged in the case: Habib Cisse, Diack’s former lawyer at the IAAF; Gabriel Dollé, who oversaw doping tests at the IAAF; former head of Russian athletics Valentin Balakhnitchev, and former Russian athletics’ head coach Alexei Melnikov.

Balakhnitchev and Melnikov were not in court.

Dollé denied taking bribes in order to allow Russian athletes to compete. He told the court he had agreed only to keep a low profile on the large number of positive Russian doping tests to help the IAAF find sponsors.

“Mr Diack had asked me to consider the fact that the IAAF was in a perilous financial state and needed sponsors,” he told the court.

“There was never any question of allowing the Russian athletes to participate in international competitions.” ($1 = 0.8862 euros)

Boxing: Mayer positive for COVID-19, will miss today’s fight Boxer Mikaela Mayer tested positive for the coronavirus and will miss her scheduled junior lightweight bout today against Helen Joseph.

The 10-round bout was scheduled to be one of the featured fights on the Top Rank card at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Mayer, who turns 30 next month, made the announcement on social media on Sunday and called her positive test “a complete surprise” since she believed she was taking all required precautions to stay safe from

COVID-19.

“I am currently asymptomatic and am quarantining at an off-site location per recommended guidelines,” Mayer said.

“The rest of my team tested negative and they are all in good health. I was really looking forward to bringing back boxing for all of you and I’m disappointed for myself, my team, my supporters and for my opponent, Helen Joseph, who worked just as hard to be here this week and put on a show for everyone.”

Under Top Rank rules, Mayer can’t be retested to

determine whether the test was a false positive. One positive test means the fighter is removed from the scheduled bout and quarantined away from the bubble created at the MGM. Mayer’s manager, George Ruiz, told ESPN that Mayer wants to fight later this summer once her COVID-19 tests are negative.

Today’s card is highlighted by a bout between WBO featherweight champion and U.S. Olympian Shakur Stevenson and Puerto Rico’s Felix Caraballo.

(Field Level Media)

Quartararo outlines why Rossi should...

From page 22 Regularly beating the works Yamaha pairing last season, Quartararo has marked out similar performances as his aim for this season.

When asked if he placed importance on beating the

Tuesday June 09, 2020

Kaieteur News

works Yamaha riders in 2020, he said: “I will not say that it is not important, because beating the two official riders running with a satellite team is always a good thing.

“That motivates you and it is not unusual.

“Last year my engine offered 500rpm less than the rest, [my bike] did not have a carbon fork [to begin with] and little by little I was earning that. “My goal was to show that I was very close to them and sometimes even ahead.”

Skerritt has brought new optimism, says former president Gordon PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Former Cricket West Indies president, Ken Gordon, has endorsed the current regional governing body’s head, Ricky Skerritt, as “absolutely the right man” to lead the organisation and says he has brought a renewed optimism to West Indies cricket.

The Trinidadian business magnate, who ran the then West Indies Cricket Board between 2005 and 2007, said while there were massive challenges facing West Indies cricket, Skerritt possessed the necessary leadership skills to confront those issues.

“Ricky Skerritt is the reason why I’m more optimistic about cricket now than I’ve been for 10 years,” Gordon told i95 FM Sports.

“I think we have absolutely the right man.

Mistakes are going to be made given where we’ve come from but I think we’re very fortunate to have Ricky Skerritt at this time. He’s taking it one step at a time.”

He added: “The reality is if you’ve got the right leader anything is possible. It’s not obvious and it’s not going to happen easily but if you can set standards and build an environment and keep doing the right thing, you’re going to get a lot of licks but that’s what makes the difference between ultimate success and failure.”

Skerritt, a former St Kitts and Nevis cabinet minister, stunned three-term incumbent Dave Cameron in elections staged in Jamaica in March last year, to take over the helm of the governing body.

However, Skerritt has found himself presiding over a cash-strapped CWI, and the situation was made even

Ken Gordon former CWI president worse this year with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic which has forced the cessation of cricket across the globe.

In the face of declining revenues, CWI announced last month it would slash staff and player salaries by 50 per cent starting from July, in an effort to stay afloat.

Gordon, who oversaw the Caribbean’s hosting of the historic 2007 Cricket World Cup, said the issue of financing the organisation would be a “huge challenge” but believed Skerritt’s expertise would prove vital.

“You don’t get anything that is important easily and you have to make hard decisions, and that’s why it is so important to have the right man in there now,” Gordon stressed.

“How far the new president is going to be able to persuade people to face up to that, is a huge challenge but it’s a challenge that doesn’t lend itself to compromise because you can’t make the money.

“I repeat, I’m more optimistic now than I’ve been for the last 10 years because I think for a change we have somebody who’s going to try to do the right thing.”

He added: “I’m not suggesting to you he’s on a bed of roses at all but … I’m hearing good sounds from around him, some of the past players are now coming out to say he’s doing the right thing.

“Maybe all of that will swing public opinion. He has to make his own moves, he has to react to some of the openings that he gets, he has to be a diplomat, he has to be a financier and he has to pray.”

Skerritt, along with new vice-president, Dr Kishore Shallow, have made several major changes since taking over the board, overhauling the selection structure and changing the management personnel of the representative teams.

However, the performance of the senior men’s team has remained inconsistent and Gordon said it was an area Skerritt needed to address.

“We have to solve the problem of our team. We’ve got one or two promising people but the reality is it is our consistency that is bringing us down and it’s because we’ve done so little development of the mind,” Gordon noted.

“I think this is one of the things that Ricky will have to confront in a very serious way.”

Stranded Jags back in the 592 Golden Jaguars; Guyana men’s senior football team, duo of Curtez Kellman and Jeremy Garrett are back in the ‘land of many waters’ after being stranded in Miami, Florida, USA, for four months.

The lads, who are both student-athletes, were stuck in Miami due to the necessary travel restrictions for incoming passengers at Guyana’s ports due to the coronavirus pandemic but after the National Covid-19 Task Force (NCTF) approved 300 persons, they were in the first batch of Guyanese that returned home on Sunday afternoon.

The ballers, along with

the first batch of 109 passengers will head straight into isolation for one week as part of the agreement for return which also included having their Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test results for the coronavirus before travelling.

In an invited comment with Kaieteur Sport, Kellman shared that he felt, “Overwhelmed with joy to be back home especially in this time where the world is facing this serious pandemic and it’s especially good to be the around family so we could can support each other emotionally.”

The midfielder further posited that he is grateful for

the help and support he received from those around him, while in Miami and for those here in Guyana that kept him in their prayers.

He explained that the NCTF have been very thorough and so far he has received a call each day from a representative to see if he is developing any symptoms of covid-19.

The GFC player hinted that as most of the world of sport has laid out plans for return to play, head coach of the Golden Jaguars, Marcia Maximo, may be looking to resume some form of training sometime in the very near future.

Tuesday June 09, 2020

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

Braithwaite & Chanderpaul consistent, Roach, Benn good with ball - As Windies beat Bangladesh but lose to SA & N/Zealand in 2014 After winning the 3-Test Series 2-nil in New Zealand in 2013, the Kiwis embarked on the reciprocal tour to the West Indies the next year and although the host won the second Test, New Zealand won the three-test series 2-1.

The 2014 Test season for the West Indies started on June 8 with first Test in Jamaica and the match ended in four days with the visitors winning by 186 runs.

Led by centuries from Kane Williamson (113) and Jimmy Neesham (107) and half-centuries by Watling (89), Latham (83) and Taylor (55) New Zealand declared at 5088.

Spinners Shane Shillingford and Sulieman Benn took three wickets each for West Indies who were bowled out for 262.

Shiv Chanderpaul made an unbeaten 84 and Chris Gayle made an uncharacteristic 64 at the top of the order as Tim Southee took 4-19.

New Zealand declared for the second time in the game as they called in their batsmen with the score on 156-8 despite Latham’s 73.

Jamaican pacer Jerome Taylor had 3-28 while Kemar Roach and Shillingford took two wickets.

West Indies were dismissed for 216 although Shillingford, batting at number eleven finished unbeaten on a shot-filled 53 from 29 balls with five sixes and three fours. But Shillingford’s late order could not help the home team from a defeat in four days.

West Indies rebounded with a 10-wicket win in the next Test at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul was outstanding in 2014.

The consistent Latham made a superb 82 but nobody else reached fifty as New Zealand fell for 221 as Taylor had 4-34, Benn took 3-73 and Shannon Gabriel 2-43 did the damage with the ball.

West Indies responded with 460 as Kraigg Braithwaite made a patient 129 and the classy Darren Bravo hit 11 fours and four sixes in a masterful 109.

The pair was backed up by half-centuries from Jermaine Blackwood, who got the nod for his Test debut ahead of Leon Johnson, started with a solid 63 and Kurt Edwards who scored 55.

Spinner Ish Sodhi had 496 for the tourist who made 331 on the back of halfcenturies from Watling, Craig and Williamson as Roach captured 4-64, Taylor (2-73), Gabriel (2-63) and Benn (2-78) for West Indies who were set 95 to win.

Chris Gayle clobbered six sixes and seven fours in a 46ball undefeated 80 as he dominated the opening partnership with Braithwaite who remained not out on 14.

In the third Test in

Bajan Pacer Kemar Roach had a year in 2014.

Barbados, West Indies showed why they are considered one of the most inconsistent teams in World cricket by crashing to a 63run defeat.

The visitors won the toss and elected to bat and made 293 with Neesham making 78 as Benn had 5-93 and Roach 4-16.

West Indies replied with 317 with Braithwaite (68) and Edwards (58) scoring fifties, while Ramdin (45) and Gayle (42) also contributed.

Wagner had 4-74 for New Zealand who made 331 with Williamson reaching the boundary 22 times in a top class 161 and Neesham hitting 51. Roach had 4-55 and Jason Holder took 2-26 on debut.

West Indies fell for 254 with Holder getting 52 and Darren Bravo making 40.

There were three wickets each for Trent Boult, Southee and Craig as New Zealand took the series 2-1.

West Indies’ next assignment was against Bangladesh in September in St Vincent and the host won by 10 wickets.

West Indies declared at 484-7 with Braithwaite hitting 14 fours in 447 minutes of batting in a responsible 212.

The Bajan got support from Guyanese Chanderpaul who made 85 not out, while Gayle chipped in with 64 and Darren Bravo contributed 62.

Gayle and Braithwaite added 116 for the first wicket before Braithwaite and Chanderpaul joined forces at 261-3 when Bravo departed and carried West Indies to 479 when Braithwaite was removed by Taijul Islam who had 5-135.

Bangladesh were bundled out for 182 despite 51 from Mominul Haque as Benn had 5-39.

West Indies enforced the follow-on and Bangladesh reached 314 in their second innings with Captain and Wicket Keeper Mushfiqur Rahim stroking 15 fours and

a six in a 116, while Mahmudullah (66) and Tamim Iqbal (53) getting fifties.

Roach had 4-64, while Gabriel and Benn had two scalps each as West Indies, set 13 to win hit off the required runs without losing a wicket.

The second Test was played in St Lucia and it was historical being the 500th Test since West Indies played their first in England in 1928.

Guyanese Leon Johnson made his debut and in the process became the 300th West Indian to play Test cricket.

A Man-of-the-Match performance from Chanderpaul led West Indies to an emphatic 296-run win.

West Indies batted first and made 380 with Braithwaite (63) and Johnson (66) putting together 143 for the first wicket before Chanderpaul fashioned an unbeaten 85 while Darren Bravo made 45.

Al-Amin Hossain (3-80) was the most successful bowler for Bangladesh who made 161 with Mahmudulla scoring 53 and Tamim Iqbal supporting with 48.

Roach had 5-42, while Taylor took 2-41 for West Indies who made 269-4 declared with Braithwaite (45) and Johnson (41) adding 76 for the first wicket before Chanderpaul, unbeaten on 101, put together 169 with Blackwood who finished 66 not out.

Bangladesh were bowled out for 192 despite Tamim Iqbal’s 6 4 a n d 5 6 f r o m Mominul Haque as Benn had 5-72 and Taylor took 339.

I n D e c e m b e r We s t Indies travelled to South Africa and lost the first Test in SuperSport Park, Centurion by an innings and 220 runs.

H M Alma’s 208, 152 from A B de Villiers and an unbeaten 101 by van Zyl saw the hosts amassed 552-5 declared as Roach and Benn had two wickets each.

West Indies collapsed for 201 with Brathwaite (34), Devon Smith (35), Johnson (31) and Marlon Samuels (33) all wasted good starts.

Vernon Philander had 423 while Morkel captured 355 for the home team who enforced the follow-on and bowled out the Caribbean side for a paltry 131 as Dale Steyn bagged 6-34.

The second Te s t commenced on Boxing Day and ended in a draw.

South Africa on the back

Kraigg Braithwaite was the most consistent Windies batsman in 2014. of centuries from Elgar (121) and du Plessis (103) reached 417 with Taylor, Kenroy Peters and Gabriel taking two wickets each.

West Indies replied with 275-9 as Brathwaite (106) and Samuels (101) scored tons as Morkel took 4-69 before the entire last day was washed out.

The third and final Test started on January 15, 2015 and South Africa won by eight wickets.

Half-centuries from Blackwood (56), Ramdin (53) and Johnson (54) spearheaded the West Indies

to 329 as Steyn had 4-78.

A B de Villiers (148), du Plessis (68) and Amla (63) led the host to 421 with Holder and Samuels taking two wickets each.

Samuels (74), Johnson (44) and Chanderpaul, who was run out for 50, were the leading scorers as West Indies made 215.

Set 124 to win the Test and the series, South Africa reached 125-2 as Elgar (60) and Amla (38) adding 75 runs in an unfinished third wicket stand as the host won the three Test series 2-1. (Sean Devers)

PAGE 22

Tuesday June 09, 2020

Kaieteur News

No surgery, Hasan Ali to continue rehabilitation for another five weeks ESPNcricinfo - Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali is understood to have avoided a surgery to resolve a back problem, but will continue his rehabilitation for another five weeks, a decision the PCB made after he responded positively to an online session. Ali, who lost his central contract last month, will have his medical expenses covered by the PCB until he achieves full recovery, and also get additional financial assistance from the board’s welfare fund, a safety net reserved only for retired players in dire need.

Ali’s back injury, diagnosed as an intervertebral disc protrusion, could have led to a surgery in a worst-case scenario. The PCB, after consulting local doctors, had planned to fly Ali to Australia. However, with lockdowns and travel restrictions in place across the globe, the board resorted to seeking medical advice online, and had Ali undergo a two-hour rehabilitation session under the watch of a two-person panel: Lahorebased neurosurgeon Asif Bashir and Australian spinal therapist Peter O’Sullivan.

The committee ruled out the need for an operation, opting to carry on with the treatment involving conservative

Hasan Ali goes through his warm-up routine. (Getty Images) rehabilitation for the next five weeks, with further decisions to be made only after fresh scans are conducted.

“Hasan Ali picking up injuries around the same area twice in less than a year was not a normal thing,” Dr Sohail Saleem, the PCB director of medical and sports sciences, said in a statement.

“Consequently, we consulted some of the best and most experienced specialists and it is heartening to hear their

feedback following the opening online rehabilitation session in which Hasan showed no signs of symptomatic regression.

“However, these are early days of his rehabilitation programme and we will continue to monitor his progress for the next five weeks before collectively making future decisions. But one thing is for certain, he is under the treatment of the very best in the business and

Quartararo outlines why Rossi should choose SRT for 2021 MotoGP season Autosport - Fabio Quartararo doubts Petronas SRT is any less professional than the works Yamaha outfit he will join in 2021, which should sway Valentino Rossi’s decision to extend his MotoGP career.

Last year’s breakout star Quartararo will replace ninetime grand prix motorcycle world champion Rossi at the factory Yamaha squad next year, following a debut 2019 campaign in which he scored six pole positions and seven podiums.

Rossi appears to be moving closer to securing a place at the customer Yamaha squad with full factory support, after his original plans to take a decision after the opening six or seven races were scuppered by the coronavirus-forced delay to the 2020 season.

Speaking exclusively to Autosport, Quartararo gave his reasons for why Rossi should join SRT next year.

“I would say that it is a family,” Quartararo said of MotoGP’s newest team.

“I am a person who when working is 100% focused on what I have to do.

Quartararo (right) outlines why Rossi should choose SRT. “If you have to be 10 hours on full, there is no problem. But when I’m done, I’m messing around until it’s time to go back to work.

“That combination of professionalism and good vibes is what defines our team.

“I do not know how an official team works, but I doubt that it is more professional than ours.”

Quartararo recently

expressed his hope that Rossi fans wouldn’t “hate” him for taking Rossi’s place at Yamaha next year.

After narrowly losing out on victory to world champion Marc Marquez in the San Marino and Thailand grands prix last season, and equipped with full works support this year, Quartararo is expected to be a major title contender.

(Continued on page 20)

hopefully he will return fitter and stronger to competitive cricket without any surgery.”

The 25-year-old paceman suffered the injury last season during the opening round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in

Lahore, following which he underwent a seven-week rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in the same city. He was declared fit for the final round of the tournament, only to suffer a fresh injury - a rib fracture - in November that ruled him out for another six weeks. He consequently missed Pakistan’s international commitments during the season, but returned after another spell of rehab ahead of the PSL. He, however, was below his best in the tournament, picking up eight wickets in nine games at an economy rate of 8.59 for Peshawar Zalmi. Ali complained of persistent pain in his back, and scans confirmed the problem, which had flared up and revealed symptoms consistent with a lumbar herniated disc.

The injury, as well as a run of average form, resulted in Ali’s omission from the 202021 central-contract roster, which will come into effect from July 1. His contract for

the previous season, though, will be active until June 31, technically qualifying him for medical cover. Also, ESPNcricinfo understands, because a fit Ali is a shoo-in in most Pakistan squads, the PCB decided to bear the expenses of his treatment even beyond his current contract term.

“Hasan Ali is one of our assets and heroes of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 victory. It is the PCB’s responsibility to look after him during these difficult times so that he focuses and works solely on his fitness,” Wasim Khan, the PCB chief executive, said. “Hasan is a young and energetic cricketer who has a lot of cricket left in him. Like most of his followers, the PCB will like to see him regain complete fitness, so that he can resume normal services for the Pakistan men’s national cricket team. Till that time, the PCB will provide him financial assistance from the PCB Welfare Fund, which exists exactly for this purpose.”

Oshane Thomas: ‘Test cricket is what you want to play to be great’ ESPNcricinfo - Oshane Thomas, who has been named among the reserve players for West Indies’ upcoming tour of England, is eyeing a Test debut with international cricket set to resume after a hiatus forced by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Thomas, 23, has played 20 ODIs and 12 T20Is since his debut in late 2018, and picked up five-wicket hauls in both limited-overs formats. He’s set on cracking the longest format now, an ambition that Thomas said coach Phil Simmons supports.

“I definitely want to play Test cricket; I want to do well in all three formats,” Thomas told the Jamaica Observer.

“Test cricket is really the ultimate that everyone wants to play to be great. You don’t want to just be an average cricketer; you want to be among the greats.

“Coach Phil [and I], we always have a talk. He says I can’t be bowling that fast probably bowling the fastest in the Caribbean - and not play in his Test team.”

Thomas had done well in his last outing for West Indies before cricket - and life - came to a standstill due to the coronavirus. He took 5 for 28 and 1 for 24 as West Indies swept Sri Lanka 2-0 in a T20I series in the first week of March. His performance was especially significant since it came after Thomas escaped

Oshane Thomas in his follow through. (AFP) with minor scrapes from a car crash in February.

With no cricket since that Sri Lanka tour, Thomas said he has been concentrating on getting match fit, with a training camp at the Sabina Park in Jamaica.

“Coming back from the Sri Lanka tour - a good series [and taking] a five-wicket haul - and then the pandemic just came into play and no cricket,” Thomas said. “Last week is my first week back bowling on a pitch. I had been doing some little bowling here and there. I’m very happy to be back bowling and I’m looking forward to playing Test cricket. It’s just up to me as a person; I just need to be fit and ready, and I should be in the Test team.”

The accident and subsequent lack of cricket, interrupted by the two T20Is

in Sri Lanka, has left Thomas not yet at full fitness.

“I’m not going to say I’m at 100 [per cent], but I think I’m aware of where I want to be,” he said. “Only thing I’d probably be short of now is match fitness because I haven’t played for about three months now. Coming back from a car accident [in which] fortunately I just got some scrapes, but the car flipped a few times so I got jerked up here and there. Now I’m just feeling some stiffness because I just started bowling back at full speed but otherwise I’m all right.

“I just want to relax, bowl, put the ball in the right areas and let the ball do the work.

Even if I’m not playing I’ll be training and keeping my fitness up. If I’m not playing I want to learn as much as a can.”

Kaieteur News

Tuesday June 09, 2020

PAGE 23

Evans dismisses Djokovic’s U.S. Open Hamilton supports protesters who concerns over COVID-19 protocols tore down slave trader’s statue Britain’s Dan Evans in action during his Semi Final match against Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas. (REUTERS/ Thaier Al-Sudani/File Photo)

(Reuters) r i t a i n ’s D a n Evans believes N o v a k Djokovic’s concerns about players having only one member of their support staff at the U.S. Open does not apply to the majority of the field and compromises should be made when action resumes.

The U.S. Open organisers are assessing safety measures for the tournament scheduled to begin on Aug. 31 without spectators after the COVID19 pandemic stalled the season in March.

Wo r l d n u m b e r o n e Djokovic said hosting the tournament would be

B

impossible due to “extreme” COVID-19 protocols, but Evans said there has to be some “give and take” from the players.

“I don’t think having one person of your team only allowed is such a big deal the majority of the draw would only travel with one coach,” Evans told BBC 5 Live. “ N o t e v e r y o n e ’s travelling with physios and fitness trainers like Novak said, so I think his argument there is not really valid for the rest of the draw, apart from the real top guys.”

The U.S. Open will be the first Grand Slam to be played after the novel coronavirus outbreak, and

will be followed by the French Open which was moved to September.

Defending champion Rafa Nadal is also not keen on travelling to New York, one of the cities hardest hit by coronavirus, in present circumstances.

But Evans has urged both Nadal and Djokovic to take part in the event in order to help lower-ranked professionals in financial crisis due to the shutdown.

“This is the point where I think the players should really come together and Novak and Rafa should really be looking to help those players with lower ranks so they get a good pay day,” Evans added.

Reuters) - Six-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has backed the anti-racism protesters who toppled the statue of a 17th-century slave trader in the English port city of Bristol, and urged governments across the world to take similar action.

In the wake of the death of unarmed black man George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis, anti-racism demonstrators in Bristol on Sunday pulled down the statue of Edward Colston before throwing it into the harbour.

Across three posts to his Instagram story, Hamilton wrote: “I challenge government officials worldwide to make these changes and implement the peaceful removal of these racist symbols.

“That man’s statue should stay in the river just like the 20 thousand African souls who died on the journey here and thrown into the sea, with no burial or memorial. He stole them from their families, country and he must not be celebrated!”

Hamilton, 35, has actively supported the Black Lives Matter movement,

(

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton during the Media day at the Australian Grand Prix. (REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo) calling out his own sport’s initial silence over the killing of Floyd, who died after a white U.S. police officer knelt on his neck last month.

Formula One managing director Ross Brawn has b a c k e d H a m i l t o n ’s comments on racial injustice and said the sport was working towards improving diversity at every level.

“Lewis is a great ambassador for the sport and his comments are very valid,” Brawn told Sky Sports’ The F1 Show. “We support him completely.”

Hamilton also strongly

criticised the UK government over its handling of the COVID-19 crisis.

Britain has the secondhighest death toll in the world from the pandemic, reaching over 40,500 as of Sunday, behind only the United States.

“You should have closed the borders months ago.

How you can let people fly in from countries without being tested is baffling,” the Mercedes driver said. “You could have saved thousands of lives. We need better leaders.”

NFL: Redskins’ Peterson vows to Archer urges victims to speak kneel during national anthem out against social inequality

(Reuters) - England fast bowler Jofra Archer has urged victims of racial abuse to speak out following the death of an unarmed black man in police custody in the United States.

Video footage showed a

white police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, 46, for nearly nine minutes before he died on May 25, triggering outrage and protests across the world.

“I’m very glad the Black Lives Matter campaign has

England’s Jofra Archer during the match New Zealand v England - Second Test Seddon Park. (REUTERS/Ross Setford)

got as vocal as this,” Archer, who was racially abused by a fan during a test against New Zealand in November last year, wrote in his column for the Daily Mail.

“As an individual, I’ve always been one for speaking out, especially if something bothers you. My personal view is that you should never keep things bottled up, because racism is not okay.”

Archer has played seven tests and 14 one-day internationals for England and has lauded the team for its diversity.

“We all live in the country and if you are English, you have as much right to play as anyone else,” the 25-year-old added.

“There was a picture ... of me, Jos Buttler and Adil Rashid hugging in celebration during the 2019 World Cup. It told you everything you need to know about our team.”

Washington Redskins running back Adrian Peterson said he will kneel during the national anthem this season to protest racial injustice, and he doesn’t plan to be the only player to do so.

Peterson made his feelings known to the Houston Chronicle in the aftermath of the comments made by New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who said that players were “disrespecting the flag” by kneeling during the anthem. Brees later apologized for his comments.

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick protested racial injustice in the United States by kneeling during the anthem in the 2016 season.

Kaepernick has yet to sign with an NFL team since opting out of his contract with the 49ers in 2017.

“Years ago, seeing Kaepernick taking a knee,

now we’re all ready to take a knee together going into this season without a doubt,” Peterson said.

When asked by the Houston Chronicle if he will take a knee, Peterson replied: “Without a doubt, without a doubt.”

The NFL adopted a policy in 2018 that required players to stand for the national anthem, but allowed them to stay in the locker room during it if they chose. The league has since pulled the policy back after an agreement with the NFL Players Association.

Peterson, who played 10 seasons (2007-16) with the M i n n e s o t a Vi k i n g s , contends that more players will be taking a knee this season following national protests over the death of George Floyd, an AfricanAmerican man who died in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25.

“We’ve got to put the e ff o r t i n a s a g r o u p

collectively. Are they going to try to punish us all? If not, playing football is going to help us save lives and change things, then that’s what it needs to be,” Peterson told the newspaper.

Peterson, 35, is currently fifth on the all-time rushing list with 14,216 yards.

Peterson was a team captain and led Washington in attempts (211), rushing yards (898) and rushing touchdowns (5) last season.

Peterson has played in 164 career games. He currently ranks No. 8 in rushing attempts (3,036), No. 4 in rushing touchdowns (111) and No. 8 in yards per game (86.7) in NFL history.

Next up on the rushing list would be Barry Sanders, who is 1,053 yards ahead of Peterson and fourth on the all-time rushing list.

Peterson is 12 rushing touchdowns behind Marcus Allen for third all-time.

(Field Level Media)

National footballers, Curtez Kellman (left) and Jeremy Garrett on the flight back home on Sunday.

rt o p S

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Stranded Jags back in the 592 Mikaela Mayer (USA) of USA competes during the 2016 Rio Olympics.

(REUTERS/Peter Cziborra Picture Supplied by Action Images)

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CWI president Ricky Skerritt.

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Former President of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Lamine Diack, wearing a face mask, arrives for his trial at the Paris courthouse, France, yesterday.

(Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes)

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