Kaieteur News

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AIETEUR GPL’s $83M Saturday Edition NEWS truck can be p. picked up for 17 less than $25M June 20, 2020 - Vol. 14 No. 24

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Ramjattan privately concedes Transparency advocates write loss in meeting with unit World Bank over - but next day publicly maintains heads elections not credible Exxon's flaring “I can no longer wait quietly Elderly woman and politely while our jumps from burning building country gets hijacked, to save life p.

7

AFC Khemraj Ramjattan

p. 2

AFC Gaskin says... p.

18

AFC’s Dominic Gaskin

ridiculed and torn apart”

- calls Lowenfield’s report ‘devious’

p.

3

- Arson suspected

Four-day JFA Party concedes, ban on drone swear in Irfaan Ali use over city

p.

18

p.

12

Leader of the Justice For All Party, CN Sharma

Court case to block Lowenfield’s report adjourned to today -p. PPP, other 17 parties join action

GECOM Chair asks Court to p.

7

throw out case “The court should not be asked to act in vain. Even if the court grants the orders sought, what is the next position? Can this court direct GECOM what to decide?

Can this court order GECOM to hold a fresh election? Are these orders even - GECOM Chair sought? The short answer is no since this is not an election court,” Claudette Singh

Saturday June 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 02

Ramjattan privately concedes loss in - but next day publicly maintains meeting with unit heads elections not credible D

By Mikaila Prince

e facto Minister of Public Security and Prime Ministerial hopeful, Khemraj Ramjattan, conceded the loss of the March 2020 elections during a private meeting with his ministry unit heads Thursday morning, even as he yesterday continued to carry the official coalition line that the elections lacked

credibility.

“From all indications the PPP/C has beaten us by some 15,000 votes,” Ramjattan told his key personnel, “The loss of an election is tremendous.

It is a difficult time for me, it's kinda emotional. But at some point in time you have to make a departure because there's always gonna be a winner and a loser.”

This is from a recording Kaieteur News has been provided, one in which the

AFC executive said that he anticipates a declaration from the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (ret'd) Claudette Singh this weekend, at which point his portfolio will come to an “abrupt end”.

“The declaration numbers are against us… We went into the recount and we lost, so be prepared to accept and to move on,” Ramjattan said, who was at the time bidding

farewell to his Heads of the Units under the Public Security Ministry at a meeting this week.

Nonetheless, Ramjattan highlighted that while the loss of an election is a “tremendous” one it is not a “death penalty” as he hopes that his supporters are not overcome with too much disappointment, and alluded to the “serious statements” from the international bodies and the grave implications

that could pose on the country.

“The process will go on to the fourth and final stage where the Chair will hammer out the process towards the final declarations. There are certain credibility issues but that would just complicate the Chair. So, that means then that it is the end of the government and it is with this that l wanted to tell you that it was an honour and pleasure being with you as the various Heads of Unit under the Ministry of Public Security,” Ramjattan said to his staff.

He admitted that the last five years as the Minister of Public Security were “extraordinary” and one of his “better experiences” as he hopes for a “soft landing” after a declaration has been made. He further noted the building tension in Guyana and hopes not to witness any “lawlessness” as the process progresses.

“I do not want to see any lawlessness. I will not be a part of any lawlessness. Leh we go to the court; leh we talk it out in dialogue. That is my important message to you.

The endgame must not involve violence,” he appealed.

In attendance at the meeting were Ormella Gladstone, Treaty; MaryAdams, PR Officer; Clement Henry, Head of the Citizens' Security Strengthening Programme; Orin Boston, Head of Juvenile Justice; Yvetteron Sancho, Head of the Juvenile Holding Centre; and Delon France, Director of the Guyana Forensic Lab. Also at the meeting were

ministry employees and fellow Alliance For Change executives, Leonard Craig and Sherod Duncan, the Ministry's National Community Policing Administrator.

Notably, while Ramjattan was conceding his party's loss to his staffers at that meeting, he yesterday even went as a guest on an APNU+AFF online yesterday with Duncan, where he claimed that the March 2 elections were not free, fair or credible, and it is impossible that the APNU+AFC lost the elections.

Ramjattan claimed during that interview that “When the recount started, a humungous amount of irregularities and a number of violations of the provisions were found. The CEO in charge of the process administratively, had to do summaries for each one of these regions. It is painted all over these regional summaries as what I regard as elections that could not be regarded as credible. It must have that general quality before one says that it is free and fair.”

He compared the “invalid” votes to that fruits of a poisoned tree and “if these votes are poisoned by the root then you are going to have fruits that are poisoned”.

He expressed his contentment over the motion being sought to halt Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield from submitting his report to the GECOM Chair, as he added that the ruling of that case will make it definitive as to whether the elections were indeed credible.

Kaieteur News

Saturday June 20, 2020

PAGE 03

Lowenfield's conduct demonstrates prejudice in favour of coalition - GCCI President

T

he President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) Nicholas DeygooBoyer has written the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Justice Claudette Singh to inform her of a pattern of conduct by the Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield which demonstrates prejudice in favour of the governing coalition, A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC).

In his correspondence, written on behalf of the Chamber, Deygoo-Boyer documented the CEO's conduct as documented by the GCCI as a local observer for the March 2 General and Regional Elections. He said that the Chamber has consequently lost confidence in the Chief Elections Officer to manage the GECOM Secretariat.

The Chamber President pointed out an obligation of observers, as per the Terms of Reference under The Rights and Privileges of Local/Domestic Observer to “inform the Elections Commission promptly of any irregularities that may affect the credibility of the election or prejudice the electoral process.”

It is on this premise that

he tendered the complaint, to protect against “unfair and irregular actions” undertaken by the GECOM Secretariat, in a letter forwarded to The Carter Center, Caribbean Community (CARICOM), The Commonwealth of Nations, and Organisation of American States (OAS).

Lowenfield has become the centre of public attention, in recent days, as he is responsible for tendering a report to the Commission under Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act, in order for GECOM to execute its mandate of declaring the elections results and a President, pursuant to Article 177 of the Constitution of Guyana.

The Chief Elections Officer was required to submit that report by or before 1:00 pm on Thursday, by the direction of the Chair.

However, he refused to do so, citing a court case which does not prevent him in any way from submitting the report, since no injunction has been granted.

This is one of the issues pointed out by Boyer, which demonstrate Lowenfield's prejudice, especially when it is juxtaposed against Lowenfield's conduct back in March, after Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo made an obviously

Guyana's Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield fraudulent declaration in favour of the coalition. At the time, Lowenfield was not reserved in his preparation and submission of a report for the Commission using the results at that juncture which had placed the coalition in the lead, even as the High Court had granted interim injunctions preventing GECOM from moving forward.

In addition, this time around, Lowenfield claims that the elections cannot be ascertained to have met the standards of fairness and credibility for any of the electoral districts. In this case, he based his assertions on trumped up allegations of

voter impersonation and procedural irregularities touted by the coalition.

However, as Boyer pointed out, the CEO was well equipped to determine and correct a more obvious and evident fraud on the part of Mingo back in March, as Lowenfield is in possession of the correct statements of poll which were prepared by presiding officers across the country at the close of poll.

The Chamber President pointed out, as well, that Lowenfield, as Mingo's supervisor, failed to instruct Mingo accordingly with regard to the tabulation of the results of the Region Four elections using the statements of poll.

“We need not remind you,” Boyer said, “that these results would have incorrectly given the APNUAFC party majority seats in Parliament and the Presidency. It is extraordinary that Mr. Lowenfield has wandered into discussing the credibility of the elections in his report but has not made a single mention of this glaring find.”

Even more recently, Lowenfield has prepared another tabulation which would give the coalition victory; albeit with a margin much more pronounced than Mingo's fraudulent

Elderly woman jumps from burning building to save life - Arson suspected

A

61-year-old female resident of the St. Vivient Woman's Home jumped from the top flat of the building in an attempt to save herself from a fire that started in a section of the building. The incident occurred on June 15th at the Home's Thomas Street Location.

The woman reported that she was asleep and heard a big explosion. Upon realizing there was a fire she rushed to her door and found that it had been locked from the outside. With no other means of escape she then lunged herself from her window causing injuries to her ankle.

The incident was said to have occurred around 12:15 hrs and there is reason to believe it stemmed from an act of arson. The brother of

the elderly woman related that she was having problems with another occupant of the home and suspects it was the occupant's son who scaled the fence after hours and started the fire.

Upon injuring her ankle

she was transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) and was later discharged.

In addition the woman has expressed that she is in fear for her life. Since yesterday she has begun the removal of all her belongings

from the elderly home showing no intent to return.

The traumatized woman is in disbelief but is grateful that she is still alive and well as her injuries could have been worse.

Investigations into the matter are ongoing.

declarations would have it.

Lowenfield's revision of the recount results found its genesis in a campaign of misinformation and false reportage executed by the coalition from the beginning of the National Recount.

Despite many of the false claims and misinformed reports of the coalition being exposed in the press, Lowenfield in a report to the Commission, has declared the allegations to be “of substance”.

“Having seen the way in which the Chief Elections O ff i c e r ( C E O ) , K e i t h Lowenfield, has elevated aspects of the Observation Reports into his report and representations to the Commission,” Boyer said, “we wish to formally record that in our assessment, the CEO's report on the Observation Reports is prejudiced and represents a non-credible aspect of the recount exercise,” Boyer wrote.

He pointed out that, during the exercise, APNU+AFC agents called out an extensive list of serial numbers in a bid to object to these voters, alleging that they are dead or were out of the jurisdiction on March 2.

This was meant to buttress

GCCI President and Elections Observer, Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer allegations votes were fraudulently cast using their identities. The CARICOM Scrutineer team, in its report, called this exercise a “bizarre… fishing expedition”.

But Boyer pointed to the GECOM Secretariat opting to accommodate that expedition by telling the coalition agents whether the individuals in question appear to have voted, though requests by observers and party agents to verify whether the serial numbers were indeed ticked on the Official List were met with rejection.

He said “On the basis of the information GECOM staff provided about marked electors, the APNU+AFC (continued on page 17)

PAGE 4

Saturday June 20, 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 The coalition is recklessly playing with fire The coalition is recklessly playing with fire and it is going to get Guyana severely burnt, which means the ordinary citizen feeling most of the scorching heat. Its leader, care taker President David Granger, knows this more than anybody else, yet he continues to toy with the will of the electorate. The president and his group do so when both hasten, through proxies, for relief from the Appeals Court by allowing them to worm through any dubious constitutional keyhole available. As these efforts at stymieing what is on the threshold of a declaration by GECOM, the concentrated fire of the global community menaces Guyana.

We do not, as a nation, have either capacity or resilience, to withstand for any length of time the multiple ordeals in store and that could be unleashed reluctantly, but most assuredly and powerfully. The president and his inner circle should refrain from going down this dangerous road, not for one minute longer. We urge stepping back from the brink and let good sense prevail of what is best for Guyana.

For what is threatened, should there be ignoring and dismissing of repeated warnings, are several heavy consequences, which would reduce the prospects of this society to ashes.In an effort to emphasize the dire implications, we highlight a few of the sober warnings that came from former Barbadian Prime Minister and leader of the Commonwealth Elections Observer Team to Guyana, Owen Arthur, as they were initially articulated on Kaieteur Radio and relayed the next day in the KN edition of June 13.

They are stark and worrying, which should make all citizens alarmed.First, some form of expulsion hangs over the head of Guyana, should the caretaker coalition administration continue to thwart the will of the people to the bitter end and beyond. In practical terms on the ground, this means that Guyanese could be grounded, as in effectively banned from travelling to and from other CARICOM member countries under the auspices of the CSME umbrella. The flow of investments to here and opportunity for our citizens elsewhere would dry up in a jiffy. No leader and no government that says that both are about the interests and welfare of its people would want to attract what would be the equivalent of the pressure of sanctions from regional brothers of historic standing. Any leader and any government would think twice and then many times that number, when armed with the knowledge (and blunt reminder) that this country is the “principle (sic) beneficiary of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME)” We are such a beneficiary and in a major way.

This benefit should not be squandered over actions relative to the official delivery of a declaration by the chair of GECOM. The many who look on skeptically and critically are not political contestants.

Second, and no less anxiety provoking, Mr. Arthur proceeded into the minefield that is our border controversy with neighbouring Venezuela. What he placed on the table before all Guyanese was ominous. Guyana has benefited again, in this instance, “from the fact that every head of government issued a statement” and through that statement recorded “strong support and reinforcement of support for Guyana’s territorial and sovereignty in the face of a claim by Venezuela for two thirds of your land” (also KN June 13). No sane leader and no patriotic group of wise advisers should want to risk the friendlessness and distancing that are integral components of a state deemed a pariah. The specter of a rogue nation with rogue leaders running amok would damage Guyana irreparably. It is why we go to this length yet again in asking the president to pay heed.We do not think that, at his core, President Granger is such a man, or that kind of leader. Thus, we continue to appeal to him, through disappointment, through frustrating angers. We speak nothing of possible cessation of muchneeded technical assistance from the Commonwealth or endangering our potentially prosperous future. We simply speak to doing what is right and required now for the upward movement of Guyana from the issues of Elections 2020 that have plagued and paralyzed into a deathlike state. Mr. President, please listen and please act wisely.

We must now hope that our Courts, at least, are ready to recognize the will of the people DEAR EDITOR, It is clear as daylight on a bright sunny day, that David Granger, in power as a de facto President, with the full support of the police and army under his command, if not in absolute control, is most certainly complicit in an obvious and determined decision of APNU+AFC to remain in government regardless of the expressed will of our people in the 2nd March Elections.

It is equally clear that the GECOM Secretariat, in the persons of Keith Lowenfield and Clairmont Mingo and others in command, have conspired to serve the determination of Granger and the APNU+AFC to remain in power. I first witnessed this when Mingo set out to rig the tabulation of District 4. I said then that “in all my life, considerable life and career, in and out of politics in this country, I have never seen such a barefaced, ugly and deliberate attempt to rig an election. Yes, I have seen and I am aware of attempts where elections were rigged but not in this kind of manner. It was

utterly disgusting”.

It is also, now, perfectly clear that Keith Lowenfield, as the Chief Elections Officer of GECOM, aided and abetted by three (3) GECOM Commissioners serving the interest of the APNU+AFC leadership, is prepared even to defy the explicit directions of Chairman Claudette Singh when all else has failed to keep Granger in power.

It was as long ago as 17th March that I wrote that “it must be either that Mr. Granger has lost control of the party of which he is the Presidential candidate or that he has acted in a manner that brings into question his personal credibility and honesty”. That was when Granger had invited the first CARICOM delegation to our country to “supervise” a recount of the electoral result and his party candidate, Ulita Moore, sabotaged the CARICOM visit. I was castigated by APNU+AFC supporters for having dared to question Granger’s honesty.

Again, on 22nd March, I wrote that “it has become in-

creasingly clear that Mr. Granger is a hypocrite in all that he says and does”.

In April, I wrote expressing my “deep apprehension of what is yet to follow from the ugly and unveiled determination of the APNU+AFC leadership to prevent the conclusion of an election which they know they have lost” and their invention of “a narrative which reads as a tissue of lies”. It is that narrative of alleged, unproved “anomalies” that they pursued throughout the Recount and which has been adopted wholesale by Lowenfield in his Report submitted to the Chairman of GECOM in violation of the law. It is that narrative that is now before the Court in a final desperate attempt to escape Chairman Singh’s decision to recognize the fact that the Recount has confirmed the PPP/C as the choice of the electorate.

Not once, but on a number of occasions, Granger had promised all of Guyana that “whatever declaration is made by the Chairman of the Elections Commission would

be recognized as legitimate by the Coalition government”.

He added that “as President of Guyana and leader of the government, it is my policy that any declaration coming from the Chairman of GECOM would be accepted by the Government of Guyana”.

But, Granger, faced with the Chairman leaving no option to Lowenfield but to report on the result of the balloted Recount and her announcing a declaration of the PPP/C as winning the Elections, has broken even that promise when he summoned the clan at State House on Wednesday to move to the Appeal Court and to denude the Chairman of her authority to pronounce on the elections result.

David Granger is without shame, is without morose, is without care, is without concern in his grasp to rule regardless of the consequences to our country. We must now hope that our Courts, at least, are ready to recognize the will of the people.

Yours sincerely, Kit Nascimento

NY Guyanese applauded for distributing hampers DEAR EDITOR, I write to applaud the work of religious leaders of Federation of Hindu Mandirs in New York for distributing some 400 food hampers over the last week to help bring relief to families in need during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The federation comprises many mandirs and is the body that helps to organize the Holi Parade, Diwali Celebration, Ramayana in the Park, among other religious events. The organization also helps people in distress.

The hampers were distributed over several days to seniors with a focus on needy and disadvantaged, especially those who lost their jobs and are not recipients of government tax stimulus checks. According to Balram Rambrich of Arya Samaj USA, the organizers are motivated by a desire to mitigate the effects of COVID on food.

The coordination and preparation of the hampers took place at the Surya Narayan mandir led by spiritual leader Pt. Ram Hardowar, who is also head of the Federation. Pt. Rishi Misir is Dharmacharya of the Federation. Vedo Basdeo and other volunteers assisted with the organizing, packaging, and distribution of the hampers.

Pt. Ram said they did a fantastic job worthy of the highest praises and merits for their act of kindness. He also thanked the donors for their generosity.

The organizers received

donations from several individuals and mandirs. Many who lost their jobs, have donated towards the effort to help those severely affected by the pandemic. Packaging of hampers was all done by a group of volunteers from several mandirs and was carried out at Surya Narayan Mandir in Jamaica. The hampers contained common, everyday food items such as rice, sugar, salt, flour, oil, ghee, carrot, cabbage, potatoes, onions, garlic, dhal, channa, blackeye, and chowmein, etc.

According to Balram Rambrich, the initiative was taken to help combat the food crises brought on by the pandemic, which has left many facing hardship due to loss of income. Since the start of the COVID in early March resulting in a partial lockdown and loss of job, many have

depended on food banks, several of which are operated

by Guyanese in Queens.

Some three quarters of the recipients of food banks operated by Guyanese are nonGuyanese, including from Brooklyn. Food banks don’t discriminate against anyone regardless of ethnic or religious background.

The Federation of Hindu Mandirs decided to launch its own food operation to help people in the community. The need has been enormous since the COVID. The Guyanese community has been hit hard with COVID with thousands of infections and hundreds of deaths. Tens of thousands lost their job. Several victims are members of mandirs. Funeral homes in Richmond Hill and Jamaica reported that funeral service were held for hundreds of

Guyanese; some funerals took as long as a month because of a backlog; Some Guyanese funeral service were shifted to upstate and to other states.

The Hindu federation intends to continue its distribution of hampers. In addition to distributing food hampers, the federation also distributed face-masks that are used as a preventive measure against the spread of the virus. The federation also encourages adherence to other preventative measures such as social distancing, frequently washing hands with soap and warm water.

Another distribution of hampers by a different Hindu group is slated for the Jagan Square in Richmond Hill on Saturday beginning at 1 PM. Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

The 72nd Anniversary of the Enmore Massacre DEAR EDITOR, On June 16, 2020, we observed the 72nd Anniversary of the Enmore Massacre which resulted in the gunning down of Harry, Lallabajie, Pooran, Dookie and Surujballi.

The five who have become known as the Enmore Martyrs are recognised by the State as National Heroes.

Since the late 1970s, following the construction of a monument in their honour at Enmore, activities are organized by the Government to recognise their heroism and contribution to the Guyanese

people.

That tradition has remain practically uninterrupted all those years until this year. For the first time ever, we recognize, that apart from messages from the now-outgoing Minister of Social Cohesion and the outgoing Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, no activity was organized by the State.

Those tasked with organizing the activities may well point to the COVID-19 pandemic. While we accept this is a factor, we contend, at the same time, that some activity, in a miniaturized, form could

have been held. This is not beyond the realm of Government. Moreover, we are aware that an activity was planned and monies were expended to spruce up the Martyrs gravesite at the Le Repentir Cemetery. It begs the question why whatever activity was planned was subsequently abandoned.

It is our sincere view, that the fact that there was even a lack of emphasis on the Martyrs commemoration is yet another confirmation of the Coalition’s disdain for the sugar industry and the (Continued on page 5)

Saturday June 20, 2020

Do not hinder development and national unity DEAR EDITOR, The inevitable is around the corner, PPP/C will soon take office as the new government of Guyana, as was reflected by the results of the March 2nd election and the recent concluded recount.

Those APNU+AFC individuals along with Lowenfield, Mingo and other officials of GECOM who are determining in subverting the results as to derail the will of the people will soon face the full length of the law.

Mingo inflected an unverified count for Region Four and the final report of the election results which was prepared by Lowenfield in favour of APNU+AFC deeming the Coalition as the winner last March, has showed that these individuals have demonstrated blatant disrespect and disregards for the laws of Guyana and the will of the people who cast their votes for the party of their choice at the polls on March 2nd.

They have held this country at ransom for the past 109

The 72nd Anniversary of the Enmore...

From page 4 several and varied contributions of the industry’s workers, past and present.

We have recognised, since the Coalition took office, it has downplayed and watered-down the Martyrs observances to the point it became ritualistic and no effort was placed on organsing a befitting programme. Of course, the FITUG itself, a few years ago, was without rhyme or reason ostracized from the State’s activities though it had been participating for many years.

Yours faithfully, DawchanNagasar General Secretary FITUG

PAGE 5

Kaieteur News

days thus far, notwithstanding the fact that the entire world, International Community, Caricom, OAS and all the political parties who contested the March elections have agreed and concluded that the PPP/C has won the election and welcome the transition of the new Government.

The APNU+AFC members know that they have lost the election and therefore need to stop misleading their supporters.

It’s as clear as day that numbers do not lie.

It’s time for David Granger as the leader to concede and congratulate the PPP/C and allow the country move on the pathway of development and national unity.

Yours sincerely, Odayson Ashby

Please increase the testing for COVID-19 DEAR EDITOR, The surprising increase in COVID-19 cases raises concern of an under detection of the virus. he level of testing in the 10 administrative Regions should be increased to a level where it is statistically significant as a percentage of the population in each Region.

Once a better understanding of the level of the virus in society is understood, the timing of the phased reopening of the country will be more safely accomplished. Recent increased infections in the teaching community, does raise concern. The consequences of over testing are less severe than those of an undetected increase in infected persons.

On a per capita basis our testing should be pushed to

A nation waits to exhale DEAR EDITOR, It was the prestigious ‘legitimate interlocutor ‘. Now it seems it too has been banished with others.

Not even its scrutineers report or the eloquent pronouncements from its statesmen, both current and former can soften the resolve we shall not be removed.

More shenanigans and machinations while a beleaguered nation waits to exhale.

Shamshun Mohamed

hundreds per day. Our world in data website shows that in key locations in South America, as the level of testing has increased so has the number of infections per number of tests.

If held constant an assumed rate of increase of the spread of the virus can be calculated.

However, more importantly the data provides a clearer view into the level of infection within the populace. Containment of the virus will benefit from this approach of increased testing and will also help better prepare the Ministry of Public Health to cater for the needed level of corrective measures to be taken in addition to determining the required supplies.

The flattening of the infection curve, provided associated containment is implemented, should follow once the level of detection testing becomes more statistically significant within each Region.

The Ministry should allow for the sample size to have a confidence level of 95% ±5% of the measured value. For example, if we assumed that each sparsely populated region is at minimum 10% of the population then 139 tests should be carried out in that region. Similar assumptions can be made along the spectrum of percentage of population.

However, it is best to err on the side of over testing and create a minimum testing level in each region of approxi-

mately 400, with triple that amount in Region 4.

This creates a factor of safety that benefits the public and can be applied to the testing/percentage of population spectrum.

Once the infection rate within the regional sample is determined then expansion of the associated regional testing should follow accordingly with the frequency of testing and retesting driven by the reduction and increase in the infection rate. I am hopeful that the Ministry’s in-house statisticians will be able to add some additional insight into this matter.

With concern, Mr. Jamil Changlee Chairman The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

PAGE 6

GTT rolls out Blaze service in East Bank Demerara areas DEAR EDITOR, Residents and businesses within the Green Acres Providence, East Bank Demerara area can now apply for GTT’s Blaze service.

According to GTT’s Product Lead of Fixed Broadband services, Jamal Inniss, there has been a significant demand for Blaze by the residents, and a feasibility study positively justified the roll out.

Blaze is synonymous with faster internet speeds, easy connectivity, greater reliabil-

ity, and added security and capable of supporting multiple users.

Inniss also revealed that “...the service introduction will also be of benefit to residents in the Diamond/Grove, East Bank Demarara areas in the coming months, once all infrastructure is in place.”

Inniss also noted that at least two more areas are scheduled to receive the Blaze service this year.

“Among those areas to benefit from the service are

Parika, Essequibo Islands, West Demerara in September and Skeldon, East BerbiceCorentyne in September/October,” he said.

The service expansion to Green Acres and environs was scheduled for earlier this year, but was delayed as a result of COVID-19 related restrictions.

Persons interested in the Blaze service can apply online at https://www.gtt.co.gy/ blaze/apply GTT Public Relations

NIS encourages more employers to take advantage of amnesty offer DEAR EDITOR, On May 14, 2020 the National Insurance Scheme issued a Press Release offering amnesty on contribution payment owing at January 15, 2020 to May 15, 2020.

The amnesty was one of the measures NIS implemented to offer relief to Employers and Self Employed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During this period, a waiver of interest was granted

on the amounts owing and defaulters were given until June 30, 2020 to make payments.

To date a total of Three Hundred Sixty Five Million, Nine Hundred Seventy One Thousand, Two Hundred Fourteen Dollars ($365,971,214) were collected as arrears payment.

This amount represents a total of one thousand, three hundred thirty Seven (1337) employers.

NIS is anticipating that more employers will come forward before the period expires.

This expectation is based on pass trends which show that some employers wait until the deadline of a payment period to pay contributions.

The National Insurance Scheme continues to encourage employers to capitalize on this opportunity.

Dianne Lewis Baxter, Public relations Officer

The beauty of Guyanese politics DEAR EDITOR, If this was many moons ago the masses would tell a tale of Guyanese politics that was very ugly indeed. Armed conflict, lack of patience and anger on both sides of the aisle. Today the political class of Guyana has shown a level of maturity and patience that even some of the observers have been left with their jaws dropped.

We are in a test match, and for those who love the game of cricket, this match is in the jungle. That’s correct,

Saturday June 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

it’s another story of cricket in the jungle.

The first year to gather the crowd make the bat & ball, shape the stumps & bails and pick the sides.

Then the first ball was bowled and please do remember who’s batting and bowling while the trade winds blow across the country. After the ball was bowled the umpire has stepped in to make sure that it counts and the batsman has already packed up, yet waiting for the umpire’s call. Yes Comrades,

its cricket in the jungle and we just took a break for tea while the umpires make up their minds. It’s better to smile patiently than to pick up arms and fight over a game that has more than one innings.

Out political class can make Guyana peaceful and beautiful again. It all comes down to how they decide to play the game.

Best regards, Mr. Changlee Chairman The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

DISCLAIMER DEAR EDITOR, I, Frederick J. G. Singh, wish to categorically state that I a m N O T t h e a u t h o r of the Letter to the Editor publ i s hed in the Kaieteur News edition o f F r i d a y, J u ne 19, 2020, page 5, cap-

tioned “The PPP/C flourished via a deficient tax system”, nor am I in any way associated therewith.

Sincerely, Frederick J. G. Singh Attorney-at-Law

Do Not Support A Return To Dictatorship Under the Coalition DEAR EDITOR, Traditional coalition supporters are encouraged to resist efforts by the coalition to make them feel that the March 2020 elections were not free, fair and the recount not credible. Observers from the US, UK, Canada and Europe acknowledged that the elections were free and fair, the Recount held at the Arthur Chung Conference Center conducted under the inspection for elections officers from within CARICOM delivered a report confirming the election results, with the statements of recount matching the statements of poll.

The simple fact is the coalition, both the AFC and the PNC within the APNU, are in possession of the original

statements of poll, but are unwilling to concede that they lost the election. Their claims of ‘evidence of electoral fraud’ have been proven to be false in many cases. The CARICOM team in which the Coalition placed their confidence confirms that the March 2020 elections were fair and credible, and while there were some instances of irregularities, these in no way amounted to a case that significantly altered the outcome of the elections, so that the results based on the Recount are valid, credible and can be used for determining the winner of the election, this being the People’s Progressive Party. The Chairperson on June 16, 2020 advised Chief Elections Officer, Keith

Lowenfield, to finalize his Final Report on the election results based on those generated by the Recount, which shows the PPP securing 233,336 votes to the Coalition’s 217,920 votes, a difference of 15,416 votes in favour of the PPP. The PPP won the March 2020 National and Regional Elections.

The recent filing in the Court of Appeal to discredit the elections is another in the long list of efforts to subvert Guyana’s democracy and deny the PPP, the duly elected government their right to govern.

Do not support efforts to return to a dictatorship under the coalition.

Regards, Craig Sylvester

The nation hopes for a quick result from the Appeal Court DEAR EDITOR, It is commendable that the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, has elucidated in his earlier comments that the PPP/C has disenfranchised itself from the premonition that it will indulge in the process of “witch hunting.” This timely announcement has pellucidly removed any stigma from its party position, clearing any doubts and aspersions in the minds of the public sector, worrying about job security because of an assumed party affiliation to the APNU+AFC. Endorsing such sentiments also, was the President-elect, Dr. Irfaan Ali, who reiterated that an inclusive nation building is their interest and stressing the importance of embracing tolerance for different views and ideas so that the nation can once again advance stronger and all Guyanese can take pride with their participation. However, not escaping the attention of senior personnel appointed from 2015, the General Secretary did forewarned that, “ a few people at the top level” will have to pay the consequences. It will be recalled that after the Coalition Party assumed running the Government in 2015, the APNU+AFC Party had rigorously pursued a massive “witch hunting” exercise, weeding and scything out targeted senior public personnel, having their employment terminated because of a perceived political affiliation. In addition, they were replaced by friendlier affiliates who were sympathetic towards supporting their preference.

The question arises, how valid, legitimate, significant or

justified will be this agenda!

The heated debate, discussion and conversation will vigorously occupy many forums, arenas and circles, local and international. Will the line of reasoning be guided by the parameters of employment to be reviewed and scrutinized for effectiveness, efficiency and usefulness or within the ambit of dormancy, redundancy or volatility? All would unhesitatingly recollect the transparent derogatory remarks regarding employment opportunities with preference for political and ethnic qualifications and, publicly disqualifying and denouncing anyone contrary to their measurement. Also, not overlooking the established fact that discrimination was widely practiced by the previous government resulting in an inbalance in the equitable distribution proliferating ethnic impartiality, the military forces and all the public entities grossly incorporate and portray a biased perception and reflecting a unilateral hiring practice.

Many top brass positions were created to accommodate party placements and ensure that an autonomy of political appointed figure heads would maintain control with a military type vice. Also, this was done purely to satisfy favours and suppress the growth of any opposition threat. This structure did not involve any accidental imbroglio but was a direct affront supporting discriminatory behaviour.

Would it be politically, economically or socially incorrect to reconcile an accountability for fairness and equality?

Many observers are witnessing the current suspicious movements of boxes, packages, bundles and cartoons of documents and materials being trucked off to questionable destinations and with interesting motives. Are these personal effects or the people’s properties? Are these temporary or permanent records? Are these significant or immaterial paraphernalia? Are these damaging and incriminating evidences being discarded?

Are these historical facts and figures that should remain in the custody of the respective offices? A doubting Thomas will surface at each of these scenes and areas and with solid and justified reasons beyond the figment of a torrid and wild imagination.

Cognizant of the sad state of affairs of the economy of the country, it will not be presumptuous to assume that the office of the Auditor General would really have a field day carrying out an innocent routine audit at any of the ministries and, the findings would fill, probably the Bank Of Guyana Building! Imagine inheriting a sumptuous and hefty surplus in 2015 and not only squandering every penny but also, incurring humungous and unimaginary debts to the tune of billions of dollars and counting. Can you imagine if they are allowed to stay one month more? The nation hopes for a quick result from the Appeal Court tomorrow, hoping that this spanner will not prove a lengthy delay in the swearing in of a legitimate Government. The waiting game continues.

Respectfully, Jai Lall

Kaieteur News

Saturday June 20, 2020

PAGE 07

GECOM Chair asks Court to throw out case

Motion barring CEO’s report...

By Shikema Dey

C

hairman of the G u y a n a Elections Commission (GECOM) Ret'd Justice Claudette Singh has requested that the Appellate Court throw out the application filed by Sophia resident, Eslyn David, seeking to block the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield from submitting his final report on the results of the recount for a declaration of the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

Justice Singh in her affidavit, prepared by Attorney-at-Law, Kim Kyte-

Thomas argued that “only a competent Court with jurisdiction” can listen to allegations about an election through an “election petition”, “not GECOM and certainly not the Chief Election Officer.”

“If GECOM is to embark on this credibility exercise,” the GECOM Chair queried in her response, “what basis should be used to determine the issues of validity and credibility? The letters from one party? The opinion of the CEO? Can GECOM just use the CEO's opinion without giving interested parties an opportunity to be heard? Is GECOM to hold court and take evidence? The

Transparency advocates write World Bank over Exxon's flaring

By Kiana Wilburg

I

nternational lawyer, Melinda Janki, along with transparency advocate Ramon Gaskin and chartered Accountants Anand Goolsarran and Nigel Hinds, have written the Wo r l d B a n k o v e r ExxonMobil's flaring of more than nine billion cubic feet of gas from last year December to now.

In the letter seen by Kaieteur News, Janki et al told the World Bank that ExxonMobil's permit requires that it re-injects the gas from the Liza Phase-One field and only flare in the case of an emergency or during start-up. She also noted that Section 13 of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Act requires ExxonMobil to use the most appropriate technology for re-injection.

Despite the clear circumstances prescribed for flaring in the environmental permit, Janki told the financial institution that ExxonMobil has flared a significant amount of gas.

ExxonMobil has said that mechanical issues with the Liza Destiny's gas compressor system are to blame for the flaring it engaged in. Janki told the World Bank that the EPA anticipated that the oil giant would have addressed the

“ The court should not be asked to act in

vain. Even if the court grants the orders sought, what is the next position? Can this court direct GECOM what to decide?

Can this court order GECOM to hold a fresh election? Are these orders even sought?

The short answer is no since this is not an election court, ” - GECOM Chair Claudette Singh.

Applicant is asking GECOM to embark on a trial.”

David is represented in her Motion by Trinidadian attorneys-at-law John Jeremie S.C and Keith Scotland. along with local attorneys Roysdale Forde and Mayo Robertson.

It should be noted that Forde and Robertson represented Ulita Moore in her Application which sought to block the National Recount – Forde, like Moore, was also a candidate for David Granger's list in this year's elections.

David, in her Application which listed the GECOM Chair, CEO and Attorney General, Basil Williams as respondents, has sought from the Appeal Court a declaration that GECOM failed to act in accordance with the Recount Order, in that they failed to determine a final credible count of the result of the March 2, 2020

Elections, along with an interpretation of the words “more votes are cast” in Article 177 (2) (b) of the Constitution, and an order restraining the CEO from complying with the instructions of the Chair to prepare his final report without determining the credibility of the General and Regional Elections.

Her Application was filed pursuant to Article 177 (4) of the Constitution which provides that “The Court of Appeal shall have exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine any question as to the validity of an election of a President in so far as the question depends upon the qualification of any person for election or the interpretation of this Constitution; and any decision of that Court under this paragraph shall be final.”

But according to Justice

GECOM Chair, Ret'd Justice Claudette Singh Singh, the duty of the court is not to re-write the constitution but to “interpret what is already stated in the constitution clearly.”

Singh argued that Article 177 speaks to a “President” and stated “that the electoral process has not reached this stage.”

She pointed to Article 133(1) which vests the Court of Appeal to hear appeals from the High Court on questions of constitutional interpretation: “Hence, the first two orders sought, seeking a Declaration that GECOM failed to act in accordance with its order secondly an interpretation of the words 'more votes are cast' and the affidavit filed in support do not touch and concern the qualification of a person elected President.”

“It is respectfully submitted that the application is misconceived and ought to be struck out forth-with,” Singh said.

Justice Singh continued that, in any event, the Order sought in David's Application amounts to the interpretation of an Order and not the Constitution.

“It is further submitted,” she stated, “that the relief sought in paragraph (a) of the Notice of Motion cannot be determined by this court but instead must be pursued by an Election Petition.”

She pointed to Article 163 (1) (b) of the Constitution which gives the High Court the “exclusive jurisdiction” to determine the validity of an election.

In this regard, she said, GECOM could not cloth itself with jurisdiction to establish itself as a Court of Law to determine credibility of an election when Article 163 (1) stipulates that the High Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction to determine the legality of an election. Therefore, “The (continued on page 9)

Religious bodies urge Granger to concede with “grace and dignity” International Lawyer, Melinda Janki mechanical issues in a timely manner but it is still flaring well beyond the expectation of the regulatory body. She was keen to note that the company continues to flare about 15 million cubic feet of associated gas every day.

Janki and her associates also challenged the World Bank to explain how it is helping Guyana formulate its future stance on flaring.

In this regard, she noted that the financial institution had provided Guyana with a US$20M loan, part of which would be used for the drafting of legislation on flaring.

In addition to this, it is the expectation that Guyana would join the Zero-Gas Flaring Initiative which was introduced by the World (continued on page 18)

T

he members of the Centre for Inter-Religious Dialogue, in a press release yesterday, are calling on President David Granger to concede these elections with grace and dignity.

This release came after a motion was filed in the Appeal Court to stop Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chief Elections O ff i c e r ( C E O ) , K e i t h Lowenfield, from submitting his report to the GECOM Chair R'td Justice Claudette Singh. The CEO's failure to submit his report has prevented the Chair from making a declaration.

The statement noted that the GECOM Chair deemed the March 2 General and Regional Elections as being free, fair and credible: “This was endorsed by all the local and international observes and all political parties that

were contenders of the election.”

A clear description of the events that occurred thereafter was given, highlighting the controversial tabulation process for District 4, with an infected declaration made on March 5, which was later pronounced as unlawful by Chief Justice Roxanne George.

“Following orders from the Chief Justice,” the statement said, “the process was continued, in an opaque manner causing deliberate confusion. It produced a District 4 declaration on March 13, 2020 which was unacceptable by eight of the nine contesting political parties, by local and international observers due to its infection with fraudulent data and lack of transparency.”

It was noted by the

Centre, that only “after much public outcry and condemnation locally and internationally, the President and the Leader of the Opposition and all the contesting political parties agreed to a CARICOM proposal for a total recount of all the electoral districts as a means of assuaging the contesting political parties and determining a final and credible count.”

The conclusion of that recount identified the People's Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) as the winner of the elections with 233,336 valid votes and the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition with 217,920 valid votes.

In summarizing the list of events emanating from the March 2 General and Regional Elections, it is noted by the Centre that “it is

without doubt that the incumbent APNU+AFC party has lost the elections, status as Government and the Presidency.”

“Corinthians reminds us,” the release said, “that we must take pains to do what is right not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man,” the statement noted.

It went on to say “Hindus worship Lord Vishnu as Satyanarayana, the Lord of Tr u t h a n d o u r H i n d u scriptures tell us to embrace Dharma (ethics, honesty and integrity).”

It is in this regard that the members of the Centre for Inter-Religious Dialogue of Guyana “call on President David Granger to concede these elections with grace and dignity. Our religion teaches us to uphold truth and to disavow falsehood. So it was said and so it shall be.”

Saturday June 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

ICJ to decide on jurisdiction of the Guyana/Venezuela Border dispute O

n June 30th 2020 the International Court of Justice ICJ will begin its public hearings on the question of the court's jurisdiction on the Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 (Guyana v. Venezuela) via videoconference. This was noted in a press release made by the ICJ on May 29, 2020.

Guyana's Foreign Secretary Carl Greenidge, in a virtual town hall meeting hosted by the Guyanese American Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with South Florida Caribbean News on Saturday last, noted that Guyana is grateful for the opportunity to have its case heard by the International Court.

Greenidge also stated that Guyana will be able to plead its case before the court “once the court decides it has jurisdiction to hear the case” to which Venezuela claims it does not. Both countries were required to provide their arguments on its jurisdictions to which

- Venezuela refuses to submit arguments to court - says Court has no jurisdiction Guyana submitted theirs on the stipulated date.However, Venezuela refused to submit its argument on the basis that the ICJ has no jurisdiction to rule on the matter of the agelong border dispute.

The Foreign Secretary explained that prior to the establishment of the Republic of Venezuela, the country had approached Great Britain in the 1840s to define the borders to the west of Guyana; this process was ongoing up until 1890.

Greenidge further explained that first instance concerned the standing of a treaty and the obligations of signatories to that treaty on the international law and it was not about ideology or neocolonialism because both states has voluntarily entered into the Geneva Agreement and both agreed

that the role of the UN Secretary-General in the event of a disagreement over the resolution of the problem was as set out in the Geneva Agreement.

Greenidge added that in his opinion “the issue before the court concerns the ability of a state (Venezuela) to invalidate a treaty because it had a feeling that the benefit it enjoys under it are now not enough and in spite of its inability to force its will on its smaller neighbour (Guyana) and the rest of the world should allow it to continue its state of destabilization in perpetuity.

The UN SecretaryGeneral had decided that the International Court of Justice, which is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, was qualified to make the final

decision on the border dispute between the two countries. , Venezuela rejected the decision of the Secretary General and decried it as a hostile act against Venezuela. As a consequence to this, Guyana filed its application with the ICJ on March 29th, 2018.

This application, Greenidge noted, was in agreement with decision of the UN Secretary General and all the relevant elements of the Geneva Agreement of 1966.

The resolution of the age long dispute is significantly important to the economic interest of both parties, since the area being disputed hold substantial natural resources. Some of the world's largest untouched oil reserves lay in the east of Ve n e z u e l a a r o u n d t h e Orinoco river delta, close to

Guyana's Foreign Secretary, Carl Greenidge the disputed border with Guyana.

A Ve n e z u e l a n Presidential Decree (1787, as amended by Decree 1859) in 2015 laid claim to Atlantic waters off the Essequibo coast, with Venezuela's navy had invading in the area on numerous occasions. The Decree was met with protest

from Guyana, and it is this dispute that now lies in the hands of the ICJ. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) was established by the United Nations Charter in June 1945 and began its activities in April 1946. The Court is composed of 15 judges elected for a nine-year term by the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations.

The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands). The Court has a twofold role: first, to settle, in accordance with international law, through judgments which have binding force and are without appeal for the parties concerned, legal disputes submitted to it by States; and, second, to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorized United Nations organs and agencies of the system.

BOI still to be completed for Camp Stephenson explosion O

ne month after the death of three members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) during a massive pyrotechnics explosion at Camp Stephenson, Timehri, the Board of Inquiry (BOI) into the circumstances surrounding the explosion is yet to be completed.

On April, 31, around 09:00hrs at Camp Stephenson, a fiery explosion erupted, sending persons nearby scattering for cover from the thick, black smoke.

Killed instantly were Lance Corporal Kevon Nicholson, 23; Lance Corporal Toohey Peneux, 28; and Private Shaquille DeHarte, 20. Sergeant Quincy Threlfell, 43, and Lance Corporal Paul Peters, 29, were also injured.

The Guyana Defence Force had initially promised a board of inquiry, but almost two months have passed and yet no update on the progress or any other information has been released.

Contacted yesterday GDF Public

Dead: S. Rose

Dead: Shaquille DeHarte Relation Officer, Heppilena Ferguson said she could not provide an update.

“Yes,” Ferguson told this paper, “a Board of Inquiry was set up to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident…. the details of which I have no information.” This is the second

Dead: Toohey Peneux such incident that has happened this year. In February, 31-year-old Seon Rose was severely injured in an explosion that happened suddenly while ranks of the GDF Artillery Unit were offloading imported fireworks to be used in the 50th Republic Anniversary Fireworks

display.

Rose, who received the full brunt of the explosion, was burnt over 90 percent of his body – he died one day after being hospitalized. The explosion also left eight other soldiers nursing burns and trauma injuries about their bodies. The BOI into that earlier explosion is also still to be completed Both incidents are redolent of the Camp Groomes explosion that happened almost 20 years ago. The series of deadly explosions resulted in the loss of three lives at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF)'s largest ammunition dump, Camp Groomes,

Dead: Kevon Nicholson Linden on December 18, 2000.

On that deadly night the casualties were among a unit tasked with guarding the ammunition storage bond. That bond, due to reasons which have not been released to the public, exploded. It reportedly contained grenades, various rifles, guns, and a suspected chemical weapon which the government had said was destroyed at the time.

To date, no public release was made on the BOI into the Camp Groomes explosion even though the GDF was taken to court to compensate the injured men who were dismissed from work because of the injuries they sustained from the explosion.

Kaieteur News

Saturday June 20, 2020

PAGE 09

Judging a gift horse T

he departure time was nearing. The waiting area leading to our departure gate was already filled up with passengers. I had been here for sometime but had not spoken a word to the gentleman sitting next to me.

Neither had he uttered a word.

I could not tell whether he was from Trinidad or Guyana or to which of these countries he was destined.

He could have passed for either. He just sat there staring at the other passengers some of whom

were reading books, while others were sprawled out on the chairs trying to catch a cat nap before the plane departed. Every single arrival met with his scrutiny.

He looked not just at the individual but also at their duty free bags no doubt trying to assess what they had purchased. That kept him busy, for in the one hour that he sat next to me, he did not speak a word, not even small talk or grant to me the courtesy of an introduction.

He would eventually speak though. It was just minutes to boarding time. An

airline official and a security official flanked a rough looking man. They walked step in step, the man dressed in a plain T-shirt and denims, with a running shoes on his feet.

Neither looked nor spoke to each other but the man in the middle was the passenger. He tugged a bulky hand piece. He looked as if he was not travelling voluntarily.

The airline official held an envelope in her hand. The man sat down in a vacant chair and the security official sat opposite. The airline

Dem boys seh...

Some big ones buy time to clean up

D

e m b o y s thinking about selling trucks.

Based pun wha dem boys see in de Waterfalls paper yesterday, selling trucks to de government is both easy and fast money.

The Guyana Power Outage Company buy 8 bucket trucks fuh almost G$600M. Dem boys wan know if dem bucket gat gold in dem.

Dem boys jump when dem read how much de power outage company pay fuh dem trucks.

Dem boys decide fuh check. Thank God fuh

Google.

Dem boys d o d e m research and dem think dem can supply dem same truck fuh far less than wha de power outage company pay.

So dem boys asking how dem can go about supply de power outage company with bucket trucks.

Dem boys did believe dat de reason why all dem footwork tekkin place before, during and after de Recount was because some people playing fuh time fuh cover-up wha deh bin doing and wha dem wan do before dem leave office.

Some of dem also

tekking de opportunity to mek things right fuh dem big shot friends.

Dem election antics was not fuh de poor man. Was fuh benefit dem big shots who does wine and dine some of dem big boys in de guvment.

Dem boys now seeing wha dem believe all along.

Dem now understand why some people playing fuh time. Was not only for clear up; it was also to clean up. A lot of cleaning up tekkin place nowadays…of computers and odder tings.

Talk half and tell de people that the wait is almost over.

GECOM Chair asks Court to...

From page 7 Commission cannot arrogate onto itself a jurisdiction to determine the credibility an election or any unlawful act since no specific power was conferred on it under Article 162 (1) (b) to so do,” the GECOM Chair stated.

Justice Singh in her affidavit offered that any such challenge “cannot be entertained at this time on the basis that it is premature.”

She argued that “Any challenge to the

validity of an election and any dispute or claim of any irregularities or illegalities in relation to an election can only lawfully form the basis of an election petition after the result of the election has been made known.”

For these reasons, Justice Singh concluded that “The Notice of Motion should be rejected by this Honourable Court and the Commission should be permitted to execute its constitutional role and functions to bring finality to the 2020 Elections.”

official proceeded to the boarding gate cubicle.

The rough looking a r r i v a l l o o k e d uncomfortable. He was not dressed like your average passenger and he had bent his head trying to avoid eye contact. Mr. Silent, sitting next to me, however, was staring at him intently.

Then from the corner of my eye, I saw it. Mr. Silent was smiling at himself and looking in my direction. He touched me on my arm and began to speak quietly.

“That is one of them!” he whispered under his breath.

“One of whom?” I asked, “And just who are you speaking about?”

He motioned to the rough looking fellow and then to the security official sitting opposite? “That one!” he said motioning again to the rough looking fellow, “He is a deportee.”

“How do you know that?” I asked.

“You didn't see him being escorted here?” he said. “That is the immigration officer over there and his deportation papers are in that big envelope that the airline official has. The security official has to hand him over to the pilot and when he lands, the pilot will hand over the papers to the police who will take him away.”

“You know all of that just by looking at the man?”

“I see this all the time,” he said. “I hope he is not seated next to me.”

“Presuming that is true what you say,” I said, “Why do you think that he was deported?”

“Probably drugs, robbery or wife-beating,” he answered. “You can know all that by simply looking at the man?” I asked.

He nodded his head. And with that he went back into his quiet shell and never said another word. Even when he

rose to board, he did not have the courtesy to say anything.

He just stood up and walked to the gate. As things turned out, the suspect was seated right next to me. He was quiet too. He did not speak at all. But as morning neared and the flight and landing approached we struck up a conversation.

It turned out he was not a deportee at all. In fact, the only reason why he was in the company of the airline and security official, was because he was travelling on a 'buddy' pass and was on standby and thus the last to be checked in.

(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

Saturday June 20, 2020

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Theorizing on the putsch in Guyana

I

n two previous columns, I argued that the rigging of the 2020 election could be interpreted as a putsch. In my piece of Wednesday, March 18, 2020, titled, “Deadly power struggle inside the PNC,” I noted the following; “What was born as a reaction to the Mottley arrangement was a ménage a trios in Guyanese politics – VT inside the PNC, four actors in GECOM… and the police force… What is

actually taking place in Guyana right now is a putsch.”

In that column, I included the Guyana Police Force in my categorization.

I again argued that since March 4, a putsch has taken place in another piece of Friday, March 20, with the headline; “Roy Beepat and the putsch in Guyana.”

In that column I described the action of the police force in three areas that led one to conclude that

a putsch has occurred.

One was the humiliation of an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Edgar Thomas, by the police high command.

Thomas refused an edict from a GECOM official to have PPP Commissioner Sase Gunraj removed from the GECOM building.

Thomas, being a senior police officer would be aware of organizational chain of command. Only one person can remove Gunraj

from a GECOM building and that is a higher authority – the Chairperson. For following professional guidelines, Thomas was removed from the GECOM command centre and assigned to road duties.

The second incident was a repeat of the Gunraj infamy but this time at another location. Senior police officials ordered another PPP Commissioner, Robeson Benn from the precinct of the recounting centre, a place where he had a legal right to be given his high status in GECOM. The third was the subtle order to the owner of Giftland Mall, Roy Beepat to remove his store cameras that looked onto the back of Arthur Chung Conference Centre compound where the containers holding the ballot boxes were being stored.

The police high command has since gone into two more egregious directions that support my theorizing that a putsch occurred in March.

One is the inaccurate list to the GECOM chairperson of voters who were not in Guyana on polling day.

When asked to explain some of the fictions on his list because the citizens he

named were in Guyana, the police chief said they may have returned illegally, calling into question his professionalism.

The police have charged a number of PPP protestors, including a former PPP MP, Needkumar, outside the Office of the President for violating the distance rule of the Covid-19 emergency measures.

They are before the courts. Yet APNU+AFC supporters were in full gesticulating mood in complete violation of the COVID-19 restriction on High Street two days ago in front of GECOM head office.

Dozens and dozens of them were doing the identical performance in New Amsterdam on the same day where they were given traffic escort. The police said they will charge them. My opinion is that it will not happen.

Simona Broomes and other APNU+AFC supporters were outside the home of the personality that goes under the sobriquet, “Guyanese Critic.”

Broomes hasn't been charged; only the PPP protestors so far.

I am extending the concept of the putsch to fit

Frederick Kissoon the circumstances of police behaviour in Guyana. I am e x t e n d i n g t h e circumstances in which a putsch can occur. It does not have to be a formal announcement of a sudden removal of the civilian administration. What has happened here is that the civilian government has arrogated to itself the right to overthrow the rule of law and it has support from the police force.

If the rigging was done by rogue elements in GECOM with the directing hand of the APNU+AFC then that could be interpreted as a conspiratorial operation. I believe that GECOM, the APNU+AFC and the police force have pulled off a putsch. I think no one has theorized on what is the attitude of the police high command since the depraved attempts at rigging the election.

Look at the role of the police subordinates on the evening of March 13.

APNU+AFC thugs were assaulting journalists and party agents of the opposition in full view of these ranks who were laughing.

My interpretation based on the police behaviour is that we have entered a phase in the struggle for free and fair election in which the security forces may not practice professional ethics reminiscent of the Burnham dictatorship.

I am suggesting to Guyanese that they keep in focus police behaviour as the election thing winds down in favour of Dr. Irfaan Ali. I am referring to street protest and possible rioting. As an opinion-influencer, I see trouble ahead.

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

Saturday June 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Saturday June 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Four-day ban on drone use over city T

he Guyana Civil A v i a t i o n Authority (GCAA) has ordered a fourday ban on the operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) better known as Drones within the air Space of Georgetown supposedly for national security purposes even as the Minister of Public Security has floated a politically –related justification.

This ban was issued Thursday under the authority of section 69(c) of the Civil Aviation Act of 2018 and had commenced on the June 18.

The act gives room for the Director-General of GCAA, Egbert Field to prohibit the use or impose conditions on the operation of these UAVs on certain grounds.

These grounds as is explained in the Act are the endangering of a person's life, properties (public or private), among others.

GCAA also sternly warned operators and owners of drones that they will have to pay a fine of at least GYD$3,000,000 or face twoyear imprisonment for breaching the four-day ban which is expected to end on June 22.

Director of GCAA, Egbert Field Speaking with Kaieteur News yesterday Field said that this decision was not taken by his department alone. He explained to this paper that this move was proposed jointly by government agencies and the heads of the Joint Services “for national security reasons”.

This proposal he says was then later approved unanimously by the board of GCAA and published as an order. Field did not reveal much detail as to what these security concerns are but did mention that the relative heads of the joint services of

Guyana should be able to highlight such.

The Minister of Public Security, Kemraj Ramjattan was later contacted by this newspaper to ascertain these reasons. Ramjattan said that this decision was taken because operators of drones have been abusing their use by flying them over prohibited places such as the Guyana Defence Force' headquarters at Camp Ayangana.

It was also discovered, said Ramjattan, that the intelligence of these of these devices can make room for criminal activities.

“Drones can be used by criminals to track movements of businessmen or to pinpoint locations where guns can be transported unknown to authorities” stated the minister. Pressed on the fact that the ban was only for four days, Ramjattan added that it “is because we are currently in a critical stage of our election process” “We are awaiting a declaration and a government will be sworn in and we don't want anyone using these devices to stir violence and spark protests,” he stated.

Ramjattan asserted that the only persons that will be

A Google map depicting the no fly zone within area cordoned off with a red line

allowed to use drones during this four-day period are members of the joint services.

It should be noted that while the reason for the ban given was “national security purposes”, the coordinates offered in the ban notice cover

only Georgetown and its environs, the seat of government and most central government agencies and ministries. According to the coordinate boundaries listed by the GCAA the no-fly Zone stretches from Providence on

the East Bank of Demerara, to Liliendaal on the East Coast of Demerara. Despite the ban a drone, was seen flying over the Appeal Court yesterday afternoon, just around the time an election-related court case was being heard.

Saturday June 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

Saturday June 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Vatican appoints Guyanese priest as bishop in Jamaica

T

he Vatican yesterday announced that Pope Francis has appointed Father John Derek Persaud, a Diocesan Priest of the Diocese of Georgetown, Guyana, as the Bishop of Mandeville, Jamaica.

“Fr. John is the third child,” the release stated, “of John and Sheila Persaud (both deceased) and was born in Queenstown, Georgetown

on 28th August 1956. He has five sisters and three brothers.”

The Catholic Church in Guyana explained that Persaud did his Seminary formation at the Seminary of St. John Vianney and the Uganda Martyrs in the Archdiocese of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

Father Persaud would have done post-graduate studies in Religious Education in Ireland and in Canon

Law in Rome. “Fr. John was ordained a Diocesan Priest,” the Church said, “on 14th July 1985 and has served in his home Diocese of Georgetown in various capacities: Parish Priest, Administrator of the Cathedral, Vicar General, Vicar for Clergy, Judicial Vicar, Director of Vocations and Director of Religious Education.” He has also served the wider Caribbean church as Judicial Vicar

of the Eastern Antilles Interdiocesan Tribunal and as General Secretary of theAntilles Episcopal Conference.

“As soon as Fr. John Persaud can travel to Jamaica he will be visiting Mandeville to meet with the Apostolic Administrator, Clergy, Religious and the Faithful of the Diocese of Mandeville to begin preparations for his Episcopal Ordination,” the release noted.

Appointed Bishop: Father John Derek Persaud

Kaieteur News

Saturday June 20, 2020

PAGE 15

Murdered Tain Grandma died Boyfriend in custody after teen's disfigured body from strangulation, blunt trauma to the head - two more fished out of Berbice River arrested

Home where the body of the pensioner was found

I

nvestigators working on the alleged murder of 8 3 - y e a r- o l d p e n s i o n e r Chandradai Bhudu of Lot 83 Ta i n S e t t l e m e n t h a v e managed to arrest two more persons in connection with her brutal death. This is according to sources close to the investigation.

The men were arrested on Thursday while the two that were initially arrested remains in police custody.

Regional Commander Calvin Brutus had told Kaieteur News that the two men that were arrested on Wednesday have been giving investigators conflicting information as to their whereabouts on the day of the alleged murder.

Meanwhile, a post mortem examination conducted on the body of Bhudu by Government Pathologist Nehaul Singh revealed that the woman died from asphyxiation due to ligament strangulation and suffocation, compounded by blunt trauma to the head. The body was identified by her

Murdered: Chandradai Bhudu nephew Ashton Deonarine.

Bhudu's lifeless body was found bound by the feet, wrists and mouth in her bedroom in the lower flat of her two-storeyed wooden home by her caretaker Lilowtie Samaroo Wednesday morning.

Initial reports by this publication had detailed that Samaroo had shown up to the old woman's home Wednesday morning like she usually would to deliver breakfast but when she arrived, she noticed that the door in the bottom flat that

leads to the kitchen and her bedroom was open but there was no sign of Bhudu.

She told police that she called out to the old woman but there was no answer and upon entering the building she noticed plastic bags with items from her home on the floor while the entire flat was ransacked. She became scared she said and she ran out to summon the neighbours who then rushed to her assistance; when they eventually made checks in the building they found Bhudu's body in the bedroom.

She was said to be lying on her side and was attired in a multi-coloured dress, with her feet bound with “a piece of burgundy cloth and hands were tied with two pieces of cloth around her wrists separately”.

There was a piece of white bed sheet that was tied around her mouth and nose with the said cloth strapped tightly around her neck.

Blood was reportedly oozing from her nostrils and abrasions were visible around her neck, sources disclosed.

T

he lifeless and unrecognizable body of teenager Melissa “Lisa” Soman of Lot 58 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, Berbice was fished out of the Berbice River on Thursday June 18th around 15:00 hrs. According to the Guyana Police Force, on Wednesday June 17th at about 20:30 hrs at Gaettroy Village located along the Berbice River, a 48-year-old labourer was returning home from a birthday celebration in his wooden boat with Soman when she reportedly plunged overboard. The man who has since been arrested by police, disclosed during questioning that the young woman had confided in him about her relationship problems with her boyfriend and shortly after she reportedly made the daring jump overboard.

He told police that he attempted to rescue her but was unable to and as such he raised an alarm among the villagers who subsequently formed a search party. The following day after Soman went overboard her body was seen floating on the eastern side of the river in the vicinity of Gaettroy Village.

The upper portion of her body, face and right hand “appeared to have been eaten by fish”.

Father of the dead teen, Paul Soman, told the media that he was working at his Stanleytown carwash when two males came to him and informed him that his daughter had drowned in the Berbice River.

“They told me that she disappeared Wednesday night and Thursday they find her,” Soman said that when her body was fished out, he and wife were not allowed to see her corpse but were instead taken to the Arokium Funeral Home. There he said he got a chance to see his

Dead: Melissa Soman daughter's remains and he noticed that “her whole head from her neck was damaged, she didn't have an eye, you only seeing her teeth, her nice hair look like it burnt and paste on pon her head, the right hand, all the flesh burn off. I was seeing her bones. When the police were taking pics and they move her head it look like her neck was break. I don't know”.

According to the father, his daughter who is 17 years old and is the mother of a 2year-old infant had formed a relationship with a young man who lived in a village up the Berbice River about three months ago. He explained that his teen daughter left her home at Stanleytown and

decided to venture to the area where her boyfriend lived, and she had been staying there for the past two months. The father stated that he is employed in Georgetown since March but had returned to Berbice recently and sent a message to her cell phone telling her that he is back home and that he wanted to see her.

“I understand that she was packing she clothes to come home but I don't know what happen. I does talk to her on the phone and the last time I saw her was three months ago.

Now I am taking care of her baby because nobody is there to take care of him,” he said. Soman believes that the boyfriend is aware about what happened to his daughter and wants him to be questioned.

He mentioned that his daughter had told her mother recently that she was having relationship issues with the boyfriend and it turned physical.

“Whoever did this to her, she did not deserve such a cruel death and my daughter would never kill herself or jump overboard to kill herself”, the tearful father said. He is also seeking assistance in any way to facilitate funeral expenses for the teen “because we are very poor people”.

Meanwhile according to police sources, the boyfriend of the teen has since been arrested and is assisting with investigations.

Persons desirous of assisting can contact Paul Soman on cell number 655-1283.

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News LEGAL LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE CONTD

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LEGAL NOTICE 2020-HC-DEM-CIV-FD-95 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION PETITION NO. FD-130 BETWEEN:(BADRUDDIN) FEROZE Petitioner/Applicant -and(BADRUDDIN) SHEENA FEIONA REYNATTO nee PARDESI Respondent To the Respondent SHEENA FEIONA REYNATTO BADRUDDIN nee PARDESI Last Known Address Gafoors, Land of Canaan Complex, East Bank Demerara, Guyana TAKE NOTICE that on the 30th day of January, 2020 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by FEROZE BADRUDDIN, the Petitioner in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 16th day of March, 2020 the Petitioner was directed to effect service of his Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) Consecutive Saturday issues of the Kaieteur News Newspapers, a daily Newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around Guyana and on the Worldwide Web (Online).

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorneyat-Law at the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), Answer and/or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 28 (twentyeight) days from the date of the Second and final publication of this Notice.

TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Wednesday the 29th day of July , 2020 at 10:00am before the Honourable Madam Justice Damone Younge via Zoom Meeting ID: 722 9960 1793;Password:2RKaJQ at the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown.

IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to Defend Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce.

The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts (Georgetown, Demerara). The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

Dated the 8th day of June, 2020

Saturday June 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

Saturday June 20, 2020

PAGE 17

Court case to block Lowenfield report adjourned to today…

PPP/C, other parties join action The Court of Appeal yesterday handed down an order which effectively added the names of several political parties to the action filed by Eslyn David to block Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM)’s Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield from submitting a report of the recount results.

Among the parties granted permission to join the action as respondents were representatives of the People Progressive Party/Civic, (PPP/ C) Change Guyana, The New Movement, (TNM) The Citizenship Initiative, (TCI) A New and United Guyana (ANUG) and the Liberty and Justice Party, (LJP).

On Wednesday, Attorney-at-Law Mayo Robertson, on behalf of his client, Eslyn David, approached the Court of Appeal to prevent the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM)’s Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield

from submitting a report of the recount results to the Chair, Justice Claudette Singh; and in so doing, prevent her from declaring the results of the National Recount. Those results place the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) well ahead of the governing coalition, A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC).

The case was filed, just as Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield was supposed to submit the report to the Elections Commission. No injunction was granted to halt the submission of that report, but Lowenfield refused to submit it anyway.

During the directions hearing held at the Appeal Court in Kingston, yesterday, Presiding Justices of Appeal Dawn Gregory and Rishi Persaud, along with High Court Judge Brassington Reynolds, delivered case management directions on how at least a dozen lawyers

Justice Brassington Reynolds

Justice of Appeal Dawn Gregory

Justice of Appeal Rishi Persaud

will file their additional submissions and affidavits in support.

Speaking to the attorneys involved in the matter via zoom conference, the judges gave the timelines for filings of submissions by each parties and how the oral arguments in the case will be delivered.Among those enter-

ing appearances are Trinidadbased attorneys, John Jeremie, SC, Keith Scotland and Rondelle Keller: and Mayo Robertson and Roysdale Forde all of whom entered appearances behalf of David, the applicant.

Attorney Kim Kyte-Thomas was on record for the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice retired Claudette Singh.

The Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, who is named as the first respondent, however did not have any legal representation.

Attorney General (AG) Basil Williams who is also listed as fourth respondent in the document entered an ap-

pearance on behalf of himself in association with attorneyat-law, Maxwell Edwards. Attorneys Devindra Kissoon, Sanjeev Datadin, and Anil Nandlall led by Trinidadbased Senior Counsel, Douglas Mendes appeared on behalf of PPP/C’s Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali and Party General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo .

Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran and Timonthy Jonas appeared on behalf of Mark France of ANUG, Josh Kanhai of TNM, and Lenox Shuman of the LJP. Kashir Khan appeared in association with Mohamed Khan and Mishka Puran for Shazaam Ally of TCI and Ali Kindi of Change Guyana.

GPL’s $63M truck can be purchased for less than $25M

During the initial stage of the hearing Jeremie sought to object to the application for parties to be joined on the basis that he was uncertain of what their applications contained since he was not able to see or peruse those applications. He pointed out that it would be necessary part of the proceeding for him to be allowed to see the applications. However Justice Gregory noted that in the interest of time, the court decided to grant the applications. Toward the end of the proceeding all adjoining parties agreed that their written submissions would be filed with the court by last evening.

The Attorney-General however did not give a commitment to filing any response.

He told the court that he would only do so if he deems it necessary.

The Judges noted that in keeping with the timeline each attorney would be granted a maximum of thirty minutes to present their oral submissions when the hearing proceeds at the Kingston Appeal Court at 11:00 am today.

The notice of motion purports that the Court is to take up the exclusive jurisdiction conferred upon it by Article 177(4) of the Constitution of Guyana, to determine the question of the validity of the elections.

Lowenfield's conduct demonstrates ...

GPL paid over $587M for eight maintenance trucks, according to documents. The smaller “45 feet” ones looks like this.

News that the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) paid $587M for eight bucket trucks, with the bulk of the money transferred this week to the supplier, has raised deep concerns.

These concerns were not only over price but also of the timing of the payment with declarations for the March 2nd elections in the air. There have been warnings about last minute spending.

As has highlighted in our report yesterday, the price paid by GPL is extraordinarily high.

According to quotes from suppliers, one of the new trucks could be acquired for less than $25M. GPL paid $253,337,460 for four IVECO trucks. These are the “Versa SST 40 Bucket Truck (45 feet)”. This meant each cost $63,334,365.

GPL would therefore, for these four trucks, paid more

than $30M each or $130M. Kaieteur News, as of yesterday, did not receive the quotes for the bigger, longerreach IVECO/VST 5500 Utility Truck (65 feet).

The price difference, though a few millions more, would definitely not attract the $83M that GPL said it paid, the newspaper was told.

According to GPL’s payment documents, seen by this paper, these larger bucket trucks cost $83,441,580 each – the four totalled $333,766,320.

The contract was awarded by GPL in January to Massy Motors (Guy) L i m i t e d .

According to the order, GPL paid Massy Motors 30 percent in advance with 60 percent of the monies after the trucks would have arrived.

The remaining 10 percent is due after 30 days of receipt of the trucks.

The trucks are said to be all part of the fleet maintenance for GPL and to be used by the Generation Department.

It is unclear what procurement procedures were used for the procurement of the trucks.

An official of GPL said that a statement would be issued shortly on the almost $600M purchase.

He said that from his knowledge, the acquisition of the bucket trucks was in the works for about two years now and would have been advertised on GPL’s website.

He was unable to say if it was advertised in the local media; he did, however, say that the vehicles were new ones.

In recent weeks, there has been growing evidence of a number of questionable transactions by various government departments.

From page 3 agents would then tell GECOM that they objected to the voters marked on the grounds that they impersonated the dead or were out of the jurisdiction.”

Deygoo-Boyer spoke of cases where other party agents would object to the unsubstantiated allegations made by coalition agents, adding that the GECOM staff would refuse to note their objections.

Boyer noted that the CEO omitted to note the objections of the other political party agents in his report, and went on to treat them as though they are credible, claiming that GECOM consulted with relevant authorities and found the allegations to be true.

The GECOM Chair has said that GECOM cannot convert itself into a court of law to investigate and pronounce on the validity of the elections. Boyer agrees.

However, he added that “even if it were within the scope of the [recount] exercise, it failed to meet basic standards of transparency in allowing persons against whom claims were being made the opportunity to know and

respond, as would be afforded in a basic claims and objections process.”

Also apparent to the Observer is that in Lowenfield's report, as he sought to revise the recount results in a way that would give the coalition a commanding majority, “CEO does not apply the best practice approach in elections, to calculate the percentage of votes that are alleged to be illegally cast as a percent of the entire votes at the ballot box, district, or national level, and provide an analysis of whether these could have changed the overall result of the election.”

What Lowenfield did instead was to employ, according to Boyer, an approach pedaled by the coalition, to remove entirely all valid votes in what Lowenfield calls the “boxes impacted”, thereby failing to address the distinction between administrative errors and alleged fraud.

Boyer posited that the purported failure of GECOM to address those errors speaks to more the quality of administration than it does the elections' credibility.

On top of that, the CEO's revision seeks to disenfran-

chise a majority (269,619) of the 460,352 electors who validly cast their ballots on March 2.

“We fear,” Boyer stated, “that Mr. Lowenfield has now three times shown a partial disposition to one list of the candidates in the execution of his duties.

The first is his repeated failure as Mr. Mingo's supervisor to direct him to use the Statements of Poll (SOPs) to tabulate the District 4 results.

The second is his inclusion of Mr. Mingo's fraudulent declaration in his summary report of the elections to the Commission when he had himself checked in the presence of w i t n e s s e s a n d seen that the tabulation of two ballot boxes did not correspond with the SOPs; and he must have had access to GECOM's SOPs to know that the tabulation did not reflect the numbers recorded on those SOPs. Now we have Mr. Lowenfield's analysis that treats observation reports in a manner that is outside the scope of his remit, unsubstantiated and biased, but manages to cast doubt on the credibility of the elections.”

PAGE 18

Saturday June 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

Gaskin condemns coalition’s attempt to hijack elections The Alliance for Change (AFC)’s Hans Dominic Gaskin made an extensive Facebook post yesterday, in which he condemned attempts by the APNU+AFC coalition to “hijack” the country.

“I can no longer wait quietly and politely,” he said, “while our country gets hijacked, ridiculed and torn apart.”

“It was never a valid assumption that, having won the 2015 elections by a slim majority, the APNU+AFC Coalition would easily win the 2020 elections. It was always going to be tough fight,” Gaskin said.

He stated that APNU+AFC has lost the faith of the swing voters who decided the last few general elections in Guyana. As for the Peoples National Congress (PNC), Gaskin said it “never commanded the electoral strength to win an election on its own,” and so the only reason it managed to win in 2015 was because of its alliance with AFC. And so, Gaskin said, it is entirely pos-

sible that the swing voters, who handed the coalition a victory in 2015, heaved their weight behind the PPP/C in 2020. Hence, he added, the results of the March 2 polls are “certainly plausible”.

Gaskin knew, he said, by March 4 that a coalition victory was unlikely when all electoral districts except Region Four were counted.

Then, after seeing a considerable portion of Region Four counted, he knew that the coalition could not surmise the votes it needed in the remaining count, to win the election. That’s why he became “deeply suspicious” hearing the numbers that Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo had declared.

Gaskin had spoken out in March against Mingo’s numbers, with his now infamous phrase “Who vex, vex!”

“There was no way his numbers could have been correct,” Gaskin, who is also David Granger’s son-in-law, said in his statement yesterday.

‘APNU+AFC misled its

Former Business Minister, AFC’s Hans Dominc Gaskin supporters’ He put on record that supporters of the APNU+AFC coalition were “misled into believing that the coalition had won the election.”

It started, to his disappointment, when the leadership of the APNU and the AFC both claimed that Mingo’s numbers and their statements of poll were consistent.

Despite their claims, an

Justice For All Party concedes, demands immediate swearing in of Irfaan Ali “It has been an exhausting 108 days for all the sons and daughters of this Nation. Enough is enough I say! It is time for Guyana to move on!”

Leader of the Justice For All Party (JFAP), CN Sharma, has conceded that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has won the March 2 General and Regional Elections. JFAP is one of the parties comprising A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).

In a press statement released last evening by Sharma, he said that “A national recount was carried out under the eyes of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). All votes were counted. There was a clear winner. The recount shows that the PPP/C has won the election. Therefore, Mr. Irfaan Ali should be allowed to be sworn in without delay.”

He further sought to appeal to persons who he believes are determined on delaying the process of a declaration. Against this he said, “It has been an exhausting 108 days for all the sons and daughters of this Nation.

Enough is enough I say! It is time for Guyana to move on!

JFAP Leader, CN Sharma

APNU+AFC candidate Ulita Moore had sought to prevent the National Recount. It was claimed that she was acting as a private citizen, but Gaskin acknowledged that it was APNU+AFC that “supported the court action to prevent a recount.”

Now that the recount has proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that Mingo’s numbers were fraudulent, Gaskin said that the coalition’s supporters deserve an explanation from its leadership.

‘Deliberate attempt to discredit elections’ Gaskin also spoke about the coalition’s concerted attempt to discredit the elections. Kaieteur News has documented a long line of false claims and misinformation coming from elements of the coalition. It sought to have the country believe that procedural irregularities made the elections not credible. But Gaskin dismissed that.

“We live in an imperfect world,” he said, “and no electoral system, especially not one that relies on manual voting and counting, is foolproof or devoid of irregularities.”

“The nation put its faith in the CARICOM observer team, and held its breath for

the duration of the recount, while being treated to a daily menu of ‘Breaking News’ of more and more discoveries of ‘Massive Fraud’ and ‘Systemic Rigging’.”

As for the claims of fraud, Gaskin pointed out that they were “grossly exaggerated” and designed to fool party supporters. Many of those supporters, after being misinformed by the coalition, still believe that the PPP/C has rigged the elections, even though no evidence has been put to the public.

“The claim that vast numbers of disciplined services ballots were deliberately not stamped, and therefore rejected, is a case in point. The so-called intermixing stations are known, and it is a fairly simple task to sum up all the unstamped rejected ballots in those stations to support the allegation. This, however, was not done and the ominous suggestion was left to torment the minds of the men and women responsible for the defence and protection of our country and its citizens.”

The coalition’s false claim about the disciplined services ballots, like many others, has been debunked by GECOM itself.

‘Lowenfield’s report devious’ In the end the CARICOM team delivered its report, endorsing the elections and the results of the recount, only to have it rejected by the Coalition in favour of a devious piece of reasoning by Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield.”

What Gaskin referred to as “devious” was the first report submitted by Lowenfield, in which he declared the elections not credible, and then attempted to revise the results of the recount by disenfranchising a majority of the voting electorate to give the

coalition a victory with a margin of 68,000+ votes.

“To her credit,” Gaskin said, “the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission then issued very clear instructions to Mr. Lowenfield to submit a report for consideration by the Commission using the results of the recount. Needless to say, another move to the court has been made and this report, from which a final declaration should have resulted, will now have to await the outcome of yet another tedious challenge.”

‘Electorate did not elect coalition to hold office forever’ Gaskin said that the uncomfortable conclusion he has met is that the coalition does not intend to relinquish power.

“Five years after winning an election and gaining office with a fair amount of goodwill,” he said, “the coalition is saying to the people who put us there, the equivalent of ‘unless and until WE are satisfied beyond a shadow of a doubt that ‘more votes are cast’ in favour of another party in a an election that WE deem credible, WE ain going nowhere.’”

This condition, Gaskin said, will never be satisfied.

His advice is for the coalition to give up.

“No one elected us to remain in office forever.”

He said that there is no reasonable basis on which it can be claimed that the coalition got more votes than the PPP/C. “Level with your supporters,” he said, “and start directing your energies towards becoming a credible opposition party in time for 2025.

Above all, try to regain the trust of the swing voter. You will never win another election without their support.”

Transparency advocates write World Bank over ...

The People of this country are starving and suffering due to unemployment caused by the pandemic. The country needs its government to make decisions.”

According to the statement, the JFAP, says it will

continue to “represent and serve the thousands of poor and voiceless Guyanese” and work towards a prosperous Guyana.

“I simply cannot remain silent on this any longer,” Sharma said.

From page 7 Bank to bring together governments, oil companies, and development institutions which recognize that flaring is unsustainable from a resource management and environmental perspective, and who agree to cooperate to eliminate routine flaring no later than 2030.

Janki stated that there is no need for Guyana to have new legislation to forbid routine flaring. The lawyer stressed that ExxonMobil is already legally prohibited from flaring by way of its permit. In addition to this, she noted that the Environmental Protection Act (1996) prohibits pollution and requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to apply the precautionary principle, the avoidance principle and the polluter pays principle.

With this in mind, she said it is not necessary to change the law to prohibit routine flaring. Janki said it is only necessary to change the law if Guyana adopts the 'Zero-Gas Flar-

ing Initiative' and has to allow Exxon to flare until 2030.She said it is obviously in ExxonMobil's interests to have Guyana adopt the Zero-Gas Flaring Initiative which would allow it to flare for another 10 years. Taking this into account, the lawyer and her associates asked the World Bank to explain via written responses, the purpose of having Guyana produce legislation exclusively to forbid flaring when there is already legal coverage for same. Janki also asked for an explanation on why the World Bank seems to give the impression that its US$20M loan is intended to prohibit flaring when it expects Guyana to join an initiative that would allow for flaring to continue until 2030.

She also asked the financial institution to explain how the proposed increase in gas flaring by ExxonMobil is consistent with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement.

Saturday June 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Saturday June 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

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New $160 Million Manari Bridge awaits test results for opening

T

he new GYD$160 Million concrete bridge constructed at Manari Creek along the Linden-Lethem Trail is now awaiting test results before it could be used. This information was released by Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Nine, Carl Parker Thursday last. Parker said that a test on the bridge has been completed and results are now being awaited from officials in Georgetown.

He hopes that the results can come in early so that the newly constructed bridge can be opened to accommodate light traffic soon. Meanwhile, Regional Engineer attached to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Rafael Lewis noted that as soon as the results are out, the public will be notified of the exact date for the opening.

He highlighted that a “cube strong test� was conducted to ascertain the Pounds per square inch (PSI) of concrete used for the Bridge's construction.

Lewis explained that samples were taken from each set of concrete that was cast to determine if it would be able to withstand high levels of compression.

The new Manari Bridge project was launched in October of 2019 as a first phase of upgrading the roadlink between Linden and

Lethem.

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson had said that there were some GYD$200 Million in his Budget for the Road upgrade. Part of this money was injected into the building of the new bridge.

A bypass road was also constructed in order to accommodate the bridge's construction. It was scheduled to be completed and in operation way earlier but REO Parker said that the project was hit with major setbacks. He reasoned that the Covid-19 pandemic played a big part in the bridge's delay because contractors were dependent on materials from neighbouring Brazil.

As result of the closure of the Brazilian Frontier they were forced to source materials from Georgetown which took a longer time.

Parker added that the seas onal rainfall also hampered contractors from completing works.

In fact, recent weather conditions were so severe that part of the Manari bypass road was washed away causing a major diversion of traffic. On June 11, the media was informed that contractors will double-up to complete the Bridge as quickly as possible. A timeline of two weeks was given for the bridge's completion.

The New Manari Bridge recently under construction

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Kaieteur News

Saturday June 20, 2020

Saturday June 20, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Dutch soccer players boycott TV show over Black Pete remarks

Virgil van Dijk. Dean Mouhtaropoulos/ Getty Images Europe)

Amsterdam (Reuters) The Dutch men’s and women’s national football team players said yesterday they would no longer grant interviews to a popular TV show due to remarks made by a commentator mocking an anti-racism protester.

In a statement first published on Twitter by men’s team captain Virgil van Dijk, the players said they would no longer speak with the Veronica Inside programme after the host compared a prominent Dutch black activist to “Black Pete”.

Black Pete is a fictional character in Dutch winter holiday celebrations usually portrayed by white people wearing black face paint - a tradition criticised this week by U.S. civil rights leader Jesse Jackson as offensive.

Saturday June 20, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Stress from overwork could have you feeling weaker than usual. You might be tempted to stay at home, get some rest, and recoup your energies.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) You might feel a little gloomy today, Taurus, and perhaps have no idea why.

It might be a good idea to retrace your steps for the past day or so.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) One of your closest friends could be in a rotten mood today, Gemini. This person might be short with everyone and not inclined to communicate why.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) A project that you're rather excited about could require some intense solitary work today, Cancer. You might sometimes feel as if the walls are closing in on you, but you need to concentrate in order to get the best possible results.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Have you been spending a lot of time pushing your body physically, Leo? If so, you may be feeling the effects today.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22) A troubled night with little sleep could have you feeling out of sorts and not like doing much socializing today. If you can, Virgo, work on projects at home alone where you can stop.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Perhaps you were able to see friends or neighbors a day or so ago, Libra, but today you don't feel like socializing. Nerve strain and other stresses might leave you more in the mood to be alone.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You probably aren't going to feel very social today, Scorpio. In fact, you're likely to want to work on projects and tasks alone if you can.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) The need to concentrate may necessitate that you isolate yourself in order to fully focus on the task at hand, Sagittarius.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Research on a subject related to a project could have you heading to a place where you can read without being constantly distracted, Capricorn.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Today you might spend a lot of time running errands, Aquarius. You could run into friends or neighbors, but you probably won't feel like stopping to talk with them.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Other responsibilities could force you to postpone work on personal projects that mean a lot to you. This could befrustrating, Pisces, and you're likely to want to sequester yourself with whatever you need to do and throw yourself into getting the problem.

”This is not on the edge, this has nothing to do with humour, this is not the language of football,” said Liverpool defender Van Dijk.

The national football association KNVB told national broadcaster NOS that it stood behind the players.

Veronica Inside host Johan Derksen said earlier on Friday (yesterday) that he did not regret his comments.

“I didn’t think the joke was really that bad, for me,” he told newspaper Algemeen Dagblad.

“This is a storm in a teacup that will blow over,” he said.

Several show sponsors, including supermarket retail giant Ahold, said yesterday they would stop advertising during the show, which is aired by Talpa, a company owned by billionaire Dutch media mogul John de Mol. ”We are in discussions with

the channel and have indicated that we do not wish to advertise during this program,” Ahold said in a statement.

“There is no room for discrimination at Albert Heijn,” it said, referring to the largest

Dutch supermarket chain.

Procter & Gamble said it would no longer advertise its Gillette razor blades during the program, broadcaster NOS reported. P&G could not immediately be reached for comment.

Outbreak Prevention Taskforce launches online risk assessment ...

From page 22 well as recommended and desired measures, and emphasises that all of the mandatory measures and most of the recommended measures should be adopted if the event is to take place.There is no guarantee that the suggested actions will sufficiently reduce the risk to allow the safe staging of an event, but they will guide event organisers through a process that the taskforce hopes will become a standard part of the preparation for staging mass events.

Competition organisers are strongly encouraged to coordinate with local public health authorities when planning events and to discuss the results obtained through the tool. Local and/or national laws and regulations will always take precedence over the results obtained from this tool and its guidance documents. ”Using the tool will not solve the COVID-19 outbreak, or other infectious diseases, but it will guide event organisers through a process that should become a habit and should be done before every event,” said Dr Paolo Emilio Adami, World Athletics’ medical manager. “There will never be zero risk for infectious diseases but we want to help event organisers to reduce the risk to an acceptable level.”

IIRM Executive Director Chris Troyanos said: “The International Institute for Race Medicine is proud to have helped lead this effort. During these uncertain and ever changing times, it was vital for so many organizations to work towards a common goal. This evaluation tool, which provides immediate feedback, can be used for all types of endurance events as we return to activities. But the risk assesment tool is only the first step as we continue to provide practical solutions to the pandemic.” The tool is available at: idom.worldathletics.org

London Marathon still looking to hold race on Oct. ...

From page 26 the UK government on how mass participation events can return.”

Brasher also urged runners to maintain their fitness goals ahead of the event with 15 weeks to go before the race. ”There is still plenty of time to train and there is neither a need, nor should there be a desire, to be at your peak fitness yet,” he added. “I assure you that whatever decision we take... it will be taken in line with our values and with the responsibility we have to you, our runners, our charities, our sponsors, our volunteers, our medics, our communities and our city.”

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Saturday June 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

Outbreak Prevention Taskforce Wallace calls for more clarity launches online risk assessment tool on squad picks for endurance event organizers

Bridgetown, Barbados, CMC – With questions still being raised about selectors’ choices for the squad for the Test tour of England, former opening batsman Philo Wallace has suggested that the reasons behind player selections and omissions be made public.

Speaking on the Mason & Guest cricket radio show on Tuesday night, Wallace said Cricket West Indies’ chief selector Roger Harper should offer more explanation instead of leaving the public to figure out the thinking behind the selection panel’s decisions. ”I need some clarity coming from the chief selector…. You don’t have to give us the nuts and bolts, but give us a bit more clarity on why players are not selected and why players are selected so people can feel comfortable,” he said.

The selectors have come in for criticism for omitting deserving players and including players who have not performed well, in the 25-member contingent – which includes a 14-man main squad and 11 reserves – currently in England for the historic threeTest series beginning next month.

Among the notable omissions was Guyanese left-arm spinner/right-handed batsman Veerasammy Permaul.

That exclusion prompted harsh criticism from the Berbice Cricket Board and the Guyana Cricket Board which both demanded an explanation, given Permaul’s exceptional performance in recent years.

”I hope that they’ve spoken to Permaul because there is a selection policy that deals with performances so you have to always address it and you need to deal with it,” said Wallace, who was speaking on the radio show via Zoom, from England where he is pursuing a law degree.

As for Kraigg Brathwaite whose inclusion was a point of discussion, the retired Barbados and West Indies cricketer said the struggling opener “is here and he has to know what he has to do”, adding that batting coach Floyd Reifer “has a big job to get him to get confidence and try to get him to understand his role again as the anchor”.

Overall, Wallace described the chosen squad as “exciting”, particularly the fast bowling element.

In this regard, he suggested that fast bowlers Chemar Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, and captain Jason Holder, as well as spinners Rahkeem Cornwall and Roston Chase be included in the Windies bowling assault for the opening match. ”We don’t want England to go hiding. If you have four good fast bowlers coming at you there’s nowhere to hide and I think that Cornwall is going to be our match winner. He’s the man who is going to apply pressure… He’s a skillful bowler,” Wallace said.As for the batting lineup, he stressed the batsmen at the top of the order needed to understand they had a vital role to “build a big total so the later middle order can

Philo Wallace come in and just cash in”.

No announcement has been made yet on which 11 out of the 25 West Indies players who left the region earlier this month would face the England side in the first Test of the “bio-secure” series at Ageas Bowl in Southampton on July 8-12. The second and third matches in the West Indies’ battle to retain the Wisden Trophy will be held at Old Trafford in Manchester July 16-20 and 24-28, respectively.

Wallace contended that a decision needed to be made sooner rather than later, given the short space of time between matches, and the mental preparation required for games that will be played behind closed doors because of the COVID-19 pandemic. ”They have four weeks to prepare, but then those Test matches are coming back to back, so recovery time is not easy. So, your starting 11 needs to know that they are going to be that starting 11 up front, so they can start preparing themselves mentally.

Physically, yes, they will be ready, but mentally they have to be,” he noted.

Neymar: PSG forward ordered to pay former club Barcelona 6.7m euros Neymar left Barcelona in 2017

BBCsports - Paris StGermain forward Neymar must pay 6.7m euros (£6.1m) to former club Barcelona, a Spanish court has ruled. The Brazil international claimed

he was owed 43.6m euros in loyalty bonuses by Barcelona, who he left in August 2017.

A judge ruled in favour of the La Liga side but 28-year-old

Neymar, who filed the lawsuit shortly after the transfer, can appeal against the decision.

Barcelona said they “welcomed” the judgement and would “continue to firmly defend its legitimate interests”.

The Brazil forward also made a complaint to world governing body Fifa after Barca refused to pay him following his 222m euros (£200m) move in 2017. As well as not paying Neymar, Barcelona started legal proceedings against him to pay back £8m he received when he signed a new deal with them in 2016.

Fifa did not take any action, saying it would leave the case to the courts.

Runners cross Tower Bridge during the London Marathon (AFP / Getty Images) © Copyright The Outbreak Prevention Taskforce formed by World Athletics with the International Institute for Race Medicine (IIRM), and including the medical chairs from five other global sports federations, yesterday launched an online risk assessment and mitigation tool for endurance event organisers.

Representatives from the International Cycling Union, World Triathlon, International Ski Federation, World Rowing, the International Paralympic Committee, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) expert group on mass gatherings,

joined the taskforce.

The WHO and the International Olympic Committee attended as observers, while an advisory group including event organisers and stakeholders from a range of other endurance sports was also consulted.

Derived from the WHO’s general advice for mass gatherings, the tool is intended to help organisers assess the risk of staging an event, establish the preparedness of the community and the event organisation for the risks of Covid-19, and clarify any necessary steps to further mitigate and reduce the risk.Once

details have been entered into the tool, it generates a document that event organisers can use in making the right decisions to protect the local community, the participants, the volunteers, workforce, and staff involved. It does not advise on spectator management.

The tool is applicable to all mass participation endurance events, regardless of the sport, competition level and size. It outlines mandatory mitigation measures to be undertaken by the event organisers, based on their particular circumstances, as (Continued on page 19)

Mercedes prepares an even better car for Hamilton’s seventh Six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton can expect a faster car when the Formula One season finally begins in Austria next month, with Mercedes promising many updates. The W11 car unveiled in February has yet to run, with the season delayed since March by the COVID19 pandemic, and team chief technical officer James Allison said months of improvements were on the way. ”It was all January, all February, March, all making the car faster in the wind tunnel and also in the design departments,” he said in a video on the Mercedes channel on YouTube on Friday (yesterday). ”So we have a lot of ideas on how to do it faster … our challenge now is to make sure that this first four-month period of the development year

can get off the drawing boards and get into the car as quickly as possible,” he stressed. ”We hope to have a share of that for the first race in Austria, and the season that follows will, of course, take most of the development as fast as we can put it in the car in turn.”

Mercedes has won the last six drivers ‘and constructors’ championships and was the fastest in pre-season testing at the BarcelonaCatalunya circuit last February. A seventh title for Hamilton would equal the alltime record for German Michael Schumacher.

The season will start with two races at the Austrian Red Bull Ring on July 5 and 12, and Allison said she already felt “desperately close.” He said Mercedes was “completely paranoid” about ensuring

they maintained their “poise and poise” as they removed the cobwebs and sprinted forward.

Eight races over 10 weekends, all in Europe, have been initially scheduled with the second part of the campaign still to end when just over two weeks remain before the start of the competition.

Allison hopes Hamilton and teammate Valtteri Bottas will return with force after the blow of going to Australia only to hold a press conference and that the start of the season will be canceled as the first cases of covid-19 appear in the Australian paddock. ”It will be a sign of their endurance and competitiveness to see them bristle again to work full of the vitality and vigor that it takes to be good at it from the start,” he said.

(JuniperSports)

Saturday June 20, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Build it and they will come FIH - Without a pitch on which to train and play, there can be no hockey. That is the message that comes loud and clear from FIH Facilities Manager Alastair Cox and it is also a message that has been recognised by the FIH Academy.

In the past few weeks, Cox has hosted two online Facilities Workshops as part of the FIH Academy’s recentlylaunched series of online webinars aimed at providing support to National Associations.

The FIH Academy National Association Development Series takes the form of webinars, workshops, courses, key-notes or discussions. It has been developed to help fulfil the FIH mission to support National Associations to develop and grow the game.

The Facilities Workshops are providing an opportunity for people within National Associations who are charged with developing a facilities strategy to discuss issues, give and receive guidance and generally to air thoughts.

Members of the FIH Quality

Programme also joined the workshops, allowing them to hear about the issues and solutions hockey is developing and share their experiences working with hockey and other sports.

During the first two online sessions, which were attended by representatives from four Continental Federations as well as National Association representatives, Cox reports that chief among the topics under discussion were the benefits of multisport facilities and the growth and adoption of Hockey5s and its impact upon the sport.

What also became apparent to those involved in the webinar was that, while the focus was on just those three areas, within those areas there exists a wide range of issues, concerns and challenges.

What was a problem for hockey administrators in northern Europe was very different to challenges faced by developing nations in Africa.

Even within the same continent, Pan America for example, a nation such as Guyana faces very different issues to nations such as the

‘A nation such as Guyana faces very different issues to nations such as the USA or Argentina’ – FIF’s Alastair Cox USA or Argentina.

As Cox points out: “Developing a strategy in England is totally different to developing a strategy in Ghana for example.

But that was the starting point. We talked about options available, pros and cons of different types of facilities; different versions of the game; the need to improve, develop, sustain and improve facilities.”

And while there were many differences from nation to nation, there were also many areas of commonality.

Whether it is a hockey club in Australia or a town in Guyana, one of the biggest issues is likely to be availability of facilities. Many clubs and teams around the globe do not own their own facilities and may be at the whim of local authorities or other landowners.

One way of securing facilities is to make them finan-

MLS players establish coalition to conquer racism in soccer

cially sustainable and this is where the concept of multisport pitches is grabbing the interest of National Associations and their members.

Following examples of successful multi-sport pitches in Australia and the UK, the message that Cox is anxious to get across to the National Associations is that if you develop a pitch that you can play a number of sports on, then you instantly get more users into the facility. If you are a government-owned facility then that is great way to address issues of value to the community. As an example, Cox cites the example of tennis, netball and hockey all using the same surface, but adds that each National Association will have its own ideas of which sports would suit the surface and best serve the local community.

The use of multi-sport surfaces led into a discussion about Hockey5s and its place

in the growth of hockey. For national associations for whom the price of full-sized pitches are prohibitive and where hockey is still in its infancy, then playing Hockey5s on small-sized multi-sport pitches is a logical solution.

The players get to experience the game on a good quality surface, the competition in Hockey5s is strong and the pitches are far more financially sustainable with many users from different sports. ”Over 60 per cent of the cost of a carpet is under the playing surface,” says Cox. “The drainage, the foundations, base and so on, is where much of the cost will lie. So if a National Association can’t afford a full-sized pitch, then a small pitch can be the solution. You don’t necessarily need full-sized pitches for the foundation and participation levels of the sport, maybe the answer is to put a number of small-sized

pitches in heavily populated centres across a country. The workshops also discussed how small-sided multi-sport areas can be an attractive investment for companies wishing to invest in sport through their corporate social responsibility programmes. Certainly many of the national associations on the webinar could see this was a great opportunity to increase facilities and grow the game. ”I think the main message that everyone took away from the two sessions is that there is a lack of facilities for the sport, which is directly linked to money. There is also a recognition that you can’t build good quality hockey fields cheaply, so a multi-sport pitch is a way of getting people through the door and making the facility sustainable. There is also a rapidly growing awareness of the opportunities offered by a multi-sport pitch.”

Mayweather Snr slams Wilder and claims the Bronze Bomber’s flaws can’t be fixed ahead of trilogy fight with Fury

Justin Morrow of Toronto FC and Alberto Acosta of Tigres in action.

REUTERS/ Daniel Becerril/ File Photo

Reuters - A group of more than 70 Major League Soccer (MLS) players have formed a new coalition that was unveiled yesterday with the aim of addressing racial inequalities in the U.S.-based league and standing with those who fight racism in the sport.

The Black Players Coalition of MLS, which is being headed up by Toronto FC defender Justin Morrow, was announced to coincide with the Juneteenth holiday marking the abolition of slavery in the United States.

”We pledge to help bridge the racial equality gap that exists in our league by lobbying for initiatives like implicit bias training, cultural education courses, and diversification hiring practices,” the group said in a statement. ”Beyond addressing these overlooked systemic issues around soccer in this country, the BPC is committed to tackling the racial injustices that have prevented Black people from having an equitable stake in society.”

The standalone organization, which has an 11-player board,

comes at a time when many athletes across various sports are speaking up and using their platform amid nationwide protests over police brutality and last month’s death of George Floyd.

MLS said in a statement it proudly recognizes and supports the Black Players Coalition of MLS and looks forward to working with the group on efforts aimed at developing the game in Black communities, prioritizing diversity, and addressing implicit bias through league-wide initiatives.

Floyd Mayweather Snr

Wilder’s team were forced to throw in the towel as he was dominated by the Gypsy King.

MailOnline - Floyd Mayweather Snr says he won’t train Deontay Wilder ahead of his trilogy bout with Tyson Fury and fears his flaws can’t be fixed. The legendary trainer went on to admit that he once liked the Bronze Bomber before branding him ‘a piece of trash’.

Wilder and Fury are set to meet for a third time later this year after the Gypsy King triumphed in their rematch in Las Vegas in February.

Wilder was dominated by Fury and was forced to throw in the towel in the seventh round, and Mayweather Snr believes even he couldn’t fix his flaws. ‘A lot of people have been asking me to train him. But I don’t know

if he can be fixed. There’s a lot of things he’s got to do that I know that he doesn’t know.’

He then proceeded to criticise both fighters, even Fury: ‘Neither one of them really looked like nothing where somebody can come out and really tear up someone. ‘Wilder looked [bad]. I don’t know about those fights. Them guys, they just ain’t got it. ‘I liked Wilder at first. But now I ain’t got nothing to say about him except he’s a piece of trash.’

Mayweather Snr is regarded as one of the best trainers in the world of boxing. He has trained the likes of Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya and his son Floyd Mayweather Jnr.

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Saturday June 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

Autistic youngsters revel with Club Brugge Autistic Pride Day

© Others FIFA - As one of Belgium’s most successful sides, Club Brugge have many reasons to be proud. But today is a day on which Les Bleus et Noirs can take pride from something other than winning silverware. 18 June is Autistic Pride Day, giving FIFA.com the opportunity to take a close look at Voetbalkraks, an initiative run by the Belgian club’s foundation which gives autistic children the chance to play their favourite sport and to feel included in society.

The project began in 2007, when one of the club’s youth coaches, who is also a teacher, grew tired of telling youngsters to compete and began using his skills in support of autistic children instead. In doing so, he harnessed football’s special ability to help young people of all backgrounds to integrate and develop. ”The project provides children who are sidelined, in both a sporting and social sense, at many clubs with a structure in which they can participate, a team to which they can belong and where they can wear the colours of the club they love with pride,” Club Brugge Foundation coordinator Peter Gheysen, who heads up a number of community and social initiatives, told FIFA.com.

“They are part of a family and their parents feel that they are part of society too. They can play football, train every week and play matches, just like any other young person.”

Just like any other young person, but in conditions perfectly tailored to their situation. ”Our coaches are trained and selected specifically because they have the qualities that allow them to adapt to autistic youngsters,” explained Gheysen, who has been running the foundation since 2009. “Autistic children need a different approach in terms of structures and communication. ”For some, the slightest change to a programme can cause a lot of upset. The structure of training sessions and the repetition of specific movements and exercises can be re-

assuring for them. Our coaches pay attention to all those details.”

Having got off the ground with one coach and around ten children, Voetbalkraks now has no fewer than 16 coaches and a group of 60 boys and girls aged six to 18. With roughly one coach for every four youngsters, it provides the ideal setting for budding footballers who often need a one-to-one approach to aid their integration into groups. ”Football is the most popular of all team sports, and some autistic children find it hard to be part of a team or to interact with other children,” said Gheysen. “How do they behave with their team-mates, learn to win, accept defeat, respect opponents?

Thanks to Voetbalkraks, they can develop as football players and they can also enhance their communication skills.”

Aside from running adapted training sessions every week, the club organises regular non-sporting activities to strengthen the youngsters’ sense of belonging to the Bleue et Noire family and improve their social integration skills. Ranging from quizzes on the club’s history to educational workshops on the food professional players eat and the importance of eating a balanced breakfast, these activities are a way for children to learn without even realising it. It is knowledge they are only too happy to take on board, coming as it does from the club they love.

Confidence boost - Though the main focus of the Voetbalkraks mission is the youngsters themselves, the project also strives to bring about society’s acceptance of a condition it often fails to understand. ”When someone is in a wheelchair you can see it, but autism is invisible,” said Gheysen. “You can’t see it straightaway in children. That’s why we’re trying to give this team some exposure and organise events that show they’re people with talent and qualities too and who can play an integral part in society.”

The Voetbalkraks youngsters share

regular training sessions with the first-team players, watch their matches and escort them on to the pitch as matchday mascots. ”We’re trying to change the image and perception that fans and society in general have of autistic people,” said Gheysen, who believes that there is no better reward for the club’s investment than the smiles on faces at the end of training sessions and the positive feed-

back from parents on their children’s progress. “They often tell us that they can see them developing because every week there’s something that motivates them, that they can’t wait for, that makes them proud and gives them confidence in themselves.”

Although more and more Belgian clubs are setting up structures for people with mental disorders, only three of them run teams specifically

for autistic youngsters. The work they do has a positive impact on the development and integration of these children and also shows that autism is not a condition that has to be treated but simply a difference that does not prevent them from performing.

For Club Brugge and their Voetbalkraks, that difference has become both an opportunity and a source of great pride.

London Marathon still looking to hold race on Oct. 4: race director Harry poses with men’s race winner Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge (left) and women’s race winner, Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei

Reuters - London Marathon race director Hugh Brasher said yesterday that organizers are working to ensure the rescheduled race is held on Oct. 4 despite the cancellation of September’s Great North Run due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The cancellation of the annual half marathon had raised doubts about the London Marathon going ahead due to the challenges faced by organizers in implementing social dis-

tancing protocols.

Brasher added that they would be providing a further update on the status of the race on July 28. The marathon was initially postponed from its original April 26 date due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. ”There has been much speculation that this means the 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon will also be canceled. However, it doesn’t,” Brasher said in an open letter to run-

ners. ”The team at London Marathon Events has been looking at the logistics... and coming up with innovative ways to socially distance the event. ”We have also been working with other mass participation event organizers in the UK, including the Great Run Company and Human Race, to make recommendations to (Continued on page 19)

Kaieteur News

Saturday June 20, 2020

Gabriel calls for pace by any means necessary

Shannon Gabriel (right) and Coach Phil Simmons in England

West Indies fast bowler Shannon Gabriel believes the West Indies should play to their strength and replicate the plans which brought them overwhelming success against England last year.

The 32-year-old played a major part in that win as the home side toppled their opponents 2-1 to capture the Wisden Trophy for the first time in a decade.

Now, fast forward to 2020 and the West Indies are in England to face the home side in three Test matches.

“I don’t think the plans should change too much from what we did in the Caribbean. We used pace and that worked. What we did was successful. I don’t think we should fix anything that is not broken,” Gabriel said. He was speaking to members of the media via Zoom link on Thursday afternoon.

A veteran of 45 Tests since his debut at Lords in 2012, Gabriel is among the reserves for this tour, but is confident he can regain full fitness following ankle surgery.

He has been outstanding in the last three years and in presently in the Top 20 of the ICC Test Match Bowling rankings. His career-best match figures of 13-121 – third best in West Indies history – came against Sri Lanka in Saint Lucia two y e a r s a g o .

West Indies will have two inter-squad warm-up matches in Manchester before they travel to Southampton. All 25 players on tour will participate. The three-day match will be played from Tuesday, June 23 to Thursday, 25 and the four-day match from M o n d a y, J u n e 2 9 t o T h u r s d a y, J u l y 2 .

”After being away from the game so long, almost six or seven months, you’re kind of hungry to get back on the field. I’m looking forward to the warm-up games and then we will take it from there.

I’ve played a few Test matches before, so I know how to prepare,” Gabriel said. “The last time I played (for West Indies) was the India series (last September) in Jamaica. I want to play I want to be ready to play against England. I’m fully motivated. If you’re playing for your country and you’re not motivated, you really should be on the field. This is not about half-hearted. You have to be all in.” ”It’s a good experience,” he said.

“There are a lot of young fast bowlers coming through which is exciting for West Indies cricket. So rather than just get myself prepared, I’m trying to lend any knowledge and experience onto them that they can take into their game.

The ankle is good at the moment, no pain, no aches.

I’m about 85-90 percent fit, but in terms of bowling fitness and match readiness, I still have some more work to do to hit my rhythm, but there are still three weeks and two warm-up games before the first Test match.”

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

The bio-secure protocols will restrict movement in and out of the venues, so the selection panel has also named a list of reserve players who will travel to train and help prepare the

Test squad and ensure replacements are available in case of any injury.

Wisden Trophy Test Schedule July 8-12: 1st Test at Ageas Bowl, Southampton July 16-20: 2nd Test at Emirates Old Trafford, M a n c h e s t e r July 24-28: 3rd Test at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester

PAGE 27

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