Kaieteur News

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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: 225-8491, 225-8458, 225-8465 Fax: 225-8473 or 226-8210

Editorial Coalition will accept one outcome only - it won However poorly the coalition looks currently, the president appears worse, as all responsibility tiers up to him for the continuing deceptions and delays, that all seem to point to only one conclusion. That is, unless developments and decisions leading to what is now a declaration in the coalition’s favour, then it will not relinquish power. Even more simply, that unless it (the coalition) is declared the winner of Elections 2020, then it is not demitting office. However generously anyone looks at this year’s elections, this is the vulgar undemocratic state of electoral affairs in this country: unless we are declared the winner, then the governance status quo remains. This is what any clear-headed and rational citizen is presented. It is what brings recoiling in a world that no longer exists in the primitive and impenetrable darkness that characterized the Dark Ages. This is the modern era of the 21st century, where cleaner and clearer standards are the norm, and which principled men make their mantra and guiding star. We thought that the president held such things dear, was the embodiment of such a man and leader. To our great regret, we cannot think so or believe so anymore, since his very actions stand in damning judgment of where he is today, given where he has allowed things to deteriorate. This is where we are driven, against our wishes, when he and his people keep shifting the goalposts and changing the rules in the middle of the proceedings, when events go against them. The developments of last week rear up and strike in the face like scorpion stings. This is what is felt in the many sharp accusations and denunciations hurled at the coalition, and with the gravest disappointments laid at the doorstep of the sitting head of state, President David Granger. To repeat: No matter how charitably examined, the conclusion is that his coalition of political parties will only accept one and only one outcome. It is that when all is said and done, counted and recounted, analyzed and added, and appealed to the courts and adjudicated that only one result is found acceptable. That is, the president’s groupthe coalition-is declared the official winner of Elections 2020 and none other. To repeat, every indication confirms and reconfirms the conclusion that, when the noise is silenced and the dust fully settled, no other party and nothing else, but that of his group winning is what has to happen, or it is nothing doing, and nobody going anywhere. As its world ruptured into many fragments, and its elections calculations and expectations melted like wax in the midday heat of the Tropics, the coalition and its leader, Mr. Granger, repeatedly found refuge in one subterfuge after another. One of the sadder aspects of all of this is that many members of Guyana’s hurting, and misled, population gave the president the benefit of the doubt, only for them to be taken advantage of, used, and betrayed ultimately. The Guyanese people, including his not-so-public and vociferous supporters, trusted the incumbent leader of this nation. They did so at several crucial and sensitive intervals during the elections impasse, when he stood up before the world, stated very clearly his position, and made promises before friend and adversary, as well as keenly interested observers, that many interpreted as the honourable commitments of a true statesman. But only for him to distance from those very commitments that were received as unalterable truths. Though, the opposite may now be accepted as part of the national culture of Guyana, principled men and women do not give the bond of their word, or their promise sealed with the equivalent of a handclasp, and then break them. But this is clearly what the president has done to his severe disfavor, when he abandoned his position relative to GECOM and CARICOM. In both instances, his uttered word given with great gravity, and similarly trusted, have been retreated from, and have fallen apart by the force of (Continued on page 5)

Kaieteur News

Sunday June 21, 2020

Kaieteur M@ilbox Send your letters to Kaieteur News 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com

Harmon-hired American lobbying firm lied in recent article DEAR EDITOR “Bart S. Fisher is a partner in JJ&B, which represents the APNU + AFC Coalition” is the disclaimer on an op-ed in the Washington Examiner written by the high priced lobbyist hired by Joseph Harmon to influence the American government to disregard Guyana’s elections results. Fisher makes an argument that alternates between the ridiculous and outright claptrap most obviously when he falsely says: “Rep. Yvette Clarke, a Democrat from New York and cochairwoman of the Caribbean Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, has flagged this attempted election heist by the PPP, and warned the international community, including the U.S., the Organization of American States, and CARICOM to stop interfering in Guyana’s internal affairs”. It would seem APNU+AFC has found a true partner that

mirrors their characteristics. Fisher previously lied to the US Government when he claimed to have been retained to represent the Government of Guyana. Congresswoman Clarke will no doubt clear the air in the coming days but Guyanese need not wait to condemn Fisher’s outrageous attempt to aid the subversion of our democracy and must let Fisher and others understand that US Government sanctions have been promised for anyone who seeks to benefit from the electoral fraud perpetuated by Mr. Mingo and his as yet unknown co-conspirators. My understanding of the US State Department statement is it does not preclude American citizens from serious consequences and personal sanctions. Yours truly Robin Singh

Sunday June 21, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Kaieteur M@ilbox

We are heading down a sad road into dictatorship

It is our people, and not natural resources that really matter

DEAR EDITOR, Please permit me a space to vent my opinion in your letter section. Last year, the Court of Appeal ruled that the majority in the parliament is 34. Now anyone in the entire world would know basic math in that 33 is a majority in a house of 65. It was unbelievable when the highest court in Guyana, ruled that 34 is a majority. It had to take an external court to school learned highranking Guyanese on basic math. I felt that two of the judges at the COA were sympathetic to the Granger Administration in the NCM case. Fast forward to the current elections case in the COA. The Constitution clearly states that matters concerning the validity and credibility of an election is the sole jurisdiction of the High Court. Why then is this case by APNU’s David at the Court of Appeal? It is my strong belief that the COA will rule 2 to 1 on the matter and block the declaration. Note the majority in the COA will be 2 to 1 not 2.5 and

then rounded to 3. Guyana is going down a sad road to dictatorship, lawlessness, sanctions, neglect by the international community and scorn by the fellow CARICOM states. I often ask myself how will Mr. Granger feel standing next to his CARICOM colleagues knowing he cheated his way to remain into the presidency? The entire world knows what the APNU is up to. They know that Mingo inflated votes in Region Four for the APNU+AFC; they know that the GECOM ChiefElections-Officer and Government Commissioners tried to push with the fraudulent declarations for the APNU+AFC; they know that the APNU+AFC tried to stop the recount; they know that the APNU+AFC conjured up the dead and migrants vote theory; and they know that the APNU+AFC is now trying to get the Court of Appeal to block the declaration. They know that Mr. Granger is not a man that keeps his word, he flip-flops. He said that CARICOM is the most important interlocutor –

CARICOM has spoken, and Mr. Granger has gone into hiding. He will emerge when the COA blocks the declaration. Imagine Mr. Lowenfield took away in excess of over 250,000 votes and spent billions of dollars on an election that the APNU is now discrediting because they didn’t win and Mr. Granger said Lowenfield did a good job. They were willing to accept Mingo fraudulent numbers and at that time, the elections were free, fair and credible. I ask the judges at the COA to be mindful of the international community and young Guyanese who are following this matter and may never trust the PNC ever again. It will be a sad day when Guyana will be kicked out of CARICOM, the OAS, the Commonwealth and many bilateral partners. I pray that the judges think about the future of this country and rule in accordance with the law and not partisan politics. Yours truly B. John

DEAR EDITOR I want to commend without any reservations your Editorial of today, (Wednesday 17 June), entitled “Restarting and Rehabilitating” very timely and appropriately placating. Indeed, I thought that that whole edition was suffused with that placating tone except for that letter entitled, “The Caricom Observer Team’s report is conceptually flawed” – sour grapes, but all must be given voice. Allow me, however, as one who worked all his life in our natural resources sector, who worked through our nationalization of our bauxite industry and who stayed on through the subsequent difficult decades, to proffer the benefit of my experiences on our traditional but outdated national view of our natural resources, which was reiterated in the editorial: “We have the raw gifts in abundance and so much so that the greedy and rapacious and covetous cast longing eyes and watering mouths at our riches.” That view with which I and my generation was brought up was understandable: our generations of slav-

Coalition will accept one outcome only- it won From page 4 u n f a v o u r a b l e circumstances on the ground. They are of circumstances that only the coalition found unfavourable. People trusted the president and depended on the president to deliver on his side of the vow made, regardless of what came. We at this paper did. Now he has retreated from where he stood on GECOM and CARICOM, and this has blown up, not just in his face, but that of all Guyana. This is just not done at the levels of heads of government. For in the final analysis, when all the pros and cons have been worked through, the leader of Guyana comes across as having little to no credibility. This is savagely ironic, since it is he and his group that are protesting the loudest and longest about the credibility of everything related to Elections 2020. The first promise made in solemn word given was to look to GECOM only, listen to it, wait on it, and accept from it “whatever” declaration is issued by it as to the final and official outcome of Elections 2020. A lot of things have happened, since the president gave his word, from which he and his people have since studiously distanced by subsequent actions. It is as if there was no such

promise. In recent days, the work of GECOM has been questioned, pulled apart, put to shame, denigrated at will, delayed, and thrown into disarray and disrepute. Moving to the Guyana Court of Appeals was the last in the chain of disgraceful developments, given the place where GECOM was poised, with the muchanticipated declaration. The word given by His Excellency to recognize and accept “whatever’ declaration is made by chair of GECOM was thwarted within minutes prior to that being made a reality. This is how men abandon and assault the law in this land. We may pontificate at length about the majesty of the law and the sacredness of the constitution, but this is how both are trampled upon, when such shabbiness of selfrespect and cheapness of character are exhibited. For all intents and purposes, this is what happened when people associated with the coalition marched to the Court of Appeals to block the then imminent declaration by the Chair. It does not get any lower than this. As we see it, when the clear and unmistakable writing on the wall indicated that the game was up, the Court of Appeals was hurried to delay the inevitable. For

what the coalition gained was a momentary respite. And when it did so, the standing of Mr. Granger and the coalition took the heaviest of hits: both lost the right to any residual trust. The president suffered the worst, since he is now seen as lacking in sincerity and authenticity, and as someone who will resort to anything to gain the upper hand, which is to win at all cost and by any means known.In seeming confirmation of significant national, regional, and global misgivings, and to the chagrin of dejected Guyanese, what the president failed to do with GECOM was repeated a second time, with CARICOM being the hapless object and recipient, through what can only be interpreted as premediated leadership disingenuousness, at best; or deliberate leadership betrayal at its worst.Earlier in the recount process, it was the president himself who hailed CARICOM as the single entity with the highest credibility. The EU, the OAS, and the Commonwealth teams were all kicked to the sidelines of non-recognition and nonfactors. But not CARICOM, which was embraced and accorded the highest esteem. That was then, when the CARICOM team was

expected to go along with the sleazy trickeries unveiled by the coalition. But not now, when CARICOM refused to go along with its many deceptions perfected. Instead, the CARICOM team concluded that the elections were credible. And this is what is more or less given short thrift for one and one reason only: the report did not align with the expectations of the coalition. Hence, it was not acceptable. What follows next must be faced unflinchingly: is there any group, any observation conclusion, any report that goes against the positions of the coalition ever going to be found acceptable? Regrettably, after all that has happened, our answer can only be a resounding NO! To state differently, the only thing that the coalition will accept is that it won. Or that it was the victim of such blatant cheating that it was denied victory. Nothing else will find favour. All along the coalition has maintained the pretense of respect for the law, while it probes for any opening to buy time, to seize any advantage available. Pretenses and options are almost exhausted. Thereafter, only the unlawful and the unmentionable are left. Since winning is remote, this could be where all roads end.

ing on plantations and other exploitations have left us suspicious of many countries and peoples. However we have been an independent country for some fifty-four years now and in many fora stand alongside other countries and peoples as equal brothers and sisters, individually. Our vast hinterland would have projected the feeling of overwhelming abundance but later I learnt of the need to establish the numbers through surveys and prospecting, very costly exercises demanding lots of time, knowledge and cash. Our bauxite deposits were being touted as the best in the world in the 1920s soon after their discovery but by 1950 they were being eclipsed by the new discoveries in Jamaica, Guinea and Australia, in the same way as we had eclipsed earlier prized locations. Our forests are imposing and largely pristine, however their average commercial growth rate may be put at 10 cubic metres per hectare per year; for Africa the average is 20 and the very special commercial forests of Chile hit 80! Considering our large gold deposits of Omai and Aurora the contentions and changes in ownership that we see are indications that all has not been smooth sailing. Turning to our latest natural resource – oil, in about 2014, I was holding strongly to the then conventional view that oil prices would never again fall below US $ 100 per barrel. There would have been expectations of lots of money all around from our deep-water oil fields with production costs of US $ 30 per barrel but we have seen recently oil prices dropping to below 30 and we have become aware that there is lots and lots of oil reserves with production costs not much more than

US$ 10 per barrel. Our natural resources are not exceptional really, are not in themselves golden geese laying golden eggs continuously and endlessly. However, as in Omai, they may provide opportunities for us to work more productively and more remuneratively in partnership with others Times have been changing, and in many things, we have not been finding the time to keep up and move along. There is a saying that a century ago a great economy was still founded on lots and lots of materials made useful with a little knowledge; but today a great economy is founded on lots and lots of knowledge made manifest with a very small quantity of material. Think of your cell phone and laptop – not much material. Yet by themselves, they are already powerful and when we connect them up into worldwide systems they are ten thousand times more powerful still. The world today is much more open, interconnected and interdependent than ever before and it is time we become comfortable with the prospect of living and finding our way in our open, interconnected, interdependent world. We ought not to be troubled – we have a head (Continued on page 7)

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Sunday June 21, 2020

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Kaieteur M@ilbox

I believe most media houses have chosen to ignore APNU+AFC

APNU+AFC and its apologists have resorted to trying to discredit the CARICOM observer report

DEAR EDITOR, A number of key players and institutions have at different times raised issues that keep casting doubts about the elections process and thus outcome, and have led me to question whether the Chairperson of GECOM really wishes to see a fair verdict. Despite internal party pressure, President David Granger agreed to a recount. If we have accepted the recount, then we should also be accepting the allegations arising out of the recount, and for them to be dealt with before a declaration. To try saying irregularities can now only be dealt with after a declaration of results runs counter to the recount. For consistency of the law, it must be replicative; as such shouldn’t the recount be invalidated? Towards the end of the recount, former AttorneyGeneral, Anil Nandalall initially said “fraud once committed, makes everything a nullity. Everything tainted by fraud is void ab initio” suggesting the elections should be nullified. Following the end of the recount, now Anil and other senior PPP members are saying let us have a declaration then deal with allegations of fraud thereafter. This double standard flies in the face of a fair and just ap-

proach and as Martin Luther King, Jr., said “justice too long delayed is justice denied”. Noticeably missed from the PPP echelon is the refrain from denying such a fraud has occurred. Then the CARICOM report, Executive Summary, said, “From the outset, the Team wishes to acknowledge that the exercise that we observed was not in fact a recount. It was an audit of the votes cast on March 02, 2020 and from the start, it was conceived as an audit, notwithstanding the statements on a national recount. A recount of votes means exactly that, a counting of the ballots cast. In this case, the so-called recount extended to issues normally reserved for an audit of ballots cast in an election.” Instead of praising GECOM for having go further to ensure the recount was a clean process, this statement tries to imply GECOM did something wrong. Isn’t it a good thing that an audit-like recount was performed, we were able to glean all the irregularities which occurred, like missing record books, counter foils, all tantamount to stuffed boxes? PPP has not denied ballot boxes may be stuffed, all they are saying is an elections petition is needed. The CARICOM Report then in its

conclusion and recommendations, went on to cast doubt on the electoral process with this double speak. “Yes, the recount suggests that the poll was far from perfect but the imperfections cannot deny that the elections and therefore the recount were reasonably credible.” Any rightthinking person will struggle to read “far from perfect” means “reasonably credible”. What is CARICOM really trying to say? Perhaps the next paragraph helps. And then to further conclude the CARICOM Report says “It therefore, behooves whichever political party emerges victorious from these elections …” Did CARICOM really agree the elections were credible, because clearly they have a serious double standard as to who emerged victorious? The CARICOM team must know, and for them to conclude this suggests they are saying the elections were not credible. In addition, a press release from GECOM on 16 June 2020, it is quoted that “The Chairperson posited that she is of the opinion that some of the allegations are of a serious nature and must be addressed. However, Article 163 (1) (b) of the Constitution confers on the High Court the exclusive jurisdiction to determine the validity of an election.” Again, trying to restrict a fruitful and beneficial outcome of the elections on the basis of a recount which took place before its time, should also warrant the allegations be likewise heard before a declaration of the result. Finally, given all that has occurred over the past 3 ½ months, no one, not even the courts have come to grips with how we deal with a matter of stuffed ballot boxes. Will the Courts allow missing supporting documentation to go unpunished which allow stuff ballot boxes to persist? And notably media houses have chosen to ignore that APNU+AFC has ironically but consistently taken the position of trying to have the results annulled rather than themselves declared the winner, despite credible evidence suggesting that a discount of the irregularities will lead to APNU-AFC victory. Yours truly, Krishna Persaud

DEAR EDITOR, After appearing to welcome the few CARICOM election scrutineers who were able to be mustered for a vote recount caused by GECOM Returning Officer Mingo’s failure to perform his duties, APNU+AFC and its apologists have resorted to trying to discredit the CARICOM observer report by claiming the scrutineers only experienced 18% of the recount. There were other observers accredited by GECOM, but GECOM did not extend them the courtesies which was afforded to the few CARICOM scrutineers. Transparency Institute Guyana Incorporated (TIGI) therefore wrote pointing this out in a letter (copy attached) to the GECOM chairman, which asked that all observ-

ers be afforded official copies of the Statements of Recount (SoRs) ex gratia, because, although not expressly mentioned by the gazette order, there was nothing that could be construed as denying them such a courtesy. These other observers worked just as hard, many at great personal cost, but they were reduced to begging party agents to be allowed to photograph SoRs. In other words, it seems GECOM itself set up a system that favoured the one group of observers that were few, so that the 82% (=100%-18%) they could not survey could be used to call their report into question. The gazette order had also set up another system unnecessary for a recount whereby persons who voted were alleged to be imperson-

ations of voters out of the country on March 2, 2020 or of dead voters. As is well known by now, this has been used by APNU/AFC to call the recount into question and has inspired CEO Lowenfield to disenfranchise 60% of the voters on mere allegations. Regrettably, there are still persons gullible enough to believe and be rallied for protests on behalf of APNU/AFC instigators by misdeeds in GECOM. Such gullible people were ill served by the educational system, which must be reformed so as not to promote the next generation until they demonstrate credible proficiency in reading, writing and arithmetic. Yours truly, Alfred Bhulai TIGI Local Elections Observer

Concerned about promotion of alcohol products for Father’s Day DEAR EDITOR We are concerned at the numerous promotions of alcohol products by businesses for this Father’s Day. We know that alcohol consumption creates problems for men and their families. The Ministry of Public Health report was clear that men in Guyana are almost four times as vulnerable to Covid19 as women. In fact, there is wisdom in still opting to close bars during these times of the pandemic; considering all that is known about alcohol usage and clouding judgment. The World Health Organization has asked countries to take steps to reduce alcohol consumption at this time. BBC’s Megha Mohan in June 2020 reported that UN has described the worldwide increase in domestic abuse as a “shadow pandemic” alongside Covid-19 and that there has been by 20% of cases during the lockdown since victims are trapped at home

with their abuser. Previous studies by WHO have pointed out the strong links between alcohol use and the occurrence of domestic violence in many countries, with evidence suggesting that alcohol use increases the occurrence and severity of these cases. Alcohol consumption as a direct cause of intimate partner violence has often been contested either on the basis of factors such as low socioeconomic status, impulsive personality and those studies have concluded that frequent heavy drinking can create an unhappy, stressful partnership that increases the risk of conflict and violence (WHO, 2006). We appeal to all consumers to resist at this time, all efforts to promote alcohol consumption in men. We appeal to all consumers to resist efforts to destroy the health and well-being of men, fathers, in Guyana. Guyana’s alcohol culture

does not need any more encouragement. Father’s Day is meant to express one’s love and appreciation towards his/ her father. Many place emphasis on the worth and value of this important figure places in their lives. As such, it is difficult to conceive how a ‘bottle of rum’ can suffice as an ideal gift option for the man who has tremendously impact one’s life. We urge all private sector companies to provide Father’s Day options which will promote health for men and their families, and which shows that it is possible to be a man without consuming alcohol. We urge all fathers and sons to take care during this time, to focus on their mental health and well-being and to find alternatives to alcohol consumption. Happy Father’s Day! Yours sincerely, Golden Om Dharmic Youth Organisation

Grossly unfair to sugar workers DEAR EDITOR, I read in the media that the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) is not processing sick-

ness and accident claims from sugar workers since the commencement of this year due to Guysuco’s indebtedness to the Scheme. If this is true, it is grossly unfair to sugar workers who will be made to suffer through no fault of theirs. These workers have legitimate, and I believe lawful expectation to receive whatever

benefits are due to them by virtue of their anticipated contributions to the National Insurance Scheme by their employer.I think the NIS has an obligation to issue a statement on this matter, which potentially could affect the lives and well-being of a significant number of subscribers. Hydar Ally

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Sunday June 21, 2020

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur M@ilbox The Coalition has proven itself to be quixotic, Napoleonic, and farcical DEAR EDITOR, The demise of the APNU+ AFC reminds me of three situations. The first is to be found in one of the world’s classic novels; the other is recorded in the annals of human history; while the final one has to do with life and the experience of coalition politics. Let’s take the first, which is Miguel de Cervantes’ ‘Don Quixote de la Mancha ‘Here we have the character Don Quixote who became so enthralled with books about chivalric military exploits and romance that eventually ‘his brain became so dried up that he lost his wits and was unable to separate reality from Illusion and fact from fiction.’ Don Quixote thus set out to engage in his own military exploits by fighting against windmills thinking they were giants only to be knocked off his horse. The moral of the story has much in common with recent political developments in Guyana, where those who once clung to power so tenaciously, and became so caught up in believing in their own mischievous and manipulative inventions, that in the course of so doing they could not distinguish fact from fiction and reality from illusion. They convinced themselves that they were right in whatever they did, but in the end, reality proved they were wrong. The second has to do with the defeat of Napoleon. Lest it be mistakenly believed that those who just lost power were little Napoleons, this is not the intention. On the contrary, it is more than just the personalities. In what has been described as ‘Powerfully

It is our people,... From page 5 start. We proudly say and it is largely true, - go to any large town or city anywhere around the world, you would likely find a Guyanese living there. We can live well with people the world over in their place, and can just as well live well with them in ours. For the better life, it is we, not natural resources that really matter: as we learn to work steadily more productively, individually and more cordially all together as Guyanese; and as we develop a greater aptitude to discern, find and make friends and partnerships with peoples the world over. Yours truly Samuel A. A. Hinds Former Prime Minister and Former President

convincing ... superb’ by the Financial Times, Frank McLynn notes in his NAPOLEON -A BIOGRAPHY at pp 585 and 587: ‘The allies united both armies and, 180,000-strong, advanced smoothly down the Marne towards Paris. Marmot and Mortier tried to bar the way but were swept aside at La Fere-Champenoise on 25 March. Napoleon meanwhile spent four days in a fool’s paradise at St. Dizier vaguely wondering whether he dared call a ‘people’s war.’ At Fontainebleau, Napoleon had assembled 60,000 troops and was prepared to fight on. But on 4 April a delegation of marshals told him this was no longer an option. Napoleon then had no choice but to write out a conditional abdication.’ Developments on the political and electoral fronts over the past seventy two hours have demonstrated in no small way that the Napoleonic-type ensemble in the APNU+ AFC has reached their Fontainebleau and have no alternative but to concede as a coalition that they have lost the elections. The third and final episode has to do with APNU+AFC coalition politics. Thus far, Guyana has experienced two episodes of coalition politics. The first in 1964 to 1968 period, and more recently, from 2015 to 2020. Placed on a historical context the first was a tragedy, the second a farce. The APNU+AFC failed to comprehend the possibilities and

constraints of the extant historical juncture in which they were operating. Instead, they opted to shape their term in office by their beliefs, desires and practices which was at complete variance with the economic dynamics and democratic practices that had preceded their assumption to office. They could not grasp the realities and limitations of the power sharing formula they had agreed to, nor establish suitable conflict resolution mechanisms to accommodate rival political or socio-economic interests in the wider society. In effect, consultation, negotiations and compromise was anathema to the coalition. While seeking to enhance their greater share in cabinet posts purely for private reasons and personal gain, leaders in the coalition undermined their integrity and political careers for corrupt purposes, unable to extricate themselves from, and defending each other consumed by the pork barrel syndrome. What happened with effect from December 21, 2018 onwards, was that the coalition became its own worst enemy, shooting itself in the foot over and over again. This in turn, provided fodder to the political opposition who was only happy to use the fodder as a battering ram to eventually break the back of the coalition administration. Yours truly, Clement J. Rohee

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Sunday June 21, 2020

Kaieteur News

EPA instructs ExxonMobil to address troubling environmental concerns about its offshore projects By Kiana Wilburg ExxonMobil will have to address numerous environmental and other concerns before it gets approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its Payara project, which would pump 220,000 barrels of oil a day from the Stabroek Block. During a recent appearance on Kaieteur Radio’s Programme, Guyana’s Oil and You, EPA Head Dr. Vincent Adams disclosed that one of the chief concerns Exxon has to face relates to the carbon emissions that would be released from five projects. The projects which include the Liza Phase One, Liza Phase Two and Payara are expected to be working simultaneously by 2026 latest. In the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the Payara Project, one gets the impression that the release of green house gases (GHGs) by ExxonMobil’s projects would not be at an alarming rate. The document notes that GHG emissions only increase in 2022 with the initiation of production operations for the Liza Phase 2 Development Project, and then again in 2023 with the initiation of produc-

tion operations for the Payara Project. It was noted that cumulative GHG emissions peak in 2025 and then decrease steadily over the next 15 years from approximately 6,500 kilotonnes per year to approximately 5,900 kilotonnes per year, as predicted production levels gradually decrease for the five development projects. But a deeper analysis by reputable scientist Dr. Mark Chernaik of Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW) found significant anomalies that may have escaped the attention of Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency. The scientist and attorney-at-law said, “The claim that the project’s emissions would be ‘over the next 15 years from approximately 6,500 kilotonnes per year to approximately 5,900 kilotonnes per year’ is grossly inaccurate as these emissions do not include indirect emissions, that is, the end use of the products derived from the crude oil.” Based on FPSO key design rates provided in the EIAs for Liza Phase 1 (100,000

barrels per day), Liza Phase 2 (220,000 barrels per day) and Payara (220,000 barrels per day), cumulative oil production by ExxonMobil is expected to be around 540,000 barrels per day, or 197 million barrels of oil per year for the years 2024 to 2030. Taking this into consideration, the scientist said that the average carbon dioxide emissions from production and eventual combustion of crude oil (including its refined products will not be 6,500 kilotons per year or 6,500,000 metric metric tons as Exxon claims but roughly 85 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year for the years 20242030 inclusive. Dr. Adams said that upon noting the foregoing which Kaieteur News exposed, he has challenged the oil giant for a response. He said too that the American super major was asked to address other concerns raised by Dr. Chernaik. According to the scientist’s report, the severe social costs of greenhouse gas emissions of the Payara Development Project combined with the Liza Phase One and Liza Phase Two projects

were not presented to decision-makers in the EIA. Dr. Chernaik explained that the social cost of carbon represents the economic cost associated with climate damage (or benefit) that results from the emission of an additional tonne of carbon dioxide. It is intended to include (but is not limited to) changes in net agricultural productivity, human health, property damages from increased flood risk, and the value of ecosystem services due to climate change. Based on his computations, the social cost of ExxonMobil’s projects would be US$34.8 billion. It was also noted that the indirect cost of the said emissions would be

Caption: EPA Head, Dr. Vincent Adams

US$717 billion. When these and other concerns are taken into consideration, the American scientist concluded that any approval granted would be

done with a lopsided understanding of the impact these projects would have on the environment. Dr. Adams is now making efforts to correct this state of affairs.

Bandits rob delivery man of motorcycle, cash and cell phones Bandits made off with a motorcycle and cell phones belonging to an Xpress Delivery Services employee after holding him at gunpoint last Friday. The incident took place at around 09:00 hrs on Congress Drive, South Ruimveldt. The delivery man had reportedly just finished delivering a package in the area and was heading back when his assailants stopped him. In video footage seen by this publication, the bandits were walking along the road when they spotted their victim riding his motorcycle. They then walked into his path, and when he slowed down, one of them hoisted the delivery man off his bike. The robber then punched his victim several times before whipping out a handgun. Holding the deliveryman at gunpoint, the robber relieved his victim of cash and cell phones before both men rode off with the stolen bike. The matter was reported at the East La Penitence Police Station. Please see video on the link (https:// youtu.be/CKkssI1Amy0)

The motorcycle stolen by the bandits

Sunday June 21, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Vendor dies after falling down stairs Cops to charge former security guard in threatening video with arms cache

A vendor was on Thursday morning found lying unconscious at the bottom of his step. Dead is fifty-three-year-old Chandika Persaud, of West Indian Housing Scheme Bartica, Essequibo River. According to a police report, Persaud was under the influence of alcohol when he fell down a flight of stairs and injured his head and other parts of his body. The incident happened between 07:00hrs and 09:00hrs. Persaud was last seen alive around 07:00hrs sitting on his veranda imbibing alcohol, when he invited a friend to join him. However, his friend explained to him that he had some work to finish off before he can join him. When Persaud’s friend returned, he did not see Persaud on the veranda so he called out for him but got no response. The man (Continued on page 47)

Dead: Chandika Persaud

NIS says untrue sugar workers not receiving benefits The National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has dismissed an article published on June 19 that claimed that it has stopped the payments of the Sickness and Injury Benefits to sugar workers. In a statement yesterday, NIS’ Public Relations Officer, Dianne Lewis-Baxter noted that the agency deemed the article that was published on the social media page “as mischievous”. The story would have stemmed from a statement of the Guyana Agricultural and

General Workers Union (GAWU), issued earlier this week. Lewis-Baxter also explained that though the NIS has reduced its working hours to accommodate a shift system due to the COVID19 pandemic, “the Scheme continues to honour its obligations by paying out millions in both sickness and medical benefits to employees of GUYSUCO” and all other agencies. The NIS, she noted, has also offered relief through amnesty for employers who are unable to pay the interest.

Dem boys seh...

Soulja Bai looking fuh Irfaan phone number Friday night was one hell of a night. Dem boys had to peep through dem window fuh see whether it had full moon. It looks as if some people suddenly grow a conscience. People start fuh concede defeat like rain falling pon rooftop. Dem boys feel fuh sing dat song: “Oh what a night... I remember what a night!” De three-person political party with de TV man was de fuss one up. Dem was de first chink in de link. Dem seh “enough is enough”. Den, a recording appear in which de HAYEff- See leader, Rum-Jattan, admit dat de Coalition get beat by the Pee-Pee-Pee-Cee. He mek a nice speech about how wonderful it was to be a Minister. He done pack up and leff he office. Dem boys hear dat de one-man party with Scottie getting ready fuh concede… after a ‘lil toops’. But de Wuss

Possible Alternative (WPA) nah mek up dem mind yet. Dem can’t move forward unless dem summon a congress wha dem never hold in 40 years. But the biggest one was Soulja Bai’s son-in law. He talk out against de playing of Bingo with de results and seh that when yuh get elected is not forever. He tell de Coalition dat dem should level with dem supporters and start get ready fuh de next elections in 2025. Dem boys now waiting pun Soulja Bai fuh concede. It is impossible he not getting de message. Dem hear how he uncertain whether to call Irfaan cause he nah know whether Jagdeo gon answer de phone. Talk half and leh we hope Soulja Bai do the right thing and walk away with respect.

Police are to charge the former security guard in the social media post who had made comments that appeared to incite violence, while posing with cache of firearms. However, a senior police official who spoke with Kaieteur News declined to state what charges 26-year-old Jermaine Kingston will face. The official also said that police are checking the firearms that they have seized from the company with which Kingston was employed. “We are still to wrap up our investigation and the weapons are still being examined..., he will be charged,” the official said. Kingston was recently employed at the Nazerdeen Mohamed (NM) Security firm. He had not yet been allowed to carry a firearm as was merely manning the front gate at the time. Police had arrested Kingston shortly after a video which appeared to show him posing with several high-powered weapons appeared on social media. An individual who is believed to be Kingston is heard in the video making what appeared to be remarks that seemed to incite violence. Police also seized a number of high-powered rifles from the security firm’s inventory at Berbice. However, NM Security services denied that the weapons seen in the video belong to their

Jermaine Kingston company. A senior official even stated that the suspect was a ‘gate man’ at the Jumbo-Jet who sanitized customers. The suspect had only been working with NM Security Services for about three months. He was previously employed as a security guard and authorized to carry weapons with KGM security.

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GuySuCo misses first crop target by 9,500 tonnes sugar -union says factories stacked with many retirees The first crop of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) at the three estates- Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt- has now concluded after being extended by several weeks. According to the workers’ union, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), it has ascertained that the sugar production reached only 37,013 tonnes. The GuySuCo had set itself a target of 46,475 tonnes sugar thus the industry recorded a shortfall of 9,462 tonnes sugar. ”Alarmingly, the industry continues to underperform. It was disheartening to learn that no estate achieved even 90 per cent of its target. For our union and more so, the thousands of sugar workers, this is most distressing. Additional information obtained by the GAWU indicate that, as at mid-May 2020, cane yields are far below the corporation’s planned objective as stated in its strategic plan.” GAWU said yesterday that information revealed that Albion produced 57.86

Sunday June 21, 2020

Kaieteur News

tonnes cane per hectare (TcH) as against a target of 77.59 TcH; Blairmont produced 69.90 TcH versus a target of 82.59 TcH and Uitvlugt produced 57.64 TcH compared to a target of 75.76. “In addition, the information received indicate that overall factory performance was far from acceptable standards. Again, as at mid-May, the three factories in operation operated at an average of 95 hours per week against a target of 140. Frequent factory breakdowns have been plaguing the GuySuCo for several crops now. The GAWU has pointed out previously that factory failures continue unabated while the corporation boasts an expanded staff structure at its Factory Operations Department. Certainly, it brings into serious question the functioning and output of this department which, we have learnt, is loaded with many retirees.” It was disclosed that with the out-of-crop season now in progress, maintenance activities have commenced at factories. ”On this score, the GAWU’s anxiety was heightened after it learnt from

a GuySuCo document, which came to hand, that “[t]he lack of adequate funding to procure needed spares for [the] upcoming dull season [out of crop] will pose a challenge to the maintenance programme.” GAWU said that this is an ominous sign for grinding in the upcoming second crop 2020 which is typically longer in duration. “At Uitvlugt factory for example, out-of-crop maintenance is in progress for many weeks now and workers have shared that they are instructed to re-use worn parts in areas that required complete replacements. This level of reckless engineering practice directed by the technical team will no doubt eventuate into frequent factory breakdowns during the upcoming grinding operations.” The union said it remains very much disturbed by the laxity on overall management of the sugar industry. ”The corporations’ performance record over recent years justifies our position. The Coalition Government failed the industry despite spirited claims to make it a resilient business.”

Region 10 vows to flatten COVID-19 curve The Region 10 authorities have vowed to continue their hard work to reduce and prevent the spread of the Corona Virus Disease-19 (COVID-19). In a recent meeting with members of Regional Health and Emergency Committee (RHEC), the progress made so far and future plans to contain the spread of COVID-19 were discussed. It was disclosed that the Upper Demerara-Berbice regional authorities have demonstrated “excellent” togetherness and cooperation as measures were put into place to cope with the Coronavirus pandemic even before the nation-wide curfew was implemented. According to a statement of the region, despite the many challenges faced by persons in charge, there has been a significant success rate to keep the number of infected persons as low as possible. However, calls are being made to have more sensitization so that persons would not feel that their freedom is being violated. Rawle Friday, manager of the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI), said he remains impressed because he knows that “change for many is difficult but people from various sectors showing this level of commitment is commendable.” As it is, the COVID-19

situation in Guyana is still unpredictable and can go either way. The regional COVID Coordinator, Dr. Michael Marks credited the committee for the small numbers. “We need to be very cautious as this situation can move from being controlled to uncontrolled,” Dr. Marks said. Another area discussed at the meeting was the need for proper documentation and record keeping because it is unknown when Guyana will be COVID free. Regional Chairman, Renis Morian, said that, “evaluating and reviewing the committee’s effort is very important with the view of documenting their work for future reference.” Maylene Stephen, Deputy Regional Executive Officer (DREO) expressed similar sentiments that there is the need for proper documentation for future references of action taken as she is of the view that “COVID will be here for a long time.” The RHEC is encouraging persons to continue placing emphasis on a cooperative effort to battle this pandemic. The District Education Officer (DEdO), Sonia FraserPearce, believed that there is a need for more of the masses to understand the urgency of the situation along with an improved behaviour.

Despite cooperation by the majority of the citizens in the regional district, there are persons who have been violating the curfew measures. Elroy Adolph, the Regional Vice Chairman said, “there should be stiffer penalties for those wanting to flout the regulations.” President of the Linden Chambers of Commerce, Victor Fernandes mentions the significant gains made by saying “I am amazed by what we have been able to do in Region 10 with several persons asking me how we were able to do such.” While the Deputy Police Commander Wayne Dehearte, said “the successes in my view was because of the many constructive criticism and the willingness of various stakeholders working together to ensure that the systems being implemented were successful.” The head of the RHEC and Regional Executive Officer, Orin Gordon, commended all for their diligent and committed efforts over the past several weeks as the people of Region 10 were patient and in a large way compliant. The RHEC members are committed to continue working together until there is a complete flattening of the curve and COVID is no longer a major threat to the residents.

Sunday June 21, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Sunday June 21, 2020

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Reflecting on the history of Rehabilitation Services in Guyana …as Rehabilitation Week 2020 [June 21 - 26] is observed R ehabilitation Ser vices in Guyana began 71 years ago in a small room under the Xray department at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC). It was run by three physiotherapists, namely: Ms. Janice Simmons- Principal Physiotherpaist, Ms. Jackie Fung Thomson and Mr. Matthews. Back in 1949, the only service being provided by this group was physiotherapy, and it was only available in Georgetown. With the need for more human resources in this service, an advertisement was sent out, inviting qualified persons to undertake a Physiotherapy Training Programme in the United Kingdom. This sparked the interest of two of the now, backbones in the Guyanese Rehab Community: Ms. Hyacinth Massey and Mrs. Geraldine Mason-Halls. Both of these scholars came back to Guyana to join Ms. Simmons and her team in the expansion of local physiotherapy services. Physiotherapy services progressed in Guyana throughout the 1970’s as it adopted the use of ultra violet lighting for the treatment of bed sores, visits to the medical, surgical and maternity wards at the GPHC, pre and post-operative treatment for surgical patients, as well as Lamaze Classes for pregnant women. Therapists often worked from Monday to Saturday, sometimes working late into the night during these times. The 1970’s also saw the introduction of specialized services for children with physical disabilities, with the establishment of the Polio Centre in Guyana, now called the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Complex, and a special facility, the Cheshire Home for children and young adults requiring long term care. As more persons were becoming interested in the service, by 1985, the number

of physiotherapists in Guyana grew to 16, with the inclusion of two familiar names, Mrs. Barbara Lawrence and Mrs. Beverly Nelson. By the end of 1980s, major strides were being made in the development of the local physiotherapy services with the expansion of the Georgetown unit, as well as the addition of other units across the country. These units included: the McKenzie Hospital, operated by Mrs. Harris; the Best Hospital (West Demerara Hospital), operated by Mrs. Sharon Harper, and the New Amsterdam Hospital operated by Mrs. Paula Alexander, later taken over by Mrs. Beverly Nelson. The 1980’s also saw the training of physiotherapy assistants, and by 1990 approximately 30 assistants had officially completed training. The first batch of students was trained by a foreign health science professional in collaboration with PAHO, Barbados and the University of Guyana. The introduction of this team of mid-level rehabilitation personnel contributed significantly to the expansion of physiotherapy services in Guyana. Consequently, the training of physiotherapy assistants was discontinued in the mid1990s and a new cadre of assistant-level rehabilitation practitioners was introduced, guided by Mrs. Halls. This training included basic techniques in physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy. The purpose of this training programme was to provide an important means of strengthening the system of referrals and increasing the coordination between the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of the health care system. These assistants subsequently became the pillars in the establishment of most of the departments in the remote regions of Guyana. Another programme initi-

ated by Mrs. Halls was the Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) programme. It was started on the East Bank of Demerara for children with disabilities, and to provide services to communities in which rehabilitation services were not easily accessible. Currently, this programme extends nationwide with many CBR centers in all the regions of Guyana, providing both assistance and vocational skills for persons with disabilities. While Mrs. Halls was interested in education, Ms. Massey had a love for management. After her five year tenure as a physiotherapist, she was appointed as the Rehabilitation Officer at the National Rehab Complex (Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre), a position she still holds today. In 1993, she became the Director of Rehabilitation Services in Guyana while still holding her position as a rehab officer. She, along with Mrs. Lawrence, helped in organizing the Volunteers Serving Overseas (VSOs) to provide training of other specialties in occupational therapy and speech and language therapy. The initiation of this training was done by a psychologist who came to Guyana and found an interest in Occupational Therapy. She returned to England to retrain in the field and later returned to Guyana to dispense her knowledge. It was during this time that talks about a local degree programme came to light. Ms. Massey resigned as the Rehabilitation Director in 1998 and was succeeded by Mrs. Barbara Lawrence. In 2004, a batch of seven locals was sent to Cuba to train in physiotherapy. In 2009, they returned to Guyana to begin their practice here. Subsequently the Medical Rehabilitation Degree Programme was introduced at the University of Guyana in 2010. This programme offered ease of access, as persons

Some of the key players who have helped to Rehabilitation Services going in Guyana.

could now be trained locally as physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists. To date, thirty five persons have graduated from this programme at UG. In 2017, our first batch of locally trained Occupational Therapists graduated. In 2018, our first batch of locally trained Speech and Language Therapists also graduated. This was possible through the dedication of Ms. Massey, Mrs. Lawrence and Dr. Shaine Villareal (a VSO from the Philippines), who is currently the Programme Coordinator at the University of Guyana. This degree programme is continuously growing, with an increasing number of students enrolling each year. Graduates are equipped with a vast knowledge of up-to-date techniques in exercise therapy and modality training in the treatment of prevalent conditions existing in Guyana. Today, Rehabilitation Services are available in all 10 regions across Guyana, with Rehab Centers in areas as far out as Bartica, Lethem and Mahdia, with the current Director of Rehabilitation Services post being held by Dr. Ariane Mangar. Newer rehabilitation services also include Audiology, provision of orthotics and prosthetics, and skills training for persons with disabilities. In addition to the rehabilitation depart-

Director of Rehabilitation Services, Ms. Ariane Mangar ment at the GPHC, there is a Sports Clinic run by Mrs. Beverly Nelson which caters to athletes; both recreational and professional. There is also the Palms Rehabilitation Institute managed by Mrs. Barbara Lawrence, which caters to persons with either brain or spinal cord injuries. Work was also done at the Malnutrition Ward at the GPHC, providing for children who had developmental delays due to severe malnutrition. These children were sent to the Convalescent Home, and programmes to train the

care givers were established to ensure correct care for these children. Similar programmes were also organized at the David Rose School for the Handicap. The Ministry of Health stays committed to the goal of improving the quality of life for all citizens. As such, the ministry has the responsibility of providing rehabilitation services to ensure that any persons suffering with impairment and disabilities can also regain the opportunity to enjoy an optimum quality of life.

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Sunday June 21, 2020

Kaieteur News

A blue canvas bag by the foreshore By Michael Jordan “One of these days y’all gon hear that I dead.” This was the prophecy that Radica Mohan, a young sales clerk from Best Village, West Coast Demerara, made to one of her close friends, some 21 years ago. No one, perhaps even Radica herself, would have expected that prophecy to be so chillingly true. On Wednesday, July 16, 1997, Radica’s mother, Paula Mohan, received a disturbing visit from friends who worked at the same large business firm

at which Radica was employed. The friends told Mrs. Mohan that Radica had not reported to work since the previous Saturday.That was news to the mother, who had last seen her daughter on July 10, which was also Radica’s birthday.They then checked at Radica’s Best Village, West Coast Demerara home. Radica’s husband reportedly told them that he and Radica had slept together on the Sunday night of July 13, 1997. He claimed that his wife had awakened before him the following day. According to his story, at around 6:30 am, Radica told

him that she was going out. He alleged that he did not see her depart, since he remained in bed. There were even suggestions that Radica might have gone to French Guiana. But there were things about this story that did not quite mesh. For instance, Radica’s uniforms, national identification card, a credit card, her watch, a pair of sneakers and handbags were still in the house. Radica’s two small daughters, aged nine and ten, were not at home when all of this transpired. The day before she had vanished, Radica’s husband reportedly sent

them to Georgetown to stay with relatives. Then a neighbour of Radica’s confided that at around 05:00 am, on the day that the salesgirl had disappeared, he had heard a woman screaming: “Ow Daddy, Ow Uncle…” The cries eventually stopped. Those screams had come from Radica Mohan’s home.Fearing that Radica had met with foul play, relatives began to scour the vast Best Village backlands, even chopping away bushes for traces of the missing woman’s body. On Thursday, July 17, 1997, fishermen at Ruimzeight spotted a bulky blue canvas bag that had washed up on the foreshore.Inside, the fishermen found a woman’s decomposed remains. Her throat had been slit. The corpse had then been bound and wrapped in plastic and placed in a jute bag before being forced into the canvas bag. A pair of black denim shorts and a flowered blouse that were with the remains helped relatives to identify the victim as Radica Mohan. In hindsight, friends were saying that Radica’s end was not altogether unexpected. Close friends alleged that she was often physically abused by an individual with whom she shared a relationship.

According to some relatives, she had even expressed fear for her safety. Radica would sometimes say to them, “If anything happen to me is because ——kill me.” Detectives suspected that Radica had been murdered in her home and dumped several miles away. In fact, it was suspected that she was slain in her bed, since a mattress that the couple had bought four months before the murder was reportedly missing. A new mattress was reportedly transported to the house by minibus the day after Radica’s disappearance. During a thorough search of the house, police reportedly found miniscule traces of blood on a cricket bat in Radica’s home. There were reportedly also bloodstains and hair on a wall in the hallway. Detectives took the cricket bat, bloodstained curtain, a mattress, a mop, and Radica’s passport away as evidence. Even before the gruesome find, there were reports that a suspect was seen carrying a large and bulky canvas sack

on his bicycle. Investigators considered Radica’s husband to be a prime suspect and detained him for several days. But despite what appeared to be a bundle of circumstantial evidence and other clues, police reached a dead end in their investigations and eventually released their suspect. Back then, the laws did not permit DNA evidence to be presented in court. Such evidence is being allowed now, but it is doubtful that investigators can put their hands on those clues that their colleagues had so painstakingly gathered 21 years ago. (If you have any information about this or any other unusual case, please contact Kaieteur News by letter or telephone at our Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown location. Our numbers are 592-225-8465, 592-2258452 and 592-225-8458. You need not disclose your identity. You can also contact Michael Jordan at his email a d d r e s s kamarangnight@gmail.com.)

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Kaieteur News

==THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN==

There is no Walter Rodney to save African dignity in 2020 I find it extremely irritating that some dishonest human beings in this country can be so bestial in their opportunism to use the Black Lives Matter in the US movement in Guyana to mask their racist miasma and to use the Black Lives Matter experience to justify ethnic domination in Guyana. Any school child, ten years old, if asked why the Black Lives Matter emerged will automatically tell you because white policemen kill Black Americans with impunity. The experience cannot be transported to Guyana because traditionally and historically the security forces have not been staffed by East Indians. It was Ravi Dev who relentlessly argued that once you have African domination in the security forces and the state sectors, Indians will not feel safe in their own country. I do not support that thesis but there is some basis for that Indian fear. I was on the streets in 1992 watching African youths led by a young Portuguese businesswoman once associated with a firm that made spices destroying Indian stores. I saw that again in 1997, 2001 and risked my life investigating anti-Indian violence by Buxton based gunmen. We have a police force in 2020 that is acting unprofessionally in protecting election riggers and raucous crowds of PNC support-

ers attacking members of the press and opposition parties in support of free and fair elections. A number of East Indians were arrested and charged for picketing last week violating the COVID-19 restrictions while scores of African protestors demonstrated in support of rigged elections in full view of the police. In the post-election violence in March 2020, police shot dead an Indian youth. Those asinine Guyanese in Guyana that are pimping the Black Lives Matter movement in the US should be denounced because they are violating Black American dignity. In fact these very asinine, misguided idiots need to protect African dignity from African leaders who are intent to destroy Black Guyana and Guyana in general by inciting their supporters to reject the fundamental right of Guyanese to vote and have their votes counted. This was the great role Walter Rodney played in the struggle for democracy in the seventies. One of the seminal moments in the Arnold Rampersaud trial was when Rodney got on the street corners and appealed to African Guyanese not to be used by their authoritarian African leaders to hang an innocent East Indian man. The Rampersaud jury was all African. Lying witnesses, all of whom were Africans, took the stand to give false

testimony. In his appeal to African Guyanese, Rodney warned them not to let the dignity that they emerged with out of slavery be taken away from them by allowing themselves to be treated the way President Burnham was using them to hang Rampersaud. In the end, the appeal of Rodney worked and Rampersaud became a free man. In the election crisis that we are in, the African leadership is lying to their people with the depraved, repugnant, immoral intention of getting them to unleash violence against non-Africans. In this scenario only a jackass would make reference to Black Lives Matter in Guyana when other ethnic communities are scared like hell if the election is declared in favour of Dr. Irfaan Ali. We don’t have a Walter Rodney to plead with African Guyanese that their party has lost the election and they must not use African people to go on a regime of violence to protest what is inherently indecent – the rigging of elections where innocent citizens are virtually disenfranchised. How can any foolish persons transport the Black Lives Matter praxis to Guyana when right at this minute we are witnessing how careless African leaders are endangering the lives of Black Guyanese? From the morning of March 3, that African leadership knew it lost the election. Then came the relentless

insults to Black Guyanese that were cruelly humiliating. First, they used Mingo. When they announced that they win, they insulted their supporters by not supplying proof that they won by making available their statements of poll. Then they lied to the soldiers and police telling them their votes were not recorded. Then they told their supporters jumbies voted. It was

one comical text after another. Last Wednesday they told their supporters that Lowenfield’s report demanded by the GECOM chairman will still result in a win for APNU+AFC knowing full well this was deception. Those who think Black lives matter in Guyana need to start protecting Black lives in Guyana from vicious Black, Guyanese politicians who want to use them for power

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

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Sunday June 21, 2020

Kaieteur News

Cancel Culture...America at the Tipping Point By Glenville Ashby, PhD “Regardless of whether it is a dictatorship or a democracy, any large-scale political unit is a complex system” that has “the tendency to move from stability to instability quite suddenly.” – Niall Ferguson The United States is in the throes of a revolution it hasn’t experienced in its long and complex history. Complex, many might agree, is far too euphemistic, and that a powerful, resourceful nation that has failed to honestly address one of the most sordid chapters in human history, is deserving of cataclysmic reform, really, a revolution to correct the past by destroying it. Brazenly, pockets of this cultural revolution have unilaterally determined the new face of an America cleansed of her transgressions. Monuments are being ripped from their foundation, others suffer a less ugly fate, spray painted and vandalized beyond recognition. On June 2, a statue of the Confederate officer Charles Linn in Alabama was toppled. On June 5, a statue of Orville Hubbard, the late mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, was

removed because of his purported racist views. On June 10, a statue of Christopher Columbus in Boston was beheaded, and another bearing his likeness was tossed into a Virginia lake. Other statues that commemorated the infamous ‘discoverer’ escaped the indignity of decapitation; they were spray painted instead. So too was a bust of Juan Prince de Leon. On the same day, a statue depicting former Confederate President Jefferson Davis was torn down in Virginia. In Texas a statute of Confederate general Lawrence Sullivan was vandalized. And the list of destroyed and vandalised statues and monuments continues to grow. But as unsettling as history might be, it is preserved for instructive reasons, at least in civil societies. Amid these kinetic changes on the ground looms a Herculean struggle for power that threatens the very existence of America. While many erroneously believe that the effacement of historical reminders is justified, we must caution against iconoclasts and insurrectionists. History has

Glenville Ashby, PhD cautioned against excess. Those bent on changing the present by destroying the past have assumed the role of self-appointed jurists, moral arbiters and purists. As they topple statues, dishonour artists, soldiers, historians, and politicians they are bending society to their will. Theirs is a cultural revolution, a power grab that is boundless and unrelenting.

By skillfully resorting to vicious ad hominem attacks (weaponizing the most repulsive of words: racist, sexist, homophobe), this emerging and powerful class, the modern day ‘Red Guards,’ have silenced all dialogue and debate. There is absolutely no space for dissent. Theirs is the final judgment. With a stroke of a

pen or a single word, many are blacklisted and delegitimised. And yes, echoes of the Taliban destroying Bamiyam Buddha statues do resound. Surely, America’s new cultural commissars are no different to Iran’s Mutawa (Moral Police), and in its potentially worst form, the Maha Nikaya of the Khmer Rouge. Part of this cultural overreach is the part of the promulgation of singular ideas and agendas by the media, big tech companies, and tertiary institutions. But left to fester, cultural revolutions feed on themselves with a frenzy that eventually ingests their very own. Zealotry, worn as a badge of honour, is measured by degrees, leaving little room for reason. Soon, extremists will find themselves relabelled as moderates, cast aside, and neutralized from within. Those that win out form the new security services, the vanguard of the new system that, history teaches, is far more threatening and suffocating than what it replaced. And the marginalized for whom the revolution swore to protect continue to suffer. Are we as a nation at the

tipping point? It’s anyone’s guess. What is certain is that a power struggle is waging within our borders. Extremism has long left the barn and conservatism is mounting its last stand. More than ever, there is the likelihood that United States will implode. And as the voices for sweeping change grow ever more strident, I cannot help but recall the words of Charles Mackey who wrote in ’Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds,’ “We find that whole communities suddenly fix their minds upon one object, and go mad in its pursuit; that millions of people become simultaneously impressed with one delusion, and run after it, till their attention is caught by some new folly more captivating than the first, [never] recovering its senses until it has shed rivers of blood and sowed a harvest of groans and tears, to be reaped by its posterity.” (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.) Feedback: glenvilleashby@ gmail.com or follow him on Twitter@glenvilleashby

Sunday June 21, 2020

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Kaieteur News

THE TWO SIDES OF AUDITING:

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL

By John Seeram I am motivated to write this article since, over my years of practice, the view has been expressed that there is no need for internal auditors since the external auditors are more recognised and qualified, and will perform an audit in accordance with the existing International Standards on Auditors (ISA). Also, from a financial view, there will be cost savings by not hiring internal auditors. However, global best practices on the current auditing process see the need for their existence since their work complement each other. That being said, the internal auditor is guided by the International Standards for the Professional Practices of Internal Auditing and the external auditor by the ISA. Internal auditors and external auditors each have an important role in the governance of an organisation. They both have mutual interests with regard to the effectiveness of internal controls, and both adhere to ethical codes and professional standards which are set by their respective professional bodies. Further, they both operate independently of the activities they audit, and they are expected to possess extensive knowledge about the organisation/business, the industry and the strategic risks faced by the organisation which they serve.However, with all their similarities, internal auditing and external auditing are indeed two distinct functions that have major differences that make them valuable to the auditing profession. DIVERGINGAPPROACHES TO AUDITING The Institute of Internal Auditors – Global (IIAG) defines internal auditing as “an

independent, objective assurance and consulting activity, designed to add value and to improve an organisation’s operations. It helps an organisation accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes”. In effect, internal auditors are concerned with the entire operations of the organisation both financial and non financial, and are expected to do continuous reviews and evaluations of risk management, control and governance processes. The end result as per definition is to add value and improve the operations of the organization. Internal auditors in public sector organisations are required to place an added emphasis on providing assurance on performance and on compliance with their policies and procedures framework. In contrast, external auditing provides an independent opinion of an organisation’s financial statements and its fair presentation. This type of auditing encompasses whether the statements comply with the International Financial Reporting Standards, and whether they fairly present the financial position of the organisation, whether the results of its operations for a given period of time are reported accurately, and whether they include a misstatement(s) that is/are likely to influence the economic decisions of the financial statement users. In effect, external auditing approach is mainly historical in nature. Internal Auditing is much broader and more encompassing than external auditing. Its value resides in the function’s ability to look at

the underlying operations that drive the financial numbers before those numbers actually ‘hit the books/accounts’. As an example, when considering ‘sales’ as a line item in a set of financial statements, the external auditor will focus primarily on the existence, completeness, accuracy, classification, timing, recording, and summarization of the sales numbers. The internal audit will go beyond those assertions and look at sales operations in a much broader context by asking questions regarding the target market, the sales plan, the organisation structure of the sales department, qualifications of the sales personnel, effectiveness of the sales personnel, effectiveness of the sales operations, measurement of sales performance, and compliance with sales performance, policies. These questions should probe the very core of the sales operations and can greatly impact the sales numbers recorded in the financial statements. For example, assume a sale of $3 million, the external auditor has merely to render an opinion regarding the validity of the number. The internal auditor, however, is in a position to ask whether, this number really should have been $5 million, if the right market had been targeted, and if operations had been effective in the first place. ORGANISATION STRUCTURE Internal auditors represent an integral part of the organisation of which the Chief Audit Executive (CAE) reports administratively to the Chief Executive Officer and technically to the Audit SubCommittee of the Board. This reporting function helps strength the CAE’s indepen-

dence and objectivity. The relationship is consistent with IIAG’s International Standards. Conversely, external auditors are not part of the organisation, but are engaged by it. They are appointed by the shareholders of a company, and appointment usually comes through discussion with the directors. EVOLUTION OFAUDITING Business growth, globalization and corporate scandals, among others have changed the thrust of the internal audit profession in recent years. In yesteryears internal auditing had focused on compliance with accounting and operational procedures, verification of calculation accuracy, fraud detection, and safeguarding of assets. Gradually, new dimensions are being added that range from an evaluation of financial management and compliance risks, to an assessment of controls and governance.

Yet, despite the differences in activities, internal and external auditors are benefiting from their complementary skills and areas of expertise. They should meet periodically to discuss common interests, strive to understand each other’s scope of work and methods, discuss audit coverage and scheduling in order to minimize duplication and redundancies, jointly assess areas of risk management, controls and governance, and to provide access to each other ’s reports, programmes and working papers. In coordinating their audit work, the goal is to increase the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of the overall audit process. CLOSING REMARKS Despite the key similarities and differences that exist between internal auditing and external auditing, nonetheless, both audit types, and the respective services they pro-

John Seeram, Member of the IIA-Guyana Chapter vide, are indeed essential to maintaining and efficient and effective governance structure. That being said, with a greater understanding of each other’s unique perspective, both audit groups can maximize their aggregate contributions and help ensure organizational success in adding value and improving its operations. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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Making a case for reparative justice (A review of David Granger’s Crime without punishment. The Caribbean case for reparative justice.)

D

avid Granger’s Crime without punishment: the Caribbean case for reparative justice makes a compelling and convincing case for reparations for African enslavement. Even though the resounding arguments which he advances are not necessarily original, they have been assembled and delivered here concisely and with cogency. Millions of mostly young Africans were victims of what has been described as The Trans Atlantic Trade in Captive Africans. The Trade was abolished after over three and a half centuries in 1807 but the system of enslavement persisted in the Americas and the Caribbean for decades thereafter. Enslaved Africans in the British West Indies, for example, had to wait for another three decades until 1838 for their Emancipation. Africans in America, Brazil, Cuba and elsewhere had to wait even longer. The freed Africans were offered nothing for their centuries of compulsory and cruel servitude. They were thrust into a hostile social, political and economic environment without recompense

or resources. The slave-owners, in contrast, were enriched with immediate financial compensation for the loss of their so-called ‘property.’ It is this failure to address and redress the inhumane treatment inflicted on the enslaved persons and the consequences of the system of enslavement on generations of persons of African descent in the western hemisphere, p a r t i c u l a r l y, w h i c h h a s driven the demand for reparations. Reparations are based on a simple notion: there should be restitution for the high crimes and injuries which were perpetrated. It is a means towards ensuring equitable justice for victims of crime. A former President of Trinidad and Tobago, Sir Ellis Clarke, arguing for reparations to be a part of the granting of political Independence, said: An administering power is not entitled to extract for centuries all that can be got out of a colony and, when that has been done, to relieve of its obligations by the conferment of a formal but meaningless – meaningless because it cannot possibly be supported – political independence.”

African human enslavement has been acknowledged as the “…greatest crime against humanity.” Yet, even the appeals for an apology have been denied and ignored, particularly in the rich capitals of the countries which perpetrated and prospered from that crime – Britain, France, Portugal, Spain, The Netherlands and the United States of America. The demands for an apology and for reparations were iterated at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, held in Durban, South Africa, in 2001. The Conference called on the leaders of the United States and Europe to apologize for their countries’ role in the slave trade and slavery. Cuban President Fidel Castro described reparations as an “unavoidable moral duty to the victims of racism.” The Conference’s final ‘Declaration’ was tepid. It acknowledged that slavery and the slave trade were appalling tragedies and a crime against humanity but did not offer either an apology or the promise of reparations. The descendants of the victims of the Trade still suf-

fer dispossession and disempowerment traceable to enslavement and its conse-

May 2016 and invited President David Granger to deliver the feature address.

quences. The international community has acknowledged that Africans still suffer from racial discrimination and are disadvantaged by the legacy of underdevelopment. They have taken steps to highlight the unique identity of persons of African descent and the challenges they face. The United Nations proclaimed 2011 as the International Year for People of African descent and the decade from1st January 2015 to 31st December 2024 as the International Decade for People of African Descent. The Caribbean has been in the forefront of agitation for reparative justice for Africans. These efforts gained greater impetus following the 34th Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community which was hosted in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago in 2013. The ‘Conference’ gave unanimous support for the case for reparations for African enslavement and Native genocide. The Heads agreed to establish national reparation committees and “…to use all reasonable avenues to reach and an amicable solution” to this issue. A Guyana Reparations Committee (GRC) was established in 2013. It launched the local leg of the International Youth Reparations Rally in

The address constitutes the text of this book – Crime without punishment: the Caribbean case for reparative justice. The President bases his case for reparative justice on the four grounds that human enslavement constituted a crime punishable under international law; resulted in the illegal expropriation of wealth; bequeathed a legacy of structural underdevelopment and that precedent exists for reparation to be made. David Granger has made two important interventions in the discourse on reparations with this book. He has insisted that reparative justice was not a mere moral precept but, more so, a legal obligation. Second, he has shifted the case for reparative justice from a mere appeal to a demand. He writes: The Caribbean is not begging for hand-outs or aid. The Caribbean is not soliciting sympathy. The Caribbean is not seeking favours. The Caribbean is demanding ‘reparative justice’ for the greatest crime against humanity in the history of the world – the Trans-Atlantic trade in captive Africans. This book advances logical, practical and rational arguments to support the case for reparative justice but avoids regurgitating some of the discredited claims made

by other advocates of reparations. The reprint of Crime without punishment is timely and topical. Protests are exploding at present across the world because of the outrage over the murder, at the hands of the police, of yet another African-American citizen. The protestors are demanding greater racial equality. They have begun to deface, dislodge and demolish the monuments and statues of former slave traders and others who benefitted from the Trade. The protestors have made the link between racial justice and correcting historical high crimes perpetrated during the era of enslavement. The protests are sowing the seeds for the emergence of a new order – one that may be more accommodative of the claims for reparative justice for the victims of the Transatlantic Trade. It has been 182 years since African Emancipation was legalized in the Anglophone Caribbean during which time the case for reparations has been ignored by the successor governments of the perpetrator states. Those who will be asked to carry forward the case for reparative justice will need to continue to marshal persuasive arguments to support their cause. They can find a creditable catechism in David Granger’s, Crime without punishment: the Caribbean case for reparative justice. This book, published first in 2016, is based on several contemporary sources including Hilary Beckles’s Britain’s Black Debt: Reparations for Caribbean Slavery and native genocide, Alfred Brophy’s ‘The case for reparations for slavery in the Caribbean’ and others. It is concise and written in simple language suitable for all age groups. John Milton, the 17th century English poet, observed once, “A good book is the precious life-blood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose for a life beyond. David Granger’s, Crime without Punishment is such a book, perceptive and persuasive and providing irrefutable arguments in support of the case for reparations. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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Coronavirus: The Tsunami that comes in waves By Dr Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine This article was published a few weeks ago but it is important that persons are reminded at this time that we are still faced with the COVID-19 threat and must take every precaution. As we may know, when a tsunami hits, it causes major devastation and often overwhelms countries and their systems. The devastating effects of the Tsunami often lies in the waves that comes after the first wave; these waves tend to be larger and spread further. Experts are concerned that the COVID-19 pandemic may act in a similar manner in some countries if they begin to relax and return to normalcy too fast. Today, I will highlight our situation and the possibilities that await us depending on how we act. WHEREARE WE NOW? There are still active cases in Guyana and there is the possibility of infected persons that have not been detected or are in the incubation

period of the infection. For us to have some amount of certainty that we have weathered the storm, we need to have a minimum of 14 days without any new case.’ ARE WE THAT LUCKY? It seems that we have so far been very lucky. Our response to this pandemic has not been the “model” approach. It seems that we have been exposed to a weaker strain of the virus that is not as devastating as the other strains that are wreaking havoc in some countries. Our climate (higher temperature) and lower population density have also made it more challenging for the virus to

spread. This does not mean that its over for us. A stronger strain of the virus can be easily introduced by an infected traveller coming from a country with the said strain. WHAT POSSIBILITIES AWAITS US? We have to be cautious and be prepared for the possibility of a second and third wave of infection which has the potential to be more devastating. These waves can either come from an imported strain that’s more virulent or from us relaxing and starting to ease social distancing which causes an upsurge in the viral spread. There is also the possibil-

ity of the current wave of infection dissipating and we manage to prevent new infections from occurring by working together to adhere to prevention guidelines. WHAT CAN WE DO? If the current trend continues, we will have to find that balance between trying to sustain a semblance of societal normalcy but restrain ourselves sufficiently to minimize viral spread. For us to do the latter successfully, we have to minimize our public appearance and only venture out for necessities, wear masks once we are out, practice social distancing and ensure we strictly adhere to

hand and general hygiene principles. CAN THE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION RESULTS IMPACT THE SPREAD? The March 2020 elections process is winding down. There will be winners and losers. My concern is that supporters of the winning party may gather to celebrate victory, or the supporters of the losing party may gather to protest their frustration. None of these can be good for us as it will only make the environment conducive for the virus to spread. If this occurs, we may not be able to ride the waves of the tsunami to come.Let us all be responsible

Dr. Zulfikar Bux and express our emotions in a responsible manner and focus on saving our country, our lives, and the lives of our loved ones. Countries with responsible citizens are the ones that are successful. Let’s all be responsible for the sake of our motherland.

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SUNDAY RECOUNT SHOWS PPP233,336 TO COALITION 217,920 - BUT LOWENFIELD REPORT GIVES COALITION LEAD OF 68,383 Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield Saturday June 13 in his report to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), claimed that 55% of the 2,339 ballot boxes used in the March 2 elections were so affected by instances of irregularities, voter impersonation and unreconciled documents, that the total results for each district could not be ascertained to be derived from a fair and impartial election. If these boxes were extracted from the process, as suggested by Lowenfield, the remaining boxes would account for a total of a little over 183,000 votes with the lion’s share going to APNU+AFC (125,010), the bulk of the remained going to the PPP (56,627) and the remainder to the smaller parties. The revised tabulation produced by Lowenfield reverses the outcome of the recount, giving the coalition a lead exceeding 68,000 votes, despite the fact that the total numerical results of the recount placed the PPP/C squarely in the lead, 233,336 to the Coalition 217,920. These details were included in the report Lowenfield was required to submit, on the results of the recount, to the Commission, pursuant to the gazetted order for the National Recount. Saturday, the 13th, was the stipulated deadline for Lowenfield to submit the report to GECOM, as gazetted in the order for the recount. It states in Paragraph 12 that, “The matrices for the recount of the ten (10) Electoral Districts shall then be tabulated by the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) and

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Kaieteur News

shall be submitted in a report, together with a summary of the observation reports for each District, to the Commission on or before the 13th day of June, 2020.” While the order did not require Lowenfield to pronounce on the validity of any party’s allegations or on the credibility of the elections, he did. COLLAPSED DAMS…POLLUTED RIVERS… CHINESE COMPANY BUYINGGUYANA GOLDFIELDS HAS HORRIFYING ENVIRONMENTAL TRACK RECORD -PAPUANEW GUINEA REFUSED TO RENEW LICENCETHREE MONTHS AGO Canadian mining company, Guyana Goldfields Inc recently hit the jackpot. It was able to entice one of China’s top producers of gold and other metals into a relatively short bidding round for its assets. And the Chinese state-company’s offer of C$323 million was simply too superior for an initial suitor, Canadian mining company, Silvercorp metals to top. Guyana Goldfields subsequently inked a binding agreement with Zijin and now stands to benefit from a whopping US$30 million loan facility to finance the ongoing operations of the Aurora gold mine and other liquidity needs. But who exactly is this company that will be entering Guyana’s mining industry by way of this new arrangement? What skeletons, if any, hide in its closet? Is there any reason for the under-staffed and under-resourced Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be concerned? To paraphrase an old movie quote: Be afraid. Be very afraid. Extensive research by

Kaieteur News on the track record of Zijin shows that there is sufficient reason for Guyana’s authorities to be wary of Guyana Goldfields’ new partner. Numerous international reports note that on July 3 and July 16, 2010, acid waste had escaped the company’s copper plant in China’s Fujian province and contaminated the Ting River. The accident was said to be the size of the BP deepwater oil spill, one of the largest in the history of the petroleum industry. The copper plant manager, deputy manager and head of environment were detained and subsequently sent to jail because the company waited nine days before revealing the incident. In 2011, a court in the southeastern Fujian province ordered the Zijin Mining Group to pay a criminal fine of USD $4.6 million for the 2.4 million gallon toxic spill that contaminated the local river and poisoned 2,000 metric tons of fish, enough to feed 72,000 residents for a year. “LOWENFIELD HAS NO AUTHORITY TO GIVE OPINION ON CREDIBILITY OF ELECTIONS” – JAGDEO The Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Saturday June 13 said that Chief Elections Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Keith Lowenfield had “no

authority” to note his personal opinions in the report on the National Recount. Saturday June 13, around noon, Lowenfield submitted Matrices for the recount of the 10 Electoral Districts and a Summary of the Observation Reports for each district to the GECOM Chair, Ret’d Justice Claudette Singh, along with required attachments, pursuant to the gazetted order made by GECOM, under which the national recount of ballots, were done. In its statement, the PPP highlighted the relevant portions of the May 29 addendum to the initial gazetted order which said “The matrices for the recount of the ten (10) Electoral Districts shall then be tabulated by the Chief Election Officer and be submitted in a report, together with a summary of the observation reports for each District, to the Commission on or before 13th day of June 2020.” “It is clear from the above that Lowenfield has no power or authority or any mandate to offer a view, opinion or judgement of any type, either in the Observation Report or the Matrices to be tabulated,” the PPP said, adding that Lowenfield’s singular duty “was to summarize the various Observation Reports and to aggregate the totals in the Matrices.” In his summary of each

District, Lowenfield stated that “The summation of anomalies and instances of voter impersonation identified in District Nine clearly does not appear to satisfy the criteria of impartiality, fairness, and compliance with provisions of the Constitution and the ROPA Cap 1:03. Consequently, on the basis of the votes counted and the information furnished from the recount, it cannot be ascertained that the results for District Ten, Upper Demerara/Berbice, meet the standard of fair and credible elections.” This, according to the Opposition was “clear and blatant violation of the Gazetted order.” MONDAY GRANGER DENIES THAT APNU+AFC COLLUDED TO RIG ELECTIONS - DOUBLES DOWN ON FRAUD CLAIMS, SAYS WILL PROVIDE REPORT President and Chairman of A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) David Granger Sunday last hosted a press conference at State House with selected media houses, where he denied that the Coalition colluded to alter the results of the March 2 General and Regional Elections. He also doubled down on the Coalition’s unsubstantiated

claims of fraud, saying that he will ask the Coalition to provide a report on the claims. He stated, “the APNU+AFC Coalition, of which I am the Chairman, never colluded with anyone to interfere with the electoral process. We went into the elections like the PPP and other minor parties, and we expected an outcome in our favour. We campaigned very hard. It is certainly the most impressive and impactful campaign that I have ever been involved in. And we were awaiting the results like anyone else.” He had been pointed, at the time, to the distinct variation between the results of the elections as stated by the district declarations currently “held in abeyance” and the certificates of recount. The difference between the totals was impacted by the stark difference particularly between the Region Four results and the Region Four recount tabulation, and have further confirmed previous verifiable reports by Kaieteur News that the Region Four Tabulation was rigged by Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo to secure a fraudulent victory for APNU+AFC. Political parties, including the People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C) and A New and United Guyana (ANUG) have accused GECOM of being compromised by a faction (Continued on page 25)

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From page 24 working conspiratorially to aid the Coalition. The European Union Electoral Observer Mission, in its report on the Guyana Elections said that GECOM acted in blatant violation of the law. This refers to the Region Four tabulation. EXXONMOBIL’S OFFSHORE PROJECTS WILL RELEASE MORE THAN 12 TIMES THE GREENHOUSE GAS IT TOLD EPA-US SCIENTIST All things being equal, American oil giant, ExxonMobil will have no less than five Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels working offshore Guyana by 2026. The Liza Phase One Project commenced operations in December 2019 and ExxonMobil is already in the advanced stages of bringing its Liza Phase Two Project on stream by mid-2022. One of the approvals that it will be aggressively pursuing once the elections fiasco is over, relates to its Payara project which it is expected to commence production by 2026 latest. But what remains a key area of concern for local environmental activities is the cumulative impact these five projects would have on the environment, especially as it relates to the release of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) such as Carbon Dioxide (CO2). These gases contribute directly to climate change. According to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the Payara Project, one gets the impression that the release of GHGs by ExxonMobil’s projects would not be at an alarming rate. The document notes that GHG emissions only increase in 2022 with the initiation of production operations for the Liza Phase 2 Development Project, and then again in 2023 with the initiation of production operations for the Payara Project. It was noted that cumulative GHG emissions peak in 2025, when the last of the five considered development projects passes through commissioning and all five projects are in the production operations stage, and then decrease steadily over the next 15 years from approximately 6,500 kilotonnes per year to approximately 5,900 kilotonnes per year, as predicted production levels gradually decrease for the five development projects. But a deeper analysis by reputable scientist Dr. Mark Chernaik of Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide

(ELAW) found significant anomalies that escaped the attention of Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). GRANGER EXCLUDES CRITICAL MEDIA HOUSES FROM PRESS CONFERENCE Kaieteur News, Stabroek News, Newsroom, Guyana Times—media houses which have been acknowledged for being critical during the proceedings of March 2020 Election proceedings, were

Sunday last excluded from attending an interview with the incumbent President David Granger at State House. Meanwhile journalists representing Demerara Waves, Prime News, News Source and state media house the Guyana Chronicle, were present at that interview, where the President sought to discuss with journalists his views on the proceedings of the March 2020 Elections, his vision for the country, COVID-19 and among other key

issues. Prior to the last Sunday interview, the President had conducted a briefing on May 17 at the National Aquatic Centre, during his visit to the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC)—the site where the national recount was conducted. At that May 17 briefing, which was attended by all media houses, the President evaded certain questions when posted at him. He even, in one instance, refused to answer a question from Kaieteur News and subsequently ended the briefing. With the aim of seeking clarity on pressing issues that were avoided by the President Kaieteur News on June 5, directed questions to Granger via his Director of Public Information Service, Ariana Gordon to which she failed to respond to on that day. The following day, Gordon acknowledged receipt of the questions and subsequently, a statement was issued by the President. However, that statement failed to address any of the

questions Kaieteur News had posed to the Head of State. TUESDAY CARICOM SAYS ELECTIONS WERE CREDIBLE, RESULTS CAN BE DECLARED - REJECTS PUBLIC EFFORTS TO DISCREDIT POLLS - ELECTIONS CREDIBLE UP TO ‘DISASTROUS’ REGION FOUR TABULATION - COALITION GAVE ‘ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE’ OF CLAIMS - CREATED FALSE NARRATIVE THAT ELECTIONS WERE NOT CREDIBLE - APNU+AFC AGENTS BEHAVIOUR ‘UNACCEPTABLE’ The CARICOM Scrutineer Team to the National Recount submitted its report to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), in which it stated that the March 2 polls were credible, and that the results of the National Recount should constitute the basis for declaration of the elections’ results. The team

also categorically rejected public efforts to discredit the March 2 polls, stating that it did not view these matters as materially relevant, so as to call the integrity of the elections into question. An excerpt from the report states “… nothing that we witnessed warrants a challenge to the inescapable conclusion that the recount results are acceptable and should constitute the basis of the declaration of the results of the March 02, 2020 elections.” This statement was made by the team, even as it considered the “election errors” or irregularities which occurred on poll day, of which it lists several. In this regard, the team said that it “observed no bias” in the manifestation of those errors, and that the irregularities identified are not sufficient, in their view, to invalidate the tabulation of votes at the recount. In its conclusions and recommendations section, it said “The national recount process then, despite some of its administrative failings, despite some of the minor flaws, is not an indictment of (Continued on page 32)

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From page 25 the 2020 polls and the Team categorically rejects the concerted public efforts to discredit the 2020 poll up to the disastrous Region 4 tabulation.” This refers to the tabulation of Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, in which the results of the general and regional elections for that district were manipulated to secure a fraudulent victory for the APNU+AFC Coalition. CARICOM Ambassador to the Organisation of American States (OAS), Noel Lynch had addressed the OAS Permanent Council on CARICOM’s involvement in Guyana’s National Recount. FOLLOWING REVOCATION OF LEASE... CHINESE STATE-OWNED COMPANY TAKING OVER GUYANAGOLDFIELDS HADTHREATENED PAPUANEW GUINEA GOVT. - PROMISED TO BRING FULL STRENGTH OF LEGAL TEAM TO CHALLENGE CANCELLATION OF LEASE About three months ago, the government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) refused to renew a 20-year mining lease for Zijin Mining Group, one of China’s largest state owned companies. Zijin is part of a joint venture with a local company, Barrick Niugini Limited (BNL) to operate coveted Porgera Mine which is an open pit and underground gold mine located in the Enga province of PNG. It is the second largest mine in Papua New Guinea and is regarded as one of the world’s top ten producing gold mines. Irrespective of the mine’s contribution to the national purse, Marape has made it clear that he places a higher value on his people as well as the protection of his country’s environment, hence his decision to cancel the 20 year-lease on the basis of environmental damage and the social unrest the operations caused. Many villagers protested the operations, stating that it has polluted the water and created other environmental and social problems, with minimal economic benefits for locals. As for Zijin Mining Group and its partner, BNL, the duo is infuriated by the government’s decision. In the case of Zijin, it wrote the Prime Minister and made it pellucid that his actions put at risk, the relations Papua New Guinea enjoys with China which remains its largest creditor. International news

agency, Reuters had published an extract of the letter that was written to Marape by Chairman of Zijin’s Board, Chen Jinghe. The letter said, “As a Chinese enterprise, Zijin would like to contribute to the existing good economic, trade, cultural and inter-governmental relations between China and PNG. However, if Zijin’s investment in Porgera mine is not properly protected by the PNG government, I am afraid there will be significant negative impact on the bilateral relations between China and PNG.” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said in a statement seen by Reuters that the legitimate interests of Chinese firms have to be effectively protected. PPP/C WON ELECTIONS, PREPARE FOR TRANSITION- OAS TELLS GUYANA The Organization of America States (OAS) has told the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh, that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has won Guyana’s 2020 elections, as shown in the recently published report of the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, and as such, the A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) must begin the process of transition—which will allow the legitimately elected government to take its place. In a statement to the

press Monday, the OAS, who acted as one of the international observers missions which monitors the March 2 General and Regional Elections, supported the findings of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which Monday published their observations of the national recount exercise, which were deemed as transparent and credible, and “nothing prevents the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission from now declaring the election, based on these results.” Compounding upon the credibility of the recount results, the OAS made reference to their June 4 statement in which OAS observers who were present on each day of the national recount had reported that the process was conducted in a professional, transparent and impartial fashion, which allowed GECOM, political parties and other stakeholders to accurately determine the results for each polling station. Against this, “the OAS reiterates that there is no reason not to support the results of the recount process.” Furthermore, the OAS made highlight of the that gazetted order for the recount, which required that “ascertained and verified” matrices of the results for each of the ten electoral districts be submitted to the CEO, who would then tabulate these results and submit them to GECOM, along with a summary of the observation

reports prepared for each District. WEDNESDAY GECOM CHAIR CLEARS PATH FOR IRFAAN ALI’S PRESIDENCY The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chair, Justice Claudette Singh, has instructed the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, to prepare a report on the results of the recount to submit to the Commission for a declaration. This clears the way for PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Irfaan Ali, to be sworn in as President following the declaration, as the recount has shown the PPP/C to have attained a clear lead. GECOM stated in a press statement Tuesday, “Justice Claudette Singh has requested for the CEO to prepare a report to ascertain the results of the elections under Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act, Chapter 1:03 and in keeping with Order No. 60 of 2020 and its addendum dated 29th May, 2020.” The National Recount’s General Election results show the PPP/C to have attained 233,336 valid votes, to the APNU+AFC’s 217,920 valid votes. Also notable is the fact that a joinder of The New Movement (TNM), the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and A New and United Guyana (ANUG) has gotten 5,214 valid votes. An unofficial calculation indicates that the PPP/C would have 33 seats in Parliament, while the APNU+AFC coalition would

have 31 seats. Though the joinder did not meet the threshold for the singular remaining seat, it would receive the seat anyway, as it is the list with the next highest number of valid votes. Lowenfield’s report is to be made under Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act as stated in the gazetted recount order, and GECOM said that he is to do so soon. Government nominated Commissioners approached reporters earlier Tuesday to express disappointment with the Chair’s decision. They had, earlier that day, asked her to call fresh elections due to concerns they had about the credibility of the March 2 polls. In a statement, GECOM said that the Chair refused to make such a pronouncement, citing Article 163 of the Constitution, which places the exclusive jurisdiction to pronounce on the validity of elections in the hands of the Court. She pointed to an elections petition. ONLY THE COURT CAN DETERMINE FRESH ELECTIONS – GECOM CHAIR Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh, Tuesday reminded the country that the Commission is not empowered to determine fresh elections, as such a function lies within the jurisdiction of the High Court. Singh, in her decision given to the Commission Tuesday, referenced Articles 162 and 163 of the

Constitution of Guyana, which separate the functions of GECOM and the High Court, respectively in matters of electoral process. Article 162 stipulates that “the Elections Commission shall have such functions connected with or relating to the registration of electors or the conduct of elections as are conferred upon it by or under this Constitution.” Meanwhile, Article 163 (1)(a)(i) states that, “… the High Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction to determine any question… either generally or in any particular place, an election has been lawfully conducted or the result thereof has been, or may have been, affected by any unlawful act of omission.” Throughout the duration of the national recount exercise, which lasted 35 days, the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) claimed that the March 2 General and Regional Elections were neither fair nor credible. During the recount, the Coalition alleged hundreds of irregularities, including asserting that votes were fraudulently cast for the dead, as well as that Guyanese who were not within the jurisdiction had votes cast in their names. With the aim of giving validity to the plethora of (Continued on page 33)

Sunday June 21, 2020

From page 32 unsubstantiated claims, the APNU+AFC provided several list of migrant voters to the elections commission for them to probe. Against this, the former Attorney General and executive of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/ C), Anil Nandlall, had argued that it was not within GECOM’s jurisdiction to investigate the claims submitted to them by the APNU+AFC, stating that such actions came under the authority of the court. “WINNER MUST NOT TAKEALL” – CARTER CENTER The Carter Center has made a call for “Constitutional Reform” to be a high priority for the incoming victors of the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections, with the aim of abolishing the “winnertakes-all system.” The Carter Center said, “Going forward, we call on all Guyanese to prioritize efforts to strengthen Guyana’s democratic institutions and advance constitutional reforms to move beyond the winner-takes-all system,” in a statement issued Tuesday. Despite not being allow entry into Guyana, to observe the National Recount, the Carter Center continued to support and pay keen attention to Guyana’s electoral process, again expressing disappointment that their numerous requests for entry were denied. They were also in high praise of the CARICOM Scrutineering Team report, submitted to the Chair of the Guyana Election Commission (GECOM), Ret’d Justice Claudette Singh, on Monday. “Although the Center is disappointed that it was not allowed to return to Guyana to directly observe the recount, it is encouraged by CARICOM’s largely positive report on the recount process,” the statement said. Further, the Carter Center commended the GECOM on the completion of the recount process and welcomed the CARICOM report, which indicated that despite minor flaws in the process, the recount results are acceptable and provide the basis for a declaration of results from the March 2 election. The Carter Center pointed out that they had previously stated that while electoral preparations and voting and counting procedures met international standards, “the March tabulation process for Region 4 generated results that were deemed by the Center and other international and domestic observers as not credible.” The results of the

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National Recount show that the People’s Progressive Party has won with a grand total of 233,336 votes against the APNU+AFC Coalition’s 217,920 votes. GUYANA RECORDS 12 MORE COVID-19 CASES There are 12 new cases of COVID-19 in Guyana. This is according to Chief Medical Officer (CMO) within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud. The CMO told viewers in a live update via Facebook Tuesday that among the new cases, Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) has recorded its first case. According to the CMO, the nation now has eight out of 10 regions reporting COVID-19 cases. Dr. Persaud said that as at June 16, 2020, of the 36 tests conducted, the new cases were uncovered. “This brings our total number of confirmed cases to 171 and the number of COVID-19 deaths remains at 12. The total number of tests done is 1,995 and of that number 1,822 are negative. We have 60 active cases in institutional isolation and 24 cases in quarantine. We are happy to report that 99 persons have recovered thus far,” the CMO stated. In the global context, Dr. Persaud noted that, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the total number of cases is 7,823,289 with 431,541 deaths. In the Region of the Americas, the total number of positive cases is 3,781, 538 with 201,848 deaths. At the interim, he noted that the Public Health Ministry continues to call on those within the mining community to recognise that they can only be safe if they always follow the guidelines

of wearing a mask when in public, washing their hands as often as possible and maintaining physical distancing. “Please remember that there is no cure so the temptation to self-medicate if you have symptoms of COVID-19 is not recommended. We ask that you seek medical attention by contacting the nearest health facility so that they can bring services to you. The message is not only for the miners within the hinterland region, but for those who are at home on the coastland and have plans of returning. Please remember that you cannot provide for your family if you are sick,” he noted. THURSDAY ‘GET IT OVER WITH’ – SAYS EU OBSERVER MISSION The Electoral Observer Mission of the European Union (EU EOM) said Wednesday that it trusts the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to expeditiously conclude the electoral process using the data from the National Recount. The Mission made this statement Wednesday, in addition to welcoming the report of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Recount Scrutineer team, which found that the March 2 polls were credible, and that the results of the recount are “completely acceptable”. The EU team said that CARICOM’s report reflects the findings it had made in its own final report on the elections; that voting and counting were well managed “all over the country, as was the tabulation of the results

in nine of Guyana’s ten regions.” Like the CARICOM team, the EU team highlighted the Region Four tabulation, described by CARICOM as “disastrous”. The EU EOM said that the Region Four tabulation had “seriously compromised” the integrity of the electoral process. Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo had twice produced fraudulent declarations. But the watchful eyes of a series of political parties and electoral observers had caused the fraud to be unearthed on both occasions, and the National Recount has corrected the numbers. Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield is expected to submit a report of the results of the National Recount under Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act, pursuant to the order for the recount. Upon receipt of this report, GECOM Chair, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh is expected to declare the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) victor of the March 2 polls, and Irfaan Ali President Elect. EXXON’S FLARING REDUCED, PRODUCTION UPAT LIZA 1 – EPA HEAD Head of the Environmental Production Agency (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams, confirmed Wednesday that ExxonMobil has been able to significantly cut back on the gas it has been burning since last Christmas at the Liza Phase One Project in the Stabroek Block. According to Dr. Adams, ExxonMobil has moved from flaring approximately 20 million cubic feet of gas per day to less than 15 million

cubic feet. As a result of reinjecting the gas instead of burning it, ExxonMobil is now able to stimulate the migration of more oil to its production wells. In fact, Dr. Adams said that the oil giant has returned to previous production figures which stood at 80,000 barrels of oil per day. Dr. Adams said, “If you recall, they were experiencing issues with the gas compressor system for the Liza Destiny and were burning about 20 to 15 million cubic feet of gas…The good news is that the flaring is even less now because they are getting the equipment to work. “The flaring is now around 12 million cubic per day. They have been able to ramp up production too. They are back at previous levels. I am hoping that they get to 100 percent re-injection of gas by month-end.” Initially, ExxonMobil was flaring over 80 million cubic feet of gas per day due to issues it had been experiencing with a gas compressor for the Liza Destiny oil vessel. As a result of travel restrictions stemming from the national COVID-19 measures, Exxon faced a number of logistical issues that stymied the speed at which ExxonMobil was expected to get experts on board the oil vessel so that the compressor could be fixed. By the time the media exposed the issue a few weeks ago ExxonMobil had already flared over nine billion cubic feet of gas. SIR SHRIDATH RAMPHAL REMINDS GRANGER OF CARICOM’S LEGITIMACY Sir Shridath Ramphal has reminded President Granger about how he emphatically regarded CARICOM as “the most legitimate interlocutor on the Guyana situation”, following the pronouncement of its Recount Scrutineer Team that Guyana’s elections were credible. “As long ago as 2001, CARICOM Heads of Government (including Guyana’s) have stressed that the Region had a longstanding tradition of respect for the will of the people expressed through free and fair elections on a regular basis and pledged to work together to maintain and strengthen the institution and processes essential to democratic Government,” Sir Ramphal said. The CARICOM report had stated that the elections were credible, and that the results of the recount are “completely acceptable”. But Government nominated Commissioner Vincent Alexander argued against the

findings of the CARICOM team. The team members had written in their report that the coalition provided “absolutely no evidence” to support the many claims of electoral fraud. In response, Alexander said that they were not privy to the information he was privy to about ‘dead and migrant voters’. He also argued that the recount the team observed was sufficient to reflect the will of the people, but insinuated that the team’s report may not have been sufficient as the three had not observed the recount of all 2,339 ballot boxes. Alexander instead pointed to the report of the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, who said that the elections could not be ascertained to be fair and credible for any of the 10 electoral districts. Yet, President Granger had touted CARICOM as “the most legitimate interlocutor” as pointed out by Ramphal, after a visit to the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on June 7. FRIDAY ELECTIONS DECLARATION ON HOLD… LOWENFIELD HOLDING GUYANAAT RANSOM Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield has refused to submit a report on the results of the recount for declaration by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), despite receiving clear instructions to do so from the Chair, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh. Kaieteur News was informed by oppositionnominated commissioner Bibi Shadick, that Lowenfield told the Chair that he had not presented the report at 1PM Thursday, the deadline, because he had received notice of a filing in the Court of Appeal, which was meant to block his submission. Lowenfield reportedly gave this excuse, even though the filing does not prevent him from handing in the report. He then, according to Shadick, said that he would show up at 2PM Thursday, but when that hour came, Lowenfield was nowhere to be found. However, some argue that there is much hypocrisy in Lowenfield’s reluctance to submit his final report after bearing in mind that he had previously submitted a report to the Commission, despite an injunction filed against him by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C). On March 7, two days after Region Four Returning (Continued on page 34)

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Friday. GECOM CHAIR ASKS COURT TO THROW OUT CASE AGAINST LOWENFIELD’S REPORT

From page 33 Officer (RO) Clairmont Mingo had declared fraudulent elections results, Lowenfield prepared his final report on the March 2 General and Regional Elections and had called for a meeting of the Elections Commission to approve it even though, there was an injunction filed by the opposition, barring them from declaring the election results. At the time his report had contained unverified votes in Region Four, the most decisive and contentious district.

of $333,766,320. 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.

GPL BUYS 8 BUCKET TRUCKS FOR $587M

FLARING BY EXXONMOBIL… EPA MOVES TO CLOSE LOOPHOLES IN PERMITS

As Guyana waits in bated breath for the results of elections 2020 to be announced, it is business as usual at a few State companies. The Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) on Tuesday approved almost $600M in payments for eight utility trucks. The payment of $587M to Massy Motors (Guy) Limited would have come after a Local Purchase Order was issued on January 31, 2020. While GPL is a stateowned company with Board of Directors, with the elections process ongoing, there has been deep worry by opposition parties about last minute spending. The order said that GPL paid for four IVECO trucks with “Versa SST 40 Bucket Truck (45 feet)” for $63,334,365. The four trucks cost $253,337,460. The same Local Purchase Order also said that four IVECO/VST 5500 Utility Truck (65 feet) were ordered. They cost $83,441,580 each for a total

When the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) learnt last year that ExxonMobil was releasing toxic chemicals into the atmosphere by burning significant amounts of gas, it did not believe that the situation would go beyond a few days much less closing in on six months. Head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Vincent Adams said that this state of affairs is indeed embarrassing but he was adamant that the regulatory body will be putting measures in place for more accountability, starting with improving the permit that allowed for ExxonMobil to flare in the first place. Speaking on Kaieteur R a d i o ’s programme, G u y a n a ’s O i l a n d Yo u Thursday, Dr. Adams said the regulatory body has learned that it is the broad language in ExxonMobil’s permit that gave the oil giant the leverage to flare over 12 million cubic feet

of gas per day without a single repercussion. According to the permit, ExxonMobil is allowed to flare or burn some amount of associated gas during the start up of its operations. The permit is silent on what occurs during the case of mechanical issues and how long a start-up period is expected to last. In the absence of those clear terms, ExxonMobil was allowed to continue its business as usual and burn the associated gas until it can fix the issues it is experiencing with the gas compressor system for the Liza Destiny oil vessel. D r. A d a m s r e v e a l e d that ExxonMobil has been informed that such loopholes in its current permit will be closed. He also said that future permits will also have much tighter and clearer conditions for flaring. SATURDAY “I CAN NO LONGER WAIT QUIETLYAND POLITELYWHILE OUR COUNTRY GETS HIJACKED, RIDICULED AND TORN APART.” – CALLS LOWENFIELD’S REPORT ‘DEVIOUS’ The Alliance for Change (AFC)’s Hans Dominic Gaskin made an extensive Facebook post Friday, 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 s l i m m a j o r i t y, t h e 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 possible 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-inlaw, said in his statement

Chairman of the Guyana 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 KyteThomas 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 C E O ’s o p i n i o n w i t h o u t giving interested parties an opportunity to be heard? Is GECOM to hold court and take evidence? The 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. GPL’S $63M TRUCK CAN BE PICKED UP FOR LESS THAN $25M 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 Friday, 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 Friday, 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.

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Ansa Mcal presents grand Enetworks to air Veronica Mars Stag-errific Father’s Day Promotion at 9PM For Father’s Day, the management team for the Stag beer that is distributed at Ansa Mcal Trading Limited, has launched the most awesome “stag-errific” promotion that you don’t want to miss out on. To enter, all you have to do is purchase a six pack of Stag, write your name, address and telephone number at the back of your bill, and

place it into entry boxes that are available at outlets in Georgetown, East Bank Demerara, East Berbice, East Coast Demerara, Essequibo coast, Bartica and Linden. The prizes up for grabs include a bar-bque grill, coolers filled with stag, two cases of stag and one 125 Honda Motorcycle. The promotion runs until month-end. The drawing date is set for July 4, 2020.

Fireside Grill-N-Chill presents special Father’s Day Menu Every Father’s Day presents a special opportunity to show that incredible being in your life just how much they matter to you. And what better way to do this by nourishing their stomachs with meals so well prepared, it touches the soul. To help you achieve this goal, the Fireside Grill-N-Chill is offering a special Father’s Day Menu. It includes 16oz Butter Basted Rib-eye steak, honey glazed baby back

ribs with whiskey marinade, brown sugar bourbon T-bone steak, seafood trio (an 8oz lobster tail, prawns or scallops), surf and turf (lobster, lamb chops and prawns). The irresistibly tasty sides include: macaroni salad, creamed spinach, sweet potato salad and so much more. There is also a complimentary beer with every purchase. To make your orders call: 6233473 or 681-9306.

If you’re looking for a television show that leaves you at the edge of your seat in bliss and excitement then this week’s episode of Veronica Mars is guaranteed to meet your needs. If you are new to this enthralling series then allow the Kaieteur Entertainment team to fill you in. Veronica Mars is an American teen noir mystery drama television series created by screenwriter Rob Thomas. The series is set in the fictional town of Neptune, California and stars Kristen Bell as the eponymous character. The character Veronica Mars is a student who progresses from high school to college while moonlighting as a private investigator under the tutelage of her detective father. In each episode, Veronica solves a different stand-alone case while working to solve a more complex mystery. The first two seasons of the series each had a season-long mystery arc, introduced in the first episode of the season

and solved in the season finale. The third season took a different format, focusing on smaller mystery arcs that

would last the course of several episodes. The next episode on the adventures of Ms. Mars will be aired tonight by Enetworks at 9PM.

The Folonari Moscato: Alluringly aromatic and delightful While Muscat comes in a wide range of styles from dry to sweet, still to sparkling and even fortified, it’s safe to say it is always alluringly aromatic and delightful. The two most important versions are the noble, Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, making wines of considerable quality and Muscat of Alexandria, thought to be a progeny of the former. Somm Secret— Pliny the Elder wrote in the 13th century of a sweet, perfumed grape variety so attractive to bees that he referred to it as uva apiana, or “grape of the bees.” Most likely, he was describing Muscat. Folonari which is distributed by Ansa McAL Trading Limited, was founded in 1825 by Francesco Folonari. The company and vineyards first grew in Valmonica in the Veneto region of Italy. In the laterhalf of the 19th century, Francesco and his sons moved to Brescia in the verdant alpine foothills between Lake Iseo and Lake Garda, establishing one of Italy’s finest winemaking facilities and securing a worldwide reputation for quality.From

the very beginning, the Folonari family wanted to create wines accessible to everyday tables. They pioneered the production and distribution of wine in bottles, which made it easier for people to enjoy consistently high-quality wine whenever the mood struck. A bottle from the Folonari

winery made on one day was certain to be just as excellent as a bottle produced the next, or in a few weeks, or in a few months. This philosophy of bringing exceptional wines to everyday occasions continues to guide Folonari today. (https:// www.wine.com/product/ folonari-moscato/132503#)

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Kaieteur News

Sugar: should we eliminate it from our diet? Sugar seems to have developed a reputation as the big bad wolf in relation to health. Medical News Today have reported on numerous studies associating sugar intake with increased aging, cardiovascular disease, obesity and even cancer. Such research has led to many health experts around the globe calling for reductions in recommended sugar intake, with some saying we should cut out sugar completely. But is it really that bad for our health? We investigate. Put simply, sugar is a crystalline carbohydrate that makes foods taste sweet. There are many different types of sugar, including glucose, fructose, lactose, maltose and sucrose - also known as table sugar. Some of these sugars, such as glucose, fructose and lactose, occur naturally in fruits, vegetables and other foods. But many of the foods we consume contain “added” sugars - sugar that we add to a product ourselves to enhance the flavor or sugar that has been added to a product by a manufacturer. The most common sources of added sugars include soft drinks, cakes, pies, chocolate, fruit drinks and desserts. Just a single can of cola can contain up to 7 tsps of added sugar, while an average-sized chocolate bar can contain up to 6 tsps. It is added sugars that have been cited as a contributor to many health problems. In December 2014, MNT reported on a study in the journal Open Heart claiming added sugars may increase the risk of high blood pressure, even more so than sodium. And in February 2014, a study led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) associated high added sugar intake with increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease (CVD). Perhaps most strongly, added sugars have been associated with the significant increase in obesity. In the US, more than a third of adults are obese, while the rate of childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents over the past 30 years. A 2013 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggested that consumption of sugarsweetened beverages increases weight gain in both children and adults, while a review paper from the World Health Organization (WHO) notes an increase in the consumption of such beverages correlates with the increase in obesity.

In support of these associations is Dr. Robert Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist at the University of CaliforniaSan Francisco and author of the book Fat Chance: The Hidden Truth About Sugar, who claims sugar is a “toxic” substance that we are becoming addicted to. A 2008 study by researchers from Princeton University, NJ, found rats used to consuming a high-sugar diet displayed signs of binging, craving and withdrawal when their sugar intake was reduced. “We need to wean ourselves off. We need to desweeten our lives. We need to make sugar a treat, not a diet staple,” Dr. Lustig told The Guardian in 2013. “The food industry has made it into a diet staple because they know when they do you buy more,” he added. “This is their hook. If some unscrupulous cereal manufacturer went out and laced your breakfast cereal with morphine to get you to buy more, what would you think of that? They do it with sugar instead.” In her popular blog, Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow cites sugar addiction as one of the reasons she decided to quit sugar completely. “The bottom line is that sugar works the addiction and reward pathways in the brain in much the same way as many illegal drugs,” she writes. “Sugar is basically a socially acceptable, legal, recreational drug with deadly consequences.” Statistics show that we are certainly a nation of added-sugar lovers. According to a report from the CDC, adults in the US consumed around 13% of their total daily calorie intake from added sugars between 2005-2010, while 16% of children’s and adolescents’ total calorie intake came from added sugars between 2005-2008. These levels are well above those currently recommended by WHO, which state we should consume no more than 10% of total daily calories from “free” sugars both naturally occurring sugars and those that are added to products by the manufacturer. In 2013, however, MNT reported on a study by Prof. Wayne Potts and colleagues from the University of Utah, claiming that even consuming added sugars at recommended levels may be harmful to health, after finding that such levels reduced lifespan in mice. Is eliminating sugar from

our diet healthy? The array of studies reporting the negative implications of added sugar led to WHO making a proposal to revise their added sugar recommendations in 2014. The organization issued a draft guideline stating they would like to halve their recommended daily free sugar intake from 10% to 5%. “The objective of this guideline is to provide recommendations on the consumption of free sugars to reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases in adults and children,” WHO explained, “with a particular focus on the prevention and control of weight gain and dental caries.” In addition, it seems many health experts, nutritionists and even celebrities like Gwyneth have jumped on a “no sugar” bandwagon. But is it even possible to completely eliminate sugar from a diet? And is it safe? Biochemist Leah Fitzsimmons, of the University of Birmingham in the UK, told The Daily Mail: “Cutting all sugar from your diet would be very difficult to achieve. Fruits, vegetables, dairy products and dairy replacements, eggs, alcohol and nuts all contain sugar, which would leave you with little other than meat and fats to eat - definitely not very healthy.” Many people turn to artificial sweeteners as a sugar alternative, but according to a study reported by MNT in 2014, these sweeteners may still drive diabetes and obesity. The study, published in the journal Nature, suggests artificial sweeteners - including saccharin, sucralose and aspartame - interfere with gut bacteria, increasing the activity of pathways associated with obesity and diabetes. What is more, they found long-term consumption of artificial sweeteners was associated with increased weight, abdominal o b e s i t y, h i g h e r f a s t i n g blood glucose levels and increased glycosylated hemoglobin levels. “Together with other major shifts that occurred in human nutrition, this increase in artificial sweetener consumption coincides with the dramatic increase in the obesity and diabetes epidemics,” the authors note. “Our findings suggest that artificial sweeteners may have directly contributed to enhancing the exact epidemic that they themselves were intended to http:// fight.” www.medicalnewstoday.com.

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Sunday June 21, 2020

Melissa Playter hopes to raise bail to... From page 45 experience and a life-long scar for Melissa, her aunt says. The man is said to have chopped her in the face, leaving a terrible scar and resulting in a hospital stay. A report was made to the police and the young mother moved in with her grandparents, but Melissa decided not to pursue the case and returned to living with the man. On December 2, 2018, things came to a head. According to neighbours, Victor again started abusing Melissa, verbally and physically. He ran towards her and repeated his threat to kill her as the two got into a scuffle. Victor subsequently collapsed and was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced

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dead. A visibly dazed Melissa Playter was arrested and charged with murder. Upon appearing before a Magistrate, she was remanded to prison pending further court proceedings. As Melissa languishes in prison while awaiting a trial, her young children are yearning for their mother. While her 6-year-old and 9-year-old are in the care of their paternal grandparents, they face an uncertain future. Her youngest is now without either parent, just like Melissa at her age. Her family strongly believes that the difficulties Melissa faced negatively impacted her adult life, and they wish to end the cycle by bringing Melissa home to spend as

much time with her children as possible. The You Are Not Alone (YANA) Foundation and its CEO Melissa Atwell have embarked on a campaign to raise funds to secure Melissa’s pretrial liberty via a bail application to the High Court. They are expected to raise $500,000 to make that happen and would like the help of the public. Once Melissa is released, the foundation plans to assist her in returning to her children as well as pursuing avenues of self-development as she awaits her trial. Persons interested in assisting can contact +592677-7992 or yanaguyana592@gmail.com for further details.

Body with plastic bag over head…

Two remanded for murder of construction worker

Ruling in case against elections credibility... From page 3 Appeal to permit it to make any determination as to the validity of an election. Such determination can only judicially be arrived at after a trial process capable of and sufficient to permit the resolution of factual disputes,” he said. Further, Mendes told the Court without prejudice to the foregoing, the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal under section 177 (4) can only be invoked after a President has been elected, adding “This is clear from a proper construction of the Article 177(2), (4) and (6).” He noted therefore that the issues have been raised in the application prematurely and should be outlined by way of an Elections Petition. He stressed that the Elections Petitions fall under the sole jurisdiction of the High Court. At one point in the lawyer’s submission, Justice Gregory sought to inquire why points raised about the alleged anomalies could not be dealt with in this case but were given hearing in the case filed against Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo in similar proceeding before court. In this regard, Mendes noted that the case against Mingo is one which the court narrowly determined that the Mingo had breached the procedure outlined for the tabulation of votes. “This case your honours seeks to raise questions about the credibility of an elections based on issues that should come by way of an elections

petition,” Mendes noted. Similarly Attorney, Kim Kyte-Thomas, for GECOM‘s Chairperson, retired Justice Claudette Singh agreed to the notion that the court lacks jurisdiction. Kyte-Thomas noted that Article 177(4) clothes the Court of Appeal with a narrow special exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine any question as to the validity of an election of a president in so far as that question turns upon the qualification of any person for election or the interpretation of this constitution. “The marginal note speaks to the Election of President. Hence it is submitted that the words or the interpretation of the constitution in Article 177(4) relate to interpretation of the constitutional provisions in relation to the qualification of any person for election to the office of the President. The Court of Appeal is therefore not vested with original jurisdiction to hear questions on the interpretation of the constitution outside of this narrow special jurisdiction. It is the High Court which is so vested,” she said. Kyte-Thomas emphasized that any declaration that GECOM failed to act in accordance with its order and 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

Vendor dies after falling... From page 9 then went around the yard searching for him; while searching, Persaud’s lifeless body was discovered lying at the bottom of the stairs. The man raised an alarm and Persaud was rushed to the Bartica Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. The matter was later reported to the police and an investigation was launched. The body was examined and it revealed Persaud received abrasions to his left shoulder, elbow and swelling on the forehead. His body is at the Lyken Funeral Parlour.

struck out forth-with,” she said. Attorney, Kashir Khan who appeared in association with Mohamed Khan and Mishka Puran for The Citizen Initiative and Change Guyana – two smaller political parties which contested in the 2020 elections also drove home the point of jurisdiction. He stressed that the Court has no jurisdiction to hear the matter since Article 177 (4) of the Constitution relates to the qualification of the President and not the issue of the credibility of an elections or the validity of votes. The question of interpretation, he argued, under Article 177 2 (b) is not within the preview of the Court of Appeal is distinct and separate from the exclusive jurisdiction conferred in it by Article 177 (4). He said too that the Court of Appeal has no authority to grant restraining orders to prevent Lowenfield from performing his statutory duties as directed by the Chairman of the Commission or in the context of the proceedings. Senior Counsel, Ralph Ramkarran in his representation of the other parties A New United Guyana (ANUG), The New Movement (TNM) and the Liberty and Justice Party, (LJP) noted that since the Motion has been filed pursuant to the jurisdiction conferred by Article 177(4), it is to be assumed that the Motion would be dealing with the qualification of a person who has been elected President or any interpretation of the Constitution as regards the qualification of that person. The words “as to the validity of an election of a President” in Article 177(4), quoted above, can only mean that in order to invoke the Article the President must already have been elected. He too stressed that since the President has not been elected, the court lacks jurisdiction to determine the issues outlined by the applicant.

Slain: Andy Williams

Remanded: Afrazudeen Ally

Remanded: Yudesh Kissoon

Two men who allegedly dumped construction worker Andy Williams’ body in a trench after bludgeoning him with a hammer were remanded yesterday after appearing in the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrates’ Court. Murder charges were read to Afrazudeen Ally, 35, a fisherman of Area ‘G’ De Willem, West Coast Demerara and Yudesh Kissoon, called ‘Chucky,’ a 29-year-old

labourer also of De Willem, when they appeared before Magistrate Zameena Ali. They were remanded until August 24, when the case will be transferred to the Leonora Magistrates’ Court. It is alleged that Kissoon and Ally murdered 45-yearold Andy Williams, on Zeeburg, West Coast Demerara, between June 6 and June 8, 2020 at De Willem. Police allege that Williams

was slain in Ally’s home. The victim is said to have had an altercation with Ally two months prior to his death. Williams, whose wife and four daughters are in Venezuela, was last seen alive on Saturday, June 6, shortly after he left a rum shop in Zeeburg, West Coast Demerara. His body, with a plastic bag over his head, was found a few days later in a trench near Ally’s home.

STANDARDS IN FOCUS Implementing the ISO 50001 standard helps organisations manage their energy use An energy management system helps organisations to better manage their energy use, and it has a significant impact on improving productivity. Usually, the establishment of an energy management system involves developing and implementing an energy policy, setting achievable targets for energy use, and designing action plans to reach them and measure progress. This may result in the implementation of new and more efficient technologies to reduce energy waste or improve current processes to cut energy costs. The ISO 50001:2011 (Energy Management Systems – Requirements with guidance for use) is an international energy management standard, which gives organisations a recognised framework for developing an effective energy management system. This standard, which follows the Plan-Do-Check-Act process of continual improvement, specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and improving an energy management system. It enables any organisation to follow a sys-

tematic approach in achieving continual improvement of energy performance, including energy efficiency, energy use, and consumption. The standard applies to any organisation wishing to ensure that it conforms to its stated energy policy and wishing to demonstrate this to others. Implementing the ISO 50001 can be considered very beneficial as it is designed to help organisations improve their performance by making better use of energy-intensive assets. Improved energy performance can provide rapid benefits for organisations by maximizing their use of energy sources and energy-related assets; reducing both cost and consumption. Today, the ISO 50001 standard is used by large and small organisations all over the world and can be adopted and implemented as a pillar for energy management by many of our local corporations to reduce their environmental impact, enhance their reputation, and to improve competitiveness. Further, certification to this international standard can help enhance an organisation’s energy man-

agement capabilities to its stakeholders and customers. However, to certify or not is a decision to be taken by the organisation, unless imposed by regulations.The recently revised ISO 50001 standard includes a range of crucial aspects such as management responsibility and representation, energy policy, energy planning, implementation and operation of the system, checking, and record control. Further, the standard addresses non-conformities, corrective and preventative actions.As we commit to building a greener economy, every organisation in Guyana can make its contribution by establishing an energy management system, which is in alignment with international best practices. Implementation of ISO 50001 is one of the ways to start. The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) as part of its Business Support Services can provide technical guidance and support to any organisation desirous of implementing this standard. For further information, please call the GNBS on 2190066 or visit the GNBS website: www.gnbsgy.org

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Kaieteur News

Sunday June 21, 2020

36 police officers trained in licensing and certifying -will fill void of retired ranks A section of the officers undergoing training

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Diesel Mechanic.Contact:223PROGRESSIVE CAR 5273/223-5274. RENTAL: CARS & SUV’S C A L L : 6 5 6 - 0 0 8 7 / 6 4 3 - Welder.Contact:223-5273/2235 1 2 2 , E 5274. MAIL:PROAUTORENTAL @YAHOO.COM Cook.Contact:223-5273/2235274. AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL & TOW TRUCK SERVICE: LAND FOR SALE PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MINI BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPORT & FAMILY OUTINGS, Parfaite Harmonie main road CHEAPEST RATE#698- corn lot $3.2M , 1.6M, Herstelling $4.3M, Schoonard 7807. main road $4.5M.Call#6662326. HEALTH Herbal Remedies- Diabetes, Hypertension, Hyplori, Gall & Kidney Stones, Respitory illness, PCOS etc. Contact Sparman# 676-5924

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Thirty-six traffic ranks from the ten regions have completed a week long training session in Licensing and Certifying. Traffic Chief, Linden Isles who was one of the in house facilitators told Kaieteur News that the training session was held to curb the current shortage in this department due to “persons retiring and leaving the force.” “When accidents occur, there is a need for a certifying officer to check the vehicles. The shortage (of trained ranks) has caused persons to have to wait to get their vehicles back because there is no certifying officer to check them. “These officers will now boost the system

and help to curb this issue” Isles said. The training was held at the Police Officer’s Training Centre, in collaboration with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Ministry of Public Infrastructure (MOPI), Director of Public Prosecutor’s (DPP) office, Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) among other entities. It focused on areas related to metrology, the International System of Units, calibration and use of speed guns and breathalyzers, issuance of workshop licence, road licence along with the inspection of tyres among other areas.

Sunday June 21, 2020

Our Frontline Worker of the Week is...

Dr. Gavinash Persaud From page 43 many fun-filled days playing bumper ball cricket on the beaches of Johanna Cecelia and Zorg Village. But according to Dr. Persaud, “sadly, no beach is there anymore as they have eroded due to the rising water level.” But it wasn’t all play and no work even though there were many days he’d rather just surrender to the exuberances of boyhoodness. In fact, he intimated “ever since I was a kid in primary school, I wanted to study medicine. I had a strong liking for the sciences, and it was never a problem getting good grades in those subjects that would propel me onto the path of medicine.” After landing a scholarship to study medicine in Cuba and then completing his internship at the GPHC, Dr. Persaud was sent to the Bartica District Hospital in Region Seven. There he remained for about two and a half years before being reassigned to Region Five where he functioned as RHO for an identical period. “After this stint in Region Five, I worked in the Accident and Emergency Room of the GPHC,” said Dr. Persaud who also spent some time working in the private sector. Later he became a successful applicant of a Chevening scholarship, which allowed him, in 2018, to complete a Master of Science in Diabetes Best Practice from the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. “Upon my return, I secured employment with the GPHC and was stationed at Industry Health Centre until COVID-19 surveillance became necessary at GPHC,” he shared. REFLECTIONS As he considered the journey to being on the frontline today at the GPHC, Dr. Persaud in reflection mode said, “My profession has allowed me to render medical care to a wide cross-section of the Guyanese population. It has helped me to understand conditions: medical, social, psychological, financial, etc., all of which are relevant when delivering medical care to persons living with certain illnesses.” He expressed in no uncertain terms too that “My training and experience has also afforded me skills: medical, interpersonal, budgetary, networking, management and planning which places me in a privileged position to deliver positive results no matter the circumstances.” But even though teeming with knowledge and expertise suitable for even a first world health care system, a patriotic Dr. Persaud has long recognised that this dear land

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CONSUMER

More economical buying consumer durables from large stores with better warranties than small stores with better prices By Pat Dial As consumer advocates, the Guyana Consumers Association (GCA) receives two or three complaints per month from persons who had purchased consumer durables such as refrigerators, washing machines, toasters, electric irons, blenders and so on. Most of these purchases had become non-functional in less than a six month period and almost all purchases were made at the small downtown shops in Georgetown. The majority of these shops are owned by Chinese nationals.

With his ‘little princess’, Emily. needs him more than any other could. Also, he confided, places like North American could never be his home since “I cannot tolerate cold and I am not prepared to incorporate myself into other people’s culture and habits. I particularly love our food and drinks and everything about Guyana.” What makes this doctor particularly outstanding too, like a few others in our thriving health care system, is the fact that he fully embraces the former US President, John F. Kennedy’s coined maxim “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” In asking this, the answer became clear to Dr. Persaud. “We have a large diabetic population that needs my skills and enthusiasm for diabetic care and therefore I can make a huge difference to the lives of people living with diabetes in Guyana.” In providing patients with the best possible care, he found that there was need, to not only ensure that his staffers are comfortable, but that his department, at all times, had what was required for it to function optimally. It is such crucial traits Dr. Persaud has taken with him to be a key player in the national response against COVID-19. RESILIENCE Important to this cause too, is the need for him to remain on top of his game. As such, staying healthy isn’t something he merely preaches to his patients but rather a way of life. Moreover, for this Tuschen New Scheme, East Bank Essequibo resident, the day begins at 5am with a 2 km run. “I take

physical activity seriously… I firmly believe that a healthy body generates a healthy mind. I run about 25 km each week (including) afternoon runs.” He also does resistance training as part of keeping fit and healthy. With a healthy mind and body, Dr. Persaud is able to utilise his time wisely, and timing for him must be almost impeccable if he is to navigate the morning traffic and evade usual congestion at the western end of the Demerara Harbour Bridge in order to make it to work on time. What is interesting to note though, is that after decontaminating away possible infiltration after a hard day’s work, Dr. Persaud is able to effortlessly step into his other roles of being a husband to Althea Gibson-Persaud and a father to their daughter Emily. Emily is in fact celebrating her sixth birthday today and, indeed, the Persauds’ household has much to celebrate today. “I try to be at home as much as I can,” said Dr. Persaud. “Though I must work hard since we have serious ‘future’ plans…COVID has restricted our movements but when it’s over I will take the family on a trip somewhere, the wife decides,” said this unapologetic family man who still finds time to indulge in a bit of reading every chance he gets. “I am a big fan of OSHO, Jiddu Krishnamurti and Henry Thomas Hamblin,” said Dr. Persaud who has over the years been able to fashion his thinking and actions into becoming the epitome of a manly man.

Most of these consumer durables tend to suffer from manufacturers faults or some difficulty with the electricals. A majority of these faulty goods tend to be refrigerators, freezers and washing machines. The smaller shops in downtown Georgetown tend to offer their consumer durables at cheaper prices than the established stores with warranties of one to three months or even no warranties at all though the Consumer Protection Act stipulates that if no warranty is given by the seller, a 6-month warranty immediately kicks in. To circumvent the Act, sellers give a month’s warranty. Many of the goods sold are suspected of being older models or even second hand. Sometimes they do not add value-added tax VAT and if the purchaser questions this, they offer another small discount but no bills or receipts are to be given. Most of these consumers who make complaints to the GCA tend to be from the countryside or the poorer sections of Georgetown and have little knowledge of their rights. Accordingly, when they see a washing machine or refrigerator offered at several thousand dollars cheaper than prices at the established stores, they are attracted to purchase oblivious of the absence of after-purchase service facilities, spare parts availability or fair warranties or guarantees. On the other hand, a few willingly take this gamble. We will illustrate the dilemma facing consumers purchasing consumer durables by giving two actual examples from the files of the Guyana Consumers Association:About six months ago, a person who lives in Linden purchased a small washing machine from a store in America Street, Georgetown. The price was just over three thousand dollars cheaper than prices in the established

stores. In the first week after purchase, the purchaser found that the machine was malfunctioning and he complained to the seller. He was told to return the machine to the store but that he would not have it again for another week. The purchaser did manage to return the machine but received it only near to the end of the month’s warranty. The machine still continued to malfunction and on complaining again to the seller, he was told that his warranty had expired and that he would now have to pay for repairs or hire his own technician. When the GCA intervened, the seller politely told them that the warranty had expired and the consumer had now to pay for his repairs. The GCA pointed out to him that he was attempting to circumvent the Competition and Consumer Protection Act and that he was responsible for providing transportation for the machine and to ensure that it was working properly. It was only when the seller had realized that the GCA could take legal action under the Competition and Consumer Protection Act and would have had the support of the Consumer Protection Commission and the Consumer Section of the Ministry of Business that he gave the consumer his rights. Buying consumer durables from the small shops despite their cheaper prices than those of the established stores such as Singers, Courts, Kissoon’s and others, is somewhat of a risk.We will now give you the other contrasting example. We use a purchase from Singers since the purchaser’s documentation is available but we are confident that Courts, Kissoon’s and other established stores equally offer the same accommodation as Singers: The purchaser went shopping for a refrigerator. He first visited several of the smaller stores who were offering the type of refrigerator he wished to buy at five to six thousand dollars cheaper than at Singers or the other established stores. The store clerks were not very accommodating and they would not offer a warranty for more than 6 months. None of these had a repair shop or even a permanent repair technician. They would not readily offer transportation facilities and could not give an indication of how long a machine would be kept if sent for repair. At Singers, Water Street, Georgetown, the purchaser reported that the store clerks

were helpful and courteous and that after he had chosen his refrigerator, he was guided to the Accounts who offered him the hire-purchase or cash option, explaining the conditions attached to both and patiently answering all questions. He made a cash purchase and was issued with a proper receipt containing the terms of the warranty and was told when it would be delivered to his home. Unfortunately, the manual was in Spanish and the store did not have an English one at hand but promised to send the purchaser the English version as soon as one had arrived. Since the purchaser had decided to install the machine strictly according to the manual instructions, Singers extended his warranty for an extra month. The Singer warranty for fridges is one year on the body and three years for the motor. After a week of usage, the gasket rubber along the door of the freezer compartment fell out. The repair section courteously and patiently received the complaint and had a technician visit the home next morning and fix the fault. This was of course done within the warranty without charge. Two years went by and the refrigerator had stopped working but the consumer could not get in contact with Singers immediately because of the Covid-19 lockdown and the fact that the Company only opened its doors twice per week at shortened hours. The consumer was eventually able to contact the company and lodge his complaint. He admitted that he was very irritable because his fridge had been out of commission for nearly a month and he had lost some perishables but the staff had remained unfailingly tolerant and polite. The fridge was duly picked up, taken to the workshop and returned in working order. Since the warranty was in force, no charges were made. The consumer was high in his praise of the businesslike approach and courtesy of the Singer management and staff. He strongly felt it was more economical and secure to buy consumer durables from the established stores where one could be certain of quality, after-purchase service and fair warranties, which are faithfully honoured. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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Kaieteur News

Sunday June 21, 2020

De facto Gov’t in mad rush to legalize land deals - Hundreds of acres of prime East Coast land involved

One of the Vesting Orders (details blanked out) seen by Kaieteur News.

As Guyana gets ready for a long-overdue and contentious declaration of the March 2 General Elections, there is evidence now that moves are underway to sign away large portions of former sugar lands on the East Coast of Demerara. According to a number of vesting orders, transactions were signed by the Finance Ministry and others for the transfer of immovable property starting from Goedverwagting, in the Ogle airport going east. The lands are former lands of the Guyana Sugar Corporation and lie near the former headquarters of the Guyana Sugar Corporation at Ogle. These are prime spots that are located near a major planned highway that would link the East Coast to the East Bank transportation network. These lands form almost 1,000 acres of prime lands

have been opened by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) for commercial development, said to be worth billions of dollars. Kaieteur New understands that this month alone, several persons were contacted by government officials with offers to purchase what amounts to hundreds of acres of land. Earlier this year, just days before elections, the Granger administration had announced several major projects – including the sod turning ceremony of what was promised to be three international brand hotels – to be developed in the area. The opposition as well as public accountability advocates had argued at the time that the government, being in caretaker mode, could not be involved in such deals. This month’s offers, including several transactions that Kaieteur

News understands are ready to be gazette as early as tomorrow, come in the wake of government having even less legitimacy than it enjoyed in December after the elections recount exercise has shown the People’s Progress Party beating the Granger coalition by some 15,000 votes. The disposal of state lands in this way and at this time, particularly those deals necessitating the signature of de facto Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, bring into question the legality of these transactions. With the current court case in which the Granger administration is seeking to block a declaration coming out of the recount results being decided tomorrow, and the probability of Irfaan Ali being sworn in, the urgency with which the land deals are being pushed raises serious public accountability questions.

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Guyana’s lone Olympic Medalist in 40... From page 24 could,” the Olympian explained. The atmosphere at such a humongous World Event must have been intimidating for the 23-year-old Guyanese. “There were so many people, but you would not see anyone from Guyana. Security was tight. Everywhere you went there were soldiers. On the road to his Bronze Medal Parris got past Nigerian Nureni Gbadamosi, a boxer from the US Virgin Islands and Mexican Daniel Zaragoza. In the Semi-finals he was beaten by Cuban Juan Hernandez in very competitive bout. “The feeling of standing on the podium was

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unexplainable. It was a great achievement…...my emotions were all over the place. I felt very proud to the first Olympic Medalist from my Country Guyana. Just standing there and seeing the Guyana flag in the air. I think I got cold sweat from joy, and seeing so many people…I don’t think I could get that feeling again. The Olympics changed my life in so many ways. I was able to return to my County as a proud Champion. I was more recognised, respected and acknowledged for my hard work,” explained Parris. During Parris’ era and a bit after that, capacity crowds at the Sports Hall was the norm but now few spectators come to watch Boxing and the

veteran Parris gives his reason for this. “I believe that big crowds supported boxing back then because the fights were attractive and entertaining. We need more promotion, more competition and more overseas exchange programmes,” the father of eight opined. “I believe the level of Boxing is reasonable high. There are a few promising boxers with good talent and I believe that if they get more exposure they can win Olympic Medals” continued Parris. “The difference between my time and this generation is that I believe the youths are more exposed and have more facilities available which they

Sunday June 21, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) This is a good day to stand up for yourself and make it known that you aren't a pushover. Use the powerful energy of the day to follow through on projects that may have lost momentum.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) There is no need to frown when another person walks by just because you don't know that person, Libra. You must break the habit of living your life in fear.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) f you want to shine brightly, Taurus, then do so. Maintaining balance includes sometimes being a bit selfish. Feel free to radiate your beauty to the world.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) A blast of energy is headed your way today. You'll find that there is no shortage of adrenaline in your system. Don't delay - there are opportunities now that may not be there for you later.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) People would be wise to get out of your way today, Gemini. You might find yourself feeling like a steam engine that's stoked to the brim with fiery hot coals.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You could run into some emotional roadblocks today. This could be due to a lack of honesty on your part. Make sure you're sticking to the truth at all times.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) The fiery energy of the day is helping you press on with projects you have in the works. Set things in motion now. Move out of the background and onto center stage.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) There is a fun-loving, boisterous energy to the day that should give you a great deal of power and self-confidence. You'll be extremely effective in everything you put your hand to, Capricorn.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You might be charged with energy but feel you have nowhere to aim it, Leo. The force is there, but the goal may not be. Talking with others may only confuse you. Listen to yourself. You know yourself better than anyone else does.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You might be getting a bit forceful with your emotions today, Aquarius. Don't be surprised if you're like a firebreathing dragon when you speak. Sparks are apt to fly. Strong feelings have been building up inside you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Arguments that have been brewing are coming to a climactic point for you, Virgo. Don't be surprised if heated opposition rears its head today. This is likely a result of your own doing.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) This is a fantastic day for you, Pisces. You'll have a great deal of physical power. Engage in activities that put this strength to good use. Tackle projects vigorously and feel free to speak up.

are not using to their advantage. In my time there was not as much availability to many things. Competition back then was tough,” said Parris who also participated in road races. He thanked his late Father Coach Rapheal Parris, Cedric Williams, Joey Spencer, brother Winston Parris and his wife (Ursula) and children for all their support over the years. He said all of his children like boxing as a Sport (his daughter is the Ring Doctor at GBA cards) but added that none of them has taken it up as a competition. “Hopefully my grandchildren will find it interesting and follow in my footsteps,” he added with a chuckle. Parris says he would love to see professional boxing up and going during his life time, adding that he hardly ever misses a boxing card because of his love for the sport has kept him intrigued over the years. “COVID-19 and the stay at home guideline has affected me a lot since I am unable to work as a Taxi driver…. the curfew is not a problem since I am off the streets by six anyhow,” said Parris. His advice for the young Amateur pugilists is to stay focused and stressed on the four ‘Ds’. “You must be dedicated, determined, disciplined and devoted and love the game. There are a lot of sacrifices you will have to make, but trust me it will all pay off in the long run,” promised Parris who still hopes that he will be recognised by the Government for his remarkable achievement in Moscow four decades ago. If not, it would be a terrible shame and add fuel to the claims that since President Burnham died none of the other Governments are interested in the welfare of outstanding former Guyanese Sports persons or the development of Sports in Guyana.

Maupay strikes late as... From page 52 game in hand. Arsenal had four attempts in the opening 10 minutes - more than in the entire game against Manchester City - but they still could not find the net. Their best chance came in the 31st minute when Alexandre Lacazette’s header was tipped away by Mathew Ryan after the Frenchman had been set up by Bukayo Saka, Arsenal’s most dangerous player who struck the bar in the eighth minute. Leno was carried off the pitch on a stretcher in the 40th minute with a possible knee injury after a tussle with Maupay. He was replaced by Emiliano Martinez, who made his first Premier League appearance since 2017 and was tested right away by Aaron Mooy.

Pepe broke the deadlock in the 68th with a splendid curled effort into the far top corner. It took Brighton seven minutes to level, with Dunk forcing the ball in after Maupay’s header had been blocked on the line by Rob Holding following a corner. Five minutes into stoppage time, substitute Alexis Mac Allister played the ball forward and Maupay collected it after letting it run through his legs and flicked it past the keeper to inflict a second consecutive defeat on Arsenal. Results from Saturday 20th June 2020 Watford 1 – Leicester 1 Brighton 2 – Arsenal 1 West Ham 0 - Wolves 2 Bournemouth 0 - Crystal Palace 2

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GFF President congratulates Martin Braithwaite Christensen

Martin Braithwaite Christensen Danish-Guyanese Barcelona Forward Georgetown: The Guyana Football Federation President, Wayne Forde, has extended congratulations to Martin Braithwaite Christensen who scored his maiden goal on June13th playing for his new club FC Barcelona. The Forward, who holds dual Danish-Guyanese citizenship, achieved the goal against Spanish Football Club RCB Mallorca following an assist by Lionel Messi. Forde, in a message to the player via the Danish Football Association, expressed his delight at the news and the possibility of hosting him in Guyana: “We were excited to learn about his transfer and continue to follow his performance at the Club. Please let him know that I wish

him well and look forward to welcoming him to Guyana sometime in the future.” In response, Braithwaite Christensen shared his appreciation: “Thank you for your kind words they are much appreciated. I’m looking forward to going to Guyana and meeting all of you.” The 29-year-old Braithwaite Christensen is the designated ambassador of the GFF and Danish FA’s partnership. He was scheduled to visit Guyana in July 2020 but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, his visit along with other aspects of mobilizing the relations is now being rescheduled. The player joined FC Barcelona in February 2020 on a four-year contract and also plays for the Danish National team.

Maupay strikes late as Arsenal sunk by Brighton (Reuters) - Arsenal slumped to a last-gasp 2-1 Premier League defeat at relegation-threatened Brighton & Hove Albion yesterday in a blow to the London club’s chances of securing European football next season. Frenchman Neal Maupay struck the winner five minutes into stoppage time after Nicolas Pepe’s delightful second-half opener had been cancelled out by Lewis Dunk. The defeat left the Gunners, who lost keeper

Sunday June 21, 2020

Kaieteur News

Bernd Leno to injury in the first half, in ninth place with 40 points from 30 games, six behind fifth-placed Manchester United. The result came three days after Mikel Arteta’s side suffered a 3-0 rout at Manchester City as the Premier League returned after a three-month hiatus due to the coronavirus health crisis. Brighton are 15th on 32 points, five points above third-from-bottom Bournemouth, who have a (Continued on page 51)

Ganga says West Indies will find it challenging to beat England PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Former West Indies captain Daren Ganga is of the view that the Caribbean side won’t get over England easily in the upcoming three-Test series, even though it has an exceptional pace bowling unit. Ganga, now a leading cricket commentator, said the lack of practice during the long break in the sport as a result of COVID-19 and the home advantage of the hosting side, will serve as a disadvantage to the visitors. “It is going to be a huge challenge for the West Indies to retain this Wisden Trophy, and I say that because they lack match practice,” he said on i95.5 FM’s ISports programme here on Thursday, adding that players who had not been on the field for months before now, would need time to reach their optimal level of performance in international competition. Although acknowledging that the English cricketers had also been affected by the pandemic-forced hiatus, Ganga said they had the advantage of playing at home.

“Playing against any England team in English conditions is always going to be a challenge because these are guys who are very attuned to the conditions,” said the retired right-handed top order batsman and parttime right-arm offbreak bowler. “You’re hearing some new names that might be in the new setup for England – guys talking about reverse swing. That is something that the West Indies traditionally haven’t catered for and [they] haven’t played that type of bowling for quite a while. Once the bowl starts to swing, I think it produces a different type of challenge to batsmen from the West Indies, because we’re accustomed to abrasive surfaces where the ball very rarely swings but you will get a little bit of lateral movement. So, it will test the technique of the batting unit.” On the positive side, however, Ganga said the Windies’ early arrival in Manchester at the beginning of this month to prepare for the series which will include a Test match at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton from

July 8-12 and two others at Old Trafford, Manchester on July 16-20 and July 24-28, would serve them well. “I think it’s a real positive for a touring team to get a chance to be in a host nation to prepare for an upcoming series. I think that’s a positive for the West Indies – having a chance to travel to England way before the start of the first Test match in July, to acclimatize with the conditions,” he said. “There’s been a lot of debate around teams now not having the opportunity when they tour to play warm-up matches to get themselves attuned to the conditions, get themselves possibly attuned to the particular format of the game that they’re playing.” Ganga also pointed to the psychological boost the West Indies could get from having a “very experienced bowling lineup that also has the confidence of winning the last Wisden Trophy against England”. “I think that confidence is going to do the West Indies very well because these are guys who have a good track record,” he said, making

Former West Indies captain, now cricket commentator, Daren Ganga. specific mention of Kemar Roach – the Man-of-theSeries with 18 wickets in the 2019 contest – who is now closing in on his 200th Test wicket mark. Roach, fellow pace bowlers Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph and Shannon Gabriel played key roles in last year’s 2-1 series victory in the Caribbean when the West Indies lifted the Wisden Trophy for the first time in a decade. The quartet is included in the 25-man contingent that was selected in England, even though Gabriel, who is recovering from an ankle injury, is among the 11 reserves in that group.

Flurry of positive coronavirus tests in athletes hurts U.S. restart plans (Reuters) - Hopes that sport in the United States might soon return to business as usual suffered a blow on Friday as athletes from golf to hockey tested positive for the novel coronavirus, triggering a shutdown of some facilities. The PGA Tour, which only restarted last week after a three-month COVID-19forced hiatus, confirmed its first positive test, removing Nick Watney from secondround play at the RBC Heritage in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Over a 24-hour period, Major League Soccer (MLS), National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL) and Major League Baseball (MLB) confirmed positive tests, and those sports pondered return-to-play scenarios. Leagues are doing extensive testing for coronavirus even among players not showing symptoms. This followed leading U.S. health official Dr. Anthony Fauci on Thursday casting doubt on whether the NFL would get on the field this season. The MLS and NBA were

paying particularly close attention to Friday’s events as many of the positive tests occurred in Florida where both leagues have announced plans to restart their seasons at Orlando’s Walt Disney World. Florida is one of several U.S. states where COVID19 cases have recently surged. The MLS is scheduled to return on July 8 with a World Cup-style tournament featuring all 26 teams. The league, which has said that the health and safety of players and staff were the priority, did not immediately respond to questions about whether the spike in Florida cases would prompt a rethink of those plans. Inter Miami said on Thursday that one of their players had tested positive for the virus. MLB’s Philadelphia Phillies shut down their Clearwater, Florida, site after five players tested positive while just down the road in Dunedin, the Toronto Blue Jays shuttered training facilities after a player presented symptoms. The San Francisco Giants

Test tube with Corona virus name label is seen in this illustration taken on January 29, 2020. (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo) closed their spring training facility in Scottsdale, Arizona after a visitor and one family member exhibited symptoms. The Giants said they had tested others who have been at the facility and are awaiting results. Los Angeles Angels general manager Billy Eppler said two players had tested positive for COVID-19, but did not disclose if they were on the major league roster, citing medical privacy law, the LA Times reported. In Tampa, the NHL Lightning closed their arena after three players tested positive. The NHL on Friday said that since June 8, when teams were permitted to open their training facilities, over 200

players have undergone multiple tests and 11 have tested positive. All of the players who tested positive have been self-isolating, the league said. Even the UFC, who were one of the first sports to resume operations when they staged a mixed martial arts card in Jacksonville, Florida on May 9, are considering another shutdown in wake of the spike. “I told you guys going into this thing, I’m always thinking about what’s next,” said UFC President Dana White in a report by MMA Junkie. “And I’m planning for a second shutdown, that it will happen again. “I’m always thinking about the worst.”

Sunday June 21, 2020

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Kaieteur News

CWI will get governments’ support but Record-breaking Lewandowski sparkles restructuring still needed, says PM Mitchell as Bayern win again BERLIN (Reuters) Robert Lewandowski struck twice as champions Bayern Munich eased past Freiburg 3-1 yesterday to secure a record 15th win in a row and the Pole became the first foreign player to score 33 goals in a Bundesliga season. The Bavarians, who sealed their eighth successive title on Tuesday with victory at Werder Bremen, went in front after 15 minutes through Joshua Kimmich’s well-placed shot from a Lewandowski assist. The striker then nodded in on the rebound in the 24th minute after Freiburg keeper Alexander Schwolow had blocked a Leon Goretzka shot before flicking in the third from a Lucas Hernandez cutback before halftime. Only two players in the history of the Bundesliga, Gerd Mueller and Dieter Mueller, have scored more goals in one season. Freiburg had earlier cut the deficit through Lucas Hoeler. Bayern, who earned a club record 15th consecutive victory in all competitions, took their foot off the gas after the break, allowing Freiburg to create a few chances. Sven Ulreich, making a

rare appearance as replacement for Bayern’s first-choice keeper Manuel N e u e r, d e n i e d K w o n Chang-hoon in a one-onone in stoppage time. “ We w a n t t o s c o r e goals and win games. When you trust your strengths it is an asset in e v e r y g a m e . Yo u c a n strengthen that with victories and I hope that we can keep doing this,” Bayern coach Hansi Flick said. “We still have things to do. The next goal is the German Cup final (on July 4) and then there is one more goal where we will try to go as far as we can,” Flick added in reference to the Champions League and Bayern’s shot at a treble. Lewandowski can still add to his tally on the final matchday but is unlikely to m a t c h G e r d M u e l l e r ’s Bundesliga record of 40 goals in a season set in 1972. The previous best mark by a foreign player was 31 goals scored by PierreEmerick Aubameyang in the 2016-17 season. Bayern, who need five more goals to equal the club record of 101 for a season, are on 79 points, 10 clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell is confident regional governments will assist Cricket West Indies (CWI) whose financial woes have been exacerbated by the current novel coronavirus pandemic, but insists restructuring is vital. Mitchell, who has served as chairman of Caricom’s subcommittee on cricket, said while he was “not unhappy” with what CWI has done so far, “they still have some way to go”. “I think there are some initiatives which have been good...Generally speaking, so far, I must say they have been trying. It’s not a finished product yet, but I don’t expect you can dismantle everything overnight,” he said on the Mason & Guest cricket radio show here on Tuesday night. The Grenadian leader said a meeting with CWI leadership and Caribbean leaders is in the works, to discuss the way forward as far as the structure of the regional game is concerned. A n d g i v e n C W I ’s financial situation which has worsened as a result of its inability to host revenue-generating matches during the novel cornavirus pandemic,

Dr. Keith Mitchell Mitchell said “the whole question of the finances of the board will clearly have to be looked at”. “I am confident that regional governments, despite the fact that they are all going through enough pressure, they know the value of West Indies cricket and the enormous potential it holds for economic activity,” he said. “So, I honestly believe that we will be prepared to help in whatever way we can. All that will be part of

the discussion going forward — how can we help more in terms of the finances and what ideas do we have to aid the structure of Windies cricket going forward.” H o w e v e r, M i t c h e l l believes CWI already has a foundation on which to build the required improved structure. He alluded to previous recommendations which he said should be acted on. “They have the genesis of a lot of information provided at a regional level, in terms of the structure of the board, and I think they should use a good bit of that in going forward,” he said, stressing that this should be done based not on personalities but on “the structure and the whole system that we set up that is going to determine the success or failure of West Indies cricket going forward”. Mitchell, an avid cricket

fan, also pointed to the need for changes in the sport at the community and youth level in the regional cricketing territories. “I think the board has to look at what is happening with the Windward Islands, what’s happening with Grenada, St Lucia, Dominica, and I think at each level of the various boards, I think some serious restructuring has to be done,” he said. “There is not enough information, there is not enough involvement of the players at all levels of the cricket. I think the youth level is an area of further opportunity and work that needs to be done in going forward. “The board has to make that change. The board is responsible for this. They have to restructure the board at different levels and make it more accountable to the people of the region,” Mitchell added.

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Sunday June 21, 2020

Kaieteur News

Mike Parris…. the unsung Hero

Guyana’s lone Olympic Medalist in 40 years By Sean Devers This is the story of 72year-old Micheal Anthony Parris who is the only Boxer from the English-speaking Caribbean to win an Olympic Medal and is still the only Guyanese to do so. Parris looks back on his life growing up in ‘Lodge’, his remarkable achievement at the 1980 Olympics, how the political boycott of 65 Nations from the Moscow Olympics inspired team Guyana, his successful Boxing Career, the present state of local Boxing and his life after boxing, which included this National Sporting Ambassador being ignored by all elected Governments after the death of President Forbes Burnham. He fought 48 Amateur fights between 1972 and 1982 and 29 fights in a Professional career in which he had 17 wins with four Knock-outs, 10 defeats and two draws from 1982 to November 1995. Two years after his Olympics successes Parris turned Pro when he defeated Reynold McBean on his debut on November 28, 1982. On November 25, 1983, the 26-year-old beat Anthony Andrews to become the new Guyana Bantamweight Champion. Parris’ last three fights were in the UK. After being beaten by Englishman Richie Wenton in a bout for the vacant World Boxing Organisation InterContinental Super Bantam Title at Everton Park Sports Centre, Liverpool, Parris defeated Paul Lloyd of England by RTD at Northgate

Parris still has his Medal and Guyana track suit he wore in Moscow 40 years ago. Arena, Chester on November 24, 1995 before retiring from the sport. Parris, a former four-time National Bantamweight Champion, challenged for the Commonwealth (British Empire) Bantam Title in 1989, the vacant World Boxing Council FECARBOX Feather Title in 1993 and the vacant Commonwealth (British Empire) Super Bantam Title in 1995. In 1980, Parris received the prestigious ‘Sportsman of the Year’ Award for his historic Bronze Medal in Moscow. Parris received a Medal of Service (MS) for his contribution to the sport of boxing from the PPP/C Administration in 2011. In December 2015 the Andrew ‘six heads’ Lewis Hall of Fame was opened with Parris being among those recognised with their names and photos being hung on the wall. In 2018 the GBA named its U-16 Boxing Tournament ‘the Pepsi Mike Parris’.

In 2019, Parris travelled to Moscow, Russia to attend the World Olympians Forum (WOF). He received spending money from the GOA and a 50th Anniversary T-shirt from the Government. Simple, humble, resilient and extremely affable are words that quickly come to mind when describing Guyana’sunsung hero who put his country on Map in Boxing three decades ago in the cold conditions of the former Soviet Union. Born on October 4, 1957 to Ralph Parris and Doreen Parris, Mike grew up in Princess Street Lodge. He has lots of siblings but 12 of them (six boys and six girls) were born to his mom and dad. “As a child growing up I always loved sports but I enjoyed playing a good game of cricket,” said Parris who attended the Lodge Government School and the Fountain AME. “Life growing up was a bit challenging with lots of ups and downs. My family was not rich so we had to make do with the little we had but we were thankful for life,” informed Parris, small in stature but big in heart. “I came from a long history of Boxing. My Uncles used to Box and my father used to Box. It was a family tradition passed down to me and a few of my brothers. We would usually have what we would called ‘bottom House’ Boxing every weekend. We would see old stagers like Maxie Sergeant and Mark Harris go at each other in the Streets on Sundays.

Mike with wife children & grands.

Parris shadow boxes with Mike Benjamin at the launching of Wall of fame at six-heads Gym in 2015. My brothers and I along with friends would practice Boxing……and one day our skills caught the eyes of an elderly man from the Village and he said ‘why don’t join Save the Children Gym which was located at the Freeburg Primary School in Norton Street. So a little after that my brothers and I took his advice and joined the Gym and from there I started off as an Amateur Boxer,” said Parris. Parris entered the Junior Championships which he later won before going onto the Senior Championships where he was victorious in the ‘Open Championships. In 1972 Parris won the Junior Amateur Championship as a 15-yearold in the featherweight division. “I continued to pursue various Boxing Competitions, winning some and losing some but I was never deterred from being the best that I could be. I was selected to represent Guyana in an exchange programme to America; along the way I was able to tour a few countries to represent Guyana. In 1978 at age 21, Parris journeyed to Edmonton Canada to take part in the Commonwealth Games where he lost in the semi-finals. “I counted my losses but was never discouraged and returned home and continued Boxing. I was selected to represent Guyana in the CAC Games in the Dominican Republic where I won a Bronze Medal,” Parris informed. Since there were no Bantamweight fighters when he returned from the CAC Games he moved up to the Featherweight division. He fought boxers such as Wayne Smith, Keith Adams, Walter Smith and others as his journey continued in the Featherweight division. “Darius Forde and Cleveland Denny were the most exciting boxers I have

ever fought as an amateur, while Juan Baptista and Kelvin Smarts were the best I have fought as a Pro,” revealed Parris. “I started to encounter problems maintaining my weight so I stepped down back to Bantamweight and fought boxers such as Darius Forde, Paul Wiltshire, Evan Parris and a few others and continued my winning streak. I was chosen to represent Guyana at the Olympics and that was my most memorable moment of my life. Being the first Guyanese to win an Olympic Medal was the icing on the cake,” a proud Parris continued. The crafty pugilist explained why he turned Pro. “I was training for the 1984 Olympics but was told I was too old. They eventually selected a younger Boxer who lost at the Olympics so that is the reason I turned Pro,” he explained. Parris, who had many ups and downs and disappointments in his life, does not feel he was properly rewarded for bringing glory to Guyana. “No I don’t think so. I always wanted to work with the youths of Guyana as a boxing Coach but I was never given the opportunity by any elected Government,” said the Taxi driver. The Forbes Burnham Government honoured his historic achievement with a house in Shirley Field-Ridley Square, where he still resides. When he worked at the Guyana Marketing Corporation, he was given time-off to train. But when President Burnham died in 1985 it seemed that Government’s interest in sports development died with him since all the Governments since then appear oblivious of the importance of sports and how it can benefit this Nation. “A few years ago I went to a senior Government

official in the Sports Ministry and asked for a duty-free concession to buy a car. I did not get the duty-free concession and at times I feel what I did for my country has been forgotten even by some in the sports fraternity,” lamented Parris who usually fought South Paw in a defensive and orthodox fashion. In 1980, the United States led a boycott of the Summer Olympic Games in Moscow to protest the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In total, 65 nations refused to participate in the games, but 80 countries sent athletes to compete including Guyana who sent an eight-member team which included four Boxers, two cyclists, an Athlete and a Weightlifter. Parris said he was not worried that the Government would prevent Guyana from competing at the Olympics. Parris recounted that leading up to the Olympics there was a lot of work, determination, hard training and sacrifice, we were encamped for a few weeks in the GDF compound under the watchful eyes of the late Courtney Atherly, Ashton Angel and a few other Coaches. “The climatic conditions in Moscow were different to what we were accustomed to but because of my ambition and determination to win at the Olympics I did not allow that to affect me. I came up with a strategy to stay indoors and exercise in an AC room so that my body could get accustomed to the cold so I could have adjusted to the conditions there. I did not go to the march-past, I just stayed in my room and trained.” We were not interested in why the other Countries had pulled out but used that to our advantage to get there and win medals. The plan was to win as much medals as we (Continued on page 51)

Kaieteur News

Sunday June 21, 2020

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GOA mooting virtual Olympic Day activities On 23 June, Olympic Day is celebrated all around the world and hundreds of thousands of people both young and old get moving and participate in sporting and cultural activities, such as runs, exhibitions, music and educational seminars. Over the last two decades, the event has helped to spread the Olympic ideals to every corner of the world. According to head of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) K.A. Juman-Yassin, Guyana has not missed out on hosting Olympic Day activities for at least the last 24 years. Olympic Day was introduced in 1948 to commemorate the birth of the modern Olympic Games

on 23 June 1894 at the Sorbonne in Paris. The goal was to promote participation in sport across the globe regardless of age, gender or athletic ability. Over the last 20 years, Olympic Day has been associated with Olympic Day Runs all over the world. From 45 participating National Olympic Committees (NOCs) in the first edition in 1987 and as of 2019 the large majority of the 205 NOCs participated. H o w e v e r, w i t h t h e coronavirus pandemic that has seen social distancing rules being implemented, many NOCs may be unable to host the traditional Olympic Day activities. But, head of the GOA; Juman-Yassin, shared during

an invited comment with Kaieteur Sport that the association is looking at having virtual Olympic Day activities via the popular Zoom platform. In addition, alternatives are being looked at for the Olympic Day run. According to the Olympic website, “Olympic Day is developing into much more than just a sports event. Based on the three pillars ‘move’, ‘learn’ and ‘discover ’, NOCs are organising sports, cultural and educational activities. Some countries have incorporated the event into the school curriculum and, in recent years, many NOCs have added concerts and exhibitions to the celebration. Recent NOC activities have included

Archery activities at last year’s Olympic Day at GOA’s head office in Lilliendaal.

meetings for children and young people with top

athletes and the development of new web sites directing

people to programmes in their neighbourhood.”

Ganga says West Indies will find it challenging to beat England

Spo

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With Mike Parris, his wife and daughters at a GBA Card.

Mike Parris…. the unsung Hero

Former West Indies captain, now cricket commentator, Daren Ganga.

Guyana’s lone Olympic Medalist in 40 years

Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski scores their third goal, following the resumption of play behind closed doors after the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (Sven Hoppe/Pool via REUTERS)

Record-breaking Lewandowski sparkles as Bayern win again

GFF President congratulates Martin Braithwaite Christensen

Martin Braithwaite Christensen

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