Kaieteur News

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AIETEUR NEWS

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

GECOM needs to publish SOPs

for all to see

Saturday Edition March 14, 2020 - Vol. 14 No. 11

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Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

Price $80

- Former APNU+AFC Minister Dominic Gaskin

Online readership yesterday 229,735

11 daysLate-night Region after elections...Four declaration p.

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puts coalition ahead Western diplomats walkout, tell all parties...

Air and waterp. travel halted 16 as Suriname records first

‘Don’t do anything that could lead to Guyana’s isolation’ coronavirus death p.

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Region 4 ROp. presented 8 inflated SOPs - Five Parties Coronavirus effect...

Education Ministry 13p. announces two-week closure of public schools

From left: UK, EU, US and Canadian envoys walking away from the GECOM Command Centre yesterday, amid concerns about the tabulation process. (Don Singh photo)

Women jailed for three p. years, fined $5M each 2 for sharing sex tape of friend on social media

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Saturday March 14, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Women jailed for 3 years, fined $5M each for sharing sex tape of friend on social media “You can't allow your emotions to take control of you. It's hard, a really hard lesson but I hope you learn from it. I need to send a message so that you or anyone else won't do something like that again.”

This was the advice given by Senior Magistrate Leron Daly yesterday to two women whom she had just sentenced to 3 years' imprisonment each and ordered them to pay a fine of $5M each, for humiliating their friend by sharing a sex tape on social media.

With tears streaming down her face, 21-year-old

Melissa Ann Pestano, a mother of one, of Wortmanville, Georgetown, told the court that her friend's action really hurt her, since they grew up together and lived like sisters.

“My emotions took control of me because I couldn't cope with what I found out, that she [victim] was doing that behind my back.”

While Pestano was in tears explaining to the court the reason for videoing her friend and sharing it, coaccused Janelle Williams, 23, a mother of two, also of Wortmanville, Georgetown,

stood to next to her, and downed her head, and showed little emotion.

Pestano and Williams were arraigned in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts. The women pleaded guilty to the individual charges that were read to them.

The court heard that between January 20 and January 21, 2020, Williams used a cell phone to transmit data that was intended to humiliate the victim. It was also alleged that Pestano used a computer to cause distress to the victim.

Police prosecutor

Richard Harris told the court that the defendants and the victim are friends and that they are very close. The defendants had a conversation and it was revealed that the victim was having an affair with Paul Pollard (Pestano's boyfriend).

The prosecutor added that as a result, the defendants confronted the victim about the alleged affair and later planned to get back at the victim. The women arranged for Pollard and the victim to book a room at the K&VC International Hotel at South

Jailed: Janelle Williams Road, Georgetown.

After Pollard checked into the room with the victim, 10 minutes later Pestano arrived and was given information about which room they were in.

Pestano then entered the room and videoed the sex act.

The court heard Pestano then sent a copy of the video to Williams, who then shared

Jailed: Melissa Ann Pestano the video with several persons. Thereafter the video was widely circulated on social media.

The matter was reported and the defendants were later arrested and subsequently charged for the offence.

After listening to the facts of the charge, Magistrate Daly told the defendants that under the (continued on page 20)

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 14, 2020

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Western diplomats walkout, tell all parties...

‘Don't do anything that could lead to Guyana's isolation' P

ressure continued t o m o u n t yesterday as western diplomats walked out of the election tabulation process for Region Four, subsequently warning via a strongly worded missive that “all parties” should not do anything that could lead to Guyana's isolation.

Shortly after the start of the court-ordered tabulation of the Statements of Poll (SoPs), there were objections and angry words being hurled.

At that point, Ambassador of the United States of America, SarahAnn Lynch, British High Commissioner, Greg Quinn, C a n a d i a n H i g h C o m m i s s i o n e r, L i l i a n Chatterjee, and the Ambassador of the European Union, Fernando PonzCanto, all decided to leave the Region 4 tabulation process at the Ashmin's building, High and Hadfield Streets.

In a joint statement issued by the four missions shortly after, it was clear to the envoys that a transparent and credible process was not put in place by the responsible officials.

In fact, it was noted that some party officials seemed to have been intimidated.

“Further, we are concerned about intimidation tactics we observed against those

seeking to ensure that a credible process is followed.

We must be clear that in the absence of a credible process, as directed by the Honorable Chief Justice, it is our view that any results for Region 4 which will impact the overall results of the 2 March elections will not be credible and a President sworn in on the basis of those results will not be considered legitimate.”

In recent days, statements from the observers and the international community have been increasingly strong in its words.

This one warned that Guyana can face “isolation”. “ We a r e a l l l o n g standing friends of Guyana whose countries have supported its development over many decades. The betterment of Guyana and its people has always been our interest. In that spirit we urge all parties to not do anything which could lead to Guyana's isolation.”

Opposition parties have raised concerns that the statements of poll presented b y r e t u r n i n g o f f i c e r, Clairmont Mingo, display discrepancies.

The elections have been characterized by walkouts, withdrawals, police presences, an arrest, court sessions and delays even as investors and citizens remain tense and nervous.

The UK, EU, US and Canadian envoys walking away from the GECOM Command Centre yesterday, amid concerns about the tabulation process. (Don Singh photo)

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Saturday March 14, 2020

Kaieteur News

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

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Nothing sits well with this ongoing tragedy The High Court ruling and whatever processes are followed leave the peoples of this split and fragmented country in a place where half is in ecstasy (or would be) and the other half in lifeless anguish.

Nothing sits well with this, as there is nothing that recommends itself for constructive, healthy, and peaceful continuation towards the effective governance of this society.

It is sure to be an angry, distrustful, and disillusioned nation of peoples at war with themselves, with cells, like cancer, bent on destroying all in sight.

This is where our leaders must step forward and manifest the maturity, sobriety, and responsibility towards the duty owed to all citizens. We repeat: all citizens.

Whenever and wherever the final processes and final count(s) lead, there is this unalterable, nonnegotiable truth: one group - a large set of citizens, that cast the ballot, would feel that it is, for all intents and purposes, disenfranchised.

That having committed to and participated in the electoral process, the voice of its losing members is without weight, their presence irrelevant and lacking in meaning, and that their very existence is devoid of substance and nothing but dispiriting.

Caricom may work out a plaster, the international community a momentary respite. Then it is the sullen lull until the next time, since nothing is solved, nothing lasts.

Our leaders set the tone.

The sharp and insistent, as well as calculated narratives of both remaining political groups have not aided the types and amounts of wise and patient thinking so necessary at this time. Instead, the many easy and convenient channels overflow with presentations for and against, which reinforce settled mindsets and fateful suspicions. There is almost nothing that contributes, in any form or fashion, to the kind of mental atmosphere and physical environment so desperately needed to examine matters in any other way but the sharply partisan and the terribly traumatic, for those few still engaged in the arena, who long for the space to ponder deeply as to the meaning of the great avalanches of material that inundate.

It is now the duty of leaders and senior decision makers in the competing, clashing, and still confronting groups to start the process of mending that could lead to reconciling, which could contribute to healing.

Even limited and partial healing would be better, more helpful than what we have right now. For what we have at present is a nation sharply and near irreversibly divided against itself, with brother against brother, and neighbour hostile and aggressive to neighbour.

We cannot go on like this, live like this. For that would be the height of stupidity, the depths of futility. No Statements of Polls - and no process as to their accuracy and integrity - are going to prove sufficient to eradicate what now boils in the blood. Instead, they would merely reinforce the debilitating depths of our nationwide degradations.

It is why we say, we recommend, we insist that, however matters turn out, leaders must talk, they must begin right now. How to mend and get the peoples of this country - all of them - to think and believe that they belong, they matter, they are important, and they have roles to play, much to give.

Our leaders must be genuinely ready to commit personal prestige, recalibrate individual hubris and ambitions, and invest their leadership capital within their respective groups to bring us back together in some shape and form. Again: anything would be better, more acceptable, definitely tolerable than what we have raging in the atmosphere and environment out there.

Our leaders must start now. They must go beyond the usual token words and the usual blandishments of appealing for working together, of representing all citizens, and demonstrate that they recognize the dangerous and unhealthy (most sickening) state of this country right now, and they must do something about it.

Coronavirus: are we really ready, do we really care DEAR EDITOR, I have to ask without waiting a moment longer: are we really ready to respond effectively and deal with the coronavirus issue that is now here? The second question is: do we really care to give it the priority attention that is absolutely vital right now?

My answers to both questions are short and dismissive: No! No, we are not ready. And no, we do not really care, despite all that we are saying. I am tempted to articulate that this is because of our national madness over elections, but even when I leave that off the table of consideration, I submit that, from the reports I am getting, we are not ready and we would not have been ready. I chalk this up to sloth, indifference, and the usual incomplete and inadequate outlooks that saturate the local environment.

The first alarming report was from the son of the woman who died. I understand he went public to vent and berate officials for lack of urgency, for lack of anything.

The son shared that there was no follow, no response, despite calling the hotline several days before the passing of his mother. Nobody

came, despite assurances given.

Second, there was the information that came to me about a medical professional, who is usually a part of an outreach team coming here.

He came over a week in advance of the team and was appalled by what he saw as to the state of our loudly proclaimed readiness. We are not ready. This medical man was so concerned about what he observed that he promptly relayed the situation as it really is in Guyana to other members still overseas, and that medical outreach team is no longer coming here. The fears, practical and reasonable and relevant-are of being infected here, and then serving as carriers of the virus back to their own locales and patients and contributing to possible exponential spread. I am aware of another medical outreach team that was due here and bound for interior locations, but which has since cancelled, possibly because of demands where they are based.

Third, there are more and more reports of hundreds of incoming passengers passing through our airport(s) without so much as a question, or interruption, or an interrogation

A Day of Shame!

DEAR EDITOR, Thursday, March 12, 2020 will go down as a Day of Shame in Guyana, a day when the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) with the Constitutional responsibility for managing the Electoral process, failed miserably in having one of its Returning Officers carry out the very clear Orders handed down by the Chief Justice of Guyana on Wednesday, March 11, 2020.

Today, Friday, is the twelfth day since citizens voted for the political party of their choice and yet the Official Declaration of Results is still pending. How can we as a Nation tolerate such obfuscation as reportedly took place Thursday at GECOM? Is there a sinister agenda behind this delaying tactic being used to prolong the agony of a Final Declaration of the Results of the 2020 Elections?

How can one man and his insistence on the use of a discredited Spreadsheet, when the Chief Justice in her Rul-

ing made it mandatory for the Signed Statements of Poll for Electoral District # 4 to be used in the tabulation process, be allowed to hold an entire nation to ransom?

Chair of CARICOM, the Rt. Hon Mia Mottley, predicted that the Returning Officer District # 4 holds the stability of this Nation in his hands. I would add to this, the GECOM, which cannot escape overall responsibility for this fiasco.

Is there a secret alliance at work here which is willing to compromise the integrity of the Final Declaration of Results of the 2020 General and Regional Elections, in pursuit of a hidden Agenda?

I hope not, because it would be undemocratic, unpatriotic, and would not be tolerated.

Yours faithfully Joseph G Singh Major General (retd) Former Chief of Staff (1990-2000) of the Guyana Defence Force Former Chairman (2000-2001) of GECOM

Something tangible, something positive, all the things so vitally necessary at this time. They - government and opposition, coalition and PPP - must prove to this nation that they are serious, that they are so engaged, that they are singleminded in carrying us all forward to the higher ground of a Guyana that is truly: One People, One Nation, One Destiny.

Can we bring ourselves to do so? We say yes! As to whether there is even a modicum of interest in being so is quite another story. And that is part of the continuum that is so much part of our ongoing tragedy.

of any sort. I understand that logistically the situation is most daunting. But what the hell are we doing? Really doing? Are we doing anything?

In fact, I must ask: do we know what we are doing? Are we fully engaged in dealing with and responding to the task at hand? Or are we distracted, fatally so, with that other existential priority in our midst that is, by itself, a full-time 24hour occupation?

So, now we are running around and scrambling around to locate hand sanitizers and face masks.

The latter would be placing the medical mask on the other mask-the one from racial elections and racist reactionsthat already occupies pride of place in our lives. Truly, we inhabit the realm of the living dead and don’t know what to do with ourselves, in our ass backward state of existence, or to appreciate the things really matter.

We were given every assurance that a state of readiness was in place. I beg to differ and most caustically so.

For anyone who tells me that I am overreacting and that I don’t know what is in motion, I counter: then why are our responses so sluggish, if not altogether nonexistent?

Where is the screening at ports of entry? Where is the urgency in local medical institutions? Where is the focus and priority in the media, including the two newspapers on which I rely and favour? I must say the coverages are almost all over the damn nonsense that is of national elections. That is what the whole sick story means to me now. It is all about party and nothing about country.

We talk of concentration and investigation of process and count and the rest, while we fail to see that we are severely inhibited at the individual and societal levels from appreciating the heavy obligations of democracy. We lack the substantive ideas of what democracy means. So, we please ourselves and comfort ourselves with platitudes about democracy and procedure, while emergencies and crisis situations develop.

And we do so while we prepare to perpetuate the dictatorship of division (racial division and one way or the other) and live happily ever after.

Here it is that we face a possibly highly problematic situation and we cannot even muster the interest and (Continued on page 6)

POLITICS AND PUBLIC PEACE DEAR EDITOR, There was a period given to political parties to persuade the public to choose a particular leader and his camp.

That campaign period is over.

Each citizen had his/her opinion and voted accordingly.

The remainder of the matter is out of the public’s hands.

The current issue with GECOM was taken to the high court where decisions were made for certain courses of action to be taken. So, why some political parties are still beating war drums under the guise of public enlightenment? Why all the crying in the media? Leaders, like responsible parents, must solve their grievances amongst themselves or go to the relevant authorities. Parents are deemed to be wicked when they incite violent confrontation between children on matters way beyond the reach of those children. Politicians can gain some wisdom from this.

Some years ago I had cause to intervene in a dispute over a little child. In a school yard there was the mother holding on to the torso and the father holding the legs of the child. They were pulling in opposite directions, fighting for total custody of the child. The child was screaming. I helped to persuade the father to release the child. The matter was eventually finalized in court and

not in the streets.

Responsible political leaders, in similar fashion, must not bring their battles to the streets – for the public is not the agent to solve parliamentary and constitutional issues.

Politicians must take their battles to the courts where they can be understood and have matters resolved in peace, instead of on the streets where there is misunderstanding and peace may be breached. The former is responsible leadership while the latter is the opposite.

There is some evidence of irresponsible party leadership.

Can you spare us, the public, of all the unnecessary chatter and banter about GECOM? Are we into another campaign mode? Keep the hostility over the current election issues out of the media – please! Do not get us involved again. Our work is done. Awaiting the final outcome is what really matters as we get on with our peaceful daily lives.

Further, in the face of the coronavirus, responsible leadership would insist that there are no public gatherings, whether as protesters, observers or revellers.

So, while the elephants are fighting in the valley, let us (the tiny ones) observe from the hills without getting dirtied.

Leonard Marks

Saturday March 14, 2020

Is democracy under threat?

DEAR EDITOR, Under the current disturbing circumstances, the edifice of democracy, for which the nation began to construct in 1992 after almost three decades of dictatorship, seems to be in danger.

The trust of a transparent electoral process, so key to the foundations of a democracy, seems lost. So many are culprits hijacking the electoral and democratic process; they are engaged in immoral, unethical and illegal activities.

The conduct and behaviour of some individuals who should be paragons of virtue and defenders of democracy have brought utter shock to the population, diplomats and observers.

Words cannot describe the conduct. Are their alleged illegal actions deliberate? Are they complicit in any plan or conspiracy to derail the electoral process?

The entire process and the behaviour of key individuals of GECOM, not least being the Chair, CEO, Deputy CEO, PRO, Region 4 RO, among others, merit full investigation and enquiry, so that persons responsible for attempts at derailing the democratic electoral process are exposed and punished.

The conduct of GECOM’s staff raises questions about Guyana’s constitutional propriety, electoral procedure, and transparency.

Regardless of which party one supports, freedom fighters of democracy of the 1960s thru 1992 must not leave any stone unturned to ensure the triumph of the ballot over bullet and of democracy, to support the transparency of the electoral process, and to uphold constitutional governance, and the values enshrined therein as well as in the Election laws of the country. Supporting a particular party should not be used as a justification to close one’s eyes to electoral fraud or to condone electoral skullduggery. The entire nation must come together to foil any attempt by GECOM to perpetrate electoral fraud on the nation.

The court has ruled on how verification of Region 4 count should take place.

Statements of polls (SOPs) as obtained on election day March 2, a copy of which from each polling station was displayed publicly and of which every party was entitled, must be used to verify (ascertain) the count and from which the outcome would be declared.

I AM FRUSTRATED DEAR EDITOR, As a young professional who would’ve returned home to serve beautiful Guyana, because I would like to see this nation progress and flourish the way it should, I must state that I (and I do speak on behalf of many young Guyanese professionals), I AM FRUSTRATED with the current state of Guyana. I say this because on the 2nd of March 2020, many of us exercised our democratic right to cast a vote for the political party of our choice, ten (10) days later, we are left to ponder (even with the CJ’s ruling), if the leaders of our nation have any integrity left!

By now, one would think that a President would’ve been

sworn in. I am kindly asking for those at GECOM to do the right thing. What if sanctions are imposed? What if persons refuse to comply with the laws of our land because some are of the opinion that GECOM has no regard for the law? What happens?

The current situation is uncalled for. This could have been avoided if GECOM had followed due process as they did for the other 9 electoral districts (regions). As I sit here, WORRIED, DISAPPOINTED AND FRUSTRATED knowing that our country is slowly becoming an UNDEMOCRATIC STATE! Concerned Young Professional

China and Russia have been conspicuously silent DEAR EDITOR, China and Russia have been conspicuously silent, while elections fraud is being brazenly and crudely perpetrated in Guyana. The only countries standing up for democracy and the lawful completion of tabulating the elections results are the Western democracies: the UK, USA, Canada and EU. This must not be lost on the next legal Government, when it comes in to power.

China especially should be shunned by the next

administration. With its new found oil wealth, contracts must be preferentially given to Western private companies – from the USA, Canada, UK, etc.No more contracts for shady, incompetent Chinese contractors. Also, most likely, the next lawful president of Guyana will be a Muslim, who must not ignore the plight of the Muslim Uighur minority in China, which is actively and cruelly suppressing the Uighur religion and culture.

Sincerely, Michael Rahaman

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Kaieteur News

Anything short of that requirement would be defying the court’s order and defrauding the voters of their will (which party they wish to govern them).

In addition, any other process would be a violation of the election law that clearly states that SOPs must be used to ascertain counts and to declare a winner.

There are credible allegations that GECOM personnel defied the court’s order.

There was sheer mockery of the rule of law (defying orders enunciated by the Chief Justice) on Thursday as there were of the electoral process a week earlier.

The court, its Marshals, and the police must be used to execute the orders of the court to ascertain the vote count using SOPs. Since GECOM is in default of carrying out the orders of the court, then it is advised that the court supervise the verification of the Region 4 ballots.

This is the only way to save democracy in Guyana.

Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram

PASTORAL LETTER OF ADMONITION DEAR EDITOR, ”You are like salt for the whole human race. But if salt loses its saltiness, there is no way to make it salty again. It has become worthless, so it is thrown out and people trample on it” - Matthew 5:13.

These are the words of our Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ.

How relevant is this for the church and more particularly its leaders in Guyana at this time. Eleven (11) days have now passed since Election Day for the General and Regional Elections 2020. No official declaration has been made, and our nation is on a path that must be salvaged.

The silence from the evangelical, Charismatic Pentecostal Church, both denominational and independent is unbelievable. The church may very well not be able to be relevant and speak again on any matter of National importance based upon its present omission of duty. This is unacceptable. The hundreds of pastors and tens of thousands of congregants who believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God and

We have endured days of national embarrassment DEAR EDITOR, It must be obvious to everybody, except the most deluded, that the APNU AFC coalition did not win the elections held on 2nd March. If APNU+AFC had won, Mr Mingo the returning officer would have verified the official Statements of Poll and tabulated the results openly and transparently as demanded by all of the other political parties and by the local and international observers.

Instead we have endured days of national embarrassment and disbelief caused by childish, inept, unintelligent and barefaced attempts to alter the election results. Mr Mingo must be removed from office and replaced by someone who can complete the simple task of verifying the official Statements of Poll and adding up the numbers in front of the international and local observers as legally required.

We can then get on with the national task of rescuing Guyana’s economy from crashing oil prices which could well be followed by crashing oil companies. For those who have not noticed, ExxonMobil’s share price has gone down by 47.5% in the last six months.

Yours sincerely, Melinda Janki

What was achieved?

DEAR EDITOR, Cari come and cari gone and what was substantially achieved? Nothing!...save a meeting of the leaders of the two major parties during which emanated hollow statements and promises.In full view of their presence the shenanigans and masquerade, including the flouting of court orders continues at GECOM.Again the rhetorical question: Where are we as a nation?

Shamshun Mohamed

should guide our actions must sit up, stand up and rethink this condoning of electoral fraud by choosing the way of saying nothing.

“The Only Thing Necessary for the Triumph of Evil is that Good Men Do Nothing” When there was a successful passage of the No Confidence Motion and the subsequent events which included the spurious court cases, the attempts at delaying elections, breaches of our financial laws and breaches of our Apex Court; the leadership of the church chose in the face of these violations of our constitution by the Granger administration to remain silent. We were mocked by people who expected us to stand for righteousness.

The wrongs that we compromise with are the ones we are guilty of practicing and condoning. Is it because of race, class, or political affiliation that our righteous garments are now tattered?

Where are the prophetic rebukes? Where are the prophetic directions? Where are the words that direct the nation and all who are involved to act righteously and with integrity? Why the silence?

Are we no longer salt? We boast that many of the actors in Government, GECOM, the joint services and in public service are our congregants.

Shepherds lead the flock. Our leadership is being examined by the world.

I condemn in the strongest possible terms the indecency, the unashamed attempts to insult the intelli-

gence of the Guyanese people by the deceptive and contrived statements being made on social media and in other circles, to excuse the vulgar abuse of process and the conspiratorial ploy to rig elections 2020.

Where are the clean hands and the pure hearts in this matter?

The APNU+AFC is continuing with its unwillingness to obey the constitution; to allow for the rule of law, and to follow democratic principles and international best practices because they are receiving tacit support by the silence of some but particularly the Charismatic Pentecostal Church community both denominational and independent. This is wrong and must come to an end immediately. At the time of writing, the Private Sector, the Labour Movement, Muslim and Hindu organizations, the Roman Catholic Bishop, International observers, powerful political players from the USA, UK, Canada, the EU, the CARICOM, the OAS, the UN, Commonwealth, the Carter Center, more than 80 international civil society organizations, the Nelson Mandela Elders’ Group, the US Secretary of State and others have all expressed concern about electoral fraud and the need for credible election results to be arrived at in a transparent manner. Come on, my brothers and sisters.

I speak the truth in love.

Yours Truly, His Lordship Bishop Juan A. Edghill

This is not rocket science DEAR EDITOR, The tail is wagging the dog at GECOM. The Chairman and CEO have line and executive authority to order the RO Officer, Clairmont Mingo, to comply with the orders of the Chief Justice. Unless they and others at GECOM are acting in connivance and collusion with APNU+AFC and others, they would refuse to adhere with the demands of all, including international observers, to comply with the laws.

Good management practice requires the top officials at GECOM, Chairman and CEO, to instruct RO Mingo to abide by the orders of the Chief Justice. This does not depend on rocket science.

Sincerely, Ed Singh

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Saturday March 14, 2020

Kaieteur News

WE MEND AND NOT REND DEAR EDITOR, This letter is being dictated in the midst of uncertainty as we await the results of our 2020 Elections.

It is also written as we approach the proverbial ‘Ides of March.’This was a time in the Roman calendar that the Mighty Julius Caesar ignored warnings to stay indoors. He ventured out and this led to a well-known tragedy in history.

I liken our political leaders to the Mighty Caesar and this open letter is an appeal for them to stay indoors, avoid provocative language and instead seek enlightenment through prayers and fasting.I was around for the entire week and spoke with people of every race, age and creed. Without exception, they are all anxious for a settlement so that they can get on with their lives.

In other words, an appeal to our leaders, to ‘MEND, NOT REND.’ Our leaders ought to be reminded that a consistent feature observable in every continent has been an attitude of arrogance and stubbornness by political parties.

Their policies, not consistent with their immediate and long-term interest.

One author observed “Mankind it seems, makes a poorer performance of government than an almost any other human activity.”

With all information available to leaders, in and out of office, we can properly quote the old folks who say “common sense is not so common.”If our leaders representing our social and political divide wish to honour our Amerindian brothers and sisters, the slaves who suffered the worst form of brutality in modern history and indentured labourers who were exploited by the plantocracy we must demand our leaders who purport to speak for these descendants to sit and talk and no matter how long it takes to find a modus vivendi.

Our young and old, leaders and those led must know that history has a puckish way of repeating itself.

We need to have the good sense to learn from the horrors of earlier experiences.

A few days ago, we note painfully, the attack on innocent school children in a bus.

This month marks the anniversary of a similar occurrence when activists of a certain political party threw a bomb in a school bus on the lower East Coast Demerara, which killed little Godfrey Teixeira, injuring the D’aguiars’, Pierres’ and the Dodds’ children.This attack on the school bus caused much outrage.

History must tell them that well-meaning as outsiders

may be, if we are to make our Golden Arrowhead meaningful, these outsiders or Observers, or what have you can do little to be a real bridge over troubled water because they do not know all of our history.

I noticed the battalion of Observers, some who don’t understand our culture and the tricks of the trade feel duty bound to speak.

We have the five CARICOM Heads of Government who arrived on Wednesday afternoon; as a courtesy we must welcome them.

It is not the first effort by CARICOM Leaders to try to calm the troubled water of Guyana.In the 1960s, the late Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago Dr. Eric Williams hosted separate meetings with the leadership of the United Force, People’s Progressive Party and the People’s National Congress.

As a member of the PNC Delegation, we all returned home empty-handed. No one was willing to budge.

When a similar situation occurred during an Independence Conference in London, one of our Leaders invited the Representative of Her Gracious Majesty Government in England to break the deadlock stating that he had ‘great faith and confidence in the British sense of fair play and justice.’

When the British made the recommendations, not

pleasing to one side, all hell broke loose in Guyana.

Lesson - Outside forces may help but ultimately, we must navigate through the storms and tempest.

Let us learn to mend, not rend.It is a sad reflection on us as a Nation that we seem unable to learn from our own history and that of others.

I listened with amusement and amazement when we are threatened by local representatives of big nations and their Guyanese surrogates and unemancipated political and business leaders.The great Nations, whether it be Russia, US, China, UK or European, their interest have always been with the wider geo-political landscape.It is this policy which explains interventions in the Philippines, the Far East, Vietnam and nearer home, Grenada.The key to unlock the door to progress and prosperity is in the hands of our local leaders and no one else.We do not need partisan politics, but a movement to release the creative energies of all the people of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, so that for example when we discuss the development of our resources, the global giants of industry must know that they are bargaining on behalf of one hundred (100%) of Guyanese.

We mend and not rend.

Hamilton Green

Coronavirus: are we ...

From page 4 the brain cells to face medical and environmental realities.

Man are we a Third World society with a fifth division mentality. There are reports that the virus was planted in Wuhan by the West, specifically the Americans.

I have to wonder when we are going to start saying something like that here as we stare senselessly across the racial fences at each other. It is just a matter of my time, given the degree of ignorance that lives in this dark place that the other side brought it here and delivered it.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

A WORD OF ADVICE FOR EDUCATION at the local level, if not regional one, too.

ADMINISTRATORS penFor those who are watching their overseas DEAR EDITOR, The developments on COVID-19 are not about what is improving, even what is anywhere near to some level of clear and credible control. I must be blunt and alarmingly so: things are going downhill and that is the way I see matters in the near term, with little but the evasive to employ for protective purposes. It is why I take the step of recommending at this early stage-from now-to those in charge of our education system, our national administrators, that they take urgent action to minimize exposure, to manage better the situation. What I am proposing may be viewed in some circles as radical, except that it really isn’t, given what is involved.

What I am recommending is not about panicking, but what is preemptive and sensible, by not fearing to act swiftly and in the interests of the greatest caution. I face it, if no one else wants to do so: our healthcare system has made strides, but I do not think it would be able to cope effectively with an influx of cases, which has become almost the norm in places where there are far more robust systems and heightened alerts for a longer while now.

I am submitting that our education administrators arrange and authorize our schools to close NOW; that our children are out of crowded classrooms and public spaces; and that they take their 2-month summer (August) holiday right now. Hours after my original transmission of this to SN and KN, the announcement came of schools closure from Monday next. That is timely. Now I say, be ready to extend it at the end of the two weeks, if necessary, for the two months that I am recommending.

We need to get the tens of thousands of children out of circulation: out of classrooms, out of the bus parks, out of the public arena. In this way, there is some broad effort-I believe solid effort-to remove the nonworking population away from picking up, carrying around, and extending the reach of the virus. It may not be the wisest of steps, but it is sensible and practical. So, why not?

The children and teachers could return to classes during the regular August holidays, which is now switched to March-April-May, if and when a better handle is on things, and there is less uncertainty and alarm in the air.

Arrangements could be made with CSEC authorities to restructure examination schedules in the light of anticipated stresses and disorders, so as to accommodate what should hap-

travel dollar paid out months ago, I am in that same boat. If it has to go, then so be it; there will always be other times to go from one place to another. I offer this, because as I look around and read, there are tightening travel developments on multiple fronts. I sense that it is inevitable that some form of lockdown is going to have to occur with aviation and other travel. One of the watch words has been stay away from crowded places, avoid congregating, and observe the new norm of what the Wall Street Journal called in its editorial of March 13thas “social distancing.” In other words, avoid gathering places which may hold the potential for spreading damage.

On a personal note, I am weighing how to respond to local coronavirus developments with special application to my own presence at public worship; during the Lenten Season, attendance spikes. I am still to decide, but it has to be soon and substantial, when all my own personal circumstances are considered.

And I think that that is the key: what is our situation, what are our individual priorities, and what should be the sensible reaction.

In all of this, I am striving for some measured assessment of local circumstances, still largely unknown; and, from reports of what obtains at Guyana’s international ports of entry, still largely not fully managed. I think, and I so recommend, that it is better to be accused of overreacting than to be guilty when it is too late, of putting ourselves in a position to be overpowered.

As a jarring, but most relevant, aside, I heard of some social media contributor, who made a sharp but thoughtful suggestion, almost a dare to the two major parties in the context of COVID-19.

The person had this to say: the two parties-PPP and APNU coalition-had a lot of money and other resources to pour into flags and colours and advertising propaganda, along with the rest of the paraphernalia of elections campaigning. His or her suggestion was this: why not find some money, spend it, and deliver face masks and hand sanitizers to the multitudes of supporters, who commit body and soul to the pursuit of party success. I add that they should not worry about the rest of us already distancing from the muddied fray; we can look out for ourselves. But back to education managers: thanks for acting now; be prepared to do more.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

We Guyanese may be approaching our moment of truth and reconciliation DEAR EDITOR, I am anticipating: the sky will not fall when the true results of voting in District (Region) 4 are declared. I do believe that the true results will eventually, inevitably be declared casting a bright light on each and every contortion leading up to and since March 02, and illuminating and discrediting our many rigged elections since 1968.

The sky would not fall but different, great burdens would be lifted from the shoulders of all of us Guyanese: supporters of the PNC/R/ APNU+AFC would be freed of the obligation to contort and deny the attempts to rig and subvert the results of our 2020 National and Regional Elections and many earlier

ones from 1968; and supporters of the PPP/C would be freed from this and the preceeding decades of apprehension, fear, worry, dread, anxiety and insecurity as times for our National and Regional Elections approached.

Some say that the supporters of the PNC/R/APNU+AFC face no less intent though different fears and insecurities.

We Guyanese may have before us and may we seize this moment as a door which opens to truth and reconciliation.And, I am not wearing rose tinted glasses nor inebriated with any brew.

I know that our huge challenges of every sort remain unchanged, but we would be approaching them in a different context, one where any

inclination to stealing elections as a “solution” would have been wholly and totally discredited. With the door to subverted electoral processes closed, doors are opened to new cordial relationships and sound development of our people and country.We are a young nation, a Nation in the making, a work in progress. At this stage of our historical development, the fact that membership and support of our two large parties correlate strongly with ancestry/race of our peoples; the fact that the majority of Afro Guyanese desire rule by Afro Guyanese, and similarly, that the majority of Indo Guyanese desire rule by Indo Guyanese, should not faze us, rather we should be surprised if it were different at this early stage in us living amongst each other.

These traditional correlations need not be so, will not be so for all time. Indeed, one can see efforts at and signs of an increasing amount of cross-over, that would reduce the strong correlation between ancestry/race and political party. In the dismissals of myself, Sam Hinds, and other Afros in the PPP/C , and similarly Ms. Amna Ally and other Indos in the PNC/R/ APNU+AFC as window dressing and tokenism, I sense a questioning of how real is the transitioning and maturing in our politics. Actions and time will tell. One can expect even more crossovers with the exposure and rejection of rigged elections, for it has been exercising a great hindrance on our people, confusing their choices: there are significant real differences beyond race,

between our two main political parties, and those differences will steadily matter more than race.

For, again, we are not a divided people but a people yet to be one, coming together out of six groups of peoples from different and distant places. There has been much closing in our nearly two hundred years of us being all together and we should celebrate that, rather than bemoaning, being frightened by and resorting to desperate actions in the face of the distances remaining for us to work at closing.

This may be Guyana’s moment for truth and reconciliation, for changed relationships between our peoples.

Let us take it.

Samuel A A Hinds, Former Prime Minister and Former President

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 14, 2020

PAGE 07

GECOM needs to publish SOPs for all to see - Former APNU+AFC Minister Dominic Gaskin F

ormer Business Minister in the APNU+AFC coalition government Dominic Gaskin last evening in a post on his Facebook page, expressed that he is not “sufficiently convinced” the results declared by the Returning Officer of Region Four “accurately reflect” those recorded on the various statements of poll collected from the district's 879 polling stations.

Gaskin also said that he also had difficulty accepting that “all the persons and organizations who have so far deemed the process to lack credibility have somehow gotten it wrong”.

Below is the full post made by the former Minister last night.

“I am no fan of Bharat Jagdeo or Irfaan Ali. I campaigned vigourously against them and for the

Former Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin APNU + AFC coalition in these, and in previous, elections.

I consider the new smaller parties to be a mixed bag of decent Guyanese, political opportunists and disgruntled persons - i.e. no different from any other party.

For the record, I consider Jonathan Yearwood to be a decent Guyanese and a person I respect. I was sorry to see what happened to him today.

I believe I am a rational person capable of independent thinking, despite my political

affiliation. Given all that has taken place over the last twelve days, I am not sufficiently convinced that the results of the Region 4 elections as declared by the GECOM RO last Thursday (March 5th) accurately reflect the results recorded on the various statements of poll collected from the 879 polling stations.

I have a difficulty accepting that all the persons and organizations who have so far deemed the process to lack credibility have somehow gotten it wrong.

I have a difficulty understanding why GECOM, specifically the Region 4 RO, would not be bending over backwards to convince the various observers that his tabulation process was sound and all his results credible.

If our election results are as widely rejected as they

appear likely to be, then there can be no winners. We all lose.

This is not what I campaigned for. GECOM needs to publish their SOPs for all to see. If not, it can never hold credible elections in Guyana again.

Unfortunately none of us can prevent GECOM from taking this process to its obvious conclusion, however, I believe the nation deserves to see all the

numbers on which GECOM intends to base its final declaration.

There are many more good Guyanese than there are rotten ones.

It is a shame that good Guyanese are now turning on each other simply because a few rotten eggs are attempting to pull us apart.

Time to tone down the hate, accept that we're all in the same s**t storm, and work our way out of it.”

Saturday March 14, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Region 4 RO presented inflated SOPs - Five parties C

l a i m s o f irregularities in the electoral process following the close of polls were more pronounced yesterday than any day before. The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is openly being accused of trying to steal or rig Guyana's 2020 general and regional elections.

Several parties have come forward saying that their observations show blatant inflation of the votes recorded on the statements of poll in favour of the incumbent, A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC).

While the returning officer, by direction of the Chief Justice's ruling on We d n e s d a y, h a s n o obligation to verify his statements of poll against those of the parties, discrepancies observed between those of all the parties and the statements of poll in GECOM's possession were so pronounced that international and local observers have held one view that the process, as it is currently playing out at GECOM, will not produce a credible result.

Take the comments of Nigel Hinds of Change Guyana, for instance, who spoke with media operatives after exiting the Ashmin's

Building where GECOM's returning officer Clairmont Mingo was once stationed.

He said that what was observed during the tabulation process constituted an “open hijack of the elections process”.

Hinds walked out of the Hadfield Street GECOM centre shortly after the American, British, Canadian and European Union Diplomatic Representatives had also left, out of concern for the integrity of the tabulation process.

Hinds told the media that Mingo was using inflated statements of poll that boosted votes for the APNU+AFC coalition. He said that the party's votes were the singular variant on each statement, which were doubled or tripled in many instances.

“They were inflated significantly…so what you have here is an open attempt to destroy and denigrate the fledgling democracy.”

The Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) presidential candidate, Lenox Shuman approached media operatives last night after yet another contentious tabulation process at GECOM's Kingston headquarters, where Mingo's office was moved.

He said that what transpired “should disturb us

all”. He said that there were clear indications that the numbers on the sheets shown to the observers and party agents were altered.

“In some instances, the numbers on the sheet represented more than the voters that were present; all of those in favour of the incumbent.”

“The figures were very clearly manipulated, which does not give us the confidence in the integrity of those.”

“I think that the country is not going to see a fair, transparent nor legitimate outcome from region four.”

Shuman explained that the officials entitled to witness the count did not have a view of the security features, such as the serial number and necessary signatures, that were supposed to be present on the scans of the statements of poll. He said that he believes that in itself is in contravention of the Chief Justice's ruling.

Shuman said that his party has already prepared two requests for a total recount. He said that that would allow them to, in addition to counting the ballots, see the statements of

poll that were locked into the ballot boxes.

Presidential candidate for The Citizenship Initiative (TCI), Rhonda-Ann Lam has been an avid reporter of what was going on in the command centre, despite GECOM's attempts to close the centre off from public view by, for example, banning the use of all electronic devices.

Like Shuman, Lam also raised the issue of the security features on the statements of poll not being displayed. She said that they were unable to examine the statements. Party representatives, she said, asked to see the features, but they were refused. Even before today, Lam has been reporting repeatedly that the numbers presented by GECOM have been altered.

In a brief Whatsapp conversation with a Kaieteur News reporter, Lam said that the numbers altered for APNU+AFC appear higher than the data she has gathered from statements of poll published outside of the polling stations, while the numbers for the People's Progressive Party (PPP) appear to be lower.

Several members of the

PPP have also reported repeatedly that the numbers coming from the tabulation process occurring are from – in PPP general secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo's words – “fictitious statements of polls”.

The main opposition party has been in agreement with the international observers to the process, as well as the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and European Union, that the process as it is being employed by GECOM will not a produce credible result.

Jonathan Yearwood of A New and United Guyana (ANUG) had been observing the process up until he was removed by police from the Kingston centre after an altercation with an APNU+AFC representative.

When contacted by Kaieteur News, Yearwood referred to a Facebook post he made yesterday which states that GECOM is conducting a massive fraud in the region four count.

“Every SOP has 50 to 100 votes added to the APNU+AFC and 20 to 30 votes subtracted from the PPP/C,” Yearwood said. A video circulating shows that Yearwood was raising these and other concerns about the tabulation process up to the moment he was removed from the centre.

Kaieteur News managed to procure comments from Commissioners nominated by both the Opposition and the Government.

Commissioner Sase Gunraj spoke with reporters outside of the Kingston office yesterday, explaining to the media similarly as the above comments, that there were striking alterations to the figures on the statements of poll, and that there were concerns about the validity of the some of the statements presented.

Commissioner Vincent Alexander spoke to reporters outside of the GECOM centre last night. He could not provide answers about the discrepancies raised by others, for he said that he had only recently arrived. At the time, several hours had already passed since the beginning of the process there.

However, Alexander said that his understanding of the process is that the concerned parties should make a note of their concerns, but that the returning officer would have no obligation at that stage to pay heed to those obligations. This was expressed by the Chief Justice in her ruling.

Alexander said that the concerns would have to be raised through a request for a recount.

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 14, 2020

PAGE 09

ARE WE PREPARED? P

ersons have e x p r e s s e d frustration at not being able to obtain face masks. Others have complained about the spike in prices for hand sanitizers.

These things should have been distributed free of cost to the population even before the first case was registered.

It was always felt that it was not whether Guyana would register a positive case for the coronavirus, but when. As it is, Guyana registered its first case this week.

According to the country's public health authorities, tests done locally on a patient who died, came back positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19).

There is an existing protocol for test results to be confirmed regionally, and it is hoped that the sample from the dead patient will be sent overseas to confirm the local laboratory's findings.

This is not a vote of noconfidence in the capabilities of the local laboratory but rather, is a control measure, as given the problems which have emerged with testing in other countries, it is necessary that there be a second confirmation test of this first

case.

Guyana is not prepared for an epidemic. We have had one case so far and already more than fourteen medical professionals had to be quarantined. Imagine what is going to happen to our doctors and nurses if we have ten more cases.

There are no special hospitals for patients. They have to be hospitalised at the public hospitals, thereby increasing the risk of the spread of the virus.

The government should have already identified a temporary location and converted it into a hospital for coronavirus patients, so as to separate them from the rest of the hospital population. This has not been done.

There are not enough ventilators in the public health systems should there is a massive increase in the number of cases.

This means that those most in need of assistance would not be able to have that assistance.

The Ministry of Health continues to emphasize sanitization. But what they should be placing more emphasis on is containment, by immediately closing the country's ports.

On the weekend, prior to the elections, the government closed the 'backtrack' route between Suriname and Guyana because of fears of persons from Europe.

But that made little sense, because foreigners rarely use that crossing. The 'backtrack' route was closed, but the airports were at the same time letting thousands of persons into the country.

Yesterday, Suriname had its first case of the virus, and it has moved swiftly to close all ports of entry, including with Guyana. It also closed its airspace at midnight. That country is taking no chances.

Guyana, in the meantime, is yet to close all its ports. This delay can be costly.

If the coronavirus gets into our school system, it will spread rapidly. The Ministry of Education has therefore done the right thing and closed schools for two weeks.

This is the correct approach, and one of the main ways in limiting the spread of the virus, even though it has been established that there are no fatalities of children between the ages of 0-9 years. And the adolescent fatality rate is

Dem boys seh...

Reading and counting is not easy

W

hen dem boys mudda send dem to school it was to learn to read and write. Dem parents never use to tell dem children that reading and writing involve counting and spelling. That is why some people can't spell to this day.

Of course people who does read dem chats and dem letters to de editor does see some spelling. De whole country find out about how dunce some people dunce when dem had to divided by two after de no-confidence vote.

People couldn't find de half of 65. When dem go to school to read and write dem never go to school to do addition and subtraction. De Chat-3 know what he was

doing when he ask de judge to spell out exactly wha she mean in she ruling. He know that if anything was in doubt was trouble.

So said; so done. De count start from anywhere but de start. Eventually it had to go back to de start. People start and then dem complain.

Just like how C. Persaud had problems wid he conscience, is just so C. Mingo had problems wid he counting.

Dem boys seh that people didn't have patience.

C. Mingo had to count pun he fingers and he toes to get de figure right. That is wha Jagdeo couldn't tek. He and he boys protest and stop de count.

Dem go to court because counting wid toes is illegal and de Chief Justice agree

wid dem. She seh dem can use spreadsheet but no toes.

C. Mingo start to use de spreadsheet but he use he toes to hold down one end.

De counting had to stop again. Is till late in de afternoon that people get it right. But by then some people was vex. A man who party barely get ten votes chuck a woman. And de police didn't even lock him up fuh assault.

But dem boys see something wrong. De Court seh that C. Mingo got de official statements of poll.

Imagine de observers decide that regardless of what de court seh, C. Mingo statements of poll wrong.

But this is Guyana.

Talk half and keep counting.

also low.

The high risk group is persons aged 70 years and older, and therefore there has to be a national strategy to protect the older members of the population, including those in nursing care and elderly homes.

The other high risk group is persons with pre-existing conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, respiratory d is eas es an d ter min al illnesses. There has to be special interventions made for these persons.

The private sector has to be brought on board.

Businesses need to limit the exposure of their staff.

Those which can operate on a skeleton staff should be encouraged to do so or to have a shift system, so that only a percentage of staff is present at the workplace at any one time.

Containment is the best approach. China has had remarkable success in a short period of time in containing the virus. The number of new cases in that country is now

less than a dozen, despite more than 80,000 persons being infected there. Guyana should adopt the same rigid strategy: close the borders and encourage people to self-isolate at home.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Saturday March 14, 2020

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

What has the CARICOM mission achieved?

T

wo days passed a f t e r t h e CARICOM mission of five Prime Ministers came to Guyana, yet in those two days, progressive advancement to a solution not only remains elusive, but there have been regressive directions. The question is compellingly trenchant - what has the

mission achieved?

It is the only time since the union of Caribbean states came together that five heads of government came to a member state to solve a crisis. Such a large number had to instill optimism in all stakeholders and the Guyanese people. But CARICOM is beginning to face one of its most

agonizing moments since its birth.

If its mission fails in Guyana, could its mediation efforts in the future be respected? I am contending if five CARICOM prime ministers came to Guyana, including heads of two of the most developed nations in CARICOM, and the situation badly deteriorates,

then future similar CARICOM missions will face credibility problems.

Let's us examine some dimensions of the mission.

First it brought Granger and Jagdeo face to face at the Secretariat. What they discussed has not been made p u b l i c . S e c o n d l y, P M Rowley said things were proceeding well. Thirdly, PM Mottley spoke with pellucid forcefulness that the Region 4 tabulation must be done with definitive transparency.

Since the PMs came and left, let's examine the election site. The heads of the ABC/EU embassies have walked out of the GECOM command centre because of the unsatisfactory conduct of the Returning Officer for Region Four, Mr. Mingo, in the way he was using the statements of poll (SOPs).

The OAS delegation, headed by former Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding, has pulled out of Guyana ending its observer presence with unambiguous words to the effect that the continuation of the Region 4 tabulation was not transparent.

GECOM has transferred its operation from Stabroek to its Kingston headquarters, where the use of the SOPs has been so different from what the Chief Justice ruled that one of the EU observers left.

Since the CARICOM mission, things look like they are deteriorating. The question arises again – what did the five PMs accomplish?

It is interesting to see what CARICOM's attitude will be to what has taken place. The answer to that will hinge on what Jagdeo and Granger discussed. This is a curiosity that is larger than the combined three great rivers of Guyana.

Let us speculate what Jagdeo must have stated in front of the five PMs. One assertion might be that if the Region 4 tabulation continues, then it has to be within the framework of transparency and accountability, whereby the party agents and observers must be primary witnesses.

Secondly, he must have argued that if harmful situations arise with the Region 4 continuation, the recounting of the votes must be a requirement.

Frederick Kissoon It is difficult to see how the five PMs could have rejected that. It is difficult to guess what Granger has conveyed to the CARICOM heads. But it is equally difficult to see him disagreeing with Jagdeo in front the CARICOM heads, because Jagdeo's two requirements do not disadvantage any of the contestants.

One CARICOM head asked what the big issue was with returning to counting the ballots. Did the five PMs insist on this? Maybe they felt that was not in their remit, but it is a panacea, and it is almost impossible for the CARICOM heads not to accept it. If there are rejections of the SOPs because they are tampered with, how can the party that is saying that it won, lose if the votes are recounted?

We are nowhere near to a settlement. As I type this column at 6.30 pm on Friday, the SOPs are being tabulated against the background of objections by all parties except APNU+AFC. There seems to be a worst-case scenario taking place right now as I write these lines, whereby the Chief Justice's ruling of how the SOPs are to be used is being ignored, and PM Mottley's advice to have the Region 4 tabulation done in a transparent manner has gone down the drain.

It is clear to me as I write that either late last night or early this morning, APNU+AFC will be declared the winner, and that the new government will have a torrid time enduring internal dynamics and international pressure.

I came off at Kaieteur Radio at 5pm yesterday to come home to type this piece, and in response to Len Gildarie's question as to how I see the days unfolding, I predicted a swearing- in by Saturday (today) or early Sunday (tomorrow). That I am sure of. What is taking place at GECOM as I pen this column leaves me in no doubt.

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

Saturday March 14, 2020

Kaieteur News

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PAGE 12

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 14, 2020

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 14, 2020

PAGE 13

11 days after elections…

Late-night Region Four declaration puts coalition ahead R eturning officer, Clairmont Mingo made a declaration of the region four general and regional election results shortly before midnight last night at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM)'s

Kingston office.

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

Reporters from other publications also said that they were prevented from entering.

After a few moments of waiting afar from the centre in a locked vehicle, Kaieteur News' reporters heard loud cheering, then saw a

Table showing Guyana's 2020 General Election results

Coronavirus effect...

Education Ministry announces two-week closure of public schools

O

ne day after announcing plans to keep public schools opened in the face of the first confirmed COVID-19 [coronavirus] case, the Ministry of Education has had a change of heart.

In a statement to the media yesterday, the Ministry advised that with effect from Monday, March 16, 2020, all schools will be closed for two weeks. It was however noted

that this decision would be reassessed and further guidance provided.

Meanwhile, the Ministry is urging anyone with concerns to make contact with the Ministry of Education on 226 - 1175 or the Public Health Ministry's hotline number 227- 4986 between the hours of 08:00 and 16:00hrs, or 624-3067 between 16:30 and 20:00hrs.

Facebook post from The Citizenship Initiative (TCI)'s presidential candidate, Rhonda-Ann Lam, that a declaration had been made and that Mingo had been surrounded by police officers and quickly escorted from the premises in a vehicle.

Photos of the declarations were sent to the media after the declaration.

The regional election result

showed that A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) gained 130,289 votes, while the People's Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) gained 74,877 votes. Votes gained by other parties were all less than a thousand.

In the general election, APNU+AFC got 136,057 votes and PPP/C got 77,231 votes. The general election

results for all of the regions, including the national total are displayed in the table attached. APNU+AFC has a lead of 7,457 votes.

The tabulation process for the region four general and regional elections results has been marred by a lack of transparency, accusations of fraud and international condemnation. Several parties had indicated that they will request a recount.

Saturday March 14, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

I have never seen such a deliberate attempt to rig an election - Nascimento “I have to say this, that in all my life and career in and out of politics in this country, I have never seen such a barefaced, ugly and deliberate attempt to rig an election. Yes, I have seen

attempts and I am aware of attempts where elections were rigged, but not in this kind of manner; not in this ugly, barefaced and obvious manner. It was utterly disgusting.”

Mr. Christopher 'Kit' Nascimento, an observer attached to the local Private Sector Commission (PSC) made these damning statements during a press conference yesterday at the

Kit Nascimento (left) and PSC Chairman, Capt. Gerry Gouveia

Headquarters of the PSC in the presence of international observer mission, the Carter Centre.

At the press briefing, Nascimento related events that occurred yesterday at the Office of the Returning Officer (RO), Clairmont Mingo.

The PSC member said that they were led into a sealed room with very little facilities for them to place their electronic devices on. “ We a s k e d f o r t h e intervention for proper facilities, but the RO refused, point-blank.”

Nascimento went on to say that at that time the RO was “dictated” to resume the tabulation by APNU+AFC representative Carol Joseph.

He alleges that Joseph began to scream in an entirely abusive manner at anyone who spoke up against her.

“She virtually directed the RO how to proceed with the tabulation. That, of course, has problems, because unless you can reconcile the precise data from which to begin, then you can't do a proper calculation,” he expressed.

Nascimento recounted that Mingo further directed one of his clerks to make the announcements. “It was immediately apparent that she was beginning from a spreadsheet and not from the SOPs. She read at an enormous rate. It was absolutely impossible to follow her. On each occasion that she read out figures that

we were able to follow, it became absolutely apparent that the figures that she was reading out did not match any of the SOPs in possession of the party representatives or indeed the observers.”

Not only did these numbers not match, he added, but there were massive variations. He claims that on each of the SOPs that observers and party representatives were able to make a comparison, there was a huge variation—a variation of which votes assigned to APNU ranged from about 50 to 100 more.

“This was becoming an absolute farce, because w h e n t h e p a r t y representatives sought to stop, the RO told them, “Make a note about these variations. We would deal with them at the end!” It was impossible to make a note with the speed at which the GECOM clerk was going, even if you wanted to agree with that procedure,” Nascimento contended.

The PSC member further stated that at that point Robeson Benn, one of the opposition-appointed commissioners, intervened and attempted to speak, but he was shouted down by Joseph, the APNU+AFC representative. This became a screaming match between Benn and Joseph, Nascimento claims.

“Clearly the entire process was descending into

chaos and a farce,” he related.

Frustrated with the process, the US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch; British High Commissioner Greg Quinn; European Union Ambassador Fernando Ponz Canto; and Canadian High Commissioner Lilian Chatterjee got up and left.

Shortly thereafter Nascimento departed, while adding that he was wasting his time being present there.

Chairman of the PSC, Captain Gerry Gouveia argued that post-elections events have subjected the private sector to sufferance in an “enormous way.”

“This is exceptionally depressing. It is depressing that we cannot abide by the rule of law, which is very essential to investor confidence and business development and stability of a country. When we saw the entire ABCE ambassadors walk out of the room and that process, we knew there and then that the international community had given up on the credibility of that process,” Gouveia asserted.

The PSC is convinced the Chairman of GECOM Justice (ret'd) Claudette Singh has the authority to settle the disputes and called for a full recount of the ballots in Region Four if the impasse continues.

“It does not matter who wins the election, but that the will of the people is respected!” Gouveia exclaimed.

Saturday March 14, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Saturday March 14, 2020

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Air, water travel halted as Suriname records first coronavirus case

D

ays after G u y a n a confirmed its first imported COVID-19 [coronavirus] case, Suriname has followed suit.

The victim recorded by the Suriname health authority, this publication has learnt, is a 19-year-old person who recently travelled from Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The confirmed case is, moreover, being viewed as an imported one.

Evidenced by its actions, Suriname is not taking this d e v e l o p m e n t l i g h t l y.

Already there have been announcements of closure to the country's airspace,

thereby restricting flights inward and outward bound.

All other ports of entry, including one it shares with Guyana, have also been closed. Moreover, the Canawaima Ferry Service is currently inaccessible.

In a statement, the local Ministry of Public Infrastructure informed of this, pointing out that “The Management of the Guyana/Suriname Ferry Service wishes to advise the general public that its services will be suspended from Saturday, 14th March, 2020 until further notice”.

The decision, it was noted, was made by the

The Guyana/Suriname Ferry Service has been suspended from today until further notice

Surinamese authorities to close all ports of entry after the country recorded its first case of the novel coronavirus yesterday.

Given the development, the management of the Guyana/Suriname Ferry Service has apologized for any inconvenience caused and has advised that persons seek further information by calling 339-2744.

Meanwhile, Guyana continues to put measures in place to deal with any additional case. The first case recorded here, like Suriname's, was imported.

Fifty-two-year-old Ratna Baboolall, who reportedly arrived at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport from New York on Saturday, was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation on Tuesday from a Good Hope, East Coast Demerara residence with pneumonia-

like symptoms. Pneumonia or difficulty breathing is one of the symptoms associated with the coronavirus. The virus can also manifest with symptoms including: a runny nose, sore throat, cough and fever.

More than a dozen family members of the local victim have been identified for quarantine and Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Karen Gordon-Boyle, confirmed yesterday that 41 Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation [GPHC] health workers have been quarantined.

The novel coronavirus first emerged in Wuhan, China during the latter part of last year. The virus which has since expanded its reach to more than 50 countries has infected a little more than 145,000 persons and just over 5,400 have reportedly died as a result.

Even as the local health sector shares plans that should see its efforts to prevent an outbreak of the virus ramped-up, the Ministry of Public Health is urging all persons who believe they have been exposed, to make contact with the Ministry by calling telephone number 227-4986 [ext. 215] between the hours of 8am and 4:30pm and 6246674 and 624-2819 between the hours of 8am and 4:30pm.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary General António Guterres, by way of a statement, pointed out that “We are facing a health threat unlike any other in our lifetimes.”

According to him, too, preventing the further spread of COVID-19 is a shared responsibility for all. In this regard, Guterres said the UN, including the World

Health Organization, is fully mobilized.

“As part of our human family, we are working 24/7 with governments, providing international guidance, helping the world take on this threat.”

“The social and economic fallout from the combination of the pandemic and slowing economies will affect most of us for some months. But the spread of the virus will peak. Our economies will recover. Until then, we must act together to slow the spread of the virus and look after each other,,” said Guterres as he assured, “This is a time for prudence, not panic. Science, not stigma.

Facts, not fear.”

According to the UN Secretary General, even though the situation has been classified as a pandemic, it is one that can be controlled.

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 14, 2020

PAGE 17

Ministerial task force established to address COVID-19 The meeting at State House yesterday

P

resident David Granger yesterday a f t e r n o o n convened a meeting of ministers to better coordinate Government's action plan in response to the presence of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Guyana.

A ministerial task force headed by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and including Minister of Public H e a l t h , M s . Vo l d a Lawrence; Minister of Education, Dr. Nicolette Henry; Minister of

Communities, Mr. Ronald Bulkan; Minister of Public Security, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan; Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Basil Williams SC; Minister of Public Infrastructure, Mr. David Patterson; Minister of Finance, Mr. Winston Jordan and Minister of Citizenship, Mr. Winston Felix, has been established in this regard.

President Granger said the briefing is a follow-up to one held on January 28, 2020 by officials of the Ministry of Public Health and the Pan

American Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) on COVID-19.

The team had briefed Cabinet on Guyana's preparedness to deal with any case of the Novel Coronavirus, which at that time was centred in China.

The team of medical professionals, which included Dr Shamdeo Persaud - Chief Medical Officer; Dr. Karen BoyleCampbell - Deputy Chief M e d i c a l O ff i c e r ; M s .

Collette Adams - Permanent Secretary, MOPH; Dr.

Fawcett Jeffrey - Director of Medical and Professional S e r v i c e s , G e o rg e t o w n Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and Dr. Tracey Bovell - Mass Casualty Specialist, GPHC as well as Dr. William Adu-Krow, PAHO-WHO's Country Representative in Guyana, provided an insight to the rise of the Novel Coronavirus.

Guyana confirmed its first imported case of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Wednesday last.

The President said since then, measures have been put in place to prevent the risk of the virus spreading. He urged all Guyanese to

remain calm and to implement all advisories issued by the authorities relative to personal hygiene and social distancing.

PAGE 18

Saturday March 14, 2020

Kaieteur News

APNU+AFC, ANUG reps clash during Region Four tabulation process at GECOM H/Q

H

eightened tensions shifted to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Headquarters at Kingston yesterday after the representatives of two parties clashed, resulting in an arrest.

The entire ordeal captured on camera put a temporary halt on the already delayed results for district four.

In the video seen by Kaieteur News, A New and United Guyana (ANUG) candidate, Jonathan

Ye a r w o o d w a s h e a r d screaming at the Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo “You are wrong! You are wrong! Your reputation will go down in tatters in this country! Your reputation, M r. M i n g o . Yo u r reputation…You fail to understand what is going to happen to this country.”

This was followed by Yearwood getting up and stating while walking away that he would “take no further part in this fiasco” pointing his finger in Mingo's direction.

At that time, A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change ( A P N U / A F C ) representative, Carol Joseph got up and aggressively approached Yearwood, demanding that he desist from shouting at the Returning Officer.

Yearwood turned his attention to Joseph and shouted loudly, “shut up!”

The two had to be separated by law enforcement officers, who then arrested Yearwood.

He was later released from police custody.

Concerned citizens picket outside Guyana Consulate in B'dos

ANUG representative Jonathan Yearwood (right) accompanied by his attorney, Timothy Jonas, shortly after being released from the Brickdam Police Station.

There was a small picketing exercise yesterday outside of the Guyana Consulate in Barbados against what the participants said was a lack of transparency in the March 2020 general and regional elections in Guyana.

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 14, 2020

PAGE 19

U.S. should 'think twice' before returning 1MDB funds to Malaysia, says ex-PM Mahathir

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U A L A L U M P U R (Reuters) - The United States should “think twice” before giving Malaysia back the money recovered from an antikleptocracy probe into state fund 1MDB, former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday, as the party accused of graft at 1MDB was back in power.

Mahathir, 94, abruptly resigned last month before being replaced by Muhyiddin Yassin, whose coalition includes the former ruling party United Malays N a t i o n a l O rg a n i s a t i o n despite voters rejecting UMNO in the 2018 general election amid a backlash over the multi-billion dollar scandal at 1MDB. The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) says over $4.5 billion was looted from 1MDB under UMNO prime minister Najib Razak, who is now on trial for allegedly receiving some of the stolen money.

The DoJ, in its biggest ever anti-kleptocracy case,

have to think twice.”

At least six countries are investigating alleged graft and money laundering at 1MDB, founded by thenpremier Najib in 2009.

After an unexpected election victory in 2018, Mahathir reopened probes into 1MDB and Najib's involvement at the fund.

Najib is facing five trials, the first of which - involving seven charges linked to $10 million misappropriated from a 1MDB unit - is expected to reach a verdict within months.

He has pleaded not guilty and says he was misled by Malaysian financier Jho

Malaysia's former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad speaks during an interview with Reuters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 13, 2020.

REUTERS/Lim Huey Teng

has recouped about $1 billion from the seizure and sale of assets allegedly bought with 1MDB funds.

The DoJ returned nearly $200 million to Malaysia in May, but a second transfer of about $240 million was delayed last month amid uncertainty following Mahathir's resignation, sources have said.

Mahathir told Reuters the DoJ should re-consider

its decision to send the money to Malaysia after the return of Najib's party to the government.

“When we took over, the DoJ was willing to give it to us because we overthrew the people who stole the money,” he said in an interview.

“Now, the people who stole the money is going to get back the money they stole. I think the DoJ will

Bulletin issued for Devon Harris …wanted in relation to Mahdia murder

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bulletin was issued by the Guyana Police Force yesterday for 40-yearold Devon Harris, who is wanted for questioning in relation to murder committed on Akeem Caesar at Black Water Backdam, Mahdia on March 03, 2020. Harris is of African Descent, and his last known address was given as Friendship, East Bank

Demerara.

A n y o n e w i t h information that may lead to the arrest of Devon Harris is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 225-8196, 226-9834, 216-0254, 2160251, 216-0252, 227-1149, 911 or the nearest police station.

All information will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Devon Harris

Low and other 1MDB officials.

Low, who has been charged in Malaysia and the United States, has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

Najib told Reuters last week that he expected an atmosphere more conducive to a fair hearing now that Mahathir was out of power.

The case has also led to scrutiny of Goldman Sachs, which Malaysia has accused of misleading investors over bond sales totaling $6.5 billion that the bank helped raise for 1MDB. Three units of the bank have pleaded not guilty.

Saturday March 14, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

As coronavirus chaos spreads globally, Trump declares U.S. emergency WASHINGTON/GENE VA (Reuters) - President Donald Trump declared a U.S. national emergency over the quickly spreading coronavirus yesterday, opening the door to more government aid to combat a pathogen that has infected more than 138,000 people worldwide and left over 5,000 dead.

The impact of the coronavirus on everyday life deepened around the world.

It was detected for the first time in several countries, with the World Health Organization (WHO) calling Europe the pandemic's current epicenter. More schools and businesses closed, the global sporting calendar was left in tatters, and people faced greater restrictions on where they could go.

“To unleash the full power of the federal government to this effort today, I am officially declaring a national emergency - two very big words,” Trump said in remarks at the White House Rose Garden, adding that the U.S. situation could worsen and “the next eight weeks are critical.”

Trump, whose action makes available $50 billion in federal aid to states and localities, had faced criticism from some experts for being slow and ineffective in his response to the crisis and playing down the threat.

The latest steps came two days after Trump announced travel restrictions blocking U.S. entry for most people from continental Europe.

While Britain was among the countries exempted, Trump said on Friday that might change because infections there had risen “precipitously.”

The president, who was photographed last Saturday at his private Florida club with a Brazilian official who has tested positive for the coronavirus, said he himself likely would be tested “fairly soon,” a reversal of his previous stance. But Trump, 73, said he did not plan to isolate himself, noting he was suffering no symptoms.

Travel bans have hammered airlines and travel companies worldwide, while financial markets have been hit by panic selling this week.

The three major U.S. stock indexes rallied more t h a n 9 % o n F r i d a y, rebounding from Wall Street's biggest daily drop since 1987. But the indexes were still about 20% below record highs hit in midFebruary.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Europe now had more reported cases and deaths than the rest of world combined, apart from China, where the coronavirus originated but where new cases have slowed to a trickle. The WHO called the death toll reaching 5,000 globally “a tragic milestone.”

The WHO's top emergency expert, Mike Ryan, said social distancing was a “tried and tested method” to slow the spread of a virus but “not a panacea” that would stop

transmission.

“Blanket travel measures in their own right will do nothing to protect an individual state,” Ryan said.

CULTURAL LANDMARKS More cultural landmarks were shuttered to try to stop the spread of the virus. In Paris, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre museum and the Moulin Rouge cabaret closed their doors. The Smithsonian museums in Washington were preparing to do so on Saturday and Broadway theaters in New York went dark.

The kissing of the Blarney Stone, one of Ireland's oldest tourist traditions, was suspended.

Central banks worldwide acted to shore up money markets after cratering share prices drove a rush for cash, hitting many regional currencies and threatening a surge in short-term borrowing costs.

In China, which bore the brunt of the economic fallout from the coronavirus in the first few months of 2020, authorities late on Friday cut banks' reserve requirements for the second time this year.

The U.S. Federal Reserve followed suit with $37 billion of Treasury bond purchases, accelerating the enhanced market liquidity measures announced on Thursday.

Japan's central bank pledged to buy 200 billion yen ($1.90 billion) of five- to 10-year Japanese government bonds and also inject an additional 1.5 trillion yen in two-week loans.

The European Union proposed a 37 billion euro ($41 billion) investment initiative as part of a package to cushion the bloc's economies from the coronavirus impact.

In Italy, which after

U.S. President Donald Trump declares the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency as Vice President Mike Pence listens during a news conference in the Rose Garden of the White House in ashington, March 13, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst China has been hardest hit by the respiratory illness, the death toll jumped by 250 to 1,266 in the last 24 hours, authorities said. The total number of cases also rose to 17,660 from a previous 15,113, despite draconian measures to restrict the movement of people.

In the northern region of Lombardy, at the heart of Italy's coronavirus epidemic, authorities asked for even stricter steps.

In hard-hit Iran, security forces will empty the streets

in cities across the country, state television reported.

NEW COUNTRIES RECORD CASES The virus continued its persistent march across the globe. Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Guinea all confirmed their first cases, giving the disease a foothold in 18 countries on the African continent.

Kosovo, Venezuela and Kazakhstan also confirmed their first cases, and Spain declared a state of

emergency.

World leaders, sports stars and actors were among the tens of thousands of people hit by the virus. Golf's crown jewel, The Masters, England's top-flight soccer Premier League, and the Boston and London marathons joined the long list of elite sporting events to be canceled or postponed.

But sport's biggest showpiece, the Olympics, will proceed as planned, a c c o r d i n g t o To k y o organizers.

Women jailed for 3 years, fined...

From page 2 Cyber Crime Act the offence they are charged with carries a summary conviction of 3 years along with a fine of $5,000,000.

Pestano and Williams were then sentenced to 3 years' imprisonment and fined $5,000,000 each.

Pestano burst into tears while she was being escorted downstairs by a female

police officer.

The video that Pestano recorded with the victim and her boyfriend (Pollard) was widely circulated on Facebook and other social apps.

A few days after the video was posted, the victim took to her Facebook page and made a video apologizing and pleading with persons to stop sharing

the video, since they don't know the effect it was having on her.

A popular singer from Jamaica posted the video on his Instagram page and from there other persons from the Caribbean started sharing the video. However, due to the explicit video being reported, most of the videos were removed from social media platforms.

Saturday March 14, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 21

PAGE 22

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Visa Forms Preparer.

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Saturday March 14, 2020

Kaieteur News

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LEGALNOTICE

LEGALNOTICE

2020-HC-DEM-CIV-FD-85 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MAT R I M O N I A L JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION PETITION NO. FD-85 BETWEEN:(HUGHES) MONESA DONNETA nee LEWIS Petitioner –and(HUGHES) GARY FITZGERALD Respondent

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

To the Respondent GARY FITZGERALD HUGHES Last Known Address Lot 254 South Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara, Guyana TAKE NOTICE that on the 23rd day of January, 2020 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by MONESA DONNETA HUGHES nee LEWIS the Petitioner in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 26th day of February, 2020 the Petitioner was directed to effect service of her Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) Consecutive Saturday issues of the Kaieteur News Newspapers, a daily Newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around Guyana.

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

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

TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Tuesday the 28th day of April, 2020 at 9:00am before the Honourable Madam Justice Damone Younge in the Directions Hearing Room of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown.

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

Dated the 27th day of February,2020

Saturday March 14, 2020

Kaieteur News

Barbados and Suriname developing closer relationship BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Barbadian companies could soon be doing business within the mining industry in Suriname, as the two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries seek to develop closer business and trading relationship.

Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Trade, Sandra Husbands, said that the stateowned Suriname company, Grassalco, is seeking to develop relations and that of particular interest to Barbados was the granite and sand that was “so abundant in Suriname”.

She told members of the business community, who participated in a meeting on the potential for doing business in Suriname with respect to natural resources, that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Single Market and Economy (CSME) which allows for the free movement of goods, skills, labour and services across the 15-member grouping, was functioning.

“Indeed, for many years we would have signed the Treaty of Chaguaramas. We would have been holding meetings via various CARICOM organs seeking to bring the region together. But the real impact on the ground happens when people get together and do initiatives that help to move forward their countries,” she said.

Husbands said that the meeting on Thursday was part of the Brokopondo

Agreement signed by both governments in November 2018 and that since then Bridgetown and Paramaribo had been able to put a number of initiatives on the ground, which would help to deepen the engagement between the two countries.

Explaining why the promotion of the trade in building materials was of importance to Barbados at this time, Husbands said this was because part of the country’s growth strategy was to use construction as one of the ways to generate jobs and economic activity in Barbados.

Adding that Barbados had a shortage of domestic sand, she said with those supplies soon to be exhausted, it was imperative that the island find alternative supplies, and the partnership with Suriname could bring both sand and granite to the island.

Husbands also noted that the coronavirus (COVID) which has been detected in at least four Caribbean countries could complicate trade relations.

“The national response of each country will really determine how well that trade will take place,” she said.

China, where the first case was detected last December, had only now resumed limited production after closing a number of its production facilities.

“It means that our sup-

ply chain network can be disrupted and therefore it is imperative for all companies to investigate what is the potential impact if certain industries are closed, or if countries take on a national response that prevents the continued production of inputs and exports that we are going to need to keep our businesses afloat.

This is why Suriname is important.

“It means that if CSME is to mean anything in a crisis of this nature our companies now have to look towards CARICOM to source alternative supplies.

“This I believe could present a tremendous opportunity if we can grab it while it is available to upscale our production when production in other places might be declining as countries develop their national response to the coronavirus.

“So I am very pleased this is a propitious moment to have the Surinamese here to look at what it is we can do in relation to alternative sources of supply,” Husbands added.

PAGE 23

Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Trade, Sandra Husbands, in discussion with members of the local business community and representatives of Surinamese company Grassalco

PAGE 24

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 14, 2020

Kaieteur News

Saturday March 14, 2020

PAGE 25

OAS observer mission withdraws - says required standard of fairness and transparency not met by Region 4 RO

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s it was carrying out its duties yesterday at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM)'s Command Centre at High and Hadfield Streets, the Organization of American States (OAS) Electoral Observation Mission found that a less than transparent process was being used by Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo to ascertain the results for Region Four.

In light of this, it took the decision to relinquish its role in the electoral process. The OAS made these and other statements in a missive it issued to the media yesterday.

The Observer team reminded that the ruling of Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George on March 11, last, stated that the Returning Officer or Deputy Returning Officer must determine the best method of tabulating the Statements of Poll and included the expectation “that the Returning Officer would act reasonably in ensuring a process that allows persons to observe what is being tabulated and how.”

B a s e d o n i t s observations, however, the OAS said that this did not occur.

The Observer Mission said that instead, and without any plausible explanation, the Returning Officer continued to ascertain the votes cast for each party list

without affording the duly authorized candidates and counting agents an opportunity to see the Statements of Poll, so that they could compare them with the copies in their possession.

It said that such a process could have been easily facilitated using the same technology which allows the tabulation to be displayed.

Further to this, the OAS Observer Mission stated that the Returning Officer's defiance of the Chief Justice's orders and expectations, as well as his refusal to allow the Statements of Poll to be exhibited, gives credence to the allegations that the numbers being tabulated do not correspond with the numbers appearing on the Statements of Poll prepared following the March 2 elections.

Also of significance for the Mission was the fact that that images of the Statements of Poll published by the PPP/Civic, on its website, which it claims were given to its polling agents after the ballots were counted at each polling

station on the night of the elections, produce a result that is vastly different from that being declared by the Returning Officer, and would therefore have a decisive effect on the outcome of the national election.

To date, neither the Chief Elections Officer nor APNU has challenged the authenticity of the Statements of Poll published by the PPP/Civic by producing the copies in their possession, the Observer Mission stated.

It said that the implications are deeply troubling and make it all the more necessary for the Returning Officer to display the Statements of Poll on which he is relying.

Even though it was pleased to note that the March 2 poll was, in almost all respects, well executed, as well as the fact that the subsequent tabulation of the Statements of Poll in the other nine regions was carried out in compliance with the law, the OAS registered its disappointment that it could not express similar sentiments for the process employed by the

Reporters chased, assaulted by Coalition supporters attempting to enter GECOM H/Q

W

h i l e attempting to gain access to the Guyana Elections Commissions Headquarters late last evening, three reporters were forced to flee for their safety after a crowd of supporters of the incumbent A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) chased and assaulted them.

The incident occurred a f t e r 11 p m w h e n t h e Returning Officer for District Four, Clairmont Mingo was scheduled to make his declaration.

Earlier in the day, coalition supporters had surrounded the police barricades, heckling and

booing observers and other officials who attempted to pass through.

While senior police ranks were stationed there, they did little to nothing to quell the large crowd.

Later in the evening, media operatives were informed by GECOM that the RO was scheduled to make his declaration.

They were told that police would be stationed there to allow easy access through the barricades, since this was difficult before.

When the reporters returned to the barricades at High and Cowan Streets, Kingston location, they were immediately blocked by the APNU/AFC supporters

who surrounded them and demanded to know why they were there.

One supporter was heard screaming “who is y'all? We ain't want no media here!”

“Get out! Y'all move from hay! Guh back wheh y'all come from! We ain't w a n t y ' a l l h a y, ” t h e supporters screamed.

The reporters were forced to abandon their intended task and leave the area, fearing for their safety.

Several complaints were made regarding the treatment and safety of local journalists providing coverage for the Regional and General Elections, but these have fallen on deaf ears.

R e t u r n i n g O ff i c e r f o r Region Four.

Based on the numbers that have emanated since the process was first disrupted, the OAS team said it is unlikely that one can have a result that is credible and able to command public

confidence.

Further to this, the team said that the legitimacy of any government that is installed in these circumstances will be open to question, while noting that this would be a terrible blow to the country's

democracy.

“The people of Guyana do not deserve this. (And) given the circumstances cited above, the OAS Electoral Observation Mission regrets that it has no option but to withdraw from Guyana...”

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Saturday March 14, 2020

Saturday March 14, 2020

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Coronavirus threat: IPL 2020 deferred until April 15 ESPNcricinfo - IPL 2020 has been deferred until April 15 following the global concern over the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) outbreak. ESPNcricinfo understands that if the situation is safe for the IPL to start in midApril, the new window for the tournament is likely to be April 16 to June 5.

The decision to postpone the tournament, which was scheduled to start on March 29, was taken by the BCCI top brass led by its president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah and top management of the IPL in the wake of the advice given by various arms of the Indian government.

The IPL sent the communication to all eight franchises yesterday, saying it would meet the owners today in per-

son in Mumbai to further debrief on the matter.

In its statement announcing the decision yesterday afternoon, the BCCI said it was “suspending” the IPL until April 15 as a “precautionary measure” against the coronavirus. “The BCCI is concerned and sensitive about all its stakeholders, and public health in general, and it is taking all necessary steps to ensure that, all people related to IPL including fans have a safe cricketing experience,” the release said. “The BCCI will work closely with the Government of India along with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and all other relevant Central and State Government departments in this regard.”

The IPL now joins a host of high-profile sporting events including the English Premier League and UEFA Champions League, the NBA and the ATP Tour to have been affected by COVID-19 (novel coronavirus), a respiratory illness that was declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organistion (WHO) this week.

With the outbreak rapidly escalating across the globe the Indian government has placed severe travel restrictions for people traveling in as well out of India. With the coronavirus being highly contagious and spread through contact, the government said sporting organisations would need to adhere to Health Ministry’s guidelines to avoid mass gatherings.

ESPNcricinfo had earlier

Saturday March 14, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Yes, you can be proud of yourself, Aries. You really know your stuff. You have committed yourself to deepening your knowledge and capabilities and it really shows.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Today is wonderful for surrounding yourself with those you love the most, Taurus.

Host a get-together with family and friends, full of stimulating conversation and delicious food and drink.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) As a person who enjoys being gregarious and outgoing, days like this provide a wonderful outlet for your energy.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) This is a great time to take advantage of a little solitude to pursue some cherished goals, Cancer.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Be careful of gossiping too much with your friends and colleagues, Leo. It's fun to laugh and exchange stories, but remind yourself of the fact that the truth in a story is diminished and changed each time it's repeated.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Don't be surprised if you don't spend too much time at home today. All signs indicate that you're more likely to be out and about, shopping, visiting, and maybe attending a special dinner or concert.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You know that you have a very fertile imagination, Libra, and today's aspects highlight this special quality.

You might wish to channel your thoughts into an artistic endeavor like writing or painting.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Yikes! What an emotional day, Scorpio. The planetary energies are forecasting conflict, and lots of it. Do your best to personally steer clear of any of it, and try to avoid being drawn into any arguments.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Emotions will run high with today's planetary energies, Sagittarius. But this is no reason to run away and hide! People will be much more honest than usual, even brutally so, and you could learn some valuable information as a result.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Today's emotional energy risks being exceptionally high, Capricorn. You may find yourself at the end of your rope by midday.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Today is good for entertaining, Aquarius. Enjoy the company of family and friends, and don't get distracted by gloomy thoughts about work or money.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Today's energies are going to be stirring up everyone's emotions, Pisces.

The Mumbai Indians players pose with the IPL 2019 trophy. (BCCI) reported the possibility of the IPL being a severely restricted tournament - with at least some part of it being played to empty stands - because of the pandemic. While

the central sports ministry had said it would not stop sporting events from taking place as long as they adhered strictly to government guidelines discouraging mass gath-

erings, the external affairs (foreign) ministry had said that its advice was to not go ahead with the tournament at this time, but left the decision to the organisers.

In the end the BCCI was left with not much choice and was forced to change its initial stance of business-as usual when Ganguly had said the IPL was on and the board was taking all necessary precautions. However, the pressure on the BCCI was building up as state governments across India including those of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab and Delhi yesterday insisting that they would not allow mass gatherings, something an IPL match would easily attract.

On the eve of the IndiaSouth Africa ODI series opener, on March 11, the BCCI shared its first public statement on the coronavirus saying a list of dos-anddon’ts were distributed to all stakeholders including the players who had been asked not to shake hands or use third-party phones to take selfies during interactions with the fans.

Later yesterday, it was confirmed that the final two ODIs of the South Africa series, in Lucknow (March 15) and Kolkata (March 18) would not be played for the same reasons.

Before arriving at the decision to defer the tournament, the IPL is understood to have consulted at least some of the franchises for their views. As far as the franchises were concerned they wanted the tournament to go ahead in whatever form even if behind closed doors. One franchise chief executive said an option that was considered, and, which might still be in play if the tournament starts in April, is to allow no spectators during the first few weeks of the tournament and then upon review resume ticket sales.

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Saturday March 14, 2020

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Australia crush New Zealand in first ODI AFP - Australia crushed New Zealand by 71 runs in the first one day international at an empty Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday.

After New Zealand earlier kept the home side to 258 for seven, the Australian bowling attack dominated the Kiwi batsmen to dismiss the visitors for 187 in the 41st over.

Cricket Australia barred spectators from the match in response to the coronavirus pandemic, leading to the strange sight of players acknowledging milestones to empty grandstands.

It was also revealed that Australian fast bowler Kane Richardson was in quarantine early in the day and had been tested for the virus after feeling unwell.

However, he was subsequently cleared of the virus and returned to the ground to rejoin his teammates.

Australian skipper Aaron Finch won the toss and chose to bat, with the home side at one stage looking at a score in excess of 300 following a superb opening partnership from Finch and David Warner.

But once Warner (67) and Finch (60) were dismissed, the Australian innings lost momentum and New Zealand clawed their way back into the game, despite a late flourish from Marnus Labuschagne, who made 56 from just 52 deliveries.

New Zealand must have given themselves a good chance of taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, but some superb Australian

Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are all smiles. (AFP) bowling in the first 10 overs meant the visitors were always behind in the run chase.

None of the New Zealand batsmen was able to dominate — Martin Guptill top scored with 40 — and wickets fell at regular intervals as Australia took control.

The victory will come as a welcome boost to the Australians, who had lost their last five ODIs in series losses to South Africa and India.

Test spearhead Pat Cummins was the pick of the bowlers with 3-25, while allrounder Mitchell Marsh claimed 3-29.Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood both picked up two wickets in an impressive team display.

Earlier, New Zealand spinners Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi

reined Australia in after Finch and Warner’s bright start.

Warner brought up a chanceless half-century but soon began to struggle when New Zealand’s fastest bowler, Lockie Ferguson, came round the wicket and he eventually fell when he was beaten by pace and sliced a Ferguson thunderbolt to mid-on.

Santner struck next when Finch got a faint edge to keeper Tom Latham to leave Australia 145 for two.He then rocked the home side when he bowled Steve Smith (14) with the addition of only one run.

Leg-spinner Sodhi was expensive early but he adjusted his length and claimed the next three wickets to give New Zealand hope of chas-

Jaguars dismantled for second lowest ...

From page 31 Braithwaite and dominated the bowlers in the second session.

The left-handed Carter got going by using his feet to Sinclair and whipping him past mid-on for four before Braithwaite delightfully swept Veerasammy Permaul to the ropes.

Carter then swung a short ball from Sinclair for four, while Braithwaite lofted Permaul over wide mid-on for another boundary.

Carter swatted Shepherd over his head for four and the pair batted with lots of confidence.

Carter hammered Barnwell for consecutive boundaries before Barnwell trapped him LBW at 110-3 to bring the

tournament’s leading run scorer Kyle Mayers to the crease.

Braithwaite soon brought up his 51st First-Class 50 from 87 balls, 138 minutes with six fours and a six before Mayer (7) suffered his second failure of the game when fell to Paul at 121-4.Concussion-sub Tevyn Walcott, who arrived in Guyana yesterday, came out in place of Dowrich but did not last long; being LBW to Barnwell for a duck at 1225.Holder joined the solid Braithwaite and the pair took Barbados, in sight of their 22nd title, to 129-5 by Tea as 106 runs were scored in the session with four wickets falling.

After Tea, the pair continued to bat well before

Holder was comprehensively bowled by fellow Bajan Reifer who ran close to the Bajan’s dug out to celebrate Holder’s demise at 160-6.

Ashley Nurse (18) was caught behind off Permaul at 195-6 to give the Berbician his 50th wicket for the season before Roach (4) was bowled at 200-8 by Paul, who also bowled Jomal Warrican and Chemar Holder for ducks as Braithwaite ran out of partners.

Meanwhile, Dowrich informed he was getting some headaches but was feeling ok, while CWI has postponed the next round of matches due to the worldwide outbreak of the Coronavirus.

Today is the penultimate day and play starts at 14:00hrs.

Cricket Australia barred spectators from the ODI between Australia and New Zealand in response to the coronavirus pandemic, leading to the strange sight of players acknowledging milestones to empty grandstands. (AFP / Saeed Khan) ing down the Australian total under the SCG lights.

The second match will take place tomorrow, also at the SCG. Scores: Australia 7 for 258

(Warner 67, Finch 60, Labuschagne 56, Sodhi 3-51) beat New Zealand 187 (Guptill 40, Latham 38, Cummins 3-25, Marsh 3-29) by 71 runs.

Cycling - Giro d’Italia postponed due to coronavirus - race organizers (Reuters) - The Giro d’Italia, which was due to start in Budapest, has been postponed after the Hungarian government’s move to declare a state of emergency in response to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, race organizers RCS Sport said yesterday.

Cycling’s first Grand Tour of the season was scheduled to start on May 9 in the Hungarian capital — the first time the prestigious race was to depart from eastern Europe.

“The organising committee of the Giro d’Italia’s Hungarian stages declared the Giro’s start could not be held in Hungary at the originally scheduled time,” a statement said.

“All parties have agreed that they are determined to work together to enable the Giro d’Italia to depart from Hungary at a later time.”

As well as the opening time trial through Budapest’s historic centre, two more stages were scheduled in Hungary before the race swung back to Italy.

In a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus, Hungary has prohibited the organisation of mass events.

No revised start date or location for the race has been announced, with a decision not expected before April 3.

Italy is in the grip of the coronavirus pandemic which has so far killed more than 1,000 people in the country and prompted the government into restricting movement until at least April 3.

“The new date will be announced no earlier than 3 April when the provisions of the D.P.C.M. (Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic) of 4 March 2020 will

Rugby cancels National Training According to a release from Godfrey Broomes, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU), the union has cancelled all National training until further notice, due to the threat of the novel coronavirus, Covid-19. It informed, “Guyana was expected to partake in a regional tournament, Rugby Americas North (RAN) in April.

The GRFU encourages all eligible players to stay safe and to continue working on personal fitness.”

end, and only after having consulted with the appropriate representatives of the Italian Government, local and territorial authorities and Italian and international sports institutions,” the statement added.All sporting events have been suspended in Italy, including the Serie A soccer league, because of the coronavirus outbreak and cycling has been hit especially hard.Already the Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo and Tirreno-Adriatico races have been cancelled.

Giro race director Mauro Vegni was quoted by Cycling Weekly as saying: “We are waiting for the end of this month to understand what will happen.“In my opinion there will be a complete review of the whole year, for all activities. It is a complicated moment.”Earlier this week the president of cycling’s governing body the UCI, David Lappartient, said it would be a “disaster” for the sport if the Giro or Tour de France were cancelled.

The Tour de France is due to begin on June 27 in Nice.

On Friday the Paris-Nice race was shortened by a stage with the final stage to Nice tomorrow being cancelled.

Saturday March 14, 2020

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Kaieteur News

England tour of Sri Lanka postponed amid COVID-19 spread ESPNcricinfo - England’s Test tour of Sri Lanka has been called off at the request of the ECB, due to the growing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, but on the understanding that it will be rescheduled at a later date.

The news came while England were playing their final four-day warm-up match, ahead of the two-Test series which had been scheduled to get underway in Galle on March 19. Play continued for a few minutes after the announcement, before the players left the field at 3.40pm local time.

The match was duly abandoned with the Sri Lanka Board President’s XI on 150 for 3 in their first innings.

“After overnight discussions between our teams in Sri Lanka and the SLC, the decision has been made to postpone the series and bring players and support staff home. Our aim will be to reschedule the series,” said an ECB spokesman.

The ECB had been in regular contact with the Sri Lankan and British High Commissions, in addition to Sri Lanka Cricket to address a

“highly evolving” situation.

SLC are understood to have offered to play the series behind closed doors, but the ECB pushed for a full postponement, making the case that their players would not have been in the right frame of mind for a Test series. The decision was, said the ECB, “beyond cricket”.

The spread of COVID-19 in Sri Lanka is currently less intense than in the UK, with three confirmed patients to date. However, amid the tightening or closing of borders, and the cancellation of international travel, England’s desire to get home to their families, and their concern for elderly relatives, was a key factor in the decision. ‘’Due to the COVID-19 pandemic worsening globally, and after discussions with Sri Lanka Cricket, we have today made the decision to return our players to the UK and postpone the forthcoming Test series between Sri Lanka and England,” the ECB said.

“At this time, the physical and mental wellbeing of our players and support teams is paramount. We will now look to bring them home

Joe Root addresses his players.

(Gareth Copley/Getty Images) to their families as soon as possible. These are completely unprecedented times, and decisions like this go beyond cricket.”We would like to thank our colleagues at Sri Lanka Cricket for their outstanding support and assistance throughout this situation. We look forward to returning to Sri Lanka in the very near future to fulfil this important Test series.’’

The postponement will be a financial setback for SLC England tours are highly

prized, not least because some 3000 fans were due to begin flying in this week. However, the hit will not be as severe as might ordinarily have been the case, because this tour falls outside the contract agreed with the host broadcaster, Sony, even though it forms part of the World Test Championship.

And given the WTC points at stake, there is an increased incentive for a rescheduling. However, the exact date may not be pinned

down for some time, however, largely because so much of the schedule has been thrown into chaos by the pandemic. At this stage, a potential gap in England’s crowded itinerary could come in January 2021, ahead of their fiveTest tour of India.

England’s next scheduled Test series is against West Indies in June, but that too is in serious doubt, with Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK’s chief scientific adviser, saying on Wednesday that the

anticipated peak of the virus in the UK is “10-14 weeks away, maybe slightly longer”.

The first of England’s three Tests against West Indies is scheduled for June 4 at The Oval, a date that is currently 12 weeks away, in the middle of the expected peak period. West Indies’ opening tour match is set for May 22, against England Lions at Taunton.

The T20 Blast is scheduled to start on May 28, with the group stage running until July 12.

“We are considering the question of banning major public events such as sporting fixtures,” Boris Johnson, the UK Prime Minister said, describing the virus as “the biggest public health crisis in a generation”.

MCC v Essex, the Champion County - the traditional curtain-raiser to the English season - had been scheduled to take place in Galle immediately after the Test match, on March 24. However, that has now been cancelled, along with the MCC World Cricket Committee meeting in Colombo, slotted for March 28 and 29.

Formula One in turmoil as three races scrapped on eve of season The Australian Grand Prix was cancelled just hours before cars were due to hit the track.

(AFP / Peter Parks)

Hamilton ‘surprised’ Australian Grand Prix going ahead. (AFP / William West) AFP - Formula One’s season was thrown into turmoil yesterday with the Australian Grand Prix cancelled just hours before cars were due to hit the track, and races in Vietnam and Bahrain subsequently called off as well as the coronavirus pandemic takes its toll.

The decisions follow the postponement last month of April’s Chinese Grand Prix, leaving motorsport chiefs scrambling to revise the calendar and proposing the end of May as a potential start date for the season.

“The global situation regarding COVID-19 is fluid and very difficult to predict and it’s right we take time to assess the situation and make the right decisions,” F1 chief Chase Carey said in a

statement.“We are taking this decision with the FIA and our promoters to ensure the safety of everyone involved in Formula 1 and our fans.”

Formula One and the FIA, world motorsport’s governing body, said they “expect to begin the Championship in Europe at the end of May but given the sharp increase in COVID-19 cases in Europe in recent days, this will be regularly reviewed.”

The Dutch Grand Prix is the next race on calendar, although its scheduled May 3 date will be pushed back. The Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona was planned for the following week.

The future of the Australian race, the first of the season, was in doubt Thursday when McLaren pulled out af-

ter one of its team members tested positive for the virus.

McLaren revealed yesterday that 14 other staff were now in a mandatory two-week quarantine after being in close contact with the man.

The McLaren employee was among eight Formula One personnel who went into isolation after showing flulike symptoms typical of the disease this week.

The other seven — including four from the Haas team — all returned negative results.The fast-moving developments sparked a crisis meeting between the race organisers, the FIA, teams and Formula One promoters

late Thursday to discuss whether tomorrow’s race should go ahead.

“Those discussions concluded with a majority view of the teams that the race should not go ahead,” they said in a joint statement just hours before the first official practice session and with fans queueing to get in.

- Unhappy fans Teams quickly began packing up to leave the circuit as some fans, many travelling from overseas, fumed at the way they were treated.

“We had to find out from Twitter, not from the organisers and have been waiting here for hours in the

line,” one told the Herald Sun newspaper.

Hours later, Vietnam postponed its debut F1 Grand Prix as the race became the latest to fall victim to a virus that has killed over 5,000 people, with cases around the world topping 134,000, according to an AFP tally.

Scheduled for April 5, the Grand Prix in Hanoi was set to be the third race of the season and the first-ever to be held by the communist country.Last year Vietnam signed a 10-year deal with Formula One to host an event state media said would cost the country $60 million per year.The Bahrain race

planned for March 22 was due to be held behind closed doors, but it too was shelved.

Bahrain has shut schools and axed some flights in order to curb the spread of the virus. It has also asked visitors from high-risk countries to self-quarantine for a fortnight.“Formula 1 and the FIA continue to work closely with the race promoters in Bahrain and Vietnam and the local health authorities to monitor the situation and take the appropriate amount of time to study the viability of potential alternative dates for each Grand Prix later in the year should the situation improve,” the statement added.

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Coronavirus: India v South Africa ODI CARIFTA Games called off because of coronavirus threat series rescheduled HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC – The CARIFTA Games due to be staged here next month have been called off until further notice because of the growing threat of the coronavirus outbreak, officials announced yesterday.

The Games, the region’s annual junior athletics showpiece, were set to take place at the National Sports Centre from April 10 to 13 but, with the virus having more than 138,500 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 5,000 deaths worldwide, the decision to postpone taken after advice from the World Health Organisation.

“This has been a very long week with many twists and turns, but we feel we have come to the right decision for everyone involved in these games,” Donna Raynor, chairwoman of the CARIFTA local organising committee, said at a joint news conference with Sports Minister Lovitta Foggo.

“We do not want to take

Sports Minister Lovitta Foggo the opportunity away from athletes that have trained hard for these games. This is a yearly event etched deep in the history of Bermuda and the Caribbean countries.

“We would never have predicted an occurrence of this nature a week ago. We were deep in preparations and

were ready to host the CARIFTA Games, and ready to welcome the 27 countries to our shores.

“The main thing we didn’t want to do was cancel, so our intention is that sometime this year we will host the CARIFTA Games.

“We are not trying to anticipate any dates as yet; we are waiting to see what happens with this COVID-19.

Once it seems all is clear, we will sit down and work out a date in conjunction with the other Caribbean countries.

Foggo supported the decision, saying: “Obviously, we are disappointed at these developments and the postponement of the Carifta Games, but we certainly understand.“These are unprecedented times but the health, safety and wellbeing of all of our young people in all of our regions is our first priority.”Antigua and Barbuda announced earlier in the week it was pulling its team out of the Games.

ISSA facing heavy losses due to Champs cancellation KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Officials here have estimated losses from the decision to scrap this year’s Secondary Schools Athletics Championship due to the outbreak of the coronavirus at nearly $40 million (US$296,186).

Keith Wellington, president of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA), described the enormously popular track and field showpiece as the organisation’s “major revenue earner” and said even though the decision was the right one, the financial losses would hurt their operations.

“I think after we would have covered all our expenses, we possibly would be losing upwards of $40 million dollars,” the Gleaner newspaper here quoted Wellington as saying.

“It is our major revenue earner, and as a matter of fact, this is the only sponsored competition that we have a surplus from after we cover all our costs.

“That $40 million dollars is what we use to cover the other sports that are not sponsored as well as our office operations.”

He added: “It is a disappointment that we had to take this decision, but I think it is the right decision that we would have taken based on the circumstances.”

Organisers moved swiftly to cancel the event after two

Sports Minister Olivia Grange … emphasised the importance of public safety. cases of the coronavirus were reported on the island. Cases had increased to eight as of yesterday.

The championship, which had been set to run off this month, is one of the largest sporting events on the country’s calendar. It attracts large numbers through the five days of competition, with up to 25 000 fans turning up for the final day.

Sports Minister Olivia Grange said while the cancellation of the championship was a “massive disappointment”, athlete and public safety was of major importance.

“It is a massive disappointment. We are all disappointed because it is very painful for me, but when you think of reducing the risk, then

that is more important than fulfilling our wish to have a fantastic Boys and Girls’ Championships,” Grange explained.

“I just want to say to the athletes that it is in their best interest and I know how disappointed they are, and I am disappointed, too, but they should continue to remain focused.”

She added: “”We didn’t discuss moving the date, and we didn’t discuss having it without spectators.

We felt that in order to focus on containment and protecting Jamaicans, we thought that spectators and the athletes were equally important.”

Jamaica is one of several Caribbean countries which have reported cases of the coronavirus which has caused nearly 5 000 deaths worldwide.

ESPNcricinfo - Less than 24 hours after it said the remainder of the home ODI series between India and South Africa would be played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, the BCCI yesterday decided to call off the matches in Lucknow (March 15) and Kolkata (March 18) for now.

A BCCI statement said both they and CSA had decided to “reschedule” the series and that South Africa would visit India at a later date to play three ODIs, with a revised schedule.

“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) along with Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Friday announced to reschedule the ongoing ODI series in view of the Novel Corona Virus (COVID19) outbreak,” the BCCI said in a media release yesterday.

“Cricket South Africa will visit India at a later date to play 3 One-day Internationals.

The BCCI-CSA will jointly work out the revised schedule.”

The statement seemed to suggest that the two teams would play a fresh set of three ODIs even though technically the first ODI had been completed in this series, though it was a washout without a ball being bowled in Dharamsala.

Rescheduling the ongoing series was the second significant decision about Indian cricket that the BCCI made yesterday, having earlier deferred the IPL until April 15.

The rescheduling of the ODI series is likely to have come as a surprise to even the

The India v South Africa ODI series has been scrapped. (BCCI) Indian and South African teams, considering the BCCI had sent out the practice schedule for both teams for today less than an hour before the board’s decision. As per the training schedule, India were to have an optional training session between 10.00 am to 1.00 pm in the morning, with South Africa’s session from 2.00 pm in the afternoon.

In a later release, CSA said chief executive Jacques Faul and interim director of cricket Graeme Smith had both personally been in contact with the BCCI and “expressed their gratitude for their understanding and cooperation in arriving at this very responsible decision”.

Faul added that CSA was also doing a risk-assessment of its ongoing domestic season.

“Our view is that this decision is both necessary and a precaution that had to be taken in the interest of cricket and the sustainability of the game,” Faul said. “We are monitoring the situation with the virus and are in constant consultation with medical and

virology experts. We will apply our minds to the input of experts and act in a way that reflects our duty of caring for our players.

We are currently doing a full risk assessment on the influence of the virus on our operations, including the current domestic season.”

On Thursday, the BCCI had said that it had consulted the Ministry of Health & Social Welfare as well as the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports before deciding to conduct the last two ODIs without spectators.

The Health Ministry and the Indian government had said they were strongly against mass gatherings of any kind, including at a sporting event such as a cricket match. Yesterday, the Uttar Pradesh government, the state of which Lucknow is the capital city, also endorsed those guidelines.

In the first ODI washout, a healthy crowd had turned up despite government authorities asking fans not to attend mass gatherings in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

UCCA Price Is Right T20 Cricket competition reaches semifinal stage

F

our teams remain in the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association (UCCA), Price Is Right Supermarket T20 Knockout cricket Competition which is being played for teams in the Upper Corentyne and Black Bush areas.

Three matches were played and the teams advancing are Jukestown Warriors, No70 A Warriors and No 69 Turn Team, while Cut and Load had drawn the Bye earlier.

Results of matches played saw Jukestown Warriors whipping Scottsburg United by 10 wickets after dismissing them for 47in 13 overs. Jermaine Reid took 4 wickets, while Errol Byass and Wayne Garnett picked up 2 each.

In reply, Jukestown

raced to 48-0 in 6.4 overs with Clavern Beresford 32 and Clarence Beresford 14 being undefeated.

In another game, No70 A Spartans squeezed past Crabwood Creek Sports Club by 4 runs after batting first and reaching 129-7 with Ryan Yakoob 42, Mohamed Deochand 25 and A. Persaud 18.

Bowling for CWC SC Gobin Sugrim grabbed 3 wickets. They in reply fell short by 4 runs for 125in 19.2 overs with T. Chalitar 44 and L. Seegobin making 27.

Bowling for the Spartans, O. Mathura with 4, T. Ramoutar 3, M. Deochand 2 did the damage.

In the final game, No69 Red Rose edge out No68 Turn Team by 2 runs. Red Rose made 125 with Latchman Roopchand 50, Yadram

Pahalad 24 and Kiran Chitram 20. Bowling for Turn Team Hemnauth Ramsaroop picked up 4 wickets as they in reply fell 2 runs short at 123 with D. Dhanny 17 and T. Persaud 16.

Bowling for 69 Red Rose there was 3 wickets for Pahalad and D. Seeram, while T. Narivindat snared 2.

The competition continues tomorrow with the semifinal matches.

Prizes will be awarded to the top four teams as well as outstanding individual performers.

The UCCA is being led by businessman Dennis D’Andrade. The competition is being coordinated by The UCCA competitions committee which is led former National wicketkeeper batsman Sydney Jackman. (Samuel Whyte)

Saturday March 14, 2020

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Kaieteur News

CWI Regional four-day cricket

Kraigg Brathwaite works one on the leg side. © AFP file photo

Jaguars dismantled for second lowest total Roach, Braithwaite shine as Bajans eyes first win at Providence since 2014

By Sean Devers Barbados Pride were eying their first win in Guyana since 2014 after dismantling Guyana Jaguars for 55 on the second day of their seventh round CWI Regional fourday cricket fixture. Barbados were bowled out for 210 just before play ended last night at Providence leaving Guyana to get 330 to win with two days remaining.

Jaguars resumed on 19-2 in reply to the 174 made by Pride and were decimated for 55 in one hour and 19 minutes to give the Bajans a 119-run lead.

A 81-run third wicket stand between Kraigg Braithwaite, who carried his bat and reached the boundary nine times and cleared it once in his unbeaten 84 from 180 balls and 280 minutes and Jonathon Carter

whose 43 lasted 78 minutes and 65 balls and was decorated with six fours and a six, while Jason Holder made 22 from 56 balls with five fours, propelled Barbados.

Pacer Keemo Paul had 452 for match figures of 7-113.

Off-spinner Kevin Sinclair and Medium pacer Chris Barnwell had taken two wickets each, while Veerasammy Permaul had 1-41 to take his tally this season to 50 scalps.

This was the second time since the inauguration of the four-day franchise league that Barbados has dismissed the Jaguars for under 70.

In 2014 Jaguars were set 69 to win and fell two short, while yesterday’s 55 was the lowest score ever made by Guyana against Barbados in Regional first-class cricket.

At 39-8 it looked as if Guyana’s record lowest total of 41 against Jamaica at

Sabina Park in 1985 would be broken.

However, a one-bounce boundary back over the head of Jason Holder by Romario Shepherd saw Guyana move to 43, while a six over midwicket by Shepherd off Holder, brought up the 50.

But Shepherd’s 12 from 11 balls was the only double figure score apart for opener Shimron Hetmyer whose uncharacteristic 14 lasted 55 balls and included three fours.

The 30-year-old Kemar Roach, one of six Tests players in the Bajan side, utilised a track with some bounce, to capture 5-20, his 15th first-class five-wicket haul and second for the season to take his tally for the season to 27. Holder supported with 4-24 in his first game following his return for the Sri Lanka series.

Barbados had nine

wickets fall to pace and registered 4.8 points for their work in the field.

When the day began, Hetmyer (14) and Skipper Leon Johnson (9) carried the score to 33 before the usually aggressive Hetmyer played a glorious cover drive for four before hanging his bat to one that left him and nicked the ball as Holder struck in the 20th over.

Without addition to the score, Johnson fell to Roach in the next over after looking indecisive in a 32-ball nine.

Hetmyer seemed to be making a consorted effort to bat with maturity, while Johnson demonstrated little intent to play ‘shots’ and the

pair never tried to increase the scoring or exert any pressure on the best fast bowling attack in the tournament.

Roach had Vishaul Singh caught behind for a duck by Sharmarh Brooks, doing keeping duties in place of Shane Dowrich who was hit on his helmet on Thursday, much to the consternation of Singh who made his feeling known to the Bajans as tempers flared.

A run later, it was 39-7 when Guyana’s most consistent batsman Chris Barnwell (5) was run out in school boy fashion after he was dropped at short midwicket and Anthony Bramble did not respond to the call for

a tight single.

Bramble seemed unlucky to be given caught behind off Holder for a duck at 39-8 and also let the Bajans know how he felt.

Paul was removed for a duck by Roach before Shepherd brief spark was ended by Roach, who had Shepherd taken in the deep.

When Barbados started their second innings Sheyne Mosley (15) was bowled by off-spinner Kevin Sinclair on the stroke of the interval which was taken with Barbados 23-1.

After the break Sinclair bowled Brooks (6) at 29-2 before Carter joined (Continued on page 28)

Whitmore pleased with effort as Boyz blank Bermuda 2-0 under cloud of COVID-19 threat CATHERINE HALL, St James — Jourdaine Fletcher and debutant Kemar Beckford scored their first goals for the senior men’s team to lead the Reggae Boyz to a 2-0 win over Bermuda in a friendly international at the Montego Bay Sports Complex on Wednesday in a game that both head coaches said they were pleased with.

A fair-sized crowd showed up for the game that was played in the face of the coronavirus (COVID-19) threat to Jamaica as the island confirmed its first cases.

Fletcher, who had lost his place in the team, scored the opener in the 42nd minute, while his Mt Pleasant FA teammate Beckford lashed home the second goal in the 79th minute as Jamaica cruised to a fourth-straight win over Bermuda since 1992.

Both teams used the game as preparation for upcoming important fixtures as Jamaica look to the the start of the Concacaf World Cup qualification, while Bermuda has a play-off game after being knocked out of League A of the Concacaf Nations

League.Jamaica Head Coach Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore, who left most of the game coaching to his assistant Jerome Waite, told the Jamaica Observer after the game that despite the less than adequate physical conditioning of some of the players, he thought the team did well.

“We got a clean sheet for one, [despite] the players not [being] in the best of physical condition, but gave a good account of themselves,” he said.

Whitmore admitted that while the preparation leading up to the game could have been better, “this is still a work in progress”.

“There is lot of work to be done; lots of fixing that still needs to be done going into the World Cup qualifiers and that is where my focus and concern are at the moment,” he noted.

There were some good individual performances from the local team and Whitmore singled out Beckford for praise.“He was all over the park and for me he was the man of the match...we had a

few others who did well, but we can’t use one game to judge them and we need more practice games like these for the players to showcase their skills,” he argued.

Kyle Lightbourne, the Bermuda coach, thought his mostly local-based team did well against Jamaicans despite the missed chances and questionable defending.

“I thought it was a pretty even game, but Jamaica obviously won as they took their opportunities...I thought we gifted them two opportunities when we had possession of the ball, especially the second goal when we should have put the ball in the box, but decided to take a short free kick and they counter attacked on us and scored.”

Lightbourne lamented.

The game got off to a slow start with both teams content to passing the ball around when they had possession, but Peter-Lee Vassell came close to opening the scores in the sixth minute but his path was blocked and he was forced wide.

Fletcher, who missed by inches in the 21st minute

Jamaica goalscorer Jourdaine Fletcher (left) gets past Bermuda’s Osagi Bascome in their international friendly game at the Montego Bay Sports Complex on Wednesday. (Photo: Paul Reid) when he pulled a shot just wide of the far post from the right flank, scored the opener from a more central position when his left footer from the top of the 18-yard area rolled past the Bermudan goalkeeper.

With time running out in the game, Kemal Malcolm, who came on as a secondhalf substitute, led a quick counter-attack down the left flank, and after getting by two defenders, crossed the ball to the penalty area where

Beckford met it with the inside of his right boot steering it past the hapless Bell.

Malcolm could have scored his own goal in the 89th minute, but after getting past two Bermudan defenders, put his shot wide.

PAGE 32

Saturday March 14, 2020

Kaieteur News

West Indies Tests in spotlight as UK moves to COVID-19 ‘delay’ phase ESPNcricinfo - England’s Test series in Sri Lanka has been cancelled due to the growing threat of the COVID19 pandemic and their home series against West Indies in June - as well as the T20 Blast - is under threat, with both events scheduled for a period that the UK government has identified as the likely peak of the virus in the country.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed at a press conference on Thursday afternoon that sporting fixtures will not be banned with immediate effect, but said that such a move is under consideration, which could wreak havoc with the English cricketing summer.

England confirmed the series in Sri Lanka had been postponed on Friday, walking off the field on the second day of their tour match against a Board President’s XI moments after the decision was announced.

“Due to the Covid-19 pandemic worsening globally, and after discussions with Sri Lanka Cricket, we have today made the decision to return our players to the UK and postpone the forthcoming Test series between Sri Lanka and England,” a statement read.“At this time, the physical and mental wellbeing of our players and support teams is paramount. We will now look to bring them home to their families as soon as possible. These are completely unprecedented times, and decisions like this go beyond cricket.

“We would like to thank our colleagues at Sri Lanka Cricket for their outstanding support and assistance throughout this situation. We look forward to returning to

West Indies last toured England in 2017. (Getty Images)

Sri Lanka in the very near future to fulfil this important Test series.”The global sporting calendar has already been thrown into chaos by the spread of the virus, with hundreds of events postponed, cancelled, or played behind closed doors. In England, four counties have cancelled their pre-season tours overseas, while at least two more are expected to return home early.

Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK’s chief scientific adviser, said during the Prime Minister’s press conference that the peak is “10-14 weeks away, maybe slightly longer”, leaving the English cricket season in a nightmare situation which could result in a huge number of fixtures cancelled or played behind closed doors.

England are scheduled to play three Tests against West Indies, with the series starting at The Oval on June 4.

That date is currently 12

Milo School Football Tournament suspended amidst coronavirus concerns The Petra Organisation, the organisers of the Milo U18 2020 tournament, has announced that the tournament, which is sponsored by Beepat’s, has been suspended until further notice.

This suspension is as a result of the declaration of the closure of school from Monday 16th March 2020 for a two weeks period by the Ministry of Education. The MoE as a safety precaution to monitor the coronavirus outbreak following one case and death being discovered in Guyana, while several persons including hospital staff put under quarantine, has decided to close schools across the country.

In a statement, Petra noted, “We the Petra Organization urges all to take necessary precautions that’s stipulated by the MOPH and PAHO/ WHO in the prevention of the Covid-19.

Be Safe!

Please remember to pray and wash your hands.”

The Covid-19 or coronavirus, which first emerged in China, has spread worldwide and has killed many thousands, forcing several countries to be under lock down. It attacks the respiratory system with eventual pneumonia being the main result and cause of death. Many sporting events worldwide have been suspended due to this outbreak.

weeks away, in the middle of the expected peak period. The T20 Blast is scheduled to start on May 28, with the group stage running until July 12.

“We are considering the question of banning major public events such as sporting fixtures,” Mr Johnson

said, describing the virus as “the biggest public health crisis in a generation”.

“The scientific advice, as we’ve said over the last couple of weeks, is that banning such events will have little effect on the spread,” he said.

“But there is also the issue of the burden that such

events can place on public services, so we’re discussing these issues with colleagues in all parts of the United Kingdom. We’ll have more to say shortly about further action in that respect.

At all stages we have been guided by the science, and we will do the right thing at the right time.”

The cancellation of a whole home Test series would be a significant financial blow for the ECB, while the T20 Blast generates a major proportion of most counties’ income. It is possible that the tournament could be pushed back further in the summer possibly at the expense of the final rounds of County Championship fixtures - but there is precious little room in the schedule for change.

More immediately, the County Championship is scheduled to start on April 12.

While crowds are typically relatively low, they regularly exceed 2000 at certain grounds, and the main demographic of match-going fans is elderly, increasing their vulnerability to the virus.

It is possible that games almost all of which are streamed for free online - could be played behind closed doors, and the ECB is in close contact with government to discuss its options.

Sir Patrick explained that the nature of the virus means that a blanket ban on sporting fixtures is unlikely to have a major impact on its spread.

“On average one person infects two or three others,” he said. “You therefore have a very low probability of infecting a large number of people in a stadium, or a rather higher probability of infecting people very close to you.

“And that means that most of the transmission tends to take place actually with friends and colleagues in close environments, not in the big environments. So, it is true, of course that any cancellation can have some effect.“But if you get a displacement activity where you end up with everyone congregating somewhere else, you may actually have perversely an increased risk, particularly in an indoors environment.”

Classy Al Boum Photo retains Gold Cup crown

Al Boum Photo retained his Cheltenham Gold Cup crown yesterday — the first horse to do so since Best Mate in 2004. (AFP / Glyn Kirk) AFP - Al Boum Photo became the first horse since Best Mate in 2004 to win successive Cheltenham Gold Cups yesterday.

The Irish raider, under an inspired ride by Paul Townend, held off Santini and Lostintranslation in a thrilling contest that went ahead despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Townend, on realising he had prevailed, looked to the sky, as the 29-year-old also did last year in honour of his mother, who died when he was just 15.

“I never thought I would experience a better feeling than I did last year,” said Townend.

“However, I was wrong,

this is even better!”

For winning trainer Willie Mullins it was astonishingly his fourth winner from as many races on the final day of the Festival.

Al Boum Photo though will always have a special place in the 63-year-old Irishman’s heart as he delivered his first ever Gold Cup last year — after six runnersup finishes prior to that.

“Fantastic. An absolutely unbelievable day,” Mullins told ITV. “Some said he was under pressure but Paul does his own thing.

“He probably rides better under a bit of pressure. Delighted for Paul. It is very hard to take over from someone like

Ruby Walsh but Paul has stamped his authority.

“He is a rider riding with huge confidence.”

Marie Donnelly, who coowns the winner with her Irish bookmaking husband Joe, had also won the first race of the meeting on Tuesday.

“It is completely unbelievable. I cannot believe it,” she told the BBC. “Incredible. My husband said to Paul ‘Make history’ and he has.

“It is totally wonderful. A brilliant ride from Paul and he is obviously in tune with Al Boum Photo.”

Townend had found himself battling for supremacy coming to the last with Lostintranslation and Santini.

Robbie Power on Lostintranslation landed upsides Townend, but Al Boum Photo found more to forge ahead, only for Santini to throw down a challenge.

Rachael Blackmore too came with a run on Monalee after the last and looked at one point to have a chance of becoming the first female jockey to win the ‘blue riband’ event of jump racing.

However Al Boum Photo simply had too much in his locker and repelled both, with Monalee having to settle for fourth.

“You get so close but someone has to be second,” said Santini’s jockey Nico de Boinville.

“However, due credit to Willie Mullins, he has some horse there.

“It was a great race and fiercely contested.”

Lostintranslation’s owners were delighted with their star’s run.

It was bought in memory of co-owner Paul Taylor’s son Charlie, who died aged just three when he crawled under his grandfather’s car in 2015.

“I thought I would give them the Gold Cup when I was alongside Paul coming to the last,” said Power.

“Sadly it was not to be, but he ran a cracker.”

CWI Regional four-day cricket

Jaguars dismantled for second lowest total Roach, Braithwaite shine as Bajans eyes first win at Providence since 2014 Keemo Paul in his follow through © CWI Media /Randy Brooks file photo Kemar Roach celebrates a wicket © Associated Press

rt o p S CARIFTA Games called off because of coronavirus threat

Sports Minister Lovitta Foggo

WI stumble to 2nd consecutive defeat

Narine Bideshi top scored for the West Indies.

Todd O’Keefe turned in a man-of-the-match performance to guide Australia.

Phillip, Goolie West Indies Tests in put Red Force in spotlight as UK moves sight of victory to COVID-19 ‘delay’ phase p.

30

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