Kaieteur News

K

AIETEUR If Granger is sworn in NEWS

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

Friday Edition

on flawed tabulation, PPP

March 20, 2020 -Vol. 22 No. 11

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

will demand int’l funding be cut

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Price $80

- Norway has already curtailed funds - Jagdeo

Online readership yesterday 186,334

Guyana receives almost US$55M for one million barrels of oil sold - Central Bank says payment placed into Natural Resource Fund

Man murders ex-wife, carpenter, 10 days after receiving restraining order

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Six political parties in joint call for recount Brazil closes border with Guyana for fortnight Markets will remain open for now, says City Mayor p.

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Dead: Royston John called “Blacko”

Dead: Imogene Gordon

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- had threatened to hack off woman’s limbs

...as sanitisation exercise kicks off

Giftland owner says he’s not altering cameras p.

pointed at 14 Convention Centre The blood-splattered door to the house where the gruesome stabbing occurred

- alleges police say it’s “illegal”

Granger cannot distance himself - Opposition from efforts to stop recount Leader p.

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Kaieteur News

Friday March 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

Friday March 20, 2020

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Guyana receives almost US$55M for one million barrels of oil sold to Shell

By Kiana Wilburg

C

entral Bank's Senior Officials confirmed yesterday that Guyana's Natural Resource Fund “is all set” and already in receipt of the nation's first oil payment from Shell Western Supply and Trading Limited (SWSTL), which is based in Barbados.

The officials declined to reveal how much Guyana received, but noted that the payment was deposited earlier this week into the account which is being held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

When contacted for further details, Finance Minister Winston Jordan promptly disclosed that Guyana received almost US$55M for the first million barrels of oil which was sold to SWSTL. It was in mid-February that local authorities witnessed the transfer of Guyana's first million-barrel lift of crude onto the oil tanker Cap Philippe which was chartered by Shell.

It had bought, in total, Guyana's first three million

- Payment already placed into Natural Resource Fund - Central Bank barrels of crude from the Liza Phase One Project.

E n e rg y D e p a r t m e n t Head, Dr. Mark Bynoe had told this newspaper in a previous interview that Guyana is entitled to at least five million barrels of oil for 2020.

According to the Energy Department, the subsidiary of Shell, which is the thirdlargest company in the world based on 2018 revenues, won the bid on account of a number of factors.

These included a competitive pricing that limits the Government's exposure to market uncertainty; the size, scale and global reach of its trading operations; the company's high level of integration between Upstream, Trading and Downstream; Shell's strong foothold in the Latin American markets and the size and scale of their shipping and storage

operations in the region, allowing for multiple options on the Liza crude commercialization; and the range of new grades Shell recently introduced into the market.

The Department also took into consideration Shell's willingness to share critical refinery information which it asserts Guyana needs, in order to understand the Liza crude behaviour.

Kaieteur News was also informed via a statement from the department that Shell's readiness to support it in operating these cargoes, while it is strengthening its structures and in-house crude commercialization human resources, was also a determining factor.

CENTRAL BANK'S ROLE According to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed last year, Central

COVID-19 response numbers now toll-free - GTT

T

he Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) on Wednesday confirmed that after interactions with officials from the Ministry of Public Health, the company has decided to make all COVID-19 hotline numbers toll-free.

The decision to make the hotline numbers toll-free

came as part of the company's strategic measure to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic locally, through access to information.

GTT mobile, landline, and Blaze numbers can now call the Ministry of Public Health hotline numbers, free of charge, to report cases of the Coronavirus on mobile numbers 624-2819, 624-

6674, 624-3067 and 6249355.

The company is moreover advising persons to utilize the hotline numbers to report potential cases of the Coronavirus.

The company is also encouraging persons to take the necessary precautionary tips provided by the Ministry to avoid contracting or spreading the virus.

Bank is tasked with the role of being the Operational Manager of the Natural Resource Fund.

The MoU notes that Bank of Guyana has several responsibilit i e s w h i c h include receiving and a c c o u n t i n g f o r a ll deposits into the NRF; investing the NRF in eligible asset classes; appointing private managers and custodians; and reporting on

the performance of the NRF on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.

It also outlines that Central Bank will have to implement m a n a g e m e n t systems, procedures and risk management arrangements in accordance with international standards; and provide the public with information on the NRF as required by law; among others.

Finance Minister, Winston Jordan

Be considerate with customers in this difficult period - Mayor appeals to banks, businesses

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ity Mayor Ubraj Narine is appealing to commercial banks and businesses to lend a helping hand to citizens in view of the coronavirus (COVID19).

During a press briefing held at City Hall yesterday, Mayor Narine urged the entities to be considerate to their customers in this difficult period.

“It is not in my remit, but as City Mayor, I understand that people have loans…so I call upon the banks to call in their costumers and have, maybe, a discussion or dialogue with them, so as to work out a plan help ease the burden on those persons.”

“I know people have loans to pay, but this period of time we're going through here as a nation with COVID-19, is difficult.

Some businesses have shut down, some people are being laid off, some people are being sent home without pay.

And those very people may have loans, have children to provide for,” Narine added.

He stressed further that “ banks, the agencies or institutions that loan money to individuals… it would be nice if they can have dialogue with the people or persons so that they can get a break to deal with this COVID-19,and then they will be able to go back to their normalcy of paying their loans and so afterwards.”

“I know the banks in Guyana here, they have a heart. So as the Mayor of the City, I am calling for that dialogue,” Narine added.

In addition, the City

Mayor called on businesses not to significantly increase the price for anti-bacterial agents.

He noted that the municipality is also facing some of the same challenges as consumers to acquire cleaning supplies to sanitise important public spaces to prevent the spread of the infectious disease.

He said that the Council has joined efforts with the fire department in conducting sanitation exercises on various public spaces in the city.

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Friday March 20, 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

Don’t miscalculate; do what is right They are not alone, these powerful Americans protesting what is happening in the snake pit into which Guyana’s elections processes have been transformed. The Americans are not quiet or hesitant in making known where they stand on the manipulations occurring behind the scenes in our elections. As they become public before a watching and aghast populace and a diplomatically outraged world, only untold miseries are projected for this country should these wrong political mindsets and steps continue.

Through its ambassador, the United States did make its position clear: no rigging, no defrauding. Do this thing right and do it in a way that is credible and acceptable by all. As events unfolded at Gecom, before the courts, and in a tense, strung out society, it is now undeniably clear that there is no listening, no such conduct contemplated.

The coalition has engaged in verbal sword fencing, physical protesting, and judicial stonewalling, through one feeble and pathetic subterfuge after another to rearrange what looks like all but an inevitable outcome.

The Americans are having none of it and have been swift in ratcheting up in front of all, its sharp distaste for the maneuvers and machinations, which have assumed elements of the bizarre, the absolutely dumbfounding, on occasion.

It is now inarguable that the Americans have now taken loud and influential leadership via sharp condemnations of what might best be described as ongoing electoral barbarities. Others, especially the Europeans, have followed suit, along with our premier agency in the region, which is Caricom.

The leaders in neighbouring Caricom countries have to be flabbergasted at some of the recent developments that have sent agents hurrying for the exits; they cannot be other than appalled at some of the things that have distorted process and diluted spirit in what was thought to be (agreed upon) an opportunity to put things to rest by carving a believable pathway out of the crippling bog.

Their thinking has to be: surely, this cannot be happening in this day and age. Now, for all intents and purposes, and with restrained diplomatic language and protocols duly interpreted, Guyana first crept forward, and now rushes recklessly downward, through what pits it against the whole world.

It is the worst place to be, for trapped country and citizens, for unheeding leaders, for any form of constructive continuity. We cannot proceed to any place that represents what is forward and upward like this. It would be the pinnacle of miscalculation to think that, for one moment, these stratagems and ploys stand a chance of succeeding. In view of what is massed and arrayed before this country in diplomatic and international community objection and resistance, we would have the proverbial snowball’s chance in hell at overcoming and surviving what could be unleashed against us. It does not separate nor discriminate but renders all of us vulnerable.

We at this publication are most unhappy and heavily disturbed at the many turns and twists that have characterized events since March 2nd. At one early point, there was the belief and hope that we were on the right track, because we were engaged in doing the right things for the right reasons with only a right and acceptable outcome promised. Those thoughts and sentiments of ours have since fled, leaving us unsettled and discouraged as to the way out of the morass. For whenever we comfort ourselves with the confidence that we have succeeded in extricating one foot from the quicksand, the very next step taken plunges even deeper into the unknown and dangerous.

This is the height of folly; it is foolhardy and can lead nowhere but to the most devastating of disasters, and at the worst conceivable time. Surely, we cannot be this insensible and insensitive to all that stands against us, to the consequences warned of, to the depressed state that is sure to follow. We appeal to and urge: this is not the time for leadership hubris. This is the moment when leadership humility, leadership wisdom, and leadership maturity and cooperation must take centre stage and pull us up by the shoelaces from where we are.

The situation is very tenuously poised. Our final word is: don’t miscalculate. Do what is right.

COVID 19 - the power to stop the virus begins with you!

DEAR EDITOR, At the end of 2019, a novel coronavirus was identified as the cause of a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, a city in the Hubei Province of China. It rapidly spread, resulting in an epidemic throughout China and is now a pandemic as declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO), affecting 170 countries and territories with 206,893 cases and 8,272 deaths to date (CDC STATS).

COVID-19 is not a new virus, the new strain of coronavirus is called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), previously referred to as 2019nCoV. The virus causes coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19).

COVID-19 mainly affects: i.

People who have serious chronic medical conditions like: • Heart disease • Diabetes • High Blood Pressure • Lung disease ii.

O l d e r adults- 60+, 80+(worst) iii.

Yo u n g

Children- 2% cases (3% critical) iv.

Persons living with HIV v.

Persons travelling to endemic regions Coronavirus is highly infectious, but the mortality rate is quite low. It is significantly less severe than 2003 SARS (MR: 10%) or 2012 MERS (MR: 35%) outbreaks.

The incubation period from exposure to an infected person is 2-14 days (WHO), with a mean incubation of 5 days.

Recognising that the COVID-19 is an infectious condition, it can spread, directly or indirectly, from one person to another through various ways, such as: • Eye, nose, and mouth, via droplets produced by coughing or sneezing • Close contact with infected person • Contact with contaminated surface • Kisses, e.g., Mother to Child • Pets (1 Case) Almost 80% of people have mild symptoms, such as Fever, Dry Cough, Shortness of breath, Fatigue, Sputum Production, recent travels

from regions with COVID-19 and recover from the disease in 2 weeks. Most of the symptoms can be treated with timely medical care. Not everyone needs to be tested, only persons with these symptoms.

Once someone is suspected of having COVID19 symptoms, contact the national COVID-19 Disease hotline on 227-4986 or 6243067, after which, the person will be screened by a medical team.

If confirmed of COVID-19 via testing done only at the National Reference Laboratory, the infected person will be quarantined at one of the four designated quarantine facilities and receive readily available treatment and care. Currently there is NO CURE nor readily available VACCCINES, the treatment is symptomatic.

Popular Questions Asked i.

Can Garlic Help?

• There is no science-based evidence that proves its ability to protect against the coronavirus 19. ii. Does Warm weather Help?

• Experts in the field suggests that heat and warm weather is likely to

decrease the spread of COVID-19 but DOES NOT PREVENT THE DISEASE. Temperature needs to be > 56oC as in Steam BathsInhalation/Sauna which helps to decrease the transmission.

• Coronavirus can survives up to 8-10 hours over porous surfaces (like paper, untreated wood, cardboard, sponge and fabric) and a little more than this over nonporous surfaces (like glass, plastics, metals, varnished wood).

• Dies Quickly in the SUN and Hot surfaces. iii. Does everyone need to wear a Facemask?

• Not for everyone, only persons with suspected Case or Health care workers dealing with suspected cases. iv. What Can I do to protect myself from COVID19?

• Disinfect surfaces around your home and Workstations using any of the following: Bleach, vinegar, Alcohol (isopropyl), iodine, chlorhexidine, Dettol.

(IMPORTANT: Avoid mixing cleaning agents) • Wash hand (Continued on page 6)

We must educate ourselves and take precautions to avoid rapid transmission of COVID- 19 DEAR EDITOR, Firstly, we would like to commend the Government on some of the early measures that it has enacted to curb the spread of the highly transmissible COVID-19 infection namely temporary closures of borders and schools. Sadly some other actions which have been Gazetted on March 16, 2020 (Direction by the President Given under The Public Health Ordinance Cap 145) leave us puzzled at best and deeply concerned at worst.

Working in the health care system in Guyana for some time at various institutions and levels has given us intimate knowledge of both the capabilities and shortcomings of the public health system in Guyana. For an infection that is this highly transmissible with countries estimating an ultimate infection rate of 40% - 70% of the population (premised on worst case scenarios) leaves us with estimated persons affected at 300,000 to 525,000.

Suppose 10% requires hospitalisation and of those, 20% require intubation and invasive ventilatory support; this translates to 30- 50,000 hospitalised and 6,000 to 10,000 requiring ventilatory support. These numbers may be underestimations in a country like Guyana where

the prevalence of uncontrolled non communicable diseases (Diabetes and hypertension) and heart disease along with alarming rates of HIV leave a larger proportion of our population at risk for severe infections.

Currently in the Guyanese public health system there are 2 available ventilators and measures are being taken to procure a further 12 ventilators bringing the total to 14, thus only 0.2% of persons that may require ventilatory support would be able to access same. While we trust that the use of ventilators may not be in the majority of cases, this example serves to highlight the limitations of management of severe infections with life threatening compromise to the respiratory system. To therefore withstand and curb the impact of this disease requires strength in public health governance measures and immediacy in action.

Unfortunately, it is the opinion of the authors that the measures gazetted by the on March 16, 2020 are impractical and unmeritorious for the following reasons: 1. The Ministry plans to do away with self-isolation even in the case of mild disease, for which the

majority of affected persons will present with such symptoms. As is noted, the first measure is to “restrain, segregate and isolate persons suffering from the disease, or who may be likely from exposure to the infection, suffer from the disease”. Due to the easy transmission of this disease and doubling time(I.e. amount of time it takes for number of persons affected by the disease to double in number) of 2 days we are likely to have 100 persons affected by the disease in as little as 2 weeks.

If the plan to restrain or hospitalise these persons at one of the 4 earmarked facilities for this isolation of EVERY person, do they have the number of beds to house these persons? We can safely say that the answer is a resounding no as the present facilities will inevitably become saturated in a matter of days or weeks. Further, doctors that are required to tend to these persons will have to don PPE (N95 masks and tyvek suits) which will severely deplete what we’re certain is an already insufficient quantity given that even first world countries with endless resources have had to use substandard protective equipment for their healthcare workers due to shortages. Owing to global

supply chain interruptions, and travel restrictions, we may not even be able to replenish supply, putting our health care workers on the front line at unnecessary risk even if PPE are used sparingly.

2. The global response to mild or asymptomatic COVID19 disease is to have the patient self isolate past the period that they are able to transmit the disease. This is in places with much larger number of hospital beds per population. Yet, we are mandated to the contrary. We suggest that instead of wasting our isolation capabilities, protective equipment and risk transmission to health care workers on people that can do so themselves, hospitals should only admit persons that absolutely require admission, i.e., require medical supportive therapy that cannot be received at home.

Considering the very real reality that persons would not adhere to self-isolation measures and continue their daily routines, thereby risking others around, the Government should consider alternate measures, albeit draconian, to ensure compliance to self-isolation.

In India for example, airport (Continued on page 6)

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Kaieteur News

If I stay silent I would only be considered an enabler DEAR EDITOR, As a seventeen yearold student who has been keenly observing this elections fiasco unfold, I have realized that keeping a silence stance is not an option. It hurts me as well as aggravates me to witness this truly pathetic but abhorrent debacle. Imagine, general and regional elections were held on March 2nd, and to this date, no official declaration of results was made. Of course, we saw attempts being made with “results” clearly lacking in credibility. That’s not my view alone. It is the view of the Commonwealth Observer Group (which has now withdrawn from Guyana) published on March 18th. In their statement, they clearly established that the tabulation processes conducted by the Returning

Officer for Region 4, Clairmont Mingo, were not credible, transparent and inclusive.

Eventually, after all the obvious malpractice that occurred from March 3-14.

Mr. Granger and Mr. Jagdeo agreed to a recount. This positive move welcomed CARICOM officials to oversee the recounting. But now it seems that this process has been blocked too, prompting the officials to depart from our land.

Moreover, we are heading on a one-way ticket to Venezuela. US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo warned that there will be serious consequences for persons here engaged in electoral fraud and seeking to establish an illegitimate government.

Clearly the sternest warning yet from the Trump administration should be

enough to impose fear on those involved in the seemingly fraudulent electoral process. Norway has now blocked Guyana from NOK 393 million in climate aid. Our image is, without a doubt, deteriorating in the eyes of the world. Guyana has now approached the World Bank for US$5M to help in response to COVID-19. I wouldn’t be surprised if that plea is rejected.

Furthermore, it is truly embarrassing to read about individuals protesting the recount outside GECOM’s Kingston HQ. The Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley put it best when she said that there are forces that do not want the votes to be counted.

Let me guess, she’s a PPP supporter as well? Like all the small parties, the OAS, the

Concerns about the container movement dilemma DEAR EDITOR, I am writing to express my deepest concerns in relation to the container movement dilemma.

At the last meeting GECOM had on March 16th, 2020 at 9:30 AM, an agreement was made to have all the containers and motor canter containing cast ballots be moved to a single central location, the Arthur Chung Conference Center (ACCC). On the afternoon of the said day, the movement of the containers had started. As of

March 19th, 2020, only Region 3, East Bank (Diamond and Madewini Canter), Georgetown (North and South) and Regions 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 (all in one) containers were moved to the ACCC. As of March 19th, 2020, two 40ft containers for Region 4 (Coldingen and Better Hope), three 40ft containers for Region 6, one 20ft container for Region 10 and one container for Region 5 are still at GECOM’s HQ. Why is it that a sensible

agreement that was made, not fulfilled? Why are containers being stored at two locations instead of the one central location?

Please GECOM, The New Movement is humbly requesting that the remainder of the containers containing cast ballots be moved to the ACCC as soon as possible or at least by March 20th, 2020.

Respectfully, Dr. Josh Kanhai, General Secretary, The New Movement

EU, Norway, France, the USA? I urge those individuals to wake up from their biases and see the truth. They must put their political differences aside and see that our elections are being hijacked and that we will be plunged into darkness if those efforts are successful.

This is a country that I have vowed to serve. This is my homeland. I feel that as a law abiding citizen, and as a student who intends on developing this country, that it is my duty and my right to speak out about the grave injustices taking place. For if I stay silent I would only be considered an enabler. This is the country in which I’d want to raise my children. Is this the kind of nation that they must grow up and witness? A developing dictatorship? Am I seriously going to tell grandchildren decades from now that this malarkey unfolded in my homeland and I stood by and watched? As democracy was raped? I say no. Democracy must be upheld. Righteousness must prevail. I am calling on President Granger to block those who compromised GECOM from tampering with the tabulation process. We are a beautiful nation, and we must prosper.

Yours truly, Nikhil Sankar

Our current fiasco is not an election problem but a racial problem DEAR EDITOR, I confess, I was moved to tears on reading retired Major General’s Joseph G. Singh’s “An Open Letter to His Excellency … (KN 3/20/2020).

The man, obviously in great pain, bears his soul at a time when the country is coming apart and judgment is fled to brutish beasts. There are indeed men of incredible

honour and bravery still around in Guyana, I thought.

Then, reading down I came across G.H.K Lall’s “The Essence of the problem we have,” (KN 3/20/2020), and this sentence stopped me.

“Editor, the heart of our existence is that we have a racial problem.” Lall went on to say, “it calls for – demands (Continued on page 6)

Mr President, I implore you, choose wisely and decisively Dear Editor, I applaud Major General (ret’d) Joseph G. Singh for his poignant letter (3/19/20) to President David Granger in which he stated he’s not affiliated to or for any particular political party of Guyana.

I, too, am not for nor against any particular party and agree wholeheartedly with what Major General (ret’d) Joseph G. Singh has written.

There are those who do not really care about the people nor the future of Guyana, all they care about

are themselves.

Mr. President, I implore you not to be led astray by these hungry wolves in sheep’s clothing, but choose wisely and decisively to do the right thing in the eyes of God and be blessed forever, for God blesses those who are righteous before him.

Sincerely-in-Jesus, Gloria Holder

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We must educate...

From page 4 personnel are using voting ink stamps on the hands of persons that should be self isolated. If voting ink will not remain in place for the full length of the quarantine time, you can send health care workers to reassess every 5 days and replenish the ink if the person is still at risk of transmitting the virus. In France, forms are required to be filled out to justify the reason for leaving the home, failure of which results in a monetary fine. In Italy, persons are likely to be charged for murder for violation of the nation-wide quarantine. To this end, a registry must be kept of persons on self isolation and use law enforcement to do random checks on these persons and charge or fine them if found to be in breach of the quarantine.

3. Thirdly, in the 19th March edition of another newspaper, there is mention of Health Officials considering the use of an expensive medical intervention namely Interferon Alfa 2B to fight the disease. This medication has no validated medical evidence to support its efficacy and has not been used anywhere else in the world apart from Cuba. To date the only medication that has shown (with supporting evidence) promise is chloroquine and its derivatives.

This is a much cheaper and readily available alternative. We implore senior health officials that prior to making such decisions adequate research be done and level of evidence be assessed thoroughly.

4. Most worrying of all, is the Minister of Health being afforded the power to “remove, disinfect and destroy the personal effects, goods, buildings and any other article, material or thing exposed to infection from the disease”. Firstly how can an

Friday March 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

inanimate object be exposed to an infection. Certainly they can be exposed to the virus but an infection is a body’s manifestation after exposure to the virus. Secondly, the virus can only live on certain surfaces for a limited amount of time which ranges from hours to 2 days (depending on the type of surface).

Nowhere in the free world have such harsh measures been afforded to the government to destroy personal property and again we implore that these powers should not be granted here.

In the pre-antibacterial age this may have been an appropriate way to prevent spread of contagious disease but in this day and age it is completely unnecessary. We suggest that authority be given to disinfect these items at most.

These are just a couple of suggestions that may help decrease the unnecessary burden on health care facilities and workers and curb the spread of the disease.

We have the advantage of having our first case of COVID-19 infection more than 3 months after the onset of the disease in China, therefore, we must learn from the countries that have been affected before us and are taking aggressive measures at curbing the spread (especially South Korea). If we try to reinvent the wheel Guyana, it will go horribly.

We also urge the population to take this pandemic seriously. While social media may allow for mixed messages, the reality is that COVID- 19 is in Guyana, and we must educate ourselves and take all necessary precautions to avoid the rapid transmission.

Yours faithfully, Concerned Medical Professionals

A complete recount, of ballots as well as SOPs could solve this problem DEAR EDITOR, Ever since President David Granger had announced his invitation to CARICOM to supervise a full recount of all the ballot boxes used in the 2020 General and Regional Elections questions have been posed about the integrity and security of the ballot boxes which were stored in the GECOM compound in High Street, Kingston, and later moved to the Convention Centre, under guard by the Guyana Police Force. AS far as I am aware, the security arrangements for this election have not been altered from those of previous elections and have worked well in the past.

The ballot boxes are stored in 40-ft metal containers and secured by 3 heavy padlocks with keys held separately by GECOM, PPP/C and APNU+AFC and all 3 parties have to co-operate to open the containers containing the ballot boxes. Maybe those who entertain the idea of a breach of any container either through cutting the container or the

padlocks, or otherwise compromising the locks, could explain how this could be done successfully without trace and without alerting the security guards.

Moreover, in order to gain access to the material in the ballot boxes at least 2 of the 4 coloured plastic seals which secure the ballot box and whose serial numbers were recorded by GECOM and the political parties attending and scrutinizing the packing of the ballot boxes, would have to be broken or removed and this would be noticed immediately.

Replacing the tampered seals with seals of a different colour, make or serial number would also not escape notice and detection.

Occasionally a seal would break during the moving and arranging of ballot boxes but rarely would two or more on the same box and on several boxes. A scratch on a

padlock or a few broken seals can occur naturally and do not represent evidence of tampering with ballot boxes.

If one succeeded in penetrating any ballot boxes and tampered with its contents it would not be sufficient to add, remove or reassign ballots cast for individual parties but must also make corresponding adjustments to a range of records, not all of which are to be found in the ballot box.

In my opinion, the tampering with ballot boxes is extremely difficult to accomplish because of the many layers of security and it is duplicitous, disingenuous, desperate and distracting for any political party or GECOM Commissioner to suggest, and promote, such a narrative without a shred of evidence.

I appreciate that the likelihood of electoral fraud seems evident given the huge discrepancies in the polling data and that all parties cannot have an interest in a full and transparent recount of the

ballots cast and the data used to compute the results and will likely seek to malign and throw suspicion on the integrity of the process.

The international community, almost without exception, has called for a total and transparent recount of all the ballots cast in the recently concluded elections (presumably the Statements of Poll used to compute the declared election returns as well) and the leaders of the two main political parties have agreed, and it remains for those responsible to facilitate this near universal expectation lawfully. Only a complete recount, of ballots as well as Statements of Poll, could definitely establish whether the Returning Officers of each District/ Region used the Statements of Poll certified by the Presiding Officers to arrive at the declared results and whether they were accurately computed.

Sincerely, Oscar Dolphin

COVID 19 - the power to stop the virus begins with...

From page 4 often for at least 20 seconds using soap and water or alcohol hand sanitizers (60% -70%) • If sneezing or coughing, cover your mouth with tissue and dispose in trash bin. Also, sneeze or cough in the inside of your elbow and not hands.

• Av o i d close contact with persons with flu like symptoms (3-5 feet) • Practise social distancing • Follow no-

touch greeting for no germs contracted. Prefer “namaste” or hand waving to handshake.

• We a r a regular face mask if sick with flu like symptoms or if taking care of someone with flu symptoms • If you feel unwell, seek medical attention. If you have a fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, stay indoors.

Call healthcare professionals and follow

their advice using hotlines • Do not share “just any forwarded message”. Only share authentic information coming through medical experts While COVID-19 is worrisome, 80% of people have recovered from the disease without needing special treatment.

All of us can be safe if we protect our loves ones and ourselves by practising social distancing and basic hygiene.

We are in this together, so let us do the right things with calm and protect and look out for each other. Preparedness and not panicking is key to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

For up-to-date information, visit the Disease Control and P r e v e n t i o n ’s (CDC) coronavirus disease 2019 web page.

Tariq Jagnarine (MD, MMED Family Medicine, CCFP)

Our current fiasco is not an election problem but...

From page 5 – a racial solution.” I hope I am not misreading Mr. Lall here, but I truly think our current fiasco is not an election problem but a racial problem.

I’ll explain, but allow me to first comment on what I regard as the most single dehumanizing act in the public glare. Returning Officer Mr. Mingo is made to stand on a podium before all and sundry and look at white and call it black. To so emasculate a grown adult, who might even be a grandfather, is

most sorry. Imagine the pressure being applied! When this is over, what kind of life will this tortured soul live? All involved know what he is doing, even though the constitution gives him cover.

I get tired of the never ending calls for justice, fair play, credibility, transparency, etc.

These calls are meaningless to the “dogs of war” who are dead set on taking power illegitimately. Remember we have a sordid history in this

regard. Mr. Burnham’s greatest legacy is his rigged elections that lasted for quarter of a century. In magnitude, the 2020 elections do not compare with Burnham’s.

The 2020 elections is methodologically a simple case of bare face petty thievery. It is the matter that is being stolen which makes the difference.

Done in one constituency, that’s why it is so easy to see, place, pin point, show and illustrate.

However, the spoil is mammoth, namely, 83,000 square miles with everything in it, including newly found black gold – 5.5 billion barrels and counting. Such a prize must be gotten by hook or crook, regardless – this must be the thinking behind the grab.

Let me return to why it is driven by race more than politics.

Whatever, they may say to the contrary, the two behemoths each comprise in the main their own race, that is PPP for the Indians and PNC for the Africans.

Against this background the

struggle between these two major ethnic groups has been one of winner takes all and take no prisoners. Ownership, control, and management of the new wealth is the sure way to ensure that not only your own kind is enriched but also that the other side is excluded. In the extreme, heaven forbids, all that power could be used not only to create a permanent rich/poor division but also one played out along ethnic lines. This being Guyana, don’t discount it.

In these circumstances I wish all those pronouncing on the issue would bear in mind that to the stakeholders the winning of the 2020 mother of all elections in a matter of life or death – hence the stalemate. I hope that the eyes and ears of the world that have gotten involved to find a solution may mitigate against the extremism alluded to here.

Sincerely, P. D. Sharma Los Angeles, Calif.

Friday March 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 7

PAGE 8

Friday March 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

If Granger is sworn in on flawed tabulation, PPP will demand int’l funding be cut

- Norway has already curtailed funds – Jagdeo Sanctions should not be the only consequence if incumbent President David Granger is sworn in to office with the problematic elections results, according to Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.

The party will be calling for a cessation of all international funding.

Jagdeo stated the People’s Progressive Party

Civic (PPP/C)’s resolute position yesterday during a press conference at Freedom House, where he outlined that the party will not recognize Granger as President if he is sworn in on a flawed tabulation of the results.

Jagdeo said “we will ask for a stoppage of all the funds flowing from the multilateral institutions.” “We’re going to

ask the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to shut down all disbursements to Guyana,” he stated.

Further, he mentioned that the Kingdom of Norway has already curtailed funding for Guyana.

“There is bilateral curtailment of funds, so Norway has

made it clear that they [government] will not receive any money there.”

The Opposition Leader stressed that Guyana already risks the chance of being shunned by the international community, as signaled by high ranking officials such as the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo.

Only two days ago, Mike Pompeo issued a strong warning to Guyana that the individuals who seek to benefit from electoral fraud and form illegitimate governments/regimes will be subject to a variety of serious consequences from the United States. “The US Secretary of State has made it clear and I don’t think you want any more unambiguous statements from one of the highest levels in the United States Government.”

Jagdeo said “that’s the Foreign Minister of the United States of America

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo warning Granger and the others that if he is sworn in on the basis of these results, there will be serious consequences.” Despite this strong position, Jagdeo noted that the sanctions and cut funding will not only affect the

country as a whole, but will create hardships for every citizen.

He also said “it will majorly affect those who are hell bent on swearing in a President on the basis of these fraudulent results.”

Granger cannot distance himself from effort to stop recount – Jagdeo People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) general secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo said that leader of A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), David Granger cannot distance himself from efforts that have been made to prevent a recount of the votes cast in Guyana’s 2020 general and regional elections.

The former president made these and other comments during a press conference yesterday at Freedom House.

It was Granger who had spearheaded the call for a CARICOM team to supervise a recount. However, during a meeting of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to finalise an order for the recount, the Commission was served papers by Court marshals, notifying them that a series of interim injunctions effectively prohibited the recount from happening.

That same evening, Granger released a statement that he was “deeply disappointed” with this outcome.

While some hold the view that the injunctions were requested by an independent court action, Jagdeo holds the view that it is not independent, as it was filed by a regional candidate of A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), Ulita Grace Moore.

APNU+AFC leader, David Granger Granger ’s subsequent statement had read “This independent court action has curtailed further our thrust towards reaching a transparent conclusion to the 2020 General and Regional Elections.”

Jagdeo said “It was filed by one of the APNU’s candidate, so clearly from what you see here, Granger refuses to take responsibility for anything.”

The PPP/C leader said that theories of a separation between Granger and elements of the coalition who had attempted to prevent the verification of the region four results, and now a recount of all regions, are far from the

truth.

“Clearly, Granger is at the centre of everything. He cannot distance himself from this.

He is not powerless,” Jagdeo said.

Going a step even further, Jagdeo said he believes that Granger tacitly approves of efforts to cast him as “different from the others… [like] Volda Lawrence, [Joseph] Harmon and [Raphael] Trotman.”

Nevertheless, Jagdeo said that Granger can easily rectify this situation by repeating what he had said when he called for the recount; that he refuses to be sworn in on the basis of results that are not transparent.

Friday March 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

GECOM cannot escape culpability for misconduct in the elections

I refuse to accept that our election laws are so backward that they would allow for a small group of miscreants to overturn the collective will of the people. I refuse to accept also that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is so impotent that it has no power to amend or overturn an obviously flawed declaration.

I agree with a front-page comment made last week by Kaieteur News, that the Representation of the People Act must be interpreted purposively. I also support the assertion by a learned member of the legal fraternity that, in relation to elections, laws must be interpreted liberally, so as to give greater effect to enfranchisement (in the case of registration) and to ensuring the elective will of the people (in relation to matters which have a bearing on election results).

In the 2020 general and regional elections, there were more than 2,000 polling stations across the country.

This means that more than 12,000 individuals were employed to execute polling day activities across the country. Among these persons were presiding officers, polling agents, polling clerks and counting agents.

There were no major issues on polling day, including the counting of the ballots at the places of poll.

In nine of the 10 national districts, accounting for more than half of the total votes cast, the tabulations were transparent and acceptable to all parties. But in some single district, problems arose, and these problems only arose after almost half of the votes of that district were tabulated and it became evident that the main opposition was in an unassailable lead.

Let it be known that the two main political parties would have known by the morning after the elections, how each other had performed. Their polling

agents would have provided them with the individual counts of the ballot boxes in all the regions and copies of their statements of poll. The two main parties would therefore by daybreak have known the results of the elections.

The Returning Officers, who were appointed to tabulate the results of the elections, are employees of the Guyana Elections Commission. They are not independent of the Commission.Returning Officers are election officers and the Oath of Office, to which they subscribe, speaks to them being appointed.

They were recruited and paid by the Commission; they are supposed to comply with the operational procedures laid down by the Commission. It would therefore be incomprehensible for anyone to claim that GECOM cannot review the work of Returning Officers to ensure compliance with operational rules, the

law, or to ensure accuracy.

I respectfully submit that the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) has superintendence over Returning Officers (ROs). For example, the CEO is responsible for approving the polling stations which are identified by the Returning Officer in each district. While, therefore, Returning Officers have statutory functions, they are not ‘a law’ until themselves.

Returning Officers are elections officers, and all other elections officers fall under the control of the Chief Elections Officer. It would constitute a perversion of justice were the Chief Elections Officer allowed to mechanistically declare a result, on the basis that it was made by a Returning Officer, when that result is flagrantly flawed.

It would equally constitute a miscarriage of the law were GECOM to not take action to prevent a less than transparent declaration of

results by the Chief Elections Officer. The Elections Laws (Amendment) Act of 2000 expressly provides that: “The Chief Election Officer and the Commissioner of R e g i s t r a t i o n shall notwithstanding anything in any written law be subject to the direction and control of the Commission.”

The Commission is clothed with full authority over the conduct of elections, including the conduct of election officers. The said Elections Laws (Amendment) Act 2000 says that: “For the removal of doubts it is hereby declared that the power of the Commission to supervise the functioning of any election officers and the Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner shall include the power to issue directions to any such officer or the Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner in respect of the employment of any

PAGE 9

person by them in relation to the registration of electors or the conduct of elections.”

This provision places beyond question, the role of the Commission in inserting itself into the elections process, rather than adopting a posture of impotence and refusing to intervene to prevent a perversion of the elections process.

Members of the Commission are collectively responsible for the conduct of elections. They can and should be held culpable for negligence or for criminal malfeasance committed by elections officers or other miscreants, and thus become liable to be sanctioned by the international community.

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

PAGE 10

Friday March 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Roy Beepat and the putsch in Guyana

I

n my Wednesday, March 18, 2020, col umn, titled, “Deadly power struggle inside the PNC,” I noted the following; “What was born as a reaction to the Mottley arrangement was a ménage à trois in Guyanese politics – VT inside the PNC, four actors in GECOM, and the police force. It is this ménage a trios that is currently derailing the recount at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC).

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

Please note I included the police force. The role of the police force came into sharp focus when Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. Edgar Thomas, had refused to remove GECOM Commissioner, Sase Gunraj from the GECOM command centre.

Mr. Thomas’s logic was that Gunraj had authority to be in the GECOM building, because he was one of the constitutional bearers of GECOM’s landscape.

He (Thomas) was removed from the sites within minutes and assigned to patrol duties by an order which in the maelstrom of events that have been suffocating Guyana since Wednesday,

March 4th, we don’t know where in the hierarchy it came from.

My guess is that it had to come from either one of the deputy commissioners who would be higher than an Assistant Commissioner or the Commissioner himself.

Then at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, GECOM Commissioner, Robeson Benn refused a police order to exit the building, where GECOM officials were directing the containers to their parking facilities.

These containers contain ballot boxes. Benn told the police he had the authority to be there by right of being a GECOM Commissioner.

Let us offer an analogy.

There is a commotion inside a bank. The supervisor for foreign exchange asks the police to remove the Deputy CEO (DCEO).

The police cannot accede to his request, because he has no authority to make that decision independent of the DCEO for a commonsensical reason.

Every organization including the Boy Scouts has a hierarchy. The hierarchy embodies the line of authority.

A DCEO cannot tell a CEO that he must leave the build-

ing. If he refuses, he is in his right. The chairman of the board can so order him.

Once Mr. Gunraj showed his accreditation to the police, he had the authority to be in the GECOM command centre.

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, told a press conference that Deputy Chief Election Officer, Roxanne Myers, was giving orders against a GECOM Commissioner who had greater authority than her. The police physically tried to remove Benn.

Since these incidents involving the police, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Private Sector Commission have issued public statements requesting the police to act with professional impartiality.

Now a new situation has developed which brings the action of the police force into question.

The owner of Giftland Mall, Roy Beepat, has told the media that a member of the Guyana Police Force has informed him that if any of his security cameras are aimed to the west of his building (specifically the ACCC and the access roads thereto) their positions are to be altered, because it is “illegal” to have them pointed in that direction.

If this wasn’t a very dreadful development, you can ascribe asinine dimensions to it. Pertinent questions swirl around this police request.

Let’s enumerate them.

First, the mall was there for over five years with security cameras naturally ringing it, a building that is of commercial importance.

Secondly, all surveillance cameras capture the adjacent environment including private buildings and pubic roadways.

Thirdly, security cameras are a priceless crime deterrent.

In fact, the CARICOM Secretariat has surveillance cameras which jut out to the south, north, east and west of the building.

CARICOM Secretariat’s cameras can see who is climbing over the western fence and can determine if the persons came from within the vicinity of the ACCC.

Fourthly, the containers containing ballot boxes (which seems to be the reason for the sudden caution about the focus of the cameras) came into the ACCC’s compound at a time when the mall had its cameras years now pointing in different directions.

Fifthly, there is no law, I opine, anywhere in the world that can stop a resident from outfitting cameras on his building that looks beyond his structure.

It is not illegal to have surveillance cameras fitted out from the exterior of your business place. It is a basic security feature that obtains throughout the world. The lawyers have so advised Mr. Beepat.

We conclude with the sixth enumerator. Why would the police want the mall’s cameras removed when their presence is a plus for all stakeholders – GECOM, opposi-

Frederick Kissoon tion parties, APNU+AFC, the police, the international observers?

The cameras can identify anyone wanting to tamper with the containers. All stakeholders should welcome that situation.

Why do the police not want this added security value?

In my Wednesday column, I refer to a putsch in Guyana. I honestly think there is one.

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

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Dem boys seh...

Plenty visa gon get tek way

Dem boys seh deh gat some politicians in government getting cold sweat. Dis elections has been life changing.

Fuh one, all dem free drinks dem used to bum ain’t deh like before. Perks ain’t gon cum too. When you gat power and position, dem dangles does fall at yuh feet. Dese days, even dem dangles ignoring some of dem ‘big boys’. Dey know dat sooner or later, some of dem big ones gun become ordinary citizens and nuh gon have nuttin to give them.

So dem looking elsewhere.

Some of dem ‘big boys’ love to travel.

Dey worrying about wuh gun happen now dat Uncle Sam threaten ‘serious implications.’ Visa gon get tek away, nat only fuh dem but dem spouse and children.

Even dem grandparents dem planning fuh tek way dem visa tuh. Dem ‘big boys’ wondering whether some of dem gun be able fuh ever again enjoy first-class travel and stay in dem five-star hotel free of cost.

But is nah only de fear of sanctions giving dem chills. Is also de fear of de coronavirus. A lot of dem old, real old and according to de stats, once yuh old, yuh in de high-risk group fuh dead. Some of dem frighten death more dan dey frighten hell all because of dem dutty, nasty, theifing and

stinking heart.Dem who never see church door before; give dem a couple mo marning and the corona gon have dem bawling at de church step. And dem boys ain’t talking about corona beer, dem talking about de virus. Suh after church door, is straight tuh de burial ground at Le Repentir or de cremation site at Good Hope.

Dem boys she de wicked ones who nah dead, gon end up in isolation bawling, wuss dan donkey with pain.

Wuh can be more torturous tuh persons who custom going home fuh only food and sleep and suddenly have tuh stay in yuh house day?

Lil Joe call Soldier Boy and inform he dat an old party stalwart dead. He ask Soldier Boy if he going to de funeral. Soldier Boy she “Nah, you go!”

Lil Joe seh he nah going. “Leh , we send Jagdeo.” They call Jags and ask he if he going to the funeral. Jags tell them “No, I deh good here enjoying the sea breeze in my mansion.”Pray for all of dem who got de corona and stay far away because de sanctions will not. Talk half and don’t blame anybody what the world is witnessing is coming straight from de man above.

Think about it!

Friday March 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Friday March 20, 2020

Six parties in joint call for full recount A

CARICOMsupervised recount of all votes may have been obstructed, but six political parties are resolute that it must be facilitated in order to have a credible and internationally respected election result.

The parties are Change Guyana (CG), People's Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), United Republican Party (URP), A New and United Guyana (ANUG), The New Movement (TNM), and The Citizenship Initiative (TCI).

The parties hold that the need for a recount is premised on grounds that there have been unlawful

and/or illegal actions highlighted by the actions of district four returning officer, Clairmont Mingo.

Mingo had made two declarations of the region four general and regional election results.

The first, which was marred by a lack of transparency and irregularities, was vitiated

by Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire in a ruling.

Her ruling had categorically asserted that Mingo did not comply with the legal tabulation process as stated in the Representation of the People Act. The second declaration, made last Friday, was similarly marred with issues

of irregularities and a lack of transparency. Several parties now hold that, like the first declaration, the second was not made in compliance with the Act. Hence, they hold that Mingo is in breach of the Orders of the Chief Justice, which followed her ruling.

It is for these reasons that GECOM Chair, Justice Claudette Singh agreed to facilitate a CARICOMsupervised recount, as called for by the leaders of the two major parties, David Granger and Bharrat Jagdeo.

The global community, including CARICOM; Organization of American States; European Union; Commonwealth Secretariat; Carter Center, and their

The Citizenship Initiative Change Guyana presidential candidate, (TCI) presidential candidate, Robert Badal Rhonda-Ann Lam representatives: such as Caricom Chairperson and Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, and other Caribbean Prime Ministers; US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch; EU Ambassador Fernando Ponz Cantó; UK High Commissioner Greg Quinn, and Canadian High Commissioner Lillian Chatterjee and several reputable Guyanese, have spoken out in favour of a recount and/or the need for a democratic transition.

Pursuant to that recount, the six parties have also called for the security of all ballot boxes to be maintained, as is being done for the boxes held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

“In view of the foregoing, it is of paramount importance that the security of the containers containing the voting ballots be preserved. This is best achieved by all containers being stored at a central location and to permit party scrutineers to be on site and guard against any tampering with the ballot boxes.”

“At the time of writing of this press release, the Container with Region 6 Ballots and the Container with the Region 4 East Coast Ballots are not stored at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre in Liliendaal, where all the other containers for the other regions and sub-

PPP/C presidential candidate, Irfaan Ali regions are stored. We urgently request that this irregularity be corrected immediately.”

A recount cannot happen at this time, while an interim injunction is in place. That matter comes up this morning in the High Court.

The political parties indicated that they have signed jointly or individually as respondents to the interim ex parte application granted by Justice Franklin Holder.

They are unanimous in the view that the injunction is without merit.

Also noted are the “important” threats of sanctions from the international community, especially from the ABCE countries. They hold that this underscores the need to ensure democratic norms prevail.

Additionally, the parties called for the Guyana Police Force to act professionally to de-escalate tensions that are continuing to rise.

“The parties call on all citizens of Guyana to remain calm and peaceful as these matters continue to engage the attention of the Courts, and as we continue to work with the local and international community to ensure the recounting of the votes cast at Guyana's General and Regional Elections held on March 2, 2020.”

Kaieteur News

Friday March 20, 2020

PAGE 13

Brazil closes border with Guyana for fortnight The Brazilian Government has closed the gate linking Lethem to Bom Fin.

E

ven as Guyana has developed capacity to conduct final test for COVID-19 cases, Brazil has taken steps to close its border with the nation. Kaieteur News has learnt that the closure of the gate along the highway linking Lethem with Bom Fin will be closed to traffic for the next two weeks.

According to Brazilian online news publication Folha BV, the Brazilian government published an extra edition of the Official Gazette (DOU) yesterday, in which it indicates the closure of the borders with Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, French Guiana; Guyana, Paraguay, Peru and

Suriname.

The ordinance, signed by the ministers of Health, Luiz Henrique Mandetta, and Justice, Sérgio Moro, also restricts foreigners from

these countries to enter Brazil by road or by land.

The deadline can be extended by technical recommendation from the National Health

GWI warns against fraudsters The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) is urging citizens to be on the lookout for individuals posing to be representatives of the entity, for the purpose of fleecing them.

According to Managing Director Dr. Richard Van West-Charles, individuals have been posing as company officials and disconnecting water supplies in various areas. They have also been collecting payments from citizens under the pretext of helping them to avoid disconnection.

Van West-Charles, who was at the time

speaking media operatives at a press conference held at the corporation's head office, explained that there is no such exercise ongoing by the corporation, and asked that all citizens remain vigilant and avoid falling prey to this scheme.

He added that this is illegal and should be reported if noticed.

Further, he stated that individuals should ensure they check for proper identification from any individual claiming to be acting on behalf of the GWI.

Surveillance Agency (Anvisa).

The news outlet said that the border with Venezuela remains partially closed. On We d n e s d a y B r a z i l ' s President Jair Bolsonaro had already announced this.

Uruguay was left out of the restrictions imposed by the Brazilian government.

Brazil's Health Ministry said on Monday that the n u m b e r o f c o n f i r m ed COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 234, up by 34 from the previous day.

According to Xinhua News Agency, several states have already taken measures to mitigate transmission, such as suspending classes in

schools and shutting theatres and concert halls. Several churches and religious temples have suspended activities as well.

“Cases are found in most states. Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, the first and third most populated states, have seen sustained transmission.

The Health Ministry said it will not adopt mass testing for now, but is considering importing quick test kits.

The government has been facing criticism for not taking more severe measures, given that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country is sharply growing,” the news agency said.

According to Xinhua, President Jair Bolsonaro despite testing negative, was told to maintain isolation for a week and be tested again as 13 members of his entourage in a recent trip to the United States have tested positive.

Meanwhile, the local Ministry of Public Health is no longer reliant on outside laboratory support to test for the novel coronavirus.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Karen Boyle told Kaieteur News that through support from the World Health Organisation [WHO], Guyana has acquired capacity to confirm cases of COVID-19 via the National Public Health Laboratory.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Friday March 20, 2020

Giftland owner says he's not altering cameras pointed at Convention Centre - alleges police say it's “illegal”

The Giftland Mall

Giftland owner, Roy Beepat

O

wner of the Giftland Mall, Roy Beepat, says that he will not be altering any of his security cameras that are pointed in the direction of the Arthur Chung Convention Centre.

Beepat alleges that a police rank informed him yesterday that it is “illegal”

to have cameras pointed in that direction.

The Convention Centre is currently being used as the storage facility for containers of ballot boxes from the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

Beepat in a statement yesterday said that “a

Containers with ballot boxes being stored at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre

The Arthur Chung Convention Centre

member of the Guyana Police Force has informed me that if there are any of my Security cameras installed at Giftland Mall pointing at the Arthur Chung Convention Center and the access roads thereto, it is illegal.”

He explained that the cameras installed at the Giftland Mall have been there since the establishment was commissioned and that “from the inception, there were all pointing in the directions that they continue to focus, up to this point in time.”

According to him, the location and focus of these

cameras are based upon advice he received from Security experts.

“In light of the dire circumstances that have ensued from the March 02nd, 2020 Elections (and) which continue to prevail, my security experts have advised that I install additional cameras to enhance monitoring and the security of my premises,” the statement said.

Beepat pointed out that he later consulted his Attorneys with respect to the request by the police.

“They (attorneys) have advised me that I have not violated any laws known to

Guyana.”

As such, Beepat maintained that he will not be altering the positions of his security cameras.

“The Security of my business and the safety of my employees, customers, vendors and visitors of the Giftland Mall, especially in these extraordinary circumstances, remain my paramount priority.”

Meanwhile, Kaieteur News attempted to make contact with Regional Commander, Senior Superintendent Phillip Azore to comment on the allegations, but this proved futile.

Friday March 20, 2020

PAGE 15

Kaieteur News

NIS announces measures to deal with visitors, others as a result of COVID-19 The National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has announced measures to ensure that visitors and others are protected as part of the measures to combat the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The statement, as issued

by NIS, reads as follows: Being cognizant of the very important role the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) plays in the daily lives of pensioners and contributors, the scheme would be implementing the following measures in alignment with the World Health Organisation (WHO) social distancing recommendations effective March 22, 2020.

1. ACCESS TO NIS COMPOUND: Access to all of NIS Offices will limited to: (i) Persons encashing vouchers (ii) Persons paying contributions 2. RECORDS (i) All contribution records can be accessed online via the website www.nis.org.gy (ii) All records queries can be done via our live chat platform or email address: records_queries@nis.org.gy, telephone numbers 2268059 or 225-2798 (iii) All requests for change or correction to names along with supporting documents can be placed in drop boxes located at strategic points at the entrances of our Offices.

3. ALTERNATIVE PAYMENT METHODS Payment of Contributions can also be done using the following: EMPLOYERS (i)The online submission system (ii) A flash or Electronic device which can be placed in drop boxes located at strategic points at the entrances of our Offices. (iii) Cheques can be placed in our regular cheque boxes and receipts will be sent through the post.

SELF EMPLOYED

PERSONS (iv)Self Employed persons can utilize the GTT Mobile Money service to make their payments.

4. COMPLIANCE (i) All applications for Compliance Certificates can be places in our drop located at strategic points at the entrances of our Offices. (i) All enquiries related to Compliance Certificate can be made via email address:compliance_q ueries@nis.org.gy, the live chat platform on the website: www.nis.org.gy or telephone number 226-5809 (ii) Application for refund of contributions can be placed in drop boxes located at strategic points at the entrances of our offices. (ii) All cheques for refund of contributions will be sent through the post.

5. CLAIMS (i) All claims will be received using drop boxes located at strategic points at the entrances of our offices. (ii) Claimants wishing to make enquiries about outstanding claims can do so via our live chat service on the website: www.nis.org.gy, emailclaims_queries@nis.org.gy or telephone number 2252793,225-2795 or 225-2797 (iii) All Short Term Benefit vouchers will be posted.

6. PENSIONS (i) The signing of Life Certificates by NIS Officers will be suspended until further notice.

However, this can be done at the following persons Justice of Peace, Notary Public, Minister of Religion, Medical Practitioner, Head teacher, Manager of a Bank or Branch of a Bank. The designation stamp must be affixed. (ii) Persons wishing to make pension enquiries can do so via our live chat platform on our website, email address pensions_queries@nis.org.gy or telephone number 2252793,5,7

Thief gets two months for riding away with bicycle A thief was on Wednesday jailed for riding away with a man’s bicycle while the man was shopping in the market.

The defendant, Carl Fredericks, was initially arraigned before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, where the charge was read to him.

Fredericks admitted to the charge which stated that on March 17, 2020, at Regent Street and Orange Walk, Georgetown, he stole a mountain bike valued $21,000, property of Sheer Zuman.After Fredericks admitted to the offence, he told the court that Zuman had lent him the bicycle to buy high wine and cocaine, but on his way to purchase the items he was robbed of the bicycle.However, Zuman told the court that he didn’t know Fredericks, so he had no reason to lend him his bicycle. The man added that he was purchasing pastries when Fredericks picked up his bicycle and rode away.

After listening to the two men, Magistrate McGusty entered a not guilty plea on behalf of the Fredericks and transferred the matter to another court.

According to information, when Fredericks appeared before Magistrate Annette Singh, he opted to change his plea and was sentenced to 2 months’ imprisonment for the offence.

(iii) All new application for Pension must be submitted via post or can be dropped in the boxes located at strategic points at the entrances of our Offices.

Application forms can be downloaded from the website www.nis.org.gy

(iv)Compliance Certificates will be processed within 5 working days and can be uplifted at specially identified areas at Brickdam and our Local Offices. (v)Information in relation to distribution of Pension Books will be

communicated shortly.

7. JOB APPLICATIONS All job applications must be sent via mail to the Legal Adviser, National Insurance Scheme, Brickdam and Winter Place Georgetown or email address legal_advisor@nis.org.gy

Persons seeking further information or to arrange an interview can contact Publicity and Public Relations Officer, Dianne Lewis Baxter, on 227-6581, 654-8431 or email addresspublic_relations@nis.org.gy o r n i s p u b l i c relations@yahoo.com.

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Friday March 20, 2020

Markets will remain open for now, says City Mayor ...as sanitisation exercise kicks off Municipal markets will remain open for now, Mayor of Georgetown Pandit Ubraj Narine said yesterday during a news briefing held at City Hall. The Mayor was at the time updating the media on the measures undertaken by City Council to keep citizens safe in view of the coronavirus.

Mayor Narine said that while the markets across Georgetown will remain open for business until further notice, steps have been undertaken to ensure that the facilities are cleansed. “We will be washing down and sanitising the markets with assistance from the Guyana Fire Service.

Initially, the Mayor said that he intended to “wash down” the streets in Georgetown, but he was informed by Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle that the fire service does not have the resources for that.As such, he said a decision was made to “wash down” the markets instead.

The reason why I was suggesting washing the streets down, is because there are a lot of people who interact there every day and if we’re able to wash it down…once a week or two times a week, it will bring some

level of sanitisation and help kill the germs in the atmosphere where people dwell.”

In the meantime, he said City Hall will also be clamping down on the use of public washrooms.

“There are people out there who also have washrooms renting to the public.

We must pay attention to them. They must put systems in place to have hand sanitizers, water, etc., so that people can utilize them after using the washroom…so that they can be able to be in a hygienic condition afterward and prevent the spread of the disease.”

In the interim, the City Mayor reminded that all public “activities” planned in Georgetown have been suspended until further notice.

“We are encouraging social distancing as much as possible at this time. We are urging all the food outlets and restaurants to take heed as to the necessary precautions and health advisories,” Narine added.Georgetown is not the only municipality that is taking precaution in light of the global pandemic.

The Bartica Municipality has already commenced

Stabroek Market is set undergo a cleansing exercise

City Mayor Ubraj Narine cleaning exercises as a result of coronavirus. Last evening, Bartica Mayor Gifford Marshall posted photographs on social media of the Bartica Municipal Market sanitization exercise. He said that the Bartica Town Council, in collaboration with the vendors, undertook a sanitization exercise of the municipal market.

“The support of vendors and all stakeholders was commendable and demonstrates our collective commitment to a clean, green and safe environment,” Marshall said.

Vendors are spearheading the sanitation at the Bartica municipal market. (Photo

by Gifford Marshall)

DDL postpones AGM in view of COVID-19 Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) has announced that the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled to be held on Friday April 3, 2020, has been postponed until further notice.

The decision to postpone the AGM was taken in view of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic, as well as the National Advisories discouraging public gatherings, and in the interest of preserving public health and safety.

In a notice that is being sent out to all shareholders, DDL’s Company Secretary

Allison Thorne wrote that, “As we navigate through the rapidly evolving challenges posed by COVID-19, the Board of Directors of DDL will continue to monitor further developments of this virus so as to be placed in a position to prudently determine a date and time when it would be suitable and safe to reschedule the AGM.” DDL also took the opportunity to encourage all shareholders to stay safe and healthy as well as seek guidance on COVID-19 from www.who.int, www.paho.org and their local health authorities.

Friday March 20, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Coalition partner, Justice for All Party, calls for recount FOR RENT

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Partner of the governing coalition, the Justice for All Party (JFAP) is now calling for a full recount of the votes cast in Guyana’s 2020 general and regional elections.

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its general secretary, Savitree Singh-Sharma said that they believe the recounting process should be permitted in an expeditious and transparent manner.

“Any party that wins through a transparent process will have our support.”

While they stated that they are uncertain of the party dynamics at this time, their appeal is directly to the coalition’s leader David Granger to “allow” the recount process to honour the will of the people.

The party stated that Sharma’s record of highlighting the will of the people is a testament to the party’s

stance in staunch support for democracy. Further, from the time the party’s leaders met Granger several years ago, they said that they had held him in high regard.

It is from this regard that they believe Granger, “a man of integrity”, jointly with PPP/ C leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, called on the Chairperson of CARICOM, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley to assemble a team to supervise the recount of the ballots.

“This we believe is a crucial step given all that has happened in the past several days.”The fate of the recount rests in a case to be heard today at the High Court.

PAGE 18

Friday March 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

The world’s fastest supercomputer identified chemicals that could stop spread of coronavirus (CNN) - The novel coronavirus presents an unprecedented challenge for scientists: The speed at which the virus spreads means they must accelerate their research.

But this is what the world’s fastest supercomputer was built for.Summit, IBM’s supercomputer equipped with the “brain of AI,” ran thousands of simulations to analyze which drug

compounds might effectively stop the virus from infecting host cells.

The supercomputer identified 77 of them. It’s a promising step toward creating the most effective vaccine.Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory published their findings in the journal ChemRxiv.

Summit was built to solve the world’s problems Summit was

commissioned by the US Department of Energy in 2014 for the purpose it’s serving now — solving the world’s problems.

It’s got the power of 200 petaflops, which means it has the computing speed of 200 quadrillion calculations per second, aka: It’s 1 million times more powerful than the fastest laptop.At its station in Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, Summit has

identified patterns in cellular systems that precede Alzheimer’s, analyzed genes that contribute to traits like opioid addiction and predicted extreme weather based on climate simulations.

How Summit fights coronavirus Viruses infect host cells by injecting them with a “spike” of genetic material.

Summit’s job is to find drug compounds that could bind to that spike and potentially stop the spread.

Oak Ridge researcher Micholas Smith created a model of the coronavirus spike based on research published in January. With Summit, he simulated how the

atoms and particles in the viral protein would react to different compounds.The supercomputer ran simulations of over 8,000 compounds that could bind to the spike protein of the virus, which could limit its ability to spread to host cells.

Summit identified 77 of them and ranked them based on how likely they were to bind to the spike.

What’s next The team will run the simulations on Summit again, using a more accurate model of the coronavirus’ spike that was published this month.

For all its power, though, Summit can only do so much.

It provided the first step in

analysis: identifying promising compounds.

Experimental studies are required next to prove which chemicals work best.

“Our results don’t mean that we have found a cure or treatment for the coronavirus,” said Jeremy Smith, director of the University of Tennessee/Oak Ridge National Laboratory Center for Molecular Biophysics, in a statement.

But the findings could inform future studies. And those studies are necessary to create the most effective coronavirus vaccine.

“Only then will we know whether any of them exhibit the characteristics needed to mitigate this virus.”

BARBADOS RECORDS THREE NEW CASES OF COVID-19

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - CMC – Barbados yesterday announced three more cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) reiterating that it has no intention of completely shutting down its borders as it comes to grips with the virus. Prime Minister Mia Mottley, flanked by government ministers, as well as senior health officials, told a news conference that as on the previous occasions, none of the new cases originated on the island, including a passenger on a cruise ship.

Mottley said that the first of the new cases was the spouse of a visiting female, who was one of the first two

people to be tested and found positive two days ago.

“The gentleman, I am told never left her side and was in isolation with her even when she went into isolation as soon as the testing was done.

It is therefore no surprise to the medical officials that he has tested positive”.She said that the second new case is that of a 60-year-old Barbadian, who arrived here from the United States on the weekend and “who developed symptoms soon after arriving in Barbados.“We have been monitoring him for a few days and he also has tested positive,” she said, noting that the third individual was a passen-

ger on a cruise line, who had never visited the island, and the testing was done at the request of the un-named cruise line.She said with respect to the first two new cases “there is a significant amount of contact tracing that is still being done…and it is too early for the medical officials to advise us as to the results.‘With respect to the cruise ship, yesterday morning I gave instructions that there should be no shore leave…and I also gave instructions that we will continue to facilitate the persons who are disembarking the ships to go to the Grantley Adams International Airport only in order to be able to take their flights out”.

Kaieteur News

Friday March 20, 2020

PAGE 19

Man murders ex-wife, carpenter, 10 days after receiving restraining order - had threatened to hack off her limbs A

b l o o d splattered door told a tale of a gruesome double-murder that rocked the small community of Prosville, Wi s m a r, L i n d e n , o n Wednesday night, leaving two people dead, and their assailant in police custody.

The deceased have been identified as 49-year-old Imogene Gordon, of 117 Prosville Housing Scheme, Wismar, Linden and 43year-old Royston John called “Blacko”, also of Prosville Housing Scheme, and K i l d o n a n Vi l l a g e , Corentyne, Berbice.

In a press release, Police reported that Imogene Gordon and Royston John were discovered motionless, with multiple suspected stab wounds, to their upper torso, at the entrance of Gordon's premises, around 20:35hrs.

Both were pronounced dead, on arrival at the Linden Hospital Complex.

The release further stated that a 48-year-old businessman of Prosville Housing Scheme, Wismar, Linden, who once shared a relationship with one of the victims (Gordon), has since been apprehended.

He was admitted to the Linden Hospital Complex, under guard, nursing a gaping wound to his right hand. He was later taken into custody.

A knife suspected to be the murder weapon was found at the crime scene.

A Prosville resident, who requested anonymity, told Kaieteur News that she was a good friend of John, who she said, was a carpenter from Berbice, and had come to Linden to ply his trade.

"I hear he only recently started working on the woman house…but if I de only know, I woulda advise he not to work there, because she man is a ignorant chap", the woman related, as she fought back the tears.

According to the woman, John had told another friend, that he was going to Gordon to collect monies that she owed him, for work that he had done on her house.

It was reported by another source, that Gordon had only recently moved into the unfinished house with the murder suspect. However reports indicate that the man had subsequently moved out, following an altercation between the two.

Meanwhile, Kaieteur News spoke to John's eldest daughter, Tunicia, who through tears recounted the last conversation she had with her father.

“He called me two days ago, to check up on me and

Dead: Royston John called “Blacko”

The blood-splattered door to the house where the gruesome stabbing occurred the kids, and said he working in Linden and was gonna come out soon. I only dream he was in trouble the other night and look what happened.”

According to reports received, the suspect, Gordon's ex-lover, Maxwell Usher, was very abusive and had even threatened to kill h e r. K a i e t e u r N e w s understands that the man had

Dead: Imogene Gordon

threatened to hack off the woman's limbs. The issue

had gone to court, and the suspect was slapped with a

restraining order, ten days prior.

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Friday March 20, 2020

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English football suspension extended until at least 30 April BBCsport - English football will be suspended until at least 30 April because of the continued spread of coronavirus. All games in England’s Premier League, EFL, Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship, and all fixtures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, are currently postponed.

The Football Association has also agreed that the current season can be “extended indefinitely”.

Under current rules the season had been scheduled to end on 1 June. A joint statement issued by the FA, Premier League and EFL

expressed “a commitment to finding ways of resuming the 2019-20 season” and completing all domestic and European matches “as soon as it is safe and possible to do so”.

The postponement of Euro 2020 has opened up a window for domestic league fixtures to take place in June.

However, the UK government has effectively banned sports events for the time being by advising against mass gatherings.

Last week, West Ham vicechair Karren Brady said the current season should be declared null and void. FA

chairman Greg Clarke also expressed his concern that it might prove impossible for the season to be concluded.

However Brighton chief executive Paul Barber told the BBC that it would be “unjust” if runaway leaders Liverpool were denied the title, and suggested increasing the league to 22 teams for 2020-21. Fifa has also established a working group to tackle the issues facing football as a result of the pandemic. The group will look at the international fixture calendar, and issues around player contracts.

Player contracts typically expire on 30 June but many

Friday March 20, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Visitors could come to your home tonight, possibly for an informal get-together of some kind. Dear friends might be involved in some way.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You may appear to have your head in the clouds today, Taurus. The truth is, you've got a lot of important things on your mind. Others might be offended or even amused at your distance.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You might feel that money is flowing out of your bank account all too quickly lately, and this might be a cause of worry for you.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) This will be a good day for you, Cancer. You should be feeling happy, excited, enthusiastic, and optimistic about the future. Relations with family, friends, and neighbors are likely to be warm and congenial.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) A rush of humanitarian spirit and a desire to do some real good might find you looking into various charities in order to find those you might want to help. However, money could be flowing out for other purposes a bit too quickly for your tastes, Leo. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Yo u , a l o n g w i t h a significant other in your life, could be very busy trying to make time to see each other today, Virgo.

Later, when you're finally alone, your phone could be ringing nonstop, further intruding upon your time together.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Today you could be faced with a bunch of people from out of town that you've never met before. You're likely to find this exciting and stimulating, but you could also feel a bit flustered.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Travel and adventure are on your mind. You could be daydreaming about flying to exotic places and doing unusual things, such as touring the ancient sights of India or going on safari in Kenya.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) It may not be easy for you to convince someone today.

No matter how profound your idea or how convincing your explanations, the other person just isn't ready to believe it yet.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) A trip by air could be very much on your mind today.

Perhaps you're planning a vacation with your family or a romantic partner. You could well be caught up in the excitement that seems to be the driving emotion today.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) You've got a lot on your mind right now, Aquarius, and others might be interpreting your quiet behavior as your being aloof. Go right ahead and let them think whatever they want.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) A number of invitations to social events could come your way today, some from people you really don't know well. Don't pass them up, however. You could make some fortunate contacts or even some new friends at these parties.

The last Premier League fixture to take place was on 9 March. leagues, if resumed, look likely to continue beyond that date. Premier League Arsenal support the decision to further postpone play until 30 April, after their manager Mikel Arteta tested positive for coronavirus.

Since the confirmation of Arteta’s illness, the club say their “training centres in

National cyclist...

From page 22 saying sorry and explaining that her actions were not intended to be malicious or mischievous.

“I am not inclined to tear down an athlete, and in no way my post was to bring you down or to make you look bad.

I sincerely wished that you take my response in good faith and I sincerely wish for you to make a full, restored recovery. I am God-fearing and trust in Him that will see us [through] these turbulent times. I understand the situation and would be more responsible in sharing stuff,” her message read in part.

Meantime, top Trinidad and Tobago female cyclist Teniel Campbell has taken to social media to inform her supporters that she is well, as COVID-19 spreads across Italy where she is located.

That European nation has recorded the highest number of cases outside China, with the number reaching 31,506 as of Wednesday. There have been 2,503 deaths there.

But Campbell, a member of the Italy-based ValcarTravel & Services female professional cycling team, posted on Facebook that she was “fine” amid what was a “a difficult and stressful period for all” and said she was not planning to fly back to Trinidad and Tobago.

She said she and her team members would miss some upcoming races and were awaiting word on when they would get the green light to race again. “In the meanwhile, we train and prepare for goals later in the season and act accordingly,” Campbell wrote.

London Colney and Hale End were closed for deep cleaning”.

“We have now reopened with a small workforce to maintain the facilities and training pitches, while a number of staff, including Mikel and the men’s first team

squad, are currently isolating at home,/ “ said a club statement.

“We’re pleased to say that Mikel is feeling much better.

He’s in good spirits, doing detailed planning with the coaches and speaking to the players regularly.”

Formula One postpones major rules revamp to 2022 London (Reuters) Formula One has postponed sweeping technical changes from 2021 to 2022 due to the coronavirus outbreak, the sport announced yesterday.

“Following unanimous agreement between the FIA, Formula One and all teams, the implementation of the Technical Regulations due

to take effect from the 2021 season will be postponed until 2022,” it said in a statement. It added that “due to the currently volatile financial situation” caused by the virus, teams will also use their 2020 cars in 2021 with talks ongoing over ways to make further significant savings.

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Friday March 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

Football association Singh Sevens overcome Budhram Sevens; Friends’ XI triumph challenges FIFA takeover Alex Singh Sevens defeated Seekumar Budhram Sevens by three wickets to win the Over-40 final of the Davindra Deosarran and Gary Singh 7-a-side softball competition which was contested on Sunday last at Success, East Coast Demerara.

Batting first, Seekumar Budhram Sevens managed 58 in three overs. Skipper Budhram made 34. Alex Singh

Sevens replied with 60; Singh struck 41. Singh received the Best Batsman prize and Randy Katwaroo the Best Bowler accolade.

Friends beat Navin Construction by five wickets in the Open final. Navin Construction batted first and managed 28 in three overs.

Friends responded with 30-2 in 2.3 overs. Suraj Buudhoo made 24 to take the Man-ofthe-Match prize. Mahendra

The victorious Friends team

The winning Alex Singh side

Seepersaud took the Best Bowler award and Sachin Singh the Best Batsman prize.

Friends beat Election and Navin Construction overcame Storm Chasers in their respective semi final encounters. The competition was sponsored by Tony Auto Spares, Speedy Family, Side Pitch Crew, Full Bloom Sound, Peach of New York, ‘Rastaman’ and Rohoman Electrical.

William Wallace - TTFA President

Victor Montagliani Concacaf President

Gianni Infantino FIFA President

Port of Spain, Trinidad, CMC – The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), now over the initial shock of being taken over by the world governing body for the sport, is challenging the move in court.

TTFA president William Wallace announced Wednesday that the association has mounted a challenge to FIFA’s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). On Tuesday, FIFA announced that the TTFA board would be replaced by a normalisation committee, in an effort to restore governance and financial stability to the beleaguered organization. It took the decision after an assessment it carried out in conjunction with continental governing body, CONCACAF, found extremely low overall financial management methods, combined with a massive debt that resulted in the local body facing “a very real risk of insolvency and illiquidity”.

In an initial reaction, Wallace, whose team took over from the David JohnWilliams-led executive last

November, said he was surprised by the move. But he told local media on Wednesday that he has now given his lawyers authorisation to challenge FIFA’s decision. The TTFA has retained the services of prominent sports lawyers Dr Emir Crowne and Mathew Gayle.

“We are going to challenge it because we don’t think that the process was followed. We don’t think that it is justifiable,” Wallace said.

In announcing the appointment of the normalisation committee, FIFA said the current financial situation was putting the TTFA and development of football in the twin-island republic at risk, and corrective measures needed to be applied urgently. It said the committee would have up to two years to do its work, which would include creating a debt repayment plan which the TTFA can implement and overseeing new elections for an executive committee to run the TTFA again.

But Wallace was puzzled about why such drastic action was being taken, considering no such move was made against the last administration from which his executive inherited a multi-million-dollar debt.

And he questioned why new elections would be needed.

“They are talking about elections in two years or less.

We are a duly-elected body, there was nothing wrong with the elections and so on, and that is the course of action you would have taken,” said Wallace, whose United TTFA team defeated Team Impactors, led by JohnWilliams, 26-20 in the November 24, 2019 elections.

In the buildup to the vote, John-Williams had appeared to have the support of FIFA president Gianni Infantino and CONCACAF president, Victor Montagliani, who visited the island for the grand opening of its Home

of Football complex in Couva.

Wa l l a c e a l s o h a d q u e r i e s a b o u t F I FA’s selection of accountant Ty r i l P a t r i c k t o b e i n charge until the normalisation committee is set up. He said the TTFA was informed via communication from FIFA general secretary Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura to TTFA general secretary Ramesh Ramdhan, that until the committee is fully o p e r a t i o n a l , t h e T T FA administration’s management will be supervised by Patrick, who will directly report to FIFA. At the root of Wallace’s c o n c e r n w a s P a t r i c k ’s connection to the former TTFA regime.

“The whole situation is a farce, as far as we are concerned. Here is a young man who was part of an administration that was part of a regime that led to the collapse of the association,” he said.

Ramdhan, meantime, said it had taken the association a little time to get over the “shock” and “total disbelief” of the FIFA action but it was now ready to act.

“We have pooled our resources together and have decided that this is injustice, it is disrespect, it shows some political play going on here to protect, I don’t know who. But clearly, this is unprecedented when you look at what those committees are set up to do – it is in cases of political interference, political turmoil, democratic processes such as elections,” he said.

“Our elections were supervised by the FIFA and CONCACAF, so there were no issues with the elections, but now they are saying because of the same financial deficiency that we pointed out to them when they were here, they are now using that as a reason. But we have gone beyond that, we have put things in place.”

Friday March 20, 2020

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Kaieteur News

England switching West Indies Tokyo Olympics: Lord Coe says Test series to Caribbean ‘unrealistic’ too early to decide on cancellation BBCsport - Switching this summer’s Test series from England to the Caribbean is “an unrealistic option”, says Cricket West Indies chief Johnny Grave.

The three-Test series, set to start at The Oval on 4 June, is in doubt because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Grave is reported as saying a switch was a possibility but he told BBC Sport: “I have not had any discussions with England over whether we can host.

“It would be strange that England can’t have cricket but the Caribbean can.”

He added: “Realistically, without knowing anything about pandemics, if England can’t hold cricket then it almost certainly means the rest of the world can’t hold

cricket either. I think it is an unrealistic option.”

Grave did say the West Indies are being as “flexible as possible” to get the series played. The ECB was scheduled to discuss the possibility of rescheduling the season at a meeting yesterday.

England’s Test tour of Sri Lanka was called off last week with captain Joe Root saying the decision was a “relief” because players were distracted, thinking about families in the UK. The sporting calendar has been decimated by the pandemic with football’s European Championship one of many events already called off. The first Test in London is set to be followed by matches at Edgbaston and

Lord’s starting on 12 and 25 June respectively.

“I have been in contact with [England and Wales Cricket board chief executive] Tom Harrison a few times over the last week,” Grave said. “The only discussions we have had are, in principle, having flexibility over warm-up games, when the series would start and how many rest days [there would be].

“We have given the ECB assurances that we will be as flexible as we can. We have not had any discussion about not playing them in June. “We have not had any discussion about playing them later in the English summer. We have not had any discussion about hosting the matches here.”

Nigeria suspends football league for four weeks BBCsport - The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has suspended its football league for four weeks after the number of confirmed cases in the country increased from three to eight.

According to a statement

by The NFF “the shutdown affects all on-field activities the various National Teams, the Nigeria Professional Football League, the other Leagues, youth football

programmes and even street football.”

The Nigeria Women’s professional league, which was due to start on Wednesday 18 March, was postponed for administrative reasons - but has now been further held off by the new development.

This comes a day after the country called off its National Sports Festival scheduled for 22 March, a move that saw

top athletes such as the Commonwealth women’s 100m record holder Blessing Okagbare cancel last-minute trips to Nigeria to participate at the games.

Nigeria joins several other African countries such as Ghana, South Africa, Morocco and Senegal to have called off football activities and sports competitions in general due to the coronavirus pandemic.

BBCsport - It is too early to decide whether to cancel the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, but “nobody is saying we’re going to the Games come what may,” says World Athletics chief Lord Coe. The International Olympic Committee has said the Games could still begin on 24 July despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Coe told BBC Sport: “Let’s not make a precipitous decision when we don’t have to four months out. “If you had to ease that date, you’d have to ease it. Anything is possible.”

Speaking on the Today Programme on BBC Radio 4 (yesterday) Coe, who was chair of the London 2012 organising committee, also said: “Events are changing by the hour but it is not a decision that has to be made at the moment.

“We’re trying to manage the situation with the information we have but there is not a great deal of information.” The IOC says it held “constructive” talks with athlete representatives about

the coronavirus crisis earlier this week.

President Thomas Bach admitted he was “confronted with many questions” over qualification and restrictions but insisted that “everybody realised that we still have more than four months to go” until Tokyo 2020.

The British Athletes Commission said on Thursday that the situation was “significantly impacting the preparation of athletes” for the Games. “We encourage information to be made readily available and that timely decisions are made in the best interests of athletes,” the BAC statement added.

Yesterday, Tokyo 2020 organisers received the Olympic flame in a scaleddown ceremony in Athens’ Panathenaic stadium, site of the first modern Games in Greece in 1896.

The flame was then transferred into a small holder to travel to Japan on a special aircraft named ‘Tokyo 2020 Go.’ In a video message Tokyo

2020 organising chief Yoshiro Mori said he hoped the flame’s arrival would help “shake off the dark clouds hanging over the world”.

When asked about the prospect of pushing the Olympics back a year to 2021, Coe replied: “It seems on the surface an easy proposition but athletics has its worlds on that date, the Euros in football have been moved back a year.

“The sporting calendar is a complicated matrix and it is not easy to move from one year to the next.

It would be ridiculous to say anything is ruled out at the moment. The whole world wants clarity; we’re no different from any other sector.

“In athletics we’ve postponed three Diamond League meetings but not all, because we don’t have to make that decision.

Everybody accepts this is a fast-moving environment. I need to be careful I’m not removing the earning potential from athletes any more than I need to at this moment.”

PAGE 26

National cyclist among Coronavirus cases Port of Spain, Trinidad, CMC – A national cyclist who recently returned to the twinisland republic from competition in Europe has tested positive for the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The 26-year-old, whose identity was disclosed on social media in a post that was subsequently deleted, returned from the UCI World Championship in Berlin, Germany, via Switzerland, two weeks ago. He also participated at a national meet last week.

According to media reports, he tested positive earlier this week and is currently at Caura Hospital in Tunapuna, a town in Trinidad’s east-west corridor.

His father told local newspaper Newsday that the athlete was in good spirits and everyone at his home and those he met since his arrival have been advised and are in self-quarantine.

“He hasn’t had any real major problems since. He’s still healthy and strong. They [doctors] have been in

Friday March 20, 2020

Kaieteur News

contact with us several times for the day, so we’re pleased with their work thus far.

Everyone is good and we’re not worried,” he said.

“My wife and I would have given information to all the other people we knew he had been in contact with. He would have also done the same and the authorities would have contacted them and advised accordingly.

Thankfully, no one at home has shown symptoms thus far.”

He added that it is believed his son contracted the virus at an airport on his way back home.

There have been seven confirmed cases of COVID-19 here, as the virus which was first detected in China in November 2019 moves across the world and touches several Caribbean islands.

Dozens of cases have now been reported in Aruba, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, French

Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Jamaica, Martinique, Saint Barthelemy, St Lucia, Saint Martin, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.

The release of the identity of the cyclist, given that the names of persons infected with COVID-19 have not been released to the public by authorities, caught the athlete off guard. The woman who leaked it on social media has since apologised.

The individual, who said she is an avid cycling fan, had posted on Facebook that the cyclist had tested positive for COVID-19 and wanted information circulated to inform those who had attended the National Cycling Velodrome last weekend.

But the man said he had not given anybody permission to release his identity. He told Newsday he was upset the poster had no respect for his personal information. The woman subsequently messaged him, (Continued on page 19)

Ramnarine leads Good Success to victory; Maria’s Pleasure overcome Sans Souci A fine all-round performance from teenager Mahase Ramnarine propelled Good Success to a ninewicket victory over G Square Cavaliers while Maria’s Pleasure registered a narrow win over Sans Souci when the Wakenaam Cricket Committee/Badri Prashad Memorial T20 tournament commenced on Sunday last.

Ramnarine grabbed three wickets without conceding a run as G Square Cavaliers of Belle Plaine were bowled out for 86 in 16 overs, batting first at the Wakenaam Community Centre ground. Sachin Dindyal top scored with 24 while Shazam Mohamed made 20; Imran Khan and Vickram Ramnarine were also among the wickets, picking up 2-11 and 2-19, respectively.

Good Success responded with 87-1 in 6.1 overs.

Mahase Ramnarine struck seven fours and five sixes in an unbeaten 65 while Khan made 16 not out. Maria’s Pleasure won by five runs in the days’ second encounter.

Oyono Sampson Maria’s Pleasure took first strike and managed 124 all out in 19.3 overs. Leorayan Ramlakhan stroked 40 while Bernard Lewis scored 29.

Jaggernauth Manbodh picked up 3-16; Cleon Venture took 2-4 and Devon Rambarran 2-28. Sans Souci responded with 119 all out in 19.2 overs. Oyono Sampson

made 39 while Venture scored 19 and Heera Sukram 18; Bernard Lewis captured 3-10, Leonard Lewis 3-20 and Ramlakhan 2-16.

The competition is set to continue on Sunday with Sans Souci Jaguars facing G Square Cavaliers at 09:00hrs and Zeelandia playing Noitgedacht at 13:00hrs.

Kaieteur News

Friday March 20, 2020

PAGE 27

Space Gym closes from today for 12 days as COVID – 19 precautions continues

Turf-ties will now look towards the new date of May 31.

KMTC Phagwah Meet re-scheduled for May 31 The Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) annual Phagwah Meet will now be held on May 31 at Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne, Berbice, it was originally set for March 29. KMTC Chairman Cecil Kennard told Kaieteur Sport that the adjustment came as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak.

The event will see six races held with the feature event being the C and Lower race which covers a distance of one mile and carries a top prize of $600,000 with the runner up taking home $300,000, third place pocketing $150,000 and fourth place $75,000.

Other races carded are Knon winner and L open for

six furs and fetches a winning purse of $120,000 while the runner up will take home $60,000, third place $30,000 and fourth place $15,000. H3-winner of one race and Guy bred open, this goes for a distance of seven furs and will see the winner carting off $250,000, runner up $125,000, third place $63,000 and fourth place $32,000.

L-non earners at the five recognise track; this event will cover a distance of five furs with the champion taking home $100,000, runner up $50,000, third place $25,000 and fourth place $13,000.

J3 and lower for a distance of six furs; first

place will pocket $160,000, runner up $80,000, third place $40,000 and fourth place $20,000. Three years old Guyana bred open; this race will goes for seven furs with the winner collecting $250,000, runner up $125,000, third place $63,000 and fourth place $32,000.

The races will run under the rules of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority and entries will be closed on March 22. No late entries will be accepted. Entries can be made through Ivan Dipnarine 331 0316, Mr. Kennard 623 7609, Fazal Habibulla 657 7010, Dennis Deroop 640 6396 and Campton Sancho 691 1174.

Local motorsport affected

by COVID - 19 The Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) like the rest of the sporting world have been affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and in a correspondence to Kaieteur Sport, the club has announced that following the indefinite postponement of the Dexterity Challenge that was scheduled for last weekend, the first round of the 2020 Drag Championship that was scheduled for next month, seems highly unlikely.

Locally, COVID-19 has seen hockey, basketball, football and cricket being suspended in addition to Motor Sport that usually attracts droves of fans at the South Dakota Circuit, Timehri.

Neighbouring Suriname that usually sends at least five drivers to contest the drag championship has closed their borders following the growing fears of the pandemic.

Recently reelected head of the Club, Rameez Mohamed, in an invited comment to Kaieteur Sport, confirmed that the highly anticipated Drag Championship round one will not get underway next month.

Mohamed posited that, “I have consulted with the executive committee and it was a simple decision postpone not only next month’s drag racing event but all other racing events are on hold. The coronavirus pandemic will affect everyone and on behalf of the GMR&SC, I am urging all fans and competitors alike to stay safe and follow health guidelines so we can prevent the disease from spreading in Guyana.”

Luckily, the GMR&SC were able to run

Rameez Mohamed Head of GMR&SC off two meets so far this year, namely the first round of the Endurance Championship and the first round of the National Race of Champions (NROC) while last weekend’s Caribbean Radical Cup in Barbados may be the last racing meet in the region until the pandemic is brought under control.

The NROC first round sped off on February 16 at South Dakota where Mohamed was the most dominant force, stealing the show with an incredible eight podium spots inclusive of six wins and two second place finishes.

Shem Chattersing (street bikes) and Kevin Persaud (Superstock) created the buzz on the two-wheelers after notching two wins each out of the three races each class had. The first round of the Endurance championship on January 28th was curtailed after unlimited class driver Ravi Singh narrowly escaped from his machine after it caught fire during the latter stages of the race. Luckily, Singh only had to endure minor burns after the incident and has soon recovered. (Calvin Chapman)

Flashbak! The top performers from the 2019 edition of Space Games.

A

s the world continues to grapple with the global pandemic caused by the coronavirus outbreak, Space Gym is the latest sports entity to make a conscious move to protect its members and encourage all to follow best practices.

A release from the Gym stated that in light of the fact that Guyana continue to record confirmed cases the

gym would be putting systems in place to protect the health and wellbeing of its members and employees and this would start with its closing from 21:00hrs today.

The release further stated that “At this time, we estimate that the gym will remain closed for at least 12 days. Please note that all membership/subscription fees already paid will be frozen as at March 20th, and

will resume when the Gym reopens. We urge the Space Gym Family to take all necessary precautions to protect themselves during this difficult time, and to stay safe. We will share any changes to the closure schedule via social media platforms.”

Space Gym is home to a number of bodybuilding, powerlifting and strongmen champions.

Concacaf Statement on Additional Tournament Suspensions Miami, FL - At Concacaf we are continuing to monitor closely the public health situation and our thoughts are with everyone affected by COVID-19. The health and wellbeing of all individuals participating in Concacaf competitions is our first priority and that is why we last week made the decision to suspend a number of our upcoming competitions and matches.

Following further consultation with key stakeholders, we have made the decision to suspend two additional Concacaf national

team tournaments: *2020 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championships, originally scheduled for April 18 to May 3 in Toluca, Mexico. *2020 Concacaf Futsal Championships, originally scheduled for May 1 to May 10 in Guatemala.

Both competitions require significant international travel for a number of our Member Associations and their teams and we have made this decision with their welfare in mind.

Ramnarine leads Good Success to victory; Maria’s Pleasure overcome Sans Souci Mahase Ramnarine

Leorayan Ramlakhan

Bernard Lewis

England switching West Indies Test series to Caribbean ‘unrealistic’ Tokyo Olympics: Lord Coe says too early to decide on cancellation rt Spo

West Indies beat England 2-1 in their Test series in 2019.

Lord Coe (left) won gold for Britain at consecutive Olympics in the men’s 1500m (1980 & 1984) Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.