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AIETEUR Constitution allows Monday Edition NEWS GECOM to take action as it sees fit to ensure impartiality and fairness March 23, 2020 - Vol. 13 No. 12

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Guyana could become a failed State if it chooses the wrong path – Sir Shridath Ramphal TAKING THE COVID-19 FIGHT TO STABROEK SQUARE

MARAD closes all seaports to int’l vessels - only merchant ships allowed in

Businesses, citizens deserve tax relief, other forms of assistance in wake of Coronavirus pandemic – GCCI President As COVID-19 shuts down air travel…

Rotary Club of Georgetown (Central), GWI and other partners teamed up to promote hand washing at Stabroek Market Square as a preventative measure to fight against the spread of the Novel Coronavirus

Several Guyanese children in dire need of overseas surgery placed on hold

Project Details ExxonMobil’s Hammerhead reveal... venture just as dangerous to

environment as its three other projects

Monday March 23, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Businesses, citizens deserve tax relief, other forms of assistance in wake of coronavirus pandemic – GCCI President

By Kemol King It is important for government to assist the business community and the citizenry as Guyana battles the Coronavirus pandemic that has swept across the planet.

Championing this cause is president of Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer.

In an interview with Kaieteur News, he said that the City Chamber has commenced discussions with regional chambers to determine the most productive measures which could help businesses cope with the fallout from the presence of the virus in Guyana. The Private Sector Commission (PSC) is also gearing up to get involved in the response, he added.

With five cases already identified, and one death, Guyana is vastly underprepared to provide the healthcare response needed to battle this virus. Getting an abundance of testing kits and other necessary materials is a challenge for Guyana. While more developed countries may more readily test persons, even if they are asymptomatic, Guyana delegates those resources only to persons who are symptomatic.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has identified Guyana as one of the countries least prepared to tackle the virus, and is likely to point out where aid should be focused. Yet, countries with more resilient healthcare sectors have already taken a beating.

Persons are advised to practice social distancing, and could be placed under quarantine once they begin to display symptoms. He noted that, to maintain these safety precautions, persons would have to stay at home and work a lot less.

The effect this could have on business would be harsh,

GCCI President, Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer Deygoo-Boyer told Kaieteur News.

The Chamber president noted that some businesses have already taken the initiative to provide certain materials to prevent employees and citizens being infected.

However, he said that a “patchwork” effort is not enough; that the effort must be multisectoral and comprehensive. Hence, the need presents itself for all businesses to get involved.

He is urging businesses, in their efforts to safeguard their sustainability, to ensure that they consider workers’ livelihoods, and not to fire them indiscriminately. One suggestion from the Chamber president is a reduction of employment hours from the 40-hour per week cycle, within the remit of the labour laws.

He recognises, however, that the laying off of workers is not entirely avoidable.

Hence, Deygoo-Boyer said that some form of unemployment insurance benefit should be considered.

This would be government’s remit. He said that the Chamber has already been invited to join a government task force to prepare a response to the arrival of the virus in Guyana.

The Chamber has already decided on a series of propositions for relief from the State. These are intended to allow businesses to function sustainably while there is reduced cash flow caused by the societal breakdown.

One such is the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) from materials needed to prevent the spread of the virus. Deygoo-Boyer said that other propositions include moving statutory tax deadlines and amnesty for late payments.

So far, the Chamber’s discussions with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) have shown the Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia to be amenable to the City Chamber’s suggestions, the president said.

Kaieteur News contacted Statia yesterday to find out whether any reliefs are currently being contemplated

by the Authority.

Statia said that, while it is for the government to grant reliefs, GRA can extend due dates and waive penalties and interest. He said that numerous measures have been proposed and are under active contemplation for relief, inclusive of tax waivers and extensions.

GRA is also reportedly in discussions with the Commissioner of Police through Traffic Chief, Linden Isles to waive the current deadline for renewals of vehicle licences.

Further, Deygoo-Boyer pointed to the need for more discourse, not just with GRA but other organisations to determine the best way forward. This, the Chamber intends to pursue.

The Chamber president noted that the Bank of Guyana has asked banks to make certain considerations for customers. These include a reduction of interest rates,

deference of loan payments and a waiver of automated teller machine (ATM) fees.

He said that the Chamber, nevertheless, will be reaching out to the Bank of Guyana and the Guyana Association of Bankers.

The suggestions posed by the Chamber president, he said, are not exhaustive. The Chamber is in active discourse.

THE WORLD AT LARGE CNN published yesterday that more than 325,000 people have contracted the novel coronavirus and at least 14,380 have died, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

The publication said that, as businesses down tools and send workers home, there is a threat of a severe economic downturn.

Many countries have already closed their borders, including Guyana.

Spain has nationalised all of its private hospitals. Italy, one of the hardest hit countries, has closed all nonessential businesses. It has also severely restricted movement in the country, even asking joggers to limit their laps around the block, The Guardian said.

In the US, Congresswoman Maxine Waters is proposing a Bill to give out cash allowances, suspend mortgages, student loans, credit card and loan payments.

The UK government’s advisors tell it that the citizens may need to practice social distancing for more than twelve months to prevent the outbreak from overwhelming their intensive care units.

Guyana’s healthcare system, much less comprehensive, may need its citizens to practice social distancing for a similar period, or longer.

Travel ban halts Guyana Goldfields’ underground development operation As a result of the travel restriction imposed by the Government on March 18, last, Canadian mining company, Guyana Goldfields Inc. has temporarily suspended underground development at its 100% owned Aurora Gold Mine.

While that aspect of its operation is on pause, Guyana Goldfields did note that its open pit and processing plant operations are currently unaffected and are continuing as planned.

The Canadian company explained that its underground development is affected by the international travel restrictions since its underground development contractor has a specialised workforce consisting mostly of expatriate personnel. In consultation with the Company, the contractor is

Guyana Goldfields’ CEO, Alan Pangbourne suspending its operations and demobilising all its onsite personnel, except for certain individuals who will

remain on site temporarily to supervise the backfilling of certain open underground stopes.

Alan Pangbourne, Guyana Goldfields’ President and CEO stated that the health and safety of its workers remain a priority. And while they have no confirmed COVID-19 cases, Pangbourne said they are proactively taking steps to protect its people and business during this global pandemic. Further to this, he said that some of the company’s expatriate staffers are already working remotely.

He added, “We are well prepared to keep the Aurora

open pit and processing plant running as previously disclosed, and are maintaining critical safety and environmental activities, notwithstanding Guyana’s international travel ban.”

Guyana Goldfields said that it will continue to monitor the situation and will provide further updates if necessary as events unfold.

The decision by the Government to close its airports to all international air travel except for cargo flights for 14 days is part of its effort to contain the global outbreak of the coronavirus. To date, there have been five confirmed cases here.

PAGE 4

Monday March 23, 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

Who is of the people and for the people?

Attorneys rip them off when they come, through misleading them and leading them down darkened alleyways in which they are hopelessly lost. They come out from their legal ordeals mostly heavily impoverished, with little achieved. They would be the wretched supplicants who approach attorneys for representation before a system that is characterised by numerous injustices. Who is looking out for the people?

Similarly, medical men shred the people by promising the world falsely, while knowingly delivering the crippling, sickening, and death dealing. Tests and procedures are billed in continuing exploitations. There was no mending possible, but still the pious professionals in white coats found ways to separate the people from their meager savings. Who is of the people with genuine interest in their welfare?

It is the same sick story with the professional bureaucrats, the accountants (though tricking the tax system), and the auditors (through seeing what they want to see and not going to revealing places). In many ways, there are few-so few as not to mean anything of the consequential-who are dedicated to the people and for the people. These would be the poor Guyanese multitudes who have little in sound education and less in holdings.

Thus, they are made to pay the endless array of prices levied. Most are manufactured, all unconscionable in the damage inflicted. But for the worse in this society, there is the aristocracy of scoundrels, who say they stand for the people, by the people, and are of the same struggling, hoping, believing people. These would be the politicians.

They are the bottom of the barrel. The evidence is abundant, telling its putrid story of how these coarse and corrupt con men and con women, from both sides of the Guyanese racial divide, set up the mass of the poorer classes on their side of the political fence to tear out the hearts of those who share space with them.

The people, the long-suffering poor in this society, have no tribunes, no defenders, no champions for their cause.

There is no voice crying out in the wilderness, their hopelessness and the apprehensions of those who misplace their trust waste their confidences in men who betray them time after time. There is no voice, no presence that can be listened to, since such is drowned out by the high volume words of deceit that overwhelm truth and what is right for this country and its peoples.

So, they argue mindlessly about who cheated whomand incite those in the middle to harbour such hatreds for and horrors about the other-that there is no room nor movement towards what this society needs. What this country and its bitter suspicious peoples direly need will neither be produced nor realised through the court process, nor by the threat of international sanctions, nor from any (for emphasis: any) final tabulation that emerges from the maelstrom that has been Elections 2020. The people on both sides have been whipped into too much of a frenzy to believe anything anymore, to care about anything anymore. That is, other than they won, and that the dreaded other side is vanquished.

Thus, a society languishes and falls apart, while it waits for one rescuer after another from foreign shores to rush over here and lift us out temporarily from the dismal place into which we have allowed our leaders to kick us into, as they use us, misuse us, and reuse us in election cycle after election cycle. The wellmeaning neighbours and foreigners come, and they go. While the philosophies of the international community may be about what is idealistic, even fair and proper, all Guyanese must bear in mind that that community is also about what is in its vital strategic interests, first and foremost.

There are no gift horses. Whatever they bring or contribute, this issue still remains unchallengeable and unaddressed: what then when the next time arrives? What are we calling for, what are we settling for, and what are we buying? Maybe some time, definitely not any inclination towards anything resembling a solution that could be so labeled. So, we ask again, who in the political assembly and hierarchy is for the people, by the people, and of the people? All of them.

We are not Alone, the World is Watching DEAR EDITOR, Your editorial (March 22) is right that “we are now alone in Guyana” but in reality we are not alone as the world cares and is watching what has been taking place since March 2. There are Guyanese who would prefer for us to be left alone so that they can do their thing. But the world would not allow it. Regardless of which party one supports, Guyanese must accept the will of the electorate.

I have been listening, reading and surveying public opinions (and views) through various media (including newspaper and social media, chatter groups, and personal conversations) since the several foiled attempts to rig the results of the March 2 elections.

These views were obtained from outlets and interactions in Guyana and in the Guyanese diaspora. I was (am) more interested in Guyanese reactions to the American position of “serious consequences coming if an illegitimate government is formed” (from a fraudulent count) that does not reflect the true will of the electorate.

But I paid particular attention to their views on ABCE (and international observers’)

position on the declaration of (fraudulent or bogus) results; ABCE refers to America, Britain, Canada, European.

The findings are most interesting though not largely unexpected. It was on partisan lines as also reflected in the actual authentic results of the elections.

What I have found is that those who support the APNU+AFC Coalition are not pleased with the American or foreigners’ position on the fraudulent count declared by Mingo and GECOM. More specifically, APNU+AFC supporters’ position is that America and foreigners (BCE countries and international observers) should mind their own business and don’t instruct GECOM on the vote count or declaration of results. It is interesting to note that this position is also taken by Guyanese Americans who support the Coalition.

(Are they not pleased with the generosity and hospitality of the US that has been so kind to Guyana since the period of the rise of the dictatorship in 1966?). On the other side, those supporting the PPP and the other (small) opposition parties welcome (and cheer) the position taken

by America and the other countries that GECOM must produce credible results that truly reflect the will of the voters.

Those supportive of the opposition parties want greater involvement of the US, Canada, UK, and European countries in Guyanese affairs as guarantors of free and fair elections and democratic governance. They want sanctions to immediately kick in to force GECOM to declare the real results and the Coalition Government to allow for a democratic transition. They also urge some kind of foreign intervention to force a democratic transition.

What is most interesting from the views is that the position adopted by supporters of the Coalition is the complete reverse of that taken in 2015. Then, supporters of the Coalition wanted ABCE involvement and financial support to assist in the removal of the PPP from office. They welcome and cheered the toppling of the PPP administration in May 2015.

But now, they seem opposed to any foreign involvement that may or

would result in the democratic removal of what they consider as “their government”.

As people and regimes throughout the Americas have recognised, one cannot rig an election and get away.

One cannot tell the USA to mind its business and don’t expect consequences; PPP learned that lesson in 2015. It is virtually impossible to defy the might of the US or the BCE countries in the Western Hemisphere – authoritarian regimes learned the hard way from sanctions and even military intervention. Those could very well come to Guyana sooner than expected.

Guyanese must be willing to accept the will of the electorate in free and fair elections. It is not the end of the world if one’s party loses an election. Opportunities would rebound for victory next time around. Who would have thought that PPP would lose its majority in 2011 and government in 2015?

The world will not leave Guyana alone. The party that lost the election is urged to concede so as to save the country much grief coming from international sanctions.

Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram

The race fallacy DEAR EDITOR, Do you even know what you are supporting?

At the outset, allow me to state that I write this piece in my personal capacity and my views do not represent or reflect any of the organisations for which I am a member.

Guyana has been pulling on the weakening shackle of racism for decades in order to free itself from what we, as Guyanese, readily admit constrains our collective developmental objective.

A country is not just mountains and rivers and land, it is mainly about its people. For as long as humans have been in existence, we have been part of a tribe. Our belonging and feeling of belonging to the tribe augmented our individual survival but ensured our collective survival. In the earliest days of humans, almost always, the members of those tribes looked very much like each other. The feeling, therefore, of both belonging and comfort among members of your perceived tribe is instinctive and transcends time and rationality.

For a long time in Guyana, some leaders exploited this instinct of their followers and fostered the crystallisation of that instinct into an ideology, which is subconsciously understood to be that the

acquisition and maintenance of political power by a member of their tribe/race is the only way to ensure the survival of their race/tribe.

The ideology may be framed from the perspective of the collective i.e. the tribe/race, but its acceptance is very much instinctively individualistic, i.e. if the tribe/ race survives, there is an increased likelihood of their personal survival and their lineage. This is a universal fallacy and Guyana is yet another example as will be explained below.

The consequence of that ideology results in supporting, justifying, excusing, and/or ignoring the acquisition and maintenance of political power “by any means necessary”.

Ideologies are not always obvious to the ideologues or their followers, but this particular ideology is the single most destructive threat to the multi-racial collective called Guyanese. Why? The factual historical analysis of the development of countries and their citizens has proven that being a democracy is the single most common and important ingredient for sustained prosperity of a collective over time. This analysis has also shown that citizens do not always make the right decision at every election but over time, the collective

intelligence makes fewer errors in choice of leaders which in turn advances the collective.

Guyana has already had its own experience with undemocratic rule and the results were destructive.

During that undemocratic period, Guyana moved from being one of the most prosperous countries in the region to becoming the poorest country in the western hemisphere – even poorer than Haiti. Guyana also had our experience with democracy when we moved from being that poorest country in the western hemisphere to becoming the fastest growing country in the western hemisphere with over 10 consecutive years of economic growth and categorised as a middleincome country.

In more detail, during our undemocratic rule from 1964 to 1992, Guyana’s GDP (a measurement of a country’s annual productive value) moved from US$194M to US$373M which means that over the course of 28 years, Guyana’s GDP grew by about US$180M or 92%. Meanwhile, during our democratic period from 1992 to 2015, our GDP moved from US$373M in 1992 to US$3.2B, an increase of almost $3B or around 800%.

Guyana’s Gross National Income per person moved from US$280 in 1964 to

US$390 in 1992 (a growth of 39%) during our undemocratic rule while it moved from US$390 in 1992 to US$4760 in 2018 (a growth of 1120%) during our democratic rule. Our national debt was 900% of GDP and we were using 153% of our income to service our debt at the end of our undemocratic rule while the numbers were about 55% and 5% respectively during our democratic rule. Those numbers, while stark does nothing to describe the history of suffering, poverty and repression during our period of undemocratic rule.

Public servants and fixed income earners were pauperised when the exchange rate moved from GY$4 to US$1 to GY$115 to US$1 from 1985 to 1991 (just 6 years). In 1985, employment in public service was 28, and by 1991, it dropped to 18,361 – over 10,000 persons lost their jobs. The bauxite industry was nationalised in 1971, and by 1983, the aluminium plant in Linden was closed resulting in the termination of almost 3,000 workers. People would die from rickets (a lack of vitamin D and Calcium) and scurvy (a lack of vitamin C) because basic nutrition became scarce and persons were criminalised into burying flour bags and sardine tins.

(Continued on page 5)

Monday March 23, 2020

PAGE 5

Kaieteur News

We must remain ever vigilant to protect our democracy and constitutional rule DEAR EDITOR, The recent statement of President Granger on the afternoon of Saturday March 21 on “Civil violence in the Mahaica-Berbice Region 5” appeared to be surreal. More especially, coming so fast on the heels of the statement he made the evening before, March 20, 2020, on the political situation.

The public was unimpressed and even dismayed that 18 days after the elections, Mr. Granger would repeat ad nauseum his monotonous, unconvincing and vacuous mantra which only he and his cabal seem to believe.

The PPP statement of March 21, 2020 captures the response of the majority of the Guyanese people “Last night, again, we witnessed another monotonous, selfserving and sterile statement from President Granger, proclaiming his commitment to free and fair elections, to the CARICOM Initiative and to a total national recount of the ballots cast, while at the same time, hiding behind the cover of the recently filed High Court proceedings,

which he insinuates, is the reason why he cannot discharge his commitment under the CARICOM Accord brokered by the Chairperson of CARICOM, Prime Minister Mia Mottley.”

The same statement went on to say “However, he can still redeem himself. All Mr. Granger has to do is to instruct his Commissioners at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to proceed with the recount, a unanimous decision already made by GECOM on the 15th day of March 2020 and instruct Ulita Moore, his Party’s Candidate for the 2018 Local Government Elections and his Candidate for the 2nd March 2020 elections, Roysdale Forde, who is the Lawyer for Ulita Moore, to withdraw the High Court Case and let the recount of the ballots begins.

He can also make his party’s statements of poll public as the PPP/C has done so that the world can see, transparently, whether his party won the elections.”

Of course Mr. Granger’s statement today belies any hope of him redeeming

himself as he and his spin doctors have spent all day churning the dangerous pot of ethnic politics.

In the face of condemnation and possible sanctions internationally, regionally and from individual nations, he deliberately avoided in the March 20 statement any mention of the reports of the five international observer missions- the OAS, the CARICOM, the Carter Center, the Commonwealth and the European Union —with regards to fraudulent declarations of the results by the Returning Officer for Region 4, Mr. Mingo, in defiance of the Chief Justice orders. They all demanded a recount of the votes in Region 4.

Furthermore, he diligently ignored the statements of warning from the US Secretary of State Mr. Mike Pompeo, the Bi-partisan members of Congress, BiPartisan members of the US Congress, Ablio Sires, Eliot Engel, Yvette Clarke, Francis Rooney, and others in the US Government, the UK Foreign Secretary, Dominic Rabb; the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, the Secretary

General of the Organization of the American States, United Nations Secretary General, the Chairperson of the CARICOM, Representatives of the diplomatic community – USA, UK, Canada, EU, India, the governments of the Norway, UK, France, Antigua and Barbuda, 90 international NGOs and The ELDERS, the Roman Catholic Bishops of the Caribbean. He ignored the public calls of the Guyana Bar Association, leaders of the Christian, Muslim and Hindu communities, the Private Sector Commission, the Chamber of Commerce, Transparency Institute Guyana Inc and dozens more.

How can a Head of State, albeit for a short time more, ignore that the nation is on the edge of a precipice, that the rule of law he claims to uphold is tottering dangerously as a result of his leadership and the Coalition he heads.

It is in this context that Granger ’s March 21 statement is surreal. Let us do a fact check on Granger’s claims:First of all -destruction of property. A small shack which was unoccupied and used once a week to sell beef has

Who will stand up for the law?

DEAR EDITOR, The Commonwealth Observer Group, led by former Barbadian Prime Minister Owen Arthur, has issued preliminary statements before withdrawing from Guyana a week ago. Mr. Arthur alluded to “serious and persistent electoral malpractice observed by the Group from 3-14 March”, presumably referring to the process in Region 4 only, which suggests that the Group did not observe postpoll processes in the other regions or found that the processes, and declarations, in those regions to be “credible, transparent and inclusive”.

No doubt, Mr. Arthur will clarify, and detail, these issues in his full report.

Moreover, he has castigated the leadership of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for its failure to “halt or rectify blatant

instances of disregard for the rule of law and electoral ethics” and enumerates, at least, 4 such instances, including the following: 1. Two unlawful declarations made by the Returning Officer (RO) of District 4; 2. The RO’s continued failure to comply with the March 11 rules made by the Chief Justice; 3. The RO’s refusal to provide the Statements of Poll during the tabulation exercise; and 4. The repeated cessation of the tabulation process in District 4 for a variety of “irregular reasons” and the denial of the “robust exchanges” between political party agents.

Mr. Arthur has also welcomed the CARICOMGranger-Jagdeo agreement as a useful mechanism to resolve the current impasse.

The inescapable truth is

that all of the concerns raised

by Mr. Arthur, other observer groups, international missions and prominent individuals have been, and are now, before the High Court of Guyana and they should all welcome and respect the Court’s involvement, abide by its decisions, and represent them faithfully. That is the only lawful, credible and transparent process, not the questionable opinions of selfinterested and partial parties.

It is extremely disappointing that all the legal purists, here and abroad, that were enamoured of the constitution and the legal system when pursuing the No Confidence Vote, are suspicious of it now.

It seems to me, that if all those political parties, observer groups, international missions, civil society and prominent persons truly believed, and

have evidence, that GECOM and APNU+AFC were engaged in, or facilitated, electoral malpractice, they would eagerly engage the courts, like on previous occasions, which could not fail to vindicate and support their claims.

Why would they not do so, and end this national torture, I wonder and who will stand up for the law? Many seem content to play at politics, and none except for President Granger and Chairperson of GECOM, Justice Claudette Singh, have steadfastly committed to obeying the law in spite of insults, character assassination, accusations of criminality and bad faith, and threats of sanctions, and I applaud their discipline, strength, courage and decency which so many clearly have very little.

Sincerely, Oscar Dolphin

been burnt. The shack had been decorated with APNU flags. Rumours have it that the owner may have burnt it himself. A young man has been arrested by the police following the President’s statement.

Second – attacks on innocent citizens on March 20 in Bush Lot Village – no such attacks or any such instances took place.

He refers to the March 5 events on the East Coast and Berbice and belatedly offers his “sympathy to the children and police who were injured and condolences to the family of the person who was

shot in the fracas”.

The more important issue is why would Mr. Granger make such a statement so out of tune with reality at this time? Why would he as President respond with such a strident statement on a seemingly small matter when so many major incursions have taken place which attacked our democratic values, laws and freedoms in the last 20 days? Why wasn’t he offended by the brutal treatment meted out to Mr. Robeson Benn, a GECOM Commissioner by the police?

Why wasn’t he offended by (Continued on page 6)

The race fallacy From page 4 Blackouts lasted for 2 weeks at times, there was no free press, roads were given names like “abortion road” because the craters were so many and so deep. Long lines exited for basic goods and fuel, which were all rationed.

As the public discontentment grew, so did the repression in order to maintain the hold on power. Political loyalists were inserted into every facet of the state proclaiming a doctrine of “Party Paramountcy”. Every state institution was politically invaded. Even the Court of Appeal of Guyana (at that time our final Court) flew a party flag outside of the Courtroom building.

Everyone regardless of their race suffered during the period of undemocratic rule except the few persons holding political power. The period of undemocratic rule found its support mainly from one constituency. The facts show that constituency suffered the most as they were the ones who lost their jobs in the public service and closed aluminium plant. The race ideology is a fallacy.

Meanwhile, all of our democratic CARICOM brothers left Guyana behind during that period of undemocratic rule. Barbados for example, a country with no natural resources was a US$311M economy in 1974 and by 1992, it was US$2.1B. Meanwhile, Guyana, a country rich with natural resources, was a US$433M

economy in 1974 but declined to US$373M by 1992.

So, the one question that all Guyanese need to ask themselves is “do you know what you are supporting?”

The species of human beings of which all that remains is homo sapiens (Latin for “the wise man”), survived because of our ability to learn from each other and to learn from our mistakes. Individuals may be foolish and march towards their demise, but the collective must never. Everyone has his or her role to play and must have the courage to play their role guided by the wisdom to recognise the race ideology fallacy. Many times, the blame is caste on the “foreign forces trying to divide us” but the truth is, the real truth is, some national leaders chose power over people and their agents chose tribe/race over the collective. The Guyanese people did not deserve this.

The Guyanese people do not deserve this. We are all in this together.

I write this because I still believe in the power of the collective intelligence and the collective courage. These two ingredients can and will break any shackle.

Your Guyanese brother and son always, Charles Ramson

PAGE 6

Monday March 23, 2020

Kaieteur News

The diaspora human capital could play a critical role in the oil and gas sector DEAR EDITOR, In a recent article published on Mar 8, 2020, Social Scientist Dr. Lear Matthews pointed out that high levels of skilled emigration tend to slow economic growth and noted that in the case of Guyana, it is, therefore, vital to understand the foundation, purpose, and potential contribution of diasporans.

Likewise, the World Bank report on the Ease of Doing Business in Guyana (2019) identified Guyana as having an inadequately educated labour force that impeded sustained development.

As Guyana enters an era of vast revenues from oil and gas production that could

transform the social and economic landscape, there is a critical question that arises.

Does Guyana have the human capital to foster and sustain transformational change and sustained growth and prosperity?

In an interview in Feb. 2020, former Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge, lamented the continuous outflow of Guyanese expertise through migration emphasizing the negative impact on development. His portfolio (2015-2019) included developing policies and strategies to attract and engage the Guyanese diaspora during his tenure as Minister, where he oversaw a diaspora unit staffed with

We must remain...

From page 5 the removal of the international observers and party representatives to monitor the verification of the SOPs and tabulation of Region 4 on more than one occasion? Why hasn’t he offered an apology to the Carter Center for the harassment they suffered at the hands of his APNU supporters so much so that they were concerned for their security and safety?

Mr. Granger has been anxiously waiting for a flashpoint, a trigger, to allow him to invoke other provisions of the constitution to install himself indefinitely knowing fully that he would be an illegal President in the eyes of the Guyanese people and the world. He has been given no such an opportunity by

the defenders of democracy, who have upheld peaceful means under stressful and provocative situations evolving on a daily, nay, hourly, basis. The PPPC joined with the opposition parties, civil society and civic minded Guyanese, across political and ethnic lines, only desire is to see their vote counted transparently and in accordance with the laws.

Having failed so far to instigate a trigger, is Granger and his spin doctors manufacturing ones in order to set the stage for an intervention? And what could it be?

We, as a people, must remain ever vigilant at this time to protect our democracy and constitutional rule.

Sincerely, Gail Teixeira

three or four persons.

However, estimates put Guyanese living outside of Guyana at 1.8 million. This figure represents the highest per capita migration rate in the world and creates a substantial barrier to sustained development and social transformation.

Challenges With a population of approximately 800,000 people, Guyana lacks the human capital and capacity necessary for sustained development.

Further, Guyana’s high rate of migration has resulted in a substantial Guyanese diaspora that continues to nurture the connection with its homeland. This significant migration pattern began in the early1960’s when many Guyanese sought opportunities abroad to escape socio-political conflicts in Guyana. Because of the highest migration rate of (83%) of tertiary educated persons in the world and the highest migration rate of skilled persons in the region, Guyana has a significant shortage of qualified persons, as noted by the World Bank.

The combination of braindrain and the lack of a comprehensive strategy to tap into and harness the human and financial capital of Guyanese living abroad has gravely hampered sustained social and economic development in Guyana.

And although oil revenues can improve Gross

Domestic Product, it cannot fill deficiencies in other areas such as the loss of talent through migration. With the recent plummeting oil prices and the uncertainty of the oil futures market, Guyana might do well to shore up institutions and encourage development in other sectors through active diaspora engagement.

How should Guyana reverse the high migration and fill critical gaps to improve performance?

Guyanese living abroad send back over US$400 million dollars every yearremittances.

On the other hand, economists estimate that in 2020 Guyana should receive US$300 million from oil and gas revenues.

However, that estimate will be lower because of the drop in oil prices. Remittances from the diaspora account for 17-23% of Guyana’s GDP. These flows remain significantly higher than Official DevelopmentAssistance (ODA) and projected oil revenues.

Beyond monetary remittances, the diaspora provides social capital and remittances that include norms, values, beliefs, and expert knowledge acquired from their experience in first world countries. Besides, diasporas contribute by direct investment, tourism, capital markets investment, philanthropy, knowledge transfer, and short term or permanent return to their homeland.

A path forward Many countries have established institutions to facilitate ties with their diasporas more systematically, including Dominica, Brazil, China, Grenada, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Germany, and the Philippines- to name a few.

More than twenty-six countries have a separate diaspora ministry; twelve of these ministries are dedicated solely to their diaspora.

Seventeen states have subministry diaspora institutions.

Guyana does not have a diaspora institution at the level of a ministry, subministry, or national, or local level.

Diasporas invest in businesses, create employment opportunities, contribute to poverty reduction, and fill gaps institutions, and skilled labour. Diaspora’s expertise in the oil and gas industry can strengthen the O&G sector in Guyana and lay the foundation for effective management and organisational success.

It is crucial for Guyana to develop a robust institution and requisite policies to engage its diaspora effectively to foster nationbuilding through capacity development and filling deficiencies. The diaspora is willing and ready to assist, as are organisations such as the International Organization for Migration. The United Guyanese Diaspora Global

Network is one such organisation whose motto is to “Build Bridges to A Brighter Future for Guyana.”

Budget A lack of knowledge and inadequate funding affect capacity building by diaspora organisations.

Some countries have used a percentage of the amount of diaspora remittances for budgetary allocation for diaspora institutions-India has used a 3% formula. By using that formula, Guyana would be able to allocate US$12 million to a Diaspora Affairs Organization (DAO).

In this way, DAO can create attractive packages to attract Guyanese living abroad with expertise in the gas and oil industry and other sectors.

During a meeting with Government Minister Carl Greenidge at the Parliament Buildings in Guyana in January 2016, he informed me that budgetary constraints were affecting his Ministry and, by extension, diaspora engagement funding. In 2020 and beyond that constraint ceases to exist. Recently, Guyana received US$55 million for the sale of the first million barrels of oil. With this flow of oil revenues, Guyana should have no problem appropriating funds to support a robust diaspora organisation to attract, mobilise, and harness diaspora capital to foster nation-building.

Sincerely, Wayne Forde

World Bank $5M Loan to fight COVID-19; what a shame!

DEAR EDITOR, The Coalition Government’s optimism in securing a US$5M loan from the World Bank to fund the Coronavirus fight confirms

what a shameful state our economy has been reduced to.

It is a reflection of the level of incompetence, mismanagement and corruption at the hands of successive administrations entrenched by ethnic voting.

While we giveaway our resources to others and discriminate against local businesses who pay heavy taxes, we have to take loans to cover basic public health activities, even after increasing the Budget from $21B to $36B over the last year.

This is in stark contrast to the trillions of dollars in support that first world countries are extending towards containing the very virus outbreak from their own resources, not from loans. The British Government is giving every worker whose job has been affected by the virus up to £2500 per month (G$700,000), while Guyanese businesses and workers have

nothing to get due to our failure to elect competent leaders to office.

As I said during the election campaign, ethnic voting supports corruption and incompetence, erodes democracy and keeps us on a path of poverty. I know of no other country that has had to take a loan to fund the COVID-19 virus outbreak response. What a Shame!

Where is the “good life” that was promised? Our voting behaviour makes us the architect of our own underdevelopment, our own deprivations and our own poverty.

Robert Badal Leader/Co-Founder, Change Guyana

Monday March 23, 2020

Constitution allows GECOM to take action as it sees fit to ensure impartiality and fairness

Project Details reveal...

ExxonMobil’s Hammerhead venture just as dangerous to environment as its three other projects

By Kiana Wilburg

GECOM Chair, (ret’d) Justice Claudette Singh SC The Supreme Law of Guyana, the Constitution makes clear the powers of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), currently chaired by Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh SC. As the ultimate authority over the Secretariat, GECOM may take whatever action it sees fit to ensure that the electoral process is fair and impartial.

This is expressed in Article 162 (1) (b).

It states that the electoral commission “shall issue such instructions and take such action as appear to it necessary or expedient to ensure impartiality, fairness and compliance with the provisions of this Constitution or of any Act of Parliament on the part of persons exercising powers or performing duties connected with or relating to the matters aforesaid.”

Those matters, expressed in 162 (1) (a) are the Commission’s general direction and supervision over “the registration of electors and the administrative conduct of all elections of members of the National Assembly.”

PAGE 7

Kaieteur News

Even as it evaluates the best financial maneuverings to be made in response to the effects of the coronavirus, ExxonMobil is still moving ahead with development operations in Guyana. In fact, the American oil giant is seeking the permission of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a fourth project on the oil-rich Stabroek Block.

In its application to the EPA, ExxonMobil noted that the project to be developed at the Hammerhead well will see close to 190,000 barrels of oil being produced per day.

But this is not without some serious potential risk to the environment.

According to the project details, the Hammerhead venture is expected to have the same potentially disastrous environmental effects as those identified in the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) of Exxon’s three other projects.

The EIAs note that an unmitigated oil spill from ExxonMobil’s Payara, Liza Phase One and Liza Phase Two Projects, could significantly impact Guyana’s marine life, ecosystems and communities along its coasts as well as its regional neighbours such as Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao; the southern Lesser Antilles; and the Greater Antilles.

In addition to carrying those hazards, the project details for Hammerhead note that air quality, marine geology, marine water, coastal habitats, coastal wildlife, protected areas, ecosystems, Indigenous people and traditional use of resources and land, marine turtles and fish and even marine mammals are all at risk for potential impacts.

In acknowledgment of the potential environmental effects, ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), said that a

robust cumulative impact assessment will be performed on all of its projects.

PROJECT DETAILS The Hammerhead project will see the production of 150,000 to 190,000 barrels of heavy oil per day. The project is expected to last for 20 years and will see 26 to 30 wells being drilled to support extraction of the oil from below the seafloor. Each well will be drilled to some 3500 to 5300 metres below sea level.

Kaieteur News understands that EEPGL will install some of the oil production facilities on the sea floor at approximately 800 to 1500 metres water depth.

These subsea facilities include various types of pipes and hardware. The subsea facilities allow the oil from the wells to be gathered and moved to the surface of the ocean for further processing.

It was noted that EEPGL will use a Floating Production Storage and

Offloading Vessel (FPSO) which will have the capacity to produce up to an average of approximately 4,500,000 to 5,200,000 barrels of crude oil per month. The operator noted that these estimates are preliminary and are subject to change.

In addition, it was noted that approximately every seven to eight days, the oil will be pumped from the FPSO to a conventional tanker which is owned and/or operated by others. The tanker will then bring the oil to buyers.

At peak, EEPGL will utilise approximately 1200 personnel offshore during the stage where wells are being drilled and the offshore oil production facilities are being installed.

It was keen to point out that this number will decrease to 200 personnel during the production operations phase.

Further to this, a smaller number of personnel will be utilised at the onshore support facilities.

PAGE 8

Monday March 23, 2020

Kaieteur News

Husband seeks to claim self DPP likely to receive report this week defence in savage murder of on cop’s fatal shooting of bus driver wife and carpenter Estranged husband Maxwell Usher has reportedly admitted to violating a restraining order and savagely murdering his wife Imogene Gordon and carpenter Royston John in the woman’s Wismar home last Wednesday.

But he is reportedly seeking to claim that he acted in self defence.

This was revealed by sources close to the investigation, who also said that police hope to receive legal advice by today to have Usher charged.

The suspect was held on Thursday while walking in an area not far from where the double occurred.

When she appeared in the Linden Magistrates’ Court on March 10, Imogene Gordon told Magistrate Dylon Bess that she had “forgiven” her husband, Maxwell Usher, for threatening her, and did not want him to be charged.

Dead: Imogene Gordon Dead: Royston John called “Blacko” And although she filed a restraining order against her spouse, she indicated that she had no problem with him living in a house that was just behind hers.

But 10 days later, Gordon’s husband, who had apologised in court for threatening his wife, entered

her 117 Prosville Housing Scheme, Wismar home. He then savagely murdered his wife and Royston John, a carpenter who had allegedly gone there to collect his pay for work on the unfinished property.

Some individuals who were present when the couple had appeared in court, said that the killings came as a Continued on page 17

The police sergeant who accidentally shot and killed Mahdia bus driver Cleon Gomes last February may know soon whether he will face manslaughter charges.

An official expressed optimism that police will complete their investigation this week and legal advice be sought. A report is also to be sent to the Police Complaints Authority.

Cleon Gomes, 36, of 111 Miles, Mahdia, Region 8, was shot to his left shoulder on February 27, during a dispute with another man at the Number 72 bus park. He succumbed shortly after.

According to reports, the police sergeant said that he was drinking with Gomes and other bus drivers when a miner and Gomes got into an altercation.

He alleged that the miner was about to chop Gomes with a cutlass when he opened fire to wound the attacker.

Unfortunately, he shot

Cleon Gomes

Gomes instead, the policeman said.

From reports reaching Kaieteur News, the rank was not subjected to a medical examination to ascertain how much alcohol he had consumed.

Sources said that the detained miner claimed that he was armed with a length of wood, rather than a cutlass,

during the altercation with Gomes.

Investigators reportedly have no evidence to support the policeman’s claim that the miner had a cutlass.

The rank was placed under close arrest while a team from the Police Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) conducted the investigation.

Monday March 23, 2020

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

An old law for a new battle The coronavirus threatens our existence.

Guyana is too poor, too small and with a too undeveloped health system to withstand a local coronavirus epidemic.

Those in the developed world, with stronger health systems, who did not take the outbreak seriously are ruing their decision today.

Those who assumed that this virus was less deadly than the seasonal influenza are regretting this supposition.

As this is being written, the death toll globally is more than 13,000. More than 300,000 persons have been infected.

The v i r u s i s n o t discriminating according to level of national development. Countries, both rich and poor, have been affected. People are dying in Italy like flies. Last Saturday alone almost 800 Italians died.

A total of 4,825 Italians have succumbed to this virus over the past few weeks.

There is a serious crisis and there are serious questions surrounding the local response.

The government has moved to implement draconian measures, the legal foundation of which raises a

number of concerns.

The government has reverted to Guyana’s oldest law, the Public Health Ordinance – an archaic colonial law which was omitted from Guyana’s legal system in 1972 but which is allowed to remain effective by virtue of a special provision in the Law Revision Act which allows for omitted laws to be valid, notwithstanding their omission.

The Public Health Ordinance of British Guiana deals primarily with sanitation matters. Remarkably, it has now become the principal legal instrument to combat the coronavirus threat.

In an extraordinary act, the President issued a Direction under the said Public Health Ordinance Cap. 145), which was published as a Legal Supplement in an Extraordinary Gazette of March 16, 2020.

The Direction represents a case of overkill. It directs the Minister of Health to take measures to do a number of things.

These include speedily bury the dead, remove, disinfect and destroy the personal effects, goods, buildings and any other

material or anything exposed to infection from the disease.

Assumingly, this latter measure could possibly include aircraft, motor vehicles and people’s homes.

The Direction made under the Public Health Ordinance goes beyond directing the Health Ministry.

It also directs the Minister of Education, Minister of Finance and Minister of Citizenship. This must be one of the most powerful Direction ever issued.

Serious times call for serious action but medical professionals have begun to question some of the strategies employed by the Ministry of Public Health.

On March 20, a letter written by unnamed medical professionals was published in the Stabroek News.

T h e l e t t e r, w h i l e praising some of the early actions taken by the public health authorities in response to the COVID 19 threat, raised some concerns about government’s response.

The medical professionals noted that at present, there are only 2 ventilators in the public

DEM BOYS SEH

Rum-jaatan find he two Russians Dem does seh Guyanese doan tek nothing serious.

And dat is true. Everything we does tek fuh skin teeth.

Suh when Rum-jaatan come out and seh Jagdeo bring Russians fuh rig de elections, everybody laugh, even dem stray animals.

You coulda hear dem donkey guh “hee hoo, hee hoo.”

It was a sign fuh wuh to come.

Everybody know de scandal with de rigging in de US but dem boys still trying fuh understand how de Russians woulda rig de elections.

He tell de media dat Jagdeo and de Russians went at Marriot fuh plot how dem gon rig it.

Suh when de police find out from “intelligence”, dey arrest dem and send dem Russians straight back home.

Rum-jaatan seh dey seize laptops and flash drives from de Russians and seh this is what dem did plan on using to rig we elections.

We does vote with pen and paper, nah dem high tech thing like wuh de US got. Suh dem boys and de whole Guyana wondering wuh kinda high tech thing Russia get fuh hack pen and paper.

Mussy a special eraser only dem know about.

Duh was a big laugh but de biggest one is dat dem only catch two Russians, Ivanoff and Smirnoff.

Dem seh Rum-jaatan still looking fuh Kazak.

Dem boys hear Kazak deh hiding between Banks DIH and DDL bond, running and ducking from Rum-jaatan.

He still can’t ketch he yet.

De odda thing Guyana doan tek serious is de Coronavirus.

Some ain’t even believe dat de virus deh in Guyana.

One man seh de virus is a blessing.

He tell dem boys dat he wife nah want travel no more,

she ain’t buying chiney thing no more and she wearing mask whole day pon she face suh he ain’t gotta hear she quarrel and row.

And de rest just skinning dey teeth, thinking dat is a joke.

Dem get an old saying, after laugh is cry but dem boys believe dat Guyanese doan cry.

Dem does just skin dem teeth all de time.

Dem boys waiting fuh de tears come.

Talk half and watch Kazak ducking from Rumjaatan.

system and efforts are being made to procure a further 12.

Why then is the government moving to mandatory quarantining persons at four locations for suspected cases and confirmed cases?

This makes no sense since the resources are not there to deal with the critical cases.

The medical professionals also indicated that there will not be sufficient beds should there be a major outbreak and thus the strategy of doing away with self-isolation is unmeritorious. The medical professionals sensibly recommended that only cases, which require supportive care not available at home should be admitted to hospitals.

The move to do away with self-isolation is certainly one which is

bound to fail if there is widespread outbreak. In as much as one understands the rationale, for the Ministry opting for such a measure, it must be questioned whether this measure will be practical if the number of infections increase.

The Ministry of course is only insisting on mandatory quarantining because of the experience of persons not adhering to the restrictions imposed.

The medical professionals however pointed to India where indelible ink, such as that employed during elections, is used to identify persons who should be self-isolating.

The directive to disinfect and destroy personal effects, goods and private property infected was a source of

derision. The medical professionals correctly pointed out that an inanimate object cannot be infected and that it is known that the virus only survives for a certain period on inanimate objects, thereby rendering destruction unnecessary.

In light of these concerns over the Direction, it must be asked whether there were consultations both with legal and medical professionals before it was signed by the President.

Did the Ministerial Task Force, appointed by the President, approve of these draconian and unnecessary directives?

PAGE 10

Monday March 23, 2020

Kaieteur News

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

ACDA: From re-colonization to profits On Friday, March 13, the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA) issued a statement in condemnation of the international observers because they unambiguously and unanimously rejected the Mingo declaration of the votes for Region 4 as unverified and lacking in transparency.

Here is a part of that statement; “This peculiar recolonization effort is displayed in the relentless attempts of some Ambassadors to keep African Guyanese under the control

of foreign sovereigns. ACDA views their present positions as an extension of their disregard for the sovereignty of Guyana and as a cloak to hide their partisan disposition towards people of African descent,” In response to a question

by Leonard Gildarie when we were on Kaieteur Radio as to what to make of ACDA’s stance, I dubbed the lamentation as pregnant with extreme dishonesty and explained why. Here is a repetition.

Among the clearest voices about election

tampering was the US ambassador.

The US was not a colonizer in the 19th and 20th century in the West Indies.

Unlike European colonizing countries, the US has had in recent times a Black president who is half Kenyan. The US administration had before the Obama administration and after, African, Hispanic and Asian personnel with vast state power. It cannot be thus classified as a past colonizer in the British West Indies.

Secondly, the most articulate critiques of the flawed election process came from two top former prime ministers of CARICOM states that have wide international admiration from the countries around the world – Jamaica and Barbados.

Thirdly, the Commonwealth Secretariat, which wants a credible election outcome, is headed by a Black woman originally from a CARICOM state – Dominica.

The extract of ACDA’s position above clearly obfuscates the issues of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, and turned an election fraud in Guyana into an arena of East Indians versus Africans.

Before we move on to the attitudinal metamorphosis of ACDA that took place exactly one week after that overtly racially-oriented statement, the point must be made that ACDA does not exclusively speak for African-Guyanese, because dozens of African observers not attached to the PPP characterized the elections as flawed, among whom was the prominent lawyer, Selwyn Pieters.

Dozens of AfricanGuyanese were election contestants who belonged to political parties other than the PPP. One week after the accusation of re-colonization, ACDA joined a crescendo of voices asking for a recount of 2020 election ballots to settle the question of winner and loser. We need to remind readers that the chorus for a recount was a national anthem for all opposition parties and observers, because it would be the definitive conclusion.

Why the volte-face by

ACDA? Read this part of the volte-face and you will see how scared some folks are becoming over the election impasse and what lies at the bottom of this trepidation.

In the authors’ own words as part of their plea for a total recount; “ACDA is of the view that no one should be elated about sanctions or the threat of sanctions being imposed on Guyana since all investments in Guyana will be at risk and those with the greatest amounts of investment are likely to lose the most.”

So some pertinent questions raise their heads.

First, was the threat of sanctions by powerful government the motivating factor behind ACDA’s stance that the ballots should be recounted?

Again readers need to be reminded of certain things. It was President Granger who advocated a complete retabulation which CARICOM agreed to that would remove opaque dimensions of the results. The president’s initiative was stalled not by any of the other ten contesting parties, but by a court case initiated by an ANPU election candidate.

Secondly, if ACDA wanted a recount, why did the

Frederick Kissoon authors find the desire to include a paragraph of the consequences of sanctions on Guyana? What’s the relevance of that? Since Guyana is moving towards consensus of a recount being the only avenue to go to settle the swirling contentions, why not call for a recount and leave it at that?

So the third question is; was there a Freudian factor at work in the mention of possible sanctions?

Finally, were there financial or profit-related considerations, personal or otherwise, consciously in the minds of the authors when they composed their statement?

Is there something just too significant to lose?

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

Monday March 23, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Monday March 23, 2020

PAGE 15

Kaieteur News

GUYANESE HORROR FICTION KAMARANG…

Confronting Lucille From the supernatural novel by Michael Jordan His mother was in the sitting room listening to It’s a Woman’s World, when Michael entered the house.

He mumbled a greeting, and was heading to his room, when she called him.

He turned. She was looking at him with that penetrating, all-knowing stare.

“Everything alright, boy?”

“Yes,” he said.

“So, what the doctor said?”

“That the tests show that I was just run-down.”

He turned away and headed to his room. He took off his boots, removed his jersey, opened the windows to let the heat out, then lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

Lucille…a murderer?

It didn’t make sense. Yet, someone that the girl had known had fallen ill and died… apparently after having the same symptoms that he was now showing. The pork-knocker had said that the boy’s name was Leon.

Had she slept with him for free, too? Had she sat with him in a corner holding hands and gazing at him with those passionate eyes?

But the encounter with the pork-knocker had cleared up some of the things that had puzzled him, but which he had preferred to push to the back of his mind. Like, why she was staying in the ramshackle brothel.

The answer seemed obvious now. She was hiding where she thought the porkknocker would never dream of looking. He thought of the dimpled scar on her back.

Was it a wound? Had she picked that up in Kamarang?

Yes, something wasn’t right about the girl. He didn’t need the pork-knocker to tell him that. It would be hard, but he had finally made up his mind.

He would call it quits with Lucille— Carmelita— whoever she was. …

After seeing her one last time.

The entire block around Harel Street was in darkness when he reached the Ritz. No music, just the faint sound of voices drifting down to him.

Lamplight flickered at one of the windows. The gap leading up the flight of stairs looked like a long, black tunnel.

He hesitated. What the heck was he doing here?

He was here because he wanted to know, once and for all, what was going down.

Because—and the real truth

“I gotta ask you something.”

He thought he saw a flash of watchfulness.

“What?”

“You—” His throat felt clogged. “You ever went to a place named Kamarang?”

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Yes.” “You know somebody named Leon?”

“Yes.” A pause, then she said, looking down at her hands: “He died in my room…”

now struck him—he had to know if Lucille really cared, even a little, for him, or if she was just using him for some sinister purpose, as the porkknocker thought.

He took a deep breath and entered the doorway… * Candlelight flickered beneath her door. He rapped.

He had heard no one come to the door, but just as he was about to rap again, someone fumbled at the inner bolt. The door opened, and she was standing there, naked. The shadows and lamplight highlighted her cheekbones and wide mouth, giving her a feline, hungry look. Even in the lamplight, he sensed a bright, unnatural glint in her eyes.

“Uh…goodnight,” he said.

She didn’t answer.

Instead, she shifted forward, pressing herself—no, rubbing herself against the open doorway; saying nothing, staring at nothing.

And just as he was wondering what to do, she smiled. “Hi stranger”. A warm, lilting whisper. She stepped back from the door. He entered the room, seeing now the lamp on the small table.

He felt a rush of desire as he watched her walk to the bed.

He sat next to her. She turned to him. Her eyes were almost closed. She reached out, guided his fingers to her.

He jerked his hand away.

He saw the slanting eyes widen in surprise, then narrow, and for a second, he thought he saw a flash of anger in them. Then she was sitting up and staring at him with hurt and concern.

“What happen, Michael?”

He looked at her, sitting there, her eyes filled with puzzlement, and he felt an ache in his heart. “I gotta ask you something.”

He thought he saw a flash of watchfulness. “What?”

“You—” His throat felt clogged. “You ever went to a

place named Kamarang?”

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Yes.” “You know somebody named Leon?”

“Yes.” A pause, then she said, looking down at her hands: “He died in my room…”

He felt goose bumps break out on his skin. He wanted to run from this woman. From this darkened room.

She reached for him again. He edged away.

“Michael, why you asking me about this boy?”

He felt tears at the back of his throat. Tears of dread and –jealousy?

“The pork-knocker. He said that—that you— killed his friend.”

She was staring at him, shaking her head. “No…no!”

She stared down at her hands again. “I didn’t kill him. I came into the room and he was dead.”

“You saw him dead, and you just left him?”

She said nothing. She just sighed.

“Why?” And why was he questioning her? He should be running from this place.

Instead, he was sitting here, begging her, in his mind, to come up with an answer that would reassure him.

“Why?” he asked again.

She stared at him for a moment, then said simply: “Because I was afraid.”

She sighed, looking down again. “I was afraid of what the men would do to me if I told them that one of their friends had died in my room.”

She sighed again. “Those men in the bush…they were rough… ignorant…always drunk. Some of them hated me because they couldn’t have me. They would have hurt me, and nobody would have done anything about it, because I am just—a—” She looked at him again, and he was alarmed to see that there was a hint of tears in her eyes. “You don’t have to be afraid of me, Michael. I

Cover design and illustrations by Harold Bascom didn’t kill the boy. And I won’t hurt you. I would never hurt you.”

Then she was silent, just looking at him, and, without thinking, he reached out to her, squeezing her tight, his fingers in her tangled hair. He felt her tears dampen his shirt as she whispered, over and over, I would never hurt you…

He squeezed her tighter.

“Is alright,” he said, forcing back his own tears. “Is alright.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t see me anymore,” she whimpered into his shoulder.

“I don’t want to get you into trouble.”

“Nobody can stop me from coming here,” he said fiercely. And at that moment, he didn’t care if she had killed a man at Kamarang. All he wanted was to know that he could keep on seeing her, anytime he wanted to.

She released him, and looked at him doubtfully.

“You mean that, Michael?”

“I mean it,” he said.

Suddenly, he remembered his last visit to the brothel. “You

got more of that cassiri?”

She stared at him, then smiled. She went over to the small table, and returned with the earthenware bottle. She uncorked it. He reached for the bottle, but she said: “Me first,” tilted her head back, and drank. She smiled, then passed the bottle to him.

As he raised it to his lips, he seemed to hear a screamed warning in his head; but then he was drinking deeply … feeling the heat spreading through him, then the sweet, almost painful rush of blood. … Then he was reaching for the girl. * She woke him, a seeming century later. He rose with an effort, his limbs feeling strangely numb and heavy.

He had trouble dressing. She followed him down the stairs, every step an effort; feeling so drained … so drained. …

At the end of the corridor she gave him one last, passionate kiss. She looked fresh, almost girlish. For a fleeting moment, before he turned away, he thought he caught a smile of Continued on page 19

Monday March 23, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Guyana could become a failed State if it chooses the wrong path – Sir Shridath Ramphal Former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Sir Shridath Ramphal says that Guyana could choose the path that would lead it to be “a good Guyana”, or it could become a failed State that has abandoned values and principles.

In a statement, Ramphal applauded the thrust of former Minister of Business, Hans Dominic Gaskin, who cast doubt on the figures produced

by Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo for the General and Regional Elections of Region Four.

Ramphal had previously expressed support for the CARICOM-supervised recount, stating that the regional body’s intervention

was a ray of light. All should have welcomed the recount, Ramphal had said.

This time, Ramphal quoted Guyana’s supreme law, which affirms respect for the dignity of all Guyanese and principles of freedom, justice and peace.

He said, “When the Court pronounces next (this) week, it is upon what is truly constitutional that it must pronounce. By so doing, it will allow all the parties and the people of Guyana to move forward lawfully and in fulfillment of their solemn pledge to each other.”

The Court case comes up today, with a decision to be made about whether the injunctions blocking the recount should stand.

Sir Shridath Ramphal Several civil societal organisations, public figures and political parties have espoused the recount, in hopes that it will resolve the current impasse, which has prolonged Guyana’s electoral process so far that it has been three weeks since the General and Regional Elections.

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PAGE 17

From page 8 shock, particularly since there had been no sign of such a level of hostility when the case was heard.

According to sources, Gordon had given no indication to the magistrate that she felt she was in any imminent danger from her estranged husband.

In fact, rather than giving details of the alleged threats, she begged the magistrate to have the charge dismissed.

“The lady told the magistrate that she wanted to forgo the threatening language charge,” a source said. “She said she had forgiven him, but she wanted a protection order.”

That restraining order meant that the accused

husband had to stay a certain distance from his wife. But Gordon reportedly told the magistrate that she had no problem with her estranged husband staying in a house just behind the u n finished property she occupied.

Those present in the court also said that the husband himself had given no hint of the seething rage he harboured.

“He was very apologetic, pious, he was respectful to the court. He did not show any violent tendencies.”

On Wednesday night, Gordon and John were found dead, with multiple stab wounds, at the entrance of Gordon’s premises.

Police apprehended a 48-

year-old businessman of Prosville Housing Scheme, Wismar, Linden, who once shared a relationship with Gordon.

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.

Gordon and the suspect had been living in the unfinished house. However, he subsequently moved out, following an altercation between the two.

According to reports, the suspect, Usher, had threatened to hack off the woman’s limbs.

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Monday March 23, 2020

Monday March 23, 2020

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Kaieteur News

FAUCI: U.S. ‘looking very closely’ at severe coronavirus symptoms in younger Americans

(NBC) Top U.S. health officials are “looking very closely” at reports that a much higher percentage of younger Americans than expected need hospitalization as a result of contracting the coronavirus, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said yesterday.

Fauci was responding to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which, after studying more than 4,000 cases in the U.S., showed that about 40 percent of those who were hospitalized for the virus as of March 16 were ages 20 to 54. Among the most critical cases, 12 percent of intensive care admissions were among those ages 20 to 44, while 36 percent were for those 45 to 64.

About 80 percent of people in the U.S. who have died from COVID-19 were 65 and over, with the highest

percentage among those over 85.

Asked about the new numbers on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Fauci said they highlighted “a very important critical issue that we’re looking very closely at.”

“It looks like there is a big difference between that demography from China and what we’re seeing in Europe,” Fauci said. Data based on China’s outbreak suggested that older people were more at risk.

“Now we have to look at the young people who are getting seriously ill from the European cohort and make sure that it isn’t just driven by the fact that they have underlying conditions, because we know that underlying conditions — all bets are off no matter how young you are if you have an underlying, serious medical condition. You’re going to potentially get into trouble,” Fauci added.

“But if they don’t have underlying conditions, that will be something we will have to really examine as to why we’re seeing it here but we didn’t see it in China. So we’re going to look at that very closely.”

Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, DN.Y., said young people need to take the risks seriously.

“I’ve been speaking about this for over a week now, and if you are a young person in America today, you need to stay home,” she said. “There was so much messaging about how coronavirus is only impacting older people and that younger people don’t have to worry about it for their personal health.

Well, let me tell you something, in the state of New York, about 55 percent of our cases are with folks 18 to 49.”

“And when you have that ... you are able to be directly impacted,” she added.

Cuban doctors head to Italy battle...

From page 13 Gallera, who requested the Cuban doctors.

We are going to fulfill an honorable task, based on the principle of solidarity,” said Graciliano Díaz, 64.

Cuba built a healthcare system that was the envy of the developing world with economic aid from former ally Soviet Union, though some of those advances have been lost since the communist bloc collapsed.

Many Cuban hospitals have fallen into disrepair and Cubans say they have difficulty finding medicine, a situation the government says is largely due to decades-old U.S. sanctions although analysts blame also the inefficient state-run economy.

Still, Cuba has one of the

highest ratios worldwide of physicians per capita even when excluding those doctors abroad, and its medical brigades for disaster relief continue to earn Havana goodwill worldwide.

“In a time of crisis, the Cuban government, the Cuban people ... have risen to the occasion, they have heard our appeal and they have responded,” Jamaican Health Minister Christopher Tufton said on Saturday upon greeting 140 Cuban medical professionals at Kingston international airport.

Britain also thanked Cuba last week for allowing a British cruise ship that had been turned away by several Caribbean ports to dock on the island and for enabling the evacuation of

the more than 600 passengers onboard.

Meanwhile Cuba, which is known for its disaster preparedness, is stepping up measures at home too to stem the coronavirus contagion. Twenty-five cases have been confirmed so far.

President Miguel DiazCanel announced late on Friday the country would be closing its borders to foreign non-residents from Tuesday in a major blow to one of the motors of its cash-strapped economy, tourism.

Thousands of doctors and medicine students are also going door-to-door monitoring their local communities.

(Reporting by Nelson Acosta; Writing by Sarah Marsh; Editing by Christopher Cushing)

Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci “You’re going to get your mom sick. You’re going to get your grandparents sick.

You’re going to get people you care for sick if you are asymptomatic. So you may not think that you have it and you very well might. And you especially might if you continue to go out and live life as usual.”

And on ABC News’ “This Week,” Michigan Gov.

Gretchen Whitmer pointed to a recent COVID-19 case in her state involving an infant to say the idea that “only one segment of our population that is exposed or in danger is ridiculous.”

“We have to all take this seriously, and every one of us needs to do our part,” she said. “Assume you are carrying COVID-19 and wash your hands, practice social distancing, stay at home if you’re not absolutely needed to be outside of your home.

And if you do go outside, keep that 6-foot distance from others. We all have to play our part to mitigate the spread and to save our health care system.”

Fauci said on “Face the Nation” that he does not expect the U.S.’s experience with the outbreak to turn into that of Italy, which has become one of the hardesthit areas.

“I mean, obviously, things are unpredictable, you can’t make any definitive statement, but if you look at the dynamics of the outbreak in Italy, we don’t know why they are suffering so terribly,

but there is a possibility that many of us believe that early on they did not shut out the input of infections that originated in China and came to other parts of the world,” Fauci said before touting the Trump administration’s move to restrict travel from China and then parts of Europe earlier this year.

“Again, I don’t know why this is happening [in Italy] to such an extent,” Fauci said.

“But once you get so many of these spread out, they spread exponentially, and you can never keep up with this tsunami. And I think that’s what our colleagues and, unfortunately, our dear friends in Italy are facing.”

Italy was “so overwhelmed from the beginning,” Fauci said, “that they can’t play catch-up.”

Fauci said he has “no doubt” that the virus is mutating, although experts “have not seen thus far any type of change in the way it’s acting. But we are keeping a very close eye on it, because it is conceivable that it could mutate and change some of the ways that it performs.”

Something malevolent...

From page 11 there, in the yard, Zel,” Cathy, her sister, said.

There were children between the somber-faced adults; among them were the Samuels twins, Desmond and Michael.

They stood together.

Zella thought Desmond, tall for his age, was more handsome than the other, and she really liked him—a fact that she kept from her sister.

William led their group into the funeral yard; Cathy followed; Zella tailed the group, reluctantly. The peculiar aroma from floral wreaths inter-mixed with perfume, assailed her and made her feel light-headed.

Her sisters and friends peeked into the coffin.

“Zella!” William urged.

“Come look!”

“No!” she said.

“She’s dead!” said William. “She can’t bite you!

She frighten everything— even masquerade! Want to see she and she sister dead from fright? Eh? Let a masquerade bull-cow come ‘round here!”

Then the rest began to jeer Zella for being a ‘scaredy cat.’

“If she don’t want to look, leave her alone!” Desmond Samuels said.

“Who asked your opinion?” snapped William as he sized up the tall Desmond Samuels boy who ignored him. William took a sudden threatening step towards Desmond; Michael took an aggressive step toward William. Desmond touched his brother’s arm as if saying ‘don’t’ and walked up to Zella.

“Zel,” he said, “you want to

take a look? I’ll stand next to you.”

“Okay,” Zella said and stood next to.

“Come … you used to know, her,” he said gently.

“It’s okay.”

With Desmond Samuels by her side, she looked at the powdered face of Mrs. Tennessee who Zella had seen just days ago, fanning herself on the veranda of her house on Alexander Street. Now here she was, laid out in a coffin in the yard for viewing. She died while giving birth, someone said. Zella began to cry.

And she was weeping now in an astral plane, and the resonant drumming was closer and at a crescendo.

Something malevolent was coming.

Confronting Lucille From page 15 self-satisfaction at the edge of her lips.

An owl screeched as he turned into Lombard Street. Christ…it had to be late, but he was too tired to check his watch; to care; all he wanted to do was sleep. As he approached the end of Lombard Street, a woman stepped out of the shadows near a store.

“Yuh want some fun tonight, handsomeboy?” She sounded as if her mouth was filled with spit. As she came closer, he saw that the right side of her face was horribly bloated.

Her mouth was twisted downwards as if she’d had a stroke. She came closer, smiling expectantly. “Leave a dollar with me nuh, handsome boy? Leave—”

Suddenly she stopped and stared into his face. Her hands came up to her bloated cheek.

She made a whimpering sound, and scurried away.

He was too tired, and it was too dark. … and she had changed too much for him to know that she was the whore they called Abby.

(Taken from the supernatural novel Kamarang by Michael Jordan. Book design and illustrations by Harold Bascom.)

Copies of the illustrated edition of Kamarang are on sale at Austin’s Book Store, and on Amazon (Kindle and paperback) The author can also be contacted for autographed copies on +592 645 2447 or by email: kmarangnight@gmail.com)

PAGE 20

Kaieteur News

Monday March 23, 2020

Monday March 23, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Most US athletes in survey want Olympic delay: report

US swimmer Nathan Adrian, a five-time Olympic relay champion, says he doesn’t want to compete in the Tokyo Olympics under current conditions. (Getty Images North America/AFP/File/Maddie Meyer)

AFP - Almost threequarters of the 300 US athletes who took part in a virtual town hall with US Olympic officials support delaying the 2020 Tokyo Games, USA Today reported yesterday.

The poll followed calls to postpone the Olympics due to the global coronavirus pandemic by USA Swimming and USA Track & Field — the federations set to send the most American athletes to Japan in an expected delegation of more than 600 competitors.

In all, 70 percent of the athletes supported a postponement with another 23 percent saying it would depend on the consequences

Monday March 23, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) An important lost object, perhaps a paper of some kind, could command the attention of your entire household.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) A young colleague could leave your place of employment under strange circumstances, Libra, and this could come as a shock to you.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Someone or something has disappeared, Taurus. Gossip could spread like wildfire as everyone imagines the worst.

Listening to rumors probably doesn't appeal to your sense of fairness; nonetheless, you're wondering, too.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Spiritual occurrences could lead to a very powerful healing experience, Scorpio.

Repressed past traumas could come to the surface and be processed and released.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You could have some paperwork to do today, which could make a big difference to your financial future. This could be a contract, settlement, or agreement of some kind.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Do you like detective stories? If so, you may find them useful today as you play the role of Sherlock Holmes. A missing object, intellectual problem, or mystery of some kind could have you curious enough to search for the truth.

CANCER(June21–July22) The study of psychology might be especially appealing today, Cancer. Some new discoveries that you may have heard about in the media could have piqued your interest.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) A business or romantic partner may seem a bit preoccupied with some very serious matters today, Capricorn, and not be likely to share them with you. Asking to talk about it won't work.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Occult sciences, such as alchemy, phrenology, and astrology, could be singing their siren song to you, Leo. You like to think of yourself as down to Earth and realistic, but today you could find socalled unrealistic fields of knowledge irresistible.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) A group activity could lead to discussions of famous unsolved mysteries, Virgo. Jack the Ripper, the Black Dahlia, the truth about O.J. Simpson, and other intriguing problems might capture the interest of everyone present.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Some rather extensive and annoying paperwork might need to be dealt with. It will probably require all your attention, so if you can, take care of it first thing in the morning when you're still fresh.

Someone or something has disap-

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) A fascinating article you read in the newspaper could inspire you to try to create a mystery story of your own, Pisces. Today your mind is perfectly suited to devising plot twists and interesting but complex characters.

of such a move, according to details of the weekend poll given to the newspaper by a member of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Athletes Advisory Council who participated in the meeting.

When asked if they supported the Tokyo Olympics going ahead as scheduled from July 24August 9, 41 percent replied they did not back that idea with 34% percent saying the matter was complicated and more information was needed.

The two-hour meeting also included athletes being asked when a decision should be made on what to do with the Tokyo Olympics, with a third saying the choice needed to come as soon as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has enough information.

Almost a quarter wanted a decision no later than April 15, while 18 percent wanted an immediate decision.

USOPC board chair Susanne Lyons said Friday her group will defer to the IOC as it gathers information from around the world.

“At this point in time, we do not feel that it’s necessary for us to insist that they make a decision,” Lyons said.

Nathan Adrian, a five-time US Olympic relay swim champion, says he doesn’t want to compete under current conditions.

“I would have real moral objections, if the situation was the same as it was today, to competing,” Adrian told USA Today.

US hammer thrower Gwen Berry told the newspaper she

worries over the IOC’s decision.

“I feel the IOC is being really, really selfish in trying to push it,” she said. “And there’s no need to push it.”

Some US athletes told the newspaper about the disruption to training that safety measures to avoid spreading coronavirus have caused, including six-time US all-around men’s gymnastics champion Sam Mikulak, who has struggled to find access to equipment to train upon.

“I’ve had a plan for four years to do Olympic-level routines, and right now I’d have to drop back to my basic routines,” Mikulak said.

“It’s really throwing a four-year preparation out the window if they keep doing this.”

PAGE 22

Monday March 23, 2020

Kaieteur News

Indonesia turns athletes village to emergency hospital as coronavirus cases rise JAKARTA (Reuters) Indonesia has turned its “Athlete’s Village” built for the 2018 Asian Games into an emergency hospital with a capacity to hold more than 4,000 patients, authorities said yesterday, as coronavirus cases and deaths in the country rose.

Four out of 10 towers in the Athlete’s Village, located in the country’s capital city, have been converted into a medical facility that would house more than 7,000 people, including a coronavirus task force, medical staff and up to 4,208 patients.

“The ministry of stateowned enterprises will provide supplies for the emergency hospital to handle COVID-19, be it healthcare equipment, medicine, personal protection gear and masks,” the minister of stateowned enterprises, Erick Thohir, said in a statement.

On Saturday, Indonesia confirmed 81 new cases and 6 more deaths due to the virus, bringing the total number of cases to 450 and deaths to 38. Indonesia has the highest coronavirus death toll in

Southeast Asia.

The governor of Jakarta declared a state of emergency in the Indonesian capital for the next two weeks over the outbreak.

Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country, has faced criticism from medical workers for a slow start to testing in an archipelago that stretches wider than the continental United States.

Depending on how the coronavirus spreads in Indonesia, authorities can convert more towers in the A t h l e t e ’s Vi l l a g e i n t o medical facilities, officials said.

“If all 10 towers are used, then 20,000 patients can be accommodated,” a ministry of public works and housing spokesman told Reuters.

The ratio of the number of dead to the number of recorded cases in Indonesia at 8.7% is among the highest in the world – even higher than 8.3% in Italy.

Medical experts say it is a likely indicator that many cases have gone undetected.

Indonesian Red Cross Society employee sprays disinfectant at the Kemayoran Athletes Village, to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Jakarta, Indonesia March 21, 2020. (REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana)

Juventus talks over Brazil starlet We Stand United CC members Kaio Jorge confirmed by Santos chief receive over $600,000 in Goal.com - Santos uniforms and other equipment president Jose Carlos Peres has confirmed Juventus are in talks over a deal to sign young forward Kaio Jorge.

The highly-rated 18-yearold is the latest young talent to roll off the South American production line, with a big money move to Europe now looking likely.

As reported by Goal earlier this month, Juventus have been tracking Kaio for some time and were weighing up whether to trigger the reported €75 million (£69m/ $81m) release clause in his contract.

The Serie A giants have now significantly stepped up their interest, with Peres confirming talks are underway, though they are set to face competition for his siganture.

“The market hasn’t stopped even a second. I receive calls normally.

Football has stopped but the negotiations are still ongoing,” Peres told Calciomercato in the wake of the global coronavirus pandemic.

“It is not a secret that there is interest, but I don’t want to be caught off guard. If the right offers do not arrive within a deadline that we will establish, we will keep him until the end of the season.

Lucas Verissimo Santos 2020.

“Juventus asked about him, but made no formal offer.

I told them his release clause is €75m, but we are open to negotiation. We were discussing closer to €30m (£28m/$32m), but not just with Juve.

“Two other Italian teams are very active as well as a French one. However, since no news has come out in the press, I cannot reveal the names.”

Peres also revealed that the club are in talks with European sides over two other members of their squad; attacking midfielder Ye f e r s o n S o t e l d o a n d defender Lucas Verissimo (pictured above).

“Inter asked me for Soteldo, specifically (director of sport Piero) Ausilio himself, but he stopped when I requested €35m (€32/

$38m),” he added.

“Soteldo is a young player who has sensational skills, he is a player who decides games. All the big teams in Brazil asked me, Premier League teams like Everton want him and he has many offers from Spain.

“Despite the disappointment we had with the story of Gabigol, we wanted to give preferential treatment to Piero and made a counter offer of €20-25m. But we have not heard back from him.

“As for Lucas Verissimo, the defender had practically been sold to Torino for €10m, a very low sum considering we wanted at least €12m.

Then our coach at the time (Jorge Sampaoli) begged us not to sell him, so we had to withdraw him from the market.

M e m b e r s o f t h e We Stand United Cycle Club (WSUCC) were recently presented with new uniforms along with other equipment as the club seeks to continue supporting its members.

Owner of the Club, Horace Burrowes procured the custom made uniforms, tires, tubes and chains in his adopted homeland and the items were presented to the members by WSUCC President, Franklin Wilson.

In handing over the items to the members including leading local cyclist Briton John as well as seasoned campaigners and Co-Club Captains Warren ‘Forty’ McKay and Raymond ‘Steely’ Newton, Wilson expressed sincere gratitude to Burrowes for his continued commitment towards the individual and collective development of the club.

“Mr. Burrowes has shown tangible unflinching support towards this club over the years and we must express gratitude to him and his family for their continued support.

It is now up to you as cyclists to show gratitude by being the best you can possibly be when you take

to the road and track to showcase your talent.”

“This sport is not a cheap sport and we are all aware of what it takes financially to equip each rider to be able to perform.

So we are thankful to Horace once again for being the backbone for this club over the years.

We have some exciting young riders and we intend to give each of you the opportunity to shine for yourself and country,” said the club president.

Wilson encouraged the c y c l i s t ’s t o b e v e r y disciplined and follow the advice of the Ministry of Health during these testing times of the COVID – 19 World Pandemic.

Both Mc Kay and Newton echoed Wilson’s sentiments as regards the Coronavirus and implored upon the riders the need to protect themselves at all costs.

They were also encouraged to equip their cycles with the necessary items that would allow them to be safe when riding the roadways and to look out for each other.

Burrowes, who spoke with the members via the

clubs WhatsApp group, said that he was more than happy to be able to continue supporting the clubs and especially the young riders who he would continue to support.

“We are happy to have some exciting and talented cyclists who I would continue to invest in to see them excel for themselves and our country.

They need the help and I am committed to assisting, something I have been doing for some years now, it’s a sport that I dearly love and would continue to give my all to see these guys do well.

I must also say that we have some very experienced and dedicated stalwarts the likes of our co-captains and their experience would serve this club well.”

The Co-Captains also expressed thanks to Burrowes for his commitment towards the club and each rider, noting that he has been advising and working with them when it comes to training the club members. WSUCC will also be focusing on the holistic development of its members.

Monday March 23, 2020

PAGE 23

Kaieteur News

Fellaini is first coronavirus case in Chinese Super League AFP - Former Manchester United star Marouane Fellaini has tested positive for the coronavirus, he said yesterday, becoming the first known case in the Chinese Super League (CSL).

The 32-year-old Belgian international midfielder, who recently returned to his CSL team Shandong Luneng, wrote on Twitter: “Thanks to the fans, medical staff and the club for their care and attention.

“I will follow the treatment and hope to return to the game as soon as possible.

Please everyone stay safe,” he added, posting a picture of himself smiling and giving a thumbs-up.

Shandong Luneng said Fellaini had a normal temperature and was feeling fine, but “is under observation and having treatment at a designated medical facility”.

Marouane Fellaini has become the first Chinese Super League player to test positive for the new coronavirus. (AFP/File/STR) “The club will do its best... to help in the treatment and recovery of the player.”

Fellaini is the latest highprofile name in football to

catch the disease, along with Juventus forward Paulo Dybala, Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi and Arsenal manager Mikel

Rugby Coach call for emphasis on Endurance during Covid-19 shutdown

By Calvin Chapman Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) Sevens Coach, Theo Henry, has called for his players to stay fit during the Covid-19 pandemic that has seen the widespread postponement of sports’ events and the exercise of social distancing, while noting that the terrible virus has given the National team more time to prepare for the upcoming season.

Henry, a former player, who has won a total of eight titles for Guyana, expressed delight to be afforded the opportunity to coach again at the national level following his recent reinstatement and he explained that it was a bitter-sweet appointment since he knew right off the bat that a lot of work had to be done in a short period to get the players ready.

“This is a serious pandemic, and taking all measure for safety is very important. During this time of social distancing, players still need to maintain fitness. The delayed sports schedules give us an opportunity to be better prepared in lieu of the amount of work that will be required for us to be viable hunters.The new executive got elected in February and right off the bat they had to prepare for a 15s tournament in two months. It was an uphill task because we weren’t playing any rugby locally and players weren’t match fit,” Henry explained.

The coach shared with Kaieteur sport that his reappointment as a national

Arteta.

Former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz, who

was hospitalised with the coronavirus, died on Saturday at the age of 76.

But Fellaini is the first confirmed case in the CSL, dealing a blow to the league’s hopes of starting the season as early as next month.

The campaign was supposed to begin last month but has been indefinitely postponed by the outbreak.

Fellaini, also formerly of Everton, joined Shandong Luneng from Manchester United in February last year for a reported 7.2 million euros.

Chinese officials, concerned about a second wave of virus infections from abroad, will be taking a close look at Fellaini’s recent travel history to see who he had contact with.

Having flown from Singapore to Shanghai, he

reportedly took a high-speed train from there early on Friday to Jinan, the city home to Shandong Luneng.

He was taken by car to a quarantine area and tested for the virus on Saturday, Chinese media said.

Also on Saturday, the Chinese Football Association said the country’s bestknown player, forward Wu Lei, had also tested positive for the coronavirus.

Wu, who plays for Spanish strugglers Espanyol, is in self-isolation at home in Barcelona and has only mild symptoms.

The coronavirus emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December and has since spread across the world and become a pandemic, killing nearly 13,000 people and infecting more than 300,000.

‘If Ruiz can knock him out, I can’ - Whyte still eyeing Joshua fight

Theo Henry, GRFU Sevens coach.

If Ruiz can knock him out, I can’ - Whyte still eyeing Joshua fight. coach gives him mixed feelings, “Due to the fact that the sport is probably at its lowest point in the longest time. We have known about winning exclusively from 2006 to 2011 and again in 2014 and 2016.”

“Out of 14 years, eight of them we have been victorious in RANS (Rugby Americas North) and even the ones that we weren’t victorious we were twice bridesmaid, didn’t attend once and didn’t make the final thrice.

“It will be an uphill task trying to emulate that standard. It’s a fresh slate, nothing we did prior matters now. We can’t live on past performances. We were champions, we aren’t anymore, for the past few years we haven’t been. Our mindset will be different on how we prepare, we are no longer the hunted, we are the hunters.”

Henry is also a certified

fitness trainer and based on the current situation he has called for GRFU players to stay fit with major emphasis to be placed on Endurance building.

He disclosed with Kaieteur sport that, “Gyms are closed so players got to do their own personal training to stay fit. I would say focus on long runs; endurance runs.

Just do that because it will lay the foundation for when the rigorous training restarts.

While the emphasis is on endurance runs, Chip in with some core work, like ab work inclusive of planking, various crunches, hyper extensions.

Free hand squats, pulls ups and pushups are also useful exercises.”

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Guyana were scheduled to play Trinidad & Tobago (T&T) next month at home in a 15s match but all rugby has been suspended

by RAN.

Omnisport - Dillian Whyte has no doubt he could knock out Anthony Joshua if he were granted a huge domestic rematch with the heavyweight champion.

Ahead of his Manchester bout with Alexander Povetkin, presently scheduled for May 2, Whyte wants to maintain his momentum and earn a shot at fellow Briton Joshua.

IBF, WBA and WBO champion Joshua is the only person to have defeated Whyte (27-1), having knocked him out in 2015.

But Whyte believes the outcome will be different in a second meeting, citing his superior skillset to Andy Ruiz Jr. Ruiz stunningly stopped Joshua in New York last June, only to lose the December rematch in Saudi Arabia.

“If Ruiz can knock him out, I can 100 per cent

knock him out, because I’m a harder puncher than Andy Ruiz, pound-forpound,” Whyte said to Sky Sports.

“I’ve got better feet than him as well, and better boxing technique than Andy Ruiz. He’s got fast hands, but his feet are slow.

“I’ve shown also in fights that I can come back from being down on the scorecards and I carry knockout power in the later stages of the fight as well, which is a big thing for a heavyweight.

“A lot of heavyweights can only get you in one to six rounds. If they don’t get you early, then that’s a wrap for them.

“I showed you that I can get you round one, round two, round three, round four, or even round 11 and round 12, I can get you.”

Eager not to get lost in the shuffle once again, Whyte is

mandatory champion for the WBC, whose champion Tyson Fury is pencilled in for a third battle with Deontay Wilder and is also being targeted by Joshua.

Oleksandr Usyk is another name in the heavyweight title mix, but amid multiple lucrative opportunities, there remains one standout for Whyte if he could pick an opponent to fight for all the belts.

“I would love to fight Joshua again, at a drop of a hat,” added Whyte.

“It’s one of the biggest fights out there. I’m in the game to have the biggest fights and the most meaningful fights. I’m trying to make history.

“Imagine, to get one shot at all the marbles at once, how unreal that would be after all this nonsense - out of nowhere, me and Joshua fight, I knock him out and became undisputed champion of the world.”

PAGE 24

Monday March 23, 2020

Kaieteur News

Dubai’s $12-million World Cup horse race cancelled

The thoroughbred charge along the Meydan course will be halted this year. (AFP/Karim Sahib) AFP - Racing’s ‘Dubai World Cup’ has been postponed until next year due to the coronavirus, organisers said yesterday.

This year’s event was scheduled for March 28.

The main race carries a purse of 12 million USD (11.2 million euros) at the state-of-

the-art Meydan racecourse in Dubai.

“Dubai World Cup has decided to postpone the 25th edition of the global event

until next year,” a statement said.

The event was created by horse enthusiast Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al

Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai.

The main race is a Group 1 flat race of 2km run on a dirt track and has been won by Maktoum’s own Godolphin

stable with Irish horse Thunder Snow mounted by the great Belgian jockey Christophe Soumillon in the last two seasons.

Mexican League Exclusive: Tokyo organizers quietly plan football chief says he for potential Olympic delay, sources say has coronavirus AFP - Mexican football league president Enrique Bonilla has tested positive for the coronavirus that has forced the competition to shut down, he announced.

In a statement posted on the Mexican league (Liga MX) web site on Friday night, Bonilla said he had been tested for COVID-19 and was positive.

“I do not have any serious symptoms and will remain quarantined in line with the instructions of the Ministry of.”

The Mexican League suspended play indefinitely after last Sunday’s matches due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Matches had been staged through March 13 as normal, then were played in empty stadiums.

“Of course, I will keep up to date with the situation our country is experiencing and the alternatives and possible solutions to solve the situation that the Liga MX family is going through,” Bonilla said.

“I assure you I’ll act with all responsibility in the face of what we are experiencing and I’m sure that, as a team, the country will be able to succeed.”

Cruz Azul top the table after 10 matches in the 18team league with 22 points, just ahead of Leon.

Midfielder Alex Castro has helped Cruz Azul to the top of the table in the Mexican League, whose president Enrique Bonilla says he has tested positive for the coronavirus. (AFP/File/Pedro Pardo)

TOKYO (Reuters) Tokyo 2020 organizers have started drafting possible alternatives to holding the Olympics this summer, two sources familiar with the talks said, in contrast to the Japanese government’s stance that postponement is not an option.

While the coronavirus outbreak has disrupted sports events around the world, Japan has been steadfast in saying that the Games will go on. The top government spokesman on Wednesday s a i d To k y o wasn’t preparing for postponement.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has staked his legacy a s J a p a n ’s l o n g e s t serving premier on the Games and is hoping for a boom in tourism and consumer spending. At risk is more than $3 billion in domestic sponsorship, an Olympic record, and some $12 billion spent on preparations.

“Finally, we have been asked to make a simulation in case of a postponement,” said one of the sources, an official close to the organizing committee who is involved in drafting the scenarios.

Both sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the

media. “ We are making alternative plans - plan B, C, D - looking at different postponement timeframes,” said the official, adding the scenarios included cost estimates for different delays.

N e i t h e r To k y o 2 0 2 0 organizers nor the International Olympic Committee (IOC) immediately responded to a request for comment. The government of Japan could not be reached for comment.

The options, which include scaling back the Games or holding them without spectators, would be debated by the organizing committee at the end of March, the official said.

The second source, who is also close to the To k y o 2 0 2 0 organizing committee, confirmed that postponement was being discussed, including delays of one or two years.

Some organizing staff were holding out hope for a delay of a month or 45 days, said the official involved in drafting the scenarios.

A final decision on postponement will have to come from the IOC but Japan’s stance also matters.

BOARD CONCERNS The IOC and its powerful chief, Thomas Bach, say the

Games will go ahead as planned, drawing fire from athletes who say that could be a health risk.

Tw o o t h e r i n s i d e r s , both senior members of the To k y o 2 0 2 0 o rg a n i z i n g committee, echoed those concerns. One of them, a board member of the organizing committee, said the decision to postpone should be made quickly.

“The more they push the decision away ... more and more preparations have to be made - this will cause cancellation fees to go through the roof,” the board member said.

Bach recently appeared to shift his tone, saying the IOC was “considering different scenarios”.

Japan’s Nikkei newspaper said in a report on its website on Sunday that the IOC will hold a board meeting this week, as calls from sporting organizations for the event to be postponed gathered pace.

The official involved in drafting scenarios said a long delay could spark complaints from older athletes and require keeping sponsors on board f o r l o n g e r. A n o t h e r headache is the Olympic village, due to be converted to flats after the Games.

The summer 2021 calendar is already

crowded while 2022 will see the soccer World Cup and the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Japanese sponsors are nervous, company representatives have said privately. Major sponsors i n c l u d e To y o t a M o t o r Corp and Panasonic Corp.

“Of course companies are individually discussing what to do,” said a representative of one of the more than 60 sponsors. “No one wants t o b e t h e f i r s t to say anything about the possibility of a postponement.”

Japan Airlines Co discussed that there was an 80% chance the Olympics would not be held as scheduled on a recent internal conference call, a person briefed on the call said.

A JAL spokesman said: “Our preparations are underway for the Games to open as scheduled”.

In Tokyo, there is a sense delay may be inevitable.

Finance Minister Taro Aso has compared Tokyo 2020 to the 1940 Olympics canceled

by World War II, and the boycott of the 1980 Moscow Games.

“It’s a problem that’s happened every 40 years,” he said. “It’s the cursed Olympics - and that’s a fact.”

Monday March 23, 2020

PAGE 25

Kaieteur News

GOG trying to get Boxers home from Cuba - GBA President Visits Quartet of Olympic hopefuls last Tuesday Guyanese Olympic hopefuls, Colin Lewis (Captain), Desmond Amsterdam, Dennis Thomas and Keevin Allicock are still in Cuba where preparation for the now cancelled Olympic Qualifiers which was set for Argentina from March 26 to April 3, was cut short due to Coronavirus.

The quartet and their Cuban Coach Francisco Hernandez Roldan were scheduled to return to Guyana Thursday after completing their t h r e e month sojourn which was in preparation for 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan from July 24 to August 9 this year.

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) was informed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the

Americas Boxing Confederation (AMBC) that the Americas Olympic Qualifier for boxing has been cancelled because of fear of the spread of the coronavirus.

The Olympics is not yet postponed since IOC president Thomas Bach said at a meeting on Friday that it is too early to make any decisions about the Games which is still four months to go.

Unfortunately, due to Virus, which has already claimed the life of a Guyanese woman who died two days after she arrived from the USA, the two International Airports here have been closed for two weeks, leaving the Boxers stranded in the Spanish Speaking Island.

“The Guyana Government

is trying to get them back to Guyana, the GOA made a donation and the Government is having them sent to Havana soon,” informed President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Steve Ninvalle.

Ninvalle said the GBA is happy with the input from the Government and GOA. “The Government and the GOA are the ones responsible for them going to Cuba and they are now joining hands to bring them back,” disclosed Ninvalle who paid a visit to the four Boxers last Tuesday.

“I visited the Boxers in Santa Clara last week Tuesday and they are in high spirits and doing well,” Ninvalle informed.

Cuba, the largest Caribbean Island, has won the second most boxing

Steve Ninvalle (centre) and the boxers in Cuba. medals (73 medals, 37 gold) in the history of the Olympics.

Ninvalle said the Cuban trip was aimed at giving the Boxers every opportunity to properly prepare for this year’s Olympic qualifiers.

Mike Parris is the only Boxer from the English Speaking Caribbean to win an Olympic medal when he won bronze at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.

Light Heavyweight John

Douglas, who lost to Stipe Drvis of Croatia in 1996 when the referee stopped his first round contest in second round, was the last Guyanese boxer to qualify for the Olympics. (Sean Devers)

Sachin Chulai

Azeer Ramrattan

Gladewin Henry

Gladewin Henry XI overcame Sachin Chulai XI by two wickets when the teams collided in a 40-over U17 fixture recently at the Wakenaam Community Centre ground in Good Success.

Opting to bat, Chulai XI were off to a good start with Sachin Dindyal and Timothy Gookool adding 44 for the opening stand before Gookool was stumped off Mohan Ali for 11.

Dindyal followed shortly after, caught off Azeer Ramrattan for 21 with three fours, but Ravy Nandalall and Wayne Gookool steadied the innings well as they put on 61 for the third wicket.

Nandalall was taken off Ramrattan for a top score of 36 which included three fours and one six, while Gookool fell lbw to Henry for

22; he reached the boundary three times and cleared it once.

Thereafter, Goolcharan Chulai chipped in with 19 which contained two fours, while Rohan Ramotar made 17 and Tulsiedass Ramroop 10 as Chulai XI managed 163-9.

Ramrattan picked up 4-21 Arav Sukram took 2-15, while there was one each for John Fredericks, Ali, Henry and B. Lallbachan.

Opener B. Lallbachan was bowled by Nazam Mohamed for seven as Henry XI lost their first wicket with the score on 13, however Ramrattan and Henry stabilised the chase nicely with a second wicket partnership of 81. Ramrattan stroked six fours and one six before he was caught off Timothy Gookool for a top score of 39, while Henry was removed by Sachin Chulai

after hitting five fours in scoring 38.

Following their separation, Sachin Chulai picked up the wickets of Tekeshwar Nankoo (01), Ali (00) and Gopaul Persaud (02) to Pegged back the chase.

But John Fredericks struck one four and one six to keep his team on par, and following his demise for 18, Arav Sukram and Kemol Persaud saw their team home as they finished on 164-8 in 38.3 overs. Sukram made five not out and Persaud three not out. Extra contributed 51; Sachin Chulai claimed 3-20.

The game was organised by the Wakenaam Cricket Committee.

Secretary of the WCC Nazeer Mohamed has since informed that all cricket on the Island have been suspended, due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

IOC sets deadline for decision Henry XI overcome Chulai XI on Games amid coronavirus by two wickets in U-17 fixture

BBC Sport - The International Olympic Committee is considering a postponement of Tokyo 2020, and has given itself a deadline of four weeks to make a decision.

The IOC’s executive board met yesterday amid mounting pressure from athletes and national Olympic committees for the Games to be delayed because of the coronavirus crisis.

“In light of the worldwide deteriorating situation... the executive board has today initiated the next step in the IOC’s scenario-planning,” it said in a statement.

“These scenarios relate to modifying existing operational plans for the Games to go ahead on 24 July 2020, and also for changes to the start date of the Games.”

Cancellation is “not on the agenda”, said the IOC, but a ‘scaled-down’ Games will also be considered.

However, postponement is thought to be the most likely outcome.

British Olympic Association (BOA) chairman Sir Hugh Robertson said: “We welcom e t h e I O C executive board decision to review the options in respect of a postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. “ H o w e v e r, w e u rg e rapid decision-making for the sake of athletes who

still face significant uncertainty.

“Restrictions now in place have removed the ability of athletes to compete on a level playing field and it simply does not seem appropriate to continue on the present course towards the Olympic Games in the current environment.”

The International Paralympic Committee said it “fully supports” the decision to “investigate potential scenarios”.

Dame Katherine G r a i n g e r, c h a i r o f U K Sport, said the news was “inevitable” and it was “the correct decision for the safety of athletes, staff and fans”.

Tomorrow the BOA, the British Paralympic Association and UK Sport will host a conference call with the chief executives and performance directors of summer Olympic and Paralympic sports.

Athlete representative bodies will also be invited to join the call, which will primarily be used to discuss the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in the UK, such as the closure of elite training facilities.

The IOC added: “There is a dramatic increase in cases and new outbreaks of Covid-19 in different countries on different continents. This led the executive board to the conclusion that the IOC

needs to take the next step in its scenario-planning.

“The IOC executive board emphasised that a cancellation of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 would not solve any of the problems or help anybody.”

In a letter to athletes published yesterday, IOC president Thomas Bach said that “we are in a dilemma” and “a final decision about the date of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 now would still be premature”.

He added that to postpone the Games “is an extremely complex challenge” and a cancellation would “destroy the Olympic dream of 11,000 athletes”.

In terms of a postponement, Bach warned: “A number of critical venues needed for the Games could potentially not be available anymore.

“The situations with millions of nights already booked in hote l s i s extremely difficult to handle, and the international sports calendar for at least 33 Olympic sports would have to be adapted. These are just a few of many, many more challenges.”

UK Athletics, its US counterpart, and several national Olympic governing bodies have urged the IOC in recent days to delay the Games.

rt Spo

Player/Coach Theo Henry after guiding to championship honours over Mexico in the RANS 7s in 2014.

A woman wearing a protective face mask, following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), walks past the Olympic rings in front of the Japan Olympics Museum in Tokyo, Japan March 13, 2020.

(REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha)

Rugby Coach call for IOC sets deadline for decision emphasis on Endurance on Games amid coronavirus during Covid-19 shutdown

We Stand United CC members receive over $600,000 in uniforms and other equipment

WSUCC President Franklin Wilson (left) holds up one of the skin suits with veteran Raymond ‘Steely’ as other club members display uniforms and other equipment presented.

Fellaini is first GOG trying to get Boxers home from coronavirus case in - GBA President Visits Quartet of Cuba Olympic hopefuls last Tuesday Chinese Super League 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.