K
Ministry reports 110% NEWS increase in positive COVID-19 cases in one month
Saturday Edition
AIETEUR
May 02, 2020 - Vol. 14 No. 17
Online: www.kaieteurnews.com
p. 15
Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly
Price $80
Online readership yesterday 170,157
C OVID-19 drills US $610M out of EXXON'S profits p. 3
p. US serious on 9 Woman shot dead by teen threat of sanctions after going outsidep.- neighbour if elections results to witness dispute 14 wounded not credible “We stand by our word”
- US Ambassador
Guyana gets US$4.9M for first 2% royalty World needs to prepare for second or third wave of coronavirus - WHO p. 11
House where the shooting occurred
p. 3
Dead: Florence Forte Wanted: Timothy Evans
- disease could be around for next two years
GCCI President wants to see engineer's estimate for US$5M Ocean View Hotel retrofitting p. 16
GCCI to lobby for phased reopening of non-essential businesses
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he Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) will be lobbying for a phased reopening of non-essential businesses. This is according to the Chamber's President Nicholas Boyer. During a telephone interview with Kaieteur News, Boyer
Saturday May 02, 2020
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explained that while the GCCI is conscious of the need for businesses to return to normalcy, it is equally conscious of the public health crisis that the country is facing. "We are not dismissing the current Public Health pandemic but if we are looking at a long term crisis then we
must have to have these nonessential businesses reopened at some point as well. I am not saying that it will happen now, we have to work out a proper system and do the necessary groundwork," he said. Boyer further added that, "It's not only about the business owners losing revenue but also the staff losing income. There are a lot of people who depend on their day to day income and we must consider this as well." The GCCI head also explained that given the fact, the Chamber is aware that there is a need for persons to be safe. It is also aware that they need to "put food on the table." As such, the GCCI is exploring ways to find the balance between the two. Boyer further said that he will be looking at the responses of other countries, including Trinidad, USA and Europe on their approach to the economic situation. Nevertheless, while using these countries as examples, he and the Chamber will also be doing their own ground work which will shape the proposal for the operations of these non-essential businesses.
Cops capture suspect in slaying of gold miner
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GCCI President Nicholas Boyer This survey will include a section for businesses to explain the measures they will put in place to ensure the safety of employees and customers if given the green light to operate. The President also noted that this proposal will not cater for businesses in the food and b e v e r a g e i n d u s t r y, o r businesses such as gyms. Approximately one month ago, the Ministry of Public Health issued a stay at home order and a curfew. This was further extended by an additional month on April 30. Since then, only individuals who are considered essential workers were given the authority to work. All other businesses are to remain closed.
olice have captured murder suspect Lennox Estwick, six months after issuing a wanted bulletin for him for the murder of prominent gold miner Deon 'Mow' Stoll. Estwick, 23, of 640 South Amelia's Ward, Linden, was arrested at around 00:45 hrs on Thursday at a house in Lover's Lane, South Amelia's Ward, Linden. The suspect's 21-year-old brother was also taken into custody. A search was conducted and the police discovered an unlicensed pistol, four rounds of live ammunition and ten grams of suspected cannabis. Estwick was one of several persons previously arrested in Linden in connection with another murder probe. He was also accused of being in unlawful possession of military clothing. In 2015, he was among others who were charged, and granted bail for burglaries in Linden. In January 2018, he was jointly charged with shooting at Dillon Batson. On October
Lennox Estwick 29, 2019, eight other suspects were held in relation to the murder of gold miner Deon 'Mow' Stoll. Shane “Demon� M o rg a n c a l l e d ' D e l o n Morgan'; Roberto Sankar, Wayne St. Hill and Steve Rollox; Odessa St. Hill, called 'Baby', were charged with murder. Dr. Alanzo De Santos, Duncan Vanvield called 'Blackboy' and Keith McKenzie, were charged with accessory after the fact. The incident took place on October 14, 2019, at Da Silva Street Newtown Kitty in front of El Dorado Trading.
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Saturday May 02, 2020
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COVID-19 drills US $610M out of EXXON'S profits By Kiana Wilburg
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h e n o v e l coronavirus is drilling deep losses into the financial statements of many oil giants. Just yesterday, ExxonMobil Corporation revealed to the market that it is expected to suffer an estimated first quarter loss of US$610 million. This would also be one of its worst performances in years. When these losses are considered alongside prevailing industry conditions, the American oil company disclosed that 2020 capital spending has been further reduced. In fact, Capital Expenditure (CapEx) is now expected to be approximately US$23 billion for the year, down from the previously
announced guidance of US$33 billion. But in the midst of it all, the company was keen to note that Guyana remains one of the shining stars in its growth portfolio while adding that production in the Stabroek Block has not been affected by COVID-19. Expounding on this front during ExxonMobil's 2020 first quarter Earnings call was its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Darren Woods. The official said, “...Guyana remains an integral part of our long-term growth plans and as such, is a high priority. Our Liza Phase One operations have been largely unaffected by the pandemic. Production rampup is progressing and should reach full capacity in the second quarter. We've also
ExxonMobil CEO, Darren Woods
managed the impact on Liza Phase Two, keeping this project on schedule for a 2022 start-up.” Woods added, “Unfortunately, the ongoing election process and uncertainty around the next administration has slowed government approvals of the
World needs to prepare for second or third wave of coronavirus - WHO - disease could be around for next two years
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orld Health Organization' s (WHO) Europe Director Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge has warned that countries need to prepare for a “second or third wave” of Covid-19. He explained that until a vaccine is developed, countries must expect another hit by the virus. “If the first wave is gone…we have bought the time to prepare for a second or third wave, particularly if there is no vaccine…It was vital for countries to prepare for future outbreaks once the first peak had been reached,” he said during a virtual media briefing. Kluge warned that “Covid-19 is not going away any time soon” and said public health would need to “have a more prominent place in society” even when it does. He added that “the key issue is to be prepared, whether it is for a second wave or another outbreak of another future infectious agent…This will require the collaboration and
understanding of everyone… everyone has to do their share while moving to a new reality where public health has to have a more prominent place in society.” Meanwhile, WHO's Director General, Dr. Tedros A. Ghebreyesus, during the organization's second official virtual press conference on Covid-19 said that, “people want to get on with their lives because their life and livelihoods are at stake and that's what WHO wants too and that's what we are working for everyday. But the world cannot and will not go back to the way things were. There must be a new normal, a world that is healthier, safer and better prepared.” He explained that while some countries are seeing improvements in the number of cases, the world must be better prepared because the “virus will be with us for a long time.” The Director General added that, “there is no question that stay at home orders and other physical distancing measures have
Hans Kluge successfully suppressed transmission in many countries but this virus remains extremely dangerous…most of the world's population remains susceptible; that means epidemics can easily reignite.” While noting that stay at home orders can be difficult to adapt to, he said it is necessary to adapt to the “new normal”. According to a Bloomberg article, a report from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota complied by a group of experts states that the coronavirus pandemic is (continued on page 9)
Payara development plan.” In addition, Woods said that the challenge of rotating crews due to the impact of COVID-19 has temporarily slowed the firm's drilling campaign. As a result, it expects a delay in future developments of roughly six to 12 months which would push its production objective of more than 750,000 barrels per day into 2026. Turning his attention to the company's financial capacity, Woods was keen to note that it was built for times like this. “As you know, a strong balance sheet is a core competitive advantage and an integral part of our
strategy, allowing us to maintain our capital allocation priorities across the price cycles. This approach has proven itself during these trying times, allowing us to selectively advance critical investments to structurally improve our business despite very low demand and margins.” He added, “We issued debt of US$8.5 billion in the first quarter, increasing our debt capital to 24% and raising cash balances to more than US$11 billion. We also increased our revolving credit facilities to US$15 billion. With our cash, this gives us a solid backstop in these uncertain and very volatile markets.” In anticipation of a slow economic recovery, Woods said that ExxonMobil has taken advantage of a market window in April to issue another US$9.5 billion of debt, taking its estimated debt capital to 26% and increasing cash to about US$18 billion. Woods explained that this provides a strong foundation to manage the remaining challenges in 2020. “Of course, as always, we'll need to keep an eye on
developments and respond accordingly,” the official added. I n c l o s i n g , Wo o d s reemphasized that the fundamentals that underpin the company's business remain unchanged. He noted that ExxonMobil's capital allocation priorities remain the same, while adding that they will continue investing to create value, rewarding shareholders with a reliable growing dividend and maintaining a strong balance sheet. “While we work to conserve cash in the near term, we remain focused on enhancing long-term value, leveraging our competitive advantages and the optionality provided by a deep portfolio of opportunities. “We do all this, while working to ensure the safety of our people and communities and doing our part to support society response to pandemic. Our company remains strong. Our people have the skills, experience, and fortitude to not only face the challenges but to find opportunity in them emerging stronger than ever.”
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Saturday May 02, 2020
Kaieteur News
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Sharmain Grainger Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
Guyanese resourcefulness Citizens of this country have been compelled, on occasion, by force of circumstances, to dig deep and discover the necessary adaptations and employ far-reaching innovations that made a difference. These have contributed immensely to enhancements in the quality of life lived when there is little or next-to-nothing on which to call upon and depend. Today, citizens have risen to the occasion again. Once again, in what the Chinese have christened as the Year of the Rat, already this is a hell of a Leap Year with only a third gone is much feared for what could be ahead in the days to come. Therefore, Guyanese have had to drill down to squeeze sustenance out of any available stone, by way of concoctions, both old and new. In the past, shortages led to a smuggling boom that flourishes even more today, and not just for foodstuff but for armaments and narcotics. Today, blackpepper, green ginger and lemon grass are all making a triumphant return and occupying pride of place in local consciousness and local stomachs. They are for the fortifications provided through preemptive readying with protective armours long rumoured, long proven (according to many) to be potent alternatives to the more mainstream medicines. The foreign is scarce and terribly expensive, while the domestic varieties are abundant and reasonably cheap. Should expected economic pains turn out to be real, then those at the bottom of the economic ladder may be forced to black sage. When faced with the unknown, Guyanese have, time and again demonstrated considerable and commendable resourcefulness to adapt by reaching for fulfilling local knowns. It should not come as any surprise if the crystal liquids of white rum and high wine are now part of the blends grounded and blended into predawn defenses. It would be still more surprising if red lavender is not somewhere in the mix, to provide the spiritual boost necessary at this hour that tries faith. Many Guyanese swear (by the good book, of course) at the utility and the longevity made possible by what was once disparagingly labelled ‘bush’ medicine, but has since gained respectability as alternative remedies, when all else fails, or is out of reach. Now that the new global reality is of wearing masks in public, locals have caught on very quickly and creatively. Before we know it, masks may become a full-fledged style, the contours of a new cool. Masks of different colours, different sizes and shapes (for different purposes, some not legal) have followed suit in what are now developing cottage industries. Home remedies now share space with homemade masks which, in turn, have introduced home schooling brought about by so many of all ages being homebound. This is the equivalent of the old marooning of errant buccaneers, but one with an ironic twist. It is in plain sight and in the middle of civilization, with limited crowds of masked people hurrying by in eerie silence. Bloodless illegal activities, such as price gouging evidence demand and supply in action; hoarding and squeezing, too; definitely vulgar exploiting and profiteering. Come to think of it, this is not so bloodless, after all, as some are blocked by the price arithmetic from partaking of the produce of the land, or most manmade manufactures. Citizens cannot build anything, including the strength from blood made poorer by being forced to pass by suddenly sharply expensive products. Criminal enterprises flourish, and now through ironic and perverse misuse of masks serving as the recommended cover against the virus, for near perfect execution of criminal activities. There is nothing bloodless about such felonies, but the point is that, once again, Guyanese of all endeavours prove resourcefulness through adjusting to meet and overcome harsh circumstances. The Guyana Police Force already thin, is rendered much thinner at this time of increased vulnerability. Still on the positive side, our resourcefulness has progressed from that of herbalists to that of amateur agriculturalists. Kitchen gardens, with plots of domestic pasture that were vacant are now ploughed and turned, to eke anything from the soil. Wet markets (open air meat displays) are under scrutiny and pressure, veggies and greens are gaining ground. Guyanese can master any challenge. Except, of course, those related to elections.
THE LOST ART OF CONVERSATION DEAR EDITOR, Jeff Dujon, a man who played many cricket test matches at the highest level, said that we have “lost the art of conversation.” He was referring to the sharp fusillade from cricket legend, Chris Gayle, aimed at Guyana’s own Ramnaresh Sarwan. I agree with Mr. Dujon on that lost art. But I think we have lost much more than that, as leaders, as a nation, as a people, as individuals. Maggie Thatcher could be sharp, but she was always scrupulously civil, the epitome of what it takes to be unruffled. Ronald Reagan was all over the place, but still had some dignified bearings, despite not operating with a full deck; it was the many lessons from a long performing past. I urge a longer look, if the stomach can handle, at the standards present today at 1600 Pennsylvania. Indecorous falls way short; indecent is much more applicable, with insipid and unstable trumping everything else. In Guyana, we have found our feet, only to carry ourselves at the leadership level like barbarians mangling taste and social ambience, all that is sacred; like vandals overjoyed at being given free
rein to trample upon and desecrate everything and everyone in sight, we profane at every level. This has made possible only one kind of conversation: that of the liquor shops cum flesh shops cum the shops of vulgar political excesses. The proof is in the vicious and the malicious, who pretend at insight and the profound. Our words are intended to dismiss and demean, with sharp and sharper edges; and when the piercing does not suffice to bring the visceral relishing expected, then the bludgeon is quickly unsheathed to deliver mortal wounding. Men and women lacking in the nuances of what it means to be articulate and delicate give short thrift to the patience required for the intricate and the appealing. They rush for sledgehammers and battleaxes, when a dangled glove, even a mere wisp of cloth, would more than deliver the coup de grace appropriate to the circumstances. Gone is the subtle message with embedded insult that conveys telling message, while putting down more embarrassingly than any resorting to the vindictive
and vituperative could ever achieve. As leaders go so, too, do their progeny, their worshippers, their docile doltish, probing for any way to find favour, even if it means outdoing those who have mastered the art of stripping themselves naked, without so much as the benefit of a spoken word, or a lifted finger. There is neither time nor interest nor patience for the lost art of conversation, of the civilizing graces of ennobling communication, of not allowing oneself to be dragged down into the cesspits so beloved today. Social media has provided the perfect outlet for almost all within the massed armies of anonymous shortchanged proud to exhibit how bereft of any saving graces they are, of how retardation is found psychically prospering, and of how making a tawdry national spectacle of one’s pathetic self is felt to be so self-empowering. It is more than grandstanding and showboating; all of this is only of the plain common and downright vulgar. Yet this is what sells, is found to be cool and stirring, this playing to the crowd, this willingness to be heard and seen around the world for the
utter knaves that some take pride in demonstrating endlessly. A lack of eloquence is not deemed to be limiting in any way; in fact, it functions as the perfect springboard to make a splash through appalling verbal sprawls. Who cares (excuse me) the slip is showing, which necessitated hurried remedial attention and action? That was then, and in the now of today, there is absolutely no care if there is not a stitch left to hold things together, to provide that minute and momentary fig leaf of covering to save the day, to carry with dignity to another day. There is no learning, since there is nothing that is left to be learned; everybody knows everything, and no one else does. So, we slash and lash, paw at and maul each other with zeal and vigour, and then declare ourselves prouder and wiser at the end of it all. A sign if the times, it might be said. I disagree, since there is nothing that can be seen, for such is the darkness of the age. It is so much easier to batter and shatter, to blast and outlast. It is so much more difficult to care and share, to forgive and forget. Sincerely, GHK Lall
GUYANA - THE BLESSING OR CURSE? DEAR EDITOR, God has blessed us beyond measure with more than most countries in the world. Guyana is not a perfect place and Guyanese are not perfect people but I would like to compare God’s first creation to Guyana where Adam and Eve were placed in a perfect enviorment with dominion over the most fertile land and beautiful garden and given a simple test and told the consequences if they failed. Our garden is Guyana with a small population of only about 750,000 people but blessed with an abundance of wealth which God has distributed over every square inch of both the land and sea to deliver the best to each of us. We are blessed with brilliance and intelligence and well qualified to extract the wealth from these blessings to deliver a good and satisfying life for us and the future generation. But are we making good use of these God given resources? Our country brought great wealth to England but when we gained independence in 1966, we were left with an abundance of bauxite, gold, diamond, timber and manganese plus many other lucrative industries and great wealth in our fertile land and ocean. They left us in a
blessed country with almost everything that we need on our journey to great wealth and prosperity and God has endowed us with brilliance to extract the wealth. We are placed in a blessed environment, given a simple test and, like Adam and Eve, a choice will determine our destiny. When they left, we never saw the difference between Afro and Indo Guyanese and there was no greed between us for one to have dominion on the other. Why have we started a war for supremacy which is fueled by greed for power? What brought us to this sad place where we seem to be sinking into a bottomless pit of no return? I think that the Golden Arrow Head is the most beautiful flag among all nations and the motto of “One People, One Nation and One Destiny” is so appropriate for a country that is credited as a most hospitable people and I know beyond any doubt that our six races cannot live without one another. But why at this time, we have chosen not to be able to live lovingly with one another? Why have we chosen the sad road of selfdestruction? Have we converted God’s blessings to a curse? I am a student of the bible
and have observed that it is saturated with the word “if” and in almost every case, “if’ represents a choice that could make a difference to our future. The simplest way to explain it is God saying: “if we are obedient to Him and follow His instructions, then we will be blessed but if we choose to reject His instructions, then consequences will follow”. I would like to submit to all of us that if we change our ways, great blessings await us but if we choose to be stubborn, the consequences will be more than what we can bear. The wisest king who reigned said in Proverbs 21: 30: “ There is no wisdom and no plan that can succeed against the Lord” and I will like to add that God’s wheel of justice might appear to be grinding slow but make no mistake, “God sees what all of us have conceived in our hearts and consequences await evil while blessing await truth.” In addition to the COVID19, which resulted in the deaths of thousands, fear on planet earth, crippling effects to the world’s economy and changes to our life style by putting us under house arrest, we have another crisis in our
country which is our election of March 2. I fully understand that an election is a race to determine the winner and I also understand that mistakes were made when the race was aborted before the finish, which is most unusual and unfortunate because it leaves no room for us to slowly replay the tape and determine the winner. However, the athletes are still trotting at the point where the race was aborted, and we are all aware that the race can be continued from that point to conclusion. I am trusting God that all concerned will see good reasons to finish the race with urgency in a credible manner as the spectators, judges and observers are extremely uncomfortable, and each passing day brings additional provocation and destruction to our economy. During the campaign and after the results, our news media are so saturated with condemnation one against the other that it reminds me of the story in the bible where a woman who was caught in the act of adultery and was brought to Jesus for Him to pronounce judgement. His answer was: “He that is without sin, cast the first (Continued on page 5)
Saturday May 02, 2020
OLD HABITS DIE HARD DEAR EDITOR, As Guyanese prepared for the May 11, 2015 election, Murtland ‘Slugger’ Williams, long standing member of The United Force, recalled “The PNC’s repeated rigging of elections in the 1960s”, cautioning “Old habits die hard” and urged care in how they exercise their franchise in the upcoming election (TUF member recalls horrors of elections rigging under PNC, published I another newspaper on March 20, 2015). The current imbroglio with the recent election results is cause to reflect on Mr. Williams’ caution. It is now well documented and generally known that every general election during the PNC’s twenty-eight years in government, from 1964 to 1992, was massively rigged to keep the PNC in power. For each of those elections, the Chairperson of GECOM was a former member of the judiciary. Now, the first general election under the rebranded PNC (APNU) government after the party’s twenty-three years in opposition, is tainted with accusations of attempted fraud.
After two months, a winner is still to be declared officially because of the shenanigans of the Secretariat’s staff and the inaction of the Chairperson. Interestingly, the Chairperson of GECOM is once again a former judge. Sir Donald Jackson, a former Chief Justice, was the Chairperson for the 1968 and 1973 elections. After Britain’s Granada TV exposed to the world the fictitious voters and the extent of the frauds in 1968 and 1973 and with Prime Minister Forbes Burnham playing a more active role on the world stage, overseas voting was discontinued. For the 1980 election, another former Chief Justice, Sir Harold Bollers, was the Chairperson of GECOM and for the first time international observers were encouraged by then President Burnham to come into the country to observe and thereby lend credibility to the result. However, as massive fraud was being observed and documented at polling stations, UK’s Lord Avesbury, Head of the observer team was arrested by the police and his camera and notes confiscated. Upon his
return to the UK, he issued a scathing report detailing the fraud. He was then banned from entry into the country for the following election. In 1985, under President Desmond Hoyte, successor to Mr. Burnham, Sir Harold Bollers was again the Chairperson of GECOM. Foreign observers were not allowed and once more the pattern of 1973 and 1980 was followed. In relation to the recent election, it was President Granger who invited foreign observers to come and witness the process. However, when these eminent individuals witnessed and called out the fiddling of the result for Region 4, the Foreign Minister came, lectured them, and threatened to revoke their credentials, an act that was portrayed later by Mr. Granger’s underlings as a misunderstanding. And to compound this disgrace, foreign diplomats from friendly countries who sided with the observers were accused by his party of “interference” in Guyana’s internal affairs. Had it not been for the presence of the diplomats (Continued on page 6)
Guyana doesn’t need any more corrupt business practices DEAR EDITOR, Please note that I was recently made aware of a fraud investigation into Glencore by the Government of the UK. When I provided their subsidiary with the EOI information to market our country’s oil, I was not aware that their parent company had a tainted history in the business. After being in a discussion with a fellow alumni, I was provided the information. That was the extent of my involvement. This is why I write you today to ensure that all parties involved do their due diligence to ensure that they have the correct business
partner who they will be comfortable with over the long term. Sometimes, the largest and most experienced in the business may have questionable practices that can reduce the benefit obtained by the public from the transaction. Please be thorough before making your final selection and the more honest the partner, the better it is for the country as a whole. Guyana doesn’t need any more corrupt business practices that fleeces the populace of its wealth. Best regards, Mr. Jamil Changlee Chairman The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana
GUYANA - THE BLESSING OR CURSE? From page 4 stone”. The bible tells us that “the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? - Jeremiah 17:9 God knows the wickedness of the human heart and that includes your heart and mine because we are all sinners and have the potential to execute the worst of evils if we choose to plant that seed in our heart. We have failed one another, and I want to appeal to all concerned to open room for healing and forgiveness instead on vengeance and retribution because hate is never a good foundation for a happy and prosperous future. I feel that once the olive branch is stretched out, there will be repenting hands and souls waiting to repent and
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accept forgiveness. I would like to add that forgiveness is God’s greatest gift to man. It is like love benefiting both the giver and receiver. I want to remind us that “righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people” which means that doing the right thing and following the truth will bring blessings but confirming to dishonesty in any form or shape will lead to destruction for those who peddle dishonesty and hardship for all Guyanese. It will do us a lot of good if we embrace the parting words of the late Bishop Randolph George to us. He said: “Live your life in such a way that at the end of it you will have the greatest amount of satisfaction and the least amount of regrets”. I love my country and I am
saddened by the self-destructive path we have taken but I have great faith that God will open a door for change to a great future once we turn from our wicked ways and embrace truth and righteousness. Please be reminded that God has chosen to bless us with a great nation, with great people and an abundance of resources. Let us thank Him for what He has left under our care, begin to plow in righteousness and fertilize in repentance to reap the harvest that comes with forgiveness. Harold Beharry
Caretaker Ministers should take pay cuts and donating the everyone, PPE to medical pay cut funds to the effort to combat staff, and food for the less DEAR EDITOR, The caretaker Ministers (indeed all 65 Members of Parliament and four ‘professional Ministers’) have not been functioning since March 2 and should consider taking a pay cut and donate the amount to the effort of combating the spread of the Coronavirus. Given that they have enriched themselves and have been occupying office post elections, they should take the lead in volunteering a pay cut and donating all of it to the Covid fight. More importantly, the caretaker President should order an expedited completion of the re-tabulation of Region 4 SOPs so a winner can be officially declared. Both sides can still carry out the Caricom agreement for a recount after the completion of the Region 4 tabulation. Potential victims are not being tested and lives are lost needlessly. Time is being lost to combat the disease. I have been reading news from around the globe on conserving and directing funds to combating the effects of the pandemic that has posed a serious threat to populations everywhere. India was the first country to start a pandemic fund since mid-March with Prime Minister Modi taking a lead role in starting a Cares Fund that has attracted tens of millions of dollars in contributions from the public and from the Indian diaspora. Other countries have followed in taking pay cuts not the least being New Zealand, St. Lucia, among others. In India, the government has taken a 30% cut in salary for Ministers. The funds are going towards Covid-19 response. The Members of Parliament have also taken a pay cut and all of their development funds for their districts (of about US$1M each per year of 545 MPs) has been cancelled and redirected towards fighting the pandemic. In addition, the legislators of each legislature and their cabinets of India’s 29 states have been taking
Corona. Ditto legislators of local city governments. Bureaucrats have donated one day’s salary to the national fund. In New Zealand, the Ministers and the parliament have taken a 20% pay cut. St. Lucia Ministers have taken 75% pay cut. Several other countries have announced pay cuts of elected officials, Ministers, and civil servants with everyone chipping in to help the Corona cause. When will Guyana caretaker government and caretaker opposition MPs embrace the global trend? The opposition is applauded for its generous effort, headed by Dr. Irfaan Ali, to provide masks to almost
fortunate. The caretaker government needs to up its response to helping the population. What better way than for the caretaker Ministers and President and PM to take, say a 50% cut in salary and direct it towards the medical response. The civil service and the bureaucrats should also consider taking a percentage cut in salary (or donate few days salary) in support of the medical response to Corona.I salute those on the frontline, medical workers and related staff and volunteers helping people to stay safe and feeding the unemployed. Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram
Clarification Note from the University of Guyana DEAR EDITOR, Please permit a small clarification on recent stories which suggest that May 30 is a hard set date for the return of staff and students of UG to physical face to face mode of instruction. In fact June 1, 2020 is the new tentative date for University of Guyana staff and students to return to the physical campuses (Turkeyen and Tain) and IDCE should conditions permit. The Transitional Management Committee (TMC) had originally proposed that (UG staff and students) could return to the physical campuses on May 6, 2020, but that date has since been extended to
June 1, 2020, tentatively.The return to both campuses (Turkeyen and Tain) is pending observation and contingent upon local and global conditions with nCov19. Essential staff of the University remain on call and all others (staff and students) will continue to work online as far as possible. We would be grateful for your assistance in clarifying the above information to the public. Thank you. Kind regards, Leisa Somrah Public Relations Officer (ag) University of Guyana Turkeyen Campus
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The recount must reflect the true SOPs currently in the hands of political parties DEAR EDITOR, The results of the General Election of March 2nd 2020, without any doubt, resulted in a clear win for the PPP/C party. At the close of polls, the votes have been carefully counted at each polling station. Tally sheets have been used, each vote has been recorded, and a signed tabulated statement by the representatives of the respective parties has been posted outside each polling station. These signed Statement of Polls (SOP’s) have now become legal documents and aggregating the SOP’s for each region gives the results of that region. By simply adding the results of the ten regions together gives you the results of the General Election. The aggregated results have shown the PPP/C won the 2020 General Elections and there is no dispute to this simple fact. The Statement of Polls for nine regions have been released to the public so why is Region four SOP’s not released? The political parties have in their possession signed SOP’s for all ten regions. Like all the SOP’s, Region 4 SOP’s belong to the people and should not be kept within the confines of Mingo Lowenfield or GECOM but must be released immediately to the public before any recount. Let the APNU/AFC leadership and functionaries in GECOM know that the recount is a confirmation of what is already known and no amount of rigging will change the results. Let the APNU/ AFC cabal and GECOM also
know that the recount is not a process used to derive a new set of concocted figures that will change or alter the Statement of Polls already declared for each Region. No party representative, who signed the Statement of Polls at the polling stations, have voiced any concerns of their authenticity, and no figure is in dispute. The foreign and local observers have declared that the entire electoral process went smoothly without any major hiccups and, barring the Mingo fiasco for Region 4, Guyana would have had a new Government in place weeks ago. The western countries have already given notice to the Granger Administration that a government sworn in on false declarations will not be considered legitimate and sanctions will inevitably follow. These sanctions will not only affect the upper echelons of government - the President, Ministers and their families but will eventually cascade down to touch the lives of every ordinary Guyanese. Granger fully knows this and this is what he said in an interview before the 2015 General Election in relation to sanctions and Guyana. ‘The sanctions inevitably will affect all Guyanese. We will all suffer...’ See interview with Granger at the following link: https://m.facebook.com/ story.php?story_fbid=140284 074169429&id=100 045635114599 The sanction process has started. Randy Depoo petitioned the US Government to sanction specific individuals both within the caretaker Government and GECOM for the illegalities al-
ready perpetrated against the Guyanese people. This is just the beginning and, should Granger illegitimately be sworn in as President, the call for more severe sanctions will naturally follow. Guyana will become a pariah state, a failed state, as Granger referred to in his interview. We do not have to go very far to witness the effect of sanctions on a state. International sanctions have brought our immediate neighbour, Venezuela, to its knees despite having the world’s largest recoverable oil reserves. The economy is in a tailspin. There is widespread shortages of food and other basic necessities of life and Venezuelans are fleeing in droves to other neighbouring countries including Guyana. Is Granger willing to sacrifice the lives of all Guyanese in his quest to become the illegitimate President of Guyana through the rigging of a general election? Is this ‘The Good Life for all’ Granger promised during the election campaign? The message is clear. The PPP/C have won the elections and no amount of tampering with the recount will change the results which are already in the international domain. Any rigging of the recount in favour of APNU/AFC will mean the swearing in of an illegitimate President thus precipitating severe international sanctions on Guyana. Should this happen, then very likely there will be social and economic upheaval in Guyana reflecting what is taking place in Venezuela. Harry Krishna Beharry London
GUYANA LEGAL AID CLINIC DEAR EDITOR, The Guyana Legal Aid Clinic has been closed due to the COVID-19 crisis, but from next week (beginning 4 May 2020) will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to midday with limited staff. All persons wishing to be seen at the clinic must follow the COVID-19 prevention procedures.
Saturday May 02, 2020
Kaieteur News
Anyone unable or not wishing to visit the clinic can: 1. Call, text or WhatsApp us on 664-4126 (Digicel) Georgetown office, 665-1396 (Digicel) Anna Regina office, or 664-5838 (Digicel) New Amsterdam office. 2. Call or text us on 6235586 (GT&T) or 600-3971 (Digicel) Georgetown office, 600-4123 (Digicel) Anna Regina office, or 600-4122
(Digicel) New Amsterdam office. 3. Send us a message on our Facebook page. 4. Send an email to legalaid@networksgy.com. And anyone wishing to deliver documents at any of the offices may do so in the drop box outside the door. Yours faithfully, Josephine Whitehead Director/Secretary
NAGAMOOTOO’s LAST LAP DEAR EDITOR, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo’s decision to tango on GECOM’s dance floor with his 14-day quarantine of the high level team from CARICOM that was invited to observe the recount of the votes was appalling. His poor and absurd decision to quarantine the CARICOM high level team was so idiotic that it was quickly squashed by his boss, President Granger on the very next day. In the first instance, Nagamootoo should have used better judgment in making such an important and sensitive decision. He should have kept politics out for the simple reason that he is a major stakeholder in the March 2 stalled elections results, which some believe was a clear case of conflict of interest. Also, a large section of the population believes that the 14 day quarantine of the CARICOM team was a political decision aimed at stalling or disrupting the recount of
the March 2 election votes. This solidifies the belief espoused by the Honourable Prime Minister of Barbados and the Chair of CARICOM, Mia Motley that there are dark forces at work to derail the results of the March 2 elections. Weighing in on this issue was Kaieteur News prominent columnist, Freddie Kissoon. Is this the man who was designated to lead the PPP? In relation to the health pandemic, Guyanese continue to be deprived of a comprehensive programme to seriously safeguard them from the deadly coronavirus. The truth is neither Nagamootoo nor Harmon, Chairman and CEO respectively, of the COVID COMMITTEE is trained or has the experience to deal with a pandemic of this magnitude and hence the prevention of the spreading of the disease. Many in the public are at a loss as to what Nagamootoo continues to do to advance his political aspirations. Following the passage of
the No Confidence Motion against the Coalition on December 21, 2018, Moses Nagamootoo was one of the chief architects to advance the voodoo arithmetic of the 32 ½ man rounded to a whole number of 33 plus one equal 34 needed to pass the motion. Who taught him such arithmetic? What is clear is Prime Minister Nagamootoo who has been in politics for more than 50 years is on his last lap a politician, but it seems as though he is blind to this looming scenario. Very soon, he will no longer be the Prime Minister; therefore, this is an opportune time for him to exit the political stage. However, he believes that he is irreplaceable and that the country needs his stewardship. This shows that he is in serious denial which is a defining attribute of the man, Moses Nagamootoo. Leyland Chitlall Roopnaraine New York
Is there a justified rebellion against President Granger? DEAR EDITOR, Joe Harmon and other patriots feel Granger should have been sworn in days after the election using fraud and force. But Granger is resisting leading to a showdown in our party. Granger may not come out on top, as he does not control all levers of power like the disciplined forces and the party. It is well known that Granger and Harmon were a close-knit team. Harmon, like any patriot, realized that Guyana needs business for development, and he quickly morphed into supporting businesses, the likes of BK, A.H & L Kissoon, Nand Persaud, DDL, Lloyd Singh, among other magnates. Instructed to end dominance in business and financial sector of country, Harmon facilitated growth of big businesses. The hardcore faction of our party, led by Granger and Volda Lawrence, was angry that Harmon has been teaming up with the business class and sought to cut him down. Harmon has been the hardest worker in the government. Blame is being cast on Harmon, Volda Lawrence and others for the elections loss but others are saying the leader is to be blamed for the defeat. Over the last four years, the country has performed poorly overall. Financial national reserves fell into deficits.
Harmon has saved the economy from total collapse by working closely with the business sector albeit only a few businesses prospered while banks became wealthy. Harmon is not hands off like others. If he had led negotiations, we would have gotten a better deal from Exxon. Harmon saved the party from a severe trashing at the polls and he is the only one preventing an opposition victory. He was campaigning in every corner. Unlike others who go to bed at 8 PM, Harmon has been up very late at night working to ensure the government is reelected. President Granger is incensed that Harmon called a meeting to discuss succession planning. Had Granger been sworn in, there would not have been need for a meeting to discuss his removal from office. It was correct for the team to have a meeting on immediate succession planning; it is in the interest of the country. The President unjustifi-
ably removed Harmon as Director General of Office of the President and put him in charge of COVID, taking that power away from Volda. It is Harmon who is responsible for Granger remaining in office as caretaker President. Harmon has strong support from Amna Ally, Roysdale Forde, James Bond, Mark Archer, Vi n c e n t Alexander, and others who are leading the effort against the opposition being declared the victor. Some big business owners are also very supportive of Harmon with funds to guarantee that our party remains in government. Volda Lawrence is coming around because the President does not have her in mind as a successor. The President must reconsider moving Harmon and in agreeing to a Caricom recount that threatens our party’s hold on government. Yours truly, Shawn Simmons (APNU supporter) Preservation of the Coalition
OLD HABITS DIE ... From page 5 from the US, UK, Canada, and the EU, as well as observers from the OAS, the Commonwealth, and the EU, and the furore created by the opposition during the Mingo’s caper, APNU-AFC would have been declared the winner of this most recent election and Mr. Granger sworn in as President based on results that were deemed by the observers, foreign diplomats and others as “not credible”. Indeed! Murtland Williams was so right when he cautioned “old habits die hard.” Harry Hergash
Kaieteur News
Saturday May 02, 2020
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UG moves to address constraints of online education in local context - Campus reopening rescheduled for June 1
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he University of Guyana (UG) has moved to address the constraints of online education in the local context. In a statement issued yesterday, UG noted that its administration has taken into consideration the challenges presented to some students seeking to access lectures online. According to the release, UG continues, like most other tertiary institutions in the world, to keep working and educating the nation's people despite the challenges presented by COVID-19. Given the circumstances of the global pandemic, UG had anticipated early on that the novel coronavirus (CoV19) might have had a long recovery tail. As such, the institution said in the statement that it recognised that the possibility of an extended “safe mode” period and is expected to return to physical campus by a tentative date of June 1,
2020. At the interim, it was determined that UG would do as much as it could to keep working, especially for students graduating this year. “Graduation may still be possible for final year students in most disciplines in December 2020 and /or January 2021. All matters for these final year students are to be prioritized to enable their graduation,” UG said in the statement. As the situation unfolds, the University continued with variable success to employ data driven adaptation measures to keep its focus and to perform in emergency mode. The University had considered its options and decided to engage several stakeholders, including faculty, staff, students, local and international partners as well as local businesses, on the way forward. As such, UG has been rolling out an array of
The University of Guyana is looking to address constraints of online education in local context
emergency policy measures and technology driven applications, which include zero-rated data use for any staff or student using a site with a UOG URL. The initiative was made possible due to negotiations with local telecoms giant, GTT. As a consequence, “UG staff and students do not pay now for going online using UG dedicated systems to learn,” the statement said. Among the list of measures, was for (emergency) response email fixug@uog.edu.gy for students and lecturers to report issues not captured in the questionnaire, which needs to be addressed.
Nation salutes essential workers - as Labour Day is observed
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s Guyana o b s e r v e d L a b o u r D a y, President David Granger has commended workers in the essential and public services for their contribution in the local fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). “Working people of Guyana are conducting a courageous campaign against the deadly Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Health-care workers – including doctors, nurses, technicians a n d o t h e r medical professionals and the security forces – are on the frontline to prevent the spread of the disease, to protect the population and to provide care and treatment to those who have been infected,” the Head of State said in his address to the nation.
President David Granger President Granger noted that while sections of the population are embracing measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus and are working remotely, these essential workers
continue to provide critical support. “Workers and servicemen are our heroes in this campaign…a grateful nation salutes the efforts of workers who are playing their part to keep our country safe.” The President said the government is cognisant of the difficulties caused by the social restrictions, which have been enforced since the outbreak of the d i s e a s e , h o w e v e r, h e reminded that these measures were implemented to ensure the health and safety of all citizens. The Head of State assured that the government will work assiduously to restore normalcy across all sectors and urged citizens to contribute to the national effort so this can be achieved as soon as possible.
A d d i t i o n a l l y, U G introduced several flexible pathways for students struggling in these circumstances to manage academic and other challenges. The university has also deferred payments in response to requests from students. According to the information, despite these measures, UG is aware that
about 25% of their students will not be able to immediately respond well to an online environment. These fixes are currently being addressed but will take a few weeks to be sorted. However, the University maintains that despite being totally unprepared for the pandemic, and though the challenges are real and stubborn in some cases, they
are not insurmountable and UG has not stopped functioning for one single day. Emergency mobile numbers for each department (50 in total) can be found on the University's website uog.ed.gy and all email addresses remain functional and the Campus is doing business between 10am and 2pm daily.
Parenting during a pandemic - how to cope
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he COVID-19 pandemic has brought a general shift in the way the world operates to contain and mitigate further transmission. Children are home and parents are now assuming the role of teachers while balancing other challenges that may arise with the implementation of the emergency measures. This has seen increased tension and anxiety in some homes. Director of the Child Protection Agency, Ann Greene recently noted that “it is understandable with everyone being at home, together, some discord is unavoidable, but how families cope will have a great impact on the children.” “Parents are anxious and many are having difficulty coping, resulting in frustration with the children, but we as parents need to manage our anxiety,” she added. Greene provided some coping skills pivotal to maintaining mental health and wellness during this
period. * Limit your social media exposure. Being overinformed or exposed to “doomsday information” can cause anxiety that is inadvertently passed on to children in the home. * Create structure (chores, homeschooling) in the home. It is said that it is easy for children to get bored or fretful if they are facing a day without structure. Fun activities such as baking or exploring a new hobby can also be alternated. * Keep children informed about what is happening about the current situation but keep it simple. Also, remind them of the guidelines they need to adhere to take care of themselves (washing hands, staying indoors etc.). * When the going gets tough, step away…Take a break, go into another room or step outside into the yard... take deep breaths or a quick shower. Greene emphasised the importance of creating a secure home. “This is done by being predictable and consistent; by being
responsive, nurturing and affectionate, by modelling confidence with thoughtful problem-solving.” Children, she pointed out, generally cope better than parents in crises, but this is dependent on how the parents manage. The CPA Director also noted that practising these tips is crucial to mitigating the likelihood of domestic violence in the homes. “In some homes, these were ever-present and now with all parties having to be constantly together, the abuse has escalated, so we have to be our neighbours' keeper and watch out for children and families,” Greene underscored. Concerned persons can contact the Ministry of Social Protection on its hotlines to report any case of abuse - 227-0979 for child abuse and 227-0206 to report domestic violence. Help & Shelter can also be contacted on toll-free numbers 613-1758 & 6131811. Meanwhile, the CPA can be contacted on 2270979 for guidance or assistance. (DPI)
Saturday May 02, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Guyana likely to experience worst recession in decades - Economic Lecturer
Covid19 Socio economic impact... With any public health crisis, it is only natural to expect a drop in Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) as the affected country's financial system is tested.
According to Business Economics Lecturer Joel Bhagwandin, this is
something that all countries should be preparing for. He believes that over the next nine months, Guyana will experience its worst economic recession in the last two or three decades. As such, tremendous uncertainty lies ahead for the remainder of 2020. In an exclusive interview w i t h t h i s n e w s p a p e r, Bhagwandin noted that "the impacts of Covid-19 can be seen across the world; the world is shutting down. In Guyana, people are earning less than usual or they are not earning at all, so they are spending less and of course the growth of an economy requires the circulation of cash." Bhagwandin added that consideration must be given to the fact that a large section of the population is not working at all since only essential and a few nonessential businesses are allowed to be opened. With the exception of individuals who can work from home, he noted that, "20-25% of the labour force has had a cut in salary or they are earning nothing at this time. The virus has affected the Labour sectors tremendously like the Manufa c t u r i n g S e c t o r, Tourism and Hospitality Sector among others." The trickle effect of this, he explained, will be reflected in the country's cash flow and its GDP. "In terms of employment and income distribution, by looking at the last labour force survey, there were approximately 241,000 persons in the total employed workforce. “If one were to take this number and multiply it by a per capita income of US$4800, at minimum wage, this would give an average of $250 billion in income distribution in the economy, which would work out to about $20 billion per month. “Suppose about 25 percent of the working class is out of employment for the
Joel Bhagwandin next nine months and/or earning reduced income perhaps by 50 percent, this would be about $180 billion or $125 billion in loss of income for the most vulnerable working-class people. This is money that will not be circulating in the economy," he explained. He added, "the growth and expansion of an economy depends on spending and circulation of m o n e y, t h i s i n c l u d e s business investments, h o u s e h o l d expenditures/consumption and government injections and if any of these is affected negatively then it will reflect across the board." The Lecturer pointed out that countries around the world have responded to the crisis by providing economic rescue packages, in both monetary and fiscal forms. The United States recently approved a US $2 trillion stimulus package to address the impacts on the economy. On the Guyana front, the Central Bank has instituted regulatory relaxed measures to encourage the commercial banks to reduce interest rates on loans, defer loan payments for customers with good standing, waive and reduce fees and penalties, and restructure credit facilities. The Ministry of
Finance also put a few measures in place to lend some amount of relief. While noting that these measures are commendable, Bhagwandin said a lot more still needs to be done to avoid an economic recession and to cushion the impacts of the virus on the country's economy and human capita. Joel Bhagwandin is a trained macro-finance & research analyst with over twelve years' professional experience in the banking and financial sector where he also served as financial analyst at the Bank of Guyana. He is an MBA and undergraduate Lecturer of Business Economics and Finance programmes with various educational institutions in Guyana and has written more than 200 articles on economic and finance issues, and policy analysis. The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) is also currently exploring ways to find a balance between sustaining businesses and economic developments while at the same time ensuring the safety of employers and employees. President of the Chamber Nicholas Boyer told Kaieteur News that the GCCI is not downplaying the current Public H e a l t h pandemic, but said that if citizens are expected to adhere to the public health measures, a policy that caters for their needs also needs to be in place. "We cannot have a policy that ignores the fact that a lot of people depend on their day to day income and if we will have to operate under these circumstances for a long period that we have to ensure that this is recognized. “We cannot tell people to stay home when they have to provide for their families, they won't listen. So we have to find a balance for this socio-economic crisis," the GCCI head said.
Kaieteur News
Saturday May 02, 2020
PAGE 09
The lockdown may last 3 more months
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ocial distancing h a s t o b e intensified if Guyana is to avoid the impending calamity. With 82 confirmed coronavirus cases and nine deaths, Guyana is headed for a disaster unless there is improved leadership in managing the local spread of the virus. Social distancing refers to people keeping at a safe distance – three to six feetfrom each other outside of th e h o me. B u t s o cial distancing should also be encouraged within the home. It has been shown to slow the spread of the virus which is believed to be spread through person-to-person contact. Guyana is into the fourth week of its partial lockdown. Little has been achieved at an enormous cost. Over the past four weeks, the economy has taken a serious hit. The country is about to embark on another month of
social restrictions and it is important because it is time that this period is made to count. Comments emerging from the Minister of Public Health indicate her frustration with the growth of the virus over the past 50 days. But the authorities cannot escape culpability. They have not been undertaking proper datacollection, which allows them to make informed decisions. They are, for example, unable to provide the reproductive rate of the virus – that is, the average number of persons each confirmed case would have infected. Without this figure, the authorities will not be in an informed position to determine when or how to ease the social restrictions. Most of the countries in Europe, which are about to ease social restrictions, are not doing so because their economies are about to
collapse. They are doing so based on an assessment of the reproductive rate of the virus. Once this rate falls below 1, then it is deemed safe to ease the social restrictions. We can assume that given the rapid growth in coronavirus cases locally and the relatively high number of active cases, that Guyana is headed for a disaster unless serious action is taken to ensure social distancing over the next few weeks. The Ministry of Public Health has indicated that Georgetown is the epicenter of the outbreak. It has not provided any numbers to allow for the public to understand just how many of the 82 confirmed cases were of persons residing in Georgetown. But Georgetown is the most densely populated area in the country and is likely to be the one to have the highest
number of coronavirus cases and deaths. The city's markets remain the main culprits. Thousands of persons visit and assemble there every w e e k d a y. N o s o c i a l distancing is taking place at these markets and persons are still being allowed entry into the markets without masks. The Mayor and City Council which is responsible for the administration of the markets must assume greater responsibility over the next few weeks for more stringent social distancing. No more than 50 persons (excluding stallholders) should be allowed into the market at any one time. No one – stallholder, vendor or buyer – should be allowed into the markets without a mask. Vendors who sell outside the markets are not practising social distancing. They need to be regulated.
The old practice of having vendors next to each other has to be abolished and replaced by social distancing. The police have to be stricter with the public transport operators. They should establish strategic roadblocks to ensure that transportation vehicles are practising social distancing. Non-essential businesses, which are flagrantly flouting the social restrictions; some of them are brazenly opening their doors; others are selling behind closed gates or grilled doors. All manner of trick employed to get around the regulations. This should not be allowed to happen. The culprits know themselves and should put themselves in order. It was good to see that the Civil Defence Commission will be distributing 700 hampers to the disabled.
There is no need at this stage for mass distribution of hampers. If you share out hampers to the public, those who need and those who don't need them will both collect. Guyanese like freeness and most of the hampers will end up in the hands of those who do not need them. Once the social distancing is practised, the lockdown can be eased within the next month. But unless social distancing is intensified, the lockdown will have to be extended by another two months. By that time, Sandy's will become the leading business in the country. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
US serious on threat of sanctions if elections results not credible “We stand by our word”- US Ambassador
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S Ambassador Sarah AnnLy n c h i s adamant that her country “stands by their word” regarding the threat of sanctions on Guyana and those who seek to benefit from electoral fraud. The Ambassador during an interview with the Newsroom's Neil Marks on Thursday was asked whether the US would make good on
these threats if the current electoral stalemate is not resolved on the basis of credible results. To this, Lynch did not state specifically what sanctions would be imposed but explained that they would emerge from Washington “at the highest levels of the Statement Department.” Acting Assistant Secretary for the U.S.
Department of State's, Michael Kozak had issued a warning to those who “participate and benefit from electoral fraud, undermine democratic institutions and impede a peaceful transition of power”, citing that they could be subjected to a variety of harsh consequences. According to the Diplomat, “you don't just get to call yourself a democracy.
Sadness nah gladness
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even lose dem mooma features yet. Dem nah see life good yet much less fuh experience de good life. Now dem gone fuh good. And duh mek dem family and de whole country sad. Dem boys a feel real sorry fuh dem parents and family of dem solider wah dead. Is a real sad time in de country and this mek things mo bleak. Dem boys rememba dat was just mo dan 2 months ago dat something like dat happen at de Coast Guard base. Solider been moving the 'fireworks' when it
current relations between Guyana and the US, she relayed that it was “still good”. In the same breath, she urged the Guyana Elections Commission and others involved in the elections process to have it resolved expeditiously. A m b a s s a d o r Ly n c h e x p r e s s e d h e r disappointment in that fact (continued on page 15)
US Ambassador, Sarah Ann-Lynch
World needs to prepare for...
Dem boys seh... hursday was wan sad day. It mek water settle in dem boys eyes. Three soliders from the GDF lose dem life when de pyrotechnic (fireworks) explosives dem was moving explode in the armory at the military base near the airport. Was a real disaster tek place deh. De soldiers wah get killed been only doing dem wuk. But is suh wid life. You know nat the hour nar the day when God guh call you away. Dem soliders wah get killed bin young. Dem nah
Yo u h a v e c e r t a i n responsibilities as a democracy and to be a member of that democracy club, you have to adhere to those responsibilities; you have to adhere to democratic principles; you have to adhere to the bedrock of democracy, which is free, fair and credible elections and the rule of law.” The US Ambassador, when asked to describe
explode. One man been dead in duh incident. Post mortem nah go bring back dead. But dem boys hope dat dem family get answers about wah happen. Is three family now in mourning and a couple others gah fuh worry about dem pickney wah get injured. All Guyana should get down on dem knees and pray dat de suffering and deaths end soon. And while yuh pon you knees seh a lil prayer fuh dem mudda and fadder wha lose dem pickney last Thursday.
From page 3 likely to last as long as two years and won't be controlled until about two-thirds of the world's population is immune. The report explains that this is likely to be the case because of the virus's ability to spread from people who don't appear to be ill, making it harder to control when compared to influenza. It added that people may actually be at their most infectious before symptoms appear. The report adds that, “after locking down billions of people around the world to minimise its spread through countries, governments are now cautiously allowing
businesses and public places t o r e o p e n . Ye t t h e coronavirus pandemic is likely to continue in waves that could last beyond 2022.” In Guyana, only essential businesses are allowed to operate. However, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce (GCCI) is planning to ask government for a phased reopening of non-essential businesses. The report urges Government officials to incorporate the concept that this pandemic will not be over soon. It says that, “people need to be prepared for possible periodic resurgences of disease over the next two years.” It further noted that
developers are rushing to make vaccines that may be available in small quantities as early as this year. The report was written by CIDRAP director Michael Osterholm and medical director Kristen Moore, Tulane University public health historian John Barry, and Marc Lipsitch, an epidemiologist at the Harvard School of Public Health. Europe accounts for 46 per cent of all Covid cases globally, and nearly 63 per cent of all deaths. (Information credit Bloomberg) Wo r l d H e a l t h Organization (WHO), Europe Director Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge.
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Saturday May 02, 2020
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
Degeneracy: Trade unionism in Guyana in 2020
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esterday was L a b o u r D a y. Fate works wonders. Covid-19 prevented another manifestation of incredible hypocrisy. It
would be interesting if a survey could be taken of how Guyanese feel about this particular day. What goes through the head of any citizen that year
after year, they look out their window, turn on their television set or read the newspaper and they see and read those speeches every year coming from the same
people who say the same things and have been saying the same things for decades now and there seem to be no prospect in the future of these people retiring or being voted out of their trade union positions. This year trade unionism took an ugly, nasty turn in a self-destructive direction. One of the leading defenders of the worst form of election rigging is the General Secretary of the TUC, Lincoln Lewis. Mr. Lewis has been the General Secretary for decades now and there seems no possibility that in the coming decades he will retire. Mr. Lewis is going into his late seventies. Mr. Lewis is the TUC, the TUC is Mr. Lewis. For decades now, no one in the TUC writes a letter to the press, comments on issues of national importance but Lewis. Since Clairmont Mingo, Roxanne Myers, Chief Election Officer Lowenfield and GECOM Commissioner Claudette Singh, shocked the world with the things they have done, one person stands out as the defender of any and everything the GECOM conspirators do – the TUC strongman, Lincoln Lewis. No one in the entire country, no one in the entire leadership of the APNU+AFC so frenetically defends the process of rigging the 2020 elections the past two months as the General Secretary This country has seen the essence of Lewis' temperament and one has to put on the table for discussion, the future of trade unionism in this land after Lewis' shameless descent into the gutter of rigged election.
As I write this column here, the US Ambassador has again warned that no transparent election in Guyana will generate sanctions. The Barbadian Prime Minister has to have read about the delaying tactics of the GECOM conspirators that Lewis defends. She says she expects a credible, transparent recount without delay. The Barbadian PM will be sadly disappointed. There isn't going to be a credible recount. There isn't going to be the conceding of defeat by APNU+AFC. I could end up being wrong but the ugly stratagems by Singh and company the past two months tell a tragic story of Guyana's destiny. How can decent, employees accept a trade union leader that has no respect for democratic norms? If you do not embrace the right of workers to vote for an entity of their choice and have their votes counted, how can you be trusted to uphold the principles of trade unionism? I remind readers of this column, it was not Frederick Kissoon that threatened to pull his union out of the TUC umbrella over Lewis undemocratic behaviour over the industrial dispute at UG last year. It was done by the two UG unions which included the country's top academics. In those two unions, Guyana needs to be reminded that only one East Indian was in the leadership so the UG fiasco was not an ethnically driven contest. The head of the teacher's union, Coretta Mc Donald, became an APNU+AFC candidate in the March 2 election. I don't agree. I believe trade unions in the
Frederick Kissoon aftermath of the demise of colonialism should not become part of the power structure. It is a conflict of interest that we have seen for over 25 years with GAWU. The last time I saw or spoke with the head of GAWU, the late, Komal Chand was on the occasion of Donald Rodney's vigil outsides the Court of Appeal, November last year. We landed outside the court but didn't have placards and markers. I suggested to Tacuma Ogunseye that he approach GAWU, whose office is next door. He declined. So I went. Komal is someone I had known for over forty five years but he was in no mood to offer support. He chastised me for my criticism of him and I told him that I stand by what I believe in – trade unionists should be independent of the power structure because the power structure will use them to preserve power. Burnham used the GLU and the PPP used GAWU. How can you expect to fight for teachers' rights when your leader is the president of the country who does not support the teachers' struggle? We saw that last year when the government tried to impose an arbitrator on the teachers. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Kaieteur News
Saturday May 02, 2020
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Region Two police arrest Guyana gets US$4.9M persons gathering to drink for first 2% royalty at private residences
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he Police Department on the Essequibo Coast is advising that persons to not only desist from gathering at public spaces, but also at private residences. Based on reports reaching this publication, persons continue to gather in private despite repeated advice on social distancing. Following confirmation of the Nova Coronavirus in Guyana, the Region Two Health Emergency rolled out a number of guidelines, which are geared at safeguarding residents against possible exposure. They stipulated that persons disengage from all public gatherings, and that Bars and liquor shops to be closed by 6pm daily; operating take away only during opening hours.
Many argue that gathering in public and in private does not carry the same penalty. The police clearly share a different opinion, since a number of persons have already been arrested for gathering on private residences. Commander of the Region Two Division, Crystal Robinson, said persons were arrested for drinking at private residences, while some bar owners have been arrested for operating beyond the curfew hour. She went on to say, “Some persons were found breaching the curfew hour and were arrested. And in some cases persons were drinking in private residences. So far, six persons were arrested for having their business opened
after the curfew hour and thirteen persons have been arrested for gathering at private homes.� Robinson indicated that thus far, all nightspots are adhering to the guidelines set out by the Regional Health Emergency Committee. Nevertheless, ranks will continue to patrol the Coast in an effort to ensure persons continue to adhere to the new curfew.
F
inance Minister, Winston Jordan, c o n f i r m e d yesterday that Guyana received its first payment of royalty from the Stabroek Block operation. The two percent royalty which was collected at the end of the first quarter amounted to US$4,909,505 and was promptly deposited into the Natural Resource Fund. The Ministry of Finance had said in one of its reports on the petroleum production
and reserves, that the cashbased value of the royalty will be determined using the average fair market price of a barrel of crude for January 2020, calculated in accordance with Article 13 of the Petroleum Agreement for the Stabroek Block. It was noted that the average fair market price of crude for January 2020 was US$61.87 per barrel. Using this price, the value of the royalty for January 2020 was US$1,268,706.
The Ministry had said that while royalties are estimated on a monthly basis, Article 15.6 of the Petroleum Agreement stipulates that the monies will be transferred to the Government quarterly, thirty (30) days after the end of each calendar quarter. As such, the royalty payments for January, February and March 2020 would be transferred to the Natural Resource Fund by April month end.
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Saturday May 02, 2020
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Canada funding CARICOM team's recount mission By Kemol King
T
he Government of Canada has taken it upon itself to fund the mission of the CARICOM High Level team for the national elections recount, and has registered its pride in supporting CARICOM leadership in this endeavour. The High Level delegation arrived yesterday afternoon at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport, and will be staying at the Marriot Hotel. They were met at the airport by the CARICOM Secretariat's Assistant Secretary-General for Foreign and Community Relations, Ambassador Colin Granderson. CARICOM thanked the Canadian Government in a statement yesterday, for its support. Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Lilian Chatterjee told Kaieteur News yesterday that Canada chartered a Trans Guyana flight to pick up the various members
[from left] Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Lilian Chatterjee; CARICOM Chair and Barbados Prime Minister, Mia Mottley from their home countries, Antigua, St. Vincent and Barbados. “So we covered the cost of the flight and also their stay while they're in Guyana for the recount,” the High Commissioner said. When CARICOM first attempted to assist Guyana with a credible conclusion of its electoral process, Canada had welcomed the Community's involvement. Chatterjee said that it was
very unfortunate that CARICOM's initiative was interrupted by court injunctions. As those have now been dismissed, Chatterjee registered that Canada welcomes the recount being back on track, and the participation of CARICOM. “You know, I'm not just the High Commissioner to Guyana. I'm also Ambassador to CARICOM and we believe that
CARICOM High Level team arrived at Eugene F. Correia International Airport yesterday
(from left) Ambassador Colin Granderson, CARICOM Secretariat's Assistant Secretary-General for Foreign and Community Relations; Mr. Sylvester King, Deputy Supervisor of Elections of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Ms. CynthiaBarrow-Giles, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Government at the University of the West Indies (UWI); and Mr. John Jarvis, Commissioner of the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission CARICOM has an important role to play.” She said that CARICOM's decision to send a mission speaks tremendously to the goodwill of its leadership, not just of Chair and Prime
Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, but of all the CARICOM leaders who are interested in seeing a credible and democratic process. M o r e i m p o r t a n t l y, Chatterjee said that Canada
has made its position on the issue of Guyana's electoral process very clear to President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo; that there should be a credible, transparent (continued on page 15)
Saturday May 02, 2020
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Frontline healthcare workers saluted during Labour Day observance A
s the nation observes Labour Day, the efforts of frontline healthcare providers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic has taken center stage. It is no secret that medical staffers across the length and breadth of Guyana are saddled with a tremendous responsibility--safeguarding the health of the nation. Given the tremendous effort and most times unseen sacrifices made by these workers, thousands would agree that there is no better day to show appreciation to frontline workers than Labour Day—a time set aside to highlight the struggles and triumphs of the
Operating Theatre at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).” According to the GPHC, the move is consistent with the new operational guidelines and policies to ensure the safety of staff and patients. “This theatre is specially equipped for surgeries on patients who are confirmed or highly suspected to be COVID positive.” Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence in her live update on Guyana's COVID19 situation also took the opportunity to salute healthcare workers in both public and private sector. She said, “I want to thank you (health workers) for putting your lives on the
“
It is hard for us since every day it feels as if we are literally going into the belly of the beast. I would not say that it is exactly heroism but we have put service above self to ensure our patients get the best care...” - Head of Emergency Medicine at GPHC Dr. Zulfikar Bux
local workforce. In fact, several Government and Non Governmental entities have used the opportunity to applaud the frontline health workers dubbing them local heroes. G e o rg e t o w n P u b l i c Hospital Corporation, (GPHC) was among those entities paying tribute to their team for standing firm as the world battles the existential threats caused by COVID-19. In a social media post, GPHC noted that, “As we celebrate Labour Day, we salute our team of medical personnel who are conducting surgery for the first time in the Infectious
”
back burner to cater to the needs of our people in this pandemic. We do value your care, consider and sacrifices. We know that you are putting service above self. “We pray that you will draw strength from those of us who are standing firmly with you.” Meanwhile, Head of Emergency Medicine at GPHC Dr. Zulfikar Bux told Kaieteur News that workers have been doing their best in the circumstances. He said that it takes much courage for health workers to carry out their functions daily. “It is hard for us since every day it feels as if we are literally going into the belly of the beast.”
GPHC Frontline staffers Yet, Dr. Bux said that the medical staffers have shown dedication and innovation in their bid to protect others while staying safe. “It is about survival of the human race and of course as frontline workers, we are making sacrifices in the line of duty. I would not say that it is exactly heroism but we have put service above self to ensure our patients get the best care.” He admitted though the danger of contracting the infectious disease is still real, “because we do not know off the bat who has the disease and who doesn't in our daily interface with patients.” Dr. Bux said too while the focus has shifted to COVID-19, cases of people suffering from other types of ailments continue to grow. “There are actually more non-COVID patients than there are with the disease. And then there are those coming in as a result of violence and road accidents.” Added to that, Dr. Bux said that persons have still been visiting the hospital regularly.
“All we need people to do is adhere to the guidelines, exercise as much empathy as possible.
Understand our situation and stay away from the hospitals. The hospital still has too many visitors on a daily
basis. Those persons come here and put themselves at risk, the patients as well as (continued on page 15)
Woman shot dead by teen after going outside to witness dispute - neighbour wounded
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olice are trying to track down an 18-year-old who allegedly shot and killed his 59-year-old neighbour who had ventured to her verandah to witness a dispute with the suspect and another man. Florence Forte, 59, of Lot 24 Front Road, West Ruimveldt, was shot in the eye at around 01:30 hrs yesterday. She succumbed some five hours later at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Brian Wiltshire, a 46-year-old neighbour who was also involved in the altercation, was shot in the chest. He was admitted to the hospital's Intensive Care Unit. Police have since issued a wanted bulletin for Timothy Evans, 18. They gave his last known address as Lot 67 West Ruimveldt Front, Georgetown. According to reports, Ms. Forte was in her bedroom sleeping, but then ventured outside after hearing her neighbour arguing with someone who was allegedly trying to
DEAD: Florence Forte steal his friend's motorcycle. One of the neighbours was Brian Wiltshire. A senior police official said that according to reports, Wiltshire saw another (continued on page 15)
House where the shooting occurred
Kaieteur News
Saturday May 02, 2020
PAGE 15
Ministry reports 110% increase in positive COVID-19 cases in one month
D
espite measures b e i n g implemented to restrict the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), Guyana has still recorded a 110% increase in positive cases in one month. These alarming figures were presented yesterday by the Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, during her update to the nation. In fact, she specifically stated that, “We are now at day 50 and we are right where we began with another 43 cases, a 110% increase in less than one month. “It's obvious that you are not taking the COVID-19 pandemic seriously. How else can we explain a 110% increase in positive cases in less than a month? It is unfair to those who are following the guidelines to be placed at unnecessary risk especially our health workers, just
because some of you don't want to change your behaviour, you are being selfish. We are in a health crisis.” “Stop venturing out unless you must, stop the congregating in public places, stop visiting friends and family, and maintain the physical distancing. You know all these guidelines, so please adhere to them so that we can get on with our lives and livelihood,” Minister Lawrence stressed. Although the Health Minister highlighted the increase in the monthly positive cases, she also noted that as of May 1, the number of COVID-19 cases and fatalities remained at 82 and nine, respectively. According to the Health Ministry's COVID-19 dashboard, 582 have thus far been tested for the coronavirus, of which 500 returned as negative. Forty-
nine are under institutional isolation, while 17 are in the COVID-19 quarantine facility. Two have developed worsened conditions and are seeking further treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The dashboard highlighted that 24 have thus far recovered from the disease. During the update Latoya Gooding, Oncology Specialist attached to the Georgetown Public Hospital Oncology Department, shed light on the effects of COVID-19 on individuals who are diagnosed with cancer and are on treatment. 1. It is important for you to know that you are very vulnerable for becoming infected and developing the most severe form of the Corona Virus Disease which can result in Death 2. In Guyana, Cancer
is the third most common cause of death, with the most common types of being breast and cervical in females and prostate in males 3. The age groups most affected are women between the ages of 3045years for cervical cancer, for breast women above age 65 years with the peak at 75 years and for prostate, men above age 50 years Why are you very vulnerable? Cancer weakens your immune system by attacking the white blood cells which is your body's first line of defense against harmful organisms such as bacteria, fungus and viruses making it easy for you to develop these diseases especially COVID-19 at this time 4. The side effects of chemotherapy and
radiotherapy can also weaken your immune system because while it is killing the cancerous cells, it also affects some of your red and white blood cells So what can you do to protect yourself? 5. Stay at home and come out only when it is absolutely necessary 6. If you have to come out, ensure that you wear a facemask and also avoid congregating 7. Wash your hands as often as you can and also
ensure that you clean the surfaces in your home with an alcohol-based solution or bleach. When out in public avoid touching your face and eyes unless your hands are washed or sanitized 8. Use your vitamins and all other medication provided by your healthcare worker 9. This is not a time for entertaining, so do not invite persons over to your home 10. Exercise and eat a balanced diet
Woman shot dead by teen after US serious on threat of sanctions going outside to witness dispute if elections results not credible....
From page 9 that the elections tabulation process went sour after a relatively smooth elections day. She pointed out that, “it is close to nine weeks after the March 2 polls and we are getting to the point where it is a historic amount of time in an unresolved election in a democracy.” While pleased that a recount is in the works, she bemoaned the lack of a start date to the process, stating that it is a “bit disappointing.” Further, she noted that Guyana has to balance the
COVID-19 along with other issues to ensure that the process is credible and transparent. “When an unresolved election meets a global pandemic, this equals a problem set that not a lot of nations are dealing with so Guyana has a lot of critical decisions to make.” “I think it can be done because we need this recount to be transparent and accountable and it needs to be done safely now because of the COVID issues but it needs to be done expeditiously…you've heard the saying where
there's a will, there's a way and I think it can be done.” A m b a s s a d o r Ly n c h applauded the CARICOM team for their willingness to assist in the recount process and stated that she was pleased to see that GECOM C h a i r, R e t ' d J u s t i c e Claudette Singh was r e c o n s i d e r i n g recommendations to live stream the recount. Lynch stated that it would go a long way “to the credibility of the recount.” “It will give citizens confidence to know that the recount was done in a fair and transparent way.”
Canada funding CARICOM team's recount mission From page 13 process. CARICOM also iterated the need to ensure a credible and transparent recount process, in a statement yesterday, arguing that that would provide legitimacy to any government which would be sworn in as a result. “This process must be completed without further delay,” Mottley said. The CARICOM team consists of three members: Senior Lecturer at University of the West
Indies, Cynthia BarrowGiles; Commissioner on the Electoral Commission of Antigua and Barbuda, John Jarvis; and Elections Supervisor on the Electoral Commission of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sylvester King. Mottley said that Barrow-Giles was a member of the High Level team which came to Guyana last March to participate in the CARICOM-supervised recount previously contemplated by GECOM,
while Jarvis and King both participated in the CARICOM electoral observer mission for the General and Regional Elections held on March 2, 2020. The other members of the first High Level team are unavailable for the present mission. The country now awaits the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to ground the national recount into a gazetted legal order, with a clear commencement date.
From page 14 man stealing a motorcycle that belonged to a friend of Wiltshire's. He allegedly took the friend to the suspect's home to retrieve it. An argument ensued among the trio. Ms. Forte was reportedly watching on when the alleged thief fired four shots. One of the bullets struck Forte in the eye.
Her granddaughter Nicola Castello, stated that the rest of the family was unaware that Forte had ventured on the verandah. However, after realising that she was not in her room, her husband went out to the verandah and found her slumped on the floor. She was subsequently transported to the city
hospital where she later died. Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Timothy Evans is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 2261389, 227-2128, 226-7476, 226-7065, 227-9271, 2271611, 227-1149, 227-1270, 225-6940-9, 225-3650, 2261928, 911 or the nearest police station.
WANTED BULLETIN Timothy Evans is wanted by the police for questioning in relation to Murder committed on Florence Forte at West Ruimveldt Front, Georgetown. Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Timothy Evans is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 226-1389, 227-2128, 2267476, 226-7065, 227-9271, 227-1611, 227-1149, 227-1270, 225-6940-9, 2253650, 226-1928, 911 or the nearest police station. NAME: TIMOTHY EVANS AGE: 18 YEARS OLD ETHNICITY: MIXED LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: LOT 67 WEST RUIMVELDT FRONT, GEORGETOWN OFFENCE: MURDER VICTIM: FLORENCE FORTE DATE OF OFFENCE: MAY 1, 2020 PLACE OF INCIDENT: WEST RUIMVELDT FRONT, GEORGETOWN
WANTED: Timothy Evans
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Saturday May 02, 2020
Kaieteur News
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President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer is questioning whether it really makes sense that the retrofitting of the Ocean View Hotel costs GYD$1B (US$5M). In an exclusive interview with Kaieteur News, the businessman said that he would like to see the engineer’s estimate for that project, to understand how such a cost was stamped onto the project, given the size of the structure. “It’s honestly shocking,” he told Kaieteur News. Minister of Finance Winston Jordan announced the leviathan cost mid-April in an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), as he explained Government’s efforts to ramp
up its response to the COVID19 pandemic. The President of the City Chamber told Kaieteur News that his honest opinion of the project is that it is not the most efficient use of public funds. He said that he has spoken to a number of public health officials who posited that a better use of the funds would be the expansion of existing healthcare facilities, like the public hospitals. “From a critical reasoning standpoint”, he said that Guyanese have to start asking themselves the question: “Does it make sense that a project like that should cost GYD$1B?” Such a question is especially pertinent, the businessman posited, since Guyana has no idea yet of the timeline
GCCI President, Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer for the use of the expensive, intended COVID-19 hospital to come on stream. In fact, he said, if certain private sector representatives ran that project and were given US$5M, they would be able to build such a hospital from the ground, buy the equipment and pay staff salaries for several months, if not, longer. “You’re looking at US$5M and you still haven’t talked about acquisition costs,” Deygoo-Boyer said. The figure does not include the cost for its acquisition, as the Chamber President pointed out. The order for Government’s acquisition of the property was gazetted on Thursday, but the cost is currently unknown. Asked whether he would suggest an audit, the businessman affirmed. While he understands the
need for Government to undertake such projects to remedy the current public health emergency situation, Deygoo-Boyer explained that a hallmark of these projects has to be transparency so the people understand how their funds are being spent. “If I were in charge, what I would have done is to get ahead of these types of headlines. Put out the engineer’s estimate… go to qualified tenders.” Kaieteur News’ coverage of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) shows that this project did not come up in the Board’s weekly readings of tenders. Kaieteur News made several unsuccessful attempts to contact the Ministry of Finance Public Relations Officer, Wanita Huburn for a comment.
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Saliva and sweat to shine the ball restricted under Australian Covid-19 guidelines ESPNcricinfo - Shining the ball with saliva or sweat will be restricted in Australia under a framework released by the federal government about the staged return of both professional and recreational sport amid the coronavirus pandemic. The guidelines, drawn up by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in conjunction with medical experts, sporting bodies and federal and state governments, outline a staged return to play at all levels, hastened by the desires of the winter football codes in particular to return in time to salvage some of their seasons. Cricket Australia’s chief medical officer John Orchard was involved in the preparation of the framework. They will have international implications, and follow the revelation on
ESPNcricinfo last week that cricket administrators were actively considering the possibility of allowing the ball to be polished with artificial substances to reduce the risks associated with using saliva on the ball and then passing it around the field of play. Under the AIS framework, restrictions on sport are currently outlined as being at “Level A” restricting all training except that of the individual kind. But there will soon be a move to “Level B”, potentially little more than a week from now, which will allow the following: “Nets — batters facing bowlers. Limit bowlers per net. Fielding sessions — unrestricted. No warm up drills involving unnecessary person-person contact. No shining cricket ball with sweat/saliva during training.”
The third and final “Level C”, to be permitted later in the year, is outlined as: “Full training and competition. No ball shining with sweat/saliva in training.” These step by step returns will run alongside government decisions about when and how. The NRL is set to be the first sport to return to action, having flagged a May 28 return date for the competition, which will be reduced to 20 rounds. The AFL is currently debating some of the logistical issues around its own return. Intriguingly, cricket as a non-contact sport may actually be permitted to return before the winter codes, leaving the northern states open to play. The Australian team’s next scheduled matches in Australia were slated to be as part of a limited-overs series
Saturday May 02, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You may feel like you're being left out of the equation, Aries. Perhaps you feel like the oddball, the fifth wheel who simply doesn't have a place. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Take your creativity to a new level, Taurus. There are many ways to express yourself creatively, so pick one and follow through. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Today, Gemini, you can at last express the secrets that have been troubling you. You may have previously been seething with anger inside and afraid to let it show for fear of permanently damaging a relationship. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Your mind is in great turmoil right now, Cancer, so it isn't surprising that you can't pay much attention to anything. Due to recent events, it's entirely possible that your concept of the world has been inexorably changed and you see your love life and career with new eyes. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) The day will be fairly quiet for you, Leo. You're likely to yoke yourself to a task and continue working on it until evening. VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22) You should use the day to ponder your professional future, Virgo. Many forces seem to be working together to clarify your ideas on the subject.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Today is no time for dreaming, Libra! Quite the contrary. You can expect to have to settle several minor technical problems involving communications or transmissions. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Are you getting hit with obstacles, Scorpio? Could it be that you simply need to factor in more time to complete the monumental tasks you take on? SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Are you having some problems with authority, Sagittarius? Are you having a hard time making yourself understood? CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Yes, Capricorn, your projects have taken some time to get set up. This is because you haven't been concentrating hard enough. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You don't have to create everything alone, Aquarius. Life isn't a one-person show. To live life fully, you must participate, help others, and when needed, ask for their help in return. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) When we think we have found our path, we naturally want to start to walk down it, Pisces. Don't be afraid if you haven't fully mastered your craft yet, or aren't a top expert in your field. Mastery and expertise come with taking things one step and one day at a time.
against Zimbabwe in August. “Sport makes an important contribution to the physical, psychological and emotional well-being of Australians,” the framework report states. “The economic contribution of sport is equivalent to 2-3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The COVID19 pandemic has had devastating effects on communities globally, leading to significant restrictions on all sectors of society, including sport. Resumption of sport can significantly contribute to the reestablishment of normality in Australian society. “The principles outlined in this document apply equally to high performance/professional level, community competitive and individual passive (non-contact) sport. The AIS Framework is a timely tool for ‘how’ reintroduction of sport activity will occur in a cautious and methodical manner, to optimise athlete and community safety. Decisions regarding the timing of resumption of sporting activity (the ‘when’) must be made in close consultation with Federal, State/Territory and Local Public Health Authorities. The priority at all times must be to preserve public health, minimising the risk of community transmission.” Standards for a return to elite sport are also a part of the report, which dictates how athletes contracting Covid-19 may be dealt with, and precautions that will continue to need to be taken even after full competitive sport is permitted to resume. “The resumption of sport and recreation activities will be a complex process. A careful stepwise process needs to be implemented to ensure the safety of athletes and other personnel and the wider community,” the report states. “Preparation for resumption includes education of the athletes and other personnel, assessment of the sport en-
vironment and agreement on training scheduling to accommodate social distancing. “The approach to training should focus on ‘get in, train, get out’, minimising unnecessary contact in change rooms, bathrooms and communal areas. Prior to resumption, sporting organisations should have agreed protocols in place for management of illness in athletes and other personnel. Special consideration should be made for paraathletes and others with medical conditions as they may be more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection. Clubs and individuals should apply a graded return to mitigate injury risk, understanding that sudden increase in training load will predispose to injury. “Individuals should not return to sport if in the last 14 days they have been unwell or had contact with a known
or suspected case of COVID19. Any individual with respiratory symptoms (even if mild) should be considered a potential case and must immediately self-isolate, have COVID-19 excluded and be medically cleared by a doctor to return to the training environment. “Athletes returning to sport after COVID-19 infection require special consideration prior to resumption of high intensity physical activity.”Australia and New Zealand have been two of the world’s least-affected countries in the coronavirus pandemic. After being one of the first nations exposed to the virus, border closures, social distancing measures and business and large scale gathering shutdowns have helped to bring the virus to a standstill relative to events in the UK, United States and India.
Peaty now making a splash in his own back garden
Adam Peaty of Britain reacts during the 18th FINA World Swimming Championships - Men’s 50m Breaststroke Final. (REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji) LONDON (Reuters) Britain’s Olympic swimming champion Adam Peaty is making a splash in his own back garden after having a temporary training pool craned in. The 25-year-old, world record holder in 50 and 100 metres breaststroke, accepted with alacrity when offered the
loan of a 5.7m long SwimFit ‘flume’ pool to use during the coronavirus lockdown. The world and Olympic champion had been limited to working out in his garage and doing a daily run as he works towards next year’s postponed Tokyo Games.“It isn’t exactly my favourite thing,” the 1.91m tall swimmer, who weighs 86kg, told the Times newspaper yesterday. “I’m not built to run.”Peaty, who is due to become a father in September, was left high and dry after his regular full-sized training pool at Loughborough University was closed five weeks ago. “It makes a big difference to be in water,” said Peaty, who can swim in the pool with tethers against a current. “I can practise my technique just as I can in a big pool and I work on buoyancy and getting high out of the water. “I’m in there for an hour a day seven days a week until we can get back to our pool. “I’m just feeling the water and building that base up. It’s a bit like back to square one.”
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Bundesliga restart blow as three test positive for coronavirus at Cologne
AFP - Three people have tested positive for coronavirus at Cologne and will be placed into a 14-day quarantine, the Bundesliga club said Friday in a potential blow to hopes of restarting the German football season this month. “Cologne had the entire team and coaching staff, along with the backroom staff, tested on Thursday for COVID-19. Three people tested positive, all are symptom free,” the club said in a statement on its website.“After an assessment of the cases by the responsible health authorities, the three people who tested positive will go into a 14-day quarantine at home.“Cologne will not confirm any names out of respect for the privacy of those affected.” The club said it would continue to train in prepara-
tion for the campaign to resume, with further tests to be carried out as part of the league’s health and safety protocol.“We now see in everyday life that our concept recognises and reduces risks at an early stage,” said Tim Meyer, head of the German league’s medical task force. “We are convinced that with our concept, we can enable players to practice their profession with the best possible protection against infection.” The Bundesliga had set a target return date of May 9 but still needs permission from the German government. A delay on the decision this week meant a resumption would not be possible before May 16.A final decision is expected next Wednesday. The German league confirmed Thursday that clubs
had started testing players for the virus as part of plans to get the season up and running again. It has been suspended since March 13. - ‘Will go down’ Clubs returned to training at the start of April while adhering to social distancing guidelines and games would be played behind closed doors, with large-scale public events banned in Germany until August 31. Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke warned last weekend that “the entire Bundesliga will go down” unless the league restarts.Germany’s top clubs are desperate for the season to be completed by June 30 in order to claim an instalment of television money worth 300 million euros ($325 million).
Premier League to consult players as UK government steps up planning
General view of match balls on the pitch before the match Southampton v Aston Villa - St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton. (Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs)
(Reuters) - England’s Premier League, on hold since March 9 due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, will consult with club managers and players over ‘Project Restart’ while the UK government stepped up planning for sports as a whole yesterday. The league held a conference call of all 20 clubs topflight and swapped ideas on the possible plans for resuming training and eventually a return to playing matches. “No decisions were taken at today’s Shareholders’ meeting and clubs exchanged views on the information provided regarding Project Restart,” the Premier League said in a statement. “It was agreed that the PFA (Professional Footballers’ Association), LMA (League Managers Association), players and managers are key to this process and will be further consulted. “The clubs reconfirmed their commitment to finishing the 2019/20 season, maintaining integrity of the competi-
tion and welcomed the Government’s support,” it added. “The League and clubs are considering the first tentative moves forward and will only return to training and playing with Government guidance, under expert medical advice and after consultation with players and managers,” he said. The first step for any move forward will be the UK government’s review of lockdown restrictions due on May 7. The cabinet minister responsible for sport, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, yesterday held the first formal meeting of a cross-sports body set up to examine the practicalities of resuming professional sport. “I know (Britons) desperately want sport back on,” Dowden wrote on twitter. “We just kicked off the first of many detailed meetings to plan for a safe return of elite sport behind closed doors when, and only when, it is
safe to do so on the basis of expert medical advice. Lots to consider, but today we step up planning.” English cricket’s governing body, the ECB, has been charged with leading the planning effort for all sports and is looking at ways to play sport behind closed-doors in ‘bio-secure’ venues. A spokesperson for the Departure of Culture Media and Sports said: “We held an initial, constructive meeting with medical representatives from a number of professional and elite sports bodies, government and PHE (Public Health England) to step up planning on what may need to be done so that athletes could return to training, when it is deemed safe to do so. “This would be ahead of any return to competitive top-level sport which would only happen when medical experts advise that this can be done safely. Discussions with the sports bodies will continue on this.”
Cologne played Borussia Moenchengladbach behind closed doors in the last Bundesliga game before German football was suspended. (AFP / Ina Fassbender) A return in May would make the Bundesliga the first top league in Europe to resume as Germany cautiously eases lockdown measures. Nevertheless, there is heated debate about whether the Bundesliga should resume amid the pandemic which has so far claimed the lives of more than 6,000 people in Germany. Paris Saint-Germain were declared Ligue 1 champions on Thursday after French Prime Minister Edouard
Philippe announced sport could not resume in France before September. Meanwhile, English Premier League clubs on Friday reconfirmed their commitment to finish the season subject to coronavirus restrictions being lifted.There are still 92 games remaining. They will be behind closed doors with neutral venues suggested. Italy’s 20 Serie A clubs on Friday also reiterated their unanimous desire to complete the season despite
sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora this week saying the chances of restarting were “increasingly narrow”. In Spain, La Liga is planning to start testing players for the coronavirus between Tuesday and Thursday next week, after which they would then be able to resume individual training programmes within 48 hours. “I hope that we can start playing in June. We have until June 28,” league president Javier Tebas said.
World Beach Games moved from 2021 to 2023 after Olympics postponement
Brazil’s Filipe Duarte Silva in action with Russia’s Pavel Bazhenov at the ANOC World Beach Games - Beach Soccer - Men’s Final. (REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari) (Reuters) - The 2021 World Beach Games have been moved to 2023 so that nations have time to prepare their athletes for the rescheduled Olympics in 2021, the Association Of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) said yesterday. The Olympic Games, originally scheduled to start in July this year in Tokyo, have been postponed to July 23-Aug. 8, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has infected more than 3.29 million people worldwide and killed nearly 233,000. The ANOC had opened a bidding process to find a host for the Beach Games in January before deciding to move the event to 2023 so National Olympic Committees (NOCs) could also prepare for the Winter Olympics in 2022. “We have a responsibility to ensure that we continue to listen to our NOCs and deliver an event that is in their best interests,”
ANOC’s acting president Robin Mitchell said in a statement. “With Tokyo 2020 now scheduled for next year and then Beijing 2022 taking place just over six months later, the ANOC Executive Council has decided it would put too much pressure on NOCs to host the World Beach Games between the two Olympic Games. “Of course, the World Beach Games involves different athletes and different sports from the Olympic Games, but ultimately it is the same NOCs who have to prepare the teams.” The ANOC said it was also revising the bidding process which will be reopened next year.The 2019 Doha Beach Games had 36 events in 13 sports, including beach soccer and 4x4 beach volleyball, with Spain topping the medal tally with seven gold medals followed by Brazil and Italy.
Saturday May 02, 2020
NBA tells teams don’t test for virus without symptoms: report AFP - The NBA has advised teams not to arrange coronavirus tests for players and staff not showing symptoms, ESPN reported yesterday, saying it was inappropriate with only limited public testing available. Citing unnamed sources, ESPN said an NBA memo declared that “for the time being, it is not appropriate in the current public health environment to regularly test all players and staff for the coronavirus.” The NBA had been criticized in March when Utah’s Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus, leading to the league halting its season and teams being tested for the deadly disease. There was criticism for the NBA being able to obtain and use tests for entire clubs when tests were difficult to find. Across the United States, test availability remains far below levels recommended by health experts. Such a test deficit likely must be resolved before the NBA can obtain the test kits vital to any sort of resumption of the season. ESPN reported the NBA expects to need 15,000 tests in any sort of a return at a
The NBA has reportedly advised teams not to arrange coronavirus tests for players and staff who are not showing symptoms. (NBAE / Getty Images/AFP/File / Garrett Ellwood) single facility with players and other essential personnel sequestered and tested. The memo instructed players to make any decisions regarding tests for players and staff “in consultation with an infectious disease specialist, and in consideration of the patient’s individual circumstances and guidance on testing related to COVID-19 from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and from the local health authority in the team’s market.” The NBA still seeks op-
portunities for league-wide testing capabilities, and anticipates implementing such a system once team activities resume, according to the report.NBA teams are set to take a small first step toward returning next Friday when players will be able to work out individually at team facilities, provided state and local governments allow such activities in easing of stay-athome regulations. Only four players would be allowed in the building at the same time and they could not work out together.
Priyanna Ramdhani is Broncos Female Rookie of the Year ‘It felt great to achieve a major award for my college’ says Priyanna Eighteen-year-old Badminton player, Guyanese Priyanna Ramdhani was this week selected as Broncos Female Rookie of the Year. Hailing from Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara, Ramdhani maintained third place finishes all year long in women’s singles. “I am happy to win Rookie of the year for Badminton and for my college. As a first year student, it felt great to achieve a major award for my college and I was excited to be known around the school. My first year at Olds College was challenging and I knew the competition would be tough so I trained harder for it,” Priyanna informed. She said she achieved bronze throughout the college tournament before taking a silver medal in the provincials which allowed her to participate in Nationals. “At Nationals, I represented my college and the competition was even more tough, but I pulled through with fourth place after a hard battle throughout the tournament. I will train even harder
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and I hope that I get a better result next year,” the Guyanese teenager added. Priyanna placed second at the ACAC championships earning her a silver medal in singles. She also partnered with Layce Donaldson to secure a bronze medal in women’s doubles. Ramdhani led the team stretches all year, organized the team on group chat, and supported every player on the team. She is extremely positive and her energy spreads throughout the team. Fantastic results for a first-year player, who represented the Broncos with a fourth place at CCAA nationals in Toronto, ON. Priyanna, who represents Yonex in Guyana, reiterated that the COVID-19 restrictions has made a big impact on her training schedule. “I usually train five times a week: three times a week on court and twice a week at the gym for strength training. In order to keep up this training schedule, I would have to be outside of my
house to attend practice, which will have way more benefit for enhancing my Badminton skills,” noted Priyanna. In the 1980s Guyana produced outstanding players at the Junior Caribbean level but the Seniors never won any Caribbean Open tournament. The only open title Guyana won back then was the Curacao International. However, Priyanna and her 20-year-old brother Narayan is now taking Guyana’s Badminton to greater heights; winning in both junior and senior levels. President of the Guyana Badminton Association Gokorn Ramdhani said he was proud of Priyanna’s most recent achievement. “We have now moved out of the Caribbean to Pan Am, South American, International Tournaments and Games like CAC and Commonwealth,” Ramdhani added. He said his dream for Badminton is for Guyana to qualify for the Olympics and the Ramdhani siblings are his best bet of achieving that accolade. (Sean Devers)
USA Gymnastics suspends coach Maggie Haney for repeated emotional abuse of gymnasts Yahoo Sports - Former U.S. Olympic and national team coach Maggie Haney received an eight-year suspension form USA Gymnastics on Wednesday for verbal emotional abuse against her gymnasts, according to The Orange County Register’s Scott Reid. The decision was reportedly preceded by two months of hearings in which Laurie Hernandez, a member of the gold medal-winning 2016 U.S. team, testified against her longtime coach. World champion artistic gymnast Riley McCusker also reportedly wrote a letter critical of Haney. Haney, once one of the country’s most prominent gymnastics coaches, was found by a USA Gymnastics hearing panel to have failed to “to provide a safe, positive and healthy environment with a culture of trust and empowerment.” She was also found to have “engaged in severe aggressive behavior toward a minor that included teasing and ridiculing that was intended to control and diminish another person.” Under the penalty, Haney will reportedly be unable to coach with USA Gymnastics for eight years, will be banned from all USA Gymnastics events and will not be allowed to contact any of her accusers. If reinstated after eight years, she will be placed on two years probation. It’s not surprising USA Gymnastics would come down hard on a coach over abuse allegations given the aftermath of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal that shook the organization to its core. Haney is reportedly expected to appeal the decision. The allegations against former USA Gymnastics coach Maggie Haney The decision comes almost four years after Hernandez filed her first abuse complaints against Haney to a USA Gymnastics official in 2016. During the hearing, at least a dozen gymnasts said they were verbally or emotionally abused by Haney at her MG Elite Gymnastics gym in New Jersey. She reportedly told injured gymnasts to re-
Maggie Haney reportedly instructed gymnasts to remove casts so they could keep training. (Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports) move boot casts and other medical devices to continue training, and gymnasts as young as 10 were screamed at for making a mistake in practice. Parents reportedly said they witnessed Haney fatshame girls and kick others out of practice at time for disappointing her. The treatment led to claims of anxiety attacks, to the point that one gymnast was so nervous about an uneven bars routine
that she began reportedly shaking uncontrollably. Haney reportedly responded with a joke about Tourette’s Syndrome. Haney reportedly received support from several NCAA gymnasts and former U.S. national team coaches who called her coaching style abrasive, but not abusive. Some did reportedly concede in private that her methods were no longer acceptable though.
Inniss appointed interim head of referees
T
he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has appointed Dion Inniss as Interim Head Of Referees Department, with immediate effect, following unsuccessful public advertisements to fill the position. This was communicated to the referee fraternity Thursday via correspondence from the GFF’s Secretariat. Accordingly, Inniss, Executive Committee Member with oversight for the referees programme, will perform the duties of the position including the following: to assist the Referees Committee; to implement decisions adopted by the Referees Committee; to carry out all tasks related to the logistics of refereeing; to carry out all
administrative duties of the refereeing department; to implement programmes to develop the Referees according to the guidelines approved by the Referees Committee; to organise courses for Referees, Referee Instructors and Referee Assessors and to appoint Referees for various competitions. Mr. Inniss brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this role and will embark immediately on the development of a broad Referees Development strategy, in consultation and partnership with the all stakeholders. Inniss was also a former FIFA-accredited referee. The GFF continues to look for a suitable person to permanently fill the position.
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Australia dislodges India from U.S. sprinter Stevens provisionally top spot in ICC test rankings suspended over whereabouts failure SYDNEY (AP) — Australia has ended India’s almost four-year run at the top of the International Cricket Council’s test rankings and also moved to No. 1 in the Twenty20 format at Pakistan’s expense. All international and firstclass cricket has been suspended amid the coronavirus pandemic, but the annual update of the rankings on Friday means that results from 2016-17 were eliminated and the results since May last year are given extra weight. That means Australia moved to No. 1 with a rating of 116 after retaining the Ashes in England and going unbeaten in five tests against Pakistan and New Zealand at home over the southern summer. Australia coach Justin Langer said his squads had performed on and off the field in recent seasons following the ball tampering scandal in
South Africa in 2018 that sent the sport Down Under into a spin. “We have earned some respect back from other teams around the world but also from Australia,” he said. “When we started on this journey there had been a lot of talk about Australia wanting to be No.1 in the world in all three forms of the game. “We took a different approach. Not once did we talk about being No.1 ranked in the world, we wanted to be No. 1 in our values and process. That is what I am most proud of.” New Zealand had back-toback test wins at home against India to start the year, retaining second place with a rating of 115 and relegating Virat Kohli’s lineup to third spot on 114. England is on 105 in fourth spot in the test rankings, but retained top spot in the oneday international rankings af-
ter winning the World Cup on home soil in 2019 following an extraordinary final against New Zealand. In the test rankings, Sri Lanka is fifth with 91, one clear of South Africa, followed by Pakistan, West Indies, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The ICC said with only two points separating first from third, it’s the closest tussle at the top of the test rankings since January 2016, when India had led Australia and South Africa by a single point. India still leads the ICC test championship, though. In the ODI rankings, England has a rating of 127 and increased its lead over India from six points to eight. New Zealand is in third. In the T20 format, Australia heads the list for the first time since the rankings were introduced in 2011. The Australians lead with 278, 10 clear of England and 12 ahead of India.
Denmark’s football association aims to resume league on May 29 COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Denmark’s football association (DBU) hopes to resume its top flight Super League on May 29 subject to government approval, the DBU said in a statement yesterday. Soccer has ground to a halt in all major leagues in Europe and none have yet to resume. European soccer’s governing body UEFA has set a May 25 deadline for leagues to outline their plans to re-start.
“It is imperative that the 3F Superliga is launched by May 29 in order to be able to run the tournament in its entirety with proper regard for the health of the players,” Jesper Moller, chair of the DBU said in a separate statement.Having been halted for two and a half months, the DBU hopes to see the first Super League match played on May 29, but it said resumption was subject to government approval.
Pole vault trio set for unique garden challenge during lockdown (Reuters) - Three of pole vault’s biggest names will compete in a unique competition this weekend, but they will not be breaking any lockdowns as they do battle from their gardens. World record holder Armand Duplantis, twice world champion Sam Kendricks and 2012 Olympic gold medallist Renaud Lavillenie will attempt to vault 5m as many times as they can in 30 minutes in a format they devised together. They will be connected via a live video link with the May 3 Ultimate Garden Clash - Pole Vault Edition streamed to fans on the social media channels of governing body, World Athletics. International sport has been shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 232,000 globally and athletes the world over have found unorthodox ways to keep themselves in peak condition during the lockdown.“I’m ecstatic to be
Sweden’sArmand Duplantis during the Pole Vault Men’s event at the World Athletics Indoor Tour. (REUTERS/ Pascal Rossignol)
able to compete ... especially against Sam and Renaud,” Sweden’s Duplantis, who will compete from his training base in Louisiana, told the World Athletics website here American Kendricks will be in action in his garden in Mississippi while France’s Lavillenie will vault from home in Clermont-Ferrand. “Since it’s unknown what other competitions we’ll all have together, we definitely are going to enjoy this and
have a good time with it. Winning this is crucial because I don’t like losing to them very much,” Duplantis added. Lavillenie said the event was a good opportunity to test the new competition format.Kendricks added: “I think the challenge is we don’t know what it will take to win, so it will be hard to gauge our effort.“I know that it doesn’t matter what we’re doing together. We each want to win.”
(Reuters) - American sprinter Deajah Stevens, who reached the 2016 Rio Olympics 200 metres final, has been provisionally suspended for failing to make herself available for anti-doping tests, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Friday. Stevens cumulated three whereabouts violations over a 12-month period, the AIU said in a statement. The 24-year-old won the U.S. 200m title a year after finishing seventh in the Olympics final. Her 23-year-old compatriot Gabrielle Thomas, twice a 200m winner at the Lausanne Diamond League, was also provisionally suspended for three whereabouts violations, the AIU said. Kenyan Alex Korio Oliotiptip, who took part in last year’s INEOS 1:59 challenge which saw compatriot Eliud Kipchoge became the first person to run a marathon
Deajah Stevens (World Athletics Championships)
in under two hours, was also suspended for three whereabouts violations. All three athletes could face a two-year ban. Mikel Kiprotich Mutai of
Kenya, who won the Hong Kong marathon in 2016, was provisionally suspended for failing a test for the banned substance norandrosterone, the AIU added.
Anthony Joshua v Tyson Fury talks with interested venues begin BBC Sport - Talks are under way over a historic bout for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. Representatives of the two Britons are in dialogue with venues keen to stage the fight in a bid to make clear how much money the contest could generate. Neither side is negotiating monetary splits or wider demands at this stage. But Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said they are “talking” about how a bout for all the heavyweight belts could happen. One source close to the discussions told BBC Sport they now believe the fight “will happen” and confirmed talks were under way. Authorities in Saudi Arabia - the country that staged Joshua’s rematch victory over Andy Ruiz Jr in December - are keen to secure the bout. After working closely with Hearn to host JoshuaRuiz, a member of the country’s royal family sat next to promoter Frank Warren in Las Vegas to watch Fury win the WBC belt from Deontay Wilder in February.Wilder has a contract to face Fury again, while Joshua - holder of the IBF, WBA and WBO belts - is slated to face Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev when sport resumes after the coronavirus shutdown. At this stage, establishing
how much money could be generated by a Joshua-Fury bout is seen as key as it would allow clarity on what could be offered to Wilder and Pulev in order for them to break the contracts they have in place. The ‘step aside’ money on offer for both men would be several million dollars and there is a feeling privately that Wilder - who has just had surgery - would take it, even though those closest to him have refused to acknowledge the prospect. Wilder was due to face Fury for a third time but both dates in July and October have been wiped out by the coronavirus outbreak. It is not known as to whether the contract in place for the fight could lapse as a result of the delays but if it did, it would free Fury to pursue his fight of choice. “Negotiations aren’t under way,” Joshua’s promoter Hearn told Sky Sports on Thursday. “What I can tell you is we are talking. We are all on the same page. You will get this fight, it’s just a case of where and when. “There is the major hurdle that we are both under contract for other fights. Everything is solvable with money.” Delivering the fight which would create the first heavyweight in history to hold all four belts - faces further hurdles even if Wilder and Pulev step away from their respective bouts. Promoters Hearn and
Warren would need to briefly overcome their rivalry, Fury’s promoter in the US Bob Arum would need to be on board, financial splits would need agreeing and rival television broadcasters would need to work as one. A source close to the talks stressed the need for everyone involved to work in harmony, a feat that has at times been hard to achieve in securing the biggest bouts in the sport.On his podcast, former world super-middleweight champion Carl Froch assured listeners that regardless of politics, bouts at the highest level will happen if the fighters want them. “Trust me, the fighter at the top level is the boss,” said Froch. “It’s the fighters that aren’t making the fight happen. If two fighters actually want the fight, have a 5050 split, remember that the fight doesn’t happen without both of you, so then the fight happens.” While talks are at a very early stage, any bout would be aimed at late in 2020 or early in 2021 and in the interim, all parties will learn if it would be possible for fans to attend any fight given the current ban on mass gatherings in most countries. And the sums that could be earned from the contest after a boxing shutdown that has presented financial challenges for promoters and broadcasters would undoubtedly be welcomed.
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LeBron: Lakers ready to play despite call to cancel NBA AFP - Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James said Thursday he’s ready for the NBA to return, refuting a report some agents and team executives want the league to scrap the 201920 season.The NBA halted the current campaign on March 12 after Utah’s Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus.CNBC reported Thursday that unnamed player agents and club executives say team owners worry about liability issues due to health concerns and a lack of revenue from playing in an empty arena for a television audience.James, a four-time NBA Most
Valuable Player and threetime NBA champion, disputed the report, saying he and his Laker teammates are prepared to finish the season when officials deem conditions are safe to do so.
Western Conference, and the second-best in the league, at 49-14 when the league shut down with about a month of the regular season remaining, plus two months of playoffs.
“Saw some reports about execs and agents wanting to cancel season??? That’s absolutely not true,” James wrote in a Twitter posting.
Players would need time and opportunity to practice and regain fitness before resumption of play, even in empty arenas in a central location, key aspects of most of the plans discussed about how a season might proceed in the wake of the deadly virus that has shut down sport.“It is the responsibility of the league office to explore all options for a return to play this season,”
“Nobody I know saying anything like that. As soon as it’s safe we would like to finish our season. I’m ready and our team is ready. Nobody should be canceling anything.”The Lakers boasted the best record in the
an NBA spokesman told CNBC.“We owe that to our fans, teams, players, partners and all who love the game. While our top priority remains everyone’s health and well-being, we continue to evaluate all options to finish this season.“At the same time we’re intensely focused on addressing the potential impact of COID-19 on the 2020-21 season.”The NBA and its players union have agreed on the league withholding 25% of player salaries starting in May.The league says players could begin individual workouts will be permitted at team facilities starting May 8 in
Formula One plans for ‘isolated environment’ to launch season in Austria
LeBron James refuted a report saying some NBA executives and player agents are calling for the halted 2019-20 NBA season to be wiped out, saying he and his teammtes are ready to return from the coronavirus shut down once it’s safe to play. (Getty Images North America/AFP/File / Katelyn Mulcahy) areas where governments permit it, a small step on the path to resuming play but far from a timetable that many fans hope to hear in May. NBA ownership groups include many business partners who are losing money in other investments due to the coronavirus shutdown, the report noted. “Some of them are looking at vast losses outside of just their basketball team,” Andy Dolich, the Memphis Grizzlies former president of business
The Red Bull Ring at Spielberg is expected to host the opening race of the delayed Formula One season. (APA/AFP/File / Erwin Scheriau) AFP - Formula One managing director Ross Brawn said the Austrian Grand Prix’s remote location makes it a logical choice as the opening race of a season heavily interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.Organisers are aiming to start the championship, which was put on hold in March hours before the scheduled season-opener in Australia, with consecutive races at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg on July 5 and 12. “One of the logistical challenges is getting everyone tested and cleared to enter the racing environment,” Brawn told the F1 Nation podcast. “Once we do that, it’s very attractive to keep everyone in that environment, within that biosphere that we want to create, for another race. “It’s also pretty challenging to find the right sort of races early on where we can control the environment well enough to ensure the safety of everyone. “Austria fits that bill very well. It has a local airport right next to the circuit, where people can charter planes into. It’s not too close to a metropolis.”
“It has a great infrastructure around it,” he added. “For instance, there will be no motorhomes, but there will be full catering facility laid on that the circuit has.“We can contain everyone within that environment and therefore once we are there it is appealing to have another race the following week.” Earlier this week, Formula One boss Chase Carey targeted the season starting in Austria after the French Grand Prix, scheduled for June 28 was cancelled, becoming the 10th race of the season to be scrapped or postponed.
excite the fans, who have all been frustrated with the delays.“We have a very exciting season in front of us, but it is a very important livelihood for thousands of people - and that is another reason for trying to kickstart the season.”Organisers also announced Friday the Hungarian Grand Prix on August 2 will be staged without fans in response to the health crisis.
“Unfortunately it will be without fans, which is a great shame, but we still feel we can take the race out to all the fans and watchers on TV and other means,” said Brawn.
The race at the Hungaroring is following the example set by the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, scheduled for July 19.“It has now become clear that we cannot hold the Hungarian Grand Prix in front of spectators despite all our efforts,” a statement from race organisers said.The statement added that this decision was necessary to protect the health of fans and circuit staff alike.Their hand was forced after the Hungarian government banned any event involving more than 500 spectators until August 15.“It became clear yesterday (Thursday) that all this is only possible behind closed gates.
“It’s important for us to try and get the season going, many reasons for wanting to start the season. One is to
“We will continue to work with the international promoter to find the best possible solution,” the statement added.
- ‘Kickstart the season’ The Austrian Grand Prix will only be given the green light on the condition it is raced behind closed doors, the country’s health minister told organisers on Wednesday.
operations, told CNBC.White House health adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci told the New York Times that all sports might have to face a season wipeout, saying, “If you can’t guarantee safety, then unfortunately you’re going to have to bite the bullet and say, ‘We may have to go without this sport for this season.’”But among the plans the NBA is reportedly considering is gathering teams at hotels and sports facilities at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, where access could be controled.
Priyanna Ramdhani is Broncos Female Rookie of the Year ‘It felt great to achieve a major award for my college’ says Priyanna
Priyanna in action in the ACAC Individual Championships 2020 Edmonton Alberta Canada.
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Anthony Joshua v Tyson Fury talks with interested venues begin p.22
Anthony Joshua holds three of the four major world heavyweight titles, while Tyson Fury has the other. (Getty Images)
Australia dislodges India from top spot in ICC test rankings p.22
Dion Inniss
Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne walks off the field after making 185 runs during their cricket test match against Pakistan in Brisbane, Australia. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard, FIle)
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