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AIETEUR NEWS
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Carter Centre not
Sunday Edition May 03, 2020
getting approval to fly in for recount p. 3
Online: www.kaieteurnews.com
Price $140
Online readership yesterday 149,538
All political parties except APNU+AFC, support live stream of recount
p. 3
…Coalition doesn't want use of phones either
: s n o i t p o y h lt
Hea
The Plant project - A Miss Earth Guyana backed initiative has been gaining popularity for its donations of delicious packages of fruits and veggies to vulnerable households across the country. (Dave Lalltoo)
Bidders to market Guyana’s crude… Pt 2
Four companies implicated in massive corruption scandal in Latin America
Guyanese must know evaluators for Crude Marketing p. Dr. Mangal 8 deal - Says nation is already too weak, vulnerable and exploited by sharks
Ministry says no p.2 new COVID-19 case - three now in ICU
ExxonMobil deal will never allow Guyanese to lead oil sector p. 2
- Int’l lawyer gives contract an “F” for local content provisions
Kaieteur News
PAGE 02
Sunday May 03, 2020
ExxonMobil deal will never allow Guyanese to lead oil sector By Kiana Wilburg
S
ince 2016, Guyanese have been kicking and screaming for a proper Local Content Policy; the kind that ensures ExxonMobil, its joint venture partners, and subcontractors have little to no wiggle room for not using indigenous products, services and people for their projects here. But the recent revelations of an international Energy Lawyer, Mr. J. Jay Park, make it clear that the year protests by Guyanese for an e ff e c t i v e p o l i c y w e r e unfortunately, misguided and perhaps, all for nothing. Park was able to prove that even if the crème de la crème of the world's experts was contracted to draft the
- Int'l lawyer gives contract an “F” for local content provisions best policy in the galaxy, the poor local content provisions of the Stabroek Block deal that were signed by Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, will never allow Guyanese to be in the front seat of its oil sector. In his analysis of Guyana's fiscal regime for the petroleum sector, Park who is one of the world's leading energy attorneys spoke of the importance of capturing local content benefits. During a webinar session, Park, who has over 35 years experience in the industry, said that the local
economy should always obtain the maximum benefit from the exploitation of its oil resources and not just foreign suppliers and expatriates. “Unfortunately, many States' petroleum regimes do a poor job at this,” he said. To examine whether Guyana might have fallen into that category, Park examined the local content provisions of the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA). Article 18 of the PSA (page 46) states, “In the conduct of petroleum
operations pursuant to this agreement, the contractor shall require than the Operator give preference to: (a) the purchase of Guyanese goods and materials, provided that such goods and materials are available on a timely basis of the quality and in the quantity required by the operator at a competitive price; and (b) the employment of Guyanese sub-contractors insofar as they are commercially competitive and satisfy the operator's financial and technical requirements and meet the requirements of Article 18.1 (a)...” Park who has practiced Energy Law for over thirty years, with a specific focus on creating optimum petroleum regimes for States, was quick to tell his online audience that he has a problem with the foregoing provision. The international lawyer said that the provision does not create any kind of preference for Guyana's goods and services. Expounding further, Park said that a local businessman can provide goods but the c o n t r a c t o r, w h i c h i s ExxonMobil, can simply say, “I can find it some other part of the world and get it at a lesser price.” The lawyer continued, “And let's say you do match or better all the prices in the entire solar system, the contractor can then say, 'Sorry, I have found a better quality someplace else.' Then you might say you can also find equal quality and sooner too. But even then, the contractor can say 'Sorry, I need 10 times as much as
what you have and I can get that at another source'.” In other words, the Managing Partner of Petroleum Regimes Advisory and Park Energy Law said that Article 18 in the Stabroek Block deal is not a local preference clause. He said, “It is basically a clause that says 'Yea, we will buy Guyanese goods that are competitive with everything else in the world and with every possible factor that can be used...” The lawyer alluded to the fact that it would be virtually impossible for Guyanese businessmen to compete with the rest of the world for contracts in their own backyard. The criteria Guyanese have to fulfill put them at a clear disadvantage. It always will if those provisions remain unchanged. Taking everything into consideration, Park said the Stabroek Block deal gets an F as it provides no environment to create a local preference at all. THAT LOCAL CONTENT POLICY In January 2020, the Energy Department had approved a policy for guidance on local content requirements. Park said that this is one of the first steps towards creating a better local content benefit regime in Guyana while adding that it sets the stage for a legal framework. He said that the intention is to get the policy into the legal regime in the future. Based on the contents of the policy, the international lawyer said it is clear Guyana recognizes the weaknesses of the contractual provisions in place for local content. And if it is implemented, it could improve Guyana's grade. Of significance however is the fact that the local
International Energy Lawyer, J. Jay Park, Q.C content policy that was approved, does not demand that Guyanese products, services and people be given first preference at all times. The policy is unable to do demand that Guyanese have the upper hand in the sector as it is required to be in harmony with the contract, and it is. PAY THE PRICE Park's analysis and subsequent commentary that the Stabroek Block provisions on local content is essentially zero preference for Guyanese goods and services, also places into deeper perspective, the extent to which Guyana can or cannot be ambitious in improving its Local Content Policy. Even if Guyana's authorities put in place, local content legislation or regulations that dare to demand way more than the contract stipulates the contractor would be insulated from this, thanks to the Stabilization provision in the PSA. This clause explicitly states that ExxonMobil, its partners and subcontractors, shall be insulated from any new laws that would be implemented. And should the authorities seek to impose their will and affect ExxonMobil's bottom line; the State is required to provide compensation. TO BE CONTINUED...
No new COVID-19 case - Ministry reports
G
uyana's Covid-19 toll as at yesterday remains 82 with nine deaths. This is according to the Ministry of Public Health's COVID-19 dashboard which noted that there are no new confirmed cases of the disease in Guyana. The dashboard highlighted that thus far 582 tests have been conducted of which 500 returned negative. There are 49 in the COVID19 institutional isolation facility, while 18 are under quarantine. Three have developed worsened conditions and are seeking further treatment in the COVID-19 Intensive Care
Unit (ICU). As it stands, there are 3, 090, 455 cases of COVID-19 globally, with 217, 879 deaths. In the Region of the Americas there are 1, 246,190 confirmed cases with 65, 228 deaths. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Health continued its appeal for all citizens to heed the health advisories and observe the correct hygiene measures and precautions. Citizens are also asked to always practice social distancing in the workplace, public spaces, and while using public transportation so as reduce the spread of the coronavirus disease.
Kaieteur News
Sunday May 03, 2020
PAGE 03
All political parties except APNU+AFC, support live stream of recount …Coalition says use of phones shouldn't be allowed either
APNU+AFC Representative, David Patterson By Kemol King
A
ll of the political parties attending a briefing with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) yesterday supported a live stream of the national
PPP Representative, Anil Nandlall
ANUG Representative, Timothy Jonas
TNM Representative, Dr. Asha Kissoon
recount of votes, except the incumbent APNU+AFC. This was relayed to reporters by several political party representatives and Commissioners after the meeting was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).
Chair of A New and United Guyana (ANUG), Ti m o t h y J o n a s , t o l d reporters that the parties present at the briefing included the People's Progressive Party (PPP), The New Movement (TNM), the People's Republican Party
(PRP), A New and United Guyana (ANUG) and A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC). The Citizenship Initiative (TCI) and the CARICOM High Level Team were also present. Kaieteur News understands that the team was given a walkthrough of the layout GECOM intends to utilize at the centre. The team will be in discussions with the Commission. All of the parties made diverse deliveries of their rationale for supporting a live stream of the national recount, most prominently
Carter Centre not getting approval to fly in for recount
T
he Carter Center E l e c t o r a l Observer Mission yesterday tweeted that it has been trying to get an observer on a Monday flight to Georgetown to observe the recount, but had not been granted access by government of Guyana. A little after 5 pm yesterday, the mission's Twitter account posted a picture of the Carter Center
logo accompanied by the message: “Update: The Carter Center is trying to get an observer on a Monday flight to Georgetown to observe the recount but has so far been unsuccessful in getting approval from the government of Guyana. #GuyanaElections” The US Embassy in Guyana posted an image of the observer mission's tweet on its Facebook page
without comment, while the C a n a d i a n H i g h Commissioner to Guyana retweeted the post with the comment, “[Canada] funded the Carter Center Election Observer Team in Guyana. I hope Guyana will allow them to return to complete their task. @CarterCenter has earned the respect of Guyanese citizens & political parties for (continued on page 45)
TCI Representative, Nyall Jodhan that such a decision would provide the recount with the utmost level of transparency. GECOM has previously decided that it would not stream the recount live. The Chair premised her rejection on the premise that Section 90 of the Representation of the People Act, which speaks to maintaining the secrecy of the count, does not permit her to stream the recount live. But opposing arguments have been made. GECOM had resolved to only give the public intermittent reports of the progress of the recount. “Fraud festers where
GECOM Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward there is something to hide” Commissioner Sase Gunraj told reporters that a representative of one party, the PRP made a delivery that he found particularly important to mention, that “fraud festers where there is something to hide”. Jonas made a similar argument, telling reporters that fraud, mistakes and errors have free reign to occur if the exercise is conducted in secret. Jonas, who is an Attorney-at-Law, said that the Chair's supposition of Section 90 of the Act is not a valid argument, as the Act is (continued on page 9)
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Kaieteur News
Sunday May 03, 2020
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
Catastrophic times call for timely and inspiring leadership “We were hearing from low- and moderate-income and minority communities that this was the best labour market they’d seen in their lifetime,” he said. “It is heartbreaking, frankly, to see that all threatened now” (New York Times, April 29). This speaker was described as “the world’s most important economic leader.” Dr. Jerome Powell, chair of the Federal Reserve is all of that and more, as he seeks to stabilize a violently rocking and leaking ship, through timely and inspiring leadership from the front. If only our political leaders would learn from stewards like him, strive to imitate him. When a man way up there, like Chairman Powell, can empathize with the large army of smaller people suffering, and be moved to use a word like “heartbreaking” to describe their intensifying economic anguish, then that is the kind of leader that is desired. It is the kind that appreciates and cares for the tens of millions of workers in America forced out of the workforce and transformed into the grim statistics that keep increasing, that does not stop pounding with more ominous developments. It is that “the damage virus containment efforts…could be especially painful for the most vulnerable.” This is particularly relevant to our wage scale workers, thousands of whom are out of pay and trapped in much misery here in Guyana. Whatever little they could have afforded before, managed on before, in the streakiest of existences, either has already vanished, or is almost totally depleted. For all of its many pluses, Guyana’s suffering workers do not need to hear about democracy currently. Or who and which group offers the best prospect of better future governance. Or of all the distractions brought about by recount processes and arrangements, with limited and still lesser-equipped state structures in no position, due to budgetary stringencies, to extend the helping financial hand so desperately needed. What our growing battalions of minimum wage and moderate-income workers and their families need to hear prioritize right now is how they can afford to feed themselves, to pay expenses, and to face life with some smidgen of dignity. Stated differently, all Guyanese, and particularly those at the bottom, need to know and desire to hear, is what programmes are being put in place by leaders to rescue them from their precarious predicament. They need food, the sustaining ingredients that buoy the lifeblood, that instill hope, that could provide the crutch that carries along from one bleak day to the next. The heartbreaking plights of struggling citizens are what should occupy priority of place, the center of attention, in the minds and hearts of those brawling over power, those positioning for capitalizing on the riches of this land. Except that this is not to be. Not with elections consigning all else to the margins, with the lusts for power by venal politicians that condemns everyone to more hatreds and more divisions. This is what they fight over, what they use supporters and voters to make possible. Where are our leaders now when we need them now? They are about GECOM and Caricom, while the same people who stood for them are told to tighten belt and brace for the worst. How contrasting is this to the timely and inspiring leadership of the American Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powell, who has committed the mighty powers of the Fed to “a whatever-it-takes response to the coronavirus crisis, slashing interest rates to near zero, rolling out a gigantic bond-buying programme to soothe troubled markets and setting up a series of emergency lending programmes to keep credit flowing to businesses and households.” We pinpoint and zero-in on that mindset and still developing practice of “a whatever it takes response” and explore what it should and must mean here in Guyana and immediately. Our leaders, both coalition and opposition, should have the decency, the reasoning and compassion,
and the wisdom, to put aside the bitter, acrimonious partisanship and pause-really focus-on where our fellow citizens are dangerously and hopelessly stranded at this hour that keeps getting darker by the day. May came with a vengeance: curfew extended, government spending power under severe duress, and a month already lost to a recount process to nowhere. And all this, while an existential threat is present: it is financial, it is viral, it could be fatal. There is sharp and settled uncertainly about the suspicious truths being shared regarding the whole story of Guyana’s coronavirus calamities. That has to be fixed through the confidence building and the uplifting. In broad swaths, there is the sense that the virus is being misused by slick political manipulators for self-serving interests. There is fear over the future, a confluence of hard, unmoving fears that are justified by the punishing realities of numerous frightening circumstances brought about by COVID-19, which cascade with remorseless force. It is of reopening and restarting a shrunken and stalled economy, not with feet sprawled under different racial and political tents, but with a vision that says: we are in this thing together, the fallouts are felt together, and together we will have to work to overcome. For otherwise, a slow and painful resumption towards some level of normalcy will be seriously impaired. Normalcy in a time of chronic commercial sluggishness; normalcy in the barrenness of low or no demand; normalcy with a mountain of supply that has nowhere to go, because not many are buying. They are not buying due to the harsh reality that they cannot. They do not have what could be exchanged for much needed goods, they lack the means. It is this acute cash shortage that stares at the many small
businesses of the smaller in this society. There is no cushion, there is no protection, there is no vision as to how this catastrophe could be overcome. Our leaders have not presented any of those. They have not offered the cushion of a stimulus, the protection of extensions or temporary waivers that translate to some limited relief, some stirrings of hope. Guyanese businesses and families need the kind of local leadership that Dr. Powell has exemplified, like “setting up a series of emergency lending programmes to keep credit flowing to businesses and households.” Our president and opposition leader (and their circles) must cease confronting, stop fiddling, and be such personifications through executing together programmes that bring hope. While citizens are losing every day (faith, strength, and their remaining life rafts), our leaders from the coalition and opposition emphasize winning (elections, power, and the prizes that enrich them and their own). When there are leaders such as these, there is nothing that could be labeled a country, other than in name only. For what Guyanese should understand and accept now is that they function as mere pawns-convenient, powerless, and helpless-to be maneuvered at the whims and fancies of their leaders. Look at the history. Examine the current reality. At this hour, companies and citizens need “more support from all of us.” We do not need, cannot succeed with halfway measures, from less than half committed leaders, while more than half of the citizenry struggle to cope. Guyanese need inspiration now. We at this paper call upon the president and opposition leader, and their respective teams, to find it somewhere in them to put the peoples of this nation before their own narrow interests. Do not harm us more, do not disappoint us yet again.
Sunday May 03, 2020
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Kaieteur News
We need a system of governance that will enjoy acceptance across political divisions Dear Editor, Looking beyond the official declaration of the National and Regional elections held on March 2, I wish to offer some comments on elections and governance generally, and specifically in relation to Guyana. It has long been accepted that for democracy to prevail elections should be “free and fair”. It was, I believe, Edward Seaga, maybe as a result of elections violence and the emergence of “garrison constituencies” in Jamaica some time ago, who added a phrase “and free from fear”. More recently, the word “credible” has joined the requirements and “transparency of the process” has become a desideratum. These criteria for elections have not always been met and aberrations do occur. In the USA for example, under an arrangement euphemistically described as “redistricting”, minorities especially Afro Americans, are targeted for discrimination. Indeed voter suppression is still very much an item on the political agenda there. Further, there have been confirmed reports of a foreign power interfering in US elections to influence the results. In other places, anecdotal evidence and allegations point to activities of partisan election officials which enable an elector to utilize more than
one ballot, as well as the officials themselves completing unutilized ballot papers; and there are other malpractices. On the other hand the practice of international observation of elections has developed. Its usefulness has been clearly demonstrated. That notwithstanding, there have been criticisms of the operations of some international observers which should not be ignored. International election observers, like diplomats, are granted accreditation by the receiving State. As is well known, the role and modus operandi of diplomats in a receiving State have been codified in an international convention. Protocols may already exist defining the role and functions of international observers and provisions included for attending to their breach. If so, breaches should be dealt with accordingly. If however protocols do not exist, their establishment would provide clarity for the interested and concerned parties. Today elections are required to be free and fair, free from fear and credible and their processes are expected to be transparent. These criteria have not been universally met. Meeting them is therefore a work in progress for many countries. It is an objective to be
vigourously pursued until attained. However, while elections held under those criteria are a necessary condition for democracy, the successful conduct of such elections is not sufficient to guarantee democratic governance. With respect to Guyana, clearly strenuous efforts to meet the criteria should continue. It appears however that whether elections in Guyana have been perceived as free and fair or not, successive Governments have by and large, been adjudged by many constituents of those who lost the elections to be prejudicial in attending to their interests reflecting the fact that the elections may have an underlying theme of what may be called “pontopism”. A fundamental issue to be resolved therefore, is how to develop for the postelection situation a system of governance which will enjoy acceptance across political divisions. There is however a related matter and it concerns national decision making. At the Constitutional Conference held in London in 1963, our political leaders then - Burnham, D’Aguiar and Jagan (in alphabetical order) - could not agree on a number of issues including the electoral system. They however agreed to append their signatures to a letter to
We need to bring home stranded Guyanese passengers Dear Editor, Passengers who were unable to return to their respective countries when the curfew/lockdown commenced, are being assisted by their respective Governments to return to their destinations. The American, British, Canadian and now the Trinidad Governments have been assisting their nationals to return home via chartered flights. It is now 45 days (May 2) since the lockdown became effective (March 18) as it relates to Guyana. My understanding is that there are Guyanese who are stranded in Trinidad, Barbados, Antigua and St. Lucia. It is certainly not an easy task for our Guyanese nationals to be going through this prolonged ordeal. There
is the likelihood that they are heavily stressed out, some may have lost their employment, and they are in financial (deficit) problems due to this extended stay overseas. Trinidad recently brought home 70 of their nationals from Suriname. Guyana authorities should now be addressing this issue. Hence, Editor, those in authority such as His Excellency, President Granger, the Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Covid-19 Task Force, the Director of Civil Aviation
Authority, etc. should now have in place, arrangements to bring our Guyanese nationals home at the earliest opportunity. Financial and other arrangements such as being quarantined for a period of 14 days, among others, will need to be decided on. That being said, it is expected that positive actions is required to be taken early. We must continue to display that we are a caring nation and follow what Trinidad did for its 70 nationals. Sincerely Concerned Citizen
the British Chairman of the Conference which included the following: “We are agreed to ask the British Government to settle on their own authority all outstanding issues, and we undertake to accept the decisions”. In my view, our leaders by that action, abdicated their responsibility and in effect contracted out decision making on settling certain important national issues. Since then, there have been some efforts at localising decision making by political leaders on issues designed to deal with the system of governance and the people’s needs. I have in mind the Burnham/Jagan exchanges of 1985 and the subsequent Jagdeo/Hoyte and Jagdeo/ Corbin talks and agreements. Those actions however, did not produce the desired results. I believe it is now incumbent on our political leaders to repatriate and domesticate the capacity which has been contracted out. More generally, what seems to be needed can be summed up simply as trust in Government by the overwhelming majority of the citizens. This is a simple statement but a difficult task, necessary but difficult, in short a difficult necessity. There is no magic solution. I suggest both short and longterm measures are required. Although the talks between political leaders mentioned above did not yield the anticipated results, the mechanism may be worthy of being repeated if a careful examination of the process reveals reasons for failure and avoidable pitfalls. There is also the belief, variously expressed, that constitutional reform can contribute to improvement in governance. This should be a priority for action.
Meanwhile, existing provisions of the Constitution which have a bearing on the issue of governance should be fully implemented. For instance, take Article 13 which reads as follows: “The principal objective of the political system of the State is to establish an inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for the participation of citizens and their organisations in the management and decisionmaking processes of the State, with particular emphasis on those areas of decision making that directly affect their wellbeing”. What steps have been taken by successive Governments to give life to this Article? Should the political parties which contested the last elections be asked to say what actions will be on their agendas? Do non-governmental actors such as the Private Sector Commission, the Bar Association and the Trade Unions have ideas for action on this matter? Other deficits to be addressed relate to political behavior and more generally the political culture. The fundamental question is how
does change occur in political behavior and political culture to encourage a less toxic environment and a more accommodating attitude to cooperation. The cut and thrust of politics will inevitably spawn adversarial situations but must such situations necessarily lead to acrimony and destructive outcomes as happens too often with negotiations? The purpose of negotiations is after all to reach reconciliation and agreement. They involve give and take and compromise and can be conducted not only through direct contact between the parties but also by using envoys or back channels. In other words, different paths can lead to success. There are also less tangible impediments to change such as the retreat from civility and respect for hallowed institutions and norms. The answers to the questions raised can best be found in a collective national effort. I have sometimes given thought to two matters. The first relates to the two major political parties and the (Continued on page 6)
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Sunday May 03, 2020
Kaieteur News
Visiting Le Repentir Cemetery in Guyana is a distressing experience Dear Editor It distresses me every time I make a trip to Guyana to visit my parents’ graves in the Le Repentir Cemetery in the capital city, Georgetown.
Simply put, it is disgusting. I have had to put up with vandalised tombs, foul smells, piles of garbage, animal carcasses and roadways blocked with
broken palm trees and old fridges. All this before I even reached my beloved and very missed parents’ final resting places. What is going on in
Recommendations for the upcoming Elections recount and final declaration Dear Editor, Please permit me to share my predictions and recommendations for the upcoming recount and final declaration of Guyana Elections 2020. Every decision regarding this process has thus far been controversial. GECOM has also been reactive rather than proactive towards a timely resolution for free, fair and credible elections. This makes it absolutely necessary for the recount process to be as expeditious and transparent as possible. This allows every stakeholder to accept the result or final declaration of GECOM. The key stakeholders are the people of Guyana who cast their votes on the March 2, 2020. This brings the need for live streaming of said process. The recommendations are as follows: 1. Have 10 different news outlets stream one recounting station each. This eliminates any of the concerns by Vincent Alexander and by extension the PNC whereby they claimed that TVG is
biased. N.B. TVG offered to live stream the process. 2. All current Statements of Poll (SOP) received by Chief Elections Officers from all 10 Regions from the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections be published on the GECOM website, most importantly the SOPs from Region 4. These are public documents, not the property of GECOM. 3. Ballot boxes removed from and returned to the containers must be accompanied by representatives from all competing parties and the Guyana Police Force. To avoid confusion and mix-up of the boxes, a second set of empty storage containers must be obtained to store the ballot boxes that were recounted and resealed. 4. The Chair of GECOM must supervise the entire process. We have a larger younger generation that do not care about race unless you feed them the same hate you have been fed. As a concerned lawabiding, tax-paying citizen of Beautiful Guyana, I am
confident that once the recount is free, fair, transparent and credible Guyanese will accept the final declaration results. I humbly and finally recommend to all persons involved find it in your hearts to allow this process to conclude without hindrance or interference. Yours Sincerely, Christopher Singh May 2, 2020.
We need a system... From page 5 narratives they have within them of each other and wondered what orientation this gives them in their interaction and whether a significant element of negativity resides in that orientation. The second relates to pejorative images of the ‘other’ existing in our multi-racial society. Is it possible that programmes used for conflict resolution/ management, appropriately modified, can be helpful with regard to those two matters? One example which can be looked at involved youth camps in which the participants included Israelis and Palestinians, Northern Irish Catholics and Protestants and postApartheid South African youths. The participants under the guidance of counsellors were able to interact and learn by direct contact about each other’s views and beliefs and to be involved in activities aimed at enabling them to be agents of change and new thinking. Hopefully, the exposure helped them to be more understanding in approaching the problems facing them at home, as well as to become better able to be part of the solution, rather than the perpetuation of those problems. Just a thought. Yours faithfully Rashleigh E Jackson
Guyana? Le Repentir Cemetery, first used in the early 19th century, is the country’s largest burial site with thousands of old and new graves. My parents lived for more than seven decades in the United Kingdom, but wanted to be buried in their homeland Guyana. It is not free to bury your loved ones in the Le Repentir Cemetery. So why should I have to pay someone to clear away the garbage from my parents’ tombs? Why should I have to pay someone to ensure no one breaks into their tombs? Truth be told, I do not feel safe during my short visits to the cemetery. People have been robbed and tombs have been broken into. I was in absolute shock when I saw a human skull on top of a tomb during one of my visits. This is the remains of someone’s father, mother, brother or sister, etc. I would be totally
devastated if I arrived at my parents’ tombs and saw their skulls displayed for all to see. What is going on in Guyana? I remember in 2016, there was a cleaning frenzy in preparation for celebrations of Guyana’s 50th independence. The cemetery was weeded and drains were cleaned by the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) which promised to properly maintain the site. Three years later, as recently as August 2019, I read announcements in the local media again about the rehabilitation of the cemetery. Clearly promises were forgotten. My dad and mum must be turning in their graves because of the disgusting state of their final places of rest. I would like to take flowers to my parents’ tombs on their birthdays, wedding anniversary and Christmas. I
would like to visit them whenever I feel like saying hello without the fear of being robbed or suffocated by offensive odours. Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) owes it to every Guyanese home and abroad who have buried their loved ones in Le Repentir Cemetery to properly maintain the grounds. Fix the fence, clean the drains, remove the garbage, prune the trees, erect benches along the walkways and install closed circuit television (CCTV) to apprehend the culprits who dump garbage, rob visitors and vandalise tombs. Remember, many Guyanese reading this home and abroad may be buried in this dumpsite we call Le Repentir Cemetery. Do something now. Jenny Birmingham, United Kingdom
Freddie Kissoon’s misinformation campaign Dear Editor, Reference is made to Frederick Kissoon’s article “Degeneracy: Trade unionism in Guyana in 2020” (Kaieteur News, 2nd May, 2020). Freddie demonstrates here he has no regard for evidence in proving or disproving a contention. He is demonstrating confidence that he can influence the minds of the public with reckless statements. This nation is about to begin a recount of the ballots cast in the March 2nd General and Regional Elections which would lay to rest the contentions by political forces. It would be expected Kissoon, who likes it to be believed that he is public figure of influence, would for the good of this nation await this evidence. Kissoon is on a misinformation campaign. It is a matter of public record I support the call for a National Recount- Regions One to Ten- and having the chips fall where they may. That he would attribute such a posture as me being supportive and defending of what he calls the “riggers” suggests that his mind is rigged, it does not function right all the time, or at least when it does, it does so conveniently. I have no qualms about acknowledging support for the coalition government. I have detailed my reasons for so doing in many articles. I repeat, I find them more credible and better for Guyana compared to the PPP with Bharrat Jagdeo at the
helm, having been subjected to a government supported death squad unleashed on this nation, presiding over a narco-militarised state, a corrupt and criminalised economy, and failure of the working class. That said, he is suggesting that I support riggers is to say that he has evidence/proof to validate that the coalition government is guilty of rigging the 2020 elections. There is also accusation against the PPP rigging. At this point in time he is not against rigging but is which riggers we support. He must have been the midwife at my delivery since his failing memory in representing my age beyond my years. I have no difficulty with my age, I consider it an honour and symbol of my genetic predisposition. So, whilst he judges me on age, I judge him on performance, and his university and public performance leaves much to be desired. As he speaks of retirement let me remind him the General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress is an elected position and has no age limit. He is reminded the retirement age at UG is 60 years. When he reached that age, he didn’t want to go and resorted to maligning the university in order to seek relevance and get continuity of service. Freddie recognises that I stand out in defence of GECOM, a constitutional body currently bombarded by a set of people seeking to undermine the credibility of
the electoral process and by extension the image of Guyana. I remind him that I speak because I believe in and I am committed to struggle for Rights and the Rule of Law and against injustice wherever it raises its ugly head in my country affecting the constituents I serve. If he calls me a “strongman” for so doing, then his doing places him as a ‘strongman’ for all that is wrong in Guyana. Further, he wants to support any narrative that says the Ulita Moore’s petition was an intentional delay. Here again, he ignores the court having to tell the PPP, after its second injunction, that they are wasting the court’s time. For him and like minds it is only some who have rights and they represent good reason why we have to stand up and fight. For some will have no right to opinion and association in this country. And as he seeks to remind the nation that Coretta Mc Donald is a candidate for the APNU+AFC, seeks to ignore that Seepaul Narine, of GAWU, is a candidate for the PPP. While he doesn’t support McDonald no doubt, he supports GAWU’s. This is exactly the problem we face in Guyana today- public misinformation and dishonesty by leading figures of and on behalf of the PPP. As they create this narrative, they should look in the mirror. I will present Kissoon a mirror. Lincoln Lewis.
Sunday May 03, 2020
Kaieteur News
Heads PPP Loses, Tails PNC Wins... Recounting all the ballots using the SOPs for Region 4, is all that’s needed to complete the tabulation for Guyana’s March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections, in a manner that meets the requirements of The Representation of the People Act and rulings made by the Chief Justice, Roxanne George-Wiltshire. Nonadherence to using the SOPs is illegal, suppressive and deplorable. What are the odds for the true winner of the March 2, 2020 elections being declared using the recount maneuver? Virtually zero! The persons who brought the adding and tabulation to a standstill are still in charge, persons such as the Chairperson and her three cohorts, plus the Chief Elections Officer, Deputy Chief Elections Officer, and a select group of support staff from GECOM that will execute any illegality asked of them. It really is a breaking point of sanity, to expect the same GECOM that committed major acts of fraud in March of 2020, during the Region 4 tabulation - to not continue to drag out the process and make the vote recount into a complete fiasco, by using a multilayered and circuitous recount path. While not using the SOPs for tabulation that are in their possession, which law and reason dictate be used. Everyone is aware that adding and tabulating the SOPs is in keeping with the Representation of the People Act, and will speedily halt the merry-go-round, now being called a recount. In my opinion the international community has abandoned us to the criminalized GECOM, to the point where the winning party, namely the PPP, has to yet again to depend on GECOM, an institution that has proven even to our court system their willingness to rig and rob. The new scam being set up by GECOM is so unnecessary, so disrespectful, so convoluted and problem prone that it provides the perfect means to engineer plots for a new election. With PPP being the undeclared winner of the March 2, 2020 elections, and the party having no influence over the “tainted four” that rule over GECOM, new elections will be welcome by the current illegitimate and uncaring government. It is unpredictable for how long the International Community will allow this rape of the democratic process to continue, suffice to say it has been going on in Guyana for far too long. Our local private media has tried
with little success to question Vincent Alexander after multiple GECOM meetings. Alexander has responded by stating absurd platitudes with a straight face, saying GECOM has treated the legally required SOPs as old news or matters that have already been settled. His job, in my opinion, is to defend the bizarre and irrational decisions taken by the tainted and partisan four - being the Chairperson and her crew of Coalition Commissioners. The rational options are tossed aside by Alexander as outdated issues that were nullified by his Commission as he toys with the media; the Chairperson and her three musketeers reign supreme. To have a shred of confidence in Justice Claudette Singh is to believe she was unaware of the rigging by Mingo. Mr. Ramon Gaskin our local commentator was right all along. I was somewhat stunned when he stretched on tiptoe and at the top of his voice, said with absolute certainty at the Red House on September 21, 2019 that the elections will be rigged and rigged, repeatedly. My thinking then was that the mechanisms put in place by the Carter Center for the 1992 elections, such as: Counting at Polling Stations, posting the tabulated Statement of Polls at the respective Polling Stations, providing each Political Party Represented at the Polling Place with a Copy of the Statement of Polls and a copy to the Chief Elections Officer, among other measures, would prevent rigging. Rigging in my mind, assumed covert and undercover operations. Mingo with the full support of senior officers in the GECOM Secretariat and the Tainted Four made up of the Chairperson and the three Coalition Commissioners, displayed how rigging can be done overtly and in broad daylight. My apologies to Ramon Gaskin! Mingo was the main character in the diabolical plot to rig the tabulation of votes in Region 4, the trilogy from Spreadsheet to Bedsheet, which started on May 4, 2020; had Mingo displaying how in Guyana you can stop the tabulation of votes by acting sick. March 5, 2020 was day two of the trilogy. The now resurrected and revived Mingo, reappeared with great vigour, to make declarations from the balcony and elsewhere. Mingo seemed to have gained super energy by the presence of at least ten of the imposter ministers from the APNU-AFC coalition. Special front row seats were set aside for the former
discredited ministers by GECOM, the presence of the shunned ministers certainly seemed to electrify the performance of Mingo. Thus, his ascent to the baloney, to the great delight of the coalition clique. Not far off, another disappearing act was being carried out by none other than the Chairperson of GECOM, however her ability to vanish was outdone by Mingo’s ability to conjure numbers, defy logic and his general theatrics. Mingo completed his trilogy from “Spreadsheet to Bedsheet” on March 13, 2020; bringing to the fore, his speed-reading acolytes, showing his obedience to the mouth stomping representative from PNC, use of social distancing to avoid the opposition parties from getting a peek at the Statement of Polls, changing his own pronouncements with frequency, his use of reversible logic, where whatever he said a minute ago could be discarded for whatever the mouth stomper demanded and his own inverse logic. The Mingo show on March 13, 2020 was so disgusting that he quickly lost the audience of the US Ambassador, UK High Commissioner, EU Ambassador and Canadian High Commissioner, who were the first to fast walk out of Mingo’s theater tent, they left within half-hour of Mingo’s obstreperous and lawless performance. Mr. Kit Nascimento representing the Private Sector Commission must have regretted not leaving earlier, as he was insulted by the mouth stomper from PNC, in the presence of numerous members of the Guyana Police Force and the other political parties and observers. Except for one brief appearance to say she was waiting on the final orders from the Chief Justice, the Chairperson maintained her signature accomplishment of vanishing when most needed. The purpose of the play only allowed one-star performer at a time; it was Mingo time. The refusal and failure of Justice Claudette Singh to publish GECOM’s SOPs, when there is a compelling legal basis to do so, which represents a measure used, whenever there is controversy surrounding the tabulation of votes, means that we will be undertaking the recount without the SOPs sent to the Chief Elections Officer, Mr. Keith Lowenfield. Mr. Lowenfield has shown his willingness to accept whatever garbage he receives (Continued on page 48)
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Sunday May 03, 2020
Kaieteur News
Guyanese must know evaluators for Crude Marketing deal - Dr. Mangal -Says nation is already too weak, vulnerable and exploited by sharks By Kiana Wilburg As the Department of Energy considers applications for a marketer of the Guyana’s share of the Stabroek Block oil, there should be no secret talks, no hesitation to keep information out of the public’s eye, and no resistance to revealing background information on the people playing a key role in selecting the successful applicant. This view was the essence of the commentary recently shared by international petroleum sector consultant, Dr. Jan Mangal during an exclusive interview with Kaieteur News. According to the former Presidential Advisor, Guyana must demand that transparency is the benchmark of every effort to pursue a crude oil marketer for Guyana’s share of profit oil. Otherwise, the state could
find itself on a disastrous precipice. To date, there have been 34 applicants to call for companies to market the oil, but all efforts to ascertain the identities of the key persons selected to evaluate the bids, as well as those of the consultants that may be providing guidance along the way, have been futile. The National Procurement and Tender Administration (NPTAB) for example, has categorically told this newspaper that it would not be answering questions regarding the tender while suggesting that the procuring entity, the Energy Department, be made to do so. Kaieteur News did ask the Energy Department for answers on same since Monday last but was asked to be patient until a press conference is held. This virtual meeting with the media is expected to
occur tomorrow. In the meantime, other commentators such as the People’s Progressive Party’s Charles Ramson Jnr., have said that given the political uncertainty, the government has no right to be searching for a crude marketer with whom it will sign a 12-month contract. While Dr. Mangal understands this line of thinking, he told this newspaper that there is a solution. “Whatever the political situation,” he opined, “we always need transparency. There is no excuse not to have it but the question is whether the government should be entering into any long term contracts considering the status of the government...But we also have to sell the oil so one solution is just to enter into short term contracts...”
The international consultant said that Guyana should use the operator of the Stabroek Block which is ExxonMobil, for a direct sale for now as he believes that it would be more worried about transgressing at this point than say Glencore. Based on extensive research, Kaieteur News found that Glencore is one of the many companies with a troubling history of corruption regarding trade deals. Public documents show for example Glencore and two other major oil traders, have used intermediaries to funnel over US$31 million in bribes to corrupt Petrobras employees in order to win massive contracts, along with acquiring other benefits. Taking this and other factors into consideration, Dr. Mangal was keen to note that the Government needs to
Petroleum Consultant, Dr. Jan Mangal stay away from companies of corruption with these oil that were implicated in cor- deals, just giving a benefit by a fraction results in millions ruption. “You see,” he said, or tens of millions of dollars “Guyana is weak and vulner- to the traders and part is paid able and we have already to the officials who make the been exploited by sharks, so decisions and sanction these why go and try to work with deals.” more sharks? The reason Taking this into account, government officials work the consultant said it is critiwith these sharks is because cal that there be complete of kickbacks. I am not saying transparency of the process that happened in Guyana but and the decision makers inthat is usually the reason in volved. “Guyana is already fulfillother parts of the world.” Dr. Mangal added, “It is ing all the criteria of a failed critical that there is transpar- oil state and having an ency in this process. Let us opaque oil deal is another box know who are the people in- we would end up ticking off if volved in the process be- there is no transparency,” the cause if you look at the cases consultant concluded.
Bourda granny’s murder…
Family offers $600,000 reward to anyone who can help police solve case “It’s almost eight months since she was murdered and we are still not getting any information from the police. I will be offering $600,000 to anyone who can provide me with substantial information on my mother’s death.” The foregoing were the words of the only surviving child of the victim, Makada Oudkerk. In a recent interview with Kaieteur News, Ms. Oudkerk said that she will be adding $400, 000 to the already offered $200,000 for information relating to her mother’s murder. Kaieteur News understands that some five months after the murder, police issued a wanted bulletin for a Cuban national who was wanted for questioning in connection with the brutal murder. The suspect, who is still at large, has been identified as 31-year-old Lopez Perez Jair. On October, 11, 2019, 67year-old Marva Oudkerk was found dead in her Lot 241 Bourda Street, Georgetown home with a mosquito net tightly wrapped around her neck.
The Cuban national wanted in connection with the murder.
Dead: Marva Oudkerk But the victim’s daughter is still hoping that one day the pepetrator will be caught in order for her to get some closure. A post mortem that was conducted on the remains of the woman showed that she died from asphyxiation. This information had
prompted the family to offer a reward in an effort to solicit information that can aid police in finding the perpetrator. According to sources, a video footage obtained from a nearby CCTV camera revealed that there was someone gaining entry into
the woman’s home on the night of the deadly incident. Initial investigation re-
vealed that the suspect gained entry into the woman’s home by removing three floor-
ing boards. An undisclosed sum of cash was removed from the building.
Sunday May 03, 2020
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Kaieteur News
Defiant Californians protest against coronavirus lockdown restrictions (The Telegraph) Californians weary of stay-at-home orders that have left millions unemployed staged displays of defiance on Friday, with hundreds of flag-waving protesters gathering at the Capitol and along a famed Southern California beach, while a sparsely populated county on the Oregon border allowed diners back in restaurants and reopened other businesses. While much of the state’s population remained behind closed doors to deter the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged the building anxiety
while repeatedly teasing the possibility the state could begin relaxing some aspects of the restrictions next week. “We are all impatient,” the governor said during his daily briefing, adding “We have to be really deliberative on how we reopen this economy.” Mr Newsom noted the state just passed the grim marks of 50,000 confirmed infections and 2,000 deaths but that hospitalisation statistics are heading in a better direction and that has him hopeful. “We can screw all that up. We
can set all that back by making bad decisions,” he said. “All of that works because people have done an incredible job in their physical distancing.” In Sacramento, as police lined steps outside the Capitol, protesters waved signs that said “Defend Freedom” and broke into “U-S-A” chants, most eschewing face masks intended to deter spread of the virus. A small plane circled overhead, displaying a banner carrying an image of Mr Newsom’s face and the slogan, “End his tyranny.” Joe Ranciato from Roseville, Cali-
fornia, showed up to the protest inside a homemade “socially distancing cage,” made with plastic pipes and duct tape. “I’m really fed up with what’s going on,” said Mr. Ranciato, 58. “I don’t like my freedom to be put in jeopardy.” There were about a dozen organised rallies in cities including Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco.In downtown Huntington Beach, known for its world-renowned surf break, protesters swarmed the streets, backing up traffic for at least a mile along Pacific
Coast Highway. A day earlier, Mr Newsom ordered all beaches in Orange County to close temporarily, after thousands last weekend sprawled on the sand in Huntington Beach and nearby Newport Beach. People waved American flags from their car windows and carried signs reading “Open Cali now.” A plane buzzed overhead with a sign reading “Fire gruesome Newsom! Open California.”While the beach was officially closed by Mr Newsom’s order, people continued (Continued on page 48)
All political parties except APNU+AFC, support live stream of recount From page 3 not applicable in that sense. Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, of the PPP shares this view. Jonas said that the live stream would not just enhance transparency, but that it would assure Guyana that the recount was fair. Nandlall said that the live stream would enhance transparency, fairness and public confidence. He explained that it's not surprising to him that the incumbent coalition opposes the live stream as he is of the view that they have something to hide. Presidential candidate of TNM, Dr. Asha Kissoon, said that all Guyanese people have a right to see what is going on when the recount starts, and that she advocated for same during the briefing. Nyall Jodhan of TCI expressed that it was very concerning to TCI to hear that GECOM had decided against the recount. He said the party is of the view that the people of Guyana have lost faith in the process and want to be a part of it. Hence, “we think a live stream would be what the country needs.” Of concern to all of the parties was the opposition to the
live stream proposal. Jodhan said that Joseph Harmon and Amna Ally, who represented the coalition's interest, said that they don't want people to be able to record anything occurring during the exercise or to broadcast any occurrences with their cellular phones. Jodhan said that it is a strange request for a party to make if it is interested in the transparency of the process. Why does APNU+AFC oppose the live stream? David Patterson, an executive of the AFC, spoke to reporters about the coalition's reasons for opposing the live stream. Asked about the proposal, this was his response: “I know for persons, they are concerned, one, about security. It is no secret that persons have been called up and, well, you know what happens in Guyana. Um, We are not against any sort of, you know, I mean, they said they're gonna live stream processes, parts of it, they're gonna live stream, I think, opening and closing and sealing and that sort of thing.” GECOM did not say that it would live stream any part of the recount. Commissioner
Vincent Alexander had particularly noted, after a Commission meeting, that GECOM has opted to “broadcast” period updates on the progress of the recount, and that it had ruled out the use of the term “live stream”. This was pointed out to Patterson, and this was his response: “Okay, well sorry, well well, you probably right uhh broadcast probably uhh sorry non technical. I mean, which is, but I would assume the broadcast would be live.” A reporter then responded that that was not the understanding the media got from the Commissioners' statements. Patterson's response was “Well, okay so um but you pick, you can clarify that with GECOM. You know what I mean, but we of course um want just want the process to be done um so.” He was then asked about the proposal to control the use of cellular phones during the recount. In response, he said that persons should not be live streaming the GECOM staff without their permission, and that that is the point that was made. He expressed the view
Dem boys seh...
Tenant in we own house Dem boys sitting and all watching all dem container truck passing pun de road. At certain hour, dem gat mo container passing pun the road than car. All dem container is wha doing business with dem oil company contractors. When dem container pass, dem boys sorry fuh the road. By de time dem container dun with de road, we gun gat to build a new one back. De politrickians never worry where de money coming from because most of it does end up in dem own pocket. We just get we fuss quarter royalty from oil. It come up to US$4.9M. Dah kan even build one mile of de road wah dem container ah bruk up. Yet dem oil company coming hay
and behavin as if dem own dis country and we ah de tenant. Exxon announce dat dem lose US$610M in profits fuh de year so far. It just show yuh how much money dem mekking pun we oil. Yet dem want rob we and force we to be like dem odda country wah pumping oil fuh years, yet dem dirt poor. Trinidad and Tobago did have nuff oil. But now dem gat to go with dem begging bowl and beg fuh money. We gun gat fuh do the same 20 and 30 years from now. We pickney and grandpickney gan gat to go begging because when dem oil company dun with we, we gun leff in we bare undawear...
Dem boys hear a man name Bencook ah call people and su-su. Dem boys want he fuh know that su-su is fuh sissy. Story gat mo dan one side and if Bencook wan know de other side he should call de boss man who number is 6246456. De bossman been calling Bencook but he nah getting answer. De bossman seh he nah fraid to talk he side of de story any time, any place and anyhow. But some people only wan hear one side. Dem boys know plenty story too. Who does get pay. Who own wha and suh on. Wha Bencook doing yuh does call dem one-sided. Talk half and wait fuh hear de other side.
that the other parties did not tell the whole story – “So they only tell you the other half but I don't think, I mean, and you are a reporter, I don't think that you are – would like me to come into your workplace and live stream you as you're doing your job without your permission… If you say that how you can't be streaming people live, and the GECOM has signed on to that, that is for everyone. If you said you're gonna do it live, then everyone can do it but persons' consent must be given… So they only give you half of the objection therefore and I mean, I'm sure I can tell you, for me particular I don't want anybody coming into my office and videotaping me without my permission or my knowledge.” Patterson was finally asked, on the topic of the live stream, whether he thinks every step should not be taken, including a live stream, to ensure the transparency of the process. To this question, he pivoted to another matter he said could increase the transparency of the process, that is, the examination of the contents of the box, ensuring the veracity of all of the contents of the box, etc. “Live streaming, credible count, going into the ballot box, looking into the list of all the named electors to see who and who has voted, you mean, it's a list, they have to ascertain all of that. You mean, the media, you seem not to, everyone seem to be talking about umm live streaming.” The PPP had raised the view that the count should generally be just a numerical count, and not a very in-depth examination of all of those contents. Nandlall said that there are sure to be some minor anomalies, and that he is worried that is a tactic to derail the process. Patterson said “PPP is saying there will be anomalies, there will be differences. How can that be resolved by live streaming?” “But what we are saying is there's nothing wi-if you live stream, you live stream.” “Live streaming is simply to shame and name and those things like that,” Patterson
said. GECOM makes no decisions Besides the matter of the live stream, there were a series of proposals made, which warranted a meeting of the Commission shortly after the briefing with the political stakeholders. Jonas said that the question of counting regions simultaneously was raised. GECOM Chair, Justice Claudette Singh had said that four regions would be counted simultaneously – two stations for Region One, two stations for Region Two, three stations for Region Three, and three stations for Region Four. The opposition parties were in opposition to this, and generally argued that it would be confusing. They advocated for GECOM to count one region at a time. Jonas said that his party would prefer that there is a clear set of records and a chain of custody so that everyone can follow. “That won't happen if you're counting four regions at a time.” The only party that did not take issue with the simultaneous count of four regions was APNU+AFC. Patterson said that he is in support of GECOM moving forward, and not revisiting matters already decided on. He had suggested that the PPP is using advocacy for an orderly sequential count as some tactic. Asked to expound, he said that they would probably try to stop the recount after a certain region is finished. He did not elaborate further. Jonas also said that a suggestion was made for all of GECOM's statements of poll to be placed online so that the public can view them. “If the original count is vindicated, we're happy but if the original count is not vindicated, then there needs to be some kind of accountability,” Jonas said. Kissoon of TNM asked GECOM to consider preventing the congregation of persons outside of the centre. This was an issue which arose at GECOM's Hadfield Street command centre and the Kingston headquarters. Sup-
porters of the governing coalition were observed to have heckled party representatives and harassed members of the media. Jonas also said that it is unfortunate that there are only three CARICOM team members, when there are 10 work stations. He hopes that CARICOM would send more High Level officials from its headquarters next door. The PPP, Nandlall said, raised security concerns, including relations with the Guyana Police Force. Nandlall said the party would be more comfortable if a private security firm works alongside the force. Patterson criticized this proposal. Nandlall said that the PPP made a proposal for all of the parties to accompany the ballot boxes as they are being transported to the venue, and for GECOM to facilitate the parties as they keep a militant watch over the ballot boxes as they are being treated with at the centre. Nandlall said that the party, as well, advocated for separate containers to put the ballots in, after the count, instead of the containers that are already there. TCI asked GECOM to produce a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for all parties to sign on to, declaring that they will accept the results of the recount process once they agreed to the terms of reference of the recount. He explained that the impetus for this proposal is to ensure that there are no “untoward happenings” after the results are declared and a winner is named. GECOM's meeting yesterday should have yielded decisions, especially on the date for the recount. But there was none. GECOM's Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward, told reporters that GECOM hopes to have the date and the order finalized for gazetting by Monday. Commissioner Charles Corbin explained that GECOM is likely to sort out its decisions on the live stream and other issues in the meeting of the Commission today, as what has been decided will be in the order.
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Sunday May 03, 2020
Kaieteur News
NICIL converting former sugarcane lands into productive rice fields
M
icrobiologist, Haribhajan Persaud, is part of a three-person team at the forefront of a vision by the National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL) to transform former sugarcane fields into a mega rice industry to boost the local agriculture sector. The team’s efforts are beginning to yield rich rewards. “We have passed the borderline of production cost also we can only get better. The preparation for the first crop in 2020 as been com-
pleted, soon we will be planting in the coming days as we continue to see high returns from our crop,” Persaud said of the venture. He said they were only able to plant 401. 2 acres for their second crop last year because of some unforeseen challenges encountered. So far, this year their reaping has been encouraging. “We only have 184. 3 acres remaining and we anticipate that we will continue to reap well from that,” the microbiologist said. Preparations for this
year’s first crop are on schedule and some 511 acres will be planted despite challenges of converting historic sugarcane lands to rice fields. “We recognise that we can grow rice here but …it cannot be achieved within one or two crops, Persaud reasoned because over hundreds of years, beginning with chattel slavery, the lands have accumulated a significant amount of iron which needs time to dwindle. When this is achieved our rice production will be of great quality,” Persaud assured.
For their inaugural crop, they planted 200.3 acres and this was hiked to 415.4 for the second crop. It was hiked to 482 acres for their third crop. The current crop dipped to 401.2, which they are currently still reaping. Persaud said their first crop for 2020 will be 510.8 acres with plans for a spike to 1,000 acres later on. “But there is still some more work that must be done before we can achieve this target,” Persaud admitted. Several prominent Berbice rice farmers are eyeing participation in the NICIL vision and
Microbiologist and Supervisor of NICIL’s Rice Production at Wales, Haribhajan Persaud.
have put in requests for lands since yields per acre from the farmlands and after milling are very encouraging. Persaud has been in-
volved in research, production and marketing of the local staple and envisages a very bright future for the NICIL initiative.
Kaieteur News
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Sunday May 03, 2020
Our 'Frontline Worker' of the Week is Dr. Bibi Mohamed By Sharmain Grainger
A
s the world undergoes drastic changes owing to the infiltration of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), there are people emerging out of the woodwork who were clearly born for such a time as this. Some are these are our health care workers. Fearless, they have taken the proverbial baton of life and are running with it whichever way they are needed in the quest to help preserve humanity. It comes naturally, like an ingrained talent; they ooze wisdom and foresight that perhaps even they themselves didn't know they had. They work with little to no supervision and under immense pressure, but yet they can easily be adjudged the most disciplined in whatever they set about, daily, doing. The word exhaustion has been expunged from their vocabulary, for they work almost continuously not even stopping to consider that no amount of compensation would be enough for what they so willingly do. Life has become a routine, where the end game is to take back humanity's existence from the grip of COVID-19 - perhaps a plague sent to bring us back
to the realization that within many of us lies a phenomenal, super human, strength that we are just now learning to master. And master it, we must. Already on this bandwagon of perceived invincibleness is a young doctor by the name Bibi Wazeela Mohamed. She also goes by the name of Farah too, and has a place on the COVID-19 team at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation [GPHC]. Dr. Mohamed has no doubt in her mind that the Creator engineered her entry into the world at just the right time so that she could take her place on a team of warriors to battle the s c o u rg e o f t h e n o v e l coronavirus. It is understandably a tough undertaking to be on the offense against an unseen threat, but even in defense mode, the outcome has been bittersweet because of the efforts of unrelenting c o m b a t a n t s l i k e D r. Mohamed. At the time of writing this article Guyana has recorded just over 80 confirmed cases of the disease and deaths have increased to nine. Across the globe the confirmed cases have surpassed three million and deaths are more than 230,000, in over 200 countries.
She is influenced by her parents to be a dedicated professional
“
Becoming a doctor is really about knowing your strengths and knowing your best and highest use as a human being, it also requires having the capacity to care for others.
” In the line of duty
Frontline Worker of the Week, Dr. Bibi Wazeela Mohamed
Suppr essing fear, those on the frontlines like Dr. Mohamed have been unrelenting
despi te COVID-19 being a formidable foe. Overcoming this challenge, she insists, is possible by taking necessary precautions such as measures to “STAY SAFE” and out of the assault range of COVID-19. HUMBLE BEGINNINGS Dr. Mohamed's much needed entrance into this world to prepare for the inevitable COVID-19 combat was on February 16, 1990. Her loving parents Sheik Mohamed, now a pensioner, and her Mother Debi Mohamed, a housewife, certainly didn't know this was the fate of their little girl as they raised her in a Prospect, East Bank Demerara home. Among her favourite pastimes as a lass were: “watching TV, playing with our dogs and catching up on Nancy drew mystery books”. She was schooled at the Peters Hall Primary and then the ISA Islamic Schools before training for her forte began in Cuba when she qualified for a Guyana/Cuba scholarship. According to this now Peters Hall, East Bank
Demerara resident, “Becoming a doctor is really about knowing your strengths and knowing your best and highest use as a human being, it also requires having the capacity to care for others.” Studying medicine was the only choice for her, a journey that commenced in Cuba in the year 2006. Following her return in 2012 to complete her internship, she graduated with her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery [MBBS] in 2013 from the University of Giron, Havana Cuba. Although she was required to serve a five-year contract with government, Dr. Mohamed revealed her intention to continue to serve her country for many more years. “I choose to stay in Guyana because I feel there is much need to give back to my country so we can work together to build, distribute and organize a better health care system. We have come a long way in our medical health system but we still have to do a lot more improvement..,” she revealed.
Dr. Mohamed is also involved in a range of other medical procedures, including carrying out assessments in critical care units, dealing with emergency situations like providing airway and cardiac resuscitation for advanced life support, and giving advice about pain management. She admitted that a typical work day for her is pretty hectic since “it depends on which surgical specialty list I have to work, or if I'm oncall in the main o p er atin g th eatr e, th e Obstetric operating theatre or the intensive care unit.” Shedding more light on her tedious but very vital profession, Dr. Mohamed noted that while “being a doctor is a dream for many, the reason to become a doctor can differ for each medical aspirants. Mine simply was because I want to help people and to be able to provide healthcare services to the less fortunate.” As such she sees doctors with her specific set of skills as “very important as we care and provide anesthesia and critical care services to a vast majority of patients who may require elective or emergency surgeries.”
IN THE LINE OF DUTY For the past three years she has held the position of Registrar in Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit. Moreover, one of her roles in this department is to give patients medication to sleep so they do not feel pain when they are undergoing surgery. She is tasked with monitoring patients' safety and making decisions about intravenous (IV) fluids, the need for blood products, antibiotics, pain medications, and where they will recover after the surgery.
BECOMING A HERO Little did she know that her skills would have seen her providing care to help preserve the lives of those inflicted with a, never before seen, strain of coronavirus in 2020. But she was ready and willing to join forces with her colleagues who make up the COVID-19 team. Her role on this team entails performing critical care services and, according to Dr. Mohamed, this includes procedures such as: intubations, arterial catheterization, central (continued on page 26)
Kaieteur News
Ariella Basdeo
Sunday May 03, 2020
Meet the alluring Miss Ariella Basdeo. This beauty currently resides in Florida. She stands at 5”7 and describes herself as energetic, intelligent, and always happy. Her favourite quote is, “The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.”
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Kaieteur News
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Sunday May 03, 2020
Musical extraordinaire,
David Martins, By Rehanna Ramsay
A
lmost all Guyanese are familiar with the lyrics of David Anthony Martins' 'Not a Blade a Grass” and “Is We Own.” These songs make up a list of hit tunes which make Guyanese everywhere reminiscent of the realities which make the land mass we call home, truly unique. The songs are filled with simple colloquial terms that even a young child could sing along with grace and ease. The artiste behind the music is every bit as easy going and engaging as the songs he sings. With several albums under his belt, the musical icon, who travelled the length and breadth of the Caribbean and North America, remains humble and true to his roots. This week's Special Person is not just a talented musician but one who has used his gift to galvanize feelings of pride, patriotism and nostalgia not just among Guyanese but Caribbean nationals across the globe. Whether it's entertaining a large crowd in New York City or a small gathering at a social event, Mr. Martins uses his talent to uplift spirits and inspire feelings of togetherness among audiences everywhere. The Guyanese musical extraordinaire is indeed celebrated in these parts. It's no wonder his band Dave Martins and the Trade Winds, became a household name throughout the Caribbean in the 1960's. The songwriter used his niche for humour and telling stories about his Caribbean heritage to create several beloved musical hits. The singer's work is not limited to English and Caribbean –style genres but is also rooted in Latin Culture—something inherently intertwined in his lineage. When Kaieteur News caught up with Mr. Martins, he had recently celebrated his 85th birthday. In a conversation he revealed how much his passion for the art runs deep. EARLY INFLUENCES Reminiscent of years past, the musician told this publication that his introduction to music came
from his mother, Zepherina Barcellos, the daughter of Portuguese indentured labourers. He recalled that his mother “an almost saintly figure was a central figure of their household.” She passed on her joy for living and her love for music to her children. “She was always singing various old ballads and doing work around the house, although I don't know where she learned the songs. The house had no electricity, but we had a small batteryoperated radio and wind-up
is a 'Special Person' Portugal. He was smuggled in a mattress abroad a ship en route to British Guiana – the place where his parents were headed to work as indentured labourers. So, my parents spoke to each other in Portuguese around the house, most of the time.” According to the songwriter's recollection, his father spent most of the time away, engaged with his farm in the Pomeroon. “My four sisters,
“
I learned a lot from listening to the approaches of the Trinis, particularly Sparrow, and Lord Kitchener, but I was also a big fan of Lord Blakie, the man with the ribald infectious laugh, and Andre Tanker with his clever lyrics. It was then, and remains now, a treasure trove for me.
gramophone playing 78 rpm recordings at different times,” the musician said. “Looking back on it, that was my introduction to music as well as my mother's ballad singing,” said Mr. Martins. As a youngster, he spent most of his boyhood days frolicking along the quiet c o a s t l a n d s o f We s t Demerara. He was the only boy of the Martins clan—a family with very humble beginnings. In fact, he explained that both his parents belonged to indentured Portuguese families. “In fact, I am told that my father, Joseph Francis Martins, was born in Funchal Madeira, an Island in
”
Theresa, Imelda, Cecelia and Marie, and I, were all born in my mother's Barcellos' family home and we lived originally in a small house and later at my uncle Joseph Barcellos' house at Hague v i l l a g e , We s t C o a s t Demerara ,” he said. As they grew up, the Martins clan moved to a rented house at Vreed-enHoop also on the West Coast of Demerara which was more convenient for the children going to school. Being a close knit bunch, Mr. Martins said that the clan remained close to their aunts at Hague and spent many weekends and holidays at that family house. By the time the young Dave Martins was a
teenager, the family had moved to a rented house at Vreed-en-Hoop so that the children could attend school. “When we moved to the Vreed-en-Hoop house I was taking the ferry every day to Georgetown to attend the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church School on Main Street. Our family couldn't afford high school fees, but with the support of the Main Street nuns, I was able to win a St. Stanislaus scholarship, as did Stanley Greaves, who is also from humble beginnings and later became a famous painter,” Martins told of his early days. With the elder Mr. Martins away at his farm, most of the time, his teenage son's desire for music increased. As he matured, the young Martins would save up his pocket money and buy the occasional 78 rpm recording in Georgetown. He said that they were “largely country music, from the likes of Eddy Arnold, Slim Whitman, Hank Snow, and Eddy Arnold.” His interest in Caribbean music began with Tony Vieira, the man in charge of his aunts' shop at Hague. Vieira played Trinidad records in the shop-- the popular drinking spot in the village. “I have a very vivid memory of a song by the Calypsonian Growler about an excursion from Trinidad to Grenada where the schooner was caught in a storm and sank. I was riveted
Guyanese musical icon Dave Martins is a 'Special Person'
Dave Martins and his beloved wife, Annette, enjoying some time on the beach. by this dramatic real life incident, but especially by the Trini calypso rhythm; I was an immediate convert and the transformation was complete,” said Mr Martins. A couple years later, his
sisters, Imelda and Cecelia, went to Trinidad Carnival and came home, excited about their time there and bringing the top songs. Martins said this “was an (continued on page 46)
Trade winds at Pegasus poolside in 1968 (L-R) Dave Martins, Jeff Japal (Grenada), Clive Rosteing and Terry Dyal (Trinidad), Harry Cupid (Barbados)
Sibling love: An early family photo of Dave Martins and his four sisters
Kaieteur News
Sunday May 03, 2020
PAGE 15
The truth about the 1992 elections
F
ree and fair elections would not have been possible in Guyana had it not been for an event which took place thirty years ago on the other side of the world. On the 9th November 1989, the Berlin Wall came down and this led the demise of eastern European communism and the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union. The West then started promoting democracy around the world. The economic side of liberalism held that free markets prosper best under democratic conditions. As such, the West was keen to encourage democratic governments in order to consolidate the neo-liberal order which emerged after 1989. The West had previously turned a blind eye to rigged elections in Guyana between 1968 and 1985 because they had viewed Burnham as a lesser than Jagan who was seen as a communist. The Americans therefore turned a blind eye to Burnham's electoral theatrics and even took covert action to keep Jagan out of power. As elections neared in 1990, the communist bogey could no longer be used to turn a blind eye to rigging. The demands for free and fair elections in Guyana became more vocal and reached all the way to Wa s h i n g t o n . S e n a t o r Edward Kennedy came out in support of free and fair elections. Later, President George Bush, in a Republic Day congratulatory message to President Hoyte, expressed hope that the 1990 elections would be free and fair. Hoyte, unlike some of the hare-brained lieutenants, would have decoded the political warnings in that congratulatory note. He already had a close shave within the Caribbean Community. After the rigged elections of 1985, Eugenia Charles wanted to kick Guyana out of the Caribbean Community. It was only on account of a last minute
intervention by the leaders at a meeting in Mustique that Hoyte was able to avoid serious sanctions from Caricom. The writing was therefore on the wall. But the then Elections Commission was still controlled by the old riggers, including one former Chief Justice by the name of Sir Harold Bollers. The Voters' List which was produced for 1990 was found to be flawed. Two independent reviews were undertaken of the list and these found it to be highly defective. As a result of local and international pressure and through the meditation of former United States President Jimmy Carter, President Hoyte later agreed to a number of reforms including new house-tohouse registration, the counting of votes at the places of poll and the reconstitution of the Elections Commission. House-to- house registration meant that the elections had to be postponed. As a result of agreeing to these reforms, Hoyte faced stiff resistance within his party. He however believed that he had no choice and that the free world would not accept him as a legitimate President unless there were free and fair elections. He was also led to believe that he could win free and fair elections. There was a group of business persons which called themselves the Committee for the Reelection of the President (CREEP). They peddled the idea to Hoyte that he could win. Hoyte had problems to contend with within his party. He faced a challenge to his leadership as the 1992 elections approached. It took the intervention of Ptolemy Reid, an elder in the PNC, for the challenge to be withdrawn. But it was clear by then that there was a faction in the PNC that was opposed to free and fair elections. Elections were set for
October 5th 1992. On the morning of the elections, the faction opposed to Hoyte began to mobilize persons to try to stop the elections. Persons were brought in by bus to the Election Commission headquarters on Croal Street. One of the main persons behind the bussing in of protestors was the wife of a businessman. She is still around and may be willing to speak about her role. The pretext for the protests was that persons could not find their names on the Voters' List. The Elections Commission was stoned.
The agitators were bent on overturning the elections. It took a call from the US State Department before Hoyte took action to send in reinforcements to protect the Elections Commission. The first set of results came in were from Essequibo. When another newspaper reported that the PPPC had won 70% of the votes, looting broke out in the city. A PNC strongman was in the middle of the melee. He later explained that he was calming the rioters. There are persons in Guyana with long memories who would dispute his
explanation. As the results trickled in, the Carter Center did something called a 'Quick Count'. This is not an exit poll. It is a statistical tool in which a sample of results from polling stations is used to project the results of the elections within a very small margin of error. The Carter Quick Count indicated that the PPPC would win the elections. Carter shared this information with President Hoyte. But it was not on this basis that Hoyte eventually conceded. He only conceded after it became obvious that
even if he secured all the votes of all the polling stations whose results were not yet declared, he still could not win. The PPPC won the elections convincingly. But that victory would not have been possible had the Berlin Wall not been punctured in November of 1989, thirty years ago. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Kaieteur News
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Sunday May 03, 2020
Urgent work needed to restore Caribbean tourism in COVID-19 era By Sir Ronald Sanders
T
o be among the first beneficiaries of a restarted global tourism industry, the present enforced downtime should be used by all actors to position Caribbean countries to compete immediately. Hoteliers, restaurant owners, shops catering for tourists, should now be considering the protocols they need to institute to make themselves ready for the opening of borders. For instance, will face masks and gloves be part of the uniforms of everyone who interacts with visitors from the time they land and until they depart? In the absence of a vaccine for COVID-19, and for some time after one is developed, visitors and locals will want to be confident that contact will not lead to infection. Airports and airlines in the region should now be considering how they will cope with even longer check-in times, physical distancing and the necessary health checks that will have to be conducted before passengers are allowed on airplanes. At least basic protocols should be
formulated, and training for airport and airline personnel should be undertaken now. The countries that are ahead of this curve will give the greatest incentives to airlines to favour transporting passengers into and out of their airports. Eventually, no doubt, international agencies will establish rules and procedures for air travel as they did in 2001 after 9/11 and during the SARS outbreak in 2003. But, Caribbean countries need not await international rules before building confidence in their own airports by putting sensible preparatory measures in place, rehearsing their execution and training staff. Many questions arise from what will be an entirely new situation, and Caribbean governments should be considering them now. Among them are: will governments be willing to accept visitors cleared of COVID-19 by sending countries or will they want to conduct checks themselves? Should it be the latter, clearing passengers for entry after landing, particularly if two or more large aircraft arrive in a cluster, would be a very long and tiresome
process unless airports are reconfigured to deal with hundreds of passengers at the same time. Staff for clearing passengers will also have to be significantly increased and trained. If Caribbean countries will have to ensure that passengers have been tested and cleared for COVID-19 on departure and arrival, work on addressing the enormous challenges should be addressed now. One consideration should be to re-deploy existing public servants from less urgent jobs to these necessary tasks. Hotels should also be working to make themselves ready for visitors by preparing an environment that would give them comfort that they will not be threatened by COVID-19. This would include mandatory use of masks and gloves by all staff at all times. Physical distancing will also have to be implemented in hotel restaurants and bars; crowded spaces will only return when an effective COVID-19 vaccine has been found and distributed in enough quantities worldwide to restore health security. The treatment of cruise
ship passengers will also pose new and huge demands. Since a significant part of their experience is to wander through capital cities, shopping from vendors, big and small, going to beaches and using local transport, how are they to be checked and cleared for COVID-19? In the season, cruise ship passengers number thousands. If Caribbean health authorities want to ensure that these passengers pose no threat to the local population, measures must be put in place to cope with the issue. F u r t h e r, t h e c r u i s e passengers and the cruise companies will want to be assured that the countries at which they are calling have significantly reduced COVID-19 infections and that they have in operation continuous safeguards against the spread of the disease. Undoubtedly, they will also want to be confident that the health facilities in the country are adequate for treating tourists who may contract the disease. Therefore, this downtime should not be treated as a period of paralysis. It should be an interval to galvanize action
by all in the industry, in each country, to institute measures that will give cruise ship companies, tour operators and airlines comfort that they are ready to protect the health of their visitors. They also need to communicate such actions to the global tourism community. When tourism authorities and hotels claim they are open for business, that claim should be supported by evidence of their readiness to provide an environment of health safety. Cruise ship companies want to get their ships cruising. They have lost more than US$750 million in the first quarter of this year. Shares in Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian have dropped by 60 to 70%. They, too, have to restore passenger confidence that their ships will be safe. But, however safe they may make their ships, they will want to be assured that the ports at which they call are also safe. Airlines have also taken a huge beating. Virgin Airlines is seeking a bailout, or it might never fly again; Airlines for America report that American, Jet Blue and others are already on track to lose US$87 billion in
Sir Ronald Sanders revenue this year; British Airways has had to lay-off 12,000 staff, and is faced with closing down its operations at London Gatwick Airport from which Caribbean flights are served. Global air travel could lose more than US$252 billion this year. Airlines, too, need to get their planes in the air. They will fly to the countries best prepared to deal with COVID-19. So, the players in the Caribbean tourism industry at local and regional levels should be taking action now. They will be doing so in an atmosphere of concern about flying and cruising. Any pent-up demand for tourism will be tempered by fear and by cost. Configuring airplanes for safe physical distancing will reduce the number of p a s s e n g e r s a n d consequently increase the cost of travel. Both North America and Europe are now facing huge job losses and millions of people are forced to spend their savings. Only the welloff will easily be able to afford leisure travel in the immediate future. COVID19 is forecast to cause a fall in tourism receipts globally of 20-30% (or US$450 billion) this year. By comparison, during the global recession of 2008 international tourist arrivals declined by only 4%, while the 2003 SARS outbreak resulted in a decline of a mere 0.4%. The problem is real and alarming. Building confidence in tourism capacity must start now, if the Caribbean will be ready to take advantage of borders opening. (The writer is Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the United States and the Organisation of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and at Massey College in the University of To r o n t o . T h e v i e w s expressed are entirely his own) Responses and previous c o m m e n t a r i e s : www.sirronaldsanders.com
Sunday May 03, 2020
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Kaieteur News
---Hinds’ Sight by Dr. David Hinds---
The Case for Power Sharing: Benefits
P
ower Sharing as a possible solution to Guyana’s ongoing ethno-political problems has resurfaced as part of the political discourse. Understandably the parties and supporters which feel that they have won the March 2 election are in no mood to discuss this idea. In that regard it may have once again become victim of the persistent lure of oneparty rule. Then there are the younger generations which have little or no political context for locating power sharing. So, they approach it as an abstraction and invariably raise questions about its suitability. Despite the above I remain steadfast in my conviction that executive power sharing is the best short-term solution to Guyana’s clear and present political problems. It is for that reason that I intend to dedicate some of my columns in the coming weeks to this issue. I begin today with what I think are the foremost benefits of the model of governance. Perhaps the foremost benefit of power-sharing is its potential for ensuring that no ethnic group dominates the
other politically and by extension culturally and economically. In Guyana, the executive branch has evolved as the engine of government with the other two branches serving for the most part in a supplementary manner. One can argue with much justification that there has been an executive supremacy that borders on executive tyranny. The party which wins the election gets a majority in the parliament, which then gives it automatic control of the executive branch. This guarantees the governing party enormous power, which in a situation of ethnic conflict is an unfair advantage that eventually leads to authoritarianism or democratic exclusion as exclusionary domination. With the built-in parliamentary majority, government bills are guaranteed passage unless there is a revolt among government parliamentarians, which has never occurred in Guyana. However, with both parties in the cabinet the fear of the power of the executive by the minority would be greatly diminished. Since ethnic insecurity is premised on the fear of domination, institutional
assurances of security will most likely lead to a decrease in the intensity of this fear. Because the executive branch of the government has a monopoly on decision-making within the Guyanese state, it has become the symbol of domination along class, gender, and ethnic lines. Given the fact that ethnicity has greatly influenced political behaviour in Guyana since 1955, control of the government is seen largely, though not exclusively, in ethnic terms. The power of the state in determining economic policy and distributing resources places it in an extremely powerful position. In an economy in which the state is the largest employer and the private sector is relatively small, the power of the executive is enhanced. This leads me to a second benefit of power sharing— the enlarging of multi-ethnic space. The creation of multiethnic space in ethnically polarized societies is directly linked to ethnic security. When ethnic insecurity is high multi-ethnic space contracts and when it decreases multi-ethnic space grows. The significant achievement of Walter Rodney and the
WPA was their success in increasing multi-ethnic space by encouraging a power-sharing arrangement in the opposition at three levels—between the WPA and the PPP, among all political parties regardless of ideological leanings and between the political parties and labour, religious and other professional organizations. These power- sharing arrangements created spaces for ethnic solidarity among workers, between ethnic communities and between the working classes and professionals. The third benefit of power-sharing is its potential for the enhancement of democratization within the government. One of the problems of governance in the Caribbean, despite its general adherence to the tenets of formal democracy is the concomitant monopoly of power by the ruling party and the exclusion of the opposition. This democratic exclusion has led to virtual a one-party democracy, which has had negative consequences for the rule of law, respect for civil liberties, government accountability, economic man-
agement and development, political instability, and national sovereignty. In ethnically polarized societies democratic exclusion and one- party democracy often mean ethnic exclusion and domination. The ruling party’s obsession with remaining in power to protect the “race” leads to it being unaccountable to either its constituency or that of the opposing parties. Further, the guaranteed ethnic support regardless of the quality of governance makes the government more likely to overreach. On the other hand, opposition perception and reality of marginalization drives it to extra-parliamentary tactics, which are then crushed by the government in the name of law and order. A fourth benefit of power sharing is that it brings the opposition off the streets into the formal councils of government thus denying the government the excuse that it is under siege and the opposition of charges that its supporters are ethnically marginalized. With both groups in the executive branch, majoritarianism gives way to a more consensus
Dr David Hinds form of democracy. But increased democracy within the executive branch will not enhance democracy if it is not supplemented by democratization of other branches and between the central government and local government. While power sharing in the executive does not automatically lead to democratization of the other two branches, it stands a better chance of facilitating this. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper) More of Dr. Hinds’ writings and commentaries can be found on his YouTube Channel Hinds’ Sight: Dr. David Hinds’ Guyana-Caribbean Politics and on his website www.guyanacaribbeanpolitics.news. Send comments to dhinds6106@aol.com
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Sunday May 03, 2020
Kaieteur News
The clock of death and other ‘hard to explain’ stories By Michael Jordan A clock that brings death to those who lie close to it…chairs that rock untouched by hand or breeze…ghostly figures that flit along passageways.. No, this isn’t the plot for the latest horror movie…just some of the ‘jumbie’ stories that circulate around some of our old hospitals. Like dark family secrets, some of these tales are only whispered among staffers. Others, however, have been passed down and have become part of Guyanese folklore. Take the story about the clock. This was a clock that once stood at the top of a tower-like structure of the now demolished medical ward at the Georgetown Hospital. In the old days, that clock, and the ward in which it was located, drove fear in patients who were sent there. The legend was that anyone who went to the ward ‘under the clock’ was likely to die. For some, the term ‘he deh under the clock’ not only meant that a patient was in the medical ward, but also that this patient didn’t have long for this world. Some patients were so terrified of being placed ‘under the clock’ that they took every
The old Georgetown Hospital
possible ruse to avoid being taken there. I heard one story about a man who so dreaded being admitted to this ward that he opted to have himself discharged prematurely— only to die at home after falling off his bed. But I learned that there was a simple answer to these stories. An old staffer explained that back then, many of the patients who were admitted to the ward ‘under the clock’ were terminally ill, and this explained the high incidence of death in this ward.
But the other stories about the Georgetown Hospital weren’t so easy to explain. For instance, there was something that nurses called ‘the pressing.’ According to some nurses who spoke to me, this is something that occurs when nurses are either asleep or on their rest period. ”You feel as if something is pressing you down,” one nurse said. “You are unable to talk or move.” Claiming to have experienced ‘the pressing’ several times, the nurse said that she was
resting in the nurse’s room one night when she suddenly became aware that the door had suddenly swung open. However, she saw no one enter the room, and she was seized with a terrible fear, and try as she might, was unable to move. She remained in this state until another staffer entered the room. On another occasion, the same nurse said that she was sleeping in the rest room when she dreamed that a ‘fat dougla man’ had entered the room. She said that in her dream, the ‘man’ began to touch her breasts, and she was unable to move. The staffer said that she eventually forgot about the incident until a male nurse confided in having a similar dream about a ‘fat dougla man’ approaching him with sexual intentions. Another male nurse said that he was sleeping in the Medical Ward when he had a nightmare of a tall man standing over him. “I awoke with a terrible fear and slept no more that night.” Some old staff also claimed to have encountered ‘ghosts’ during their nightly rounds. One male nurse spoke of ordering a ‘boy’, whom he assumed to be a patient, back to bed, only to have this ‘boy’ vanish before his eyes.
Others claimed that the spirit of a long-dead ‘sister’ wandered about the now-demolished Lady Thompson Ward. But some patients also claimed to have been tormented too. One woman claimed that a young girl repeatedly stood by her bed, while claiming that the woman was lying in ‘her’ bed.Hospital staffers have different theories about these incidents.One claimed that they were caused by ‘spirits of the dead under the influence of the devil.’ And hospitals are places of death. In fact, back in 1991, carpenters uncovered an ancient tomb while doing renovations at the Georgetown Hospital. Others scoffed and said that they were Christians and didn’t believe in such nonsense. A psychiatrist had a different explanation. He said that hospital staffers encounter many traumatic situations, including death, when on duty. When they are asleep, these memories surface in their subconscious mind, and manifest themselves in various manners And the victims of ‘the pressing,’ may actually have experienced a phenomenon that scientists call ‘sleep paralysis.’ One website said that sleep paralysis consists of a period of inability to perform voluntary movements either at sleep or upon awakening. ”In some cases…people feel that someone is in the room
with them, some experience the feeling that someone or something is sitting on their chest and they feel impending death and suffocation. That has been called the “Hag Phenomena” and has been happening to people over the centuries. These things cause people much anxiety and terror, but there is no physical harm. The hallucinatory element to sleep paralysis makes it even more likely that someone will interpret the experience as a dream, since completely fanciful or dream-like objects may appear in the room alongside one’s normal vision.Another website said that “some scientists have proposed this condition as an explanation for alien abductions and ghostly encounters. But whether one chooses to believe in the supernatural or not, one thing is for certain. Shakespeare was right: There are indeed more things in heaven and in earth than are dreamed of in our philosophies. (If you have information about any unusual or unsolved cases, please contact Kaieteur News by letter or telephone at our Lot 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown. Our numbers are 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8473 or 2258491. You need not disclose your identity. You can also contact Michael Jordan at his email address: kamarangnight@gmail.com.)
One more covid19 patient discharged NEWSDAY - The total number of patients who have recovered from covid19 now stands at 88. In its 4 pm update yesterday, the Health Ministry said an additional patient was discharged from the Home of Football in Balmain, Couva. No new samples were sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) for testing, with the total number remaining at 1,838. From
that total, 321 were repeated tests and 1,517 were unique patient tests. Only six patients remain at the Couva Hospital and they are all said to be in a stable condition. Only six patients are at the Sangre Grande step-down facility, and eight more are at the Home of Football. The number of positive cases remains at 116 and deaths at eight.
Five recover, no new cases Daily Nation - Five people will leave the isolation facility yesterday after receiving two consecutive negative tests for COVID-19. The number of persons in isolation is now down to 30. There were no new positives among the 52 tests carried out by the Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory Friday. The laboratory has now completed 2,369 tests. The number of confirmed cases remains at 81, the number of recoveries has risen to 44, and there have been seven deaths. (BGIS)
Sunday May 03, 2020
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Kaieteur News
==THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN==
Electoral insanities unseen in modern times What goes through the mind of the leadership of APNU+AFC is a process no genius in psychoanalysis can fathom. With each day that passes the unthinkable is done by the election commission that sets Guyana apart from the rest of the world in contemporary history. The commission consists of six commissioners and a chairman. That is the top of the pyramid. All seven persons have permanent constitutional status that cannot be revoked. Only the courts can pass judgement on policies and action of GECOM as when the Chief Justice ruled that the tabulation of Region 4 by the returning officer, Clairmont Mingo, was not done according to law. GECOM could not have saved Mingo. Once GECOM had accepted what Mingo did, it was in contempt of court. The six commissioners and chairman make decision for GECOM. In a majority vote, GECOM can remove or employ personnel of its choice. The Chief Elections Officer (CEO) can be removed by a majority decision. In what can only be the strangest election commission in
the world in recent times, the Chief Elections Officer and his deputy can make decisions over and above the authority of a commissioner. The examples of this are; Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Roxanne Myers, composing edicts that commissioners cannot overturn. A commissioner is a constitutional office holder, Ms. Myers is not. If Myers requests an office staff to remove a visitor from the building because of unkempt appearance, a commissioner can override her. The security at the gate has to listen to a commissioner over Ms. Myers. The CEO compelled a staff to hand over a flash drive to a policeman, while his action was being filmed for the world to see. No commissioner could have prevented him from so doing. Commissioners Sase Gunraj and Robeson Benn were ordered by the police to leave GECOM premises by GECOM lower staff that did not possess the authority to have these commissioners removed. Now the most infamous example that has no parallel in modern times. The CEO has in his pos-
session the statements of poll (SOPs) for Region 4 and the commissioners cannot see them. It has to be the most caricatured election situation in history. This gentleman possesses information that the commissioners are entitled to see but he, who has less authority and power than the commissioners decides that he will not make them available. Now the question is what authority he has to withhold documents from a commissioner. What transpired recently was that the commissioners in a majority vote decided not to make the SOPs available to commissioners. But the question is whether by law the CEO can withhold those documents if requested by an individual commissioner? Aren’t the SOPs the property of GECOM and a commissioner is entitled to examine such properties? Of course this brings into focus the role of Claudette Singh. From here on until the election impasse is resolved, I will not dignify, Singh with the title of “Justice.” She was a former Court of Appeal Justice but it is my right to decide how I name her in my
column. I think it is an insult to Guyana to use the title of “Justice” when writing about her and I will not employ it in my columns. Singh ruled that the people of Guyana cannot see the SOPs for Region 4. Yet this same woman said that the declaration made on March 14 which contains the results of the election stands until there is a definitive conclusion from the re-counting. Through Singh’s macabre action, Guyana has an election result but the SOPs which made that outcome possible cannot be seen by some of the commissioners themselves, muchless the nation. Can someone find a parallel situation like that in the past hundred years in the world? Singh of course keeps
chalking up critics all over the world and in the process makes the APNU+AFC leadership look shameless. With the exception of two leaders in the AFC – Dominic Gaskin and Khemraj Ramjattan – all other autocrats in both APNU and AFC have asserted victory. When a ruling party tells the world it won an election but the world cannot see the documents that provide the statistics of victory because the commission and those autocrats do not want to show them, then that is evil. I can think of no other term but evil. Singh of course is at it again. Her friends in APNU+AFC insist that they won the poll and do not mind a recount. But this strange lady has paranoid feelings
Frederick Kissoon about transparency. She does not want live streaming for the re-count. In other words the lady doesn’t want transparency. What an unbearable and unbelievable spectacle. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)
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Sunday May 03, 2020
Kaieteur News
The PPP has been pushing for a limited recount of the votes Sometimes you simply have to admire the leadership
of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). That group does
not understand what it is to be duplicitous.
Take for example its latest uttering that the Coalition is the one which is planning to derail the recount and audit of the March 2, General and Regional Elections. That accusation has never been made against the governing Coalition as it has not been the one fighting for a limited recount of the votes cast. The Coalition’s leadership has thrown everything on the table, asked for and got its wish for a total recount of all the regions starting from Region One stretching all the way to number 10. On the other hand, the PPP, as a shameless and utterly bold- faced political outfit, has been doing everything in its power to limit the recount and audit to Region Four mainly and only in the first instance so it could abandon and walk away from the process, tell the world that it won the elections and create the type of confusion that we saw in the days immediately after Guyanese had voted. The confusion that the PPP had sown among its supporters, mostly on the East Coast, was quickly quelled by responsible officers and ranks of the Guyana Police Force. The PPP is the one, certainly not us, which has used every available and willing surrogate organization and individual - the Private Sector Commission included - to publicly beg, demand, push and coerce those in authority for a limited recount of the votes, even threatening to go to court once again to force the hand of the Guyana Elec-
tions Commission (GECOM) to commence the exercise at Region Four and to have a large number of counting stations to allow its operatives to sow confusion and manipulate the process. So to now accuse us of planning confusion and peril is very difficult to comprehend. Fast forward to the month of May as the recount and audit exercise is about to begin and here it is that the PPP is accusing the Coalition’s leadership of irresponsible behaviour and approaches by moving to derail the process. Here is what General Secretary, defacto leader and puppet master, Bharrat Jagdeo, had to say as last week ended. “We have solid intelligence that they know if the votes are counted cleanly the PPP will win so they intend to create confusion. The plan is not to conclude the count in Region Four by creating confusion in the other Regions.” What Mr. Jagdeo and his cohorts don’t seem to know is that the Coalition has its own solid intelligence and access to credible information. Mr. Jagdeo has incidentally already signalled plans to declare Irfaan Ali as president of the country similar to what has transpired in neighbouring Venezuela. We await the execution of such a plan as this is not child’s play. Almost everyone in Guyana is aware of the level of ballot stuffing and illegal activities that took place in a number of regions - not the least being Regions One, Two
and Three, Six and Nine and of course in the highly significant Region Four with the largest number of voters. It is for this very reason the Coalition has pressed for a total recount and has agreed to allow monitors from Caricom and perhaps other groups to come and observe the process despite all the logistical problems and the risks associated with such as we battle to Covid-19 pandemic. And as Guyanese observed Labour Day last Friday from their homes amid the Corona pandemic, Trades Union Congress (TUC) General Secretary, Lincoln Lewis, warned about irresponsible utterances and the negative effects such could have on society. “We must not be misled by loud voices, by titles, by media, by threats, nor by those who seek to make us impotent in our responses by shaming us with lies and misrepresentation of who we are based on our looks, political and other associations. We are seeing efforts at this right now in our society. We do not want it! We cannot develop, nor live in peace as a nation under such conditions, and we open the doors for our country to be taken advantage of by predatory forces of all sorts, who seek to exploit our wealth and divide,” Lewis said. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Sunday May 03, 2020
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Kaieteur News
Lockdown thing …Bringing party vibes to your living room By Shikema Dey
Y
ou’ve probably heard at least once the saying “every tinin cup knack, I deh” used to describe someone who never misses a party. Whether it be the hype weekends at the Strip, Palm Court or a simple street BBQ, Guyanese are truly party people. Some locals even say that music, mainly Soca and Chutney, runs in their veins. But this nature had to be reined in when Guyana, like many countries, got infiltrated with the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Partial lockdown measures have been implemented here which have put a damper on the spirit of many party goers. With the order to stay at home as part of social distancing measures meant to curb the spread of the virus, people scrambled for alternative ways to be entertained, hoping to get a taste of the familiar party vibes. That vibe is exactly what Duck & Drakes Promotions, Guyana Carnival, CEO Entertainment592 and Stag Beer intended to bring when they collaborated to introduce a new party zone for the Guyanese populace. How? The entertainers have been using social media to their advantage, sprinkled with lots of music and a public thirsty for entertainment. This saw the birth of virtual party in Guyana. Although virtual parties have been around for a while, the unique flare brought about by the Guyanese entertainers remains unmatched. The event made waves as soon as it emerged, gaining traction and becoming a weekly affair. THE BRAINS BEHIND THE OPERATIONS Kaieteur News caught up with Patrick Joseph and Felix Walker, two overseas Guyanese from Duck & Drakes Promotions and Shauna Parker of CEOEntertainment592 who said that “a bunch of Soca junkies” bored of out their minds from the lockdown decided to collaborate to bring the party vibe into people’s living room. “Shauna and myself have been Soca junkies for the longest while and we’ve been following a lot of these online parties from its emergence and when the lockdown started,” Joseph told this publication. “I think Uber Soca Cruise was the first brand to start it. We then decided that after the coronavirus cases started to increase in Guyana we needed to find a way of spreading the stay home message because we know people home love to party and wanna be out all the time.” Phone calls were made,
sponsors came on board and the deal was made. “We decided that yes this is a great initiative and let’s do this to get that message across. Stay home and we will bring the entertainment to you,” Joseph said. BRINGING THE PARTY VIBE TO YOU So far, five virtual parties have been held and the support, according to Parker of Entertainment592, has been overwhelming. “A lot of persons have been messaging and calling asking ‘okay so this week is over, what are we gonna see next week? So they keep messaging asking ‘so I got to wear this for this party, I got to do this for this party? So the response has been very overwhelming so far,” she noted. Joseph relayed that since, the atmosphere and environment differs from the normal party vibe, the virtual parties are planned weekly to bring a different theme at the event. He added, “We work together. We have meetings every week at the back of these events and plan out what we are gonna bring to the people so we take it very seriously. It is not just a party that we are looking at. We put a lot of effort and time into bettering the experience for everyone.” The parties rely heavily on Zoom, a web-based video conferencing platform with a local, desktop client and a mobile app that allows users to meet online, with or without video. With this platform, the DJ’s can interface with the party people. Explaining how the DJ’s bring the club vibe to the living rooms of thousands, Parker revealed that the energy alone from the partiers who are logged in play a significant role. “Whatever we put on screen as it relates to persons, when we spotlight them, the DJ’s feed off that vibe and that creates the atmosphere for them; whatever they see, they react to that. They have gotten to adjust to the whole new normal of having to party indoors. I can say safely that they have adjusted to it very well,” she shared. Pleased that the “stay home message” was being well received, Walker explained that these events may
change the mindsets of many while giving another perspective of partying.
And that they did. Joseph said that the patrons act as if they are in a
“It’s actually served the purpose of making individuals look forward to actually being in their homes at those times, so it has actually been changing their mindset, changing the way they actually think about going out because they can do it in their own environment. I think we are able to achieve that also by channelling the focus to being home rather than on the road. So I think that has been achieved largely and the word is spreading. There are all kinds of people that wanna engage and be involved.” The event also attracts many overseas Guyanese who miss the party vibes back home. According to Joseph, at least half of the join requests they receive are from Guyanese living abroad. “A lot of overseas Guyanese who miss home and wanna be with the Guyanese people are finally being able to party with everyone because we have a lot of people from the United States and the Caribbean and you can tell they are Guyanese by the way they respond, and they look forward to it you know… so it’s spanning the globe and just bringing Guyanese closer together.” Guyanese are even getting creative with the parties. Due to the number of requests received, the team decided it might be best to stream live on Facebook on the Guyana Carnival Official page, giving everyone a chance to be a part of the fun.
club, posting fun comments that make the parties even better. “We know Facebook could be very unforgiving and the comments section
makes it ever better… we got comments like “girl, I going to the bar and get a drink, you want something? Stuff like that and so much more. And it makes the party better. That’s what we want, that fun vibe, we’re bringing it to you.” WHAT’S NEXT? The anticipated Guyana Carnival is an amalgamation of influential entertainment bodies, the Government of Guyana and other key stakeholders to create a new exciting product to boost tourism, entertainment, and night life. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has successfully put a halt to the exciting events planned for this celebration. But there is no need to worry. There may be a virtual Carnival party coming straight to your living room. The team, although tightlipped, not wanting to spill the juicy details of their plans, hinted at a possible virtual Guyana Carnival for May 2020. “The Carnival Calendar is
slated for the month of May so we are in talks to see how we can introduce those events into the virtual promotion and entertainment that we are giving to the Guyanese people. So, like for example, all of the carnival events that were slated or the majority of them, we will squeeze them into one weekend. So yes carnival could be coming to you.” Felix said too, “we’ve got a lot of ideas coming, unfortunately, it is still confidential because we are working out some kinks but what I can tell you is that we have some very creative minds on the team and everyone is about to get an experience.” The party spirit living in you does not have to die because of the COVID-19. The entertainers hoping to bring that same vibe you’d find in a club or a bar into the safety of your very own home. The DJs are ready and pumped. So, get out your outfit, put on your makeup and log on. Virtual parties might very well be here to stay.
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Sunday May 03, 2020
Kaieteur News
Book Review – Guyana’s Public Service: change, conformity and continuity (A Review of David Granger’s Guyana’s Public Service: Change, conformity and continuity) avid Granger, Guyana’s 8th Ex ecutive President, is reforming the Public Service to ensure the impartial and efficient delivery of services to the public. He initiated change because of the need to transform traditional institutional structures to conform to modern public administration practices. This book –Guyana’s Public Service: change, conformity and continuity –advances a convincing case for the need for public administration to adapt to change while embracing higher levels of performance and maintaining continuity of the principle of political neutrality and conformity with the standards of professional efficiency. Granger wastes little time in getting to the gravamen of change. The Public Service’s mission, according to him, is to deliver services to citizens in an efficient, non-discriminatory and timely manner. In order to achieve this, his administration set itself the objective of nurturing a highlycompetent Public Service that is impartial – in the sense that it serves every citizen equitably and promptly. Public Services around the world tend to be stigmatised for slothfulness and ponderousness. The study of public administration, as a consequence, has been dominated by the need to find solutions to improv-
D
ing public service performance and increasing output without losing its impartiality. Neo-liberal models of government, unfortunately, emphasise the downsizing of big government and the outsourcing of its services. There is a strong imperative for developing countries, however, to continue to provide its citizens with public education, public health, public security and enabling public infrastructure– services which, too often, are not attractive to profit-seeking private sector providers. A professional and proficient Public Service is a prerequisite for the delivery of such services. Guyana inherited a Westminster model Public Service on the attainment of political Independence. The colonial public administration systems were patterned after similar institutions in Britain and were characterised by two main features. The first was a presumed dichotomy between policy formulation and policy implementation. The second was the notion of neutrality which implied that public servants were obliged to serve any incumbent, or incoming, administration loyally. This model was transplanted to the colony of British Guiana. The colonial civil service model, however, was distorted by deformities in the various cosmopolitan societies to which it was transplanted. It was stratified along the lines of education, ethnicity,
poverty or religion much like the societies which it mirrored. The topmost positions in the Judiciary, Police Force and Departments of the Civil Service, for example, tended to be reserved, almost exclusively, for expatriates. The publication of the landmark Report of the West India Royal Commission, known as the ‘Moyne Com-
ment of a Public Service Commission which would comprise persons who were not involved in political activities. The publication of yet another landmark Report – The Public Service of Guyana. Report of the Commission of Inquiry, 1969’ – known as the ‘Collins Commission’, confirmed the Commission’s responsibility for the appointment, promo-
mission’ and the advent of democratic politics in the post-World War II years, generated pressure in British Guiana and the West Indies for more locals to assume senior management positions within the Civil Service, among other things. This contributed to the process which became known as ‘Guianisation’, in the two decades preceding political independence. Friction between elected political ministers and appointed professional civil servants also hampered public administration. The publication of another landmark Report–that of the British Guiana Constitutional Commission of 1950 known as the ‘Waddington Commission’– sought to address this latter challenge by recommending the establish-
tion, dismissals and disciplining of public servants. The Public Service Appellate Tribunal was established to provide an inexpensive remedy to public servants who wished to appeal decisions of the Commission much later. The Public Service Commission, despite the recommendations of these erudite reports, came to lose any pretence at impartiality by the appointment by the post 1992 administration of politically-compromised chairmen – including former People’s Progressive Party Cabinet Ministers Brindley Benn and George Fung-On – and the refusal to appoint the Public Service Appellate Tribunal. These appointments and other measures aimed at politicising the Public Service and undermining the Guyana
Public Service Union impaired the impartiality of the institutions which were indispensable for safeguarding the principle of a meritocracy and security of tenure. The Public Service became heavily politicized and gravely demoralized as a result. The challenge facing David Granger when he assumed the Presidency in May 2015 was to restart the process of restoring a modern Public Service capable of delivering efficient and quality services to citizens without the need to revamp the entire system. The President, in an effort to repair the damage inflicted on the Public Service during the 1992-2015 PPP administration, appointed Professor Harold Lutchman to lead another commission – The Commission of Inquiry into the Public Service – known as the ‘Lutchman Commission’, which presented its report in 2016. This book – Guyana’s Public Service: Change, conformity and continuity– follows Granger’s previous book – Public Policy. The crisis of governance in Guyana – which he published in 2012. The two books represent a sure-footed response to the challenges of change and continuity. A common theme which pervades the pages of this book is the insistence on the establishment of a professional and impartial Public Service. The means by which the President hopes to fashion such an institution is twofold. First, by the providing for the existence of the systems essential to ensuring fairness in employment and, second, by emphasizing professional efficiency through advanced education. David Granger reposes supreme confidence in the traditional institutions established to protect public servants from arbitrary demotions, dismissals and discipline – the Public Service Commission and the Public Service Appellate Tribunal. He views these institutions as playing a central role in fashioning an impartial and professional Public Service. Pub-
lic servants, today, can feel better protected and insulated because of the emphasis which the President has placed on retaining these key Public Service institutions. The President’s emphasis on the need for a proficient Public Service is reflected in his decision to establish the Bertram Collins of the Public Service. The President argues that it would be unreasonable to expect a student to leave secondary school one day and to become a competent public servant the next day. Advanced education in the College is elemental to preparing persons for entry into the Public Service. The President, addressing the 23rd Biennial Conference of the Guyana Public Service Union, emphasised the importance of a Service equipped with the skills to adapt to a rapidly-changing working environment. He called on public servants to upgrade their education. Public administration in Guyana has been strengthened under David Granger’s presidency. He has restored confidence and respectability to the Service. A more proficient and professional Public Service is being constructed under his watch. David Granger’s foresight is paying dividends. The public has begun to reap the benefits of a Public Service that is now more motivated and energised to provide efficient and courteous services. Public servants are now better-paid and better educated to perform their jobs. The Public Service is doing now what public services should have been doing a long time ago – becoming more responsive to citizens’ needs and supporting national development by expanding the delivery of services all across the country. This book makes an important contribution to the study of public administration in a post-colonial setting. It demonstrates, compellingly, that while there might be deformities and difficulties, there is no need to dismantle the institutions which were inherited at Independence. These institutions could be reformed and improved. They have the capabilities to guarantee change, conformity and continuity in public administration. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Sunday May 03, 2020
Kaieteur News
Coronavirus: It’s not all bad By Dr. Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine ver the past weeks, I have been trying my best to update you on the Covid-19 infection, and it has been mostly bad news thus far. There have been some recent developments in the medical world that has given me some form of hope that we may be able to win this sooner than predicted. Today, I will share with you some updated evidence that is encouraging and may be turning the tide against this virus. Is Hydroxychloroquine/ Chloroquine working or not? Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are similar and I will use hydroxychloroquine to represent both drugs in our discussion. There have been studies that has shown evidence for and against the effectiveness of this drug against the Covid19 infection. In my opinion, this is one of the best pharmacological options available against this infection currently. So far, it is thought that the virus enters our cells via two routes. Hydroxychloroquine is said to block the major of these routes thereby preventing the virus from entering our cells where it can multiply and cause destruction. Therefore, for it to be effective, it has to be used early in the infection. The many studies that have proven its effectiveness, used it early in the infection while those that didn’t, used it later in the infection when the virus had already gotten the upper hand. Based on the studies, we have to use hydroxychloroquine within the first 5 days of the infection if we want to see its effectiveness against the coronavirus. Exciting news about Remdisivir? You may have heard the exciting announcement of the encouraging effects of this drug against the virus. Studies are showing that while Remdisivir did not significantly decrease the death rates, it did shorten the duration of the illness by 31 percent by blocking the virus from multiplying. Now that they have found an antiviral that is effective against the virus, there are possibilities of creating more effective antivirals using the same composition of remdisivir and building from that. The Solidarity trial by WHO
O
The World Health Organization has recently embarked on a solidarity trial against coronavirus. It is recruiting hospitals in many countries in the world to trial four different drugs against the virus and determine which may be effective. These drugs (including hydroxychloroquine and remdisivir) have all shown encouraging results but there hasn’t been a large trial to validate their results. Guyana has indicated its willingness to participate in the trial and we may see an effective treatment plan coming out of this trial against the Coronavirus. A Vaccine earlier than thought? In one of my previous articles, I made mentioned of evidence pointing to having an effective vaccine against the Covid-19 infection being about a year to 18 months away. Over the past week, the Oxford Institute announced that they may have an effective vaccine developed by September of this year and can have large supplies by year end. This vaccine is still in human trials but they are so optimistic that they have begun making one million vials already. If this vaccine is proven to be successful, we may be able to control the Covid-19 pandemic within a year or so. Can Vitamin C and Zinc help? The combination of Vitamin C and Zinc has been proven to be effective against viral infection long before the coronavirus. They boost your body’s response to viral infection and help prevent them from get-
Dr. Zulfikar Bux ting into our cells and spreading. I highly recommend that you use foods or supplements that contain both Vitamin C and Zinc to have your body prepared to fight the virus in the event that you are infected. Foods rich in Vitamin C include: · Guava · Oranges/tangerine · Cherries · Peppers · Pineapple Foods rich in zinc include: · Guava · Banana · Avocado · Ground beef · Beans While there are many mythical treatments and remedies being circulated on social media, these are the best options that we have based on the scientific evidence we have thus far. Many other studies are being developed to test other non-conventional options, such as nicotine patch, on the virus. I will try to update you as credible evidence comes out. In the meantime, be responsible and do not try everything you see on social media, consult with a doctor first. At this time, your best bet still remains in staying at home, wearing a mask if you have to go out, and practicing good hygiene.
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Sunday May 03, 2020
Kaieteur News
times.
AFRICA’S RICHEST OIL NATIONS KNOCKING ON IMF, WORLD BANK’S DOORS FOR FUNDING TO FIGHT COVID-19
REMITTANCES TO POOR COUNTRIES TO SEE SHARPEST DECLINE IN RECENT HISTORY, THIS YEAR – WORLD BANK
By GDP ranking, Nigeria and Angola are among the top 10 wealthiest nations in Africa. But these nations, which are also some of the largest oil producers in that continent, are now at the doorsteps of international financing institutions, with urgent appeals for emergency funding to survive the COVID-19 pandemic. Nigeria, Africa’s largest crude oil exporter, saw its revenues tumble with the fall in oil prices which started in January. It is now at the mercy of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which it has approached for a US$3.4B bailout. It has also asked the World Bank for US$2.5B along with US$1B from the African Development Bank. IMF’s Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, has since noted that Nigeria’s economy is being threatened by the twin shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated sharp fall in international oil prices while noting that the current administration is taking a number of measures aimed at containing the spread of the virus. With respect to Angola, Africa’s second largest oil producer, two-thirds of its crude is sold to China and it relies heavily on oil revenue. As a consequence of the oil price collapse, the country has cut its national budget and now looks to international agencies for assistance. According to the IMF, Angola has reported more than 23 confirmed cases of COVID-19, of which two were deaths, and six marked as recoveries. Due to the increase of confirmed cases, the Angolan Health Ministry announced the application of the civil requisition law, requiring retired healthcare professionals to report to service and reinforce the health sector. The World Bank is currently working with the authorities to provide financing for medical supplies and equipment. The United Nations is also providing technical and financial support and, on April 14, l a s t , t h e U N ’s r e s i d e n t coordinator in Angola announced an additional grant of US$ 12.5 million to combat COVID-19. Other considerable producers like Chad and Gabon, have also requested help during these turbulent
It is no secret that many poor, working-class families across Guyana largely find remittances from their friends and family members abroad helpful in shoring up their livelihoods, especially in times of economic hardship. But those poor families are going to feel the squeeze this year, if the World Bank’s projections are any indication. The Bank has projected that there will be a sharp decline in remittances to countries all over the world, as nations struggle to cope with the compounding issues of COVID-19 and the oil price collapse. The Bank recorded a total of US$554B in remittances going to low and middle income countries in 2019, and it sees that dropping by 19.7 percent this year to US$445B. With respect to the Latin America and Caribbean region, the Bank said that the reduction will be 19.3 percent. “The ongoing economic recession caused by COVID-19 is taking a severe toll on the ability to send money home and makes it all the more vital that we shorten the time to recovery for advanced economies,” said World Bank Group President, David Malpass. Guyana’s development partners said in a report published days ago that the projected fall, set to be the sharpest in recent h i s t o r y, would be attributed primarily to the debilitating wages and employment statuses of migrant workers, as they are more at risk of these unfortunate circumstances during an economic crisis in a host country. Even more worrying is that the Bank said that the importance of remittances as a source of income will be more pronounced in this season, since foreign direct investment (FDI) to the same poor countries is expected to see a sharp tumble of more than 35 percent in 2020. It could also get more difficult and expensive for workers to send money back home, as the Bank said that remittance service providers face operational challenges such as closures of agents and offices, access to cash, foreign exchange and security, and compliance
issues with regulations.
A M LCFT
HARMON NO LONGER DIRECTOR GENERAL Joseph Harmon is no longer the Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP). This is according to a MoTP statement issued Saturday April 25, 2020. According to the statement, “The Ministry of the Presidency wishes to c l a r i f y t h a t M r. J o s e p h Harmon is no longer performing the functions of Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency.” It was announced Friday that President David Granger has appointed Harmon the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Task Force (NCTF). As CEO, the statement added, “Harmon under the general or specific directions of the Chairman of the NCTF is to establish a permanent National Task Force secretariat; assign permanent staff to manage t h e n a t ional campaign; create preventive measures against the disease to safeguard citizens’ health and collaborate with regional task forces and stakeholders to safeguard citizens’ health.” The CEO is, moreover, responsible, under the direction of the Chair, “for directing the NCTF operations and restarting interrupted activities; all important logistics measures necessary to prevent the disease from spreading further, directing rapid responses to unexpected and emergency incidents; developing short-term plans for disease prevention and safety of the people and communicating directly with agencies, ministries, regional task force, agencies and stakeholders.” Added to Harmon’s responsibilities as CEO, is the
disseminating of accurate information with regard to COVID-19 to the public. MONDAY LAW DOES NOT PREVENT GECOM FROM LIVE STREAMING RECOUNT – OBSERVERS, LAWYERSARGUE The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is legally empowered to stream the national recount live for the benefit of the general public. That is the argument being put forward, in response to GECOM Chair, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh saying that the law does not allow her to have the recount streamed live. In her explanation for her rejection of the proposal, the former Justice of Appeal cited Section 90 of the Representation of the People Act, which speaks to the maintenance of the secrecy of the count. That section states that “Every person attending at the count of votes shall maintain and not communicate any information obtained at the count as to the list of candidates for which any vote has been given.” “Because of the secrecy, they cannot show the ballot but what they can do, they can show the results after the results would have been tabulated, I have no problem with that,” Justice Singh recently told the State newspaper, Guyana Chronicle. But Attorney-at-Law and People’s Progressive Party (PPP) candidate, Sanjeev Datadin is of the view that section 90 is not applicable to the live streaming of the recount in the way that Singh is implying. Datadin told Kaieteur News in a telephone interview that the ballot paper does not contain an identifier of the voter. Hence, showing the
ballot paper would not expose the identity of any of the candidates who have voted for one party or another. This was the view also of attorney-at-law, Christopher Ram. Datadin noted that Section 90 is applicable where it prohibits persons attending the count from declaring any of the results, as that is the sole remit of GECOM. He explained that GECOM would be in its right to stream its own recount, and that Section 90 does nothing to advance the argument that the recount should not be streamed live. In a telephone interview, Ram told Kaieteur News that GECOM has the authority to stream the recount and that, in any case, GECOM is empowered by the Constitution of Guyana and the Election Laws (Amendment) Act to take action necessary to ensure a fair, transparent and impartial process. COVID-19 ECONOMIC IMPACT…NONPERFORMING LOANS, SOLVENCY OF BANKS, BUSINESSES UNDER CLOSE WATCH – CENTRAL BANK Measures to limit the spread of the Novel Coronavirus have affected significantly the balance sheets of many businesses. As a result, the ability for some to meet loan payments has been severely constrained. Taking this into consideration, Central Bank Head, Dr. Gobind Ganga said that the levels of nonperforming loans and even the solvency of banks and businesses are under close watch. During an interview with Kaieteur News, Ganga said: “This is indeed a concern, that is to say, Non-Performing Loans (NPLs). It always is. But the banks as you are aware have put in measures to ease the pressure on
business such as restructuring loan payments once you are in good stead. Even as they take measures, we are keeping a close eye on bank solvency too.” The Governor added: “I can tell you at this time that our banks are well capitalized, they are in good shape and provisions are adequate…” Dr. Ganga was also keen to note that the effects of the COVID-19 on the economy and companies are still in the stage of infancy. When the worst of it is over, he is hopeful that there would not be any significant impact from non-performing loans. “As you know, we are very much diversified in terms of the banks’ lending. We have so many sectors that the banks are lending to and if there is some chain reaction, one will affect the other but we are monitoring the situation,” the official said. Looking ahead, he said that discussions will continue with the various stakeholders on finding ways and means to ensure the solvency of the companies and banks. In one of its most recent assessments of the economic effects of COVID-19 and how financial institutions may wish to respond, the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) was keen to note that Central Banks will play a vital role in the survival of businesses. The IDB said that Central banks have many tools at their disposal and should think carefully about combining them in a way to provide maximum relief. NOT THE RIGHT TIME TO SIGN DEAL TO MARKET GUYANA’S CRUDE – CHARLES RAMSON JNR. The Energy Department, which is controlled by President David Granger, is currently in search of a marketer for Guyana’s share of profit oil from the Stabroek Block. Thus far, there have (Continued on page 25)
Sunday May 03, 2020
From page 24 been 34 applications from major and national oil companies and trader. transparency advocates have expressed reservations on this matter given the corrupt past of many of these companies and traders as well as the fact that Guyana remains gripped by political uncertainty as the credible and transparent recount of the March 2 electoral process is yet to start. I n t h e i r v i e w, n o agreements should signed as they can provide fertile grounds for corruption. Speaking on this matter was PPP Member and petroleum academic, Charles Ramson Jnr. The attorney-at-law was keen to note that all the companies seeking to m a r k e t G u y a n a ’s o i l should lend serious consideration to the authority of the administration to even enter into such contracts at this point. His comment was also
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hinged on the fact that it was Granger who, some months ago, said that his government would not enter into any new contracts. Further to this, Ramson said there is no immediate need to run to market at this point especially when one considers that prices are at its lowest. “So there are several elements to be considered, whether they have the authority to be engaging companies in this manner, and in my opinion, they don’t. And they need to be concerned about what can happen if there is a new government…” In addition to this, Ramson was reminded that many of the companies bidding to market Guyana’s oil have a troubling history of corruption. Companies includ i n g Gunvor, Shell, Petrobras, S i n o c h e m , Vi t o l S A , Glencore PLC, and Mercuria Energy Group are just a few of the companies with a notoriously corrupt past that submitted bids to the National Procurement and
Tender Administration Board (NPTAB). TUESDAY LAWYER SUBMITS PETITION FOR US TO SANCTION GRANGER; GECOM, OTHER OFFICIALS A lawyer has submitted a
petition to the US Embassy in Georgetown calling for the State Department in Washington to slap personal sanctions on President David Granger and senior officials of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). Monday, attorney-at-law Randy Depoo, disclosed that in addition to submitting the 6,500-plus online signatures petition to the Embassy, arrangements are also in place to have copies hand delivered to the State Department in Washington. Depoo, a Guyanese who served as a US Consul Officer in Trinidad before coming back to live in Guyana this year, disclosed that the initiative for the petition came about as there were a growing number of persons frustrated over the March 2 elections. Seven weeks has passed since the elections with results mired in controversy and court cases. A recount is scheduled to start this week and would come as the country remains in lockdown over COVID-19. Depoo, during an interview on Kaieteur Radio Monday said that the “illegal” Coalition was collaborating with “cohorts” in GECOM to frustrate the elections results. He pointed out that senior US officials, including Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and his deputy, Michael Kozak, have been expressing concerns about the process and the need for credibility. The lawyer said that within the first eight hours of the petition last week, 1,500 persons signed it. As of esterday, this increased to 6,500 persons signing the petition online. MY CONTRACT WAS NOT RENEWED BECAUSE OF GUYANA’S POLITICS – INT’L CRICKETER CHRIS GAYLE International cricketing
superstar, Chris Gayle, unleashed a barrage of allegations concerning the decision by the Hero CPL franchise team, the Jamaica Tallawahs, including the claim his fate was linked to Guyana’s politics. In a three-part video, released on his Youtube channel titled “Chris Gayle’s Breakdown of Release from Jamaica Tallawahs”, Gayle attacked Tallawah’s CEO Jeff Miller and former West Indies teammate Guyanese Ramnaresh Sarwan of being involved in influencing the decision to release him from the CPL team. In Part One of the video, Gayle alleges that Miller was less than forthright with him on the conditions of the renewal of his contract with the franchise team, releasing him without informing him that he was no longer on the player listing. Gayle then makes the claim that the real reason that he was released from the team stemmed from an incident last year related to Guyana’s politics. “Let me tell you why,” Gayle says, “the Tallawahs didn’t really retain me now. This is all politics right now. I am not a politics person. Never been in politics. I am not a part of politics and I don’t support politics… This is all politics and this is personal as well. I’ll tell you why. This is all coming from one visit in Guyana. Apparently Guyana had their election and one visit, the minister of the country invite me to his community and I made a visit to his community and the other side, which the owner is part of as well, get offended and they all take it personal, so that is how it actually started.” Last October, a controversy arose over Gayle’s visit to Linden in the company of former Minister of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, during a PNCR rally. Gayle was at the time in the
country representing the Tallawahs against the Guyana Amazon Warriors. FINANCIAL CRISIS LOOMS AFTER APRIL – FORMERAUDITOR GENERAL, GOOLSARRAN According to former Auditor General and Chartered Accountant, Anand Goolsarran, Guyana may very well be facing a financial crisis due to the political shenanigans which have left the nation without a credible conclusion to its March 2 General and Regional Elections. In explaining his analysis of this worrying issue, Goolsarran reminded that since May 23, 2019, there has been no sitting of the National Assembly. The former Auditor General said that this was mainly due to the December 21, 2018 vote of no confidence in the Government and the prolonged court battle to establish its validity, among other issues. On that note, Goolsarran pointed to the possible implications for the national budget. According to the Chartered Accountant, Article 218(1) of the Constitution states that no withdrawals can be made from the Consolidated Fund except to meet expenditure charged upon the Fund by the Constitution or any Act of Parliament; or where issues are authorized by an Appropriation Act. By Article 219, he posited that the Minister of Finance is required to prepare and submit to the National Assembly, Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure within 90 days of the commencement of the fiscal year in respect of that year. After the Estimates are approved by the Assembly, Goolsarran said that an Appropriation Bill is prepared (Continued on page 32)
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Kaieteur News
Sunday May 03, 2020
Our 'Frontline Worker' of the Week is Dr. Bibi... From page 12 venous catheter placements, among others. While some infected persons may exhibit mild symptoms of the disease, Dr. Mohamed explained that some arrive at the GPHC in a critical state sometimes due to an underlying ailment. Because COVID-19 can result in severe respiratory issues, she said too that some of these patients turn up with the common complaint of shortness of breath or having difficulty breathing. It is for this reason, chief among Dr. Mohamed's duties is the intubation of patients who cannot survive breathing on their own and therefore need the aid of a ventilator. This, she explained, entails a process of inserting a breathing tube (or endotracheal tube) through a patient's mouth and then into the airway. The tube is then connected to the ventilator which pushes oxygen into the lungs. This, according to her, “is a delicate process that exposes an anesthesiologist or a critical care provider to potential infection…the particular procedure we perform that makes us so valuable also puts us at greater risk of becoming infected.” Although the virus that causes COVID-19 isn't normally airborne, “it can become aerosolized during this process, meaning the virus is kicked up in a fine mist, throughout the intubation procedure, which generates the highest risk for droplet exposure. An anesthesiologist face is mere inches away from the patient's mouth; this is overall the greatest challenge for me since dealing with COVID 19 patients requires such intervention,” she divulged. But since she refuses to let fear hinder her efficiency and effectiveness, Dr. Mohamed tries to mitigate risk to herself by donning proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for each intubation. NO TURNING BACK Even though she recognizes COVID-19 for the daunting threat it is, Dr. Mohamed also has an appreciation for the fact that she signed up for the task of providing quality health care. As such she noted that health care professionals like herself are licensed to maintain and restore health through the practice of medicine even in the face of some challenges. “This COVID-19 pandemic has shown us how much
healthcare is in need of some radical changes… the pressure on global healthcare systems and staff has already been increasing to unsustainable levels,” she noted. But the fight must continue. As such, Dr. Mohamed has seen the need for young ambitious persons to gear up academically to eventually take the baton and continue the race. She is therefore, encouraging all the young persons, who had an interest in medicine before COVID19, not to lose heart but to, “follow your dreams so that our health sector can be empowered to meet tomorrow's demand”. For now our 'Frontline Worker' of the week is happy to continue to wage war against the disease even as she urges all of Guyana to lend support to the COVID-19 fight by doing simple things such as: regularly and thoroughly cleaning your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub (70 percent and above) or washing them with soap and water; maintaining at least three feet distance between yourself and others; avoiding crowded places; not touching your eyes, nose and mouth as far as possible; cleaning your hands after touching money; making sure you, and the people around you follow good respiratory hygiene which includes covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze and disposing of the used tissue immediately and then washing your hands; cleaning the bottom of footwear, keys, phones, door knobs and any other surfaces you may have come into contact with, and if you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention. It is advised that persons with such symptoms call ahead before visiting a health f a c i l i t y. F o r m o r e information persons can contact their local health authority or contact the Ministry of Public Health on 231- 1166, 226-7480 or 6243067. A d d i t i o n a l l y, D r. Mohamed noted that the use of facemask can help to prevent droplet transmission of the disease. “Remember when wearing a facemask, do not touch your mask nor pull it downwards or rest it on your head; sanitize or wash your hands before removing it. STAY SAFE, WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER!” she assured.
Sunday May 03, 2020
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Kaieteur News
GECOM must enforce Code of Conduct surrounding recount and assert its authority
A
ll things being equal the N a t i o n a l Recount should start this week. The journey, while having some hiccups, the fact that we have been able to come this far, Guyana can be proud. This is in spite of the unsavoury incidents, attack on innocent school children, storming the Elections Commission (Ashmin's Building), the protest in West Coast Berbice and others, that threatened our stability, This fledgling democracy is growing. We are learning to resolve differences through peaceful means. This is not to say there are not forces at work that would prefer to and are doing their darndest to prevent the progressive steps we are making and must, out of necessity for our collective well-being, continue to make. Some have grown skeptical or frustrated that after 60 days there has been no final declaration of the March 2 General and Regional Elections and a new government not sworn
in. Whereas some see this as a crying shame on Guyana and hold the view the process is taking too long, lest it be forgotten, this is a first for young Guyana and we must feel nothing but pride. I remain confident Guyana we can do it. The United States of America (USA), considered the bastion of democracy and a superpower, is not unfamiliar with dispute at every stage of the electoral process. In this First World country, it took 56 days before the 2000 Presidential Election was resolved. This is so even with all the technologies and resources at their fingertips. Noted, they did not have to deal with aggressive unprofessional observers, interference, disruption and a global pandemic. Unlike Guyana the USA was spared such acts of destabilisation, colossal misrepresentation affecting its sovereignty and national interest. The people in a more civilized manner allow the system to operate and the opposition put country first, not allowing the crisis to go
over and beyond. Guyana has in place a system that has served for more than five elections. The system should be allowed to work and the chips fall where they may, instead of efforts to bully people into accepting what is not right and runs contrary to our laws. As a reminder, the Code of Conduct for International Election Observers speaks to principles such as- Maintain [ing] Strict Political Impartiality at All Times; and Do Not Obstruct [the] Election Processes. It is observed during this election cycle there was no media monitoring unit that could have spoken out and allow for those in breach of the Code of Conduct to be held accountable. The absence of this created a wild free for all where persons and institutions felt they could do and say as they please. Even political parties that signed a code of conduct were without media oversight to ensure conformity and critique when they stepped out of line.
This is the chaotic environment within which GECOM has been functioning and tasked responsibility to ensure the preservation of our electoral processes. This has been no easy ship to captain and at the end of this very few people of quality will want to accept this position, after what is presently taking place. Those which such responsibility at this time must be commended. As GECOM enters this new phase there will continue to be outside forces dictating what must happen and also driving the narrative. While it is disappointing but not surprising to read the statement alluded to C a n a d a ' s H i g h Commissioner to Guyana, Lilian Chatterjee that she “remained unimpressed by the resort to court for a legal review of the Guyana Elections Commission's previous attempt to conduct a CARICOM-supervised recount of the ballots based on an informal agreement between President David Granger and Opposition
Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo,” it epitomizes our problem (an online news outfit, 1st MayCanada pays for CARICOM's team of scrutineers for Guyana's vote recount). The continued disrespect for our laws is herein recognised. GECOM having witnessed and fallen prey to these machinations must intensify its effort at fearless independence and not submit to intimidation. For democracy to stand GECOM cannot afford to fail. It would be naïve to assume this recount phase of the electoral process will not be without challenges given what we have seen so far and the continuous effort of undermining GECOM's credibility, the judiciary and our laws. GECOM must enforce the Code of Conduct surrounding the recount. It must assert its authority in ensuring the security of the ballot boxes, the safety and security of the workers in the COVID-19 environment and from being targeted by reckless forces. Having followed the
news and kept my ears to the ground, the vitriol gives rise to concern for the safety of the workers participating in the counting exercise. No administrative effort or action must be spared to ensure their well-being. At this stage to ask that the rhetoric be toned down would not still the voices of those who have trafficked and revel in recklessness and hate-filled conduct. GECOM has to assume the responsibility of the workers' safety and be assured of our support. The coming days must record some of Guyana's finest moments. The nation has been advised the recount would take 25 days, subject to adjustment as the activities unfold. It is expected Guyanese will give GECOM the space and respect to conclude its work free from interference or subversion. Guyana looks forward for a peaceful recount from Regions One -Ten. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)
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Kaieteur News
Sunday May 03, 2020
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g .. n i st es. e er tur t In rea C
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Teal
T
he blue-winged teal (Anas discors) is a small dabbling duck from North America. It has reportedly been found in South American territories too. The scientific name is derived from Latin Anas "duck", and discors, "variance", which may refer to the striking face pattern of the male. The blue-winged teal is 40 cm (16 in) long, with a wingspan of 58 cm (23 in), and a weight of 370 g (13 oz). The adult male has a greyish blue head with a white facial crescent, a light brown body with a white patch near the rear and a black tail. The adult female is mottled brown, and has a whitish area at the base of the bill. Both sexes have skyblue wing coverts, a green speculum, and yellow legs. They have two moults per year and a third moult in their first year. The call of the male is a short whistle; the female's call is a soft quack. The placement of the blue-winged teal or Anas discors in the genus Anas is by no means certain; a member of the "bluewinged" group also including the shovelers, it may be better placed with them in a separate genus Spatula. It is not a teal in the strict sense, and also does not seem closely related to the garganey as was for some time believed. Indeed, its colour pattern is strikingly reminiscent of the Australasian shoveler. DNA analysis of this species has revealed it is very close genetically to the cinnamon teal, another American teal with blue wings. It is often seen wintering as far south as Brazil and central Chile.
Blue-winged
Blue-winged teal inhabit shoreline more often than open water and prefer calm water or sluggish currents to fast water. They inhabit inland marshes, lakes, ponds, pools, and shallow streams with dense emergent vegetation. In coastal areas, breeding occurs in salt-marsh meadows with adjoining ponds or creeks. Bluewinged teal use rocks protruding above water, muskrat houses, trunks or limbs of fallen trees, bare stretches of shoreline, or mud flats for resting sites. Blue-winged teal winter on shallow inland freshwater marshes and brackish and saltwater marshes. They build their nests on dry ground in grassy sites such as bluegrass meadows, hayfields, and sedge meadows. They will also nest in areas with very short, sparse vegetation. Bluewinged teal generally nest within several hundred yards of open water; however, nests have been found as far as 1.61 km (1 mi) away from water. Where the habitat is good, they nest communally. Blue-winged teal often use heavy growth of bulrushes and cattails as escape cover. Grasses, sedges, and hayfields provide nesting cover for these ducks. These birds feed by dabbling in shallow water at the edge of marshes or open water. They mainly eat plants; their diet may include molluscs and aquatic insects. Blue-winged teal are generally the first ducks south in the fall and the last ones north in the spring. Adult drakes depart the breeding grounds well before adult hens and immatures. Most bluewinged teal flocks seen after
mid-September are composed largely of adult hens and immatures. The onset of courtship among immature bluewinged teal often starts in late January or early February. In areas south of the breeding grounds, bluewinged teal are more active in courtship during the spring migration than are most other ducks. Blue-winged teal are among the last dabbling ducks to nest, generally nesting between April 15 and May 15. Few nests are started after mid-July. Chronology of nesting can vary from year to year as a result of weather conditions. They generally lay 10 to 12 eggs. Delayed nesting and re-nesting efforts have substantially smaller clutches, averaging five to six eggs. Clutch size can also vary with the age of the hen. Yearlings tend to lay smaller clutches. Incubation takes 21 to 27 days. Blue-winged teal are sexually mature after their f i r s t w i n t e r. D u r i n g incubation, the drake leaves its mate and moves to suitable moulting cover where it becomes flightless for a period of three to four weeks. Blue-winged teal ducklings can walk to water within 12 hours after hatching but do not fledge until six to seven weeks. Blue-winged teal are surface feeders and prefer to feed on mud flats, in fields, or in shallow water where there is floating and shallowly submerged vegetation plus abundant small aquatic animal life. They mostly eat vegetative matter consisting of seeds or stems and leaves of sedge, grass, pondweed, smartweed (Polygonum spp.),
duckweed (Lemna spp.), Widgeongrass, and muskgrass (Chara spp.). The seeds of plants that grow on mud flats, such as nutgrass (Cyperus spp.), smartweed, millet (Panicum spp.), and Rice Cut-grass (Leersia oryzoides), are avidly consumed by this duck. One-fourth of the food consumed by blue-winged
teal is animal matter such as mollusks, crustaceans, and insects. Common predators of blue-winged teal include humans, snakes, snapping turtles (Chlycha serpentina), dogs, muskellunge, American crows (Corvus brachyrhnchos), magpies (Pica spp.), ground squirrels, coyotes (Canis
latrans), red foxes (Vulpes fulva), grey foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), raccoons (Procyon lotor), long-tailed weasels (Mustela frenata), American minks (Mustela vison), striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), spotted skunks (Spilogale putorius), a n d A m e r i c a n badgers(Taxidea taxus). (Source: Wikipedia)
Kaieteur News
THE
Sunday May 03, 2020
STORY It can never be WITHIN THE
normal again! By Leonard Gildarie
L
ife as we know it can never be normal again. The world was chugging merrily along with civil wars, hunger, the growth of giants like Amazon and Google, and of course, China. Corruption and mega-deals have been thrown to the backburners. Routine stuff to fill air time for television. The trade wars began in earnest with one of the most unpredictable man in the world, US President Donald Tr u m p , d e c l a r i n g a n economic war on China and its dominance. The Coronavirus pandemic has truly presented Trump with what he believes is a legitimate opportunity to punish China for bringing the pandemic on the world. Judging from his past actions, there can be little questions that Trump will act, or at the very least present actions. At this time, worldwide, the figures for COVID-19 are deeply troubling…3.34 million tested positive; 1 million recovered and almost 240,000 dead from the virus. The bad news does not end t h e r e . Wo r l d H e a l t h 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. Kaieteur News reported yesterday that WHO is warning 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,” Dr. Kluge said during a virtual media briefing. WHO's Director General, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, reportedly was even more straight up… “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.” The figures are grim for the US…1.13 million cases with almost 67,000 deaths. New York will hit home for Guyanese. Thousands of our relatives live there. Scores of them are dead from the pandemic. New York has 308,000 cases with almost 17,000 deaths. The US is struggling. It accounts for a third of all the cases in the world. In Guyana, authorities have announced the continuation of the curfew by another month. The crunch will become even more pronounced in the coming weeks for Guyanese. Public servants will continue to receive their salaries.It is the self-employed, the dependents on overseas remittances, the farmers and others who kept the wheel turning that are suffering. There is bleakness and a deep sense of despair by our people who are staring at monthly bills, loans and mortgages and other fallouts. We interviewed the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Private Enterprise Development a few days ago. There is bad news and there is some good news. That entity is estimating that below 25 percent of its customers will be unable to restart their businesses. These are small businesses we are talking about. It is a hard pill to swallow. It is generally accepted that small businesses are the backbone of the economy. IPED is taking actions to introduce an intervention programme that will allow some relief to its customers. The commercial banks are working a menu of relief also. I expect in the coming days we can hear of them. What is instructional to note, is that we can have no respite in the coming days. It will be crunch time indeed. Many self-employed who depend on the daily grind to put food on table will find it tough. We are hearing stories of quite a few landlords who are demanding the rent without any kind of conscience. There is very little that can be done except we appeal for conscience to play a role. Our mental health will take a beating. There is deep stress on now. We are simple people. The elections, with its
Leonard Gildarie unending storyline, is far from over. We have at least another month before a new president can be announced. That is presuming no objections, hurdles, court cases or whatever. Our people are not lazy. They are not stay-at-home people. It is tough being forced to stay home and unable to open your businesses. The Task Force, headed by Joseph Harmon, has indicated that it has a plan. Already, in a limited way, the Civil Defence Commission has started delivering relief supplies to persons with disabilities. Some of the resources are coming from Exxonmobil and the other oil companies. One of the biggest challenges will be finding resources. I have no problem with oil companies chipping in. The problem is that we will have to eventually pay back for it. As our frontline workers, including the doctors, nurses, porters, cleaners, cooks, and administrators continue to battle, there are other thousands of unsung heroes who are playing their part. There are doctors' groups at work, behind the scenes. They are finding supplies for their colleagues. There is a quiet movement which speaks volumes of the growing maturity by our people. While our politicians play games, there is real struggle in the trenches. The coming days will test our mettle. It is far from over. The full effects, the economic fallouts, are still to be experienced. If WHO is to be believed, we have to steel ourselves for a world that is not normal. I have taken a lot of things for granted. The greens stand at the corner. Going to mall. A movie on the weekend. A visit to the supermarket or the fisheries wharf. Our lives have been shattered. A second and third wave will be unthinkable for us. But the realities are there. Our people will have to remain strong and understand nothing is normal anymore. Buckle up! (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)
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From page 25 and approved by the Assembly authorizing withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund to meet expenditure contained in the Estimates. The Appropriation Bill becomes Appropriation Law when it is assented to by the President. For the years 2017, 2018 and 2019, Goolsarran said that the budget for the following year was tabled in the Assembly and approved before the close of the fiscal year, a move that was considered a progressive one. Unfortunately, Goolsarran noted that the President proceeded to dissolve Parliament on December 30, 2019 without first ensuring that a budget is in place for 2020. LAWYER SUBMITS PETITION FOR US TO SANCTION GRANGER; GECOM, OTHER OFFICIALS A lawyer has submitted a petition to the US Embassy in Georgetown calling for the State Department in Washington to slap personal sanctions on President David Granger and senior officials of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). Monday, attorney-at-law Randy Depoo, disclosed that in addition to submitting the 6,500-plus online signatures petition to the Embassy, arrangements are also in place to have copies hand delivered to the State Department in Washington. Depoo, a Guyanese who served as a US Consul Officer in Trinidad before coming back to live in Guyana this year, disclosed that the initiative for the petition came about as there were a growing number of persons frustrated over the March 2 elections. Seven weeks has passed since the elections with results mired in controversy and court cases. A recount is scheduled to start this week and would come as the country remains in lockdown over COVID-19. Depoo, during an interview on Kaieteur Radio Monday said that the “illegal” Coalition was collaborating with “cohorts” in GECOM to frustrate the elections results. He pointed out that senior US officials, including Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and his deputy, Michael Kozak, have been expressing concerns about the process and the need for credibility. The lawyer said that within the first eight hours of the petition last week, 1,500 persons signed it. As of Monday, this
Sunday May 03, 2020
Kaieteur News
increased to 6,500 persons signing the petition online. The petition was handed over to the US Embassy with the request it be forwarded to Secretary Pompeo. More than half of the persons who signed are living in Guyana with the rest coming from Trinidad, US, Canada, United Kingdom and Caribbean, Norway, Sri Lanka, among other countries. Depoo dismissed questions that the petition would be counter-productive in light of the imminent recount. He said that after March 2, all parties had copies of the Statement of Polls, which any school child could tally up.
IMF said that tourism inflows essentially came to a halt in mid-March 2020, with ripple effects across other sectors. It said that the closure of the borders, coupled with the curtailment of commercial activity, has had a debilitating impact on these economies while noting that a drop in fiscal revenues, combined with additional direct health and social expenditures, will temporarily increase the fiscal deficit and financing needs.
WEDNESDAY
The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Carissa F. Etienne, has urged for vaccination programmes to continue during the COVID19 pandemic. “If we fall behind on routine immunizations, particularly for children, we risk outbreaks, thus overwhelming hospitals and clinics with preventable diseases in addition to COVID-19,” said Dr. Etienne. In a press briefing updating the situation, Dr. Etienne said, “until a vaccine for COVID-19 is available, immunizations can and must be delivered by the health services alongside the response” to the pandemic. If countries fail to do this, “the impact on our health systems would take months or even years to reverse,” she added. A priority for countries, she said, is to “vaccinate to protect health workers, the elderly and vulnerable populations from other respiratory infections, such as influenza and pneumococcus, which can lead to more hospitalizations and may be harder to diagnose in the context of COVID-19.” Maintaining capacity in vaccination is also key to ensuring the Region’s “readiness to deliver the vaccine for COVID-19” when it is developed, Dr. Etienne noted. This week, “Vaccination Week in the Americas is a time to promote and celebrate the life-saving power of vaccines. In 2020, we approach it with an acute sense of urgency,” she said, adding, “History has shown us that after wars or epidemics, if we allow large gaps in immunization coverage, vaccine preventable diseases like polio and measles can reemerge.” While measles was eliminated in the Americas in 2016, “As coverage rates dropped we faced outbreaks
IMF GRANTS US$65.6M FOR DOMINICA, GRENADAAND ST. LUCIA TO ADDRESS COVID-19 PANDEMIC – GUYANACONTINUES TO AWAIT ASSISTANCE FROM OTHER INT’L FINANCIALAGENCIES The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Tuesday approved disbursements to Dominica, Grenada, and St. Lucia following their requests under the Rapid Credit Facility (RCF) mechanism, to help cover their balance of payment needs stemming from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The disbursements total loans of US$65.6 million, designated by the bank as Special Drawing Rights (SDR) 48 million. For those who may not be familiar with the term, SDR refers to an international type of monetary reserve currency created by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 1969. It operates as a supplement to the existing money reserves of member countries. In a statement to the press Tuesday, the IMF said that disbursements to all three countries are set at the maximum available access under the RCF instrument of 100 percent of quota for Grenada (SDR 16.4 million or US$ 22.4 million) and St. Lucia (SDR 21.4 million or US$ 29.2 million), and 89.4 percent of quota for Dominica (SDR 10.3 million or US$14 million). The Fund said that these countries are small states that are very vulnerable to shocks, including large natural disasters, with Dominica in particular still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017. The financial institution said that the pandemic has hit these largely tourismdependent countries very hard. Expounding further, the
PAHO DIRECTOR SAYS… CONTINUE VACCINATION TO AVOID RISK OF OTHER OUTBREAKS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
in Venezuela, Brazil, and Colombia and in a few states in the US. As we speak, at least three countries are working to contain measles outbreaks in Latin America,” said the PAHO Director. “Efforts to control measles must continue, safely, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, or we risk erasing more than 20 years of progress,” she warned. ALASKA RECOVERS BILLIONS BY SUING OIL COMPANIES FOR RIGHTFULREVENUES The U.S. State of Alaska is testimony to the fact that strong countries or states can bring oil companies to heel, and ensure the people get as much value from the extraction of the resource as possible. The State, starting in the 1970s, was able to recover billions of dollars in money rightfully belonging to the people, through legal challenges. It had recovered so much that an analysis undertaken in 2003 states, for the 25-year lifespan of the petroleum sector, that “one dollar out of every six that Alaska received from its oil development was obtained through legal challenges to the industry’s original payment”. The State’s success is documented in a book by author Svetlana Tsalik, called Caspian Oil Windfalls: Who Will Benefit? Caspian Revenue Watch, 200. Richard A. Fineberg, an author contributing to a chapter titled Securing the Take: Petroleum Litigation in Alaska wrote that the State provides a compelling example of the technical challenges of securing the full proportion of revenues owed to the Government. The State’s production of petroleum had been dominated by ExxonMobil, British Petroleum and ConocoPhillips for decades, with the Government receiving about US$70B in petroleum revenue, in the 25year period following the start of oil production. The revenues came from royalty payments of 12.5 percent of the value of the oil, and three principal taxes: corporate income tax, a petroleum production tax, and property tax. The challenges came when Alaskan officials overseeing the petroleum sector claimed, based on independent analyses and audits, that “industry chronically reduced the bases for calculating royalty, severance, and income tax payments by underestimating the market value of a barrel of oil at the point of sale.
Overstated pipeline shipping charges (tariffs) had the same result.” To remedy this, the government hired skilled contract lawyers and accounting specialists to fuel a prolonged and intensive legal action against the oil companies. Between 1977 and 1994, the Alaskan Department of law reported that the hires cost more than US$217M. But the investment paid off so well that the litigation resulted in the government receiving additional payments from the industry of US$2.7B. THURSDAY CLAUDETTE SINGH RECONSIDERS LIVE STREAM OF RECOUNT Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chair (ret’d) Justice Claudette Singh SC is now reconsidering a live stream of the national recount, following a proposal by the Private Sector Commission (PSC). Commissioners spoke to reporters following a statutory meeting Wednesday about this development. Commissioner Vincent Alexander told reporters that a proposal was brought to the electoral body in correspondence from the Private Sector Commission (PSC) and what is “ostensibly” Channel 28. The Chair had decided against a live stream of the count, last Friday, but allowed the matter to be reopened. Commissioner Sase Gunraj said, having her own concerns and “preferences”
about the stream, that she committed to considering the technical aspects of it and determining which aspects she would be comfortable with implementing. Alexander sought to note that the proposed streaming from the letter GECOM received from the PSC was specific in that it was suggested for the observers who may not be able to be physically present, and given that only one local and one international observer will be allowed to be at each of the 10 counting stations. Alexander said that one Commissioner sought to reopen the question of public streaming but it appears that he is not inclined to support that. The Governmentnominated Commissioner said that it was suggested that a certain media outfit stream the recount live, but that some Commissioners would not be inclined to support that proposal since they held the view that the outfit showed bias in its reporting. Chair of the PSC, Gerry Gouveia, had told Kaieteur News in interviews that it is the online publication, Newsroom that should be allowed to stream the count live as it has the capability to do so. Gunraj told reporters that the Commission is set to meet with election stakeholders, to share with them the work plan that GECOM has constructed, as well as the order. No communication from CARICOM yet While the public is aware of approval being granted to CARICOM by the National COVID-19 Task Force for the
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From page 32 high level delegation to come to Guyana, Commissioners said Wednesday that GECOM had received no direct communication notifying it of the development, and that they learnt of the development from the press. needs for 2020. The official said that additional declines in oil prices and more protracted containment measures would seriously affect the real and financial sectors and strain the country’s financing. The Deputy Managing Director said that the authorities’ immediate actions to respond to the crisis are welcome while noting that the short-term focus on fiscal accommodation would allow for higher health spending and help alleviate the impact of the crisis on households and businesses. He said that steps taken toward a more unified and flexible exchange rate is also important while adding that the unification of the exchange rate should be expedited.
AFRICA’S RICHEST OIL NATION… NIGERIA GETS US$3.4B IN EMERGENCY FUNDING FOR COVID-19 BUT ITS POLITICIANS HAD STOLEN TRILLIONS FROM THE TREASURY After much consideration, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved Nigeria’s request for emergency financial assistance totalling US$3.4 billion. This would represent 100 percent of the quota it is able to request under the IMF’s Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) to meet the urgent balance of payment needs stemming from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The IMF noted that the near-term economic impact of COVID-19 is expected to be severe, while adding that already, high downside risks have increased. Even before the COVID-19 outbreak, the Fund said that Nigeria’s economy was facing headwinds from rising external vulnerabilities and falling per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) levels. The financial institution said that the pandemic—along with the sharp fall in oil prices—has magnified the vulnerabilities, leading to a historic decline in growth and large financing needs. Kaieteur News understands that the financial support will help limit the decline in international reserves and provide financing
FOUR BODIES RECOVEREDAFTER BOAT COLLISION – FIVE ARRESTED to the budget for targeted and temporary spending increases aimed at containing and mitigating the economic impact of the pandemic and of the sharp fall in international oil prices. Following the Executive Board’s discussion of Nigeria, Mr. Mitsuhiro Furusawa, Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair, was keen to note that the COVID19 outbreak is severely impacting economic activity in Nigeria. He said that these shocks have created large external and financing
The bodies of four of the men who went missing during a boat collision in the Berbice River on April 27, 2020 were recovered and identified Wednesday afternoon. This is according to the Commander-in-Charge of Region 6, Calvin Brutus. The bodies have been identified as Romario Denhart, 24 of 41 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, Julian McKenzie, aged 50 of Sand Hills, Upper Berbice River, Freeman Denhart and Kidman Lindie. Police sources revealed that the bodies were found some 55 miles up the Berbice River not far from the location where the incident occurred (in the vicinity of Friendship Village). The bodies were brought to shore at the New Amsterdam Stelling in the presence of relatives who were too distraught to speak reporters who gathered there. A post mortem is expected to be done shortly. Reports suggest that Romario Denhart, Freeman Denhart, Julian McKenzie and Kidman Lindie were proceeding north along the Berbice River while another boat captained by Marvin Kissoon, 39, a Fisherman of Sheet Anchor Village, East Canje, Berbice, with four occupants in his boat, was heading in the opposite direction. Kissoon, who is presently in police custody with the four other men that were on his boat, told police that it was while they were travelling along the river that they noticed the other boat heading towards them.According to his account, he steered the boat in an eastward direction to avoid a collision. However, the other boat also steered in the said direction causing the boats to collide and capsize forcing the occupants in the water. Kissoon stated that the incident
took place just around 18:45 hrs on April 27 in the vicinity of Friendship Village up the Berbice River. He added that his men managed to re-enter the boat and fled the scene after realising that the captain and the occupants of the other vessel did not surface from the water. FRIDAY CARICOM HIGH LEVEL TEAM ARRIVES TODAY FOR RECOUNT The CARICOM high level team is expected to arrive in Guyana today for the recount, as confirmed by GECOM Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward, Thursday. GECOM is now in a position to gazette an order for the recount to begin. Ward told reporters last night that three persons are expected. These are Senior Lecturer at the University of the West Indies, Cynthia Barrow-Giles; Commissioner on Antigua and Barbuda’s Electoral Commission, John Jarvis; and Supervisor of the Electoral Commission of St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Sylvester King. The latter two formed part of observer missions for Guyana’s 2020 elections, Ward said. She could not confirm whether those three persons constituted the entire team. GECOM to brief political parties on recount tomorrow Chair of Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice Claudette Singh has invited representatives of political parties for a Saturday morning briefing on the recount, while 80 GECOM Secretariat staff members underwent a day of recount training Thursday. An email invitation was sent out Thursday afternoon to participating political parties, with an attached including a ‘final’ draft of the work plan GECOM intends to utilize to guide the count. The plan states that GECOM will be supervising the recount in accordance with the processed delineated in sections 83, 84(611), 87, 89(1), 90 and any other provisions of the Representation of the People Act that the Commission may deem necessary. The methodology of the exercise is explained in the plan. It states that the 10 working stations will be allocated by region as follows: district one – two work stations, district two – two work stations, district three – three work stations, and district four – three work stations. It states that an estimated total (Continued on page 34)
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From page 33 of 14 persons are expected to be present in each work station. This includes four GECOM staffers to conduct and supervise the recount, six party representatives, one person from the CARICOM team, two observers (local and international), and one police rank. 9TH COVID-19 DEATH RECORDED – CURFEW EXTENDED TO JUNE AS FOUR NEW CASES RECORDED Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, Thursday confirmed the ninth death in Guyana as a result of COVID19, while the Ministry expressed condolences to the family of the victim. The deceased is 67-yearold Samuel Morris who passed away at approximately 20:20hrs on Wednesday. Mr. Morris was an Intensive Care Unit patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and had suffered from other complication, including diabetes. Thursday, the Ministry announced four new cases of the disease, taking Guyana’s current COVID-19 figure to 82. During a live update via Facebook, Minister Lawrence continued to plead with all Guyanese to intensify efforts to stop the spread of COVID19 by practising social distancing, staying at home, wearing face masks, and regularly and thoroughly washing hands. The Minister noted that Georgetown continues to be the epicenter of the COVID 19 infection in Guyana, listing several communities identified as hotspots for the spread of the virus: Kitty, Sophia, Turkeyen, Liliendaal, Cummings Lodge, Alberttown, and
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Cummingsburg Bourda South Ruimveldt Gardens, Lamaha Park, Thirst Park, Campbellville, East Ruimveldt , Guyhoc Park, Lodge, Albouystown and Laing Avenue. In her presentation, the Public Health Minister called on residents of those communities to take extra precaution. TIMEHRIARMY BASE EXPLOSION LEAVES 3 DEAD, 2 INJURED – SECOND SUCH INCIDENT IN TWO MONTHS Less than three months after a similar incident resulting in the death of one officer and the injury of three others, the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) lost three of its own Thursday, after a massive pyrotechnics explosion occurred in the ammunition depot at Camp Stephenson, Timehri, with two other soldiers suffering injuries. Dead are Lance Corporal Kevon Nicholson, 23, of Levi Dam, Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam; Lance Corporal Toohey Peneux, 28,of Orealla Village, Corentyne River and Private Shaquille DeHarte, 20, of Paradise Village, West Coast Berbice. All three were killed instantly. Sergeant Quincy Threlfell, 43, and Lance Corporal Paul Peters, 29, were also injured. Threlfell was air-dashed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he remains in a critical condition while Peters was treated for minor burns and other injuries at the base. According to sources, the fiery explosion occurred around 9am, sending persons nearby scattering for cover. Thick, black smoke enveloped the camp and fire tenders were immediately summoned on site. After the flames cleared, the ranks were greeted with a grim scene. From graphic images seen by this
publication, the explosion blasted flesh from bone and left one rank with a gaping hole to his chest. The men’s faces were burnt beyond recognition and uniforms were burnt to a crisp. Chaos and confusion
It was chaos and confusion at the Georgetown Public Hospital after families received the devastating news of their loved ones’ untimely demise. Loud crying and wailing were heard from relatives of the victims, and
even strangers were crying as a result of the sad news. When contacted, Melissa DeHarte, mother of Private DeHarte was unable to hide her emotions as she described how she heard of the tragic news. SATURDAY COVID-19 DRILLS US $610M OUT OF EXXON’S PROFITS The novel coronavirus is drilling deep losses into the financial statements of many oil giants. Just Friday, 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 managed the impact on Liza (Continued on page 35)
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From page 34 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 Payara development plan.” In addition, Woods said that the challenge of rotating crews due to the impact of COVID19 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. US SERIOUS ON THREAT OF SANCTIONS IF ELECTIONS RESULTS NOT CREDIBLE “WE STAND BY OUR WORD” – US AMBASSADOR US Ambassador Sarah Ann-Lynch is adamant that her country “stands by their word” regarding the threat of
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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. You have certain 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 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. Ambassador Lynch
expressed her disappointment in that fact 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.”
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Apothic Wines: For the Bold, Mysterious and Romantic Side of you Apothic wines which are distributed by Ansa McAL Trading Limited, demonstrate the creativity and innovation which is found in every bottle of Apothic Wines which is produced by E.J. Gallo, California’s largest wine exporter. From the first Apothic Red wine release in 2010 to the six varieties they currently produce, Apothic Wines has become known for their fullbodied, fruit-forward wines with some residual sugar. Apothic now has six varieties of blended wines: · The red blend is made with Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. It has notes of black cherry, vanilla, and mocha; · The white blend is made with Chardonnay, Riesling, and Moscato grapes. It has notes of peach, honey, pineapple, and vanilla spice. · Inferno is red wine that has been aged in charred, white-oak whiskey barrels for 60 days. It has a variety of notes and strong whiskey characteristics including maple, spice, red fruits, caramel, cedar, and black tea. · Crush is made with Zinfandel, Petite Syrah, Pinot Noir, Teroldego, Petit Verdot, and other grape varieties. It has notes of ripe berries, cherry, rhubarb, caramel, and milk chocolate. · The brew is made with Petite Syrah, Teroldego, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and other grape varieties and infused with cold-brewed coffee. It has notes of coffee, red fruit, and toasted oak and less caffeine than a standard cup of decaf. · Dark is made with Petite Syrah, Teroldego, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Tannat. What Does “Red Blend” Wine Mean? A red blend wine is any red wine that is not produced from one single grape, but a mixture of grapes. Red blends sell more by volume than Pinot Noir or Merlot. Wine producers make blended wines because it allows them to design the taste and flavor profile of a wine. Wine producers start with a red wine base and add other grape varietals for spice, richness, depth, and to enhance acidity. If they want to soften the tannins in a Cabernet Sauvignon, they can add Merlot. Syrah grapes can add more flavor to a watery Pinot Noir. A problem with classifying red blend as a type of wine is that there is no specification as to which grapes must be contained in the wine.
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Kaieteur News
Any red wine grape could be used, from Merlot to Pinot Noir to Cabernet Sauvignon to Syrah – and every other red wine grape that is grown. Basically, whereas most Cabernet Sauvignon wines within the same region will have similar taste profiles, you cannot expect all red blends to have similar taste profiles. While red blends are generally medium- to full-bodied with a rich, juicy flavor and relatively easy on the wallet, it does not necessarily have to possess that flavor profile. It is a matter of trial and error and tasting the red blends to see which one suits you best. In Spain, Rioja wine has customarily been produced
before the blend is considered complete. At times, white wine grape juice is added to provide further tones and balance. Apothic Dark The Apothic Dark, a limited-release wine, is a fuller, more savory, red blend and uses the Shiraz/Syrah, Merlot, Zinfandel, and other grapes. It is a very dry wine with dark berry flavors of plum, blackberry, and blueberry combined with luxurious notes of chocolate and coffee. It is often described as rich, bold, and intense with a 14 percent alcohol content. Apothic Dark has a dark purple color, medium tannins, and a smooth finish.
Enetworks to air Angrezi Medium today at 1PM
As you and your loved ones continue to practice social distancing along with adherence to the curfew, the Enetworks team is sparing no effort in ensuring you’re entertained with the best movies of all time. This week, its selection is the enthralling Angrezi Medium, a 2020 Indian Hindi-language comedy drama film directed by Homi Adajania and produced under the production banner Maddock Films. A spiritual sequel to the 2017 film Hindi Medium, the film stars Irrfan Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Deepak Dobriyal and Radhika Madan. Filming began in Udaipur on 5 April
2019 and was completed by July in London. This was Irrfan’s last film to be released before his death on 29 April 2020 to be exact. The film was theatrically released in India on 13 March 2020. With its theatrical performance affected by the closing of cinemas due to the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic, plans for a re-release were cancelled and the film was made available digitally less than a month after its release on Disney+ Hotstar. The movie is expected to air today at 1PM on the E3 Channel.
Ansa McAL now doing deliveries of all your favourite drinks to your doorstep
with Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Graciano grapes. The most important reason that wine producers blend wines is that the wine will appeal to more wine drinkers when it contains dark, fruit flavors and low acidity. In fact, Wine Enthusiast lists red blend varietal wines from around the world and they all taste significantly different. Wine Enthusiast states the following about Red Blends:[i] “Wines under the red blend category vary in color, aroma, flavor, structure, and ageability. Red blends from cool climates tend to be light and bright, while those from warm climates tend to be bold and dark. The varieties used, the region where they were grown, the season, as well as winemaker decisions, all play an essential role in how a red blend will taste.” How Are Red Blends Actually Made? Making a Red Blend is a labor-intensive project. Each grape varietal is individually crushed and fermented. When the juice has been extracted, the wine producer creates the blend through blending trials. There is a lot of tasting and trial and error
Apothic Dark has won a number of awards, including a Silver medal in the 2018 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, a Bronze medal in the 2017 Dan Berger’s International Wine Competition, a Gold medal in the 2017 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, and a Bronze medal in the 2016 TEXSIM International Wine Awards. The average price for a bottle of Apothic Dark is nine dollars and it has an aggregated critic score of 86 out of 100. Enjoy Apothic Dark at room temperature. It pairs well with beef, lamb, poultry, veal, pot roast, strong cheeses, and wild mushroom risotto. There is even a list of cocktails which can be created using Apothic: · Dead of Night with dark rum, lemon juice, ginger beer, and a lime. · Midnight Blossom with crème de violette, elderflower liqueur, blackberries, and champagne; · Dark Crimson Spice with bourbon, lemon juice, ginger beer, and cinnamon bitters · Dark Blackberry Cobbler with lemon juice, simple syrup, pomegranate juice, club soda, and blackberries.
In light of the numerous COVID-19 measures that have left many Guyanese confined to their home, it is not always convenient to get your favourite drinks for your home entertainment needs. But there’s no reason to worry guys as Ansa McAL Trading Limited (AMTL) is offering free delivery of your favourite beers, spirits, wines and drinks right to your doorstep. The delivery parameters are from AMTL BV Office to Mahaica and AMTL to Eccles. For information on prices and to place orders you can send a WhatsApp message to 608ANSA (2672) or call on 220-8877.
UDERSTANDING PANIC ANXIETY DISORDER It comes to ravage you; like a thief in the night- it pounces without warning; it makes you lose a piece of yourself every single time. The intense fear, your heart ripping through your chest, the inability to breathe as if you’re drowning, the immense sweating, the room spinning like a Ferris wheel and worse yet, the feeling that your heart is about to stop. Sounds familiar? Well, Panic Anxiety Disorder is the culprit! It is a subtype of Anxiety Disorder that sneaks up on you when you least expect it and feeds on your life. The mastermind behind it is Anxiety Disorder which is a psychological disorder that involves excessive levels of negative emotions such as nervousness, tension, worry, fright and anxiety.Anxiety presents with a diffuse, unpleasant, vague sense of ap-
prehension, often accompanied by autonomic symptoms such as headache, perspiration, palpitations, tightness in the chest, mild stomach discomfort, and restlessness, indicated by an inability to sit or stand still for long. Consider Anxiety Disorder to be a big family of distinct mental disorders. Its subtypes are Panic Anxiety Disorder, Agoraphobia, Specific Phobia, Social Anxiety Disorder or Phobia, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. It [Anxiety disorders] can also increase your risk for other medical problems such as heart disease, diabetes, substance abuse, and depression. Panic Anxiety disorder surfaces when you experience recurring unexpected panic attacks and feeling of impending doom. While panic attacks are simply abrupt surges of intense fear or discomfort that peaks within
minutes it comes with that daily fear of having another attack. Panic Anxiety Disorders are acute and intense periods of sever fear that varies from several attacks during one day to only a few attacks during the year. Its first attack is spontaneous, and sometimes followed by excitement, physical exertion, sexual activity or moderate emotional trauma. Changes in your dietary habits (consuming more caffeine, nicotine, alcohol; or have unusual patters of eating) or sleeping habits, may prompt an attack. Doing its damage in less than 30 – 60 minutes, the attack begins with 10 minutes of intense palpitations (accelerated heart rate), shortness of breath and sweating, feelings of choking, chest pain or discomfort, nausea or abdominal distress, feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed, (Continued on page 42)
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THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL/EMOTIONAL HEALTH
M
ental or emotional health refers to your overall psychological well-being. It is the way you feel about yourself, the quality of your relationships, your ability to manage feelings and deal with difficulties, and how much meaning and joy you get from your life. Good mental health isn’t just the absence of mental health problems such as depression or anxiety. It is the presence of positive characteristics, such as being able to cope with life’s challenges, handle stress, build strong relationships, and recover from setbacks. People who are emotionally healthy are in control of their emotions and their behavior. They are able to handle life’s challenges, build strong relationships, and recover from setbacks. But just as it requires effort to build or maintain physical health, so it is with mental and emotional health. Improving your emotional health can be a rewarding experience, benefiting all aspects of your life, including boosting your mood, building resilience, and adding to your overall enjoyment of life. However, many things that happen in your life can disrupt your emotional health and lead to strong feelings of sadness, stress, or anxiety. These things include: · Being laid off from your job · Having a child leave or return home · Dealing with the death of a loved one · Getting divorced or married · Suffering an illness or an injury · Getting a job promotion · Experiencing money problems · Moving to a new home · Having a baby The connection between the Mind & Body Good changes can be just as stressful as bad changes and when you are stressed, anxious, or upset, your body reacts in a way that might tell you that something isn’t right. Your body can react in the following ways: · Back pain
· Change in appetite · Chest pain · Constipation or diarrhea · Dry mouth · Extreme tiredness · General aches and pains · Headaches · High blood pressure · Insomnia (trouble sleeping) · Lightheadedness · Palpitations (the feeling that your heart is racing) · Sexual problems · Shortness of breath · Stiff neck · Sweating · Upset stomach · Weight gain or loss Poor emotional health can weaken your body’s immune system, making you more likely to get colds and other infections during emotionally difficult times. Also, when you are feeling stressed, anxious, or upset, you may not take care of your health as well as you should. You may not feel like exercising, eating nutritious foods or taking medicine that your doctor prescribes. Abuse of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs may also be a sign of poor emotional health. Improving your Mental Health First, try to recognize your emotions and understand why you are having them. Sorting out the causes of sadness, stress, and anxiety in your life can help you manage your emotional health. Express your feelings in appropriate ways. If feelings of stress, sadness, or anxiety are causing physical problems, keeping these feelings inside and bottling them up can make you feel worse. It’s OK to let your loved ones know when something is bothering you. However, keep in mind that your family and friends may not be able to help you deal with your feelings appropriately. At these times, ask someone outside the situation, such as your family doctor, a counselor, or a religious advisor, for advice and support to help you improve your emotional health. Live a balanced life. Try not to obsess about the problems at work, school, or home that lead to negative feelings. This doesn’t mean you have to pretend to be happy when you feel stressed, anxious, or
upset. It’s important to deal with these negative feelings, but try to focus on the positive things in your life too. You may want to use a journal to keep track of things that make you feel happy or peaceful. Some research has shown that having a positive outlook can improve your quality of life and give your health a boost. You may also need to find ways to let go of some things in your life that make you feel stressed and overwhelmed. Make time for things you enjoy. Develop resilience. People with resilience are
and exercising to relieve pentup tension. Avoid overeating and don’t abuse drugs or alcohol. Using drugs or alcohol just causes other problems, such as family and health problems. Paying attention to the signs of Mental Illness Mental illnesses are serious disorders which can affect your thinking, mood, and behavior. There are many causes of mental disorders. Your genes and family history may play a role. Your life experiences, such as stress or a history of abuse, may also matter. Biological factors can
mentally tough and are able to cope with stress in a healthy way. Resilience can be learned and strengthened with different strategies. These include having social support, keeping a positive view of yourself, accepting change, and keeping things in perspective. Calm your mind and body. Relaxation methods, such as meditation, listening to music, listening to guided imagery and yoga are useful ways to bring your emotions into balance. Meditation is a form of guided thought. It can take many forms. For example, you may do it by exercising, stretching, or breathing deeply. Ask your family doctor for advice about relaxation methods. Take care of yourself. To have good emotional health, it’s important to take care of your body by having a regular routine for eating healthy meals, getting enough sleep,
also be part of the cause. Mental disorders are common, but treatments are available. Mental and emotional health problems often arise when your nervous system has been compromised by overwhelming amounts of stress. The body’s natural and most efficient method of coping with stress and rebalancing the nervous systemis via face-to-face social contact with a trusted person. This is why mental and emotional health is so closely linked with social health: helping yourself involves reaching out to others. What are the symptoms of a mental illness? If a friend or loved one doesn’t seem themselves, how do you spot the difference between a bad mood and something more serious? Drinking too much, crying all the time or any other ongoing, significant change in a person’s behavior,
thoughts or feelings could be telltale signs of a mental illness. Often it’s not a single change, but a combination. The following signs are not to help you diagnose a mental health issue, but instead to reassure you that there might be good reason to seek more information about your concerns. · Feeling worried or anxious · Feeling depressed or unhappy · Emotional outbursts · Problems sleeping · Weight or appetite changes · Quiet or withdrawn behavior · Substance abuse · Guilty or worthless feelings all the time · Changes in behavior, thinking and feelings In life we all face challenges from time to time and it is our reaction to these challenges that define how we are left feeling. Sometimes our reactions are based on where we are as a person at the time and we sometimes react without thinking thoroughly about the issue at hand. However, if we try to attain a calm, balanced and measured attitude we may find ourselves making less rash decisions and being in a better place mentally. Many people who suffer from a feeling of a loss of empowerment often begin to feel irrational, down and depressed. Empowerment is a process that sets a goal that is personally meaningful and begins to work toward that goal. To improve your sense of empowerment you can: Learn something new Learning is powerful and effective. When you gain new knowledge, it can help you feel prepared or inspire you to tackle something new. It can also make you feel as though you have a fresh perspective or different skill set to retry something that may have been challenging before. If nothing else, the act of learning can leave you feeling mentally stronger and more capable. Give back It is easy to get stuck in your own world. We each get wrapped up on our own day-
to-day problems and it can leave us feeling overwhelmed and sometimes powerless. When we help others, it allows us to see that we have something important to offer to the world around us. In the process of giving back, we can also empower others while helping ourselves. Take charge We often have a tendency to rely on our routines, the competency of others or even chance to get us where we are going. Although there are certainly aspects of our lives that we are not able to control that are as simple as flight delays or as complicated as illness, there are many things we can control.T hose things under our control include our behavior, thoughts, and feelings. If we take the opportunity to show up in our lives with the right attitude and focus on what we bring the situation, we often find that we have more power than we thought. Set goals Knowing what you want and going after it can go along way in making you feel powerful in your own life. The first step in goal setting is to begin by thinking about what is meaningful in your life. From there, think about what you may want to achieve or do that can bring a greater sense of meaning into your life. Start with goals that you know you can attain first. This can help build confidence and a sense of mastery. From there add goals that may be more challenging and keep going. Make your own rules We all spend a lot of time worrying about what we “should” be doing. This tendency to live our lives according to the unattainable guidelines made up of absolute statements often leaves us feeling as though we are not good enough or that we have limited choices. So begin to think about how many times a day you say to yourself, “I should…” or “I have to…” and simply stop to think about whether that statement is accurate. You will likely find that there are plenty of times where you are making a choice, which gives you the chance to do something else if you want to.
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Want Stronger, Healthier Hair? 1. Dial down the heat Blow dryers, straightening irons, hot curlers, and other heated styling tools can take a toll on your hair, especially if your hair is fine, dry, or prone to breakage. Too much heat can weaken your hair, resulting in strands that are damaged or frizzy. Limit your blow-drying and other heated styling sessions to two or three times a week to give your hair time to recover in between each session. Set your dryer and other heated styling tools to a lower heat setting to reduce the chance of hair damage. You may also want to consider using a heat protectant product on your hair to minimize damage. 2. Boost your vitamin intake Like the rest of your body, your hair needs specific vitamins and minerals to be healthy and strong. ResearchTrusted Source has shown that nutritional deficiencies may be linked to hair loss. The vitamins and minerals that may be most important for hair growth are: • Vitamin A: found in sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, spinach, milk, eggs, and yogurt • B vitamins, especially biotin: found in egg yolk, liver, salmon, avocados, nuts and seeds, and dairy products • Vitamin C: good sources include citrus fruits, strawberries, and bell peppers • Vitamin D: found in fatty fish, egg yolk, and fortified foods like milk and orange juice • Vitamin E: good sources include sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach, and avocados • Iron: found in oysters, clams, eggs, red meat, lentils, and spinach • Zinc: good sources include oysters, beef, pumpkin seeds, and lentils 3. Go easy on the shampoo Keeping your hair clean is important. But most shampoos use ingredients that strip away your hair’s natural oils in an effort to reduce oiliness and remove dirt. Unless your hair is extremely oily, you can probably cut back to washing with shampoo two to three times a week instead of every day. Washing your hair too frequently may dry it out and possibly weaken the hair shaft. 4. Massage your scalp Revving up the blood circulation in your scalp may help boost the health and condition of your scalp, and also increase blood flow to the hair follicles. 5. Up the protein in your diet Getting enough protein in your diet is important for hair growth, as hair follicles consist mostly of protein. ResearchTrusted Source shows that a lack of protein in the diet can result in hair thinning and hair loss. Protein-rich foods that may help boost hair health include: • eggs • fish, like mackerel and salmon • nuts and seeds • lean meats • spinach and kale • beans and legumes 6. Try an egg yolk mask Egg yolk contains the same proteins that make up a strong hair follicle. And, according to a 2018 studyTrusted Source, the peptides in egg yolk may help stimulate hair growth. 7. Use a cool rinse Showering with water that’s too hot may cause heat damage to your hair, both at the root and on the cuticle. Steam in the shower can open up the cuticles on your hair, which may result in hair that’s dry, frizzy, and prone to breakage. To protect your hair, lather up with lukewarm water. Then, finish your shower with a spray of cool water on your hair and scalp. This may help seal your hair cuticle, making it easier for your hair to retain moisture. 8. Use aloe vera on your hair and scalp Aloe vera is rich in vitamins A, C, and ETrusted Source. These vitamins may help promote healthy cell growth, including the cells in your hair. In addition, aloe vera also contains vitamin B-12 and folic acid, both of which may be helpful in promoting healthy hair. 9. Swap your towel for a T-shirt According to hair care experts, rubbing your wet hair with a terry-cloth towel after washing can cause hair damage and breakage due to the friction that’s created between the towel and your hair. 10. Try a hot oil treatment Hot oil treatments are a popular choice for helping to restore moisture to dry, frizzy, or damaged hair. A coconut and avocado oil treatment may be especially beneficial. The bottom line Achieving strong, healthy hair requires work on all fronts.
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Local humanitarian efforts mount to aid Guyana’s most vulnerable in wake of COVID -19 crises
J
ohn Donne’s famous poem, Meditation XVII, gives us the line, “No man is an island, entire of itself” encapsulating the interdependence of human beings on each other for survival. Today, the economic and other hardships spun from the coronavirus pandemic have brought to the fore issues which highlight how much people’s lives are intertwined and the survival of the human race is a responsible of citizens in every corner of the globe. Social media is flooded with stories of ordinary people helping other ordinary people through extraordinary effort. Guyanese have been no different. Some have opened food banks to feed poor families; others distribute groceries, hand sanitisers, face mask and other essential items to people in need and in some cases, by providing transportation to help frontline healthcare workers. Kaieteur News spent the last week interviewing. FEEDING ESSEQUIBO HOUSEHOLDS Essequibo-based entrepreneur Abbigale Loncke is among those helping to feed
Pastor Jose Francis helps distribute essential products
Rae Lam has provided 500 households with food hampers households in Essequibo. Loncke came up with the idea to start a food bank shortly after the country was placed under partial lockdown for COVID-19. Through support from the membership of the Essequibo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ECCI), the food bank has fed some 183 families across the Cinderella county. Loncke, an Executive member of the ECCI expressed gratitude to those who support the project. “The ECCI is grateful,”
Abbigale Loncke is a part of the Food Bank project in Essequibo Loncke said, “for all donations given thus far and we encourage all businesses in Essequibo to support this food bank so that it can continue to help those in need.” The ECCI Executive explained how the food bank works. She noted that the organisers seek weekly donations of non-perishable goods from local businesses and individuals, which are stored and distributed to members of different communities on the Essequibo Coast each week.
Keoma Pearson helps to transport nurses to and from work She stressed that the project is ongoing so persons can drop off food supplies at Camille Beaton’s residence in Reliance or persons can call 648-4302 for more information on how they can support. OVER 750 HAMPERS Much like the Essequibo entrepreneur, citizens have doing their part to help the most vulnerable in their communities. School teacher Rae Lam transitioned her recent entry into the political realm into a COVID-19 relief set her organization a target a goal of feed-
ing at least 500 households. Branding her effort Epikatun, after an Akawaio word meaning ‘helping each other’, Lam heads an effort that organizes assistance to communities primarily along coastal Guyana and has since surpassed her target. As of publication of this article, Lam has distributed over 750 hampers to single
parent households, laid off low-income earners, pensioners and those living below the poverty line in Regions 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10. She said her venture is supported by ordinary Guyanese, some of whom live abroad, making donations of cash or groceries. Epikatun’s next target is 1000 (Continued on page 42)
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Local humanitarian efforts mount to aid Guyana’s... From page 41 households. TRANSPORTING FRONTLINE HEALTH WORKERS Others have been finding creative ways to help as well. Like most frontline healthcare workers, Guyanese nurses
have seen their fair share of the horrors of the COVID -19 disease. However despite risking their lives to help save others, these healthcare providers are still faced with discrimination from public transport operations, some refus-
ing to carry them to and from their place of work. That’s where Keoma Pearson comes in. Ever since April 4, she has been voluntarily taking nurses from the West Coast of Demerara to and from work,
The vegetable parcels donated by the plant project
UDERSTANDING PANIC ANXIETY DISORDER From page 38 or faint, chills or heat sensations, feelings of unreality (derealization) or being detached from one-self (depersonalization), fear of losing control or “going crazy” and fear of dying. Symptoms disappear quickly or gradually. But even around every dark cloud there is a silver lining and contrary to beliefs, anxiety can be normal and we all experience it from time to time. For instance, when preparing for an important examination, getting married, becoming a parent or even about finances and it is even beneficial in warning us of external threats, thus activating the flight or fright response. Yet, for many of us, it is the opposite of what colours our life. The dominant emotions we experience daily are those dread of anxiety. There is always a lingering, overwhelming feeling that you will be humiliated in society, lose your job or the people you love. But you are not alone, approximately 1-4%of the population suffer from this disorder and moreso if you are a woman, you are two to three times more at risk than men. It [ Panic Anxiety Disorder or PAD] is here steal the best years of your life since its onset is usually early to mid20’s but it can occur at any age. Research shows that if you have a fearful, anxious, nervous or even a competitive personality you are at risk of having this disorder. Furthermore, living in a household that is overly demand-
ing and constantly expecting perfection, or even experiencing a stressful life event, (such as a divorce, death of a loved one or losing your job) make you are a prime candidate to develop Panic Anxiety Disorder later in your life. There is an even higher risk if you are a victim of physical and/or sexual abuse or experienced other traumatic events. There is a strong link between panic disorder and familial patterns. People with a close biological family member with Panic Disorder are 8 times more likely to develop this condition themselves. Panic Anxiety Disorder does request a table for one, instead it brings along several other friends; depression and agoraphobia. Depression or Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a type of mood disorder characterized by persistent and pervasive feelings of sadness and worthlessness and a lack of desire to engage in formerly pleasurable activitiesand it may even coexist with Panic Disorder. Consequently, agoraphobia is a fear of being in public places with an abnormal fear of being helpless in situations from which escape may be difficult or embarrassing. As a result, there is a sense of imprisonment so you avoid public places and you never leave the house unaccompanied. Combined, they leave you like an empty, hopeless shell and you may wonder if there is any escape from this ravenous beast. Fortunately, there is. It is important to seek medical attention, since there
are ways to regain your life and live without fear with the aid of pharmacological (medication) and non-pharmacological (cognitive and behavioural therapy) treatments. Alprazolam (Xanax) and paroxetine (Paxil) are the two drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of panic disorder and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s) are effective first line agents (Paroxetine) which has sedative effects and provide an immediate calm (citalopram, escitalopram, sertraline, fluoxetine). Benzodazepines provide a more rapid onset and are used for longer periods most (alprazolam, lorazepam, clonazepam). Tricyclic drugs-effective but more side effects (clomipramine, imipramine). Duration of the treatment may vary from 8 to 12 months. When pharmacological treatment is coupled with Cognitive and BehaviouralTheraphy the treatment is more effective. Cognitive therapy stresses the facts that panic attacks are time limited, not life threatening and gives awareness about panic attacks. Anxiety, the beast may always be around but you don’t have to be its minion anymore. Research shows that 30- 40% of all individuals seem to be symptom free after a long follow up while about 50% have symptoms that are sufficiently mild and doesn’t affect their lives significantly. Less than 20% continue to have significant symptoms.
free of charge. The nurses are appreciative – in a post circulated on social media platform Facebook, several of them praised Pearson for her generosity. “This is just a genuine act of kindness and a good heart. She was the one that reached out to us after we were being shunned by other transportation. This is a service being offered to us free of charge. I can’t stress on how grateful we are for you help in this great time of need and may you and your supporters be blessed tremendously. Thank you Keoma,” an excerpt from the post read. In addition to helping to transport the nurses, Pearson has also brought supporters on board who have been donating sanitizers, gloves and face masks in the aid of the shortage. ESSENTIAL ITEMS DISTRIBUTION Also involved in the distribution of sanitisers and other essential care products is Pastor Jose Francis of Shepherd’s Touch Ministries Church of God in Christ. Pastor Francis teamed up with a number of individuals and organizations to distribute the items to residents of La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara. The supporters of the drive include Food for the Poor Guyana Inc, Randolph Corbin Construction Company and Anastacia Photocopying Store. In a brief conversation with Kaieteur News, Pastor Francis noted that the through the support from the organizations, his team was able to reach out to hundreds of people living in the community of La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara.
PLANT PROJECT Meanwhile in keeping with the ideal of helping Guyanese cope with the effects of COVID-19, the Guyana Premier and the Miss Earth Guyana Organization teamed up to launch an initiative called The Plant Project. National Director of the project, Dave Lalltoo explained that it started off as an idea to encourage self-sufficiency even before the emergence of COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown, but efforts have doubled since the introduction of the curfew. “We figured, and quite correctly at that, that families who were keeping social distance could benefit from the positives that come with planting their own kitchen gardens. Those being, activities to pass the time, or spend time with each other, adapting a lifestyle of sustainability and being self sufficient as well as improving mental health. We really do feel that it is our responsibility to help the most
vulnerable especially in this time.” According to Lalltoo, the project is being rolled out in phases “We will have different categories for Phase Two catering for a wider range of people not just disadvantaged families. We will be targeting five hundred households. Phase Three is in the making where we will be working to provide vegetable hampers to underprivileged families.” He added that, “The target is 100 families in Plastic City, Vreed- en- Hoop. While we have provided seedlings to the families, it will take some time for them to get back from planting. In the meanwhile, we will be assisting.” According to Lalltoo the project currently has fifteen volunteers and is supported by members of corporate Guyana as well as private citizens. So far the group has donated vegetable hampers to over 625 single parent homes and other types of vulnerable groups across the country. Dave Lalltoo, National Director Plant Project Guyana
After rumours about health, North Korea state media report Kim Jong Un appearance
SEOUL (Reuters) - After weeks of intense speculation about the health of Kim Jong Un, state news agency KCNA said on Saturday the North Korean leader attended the completion of a fertilisers plant north of Pyongyang, the first report of his appearance since April 11. Reuters could not independently verify the KCNA report. KCNA said Kim cut a ribbon at the ceremony on Friday and those attending the event “burst into thunderous cheers of ‘hurrah!’ for the Supreme Leader...” Kim was seen in photographs smiling and talking to aides at the ribbon-cutting ceremony and also touring the plant. The au-
thenticity of the photos, published on the website of the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper, could not be verified. The United States strongly believes Kim is alive, according to a U.S. government source familiar with intelligence reporting, but has not been able to confirm that the photos of Kim were taken at Friday’s event or explain why he had not been seen for weeks. Asked about the KCNA report on Kim on Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would “rather not comment on it yet.” The White House and State Department provided no update on Saturday on what they knew about Kim.
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Eligibility for U.S. Government Benefits due to Coronavirus and the "Public Charge" Rule By Attorney Gail S. Seeram
W
ith over 30 m i l l i o n p e o p l e unemployed in the U.S. and availability of certain U.S. government benefits, many lawful permanent residents (or green card holders) and temporary non-immigrant visa holders are confused as to what benefits they can apply for and use without
being considered a "public charge". We will try to address some of the common questions about public charge and U.S. government benefits under coronavirus. Do people with green cards need to worry about using government services due to the coronavirus? No. The current public charge rule applies to people seeking to obtain a green card and does not apply to those who already have a
green card. The new rule also requires those seeking to extend or change their nonimmigrant status to submit information on public benefits use. This means that lawful permanent residents—those who already have green cards—do not need to worry about triggering the harsh effects of the public charge rule by using government services during the coronavirus.
Does filing for unemployment put someone at risk under public charge? No. When the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published the public charge rule, it made clear that receiving unemployment benefits is not considered to be receiving a “public benefit.” This is because unemployment is an “earned benefit” that workers pay into with their paychecks.
This includes Medicare and Social Security. People seeking to file for unemployment generally must be legally authorized to work. Some states extend unemployment benefits to individuals with DACA, while others do not. Does receiving government support for a coronavirus test put someone at risk under public charge? No. Guidance posted on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website says that “USCIS will neither consider testing, treatment, nor preventative care (including vaccines, if a vaccine becomes available) related to COVID-19 as part of a public charge inadmissibility determination.”The rule itself also exempts the use of Medicaid benefits for treatment of an “emergency medical condition.” Immigrants should not worry about using emergency Medicaid if they become sick with the virus and need treatment. Could a period of unemployment due to the coronavirus put someone at risk under public charge? Maybe. Immigrants who are laid off due to the coronavirus could have their diminished financial wellbeing counted against them if they apply for a green card in the future or are forced to rely on public benefits to survive.
Gail S. Seeram H o w e v e r, U S C I S h a s indicated that individuals in that situation should provide additional evidence along with their application for a green card. They can explain that the hardship was due to COVID-19. NOTE: Immigration Law Offices of Gail S. S e e r a m o ff e r s a f r e e consultation to discuss related fees for a process and explain options. Our office will NOT tell you how to complete the legal process on your own. If you seek legal representation, then legal fees will be due to our office. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.) Attorney Gail Seeram, LL.M., J.D., BBA call | text 407-292-7730 whatsApp 407-353-1363 e m a i l : Gail@GailLaw.com l i v e c h a t : www.GailLaw.com Download FREE App: Gail Law Copyright ©Law Offices of Gail S. Seeram, 2020. All Rights Reserved.
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Digicel Guyana gives MMG launches bill payment promotion back to healthcare M workers
D
igicel Guyana h a s b e e n supporting doctors and nurses on the frontline amid the current COVID-19 pandemic, and with calls across the nation for social distancing, the company has made it clear to its customers that it is there for them (#ThereWithYou). Moreover, the company, in a statement, revealed that key frontline workers doctors and nurses - will be the recipients of free data to stay connected to their loved ones as they work around the clock to fight the novel Coronavirus. More than 2,000 medical professionals have thus far received free 4G data bundles for three months compliments of Digicel. Gregory Dean, CEO of Digicel Guyana said: “Our aim is to assist in any way that we can. We know how important it is to stay connected to your loved ones, especially during times of uncertainty. So as our healthcare professionals work on the frontline to keep us safe, we want to give them that sense of reassurance that comes with knowing their loved ones are also safe. They are the real heroes and we would like them to know that we are there with them.” Additionally, Digicel has partnered with the Rotary Club of Georgetown to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers to the tune of GYD$1,250,000. The Rotary Club of Georgetown will donate this
equipment across the country in the coming weeks. Calls to the Ministry of Public Health's hotlines are toll free and access to the Ministry of Education, PAHO, WHO and the Ministry of Public Health websites also remains free, Digicel announced by way of a press release. The company is also encouraging customers to stay safe and remain indoors to help stop the spread of the Coronavirus and to only use information from trusted sites like PAHO, WHO, and local Government websites. Meanwhile, Digicel has also activated its business continuity plan to ensure that communications services are maintained throughout the pandemic. In this regard, the company has also introduced several measures that will allow customers to stay in touch and stay connected to loved ones during this time. Some of these measures include, Free Night Talk from 9pm - 6am, removal of Credit U transfer charges, and Top-Up bill payments by Postpaid customers. Digicel's Customer Care agents can be reached by dialling 100, using the Live Chat feature and via the various social media platforms, however, it is encouraged that customers use the Live Chat feature in the first instance. Dean added: “Digicel is committed to assisting in the fight against the virus and will continue to support the
Digicel Guyana CEO, Gregory Dean Government of Guyana in their efforts to keep us safe at this time. As a provider of essential services to the public, we have a duty of care to keep our business running no matter what. Indeed, at a time like this, the services that we provide to customers could not be more vital or more needed. Our services are keeping hospitals, institutions, businesses, Governments and people connected and we take that responsibility very seriously. We would also like to remind everyone to stay safe and keep practicing good hygiene like washing your hands with soap for minimum 40 seconds. When using hand sanitisers, use one with minimum 70% alcohol and rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds.” Persons can visit the Digicel Guyana https://www.digicelgroup.co m/gy/en/mobile.html for more information.
Carter Centre not getting approval to fly in for ... From page 3 decades.” Under the current lockdown rules, if a special flight has to be chartered, the interested party has to seek the approval of the National COVID-19 Task Force, chaired by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo. The Task Force had approved the arrival of the CARICOM scrutineer team, following a decision by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for a high-level CARICOM team to scrutinize the recount. A chartered British Airways flight from London
also recently brought in a batch of 70 Exxon workers. GECOM had made a decision on Friday, 27th of last month, a little over a week ago, to invite all local and international observer missions that participated in the March general and regional elections process to return for the recount. However, when Kaieteur News had contacted other observer groups during the last week, there was no invitation yet extended to them from the Commission. A Carter Center representative told this paper on Sunday last that while no
invitation had come from GECOM, the organization remained committed to the electoral process and expected no hiccups in returning to take part in the recount process. GECOM Public Relations Officer Yolanda Wa r d s a i d y e s t e r d a y afternoon that she was only aware of a decision by one international observer mission to observe the recount, the Organisation of American States (OAS). She said that that team will be utilizing two of its local team members who were part of the mission for the March elections.
obile Money G u y a n a (MMG) on Friday launched a $310,000 month-long bill payment promotion to encourage more customers to utilize this mobile method to pay bills. In a statement issued by GTT's VP of Customer Experience and Quality, Orson Ferguson, said, “With the closure of many businesses and organizations and the call to curb the spread of COVID -19 via physical distancing, alternative bill payment options, especially those that utilize eCommerce and facilitate cashless transactions, become first choice – we'd like to reward lucky customers for making the right choice by utilizing MMG for their bill payments.” During the promotion, one lucky MMG subscriber will win a total of $10,000 daily starting from May 1 to May 31, 2020. MMG subscribers
who pay any bill using their MMG wallet during the promotion period will be automatically entered for a chance to win the daily prize. The daily winner will be announced on the GTT's official Facebook page. To partake in the promotion and to benefit from the features of this mobile money application, persons can register for MMG via https://mmg.gtt.co.gy/registe r/; existing MMG users can simply continue paying their bills from their already installed app. In the statement too, GTT's PR Manager, Jasmin Harris, reminded that paying bills through this medium is
fast, safe and convenient. She noted that there are more than 400 MMG agents across Guyana where customers can load their wallets. Customers can also contact Onecart on 6273977 or Hero Cart on 6233500 to visit their location to top up on their MMG account. Since the implementation of COVID-19 restrictions and protocols, more customers have turned to MMG to pay bills from the safety and convenience of their homes and businesses. Details for this promotion can be found at https://www.gtt.co.gy/win31 0Kwithmmg.
Man shot 4 times during argument over motorcycle
A
2 7 - y e a r- o l d Georgetown man is now a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) after he was shot four times by his close friend during an argument over a motorcycle. The victim has been identified as Seon London of Lot 56 Da Silva Street,
Newtown, Georgetown. Reports suggest that the man sustained four gunshot wounds include one to his left cheek, the left side of his head and his right side buttocks. According to sources, last Friday around 18:30 hrs at 'E' Field Sophia, London saw the suspect on his motorcycle that was stolen a
few weeks ago. He then approached the suspect and an argument ensued. It was during the argument that the suspect took out a handgun and shot London four times. The injured man was then picked up and rushed to the public hospital where he was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit.
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Sunday May 03, 2020
Musical extraordinaire,
David Martins... From page 14 injection from which I have never fully recovered.” “I learned a lot from listening to the approaches of the Trinis, particularly S p a r r o w, a n d L o r d Kitchener, but I was also a big fan of Lord Blakie, the man with the ribald infectious laugh, and Andre Tanker with his clever lyrics. It was then, and remains now, a treasure trove for me,” Mr. Martins recounted. Over all, I had begun to take notice of the devices various North American song writers were using to come up with an approach to a song subject that had not been used before. Songs like MacArthur Park and Imagine were showing me how wide the canvas could be. I took note.” But as a youngster his interest in pop music of the day never dwindled; Martins was into classical music as well as the folk music from countries around the world, including especially Africa, India and Israel. “I also was drawn to the very imaginative writing that is a feature of country music and Broadway show tunes – I saw how wide the canvas could be for songs – but in particular I was captivated by the Trinidad calypso genre – I saw a niche there I felt I could get into,” he said. After graduating from St. Stanislaus College, the young Martins secured a job as a Flight Clerk at British Guiana Airways, first at the Ruimveldt Ramp with the sea planes and shortly thereafter with that company's Atkinson Field office. He explained that jobs were few but his sister Imelda was a secretary at Bookers Shipping head office in Georgetown. It was through her, he got a job. Martins stressed nonetheless that there was no allure for him. He had begun learning to play the guitar with music friends, Joe and Jack Henry, in Vreed-enHoop and Gerry Martins (no relation) in Pouderoyen. The musicians eventually formed a small group, with Doolie Chung and Billy Stephenson on percussion, playing pop songs and the Latin tunes of that time. “ We w o u l d p l a y evenings for our friends in various residences in that area, and even made some trips up the East Coast, but I was about 17 years old and a music career never entered my mind although I was very
interested in pop music generally,” Mr. Martins noted. CANADA Martins continued to play with the group until his m i g r a t i o n t o To r o n t o , Canada where he lived with his uncle Joe Barcellos and his family. As a young artiste, Mr. Martins said that Canada opened the possibility of earning a living as a musician. “It was a turn of the tides for me because in Toronto I saw the various small combos playing in bars and hotels – this included some Caribbean bands – and it was there that I saw the possibility of earning a living from music -something very rare in Guyana. Also, my inclination to write songs had started in my time playing in Guyana and I
gigs from the start, because o f o u r We s t I n d i a n following, but I soon saw the wider pop music market potential in Toronto and switched over to that genre, renaming the group --The Debonairs.” The band added an accordion player and signed with a music agency which secured gigs for them across Ontario and even into Quebec.” However, after a year or two of that, the emergence of small combos in the Caribbean, as opposed to the big bands caught his attention. This coupled with his own growing preference for Caribbean music, led Martins to break up the Debonairs in early 1966 and form the Caribbean Trade Winds with three Trinis, Joe Brown (bass) Glen Sorzano (guitar) and Kelvin Ceballo (drums). Dave Martins and his beloved guitar
now took the opportunity. I had a day job running a lithographic printing machine to do a night course in music notation and composition at the United Music Center in the city and began giving thought to forming a group to cater to Caribbean migrants in the city,” he recounted. Given the number of Latin songs popular in Guyanese music at that time, Martins named the group – The Latins. With a mixture of drums and two guitars, the group played a mix of some pop, some Latin, and some Trinidad calypsos. “We were getting regular
There, he began writing songs influenced by his Caribbean roots. With the band formed and getting a steady gig at the Bermuda Tavern, downtown Toronto, Martins went into the studio and recorded four songs. It was the only place in town with Caribbean music every night and the Caribbean people responded well. “We would leave only to go away for Trinidad Carnival, and every year we would return from that jaunt to three or four islands, with a big welcome dance at a dancehall in the Toronto suburbs which would be
Photo taken in Trinidad Circa in 1967 on Trade Winds first trip to Carnival. (L-R) Joe Brown, Clive Rosteing, Terry Dyal, and Dave Martins
packed with our fans, and the next week we were back at our home base the Bermuda Tavern,” he recalled with pride. By the mid-70s the band was able to acquire its own nightclub in downtown Toronto, which was named 'We Place'. The plan was to take the band to Trinidad carnival given its large following of Trini fans in Toronto. H o w e v e r, M a r t i n s recalled the band did just that but earned no money. “We earned no money and got no wider offers, so we went back to Toronto to our regular nightly gig at our own club, 'We Place,' downtown. However, unknown to us, one of the four test songs, Honeymooning Couple, aired on the Sam Ghany programme in Trinidad, had become a hit all over the region, including Guyana, and Trade Winds were off and running,” he noted. By 1968, Dave Martins and the Trade Winds were already a household name among West Indians in Toronto. “We were now firmly on the music scene in the region, returning to Trinidad Carnival 1968, playing the Grandstand show in the Savannah, and later travelling on to Guyana for gigs with local promoter Cyril Shaw,” he said. BREAKTHROUGH YEAR In fact 1968 was the breakthrough year for the Trade Winds' band. The group signed with West Indies Records and Telco records in Trinidad for regional distribution. Martins explained that from then, “We did two trips a year to the region – one for Trinidad Carnival, one for Trinidad Independence – and
began making appearances to coincide with Carnival in bookings from St. Kitts in the north to Guyana in the south and most points in between. Trinidad Carnival had been the break for us, as the gamble with the four recordings paid off big time.” By this time the band was having a regular venue for years – six nights a week in Toronto. “It gave the band a home base, very little travelling about, and left me free of weekly financial worries, to concentrate on writing songs, and arranging the diverse band business that came for us in the Caribbean and all over North America where Caribbean people lived – New York; Orlando; Ottawa; Halifax, Vancouver, Winnipeg, etc Getting a hit record, Honeymooning Couple, with our first try in 1967, was also pivotal,” he mentioned. Wi t h p o p u l a r i t y i n Trinidad-- the Mecca for Caribbean music then, the band was able to follow that push with many successful songs in later years, in a burst that propelled it into bookings all across North America and from north to south in the Caribbean. As the band pressed on, a series of albums were recorded which boosted several hit songs. One of Martins' career highlights came when he won the Cross Canada Song Competition in the early '70s. In a nation-wide competition, he had beaten out 1,800 other writers with his ballad 'Over You', which caused him to attract the attention of BMI Canada, who signed him to their company in recognition of my work. “It was pivotal,” Martins added with pride. The singer counts the
award among the highlights of his musical career. “Winning the Canadawide song contest is definitely one. Here I was, a country boy from West Demerara, going up against the top talent in the impressive country of Canada. I must admit I was in total shock when they told me I had won.” Aside from his musical adventures, Martins has lived a full life. He has been married three times and loves animals. He explained that “With my first wife Dorothy Walker, in Canada, I have a daughter Luana and a son Tony, and one grandchild. From my second wife Angela, a Caymanian, I have three children: Annika, Janine and Bryan, but no grandchildren. We had several pets, including a provocative “ricey” - a rescue we secured from the Humane Society named Baron, because of his royal look. I have no children from my third wife, Annette, but we share her two children, Alex and Vicky, from her previous marriage. We have three dogs. Choo---the oldest, who got that name because as a pup she chewed everything in the house. Jet is Belgian Shepherd we imported from Barbados, moves like a jet and is jet black from head to toe, except for her nose. The latest edition is a bewitching Pit Bull pup, Alex's own, known as Peppa,” Mr. Martins related. Despite being widely recognized across the globe, with the backing of several accolades, Dave Martins remains a humble and down to earth fellow who will forever be 'We Own', a special person in the eyes of all of Guyana.
Sunday May 03, 2020
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Kaieteur News
The inside story of the Wuhan virus laboratory blamed by President Trump for releasing Covid-19 (The Telegraph) - A stateof-the art facility purposebuilt to handle research into the world’s most deadly pathogens, the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) played a crucial role in identifying the virus now known as Covid19. It was Shi Zhengli, the laboratory’s globally respected expert in the transmission of animal-born coronavirus to humans, who led a team that worked round the clock to establish the cause of the mysterious disease that appeared in Wuhan, a city of 11 million on the Yangtze river 600 miles south of Beijing, in late December. Now Donald Trump has accused the laboratory of causing the very pandemic it helped identify - to the fury of scientists and Chinese authorities. “We’re going to see where it comes from,” Mr. Trump said at a White House event late on Thursday. “We have people looking at it very, very strongly. Scientific people, intelligence people, and others. We’re going to put it all together. I think we will have a very good answer eventually. And China might even tell us.” Mr. Trump refused to say what, if any, intelligence he had seen suggesting Covid19 may have originated in the WIV. He wasn’t allowed to tell us, he said. The United States Intelligence Community on Friday said it - like most scientists - had ruled out the theory that the virus had been man-made or genetically modified, but did say it was looking into the possibility it escaped as “a result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan.” That, experts say, is highly unlikely. But far from impossible. Completed in 2015 and formally opened in 2018, the $44 million laboratory was first planned by China’s academy of sciences in 2003 as one of the World Health Organisation’s reference labs - one of several facilities
around the world used to store samples of the most dangerous diseases known to man. Yuan Zhiming, the director, called it at the time “a key node in the global biosafety-lab network.” Initial research focused on Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever: a deadly tick-borne virus that affects livestock, as well as Ebola and the West African Lassa virus. But it also became a centre of global research into the potentially devastating consequences of coronaviruses something Chinese scientists had been alerted to by the SARS outbreak that hit East Asia in the early 2000s. Groundbreaking research was led by Ms. Shi, 55, who led a series of field expeditions to remote locations to work out how such viruses could jump between species. In 2004, she discovered a natural reservoir of coronviruses in bats living in
could cause a global pandemic. In 2017, she and her team established that the coronavirus that caused SARS came from bats. It was that expertise that helped her team identify Covid-19 in early January. But the coincidence of a pandemic in the same city as the laboratory raised an obvious, and troubling, question. “Could they have come from our lab?” she recalled thinking in an interview with the Scientific American in March. After all, she and her colleagues had gathered and stored countless samples of bat-borne viruses over the years. The Wuhan lab is one of a handful in the world with the highest internationally recognised levels of biocontainment security - a standard known as BSL-4. It follows strict protocols: air and water are filtered and
The Wuhan Institute of Virology was key in identifying the novel coronavirus when it first emerged - Hector Retamal/AFP
to an accident in a hospital laboratory when a 27-year-old doctoral student became infected. That outbreak involved labs cleared for BSL level 3 containment - one level below the standards in place in
The Wuhan lab was seen as a key hope for protecting mankind from viral infections when it first opened in 2017 - Johannes Eisele/AFP
caves in southern China. Over the following 15 years, she worked closely on animal-to-human transition with leading experts from around the world, including Peter Dazak, the BritishAmerican president of the New York-based non-profit EcoHealth Alliance who was one of the first scientists to warn that a “Disease X”
treated before leaving it, researchers are obliged to change clothes and shower. There is no evidence that its strict procedures were breached, and Ms. Shi and the laboratory have since issued firm denials that safety protocols failed. But accidents can happen. In 2003, an outbreak of SARS in Singapore was linked
Virologist Shi Zhengli is globally respected in the field of the transmission of animal-born coronaviruses Johannes Eisele/AFP
Wuhan - and an investigation concluded that safety standards had been jeopardised because researchers were forced to work together while another laboratory was being renovated. The SARS virus was also reported to have escaped from high-level containment facilities in Beijing several times. And it is not clear that Covid-19 was always handled only in Level-4 labs. “Of course it is possible that is was human error,” said a French scientist that visited the Wuhan lab. “But you must remember that the most virulent coronavirus are considered level BSL3 and other coronavirus are level BSL2.” That would raise the possibility of a leak from another lab - possibly Wuhan’s Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, a completely separate institution that is based 300 metres from the Wuhan market initially identified as the source of the virus. The WIV has long been
entangled in a web of international tensions over the handling of hazardous pathogens. It was originally the product of a joint venture with France, which has its own BSL-4 laboratory in Lyon. Michel Barnier, the EU Brexit negotiator who was at that time Jacque Chirac’s foreign minister, signed the decree that led to the Wuhan lab’s creation in 2004. But French firms got only minor roles in the building of the laboratory, and by the time it opened in 2017 cooperation had collapsed. Technip, the French company supposed to certify that the building complied with safety standards, refused to do so after pulling out of the project in 2015, and fifty senior French scientists who were meant to move to Wuhan to work there in its first five years of operation never arrived, according to Le Figaro and France Inter, the state broadcaster. Challenge, a French business magazine, has reported that the project foundered when French military officials refused to supply China with deadly viruses or anti-virus suits in case they were used for biological weapons research. That was not the end of international cooperation, however. In 2013, a US team filled the gap when the Galveston National Laboratory at the University of Texas, the top pathogens research institution in the United States, began training Chinese researchers for work in BSL-4 laboratories. The move left some French officials suggesting Paris had lost out to the Americans. James LeDuc, director of the Galveston laboratory, played down the likelihood of an accidental leak from the WIV, saying all such facilities have strict procedures in place although accidents cannot be ruled out. But the coincidence has been seized upon by con-
spiracy theorists, and has already done real damage to scientific research even before Mr. Trump repeated the suggestion on Thursday. On April 24, a week before Mr. Trump’s latest statement, the US National Institute of Health suddenly terminated its grant to Mr. Daszak for his research with Shi Zhengli. And experts have warned scientific cooperation could be further marred by equally implausible counter-allegations levelled at the US. ‘IT WASN’T US’ Chinese officials in Beijing did not appear to rise to President Trump’s bait on Friday but it has repeatedly denied that the Covid-19 virus came from the Wuhan laboratory, with senior foreign ministry officials insinuating on several occasions that it could have originated in the US. “CPC [Chinese Communist Party] is open, transparent and responsible in #COVID19 response. 2 US experts were in China on WHO-China joint mission in late Jan. Why not ask US experts to locate when the virus first started in the US? American people need answers. The world also has right to know,” tweeted Hua Chunying, the foreign ministry spokesperson on Wednesday. Her tweet came in response to Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, who said: “The CCP needs to be transparent as the world seeks answers to COVID19 and its origins. We don’t know the history. We haven’t been able to get our team on the ground to do the work that it needs to do. China has a responsibility to cooperate.” In March, Zhao Lijian, another foreign ministry spokesperson, triggered a diplomatic spat with the US when he promoted the conspiracy theory that the United States military could have brought the novel coronavirus to China.
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Sunday May 03, 2020
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CONSUMER CONCERNS
LABOUR DAY AND TRADE UNIONISM PAT DIAL
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Last week Friday, May 1st, just two days ago, Labour Day was celebrated as a national holiday. It is customary for this column to notice commemorative holidays before they occur but we would have had to carry this article almost a week before Labour Day; we therefore decided to publish after event when the holiday was still fresh in the public’s memory. 1st May was long celebrated in Guyana as a holiday under the name of May Day, a tradition we had inherited from England. It was a day when there were fairs everywhere, catering especially for children and there were accordingly many children’s games like climbing the greasy pole or various types of races such as bag races. The centre piece of such events was the plaiting of the may pole and the choice and crowning of the May Queen. Labour Day replacing May Day on the Guyanese holiday calendar, is associated with Trade Unions and Unionism. Though the first Trade Union in Guyana was founded by Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow just after World War I and though the Movement made some impact in the 1920’s and 1930’s especially among the stevedores and in the sugar estates, it blossomed forth after World War
mostly left their homes in the countryside to find employment in the fast-growing industrial towns. These hundreds of thousands of workers were cruelly exploited by the employers and their conditions were recorded in many writings such as Charles Dickens’ novels. Many thinkers or philosophers, especially in France and England, began to work out ways in which they thought this exploitation of the workers could be ended and among the most prominent was Karl Marx. Most of these philosophers thought that change could come about only by violent revolution while a small minority felt that the same goals could be achieved by more peaceful means. Britain adopted the more gradualist and peaceful means of change, later known as Fabian Socialism. This implied gradual political change by widening the franchise and by permitting the establishment of trade unions and the strengthening of the Trade Union laws giving greater protection to the workers. Guyana, being a British colony, adopted British Labour Laws from the beginning of the 20th century and such Laws gave the Unions much protection. Labour was given national recognition and May Day became Labour Day. May Day celebrations
however still continued for some years together with Labour Day parades and the Thomas Lands YMCA May Day fair, which elected the May Queen, was the centre of May Day celebrations in Georgetown, Of recent years, many of the former traditions of Labour Day have been neglected and need to be resuscitated so as to again give the occasion the richness and public appeal it once had: The speeches of Union leaders should once again adumbrate policy outlines for the Government; workers’ songs such as the Internationale and Solidarity for Ever should again be heard; the marches should be accompanied by bands and be disciplined; the spirit of solidarity which transcended political affiliations and was almost Masonic should be revived; and at every year’s celebrations the stories of the great Guyanese Union leaders should be remembered. Though the parades could not have taken place this year owing to the Covid-19 pandemic requirements, union leaders have now been presented with an opportunity to prepare for a memorable May Day 2021. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Heads PPP Loses, Tails PNC Wins... From page 7 from Mingo and no initiative to perform his duties with a semblance of integrity.The recount fandango, foisted upon the hapless opposition is bullyism and psychological tyranny, as it leaves ample room to further abuse the victims of the election rigging, with more rigging opportunities, as containers are opened with ballots and ballot boxes exposed for an extended period of time. Why are we participating in this charade? Because if we do not participate, the illegitimate will be made legitimate; the dictatorship will be able to claim they won the elections, even while bypassing the SOPs. The recount alley that Justice Singh is embarking upon and engulfing Guyanese in, is not necessary, not rational and not credible; it is irresponsible and amounts to a denial of
human rights for most Guyanese. On April 2, 2020 - US Ambassador, Ms. Sarah-Ann Lynch, impressively spoke of her silence breaking an oath she took, now it is clear to me that inaction by the US Secretary of State, Mr. Mike Pompeo, has facilitated this scrabbling and senseless recount mayhem that amounts to a destruction of Guyana’s democratic system. Still, we can take some comfort from the words of America’s greatest freedom proponent, Thomas Paine: “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value.” Nigel Hinds
Defiant Californians protest against coronavirus ...
From page 9 to walk on the sand and on a popular bike trail in a park overlooking the shoreline. On the state’s northern end, rural Modoc County, WANTED home to about 9,000 people, Wanted Labourer to work in became the first to defy the farm. Tel# 666-3303/629-2202 state’s shutdown orders. The county is “moving forward with our reopening Tailor/Cutter. Contact plan,” sai d Heather Tel#231-6750/618-0845 H a d w i c k , t h e c o u n t y ’s 1 Cook needed in Mahdia. deputy director of emergency services, who added Tel#686-8996 that the county has no reSawmen and Labourers for ported Covid-19 cases. wood concession, $5,000 per Ms Hadwick said the day. Contact# 677-5710 county had not heard from the governor about its reopening Labourers for wood plan, but she asserted it aligns concession $5,000 per day. with Mr Newsom’s indicators Call: 630-1831/662-6277 for reopening. Schools were Caretaker- One (1) Male able bodied to live and work, must know to do farming & poultry. Call: 639-6648
II when many more Unions were founded to represent various trades. In these years, also, modern political parties began to be established and since Britain had decided to withdraw from its West Indian colonies, these political parties thought of themselves as succeeding the colonial power. These political parties thought they could strengthen themselves by coopting the Unions and they successfully did so to the extent where labour concerns in the unions very often became subordinated to political concerns. In all strikes and labour protests against the employers, the State generally took the side of the employers and this was clearly seen in the sugar strikes in the 1940’s and 1950’s and these workers’ struggles in the Sugar Industry form an epic chapter in the Trade Union history of Guyana. Though the workers’ struggles for better wages and working conditions have essentially the same characteristics in all countries, each country has its own peculiar manifestation of such struggles: Western Europe and the United States experienced their Industrial Revolutions in the 19th century. Industrial production was done by the factory system which employed large conglomerates of workers who
not opening Friday, but it was an option for districts that can accommodate preventative measures, she said. “We are utilising his guidance of those plans, and we have zero cases,” she wrote. “Our residents were moving forward with or without us. We really needed to create guidelines for them so that they could do this in the safest way possible.” At Country Hearth Restaurant and Bakery in the small town of Cedarville, three customers came in for breakfast, general manager Janet Irene said. She said her regular customers had been very cooperative with orders that had allowed her to only serve takeout since March.
“Since we’re a sit-down restaurant, people were constantly asking to be able to sit in the restaurant, and it was really, really difficult during this time to deny that,” she said. The county had notified Mr Newsom of its plans and never heard back from him. His office did not respond to a request for comment on Friday. Elsewhere, a variety of businesses from restaurants to hairstylists in rural and more populated areas have opened their doors in individual acts of defiance. The moves underscore Mr Newsom’s challenge as the state enters its seventh week under stay-at-home or-
ders, with only businesses deemed essential allowed to operate. Gyms, bars, shopping malls, restaurant dining rooms and sports arenas all remain shuttered. Mr Newsom hinted that change was coming soon. He has previously outlined a phased approach in which the economy would gradually return to normal. But at the same time he warned of troubling signs, including a lack of testing in rural areas that might be concealing a lurking threat from the virus. He recognised the right of residents to protest, saying he welcomed diverse viewpoints, but also warned that crowding posed a health threat.
Sunday May 03, 2020
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Region 10 police worried over Addressing occupational safety and residents’ non-adherence health amidst the Covid-19 pandemic to COVID-19 orders STANDARDS IN FOCUS
K
eeping safe and healthy in the workplace is important at any time, but even more so in times like these. Organisations across the globe on April 28 commemorated Occupational Safety and Health Day. According to Clare Naden, Correspondent of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), “This year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work addresses the Covid-19 pandemic and ISO is right behind the efforts with guidance to help.” For many, the world of work has been thrown upside down, with key challenges being to keep businesses afloat as well as manage safety and security at work. This is true for both those able to work and those who will need to prepare for an eventual return. The theme of this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work is “Stop the pandemic: Safety and health at work can save lives”, which recognizes the many unprecedented challenges that organizations face at this time and raises awareness of the importance of effective
occupational health and safety services. ISO 45001, Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use, is the first and only International Standard for occupational health and safety (OH&S) management, containing agreed good practice from around the world. It provides useful guidance and a framework to reduce work-related risks, protect health and increase safety at work. Workplace health, however, is not limited to physical safety and well-being. The stresses and fears that this period has induced impact us all. Workers everywhere could be affected by the prevailing uncertainty and their working environment plays a vital role in reducing this. Recognizing this fact, work is underway to develop a complementary standard that addresses psychological health. The future ISO 45003, Occupational health and safety management – Psychological health and safety in the workplace – Guidelines, will provide guidance on the require-
ments of ISO 45001 with respect to managing psychological health and safety risks within an OH&S management system. The standard will address the many areas that can impact a worker’s psychological health, including ineffective communication, excessive pressure, poor leadership and organizational culture. It is expected to be published sometime in 2021. Meanwhile, the ISO 45001 is available for purchase from your national ISO member or through the ISO Store. Finally, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) joins the Ministry of Public Health and its partners in urging every Guyanese to continue to practice social distancing and other measures highlighted to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. Organisations are encouraged to take the necessary actions to maintain a strong and healthy workforce during this pandemic. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
White House blocks Fauci from testifying to Congress on coronavirus response By Jeff Mason and Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top U.S. health official Anthony Fauci will not testify next week to a congressional committee examining the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, the White House said on Friday, calling it “counterproductive” to have individuals involved in the response testify. The White House issued an emailed statement after a spokesman for the House of Representatives committee holding the hearing said the panel had been informed by Trump administration officials that Fauci had been blocked from testifying. “While the Trump administration continues its whole-of-government response to COVID-19, including safely opening up America again and expediting vaccine development, it is counter-productive to have the very individuals involved in those efforts appearing at congressional hearings,” White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement. “We are committed to working with Congress to offer testimony at the appropriate time.” Fauci’s testimony was be-
ing sought for a May 6 hearing by a House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees health programs, said spokesman Evan Hollander. The Washington Post first reported that Fauci would not testify. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has been one of the leading medical experts helping to guide the U.S. response to the highly contagious virus that has swept across the United States. Trump has repeatedly clashed with the Democratic-controlled House over its moves to investigate his actions or those of his administration. In recent days, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer have urged wide-ranging investigations into Trump’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak, which has killed tens of thousands of Americans. Democrats have criticized Trump, saying he has failed to develop a comprehensive and effective plan for testing Americans for the coronavirus and tracing contacts of those who are infected by the virus that causes the sometimes fatal COVID-19 respiratory dis-
ease. Fauci, 79, has had a respectful but sometimes complicated relationship with Trump. The well-regarded doctor has at times corrected or contradicted the president at White House briefings or in press interviews on issues such as the time required to develop a vaccine and the likelihood that the coronavirus will return in the fall.Trump has occasionally shown exasperation with Fauci but ultimately has followed, largely, the advice that he and Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House’s coronavirus task force coordinator, have provided on responding to the pandemic. Last month, the White House said Trump was not firing Fauci despite his retweet of a supporter’s #FireFauci message. At the time, White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said: “Dr. Fauci has been and remains a trusted adviser to President Trump.” Aides to Fauci were not immediately available to comment on the House committee’s desire to have him testify. (Reporting by Jeff Mason and Richard Cowan; Editing by Sandra Maler, Leslie Adler and Daniel Wallis)
A number of Region 10 residents are yet to come to grips with the grim reality of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). This is the observation of Regional Deputy Police Commander of Region 10, Deputy Superintendent Wayne Dehearte. According to Dehearte, several residents in the region have not come to the realization that the disease is not a joke and is in fact a killer. Pointing to the fact that those failing to adhere to orders intended to help curb COVID19, he noted that they are putting many lives at risk including members of the police force. Dehearte expressed his views at a recent meeting of the Regional Health and Emergency Committee (RHEC) of the Region. At that meeting he made an appeal for more stringent measures to be implemented. Dehearte said that, with already nine deaths and over 80 infected persons, police in the region will have to take a more aggressive approach to those not adhering to the set out guidelines, especially taking into account that the national curfew has been extended. He told the meeting that the commander and ranks are feeling the pressure because of the lackadaisical attitude towards the orders. He noted too that many are continuing as if it is business as usual ignoring the need for social and physical distancing, wearing of masks and staying at home. “We continue to see members of the public continuing as if nothing is wrong and I firmly believe that many persons have not come to the reality that this is a deadly disease that respects no one. They are making our work much more difficult as they continue to do what they like. We are called out to stop partying, drinking, liming and other activities that they should not be engaged in, and this is highly irresponsible,” he said. He continued, “It’s as if the public doesn’t understand that by being irresponsible, they are not only placing their lives and those of their family members at risk but also they are putting the lives of my ranks at risk. This isn’t fair as when they fail to adhere to clear cut guidelines we are forced to get involved as we are law and order and must implement the regulations.” The Deputy Police Commander said too that he wants to see the implementation of “heavy” penalties since many persons when they are upbraided about flouting the regulations, “they act as if it
- need for “heavy” penalties being touted
Regional Deputy Commander, Deputy Superintendent Wayne DeHearte is a joke”. “People will only stop when we the police have the authority to lock up, charge and or fine heavily as the public seems unconcerned about their own welfare, thus showing scant disregard for the lives of many and the ranks who are forced to maintain law and order. They must understand that the police ranks are human beings too and when they act irresponsibly they are putting our ranks and their families at great risk. The commander and I are extremely displeased over this kind of behaviour,” the Deputy Commander added. According to Dehearte, the police have been enforcing the curfew regulations more strongly now, noting that in the last few weeks they sought to use the soft approach but it has not worked. This, he said, will not force police ranks to now resort to being aggressive in their efforts. “Sadly, we live in a society whereby people like you to be firm before they can act and we are now ensuring that any defaulters will be dealt with. We choose to talk and urge persons to desist but unfortunately we found that it’s the same people over and over and this can’t continue. So what we have been doing is implementing regulations issued by the Regional Health and Emergency Committee (RHEC) and the Ministry of Public Health as the
public must begin to understand that we are in very difficult times. It certainly can’t be life as usual,” he asserted. The Deputy Commander said that his personal view is that those in the health care sector should relate the harsh reality of COVID-19 and its impact on lives. He also urged the RHEC committee to continue using its influence and relationships with various sectors of society to help curb the prevailing attitude of some residents. Failure to do this, he cautioned, could have deadly effects for the Region and Guyana as a whole. Head of the RHEC Committee, Regional Executive Officer, Orrin Gordon, expressed the view that persons entering the region after the curfew period should be stopped and held at the check points until the following morning. This, he stressed, is a means to helping persons recognize that they must complete their activities and movements by the stipulated 6pm otherwise harsh actions will follow. “I would urge the police to stop and hold the vehicles and those in them until the following day as people must understand that 6pm is 6pm and we can’t continue. They can’t act as if there is no curfew when there is one, so if they can’t get back in the region by 6pm then they will have to wait at the check point until the following morning,” the REO asserted.
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Why Trump is moving closer to punishing China for the coronavirus (Yahoo Finance) For months, the story of official Washington’s stance towards China amid the coronavirus pandemic has been a bit of a split screen. On one side, China “hawks” have pushed for a range of measures to punish the country economically for its perceived mishandling of the crisis while President Trump has not seemed fully on board. One example: during an April 3 interview with Yahoo Finance, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy laid into China, saying they “lied about” the virus just a couple days after Trump tweeted China has “developed a strong understanding of the Virus,” and adding “Much respect!” But during an appearance on Thursday in the East Room of the White House, Trump seemed to pivot and reach a new level of antipathy toward China. He suggested the virus had originated in a lab in China and even said there was a chance the government there had “let it spread.” “It is going to be messy,” says James Carafano, vice president of the Heritage Foundation’s foreign policy institute, about the economic
conflict to come. “There’s an enormous amount of anger at China right now and it’s bipartisan.” And it’s not just in Washington, he says – “it’s down into the roots of America.” “He’s got to walk a fine line,” says Claude Barfield, a former consultant to the US Trade Representative. A complicated issue involving both trade concerns and public health has been made even more so because it’s “gotten all mixed up in presidential politics,” he said. Barfield, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, sees what others have termed a “deep freeze” coming over U.S.China relations. “I don’t think there’s any chance in hell that it will come before the election,” he said of any further trade deals. The Wuhan Institute of Virology has been a key issue in Republican circles for weeks. On April 16, Sen. Ted Cruz called for an investigation into whether the virus escaped from the lab. “I’m not suggesting it was a deliberate release,” Cruz told Yahoo Finance, but “there has to be real accountability if the Chinese government bears direct responsibility for the origin of this virus.”
Just a day before Cruz’s interview, on April 15, Trump was asked about the possibility that the virus emanated from a lab. He responded by noting, “more and more, we’re hearing the story and we’ll see.” Cruz made his case on what he acknowledged was circumstantial evidence; Chinese officials have flatly denied that the lab was involved. On Thursday, the president went much further when asked if he had seen evidence that gave him a “high degree of confidence” that the coronavirus originated in a Chinese laboratory. “Yes, I have,” he said. Pressed on what gave him his confidence, Trump demurred: “I’m not allowed to tell you that.” Trump did not specify whether he thought the virus was made in the lab or if it occurred naturally, but was being studied and somehow released. Academic studies of the virus have found evidence showing the virus itself likely emerged naturally. The Director of National Intelligence, just hours earlier, had released a statement saying the intelligence community was looking into “whether the outbreak began through contact with infected
Venezuelan prison riot leaves at least 46 dead, 60 injured: lawmaker, NGO
President Donald Trump
animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan.” Trump also brought up the possibility that Chinese actions might have allowed the pandemic to spread. “They were either unable to [contain it] or they chose not to,” he said Thursday, later adding it’s a possibility “they let it spread.” Concrete evidence of that, according to Carano, would be a worst-case scenario. “If you could prove that, I think that would be pretty damning,” he said. No evidence has emerged of China intentionally allowing the virus to spread around the world. Either way, the president is going all in on his China rhetoric, said Barfield, largely because of the election in November. “They really do want to turn our attention, turn the nation’s attention to China and run on blaming this on China,” he said of Repub-
licans. The positive way Trump has talked about China in recent months is “just not what Americans want to hear right now,” Carafano said. As Trump says of his previous rhetoric: “This was before the virus, of course I’m going to be complimentary.” What the government could do about it GOP lawmakers, such as Senators Josh Hawley and Tom Cotton, have proposed a range of punishments, including having Beijing “pay back all nations impacted” and having China forgive U.S. debt or sanctioning foreign officials who give false information. Senator Tom Cotton (RArk.) was one of the first officials to suggest the virus might have originated in a lab. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) Cruz introduced legislation to sanction Chinese offi-
cials found to be involved in censorship of information about the outbreak. Trump has not spoken in depth about what a punishment for the country might look like beyond expressing support for shifting medical supply lines away from China as well as more tariffs. The Washington Post has reported that Trump aides are exploring ideas for “punishing or demanding financial compensation from China.” Carafano understands the anger, but “in some cases these things would actually undermine U.S. strengths or be very difficult or really complicate foreign policy,” he said. “The reality is nothing matters unless we get this economy up and running.” Publicly, Trump says the investigation is ongoing and “we should have the answer to that in the not-too-distant future and that will determine a lot how I feel about China.”
UK shadows Italy as worst hit in Europe: virus death toll passes 28,000 Members of the Bolivarian national guard stand outside Los Llanos penitentiary CARACAS (Reuters) - A prison riot in the western Venezuelan state of Portuguesa has left at least 46 people dead and 60 injured, according to a rights group and an opposition lawmaker. Beatriz Giron, director of the Venezuelan Observatory of Prisons which advocates for inmates’ rights, said 46 bodies had been identified after the incident on Friday at the Los Llanos penitentiary. The South American country’s prisons are infamous for extreme levels of violence and poor conditions. The country’s prisons minister, Iris Varela, told local newspaper Ultimas Noticias on Friday that the incident resulted from an escape attempt and that the prison director had been
shot and wounded. She did not give a death toll, and Venezuela’s information ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Maria Beatriz Martinez, an opposition lawmaker from Portuguesa, said the riot followed came after a ban on inmates’ family members bringing them food during visitation, which is common in Venezuelan prisons. The visitation restrictions are part of the country’s effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in its overcrowded prisons. Such restrictions have prompted riots in prisons in several countries, including Italy. In Argentina, prisoners rioted last month demanding some inmates be freed due to fears of infection
LONDON (Reuters) - The United Kingdom’s COVID-19 death toll rose 621 to 28,131 as of May 1, just short of Italy which has so far had the world’s second most deadly outbreak of the disease after the United States. As Britain shadows Italy for the grim status of being the worst hit country in Europe, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing criticism from opposition parties who say his government stumbled in the early stages of the outbreak. Housing minister Robert Jenrick gave the latest UK figures at a Downing Street briefing yesterday.
The United States has had 64,740 deaths, followed by Italy with 28,710 and the United Kingdom on 28,131 and then Spain on 25,100, according to a Reuters tally. Italy, which has a population of 60 million, said its death toll rose 474 as of Saturday. The United Kingdom has a population of about 67 million. Johnson, 55, initially resisted introducing a lockdown to restrict economic and public activity, but changed course when projections showed a quarter of a million people could die. Johnson himself battled COVID-19 last month, spending three days in intensive
care. He returned to work on Monday, telling the nation that people around the world were looking at the United Kingdom’s “apparent success”. He has said the country is over the peak but that it is still too early to relax the lockdown he imposed on March 23 because there could be a second peak that he fears might overwhelm hospitals. The $3.0 trillion British economy, the world’s fifth largest, is stalling and Johnson is due next week to present a possible way to get the country back to work without triggering a second spike in cases.
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Khawaja ‘very shocked’ at financial situation faced by Cricket Australia
Khawaja ‘very shocked’ at financial situation faced by Cricket Australia.
AAG hopeful athletics...
Sunday May 03, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You are particularly inspired by and sensitive to moments of crises. What that means is that you can't stand to see other people suffer. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Days like today push you to act in the areas of your life where you may have hesitated before. Does your love life need a breath of fresh air? Have you been dreaming of a nice candlelit dinner with your partner? GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You might have questions about the satisfaction you feel about your personal life. You may be feeling the pressure of an increasing list of responsibilities and chores. Things seem so urgent to you now. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Today is excellent for just letting your intuition guide you. If you have time, you might want to let your mind go and follow the train of thought wherever it takes you. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Today is the kind of day when all you want to do is think about some rest and relaxation. You're usually such a responsible, conscientious worker that you can afford to escape for just a few minutes. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You are an excellent friend, and you take pride in helping the people around you. Have you ever thought about getting involved in a humanitarian cause.
Omnisport - Usman Khawaja has revealed he is “very shocked” at the financial situation Cricket Australia (CA) finds itself in due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. CA stood down the vast majority of its staff on reduced pay from April 27 until the end of the financial year, with concerns over when international action will be able to resume. Australia are due to stage the ICC T20 World Cup, as well as welcome India for a lucrative tour, yet their home schedule could be at risk because of the global health crisis. Admitting it is disappointing how the situation has played out, Khawaja hopes CA and the A u s t r a l i a n Cricketers’ Association
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) A surprising phone call or email could come your way today from a friend you haven't heard from in a long time. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Today you may discover that you have a previously untapped talent for the occult sciences. This might involve astrology, numerology, alchemy, or using oracles. A class or workshop could be involved. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) There's someone you've wanted to meet for a long time, Sagittarius, and today you might have the opportunity to introduce yourself. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Do you feel helpless in the face of problems with technology? If so, you might surprise yourself today. Some software that you use a lot could go haywire AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) If you've been thinking about studying astrology, numerology, or other occult sciences, Aquarius, this is the day to start. There may be a school or teacher that you've been considering. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) A woman you meet at work might point you in a new direction, Pisces. You should investigate all possible options. This could be a new intellectual interest, a technological skill, or possibly a new and more lucrative source of income. It may involve an unusual field, but don't worry about that.
From page 55 the only difficulty I see is sponsorship.” Huston further explained, “How do you talk to a sponsor in this time, while businesses are experiencing losses? And, as you know, the AAG and their events are heavily dependent on corporate sponsorship. The only solution to that possible conundrum that I foresee is scaling back on certain things that you’d expect to see at a National Championship.” World Athletics announced last month that the Olympic qualification period will remain suspended until December 1st. (Calvin Chapman)
(ACA) can work together to come through what he feels is a cash-flow problem that could have been avoided. “I was very shocked. I knew our projections for revenue were still very high and I think they still are, depending on what happens with the India series,” he told Fox Sports. “It’s a bit confusing. I don’t have all the financial information in front of me, but it seems like it’s more of a cash-flow problem at the moment. “There’s obviously a little bit of mismanagement there somewhere, with the portfolio and putting a lot of money into the share market. “To me that’s Business 101. To make sure you have enough cash reserves if c**p hits the fan. “So I’m a little bit disappointed on that front ... but what’s been done is done
now, so it’s just our responsibility as CA and ACA to work through this.” Khawaja was absent from the list of players to be handed national contracts by CA this week, having not played a Test since being dropped during the 2019 Ashes in England. The left-hander, who averages over 40 in the longest format, still believes he is one of the best six batsmen in the country and feels the criticism of his play against spin is unjustified. “Without sounding arrogant, I still feel like I’m one of the top six batsmen in the country,” Khawaja said. “My playing against spin has been right up there as some of the best in the county. Bar maybe Steve Smith, who is an absolute genius. “But the most important thing is to score runs.”
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Bravo puts COVID-19 concerns FIFA vice-president ponders ahead of playing franchise cricket calendar year season in Europe Jamaica Observer - West Indies player Dwayne Bravo says he is more interested in seeing the back of the novel coronavirus than he is about playing franchise cricket at the moment. For a number of weeks, sport has been at a global standstill due to the health risk posed by the spread of the virus. With organisers’ hands shackled by the pandemic, a number of domestic cricket leagues have confirmed either changes to schedules or suspended all play, and declared winners of their respective trophies. The highly lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL), the biggest of all franchisebased Twenty20 (T20) competitions, was slated to begin March 29, but for now it is indefinitely postponed. “There are so many [people] away from their own families, can’t see them; and people losing their lives and jobs. This is more than just playing the IPL tournament. I would like to see the world get back at ease,” Trinidadian Bravo said during an expansive telephone interview with the Jamaica Observer recently. The 36-year-old Bravo, a game changer as a batsman, bowler and fielder throughout his career, has represented the regional team in 71 T20 Internationals – claiming 59 wickets and tallying 1151 runs. Overall, he has played 455 T20 matches, second only to West Indies white-ball cricket Captain Kieron Pollard, who has featured in 501. For years Bravo has been among the main attractions in a sea of international stars to flock to the IPL. “At the end of the day, it is something no one has control over. Whether IPL plays or not, I don’t have control over it. The world will have to wait and see whenever [international] borders open back,” the 36-year-old all-rounder stressed. The former West Indies skipper added: “The IPL is one thing, but you can’t fly. So, for example, I love Jamaica but I can’t even come to Jamaica now, so I’m more concerned about people’s lives coming back
to normal. So it’s not about p l a y i n g I P L , i t ’s a b o u t people being able to fly again.” The Caribbean Premier League T20, slated to run from August to September, could be affected. The International Cricket Council T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place from October to November in seven venues across Australia, is also under the microscope. If all goes according to plan, Bravo, who only recently exited retirement, said the West Indies, the two-time world T20 champions and current holders of the title, will be a major force to be reckoned with. “ We are looking forward to it just like every other World Cup. I guess the difference with this one is that other World Cups people in different parts of the world seemed to kind of write off West Indies and don’t see them as favourites. “ We h a v e p r o v e n ourselves on two different occasions, so I think the one in Australia…some people will give us tag of favourites because of what we’ve done in the past. We don’t take it lightly; we’ll play to our strong points. It’s our strongest format and we’ll go out there to try to defend our title,” he said. In recent years West Indies have endured inconsistent T20 results despite most of their players becoming household names in the format. Last November they lost 1-2 to Afghanistan in the T20 International series staged in India. Another 1-2 defeat followed immediately against hosts India. In January this year in the Caribbean, they bounced back in the final game to level the three-match T20 series against unfancied Ireland 1-1. The second match was rained off. However, highlighted by typically audacious hitting from another returning veteran, Andre Russell, West Indies thumped home team Sri Lanka 2-0 in early March.
Bravo, who had previously championed Russell’s value to the West Indies team, reiterated the Jamaican’s match-winning capacity. “When you have someone who can bowl 140 plus [kilometre per hour] consistently, he’s one of the cleanest hitters of a cricket ball – brilliant in the field – so he is a complete player. T20 cricket is designed for someone like Russell, like myself, [and] Pollard– and that’s why we have so much success. “If you look at the last two, three years, Russell has definitely separated himself from everyone else, including the likes of [England player Ben] Stokes and these guys,” he explained. Russell, named the leading T20 cricketer in 2019 by the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, and for years among the most sought after players in T20 franchise cricket, has played 321 matches in the format. Before the series against Ireland, Bravo had not donned the maroon kit of the West Indies since playing against Pakistan in 2016. Though still featuring in franchise leagues around the globe, he announced his retirement from international cricket in October 2018. But last December he confirmed his intent to return to the international fold. “[It is] always a joy to play for West Indies. At the end of the day it’s our childhood dream as professional cricketers to represent the West Indies and the Caribbean people. “My second stint, obviously, I come back as a more senior player, a more mature player all-round. I see myself as a father figure to this group of players,” he told the Observer. While West Indies underperformed against Ireland, Bravo said the win against Sri Lanka was a statement to all their rivals. “We had to send a strong message to the world, not only to the Sri Lanka team. We had to send the message that a West Indies team [at] full strength is not a joke team. The rest of the world now has to sit up and start respecting West Indies again,” he said.
ROME (Reuters) - FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani has said that moving the European soccer season to the calendar year is a “possibility to be discussed” in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic which has brought football to a standstill around the world. In an interview with Italy’s Radio Sportiva, Montagliani, who is seen as a close ally of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, said the move would fit in with the 2022 World Cup being played in Qatar in November and December. The head of world soccer ’s governing body himself has said that football will be totally different when it restarts and that the current stoppage could be a good chance to overhaul the overloaded calendar which is due to run until 2024. “We have the opportunity because the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 will be played in November/December and that could be the idea,” said Montagliani, who is president of the CONCACAF confederation. “Here in the Americas, the season is already played according to the calendar year, perhaps it is a solution that could also be used in Europe and Africa, it is a possibility to be discussed at national and continental level,” he said. “It is not an idea to be discarded, it can be a solution in view of the next two years and this winter World Cup”. A number of European leagues, including Italy, Germany and England, still
Concacaf president Victor Montagliani (left) and FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the new facilities of the FENAFUTH Children’s Stadium, Tegucigalpa, Honduras. (REUTERS/Jorge Cabrera/File Photo) hope to finish their seasons but doing so could force the start of the 2020-21 campaign to be pushed back. UEFA also wants to finish the Champions League and Europa League. “We had already started thinking about how to set a new calendar from 2024, now with this crisis we need immediate answers,” added Montagliani. The idea of a calendaryear season has been put forward before including by Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
when he was chairman of the European Club Association (ECA). “Everywhere, be it Germany, France or England, summer is the best period of the year. And that is the season we don’t play,” he told France Football magazine in a 2013 interview. “In deepest winter, when it is very cold and snowing, we play nearly all the time in conditions that are disagreeable for both players and spectators. It is not logical.”
Indy Speedway races on July 4 could have fans under plan AFP - Indianapolis Motor Speedway could become the first major US sports venue since the coronavirus pandemic shutdown to welcome spectators under a plan announced by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb. A five-stage plan to get Indiana “Back on Track” was unveiled Friday by Holcomb with a target of having all areas of the state reach the final level, which includes a return to sports events, on July 4, the American Independence Day holiday. That ysterday also happens to be the date when the speedway, home of the Indianapolis 500 oval classic, has scheduled a twin bill with IndyCar and US stock car events on its road course. While social distance
guidelines would remain in place in the fifth stage, the plan would allow for spectators in parts of the sprawling stands around the famed 2 1/2-mile (4km) oval. “Of course, this roadmap is subject to change,” Holcomb warned. “New guidance is provided regularly and more is known about this disease every day, so it will be updated along the way.” The virus has forced the speedway to shuffle its normal race schedule, with the 104th Indianapolis 500 shifted from May 24 to August 23 and IndyCar’s Grand Prix of Indianapolis shifted from May 9 to July 4 alongside the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) event.
IndyCar is scheduled to return June 6 at Fort Worth, Texas, with late-June stops at Road America in Wisconsin and Richmond, Virginia, but no existing plan would allow for spectators to attend as stay-at-home rules remain in effect across most of the United States. NASCAR has announced plans for four elite-level races and seven in all on tracks in North and South Carolina in May, but all would be run without spectators. The US PGA Tour has scheduled a June return as well, but plans to stage its first four events without spectators. As of now, the first scheduled tournament that could allow fans would be the John Deere Classic on July 9-12 at Silvis, Illinois.
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Former Guyana Open champion Sukhram remains positive despite delay By Zaheer Mohamed Around the globe, stadiums and sports arenas have plunged into silence in recent months with the corona virus (COVID-19) outbreak bringing tournaments to a standstill. As conventional sports such as cricket, football, basketball and golf being affected with numerous countries placing their citizens in lockdown, many athletes still continue with their daily training routines in order to maintain a decent level of fitness. Golf is perhaps the safest sport at which one can practice on the turf during the COVID-19 quarantine, but there are a number of precautions that must be taken such as, skipping the driving range, washing of golf towels; uphold social distancing with golf partners and wearing of golf gloves and masks. In recent years golf has risen to new heights locally where a record 47 tournaments were hosted by the Lusignan Golf Club in 2019, the most ever hosted by the club in a calendar year; 42 were staged in 2018. Many golfers are looking
Christine Sukhram takes a break during one of her practice sessions in New York. forward to a halt in the pandemic, soonest, so that they can continue to ply their trade. One such golfer is former Guyana open female champion Christine Sukhram. Despite being put on the back-foot recently due to a halt in the sport, Sukhram continues to train daily and is confident that she can recapture Guyana’s most prestigious golf hardwarethe Guyana Open. Speaking with Kaieteur Sport, the nine-time Guyana open champion said despite
being limited to mostly indoor training, she is working hard to ensure she remains fit. Sukhram, who is currently in New York, informed that she had journeyed there to train and play on the different courses, but was only limited to indoor practice due to the corona virus. “Every course is a challenge, I was looking forward to playing on the different courses here, but not being able to do so is a setback for me, however, I am trying my best to stay fit by working out indoors,” she
said, adding that she is still looking forward to an opportunity to play there. Her love for the sport at a tender age is the main reason that led her to pursue a career in golf. Sukhram said she trains everyday and noted that she had to adjust mostly to indoor training. “I am working on my strokes among other things at the moment. The indoor training has provided me with an opportunity to work on the mental aspect of my game and I have seen some improvement. This is a vital aspect for any player; golf is not only about being physically fit, it takes a lot out of us to play and remain consistent, so it is important to be able to focus up to the last stroke because you can be ahead, but coming down to the last stroke if you are not focus things can go haywire,” she added. Sukhram, who last won the Guyana open in 2018, said a number of things didn’t go down too well for her in the 2019 edition of the Guyana Open. “Certain things didn’t work well for me in that tournament, I tried some new stuff, but I will be going back to my old method which I find works best for me.” Sukhram began playing
the game from the age of six in Grenada under the guidance of her dad, the late Basil Sukhram who was her first coach. “My dad used to coach players in Grenada; we used to live in an apartment on the course there, so I developed a passion for the sport since I was six,” she posited. Sukhram started to play competitively in Guyana at the age of 15. She tasted success early in her career when she won an U16 tournament in Barbados. She also played in Trinidad and Tobago where she won the net title and placed second overall in the Sveelty Carnation tournament. She also won the ladies best gross title in Suriname for three years. It is said that with the wrong attitude you can do everything right and still fail, and with the right attitude you can do everything right and still succeed. The former Guyana open champion is a pleasant and polite individual who is willing to help the youths in the sport. On the course she has displayed a never say die attitude and she is looking forward to playing in tournaments beyond the shores of the Caribbean. “I am looking forward to playing in
tournaments in the USA and Canada and move on the higher levels. I am working hard to improve in all aspects of my game so that I can represent Guyana with distinction.” Sukhram noted that there is not a wide variety of female players in Guyana, but indicated that the players here are up to par and have provided her with stern challenges. She stated that the sport has grown from strength to strength locally with a number of new members coming on board and the course at Lusignan has improved considerably with lights in place. “I am hoping to see some new young players coming through and businesses lending their support so we can continue to play on a regular basis.” She said that the COVID19 has put the sport at a disadvantage, but reckoned that players’ safety is important. The 31-year old Sukhram who attended Bladen Hall Secondary, lives at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara. She expressed gratitude to her sponsors, family and friends and stated that with their continued support she will continue to excel.
Women’s soccer loses equal pay bid; other claims await trial The Associated Press - A federal judge threw out the unequal pay claim by players on the U.S. women’s national soccer team in a surprising loss for the defending World Cup champions but allowed their allegation of discriminatory working conditions to go to trial. Players led by Alex Morgan sued in March 2019, claiming they have not been paid equally under their collective bargaining agreement to what the men’s national team receives under its labor deal. They asked for more than $66 million in damages under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In a 32-page decision Friday, U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner granted in part a motion for partial summary judgment by the U.S. Soccer Federation. He threw out the Equal Pay Act allegations but left intact the Civil Rights Act claims. ‘’The history of negotiations between the parties demonstrates that the WNT rejected an offer to be paid under the same payto-play structure as the MNT, and the WNT was willing to forgo higher
bonuses for benefits, such as greater base compensation and the guarantee of a higher number of contracted players,’’ Klausner wrote. ‘’Accordingly, plaintiffs cannot now retroactively deem their CBA worse than the MNT CBA by reference to what they would have made had they been paid under the MNT’s pay-to-play terms structure when they themselves rejected such a structure,’’ he said. Klausner left intact claims the USSF discriminated in its use of charter aircraft, and in the money it spent on commercial airfare, hotel accommodations, and medical and training support services. A trial is scheduled for June 16 in federal court in Los Angeles. ‘’We are shocked and disappointed with today’s decision, but we will not give up our hard work for equal pay,’’ Molly Levinson, spokeswoman for the women’s players, said in a statement. ‘’We are confident in our case and steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that girls and women who play this sport will not be valued as lesser just because of their
gender.’’ Players intend to ask the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn Klausner’s decision, a move that could delay the trial into 2021 or later. ‘’If you know this team at all you know we have a lot of fight left in us. We knew this wasn’t going to be easy, change never is,’’ defender Becky Sauerbrunn wrote on Twitter. While the Americans are the most successful women’s team, with four World Cup titles including the last two, the U.S. men did not even qualify for the 2018 World Cup. The USSF argued the women actually made more than the men both overall and by game average, and the women claimed they should have the same bonus structure as the men. ‘’Merely comparing what WNT players received under their own CBA with what they would have received under the MNT CBA discounts the value that the team placed on guaranteed benefits they receive under their agreement, which they opted for at the expense of higher performance-based bonuses,’’ Klausner wrote.
‘’This issue is insufficient to create a genuine issue of material fact for trial,’’ he added. Klausner also said the women could not go forward with their claim that the USSF discriminated against them by scheduling more games on artificial turf than the men had. He said there was not sufficient evidence to show that decisions on field surface were made for discriminatory reasons. He rejected the USSF’s argument that the men had a competitive need for charter flights that the women lacked, allowing that part of the suit to go forward. The federation has argued that the men, who have struggled in World Cup qualifying, have more need for charters than the women in order to arrive more rested for their qualifiers. ‘’This rationale does not fully explain the gross disparity on money spent on airfare and hotels for the teams,’’ Klausner wrote. In addition, the USSF has said spending in these areas has been equal since the women’s union agreed to a new labor deal in 2017. Klausner allowed other claims of discriminatory travel
accommodations, such as money spent on hotels and commercial flights, to go to trial along with claims on support services such as medical and training staff. He said the USSF’s lawyers waited until reply briefs to ask for those claims to be thrown out, which meant he did not have to consider them. Seyfarth Shaw’s summary judgment motion for the USSF included arguments critical of American women’s players. That filing caused an uproar and led to the resignation of USSF president Carlos Cordeiro, who was replaced by Cindy Parlow Cone, a former national team player. Latham & Watkins took over as counsel and filed the reply brief.
Parlow Cone has said she hopes the suit can settle before a trial. ‘’We look forward to working with the women’s national team to chart a positive path forward to grow the game,’’ the USSF said in a statement. ‘’We are committed to continuing that work to ensure our women’s national team remains the best in the world.’’ Earlier Friday, the women asked that Parlow Cone be included as a trial witness. Their lawyers said although the federation backed off earlier arguments saying women were inferior to their male counterparts in skill and effort, it still planned to contest differences in responsibility.
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Sunday May 03, 2020
Kaieteur News
iBET Supreme’s FIFA 20 ‘League of Champions’ eSports
Round of 16 completed, Bremner, Cummings among favourites The iBET Supreme FIFA 20 ‘League of Champions’ eSports championship which got underway just a week ago is now at the quarter-final stage with the Round of 16 being completed in a series of close encounters. Eight of the best players have now booked their quarter-final spots and will be going toe to toe on the nights of May 3 and 5 with an eye on a semi-final spot. Among the favourites thus far are Tevin Bremner, Pernell Cummings and Akeem Allicock who all booked their respective quarter-final spots in convincing fashion, however the other five all proved their class with hard fought battles, all in all it will make for tantalizing encounters. Bremner who faced Vance Validum won on a 7-4 aggregate with his Liverpool team, playing the first leg away, Bremner handed Validum a 3-1 loss and returned home to win a challenging second leg at 43. Meanwhile Pernell Cummings playing with Manchester United progressed 8-5 on aggregate, he won his second leg playing away with a convincing 5-2 win after a 3-3 stalemate in the first leg against Daniel Vancooten and his PSG side. Akeem Allicock also booked his spot with convincing victories, he played away with FC
Akeem Allicock Barcelona in the first leg beating Osase Barclay’s Juventus 2-1 before recording a 2-0 win in the return fixture. Commenting on the progress of the tournament thus far, iBET’s Marketing and Business Development Coordinator, Dustanni Barrow noted; “The level of competitiveness was incredible in the round of 16 games, all were very close, all the players were anxious, waiting to get their games done. There was also a level of camaraderie amongst them. I expect an even more intense level in the upcoming quarterfinals.” He also pointed out; “This initial setup is good because we are still learning a few things as we progress in the tournament, this is the
first time that a tournament like this is being held in Guyana. The biggest issue thus far, has been the internet, we’ve had some problems with internet speed for various contestants but we have been making it work. If persons have been looking at our livestreams, certain times there has been buffering in some of them and that’s what’s been happening directly on the end of our competitors.” Barrow maintained; “The internet is one of the biggest problems, hopefully that is going to get better in time. In the future we will be looking to host tournaments throughout Guyana with technological improvements, this is something we hope can advance so that we can have bigger and better tournaments, for example we could not have any contestants this time around from Bartica because of the terrible quality of internet in that region.” “I can safely say that iBET Supreme is looking to get involved in all facets of gaming in Guyana, we will continue with the eSports drive and seek to get into live sports as well.” The quarter-finals will get underway at 7:30PM on each match night and will be streamed via iBet Supreme’s Facebook page. Winner of the event will pocket $50,000, two
pennyweights of gold, a trophy, a case of Monster Energy Drink and a special Church’s Chicken Meal. Meanwhile, the second place finisher will collect $25,000, a case of Monster Energy Drink and a Church’s Chicken meal. On the other hand, the third place finisher will receive $15,000, a case of Monster Energy Drinks as well as Church’s Chicken meal. Interested persons can register by calling 608-7036. Sponsors of the event are Banks DIH under their Monster Energy Drink, Church’s Chicken, A&A Gamespot, Smoke Shack and NCN, who are programmed to stream the semifinals, third place and final. Round of 16 Results: Match 9: Akil Harper (FC Barcelona) 4-3 Marvin Johnson (Q) (Liverpool) (6-6 Aggregate) (M. Johnson through on away goals) Match 10: Jamol Thompson (Chelsea) 3-6 Shaquone Prince (Q)(Man City) (5-7 aggregate) Match 11: Daniel Vancooten (PSG) 2-5 Pernell Cummings(Q) (Man United) (5-8 aggregate) Match 12: (Q)Akeem Allicock (FC Barcelona) 2-0 Osase Barclay (Juventus) (aggregate 4-1) Match 13: (Q) Emuwnah Pross (Real Madrid CF) 1-0 Dane Haynes (FC Barcelona) (2-1 aggregate) Match 14: (Q)Jonathan
Tevin Bremner Hutson (Man City) 4-3 Shemar Britton (FC Barcelona) (6-5 aggregate) Match : (Q) Lorenzo Forde (PSG) 6-3 Tariq Dakhil (Juventus) (7-6 aggregate) Match 15: Vance Validum (Liverpool) 1-3 Tevin Bremner (Liverpool) (1st Leg) Match 16: (Q) Tevin Bremner (Liverpool) 4-3 Vance Validum (Liverpool) (74 aggregate) Quarter-final Fixtures Sunday (May 3) (1st Leg) Match 17: QF-1: Emuwnah Pross (Real Madrid CF) vs Lorenzo Forde (PSG) Match 18: QF-2: Pernell Cummings (Man United) vs Marvin Johnson (Liverpool)
Match 19: QF-3: Akeem Allicock (FC Barcelona) vs Jonathan Hutson (Man City) Match 20: QF-4: Shaquone Prince (Man City) vs Tevin Bremner (Liverpool) Tuesday (May 5) (2nd Leg) Match 21: QF-1: Lorenzo Forde (PSG) vs Emuwnah Pross (Real Madrid CF) Match 22: QF-2: Marvin Johnson (Liverpool) vs Pernell Cummings (Man United) Match 23: QF-3: Jonathan Hutson (Man City) vs Akeem Allicock (FC Barcelona) Match 24: QF-4: Tevin Bremner (Liverpool) vs Shaquone Prince (Man City)
Dujon foresees write-off in 2020 sporting calendar BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Legendary West Indies wicketkeeper, Jeffrey Dujon, believes the remainder of the year will be an “economic write-off” for sports because of the COVID19 pandemic, and says any lingering hope by authorities that cricket can resume in coming months was empty optimism. Arguing that the virus was still wreaking havoc on all countries across the world, the 63-year-old said any attempt to stage cricket or sporting events would be “reckless”, and could potentially endanger the lives of many. “It has brought everything to a total halt. Everybody in the other countries are being affected as well but the smaller ones are being affected most in terms of revenues primarily at this point,” the Jamaican told Starcom Radio’s Mason and Guest cricket radio
Former West Indies wicketkeeper Jeff Dujon. show here. “ We h e a r p e o p l e talking about June and w h a t e v e r. I p e r s o n a l l y don’t feel this is really
realistic in terms of what has to be done to get in control of this COVID-19. I don’t think we’re seeing the worst of it yet.”
He added: “I don’t think any cricket is going to be played until we’ve gone back to a situation of some kind of normalcy where people can gather. People just don’t seem to understand … I honestly don’t see the resumption of anything in a very, very long time and I’m talking minimum the rest of this year. “ We h a v e n ’t r e a l l y gotten anywhere where this thing is concerned. I don’t think a vaccine is going to be around before the end of the year so let’s be realistic, this year is going to be an economic write-off for everybody.” The COVID-19 outbreak has disrupted the sporting calendar globally, even forcing the postponement of the summer Tokyo Olympics until next year. Cricket has also not been spared with several series already cancelled.
Cricket West Indies has been forced to scrap several domestic tournaments and also postpone the tour of England scheduled for June. And while CWI are holding out hope that tours of the Caribbean by New Zealand and South Africa can proceed, the ongoing spread of the virus has increased the likelihood that both series will also be cancelled. Dujon, who played 81 Tests in the halcyon era of West Indies cricket, said authorities needed to be realistic about the immediate future. “We need to start thinking about what’s going to happen when this thing (cricket) resumes [eventually] and stop being so optimistic and thinking in terms of months,” the Jamaican explained. “Sensibly we have to get to a stage where we have this thing (virus) under control and we’re actually not having people recover but we are curing people, which means
we would have to have a vaccine. I don’t think we will ever be the same again.” He added: “People are talking about the Olympics and large gathering of people before we’re even slightly out of the woods, I think it is really irresponsible for people to be pushing for this kind of thing. “You cannot be thinking about large gatherings of people unless we can be sure they will be safe and because this thing is a worldwide pandemic, I don’t see the degree to which we can guarantee people’s safety if they congregate in large numbers. We can’t do that.” With no revenue being generated because of the global lockdown, many cricket boards are facing severe financial difficulties but Dujon said public health also needed to be prioritised. “[Economic collapse] is a real fear but at the same time, in order to fight it you cannot endanger the lives of people,” Dujon stressed.
Kaieteur News
Sunday May 03, 2020
PAGE 55
Wayne Jones described as the ‘Gary Sobers’ of Softball cricket - Despite never playing hardball cricket
Wayne Jones in full cry. (John Ramsingh photo)
Jones collects his MOM Award after leading Wellman’s Masters to victory. By Sean Devers
I
t very rare for someone who has never played any hardball cricket to become arguable the best softball batsman ever in Guyana but 60-year-old left-hander Wayne Jones proves this can be done. Jones, described by the ‘stranded in Boston’ Regal Softball teams Media Manager John Ramsingh as the ‘Sir Garfield Sobers’ of Softball cricket, was born in Georgetown on June 21, 1961 and attended the Bel Air Primary and Bourda Community High Schools.
Jones is employed by Mike’s pharmacy and is married with two sons and a daughter. “I became interested in cricket since my father played a lot of club cricket in his time and cricket in our blood. I learnt my cricket, playing in my Primary School yard where I played a bit of hardball cricket but I just did not get the push I needed and I did not have the courage to go on my own,” said Jones who played his first competitive Softball game at age 11. Jones said he did not get the encouragement to play hardball and felt that softball
AAG hopeful athletics can resume in August with Nat’l C/ships Wo r l d A t h l e t i c s ; governing body for track & f i e l d g l o b a l l y, h a d announced last month that the second weekend of August, the eighth and ninth, has been established by the entity’s newly created Global Calendar Unit for National Championships by respective member associations. The calendar, which has no place for the Wanda Diamond League or the World Athletics Continental Tour for the rest of the year, will enable national federations and associations the opportunity to hold their Championships without clashing with any global meetings. H o w e v e r, Wo r l d Athletics is only encouraging associations to do such only if it is has been
deemed safe for athletes to compete during that weekend in August. In addition, the governing body has noted that they are looking to arrange an international competition season later in 2020 (after August) to assist athletes with their preparations for the rescheduled Tokyo 2020
was an easier game to fit in. Prominent softball batsman and Jones’ Mike’s Wellman teammate Troy Lewis, the former Demerara U-19 Hardball Keeper, agreed with Ramsingh. “Jones was excellent and the best softball batsman back then and he can still hold his own now even at his age,” said Lewis. “Maybe I can go on for another 10 years or so. It all depends on how far away from injuries I can stay because I don’t have that much weight and that’s what helps me a lot,” the veteran 60-year-old said when asked how much longer he plans to
continue playing. “My most memorable match was playing for Demerara vs Berbice at Rose Hall at the Canje ground. We were chasing 136 off 20 overs I went in at 63-4 and ended on 52 not out as Demerara won by three wickets. I was Man-of-the Match,” said Jones who represented Bel Air, New Stars, Yorkshire Skyline, Ariel, Durban, Goodwood’s and President’s XI. Jones scored three centuries in his first 15 years that he played and said back then a whole team getting 100 runs was like climbing the Everest Mountain with no gear. In the 1970, 80s and 90s, games were over a duration
Guyana and other athletics associations around the world will hope that all goes well so athletes can resume on the track action.
Olympic Games in JulyAugust 2021. Head of the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), Aubrey Hutson, noted that, “We will be guided by our government’s position on coronavirus locally. The lockdown has been extended to June 3rd but we will still go ahead and
start putting things in place with the hope that August 8 and 9 will be a reality for us while we wait.” “We don’t want to be caught with our pants down and scrambling after June 2nd if health officials say yes, we can have championships again and (Continued on page 51)
of 25 overs, but now most of the games are t20s. To reach a century in a 25-over game back then when batsmen were less aggressive, is a tremendous achievement. “The standard was better in those days. It was more competitive back then and the players and their fans were more disciplined in 1970’s and 80s,” said Jones who plays in the Masters but still competes in the Open games. “In my first overseas trip I was run out for 97 and I am still upset about it. We were in the last over I had to get four runs for my hundred. I got run out trying to get back the strike,” remembered the Mike’s Wellman player. When asked if he feels local softball cricket could be properly sustained, Jones said it could but only if you find the right type of people with good heart that really and truly have the game at heart. “There are too many pretensive people around who are selfish and narrow minded that just do things for themselves to look good by using other people. I don’t think that the people to take softball to that level are not born yet. I think if we get about 15 more people like my Boss (proprietor of Mike’s Pharmacy Mike Singh) it could happen,” said Jones. Many softball teams are owned by successful businessmen and it is perceived that local Softball has more prize money than that local hardball tournaments but Jones said that is only true when the overseas teams are involved and nothing much after that. “I thought by now it would have gone a far way in seeing players earning from softball cricket but when you
have people who are selfish involved in anything, not just sports, it will always be difficult to get progress. But it’s something can still be done. I hope so for the younger ones,” Jones lamented. “I would really love to see a Messiah just appear and inject some fresh new life into softball cricket the way Mr Wayne Forde has done for football. He has changed football for the better in this country and softball needs someone like him. I think we have enough pretenders around this lovely game,” added Jones who represents the President’s XI when he is playing overseas. Talking about the impact that the COVID-19 where the cases had climbed to 82, while the death toll is now nine in Guyana up to yesterday. “It has stopped the cricket completely, just have to wait it out and hope for the best. Follow the rules and try not to be a hero. Pay attention to what is happening around you and try not to get to get caught-up in this mess. Try to help out as much as you could but try to do it safely please, stay safe everyone,” Jones pleaded with his fellow Guyanese who continue to ignore the social distancing and Curfew laws. Softball (bowled underarm with a rubber ball) is a recreational sport, which is played (especially in the rural areas) on the roads, pastures and beaches in Guyana. Softball cricket is indigenous to Guyanese and has now evolved into a commercial product with ‘World Cups’ being staged the USA, Canada and Guyana and played mostly by Guyanese.
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Christine Sukhram following her Guyana Open success in 2018.
Former Guyana Open champion Sukhram remains positive despite delay
Bravo puts COVID-19 concerns ahead of playing franchise cricket
Dwayne Bravo reacts during his three-wicket spell, West Indies v Ireland, 3rd T20I, St Kitts, January 19, 2020 © CWI Media
Women’s soccer loses equal pay bid; other claims await trial
United States’ Megan Rapinoe lifts up a trophy after winning the Women’s World Cup final soccer match between US and The Netherlands at the Stade de Lyon in Decines, outside Lyon, France. (AP Photo /Alessandra Tarantino, File) Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.