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AIETEUR NEWS
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Wednesday Edition May 27, 2020 - Vol. 15 No. 21
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Sudan, Papua New Guinea go after ex-leaders for corruption, stolen assets Papua New Guinea’s Ex-Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill
- recovered US$4B so far
Former President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir
Cop under close arrest Close Brazil border for allegedly selling for another 3 months seized boat engine - Rupununi businesses urge
Former GRA boss, Khurshid Sattaur, dies Video shows container Recovering COVID -19 Coalition's dead voter claim… truck “jumped” patients transferred Family says it never to incomplete approved access to major road, causing Liliendaal facility death certificate fatal accident
Region of the Americas is epicenter of CO VID-19
- PAHO Director
…intensified efforts needed to protect those with underlying conditions
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday May 27, 2020
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Sharmain Grainger Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
Coalition’s claim of the fraudulent reeks of the bizarre and sinister Something is not registering. It is not that we are slower than most, far from it. But when the following statement and position are listened to and absorbed, parsed as far as they could be and run through the mental mill, a whole range of reactions comes rushing forth like through a burst dam. The statement is this: “Harmon says APNU+AFC was successful in ‘fraudulent’ elections” (KN May 26). That incredible, almost surreal, development was presented before the torn Guyanese public and a mystified world on Monday evening. We now share our take on this bizarre situation, which will not be liked in the least. Immediately, we say this and as clearly as could be: If there is the ‘fraudulent’ in anything about Elections 2020, then that neither settles nor solves anything, and leaves more questions and concerns than anything. If it is fraudulent, then no group can step forward and claim that it is ‘successful’. Successful at what and in what? Being an uncaring and willing party to perpetuating thievery on a “massive” scale, which was the word of choice in another section of the media? Yes, there is the fraudulent, but since it is the other side and we are ahead, then that is just fine. This is more than grasping at straws, it is representative, the very embodiment, of utter and crass foolishness. Certainly, it has to be at the severest odds with the still considerable sentiments over the conscientious nature and character of President David Granger. He has not said anything that directly contradicts this unreal statement from a senior lieutenant as yet, but if he measures up to anywhere near the qualities associated with him, then there is the belief that he would not want any part of this, none at all. There is much anticipation on when, how, and what his reaction would be. In this instance, silence would not be an option; rather, it would send a most ominous and discomfiting signal. In the interim, the issue boils down to this: What to do with that position, as articulated so thoughtlessly and crudely by the coalition, through the auspices of Mr. Harmon? Like silence, dismissing it out of hand ought not to be the reflexive option (though it is so deserving). Though beyond ludicrous, it is helpful to drill down some more in an effort to ascertain what is the thinking behind this position, and where it could lead ultimately. First, it is not revisionist history, but a revising of reality as it stands cemented in stone. Second, it is that the coalition’s unalterable position is that though it is the grievously wounded victim in major elections fraud, it is ready to be magnanimous and overlook the patently unacceptable but only on the condition that it be allowed to declare itself the winner of Elections 2020. Third, from all indications that this is what it is, that it can be no other way, with no other winner, and that is end of the whole sorry affair that is the March 2nd elections. Fourth, there is absolute disinterest and disregard by the coalition for the claims and contentions of all other political groups. And fifth, its reckless dismissal extends to local and international observers, generally analytically rational people, who are all forced to conclude, after examination of all the underlying elements that, in effect, it is the coalition whose hands are dirty all the way past its elbows and up to its shoulders where the electorally ‘fraudulent’ is concerned.There is no other conclusion that can be reached, given its stonewalling antics and the disturbing disingenuous positions of its agents, be they in words or in deeds. Be they in the hopelessly fantastical or the introduction of an unparalleled level of the insipid. As much as I hate to say this, the recent word from the president himself to accept ‘any’ result declared by GECOM now assumes a sinister shadow, as that promise-indeed principled commitment-is in jeopardy. When the field general of the president voices such a position, the standing, the legacy, the honour itself of the national leader reels from a sledgehammer blow. We would hope that President Granger moves quickly to clear the air.
Elections anomalies evidence is admissible, irrespective of how it was obtained DEAR EDITOR, I write with reference to an article published in the May 24th Sunday Edition of your paper captioned, “It s court’s jurisdiction to probe election irregularities, not GECOM - Nandlall”. I respectfully contend that it is for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to resolve the irregularities, discrepancies and anomalies contained in the Observations Reports. Paragraph 16 of GECOMs Order provides that the recitals shall form part of the Order. The last recital of the Order provides that the conduct of the recount process is for the purpose of “…the reconciliation of the ballots issued with the ballots cast, destroyed, spoiled, stamped, and as deemed necessary, their counterfoils/ stubs; authenticity of the ballots and the number of voters listed and crossed out as having voted; the number
of votes cast without ID cards; the number of proxies issued and the number utilized; statistical anomalies; occurrences recorded in the Poll Book”. These provisions empower GECOM to not only count the ballots but also to examine irregularities, discrepancies and anomalies in order to make a determination of the credibility or lack thereof, of the recount process. Further, paragraph 6 of the Order provides for the use of the Observations Report Form (ORFs) to record any observation outside of the ballot box checklist; and under paragraph 12 the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), after tabulating the matrices of all electoral districts, submits a report which includes the ORFs and the matrices of the ballot count for each district to the Commission. This shows a clear dichotomy between the ballot count and observations made
during the recount process, confirming that it is not about the ballot count alone. Additionally, paragraph 14 of the Order makes it pellucid that it is for the Commission to resolve any irregularity, discrepancy and anomaly occurring in the recount process as revealed in the report. According to paragraph 1 (b) of the Order, the role of the Commission is to serve as the final arbiter of issues not resolved at the lower levels in the established procedure; and paragraph 1 (f) provides it shall determine and declare the final results of the Regional and General Elections 2020. What is evinced upon a proper apprehension of the provisions in the Order for this special recount process is that GECOM exercises jurisdiction over it. Therefore, it is an erroneous statement by Nandlall when he asserts, “They would be violating the very order GECOM published
and took to be governed by to conduct the recount”. Moreover, GECOM is well equipped in that its Chair is eminently qualified to adjudicate in these matters. She could use her wealth of experience in determining issues of credibility by assessing weight, veracity and consistency of any evidence before the Commission and can call on the General Registrars Office for births and deaths records and the Immigration Department for immigration records to assist in the discharge of the Commissions responsibilities under the rules in the Order governing the recount process. The Chair is well qualified within the characteristics outlined by His Excellency President David Granger in his letter, dated 2017.03.14, to the Leader of the Opposition that the GECOM Chair should satisfy certain characteristics (Continued on page 6)
THE KABAKA DISCIPLES ARE RUNNING THE COALITION, AIMING TO VOID THE ELECTION DEAR EDITOR, At this point it is too painful to not see the attempts by the PNC to sabotage the electoral process. Please note I said PNC and not “APNU+AFC” as it is clear that the Kabaka disciples are running the coalition. The AFC is dead, a breadcrumb long flicked away. First the recount took a while to take off the ground due to the (in my opinion at least) PNC propping up Ulita Moore to block the recount.
Next, we saw President Granger reject the Carter Center observers, politicizing COVID-19 as an excuse. Now, as more boxes continue to be recounted, more and more we see how Mingos numbers were inflated to favour the PNC (and in some cases deflate the PPPs numbers). Now they have moved onto their next trick: Aiming to void the election and apply for a doctrine of necessity through the courts to appoint an interim Government. They will
use the pandemic as an excuse to rule the country until another election is held. However we, the people of Guyana, are waiting on the PNC to produce evidence of any voter fraud that took place. In fact, we are still waiting on them to produce their Statements of Polls. Let us take a look at their nonsensical “voter fraud” campaign. On a post made on their Facebook Page the “coalition” claims that of the 699 ballot boxes examined on
May 22nd there have been 86,367 votes “lacking credibility”. Im not making this up, they did. Their line of thought is that if so much voter fraud is uncovered in just 699 of the boxes, what will be uncovered in the other 1640 boxes? This is where things resemble a Looney Tunes cartoon. If massive voter fraud is “uncovered” in the remaining fraction of boxes this would mean everyone single PPP agent (Continued on page 5)
Guyana needs the leadership of David Granger at this point, not Irfaan Ali’s DEAR EDITOR, For some strange reason I started to think who will lead Guyana in this pivotal phase of its history after the results of the 2020 National and Regional Elections are finally declared. Who will be Guyanas Executive President entrusted with the enormous powers of office to lead the country amidst the great challenges it is facing? If the APNU/AFC Party wins, it will be current President David Granger. If the PPP/C wins it will be…I really cannot recall the name of the PPP/C Presidential Candidate. Can you? Anxious about the countrys future, I was troubled by my lack of awareness. I knew it was not former President Bharrat Jagdeo who, after serving more than two terms, is legally debarred
from any further Presidential term. Nor is it the talented, agentic and ever visible Anil Nandalall. So, I googled and found the name, oh yes, Irfaan Ali. I do not blame myself for forgetting the PPP/C Presidential Candidate Irfaan Alis name because Bharrat Jagdeo who is the General Secretary of the PPP/C has been sucking up all the political oxygen in his partys representations on the national stage; minimizing in the process any reference to Irfaan Ali whose name rarely appears in the news media, is seldom spoken of and does not really feature when crucial post elections decisions and representations are being publicly expressed. Is this the individualveiled, silent, unacknowledged - who could be Guyanas next President in
these challenging and uncertain times? The obscuring of the PPP Presidential candidate at a time when he should be heard or at least heard from is undignified, if not also disrespectful to the nation. Should the Guyanese people home and abroad be bothered by the anonymity of this man who can possibly become our next President? Irfaan Ali reportedly said of his sponsor Bharrat Jagdeo, “I see him as someone who has served tremendously well and someone who has a lot to offer and I dont know what you meant by pulling strings.” Still the question remains: Who is Irfaan Ali? What is his vision for the country? What type of leader is he? Why should he be trusted to become Guyanas ultimate leader when the party of which he is Presidential candidate evi-
dently does not trust nor allow him to be its leader and speak on its behalf? Will he be just a placeholder for someone else who has not faced the electorate? Why should the Guyanese people trust the reticent one? President Granger has acted with much dignity and sagacity as Guyanas Executive President and leader of the multi-party and multi-racial APNU/AFC Coalition Government during this period of turbulence over the March 2nd National and Regional Elections. Despite the immense powers of the Presidency which he still holds, he has not sought to dictate to the Guyana Elections Commission how to carry out their constitutional mandate. He has dutifully respected and (Continued on page 5)
Wednesday May 27, 2020
Kaieteur News
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There was no institutionalized electoral fraud in Colonial Guiana
PPP trying to drown out APNU+AFC allegations of electoral anomalies
DEAR EDITOR, This is in reference to Leroy Nelson s riposte (KN May 25) to Harry Hergashs missive (KN May 24). The debate was over electoral rigging in which Hergash contends that there is documented evidence of fraud engaged by PNC and mere allegations of fraud by PPP. Hergash was chastised for an inaccuracy for the use of evidence (facts) in buttressing claims of electoral fraud. It is indisputable that there was organized, institutionalized fraud under PNC; that is a fact. Nelson accepts there was documented evidence of fraud in elections administered by or under PNC (1966 to 1992) but also presented a courts ruling as evidence there was electoral issues in
the 1961 election in the Houston seat which PPP won. Hergash is right to note that that PPP was not in charge of the elections. The PPP was not convicted by the court or by public opinion for electoral fraud. The discrepancies in the Houston seat were not enough to materially affect the outcome. Let us be clear, the March 2, 2020 electoral fraud has nothing to do with the 1961 elections and the latter must never be cited as justification for fraud. In 1961, there was an Independent Election Commission and Commissioner of Elections and a Chief Electoral Officer, respected professionals. The Commissioner of Elections was Mr. G.K. Waddell, a respected UK Civil Servant and specialist in electoral matters
sent in by London. The Chief Electoral Officer was Mr. Edgar Jack, a senior career officer in the British Guiana Civil Service. The duo were no Harold Bollers or Lowenfield or Mingo. In Houston, there were three candidates A. A. Critchlow (UF) who received 435 votes, H. Green (PNC) who got 3,253 votes, and G.M. Henry (PPP) who received 3,701; some 36 ballots were spoilt. The difference between Green and Henry was 448. Perhaps Green felt that with a redo of the election, if Critchlow dropped out, he could pull it off, and challenged the election of Henry on electoral improprieties; there were 13 disputed voters and no one knows for sure (Continued on page 6)
THE KABAKA DISCIPLES ARE RUNNING ... From page 4 and APNU agent at the polling stations deliberately turned a blind eye to the electoral process in some elaborate scheme by the PPP to rig the elections-which still resulted in an APNU victory. The only gain from this hogwash is continued brainwash of their blind supporters, who they will utilize for a recreation of 98 PNC election violence when the recount shows they lost. I really have no words left to comment on it. Instead I will quote Odo himself by saying “You must pull a rabbit out of the hat every time”. Moreover, I feel with all this malarkey taking place we should remember two lesser known freedom fighters: The Ballot Box Martyrs. They may not be remembered by the youths of today so I have
chosen to enlighten them, and anyone else. During the 1973 rigged elections, military troops were known for seizing the ballot boxes and taking them to GDF headquarters where they were stuffed to ensure a Burnham victory. At No. 63 Village on the Corentyne, noisy protests ensued upon the troops arrival, prompting the troops to open fire, injuring many and killing two: Jagan Ramessar,17 and Parmanand Bholonauth , 45. Jagans treatment was harsher than Bholonauths. He didnt die immediately. Instead, he was seriously wounded from the shooting and received no medical attention. The police and GDF soldiers transported him to the No. 51 Police Station where he died after further physical brutality from the police and soldiers. Hearing this incident
Guyana needs the ... From page 4 adhered to the rulings of Guyanas High Courts and Appeal Courts on the various electoral challenges by the PPP/C whether these be unfavorable to his own partys causes or not. He engaged Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and formally negotiated a protocol for CARICOM to oversee the recount of the ballots. (Was Irfaan Ali present at these pivotal negotiations?). Granger as President and leader of the APNU/ AFC Party has publicly and rightly declared that he would accept and respect the results of the elections. This leader has acted with the dignity the Office of the Presidency he holds requires, and the country he leads expects. He has also been demonstrating calm, measured, and effective leadership in managing the Coronavirus
Pandemic and other challenges confronting the country. Just as Granger has held together a coalition of parties with widely varying views, so too he has kept lines of communication open with the PPP/C and readily meets with them to resolve crises and in other ways advance the causes of Guyana. The CARICOM Agreement for the 2020 Elections recount was done expeditiously in collaboration with the PPP/C. Most importantly, President Granger has declared a commitment to inclusive governance regardless of the outcome of the elections. Guyana needs inclusive governance as it moves into the era of oil. What it does not need in these trying times is a leader without voice and agency. Yours truly, Dr. George K. Danns
made me sit and think. Jagan was ONLY 17. He and I are around the same age. If he were alive he wouldve probably retired with lovely grandchildren by now. But alas he is not, all due to protesting the great PNC rigging of 73. Those two individuals died protesting an authoritarian rule then, as we are now. Ironically, this election fiasco has run into May, a month where all Guyanese celebrate freedom from authoritarian rule, even though currently another is trying to gain foothold. While the recount goes on to prevent a perversion of adult suffrage I strongly feel that we should think of the ballot box martyrs, honour them with at least a thought. Say their names: Jagan Ramessar and Parmanand Bholonauth! For they were fighting for freedom too, freedom from an authoritarian rule. Here we are in 2020, same old story. All I can do is sit back and wait for more episodes of the explosive new television show, “Guyana: Election Hell”. Yours truly, Nikhil Sankar
EDITOR The usual armchair letter writers, residing abroad, have surfaced and are attempting to flog the PPP s dead horse of a declaration of the results on the basis of the recount, despite widespread allegations of voter irregularities on Election Day. When those supposed regularities occurred during the initial count process, few pressed for a similar declaration. Funny how minds waver and are attempting to jettison voter fraud. Rakesh Rampertab, in letter published on 25 May in Stabroek News, in a similar view to the Leader of the Oppositions hastily called Saturday 23 May press conference, attempts to question access to death certificates and their availability to scrutinize an election. Their claims that an elections petition is needed flies in the face of having a transparent elections. If there is such a credible source of evidence, all parties and observers should be interest to get to the root of the problem, not choose sides of convenience. Baytoram Ramharack also on 25 May, in Kaieteur News presented a flawed analysis purely on the basis of limited statistical data, theorizes his work, and limits consideration of a corrupted machinery on Election Day which gave rise the huge number of observations of fraud. Instead he chose his usual measure of ethnic numbers to smokescreen us to think along ethnic lines, and thus condition the result in that order, by showing Indians have an ethnic majority. With the PPP receiving declining voter numbers in 1997 elections onwards, 221,352 (1997), 210,013 (2001), 183,887 (2006) and 166,340 (2011), and their abysmal governance failures and massive corruption allegations leading up to 2015, how would their voting numbers have increased to 202,656 in 2015 with a declined Indian population? (We still await the
2020 count). What would have accounted for this dramatic rise in 2015, would it be the badly mismanaged sugar industry, squandering away rice proceeds from farmers through the Venezuela deal, increased piracy in the fishing sector or Guyana becoming the number one transit point for narcotics in the region? Ramharacks ethnic analysis tries to pull the wool over our eyes into the flagrant violations now noticed in the recount. For the APNU+AFC to now challenge the recount results, not waiting until the end, but from the beginning, is a huge indication that the party is interested in transparency of the process on elections day. Susan Rodrigues halfbaked analysis on 26 May in Stabroek News follows a similar analysis to Ramharack by attempting to discredit the observation report and displays her lack of understanding of how rigging took place on elections day, unstamped ballots, missing cold books, etc. Baytorams last sentence, flies in the face of his arguments about a false narrative “Our hope at preserving our fragile democracy and arresting the slide towards ethnic domination lies with a consistent effort at exposing the fraud, pursuing political sanctions against ruling coalition leaders and encouraging the former “colonizers” to intervene to foster a brokered solution one consistent with the election results.” The fact that fraud on elections day con-
tinues to be unearthed, goes completely unnoticed by this gentleman, who seems stuck in the past reliance on rigging prior 1992 and the ethnic numbers. What he fails to account for is the PPPs dismissal of the electoral reforms between 1992 and 2015 when it was in government and had somewhat of a handle on the elections machinery. Failing to make those changes is a major indication of trying to subvert the electoral processes to manufacture a victory. Machinations by Gocol Boodhoo comes to mind. The main difference now is APNU-AFC is still a de facto government, and the PPP does not have full control of the elections machinery, and has resorted to other practices on elections day. Another writer, Shamsun Mohamed, on 26 May in Stabroek News attempts to limit time for proving voter rigging on elections day. This suggests a rushed declaration to cover up something that is vile, wicked and cunning, and supports the PPP narrative of a rushed declaration after the recount. Surely, a recount was intended to unearth any skullduggery, and now that is has come to fold, why we are getting upset. Is it that some a worriedly afraid that truth lies in the APNU+AFC claims? It is historic and monumental that APNU-AFC is by default also putting its electoral count and reputation on the line by questioning the validity of elections day voting process. APNU+AFC even (Continued on page 6)
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Kaieteur News
On the origin and the meaning of our independence DEAR EDITOR, Today we should be celebrating this beautiful nation 54th year as an independent nation, which makes one wonder about what it means to be an independent nation. When you think of what makes a nation independent, one must examine the contents of the Montevideo Convention. In this convention, the first article highlights the four main criteria that are required for a nation to be considered a nation-state: first a permanent population, secondly a defined territory, third a governing body, and fourth the capacity to entire into relations with other states. Guyana safely has met the first two criteria. The third and fourth is currently very questionable. Our government is an interim one as we await election re-
sults. The fourth is dependent on the third as threats of sanctions and talks of pariah state loom, based on the credibility of the elections. As we observe this day, one can reflect on how we acquired our independence. Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham, from the 1950s lobbied for the British Guiana to become independent. A constitutional conference was held in London and May 26th 1966 was set as the nations Independence Day. At this time, Burnham was the leader of the colony and became the first Prime Minister. Burnham at the constitutional conference is quoted as saying: “Constitutions, I suppose, are implemented or run by politicians but in the final analysis, constitutions are not for politicians and political leaders and political par-
ties, constitutions are for people, that is why we insisted that any constitution that was to come out of the conference should be such that would be acceptable to the majority of the people. Compromises we were prepared to make, compromises we did make, but certain principles could not be compromised on. Such a principle is that of proportional representation.” Reflecting on all of this today, makes one wonder how can members of Burnhams precious PNC have the country is such turmoil, claiming they won the elections and it was credible and now at the recounting process finding make-believe faults. Burnham must be rolling in his grave. Yours truly, Nalinie Singh
PPP trying to drown out APNU+AFC... From page 5 objected to their own voters in one region on the basis of them residing abroad. The PPP driven media blasts and heightened coercion attempts particularly in the past two weeks coincidentally surfaces as APNU+AFC began unearthing irregularities. Rather than take time to analyses these allegations, the PPP through all its various leaders have overreached and tried to overwhelm the media with its false narrative to drown out
the governing partys allegations, rather than trying elicit the fairness of the process. Their thirst for power has left them with their halfslip showing, with no urge for a truly free and fair elections. The smaller parties, perhaps due to their novice background, have also not paused to think and consider, but have blindly continued along their merry way, perhaps upset with the electorate which almost completely ignored them. Yours truly, Krishna Persaud
Wednesday May 27, 2020
Those who are proposing “shared governance” are more interested in power than sharing DEAR EDITOR I have examined the concept of “No Guilty Race” and found the concept to be deficient. Saying “No Guilty Race” is like saying that a person can steal but because other people steals no one is guilty of theft. Yet, theft did occur. The mindset needs to be adjusted to “Every race has its miscreants who must be challenged”. This allows us to come to an understanding that people are not infallible. The really guilty ones are those who defend the “thieving” as justified. I have also read about Shared Governance being proposed as a panacea for Guyana’s problems but am yet
to believe that such a system will work without the necessary prerequisite trust. Those who are proposing shared governance certainly are not working to end ethnic insecurity in Guyana, hence to develop trust. Which leads me to believe that it is not the sharing part that they are interested in: they are solely interested in governance (power). They basically want to be in power forever and ever no matter how incompetent they are. Such unadulterated lust for power does not bode well for Guyanese. Better we shun such power hungry people from our midst. Why are you supporting such power hungry
people anyway? Guyanese were united in the fight for Independence. There is no reason why we cannot be united again. This is where consensus politics comes into play. Consensus politics is whereby we work together developing trust through cooperation. We can certainly look at where we can work together to remove the distrust between people. Under a Joint Economic Development Initiative (JEDI) we look at each other as partners in development rather than competitors, which may be how those proposing shared governance see Guyanese. Yours Faithfully Sean Ori
There was no institutionalized ... From page 5 how they voted. Justice Fraser, an independent judge (a time when judges did not compromise integrity), declared the election of Henry void even though the number of complaints would not have altered the outcome if the thirteen votes were added to Green a rather strange ruling, but showed how tough the judges were of that period regarding electoral matters. The PPP was not in charge of ordering or holding elections which were not possible because of the extreme violence (opposition inspired riots) at the time. As Jagan stated, PPP was in office but had no power. Elections fell under the remit of the colonial authority which set dates for elections. Senior citizens from that
era claim that the 1961 election was the last truly free and fair election held in Guyana before 1992. The PNC did not press for a by-election because its outcome would not have affected the balance in the 35 seats elected lower house where the PPP enjoyed a huge majority from the other 34 seats that was deemed won fairly in a transparent election. Five other petitions (four by PNC and one by PPP) were dismissed. The 1961 elections were administered by the colonial authorities who were determined to defeat Cheddi Jagan because of the perceived geostrategic threat he posed to the West. That is a documented fact. The power behind the government was the colonial governor and London; not possible for a dis-
liked PPP to engage in and get away with fraud. A few observations (facts) on electoral fraud bring clarity to the discussion. Electoral fraud in pre-independent Guyana was treated seriously as a violation of the law, and the accused were brought to trial and dealt severe penalties as happened in 1961. There was no wholesale party organized rigging, per se, as happened during 1966-92. In post-independent Guyana, election rigging was institutionalized between 1966 and 1992. Legal actions were never taken against culprits and conspirators in post-independent Guyana. In-pre-independence Guyana, authorities were like hawks overseeing elections. Fraud was deterred. Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram
Elections anomalies evidence is... From page 4 including, “ That person is deemed to have wide electoral knowledge, capable of handling electoral matters because he or she is qualified to exercise unlimited
jurisdiction in civil matters; that person will discharge his or her functions without fear or favour, that is he or she will not allow any person or organization to influence him or her to compromise his or
her neutrality and that person will discharge his or her functions neutrally, between the two opposing parties, as he or she would have done in Court between two opposing litigants”. The Chair of GECOM would be familiar with the time-hallowed common law principle that evidence is admissible once relevant, irrespective of how it was obtained. In conclusion once GECOM is acting in consonance with the foregoing provisions of its gazetted order, Nandlalls contention that it is “now expanding the scope of this recounting exercise far outside its parameters and that it is wrong; it is unlawful”, must be rejected. Respectfully, Basil Williams SC Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs
Wednesday May 27, 2020
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Kaieteur News
Cops to seek legal advice on suspect CARICOM mourns as Guyanese-born diplomat, Miles Stoby, dies implicated in murder of female guard Police are preparing to seek legal advice on whether they have enough evidence to charge a man that a teen has implicated in the murder of female security guard, Margaret Dawson. The suspect, said to be in his twenties and known as ‘Lil Grumbs’, was shot in the leg last week after allegedly attacking ranks with a knife as they were about to arrest him. He was deemed to be a prime suspect after a 17-year-old alleged that he was present when ‘Lil Grumbs’ attacked and robbed 68-year-old Dawson in the Le Repentir Cemetery. The teen has been charged with Dawson’s murder. He was allegedly found with some of the slain woman’s belongings. He reportedly stated that he accompanied ‘Lil Grumbs’ into Le Repentir Cemetery on a CG motorcycle two Sundays ago. They allegedly saw Dawson walking and he claimed ‘Lil Grumbs’ attacked and robbed her of jewellery and other valuables. The teen claimed that he fled on the motorcycle after ‘Lil Grumbs’ began to drag the woman further into the cemetery. Dawson’s body was discovered battered, half-naked and sprawled in a clump of bushes in the cemetery the following day. Investigators have taken DNA samples from all of their suspects.
Margaret Dawson
Cop under close arrest for allegedly selling seized boat engine Police in Berbice are investigating one of their own – a Corporal – after it was found out that he sold a boat engine that was seized by ranks during an investigation. According to the Commander in charge of Region Six, Calvin Brutus, “the rank is under close arrest and is being investigated for an alleged crime.” He is currently in custody at the Tactical Service Unit awaiting questioning.Kaieteur News was informed that the Corporal, ( name withheld), during his time stationed at the Number 51 Police Station had ventured to a house with other ranks on the Corentyne since they had received information that a stolen engine was there. Reports are that when the Corporal arrived he confiscated the engine. Kaieteur News was told that the normal
procedure would be to make an entry at the station and have the engine lodged, but the Corporal instead kept the engine in his possession. It is alleged that the Corporal subsequently sold the engine with the help of another rank who is now an ex-member of the force.The matter only recently came to light, this publication was informed, after the expolice and the Corporal had a disagreement. The former cop reportedly convinced the owner of the engine to file a report at the station against the Corporal about the engine since he (the owner) still has the receipt for it in his possession.A statement has since been taken from all parties involved including other ranks who were with the Corporal on the day he ventured to the house.
The Caribbean region is mourning the death of one of its most highly respected international public servants, Miles Stoby, who retired from the United Nations Secretariat after decades of service, most of it in the area of economic and social development. Stoby died on May 19th in Muscat, Oman, where he resided. Guyanese by birth, he joined the Guyana Foreign Service after completing studies at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, the CARICOM disclosed in a statement yesterday. His first external posting was in the then joint Guyana/ Barbados Embassy in Washington D.C. He subsequently served in Guyana’s Permanent Mission to the UN and Guyana’s Embassy in Brazil. Thereafter, he joined the United Nations Secretariat and served in increasingly senior positions, reaching the level of Assistant Secretary General in the office of the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. Stoby served, in 1992, as Secretary of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, known as the Rio Summit,
Miles Stoby (left), Permanent Observer for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to the United Nations, presents his credentials to Secretary-General Kofi Annan, at UN Headquarters on October 5, 2005. and later as Coordinator of preparations for the Millennium Summit and Assembly, the largest gathering of Heads of State that has ever taken place internationally. In its seminal Declaration, leaders committed to reduce extreme poverty and set time-bound targets which became known as the Millennium Development Goals. “Yet perhaps one of the greatest highlights of his professional career, and the one (Continued on page 8)
Dearly departed: Miles Stoby
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Chinese national in Nigg accident that killed pensioner, appears in court A Chinese man, who was involved in an accident on the Nigg Public road, made his first court appearance Monday, months after the accident occurred. The man, on January 7 last, was driving motor car PPP 1008 which struck down an 81year-old pensioner, who was at the time,on the Nigg Public road pedestrian crossing. Guomin Xing appeared at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court and was scheduled to be charged with causing death by dangerous driving. However Magistrate Peter Hugh was unable to read the charge because Xing does not speak English and there was no interpreter available. He will make his next court appearance on July 3, 2020 where the charge will be read and interpreted to him. Until then he is allowed to roam free with his passport lodged. Xing is accused of killing Parvidi Ramcharran with his car. The woman had just uplifted her pension from the Nigg Post Office located near the pedestrian crossing. A post mortem that was done revealed that she died from shock and haemorrhage due to multiple injuries about the body. Surveillance footage from a nearby business place showed the elderly woman making her way across the road on the pedestrian crossing when she was hit by the car. Her son was waiting for her at the bus shed on the northern side, just a few meters away, when she was hit. Xing, who drove away after hitting Ramcharran, was subsequently arrested but was released after being in custody for less than 72 hours. He was placed on $100,000 station bail. The matter has been dragging on for months. In March, legal sources had said that the office of the Director of Public Prosecu-
Wednesday May 27, 2020
Kaieteur News
Sudan, Papua New Guinea go after ex-leaders for corruption, stolen assets - US$4B recovered so far
Papua New Guinea’s Ex-Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill
Killed: Parvidi Ramcharran tions had recommended that Xing be charged with causing death by dangerous driving. The report was sent to the DPP in late February. Traffic Chief, Linden Isles, had told Kaieteur News that he had ordered his ranks to expedite their investigation following concerns from the victim’s family that the probe was stalled. Kaieteur News also understands that the relatives of the pensioner and Xing had agreed on a financial settlement after the matter kept dragging on without any justice being served.
Two oil producing nations have recently demonstrated to the world that when it comes to the fight against corruption, not even their exleaders will be spared. Just four days ago, Bloomberg reported that the authorities in Sudan were able to successfully confiscate assets valued at US$4 billion from former President Omar alBashir, his family members and associates. Salah Manaa, a spokesperson for the Anti-Corruption and Regime Dismantling Committee, said that the assets confiscated included land, shares in different companies and buildings. The
Former President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir
Committee was praised highly for successfully taking a significant bite out of Bashir’s wealth. The former leader, who was overthrown by the army a year ago amid mass protests against his three-decade rule, was jailed in December after being found guilty of illicitly possessing millions of dollars in foreign currencies, and has also been indicted by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity committed in the western region of Darfur. Sudan’s anticorruption body was only set up only late last year and is trying desperately to purge remnants of the Bashir regime which left the country deeply entrenched in corruption. In Transparency International’s 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index, Sudan shares an infamous 173rd rank (out of 180) with Equatorial Guinea. Over in Papua New Guinea, Bloomberg reported that former Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill has been charged with misappropriation, official corruption and abuse of office. O’Neill, who denies the
allegations, was arrested at Jackson’s International Airport in Port Moresby on Saturday last after flying back from Australia, where he’d been stranded due to the coronavirus lockdown. Police say the case against O’Neill relates to the purchase of two generators for more than A$20 million (US$13 million) from Israel when he was leading the country. Assistant Commissioner of Crimes Hodges Ette said in a statement that O’Neill directed payments for the purchase of the generators without due consideration for procurement processes, without approval of parliament and without a tender process. O’Neill said in a statement the case was “highly politicized” and that he looked forward to his day in court so the injustice could be “corrected and exposed.” O’Neill had resigned as Prime Minister in May last year after facing a potential no-confidence motion due to dissatisfaction over a recently signed natural-gas agreement with France’s Total SA, which sparked a wave of ministerial resignations.
CARICOM mourns as... From page 7 that gave him the most satisfaction as a Caribbean man, was the organization of the first UN Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) that was hosted by Barbados in 1994,” the statement outlined. The CARICOM Secretariat said that he was the Coordinator of the Conference Secretariat. It revealed “At this juncture in the international debate on Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability, it is perhaps fitting that we remember the groundbreaking role of that First SIDS Conference, and the skill with which Miles Stoby steered the process to a successful conclusion.” Following his retirement, Stoby was again of direct service to the Caribbean region when he held the position of Ambassador and Permanent
Observer of CARICOM to the United Nations in New York during the period August 2005 to May 2006.Stoby was married to Lyutha Al-Mughairy, also herself a former staff member of the UN Secretariat and later the Ambassador of Oman to the United Nations in New York and more recently to The Federal Republic of Germany. They had one daughter Aisha Stoby. He was also the father of Tanya and Lara, and the brother of Robin.“In addition to his immediate family members, he also leaves to mourn a host of friends and former UN colleagues around the Caribbean and indeed globally. Above all, he leaves fond memories among all those he mentored, championed or in any way befriended, of a warm, generous and committed human being. May he rest in peace,” the statement added.
Wednesday May 27, 2020
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Kaieteur News
Five years after… There was once a man in Guyana who was so rich that when he got drunk he would show-off on his friends by lighting his cigarettes with a $100 bill, the highest denomination in those days. This practice is described as burning or blowing away one’s wealth. Guyana is burning wealth over the Atlantic. It is allowing resources to be wasted at the same time that it is begging the international community for money. The government has ap-
proached the World Bank to borrow US$5M in order to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same, time Guyana has allowed ExxonMobil and its partners to flare nine billion cubic feet of natural gas, worth well over US$3.6M. Five years ago, Guyana discovered oil. It means that Guyana had five years to prepare for both oil and natural gas. When oil is pumped natural gas is also brought up. This natural gas is valuable
and adds to the value of the country’s oil resources. Five years onwards, it has still not put anything in place to tap this vast resource of natural gas. Instead, Exxon is releasing the gas into the atmosphere (a process called flaring and which pollutes the environment). Natural gas is not a clean fuel; it is pollutant and therefore would be against the principles for the so-called green state. APNU+AFC signed a contract with Exxon which gives the company the upper
GECOM completes 55 percent of recount
Table illustrating processed and outstanding ballot boxes On day of the National Recount exercise, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) managed to complete 84 ballot boxes. This now raises the total number of recounted ballot boxes to 1,290, with some 1,049 remaining to be counted in the three remaining days. However, it is presumed that the elections commission will extend the 25-day period which was allotted to complete the recount since 1,049 boxes are still remaining. GECOM’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Yolanda Ward, informed the media last evening that 19 boxes were counted for Re-
gion Three (Essequibo Islands- West Demerara); 14 for Region Four (DemeraraMahaica); 21 for Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) and 10 for Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni); 10 for Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni); and nine for Region Nine (Upper Takaku- Upper Essequibo). She went on to say that of the total number of Statements of Recount 1,254 were tabulated for the General Election, while 1,253 for the Regional Election. Thus far the recount for Regions One, Two and Five have been completed.
Dem boys seh ...
Lie travelling pun rocket Dem boys rememba wah wan wise man bin seh: “A lie can travel half-way around the world, while the truth still putting on its shoes.” But dem boys also rememba dat ‘Teacher Percy’ say if you tell a lie yuh going to hell as soon as yuh die. Dem boys seh a lot a lie passing dese days. People lying so dat dem can thief elections. But is when de truth catch up with dem liars dat de fireworks gan begin. Yesterday dem nah bin had no fireworks fuh Independence. And is nat only because of de COVID-19 restrictions or because dem
solider frighten to touch de pyrotechnics. Dem Boys seh we nah gat nuttin fuh celebrate. We nearing three months and elections results nah declare yet. We gat people squatting in office. What is there to celebrate when democracy is under threat? What is there to celebrate when party activists commandeering public property at de swimming pool and Soulja Bai guh and meet dem right deh? What is there to celebrate when people claiming dead people and people living in de farrin vote and dem nah produce no
eeveedence? Wah is independence when there is no respect fuh de will of de people. Guyana talkin’ about farrin interference in de internal affairs. Yet all we resources deh under farrin control. De Canadians controlling we gold; de Russians and Chinese controlling we bauxite and de British and Americans gat we oil. So wah Independence and interference we talkin bout? Talk half and wait fuh see how independent Claw- dett gun be when de time come fuh declare de winner of de elections.
hand in determining what happens to the natural gas. It should have included in the contract obligations for Exxon to bring the natural gas to shore and to establish a natural gas plant. It did include this in the contract. Exxon used the upper hand, which it was handed, to decide that it would re-inject some of the natural gas back into the oil wells and would flare the remainder. This is why nine billion cubic feet of natural gas has been flared so far. Guyana eventually took a decision to bring the natural gas to shore. However, the APNU+AFC waffled when it came to deciding how to approach this issue. According to Jan Mangal, no decision was taken as to where to locate the natural gas plant. Some persons in the government reportedly wanted the plant to be located at Mahaicony while others preferred a location in West Demerara. The indecisiveness of the government in identifying a location meant that little progress has been made. By the time oil production began, Exxon had no choice but to flare the gas
which was in excess of that which it was re-injecting into the wells. It is inexcusable that the government had five years to get these plans going but has done precious little. Yet, the Department of Energy has the temerity to report that plans are well advanced for bringing the gas to shore. So what are these plans which are advanced? You would not believe the answer given by the Department of Energy. Kaieteur News quoted the Head of the Department of Energy as saying that there is a draft memorandum of understanding and a cogent working group. This has to be the joke of the century. Is this what constitutes advanced plans to bring oil to shore – the establishment of a working group and the signing of a memorandum of understanding? By now – five years after the country knew that it had oil and natural gas – a natural gas plant along with other downstream activities should have been in place. Every Guyanese should have been readying themselves to benefit from free electricity by
next year, compliments of natural gas. This investment would not have cost Guyana a cent. It should have been part of the agreement with Exxon. We will take five years from now to get these plans in place and only if there is a new government. The present government has proven itself incapable of delivering natural gas to shore. Guyana is saddled with incapacity which is hampering progress in the energy sector. It is time the entire management of the oil and gas sector be revamped and placed in the hands of persons who will be able to ensure that we never again lose another five years because of indecision and indecisiveness. (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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Wednesday May 27, 2020
Kaieteur News
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
The $86, 000 joke and cacophonous hullaballoo of Joe Harmon With less than half the votes completed so far in the recounting project, Joe Harmon, (the only man in history who insinuated that governments, like political parties, contest national elections; see his response to why he employed the American PR firm, JJ&B) told Guyanese that so far 86, 367 votes are not legal ballots. Moses Nagamootoo in
the Chronicle wrote that the APNU+AFC did not increase its percentage from the 2015 election, winning the poll by the same one-seat majority. The same Chronicle, from figures supplied by Nagamootoo, reported that the 2020 election saw a production of 473, 556 valid votes (“Voter turnout for March 2 elections around 70 percent”, Daily Chronicle, March 16,
page 2) with 5, 917 votes spoilt.So where did Nagamootoo and the Chronicle get the number of 6,000 spoilt votes from when “Lil Joe” or “Joe Shan Lin” is exclaiming that 86, 000 votes were invalid? Which figures did Nagamootoo see? It is obvious that Nagamootoo saw the numbers from the final declaration that Lowenfield had which he was
about to use to swear in Granger with. Lowenfield’s finality included Mingo’s numbers. Now where did Joe get that number of 86, 000 from? But there is a more important question. If less than half of 473, 556 votes are recounted and Joe has detected 86, 000 bogus ballots, then it is likely that there is another sum of 86, 367 (making for a total of more than 160,000). This means that more than a quarter of 473, 556 votes were fraudulent. How then could such an election take place with the Prime Minister claiming that his party won and Lowenfield being ready to officially proclaim the results? We have now to examine science and logistics. In doing so, we must at all times keep in mind, Nagamootoo’s figure of 473, 556. If at the end of the recount, Lil Joe finds 160, 000 votes were counted on March 3 that were illegal, then a logistical miracle has taken place that we have never seen and will never see in another election. If out of 473, 556 votes, 160, 000 were bogus, then the human body could not have done that. Enter science. How is it scientifically possible in such a small voting population that an opposition party that does not have access to state resources, as the incumbent does, could pull off such a gargantuan fraud? How do you scientifically explain that when you take into consideration the follow-
ing: (1) - there are three commissioners on the election body from the ruling party; (2) - in an election contest between an Indian organization and an African entity, the GECOM employees were predominantly African; (3) - the selection of the Deputy Chief Election Officer turned out to be a very nasty affair in 2019 with the Indian opposition saying she was chosen for political purposes; (4)- subsequent events from March 3 showed that the Chief Elections Officer, his deputy and the GECOM chairman behaved in graphic ways that tell you that the opposition could not have injected 160, 000 bogus ballots on voting day without any detection. So the question that every human being must ask – What superpower qualities this opposition party has that it could have pulled off such an incredible feat? There are only two explanations. There was a prodigious collaboration between GECOM, its employees, the polling agents of APNU+AFC and the PPP to inject 166, 000 fraudulent ballots into the election. One has to entertain this scenario because placing 160, 000 jumbie votes into the entire election could not have gone undetected. The other depiction is the opposite of the first explanation. No such ghost train drove through Guyana on voting day. The 86, 367 illegal Xs that Lil Joe is citing is yet another mani-
Frederick Kissoon festation of the train of asininities that APNU+AFC is driving. Enter Claudette Singh. So we have 86, 000 ghost ballots that were counted and we are still to reach the half way mark of the sum of 473, 556. It is incumbent on Singh to dismiss Harmon’s harmonica because he is playing musical notes that do not exist and is therefore playing nonsense. When I was courting my wife 43 years ago, we were going to the seawall and we passed a place playing music. I turned to her and said: “what a cacophonous hullabaloo.” She asked: what the hell is a cacophonous hullabaloo? From that day, 43 years ago, my wife keeps mentioning that term whenever she hears disharmonies. What Joe Harmon and the clowns in APNU+AFC did was to throw a cacophonous hullabaloo on to the lap of Singh, and she is taking it seriously. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Wednesday May 27, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday May 27, 2020
Suriname still awaits outcome of Monday’s general ...
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From page 14 until this morning. But the anti-fraud platform of the opposition parties has expressed concern at the decision of the chairman, noting that there is no guaran t e e t h a t t h e r e would be no irregularities taking place overnight. “We have no guarantee that things will not go wrong,” said one of the platform members, while the chairman of the NPS, Gregory Russia, said he intends to remain in the room where the boxes are being stored. “If we have to keep watch in the evening as parties, then I don’t want
to leave room for cheating,” said Russia. But NDP candidate, Rabin Par m e s s a r, h a s called on all parties “not to be impatient and wait for the final result, adding “for the first time in history we have organized the most transparent elec t i o n s . “We are quietly waiting for the resorts where we think we are strong,” he said, claiming that several incidents had occurred during the voting on Monday. Meanwhile, regional political analyst and commentator, Derek Ramsamooj, who is in Suriname, told the
Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that it is likely that Suriname could face an uncertain political future when the official results are released. He said based on the preliminary results, it would mean that a coalition would have to be formed in order to control the 51-member National Assembly. “There is no political party that is in control of the Assembly. You will have a coalition of parties to be in control of the Assembly he said, noting that the election of the President will be done by the National Assembly in August.
He said 34 votes would be required to elect a new head of state and if after two rounds of voting, with no person elected President, then the Constitution allows for all elected officials including those at the District level to cast ballots to elect the head of state. “You may have a situation where one party is in control of the National Assembly and another political grouping in charge of the presidency,” the Trinidadianbased Ramsamooj said. Under the Suriname Constitution, the President is responsible for naming the Cabinet.
Wednesday May 27, 2020
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Kaieteur News
Granger says not afraid of media - in exclusive interview with state television broadcaster Incumbent President David Granger - in an exclusive interview with Chairman of the Board of Directors of the state broadcaster, National Communications Network Television, Enrico Woolford - stated that he was “not afraid of the media” and urged journalists to be more truthful in their reporting on the election recount and its attendant issues. “My only desire is that the media should be truthful,” Granger said, “and explain to the Guyanese people what has occurred since the second of March and I believe if the media were truthful, if political parties were honest, we would be able to overcome some of the anxieties and apprehension. There has been a lot of misinformation, there have been fake reports and this has caused the confusion.” The President was responding to Woolford’s question about the increasing number of media outlets and the role of the social media in disseminating politically partisan false information. As
Kaieteur News has been reporting there has been a marked increase in the incidence of such false information being pushed by political players, particularly during the past two weeks. Last week for example, the APNU+AFC page posted that a coalition agent had found dozens of discrepancies in a Sophia ballot box that had not yet been opened to be recounted. Additionally, as reported in Kaieteur News, a Berbice couple, who had been included on a list of persons that the Granger-led coalition had claimed were marked as voting despite having migrated, proved that they were in the country and claimed to have voted for the coalition. Most notably, on May 15th, the Granger government had issued a press release through the Department of Information congratulating the president on the 5th anniversary of his being sworn in and for his re-election. “The people of Guyana in 2015,” stated the release, “elected President Granger for
the honesty, decency and integrity which he embodies. And it is evident that after a successful first term as President the electorate of Guyana reposed confidence in his leadership and re-elected him for a second term.” With the recount still in progress, GECOM has not determined the winner of the process. Granger also took issue with what he represented to be inaccurate terminology in the reporting on elections. The President said that it would be good “If the media explained to the public that the process embarked upon by Justice (Claudette) Singh is a lawful process and stop using words like ‘rigging’ which means nothing.” While Kaieteur News and other media organisations have been providing evidence of the manipulation of the Region Four SOPs tabulation, the media has generally stopped short of using the word “rigging” unless directly attributed. However, the term has been increasingly employed by Granger’s
subordinates in his own party, with – for example – PNC Executive Aubrey Norton saying as recently as last Friday, and quoted by the Granger government’s Department of Public Information, that “’They are saying that Mingo rigged, but the evidence is suggesting that in Region One there was rigging, in Region Two there was rigging, in Region Three there was rigging, in Region Four there was rigging, in Region Five there was rigging.” Regarding the lawfulness of the process, as reported by multiple news outlets, including Kaieteur News, Granger subordinates Attorney-General Basil Williams and APNU+AFC candidate Roysdale Forde had both questioned the legality of the recount two weeks ago while addressing the media. Forde was also the lawyer for coalition candidate, Ulita Moore, in her unsuccessful bid to have the recount stopped on the basis of what she claimed to be its illegality. The President said that the media should explain that
GECOM is following a process that is “embedded in the Constitution, it follows the ruling of the court, it complies with the mandate of the Commission.” “I’m not afraid of the media,” the President claimed in the Woolford interview. This is his second hour-long exclusive interview in as many weeks, the first being an online engagement with coalition supporter, Mark Benschop, for Benschop Radio on May 18. The day before, May 17, Granger had held a less than twenty-minute long press conference with questions per media house limited to a maximum of two. In that press conference, in which he was assisted by his Press and Publicity officer, Arianna Gordon, and Telecommunications Minister, Cathy Hughes, the President refused to answer several questions put to him, including whether he still believed that he had won the elections based on the declarations made by GECOM. This would include the Region Four declaration made by Re-
turning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, whose tabulation has been proven since to have been deliberately and systematically manipulated in favour of the President’s list of candidates. That May 17 press conference marked Granger’s first public appearance since March. The Granger presidency has been criticised for his refusal to hold open press conferences and questions sent to his press and publicity team primarily go unanswered. In 2018, for example, only after tremendous media pressure, including formal complaints by the Guyana Press Association, Granger held only his third press conference since coming to power in 2015. His first press conference was held five months into his tenure in October 2015 and his second one was over two years later in December of 2017. Since Norton’s appearance last Friday, in which he claimed falsely that a Bush Lot ballot box contained more votes than electors registered, no coalition representative has directly addressed the media.
Family says it never approved access to death certificate
Coalition’s dead voter claim… By Shikema Dey “We were so disturbed when we saw it because we wanted to know how they got a copy of a death certificate for someone who they are not related to.” Those were the sentiments expressed by the grand-daughter of Chitnandani Ramdass, the woman who died on June 6, 2015 that the APNU+AFC Coalition claimed voted at the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections. The claim was made by APNU+AFC counting agent, Ganesh Mahipaul, in a Guyana Chronicle article complete with an image of a copy of the woman’s death certificate as ‘evidence’ of her voting at the March 2 polls. The Coalition alleged that serial number 257 (Ramdass) was ticked off on the list indicating that the person voted although he/she was deceased. An official copy of the polling station’s Official List of Electors (OLE) commonly known as the Pink List, showed, however, that the woman’s name was not ticked as voted, which meant that she did not cast her ballot nor did anyone vote in her place, debunking the claim. The woman’s granddaughter told this publication that family members were shocked when they saw the
Copy of the death certificate submitted by the Coalition as evidence copy of the death certificate in the media because they did not issue permission to the party to obtain a copy at no time. That copy was obtained on January 30, 2020 while the original death certificate was issued to the family on September 6, 2017. “We didn’t know nothing about that” she told this newspaper, adding “when we saw the death certificate in
the papers, is then we know that they claiming that the dead person voted or someone voted for her and all of a sudden, they put up this death certificate.” The allegation that someone voted using her dead grandmother’s name, according to the grand-daughter, would not be possible. “So you mean to tell me that they had agents there and saw somebody voting for a dead
person and you sat down there on elections day and you didn’t object? What sense does that make?” Coalition Executive, Amna Ally, disclosed that the party is in possession of “countless” death certificates. She was questioned as to how these sensitive records were accessed. She told the media that that they can be easily purchased at the Guyana Registry Office (GRO). Ally said too “Anybody can access a death certificate…I think what you have to do is to pay about $300 and you can access a death certificate.” A provision in the law under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act also points to this. That law says “Everyone shall be entitled, on payment of the fees prescribed by the Minister by order, to search the indices between the hours of ten o’ clock in the morning and four o’clock in the afternoon of every day except on public holidays and Saturdays, and to have extracted therefrom a sealed certificate of birth in Form 4 or a sealed certificate of death in Form 5, as the case may be.” But according to former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, for the Coalition to have possession of “countless” death certificates would
Original copy of Chitnandani Ramdass’ death certificate be in direct conflict with the law. Nandlall cited Section 33 (3) of the Access to Information Act 2011 of Guyana, which states that, “A document referred to in subsection (1) shall not be released without the notarized consent of the person who is the subject of the information in the document. Pursuant to subsection (6), in the case of a deceased person, only his next of kin can give consent to access.” When the provision under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act allowing public access to the death certificates was pointed out to
Nandlall, he argued that “implied repeal” would overrule such. Implied repeal is a concept in constitutional theory which states that where an Act of Parliament conflicts with an earlier one, the later Act takes precedence and the conflicting parts of the earlier Act become legally inoperable. “If there are two acts that are inconsistent, the one that was passed subsequently or later in time is said to have overruled the other one,” Nandlall told Kaieteur News. Additionally, he noted that he would be advising the family on how to proceed legally on the matter.
Wednesday May 27, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Barkley: NBA teams should forfeit series if player gets virus Charles Barkley laid out a possible ugly scenario for the NBA postseason if it is played this summer amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Hall of Famer believes teams should be eliminated from the playoffs if one of their players tests positive for COVID-19. “I think the one thing we’ve to go do is, how are we going to handle if one of our players gets infected,” Barkley said Monday on ESPN’s “The Paul Finebaum Show.” “That to me is the tricky part. You can’t stop the playoffs. I think a team is just going to have to forfeit a series if any of their players, not even their best player, gets the virus. “You’re going to have to sequester the entire team, and
they are going to have to forfeit a round of the playoffs. They are going to be gone for the playoffs. “It would be devastating for us in the NBA if the Milwaukee Bucks got taken out, even if it’s a guy who just is sitting on the bench, you would have to take the whole Milwaukee Bucks team, and the great player Giannis (Antetokounmpo), they would lose in the first round of the playoffs. “This stuff is just uncharted waters. We’re going to have to learn as we go.” Barkley added that both the nature of the game and the prospective living quarters for the players could put them at risk of infection. “Big basketball players pushing on each other in the
lane, fighting for rebounds and post position, there’s no way they can social-distance,” Barkley said. “They say they’re going to put ‘em in a hotel for two or three months. Are the maids going to be in the hotel for two or three months? The maids are going to go home every day. “What about the people in room service? They’re going to go home every day. So it’s just a lot of unanswered questions.On the positive side, Barkley does believe the suspended NBA season will come to a conclusion, citing knowledge obtained from his bosses at Turner Sports. “(The NBA is) gonna make a decision in the next week,” Barkley told Finebaum, according to thescore.com. “I’m 100 per-
Wednesday May 27, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Take care of the people around you, Aries. Service is an important part of the day, as compassion and caring are at the forefront of your mind. Be a reassuring caregiver for someone close who needs a nurturing shoulder. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) You may feel as if you're sinking into an emotional vortex, Taurus. Be careful about asserting ownership over things that aren't really yours to claim. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your thinking is quite clear, Gemini, and you'll find that your emotions support your mental processes. Your psychic nature is strong, so you should trust your hunches. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You may need to keep your spaceship idle today, Cancer, and perform a safety check for your crew. Make sure everyone on board is informed of the destination. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Things may not be as obvious as they first seem today, Leo. Don't get started on a project until you understand the full scope of what you're getting into. VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22) Don't try to force your ideas on anyone, Virgo. It's important to maintain neutrality so that you can act from a steady state of mind when someone brings you an issue that needs to be dealt with right away.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Your intuitive nature is especially strong, Libra. You won't have to think about things because today you just know the answers. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Any argument you start today is likely to erupt into a brutal emotional battle, Scorpio, so beware. Try not to tread on anyone else's turf, because you'll find that they're likely to be possessive and even belligerent about defending what is rightfully theirs. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You may find that people are likely to challenge your mental process today, Sagittarius. Don't be surprised if they seem to argue with your ideas left and right. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The key for you today, Capricorn, is using your heart more than your head. Base your actions on your feelings and inner understanding of the situation. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Things should go especially well for you today, Aquarius, so don't worry about any of it. Life doesn't necessarily get easier as you get older?you just learn how to deal with things. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) The more attention you try to get from other people today, Pisces, the more they'll ignore your fancy displays and grandiose ideas.
cent sure we’re going to play. I know my friends in Major League Baseball are going to play. I know that the hockey league is going to play. I think the pro football and the college football, they have to sit back and see how it goes for us. ... “I do know this, talking to my bosses at Turner: We’re going to play basketball. It’s gonna be in Florida and (Las) Vegas, or just Florida.” Finebaum asked Barkley about the upcoming college football season, with the fate of play uncertain as different states deal with different realities within the pandemic. “One thing I hope they don’t do is separate the teams and play the haves and the have-nots. I think that would be awful for the game,” Barkley said. “They are going to have a month or two of (hockey, baseball and basketball) to see how it goes before they have to make a really big decision — either play, delay or not play. “College football and pro football, obviously they are the two King Kongs of the sports world, but they’ve got the longest leeway before they have to make a decision.” The Monday interview came a day after Barkley made headlines for his work Sunday as a commentator on the charity golf match featuring Tiger Woods, Peyton Manning, Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady. Barkley mocked Brady’s poor play until Brady fired back after sinking a chip shot from the fairway. “I was just really glad the guys had some fun,” Barkley told Finebaum. “You know, when you do events like that, if the guys are not having fun, it’s really boring. ... It was awesome, and it gave us something to do on a Sunday afternoon.” (Field Level Media)
Charles Barkley, representing the 1992 United States Olympic “Dream Team” in the Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2010, speaks during the enshrinement news conference at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts August 13, 2010. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)
Lockdown left Lewis Hamilton... From page 25 got to go out there and get whatever it is we want, and you’ve got to want it more than the person you’re fighting against. You’ve just got to get off your a**e and do it.“I’m in pretty decent shape, but I can always be in better shape. I see things and I’m like, ‘Damn, I’ve got a bit of fat here. Shoot, I’ve got to work harder, I’ve got to go for a run’. In actual reality, I don’t really have much fat. “But there are people out there that have these things going through their minds.
You’ve just got to let go, find what it is you love and say I’m going to do it. I’m not going to let anything get in my way.” F1 is looking to return in early July with back-to-back races in Austria before heading to Silverstone, although the British event remains in question following the Government’s decision to impose a 14-day isolation period for people coming into the UK from June 8.
Mitchell Starc... From page 22 previous tour of Australia in 2018-19, where after two evenly-fought matches on fair pitches in Adelaide and Perth, Virat Kohli’s team ground the Australians into the beige turf of the MCG and SCG to close out the series. “I think as we saw in Australia the last couple of years, there’s some pretty flat wickets, and if that ball’s going straight, it’s a pretty boring contest,” Starc said. “I think Kookaburra have been developing a shining wax or something of the sort, so whether there’s consideration of that, there needs to be some [thought to] maintaining that even contest. Generally the spinners reckon that the wickets that seam a bit also spin, so maybe if you bring the bowlers back into the game, you’ll tick all the boxes.”
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Mitchell Starc: Saliva ban risks ‘boring’ cricket without balance ESPNcricinfo - Cricket runs the risk producing “boring” contests, losing followers of the game and reducing the number of young aspirants to bowl fast if a better balance isn’t struck between bat and ball. These are Mitchell Starc’s views in reaction to the interim ruling offered by the ICC to ban saliva from shining the ball in the time of the coronavirus pandemic. Having bent his back on a succession of unhelpful pitches in home Test matches over the past few summers, Starc argued similarly to his colleagues Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. He thinks the ICC’s prohibition of saliva, but not sweat, from being used to shine the ball out of health concerns needed to be counterbalanced by another measure. While the ICC’s cricket committee has suggested more sporting pitches could
be a solution currently, Starc was understandably wary about the prospect of administrators and ground staff acquiescing to this instruction, and instead pushed for a temporary allowance for an artificial substance with which to polish the ball. This concept, as reported by ESPNcricinfo, was discussed by the ICC committee before being ruled out on the basis that it took the game too far from its existing laws. “I understand that completely and hear what they’re saying in terms of a foreign substance, but whether that can be controlled by the umpires in terms of they have a portion of the wax and you can only use a small amount, I don’t know, but there needs to be a maintaining of the even contest,” Starc said. “I understand what they’re saying with foreign substances and that it’s black and white in terms of that, but it’s an
unusual time for the world and if they’re going to remove saliva shining for a portion of time they need to think of something else for that portion of time as well. “Whether it be the wickets being not as flat or at least considering this shining wax to a degree, there needs to be some thought on that I think. I guess you use both those things [saliva and sweat] to shine the ball. I’ve probably been a bit more on the sweat side, just trying to not get my hands in my mouth too much, but yeah, I agree completely with what Pat commented on last week - that contest with bat and ball, we don’t want to lose that or get further away from that even contest, so there needs to be something in place to either keep that ball swinging. “They’ve mentioned that it’s only going to be there for a period of time and then once the world gets back to a rela-
Mitchell Starc is concerned there won’t be enough in the game for the bowlers. (Getty Images)
tively normal situation then saliva can come back into shining the ball. But if it’s going to be a window of time there, maybe then instruct people to leave more grass on the wickets to have that contest or if they’re going to take away a portion of maintain-
ing the ball, there needs to be that even contest between bat and ball, otherwise people are going to stop watching, and kids aren’t going to want to be bowlers.” Administrators have long supported the concept of more lively pitches for
bowlers, but far too often the practical outcome has been the preparation of surfaces devised to see a Test last for five days, typically producing a very attritional brand of cricket. Starc was clearly casting his mind back to India’s (Continued on page 19)
Players Association seeking ‘certainty’ before return National Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts told ESPN yesterday that players are seeking a “level of certainty” regarding their return from the hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic. On hold since March 11, Roberts said “it’s time” for players to get back on the court. “It’s been two and a half months of, ‘What if?’ My players need some level of certainty. I think everybody does,” she said. Roberts is holding roundtables with all 30 NBA teams this week. By next week, every franchise expects to have a detailed outline of when, where and how the NBA plans to resume business from commissioner Adam Sil-
ver. The NBA Board of Governors is meeting Friday with the intention of laying out some of the protocols that would be in place at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando, Fla. Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie shared via social media last week that players are expecting to resume practice in June and be ready for games by July 15. “Let’s just get it out there, because our guys need to know,” Roberts said. “Certainty will be good. But the players really want to play.” (Field Level Media)
Wednesday May 27, 2020
Simmons unfazed by Windies T20 rankings slide PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – West Indies’ slump in the world Twenty20 rankings is of little concern to head coach Phil Simmons, but believes it can work to his side’s advantage if the T20 World Cup comes off in Australia this October. Since winning the T20 World Cup under Simmons four years ago in India, the Caribbean side have slid down the rankings and now lie ninth only above minnows Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Ireland. In fact, the Windies have won just 15 of their 46 T20 Internationals since the 2016 World Cup in India. “In a way it’s nice [to be so low in the rankings], you might get a few of the big teams taking their eyes off us and they all know that’s a dangerous thing to do,” Simmons told i95FM Sports here. “I don’t think the ranking means anything at the end of the day. I think our squad showed what it can do in those T20s in Sri Lanka [last March] and it’s a case where it was a squad that was just getting together, and you could add the fact it was a squad without Evin Lewis. “We know each other’s game in this format and I think the time period we’ll have we’ll make the best use of it to get ourselves ready, and I hope some of the bigger teams take us for granted as we won’t have much work under our belts. “But I don’t think they will; they know what we’re capable of.” As it stands, however, doubt surrounds the T20 World Cup due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pan-
West Indies head coach Phil Simmons.
demic, which has halted cricket across the globe. The tournament is scheduled for October 18 to November 15 but the International Cricket Council is yet to make a decision on whether to postpone the showpiece. And while conceding that the lockdown in the Caribbean because of the virus would hurt the side’s preparation, Simmons pointed out the experience in the squad would prove the ideal buffer. “I think the only disadvantage it (lockdown) places on West Indies is how much work the guys are able to do before we go there (World Cup) – if it’s happening,” the Trinidadian explained. “I think once we get there, T20 is the one format where the squad that we have would be able to get themselves in that position where we will be able to play to our standards in a shorter space of time than maybe the Test players would. “I think the squad for the T20s is more seasoned than the younger squad in Test cricket.” The lockdown across the Caribbean has put in danger several international tours,
T
Covid19 Task Force which was written to over two weeks ago. Nevertheless, the association has commenced efforts to bring home the mentallydrained athletes. All angles are being explored and no stone will be left unturned in what must now be viewed as national effort, as their trip to Cuba was with intention of representing Guyana at the AMBC Olympic Qualifier. The GBA has now written to the Guyana Olympic Association and the National Sports Commission to render assistance in returning the four boxers to Guyana. These two organisations joined
Haiti football federation head temporarily suspended
Yves Jean-Bart speaking at the Fifa Congress in Brazil in June 2014. (Photograph: Alexandre especially with South Africa Schneider/ and New Zealand expected to Getty arrive in the Caribbean for Images)
multi-format series in July and August.The South Africa is of special significance to West Indies’ T20 World Cup preparation, with five T20 Internationals scheduled at the back end of the series in August.Critically, the Caribbean Premier League, scheduled to start in August, is also under the microscope, though organisers have pushed ahead with planning. Simmons, who oversaw Barbados Tridents’ capture of the 2019 title, said it would be a boon for West Indies if the tournament was able to be played. “It (CPL) is an important part of selection for the West Indies squad and if a safe environment for it can be found and it can be played, it would be massive help for the players who would then be selected in the squad to go to the World Cup if it’s on,” Simmons noted.“They would’ve been playing T20 cricket – though it is only CPL and not the international games – and that would be an amount of match practice they would be getting from it.”
Stranded boxers approved to return home, every effort being made to secure a flight he Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) was on Monday informed that the four boxers stranded in Cuba have been given approval to return to Guyana. This information was given during informal discussion with the Director of Sport Christopher Jones, a release from the association informed. However, the issue of securing a flight from our sister Caribbean Island will be a challenge that GBA head Steve Ninvalle is pushing full steam ahead to solve. The release further informed that, To date the GBA has received no official correspondence from the
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forces in order to send the team to Cuba and it is hoped that this union will create a passage for its return. So far Light welterweight Colin Lewis, light heavyweight Dennis Thomas, middleweight Desmond Amsterdam and bantamweight Keevin Allicock have been stranded in Cuba for 68 days. Three of the four are breadwinners so their unintentional and extended absence has negative economical impact for their respective families. The GBA remains committed to bringing back home the quartet at the earliest possible time, the release concluded.
BBC News - The president of the Haitian Football Federation, Yves Jean-Bart, has been suspended from his post for 90 days. The governing body of world football, Fifa, took the step after allegations emerged that he coerced teenage female players into having sex
with him. He allegedly threatened the girls with losing their spot at the national training centre if they did not comply. Mr Jean-Bart categorically denies the claims. Police are investigating the allegations. Fifa said the suspension
would come into force immediately and apply to “all football-related activities at both national and international level”. Mr Jean-Bart, 73, has been in charge of Haiti’s football federation for the past two decades. The incidents under investigation are alleged to have taken place in the past five years. They were first reported by The Guardian newspaper last month. Since then, several employees at the Haitian football federation have been summoned by a judge to answer questions. It is not the first time a high-ranking Fifa official has been embroiled in a sexual abuse scandal.In June 2019, the former president of the Afghanistan Football Federation, Keramuudin Karim, was given a lifetime ban following allegations that he had sexually abused players in the women’s team.
Lance Armstrong says he doesn’t know if doping caused his cancer: ‘I certainly wouldn’t say no’ Yahoo Sports - One week after the finale of ESPN’s “The Last Dance,” the network decided to follow up the smash-hit documentary with a look at a figure much, much more controversial than Michael Jordan: disgraced cycling great Lance Armstrong.In Part 1 of “LANCE” aired on Sunday, ESPN focused on the early life of Armstrong, his rise through the cycling world and his cancer diagnosis. The latter subject led to a very sensitive question: Was Armstrong’s testicular cancer a product of his admitted doping?Armstrong’s answer was that he is uncertain, but does not rule out the possibility.Armstrong’s full answer: I don’t know the answer to that. I don’t want to say no because I don’t think that’s right either. I don’t know if it’s yes or no, but I certainly wouldn’t say no. The only thing I will tell you is the only time in my life that I ever did growth hormone was the 1996 season. So just in my head, I’m like “growth ... growing ... hormones and cells.” If anything good needs to be grown, it does. But wouldn’t it also make sense if anything bad is there, that it too would grow?” The timeline of Armstrong’s cancer and dop-
ESPN is following up “The Last Dance” with a look at Lance Armstrong. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/ Getty Images) ing goes like this. By his own admission in the early minutes of the documentary, Armstrong began doping when he was 21, which would have been around 1992. Armstrong revealed his cancer diagnosis in October 1996. Armstrong points to his use of growth hormone in 1996, and wonders if there could be a link between use of growth hormone and an illness that is by definition the abnormal growth of cells. The question was posed when Armstrong revealed his doping in 2013 and the answer was similar to Armstrong’s: uncertain, but it
would be irresponsible to rule out. The science connecting use of growth of hormone and cancer seems not insignificant. A Harvard Medical School publication mentions that some research suggests an increased risk of cancer in general with the use of growth hormone.It’s likely impossible we’ll ever get a firm answer if Armstrong’s cancer — the story that helped turn him into one of the most beloved athletes in America — really was caused by his doping, meaning it will go down as just another part of one of the most frustrating legacies in sports history.
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World TeamTennis to allow Sri Lanka’s Shehan Madushanka up to 500 fans at matches suspended for alleged possession of illegal drugs
(Reuters) - World TeamTennis, an innovative mixed-gender professional tennis league, will start from July 5 at the Greenbrier, West Virginia, and up to 500 fans will be allowed to attend matches during its threeweek season, tournament organisers said yesterday. WTT said it would adhere to all health and safety protocols required by authorities to ensure the well-being of its players, coaches and essential staff amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Grand Slam champions Sofia Kenin and Sloane Stephens are set to take part in the event, which will consist of a 63-match regular season followed by the playoffs. WTT plans to stage at least three matches per day at the Greenbrier’s 2,500-seat outdoor stadium, while an indoor court will be installed for back-up.
“The overwhelming feedback from our players is that they want to play WTT and are comfortable in doing so in a safe environment, which is our number one priority,” WTT CEO Carlos Silva said. The WTT also said it is increasing prize money to a record $5 million, with an added $1 million awarded in WTT Playoffs compensation. All matches will be televised or streamed live on CBS, CBS Sports Network, Tennis Channel and ESPN+, tournament organisers said. Tennis’s top professional
tours, the men’s ATP and women’s WTA, have been shut down since March 8 due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. Tournaments in the United States and Germany have since taken place with strict social distancing measures and no fans in attendance. New Zealand will stage a team-based tennis tournament for local-based men’s players from June 3 while world number one Novak Djokovic has organised a tournament across the Balkans from June 13-July 5.
‘Cannonball Run’ record repeatedly shattered as US highways empty during coronavirus lockdown
Time set by Cannonball Run team. The Telegraph - When a team of three hurtled across the US at an average speed of 103 mph last year, many believed their Cannonball Run record of 27 hours and 25 minutes would remain intact for years. Then came the coronavirus lockdown which saw highways across the US empty, leaving the roads free for speed-freaks while millions of Americans complied with stay-athome orders. The temptation of taking on the challenge, which dates back to the early 1970s, has proved irresistible. In just a couple of months the record in the race, popularised in a 1981 film starring
Burt Reynolds, has been shattered seven times. A driver, calling him – or herself – Captain Chaos got the journey time down to 26 hours and 38 minutes in an Audi 8 – at an average speed of 106 mph. Now there are unconfirmed reports of at least one motorist – or team - completing the journey from the Red Ball Garage in Manhattan to the Portofino Hotel in Redondo Beach, California in under 26 hours. Speed limits are ignored by “contestants” in the unofficial race, which sees drivers putting their pedal to the metal as they race along deserted straight highways. Dodging speed traps and evading highway patrols is arguably as important as souping up an engine for “cannonballers”. Some reportedly use GPS devices and spotters to scan the road for police cars. They have also carried tanks of fuel to minimise the number of pit stops. Ed Bolian, a former Cannonball Run record holder, described the speeds reached by the latest teams as “unreal”. “Certainly, we had some over 110 mph averages through states, they were over 120 mph through several states.”How long this record will stand remains to be seen. But with the lockdowns being gradually lifted, the roads are unlikely to be as empty again.
ESPNcricinfo - Sri Lankan fast bowler Shehan Madushanka has been suspended from all forms of cricket with immediate effect for alleged possession of heroin. Sri Lanka Cricket made the announcement three days after he was arrested by the police and later put in remand custody. The drugs had allegedly been found in a car Madushanka had been travelling in, on Saturday. Police said a little over two grams had been discovered. He was arrested northeast of the city of Negombo, by Pannala police, and produced in front of a magistrate the following day. He is currently in remand until he is due to make a High Court appearance. According to an SLC statement on Tuesday, the decision to suspend will stand until the board conducts a full inquiry of the matter.
Shehan Madushanka hasn’t played for Sri Lanka since February 2018. (AFP via Getty Images) The 25-year-old Madushanka has played one ODI and two T20Is, all between January and February 2018. Despite taking a lowerorder hat-trick against Bangladesh in his only ODI, he had not been in the frame for national selection over the last 18 months, partly because his first stint in the team had been cut short by an injury. However, he has been active as a cricketer and was playing in Sri Lanka’s domes-
tic competitions before the Covid-19 lockdown came into effect. Madushanka was not understood to be one of the wider national squad players expected to begin training in early June.As a country, Sri Lanka takes a dim view of hard drugs, and if convicted, Madushanka can expect a hefty suspension from SLC as well. He is not understood to have had serious disciplinary scrapes before this incident, however.
Dolphins’ Ross: There will be Miami football in 2020 Dolphins owner Stephen Ross greets fans before the game between the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium. (Vincent CarchiettaUSA TODAY Sports) Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross spoke confidently yesterday when asked to assess the likelihood of the 2020 NFL season being played as scheduled. “I think there definitely will be a football season this year,” Ross said in an appearance on CNBC. Ross is not quite as certain about fans being permitted to attend games at Hard Rock Stadium, but management is working toward the goal of holding at least 15,000 fans in a checkerboard seating arrangement that meets social distancing standards. The franchise is also being certified in sanitation and
cleanliness practices that could allow for a larger number of fans on gameday. “Real question is: Will there be fans in the stadium? Right now, today, we’re planning to have fans in the stadium,” he said. Dolphins CEO Tom Garfinkel released his limitedcapacity plan publicly earlier this month. The Pittsburgh Steelers went forward with sales of single-game tickets but allotted only 50 percent of the stadium’s capacity due to the coronavirus pandemic. The NFL has not yet taken an official position on whether fans would be al-
lowed. Commissioner Roger Goodell said during the NFL draft the health and safety of fans would be of utmost importance, but the league isn’t planning to make a rushed decision on what equates as a massive revenue driver for all teams. The league released its schedule with the opener set for Sept. 10 in Kansas City. But team facilities remain closed and practice fields are empty in a first-of-its-kind offseason that involved only virtual team meetings and workouts. “The NFL, I think, will be ready to go,” Ross said. (Field Level Media)
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Lockdown left Lewis Hamilton questioning his Formula One future PA Sports - Lewis Hamilton has admitted to questioning his future in Formula One during the lockdown. The six-time world champion said he had days when he struggled for motivation as he has waited to discover when the 2020 season may get under way amid the coronavirus pandemic.In a Mercedes video filmed earlier this week, Hamilton said: “I have days when I wake up and feel groggy, I don’t feel motivated to work out. I feel, ‘Jeez, where are we going? What’s next? Should I continue racing?’ “I think all these different things, and then I’m like ‘Damn it!’, and the next hour, or whatever, it passes, and I’m like ‘Damn! I love what I do! Why would I ever consider not continuing?’” Speaking during Mental Health Awareness Week, Hamilton added: “Mentally it’s really about ultimately feeling good about yourself. It’s about finding a way to
Hamilton is in the final year of his contract with Mercedes. (David Davies/PA)
Lewis Hamilton (Instagram) make sure you love yourself. You have to really be able to love yourself and be comfortable on your own. “I’ve been really spending time trying to take time for me, making sure that I appreciate me, acknowledging things that you do well, acknowledging when you do well, acknowledging also when you fail and you don’t do it so great. It’s OK. And not being so hard on yourself, all these different things.” Hamilton, who is in the final year of his Mercedes
contract, had the opportunity this year to e q u a l M i c h a e l Schumacher’s record of seven F1 titles. And the 35-year-old said he was hoping to use the lockdown to get better. “If we are not improving and growing during these days then what are we doing? You’re obviously just wasting your time sitting on your backside,” he said. “Nothing’s going to get handed to any of us. We’ve (Continued on page 21)
Bournemouth’s Ramsdale shocked by coronavirus diagnosis AFP - Bournemouth goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale described finding out he had tested positive for coronavirus as “scary and worrying”, despite displaying no symptoms. The England under-21 international was one of two positive cases from the second round of testing carried out by Premier League clubs as they gear up for a return to action next month.“It’s definitely a shock — I’ve not been in contact with anybody and I’ve now got it,” Ramsdale told The Sun. “I’m showing no symptoms so the fact that a healthy young person could potentially have it is definitely scary and worrying.” Ramsdale tested negative in the first round of testing and believes he must have contracted the virus
Bournemouth goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has tested positive for coronavirus. (AFP/File / Adrian Dennis)
while shopping.“This last week, I’ve done the usual things like going to the supermarket and going to the petrol station to fill my car. “Once you’ve contracted the virus, it shows in your blood. “That was obviously not the case (after the first test) and it’s been the three days between the two tests when I’ve contracted the virus. “I’ve been just as careful as before on lockdown and it seems to be a shopping trip where I’ve caught it.” A total of eight cases of coronavirus among players
Bayern with one hand on league title after 1-0 win at Dortmund
D
O RT M U N D , G e r m a n y (Reuters) Joshua Kimmich’s first-half lob gave leaders Bayern Munich a 1-0 victory at second-placed Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga yesterday to close in on the league title with a sevenpoint advantage over their rivals and six games left in the season. Kimmich sent a perfectly-weighted chip over stranded keeper Roman Buerki in the 43rd minute as the champions landed a big win, at an empty stadium that normally seats 80,000 fans, in their quest for a record-extending eighth straight league crown. Bayern, who have now won their last seven league matches, are on 64 points with Dortmund still on 57. RB Leipzig, who face Hertha Berlin today, are third on 54. The Bundesliga became
the first major league to restart 10 days ago after a break of more than two months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with games played without supporters to reduce the risk of infection. Results from Tuesday
26TH May 2020: B Dortmund 0 - Bayern Munich 1 B Leverkusen 1 – Wolfsburg 4 Frankfurt 3 – Freiburg 3 Werder Bremen 0 - B Mgladbach 0
Bayern Munich’s Serge Gnabry (left) with Borussia Dortmund’s Achraf Hakimi, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (Federico Gambarini/Pool via REUTERS)
Knicks great Ewing out of hospital after positive COVID-19 test and staff have been detected from 1,744 tests in the Premier League. Results from a third round of testing will be revealed on Wednesday. Meanwhile, captains and representatives of players and coaches will meet with the league later on Tuesday to discuss protocols on a return to contact training. England’s top-flight clubs will vote on proposals for a phased return to full training on Wednesday after new government guidelines cleared the way for “close contact” training.
(Reuters) - New York Knicks great Patrick Ewing was released from hospital on Monday and sent home to recover after he tested positive for COVID-19 last week, his son has said.The 57-year-old Ewing, who played 17 seasons in the NBA and is currently the head coach of the Georgetown University men’s basketball team, had shared his diagnosis on Twitter on Friday in a bid to encourage people Former NBA player Patrick Ewing to stay safe.“I want to thank all of the doctors smiles during an induction news conference and hospital staff for taking care of my father at the Basketball Hall of Fame in during his stay, as well as everyone who has Springfield, Massachusetts September reached out with thoughts and prayers to us 5, 2008. (REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi) since his diagnosis,” Patrick Ewing Jr said on Twitter. Ewing, a seven-foot center, was the “My father is now home and getting better. number one pick in the 1985 NBA draft and We’ll continue to watch his symptoms and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He also follow the CDC (Centers for Disease Control won two Olympic gold medals as a member of and Prevention) guidelines.” the U.S. ‘Dream Team’.
Steve Ninvalle (centre) when he had visited the boxers in Cuba.
Stranded boxers approved to return home, every effort being made to t secure a flight r o p S Bayern with one hand on league title after 1-0 win at Dortmund Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies in action with Borussia Dortmund’s Thorgan Hazard, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (Federico Gambarini/Pool via REUTERS)
Yves Jean-Bart has been in charge of the Haitian Football Federation for two decades. (EPA)
Haiti football federation head temporarily suspended Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8452, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.