Kaieteur News

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Public's cooperation, NEWS behavioural changes key - CMO to stopping spread of COVID-19 (ag)

Tuesday Edition

AIETEUR

October 06, 2020 - Vol. 13 No. 40

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

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

Price $80

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Online readership yesterday, 100,381

Guyana has power to demand that Field Development Plans ensure evolution of local content capacities - Expert p.

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Guyana's libel Victim in E'bo Retired GPHC Reforming laws is long overdue hotel “mystery” nurse succumbs L shooting dies to COVID-19 p.

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City cop committed to stand trial for killing mentally ill man in 2018 p.

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Police need help Guyana to serve as identifying injured Vice Chair of WHO's pedal cyclist Executive Board p.

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Venezuelan cook found murdered - two suspects in Big Hope Backdam arrested p. 3

Suspect nabbed with firearm after shooting cop p. 12

ibel laws are a holdover from a time when the powerful protected their persons, practices, and turf against undesired intrusion, exposure, and truths that embarrass. It is time that they go, which should be given the highest priority.

In today's Guyana, the offended powerful is best represented by the governing political establishment of the day. Its members do not wish to be questioned, they resent scrutiny, though there is grand talk about transparency.

Apparently, conveniently forgotten is that transparency is enhanced by honest and constant scrutiny.

It is instructive that far fewer libel suits are brought by offended individuals in the private domain, with the overwhelming majority of these cases being brought by people close to government as a means of intimidating and silencing.

Among the things wished to be kept quiet are public monies spent in enormous amounts under shabby and criminal circumstances. It is public knowledge in Guyana that massive amounts of the taxpayers' money have been

mishandled, unaccounted for properly, simply vanished. Or the work done does not match the amounts reportedly spent.

When revealed and pressed for answers, none are forthcoming from those appointed as stewards. When pressed too hard and too sharply, political participants in the local arena resort to filing libel suits to do two things.

To distract and deter continuing revelations of serial costly wrongdoing.

The second objective, the primary one, is to muzzle the independent private press, through court action.

Powerful men seek to hide behind the shield of libel laws to prevent expensive truths from reaching the public.

Clearly, our libel laws do more harm than good; they protect wrongdoers, they handcuff seekers of concealed truths.

These laws are ancient and need comprehensive overhaul.

It is time that the public be privy to every truth that impacts its welfare expensively and negatively.

It is time that these antiquated libel laws of Guyana be thoroughly modernized and be brought in line with 21st century realities and standards.

AGM replaces local contractor with Chinese company p.

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Who really owns the Kaieteur and Canje Oil Blocks, do the leaders of this land care to tell the nation?

Kaieteur News

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Tuesday October 06, 2020

Guyana has power to demand that Field Development Plans ensure evolution of local content capacities - Expert I f Guyana wants to ensure there is early consideration of local content, then it would be wise to request that oil companies embed opportunities for maximum use of indigenous goods and services as well as the training and hiring of Guyanese in their field development plans (FDPs).

Making this assertion recently was Dr. Valérie Marcel, an Associate Fellow of Chatham House for its E n e r g y, E n v i r o n m e n t a n d Resources Programme.

D r. M a r c e l m a d e t h e foregoing comment in relation to questions premised on a Chatham House policy paper titled, “A Local

Content Decision Tree for Emerging Producers.”

That document notes that integrating local content objectives into procurement and engineering strategies for a company's field development plans can significantly increase the impact of efforts to benefit the local

economy.

During discussions on this recommendation, Dr. Marcel acknowledged that indeed, it is a critical area that could be used to maximize local content capacities.

During her most recent appearance on Kaieteur Radio's show, Guyana's Oil and You, Dr. Marcel said, “It's interesting that you look at that because the moment where the government is about to sign off on field development plans is not always noticed as the really critical decision gate in the project, and it is the moment where the government has a lot of power.”

The Chatham House Associate Fellow added, “Once the FDP is signed, the balance of power kind of swings back to the companies.

So it is a really good moment for the government to emphasize on what it needs to create long term value in the country; to maximize the value of the asset in terms of the geology and reservoir management.”

The industry expert said too that it is also the moment where the government gets to decide connecting different projects so

Chatham House Associate Fellow, Dr. Valérie Marcel that costs can be reduced.

But on the local content front, Dr. Marcel who has advised governments in sub-Saharan Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean, South America and the Caribbean on petroleum sector policy and governance, articulated that the approval process for FDPs, does provide golden opportunities for the authorities of the day to make long term plans on exploiting a resource over many years while making a commitment to ensure the evolution of the local capacities in the process.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday October 06, 2020

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AGM replaces local contractor with Chinese company

The AGM mines in Cuyuni, Region Seven

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hen foreign company Zijin Mining Group secured ownership of Aurora Gold Mines (AGM) in August, it had laid off a significant number of local business, and by extension, hundreds of Guyanese workers.

With their dismissal locals lost out on several contracts -- to transport fuel and explosives, food, hydrated lime; trucking and the stripping of the soil, haulage of water, and stripping in the open pit.

T h i s w a s n o t encouraging for local businesses and many had aired their displeasure with the decision to dismiss.

However, the displeasure did not stop there, as when the mining group had the

opportunity to rehire some local businesses they instead chose to obtain the services of a foreign Chinese company.

In fact, Japarts, a local heavy-duty machinery and equipment supplier had been ditched by the new AGM owners for Sinohydro—a Chinese state-owned hydropower engineering and construction company.

Despite welcoming the new changes, a senior representative of Japarts told Kaieteur News yesterday that no reasons were provided by AGM for the local contractor's dismissal.

“If it was an issue of new training for our workers then we were open to bringing in a specialist to conduct that. If there was an issue with our equipment and capacity to

handle the operations then we would have asked for time to retool so that we could get the right equipment to go underground. Instead, AGM decided to bring in this foreign company,” the representative related to this publication.

The contractor's dismissal has brought to the fore the importance of a Local Content Strategy between Guyana and foreign investors, the representative added.

He indicated that with such a policy, companies could tender for projects in a competitive bidding process which is in line with the law.

“Even with all of the taxes on our equipment that were imposed by the former administration, we still

Venezuelan cook found murdered in Big Hope Backdam - two suspects arrested

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2 8 - y e a r- o l d Ve n e z u e l a n cook was on Sunday last found murdered in a mining pit at Big Hope Backdam, Cuyuni, Region Seven.

The woman has been identified as Dimas Emilia Lezama Fermin of San Felix, Ciudad Guayana, Estado Bolivar.

Kaieteur News was informed that ranks were informed via telephone that the woman's body was discovered at around 06:30hrs floating in the pit.

Upon arrival at the scene, investigating ranks noted that the corpse was clad in a

blue jersey with its underwear missing.

Lezama's body bore multiple marks of violence in the form of hematoma (swelling of clotted blood within the tissues or commonly described as black and blue marks).

A c c o r d i n g t o investigators, all of their findings so far indicate that Lezama was beaten and probably raped prior to her death.

Police have since detained two suspects who might be responsible for her demise.

Those suspects were identified as dredge owner

with whom Lezama reportedly shared a personal relationship and one of his employees.

Investigations revealed that at around 19:30hrs on Saturday the dredge owner and his workers, had left the woman cooking in the camp and headed to the Big Hope Landing to imbibe.

Sometime around 21:30hrs that evening the employee (who was later arrested) left the drinking session and returned to the camp to take a bath.

The following day Lezama's body was found in the pit just behind the mining camp.

invested in our country; we got no duty free,” he said, while reminding that these foreign companies pay little to no taxes and are still granted millions in concessions and free imports.

Notably, AGM, under Guyana Goldfields Incorporated, is not the only foreign company within these shores benefitting from tax concessions fit for a king.

Australian conglomerate, Troy Resources, also enjoys tax concessions galore.

Figures released by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) show that the company received generous concessions from 2016 to

now.

For that period, it received $2.5B in tax breaks.

Based on the company's financial statements, the royalties received by the State thus far totalled a meager $17M. N o t a b l y, w h e n t h e People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had assumed government in August, it had introduced a slew of measures to bring significant economic benefits to Guyanese.

President Irfaan Ali had instituted the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) and duties on machinery and e q u i p m e n t f o r recapitalization of key

sections such as mining, forestry, agriculture and manufacturing and tax concessions or those aforesaid industries.

Nonetheless, the Japarts representative is hopeful that a recommendation will soon follow for the contractor to operate under AGM. The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has since written to President Ali, requesting that an investigation be conducted into the dismissals.

The body highlighted that the issue concerns local content, which the President continues to tout as a matter of importance to the government.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday October 06, 2020

Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL-TEL: 624-6456 Editor: Sharmain Grainger Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Satire - a tutorial for Guyanese There needs to be greater appreciation for the intricacies and sophistications of the fine art of satire, where the pranksters and their parodies reign supreme. This lost art has traction elsewhere, but not in Guyana. Like so much in this country, satire now is being forced into oblivion, through confrontational action.

What kings and potentates lived for, were tickled about, today brings the specter of the hangman or executioner, who comes with gag to blindfold and muzzle from seeing, saying, or writing anything that speaks to truth of what is considered politically damning. And especially when the connected are made the objects of ridicule through exposing fact-based wrongdoing.

Satire has a long history since Roman times, and it once enjoyed widespread use. The primary objective of satirists is to bring about change for the better. Though few would argue with that, in this country satire is coming under increasing attack, since people are made to feel vulnerable and they lash out through threats or movement to the courts.

The intentions are obvious: get even, get some cash, and get silence under judicial umbrella.

What is happening here is no laughing matter, even if the Horatian model of satire is practiced, with its soft and feathery touch. Whereas long ago, tyrants were reduced to tears of laughter, today Guyanese powerhouses grind their teeth and figure out ways to wreak revenge on those believed to have made a mockery out of them. And whereas the hard men of before and their concubines and hangers-on were titillated to the placidity of putty, such is not the case in this Guyana of ours. When concerning social issues are tabled - prudent financial management, accountability, and governance - there is uproar. None wishes to be spotlighted or taken to task. And when sharp piercing satire (as favoured

by Juvenal) is employed, glass chins are displayed, and war is declared.

Nowadays, this kind of jesting makes men lose their heads. Satire is not well-received by those who are about total control. It is believed that Stalin (and Chairman Mao and Li’l Kim - not the rapper) would not be convulsed with glee when satire is directed their way. Those illustrious names, long admired and worshipped here, furnishes the model as to how to deal with satirical upstarts. The standard is if any script infuriates, then it inundates and intimidates.

In days of yore, the offending used to have their heads removed. We are more civilized and smarter presently, so the aim is to cut off some cash, with an arm and two legs being acceptable.

Cash is what compensates for hurts imagined, what helps to soothe bruised egos. Cash supposedly compensates for the contempt shown by those who attack.

Our national culture, be such political or commercial, is such that even when we pretend at wounding and crying, we are counting what is coming in cash. We are professional wake-house mourners. The aim of all the breast-beating is to influence every listener that it is malice intended to shame.

Well, the first objective of satire when skillfully delivered, is to share wrongdoing in subtle language so that pressure is felt to change wicked ways, to bring about remorse.

In this era guilty people do not hang their heads in shame over their misdeeds. That is history, because today what is frivolous and should be shown the door gains listeners.

This is why there is marshalling the awesome power of the learned to cure harms alleged. Believed wrongdoing takes a backseat, insult adds to injury.

This may be wasted in today’s Guyana, which is why the mundane, a sports extract is selected to enlighten: it is said that the best offense is a strong defense. The offended transform a barrel of truths into a bundle of barbwire that, it is claimed, tortures. There are set commonsense standards for measuring these things: what is in the mind of the satirist?

Who can tell what someone means when his choice of language is a study in the artistry and beauty of its sophistications? Malice or the music of clowning?

Remember the late great attorney Johnnie Cochran: if it don’t fit, don’t commit; and do the crime, do the time. To which we add: don’t whine.

I am truly troubled by the decision to reduce the curfew hours Dear Editor, Several years ago, the late Dr. Dale Bisnauth and I had a conversation during which he said “Guyana is both blessed and cursed at the same time”.

In explaining that obviously contradicting statement, he emphasised that we are blessed with an abundance of natural resources but are cursed because there is hardly anything which anyone can say which will not be positioned in a twisted racial and political framework.

In other words it is difficult to be deemed and seen as objective and neutral in this country.

Be that as it may, please be assured that the sentiments expressed in this letter are intended to be – as I usually am – non-aligned and absolutely neutral. Against that background, I humbly

submit that I am truly troubled by the decision to reduce the curfew hours and reopen our international airports, in the face of the rising COVID-19 numbers. This troubling and disquieting decision comes at a time when we are reminded that regardless of how powerful a person may be, we are all subject to that great equalising factor known as ‘death’. In many instances, death is preceded by an illness of some sort.

The word death appears in the King James Version of the Holy Bible at least 342 times and there are scores of poems, books, sermons, movies and quotations about this mysterious and frightening subject. The quotation which I wish to call forth at this time is from Cary Holbert who said: Death comes as it pleases; it is no respecter of persons

leaving Memories and a fading sound of a familiar voice”.

I am truly impressed by the fact that death is no respecter of persons. Hence when the news of the Covid19 status of Donald Trump – reputed as the most powerful man on earth- was revealed to the world, I was not at all surprised. The news merely served to remind me that one day we must all leave behind our most elevated political and other careers which we desperately seek to secure.

While death is inevitable various strategies are usually employed to prolong life. As a matter of fact, one individual offers 13 tips to longevity. I embrace all 13 tips but would like to add a 14th called “Truth and Life”. All of the COVID19 protocols and precautions are intended to maintain health and prolong life and until such time that we can eliminate the spread of that deadly disease, we should

not restrict or relax the control measures.

It seems to me that the decision to relax the protocols rests on a foundation of economics and in that regard, I wish to remind the decision makers of the management mantra which was advocated

by Sir Jock Campbell in the mid-20th century when he said: “People are more important than ships, shops and sugar estates”.

Approximately 70 years later (May 2020), as countries including Italy grappled with the idea of reopening from their COVID-19 lockdown status, Pope Francis reminded them that “ People are more important that the economy”.

The fact that we as a nation seemed to have placed the economy above human life is very very troubling to me. Do remember that I told you so.

Yours truly, Francis Carryl

Dispute Resolution and Settlement in Public Service Dear Editor, Effective means of settlement of labour disputes, whether disputes of rights or disputes of interest are determined by the established machinery through consultation, negotiations, and with third party assistance in collective bargaining process, and statutory regulations.

When the Trade Union Recognition and Certification Board certifies a trade union as the sole bargaining agent of the workers in any enterprise or industry, the parties usually sign and accede to a collective agreement for recognition and the avoidance and settlement of disputes.

Embodied in that recognition agreement is the process for collective bargaining and a grievance or representation procedure, which sets out the various stages through which a grievance or dispute can be processed.

Generally, the procedures include the internal stages for dispute resolution at the enterprise or organization level with specified time frames (may be stages i-iii), failure at the last internal stage is followed by conciliation/ mediation (stage iv), and then arbitration (stage v), if there is still an impasse. In other cases, statutory requirements under the Labour Act and the Essential Services Act provide for adjudication by means of arbitration by an industrial tribunal for final and binding resolution.

Procedures for dispute resolution in the Public Service (Civil Service) are outlined in a Memorandum of Agreement between the Guyana Public Service Union and the Public Service Ministry for the avoidance and settlement of disputes in the civil service, as follows: “Clause 3: Representation Procedure: Stage I A member, individually or accompanied by not more than one, or in the case of group representation not more than two members of the Branch Grievance Committee, may approach the Supervisor/Sectional Head in the first instance with a view to avoiding a dispute or settling a matter in dispute. The Supervisor/ Sectional Head shall endeavour to do all he/she possibly can to effect a satisfactory settlement within two (2) days.

Stage II Failing a settlement at Stage I, the member and/or his Branch Grievance Committee may approach the Head of the Personnel Unit of the particular Ministry/ Department for a settlement.

The Head of the Personnel Unit shall endeavour to meet the member and/or his Branch Grievance Committee as early as possible, but within two (2) working days in an effort to effect a settlement.

Stage III Failing a settlement at Stage II, the Branch Secretary and/or the General Secretary of the

Union may request in writing a meeting with the Permanent Secretary/ Departmental Head who shall endeavour to hold such a meeting as soon as possible, but within five (5) working days in an effort to bring about a satisfactory settlement of the matter.

Stage IV Failing a settlement at Stage III, the Grievance Committee of the Union may then refer the matter to the Permanent Secretary of the Public Service Ministry in writing.

The Permanent Secretary, Public Service Ministry shall endeavour to meet the Grievance Committee of the Union as soon as possible, but within two weeks, for the purpose of discussing the matter or matters in dispute, and shall endeavour to effect a satisfactory settlement with all dispatch.

Stage V Failing a settlement at Stage IV, the matter may be referred by either side within fourteen (14) working days to the Ministry of Labour for conciliation.

Stage VI Failing settlement at Stage V, the matter may be referred by either side within fourteen (14) days to Arbitration. The Arbitration Panel shall consist of one member nominated by the Public Service Ministry, one member nominated by the Union and a Chairman agreed upon by the Public Service Ministry and Union. In the event of the parties failing to reach agreement, the Chairman

shall be nominated by the Minister of Labour. Any award by the Tribunal shall be final and binding.”

This agreement between the union and the government also provides for other existing statutory machinery for arbitration or other legal machinery which may be established by the National Assembly as set out in the words of the Agreement: “none of the above clause shall be interpreted to preclude the right of either the Ministry or the Union to make use of any existing or future national or other industrial machinery that may be legally established from time to time”. (Clause 7) This Recognition Agreement further affirms the established principles and norms in the practice of industrial and Labour relations during the stages of negotiations set out above “that there shall be no lockout by the Ministry concerned nor any strike, stoppage of work whether of a partial or a general character by the Union, refusal to work, slow down or retarding of production on the part of the Union, nor shall there be reduction of the normal level of output by any members of the Union”.

General collective matters of interest (interest disputes) i.e. over wages/salaries, and other remuneration matters are usually processed from stage IV as stated above.

Yours truly, Samuel J. Goolsarran

Tuesday October 06, 2020

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Kaieteur News

The Vice President is more focused on The GPSU is one of the most saving Exxon than working for Guyana undemocratic and unrepresentative trade unions in Guyana

Dear Editor, I read of how the Hon. Vice President strenuously seeks to suppress the fallouts from the recent Payara license signing.

Though characteristic of the man, his defences are a far cry from the colossal weights that he used to bring to the fields of contradiction and conflict.

The Hon Vice President, as the record attests, can be impatient and intolerant when crossed; when not getting his way, he can be imperturbably intransigent.

He has eliminated resistance in more ways than one, through direct confrontations and challenges and taking the fights to foes, who had intended to hobble him, or to render him vulnerable, or to turn him upside down. He had prevailed mainly because he held all the cards then as the one who called all the shots, had control of all the information, and had made all the overpowering moves.

Today, the table is turned on the Vice President, with the shoe on the foot of those, who clash with strength against him. Now he does not appear as honorable as he should.

Guyana’s Vice President is learning what the first U.S. Vice President under Franklin Roosevelt, James Nance Garner, who memorably described the second in command office held as “not worth a bucket of warm piss.”

I trust that I will be pardoned for sharing Mr. Garner’s inelegant language. But that is precisely what Guyana’s own Vice President is holding with his

less than spirited, less than stirring, defence of the Payara license approval. What our Vice President has in his hands and carries on his head is, indeed, a bucket of that same warm liquid.

He may tell Guyanese it is I-Cee Lemon or stale beer, but no one is fooled.

This is not the former president that they know from just recently. This is not the man who took no prisoners, but now speaks of ‘wishful thinking’ as though he is more focused on saving Exxon than working for Guyana. What he wishes for is that Guyanese will not think along the lines required on their oil in general and leave Payara licensing alone specifically. The man who once forced others to bow before the force of his stridency, now takes a low bow with his feeble posturing. What vice is at work with our oil that the Hon. Vice President is aware of, but is now compelled to become a verbal ballerina pirouetting on toenails and giving the nation linguistic gyrations for arguments and defenses?

Moreover, the Hon. Vice President did not gain wellearned notoriety for being kind and gentle with those he came up against, especially where money matters were concerned.

And yet, this is exactly how he was and what he did with the Payara licensing. He is making excuses for Exxon. He is presenting openings for Exxon to disappear into and keep the rich action rolling for engaged and enriched Guyanese partners.

It is the unbelievable occurring, where Guyana’s own Vice President is defending Exxon and gave it a free pass with Payara.

The opposition has to play by democratic rules and concede it lost Dear Editor, October 5, 2020 marks twenty-eight years since the restoration of democratic rule to Guyana after nearly three decades of PNC authoritarian rule. Thanks to local and international pressure, Guyana was spared another episode of rigged elections which had characterized the greater part of our immediate post-independence period.

Guyana today remains a proud member of the community of democratic states. It is important that the democratic fabric of our society be preserved and consolidated. It is true that we have more work to be done in terms of inclusive and participatory democracy especially in the context of our political and ethnic plurality.

This however will require time and political maturity from all sides of the political spectrum.

The opposition has an obligation to play by the democratic rules and concede that it lost the March 2, 2020 General and Regional elections which was declared free and fair by local and international observers.

Interestingly, our postindependence political landscape is almost evenlydivided between democratic and undemocratic rule.

Guyanese are now in a better position to see what correlation exists between democracy and development.

The answer, in my view, is obvious for all to see.

Yours truly, Hydar Ally

Guyana’s oil prospects are so good that Exxon wanted it real bad. Exxon is in such a bad position that it would have given something, so that it would not have to do a lot worse without the plumed gem of Guyana’s proven oil promise in its production plans. The Vice President had to know this, yet he let the company off the hook, did not drive the hardest and cruelest of bargains when the opportunity was ripe: if our oil is wanted this bad, then do some good for Guyana.

In his oil dealings, the Vice President is an inexplicable shadow of his former self.

This was his stage to prove himself that he is of and for Guyana first and alone. He did not. So, the questions that remain to be asked are these: who is he for with our oil? What is holding him back from charging ahead at full gallop? Why is he stumbling and bumbling with the childish and asinine in rationalizing the irrational? I would hate to think that the Hon. Vice President is protecting Exxon because there are things to hide. That he may be engaging in what is self-protecting. I remember that one from over a hundred years ago from U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Louis Brandeis, “sunlight is the best disinfectant.” I think there is a lot to be dissected with Exxon and that Payara licensing.

Some vice was involved and at an early and deep-seated level.

Some disinfectant will help, and it is coming. Meanwhile, I encourage the Hon. Vice President to keep up the gamesmanship. Out of Christian kindness I caution him: too much of the believed fancy footwork that comes from constant rope skipping can come back to do more than haunt. The rope can hang.

And what is happening with our oil is a hanging offence.

Yours truly, GHK Lall

Dear Editor, Is Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) really representative of the majority of the employees in the Public Service (Civil Service), and the Public Hospitals? The Union is challenged to let the people of Guyana know the number of its members in good standing of the Union in the Public Service, and the Public Hospitals.

Let the nation know what the total work force is for each of the two organizations.

Let the public know the total number of dues paying members from the Public Service, (Civil Service) and the Public Hospitals.

There is wide-spread belief that the GPSU is not representative of the majority of employees in the Civil

Service? This can be easily verified with the total employees, against dues paying members.

Can the GPSU show it is a certified recognised majority union by the Trade Union Recognition and Certification Board at the Public Hospitals?

Can the Union produce a Recognition Agreement from the Public Hospital Administration?

There should be a membership survey by the Trade Union Recognition and Certification Board to establish its correct membership to maintain recognition certificate status or lose it.

The general public is aware that the GPSU and its leadership are active and committed agents and a front for the PNC for engineered

industrial disputes and concerns, never seriously perused during the period when the PNC held office. It can be established that the GPSU is one of the most undemocratic and unrepresentative trade unions in Guyana. Is this union submitting the annual return to the Registrar of Trade Unions as required by law?

The union is run like the dilapidation of its building at the corner of Thomas Street and Vlissingen Road, that is the cultivated legacy of the geriatric, dinosaurs, and lifetime leaders of the GPSU. What a national and international shame and disgrace.

Yours truly, Joshua Singh

There was no exchange as described by Freddie in meeting between Granger and Thomas Dear Editor My name has featured regularly in Freddie Kissoon’s daily column.

Kissoon has shown that he would stop at nothing when it comes to character assassination in his columns which for the most part are a combination of political gossip, libel, fiction, and venom against those with whom he disagrees.

His Monday October 5 column was a classic example. In that column he

reports a conversation with me about a fictitious incident. He spoke of an exchange between Professor Clive Thomas and then President Granger at a meeting that I attended.

No such exchange between the two men ever occurred at that meeting.

I had no such conversation with Kissoon. I am 100 percent confident that a perusal of the transcript of the meeting would bear me out.

But that would be of little

interest to Kissoon whose political analysis rests largely on “he say, she say.”

This is not the first time Kissoon has used our personal friendship as cover for his creation of fictitious stories about and libel of me and others.

What an abuse of personal friendship and the public privilege of a daily column! The longest rope has an end.

Yours truly, David Hinds

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday October 06, 2020

The characteristics that shape a man also shape a nation Dear Editor, Last Monday in NY, a former Wall Street trader was sentenced to over five years in prison after admitting to defrauding investors of $19 million in a Ponzi scheme. Paul Rinfret, 71, of Manhasset, New York, was sentenced Monday in Manhattan federal court. The sentencing followed his October guilty plea to wire and securities fraud. U.S. District Judge Gregory Woods in

Manhattan said Rinfret should spend five years and three months behind bars.

Prosecutors said he carried out the fraud from at least 2016 through 2019, investing only a small portion of the money he raised from six victims.

When he did invest, he lost money but falsified monthly account statements to make it seem as though his investors were enjoying excellent results, prosecutors

said.

They said he used money from investors on a nearly $50,000 Hamptons vacation rental and spend over $40,000 on jewelry and tens of thousands of dollars on the venue where his son held an engagement party. More than $20 million in forfeiture was ordered, along with over $12 million in restitution. In a letter to the judge, Rinfret said: “I do not offer excuses. I made terrible mistakes for which I

have and will continue to pay.

All responsibility is mine. I hate myself for the recklessness I showed.”

Meanwhile, back in Guyana, Garcia-Dominguez, a Cuban national who was granted Guyanese citizenship in June, his Guyanese wife, Ateeka Ishmael, are both accused of running a Ponzi operation under a company named ‘Accelerated Capital Firm.” They are facing some 80 fraud charges in three

courts which include swindling billions of dollars from the pockets of some 17,000 Guyanese under false pretense.

After spending a month in prison, they were both released and are on bail.

There were some 70-plus complainants who registered apprehensions over gross operational irregularities and this lead to a massive police investigation and the arrest of the two accused. It is understood that reparation will commence later this month and full restitution is expected, starting with about 100 participants. How long this process will take to complete and will everyone be compensated are some unanswered questions currently engaging the attention of the worried and concerned parties. How did this scheme go unnoticed for such a long time and undetected by the relevant authorities, or, was a blind eye deliberately turned in this issue? How gullible, naïve or financially frustrated did Guyanese become under the vices of the past corrupted APNU/AFC government?

Here again is another reason why Guyanese cannot trust that party because they failed in securing the best interest of the nation and allowed their hard, earned dollars to be squandered and go wasted!

A prudent and proactive government has to be conscious of all irregularities that can undermine the economy, especially the citizen’s investments. When a government is involved in underhand dealings with recalcitrant investors, then, it is the people who always suffer the most.

Guyana’s history has shown how a starved nation fighting for freedom and equality can fall to the wayside from those who are selfish, conceited, power drunk and manipulative.

More so, to the extent that the perpetrators will trample upon dignity, damage what was tirelessly built, destroy what was stubbornly fought for and sacrifice their souls for the sake of imperialism. The people’s prosperity was poisoned by poverty; a nefarious nature was left napping naked; coexistence was convoluted with corruption; thus, impregnated greed and animosity to interject the peace and progress that was resolutely created from a hard fought battle that was a fusion

of ethnic indifferences.

Many moons ago, that infamous foundation crept into existence with a leader that was composed, cruel and callous.

His cool hands and calculated brain complicated a contorted condition that premised a legacy of lies, frauds and deceits. This inheritance was gladly scooped up by followers with insatiable appetites for dramatic replication and intense confusion. The tool of divide and conquer was always conveniently associated under the guise of dictatorship, building up a fortress of resistance from the suppressed and aggravation from the used and abused.

The commonality of hardship was ignored to save embarrassment, at the said time, the unrealistic cry for equality was absurdly echoed.

With the dissention of lawless behaviour, the promotion of hooliganism, the precedence of law breaking and bypassing the constitution, there brazenly displayed the presumptuous disregard for rules and regulations and the implication of disrespect for law and order in society.

Discrimination allotted the order of the day and control was wielded by the might of an assumed supremacy. The country experienced a moral convolution and harbored a culture that was tarnished at the leisure and pleasure of the privileged few.

The characteristics that shape a man also shape a nation and so it is crucially essential that the voting electoral pay keen and rapid attention to a leader’s components and composure. Guyana decayed for 33 suffocating years under extreme hardship from falsity and dishonesty, yet Guyanese will not learn the bitter lessons. There are many who will still allow themselves to be lead blindfolded, to walk the plank and still hold on to a dream of imagination that, they are being led out from the land of wilderness unto the promised land for the “good life,” where “the small man is the real man.”

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride, but, unfortunately, the reality is that, man, by his own hands, is the creator of his destiny!

Our words, deeds and actions do live after us.

Yours truly, Jai Lall

T N U L B . . .

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L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Tuesday October 06, 2020

Kaieteur News

You do NOT fool anyone on the Canje and Kaieteur blocks.

Cut the Crap. Tell the TRUTH! Disclose fully.

Who is getting the US$ Billions on those blocks?

PAGE 07

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Tuesday October 06, 2020

Despite COVID-19 challenges…

Young MLC students recount road to CSEC success

Some of MLC students who were successful at CSEC despite COVID-19 challenges

S

tudents, who w r o t e t h e C a r i b b e a n Secondary Examination Certification (CSEC) this year, were faced with the unprecedented challenge of sitting a major exam during a pandemic. Yet, many of them put their best foot forward and achieved exemplary grades.

Kaieteur News caught up with some of this year's

youngest CSEC performers.

The students, all of Morgan's Learning Centre (MLC) - a private school, recounted their experiences writing exams at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. They achieved 100 percent passes in key subject areas.

Ashanti France, 14 years old – the youngest of 200 students, who wrote the exams via MLC, attained passes in three subjects,

Fourteen-year-old Ashanti France and her mother, who was also a past MLC student Mathematics, English A and Human and Social Biology.

She explained that her decision to write CSEC at a much younger age than usual was taken long before the pandemic hit.

“I had received the encouragement from my parents, teachers and also I challenged myself to get it done…in terms of COVID19, I was concerned about it but I had been studying early

mornings and late nights for CSEC, so I knew I would be successful,” France said.

The 14 year-old attends a public school but wrote the exams through the private school where she attends extra lessons. “I am just grateful to my family, my teachers and those who supported me throughout the entire process,” she explained.

Similarly 10th graders, Destiny Archer, Nicholas Bisram, Nikaevia Burke, Leslie Daley, Aicha Grant, Xiran Huang, Shiniqua Lewis, Karese Lloyd, Les Myers and Isiah Xavier, who all came out of the exams with Grade one in Mathematics, said that they were initially nervous about writing the exams during COVID-19 but got the encouragement they needed to do their best from their parents and teachers.

“The preparation was not easy but it turned out well.

So, I am just glad I was able to get it out of the way,” Archer told this publication.

Chidima Nurse, who was the top performing eleventh grader (Fifth Former) of the school, acquired 14 passes in the various subject areas among them: History, English Language, English Literature –Geography, Social Studies, Spanish and Mathematics.

The 17-year-old, who wants to become a lawyer, credited her academic

success to having discipline and a good support system.

She noted that after the pandemic hit Guyana, MLC immediately put systems in place for its students to continue receive their schooling virtually.

“That definitely helped along the way and boosted my confidence in time for the exams,” she said.

Kristoff Persaud, another eleventh grader who attained 11 passes at CSEC, said his teacher helped motivate him to be more discipline in his approach to his school work.

“They definitely pushed us harder here and required me to be more disciplined,” Persaud said. The student explained that while the exam wasn't difficult, the preparation period was.

“I expected to do well because, my mom, she is one the people that ensured I studied and so on.” As such, the student was able to attain passes in Economics, English A, Mathematics, Principles of Accounts and Principles of Business.

Warren Daley, who wrote 12 subjects, told Kaieteur News that while the pandemic appeared to be a set-back, it made him study even harder.

“The pandemic allowed for extra time for me to prepare because it pushed the exams date a bit further, so I got extra time to study…So yeah, I didn't think that this could happen

but it did,” said Daley who hopes to pursue a career in financing.

Alywn Hoppie, 17, an aspiring computer engineer noted that “First of all I didn't think I had it in me. I was a bit nervous but after sitting the first subject, it gave me the incentive and boosted my confidence that I needed to do well in the rest.”

He acquired passes in 10 subject areas.

Similarly, Neil Cadogan, who attained passes in 12 subject areas, expressed satisfaction on how it all worked out. The student also viewed the pandemic as a blessing in disguise since it gave him extra time to prepare.

He noted that, like most students, he was concerned about his health and safety but noted that the school had put systems in place to ensure that each student practiced the guidelines that made them and their parents feel comfortable in the environment that they were sitting the exams.

Trichelle Carter, who also attained 12 passes primarily in sciences subjects, told Kaieteur News that she is especially passionate about pursuing a career as a doctor.

“I choose the subjects because of my dream job. It is what kept me focused the entire time,” she said. Carter achieved Grade ones and twos in Biology, (continued on page 14)

Kaieteur News

Tuesday October 06, 2020

PAGE 09

Time for the people to take action N

inety-eight (98) new coronavirus cases were recorded yesterday. Based on the global average at least three of these persons will die. The deaths are going to pile up. With more cases, there are bound to be more deaths. Exponential spread is taking place and this means that there are thousands out there who are infected.

The situation is far direr than the present number of recorded active cases show.

For every one person who shows symptoms, there is a n o t h e r w h o i s asymptomatic and spreading the disease.

Some persons are worried about the reopening of the economy. Given the measures that are being put in place, the reopening is less risky than the present community spread.

The elderly and those with underlying health issues such as hypertension, diabetes coronary disease, H I V, c a n c e r s a n d tuberculosis are at high risk and should be treated as the vulnerable population.

But apart from the elderly in care homes, there is nothing in place to protect the vulnerable. The government wants to keep the economy open because it fears that a lockdown will be more disastrous than keeping the economy open.

But if this is the thinking of the government, the least it can do is implement measures which would allow for persons who are above the age of 45 (rather than 60) to work from home or to be on rotation or not to work at all and be paid for not

Dem

boys seh...

D

e nurse now feeling de heat, literally. Dem deh out in de hot boiling sun protesting and de heat coming down from above.

Dem nurses engage in political action. Is no use debating who should get risk allowance. That is not the real issue taking place.

These protests are political and must be dealt with as a political issue.

Fuh de past five years

working.

The top corporations in Guyana should begin to ask those members of their staffs who are above the age of 45 and who can work from home, to do so. This will send a signal to the rest of the society – especially the government – that they should follow suit.

The second high-risk group are institutionalized persons. This includes persons in prisons, hospitals as well as those persons whose duties require them to be in barracks such as police and the army.

If the high-risk group is those over 45 years of age and those who are institutionalized, then measures have to be put in place to protect them. This is the only way in which the deaths can be lowered outside of a vaccine.

A vaccine is not going to come to our rescue until the next five months. In fact, even in the United States, hopes are fading that a vaccine is going to be made available until after December.

Many more will die before the vaccine gets here.

It has been reported that Guyana is going to be part of vaccine trials. But not many Guyanese are going to volunteer for these trials. If they do some here, people will have to be circumspect in light of the fact that once you are vaccinated you are expected to expose yourself to infection so that the authorities can test whether antibodies are being produced.

It was always going to be difficult to order a lockdown.

The economy was in a partial

lockdown for far too long and it did not smother the virus' spread. As such, once the economy began to be opened – and this happened even before the authorities announced their phased reopening plan, it was always going to be difficult to close it down.

The reopening of the economy has caused problems not just in Guyana but in Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

The number of cases and number of deaths, in these countries have climbed steeply since they began to reopen the economy.

Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, at one stage, had just about half the number of deaths as Guyana even though at that time they had far more cases. Jamaica now has more than 7,000 cases and 120 deaths. Trinidad and Tobago now has 81 deaths from 4,766 cases and Suriname has almost 5,000 cases and 106 deaths.

Guyana's death rate (total cases/total deaths) is still far higher than all three of these countries. This shows that greater attention has to be paid to treatment.

The coronavirus is exposing how widespread is the incidence of noncommunicable diseases.

Thousands of persons in Guyana are walking around with underlying conditions and the sad part is that many of them do not know. They are at high risk.

The time has come for the public to put their health ahead of the economy. It is a difficult choice but the government is not going to tighten any social restrictions. Thus, the people

It nah wuk suh! dem nah call no strike. But dem and dem union suddenly spring to life, as expected once de new government tek office.

Some of dem nurses seem to fuhget that dem is public servants. Dem want gratuity and pension now.

Some of dem gan start asking fuh honorarium.

De union now trying to solicit public sympathy.

Dem talk how nobody from de government nah come fuh talk to dem nurses fuh find out dem issues. Dem hinting that de government talking to de squatters at Success but not to de nurses.

De union however know better. Dem know that de government, as de employer of de nurses, cant' talk to de nurses. Dem gat to talk to de union.

De government has to deal with de workers' r ep r es en tativ es . I f d e government only attempt to talk to de nurses in de midst of a dispute, de same union gan jump up and seh de government engage in union-busting.

Is fuh de union to enter into negotiations. Not to call strike and den ask de government fuh come and talk. It nah wuk suh!

will have to take precautions on their own.

It has been weeks now and still the government is not yet up to 300 tests per day when what is needed is more than 1,000 tests per day. It is hard to understand why this problem with the testing

cannot yet be remedied.

And if you cannot remedy such a small problem, how are you going to remedy the exponential spread of the virus which is now ravaging the country.

The elderly are dying and the young are also dying.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Tuesday October 06, 2020

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

The PNC: Six successful leaps then a leap into the chasm T

he PNC is the second oldest political party in Guyana and has become a gigantic force in political manoeuvrings since it was born in the fifties. It held state power from 1964 -1992 and again from 2015 to 2020.

It is not a small, surviving outfit. It has always chalked up substantial number of votes in free and fair elections with significant n u m b e r s o f parliamentarians.

Such a historic organization then, over the past sixty years, would naturally come to have an institutionalized rationality that is characteristic of its functionalism. We can

identify six periods in the life of the PNC where it moved on large horizons to achieve not only preservation but to continue to expand its authority and presence in Guyana.

Period 1 - The PNC sought a coalition with a third party to create a government to defeat the PPP in the 1964 elections.

Period 2 - Faced with enormous pressure from the West in the 1970s with survival in doubt because of expanding domestic turmoil, the PNC government sought a protective canopy and got it from almost the entire Third World and global, anticolonial and antiimperialism bulwarks.

Period 3 - In 1984, President Burnham sought a unity government with Cheddi Jagan's PPP. Period 4 - President Hoyte de-Burnhamized his presidency and opened up society and economy to the world.

Period 5 - Faced with declining popularity, the PNC under Robert Corbin subsumed itself under an umbrella named a Partnership for National Unity – APNU – consisting of five other small entities in order to market itself to a changing electorate.

Period 6 - With support for the PPP government declining, the PNC took the gamble and formed an

alliance with a formidable third force – the Alliance for Change – to contest the 2015 poll. It paid off. It captured state power.

From 2015 to the present time, Period 6 has seen deep changes in the PNC because of incompetence and corrupt governance and the dramatic defeat in the 2020 election.

From March 2020, when its rigging mechanisms failed it, the PNC has become a dysfunctional, dystopian, wandering, wondering organism whose biology makes it almost impossible to understand it.

The latest in its weak physiology is its constant squabbling with its coalition partner, the AFC which has now turned into an inscrutable operation. The operation began with the selection of assignments for the National Assembly.

Some logical thinking was born. The PNC argued that it cannot give seats to the constituents of the APNU who did not pull in 7,000 votes in the 2020 election to earn a placement in parliament. Many of the constituents that make up APNU were not awarded M P s , w i t h t h e W PA snatching one seat.

That was a realpolitik

decision that a realist cannot disagree with. If Guyana's supreme political institution is the election to parliament and government through national voting then why a party that cannot win 1,000 votes be awarded a seat in the House? But right in the

Frederick Kissoon middle o f t h i s l o g i c emerged a huge illogical signpost. The PNC decided to give nine seats to the AFC. This has to be jumbie logics for two reasons. How does the PNC know that many in the APNU umbrella did secure 7,000 votes? How did it arrive at one seat for the WPA and nine for the AFC? Secondly, to give the nine MPs seats is to concede that it brought in 63,000 votes which by any standard is a mathematical, statistical and

scientific impossibility.

The PNC believed that the impossibility became a reality and the matter was a done deal. The PNC even extended its generosity by attaching an addendum to the renewed Cummingsburg Accord which would give the vice-chairmanship to the Regions that the APNU+AFC won in the regional elections of 2020.

The PNC has withdrawn the addendum. When the AFC enquired, among the reasons given by the PNC leader, David Granger, is that the PNC does not believe that the AFC picked up sufficient votes in 2020 to warrant having the position of vice chairman for Region Four.

This is not only illogical but insane. The votes for the 10 Regions in Guyana which is conducted simultaneously with the national election hardly vary with the results for the national poll. In fact, regional voting is almost identical with choices exercised at the national level.

How then can the PNC award AFC nine parliamentary seats thereby acknowledging it acquired 63,000 votes in the 2020 elections then within weeks turn around and exclaim the AFC did not win enough votes to get a mere vicechairmanship for a regional democratic council? The PNC has reached an abysmal low in Period 6 of the periodization schema outlined above.

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

Tuesday October 06, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Tuesday October 06, 2020

Retired GPHC nurse COVID-19 death toll now at 92 succumbs to COVID-19 - 95 new cases recorded

A

retired nurse f r o m t h e Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) passed away early yesterday morning due to the novel Coronavirus (COVID19). The nurse, Mark King, was 55 years and last served in the Accident and Emergency Department of the GPHC. According to a few nurses at the hospital, King served in almost every key ward at the hospital and was quite remarkable in his profession. They referred to him as one of the most helpful health workers within the hospital and said that he would always make sure patients get the best treatment and felt comfortable within his care.

The hospital announced the man's death in a press release yesterday morning, adding that he had served the hospital for 31 years.

COVID-19 Casualty: Nurse Mark King

“Nurse King served the GPHC assiduously for 31 years. He was well-loved by his peers and patients and greatly esteemed for his tireless dedication to helping others. He last served in the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department before

proceeding on retirement in July, 2020,” the hospital said.

Kaieteur News understands that the man passed away in the Coronavirus Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where he was a patient for 10 days. It was (continued on page 13)

G

uyana yesterday recorded two new COVID-19 deaths bringing the toll to 92.

The deaths announced by the Ministry of Health are those of a 38-year-old male and an 84-year-old female both from Demerara-Mahaica (Region Four).

They succumbed while receiving treatment at a medical facility.

The Ministry in expressing condolences, revealed that it has contacted all relatives and persons to facilitate contact tracing and rapid assistance to everyone who may have been exposed to the now-deceased persons.

Meanwhile, all Guyanese are reminded to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 EMERGENCY MEASURES (NO. 9) which are in effect until October 31st, 2020.

This order emphasizes the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving home; the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others; and the need for good hand-hygiene to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

“If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or need any additional information, kindly contact the COVID-19 hotlines: 231-1166, 226-7480 or 6246674 IMMEDIATELY or v i s i t u s a t www.health.gov.gy,” the Ministry noted.

Yesterday too, 95 new COVID-19 cases were recorded taking the total number of confirmed cases to 3,188.

This information was presented on the Ministry’s daily dashboard update

which also stated that 14 persons are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC); 137 are in institutional isolation; 975 are in approved home isolation and 46 are in institutional quarantine.

Further, it states that the total number of persons tested to date is 15,078 and of this number 11,890 tested negative.

Of all the confirmed cases, 1,694 are males and 1,494 are females.

The regional distribution of cases shows Region One with 486 confirmed cases; Region Two – 41; Region Three- 242; Region Four 1,492, Region Five - 18, Region Six - 47, Region Seven - 303, Region Eight 83, Region Nine - 362, and Region 10 -114.

To date, there have been 1,972 recoveries.

Suspect nabbed with firearm after shooting cop

A

police officer was yesterday shot while on motorcycle patrol duty with a colleague at Guyhoc Park, East La Penitence, Georgetown.

Nursing gunshot wounds to the hip and buttocks is a police rank who has since been identified as Constable Ramsingh.

According to police reports, the shooting incident took place sometime after 1800hrs when Ramsingh and his colleague intervened in an alleged dispute between his shooter and another man.

Investigators said that the cops heard a loud explosion behind them and turned around, only to see the shooter arguing with the

man.

They then turned around their motorbikes and approached the men.

Ramsingh reportedly jumped off his bike and tried to relieve the armed man of his weapon but he resisted.

A scuffle ensued and the shooter discharged five rounds - one of which struck Ramsingh to his buttocks and ended up in his left hip.

Nevertheless, Ramsingh, with assistance from his colleague, managed to relieve the man of a .32 taurus pistol containing four live rounds and arrested him.

Meanwhile, the other individual with whom the suspect had the argument, fled the scene.

The injured rank was

The captured suspect (Photo Credit: Travis Chase) taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation for treatment where it was ascertained that his injury is not life threatening.

ANUG shines spotlight on constitutional reform

- as 28th anniversary of democracy is observed

O

n the 28th anniversary of the return of democracy in Guyana, the A New and United Guyana (ANUG) decided to remind the new administration of its commitment to constitutional reform and shared governance.

In a statement to the press yesterday, ANUG recalled that there were rigged

elections in 1968, 1972, 1980 and 1985 and a rigged referendum in 1978. It reminded that the PPP/C won the elections on 5th October, 1992 promising shared governance or a 'winner does not take all' system of government.

However, the PPP/C remained in office for 23 years amidst an “unstable political system, punctuated

by periodic violence and with economic growth unreflective of Guyana's potential.”

“The electorate voted the PPP/C out of office in 2015,” ANUG wrote, “and placed its confidence in the APNU+AFC coalition to mend our political system by implementing a detailed plan for shared governance. They (continued on page 25)

Kaieteur News

Tuesday October 06, 2020

Democracy is sacrosanct

Govt. on a mission to improve education (Message by His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on the occasion of World Teacher's Day 2020 celebrated under the theme: “Teachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the future.”)

T

oday (October 5) we join the rest of the world to celebrate World Teachers' Day. This year's theme, “Teachers: Leading in crisis, re-imagining the future” is especially significant as we face head on, the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the immense strain it has placed on education systems around the world.

As we join together to celebrate the teaching profession worldwide, we must take stock of our national achievements, and recognize the crucial role our teachers play in shaping our nation, even in these challenging times.

Our educators have had cause to adapt to new norms of education delivery, and in so doing, are faced with the ever-present challenge: to ensure that no child is left behind.

As a government, we are doing our part to ensure that all the support mechanisms are in place to guarantee that our teachers are equipped to succeed. We commit to strengthening our education system and working with our educators to guide them through this uncharted landscape, shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This will be achieved through several robust measures which include; the delivery of education safely and effectively using innovative methods, capacity building for teachers through

the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), improved access to education in hinterland communities and vulnerable areas and access to online training among other methods. These interventions are of course possible through the recent b u d g e t a r y allocation of $52B towards the education sector.

In our manifesto commitments, while we assured of improved access to and quality of education at every level, we also assured of improved remuneration and conditions of service for teachers inclusive of opportunities for training and skills development.

I take this opportunity to express profound gratitude to all teachers and educators, past and present, across the length and breadth of this country. I would also like to use this occasion to assure you that your Government remains steadfast in our mission to improve not only access to education but to also improve the livelihood of our educators.

PAGE 13

(Message by His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, on the occasion of the 28th anniversary of the restoration of democracy in Guyana.)

O

ctober 5th is a significant date in our country's political calendar. On the 5th October 1992, democracy was restored to our beloved motherland after an absence of 28 years.

On this the 28th anniversary milestone, Guyana recalls t h e epic stru ggle wag e d for the resto ration President of the Irfaan Ali right of our people to freely elect a government of their choice. Today, we pay tribute to all those, inside and outside of Guyana, who contributed to the eventual triumph of democracy. We remember especially those brave individuals who lost their lives in this struggle, including Jagan R a m e s a r, B h o l a N a u t h Parmanand, Father Bernard Darke and Dr. Walter Rodney.

The restoration of

democracy on October 5th, 1992 ushered in the dawn of a new era. No longer were we a pariah state, and no longer would dictatorship oppress our people and stifle economic development. It unlocked the latent potential of our people and propelled economic growth and development. Guyana's economic, political and social progress over the past twentyeight years would not have been possible without democracy.

Sovereignty, according to our Constitution, belongs to the people and they exercise this sovereignty through their elected representatives. The right of the people to freely and fairly choose who would govern them must remain sacrosanct. This right, we saw earlier this year, is fragile. It must be guarded and safeguarded zealously.

My government remains committed to upholding and protecting democracy. We intend to fashion a more inclusive system of governance and, especially, to fortify our democratic institutions so that never again will our people's freedom be subject to the threat of being hijacked.

This glorious day reminds us that rights carry accompanying duties and that,

consequentially, every citizen has a duty to defend democracy.

Today, as we observe the 28th anniversary of the restoration of democracy, it is as a good a time as any to re-commit to ensuring our democracy is never again threatened.

I also take this opportunity to recognise and thank all those Guyanese, among them, many young people who stood up and allowed themselves to be counted in the history books of our country, when their country needed them, in defence of democracy in 2020.

Today, as we reflect on the legacy, life and contribution of Dr. Jagan, Janet Jagan and other leaders in our society. For the People's Progressive Party we can say that their legacy was again celebrated when Guyanese, in 2020, continued in a vein that ensured democracy lived on.

T h e P o l i t i c a l A ff a i r s Committee when it was formed, all the great leaders of our country, Ashton Chase among them, all subscribed to the tenets of democracy. Our great Trade Union leaders all subscribed to the tenets of democracy. As a nation moving forward, the values of democracy must never, and will never be understated. I thank you.

Volunteers keep COVID-19 hotlines going - Ministry

T

here are several COVID-19 h o t l i n e s functioning in Guyana.

These hotlines are operated largely by volunteers, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of

Health. “Guyana owes them (volunteers) a depth of gratitude,” said the Ministry of the volunteers who are

Guyana to serve as Vice Chair of WHO's Executive Board

G

uyana has been elected to serve in the position of Vice President to the Executive Board. According to a statement released by Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, who will be representing the country on the Board , Guyana looks forward to working with all of WHO on a noble goal of creating access to better health for all humanity.

“We know that the road to ending this pandemic is a challenging one and that the months ahead will be filled with difficulties.

Nevertheless, with what has already been accomplished, it gives us tremendous hope and optimism that our combined global efforts will prevail over this COVID-19 pandemic,” Dr. Anthony

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony said.

According to the Health Minister too, “Guyana remains grateful for the

timely technical updates, the guidelines and the resources which have helped us to strengthen and improve our country's response to saving lives and livelihoods.”

As such, he noted that Guyana looks forward to the continued collaboration with the WHO and other partners as we work together to end this pandemic.

“We are pleased that t h r o u g h t h e C O VA X mechanism that two billion doses will be available, and we are delighted that GAVI through the COVAX AMC will be assisting several developing economies in accessing these vaccines.

We are grateful for this innovation in creating better access to the most vulnerable,” Dr. Anthony added in the statement.

“always ready to help Guyanese citizens with their concerns relating to COVID19.”

As such the statement noted that “the Government of Guyana is very grateful that these volunteers have remained dedicated to the task.”

To show gratitude, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, Advisor to the Minister of Health, visited the Region Four COVID-19 Hotline Center yesterday where he had interactions with the duty

supervisor, Dr. Fiona Perry, and the volunteers. The center handles the majority of COVID-19 calls and provides assistance to persons desirous of getting tested.

The center also provides assistance in following up with positive patients and facilitates contacts with persons in home isolation.

The COVID hotline works on a 24/7 rotation.

The hotline is managed by volunteers from across the different sectors

including the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), the Red Cross and the Health Ministry, just to name a few.

There are also private citizens who want to make a difference by volunteering.

“COVID-19 is a killer and we all need to do our part to curb the spread of this deadly virus. remember to wash your hands, wear a mask, watch your distance and only leave home if you have to,” the Ministry urged in its statement.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Tuesday October 06, 2020

Public's cooperation, behavioural changes key to stopping spread of COVID-19 - CMO (ag) N

ew acting Chief Medical Officer ( C M O ) , D r.

Narine Singh, is bringing to the table more than three decades of institutional knowledge of Guyana's

healthcare system.

According to Dr. Singh, coming to the office of CMO in the middle of a pandemic is already challenging but what makes matters worse is the fact that Guyana's

COVID-19 numbers are continuing to climb.

In his capacity as CMO, Dr. Singh will be among the key personnel dealing with the oversight of systems and plans geared at addressing

the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis.

As such, he told Kaieteur news that he believes that citizens' greatest challenge to stopping the spread of the disease, is changing their behaviour.

“It is not a normal time to be CMO, a lot of other health issues are being overshadowed by COVID-19,” Dr. Singh said, noting that cooperation of the public is essential to addressing the issue.

He noted that the Ministry of Health and healthcare workers are playing their part but it's up to the public to adhere to the rules or “we will keep seeing the numbers climb.”

“People need to stick to the rules and follow the regulations because failure to do so is putting pressure on the system. As you know, this is not just in Guyana but across the world people had

Chief Medical Officer (ag), Dr. Narine Singh to adapt to stop the spread,” said Dr. Singh.

The new CMO told Kaieteur News that he is hoping that the issue can be addressed soon, so that the focus of the healthcare

system can shift to other issues which need attention.

“There is so much more to be done to address other issues for instance, NonCommunicable Diseases and how it is responsible for the deaths of a significant number of Guyanese. We are not able to focus on these other areas because COVID19 is taking up most of our time and resources,” Dr. Singh said, whose portfolio also sees him offering technical support and guidance to key departments within the Health Ministry.

Dr. Singh took the seat of CMO on October 1. He replaced Dr. Shamdeo Persaud who has proceeded on pre-retirement leave.

Dr. Singh, who is part of the establishment, has served in a number of key positions at the Ministry over the years, including the Director of Regional Health Services.

Young MLC students recount...

From page 8 C h e m i s t r y, P h y s i c s , Integrated Science and Human and Social Biology.

Meanwhile, speaking to Kaieteur News about the preparations for this year's CSEC, MLC's founder and Principal, Sir Orin Morgan, noted that after COVID-19 closed schools in Guyana, he was immediately tasked with

ensuring the young students he was preparing for CSEC did not panic or lose their focus.

He said that the school immediately set up online/virtual classrooms to continue offering instruction in the various subject areas.

During that time, the principal urged the CSEC class of 2020 to not necessarily view the

pandemic in a totally negative light.

“It appeared to be a setback but in a way I took it as something to challenge us as teachers and students to learn outside the regular mould and in keeping with our motto 'Still We Rise'.

All the students excelled despite the challenges we faced during the pandemic,” the teacher added.

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Laser treatment for kidney stones One in 10 worldwide may have had COVID-19 - WHO introduced at Mercy Hospital

O

ne in 10 people around the world m a y h a v e contracted COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, at a special meeting of WHO leaders.

A top official said the estimate meant "the vast majority of the world remains at risk".

Just over 35 million people have been confirmed as being infected with coronavirus - the WHO's estimate puts the true figure at closer to 800 million.

Experts have long said the real number of cases would exceed those confirmed. The WHO is meeting at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, to

Dr. Rajendra Sukhraj (second from left) with the operating room team

S

urgical Associates Guyana has introduced laser treatment of kidney stones at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. According to a press release, the first case of a kidney stone treated with the laser in Guyana was that of a 34-year-old female with a 1.1cm stone in the kidney. The patient was successfully treated last Thursday at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital and was discharged within hours of the procedure.

“Traditionally, this would have required an incision on the abdomen, 2 3 days of hospitalization and weeks of convalescence,” the release noted. This technique is likely to remain a thing of the past.

The recent surgery was performed by Dr. Rajendra Sukhraj, a trained specialist urological surgeon who is a member of Surgical Associates Guyana. Dr. Sukhraj is highly experienced in treating kidney stones with laser. He returned to Guyana one year ago after completing a postgraduate degree in Urology at the University of the West Indies.

Surgical Associates Guyana, according to the release, is based at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. It is made up of a group of young Guyanese surgeons who are

highly skilled in their respective fields. “They have a common mission of providing the Guyanese people with first world level surgical care. This significant investment is a reflection of their commitment to the development of healthcare in this country,” the release added.

According to the release, the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital is currently the first and only hospital in the country with the equipment and expertise to offer this modern method of treatment. It was pointed out too that this technique uses a high intensity laser beam to pulverize stones through an endoscope.

WHO Director General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

discuss the global response to the pandemic.

Ten months on, the crisis shows no sign of ending.

Several countries are seeing second waves after easing restrictions and in some cases numbers are even higher.

The estimate that 10 percent of the world's population has contracted the virus came from Mike Ryan, the executive director of the WHO's Health Emergencies Programme.

"This varies depending on country, it varies from urban to rural, it varies between different groups," he said.

"But what it does mean is (continued on page 23)

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Victim in E'bo hotel Police need help identifying “mystery” shooting dies injured pedal cyclist

Wounded: Cordell Grimes

O

ne of the victims ambushed in what is being called a “mystery” shooting that occurred on September 29 has died. The victim, according to reports, died yesterday at the Suddie Public Hospital.

The shooting incident occurred at a hotel and bar establishment in Aurora Village, Essequibo Coast, Region Two. According police reports, Reeaz Khan, 20, of Pomona Housing Scheme succumbed just after midnight while being treated for gunshot wounds he had received to the face.

Khan and his friend, Cordell Grimes, 25, of Adventure came under

Dead: Reeaz Khan

gunfire at around 19:30hrs on the evening of September 29 as they exited the business establishment.

Grimes, who was also hospitalized, has since been discharged, this publication was told.

Investigators had said that the men had visited the hotel to pay off a debt. As they were about to enter a car, which was driven by Grimes, shots were fired at them.

Grimes and Khan entered the vehicle and had immediately sped off.

Investigators said that two more shots were fired behind the men as they fled.

Grimes told ranks that when he looked over to Khan he noticed that he was

bleeding from wounds to the face. He too realized that he was bleeding from his left arm.

He managed to drive to the hospital where they were both admitted and treated by doctors.

The shooter(s), however, remain a mystery.

Up to press time yesterday, investigators said that they were yet to identify suspects or any possible motive behind the shooting.

Kaieteur News had reported that both Khan and Grimes were clueless about who their attackers were.

Residents of Aurora said that there are no CCTV cameras at the hotel or places nearby to assist detectives with their investigation.

The injured pedal cyclist

P

olice are trying to ascertain the identity of a pedal cyclist who is presently at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) in a critical condition.

The pedal cyclist was rushed to the hospital following an accident along M a n d e l a Av e n u e , Georgetown at around 22:15hrs Saturday last.

The cyclist, according to

reports, collided with a motor car which was being driven by an officer attached to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

The GDF rank told investigators that he was heading south when the pedal cyclist rode across the road into his path at the intersection of Mandela Avenue and Arapaima Street.

As a result, the man told police, he hit the man's cycle.

The impact flung the cyclist on to the road where he received injuries to the head and body.

The officer, it was revealed, picked up the man in an unconscious state, placed him in his car and drove him to the GPHC where he was admitted.

Kaieteur news was told that he remains unconscious and in a critical condition.

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Trump says he’s leaving hospital for White House, feels good BETHESDA, Md. (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday he’s leaving the military hospital where he has been treated for COVID-19 and will continue his recovery at the White House. He said he’s feeling good and the nation should not be afraid of the virus that has killed more than 209,000 Americans.

Trump’s expected return comes as the scale of the outbreak within the White House itself is still being uncovered. Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany announced she had tested positive for the virus Monday morning and was entering quarantine.

“I will be leaving the great Walter Reed Medical Center today at 6:30 P.M.,” Trump tweeted. “Feeling really good!

Don’t be afraid of Covid. ... I feel better than I did 20 years ago!”

Trump is expected to make the journey aboard the presidential helicopter, Marine One. Trump’s nonchalant message about not fearing the virus comes as his own administration has encouraged Americans to be very careful and take precautions to avoid contracting and spreading the disease as cases continue to spike across the country.

For more than eight months, Trump’s efforts to play down the threat of the virus in hopes of propping up the economy ahead of the election have drawn

bipartisan criticism.

Only a day earlier, Trump suggested he had finally grasped the true nature of the virus, saying in a video, “I get it.”

It was unclear how long Trump would remain in isolation at the White House.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those with mild to moderate symptoms can be contagious for as many — and should isolate for at least — 10 days.

On Sunday afternoon, Trump briefly ventured out of the hospital while contagious to salute cheering supporters by motorcade — an outing that disregarded precautions meant to contain the virus.

White House officials said Trump was anxious to be released after three nights at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where doctors revealed on Sunday that his blood oxygen level

had dropped suddenly twice in recent days and that they gave him a steroid typically only recommended for the very sick.

Trump’s experience with the disease has been dramatically different from most Americans, who do not have access to the same kind of monitoring and care. While most must cope with their symptoms — and fear of whether they’ll take a turn for the worse — at home and alone, Trump has been staying in the presidential suite of one of the nation’s best hospitals and has been given experimental drugs not readily available to the public.

He returns to the White House where there is a team of doctors on call with 24hour monitoring.

Trump was to leave the hospital after receiving a fourth dose of the antiviral drug remdesivir Monday evening, Conley said. He will

receive the fifth and final dose Tuesday at the White House.

Less than one month before Election Day, Trump was eager to project strength despite his illness. The stillinfectious president surprised supporters who had gathered outside the hospital, riding by Sunday in a black SUV with the windows rolled up. Secret Service agents inside the vehicle could be seen in masks and other protective gear.

The move capped a weekend of contradictions that fueled confusion about Trump’s health, which has imperiled the leadership of the U.S. government and upended the final stages of the presidential campaign.

While Trump’s physician offered a rosy prognosis on his condition, his briefings lacked basic information, including the findings of lung scans, or were quickly muddled by more serious assessments of the president’s health by other officials.

Joe Biden’s campaign, meanwhile, said the Democratic presidential nominee again tested negative for coronavirus Sunday. The results came five days after Biden spent more than 90 minutes on the debate stage with Trump. Biden, who has taken a far more cautious approach to in-person events — and has been mocked repeatedly for it by Trump — had two negative tests on Friday.

Vice President Mike Pence, meanwhile returned to the campaign trail moments after Trump announced he would soon leave the hospital. He boarded Air Force Two to fly to Salt Lake City, where he is to face off against Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris on Wednesday.

McEnany spoke briefly with reporters Sunday evening without wearing a mask, but said that no members of the White House press corps spent enough time around her to be considered close contacts.

Even before Trump’s motorcade outing on Sunday, some Secret Service agents had expressed concern about the lackadaisical attitude toward masks and social distancing inside the White House, but there isn’t much they can do, according to agents and officials who spoke to The Associated Press. This close to the election, thousands of agents are engaged on protective duty so they can be subbed out quickly should someone test positive.

According to CDC guidelines, in general, transport and movement of a patient with suspected or confirmed infection of the virus that causes COVID-19 “outside of their room should be limited to medically essential purposes.”

Trump’s aggressive course of treatment included

the steroid dexamethasone and the single dose he was given Friday of an experimental drug from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. that supplies antibodies to help the immune system fight the virus. Trump on Friday also began a five-day course of remdesivir, a Gilead Sciences drug currently used for moderately and severely ill patients. The drugs work in different ways — the antibodies help the immune system rid the body of virus, and remdesivir curbs the virus’ ability to multiply.

The steroid’s use has only been proven to help in more serious cases. Among the concerns with earlier use is that steroids tamp down certain immune cells, hindering the body’s own ability to fight off infection.

Trump is 74 years old and clinically obese, putting him at higher risk of serious complications.

First lady Melania Trump has remained at the White House as she recovers from her own bout with the virus.

Many in the White House are also shaken and scared — nervous that they have been exposed to the virus and confronting the reality that what seemed like a bubble of safety has become a COVID19 hot spot.

It took until late Sunday for the White House to send a generic note to staffers suggesting they not come to the building if they do not feel well.

Beirut blast was ‘historically’ powerful (BBC) –T he blast that devastated large parts of Beirut in August was one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions in history, experts say.

The Sheffield University, UK, team says a best estimate for the yield is 500 tons of TNT equivalent, with a reasonable upper limit of 1.1 kilotons.

This puts it at around onetwentieth of the size of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945. The team mapped how the shock wave propagated through the city.

The group hopes its work can help emergency planners prepare for future disasters.

“When we know what the yield is from these sorts of events, we can then work out the loading that comes from that. And that tells us how to construct buildings that are more resilient,” said Dr Sam Rigby from Sheffield’s Blast and Impact Engineering Research Group.

“Even things like glazing.

In Beirut, glazing damage was reported up 10km away from the centre of the explosion,

and we know falling glass causes a lot of injuries.”

The 4 August explosion was the result of the accidental detonation of approximately 2,750 tonnes of improperly stored ammonium nitrate. The blast led to some 190 deaths, as well as more than 6,000 injuries.

The Sheffield team arrived at its estimate by studying videos of the event posted on social media.

When the group did this in the immediate aftermath of the blast, it produced an initial estimate in the range of 1.01.5 kilotons of TNT. But this was based on only a limited set of videos, which the team discovered may have dropped frames either when being uploaded to social media or when being pulled down.

The group has now had the chance to review many more videos from the event (16 in total) to generate a broader set of data points from which to make the calculations. This has resulted in the yield estimate being revised downwards slightly.

“Think of it like a kid on a swing,” said Dr Rigby. “If you push the child and see how far they go, you can then work out how hard the push was. That’s essentially how we work out the yield.”

In a matter of milliseconds, the explosion released the equivalent of around 1GWh of energy. This is enough to power more than 100 homes for a year, say the researchers.

The nuclear device dropped on Hiroshima was in the range of 13-15 kilotons of TNT equivalent. By way of comparison, one of the US military’s biggest conventional weapons, the GBU-43/B MOAB (“Massive Ordnance Air Blast”) device, has a yield of around 11 tons.

“The Beirut explosion is interesting because it sits almost directly in a sort of no-man’s land between the largest conventional weapons and nuclear weapons,” said Dr Rigby “It was about 10 times bigger than the biggest conventional weapon, and 10 to 20 times smaller than the early nuclear

weapons,” he told BBC News.

Dr Rigby said Beirut was in the top 10 in terms of the most powerful accidental non-nuclear explosions in history (neglecting much more energetic natural occurrences like volcanoes, asteroid impacts, etc); and probably just outside the top 10 when some nuclear mock-up tests (such as “Minor Scale” the largest ever man-made nonnuclear explosion, which was

around 3.2 kilotons of TNT) are included.

Beirut was about a third of Minor Scale.

The largest accidental non-nuclear explosion in history occurred in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1917, when two ships (one carrying explosives) collided. That was nearly 3 kilotons of TNT equivalent, so again Beirut was around a third this size,

give or take. More recently, the 2015 explosion in Tianjin (China) was only around half the yield of Beirut. This again involved ammonium nitrate.

“Beirut’s certainly the most powerful non-nuclear explosion of the 21st Century,” said Dr Rigby.

The new analysis is published in the journal Shock Waves.

ANUG shines spotlight on ...

From page 12 failed to do so and attempted unsuccessfully to rig the 2020 elections.

Tensions once again exploded into ethnic violence after the brutal murder of the Henry cousins in West Coast Berbice. Tensions in several areas are still simmering.”

The party went on to say that there is an “inescapable” national consensus that is embraced by countries friendly to Guyana and that the time has come to imple-

ment a political system that is more responsive to Guyana's conditions. ANUG, in the election campaign, advocated for an executive comprising the main political parties in equal numbers with a rotating president or chief executive and an independent parliament.

“Both major political parties called for inclusive governance without specifying any measures that they proposed to implement,” it noted.

As the situation now stands, it would appear that

the two main political parties are nowhere close to commencing discussions to resolve issues relating to Guyana's constitutional and legal structures.

As such, ANUG called on government “on this important anniversary to re-commit itself to shared governance and a 'winner does not take all' political system and to take steps to immediately implement a process of constitutional reform to bring this about.”

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...Rajasthan Royals in need of batting rejig as ...Meg Lanning masterclass From page 29 who have struggled to dominate bowlers with their string of low scores. Their lower-middle order has made up for most of those disappointments, with Rahul Tewatia, Tom Curran and Jofra Archer finding form across their four games, and so one can only imagine how good their batting could be if they all performed in unison.

It could also be Curran’s last match for the time being, with Ben Stokes nearing the end of his quarantine. For Mumbai, each of their batsmen has performed

across different games.

Quinton de Kock, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya had a good day out against the the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday, while Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav and Kieron Pollard chipped in as well during their last few games.

Add three internationalquality pace bowlers in Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult and James Pattinson, and they are now one of the very few teams who seem to have their best XI in place. When Mumbai get on a roll, they are

difficult to stop.

Strategy punts: The Sunrisers found success against Rohit Sharma dismissing him for six - by getting Sandeep Sharma to bowl to him because of the Mumbai captain’s poor numbers against him. The Royals could do the same by making Ankit Rajpoot bowl up front. In the four games he has bowled to Sharma, he’s dismissed him twice. Sharma has an average of 3.50 and a strike-rate of 64 against Rajpoot. The Royals could opt for batting stability throughout their order by splitting Buttler, Smith and Samson. And that could be by promoting Uthappa as opener which puts one of Samson or Smith at No. 3 and the other at No. 4. Having

Tuesday October 06, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Paperwork involving money needs to be executed today, Aries. It could be a settlement, new commission, or bonus of some kind.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Today your mind should be especially quick and penetrating, Taurus. You could decide to tackle some in-depth research that you've been considering doing for a while on a subject that fascinates you.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Some vivid, beautiful dreams or visions could awaken you and make you aware of new opportunities. They could be creative in nature, and you should consider taking advantage of them, Gemini.

CANCER(June21–July22) Today you might decide to attend a group activity that is primarily concerned with an intellectual, philosophical, or spiritual interest of yours, Cancer.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) A public figure, perhaps an author, might capture your interest in some way today, Leo. This person could have a lot to say that appeals to you on a number of different levels.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today you might attend a party or group activity that puts you in touch with some interesting people from faraway places, Virgo.

You could find their conversation intellectually stimulating.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Some big upheaval in your career could take you by surprise, Libra, but it's apt to make a very positive difference to you. Your public standing and income could both skyrocket.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) A social event could bring you into contact with a very intense, fascinating person in an intriguing profession, Scorpio. You could find him or her very charming and sexy.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You always tend to have good powers of concentration, Sagittarius, but today you're more focused than usual, probably on a project that means a lot to you.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) An intense conversation with your romantic partner could take place today, Capricorn. This could involve taking the relationship to the next commitment level, and the subject of marriage could come up.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Today you and the other members of your household might discuss the possibility of making some changes.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Today you might feel the urge to write, Pisces. This could involve nothing more than a lengthy letter or email to a friend, but it could also be creative work, such as a novel, essay, screenplay, or poem.

Samson at No. 4 allows firepower at the death. With a cutoff of at least 150 runs in the IPL since 2018, Samson’s strike-rate of 228 in the death overs is second only to AB de Villiers and Rishabh Pant.

Alternatively, Uthappa could be dropped for Manan Vohra or Yashasvi Jaiswal for the opener’s position.

Likely XIs - Rajasthan Royals: 1 Jos Buttler (wk), 2 Steven Smith (capt), 3 Sanju Samson, 4 Robin Uthappa, 5 Rahul Tewatia, 6 Mahipal Lomror, 7 Riyan Parag/Ankit Rajpoot, 8 Tom Curran, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Shreyas Gopal, 11 Jaydev Unadkat Mumbai Indians: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), Rohit Sharma (capt), 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Ishan Kishan, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 James Pattinson, 9 Trent Boult, 10 Rahul Chahar, 11 Jasprit Bumrah.

...Petra Kvitova ‘emotional’ From page 27 Open champion Sofia Kenin made sure there are two Grand Slam winners left in the women’s draw by beating France’s Fiona Ferro 2-6 6-2 6-1.

Having cracked a superb backhand winner to seal the match by breaking Ferro’s serve, the American fourth seed burst into tears after reaching her first French Open quarter-final. The inform Ferro, who beat Britain’s Heather Watson in the first round, was backed vociferously by the French fans allowed into Court Philippe Chatrier and their support grew louder as she eased to the first set.

Kenin, 21, rubbed the Paris crowd up the wrong way when she beat Serena Williams in last year’s tournament and managed to quieten them as she turned the match in her favour. She played more aggressively after losing the first set, hitting the sort of fearless and clean returns that helped her win her first major in Melbourne in January.

Ferro, ranked 49th, was competing in her first Grand Slam last-16 match and the 23year-old could not cope with Kenin’s quality as her eightmatch winning streak came to an end. Next, Kenin will play either Tunisian 30th seed Ons Jabeur or American Danielle Collins, who must return to play their fourth-round match on Tuesday (today) after heavy rain stopped them playing on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

From page 30 missed a leg-break that took the back leg, Sophie Molineux did not pick the googly as she advanced down the pitch and Ash Gardner edged her first ball to leave Kerr on a hat-trick - the third such opportunity of the day - and Australia on 5 for 196 but there was never any run-rate pressure.

New Zealand had been forced to reshuffle their batting order after injury had ruled Suzie Bates out of the series. It meant Devine pushed herself up to open and alongside Natalie Dodd was able to build a solid start with an opening stand of 75 in 18 overs.

Devine and Satterthwaite then put all their experience to good use, although Australia never allowed the run rate to escape from them.

There was, however, more proactivity against the spinners than in the opening match where the New Zealand batters had become stuck.

Satterthwaite initially struggled to find her timing and was 18 off 33 balls before finding her stride in what became an increasingly fluent innings. She took three boundaries off an over by Carey and brought up her

half-century from 58 balls.

Australia were able to build pressure on Devine and the frustration of not being able to up her scoring rate was showing when she topedged a sweep off Jess Jonassen. Kerr picked out mid-on against Carey and when Sattherthwaite chipped a return catch to Molineux, New Zealand needed to find someone to give the innings a strong finish.

Martin and Green did an excellent job in a stand of 42 in less than four overs where, just briefly, it felt like Australia were losing a little bit of control but Jonassen removed both in consecutive ball in the penultimate over and would end up taking three in the over.

Megan Schutt also found herself on a hat-trick in the final over and that late clatter of wickets may have been the difference between 250 and 270, although even the latter may not have been enough against this Australia team and the master of a run chase, Meg Lanning.

Australia 6 for 255 (Lanning 101*, Haynes 82, Kerr 3-47) beat New Zealand 9 for 252 (Devine 79, Satterthwaite 69, Jonassen 436) by four wickets

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French Open 2020: Petra Jimmy Butler stars as Miami Kvitova ‘emotional’ recalling Heat beat Los Angeles Lakers return after knife attack 115-104 to take game three NBA Finals

BBCsport - Jimmy Butler starred as the injury-hit Miami Heat took game three of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers 115-104.

Butler’s triple double of 40 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds helped lead the Heat to victory and they now trail 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

“They can be beaten as long as we do what we are supposed to do,” he said.

“We are here to compete.

We’re not going to lay down, we’re going to fight back in this thing.” Game four of the series will take place on Tuesday (today).

Butler inspires Heat to keep series alive - No NBA team has come back from a 03 series deficit to win in seven games, but the Heat were facing that prospect when they squandered a 14-point third-quarter lead.

But the talismanic Butler was able to haul them over the line, becoming the third player in Finals history to score 40 points in a tripledouble (double-digit figures in three of five categories points, assists, rebounds, steals and blocks), after opponent LeBron James and Lakers legend Jerry West.

He played 45 minutes for the second straight game as the Heat were once again without Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic, who were

James had a team-high 25 points for the Lakers (Getty Images) injured in game one. The 31year-old says he is ready to do everything it takes to help his team-mates.

“I go out there and I go to war for those guys because whenever they’re out there, they’re going to war with and for me,” he said.

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra says Butler is rightly considered to be one of the best players in the NBA. “It’s really hard to analyse or describe Jimmy until you actually feel him between the four lines. He is a supreme, elite competitor and we

needed it,” he said.

“This was a very desperate, urgent game and he was doing in on both ends of the court, putting his imprint at every important part of the game. Spoelstra also revealed it was Heat legend Dwyane Wade who persuaded Miami president Pat Riley to sign Butler from Philadelphia 76ers last year.

“Dwyane swore to us and looked Pat and I dead in the eye and said ‘This is your guy, this is the next guy,’” he added. James led the way for the Lakers with 25 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, but Anthony Davis was in foul trouble early on and managed just 15 points.

The Lakers trailed by as many as 13 points during a sloppy first quarter featuring 10 turnovers, but clawed it back to within four points by the half, only for Miami to move into a 14-point lead in the third.

The Lakers again fought back to lead 91-89 with under nine minutes to play, but Butler responded with eight straight points to move the Heat into a lead they never relinquished. “I thought Jimmy was phenomenal,” said James.

“He did everything that they needed for him to do tonight and he came through big time in a bigtime game.”

‘Golden Jaguar’ forward Callum Harriott in fine form, making Sky Bet League Two Team of the Week Daily Gazette Colchester United pair Ben Steve n s o n a n d G o l d e n Jaguar Callum Harriott have been named in the League Two EFL Team of the Week. The U’s duo was in fine form in their s i d e ’s 3 - 3 d r a w w i t h Oldham Athletic, at the JobServe Community Stadium.

Ben Stevenson scored his first goal of the season against the Latics, opening the scoring in the six-goal thriller. And the former Coventry City midfielder also provided the assist for Miles Welch-Hayes’ headed goal, in the second half.

Harriott was also in excellent form for Colchester against Oldham, also netting his

first goal of the campaign from the penalty spot. The former Charlton Athletic and Reading winger also provided a fine assist for Stevenson’s well-taken opener.

The only downside for Harriott was him being forced off in the second half with a back injury.

Colchester head coach Steve Ball was full of praise for the duo, following their showing against Oldham.

“It was a great third man run from Ben and a brilliant finish for his goal,” said Ball.

“I’ve said to the likes of Ben, Noah (Chilvers) and Kwame (Poku) that the modern game of a four, eight or ten drives me mad.

“Ben is a four for us but he can get forward as well and can be an eight and a ten,

because he’s got quality.

“As long as people cover for him when he’s doing that, you see what he can produce for you. “I was really chuffed with that goal because it was a really good move.

“It was really positive from Callum. “It just shows at this level that Callum should be dominating games like that.”

League Two EFL Team of the Week: Ward (Exeter), Tanner (Carlisle), Piergianni (Oldham), Boyle (Cheltenham), McLaughlin (Mansfield), Mellish (Carlisle), Stevenson (Colchester), Twine (Newport), Harriott (Colchester), Doyle (Bolton), Vaughan (Tranmere).

Manager: Matt Taylor (Exeter).

Kenin, who was visibly upset after clinching victory, hit 29 winners and made just 13 unforced errors in the final two sets.

(REUTERS) BBCsport - Petra Kvitova held back tears when closing out for victory in the French Open on Monday as memories of her return to tennis in 2017 after a knife attack came to the fore. The Czech, 30, suffered a careerthreatening hand injury in the incident in her own home, but made her comeback at Roland Garros six months later.

“Everything just came back to me,” the seventh seed said. “As I’m talking, I’m getting emotional again. It’s been a long ride.”

Kvitova was 26 when the events - described as a burglary - happened in

Petra Kvitova last reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros in 2012, eventually losing in the semi-finals. (EPA) Prostejov, Czech Republic in December 2016. During a struggle, she suffered severe lacerations to all four fingers on her left hand - her playing hand - and had surgery.

Her surgeon said the chances of a return to tennis were low, however the twotime Wimbledon champion was holding a racquet again

by March.

Two months later she was back playing the sport, at Roland Garros.

On Monday, Kvitova was clearly teary-eyed as she completed her 6-2 6-4 win over China’s Zhang Shuai to reach

the French Open last eight for the first time since 2012.

Kvitova, who has yet to drop a set at the tournament, needed 85 minutes to see off the 31-year-old Chinese player. She got on top of Zhang by breaking at the start of both sets, two of her four breaks during the match. The Czech was broken only once herself - while serving for the match - but then got over the line in the 10th game.

Kvitova will now face German Laura Siegemund, who beat Spain’s Paula Badosa 7-5 6-2. Australian (Continued on page 26)

...Marcus Stoinis and Kagiso From page 28 Dhawan put up their best powerplay of the season, of 63, after being put in to bat.

Shaw started by targeting the quicker bowlers and Dhawan, who normally drops anchor, attacked as well, going after Navdeep Saini and Yuzvendra Chahal.

As soon as Chahal came on in the fifth over, the Capitals openers collected 18 off him to make Kohli change his plans.

The Royal Challengers bowler who stood out yet again in the powerplay was Sundar.

He sent down three in the first six, stifled the openers with his angle from wide of the crease from around the wicket, and conceded only one four in that phase before finishing on 0 for 20 for the second game in a row.

The Stoinis show again The Capitals innings was fizzling out after the powerplay. With the field spread and accurate bowling

from Mohammad Siraj - who came into the XI with Ali - the boundaries started drying up.

Shaw was the first wicket to fall as he edged Siraj behind, followed by Dhawan holing out to long-on and Shreyas Iyer to deep midwicket where Padikkal completed a fantastic hopout-and-back-in catch.

The focus was now on Rishabh Pant and Stoinis to rebuild and accelerate from 90 for 3 in the 12th over.

Stoinis came out at No. 5 and didn’t waste any time to settle in, even as Pant was kept quiet by the bowlers.

Stoinis was also helped by the three chances he got - a return catch that slipped through Chahal’s hands on 3 in 13th over, another chance put down by Chahal at deep midwicket off Saini on 30, and a run-out chance missed when Pant said no for a second run and Stoinis, on 45, had given up at the nonstriker’s end after turning back but an inaccurate throw

saved him.

The Royal Challengers paid the price for all this.

Stoinis not only cashed in when the bowlers erred with full or short deliveries but also shuffled across to the off side to whip and dispatch the ball to the leg side, especially when fine leg was in the 30yard circle.

His and Pant’s assault at the end meant the Capitals collected under 10 runs in only one of the last seven overs, with 94 runs coming off those 42 balls.

Stoinis was particularly brutal against Saini and Siraj, by targeting the straight and leg-side boundaries.

His 24-ball fifty and Saini’s 0 for 48 off three overs meant the Capitals got a total that was too much for the Royal Challengers.

Scores: Delhi Capitals 196 for 4 (Stoinis 53*, Siraj 2-34) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 137 for 9 (43, Rabada 4-24) by 59 runs.

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday October 06, 2020

Global champions and world recordMarcus Stoinis and Kagiso Rabada lead Delhi Capitals’ rout holders entered for World Athletics of Royal Challengers Bangalore Half Marathon C/ships Gdynia 2020

Kagiso Rabada celebrates with his team-mates, Dehli Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore ©BCCI ESPNcricinfo - Just when the Royal Challengers Bangalore were starting to think they were getting their combinations and players’ roles right this IPL, they were beaten comprehensively by the Delhi Capitals, one of the most balanced sides who lead the points table with four wins out of five games.

After posting a challenging 196 with the help of their openers and Marcus Stoinis’ unbeaten 53 off 26, the Capitals’ well-oiled bowling attack strangled the Royal Challengers chase with precise and economical bowling that led to regular wickets.

Virat Kohli tried stretching the chase even as the asking rate surged after the fall of Devdutt Padikkal, Aaron Finch and AB de Villiers inside the powerplay.

Pace sensation Kagiso Rabada then returned for his second over - the 14th of the chase to have his opposition

captain caught behind.

The Royal Challengers needed a stiff 100 from 36 balls at the end of the over, and the required rate headed only in one direction as Rabada closed the chase out with figures of 4 for 24 - the best of this tournament - after being on a hat-trick in the 18th over.

Capitals’ skillful bowling attack - A silver lining of Amit Mishra being out of the tournament was that the Capitals could bring their economical bowler Axar Patel back. After his first ball was driven beautifully for four by Kohli, Patel extracted turn to beat his outside edge two balls later, and slowed down the ball further on the last ball to have Finch caught behind for a scratchy 13.

This, after Finch had been warned by R Ashwin while backing up too far at the nonstriker’s end in the previous over. Some more drama was left for the sixth over when de

Marcus Stoinis clobbers one over the leg side ©BCCI

Villiers sent Kohli back for a quick single after pushing the ball to mid-on but Rabada couldn’t get a direct hit.

Next ball de Villiers whipped Anrich Nortje over mid-off with his supple wrists but the quick bowler replied immediately with his compatriots’ wicket as de Villiers top-edged a 150km delivery that Shikhar Dhawan pouched while running backwards from extra cover.

Rabada had earlier conceded only five in the first over and put down a simple return catch of Finch, but the Capitals have clear plans for the pace spearhead: keep at least two of his overs for the end.

That the boundaries dried up for over five overs after the seventh, with Patel taking the pace off and Ashwin mixing up his offbreaks with carrom balls and flatter deliveries, only helped Rabada ‘s second over.

The scoreboard pressure meant Moeen Ali holed out off Patel to deep midwicket for 11 off 13 and Rabada had his eyes on one man. With 106 to get from 42, the onus was on Kohli and he took on a Rabada short ball but only edged it behind for 43.

Five down for 94, the Royal Challengers weren’t going to recover from that against Rabada and Nortje, who kept breaching the 150kmh mark. Birthday boy Washington Sundar impressed briefly with some off-side strokes off Rabada before being deceived by a slower bouncer, and Shivam Dube soon missed a slog to lose his stumps.

Capitals’ best powerplay this IPL - Earlier, the Capitals openers Prithvi Shaw and (Continued on page 26)

World Athletics Distance stars Joshua Cheptegei and Sifan Hassan are among the top names entered for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships Gdynia 2020 on 17 October. Based on the figures at the entry deadline, 157 men and 127 women from 62 teams have been entered for the championships.

Even with the expected slight drop in numbers ahead of the publication of the official start lists, the figures compare favourably to previous editions, most of which ranged between 150 and 250 athletes.

Cheptegei, the world 10,000m champion, and teammate Jacob Kiplimo, the world leader over 3000m, spearhead the Ugandan team and will seek to replicate the 1-2 finish they achieved at last year’s World Cross Country Championships. Cheptegei, who earlier this year broke the world 5000m record, will be making his half marathon debut.

Kibiwott Kandie, who leads the 2020 world lists after his 58:38 victory in Prague early this month, fronts a formidable Kenyan squad.

Ghirmay Ghebreslassie, the 2015 world marathon champion, heads up a strong Eritrean team. Asian recordholder Abraham Cheroben of Bahrain and European record-holder Julien Wanders of Switzerland are also entered.

World 1500m and 10,000m champion Sifan Hassan, who

Joshua Cheptegei leads the senior men’s race at the World Cross Country Championships Aarhus 2019 (Dan Vernon) © Copyright also holds the world record for the mile, is one of several standout entries for the women’s race.

The Dutch runner will take on Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh and Kenya’s 2016 world half marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir, who respectively hold the outright and women-only world records for the half marathon.

Ethiopia’s Netsanet Gudeta, who won in Valencia two years ago in a womenonly world record time, will

defend her world half marathon title. In one of the highest-quality fields ever for a half marathon, 15 of the men entered have sub-60-minute PBs and a further 14 have PBs inside 61 minutes.

The 10 fastest women entered have PBs of 1:06:30 or faster, while 21 women in total have sub-69-minute PBs. Area record-holders for Africa, Europe and Asia are also entered.

Official start lists will be published in the week before the event.

IPL player reports corrupt approach, BCCI ACU starts investigations ESPNcricinfo - A player competing in IPL 2020 has “reported a corrupt approach”, putting the BCCI’s anti-corruption unit (ACU) on a high alert. The current edition of the IPL is being held in the UAE in a biosecure environment, which has significantly reduced the chance for persons with dubious credentials approaching the player directly.

The threat though still remains by and large due to the online network of corruptors. The BCCI ACU chief Ajit Singh, who is leading an eight-man team in the UAE, confirmed the development to PTI. “We are tracking him. It will take some time,” Singh, the former DGP of Rajasthan,

said when asked if the alleged corruptor has been nabbed.

As per anti-corruption protocols, the name of the player or franchise is not revealed for confidentiality purposes. With players and support staff staying in a biobubble, unlike other years, the ACU is concentrating more on the possible online corrupt approaches.

Most of the players are on social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter where unknown people masquerading as fans try to befriend them. A senior BCCI official said all the players, whether overseas or Indian, have attended multiple anticorruption classes.

“The best part is that the player who was approached immediately sensed that

something is fishy. He had a suspicion and he immediately shared his concerns with the ACU. Every player, even those who have come from the Under-19 are well aware of each and every anticorruption protocols,” the BCCI official, privy to the development, told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

Due to health safety protocols this year, the ACU had organised its mandatory counselling sessions virtually for all the eight teams. The BCCI has tied up with UK-based company Sportradar, which offers “integrity services” to prevent betting and other corrupt practices during the IPL through its Fraud Detection Services.

Tuesday October 06, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Less than two weeks remain Athens Marathon cancelled due to for GABF uniform competition COVID-19 The Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) is reminding school teams and clubs that it’s uniform design competition which opened for entries on September 20th has less than two weeks to go for the closure of entries.

GABF President Mike Singh had informed Kaieteur Sport that the prospect of having basketball played competitively for the remainder of the year may be all but lost but the GABF uniform competition which ends on October 16 was seen as a means of keeping players and fans motivated until the green light is given to resume play.

The rules of the competition states that the uniform must have the team’s or school’s logo affixed, numbers at the front and back with names optional and the winners will be determined by

Mike Singh GABF President the executive committee of the GABF. All entries must be submitted via the GABF’s facebook page; ‘Guyana Basketball’ and Guyanabasketball.com. It is imperative that both home and away uniforms must be designed.

The winners will receive a

15-man home and away kit of their winning designs.

Singh shared with this publication that it is the hope of the Federation that teams will use this competition as motivation even if they don’t win, to be fully uniformed for competitive basketball whenever it resumes.

As stated in a previous article, Singh had informed that Mecca 6 (National Club Championship) will not be contested in 2020. However, the executive has hinted that since FIBA is embracing the 3X3 version of the game which sees less player interaction as a major part of their return to play plans, the GABF is assessing the option of having a 3×3 competition before the end of the year.

The final decision will be made by local health authorities who are leading the fight against the deadly COVID-19 disease.

Reuters - This year’s Athens Marathon, scheduled to take place on Nov. 7-8, has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, organisers said in a statement.

The Greek athletic federation, SEGAS, said they considered a number of scenarios, including conducting only the full 42 km race and reducing the number

of participants, but were forced to call it off as they could not guarantee the safety of the runners.

The Athens Marathon, which was first held in 1972, has grown in popularity in recent years and routinely attracts over 15,000 participants.

SEGAS said they would organise a “Special Edition Virtual Race” instead, with details set to be announced in the coming days.

The pandemic has disrupted the global running calendar, with four of the six marathon majors — B e r l i n , N e w Yo r k , Boston and Chicago — cancelled.

The London Marathon, originally set for April, was postponed to Oct. 4 and will be run as an elite-only event.

Greece has reported more than 18800 cases of the novel coronavirus and over 390 deaths.

Amit Mishra ruled out of IPL 2020 with finger injury ESPNcricinfo - India legspinner Amit Mishra has been ruled out of the IPL with a finger injury, dealing a significant blow to the Delhi Capitals. Mishra sustained a flexor tendon injury to the ring finger of his bowling hand while attempting a return catch in the Capitals’ last match against the Kolkata Knight Riders on October 3.

Mishra was the thirdhighest wicket-taker for the Capitals in the IPL and had featured in their last three matches. He had taken just three wickets but at an

economy rate of 7.20. All his three wickets were top order batsmen, including David Warner and Manish Pandey against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Shubman Gill in the match against the Knight Riders where he bowled just two overs before leaving the field with the injury.

The Capitals will especially feel Mishra’s absence since wristspinners have once again proved to be impact bowlers in the first fortnight of the IPL, with Yuzvendra Chahal, Rahul

Chahar and Piyush Chawla in the top-10 wicket-takers’ list.

The Capitals are currently second in the points table with three wins in four matches.

Mishra was one of the two wristpinners in the Capitals’ squad along with Nepal legspinner Sandeeep Lamichhane.

It is now likely that Lamichhane w o u l d b e drafted into the playing XI at the expense of Shimron Hetmyer, who has mostly been used in the lower-middle order.

File Photo: Runners of the 5km race pose with their commemorative medals before the finish of the 37th Athens Classic Marathon at the Panathenaic stadium in Athens, Greece November 10, 2019. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis

Rajasthan Royals in need of batting rejig as Mumbai Indians look to keep momentum going

Trent Boult sent back Jonny Bairstow BCCI

Amit Mishra removed David Warner to boost the Delhi Capitals BCCI

ESPNcricinfo - The fortunes of the Mumbai Indians and the Rajasthan Royals have gone in opposite directions this past week. While defending champions Mumbai are searching for their third win in a row, the Royals are looking to avoid a third straight defeat.

But Mumbai are a team the Royals love facing; they’ve won each of their last four matches against the fourtime champions. But if the Royals need to win, they need Sanju Samson to fire like he did in their first two games, where he struck 74 and 89.

Ever since the Royals have moved away from Sharjah,

Samson has not reached double-digits, and the Royals would be desperate to see him break out of his rut in their second outing in Abu Dhabi.

What they also need is more from their soft middle order that comprises Robin Uthappa and Riyan Parag, (Continued on page 26)

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Tuesday October 06, 2020

Kaieteur News

Novak Djokovic and India women to tour Sri Lanka - pending quarantine Stefanos Tsitsipas regulations ESPNcricinfo - India reach Roland Garros women are likely to tour Sri Lanka for eight limited-overs matches, starting late quarter-finals November, but substantial

Stefanos Tsitsipas won the ATP Finals last year for his biggest title to date.

BBCsport - Top seed Novak Djokovic reached the French Open quarter-finals for a record-extending 11th successive year by easing through his biggest test yet in Russian 15th seed Karen Khachanov.

The 33-year-old Serb was pushed throughout by Khachanov, but had too much quality in a 6-4 6-3 6-3 win.

Djokovic will face Pablo Carreno Busta or Daniel Altmaier in the last eight.

Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas reached his first quarter-final with victory over Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov.

Tsitsipas will play 13th seed Andrey Rublev after the Russian’s 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 6-4 7-6 (7-3) win over Marton Fucsovics. That quarter-final will be a rematch of last month’s Hamburg final, where Rublev beat Tsitsipas in three sets.

Djokovic is one of the favourites to win the clay-court Grand Slam in Paris, along with 12-time champion Rafael Nadal and recent US Open winner Dominic Thiem. While Thiem overcame a battle against young Frenchman Hugo Gaston on Sunday, the world number one joined Nadal in reaching the quarter-finals without dropping a set.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion had breezed through the opening three rounds, having lost a combined total of 15 games against Swedish youngster Mikael Ymer, Lithuania’s Ricardas Berankis and Colombia’s Daniel Elahi Galan.

This promised to be

Djokovic’s first test against a player of decent pedigree and, apart from losing a couple of breaks, he will be pleased with his intent and execution against the powerful former world number eight.

In each of his previous matches, Djokovic had asserted himself early by breaking serve and managed to do that for a 5-3 lead after the pressure finally told on Khachanov in a lengthy game.

A loud roar came from Djokovic, indicating a mixture of delight and relief, as he looked to serve out the opening set.

Tsitsipas, 22, was playing former world number three Dimitrov for the first time and came through in a 6-3 7-6 (11-9) 6-2 win on Court Philippe Chatrier. Tsitsipas raced to a 3-0 lead in the opening set and it was that early break that proved decisive despite Dimitrov’s efforts to carve out three break points when the Greek was serving for the set.

But the Bulgarian failed to take his chances and then missed at crucial moments in the second, squandering two set points with a backhand into the net and a wide forehand. He then gifted Tsitsipas the set with a forehand into the net tape when he had the whole court at his disposal while the Greek was scrambling to get back into position after retrieving a wide shot.

Tsitsipas, who won the ATP Finals last year, built on his momentum to break early in the third and then again in the eighth game to reach his second Grand Slam quarter-final after making the Australian Open semi-finals in 2019.

Novak Djokovic.

(Reuters)

logistical hurdles must be surmounted before the fixtures can be confirmed.

A Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) official confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that the boards were in talks over the tour, comprising five ODIs and three T20Is, and that both SLC and BCCI were committed to organising the bilateral series.

Neither team has played any international cricket since the T20 World Cup, which ended in early March. But the major sticking point may be the 14-day quarantine the Sri Lankan health ministry is likely to impose once any visiting side enters the country.

As per the terms of this strict quarantine, players may have to isolate in hotel rooms and might not be allowed to train.

A quarantine requirement of that nature and length turned out to be a deal breaker for the Bangladesh men’s team, whose tour of Sri Lanka - penciled in for OctoberNovember - was postponed indefinitely.

The major concern for the BCB was that a two-week confinement would be to the

India have made it to the semi-finals without losing a single match in the Women’s T20 World Cup Getty Images detriment of the touring team’s fitness (both physical and mental) and preparation.

SLC hoped Sri Lanka’s health authorities may yet relax quarantine rules.

But news emerging over the weekend that community transmission of Covid-19 has begun again in parts of Sri Lanka - though in smaller scale than in many other nations - could cast further doubts over the viability of the tour.

The Indian board has not made any official announcement on the tour yet, but ESPNcricinfo understands that if the tour goes ahead, the Indian squad may even travel to Sri Lanka

directly from the UAE, following the conclusion of the Women’s T20 Challenge, set to take place from November 4-9 on the sidelines of the IPL playoffs.

At least two Sri Lankan cricketers are also likely to take part in the domestic T20 competition. It is also understood that talks over India’s potential bilateral series against South Africa and West Indies are also a long way from coming to fruition.

Earlier, in July, the Indian board withdrew from the tour of England despite reports the ECB were willing to make requisite travel and a c c o m m o d a t i o n

arrangements in line with standard Covid-19 safety protocols.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka, who were eliminated in the league stage of the T20 World Cup, were due to host the 2021 Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifiers in July, but the Covid-19 pandemic put paid to those plans.

The postponement of the 2021 ODI World Cup subsequently thrust much of the future of top-level women’s international cricket for the rest of the year into uncertainty, outside of the recently concluded West Indies tour of England and the ongoing Australian home series against New Zealand.

Meg Lanning masterclass extends Australia’s hold of the Rose Bowl ESPNcricinfo - Meg Lanning produced another chasing masterclass, bringing up her 14th ODI century with the winning boundary, as Australia extended their hold on the Rose Bowl to 21 years.

Their four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the 2nd ODI also gave them a chance to equal the world record of consecutive ODI wins held

by Ricky Ponting’s 2003 team.

Lanning, who appeared to be battling a tweaked right hamstring for much of her innings, and Rachael Haynes put on 117 for the second wicket to break the back of their chase of 256. This is the biggest target Australia has needed to chase in their 20match winning run.

Amelia Kerr claimed three wickets, including two in consecutive balls, to leave Australia needing 57 with five wickets in hand. But they still got home quite comfortably in the end, as Lanning remained a calming, nerveless figure. Annabel Sutherland, who had shown her batting credentials on T20I debut against England earlier this

year, gave another display of her talent in a settling stand of 49 to see off the chase.

A Lanning six off a free hit against Kerr for a fielding regulation infringement helped ease the pressure although it appeared the captain could pull up short of three figures when Nicola Carey struck a boundary to leave three runs needed, but she then blocked out the rest of the over and Lanning produced a trademark late cut to crown her match.

New Zealand produced a much better batting display than the opening game as Sophie Devine and Amy Satterthwaite both struck half-centuries before strong flurries from Katie Martin and Maddy Green, but a late collapse of 5 for 2 in nine balls sapped the momentum in the closing overs.

Alyssa Healy threatened something destructive at the beginning of the chase when she took 14 off the first over from Lea Tahuhu - who was later forced off with a back injury early in her second spell. Though she was

Meg Lanning completes her century with the winning boundary ©AFP bowled by Devine, Lanning and Haynes were barely troubled as they chipped away briskly at the target.

Haynes was superbly fluent as she collected 58 of her 89 runs in boundaries, which included a six onto the grass banks, regularly

threading the ball through the off side and it came as big surprise when she picked out cover against a full toss from Devine. Kerr then gave New Zealand a glimmer of upsetting the chase. Beth Mooney was lbw when she (Continued on page 26)

Tuesday October 06, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 35

DCB could play key role in GCB Elections - New GCB should bring back inter-county cricket and trials Says Sean Devers On September 22, the Court of appeal ruled that the Guyana Cricket Administration Act be restored to its original condition which has paved the way for the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) and the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) elections.

The DCB elections will be held before the GCB elections and the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) which has not received any subvention from the GCB since 2008 is likely to vote against the current GCB Executive.

The BCB is led by Hilbert Foster and comprises of Berbice River Cricket Association, Upper Corentyne Cricket Association and the West Berbice Cricket Association.

Two thirds of the BCB is likely to vote against the current GCB with the West Berbice Association expected to support the present GCB. In the past the West Berbice Cricket Association has defied the BCB’s decision not to attend GCB’s elections which were conducted without a quorum needed for legitimate elections. The BCB held its elections last December and Foster’s final two-year term concludes in December

2021.

According to a senior official of the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) which is headed by acting President of the GCB Fizul Bacchus, the ECB will sit and discuss which candidate they would support at the GCB elections. The ECB is made up of eight Sub-Associations namely; the Pomaroon Cricket Committee, Bartica CC, East Bank Essequibo CC, North Essequibo CC, Central Essequibo CC, South Essequibo CC, Wakanaam CC and the Leguan CC. Their elections were held in January of this year and the Board will hold office until January 2022. If the ECB is influenced by their President to vote for the present executive of the GCB, then the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) could hold the deciding vote at the GCB elections.

The DCB is made up of the East Coast Cricket Board, Georgetown Cricket Association, East Bank Cricket Association, Upper Demerara Cricket Association and West, Demerara Cricket Association.

Although it has not yet b e e n d e c i d e d , G C A’s President, former West Indies Test player and West Indies Selector Roger Harper is the key name being

mentioned to contest for the DCB Presidency.

The GCB has not held democratic elections in over a decade and is not recognised by the Berbice Board. Minister of Culture, Youth & Sport Charles Ramson played a crucial role in getting the Appeal Court to restore the Guyana Cricket Administration Act be to its original condition to facilitate the DCB and GCB elections.

Minister Ramson informed that he is in regular c o n t a c t w i t h C W I ’s President Ricky Skerritt to update him on the issues affecting Guyana’s cricket.

The Minister said he does not have a ‘Horse in the race’ and his only job is to ensure that the elections process is adhered to. Dates have not yet been set for the DCB or GCB elections. Meanwhile, the new GCB should look at bringing back the Senior Inter-County four-day and 50 overs tournaments and organise at least three Trial matches after the completion of the Inter-County to select the National team.

In 2016 the Jaguars Three-day and 50-overs Franchise League was inaugurated which created a wider pool of players for the National selectors to choose from. The three Associations from Berbice, the four from Demerara and an Essequibo

Hilbert Foster

Faizul Bacchus

team are involved and matches were played in all three Counties. However, no matches are played on the Essequibo Coast which has the Imam Bacchus ground with arguably the best pitch and second best ground in Guyana after the Providence Stadium.

However, in recent years the overall standard of that League has dropped tremendously with some players who would be hard pressed to make the top club’s Division One teams in their respective Counties, selected for teams in the League which has produced a watered down tournament.

The Board should not totally discard the Franchise League but play it before the Senior Inter-County with the League being used to assist the County selectors to pick the teams for the InterCounty tournament.

At a time when three and even two-day club cricket at first division level in hardly

played in Guyana, the addition of the Inter-County would provide players desirous of playing for Guyana, more cricket locally.

The Senior Inter-County tournaments were stopped in 2015 and National Trials were aborted long before that with the Inter-County performances being used to pick the senior National teams. When I played for Demerara at the U-19 InterCounty level from 19861989 we participated in several trials and when the National U-19 team was selected we played practice games against the senior National team. I played at the senior Inter-County level for Berbice between 1996 and 2000.

In 1998 when Berbice won the Inter-County fourday title for the first time in 20 years, I was the second leading wicket-taker in the tournament to ex-Test spinner Mahendra

Roger Harper Nagamootoo. I made the 1999 First-Class squad after being among the wickets in the four Trial matches.

Trials give those who played in the Inter-County tournament a second chance to impress the selections and those who did well to show it was no fluke. Another benefit of playing at the Senior Inter-County level for the players, especially the younger ones, was that they were able to play in different conditions while at the same time experience the various cultures and see different parts of their Country.

Home support was also important since matches in Berbice and Essequibo always attracted massive crowds. Playing at Skeldon and Blairmont in Berbice and Hampton Court in Essequibo were memorable for me because fans turned up in droves to support their ‘home’ team which is not the case in the Franchise League.

Less than two weeks remain for GABF uniform competition rt Spo

The GABF has launched a uniform competition to help keep players motivated during the pandemic.

Team effort - Colchester United’s players celebrate after opening the scoring against Oldham Athletic. Steve Brading photo

Callum Harriott

‘Golden Jaguar’ forward Callum Harriott in fine form, makes Sky Bet League Two Team of the Week

Jimmy Butler stars as Miami Heat beat Los Angeles Lakers 115-104 to take game three

Jimmy Butler (No 22) and the undermanned Miami Heat breathed new life into the NBA Finals. (Getty Images)

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