K
AIETEUR APNU+AFC’s giveaway NEWS
Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly
Wednesday Edition
of prime lands…
October 07, 2020 - Vol. 15 No.38
Fourth developer joins in returning property
Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Price $80
Online readership yesterday, 100,625
As the world fights climate change, Exxon plans for
- Bloomberg exposé
massive increase in pollution Govt. favours skills transfers from Chile over commodities imports
GECOM Deputy CEO Roxanne Myers arrested for obstruction of justice
Gary Best Asphalt plant corruption dangerous probe to be completed driving trial in one month – Minister Edghill commences
Beware of scammers pretending to Housing sell house lots for $100,000 -Ministry Captured fugitive Digicel, E-Networks welcome charged for 2015 liberalization of murder of taxi driver Telecoms Sector
Hess sells out lucrative
Gulf of Mexico oilfield for Guyana
Instead of putting us on the frontline, foreigners throwing us on the breadline Our governments keep drumming into our heads that foreign direct investment creates jobs and supports local businesses. Yet, they have failed to make it mandatory for these foreign companies to hire local companies which have the capability to supply goods and services required by foreign investors. When Aurora Gold Mines (AGM), a Canadian entity, decided to downscale its operations, it fired hundreds of local workers and terminated the contracts it had with many local firms that were supplying it with goods and services. Instead of placing our people on the frontline, the company put them on the breadline. AGM then sold its operations and the rights to our gold to a Chinese firm, Zijin Mining Group. This deal allowed AGM to walk away with US$238M. The new owners also inherited all the duty-free and tax concessions from which AGM benefitted. To add insult to injury, instead of utilizing the services of a local company which had previously done business with the AGM, Zijin instead contracted a Chinese firm to provide the same services. Local firms instead of benefitting from foreign investment are being shunted aside. These practices defeat the justification for foreign direct investment – creating jobs and supporting local businesses. Foreign companies come here and benefit from generous tax concessions. They rape our resources and exploit our workers. They profit handsomely by reselling the rights to these resources and concessions to other foreign firms, which then snub local workers and businesses. This is the reality of foreign direct investment in Guyana. Wake up Guyana! It is time we bring an end to this crude and cruel exploitation of our workers and local businesses and the plunder of our resources. It is time for us to take back control of our country’s wealth.
Who really owns the Kaieteur and Canje Oil Blocks, do the leaders of this land care to tell the nation?
Wednesday October 07, 2020
Kaieteur News
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GECOM Deputy CEO Roxanne Myers arrested for obstruction of justice
The Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Roxanne Myers, was yesterday arrested after she turned herself in at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, in the company of her attorneys. This happened less than 24 hours after it was made public that Myers was wanted by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for questioning in relation to the investigation into the alleged fraud of the March 2 General and Regional Elections. Kaieteur News yesterday contacted attorney-at-law, Nigel Hughes who is one of the lawyers representing Myers. Hughes said that his client was arrested for obstructing the course of justice.
During a phone call, Hughes told this newspaper that early yesterday morning his client was informed via the press that she was wanted by the GPF. As a result, Myers contacted her attorneys and they agreed to visit the CID headquarters at 11:30hrs. “When we arrived, we had to wait a bit and then she was arrested… she exercised her right to remain silent when the allegation was put to her and she was then taken into a room where a video recording interview was being conducted with her,” Hughes added. The lawyer said that his client was then placed in a vehicle and taken to the Beterverwagting Police Station, East Coast Demerara, where she was put in a cell. Hughes then stated that he contacted the police and
Gary Best dangerous driving trial commences Former Guyana Defence Force Chief of Staff, Gary Best’s trial for his dangerous driving charge commenced yesterday in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Rondell Weever. The charge is in relation to the death of national cyclist, Jude Bentley, who was killed in February of this year. Three witnesses yesterday testified: two police officers and one civilian witness. After the witnesses testified, they were subject to be cross-examined by attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes, who is representing Best. Magistrate Weever then adjourned the matter to Thursday October 8, 2020. The People’s National Congress (PNC) Executive Member of 108 Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara, was slapped with two charges, driving under the influence of alcohol and causing the death of the national cyclist. On his first court appearance, he was released on $500,000 bail. He was not required to plea to the indictable charge, which stated that on February 8, 2020, at Clive Lloyd Drive, Georgetown, he drove motor vehicle PRR 8182 in a manner dangerous to the public thereby causing the death of Bentley. Best was also charged in the traffic court for driving under the influence of alcohol. He denied the charge, which stated that on February 8, 2020, at Clive Lloyd Drive, Georgetown, he drove motor vehicle PRR 8182 while his blood alcohol level was at 0.85 micrograms. Best was granted self-bail on that charge and released on his own recognizance. On a previous hearing of the matter, the court learnt that Best served his country for nearly 35 years and that he also served as a presidential advisor, a
DEAD: National Cyclist, Jude Bentley
CHARGED: Former Chief-of-Staff, Gary Best
member of the Legal Aid Clinic and is the recipient of a Medal of Service. Kaieteur News has reported that the accident occurred at around 5:00 am on February 8, 2020. Jude Bentley was struck by a black Land Cruiser which was being driven by Rear Admiral (ret’d) and Former Chief-of-Staff Gary Best. Reports indicate that Best and Bentley were heading in the eastern direction when the former slammed into the
cyclist, taking down a utility pole located on a median at the same time. According to the facts of the charge, a breathalyzer test was conducted on Best moments after the accident and it revealed that he was over the legal limit of alcohol which is 0.35. Best was asked to lodge his passport and to report to the Traffic Headquarters once per month at 9am to the Officer-in-Charge until the completion of the matter, as conditions attached to bail.
Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Roxanne Myers
Attorney-at-law, Nigel Hughes
asked if his client will be placed on bail but he was told that the police are awaiting instructions. “I then asked for my client to be put before the court tomorrow [today] if bail is not granted tonight [last night] given the nature of the offence,” Hughes said. However, the police refused to grant Myers bail and she remains in custody assisting with the investigation. The Guyana Police Force announced in August 2020, that they will be conducting a comprehensive investigation into criminal conduct of the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, Returning Officer of Region Four Clairmont Mingo, and others in relation to the March 2, 2020, General and Regional
Elections and the events that followed. Lowenfield and Mingo are currently before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts facing separate electoral fraud charges. Lowenfield is facing three charges alleging fraud, misconduct in office and breach of public’s trust, and Mingo was slapped with four charges alleging that he misconducted himself in public office. Mingo is also before another court facing a joint electoral fraud charge, with former Health Minister and PNC/R Chairperson, Ms. Volda Lawrence, for conspiracy to commit fraud. Lowenfield is scheduled to make his next court appearance on Friday, October 9, 2020, and Mingo’s next court dates are November 16, 2020, and December 15, 2020.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 07, 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
COVID-19 and the Natural Resource Fund Yesterday, Guyana recorded our 95th death from COVID19. It is not unreasonable to expect that by the end of the week, we will pass the significant threshold of 100 fatalities from this disease. In a projection undertaken by Kaieteur News staffer Kemol King three weeks ago, by October 22, deaths will stand at 120 – we seem well underway to reaching that projection, perhaps even surpassing it. Meanwhile, the numbers of infections continue to escalate and globally, there seems to be no subsiding of the infection rates. No one is safe, as the events of the past week in the United States show, with President Donald Trump and several of his staffers in the White House becoming infected. There is no argument left to be made about how serious this disease is. Fighting back on COVID-19 itself and the impact of COVID-19 has to be done on two fundamental and interlocking pillars – epidemiology and economy. We cannot separate one from the other in that if we do not get the epidemiology right, the economy is going to be severely weakened and possibly shattered, while if we do not make sound economic decisions in our epidemiological response to this disease, its spread can be exacerbated exponentially. The new government is perhaps cautious in the latter department considering the incompetence, wastage and corruption of its predecessor in the initial months of the pandemic, between the theater of applying for external aid and covering up the refusal of the applications, and the graft involved in the construction of what was sold as a COVID19 hospital at the converted and near derelict Ocean View Hotel, done at a cost of $1.6 billion of taxpayer money. Still, now is not the time for vacillation when it comes to effective COVID-spending. When the new government came into power, the faucet of international aid that was turned to a trickle during the period when the Granger administration was seeking to hijack the elections, was set to gush forth some US$60 million under the newly installedAli regime. Now, while we welcome every single dollar sensibly and sustainably offered in helping us to weather the storm that is the pandemic, to do so exclusively, particular when it comes to committing ourselves to loans, even as we have access to a considerable source of self-funding, makes no sense. So far, we have close to US$150 million in the Natural Resources Fund (NRF), sitting comfortably in a bank account in New York. The government has so far said that it will not touch the NRF until certain reforms are put in place. Considering what is currently at stake, we believe that this is no longer an option and provides a skewed perspective on national priorities at this time. Whatever reforms need to take place in the Natural Resource Fund legislation should be geared towards giving government access as quickly as possible to monies there at a time when we need it the most. As is, the NRF Act, its shortcomings notwithstanding, prescribes conditions and circumstances for expenditure. Section 27, for example, deals with using funds for Emergency Financing , and while it speaks to the triggering condition being “the occurrence of a major natural disaster”, which refers technically to geologic phenomena such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes et cetera, surely a global pandemic that has killed close to a 100 citizens and counting classifies as an ‘emergency’. And we say this considering that the shutdown has had a greater impact on the country than any comparable natural disaster Guyana has ever faced, including notably the Great Flood of 2005. The Act also speaks at great length on what constitutes a feasible investment or not, prescribing rules on fiscal and economic sustainability – we submit that there can be no sounder, no more sustainable investment of the monies of the Natural Resource Fund than in the citizens of Guyana in the midst of crisis. A fraction, and it is necessarily a fraction, of the current amount would go a far way in helping us to fight this disease, from the provision of proper allowances and PPEs to our frontline workers now engaged in protest action, to an expansion of the public assistance funding being made by government. There is the old saying that ‘Charity begins at home’ – it is time that actions are taken to begin channeling the proceeds of our patrimony, the monies in the NRF, home to serve the interests of Guyanese in our time of need.
Mr. Godfrey Statia and his team have set a good example DEAR EDITOR, It was one of those rare instances where I had to interact recently with a government agency. I visited the GRA office on Camp Street earlier this week and am pleased to report that I had a good experience. Because I am always on the lookout for what is positive and welcomed, I wish to share with the public as much of the experience as it happened. It was just before 07:00hrs and there are eight citizens in front of me, masks on and social distancing properly and largely observed. That was a good start. At 07:00hrs precisely, the line started moving with temperature check, security check, and directions to points for washing hands. Greetings extended were returned. From guards to ushers, workers on duty were professional. I am asking myself whether, indeed, I am in Guyana or I am imagining things. It was the same with directions to seating and
waiting. At 07:12hrs, the waiting citizens were directed to the specific area in the GRA to initiate and complete their needed service(s). The first stage of inquiry and scrutiny occupied five minutes, with everything proceeding like clockwork and all protocols and courtesies followed. In fact, and this is a shade embarrassing, the only out of order citizen present was yours truly. I had momentarily shifted my mask partially downward, only to be immediately and sharply reprimanded, yet still within the bounds of professional caution. Apologies were delivered and quick corrective action taken; I chalk that up to being here too long. It is now 07:20hrs and I am at the next person before the cashier. Three minutes later I was done. At 07:30hrs, I was out of there, all over. Editor, the entire process at the GRA took 30 minutes. What used to be an adventure (from my
perspective), and an ordeal for others, turned out just right. It took a little while and some tremendous frustration on the part of citizens to get to this point, but it is worth it. It is the way it should be in this society: how citizens comport themselves, how public service workers (private sector ones, too) should handle the business of the State and the people in the business that comes before them. I commend Commissioner General Godfrey Statia for the sustained yeoman efforts clean ones, too - to get many segments of the GRA humming like a well-tuned machine. Credit goes to him for leading the way and also to his managers for implementing what was discussed in the boardrooms and management meetings and staff meetings. What I experienced was a sterling example of going outside the easy, sweet, cheap talk and delivering where it counts to citizens who need the relief, who could use something in return for their tax dollars paid
and taken. I submit that Mr. Statia and his team have set an example for a number of good Guyanese folks, leaders all to consider following. My Statia’s example should be imitated by the President and his Cabinet and their supporting bureaucrats in the many ministries and State agencies. It is where all members of the public should matter, in feeling that they come first, they must be served well, and neither effort nor consideration spared. They must not be made to feel that they are begging for what does not belong or illegal aliens in hostile territory. This kind of service and delivery, as I experienced, should not be the exception, but the norm. To Godfrey Statia and the GRA staff, thank you. To the Guyana government: I regret to hear that Commissioner General is on the way. That would be an incalculable loss to this country. And I am talking about integrity only. Sincerely, GHK Lall
Natural behavioural tendency shape the geographical settlement pattern DEAR EDITOR, There are a few in the public who appear to be somewhat misguided. They have long held the view that the Demerara Harbour Bridge is the main cause of traffic jams from its junction with the East Bank Public Road to the downtown Georgetown business district. They are further encouraged to think that the current plan for the bridge to overpass the junction and deposit its traffic at alternate entry points to the city will alleviate the problem. The truth, however, is that the congestion is actually the result of city roads being inadequate for the volume of traffic entering them from all directions. The proposed flyover will make no difference. But if, in the long run, this traffic can find alternate destinations, the problems would go away with them. At least two worrisome situations will be diminished - scenic degradation and manhour loss, items that seem to have been high on the agenda when sugar was king. A network of tree-lined streets, avenues, and canals provided access to fixed acreages of commercial, residential, institutional, recreational and parkland uses. A lone road along the waterfront ran into the cane fields. Over the years, however, this orderly design was interrupted by development pressures that
led to a de facto abandonment of established land use control practices and as a result, the once visitorfriendly Garden City of the Caribbean became a more populous but less desirable destination. Symptoms of the apparent breakdown of environmental control include the juxtaposition of conflicting uses, traffic jams/ lost man-hours, damaged roads, and the ubiquitous litter. Thus, in a nutshell, was created Georgetown’s version of the tragedy of the commons. When city fathers attempted to cut the traffic to fit the available space, their procrustean plan ran into a brick wall of self-interest erected by storefront operators and vocal sidewalk vendors profiting from the sale of merchandise to throngs of stomping pedestrians. Meanwhile, both man-hour loss and litter keep piling up. Although culturally dismissed as normal, the former is staggering when calculated on the basis of each of thousands of workers sitting idle for two hours each day. But these problems would be abated if segments of the commercial sector would just leave town. But they will not quit a profitable spot for the sake of the public good. There must be a substitute with good marketing prospects where
they can set up some sort of specialized shop that would also attract providers of ancillary goods and services, thereby absorbing man-hours that would have been lost, while also allowing the garden room to bloom again. But that spot must be within easy reach. This need for proximity (easy reach) is a natural behavioural tendency that determines where people go to most often to shop and how their actions, consequently, shape the geographical settlement pattern. Studies show that on open landscapes where walking and horseback were the dominant modes of travel, the natural tendency to take the shortest possible route resulted in settlements being evenly distributed in close proximity to each other thereby establishing a cost effective system of ingress and egress that was beneficial to all participants. Towards this end, a rapid transit system that is being proposed by government will attract a number of centers into a sprawling market circuit and within easy reach of each other. This higher level of resource leveraging will, unlike the lone road on which subsistence farming tagged along behind sugar, stimulate inter-community trade and subsequent regional economic development. Commercial uses will thus be
motivated to exit the city and participate in the trading opportunities thus presented. Timehri is an example of one such site. Anecdotes of its potential include: a. A deep-water harbour and significant sunk airport capital as magnets to operators in the emerging oil and gas industry. b. Its proximity to customers in its catchment basin. c. The language learning potential of the nearby Kuru Kuru Cooperative College. d. The nearby recreational facilities carved out of pristine forest and wetland. e. Its dense tree cover as an opportunity for the creation of a model eco-city. f. Its location as a specialized import/export agri-marketing center. g. Its cultural heritage consisting of: Timehri Center applied to the vicinity; Chinese ancestral lands on the Kamuni Creek; Borselen Island, a former capital during the Dutch period. A Timehri Center specializing in agri/forestry import/export, for example, would leverage resources in its adjacent hinterlands. The eventual impact of this arrangement would be the saving of man-hours from congestion, and their utilization in actual production, thereby (Continued on page 6)
Wednesday October 07, 2020
Is Georgetown Public Hospital CORPORATION public service? DEAR EDITOR, Precedent to the registration by the then Minister of Health, of the Georgetown Public Hospital as the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, there was a substantial consultancy project conducted by an international team, the objective of which was to convert the health services into six regional administrations within the Public Service. This re-organisational initiative was to be complemented by the Georgetown Public Hospital being extricated from the Public Service, and transformed into a semiautonomous corporate agency (comparable to say GGMC, GWI and others). Appropriately, therefore it
was registered as the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, an event that should be easily verifiable. However, there were two foot-faults in the decisionmaking process regarding the achievement as the consultancy’s objective. The first one was that only one Regional Health Administration was established in Berbice; the other was that despite its new corporate status and the installation of a Board intended to be of Executive Management of the GPHC, as recommended by the Consultants, the latter continued to report directly to the Ministry of Health. The results over the years have been as follows: i) The Board of the Corporation has continued to be accountable to the
Ministry in the same manner as a regular public service agency. ii) The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation is the only agency of its kind included in the annual National Estimates as normal Public Service. The apparent organisational inconsistency has been raised publicly by the undersigned on several previous occasions. Again, the current imbroglio between the Government and the Public Service Union raises a fundamental question of the legal status of the GPHC, and consequently whether its employees can legitimately be regarded as ‘Public Servants’ (Incidentally, when did the ‘Nurses Association’ disappear? And when was a Collective Agreement settled
between the Board of the GPHC, and the Public Service Union?). Now there is the opportunity to address this industrial relationship as comprehensively as possible. Not unrelated is the faux pas committed by the constitutional Guyana Revenue Authority in recently recognising the “Public Service Union”, when in fact the former is not legally ‘Public Service’. En passant one presumes that what ‘collective agreement’ exists makes the usual provisions for i) Conciliation ii) Arbitration The parties now involved should therefore take appropriate note of this -– in this reckless pandemic environment. E.B. John
The time to act is now DEAR EDITOR, Over the last few days, a number of investors/land developers have reportedly given up lands allegedly allocated to them via a nontransparent process by NICIL (Corum Group, Navigant Builders Inc and Cardiology Services Inc). It has also been reported that the Guyana Lands and Survey Commissioner seems to have also made a number of dubious land allocation under the former administration.
It, therefore, seems that land giveaways were the recipe of the APNU administration. The Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) another land agency was and seems is no exception. Just prior to elections large swath of forest lands (perhaps millions of acres) were hurriedly advertise to be allocated. Yet to date the Government has not seen it fit to tell the public where this large swath of forest has gone, has it been allocated, and to whom.
As a taxpayer, I am annoyed when persons are paid to skylark DEAR EDITOR, For the past two (2) weeks, I have noticed that the workers at the Temperature Testing Point at De Hoop Region 5 arrived at work around 10am along with two police officers. They would then proceed into the little building at the side of the road and remain in there for the entire day chatting and having a good time. Lunch and snacks arrive very promptly and at the end of the day, they leave without doing anything. As a taxpayer, I am very
much annoyed with this situation, since our monies are being used to pay and feed these people who skylark the whole day. In addition, I do not think the Guyana Police Force could afford to have two of its members sit and waste time there also. Yours sincerely, Janaknauth Panchu
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These are public assets and the public has a right to know. Why like the other lands as mentioned above has not been returned (assumed it has been allocated) to the State to be allocated in a fair and transparent manner. Why the responsible parties or officers of the GFC have not been prosecuted for this. We the small community groups who have voted for the PPP have been applying and applying for lands and have not been getting and often being told we have no capacity. We are therefore calling on the Government and the responsible Minister
of Forestry to investigate the mismanagement and corrupt practices at the GFC and within the forestry sector. Numerous cases of alleged corruption have been ventilated in the media over the past two years. As such, we call on the government to prove to the public especially to hardworking forest operators that you intend to stamp out corruption at the GFC and in the sector. The PPP campaign on transparency and accountability, the time to act is now. Sincerely S. Ramsundar
Govt. must be congratulated for walking the talk DEAR EDITOR It must be a red letter day for the country with the long awaited announcement of the liberalization of the Telecommunications Sector. The Government must be congratulated for walking the talk and delivering on its commitment in this regard. We now eagerly look
forward to the promised upgrades and expansion of services that are envisaged. Shamshun Mohamed
Please open your eyes Guyana DEAR EDITOR, Am I the only one who recognizes that the Pompeo trip to Guyana had only one purpose, and that was to strong arm our puny leaders to sign off on an undeveloped oil field? Sure, he threw in a couple of other stops in the area but, come on! The Secretary of State, in the midst of COVID 19, came to Guyana to leave no doubt in Jagdeo’s mind - Exxon is a huge tax base for the US government, and we’re not going to let Guyana endanger that. Of course, “fees” would have been paid under the table, just like they were to the previous Government Administrators, so now both Parties have been paid. Back
to business now, Guyana! Exxon is getting its comeuppance globally, kicked off by the US stock exchange for poor financial performance, losing money in all its other drilling Operations worldwide causing it to close them down. Exxon is promoting Guyana to its investors as its Shining Knight, capable of reversing all Exxon’s financial woes! In comes the enforcer, Pompeo to do what the US does best. Bully! And a few days later, agreement is signed. One day, if there’s a God, we’re going to get a Leader with the country’s interests first and foremost. Not holding my breath. Respectfully, Michael Ali
GPHC responds to erroneous COVID-19 report DEAR EDITOR, The Management of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) notes the recent circulation of an erroneous text, which suggests that on October 5th, 2020 forty of the GPHC’s staff tested positive for COVID-19. We wish to clarify that this is not true. Over the past eight (8) months, staff from various departments at the GPHC have tested positive for COVD-19. These persons would have undertaken the recommended period of isolation and treatment before resuming duty. Contact tracing has revealed that approximately 85% of these persons were not exposed at the GPHC. The safety of the staff and patients at the GPHC continues to be our utmost
priority; for this reason management maintains that standard precautions be observed by all persons in and around the hospital’s compound. We remain committed to providing all the necessary PPE’s for the protection of our staff, particularly those who interact with patients daily. We wish to remind the public that verifying information and seeking clarification where necessary is essential as we navigate this pandemic. We also wish to thank our dedicated staff for the tireless commitment to providing care to our patients during these unprecedented times. Chelauna Providence Strategic Planning and Communications Manager CEO’s Secretariat, GPHC
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 07, 2020
When freedom of the press is deliberately thwarted DEAR EDITOR, The world remembers the brutal slaying and kidnapping of US journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a sad, disgusting and inhumane act, cowardly perpetrated by destabilizers of democracy and those who are committed to denying the freedom of the press. Khashoggi wanted to expose the fear, intimidation, arrests and public shaming of people who dare to speak their minds. It is acclaimed that he was killed and dismembered by Saudi government agents at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul on 2 October, 2018 (the same day that the world was celebrating the 149th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi who represents truth, peace and non-violence in today’s global environment). Initially, officials in Riyadh insisted that the journalist had left the building alive. After almost three weeks of denial, they acknowledged that Khashoggi was murdered but portrayed the assassination as a rogue operation of which the country’s top leaders were not aware. In Washington, the killing sparked outrage in Congress, which blamed the assassination on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. On the eve of the second anniversary of the murder of Khashoggi, several American
legislators are calling for justice for the slain journalist and berating President Donald Trump for shielding Saudi A r a b i a ’s r u l e r s f r o m accountability. At a virtual event hosted by the Washington-based Project on Middle East Democracy ( P O M E D ) o n Tu e s d a y, members of the US Senate and House of Representatives vowed to stress human rights in America’s relations with Riyadh. President Trump has embraced Saudi Arabia’s rulers instead of criticizing them over their human rights violations, including the murder of Khashoggi and the war in Yemen that has killed more than one hundred thousand people. Congressman Tom Malinowski, a former human rights campaigner and assistant secretary of state under President Barack Obama, said Wa s h i n g t o n ’s t i e s t o Riyadh should be based on interests and values. Over the past two years, Congress has passed several resolutions to push back against Saudi Arabia, including measures to end US support for the kingdom’s war in Yemen and halt an arms deal with Riyadh - bills that were vetoed by Trump. On T h u r s d a y, Malinowski said he is confident that these measures will become law
...Natural behavioural From page 4 encouraging societal change in the value of time. It would also reduce the pressure on land use management to ignore measures designed to preserve scenic/ environmental quality. Summary The bridge is no part of the congestion in the city, but part of the solution. The genesis of this problem is the inadequacy of the transportation system laid down some 200 years ago. The network of streets within the city and the road out of it, have today collapsed under the weight of a fast growing traffic. The collapse is most noticeable at the bridge because, while traffic from the east uses various entry points, the bridge junction is the entrance for traffic from the thickly populated East Bank, West Bank, and the West Coast. To reduce this congestion, traffic must be diverted elsewhere. But there is hardly any such place since all available lands had been monopolized for sugar and
the single road too inadequate for making more lands available because it ignores the fact that the country’s resources are widely distributed across the landscape, and provides no branches for easy access to them. A rapid transit system will facilitate the emergence of marketing centers across the country, an outcome that is likely because commercial uses tend to follow crowds and crowds tend to follow good roads. The proposed system will therefore help foster the development of well populated distribution centers within easy reach of each other, a proximity that will elicit trade between them and which, (since no community can develop by trading with itself), will drive development of the wider economy. When in place, this expanded architecture, which will include the bridge, will help relieve congestion in the city, and also restore the picturesque garden. Fitzroy Collins
if Democratic candidate Joe Biden beats Trump next month. Meanwhile, over in Russia, Nizhny Novgorod, a city of 1.2 million people, about 380 kilometers (235 miles) east of Moscow, the editor of a Russian news website, Irina Slavina, died after setting herself on fire outside a regional police headquarters Friday, a day after officers searched her residence. The nature of the search was uncertain, but, it was reported that she left a message on Facebook saying her death should be blamed on Russian authorities. Slavina had written on social media on Thursday that police and federal guards burst into her flat in an early morning raid. She said they were searching for evidence of links to Open Russia, an opposition movement funded by Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky that has been ruled undesirable by the authorities, amid allegations that it funded protests in the city. The site became inaccessible shortly afterwards. Her death prompted tributes from journalists and activists including rights advocate Pavel Chikov who wrote on the Telegram messenger that he had worked with her twice when she was charged with disrespecting
the authorities and publishing fake news. Local news website NN.ru reported that people were holding a vigil in Slavina’s memory on a city street, with one man holding a placard saying, “the state kills”. Across the Asian continent, in Islamabad, Pakistan also is consumed with human rights issues and questionable democratic freedom. As per the Associated Press, retired university professor Mohammad Ismail said he has a number of court appearances this month after an antiterrorism court charged him, his wife and daughter with involvement in two suicide attacks, one in 2013 and one in 2015. His wife and their d a u g h t e r, w h o h a v e already fled to America after being targeted by the country’s powerful military for her investigations into human rights abuses by soldiers, also include charges against the 66year-old Ismail and his family for an allegation by P a k i s t a n ’s civilian investigation agencies lodged with an antiterrorist court in the northwest city of Peshawar. It alleges that a donation to his daughter’s children’s charity, Aware Girls, was spent on cars that were used as suicide
bombs. Aware Girls fights discrimination and abuse of girls and women. Gulalai Ismail went into hiding and eventually fled the county after Pakistan’s powerful intelligence agency, known by its acronym ISI, accused her of sedition because of a report she and other rights workers published into allegations of soldiers sexually harassing women a n d g i r l s i n P a k i s t a n ’s tribal regions. Advocacy groups have also been critical of a heavy-handed approach to journalists who write critically of the military, which is widely considered to be the power behind the country’s civilian government. The Committee to Protect Journalists and the International Federation of Journalists has issued a number of statements in recent weeks. M o s t r e c e n t l y, t h e federation was critical of sedition charges against journalists Asad Toor, Bilal Farooqi and Absar Alam “for publishing allegedly ‘objectionable’ and ‘derogatory’ material online. The journalists’ federation called on authorities to “reign in the broad powers of this Act to ensure no journalists are charged solely for criticizing government officials and institutions.” Back in Guyana, freedom of the press was always subject to discrimination and the
democratic rights thwarted under the PNC/R government. The national press, media, TV and radio were all controlled and used by the PNC/R government for propaganda advertisement. As recently as March 2020 during the election, reporters and journalists were hassled, their presence was controlled and their autonomy was limited. Back in the Burnhamite days, publications with o p p o s i n g v i ews were demolished and demoralized. Reporters and journalists feared for their lives and Father Drake, editor for the Catholic Newspaper, was murdered by the House of Israel thugs, affiliated to the PNC, in broad daylight. Importation of papers was reduced and denied and circulation of news was at a risk. Organized thugs by the PNC roamed the streets and venues, ensuring that cameras and r e c o r d i n g devices were forcefully taken away and destroyed (in the presence of the police), while many journalists suffered great physical injuries and their presence were not welcomed. Guyanese should ensure that those dark and ugly days never return to visit this land. Respectfully, Jai Lall
Will the new Shore Base facility affect the Demerara River? DEAR EDITOR, A new Shore Base, a private venture to work with Exxon and other oil companies, is going up in Vreed-en-Hoop. The public must be informed about this project and any impact it would have on natural habitat as well as on people in the environment. An environmental disaster is potentially in the making – oil pollutants will be spilled in the river affecting fishing for hundreds of miles. The public is deserving of answers to many questions on this project and other undertakings. Is the new Shore Base on government reserve? In the past, the PPP government under then Minister Benn bulldozed peoples’ property on government reserve. Will this Shore Base be bulldozed? Who acquired that land on that reserve? How? Why is the new Shore Base there? Who are the owners of this new Shore Base? Who funds it? Is it true that a man
recently appointed in the Foreign Ministry, a primary owner in partnership with some Ministers? Who is he really fronting for because he also set up a company in Houston and has an oil company in Guyana? I also see Winston Brassington is back in Guyana? In what capacity is he here? Is he being employed by the government? We all remembered what happened when he headed NICIL. Why is Brassington back? When others fought for restoration of democracy, he went to live in Miami. Is he supervising the new Shore Base? Is he part owner of it? Is he the person who will have to give approval for all new investments in Guyana? If he is on government payroll, what is his salary? Is it true he is getting US$12K monthly? Is his home on Barrack Street being rented by the government? For how much? Is it US$10K monthly? Is this
any different from the fake drug bond of the previous regime that benefited Singh? Is this new government rental being used as Brassington’s office and residence as he works for government? Why was Shore Base denied approval under the coalition to establish an office in Vreed-en-Hoop? Did Dr. Vincent Adam deny the approval? Is that one reason why he was removed as head of EPA so that approval can be granted for the Shore Base? Why has the new government given approval for this Shore Base so quickly – in a couple weeks? It takes many months to do a proper impact study of a project? Was a study done by government? Was there an environmental impact study? Was there public consultation? Will this new Shore Base facility affect the flow of the Demerara River? How many lives would be affected in the surrounding area? This Shore Base would definitely impact on the
fishing industry. How would fishermen make a living after the project takes effect? It would be an environmental disaster in the making to have more wharves jutting out into the river with large ships moored alongside severely restricting flow of the river. Siltation of the river mouth would increase exponentially. Wouldn’t it be better to execute such a project along the East Coast or further down the West Coast away from the river mouth or in West Berbice coastline away from the Berbice River. Are all the major corrupt players back in business? Is the support for PPP in 2020 a passport to continue where they left off in May 2015? How are the Guyanese people going to benefit? Separately, it is reported that David Patterson has resigned from Parliament? Why? Has he earned and saved enough from his job? Yours truly, Shawn Simmons
T N U L B . . . T B N U T L N T B . U . L . L T B . N . U . N U T L N B . U . T . L N T U N B . N U . L U L LUNT. B . T . . T T N N B U B . U . L . L T B . B . . N . . . T U T L N N T U U L N L B U . B . . L . . . T B T . . N . N T U L N LU B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . U L NT LUNT...BPoliticians, N B . . U . L T B N . . B . U . . T L . N T B . . U N . L N T stop the bull$#/+! B U N . . L . U T L B . . N B . . . T U . L N T B U . . L . UN T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L B U UN .BLUNT. . . L . T B . . N . T U . L N . T B U . . L N B U .BLUNT. . . L . T B . . N . T U . L N . T B U . . L N . T B . . L LU ...BLUN . T B . . N . T U L N T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U BBL T...BLUN BLUNT... ...BLU . T . N . N T T U L U N L B U T...BLU U B . L . N . B T . . . N T U N N N L U U U B L . L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Wednesday October 07, 2020
Kaieteur News
Guyana has billions of US dollars in oil wealth. Why then should we be going around thethat worldyou begging It's not don'tfor millions of US in know who thedollars Kaieteur, loans to build bridges, Canje Block owners are. roads and schools? Can you believe this sk@#t? It's that you something Wake up,have brothers and to hide.Wake Tell us the sisters! up, who Guyana! damn are! These beneďŹ ciaries are the issues over which we should be protesting Guyanese have a about! right to know
who is beneďŹ tting from the billions that belongs to us.
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PM Phillips, Telecoms executives, and officers of the PUC and the Telecommunications Agency
Wednesday October 07, 2020
Digicel, E-Networks welcome liberalization of Telecoms Sector
D
igicel and locally-owned operator, E-Networks, have expressed their delight with and welcomed the government’s move to liberalize the Telecommunications Sector, thereby ending the 30 year monopoly by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT). In statements to the press yesterday, both operators highlighted that with the completion of the protracted process, it now paves the way for the delivery of advanced ICT and communication services—two features that GTT heavily lacked in. E-Networks, which currently operates Guyana’s fastest internet network and recently introduced 5G services, wrote that, “As a 100% Guyanese owned and managed company, we welcome this liberalization as a further catalyst to introduce new services on our current platforms, including voice, which has been stunted due to the
monopoly.” The company went on to say, “This move will undoubtedly enable our country to unlock the transformational power of the digital economy as we embark on our new journey as an oil producing nation.” Digicel, an Irish-owned company, shared similar sentiments, and expressed that it is getting ready to bring a new era of connectivity and opportunity to the people of Guyana. Gregory Dean, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Digicel Guyana, articulated, “To say that this day has been a long time coming is an understatement. For 16 long years, we have asked, requested, pushed, lobbied and pressured. Today, finally, that day is here. At Digicel, we firmly believe that access to broadband is a basic human right. Now, the people of Guyana can look forward to a brighter future with (Continued on page 12)
Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 07, 2020
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No stone must be left unturned There was a criminal conspiracy to steal the 2020 elections. This attempt had to have had its political architects and masterminds. In order to be executed, it required persons who commit fraudulent acts or to condone or be complicit in those acts. Both the masterminds and those involved in executing this dastardly plan must face justice. It would be an unimaginable travesty if those involved escaped the hands of the law. The Guyanese people resisted that attempt to steal the elections. It took five months and involved numerous court cases and denunciations by the international community for the attempt to be rebuffed. Guyana was shamed and disgraced in the eyes of the international community. Former Prime Minister of Jamaica, Bruce Golding, who headed the Observer Mission of the Organization of American States said that he had never seen a more transparent attempt to steal an election. Others spoke about what they saw as a blatant attempt to hold on to power at all costs. The attempt to rig the elections was barefaced. It was done in open view of diplomats and the international community. The evidence – both circumstantial and direct – would appear to be overwhelming. The results from some polling stations for Region Four did not accord with the Statements of Polls held by the then Opposition political parties. The tabulations moved from these statements to a spreadsheet and then later to a bed sheet. This was done in full view of the representatives of the
political parties and the international community. The results of the nine other regions did not present the same discrepancies. It was only in one Region where this attempt to steal the elections took place and it took place after the votes had been counted at the places of poll. Having failed in that plot to steal the elections, there was another attempt to declare incorrect results by invalidating votes. This led to numerous court challenges before finally, it was resolved and the recount results were allowed to stand. Any last-ditch attempt to scuttle the results was aborted after the United States imposed travel restrictions on a number of government officials. Those who stood in defence of democracy then must not assume that their work was completed after the final declaration of the results were made. Their work is not over. There is unfinished business. Those who were complicit in rigging the elections and undermining the elections are guilty of a criminal act. They must face the consequences. It is the duty of the guardians of democracy to ensure that what happened between March and August – incidentally in the midst of a pandemic – must not reoccur ever again in the history of this country. Those complicit must be brought to justice. But this must include the political masterminds who were behind this sinister plot. Visa restrictions have been placed on those whom the United States had designated as being complicit in undermining democracy, either through
their condoning of certain things or their silence. There must be a strong and unrelenting lobby to ensure that these persons are never again allowed to travel to the United States or for that matter to Canada, the United Kingdom or the European Union, which had all signalled that they would take action. What happened in Guyana must never repeat itself. No one should, even in the future, harbour any thoughts or illusions about rigging an election. And it is because of this that those who stood up against electoral dishonesty must now stand up and insist that those who were complicit in undermining democracy between March and August of this year face the full consequences of the law. No effort should be spared to ensure that those involved are successfully prosecuted. International legal assistance should be sought to bring those involved to justice. No stone must be left unturned in this regard. A wider international investigation is needed involving international experts. Such an investigation would avoid the charge of a local witch-hunt. There are forces who do not wish for justice to be served. They are afraid that their names will be called and so they are stirring unrest in the country. But that should not deter the efforts to hold persons responsible for the attempt to steal the elections. Unless these persons are brought to justice, what happened between March and August will be attempted again and democracy will be permanently dead in this
Dem boys seh...
Crocodile Dundee coming to Guyana! De farrin firm does want bring in dem own people. And den dem does wan chase we out even though we bin deh all de time. But why yuh gan blame dem farrin firm. Dem dissing local people because dem nah obligated fuh employ dem. Dem boys bin remember when de Marriot bin a build. When dem boys check one day, dem find only one Guyanese… and he opening and closing de gate. De thing cause a furor in de country. People start fuh picket de place asking wah happen to de jobs fuh locals. One of dem oil company bin seh how dem gan employ local people. When dem boys check was only dem low down wuk dem local getting. And dem foreigners getting de better wuk and higher pay dan de
locals wah doing de same wuk. Now we gat wan situation weh Bulldog son used to do wuk fuh wan company. De company sell out and another one tek over. Bulldog son think he would get back he wuk. But he end up getting shock out. Dat is how de eye pass does start. Dat is how Guyanese does get treat like secondclass citizens. Dem boys hear a certain man bringing a company to Guyana. Dem boys know dat dis same man gat a lot of contacts in de government because he use do be behind most of dem big deals. Dem boys hear dis group come from de land of Crocodile Dundee and dem like build hotel. Talk half and wait fuh see if any local gan get de contract fuh build de hotel!
country. Those who held this nation hostage by their attempts to rig the elections must, in the words of Al Pacino in the movie Justice for All, “should go right to
fu*#%ng jail!” (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Kaieteur News
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Wednesday October 07, 2020
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
Election 2020:
U
G lecturer and African rights a c t i v i s t , Charlene Wilkinson and I developed a fairly solid comradely relation as part of a grassroot movement named People’s Parliament. It was a 24-hour grounding session with the Guyanese working people that developed after three protestors were shot dead during the 2012 protest against hike in electricity rates in Linden. The People’s Parliament was situated directly at the junction of Brickdam and High Street, opposite Parliament Building on the empty lot that became vacant after the demolition of the building that housed the Bureau of Statistics. It was one of the nicest periods in my 50 years of social activism. From 2012, I grounded with Charlene and we founded an organization with others named “Coalition for the 1823 monument at Parade Ground.” The
I discovered Charlene Wilkinson and I have something in common purpose of this entity was to galvanize public support to pressure the Ramotar presidency to locate the monument at Parade Ground in honour of the 1823 slave rebellion. I would never say that Charlene and I were on the same ideological wavelength. The fight for certain causes bring people together. She at that time was a WPA supporter and a strong activist inside many African cultural organizations. I, on the other hand, stayed away from any organization that was ethnically driven and saw the WPA through negative lenses. We c o n t i n u e d o u r friendship after the People’s Parliament and the 1823 organization fizzled out. I have not spoken with Charlene since middle 2019. So yesterday, I needed some information on an event during those days, and I called her. After speaking about the specific purpose, I brought up a sensitive subject-matter.
I said I have not been able to gauge how she felt about the five-month old election sage. Now read this please because this part of what I will now write is important. Charlene Wilkinson is trained in literature and teaches that discipline at UG. She never struck me as having an interest in politics both at the practical and academic level. Her interests are African rights, women rights and broad issues of culture. But Charlene took a most principled position on the election disaster and as she spoke, it was clear to me that she and I had one thing in common – we took the same position on the election rigging because we saw Guyana’s future at stake, we saw Guyana’s future in doubt. Charlene said that it was five months that traumatized Guyana and that was wrong. She was selective in what she allowed me to print for this article. She said that she cannot
see why the Americans would choose PPP over PNC or PNC over PPP because the two parties are alike so there is no reason for the Americans to choose. Secondly, she intoned that her position on the five month imbroglio has caused her to lose friends because of the position she took. She said a number of them came from the WPA. Thirdly, she remarked that she is profoundly disappointed with the WPA’s role during those five months. She explained that this party was deeply intertwined with the most radical thinker of the 20th century – Walter Rodney - in the Caribbean and it did not do justice to his legacy. She requested I use the word “degeneracy” in describing how she felt about the WPA’s behaviour. She said the WPA degenerated in a dog eat dog situation. I wish I could have outlay more of her expressions but she restricted me to what I have penned here. In
requesting I publish more, she responded, “I’m not interested in politics, and Freddie, boy you use your pen, you know what happens.” Actually I don’t know what happens but I thank Charlene for letting me print her views on the election saga. What are the conclusions to be drawn from my little chat with Charlene? She didn’t see the election drama as an African rights activist or as a WPA supporter. She saw what went on from March 4 until August 1 through the eyes of a Guyanese. It was about Guyana. It was not about party loyalty and race. I look back at the times Charlene and I were active in the People’s Parliament with so many others whose true feelings we would never have seen and know about if there wasn’t five months of election rigging. Interestingly, I spoke to Charlene at 3PM yesterday, and earlier in the day, I was
Frederick Kissoon speaking to a prominent UG lecturer who asked me if I read what Dr. Melissa Ifill wrote about the election saga. I said yes I know and I was shocked. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Wednesday October 07, 2020
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COVID-19 deaths jump to 95 The Ministry of Health (MOH) has recorded two more deaths due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, taking the death toll to 95 and just shy of the 100-fatality mark. The latest fatalities are 55-year-old and 67-year-old males, both from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) who died while receiving care at a medical facility. Officials of the Ministry have since contacted all relatives and persons to
facilitate contact tracing and rapid assistance to everyone who may have been exposed to the now-deceased persons. The report of the deaths comes even as the MOH released an advisory that the National Public Health Reference Laboratory is still in the process of validating the COVID-19 test results from October 5. These invalidated test results include those received from both public and private laboratories.
Wednesday October 07, 2020
Digicel, E-Networks welcome... From page 8 affordable access to world-class connectivity solutions that can catapult them to the forefront of the knowledge and digital economy.” Meanwhile, with the death of its monopoly, GTT says that it wants to renew its commitment to technology advancement for its customers. GTT’s CEO Justin Nedd yesterday commented that, “We expect that with our planned service enhancements, our customers will not be able to discern a difference in service whether they are in New York or Guyana.” Ye s t e r d a y , P r i m e Minister (PM) Mark Phillips handed over operational licences and accompanying documents to Digicel, E-
Networks and GTT. Agents of the Public Utilities Commission and the Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Agency also received copies of the documents. Chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), Dela Britton, speaking at the event, added that her commission is ready to help take the sector to the next level. “I would like to assure all the service providers present,” Britton said, “that we at Public Utilities are open for business and we are willing and ready to engage you, and we are going to adhere to the adage of regulation must not impede innovation because in truth and in fact, this is perhaps the first steps towards innovatory things
that will be going on in Guyana.” N o t a b l y, t h e Telecommunications Bill was first introduced in the National Assembly during the ninth Parliament by the P e o p l e ’s P r o g r e s s i v e Party/Civic (PPP/C) government in 2011, and it was then reintroduced during the tenth Parliament in 2012 after extensive consultations with both public and private operators. According to the Prime Minister, it is inexplicable as to why the former administration denied Guyanese the full benefits of liberalization by only enforcing small sections of the Act in 2018 and 2019 respectively, although the Bill was enacted since 2016 with bipartisan support.
Wednesday October 07, 2020
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Wednesday October 07, 2020
Wednesday October 07, 2020
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Jury trials recommence under strict COVID-19 guidelines J
ury trials have recommenced at the Georgetown Supreme Court under strict COVID-19 guidelines. Trial by jury had been suspended by the Courts since June of this year due to the outbreak of the deadly virus, putting a number of criminal trials on hold. The decision to restart trials by jury was taken last month in keeping with the laws to preserve the right of the accused to a fair trial. According to practice directions of the Supreme Court published in the official gazette, steps were also taken to safeguard the integrity of the judicial process. Further, the practice directions which were released outlined steps to ensure that the jury trial are conducted with minimal exposure of the infection to judges, jurors, court staff, the accused, witnesses, attorneys, members o f the media and the public. A s s u c h , t h e recommencement of the jury trials yesterday was accompanied by strict guidelines: jurors who were selected to participate were seated six feet apart and wore masks in conjunction with the social distancing rules; the Court was also appropriately fitted with cameras to allow the Judge proper oversight of the proceedings. The process was also
video recorded in addition to being noted in the Judges’ minute books. In addition, Community Health Officers (CHO) were assigned to the courts to do temperature screening and related healthcare measures associated with the prevention and spread of COVID-19. The recommencement of trial trials comes after a month of careful consultation and planning by top ranking officers of the Judiciary. Last month, officials from the Health Ministry and the National COVID-19 Task Force met with the Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire, Justice Brassington Reynolds, Justice Nareshwar Harnanan and Registrar of the Supreme Court, Sueanna Lovell. The high-level team comprised Head of the COVID-19 Task Force, Colonel Nazrul Hussain; Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Karen Boyle; and Head of the Emergency Response Unit Dr. Colin James to discuss how to best utilize the existing facilities for criminal trials with the jury. “The layout of the courts along with the installation of plexiglass, transparent screens around fixtures and furniture and proposed physical distancing of the judge, court staff, prosecuting and defence counsel, and jurors in the
The jury trial commenced yesterday at the Georgetown Supreme Court under strict Covid-19 guidelines
courtrooms have been approved,” the Judiciary had said in a statement on Friday. Discussions also centered on the sanitation protocols. This led to the Health Ministry sending another t e a m o f o ff i c i a l s a n d sanitisation of all courts and court offices at the High Court in Demerara was done on Thursday, October 1, 2020. Further, the Supreme Court said it will continue this invaluable collaboration with the Health Ministry and the National Task Force to ensure that all courts throughout the length and breadth of Guyana are safe for all. According to the Judiciary, this partnership, which started since the onset of the COVID pandemic, has seen discussions on health and safety protocols for the courts, its staff, lawyers, jurors and all court users. To this end, community Health workers are stationed at the entrances to many courts, particularly in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara); Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne and Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice). The Health Ministry and the Supreme Court have been combining efforts to assure court users that all necessary public health arrangements for the safe conduct of criminal trials are in place.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 07, 2020
Wednesday October 07, 2020
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Kaieteur News
Vendor attacked, killed by ex-lover
A vendor ’s plans of having breakfast with her children and parents was, yesterday, ruined after she was attacked and killed by her ex-lover in Albouystown, Greater Georgetown. The alleged killer had initially fled the scene but was captured by Guyana Police Force ranks yesterday evening, hiding at a location in James Street, in the same city ward. Clarabel Johnson also known as “Bella”, 28, of 142 Cooper Street, Albouystown was attacked near her home at around 06:25Hrs with a cutlass and chopped behind her right knee. She was picked up by her neighbours and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) but died around 07:21Hrs while receiving treatment. According to Johnson’s sister, she had stepped out of her home, which she shared with her parents, early that morning to purchase bread at a nearby shop for breakfast. “Her last words to mammy was, ‘Good morning, Ma, I going and buy bread for
MURDERED: Clarabel Johnson
Captured suspect
tea’,” said the sister. It was while on her way back that Johnson was brutally attacked and killed by her ex-lover identified as Nicholas Williams, 45, the owner of a bicycle vulcanizing and repair shop within the community. Kaieteur News was told that neighbours saw Johnson involved in a heated argument and scuffle with her attacker but took it for
granted. It was detailed by her sister that persons have grown accustomed to seeing Johnson and the man arguing or fighting frequently in the streets. Johnson had reportedly shared a relationship with the man for number years before they finally separated some five years ago. The sister said that their union together had produced three children but Johnson was forced to end
the relationship after she was repeatedly beaten by Williams. “He would beat her bad. On one occasion, he even chopped her to the face and he would abuse her in front the children”, said the woman. To escape the domestic violence, Johnson’s sister said that she moved back into her parents’ house with her three kids. Nevertheless, said the woman, Williams would continue to stalk, attack, and threaten Johnson on the road. “She would fight back and had even reported the matter to police,” continued the
sister. This newspaper learnt that Johnson was successful in obtaining a restraining order against the man. The suspect had stopped his attacks for a while but according to Johnson’s had returned to his abusive ways. Not only, did he continue his attacks and threats, she said, but attacked Johnson’s boyfriends as well: “He would molest her and tell her that he wants to see her with no one else and had reportedly stabbed her boyfriend”. On Sunday last, the man reportedly barged into Johnson’s home assaulted her, broke her blender and
destroyed her bedroom window. However, Johnson’s sister said that the attack was not sufficient for the suspect, and he chose yesterday to kill her. Eyewitnesses claimed that it was only after neighbours saw the suspect wielding his cutlass that they realized that she was in danger. They rushed to her assistance but by time, they arrived to where Johnson was, the man had already chopped her and fled. They recalled that she screamed her mother’s name and fell to the ground after receiving the wound. A few minutes later, her Continued on page 22
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Wednesday October 07, 2020
Beware of scammers pretending to sell house lots for $100,000 – Housing Ministry
The Ministry of Housing and Water, is advising the public to be aware of scammers who are pretending
to sell house lots for $100,000. According to a press release, the scammers are contacting persons via a
telephone and pretending to be the Minister of Housing and Water, Hon. Collin Croal, saying that he is allocating
house lots to single parents in Providence, Lusignan and Dairy for $100,000. “It has been brought to the attention of the Ministry, that persons are being asked to send monies to an MMG Account which is falsely being linked to the Office of the First Lady, Ms. Arya Alli, under the pretext of making payment for a house lot,” the release highlighted. The Ministry noted that it would like to make it “pellucidly clear” that no land allocation is made directly from the Minister’s office, but that the allocations are made by the Central Housing & Planning Authority (CH&PA) using the prescribed procedures established by the agency. It cautioned persons against participating in any unlawful transactions, which will only result in loss. It said that it recognized the demand for housing is great and is growing, which created an atmosphere for the criminal
elements to thrive on persons’ gullibility. The release stated that the land allocation process starts with an official application, which can be purchased at the Ministry’s head office on Brickdam, for $200. Anyone seeking to apply for land must have a valid form of identification (passport or national identification card), proof or affidavit of income, TIN certificate, and marriage certificate if applicable. They must then submit the documents to the CH&PA office directly, where applications are lodged following a short interview. After the applications are submitted, they are then processed using a chronological method. It was also stated that other applications and interviews are also done at regional offices which are located at Vreed-en-Hoop Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Compound, Region
Minister of Housing and Water, Hon. Collin Croal Three; Anna Regina, RDC Compound, Region Two; Fort Wellington RDC compound Region Five; New Amsterdam, RDC Compound, Region Six; Lethem, Region Nine; and Linden, Region Ten. Persons can also visit the CH&PA website: www.chpa.gov.gy.
Wednesday October 07, 2020
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Kaieteur News
James Singh reappointed to serve as CANU Head James Singh has been reinstated as the Head of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) which falls under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Although no official statement has been released by the Home Affairs Ministry, Singh confirmed his appointment with Kaieteur News last night. When asked about how he felt about being reinstated, Singh said, “It feels good to be back.” He added that his first plans are to get briefed on all that has occurred and he will be supporting the current team that is in place, ensuring that they continue to serve in the same professional manner. Kaieteur News understands that Singh’s appointment was followed by a decision made by the Minister of Home Affairs
Re-appointed Head of CANU, James Singh Robeson Benn and he is expected to assume duties immediately. The agency was previously being led by Deputy Head, Lesley Ramlall. It was also noted that the
National Anti-Narcotics Agency (NANA) has been demobilized and its Head Former Major General Michael Atherly failed to have his contract renewed. James Singh was appointed to head the agency in 2008 but was dismissed from his duties in June 2017 by the A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) government. At that time when Kaieteur News had contacted Singh for a comment about his dismissal, he stated that he was notified by Khemraj Ramjattan who was serving as the Minister of Public Security. Ramjattan had told Singh that his contract would be coming to an end but his contract was
initially expected to be up in 2021. He was informed that the decision to terminate him followed a presidential order to the Commission of Inquiry (COI) to look into the circumstances surrounding the interception, detention and eventual release of a nameless private maritime vessel that was in Guyana’s sea space. The vessel was spotted
moving north on the Corentyne Coast, between February 11 and February 14, 2017. It was intercepted by local authorities while in the vicinity of Shell Beach and it was then taken to the Waini River where it was searched. No narcotics were found on the vessel and it was released, but there were suspicions that it was linked to a major high sea
drug bust that captured four Guyanese nationalsmiles north of Suriname in international waters with netted cocaine worth US$71.7M. Singh was described as an individual who made significant contributions to Guyana’s fight against drug trafficking and his contributions were said to be impactful both in and out of Guyana.
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Wednesday October 07, 2020
Kaieteur News
Asphalt plant corruption probe to be completed in one month – Minister Edghill
Minister of Public Works (MoPW), Juan Edghill yesterday appointed a highlevel team to investigate the allegations of corruption and misappropriations in the reselling of the government’s asphalt, and their connection to staffers under the Ministry. Notably, this team is set to complete their investigations within a month’s time, a statement related to the press. The Ministry’s probe into the asphalt plant’s misappropriations stemmed from an article released by Kaieteur News in late September. That article had highlighted that contractors would get asphalt at huge discounts under a scam that stretched all the way to the MoPW. “What happened,” the statement said, “is that there is a special department in the Ministry that conducts road repairs and other maintenance works.
Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill (head of the table) in discussion with the team. They would order a certain amount from the plant to be billed to the Ministry. They, however, collect less. The difference is what is sold at discount to contractors.” Sources indicated to
Kaieteur News that the contractors would come in a few days later and pay about half price for the asphalt. With the aim of ascertaining the truthfulness of these allegations, Minister
Edghill charged the team, which is lead by Chateram Ramdihal, with examining all aspects of the corporation. Ramdihal and his team comprising of Heidi Gillette, Brion Singh, and Dexter
Smith are expected to conduct a thorough investigation back dating back to 2013. The team will have to investigate the veracity of the claims; examining the systems at the
plant; finding out its reliability and weaknesses, which would allow for malpractices to be capitalized on; determining culpability and appropriate penalty to be meted out to those involved and to provide recommendations on a way forward. “As the subject Minister,” Edghill said, “I think this warrants closure and one of the ways we can do this, is by being objective in examining what was said without prejudice, with a clean eye, and ensuring that we have the necessary facts.” Junior Public Works Minister, Deodat Indar indicated that the team must be transparent with each other so as to have a holistic approach in bringing the evidence to the forefront. Persons who are interested in reaching out to the high-level team can contract them on audashptgy@gmail.com.
Wednesday October 07, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Govt. favours skills transfers from Chile over commodities imports
M
inister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha yesterday received Chilean Ambassador Patricio Becker at his Regent Street office for a courtesy call, during which the Minister expressed the desire to learn from Chile’s expertise. Government said in a statement that while Ambassador Decker offered imports of fruits and other commodities to Guyana, Minister Mustapha said that Guyana is in the process of developing its agriculture sector. “We are looking to
develop the sector rather than importing products that can be and are grown locally,” Minister Mustapha said. “We can work with your Government to have some of your technical personnel come and work with farmers to ramp up their production through transfer of technology and other skills training.” He pointed to areas for agricultural investment in Guyana for Chilean companies, noting that there would be the need to commit to local content. “There are a lot of investment opportunities in Guyana now with the change
in Government. Investments were being stifled given the many ‘red tapes’ established by the previous administration. The PPP/C Government is open to meaningful and mutually beneficial investments in all areas, especially the agriculture sector. In fact, there are incentives for persons looking to invest in corn and soya bean,” Minister Mustapha said. The Minister also expressed the desire to collaborate with Chile in the area of food safety. “Since the passage of the Food Safety Bill by the past
administration,” he said, “no effort has been made to set up the Food Safety Authority. Now that I am Minister, I was able to make representation in the 2020 Budget for funds to be made available so that we can get the ball rolling on this. Chile has a wellestablished food safety system and we are open to collaborating with our international contacts to get our food safety system to a standard where our farmers and agro-processors can benefit.”
[from left] Chile Ambassador to Guyana, Patricio Becker and Guyana Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 07, 2020
Captured fugitive charged for 2015 murder of taxi driver
S
heldon Collin Abrams, the prime suspect in the 2015 murder of Crane taxi driver, Collin Clark, 55, popularly known as “Ole Boy” was on Monday last charged for the offence and remanded to prison. Clark and his car had disappeared on Friday, November 27, 2015. A week later on December 3, his partially decomposing body was found beneath a bridge at Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara (WCD). Police had identified his alleged killer as Abrams of Lot Six Supply, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD). Abrams according to a police report had managed to evade lawmen for some years until he was finally captured on September, 28, 2020 at Mahdia, Region Eight. Kaieteur News had reported that he was found living in a shack at a location in the mining town. Abrams was subsequently grilled by the detectives from the Cold Case Unit. This newspaper learnt that Abrams has since been placed before the court and was charged with murder in the first degree. He was not required plea to the indictable charge and expected to reappear in court on October 28, 2020. Kaieteur News was also reliably informed that another man suspected to be Abrams’ accomplice in the heinous crime was also detained and currently being questioned. Detectives were able to
Charged: Sheldon Collin Abrams
link Abrams to the crime after Clark’s car was found parked underneath the home of an elderly couple at Perth Mahaicony. The couple had told police that the car was dropped off by a man who claimed that he was acquainted with their son. The suspect had reportedly told them that he was going to Suriname and would return for the car but he never came. The couple grew suspicious and informed police of the strange car. Inside the pickup, detectives located Clark’s driver’s licence and blood stains on the back seat. The suspect’s description also allegedly matched that of the passenger who had hired Clark on the day he vanished.
Wednesday October 07, 2020
APNU+AFC’s giveaway of prime lands…
Fourth developer joins in returning property Aimed at ensuring that it participates in transparent transactions, American Marine Incorporated has returned the 20 acres of prime Ogle lands which were controversially and illegally vested to them by the APNU+AFC regime. These lands were transferred during the protracted and contentious March 2020 elections. According to a statement issued to the press yesterday, the developer had entered into an Agreement of Sales with the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) on February 5, 2020. The developer indicated that it had intentions of constructing a 247-unit residential complex. It stated, however, that, “Given the circumstances surrounding the vesting of that property, we announce that we have agreed to surrender our interests in those lands with NICIL.” The developer was keen to point out that that it looks forward to working with NICIL and the Government of Guyana towards achieving their development goals. American Marine Inc. is now the fourth company to return lands to the administration of People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C). In fact, Navigant Builders under Winsor Estates; Cardiology Services Incorporated; and Corum Group Incorporated have
rescinded the lands vested to them under the APNU+AFC government. The 20 acres given to American Marine Inc. form part of almost 1,000 acres of prime lands opened by NICIL for commercial development. What is concerning is that these prime lands were transferred by the coalition government without receiving any payments, even though the lands are worth billions of dollars. The other companies that cashed in on the controversial deal include Bosai Minerals Group (Guyana) Incorporated; Premier Sales Incorporated; Trinuyana Investments Incorporated (Director, John Aboud); Supergraphics Enterprise (Owner, Eton Cordis); Caribbean Marketing Enterprise Incorporated (Director, Mike Elliot); Guyana Oil Company (GuyOil) (CEO, Renatta Exeter), and Earl’s Court Incorporated. Thus far, none of these companies has signaled their intentions to return the acres of land vested to them.
Injured pedal cyclist identified The injured pedal cyclist who remains unconscious at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), was yesterday, identified as Joseph Richards, 71, of North Ruimveldt, Georgetown. According to police, the pensioner’s son identified him at around 10:00hrs. Richards was struck down at around 22:15hrs on Saturday last along Mandela Avenue by a motorcar driven by an officer attached to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) The rank claimed that the man had ridden across the road, at the intersection of Arapaima and Mandela Avenue into his vehicle’s path. After hitting down Richards, he reportedly picked him up and took him to the hospital for treatment.
Injured: Joseph Richards
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 07, 2020
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‘Ghetto Flex’ murder accused among two freed at the opening of criminal trials Justice Navindra Singh
K
eron Taylor who was charged with the 2015 murder of Senasie Lewis was among two murder accused freed at the opening of the criminal trial of the October assizes i n G e o r g e t o w n y e s t e r d a y. Taylor who stood accused before Justice Navindra Singh and a mixed
jury pleaded not guilty to the charge. He joined the proceeding via video conference from the Georgetown Prisons and was represented by Attorney-at –law, Nigel Hughes who made a no case submission. The no-case submission was upheld by the court after the main witness in the case,
Troy Abrams said he could not remember what took place. Taylor was one of two men who were charged with the murder of 22-yearold Lewis. His co-accused Clive Forde was shot dead by police after he escaped during a prison break. According to reports, Lewis of
Keron Taylor
Pineapple Street, East Ruimveldt, Georgetown was riddled with bullets by gunmen outside Ghetto Flex, the popular night spot located at the corner of Albouys and James Street, Albouystown, on September 4, 2014; he was reportedly shot nine times about the body. The men immediately escaped after the
execution in a waiting car that was parked on Sussex Street. Meanwhile, Desmond James who stood accused of the 2015 murder of Glendon Cox was also freed on a no-case submission by the Court yesterday. He was represented by Attorney, Mark Conway.
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Holder still in charge for NZ Tests, says Harper Port of Spain, Trinidad, CMC – World number one allrounder Jason Holder will be retained as Test captain for the tour of New Zealand which bowls off next month. Convenor of selectors, Roger Harper, confirmed that the 28year-old Barbadian would continue in the post for the two-Test series, despite the recent struggles of the Caribbean side. West Indies have won just seven of their last 20 Tests and currently languish eighth in the ICC Test rankings, only above Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. “We have discussed a lot of things and all of those things (leadership) we discussed but I think at this point we’re not thinking of changing the
captaincy at all,” Harper said. Holder was appointed captain in 2015, replacing wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin, and has since led West Indies in 35 of his 43 Tests, winning 11, losing 19 and drawing five. He was relieved of the one-day captaincy last year after five years in charge and replaced by veteran Kieron Pollard, who also assumed leadership of the Twenty20 unit. That move followed West Indies’ dismal campaign at the 50-over World Cup in England when they won just two of their 10 matches, in their worst-ever outing at a global showpiece. Harper, who took over the selection panel last year, said Holder remained the first choice captain since
Roger Harper there was a dearth of leadership qualities not only throughout the ranks of the Test side but across the regional game. “I looked at a lot of the four-day championship. I had
Wednesday October 07, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) This is a fantastic time for you for love and romance, Aries, even if there's a bit of coolness between you and the person you care about. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) It's one thing to be a friend and it's another to feed someone's ego just to make him or her happy, Taurus. Make sure that you aren't telling someone lies just because you know that that is what he or she wants to hear. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) It's critical that you not try to gain the love and appreciation of another by controlling their decisions, Gemini. It's time to let the people around you set their own rules and boundaries. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You might need to put on the brakes today when it comes to love and romance. Don't think that this means you have to break off any sort relationship that's in the works. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Things should be going quite well for you today, and you will find that aspects of your life that may have felt disconnected in the past are finally slipping into place. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Restriction and discipline might not be your forte, but realize that this may be exactly the type of thing that you need the most. Try not to expend your energy in too many directions.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Appreciate the good things you have today, Libra. Don't let another day go by without really paying homage to the people who've helped you grow along the way. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) When it comes to matters of love and romance, you may need to tone things down a bit, Scorpio. An aggressive approach now may drive your loved one further away from you instead of drawing him or her closer. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You may find that your love is incredibly magnetic now, Sagittarius. All you need to do is be yourself and suddenly people flock your way. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Consider taking a more conservative approach to your actions today, as well as to the way you dress. Others may be rather put off. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Romantic relationships may not exactly be going as well as you'd like, Aquarius, but don't get discouraged. Hang in there and you will find that things eventually come around your way. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) It could be that you're trying to communicate with someone in a matter regarding love and romance and it simply isn't working.You're apt to feel like you need a translator in order to get your message across.
the opportunity to see most of the captains on show and I think that there are some decent captains out there but there is also a lot of improvement that can be made,” Harper pointed out during an interview with i95FM Sports FM here. “I think some of our captains need to know when to attack, when not to attack, how to defend and how to put pressure on the opposing batsmen and those sort of things. These are the areas we need to improve on.” He continued: “But I think one of things that is lacking from a West Indies team perspective is that a number of players in the West Indies team do not have the opportunity to play a lot of regional cricket and therefore do not have a lot of captaincy experience, so that is a challenge.” Despite the team’s struggles, Holder has excelled
Jason Holder personally to become the world’s leading all-rounder and is the highest ranked West Indies player in both the batting and bowling rankings at 43rd and fifth respectively. Holder enjoyed an outstanding campaign in 2018 when he snatched 33 wickets in six Tests at 11.87 runs apiece – the best average
by any fast bowler with a minimum of 30 wickets in a calendar year in 100 years. Last year, he smashed a sensational maiden unbeaten double hundred against powerful England at Kensington Oval to lead West Indies to a shock 381run victory, laying the platform for a 2-1 win in the three-Test series.
Rafael Nadal overcomes Jannik Sinner to reach semi-finals BBCsport - Rafael Nadal’s bid to equal Roger Federer’s Grand Slam record of 20 titles at this year’s French Open remains alive following an impressive win over the promising Jannik Sinner. The big-hitting Italian broke Nadal in the opening set and looked to serve out before the Spanish 12-time champion hit back and won the tie-break. Nadal dominated the rest of the duel as he sealed a 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 6-1 win. The 33-yearold will now face Argentine Diego Schwartzman in the semi-finals. Schwartzman defeated Nadal in Rome last month, but the Spaniard has gone on to win the title on every occasion after reaching the last four at Roland Garros. This was the second seed’s stiffest test to date. Sinner’s ascent over the past year has been rapid - he has gone from 324 in the world to now 75, which will further rise after this tournament. US Open champion Dominic Thiem said he was “over the limit” physically in his five-hour 7-6 (7-1) 5-7 6-7 (6-8) 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 loss to Diego Schwartzman in the French Open quarter-finals. Austrian Thiem beat Hugo Gaston in the last round in another gruelling five-set encounter, and simply ran out of steam against the Argentine. The start of the two-time finalist’s French Open run was only two weeks after he won his maiden Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows.
The match, played in blustery weather, featured numerous long rallies, with both players breaking each other several times because of their superb return games. The first four sets were tight before Thiem’s level dropped
in the decider, while 12th seed Schwartzman reached his first major semi-final and will now face Rafael Nadal. The Spanish defending champion, seeking a 13th title, beat Jannik Sinner in straight sets on Philippe Chatrier.
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BCB/Brian Ramphal Cricket Programme
BCB maintains investment in the development of youths as ten more cricketers benefit President of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) Hilbert Foster reiterated his Board’s commitment to development of youths when he handed over cricket gear to ten young players under the Brian Ramphal Developmental Programme. ‘Every time we invest in our young cricketers, we are investing in the future. Too many cricketers with natural talent are forced to quit the game due to their inability to obtain their own gears. Poverty should not be the reason why a promising talent remains unfilled. As long as I remain President of the BCB every talent would be identified and if assistance is required, it would be provided. Additionally, we would continue to organise coaching and personal development sessions across Berbice,” Foster stated. The players were drawn from Edinburgh, Mt. Sinai, RHTY&SC along with the Central and Upper Corentyne areas. The equipment included batting and wicket keeping gloves. Since the election of Foster to the Presidency of the BCB, hundreds of young
cricketers have benefitted from donations of gear, bicycles, educational materials and school bags. The BCB has also assisted clubs and Sub Associations with millions of dollars worth of gear, stumps, balls, scorebooks, rain coats, bicycles, educational materials and water pitchers among other items. Brian Ramphal over the last two years has contributed close to $2M of his own funds towards the development of Berbice cricket. The Texas based businessman has described the BCB as a very successful and progressive cricket board and that he would support as long as he can afford to. Meanwhile, the BCB on Thursday last held its first executive meeting since the corona virus pandemic started in March. The meeting was held using the strict Covid-19 guidelines. President Foster provided members with a comprehensive report on the activities of the Board over the last months. Discussions also took place on the Dr. Tulsi Dyal Singh Coaching programme,
Three of the young players display the gear they received.
Basil Butcher Cricket Trust Fund, the reopening of the BCB Office, Cricket Administration Act, support for clubs and several upcoming meetings with
Giving hope in Uganda FIH - Back in 2010, Innocent Mbabali was still a student at the local high school in Naguru, a town in Uganda, but he had a dream or an ambition that drove him in a way that is exceptional for a young lad of his age. “I wanted to change children’s lives through hockey,” says Innocent, who set about this task with just 12 hockey sticks and the help of his brother Lawrence. “Our aim was to bring together children living in slum areas through the sport of hockey. We wanted to reduce the increasing crime rates, drug use, school drop outs and inequality,” he adds. “We also wanted to empower girls, because the environment we were coming from didn’t allow or encourage sports participation among girls.” Ten very busy and successful years later and the Hope for Sports Foundation is a thriving social enterprise which runs a huge variety of programmes aiming to introduce and develop hockey among the Ugandan youth. Hockey 5s, mixed hockey camps, female-only camps,
life skills courses are among the vehicles that Innocent and his team use to break through many of the barriers facing children from deprived areas. More than 12,000 children have now passed through the programme, which operates in four areas of Uganda: Kampala, Mbarara, Kabale and Kumi. Courses are delivered by a team of six senior coaches and four junior coaches, with regular visits from guest coaches from around the world. There are expansion plans to spread the reach of the charity even further. While hockey is the vehicle, the outcomes are wider. Children are encouraged and motivated to study hard and raise their academic expectations. The programmes focus on life skills such as discipline, team work, leadership, accountability, integrity and the value of ongoing education. The programme is delivering both hockey excellence and academic success. Since 2016, 20 players have joined adult
clubs and represented Uganda at U19 level. More than 80 players are regular players for their school teams and 23 players represent their university sides. Of the children that joined the programme more than 50 have secured academic scholarships. It is with understandable pride that Innocent says: “The programme has developed relationships with various schools, coaches and scouts within the continent and overseas. Our programme
government officials. Members also agreed that the Berbice season would continue to be on hold until the government gives permission. The Executive
also approved a list of cricket grounds that would be submitted to the Government for possible upgrading. Among the venues identified are Edinburgh, Port
Mourant, Sister’s, Kendall’s Union, Lochabter, Guymine, Kilcoy, Whim, Goed Bananen, No5, Bath, Cotton Tree, Bush Lot and Lovely Lass.
Photo credit: Hockey Dreams Foundation
is regularly sought out by scouts and coaches in search of new talent for their respective teams. The foundation is steadily gaining a reputation as a talent hub for hockey players.” Like all charitable foundations working in deprived areas, the Hope for Sports Foundation is always seeking new income streams. Equipment is donated by supporters from across the international community. There was also support from the Hockey Dreams
Foundation, which was invaluable to setting and running up the charity. Innocent and his team are now pushing ahead with their plans for the future, and are speaking to a number of international organisations to secure funding. Among those plans are: developing facilities in the areas where the foundation is operating; creating a head office from which to run the organisation; develop competition opportunities; to create exchange visits with
volunteer coaches; promoting hockey for children with disabilities; and providing good nutrition for the national team players. The scope and vision is huge, given the challenges that stand in the way but Innocent and his team live by a simple but powerful mantra: “At Hope for Sports Uganda Hockey Foundation we believe it’s possible to achieve whatever one pursues in life for as long as one puts in work, focus and determination.”
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Qatar hails Gold Cup: “This tournament will help us grow” Miami, Florida – The start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar looms on the horizon and one of the many ways that the host nation is preparing for their first ever World Cup appearance is by gaining experience playing in other international tournaments. For that reason, it made perfect sense for Qatar to accept the invitation to play the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup as a guest participant, and Qatar Head Coach Felix Sanchez Bas knows next summer’s 16-team tournament will be a great testing ground for his side.”We are a team that is trying to grow, playing
tournaments like the Gold Cup is a way to get international experience outside of our region. We find ourselves at a moment in which we can compete against everyone, but going abroad to different continents to play official competitions is important for the team to continue growing,” Sanchez Bas in an exclusive interview with Concacaf.com. For fans in the Concacaf region who have not seen Qatar play, they can expect a team that will seek to impose themselves against their opponents. “We are a team that always tries to come out and compete against any team we
face, whether they are a global powerhouse or a more modest team. We always try to play with an idea that makes us competitive. We like to dominate all phases of the game and I think that’s required of any team right now that wants to be competitive, but the players feel more comfortable and are capable of taking the initiative and being protagonists in the game. But we know that we’ll have to adapt to different scenarios and I think our players understand that,” said Sanchez Bas. Drawn into Group D with Honduras, Panama and Grenada, Sanchez Bas knows that a tall task awaits against
Qatar Head Coach Felix Sanchez Bas with two of his players.
Australia vs India Test series to start with pink-ball game in Adelaide ESPNcricinfo - The fourTest series between Australia and India later this year is set to start with a day-night Test in Adelaide. The long tour (more than two months) is likely to begin with the whiteball games - three ODIs in Brisbane followed by three T20Is in Adelaide - and then the first Test, subject to final nods from the local state governments in Australia. The pink-ball Test, which will be India’s maiden daynight Test overseas (and only their second overall), is scheduled to be held at Adelaide Oval between December 17 and 21. Melbourne will remain the venue for the traditional Boxing Day Test (December 26-30) followed by Tests in Sydney (January 7-11) and Brisbane (January 15-19). The Indian contingent is expected to travel directly from the UAE to Brisbane immediately after the completion of the IPL on November 10. It is understood that Cricket Australia has pencilled in the November 25-30 period for the ODIs and December 4-8 for the T20Is. The Indians are then set to play a pink-ball warm-up match in Adelaide before the
The Australia v India Test series will take place in December-January, Covid-19 permitting Cricket Australia via Getty Images first Test. The warm-up is likely to be an intra-squad game keeping in mind the public health guidelines in place because of the Covid19 pandemic. Although both Cricket Australia and BCCI have internally agreed on the itinerary, they have not made it public because they are waiting for the formal nods from the state governments in Australia. One of the specific things Cricket Australia is looking for is the permission from the Queensland government, which is yet to approve international arrival and quarantine of the Indian and Australian players from the IPL in Brisbane. Currently, anyone coming
in to Queensland from overseas or even outside the state has to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine. With the tour scheduled to start around November 25, the two teams would want to train during the quarantine period, but that can only be done with permission from the Queensland government. Previously, governments in Western Australia and South Australia were reluctant to waive off the quarantine period for the two teams in order for them to start training immediately after landing in the country, and that forced Cricket Australia to shuffle the venues around.
a pair of Central American powers and a Caribbean nation that is on the rise. “If they have qualified for a tournament of this magnitude, that means they have a high level. Panama and Honduras are national teams that have played World Cups, they have players from their domestic leagues but also in big leagues in Europe. They are players with a lot of experience. Grenada we don’t know as well, but now we have time to analyze them
thoroughly and get to know them. We know that it is a tough group and we are going to try to go into it in the best possible condition with the hope of having a very good tournament,” said Sanchez Bas. Sanchez Bas also discounted the idea that Qatar’s lack of Gold Cup experience could catch opponents by surprise. “Nowadays with the resources and the technical personnel that each staff has
in their national team, I think there are no more surprises. I think we are going to try to see and study the strong points and the weak areas of each of the opponents we are going to face, and they are going to do the same. When we arrive there, they will know us and know the characteristics of our play and the individual characteristics of our players, so I don’t think there will be any surprises,” concluded Sanchez Bas.
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Wednesday October 07, 2020
Kaieteur News
Elina Svitolina suffers shock defeat by qualifier Nadia Podoroska BBCsport - World number 131 Nadia Podoroska says she “doesn’t want to wake up” after a dream French Open run continued with a quarter-final victory over third seed Elina Svitolina. Podoroska beat Svitolina 6-2 6-4 and now faces Pole Iga Swiatek, who won 6-3 6-1 against Italian Martina Trevisan. The Argentine, 23, dropped to 508th in the world in 2018 and could not afford to travel to some tournaments. “It is a bit difficult for me to speak,” Podoroska said on court. “I don’t want to wake up,” she later told a news conference. “The toughest part for me was two or three years ago. I had too many injuries. My ranking dropped. “I was eight months out of the tour. Then I didn’t have the money to start playing tournaments.” Podoroska’s run in Paris will guarantee her at least $501,120 (£387,288). She had won £233,009 during her career until this tournament. Podoroska broke Ukrainian Svitolina’s serve four times en route to the first set. Podoroska had never won a
Iga Swiatek has yet to drop a set in this tournament. (Getty images)
Nadia Podoroska, Iga Swiatek has yet to drop a set in this tournament, World number 57 Danielle Collins has reached her first French Open quarter-final. (GETTY IMAGES) main-draw match at a Grand Slam before this campaign in Paris and was facing a top-20 opponent for the first time in her career. Svitolina, by contrast, is a former junior French Open champion and made the quarter-finals as a 20-year-old in 2015. But Podoroska made light of the difference in
experience, deploying the drop-shot to good effect and hitting 30 winners to Svitolina’s eight. Teenager Swiatek marches on - The Argentine faces another tough test in the guise of world number 54 Swiatek, who followed up her shock win over top seed Simona Halep with an
impressive victory against world 159 Trevisan to move into her first Grand Slam semifinal. The 19-year-old 2018 Wimbledon junior champion has gradually built her reputation in the past three Grand Slams, reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open, the third round of the US Open and now the semifinals at Roland Garros. She found herself 3-1 down in the first set before fighting back to take the set, and made it eight games on the spin to move into a 3-0 lead in the second set. Trevisan earned a break back but dropped serve twice more as Swiatek eased to another
win at this French Open without dropping a set. Another day in paradise for Collins - Earlier in the day, American Danielle Collins booked the final spot in the French Open women’s quarter-finals with victory over Ons Jabeur in their raindelayed encounter. The pair had been scheduled to play on Monday and did emerge for a warm-up and coin toss after waiting for several hours because of bad weather, only for the match to be called off. They returned in much better conditions on Tuesday (yesterday), with Collins triumphing 6-4 4-6 6-4 over the Tunisian 30th seed. She will
face Sofia Kenin today. Collins has won all three of her previous matches against compatriot Kenin, who is the Australian Open champion and the fourth seed at Roland Garros. Collins had led by a set and a break against fellow 26year-old Jabeur before the Tunisian fought back by winning five games in a row on her way to taking the second set and forcing a decider. But when Jabeur doublefaulted for the first time to hand Collins match point and then sent a forehand into the net, the American lay down on the Philippe Chatrier clay in delight and relief.
Wednesday October 07, 2020
Kaieteur News
Meeting of the President of France with the FIFA President in Paris
FIFA President Gianni Infantino (right) and French President Emmanuel Macron. FIFA - On 5 October 2020, French President Emmanuel Macron met FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the presence of French Football Association (FFF) President Noël Le Graët. During this working meeting, they agreed on the principle of opening a FIFA office in Paris at the beginning of 2021. The operational procedures will now be
developed with the teams of the “Choose France” initiative. FIFA, which was founded in the French capital in 1904, is thus going back to its roots by opening these new facilities, which will also lead to new activities in the Paris region. This new undertaking is in line with FIFA’s desire to consolidate its relations with France and the French-
speaking world, as well as UNESCO and the French Development Agency ( A F D ) , p a r t n e r s i n t he educational and development policies it deploys through football. The impact of COVID-19 on football was also discussed at the meeting, along with the organisations’ joint projects for women’s football and development in Africa.
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French Open 2020: Alleged match-fixing investigated in women’s doubles match BBCsport - An investigation has begun into alleged match-fixing in a French Open women’s doubles first-round match, the Paris prosecutor’s office has confirmed. Officials began investigating on 1 October after suspicions of “organised fraud” and “corruption in sports”. A source close to the investigation told the BBC the inquiry focuses on Andreea Mitu and Patricia Maria Tig v Yana Sizikova and Madison Brengle. Russian Sizikova and American Brengle lost 7-6 (10-8) 6-4 to the Romanians. Alexei Selivanenko, vice-president of the Russian tennis federation, had told the Championat news website on Sunday in response to local reports on the matter: “As long as there are no official documents, it is too early to comment on anything. Tennis has a zero-tolerance policy for cases of this kind.” The Russian Tennis Federation had no
additional comment on Tuesday. Brengle and the Romanian pair, and their respective tennis federations, could not immediately be reached for comment. The investigation is likely to take several weeks. The Tennis Integrity Unit and International Tennis Federation declined to comment.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 07, 2020
Giro d’Italia rider taken to hospital with multiple injuries after ‘helicopter blows barriers into road’ BBCsport - Italy’s Luca Wackermann was taken to hospital after a helicopter “flying too low” caused a crash near the end of stage four of the Giro d’Italia. Vini Zabu-KTM’s Wackermann and Etienne van Empel both fell in the incident. Dutch rider Van Empel was able to get back up but his teammate was less fortunate. “Wackermann was sent to the hospital, he was barely conscious,” team boss Andrea Citracca told Italian TV station RAI2. “The helicopter was flying too low, the movement of the air blew up the barriers. It is not clear if he has broken his pelvis. The barriers were not tied properly.” Vini ZabuKTM later confirmed that Wackermann had abandoned the race with a broken nose and has a suspected broken back, along with multiple cuts
and bruises. The crash saw both riders collide with the roadside barriers and took place in the final 800m of the stage as the race travelled from Catania to Villafranca Tirrena. France’s Arnaud Demare of Groupama-FDJ claimed victory in the bunch sprint on the race’s final day on the island of Sicily. He beat Bora-Hangrohe’s Peter Sagan and Davide Ballerini of DeceuninckQuick Step by millimetres on the line after organisers poured over a photo finish. One of the surprise omissions from the bunch sprint was Fernando Gaviria of UAETeam Emirates, who lost touch with the peloton as teams picked up the pace at the front. One of the main contenders - Vincenzo Nibali - saw a member of his Trek-
Arnaud Demare (left) won a bunch sprint finish on stage four. Segafredo team suffer a worrying fall with 86km to go. Dutchman Pieter Weening struck a discarded drinks
bottle - just as Great Britain’s Geraint Thomas had on Monday leading to his abandonment - and, as he tried
to save the bike, struck his head on the tarmac. After being assessed he was allowed to mount his bike and continue despite looking confused and trying to put his foot on his pedal, which was nowhere near him. The incident fuels questions about how the sport deals with head injuries and potential concussions, following Romain Bardet being allowed to finish stage 13 of the Tour de France despite suffering from a bleed on the brain after a crash. Following Thomas’ abandonment, Britain’s other big favourite for the Giro, Simon Yates, is now three minutes 48 seconds down in the general classification after also losing time on rivals on Monday’s stage to Mount Etna. Given there are more than two weeks remaining of an already unpredictable race, it is possible Yates, 28, can get time back on his main rivals most of whom are around two and a half minutes ahead - with superior climbing skills in the high mountains. Steven Kruijswijk of JumboVisma, Astana’s Jakob Fuglsang, and BoraHansgrohe’s Rafal Majka join Nibali as front-runners, but it is Joao Almeida of Deceuninck-Quick Step, who retains the pink jersey ahead of Wednesday’s huge 225km
stage five from Mileto to Camigliatello Silano. Stage 4 result - 1. Arnaud Demare (Fra/Groupama-FDJ) 3hrs 22mins 13secs, 2. Peter Sagan (Slo/Bora-Hansgrohe) Same time, 3. Davide Ballerini (Ita/Deceuninck-Quick-Step), 4. Andrea Vendrame (Ita/ AG2R-La Mondiale), 5. Elia Viviani (Ita/Cofidis), 6. Stefano Oldani (Ita/LottoSoudal), 7. Davide Cimolai (Ita/Israel Start-up Nation), 8. Michael Matthew (Aus/ Sunweb), 9. Filippo Fiorelli (Ita/Bardiani-CSF-Faizane), 10. Enrico Battaglin (Ita/ Bahrain McLaren). General classification after stage 4 - 1. Joao Almeida (Por/Deceuninck-Quick Step) 11hrs 36mins 06secs. 2. Jonathan Caicedo (Ecu/EF Pro Cycling) +02secs. 3. Pello Bilbao (Spa/BahrainMcLaren) +39secs. 4. Wilco Keldermann (Ned/Sunweb) +44secs. 5. Harm Vanhoucke (Bel/Lotto-Soudal) +55secs. 6. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita/TrekSegafedo) +57secs. 7. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita/ NTT) +1mins 01secs. 8. Brandon McNulty (USA/ UAE-Team Emirates) +1mins 13secs. 9. Jakob Fuglsang (Den/Astana) +1mins 15secs. 10. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned/ Jumbo-Visma) +1mins 17secs.
BCB responds to Sean Devers article The Berbice Cricket Board would like to m a k e t w o corrections to an article that appeared in the October 6th edition of the Kaieteur Sports pages under the heading, ‘DCB could play key role in GCB elections. 1. President Hilbert Foster is currently serving his second term which ends in December 2021.He is free to
run again if he so desires. 2. The BCB Executives are the ones who would be delegates at the GCB elections and not associations. This has been the tradition forever. No Sub Association can represent the BCB at the GCB elections. For your edification, Simon Naidu Public Relations Officer Berbice Cricket Board
Wednesday October 07, 2020
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Kaieteur News
Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah dismantle Rajasthan Royals ESPNcricinfo - An inventive 79 not out off 47 balls from Suryakumar Yadav - his highest score in the IPL carried the Mumbai Indians to 193 for 4, setting up their fourth victory in six matches this IPL. In pursuit of a tall target, the Rajasthan Royals lost three wickets in the powerplay, including that of their captain Steven Smith and Sanju Samson. Jos Buttler then slugged a 44-ball 70, threatening a comeback, but the Royals were ultimately dismissed for 136 in 18.1 overs. The 57-run victory - which also featured a fearsome Jasprit Bumrah spell (4-20) meant Mumbai climbed to the top of the points table followed by the Delhi Capitals, who have played one match fewer, at No.2. After Quinton de Kock and Rohit Sharma sped away to 49-run opening stand, Yadav, in contrast, got off to a slow start - he was on 12 off 11 balls at one point. He watched Sharma and Ishan Kishan hole out off successive balls. He then watched Krunal Pandya, who was promoted to No.5 ahead of his younger brother Hardik and Kieron Pollard, struggle to 12 off 17 balls. However, Yadav’s wide range of strokes ensured Mumbai still took 68 from their last five overs and finished very strongly. Sharma, de Kock quick off the blocks - De Kock, who regained form with 67 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Sharjah, set the tone in Abu Dhabi, too, with a crisp four off the first delivery from Ankit Rajpoot, who was picked ahead of left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat. The ball slid onto the bat in the early exchanges, with Sharma also using the extra
pace of Rajpoot to his advantage. After launching him into the Royals dug out over the long-off fence, he sat back, waiting for the short ball and cracked it away to the left of sweeper cover. Smith used as many as five bowlers in the powerplay, but it was 19-year old debutant Kartik Tyagi who produced the breakthrough when he bounced out de Kock for 23. Sharma progressed to 35 before legspinner Shreyas Gopal had him caught at long-on with a wrong’un. His first delivery to Kishan, too was a wrong’un, which he spliced to extracover. Mumbai were 88 for 3 in the 10th over. A scoopful of Surya - After using his long reach to get to a pitch of a Gopal legbreak and pump it over extra-cover, Yadav hung back and placed Tyagi either side of third man for fours. Another great piece of placement - late-cut between the keeper and short third man for four brought him a fifty off 33 balls. The Royals had reserved two overs of Jorfra Archer for Pollard and Hardik at the death, but in the end Pollard wasn’t needed at all. While Hardik forced Archer down the ground for four, Yadav unfurled his ramps and scoops to pepper the ‘V’ behind the wicket. Thirty seven of his 79 runs came in that region. It was quite fitting that he helped finish the innings with a ramped four. Hardik did his bit in the unbroken 76-run stand with Yadav off six overs, contributing 30 off 19 balls. Buttler or nothing for Royals - Trent Boult found swing with the new ball once again, removing Yashasvi Jaiswal for a duck in the first over of the chase. Then, in the next over as Bumrah opened the bowling for the first time
Gordon Reid to play Gustavo Fernandez in first round of wheelchair singles BBCsport - Britain’s Gordon Reid will play defending champion Gustavo Fernandez in the first round of the wheelchair singles at the French Open. The winner of the match, which is a repeat of last year’s final, could face Briton Alfie Hewett in the semifinals. Hewett starts against Stephane Houdet of France. Jordanne Whiley has again drawn world number one Diede de Groot - just as she
did in her opening match at last month’s US Open. Andy Lapthorne will make his debut in the quad singles and doubles events. Reid and Hewett will compete together in the doubles after winning the Australian and US Open titles this year. Whiley will also play in the women’s doubles after winning titles at this year’s other two Grand Slams with Japan’s Yui Kamiji.
Jasprit Bumrah celebrates a wicket with his team-mates ©BCCI this season, Smith swiped wildly and nicked behind for the third time in three matches. When Boult drew a topedged pull from Samson to mid-on, the Royals were 12 for
3 in the third over. Buttler played himself in, getting to a run-a-ball 24 before exploding against the slower bowlers. He claimed 49 off 24 balls from Krunal, Rahul Chahar and Pollard.
It needed a spectacular catch at the long-on boundary from Pollard another special from the specialist T20 outfielder that will likely break YouTube - to get rid of Buttler in the 14th
over. Royals lost their last five wickets for 38 runs and their third game in a row. The punches weren’t done yet. Long after the game was done, the IPL fined Smith INR 12 lakh for slow over-rate.
Over 200 member associations join FIFA’s Talent Development Programme Over 200 member associations across all confederations have signed up for FIFA’s first-ever Talent Development Programme, setting a new benchmark for initiatives created by world football’s governing body in the area. The list comprises, among many others, the current men’s and women’s world champions, France and the USA respectively, as well as member associations (MAs) that have never qualified for a FIFA tournament. Launched in January 2020 by FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger, the programme aims to provide member associations with a thorough analysis of their high performance ecosystem in both men’s and women’s football, including all national teams, domestic leagues, scouting projects and academies, in order to ensure that every talented player gets a chance to reach their potential. “The whole world has signed up for the FIFA Talent Development Programme. We are very proud of the high number of participants and the trust that all member associations have given us. With trust comes responsibility, though: we have to be swift, helpful, knowledgeable and efficient,”
Arsène Wenger said Wenger. “The success of the programme will be based on good communication and a precise analysis of the needs of every member association so that we can deliver a report and provide tailor-made support. We also want to create opportunities, for example through best practice models, in which member associations can learn from each other and have the possibility to think outside of the box and their own environment,” he added. As health remains the main priority in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, online tools are set to play a key role in the implementation of the Talent Development Programme. A group of 30 FIFA experts, including former USA women’s national team coach April Heinrichs, exEngland manager Steve McClaren and former Premier League Director of Football Development Ged Roddy,
have been replacing their onsite visits with remote assessments and – based on online surveys and interviews – will produce a report for each of the member associations, thus mapping their technical ecosystems. “Thanks to technology, football can stay united despite the distance. We have received positive feedback from the member associations, as they are eager to start. Football has a huge educational responsibility. The FIFA Talent Development Programme is aimed at giving a chance to every child in the world who wants to play football and help him or her to improve and experience positive emotions. I hope the programme can help children to become top-level players, or if not, at least give them the opportunity to follow their dreams and play the game that they love,” concluded Wenger. In 2021, FIFA will focus on the implementation of tailormade technical programmes for each member association with a view to tackling potential challenges and maximising the comparative advantages that each association possesses. Etienne Sockeng, Deputy Technical Director, Cameroonian Football Association (FECAFOOT).
“This programme enables us to improve the way we play football and fight against the loss of talent. Since May 2020, we have been working with the FIFA experts on several modules, such as the training structures for young players and our talent retention technology to limit the margin of error and guarantee a chance for every boy and girl to play and move forward.” Diogo Netto, Social Responsibility and Sustainability Manager, Brazilian Football Association (CBF). “It is a great honour for the Brazilian Football Association to participate in this FIFA programme. “The CBF is always attentive to important matters raised by FIFA and is fully committed to investing in developing Brazilian football on an equal basis between men and women. We are involved in various areas and activities, such as educating professionals, grassroots football, competitions, national teams, social responsibility programmes and others. “The CBF is fully aware of the importance of the role it plays in the country’s society. Therefore, the analysis of the Brazilian football ecosystem will give us a foundation on which to maintain our talent development legacy in football.”
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Wednesday October 07, 2020
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RHTY&SC 30th Anniversary 1990-2020
Hundreds benefit as annual Naeem Nasir Memorial Tribute programme is held Cricketers of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) MS, over the last week handed out hundreds of food hampers to less fortunate and single parent households as they hosted the Annual Naeem Nasir Memorial Tribute Programme. The players, with the support of the Club Management led by Vice President Mark Papannah and Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster prepared the hampers which consisted of a number of food items. Assistant Secretary/CEO Simon Naidu, Vice President Papannah, Club Captain Eon Hooper and National Junior cricketer Jonathan Rampersaud visited several villages in the Lower Corentyne area to identify the number of families to receive hampers based on their financial income and living conditions among other
A representative of Ryan Tillak hands over school bags to RHTY&SC Officer Manager, Joel Pike. criteria. . Special emphasis was placed on simple parent households. The RHTY&SC
on an annual basis since 2013 hosts the programme in memory of the late Bakewell CEO and Founder. For the
first seven years of the programme, a cricket tournament was held but with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic the organisers decided, along with Bakewell to distribute food hampers. Additionally, club members were involved in an internal essay competition on the topic: “How youths can contribute towards the development of a green economy”. Writers of the top essays would receive attractive prizes. Foster, who is also the President of the vibrant and progressive Berbice Cricket Board disclosed that the ten cricket teams of the RHTY&SC and the BCB have surpassed the combined distribution of over six thousand food hampers. He stated that the Naeem Nasir Memorial Project is a special one for the club as the late Bakewell Boss was a special friend and sponsor. Bakewell came on board as an official Club sponsor in 2000 and has pumped millions of
dollars into the development of the Rose Hall’s Town’s Under-17 and Second Division teams. The two teams have won over twenty tournaments combined and produces dozens of national and Berbice players including, Assad Fudadin, Royston Crandon, Eon Hooper, Shemaine Campbelle, Clinton Pestano, Kevlon Anderson, Kevin Sinclair, Junior Sinclair, Shawn Pereira, Erva Giddings, Sheneta Grimmond, Shabika Gajnabi, Jonathan Rampersaud, Mahendra Gopilall and Jeremy Sandia. Bakewell Berbice Sales Supervisor Andre Sukhwa and RHTY&SC Vice President Papannah officially launched the programme at the Area ‘H’ Ground. Sukhwa thanked the Club for honoring the memory of the Bakewell CEO whilst hailing the entity for its outstanding work in the Ancient County. RHTY&SC/Lorenzao Johnny Memorial School Bag project
Popular Rose Hall Town businessman Ryan Tillak on Friday last handed over a large quantity of school bags to the ten cricket teams in memory of his late friend Lorenzao Johnny who was a very successful businessman in the township before he was brutally murdered in February. Johnny was an honorary member of the RHTY&SC. The school bags would be shared out under the Lorenzao Johnny Educational Memorial Programme. Office Manager Joel Pike expressed gratitude to Tillak for his support and assured him that the school bags would be distributed to less fortunate students from single parents’ households. The ten cricket teams of the club are, Poonai Pharmacy U-12 and U-13, Farfan and Mendes U-15, Bakewell U-17 and Second Division, Pepsi U-19 and Intermediate, Metro Female, NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour U-21 and First Division.
Legal battle looms as players seek commercial rights protections from ICC ESPNcricinfo - Another ICC battlefront has opened up in the form of the world’s players seeking recompense for their exploitation in third party commercial deals with ICC partners, at a time when the global body is beset by issues around Covid-19, wrangles over the board’s next chairman and a decidedly murky picture for global events and bilateral tours beyond 2023. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the Federation of International Cricketers Associations (FICA) has written to the ICC management, expressing an intention to take a range of issues around the players’ commercial rights into the grievance process set out in the terms for squads participating in global events. This would be a precursor to a formal legal dispute, after talks between the parties in recent months failed to get close to a resolution of the issue. The increasing exploitation of the commercial and intellectual property rights of female players - fast emerging as ever more saleable names for sponsors and broadcasters off the back of this year ’s wildly successful T20 World Cup in Australia - are believed to be particularly problematic in terms of the examples that FICA has raised.
ICC chief executive Manu Sawhney: ‘We want to give ourselves the best possible opportunity to make the right decision for the whole sport’ Getty Images Tom Moffat, FICA’s chief executive, recently contacted players across the globe to update them on the dispute and a resolution to act collectively. “We are in the process of challenging the unauthorised use of player images / attributes / content by the ICC and its commercial partners, including in: a fantasy cricket game, individual player content used by an ICC sponsor, and a documentary featuring players and individual player content,” Moffat told the players. “This follows a similar issue with trading cards in 2017. “These types of products are important in promoting the game, but are also commercially valuable to the ICC and their partners largely
because your attributes, appearances, data and content are used in them. We believe players should be getting a fair share of these arrangements, and that the ICC were required to negotiate terms of access to, and use of, players with FICA. This is provided for in the Squad Terms you sign prior to competing in ICC Events. “The ICC have previously argued that because players will receive prize money for performances in future ICC events, that covers these sorts of commercial products. Clearly that is unfair, and was not the intended basis of the Squad Terms or global arrangements for players. Taking a legal path is not our desired approach and we have tried to resolve these
issues with the ICC over a number of months to ensure players are treated fairly. We have unfortunately been unsuccessful given the way the ICC continue to approach you / FICA on these issues.” The exploitation of commercial rights and property for players has long been a tetchy issue between players associations, boards and the ICC, with governing bodies ever eager to protect the interests of their sponsors and broadcasters, while the players, their managers and associations equally stern in trying to ensure their images and content are not used without fair compensation. However, FICA’s decision to raise the issue at this juncture can be interpreted as
a change in tack from more convivial approaches to the ICC, and a growing sense of frustration at a mounting pile of problems on the agenda for the global governing body and its board. The ICC’s management, headed by chief executive Manu Sawhney, is in open dispute with member nations about the shape of the global calendar and specifically the number of ICC events to populate it from 2023 onwards. Moffat told the players that commercial opportunities needed to be carefully managed, with strong ground rules laid down before the next cycle. “It is important that we take up these issues for players now,” he said. “Having discussed the issue
with senior men’s and women’s international players, players from across countries have offered to assist so that FICA can lodge the grievances on behalf of all players. We thank those players and acknowledge it’s not easy to do that. “Protecting players collectively in this area will continue to be a major focus for us as we prepare for the next ICC Events cycle as well. FICA is supportive of fair, win-win, non-exploitative commercial opportunities. We would welcome any further player feedback or queries as we continue to work through these processes in conjunction with players’ associations.” The ICC declined to comment.
Wednesday October 07, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Self-belief at the core of revival: Walsh Bridgetown, Barbados, CMC – Newly appointed West Indies Women coach, Courtney Walsh, says he hopes to instill a new sense of self-belief in the beleaguered side as he looks to revive their flagging fortunes. West Indies Women’s form has slumped dramatically in both formats since capturing the 2016 Twenty20 World Cup four years ago, and earlier this month suffered their third consecutive T20 whitewash when they went down 5-0 on the tour of England. I n O n e - D a y Internationals, the regional women finished seventh in the ICC Championship – a qualifier for the 2022 World Cup – and will now have to go through a 10-team qualifying tournament next year in order clinch one of the three remaining spots at the showpiece. “I want to see them smiling again. The whole idea is to give them selfconfidence and self-belief that they have a job to do and perform,” said Walsh, an assistant coach with the side at the T20 World Cup in
Australia earlier this year when they failed to reach the semi-finals. “Once the players believe in themselves and they are smiling and enjoying the game, that’s the right path. You will have some bad patches and failures here and there but that consistency and that will and pride to play for the West Indies is what I want to see more of.” The recent drubbing at the hands of England summed up the Caribbean side’s recent form which also saw them whitewashed 5-0 by India in the Caribbean last November and also go down 3-0 to South Africa two months earlier. Experienced all-rounder Deandra Dottin was the only player to impress in the England series, hitting two half-centuries to top the scoring on either side. Once again, the touring side’s batting came under heavy scrutiny but with their bowling and fielding also found wanting, Walsh said his focus would be on overall development of the squad. “There is room for improvement in all aspects
Courtney Walsh has worked with the West Indies women’s team previously CWI.
of the game,” said Walsh, still the record-holder for the most wickets in Tests by a West Indies bowler with 519 scalps. “My idea and plan and strategy is to re-focus, re-energize and to look at the talented players we have and work out how we can improve with the players we have and other young players to come into the setup as well. “To try to create that brand that we know we can play, that we used to play, going back a few years when we won the T20 world Cup in India and a couple years ago when we were in the
semi-finals and were doing so well.” He added: “That is going to come from consistency … how we plan, how we strategize, how we execute and get our tactical awareness up. I’m not going to leave any stones unturned. I’m going to go right through everything to ensure we give ourselves the very best chance. “We have a good solid base of players. Obviously, we have to perform. Those
teams with players who perform get the best results.” Walsh, who served as Bangladesh bowling coach for three years until last year, has already performed several roles in Caribbean cricket including that of senior selector and Under-19 manager. And the 57-year-old said he was anxiously looking forward to his new assignment. “Whatever I can do to help West Indies cricket I’m prepared to do,” the Jamaican stressed. “My
heart is in West Indies cricket, it has always been and will always be. Anything at all that I can do to enhance and assist in West Indies I am always happy to do so. “We have to look at getting more female players and getting them involved in the system. I am here to support and enhance what we have going here at Cricket West Indies. “I’m really excited about this opportunity. I can’t wait to get started and get out there and get the job done.”
RHTY&SC 30th Anniversary 1990-2020
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RHTY&SC Vice President Mark Papannah and Bakewell Andre Sukhwa at the launch the Naeem Nasir Memorial Tribute Programme.
Hundreds benefit as annual Naeem Nasir Memorial Tribute programme is held
Gordon Reid to play Gustavo Suryakumar Yadav and Fernandez in first round of Jasprit Bumrah dismantle wheelchair singles Rajasthan Royals Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett won the men’s wheelchair doubles title at last month’s US Open. (Getty Images)
Suryakumar Yadav’s 79* included 37 runs in the ‘V’ behind the stumps ©BCCI
Suryakumar Yadav’s 79* included 37 runs in the ‘V’ behind the stumps ©BCCI
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