K
AIETEUR NEWS
Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly
K/News publisher
Wednesday Edition
writes to Ramotar over
October 28, 2020 - Vol. 15 No.41
Online: www.kaieteurnews.com
Kaieteur, Canje oil blocks
Price $80
Online readership yesterday, 114,845
The Fleecing of Guyana series…
Kaieteur block owners, like Canje, registered in territory notorious for financial secrecy Motion to override Local Man shot for Juvenile arrested for Govt. Commission’s decision asking to turn La Grange business “illegal and improper”- Chase-Green down music woman’s murder
PNC/R Executive James Bond received US$1M for NICIL-leased lands PNCR Executive and Attorney-at-Law, James Bond
- Sale executed five months after land acquisition
Kaieteur News
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Wednesday October 28, 2020
KN publisher writes to Ramotar over Kaieteur, Canje oil blocks Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall, has written to former President Donald Ramotar asking him to explain his decision for signing away two of Guyana’s most valuable assets – the Kaieteur and Canje oil blocks. The newspaper has been highlighting several aspects of the transaction between Ramotar and members of his administration, and MidAtlantic Oil and Gas, and Ratio Guyana/Ratio Energy – two companies with little to no experience in oil exploration at the time they were awarded the valuable oil and gas concessions. In his letter dated October 24, 2020, the publisher outlined that as a national newspaper, Kaieteur News has an obligation to inform the Guyanese public about matters that affect them, their natural resources, and their future security and prosperity. As such, Lall asked the former president to give the reasons for his decision to sign petroleum agreements for the Canje and Kaieteur oil
Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall
Former President, Donald Ramotar
blocks with Mid-Atlantic Oil and Gas, and Ratio G u y a n a / R a t i o E n e rg y, companies that have insufficient track records or capacity to conduct the deepwater drilling activity required for those blocks. The letter noted that the agreements were signed by President Ramotar for the Canje and Kaieteur oil blocks on March 4, 2015 and A p r i l 2 8 , 2 0 1 5 respectively—days before a national election. In this regard, the
newspaper publisher pointed out to Ramotar that as President and Minister with responsibility for Petroleum, he was under a duty to act in the best interests of Guyana when he signed those agreements. However, Lall noted that “These petroleum agreements appear to be unduly favourable to MidAtlantic Oil and Gas Inc, Ratio Guyana and Ratio Energy.” As a consequence, the Continued on page 24
The letter which was dispatched to Donald Ramotar.
Wednesday October 28, 2020
Kaieteur News
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PNCR Executive James Bond received US$1M for NICIL-leased lands - Sale executed five months after land acquisition P e o p l e ’s N a t i o n a l Congress Reform (PNCR) executive, James Bond collected US$1 million dollars related to the sale of prime state lands leased by the National Industrial & Commercial Investments Ltd. (NICIL) to a company in which Bond appears to be a principal. Those very lands in question are a small part of ongoing investigations being undertaken by the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) into the large
scale giveaway of state lands during the previous A P N U + A F C r e g i m e ’s tenure. GLASS Holdings and Lennox Petroleum The revelation that Bond benefitted financially from the deal came to the fore after GLASS Holdings Inc., the recipient, attempted to pay lease fees for lands it had acquired on the East Bank of Demerara. Kaieteur News is in receipt of a letter sent to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NICIL, Radha
The letter from GLASS Holdings Managing Director Glenn Low-A-Chee to NICIL’s R.K. Sharma.
Listed as ARKEN Group Inc. Managing Director, Jermaine Richmond
PNCR Executive and Attorney-at-Law, James Bond Sharma by the company’s Managing Director, Glenn Low-A-Chee. In that letter, Low-AChee explained that the company was interested in acquiring land – whether through purchase or lease – for the purpose of constructing a warehouse. He explained that the company explored options but later struck up a deal with a company called ARKEN Group Inc. for the purchase of two plots at Plantation Peter’s Hall; Plot ‘A3’ and ‘A4’ under a lease agreement. “The Lease Agreement and all documents and procedures to effect the transfer of the Leasehold/ Lessee rights from ARKEN to GLASS Holdings were prepared and processed in compliance with the LEASE (number provided) and the general rules governing the lease transfer,” Low-A-Chee stated. “Pending the completion of the documentation process,” Low-A-Chee wrote, “we had visited NICIL in early March and again in August 2020 in an attempt to pay our lease fees as the new Lessee and we w e r e a d v i s e d b y M r. Wenston Mingo, Accounts Receivable Clerk in the Accounts Department, NICIL, that there was a p e n d i n g jurisdictional/restructuring issue between NICIL and Ministry of Business regarding the collection of lease fees, and as such our payment was not accepted/processed. We were advised to follow up at a later date regarding the payments.” Further on, Low-A-Chee said the company saw a public notice by NICIL informing of a review of leases and sub-leases of the
lands at Peter’s Hall and was using the letter to introduce his company as the current Lessee of the plots in question, and requesting a meeting with NICIL officers to “guide us through the current evaluation process.” In his letter, Low-AChee indicated that he attached copies of several documents, listing, inter alia: “1. Agreement of Sale ARKEN and GLASS Holdings 2. Lease Agreement between ARKEN and NICIL 3. ARKEN Resolution – Approval of Sale and Appointment of Signatory; 4. ARKEN Resolution – Approval of Payment to James bond 5. ARKEN Company Documents; 6. National ID (Imr. Jermaine Richmond (ii) Mr. James Bond” He goes on to list other documents including GLASS Holdings company documents; his passport bio page; GLASS Holdings
Approval of Purchase; the Deed of Assignment; Affidavit of Assignor; Affidavit of Assignee; ARKEN Approval of Assignment and Irrevocable Power Of Attorney (POA), GLASS Holdings Approval of Acceptance of Assignment, along with the plans of the two plots provided by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission. The POA/Deed of Assignment, seen by this paper, and dated November 15, 2019 lists “Plots A3 and A4 being a portion of 5.0 acres and 5.0 acres respectively of land situate at Plantation Peter’s Hall” sold to GLASS Holdings Inc. through a 10 October 2019 sale. While the documents speaks to the decision being via resolution of ARKEN’s Board of Directors, the sale is authorized by only two people, Jermaine Richmond, “Sole Director” and James Anthony Bond, “Attorneyat-Law”.
It is Bond, not Richmond or ARKEN Inc, that is listed as the beneficiary of two direct bank transfers. The first on October 15, comes five days after the date of the Agreement of Sale and was for US $195,000. The second, on November 21, a week after the POA/Deed of Assignment, was for $757,800. Both statements listed the beneficiary name as James Bond, an account number and an address 34 Third Street, Alberttown, Georgetown. What is notable, however, the wire transfer was not made by GLASS Holdings Inc but by a Trinidad based Consultancy Company called Lennox Petroleum, with payment approved by a Sharlene Guness-Jaghoo and released by a Wayne Persad. Both payments were made from a Wall Street Bank to a local bank account. Both transfer documents Continued on page 24
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 28, 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
A time for public questioning There is the famous passage in the Bible, in the Book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3, Verses 1-8, which begins, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…” This paper’s recent investigations into and reporting on the feeding frenzy on the Kaieteur and Canje oil blocks have been met with praise, with skepticism, with silence and with cynicism. The logical answer, that we are only now been presented with information that should have been available long ago, does not of course suffice for the illogical. In as deeply divided a society as Guyana is, uncomfortable questions posed at either one of the political camps earns you the enmity of that camp and its followers, and we have been – admittedly viciously – been asking extremely hard questions of both camps. What this newspaper has been engaged in is the critical public service of interrogating economic deals done supposedly in the country’s best interest but with all indications pointing in fact to the contrary. A recently released reported by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) expands upon what we already have already known about how terrible the Exxon deal has been and will be for Guyanese. Written by IEEFA’s Director of Finance, Tom Sanzillo, the report’s lengthy title should be message enough: “Guyana’s Oil Deal: Promise of Quick Cash Will Leave Country Shortchanged – Long-term Costs Far Outweigh Benefits as Oil Industry Declines.” The 31-page document outlines how, at least for the next five years, our deal with Exxon will leave us not with some bounty of oil wealth but with a sum debt to the oil companies, resulting in Guyana having to borrow money in order to handle budget deficits. This means that as our oil keeps flowing and keeps Exxon – besieged almost everywhere else it operates – afloat, Guyana will be no more self-sufficient than we were without oil. For example, the report notes that in our tax arrangements with Exxon, we will be forfeiting US $653 million over the next five years. While the report will be explored in our reporting over the next week, one particular line of it stands out, justifying, we believe, our editorial stance, our civic campaign, over the past few weeks: “When there is a promise of more revenue, hopes for long-term fiscal solvency can appear to be in reach. This is also a time for public questioning.” That is what we have been doing, through reporting carried out with at times ecclesiastical zeal, through front page commentary, and through our editorials, a public questioning of the pending oil developments, before a single drop of oil is brought up in the Kanuku and Canje blocks. The IEEFA report notes sensibly and soberly in its conclusion: “Is the amount currently being received the right amount, all things considered? Are the corporations making promises of future revenues capable of producing those future revenues? Are there conditions on the receipt of revenue— factors within the control of government and outside the control of the government? What is known about those objective conditions today and what do they say about the future? How are the new resources to be used? What are the limits? These are questions that are ultimately of a political nature and cannot be answered by an exercise like that conducted by IEEFA. They are questions nevertheless that must be answered.” We will continue to ask them until the wall of silence is finally broken and those questions are finally answered.
Canje-Kaieteur Oil blocks and the Age Factor DEAR EDITOR, Of all the factors that have contributed to the various elites contributing to the porous nature of the Canje/ Kaieteur/Stabroek/Exxon/ Paraya deals (Missing anything?); I’m yet to be convinced that the age factor of some decision makers signing off on these twisted oil deals; (or playing ignorant of what was happening, including not reading in full, documents before approvals) did not play some part in the entire poor decision making process. The older we get the less effective we are in many areas, more so, where there are mountains of very complicated and detailed
documents to read and review, before complex decisions are made. From Secretary of States in developing countries to CEO’s of large global entities, many of whom are way past the sixty-year’s mark, one common personnel fixture in their offices; are slews of young men and women behind the scenes at different expertise levels reviewing hundreds of pages of documents in painstaking detail to provide the most relevant information to the person on top. This support team also reminds the decision maker of various items that need follow-up. Regardless of age, key decision makers in
demanding executive positions always have staff behind the scenes doing the heavy work. (It’s not the Secretary). One-man/woman shows at executive levels = disastrous decisions. The higher up you are in the decision making chain, that requires a lot of mental gymnastics, the more imperative that the proper support staff is there. We can’t overlook the fact that where these very complex oil deals are concerned, (which is different from dealing with less complicated sugar and rice transactions) some of the decision makers were way past their mental “prime”, though it appears the
opportunistic natural resources ministers, and equivalent were a younger generation, and themselves contributed to the economic financial shortchange for Guyana. This isn’t age discrimination. There are certain jobs a 70 year old can perform, five times better than a 30 year old. It’s about the realization that if certain personnel factors are not in place, there is a higher probability of important issues falling through the cracks and excuses being made. I am not saying this structure was not in place but... Yours Truly, Chi Kansi
Ravi Dev’s reply to Vincent Alexander DEAR EDITOR, As I await Vincent Alexander ’s promised response to my “substantive” positions on our Ethnic Security Dilemmas, I will examine his contention on the liberating potential of “truth” in his letter: “Let the discourse of the committed continue”. (KN 10-26-20). Now as Vincent would know, this thing called “truth” has become a very slippery concept in the last half century or so, especially in the context of politics. Apart from the philosophical ambiguities, my working assumption has always been that truth and politics are strangers to each other. The political philosopher Hannah Arendt, however, argued that the problematic of politics and truth were central to politics in particular and
life in general. She advised in “Truth and Politics” that we should take care to specify exactly what kind of truth we have in mind when we invoke the t e r m : h i s t o r i c a l t r uth, empirical truth, trivial truth, some truth, psychological truth, paradoxical truth, real truth, philosophical truth, hidden truth, old truth, selfevident truth, relevant truth, rational truth, impotent truth, indifferent truth, mathematical truth, half-truth, absolute truth, and factual truth. There is no such thing as “the truth”; only t r u t h i n reference to something particular. Let us take the presumably simplistic type of truth, empirical truth, which is addressed by the “correspondence theory of truth”: a statement is “true” if it corresponds to an empirical fact we can verify. Like if I
assert that “Vincent has a beard”, this is “true” - unless he shaves it off. But even empirical truths become problematical when politics enters the picture. As when the empirical truth that “33 is the majority of 65” - once we are considering discrete objects like Members of Parliament or cricket balls was disputed by one political party. Vincent concluded his letter with the exhortation, “Let the discourse of the committed continue. Acceptance of, and coming to terms with, the truth shall set us free.” But this is where “truth” becomes really tricky. In discourses, we share our understanding of our common reality and quickly discover that it is more accurate to speak of “understandings”. Arendt called these
“factual truth”, which as I said earlier, sediment into narratives that often conflict because so much of our “truths” are subjective. One of these invoked, conflicting “truths” in Guyana, for instance, is which group “suffered more”. One way to resolve this particular conundrum is to acknowledge, as I said when I delivered my eulogy to Ronald Waddell, “all of us have been dragged to this Babylon, and we all have reason to weep as we remember our Zions.” What I am suggesting is that notwithstanding our several ethnic orientations and truths, we have to craft a common narrative that infuses a Civic Guyanese nationalism to deliver justice and equity through its institutions to all Guyanese. Sincerely, Ravi Dev
Why not a Nandy Park/Peter’s Hall exit for the Demerara Harbour Bridge? DEAR EDITOR, Crossing the Demerara Harbour Bridge on the journey to work leads to a stygian nightmare–long lines of stalled and clamouring traffic with nowhere to go. But this deficiency is being addressed by a multi-purpose rapid transit system now in the works and in which the bridge is a link situated at the Peters Hall/Nandy Park exit leading to the city. The traveller enters it hoping for a quick trip to the garden city/ business niche built in spaces sufficient for the roads and port of the glory days of sugar, but now so lacking in carrying capacity that the garden has never before been so trampled nor its fresh air so foul. The Peters Hall/Nandy Park exit is the gateway to the traveller’s
daily nightmare. This monster of overcrowding can stunt the development of the city for years to come, and the city should, therefore, make every effort to free itself from its tentacles. Help in doing so can come from the bridge, a resource access lever that might be able to divert traffic to other regions in need of manpower. Such a diversion is possible if the bridge is located at Timehri, a place with considerable potential to support its take off as a market/traffic diversion center. And although a Timehri crossing might at first glance appear to burden the motorist travelling from one coast to the other with an extra 25 to 40 miles each way, that set
back would be offset by the saving in time that would result from the roadway being an uncongested system, and by the further likelihood that the Timehri re-development would, as part of a suggested list of inter-related actions, act as a catalyst for the development of other centers in the beckoning oil and gas economy. The suggested list A bridge at Timehri that would raise the profile of that area as an agri-based import/ export hub servicing the belt extending from the Essequibo in the west to Crabwood Creek in the east. Development of education/tourism and international travel and mining services in the Timehri Linden Kaieteur/Mahdia/
Bartica-Potaro plateau. Voluntary release of city waterfront lands from current to higher value waterenhanced office/hotel/retail shore-base uses and the transfer of current uses closer to their raw material bases. Re-use of the former Schoonord/Peters Hall bridge landings as an organized fish/meat/farmers’ market. These suggestions belong on the agenda of an integrated coastal zone management programme setting forth the official long term plan for the management of the coast to ensure the preservation and equitable distribution of its resources as a public good, and as a catalyst for hinterland development. Fitzroy Collins
Wednesday October 28, 2020
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Kaieteur News
The Berbice investigation seems to be going nowhere DEAR EDITOR, In my experience, the West Coast of Berbice is one of the most highly cultured parts of Guyana’s coastland. It is also remarkable for its Peace Culture. It recorded very low levels of incidents and fatalities during our most turbulent years. There are a few other strips of the coastland that have come close to this quality of community peace and my sincere wish is that they will remain so. One of these is the Wales Estate-Sisters community on the West Bank of Demerara. When on or about March 6, 2020, during the recent electoral count “impasse”, disturbances broke out on the public roads in a few places along the Demerara-Berbice highway, the surprise location to me was what was reported as Number 5 and Cotton Tree. Months later, we learned that the dead bodies of two young men, named Henry, who had been missing, were found in a public place and poorly concealed in some bush at Cotton Tree. No one communicating on behalf of the police made any connection between this discovery and the fatal shooting of a young man by the police at Cotton Tree on March 6, 2020. Perhaps, shooting by the police is taken for granted in some quarters. These comments do not apply to the events of March 6 at Bushlot and elsewhere. They also do not apply to the protests at Belladrum before the Cotton Tree killings. The killing at Plantation Bath is also omitted as it had many eyewitnesses. The Government’s response to the finding of the two dead bodies of the Henrys and a few days later at Number 3 of the dead body of a young man named Singh caused a succession of police parties to those areas to investigate the crimes. The Minister of Home Affairs was, perhaps, the first to make an impassioned statement,
condemning the brutal killing of the young men. The President was equally moved and horrified by the incidents. There was a post mortem examination, after which the authorities told the population that samples had been sent to St. Lucia for DNA study and that we could expect the result in three weeks. More than three weeks have now gone by and as this letter is being written on October 25, there is no followup announcement of any results from the lab in St. Lucia. I was lucky to hear a video interview in which Attorney at Law Nigel Hughes cautiously raised some questions about technical issues and suggested the employment of inexpensive expertise from Argentina. He acknowledged that he was not an investigator, but a lawyer interested in the solutions of crimes. From my own point of view, I raise a few issues. I am neither lawyer nor investigator, but in my active years of political activity, I have never left questions of crime and the security of communities to governments or police. To me, popular opinion and intelligence play their own part in directing and influencing police investigations. Like most people, I rely on the techniques of the labs and the surveillance cameras, but there are other dimensions that are vital. Take the two young men named Henry. They are said
to be cousins and they had gone on a coconut picking mission, from which they never returned. It is said on all sides that the young man, named Singh, was their friend. If the three of them were friends and were all killed within a space of about three days, what was their common offence? What is it in their profile that attracted hostility from some person or persons interested? Were they all coconut pickers? What was the public sense of what brought them together as friends? Did they have a reputation in the community for offending any person or type of person? The police have said that the motive for their murder was not political. If they are correct, it may be the reason that other killings have not occurred in the same space. Again, if the motive was not political, they were still killed. In what way or ways did they offend their killer or killers? To test the police theory, we should ask whether one or more of them were active in the recent election campaign in any way. For people of their status, that question might be a control test. We were told also that suspects were questioned by the police and let go on their own bail. This does not suggest that there is strong evidence against them. But then there is the DNA. The police have found wisely that the place where the bodies of
the Henrys were found was not the original crime scene and that the bodies had to be carried to the place where they were found. Were there any marks to show they were carried there by being dragged on the ground, or by some vehicle, and if by vehicle, have they found it? Could the bodies have been transported by boat, since there is mention of a bridge? Cotton Tree and nearby villages are close to two means of escape. There is the river bridge and there is the river itself. We are told that a large party of the Joint Services spent several hours of one day combing the area and finding nothing. From the condition of the bodies, there is the finding of the police that much wounding had been applied to them. In the news, there were some vague remarks about blood stains. But where are the clothes that the butchers wore during the mutilation? There is a yawning gap in the crime information, suggesting that with little feed being given to the community, the feedback is limited. There has been very little information about the victims and their activities coming from the community that knows them best. If there are no clear reports from the labs on the samples sent to them, perhaps the samples were in some way insufficient. The authorities have the duty of satisfying public curiosity which they invited on this
point. In the old days before the homes became filled with night noises of radio and television, some persons in the community, close to the scene of the chopping and carvings, would have heard shreaks of pain in the dead of night. Perhaps, our climate of electronic noises so necessary to our lives has denied us this source of evidence. The evidence of crimes committed exists somewhere. The point is to find it. I leave the rest to the lively imagination of people I have known for decades. The other question that may bring me into further trouble is this: who or what is driving this investigation? Members of the political directorate have assured the public that they will rule out resources for a full investigation. This assurance implies that the resources are in their control. The investigators, that is, the Police Force, have so far rejected a political motive for the killings of the three young men. They are also entitled to change their opinion about motive. On the other hand, the Head of State, though not identifying a motive, has let us know some of his thinking. He has promised an International Commission of Inquiry for a holistic probe, including “who instigated, and what was instigated”. In this atmosphere, the police may experience doubt about the lines they have been pursuing and lose a clear
sense of direction. The PPP refers to the year 1992 when it won the elections after 24 years of one-party Government, as “the return to democracy”. Before that year, Vincent Teekah, a minister who had left the PPP for the PNC, was killed. The same kind of non-communication from the State agencies to the people prevailed. The then Prime Minister, the Kabaka, called the killing an “assassination”. There was no hint of a suspect from outside of the ruling group. However, within a month of the fatal incident, the Government announced in its newspaper, The Guyana Chronicle, that the investigation into Teekah’s murder was closed. Regardless of who goes into a tantrum in his newspaper columns, I venture to warn that, to all appearances, the present investigation into the killing of the three young men in Berbice is not receiving the focus and concerted pursuit that it deserves. If I may say so with respect, a police force, allowed to be professional, has its own international linkages which it can pursue professionally without the tutelage and meddling of a recently arrived elected political directorate. I myself am puzzled about a motive for the murders of Joel Henry, Isaiah Henry and Haresh Singh. And the investigation seems to be going nowhere. Yours respectfully, Eusi Kwayana
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USA Pres. Donald Trump helped in defending Guyana’s Democracy DEAR EDITOR, As the United States Of America Presidential election nears, I feel the need to remind my fellow Guyanese here and in the diaspora of which country firmly took a stand with us Guyanese, to defend Democracy in Guyana before and after March 2nd when the then, Defacto Granger-led administration, tried blatantly to steal the March 2nd election and Guyana’s Democracy. After the March 2nd elections were held, we had several instances where attempts were made to steal and undermine the elections and its results, which if, was successful would have kept the then Defacto APNU+AFC coalition in power. (Thank God it didn’t) It should be noted that it was the Donald Trump administration (The Republican Party) that stepped up overwhelmingly and pressed for free and fair elections in Guyana. The Government of the United States Of America (Donald Trump administration) was the first country that imposed sanctions on those responsible for undermining Guyana’s electoral process.
I must commend and thank the United States Of America Ambassador, H.E. Sarah Ann Lynch, for standing up with us (Guyanese) on the frontline our fight for democracy to prevail in our beloved country Guyana. I have seen how some Guyanese condemn the Donald Trump administration (The Republican Party) in the United States Of America and I must say I am very much surprised. I wish to remind my fellow Guyanese brothers and sisters that it was two Democrats that sided with the then Defacto Granger Regime in their quest to undermine our electoral process here in Guyana. Democrat Congressman Hakim James and Democrat Congresswoman Yvette Clarke were two main Democrats that supported and endorsed publicly, the attempts made by the then, Granger Regime to undermine our electoral process. I do hope this letter opens the eyes of those condemning the Donald Trump administration (The Republican Party). Yours truly, Randy Da Silva Mangru (Political Commentator)
Discipline in the Sugar Industry DEAR EDITOR, As most persons know, the sugar industry of Guyana has stressed and thrived throughout endemic argumentations and disputes between managers and managed, and indeed between the latter, that is in terms of union competition, the most historic of which was between the preceding MPCA and the overtaking GAWU. More orderly perhaps, was the merger into the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees, of the following unions: Guiana Headmen’s Union (i.e. Field Foremen) Sugar Estates’ Supervisors Association (of Field and Factory Supervisors) Guiana West Indies Sugar Boilers Union (of Sugar Boilers who also worked at the time in Barbados, Antigua and St. Kitts, and indeed as far as Nigeria and Kenya). The Sick nurses & Dispensers’ Association (whose members also included Midwives) maintained the industry’s health service under the direction of Estate Medical Officers. What emerged from respective Collective
Bargaining Agreements were certain principles of behaviours and reporting relationships to be observed by the engaged parties - under the banner of what became known as Industrial Relations. But it was with the nationalisation into the Guyana Sugar Corporation that management introduced a new dimension of communication termed “Worker Participation” – a construct of engagement observed to this day across each operational location. At these recorded encounters departmental representatives of employees (as distinct from Unions) on the one hand, and managers on the other, discuss immediate as well as more substantive issues, in an environment of deliberate cordiality. Indeed there obtains a well articulated constitution approved by GuySuCo’s Board as far back as 1977. It was a fundamental attempt to encourage managers to treat those who worked for them more as equals, thus lessening some of the inherent abrasiveness in relationships. Obviously not all the players observed the rules. It is against the foregoing background that those who would have shared this
experience might look askance at published reports of estate management being taken to task in relation to complaints made by employees – in a bypass of all the long established grievance procedures. Quite worrying from an organisational management perspective, is reported political intervention that asserts the extreme discipline of termination of employment, on a basis that requires more deliberate and proven evidence. It appears to be an impetuous attitude of authority which overlooks the nature of the legal status of employment within a public organisation – just possibly a disincentive to prospective candidates for managerial positions in the sugar industry. The impetuous declaration could serve, in some instances, as an inhibitor to managers’ decision-making, for them to choose to be safe rather than proactive – culminating in a perceptible loss of selfconfidence; and in reflections on whom to trust. A critical factor not to be overlooked is that several managers and managed live in the same community wherein families socialise. The quality of relationships, hopefully not too frequently, can over-flow into work environment. We all have to remember that in the final analysis, however much authority we wield, we are communing with fellow human beings. One hopes therefore that the alleged form of depletion of morale should not be encouraged. For one thing a relative might be involved. How does one revive the industry without reviving trust amongst its human resources? E.B. John
Wednesday October 28, 2020
Electricity supply to national grid DEAR EDITOR, I learn that it will cost the government “$34 million each month” for the supply of electricity to the national grid via the GPL’s DemeraraBerbice Interconnected System (KN October 27). The recipient of that helpful arrangement and payment is Giftland. What follows next is personal. It s good to read of this constructive agreement executed, since it will provide some much needed relief to power-fatigued and blackout stressed Guyanese, especially those on the wellpopulated East Coast corridor. It is good to know that the owner of Giftland is now positioned to receive a monthly payment for this initiative started by him. All around, it is good: good for citizens, good for Mr. Beepat, good for the GPL, good for the reputation of the PPP government as caring for the people, through providing long overdue ease. E d i t o r, w i t h a l l t h a t goodness happening and registering, I must ask this: what about some other people? What about more than a few (I think) people like me, who in some respects are in circumstances not radically different? How about a little goodness extended to the little people like me? Here are the facts. It might have been three, but it is, at least, two years since I had arranged for the installation of solar power at my home. I was one of the early residential participants (guinea pig, or what have you) in this expensive experiment in energy reconfiguration. I should
mention that the acquisition of solar power was not driven by any consideration of what the GPL would or would not do. It featured, but was not the central determinant, which was to obtain payment relief from the pricey monthly bills, and solar power being the way. With that as context, a technical hook-up has been in place with the GPL for over two years now. Through this link, my system is configured to feed automatically to the GPL, Inc. grid any excess power. On cloudy days, the energy from me to the GPL is minimal, contingent upon usage in the home. But on the usual sunlight bright days there is an ongoing transmission from me to the company’s grid. I can read that from a computer programme, which tells the story in real time. During the non-daylight hours, there is a backup system, which is replenished by feeds from the GPL, as needed. But the whole story is this: unless there has been an extended monsoon here (which there has not occurred, thank God), I have been sending kilowatts of energy to the GPL on a daily basis. When netted against whatever energy I may utilize (if any) from the GPL, I am ahead. Or to say it more unambiguously, I am owed. Have been for over two years now. Also, I am aware that there are other little people - some private individuals, like me, as well as companies - that are in the same boat. They give and have given up on getting anything as part of a fair and reasonable return arrangement. I say fair and reasonable,
because these things are up there, literally and pennywise. A little something could go a long way to make things right. I have had several engagements pre and post installation with top people at the GPL and another agency. To be clear, nobody made any promises. The stumbling block is that there is no guiding legislation in place to authorize compensation from the GPL (or from anywhere else in the state) to address and cure these situations. As an aside, I am willing to surmise that since these alternative energy arrangements have proliferated that, in aggregate, this amounts to a decent amount of energy given “freely” to the GPL and, by extension, fellow citizens. I think I prefer involuntary, since these connections have to be done under the watchful eyes of technical experts from the GPL, Inc. On this personal note, I recognize that the little given to the GPL may not mean much in the national scheme, but it does to me, given what was expended, maybe expected. And now that Giftland and Mr. Beepat have come in on the receiving end of government’s favourable consideration, I encourage government to do similarly by expanding the cohort of recipients to include the small people like me and others like me. In view of how the PPP government holds me dear, it may be more inclined to favour delivering such a courtesy to people in the supposedly hated political opposition. Oh well, that is part of the price for being an honest citizen. Sincerely, GHK Lall
In support of Mr. Singh’s appointment as GuySuCo CEO DEAR EDITOR, Reference is made to Dr. A. Rose’s October 25th, 2020, letter in your eminent Kaieteur newspaper, entitled “It appears that GuySuCo is on the mend”, whereby Dr. Rose hi g h l i g h t e d t h e evisceration and administrative nonexistence of the closed sugar estates, before this p r e v a i l i n g D r. A l i ’s Government was sworn in to office. In addition to Dr. Rose’s acute observation, the human capital and financial burden on the some 7,000 dispossessed sugar workers at the micro level, have catapulted to a macro
level conversation where “out of the box” thinking compels a paradigm shift. With his pragmatic “roll up sleeves and get to work” and in alignment with Guyana’s Government’s manifesto and GuySuCo’s committed resuscitation timelines, I chirographate Dr. Rose’s endorsement of Mr. Sasenarine Singh as the optimal GuySuCo’s “Change Agent”. Fit for purpose skill sets and meritocracy are gold standards for process mapping and gap analysis - traits Mr. Singh possess in abundance. Consensus building,
buy in from relevant stakeholders, conflict resolution, risk mitigation are also some attributes already displayed by Mr. Singh in his infant post as GuySuCo’s CEO. With his international work/study matrix, blended with his Guyana experience, Mr. Singh is superlatively positioned to create cohesive and defined administrative structure, accountability and transparency, to benefit the GuySuCo family, and symbiotically, the entire Guyanese nation. Good Luck, Mr. Singh! Respectfully, Jonathan Subrian
Kaieteur News
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Wednesday October 28, 2020
Region Two commences distribution of COVID-19 relief cash grant T h e g o v e r n m e n t ’s COVID-19 relief and support programme, which will see the distribution of $25,000 to each household, has commenced in Region T w o [Pomeroon/Supenaam], as has been confirmed by the
Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Two, Devenand Ramdatt. According to Ramdatt, the distribution process is being coordinated locally by the Region’s accounting team. The REO also pointed out that the local
Neighbourhood Democratic Councils, will also be a part of the process, in an effort to complete the distribution in a timely manner. Ramdatt said that the team will be visiting every household, and will be identified by their badges.
Man shot for asking to turn down music
A
man was on Saturday shot at a shop located at Iyana Backdam, North West District (NWD), Region One, after he asked for the music being played to be turned down. Nursing a gunshot wound to the thigh is Paul Bacchus, age 35, of Moruca. The incident, according to police took place around 18:30hrs. B a c c h u s t o l d investigators that he visited the shop to make a phone call to his relatives and during the call a group of
persons who were also at the shop imbibing were playing loud music which disturbed him. As a result of the disturbance, he asked the persons to lower the volume of the music so that he could continue his call, to which they refused and began verbally abusing him. Bacchus further revealed to the police that he left the shop and went to urinate and whilst doing so he heard a loud explosion which sounded like a gunshot; he attempted to run
but soon realized that he had been shot to his right thigh after which he collapsed and lost consciousness. A short while after regaining his consciousness at a friend’s place, he was informed that a flight was already arranged to take him to the city to seek medical attention. Bacchus is presently at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation under police guard since his story cannot be confirmed or denied. An investigation is ongoing.
As he explained the process, the REO said “We’re trying to ensure that the $25,000 be in an envelope and it will be presented to the head of household. If there are more than one family living under one roof there is a process in which a pink form will have to be filled out… If somebody is not at home, there is a documentation process that allows us to contact the household and follow up.” As he went on to explain the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) role in the process, Ramdatt said, “We will be throughout the region, and of course we
can’t be in every village every day. So in the Good Hope NDC area, we will be starting in Pomona, in the Annandale/Riverstown NDC we will commence from Annandale. In the Anna Regina Town we will commence from Three Friends.” This publication was told that in the riverine Pomeroon area, the team will commence from the Upper Pomeroon area. Kaieteur News understands that distribution in the communities aforementioned commenced on last Monday. As of yesterday, distribution
commenced in New Road, Charity, Plantation Philips to Westbury, Land of Plenty to Bush Lot, Columbia to Affiance, Cullen to Perseverance and Pomona to Huist Dieren. Ramdatt indicated that an itinerary will be published so that residents can be updated as to where and when the distribution will be done. He went on to say, “So we are asking residents to cooperate, so far things are going smoothly, we are well organized and are trying to ensure that the process is one that is accountable and transparent.”
Wednesday October 28, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Long time meh no see yuh! K
aieteur News deserves the Pulitzer Prize for journalism. No other newspaper in the history of the Caribbean has been in the forefront of exposing corruption and malfeasance in public office as this newspaper. And yet what difference has it made? So long as one of the main political parties do not come on board and address the issue, it eventually exhausts itself. This is what both the PPP/C and the APNU+AFC are hoping for in relation to this newspaper’s exposure of the giveaway of the Canje and Kaieteur blocks. They are not interested in demanding answers to the many questions which are swirling in the public domain. They are not interested because the PPP/C arranged the handing out of these two blocks while the APNU+AFC which has established a unit to recover state assets never did anything to recover these blocks in the five years they were in office. And the reason it did not do anything is because it did no better when it came to the agreement relating to the petroleum production licence for ExxonMobil. While on the campaign trail, the PPP/C promised to renegotiate the agreements with ExxonMobil. It spoke about sanctity of contracts but then said it would seek a better deal. The better deal it sought is an utter disgrace.
Bharrat Jagdeo had the temerity to defend that in a virtual press conference. It was pathetic display. When it comes to the oil contracts, the PPP/C and the APNU+AFC are on the same page. They are not interested in renegotiating any proper agreement. They are settling for the crumbs which are being offered by Exxon. It is only mice which devour crumbs. Not men. The private sector is a waste of time. It is not interested in demanding a better deal. It simply wants its share of business something called local content. The local private sector has always been an opportunistic element, interested in being dependent on the droppings which fall from the government or to private negotiate benefits for itself. Since the former founder of the United Force left and went into exile in Barbados, the local private sector has been unable and unwilling to flex its muscles. It is the same thing with civil society. It too lacks an interest unless one of the main political parties become involved and makes it a national issue. If the PPP/C was not protesting the tampered results of the 2020 general and regional elections, there would have been no outcry against what took place. The private sector and civil society would not have had anything to say.
Unless one of the two main parties make a noise out of an issue, the response is generally silence and indifference. This is what is happening in relation to Guyana’s oil wealth. Both the PPP/C and the APNU+AFC are on the same page and therefore the rest of the country are not going to come out and demand that what has gone wrong be fixed. They are not doing that because they are caught up in the vicious political divide. This would not have happened in any other part of the world. Nowhere else would we have a situation in which a government is accused of leaving U$55B at the negotiating table, a sum equivalent to hundreds of billions of dollars at the negotiating table - a sum which works out to G$15M to every single man, woman and child in this country. This is what Guyana threw away during its negotiations. And yet the party which did this got more than 45% of the votes cast at the general elections. Do you know what a difference G$15 per person would have done? Right now persons are scampering for a G$25,000 COVID-19 relief grant. Imagine how happier they would be if a man with a wife and two children would have been able to receive a cheque for G$60M. But the people prefer to stay quiet so as to not offend their political masters. But they will complain
Dem
Bad man frighten vaccine boys seh... Prezzie gat dem boys stumped. He seh something at de opening of de clinical training center dat gat dem boys baffled. He talk how by de next budget dem gan set aside something fuh research and development in the primary health sector. Now dem boys know how it does cost dem pharmaceutical companies billions of US dollars just fuh devlop wan tablet. So dem boys wan know weh Prezzie hoping fuh get de money fuh do research and development. But what is more confusing is when he seh is fuh de primary health system. Dem boys know that research and development is
fuh dem country wah gat plenty money and wah gat special health institutions devoted to mekking tablets and other medicine. Dem boys never hear about research and development at the primary level of the health system. But perhaps dem boys born in the wrong generation. Dem boys read though how Maduro seh how Ve n e z u e l a d e v e l o p a treatment fuh de COVID19. Dem boys know elections around de corner in Venezuela and dem nah sure if this is a vote-catching announcement. But dem boys would be surprise if a country wah struggling fuh distrubite food, gat de resources fuh invent tablet fuh cure de coronavirus. Dem boys reading how
de Venezuelans dem done start trials with de vaccines from Russia and China. Plenty of us does skin up we face when we hear dem country names. But dem boys believe that de Chinese vaccine is safe. A lot of people seh dem nah afraid of de coronavirus. Dat is why dem does be walking around without mask. But despite dem nah afraid of de virus, dem frighten de vaccine. Some of dem done seh dat dem nah tekkin none. Dat is good news fuh dem boys since the less people get the jab, the faster dem boys turn gan reach fuh get immunize. Talk half and find out wah is this research wah gan do in the primary health system.
bitterly about the prices in the market, the drains outside of their homes and their potholed streets without street lights.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do now necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Kaieteur News
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Wednesday October 28, 2020
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
Should David Granger be investigated for corruption?
I
plan to do several articles looking back at the APNU+AFC in government and also the five-month election rigging. I want to look at what role people like Rupert Roopnaraine, Clive Thomas, Maurice Odle and David Hinds played in the political shape of governmental policies. Each has about 50 years of political experience. All belonged to the WPA and grounded intimately with Walter Rodney. When you look at what a poor leader David Granger was in the APNU+AFC regime and the stupendous level of corruption in that regime, then you want to know if these WPA figures didn’t feel disgusted with themselves. Were they mentally comfortable with how corrupt the Granger government had become? This newspaper reported that the deputy head of
NANA was stopped from leaving Guyana because the GRA allegedly claims he owes the agency $33 million in taxes. Let us assume the KN information is correct. Who is Carr? What is NANA? NANA is a body the Granger government birthed to have complete jurisdiction over anti-narcotics operations. It had authority over the police’s anti-narcotics squad and CANU. Carr, according to this newspaper, was its deputy. This mean Carr was a public sector worker. Kaieteur News has reported that Carr has standing in a private security company. Now here is where Granger comes in, and I am not prepared to accept that Granger didn’t know the exotic and excruciating things that were taking place in sensitive and important spheres in his government. Why should Carr not
have a business of his own? There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Several top police officials and GRA personnel have small scale businesses. It is the nature of the business that is important. If a GRA employee is making money on the side selling local cooked food in a street lined with thriving companies, then so be it. His operation is not related to the importation business. He does not sell vehicles and mining parts. Once he does that, GRA will raise its eyes. If Kaieteur News is correct, Carr was part of a company that deals in security provision. Carr at the time was deputy head of a security entity within the state. I have no evidence of Carr doing anything wrong. But there is bound to be a conflict of interest when an anti-drug enforcement officer at a very high level is part of a company that
provides security to top private companies. The implications are obvious. As to the debt of $33 million to the GRA in taxes, I don’t know if that is correct but if it is then there is a compellingly obvious question. Why would Carr be earning so much from his business transactions, yet want to be a public service officer whose pay could not have been more than $300,000 monthly after taxes because the public sector has salary scales? My interest in this story is conflict of interest. In a small population like Guyana’s it didn’t get back to the president that Carr was part of a company offering security services and that GRA wanted $33 million from him? In a small population like Guyana’s, it didn’t reach the president’s ear that a powerfully placed person had his son selling a bureaucratic document which people would pay millions for? Granger didn’t know one of his military soul mates
was nakedly corrupt and that he was becoming enormously rich? Didn’t Granger know that a high official in the PNC party was given the contract to print birth certificates instead of an Frederick Kissoon established company? hierarchy. It turned out Didn’t Granger know of that the new Crime Chief a certain contract that was signed by one of his was being accused of ministers in the oil industry extremely serious things for t h a t w a s h i g h l y which he was made to retire. controversial? But the most Was the president alerted at depraved one is in relation to any time to what that Crime the sale of state lands in Chief was being accused of? Granger as president was which a PNC executive creamed off 220 million given an A grade for Guyana dollars. He must be cleanness in the financial realms of government. But charged. A commission of inquiry since he lost power, shocking into the police force came revelations are swirling Did into being on the order of around Guyana. Granger after the president Granger know about the felt that the police force was $220 million? The question tainted. The circumstances must be asked - was he in fact that led to the inquiry corrupt? (The views expressed in revolved around police i n c o m p e t e n c e o v e r this article are those of the allegations of a plot to kill a u t h o r a n d d o n o t the president. After the necessarily reflect the report, changes were made at opinions of this newspaper.) the top of the policy
Wednesday October 28, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Kaieteur News
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Wednesday October 28, 2020
Man admits to killing teen Opposition Commissioners stall selection of lawyer for for pelting his wife GECOM, Lowenfield
A Venezuelan national has admitted to killing a teen on Sunday evening for allegedly pelting his wife. The teen, Sanjay Hanoman 19, popularly known as Drill, a construction worker of Forth Street Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara (WCD) was slain sometime after 23:30Hrs. According to a police report, the teen was chopped to his left thigh by the Venezuelan man at BusShed Street, Anna Catherina, WCD. Kaieteur News has since been informed that the suspect who was subsequently arrested in the same area has made a written confession to police. The man alleged that Hanoman and his friend, 17, had attacked and pelted his
wife in an earlier incident. This act he reportedly told police provoked him to retaliate in such a manner. Investigators were able to identify him after Hanoman’s friend reportedly witnessed the ‘chopping’ incident. The friend claimed that he was passing by when he saw the suspect “rubbing” his cutlass against Hanoman’s left leg. He continued that Hanoman immediately fell to the ground and the suspect rode away on a bicycle. The friend rushed to the teen’s assistance and saw him bleeding away on the ground. He told investigators that he tried to get help but no one wanted to assist him in transporting a wounded man to the
Dead: Sanjay Hanoman aka Drill (photo credits in the room 592)
hospital.However, after w a i t i n g f o r a n h o u r, Hanoman was finally taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead. Ranks acting information received about the suspect’s whereabouts turned up at his home and arrested him.
Commissioners representing the A Partnership National Unity + Alliance For Change are yet to nominate an attorneyat-law to represent the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield in the election petition case. During last week’s statutory meeting, GECOM had voted and passed a motion for Lowenfield to be assigned a lawyer handpicked by the Commission. The Opposition Commissioners had requested time to select their pick and at the next statutory meeting (yesterday), a final decision would be made. However, that process has been stalled, as the Opposition Commissioner Vincent Alexander indicated to Kaieteur News that he and t h e o t h e r t w o Commissioners on his side are still in the process of selecting a counsel. Government Commissioner Manoj Narayan indicated to Kaieteur News yesterday that on this coming Friday, the decision on who represents GECOM and Lowenfield will be finalized. Commissioner
Narayan reminded this publication of his nomination, Dominican Senior Counsel Anthony Astaphan, one of the leading lawyers in the region in election and constitutional matters. Notably, the motion for the Commission to select Lowenfield’s lawyer did not sit well with executive member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Aubrey Norton, who is of the view that Lowenfield should be allowed to choose his own attorney.Norton, at a recent media engagement, said that the motion was made in “total contravention of the law.”“That is like charging Caesar to be tried by Caesar,” Norton told the press, adding that, “If they are allowed to give the CEO one of those PPP attorneys, then they will do everything to ensure that the petition fails. We believe that the CEO must have his own attorney and this thing should go by law.” Chief Justice (Ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire is expected to conduct a full trial of the two election petitions filed by the main opposition, APNU+AFC; however, this is expected after she hears arguments on
Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield preliminary issues raised in the matter on November 24, 2020.Commissioner Narayan shared a different view, as he cited Section (4) (2) of the National A s s e m b l y Va l i d i t y o f Elections Act which deals with elections petitions. That provision specifically states “…if the petition complains of any act or omission on the part of the Commission, or any member thereof, as is mentioned on Article 162 (1)(b) of the Constitution, the Chief Elections Officer shall, for the purposes of this Act be deemed to be a respondent.”In essence, the Commissioner’s contention is that since Lowenfield is representing GECOM’s interest in the petition, it is only fair that the entire Commission has a hand in the legal counsel meant to represent them.
Wednesday October 28, 2020
Kaieteur News
Farmer committed to stand trial for killing handyman
Ovid Chester moments after he collapsed at the market. A farmer was on Monday committed to stand trial in the High Court for the murder of a handyman that was killed last month allegedly over the sale of a construction net. The accused, 51-yearold Richard Martin, of Block 22 Wismar, Linden, Region Ten, was on trial in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan. On Monday the Chief Magistrate ruled that there is sufficient evidence against Martin for him to stand trial in the High Court for the murder of Ovid Chester, 52, called “Bruckie,” a handyman formerly of Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara. The accused is expected to go on trial on the next practicable sitting of the Demerara Assizes. On Martin’s first court appearance, he was not
required to plead to the charge which alleged that on September 2, 2020, at Bourda Market, Georgetown, he murdered Chester. According to a police report, Chester was allegedly killed around 10:00hrs on the day in question during an argument with Martin over money for a construction net that the accused had given to the deceased to sell. Martin had reportedly brought a construction net to the market that he intended to sell. While looking for a buyer, he was approached by the deceased who offered to sell the net for him. The farmer agreed and handed over the item to Chester, who immediately left to source a buyer. Investigators were told that the farmer waited a while for Chester to return but he never did.
Eventually the farmer left but returned the following day in search of Chester and found him in a track leading towards North Road, Bourda. There, he confronted Chester and asked for the money from the sale of the net. However, Chester failed to produce the net or the cash which resulted in a heated argument between the two. According to reports, the enraged farmer pulled a knife from his waist and stabbed Chester to the region of his heart. Chester ran but collapsed and died a short distance away. Ve n d o r s a n d eyewitnesses alerted police and an Anti-Crime Patrol Unit that was in the vicinity moved swiftly and caught Martin before he escaped. He was allegedly nabbed with the murder weapon in his hand.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 28, 2020
Another two deaths takes COVID -19 fatalities to 121 - 35 new cases recorded Another two deaths reported yesterday have moved Guyana’s COVID-19 death toll to 121. The latest fatalities recorded are of an 81-year-old female and an 82-year-old male from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) who died while receiving care at a medical facility, according to a release from the Ministry of Health (MOH). In its updated dashboard released yesterday, the MOH also recorded 35 COVID-19 new cases bringing the total confirmed cases to 4,061. According to the
Ministry, of the new cases, Region Four recorded 14 new cases, Region One has 13 new cases, and Region Three has six new cases while Regions Two and Six each have one new case. Further, the information outlined that there are nine patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit, 88 in institutional isolation and 814 in home isolation; 33 persons are in institutional quarantine. However to date 3, 030 persons have recovered from the disease.
Wednesday October 28, 2020
Kaieteur News
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Juvenile arrested for La Grange businesswoman’s murder A juvenile has been arrested as probe continues into the murder of Bibi Ramjit, 86, the business woman who was on Sunday strangled to death at her home in La Grange, West Bank Demerara (WBD). Ramjit was discovered by a farmer lying on her bed with her hands and feet tied. The man had told the police that he had last seen the woman alive when he visited her grocery shop located on the bottom flat of her residence at around 15:00Hrs that afternoon. He later returned at 17:00hrs to pay off for some eddoes he had purchased earlier and found her dead. Cops who visited the scene believed that Ramjit was killed during the course of a
robbery. They were led to believe this theory since Ramjit’s home was notably ransacked. Kaieteur News was also informed by a senior police source that detectives were following a lead based on video footage obtained. Investigators also spoke of a strange car seen close to the woman’s premises during the time they believed she might have been murdered. Ramjit had confided in her children of her thoughts to close up her business since she was robbed earlier this year by two female customers who had visited her shop. One of them had distracted her while the other entered her living quarters and stole cash.
Man chopped to death by relative A man, Kamal Wilson, 35 was on Monday ambushed and chopped to death by his own relative at Kwebana Village, North West District (NWD), Region One. The incident occurred at around 19:30Hrs. It is unclear as to why the suspect would want to murder Wilson, since the two reportedly never had any grievances prior to the incident. According to a police report, Wilson was at the time checking his generator at the back of his yard when he was approached by the suspect. Wilson’s father told investigators that the suspect walked up to his son with a cutlass without any explanation and began chopping him repeatedly to his head, neck and shoulder. Wilson, he recounted to police, started to scream for help and managed to run into his house shutting the door behind him, while the suspect escaped. The man claimed that he rushed over to his son’s house to assist him and found him lying on the kitchen floor in a pool of blood. He immediately reported the matter to police and took his son to the Kumaka District Hospital. He passed away while receiving treatment. The suspect was later arrested and taken into police custody.
Almost all of Ramjit’s relatives and all her children had migrated to the United States (US) and Canada, but she had chosen to continue living in Guyana because of the love for her country and her business. She was living with a caregiver for some
time until she was forced to remain by herself for nearly two years. Kaieteur News had reported that the caregiver had become annoyed and walked out on Ramjit, after she was confronted for her “bad behaviour”.
MURDERED: Bibi Ramjit
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Kaieteur News
The renovated terminal building that Guyana got as part of the US$150M-plus project at CJIA. It was supposed to be new. (Mike Charles’ Facebook Photo)
Wednesday October 28, 2020
CJIA expansion was 97% completed in 2019, says Chinese contractor - Edghill wants completed project done as per original design C h i n e s e c o n t r a c t o r, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) yesterday revealed that the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Expansion Project was 97% completed back in 2019 – in direct response to criticisms that they failed to submit the revised work plan as demanded by Public Wo r k s M i n i s t e r, J u a n Edghill. The company was given the deadline back in August, after President Ali paid a visit to the country’s main port to examine the scope of works done. But months after, the contractor has still not submitted the work plan. That revised work plan is expected to capture the agreed upon terms in the initial contract signed by the contractor and the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), which was also in government back in 2011. It is also expected to outline how the long list of defects at the country’s main port of entry will be fixed and a revised deadline. In a detailed statement yesterday, seeking to provide clarity on the project, the contractor noted that the contract was signed with the then PPP/C government on November 11, 2011 with a price tag of US$138 million. The project, it said, had a specific scope of works to be included in the price and officially began on January 16, 2013. CHEC explained that the contract established that the contractor’s submission of the price carried conditions – “it excluded the Handling Equipment and the Removal of the existing Terminal, among other things, and specifically established the Employer’s responsibility to supply the equipment for
Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill eight bridges and other handling equipment.” The company explained that geotechnical investigations of the locations revealed “unforeseen conditions” compared to the data that was originally provided. After discussions, it added, both parties agreed that the original plan could not be implemented and alternatives options were provided. “In 2013,” CHEC said “the Contractor provided several options, each of which included an increase in the sizes of the apron and taxiway areas with the relevant cost due to the variation to the Employer and in January 2015, the Employer informed the Contractor that it had chosen one of the alternative proposals submitted.” It was noted in the statement that during the period January 2013 to May 2015, budget allocations for the project was not approved by Parliament and this hampered works from being executed as planned. Works were restarted in May 2015 but were brought Continued on page 24
Wednesday October 28, 2020
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Motorbike bandits rob K/News crime reporter at knife point
Kaieteur News’ lead crime reporter was on Sunday robbed at knife point after he came under attack from motorbike bandits on Lombard Street, Georgetown. The incident took place at around 05:30Hrs while the victim, Shervin Belgrave was walking along the pavement on the eastern side of the street, heading to the Stabroek bus-park. According to Belgrave,
the men rode up beside him on a blue and white motorcycle just meters away from Mohamed’s Enterprise. The pillion rider whom he described as a medium built male of African-descent hopped off and ran up to him. The man who was dressed in a white jersey and a three quarter-khaki pants then pulled out knife and pushed Belgrave against the wall of one of the buildings along the
Guy-American Chamber to discuss strategies for imports into the US The US headquartered Guyanese American Chamber of Commerce, Inc (GACC) in a release stated that it plans to discuss strategies for exporting goods and services from Guyana to the United States (US). The GACC is slated to host a virtual conference and w e b i n a r o n T h u r s d a y, October 29TH from 9am to 12 noon, this event is intended to bring Guyanese entrepreneurs up to date with the requirements, procedures and standards required for legal entry into the US of a range of products and services. The conference would bring together key government and private sector officials from both the US and Guyana who will address issues including agreements under which Guyanese products could enter the US duty free and those products that enjoy quota allocations; phytosanitary and other requirements such as packaging and labeling; guidelines for guarding against contamination of shipments with illegal substances; strategies for identifying markets including buyers and distributors for various products and services including those of the creative industries; and ways to structure legal arrangements and agreements to ensure exporters are fully paid for their products and that mechanisms are in place to confirm reports of post shipment losses. The webinar would declare open by Ms. Nan Fife, Director of the Office for the Caribbean at the US Department of State and representatives of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
and US Customs and Border Protection are scheduled to make presentations during the event. GACC added that one of the key presenters at this event is Ms. Catherine Fulton, Senior Director, Trade Policy and Geographic within the USDA who will explain the requirements for the import of agricultural produce into the US. According to the release, Dr. Barton Clarke, Director of the Caribbean Agriculture and Development Institute (CARDI); Paola Isaac, Economic Development Specialist, International Trade, Broward County Florida Office of Economic and amp; Small Business D e v e l o p m e n t ; Vi s h n u Mahadeo of the Richmond Hill, Queens, New York Economic Development Council (EDC) and trade attorney Rishma Sooknandan-Eckert are also scheduled to make presentations. The Guy-American Chamber revealed that Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd have been invited to deliver opening remarks while presentations by Ramesh Dookhoo, Secretary of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) and Bryan Clarke of the Main Street Artists Group have been confirmed. This event is part of the ongoing effort of the GACC to promote trade and investment between Guyana and the US and is a follow up to participation last October, of more than 20 small and medium sized entrepreneurs from Guyana free of cost, facilitated by the GACC, in the annual Florida International Trade Conference and Expo (FITCE 2019). Notably, due to the corona virus pandemic there is no FITCE this year.
pavement. The bandit demanded that he hand over all his valuables. At first he resisted but then the bandit pressed the knife against his abdomen and forcefully relieved him of his gold ring. Belgrave continued that the bandit then attempted to grab a black one strap bag that he was carrying across his shoulder. Belgrave said that he bargained with the man to allow him to take out his personal documents. Nevertheless, the man pressed the knife again and snatched the bag off
his shoulders which contained one I-phone cell phone valued at $110,000. The bag, Belgrave said, also contained his notebook and a wallet containing $1500 in cash along with his Identification Card (ID), NIS card and other personal documents. The bandit then jumped on the motorcycle and sped away with his accomplice towards the northern direction before turning onto Hadfield Street, making good their escape. The matter was later reported to the Brickdam Police Station.
Pic showing the exact area where Belgrave was attacked by the bandits.
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Third suspect wanted for Albouystowan teen murder still on the run Two weeks after a 16-yearold Albouystown resident was allegedly brutally beaten and stabbed by three other teenagers, two of the murder suspects have since been remanded to prison while the police are still to apprehend the third suspect. The teen, Jumal Park called ‘Cherio’ of Nonpareil Street, Albouystown was killed just after 10:00hrs on October 13, 2020, at Front Road, West Ruimveldt. On October 16, 2020, Mekonnen Deflorimonte, 20, also known as ‘Meko’ of La Penitence, Georgetown and Rayon James, 18, called ‘Ray Ray’ of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Senior Magistrate Clive Nurse where the capital offence of murder was read to them. They were not required to plead to the charge which alleged that they killed Park and they both were remanded to prison until November 18, 2020. According to reports, on the day in question Park was washing a car at a wash bay where he worked, when the three suspects attacked him. They were reportedly armed with pieces of wood and a knife when they approached the victim and called him out
to fight. Upon seeing the trio, Park turned and ran into a nearby yard but the suspects caught him. One of the suspects then allegedly stabbed Park twice; once to his chest and his arm, while the other suspects dealt him multiple blows with the wood about his body. A c c o r d i n g t o investigators, Park somehow managed to free himself from the boys’ grip and ran into a man’s house located in the same yard. The man was startled by the commotion and rushed out from one of his rooms to investigate and saw Park lying on his kitchen floor bleeding. His attackers attempted to enter the man’s house as well to continue their brutal assault. However, the man fought them off and in the process received a stab to one of his wrist. The suspects then fled and the man picked up Park and rushed him to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival. It was observed by medical personnel that Park received a stab wound to the left side of his chest in the region of his heart and another to his upper r i g h t a r m . The third suspect is still at large.
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VACANCY Experienced washplant technicians with experience working with non-chemical washplants.Apply to Aulicio Mining Inc. careers@auliciomining.com
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Wednesday October 28, 2020
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PNCR Executive James Bond received US$1M for...
Screenshots of the bank statements detailing the transfer transaction to James Bond From page 3 lists in the “Originator to Beneficiary Info” as “PURCHASE OF 10 ACRES OF LEASED LAND IN GUYANA.” ARKEN Group Inc. Documents seen by Kaieteur News revealed that approximately 20 acres of land situated at Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara was leased by NICIL to registered company ARKEN Group Inc.
NICIL, per the lease agreement presented ARKEN with four plots – ‘A1’, ‘A2’, ‘A3’ and ‘A4’ being a portion of 5.8 acres, along with three 5.0 acres plots of land at Plantation Peter’s Hall. The company list Jermaine Richmond as the principal and Managing Director with the address listed as 34 Third Street, Alberttown, Georgetown. Kaieteur News understands
that Richmond is or was at some point employed by James Bond. The 20-year lease agreement signed on May 9, 2019 – less than six months before part of the land, A3 and A4 was sold to GLASS – stipulated that ARKEN pay a lease fee of US$16,224 plus annually with no restrictions given – which meant that the company could sell or rent the lands to third parties as it
KN publisher writes to Ramotar... From page 2 publisher said that several questions arise. Among them, Lall asks Ramotar to provide confirmation that he regarded the petroleum agreements as being in the best interests of Guyana; a statement of his
reasons for signing the petroleum agreements; the facts that he relied on in support of your reasons; the evidence for the facts that he relied on; and the advice that he received from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission. Further in his letter which was
dispatched via registered mail, the publisher asks the former president to confirm who drafted the agreement that he signed. In the meantime, Kaieteur News continues to highlight aspects of the suspicious giveaway of the Kaieteur and Canje blocks by the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/ C)’s Donald Ramotar administration. Among other things, the newspaper in its “Fleecing of Guyana Series,” pointed to several red flags about the situation; issues which were first highlighted by interna-
tional watchdog body, Global Witness (GW). In its reports, GW noted that not only were the valuable oil blocks handed to inexperienced companies but portions of the Canje and Kaieteur blocks were carted off and sold to oil giant Exxon Mobil and another company, JHI Associates. In addition, the players involved in the transaction have not been forthcoming with information on the deal. They are yet to disclose information on who really owns two of Guyana’s most valuable oil resources.
pleased. Kaieteur News has seen the agreement of sale between ARKEN and GLASS which lists the purchase price of the land at GYD$200,000 million. As per the agreement of sale between ARKEN and
GLASS, the sum of $40 million, equivalent to the US $195,000 paid by Lennox Petroleum to Bond, would be paid to the Vendor upon signing the agreement while the balance of $160 million, equivalent to the second pay-
ment, would be paid six weeks after. It should be noted that the Vendor is listed as Jermaine Richmond and not James Bond. Kaieteur News attempted to make contact with James Bond but efforts proved futile.
CJIA expansion was 97% completed in ... From page 18 to a halt after the incoming Coalition government requested a review and demanded that the company suspend construction during this period. At the end of the review, the Coalition, CHEC explained, agreed to revised terms taking into consideration the budget, changes and claims to the project prior to 2015. This also included an adjustment to the scope of works to adapt to the total contract value and a variation of the Contract Agreement was signed in October 2015. According to CHEC, “The revised scope of work replaced the new terminal building, parking aprons, and eight boarding bridges – to be supplied by the Government of Guyana – with a renovation of and new construction area in the existing terminal building, parking aprons and four boarding bridges, two of which were to be supplied by the Contractor and the two by the Employer.” It noted too that the 2015 General and Regional Elections and contract variations
that arose after forced China’s Exim Bank to stop disbursements of the loan and “from January 2013 to the early months of 2016, CHEC funded the execution and construction of the Project from its financial resources.” Further, in January 2016, the preliminary plan for redesigning the terminal building was agreed upon. The renovation of the original building and the construction of the new terminal building began. But despite these hiccups, by the end of 2019, the Project was 97 % completed, CHEC said. Another bump in the road, being the 2020 General and Regional Elections coupled with the COVID-19 “forced CHEC to significantly reduce its workforce, which again affected the Project’s completion.” CHEC noted too that it has paid careful attention to the statements made by President Ali and the Public Works Minister and since provided comprehensive updates on the Project, including a revised schedule of works and other outstanding matters as per the present existing con-
tract. “CHEC wishes to take the opportunity to clarify that its commitments to the Employer are to comply with the request under the current contract signed between the parties. Presently, CHEC is engaged in discussions with the Employer and is fully cooperating with the government to seek the delivery of the Project according to its contractual obligations,” it added. Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill in a statement shortly after, welcoming the public position made by the company. Minister Edghill however, made it clear that the project must be completed as per the original design. “I look forward to the delivery of the original contract that envisages the 17,000 square metres of new facilities (terminal buildings), an extended runway, taxiways, and aprons with capacity for eight standing aircraft and facilities for eight airbridges,” the Public Works Minister said, adding that the government is looking forward to a “functional modern airport.”
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Motion to override Local Govt. Commission’s decision “illegal and improper”- Chase-Green
F
ormer Mayor and current councillor Patricia ChaseGreen has outlined her disapproval at a motion placed before Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) to hire staffers despite a rejection by the Local Government Commission (LGC), referring to the motion as “illegal and improper.” The motion was raised by Chase-Green’s fellow A Partnership for National U n i t y ( A P N U ) representative, Heston Bostwick, at a statutory meeting held at City Hall on Monday, where members of the Council sought to vote to hire a new Town Clerk and several other administrative staffers despite the nonapproval of the now dissolved LGC. During the meeting, Bostwick’s move to override
the LGC‘s decision did not sit well with several councillors including ChaseGreen and PPP’s Dimitri Ali and Dwayne Adams. The motion was met with accusations of dictatorship leveled against those in agreement with the motion. In a detailed letter to the editor sent yesterday ChaseGreen accused Bostwick of flouting the laws that govern the city. According to her, he had moved a motion to encourage councillors to go ahead with the appointment, without the required approval of the LGC, the statutory body responsible for such appointments. “The motion,” ChaseGreen said “was improperly before the House.” Further, citing the law which governs the affairs of the municipality, Chase-
Green explained that the Municipal and District Councils Act, Chapter 28:01 which states “that except as hereinafter provided, a member wishing to move a motion or to ask a question shall give notice in writing to the Town Clerk but a motion shall not become a subject of discussion and a question shall not be answered until the next ordinary meeting.” She stressed too that the notice, must be delivered to the Town Clerk “at least ninety-six hours before the meeting at which it is intended to be brought forward.” In addition, the former Mayor listed the various types of motions which can be accommodated without notice. Among them, she listed “A motion by way of amendment to any motion being debated in the Council[;]… a motion for
the adjournment of the Council or of the debate[;]… a motion of confirmation or amendment of the minutes of the Council[;]… a motion that the Council resolves itself into a committee of the whole council[;]… a motion made when Council is in committee[;]… a motion for suspension of a member and [;]… a motion that the question be now put.” To this end, Chase-Green said that that the Act does not allow any other motion outside of those stated to be moved by a member on the floor. “Even if the motion had met the stipulated time prescribed by the Act for ninety-six hours it would be improper because it sought to clothe the council with powers and authority it does not have; it is ultra vires,” asserted Chase-Green. Further in her letter, the
former Mayor outlined that the Local Government Commission has powers to subject every node of the recruitment cycle to its approval or disapproval. “It is responsible for discipline, rewards, transfers and promotion of the Local Government Officers, the entire local government system,” Chase-Green said. As such, she emphasized that it is her considered view “that any motion to disregard the authority of the commission particularly, in extant circumstances, would be not only wrong and irresponsible but also illegal.” The former Mayor said that last Monday’s motion sought to embroil officers of the council in illegality. “If the elective [sic] council; (Mayor And Councillors) does not have the authority to make such
Former Mayor, Patricia Chase-Green substantive appointment without the fiat of the Commission. How then can it instruct the Town Clerk ( A G ) an d th e H u man Resource Manger to write and issue appointment letter? By what authority are the officers to carry out such instructions?” Chase-Green asks in her letter.
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Vuelta a Espana: Michael Woods wins stage ...FIFA president Gianni seven as Richard Carapaz retains lead Infantino tests positive BBCsport - Michael Woods claimed victory from the breakaway on stage seven of the Vuelta a Espana as Richard Carapaz retained the overall lead. EF Pro Cycling’s Woods distanced a lead group of four other riders with 1km remaining to finish four seconds ahead of Omar Fraile and Alejandro Valverde. Ineos Grenadiers’ Carapaz finished in the peloton, 56 seconds behind, on the 160km stage from VitoriaGasteiz to Villanueva de Valdegovia. Britain’s Hugh Carthy remains second. Woods’ 26-year-old teammate Carthy is 18 seconds behind Carapaz, with Ireland’s Daniel Martin two seconds further back. The riders twice ascended
the 7.8km-long category one Puerto de Orduna climb - after 59km and again at 132km. Valverde, at three minutes back in the general classification, was the best placed overall in an initial 36strong breakaway, with Guillaume Martin and Nans Peters also joining a lively five-man race at the front in the closing stages. Canadian Woods attacked on the final ascent of the Orduna and, after being caught by his pursuers, made his decisive move. Ineos and two-time Vuelta winner Chris Froome led the peloton chase on behalf of leader Carapaz to limit the overall gains of Valverde, who climbed to ninth in the general classification.
Michael Woods-AFP Ecuadorian Carapaz, 27, spent his first day in the red jersey after claiming the overall lead from defending champion Primoz Roglic on Sunday. Jumbo-Visma’s Roglic, who won the opening stage and led for the following four stages, remains 30 seconds back in fourth. There were no new
Wednesday October 21, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) A phone conversation with someone who lives far away might have you feeling a bit sad, reflecting on how much you miss that person. TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Today you might be in a reflective and meditative mood. You may think about mundane matters, such as how to increase your income, or more complex issues, such as the purpose of life. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Obligations to friends and groups could interfere with time that you want to spend with your partner. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You might wake up this morning and decide your home is a total wreck. The desire to spend the day cleaning and sprucing up your house might prove almost obsessive.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Today you might perform some service to people who live in your neighborhood. Perhaps you will chauffeur people around to do their shopping. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Meticulous and sincere effort on your part may have led to a recent increase in income. Today you might be thinking of reworking your budget. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) A sense of duty toward family members, children, and your sweetheart may cause you to take on responsibilities today that you wouldn't normally assume. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Emotions stemming from past experiences might cause you to assume undue responsibilities, particularly concerning family members.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Extra time and attention that you have been devoting to your career should pay off about now. You've worked hard to be where you are, and you aren't through climbing the ladder of success just yet.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Relatives or neighbors may come to you today asking for favors. Some may know exactly what buttons to push in order to get you to do what they want. Don't be sucked into guilt or other negative emotions.
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Extra time and attention that you have been devoting to your career should pay off about now. You've worked hard to be where you are, and you aren't through climbing the ladder of success just yet.
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) A temporary lack of belief in your abilities might have you hesitating to start a project or take on a task that you'd normally snap up. This could involve something you've wanted to try or helping someone else.
positive tests for Covid-19 recorded on the race’s first rest day on Monday. Stage eight of the shortened 18stage race on Wednesday is a 164km ride from Logrono to a summit finish on Alto de Moncalvillo. Stage seven result: 1. Michael Woods (Can/EF Pro Cycling) 3hrs 48mins 16secs 2. Omar Fraile (Spa/Astana) +4secs 3. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) 4. Nans Peters (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) +8secs 5. Guillaume Martin (Fra/ Cofidis). General classification: 1. Richard Carapaz (Ecu/Ineos Grenadiers) 24hrs 34mins 39secs 2. Hugh Carthy (GB/ EF Pro Cycling) +18secs 3. Dan Martin (Ire/Israel StartUp Nation) +20secs 4. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Jumbo-Visma) +30secs 5. Enric Mas (Spa/ Movistar)+1min07secs.
From page 26 on Monday. A total of nine players were missing from the training session, including star names Ciro Immobile and Luis Alberto. Andreas Pereira, Lucas Leiva, Manuel Lazzari, Danilo Cataldi, Luiz Felipe, Thomas Strakosha and Nicolo Armini were also missing from training. The reasons for their absence from training has yet to be officially explained by the Serie A outfit but there are big concerns there has been a Covid outbreak. Likewise, this week Juventus and Cristiano Ronaldo have been waiting anxiously to learn whether he is able to face Barcelona and his ageold rival Lionel Messi. Ronaldo has been self-
isolating at home since he tested positive for coronavirus while away on international duty with Portugal on October 13. The 35-year-old recorded another positive result last Thursday, throwing into doubt his participation in Juventus’ Champions League clash with Barcelona this week. However Ronaldo is set to find out if his late bid to return in time for Wednesday’s tie has been successful with his latest Covid-19 test result due later. A negative result would mean his quarantine period is over and as long as the result has come back within 24 hours of the kick-off, so 8pm on Tuesday night, he will be able to play.
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Saha and Warner thump Capitals and keep Sunrisers’ season alive ESPNcricinfo - The Sunrisers Hyderabad came into this game having to win everything to stand even the slimmest chance of qualifying for the playoffs. One wrong move could have ended their entire campaign right here, right now. That is a lot of pressure. And yet, they reveled in it. David Warner batted like he used to. Hard hands hitting through the line and eyes only for the boundary. He made 66 off 34 balls. Wriddhiman Saha provided another example of why he shouldn’t be underestimated as a batsman in T20 cricket. He made 87 off 45 balls. On the back of those two knocks, the Sunrisers put up 219 for 2 and smothered the Delhi Capitals with scoreboard pressure. The Sunrisers are now sixth on the points table with 10 points, just two behind the Kings XI Punjab and the
David Warner bumps fists with Wriddhiman Saha after the latter’s innings ended just short of a century ©BCCI Kolkata Knight Riders. Warner, Saha, Bang, Bang - Eleven fours. Two sixes. And 77 runs in the
powerplay. Even as the world was debating why the Sunrisers had dropped Jonny Bairstow, their new set of
openers were tearing it up out in the middle. Saha bosses the first six overs in the IPL. And he did it again. He faced only 10 balls in that period, but sent four of those to the boundary. He matched Warner shot for shot in an opening partnership of 107 in 58 balls. The Capitals did try to one-up their tormentors. R Ashwin, for example, concentrated on denying Warner any room outside off stump. After trying to
manufacture some, the lefthand batsman decided to simply stand still and whack that ball angled into his pads over deep square leg for six. Anrich Nortje, the fastest bowler of the tournament, dropped his pace and attempted to hide the ball from Warner. And this was as early as the fourth over. But it didn’t work. The Sunrisers captain practically skipped across his stumps and cut the ball for four with such class that for a moment a cricket match felt like a Broadway musical. Sunrisers keep the party going - On the back of such a dominant start, and with one of those openers batting deep into the innings, the Sunrisers reached incredible heights. Only once in their history have they ever put up a bigger total than the 219 they racked up in Dubai. The biggest contributor to that total was Saha, who was hitting a boundary every 3.2 balls. He didn’t slow down even after the field restrictions were lifted. Heck, He wouldn’t even let a bout of cramps come in the way of his helping his team win. Saha felt that twinge in his groin fairly early during his partnership with Manish Pandey. And yet, he found the strength to hit 47 of the
63 runs that the Sunrisers made in that time - at a strike rate of 223. Pandey managed just 11 off seven in that stand, but he finished with 44 off 31, to cap off a near-perfect batting effort. There were only three boundary-less overs in the entire innings. Rashid all the way - He’s dangerous even without scoreboard pressure, but with it behind him, he is unplayable. In a chase that required the batsmen to go at nearly 12 an over, Rashid Khan’s figures were incredible. Four overs. Seven runs (!) and three wickets. The Capitals had frontloaded their batting. They had Shikhar Dhawan, who has hit four successive 50plus scores this season, including back-to-back hundreds. Sandeep Sharma sent him back for a duck. They promoted Marcus Stoinis at No. 3 and Shimron Hetmyer at No. 4. Spin consumed them. When Rashid took his third wicket, the Capitals were 83 for 6 in the 13th over. The slide from there was slow but completely inevitable. Sunrisers Hyderabad 219 for 2 (Saha 87, Warner 66) beat Delhi Capitals 131 (Pant 36, Rashid 3-7) by 88 runs.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino tests positive for coronavirus and has entered isolation after showing ‘mild symptoms’ MailOnline - FIFA President Gianni Infantino has tested positive for coronavirus. The 50-yearold has been confirmed to have contracted the virus and is now entering a period of self-isolation. Infantino is said to have shown just ‘mild symptoms’ of Covid-19, and all those who have come into contact with him in previous days are said to have been informed. FIFA issued a media statement on Tuesday, in which it was outlined that Infantino will remain in complete isolation for ‘at least ten days.’ The statement read: ‘FIFA President Gianni Infantino has received confirmation today that he has tested positive for coronavirus. ‘The FIFA president, who has reported mild symptoms, has immediately placed himself in self-isolation and will remain in quarantine for at least ten days. ‘All people who came into contact with the FIFA president during the last few
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has tested positive for coronavirus and is now isolating days have been informed accordingly and they are being requested to take the necessary steps. ‘FIFA sincerely wishes president Infantino a speedy recovery.’ The pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the football landscape, after it was revealed this week that Italian giants Lazio have had their Champions League preparations thrown into chaos amid fears of an outbreak in the squad.
The Serie A outfit take on Club Brugge away on Wednesday night in Europe’s elite competition, but according to Tuttomercatoweb, Simone Inzaghi was left with a depleted squad on Tuesday. Only 12 players trained on the eve of the Champions League encounter - leading to fears that coronavirus has ravaged Lazio’s squad following tests carried out (Continued on page 25)
Wednesday October 28, 2020
Christian Coleman banned for two years for missing drugs test
Coleman claimed anti-doping officials had not followed procedure when he missed them after going Christmas shopping last December (AFP via Getty Images) BBCsport - World 100m champion Christian Coleman has been banned for two years after missing three drugs tests. The 24-year-old American, who is suspended from 14 May 2020, will miss the postponed Tokyo Olympics next year. Coleman won 100m gold at the World Championships in Doha in 2019. The indoor 60m world record holder has 30 days to file an appeal against the Athletics Integrity Unit’s (AIU) decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas). Two-time world champion Coleman, who also won 4x100m relay gold in Doha, was provisionally suspended in June after missing a third test in December 2019. Three whereabouts failures in a 12month period can result in a ban of up to two years. Coleman did not contest his first missed test on 16 January 2019 but disputed his filing failure on 26 April 2019 and whereabouts failure on 9 December. The investigation into his rule violations said there was no suggestion he had ever taken a banned substance. However, Coleman’s attitude towards his antidoping obligations was described as “entirely careless, perhaps even reckless” by the AIU. According to the AIU’s outof-competition testing guidelines, athletes are accountable for missed tests if they are not at their specified location for the onehour period they have stated.
The tester must wait for the full 60 minutes before leaving. Coleman said he was Christmas shopping “five minutes away” from home, and that the tester made no effort to contact him during his third whereabouts failure. He also said on social media that he would be “willing to take a drug test every single day for the rest of my career” to prove his innocence. Doping control officers said they waited outside for a full hour, ringing and knocking every 10 minutes. The AIU said shopping receipts belonging to Coleman suggested he was “obviously” not at his home for the entirety of the onehour period. Coleman said he returned home before the one-hour period ended at 8:15pm because he “recalled watching the kick-off of the Monday night football game”. However, the AIU said receipts showed Coleman purchased items at 7:53pm and 8:22pm and that it was “simply impossible” for him to have returned home in between, while the officers took a photo of his residence at 8:21pm to show it was empty before leaving. The US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) initially charged Coleman with missing three drugs tests in 12 months, before his world 100m victory in September 2019. It withdrew the case after it was proved there had been a filing irregularity regarding the date of the first missed test.
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Olympic hopeful Leon Seaton gets FINA Scholarship - Relishes opportunity to train with World Class Athletes in Florida Olympic hopeful 16-yearold National Swimmer Leon Seaton has received a sevenmonth FINA Scholarship to train in Florida, USA for the 2021 Olympics. The Silver Shark Aquatic Swim Club
(SSASC) member is expected to depart for North America on Saturday. Young Seaton and Andrew Fowler have the fastest times locally but with this Scholarship, Seaton is
expected to move closer to his Olympic dream since the Covid-19 Pandemic means that Fowler will have limited opportunities to train to his full potential due to the closer of all sports facilities in
Guyana. Both Seaton and Fowler are the two top Guyanese Olympic contenders in the 50mters Freestyle races. Seaton’s best times in the 50meters Long Course is 25.15
while in the 50-meter Short Course his best time is 24.98. An elated Seaton, a fifth former at the St Roses High school, explained who he knew he was awarded a Scholarship. “The secretary of GASA received an email from FINA and forwarded it to my club’s email address. The Secretary of my club informed me of the letter and all the details of the Scholarship” informed Seaton. The teenager who resides in South Ruimveldt explained how he felt when he got the good news. “At first when I received the good news I was shocked and emotional because I was not expecting of something of such a great reward in such difficult times. I was also elated to finally have the opportunity of making my Olympic dream, a real time experience” said the talented youngster. “The Scholarship was granted for seven months to facilitate training for the 2021
Summer Olympics Games…. but it can be extended for a much longer period once Athlete shows great potential and produce great results, which I am aiming to achieve” Seaton continued. Since this is a swimming Scholarship and Academics is not being offered, the Guyanese is expected to train at a high level FINA Training in Davie, Florida. “Presently I have not yet qualified for the Olympics but with the help of this Scholarship I am hoping that I can make it possible. The benefits of this Scholarship varies but the biggest one is having the opportunity to train with World Class Athletes who are all working in harmony to qualify for the Olympics. This will give me the push and motivation that is needed for me to qualify for the Olympics while producing astonishing results” Seaton concluded. The Olympic qualifying period is from March 1, 2019 up until June 27, 2021. (Sean Devers)
Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu resigns before no confidence vote
Bartomeu has been president since Sandro Rosell resigned in 2014s. (Getty Images) BBCSport - Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has resigned following increasing fan pressure and a public fall-out with Lionel Messi. Bartomeu, who became president in 2014, was set to receive a vote of no confidence with fans attempting to remove him. He fell out with forward Messi after the Argentina striker handed in a transfer request in August. His resignation comes three days after Barca’s 3-1 home defeat to Real Madrid. Bartomeu is due to step down in March,
having served the maximum two terms as club president. Messi said he felt deceived by Bartomeu following his failed summer move. The forward agreed to stay at the club but resentment against Bartomeu has been growing in the past year due to worsening finances and the team’s decline on the pitch, which saw them lift no major silverware last season. Under his leadership the Spanish giants have won four La Liga titles and the Champions League in 2015.
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Kremlev pledges to wipe AIBA’s debt as he announces candidacy for President indidethegames - Russian Boxing Federation (RBF) secretary general Umar Kremlev has today officially announced he will run to become International Boxing Association (AIBA) President. Kremlev, who is also European Boxing Confederation first vicepresident and an AIBA Executive Committee member, presented his manifesto during an online press conference. He claimed he would be able to pay off AIBA’s significant debt accumulated under previous administrations by helping the embattled governing body earn $50 million (£38 million/€42 million) in sponsorship money. That would easily wipe out the AIBA debt that Kremlev revealed during his press conference, which was also attended by Russian journalists in Moscow, now stood at $20 million (£15 million/€17 million). “I will ensure that AIBA will no longer be burdened by debt,” Kremlev said. “Boxing is one of the most popular sports in the world and many companies are interested in sponsoring it. “The television rights to AIBA events are hugely attractive to broadcasters. “Within one or two years, AIBA will attract $50 million in sponsorship. “All this money will go towards the development of AIBA.” The 37-year-old Kremlev detailed his plans to provide $2 million (£1.5 million/€1.7 million) of annual funding to AIBA’s National Federations and set up boxing academies on each continent to train athletes, coaches, referees and judges. Kremlev also appeared confident his leadership would result in the reinstatement of AIBA by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for Paris 2024. “AIBA is an independent sports organisation,” he said. “I will bring in transparency to our operations, not only for the IOC, but also to set a precedent for all international sports bodies. “We have to be clean before everyone else.” Kremlev’s manifesto is called “Make AIBA Great Again” - a play on Donald Trump’s a campaign slogan in
Umar Kremlev his successful 2016 Presidential campaign. Other manifesto pledges include creating an efficient governance system based on transparency and integrity, to continue appointing and ensuring a proper functioning of AIBA Commissions and convening Boxing Forums annually to establish twoway communication between AIBA and its members. It also promises to focus on renewing courses for technical officials, referees and judges, coaches, cutmen and ringside doctors. The election is scheduled to be held virtually during the AIBA Extraordinary Congress on December 12 and 13. Kremlev is set to take on Dutch Boxing Federation head Boris van der Vorst, Asian Boxing Confederation President Anas Al Otaiba, Azerbaijan’s Executive Committee member Suleyman Mikayilov and honorary AIBA vice-president Republic’s Domingo Solano in the Presidential campaign. It was widely expected the Russian would enter the race before the November 2 deadline and he claimed he threw his hat into the ring after waiting to see the standard of other candidates. “I wanted to see who will stand for candidate to become the head of AIBA,” Kremlev said. “I wanted to judge if they will be able to save AIBA, to bring it to a high level again, I wanted to see if they are going to be serious candidates or not. “Unfortunately, I could not see anybody who would be able to do this task. “So, I decided to become a candidate for the head of AIBA myself. “I speak a lot with different National Federations and the national associations, and I just cannot
betray them. “AIBA is an independent organisation which unites boxers, trainers and associations – for me it is important to have the support of these people.” Ukraine, Serbia, Colombia, Paraguay and the Solomon Islands issued a joint press statement in which they urged Kremlev to run for President earlier this month. Kremlev, who recently recovered from coronavirus, also claimed “more than 50 countries” had asked him to stand for AIBA President. In their letter, the five Federations listed several projects they claimed showed Kremlev was suitable for the role of AIBA President, also praising schemes launched since his appointment as chairman of the AIBA Marketing Commission. These included the establishment of International Boxing Day on July 22 and the creation of the Global Boxing Forum, an event designed to help bring amateur and professional boxing closer together and increase cooperation. Kremlev was also behind the launch of the AIBA Global Forums, an opportunity for National Federations in regions across the world to enter into dialogue with senior leaders from the world governing body. The coronavirus crisis meant these were put on hold in March. Kremlev suggested his election as AIBA President would see him step down from his role at the RBF. “It will be very difficult to hold the two positions at the time,” he said. “I believe that in the case I am elected as head of AIBA, we will be able to find the right candidates for the Russian Boxing Federation.” AIBA has been without a permanent President for 18 months after Gafur Rakhimov stood down in March 2019 following allegations that he was involved in heroin trafficking. The organisation has since been led on an interim basis by Morocco’s Mohamed Moustahsane. The IOC suspended AIBA in June of last year, a decision which stripped the body of any involvement in the boxing tournament at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, because of concerns over its governance, finances and refereeing and judging.
In a last-ditch attempt to prevent AIBA being suspended by the IOC, Kremlev had in May 2019 offered to wipe out the International Federation’s $16 million (£12.3 million/€13.5 million) debt. His offer was rejected by the IOC.
Kremlev claimed during his press conference that he would not personally wipe out AIBA’s debt and that it would be raised through corporate sponsorship. Kremlev is now behind the relaunch of the AIBA Global Boxing Cup – a remodelled version of the old-World Cup
last held in 2008 – with a prize purse of nearly $2 million (£1.5 million/€1.7 million). This would include $100,000 (£76,700/€84,600) for the winner of each division, $50,000 (£38,400/€42,300) for the runner-up and $25,000 (£19,200/€21,200) for third place.
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Late Kimmich Olympic flame to visit 14 Japanese prefectures stunner extends before Tokyo 2020 Torch Relay resumes insidethegames - In an measure against the spread of Bayern’s winning run unprecedented move, the COVID-19. BBCsport - Champions League holders Bayern Munich extended their winning run in the competition to 13 games as they edged past Lokomotiv Moscow. Leon Goretzka gave Bayern the lead as he met Benjamin Pavard’s volleyed cross to head home powerfully from six yards. Lokomotiv equalised when Anton Miranchuk cleverly opened his body to slot home Ze Luis’ cross. Midfielder Joshua Kimmich got the late winner when, on the turn, he superbly volleyed into the bottom corner. Bayern have now won 34 of their 36 games in all competitions in 2020 and manager Hansi Flick has won all 10 of his Champions League games, by an aggregate score of 40-5. Lokomotiv, boosted by a few thousand home fans, started strongest and should have taken the lead when the unchallenged Fyodor Smolov headed straight at Manuel Neuer from six yards. After Goretzka’s magnificent opener Bayern grew into the game and dominated the remainder of the first half, with Kingsley Coman
coming closest to extending their advantage when his volley from 10 yards hit the post. Robert Lewandowski, who was unusually quiet, was awarded a penalty midway through the second half after a brilliant run through three players, but the decision was overturned by VAR for a tight offside. Lokomotiv got a deserved equaliser as they finally capitalised on the space in behind the Bayern defence, and had further opportunities to shock the holders but their final ball and finish was lacking. Bayern’s winner was a moment of real class as Kimmich superbly controlled a heavily weighted pass before turning and volleying into the bottom corner, past the rooted Guilherme Marinato, from 22 yards. Bayern have a five-point advantage at the top of Group A. Tuesday results: Lokomotiv Moscow 1 Bayern Munich 2, Shakhtar Donetsk 0 Inter Milan 0, Atl Madrid 3 RB Salzburg 2, B Mgladbach 2 Real Madrid 2, FC Porto2 Olympiakos 0, Marseille 0 Man City 3, Atalanta 2 Ajax 2, Liverpool 2 FC Midtjylland 0.
Olympic flame is to visit 14 Japanese prefectures before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay begins. The Japanese Ministry of Internal affairs and Communications has announced that it will be exhibited in 73 municipalities during the course of the five month tour across the country. Minister Ryota Takeda said: “We’re hoping it helps build up excitement for the Olympics.” The flame will be put on show in a safety lantern at all stopping points. It has been displayed at the Japan Olympic Museum in Tokyo since the beginning of September. Former Internal Affairs Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested a touring exhibition to Tokyo 2020 President Yoshirô Mori and the itinerary was fixed over the last month. The first planned stop is to be Ishikawa prefecture in central Japan on November 7. In 1964 when Tokyo last staged the Games, the flame visited Ishikawa part of “Route number one” which took the Telay around Japan in four sections. It is also expected to visit the UNESCO world heritage site at Shiretoko on the Japanese island of Hokkaidô.
Large crowds defied fears over coronavirus to visit the Olympic flame at Sendai station in Tokyo when it was put on display in March ©Getty Images It is also expected to visit areas not covered by the Torch Telay itinerary. The tour is scheduled to last until March 16when it reaches Iwate. The domestic Torch Relay is set to begin at JVillage football training centre in Fukushima prefecture on
March 25. The 121-day Torch Relay has been adjusted by a single day from that originally planned to take place in 2020. The flame was kindled at Ancient Olympia in March but the Lighting Ceremony was scaled down as a precautionary
The traditional relay around Greece was suspended after unexpectedly large crowds turned out in the town of Sparta. The handover to Tokyo 2020 was held in an almost empty Panathinaiko stadium in Athens where officials observed social distancing during the Ceremony. When it first touched down on Japanese soil, the lantern had been put on display at Sendai station in Miyagi province, an area affected by the 2011 disaster. It was withdrawn from public view after local reports estimated some 50,000 had queued to see the flame lantern, despite concerns over the virus. It is highly unusual for the flame to be in an Olympic host city so far ahead of the Games, although it was taken to host city Beijing from Athens before beginning its global journey in 2008. A touring exhibition of Torches to be used for the Olympic and Paralympic Games is also set to begin on Monday (November 2) and visit the municipalities of Tokyo.
Jordyn Huitema: MEET THE PSG... From page 35 squad to a tournament in Seattle. In one game, she scored a consolation goal in a 7-1 defeat against a team called Surrey United - making such an impression, several opposition coaches approached her dad. Huitema ended up joining Surrey, also from British Columbia, and a few months later she got a call up to the Canada Under-15s squad, aged just 12. Often the youngest player in each age group, she progressed to a full international debut as a 15-year-old. ‘They came to watch someone else’ Huitema’s big break came while she was on international duty at the Algarve Cup in Portugal. A representative from PSG was in the stands and it took just 20 minutes to convince them she was the real deal. “We were playing against Japan and I think I got subbed on to the pitch after, like, 70 minutes,” she says. “Someone from the club was there to watch my [Canada and PSG] team-mate Ashley Lawrence. “After the game, he came to find me. He and my agent started talking and it kind of just went from there.” Knowing she was about to make a huge leap in terms of technical ability and general level of play, Huitema was keen to impress, and spent several months training with PSG before she was eligible to play. She says: “I was at the point in Vancouver where it just wasn’t pushing me enough. I’d say to this day it’s an amazing environment for young people to progress in, but I wanted to thrive so I came to Paris.” Huitema is an integral part of the current PSG women’s team, helping them reach last year’s Champions League semi-final in which they lost 1-0 to eventual winners Lyon. “I still think to this day I’m playing catch-up, these women are some of the best players in the world. When I came in I was pretty atrocious, my touches were going everywhere. I’m sure everyone was so frustrated with me because I just couldn’t hold my own,” she says. Meeting Neymar and respect for women’s game - A growing star in her own right, the 19-year-
old forward often crosses paths with the stars from the men’s team at official club events. “I met Neymar for the first time like a couple of weeks ago and I didn’t even know how to react. I tried to play it off cool but I definitely didn’t. I feel like I’m turning red right now even just talking about it,” she says. Huitema signed a four-year deal with PSG and says she wants to use her profile to inspire others and help grow the women’s game. “I definitely say we’re nowhere near where we deserve from a respect point,” she says. “I think there are some women out there who have accomplished some incredible things and it kind of gets swept under the mat because they are female.” ‘Me and Alphonso are two big personalities’ - Off the field, Huitema has been dating Bayern Munich and fellow Canada international Alphonso Davies for four years. The pair regularly star together in viral videos and have a joint Youtube channel. “We were talking about it for a while and it started as a joke. We’re two pretty big personalities and we wanted to show people that this is really the way we are,” she says. “I feel like most of our conversations are less about football and more just about life. I feel we’re a big support system for each other.” The pair recently revealed that they started dating after meeting at the training facility they share while on international duty. Huitema reveals that after six months of dating, Davies asked, ‘Do you want to be Alphonso Davies’ girlfriend?’ Despite describing the line as “bad”, she still agreed. And date nights are extremely competitive. “When we were younger, we went on a lot of bowling dates,” she says. “I’m really bad at bowling so he’d always win. But if we go ice skating, I grew up playing hockey so I’m obviously better at that. “We even have a competition going over goals [scored]. He won a Golden Boot, then I won one, then I won another one, but since then he’s been moved to full-back. So he’s like, ‘This isn’t fair, I’m playing defence.’ “And I’m like, ‘Sorry that’s not my job.’”
Leon Seaton
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Christian Coleman has been banned for two years ©Getty Images
Olympic hopeful Christian Coleman Leon Seaton gets banned for two years FINA Scholarship for missing drugs test - Relishes opportunity to train with World Class Athletes in Florida Wriddhiman Saha made the most of a rare opportunity ©BCCI
Jordyn Huitema: Meet the PSG & Canada teenage superstar Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu resigns before no confidence vote Late Kimmich stunner extends Bayern’s winning run
Saha and Warner thump Capitals and keep Sunrisers’ season alive
Kremlev pledges to wipe AIBA’s debt as he announces candidacy for President
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