Kaieteur News

K

AIETEUR NEWS

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

Review begins on $30B GuySuCo bond

Saturday Edition September 05, 2020 - Vol. 14 No. 34

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

p.

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Price $80

- multi-stakeholder Development Authority mulled for Wales

Online readership yesterday 124,895

Payara FPSO under construction p. 3

without Govt approval Despite silence in Govt...

AFC says it was concerned about environmental issues in oil, gas p.

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2 years later no St. Roses High School - despite contractor 14p. receiving $60M advance

Only Exxon has an appreciation for the value of money The indisputable evidence is that the Scottish of Europe are looked upon differently. Must be the world-class whisky!

How else does one explain why ExxonMobil spent US$186M to address gas flaring issues in that country while Guyana's gas flaring receives no similar attention? Exxon by its double standards is saying to us, “Not a cent for these greedy ingrates!”

And here it is that we thought that Guyana's world-class rum could have swung the pendulum in our favor. Something odious and sinister is at work when we compare the manner in which Exxon reacted to the Caucasian Scots versus the dark-skinned Guyanese. It confirms that the discriminatory (at best) is at play; or out and out prejudice (at worst) is at work. Exxon's perversities against Guyana have increased.

The company has treated us in a scornful, contentious,

dismissive and insulting manner.

And when that failed, it threatened to leave. Apparently, it is only Exxon that has an appreciation for the value of money. Apparently, poor, coloured Third World natives have no such right and must be kept under the jackboot when they dare to seek more for their riches.

How different is this from the pittances that were sent back to colonized countries from the massive profits gained from their resources? How different is the treatment meted out to the independent Guyana of today versus the pre-independence one?

Winston Churchill had called the colonies 'milking cows.'

Exxon wants to continue the milking, and Guyana must let out a single “moo”! We should not wait for these companies and its characters to leave.

We should send them packing unceremoniously. We should kick their butts out and do so now.

p.

Gun-toting 11 Guyana, Brazil commit Panama commits to p. bandits rob paying rice farmers pressman of to completion of 13 p. debt with interest 12 motorcycle Linden-Lethem road link

Govt. slashes US$158M by costs redesigning East Bank down to bypass road project US$50M p.

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Saturday September 05, 2020

Saturday September 05, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 03

Payara FPSO under construction without Govt. approval

The Prosperity FPSO hull - photo from SWS, the Chinese contractor

E

xxonMobil continues to speed ahead with preparations for its intended Payara development in the Stabroek Block, despite no formal approval from government yet on the company's third well.

The construction of the Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, called Prosperity is underway in Singapore.

SBM Offshore, the company Exxon tasked with building the vessel, did not make the announcement via official press release, but several credible media reports indicate that it received the hull in

Singapore on Monday, August 31 from Chinese shipbuilder Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS).

The FPSO hull is currently docked there, with work already progressing on the mooring system and preparation for the lifting and integration of the topside modules.

In defiance of the government's regulatory proces s es , Exxon had awarded an initial contract to SBM in November, 2019 for the Front End Engineering and Design (FEED). In that very month, ExxonMobil gave the Italian oilfield services company, Saipem a multi-million US dollar

contract for the construction of a large subsea facility for the FPSO. Exxon didn't submit the Field Development Plan

(FDP) for the project to Government until the following month. Guyana's government hired the firm, Bayphase, to conduct the

Govt. urged to consider Engineering Bill - association offered to play role in state bodies

(From right) Mr. John Cush; Jacquelyn Major; Joel Trotman; Minister Juan Edghill; Stuart Hughes; Amir Dillawar; and Safiya Gafoor

T

he Guyana Association of Engineers yesterday met with the Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, where the group, among several other things, urged the Minister to consider the tabling of an 'Engineering Registration Bill'.

The meeting with the association was held at the Minister's Wight's Lane, Kingston, Georgetown office.

The visiting team comprised of Stuart Hughes, President of the Association; Joel Trotman, Past President; John Cush, Treasurer; Amir Dillawar, Assistant S e c r e t a r y / Tr e a s u r e r ;

J a c q u e l y n M a j o r, t h e Secretary; and Safiya Gafoor, member.

The President of the Engineering Association explained the importance of the Bill, noting that a draft is currently awaiting review by the Attorney General.

He added that attempts were made to have the prospective legislation move forward by the former Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn.

The former Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson had also expressed willingness to develop it as well, Mr. Hughes noted.

Edghill said he will review the document and advise the team on whether it

can be tabled in Parliament or not.

The Engineering Association also indicated its interest in cooperating with the public sector, by way of offering their expertise, especially to the Ministry of Public Works.

“Minister Edghill explained to the team,” a release from the Association noted, “that their services can be useful to the Sea Defence Board, the Demerara Harbour Bridge and even the Power Producers Distributor's Inc. (PPDI) under the Ministry's arm. Against this backdrop, he advised the body to formally submit a proposal to kick start the partnership.”

review of the Payara project shortly after.

Exxon intends for Payara to start producing oil in 2023, with the Prosperity FPSO at maximum capacity of 220,000 barrels per day, same as the Liza Unity FPSO for start-up in 2022.

T h e L i z a D e s t i n y, currently in operation, maxes out at 120,000 barrels per day.

After months passed without approvals of the Payara project from the Energy Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Exxon began to pressure Guyana for a swift approval, despite the fact that the country had not yet done its due diligence.

It claims that if there is a delay beyond this month, Guyana would lose out on billions.

Its country manager, Alistair Routledge even threatened last week that the company would take its money elsewhere if the government sought to renegotiate.

Head of the EPA, Dr. Vi n c e n t A d a m s h a d staunchly advocated for several issues in the Payara FDP to be fixed, before the Irfaan Ali administration sent him on leave.

Exxon has flared billions of cubic feet of gas at the Liza Destiny and it wants the same loopholes it has exploited to do so present in the Payara permit.

Similar issues exist where the dumping of thousands of gallons of produced water in the ocean is concerned.

The water is supposed to be reinjected into the reservoir, but Exxon insists there is no hazard, even though no studies were done to determine the impact of the produced water on the environment.

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Kaieteur News

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

Cyber-Sovereignty and Guyana In its most recent avatar of its future areas of focus, the now opposition APNU+AFC Coalition has floated, without details, the concept of the Digital State.

Scarcity of detail – both framing and otherwise – notwithstanding, the idea of redefining Guyana as a state in digital terms is an idea the time of which had come when the then PPP government had sought to promote its “ICT4D National Strategy” way back in 2006.

According to the Executive Summary of the final draft of the document: “The Strategy is grounded in the vision of all Guyanese having the opportunity to fully participate in the information and knowledge society in order to accelerate national development and prosperity.

There can be no doubt that ICT increasingly influence each and every sphere of activity today, including: economic, employment, social services, such as health and education, and cultural development. However, the ‘revolution of information’ in Guyana has still not reached a great percentage of our population.

Several factors account for this, mainly the lack of adequate infrastructure and a suitable enabling environment. The Government recognizes that in order to accelerate the reduction of the digital divide in Guyana and to increase the accessibility levels to the Information Society, it is necessary to have a coordinated plan for effective development of ICT. The actions and activities should be realistic and flexible to local conditions and have the full support and institutional endorsement of the Government.”

That draft policy, finished in April in the Land of Draft Policies, did not of course survive the elections of August of that year, even with the incumbent President Bharrat Jagdeo being returned to office with a solid mandate from the people.

What started out as a consultation-based, good sense and timely public policy initiative devolved into the disastrous, wasteful and ultimately unsuccessful fibre-optic cable fiasco and the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) circus.

The then new administration came in with its own unoriginal variation on the theme, its One Laptop Per Teacher programme, the results of which remain shrouded in obscurity, not having survived 2016, the year it was launched.

In the age of boundless information and boundless imagination, when data is irreversibly transforming not only how the world works but how human beings think, and at an historically unprecedented rate, we have had over the past fifteen years a regression of public policy on the issue of what has evolved since 2006 from ICT for Development to the concept of Cyber Sovereignty.

Digital technology made its most impactful entry into the state apparatus over the past five years with the outcry against the sedition element of the CyberCrimes legislation, even as the rest of the world is grappling with more complex problems and solutions related to the digital space.

For example, even as COVID-19 has laid bare how stark the digital divide is in Guyana, particularly in relation to public education, in other countries critical questions like digital rights, including the right to be forgotten by digital infrastructure, are being considered.

After Parliament launches next week, hopefully sometime on the agenda in the short term is going to be not platitudes and sloganeering but the first steps towards a comprehensive Cyber Sovereignty Strategy for Guyana.

And hopefully, this time, it will not go the way of almost every innovative strategy that has found itself submitted to an unequal and uninterested decisionmaking apparatus.

Saturday September 05, 2020

Exxon thinks Guyanese are not as humane as the Scots DEAR EDITOR, ExxonMobil is taking full liberty of Guyana’s sovereignty by flaring on its water, flame, fame, fire, fortune and the future of this country.

This nation has allowed them to get away with murder, thanks to the past APNU+AFC government.

Exxon continues to bore us in the eyes with their continuous lying, stab us in our backs with their deceits and make fools of us with their smooth talks. So slick is Exxon that they were very successful in manipulating the gullible Granger administration because they found the key members very gullible, accommodating and compromising. With lucrative incentives, temptation spawned the ground for infectious consequences.

Meeting and greeting mated the marriage that reproduced the birth for a handicapped Guyana. Now Exxon’s management thinks that they have the entire Guyana in their pockets and they have enslaved us as a colony. Exxon wants to become the modern day

colonial master so that they can dictate any terms and conditions and we have to wag our tails, nod our heads, smile gracefully, remain indebted to them and above all, praise them and thank them to come to rescue us from our plight. Exxon’s public relations team is a well-oiled propaganda machinery that is ardently deceptive with their diplomacy and the explanations that they offer are definitely contritely hollow and lack empathy. No amount of smooched language can dilute the already smudged situation and Exxon’s high-handed attitude only helps to inflate and aggravate this burning inferno. How ironic, the surrounding water that Exxon domiciles on cannot be used to extinguish this heated abatement.

Exxon regards Guyana as a poor, third-world and backward place that is vulnerable to exploit, desecrate, pollute and then discard it in a trash bin as used garbage, no longer useful but worthless.

No wonder they dare to

speak in threatening dictum when communicating with children of less quality, in their eyes. Oh yes, it’s back to the nineteen century discriminative days. The morsels from their golden platters are the kind of handouts that they opinioned that we deserve, nothing more and, we have to be eternally grateful to the demigods!

Chances are, we shot ourselves in the foot and our choices are limited from the past agreements, thanks again to the bravado of Trotman and his villains, led by the “sanctimonious gangster.”

The call must be anchored and encored in an echo that reverberates perpetually and resolutely for Trotman and his distinguished, chosen few buddies, to satisfy Guyana by providing explanations to all the unanswered questions regarding the messy oil contracts he signed. Guyana will not let “sleeping dogs lie,” this country will not rest until Trotman comes clean, this nation wants fair play and Guyanese want Trotman to articulate in a meticulous

manner why he sold out the birth-right of this nation without first consulting with the entire National Assembly.

All the hidden secrets must be exposed and all the associated parties must be revealed.

Trotman can no longer hide or run and the time is now for him to come clean.Exxon has royally bullied us, left, right and center.

Their excuses for failing to fix the flaring is glaring and inexcusable, their explanation for subsiding the environmental issue is unacceptable and their insistence for contracting the third phase is irresistible laughable with their weak and disguised ultimatum that is far from being apprehensible. Flaring is dangerous and it is not only polluting Guyana’s environment but also consuming her resources. It is toxic to Guyanese health and the risk factor can be devastating. Your sweet talk cannot fool us.

You flout our regulations yet you “suck up” to the (Continued on page 6)

Training for local content in oil industry DEAR EDITOR, Every country that explores and extracts oil has a local content policy – meaning the foreign companies must use a portion of inputs in extraction from local resources. It is enforced everywhere where practical.

Guyana has such a clause in the Exxon contract pertaining to the extraction of oil and gas and development of the industry. This part of the contract is not being satisfactorily enforced. The country gets miniscule amount, just the skin or the salt from the peanuts while others eat the nuts.

Guyana’s economy benefits in a miniscule way from local content. Foreigners are the beneficiaries of local content. They link up with Guyanese companies that get fine change in the process.

Those of us who study economics would know that very little redound to the country especially to the lower sections of the society.

This needs to immediately change.

President Ali’s appointment of a local content advisory panel to set policy on use and enforcement of local content is welcome. The development of the budding oil and gas industry needs a heavy dose of local content.

Exxon claims it spent billions in the industry since

2015 but hardly a few millions went to Guyanese, except Muneshwer that handles ground logistics in cooperation with a Trinidad company. (We don’t know its receipt from Exxon). Local content was minimal. There are virtually no Guyanese workers on the rig. The bulk of the population or companies are out from those multibillion dollar expenditures. (I could not contact Exxon office in Guyana during several attempts to query about policies on local content and generally on employment practices. I went three times to two of its office buildings prior to March in Georgetown and could not access anyone. I left messages and written notes that were not answered. I phoned the Houston headquarter and spoke with someone who promised to have the point person for Guyana contact me on my American phone number. It never happened.

Emails went unanswered.

That is the kind of courtesy and respect accorded Guyanese by Exxon’s executives and PR point person).

This year, some US$175 million in revenues is expected. Much more will come in 2021. And from 2022, it is expected to be in the billions. Guyana must prepare itself to establish oil

and gas related industries to maximize benefits. For now, it must start with an effective enforceable local content policy and prepare the nation for local content involvement.

In every country, government demands that oil companies use a minimum percentage of local content – staff, expertise, materials, management, logistics, etc.

But Guyana has limited local content related to the oil industry; it lacks skilled personnel and does not produce goods used in the oil industry. It is also deficient in ground logistics for off shore extraction of oil. Therefore, the country must prepare itself for local content by training skilled workers in the area and in establishing industries that would supply the oil companies. The objective is to create jobs, and train locals for the jobs that require technical skills.

Countries strategically direct local content to transfer technology into the country to accelerate industrial development. Guyana has no local skilled individuals in O&G. So we must train them.

In the Guyana context, local content has to do with the development of local skills, local technology transfer, and use of local personnel as well as local manufacturing for use in the oil and gas sector – for industrialization. Local

content is building a workforce to take over the management of the oil industry eventually towards complete ownership The preceding government let the nation down in its handling of the oil and gas industry by not having stringent requirements and inclusion.

Local content should have been specified as skills and management related.

Guyana must look ahead with a development plan that must include training and skills related. Rural and hinterland workers who were rendered jobless by the preceding regime should immediately be trained to obtain jobs in the oil industry.

I think government should give consideration to transforming the Port Mourant Training Center (PMTC) into a partial oil and gas institute to train workers for the oil industry. That PMTC provided skills to so many who went on to become first rate engineers in the UK, Canada, USA, and Trinidad and elsewhere earning triple digits US dollars salary. It can do the same for O&G. The center can be twinned for oil and gas for the sugar factories. We need an oil and gas institute separate and independent from UG. PMTC is ideal. While spending time in India during the (Continued on page 5)

Saturday September 05, 2020

Keep up the good fight DEAR EDITOR, I would bet, maybe this particular issue is somewhere near the bottom of the priority list of this government, however it’s far from a trivial matter. Well done, to Anita Thorne/Chairwoman o f t h e Sideline Dam’s Community Council and the young men. These young men shouldn’t be sidelined for any foreign company to perform the low skilled activities, of cleaning up their respective

neighbourhoods and Le Repentir cemetery.

Furthermore, for a local Guyanese company to get an inflated contract is just as bad; if there are capable young men who appear willing, and are in the vicinity of these areas. If the local residents are scared of them, or something else, that is a totally different matter altogether.

The choice is a clear one of keeping this activity within the vicinity, (100% proper).

As a compromise, if the government should still decide to contract out to a Guyanese company (100%), I think there should be a mandate of integrating the youths, perhaps to build some structure to planning and organizing the entire process.

Able/trustworthy local young men should get preference, if possible, above anyone else.

It’s easy to overlook the long term benefits of getting low skilled

unemployed young men in our society involved in as many activities as possible.

I n s u m m a r y, i t ’s s e l f defeating if the Government of Guyana does not seriously work with them. Not only is this not a difficult task, it’s dangerous to keep them idle for too long, and in all fairness their requests are long overdue.

So, Anita Thorne, you keep up the good fight.

Yours Truly, Chi Kansi

With better management and the right policy framework, there could be a change in fortunes DEAR EDITOR, The PPP/C administration must be commended for the decision to reopen the sugar estates closed by the previous Granger administration. This is a step in the right direction and certainly will go a far way in terms of resetting the economy along more people-oriented and sustainable lines.

I had argued in several letters in the media that the closure of the estates was a retrograde step which will have an adverse impact not only on the lives and wellbeing of sugar workers but on the economy as a whole. By closing down grinding factories, and a process of cannibalization and mismanagement, the previous administration had in effect transformed assets into

liabilities. Billions of dollars have been allowed to go down the drain not to mention the severe social and sociological consequences on people and communities.

It would take a significant injection of resources to bring back these estates into operation but I am convinced that it would be money well spent.

Any cost-benefit analysis of the sugar industry will reveal that the benefits of keeping the industry operational outweigh by far the costs incurred, even when consideration is taken of current market prices for sugar.

The challenge facing the industry is to produce sugar at lower unit cost and to become much more

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competitive as a supplier of sugar on the world market. As it currently stands, the ratio of tons cane to tons sugar (TC/TS) is far too high and must be significantly lowered if the industry is to be restored to financial viability. The same is true for tons cane per acre which also needed to be substantially

increased.

The industry is currently experiencing severe stress, but with better management and the right policy framework, there could be a change in fortunes and with it the dawn of a better day for those who depend on the industry for a living.

Hydar Ally

...Training for local From page 4 last several years assisting with management at tertiary institutes, I interacted with oil specialists.

Some are willing to assist with training Guyanese and in establishing such an institute.

Such an institute can train people for local content participation – on land

logistical management, administration, EPA, health and safety, how to clean up oil spills, handle emergency, transportation logistics, food chain supply, and the technical aspects of drilling, piping, supplies, etc.

Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram

An Artist’s contribution DEAR EDITOR, As a Guyanese Citizen, I am alarmed at the rapid spread of the COVID-19 and the sudden increase in the number of persons who have died in just the month of August.

This painting is my concept as an Artist of the deadly COVID-19, precautions, and

consequences which I would like to share with your readers. It is a small contribution in the fight against COVID-19.

We are a small family and have to be each other’s keeper. Follow the COVID-19 Guidelines and stay safe. We are all in this together.

Yours Faithfully, Desmond Alli

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Calling out Dr. Vishnu Bisram for academic achievements DEAR EDITOR, I write to hail and call out Dr. Vishnu Bisram for his extraordinary academic achievements, voluminous writings, election polling, and the stupendous role he has played on diaspora affairs (Guyanese, Caribbean and India) and the struggle for free and fair elections (FFE) in Guyana, including that five months’ ordeal for the accurate count of the votes.

I don’t think anyone has written more than he, on the Guyanese diaspora or commenting on Guyanese issues. For years I have been reading the Guyanese media daily and have read his letters as well as the writings of Freddie Kissoon, Ravi Dev, Peeping Tom, and others.

Freddie and Bisram wrote almost daily, exposing the shenanigans relating to the March 2nd elections. I thank KN for its exceptional coverage of the election impasse and keeping the diaspora updated on developments in the country.

While I have long known Dr. Bisram since the early

1980s when he used to visit Trinidad to enlist support for free and fair elections, I was not aware of his long list of academic credentials until the academic conference on indentureship held two weekends ago.

There was a brief sketch of his academic qualification with multiple MA degrees and PhDs. A few Trinidadians, including myself, had formed an organization in the 1980s to expose human rights violations and champion FFE in Guyana and to champion racial equity.

Our group engaged in correspondences with Dr. Bisram, Dr. Baytoram Ramharack and Vassan Ramracha who had formed a formidable group in the USA that was engaged in rare activism among Caribbean people.

They used to produce voluminous literature on or about Guyana that we use to distribute in Trinidad to aid in the movement against oppression in Guyana. We hosted, and engaged the

group in Trinidad whenever they visited for interactions or strategy discussions.

They were altruistic, powerful activists dedicated to improving the lives of their communities in the USA and freedom of Guyana. Their commitment to Guyana and community activism didn’t prevent them from completing post-graduate studies with rare academic distinctions.

I salute Dr. Bisram’s academic feat which is probably unique. As I read in the brief biographical sketch, he earned multiple academic certificates.

While many don’t even have an undergraduate college education, and while most of us struggle to complete a Master’s Degree and a PhD, he has multiple MAs and PhDs. Dr. Bisram is probably the only Caribbean person to have such a well-rounded background in the natural sciences, social sciences and education administration.

Dr. Bisram says his undergraduate degree was in Biochemistry and also completed the majors in Political Science for admission to the MA programme in International Relations. He went on to do MA degrees in IR, Economics, Political Sciences History,

Sociology, and Education Administration.

In addition, the biographical dossier says he completed PhD degrees in History, Sociology, and Political Science, and is finished with the course work for the PhD in Economics.

Dr. Bisram taught for over 35 years and served as faculty union representative and in other educational leadership for some 20 years. In addition, he was elected to undergraduate and graduate student governments, serving for a decade.

He held other leadership positions at his educational institution. For his academic and leadership achievements, he was listed twice in “Who Is Who Among Students Among American Colleges and Universities”.

Dr. Bisram’s academic background is most rare among Guyanese, if not among all scholars, making him amply qualified for any variety of assignments to contribute to Guyana and the Caribbean’s development.

I tip my hat in salute to this gentleman for his notable achievements and service to his country in so many aspects that would require volumes of newspapers to list.

Yours truly, Ms Fatimah Mohammed

Saturday September 05, 2020

Floyd Haynes is a welcome addition to the local content team DEAR EDITOR, I would like to congratulate the President Dr. Ali for appointing Floyd Haynes to the local content team. Not only is Floyd educated at Harvard University and the University of Oxford.

But he has worked extensively throughout Africa and the middle east and brings a wealth of experience to the team. Floyd is also unwavering in his belief that Guyana and Guyanese must benefit from the national patrimony.

As I understand it, local content extends beyond the

oil and gas industry, but rather it is ensuring that Guyanese participate equitably in all of the country’s major industries.

Those of us who know him, know that Floyd is not poisoned by the tribal nature of Guyanese politics.

He is a man of integrity and will make sure all Guyanese are fairly represented. He always says he represents team Guyana, and that he would serve his country if asked. I am glad the current administration saw it fit to ask him. Congrats Floyd!!

David Williams

...Exxon thinks From page 4 Scottish people and appease them with immediate remedy.

Aren’t Guyanese just as humane as the Scots? Or are we of a lesser being and uncivilized that is why you don’t give a damn about our interest? Guyana is wide awake and paying rapid attention to the lawsuit filed against Exxon and others by the Mayor of Hoboken in New Jersey for damages inflicted upon the city through the impacts of climate change.

The city is arguing that the oil companies, including Exxon, knew about the future impacts of climate change for decades, but actively denied the science of the unfolding environmental catastrophe while prioritizing profits made from global societies reliance on oil and natural gas. All lives matter, whether white, black or brown and people come before profit. So, get your act together Exxon and do what is only right for Guyana.

Guyana needs Exxon to rectify the lopsided contracts for Phase 1 and 2.

Exxon took advantage of Guyana’s illiteracy and unmanly negotiators who lacked the gall and temerity to stand tall and demand better conditions for this country for various and obvious reasons. Exxon is no longer a giant in the oil industry and they stand to lose more without our oil and gas. Their shares are dropping and their values are dropping.

Exxon needs Guyana’s oil to supplement and augment their falling profits and fading goodwill on the global market. Guyana will not sign the Payara contract unless Exxon agrees to play fair. This is not a request but a fair demand and the PPP/C government must stand up for Guyanese rights, unlike the APNU+AFC Party.

Respectfully, Jai Lall

Saturday September 05, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Despite silence in Govt...

AFC says it was concerned about environmental issues in oil, gas E

ven though it was noticeably silent on critical environmental issues in the oil and gas issues during its last days in office, the Alliance For Change (AFC) said this should not be interpreted as a lack of concern.

The party made this statement during a virtual press conference yesterday in response to questions from Kaieteur News.

This news agency asked AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan to explain how he has suddenly found his voice

to criticize the current administration's handling of oil and gas issues when he was far from vocal on how the former Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman handled the oil industry or even how the APNU faction treated with environmental matters when it took the said sector away from Trotman's oversight.

Kaieteur News pointed out that while the AFC would have told the media while in office that it is against the burning of gas by ExxonMobil, it was completely silent when the

American oil giant began flaring gas from December 20, 2019 up to the time it demitted office at the end of July, 2020.

Ramjattan said the coalition administration would have been very vocal on the issue of flaring hence the authorization for ExxonMobil's permit would have said flaring is only allowed for a couple of days, at most a week.

He said too that ExxonMobil had promised that there would be equipment in place to ensure the gas is re-injected instead

of being flared.

The AFC Leader said he has since been informed that the gas compressor system is malfunctioning and is yet to be fixed for close to nine months due to the travel constraints accompanying the COVID-19 pandemic.

The former Minister said he believes that ExxonMobil is fully aware of the boundaries of its permit with flaring but stressed that the company is simply taking advantage of Guyana.

Even though the AFC was not making is concerns known to the media while in

office, he said that what the former regime experienced with the oil industry was a “learning curve� hence it is trying to pass on those lessons and ensure the same mistakes are not made with the approval of the Payara permit.

He said that the AFC will continue to scrutinize all environmental matters whether flaring or any other issue.

Kaieteur News, by way of extensive research, would have shown how gas flaring contributes to climate change, which has serious

Two more COVID-19 deaths pushes total death toll to 46, 15 new cases

G

uyana recorded two COVID-19 related deaths for the second day in a row.

The two new deaths bring the total number of deaths to 46.

The Ministry of Health yesterday revealed the two latest fatalities, who are both women. The first victim is an 84-year-old from Region 4 (Demerara-Mahaica) and the other victim is a 47-year

old woman from Region One (Barima-Waini).

The Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony stated in a press conference yesterday afternoon that the high increase in COVID-19

deaths recently has been very worrying, saying that all the persons who have died had underlying conditions.

He also addressed the major backlog in tests, where he stated that 500 samples were sent to Trinidad for testing and, upon their return, another 500 samples will be sent.

Currently, there are approximately 1000 samples in the backlog.

There were also 15 new COVID-19 cases recorded yesterday which brought the total number of confirmed cases to 1,416 cases. The cases were recorded from 88 tests conducted on Thursday.

There are 14 persons in

the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 55 persons in institutional isolation, 459 in home isolation and 92 in institutional quarantine. The total number of recoveries is now at 844.

As for the regional distribution; Region One has 201 cases, Region Two 14 cases, Region Three 83 cases, Region Four 522, Region Five-eight cases, Region Six 16 cases, Region Seven 231 cases, Region Eight 23 cases, Region Nine 243 cases, and Region Ten 75 cases.

Of all confirmed cases 696 were male and 720 were female.

A total of 9,128 tests were conducted thus far.

AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan implications for the world.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, was keen to note in one of its studies that gas flaring is actually a major source of greenhouse gases (GHG) contributing to global warming which could accelerate the problem of climatic change and harsh living conditions on earth, if not checked.

The Department also notes that there are over 250 toxins released from flaring including carcinogens such as benzopyrene, benzene, carbon disulphide (CS2), carbonyl sulphide (COS) and toluene; metals such as m e r c u r y, a r s e n i c a n d chromium; sour gas with Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) and Sulfur Dioxide (SO2); Nitrogen oxides (NOx); Carbon dioxide (CO2); and methane (CH4) which contributes to the greenhouse gases.

To date, ExxonMobil has polluted Guyana's airspace with more than 10 billion cubic feet of gas. On a daily basis, it is burning 12 to 15 million cubic feet.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Saturday September 05, 2020

Review begins on $30B GuySuCo bond - multi-stakeholder Development Authority mulled for Wales

P

resident Irfaan Ali has affirmed his Government's commitment to ensuring the survival of the sugar industry by implementing a comprehensive strategy.

“The approach to the sugar industry,” President Ali said, “is one in which we have to bring back three of the estates into operation; this would require capital investment, field investment and infrastructure investment.

Even if the ultimate goal is to have a right business mix whether it is a publicprivate partnership or private investment in these estates, the asset and the industry itself must be of concern and be optimised to realise the full value and potential.”

The issue is a major one as Ali had promised on the campaign trail to reopen estates.

However, there have been warnings that move would be like throwing money into a bottomless pit unless there is a proper plan.

The Head of State noted that the survival of the sugar industry depends heavily on government intervention at this time. He also reminded that the former administration failed to conduct a socio-economic study on the viability of the industry before closing the estates.

“When we are talking

Wales Estate, West Bank Demerara

about the sugar industry, we are not talking about the financial viability alone.

We have to look at the economic and social impact of the industry and the communities.

We h a v e s e e n t h e tremendous impact on the communities in which these estates were closed,” the President said.

In this regard, the President said that his administration has commenced a review of how the $30 billion syndicated bond, which was acquired by the Coalition Government to keep the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) afloat, was utilised.

“We must recall that a bond of $30 billion was raised specifically for the sugar sector.

We are now in the process of assessing how these resources were spent but surely, from what we have seen so far, there was inefficient use of the resources in relation to the sugar industry itself,” he said.

President Ali also said the assets of the Wales Estate were completely dismantled and taken away. Given this reality, his administration is discussing the creation of a Development Authority which would become a business incubation and

support model.

“This will include the workers who lost their jobs in creating a modular investment programme to support new industries, agro-industries, new areas of agriculture development and sustainable livelihoods,” President Ali assured.

This he said would be subject to a special investment incentive and regime that will stimulate investors' interest and create a pull factor for capital.

The Head of State reminded that his government remains committed to the re-opening of the estates and assured that it will take the necessary

steps, make the necessary interventions and earmark resources aimed at reviving the industry and putting the people back to work.

“Surely this would require support from the treasury, but when one examines the wider ranging impact of this support on community life, agriculture, drainage and irrigation, economic and social impact, it is clear that the budgetary support from the Treasury would have a deeper impact on overall health of your economy and the communities,” President Ali noted.

The President used the opportunity, when he visited

the communities across several villages in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne area) on Tuesday, to reassure that the residents who rely on the production of sugar for jobs will soon find themselves back at work.

He also assured the residents of Wales that despite the state of the estate, they will also be afforded employment opportunities and will not be left out of future revitalisation plans.

Between 2015-2016, the Coalition Government under David Granger closed four sugar estates at Skeldon, Rose Hall, Enmore and Wales. More than 7,000 sugar workers lost their jobs.

Saturday September 05, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 09

Will you be alive by the time the vaccine gets here?

T

he results of 500 COVID-19 test results were expected to be returned yesterday from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) which operates a reference laboratory. Those results will give a better idea of the magnitude of the crisis facing the country.

It was unfortunate that the former government did not make use of this laboratory as a means of boosting its testing capacity.

This oversight is one of the many inexplicable decisions of the former administration and someone should answer, on their behalf, why more tests were not done and why greater use was not made of CARPHA. Low levels of testing were always going to backfire. Low levels of testing underestimate the infectious threat. When coupled with limited contact-tracing, low levels of testing allow the exponential spread of the disease, which is what we are now witnessing.

Regardless of the situation which the new government inherited, it is its responsibility to bend the curve to the right by reducing the infection rate.

The number of deaths also needs to be addressed because, regardless of the spread, the number of deaths locally represents an outlier.

Dem

boys seh...

D

e Worst Possible Alternative – according to de Kabaka – was covertly and overtly part of de attempt to steal de elections. Dem boys would not be surprise to learn that some of dem leaders were affected after Uncle Sam decide fuh pull visas of some of those who were undermining democracy.

Dem boys seh de WPA disgrace themselves to the point where they have become totally irrelevant to de country. Not that there were relevant before. But dem was long, long now wah yuh would describe as a 'cardboard' party.

The government was not quickly up to speed. The promised holistic strategy took too long to be unrolled and when it did, it had lots of 'holes'. The logjam of tests which has resulted should have been avoided since this contributes to higher deaths.

International medical help, from countries such as Cuba, should have already been sourced since there is a lack of sufficiently trained medical personnel. And we are yet to learn about the regional strategies.

I t h a s b e e n acknowledged that a onesize-fits-all approach will not work in Guyana given the high incidence of the disease in some Regions.

Region 4 has now reassumed its place as the epicenter of the local epidemic. As Guyana's most populous region, the virus' impact is going to be most severe in this Region.

The return of the 500 samples from CARPHA will most likely lead to a significant rise in the number of confirmed positive cases, including that for Region 4.

This is to be expected with such a large block of samples. But it can also be useful in another regard.

The number of tests sent to CARPHA may not be representative of the national incidence of the infection.

But the results of the testing can provide a general idea of this incidence. The numbers

may come back on the high side since more symptomatic cases would be tested than is usual in such a large sample.

But that can be offset by the equally large number of asymptomatic persons out there who may not know that they are infected.

If for example, 20% of the samples return positive, this would provide the Ministry with an idea that perhaps the country may have as many as 150,000 positive cases. And they should start planning for responding to such a figure.

Early during the pandemic, a random sampling of persons in New York State was done. And it found that the incidence was slightly less than 20%. New York State has since made a remarkable recovery. The State only had seven deaths on Thursday compared to more than 167, 152 and 189 in California, Florida and Texas respectively.

New York registered less than half of a million infected cases, compared to California which has more than 700,000 and Texas 655,000 and Florida 637,000. But New York State has had the highest number of deaths – more than 33,000 – compared with 13,000 plus in California and Texas and less than 12,000 in Florida.

Guyana needed to do a random sample of tests in order to get a more accurate

All de riggers should go right to de fracking jail Dem boys sehing it again. There should be no mercy fuh those who held this country to ransom fuh five months. It was a real tragedy and people suffered because of de rank dishonesty of them thieves wah try to steal elections.

And all of dem deserve fuh go to jail.

The country was at standstill fuh five months.

People suffered; poor people were humiliated not being able to put food pun de table or find wuk. De COVID situation got worse because de government in de early stages, when it was necessary, could not afford a total lockdown. There was

no Budget and no money to help anybody except dem fat cats wah continued to receive dem pay fuh doing next to nothing.

Dem boys nah gan fuhget all dem wah was part of de rigging and all dem who did stand to benefit from de rigging. Look de situation wah de rigging put we in today. COVID gone haywire.

Dat is why Dem Boys wan tell de Worst Possible Alternative de same thing was Prakash does like tell people…Haul yuh tail!

Talk half and bet de Worst Possible Alternative can't field a slate fuh de next elections.

gauge of how widespread the infection is. The problem, however, is that rapid testing is not accurate and you do not want to be using precious PCR resources doing random sampling while there is a backlog of more than 1,000 test results.

The results from CARPHA can be used as a sort of baseline for modelling purposes. The

former APNU+AFC had used a very conservative model which estimated 1,200 cases.

Another model had projected as many as 20,000 cases. Given what is taking place now, Guyana could end up with a figure between these extremes. Twelve hundred was always going to be a low number given the lack of an effective

lockdown between March and August. But 20,000 too is a frightening figure to contemplate since this will overwhelm the public health system and result in more than 1,000 deaths.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Saturday September 05, 2020

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Moral values are fast disappearing from Guyana I

have lived in and studied Guyana for all my life and I don't think there has been any period, whether months or years, where moral values were so butchered than the last five months – March 4 to August 4.

It is a logical thought to put the question to Guyanese as to whether we will survive.

Here is a brief journey down those poisonous pathways of the most shocking abandonment of the use of any criterion or set

of criteria to arrive at what is decent and what is unacceptable. We start with Barrington Braithwaite. In his columns in the Chronicle during those five months of election rigging, Braithwaite e n d o r s e d t h e Mingo/Lowenfield report and was a strong defender of GECOM chairman, Claudette Singh.

Then Braithwaite suddenly morphed into psychiatrist and declared in his Sunday July 19 column that Singh was suffering from mental problems and

proceeded to diagnose those problems. And to think an editor allowed that piece to go which has been withdrawn from online circulation since there is new editorial management at the Chronicle.

What is shocking about this derogation of Ms. Singh? It came from a man who is a sitting member of the Ethnic Relations Commission.

We move to Lincoln Lewis. In his Kaieteur News columns, Lewis, like Braithwaite, defended the

Mingo/Lowenfield tabulation. Lewis went further. He frenetically criticized those who questioned Singh's professionalism and emotionally defended her.

He also stated Guyanese must respect our judicial system. The metamorphosis of Lewis was identical to Braithwaite's.

As the court cases came to an end and Singh ruled that the election results must be based on the Caricomobserved recount, Lewis called upon APNU+AFC presidential candidate, David Granger, to use his presidential powers and institute an inquiry into GECOM. What is disturbing about Lewis' action? This man is the GeneralSecretary of the Trade Union Congress that has to negotiate with the government and society's business owners on workers' rights.

Henry Jeffrey used his Stabroek News columns to argue that the registration list had over 600,500 names thus a free and fair election could not have emerged from such a bloated document. It turned out that only 440,000 persons voted.

This meant that over 200,000 persons on the electoral roll did not show up. And who is Jeffrey? Not an uneducated labourer but a man who taught at UG for 15 years and was a Cabinet Minister for 16 years.

N e x t i s Vi n c e n t Alexander. As a PNC

GECOM commissioner, Alexander stood firmly b e h i n d t h e Mingo/Lowenfield submission that gave victory to the APNU+AFC. He even tabled a motion for GECOM to accept that declaration thus bringing the election saga to an end.

When five CARICOM Prime Ministers came here to seek an end to the election insanity, Alexander wrote them in his capacity as head of the International Decade for People of African Descent-Guyana.

He asked for a meeting to discuss fundamental problems of ethnic competition which periodic elections only exacerbate, and postulated that these PMs find a solution beyond the necessity of having the 2020 election results.

Looked at from any angle, this is horrible hypocrisy. How can you request CARICOM intervention to go beyond election which you say is of lesser importance than finding a solution to ethnic domination, yet you are a GECOM commissioner strenuously seeking an election result based on fraud to catapult your ethnic party in power. Could there be a more infamous example of lost moral compass?

Then there is Cathy Hughes who said in parliament a few days ago that the PPP overlooked the APNU+AFC that won 217,000 votes to offer the position of deputy speaker to

Frederick Kissoon Lenox Shuman of a small party.

Was this the Freudian veil that has finally come off? Ms. Hughes was in court for the filing of the election petition in which her entity will argue that the election was massively fraudulent.

How she arrived at 217,000 when they are claiming that is not a true figure?

Finally, Vincent Adams.

How can any newspaper or any academic or any independent mind argue a case for one of the leaders of APNU+AFC remaining at the helm of the Environmental Protection Agency when that person is part of an entity that is seeking the removal of the political leadership of the government through an election petition?

By what argument can a case of professional strictness be applied? His immediate boss is a Cabinet minister from the PPP. His ultimate boss is the president.

What relation can they have when he is part of the leadership of APNU+AFC that wants the PPP administration removed?

This is really mixed up moral values that Adams and his backers need to explain.

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

Saturday September 05, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Saturday September 05, 2020

Panama commits to paying rice farmers debt with interest

T

he Government of Panama has indicated that they are committed to clearing their debt of $1.9B owed to Guyana for rice exports.

They also stated that they will be repaying with interest and they are also committed to reviving their rice deal with the country. Even though the debt will be repaid the government of Panama has requested this to be done after the COVID-19 pandemic. This was confirmed by Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha.

Kaieteur News understands that the money owed by Panama is from contracts signed in 2018 and 2019 for rice shipments from Guyana to Panama. The rice was shipped by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB).

A partial payment of US$550,000 was made for the 2018 contracts but absolutely no payments were made for the 2019 contract according to the Minister.

The partial payment was used to pay rice millers in 2018 and the GRDB would have had to use their own money to pay rice millers afterward.

It was also highlighted

that the GRDB has a liability of $4.7 million and the delay in payments from Panama is a hanging threat to their revenue. It was said that the Panamanian government market offers a higher price than other markets; however payments are sometimes delayed due to government processes.

Additionally, the GRDB believes that Panama's commitment to reviving their rice deal with Guyana is good for the industry which includes farmers, millers, and other stakeholders.

They also claimed to have seen a rise in the export of packaged rice which signals greater sales of valueadded products.

For the first half of the year, rice exports managed to garner US$99 million in revenue. “With regards to Packaged Parboiled Rice,” General Manager of the GRDB, Nizam Hassan had stated earlier, “we exported 3,705 tonnes in 2019 compared to 5,535 tonnes in 2020 and with regards to Packaged White Rice, which has really shown an astronomical jump — it has moved from 6,316 tonnes in 2019 to 47,484 tonnes in 2020.”

Minister Mustapha said that the government of

Guyana will be examining the Caribbean markets for rice export opportunities, especially those countries that have indicated their willingness to explore these options too.

He also stated that rice production is expected to increase tremendously and large-scale farmers also acknowledged that Mexico is interested in purchasing rice and that will be explored.

Guyanese rice millers have been securing private deals through the Mexican market in previous years; however these shipments to the Mexican market were done privately.

The GRDB did not handle any of the monies for rice supplied to that market.

Man pleads guilty to narcotics charge, gets 18 months imprisonment

A

2 1 - y e a r- o l d m a n w a s sentenced to 18 months imprisonment yesterday, after he pleaded guilty to a trafficking in narcotics charge.

The accused, Jaimaine Jacobs, appeared in the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrates Court before Magistrate Crystal Lambert.

The charge read that on September 2, 2020 at Waini River, the accused had in his possession 128 grams of cannabis in his possession

for the purpose of trafficking. When asked to answer to the charge the accused pleaded guilty and was subsequently sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.

Kaieteur News understands that on the day in question, police at Seventy KM Checkpoint, Regional Division 2 stopped a pickup, driven by a 30year-old of Onderneeming Sandpit, Essequibo Coast,

which at the time had several occupants en route to Big Hope Backdam, Waini River.

A search was conducted of the vehicle and 128 grams of cannabis wrapped in a transparent plastic bag, were unearthed.

The accused, who is a resident of Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara, reportedly took ownership of the package.

The cannabis

Saturday September 05, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

Guyana, Brazil commit to completion of Linden-Lethem road link A

mbassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Maria Clara Duclos Carisio, yesterday congratulated Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, on his recent appointment and pledged her country's support in the continued advancement of bilateral relations.

Further, the Ambassador conveyed that the President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, expressed interest in the

The current Linden-Lethem road has been giving drivers headaches in rainy seasons

ongoing dialogue between the two countries and, through that engagement, expanding the agenda on cooperation.

She pointed out that Brazil's Economy Minister, Paulo Guedes, had also publicly expressed his eagerness in the project to extend the road to Georgetown.

In his turn, Minister Todd expressed his gratitude to Ambassador Carisio for Brazil's continued support to and cooperation with

Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Her Excellency Maria Clara Duclos Carisio, congratulates Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, on his recent appointment

Guyana. He noted that the infrastructural project to connect the Lethem to the coast by road would be of mutual benefit to both states.

“We are happy to have Brazil as a neighbour,” the Foreign Minister stated.

“The kind-hearted nature of Brazilians is on display as the country continues to support its neighbours during this pandemic.”

He added, “We look to Brazil's leadership in terms of protecting territorial sovereignty and integrity.”

Ambassador Carisio and Foreign Minister Todd also agreed to further explore cooperation in trade, health, and technical cooperation, among other areas.

The Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the Federative Republic of Brazil established diplomatic relations on August 26, 1968. Guyana and Brazil have been talking for years now on collaborating with paving the Linden-Lethem road.

Already, a bridge linking

both countries has been built across the Takutu River. The roadway has been seen as a major boost to Brazil trade for especially its border areas with Guyana.

The current LindenLethem road has been problematic with vehicles sometimes marooned for days because of slushy conditions. Guyana is being looked at as an ideal deep water harbor port because of its geographic position at the northern tip of South America.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Saturday September 05, 2020

Two years later no St. Roses High School - despite contractor receiving $60M advance

By Mikaila Prince

I

n 2018, the previous A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change ( A P N U + A F C ) administration had awarded a contract to Courtney Benn Contracting Services Limited to construct a brand new, state-of-the-art St. Roses High School (SRHS).

The construction of this school, which carried a price tag of $352.7M, was anticipated to commence in August of 2018 and the media was informed that the construction was envisioned to last 18 months.

That 18-month period, however, has expired, with six additional months, thereby making it two years have passed and, despite the contractor receiving an advancement totaling to $60M, no significant mobilization works have commenced at the Church Street worksite.

In May of 2019, Chairman of the SRHS

Board of Governors, Kenrick Thomas, had indicated that an alteration in the school's design had resulted in the delay of construction.

These alterations were recommended by Trinidadian Consultancy firm, Bynoe, Rowe & Wiltshire, who had stated that specifications of the structure were inadequate to support the building. It was then proposed that the new structure be supported by a pile foundation, which would prevent any movement such as sinking or subsiding.

These alterations to the model of foundation would come at a higher cost, the Chairman had said, as he noted that the school had reached out to the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) for the approval of those additional funds.

Notably, after a year had passed since the contract was

Aerial shot of the construction worksite of the St. Roses High School

awarded and upon noticing that Courtney Benn Contracting Services had failed to start any work, the Auditor General (AG), Deodat Sharma, had advised

the then regime to terminate the multi-million dollar contract and recover whatever monies were advanced.

However, that same

regime disregarded the AG's well-intended advice, and in February of this year, the Board of Governors for the school related that they were moving ahead with the first construction task, which was to supply and drive approximately 220 timber piles to support the edifice.

“The current round of works” a statement read “to be conducted under the piledriving exercise is expected to last approximately four weeks with the contractors contractually bound to complete all works under the said contract for the entire construction exercise no later than August 21, 2021 as they have signed an 18month construction contract for delivery of the completed new campus building.”

The statement had also said that many features have been retained but enhanced, including the internal courtyard green space garden feature, enhanced (continued on page 15)

Kaieteur News

Saturday September 05, 2020

Surge in COVID-19 cases seen because PPP abandoned Coalition's “strategic plan”

F

ormer President David Granger is of the view that the reason why Guyana has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases is because the new People's Progressive Party C i v i c ( P P P / C ) administration abandoned the strategic plan his government left when they demitted office on August 2.

Appearing yesterday on APNU+AFC's Insight programme, Granger was asked to weigh in on the COVID-19 situation in Guyana and he expressed concern at the alarming numbers emerging daily.

Asked what could possibly result in such high COVID-19 stats, Granger said, “What is responsible is that they abandoned the plans that they inherited on August 2.”

Giving context, Granger stated that when the PPP/C took office, they tried to “disparage” the Center For Disease Control (CDC) and they dismantled the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) that his government had implemented.

The central and commanding role of the NCTF fell under the purview of the then Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo and even this role, he added, was removed.

“I supplemented that task force with an Executive Task Force. All of this…people seem to underestimate the danger that COVID has put this country in. We were conscious of that danger and we put all of our resources to prevent the spread of the disease and now that prevention mechanism had been dismantled and the disease is spreading,” Granger said.

- Granger

Former President, David Granger The Executive Secretariat of the NTCF was headed by now Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon and was aimed at strengthening the policies of the NCTF. Harmon was responsible for directing the NCTF operations and restarting interrupted activities; all important logistical measures necessary to prevent the disease from spreading further, directing rapid responses to unexpected and emergency incidents; developing shortterm plans for disease prevention and public safety; communicating directly with agencies, ministries, regional task forces, agencies and stakeholders; and disseminating accurate information with regard to COVID-19 to the public. But to date, evidence of the Secretariat executing their mandate has not been seen.

With respect to the surge in deaths, Granger pointed out, even those could have been prevented if their plan was adopted by the PPP/C.

“When we demitted office on August 2,” the former President stated “we had about 20 deaths. In four months, we had 20 deaths. In four weeks, the present administration has recorded 23 deaths and that is what is happening.”

Proffering his recommendation, Granger said that the PPP/C should revert to the Coalition's plan which would lead to a decline in the cases.

According to him, the plan included an inclusive approach with each ministry including Public Security, Education and even Public Infrastructure; this plan, he continued, would not work without someone like the Prime Minister to see it through.

“You needed someone with the authority of the Prime Minister who could align the work of all the Ministries for the nation r e s p o n s e … We h a d a n integrated plan and if that plan had been adopted, we would not have seen the surge in infections rates that we are seeing now,” he said.

To date, Guyana has recorded a total of 1,416 positives cases with 44 deaths. August was branded the deadliest month of all with a whopping 21 deaths, a little less than half the national total to date.

Under the Granger administration, testing was fairly restricted and consequently numbers were low. New government officials have said that with increased testing currently being done the true numbers are revealing themselves.

From an analysis done by this publication, one in every four persons tested for COVID-19 was positive.

Two years later no St. Roses High School From page 14 canteen and dining area, off-street drop off, pickup and parking via an internal driveway, wheelchair access to all levels via an elevator, a large 1,500-seat internal auditorium with stage and a separate audio-visual monitoring and control room, a new internal Physical Education Department, and a new Information Technology Laboratory.

A VISIT TO THE SITE On Thursday of this week, Kaieteur News paid a visit to the site of the school which was

founded 173 years ago.

There, this publication discovered that the work site seemed abandoned, with bushes and discarded pieces of logs. Very little material or equipment was there, except for an unmanned bobcat machine.

Numerous attempts were taken to contact both Courtney Benn Contracting Services and Chairman Thomas, all with aims to get an update on the school's construction.

Promises were made by both entities to return messages and phone calls to Kaieteur News, but up to press time, none was provided.

PAGE 15

PAGE 16

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Mother who lost her baby during delivery at New Amsterdam Hospital seeking answers A 24-year-old woman of Williamsburgh, Corentyne, Berbice had her dream of expecting a healthy baby shattered last month and is now seeking answers. Vanita Bipat lost her baby at the New Amsterdam Hospital during delivery about a month ago and is now hoping that an investigation will provide her with some clarity about what took place and why she lost her baby.

Still reeling from grief, Bipat told the media that she did two ultrasounds, one on March 31st at the Anamayah Hospital and one on June 8th at the Port Mourant Hospital but on the latter, her due date was given as July 28th. She subsequently visited her health center on her clinic date (August 4th) and was referred to the high risk clinic at the New Amsterdam Hospital. There, she was told to return on 11th August for admission.

Bipat said she was told by the doctor at the high risk clinic that based on her last ultra sound she would be admitted on the 11th August if there were no signs of labour.

When she showed up on the 11th August there was another doctor at the high risk clinic and that doctor recommended that she do an ultrasound and was then told to return in a week’s time.

“I ask her if my baby was okay and she said the baby was fine”, she said.

Bipat said she returned to the clinic at the NA Hospital the following week, August 16th, and was subsequently admitted. She was informed that labour would be induced but the professionals took her to the labour room until the next day and the doctors that she met on the 11th and 16th were in the labour room along with two other health professionals.

Bipat recalled that half a tablet was inserted into her vagina and shortly after another half was inserted.

“I don’t know if the tablet melt and break up but the doctor asked for another piece and then he start to check for the baby heart beat and he didn’t find any but they didn’t even tell me anything”, she said. There again, she was

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Vanie Bipat and her husband during her pregnancy told that another ultrasound had to be done but the ultrasound machine at the hospital was down.

“The doctor start shake up me belly and they weren’t telling me nothing”, Bipat said. She was then informed after repeatedly inquiring that her baby’s heartbeat could not be located but was assured that all was well.

Bipat said as the day progressed, she began experiencing labour pains and another piece of the tablet was inserted. She was then administered saline and around 4:00 am the next morning she was taken back to the delivery room.

An inquiry was made if she can have a caesarian done but was advised by the doctor that she is not an emergency case and as such, that can’t be done. Hours elapsed again and at 1:45 am the next day, her baby was delivered.

“They put the baby on me,” Bipat said, “and cut the cord and then take him away and all I hear them talking that the baby drink a lot of fluids”.

She was then informed that the baby had to be given oxygen but did not survive. She said she was told that her baby developed heart and

lung problems.

Bipat is accusing the health professionals of neglecting her and believes that if they had paid more attention to her then her baby may have been alive today.

She opined that they should have admitted her after the first due date had passed. Bipat believes that there is a huge gap in communication at the institution between doctors and also pointed out that based on her experience the health professionals are giving preference to persons they are acquainted with.

“If the doctor know you then your relatives can go into the labour room because when I was there they said no one can go in but then some people family go”, she said.

Bipat said she decided to finally share her story since she had read in the news that an investigation will be done at the hospital by a special team.

She is hopeful that she can be provided with some clarity about what happened to her baby and also wanted to tell her story so that other mothers who may have also experienced such, can do the same.

Kaieteur News

Saturday September 05, 2020

PAGE 17

Gun-toting bandits rob Patterson expected pressman of to shadow Oil & Gas motorcycle sector in Parliament

The brand new Honda CB motorcycle that was stolen by the gunmen

G

un-toting bandits rob pressman of motorcycle bandits of his brand new black Honda CB motorcycle CK 5166, while riding through a street in Lamaha Park, Georgetown.

The victim, Roy Etkins also of Lamaha Park, had his motorbike stolen at around 11:30Hrs. According to Etkins he had left his home with his bike to go on an errand.

However, while he was riding through a street two masked men on a dull coloured black

motorcycle rode past him and then stopped exactly in his path.

The rider hopped off, took out a gun, pointed it at Etkins' face and demanded he hand over his motorcycle.

Etkins said at first he resisted but then the bandit cocked the gun.

The pressman told this newspaper that he became scared that he was about to get shot and without further hesitation handed over the bike.

The pillion rider hopped on

and sped away with his accomplice into South Ruimveldt.

The matter was immediately reported to the nearest police station.

Commander of division 4 'A', Simon McBean said that the report is on his desk and gave all assurance that his ranks will do their best to trap the gun toting bike thieves.

Etkins said that he had only purchased his motorcycle last month at a cost of $290,000 in cash and still owes the dealer a fraction of the amount.

Former Minister of Public Infrastructure and AFC Executive, David Patterson

F

ormer APNU+AFC Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson revealed yesterday that he will be the Opposition's shadow minister with responsibility for oil and gas in the National Assembly, during a virtual press conference held by the Alliance for Change (AFC).

Notably absent from the meeting was his fellow AFC executive, Raphael Trotman, the former Minister of Natural Resources who signed the infamously lopsided Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with

ExxonMobil. Trotman had had his oil and gas portfolio taken from him during David Granger's presidential term.

Patterson brings some degree of know-how to the sector, as he was involved as a Public Infrastructure Minister in talks with the operator on bringing gas from the Liza field to shore for the powering of Guyana's energy needs.

He said that on oil, however, he will have to quickly come up to speed.

“For sure, I don't have all the requisite knowledge for such an important industry. So obviously, I'll have a team I'm working with,” Patterson told reporters yesterday.

He said that the shadow portfolios should be worked out shortly, and the public will find out the others constituting the team.

Kaieteur News pointed out that while formerly in opposition, the AFC had set a precedent of having regular talks with oil companies on various issues.

The new opposition, Patterson related, has not met with ExxonMobil or its partners, Hess and CNOOC, yet, as it is now “making rounds” but he acknowledged that there are problems with Exxon's intended Payara development, among other issues the party is beginning to zero in on.

Kaieteur News

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Saturday September 05, 2020

Govt. slashes US$158M by redesigning East Bank bypass road project - costs down to US$50M M

oving ahead with its development agenda that will see an enhancement of traffic flow along the East Bank of Demerara corridor, the Government has retailored the Ogle to Diamond bypass road project to conform with the loan available to execute the major works.

Speaking exclusively with the Department of Public Information, Minister within the Ministry of Public

Works, Deodat Indar said the new four-lane East CoastEast Bank Linkage Project will extend from Ogle to Haags Bosch, rather than to Diamond. This move will spare taxpayers a p p r o x i m a t e l y USD$158Million.

“What was driving up that [project] cost was a number of connectors on the road,” Minister Indar cited.

Identifying the previously proposed connection at Mocha as a

difficult area to execute works, the Minister noted the swamp terrain saw astronomical increases in the total project cost.

“For you to do those swamps, the cost of the earth works pushed up the cost to $208Million. Remember, the Indian Government only had $50Million allocated to this project. So, we had to

Grenada’s PM congratulates Jamaica’s Holness on election victory

G

renada’s prime minister Dr Keith Mitchell has congratulated Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness on his resounding victory at the polls yesterday.

Mitchell says the results of Thursday’s polls speak to the level of confidence the people of Jamaica have

placed in Holness’ leadership style, and his ability to take the country forward, especially in these difficult times.

Holness’ Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) was returned to office following a 49-14 seat victory in the preliminary count.

Mitchell, who was the guest speaker at the JLP’s

76th annual conference in November last year, assured Holness of his commitment to building on their already solid relationship and working with him in moving the regional agenda forward.

G r e n a d a ’s p r i m e minister and Holness also share a special relationship as members of the Caribbean Democratic Union family.

redesign the project to bring it to the original design,” Minister Indar explained.

The Minister further confirmed that India has accepted the new design for the roadworks. As such, the Government is moving ahead to implement the project that was stalled for five years under the former APNU+AFC Coalition administration. At

the completion of Phase 1 of the project (Diamond to Haags Bosch), Minister Indar said the administration will forge ahead with the extension of the bypass road further up the East Bank of Demerara to Timehri.

The bypass will be seen as a major move to reduce congestion on the crowded East Bank Demerara roadway which also caters for traffic from West Demerara, Linden and the hinterlands, and Timehri.

Minister Deodat Indar

Bermudians assured of “safe” elections

H

ealth Minister Kim Wilson has a s s u r e d Bermudians that they will be able to cast their votes freely on October 1 without any major concern of being infected with the coronavirus (COVID-19).

At a media briefing today, Wilson said recent amendments to the Parliamentary Election Act allows Bermudians at high risk to vote early or from their homes.

She noted the Government will be following the Caribbean Public Health Agency guidelines to ensure there are no cases for transmission.

“Across our region, we have seen a number of elections around the world since the COVID-19 crisis began. I am pleased to report that our fellow overseas territory of Anguilla held an

election in June and the data is now in – Anguilla currently has no active COVID-19 cases,” Wilson stated.

“Some of the larger jurisdictions in our region have experienced challenges with COVID-19, however, it is important to note that there are also jurisdictions like Aruba, the Bahamas and the US Virgin Islands that have not held elections and experienced a recent spike in COVID-19 cases. At the end of the day, this is about the management of the virus.”

The Government is also looking to train islanders in lab sciences to increase the human resource capacity in the sector.

Currently, there are eight active covid-19 cases on the island.

A total of 174 cases were detected.

Meanwhile, Bermudian

Premier David Burt said the statistics show that his Government has been handling the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic effectively.

Burt outlined a series of programs his Government implemented including the c r e a t i o n o f a n Unemployment Insurance Programme and assistance for business.

“There are those who have claimed that any government could have done this and have sought to downplay the magnitude of what has been overcome and the dangers we have faced.

Yet if we look at the record of our opponents it is clear when they faced a crisis, when they faced adversity almost every single time they got it wrong,” Burt stated.

“There was no playbook for this pandemic.”

US responds after Maduro pardons political prisoner

T

he US goverment has not been dissuaded by Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro’s recent decision to pardon political prisoners.

In a statement issued September 3, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said the announcement of the dismissal of criminal charges does not address the underlying political crisis.

‘The Maduro regime’s announcement of conditional dismissal of criminal charges against roughly one-third of the political prisoners it holds does not solve, nor even a d d r e s s , Ve n e z u e l a ’s underlying political crisis.

Hundreds of political prisoners remain, and like those now

offered house arrest or an end (for the moment) to their criminal cases, none of these Venezuelans should ever have been imprisoned for a single day.’

‘For those prisoners who were released, returning home is a day to celebrate. The United States joins in respect and admiration for these patriots and for the sacrifices they have made to free their country.’

‘Still, the condition of democracy in Venezuela remains dire.

These dismissals of charges are conditional, with officials threatening to rescind the benefit if any individuals “return to any act of terrorism, violence, or coup-mongering,”

as arbitrarily determined by the regime. Pompeo said Venezuelan leaders such as Juan Guaido, Leopoldo Lopez, and Julio Borges, Venezuelan Ambassador to the United States Carlos Vecchio, and others are still being ‘threatened and harrassed’ and condemned Venezuela’s ‘electoral farce’: ‘Most exiled Venezuelan democratic political leaders will not be able to return, because they know they could be jailed instantly; there are zero guarantees for their safety.

Charges against Deputy Juan Requesens were not dismissed, and he remains under house arrest. On the same day that Requesens was released, the mother of

National Assembly Deputy Armando Armas was arbitrarily detained, reminding us that the regime maintains a revolving door of incarceration and intimidation to extort participation in Maduro’s December 6 electoral farce.’

Pompeo urged democratic actors both within and outside of Venezuela to insist on internationally accepted conditions for free and fair elections.

‘We urge all democratic actors, both within and outside of Venezuela, to continue to insist on the necessary, internationally accepted conditions for free and fair elections.

We, and our democratic partners in

Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro Ve n e z u e l a a n d t h e international community, will not contribute to legitimizing

yet another electoral fraud carried out by the Maduro regime. Venezuelan citizens deserve our continuing solidarity in their struggle to restore democracy to their country.’ According to reports, Maduro issued a decree pardoning 100 of his opponents ahead of Ve n e z u e l a ’s u p c o m i n g congressional elections.

Minister Jorge Rodriguez said Former National Assembly vice-president Freddy Guevara and Roberto Marrero, opposition leader Juan Guaido’s chief of staff, were among more than two dozen lawmakers pardoned in the decree, along with many political activists and labour union leaders.

Saturday September 05, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Saturday September 05, 2020

Saturday September 05, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman to head directly to IPL from CPL

Mujeeb Ur Rahman has been in top form in CPL 2020 Randy Brooks - CPL T20/Getty

Saturday September 05, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You may be in a quiet, reflective mood today, Aries. You could receive a communication from an old friend that sets you remembering the good old days of your youth.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) This is going to be a rather busy day for you, Libra, and you're likely to love every minute of it. You can expect to meet many people as you go about your day.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Today, forget socializing, working, and answering the phone. Stay home and cuddle in a blanket by the fire. Get out your old yearbooks or photo albums and have fun reflecting on good times from your past.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You've been working hard lately and deserve the professional acclaim that comes your way, Scorpio. As a result of your efforts, it's likely you've received or will soon receive a bonus, raise, or promotion of some kind.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Don't be surprised if neighbors come to your door asking for a favor – and not just to borrow a cup of sugar!

While your initial response will be to say yes (it's your nature, after all), think twice.

CANCER(June21–July22) You're likely to wake up today with a compulsion to clean or organize something, Cancer.

This may be rather unlike you.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) To d a y s h o u l d b e a " n o holds barred" day as you strategize your next career move, Leo. If you were in the army, you'd be a fivestar general by now - your tactical sense is that good.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today might be largely devoted to household tasks, Virgo. It isn't exactly the most glamorous assignment, but you take a certain pleasure in attending to daily necessities.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) This is likely to be a day geared to fulfilling the needs of family. Lesser persons would resent the obligation, but not you. You have a nurturing spirit.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Guilt can be a powerful motivator, but it isn't a pure one.

Today you could feel obligated to help a family member with something you'd prefer to take no part in.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Today you could feel overwhelmed with obligations and commitments to others.

There isn't a moment free for yourself, not even for a bathroom break!.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Those who know the real you find your lack of confidence frustrating. Your talents are startling to mere mortals, yet you rarely take credit for all your abilities.

ESPNcricinfo - Six Afghanistan players, who are part of CPL 2020, have been allowed to continue playing in the Caribbean by the ACB (Afghanistan Cricket Board) despite a clash with the Shpageeza T20 league at home. Rashid Khan, the No.1 T20I bowler, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who is just behind him on the T20I charts, are among the six Afghanistan players featuring in the ongoing CPL. The Shpageeza league is set to begin this Sunday in Kabul, while the CPL runs till next Thursday. While Rashid’s side Barbados Tridents have crashed out of the tournament, Mujeeb’s Jamaica Tallawahs have made the final four. Mohammad Nabi (St Lucia Zouks), Zahir Khan (Zouks), Najibullah Zadran (Zouks) and Naveenul-Haq (Guyana Amazon

Warriors) will also be in action along with Mujeeb in the playoffs.

Originally the ACB was meant to fly the six players to Kabul on a charter plane.

However, with most countries in the Caribbean closing their borders, including Trinidad & Tobago, the ACB faced logistical challenges in arranging the charter.

It is understood that out of the six Afghanistan players Rashid, Nabi and Mujeeb will head directly to the UAE to participate in the IPL. With the IPL imposing a mandatory six-day quarantine, the ACB conceded that the three players would not have enough time to join their franchises if they were to participate in the Shapageeza League.

As for the three other Afghanistan players, they will travel to Kabul on September 12 and participate in the

Shpageeza League.

Nazeem Jaar Abdulrahimzai, the acting chief executive officer of the ACB, had earlier said the plan was to fly the Afghanistan players in the CPL to Kabul

by September 5, a day before the start of the Shpageeza league. The ACB, though, has changed its plan now.

“We understand the importance of the Shpageeza Cricket League to the ACB and the reasons why it had to be scheduled during the CPL after the NOCs were all issued,” Pete Russell, CPL’s COO said in a media release.

“We truly appreciate the Chairman of the ACB allowing these six Afghan players to stay at the Hero CPL until its conclusion. Afghan players have had a huge impact on our competition, both this season and in previous years, and we are very grateful to have them with us until the final on 10 September.”

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Saturday September 05, 2020

Kaieteur News

Lionel Messi to stay at Barcelona SportsMax - Lionel Messi has announced he will stay at Barcelona because the financial outlay required to make his desired exit a reality was ”impossible”.

The Argentina superstar sent shockwaves through Camp Nou last week when he announced he wanted to leave Barca in the wake of the humiliating 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Messi was of the belief he could leave on a free transfer

after activating a clause allowing him to terminate his contract at the end of the season, with Manchester City quickly emerging as favourites for his signature.

LaLiga disputed that claim, though, and insisted any potential suitor would have to negotiate with Barca or pay the €700million release clause in Messi’s contract, with his option to leave for nothing having expired on June 10.

Messi’s father and agent

Jorge met Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu to discuss the six-time Ballon d’Or winner ’s future on Wednesday, prior to which he stated it would be “difficult” for his son to stay.

However, reports emerged after the meeting that a transfer for Messi would likely start a civil court case, while City were also said to be unable to do a deal if a transfer fee - even one significantly below the release clause - was involved.

Consequently, Messi confirmed yesterday he would not be moving because the option of a free transfer was no longer on the table.

He told Goal Spain: “I thought and was sure that I was free to leave. The president always said that at the end of the season I could decide if I stayed or not.

“Now they cling to the fact that I did not say it before June 10, when it turns out that on June 10 we were competing for LaLiga in the middle of this awful coronavirus, and this disease altered all the season.

“This is the reason why I am going to continue with the club.

“Now I am going to continue because the president told me that the only way to leave was to pay the €700m clause, and this is impossible.”

Messi is contracted to Barca until June next year and insisted his desire to leave was no snap decision after the Bayern game, having discussed the possibility of a transfer with Bartomeu throughout the season.

“The burofax was to make it official in some way,” he explained. “Throughout the year I had been telling the president that I wanted to leave, that the time had come to seek new goals and new directions in my career.

“He told me all the time: ‘We’ll talk, now now, this and that’, but nothing. The president did not give me a clue of what he was really saying.

“Sending the burofax was making it official that I wanted to go and that I was free and the option year [playing for Barcelona in 2020-21] I was not going to use.”

The defeat to Bayern had already plunged Barca into chaos, even before Messi made clear his intentions, with

Lionel Messi has announced he will stay at Barcelona. head coach Quique Setien sacked and sporting director Eric Abidal - with whom Messi clashed - also departing.

Ronald Koeman was installed as the new coach but reportedly quickly informed Luis Suarez, Messi’s close friend, he would be among the players moved on.

The status of Barca’s squad heading into the new season is still uncertain, but Messi now says he is committed to performing again at Camp Nou. “I will continue at Barca and my attitude will not change, no matter how much I wanted to go,” he said. “I will do my best.”

“I always wanted to win, I’m competitive and I don’t like to lose anything. I always want the best for the club, for the dressing room and for myself.

“I said at the time that we were not given the support to

win the Champions League.

Actually, now I don’t know what will happen. There is a new coach and new ideas.

“That’s good, but then we have to see how the team responds and whether or not it will allow us to compete at the top level. What I can say is that I’m staying and I’m going to give my best for Barcelona.”

The pressure is likely to remain on Bartomeu, however, with Messi giving a damning assessment of how Barcelona have laboured under his watch over recent seasons.

“The truth is that there has been no project or anything for a long time, they juggle and cover holes as things go by,” he added.

“As I said before, I always thought about the welfare of my family and the club.”

Saturday September 05, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Sinclair grateful for CPL opportunity to showcase his skills globally

By Sean Devers At age 20, Berbice allrounder Kevin Sinclair has represented Rose Hall Town, Berbice, the West Indies emerging players and most recently, the Guyana Amazon Warriors. Sinclair is fast becoming popular for his summersault celebrations when he claims a wicket.

The hyperactive Sinclair, with a smile as broad as the Berbice River, had the best

economy rate among all bowlers in last November’s Colonial Medical Life Super 50 Cup as the West Indies emerging players won the title in their debut tournament by beating the host Trinidad and Tobago in the final.

Sinclair performed well with both bat and ball in his debut senior Regional Tournament.

The cousin of former Guyana fast bowler Kevin

Darlington, Sinclair made an inauspicious start to his first class career earlier this year.

In six matches he failed to contribute any outstanding performances; taking 12 wickets and making just 113 runs.

Sinclair, who seems more comfortable bowling the white ball, says he’s delighted to be involved in the CPL. The Talented Sinclair, the only new player to be contracted by the Amazon Warriors, made an impacting start to his CPL T20 career,

Promising stats for GAW heading into CPL semifinals

Shimron Hetmyer will want and need to come good with the bat in the two remaining matches they are likely to play. (CPL T20 Ltd.2020) The Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) will head into the final four of the eighth Caribbean Premier League (CPL) on a high once again as they seek out a historic maiden triumph in the regional franchise tournament after losing five finals, including last year’s ultimate matchup against Barbados Tridents.

Although, the highly rated Trinbago Knight Riders lead the points table with 16 after maintaining a perfect record from their 8 roundrobin matches played so far, the second place Warriors (12 points); having played their Points Table TEAM TKR GAW SLZ JT BT SKNP

M 8 10 8 8 9 9

W 8 6 5 3 2 1

full quota of 10 games, boast incredible figures.

Most notably are Shimron Hetmyer who is the tournament’s current top runscorer with 267 runs, Imran Tahir; highest wicket taker with 15 scalps, while Nicholas Pooran’s 45-ball 100 against St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots is the highest individual score.

Breakout star, Kevin Sinclair, in his four matches played, has the best economy rate in this year’s tournament so far with a miserly economy rate of 4.36.

The GAW have also scored the most runs of 1147 L 0 4 3 4 7 7

NR 0 0 0 1 0 1

PTS 16 12 10 7 4 3

and taken the most wickets (67). The Warriors will know who they will face in the semifinals this Tuesday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA) following the final round robin matches over the weekend.

Today’s fixtures see Trinbago taking on St. Lucia Zouks (10 points from eight games) from 10:00hrs at the BLCA in the first match of a double header. The feature match will be contested between Jamaica Tallawahs and Barbados Tridents that stand no chance of making it to the final four.

NRR 1.008 0.600 0.069 -0.122 -0.368 -1.264

when on the debut, he opened the bowling and the batting against the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots on August 30th and recorded the impressive figures of four overs, one maiden, nine runs one wicket.

“It feels really good after watching it from the outside and now being able to be a part of it (CPL), it’s fantastic and I’m confident of doing well in the rest of the tournament.

I’m just looking to stick to the basics and work hard,” informed Sinclair, who had not played any Cricket since February before this tournament.

“I do like all formats of the game and will say I’m a batting all-rounder I just have to balance it with the ball,” said Sinclair, whose favorite manner of dismissing a batsman is lbw while he enjoys straight driving.

After Thursday night’s final preliminary-round game against defending Champions Barbados Tridents, Sinclair had played four matches in which he bowled 84 balls, taking five wickets and conceded just 61 runs at an economy rate of 3.9, the best in the Tournament.

However, with the bat he could only manage eight runs from two innings with a top score of five.

“I feel really good about that, it was another opportunity for me to

showcase my talent. I did not get the results with the bat.

But with the ball I was outstanding.

I was grateful to have the opportunity to showcase my skills to a global audience,” said Sinclair who lives in Angoy’s Avenue in New Amsterdam, Berbice.

Sinclair disclosed that he has learned a lot already in this Tournament.

“I learnt a lot in terms of consistency in bowling in a particular area, while in the batting department, rotating the strike has got to be right up there while putting away the bad balls is also very important.

I have learnt a lot of different things so far working with the coaches and the foreign players like Skipper Chris Green, Ross Taylor and Imran Tahir along with the local players as well,” informed the off-spinner who has extracted prodigious turn from the Trinidad tracks.

The Warriors have reached the finals five times in the previous seven tournaments since the CPL was inaugurated in 2013 but has never won the coveted title.

Last year they played on unbeaten for 11 matches before finishing runners-up to Barbados in the final after losing their last match.

However, Sinclair, who along with fellow Guyanese

left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd, are the under-23 players in the squad, is confident of winning the title in his first season in this format like he did with the West Indies emerging players in Regional Super 50 last year.

The Warriors will look to break that Jinx this season by winning their first title but they will know that they still have a semi-final to play next Tuesday.

“Yes I am confident and the guys are also confident of going all the way this year now that we have reached the semi-finals after a tough start.

I think we are peaking at the right time.

The support we have gotten over the years speaks for itself, everyone is supporting us back home and that support is driving us again this year and I’m confident that we will pull it off this year,” said Sinclair.

Sinclair says first class cricket and playing in the CPL is a big difference for him.

“The first class tournament is a mixture of local and Caribbean players and gives you time to come back from a mistake but the CPL is very fast-paced and has stars from around the globe and you can learn more from them. Not only from our team. Most of the guys are open for questions and if you’re willing to learn you will improve,” Sinclair concluded.

Mo Farah breaks one-hour world record at Brussels Diamond League BBC Sport - Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah broke the one-hour world record on his return to the track at yesterday’s Diamond League meeting in Brussels.

Farah ran 21,330m, bettering the record of 21,285m set by Haile Gebrselassie in 2007.

It is the 37-year-old Briton’s first world record outdoors.

“I’m very happy to break the world record today. What an amazing way to do it and to show people what is possible,” Farah said.

“I feel tired but it’s nice to break a world record.”

In the rarely run one-hour race athletes try to cover as much distance as possible in 60 minutes.

Earlier on Friday, Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands set a new world record in the women’s race. Her 18,930m effort surpassed Dire Tune’s mark of 18,517m, set in 2008.

Farah switched to road running after the Rio Olympics but was returning to the track in his bid to compete in the 10,000m at next year’s postponed Tokyo Games.

Competing for the first t i m e s i n c e O c t o b e r ’s Chicago Marathon, Farah pulled away alongside Belgium’s Bashir Abdi with 30 minutes left.

The pair’s effort looked in doubt as they fell behind Gebrselassie’s record pace, but they went ahead again as the final quarter of the race began.

In the end, six-time world champion Farah kicked away from Abdi and won the race

with ease to become the 12th athlete to hold the record.

Farah will return to road racing when he competes in the Antrim Coast Half Marathon on 12 September.

He will then act as a pacesetter for Kenya’s world record holder Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele at the delayed London Marathon on 4 October.

Also competing in Brussels, Britain’s world heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson ran a season’s-best time of 13.57 seconds to finish fourth in the 100m hurdles.

The 27-year-old later came sixth in the high jump, reaching 1.84m.

PAGE 24

Saturday September 05, 2020

Kaieteur News

Tour springs into life as Pogacar loses time and Van Aert secures double LAVAUR, France (Reuters) - The Tour de France burst into life when a fast start and crosswinds blew the peloton apart in the seventh stage, leaving dark horse Tadej Pogacar with a lot catching-up to do ahead of the Pyrenees today.

Yesterday’s 168-km ride from Millau was dominated by Belgian Wout van Aert, who won his second Tour stage this year, after a brutal start

by Peter Sagan’s BoraHansgrohe team and crosswinds had split the pack.

A sudden acceleration by champion Egan Bernal’s Ineos Grenadiers team split the leading pack again with Slovenian Pogacar, one of the most fancied underdogs in the race, finding himself trapped behind and losing 1:21 on the line.

The 21-year-old UAE Emirates rider is now expected to be on the attack in the Pyrenees this weekend.

“In the finale, we’ve seen an opportunity and we took advantage of it to split the bunch. The Tour de France is also won in stages like this one,” said Bernal in a reminder that talks of an Ineos Grenadiers demise had come way too early.

Briton Adam Yates, along with Primoz Roglic, Bernal and Pinot, was on the right side of the break and retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey.

Yates now leads Roglic by three seconds and France’s Guillaume Martin by nine.

“We were expecting an easy day today but Bora had other ideas. We rode full gas from start to finish, it was a hard day for everybody,” said Yates.

“I wasn’t too anxious really, just a few moments where you had to be in position because of the wind.

It was not too crazy but enough to split the bunch, so you had to be in position.”

After a couple of extremely quiet days, the peloton was thrown into a tumbler when BoraHansgrohe’s attack on the first climb left most of the sprinters behind.

That boosted Sagan’s quest for a record-extending eighth green jersey for the points classification.

Green jersey holder Sam Bennett, as well as Australian Caleb Ewan, were left far behind and could not contest the intermediate sprint, where Sagan collected 17 points after being beaten by only Matteo Trentin.

Triple world champion Sagan was again beaten in the final sprint w o n b y Milan-Sanremo champion Van Aert, but the Slovak picked up an extra four points to leapfrog Bennett into the top of the points classification.

He leads Bennett by nine points and Van Aert by 32, but the Belgian said he had no interest in the green jersey.

“The important thing is to take all the points that you can

Team Jumbo-Visma rider Wout Van Aert of Belgium wins the stage ahead of NTT Pro Cycling rider Edvald Boasson Hagen of Denmark and B&B Hotels-Vital Concept p/b KTM rider Bryan Coquard of France. (Pool via REUTERS/Christophe Petit Tesson) from the start but it costs a lot of energy and it’s just not possible to do my work for the team and focus on the intermediate sprints and bunch sprints,” said Van Aert.

Saturday’s eighth stage is a 141-km mountain trek in the Pyrenees, featuring the ascents of the Col de Mente, the Port de Bales and the Col de Peyresourde.

While the downhill finish might lead the big guns to hold their fire again, any Pogacar move to regain some time could trigger some movement.

Struggling CPL players may be suffering from quarantine fatigue

Sifan Hassan sets one-hour world record at Brussels Diamond League BBC Sport - Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands set a new one-hour world record of 18,930m at the Diamond League meeting in Brussels.

Hassan - who is 10,000m and 1500m world champion pulled away from Kenyan marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei, who was later disqualified for stepping off the track.

The 27-year-old’s effort surpassed Dire Tune’s record of 18,517m, set in 2008.

“I’m very happy. When I started, I didn’t feel good,” Hassan said. “But after I found every single minute easy.

“It was a very strong race and I’m so happy. I never thought I was going to run so far.”

Kenyan Faith Kipyegon, the reigning Olympic 1500m champion, missed out on the 1,000m record by less than a second.

Toby Radford believes ‘quarantine fatigue’ could explain the poor performance of some players in the CPL. (CPL)

Sifan Hassan became 10,000m and 1500m world champion in 2019. (Getty Images) The 26-year-old finished in two minutes 29.92 seconds, with

Russian Svetlana Masterkova’s record having stood at 2:28.98 since 1996.

SportsMax - Former West Indies batting coach Toby Radford believes ‘quarantine fatigue’ could explain the poor performance of some player’s currently taking part in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

So far this year’s edition of the tournament, which has been staged in the unusual circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic, has in many instances produced low scores and poor batting performances.

There have been many factors blame for some of the poor showing, the absence of a crowd, poorly prepared pitches, and players that are still rusty, are some of a few

that have been advanced.

However, another is the length of time some players have been away from family and friends in back-to-back quarantine-required competition.

For players like West Indies captain Jason Holder, Rahkeem Cornwall, Jermaine Blackwood, Shai Hope, and other members of the regional team that toured England, the CPL follows several weeks of quarantine during the international series. With even more restrictive conditions in the CPL, Radcliffe believes the isolation could be taking its toll.

“I’m not making excuses

for them but some of those guys have been in a bubble in the UK for two or three months earlier in the summer.

I think some were back in Barbados for about 5 days before heading back to Trinidad for another bubble,” Radcliffe told the Mason and Guest radio programme.

“They’ve barely been home in the last 3 and a half months, that’s no excuse, but it does have an effect. It is attritional, even if you are away from home for those times normally on tour you can go to a restaurant, you can eat out, meet up with your family and get away from cricket…it does have a mental effect.”

Kaieteur News

Saturday September 05, 2020

PAGE 25

Shariff crowned Junior Chess online champion Omar Shariff showed fine form last weekend to resume competitive chess with a strong performance following a long break to win a Junior online competition.

The “Chess in Schools� junior chess pilot programme, in partnership with chesskid.com, was able to attract 38 under-16 kids from six schools to

participate in its first local, fully online tournament.

The children played for just about three hours in seven rounds under the watchful eye of experienced arbiter John Lee. Emerging victorious was ten-year-old Omar Shariff, who, after a first-round loss to Arysh Raghunauth, reeled off six consecutive wins to finish on

Omar Shariff

six points.

Italy Ton Chung finished second with five points, while Mahalia Rajkumar was third. The remainder of the top nine for the tournament included Kyle Couchman, Ethan Persaud, Neal Rodrigues, Joel Wong,

Mahir Rajkumar and Micaiah Enoe.

The tournament signalled the return of junior chess, with 100 children to be awarded gold m e m b e r s h i p o n chesskid.com at a cost of US$1500 to the GCF.

The junior chess realignment post COVID-19 will see a shorter format of

chess being played, with technology as its aid to the future.

rt Spo

The Warriors will hope for more celebrations and advancing to the grand finale and capturing the grand prize this year. (CPL T20 Ltd.2020)

Promising stats for GAW heading into CPL semifinals Mo Farah is a two-time Olympic champion in both the 10,000m and 5,000m.

(Getty Images)

Kevin Sinclair goes into another athletic celebration. (CPL)

Mo Farah breaks Sinclair grateful one-hour world record at for CPL opportunity to Brussels Diamond League showcase his skills globally Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.