Kaieteur News

K

AIETEUR

Breach of duty-free concessions… Thursday Edition

CJIA's Chinese NEWS contractor illegally Guyana’s largest selling p. daily & New York’s most used equipment for 3 popular weekly MovieTowne construction Three days before elections…

September 24, 2020 - Vol. 13 No. 38 Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $80 readership yesterday 155,009

Lands and Survey boss, Trevor Benn, bought $25M Prado for $2.5M from his own workplace p.

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Trevor Benn

$609M bailout Guyana can make hundreds of million$ for Civil Aviation from studying due to COVID-19 oil block data p.

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Pres.

Ali, others 8 G$134M to complete “badly pay final respects to mismanaged” US$31M Sherriff/ murdered Berbice Mandela road expansion project teen, Haresh Singh p.

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New data shows Linden nurses protest COVID-19 aerosol for COVID-19 risk could spread disease allowance, other issues p.

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... nation should also wear face mask in enclosed spaces - Health Minister

Stabroek Block field development costs estimated at US$60B…

How involved is the Govt. of Guyana in the capital costs associated with oil projects?- OGGN p.

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

Kaieteur News

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Thursday September 24, 2020

Petroleum task force $609M bailout for Civil to explore gas to shore Aviation

M

inister of N a t u r a l Resources, Vickram Bharrat, says a petroleum task force will soon be set up and will explore the possibilities of bringing natural gas to shore as the administration advances its plans to diversify and expand power supply.

“They will look at the previous study to see how it fits into our policies and programmes to bring gas to shore,” Minister Bharrat told the National Assembly, during the second day of consideration of Current and Capital Expenditure.

The working group will focus on the enhancement of the legal framework, capacity

Minister Vickram Bharrat building of key institutions, and project management, the Department of Public Information reported.

“It will also look at power

generation utilised from this project as early as possible so Guyanese can have cheaper and more efficient supply,” the Minister said.

The task force will comprise members from key agencies. The cost of consultations and logistics for the group has been allocated in the budget.

“The task force will be from members who are already in the system, for example, EPA, GGMC and other agencies so they will not be paid a salary, the expenses will basically be for logistics, project management, consultations and meetings, but not remuneration,” the Minister said.

G$134M to complete “badly mismanaged” US$31M Sherriff/ Mandela road expansion project

T

he previous A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change ( A P N U + A F C ) administration had expended millions on the Sherriff/ Mandela Road Expansion Project but despite this, the project is far from completed. Instead, the People's Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government will have to expend a further $134 million to complete works there.

Construction has restarted after being halted back in April and Guyanese can now look forward to the road being paved with asphalt

before the end of the year.

Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill branded the project “badly mismanaged” as the issue came to the fore yesterday during the considerations for the 2020 National Budget Estimates at the Arthur Chung Conference Center.

Minister Edghill told the House that the project should have already reached finality as the contract was awarded since December 2017.

Sinohydro Corporation Limited, a Chinese Contracting firm, was awarded the US$31.03 Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

contract.

While the COVID-19 pandemic was cited as one of the contributing factors, the non-compliance with a host of environmental standards led to the IDB halting disbursements to the project.

With the contractor back on board, the project has reached a considerable way and could be completed by the end of 2020.

Further, Edghill stated that assurances were given to the contractor that the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is prepared to facilitate special charter flights if the issue of (continued on page 8)

due to COVID-19

W

ith the adverse effects of the n o v e l Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the local economy, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has received a $609 million bailout in the 2020 National Budget. This allocation is aimed at ensuring that the regulatory agency keeps its international certification in order.

Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill, revealed this yesterday to the National Assembly as the 2020 Budget Estimates were being considered. Minister Edghill was at the time responding to questions posed by Governance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Gail Teixeira, on why the sum was allotted for the GCAA. According to Edghill, the regulatory agency “traditionally” garners its own revenue to fund operations there. However, he noted, “…of recent times, it has

Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill really fallen on hard times and this has been more compounded by the fact of COVID and because of the reduction of revenue, because of where they garner their revenue from flights, overpass flights and the rest of it and we had a reduction.”

Moreover, the Public Works Minister underscored that “in order to keep Guyana's International Civil Av i a t i o n O rg a n i s a t i o n (ICAO) certification in order,

Guyana Civil Aviation Authority

at all times, four months cover must be in our reserves.”

“Because of the depletion, etc., this budget is being asked to provide that money for those four months of cover,” he explained.

Against this backdrop, Minister Edghill explained to the National Assembly that considerations were made to allot $440 million for the ICAO cover reserve and the remaining $169 million will be put towards bridging an operating deficit.

While he declined to provide further in-depth details on why such a large sum was needed for the company, he hinted at undisclosed cost over runs and made it clear that COVID-19 was only “one factor involved”.

Edghill was grilled by former APNU+AFC Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson, to reveal those costs to the House but was cut short by Speaker of the House, Manzoor Nadir, who did not allow the discussion to continue since it was not part of the estimates being considered.

Kaieteur News

Thursday September 24, 2020

PAGE 03

Breach of duty-free concessions‌

CJIA's Chinese contractor illegally used equipment for MovieTowne construction I

n 2011, China H a r b o u r Engineering Company (CHEC) was awarded a US$150M contract to build Guyana a bigger, modernized airport.

It would have included a longer runway to accommodate wide-body planes and a brand-new terminal building with escalators and elevators and glass roof.

Despite evidence that the price tag was through the roof, Guyana was still willing to settle for the modern airport that was promised. Almost a decade later, Guyana is still waiting and there are tough questions being asked now. Like what exactly went wrong.

On Monday, President Irfaan Ali, during a visit and tour of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) made it clear that Guyana would not be accepting the project.

CHEC is owed millions.

In fact, he said, Guyana signed a specific agreement for a fixed price and it was clear what Guyana should get. He ordered an investigation and said that all stops should be pulled out to fix the issues. The issues,

President Irfaan Ali making it clear on Monday his displeasure with the CJIA project according to persons associated with the project, had to do mostly with the freedom that CHEC had.

Under its contract, it was allowed to bring in materials and equipment duty-free, to the tune of billions of dollars.

In other words, the Chinese state-controlled company did not have to pay taxes. There was a catch.

CHEC could not use the equipment for anything else except the airport project.

The concessions laws are strict about that.

However, from earlier

reports published by Kaieteur News back in 2016, and never refuted by CHEC, the company used the equipment illegally on the MovieTowne project.

Located at Turkeyen, that mall project was introduced around the same time as the airport project.

According to officials, CHEC used its trucks and other vehicles and possibly even sand from the airport project on the MovieTowne construction at Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara.

CHEC's trucks, more than

CHEC's trucks at the Timehri site back in 2016

25 of them, were granted duty free concessions by the previous government for the airport work. CHEC also reportedly received tax waivers on at least six pickups and four SUVs. Somewhere along the way, the company's sister company, China Harbour Engineering (T&T) Ltd. (CHEC), also managed to win the contract to construct the MovieTowne project.

The Turkeyen project, to include eight cinemas and food courts among other things, was contracted to CHEC in December 2014 for US$30M. It has been completed and is operational.

However, it appeared that CHEC decided to use the equipment that it has stationed at the airport,

including the trucks, to work along with the MovieTowne project. Late in 2015, CHEC's trucks were spotted on the East Bank Demerara road with sand. It was after hours. The trucks were not supposed to be working at nights.

The supervising consultant of the airport project, a Canadian company called MMM Group, was alerted but CHEC had an explanation why the trucks were on the road at that hour. The company said the trucks were taking sand from a sandpit belonging to a businessman who operates in the Yarrowkabra area, Soesdyke/Linden Highway, to the MovieTowne site.

CHEC never refuted the story that was published by this paper in 2016.

CHEC reportedly managed to even acquire receipts of payments from the businessman to prove its s t o r y. W h a t w a s n o t explained was how the trucks that could only work on the airport project were allowed to take sand to another location.

For the airport project, CHEC was allowed use of three sandpits, two loam pits and two pagasse pits.

As a matter of fact, a few pieces of equipment including a tower crane that came for the CJIA project was put into use at MovieTowne.

In 2015, truckers

complained that the company bypassed them and hired trucks of BaiShanLin, a disgraced logging company, to help fetch sand in the airport project.

BaiShanLin was blocked shortly after from participating in the contract as those trucks were illegal there‌It had been granted concessions specifically for forestry purposes.

In March 2013, the PPP/C Government turned the sod for the US$150M airport expansion. In 2011, Guyana learnt about CHEC after a Jamaica newspaper broke the news that the Guyana Government later said that it was about to announce the signing when the news was prematurely leaked.

CHEC has been handed the contract for the Pegasus Hotel expansion.

It is significantly on the way to completion. In the meantime, the CJIA project is dragging along.

In recent years, consecutive Governments have received flak for the management of foreign investors and contractors to ensure that they comply with agreements and not abuse concessions.

The CJIA expansion project has now spanned four presidencies, starting with Bharrat Jagdeo.

It has raised serious questions about the level of supervision and monitoring of contractors on State projects.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday September 24, 2020

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

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

EDITORIAL

Things not talked about here There are some things of which we speak not and do not wish to hear as Guyanese. We are so far gone with those priorities that stir and excite that even the COVID19 pandemic and its relentless creep in Guyana fails to bring the appropriate response. The pandemic’s continuing alarming number of confirmed cases and its steady trickle of unnerving deaths are shrugged off almost as if they are non-events. It is a snapshot of the major things in local life, the things that are so needed here, but are rarely touched, against those ingredients that trigger joy and close identification.

Look at us and listen to us. There is neither pause nor place for either inclusive governance nor the truths of racial understandings that could lead to some form of partial mending. Because the conversations and connections on these are so lacking, there is nothing that could help towards vitally imperative social and national reconciliation. Nobody cares for such visions, or any of their related ideals, or what they hold as promises for a better Guyana. There is a lot of talking and jawing, but no real listening or moving.

Nobody at the top and in the places where selfcongratulation flow like champagne have time for inclusion of any kind. Somehow, it is believed that this will pacify and build, while close to half of this heaving society is filled with anger, even malice incalculable. As usual, the people at the bottom will vent their viciousness on each other while their leaders and the surrounding casts seek comfort behind bodyguards, bulletproof protections, and the usual carefully scripted platitudes.

Then, there was constitutional reform that enjoyed its shiny moment in the sun, only to fade into oblivion after the cries that were raised on that score. Now it feels like the day after a funeral. It is where everybody is gone. The house is empty, with the drapes pulled down. Everything and everyone are trapped in the freeze of a standstill.

Most of those, who were guardians of this or that, and railed against everything that was not, have gone on to green pastures. This is what men and women existed for in this country: what is in it for them, and on this they learned from the major players, who are experts at the selfserving enriching. The racial masses will just have to fend for themselves, while they fend off those on the otherside from tearing out their throats.

The big boys and big girls go to their big jobs with big cars and big rewards.

What is there not to like about the rewards of the political and racial sweepstakes played in this country. In the meantime, the little people wonder, yet again, what happened to the visions and aspirations of those tricksters that now enjoy upward political mobility, while they are left behind again. While they deal with the meager crumbs that come their way.

These are presented as the partial sum of our dispiriting truths, and on that we erect building blocks for reconciliation. The knowledge comes that such things mean nothing here, since they are made of sand only and will crumble under the slightest tension. This is where the peoples of this society exist, where they claw and clobber one another. That is the reconciliation of our streets and villages, the ledger of our contradictions fueled by politics and elections, and ambitions over oil, of course. We do not have to journey to the United States to compete in its crab barrels and join in the rat races, we have those two right here. It is why we barrel down on each other with unrestrained rancor, with hearts full of hate. That is our truth, and it remains unaddressed and untouched.

The big boss of this land did pontificate about transparency. He should look at himself, and see what all of the world sees, as to the transparency of his hypocrisies.

Last, there is that supporting cabal of newcomers, who were loud and proud in their dissertations about constitutional reform and clean governance, and inclusion.

Where are they now? They are in political heaven having collected their silver for betraying those who believed.

There should be a transparent, comprehensive review of both CXC and CAPE 2020 results

DEAR EDITOR, Never would I have believed that amongst the systems within society that actively play a major role in the prejudices and injustices experienced and lived by members of society, that the Caribbean Examination Council, the region’s exam body would take the cake and use our education as a disturbing vantage point to the benefit of the council and at the dismay of its stakeholders. As of yesterday the 22nd September, 2020 upon the release of the CXC 2020 results I am a convert. CXC, you have failed and hurt us, the students. For years you have been the beacon of authority upholding the standards of education within the Caribbean region and it is more than disheartening-it is infuriating to witness those standards being trampled upon.

The buzz in the air and excitement shared by both CXC and CAPE students on “Results Day” quickly turned into disbelief and shoack upon witnessing their grades.

How could it be that some students with all A profiles were graded-IV? Like the titanic upon hitting that fateful iceberg, feelings of hope and confidence quickly sank. The favourite and most consistent inconsistency were grades III-V particularly in Pure Mathematics and Integrated Mathematics. Even more disturbing were some reports of fellow students receiving “ungraded” and being marked absent for subjects they undoubtedly were present to write in the unprecedented time of Covid-19.

A Loops Barbados online newspaper headline reads “CXC results back for students and ministries at the same time in 2020”; this was an historic move across the region as over the years the release of CXC results were notoriously untimely. While it was an historic move in releasing the results within the foretold time period, it was also certainly historic as it burned and scarred the futures of students with feelings of uncertainty, heartbreak and fear of what may become of them.Writing our exams that ranged between 1 hour, 30 minutes to 2 hours while wearing masks covering our faces, having to disinfect along the way and socially distancing were the conditions necessary to complete our paper ones. We repeated this cycle several times for each subject all while still carrying the unwavering worry of falling ill as the number of corona virus cases in Guyana continued its inclination as we returned to our homes and families daily. Yet still a vast majority of the student population opted to power through with a positive mindset that this will be worth the five or seven years of schooling and putting our best efforts forward.It should be noted that although some schools across Guyana are seeing inconsistencies in the results of their brightest students, others do not share the same fate.

Yes, a few were lucky to have received rewarding grades but the injustice dished out to the majority undermines the very meritocratic principles that uphold our soci-

ety. Education affords us the privilege of social mobility, to be able to advance within our society based on an individual’s capabilities and merits. The results of the May/June CXC 2020 examination have taken away that privilege from us students and society at large. In such a situation, nobody wins when we are at an impasse.

It is an easy thing to forget that students are more than mere 10-digit candidate numbers, bell curves, IA scores and grading systems.

Our education is not a fickle thing to be played with and we as students are not cogs in a machine that toil with our blood, sweat, tears, dedication and sacrifices only in the end to be spurned with an unmerited end product. We demand and deserve better than to fall through the cracks of a factory well-oiled with our monies.

To those who say, “Get over your grade, it does not define you” while you say that statement to provide some comfort, the reality is that it does and it doesn’t. It does not define your capabilities as an individual or your intellect. However, academia plays a significant role in pursuing future endeavors such as securing jobs, opportunities for further learning at colleges or universities and even applying for scholarships.

There is no point in ignoring the consequences that these results may very well have on our futures.

I merely ask and hope for three things. Firstly for a transparent, thorough, comprehensive, cost- free review

of both the CXC and CAPE 2020 results that warrants an explanation for the inconsistencies observed by students. Moreover, refunds should rightfully be issued to some students who at this time have requested such and no longer trust their capabilities in conducting a review.

Secondly, my fellow colleagues that have been on the receiving, hard end of the stick know that the burden of your angst and disappointment is shared and we will be your advocates and allies throughout this process. To those struggling with experiencing shame, be compassionate to yourself and exercise patience as a solution is being drafted. Your worries are valid and you matter.

Thirdly, I humbly request the parents of students to rally with our teachers and help our voices and stories to be carried and heard. Yes, some may feel disappointed and hold the belief that the CXC results are supposedly valid, and accurately represent the efforts put into the May/June 2020 exams but remember that you too have also sacrificed and witnessed first- hand the input that is evidently unmatched with the output presented to us. You as parents know your child and their capabilities best and trust that you have their best interests at heart. Please extend comfort and lend your understanding to your child in this time. It is needed and will be heavily appreciated.

Yours truly, Concerned CAPE Student (Name and contact provided)

WE MUST BE ACCOUNTABLE TO CHILDREN DEAR EDITOR, At Blossom Inc. we understand that childcare and protection is a common responsibility of communities. Too often however, communities fail to uphold their mandate of positively raising children.

Significant harm often comes to the young lives they have in their care, with many being lost in the process.

The brutal hate killings of Joel and Isaiah Henry followed by the killing of Haresh Singh, has driven home the point of our communal failure.

Many are for the first time, realizing the depths to which children are regarded as second-class citizens.

Children are consistently defined as being less than.

Their thoughts, dreams and lives are often framed as afterthoughts to the adults around them. They are seen as merely extensions to the struggles and triumphs of those who care for them and watch them grow.

Our children remain easy targets for disciplinary and hateful cruelty. While the tragedies certainly have shocked many of our sensitivities, we must be honest about how our latent hate, fear and disregard for each other has maintained this culture of violence. Largely, it has to do with the way in which we dehumanize children, particularly those who are poor and vulnerable.

The brutality we continue to see inflicted on the nation’s children does not happen by happenstance. It happens because it is what society’s cultural values, beliefs and stereotypes allow.

These often intersect to promote the idea that children are not to be seen as people and therefore are not to be seen as deserving of humanity.

We have long maintained a firm grasp on harmful ideas on the way children should be raised and treated. There is harshness in the way we

speak to them. So much of the language we use towards children and each other is grounded in violence. Their feelings and wants are frequently overlooked, as is their need for consent and a say in the decisions that affect them.

Punishment is often doled out to children with the belief that it is in the child’s best interest. The brutal ways in which we treat children in the name of discipline is present in all spheres of our society, from our homes and schools to our places of worship. We bemoan the continued violence in our communities without recognizing that we are a contributor to that violence.

Children replicate what they see and experience. If our homes and communities are filled with violence, children will replicate this pattern and take it with them throughout life. If they do not get the necessary support they need, the cycle continues. The rights, dignity and humanity of chil-

dren must be respected. Doing this ensures that they have an opportunity to grow into healthy and well-adjusted adults who raise healthy and well-adjusted children.

As parents, caretakers, teachers, community members and leaders, we all have a role to play in breaking down the harmful standards and expectations we set for our nation’s children. We all have a role to play in challenging our harmful thoughts and feelings towards each other.

We must be honest about our own limitations, capacity for empathy and how we move towards a society that is centered on healing from collective trauma. Our children are relying on us to do better. We must be accountable to them and support the promotion of healthy, safe and strong communities for each other.

Yours truly, Ayo Dalgety-Dean Blossom Incorporated

Thursday September 24, 2020

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Kaieteur News

APNU+AFC parliamentarians have once again betrayed the Amerindian people DEAR EDITOR, Present Amerindian leaders sitting as MPs and in other influential position but who support APNU+AFC have an obligation to the Amerindian people. They must reject the latest insult from APNU+AFC. They must demand an unconditional apology from the leaders of APNU+AFC for voting against the Amerindian Capital Budget of $845M. Not for the first time, and I suspect not for the last time, APNU+AFC (the PNC in disguise) betrayed the Amerindians. On Monday, September 22, even as Guyana continues observing and celebrating Amerindian Heritage Month, 29 APNU+AFC MPs mindlessly voted against $845M capital budget for the Amerindian people. Two MPs from that party, Khemraj Ramjattan and David Patterson knew that voting against the budget for the Amerindian people was spiteful, but they did not have the guts to go against that party. Instead, Ramjattan and Patterson shamelessly, spinelessly abstained from

voting. It was another display of recklessness, another display of sheer hypocrisy, another display of vindictiveness. The Amerindian people, in response to five years of utter neglect, solidly voted against APNU+AFC, and solidly voted for the PPP. Demonstrating how spiteful they could be, but also demonstrating how stupid they can be, APNU+AFC voted against the Amerindian budget.

They voted against a $68M Amerindian youth empowerment program, $285M grants to Amerindian communities, $42M economic projects, $7M Women’s Group project, a $6M sewing machine project, a $121M tractor and agricultural equipment project, a $26M ICT/ Internet hub project, a $4.4M chainsaw project, a $5M village infrastructure project, a $6M generator, a $13M ecotourism project, a $7M musical instrument project, a $6M project for radio sets, a $15M solar panel project, a $25M farm road project, a $9M irrigation and rain water harvesting project, a $18M sports

project, a $45M bridge/ stelling project, $12M for a village office, $60M for minibuses, pick-ups and ATVs, $10M for boats and engines, a conference center for $10M. Dawn Hastings, an Amerindian and a senior PNC MP who served as a senior minister in the just outgoing administration led the assault against her people. It was sad, disappointing, but it was also a travesty and an unforgiveable attack against a gentle people. This was injustice at its abyss.

How could any political party which wants to be the government of the people again vote against the interest of the very people they will one day need to vote for that party? But this is not the first time, APNU+AFC has betrayed the Amerindian people. One of their first acts in government in 2015 was to terminate the contract for 2,000 young Amerindian CSOs, robbing the Amerindian community of more than $100M of revenues flowing directly into their village economies. APNU+AFC virtually terminated the Amerindian Land Titling program in 2015 and diverted more than $US10M ($G2B)

A special programme and government funded dormitory at QC would help hinterland students DEAR EDITOR, I’ve watched with much pomp and pride, the announcement of the NGSA exam results of 2020 hosted at the Ministry of Education’s NCERD board room of which the Honorable Minister Priya Manickchand delivered the feature remarks to the top performers.

Subsequent postings by various media outfits delved into wider details, of the top one percent of the lot, of which, most, if not all were offered a placement at Queen’s College. I can relate to the overwhelming sense of pride and accomplishment felt by the parents, teachers and members of the communities from where this batch of students are drawn, having experienced this firsthand when my child matriculated some years back.

Of particular interest to me however, is that while most of those who have been offered a place at Queen’s College will be enrolling without hesitation, of notable concern is the fact that, of this number, quite a few students are drawn from far-flung areas in our country.

I have personally come across cases in the past where the parents of some of these students were deterred from accepting this honorary placement owning to the long and impractical distance of travel from home to school and

back.

That said, I can also recall there being, in the past, isolated instances of intervention by both the government as well as private individuals who have stepped in from time to time to assist; whether by offering a place of boarding or in the form of a scholarship, to a few who were lucky enough and were willing to take the risk (especially in the case of a girl child).

Such offers were the deciding factor that allowed the parents of those children to accept or decline with the latter resulting in the child having to contend with an alternative choice of secondary education, at an institution within practical range and reach of his or her community.

Honorable Minister, it is my humble plea to you for these disenfranchised kids (because of their geographic location), who have worked so hard to be able to attend Queen’s College, regardless of where they are coming from.

I know that the government sets aside a considerable sum every year towards education in Guyana; might I suggest establishing a governmentfunded dormitory within the grounds of Queen’s College compound, with a view towards accommodating students, particularly those securing a placement at the col-

lege and deserving of such assistance as residency.

Madam Minister, I know that when it comes to education in this country, you are resolute and take a passionate stance for our children and I’m sure that with your dedication and commitment the lives of our future generation will be greatly impacted if consideration is given to this initiative.

I know that Queen’s College has a long history of churning out intellectuals of multifaceted disciplines and I’m sure that just as how the opportunity of residency is offered at the distinguished President’s College to the students who reside outside of the district, the same can make an indelible impact on the lives of those given the opportunity to attend its sister institution - Queen’s College.

Yours truly, Ryan Khan

away from the titling project.

It was not the first time, either, that APNU+AFC voted in Parliament against Amerindian budgets. In 2012, APNU+AFC voted against the LCDS provisions for Amerindians, voting against the Amerindian Development Funds, electricity in homes, land titling, laptops for families, agricultural equipment and upgrading of airstrips in Amerindian communities. In 2012, they actually succeeded in blocking the budget for Amerindians because they had a one-seat majority. They also did the same thing in 2014. This time, in 2020, they

could not block the budget because their 29 votes in parliament was not enough to stop the government with 33 votes, plus one vote from the LJP’s Lennox Shuman.

Were these things the only things for which APNU+AFC must apologize to Amerindians for, these would already be too much. But this is just a short list of the many times APNU+AFC/PNC have insulted and been vindictive to Amerindians. It seems that APNU+AFC always use Amerindian Heritage Month to hurl more insults on Amerindians. Last year, during the 2019 Amerindian Heri-

tage Month opening ceremony Sydney Allicock accused Amerindians of being unreasonable for demanding land titling. He admonished his sisters and brothers for demanding land titling when they were not able to use what they already had. It was disgraceful then and it is disgraceful now.

But Amerindians have not forgotten that in October 2017, the same Allicock admonished them during the opening of the National Toshaos’ Conference for not supporting David Granger’s Land Commission which essentially (Continued on page 6)

Guyana Forestry Commission staff thanks Minister Bharrat for his support DEAR EDITOR, The staff of the Guyana Forestry Commission would like to place on record their heartfelt appreciation to the Minister of Natural Resources, Hon. Vickram Bharrat for making almost immediate representation to the President, His Excellency, Dr. Mohammed I. Ali to ensure staff are paid in a timely manner.

Editor, hundreds of staff over the past four years have not been paid on time as regular public servants due to poor management decisions made by the previous administration, which bankrupted the once thriving forest sector. This was not the only reason, but the entire economy of the country was mismanaged, there was no significant infrastructure works, no new housing scheme and disincentives to major forest sector players in the sector resulted in their withdrawal. In the end, the Commission and stakeholders such as sawmillers and small loggers perished alike due to the lack of investment and

circulation of finance within the forest sector.

In going forward, the Commission has benefitted from temporary financial support from the Government which has allowed for the timely payment of backlog (two months) and current salaries to staff.

Simultaneously with the operation of a turnaround plan to make the Commission and sector profitable once again. This is being stimulated by the Budget 2020 measures as announced by Minister Bharrat and the government to realign not only the forest sector but all productive sectors. Specific initiatives that will directly impact the forest sector include tax concessions on all-terrain vehicles, removal of VAT on all exports and removal VAT on hinterland travel; all of which will benefit the forestry sector. Equally

important is the amendment to the Log Export Policy which will allow sawmillers to export logs, thus resulting in a significant boost to industry production and creating employment for small loggers.

Therefore, all staff and sector stakeholders are appreciative of the support from the current government, particularly our down to earth Minister of Natural Resources who has been meeting with GFC’s management team regularly, small loggers and major industry stakeholders alike to build team support for a robust and profitable forest sector. We welcome this new governance style which is based on consultations and inclusivity for the development of the forest sector and all of Guyana.

Yours truly, GFC Staff (Name and contact provided)

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Kaieteur News

How involved is the Government of Guyana in the capital costs associated with the oil projects?

EDITOR On social media, one can find many speeches by members of parliament debating the 2020 budget for Guyana. The budget outlines the allocation of money to the major activities that keep the country running. Issues such as how much will be spent on health care to the amount of dollars pensioners will receive are determined by the budget. The government has posted thousands of pages of details on its websites with numerous tables detailing how approximately the US$1.5 billion budget will be distributed. It has dedicated weeks and employed many to ensure every drop of the US$1.5 billion will be accounted for before it is spent. Every citizen with Internet access can take a look at the budget details. The government is transparent for an activity that affects the life of every local Guyanese.

It is prudent for the government to decide how much money it wants to spend because it has limited funds.

Hence, it has to make hard decisions such as how much it should spend on education versus how much is appropriate for implementing energy related projects.

The gross capital cost for Liza Phase 1 is estimated at US$3.5 billion. Liza Phase 2 is estimated at US$6 billion. For the remaining wells in the Stabroek Oil block, the oil companies have estimated the gross capital cost at

US$50 billion. That is the total bill of approximately US$60 billion which will be expensed back to the people of Guyana.

The US$60 billion is 40 times the 2020 budget. The cumulative budget since Guyana gained independence is less than US$60 billion.

However, unlike the budget, it is not clear that Guyana knows upfront what it is receiving for that money and what are the alternatives.

Let’s take the Stabroek precontract costs of US$460 million which is a cumulative bill from 1999 to 2015. It appears that the governments over that period did not know what the estimated cost for the upcoming year would be from the oil companies.

This has resulted in the government needing to hire IHS Market to audit the precontract costs. This activity is now in its ninth month of review without an end in sight.

Given the debacle with the pre-contract costs one would expect the government to put a policy in place to review costs for the Stabroek block upfront and possibly make the process transparent as it does for the budget. The government can act quickly on major issues as it has shown with the speed it was able to produce the 2020 budget.

The Liza Phase 1 gross capital costs were initially estimated at US$4.4 billion then it was reduced to US$3.7 billion and finally to US$3.5

billion. That is an approximate saving of a billion dollar about 2/3rds of the 2020 Guyana budget. But there was no detailed breakdown of the types of savings. And, more concerning, no indication that these types of savings can be applied to reduce the cost on the US$6 billion Liza Phase 2 project.

How involved is the Government of Guyana in the deciding and monitoring of capital costs associated with the oil projects? Does it have a detailed breakdown of the upfront costs for the projects?

Does it have a voice in the selection of the contractors to build the billion-dollar FPSOs? Has it hired experts to question the oil companies’ selection of various suppliers? Is it training Guyanese to understand the terms of these billion-dollar supplier contracts? Why as it did with the budget shouldn’t it debate in public the items that make up the billions in costs? The people of Guyana will be paying off US$60 billion for years to come.

Shouldn’t the government treat the seriousness of this costs the same it does with the budget?

After all, the infrastructure costs just for the Stabroek block is projected to be 40 times that of the 2020 Guyana budget!

Yours truly, Darshanand Khusial on behalf of OGGN (www.oggn.org)

The increase of COVID-19 cases and deaths needs to be addressed in a more comprehensive manner DEAR EDITOR, The number of COVID 19 cases in Guyana is increasing alarmingly. On Sunday 20 September, 101 new cases were reported and on Monday, 21 September, 133, bringing the total number of cases to 2,402 and deaths to 67.We also note that 140 positive cases of COVID 19 have been detected among the prison population at Lusignan.

It is obvious that at this rate, Guyana and Guyana’s health services will very soon become overwhelmed, leading to shortage of hospital beds and insufficient medical professionals to look after the sick.

We recognize the progress made by the new government and minister of health in increased testing, training, hospital beds, availability of PPE for the medical profession and equipment.

We commend the daily reporting of new infections, home isolations, deaths, recoveries, ICU numbers and other data.

We are deeply grateful to our doctors, nurses and other health professionals for their service and commitment in addressing this terrible pandemic and putting their lives at risk while helping to saving ours.

But in spite of the progress, the increase of cases and deaths needs to be addressed in a more comprehensive manner. The Guyanese people need to be better informed about the measures being put in place

The 2020 budget debate has revealed many irregularities by former senior government officials DEAR EDITOR, The 2020 inconspicuous budget debate has revealed many irregularities by former senior government officials, many of whom it was alleged had abused their power, violated the rule of law and in the process have violated their oath of office. It is important to mention that an oath of office is a solemn and sacred tradition and is a pledge by public officials to ensure their honesty and proper behavior while in office. It is also to ensure the judicious and adequate use of public funds.

Unfortunately, as unveiled during the meek discussions on the 2020 budget, there has been a series of violations, malicious abuse of power and skullduggery by some unethical senior members of the former administration. For example, the granting of a contract worth over G$20 million to a dubious company in Florida to print blank copies of birth certificates at a cost

of G$1500. In another instance, it has been revealed during the 2020 budget debate that there were gross misconduct and pilfering in the granting of contract by officials of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure to purchase asphalt from the company at Garden of Eden. Then there is the ongoing US$150 million-plus expansion project at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, which after five years is not completed.

The CJIA project which seems to be a never-ending project has been under construction for the entire five year tenure of the former government. The contract which was granted to China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC) by the last PPP government was for the construction of a new two-story building with eight bridges and modern equipment to house the airport. Instead of a new building and the eight bridges, the former govern-

ment had decided without any wise and technical advice to renovate the airport with only four bridges at a humongous of more than the US$150 million budgeted for by the PPP government. It was a grotesque mistake by the last government. Not only that, while in opposition, the last administration which was highly critical of the CJIA project and CHEC, eventfully reversed their stance and signed a new contract with the same company, CHEC, without any explanation to the public. After five (5) years of renovation, the airport is still not completed and this mediocre and stultify performance by CHEC has culminated in years of frustration by the public so much so that an angry President Irfaan Ali told officials of CHEC that enough is enough. He was pellucid that the people of Guyana and his government will not tolerate such mediocrity and accept the CJIA

Thursday September 24, 2020

project as is. It is regrettable, shameful, offensive and deplorable.

However, the most egregious, crafty and reprehensive discovery came from a certain minister who informed Parliament of a hefty scam that resulted in the issuance of thousands of gun licenses by a senior member of the last government. In Parliament, the Minister in charge of the gun-license portfolio blasted the senior official for issuing firearm licenses without any engagement with the Firearm Licensing Board. And to make matters worse, it was alleged by the said Minister that the vast majority of gun licenses, over 60 percent were issued in 2020 while the last government was fighting to stay in power illegally by attempting to rig the elections.

A thorough investigation is warranted to bring clarity to the aforementioned cases.

Yours truly, Dr. Asquith Rose

to reduce the spread of COVID 19 and the enforcement of such measures. A comprehensive, detailed health plan is needed and needs to be publicised.

A viable vaccine is months if not a year or more away. We have heard from the minister of health that the GPH has been using chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine to treat patients in the ICU. We are aware that the WHO and the CDC have advised against and the use of these as they have not been proven to be effective, so we wonder why they are still being used.

We would like to know what the National COVID 19 Task Force’s plan is for addressing the pandemic. We need to know about Caribbean expertise for COVID 19 response and how this can continue to be made available to Guyana. COVID 19 is all of our business and full transparency and a comprehensive health plan are essential for progress and effectiveness.

We want to hear frequently from the head of PAHO in Guyana regarding his assessment and recommendations for COVID 19 responses.

We note the new approach recommended by WHO, that persons testing positive but with no obvious symptoms of COVID 19 be confined to their homes. We would, however, urge that further information on and assessments of the success of this new approach, such as recoveries and lack of transmission to other household members, be made available to the public.

We are deeply concerned about plans for the reopening Guyana’s airports to com-

mercial travel. Commercial travel has been a major cause of the spread of COVID 19 and countries that allowed commercial travel have in many cases been forced to reimpose bans and previous restrictions. Best practices adopted all over the world for the re-opening of airports for commercial travel require a decrease of COVID 19 cases.

This is not at all the case in Guyana, where we are seeing a rapid increase. There are best practices available all over the world for reducing the spread of COVID 19. In the Caribbean, Barbados and other small CARICOM island states have been very effective in curtailing the spread.

New Zealand is another country that Guyana can learn from.

The health and safety of every Guyanese citizen must be the priority. Guyana needs a plan to address the challenges of COVID 19 in an inclusive, transparent and comprehensive way. It is the poor, powerless and vulnerable who are most at risk and who have limited means and resources at their disposal for access to the best treatment.

We therefore urge that: (a) A comprehensive, inclusive, transparent and detailed plan for testing, treatment and prevention of the spread of COVID 19 be communicated effectively to all citizens in Guyana (b) Treatment for hospitalized COVID 19 patients follow best practices and be informed by WHO expertise and recommendations (c) The National Task Force be revamped, recognise and implement (Continued on page 16)

APNU+AFC parliamentarians...

From page 5 terminated the Amerindian Land Titling exercise and sought to recognize the Ancestral Land Movement being promoted by ACDA and others. Allicock, George Norton, Dawn Hasting, Garrido-Lowe and others since 2015 supported the establishment of NDCs in Amerindian communities, encroaching onto Amerindian Land Rights, ignoring the FPIC (Free, Prior Informed Consent) protocol established in the Amerindian Act 2006. When Keith Scott angrily denounced Amerindians as “greedy”, these same Amerindian leaders supported Scott and Granger and his charlatans never uttered a word of condemnation. The list is long, APNU+AFC/PNC has a livelong propensity towards betraying the Amerindian

people. Yet they are barefaced enough that they will soon enter these same Amerindian communities and beg them for their votes. Next year will be Local Government Election. APNU+AFC, with Allicock, Vincent Henry, Garrido-Lowe, George Norton, Dawn Hastings, Williams and others will beg Amerindians to vote for them. They will do so again in the 2025 elections. Not a word will be said in apologies.

The present Amerindian leaders in APNU+AFC have an obligation to reject this latest insult of the Amerindian people. But that will not happen. The Amerindian people will listen quietly, their dignity and integrity fully intact, as they reject APNU+AFC outright.

Yours truly, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

Thursday September 24, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Thursday September 24, 2020

President Ali, others pay final respects to murdered Berbice teen, Haresh Singh The grieving family gathered near Singh's casket at his home in Number 3 Village

President Ali making his way to the funeral home with Regional Chairman, David Armogan

By Malisa Playter-Harry

J

ust four days after two teenage boys, Joel and Isaiah Henry, were found murdered in the Cotton Tree backdam, Haresh Singh, another teenager who resided at Number 3 Village, West Coast Berbice, was also found murdered.

Yesterday Singh was laid to rest at the Number 3 backdam in proximity to the graves of other departed relatives. It was a day filled with sad emotions. Among those expressing words of condolences to relatives of the dead teen were President Irfaan Ali , Regional Chairman, David Armogan; Regional Party Supervisor (PPP), Zamal Hussain, and Regional Executive Officer Narendra Persaud.

At the Persaud's Funeral Home in New Amsterdam where the teenager's casket was opened for viewing, President Ali and his entourage embraced the grieving relatives and shared comforting words for a few minutes. Speaking with the media afterwards, the President described yesterday as “another of those sad days in the country”.

He said, “I believe that the Guyana Police Force with the support that we have requested from the British Government… will bring all these criminals who perpetuated these acts to justice”.

He added that while the focus at present will be on the memory of the three young boys, “there has to be healing; it has to be (about) bringing our country together, it has to be (about) unifying our efforts to ensure

Murdered: Haresh Singh

Haresh Singh's sister being consoled that our future does not repeat these horrific incidents.”

He then assured that his government will work around the clock to “bring our people together through policies, programmes and social efforts.”

The President is convinced that the merging of cultures will foster the true identity of Guyanese and such a path is even more critical at a time “when the lives of three young teens

were senselessly snatched from their families.”

“We have to do these things in addition to ensuring that justice is served for these three young men.

Importantly, we must reflect on these incidents and ensure that we put mechanisms in our society to ensure that we strengthen our society and strengthen our resolve in ensuring this does not occur again,” the Head of State added.

According to him,

yesterday was a day to reflect and remember the families in prayers and “to recommit ourselves individually and collectively to the Guyana that will be better, a Guyana in which unity will prevail…”

Further, the president divulged that in addition to visiting the families of the deceased teens and their funerals, he had the opportunity to engage with many of the persons who were injured during the violent protests in West Coast Berbice two weeks ago. He stated that he was made aware of the many difficulties they have been encountering since going through the traumatic

experience and “at some point we have to have that healing process there.”

“I want them to know that all those persons who were affected in various ways that we are going to connect with them also. I have seen a lot of posting on social media, personally I have called many of them myself, but we have to connect with them to find ways in which we can help as a government, especially those who would have lost severely and got severe injuries…” he added.

Meanwhile, at the deceased's home, relatives gathered around his body and wept uncontrollably as they said their final goodbyes. His siblings and his grandmother were devastated and cried out “bring he back na, ow bring he back”.

One of the dead teen's uncle, who could not control his pain, shouted “why yuh send he a backdam for, why you send he”. The youth was known to frequent the backdam with his grandfather but on the day in

question went alone.

The atmosphere was engulfed with high emotions as villagers, relatives and friends entered the premises to also pay their final respects to the teen.

Kaieteur News was told that the day prior to Singh's body being found in the backdam was the two-year death anniversary of his father. The teenager was buried near his father's grave. He was described as loving, helpful and hardworking.

Singh's battered and unconscious body was found in the Number 3 backdamp on September 10 last by his 12-year-old brother. The motorcycle he was riding was found burnt a short distance away from his body.

He was rushed to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital where he died shortly after in the emergency room.

A post-mortem result revealed that he died from haemorrhaging in the brain and compression to the neck.

Police were initially pursuing leads in relation to the investigation but have since released very little information as to the progress of the investigation.

G$134M to complete “badly mismanaged”...

From page 2 getting specialists into the country due to the COVID-19 restriction arises.

“We will not use COVID-19 as an excuse for non-delivery of services to the people of Guyana, they deserve to have the road and we are working to have that,” he said.

It was reported that the total distance of roadway to be constructed is seven kilometres and would involve road widening,

reconstruction of failed sections and asphalt overlay. The initial plan had also indicated that from that point, to the Mandela AvenueHunter Street junction, there were going to be provisions to cater for four lanes of traffic.

But back in September 2019, the company was hauled before the Ministry and warned due to several infractions. The previous government was also on the verge of terminating the contract.

Thursday September 24, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 09

Testing does not provide protection against the coronavirus

T

he total number of coronavirus cases in Guyana stood at 2, 535 on Wednesday of which there are almost more than 1,000 active cases nationwide. Region Four, the country's largest Region, has the majority of cases which is believed to be more than 65 percent of the total active cases.

It is not a statistic which anyone, least of all the Minister of Health, should find comforting. Testing remains low and therefore the number of recorded active cases does not reflect the real level of infections in the society. Guyana is ranked 151 out of 215 countries in terms of per capita tests. The true number of infections can therefore be multiple times the present recorded levels.

A small country like Guyana having almost 1,000 active cases can overwhelm the public health system.

Most countries have implemented some form of lockdown to prevent their public health systems from crashing.

The Minister of Health should be worried over the high number of active cases because the majority of these cases are concentrated in Region Four which has the largest number of persons and where the most businesses and government institutions are located.

Institutional spread is now adding to the spread of infections. The Lusignan Prison recorded 142 cases out of a total of 200 tests.

This translates to more than seven out of every 10

Dem

boys seh...

D

em boys please dat Prezzie went to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and examine de wuk wah bin doing deh over the years. It did seem as if nobody was listening to de Waterfall paper when it bin pointing out de shoddy wuk wah bin do at the airport and de nuff money wah de country gat to pay fuh a patchwork job.

De bossman of de Waterfall paper bin seh dat he could a build more dan one airport with de money wah dem spend pun de

persons testing positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus.

A person from the Guyana Power and Light tested positive. A person from the Ministry of Public Health has tested positive.

Others who have tested positive and whose identities are unknown may have been working at other places.

All of these factors point to the need for government to be taking the present situation far more serious than it is. If three percent of the active cases result in deaths, it means that of the almost 1,000 active cases more than 33 of these persons are going to die.

Yesterday there were two more deaths, bringing the total deaths to 71. And while the majority of those dying recently were over 60, the fact is that at least three persons in their 20s have succumbed and a few in their 50s. This alone should suggest to the Minister that there is a need to protect not just those over 45 years of age and those with underlying illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. The vulnerable age group does not start at 60 years in Guyana. It starts at 45.

The government is increasing testing in order to get a fuller picture of the extent of the spread of the virus. Unfortunately testing does not provide any protection. Testing merely confirms the incidence of the disease.

Social restrictions are the principal means of limiting the spread of the virus. But

social restrictions are not b e i n g p r o p e r l y implemented. The government does not appear keen, however, in tightening social restrictions.

Outside of this, there are a few things which can be done. The first is a more nuanced regional strategy.

The government promised this but is yet to do so. A regional strategy is one in which social restrictions can be tapered to suit the situation in each region.

Region Nine, for example, reports that there are only a few dozen active cases. This would hardly be the grounds for shutting down nonessential businesses in that Region. However, given its proximity to Brazil, there will be a need to ensure that cross-border travel is prohibited.

The second advantage of regional strategies is that it makes implementation more effective. The regional authorities can take better charge of the situation, ensuring that the regulations governing the social restrictions are not violated.

T h e R e g i o n a l Democratic Councils, the Town Councils and the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils can work more effectively with the police to ensure that the regulations relating to the curfew, the opening of certain types of business such as bars and nightclubs and the mandatory wearing of face masks are enforced.

The third advantage of region-specific strategies is that it would allow the regions to check on the

Small steps could lead to a giant leap project. And it did look like if he was one voice crying out in the wilderness.

But now the Prezzie look like he gan tek action and put an end to de slackness. De man went he self fuh see the works wah do. And he scolded and schooled some of dem who did believe that dem could ah pull wool over he eyes. De man show dem dat he know about fixed price contract and dem can't try fuh fool he.

Dem boys thankful fuh small mercies. Dem hoping that this first step, small as it

is, gan lead to a giant leap fuh ensure that we finally put some sense into dem contractors wah constantly giving we a 6 fuh 9.

Dem boys like what dem seeing so far with de new Prezzie. He look like he is an action man. And he is also a talk man because he talking improvement in recent days.

He now sounding like a proper statesman. And he sounding less like Jagdeo and more like he own self.

Talk half and wait fuh find out if Jagdeo getting sideline by Prezzie.

vulnerable persons within their area and to make timelier interventions to protect these persons, ensure testing and early treatment in the case of those infected.

The Minister of Health has admitted that, in many cases, the vulnerable who died sought medical attention much too late.

At the national level, persons who can work at home, especially those above the age of 45, should be asked to do so. This is a far better strategy than staff rotation.

There are other measures which can be implemented in conformity with the law.

The lawful business hours are 8am to 4pm from Monday to Thursday and from up to 6pm on Friday and half day on Saturday with no work on Sunday.

This should be the new norm.

The people are getting scared. They are becoming restless and they will take action if the government continues to operate as if the situation is not dire.

Unless social restrictions

are implemented, the death toll will continue to climb. It is now averaging two persons per day. If nothing is done, it will increases to seven per day which will mean almost 500 more deaths by Christmas.

It could be you or someone you know. Is this what we want?

(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

Thursday September 24, 2020

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

The world's most dangerous minds exist in Guyana O

ne of the most unbearable patterns of thoughts I find exist in this country was manifested in the newspapers weeks after Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali was sworn as president. This shape of the mind is so curious that you don't know it is evil at work or the mind honestly, without any scheming (and the emphasis is on honesty), believes what it churns out.

I remember writing about Tony Blair's decision for British intervention in the war in Iraq because he believed Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. Academic

society in the UK tends to reject this claim by Blair, postulating that he was happy to be a sycophant of President Bush who ordered the invasion. But we would never know? Suppose Blair, deep in his soul, thought that Iraq had those weapons.

We are seeing letters often in the press, since the new president was sworn in last month, written by people calling for racial tolerance, inclusive temperament, m o r a l h o n e s t y, c l e a n politics, mutual appreciation of each other who hold opposing conceptualization and in the same breath lamenting that Guyanese society lacks good people,

thinking people, ethically driven people and is devoid of important values like honesty, incorruptibility, open-mindedness, etc.

But when you go back before August, those same letter writers were displaying poisoned, imbalanced, depraved attitudes on the political developments since the election impasse began with Clairmont Mingo on March 4. How can you reconcile this contradiction?

In March, April, May, June, July, you wrote that the election was tampered with by the opposition. You support the incumbent's wild, sick, degenerate claims

that it won the poll. You sang songs of praise to racist, corrupt leaders that were putting Guyana at the precipice. You denounced foreign governments for rejecting rigged elections.

You accuse international observers of insulting Guyana's sovereignty. Then comes August, the incumbent used up its ghastly, ghoulish energy and the world demanded the rightly winner be accepted and suddenly, you want a Guyana where people must be good, conscientious and honest.

You contributed to the erosion of those values now you are barefaced enough to question where they have gone to. Are we dealing here with sick and dangerous minds? Or are these letter-writers just pouring out what they feel without a hidden agenda? I had a chat on Monday midday with Kaieteur New's publisher, Glenn Lall, on one such letter writer and he said, “You sure he wrote those things during the election crisis?�

There were columnists in other newspapers writing that in Guyana there is relevance of the Black Lives Matter movement while a majority of Black Guyanese were attacking and robbing East Indian in Region Five.

Not one of these columnists wrote that East Indian lives matter. Did they deliberately chose not to write on what

happened to that 16-year-old girl and her grandmother who were caught up in the Region Five mayhem or are we judging them too harshly?

In this context we should appraise the new organization founded by

Frederick Kissoon D a v i d Hinds with a most exciting yet intriguing name in the context of it being birthed by David Hinds. It is titled Society for AfricanGuyanese Empowerment. Is David Hinds a dangerous mind like some of those letter-writers or he is genuine?

This man wants to empower African Guyanese or he is looking for African hegemony. In September, Hinds is seeking African empowerment. From March to August in 2020, Hinds was attempting to achieve African hegemony in a context where modern democratic institutions would be abolished.

Two pieces of evidence

need to be looked at. He intoned that if the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruled in favour of the Caribbean observed recount it would be tantamount to a coup against the Granger presidency. So will African empowerment be effected in the context of the rule of law? Not one in that panel of judges was Guyanese. None ever lived or worked in Guyana. Hinds simply did not accept the rule of law.

Secondly, during the five-month impasse, he argued that there are greater sociological exigencies that Guyana needs to examine and that must be prioritized rather than the 2020 election result. He was rightfully talking about the ethnic volcano. Then he sought to trigger a device to explode the volcano. He insisted if a result has to be made then it should be for the Granger regime. This was not a search for African empowerment but a declaration of African hegemony in multi-racial Guyana.

Two other minds have to be examined for the shape they had before Dr. Ali's swearing and since he acquired the presidency.

They are Vincent Alexander and Lincoln Lewis. More on those two later.

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

Thursday September 24, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

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Thursday September 24, 2020

PAHO urges countries to plan early for COVID-19 vaccinations to reduce deaths C

ountries should not wait for a COVID-19 vaccine to be developed before they start planning and preparing for its arrival, Pan American Health O r g a n i z a t i o n ( PA H O ) Director, Carissa F Etienne, said yesterday. In the meantime, they must also c o n t i n u e o t h e r recommended public health measures to contain the virus.

This is according to a release issued by PAHO yesterday.

In that release Dr. Etienne said, “Frontline health workers, first responders and those caring for the elderly should be vaccinated first, followed by

vulnerable groups such as adults with pre-existing conditions, especially those over 65 years of age.”

But according to her, “The challenge lies in identifying these groups early and determining how to best reach them.”

The PAHO Director, who was speaking during a news briefing yesterday, warned that even as a vaccine is rolled out, “This virus will continue to spread, and people will continue to get sick. So, we cannot pin all our hope on vaccines alone.” “ We ' l l s t i l l n e e d diagnostics to identify those who are sick and better treatments to care for those that fall ill. We'll continue to rely on traditional public

health measures like tests, contact tracing and quarantines to minimize the spread of this virus.

And we'll continue to count on people exercising social distancing, washing their hands often and wearing masks in public to protect others from getting sick,” the PAHO Director said.

When vaccines become available, the COVAX Facility, convened by GAVI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO, “will afford countries in our region the best opportunity to fast-track access to COVID-19 vaccines and reduce the impact of the pandemic on people's lives

and our economies. The COVAX facility offers access to a basket of 15 possible vaccines,” she said.

Dr. Etienne said nearly 200 COVID-19 vaccine candidates are being studied.

“And we hope that one or more of these will prove to be effective, but there is no guarantee. Early vaccines may only provide partial protection or may not work for everyone.

We don't yet know which vaccine will be found safe and effective and how it will work. But we do know that if we don't prepare now, we will miss the opportunity to benefit from it quickly. The truth is, countries can't wait to have all of the answers before they start planning and preparing to deliver a COVID vaccine.”

The COVAX facility, including the Advanced Market Commitment

financing instrument, has signed up 64 self-financing countries and 92 countries eligible for support through that instrument, she said.

T h r o u g h C O VA X , participating countries will be guaranteed initial doses to cover at least three percent of their population in the first phases of deployment, as supplies catch up with global demand, eventually reaching 20 percent of their population – enough to protect those at higher risk for severe COVID-19, Dr. Etienne explained.

“Our region has a strong legacy of immunization programmes that give us a leg up as we plan for the future,” added Dr. Etienne.

PAHO is well prepared to offer technical cooperation to countries so they can prepare and implement their vaccination campaigns – “from planning and

PAHO Director, Dr. Carissa F. Etienne f o r e c a s t i n g t o communications, from regulations to the training of health personnel. Another benefit to our member states is that they can rely on our Revolving Fund, the biggest regional mechanism for selffinancing countries, for the purchase and delivery of vaccines,” she said.

“So, I urge countries around the world to prepare for a coronavirus vaccine, but also to remain realistic, knowing that these preparations do not replace everything else we must do to save lives today,” Dr. Etienne concluded.

Families shocked that murder of Berbice teens linked to race hate - ERC

ERC staffers at the Henry family's residence

C

hairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) Reverend John Smith, along with Commissioners and other s t a ff e r s o n T h u r s d a y, September 17, 2020, visited the grieving families of the Henry cousins, Isaiah and Joel, and Haresh Singh. The ERC team offered words of comfort to the parents and guardians of the slain youths.

According to a release from the ERC, the team visited the families who are still overwhelmed by complete sadness as parents

and relatives repeated their call for justice to be served.

The ERC team noted that the murdered teens all lived a short distance away from each other in the closely-knit community.

The Commission said that the Henry families, who are of mixed ancestry with relatives from both major ethnic groups, were vocal and expressed shock that the murders were being promoted as crimes of race hate. They suggested that residents in the community are not pre-occupied with racial intolerance.

During the visit, relatives informed the team that the police were still in the backlands of the community conducting investigations.

The ERC Chairman told the grieving families to remain hopeful of the outcome of the investigations.

The ERC, as a nonpolitical body, remains entirely committed to fostering peace and unity in the Guyanese multi-ethnic society, while the recent tragedies have brought to the fore the importance of tolerance and understanding among all.

Kaieteur News

Thursday September 24, 2020

Guyana responds overwhelmingly to Workforce Recovery Initiative

Professor Asha Kanwar

“

I have never seen anything like it across the world".

This was the observation of Jeff Maggioncalda, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Coursera on the response from Guyanese towards the Wo r k f o r c e R e c o v e r y Initiative offered by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and Coursera.

The CEO was delivering remarks at a virtual convocation ceremony for 3000 persons from 11 Caribbean countries who have recently completed courses being offered by reputable universities across the globe through COL/Coursera.

Guyanese have been registering in record numbers for the courses offered with 33,505 registering and 709 g r a d u a t i n g t h u s f a r.

According to Professor Asha Kanwar, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth of Learning, "The uptake in Guyana has exceeded all

Mr. Jeff Maggioncalda

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand

expectations and the numbers continue to grow."

In her address to the convocation ceremony, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, noted that the CoL/Coursera Workforce Recovery Initiative holds deep implications for Guyana.

"As a developing nation currently situating itself to maximize the potential of our recent oil discoveries and our other strategic initiatives, the quality of our human capital is critically important."

Further, the Education Minister said COVID-19 has displaced many individuals and as a country, "we are still grappling with the wider implications of the pandemic as well as a notoriously extended elections period."

Praises for the Education Minister who has personally driven the programme have come from the Senior Advisor o n G o v e r n m e n t Partnerships at Coursera,

Chad Pasha, who took to Facebook to say “So proud of Guyana, 2% of the entire country enrolled in Coursera in just ten days”.

Tagged were the MOE and the Minister of Education's personal page with the comment “can't wait to see what's to come for the nation.”

This initiative marks Coursera's first institutional partnership in the region and is part of a long-term commitment to helping citizens prepare for a digital future and provides 4,000 free online courses on the Coursera platform in various areas such as Art, Business, Computer Science, Health, Social Science and Engineering.

Persons who have not yet taken advantage of the G o v e r n m e n t o f Guyana/Coursera initiative can do so by registering via the Ministry of Education's w e b s i t e education.gov.gy/upskill.

The deadline for registration is October 31, 2020.

Fire destroys Kumaka couple's home

The couple's home on fire

T

he home of an elderly couple was yesterday completely destroyed by fire. The conflagration occurred just minutes after a loud explosion was heard

from inside the house.

Without a place to live are Franklyn Couchman and his 50-year-old wife Leslyn.

The couple's wooden house located at Kumaka, EastBerbice Corentyne, Upper

Essequibo River went up in flames at around 09:30hrs.

According to the couple's neighbours, at the time of the incident, Leslyn was home alone and had (continued on page 16)

PAGE 15

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Thursday September 24, 2020

New data shows COVID-19 aerosol could spread disease - Health Minister - nation to also wear face mask in enclosed spaces Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony is reinforcing the need for citizens to wear face

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Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony even lost their lives,” he said, adding that the precautions must be upheld to help keep everyone safe.

The warning comes even as the World Health Organization (WHO) changed its language to recognize that “short-range aerosol transmission, particularly in specific indoor locations, such as crowded and inadequately ventilated spaces over a prolonged period of time with infected persons cannot be ruled out.”

Previously, the (Continued on page 18)

Fire destroys Kumaka couple's ...

Leslyn Couchman

The increase of COVID-19 cases and ...

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mended hygiene practices, restrictions on gatherings and social distancing be enforced nationally and call on all Guyanese to observe fully such measures. (e) The assessments and recommendations of Guyana’s resident representative of PAHO be communicated directly to the Guyanese people. This will help in confidence building and transparency. (f) Plans for the opening of Guyana’s airports be re-evaluated in the wake of the sharp increase of COVID 19 cases and should be dependent on a decline in the number of new cases.

Yours truly, Danuta Radzik Josephine Whitehead Karen de Souza Vanessa Ross Halima Khan Joy Marcus Vanda Radzik Susan Collymore

Thursday September 24, 2020

PAGE 17

Kaieteur News

Man, who was arrested for Berbice teens’ murder, insists “we don’t know anything”

As investigators continue to probe the deaths of Isaiah and Joel Henry, whose butchered bodies were found in the backdam of Cotton Tree Village, West Coast Berbice, the grandfather of murdered Haresh Singh said that he has no knowledge of how the boys met their demise.

The grandfather was arrested along with his two sons and brother-in-law one day after the Henry boys’ bodies were found.

The 62-year-old Indarjeet Singh sat down with media operatives yesterday at the funeral home, where his grandson’s body was as sympathisers paid their last respects, and recounted being arrested on September 8, 2020, one day after the bodies of the teens were found.

He disclosed, “they (police) arrested me and carry me to the station, and they picked up some other people from the village and they took statements and they kept me for 72 -hours and then give $50,000 bail.”

According to the man, he

was questioned by investigators about what he knew of the death of the boys.

He said that he told police that he knew nothing and that he only saw the boys walking on the dam leading into the Cotton Tree backdam the day before their bodies were found.

“When we were going down, we saw the boys them going in the backdam and we passed them and go down we way and come back we way.

We don’t know where they go; till Sunday we hear that two boys missing and the Monday morning they start pick up people and them arrest we and carry we to the station.

They ask us about that, and I said we don’t know about that,” he divulged.

Singh said the boys were pushing their bicycle down the dam when they saw them but never saw where they went or saw them again. He further stated that after he, along with his sons and brother-in-law, were released from police custody, they

Indarjeet Singh

Murdered: Joel Henry Murdered: Isaiah Henry were again re-arrested Friday last and released on Monday.

He was adamant that he knew nothing about the brutal murders that sparked protest actions for justice.

Singh said when he was first arrested he was informed by detectives that his grandson was found murdered in the backdam.

He further disclosed that while it was widely circulated that his grandson and the Henry boys were close friends, he maintained that they were not but that they attended school in East Canje together. He said that after

they completed school, they went their separate ways.

“When he wakes up in the morning and there is anything to do, we go at the backdam, come back and he gon deh in the hammock and then he gon go bathe and eat and then he gon go bed. People keep saying they are friends, but they are not friends. Me and he does go in the backdam,” the man insisted.

Meanwhile, one of Singh’s sons, Nandram Singh, who was also in custody, revealed that investigators at Eve Leary sprayed hand sanitizer in his eyes twice as a means

of torturing him for information.

“They arrest me and tell me that me see the boy. They spray me in my eyes Friday night and me seeing blurry in my right eye.

Dem spray my eye two times and they ask me if me know something and me tell dem me na know nothing,” he disclosed.

The man said that he was scheduled to see an ophthalmologist yesterday but because of the funeral he was unable to do so.

“We don’t know anything, we are village people,

we can’t go kill people. We are neighbours, we na get no problem. This village get Indian and Negro mix, and we know each other,” the grandfather said as he fought back tears.

Singh who is seeking justice for his grandson is hopeful that justice will also prevail for the Henry boys.

Singh was laid to rest yesterday.

Police currently have one person in police custody for the murder of the Henry boys and are expecting international assistance to investigate the case.

Lands and Survey boss, Trevor Benn, bought $25M Prado for $2.5M from his own workplace

Three days before elections…

Leading up to the March 2nd elections, there were a flurry of transactions involving state properties.

In addition to questionable land deals at Ogle, there is one transaction now that has raised deep concerns about what else could have happened.

Three days before the March 2nd general and regional elections, the Board of Directors of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC) sold Commissioner Trevor Benn a 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, worth around $25M at the time of purchase in 2016 for $2.5M. The vehicle, registered on September 29th, 2016 listed Benn as the buyer, according to documents seen

by Kaieteur News.

According to an internal memorandum, dated March 3rd, 2020 (one day after elections), the Board of Directors of the Commission took a decision three days before, on Friday, February 28th, 2020.

The decision concerned the “Disposal of Assets” and spoke about an “End of Contract” package for the commissioner/Chief Executive Officer. The decision was endorsed by the board and gave the commissioner a driver, to be maintained by the Commissioner for 24hour use. He was also entitled to security detail along with a maid to clean his home.

It was disclosed in the internal memorandum that the Board on March 29, 2018, decided that officers using the Commission’s fleet of vehicles may have the option of purchasing the vehicle after three years of being assigned the vehicle.

Specifically, on February 28th, 2020, according to that internal document, the Board endorsed the

The Certificate of Vehicle Registration.

Commissioner Trevor Benn purchase of the Prado, PVV 7771, at the “net book value” by Benn, with immediate effect.

The vehicle was purchased new by the Commissioner himself, for the GL&SC, on August 30th, 2016.

The same day the board took the decision (February 28th, 2020) was the day that Benn signed the agreement of Sale and Purchase.

The duties and taxes on similar vehicles could amount to as much as $16M, Kaieteur News was told.

There are strict rules concerning how state properties may be sold.

It will be recalled that the new administration, under President Irfaan Ali, decided to send Commissioner Benn on 42 days of his annual leave.

Benn was asked to prepare a document of all matters pending or in progress for President Irfaan Ali. GL&SC has been placed under the Office of the President.

In the letter that was penned by the Permanent Secretary of the Of-

fice of the President, Abena Moore, it was further requested that the GL&SC commissioner prepare a handover/takeover statement to be given to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) acting, Enriqe Monize.

Notably, shortly after the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic had assumed office in August, President Ali had stripped the Commissioner of critical powers vested to him.

This move, Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall, had said, was intended to prevent the Commission from further sanctioning the renting and granting of leases, licence and (Continued on page 18)

A vehicle similar to this was sold to Commissioner Trevor Benn for $2.5M just three days before elections.

PAGE 18

Kaieteur News

Thursday September 24, 2020

Stabroek Block field development costs estimated at US$60B…

How involved is the Government of Guyana in the capital costs associated with oil projects? – OGGN The Irfaan Ali administration has inherited an industry of billions in capital costs, where oil is concerned. Recent estimates place the costs to develop ExxonMobil’s current discoveries in the Stabroek Block roughly at US$60B. Rystad Energy recently said that in addition to the Liza Phases One and Two projects (estimated at US$9.5B), ExxonMobil could sanction a further US$50B in projects, including 10 more Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels, in the next 10 years. The oil major will endeavour to recover all of it from the sale of Guyana’s crude.

Sixteen discoveries had been made at the time of Rystad’s statement. Two more discoveries have since been announced, which adds potential for even more requests for rapid field developments.

Is Guyana ready for the burden of so many costs in such a short period? Does it have the capacity to scrutinize the billions in capital costs already foisted by ExxonMobil and its Stabroek Block partners? How involved is the government in checking those costs?

Canada–based Engineer, Darshanand Khusial, is asking these and other burning

questions on behalf of the Oil and Gas Governance Network (OGGN), a pressure group organised to ensure that Guyana prudently manages its petroleum sector.

“The US$60 billion is 40 times the 2020 budget,” Khusial said in a letter. “The cumulative budget since Guyana gained independence is less than US$60 billion.”

He noted that the Government is dedicating a great amount of alacrity and transparency to the process of preparing and completing the 2020 budget, which stands approximately US$1.5B. “It has dedicated weeks and employed many to ensure every drop of the US$1.5 billion will be accounted for before it is spent. Every citizen with Internet access can take a look at the budget details.

The government is transparent for an activity that affects the life of every local Guyanese.

It is prudent for the government to decide how much money it wants to spend because it has limited funds.

Hence, it has to make hard decisions such as how much it should spend on education versus how much is appropriate for implementing energy related projects.”

Khusial noted that, unlike the budget, it is unclear

whether similar alacrity is being applied to Guyana’s behemoth oil sector capital costs. When one observes the Government’s handling of ExxonMobil’s US$460M pre-contract costs, it could provide some insight into Guyana’s regard for scrutiny of costs. The company placed this charge on Guyana since 2016 when the controversial Stabroek Block agreement was signed. It has been nine months, as Khusial noted, since the audit of that amount began by the firm, IHS Markit. Nothing has been said to the public about an end date for the audit, so it is unclear when it will be completed.

Despite not having audited such a small cost relative to the billions in development costs for the oilfields discovered by Exxon, the former government went ahead and approved the Liza Phase One and Two projects in 2017 and 2019 respectively, with not a word on how it intended to scrutinize the claims made by Exxon and its partners for those two developments.

Khusial pointed out that the capital costs for Liza One, initially estimated at US$4.4B, faced two revisions down to US$3.5B, with no breakdown of the US$900M in savings,

Security Service supervisor caught shoplifting at Giftland Mall

-says stolen item was a gift for his cousin A security supervisor attached to a private security firm was caught yesterday attempting to shoplift from a store within the Giftland Mall.

A security official told this newspaper that the incident occurred around 11:43am. He was caught while attempting to exit the store. Upon trying to exit, the security alarm instantly went off and security immediately intercepted him.

They informed him that the alarm went off because of something in his bag and asked him to kindly step back inside.

The man instantly became visibly nervous but he complied. Security then conducted a search of his bag where they discovered a pair of Merrel slippers valued at $21,500. He was asked to produce a receipt for the item

and since it carried the security tag that triggered the alarm and when he could not he was taken to the office of the head of security.

It was there that he was further questioned and he admitted that he stole the item as a gift for his cousin.

The security noticed he had in his possession a badge for a private security service located in Nandy Park, and when a call was placed to the firm it was confirmed that he was a night shift security supervisor.

Giftland’s security then contacted the Turkeyen Police Station and he was later handed over to police.

The man has since been placed on $20,000 bail and is scheduled for a court hearing on Monday, September 28.

New data shows COVID-19 aerosol could spread ...

From page 16 organization announced that airborne transmission was unlikely to occur outside the hospital setting, where some procedures can generate super-small particles that linger in the air longer than large respiratory drops.

Additionally, on September 20 last, the US based Center for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance to say that the “main way the virus spreads is through droplets or small par-

ticles, “like aerosols.”

Meanwhile, as the pandemic has unfolded, contact tracing studies have shown that in China, an air conditioner pushed virus-laden air across three tables in a restaurant, infecting people seated at each one.

Researchers reviewed video from the restaurant and saw many of these patrons were more than six feet apart from one another, suggesting that the virus travelled through the air.

In Washington State, another study showed one person at a choir practice infected 52 of the other participants; it is believed that the singing could have led to more viruses lingering in the air.

Further, carefully controlled laboratory studies are also suggesting that under the right indoor conditions, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can float in the air and, to a certain degree, spread that way.

or whether the savings methods are applicable to Liza Two. The new government, though it promised to learn from the former’s mistakes, is poised to approve the Payara development, which will see billions more in costs Guyana does not have sufficient capacity to audit. The approval would make three approvals, likely altogether amounting to more than US$13B, in just four years. “Given the debacle with the pre-contract costs,” Khusial said, “one would expect the government to put a policy in place to review costs

for the Stabroek block upfront and possibly make the process transparent as it does for the budget. The government can act quickly on major issues as it has shown with the speed it was able to produce the 2020 budget.”

OGGN has many questions for President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.

“How involved is the Government of Guyana in the deciding and monitoring of capital costs associated with the oil projects? Does it have a detailed breakdown of the upfront costs for the projects?

Does it have a voice in the selection of the contractors to build the billion-dollar FPSOs? Has it hired experts to question the oil companies’ selection of various suppliers? Is it training Guyanese to understand the terms of these billion-dollar supplier contracts? Why, as it did with the budget, shouldn’t it debate in public the items that make up the billions in costs?

The people of Guyana will be paying off US$60 billion for years to come. Shouldn’t the government treat the seriousness of this cost the same way it does with the budget?”

Linden nurses protest for COVID-19 risk allowance, other issues Nurses at the Linden Hospital Complex in Region 10 staged a protest yesterday calling for risk allowance to be included in their pay packages in wake of the COVID19 pandemic.

The nurses who took to the streets with placards also called on the Regional Health authorities to look into their security concerns; to ensure their salaries are paid on time and that adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is available for them to do their jobs.

Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr. Gregory Harris, told Kaieteur News that the concerns expressed by the nurses are being addressed at the level of management.

Dr. Harris explained, however, while issues of salaries

and security can be sorted at a regional level, the nurses’ call for risk allowances to be addressed by the Ministry of Health (MoH).

“We currently have some nurses, lab and certain category of health workers who benefit from a risk allowance package and some who don’t.

What the nurses want is for the risk allowances to be given across the board. This is something that has been raised with the Minister of Health who promised to meet with the nurses sometime after the budget presentations in Parliament, this week,” Dr. Harris explained.

At the interim, the RHO stated the management is deliberating on the other issues raised.“The issue with the late payment has been addressed,

Lands and Survey boss...

From page 17 permission of occupancy of all government lands.

Following the publication of the Official Gazette limiting the powers of the commissioner, AG Nandlall had announced that the government will be conducting a review of all the leases, licences and permissions to occupy Public Lands granted by the Commission following the December 2, 2018 No Confidence Vote.The AG argued that the APNU+AFC Government was reduced to a caretaker status following the vote and hence was not authorized to issue documents related to land distribution.

I believe this is the only time that the salaries have not been on time and we explained to them that it is due to the transition of government … We will also be addressing their concerns about security and other matters as well,” the RHO added.

Earlier this month, newly installed Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, announced that the Government is considering making provision for risk allowance for health care workers.

“It is something requested, and it is under review,” said the Health Minister, adding that government is also budgeting for necessary supplies to keep frontline workers safe.

Dr. Anthony said one of government’s priorities has been the protection of health workers, including doctors, nurses and other ancillary workers, who have been dealing with cases of the disease.

“We are ensuring that we are protecting healthcare workers by procuring PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)… we spent resources trying to procure and get those equipment into Guyana,” the Health Minister stated.

Thursday September 24, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 19

Guyana can make hundreds of million$ from studying oil block data Y

ou've heard that Guyana can make a killing from producing oil. That's true. However, even before oil is produced in a block, Guyana can make hundreds of millions; sometimes even billions of dollars, from mining data on those blocks and knowing how to use that data to its advantage.

In a recent interview on Kaieteur Radio's Petroleum 101, Petroleum Consultant, Dr. Jan Mangal, explained how Guyana can give itself an advantage if it owns and studies data on its blocks.

“Seismic data,” Dr. Mangal said, “is what oil companies need to decide whether they will invest in a particular area in a block, in a country. By acquiring ownership of that data – and not only for Exxon, for any other company that has done seismic in Guyana – Guyana can take that data and better understand what is actually out there in its own waters.”

Dr. Jan Mangal The data is amassed from seismic surveys, which entail generating sound waves that are transmitted into the earth and recording the energy that is returned from changes in rock layers.

“Guyana needs to be in control of the data,” Dr. Mangal told Kaieteur Radio last week. “Guyana still does not have the data and

information. Exxon is still in a position of control because it has the data.”

In 2018, Exxon's then Head of Government and Public Affairs, Kimberly Brasington said that approximately $140M was spent shooting the company's 20,000km seismic campaign over the Stabroek Block. She said that this was ExxonMobil's largest proprietary seismic campaign.

“It was required because no 3D data existed for the block. The seismic data is what helped us figure out where to drill the wells,” Brasington had stated.

Furthermore, the official had said that approximately $65M was spent over many years utilizing Geology and Geo-science experts and engineering teams to identify the potential prospects that the company and its partners wanted to drill and then to design the concept for safe and successful drilling.

Inmate escapes from burnt section of Lusignan Prison

A

n inmate of the Lusignan Prison is now on the run after he escaped yesterday from a burnt section of the facility where he was being held for his own safety.

According to Director of Prisons, Gladwyn Samuels, the escapee, Leroy Graham, 23, of Middle Walk Buxton, East Coast Demerara (ECD) broke out of the facility at around 01:30hrs.

Graham was taken to the Lusignan Prison on August 20 last after he was remanded for armed robbery.

Kaieteur News was told

that the inmate was previously held in one of the holding bays but had to be removed for safety reasons.

Samuels informed that Graham was having problems with other inmates which resulted in him being assaulted.

In order to protect him from more assaults which could have possibly caused him to be severely injured or even dead, a decision was taken for him to be placed in a burnt section of the prison just under the administrative office.

However, yesterday, in

PRISON ESCAPEE: Leroy Graham the wee hours of the morning Graham took the opportunity to break out of that section

Guyana records two more COVID-19 deaths

T

he Ministry of Health yesterday announced two more COVID-19 fatalities, taking the death toll to 71.

The deaths are of a 70-yearold female from DemeraraMahaica (Region 4), who died while receiving care at a medical facility, while the other is a 66-year-old woman from Barima-Waini (Region 1).

According to the Ministry's daily dashboard update, there are also 98 new

COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 2,535.

Currently, there are 14 persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

There are 160 persons in institutional isolation, 828 in approved home isolation, and 67 persons in institutional quarantine.

A total number of 12,637 persons have been tested to date, 10,102 of which are negative.

The total number of

males tested positive for the COVID-19 virus is 1,321 while 1,214 are female.

Also, the regional distribution of cases shows Region One has 405 cases, Region Two - 28, Region Three -188, Region Four 1,088, Region Five - 15, Region Six - 34, Region Seven - 277, Region Eight 65, Region Nine - 340 and Region 10 - 96.

A total of 1,464 recoveries have also been recorded.

Seismic surveys have also been conducted on the Canje and Kaieteur blocks. Dr. Mangal said that Guyana owns the data – all of it, and that getting it would put Guyana in a position that allows it to leverage the value of its offshore patrimony and break the sizeable monopoly which ExxonMobil currently enjoys in the area.

The former Presidential Advisor said that the government should hire experts and have servers installed to handle the data.

He noted that it would be an expensive venture, but it would be worth it.

Earlier this year, Kaieteur News had noted that oil companies would prefer it if the data they have accumulated on areas they have studied are kept secret.

That's because the revelation of that data to other oil companies and the general public could make the area in which they operate more competitive, by bringing in

other companies, and billions of dollars in signing bonuses from those who want to get in on a piece of the lucrative Guyana-Suriname basin.

Mangal said that with the data, government can even challenge oil companies on where they decide to explore for oil. “ W i t h t h e s e [development] projects coming along,” he added, “the government should have acquired all the data for Liza one, for the project, the FPSO, the wells, in a real-time mode of benchmarking and checking. So everything Exxon does, the government can say, 'Yep that's according to the plan', 'Nope that's not according to the plan.”

At this point, however, Guyana is heavily reliant on what oil companies tell it. As Mangal noted, as long as Government is ignorant, oil companies will have more latitude to play games.

Suriname has already embarked on a process of

capitalizing on offshore data it has gathered on its own.

On its website, the Staterun oil company of Suriname, Staatsolie explained how its work in the near shore areas, though not yielding material discoveries, have already done enough to confirm the “potential” of oil in the coastal area.

With this data, the government announced earlier this year that it would farm out stakes in the area to make money and allow oil companies to operate competitively.

Earlier this year, Energy Department Head, Dr. Mark Bynoe, told reporters that the government intended to execute 2D and 3D seismic surveys before the country heads to its next licensing round for oil blocks. He said that it was in the process of procuring a consultant to conduct the surveys. It is unclear whether the new government will continue with this plan.

An aerial view of the Lusignan facility

and ran towards the southern fence, scaled it and disappeared into the backlands.

Samuels assured efforts are currently being made to recapture him.

Anyone who might have

seen the escapee can contact the Lusignan's Operations Room on 220-4173 or the nearest police station.

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Thursday September 24, 2020

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Hamilton set to equal Schumacher’s record 91 wins

Lewis Hamilton at the Tuscan Grand Prix.

(Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton is one win away from matching Michael Schumacher’s all-time record 91 and the Mercedes Formula One driver will be favourite to get the job done in Russia on Sunday.

Some felt Schumacher’s tally might never be equalled when the seven-times world champion celebrated his last win in China in 2006.

Hamilton, a winner since his debut 2007 season and now making his 260th start, stands on the cusp of doing just that at a circuit that did not exist when the Ferrari great was racing.

The Briton has a better record than anyone in Sochi, with four wins since the first race there after the 2014 Winter Olympics, and Mercedes have yet to be beaten at the

circuit.

If they triumph again, it will also be a record for most successive wins by a team at the same grand prix.

“It just doesn’t seem real,” the six-times world champion said after his 90th win at Italy’s Mugello circuit on Sept. 13. “I never thought that I would be here, that’s for sure.”

The man most likely to keep Hamilton waiting is team mate Valtteri Bottas, who won in Sochi in 2017 — the first victory of his Formula One career.

The Finn needs something special since he is 55 points behind Hamilton after nine of 17 races with only one victory to his team mate’s six.

Mercedes may not have it all their own way, however, even if Ferrari — on pole last year with Charles Leclerc — are struggling.

Thursday September 24, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) A friend may have some juicy gossip for you, Aries.

Perhaps someone is getting married. You aren't the type to put too much stock in gossip, but your friend could be so convincing that you believe everything.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) A last-minute gift that you've wanted to buy for someone special might elude you today, Taurus.

You could go to several stores and find the item sold out.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Everything may look wrong to you today, Gemini. The house doesn't look right, the furniture needs adjusting, and you probably aren't happy with the way you look either.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) A small gathering in your neighborhood could attract interesting people, Cancer, but you may feel a little under the weather and consider staying home.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) A quick check of your bank balance might reveal that it's a bit lower than you expected, Leo. You probably won't panic, but you're apt to feel a little disappointed.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22) Working late, Virgo? What could be so important that it keeps you from paying attention to your family or partner? Probably nothing!

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) An online prayer or meditation group could meet tonight, Libra, and you may get carried away with the spiritual dimensions these meditations take on.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Love matters have been going well for you recently, Scorpio, but today you could be alone and unable to reach a current or potential romantic interest.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You could go over your accounts today and find that there's considerably less there than you thought. It isn't serious, but it can still be disappointing.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Have you been going crazy with all the demands placed on you? Don't despair. Reflect on all that's been going on. Think about where you want to make changes.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) If you're currently romantically involved, Aquarius, your lover could well go from what appears to be utter lassitude to total passion.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Have you made plans to have a romantic interest come to your home, Pisces? If so, don't rush to get ready. Your friend is probably going to be late.

E v ents beyond anyone's control have interfered, and you might have to wait.

Don't make yourself crazy over it.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is due a change of fortune after two successive retirements.

“It’s not going to be easy in Sochi and it has not been a favourite for us with a lot of long straights,” said the Dutch 22-year-old.

“It’s also not the easiest place to overtake, but let’s hope this weekend I won’t need to do too much overtaking and that we can get a good result.”Sochi is the first ‘standalone’ race of the season, after three successive

triple headers, and also set to be the first with a significant spectator presence after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the sport behind closed doors.

Organisers, who had aimed for a 30,000 strong crowd, say the race is sold out.The presence of a Netflix crew, following Mercedes for season three of their ‘Drive to Survive’ series, will have a few people on edge.

It all went terribly wrong last time the film makers followed Mercedes, at

Hockenheim last year where the German marque was celebrating 125 years in motorsport at a home grand prix.

Mercedes endured their worst race of the season, with Hamilton 11th but later promoted to ninth while Bottas crashed out and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was the winner.“That made for a very entertaining Netflix episode but we hope that this time we can have great content and a great race,” said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.

Former Giro and Vuelta winner Nairo Quintana... from page 28 doping substances were ever found.”A statement from Arkea-Samsic released on Monday had said the investigation was not focused “directly” on the team and involved “a very limited number of riders, as well as their close entourage, not employed by the team”.In his statement, Quintana said he did not work with any assistants or staff who were not team members.

“I would also like to clear up a misunderstanding: neither during the recent Tour, nor during any other previous race, I have never consulted assistants or staff who were

not part of the team. I do not have, and have never had, anything to hide,” he said.

The 30-year-old added that he had answered questions from the public prosecutor’s office “with a clear conscience”.“It must be stressed that I have not been the subject of any accusation by the authorities,” he said.

“For my part, I am, and I will be ready to answer any questions from the prosecutor, as I did on Monday and (Tuesday).”Quintana, who had three times finished on the podium in previous Tours, suffered a crash on stage 13 of this year’s race and then cracked on the Grand

Colombier two days later, fading to finish 17th. It was his lowest finish in a Grand Tour since the 2012 Vuelta.“I, Nairo Quintana, have been a clean cyclist throughout my sporting life and I have an impeccable biological passport,” he said.“I want to make it clear to the public, to my fans and to the followers of cycling that never in all my career – junior, under-23 and professional – have I used illegal substances that improve my sporting performance and that betray the principles of sport.”According to reports in France, two individuals have been taken into custody in relation to the investigation.On Monday, the UCI said it had been in contact with authorities involved in the investigation.

“The UCI welcomes and supports the action of all parties involved and will take the appropriate measures once it has taken note of the information obtained by the French legal authorities,” a statement said.

Arkea-Samsic said on Monday that if wrongdoing was discovered the team would “immediately dissociate itself from such acts and take without delay the necessary measures”.

Gayle hands...

From page 29 ($US1,156,239) by Punjab during the IPL 2020 auction. The player joined the IPL after taking part in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). It was not smooth sailing for Kings XI on debut. Chasing 158, Kings XI needed 13 from the last over bowled by Australia Marcus Stoinis. Mayank Agarwal started the over with a six followed by a couple and a four, thereby equalling the score.

Now, the KL Rahul-led side required just one run to win off three balls. But in a significant twist, Punjab failed to score. The game went to the Super Over where DC successfully defeated KXIP. Gayle was also not a part of the team picked for the opener.

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Thursday September 24, 2020

Rohit Sharma’s heroics take Mumbai Indians to first win in UAE

ESPNcricinfo - A clinical Mumbai Indians played true to form to shrug off their opening game loss in IPL 2020 with a 49-run win over the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Put in to bat, Mumbai put on an above par 195 for 5 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, built around Rohit Sharma’s 54-ball 80 at the top of the order. Sharma

batted deep into the innings, falling only in the 18th over, with the sapping heat playing its part in a tired shot, but his effort was enough to give Mumbai’s bowlers a total that was proof against the Knight Riders’ power-packed middle order.

Mumbai’s pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, James Pattinson and Trent Boult

then bowled to plans, with Bumrah particularly sensational as the Knight Riders’ chase spluttered and faltered, without ever kicking into top gear. Bumrah bowled one over in the powerplay, but Sharma saved him for the Knight Riders’ big guns thereafter, and he made a second appearance only in the 13th over, when Andre Russell

had joined Eoin Morgan in the middle with the asking rate touching 14.75. By the time he had completed his third over, the chase was buried, with Bumrah snaring both Russell and Morgan within four balls and Bumrah’s figures reading 3-0-5-2. Rather anti-climatically, Bumrah conceded a whopping 27 runs in his final over to spoil his figures somewhat, but by then, the task was beyond the Knight Riders, who eventually ended up on 146 for 9.

The win also broke a sequence of six consecutive defeats for Mumbai in the UAE, dating back to when they lost five out of five games in 2014.

The Rohit-Suryakumar partnership The Knight Riders had begun well, after springing a surprise of sorts in selecting Sandeep Warrier and Shivam Mavi as their two Indian pacers, ahead of Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Prasidh Krishna. Warrier bowled a probing first over, spoiled only by a wide and the resultant extra ball going for six, while Mavi was superb quick, hostile and coming away with Quinton de Kock’s scalp in a wicket-maiden. It would have been easy for Mumbai to go into rebuilding mode, but Suryakumar Yadav was fluent from the start and allowed Mumbai to shrug off de Kock’s dismissal.

He hit four boundaries off his first six balls, sumptuously in control of some and not so much of others, but what that did was ensure Mumbai were back to chugging along at a good rate.

Suryakumar’s initial flurry also meant Sharma could afford to bide his time. The Mumbai captain exploded when Pat Cummins was introduced into the attack, two short balls being dispatched over deep midwicket in regal fashion.

The pick of the shots in a 90-run stand though, was Suryakumar skipping down the track to Kuldeep Yadav’s left-arm wristspin, reading the googly correctly and hitting

Jasprit Bumrah takes aim at Andre Russell. (BCCI) imperiously with the turn over extra cover.

A tightening of bowling by the Knight Riders and a misjudgement brought an end to the partnership. Sunil Narine and Kuldeep combined to give up just 15 runs in 2.5 overs, and Suryakumar chanced a risky second to be caught short of his crease by a good throw. He had set things up for Mumbai though, outscoring Sharma with 47 off 28 in the partnership, while the captain made 41 off 30. Mumbai finished well, with cameos from Saurabh Tiwary, Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard ensuring 90 runs came in the last eight overs, despite three wickets falling. Their eventual total was less than what they seemed poised for, but still substantial on a big ground.

Mumbai, and the short ball attack The defence of the target was going to rest on how Mumbai’s pace trio operated.

Their planning and execution was spot on, with a majority of the Knight Riders’ batsmen susceptible to a short-ball attack.

According to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data, off the 15 overs bowled by the seamers - including three overs by Kieron Pollard - only 16 balls were full, or about one per over.

The plan started with targeting Narine, the opener. He hardly got anything in his half, and while he has smashed short bowling at the top of the order in the past, it was rather more difficult to do

All the way on clay? Williams...

From page 22 about how fortunate I am to have been in this position, and honestly, to be Serena. It feels weird to say that.”

But Williams’ powerful serve and fearsome backhand, which were on full display at Arthur Ashe Stadium, could once again level the field and confirm she is a perennial contender.“As I said always, many girls from the top 10, top 15 have a chance to win a Grand Slam,” Halep, who defeated Williams at Wimbledon in 2019, told reporters this week.

“Roland Garros is very open because it’s clay court but it’s a little bit faster (than other clay courts), so also the big hitters can win it easy.”

against high pace. Predictably, a slog across the line to a short ball resulted in Narine’s dismissal. The Knight Riders had decided to send captain Dinesh Karthik in at No.3 and Nitish Rana after him, which meant Rohit pressed his other bowlers into service, getting overs out of Rahul Chahar, Pollard and Krunal Pandya.

Morgan had come out in the 11th over, but when the fourth wicket fell and Russell walked out, Sharma immediately went back to Bumrah, Pattinson and Boult, and the short-ball tactic was once again on display to both men.

Bumrah sealed the deal in the 16th over of the innings. The Knight Riders needed 96 off 30 at the start, and they ended it with the equation reading 94 off 24 and their two best batsmen gone.

Pat Cummins’ strange day Bought for INR 15.5 crore, and ending his quarantine just before the game, Cummins had a strange day.

He had a forgettable outing with ball, and a memorable one with bat. The Knight Riders had also tried to use the short ball, making the Mumbai batsmen target the longer, square boundaries, but they were nowhere near as effective.

Cummins banged them in on a hard length, but Sharma, Tiwary and Hardik Pandya all peppered the square boundary with sixes and fours. He ended up not completing his quota, going for 49 runs in three wicketless overs. However, he got some of his own back when he blasted Bumrah for four sixes in a whirlwind knock that helped shorten the margin of defeat somewhat.

His 33 off 12 balls was scored at a marginally faster rate than the runs he gave up while bowling.

Scores: Mumbai Indians 195 for 5 (Rohit 80, Suryakumar 47, Mavi 2-32) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 146 for 9 (Cummins 33, Karthik 30, Pattinson 2-25) by 49 runs.

Thursday September 24, 2020

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Sarah Glenn shines with bat and ball as England win by 47 runs for 2-0 lead ESPNcricinfo - Valuable runs and crucial wickets to youngster Sarah Glenn handed England a second 47run victory in as many contests with West Indies and a 2-0 lead in their five-match T20I series.

Having lost the toss and been sent in, England’s recognised batsmen struggled to post a significant score among them, leaving it to Glenn - supported by the experienced Katherine Brunt - to push their side beyond 150 mark with a 46-run partnership when a significantly lower total looked likely.

Leg-spinner Glenn then made the breakthrough that removed a dangerous Deandra Dottin, lbw for 38 off 40 after posting 69 in a losing cause in the first of five matches, and effectively ended West Indies’ hopes when she had captain Stafanie Taylor stumped on 28, wicketkeeper Amy Jones’ second piece of brilliance for the evening.

All of England’s youthful spinners prospered with two wickets each to Glenn, Sophie Ecclestone and Mady Villiers.

Opportunity goes begging for Windies West Indies had their chances in this match, but a rash of dropped catches, a failure to finish off the England tail having done the hard yards and then the inability of anyone to step up when likely stars Dottin and Taylor fell left them wanting.At the end of the Powerplay, the tourists were in touching distance at 36 or 1, having lost

Deandra Dottin frees her arms, England v West Indies, 2ndwomen’s T20I, Derby, September 23, 2020 © Getty Images

Hayley Matthews - who looked to be suffering from back pain - for just 3 when Brunt got a leading edge to fly to Heather Knight. That compared with England’s 44 for 1 and, with Dottin and Taylor at the crease, they can always entertain hope.By the time Glenn struck Dottin high on the back leg, kneeling down as she shaped to sweep, West Indies had moved to 72 for 2. Off-spinner Villiers had Lee-Ann Kirby stumped by some swift glovework from Jones before Glenn deceived Taylor for a stumping that had the visiting captain striding off the pitch while the TV umpire was still taking a look. From there, it seemed there was simply no one to stand up amid a stream of wickets which left West Indies well short for the sec-

ond game in a row.

Seventh over and out, out West Indies did some serious damage in an eventful seventh over by Taylor.

Nat Sciver had survived two chances in the previous over, looking to heave a Shakera Selman cutter to the leg side but chipping back to the bowler, who got her fingertips to it but shelled the return catch as she went to ground, and then put down

by Shemaine Campbelle, diving to her left behind the stumps.Sciver’s luck ran out with just eight runs to her name when Taylor pinned her back with the first two balls of her second over and then tossed one up, beating the outside edge as Sciver charged and the ball skidded on, Campbelle whipping off the bails with Sciver well out

Abu Jayed tests positive for Covid-19 ESPNcricinfo - Abu Jayed has become the latest Bangladesh cricketer to test positive for Covid-19, the update coming at the end of the latest round of tests conducted by the BCB on Monday. The news about Abu Jayed testing positive came on the day Saif Hassan tested negative - in his third test - after two positives in the last two weeks.

Fast bowler Jayed was in the 27-man camp ahead of the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, which, however, remains a little uncertain because of a disagreement between the two concerned boards on the quarantine protocols in Sri Lanka.

“Pace bowler Abu Jayed Chowdhury Rahi has reported positive for COVID-19. He will receive treatment in isolation for COVID as per guidelines and will undergo further tests in due course,” BCB sports physician Dr Debashis Chowdhury said in a statement. The other 26 players tested all returned negative results, according to the BCB. Hassan is also likely to return to training soon, after having quarantined at home since September 7.

The senior Bangladesh cricketers are currently in a training camp in Mirpur, in Dhaka, while putting up at a city hotel, where they

Abu Jayed will now be treated in isolation. (AFP via Getty Images) will stay while training until September 26.

There are more than 30,000 Covid-19 cases in Bangladesh at the time of writing this, with over 5000 deaths; on Tuesday, the health authorities announced that 37 people had died, 1666 were infected, and there were 2163 recovered cases in the country in the last 24 hours.

Sarah Glenn produced vital late runs, England v West Indies, 2nd women’s T20I, Derby, September 23, 2020 ©Getty Images

of her crease.Knight, who was yet to score, was put down after slashing Taylor to Afy Fletcher at short third man. Knight was then involved in a mix-up with Danni Wyatt, who nudged Taylor to the off side and wanted an ambitious single, only to be sent back by her captain as Cambelle gathered Dottin’s sharp throw from backward point and removed the bails.

Wyatt was run out for 14 and England were 43 for 3, having added just 11 runs since Tammy Beaumont, the star of England’s 47-run win in the first match, was out for 21 lofting Selman to Chinelle Henry at mid-on in the fourth over. Taylor finished with 2 for

12 from her four overs after she also had Fran Wilson stumped by Campbelle for 4.

Taylor’s contribution with the bat later took her past 3000 T20I runs.

Better ending for England batting England were teetering at 96 for 6 when they lost Jones for 25 and Knight for 17. With no one in the top or middle order having posted an innings of real note, it fell to Brunt and Glenn to fulfil the team brief identified after the first match of finishing better.

They did so with distinction, with Glenn taking the lead in a 46-run partnership with Brunt from just 30 balls.

Just-turned 21 and playing

her 12th T20I, Glenn notched up 26 runs of 19 balls, including four fours before she was run out by Henry on the last ball of the innings. Brunt struck 18 off 14 before she was bowled by an excellent yorker from Selman, bringing in Ecclestone, who added nine off four balls.

Having lost five wickets and added just 31 runs in the last five overs of the first match, this time, England added 51 runs for the loss of two wickets in that time.

Scores: England 151 for 8 (Glenn 26, Taylor 2-12) beat West Indies 104 for 8 (Dottin 38, Villiers 2-10, Ecclestone 2-19, Glenn 2-24) by 47 runs.

Hyderabad replace injured Marsh with Holder for rest of IPL (Reuters) - Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out of the rest of the Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament with an ankle injury and will be replaced by West Indies’ Jason Holder, the franchise said yesterday.

Marsh twisted his right ankle on his follow-through in the Sunrisers’ first match against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Monday and could not finish bowling his first over as a result.

The 28-year-old was then forced to come lower down the order and struggled to put weight on his ankle, losing his wicket on the first ball before he was helped off the field.

Marsh, who was bought by Sunrisers for 20 million rupees ($272,098) will miss the annual tournament for a second time in his career having sat out the 2017 edition for the Rising Pune Supergiants with a shoulder injury.

The Sunrisers next play the Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday in Abu Dhabi but, due to the COVID-19 protocols in place, Holder would need to quarantine himself for six days on arrival before he can join the squad.

Jason Holder takes part in a fielding drill at the Ageas Bowl on the eve of cricket’s return © Getty Images

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Thursday September 24, 2020

Kaieteur News

Former Giro and Vuelta winner Nairo Quintana:

I do not have anything to hide PA Sports - Nairo Quintana has denied any wrongdoing and said no illegal substances were found during a search of his hotel room by authorities during the Tour de France.

The Colombian, a former winner of the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana, issued a statement late on Tuesday night after the public prosecutor ’s office in Marseille opened a preliminary investigation into suspected doping practices.

On Monday, Quintana’s Arkea-Samsic team confirmed that their hotel rooms had been searched by police following stage 17 of the Tour in Meribel, and in his own statement Quintana confirmed he had voluntarily been questioned in relation to the probe.

Quintana said he had not been accused of wrongdoing by the authorities – and said the substances seized were “perfectly legal” vitamin supplements.

“The French gendarmerie carried out an operation in the hotel where my team was staying on Wednesday, Sep-

Quintana, left, has finished on the podium in three previous Tours (Tim Ireland/PA) tember 16, in Meribel, after the Tour de France stage ended,” Quintana said in a statement.

“That day, the authorities entered my room and seized vitamin supplements that were perfectly legal, although perhaps unfamiliar to the

French authorities.

“This is the main reason why it takes time for everything that happened to be fully clarified.

“To avoid any doubt, I would like to confirm that no (Continued on page 25)

Nairo Quintana has won the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a Espana. (Getty Images)

All the way on clay? Williams embarks on latest quest for 24 majors

Cycling: French police release two from custody in Arkea-Samsic doping probe

MARSEILLE, France (Reuters) - French police have released two people who were being questioned as part of an investigation into suspected doping by the ArkeaSamsic team at this year’s Tour de France, the Marseille prosecutor’s office said yesterday.

During a raid on the team’s hotel in Meribel after the competition’s 17th stage, investigators found health products, including substances and items that could

be linked to doping.

Investigators had been questioning two people among the close entourage of the team’s lead rider Nairo Quintana, a twice runner-up in the Tour de France and a Vuelta and Giro champion.

Quintana, who was allowed to continue working with his own doctor when he signed a three-year deal with Arkea-Samsic this year, denied using any banned substances. He said he had earlier answered investigators’

questions with “a clear conscience”.

The Colombian said only “perfectly legal vitamin supplements” had been found in the search last week.

The pair were released from custody on Tuesday night and the investigation continues, the Marseille prosecutor’s office said in a statement.Arkea-Samsic team manager Emmanuel Hubert said on Monday that the investigation did “not target the team or its staff directly”.

Online Bodybuilding competition set for this December

The Guyana Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (GABBFF) is planning to host a celebratory championship on a Virtual platform, which means no patrons would be allowed to enter the venue.

President of the Federation, Keavon Bess, explained the event has a tentative date of December 5 since it requires numerous logistical inputs.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the federation had to cancel majority of its planned activities for 2020, but executives are hoping they can still

give athletes the stage at the National Cultural Centre before the year is out.

The format in which the competition would be contested will see athletes on stage, observing physical distancing while the judges will sit six feet apart and backstage coaching will be prohibited; only athletes, judges and officials will be allowed in the venue.Bess said he expects about 20 athletes to compete across all the usual weight categories, along with Men’s Physique and Miss Bikini.

With gyms closed as part of COVID-19 measures, the

President said there will be leniency on judging since it is not a Mr. Guyana event.

In a recent interview, Bess was quoted as saying “It will not be the Mr. Guyana competition because gyms are closed and the elite athletes especially are not being able to train and athletes, in general, can’t get to train, they can’t get to do weight training, probably some might have access to some cardio training machinery.”

The event will be streamed live on the federation’s various social media platforms.

Serena Williams of the United States hits the ball against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the women’s singles semifinals match on day eleven of the 2020 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. (Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports) (Reuters) - Serena Williams’ latest quest to make history begins when the curtain rises on the French Open at Roland Garros next week.

While a Grand Slam brings enormous pressure for all, the weight of expectation is greater on Williams than anyone else in her sport, with speculation renewed as to whether she can equal Australian Margaret Court’s record 24 major titles.

With world number one and holder Ash Barty plus 2019 and 2020 U.S. Open winners Bianca Andreescu and Naomi Osaka out of the tournament, the French Open could see plenty of surprises and a chance for Williams to pounce.

However, the ninthranked American, who has won at Roland Garros three times, most recently in 2015, also faces plenty of obstacles.

Her quest for 24 continues on clay — her least productive surface — where Romania’s Italian Open winner Simona Halep, Spain’s Garbine Muguruza and U.S. Open semi-final foe Victoria Azarenka of Belarus could all present a major challenge.

Williams must also make a quick switch from hard court to clay, after an Achilles injury kept her out of the Rome event.She has come close to winning a 24th major on several occasions, reaching the finals in four since she returned from maternity leave in

2018 but coming up short each time.

Her most recent bid ended at the hands of her long-time rival Azarenka, who triumphed after taming early nerves in a three-set U.S. Open battle earlier this month.

Azarenka went on to lose in the final to Japan’s Osaka.

Speaking to reporters at Flushing Meadows, Williams had said she tried to embrace the pressure of chasing records.

“As Billie Jean King said, ‘Pressure is a privilege’. So I wouldn’t want it any other way,” said Williams, who will be 39 when the French Open women’s singles main draw begins.“So I just try to think (Continued on page 26)

Kaieteur News

Thursday September 24, 2020

PAGE 29

“Peaking at the right time...” Shakera Selman D E R B Y, E n g l a n d Peaking at the right time.

That is how West Indies Women’s new ball bowler Shakera Selman described her career after an impressive performance in the first T20 International against England on Monday night at the Derby County Ground.

The experienced seam bowler secured 3-26 from her four overs under lights – the second-best figures of her career – following the 3-24 against New Zealand at Intercargil in March, 2014.

With a career spanning 12 years, Shakera notes that an improvement in her patience and working extra hard on mental skills to bolster her confidence has led to resurgence in her international career.

She said: “I think I am actually peaking now at this later stage… I’m really happy with the returns and the hardwork is finally

paying off.”

Additionally, increasing her discipline in exercise regimes, and maintaining appropriate nutrition have played a very important part in her continued success.

Her teammates who over the years have become her second family, have been her support throughout her career both on and off the field. The bond they share has helped Shakera remain positive throughout many injuries that took her out of the game for long periods.

That bond is evident when you see their interactions during matches or downtime on tour.

Ever the all-rounded individual, Shakera also has one eye on life after playing cricket. Equipped with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics from the University of the West Indies and a Level 2 Coaching certificate, she admitted in

Shakera Selman pegged England back at the death. (Getty Images)

having a hard time moving away from cricket.

Additionally, she recently completed a certificate in Sports Broadcasting which she admitted seems a more

Gayle hands Cottrell debut cap, salutes bowler ahead of Kings XI opener

Chris Gayle (right) salutes his fellow West Indies teammate, pace bowler Sheldon Cottrell before handing over his debut cap for Kings XI Punjab.

SportsMax - West Indies pace bowler Sheldon Cottrell did not make his debut for Kings XI Punjab in the team’s Indian Premier League (IPL) opener but received a warm reception nonetheless after being given his cap by none other than T20 legend Chris Gayle.In typically flamboyant style, Gayle

welcomed his countryman to the team with a short march and salute. The celebration style has been made popular by the fast bowler who treats fans to the salute every time that he takes a wicket.The 31-year-old former soldier was bought for a whopping INR 8.5 crore (Continued on page 25)

enticing option as a postplaying career.

“I think I’m leaning towards coaching, but I’ve just completed a sports broadcasting course… I’m at least hoping to get into sport commentary of some sort.

But honestly anything I can do to help the women’s game especially in the Caribbean I

am willing to do.”

Regardless of what Shakera ventures into at the end of career, her focus remains on the present, representing the West Indies Women in this second coming of her career. The five-match T20I Series against England Women continues on Wednesday

night with the second match at the same venue. England lead 1-0 after victory by 47 runs in the opening match.

Full Squad: Stafanie Taylor (Captain), Deandra Dottin, Shemaine Campbelle, Afy Fletcher, Hayley Matthews, Shamilia Connell, Britney Cooper, Chedean Nation, Natasha McLean, Chinelle Henry, Aaliyah Alleyne, LeeAnn Kirby, Sheneta Grimmond, Karishma Ramharack, Shabika Gajnabi, CherryAnn Fraser, Kaysia Schultz.

Vitality T20I Series Monday, Sept 21: 1pm AST/12pm EST -1st Vitality T20I, England v West Indies Wednesday, Sept 23: 1pm AST/12pm EST - 2nd Vitality T20I, England v West Indies Saturday, Sept 26: 8am AST/7aEST- 3rd Vitality T20I, England v West Indies Monday, Sept 28: 1pm AST/12pm EST- 4th Vitality T20I, England v West Indies Wednesday, Sept 30: 1pm AST/12pm EST - 5th Vitality T20I, England v West Indies

Rohit Sharma’s Sarah Glenn shines with heroics take bat and ball as England Mumbai Indians win by 47 runs for 2-0 lead to first win in UAE

Rohit Sharma goes for the big one. (BCCI) Danni Wyatt celebrates Sarah Glenn’s breakthrough.

(Getty Images)

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Online Bodybuilding competition set for this December

Online Bodybuilding competition set for December.

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