Kaieteur News

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AIETEUR NEWS

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

Over 100 witnesses to p.

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Saturday Edition September 26, 2020 - Vol. 14 No. 37

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

testify against Mingo

Price $80

Online readership yesterday 119,333

CJIA's Chinese contractor denies abusing duty free - insists it was guided concessions by GRA at all times p.

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Harmon wants Pres. Ali to reveal all agreements p.

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Dept. of Citizenship rented one tent for $10.5 million p.

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President announces terms $650M in airport and conditions review of equipment yet existing civil works contracts to be delivered p.

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We are hopeful of signing the - Minister Payara agreement today Bharrat After five years...

Hospital developer joins Granger's $90M in returning controversial model farm reaped Ogle lands to NICIL $1.4M in produce p.

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The Ali Administration has sold out President Ali appears powerful when talking but is weak in delivering. The permit for Payara Field Development Plan has been approved after a recordbreaking review which turned out to be a charade and a cheap joke. Guyana accepted, without objection or a fight, another 6 for a 9.

The wool is now being pulled over our faces. This grand betrayal is being garnished with talk about “hefty fines” for environmental wrongdoing.

Instead of using Payara as leverage to obtain a better deal, our leaders have once again conspired to shortchange our people. It is yet another link in the chain of treachery. Yet again, they have sold us out.

All over the world, former colonial societies are agitating for a review of unfair terms in agreements signed with oil companies. Guyana had signed the worst deal ever and the calls were vociferous for a renegotiation to secure a better deal which would allow us, our children and grandchildren to have a decent life free from want.

The Ali administration was presented with a golden opportunity to make this happen.

Instead of grasping this opportunity, his government has instead given its stamp of approval to the ugliest oil deal ever signed. This decision by the Irfaan Ali administration represents the ultimate betrayal. It is unredeemable and an unforgivable act. It smacks of utter disregard for the Guyanese people. It is sordid and sickening.

The Guyanese people were not asking for much. All they wanted was a higher rate of royalty, less in terms of reclaimable expenses and greater transparency. These hopes for a better deal were dashed. The Irfaan Ali administration has failed the people. His government has sold out the people's birthright.

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

Saturday September 26, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Af ter five years...

Harmon wants President Granger's $90M model farm to release all agreements

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eader of the Opposition Joseph Harmon revealed during a virtual press conference yesterday that he wrote to President, Dr. Irfaan Ali requesting documents substantiating all agreements the government has entered into since assuming office on August 2.

Several reports in the local and international media prompted this request, Harmon told reporters.

“Every day, I'm seeing a new clip,” Harmon said, “about the president speaking, about some arrangement that they have, about catfish, about

Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon surveillance in the EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone), about joint patrols, a whole host of things but I am yet to see the documentation with respect to these matters. So I have written to President Ali, requiring that he favours us with a copy of all of these agreements, either verbal or in writing.”

Guyana has made

multiple bilateral agreements, including with the US. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo signed representing the US in these agreements during his recent visit here.

One agreement is purposed to advance US involvement and influence in Guyana's energy sector, by paving the way for investment in infrastructure and market-building.

The other agreement, already in force, allows for joint patrols by Guyanese and US law enforcement in Guyana's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

When noting his letter to Ali, Harmon was responding to a question about the oil sector.

Having just been unseated in the March 2 elections, APNU+AFC's secretive management of the oil & gas sector in recent years is still being ventilated in the press.

Harmon said that he is willing to work with this new government, but that it appears to be acting as a know-it-all government.

reaped $1.4M in produce

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hile the previous D a v i d Granger led A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) regime expended over $90 million to construct a “model farm” at Fort Wellington, it only managed to rack up $1.4 million in produce over the five year period.

That startling revelation was made by Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall during the considerations of the 2020 National Budget at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

“Over $90 million spent and only $1.4 million reaped in produce and sold in the last five years at this model farm,” Minister Dharamlall stated in his presentation to the National Assembly.

The said model farm was a vision by then President David Granger using lands Minister Dharamlall said was “viciously” taken away

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall from farmers at Fort Wellington. The project was labelled under the “Regional Economic Developmental Programme for Region Five”.

The project was expected to provide training for local farmers and students on the scientific methods of agricultural production

leading to employment for people who desire to be selfemployed and have a greater pride in agriculture.

According to Minister Dharamlall, there is no justification that could be had for such a failed venture.

“That is an injustice to this budget, that is an injustice to the resources, that is an injustice to the taxpayers of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana,” he said.

In the past, the lands were occupied and operated by farmers until then Regional Executive Officer (REO) Ovid Morrison had ordered their removal so that the area could be developed into a model farm. Notices were later placed at the entrances to the farms denying the farmers access to the lands.

The farmers had occupied 50 acres of land and cultivated primarily cash crop, fruits and reared livestock. The lands were only recently handed back to the farmers after a three-year long court battle.

Saturday September 26, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Massive region-wide opposition to CXC results S

ince the release of the Caribbean S e c o n d a r y Examination Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) results on September 22, there has been mass regional condemnation of these results produced by the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC).

Several Ministries of Education from across the region, Guyana's included have since demanded answers from the council in regards to the highlighted discrepancies in their allocation of marks to students. Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Antigua,

and Barbuda, St. Lucia and S t . Vi n c e n t a n d t h e Grenadines, Montserrat are just a few of the countries calling for answers and a review of the grades.

On Thursday, Guyana's Ministry of Education contacted the Registrar of CXC, raising concerns over their poor grading system and discrepancies that were highlighted by students, teachers, and parents countrywide. Among the discrepancies was the issue of students receiving ungraded marks despite sitting their exams and submitting their SchoolBased Assessments (SBAs) in a timely fashion. Another

issue highlighted was that students who would have excelled in their year one CAPE scored low grades in year two. The Ministry has since pledged to aggressively pursue the matter and ensure that there is an acceptable resolution.

We are hopeful of signing the Payara Minister agreement today -Bharrat “Contrary to misleading reports in some sections of the media, the Government did not give approval for ExxonMobil's Payara project yesterday. We have a draft agreement and we are hopeful of signing it today.”

Those were the words of Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat who sought to set the record straight on the approval process for the project which is expected to produce 220,000 barrels of oil per day once it comes on stream by 2024.

Minister Bharrat said that the current agreement has several safeguards in place, two of which include stiff fines for the burning of gas and failure to treat reservoir water before disposing of it into the ocean. Asked for a ballpark figure of the fines, Minister Bharrat said that this is still being finalized. He was keen to note however that the findings of the Payara Field Development review would be released next week.

That exercise was initially started by UK firm, Bayphase Oil and Gas Consultants and continued by former Premier of Alberta, Canada, Alison Redford. The PPP government had said that Redford was hired thanks to a grant from the Canadian High Commission. Her team consisted of the former Deputy Minister of Energy

Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat

in Newfoundland, Canada; senior international reservoir engineers; and Mr. Jay Park, Q.C, Managing Partner of Park Energy Law based in Canada and the United Kingdom.

When the review got underway in August, Kaieteur News would have reported that one of the critical issues that stymied swift approval pertained to ExxonMobil's desire to retain the loopholes it got in the Liza One and Two permits which allow for flaring.

The other matter of concern pertains to the dumping of produced water into the ocean. When oil companies drill the sea floor to extract oil, it is not only oil that comes up with it; water is part of the mixture too. As a result of it not being needed, it is separated and disposed of.

The critical issue is how that disposal is being done.

International best practices dictate that this produced water should be re-injected into the earth's surface.

Research conducted by Kaieteur News notes that in some cases, the produced water is discharged into oceans and other offshore water channels. Because no two geographic regions are alike, studies are done to assess the environmental risks of the produced water's toxicity on marine life before granting approval for the disposal of it into the ocean.

In Guyana's case, not a single study was done for the Liza Phase One or Two Projects, yet Guyana went full steam ahead with approving the permits for those projects, which allow for the disposal of produced water into the ocean.

The Minister of Education of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Nyan Gadsby Dolly issued a statement on Thursday, noting that she would have personally spoken to CXC about the discrepancies. The Minister said, “It is causing distress, which is regrettable, especially for the students involved who are already stressed in this year of the pandemic.”

Barbados' Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, Sanita Bradshaw too called on CXC to bring clarity to their discrepancies. “The disquiet among students who recently received the Caribbean Examinations Council's CAPE and CSEC examinations is definitely cause for concern. I am of the view that an urgent investigation must be carried out by CXC into this matter to preserve the integrity of the examinations,” Bradshaw expressed.

Countries like Monsterrat and St. Vincent have also called for answers after they

both had to delay their announcements of the overall pass rates and they also could not provide detailed reports on the student's performance in the CSEC and CAPE assessments. In St Vincent, 2,425 candidates were registered to sit the CSEC examinations, 856 of which were private candidates and 1,569 were public school candidates.

A total of 572 students registered to sit the CAPE exams, 37 of which were private candidates and 535 were candidates of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College. It is unclear how many students were registered in Monsterrat, nevertheless, both countries have signaled that they are committed to resolving the matter in the best interest of their students.

A regional petition demanding a review of the 2020 CXC results has been launched via Change.org. The petition was directed to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat and

has already gathered over 17,000 signatures to date.

The petition was started by an 18-year-old former Queens College student, Kimesha Harper in Barbados. Some students even commented on the petition sharing their stories. One student said, “I got full marks in all my SBAs and I did past papers the day before the environmental science exam. Many of the questions came back so I know they were correct, however, I got a grade six.”

Another student said, “As a huge regional educational institution I find it very irresponsible that you have caused this upon all of these students who have worked hard countless hours studying and doing many past papers over and over again. Please fix this immediately and we will be willing to work with you.”

In response to the upsurge all across the region, the council conducted a press conference yesterday to address concerns and to answer to the region.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday September 26, 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

Democracy’s Impending Black Hole A black hole is a phenomenon in space wherein some cosmic event, often a collapsing star collapsing in on itself, creates this area that is so dense that no light can escape it, essentially becoming the opposite of what it once was – a giver of light becoming a stealer of light.

Since the post-World War 2 era, the United States of America has always stood as a beacon of democracy in the world, first against the influence of Soviet Russia, and now against a China whose global influence is growing globally even as it’s moving deeper and deeper into internal authoritarianism.

At present, the latter superpower has not only consolidated power under superman President Xi Jingping at an unprecedented level in history, but it has shown its government has shown its capacity for systematic and often brutal repression of dissent or just plain freedom, as demonstrated by its actions in Hong Kong against protestors and by its detention of Muslim Uighurs, up to a million according to the United Nations, in a systematic crackdown on the minority group’s cultural rights.

Accurate news from Xinjiang province, where the Uighur crackdown has been taking place, has been scarce, with the Chinese government creating an informational black hole on the human rights abuses taking place there.

American Secretary State, Mike Pompeo, who visited here recently on what has been touted as a China pushback tour, has called reports of Chinese authorities forced sterilisations and abortions among the Uighur community shocking and disturbing.

The irony of his emotions couldn’t have been lost on Mr. Pompeo with reports last week of unwanted hysterectomies being performed on migrant women being held at detention centres in the US. Unfortunately, unwanted reproductive procedures are not the only phenomenon indicating that the United States is on the pathway to having far more in common with its geopolitical ‘nemesis’ than true believers in American exceptionalism like Pompeo would dare to admit.

In March of 2018, President Xi succeeded in removing the term limits to his office of party leader and therefore president, meaning that he would not be automatically demitting office in 2022 after his two five-year terms in office.

Asked directly by a reporter earlier this week whether he would commit to a peaceful transfer of power in the wake of a loss of the presidential elections scheduled for this November, US President Donald Trump refused to give a direct answer, signally in fact the opposite, that he would oppose such a move if he lost.

This is technically not new to the Trump rhetoric – a year ago, even before his first term was up, he was already floating the idea of a third term. What makes his rhetoric now particularly dangerous is that America is now just weeks away from an election, one in which he is down in the polls and one that is due to be impacted by the challenges of holding an election even as the country is seeing record deaths from COVID-19.

Trump’s remarks have prompted responses from both the legislature and the military that there would be no support for any action that would sustain the legitimacy of an undemocratic regime yet the fact that both entities had to be explicit on this indicates that things are not all well in the world’s most powerful democracy.

American leaders, from Kennedy to Obama, have used the metaphor of light for the role of America in global affairs, invoking the biblical imagery of a shining city on a hill. Indeed, it is with that moral authority that America – despite its actions in the past to the contrary – has been able to intervene and prevent certain countries from sliding into dictatorship.

Indeed, it is significantly due to America’s intervention, particularly Pompeo’s, that Guyanese were saved just last month from being subjected to a return to the dictatorial oppression of the 1970s and 1980s. That light may very well be under the threat of caving in on itself, creating a black hole for democracy the sphere of influence of which extends to the entire hemisphere.

The confusion created by CXC is NOT the plight of only Queen’s College students DEAR EDITOR, I am writing this letter in response to the misunderstood claims against Queen’s College’s agenda with respect to the release of the 2020 CXC results.

Recently, there have been several posts and letters in response to the College’s press conference outlining the issues at hand and our plan of action. The fact that many of these utterances have a negative connotation is indeed sad. The fact that they seek to frame QC as an attention seeker when the aim of the College is to highlight and expose an issue that is of Regional importance only serves to detract from the objective of this exercise. The prevailing confusion created

by CXC is NOT the plight of only Queen’s College students but to students across the region. We have undertaken to initiate the discussion necessary to effect a change by CXC. As such, I am using my platform as a student of this institution to put all misconstrued accusations and claims to rest.

Firstly, I would like to

make it clear that it is not the intention of this missive to insult any individual or other educational institution. With this in mind, I would like to address one of the most popular rumours milling about that more or less claims that “Queen’s College is only upset because they didn’t do as well as they usually do.” or that “They’re only upset that the junior schools are doing better than them.” This is simply not true. It is upsetting to me that people would take these unfortunate circumstances and warp it to their agenda which is to belittle QC whilst forgetting that the only antagonist in this situation is CXC. CXC has wronged us all and Queen’s College should not be shamed for protecting and fighting for their students. If you, as a member of the public, feel that the faculty is being aggressive in their approach to this problem, I ask you to remember that the main priority of every educational foundation or institution should be the wellbeing of their students, and an aggressive approach

is certainly warranted when CXC has the gall to say they are satisfied with this grading process which has frankly hijacked the grades for which we have worked so hard.

Secondly, I would like to clarify misinformation spread about the school’s meeting with the Honourable Minister of Education Priya Manickchand. It was believed that this meeting held on September 23rd, 2020 at 19:00hrs was a secret.

This information is also a fallacy. That meeting was a parent-teacher meeting initially intended to allow students, parents, and teachers to discuss the matters at hand and to come up with possible and practical solutions. At her request, the Minister joined this fruitful discussion in order to aid in rectifying the situation. Nondisclosure of any topic from the public was not mentioned at the meeting. Its sole purpose was to give the students some semblance of hope and to reassure them that no stone would be left unturned with respect to seeking redress from CXC. With respect to the press

conference held on September 24th, 2020, the prevailing COVID-19 protocols precluded the extension of invitations to all and sundry. It is the College’s hope however, to extend virtual invitations to schools across the nation to continue our discussion on the subject and to hear the concerns of students, parents, and teachers alike.

Lastly, I would like to take the opportunity to remind and encourage all students not to be dissuaded by any criticism. As a student myself who wrote exams this year, I understand the impact that those fraudulent grades might have had on your selfesteem, your emotional health, and your motivation.

I urge you to keep fighting for the grades you deserve. I would also like to remind you that these grades are not a reflection of your capabilities of a student and they should not cause any alteration in your character. Stay strong and let us join together in opposition to CXC and their devilry.

Sincerely yours, A concerned student

Guyana always seems to come up with the short and dirty end of the stick DEAR EDITOR, The price of power is already proving to be extremely costly for Guyana.

‘Maduro must go’ was the first unequivocal pound of flesh extracted. No sooner that the dust had settled on that, than the Payara approval became imminently official.

As a news item that is so pathetic, it should have been relegated to the area reserved for the comics and cartoons.

Come to think of it, the Payara approval should be a cartoon, a long running one.

Alison Redford, QC, former premier, one-time disgraced political operator, and also World Bank busybody and regulatory goody two shoes failed her own people in Canada. What could this highly hailed, heavily touted betrayer of Canadian public trust do for the Guyanese public and their interests and future? Nothing! Absolutely nothing.

And that is precisely what the Payara review resulted in and delivered. What started out with much fanfare, now fades into the whimper of the now routine Guyanese oil murk. Hefty fines are nice, but who is going to twist Exxon’s arm and get it to step up and pay up? Is it worth it when endless hours and fatiguing

efforts would have to be wasted to pin the people at Exxon down and make them pony up for violations?

Even if we do succeed at this, Exxon gets off cheaply and should be smirking over its good fortune. For what is sure to be defined as “hefty” in the thinking of Guyanese is nothing but a mere droplet in Exxon’s bucket. If I were an Exxon executive I would be celebrating at the outcome of the review and be much appreciative of Canada and Canadian Alison Redford who lived up to expectations.

Since Guyanese leaders and Guyanese citizens have such low expectations on returns for our oil, both would count themselves as coming out on top. It is the equivalent of giving a thousand-dollar bill to a man who had never seen one before. He thinks he is Rockefeller, Getty and Warren Buffett all rolled into one. He, too, dances on his silly head in rapturous celebration.

Leaders in the PPP government now have “hefty fines” on largely environmental issues to sell to a gullible Guyanese public.

The propaganda onslaught is already underway with the Hon. Minister of Natural Resources going out in front

and conditioning Guyanese minds for more of the smoothing, followed by the tarring that is in the works. I must congratulate the Hon. Minister in being a quick learner, getting with the programme, and confirming his place and perch in the avian family he is so much a part of already. A regular parrot is he.

But behind all the parroting and posturing, Guyana always seems to come up with the short and dirty end of the stick. In fact, the foreigners come with their big stick and beat us on the head. They do not even walk with a carrot these days when they come with their sticks to get what they want. First, it was Mike Pompeo and his blitzkrieg that left Guyana breathless and senseless. We will hold the bag on that one for a long time. It is a mixed bag, with America managing to squeeze out every objective, major and minor, while Guyana gets some much-needed protection and the dubious prospect of incurring Venezuelan wrath and provocations. I am inclined to believe that that firing by Syndicato criminals (mostly former Chavez and Venezuelan army men) at our forces around the Cuyuni area

represented the first fusillade of fire coming from that side.

I think it is to register anger and distress at what transpired during the visit of the American secretary of state. And second, we are now being massaged and soothed with early media reports of “hefty fines” for environmental violations. It is better than nothing, but if this is the best that Guyana gets out of the Payara review, then it would have been better if the Canadian contingent had stayed home.

What a bunch of lousy and crafty sellouts!

Leaders showed that they were prepared to pay the heavy prices for the power that they lusted over, and now have to deliver on their side of the bargain. Venezuela was one and Payara the second. What else is left for the outsiders to come and demand? What else are Guyanese leaders ready to sell so that they can traverse the corridors of power? We have been shredded of thinking, standing, and anything that is honouring, bracing, or inspiring. These are part of the prices paid for power at any cost and by any means.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

Saturday September 26, 2020

Is Oil Renegotiation on the agenda?

DEAR EDITOR, Government says Payara is going ahead. Does that mean no renegotiation? I like your editorial that nothing stays hidden for too long (Sept. 23). So true as information is coming out on the streets on various deals being cut and by the same people who were in office. The public and the poor in particular is out of the loop as a few make all the more money.

Oil renegotiation for higher rates is nowhere on the agenda of politicians. It seems we are back to square one on corruption just like where it was before. The primary objective of any government is to address the needs of its people but in Guyana it is to lay the foundation ‘for tiefing’.

Known criminals are put in

charge of certain agencies. If you have honesty, integrity, and competence, you are not needed. ‘Tief man’ being rewarded! Criminal enterprise is being strengthened as politicians look out for each other. Deals are being cut!

Land and contracts are being given away. Nothing for the common people!

Corruption with major figures has resumed just like before. A big contractor is back in business after fraternizing with the other side.

It is all a game by politicians to protect each other’s corruption. Political association in which worst of thieves are most sacred. A man who ‘tief’ under two Ministries and the Presidential Secretariat is sacred. He crossed over to the other side after 2015 elections.

He was hidden away for five years, and now put in charge in a Ministry to cut deals.

Portions of oil blocks were sold but no revenues reverted to the government. Such behaviour makes one even more sacred in the criminal enterprise.

The promised investigation into acquisition of the wharf is shut down. The promised investigation into the Haags Bosch Eccles Land fill site scam is shut down.

Some $1 billion went to honchos in one party. With change in government, another billion is going to honchos of another party.

And contracts will be given to recover those amounts – more corruption.

No one was convicted under the last administration except small men. Prosecution not a priority now! Those

who attempted to thief the election are sacred cows as we are told the matter before the court and government can’t investigate criminal conduct. What nonsense!

The budget legitimizes all the ‘tiefing’ under the previous regime – billion dollars according to reports.

Half of the budget looted by the previous regime and yet gets approval. And some 20 billion was looted. Who is protecting the nation’s money?

Are deals cut to let elections criminal matter fall by the way side? Don’t put any high hope on an investigation into the West Berbice murders. Not likely to happen! There will be another cover up as part of the deals among politicians!

Yours truly, Jag Rajkumar Singh

Where there is a will, there is a way DEAR EDITOR, The GAWU saw President Irfaan Ali, in another section of the media, saying that the trail of destruction in the sugar industry left by the Coalition was like a hurricane. The President’s description is indeed fitting. It provides a jarring picture of the damage the APNU+AFC inflicted on GuySuCo and more so thousands of sugar workers and their families. And it is against this background that we believe that the industry is probably at its lowest point.

With the last five (5) years of deliberate undermining, the true situation has now fully unveiled itself. We were aware that the situation was acute but we were simply flabbergasted to learn that essential equipment and implements were simply not there. Our Union did disclose, sometime ago, that the NICIL and its creature called SPU were liquidating moveable assets at fire sale prices.

Clearly, in our view, the ‘slash and burn’ approach to sugar was done with one sole intention that is to cripple the industry to the point of no return. This was achieved at Wales and as the President indicated the resumption of operations will see Skeldon, Rose Hall and Enmore Estates

having to be rebuilt from the ground up.

On this score, we were heartened to learn that the President is more imbued to bring the estates back to life and to put those sent on the breadline back to work. We hold that where there is a will there is a way and the President has demonstrated his willingness not only to reopen the estates but make the sugar industry viable and sustainable. As the GAWU has pointed out, time and again, the sugar industry has several worthwhile opportunities for a secured future.

But while the President rightly speaks to the hurricane that swept through the estates, it was a massive tsunami which fell on to the heads of thousands of workers and their families who were placed on the breadline.

Arising from GAWU’s representation, the ILO commissioned a socioeconomic study in the closed estates. That report, which is presently being finalized, made some important findings. The data collected through focus groups, revealed that incomes among those laid off has fallen by a staggering sixty-four (64) per cent. At the same time, sixtytwo (62) per cent of those

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Kaieteur News

interviewed revealed their children’s educational pursuits have been compromised as eighty-one (81) per cent of the workers interviewed hadn’t been able to find full time jobs. At Wales, for instance, three (3) years after that estate closed as many as sixty (60) per cent of the workers remained unemployed.

The study found, unsurprisingly, that crime and alcoholism went up. When those interviewed were asked to express their apprehensions about the future on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being most worrisome, almost unanimously those interviewed expressed their anxieties as a 10. It is a clear indicator as too deeply the estates were to the workers and how large of a vacuum closure created. The study found too that many persons

have had to leave the communities in search of jobs elsewhere The study, and more so its findings, is yet another indicator of the importance of the sugar industry to Guyana and Guyanese.

It demonstrates the correctness of the decision to re-open the estates closed by the Coalition and to revitalize as a whole the entire industry. It was, for us, therefore, most disturbing when we continue to see the anti-sugar venom being demonstrated by the Coalition, now in Opposition.

Another newspaper reported that Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan labelled the reopening as the Government rewarding its base. It was that narrow, smallminded and perverted thinking that caused Mr. Ramjattan to support hook, line and sinker that closure in (Continued on page 6)

Basic Structure of Constitution protects citizens from legislative overreach DEAR EDITOR, With the talk of “Constitutional Change” once more floating about in the public sphere to address our political challenges, the September 6 passing of Swami Keshavananda Bharati brought to mind his seminal contribution to constitutional law in India and the Commonwealth. This was the “Basic Structure” doctrine that emanated from a case he took all the way to the Indian Supreme Court, “Keshavananda Bharati v.

Kerala” (1973).

Very simply, the historic 13-man Bench ruled that while Constitutions may have clauses authorizing the Legislature to enact changes through stipulated majorities, there are limits to this amendment power: “While there was no implied limit to constitutional amendment, the very nature of the word “amend” meant that Parliament could not abrogate or destroy the foundation or the basic structure of the Constitution.” The court held that the following elements constitute the unalterable basic structure: supremacy of the Constitution; republican and democratic form of government; secular character of the Constitution; separation of powers between the legislature, executive and judiciary; and the federal character of the Constitution.

These were augmented in

later judgments with the balance between fundamental rights and directive principles, and judicial review, etc.

The importance of this ruling for the citizenry was illustrated two years after Keshavananda, when PM Indira Gandhi attempted to seize dictatorial powers but her attempt to reverse the doctrine was quashed by the Supreme Court. The Court insisted that the Legislature was a creature of the Constitution and could not be permitted devour the Constitution itself. Here in Guyana, back in the 2015 Richardson case that concerned the right of citizens to be unencumbered in their choice of a presidential candidate, Chief Justice (Ag) Ian Chang, citing Keshavananda and a Belize case heard by Justice Conteh, had invoked the Basic Structure doctrine as immanent in Art 1 and 9 of our Constitution.

Recently, in Guyana we have witnessed the contemptuous disregard of the PNC for the Constitution on several occasions, most notably in the NCM and the conduct of the elections.

In any discussion on constitutional change the concept of a “Basic Structure”, encompassing our inviolable political values, must be placed on the table to protect citizens from voracious politicians.

Sincerely, Ravi Dev

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Saturday September 26, 2020

Kaieteur News

Christmas comes three times this year to Guyana DEAR EDITOR, Our Parliament is full of preachers and teachers but Guyanese wonder, for whom the bells toll! One hopes that the Ministers and other MP’s would be a true representation of the pinnacle of character, morality, dignity, decency, compassion, honesty, democracy, arts and science.

This forum should portray the epitome of who we are as a nation, what we stand for and most importantly, who we want to be. The political parties occupy their respective seats because of the electoral votes from the people and as such, it is only fair that they demonstrate the free will of the people and their (Ministers and MP’s) opinions and actions are in sync with those of the people.

What stories will the walls tell and whose faces will the

mirrors reflect? Let’s not have partisan politics but participative governance from both sides of the floor. As the debate continues, Guyanese are becoming more cognizant of the obnoxious mismanagement from the previous administration and the speaker is either being tested or challenged by the inadequacy and temerity of bombastic behaviour. Is this period a learning process or the opportunity to vent volcanic feelings or is this the foundation for “war break” and another vein of thwarted democracy?

The “Grinch” stole Christmas in 2018 and again in 2019 but will not succeed in the performance of a “hat trick.” He washed his dirty linen in Berbice and went into early hibernation and atoning as a recluse but, without the

attributes of an ascetic hermit.

Luckily, the culpable PPP/C government has answered the call and came to the rescue of Guyanese. The party has decided that Guyana must be compensated for the loss of the previous two years and as such, Guyanese will be blessed with the coming of “Father Christmas” not once, not twice but yes, three times this year. How lucky can the people of this country be for having a government who understands the needs of the people, who cares for them, who wants to provide and take care of them and who wants to protect them by doing what is right and just for all of them. Did Guyanese realize that old “Saint Nicholas” came twice already this year from the North Pole?

An Afro Guyanese Santa Claus came early September

The terrorism of noise and lawlessness in a COVID academic environment DEAR EDITOR, The maddening noise and lawlessness has continued across the country unabated even with an escalation in the number of COVID-19 positive cases and a newly sworn in government. But most aggravating is the absence of concern by the government and the law enforcers of the harm being done to tens of thousands of students who now have to study at home during the day and night.

Students at all levels are being affected whether they are at primary, secondary and university levels.

Established bars and makeshift street bars and cookhouses saturate the streets of the country especially in the godforsaken Georgetown where they still

operate beyond the curfew times and carry on as if there were no restrictions.

Unlicensed and dirty street cooking still going on without the City Council or government doing a damn thing about it. And they have loud music which continues without any restrictions.

Music carts, homeowners, street bars and cookhouses, vehicles with massive boom boxes are all contributing to the aggravating problem.

Where are the government officials, Minister of Security, Commissioner of Police, Education Minister, Health Minister and the rest of them?

Are the politicians and Police so brainless that they do not realize that the situation has changed and children and students now

have to watch television or their phones for lessons and any slight distraction from loud music and brawling drunkards will cause severe disruption to their studies?

I am calling on all government officials to take immediate action on the noise and lawlessness going on. And forget about the disgraced Georgetown City Council, they are a waste of time and the Council must be dissolved or done away with because they are the ones encouraging the lawlessness and are not doing anything about it.

It is time to bring law and order to our country and especially to ghetto Georgetown.

Sincerely, Kris Brighton

...Where there is a will, there From page 5 the first place. We would have thought having seen the full impact of that decision he would have recognised the wisdom in the decision to resuscitate the industry. But it appears that the erstwhile gentleman is still blinded by his blinkers and rather wishes to see that thousands of Guyanese being pushed into misery and impoverishment.

It is that sort of thinking that distinguishes so-called leaders from genuine leaders.

The Opposition’s spitefulness continued as Mr. Jermaine Figuera, according to a September 22 report by another news outfit, wanted to speak about costs in the sugar industry. We had to wonder to ourselves whether Mr. Figuera was really serious. It was Mr Figuera

party, when in Government, that brought sugar to its knees. It was Mr Figuera’s party, which starved the industry of capital though it borrowed billions. It was Mr. Figuera’s party, which discriminated against the sugar workers. It was Mr. Figuera’s party, which allowed GuySuCo’s assets to be used as personal belongings of some. It was under Mr. Figuera’s party that sugar production plummeted 60% in five (5) years and recorded last year the lowest production in more than eighty (80) years. And now Mr. Figuera with a straight face wants to talk about cost after the bastardisation of the sugar industry over the last five (5) years.

So while the Opposition may want to engage in a hue

and cry about sugar, it is the people that matter, it is they and their families who have lost and have lost dearly for that matter. The creation of thousands of jobs will provide massive spin off effects not only for the sugar belt but the entire economy.

Billions of dollars more will flow through the economy.

People will regain that pride they once had and people will be able to begin to put their lives back together. So while they are an unimportant few that will try to denigrate the decision of the Ali Administration, the people are wiser and will ignore their superfluous harping and needless buzzing.

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU

to celebrate Christmas in the form of Minister Of Public Works, Juan Edghill, when he presented Guyana’s 2020 National Budget and delivered his bag of goodies for all of Guyana. He made sure that no child was left behind via his education package and his elf, Minister Prettichand, will manage the distribution and ensure that each child will receive his or her toy, regardless if he or she was credited for good behaviour during the year.

COVID-19 has taken a brutal toll throughout the world and Guyana is no exception.

Already, the death rate is 70 and increasing daily. Who will live to see the New Year, no one knows for sure and not everyone cares. If they did, then, all of Guyana will be adhering to the strict protocols demanded by this pandemic. Many people are out of work, out of money and out of place. That is why, Santa Claus, in his oversized bag of gifts, is spreading joy with food hampers, tax cuts, increases in numerous allowances, providing for the pensioners, reopening the sugar estates, redistributing the overseas help and bringing a smile to each person’s face. It’s a good thing, Santa Claus has a broad shoulder to fetch that bulging bag of unlimited “sweetie.”

Who doesn’t like the warmth of the Caribbean especially when old man Winter is knocking at the door? Yes, at the North Pole, it is extremely cold for comfort and Saint Nicholas did scamper for a short break last week at the invitation of Santa

Claus. He brought Christmas for the second time this year to Guyana when he took the form of a Caucasian Father Christmas and came as US Secretary of State, Mr. Mike Pompeo. He came to congratulate the people of Guyana for making a wise decision and to celebrate with them the freshness of democracy after being suppressed for the past five years by the “Grincher” and to enjoy the freedom from the oppressed state of siege from the cabal of ruthless, reckless, heartless and merciless band of villains who bludgeoned the lives of Guyanese, denied them their happiness and pilfered their booty.

Accompanying him also was the familiar sight of his oversized bag that was spilling peace, joy and happiness wherever he went and whom he met, pledging his broad shoulders for Guyana to lean on for their economic development. His gifted generosity to all Guyanese included announcing a significant US$3M for a “locally-led programme for citizens’ involvement in the government” and US$1.5M so that “the youth of Guyana will be involved in democracy as well.” He will also chart a course for the catfish to swim once again to America and there is nothing fishy about the agreements to be signed on physical infrastructure, energy sector and a digital economy.

The sound of “Jingle Bells” and “Ho Ho Ho” clashed when the two “Father Christmas” collided. There was no more “belly space” for

‘breathing space” and so, Santa Claus and Saint Nicholas decided that, Guyana will be blessed for a third time this year when Father Christmas will allay (Ali) any fear and come as an Indo Guyanese Father Christmas this December to bring more gifts and to really spread the true spirit and meaning of the season so that Guyanese will once again get to enjoy a real Guyanese Christmas after the absence of five long years. Yes, Guyanese will once again get to greet that familiar face of a big, bulging figure dressed in red and white with his black boots and long white beard and his eye-catching bag of gifts. The Grinch will be banished in seclusion, the masquerades will jump for joy in the streets, the carols will be serenaded, the Christmas parties will be in swing at the work places and in homes, the smell of black cake, sponge and fruit cakes will dominate the air, good ole Guyana rum and ginger-beer will overflow, gifts exchange will be anticipated, the stores will have their cash registers jingling, the markets will be crowded, the beautiful Christmas carols will accompany the festivity, all Guyanese will shake hands and kiss and wish each other, “Happy Christmas,” and okay, Guyana will momentarily drop its guard for COVID-19. Even the “pick pockets” will have their hands full. As Guyanese would say, “all the best” and the rest, will test the PPP/C’s nest.

Respectfully, Jai Lall

Pros and cons of the 2020 National Budget DEAR EDITOR, The 2020 National Budget as presented and debated does have its pros and cons.

The economic outlook is positive as presented by the unprecedented level of spending, however some consideration should be given to a zero sum game where expenditures do not surpass revenue. This is especially important given the current economic climate and the ongoing negotiations with Exxon.

Some concerns that came to the surface during the debate are primarily around the level of corruption on land deals and the awarding of contracts. Both major parties are pointing fingers at each other and from a neutral perspective it does highlight the importance of the Procurement Commission.

Having increased transparency into the

workings of this Commission and ongoing audits should aid in ensuring these important concerns are addressed. The Auditor General’s report will also continue to be important going forward. One additional concern was the evident extremes taken by the two parties as it relates to taxes.

Investing ahead of the curve is important to pull through difficult economic times in order to ensure better positioning and increased competitiveness when the global economy resumes growth. It would be helpful to have a discussion on the budget which highlights the return on investment (ROI) and the payback period on the major revenue generating project expenditures. A two year outlook on eliminating the deficit is very acceptable.

Three years may be a good consideration given the state

of the economy and the current burden on the healthcare system.

Our condolences go out to those affected by the lack of medication. It was very heartwarming to see the overall passion and love that each Member of Parliament showed for our young Country.

Overall the House does want what is best for our citizens and the incentives being put in place to boost economic growth and invest in future generations do improve the national psyche.

Congratulations to all parliamentarians on accelerating the timeline to develop and review what many have been patiently awaiting for the fiscal year.

Best regards, Mr. Jamil Changlee Chairman The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

Saturday September 26, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 07

Hospital developer joins Local content panel needs in returning controversial wider private sector - GCCI Ogle lands to NICIL representation Senior VP

O

ne day after N a v i g a n t B u i l d e r s relinquished 30 acres of lands which were controversially transferred during the elections impasse by the coalition government, another developer has announced intentions to also rescind.

Yesterday Cardiology Services Inc. announced it had since 2017 reached out to NICIL by way of an Expression of Interest to purchase various lands in Ogle (the "Property") for the purposes of building a hospital.

The company's Managing Director is wellknown cardiologist, Dr. Mahendra Carpen.

It disclosed that in February of 2020, an Agreement of Sale was signed.

“In June 2020, without the knowledge or participation of Cardiology Services Inc, the property was vested in Cardiology Services Inc. though the financial terms of the transaction had not been completed.”

According to the c o m p a n y, g i v e n t h e circumstances surrounding the vesting of the property, it has “agreed to rescind the Vesting Order without prejudice and revert title of the property to NICIL so as to enable the Government of Guyana to fulfill its mandate

Managing Director, Dr. Mahendra Carpen to ensure all lands are reclaimed unimpeded.”

Cardiology Services Inc. said yesterday that it looks forward to “working with NICIL and the Government of Guyana to achieve their mutual goals of building a state of the art private hospital at the appropriate t i m e . ” This development follows on a similar decision by Navigant Builders on Thursday. There were questions this year after it was announced by the Coalition government and NICIL that several plots of the Ogle lands, formerly under sugar cane cultivation have been sold to developers.

This happened shortly before the March 2nd elections. Both Navigant and Cardiology Services are

saying that the lands were transferred to them despite the payments not being completed.

The highly questionable transactions involved the transfer of the lands, which are located near a major planned highway that would link the East Coast to the East Bank transportation network.

In addition to Navigant Builders, the other companies which conducted transactions were Supergraphics (5.058 acres); GUYOIL (1.500 acres); the Residences at Earl's Court Incorporated (10.281 acres); Navigant Builders Incorporated (30.000 acres); Premier Sales and Services Incorporated (5.015 acres); Trinuyana Investments Incorporated (19.678 acres), Caribbean Marketing Enterprise Incorporated (21.096 acres), American Marine Services Incorporated (20.000 acres) and Cardiology Incorporated (8.000 acres).

A number of the developers above had indicated plans to build hotels, with sod-turning days before the March 2 elections. The government, under President Irfaan Ali, has said it will investigate transactions involving State properties that took place after the December 21, 2018 no-confidence vote, which effectively toppled the Coalition Government.

- Govt urged to revisit private sector's proposals for policy

S

enior Vice President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Timothy Tucker has said that there is a need to broaden the representation of the private sector organizations on the Local Content Advisory Panel.

Presently, the panel which was appointed by the Irfaan Ali administration just one month ago, is chaired by Shyam Nokta, who heads the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA). No other business service organization is represented.

At the time of making his comments, Tucker was participating in a GCCI webinar on opportunities in the oil & gas sector. He commended Nokta's appointment to the post of Chair on the panel, and the government's decision to put local content legislation on the front-burner in its legislative agenda. He said, however, that because the

President has alluded to local content covering multiple industries, additional representatives would be beneficial.

The City Chamber has often taken the lead in local content advocacy, and has fostered public discourse in this regard. The GCCI has also been vocal about barriers to business, which GCCI Senior Vice could hamper locals in their President, Timothy Tucker quest to participate in the oil & gas sector.

Tucker said that GCCI c o n t e n t l e g i s l a t i o n , a tries to marry companies highlight so far is the w i t h “ m a t c h - m a k i n g government's appointment of services” so they can jump the advisory panel, and more those barriers. He said that specifically, inclusion of attaining the requisite Trinidadian local content standards too would help expert, Anthony Paul. break barriers in the oil and The Guyana Oil & Gas gas sector, but that when it Energy Chamber (GOGEC) comes to breaking 'artificial' y e s t e r d a y c o m m e n d e d barriers, real legislative President Ali's appointment change is needed. of the panel, and urged the The government has government to carefully committed to reviewing and examine the local content building the capacity of p r o p o s a l s w h i c h w e r e G u y a n a ' s r e g u l a t o r y submitted by private sector f r a m e w o r k , i n c l u d i n g organizations, with a view of updating and introducing ensuring that Guyanese are legislation. As for the local (continued on page 8)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Saturday September 26, 2020

Over 100 witnesses to $650M in airport equipment Minister testify against Mingo yet to be delivered -Teixeira

O

v e r 1 0 0 witnesses are expected to testify against Region Four Returning Officer (RO), Clairmont Mingo, when the trial begins for the misconduct in public office charges.

The accused along with his lawyer Nigel Hughes made their second appearance yesterday in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts before the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

When the matter was called, prosecutor Tariq Mohamed from the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) informed the court that the prosecution will be making partial disclosure of statements. Prosecutor Mohamed also made an application for summary disposal of the charges that would allow Mingo to plea to the charges since they would no longer be indictable.

However, an objection was made by Hughes, on the grounds of the possibility of more charges being made against his client.

The court then learnt that the file is incomplete, and Prosecutor Mohamed added that he is unable to answer Hughes question; he however informed the court that he will be calling over 100 witnesses to testify against Mingo. After listening to the attorney and t h e p r o s e c u t o r, C h i e f Magistrate McLennan adjourned the matter to December 15, 2020, for full disclosure of the statements.

On August 30, 2020, Mingo made his first court appearance where he was s lap p ed w ith mu ltip le

Region Four Returning Officer (RO), Clairmont Mingo electoral fraud charges and was released on $600,000, bail. He was arraigned before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan, in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts.

Mingo was not required to plead to the indictable offence which stated that on March 5, 2020, and March 13, 2020, at High and Hadfield Streets, Georgetown, while being a Public Officer, that is to say the RO of Region Four for the March 2, 2020, Regional and General Elections, he declared a result without

ascertaining the total number of votes which resulted in him willingly misconducting himself without any reasonable excuse or justification. The GECOM official was required to lodge his passport and ordered to report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters in Georgetown every Friday until the completion of the trial.

On August 25, 2020, Mingo was arrested by police at his Calcutta, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara home. This was after a probe was launched to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the formal reports that were made alleging criminal activities by Mingo and other GECOM officials as it relates to the March 2 elections and the events that followed.

He is also before another court facing a joint electoral fraud charge, with former Health Minister and PNC/R Chairperson, Ms. Volda Lawrence. They were not required to plead to the charge of conspiracy to commit fraud.

The charge stated that Mingo, having been procured by Lawrence on or about March 5, 2020, at the Command Centre for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on High and Hadfield Streets, uttered to the Chief Elections O ff i c e r ( C E O ) , K e i t h Lowenfield, the election results for Region Four, knowing it to be forged, with intent to defraud the people of Guyana.

They are expected to make their next appearance on November 16, 2020, for that charge.

GTT introduces its Blaze service to Parika

T

he Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) have expanded its Blaze services to Parika to the benefit of 550 households.

“With many students, teachers and workers having to utilize more bandwidth, we believe this implementation comes at an opportune time to allow for better connectivity with increased speeds,” said GTT's Product Lead of Fixed

Broadband Services, Jamal Inniss.

At the end of 2019, GTT's CEO, Justin Nedd, announced that the company had intentions to extend its fibre optic network to communities in Parika, Berbice and Linden in 2020.

“Despite the current pandemic, GTT has remained committed to its promise to the residents of Parika; customers in Corriverton will benefit

next. We are in this together GTT has and will continue to support the evolution of Guyana because it's only when we come together we rise,” said Nedd.

GTT said that many customers have already applied for their Blaze service, with the first installation in the area scheduled for September 28, 2020.

“Persons who have not yet applied can do so at http://bit.ly/Blaze_PaR.”

A

ccording to the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, some $650M worth in equipment to upgrade the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) is yet to be delivered by the company awarded to do so.

These and other concerning details were shared by the Minister on M o n d a y, d u r i n g t h e consideration of budget estimates, specifically the Department of Citizenship under the former Ministry of Minister of Parliamentary the Presidency (MoTP).

Affairs and Governance, During the consideration Gail Teixeira of the estimates, member of the Opposition and former Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr. was spent on support Karen Cummings had asked equipment such as scanners why the hefty $711M had a n d c o m p u t e r s w h i c h been allocated in 2019 for arrived in February of this furniture and equipment year.

“I don't have a copy of under the Citizenry that contract in my Department.

It was in response to this possession,” Teixeira told that Teixeira explained that, the National Assembly's “Apparently this number, Committee of Supply, and which is large in sum, relates went on to note that the items to equipment that was for the renovation and ordered to do with the expansion of the airport upgrading of the CJIA were single sourced.

Notably, the bill for CJIA immigration passport arrangement for passport expansion project, already at issuance, border scanners US$150M is one that continues to climb as and so forth.”

S h e i n d i c a t e d t h a t Minister of Public Works $650M of the $711M was Juan Edghill, recently ordered from Canadian disclosed that an additional Bank Note (CBN) to build US$6.5M is needed to the airport's capacity in a complete the almost ten year modern and efficient way. old project.

Though the contract for The smaller amount of $100M, the minister noted, these additional works has

not yet been awarded, Minister Edghill last week had highlighted during his second budget presentation that the works are “needed” since the current state of the $150M airport is heavily deficient and dysfunctional.

Edghill related to the National Assembly on Friday that the initial contract was reduced from 9,000 square meters to 4,046.

Even with the reduction in the scope of works, the contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), still could not meet the deadline for the handing over of the airport on several occasions.

T h e P u b l i c Wo r k s Minister emphasized that the airport expansion, which was expected to be enough to transform the port into a regional transit hub, needs to be fixed to an advanced standard.

The government maintains, however, that the completion of the airport by China Harbour is the first priority. “That is one thing,” Edghill said, “but even if we complete everything on that contract we still have to go ahead and do these additional works.”

These new works, measured to cover 4,954 square meters, is estimated to cost GY $1.3 billion, while the supervision and the consultancy for the design of the new project will cost GY$69M.

Local content panel needs...

From page 7 not left behind.

GOGEC President, Maniram Prashad said that the policy prepared by the previous government was done without meaningful consultations. He also noted that recommendations made by local content experts were ignored.

Kaieteur News, among other private sector bodies, had made recommendations to the former government during the consultation period for the policy, after

interviewing local content experts and learning from experiences of other oil producing nations. When the policy was finalized, those recommendations were not included.

The sidelining of expert advice and private sector views would have to rest on the shoulders of the consultant who created the former government's final policy, Dr. Michael Warner.

Anthony Paul had been hired to work on earlier drafts, which he did. But he was

later replaced by the coalition government, with the ExxonMobil affiliate, Warner.

The UK consultant's history with Exxon's Centre for Local Business Development registers a clear conflict of interest.

Despite this newspaper's expose of the conflict, the former government allowed Dr. Warner to remove Paul's safeguards and finalise the policy which is now being criticised for disregarding advice.

Saturday September 26, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 09

One plus one equals zero T

he COVID-19 dashboard yesterday recorded cases in each of the Administrative Regions.

However, it is likely that the 497 tests done may have been done over a two-day period. With all the problems which the government is having with testing, it is not likely that it could have done 497 tests in any one day.

The results therefore may have represented tests done over a two-day period.

Despite this, it is extremely alarming that 96 positive cases were recorded in Region Four, the Region with more than 40 percent of the country's population and the Region which now dwarfs all other Regions in terms of active cases.

The increase in cases in Region Four can, by themselves, cause the entire health system to crash. It is now more than possible that within the next few weeks, an additional 45 persons are likely to die. This would represent five percent of the total cases.

The government seems unperturbed by the steep rise in cases or the staggering number of deaths. In fact, it seems so unbothered by the situation that it can announced the most inexplicable decision: that rotation of government workers will soon cease and that all government workers are required to report for work. In typical administrative confusion, along the trademark of

Dem

boys seh...

A

unty Priya talk to the CXC yesterday. But like she nah understand wah dem tell she. Dem boys hear de Press Conference wah de CXC host. And wah dem talk dem is nah wah Aunty Priya talking.

Dem boys hear de CXC man talk how dem nah gan do no general review of any grades. Those who want a review of dem grades gat to apply individually through the normal procedure and dem gat to pay. Each year plenty students does ask fuh review.

It look also like if is only a few people complaining.

Because de Big Man seh dat

administrations in which there is a dominant micromanager, the announcement did not emanate from the Public Service Ministry but from a junior Minister in the Office of the President.

The person making the announcement said that the public was demanding services in the normal way.

Well, he did not state what services the Office of the President provides to the public that would require them to demand these services in the normal way.

The end of staff rotation amounts to reckless endangerment. At a time of heightened institutional spread of the virus, to ask for a full complement of workers to be on the job, is to court further danger. Instead of being able to increase the services to the people, a situation is likely to arise in which government offices will have to be completely closed and their entire workforces quarantined because some infected person reported for work.

This will defeat the very purpose of having all staff return to work in the public service.

The government lacks necessary appreciation of the benefits of virtual work.

Long before the pandemic began, companies around the world had found that there was higher productivity and greater worker satisfaction when workers worked from home.

Work- life balance was also improved since workers

were able to spend more time at home. They were less stressed and therefore able to work more efficiently.

From the perspective of the employers, virtual work reduced administrative and overhead costs, including having to rent buildings.

Employers no longer had to find office space, furniture or office supplies for staff.

Savings in utilities and other costs, including reduced overtime, also were some of the additional benefits associated with virtual work.

The pandemic therefore allows for government to derive considerable savings by having persons work from home by providing more government services online.

The world is moving in one direction, but the government of Guyana is moving in the opposite direction.

As the number of COVID-19 cases skyrockets, and as institutional spread of infections increases, the government should have been attempting to reduce the number of persons working at any one time in its workplaces. The private sector should have been doing the same. The first priority should have been to have the vulnerable persons – the elderly and those with underlying conditions – work from home.

But this is not happening.

All staff who are capable of working from home should have been doing so. But this too has been prohibited by the existing regulations.

QC and Bishops believe dem is de best thing after sliced bread apart from dem couple countries who Ministers talk to he, he nah know how many students complaining.

De Big Man even seh dat de results this year better than last year and dis is across de Caribbean.

So dem boys feel that is only because some of dem students from dem 'big' school disappointed with dem grades dat all this noise mekkin.

Dem boys nah hear too much noise from dem 'small' school. QC and Bishops believe dem is de best thing after sliced bread.

But based pun wah dem boys hear, de problem could be one of three things. First,

it could be that when de CXC 'moderate' dem SBAs and IAs, dem reduce de marks fuh dem who think dem bin do well. De teachers gat to tek blame if this is so.

Second, it could be that dem students nah do as good as dem feel in de multiple choice. Dem boys nah know how yuh gan review multiple choice because it either your answer right or it wrong.

T h i r d , t h e disappointment could be because de children lose marks in both de SBA/IA and in de Multiple Choice.

Talk half and ask yuh self 'why only QC and Bishops complaining?'

What we therefore have is a recipe for disaster. The government is somehow divorced from reality. It does not seem to realize that the longer it takes to contain the spread of infections, the more uncontrollable the situation will become.

The situation is already uncontrollable. And a vaccine is not likely now to reach Guyana until next March. This is another six

months away. With the rising number of deaths, by the time March 2021 comes, Guyana is likely to have around 20,000 infections with more than 1,200 dead.

This at one time was predicted by one of the models which was developed. It was said if nothing was done, the country could have as many as 20,000 cases and 1,200 deaths. With these numbers

now a real possibility, the inevitable conclusion to be drawn is that what the government is doing amounts to nothing.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Saturday September 26, 2020

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Looking back at the NCM in 2018 and election 2020 A

s a British writer quipped, “there have always been stupid people in the world and plenty of nasty people too. But rarely has stupidity been so nasty, or nastiness so stupid”. The APNU+AFC have filed another election petition and like the APNU+AFC's strategies against the no-

confidence motion (NCM), the level of stupidity and nastiness is incredible.

This country is overflowing with young people and five years from now when they go to vote, it is imperative that they examine the contents of 17 months January 2019 – August 2020 before they vote. We start with the appointment of

retired judge, Justice Patterson by then President David Granger. A school boy would have had no difficulty understanding the CCJ judgment.

The CCJ declared that under the constitution, the Opposition selects, the President accepts. If the president refuses to accept, the Opposition selects again.

The CCJ's chairman, Justice Saunders advised the litigants that the Opposition Leader and President must proceed in a manner of compromise and give and take.

In what must have been the beginning of the contempt of Guyana's foreign diplomatic community for Granger, the President summoned the heads of foreign missions and informed them that those words of Justice Saunders empowered him to shape a list of nominees for GECOM's chairperson on his own.

What Granger in fact told the diplomats was that by the words of Justice Saunders, the Constitution had changed and he, Granger, can now submit his own list to himself.

What was stupid and nasty about Granger's totalitarian output is that Justice Saunders made those remarks as part of the CCJ's ruling that concluded that President Granger cannot select a nominee bypassing the Carter-Price article in the constitution. There and then the diplomats knew that Granger was shaping a dictatorship.

Next the NCM - Khemraj Ramjattan told an AFC press conference that the APNU+AFC was asking the court to strike down the NCM on the basis that Charrandass Persaud held foreign citizenship, couldn't be in parliament and thus his vote was null and void. When one journalist pointed out to him that there were other foreign citizens in parliament that voted against the NCM therefore they couldn't vote too, Ramjattan became as incredible as Granger.

He responded that the court was being asked to look at Charrandass' status only. This was the most incredible asininity to be witnessed in Guyanese politics the past one hundred years. If a judge rules that a foreign citizen cannot be in

Frederick Kissoon parliament, how then only Charrandass' status as a foreign citizen becomes invalid and not the others?

The NCM will always be remembered in the annals of law in the Caribbean. The APNU+AFC went right up to the Caribbean Court of Appeal to argue that a majority of the amount of 65 is 34. Every member of the panel of the CCJ who sat on that hearing must have felt deeply disgusted with the nationality that goes by the name Guyanese. How can the majority of 65 be 34? If that is legal then the entire foundation of mathematical logics is wrong.

Then came the election of 2020. Mingo's sordid behaviour fades into nothingness when one considers how the three PNC commissioners in GECOM, the PNC and AFC behaved.

One day after Mingo was detected inputting false entries, Ramjattan and Cathy

Hughes called a press conference to announce that the government discovered that a group of Russians came to tamper with the election and was deported.

Ramjattan and Hughes should have been removed from politics by both the PNC and AFC. You see, if they had made that disclosure public days before the election, who knows, the APNU+AFC might have won because of citizens' anger of what the Russians were trying to do. So why did they make the announcement after the election? Because stupidity and nastiness had taken over the minds of the APNU+AFC. The PNC hired an American lobbying form to persuade US government officials that the APNU+AFC had won a free poll. In the compilation of its report the PR firm listed President Granger as an American citizen, meaning that he committed fraud if it was true because he would have lied on his nomination papers. Granger not only denied that he was an American but told the nation he was not aware that the PNC had hired an American PR firm.

Too many stupidities and nastiness have been left out here because of space but we conclude with this – the PNC and AFC say it will not submit its statements of poll during the hearing of the election petitions. But what if the judge requests them to do so?

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

Saturday September 26, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Saturday September 26, 2020

Saturday September 26, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

CJIA's Chinese contractor denies abusing duty free concessions - insists it was guided by GRA at all times

C

hina Harbour Engineering C o m p a n y Limited (CHEC), the Chinese contractor that is under pressure with the US$150M Cheddi Jagan International Airport expansion project, has denied abusing its duty free concessions.

It was reported in 2015 that CHEC, which did work on the MovieTowne project, was abusing its duty free concessions privileges by using its equipment from the airport project on other construction sites.

Staffers and others affiliated with the company had attested to this and when the initial story was reported in 2015, the company never refuted it. In a statement Thursday night, CHEC, however, broke its silence after another story on the issue was published in this paper.

The company said it notes with grave concern the Kaieteur News story “CJIA's Chinese contractor illegally used equipment for MovieTowne construction” 2020/09/24.

“This story has many inaccuracies,” the release said, “and it is unfortunate that Kaieteur News did not seek to speak with us before rushing to publish it. We wish to make clear to the Guyanese public that CHEC Guyana has at all times complied with the laws of Guyana. And in instances when it was necessary, we were guided by the Guyana Revenue Authority and local auditing firms and accountants.”

While it did not specific any of the 'many inaccuracies' it claimed to be present in the story, the company said that it sought at all times to be compliant, and it will continue to make “compliance a priority for as long as we operate in this territory”.

The company said it is requesting that media houses contact them for clarification on questions they may have

A part of the departure area that President Irfaan Ali did not tour on his recent visit to the troubled airport project

about the much needed expansion project or any of the other projects that are ongoing in Guyana.

“CHEC Guyana remains a friend and partner in Guyana's infrastructure development and in creating jobs for Guyana's citizens,” the statement by CHEC said.

In 2011, the company was awarded a US$150M contract to build Guyana a bigger, modernized airport.

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

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 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 pick-ups and four SUVs. For the airport project, CHEC was allowed use of three sandpits, two loam pits and two pagasse pits.

The company's sister company, China Harbour Engineering Company (T&T) Ltd. also managed to win the contract to construct the MovieTowne project, a private sector development.

The Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara project was contracted to in December 2014 for US$30M and has since been completed and is operational.

It has been reported that a few pieces of equipment including a tower crane that came for the CJIA project was put into use at

MovieTowne. CHEC has since been given the contract for the Pegasus Hotel expansion, another private development, significantly on the way to completion.

In the meantime, the CJIA expansion 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.

Saturday September 26, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Dept. of Citizenship rented Man dead, one tent for $10.5 million brother in custody

Winston Jordan

The rent the APNU+AFC paid $1.5M monthly to rent

T

he Department of Citizenry under the previous APNU+AFC administration was paying $1.5M a month to rent a single tent for their office.

This and other concerning details were shared by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and

Governance Gail Teixeira on M o n d a y, d u r i n g t h e consideration of estimates for the Citizenry and Immigration Department.

The Minister indicated that due to COVID-19 and social distancing protocols, the department thought it necessary to retain the services of Starr Party

Rentals to lease the tent at the beginning of March, 2020.

“They (Citizenry and Immigration Department) didn't want too many people gathering in the building at one time, so they erected this tent outside of their office” the minister said.

When this publication visited the department's office on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive yesterday afternoon, it discovered that the tent was an ordinary one, measuring about 30ft by 20ft, featuring a back wall and capable of holding about 50 people at a time.

One section of the tent featured several seats while part served as a garage for a silver car.

In totality, the previous government would have expended $10.5M of taxpayers monies to rent the single tent for seven months; similarly sized and quality tents could be sourced online for US $1500 or GYD $300,000, one-fifth of the cost for the monthly rental.

Minister Teixeira was noted that the contract for that rental service will be terminated at the end of this month.

P

olice yesterday said that they are investigating the alleged murder of Winston Jordan, 55, an unemployed man of Back Street, Den A m s t e l , We s t C o a s t Demerara with the accused killer, said to be his 65-yearold brother, in custody.

The incident happened on Thursday, about 18:45hrs, at Back Street, Den Amstel.

According to police, enquiries disclosed that the deceased and the suspect were consuming alcohol on Thursday when now Jordan left. The sibling followed Jordan, caught up with him a short distance away and held on to him, trying to pull him.

“The deceased, however, held on to a neighbour’s gate,” the report said, “but the suspect continued to pull him during which he lost his grip

on the gate, after which the suspect pushed him to the ground, resulting in the victim hitting his head on the road and losing consciousness.”

Police said that from investigations, the suspect then dragged his brother across the street where he threw him into a trench and refused to render assistance.

The motionless body of the man was pulled from the trench by two persons who were passing and who saw what transpired.

Jordan was taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The body is presently at the Ezekiel Funeral Home awaiting a Post Mortem Examination. The suspect was later arrested and remains in custody as the investigation continues.

Ministry of Culture hosts virtual concert tonight

T

he Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport is hosting a virtual concert tonight featuring a variety of top local artistes.

According to the Minister, the One Guyana Virtual Concert came about as a response to the fractures he and his staff saw growing in the society so the idea was to promote a diverse concert with a unity theme.

Minister Ramson also said the concert was also in part a way of engaging and remunerating artistes at a time when the creative economy was hard hit by COVID19. "Artists and musicians have a very important role to play in Guyana," the Minister told Kaieteur News, "and need to be both engaged and remunerated properly for it.”

“The concert begins at 8 PM tonight and will be streamed live on both television and social media platforms.

Saturday September 26, 2020

Kaieteur News

President announces terms and conditions review of existing civil works contracts - contractors, supervisors, project units to be held accountable for poor performance, substandard works

P

resident Irfaan Ali has asked the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall to review the terms and conditions of existing civil works contracts. The Head of State made this announcement yesterday while he emphasised that such action was necessary to address poor performance, substandard work and delays in the timely completion of projects.

“I have reviewed many projects,” the President said, “where basic elements of project management, like the upkeep of project ledgers, minutes and notes guiding discussions are missing or deliberately not taken, so as to avoid scrutiny. I have therefore asked the AG to review terms and conditions of existing civil works contracts, to tighten the provisions of those contacts.

Such reviews must also ensure project managers,

President Irfaan Ali consultants and supervisors are also held responsible in the execution of those projects. Special emphasis must be placed on retention periods to ensure defects are corrected before projects are handed over.”

President Ali noted too, that while efforts are being made to strengthen and build local capacity, quality and

value for money will not be sacrificed.

As such, he maintained that in every community where projects are executed, the National Democratic Councils (NDC) should have a copy of the bill of quantities and scope of work. In addition, copies of those documents should be publicly displayed at a central location in the communities itself, to enhance participation and oversight.

“Contractors, supervisors, and project units must be held accountable so as to avoid pitfalls in contract delivery and value. The regional systems will also be strengthened to enhance their oversight responsibility,” President Ali stated. The Government has maintained that all measures will be taken to ensure that there is transparency and accountability in the interest of the public good.

CXC holds press conference to address concerns over discrepancies in results

F

ollowing the m a s s condemnation of the recent results for the 2020 Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) assessments, the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) yesterday held a press conference to address the widespread regional concerns.

The conference that was held virtually featured representatives from the Registrar and CEO of the media of different Caribbean Caribbean Examinations countries addressing the Council, Dr. Wayne Wesley concerns of their respective country, most of which were addressed to the Registrar previous years and they are and Chief Executive Officer extremely pleased.

Further, he stated that (CXC) of the Council, Dr. Wayne Wesley. Also present schools are free to submit were a few Ministers and their concerns through the Online Registration System Permanent Secretaries.

Wesley stated that they (ORS) and Ministries should are working with Ministries also submit their concerns and Ministers to provide before the October 23 deadline. clarity.

It was indicated that there The CEO stated that this year's results saw the will be no general regarding s a m e p e r f o r m a n c e a s the results and the fees will

not be removed.

We s l e y d e n i e d a l l allegations of CXC having a poor grading system and further dismantled claims of students having “All A Profiles” yet receiving grade six allocations.

When questioned about those students who would have submitted their SchoolBased Assessments (SBAs) even before the deadline, Wesley stated that the council is not aware of such and he could not speak on the matter.

He said that there is no way CXC would have given an ungraded mark to someone who would've submitted their SBAs and sat their examination.

The CEO maintained that they can never agree to these anomalies.

A journalist raised the concern of schools in Guyana opening talks to leave the council and utilize other examination boards, the journalist further asked Wesley how the council would feel to lose the (continued on page 16)

PAGE 15

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News LEGAL NOTICE

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Legal Notice WANTED

2020-HC-DEM-CIV-FD-137 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND M AT R I M O N I A L JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION PETITION NO. FD.-137 BETWEEN: (BEHARRY) PHILIP SAMUEL aka SAM SUNDAR RAGUBEERBEHARRY Petitioner -and(BEHARRY) BIBI SHAKEELA nee JAITOON Respondent TO: BIBI SHAKEELA BEHARRY nee JAITOON San Felix, Buen Retiro, Sector 1. UD 147 Calle Anzoategui, Casa #9 Parroquia Chirica, Municipal Caroni, Estado Bolivar, Venezuela.

TAKE NOTICE that on the 30th day of January, 2020 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you

by PHILIP SAMUEL BEHARRY aka SAM SUNDAR RAGUBEER BE HARRY, the Petitioner in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 4th day of August, 2020 the Petitioner was directed to effect service of his Petition on you by publication of-this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of the Kaieteur News Newspapers, a daily Newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around Guyana and on the Worldwide Web (Online).

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), an Answer and/or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 42 (forty-two) days from the date of the second and final publication of this Notice.

TAKE NOTICE that the Divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on ....

Monday the 12th day of October, 2020 at 9:00 am before the Honourable

Saturday September 26, 2020

Peace-making cop hospitalized after BV stabbing Police are investigating an alleged wounding committed on Marcos Richmond, age 20, a policeman of Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara. It was disclosed that the incident occurred Thursday at about 19:40hrs on Quamina Street, Beterverwagting. A 35-yearold suspect is currently under arrest.

According to police, the Police Constable was walking along the road on his way home from work when he saw the suspect and another male in an altercation. The constable said he approached them in a bid to keep the peace. However the suspect

became annoyed and told the policeman that the altercation is none of his concern.

The constable then left for his home. According to the police statement, the suspect subsequently armed himself with a knife, approached the constable from behind and dealt him two stab woundsto his lower back and the back of his neck.

He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation by a family member and was admitted in a serious but stable condition.

The suspect was later arrested and is in police custody assisting with the investigation.

Corentyne man dies from COVID at isolation facility in Berbice Berbice has recorded another COVID-19 death, reportedly this time that of a 34-yearold male from the Corentyne who died at an isolation facility in the ancient county.

Kaieteur News understands the man was being

LEGAL NOTICE Madam Justice Damone Younge in the Directions Hearing Room of the ,.

Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown.

IN DEFAULT of you filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to Defend, an Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce.

The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara]. The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

Dated the 6th day of August, 2020

kept at the isolation/quarantine facility in East Canje, Berbice. He had tested positive for COVID and was transferred from the New Amsterdam Hospital to the facility.

Based on information received, the man who has not been identified by authorities, was suffering from underlying medical issues and was set to be transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

However, that did not occur since the ICU for COVID patients were filled to capacity, which resulted in him being moved to the facility in East Canje.

The man died sometime around 12:00 yesterday. Efforts are being made to have a ward at the New Amsterdam Hospital to hold COVID-19 patients.

CXC holds press conference to address concerns...

From page 15 business of countries within the Caribbean, and he responded by saying that their goal is not to drive away business but to serve as a regional examination body.

Many of the media representatives were met with unclear responses to pertinent questions, one media house even reporting that they were kicked out of the conference.

Wesley's firm stance is that it is impossible for some of the discrepancies highlighted to have occurred, but they will be responding to all complaints lodged across the region.

Kaieteur News

Saturday September 26, 2020

PAGE 17

Future Guyana A

na Correia is a Sustainable Development Master student who is interested in changing the way Guyanese think about and engage with the future. Her work on transformational change coupled with deep uncertainty about Guyana's future led her to research the ways that societal change could be initiated.

This project is part of her thesis which hopes to start a discussion about what Guyanese really want their future to look

like, and what trade-offs they're willing to accept. After interviewing people from all over the country, the following scenarios were developed.

She wants everyone to read them and consider which parts of each they want (or don't want) for their future so that we may start to build a vision for Guyana that we can all agree on and work towards together. She can be contacted at anacatherinecorreia@gmail.com or 222-2503. Illustrations by Mary Fung-A-Fat.

Scenario One – Information Age

A

fter the election scandal of 2020, the PPP emerges victorious and immediately gets to work orienting Guyana towards a future in oil.

Recognizing the employment opportunities for young skilled Guyanese within the budding oil and gas sector, as well as the need to bring Guyana up to international standards of business, they decide to invest revenues in education and information technology – a business reform, if you will. Competence and efficiency are the new names of the game.

They give lip service on ethnic reconciliation to placate the population's growing cries for a solution to the tension, but nothing is concretely done. Instead, the public's attention is redirected to high-profile economic projects like the Amaila Falls hydropower plant (which never materializes), and the Berbice deep-water harbour (which would probably be better suited in Essequibo). Race relations continue to deteriorate.

In 2022, the formal process for education reform begins. The government supplies every school with new computers so that every single Guyanese child may have the opportunity take courses and develop skills in I.T. UG is now free. Educators across the country are tasked with creating a relevant and forward-facing curriculum based on current opportunities within the country and foresight of what Guyana is going to need in the future. UG awards scholarships to its best and brightest educators to go abroad and

Scenario Two – Bread Basket

A

fter the incessant deliberation of the 2020 elections fiasco, the victorious PPP decides to invest oil revenues into diversifying the economy via agriculture. The first few years are spent subsidizing niche start-ups and investing in sustainable agriculture ventures, as well as pre-emptively establishing trade routes to facilitate supply to international markets.

Farmers are encouraged to start the process of getting their farms certified by NAREI so that their produce may be eligible for export once the trade routes are opened.

The certification is free, and it benefits the farmer to start early so that they can have access to the market before it becomes saturated. Rice is doing well, and sugar is finally breaking even but the real money starts to come from non-traditional crops like kale and mushrooms which used to be imported from the US and sold for a premium, but which Guyana now supplies to the entire Caribbean.

Tropical fruits like pineapples, mangoes and avocadoes are being exported to Europe and North America, along with high-value foods like cashew nuts and coffee. With the global demand for organic food ever increasing, and with our farmers already complying with international standards, Guyana vaults right into the organics market.

It feels nice to finally realize that dream of being the breadbasket, eh?

specialize in needed fields so that they can bring that knowledge back home when they are finished.

In 2025, the PPP win again, but this time the third parties win enough seats to strip them of the majority they previously held in parliament. It's a big step for accountability.

To facilitate more efficient business both locally and with foreign enterprises, information systems across the country start being digitized.

Data, statistics, public records and research start to become more widely available and improved access and information sharing catalyses the fight for transparency in government. Watchdog organizations have started popping up, holding the PPP mostly accountable. By 2030, all major credit cards are accepted just about everywhere, and reliable online 2021 sees the Single Use Plastics (SUP) Ban finally being implemented which forces Guyanese to start finding biodegradable alternatives to plastic. Due to poor planning and absence of an education and awareness campaign, there are no sustainable alternatives on the local market when the ban first comes into effect.

Small businesses struggle and there is a period of intense growing pains as people try to adapt. At first, no one can remember to bring their reusable bags; but with plastic bags now being taxed and sold for $100 each, people learn quickly.

Stores and vendors are allowed to use the bags that they already have in stock, however, once those are finished, no more imports of plastic bags or utensils are allowed into the country.

The government puts out a bid for private companies to start producing eco-friendly options and offers to subsidize energy costs for the first 5 years. This creates the perfect window of opportunity for entrepreneurs to step up as the ban essentially guarantees nationwide buy-in on alternatives. Bags and utensils made from cassava starch, and plates and food boxes made from lily pads start becoming available. The demand for cassava goes way up, producing good employment opportunities for hinterland

Ana Correia

banking is the norm. All utility bills and minor fines can be paid online. Speeding, running a red light, crossing a double-yellow, and having expired documents are now all ticket offenses that do not require court appearances.

The digitization of police records vastly improves communication between stations and the courts, which greatly boosts the police's ability to follow up on defaulters. We're actually starting to look more like a civilized country than a cowboy town these days.

The May/June rains roll around as they always do but this time, they bring trouble.

The Great Flood destroys the coast. The East Coast highway is impassable, and the embankment road is under two feet of water.

Because Guyana now has a good working relationship with the international community, disaster aid is dispatched quickly but because of the flooded roads, the government is unable to get supplies to the worst affected communities for well over 3 weeks.

It takes 2 months for the water to recede.

Everywhere is in shambles, but the oil keeps flowing. Perhaps it's a good thing, because Lord knows we need the money right now.

The rest of that year is spent recovering anything salvageable and deliberating the relocation of the capital to higher ground. The

decision is made to start establishing Linden as the new epicentre of business. To facilitate more efficient travel to the shore bases which are still situated on the coast, a high-speed train is commissioned to connect Linden and Georgetown. There will also be stations at Timehri, Houston, Stabroek and Ogle.

The entire journey from Linden to Ogle will take just 40 minutes, stops included.

Despite the disaster, growing returns from the oil and gas industry encourage increasing investment by both foreign and local stakeholders. Continued achievement by the country's youth robotics team garners international attention which results in a spike in local interest and public funding.

Seeing the potential benefits for their own business, ExxonMobil makes STEM Guyana one of its main Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects.

By 2045, the final rollout of education reform is complete. The children learn all their core subjects but also about oil and the resource curse, about climate change and sustainable development, and about equity and justice.

The students born out of the reform are curious and they are passionate, and coupled with access to information and technological proficiency, turn Guyana into a research hub for the Amazon and Caribbean regions.

Guyana is recognized as a prime case study for biodiversity, ethnic politics, a developing oil nation during the rise of renewables, and also as a climate vulnerable country. Things are really looking up these days... until the oil market crashes in 2050.

and rural communities.

2030 arrives. Oil and agriculture are both booming. It is the dawn of a new decade and brings with it the hopes of continued prosperity and optimism that Guyana is finally taking off. For real this time. That Ole Years is one to remember. Things are good.

Literacy in the country remains low but employment is up and Guyanese are reporting higher levels of satisfaction in their lives. Georgetown is constantly abuzz. Then one night, on a new moon, the spring tide comes. And it doesn't stop.

The Great Flood hits the economy hard.

Georgetown's drainage and sea defences have been largely ignored with everything else going on so the flood water sits and it stagnates. All the farms on the coast are destroyed by the salt water but those along the

highway are spared. Luckily, revenues from a decade of oil and flourishing agriculture are enough to see the country through the disaster, however the government's total lack of preparation for the imminent catastrophe cost them the 2030 elections.

By 2031 we are able to regain our balance, though the lesson has been learnt and investment on the coast starts drying up.

Some farmers are able to turn their inundated plots into shrimp farms, but most new farms and businesses are opening further inland, particularly along the new Ogle/Timehri highway.

Rising temperatures and sea levels start causing changes to ocean currents, and more and more plastic waste starts washing up on Caribbean beaches. This is a big problem for tourism. The islands, recognizing their own role as massive per capita plastic consumers, decide to implement their own SUP bans. It's easier now with Guyana producing sustainable plastic-alternatives right next door. Making good use of those new trade routes, Guyana is happy to supply. By 2040, we're not just supplying the bread, we're selling them the baskets too.

It's 2050, and we're doing well... until the oil market takes a drastic dive. It puts the brakes on some high-profile infrastructure projects that were being considered, but the economy is more or less sustained by its other streams of income. And we've got a lot of our dollars saved for hard times in the sovereign wealth fund. Whew Ma, looks like we made it.

PAGE 18

Kaieteur News

Saturday September 26, 2020

Trump Selects Amy Coney Guyana marks record number, Barrett to Fill Ginsburg's 130, of new COVID-19 positive cases Seat on the Supreme Court

G

uyana yesterday marked a record high number of 130 new COVID19 cases, raising the total number of cases to 2,709.

The Ministry of Health's daily dashboard update states that there are presently 16 persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Seventy-six persons are in institutional quarantine, 235 are in institutional isolation and 895 are in approved home isolation.

No new deaths have been recorded keeping the total number of COVID-19

deaths at 73 while there have been a total of 1,490 recoveries.

The dashboard also shows the regional distribution of cases with Region One having 407 confirmed cases, Region Two- 32 cases, Region Three- 203 cases, Region Four-1,224 cases, Region Five-15 cases, Region Six- 35 cases, Region Seven- 284 cases, Region Eight- 65 cases, Region Nine-347 cases, and Region Ten-97 cases.

The total number of persons tested for COVID-19 to date is 13,250, with 10,541 persons testing negative. Of all the confirmed cases 1,430 are male and 1,279 are female.

WA S H I N G T O N — P r e s i d e n t Tr u m p h a s selected Judge Amy Coney Barrett, the favorite candidate of conservatives, to succeed Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and will try to force Senate confirmation before Election Day in a move that would significantly alter the ideological makeup of the Supreme Court for years.

Mr. Trump plans to announce on Saturday that she is his choice, according to six people close to the process who asked not to be identified disclosing the decision in advance. As they often do, aides cautioned that Mr. Trump sometimes upends his own plans.

But he is not known to have interviewed any other candidates and came away from two days of meetings with Judge Barrett this week impressed with a jurist he was told would be a female Antonin Scalia, referring to the justice she once clerked for. On Friday night, Judge Barrett was photographed getting out of her car outside her home in South Bend, Ind. “I haven't said it was her, but she is outstanding,” Mr. Trump told reporters who asked about Judge Barrett's imminent nomination at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington after CNN and other news outlets reported on his choice.

The president's political advisers hope the selection

Judge Amy Coney Barrett will energize his conservative political base in the thick of an election campaign in which he has for months been trailing former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., his Democratic challenger.

But it could also rouse liberal voters afraid that her confirmation could spell the end of Roe v. Wade, the decision legalizing abortion, as well as other rulings popular with the political left and center.

The nomination will kick off an extraordinary scramble by Senate Republicans to confirm her for the court in the 38 days before the election on Nov. 3, a scenario unlike any in American history.

While other justices have been approved in presidential election years, none has been voted on after July. Four years ago, Senate

Republicans refused to even consider President Barack Obama's nomination to replace Justice Scalia with Judge Merrick B. Garland, announced 237 days before Election Day, on the grounds that it should be left to whoever was chosen as the next president.

In picking Judge Barrett, a conservative and a hero to the anti-abortion movement, Mr. Trump could hardly have found a more polar opposite to Justice Ginsburg, a pioneering champion of women's rights and leader of the liberal wing of the court.

The appointment would shift the center of gravity on the bench considerably to the right, giving conservatives six of the nine seats and potentially insulating them even against defections by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., who on a handful of occasions has sided with liberal justices.

Mr. Trump made clear this week that he wanted to rush his nominee through the Senate by Election Day to ensure that he would have a decisive fifth justice on his side in case any disputes from the vote reached the high court, as he expected to happen. The president has repeatedly made baseless claims that the Democrats are trying to steal the election and appears poised to challenge any result of the balloting that does not declare him the winner.

Coronavirus: Rio 2021 carnival parade postponed indefinitely (BBC) - Rio de Janeiro's carnival parade, due to be held next February, has been postponed indefinitely, organisers say.

The samba schools involved in the parade had previously warned it would be difficult to organise without a vaccine.

Rio's carnival attracts millions of visitors every year.

Brazil has been one of the countries worst affected by the pandemic with 4.5 million infections and more than 138,000 deaths.

Jorge Castanheira, president of samba league Liesa said schools would not have time to prepare or organise for the February event.

"We are looking for an alternative solution, something we can do when

it's safe to contribute to the city. But we aren't certain enough to set a date," he said.

The announcement applies to Liesa's formal carnival event but does not apply to the local street parties that take place at the same time. It is currently unclear if those will be allowed to take place.

There is concern that the economic impact of Brazil's delayed carnivals could hit families who depend on the events for income. Tourism represents about 8% of Brazil's GDP.

São Paulo's carnival parade has already been delayed by eight months until October 2021.

Brazil is still registering thousands of new infections daily.

On Thursday the country recorded 32,817 cases and 831 deaths.

At the opening of the UN Assembly earlier this week, President Jair Bolsonaro rejected criticism of his handling of the pandemic.

In a pre-recorded speech, the blamed the media for causing panic and "politicising" the pandemic.

Kaieteur News

Saturday September 26, 2020

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Giftland boss sounds alarm on abuse of duty free privileges by Chinese MovieTowne contractor

By Shikema Dey

G

iftland Mall proprietor, Roy Beepat has emerged with questions regarding the construction of the MovieTowne Mall by Chinese Contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), leveling accusations that the company abused its duty free privileges.

His concerns come on the heels of harsh criticisms on CHEC for the shoddy renovation works the company is currently engaged in at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). The company held the US$150 million and counting contract in their hands for nine years but have failed to meet contractual obligations, producing work not up to international standards.

The company had their energies focused elsewhere however, as it is widely known that while the Chinese Contractor held contract for CJIA, they also privately constructed and completed

MovieTowne Guyana Complex

Giftland boss, Roy Beepat the MovieTowne Guyana complex while Guyanese still await the immaculate and modernized airport they were promised.

In a letter to this publication, Beepat stated that company “illegally” used its duty free status in order to import building materials and fuel supplies for the project.

He stated that, when this was discovered, a complaint was lodged with the Commissioner of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA),

Godfrey Statia and former Finance Minister, Winston Jordan but noted that they were not acted upon.

“Many truckers had informed us that fuel brought to the airport was subsequently transported to the Movie Towne site and this was also true of other building materials.”

Had GRA wanted to, Beepat explained, such could

have been easily verified by comparing the duty, VAT and other taxes on the Movie Towne project against the contractor's Bill of Quantities and the custom entries to ensure same was paid.

He said: “The Giftland Group has always maintained that we welcome all competition, once it's fair and played on a level playing

field and we are not suggesting that Movie Towne has done anything wrong.”

According to the Giftland boss, if those cannot be produced, it becomes “very clear” that that the project was completed with an “unfair advantage” to both his company by cheaper construction and to the GRA by waiver of duties in the

amount of billions of unpaid tax dollars.

“The Giftland Mall has paid all duties and taxes on its construction and if this wasn't done by Movie Towne then there is an unfair advantage here,” he lamented.

The Giftland boss called for an investigation into the allegations and urged that all projects from CHEC be halted.

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Duplantis wins in Doha to complete perfect season ...Prithvi Shaw, bowlers

Sweden’s Armand Duplantis in action in the men’s pole vault at the Diamond League in Doha, Qatar yesterday. (Reuters/Ibraheem Al Omari)

DOHA (Reuters) Swedish pole vaulter Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis completed a perfect season when he beat world champion Sam Kendricks at the Doha Diamond League meeting yesterday, the last of a campaign shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 20-year-old won all 16 of his meetings in 2020 as well as twice breaking the world record and producing the best-ever outdoor jump of 6.15 metres.

A vault of 5.82 metres was enough for him to win again on Friday ahead of American Kendricks and France’s former Olympic champion Renaud Lavillenie who both cleared the same height but with more failures.

Kenyan Faith Kipyegon ran the fastest time this

Saturday September 26, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Your brain and warrior instincts agree today, Aries.

Team up with others who share similar thoughts and desires. Conversations can be extremely rewarding.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Something or someone could confront you today, Taurus.

Try not to assume things about the situation before you know all the facts.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Have no fear today, Gemini.

You have the power and mental capacity to cut through just about anything. Don't let fear or regret hold you back.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Today is a fantastic day to take action Your eagerness to strike out for new territory is heightened by a drive to experience the unknown.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Think before you act today. Rash moves are likely to get you into trouble. An annoying interruption in your daily routine could throw you off guard.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Today is a great day to act on things that have been brewing in your brain for quite some time, Sagittarius.

Perhaps you've been feeling unsure of yourself.

CANCER(June21–July22) Don't worry about not being on the right path, Cancer, because you are. You seem to always be in the right place at the right time. There's no need to feel regret or shame about things that have happened in the past.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) Today is a great day to act on things that have been brewing in your brain for quite some time, Sagittarius. Perhaps you've been feeling unsure of yourself.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) - A war could be brewing in your world today, Leo. Emotionally charged arguments shoot back and forth with conviction. Try not to get discouraged.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Your mind is clear and your sensitivity focused. Now is a good time to make a move.

Don't let insecurity or fear keep you from pursuing your dreams.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) An inner voice is warning you to slow down, Virgo. It's probably best if you take a break and let someone else take the lead. Concentrate on matters at home and take care of issues that crop up among loved ones.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Cool your jets today, Pisces.

This is a good time to stop and focus on you. Make sure to give your body the respect it deserves. Make sure you're fostering the kind of character you wish to become.

season to win the women’s 800 metres, taking the lead from Spain’s Esther Guerrero around 200 metres from the end before cruising home for a comfortable win in 1:57.68 minutes.

“I am very surprised not only with the win but with my record here tonight,” said Kipyegon, the Olympic 1500 metres champion.

“The year has been a disturbing one for everyone and I am glad it is coming to an end. We can’t wait enough for 2021 to be here.”

Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah continued her impressive form with an easy win in the women’s 100 metres.

The Jamaican charged home in 10.87 seconds, with Ivorian Marie-Josee Ta Lou a distant 0.34 seconds behind in second after failing to get her usual fast start.

An experimental format in the women’s long jump helped Ukraine’s Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk to a win.

In the new system, the leading three after five rounds go into a “final three”, the previous results are discarded and the athlete with the best final jump wins the contest.

Bekh-Romanchuk produced 6.91 metres for her last effort while Nigeria’s Ese Brume was second with 6.68.

Sweden’s Khaddi Sagnia, who had the best jump in the first five rounds of 6.85, was third with 6.55.

From page 23 pitch that was just beginning to slow down.

Chahar and Josh Hazlewood - who came in for his IPL debut in place of Lungi Ngidi - slanted the ball across Pant and away from his favoured hitting arc, and even though the left-hander put away a few marginal errors in line and length, the tactic ensured he didn’t fully break loose. There was an excellent 19th over as well from Curran, which only went for four runs, as Iyer struggled to put away the left-armer who went around the wicket and cramped him for room while bowling his cutters into the pitch.

A boundary each from Pant and Stoinis off Hazlewood, and four leg byes via an uncharacteristic MS Dhoni lapse behind the stumps, gave the Capitals 14 in their final over. They had only made 87 in their last 10 overs.

A chase that never was The first two matches of the season had brought M Vijay 22 runs off 29 balls.

There was little fluency here as well, as Kagiso Rabada bowling Test-match lengths with a hint of outswing and two slips in place - began the second innings with five dots and a quiet tuck off the legs to fine leg.

Then Axar came on specifically to target Watson.

Before this game, their head-tohead, over seven meetings, was 38 balls, 42 runs, and five

dismissals. Watson survived Axar’s first over, had a chance dropped at square leg off Nortje in the next over, launched Avesh Khan for a big six over wide longon in the over after that, before failing to survive Axar’s second over. The ball was a typical Axar delivery - just short of a length, skidding on with the angle from left-arm around, designed to cramp the right-hander for room.

Watson pulled it with more power than most batsmen may have managed, but picked out the fielder at deep midwicket.

The Super Kings lost their second wicket off the last ball of the Powerplay, Vijay failing to make a clean connection against a hard-length ball from Nortje, and miscuing a catch to midwicket.

The equation at that point was 142 from 14 overs. It was theoretically still achievable, but the Super Kings’ victory chances faded quickly, with no boundaries coming in the next 5.2 overs thanks to a mixture of decent bowling, a lack of urgency from the batsmen, and an inability to pull off the big hits when they tried them. Soon the Super Kings innings began to resemble an open net session, and a 54-run fourth-wicket stand between Faf du Plessis and Kedar Jadhav merely served to fill the time that remained until the overs ran out.

Scores: Delhi Capitals 175 for 3 (Shaw 64, Pant 37*, Dhawan 35, Chawla 2-33) beat Chennai Super Kings 131 for 7 (du Plessis 43, Rabada 3-26, Nortje 2-21) by 44 runs.

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Saturday September 26, 2020

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Hero CPL thanks SporTT Stafanie Taylor hails hard work The Hero Caribbean Premier League took place successfully between 18 August and 10 September and the league wishes to thank those in Trinidad & Tobago who worked so hard to deliver the first major Twenty20 tournament since the lockdowns as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tournament would not have been possible without the work of the Sports Company of Trinidad & Tobago Limited (SporTT) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) who were in constant contact with the various government agencies who were needed to make the Hero CPL a success.

From security, to transport, to the all-important health measures that were put in place to ensure that those who were part of the tournament bubble stayed free of the COVID-19 virus,

SporTT and the LOC played a huge role.

The CPL cohort saw 239 people from 18 different countries take part in the event, and the planning that was involved in making this happen was a massive undertaking. With the borders of Trinidad & Tobago currently closed every moment from the arrival of those involved from overseas, to the transport of players and officials, to training and match venues needed to be intricately planned.

The Hero CPL, SporTT and the LOC also had to be constant contact with the Ministry of Health in Trinidad & Tobago to ensure that the testing protocols and other measures were implemented and upheld.

Pete Russell, COO of Hero CPL said: “We are just starting our review of this

year’s Hero CPL and we are already hearing words such as historic and groundbreaking being used to describe it.

We would like to warmly thank our partners and coorganisers in the venture, the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (SporTT) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC). While the cricketers will always be the stars of the show, SporTT and the LOC were integral to our delivery of this year’s tournament.

From their knowledge of the local landscape to the creation and management of the safety bubble for our players, they played a huge part in Hero CPL happening this year.

“We would like to thank Mr Douglas Camacho who as lead on the LOC and Chairman of SporTT was able to rally government support across several ministries and agencies to keep the players and officials safe and the public entertained through excellent cricket which could have only come out of this sense of security.”

put in by women’s cricketers after reaching 3000 T20I runs

ESPNcricinfo - Stafanie Taylor, West Indies women’s captain, has hailed the hard work that women’s cricketers have put in after becoming only the second player - male or female - to reach the landmark of 3000 T20I runs.

Taylor, 29, reached the milestone with a scampered second run on an overthrow in West Indies’ second T20I against England, joining New Zealand’s Suzie Bates in an exclusive club.

And while she insisted that she had not been thinking about her proximity to the achievement, she admitted that it felt “really good” to have surpassed that mark.

“I’m not really a stats person, so I wouldn’t know these things,” she said in an in-house Cricket West Indies interview. “But when it came up on the big screen, it was a really good feeling.

“To see that it’s a female who is in front of me, it shows the amount of work that we as female cricketers have been doing over the years. To see that a lot of people have highlighted what we have done is a great feeling. It’s always about men’s cricket,

so it’s good to see that they’ve highlighted females who have done really well in the game.”

Reflecting on her achievement, Taylor said that diet and fitness had been the keys to her longevity in the game, having won 105 T20I caps to date, and highlighted Virat Kohli’s decision to quit meat after the 2016 IPL as an inspiration.

“I remember he [Kohli] did an interview not long ago, and said that he had been home after a tour and looked at himself in the mirror, and was like: ‘nah’. He didn’t like what he was seeing, and if he wanted to compete with the top players, he had to change the way he went about thing.

“That was a place I was in, and I was like, if you really want to compete with really top athletes like Australia, they take their fitness very seriously. I thought to myself that I was tired of eating meat.

I said: ‘you know what, I’m going to change it up a bit, and eat some fish, and when there’s no fish, I’ll eat veg’.

“When I stopped eating meat and started doing some exercise, people started commenting on the fact I’d

lost of a lot of weight. I was like ‘no, I don’t think so’, but as I kept going, kept putting in work, going out to exercise at six in the morning, making sure my nutrition was good, I realised that when I was putting on my jeans, it wasn’t the same. After seeing those changes, it really felt good on my body.”

Taylor also highlighted the need for a domestic and academy system for women’s cricketers in the West Indies structure, suggesting that her side is crying out for young talent that is not coming through.

“I’ve spoken about this plenty of times,” she said.

“I’d love to see some young players coming through, integrating with the old folks, learning a thing or two.

“We definitely need a feeder system. That’s what we lack. When you look around the world, especially India, Australia and England, they’ve been doing really well with young players coming through the system, and then when they reach international level, it’s nothing new - it’s not foreign to them. That’s what I would love to see in the Caribbean.”

‘FIFA owns football’ - Former sports minister Roberts laments fact that TTFA fought unrealistic, ‘losing war’ SportsMax - Former Trinidad and Tobago Minister of Sports Anil Roberts has lamented what he classifies to be a cause that was destined to be ‘a losing battle’ in wake of FIFA’s recent suspension of the TTFA from world football.

FIFA and the TTFA have been locked in a bitter dispute since March of this year, when the global football governing body appointed a normalisation committee to take over the affairs of the nation’s football, after dissolving the board. The then four-monthold William Wallace-led executive rejected the move and refused to recognize the committee, framing the actions as an infringement on the country’s sovereignty.

In its letter, however, FIFA pointed to article 8 paragraph 2 of the FIFA Statutes, as giving them the right to appoint a normalisation committee. The Wallace-led coalition then opted to take the case to the CAS before having issues with the cost of presenting the case and suggesting any ruling would have been biased towards FIFA. The body instead opted to take the case before the Trinidad and Tobago High Court, a move also prohibited by the FIFA statutes.

In announcing the decision to suspend Trinidad and Tobago from international football on Thursday, FIFA pointed to violations of article 59, which states that; “Recourse to ordinary courts of law is prohibited unless specifically provided for

in the FIFA regulations. Recourse to ordinary courts of law for all types of provisional measures is also prohibited.”

According to Roberts, even if one were to submit to the fact that every argument made by the ousted TTFA officials were correct, they ignored a certain reality.

“There was no other outcome. So, let us pretend that the TTFA was absolutely right.

Every argument they made, FIFA was being high handed, their decisions were wrong, they were using their power to suppress and oppress Trinidad and Tobago and its organisation. Every argument was correct.

You still could not win, because the idea is you want to play football and FIFA controls football,” Roberts said in an exclusive interview with the SportsMax Zone.

Since 2003, FIFA has suspended around 24 countries for various disputes and violations of its statutes. Antigua and Barbuda are the only other Caribbean country suspended during the period.

“FIFA owns football. Everything we want as a country, as a territory, they control.

Whether it is through their World Cup male and female tournaments or their junior agegroup World Cups. Whether it’s through their ability to control club football, world club football, Champions League, CONCACAF Gold Cup, opportunities for our young players to get contracts…So this was a losing war from the onset.”

Saturday September 26, 2020

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Kaieteur News

Thompson-Herah ends Diamond Concacaf Statement – Trinidad and Tobago Football Association League with Doha win and the Gold Cup Draw

Miami, FL - Concacaf has noted FIFA’s decision to suspend the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA).

This matter was discussed during an emergency meeting of the Concacaf Council last night (Thursday), and the following was agreed: For the purposes of the 2021 Gold Cup draw,

Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah (right) wins the Women’s 100m during the IAAF Diamond League competition at the Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium in the Qatari capital, Doha. (Photo: AFP) Jamaica Observer KINGSTON, Jamaica – Elaine Thompson-Herah ended the Wanda Diamond League on a high after she won the women’s 100m at the Doha meeting yesterday, running 10.87 seconds (0.0m/s) for back-to-back wins after winning in Rome a week ago.

Thompson-Herah was never challenged as she sped to an easy win, beating MarieJosee Ta Lou - 11.21 seconds,

and American Kayle Whyte 11.25 seconds, while Anthonique Strachan of the Bahamas was fifth in a joint season’s best 11.42 seconds.

The Jamaican, who is the World Leader with 10.85 seconds that she ran in Rome, owns four of the top six times in the world with compatriot Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce having the second and third best times.

Meanwhile, Julian Forte

ran a season’s best 20.39 seconds to place second in the men’s 200m, beaten by Arthur Cisse’s Ivory Coast national record 20.33 seconds, while France’s Christophe Lemaitre was third in 20.68 seconds.

Another Jamaican, Yanique Thompson, was eighth in the 100m hurdles in 13.52 seconds, as American Payton Chadwick won in 12.78 seconds.

‘Dottin will be eased back into bowling’- WI Women coach Coley says player still on recovery programme SportsMax - West Indies Women interim coach Andre Coley has revealed that the team is still easing all-rounder Deandra Dottin back into full action, against England, after a lengthy injury layoff.

With scores of 69 and 38 in the T20 series so far, Dottin has looked anything but rusty. Notably, however, the player is yet to have a turn with the ball. Dottin, as she often has, would prove more than a valuable weapon for the West Indies with the ball as well. In 115 matches, she has claimed 59 wickets.

Having suffered a serious injury to her right shoulder in early 2019, which required reconstructive surgery in June of last year, however, Coley insists the team is still doing recovery work with the all-rounder.

“She’s just recovered from injury. It’s no secret that our players haven’t been able to do much for a very long time,” Coley said.

“Deandra is on a back to

Deandra Dottin bowling programme. She started that whilst we were here, so she is still on that.

We need to make sure that she is 100 percent, to be able to bowl competitively. She has been doing bowling work behind the scenes in training,”

he added.

“We are comfortable in terms of where she is at, but we want to make sure that long term she is ok and she can bowl at the intensity she wants to consistently and not just for a game or two.”

scheduled to take place on Monday September 28, at 8:00 pm ET, Trinidad and Tobago will be drawn in the Prelims as planned.

However, they will only participate in the competition if the suspension imposed on the TTFA is lifted by FIFA by 5:00 pm ET on December 18, 2020.

If the suspension

imposed on the TTFA is not lifted by FIFA by 5:00pm ET on December 18, 2020, Trinidad and Tobago will be replaced in the Gold Cup Prelims by the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association as the next highest ranked team based on their 2019 Concacaf Nations League performance.

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Saturday September 26, 2020

Kaieteur News

Ashmead Nedd satisfied with his bowling in maiden CPL - Surprised not have played more matches At 19, left-arm Guyana Amazon Warriors, West Indies U-19 and West Indies emerging player, Guyanese Ashmead Nedd, says that the 2020 CPL T20 tournament was a learning experience for him and admitted that he was surprised at not playing more matches.

Trinbago Knight Riders won the tournament which was played behind closed doors in Trinidad in August and September when they beat St Lucia Zouks in the Final after the Zouks had knocked out the Warriors in their seventh semi-finals in the eighth edition of the tournament.

“I am satisfied with my performance and my figures, as a youngster playing in the CPL it was quite difficult bowling to players like Kieron Pollard, the Bravo brothers and Andre Russell and so on but I overcome it by doing the right things and having a clear mind, I was not studying any player and how I knew to bowl,” Nedd said.

“The CPL was a showcase

with Regional and International players and was a higher standard than Regional cricket and more fast-paced but I think I fitted in well.

Playing without fans was not a problem for me since I grew up playing in Guyana without spectators. I heard that back in the days, cricket attracted large crowds but now even First- Class matches at Providence has few fans in the stands, so was accustomed to that,” explained Nedd.

Due to Covid-19 pandemic all the teams had to go through a two-week quarantine period at the Hilton hotel in Port-of-Spain on their arrival in the Twin-Island Republic, but according to the miserly spinner, this restriction did not affect him.

“The quarantine period did not affect me or the team too much. We had a few programmes that we could have done in our rooms so I don’t think it really affected me in any bad way.

My plan was to keep things simple and do what I do best. After looking at the

way that Sandeep and Majeed bowled I told myself that I could do it and I went out there and execute,” said the teenager who has 11 wickets from six List ‘A’ matches.

The DCC player who was bought by the Leewards Hurricanes for the 2020-2021 West Indies Professional Players Draft for the Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 and four-day PCL tournament, played just four matches in the CPL despite conceding only 73 from the 90 balls he bowled at an economy rate of 4.86 including a best of 1-10 on debut against Jamaica Tallawahs at the Brian Lara Academy last month August.

He just batted once.

The son of former Guyana First-Class off-spinner Gavin Nedd who is also his Coach, admitted that he was surprised not have played more matches adding that he never encountered any major challenges in the tournament since in the games he played, he had a clear mind and was focused on getting the job done.

Ashmead Nedd celebrates a wicket in the last U-19 World Cup. (via Ashmead Nedd Facebook page) Looking ahead, Nedd, who became a father this week, is hopeful that the Regional season could still be played before year end, but is aware that with Covid-19 cases and deaths increasing in Guyana each

day, safety takes precedence over sports.

“I think the biggest challenge for me is playing First-Class cricket.

That’s a standard just under Test Cricket so it prepares you mentally,

physically and technically.

Playing First-Class cricket can be tough but the biggest challenge at first will be the mental part,” said Nedd, whose favorite cricketer is Shakib Al Hassan. (Sean Devers)

“Now is the time to move Nationals to Feb - Mar”- Coach Stanton

By Calvin Chapman Niall Stanton; Team Manager and coach of East Zone (District 12), during an exclusive interview with Kaieteur Sport has called for the relevant authorities inclusive of the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) to seriously consider and make moves towards having the 60th National Schools’ Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships held around February - March.

Stanton, who coaches at the popular Super Upcoming Runners (SUR) athletics club, explained that, “Obviously, with the rate of COVID-19 infections in Guyana right now, there will not be any National Schools’ championships this year. We will be protecting the kids because if we have dead kids, we cannot produce athletes to make the nation proud.”

He shared that the deadly disease has provided the relative authorities with an opportunity to finally come good on promises and proposals to have the National Schools’ championships held around February-March which is the standard not only in the Caribbean but across the globe.

This move, he explained, will allow local athletes to contest at the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) games in peak competition fitness which has not been the case in the past editions of the competition that is typically held during the Easter weekend, hosted by various participating nations.

The experienced coach divulged that, “Nationals time is when athletes are usually undergoing conditioning training to prepare for the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) season ahead that is usually set with guidelines of the global governing body World Athletics.”

Stanton posited that although COVID-19 has provided the GTU and the MOE with an opportunity to do something that will help athletes, the disease majorly more negative in terms of athletics. The educator noted that keeping his athletes motivated has been a major issue although they are only training three times a week with no more than 10 persons while following the necessary covid-19 guideline. Most of his kids do their own work at home but the emphasis has been focused on basic preparation like

Coach Stanton (left) and some athletes during a courtesy call to past Minister of Sport Dr. George Norton (second right).

Cardiovascular exercises and drills to help the athletes maintain their flexibility.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has declared that the Tokyo Games will get underway next summer with

or with covid (with strict guideline in place) and Stanton is hoping that Guyana can get some control over the pandemic locally so the nation can begin the process of returning to

normalcy sooner rather than later.

He also suggested that with some athletes having their last year of competition in the 2020-21 season, if some control is gained over the

virus, then maybe a mininationals with just the senior school athletes and a reduced number of events is something that the organisers of ‘Nationals’ can look at early next year.

Saturday September 26, 2020

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Charles narrowly misses ton as E’bo Prithvi Shaw, bowlers make it two Eagles overcome Bacchus over 40 wins in two for Delhi Capitals

The victorious Essequibo Eagles team

A

ll-rounder Sheldon Charles narrowly missed a century as Essequibo Eagles defeated Bacchus over-40 by 72 runs when the teams collided in a 30-over contest on Sunday last at Imam Bacchus ground, Affiance, Essequibo Coast.

Charles, who represented Guyana at the U15 and U17 levels, consolidated with former Essequibo batsman Dinesh Joseph in a third wicket stand after Essequibo Eagles lost opener R. Ramballi for 10, batting first.

Charles blossomed nicely after a slow start as he slammed nine fours and two sixes before he was bowled by G. Deonarine for 94, while Joseph made 32 with six fours.

K. Lall and Lance Roberts chipped in handsomely in the latter stages with Lall scoring 36 which contained two fours and one six and Roberts 27 including two fours and one six; Essequibo Eagles posted 227-5.

Bacchus over-40 were put on the back early in the chase, losing opener S. Baksh, caught off A. Doodnauth without a run on the board. However, M. Jay and V. Deonarine repaired the early damage before Jay was lbw to Lall for 25, while Deonarine was taken off Ramballi for 16.

Sheldon Charles Roopnarine (only name provided) and E. Singh offered some resistance, but following their separation, wickets fell at regular intervals as Bacchus over-40 were restricted to 155-9. Roopnarine made 22 and E. Singh scored 14.

S. Shotam chipped in with 20, R. Singh 14 and D. Narine 13 as Roberts captured 3-20, Ramballie 2-20, K. Deonarine 2-37 and A. Doodnauth 2-45.

ESPNcricinfo - Three nights ago, they had settled for protecting their net run rate after falling too far behind the asking rate in a chase of 217 against the Rajasthan Royals. Today the Chennai Super Kings were never in the reckoning in a chase of 176.

They were up against the Delhi Capitals, who possess one of the better bowling attacks in the competition, but hobbling to 47 for 3 at the 10-over mark said far more about the inadequacies in the Super Kings’ batting.

A mb ati R ayudu , their match-winner in their season-opener against the Mumbai Indians, was out with a hamstring injury, but it will still concern the Super Kings that they weren’t able to put together a line-up that could chase a target that, while testing, needed them to score less than nine an over.

Axar Patel bowled tight lines in a rare spell - for this season at least - of spin with the new ball, and took out the Super Kings’ one real source of top-order muscle, Shane Watson. Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje also proved difficult to get away, finding a bit of early movement before shifting to the hard lengths. But without Rayudu - and without Suresh Raina and with the team management not promoting Sam Curran up the order to break up a monotonously right-handed top six, there was little power or invention in the Super Kings line-up to challenge the Capitals’ bowlers.

A better batting line-up could have put more pressure

Prithvi Shaw raises his bat after getting to fifty. (BCCI) on the Capitals bowling, and possibly shown up a somewhat conservative batting performance too.

After a half-century from Prithvi Shaw had powered them to 88 for no loss at the 10-over mark, the Capitals never really found their top gear, and failed to clear 180 despite losing only three wickets.

Shaw ensures early momentum for Capitals Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan are a right-left pair but they’re similar batsmen otherwise. They both relish width, score a lot of runs square on the off side, and aren’t quite as fluent when the bowling is at their body and cramping them for room.

The Super Kings - who chose to chase despite the fact that teams batting first had won six of the first seven matches - bowled pace right through t h e P o w e r p l a y, a n d succeeded more often in cramping Dhawan for room than Shaw.

Shaw ended the Powerplay with 27 off 23 balls, and Dhawan with 7 off 13. The Super Kings could have had Shaw early had they spotted an inside-edge to the keeper off Deepak Chahar in the first over of the game, but they didn’t and no one appealed.

The spinners came on as soon as the fields could spread, and Piyush Chawla and Ravindra Jadeja went for 28 and 24 apiece in their first two overs. Shaw was severe on the legspin of Chawla, crashing him through the covers and then backward of point when offered shortish balls with a bit of width in his first over, and then using his feet to twice loft him over the covers in his second. Jadeja, bowling a touch too close to the hitting arcs of both batsmen, was slog-swept once each by both batsmen and driven to the cover boundary by Dhawan.

A subdued second half Chawla came back through the second half of his spell, pegging the Capitals back with the wickets of both openers. The quicker ball did the trick both times; pinning Dhawan in front while trying to reversesweep, and beating Shaw for pace when he skipped out of his crease too early.

At 103 for 2 in the 13th over, the Capitals were still calling all the shots with Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer at the crease and Marcus Stoinis and Shimron Hetmyer still to come, but the Super Kings bowlers kept them in check with some tight bowling on a (Continued on page 19)

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“Now is the time to move Nationals to Feb - Mar”- Coach Stanton

Coach Stanton (right) and one of his athletes Timmy Spencer.

Ashmead Nedd satisfied with his - Surprised not have bowling in maiden CPL played more matches

Ashmead Nedd was impressive for the Warriors and is joined by teammates in celebration of a wicket. (CPL)

Stafanie Taylor hails hard work put in by women’s cricketers after reaching 3000 T20I runs Stafanie Taylor has featured in 105 T20Is, scoring over 3000 runs. (Getty Images)

Former Trinidad and Tobago Minister of Sports Anil Roberts.

‘FIFA owns football’

Thompson-Herah ends Diamond League with Doha win

- Former sports minister Roberts laments fact that TTFA fought unrealistic, ‘losing war’

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