Guyana Times - Tuesday, November 3, 2020

P13

GBTI gives 25 bursary awards, makes donation to cancer society Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4458

THE BEACON OF TRUTH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020

PRICE

SOCU, CID called in to investigate Ogle land deals

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE: Days after $356M contract terminated

Contractor now blames Ministry consultant, P7 COVID for delays

Page 3

PPP Govt has not “used a single dollar” from oil money – Bharrat Page 15

WCD youth P2 found dead, drinking buddy disappears P14 Houston residents flooded after trench blocked New GuyOil GM aims to expand reach, improve fuel quality P2

Increased rainfall along Guyana’s coast led to flash floods in several communities. In photos: at left, an East Coast Demerara resident points out the level at which her home was inundated while (right) motorists drive through floodwaters in Georgetown (CDC and Dexter Ceres photos)

1 dead, 1 Will injured in it be motorcycle Trump or Biden? accident ... today is E-Day for United States Page 9

Page 16

GDF seeking applicants for training by top US military academies Page 13

2 more P9 COVID-19 deaths, 30 new cases recorded P10 Berbice labourer robbed by cutlasswielding bandit

Central P12 Mackenzie, other parts of Linden flooded

2 NEWS WCD youth found dead, drinking buddy disappears TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

A

young man was on Sunday found dead moments after consuming alcohol with friends at his Meten-MeerZorg, West Coast Demerara (WCD) home. The dead man has been identified as 21-year-old Keron Williams, a seaman of Ocean Gardens, Meten-Meer-Zorg, WCD. Based on information received, on the day in question, the now dead man and several friends were imbibing alcohol when an argument broke out. Guyana Times understands that during the argument, the now dead man threw a bicycle at the suspect, “Gracie”, and in retaliation, he picked up a knife and dealt Williams several stabs to his upper body.

After the stabbing incident, the other friends disappeared from the scene, leaving the injured young man on the ground. He was, however, found by a few other friends and rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he was treated for the wound. He subsequently succumbed to his injuries.

When contacted, his aunt, Susan Williams, explained that her now dead nephew only returned from the sea on Sunday after spending four days. “After

serk and chopped 35-yearold Kamal Wilson to death.

It was reported that on the day in question, the now dead man went to check his generator which was located at the back of the yard some 20 feet away.

Whilst doing so, Wilson observed the suspect walk-

he finish discharging the boat, meh children tell me that he come home, bathe and went out back,” the woman stated.

The aunt recalled that she had left church and upon hearing that her nephew was back, she hurriedly went to prepare lunch since she thought that he might be hungry.

“I was preparing lunch when a little boy come to the house and called out to me, saying that Keron just get stab up. I panic and tell my husband to go check.”

The aggrieved aunt noted that about 20 minutes after, as she was walking towards the scene where her nephew was found, she was told that he was bleeding and as such, he had to be rushed to the hospital. Soon after, she received the dreaded news.

The aunt further stated that one of her nephew’s friends went to the hospital

with him and upon his return, he gave a detailed account of what happened to his friend. The same friend, she added, told the police that he was not around when the stabbing incident took place.

“I was told that one the young men who was a part of the drinking spree and who saw what happened know where Gracie was hiding.”

Nevertheless, the woman noted that the police arrested two young men as they continue their investigations. Williams, originally from Moruca, Region One (Barima-Waini), had been living with his aunt for the past eight years. He would have been celebrating his 21st birthday on November 16. The suspect remains at large.

A week ago, A Kwebanna, North West District (NWD) youth reportedly went ber-

ing towards him armed with a cutlass. Without any conversation, the suspect dealt several chops to Wilson’s head, neck and shoulder.

In the height of the ordeal, the now dead man began to scream for assistance and managed to run into his house and lock the door. By

this time, the suspect made good his escape. The man was subsequently picked up and taken to the Kumaka District Hospital but succumbed a few hours later.

The suspect, 23-year-old Samuel Henry, has since been charged for the murder.

New GuyOil GM aims to expand reach, improve fuel quality

T

he Guyana Oil Company (GuyOil) has a new General Manager, with the announcement being made that Trevor Bassoo will now be taking on the mantle of managing the agency.

This was announced in a statement on Monday, in which Bassoo pledged to do his best to expand GuyOil’s reach across the country and improve the quality of oil.

According to the release, Bassoo has made health, safety, the environment, customer service and branding priority areas, as well as providing relief for customers in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Acknowledging the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the livelihood of Guyanese, the new General Manager in the statement said that the company’s immediate objective is to bring relief to the people by way of reducing and stabilising the fuel price.

According to the statement, Bassoo is the holder of a Degree in Computer Science from the University of Guyana, a CAT accounting qualification from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, a PhD in Business Administration from the University of Leicester, and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the Australian Institute of Business.

Bassoo is also currently concluding his Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) at the University of Guyana. In addition to his qualifications, Bassoo has 20 years of combined private and public sector management experience.

Since taking the new post on October 19,

New GuyOil GM Trevor Bassoo

Bassoo has been reviewing the company’s operations.

The appointment of Bassoo comes almost two months after Accountant Paul Cheong was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of GuyOil. The last Chairman of GuyOil was Mark Bender.

Prior to the change of Government, concerns were raised over what appeared to be political appointees at GuyOil under the previous President David Granger-led Administration.

According to reliable sources, a niece of former President Granger was employed as a senior functionary with the State-owned company. This newspaper was told that the employment of a marketing manager also raised eyebrows. (G3)

NEWS

3

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, November 3 – 04:30h – 06:00h and Wednesday, November 4 – 04:30h – 06:00h.

SOCU, CID called in to investigate Ogle land deals

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, November 3 – 05:45h – 07:15h and Wednesday, November 4 – 06:20h – 07:50h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

Parika and Supenaam departure times - 05:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h daily

WEATHER TODAY Thundery showers will prevail during the day.

There will be light rain at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: South South-Easterly to East SouthEasterly to Easterly to East North-Easterly to North-Easterly to North North-Easterly between 1.78 metres and 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 17:51h reaching a maximum height of 2.67 metres.

Low Tide: 11:28h and 23:51h reaching minimum heights of 0.67 metre and 0.54 metre.

T

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum

he Government of Guyana has called in the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government’s

Regional Elections, at a time when the Government should not have been engaged in any such transaction.

The former Government vested almost 100 acres of prime State land in Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD), to eight different companies.

All told the total value of the lands is $2.9 billion. But NICIL only received approximately $64 million in payments.

Caribbean Marketing Enterprise Incorporated (CMEI) received 21 acres of land valued at $632.8 million, after paying a total of $19.4 million. Cardiology Services Incorporated received eight acres of land valued at $240 million, after paying $15 million.

S u p e r g r a p h i c s Enterprise, received five acres valued at $175 million, after paying $8.9 mil-

Former Finance Minister Winston Jordan

Former Head of NICIL, Colvin Heath-London

tractor Brian Tiwarie, received 2.5 acres with an offer price of $202.6 million, for $20.2 million.

Three companies Navigant Builders, American Marine Services and Guyana Oil Company Limited (GuyOil) didn’t make any payments at all.

However, all three have since signalled their intention to return the land.

recently sacked NICIL Chief Executive Officer Colvin Heath-London, who was managing the agency at the time.

According to Nandlall, the independent legal advice which was given is that the former Finance Minister along with Heath-London, acted recklessly and in bad faith by processing these land deals, actions which have resulted in millions of dollars of losses to the State.

“As a result, the Attorney General will commence civil proceedings to, inter alia, recover the said parcels of land and claim compensation against those implicated, including, Minister Winston Jordan,” Nandlall had stated. TURN TO PAGE 7

Legal proceedings

In his statement on Sunday, Nandlall had revealed that the Government had sought legal advice and will be initiating legal proceedings against former Finance Minister Winston Jordan, who signed the vesting orders for the land and

The Special Organised Crime Unit has been called in to investigate the land deals

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2020

LOTTERY NUMBERS N

03 12 13

19 23 25

FREE TICKET

9 Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2020

04 12 15 18 19 LUCKY 3

1

9

0

5

Afternoon Draw

0

0

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

03

06

07

12

16

17

PAY DAY

19 SUPER PAY DAY FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2020

01 05 07 15 17

01 06 09 14 16

DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$37.46/barrel

0.00

Rough Rice

$221.36/ton

-0.36

London Sugar

$390.50/ton

+1.01

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1893.90

$1894.90

Low/High

$1879.90

$1897.40

Change

-1.90

-0.10%

questionable transferals of State land.

According to letters seen by this publication, Attorney General Anil Nandlall wrote to SOCU Head, Senior Superintendent Fazil Karimbaksh and Crime Chief, Senior Superintendent Wendell Blanhum, requesting that they investigate the land deals.

In both letters, dated November 2, Nandlall attached his press release from Sunday and other related details, while requesting that “a criminal investigation be conducted into the said transactions and for all consequential legal recourses be pursued, including the institution of criminal charges where necessary.”

The AG also urged them to contact current Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), R K Sharma, if further files and assistance are required. The email itself was also copied to Sharma.

It has been revealed that the former APNU/AFC Government had been transferring land worth hundreds of millions of dollars, to various companies with only a small fraction of payments being received. Much of this was done after the contentious March 2 General and

lion. Premier Sales and Services received 5 acres valued at $150 million, after paying $2.4 million. And BK Marine Incorporated, which is owned by well-known con-

4

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Time for action A

recent report by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has provided an extremely useful insight into the present state of the Guyanese Diaspora and how the authorities here should move forward in capitalising on the skills and financial resources of this group for the benefit of both sides.

The report “The Guyanese Diaspora” was authored by Michael Matera, Linnea Sandin, and Maripaz Alvarez. It provides useful recommendations which the Government, Private Sector, and other stakeholders should study and seriously consider implementing, since for a long time now, there has only been mere talk about engaging the Diaspora and no concrete action being taken in this regard.

Guyana’s emigration rate, which skyrocketed in the 1960s due to the hardships created by the then LFS Burnham-led People’s National Congress (PNC) Government, is one of the highest in the world.

According to the report, the first-generation immigrant Guyanese Diaspora today is estimated to be approximately 550,000 worldwide, not including their descendants.

The report outlines that Guyana’s population, including the country’s civil society, Private Sector, and political leaders, as well as the large diaspora community, have “a shared mutual interest in increasing formal links between the country and the Diaspora and in exploring means to increase cooperation and collaboration”.

It highlights that for many reasons since independence, the Diaspora communities outside of Guyana have not been wellorganised nor engaged in a deliberate and consistent way by the Government. For example, while there has been extensive contact between members and organisations of the Diaspora and their families and communities at home in Guyana, there has been no consistent official effort to promote the more formal, mutually advantageous two-way relationships seen between some Diasporas and their home countries in the region (eg, in Mexico, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic) and outside of the Region (eg, in India, Israel, and China).

According to the authors, the capacities and expertise of the Guyanese Diaspora, if properly understood and engaged, could become an important factor contributing to the growth and development of Guyana.

We had stated several times before that there is much the Diaspora can do to help in moving our country forward once the necessary systems are put in place for them to do so. First, there needs to be a proper mechanism through which such engagement could become operational. The mechanism must include major components such as effective follow-up, monitoring, and feedback.

The authors suggest that Guyana should weigh the differences between a stand-alone ministry as seen in India and some formal structure such as a “diaspora advisory council” as seen in the Dominican Republic.

They argue that the model presented in the case of the Indian Diaspora by the non-profit The IndUS Entrepreneurs (TiE) would appear to be a potentially-promising model to inspire closer engagement by the Guyanese Diaspora communities with Guyana.

The key recommendation presented in the report which was directed at both the Public and Private Sectors and at Guyanese Diaspora communities around the world, is to work collectively and deliberately to establish broader communication, engagement, and collaboration between Guyana and the Diaspora through a “Guyana Global” initiative.

On this basis, given the global dispersion of the Diaspora and the current landscape brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, this initiative should be based on “a comprehensive digital strategy to harness the human capital within the Guyanese Diaspora as a resource to be tapped in Guyana’s development”. As such, the authors suggest a cloud-based “portal”, including an online “community/platform” of Diaspora experts, to serve as a framework and a formal means of communication between Guyana and the Diaspora community.

Certainly, with Guyana now being an oil-producing nation and one filled with enormous opportunities, there is a renewed interest here by the Diaspora. Successive PPP Administrations had started to lure the Diaspora with house lots in the new remigrant housing scheme.

Also, other incentives such as duty-free concessions, etc, have been offered. This was seen as a good start. However, other forms of engagement and support must be explored to ensure that those who are willing to return can do so with little or no hassle.

President Irfaan Ali, on several occasions since taking office, has reaffirmed his administration’s desire to meaningfully engage the Diaspora as part of efforts to build a modern and prosperous country.

The Diaspora must be encouraged to return and participate in this transformation and similarly to take advantage of the opportunities available. It’s now time for action.

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Monday received a courtesy call from Resident Ambassador of Cuba, Narciso Amador Soccoro, at the Office of the President (Office of the President)

Guyanese participation in & who will win today’s US elections Dear Editor, Today is election day in America where hundreds of thousands of Guyanese are settled and their voter turnout in 2020 is the highest so far in the history of their presence in America going back to the late 1960s. The outcome hinges on turnout in the swing states, where several thousands of Guyanese are present.

Who will win?

In America, polls suggest that the Republican incumbent Donald Trump is going down to defeat to Democratic challenger Joe Biden. There are other candidates on the ballot but they will not make much of a dent in the votes to affect the outcome in any of the states.

Guyanese are in the thick of the electoral contest in America, not as candidates or campaigners but as voters and poll workers and their votes matter in the swing states. There is a lot of enthusiasm among Guyanese voters, and many actually voted early all over the country while others tell this writer they will vote today. Few Guyanese volunteer for or donate to the election campaign.

Several Guyanese have been

working at poll stations over the last two weeks for early voting and several will be on duty on November 3 at schools and senior centres.

Schools are closed to facilitate the election process, but it is not a national holiday although several businesses are closed.

Americans are uneasy about the outcome, fearing violence. Reports say guns have been sold out. Guyanese are uneasy about the outcome. Trump predicts victory.

Biden also predicts victory.

Will Trump accept defeat? He said no. If Biden loses, he will concede quietly, but he is not expected to lose if we go with the opinion polls. From his language, it does not appear that Trump is likely to accept defeat – he said he has a battery of lawyers ready to go to court tonight. I do not think the outcome would be close but a declaration or presumed winner may not be ready tonight. Once the outcome is a landslide, Trump will claim fraud and accept defeat. If it is close, he won’t throw in the towel – dragged in court.

I see a decisive victory as per my analysis of poll numbers.

The actual voting in America does not have an

electoral system like Guyana where the party or candidate with most popular votes wins the Presidency. There are 51 contests – each state plus Washington DC holds its own election without national involvement. The national government cannot instruct the states how to run their elections. Each state declares its own winner. Each state has an assigned number of electoral votes (EVs). The candidate that gets the most votes in a state wins its electoral votes and there is a significant Guyanese presence in several of the swing states like Georgia, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and Michigan. Two states (7 votes) divide their EVs based on the proportion of votes won.

The EVs are added for each state won by each candidate.

The candidate with at least 270 EV wins the presidency regardless of the amount of popular votes won. Right now, polls suggest that Biden will get between 279 and 351 EVs. It means, therefore, he will win the Presidency. But it is possible that Trump can pull off a miracle with last-minute swing voters; votes can also be excluded from counting if they arrive late at the

counting place. The contests in several states are very close. Biden was way ahead in several states a few days ago, but the gap has narrowed with some states a dead heat.

Nevertheless, 279 is the minimum projected for Biden even if he were to lose the popular votes in the other states. My analysis sees Biden crossing the 300 mark. Although polls give Biden wins in Georgia, Ohio, North Carolina, and Virginia, those states (62 EVs) would be very close and may very well go to Trump.

But Biden does not need them to win the White House.

In 2016, Trump won comfortably (306-232 against Hillary Clinton). Polls suggest if Trump were to win, it would be very narrow, just over 270. But Biden is projected to get a huge victory – a landslide or even a blow out. The last time there was a blow out was in 1980 and 1984 when Reagan swamped Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale respectively.

Obama won comfortably in 2008 and 2012 with Biden as his VP. Biden should win comfortably.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

A demoralised APNU/AFC is not the answer

Dear Editor, As noted in Monday’s Washington Post, “With attacks on journalists increasing and the space for free expression shrinking, Tuesday’s presidential election will be decisive for the future of press freedom in the United States and around the world”. Freedom of the press is guaranteed under President Dr Irfaan Ali’s new Administration and the fair distribution of Government’s advertisement. Under the

past APNU/AFC Government, this was not only lacking but also, the State’s machinery was solely used for that party’s propaganda programme. The distortion of truth, spreading of lies and the blatant tongue-twisting were channelled fluently and flowingly without reservation through this medium.

As a result, many writs were filed, suing for large sums of money because of the APNU/ AFC’s falsity and recklessness and now, ironically, it is

the PPP/C Government which is faced with footing the bill.

All the lawyers’ fees created as a result of the APNU/ AFC Government’s frivolous and vexatious litigations against the PPP/C have to be mockingly borne now by said PPP/C Government. The dastardly raping of the Treasury by the APNU/AFC has to be replenished by an impoverished PPP/C Government.

The misappropriated financial excursions enjoyed by the cunning APNU/AFC is now

the PPP/C’s headache to consolidate and appropriate.

The APNU/AFC’s corrupted transactions while in power, now become a monster and a storm for the PPP/C to tame and calm. The APNU/AFC had synchronised a network of convoluted and complex proceedings while in office by ignoring, changing or reworking the legal ramifications to disguise the legitimate requirements so that the requisites would conveniently suit their purposes.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

guyanatimesgy.com

5

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020

You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Sugar industry avenues for success initiatives must be thoroughly considered Dear Editor, The GAWU noted Mr Tony Vieira’s letter which appeared in the media on November 1, 2020. Mr Vieira contended that the Guyanese sugar industry would be better served by producing ethanol instead of sugar. This is, for us, not a new position coming from Mr Vieira and we have heard it from him on several occasions in the past. Our Union, for its part, remains supportive of initiatives that will allow the sugar industry to not only strive but thrive. And, we are a strong proponent of sugar diversification and believe that the success of the industry is connected with a diversified product base.

On the issue of ethanol, the GAWU is aware that this matter was considered several times in the past. We are aware that those studies had indicated that ethanol was not viable. The most recent work that we are aware of was done by the Sugar CoI. The CoI pointed out whether ethanol was fermented from cane juice or from molasses it was simply not feasible vis-àvis the cost of fossil fuels. In fact, the CoI noted that ethanol would have only been a worthwhile measure if sugar prices had fallen to US$170 per tonne, currently sugar is being sold at US$320 per tonne.

Moreover, that examination was conducted when the cost of a barrel of oil stood at US$45. At the time of preparing this response, oil prices hovered around US$35 per barrel further eroding the attractiveness of ethanol.

Nonetheless, the GAWU does not wish to throw the proverbial baby out with the bathwater and maybe it is that Mr Vieira is recognising something that no one else is seeing. Therefore, an updated study may be useful since Mr Vieira’s advocacy for the ethanol business is based on ethanol yields of 22 gallons per tonne cane. While we cannot

confirm or dispute this quoted yield, there is no evidence to confirm that one tonne of GuySuCo’s cane will yield 22 gallons of ethanol. We, therefore, urge that the industry’s demonstration ethanol plant at Albion be used to study ethanol yields from GuySuCo’s cane to provide first-hand data and associated cost/benefit.

In further support for his position on ethanol, Mr Vieira argues that ethanol production requires less power which will result in bagasse being available for other purposes. At first glance, this comes over as very convincing, however, Mr Vieira deliberately omits the fact that a number of processes identical to sugar manufacture are required to make cane juice available for ethanol production. These prerequisite processes are major energy users and have to be employed in ethanol or sugar production.

Therefore, there is no major reduction in energy demand since the big energy users are still required. We urge Mr Vieira to provide an energy balance for sugar versus ethanol from juice to support the energy reduction claim.

In considering ethanol, we must consider our nascent oil sector which is expected to grow from strength to strength in the coming years.

This could be the cause of even further declines in fuel prices locally and GuySuCo ought to take this into account. We did see that Mr Vieira did not confine himself to Guyana and argued a ready market was available in the US for instance. Again these and other factors have to be taken into account in deciding the way forward.

Mr Vieira also urges that GuySuCo and/or the Government pursue ventures into aquaculture. This again is something the gentleman has been urging for some time.

We recall that Mr Vieira advocated that the Corporation

pursue this venture at Wales following the sudden decision to close the estate at the end of 2016. We are aware too that the Corporation did commission a study and Mr Vieira himself, in a different dispensation, was involved in seeking to get the venture off the ground. Of course, we are not aware of the reason/s for the failure to launch given the seeming attractiveness of the proposal.

It seems that aquaculture is an idea that Mr Vieira is deeply committed to and from his letter very passionate about. We should not forget though that the Corporation did experiment with aquaculture in the past with miserable results. Certainly, these are paining the Corporation can ill-afford at this time. It, therefore, may be prudent for Mr Vieira, given his strong beliefs, to approach the Agriculture Ministry to pursue a trial of his idea at the Satyadeow Sawh Aquaculture Station for instance. The lessons learnt may be useful for the expansion of the initiative. Nevertheless, we believe, we have sufficient land for both the sugar industry and the aquaculture industry to coexist.

Mr Vieira’s letter came in response to letter written by former President Donald Ramotar which we also considered as well. Indeed, much of what was written by the former President aligns with the GAWU’s views and we agree with him that there are several worthwhile possibilities. In his letter, Comrade Donald also spoke about the Union’s unwillingness to become involved in the management of the industry. While we are unsure of what he really means, the GAWU, however, has never shied away from expressing its willingness to work collaboratively with the management towards the success of the industry. We hold the view that it is through the collective ef-

forts of all stakeholders – the Government, the management and the workers/Union – that the industry will succeed.

Also, the former President, apparently, expressed a dim view of the Union seeking pay rises for workers. We hope that is not really the case.

But our Union has no qualms in seeking workers benefit from a rise in pay. Comrade Donald, who emerged from the GAWU, is very much aware of our Union’s proud stance in standing with and advocating for the sugar workers and all Union members for that matter. But, the former President also knows of the treatment sugar workers received over the last five (5) years. He certainly would be aware that the workers got not a single cent in pay increase. He knows too that many of their benefits were simply taken away by an uncaring and unkind cabal who hadn’t a sliver of sympathy for sugar workers and their families. And, he is knowledgeable of the sustained struggles by the workers to be treated fairly and justly. Certainly, the workers have not abandoned their just struggles and the Union will not abandon them.

Comrade Donald is aware of the GAWU’s commitment to its members and we want to assure him that our Union has not departed from its principles it upheld when he was a senior leader of the Union.

The letters of Mr Vieira and former President Ramotar we see are yet another part of the continued active interest paid to the sugar industry and the several opportunities for viability. The GAWU also believes that a successful future awaits the industry and we are heartened by the commitment of Government and the level of support that the industry is receiving. We sincerely hold that the industry can turn around and play an even more meaningful role in

Future of sugar industry (GuySuCo) in Guyana Dear Editor, Since the change of Government in August, many persons have made suggestions of one kind or another in Guyana Times to resuscitate the dying sugar industry or to be more specific GuySuCo, which is fast heading into the sunset due to policies made and executed by previous PPP and APNU/AFC Governments.

Fortunately, GuySuCo has been kept alive because of political and party imperatives but under its present structure, it will never become a viable industry even with the input of a large capital investment, diversification and a team of excellent managers with top personnel (not political hacks) brimming with optimism to turn it around because of the reasons given hereunder.

Firstly, sugar cannot be produced in Guyana at a

competitive price because of the climatic and environmental factors under which it is cultivated. Currently, it takes GuySuCo fourteen (14) tonnes of harvested cane to produce one (1) tonne sugar while elsewhere in the world (Brazil) it takes about eight (8) tonnes of cane to produce one (1) tonne of sugar. This differential could possibly be changed but not by much since such critical variables as sucrose content of the harvested cane cannot be easily changed to increase the sugar produced.

Secondly, it has been proposed by Tony Vieira, a Guyanese sugar expert and former GuySuCo Board Member and others including Donald Ramotar, a former President of Guyana and GuySuCo Board Member that the industry could be viable if the sugar produced could be diversified into the

production of other products such as ethanol. In the USA, ethanol is being produced from corn and subsidised but the industry continues to lose money causing many of its plants to close down. Usually, ethanol is mixed with gasoline to power cars and other equipment but it is more expensive than gasoline, the cost for which has been dropping because of low demand and oversupply of crude oil. Gasoline price is projected to drop further because motor vehicles are being converted from being powered by gasoline to electricity and more crude oil is coming on stream from Guyana, Libya, Venezuela and elsewhere. Therefore, ethanol is unlikely to compete with gasoline and become a profitable product for GuySuCo in the foreseeable future.

The Government cannot,

for political and party imperatives, continue to subsidise a heavily indebted GuySuCo indefinitely without a road map for the development of the sugar lands devoid of sugar cultivation to find meaningful employment for all the displaced workers. Many worthwhile suggestions have already been made by concerned citizens.

These include the development of dairying, livestock, aquaculture and the cultivation of crops such as bananas/plantains, citrus, coffee, avocados, mangoes and coconuts. The road map has to quickly transform into pilot projects to establish which product is viable for a hungry market out there and can create good-paying jobs for the many displaced workers now on the bread line.

Yours truly, Charles Sohan

Guyana. These are views also shared by Messrs Vieira and Ramotar albeit from different perspectives. What is most reassuring is that we have a political administration that undertook to bring the industry out of the doldrums and restore it to its rightful place.

We of the GAWU are ready to play our part and stand with the workers who will also play a critical role.

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary, GAWU

A demoralised APNU/AFC...

FROM PAGE 4

It is the job of the PPP/C to harness all resources to unwind all the puzzles and perplexing problems that were intricately woven with callous and meticulous foresight.

This premeditation was carefully contemplated upon by the devious ingenuity of the APNU/AFC so that they could have pursued all possible avenues in order to manufacture veins of financial drains to extract perks and pocket-filling remunerations. It is up to the PPP/C to not only plug these loopholes but also to discover the sources and destinations.

The APNU/AFC had to make up for the missing chances during their 23 years of absence from domination and now had to utilise their five years of opportunities that were gifted in their short life span. The past five months were crucial because they realised that this cherished occasion may not arise again and so they excruciatingly vandalised the circumstances, accordingly. An animal being led to the slaughterhouse wouldn’t care where the faeces would land. Now that the APNU/AFC’s royal excrement has hit the fan and the spill can be found nationally, it is the laborious loyalty of the PPP/C Government, which has to patiently clean up their pile of caca! Ask if the APNU/AFC’s followers care or are concerned and you will most likely be greeted with a scorned expression and a turned-up nose in a number of probable cases.

Their die-hards would remain belligerent and still condone their criminal and outrageous behaviour. In fact, they will not only condemn you for racking up the dead carcass and denying the established facts but also, accuse you of wicked fabrication to cause strive and caucus. How do you temperamentally rationalise with such absurd insanity and contemptuous antagonism? But, a ray of hope burns at the end of a lit channel, exposing the APNU/AFC’s fragility as they crumble daily with supporters deserting or abandoning their lost cause, enveloping a mirage of hopeless, visionless and illusive aspirations. It is without any pressure but a conscientious effort that onlookers are observing the true nature of a demonic APNU/AFC, who deliberately destroyed and demolished the innocent simpletons who were chastised and castigated for the greed of personal gains at an expensive cost! Thousands chose to dive in the realm of silence and disbelief rather than confront the enlisted horror and face the terror that has endangered their very welfare

and honour. They preferred to cower in shame and avoid any discussion pertaining to this magnanimous monstrosity. They feel overwhelmed in being let-down and want to hide in the shadow of lower heads with eyes scorching the ground rather than eyes admiring the beauty of a promised future hand-held by the PPP/C. Do you blame them for feeling let down by heartless and villainous leaders who shunned their very basic needs and wants? This is a representation of an outer edge, blunted, but advancing on thin ice, lying on a foundation of uncertainty, doubt and disbelief.

This coin has three sides and we have explored the flat side of those depressed in oblivion and those in abeyance dangling on a narrow, rounded surface. Flip it and the opposite side of the enraged prostrators will surface to demonstrate a campaign that reflects frustration, condemnation, aggravation and revulsion. They blatantly feel repulsive and are beginning to express their dissatisfaction with the APNU/AFC for failing to uphold the campaign motto to run on honesty and integrity. Gradually, the truth is sinking in with the unveiling of all the catastrophic humiliations they have suffered because of the party’s dirty work and devious corruptions.

Again, they are too ashamed to discuss and deny the hard and established facts that are portraying the dishonesty of a satanic Government, whose officers were consumed with selfish ambitions meant to serve a good life to be realised by themselves only. How foolish, injudicious, pugnacious and unreasonable could they have been, knowing that their imprudence would cause them the wrath of intelligent party members and the attention of law-abiding associates.

No wonder many are currently distancing themselves from this pile of bilge that is overflowing and hog-washing the shores of Guyana. The end is near and there is an urgent need for a new beginning, but, from where do you start, with whom and based on what?

The prognosis for checks and balances as a modicum of control is imminent, yet the responsibility lies with genuine commitment from patriotic Guyanese, sworn to loyalty to the nation. The defunct APNU/AFC is demoralised and certainly not the intended answer! Is the haughty Donald Trump the answer to America’s cause or the humble Joe Biden?

Respectfully, Jai Lall

6

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020

Page

Foundation ◄

Æsop’s Fables

FOR CHILDREN

Y

ou can solve equations with unknown numbers by multiplication and division.

Examples:

Problem: (k )/6 = 18 Since (k )/6 = k x (1 )/6, you multiply the left side of the equation by 6. Then you would have k x 1, which is equal to k alone. You can multiply the left side by 6 alone only if you also multiply the right side by 6.

Step 1: Multiply both sides by the same number: k = 18 x 6 Step 2 : Multiply: 18 x 6 = 108. So k = 108 Problem: 6r = 18. Solve for r Now you divide the left by 6 to get r. You must also divide the right side by 6.

Step 1: r = 18 ÷ 6 Step 2: Divide: 18 ÷ 6 = 3. So r = 3

Remember….

In an equation, you need to treat both sides the same way. Whatever you do to one side, you must also do to the other side.

A

uthor Eric Carle uses collage to create the illustrations for his books by cutting shapes out of tissue papers he painted with acrylic paint and gluing them to thick white board.

Materials: Watercolour or any heavyweight drawing paper to collage onto Bleeding and nonbleeding tissue papers in various colours An inexpensive ½” paint brush No-spill paint cups or yogurt cups Liquid laundry starch (You can also use watered down white glue, but we love how easy liquid starch is to brush onto paper and clean up.)

Scissors (optional –

Exercises: Solve 1) 4x + 40 = 80

5) 35 + 4n = 7

2) 5y – 10 = 30

6) 21z + 21 = 0

3) 16 + 3p = 39

7) 14p – 7 = 28

4) 2b + 28 = 30

8) 3 + 9 = 2z

Monday’s answers 1) x = 1.66

5) n = - 7

2) y = 5.14

6) z = 2.5

3) 16 = p

7) p = 3.66

4) b = 11

8) 5 = m

O

ne day as an ass was walking in the pasture, he found some grasshoppers chirping merrily in a grassy corner of the field.

He listened with a great deal of admiration to the song of the grasshoppers. It was such a joyful song that his pleasure-loving heart was filled with a wish to sing as they did.

"What is it?" he asked very respectfully, "that

tearing is great too!)

Directions Prepare: Gather all your supplies, figure out where you will dry wet work, and cover your workspace with a tablecloth or newsprint if you want. Warning! Tissues may blow away if you try to do this outside!

Cut and Tear: Select a few colours of tissue paper you might like to use. Try “drawing” with your scissor,” that is, cutting shapes without first drawing them on the tissue. You can also try tearing the tissue as another way to alter the tissue shape.

Compose: Have fun experimenting with the arrangement of shapes on your background paper.

What happens when you move a few pieces or when you add or remove a few shapes? Do you find yourself making pictures or just enjoying combing shapes and colours in interesting ways?

Glue: Brush a thin layer of starch onto your background

paper and place the tissue in the starch. Brush a thin coat of starch over the tissues if you want them to lay flat.

Explore: Change the shape of your collage: cut, tear, or fold the tissue papers or the background paper.

(Excerpt from carlemuseum. org)

has given you such beautiful voices? Is there any special food you eat, or is it some divine nectar that makes you sing so wonderfully?"

"Yes," said the grasshoppers, who were very fond of a joke; "it is the dew we drink! Try some and see."

So thereafter the ass would eat nothing and drink nothing but dew.

Naturally, the poor foolish ass soon died.

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

7

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Days after $356M contract terminated

Contractor now blames Ministry consultant, COVID for delays

C

hung’s Global Enterprise (CGE), the construction company that days ago had its $356.8 million contract to construct the Health Ministry headquarters terminated due to delays, is now pointing fingers at the Ministry’s consultant, VIKAB and the COVID-19 pandemic, for causing the delays. This is despite the fact that the contractor was supposed to deliver the finished building in 2018.

On Monday, CGE General Manager Keisha Chung said that the contract was first awarded on November 8, 2017, and that the Public Health Ministry, as it was known at the time, then took 155 days before they finally appointed VIKAB Engineering Consultants to oversee the project on April 12, 2018.

Chung claimed that when VIKAB arrived, they found that the bill of quantities prepared for the project was poorly done and contained inadequacies.

As such, it was agreed by

both parties that VIKAB would provide a completely revised bill of quantities, complete with drawings that included the piles and steel structures.

According to Chung, the commencement order was issued on July 19, 2018, after 98 days’ delay. VIKAB then provided the first set of construction drawings to CGE almost two months later.

Chung further claimed that VIKAB took until September 2, 2019, before it provided the completely revised construction drawings and bill of quantities - 353 days’ delay from when they got the first set of drawings.

It was explained that the revised bill of quantities included curtain wall designs and specifications for windows, elevators, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, electrical systems, CCTV and plumbing.

Further variations were submitted in January 2020.

“It should be noted that our first revised pricing

“Additionally, each of these matters will be passed to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), for their investigations and any consequential actions which may flow therefrom,” he had also made clear in the statement.

The AG had cited legal precedence for charging a former Minister. Nandlall noted that in the case of Marin v Attorney General of Belize, 2011, it was ruled

that there was a case against the respondents, two former Belizean Ministers, for transferring 56 parcels of State land. In this case, the lands were not only sold below market value, but also sold to a company controlled by one of them.

He further cited the court ruling that “[A]s a matter of public policy, serious infractions by a public servant, such as misbehaviour in office, neglect of duty and breach of trust, are to be treated as crimes, subject to

The incomplete Health Ministry headquarters

was submitted in October 2019 but due to continued negotiations with VIKAB, we were able to submit our final price on August 3rd, 2020. Further, our final price on the revised bill was within the estimated price VIKAB came up with,” Chung said on Monday.

She further claimed that VIKAB had been providing drawings in a “piecemeal manner” prior to

SOCU, CID called in...

FROM PAGE 3

the right of any person or body of persons to recover damages for injury flowing from such misconduct.”

“Accordingly, we are of the view that the Attorney General could properly maintain an action for the tort of misfeasance in public office against Winston Jordan, and the Director of Public Prosecutions could similarly maintain criminal proceedings against the former Minister,” the independent legal advice quoted by Nandlall stated.

September 2019, which she blamed for the company’s inability to effectively plan and procure materials. By this time, over a year had passed since the commencement order was issued.

The General Manager claimed that throughout all of this, VIKAB never issued CGE with a warning letter or a letter terminating the contract. She said that after they received the revised documents, works commenced and continued until the COVID-19 pandemic and the then COVID-19 Task Force put a stop to it on April 3, 2020. Limited work then recommenced on July 17, 2020.

“We have no interest in wasting taxpayers’ dollars on a matter that could have been amicably resolved,” Chung wrote.

In a letter seen by this publication, Attorney

General Anil Nandlall wrote to Cleon Chung of Chung’s Global Enterprise on Saturday and informed him that the contract was being terminated effective October 31, 2020, on the grounds of contractual breaches.

Chung’s was awarded the contract since 2017, to construct the Health Ministry’s head office building at Lot 1 Brickdam for the sum of $356.8 million.

The commencement order was issued on July 19, 2018, and the contractor was supposed to complete the project within a year.

However, in September 2020, despite receiving $308.4 million for advance payments and mobilisation expenses, as well as two extensions totalling 317 days, permanent works are only 70 per cent completed at the site.

The contractor then submitted the repriced bill of quantities, demanding an additional sum of $513.3 million on August 3, 2020 - a mere day after the Government officially changed hands with the swearing-in of President Dr Irfaan Ali. This is almost triple the previously agreed price of $356.8 million.

“In further breach of the said contract you failed to respond within the required time in submitting additional requested information on the priced bill of quantities pursuant to clause 28.2 of General Conditions of Contract which provide that at the request of the employer, the contractor within seven days shall provide the employer with a detailed breakdown of prices of change in the quantities indicating the rates for kinds of works and value of consumable material. The employer shall evaluate those rates and value of consumable material in comparison with the bill of quantities,” Nandlall had written to the contractor.

The Attorney General, therefore, instructed the contractor to immediately stop all works, secure and vacate the site as soon as possible. According to Nandlall, the Government is not only terminating the contract but would also be instituting legal proceedings against the contractor for breach of contract and liquidated damages.

8 NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Fuel dealer’s murder

Verdict looms for “Yankee”

S

tate Prosecutors Tuanna Hardy and Tyra Bakker will recall their final witness in the trial of Curt Thomas, called “Yankee”, who is accused of the April 30, 2016 murder of Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) fuel dealer Seeram Singh.

On Monday, the final witness, Rajmohan Autar faced intense cross-examination

by Thomas’s Attorney.

The witness was unable to continue his testimony on Monday owing to difficulties with the connection at the Lusignan prison from where Thomas was appearing virtually. He will return to the

Murdered: Seeram Singh

witness stand this morning.

This will be followed by closing addresses from the pros-

ecution and defence. Trial Judge Navindra Singh will sum up the evidence on Wednesday before putting the case to the jury for deliberation on a verdict.

According to the indictment against Thomas, on the day in question, he murdered Singh during the course/furtherance of a robbery. The Prosecutors are contending that Thomas killed Singh while robbing him of jewellery. Based on reports, Singh, 52, of Lot 40 Parika Outfall, was stabbed to his abdomen and shot twice – to his head and hip.

The bullet to his head was at close range and may have

Opening up...

W Murder accused: Curt Thomas

been the fatal shot.

TURN TO PAGE 13

...Guyana ell, here we go!! Guyanese better brace themselves... ‘cause it looks like our new President and his administration are ready to open up Guyana so fast -- we might just become jet lagged!! We already were told that the East Coast-East Bank bypass highway, which had been initiated by the previous PPP Government is going ahead – after the PNC sat on it for five years.

The word “sat” was used advisedly since they saw the highway – which was sorely needed to ease the congestion into Georgetown – as a nest egg to fill the pockets of their friends and family! Imagine President Donald Ramotar had secured US$50M from India for the road, but the PNC increased that price tag to US$175M – just so that there’d be more land next to the highway that their friends and family could buy up lands at insider prices and sell for millions of US!! It didn’t take the new Government long to reverse that scam! They simply brought back the original design and lopped off US$125M to back the price to US$50M. It’s already allocated and so expect the new highway in a couple of years!

And expect also that all those folks who’re fighting to squat on GuySuCo’s land – and holding up the drive to bring back sugar as a viable industry – to have more land available for housing than they can ever imagine. The PNC won’t have the house lots issue to stir up trouble any longer, though! But don’t worry, they’ll find something else...or more likely, invent something else to divide our people!

The PNC had also sat on the plans for completing the Highway from Linden to Lethem...for the same reasons – unjust enrichment. Just check the news in the same timeframe that they were trying to rig the elections and you’ll see who got land at “Millie’s Hideout”!! But on the other hand, look how open President Ali was two days ago when he announced that his Administration will be constructing a four-lane highway on the West Coast Demerara connecting the new DHB from La Grange all the way to Parika!

He didn’t futz around about the route – in fact he and his work team scouted the terrain and promised to have it graded WITHIN TWO MONTHS!! Now this will be a twelvemile Highway opening up vast swathes of land for all sorts of development and housing. Not to mention employment and a shot in the arm for the construction industry!

The PPP is making its development plans transparent so that all Guyanese have an equal opportunity of participating in the coming boom.

As they say, “a rising tide lifts all ships!!” ...the political space Have you noticed that the PNC seems determined to make itself extinct?? Well, according to Darwin’s theory of evolution – which happens to also apply to institutions – if an organism doesn’t adapt to a changing environment, then it will soon get crushed by those that did. He called it “survival of the fittest”! So how do we apply the great man’s insight to the political milieu in dear old mudland?

Well, think about it. As some bright bulbs have been pointing it out ad nauseam -- the demographics in our voting population have irreversibly changed the political environment. No party can get into government unless they attract voters from across the political spectrum.

Whether that spectrum is made up of class, colour, race, ethnicity, or gender or whatever.

But with Harmon and Granger holding on to their old “brute force and ignorance” approach, it’s clear they don’t understand the new kinder and gentler way to win friends and influence people.

Is Volda gonna be the one to rise from the ashes? ...to a changed USA OK, say what you want, but you gotta accept that Donald Trump has irretrievably altered the trajectory of American politics. And with it, world politics.

So, today as America goes to the polls, stay tuned as to what’s ahead.

Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com

NEWS

9

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2 more COVID-19 deaths, 30 new cases recorded T

he COVID-19 death toll in Guyana has climbed yet again to 128, after two more persons succumbed to the life-threatening viral disease on Monday.

The Health Ministry announced the latest deaths as those of a 74-year-old woman from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and a 57-year-old man from Region One (BarimaWaini). Both persons succumbed while receiving care at medical facilities, and theirs were the first deaths to be recorded for the month of November.

Meanwhile, the country also saw an increase of 30 new cases, increasing the total positive cases to 4238.

To date, 2239 males and 1999 females have contracted COVID-19 locally.

There are nine persons in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) while 66 persons are in institutional isolation,

771 in home isolation and 23 in institutional quarantine. There have been 3264 recoveries.

One new case was detected in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 25 in Region Four; two in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and two in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

The cases in Regions One, Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) remains at 720, 80, 377, 138, 376, and 144 respectively.

Deferred surgeries

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony led a team to Region Two a few days ago, during which the Suddie and Charity Hospitals were inspected. In the daily update, he said this was part of the process of understand-

ing the challenges in the region and where support could be bolstered.

1 dead, 1 injured in motorcycle accident

O

ne man is dead while another is seriously injured following an accident on Little Diamond Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD), in the wee hours of Monday. The dead man has been identified as 24-year-old Joshua Persaud of Diamond Housing Scheme, EBD. Devendra Partab, 27, of Avenue A Diamond New Housing Scheme, EBD, remains a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

At the time of the accident, the motorcycle was driven by Persaud while Partab was the pillion rider. However, as they were proceeding along the Little Diamond Public Road at a fast rate of speed, Persaud reportedly lost control of the motorcycle and crashed.

Both young men sustained injuries about their bodies and were picked up by the police and taken to the Accident and Emergency Unit (A&E) where they were seen and examined by a doctor who pronounced Persaud dead on arrival.

The pillion rider was admitted to the medical facility and his condition is being monitored. Police are yet to take statements from Partab.

In mid-October, 40-year-old Marlon Fiedtkou of Delph Street, Campbellville,

Dead: Marlon Fiedtkou

Georgetown, was killed after he lost control of his Suzuki CBR motorcycle and crashed in the vicinity of DSL, Diamond, EBD. He was reportedly heading to Georgetown with a crew of other bikers.

It was reported that the motorcycle toppled and skidded before coming to a halt.

Fiedtkou was reportedly pitched off the motorcycle and landed on the concrete pavement.

He was picked up in a serious condition and rushed to the St Joseph Mercy Hospital where he succumbed while waiting to be transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

“We want to know what is going on in the regions?

What are the challenges health workers face? The challenges they have with the health infrastructure, supplies, and so forth.”

He related that many surgeries have been deferred across the various regions since March, owing to the pandemic. They are now trying to bring the healthcare system to normalcy, by devising a plan to conduct these surgeries.

“We would like to return our health services to some level of normalcy. If it was restricted before, we now have to be able to provide such service. It is not only at the outpatient clinics, but also people who would need hospitalisation,” the Minister outlined.

He added, “Many of the planned surgeries were deferred since March in several of the regional hospitals, so we are working on a plan so during this month, we can

return to planned surgeries for all of our hospitals, including the Georgetown Public Hospital.”

Given the deferrals, the Minister said there would be an extensive backlog. They are trying to clear some of this build-up through collaboration with officials and the Regional Health Officers.

“This is an ongoing process. We want to start this during November. Of course, we’ll take all the necessary precautions, so that people can come to the hospital, get their surgery, recover, and go home,” the Minister stressed.

In Region Two, there were some setbacks with respect to adequate supplies of medicine. Since an emergency supply was procured

by Government, a number of medications will be sent out to satisfy the demand.

“We intend to stabilise the process so that they would have adequate supplies on a continuous basis. This is something we’re trying to fix. In addition to that, ARV (Anti-retroviral) drugs were short. We’ve now gotten supplies, so I was pleased to learn that they’ve already collected their supplies. We’re now trying to rectify some of the challenges that we’ve had in the system,” Dr Anthony shared.

10 NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Houston residents flooded after trench blocked

One of the affected residents, Roopnarine (only name)

A

trench blocked to facilitate works at Houston, East Bank Demerara (EBD) on Monday caused severe flooding for residents, following hours of heavy rainfall.

In the early morning hours, a period of heavy rain caused more than one

crete piles have been blocking the water from draining, causing inundation.

One resident, Roopnarine (only name) told this publication that this was the second time they were facing flooding since the works began. After failed efforts to bail out the floodwaters, they contacted authorities. An opening was made to channel the floodwaters into the trench.

“This is the second time we had to call them to open back the waterway, because our place is flooded. If that waterway is going to be blocked permanently, we are going to be flooded all the time, ‘cause this water ain’t get anywhere to go,” the affected resident noted.

The elderly man explained that he has lived in the area for 63 years -and they have never faced such problems before. While the plan is to build a culvert to allow drainage, he said the

The blocked trench

foot of water to accumulate in the yards of residents. It then entered several houses, creating a frenzy as persons tried to bail out their homes.

Guyana Times visited the community, where con-

water would move downhill, so this move was irrational.

“This water is running by gravity in a slope.

It can’t run up back. They building a culvert at the top. They didn’t build it as yet, but they start to do the

Residents experienced severe inundation other work. So now that the rain come, our whole place flooding all the time, right through the whole line of houses,” he related.

Roopnarine said the only option during such flooding was to prevent the water from entering their homes, which is sometimes an impossible feat.

“We’re in a disaster area here now and this affecting the entire street plus people at the other community. This trench is draining the entire community,” he shared.

Meanwhile, another resident, Mohamed Chunilall told this publication that another major problem for the village was irrigation.

There is a rain drain in close proximity to the roadway that is filled with inches of sand and debris.

When the land started to flood on Monday, he left his market stall and came to the rescue of neighbours who were tremendously affected.

“They get damages steady. Our yard don’t flood because it’s high, but ev-

ery time their yard is flooded, we got to dedicate ourselves to help them clean up. I close up my stall at the market to come and give

them a hand to clean up,” Chunilall explained.

Residents are calling on the relevant authorities to look into the matter to

bring some form of relief.

Losses for these households are pegged at millions. (G12)

Berbice labourer robbed by cutlass-wielding bandit

A

21-year-old labourer of No 58 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, was on Sunday evening relieved of his mobile phone and cash while heading home from a party by a cutlass-wielding bandit who is known to the victim.

The incident reportedly took place at First Street, No 58 Backdam, at about 21:00h on the day in question.

Based on reports received, the victim, Eric Haripersaud, and the suspect are known to each other. However, on the night in question, the victim was walking towards his home after leaving a birthday party when the suspect, who was armed with a cutlass, attacked him from behind.

The suspect reportedly placed the cutlass to Haripersaud’s neck and relieved him of his mobile phone that he was holding in his hands. After doing so, he allegedly pushed his hands into the victim’s right-side pants pocket and took out $15,000 that he had in his wallet.

After relieving the young man of his personal items, the suspect revealed his identity to him.

Upon seeing his face, the suspect reportedly chopped the victim to his neck. In trying to defend himself, Haripersaud then picked up a piece of wood and as he advanced towards the suspect, the well-known taxi driver made good his escape.

An alarm was raised and the victim’s friends rushed to his assistance during which he told them of what had transpired. He was taken to the Skeldon Public Hospital where he was examined and treated by a doctor on duty.

A report was subsequently made to the Springlands Police Station. The police immediately went to the suspect’s home where he was told of the allegation, cautioned and arrested. A search was conducted at his home for the stolen cell phone and cash but none was found.

The suspect remains in custody at the No 51 Police Station assisting with the investigation.

NEWS

11

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2012 Linden double murder

Killer granted leave to appeal convictions A

bdul Budhoo, who is challenging a 62 years’ jail sentence imposed on him for the 2012 killings of two brothers, was on Monday granted leave by the Court of Appeal to appeal against his convictions following an application by his attorney-at-law, Mark Conway. Budhoo, during his trial in 2017, was indicted on two counts of murder over the September 30, 2012 killings of his cousins, Shaheed Bacchus and his brother Imran Bacchus.

He had pleaded not guilty to both charges but was subsequently found guilty by a jury of murdering Imran and was sentenced to 62 years’ imprisonment. As it relates to the killing of Shaheed, Budhoo was found guilty of the lesser count of manslaughter and was sentenced to 32 years’ imprisonment.

The Trial Judge, Navindra Singh, had ordered that the sentences be served concurrently. Based on reports, on September 30, 2012, there was an argument between Budhoo and Shaheed Bacchus over an outstanding financial payment. Shaheed’s brother, Imran Bacchus, intervened.

Both brothers were stabbed during the altercation.

Presiding over the case is Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards and Justices of Appeal Rishi Persaud and Dawn Gregory. During the hearing, Conway made an application for leave to amend the grounds of appeal to include the convictions. Representing the State is Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Teshana Lake. The Appeal Court has fixed November

Convicted killer: Abdul Budhoo

16, 2020, to hear submissions on the added ground.

On Monday also, the Court of Appeal entertained arguments from Conway on the issue of Justice Singh falling into error regarding a finding of provocation relative to directions given to the jury for the killing of Imran Bacchus. The lawyer argued that if the Judge had appropriately directed the jurors, there is a possibility that they may have returned a manslaughter verdict in relation to the killing of Imran.

Among other things, Conway is contending that the 32-year sentence for the manslaughter verdict in relation to the killing of Shaheed Bacchus, having considered the facts of the offences and the Trial Judge’s failure to apply established principles of sentencing, rendered this sentence unjustified.

Citing relevant case laws, Conway submitted that Justice Singh failed to fully credit his client for any time he spent in custody prior to sentencing when he recorded in the Records

of Appeal that “time on remand is to be deducted at the discretion of the Trial Judge.”

In calculating a sentence on the manslaughter conviction, Conway outlined that the Trial Judge started at a base of 35 years from which a deduction of three years was made for the favourable probation report for his client. Conway further submitted that the appeal against the severity of the sentence for the offence of manslaughter has merit, as the Trial Judge erred in law by failing to apply case law principles that promote fairness in sentencing.

The lawyer submitted that the Sentencing Guidelines Council, in its guideline for manslaughter by reason of provocation, noted that a number of elements had to be considered and balanced by the sentencer, such as the degree of the provocation, the extent and timing of the retaliation, the circumstances of the killing, the relationship between the offender and the victim, the behaviour of the offender after the killing, and the type of weapon used and whether it had been to hand or had been carried to the scene.

Against this backdrop, he argued that the foregoing can be argued in favour of Budhoo, who did not enter into the altercation with a weapon [knife] in hand, and at that time he had no intention to kill or cause grievous bodily harm, although he had the knife on his person.

The lawyer noted that his client did not use the weapon at the onset, but until he had a “sudden and temporary loss of self-con-

Killed: Imran Bacchus

Killed: Shaheed Bacchus

trol”. In fact, Conway noted, “…the weapon was used two to three minutes after the cuffing/punching had started, which is the likely act of being hit by [Imran] that gave rise to the provocation…”

Based upon the events as stated by one of the prosecution’s witnesses regarding the death of Imran, Conway argued that his client may not have intended to kill him, but due to his sudden and temporary loss of self-control, he attacked anyone at the said instant who was within his reach.

Man chopped during robbery at Parika

A

30-year-old labourer was on Sunday evening chopped to his left hand by a cutlass-wielding bandit during a robbery at Parika Sea Dam, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).

The injured man is Jerome Samuels of Linden-Soesdyke Highway.

Based on information received, Samuels was having a few drinks when the suspect, who was armed with a cutlass, approached him and demanded that he hand over a haversack which he was carrying. Out of fear, the victim reportedly handed over the bag which had $87,000 in cash and other personal documents.

However, the suspect then dealt the victim one chop to his left hand, after which he made good his escape on foot.

The victim reportedly made his way to the police station where he made a report and was subsequently escorted to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he was treated and sent away.

Meanwhile, several persons were questioned and based on information received, a team of police ranks went to the home of a 30-year-old labourer of Parika Sea Dam, EBE,

where he was told of the allegation and cautioned.

He, nevertheless, denied the allegation but was still taken into custody as Police continue their investigations.

12 NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Central Mackenzie, other parts of Linden flooded I

ncreased rainfall in Linden, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) on Monday resulted in flooding of the Central Mackenzie area and other areas prone to flooding, including Silvertown and Second Alley.

At Central Mackenzie, which is considered the main shopping centre within the township, vendors and residents were observed wading through floodwaters as rainfall which commenced sometime after 10:00hrs lasted up to a few hours.

Over at the Mackenzie Market, vendors complained of consistent flooding during such times, as some rushed to conceal their products and produce to protect them from the rain. In some cases, stalls and stores were flooded.

Vegetable vendor Eddy

Vendors along Republic Avenue, Linden

ities to re-examine culverts along the Republic Avenue roadway.

“Here is where the culvert is and the culvert is too small to take off the amount of water...These

Pine Street, Linden flooded on Monday

Edwards, who sells along the Republic Avenue roadway pointed to a culvert nearby which he claims is one of the main sources of the flood at the particular location.

As such, he called on the author-

culverts want changing. It is too small and they need to have a proper outlet to the river...We are very much affected. The water is a problem every time the rain fall, and even if the rain fall the water

is still here. So it’s very stressful for every vendor here every time the rain falls,” Edwards said.

The vendor also called on the authorities to re-examine the drainage systems at the location.

“They need to clear these drains properly. As long as it’s cleared we don’t have a problem, the water will pull off, but this culvert is a main problem”, he stated.

The culvert the vendor was referring to is situated in the vicinity of the Republic Bank, which compound was also flooded.

Linden Mayor Waneka Arrindell when contacted noted that while the area does not fall under the remit of the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC), the municipality is making effort to seek assistance for those affected.

“There are consistent blockages in those areas. It’s more under the RDC (Regional Democratic Council), not necessarily the Mayor and Town Council...It’s a RDC project...That area does flood in heavy rainfall but there’s a easy flow-off after the rain has stopped.

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF?

But I do know that the Council, while we don’t have jurisdiction,

mayor said.

Regional Chairman Deron Adams in a statement said he has assessed the situation and will mobilize to assist several communities across Linden to provide assistance to flood- prone areas.

“I was on the ground and our office will continue to monitor the situation in several communities across Linden which have been affected by flooding as a result of the heavy rain earlier today. I’ve been in contact with the CDC (Civil Defense Commission) and NDIA (National Drainage and Irrigation Authority), the Mayor and other officials. It is my hope that we will quickly be able to bring relief to those families that are affected.

A section of the Linden market that was flooded

we are collecting the names of areas that have been flooded to make sure we send down to the Ministry of Communities for any support we can get within the township,” the

I hope that the Government will deploy very quickly emergency apparatus to help those affected”, he noted. (Utamu Belle)

SYMPTOMS

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness.

Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms or combinations of symptoms may have COVID-19:

Cough

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Or at least two of these symptoms:

Fever People who think they may be affected by coronavirus need to call the Public Health Ministry hotline 227-4986/624-3067 for further advice. They should not go to their GP, A&E, pharmacy or hospital.

If you have come into contact with somebody who may be infected, you may be told to self-isolate. People needing to do so should take "common-sense" steps to avoid close contact with other people.

(Adapted from BBC News)

Headache

Chills

Sore throat

Repeated shaking with chills

Muscle pain

Children have similar symptoms to adults and generally have New loss of taste mild illness. or smell

NEWS

13

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GDF seeking applicants for training GBTI hands out 25 bursary awards, makes donation to cancer society by top US military academies

T

he Guyana Defence Force is currently inviting applications from suitable candidates to become members of their cohort, who will be trained by the United States Military.

Upon being accepted, successful applicants will be trained either by the United States Military Academy, United States Naval Academy in Maryland, United States Air Force Academy in Colorado or the United States Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut.

Candidates will be a part of the Force’s Officer Cadet Programme that commences in March 2021, until they are selected for training in the US. To be eligible for selection, they must be within the ages of 17 years, six months; and 22 years old.

They should also be single without dependents and possess a SAT score of 560 and above, or an ACT score of 25 and above.

Persons who intend to write these examinations

Staff of GBTI pose with Bibi Hassan after handing over the cheque

in December or January; and those who are awaiting their grades are encouraged to apply. They must be healthy, have a minimum of five CSEC subjects at one sitting or six at two sittings, inclusive of English Language and Mathematics (Grades One or Two). A technical diploma or higher certification from the University of Guyana will also be accepted.

It is a requirement that all prospective applicants have no visible tattoos.

These documents are to be submitted by email at so1g1@gdf.mil.gy by November 11, 2020. The application and resume are to be attached with a valid police clearance, two recent testimonials, birth certificate and original academic certificates.

This is not the first training of such to be offered through the GDF. In July of this year, Second Lieutenant Orwin Austin departed Guyana for the USA, to attend the

United States Coast Guard Academy.

The 22-year-old officer clinched the opportunity to study electrical engineering at the academy in a competitive process which involved two other applicants. In 2018, two Guyana Defence Force (GDF) pilots completed a five-year training at the Chinese Air Force Aviation University in the People’s Republic of China.

Second Lieutenants Steffon Cameron and Teffurn James successfully completed a Chinese Air Force basic fighter pilot and officer development course, in which they both gained two Bachelor’s degrees, one in Aircraft Systems and Operations and another in Military Science Aviation Flight Command; they additionally earned a professional diploma.

The Defence Force is now under the command of Chief-of-Staff Brigadier Patrick West, who took over last July. (G12)

T

he Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) handed out 25 bursary awards to students this year; 15 of whom are Early Savers Account Holders and 10 are children of employees.

Among the lucky Early Savers who were randomly selected were Kiran Dass, Skeldon Line Path Secondary; Katrina Bishamber, Bishops’ High School; Sarah Leesa Sue, Bishops’ High School; Dashawn Forde, North Georgetown Secondary; Steve Tirbeni, Hope Secondary; Seon Hamer, Bygeval Secondary; Alamudeen Kathanan, Zeeburg Secondary; Yadevi Percy, Good Hope Secondary; Khojal Brigmohan, Hope Secondary; Akash Jaimurat, Annandale Secondary; Bharrat Naraine, Diamond Secondary; Talesia Abel, Zeeburg Secondary; Alyssa Michael, Saint Stanislaus College; Kyle Wayne, Richard Ishmael Secondary.

Brandon Ramdin placed in the top one per cent

Brandon Ramdin, who placed in the top one per cent and secured a place at Queen’s College, was automatically selected.

Traditionally, the banking institution would recognise the students at a ceremony but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the awardees received their awards via direct credit to their accounts.

Meanwhile, the following

Independent accountant advising Verdict looms for...

City Hall on managing money Media reports at the time stated that Singh was talking to someone on his mobile phone when he was attacked and stabbed. In an attempt to raise an alarm, the injured man ran towards

A

n independent accountant is advising the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) on managing its Treasury Department, Mayor Ubraj Narine has said. During a recent press conference, Mayor Narine revealed that the Council has been seeking the assistance of independent experts in handling various aspects of its administration.

The Treasury Department is responsible for administering the affairs of the City Council, including the collection of all revenues. Its functions also include making all payments on behalf of the municipality. In recent times, the Treasury Department has made headlines in relation to financial irregularities which has seen several staffers being suspended and sent on leave by the Local Government Commission (LGC).

Following investigations, the LGC has advised the M&CC to take the necessary disciplinary actions against five junior staffers. The five employees would usually collect monies from various markets in Georgetown and

deposit it into the Council’s bank account. However, after doing so, they would then withdraw the monies.

Reports are that the discovery was made by controversial City Treasurer John Douglas and Town Clerk (ag) Sherry Jerrick.

Earlier this year, the LGC had endorsed a recommendation to have disciplinary measures taken against several officers after monies belonging to the Council were found in a bag in one of the entity’s vehicles.

According to reports, on June 20, 2019, a bag with revenues collected from Bourda Market was found in a vehicle inside City Hall’s compound. At the time, the bank drop had already been

made, and the bag with the money was not deposited as was required.

Those suspended were: City Treasurer John Douglas (two months), Iva Bryan (two months), Sonia Pit (three weeks), and Yolanda Forde (one month). Meanwhile, Clerk of Markets Sherlock Lovell, along with Felicia McRae were issued warning letters. Into this first month of suspension, Douglas was called back out to work by the M&CC. Moreover, back in August 2019, Town Clerk (ag), Sharon Harry-Munroe was sent packing after failing to comply with orders of the LGC to provide financial documents requested by the Office of the Auditor General.

children of employees were also awarded bursaries for their successful completion of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), some of whom gained places at top secondary schools including Queen’s College.

Among them are Deyna DeCamp, Sajid Durball, Jessica and Joshua Farinha, Gianna Fernandes, Jovana Goodridge, Sarah Hussain, Maliha Rajkumar, Nerissa Samaroo and Ariella Yhap.

Every year, GBTI rewards a number of its Early Savers members for their successful completion of the NGSA. To be eligible for selection, students must have an active account as at April 1 of the year of writing the exams.

In addition, the bank donated $400,000 to the founder of the Guyana Cancer Foundation, Bibi Hassan on Friday last in support of breast cancer awareness.

The donation represents donation by staff which was matched by the bank.

FROM PAGE 8

a shop, but the gunman gave chase and caught up with him. A scuffle ensued and it was then the suspect discharged two rounds at Singh. Reports were as the businessman fell, the gun-

man relieved him of two gold chains and escaped. Singh was rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, West Coast Demerara (WCD), where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

14 NEWS ECD among communities severely affected by flooding T TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

he Civil Defence Commission has deployed assessment teams to affected communities to accurately capture the impact of Monday’s heavy downpours on public and private infrastructure.

Along the East Coast of Demerara, the hardest-hit villages were Mon Repos North (35 households), Good Hope (140 households), Annandale North (140 households),

Cleaning and sanitising hampers were distributed to affected households.

The CDC is advising residents of riverine, low-lying and flood-prone areas to take all necessary precautions and to contact the National Emergency Monitoring System (NEMS) on 226-1114, 6231700 and 600-7500, should they be affected.

Meanwhile, a special bulletin from the

A house along the East Coast of Demerara which was flooded on Monday

will be coupled with a moderate to strong La Niña throughout the 2020/2021 rainy season,” the bulletin noted.

As a result, it added that there will be an increase in rain days (days with more than 1 mm of rainfall) and high-intensity rainfall events during

this season; these rainfall events are likely to be accompanied by high winds which may threaten the integrity of man-made structures. The increase in rain days and rainfall intensities is likely to result in an increase in flash flood potential as the season progresses.

During this season, night-time temperatures are also expected to be

cooler than usual in Region Eight (Potaro-Sipiruni), but warmer than usual in the other regions. Daytime temperatures (in the absence of rainfall) are expected to be warm as usual in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and southern Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), but warmer than usual in other regions (in the absence of rainfall).

Linden man further remanded for murders of ex-lover, new boyfriend

F

and Goedverwagting (eight households).

Meanwhile, in Region Five, the hardest-hit villages were De Edward (13 households), and Rosignol (75 households). Further assessments are set to commence at Bath Settlement.

Agriculture Ministry’s hydrometeorological service on Monday said that Guyana is now transitioning into the secondary or short rainy season which typically lasts from mid-November to January.

It noted that an increase in

rainfall activity is expected over the coming weeks and into the next three months.

“Seasonal climate models are indicating wetter than usual or above normal rainfall for this wet season. The rainy and or wet conditions usually experienced this time of year

orty-eight-year-old Maxwell Usher was on Monday further remanded to prison for the murders of his ex-lover, Imogene Gordon, 49, and her boyfriend, Royston John.

He made his first appearance on March 24, 2020, before Magistrate Wanda Fortune at the Linden Magistrate’s Court after he was slapped with two counts of murder.

It is alleged that Usher murdered the duo on March 17.

When the matter came up for hearing on Monday, Magistrate Fortune was forced to adjourn the matter to November 16 as the prison was experiencing power outages which caused disruptions to the virtual hearing.

The bodies of Gordon, of Lot 177 Prosville, Wismar, Linden, and John, of East Berbice-Corentyne, were discovered at about 21:00h

on March 17 at the woman’s Prosville home with multiple stab wounds after Police were summoned to the scene.

John was reportedly discovered lying on his back at the door of the lower flat of the incomplete two-storey building while Gordon was discovered lying face down in the lower flat.

Post-mortem examinations conducted on the bodies of the two have since given the cause of death as multiple incise wounds, which include cuts and stabs.

Police who were summoned to the scene had discovered a knife some six feet away from Gordon’s body. The knife is suspected to be the murder weapon.

A neighbour recalled hearing the woman screaming prior to the bodies being discovered while indicating that her cell phone calls went unanswered.

The neighbour then called the Wisroc Police Outpost and lodged a report.

Usher was arrested a day after the incident in the vicinity of Prosville, where the incident occurred, and was transported to the Linden Hospital Complex, where he was treated for a gaping wound in the hand.

Information revealed that just recently, Gordon had filed a police complaint against Usher, with whom she had once shared a common-law relationship.

Reports are that the woman had complained that he threatened to chop off her hands and feet.

He was arrested and charged in connection with these allegations on March 10 and later appeared at Linden Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Dylon Bess, where he pleaded guilty to the charge. He was placed on a six-month bond to keep the peace. (G1)

NEWS

15

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PPP Govt has not “used a single dollar” from oil money – Bharrat

T

he People’s Progressive Party Government has not used a “single dollar from the oil proceeds as of today” Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat said on Monday during a visit to Orealla, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

Bharrat and Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha visited the community – Orealla-Siparuta – located along the Corentyne River.

The Minister also spoke about the transportation of the community which he said will benefit from the oil and gas proceeds.

He noted that Orealla may not be “directly involved in oil and gas but you will benefit from the proceeds from oil and gas,” adding that the sector will be managed in a transparent manner.

So far, Guyana has re-

Minister Vickram Bharrat speaking with two villagers on Monday

ceived approximately US$150 million for three cargo lifts and two royalty payments for its oil and all deposited in the Natural Resource Fund.

After taking office, President Dr Irfaan Ali said that while Guyana has needs, a transparent frame-

work must be set up, inclusive of establishing a Petroleum Commission, so that the Government can access the billions of Guyana dollars sitting in the NRF in the United States (US) Federal Reserve bank.

President Ali made it clear that the issue of trans-

parency and accountability is of paramount importance when dealing with the Natural Resource Fund.

“Of course, the country has needs. The country is going through its own crisis with the COVID pandemic.

We have a transformational set of investments that need to be made now, to create opportunities for the future, that would require us reaching into as much resources as we can,” Ali said.

“But importantly, is also the issue of transparency and accountability.

Ensuring that the systems and institutions are in place before we utilise any resources. So that our country and our people can understand and it is done in an open and transparent way and there’s no secrecy behind the use of any resources. So those are the things we’re putting in place now,”

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat and Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha on a boat ride to the Orealla-Siparuta community

the President had said.

The Natural Resource Fund Act stipulates that various committees must be established to provide oversight for the Fund. It is expected that this legislation will be reviewed by the current Government.

Bauxite

Meanwhile, also on Monday, the Natural Resources Minister announced that there are in-

vestors who are seeking to develop the Tarakuli bauxite deposit near the OreallaSiparuta community.

“It (Tarakuli) is one of the largest bauxite deposits remaining in our country that is untouched,” the Minister said, adding that the bauxite in that area is of very high quality. This, he said, had led to discussions on the setting up of an alumina plant, which will add value.

APNU/AFC land scandal

Former Minister denies wrongdoing …says matter will be addressed at "appropriate time"

F

ormer Finance Minister Winston Jordan has denied any wrongdoing in National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited’s (NICIL) transferring of State land without receiving full payments.

This comes after the Government announced that it would be pursuing legal action against him and other officials. In a letter sent out

by Jordan on Monday, he denied committing any wrongdoings in relation to issuing vesting orders for land during the controversial period after the March 2 polls.

Additionally, he claimed that certain allegations made against him regarding his role in the sale of prime

State lands are defamatory.

According to him, he has always strived to carry out his duties to the best of his ability. In his letter, the former Minister noted that he has received advice from legal counsel, preventing him from delving into the issue

Former Finance Minister Winston Jordan

further. However, he added cryptically that the matter would be addressed "at the appropriate time."

Between Jordan and former Head of NICIL, Colvin Heath-London, the pair vested almost 100 acres of prime State land in Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD), to eight different companies.

All told the total value of the lands is $2.9 billion. But NICIL only received approx-

imately $64 million in payments.

In a statement on Sunday, Attorney General Anil Nandlall had announced that Government would be taking legal action against those involved in the controversial land transactions.

He had explained that the Government had sought independent legal advice which recommended that there is a case to be made against former officials including Jordan.

According to Nandlall, the independent legal advice which was given is that the former Finance Minister along with Heath-London, acted recklessly and in bad faith by processing these

land deals, actions which have resulted in millions of dollars of losses to the State.

As a result, the Attorney General will commence civil proceedings to, inter alia, recover the said parcels of land and claim compensation against those implicated, in-

File photo: Former Finance Minister Winston Jordan and former NICIL Head Colvin Heath-London at a sod-turning ceremony at Plantation Ogle

cluding Minister Winston Jordan,” Nandlall stated.

“Additionally, each of these matters will be passed to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), for their investigations and any consequential actions which may flow therefrom,” he also made clear in the statement.

The AG has since done just that, with it being revealed on Monday that letters have been dispatched to SOCU Head, Senior Superintendent Faizal Karimbaksh and Crime Chief, Senior Superintendent Wendell Blanhum, asking for criminal investigations to be conducted.

Data released by Nandlall showed that over the past year, NICIL has transferred land worth hundreds of millions of dollars, to various companies.

However, NICIL has collected money representing only a fraction of the value of the lands in question.

This was all done after the elections, at a time when the Government should not have been engaged in any

such transaction.

Caribbean Marketing Enterprise Incorporated (CMEI) received 21 acres of land valued at $632.8 million, after paying a total of $19.4 million. Cardiology Services Incorporated received eight acres of land valued at $240 million, after paying $15 million.

S u p e r g r a p h i c s Enterprise received five acres valued at $175 million, after paying $8.9 million. And BK Marine Incorporated, which

is owned by well-known contractor Brian Tiwarie, received 2.5 acres with an offer price of $202.6 million, for $20.2 million.

As of October 12, 2020, five companies - Navigant Builders Incorporated – the developers of Windsor Estates; Cardiology Services Incorporated; the Corum Group, American Marine Services Incorporated and Supergraphics Enterprise have since surrendered the lands back to NICIL.

16 NEWS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Only 2 institutions licensed to conduct Today is E-Day for United States PCR tests – Health Minister

H

ealth Minister Dr Frank Anthony on Monday said that the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test is the gold standard for detecting COVID-19 and only two local institutions are licensed to offer the test locally. Those institutions are the National Public Health Reference Laboratory and the Eureka Medical Laboratory.

As such, the Minister is urging that members of the public visit only licensed facilities.

Dr Anthony is quoted by a Department of Public Information report as saying that there are several criteria which must be met before an institution can be authorised to perform the test.

“There are various stages of setting up this service.

What is required is that the Ministry would have to send in a team to the facility to check exactly what you

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony

have, whether you have the PCR machine, if it’s working properly and whether you have the biohazard cabinets so that you can do the extraction of samples,” he explained, adding that these are all specific laboratory processes which must be observed.

Another important component is ensuring that

there are trained personnel to conduct the tests.

“Again, this is a very specialised process, and therefore, you have to get the staff who understand how to do PCR testing,” the Minister is quoted by DPI as saying.

He added that the Ministry has trained 30 people in this regard.

“You can have people who are a little bit over-exuberant, and they are advertising falsely. So, people have to be aware of that,” Minister Anthony added.

Currently, the National Public Health Reference Laboratory can conduct 450 to 600 tests per day.

Minister Anthony is hopeful that this increases to 1200 by the end of the month.

Kwebanna cases stabilising

Meanwhile in giving an update on the COVID-19 situation at Kwebanna, Barima-Waini (Region One), Dr Anthony said that cases

there are stabilising but officials have noticed spikes in neighbouring communities.

During Monday’s COVID-19 update, Minister Anthony reiterated that medical teams were already on the ground to assist the local staff to curb the current situation, according to DPI. “We have set up medical teams there, so that in case anybody deteriorates from maybe the mild form of COVID-19 to the more severe form, we will be able to detect this and take the appropriate action,” Dr Anthony is quoted as saying.

Minister Anthony gave assurances that the teams were ready to tackle emergencies.

As of November 1, Kwebanna had 62 active cases.

Last week, Kwebanna was on a complete lockdown after cases in the community suddenly spiked.

Trio jailed for escaping from Lusignan Prison

T

hree men, who had escaped from the Lusignan Prison on September 23 and October 21, 2020, respectively, were jailed on Monday.

Jailed are 23-year-old Leroy Graham of Middle Walk, Buxton, East Coast Demerara (ECD); Alex Mathias of Good Hope Dock Yard, Essequibo, and Arnold Kennedy of Lot 487 Zeeburg Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

They all appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at Vigilance Magistrate’s Court where they admitted to the charge

Charged: Leroy Graham

Charged: Alex Mathias and Arnold Kennedy

of escaping from lawful custody.

The charges against them stated that they escaped from lawful custody on September 23 and October 21, 2020, respectively.

Magistrate Azore sentenced Graham to two years’ imprisonment while Kennedy and Mathias were sentenced to three years

each.

Kennedy was previously charged for the July 18, 2020 murder of 20-year-old Alvin Seenarine, also called “Chockoloo,” while Mattias was on remand for the murder of Kevin Bettencourt.

Meanwhile, Graham was sent to prison on August 20, 2020, after being charged with armed robbery. (G1)

…early ballots surpass 95M

Voters wait in line to cast their ballots during early voting at ONEOK Field in Tulsa, Oklahoma, US

M

ore than 95 million Americans had cast their votes in the 2020 presidential election

by Monday, according to a tally by the US Elections Project at the University of Florida, a harbinger of what is expected to be the highest turnout of modern times.

Just a day before Election Day, the record-breaking number is equal to 69% of the entire voter turnout for the 2016 election.

A sharp increase in mailin and early in-person voting was largely prompted by the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 230,000 people in the United States and continues unabated in many U.S. states.

President Donald Trump, his administration criticized for its handling of the COVID-19 outbreak, trails Democratic challenger Joe Biden in national opinion polls. A Reuters/Ipsos poll taken on October 27-29

shows Biden ahead, 51% to 43%.

But the race is still a toss-up in battleground states that decide the election through the Electoral College, including Arizona, Florida and North Carolina.

A large number of Trump’s Republican supporters are expected to turn up in person to vote on Election Day after Trump sowed distrust, without evidence, of mail-in voting by asserting it was riddled with fraud.

Democrats have largely embraced early voting, not only because of the pandemic, but also because of steps the Trump administration has taken to slow down the processing of U.S. mail.

Experts predict turnout will easily surpass the 138 million who voted in 2016. Only 47 million votes were submitted before Election Day four years ago.

(Reuters)

11-year-old struck down on Corentyne highway

A

n 11-year-old lad is now hospitalised after he was struck down by a car along the Number 50 Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice.

The accident occurred at around 13:30h on Monday.

Reports are that a hire car was proceeding along the public road when it is alleged by the driver that the child ran across the road.

The driver said this caused him to swerve in an effort to avoid a collision.

However, the vehicle still collided with the young pedestrian, causing him to fall onto the road.

The motor car, which had four adult passengers, landed in a trench.

The young man was subsequently picked up in an unconscious state by public-spirited citizens and taken to the Skeldon Public Hospital where he was seen and examined by a doctor and later transferred to New Amsterdam Public Hospital.

The child is suffering from a fractured right shoulder. He regained consciousness and is regarded as stable.

Meanwhile, the taxi driver has been arrested as investigations continue.

NEWS

17

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

T&T national dies on repatriation flight A Caribbean Airlines repatriation flight from the JFK airport in New York to Trinidad was rerouted to Puerto Rico on Saturday night when one passenger on board began having severe medical issues.Guardian Media spoke to one passenger on board, who said the elderly man appeared to have died by the time the aircraft landed in Puerto Rico.The passenger said the man did not receive any medical treatment while the plane was in the air and when the aircraft landed, paramedics came onboard but after their initial assessment, they did not attend to the man.

The passenger said the man’s son, who was also on board, begged the first responders to assist his father.The distraught passen-

The path of the Caribbean Airlines repatriation flight from JFK to Puerto Rico

ger shared voice clips with the deceased man’s son appealing to Puerto Rican authorities to allow his father’s body to continue to Trinidad.

Around 1 am local time, the passengers were ordered to

disembark from the aircraft.

Guardian Media lost contact with the passenger on board after the instruction to disembark was given. (T&T Guardian)

Gunmen storm Kabul University, killing 22, in 2nd deadly attack on students in just over a week

G

unmen stormed Kabul University, killing at least 22 people including students in their classrooms, on Monday and Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for what President Ashraf Ghani called a “despicable act of terror”.

In a video message, Ghani, who once lectured at the university, announced a national day of mourning to honour the victims and offered his “condolences and profound sympathies to the nation” and the families of the victims.

Gunmen barged into Kabul University in the morning, killing students in their classrooms and firing on others as they fled, officials and witnesses said, in what was the second attack on an educational institution in the capital in just over a week.

The three attackers killed at least 22 people, including students, and wounded 22

Afghan security forces leave the site of an incident after an attack at the university of Kabul, Afghanistan November 2, 2020

others before Afghan security forces shot the gunmen dead, the Health Ministry said.

The attack was claimed

by Islamic State, the jihadist group’s Amaq News Agency said. Amaq said the gunmen targeted a gathering being held to mark the completion of a training course at the university.

A suicide bomber killed 24 people including teenage students at an education centre in Kabul on Oct

24. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack, without providing evidence.

Taliban insurgents issued a statement condemning the latest attack and denying any involvement.

Violence has plagued Afghanistan while Government and Taliban negotiators have been meeting in Qatar to try to broker a peace deal and as the United States brings home its troops. (Excerpt from Reuters)

NYC’s COVID numbers continue to hover at undesirable levels – Mayor

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio

O

ne of New York City’s key COVID-19 measures has once again

exceeded the city’s safety threshold, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday.

According to the most recent figures, the average daily number of new COVID cases over a 7-day stretch hit 593 — well over the city’s 550-case threshold.

The figure is “causing us concern for sure,” the mayor said. “Some of that comes from just a lot more testing, and a lot more testing is a good thing,” he said. “But we are watching that number carefully.”

The daily number of cases has exceeded 550 several times over the last month,

but the other two key COVID measures have remained below what the city defines as a relatively safe threshold. Still, one of those measures, the percentage of residents testing positive for COVID citywide, also has de Blasio worried. The acceptability threshold for that measure is 5%. On Monday, it hit 2.08%. The 7-day rolling average of that metric is 1.81%.

“We want to start knocking down that seven-day rolling average, but we’re keeping a very close eye on the situation,” de Blasio said. (NY Daily News)

India, US sign key military deal, symbolising closer ties

From left: US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar address a joint press conference at Hyderabad House in New Delhi

I

ndia and the US signed a key defence deal late last month in a move seen as a last-ditch push by the Trump administration to score a foreign policy success just a week before the US elections.

Experts say the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial Cooperation (BECA) deal will bring the two countries closer to each other and help them counter China.

The deal, announced during the bi-annual socalled “two plus two” meeting in New Delhi, will give Indian military access to data that are considered vital for the firing of missiles, armed drones and other targets with precision.

Both the countries, represented by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark Esper and their Indian counterparts Subrahmanyam

Jaishankar and Rajnath Singh respectively, termed the partnership significant.

“At a time when it is particularly important to uphold a rules-based international order, the ability of India and the US to work closely in defence and foreign policy has a larger resonance,” External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said at the Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi.

“Together, we can make a real difference when it comes to regional and global challenges, whether it is in respecting territorial integrity, promoting maritime domain awareness, countering terrorism or ensuring prosperity.” “The BECA deal is a game-changer. It is the last of the foundational defence agreements to be signed between the US and India, and one that India had long resisted signing,” said Michael Kugelman, deputy direc-

tor of the Asia programme at the US-based Wilson Center.

India has long attempted to balance its relations with the US and China, with whom it shares a 3,500kmlong (2,100 miles). But India’s military standoff in June on its western border with China seems to have pushed New Delhi towards the US, which has been trying to bolster allies against an increasingly assertive China. At least 20 Indian soldiers were killed in the deadliest border standoff in nearly 50 years. Thousands of military personnel continue to remain at the disputed border near Ladakh region.

“The US will stand with the people of India as they confront threats to their sovereignty and to their liberty,” Pompeo told reporters in New Delhi. (Al Jazeera)

Queens woman thought to have jumped to her death was killed by boyfriend – NYPD

A

Queens woman thought to have jumped to her death was actually beaten and choked by her boyfriend — and then thrown from her sixth-floor apartment, police said Monday.

When police found 37-year-old Danielle Marrano mortally injured outside her building on Ocean Promenade in Rockaway Park about 2:40 p.m. Oct. 26 they at first thought she’d jumped in a suicide attempt. She was rushed to Jamaica Hospital, where she died six hours later.

Hospital workers reached out to cops after doctors found she suffered four skull fractures, two of which were inconsistent with injuries from a jump or accidental fall. All four fractures “were fatal and contributed to her death,” according to court papers.

Sources said Marrano was thrown from a window or balcony. The sources said she also suffered fractured ribs, a fractured humerus and cuts near her armpits.

Marrano’s mother, Karen

Marrano, spoke lovingly of her daughter just hours after the funeral Monday. “My daughter was a beautiful bright shining star,” she told the Daily News. “She loved her family and her friends and her brother very much.

She loved to dance and travel.”

Then breaking down in tears, Karen Marrano conceded the family was devastated by the loss. “We can’t handle it. We can’t,” she wept.

Marrano’s boss, Brooklyn dentist Jim Sarji, said Marrano, a dental hygienist for 15 years, was a great worker who was cherished by patients.

“This is so tragic,” Sarji said. “Everybody loved her.

All the patients loved her.

Even after quarantine, she was very busy and scared to return to the office, but everybody asked for her.”

Marrano’s boyfriend, Shmuel Levine, 34, under questioning, admitted to killing her, saying he lashed out after she admitted to cheating on him, prosecutors charge. He was arrested the day of her death. Cops

said it was his first arrest.

Coworkers said Marrano had been with Levine for five years but they had never met him. Belinda Crouther, a fellow dental hygienist, said Marrano brought a lot of joy to the office.

“She was so funny,” Crouther said. “She loved to dance and sing.”

Levine, who is 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, told investigators he put Marrano into a headlock, pulled her hair and stole her cellphone, a criminal complaint against him charges.

Authorities said in the complaint they found evidence of the fierceness of the struggle. Clumps of the victim’s hair were on the floor and there was a large round dent in the wall.

The city Medical Examiner deemed her death a homicide, finding she died from multiple blunt impact injuries.

Levine, 34, has been charged with murder, robbery and assault, the Queens District Attorney’s office said. He’s being held without bail. (NY Daily News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020

Regional

Evacuations underway in Windrush: At least nine victims died before getting compensation Nicaragua, Honduras as Hurricane Eta barrels near A

N

icaragua and Honduras on Monday scrambled to evacuate citizens from their Atlantic coasts as Hurricane Eta barrelled closer and the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned of flash floods and “catastrophic winds” in Central America.

The storm, a devastating Category Four hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, was expected to slam the north-east coast of Nicaragua late on Monday or early Tuesday, the Miamibased NHC said.

Describing it as a “major hurricane”, NHC said Eta’s rains may cause “life-threatening storm surge, catastrophic winds, flash flooding and landslides” in parts of Central America.

Jamaica, southern Haiti, the Cayman Islands, and El Salvador, and southern Mexico may also be hit.

Eta was poised to be one of the most powerful hurricanes to hit Nicaragua in years, and may test President Daniel Ortega,

Eta is the 28th named tropical storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, tying an all-time record set in 2005

who presides over one of the poorest countries in the Americas.

On Monday afternoon, strong winds and heavy rains lashed Nicaragua and the Government put regions in the hurricane’s path on red alert. It has evacuated about 3000 coastal families and sent in supplies to help residents prepare for the storm’s impact, Vice President Rosario Murillo said.

Eta could also trigger “destructive” waves in Nicaragua, while water levels could reach 3.7 to 5.5 me-

tres (12 to 18 feet) above normal tide levels, NHC said.

In Honduras, the Government has placed five Atlantic coast regions on red alert, its highest warning, and evacuations were underway, local authorities said.

Adverse weather conditions on Monday forced Honduras to shutter some of its ports, while several towns on its Atlantic coast were already suffering from flooding, the Honduras Permanent Contingencies Commission (COPECO) said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

t least nine people have died before receiving money applied for through the Windrush compensation scheme, according to Home Office figures.

The Windrush scandal saw deportation threats made to the children of Commonwealth citizens.

Despite living and working in the United Kingdom for decades, many were told they were there illegally because of a lack of official paperwork.

The Government apologised in 2018 and the compensation scheme was launched.

It was intended to help those who did not have the right documentation to prove their status in the UK. It’s also meant to compensate victims for things such as loss of earnings and

Campaigners take their case to Downing Street

periods of detainment.

But the Home Office figures, released to the BBC under Freedom of Information laws, show that in addition to people dying before they receive any money, fewer than five people have been offered the top level of “Impact on Life” payment.

These payments reflect how badly a claimant’s life

was affected and range from Level 1 – essentially a minor inconvenience worth £250, to Level 6 – a profound and likely irreversible impact worth £10,000 or more. More than 1500 claims have been made using the scheme, with 250 being offered an “Impact on Life” payment.

The figures are correct as of August 31. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Machu Picchu reopens after 8-month COVID-19 closure

Tourists fined in Bermuda as Minister warns quarantine dodgers

H

ealth Minister Kim Wilson sent a warning to people tempted to breach strict quarantine regulations after two visitors from the United States were fined in Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Her warning came as Bermuda recorded a sharp jump of seven new COVID-19 cases in the space of three days, taking the island’s confirmed total to 206.

Speaking after the visitors broke isolation on Sunday to go to a wedding, Wilson said “although it is disappointing that two of our visitors broke their quarantine requirements this weekend, I commend

the outcome of today’s court decision.

“The prosecution of these individuals demonstrates that Bermuda takes the protection of our borders and the health of our people extremely seriously. I greatly hope that further breaches will not occur and potential offenders are now dissuaded from such actions,” she added.

The two visitors, who have tested clear so far, were fined US$2500.

A government spokeswoman said the Crown had asked for a fine of US$3000 to be paid by the defendants who appeared in court on Monday.

“The defendants stated they didn’t mingle with

anyone during the gathering,” the spokesman said.

The seven confirmed cases were among 2561 test results that came back to health officials between last Friday and Sunday. More than 85,000 tests have been carried out so far.

Four of the cases – one a visitor and three returning residents – came on the British Airways flight from London last Tuesday. All tested positive on their day four check-up.

There are 21 active cases, all of whom came in from overseas, made up of 13 returning residents and eight visitors. Nine people have died from the disease in The Bahamas. (Excerpt from CMC)

Amazon fires: Year-on-year numbers doubled in October

T

he number of fires blazing in Brazil’s Amazon region in October 2020 was more than double those in the same month last year, satellite data suggests.

The Institute of Space Research said there were 17,326 fires in the Amazon, compared to 7855 in October 2019.

Satellite data also suggests that there was a record number of fires in the Pantanal wetlands last month.

Campaigners say the Government is failing to stop the rise in fires, but the Government denies it is to

blame.

In July, the Government imposed a 120-day ban on setting fires and deployed the army to badly-hit areas, but the latest figures from Brazil’s National Institute of Space Research (Inpe) suggest the measures have not curbed the blazes.

Data released by Inpe on Sunday suggests there were 2856 fires in the Pantanal region in October, the biggest monthly figure since records began over 30 years ago.

President Jair Bolsonaro has not commented on the latest figures, but has previously dismissed data from Inpe

as flawed. He has also said the criticism levelled against his Government over the fires was “disproportionate”.

While the figures for October – traditionally a month when rains bring some relief – are particularly alarming, those for the year so far are also worrying environmentalists.

According to Inpe, 93,485 fires have been recorded in the Amazon so far this year – 25 per cent more than in the same period in 2019, when President Bolsonaro’s handling of the forest fires drew international condemnation.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Officials held a special ceremony as the site reopened

M

achu Picchu, the ancient city high in the Andes mountains, has reopened after nearly eight months of closure owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

Peruvian authorities organised an Incan ritual to thank the gods on Sunday as the major tourist attraction once again allowed visitors.

But numbers will be restricted to just 675 tourists a day for safety reasons, around 30 per cent of previous capacity.

The citadel was designated a Unesco World Heritage site in 1983.

Rediscovered in 1911 by a US explorer, the site is the most recognisable ruin from the Inca Empire, which dominated the Andes from the 1430s until the 1530s.

Archaeologists believe Machu Picchu, meaning old mountain in Quechua, was built as an estate in the 15th century for the Incan emperor Pachacuti. It was abandoned a century later when Spanish invaders conquered and colonised the region.

Now it is a major draw for Peru’s tourism industry. Tens of thousands of people in the mountainous

Cusco region rely on visitors for their livelihoods and have suffered owing to the coronavirus lockdown closure this year.

Reporters and tourists arrived for the ceremony on Sunday morning after a 90-minute trip from the Incan village of Ollantaytambo.

“Today, Machu Picchu reopens,” Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister Rocio Barrios said in a speech. New health and safety protocols show they are opening “with responsibility and great prudence”, he added. (Excerpt from BBC News)

China, Jamaica exploring greater collaboration in bilateral trade – Shaw

I

ndustry, Investment and Commerce Minister Audley Shaw says he is committed to exploring the possibilities of pursuing greater cooperation with the Government of China in several areas of trade and, in particular, assistance with the export of pork to China.

The Minister discussed the matter during a virtual meeting with China’s Ambassador to Jamaica, Tian Qi on Friday, October 30.

Shaw said that Jamaica and China have “enjoyed long-standing trade relations at the bilateral level”.

He also noted that China

was Jamaica’s 4th largest trading partner behind the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Canada.

The Ministry noted that China was also the largest trading partner in the English-speaking Caribbean. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil steadies as US presidential election looms

O

il prices edged up on Monday, shaking off earlier losses, as the United States heads into a contentious US presidential election.

The oil market has been under pressure in recent days, hit by concerns about weaker fuel demand as several European countries went into lockdown to curb the coronavirus. New infections spiked in the United States as well.

Brent crude rose 18 cents to US$38.12 a barrel by 11:10 am EST (1610 GMT). US West Texas Intermediate rose 18 cents to US$35.97 a barrel.

Both contracts fell more than US$2 earlier in the session.

Oil pared some losses after Japan’s export orders grew for the first time in two years and China’s factory activity rose to its highest in nearly a decade in October. Further, US manufacturing activity accelerated more than expected in October, with new orders jumping to their highest level in nearly 17 years.

US stock indexes, which energy futures at times track with, rose on Monday. Analysts said the election outcome most likely to shake equity markets in the near-term would be if there is no clear winner tonight, as several states remain where votes will need to be counted.

President Donald Trump will face off against Democratic candidate Joe Biden in the election, which has spiked concerns nationwide about turbulence and protests stemming from the results.

“The concerns over oil supply and demand fundamentals ... are going to play second fiddle to the U.S. presidential election and to how risk markets will react to the outcome,” said BNP Paribas analyst Harry Tchilinguirian.

Countries across Europe have reimposed lockdown measures to try to slow COVID-19 infection rates that have accelerated over the past month.

Global oil trading companies and analysts expect further demand destruction because of the resurgence of virus cases, though estimates differ.

Vitol sees winter demand at 96 million barrels per day (bpd) while Trafigura expects demand to drop to 92 million bpd or lower.

Rystad Energy sees demand peaking in 2028, instead of in 2030, and sees a slower recovery next year.

“The lockdowns will stunt economic recovery in the shortterm and in the long-term and the pandemic will also leave behind a legacy of behavioral changes that will also affect oil use,” said Rystad Energy’s Artyom Tchen.

Libyan supply stands at about 800,000 bpd, up more than 100,000 bpd from a few days ago, a Libyan source told Reuters on Saturday.

That, and the recent rebound in US operating rigs, is worrying investors concerned about supply again outpacing demand.

Output from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) rose for a fourth month in October, a Reuters survey found.

OPEC and allies including Russia are cutting output by about 7.7 million bpd to support prices. This OPEC+ group is scheduled to hold a policy meeting on Nov 30 and Dec 1, with some analysts expecting a postponement of plans to ramp up output by 2 million bpd from January.

Top managers of Russian oil companies discussed with Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak a possible extension of current oil output restrictions into the first quarter of 2021, Interfax news agency reported. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Rescuers race to save whales in Sri Lanka’s biggest stranding R escuers and volunteers were racing to save about 100 pilot whales stranded on Sri Lanka’s western coast in the island nation’s biggest mass beaching.

The short-finned pilot whales began beaching at Panadura, 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of Colombo, shortly before dusk on Monday and within an hour, their numbers swelled to approximately 100, local police chief Sanjaya Irasinghe told the AFP news agency.

“With the help of locals, we are trying to push them back [into the ocean],” Irasinghe said. “But they keep getting washed ashore.

We are getting help from the navy to rescue these

Sri Lankan volunteers try to push back a stranded short-finned pilot whale at the Panadura beach

whales.”

Sri Lanka’s Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA), which was sending its officials to help with the rescue opera-

tion, said it was the largest single pod of whales stranded in the country.

“It is very unusual for such a large number to reach our shores,” MEPA chief

Dharshani Lahandapura told AFP, adding that the cause of the stranding was not known.

“We think this is similar to the mass stranding in Tasmania in September.”

The beaching of 470 pilot whales in a remote harbour in Australia’s southern island state of Tasmania was the country’s largest.

About 110 of the creatures were saved in a days-long rescue effort.

Pilot whales, which can grow up to six metres (20 feet) long and weigh a tonne, are highly social.

The causes of mass strandings remain unknown despite scientists studying the phenomenon for decades.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Dozens killed in “brutal” western Ethiopia attack

A

rmed men in western Ethiopia have rounded up and executed dozens of men, women and children, in a “brutal” attack officials blamed on an armed group that is active in the region.

According to Amnesty International, Sunday’s attack on Gawa Qanqa village in Guliso District of West Wellega Zone took place a day after Government forces unexpectedly left the area.

The exact death toll was

not yet known. Amnesty, citing survivors, said on Monday at least 54 members of the Amhara ethnic group – Ethiopia’s second-largest – were killed. Earlier, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said in a statement the official death toll stood at 32 people but the actual number could be much higher.

The commission said the victims “were dragged from their homes and taken to a school, where they were

killed”, in a “massacre” that involved up to 60 “armed and unarmed assailants”.

There has been no claim of responsibility, but the Oromia regional government said the attackers belonged to the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), an armed group blamed for kidnappings and bomb attacks in western and southern Ethiopia.

Survivors of the attack who spoke to the Amhara region’s affiliated broad-

caster, Amhara Mass Media Agency, said ethnic Amharas were targeted.

Since December 2018, the Ethiopian army has been deployed in western and southern Oromia to combat the OLA’s armed campaign.

The incident is likely to further ramp up pressure on Abiy, winner of last year’s Nobel Peace Prize, to improve security in a country struggling with rising ethnic violence. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Vienna shooting “apparent terror attack” – Interior Minister spokesman told AP news agency that at least one suspect was taken into custody after the incident, which also sparked attention because of its vicinity of a synagogue.

Jewish community lead-

er Oskar Deutsch said on Twitter that it was not clear whether the Vienna synagogue and adjoining offices had been the target of an attack, and said they were closed at the time. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Ravaged by 1st wave, Italy ill-prepared as 2nd COVID assault hits

Armed police patrol at the area around the state opera in central Vienna following a shooting near a synagogue

S

everal people, including a police officer, have been injured in central Vienna amid exchanges of fire, the city’s police department said, while the Interior Minister has called the incident “an apparent terror attack” carried out by several men.

Interior Minister Karl Nehammer on Monday told Austrian broadcaster ORF: “At the moment I can confirm we believe this is an apparent terror attack.”

Earlier, the city’s police department said on Twitter that the exact circumstances of the incident were still being determined.

“Shots fired in the Inner

City district – there are persons injured – KEEP AWAY from all public places or public transport,” read the police tweet.

Austrian news service APA, quoting the Interior Ministry, said one attacker was killed and that another is believed to be on the run.

Kronen Zeitung newspaper reported a large police operation in Schwedenplatz square.

Vienna Police urged people not to share video and photos via social media.

“This jeopardises police forces as well as the civilian population,” they said on Twitter.

The Interior Ministry

O

ne month ago, the World Health Organisation posted a video praising Italians’ “strong and effective response” to the coronavirus pandemic.

At the time, Italy had one of the lowest infection rates in the Western world and appeared to have learnt the lessons of the first wave, which killed more people than anywhere else in Europe except Britain.

Now it appears that Italy, ahead of the rest of Europe when COVID-19 arrived, was simply behind the curve when it roared back as summer ended. New cases are rising at record rates, hitting 31,758 on Oct 31 against around 2500 at the start of the month, while deaths are up tenfold to more than 200 a day.

To be sure, many north-

ern hemisphere countries are also facing a coronavirus resurgence. But just as Italy became a symbol of the perils of the virus, so its inability to protect against a second wave has underscored Europe’s failure to use the summer lull to bolster its defences, notably in tracing and testing.

“It is a monumental debacle. The fact that Italy is in the same situation as other countries in Europe is no comfort to me,” virologist Andrea Crisanti told Reuters. “We had five months to strengthen our surveillance, tracking and prevention systems and instead we are heading towards a new lockdown.”

The Government said it wants to avoid another national lockdown and denies failing to anticipate a second wave. (Excerpt from Reuters)

20

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

Take a closer look at places you want to visit or courses you wish to take. Expanding your options and adding to your resume will help you find a more rewarding path.

Romance is in the stars.

You'll be offered invalid TAURUS information from someone (April 20you thought trustworthy.

May 20) Verify what you hear before you pass along anything that will make you look bad. You are only as good as your word.

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Don't get upset over things you cannot change.

Taking a unique approach to your responsibilities will set you apart from any competition you face.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Align yourself reliable people. Be direct, and refuse to make a decision or move without verification.

Self-improvement is favored.

VIRGO

Offer suggestions, but don't force your opinions on others. It's crucial to maintain peace and integrity going forward. If uncertainty sets in, back away. Don't mix business with pleasure.

PEANUTS

(Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO

SUDOKU

Your charm and flirtatious ways will work wonders for you. Keep your promises and avoid giving someone the wrong impression. Make personal improvements, fitness and health priorities.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Learn all you can and look for ways to improve your health, appearance, knowledge and relationships with others. Distance yourself from individuals who are demanding, excessive or disruptive.

Walk away from situations that appear risky and avoid people who are trying to take advantage of you. Think twice before you donate money or get involved in a costly venture.

Keep an open dialogue to offset accusations of evasive behavior. Don't let a money matter get out of hand. Joint ventures are discouraged.

If you say something in haste, you will regret it. You are better off biding your time and listening to others. You may want change, but sound judgment and proper motives are essential.

Make positive changes at home that will add to your comfort and bring you closer to your loved ones. Put muscle behind your plans.

Romance is favored.

If you are too quick to react, you will upset someone you love. Make a change that can help you get back on track or encourage a better way to earn a living.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020

21

Jason Holder: from unsold at the auction to key performer for Sunrisers Hyderabad

J

ason Holder wouldn't have been in the United Arab Emirates had Mitchell Marsh not hurt his ankle. He might not have featured in the playing XI had Kane Williamson's thigh injury not forced a rejig of plans.

But here he is and, though he may not have taken the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 by storm, he has made enough important contributions in a short time to keep the Sunrisers Hyderabad alive in the tournament.

Over the years, the Sunrisers have been a bowling team. But when Bhuvneshwar Kumar was ruled out because of a thigh injury and Siddarth Kaul failed to step up, their fast-bowling resources seemed bereft of experience. Although Sandeep Sharma swung the new ball and T Natarajan nailed the yorkers at the death, the Sunrisers lacked the glue to keep their seam attack together.

That aside, the Sunrisers’ problems were manifold. In the absence of an experienced Indian batsman, their mid-

dle order was looking shaky. That meant Williamson could not be dropped. With David Warner, Jonny Bairstow and Rashid Khan being shoo-ins for the other overseas spots, Holder had to wait on the sidelines.

At the very first opportunity he got – as a replacement for the injured Williamson against the Rajasthan Royals – Holder made an impact. Playing his first IPL game since 2016, Holder picked up three wickets and effected a run-out as the Sunrisers restricted the Royals to a below-par 154 for 6, which Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar helped chase down with ease.

Before the IPL, Holder had a successful outing in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) where he led the Barbados Tridents. Although the Tridents finished second from last, Holder was their best player with 192 runs at an average of 21.33 with a strike rate of 140.14 and 10 wickets at an economy of 6.63. But having not been bought at the IPL auction, Holder had other plans: when he was called up as a replacement for Marsh, he was on a vacation.

"I left a vacation to come here and play; I left the missus," Holder said to the IPL website after the Royals game. "It was hard enough making the decision to come over and play. I am glad I did, and to get the opportunity tonight and making use of it, it is a pleasing feeling."

In the next match, against the Kings XI Punjab, he again made telling contributions. Using the slower ball to good effect, Holder picked up the wickets of Chris Gayle and Chris Jordan and, suddenly, the Sunrisers seemed to have found the leader of their pace attack.

Even though the Sunrisers lost that game chasing a paltry 127, the team management quickly understood Holder's role was important: he provided balance and experience in both the bowling and batting departments.

When Williamson returned, the Sunrisers made room for Holder by replacing Bairstow with Wriddhiman Saha.

Leaving Bairstow out was a gamble, but Saha's 87 off 45 balls ensured it paid off as the Sunrisers beat the Delhi Capitals emphatically.

Before Holder came into the side, the Sunrisers were forced to save Sandeep Sharma's two overs for the backend of the innings. But with Holder and Natarajan now sharing the responsibility at the death, Warner could use Sharma and his swing for three overs upfront. That resulted in the Sunrisers picking up the most wickets (41) by any team in the second half of the tournament, with

Estwick backing Pooran for Test debut soon

W

est Indies Assistant Coach Roddy Estwick wants to see highly-regarded left-hander Nicholas Pooran playing the longest format within a year.

The 25-year-old has so far only played international white-ball cricket for the West Indies, but Estwick said the Trinidadian was a “tremendous player” who possessed the ability to excel in Tests.

“I saw him at age 17 play one of the best innings I’ve probably ever seen, in Sharjah in the 2014 [Under-19] World Cup,” Estwick said ahead of West Indies’ departure for the tour of New Zealand.

“How exciting was that carrying the team on his own and making [143] out of 208 and it just shows you what a tremendous player he is, and he’s just gone from strength to strength.”

Pooran has emerged as one of the West Indies’ most consistent batsmen of recent in One-Day Internationals where he averages 49 from 25 matches.

Ironically, he made a ‘duck’ on his debut last year January against England, but went on to hit a hundred and five half-centuries en route to averaging 44 in the calendar year.

His form has prompted calls from legendary former players like Michael Holding for his inclusion in the Test team, despite having played only three First-Class matches six years ago.

Estwick, who was Head Coach of the West Indies Under-19 squad at the 2014 International Cricket

Council (ICC) event in the United Arab Emirates, said the quality of Pooran’s preparation made him the ideal candidate for the longest version.

“What I like about him is his preparation – his attention to detail,” Estwick explained.

“He’s a hard-working guy and he wants to learn; he wants to talk, he wants to discuss cricket and for any young man, that’s the way forward.

“My dream would be to see Nicholas Pooran playing Test cricket within the next 12 months, because I think he is that good where he can play all formats of cricket.”

Pooran has been named in the Twenty20 squad for this month-end three-match series against New Zealand, and is expected to join the Caribbean side after fulfilling his commitments to Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

White-ball Captain Kieron Pollard, along with Test Captain Jason Holder, Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul and Oshane Thomas are all also campaigning in the IPL, and will also join the touring party in New Zealand afterwards.

West Indies will also play two Tests against the Black Caps in the tour which runs from November 27 to December 15.

The Caribbean-based players departed the Region on Tuesday. (CMC)

Holder, Sharma, and Rashid Khan leading the way with eight scalps each and Natarajan just behind at seven.

They also have the best average (21.00) and best economy rate (7.23) in that period.

Against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Holder proved his worth with the bat as well after registering figures of 2 for 27. The Sunrisers were playing with only four established batsmen and all of them were back in the hut at 87 for 4 in a chase of 121. The scenes of their botchedup chase against the Kings XI would have flashed in front of their eyes, but, valuing his experience, the Sunrisers promoted Holder ahead of Abdul Samad.

Holder used his long levers to smash three sixes and a four in an unbeaten 26 off 10 balls and, with calmness, took the panic-stricken Sunrisers home.

"It has been a while since I played in the IPL," he said after the victory. "For me, I was just longing for another opportunity and I got an opportunity this time. So just trying to make the most of it."

In the 2020 IPL auction, Holder had listed his reserve price at INR 75 lakh, but, despite being consistently ranked among the top two all-rounders in Test cricket, a format in which he is the West Indies Captain, Holder didn't attract any bids.

This is his second stint with the Sunrisers – he played for them in 2014 as well. But having come in without any expectations this time, he has become an unexpected key performer for them.

The pitches in the UAE have offered bounce and pace to seamers, which has worked in Holder's favour. He has also been tasked with playing cameos in the lower order, which he is more than capable of. With eight wickets in four games and a decisive knock with the bat, Holder has definitely made the most of his chances.

On November 5, Holder will turn 29. An advance birthday gift would be helping the Sunrisers make the play-offs by registering victory in their final league match today against defending champions and title favourites Mumbai Indians. (ESPNcricinfo)

Charges dropped against Barnwell

I

nternational and Guyanese cricketer Christopher Barnwell is now a happier man as charges that were laid against him for a March 23, 2019 incident have been dropped.

It was reported that on March 23, 2019, Barnwell engaged in a matchup which saw the Police Force battle another team in a friendly encounter. It was alleged that during the fixture Barnwell caused bodily harm to Trevor Benn as this stemmed after an argument between the two. The matter was henceforth reported, and Barnwell was charged.

Later that year, Barnwell appeared before Principal Magistrate Sherdel IsaacsMarcus and was charged with assaulting a Police Officer.

One year lat-

er, the matter was heard on October 30, 2020 at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts by Magistrate Rondel Weever and the charges were dropped against Barnwell. The Magistrate found that the Prosecutor failed to prove the elements of the offence.

Barnwell was represented by Attorneya t - L a w Savannah Barnwell.

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020

Dhawan, Rahane fifties seal 2nd place for Capitals; RCB make play-offs too

CLASSIFIED ADS FOR SALE Miracle Herb Products. Have one of the most effective Herbal Cancer treatment. Call today, you would not regret. Call: 612-8944 Or 688-3663

Service House Plan Drawing Estimates. K. Lakeram Building Contractor. Call us: 216-0671/692-846 or WhatsApp: 622-0267

SPIRITUALITY Having Problems with Marriage/ Love Relationships, Health, Job, Money, Removal of Obstacles of any kind. Meet me once and change your life. Address : Georgetown and Grove Call 688-2135 Are you suffering from Health, Money, Job, Marriage Relationships problems, Removal of Blockage/ Evil Spirits, Clear Negative Energy, Permanent Protection. Address : Vlissengen Road, Kitty. Call: 6961857 for appointment.

Virat Kohli with Marcus Stoinis and Rishabh Pant of Delhi Capitals after the match

H

alf-centuries from Ajinkya Rahane and Shikhar Dhawan ensured the Delhi Capitals finished second on the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 points table as they beat the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by six wickets in Abu Dhabi.

They will now face the table toppers, the Mumbai Indians, in the first qualifier in Dubai on

Thursday.

While they lost, the Royal Challengers also sealed a playoff spot by taking the game deep enough to ensure their net run rate stayed above that of the Kolkata Knight Riders, who are currently fourth.

After being put in, the Royal Challengers never really hit the top gear despite Devdutt Padikkal's half-century and AB de Villiers' 35 off 21 balls towards the end. Whenever the Royal Challengers tried to break free, they were pegged back by a wicket or two. As a result, they could manage only 152 for 7.

Once Dhawan and Rahane put the Capitals on the victory path, the next number for the Royal Challengers was 17.3.

They needed to stretch the game at least till 17.3 overs to ensure their net run rate stayed above the Kolkata Knight Riders'.

Despite the dew, the Royal Challengers spinners – Shahbaz Ahmed, Washington Sundar, and Yuzvendra Chahal – stepped up and made sure the Capitals reached their target only in 19 overs.

Rabada gets his first powerplay wicket in a quiet start The Capitals bowlers did

well to keep Padikkal and Josh Philippe quiet at the start. It was not that the two did not show any intent; Philippe, in particular, played many a pull and drive, but struggled with timing and placement. With just 25 on the board at the end of the fourth over, Philippe tried to loft Kagiso Rabada inside-out, but failed to middle it. Prithvi Shaw backtracked at covers to cling on to

the chance, giving Rabada his first wicket in the powerplay this season.

Padikkal, though, didn't miss out whenever an opportunity

deploy drive, chip, cut or late cut to find the square boundary.

But once the field was spread out, R Ashwin and Axar Patel varied their pace intelligently to strangle the Royal Challengers.

Virat Kohli tried to take on Patel.

Using his feet, Kohli tried to loft him over long-on, but the ball hit the inner half. However, Anrich Nortje lost his footing while taking the catch and the ball popped out of his hands.

Capitals thwart Royal Challengers' attempt to accelerate With the Royal Challengers on 60 for 1 after 10 overs, Kohli tried to cut loose. He started with driving Rabada over extra cover before clearing long-on against Patel. But his charge was cut short by someone who had never dismissed him in T20s before. Ashwin got Kohli out for the first time in 20 innings as he failed to clear deep midwicket.

Padikkal too struggled after his initial burst. From being 21 off 14 balls at the end of the powerplay, he managed only 29 in the next 27 balls. He brought up his fifth half-century of the season – off 40 balls – but fell on the next ball to Nortje. The Royal Challengers promoted Chris Morris, but he too departed in

Shikhar Dhawan raises his bat after scoring a fifty

ensure the Royal Challengers crossed 150.

Dhawan gets Capitals off to quick start After fetching two ducks in his last two innings, Dhawan was welcomed with a low full toss from Morris, which the batsman dispatched through covers. Two balls later, Morris overpitched again and Dhawan drove it through covers. In the next over, Shaw too hit Mohammad Siraj for a couple of fours before the bowler straightened one off the seam to beat the outside edge to hit the off stump.

The wicket didn't deter Dhawan, who kept finding boundaries from the other end.

After a slow start, Rahane too hit his stride and the two took the side to 53 for 1 at the end of the powerplay.

Kohli brought on the spinners to stem the flow of runs. While there was little turn on offer, the move worked as the

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE INNINGS (20 OVERS MAXIMUM) JR Philippe c Shaw b Rabada D Padikkal b Nortje V Kohli (c) c Stoinis b Ashwin AB de Villiers † run out (Rahane/†Pant) CH Morris c †Pant b Nortje S Dube c Rahane b Rabada Washington Sundar not out I Udana c Iyer b Nortje Shahbaz Ahmed not out

12 50 29 35 0 17 0 4 1

4 152/7

Did not bat: Mohammed Siraj, YS Chahal Fall of wickets: 1-25 (Josh Philippe, 4.1 ov), 2-82 (Virat Kohli, 12.3 ov), 3-112 (Devdutt Padikkal, 15.4 ov), 4-112 (Chris Morris, 15.6 ov), 5-145 (Shivam Dube, 18.6 ov), 6-146 (AB de Villiers, 19.2 ov), 7-150 (Isuru Udana, 19.4 ov)

presented itself, mostly in the form of a short and wide delivery outside off. He was quick to

the same over. De Villiers and Shivam Dube got a few in their slot and added 33 in 18 balls to

Capitals managed only two fours from overs 7 to 11. Still, both Dhawan and Rahane brought up their fifties in 37 balls to keep the Capitals ahead of the asking rate.

Spinners save the day for Royal Challengers With their 88-run stand for the second wicket, Dhawan and Rahane had brought down the equation to 46 required from 45 balls when the former lapped Ahmed to short fine leg.

Two overs later, Shreyas Iyer too holed out against Ahmed, while Sundar got Rahane on the second ball of the 18th over.

After Dhawan's dismissal, the Capitals failed to hit a single boundary till the penultimate over as Ahmed, Sundar, and Chahal combined to concede only 79 in 12 overs while picking up three wickets. That enabled the Royal Challengers to sneak into the playoffs, even though they couldn't stop the Capitals' victory march. (ESPNcricinfo)

One mature live-in housekeeper.

Must know to cook. Preferably out of town. One receptionist to work in hotel. Must be fluent in Spanish.

One Cleaner to work in hotel.

One Cook for hotel must know to prepare Spanish meals. All positions require Food Handlers Permit and Police Clearance.Call: 681-8140 Office Assistant - P.A.Y.E and N.I.S Knowledge -2 years minimum experience. Lot 8 Sheriff Street, Subryanville. mimadecor12@gmail. com 227-0176/86

SCOREBOARD

Extras (b 1, w 3)

TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 7.6)

Ajinkya Rahane raises his bat after scoring a fifty

VACANCY

BOWLING DR Sams R Ashwin A Nortje K Rabada AR Patel

4-0-40-0 4-0-18-1 4-0-33-3 4-0-30-2 4-0-30-0

DELHI CAPITALS INNINGS (TARGET: 153 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS) PP Shaw b Mohammed Siraj S Dhawan c Dube b Shahbaz Ahmed AM Rahane c Dube b Washington Sundar SS Iyer (c) c Mohammed Siraj b Shahbaz Ahmed RR Pant † not out MP Stoinis not out

9 54 60 7 8 10

Extras (lb 3, w 3) TOTAL (19 Ov, RR: 8.1) 154/4

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

NOW!

6

Did not bat: AR Patel, DR Sams, R Ashwin, K Rabada, A Nortje Fall of wickets: 1-19 (Prithvi Shaw, 1.5 ov), 2-107 (Shikhar Dhawan, 12.4 ov), 3-130 (Shreyas Iyer, 16.2 ov), 4-136 (Ajinkya Rahane, 17.2 ov) BOWLING CH Morris Mohammed Siraj Washington Sundar I Udana YS Chahal Shahbaz Ahmed

2-0-19-0 3-0-29-1 4-0-24-1 2-0-24-0 4-0-29-0 4-0-26-2

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

23

GFF President hints at massive support for RMAs I

t was recently disclosed exclusively to Guyana Times Sport that the Regional Member Associations (RMAs) of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) are in for some support.

GFF President Wayne Forde let the cat out of the bag during an interview with this publication, while sharing that the support was multifaceted.

The holistic support that the RMAs will soon benefit from is expected to boost their capacity.

This disclosure was made by President Forde, who shared that the support would be more than just the usual training and equipment.

“In another couple of, maybe in another week or two weeks, we will be making public the tremendous

and unprecedented support that the Regional Member Associations will be receiving. Not just in equipment, in training and all the tools that they need to operate their football, but also in funding,” Forde revealed.

Revealing a little more about the project, Forde noted that the cash and kind that would be provided could be seen as an avenue for the RMAs to do some catching up after the time lost to the coronavirus pandemic that has halted football for over eight months.

“You will know exactly what amount will be allocated to various categories of competition and you’ll also know the tools that we’ll be giving to the Regional Member Associations and our affiliates to ensure they can now go out and execute and accelerate the work that we have to

do to give ourselves some chance to catch up on the time lost in 2020,” the GFF President said.

The GFF boss went on to share that he anticipated the announcement would be one that would be greatly appreciated by football enthusiasts and the general public.

“I think that will be a very interesting sharing of information that we’re sure the entire public will be pleased as to how those plans will unfold,” Forde explained.

There are nine RMAs that fall under the GFF: the Bartica, Berbice, East Coast Demerara, East Bank Demerara, Essequibo/Pomeroon, Georgetown, Rupununi, Upper Demerara, and West Demerara Football Associations. (Jemima Holmes)

GABF sets guidelines A Tribute to George for return to basketball Braithwaite — By Errol Caetano, Guyana’s former T Caribbean Champion representative and Canadian national team member

I

n respect to my good friend George Braithwaite. I was introduced to George when I was 15 years old at the CNE in Toronto by Derek Wall, another old friend that has passed.

Seeing that we were both from British Guiana, now known as Guyana, we slowly developed a friendship and, over the years, became not only good friends but also competitors.

I admired George not only for his talent, but his dedication to the sport and to his training. He was strict with himself, both physically and mentally. Anyone who knew George would agree with me, he was in it one hundred and ten per cent.

George was not only a table tennis player but a track and field star as well back home. A natural athlete that once he put his mind to something he would not quit until he had completed it to the best of his ability.

We had many hard-fought matches and many good times together. In 1971, we were lucky enough to be invited to China after the world championships in Nagoya, Japan. George was on the American team and me on the Canadian team; it was a life-changing experience not only for us but I think for the sport in North America.

In 1972, I was invited to play for Guyana in the Caribbean Table Tennis Championships in Trinidad where I had the honour of playing with George not only as a teammate but also playing in the doubles event with him. The team consisting of George, Gordon Stevens, Garth Isaacs, and myself were fortunate enough to win the team event – the men’s doubles and I managed to beat Robert Earl of Barbados in the final of the men’s singles. It was a very successful tournament for Guyana, and George was very proud of that.

We were then invited back to Guyana following the tournament for a little celebration, where we spent a few quality days together.

George then returned in later years to win the singles title himself and that's the determination I am speaking of: never quit until you succeed.

One more thing I would like to say about the Chief: he was so approachable, he would speak to anyone at any time whether it was for some advice or just a question. BUT my hat is off to George, he would practise with anyone who asked him and I will tell you from experience, not many players would and that is one thing I took from George, never put anyone down who is trying to get ahead in the sport; you don't realise how important that few minutes are to them.

Rest in peace, my good friend; you have touched many people's lives in a positive way.

he second edition of FIBA’s Restart Guidelines – authored by Dr Peter Harcourt, FIBA Medical Commission Chairman following consultations with FIBA COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group (MAG), Medical Commission and Players Commission – has taken a step in the right direction.

The guidelines are primarily for national federations who are looking for guidance on the restart of basketball activities/competitions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. They are now available for national federations and leagues.

The purpose of these guidelines are to offer direction a n d advice for the restart of bask e t ball activities and competitions.

It is important to note that the guidelines are not intended to replace the guidance and restrictions of the Government of Guyana via the Health Ministry and the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry.

The FIBA COVID-19 MAG has been regularly reviewing the latest scientific knowledge as well as all the information including know-how, best practices and challenges in the context of the return to basket-

The last 3x3 activity held was in 2019

bal l , that h a v e been provided by those national federations and l e a g u e s which have resumed their basketball activities and competitions. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has revised the first version of the Risk Assessment Tool for sport event organisers to provide an overview of the process for determining the risk of COVID-19 spread. The FIBA MAG has reflected the following updated scientific evidence on both COVID-19 and mass gatherings, as well as the valuable input and feedback from national federa-

tions and leagues:

FIBA Return to Basketball Guidelines 2.0

* Inclusion of the aspect regarding the COVID-19 spread through aerosol; and * Addition of specific risk mitigation considerations to support professional leagues as well as national competitions in their restarts

Basketball Risk Assessment Tool 2.0

* Inclusion of the aspects regarding the possibility of modification of event delivery format; * Addition of the Decision Tree; and * Addition of the Risk Communication tab as communication of the COVID-19 risk to individu-

als in a mass gathering is considered as important as the other factors for risk assessment.

In commenting on the guidelines, the GABF notes it considers the well-being as well as the mental and physical health of all involved in our sport to be of paramount importance.

We are thankful to the experts from the FIBA, WHO, the NBA and other national federations and leagues involved in this important work. In addition to the FIBA Repository of Restart Protocols made available recently, we hope this second edition of the Restart Guidelines will further assist you as you plan your restarts and, therefore a safe return to basketball and 3x3 basketball competitions.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020

Sport is no longer our game, it’s our business

guyanatimesgy.com

GFF President hints at massive support for RMAs Pg 23

Errol Caetano and the late George Braithwaite

A Tribute to George Braithwaite — By Errol Caetano, Guyana’s former Caribbean Champion representative and Canadian national team member See story on page 23

Dhawan, Rahane fifties seal 2nd place for Capitals; RCB make play-offs too

Pg 22

GABF sets guidelines for return to basketball See story on page 23

GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, NEWS HOTLINE: 231-8063 EDITORIAL: 223-7230, 223-7231, 231-0544, 225-7761 SPORT: sport@guyanatimesgy.com SALES AND MARKETING: 231-8064 - marketing@guyanatimesgy.com - PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC.