Guyana Times -- Tuesday, September 22, 2020

US recommits its support to strengthen Guyana’s electoral system P12

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4416

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020

President Ali urges UN to mobilise resources to alleviate poverty Page 3

– lauds UN as “distinctive and unrivalled force for good”

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

“Sleeping” P10 driver gets $200,000 bail for causing death of Zeeburg fish vendor

CJIA expansion project

Patterson made decision not to charge CHEC for delays – Project Manager …President flays all parties for disastrous project

Dredge owner crushed by P10 skidder P2 Guyana records 67th COVID-19 death; 133 new cases in 24h

Page 11

…tells CHEC to fix it and stick to original contract

Samuel Barkoye, Rovin Lall top NGSA with 525 marks each – improvements in English, Science, Social Studies; Mathematics records a "marginal" decline Pages 13&17

Samuel Barkoye – 525 marks

Christopher Jones sues State for P14 unlawful arrest, seizure of barbershop equipment

…lawsuit frivolous, vexatious; should be dismissed – Attorney General

Rovin Lall – 525 marks

Alexander Singh – 524 marks

Brandon Ramdin – 523 marks

Lianna Dharampaul – 523 marks

Britney Peters – 521 marks

Dhanesh Tularam – 521 marks

Gabriel Felix – 521 marks

Charisma Etwaroo – 520 marks

Robert Forrester – 520 marks

Salmah Bacchus – 520 marks

Yuki Clarke – 520 marks

Fisherman arraigned for murder of P8 father of 2

2 NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana records 67th COVID-19 death; 133 new cases in 24h

T

he Health Ministry on Monday announced that two other persons have died from COVID-19, bringing the total to 67 thus far.

The latest deaths are a 67-year-old man of Region One (Barima-Waini), who died while receiving care at the specialised medical facility and a 57-year-old woman, also of Region One. The samples were collected from the patients at the time of admission and tested positive for COVID-19 subsequently.

Officials of the Ministry have since contacted all relatives and persons who may have been exposed to the now dead persons to facilitate contact tracing.

Meanwhile, a whopping 133 new cases were recorded in just 24 hours, thus raising the total number of persons infected to 2402. There are 16 persons in the Intensive Care Unit, 860 on home isolation and 60 in institutional quarantine. Thus far, 1359 persons have recovered.

The updated dashboard showed that 1251 men and 1151 women were infected from the virus thus far.

The Ministry’s regional breakdown showed that 24 new cases were detected in Region One (BarimaWaini), one in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), 19 in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 80 in Region

Four (Demerara-Mahaica), two in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), four in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), one in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and two in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

There were no increases in Regions Five (MahaicaBerbice) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) with positives remaining at 13 and 340 respectively.

On Sunday, a 51-yearold man from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) died while receiving care at the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

On Friday, a 71-yearold man from Region One (Barima-Waini) and a 63-year-old man from Region Four also succumbed to the deadly virus.

Guyana would have recorded 10 deaths from the novel coronavirus over the past week.

Since taking office, the PPP/C Government has embarked on a massive testing drive to ensure that all positive cases, especially asymptomatic cases, are detected.

Nevertheless, the Public Health Ministry continues to urge all Guyanese to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No 9) which are in effect until September 30, 2020. This order em-

phasises, among other things, the need for correct and consistent use of face masks when leaving home; the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others, and the need for good hand hygiene to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Persons displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or in need of any additional information are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline on 231-1166, 226-7480 or 6246674 immediately or visit www.health.gov.gy.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are over 15.4 million coronavirus cases in the region of the Americans with more than 527,800 deaths.

The WHO said on Sunday that an additional 114,038 cases and 2536 deaths were reported in the past 24 hours, representing a 0.74 per cent relative increase in cases and a 0.48 per cent relative increase in deaths, compared to the previous day.

Jamaica (4.8 per cent), Bahamas (4.3 per cent), and Trinidad and Tobago (3.4 per cent) reported the highest relative increase in cases compared to the previous day.

Globally, there have been 30,675,675 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 954,417 deaths, reported to WHO.

NEWS

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, September 22 – 09:00h – 10:30h and Wednesday, September 23 – 09:30h – 11:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, September 22 – 07:35h – 09:05h and Wednesday, September 23 – 08:30h – 10:00h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Expect sunshine during the day. There will be clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius.

Winds: South South-Easterly to Easterly to East North-Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 07:54h and 20:07h reaching maximum heights of 2.55 metres and 2.55 metres.

Low Tide: 13:42h reaching a minimum height of 0.75 metre.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2020

LOTTERY NUMBERS E

05 09 12

17 21 26

FREE TICKET

01 Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

05 06 10 11 15 LUCKY 3

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

2

2

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2020

9

8

Afternoon Draw

7

6

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

01

04

07

08

12 18 20

PAY DAY

SUPER PAY DAY

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2020

01 02 11 12 16

05 09 11 14 18

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

$41.44/barrel

-4.13

Rough Rice

$220.23/ton

+0.06

London Sugar

$371.50/ton

Live Spot Gold

0

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1909.70

$1910.80

Low/High

$1879.40

$1955.90

Change

-2.70

-0.14%

President Ali urges UN to mobilise resources to alleviate poverty

– lauds UN as “distinctive and unrivalled force for good”

G

uyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali, during his maiden address to the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, pointed out that despite all the attempts to combat global poverty, it is very disheartening to see millions still suffering.

“As we reflect on the state of our world, seventy-five years after the bold step to establish the United Nations, it is disheartening to note that millions of the world’s people are still living in poverty. Eradicating this scourge remains the greatest global challenge and the first priority for our Group. We must remind ourselves that poverty entails more than a lack of income or productive resources for sustainable livelihoods. It affects many aspects of life and it impedes the achievement of many of the Sustainable Development Goals,” the President said during his virtual address on behalf of Guyana and the Group of 77 and China.

The Group of 77 is the largest intergovernmental organisation of developing countries in the United Nations, which provides the means for the countries of the South to articulate and promote their collective economic interests and enhance their joint negotiat-

President, Dr Irfaan Ali during his maiden address to the United Nations General Assembly

ing capacity on all major international economic issues within the United Nations system, and promote SouthSouth cooperation for development. Guyana is currently the Chair of the Group.

The UN General Assembly was held virtually under the theme “The future we want, the United Nations we need: reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism” to commemorate the body’s 75th anniversary.

However, President Ali noted that it is imperative to recommit to ideals that ensure the dignity and worth of every person is respected, and to foster the attainment of social progress and better standards of living for all. He noted that it is imperative that strong and positive signals are

sent in an effort to reassure the world of the UN’s commitment to multilateralism and our resolve to strive for peace, justice and development.

“Mr President, just five years ago, we adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals as a blueprint and compass to address these challenges. We cannot fail

in this aspiration. The 2030 Agenda reflects the major poverty-environmental challenges facing the world’s population: depleted natural capital, climate vulnerability, gender inequality, rural-urban migration and growing resource demands – all of which disproportionately harm the livelihoods and well-being of the poor,” he said.

In addition, Ali posited that the global COVID-19 pandemic has undermined many of the developmental gains over the past decades and brought, to the fore, development bottlenecks faced by developing countries. He explained that those issues range from insufficient financing, inadequate market access for goods and services, the expanding digital divide, restrictions in accessing needed pharmaceuticals and medical supplies and reductions in revenue from tourism and exports, among others.

TURN TO PAGE 7

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guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 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

Political maturity

A

fter a full week of debates, the National Assembly is now in the process of considering the estimates for the current and capital expenditures outlined in the $330 billion Emergency Budget brought by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration mere weeks after it took office in early August.

As we had stated before, bringing a Budget in such a short period of time is quite commendable, considering the fact that normally undertaking such a task would take over three months. It meant, therefore, that from the time the new government was sworn in to office, it was engaged in working non-stop to understand what the country’s financial situation was at the time and plan for the remainder of the financial year.

As expected, the first day of the consideration of the estimates saw a high level of scrutiny from Opposition Members of the House, with both sides firing salvoes at each other.

Robust questioning is always welcome, and constructive criticism is a normal part of healthy democratic practices.

However, one has to be careful that one does not criticise for criticising’s sake. It would be good for the Opposition to identify programmes included in the Budget that it could collaborate with the Government on and work together in ensuring they are successfully implemented, since at the end of the day, all Guyanese will benefit.

In essence, while the criticisms of the Budget have been noted, one also has to look at the positives. To say that there is nothing in the Budget for the ordinary man is an attempt to misrepresent the facts. We have seen huge sums being allocated towards housing and water, education, health, and agriculture among others.

The housing drive which the then PPP/C Government embarked upon prior to 2015 will recommence and will result in many Guyanese across the ethnic and political divide owning their own homes.

Further, the many development and infrastructure-related projects will not only benefit supporters of the ruling party, all Guyanese will benefit, in spite of race or political affiliation.

Additionally, a perusal of the Budget shows that there are several provisions aimed at bringing relief to families and giving a boost to businesses that have been squeezed over the past months. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had, in fact, quantified the money persons will save or receive is in the region of $20 billion.

One measure aimed at providing direct assistance to families is the $25,000 cash grant per household. Also, the old age pension will be increased to $25,000 per month. This is in addition to pensioners receiving free water, with the overall removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on electricity and water.

When it comes to schoolchildren, the Government will be implementing, effective from January 1, 2020, a $15,000 cash grant for children and a further $4000 uniform voucher allowance. This assistance will greatly assist families to offset educational expenses, such as stationery and other items, especially considering the fact that some students will now be engaging in academic learning at home.

Further, tax concessions will be granted for persons operating in the mining, agriculture and forestry sectors. For years now, these sectors have been crying out for attention from the Government; many of the operators have had to downsize or close their operations altogether.

These are just some of the measures that were catered for in Budget 2020. From what we have seen so far, the economic policy of the Government has been very inclusive and wellthought-out. We are confident that once the Budget is passed, the economy will begin to show signs of a turnaround and this positive effect will trickle down to ordinary citizens.

Even though the figures in the Budget may sound abstract to some persons, the Government has ensured that every citizen benefits in some way. The naysayers will always have something negative to say about the Budget, but as Guyanese wanting to see the country move forward, it is necessary that citizens look beyond politics and play their part in ensuring that Guyana is made a better place for all citizens.

The Government must be applauded for taking immediate steps to provide assistance to families and in a broader sense, reverse the downward trend of the economy. Our hope is that a more mature approach will be adopted by Members of the House in confronting the developmental challenges of the nation.

President, Dr Irfaan Ali and Chief Executive Officer of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, Ramesh Ghir in discussion on Monday during an assessment tour of Guyana’s main port of entry (DPI photo)

Cannonballing the sugar industry Dear Editor, The Agriculture Minister, the Honourable Zulfikar Mustapha’s words will reverberate in the minds of Guyanese for a long time to come when he profoundly declared to the coalition in Parliament that sugar had “lost its taste” under the APNU/AFC Administration, but the “sweetness of sugar” will return under the PPP/C Government.

No doubt the coalition did everything in their power to make sugar bitter and unpalatable as the Minister reminded Khemraj Ramjattan of the ultimate insult he cast on the industry by scornfully referring to it as a “black hole” which was robbing the other sectors of financial resources. He even blamed the sugar industry for the wages and salaries woes of the public servants.

He unabashedly claimed that “cane sugar days are over and the rightsizing the coalition did was very much in order” but this was the same man who during the 2015 election campaign had promised the sugar workers 20 per cent wages increase and “vowed” to make sugar profitable again. What Ramjattan should have accepted is the fact that even the “right-sizing” was a miserable failure since the APNU/AFC never had the will to bring sugar back alive, they wanted it dead just to spite the sugar workers who are perceived as PPP/C supporters.

It is also evidenced that in his induced amnesiac state, Ramjattan did not mention the findings of the multimillion-dollar CoI which his Government had carried out which recommended no closure of any estate but a fiveyear plan to turnaround the

industry. When the coalition spoke about “right-sizing” it was just a synonym for the closure of the entire industry so they began to create excuses for that.

This vindictiveness is still evidenced when Ramjattan claimed during his debate speech that the PPP/C Government’s aim is to “reward” its political base. This is a typical case of “mouth open, story jump out!” Imagine even after all the sufferings his Government cast upon the sugar workers, their families and the various communities, he is still bent on echoing the Congress Place narrative feigning absolute amnesia to even the rhetoric which Granger himself spun about Guyana being the “sugar bowl” of the Caribbean. The “right-sizing” had resulted in a rapid decline in the annual sugar production and the losses became bigger even though meagre targets were set.

The industry produced the lowest amount in 2019 since 1923 and according to Minister Mustapha, 2020 will be far worse. It would seem that the coalition has a penchant for breaking its own record when it comes to underachievement and incompetence.

The Minister also made a very profound statement when he said that GuySuCo is more than about the profitability of the estates, it must be considered “beyond the balance sheet” and must be seen as a “socio-economic entity”. He also provided vitally important reasons why any Government should ensure that sugar is kept alive quoting the example of the USA subsidising agriculture to the tune of billions annually. He stressed that monies

allocated to GuySuCo must not be seen as “bailouts” but rather as a Government “taking care of the needs of the people”. No truer statement has ever been made and the Minister has made another indelible impression in the hearts of Guyanese.

Let Ramjattan digest these factual statements: the $30 billion “largesse” was meant to ensure that the fat cats are well-fed and the monies are squandered, filling the pockets of those in the SPU and by extension some in the Government. It must be painfully recalled that even though GuySuCo was given an average annual subsidy of $5 billion, all the estates were operational, foreign exchange in excess of $100 million US was garnered from exports, jobs were saved and workers were enjoying a reasonable standard of living, communities were thriving, and the US dollar was stabilised. In addition, there was little flooding, residents were getting assistance from GuySuCo, but today the resources-starved entity could hardly help itself.

The CoI saw these benefits to the economy and advised against any closure! But how can we expect a man like Ramjattan to have this vision?

As with other ‘blood-sucking’ measures such as increased taxation and VAT which the coalition had used to erode the standard of living of Guyanese, Minister Mustapha made it pellucid that these “unconscionable measures” will be reversed not only by reopening three of the closed estates but will create a Wales Development Authority to work with former workers’ start-up agriculture value chains which

will utilise agro-produce from the outlying areas to process them into value-added products. This will employ at least 3000 persons.

This is a visionary Minister thinking outside of the box with workable plans. Already the Rose Hall Estate has employed more than 400 dismissed sugar workers to resuscitate the estate and the same is being done at the other 2 estates.

The PPP/C Government has allocated $5 billion for recapitalisation and operation of the estates. Imagine the financial strain and burden which the coalition has placed on the Government.

It’s ironical that the coalition had spent billions to close the estates and plunged the entire socio-economic strata of the country into Ramjattan’s “dark hole”. The former Finance Minister had said that the closed estates will not be “mothballed” but remain operational to attract “investors”. Well, most definitely he did not use mothballs but cannonballs since the current state of the closed estates will bear testimony to this.

The august Minister outlined the plans for GuySuCo for the next 5 years which will see the implementation of measures to promote a diversified agriculture-based economy; create more jobs and increase the income of farmers. He emphasised that this will be done by modernising and upgrading infrastructure, strengthening support services, robust marketing systems at local and international levels and increasing Guyana’s market share by tapping into the US$5 billion food import bill of the Caricom region.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020

5

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

Praise for budget Dear Editor, The Government is praised for presenting what is a tough budget for the rest of the year. In a normal year, a budget is never easy. This year is rendered even more difficult by the election fraud and the pandemic. The economy had come to a virtual halt for several months, worsened by misspending by the preceding regime.

The country is in economic crisis precisely because of the economic errors of the preceding regime closing down sugar estates, laying off over 10K workers and taking care of friends, and neglecting the vulnerable.

I applaud the theme of the budget – it is transformational, preparing for the oil economy. It is a poverty alleviation budget. It addresses the issue of the Dutch disease in every sector economy to make sure the country doesn’t fall in that trap and would utilise resources of the oil sector to buttress the rest of the economy. Clearly, the intent is to diversify the economy—the budget gives incentives for agriculture, mining, and manufacturing. Taxes are removed that are obstructionist to investment. And Government is out the paddock helping the poor and vulnerable right away rolling out benefits like school grants.

Benefits are spread through the reduction in VAT, grants for poor and aged, rates lowered for electricity and water, among other benefits.

It is noted that oil money is not used to pay for expenditures. I applaud the

Government for not touching the Natural Resource Fund (oil money) that must be transparently used. The oil money will be budgeted out hopefully next year for social security and spending in terms of basic needs and must be spread out across the board. The deficit this year is financed through borrowing (bonds), not a long-term borrowing.

The Government will begin to repay money soon. Recall that the preceding regime borrowed US$750 million over the last five years.

Now this Government has to repay that money.

As Bharrat Jagdeo reminds the country, over half the budget was already spent by the opposing side – the first for any budget of the country. The Government is correcting the accounting books of money already spent and abused. The people feel the spendthrift must be held accountable; they should be investigated and prosecuted if they violate laws.

No matter what the Government presents, it would be criticised by an opposition, never mind that this opposition was fast and loose with the nation’s money. The budget was criticised for reasons not having to do with sound economics and for reduction of taxes and the huge deficits. The deficit is sustainable; it will be paid off with oil money and increasing economic activities. More taxes will be collected since the Private Sector won’t be squeezed as in the past with choke and rob taxes. Money will also be saved as Government reduces its own spending

eliminating ARA, SOCU, and fat cats in EPA, drug bonds, and other frauds.

Wastage would be eliminated going forward.

I was most impressed with the presentations of Jagdeo, Anil Nandlall, Frank Anthony, and Vindhya Persaud; they are experienced MPs who were very focused and not boring. Jagdeo and Anil’s inputs evoked laughter. Vindi and Frank were serious as was Priya Manikchand.

Anil spoke directly about his Ministry. Jagdeo gave a spirited defence of the budget. Others were not so focused and some were all over the place; they are excused for youth and lack of experience.

The public salutes Jagdeo’s closing stewardship of the budget presentation. Much of the public welcome re-opening of the sugar estates; Wales must be re-acquired, they say.

Those who partook in financial and land improprieties must be held accountable – jail them is what the public says. Those having a good time at the clubs of the sugar estates must go.

The Private Sector and sugar workers and the poor express profound thanks and gratitude for this budget that attempts to rescue the economy. The budget demonstrates a commitment to vulnerable communities and the suffering Private Sector. There are varied grants for families and pensioners and the sick and disabled. Hospitals would be equipped with medicines. Funds are set aside to combat COVID. The Government has been open and transparent on

COVID issues. More is committed now to COVID fighting including testing than under the preceding regime. The Private Sector has been hurting over the last five years and particularly so over the last eight months. The small businesses, in particular, need relief.

The Government is criticised for reducing license fees for businesses; that would redound to the benefit of people. When taxes and fees are down, everyone benefits. With more businesses, increased earnings will be taxed to reduce the deficit.

A huge deficit is expected in any budget. Countries and governments (national, state, local) are reeling from this pandemic. They are all operating under deficits that are normal in such a situation. But ours will be manageable. The Private Sector can’t run on deficit. Government must make up for the shortfall in spending. So one can’t look at Government expenditures negatively. Money will come in over time to correct the budget shortfall.

The Government should encourage and support public-private partnership to bail out both. I would have liked to see money set aside for soft loans for small businesses for creative enterprises and farmers that would be necessary to rebuild the economy.

Overall, a good budget with praises from sections of the public and the Private Sector.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

Online school Dear Editor, I am happy to see the Ministry of Education has started to train teachers for online delivery to students as we continue to be innovative. Online classes, I believe, are here to stay with or without a pandemic. As I previously wrote, even though it might be challenging, this method is one of the main ways to accomplish distant learning once there is the availability of a computer/tablet with internet access.

We all know that teachers are dedicated to their profession and they all specialise in different areas, but not all of them would be comfortable with information technology. As such, we can suggest moving to a model whereby groups of teachers within the same class level and content area can collaborate to create similar modules for delivery to schools within their community and even beyond.

This will allow the teachers

who are weaker with technology to be able to benefit from the ones that are very comfortable with technology.

Logic would dictate, for example, that if a secondary school student in Georgetown will do a CXC exam in Biology at the end of the school year, a comparable student in an Anna Regina secondary school would be doing the exact same work to also take a CXC Biology exam. As such, the online content does not have to be created twice because it’s two different schools. This way we can have the best Biology teacher who may be a great face to face teacher but struggles with technology, now teaming up with another teacher who thrives on technology to form the perfect team to create and deliver the best online Biology class.

The model can be set up in a hierarchy starting with subject and followed by grade/class level; ie cre-

ate a Biology module – assigned to Form 5 students.

The thing to wrap your head around is that the teacher is not going to the student in a classroom, the student is going to the teacher in an online environment. One teacher can only have a limited number of students in a class, but one online teacher can have an infinite number of students logging on to a class with the right technology. This model allows the content to be of the highest quality, consistent across all schools and less preparation, thereby allowing delivery to students faster.

As an educator for the last 21 years, I have been fortunate to be in an environment that encompasses all different forms of delivery when it comes to education and I am grateful for this platform that allows me the opportunity to continue to share some of my thoughts which I hope may be useful to help students continue learning in these

trying times.

We know that this pandemic will end eventually, but in the meantime, as students adapt to different methods of learning, keeping schools closed appears to be a good choice. I have noticed that the COVID-19 numbers are going up and as I had mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I think face masks should be mandatory. Health officials have also repeatedly said that social distancing is the best way to control the virus spread, so maybe we should be seriously looking at what is deemed essential to be open or at the least, limit the number of people in these places.

There are so many areas that are high risk, but one that definitely should be on the radar is public transportation. Let us all stay safe.

With regards, Danny Nasseir College Professor Canada

Zeelugt in need of help Dear Editor, My letter is a follow-up to a letter KN published on September 16, 2020, which spoke about the drug addiction among youths in the community.

I wish to address the leaders responsible for the running of the Zeelugt community. To start off, I am in agreement with Mr Harbajan, who adequately highlighted the above issue. It is with great discomfort that I must condemn the leaders of my community for not making an appropriate stand to the drug problem that has engulfed this village.

I don’t want to speak of this problem now, as this is an aftermath of many other reasons. I wish to highlight the possible underlying causes of drug abuse.

In Zeelugt, most youths emerge from poverty. Some choose to make the best of it and dream to escape it; while some are enflamed by its grip and turn the tides. I would only want to assume that this poverty is as a result of the community not having enough jobs to supply its inhabitants or rather the inhabitants choosing not to work. With many distraught, they inevitably turn to the drug trade (particularly, the youths in the village).

A second reason I could only assume based on observations is the lack of educational distribution in this community. Over the last two years, there has been no effort to apply any infrastructure that would cater to the development of the people of this village. There have not been any outreach programmes or any other session set up by either the public or private arenas. It is in this way that the older folks remain uneducated.

Right away there is a limitation in what the elders in the village can offer.

Thirdly and lastly as to what I think contributes to the increase in substance abuse is the non-presence of the law in this area. I can tell from my years in the village about 2 years ago the police would do routine

checks in this village every day; even if it was just a pass-through inspection.

As menial as this seems, it would make the world of difference. People were afraid to get into illegal activities during this time, but the police seem to have abandoned this village. There is no audit of this place and as such, members get the feeling they aren’t being watched and as such, they parade the old and new schemes distributing their dope.

Now I will not only protest about the problems in the village, but I will offer some solutions that I think are practical.

Firstly, the NDC being the extension of the Government should seek to provide valuable infrastructure that can aid unemployed persons. There needs to be more production of job opportunities for persons who are finding it hard to obtain jobs.

I’m sure there are places to build, places to clean or places that require some form of help or the other.

Secondly, leaders in this community need to step out of the shadows. Teachers, religious leaders, youth groups and lawmen need to encourage the youths to get an education. The Government can only provide so much.

Youths need to be enlightened about the benefits of having a proper education.

This village needs to have more sessions that can in turn be beneficial to the community at large.

Lastly, the police need to bring a threatening presence to the youths in this village. They are getting out of hand and it disappoints me.

Youths between the ages of 15 to 25 are jeopardising their futures by abusing dope and it is sad. The police need to get them off the street (parents can only do so much). Stronger disciplinary action needs to be implemented.

Thank you for reading, please share with a member of this community or a person who may be able to help.

With regards, Sonnie Kaimangall Concerned villager

Cannonballing...

We have already seen that the relations between Guyana and the US are being greatly enhanced by the visit of the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

It is an undeniable fact that the coalition had woefully neglected the agriculture sector as is evidenced by the volumes of irrefutable data which Minister Zulfikar dashed into the face of the APNU/AFC. Oil will be the panacea for all our social and economic ills, the coalition had reasoned, oblivious of the ‘oil curse’!

The coalition had been,

FROM PAGE 4

for their entire term in office, piloting Guyana on the course of the oil curse which would have resulted by their wilful neglect and incompetence. Thankfully, this agriculture budget crafted and presented by the Minister will reverse this ‘oil curse’ route and bring back the sector to its former glory prior to the coalition unleashing its “weapon of mass destruction” on our beautiful country.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020

Page

Foundation

SUMMER OF LEARNING

◄

Æsop’s Fables

FOR CHILDREN

RATES Sometimes, you will be asked to solve a problem about rates. A rate is a fixed ratio between things. For example: Margot drives at a rate of 50 kilometres per hour. How many hours does it take her to drive 75 kilometres?

Notice this is really a proportion problem.

Step 1:

Example:

Express a proportion problem using two ratios. In this problem, let’s use h for the unknown number of hours: (1 )/(50 ) = h/75 .

Step 2:

Use the proportion problem to set up an equation. Then cross-multiply: 75 = 50 x h.

Step 3:

Find the side of the equation with the unknown number. Then look at the known number on that side. (In this equation, it is 50.) Divide both sides of the equation by that known number. 75 ÷ 50 = h.

It will take Margot 1 (1 )/(2 ) hours to drive 75 miles.

Exercises: Solve 1) Benny eats 4 mangoes in 3 days. How many days will it take for him to eat a basket of mangoes containing 48 mangoes?

2) Angela travels 400 kilometres in 8 hours. How many kilometres will she travel in a day?

3) 10 horses can plough 20 acres of land in 20 minutes. How many acres of land can 5 horses plough in one hour?

4) How many minutes will it take 500 people to stack 10,000 chairs if each person can stack 10 chairs per minute?

5) Seelall can polish 480 square metres of floor in 6 hours? It is the day before Christmas, how long will it take him to polish the dining room floor which is half that size?

6) A farmer uses 3 tonnes of organic fertiliser (compost) on his fields that encompass 7 acres to grow the best vegetables. How many acres can he fertilise with 21 tonnes?

Monday’s answers: 1) 4 2) 20 3) 6 4) 4 5)21 6) 7

Design your own constellation What you need star stickers black paper crayons (silver and white work best) rocks or tape (only needed if you are drawing outdoors) star guide (optional)

What you do

Talk about constellations.

Ancient sailors used to navigate by the stars they saw in the sky at night.

These early explorers found their way because they knew which clusters of stars shone in the north, south, east, and west. They made up names and stories for these starry grouping that are now called

T

constellations.

Design your own constellation.

Get sheets of black paper and star stickers. If you are doing this activity outside, use rocks to weigh down the corners of your paper so it doesn’t blow away. You could also tape the corners down.

Imagine what type of animal or shape you’d like to

see in a constellation. Lay out the stars in that shape.

Draw with a crayon between the stars so other people can see your shape better.

It’s like a game of dot-todot!

Share your constellation.

This design was for a cat constellation. (rangerrick. org)

wo men were travelling in company along the road when one of them picked up a well-filled purse.

“How lucky I am!” he said. “I have found a purse.

Judging by its weight it must be full of gold.”

“Do not say ‘I have found a purse,’” said his companion. “Say rather ‘we have found a purse’ and ‘how lucky we are.’ Travellers ought to share alike the fortunes or misfortunes of the road.”

“No, no,” replied the other angrily. “I found it and I am going to keep it.”

Just then they heard a shout of “Stop, thief!” and looking around, saw a mob of people armed with clubs coming down the road.

The man who had found the purse fell into a panic.

“We are lost if they find the purse on us,” he cried.

“No, no,” replied the other, “You would not say ‘we’ before, so now stick to your ‘I’. Say ‘I am lost.’”

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

7

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Controversial Larry London received multi-million contract from APNU/AFC to print birth certificates – birth certificate contracts yanked from usual local printers

Minister of Governance Gail Teixeira

I

t has been revealed that businessman Larry London, who has long been closely linked to the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government, is behind a company that received a multi-million dollar Government contract to print birth certificates.

The bombshell revelation was made on Monday, the first day of the examination of the budget estimates for what was previously the Ministry of Citizenship headed by Winston Felix. Minister of Governance Gail Teixeira was asked about a $29.1 million allocation under Line item 6224, page 46 of the 2020 estimates.

Under questioning from Member of Parliament (MP) Sanjeev Datadin, Teixeira revealed that the amount relates to a Florida-based company called Universal Procurement Services.

According to Teixeira, the company received a contract to print thousands of birth certificates for the Ministry of Citizenship. “(The money) covers the purchase of birth certificates.

Some bought in May 2019 and paid for in 2020. And some purchased in 2020 and paid for. These birth certifi-

cates were purchased from a company in Florida and the value of this contract is probably US$150,000 in total,” she explained.

Describing the contract as unusual and strange, Teixeira went on to reveal that controversial businessman Larry London is the principal of the company. Teixeira, a former Home Affairs Minister with oversight for citizenship, noted that previously it was the local printers who received such contracts.

“The 2019 purchases and the 2020 purchases for birth certificates are $23 million for this year. They were purchased by Universal Procurement Services, a company in Miramar, Florida.

However, the contract has been signed by Mr Larry London. So, I’m not sure what is the proficiency of this company, nor the due diligence on this company.”

“It’s the first time I’ve ever heard of it, because I know that, having been a Minister of Home Affairs myself and I know my colleagues who were there subsequently, birth certificates used to be published in Guyana with the local printers, with safety and security watermarks put in.

So, I find this rather unusual and strange,” she said.

The company itself, Universal Procurement Services, was registered with Florida’s Division of Corporations. London is listed as one of three directors.

However, a perusal of the database shows that the company’s status is, in fact, inactive.

London

London has been the subject of numerous articles, dating as far back as his involvement in the controversial D’Urban Park project.

Lambasted on all sides for its lack of transparency and its structural defects, D’Urban Park was built through the

Businessman Larry London

The company documents lists London as a director

coordination of Homestretch Development Incorporated (HDI) - a company co-owned

by London.

Public funds for the project, which cost a total of over $1 billion, was scraped from multiple avenues by the former APNU/AFC Government and handed over to HDI. Yet to this day, the former APNU/ AFC Government has been unable to account for how the monies were spent despite the best efforts of the Audit Office of Guyana to reconcile the payments over the past few years.

For instance, Auditor General Deodat Sharma had written in his latest audit report that in 2015, $36.5 million was withdrawn from the Lotto Fund to fund D’Urban Park. According to the

President Ali urges UN...

Ali told the UN that member nations should seek to strengthen solidarity to address the pandemic, commit to take forward the 2030 Agenda and intensify global partnerships. He reaffirmed the Group’s position that the imposition of “unilateral coercive economic measures against developing countries is an impediment to economic and social development and to dialogue and understanding among countries.”

“To this end, the Group of 77 and China calls for more resources and actions to be mobilised in a timely manner to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. We are committed to taking the actions needed for coordinated and comprehensive multilateral response to the development challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,

including initiatives on financing for development in the era of COVID-19 and beyond, aimed at producing a menu of policy options necessary to resolve the crisis and to ensure resilience,” he added.

The Guyanese President said that the United Nations is a platform where every Member State has an equal stake in the decision-making process influencing the direction that the organisation takes on the variety of issues on which we engage.

He noted that the UN’s promotion of respect for international law has been a compelling disincentive to unnecessary and unmitigated conflict that has nurtured the peaceful coexistence of states, including through the respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states.

“We look forward to the

FROM PAGE 3

UN continuing to address the challenges and needs of our time in order to live up to its own lofty ideals and promise. Global challenges of our day such as climate change and the impacts of COVID-19 must be successfully countered. We must take urgent action to equip the organisation to implement its many decisions, resolutions and outcomes.

The debate today in relation to the Security Council and making it more legitimate, effective and representative must be resolved expeditiously,” Ali said.

Guyana was admitted to membership in the United Nations by resolution on September 20, 1966, during the 21st regular session of the General Assembly.

Since then the country has maintained an active presence and visible profile in the organisation. (G2)

Auditor General, however, no payment vouchers were presented to his auditors for this transaction.

In 2016, a further $60.3 million was pulled from the money allocated for infrastructural development. In addition, $118.1 million was pulled from the money allocated to the Ministry for the maintenance of roads.

And in 2017, $500 million was paid to HDI from the funds budgeted to the Public Infrastructure Ministry for infrastructural development.

A further $28.2 million came from the money for the maintenance of other infrastructure.

The Government also withdrew two sets of monies totalling over $400 million

from the Contingency Fund, which is supposed to only be used for emergency purposes.

However, over $70 million in payment vouchers were not presented to the Audit Office.

In addition to public funds, it is understood that private donations were also received by HDI to carry out the project. All this happened with Working People’s Alliance (WPA) stalwart Dr Rupert Roopnaraine sitting as a Director on HDI. Most recently, London was revealed to have been appointed by the former Government as Director of Parks, a position APNU/AFC created especially for him that came with a salary of $500,000 plus benefits that included gratuity, security at his home, light, phone and internet bills paid, as well as duty-free allowance.

8 NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Fisherman arraigned for murder of father of 2

A

rjune Mohabir, 22, of Kilcoy Squatting Area, Corentyne, was on Monday arraigned

for the murder of John Alexander Yap, also 22, of Kilcoy Village, when he appeared at the New

Amsterdam Magistrates’ Courts.

Mohabir appeared before Magistrate Peter

Where’s the leader...

I Accused: Arjune Mohabir

Dead: John Alexander Yap

Hugh, and was not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated that on September 15, 2020, he murdered Yap. He was, however, granted bail in the sum of $250,000 and was scheduled to make his next court appearance today at the Albion Magistrate Court.

It was reported that Yap and Mohabir were involved in an argument outside a Superbet outlet at Kilcoy Village which resulted in Mohabir stabbing Yap to the chest.

It was reported that it was Yap who had first attacked Mohabir with the knife, injuring him in the process. Mohabir reportedly pulled the knife away from Yap, and inflicted the fatal wound.

The dead man’s widow, Mineisha Chandralall, called “Anjali”, recalled that two weeks prior to the incident, the suspect and her husband had an argument over the suspect’s girlfriend.

The suspect alleged that Yap was too friendly with his girlfriend. Yap was a father of two young children.

... of the PNC? s it me, Dear Reader, or do you also have the feeling that Granger has once again gone into hibernation, just when his troops need him most? Didn’t he notice that their performance in the National Assembly in the Budget “Debate” was more like the Charge of the Light Brigade back in the day.

As a military historian, he’d remember that none of the poor sods emerged alive, much less unscathed!!

Quite a lot of his MPs must be asking about the point of the drubbing and your Eyewitness just hopes Granger doesn’t tell them, “Yours is not to reason why; yours is but to do or die!!”

But what’s it with Granger?? He was picked out of the blue to lead the PNC precisely because kingmakers like Corbin figured that in addition to his sanctimonious mien, he’d led the GDF for donkey years. They assumed he’d be able to transfer the skill set from the latter gig into the realm of politics. Some assumption!! Reminds your Eyewitness of the old saw: When you “ass-u-me”, you make an ass out of you and me!! The kingmakers must certainly feel like asses now!

The thing is, they forget that Granger had never been into battle in his FORTY YEARS in the army!! Not at the Venezuelan Border at Eteringbang nor the New River Triangle over on the Suriname border. His involvement in the Rupununi Uprising doesn’t count – that was just a walkover over some misguided locals. Didn’t even come close to the escaped prisoners who camped out in Buxton and called themselves “African Freedom Fighters”!! You could tell what kind of soldier Granger was when he vehemently insisted that soldiers shouldn’t have been sent into Buxton to take on the Bandits!!

Thing is, if he’d gone into battle, he might’ve learnt to deal with defeats. After all, one of the things leaders learn is that you don’t sulk after a setback!! His troops are looking to him for advice and motivation to get on with the programme and if you’re not there, they end up being just an aimless mob. And that’s what the PNC MPs looked like in Parliament last week. It was pathetic: after every sitting, most of the young ones (are there any old ones left standing?) came out of the ACCC like deer at night caught in a headlamp.

If the PNC is not to disintegrate – and this wouldn’t be good for Guyana since it’ll leave the door open for the looney tunes crowd – it needs to settle the leadership issue.

Maybe a special Congress can be convened for Volda to duke it out with Granger! ...the Opposition?

OK...so if Granger’s doing his Greta Garbo act, what’s going on with his unilaterally-appointed Leader of the Opposition, Col (ret’d) Joseph Harmon?? He certainly didn’t provide any leadership to the neophytes that had also been selected by Granger. Is he also over his head like Granger or is he still shell-shocked at Volda pulling the rug out from under him after his incendiary outburst at West Berbice?

Well, now he knows what it is to lead when the troops can’t be court-martialled if they refuse to follow orders!! Let your Eyewitness lay this down as clear as he can: Harmon’s not the person to lead the PNC at this critical moment of his history. The party is in as great crisis as it was in 1957 when Burnham PPP(B) was drubbed by Jagan’s PPP(J) and was forced to form the PNC by merging with all sorts of disparate elements.

Then, it was division in ideology – “left to right” – and now it’s divisions caused by a crude power grab.

By a viper! ...for a COVID greeting?

Your Eyewitness couldn’t help noticing that everyone from the Guyanese side fell into Pompeo’s “elbow bump” greeting. So what happened to the greeting from our multicultural heritage the world’s now adopting.

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

9

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

10 NEWS Dredge owner “Sleeping” driver gets $200,000 bail for causing death of Zeeburg fish vendor crushed by A skidder A TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

dredge owner was on Sunday crushed to death by a rear wheel of a skidder after it encountered mechanical issues along the Polvotario Backdam on the Venezuelan Border.

The dead man has been identified as 41-yearold Kerwin Schultz of Baramita, North West District (NWD), Region One (Barima-Waini).

Based on reports received, the now dead man and two of his employees left in a tractor while other employees were on the skidder in front of them.

However, while ascending a hill the skidder encountered mechanical

difficulties, causing it to descend at a fast rate of speed.

Upon realising what was happening, Schultz jumped off the tractor and landed on the road’s surface.

Guyana Times understands that as the skidder then collided with the tractor and it was at that time, the back wheel of the machine ran over Schultz.

As a result of the accident, Schultz sustained severe injuries to the body and succumbed before receiving medical attention.

His body was transported to Baramita, and subsequently to Georgetown, where it was taken to Sandy’s Funeral Home to await a post-mortem.

father of one of Zeeburg New Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara (WCD), was on Monday released on $200,000 bail on a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

Feroz Mohamed, who, according to his lawyer, Bernard Da Silva, is employed as a contractor with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), had told Police he fell asleep behind the wheel of the car he was driving when the accident occurred.

Mohamed, 44, pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on September 19, 2020, at Zeeburg Public Road, WCD,

Feroz Mohamed

he drove a motor car in a manner dangerous to the public thereby causing the death of 39-yearold fish vendor Somattie

Persaud. He appeared before Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court.

He will make his next court appearance on November 5, 2020.

It was reported that the woman, who resides at Lot 75 Mandal Street Zeeburg, WCD, was at the time riding a pedal cyclist and was struck down by a hire car driven by Mohamed.

Reports are that the woman was cycling along the Zeeburg Public Road as the motor car was proceeding in the same direction behind her. Mohamed told Police that he fell asleep but was awakened after he felt

an impact.

The driver told Police as he exited his vehicle, he observed that he was stationary at a concrete fence on the southern side of the road, and a female with a pedal cycle was seen lying on the southern grass parapet motionlessly, with injuries about her body.

The woman was picked up by the driver, along with public-spirited citizens, and taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where she succumbed whilst receiving treatment. A breathalyser test was conducted on him but no trace of alcohol was found in his breath.

1 arrested at Parfaite Harmonie for Festival City carjacking

– stolen car recovered

P

olice have arrested one person in connection with a carjacking and armed robbery which occurred on Thursday last, at Hummingbird Street and Blue Mountain Road, Festival City, Georgetown.

The man was taken into custody after the stolen vehicle was recovered at Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

It was reported that on the day in question, Hemchandra Hoolas, a 40-year-old taxi driver of Bee Hive Public Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD, was asked to make a pickup at Pike and Sheriff Streets, Campbellville.

Upon arriving at the location, three persons entered the vehicle and requested to be taken to Festival

City, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

While in the vicinity of Festival City, one of the passengers whipped out a handgun and instructed the driver to stop and exit the vehicle, and he complied.

The suspects, two men and a woman, reportedly drove off with the man’s vehicle. Apart from the Spacio motor car, a cell phone was

also taken by the men.

The matter was subsequently reported and based on information gathered by the Police, ranks proceeded to a location at Parfaite Harmonie, where they found the stolen vehicle. One male was arrested and he remained in Police custody, assisting with the investigation.

NEWS

11

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CJIA expansion project…

Patterson made decision not to charge CHEC for delays – Project Manager …President flays all parties for disastrous project …tells CHEC to fix it and stick to original contract

pandemic has given us some time to correct some of these things but there are major difficulties. The sewer system, from what I heard, is not functional because as soon as you use it, it has to be shut down. The system is not working. All of these are major issues that were raised by the airport authorities and the Ministry,” the President said.

Ali pointed out that under the initial contract, the airport was supposed to be extended to include a 17,000 square metres arrival/departure terminal building along with 8 boarding bridges but instead what was delivered was a rehabilitated terminal building with four boarding bridges. The rehabilitated terminal building is also plagued

President Ali during his engagement with the stakeholders

By Lakhram Bhagirat

F

ormer Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson and the project team overseeing the ongoing Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project took the decision not to penalise contractor China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) for delays, according to the current Project Manager Carissa Gooding.

Gooding made the disclosure while being grilled

by President Dr Irfaan Ali during his site visit with Chinese Ambassador Cui Jaichun on Monday.

The President’s visit was prompted by the reports of never-ending issues plaguing the project coupled with the fact that the initial project completion date is well over a year past due.

It has been two years since the deadline for completion was slated for 2018. When the coalition Government came into power in 2015, the project was put on hold, but after discussions between Patterson

Project Manager Carissa Gooding during her presentation

and CHEC, it was later announced that the project would be continued but a number of downgrades were done to the design.

Some US$138 million of the allocated costs was funded by the EXIM (Export-Import) Bank of China while US$12 million was spent by the Guyana Government. It was not expected to surpass that sum but Guyana had to stand additional expenses.

President Ali said the

visit with the Chinese Ambassador is to ensure that the Guyanese people and the Government get what was agreed upon in the original contract.

“Our intention is to get what was signed for. What was in the contract is what we have to get. The airport that was in the contract is what has to be delivered to the Government of Guyana and the people…We have major issues with the sewer system. The COVID-19

Project Manager Carissa Gooding engages the President and Chinese Ambassador in a section of the airport with a missing roofing tile clearly visible

with construction and retrofitting issues.

Other issues with the project include the poor air conditioning, substandard materials, lack of equipment maintenance, flooding in sections of the airport, leaking roof, tiles falling out, glass on the boarding

bridges cracking, and lampshades falling off, undersized extractor fans, fire alarm systems not functioning, damaged chairs in departure lounge and lack of spares, as-built drawings and operations and maintenance manuals among others.

TURN TO PAGE 17

12 NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

US recommits its support to strengthen Guyana’s electoral system I

n light of the political crisis which engulfed Guyana following the David Granger-led Government’s refusal to accept the results of the March 2 General and Regional Elections, the United States said it was willing and ready to assist the country in whatever way it could to strengthen and modernise its electoral systems to make it more democratic and transparent.

“Well, we certainly stand ready to help,” United States Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo said in an interview with the State-owned National Communications Network

(NCN) during his recent high-level visit to Guyana.

“We know what makes a free and fair election – the central idea of every person gets to vote who wants to vote and who is eligible, every vote gets counted in a way that everyone is satisfied and knows that their vote was counted.

“There is a fairness that’s associated with it (the process) and it comes with an openness and transparency, so that the rules, the leadership, the policies that flow from that government that is duly elected, fairly reflects what is it the people are demanding through their own democratic sys-

tems,” the US diplomat posited.

According to Pompeo, the US is very proud of countries such as Guyana which have now demonstrated that they have the capacity to hold free and fair elections and have a peaceful transition to power.

“We want to stand right alongside them and will help them to be successful,” the Secretary of State assured.

The high-level US official pointed to mechanisms and other election monitoring systems in the Caricom Region. He also cited the outstanding work done by

President, Dr Irfaan Ali in discussion with US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo and US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch at State House on Thursday

multilateral institutions which could be useful to countries in the Region in strengthening their electoral management capacity.

Pompeo is the highest-ranking US Government official to have ever visited Guyana. He had played a prominent role in pushing for democracy and the will of the people to be respected in Guyana during the tu-

multuous five months following the March 2 polls.

During the period, Pompeo issued several statements urging then President Granger to respect the results of the elections and allow for a smooth transition of government to the duly-elected People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

After the Granger-

led Administration insisted on holding on to power, Pompeo announced visa restrictions against “officials who were responsible for undermining democracy”.

Earlier this month, Pompeo had reached out to President, Dr Irfaan Ali to extend congratulations and to pledge the support of the US to Guyana on developmental issues.

Taxi driver injured after car slams into fence

A

taxi driver is now hospitalised after he lost control of the car he was driving and crashed into the fence of the Officers’ Training Centre at Camp Street and Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown on Sunday.

The injured man has been identified as 22-yearold Sherwin Dhanraj of

Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Based on reports received, on the day in question about 23:10h, the car was proceeding along Carifesta Avenue and on approaching Camp Street, the driver lost control and struck the concrete fence.

As a result of the crash, the driver sustained inju-

ries about his body. He was pulled from the wreckage by public-spirited citizens and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was admitted to the male surgical ward. He reportedly suffered severe head injuries, but his condition is stable.

The Police are continuing their investigations.

NEWS

13

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Samuel Barkoye, Rovin Lall top NGSA with 525 marks each

Proud parents: the parents of Samuel Barkoye following the announcement of the results of Monday

By Rupa Seenaraine

S

amuel Barkoye of North Georgetown Primary School and Rovin Lall of Stella Maris Primary were on Monday announced the top performers of the country at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA). They both secured 525 marks out of a possible 528.

An episode of emotions and gratitude surrounded the students, as they were named the country’s best performers for the year 2020. The announcement was made by Education Minister Priya Manickchand at the National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD), where she gave a breakdown of the country’s performance.

A visibly excited Lall told Guyana Times that his success was the fruit of

extreme commitment and hard work. Expressing his surprise at being among the top performers, the 12-yearold of Triumph, East Coast Demerara, said he wants to become a doctor to help people.

“It feels very good because I worked so hard.

I was surprised because sometimes you’re sure and sometimes you’re not sure…I want to become a doctor and help people who are sick,” the top performer shared.

Speaking about the impact of COVID-19 in writing the assessment, the young lad said he was already prepared and saw little challenges from the pandemic.

His mother, Indranie Lall, nevertheless noted that his schedule was extremely tight.

“I’m extremely excited. I know we had a tight schedule but I said it was going to pay off in the end. We did

all revisions, early mornings, late nights and he was confident that he could’ve done it. I was making space for disappointment because things happen but he was confident,” the proud mother expressed.

She added, “Parents need to take a very big step in their children’s educational life. They need to be part of it. It’s not the teacher alone but we need to work hand in hand.”

Meanwhile, Barkoye said he was just aiming for Queen’s College but sees this top performer title as a “bonus”. With interests in electrical engineering and technology, he is looking forward to joining his two sisters at “the school of his dreams”.

“I finally got the school of my dreams and I’ll be able to attend Queen’s College.

I even got a bonus, which is getting first in the country so that was very great. I had

Top performer Rovin Lall being interviewed by reporters at NCERD

to follow a schedule, reading twice a day and making sure I got adequate amount of rest so that I could get through my exam days without falling asleep,” the North Georgetown Primary student related.

On the other hand, his parents indicated that their aim was to get him into one of the senior secondary schools in Guyana.

“For us, it’s not really about space. That was just his desire and we wanted him to achieve what he wanted so we’re happy,” an elated Tamika Barkoye shared.

The country’s third position was awarded to Alexander Singh, of Marian Academy, who gained 524 marks. Two candidates shared the fourth position with 523 marks each, namely: Lianna Dharampaul of Mon Repos Primary and Brandon Ramdin of West Field Prep.

Ramdin, who was still overwhelmed by his performance, told this publication that he enjoys reading. He is planning to join an older sibling at Queen’s College, and later pursue a career in engineering.

When asked about his preparations, he said, “I did a little studying. My teacher used Google Classroom and gave us a lot of materials. There was a lot of people telling me that I would make the top 10.”

Meanwhile, Dharampaul noted, “I didn’t study that much and I had a balance between work and play. I am super excited.”

Sharing the sixth position were three students: Britney Peters of One Mile Primary, Gabriel Felix of the New Guyana School and Dhanesh Tularam of Academy of Excellence.

They all secured 521 marks.

Felix, who is aiming to be a lawyer, said he depend-

ed on his mother to help him study and is excited to start the new journey.

In ninth position, with 520 marks, was Yuki Clarke, Charisma Etwaroo and Salmah Bacchus of Academy of Excellence and Robert Forrester of Winfer Gardens Primary. In an interview with Guyana Times, Etwaroo expressed that she did not believe she made it as one of the country’s top performers.

“Well, surprising, the exam was easy. I was expecting it to be harder. All I did was look through the past papers and other examinations that were given by my teachers and revise from my textbooks. I had to give up talking to my friends a lot and watching television than I did before. For me, I was telling myself that I would get into the Top 10 but hearing it from someone else, I was like, this is just a joke,” she shared.

“Hard work pays off” – Region 6 top NGSA student

“I

feel very good and I know that the hard work that I put in has paid off,” Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) top National Grade Six Assessment NGSA student Renace Joseph noted.

Joseph scored 517 marks out of the possible 528 and was offered a place a Queen’s College.

The All Saints Primary student said she did not believe the news when she was told by her class teacher.

“I went to the website and checked it out for myself,” she said.

This year, students were forced out of the classroom due to the regulations implemented as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Joseph, like many other students, was forced to continue tuition online.

“Because of COVID-19, we could not be in the

Renace Joseph

Varshnie Mulla

Safiya Tribhowan

Kairon Roopnarine

classroom and had to take lessons on Zoom… At least I got stuff to keep me occupied so that I could have done well.”

Joseph said she has not made up her mind on a career as yet as she is leaving that decision for when she is in high school.

At home, she is very

quiet, spending most of her free time on an electronic tablet surfing the internet or watching something on Netflix.

According to her mother, Renita Fraser, she expected her daughter to do well but not to top the Region.

Over the past decade,

All Saints Primary has been producing students in the top ten annually. This year the school has two.

The other is Varshnie Mulla, who placed sixth in the region with 511 marks.

Mulla said she wants to become a doctor to assist with incurable diseases.

Asked why, she said be-

cause when someone does a good deed, it always comes back to them. She said studying through the internet was not difficult for her because both her class and lesson teachers assisted.

However, over at Tain Primary School, Safiya Tribhowan secured 514 marks, one more than

Kairon Roopnarine of Cumberland Primary, who said he studied very hard and late at nights in preparation for the examinations.

“I did not get to go to lessons and that was a big struggle and I did not get to go to school as much,” the young student who hopes to become an engineer disclosed.

Meanwhile, rounding off the top five for the Region are Suhana Bacchus and Dilan Pawaroo, both of Corriverton Primary with 512 marks each, and Usha Indar Singh of Gangarram Primary with 511 marks.

Notably, Cropper Primary, which had the top student in the Region last year and has been a regular feature in the Region’s top ten, had no student appearing in the Region’s top ten for 2020. (Andrew Carmichael)

14 NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Christopher Jones sues State for unlawful arrest, seizure of barbershop equipment …lawsuit frivolous, vexatious; should be dismissed – Attorney General

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

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hief Whip of the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance for Change (APNU/ AFC), Christopher Jones has filed a lawsuit against the State for what he terms as his wrongful arrest and the trespass on, and unlawful search of his home which led to the seizure of his 18 barber chairs and two air conditioning units valued at $4.8 million.

In court documents seen by Guyana Times, Jones, who served as Sports Director under the previous Administration, is claiming that his unlawful arrest and trespass on his home situated at 609 Conciliation Drive Tucville, Georgetown, and detinue of his property are in violation of his constitutional rights guaranteed under Article 40 of the Constitution and set out in Articles 139, 142 and 143.

It was reported that on August 21, 2020, ranks from the Criminal Investigations

Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, swooped down on Jones’ home to carry out a search after an audit at the then Ministry of Social Protection revealed that the Ministry approved $4.8 million under the Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) administration for the procurement of equipment for a barbershop under the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) programme, an initiative to provide opportunities for the disadvantaged and youth.

The monies were all spent by December 2019, however, $1 million in items were not delivered and the project was not executed.

Police Headquarters in a statement said that items fitting the description of the State assets were recovered from Jones’ residence. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum had earlier told this publication that Jones made a false representation to the Ministry in order to be eligible for the programme.

Damages

Among other things, Jones’ lawyers, Nigel Hughes, Ronald Daniels and Kezia Williams are asking the court to declare that their client’s constitutional rights were breached.

Further, they are seeking damages in excess of $100,000 each for their client’s unlawful arrest, trespass on his home and the detinue of his property. They are also asking the court for an order directing that their

Moreover, it is being contended that the presence of armed police ranks and the cordoning off of their client’s home were wholly unjustified and disproportionate to the offence he is alleged to have committed. As a public figure, the lawyers noted that the actions of the police ranks caused their client humiliation.

Having regards to the circumstances, Jones is asking the court to declare that his constitutional rights were breached. He is also asking the court for interest on all damages awarded; costs; and any such further or other orders the court sees fit.

Dismiss

Barbershop equipment that was being removed from Jones’ home

client’s property be returned forthwith.

In a Statement of Claim filed by the three lawyers at the High Court in Demerara, the respondents are listed as Acting Commissioner of Police Nigel Hoppie; Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum; Inspector Rodwell Sarrabo; Assistant Superintendent of Police Chibanauth Singh; Corporal Singh and Attorney General Anil Nandlall.

Jones claims that on August 20, 2020, at or about 18:30h, during a power outage, police ranks, who were armed, cordoned off his premises and demanded en-

try without informing him of any lawful reason for permitting them to do so without a warrant which they failed to produce.

Jones said that later the said day, he made an application to the High Court for, and was granted a conservatory order restraining the police ranks from entering and searching his premises.

Despite the order being served to the respondents, Jones said that on August 21, 2020, at or about 00:30h, the police ranks trespassed on his premises by jumping a fence. According to him, “This entry was arbitrary and done without [his] consent and without any authority or lawful justification.”

He further said that the police ranks seized his property, damaged his door locked valued at $5000 during the process, and thereafter wrongfully restrained, arrested and detained him. “[I was] transported to various police stations and thereafter wrongfully restrained and imprisoned in a cell at the Diamond Police Station,” Jones has complained.

He stated that he was later taken to the Brickdam Police Station. Having regards to the foregoing, his lawyers contended that the wrongful arrest and detention of their client is a breach of his right to liberty as guaranteed by Article 139 of the Constitution.

In addition, the Member of Parliament is asking the court to award him exemplary damages. His lawyers argue that the execution of the search, entry and arrest were violent, aggressive, arbitrary, unconstitutional and devised to invoke, and did invoke fear into him and his family.

Deeming Jones’ lawsuit frivolous and vexatious, Attorney General Anil Nandlall has asked that it be dismissed as Jones is not entitled to any damages. In the first place, Nandlall contends that Jones has incorrectly named the Top Cop and Crime Chief as respondents in these proceedings.

According to Nandlall, they were nowhere close to or in proximity of or at Jones’ premises, nor did they arrest him.

Nandlall contends that Jones made no objections to the search being conducted by Inspector Sarrabo, but requested time to consult with his Attorney-at-law, Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon. Jones, the Attorney General said, then informed Inspector Sarrabo that his lawyer advised him to request a warrant.

It is being contended

by Nandlall that Inspector Sarrabo did not enter Jones’ house. Instead, he stated that Sergeant Sarrabo was later joined by two other police ranks, whom he briefed, before leaving the premise.

Importantly, the Attorney General has dismissed Jones’ claim that the conservatory order was served to the police ranks.

With regards to this, Nandlall pointed out, “No Order of Court was served on the [police ranks] in accordance with the law on any of the [police ranks] on the 20th August, 2020 at the premises of [Jones] or at any other place.”

The Government’s Chief Legal Adviser contends that Inspector Sarrabo, ASP Singh and Corporal Singh went at Jones’ home acting on the reasonable suspicion that the items were owned by the State and were unauthorisedly in his premises.

Nandlall said that approximately 13 males and females who were all in Jones’ yard verbally abused ASP Singh and Corporal Singh, who warmed them about their conduct, but they continued.

Opposition parliamentarian Christopher Jones

He added that ASP Singh along with other ranks entered Jones’ yard by jumping a concrete fence. The Attorney General further stated that ASP Singh observed in the bottom flat of Jones’ home, a number of barber chairs and air conditioner in boxes and requested from him, documentation or proof of ownership. But according to him, Jones responded: “Is my f$%#ing things I don’t have to show you nothing.”

According to Nandlall, Jones was informed by ASP Singh that it was suspected the items are State property and that the items will be detained. Jones, the Attorney General added, was cautioned by ASP Singh and replied, “you can move nothing from in here is big problem.”

In the process of removing the items from the home, Nandlall said that Corporal Singh was assaulted and death threats were hurled at ASP Singh, while other ranks removed the boxes from the premises which were suspected to contain stolen or unlawfully obtained items. The seized items were lodged at the Brickdam Police Station.

The Attorney General submitted that Jones was escorted to Diamond Police Station where he was kept in custody, and was later taken to the Brickdam Police Station where he was released on $100,000 bail pending investigations.

Moreover, Nandlall argues that a police officer has the power to arrest, without a warrant, anyone whom he suspects, with reasonable cause, is about to commit an offence or whom he suspects has already committed such an offence.

Finally, the Attorney General argues that an offence need not actually have been committed to legitimise the arrest without a warrant by a police officer.

Having regards to the foregoing circumstances, the Attorney General contends that Jones is not entitled to any damages at law or at all.

NEWS

15

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

APNU/AFC paid climate change consultant $1.2M per month – Harmon defends sum, lauds consultant for Green State Development Strategy

Minister of Governance Gail Teixeira

D

ay one of the perusal of the 2020 budget estimates has revealed that the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) hired and paid a consultant $1.2 million a month, a situation the new Government has now inherited.

This was revealed by Minister of Governance, Gail Teixeira, who noted that the former APNU/AFC Government paid the consultant US$6000 or $1.2 million a month. Under questioning from Attorney General Anil Nandlall, Teixeira explained

that the consultant was attached to the Office of the President and specialises in climate change.

Payments to the consultant were being made under line item 6294, other, in the area of Policy Development and Administration under the Office of the President.

A sum of $120.2 million was allocated in the 2019 budget for this line item, with a further $34.1 million budgeted for 2020. Teixeira laid out how the money was used.

“The consultant is in the PMO, which is the Policy Management Office and he is dealing with climate change… $120 million was spent in 2019. It has been reduced. 6294 is where a large percentage of it was spent on this consultant, who is paid approximately US$6000 a month,” she explained.

While Teixeira did not name the consultant, it did not take long for Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon to spill the beans. In a video broadcast, Harmon, who as former Minister of State would have had oversight of the consultant, identified him as Office of the President Project Manager Dr Marlon Bristol.

Office of the President Project Manager, Dr Marlon Bristol

According to Harmon, Bristol’s $1.2 million salary is actually a reduction compared to what his predecessor earned. Harmon highlighted as one of Bristol’s accomplishments, the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS), although the document has been much criticised by the new People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government.

“Dr Marlon Bristol is well researched. He’s well written. Anyone can go and google and check on the quality of his work,” said Harmon, who himself earned $900,000 per month

Over 90,000 households to benefit from relief hampers – Prime Minister

plus benefits as Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency until he was fired by the PPP Government.

“For the PPP to now say that we now paid a consultant US$6000 and it’s making news, I wanted to clarify that. The consultant that was paid US$6000 was doing twice the work (of previous consultants).” Harmon also said.

Last year, Bristol was among a number of public officials who were identified as having received large tracts of land, including 12 acres in Dalawala, Linden. He got these tracts of lands within two years of applying.

The GSDS that he piloted and launched in 2019 follows in the footsteps of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) initiated by the former PPP Government. It is a framework that is supposed to incorporate economic development programmes with strategies to promote the fight against global warming. Along the way, these programmes are supposed to be funded from the Guyana

P

38,000 of those hampers going to Indigenous communities.

In response to queries from the Opposition about who are the intended beneficiaries, Phillips explained that there are certain criteria which must be satisfied before one is eligible to benefit. He said over $900 million will be utilised to purchase the items for the hampers.

Phillips added that the Economic and Social Subcommittee of the COVID-19

National Taskforce, working along with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), will ensure that those who are eligible for the hampers benefit.

According to Phillips, approximately 45 per cent of the population will need some form of support due to COVID-19. This was determined following an initial assessment by the various agencies.

REDD+ Investment Fund.

However, then Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo (now Vice President) had previously said that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) would scrap the Green State Strategy when it got back into power, since it would put a strain on the treasury.

Some of the differences that Jagdeo had highlighted between the coalition’s GSDS and his party’s LCDS, was the fact that the LCDS was developed from over

Kwakwani man jailed for unlawful possession of ammunition

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Kwakwani man was on Friday sentenced to six months’ imprisonment by Magistrate Wanda Fortune after he was found guilty of illegal possession of ammunition.

The defendant, Joshua Jainandon, was sentenced in absentia after he failed to make an appearance at the Kwakwani

Prime Minister Mark Phillips distributing hampers to citizens

rime Minister Mark Phillips on Monday disclosed that approximately 90,000 households are expected to benefit from relief hampers due to the hardships the COVID-19 pandemic has caused on families.

Phillips, during the consideration of Budget 2020 estimates and expenditures for the Office of the Prime Minister, said that the hampers will be distributed in all ten administrative regions of Guyana, with

Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon

1000 engagements and with one foreign consultant who did pro bono work on the theoretical base of the strategy. The GSDS, on the other hand, Jagdeo noted, was developed by external consultants.

Further, Jagdeo had said that unlike the coalition’s strategy which will be funded not only by taxpayers’ money but revenues from the impending oil and gas as well, the LCDS identified ways of using the country’s strategic assets to make money.

Another area Jagdeo highlighted was the fact that the LCDS had identified specific projects to decarbonise the energy sector.

One such project, he noted, was the Amaila Falls Hydro Project, which was scrapped by the APNU/AFC. Other projects Jagdeo had noted that were crafted under the LCDS were Amerindian land titling, Information Communication Technology (ICT) development in hinterland communities and a grant scheme for small business.

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

Magistrate’s Court for sentencing.

Prosecution facts on the case indicated that the defendant was caught with a 12-gauge car-

tridge in his possession on Wednesday, December 5, 2018, at Wiruni Village, Upper Berbice River, when he was not the holder of a firearm licence.

16 NEWS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“Ponzi scheme” couple asks High Court to order discontinuation of charges, probe against them

Attorney General Anil Nandlall

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awyers for Cuban national Yuri Garcia Dominguez and his wife, Ateeka Ishmael have instituted judicial review proceedings at the Demerara High Court in which they are asking, among other things, that the over 70 charges for obtaining monies by false pretence against their clients be discontinued, as well as all investigations.

In their application filed on September 15, 2020, they have listed (acting) Commissioner of Police Nigel Hoppie; Attorney General Anil Nandlall and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, as the respondents.

The couple is associated with Accelerated Capital Firm Incorporated (ACFI), which is currently under investigation for money laundering after the company claimed that it used a foreign exchange platform to trade investments amounting to tens of millions of dollars collected from Guyanese.

They are currently before the courts on charges which allege that they swindled over $200 million from dozens of investors in a major Ponzi scheme.

Orders

In court documents seen

by Guyana Times, their lead lawyer, Dexter Todd, is asking the court to grant, against the Commissioner of Police, an Order of Prohibition from institut-

ing or continuing to institute further charges against them. They are also asking another Order of Prohibition against the Top Cop, restraining him from commanding or inviting private investors who are contracted with ACFI based on a private contract executed between them and the investors.

The lawyer is also seeking an Order of Prohibition against the Attorney General, restraining him from issuing or continuing to issue or directing or to direct the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), Guyana Securities Council, Central Bank and the Guyana Police Force from investigating or continuing to investigate the contracts and terms of the contracts between his clients and the investors.

Garcia-Dominguez and his wife are further seeking an Order of Prohibition against the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), from directing the institution of criminal charges or further criminal charges against them in relation to contracts signed by his wife in her capacity as Director of ACFI, a limited liability company and private investors.

The couple is further seeking an Order of Mandamus issued against the Attorney General, his servants and/or agents and/ or any agency acting in conjunction with or through the Attorney General to unfreeze and release the bank accounts held at Bank of Baroda in the name of ACFI. Lastly, the duo wants another Order of Mandamus issued against the Attorney General, his servants and/ or agents and/or any agency acting in conjunction with or through the Attorney General to unfreeze and release the bank accounts held in their names at Demerara Bank Guyana and Republic Bank Guyana. Todd contends that the actions taken so far by the Top Cop, DPP and Attorney General are unlawful, unreasonable, in excess of jurisdiction, irra-

Commissioner of Police (ag) Nigel Hoppie

Yuri Garcia Dominguez and his wife, Ateeka Ishmael

tional, unfair, arbitrary, capricious, ultra vires, unconstitutional, without proper legal grounds, and therefore constitutes an abuse of public law power, null void, and of no legal effect.

While the couple was granted bail totalling over $20 million on more than half of the charges, they were refused bail on the others when they appeared before different Magistrates.

Police have noted that separate bail applications to the High Court, one for Garcia-Dominguez and another for Ishmael, were made by defence counsel.

Both applications were refused by Justices Sandil Kissoon and Simone MorrisRamlall.

Garcia-Dominguez, 34, is now a naturalised Guyanese, while his wife, 32, is a Guyanese citizen by birth. They reside at Lot 242 Track A Coldingen, East Coast Demerara.

Mode of business

In their application to the court, the couple disclosed that their company’s mode of business is trading on the international stock exchange. According to them, the company trades with international brokers such as IQ Options and FX Choice. They explained that the mode and operation of the company is that investing parties, having entered into a legally binding contract with ACFI, are permitted to invest a certain amount of capital.

They said that either the investing party or ACFI can then deposit same with brokers such as IQ Options and FX Choice which would then be traded on the international market. The investing party subsequently receives 40 per cent to 50 per cent on their investment based on the invested amount and the

terms of the contract.

They further explained that the company can and does monitor the activities of the international trading transaction undertaken by IQ Options and or FX Choice for and on behalf of the investors. On instruction from ACFI, they explained that IQ Options and FX Choice are required to remit profits earned by investors from their investments to ACFI Prime Trust Account.

According to the husband and his wife, ACFI then wires the profits in the Prime Trust Account to its account at Bank of Baroda in Guyana. Thereafter, they stated that the investing party subsequently receives 40 per cent to 50 per cent on their investment based on the invested amount and the terms of the contract.

They said that the contract between the investor(s) and ACFI stipulate the rights and obligations of all parties involved, the payment plan and other terms of the business agreement between the parties. The company, they added, makes a record of all payments of returns on the investments made by investors based on the contracts that were executed between ACFI and the said investors.

Garcia Dominguez claimed that all contracts with investors were executed between him and his wife, and at no time were the contracts executed in their personal capacities.

Arrested

In an affidavit, Garcia Dominguez and his wife said that sometime in January 2019, Central Bank directed that the account being held by the company at Bank of Baroda be frozen, and as such, they were denied access to the account. He said that in a letter dated August

5, 2020, he made an application to the Guyana Security Council for a license for ACFI to operate as an investment broker, however, the license was not granted.

On August 20, 2020, they said that ranks from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown, visited the registered office of ACFI at 242 Track A Coldingen, East Coast Demerara, and arrested them and took them into custody where they were questioned and remained.

According to them, Police returned to the company and seized numerous documents for which they were not allowed to make an inventory.

In August 2020, they added that the Attorney General advised the public through various media outlets that if they had invested with ACFI then they should make a report to the police.

As a result, the duo stated that they were charged on several occasions with multiple counts of attempt to commit a felony. They, however, noted that all the charges against them are in relation to contracts executed between the investors and ACFI. They further noted that none of the virtual complainants ever had any personal interactions with them neither did they personally hand over monies to them.

Refund

They further said that on August 28, 2020, as a result of being incarcerated, ACFI initiated a repayment plan for investors who were by now questioning a refund of their capital which they had invested.

But they claim, “That process was stymied and subsequently came to a grinding halt since the police were adamant in unlawfully pursuing or continuing to pursue criminal charges against us based on issues that are primarily and solely based on contract law. We never in our personal capacities entered into any contract or agreement with any of the investors. At all material times, we acted under the remit of ACFI and on the

Director of Public Prosecutions Shalimar Ali-Hack

agreed terms and conditions with investors.”

They continued, “The respondents by their actions seek to interpret the terms of contracts mutually agreed between the parties and duly executed by the parties, have acted unlawfully, irrationally, procedurally irregular, unreasonable and in excess of powers vested in their offices by statute, which abuse of power necessitates the grant of the Orders prayed for in the application.”

The husband said that on August 25, 2020, his wife wrote to their then lawyer Glen Hanoman, encouraging them to open a bank account.

“That we have been advised by our lawyers and believe to be true that as a follow-up to the letter dated August 25, 2020, that as a condition for the reopening of the bank account, would be that the Crime Chief is allowed to be a signatory.

This proposal was declined by us on the basis of an officer of the State ought not to be made a signatory to ACFI’s bank account.”

“A company is a separate legal entity from its directors, shareholders or other agents,” they contended.

“We are further advised by our attorneys-at-law that none of the respondents on their own initiative can pierce to corporate veil to institute, prosecute or continue to institute and prosecute charges against us for perceived illegal acts, which emanate from contracts entered into by private individuals and ACFI,” they further contended.

Against this backdrop, they argue that the charges which have been laid against them are therefore unlawful, unreasonable, arbitrary, irrational, in excess of jurisdiction and hence null and void and without legal basis and effect. As a consequence, they pray that the Orders for which they seek in the application be granted.

This matter is fixed for hearing before High Court Judge Fidela CorbinLincoln.

NEWS

Improvements in English, Science, Social Studies at NGSA …Mathematics records a ‘“marginal” decline

T

he Education Ministry has announced improvements across three subject areas at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) this year, with Mathematics showing a decline in performance.

Chief Education Officer, Marcel Hutson disclosed on Monday that statistics showed improvements in English, Social Studies and Science, while there was a marginal decline in Mathematics.

On July 1 and 2, some 14,032 students across Guyana sat the NGSA examination, in order to gain a place in the secondary education system.

The results showed that Social Studies improved across all regions, and 53 per cent of the students securing 50 per cent and over, as opposed to 39 per cent in 2019. All administrative regions also recorded improvements in the number of candidates passing English.

For Science, 44.1 per cent of the candidates gained 50 per cent and more, when compared to 39.4 per cent last year. In Mathematics, 39.4 per cent of students passed in comparison to 42 per cent in 2019.

“The Ministry of Education has continued

Education Minister Priya Manickchand

its collaboration with the Caribbean Examinations Council to improve quality of all national primary grade assessments. Teachers, subject specialists and test development officers developed the test items with the technical guidance of the Caribbean Examinations Council,” Hutson shared.

Education Minister, Priya Manickchand reminded students that they can perform excellently at their respective secondary schools, regardless of rankings. She noted that schools outside of the top schools in Georgetown have emerged to produce top performers at the Caribbean Examination Council level. As such, encouragement was given to students to work continu-

ously, despite where they are placed.

“You can do as well as the Queen’s College students…

You aim for the sky but if you got schools like Anna Regina, who has topped the Caribbean more than once, New Amsterdam, schools in Linden and even schools in Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo), you do as well…You can do well wherever you go,” the Minister urged students.

Manickchand shared that they are striving to have the same quality of education across the country, which will enable children to access better education.

“We promised that our quality and standards in schools across this country will prove. We have no choice. Textbooks will be available. Teachers will be available. This is a placement exam, written not to say that whether you’re smart or not; written so that we can place you into a secondary school. Because up to now, we don’t have the equality we need across secondary schools. That will change,” the Minister added.

The Minister went on to say that the education sector has been consistently performing better – a trajectory which will continue in the following years. This

tate construction.

However, Gooding said in 2015 CHEC made a claim for US$37,571,405 since a decision was taken to extend the runway in both the northeast and south-west directions as opposed to the northeast only. They then entered a negotiation process with the Government and a settlement was arrived at to the tune of US$23,680,283.

A breakdown of the settlement showed that CHEC charged US$6,784,453.61 for prolongation costs resulting from the project extension to December 1, 2017. This figure caught the eye of the President who then questioned why the decision to charge CHEC for delays was never taken.

Gooding related that while she was not a part of the project at the time of that decision, she understands that it was Patterson and the then project team that took that decision.

“So the Minister and that project manager made that (decision not to charge CHEC delay fees)…it is a big issue. The former Minister agreed that we are going to pay this company for cost delays and we are not going to charge the company for their delays because when you add it up, they have to pay us more (than what they charged us),” Ali posited.

However, based on a

previous media report, Patterson had indicated that CHEC will be charged US$7000 per day as a penalty for delays. That was made back in 2019 but it is unclear whether it was ever followed through.

CHEC’s claim resulted in the Government, back in October 2015, revising the scope of work, and the new arrivals and departures terminal building along with the requisite apron and taxiways were omitted at a cost of US$67 million. That revision of the scope of work meant that critical elements were omitted from the project.

Those elements included new roofing for the rehabilitated terminal building among others.

Gooding told the President that the revised work plans did not cater for works on the non-passenger areas which resulted in only 4046 square metres or less than half of the approximately 9000 square metres existing terminal building being rehabilitated. As part of the original contract, CHEC was expected to tear down the existing terminal building and construct a new one which could accommodate eight air bridges This incensed the President even further as he went on a grilling spree.

CHEC representatives,

50 LLB graduates signal intention to become prosecutors

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Attorney General Anil Nandlall

Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson

has been evident since the Caribbean Examinations Council was involved in the crafting of the exam, providing stability and reducing fluctuations in the grades every year.

“Things that were put in place for a while will start seeing effects and result. If something good was started, it’s not going to stop…Any kind of stable measurement should not be producing that kind of irregularity in various subject areas, which means that our testing and evaluation prior to going to CXC was not consistent and that is why we contracted CXC. We went to CXC so that we could have consistent management and standardisation of the setting of the exam,” she highlighted.

Patterson made decision not to...

“There is a lot of issues in terms of making even this facility operational but our major concern is getting back to the original contract and to the original agreement. If one is to look outside this airport, you would believe in any way shape or form these resources were spent on this airport,” Ali told stakeholders.

During his visit, the President held a meeting with the airport management, CHEC officials, the consultant and project manager. It was during the meeting that Gooding made a presentation detailing the issues with the expansion project and the failure of CHEC to address those.

In her presentation, Gooding outlined the US$150 million scope of work that was to be undertaken by both CHEC and the Government under the initial agreement. That agreement stipulated that CHEC would have been responsible for the design of a new car park, extension of the runway (northeast) by 1066 metres, new terminal building with facilities for 8 boarding bridges and new apron to accommodate 8 aircraft. The Government had the responsibility for the procurement of the equipment such as escalators, elevators and air bridges as well as the relocation of the operators to facili-

17

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

ttorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall has said that 50 law graduates from the University of Guyana (UG) have indicated their interest in being trained to serve as prosecutors.

AG Nandlall made this disclosure during his address at the Budget 2020 debate on Friday last.

The Department of Public Information (DPI) reported that the graduates, all holders of Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degrees, will have to undertake a one-year accredited prosecutorial training programme at UG, which will soon be implemented.

This will be done through support from the Criminal Justice System (SCJS) programme which is funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), aimed at strengthening

Guyana’s prosecutorial services.

Graduates who are selected will be hired as prosecutors in the Magistrates’ Courts in collaboration with the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Guyana Police Force.

The AG said one of the goals of the initiative is to address the overcrowding of local prisons. Guyana’s prison population significantly surpasses the world’s average with a rate of 264 per 100,000 and an occupancy level of 137.5 per cent. AG Nandlall attributed this to an over-reliance on custodial sentences and the overuse of pretrial detention in the criminal justice system.

The AG first spoke of the initiative at the commissioning of the Court Superintendent Office at the Brickdam Police Station earlier this month.

of the products supplied are 50Hz, when GPL power operates at 60Hz, communication system cabling as installed does not comply with the specified category 6 performance levels, several supply/exhaust fans performance parameters are below the design requirements and the plastic internally lined pipe installed for the fire protection system is not only below the required thickness but there is evidence of it peeling off, creating a risk that it could clog portions of the fire protection system.

Overall, the concern is that these products and equipment will not endure the intended service life.

Of all equipment that has been identified as non-compliant, to date, CHEC has only committed to replace the Fire Hydrant Cabinets (which is completed) and to replace a certain amount of doors/door hardware (which has commenced).

Gooding related that should CHEC aim to complete the project by the December 15 deadline then all civil works should be done by November 30 while they can finish installation of pavement markings and signs no later than the deadline date.

not be accepting the project in its current state, noting that Guyanese deserve their money’s worth.

“I am holding everyone responsible; the contractor, the consultant, the project management team... this is not acceptable for the Guyanese people. In this current position, it is very clear from all that I have seen and heard, and from all the questions asked, it is very clear that something is horribly wrong. The right decision at this moment is that we cannot accept this,” President Ali stated.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Ambassador said that now that the differences have been identified, solutions can be arrived at in an effort to deliver acceptable work.

“I do think we should have a project construction meeting and try to identify what the problem is…I can assure the President that my duty is facilitating Chinese Harbour. Whatever happens, this is my duty and we have to finish this project,” Ambassador Jaichun said.

Just Friday, at the conclusion of Budget 2020 debates, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill disclosed that the new Administration will have to foot a bill of some $1.3 billion to complete modernisation works on the airport.

FROM PAGE 11

the project consultant and Gooding could not provide answers to Ali on critical issues. Despite being associated with the project for years, they could not say what was the cost per square metre for the 17,000 square metre terminal building CHEC was supposed to construct.

Ali eventually had Gooding resort to the bill of quantities and he then calculated the costing.

Project concerns

In Gooding’s presentation to the President and Ambassador, she related that there are concerns about the December 15, 2020 deadline for the project. Those concerns are founded in the fact that CHEC has limited labour force on site because of the lack of financial resources. In addition, the Chinese company has not been forthcoming with the project team since they are failing to submit updated work plans and schedules, dragging out construction with no fixed date of completion.

CHEC is being accused of failing to address the issues.

Regarding material acceptance, it is noted that there remains a balance of 20-26 per cent of materials that are not accepted. Of this quantity, a significant proportion is already installed.

To state some examples, oil pump and fan frequencies

Everyone is responsible

Nevertheless, President Ali made it clear that he will

18

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020

Regional

US$5M reward offered for State Dept hits corrupt TT Colombian ELN rebel leader C

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he United States is offering a reward of up to US$5 million for information leading to the arrest of a leader of the National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group in Colombia.

Writing on Twitter, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described the ELN rebel, Wilver Villegas Palomino, as an “indicted narcoterrorist”.

Pompeo’s tweet comes two days after he visited Colombia.

The ELN is a Marxist rebel group which has been active for more than 50 years.

The US accuses Palomino, 38, of involvement in “an ongoing 20-year conspiracy to distribute cocaine from Colombia to the United States” to finance the ELN. In his tweet, Pompeo said that the US was “committed to helping the Colombian Government disrupt and dismantle transnational

The ELN rebels finance themselves mainly through drug trafficking

criminal organisations operating in the Region”.

His tweet echoed the support Pompeo had expressed for Colombia’s President Iván Duque after their meeting on Saturday.

In 2016, President Duque’s predecessor in office Juan Manuel Santos signed a peace deal with another of Colombia’s left-wing rebel groups, the FARC, but negotiations with the ELN stalled and when Duque came to office he put them on hold.

Hopes of renewing the

negotiations were dashed in January 2019 when an ELN rebel drove a van laden with explosives into the grounds of a Police academy in the capital Bogotá, killing 21 Police cadets.

The Government also suspects the ELN of being behind a number of recent mass killings in south-western Nariño province, including that of eight young partygoers in August, but the ELN has denied any involvement. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Coronavirus claims more lives in Brazil, Mexico

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lmost 600 more lives were lost to COVID-19 while nearly 20,000 new infections were confirmed in Brazil and Mexico in the last 24 hours, health authorities said late Sunday.

At least 363 more patients died in Brazil, raising the death toll in the world’s third worst-hit country to 136,895.

The Health Ministry confirmed 16,389 new coronavirus cases, taking the overall count to over 4.54 million.

Over 3.85 million patients have recovered in Brazil, which has been the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak in Latin America.

The financial hub of São Paolo, with a population of nearly 46 million, remains the country’s hardest-hit region.

More than 31 million infections have been reported worldwide, with close to 21.25 million recoveries.

In Mexico, 3542 more infections and 235 virus-related fatalities were registered.

The total COVID-19 count now stands at 697,663, including 73,493 fatalities and 499,302 recoveries, according to the Health Ministry.

The pandemic has claimed more than 960,000

lives in 188 countries and regions since last December, according to the latest figures by USs’ Johns Hopkins University.

More than 31 million infections have been reported worldwide, with close to 21.25 million recoveries. (Excerpt from Anadolu Agency)

Bermuda escapes as Hurricane Teddy moves away

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ermuda witnessed spectacular seas, but appeared to escape serious damage or injuries as Hurricane Teddy brushed past the island on Monday, a week after Hurricane Paulette scored a direct hit on the British Overseas Territory.

The large Category One storm, packing 145 kilometres per hour (90 miles per hour) winds with higher gusts, passed around 209km (130 miles) to the east at its closest point of approach at 15:00h (local time), knocking out power to some homes before accelerating to the north-northeast at 29kph (18 mph) and heading for Canada.

Earlier forecasts had predicted the storm would come closer to the island.

The first power outages were reported shortly after 04:00h on Monday. At 14:00h, the sole power provider, the Bermuda Electric Light Company said 217 of its customers were without power, with the central parish of Pembroke being the worst affected.

Paulette, meanwhile, had knocked out power to 25,000 homes.

Teddy produced spectacular sights over the past two days as it made its way east of Bermuda.

Residents on the south shore reported waves of more

than six metres (20 feet) as Teddy, then a Category Two storm, started to make its presence felt, on Sunday morning.

Bermuda Weather Service (BWS) forecaster Troy Anderson warned: “Although a spectacle to see, please do not put yourself or anyone else in danger.”

Authorities took an early decision to shut down Monday, with Government buildings and schools closed and bus and ferry services cancelled. The LF Wade International Airport, which had planned to remain open, was shut on Sunday night and would remain so until today. (Excerpt from CMC)

orruption and bureaucracy are impeding foreign investments into Trinidad and Tobago, said a recent report by the United States State Department, 2020 Investment Climate Statement on Trinidad and Tobago.

It said T&T was a high-income developing country with an annual Gross Development Product (GDP) of US$23.9 billion, which the International Monetary Fund predicts will fall by 4.5 per cent this year owing to collapsed global energy prices and the economic impact of COVID-19.

“TT’s investment climate is generally open and most investment barriers have been eliminated,” said

the report, “but stifling bureaucracy and opaque procedures remain.”

The report hailed T&T’s stable and democratic political system, its educated workforce, banking and insurance industries, rule of law and independent judicial system.

However, it also spelt out the negative aspects of T&T’s investment climate.

These were foreign exchange shortages, widespread perception of corruption among public officials, lack of transparency in public procurement, inefficient and complicated government bureaucracy, time-consuming resolution of legal conflicts such as enforcement of contracts, and violent crime.

The report said T&T

sought foreign investment and had no laws nor practices to discriminate against foreign investors.

“But some have seen the decision-making process for tenders and the subsequent awarding of contracts turn opaque without warning, especially when their interests compete with those of well-connected local firms.”

Urging more help for administration and dispute resolution, the report lamented a difficulty of doing business. Out of 190 countries, TT ranked at 158 for registering property, 174 for enforcing contracts and 166 for payment of taxes, in a 2020 World Bank report. (Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

Caribbean leaders address UN General Assembly virtually

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aribbean leaders on Monday addressed virtually the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Eight Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders spoke during Monday’s High-Level Meeting, marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations.

According to the UN’s list of provisional speakers, the Prime Ministers of Barbados, The Bahamas, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Antigua and Barbuda spoke during the meeting.

Guyana’s newly-installed President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali delivered his maiden address to the UNGA, but on behalf of

the Group of 77 and China.

Beginning on Wednesday, Caricom leaders and Foreign Ministers will participate in the UNGA debate, which culminates on Tuesday, September 29.

The UN said that the leaders of Suriname and Guyana would take part in the debate on Wednesday; Dominica and Haiti on Thursday; Barbados and Antigua and Barbuda on Friday; Grenada, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, and The Bahamas on Saturday; and Belize next Tuesday.

The UN General Assembly said its 75th Session, which began on September 15, will be unlike any other in the organisation’s three quarters of a

century of existence, due to the ongoing global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“This month, there will be no bumping into Presidents or the occasional global celebrity in hectic and sometimes crushed corridors at UN Headquarters in New York,” the UN said.

“There will be no marvelling at seemingly endless presidential motorcades on First Avenue [in New York] and no ‘standing-room only’ moments in the gilded General Assembly Hall, as the organisation’s busiest time of the year is reimagined in the time of COVID-19,” it added.

The UN said most leaders would not be appearing in person, and meetings would be conducted virtually. (Excerpt from CMC)

Police on high alert in Jamaica

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be left unturned in amaica’s Police have gone on these matters and high alert followthe security forcing what law enforcees will not rest until the perpetrators ment authorities have have been brought termed “coordinated” to justice,” said attacks against Police Chang.

Officers and their families.

He said he The Jamaica wanted to reassure the public that unConstabulary Force der the leadership (JCF) in a statement said that it had raised of Commissioner the threat level for viof Police, Major olence against memGeneral Antony bers to high and there Anderson, the JCF have been three such Jamaica’s National Security Minister, Dr Horace would not be deterred and would incidents in the past Chang be redoubling its ef24 hours. The JCF said on Police Officers resulting that three men have forts to dismantle been taken into custody in in the death of 67-year-old gangs and restore peace and connection with the inci- Clifton Green, the father safety in communities. of a Detective Inspector of dents.

Chang said that these incidents would not be alThe JCF says it is un- Police.

“These targeted attacks lowed to impair the fight able to disclose details due to the sensitive nature of the on our Police Officers to dis- against crime. He said the high-level investigation and rupt law and order and in- Bill to amend the Anti-Gang National Security Minister, cite public fear and panic are Legislation had been reDr Horace Chang, has con- of grave concern and will not turned to the Ministry redemned the recent attacks be tolerated. No stones will cently. (Excerpt from CMC)

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil falls 5% as economic outlook dims with rising virus cases

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il prices plunged about 5 per cent on Monday, weakening as rising coronavirus cases stoked worries about global demand and a potential return of Libyan production bolstered oversupply fears.

Crude oil followed other equities and commodities markets in turning risk-averse on Monday as rising COVID-19 infection rates in Europe and other countries prompted renewed lockdown measures, casting doubt over economic recovery.

“We’re seeing more depressing news on jet fuel demand,” said Gary Cunningham, director of market research at Tradition Energy in Stamford, Connecticut. “We’re looking for a much softer market. The economic picture doesn’t look as rosy as it did before.”

Brent crude was down US$2, or 4.6 per cent, at US$41.15 a barrel by 11:29 EDT (1529 GMT). US crude fell US$2.15, or 5.2 per cent to US$38.96 a barrel. Both contracts were set for their biggest daily drops in two weeks.

Prices pulled back amid mounting concerns that an increase in coronavirus cases could cut demand.

More than 30.78 million people have been infected by the novel coronavirus, a Reuters tally shows, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on Monday pondering a second national lockdown, while cases in Spain and France have also climbed.

Workers at Libya’s major Sharara field have restarted operations, two engineers working there said, after the National Oil Corporation announced a partial lifting of force majeure. But it was unclear when and at what level production might restart.

Meanwhile, a Suezmax tanker is making its way to Libya’s Marsa El Hariga terminal, according to Refinitiv Eikon shipping data.

Goldman Sachs stuck to its forecast for Brent to reach US$49 a barrel by year-end and US$65 by the third quarter next year, despite the Libyan developments. Barclays raised its 2020 Brent outlook to US$43 a barrel and US$53 next year.

Bullish sentiment is underpinned by the hope for improved compliance with an output cut deal among members of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies.

Threatening production and providing a floor for prices, Tropical Storm Beta, the 23rd named storm of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season, was predicted to move ashore on Texas later on Monday, the National Hurricane Center said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Botswana: Mystery elephant deaths caused by cyanobacteria

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oxins made by microscopic algae in water caused the previously unexplained deaths of hundreds of elephants in Botswana, wildlife officials say.

Botswana is home to a third of Africa’s declining elephant population.

The alarm was raised when elephant carcasses were spotted in the country’s Okavango Delta between May and June.

Officials say a total of 330 elephants are now known to have died from ingesting cyanobacteria. Poaching has been ruled out as a cause of death.

Cyanobacteria are toxic bacteria which can occur naturally in standing water and sometimes grow into large blooms known as blue-green

algae.

Scientists warn that climate change may be making these incidents - known as toxic blooms - more likely, because they favour warm water.

The findings follow months of tests in specialist laboratories in South Africa, Canada, Zimbabwe and the US. Many of the dead elephants were found near watering holes, but until now the wildlife authorities had doubted that the bacteria were to blame because the blooms appear on the edges of ponds and elephants tend to drink from the middle.

The deaths “stopped towards the end of June 2020, coinciding with the drying of [water] pans”, AFP quotes him as saying. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Canada Police say 6 ricin-laced letters sent to US, including White House

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anadian Police on Monday searched an apartment in a Montreal suburb linked to the woman arrested for sending a ricin-filled envelope to the White House and to five other addresses in Texas, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said.

US authorities arrested a woman at the US-Canada border near Buffalo, New York, on Sunday on suspicion that she sent the dead-

ly poison by mail, addressed to the White House. The woman has joint Canadian and French citizenship, two sources said on Monday.

“We believe a total of six letters were sent, one to the White House and five to Texas,” RCMP officer Charles Poirier said outside the modern brown and grey building where the search was taking place. “We can’t confirm that she lived in (the apartment), but it is connected to her.”

Poirier could not say where in Texas the envelopes were mailed, but the police department in Mission, Texas, received a suspicious letter within the last week, Art Flores, a spokesman for the department, said. The department did not open the envelope and turned it over to the FBI, he said.

The FBI is investigating several suspected ricin letters sent to law enforcement and detention facilities in South Texas, a US

law enforcement source told Reuters.

The envelope was intercepted at a government mail centre before it arrived at the White House.

Ricin is found naturally in castor beans but it takes a deliberate act to convert it into a biological weapon.

Ricin can cause death within 36 to 72 hours from exposure to an amount as small as a pinhead. No known antidote exists. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Ginsburg Supreme Court: Trump to name nominee by week’s end

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resident Trump has said he will name a replacement to Ruth Bader Ginsburg by week’s end and urged the Republican-controlled Senate to confirm his Supreme Court choice before November 3.

The plan has launched a high-stakes battle with far-reaching political consequences ahead of the election.

Trump would replace Ginsburg, a liberal stalwart who died on Friday aged 87, with a conservative.

Approval would cement a right-leaning majority on the court for decades.

The appointment of judges to the Supreme Court is

Demonstrations have taken place on Capitol Hill following Ginsburg’s death

a political decision in which the President chooses who is put forward. The Senate then votes to confirm - or reject - that choice.

The ideological balance of the nine-member court is

crucial to its rulings on the most important issues in US law.

On Monday, the President signalled he would nominate a replacement on “Friday or Saturday”, after memorial

services for Ginsburg.

The highest court in the US is often the final word on highly contentious laws, disputes between states and the federal government, and final appeals to stay executions.

In recent years, the court has expanded gay marriage to all 50 states, allowed for President Trump’s travel ban to be put in place, and delayed a US plan to cut carbon emissions while appeals went forward.

The court also handles reproductive rights issues like abortion - a highly contentious election issue, especially for one of Trump’s key Republican constituencies.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

CDC abruptly pulls COVID-19 guidelines on airborne spread

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he US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has taken down its guidance warning on possible airborne transmission of COVID-19, saying the draft recommendation was posted in error.

The now-withdrawn guidance, posted on the agency’s website on Friday, recommended people use air purifiers to reduce airborne germs indoors to limit the spread of the disease.

“CDC is currently updating its recommendations regarding airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Once

this process has been completed, the update language will be posted,” the agency said on Monday.

The health agency had said COVID-19 could spread through airborne particles that can remain suspended in the air and travel beyond six feet.

Currently, the agency’s guidance says the virus mainly spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets, which can land in the mouth or nose of people nearby.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump took exception to comments

CDC Director Dr Robert Redfield

from the CDC Director, who said masks might be even more effective than a vaccine for the novel coronavirus that could be broadly

rolled out in mid-2021.

That followed a New York Times report that guidance about novel coronavirus testing posted last month on the CDC’s website was not written by the agency’s scientists and was posted over their objections.

The UN health agency still believes the disease is primarily spread through droplets, but in enclosed crowded spaces with inadequate ventilation, aerosol transmission can occur, said Mike Ryan, Executive Director of the WHO’s emergencies programme. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Afghanistan: Bloodiest day of fighting since peace talks began

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t least 57 members of the Afghan security forces were killed and dozens injured in overnight clashes with Taliban fighters across Afghanistan in the bloodiest day of fighting since the Government and the armed group began peace talks in Qatar more than a week ago.

Sunday night’s clashes were in the central province of Uruzgan, where 24 members of the Afghan securi-

ty forces were killed when Taliban fighters attacked security checkpoints, Deputy Governor of the province Sayed Mohammad Sadat said.

A spokesman for the provincial government of Maidan Wardak, Muhibullah Sharifzai, said 26 Taliban fighters were killed in clashes there.

Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian said Taliban attacks had killed

98 civilians and injured 230 others in the last two weeks across 24 provinces.

At least 12 civilians were killed on Saturday in air raids on a Taliban base in the northeastern province of Kunduz.

Defence Ministry officials said 40 Taliban fighters were killed, but they did not confirm the number of civilian casualties.

Negotiating teams representing the Taliban and

the Afghan government have been meeting in the Qatari capital Doha since talks started on September 12, but little headway has been made, particularly on a ceasefire.

The almost daily meetings in Doha have been unable to make it past debating rules and regulations of the process, and the sides remain far apart on most matters.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

20

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

Keep your opinions to yourself, and someone will offer you enough information to make the best decision regarding your lifestyle and the path to follow.

Romance is featured.

TAURUS Taking an unnecessary gamble will lead to anxiety.

(April 20May 20) Focus on what you can do without jeopardizing your health. You’ll discover a smart way to live up to your obligations.

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

Doing a job to the best of your ability will alleviate criticism. Don’t argue with someone who is trying to make you look bad. Take the high road and be discreet.

How you handle situations will dictate the results.

Use your charm and give a friendly nudge to someone you need in order to complete your journey. Romance is on the rise.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Keep your finances in order and refuse to get involved in joint ventures that have a risk factor. A hasty decision will lead to repercussions. When in doubt, sit tight.

LIBRA

Don’t back down because someone is enticing you to indulge or is using manipulative tactics to change your mind. Romance is on the rise.

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO

SUDOKU

Stick to the facts, and refuse to let anyone entice you to do something detrimental. Someone will offer a false impression as to how well a person is doing emotionally or financially.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

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

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Leave nothing to chance, pay close attention to detail and be prepared to make last-minute changes as you move forward. Don’t take risks with your health or reputation.

Taking on a mental or physical challenge will pump you up and encourage you to make a lifestyle change. Listen to your heart when it comes to love, and plan to spend quality time with someone special.

If you exaggerate or make promises you cannot keep, you can expect repercussions. A change at home will affect your finances.

Don’t spend impulsively.

An opportunity to use your skills to increase your income looks promising. Be open with someone you love, and you’ll come up with a plan to spend more time together.

Stick to facts, do whatever it takes to keep the peace.

You can be a good listener without meddling. If you offer suggestions, you’ll be the one blamed if things don’t work out.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020

21

Tammy Beaumont's half-century as opener steers England to victory over West Indies SCOREBOARD

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half-century from an athome looking opener, Tammy Beaumont, led England to a comfortable 47-run victory over West Indies in the first T20 International of their five-match series in Derby.

Beaumont’s 62 from 49 balls was more than enough, despite the England line-up falling away from a promising start, steering the hosts to 163 for 8 before West Indies managed just 116 for 6 in reply in the first international women’s match between major playing nations since the T20 World Cup in March.

Deandra Dottin’s 69 from 59 balls was in vain as England’s bowlers kept West Indies well contained, refusing to let them get near the run rate required.

Beaumont back to the top

Having endured a lean T20 World Cup playing a floating role, Beaumont was restored to her favoured opening position in what turned out to be England’s last match of the T20 World Cup, a 46run victory over West Indies in the group stage before the semi-final wash-out that allowed India to advance. On that occasion, Beaumont fell for a second-ball duck.

But, sticking with the formula in the first match in six months for both sides, England prospered as Beaumont produced an innings characterised by flawless footwork, precision placement, and power.

Beaumont flayed the fourth legitimate ball of the match off Shamilia Connell through midwicket for four and took a similar liking to Shakera Selman in the second over, helping herself to two

more boundaries and in between them lofting the ball into the deep on the leg side where Britney Cooper put down a difficult chance.

Her four off Connell in the fifth over, skipping down the pitch and piercing the covers, was gorgeous and fittingly she brought up her fifty with a four off Aaliyah Alleyne through mid-wicket. It was Beaumont’s first half-century in 16 T20I innings. But her best shot came two balls later when she drilled Alleyne over mid-off for six, clearing the rope by some way.

She shared a partnership with Heather Knight worth 50 off just 33 balls, but Knight fell for 25 a short time later, wafting at a wide Selman delivery and being caught behind by Shemaine Campbelle.

Beaumont’s innings came to a close when she attempted a reverse scoop off Selman and found Afy Fletcher, who juggled, but held on at short third man and England were 136 for 4.

Amy Jones, who had been opening instead of Beaumont during the T20 World Cup and looked far more comfortable when moved into the middle order in that previous match, played a similar innings in her 50th T20I, contributing a handy 24 off 16 deliveries.

Taylor makes things happen

Stafanie Taylor, the West Indies Captain, brought herself on in the sixth over and struck with her second ball when she drew an edge from Danni Wyatt, who had struck 17 off 11 by that point, but ended up nudging the ball onto the off-bail.

Wyatt and Beaumont had taken England to 49 for 1 by the end

of the Powerplay and Taylor managed to stemmed the flow further with the valuable wicket of Nat Sciver in her next over, with a mistimed slog-sweep that sailed to Cooper at deep mid-wicket.

Once Jones fell to Selman, the pick of the West Indies bowlers with 3 for 26 from her four overs, that was the end of the England batting as they lost five wickets and put on just 31 runs in the last five overs.

Dottin back with the bat

All-rounder Dottin did not bowl as she continues her comeback from a serious shoulder injury, but she made a valuable contribution with the bat.

Her six off Sarah Glenn over deep mid-wicket was positively massive, moving her within two runs of her half-century and following another straight down the ground off Anya Shrubsole earlier in her innings.

She brought up her fifty off 45 balls, but had faced 21 dot balls in that time. Her four off Glenn in the 11th over was West Indies’ first boundary since the fifth over as the tourists were contained following the loss of two early wickets, including Taylor’s, bowled by a gem from Glenn to put them at 28 for 2 after they had ended the Powerplay on 26 for 1.

Dottin was also on the scene during the comical run-out of LeeAnn Kirby, which featured mix-ups on both sides. Dottin called for two runs off Shrubsole, but was sent back by Kirby after the single and narrowly avoided being run out herself then, as Kirby attempted to run on the misfield, she could only

ENGLAND WOMEN INNINGS (20 OVERS MAXIMUM) TT Beaumont c Fletcher b Selman 62 DN Wyatt b Taylor 17 NR Sciver c Cooper b Taylor 7 HC Knight (c) c †Campbelle b Selman 25 AE Jones †c Alleyne b Selman 24 KH Brunt st †Campbelle b Matthews 0 S Glenn st †Campbelle b Matthews 7 FC Wilson c Henry b Connell 4 S Ecclestone not out 7 MK Villiers not out 1 Extras (lb 1, w 8) 9 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 8.15) Did not bat: A Shrubsole

163/8

Fall of wickets: 1-43 (Danni Wyatt, 5.2 ov), 2-61 (Natalie Sciver, 7.5 ov), 3-113 (Heather Knight, 13.3 ov), 4-136 (Tammy Beaumont, 15.5 ov), 5-138 (Katherine Brunt, 16.3 ov), 6-144 (Amy Jones, 17.4 ov), 7-149 (Sarah Glenn, 18.3 ov), 8-155 (Fran Wilson, 19.2 ov)

WEST INDIES WOMEN INNINGS (TARGET: 164 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS) HK Matthews c Villiers b Sciver 3 DJS Dottin b Ecclestone 69 SR Taylor (c) b Glenn 8 LAGL Kirby run out (Knight) 7 SA Campbelle †st †Jones b Sciver 9 B ooper not out 0 CA Henry lbw b Ecclestone 0 AA Alleyne not out 3 Extras (b 1, lb 9, w 7) 17 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 5.8) 116/6 Did not bat: ASS Fletcher, SS Connell, SC Selman Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Hayley Matthews, 2.3 ov), 2-28 (Stafanie Taylor, 6.3 ov), 3-61 (Lee-Ann Kirby, 11.6 ov), 4-97 (Shemaine Campbelle, 16.6 ov), 5-112 (Deandra Dottin, 18.3 ov), 6-112 (Chinelle Henry, 18.5 ov)

BOWLING O M R W KH Brunt 4 1 8 0 A Shrubsole 4 0 36 0 NR Sciver 4 0 16 2 BOWLING O M R W S Ecclestone 4 0 19 2 4 0 27 1 SS Connell 4 0 27 1 S Glenn SC Selman 4 0 26 3 HK Matthews 3 0 25 2 SR Taylor 4 0 34 2 ASS Fletcher 3 0 25 0 AA Alleyne 2 0 25 0 watch in horror as Jones stretched to collect the ball, thrown in on the bounce by Knight, and whipped off the bails.

Dottin ended up on 69, bowled by a Sophie Ecclestone delivery that skidded on from round the wicket and clattered into the off stump with West Indies still 51

runs behind with only nine balls remaining. Ecclestone, showing no ill effects after being struck hard on the helmet by a vicious Connell bouncer while she was batting, followed up two balls later when she had Chinelle Henry lbw for a duck.

(ESPNcricinfo)

Kings XI Punjab lodge appeal over "short run", say could "cost a play-off berth" K

ings XI Punjab have lodged an appeal with match referee Javagal Srinath over what they believe was an erroneous line call in the 19th over of their match against the Delhi Capitals on Sunday night.

The “short run” call cost them the game, their Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Satish Menon has said.

Umpire Nitin Menon’s call for one-run short against Chris Jordan in the penultimate over of their chase, Satish Menon believes, could “cost them a play-off spot”. He said that technological intervention could have given them the extra run and possibly a victory.

“We have appealed to the match referee,” he told PTI. “While a human error can happen and we understand that, there is no room for human errors like these in a world-class tournament like the IPL [Indian Premier League]. This one could cost us a play-off berth. A loss of a game is a loss of a game. It is unfair. I hope the rules are reviewed, so that there is no margin for human error.”

CEO Menon also told ESPNcricinfo there shouldn’t be any errors because of the presence of technology: “Even if you give the benefit of doubt to human error, in a Twenty20 match, a crunch match, there should be nothing called an error. Because you have got technology today for everything.”

However, as per the playing conditions of both the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the IPL, the umpire can use the assistance of the third umpire only in cases of a possible dismissal or an unclear boundary decision. So there

Eventually, Jordan was caught at square leg off the final delivery with Kings XI needing one run for victory, thereby forcing the game into a Super Over.

Is technology fool-proof?

An umpiring error cost KXIP their game, CEO Satish Menon has said

was no way under the rules that the on-field umpire could have sought the third umpire’s inputs. The third umpire can’t get into the game without being asked for by the on-field umpires or a player using a Decision Review System (DRS) review. The only exception to this is the no-ball calls, which he used to keep an eye on in cases of dismissals before he was mandated to check every delivery for overstepping.

The incident on Sunday occurred when Mayank Agarwal tapped the ball towards mid-on to comfortably complete two runs. TV replays confirmed Jordan turned for a second run only after dragging his bat inside the crease for the first run.

Yet Menon, stationed at square leg, deemed it to be a run short.

The incident has reignited the debate about how cricket can utilise technology better for line calls. However, technology itself is not always definitive. On Sunday, there was another incident that nearly became a talking point when Paul Reiffel, the TV umpire, called the last ball of the Capitals innings, bowled by Jordan to Marcus Stoinis, a no-ball.

However, ESPNcricinfo understands that the two side-on cameras monitoring the line calls for no-ball showed different results for the particular delivery. While one camera angle showed the Kings XI bowler had stepped over the line, the other one had his foot on the line. Regardless of the conflicting pictures, it was called a no-ball, but the wider point was: for the same delivery and same foot landing, two different cameras showed two different pictures.

The short-run incident could be similar to the no-ball event.

It is understood that in the case of the short run, the camera angle that showed Jordan turning after the first run was from the side opposite to where Nitin Menon, the square-leg umpire, was standing. While Menon is understood to have seen Jordan’s bat touching the line, the camera angle from the opposite end showed the bat crossing the line. Incidentally, the replay was shown on TV only two deliveries later. (ESPNcricinfo)

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GUYANATIMESGY.COM

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020

Yuzvendra Chahal 3-for, Sunrisers Hyderabad collapse hand Royal Challengers Bangalore win

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unrisers Hyderabad’s inexperienced middle order hurt them big time as they collapsed spectacularly from 121 for 2 in a chase of just 164, giving Royal Challengers Bangalore a winning start to their campaign. The knowledge of such a flaky batting order will leave a big question mark against the dismissal of Jonny Bairstow, trying to hit a six in the last over of Yuzvendra Chahal, the only bowler he hadn’t got on top off. They needed just 43 off 29 at that point. ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster gave them a 76% chance of winning; any other team would have been 82% favourites but this adjustment by the tool told us what followed was not reliable.

A panic-stricken collapse followed: it involved a ramp into the helmet onto the stumps, a mid-pitch collision between the two batsmen, a Navdeep Saini coup de grace and 8 for 32 in 27 balls. Royal Challengers needed all that after they had wasted a quick start themselves to end up with what a below-par total against a stronger batting unit.

first five overs, taking Royal Challengers to 48 for 0 in those overs.

The slowdown, part I

At the other end, Aaron Finch struggled to get going against the predominant inswing in the first few overs. Despite two free hits, he got 10 off 10. Towards the end of the powerplay, Padikkal joined in on the slowdown.

To start off with, Sandeep Sharma bowled a quality sixth over, conceding just five. The four and a six off Rashid Khan’s second over were the only boundaries they could hit after those free hits in the fifth over. When Padikkal tried, he offered two chances in the deep, both of which were dropped.

Eventually he fell to the returning Vijay Yuzvendra Chahal and Virat Kohli celebrate their win i t y Shankar immediately followed by a plumb lbw for Aaron Finch to the left-arm spin of Abhishek and winning chances for Sunrisers in this game Sharma. Last 37 balls: 42 runs, two wickets. to 6% from 10%. There were signs Sunrisers were getting close enough for the inexperience of the Royal Challengers 90 for 2 after 11.1 overs. middle order to not matter.

Devdutt Padikkal launches one down the ground BCCI II

The slowdown, part

The double strike brought together two of Royal Challengers’ best: Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. The two batted together for 28 balls for just 33 runs and just two boundary attempts. Twelve of these 28 balls were bowled by Rashid.

So it could be argued the two didn’t want to take chance against him just after they had lost two wickets ket wic r the ano yet in a hurry. However, r afte hering rs Bangalore players gat they also allowed the A happy Royal Challenge Sharmas, Abhishek and Sandeep, to get through their overs. When they took on the left-arm seam Padikkal announces himself To average over 30 and strike at over 150 is of T Natarajan, Kohli holed out to a slower ball, the gold standard of T20 cricket. Karnataka’s his only boundary attempt of the night. Royal Devdutt Padikkal came with 64 and 176 but only Challengers 123 for 3 after 15.5, just 75 off their over 12 games. He also came with a rare record last 65 balls. of scores of 50 or above in all his debuts: firstclass, List A and T20. He got a fifty on IPL deDe Villiers gives RCB a total to bowl to but too, and showed glimpses of what gives him De Villiers went on to show his class as he those striking numbers. He left the first ball converted his start of 14 off 13 into an eventualone, gave himself four balls of quiet, and then al 30-ball 51. Along the way he hit his 200th six got stuck into Sandeep Sharma. He made good in the IPL, and took his overall T20 sixes tally to use of lack of pace in the Sunirsers attack and the 399. Yet, at the other end, the promoted Shivam pace restrictions to race away to 34 off 22 in the Dube went at a run a ball, which meant Sunrisers controlled the damage de Villiers caused. The last four overs got them 39, giving them a total only six in excess of what Delhi ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE JM Bairstow † b Chahal 61 Capitals posted after a diINNINGS (20 OVERS MAXIMUM) MK Pandey c Saini b Chahal 34 sastrous start at the same D Padikkal b Shankar 56 PK Garg b Dube 12 AJ Finch lbw b Abhishek Sharma 29 V Shankar b Chahal 0 venue the previous night.

SCOREBOARD

V Kohli (c) c Rashid Khan b Natarajan 14 AB de Villiers run out (Pandey/†Bairstow) 51 S Dube run out (†Bairstow) 7 JR Philippe †not out 12 Extras (lb 1, nb 2, w 2) 5 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 8.15) 163/5 Did not bat: Washington Sundar, UT Yadav, NA Saini, DW Steyn, YS Chahal Fall of wickets: 1-90 (Devdutt Padikkal, 10.6 ov), 2-90 (Aaron Finch, 11.1 ov), 3-123 (Virat Kohli, 15.5 ov), 4-162 (AB de Villiers, 19.3 ov), 5-163 (Shivam Dube, 19.6 ov)

Abhishek Sharma run out (Yadav/†Philippe) 7 Rashid Khan b Saini 6 B Kumar b Saini 0 Sandeep Sharma c Kohli b Steyn 9 MR Marsh c Kohli b Dube 0 T Nataajan not out 3 Extras (b 5, lb 2, w 8) 15 TOTAL (19.4 Ov, RR: 7.77) 153 Fall of wickets: 1-18 (David Warner, 1.4 ov), 2-89 (Manish Pandey, 11.6 ov), 3-121 (Jonny Bairstow, 15.2 ov), 4-121 (Vijay Shankar, 15.3 ov), 5-129 (Priyam Garg, 16.3 ov), 6-135 (Abhishek Sharma, 16.6 ov), 7-141 (Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 17.4 ov), BOWLING O M R W 8-142 (Rashid Khan, 17.6 ov), 9-143 B Kumar 4 0 25 0 (Mitchell Marsh, 18.2 ov), 10-153 Sandeep Sharma 4 0 36 0 (Sandeep Sharma, 19.4 ov) T Natarajan 4 0 34 1 MR Marsh 0.4 0 6 0 BOWLING O M R W V Shankar 1.2 0 14 1 DW Steyn 3.4 0 33 1 Rashid Khan 4 0 31 0 UT Yadav 4 0 48 0 Abhishek Sharma 2 0 16 1 NA Saini 4 0 25 2 Washington SUNRISERS HYDERABAD INNINGS Sundar 1 0 7 0 (TARGET: 164 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS) YS Chahal 4 0 18 3 DA Warner (c) run out (Yadav) 6 S Dube 3 0 15 2

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Chahal gets Bairstow, and then it goes bust

You would have thought Bairstow wouldn’t take a risk off Chahal’s last over, especially with their allrounder Mitchell Marsh injured and unlikely to bat. He had not gone for a boundary yet, and the asking rate was under control. He played the first ball watchfully, but then went for a slog and missed altogether. The flood gates then opened.

A perfect wrong’un followed to send back Vijay Shankar first up. India’s Under-19 captain Priyam Garg then chose the slowest bowler on the park, Shivam Dube, to play a ramp off.

He was bowled for 12 off 13 after having tried all sorts of shots.

Abhishek and Rashid made bright starts to their knocks with early boundaries to calm some nerves down, but then got involved in a horrible mid-pitch collision. This resulted in the run-out of Abhishek, and a possible concussion for Rashid.

There has been precedent of teams not claiming such run-outs, but Royal Challengers were not in the mood for any such spirit of cricket. None was asked for by Sunrisers.

Saini’s finishing touch

Saini brought Sunrisers back with five wides in his last over, bringing the equation down to 24 off 17, but his pace was too much for Bhuvneshwar Kumar and a shaken Rashid. That was all over.

(Cricinfo)

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

NOW!

Man City’s Gundogan tests positive for COVID-19

Bairstow keeps Sunrisers ahead

Even after running David Warner out in a freakish manner via a deflection off the bowler Umesh Yadav’s hand, Bairstow looked in sparkling form. He tucked into some Yadav freebies to keep Sunrisers ahead of the asking rate despite a run-a-ball effort from Manish Pandey at the other end. Pandey kept trying to hit, which brought about his dismissal off the bowling of Chahal.

However, Bairstow made up for it with another Yadav over in which he was dropped - his second life - and took 14 runs.

Dale Steyn’s comeback brought 13 runs, and now the Forecaster brought down the difference between historical probabil-

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan

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anchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has tested positive for coronavirus.

The club announced on Monday that the Germany international had contracted COVID-19.

He is now self-isolating for 10 days and will miss City’s Premier League opener against Wolves on Monday.

Gundogan will also be unavailable for the English Football League (EFL) Cup clash with Bournemouth on Thursday and the league visit of Leicester City three days later. (BBC Sport)

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Hunt for a Director of Sport…

The man for the job just awaiting appointment Ramson Jr revealed while speaking excluhe appointment sively with Guyana of a new Director Times Sports. of Sport is on the Also preceding cards and will probathe appointment of bly be witnessed soon. the Director of Sport This is according to should be the appointCulture, Youth and ment of the Board of Sport Minister Charles the NSC. Ramson Jr, who shared On this note, that the Cabinet has Ramson Jr explained their eye on an individthat while a list of perual. sons has been prepared Following the sackfor consideration, there ing of former Director have been criticisms of Sport and now and various opinions Opposition parliamenon the direction the tarian Christopher NSC should take and Jones, questions loom in the interest of upabout the next person holding a democratic to take up the mantle. process, a conclusion When he engaged has not been made as sport media operayet. tives some weeks ago, “The reestablishMinister Ramson ment of the National shared that they were Sports Commission, looking to fill the vawhich is governed by Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Charles cant position with- Ramson Jr the National Sports in the coming weeks.

Commission Act, is the Now, the Minister furprecondition of being one option on the table at ther shared that they were the moment. It isn’t any- able to appoint a Director of still going through the pro- thing other than that. I Sport. A submission was alcess. think it’s his to refuse real- ready made to the Cabinet However, the catch is ly; however, what’s really with a number of names. that while there is one per- for us at the moment, and A number of members had son being eyed for the job, what’s really important for views about either the inthe appointment needs me, is getting the Cabinet dividuals or the direction Cabinet approval. satisfied with the National or the shape that it should “Really, there is only Sports Commission (NSC),” take,” Ramson Jr disclosed.

By Jemima Holmes

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He went on to state, “Now decisions when made, it’s not unilateral decisions.

Even though you have a minister that’s leading the sector, the idea of being able to work in a democracy is being able to field as many ideas as possible.”

While admitting that the process has been delayed for quite some time, Ramson Jr said in his defence that the Ministry and furthermore the Government have been able to do a lot since the time of their swearing-in and other pressing issues were on the front burner.

“I’d say it’s a little bit delayed, but it was expired since August 2019, we’ve been in office for one month and there’s a lot of things that we’ve done already in a very short space of time.

In fact, most of the sport associations said to me that we’ve done more than the two Sport Ministers they had under the APNU/AFC,” Ramson Jr noted.

Former Director Jones, whose contract reportedly expired and was renewed in March after the elections, was relieved of his duties in August 10 days after the Minister was sworn in.

GFF attends 1st virtual FIFA conference

FIFA President Gianni Infantino

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The 70th FIFA Congress was streamed from FIFA Headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland

uyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde participated in the 70th FIFA Congress last Friday.

The Congress, held virtually for the first time owing to the COVID-19 limitations, was streamed from FIFA Headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.

“The business of football must go on,” said Forde. “In these difficult times, we must keep moving forward as a show of the true power of football and not be daunted in the face of what might be one of our greatest challenges. I am indeed honoured and humbled by the opportunity to serve Guyana’s football at these important forums.”

According to FIFA, key amendments were made as per the Congress’s agenda: “The FIFA Congress voted to approve two sets of reg-

ulatory amendments. In line with the new global situation, the FIFA Statutes and the Standing Orders of the Congress were amended to allow future FIFA Congress meetings to be held remotely. Meanwhile, and also moving with the times, the Regulations Governing the Application of the FIFA Statutes were amended to include new provisions relating to the exceptions to the general prohibition on changing associations and the access to national-team football for stateless players.

The Congress also approved the FIFA Annual Report 2019, the detailed budget for 2021, and the revised budget for the 2019-2022 four-year financial cycle.”

Interested persons can visit https://www.fifa.com/ for additional details on the Congress.

23

Senior Men’s 7s Coach Theodore Henry supports Hale-led initiative

Senior Men’s 7s Coach Theodore Henry

By Timothy Jaikarran

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ore than ever, sporting disciplines in Guyana are in need of dire action. As of September 21, 2020, Guyana has recorded 2402 COVID-19 cases, with 133 new cases as the virus continues to increase rapidly.

S e n i o r Men’s 7s Coach Theodore Henry has thrown his support behind the initiative to see athletes being paid to compete in their respective disciplines.

The initiative was the brainchild of Guyana Prison Service Cadet Officer Khalifa Hale, who has developed a plan that would benefit the world of sport and potential investors. This plan would cover every sporting discipline in Guyana, and with investors coming on board, it would see no sport being neglected. This vision would see Khalifa Hale conceived of the franchise- thousands of jobs being created for based initiative athletes while reducing crime and empowering youth and allowing for more youth involvement in sports.

When questioned about his views on the initiative Henry said, “I think it’s a very good initiative, because I am one of the persons who have been lobbying for us as athletes to be paid for quite a long time. Because I think the dynamics have changed in terms of living standards and we cannot be asking athletes to be doing these things for free. Persons have different commitments, as well as the economic landscape change in Guyana.”

Henry went on to state that he believes that this initiative was a great way to put money into the pockets of the athletes. He further noted that as an athlete, personally, he would have to spend a lot of money to train and enhance himself thoroughly. He concluded by saying that with all the hard work athletes put in, it was only fair that they be compensated for their hard work.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Tammy Beaumont’s half-century as opener steers England to victory over West Indies Pg 21

West Indies’ Deandra Dottin is bowled by Sophie Ecclestone

Yuzvendra Chahal 3-for, Senior Men’s 7s Coach Sunrisers Hyderabad collapse Theodore Henry supports Hale-led initiative hand Royal Challengers Bangalore win Pg 22

Pg 23

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