Guyana Times -- Wednesday, August 26, 2020

World Bank Director congratulates President Ali

– says she is looking forward to stronger partnership Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4389

P10

THE BEACON OF TRUTH WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

PRICE

Disunity, power struggle in PNCR have worsened under Granger – former party executive Page 3

– says “aloof” former President lost touch with base after 2015 – questions future of party under Granger’s leadership

Region 4 Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, Deputy arrested over electoral fraud See story on page 11

56 “political Chinese company appointees” completes takeover in Local Govt of Guyana Goldfields Ministry bled whopping $1B from treasury in 5 years – Dharamlall – company to be delisted from Toronto Stock Exchange See story on page 13

See story on page 7

Govt to launch aggressive housing drive – Min Croal – CH&PA CEO removed See story on page 11

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Pensioners among 4 P17 arrested after discovery of gun, ammo in Berbice

31 new P16 COVID-19 cases recorded in 24hrs – Region 4 is new hotspot

P14 Longestserving PNC House Speaker Sase Narain, 95, passes on

Pensioner feared dead after boat capsizes in Mazaruni P12 River P12 Gunmen escape with $4.4M after home invasion at Nismes

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, August 26 – 10:30h – 12:00h and Thursday, August 27 – 10:30h – 12:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, August 26 – 09:50h – 11:20h and Thursday, August 27 – 11:50h – 12:50h.

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 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East South-Easterly to Easterly to East North-Easterly to North-Easterly to North North-Easterly to Northerly to North NorthWesterly between 1.34 metres and 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 10:17h and 22:40h reaching maximum heights of 2.25 metres and 2.29 metres.

Low Tide: 16:08h reaching a minimum height of 1.02 metre.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2020

LOTTERY NUMBERS A

13 18 19

20 27 28

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FREE TICKET

Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2020

01 10 20 23 24 LUCKY 3

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MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2020

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COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$45.86/barrel

+1.59

Rough Rice

$218.21/ton

+0.17

London Sugar

$367.90/ton

-0.57

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1924.60

$1925.60

Low/High

$1913.30

$1937.90

-3.00

-0.16%

Change

Disunity, power struggle in PNCR have worsened under Granger – former party executive – says “aloof” former President lost touch with base after 2015 – questions future of party under Granger’s leadership

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aurlene Nestor, a former Central Executive Committee (CEC) member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), has written a stinging rebuke against party leader and former President David Granger, who she blamed for the current disunity and power struggle within the party.

According to Nestor, under Granger’s leadership, the party has been beset with power struggles, an aloof leader who failed to reconnect with those who put him in power and an unwillingness to accommodate criticism from within the party. This has culminated in the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) losing power.

“I believe that self-interest and personal ambition is partly responsible for why we are at this present time. Truth be told, the party was disunited before Granger but it has become ten times more fractured since Granger. Having observed the maneuverings over the last five years, it is clear that the leader has decided that he will use these untenable realities to benefit himself.”

“I suggested numerous times that there should be a leadership retreat where people are allowed to really speak to the issues that are affecting them and that they confront the lingering issues surrounding the disunity in the party, but despite a commitment to do it, it never happened. So, the party continues to be stuck in a protracted internal power struggle,” she said in a letter.

The PNCR stalwart recalled that she, like many others, campaigned for Granger prior to the 2015 General and Regional Elections, believing that he was the right man for the job and would strengthen the PNCR while presenting a fresh face to the electorate.

“Like many others, I believed he had the capacity to put country and party first and not self. However, shortly after assuming the office of the presidency of Guyana, I watched with horror as the unmasking began,” she said.

Nestor revealed that it wasn’t long after Granger won the 2015 elections that she was forced to travel to Guyana to quell the concerns of party faithful that Granger had abandoned his base. She said that she would have brought these matters to the attention of the PNCR-led APNU/AFC, to no avail.

In fact, Nestor recalled that her honest efforts to try to get the PNCR Ministers to reconnect with their base were sharply rebuffed and she was labelled as a persona non grata and treated with disdain by the leaders of the party in Government.

Unfavourable comparison

The former PNCR Executive drew an unfavourable comparison between Granger and former PNCR leaders Robert Corbin and Hugh Desmond Hoyte. She noted that these two gentlemen not only kept the party engaged, but also welcomed

Former PNCR Executive Laurlene Nestor

dissenting views, including from her.

“I served in the PNCR leadership under two previous leaders, Hugh Desmond Hoyte and Robert Corbin. I sat at CEC meetings while these two men were at the helm of the party. I expressed my views, unreservedly at CEC meetings when these men led and not one time, did I feel that my views were not welcome, not one time did I believe my views got under the skin of any of those leaders. In fact, I believed they embraced my unrelenting and unwavering efforts to speak the uncomfortable truth,” she said.

Nestor also questioned the future of the party, which she said will have to make some serious decisions going forward. According to her, party members have been agitating for Granger’s removal as leader of the party, disappointed with his disconnect with the base before and after the elections. According to her, neither she nor these members want to see Granger back in Parliament.

“Mr. Granger has disappointed me beyond my wildest imagination. Sadly, this disappointment is shared by so many of our members and sup-

porters. His posture throughout the last five months said it all. His refusal to even show some respect for the nation and address the people was very disheartening.”

“I long held the belief that a person treats you how they perceive you. Clearly, Mr. Granger appears to have no respect for the ordinary man hence his sleight of hand treatment of them. Since Sunday I have been inundated, with calls for his removal as party leader, many wept and many screamed that he has demonstrated sheer crassness towards party members and supporters.”

Nestor even lambasted Granger for not reaching out and expressing appreciation for persons in the party who worked tirelessly to drum up overseas support for the APNU/AFC during the five months in which the party tried to hold on to power after the March 2 General and Regional Elections. According to her, it is unthinkable for Granger to continue as leader of the party.

It was only recently that APNU/AFC formulated its lists of Members of Parliament (MPs). The list was handpicked by Granger with little to no consultation within the coalition and has been intensely criticised. The

PNCR Leader David Granger

process for selecting the list was cited as one of the reasons the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) broke away from the coalition.

Moreover, the list has not gone down well with several members in the PNC – especially former MP James Bond – who went on a tirade against Granger on social media. Bond criticised the PNC and its current leadership for not consulting with the party’s membership before making its decision on the parliamentarians.

Bond went further to blame Granger’s leadership for making the party lose the March 2 General and Regional Elections as he threatened to rewrite the former President’s legacy and dismantle Granger’s “cabal.”

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 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

NCDs and COVID-19

T

he COVID-19 pandemic, and its devastating impacts on individuals and communities as a whole, is yet another stark reminder that both the health authorities and citizens must continue to take the issue of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) very seriously.

Based on what the medical professionals have found so far, the majority of the persons who have died from contracting COVID-19 had some kind of underlying heath complications, many of which are related to NCDs. Guyana’s COVID-19 death rate at the moment is 31. For a small population such as ours, this is quite disturbing, to say the least.

The Government recently pointed out that, since 2017, critical areas in the nation’s healthcare delivery were ignored to a large extent, and this is why renewed efforts have to be made to bring all levels of health sector up to par, including putting effective and efficient system in place to tackle NCDs. According to PAHO/WHO, people with underlying health conditions such as NCDs, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer, have a higher risk of contracting severe COVID-19 disease, and are more likely to die from COVID-19.

Risk factors for NCDs can make people more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with COVID-19. For example, smokers may have reduced lung capacity, which would greatly increase risk of serious illness.

PAHO/WHO has suggested that informing populations about these health risks posed by COVID-19 is critical. In addition, health services need to be adapted to maintain essential NCD services, to ensure continuity of care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to poor lifestyle choices; such as tobacco use, alcohol abuse, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity, NCDs have resulted in large numbers of people falling sick and dying.

In 2007, Caricom leaders signed what they described as the “ground-breaking” Port of Spain Declaration, aimed at uniting countries to stop the epidemic of NCDs. The declaration was recently evaluated by a team of regional and international experts.

A few months back, leading health expert Dr Alafia Samuels had disclosed that, based on a recent study, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago were found to have the highest mortality for premature cardiovascular disease and diabetes in the Americas.

In relation to Guyana’s case, while there have been some positive moves in tackling NCDs, such as finalising the Tobacco Control Legislation etc., some experts believe that enough was not being done in the fight against NCDs. It could be recalled that there was an NCD strategy in the years 2003-2008, and again in 2008-2015, which outlined a comprehensive and effective programme to fight NCDs. It is not clear if these are still being used as a guide by health authorities.

Former Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy was quoted in this newspaper as saying that some of the crucial programmes that were previously in place to tackle NCDs appear to have been reduced or totally abandoned during the tenure of the previous administration. Dr Ramsammy had in particular pointed to the aggressive education and awareness campaigns that were very much visible some years ago. Also, community health fairs and school programmes and other initiatives which were used to address issues such as positive lifestyles had become less visible.

These are all useful strategies in ensuring the message of healthy lifestyles continues to reach everyone in every community across the country, and it is hoped that the new Minister of Health will engage in a serious review of what currently obtains at the Ministry. From all indications, some of these measures are being taken, but they are being done in a limited fashion.

We believe that discussions surrounding NCDs should constantly be kept on the national development agenda, where serious efforts are made at all levels to reduce the large numbers of persons suffering or facing death. On this basis, there is need for more collaborative efforts among all stakeholders, including support from private sector bodies, to tackle NCDs, since all of them are affected due to loss of labour force etc.

That said, while the various stakeholders are involved in the battle to confront the COVID-19 pandemic, it is hoped that they will redouble their efforts to effectively address NCDs and their risk factors with a medium to long term vision.

A farmer throws dates in the air during Unaizah Season for Dates, at Unaizah city in Al-Qassim province, Saudi Arabia (Reuters)

The APNU/AFC party was enjoying a real “fancy dress ball” party Dear Editor, Almost every day, Guyanese are wakening up to a new tune of dishevelment, discovered by the new administration and created by the former mischief- makers. Anyone may ask the simple question: Is the ending in sight? A rhetorical “no” as an answer will justify the response, because the nightmare is only now beginning to unfold and the scenes are becoming more horrifying.

One of the wily actors recently produced a “wild card” explanation that is mind-boggling for an insight. Imagine, the day has arrived when the APNU/AFC Party is actually legitimising the value of the NCM, alluding to its effect, and seeking shelter as a cover for their underhand activities. How convenient to finally recognise that the CCJ was correct when their decision branded the then government to be in “caretaker mode.”

So Mr. Granger was not right again when he retorted, “That is their opinion” and he has his own and does not have to accept theirs. Mr. Granger was guided and influenced by the very legal luminary. It is good to know that the wise men are acknowledging their mistakes and confessing to their errors.

Time is longer than twine, and others need to wake up.

Welcome to the party. Is this the beginning of a new trend?

And can Guyanese look forward to more deep and meaningful confessions? A guilty conscience speaks louder than words, and time will tell what guilty feelings are hidden deep in the bosoms of the tormented souls! Kneeling has its merits and demerits.

The arm of the law is long, and ole people say, “You can run, but you can’t hide,” the law will eventually catch up with you. The APNU/AFC Party was enjoying a real “Fancy Dress Ball” party that lasted from 2015 to 2020. The theme of the affair was “eat, drink and be merry,” a time to celebrate all the times missed out from the previous 23 years. It was a time to spend, grab and pocket; and why not?

The bigger portion of the voting population put them in power to cater to “their” needs. What a pity, for “their” became not the man in the street slugging daily for survival, but the elite group enjoying the “fat cat” salaries and seated in high places.

Have Guyanese seen and heard enough for their eyes to become open, or are they still not convinced that mischief was afoot and no wrongdoing was incurred?

Remember the immediate hefty increase in salaries for the Party boys and girls, and the pittance for those begging outside the door? How about all the corruption and perks with con-

tracts and agreements that saddled a way to personal pockets? Was it heartless to hide US$18M from the struggling Guyanese? As if that was small change, how about throwing away US$55B into the sea, where the big fisherman was waiting with his net for the catch?

Trotting softly onwards, so many pipelines were created to drain the silver and gold from the coffers. The expense sheets were not padded, but were decorated with large sums and fancy figures to impress a befuddled mind that the big boys and girls knew how to keep the big bucks err in “their” pockets. After all, the supporters of the bigshots put cat to watch milk, so what did you expect? Certainly not to see the pot of milk still there in the morning!

How naïve and gullible can some of us remain. Don’t we want to grow up and face reality?

Do Guyanese still believe in the innocence of the “kissing baby” act and the now and then kneeling in the pew for the cameras? Academyaward acting for showtime has its place in Hollywood and Bollywood, but not in the neighbourhood, where the livelihood of Guyanese is far from being jolly good!

The cat-and-dog fight that is taking place is a spectacle to witness the fangs and claws grappling with the jug-

glers. The tentacles are wrapping around the knees, bringing the puppets and clowns down so that the circus show in town can come to an end.

Many remain dumbstruck, dismayed and disappointed to learn what the people they trusted and voted for were actually doing while in office.

No wonder the sad callers and writers are pouring their hearts out to the media and radio, revealing their disgust over the actions of the reckless APNU/AFC Party and pledging not to ever again be fooled or believe a word they say, or accept them as representatives for their interests.

How callous and ruthless can such diabolic men and women be, who would want to deny the bread and butter from the impoverished people who are literally starving and have to depend on the generosity of charitable people to survive, so that they can avoid the embarrassment of having to beg in the streets to feed their families! Come next election, Guyanese are not going to forget the past five treacherous months that were so disastrous and devastating, all because of the greed for personal benefits and the hunger to grab power illegally!

Guyanese continue to be on the lookout for more atrocious anomalies.

Dear Editor, I would like his Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Agriculture Minister the Honourable comrade Zulfikar Mustapha to look into the operations and working of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) in Region 6.

Every time you call for a vet, there is none present.

One is always attending emergency meeting or court; if not, her phone has been turned off.

Another one tells you that she is in the Upper Corentyne and gives you the number of the first one. When you go to their pharmacy, you get drugs in a

syringe, or somebody visits you long after, late in the afternoon. On most occasions, after they have treated an animal, that animal does not survive.

When you are lucky enough to get to speak to a vet, you would usually be told, “I am on leave”, “That is not my district”, or, “We can’t handle the job. What I want know is why, after court or the emergency meeting, can’t the vet visit?

What would happen if somebody gets an emergency case and one vet is busy while another can’t go in the busy vet’s stead? Why are vets getting duty-free Government vehicles to drive up and

down the place without doing Government’s job; and when the month has ended, they collect a salary, but you can’t get them during the week.

Weekend is worse, all their phones are turned off.

These same workers are running around holding seminars at fancy hotels and saying they are carrying out tests in the fields, yet they don’t know the situation and conditions under which the animals are surviving.

No farmer lives at the fancy places where these seminars are held, and time is wasted there in talking, eating and drinking. Attendees mark

their names at these seminars, and the hotel owners’ pockets are fattened. Many people attend these seminars, and the GLDA is made to look good; but we, the livestock farmers, never get results for the tests done, so we can know what killed or is killing our animals.

Mr President and Mr. Agriculture Minister, cut the salaries of the lying ones.

Transfer who have to get transfer, and don’t renew contracts of the lazy ones. And send somebody in between to monitor the co-ordinator.

Respectfully, Jai Lall

Look into the operations and working of the GLDA

Respectfully, Concerned Citizen

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

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

A road to recovery and a bright, prosperous future for Guyana Dear Editor, "We want to build Guyana ripe with business opportunities…" was a part of the vision articulated in the Inauguration Speech made by President Ali during the inauguration of Guyana's ninth Executive President.

The road to recovery, prosperity, and economic development in Guyana is steeped with many challenges.

Now that the debilitating elections impasse is over, the new Ali Administration faces a global pandemic, continued ethnic polarisation, a tattered national image, the need for border protection, climate change issues, high migration of the tertiary-educated, local business downturn, and an inherent mistrust by one half of the Guyanese population.

In a recent interview, President Ali committed to enhancing the Private Sector. The Private Sector forms the backbone of the

economy in Guyana, much like in developed and developing countries. The Private Sector generates a significant share of employment and wealth creation.

Although Guyana experienced reform activities over the past two decades, the Private Sector is still affected by several constraints.

An Inter-American Development Bank study in 2018 showed that 57% of small firms and 48% of medium-sized firms in Guyana were either stagnant or declining. A similar report showed that 70% of small and medium-sized enterprises in Guyana failed between 2013 and 2018, with the highest closure taking place in 2015.

One of the primary reasons for small businesses’ failure is the limited access to finance. Often, commercial banks in Guyana do not lend to small businesses, due to the inability of SMEs to meet the requirements to provide formal business

statement and collateral.

Limited access to finance, small markets, and poor locations were cited for the high closure rate of SMEs. Only 8.7 percent of business owners had benefited from a university-level explanation. The small number of university-educated business owners may be directly related to Guyana's 93% emigration of tertiary- educated persons every year; and this is the highest in the world.

However, SMEs share some responsibility in the lack of access to finance.

More than 60% of SMEs in Guyana are not formally registered with the National Insurance Scheme, the Guyana Revenue Authority, and the Deeds Registry.

Additionally, a burdensome regulatory financial environment prevents high tech entrepreneurs from exploring new business models, according to Business Environment Reform Facility (BERF).

While the U.S reported that 300,000 small businesses that closed due to COVID-19 would not reopen, there is no reliable data available in Guyana to show how many companies closed permanently because of the pandemic, or even before the epidemic.

Harvesting and storing business data is an essential area that requires renewed attention from the new administration. Such information would be useful not only in the Private Sector and academia, but also in designing evidence-based decision policies and budgetary allocations for the Private Sector.

Before 2004, SMEs in Guyana did not receive any policy attention, until the Small Business Act N0.2 was enacted. This legislation essentially created the legal and regulatory framework for promoting the SME sector's growth and development in Guyana. The Act established the Small

Plea to ExxonMobil Dear Editor, You must be aware of the efforts of numerous groups that are trying to get the Government of Guyana to reopen the oil contracts with EXXON. However, Government has to account to the electorate, and move slowly compared to the pace that a private corporation can move to effect decisions.

While it is accountable to its investors/shareholders and is run by a board of directors, it also has to consider its public image in these days of ethical investing.

Exxon, as one of the parties to the Stabroek Block contracts, can take the initiative and reduce the fallout from the delay and indecisiveness. The more time goes by, the more negative factors and conflicts will be introduced into the equation, making it more difficult for the parties to reach an agreement and work together in future in the best interest of the people of Guyana and the investment community. A recent example is how the whole world got involved in the five months’ delay for the elections declarations to be made and for preserving democracy.

The media carries articles and letters daily calling for renegotiation.

Surely it cannot help the image of EXXON when the record, even in the powerful USA, shows the perils associated with oil transportation. On March 24, 1989, the oil tanker EXXON Valdez ran aground, spilling 10.8 million gallons of crude oil, which spread 1300 miles along the Alaska coastline.

The clean-up was slow, involved 10,000 workers, 1000 boats, 100 planes and helicopters, but not after the

oil slick killed 2800 sea otters, 900 bald eagles, 300 harbour seals, 250,000 seabirds, 1000 harlequin ducks, and destroyed the livelihoods of thousands who lived by fishing. Today, more than 31 years later, pockets of oil can still be found on beaches. The oil tanker itself changed its name and returned to service.

It is because the Payara contract was not revisited with dispatch that there is now a call for Government to renegotiate all the contracts with all companies. This could have been avoided if Exxon had simply initiated a meeting and give the people of Guyana a more reasonable agreement. According to some estimates, the loss to Guyana is about US$55 billion. This alone would help the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere (after Haiti) to stand on its own feet and move ahead with establishing a whole different economy, even if the rest of the oil remains in the ground.

Instead, foreign consultants are being retained, and their track record and honesty are now being questioned.

Guyana itself is rife with corruption, and a new Government cannot change that by legislation or regulation, as it has been part of the body politic for years.

You can prevent rumours and character assassination and untold damage to all relationship by holding a press conference and answering most of the suspicions that are now being peddled, not only against Exxon, but also to the representatives of Guyana and other foreign Governments and nongovernmental players.

It is not the appropriate time to rush a Government which has inherited an empty treasury, questionable and embedded consultants and contractors, and a COVID-19 crisis. The Government needs time to breathe and assess the challenges. You, as the other party to this contract, can win the confidence of other investors by coming out of the shadows and stopping at least some of the allegations which you can prove to be unfounded.

These are the days of ethical investing, and there is no doubt that the shareholders whose interest you claim to represent would forgo dividends if they see videos of villagers living on $2 a day and receiving much needed food hampers from generous donors.

In the spirit of Ahimsa (non- harm) is it not better for all parties, if you make that first step, to reconcile the financial imbalance and the social and political risks by meeting with the Government as soon as possible? Exxon may have deep pockets, and can reach many in positions of influence and power, but you must ignore history to think this will continue unchallenged.

Surely you would recall how an old man, dressed only in loincloth but armed with honesty, determination, a bamboo rod and the knowledge of the religious texts of the Bhagavad Gita, fought the greatest empire in the world, and won without firing a shot.

The world may no longer have a Mahatma Gandhi, and Guyana has not yet found a leader of the calibre of Cheddi Jagan, but the people of Guyana now have

friends across the globe, who made themselves heard when democracy was threatened in this tiny nation. The media would show that they are still watching, active and involved.

The website OGGN.ORG was established to keep the public informed. There is also an ongoing petition on CHANGE.ORG asking the Guyana Government to renegotiate all oil contracts, starting with the PAYARA permit. https://www.change. org/Guyana_oil_contracts_ need_renegotiation We signed this petition to let the Government know that there are many well-wishers, both inside and outside Guyana, who would like to see a more comprehensive approach, and that they have our support in dealing with what must be a very oppressive situation, considering time constraints and urgent economic challenges.

If, by any of the above, you are not persuaded to take the initiative, please share with the other directors of Exxon the final words of Steve Jobs, including “… nonstop pursuit of wealth will only turn a person into a twisted being”.

Sincerely, Ramnarine Sahadeo Rajendra Singh Hari Singh, President of Indian Horizon of Florida, Indo Caribbean Chamber of Commerce, Pandit Benimadhu R Ragnauth S. Bernard R. Sankar and others on behalf of Democracy Watch 2020

Business Council (SBC), the Small Business Bureau (SBB), and the Small Business Development Fund (SBDF).

To restore and rebuild small and medium-size businesses that can survive beyond five years requires a new approach and policy initiatives that expand the scope of the legislative framework of the 2004 Act. Creating an enabling environment for business development is critical for the growth and sustainability of SMEs. To build a robust

and sustainable Private Sector, the administration must stem the tide of migration of tertiary-educated Guyanese, and attract Guyanese talent and investment from the diaspora.

To achieve greater performance in the Private Sector, President Ali promised to develop a collaborative and consultative relationship with the Private Sector and other stakeholders.

Sincerely, Wayne Forde

The Opposition is in disarray Dear Editor, The Opposition are in total disarray; they are in so much turmoil now that the much-talked-about election petition has become second thought or no thought at all.

With the fallout comes the disintegration of the entity called the Coalition. This political association of sorts was destined to failure, just as we had predicted. With no proper structure and terms of agreement, it was a doomed venture right from the very start.

The Coalition’s members were never a unified whole, to start with, only a motley group of persons put together with the sole aim of ousting the PPP/C from office.

What it really turns out to be was a coalition fitted to be an absolute convenience of the APNU/PNC. With such a loosely put together arrangement, there would have been one inevitable result, and that is: a slow and insidious destruction.

The little minnows like the Justice for All Party died a quick but sure death, just as expected. The way they were treated is indicative of what The PNC stands for: use them then dump them.

The WPA, in like manner, got a hard fall, a thrashing that they would never recover from, and it is my firm belief that they were treated that way after taking on that image of a begging bowl party.

When you have adopted that lowly appearance, it is a natural process wherein you, as we say in creole, have to “tek what you get.”

Instead of standing up for the high ideals of its founder-leader Dr Walter Rodney, the WPA decided to prostitute itself with the PNC,

who are well known and acknowledged killers of their party leader. The WPA has completely lost its way.

But the greatest casualty of them all are the AFC. Here we have a party that openly lied to the sugar workers to get their votes.

This they did by drawing a gathering from the sugar belt. However, soon after taking office, the true nature of the party became evident when they unceremoniously discarded those workers and treated them as if they never existed.

That is why, in the first and second Local Government Elections, the AFC suffered the ignominy of being voted out of the sugar belt. Even those in the urban areas who were fooled into voting for them with the promise of jobs suffered a similar fate. It then begs the question: What can The AFC bring to the table by way of votes? And the answer comes back again, “Nothing!” But they hold on for dear life with little or no relevance whatsoever.

This is the reality of the Coalition. Whenever that sordid grouping has as its main driving force a big bully at the head table, nothing good can come out of that association. We told them that, soon after getting into office, it would be the PNC and the PNC alone, and this is exactly what took place.

The PPP/C told them that there will be no consensus when there is a cunning PNC making and breaking the rules. Our advice fell on deaf ears, and here we are today with an opposition in tatters.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

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Foundation

SUMMER OF LEARNING

◄

Æsop’s Fables

I

n a fraction, the number on the bottom is the denominator. The denominator tells what units the whole is divided into. The number on the top is the numerator. It tells how many of those units there are.

When the numerator is the same as the denominator, a fraction is equal to 1. When the numerator is greater than the denominator, a fraction is equal to more than 1. This is called an improper fraction. Sometimes, it is easier to perform a calculation when you change an improper fraction into a mixed number, part whole number and part fraction. These are mixed numbers:

To change an improper fraction to a mixed number, divide the numerator by the denominator. The quotient is the whole number part. If there is a remainder, that becomes the fraction part. Simply use the remainder as the numerator and keep the original denominator.

Example: Change 13/4 to a mixed number Step 1: Divide the numerator by the denominator.

13 ÷ 4 = 3, and remainder of 1 Step 2: The quotient becomes the whole number and the remainder becomes the fraction.

FOR CHILDREN So

Exercises: Change to mixed numbers 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6)

Get Real Activity: Bees

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Bee thankful ow do you feel when you see a bee? You may be concerned that a bee will sting. Bees are considered friendly, helpful creatures, especially when they are busy making honey. And when people take care to be considerate and careful around bees, they benefit from the bees’ hard work.

Thanks to bees, we have many good foods to eat in addition to delicious honey.

While bees are out collecting nectar and filling their pollen baskets, they are also moving pollen from flower to flower making possible pollination and the growth of important fruit and vegetable crops that we eat.

Raise a glass and toast the hardworking bees with a refreshing drink.

Supplies >> Glasses >> Straws >> Blender or food processer >> Measuring cups and measuring

spoons >> Honey >> Juice — of any fruit >> Fresh or frozen fruit >> Ice Getting started Choose your own fruits and juice to make this smoothie-style drink to your own tastes. Blend together (with an

adult’s help) about 2-3 cups of fruit, 1 to 1½ cups of juice, and 2 to 4 teaspoons of honey. If you are using fresh fruit, you may want to blend in ice to make a thicker, frozen creation.

As you decide what to add, write down the ingredients and amounts used in order to create a recipe that can be made again or to help you to figure out what to change or try differently if you don’t like the results.

Before you toast the bees, add a straw for drinking and pretend that you are bees, sucking up sweet nectar with your proboscis — the bee’s long, hollow tongue.

Enjoy your drinks outdoors and observe the interaction between plants and insects. Check out the role bees play in pollinating more than 150 agricultural crops — including your drink ingredients! If there are no busy bees about, check out this video www.youtube. com/watch?v=l_etyEdu9fQ featuring bees in action. (startwithabook.org)

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

7

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

56 “political appointees” in Local Govt Ministry bled whooping $1B from treasury in 5 years – Dharamlall A “situational analysis” carried out by the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, of his Ministry, has found that fifty-six political appointees who were hired by the APNU/AFC Government, would have earned around $1 billion in salaries and other benefits over the last five years.

The analysis was conducted mere days after the PPP/C Government took office and was meant to derive a clearer picture in relation to the financial position of the Ministry and what needs to be done to allow it

to carry out its plans and programmes successfully.

“What we found was quite startling,” Dharamlall asserted, during an interview with Room 592 on Monday evening.

In providing a breakdown of what he referred to as “a heist on the Treasury”, Dharamlall related that it was found that the 56 politically-appointed persons would have earned over $810 million in salaries over the last five years.

He explained that when other benefits such as gratuity, which is payable at the end of every six months, and allowances such as leave

passage, are added, the total cost to the Treasury amounts to a whopping one billion dollars.

According to Dharamlall, what is even more disturbing is the fact that among the 56 persons who were on the payroll of the Ministry are prominent APNU/ AFC activists who were in the forefront of preventing a democratically elected Government from taking its place following the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

“Many of these elements if I were to mention their names; the public would be amazed that these were at

Brothers charged for trafficking 84,717 grams of ganja

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wo brothers were arraigned and pleaded guilty to trafficking 84,717 grams of marijuana at Sugar Hill, Wauna, North West District (NWD), Region One (Barima-Waini).

Winston and Gladston Daniels virtually appeared before Senior Magistrate Sunil Scares at the Mabaruma Magistrate’s Court where the charges were read to them.

The police stated that on August 15, 2020, at Sugar Hill, Wauna, NWD, they had in their possession 84,717 grams of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

Winston Daniels, however, pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to a one-year jail term and fined $30,000. Gladston Daniels also pleaded guilty, but based on his explanation, a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf. He

was remanded to prison until November 18, 2020.

In addition, Winston Daniels was also charged for the cultivation of cannabis and pleaded guilty and as such, he was sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment. His sentences will run concurrently.

Police stated that on the day in question, ranks from

the Mabaruma Police Station acting on information received went to a camp at Sugar Hill, Wauna, NWD, where the two brothers were seen.

As such, the police requested to conduct a search and, in the presence of the defendants, the large amount of ganja was found.

They were cautioned, told of the offence and arrested.

Local Government Minister Nigel Dharamlall

the forefront of defending the dictatorship, standing against democracy, standing against the rule of law and standing against our right to count every vote,” the Minister highlighted.

Dharamlall mentioned several names, including those of APNU/AFC activists Ganesh Mahipaul and Randolph Critchlow, who were paid huge sums for doing “political work”.

He added that some of the political appointees hardly even turn up to their place of work and there is no evidence that they were involved in carrying out the work of the Ministry. He pointed to one notable PNC member who reported to his office three half days per week.

“We find that outrageous,” he declared.

“That is the nature of how the past regime managed our country and that is why you find they were willing to sacrifice their profes-

sionalism and integrity and defend all the wrongs they have defended in the last year and a half,” he posited.

Dharamlall said in due course, the Ministry will release further details regarding the terms of employment of these persons.

“I see this as a billion-dollar heist on the Treasury by these individuals, and I think they must be held accountable for it”.

He added: “Our taxes were paying them to run an “illegal Government” especially since the passage of the No-Confidence Motion”.

Of note too is that some of the contracts were issued post-March 2 General and Regional Elections; even after it was clear that the coalition had lost power.

According to Dharamlall, based on the amount of money that was spent in the last five years… “it is difficult to see the work that money was spent on”.

“Insofar as the Ministry

has proceeded…we were able to terminate their services and we intend to move forward in a professional dynamic way with a staff who are conscious about the needs of our citizens and who are willing and able to work towards satisfying those needs,” he noted.

Since coming to power, President Dr Irfaan Ali and his Cabinet have been weeding out political appointees and others who collected “fat cat” salaries for little to no work, who were inherited from the previous Government. It has been said that such positions existed in almost every Ministry.

One such position happened to be the “Director of Public Parks”, created especially for Retired Lieutenant Colonel Larry London, the man at the centre of the controversial D’Urban Park project.

During a recent interview on the National Communications Network (NCN), Attorney General Anil Nandlall had revealed that London was getting a $500,000 take-home salary in his position as Director of Public Parks, as well as his light bills paid.

According to Nandlall, London was even granted gratuity as high as 22.5 per cent of his salary. Gratuity is a benefit normally afforded to public servants, where they are paid a lump sum at the end of their employment, calculated as a percentage of their pay.

8 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Motorcyclist charged for assaulting traffic rank, other offences

Feeding at the public trough…

T Charged: Levi Taitt

Levi Taitt attacking the Police Constable

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he motorcyclist who was caught on camera assaulting a traffic officer on Sunday last was slapped with several charges including assault on a peace officer when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Monday.

Levi Taitt of D’Urban Street, Georgetown, appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse and the charges were read against him.

It is alleged that on August 22, 2020, at King Street, Georgetown, he assaulted a peace officer who was acting in the execution

of his duties. He pleaded not guilty and was placed on $25,000 bail.

The second charge stated that on the same day at the same location, he resisted arrest from a Police Constable who was acting in the execution of his duties thereby preventing lawful

apprehension. Taitt pleaded not guilty and was also placed on $25,000 bail for this charge.

The third charge detailed that he drove motorcycle CJ 7532 when he was not the holder of a driver’s license.

He pleaded guilty and was fined $25,000.

Finally, the police stated that the motorcycle Taitt was driving was not insured.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

In addition, he was charged for failure to carry the front ID mark, failure to wear a safety helmet, obscured ID mark on the rear, and breach of one-way. On these charges, he was placed on self-bail.

The court heard that on Saturday last, a traffic rank performing his duties at Regent and King Streets, Georgetown, observed the motorcycle driving up a oneway.

As a result, the rank approached the driver, who then jumped off his motorcycle and walked towards a nearby snackette. The officer called out to the driver in an attempt to get his attention, but he did not pay heed.

Instead, the errant driver went into the snackette, and it was at this time that the police held on to the motorcycle. The driver, in a fit of rage, ran out of the fast food outlet and dealt the officer several cuffs to his head, face, and other parts of his body.

During the assault, the rank’s cap fell off, and he was forced to let go of the motorcycle. As the officer was recovering from the blows, the motorcyclist picked up the bike and began running towards Regent Street in an attempt to escape.

However, with the assistance of other ranks that arrived at the scene, they were able to restrain and arrest the driver, who was escorted to the Brickdam Police Station.

After listening to the prosecution’s submission, his worship adjourned the matter until October 26, 2020, when Taitt will make another court appearance.

…for 5 years here’s nothing wrong with giving a brother (or sister) a job; but jeez…56 PNC supporters hired by the “Ministry of Communities” collecting ONE BILLION DOLLARS in the last five years? That is not just your ordinary “feather bedding”, this is luxury “down” bedding fit for a princess!! And this is just ONE Ministry… multiply that by 31 and you begin to get an idea of the rape of our treasury that’ll make the Rape of the Sabine Women by the Romans look like a tea party!! Did the “brother” who was the DIRECTOR OF SPORTS - with all the salary and perks of office - really qualify for the grant to get all those barber chairs?? Exactly what were those criteria, your Eyewitness would like to know??

But none of this should surprise us, eh? Remember when Bulkan was asked about the extraordinary number of contracted employees within his $8billion budget back in Dec 2019, and he promised to lay a list of them before the House?? Never happened…he just admitted that 15 of them were over the pensionable age?? But what your Eyewitness finds extraordinary is that in all of the revelations of graft concerning barber chairs and big-salaried lawyers from foreign and domestic, and just plain “siphoning off” from the state coffers, the base of the PNC - most of whom are wallowing in absolute poverty, haven’t been uttering even a squeak of protest!!

Powerful thing, this thing called “ethnic loyalty”, isn’t it?? It sounds suspiciously like the sentiments in Britain that support their Royal Family to the tune of billions, while the masses - who barely scrape by on bangers - line up outside their palaces to get a glimpse of them tooling out in their Rolls Royces!! Didn’t we get a glimpse of the local glimpsing phenomenon during the PNC’s elections heist, when women from the hordes who’d gathered outside State House were ready to throw their bodies under his vehicle?? Talk about groupies!!

So, when some complain about Granger’s “aloofness”, they’re probably missing the point: you don’t see Queen Elizabeth jumping out of her Rollls or 19th Century Carriage and hobnobbing with the great unwashed, do you?? So why should Granger be any different… he’s securing the legacy of Burnham, whose colour was purple, the colour of Royalty!! Look at how none of the masses protested his cavalier dismissal of one of their own ghetto-type, who nonetheless was the chairwoman of the PNC. “Off with her head!!” And not a dog barked!! Some are wondering “what next?” Just the coronation of Lil Joe

by Granger.

After all, that’s the prerogative of royalty, isn’t it? …but where’s the elections petition?

After putting Guyana through hell, the PNC better get that elections petition filed by August 30!! Hadn’t they assured all and sundry that they’d painstakingly collected and collated all the evidence of the PPP’s perfidy in the 2349 polling stations to steal the elections?? So, what’s keeping them?? Hope it’s not that they don’t have money to pay their high-priced lawyers. After all, these worthies were willing to work for those plaintiffs who didn’t have two pennies to rub together, but just wanted truth, justice and the Guyanese way to triumph - along with the PNC, of course!!

Your Eyewitness can’t wait for the courts to wade into the “anomalies” that Harmon had written “11 letters to GECOM about, DEMANDING answers from Claudette Singh!! Just like the PNC’s SOPs, the contents of these letters have never been revealed to the public. Clearly a man who could submit a claim to the US Lobbyists that Granger was a US citizen isn’t someone who’d make up “anomalies” about elections shenanigans, would he??

Just file it!! …and switching Sarabo-Halley’s in the news again…not about her “switching” from the WPA to the PNC - that’s a distinction looking for a difference!!

Nah. This time it’s about the criteria for awarding scholarships to only “one demographic”!

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

9

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

10 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

MoE dispels rumours of intention to World Bank Director congratulates President Ali reduce salaries of teachers, cleaners – says she is looking forward to stronger partnership

President Dr Irfaan Ali

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irector of World Bank Latin America and the Caribbean Region, Tahseen Sayed has congratulated His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali on his ascension to office.

Sayed in a letter stated that she is looking forward “to further strengthening the longstanding partnership between Guyana and the World Bank.

“On behalf of the World Bank, I offer our support as you tackle the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and

Director of World Bank - Latin America and the Caribbean Region, Tahseen Sayed

address the country’s development challenges,” the Director stated.

The Director also recalled her previous meeting with President Ali, adding that she “very much appreciated the opportunity for the exchange of views on the country’s socioeconomic challenges and your development priorities.”

Further, Sayed related that she was looking forward to meeting with President Ali at his earliest convenience, “to advance discus-

sions on the World Bank’s engagement in Guyana” and expressed that she would “be pleased to present recent analytical work undertaken by the World Bank Group focusing on Guyana’s opportunities for sustainable and inclusive growth at this pivotal moment of the country’s history.”

She also wished President Ali success in his new mandate and assured him of the World Bank’s strong partnership in support of Guyana’s progress and prosperity.

T

he Education Ministry on Tuesday took the opportunity to dispel rumours that it will be cutting the salaries of teachers and cleaners in light of the COVID-10 pandemic.

In a press release to the media, the Ministry said, “it has come to the attention of the Ministry of Education that misinformation is being peddled in the public domain that there is an intention to cut the salaries of teachers and cleaners.”

As such, the Ministry of Education wishes to advise

Education Minister Priya Manickchand

the general public that this is completely false.

The Ministry further added that any discussion regarding the salaries of teachers and cleaners would be towards the enhancement of their remuneration and not the opposite.

“The Ministry encourages all to dedicate themselves towards the development and safety of our children and teachers during this pandemic and to refrain from causing confusion in any way,” the Ministry further expressed.

Miner gets 3 years, fined $210,000 for narco-trafficking

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miner was on Tuesday sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and fined $210,000 after pleading guilty to trafficking 140 grams of marijuana.

Twenty-four-year-old Travis Eudoxie of Fitzburg, Port Kaituma, North West District, Region One (Barima-Waini), appeared before Magistrate Dellon

Charged: Travis Eudoxie

Bess at the Matthew’s Ridge Magistrate’s Court.

The court heard that on August 18, 2020, at Four Miles, Port Kaituma, North West District (NWD), he had 140 grams of marijuana in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Facts presented by a Police Constable detailed that on the day in question, police ranks were patrolling

in the area when they observed Eudoxie riding an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) with registration plates CH 9498. At the time, he was acting in a suspicious manner.

However, the ranks approached him and requested to conduct a search on his person, during which the illegal item was unearthed.

The ganja was reportedly found in a black plastic bag, wrapped in transparent plastic.

He was told of the offence committed and immediately denied ownership. He claimed that the illegal item belonged to someone else.

The lawmen informed the man of the allegation levelled against him but he also denied. They were both arrested and escorted to the Port Kaituma Police Station, where the suspected cannabis was weighed in their presence and amounted to 140 grams.

The businessman is still in custody while Eudoxie was charged.

Kwakwani residents charged for violating COVID-19 restrictions

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even Kwakwani residents appeared at the Kwakwani Magistrate’s Court on Friday last where they were charged for breaching the COVID-19 restriction on social activities.

Of the seven who appeared before Magistrate Wanda Fortune, four were fined $5000 each after pleading guilty to the offence.

The defendants who were charged include Cliff and Sanasha Hyderkan, Yishown Hopkinson, Joshua McIntosh, Edward Downer, Aubrey Gobin and Gregory Henry. Prosecution facts on the case stated that on Saturday, July 4, 2020, Police were on patrol duty at Kwakwani Park, Upper Berbice River, Region 10

(Upper Demerara-Berbice), when they saw a shop owned by one of the defendants opened at approximately 19:30h.

Ranks then ventured into the shop where they observed one of the defendants selling alcohol, and a number of persons were also imbibing alcohol.

The violators were then told of the offence committed, cautioned, arrested and escorted to the Kwakwani Police Station. They were placed into custody and later charged for the offence.

Sanasha Hyderkan, Hopkinson, McIntosh and Downer were fined $5000 each while Cliff Hyderkan, Gobin and Henry are scheduled to return to court on September 4 for the commencement of their trial.

NEWS

11

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Region 4 Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, Deputy arrested over electoral fraud

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ere days after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) ordered the Guyana Police Force to investigate reports of electoral fraud, controversial former Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo was on Tuesday arrested and is being interrogated in relation to allegations levied against him.

In addition, his Deputy, Carolyn Duncan was also taken into custody. Guyana Times understands that Mingo was arrested at his Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD) home and escorted to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) where he is being grilled.

Mingo is being investigated for alleged criminal misconduct, after allegations were raised that he attempted to alter the March 2 elec-

Embattled District Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo

tions results in favour of the former Administration - the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change coalition.

It was Mingo’s attempts

Govt to launch aggressive housing drive – Min Croal – CH&PA CEO removed

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s the Government of Guyana embarks on an agressive housing drive, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), Lelon Saul, was relieved of his duties.

He received his letter of termination from the Housing and Water Ministry on Tuesday, with one month’s notice. However, the CEO vacated his office effective immediately to proceed on leave.

Saul was appointed CEO of the CH&PA by the then Communities Ministry in March 2017. His contract was renewed in March this year.

In an invited comment, Housing Minister Collin Croal explained that the housing drive led by Saul under the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition was uninspiring.

He explained that having reviewed and evaluated the CEO’s performance, a decision was taken to let him go.

This is in keeping with the commitment of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration to pursue an aggressive housing drive as outlined in its manifesto.

The Housing Minister said the process has been initiated to search for a replacement.

He noted that the new Head of the CH&PA must be someone who has vision and can led a successful housing drive as was promised by the Dr Irfaan Ali-led Government.

President Ali was a former Housing Minister and under his tenure, he had conceptualised and implemented the largest and most extensive housing drive in the country’s history, undergirded by a massive house lot distribution exercise to citizens from all strata and geographic regions.

Only recently, Guyana Water Inc (GWI) Managing Director, Dr Richard Van WestCharles was relieved of his duties and asked to proceed on leave until October 29, 2020.

Minister Croal had explained to Guyana Times that the rationale behind the termination of the GWI Head’s contract was because the

Housing Minister Collin Croal

Ministry was moving in another direction in keeping with the restructuring and vision of the new PPP/C Government.

“We are doing realigning and we are also shaping the Ministry in the direction we would want to do it.

Every department is being reviewed and so obviously at the Secretariat myself and Minister (Susan) Rodrigues, we need to be comfortable with our Secretariat to function,” the Minister had explained.

Back in June, Van WestCharles – the son-in-law of the late President LFS Burnham – joined the APNU/ AFC coalition in calling for the March 2 General and Regional Elections to be scrapped following irregularities. Van West-Charles was appointed CEO of GWI on October 1, 2015.

The CH&PA has a mandate to address the housing needs of all Guyanese. The agency, which is under the purview of the Housing and Water Ministry, has the primary objectives of divestment of Government land to eligible Guyanese for residential use, development of housing schemes, and regularisation and upgrade of squatter settlements, the orderly and progressive development of land, cities, towns, urban and rural areas, and granting security of tenure (Transports and Certificates of Title to Land).

It also provides services (access roads, internal road networks, water distribution networks, drainage, and electricity) and collaborates with stakeholders for the development of sustainable communities. (G11)

to alter the results of the elections that led to the National Recount exercise which ultimately proved the major irregularities in figures being called by the Returning Officer when compared to the actual numbers of votes cast.

However, Mingo’s attorney, Darren Wade, who was in the compound, said his client’s phone was collected by law enforcement officers.

Nevertheless, other officials are being investigated, including the Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield - who is also currently facing private criminal fraud charges before the courts.

In a statement issued on Friday, the police said that “formal reports” were received that day, alleging “criminal conduct” by Lowenfield and Mingo, as well as others in relation to the elections and the events that followed thereafter.

“As a result, legal advice was obtained from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), and the Guyana Police Force was advised to launch a comprehensive investigation into these allegations” in accordance with its mandate.

On March 2, the original counting of the ballots cast had proceeded smoothly and had been completed in nine (9) regions with the PPP/C in

Deputy Returning Officer Carolyn Duncan

a commanding lead. But the tabulation of Statements of Poll (SoPs) was interrupted in District Four (DemeraraMahaica) after Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo switched from the legal procedure – which ensures transparency – whereby each SoP had to be exhibited to the stakeholders present to enable comparison to their copies.

However, Mingo diverted to a procedure where the purported numbers from the SoPs were incorporated into a consolidated spreadsheet.

This led to immediate calls for transparency from both local and international observers.

This led to the High Court case, when all the parties ex-

cepting APNU/AFC protested the sleight of hand that facilitated an inflation of the votes for that party.

Following the High Court’s decision, Mingo was ordered to revert to the prescribed procedure but he repeated his subterfuge in another guise and submitted totals that varied substantially from those of other parties and had the APNU/AFC ahead rather than the PPP/C. The Chairwoman of GECOM, Retired Justice Claudette Singh, agreed to a recount of the votes, which had been proposed by caretaker President David Granger and agreed to by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo after an intervention by several Caricom leaders.

In June, the Region Four results gave the People’s Progressive Party/Civic a total victory margin of more than 15,400 votes over their nearest rivals, the APNU/AFC. The difference was noted by the Head of the Electoral Observation Mission of the Organisation of American States (OAS) in Guyana, Bruce Golding, who had stated that he has never seen such a “transparent effort to alter the results of an election”.

Moreover, it showed that the numbers produced by Mingo were heavily inflated to have

a rigged win for the coalition.

On Monday morning, former Government Minister Volda Lawrence also appeared before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to private criminal fraud charges.

Lawrence along with Mingo were charged in relation to the unverified declaration of results for Region Four.

They were accused of forging official electoral documents in an effort to defraud the country. At that time, Mingo did not make a court appearance because he was never served.

The particulars of the charge stated that Mingo, having been procured by Lawrence on or about March 5 at the Command Centre for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on High and Hadfield Streets, uttered to the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, the election results for Region Four, knowing it to be forged, with intent to defraud the people of Guyana.

Lawrence is the Chairperson of the People’s National Congress Reform – the largest party in the APNU/ AFC coalition which was refusing to accept electoral defeat and has been accused of attempting to undermine the will of the people.

12 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

30% of medical drugs sold on local market substandard – GA-FDD

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he Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) has unearthed substandard medical drugs being sold in local markets during a pilot programme to detect such an occurrence.

Director of the Department, Dr Marlan Cole on Tuesday via a release explained that they would have partnered with the Medicines Quality Control and Surveillance Department (MQCSD) of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) over the past 18 months to determine the safety and quality of prescription drugs on the local markets.

During the pilot project, the accredited laboratory in Kingston, Jamaica, tested 36 drug samples from Guyana. The results showed that approximately three in 10 or 30 per cent were substandard.

“Drugs tested so far

ranged from anti-diabetic, anti-coagulant, diuretic, anti-bacterial and anti-hypertensive drugs. In considering the risks associated with the distribution of such elevated numbers of substandard drugs; 30 per cent on our local market, which is significantly more than the global average, the Department will be stringently enforcing our drug registration requirements,” the GA-FDD divulged.

The current Food and Drug Regulations stipulate that medicines manufactured in any country can be registered by the GAFDD after being certified by the United States - Food and Drug Administration (US-FDA), the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) - United Kingdom (UK), Health Canada (HC) or the Australian Government Department of

Pensioner feared dead after boat capsizes in Mazaruni River

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pensioner is feared dead following a boat mishap at Gatie Falls, Semang Creek, Middle Mazaruni River in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

The missing man has been identified as 63-yearold Clement Morgan of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

Based on reports received, Morgan joined a nine-foot aluminium boat at around 10:00h on Monday with another occupant, Sanaika Jacobs, and the

captain, Marvin Andrews, of Cane Grove, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara.

At the time, the vessel was heading to the Office of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) at Issano.

However, the vessel then left the GGMC Office at around 15:30h and was en route to Semang Backdam.

Guyana Times understands that at around 20:30h, whilst navigating through Gatie Falls, the 40-horsepow-

er outboard engine encountered mechanical problems.

As a result of the rapids and the heavy current of the water, the boat capsized.

Andrews and Jacobs managed to swim to safety but Morgan disappeared in the murky water.

Meanwhile, the police received the report and a team was immediately deployed to the area.

Up to press time, the man’s body was not recovered.

Health - Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

Additionally, Guyana had signed onto the CARPHA’s Caribbean Regulatory System (CRS) in March of 2017, where prescription medicines manufactured in any country are assessed by CARPHA’s-CRS electronically after being certified for use in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, or Argentina. With CRS’s recommendation, these drugs are then registered by the GA-FDD for use in Guyana. To date, approximately forty-nine (49) CRS recommended medicines have been registered by the GA-FDD for use in Guyana.

As such, importers and manufacturers are reminded to ensure compliance

with the registration procedures if products are to be released for sale and use in our healthcare delivery system. If these inferior substances are found, they will be seized and destroyed.

“The Department reiterates that no waivers will be granted to any entity for the sale and/or distribution of unregistered drugs/medicines in Guyana. The GAFDD; in the best interest of consumer protection and safety and according to the laws of Guyana Food and Drug Act Chapter 34:03, Section 21 (d), hereby warns that any unregistered drugs/ medicines in circulation or those found on the premises of local distributors without authorisation from the GA-FDD will be seized and

removed from premises by Officers/Inspectors of the Department.”

Dr Cole also reminded the general public, particularly importers and manufacturers of prescription medicines, of the importance and legal requirement for drug registration compliance.

According to the laws of Guyana Food and Drug Act Chapter 34:03 and the Food and Drug Regulations: Regulations 78 and 80, all new medicines must be registered with the Department.

Registration is the first line of defence against the proliferation of Substandard or Falsified (SF) medicines in our healthcare delivery system, both at private and public institutions.

Gunmen escape with $4.4M after home invasion at Nismes

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olice are on the hunt for two men who robbed a Nismes, West Bank Demerara (WBD) resident of $4.4 million in cash just before midnight on Monday.

Based on reports gathered, the victim is a gold detector operator who is employed with a company in Chi Chi Backdam, Upper Mazaruni River.

On the day in question about 22:30h, the victim was reportedly lying on a chair in the living room of his home watching television and fell asleep.

He told investigators that when he woke up, he saw an identifiable male entering the living room with what appeared to be a handgun which he pointed at him.

The gunman then ordered the WBD resident to not move and keep qui-

et while demanding money.

Soon after, the victim was ordered to lie face down on the floor.

Shortly after, a second suspect whose face was covered by white cloth and who was also armed with a black handgun entered the living room. One of the men then gagged and bound the victim.

It was reported that after the constant demands and threats, the man became

fearful for his life and pointed to the location where the money was kept.

After retrieving the money, the suspects exited the house and made good their escape in a waiting motor car.

The victim managed to free himself from his bonds and raised an alarm. The Police were summoned and an investigation was launched. No arrests were made up to press time.

13 Chinese company completes takeover of Guyana Goldfields NEWS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

– company to be delisted from Toronto Stock Exchange

Z

ijin Mining Group Co, the Chinese mining company that emerged as the company that would be taking over Canadian Mining company Guyana Goldfields, has completed the process for acquisition.

According to a brief statement from Guyana Goldfields on Tuesday, the two companies have completed the transaction following the receipt of all the necessary regulatory approvals and all closing conditions being satisfied.

“Pursuant to the Arrangement, the Purchaser acquired all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Guyana (the "Shares") not already owned by Zijin. Each Guyana shareholder is entitled to receive cash consideration of C$1.85 per Share held,” they announced.

“Further details of the Arrangement are set out in Guyana's management information circular dated June 26, 2020. Registered Guyana shareholders should send their completed and executed letters of transmittal and certificates

representing their Shares to the depositary, TSX Trust Company, in accordance with the instructions contained in the letter of transmittal, as soon as possible in order to receive the consideration to which such shareholders are entitled pursuant to the Arrangement.”

Moreover, Guyana Goldfields announced that its shares, which were trading at approximately C$1.84 a share price as of Tuesday, are expected to be delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange within one to three business days.

This publication had reported earlier this month that Guyana Goldfields had gone to court in order to secure a final order to close their deal with Chinese company Zijin, citing the interference of an unnamed third party and the need to resolve their claim.

According to Goldfields, a hearing on the matter was held at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, where they were seeking a final order to approve the statutory agreement between Goldfields and Zijin Mining.

Guyana Goldfields' operation in Aurora

Goldfields had explained that once this agreement is approved, Zijin would be able to acquire the issued and outstanding shares in Guyana Goldfields, for approximately C$1.85 per share. But there was a problem.

The arrangement, Goldfields said, was approved by the court subject to the company placing additional funds in escrow pending the resolution of an unproven claim by a third party. This condition does not affect the terms of the arrangement, and, with Zijin’s consent, the company is in the process of satisfying this condition.

“Completion of the

Arrangement is anticipated to occur by the end of August, 2020, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of all conditions precedent to completion. The Company expects that the Shares will be delisted from trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange shortly after the closing date of the Arrangement.”

The Canada-based Guyana Goldfields, which operates local subsidiary Aurora Gold Mine (AGM), had moved to downsize its operations since May, after facing constraints from the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with other financial woes.

It was also linked to the company’s transition

into underground mining.

Hundreds of local workers were also laid off by Goldfields in the process.

The layoffs were announced by Goldfields Chief Executive Officer, Alan Pangbourne, who said a reduction in the workforce would take place at all levels including both national and expatriate employees as the company transitioned its mining operation into a state of care and maintenance for an undetermined period.

At first, Goldfields had entered into an agreement with another Canadian mining company named Silvercorp. They had agreed that Silvercorp would ac-

quire Guyana Goldfields for some C$105 million.

But Goldfields then received a rival offer from Gran Columbia Gold soon after and Silvercorp revised the agreement and increased the offer to C$227 million. The Gran Columbia offer was rejected.

Subsequently, Guyana Goldfields announced that another company had topped that second offer by 35 per cent. Silvercorp was then given five business days to match or improve the C$1.85 cash-per-share new bid. It never did.

The company that bettered the purchasing price and conditions set by Silvercorp Metals Inc turned out to be Zijin Mining Group Co, which specialises in gold, copper, zinc, and other mineral resource exploration and development.

Last month, Goldfields processed its last batch of ore from stockpile and announced that it produced 56,000 ounces of gold for 2020. The site has also gone into a care and maintenance period, ahead of the anticipated takeover by Zijin.

14 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Absence of JSC hinders administration Longest-serving PNC House Speaker Sase of justice – Bar Association

Narain, 95, passes on

– hoping for its timely reconvening

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resident of the Bar Association of Guyana, Senior Counsel Teni Housty believes that the administration of justice is hindered due to the absence of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and hopes that the body will be reconvened in a timely manner.

There has been no JSC since 2017. The last Justice Commission was appointed by former President Donald Ramotar on September 11, 2014.

The tenure of each appointed member is for three years, therefore, the tenure of the last Commission expired on September 12, 2017. Among other things, the functions of the JSC is to advise the President on the appointment of Judges, with the exception of the Chancellor and the Chief Justice.

In an invited comment, Senior Counsel Housty told Guyana Times that it has been recognised that the absence of a JSC is impeding elements of the administration of justice.

He disclosed that the Bar Association has had several meetings with Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall who gave an assurance that the matter will be addressed shortly.

“We [Bar Association] are hoping for the timely re-

commissioning of the JSC,” Senior Counsel Housty added.

Shortage of Judges

The findings of a recent United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report highlighted that backlog in cases which have been plaguing the criminal justice system for years is due to the fact that there is, among other things, a shortage of Judges.

The report noted that while there is no shortage of criminal attorneys-at-law, there are only 14 of the expected 20 High Court Judges, and three of the expected five Court of Appeal Judges.

Furthermore, it stated that despite advertisements, there are only two Judicial Research Assistants on staff.

The Supreme Court of Judicature recently advertised for qualified persons to fill five vacancies for Judicial Research Assistants.

“If the present cadre of Judges is not increased, then the issue of backlogs will not be addressed. It is recommended that further options for increasing the human resource capacity including for judicial legal research assistants, judges, prosecutors, and trained mediators be explored,” the report stated.

Whilst the assignment of temporary Judges has been used in the past in the Court of Appeal, this is not seen as

a permanent solution, the report further noted.

However, commenting on the report, Housty noted that Senior Counsel Rafiq Khan and Dr Christopher Bulkan were the last two temporary Judges to be appointed to the Court of Appeal.

They were both appointed to the post in January and February 2018, respectively.

He recalled, “They served for six months and when their tenure expired there was no JSC. When they were there, the functions of the Court of Appeal was accelerated.”

Having regards to the foregoing, Senior Counsel Housty expressed that the reconvening of the JSC is of utmost priority for the Bar Association.

Constitutionally required

This JSC is created by virtue of Article 134 of the Constitution. Its composition is set out under Article 198, while its functions are outlined in Article 199. It compromises of the Chancellor, who is the Chairman, the Chief Justice and the Chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC).

Its other members include one from among persons who hold or have held the office of a Judge of a court having unlimited jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters, in some part of the Commonwealth or a court having jurisdiction in appeals from such court, after

T

President of the Guyana Bar Association, Senior Counsel Teni Housty

meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition; and no less than one and more than two, from among persons who are attorneys-at-law, not in active practice, nominated by the National Assembly, after it has consulted such bodies as appear to it to represent attorneys-at-law. Each member is appointed by the Head of State.

It also has the power to make appointments to remove and to exercise disciplinary control over persons holding or acting in the following offices – Commissioner of Title, Magistrate, Director of Public Prosecutions, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Registrar of the High Court, Deputy Registrar of the High Court, Registrar of Deeds and Deputy Registrar of Deeds and to such offices connected with the courts or for appointment to which legal qualifications are required as may be prescribed by Parliament.

he longest-serving Speaker of Guyana’s National Assembly, Sase Narain, passed away on Tuesday at his Queenstown, Georgetown home. He was 95.

Born on January 27, 1925, to the late Oudit and Soukhai Narain, he grew up at Pouderoyen on the West Bank of Demerara.

Sase Narain attended Malgre Tout Primary School, where he completed his schooling. He then attended the Modern Educational Institute in Georgetown, where he completed his Senior Cambridge Examination. Sase Narain then travelled to the United Kingdom to pursue legal studies.

In 1957, upon completion of his Solicitors Examination at the City Law School in Chancery Lane, London, Sase Narain returned to Guyana. He was appointed Senior Counsel and served as Speaker of the National Assembly from 1971 to 1992.

In 1991, he became the first Speaker to expel a Member of Parliament after Minister of Agriculture Isahak Basir threw a drinking glass at him.

He also served as Deputy Chairman to both the Public Service and Police Commissions under the PNC’s rule in the 1960s.

After leaving his post as Speaker, the Senior Counsel returned to private practice

Former Speaker of the National Assembly Sase Narain

and later retired. He was the recipient of Guyana’s second-highest national award, the Order of Roraima (OR).

In a statement, former President David Granger, Central Executive Committee and members of the PNC said that they are saddened at the death of the former House Speaker.

“The leader, central executive committee and members of the PNCR express our deepest sympathy to the relatives of Mr. Sase Narain OR, SC, CMG,” the statement added.

In addition, the Bar Association of Guyana in a missive stated that Narain joined the legal profession in Guyana as a solicitor, demonstrating the power of the pen.

TURN TO PAGE 16

NEWS

15

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ramsammy’s Ruminations US pumps US$5.5M for COVID-19 threat no hoax; Guyana, blind, deaf and dumb, facing its worst ever calamity

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OVID-19 is spreading across Guyana, relentlessly touching across the villages on the coast and in the hinterland.

Unfortunately, it has already left a trail of death. For almost six months, the previous government neglected the crisis that was developing.

Now the new government is forced to buy body bags instead of trying to buy laptops for children. The trail is about to see more dead bodies, unless we get serious, stop being stubborn, begin to be respectful of this unseen enemy, this existential threat in Guyana.

Dr Leslie Ramsammy More than 1100 persons have been documented with COVID-19, 31 have died by the end of August 24. At this moment, the Intensive Care Unit at the GPHC is completely filled with COVID-19 patients. For a small country like Guyana, this is a calamity. It, therefore, boggles my mind to see how careless and reckless the Guyanese people are in the midst of the COVID-19 virus. Ms. Volda Lawrence appeared in court on Monday to face private charges she tried to thief an election. Hundreds showed up to support her. They breached the law, appearing in public without masks and totally ignoring the common sense thing of social distancing. They hollered and screamed into each other’s face. Neither Ms. Lawrence nor other leaders, like James Bond, sought to discourage their followers or to encourage them to follow the law and good sense to stay safe.

Ms. Lawrence is Guyana’s former Minister of Health and was squatting in the Minister of Health’s office when COVID-19 was first documented in Guyana. Ms. Lawrence, while wearing a mask to protect herself, failed to warn her supporters about the danger of COVID-19, comfortably basking glorious as her supporters risked their lives, no masks, no social distancing, on her behalf. Ms. Lawrence continued her reckless behavior in the full view of the world, refusing to lead by example, still walking her supporters down the dark road to calamity. This is the same lady that allowed the COVID-19 to simmer and now it is boiling over. The quiet spread of COVID-19 that was allowed to silently spread across the country, with little or no effort to stop it, is now exploding, not in one part of Guyana, but across Guyana.

But Ms. Lawrence is not the only APNU+AFC leader to encourage the lawlessness of supporters risking their lives by gathering in public with no masks. Her leader, David Granger, in the last six months, especially during the shameless attempt to thief the elections, often appeared in front of supporters with his mask on, while the supporters were mask-less.

On weekends, hundreds of Guyanese gather on the seawall.

At the hinterland “landings”, hundreds gather to socialize and “sport”. Bars across Guyana seem oblivious of the danger that lurks at every corner. There is a curfew, but no one appears to respect it. Most of those out “sporting” in the curfew ignore the law that every citizen must mask-up every time they come out of home. Guyana seems especially retarded when it comes to social distancing. The police is another thing altogether. The police sometimes enforce the curfew, but at other times seem blind, deaf and dumb. The police commander of West Demerara, Region 3, last week did the right thing when he walked into a rum shop and threatened to charge all those in there who pretended they never heard about COVID-19. But policemen and women watched stupidly as hundreds gathered at the high court to scream and generously spit in each other’s faces, not a single police appeared conscious of the danger they were harboring.

The irony of Monday’s court appearance is that it was Ms. Lawrence who was in charge of Guyana’s anemic COVID-19 response from the beginning until just three weeks ago. The most egregious of Guyana’s failure, until now, was the absurdly low to non-existent testing for COVID-19. Up to the end of June, Guyana barely did an average of 30 tests per day. While, in July, there were days when testing reached 100 tests per day, there were many days when no test was done.

This changed in August, as the new PPP Government elevated the importance of testing. Last Wednesday with 208 tests done, it was the first time Guyana surpassed 200 tests in a day. Last Sunday, with 357 tests, Guyana surpassed 300 COVID-19 tests for the first time ever. It is really criminal that a group of people led by David Granger and Volda Lawrence spent $1.6B on rehabilitating a building they did not own, but could not spend less than 0.1% of that to increase Guyana’s testing capacity.

The new government has ramped up testing. As testing increases, the truth is being revealed. COVID-19 was allowed to quietly spread while the country’s government was too busy trying to thief an election. Guyanese must stop thinking this is a hoax. China did not bring COVID-19 to Guyana, so let us stop spreading fake news. COVID-19 took hold in Guyana because our then government recklessly decided they can pretend COVID-19 will simply leave Guyana. It was irresponsible. It was criminal malfeasance by Ms Lawrence and others. Now the new government must end the calamity.

building disaster resilience T

he US Government has committed US$5.5 million through two initiatives to support preparation for and building resilience from natural disasters.

These initiatives will benefit citizens in Guyana and Suriname, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, The Bahamas, Grenada, Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago.

On August 14, the United States Government in partnership with

the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) launched a new US$4.5 million initiative entitled “Caribbean Climate Resilience Initiative” to help countries reduce disaster risks as well as absorb and recover from hazard impacts and climate variability.

Based in Barbados, CDEMA will work with local partners on the implementation of the programme. The programme will strengthen operational systems, improve information and communications technology infrastructure

for resilience programming and enhance mechanisms and systems at the community level to build resilience to climate-related hazards.

Recognising the important role that communities play in building resilient countries, USAID is also partnering with the Inter-American Foundation (IAF) under a new activity that started on August 3, 2020, entitled, “Building Community Resilience in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean”.

Under this initiative, USAID is contributing US$1 million to strengthen

coastal communities to become more resilient to the impact of natural hazards.

This award will provide grants to local community organisations undertaking disaster mitigation and resilience-related work.

Under the USCaribbean 2020 Strategy for Engagement and the US-Caribbean Resilience Partnership, the United States remains committed to partnering with the people of the Caribbean to ensure that they are better able to prepare for, recover from, and build resilience to natural disasters.

Govt to put systems in place to pay pensioners closer to home ing that service to them in their villages which will allow them to save on time and money.”

There are four post offices in Region Two - one each at Charity, Anna Regina, Queenstown and Aurora.

Pensioners have since welcomed the new arrangement, claiming that they had to leave home very early to get to the post offices so that they could finish in a timely manner.

Most times, they leave home without having breakfast.

Local Government Minister Nigel Dharamlall

I

n light of the recent challenges faced by pensioners in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) to uplift their old page pensions, systems will be put in place by the present Administration to make these payments accessible in their respective villages.

This was according to Local Government Minister, Nigel Dharamlall during an outreach in Region Two over the weekend.

The Minister told residents that is aware senior citizens have to travel long distances and join long lines at the few Post Offices in the Region in order to collect their pensions.

As such, he noted that very soon, a more easily accessible payment system will be put in place.

“We are working with the regional administration to ensure that the cashiers go out to the villages and make these payments rather than the pensioners having to travel long hours.”

In this regard, the Minister further stated this is an issue that is being faced throughout the country.

“These pensioners travel for miles under harsh conditions to collect their old age pension and which is putting tremendous pressure on them… we are working towards provid-

16 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

31 new COVID-19 cases recorded in 24 hrs – Region 4 is new hotspot

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he lifeless body of 3-year-old Keyon Joseph Antonio of Lot 1 Barama Line Baramita, North West District (NWD), Region One (Barima-Waini), was on Tuesday pulled from a pond a short distance away from his home.

Based on information received, at about 16:00h, the now dead child’s brother told his mother that he was going to the shop to collect his mobile phone that he had left to charge. The teen related that the now dead child and another sibling unknowingly followed him.

However, the mother explained that she was sitting under a mango tree with her one-year-old baby when she heard her son scream three

G

uyana has recorded 31 new cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in 24 hours, thus bringing the total number of persons who have contracted the virus to a whopping 1060.

Of the 1060 cases, 520 are males and 540 are females.

The Health Ministry related that eight persons are in the designated Intensive Care Unit (ICU), with 387 in home isolation, 80 in institutional isolation, and 78 in institutional quarantine – a decrease of 23.

The coronavirus death toll remains at 31. Another 13 persons have recovered, which increased the total recoveries to 523.

Of the new cases, there are two from Region One (Barima-Waini); one from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 17 from Region Four (DemeraraMahaica); one from Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); three from Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); five from Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni); three from Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and one from Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

The number of cases in Regions Two (PomeroonSupenaam) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) remains the same at 12 and 72, respectively. In just two days, Guyana has recorded a whopping 105 positive cases.

Meanwhile, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony had stated that 29 ventilators were expected to arrive in Guyana and would be distributed to regional hospitals across the country.

These facilities will now have Intensive Care Units, specifically geared to the treatment of severely-ill persons who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are experiencing respiratory distress.

According to the Department of Public Information (DPI), once these units are in place at each of the regional hospitals, the burden which is usually placed on the Georgetown Public Hospital will be eliminated, allowing the facility to

Body of 3-Y-O pulled from pond in Region 1

times and she immediately went to check on him.

As she arrived at the pond, the child kept pointing into the water and cried “mama Keykey”. Without hesitation, she ran over to the shop where her teenage son had gone and informed him of the incident.

He reportedly jumped into the pond and pulled out his brother’s motionless body. An alarm was raised and the police were contacted. The child was picked up and escorted to the Baramita Health Centre where he was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor on duty.

The body was escorted to the Port Kaituma Public Hospital mortuary awaiting a post-mortem. Investigations are ongoing.

Handyman found dead died of natural causes – autopsy

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function effectively in its tertiary, specialised capacity.

With this service coming on stream, the necessary competent staff will be needed to operate the machines and care for the patients who are admitted.

“If we put the ventilators there, we want to ensure that – through the Georgetown hospital – we train the doctors who will be working in the ICU areas. That training is for them to understand how to do proper ventilation, when to put patients on this ventila-

tor and how to use that piece of equipment,” Dr Anthony said.

Added to this, the Minister noted the importance of training for support staff to the ICUs, including nurses and other key health-care personnel. He said Community Health Workers were also being trained in Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control.

“This is extremely important because if we are trying to prevent the spread of the infection within our institutions

and also to protect our healthcare workers from getting infected, these are going to be continuous and ongoing training [programmes].”

The training models being utilised to improve Guyana’s response to COVID-19 at the healthcare level was designed and approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO); however, the Health Ministry has extracted key components of the training, adopting it to fit the Guyana context which will render it more relatable and effective.

post-mortem examination (PME) conducted on the remains of 58-year-old Phillip Ketwaru, who was found dead in an alleyway at Atlantic Gardens, East Coast Demerara (ECD), on Sunday, revealed that he died as a result of bleeding stomach ulcers.

Stomach ulcers, which are also known as gastric ulcers, are painful sores in the stomach lining. This can affect both the stomach and small intestines.

It may also occur when the thick layer of mucus that protects your stomach from digestive juices is reduced.

It was reported that the man allegedly fell and sustained injuries while scaling his employer’s fence but was left in the alleyway without anyone rushing to his assistance.

The dead man’s son, Kaman Ketwaru, had told reporters that his family received a telephone call from his father’s employer informing them that his father had fallen, and was in need of medical attention.

When they arrived at the scene, the man was reported-

Dead: Phillip Ketwaru

ly lying motionlessly, already dead. He was later escorted it to Lyken’s Funeral home.

Meanwhile, the businessman’s wife had stated that when the man turned up at their residence to work, he was showing signs of being unwell. They subsequently ordered him to go back home and return when he gets better. He reportedly jumped the fence instead of using the gate, and fell.

Meanwhile, following the autopsy, Ketwaru’s body was handed over to his relatives for burial.

No permission given to erect fence around Cornelia Ida koker – NDC Chair Longest-serving...

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esidents are furious over the erection of a fence that gives access to a koker at Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara, claiming that it is a hazard to the community and as such, called on the relevant authorities to intervene.

This issue was made public a few days ago via a video on social media but the Stewartville-Cornelia Ida Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) said it only became aware of the blockage about two weeks ago.

Its Chairman, Jainarine Narine, when contacted on Tuesday, explained that the issue was brought to his attention by officials of the Uitvlugt Sugar Estate.

“Personnel from the Uitvlugt Sugar Estate would have approached me concern-

ing it because we did not give any permission to erect any structures there. The NDC cannot give permission to do that on Government reserve and the records show that no permission was given,” the Chairman explained.

He noted that since the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has jurisdiction over the reserve, they are responsible for removing the fence. Narine said the Council is willing to provide any assistance to facilitate its removal.

According to him, serious concerns have emanated from the issue, since it prevents access in cases of an emergency.

Sluices along the West Coast Demerara stretch have been subjected to breaches, overtopping and other occurrences which require immediate works and assessment.

The erected gate and fence which block access to the koker

As it stands, the fence prevents access around the Government-operated koker.

Guyana Times under-

stands that the barricade was constructed weeks ago, but has now been brought to the attention of officials.

“Senior's training, skill, and strength in drafting pleadings provided the instructions and foundation for many of the legendary barristers (advocates) recorded in the reports of cases in Guyana.”

The release added that clearly not content with the traditional in-office and supportive role of a solicitor, he accepted the platform for his voice to be heard in 1971, when he commenced his service as Speaker of the National Assembly of Guyana.

“A fierce, controlling and resounding voice heard in the halls of Parliament for in excess of twenty years,” the association stated.

“His collective contributions to the legal profession in Guyana were recognised

FROM PAGE 14

with Senior ‘Taking Silk’ and being admitted to the Inner Bar, a distinction previously limited to Barristers. It is as a consequence of his decades of service to the law, that Senior will be part of the law reports, the Hansards of the Parliament and our beloved memory. There is yet another attribute of Senior which should leave an indelible impression on the minds of all legal practitioners, the art of drawing and preparing a Bill of Costs.”

The Bar Association extended deepest condolences to the family of Narain. Sase Narain was a widower at the time of his death and leaves to mourn his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He will be cremated today.

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

COVID-19 pandemic

Almost 500 students quit UG due to lack of access to online tutoring

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ome 500 students were unable to continue classes at the University of Guyana last semester, due to their inability to access online tutoring. In response to this, the tertiary institution has rolled out new plans to curb this issue.

This was confirmed by newly-appointed Vice Chancellor Prof Paloma Mohamed-Martin.

According to Martin, the University will be spending an excess of US$3 million

University of Guyana Vice Chancellor Professor Paloma Mohamed

over the next few months to have this situation resolved.

Investments will be made in long battery life laptop computers for students in the hinterland communities and lecturers. This is expected sometime in October.

“There is currently a negotiation for special laptops with modems inbuilt for hard to reach areas, that have long-life batteries for 36 hours…GTT is also helping to work out a special plan for students and staff”,

she said.

The University will also be catering for a larger number of students in the new semester, as it continues to have classes virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic for semester one of the 2020/2021 academic year.

In a release, the institution said it will continue to work in safe mode online, with essential services being performed on the University’s campuses.

“Important Dates to Note for Semester 1 are as follow: The New Academic Year is scheduled to commence on October 5, 2020; however, Registration for New and Continuing Students will be held from August 31, 2020

to September 30, 2020”.

UG also revealed that orientation will be conducted online from October 5, 2020, to October 9, 2020, and the first day of classes will be on October 12, 2020.

“The End of Period for late Registration is November 6, 2020, while the End of Period for the: Change of Registration, Requests for Transfers, Requests for Exemptions of Courses and Requests for Withdrawal from Courses is November 13, 2020”, the release read.

The University’s deadline for Payment of Fees or Submission of Loan Award is November 27, 2020, while the examination period for

semester one will be held from January 25, 2021, to February 13, 2021.

“Semester is scheduled to end on February 13, 2021. Note, the situation will be reviewed and updated accordingly for Semester Two”.

The University is asking that continuing students who may need clarifications and might have questions, to contact their Heads of Department, while new applicants and the public may call or WhatsApp: 592-623-8325; 592-623-3159 between 10:00h and 14:00h on (Monday to Friday) or email: admissions@uog.edu. gy copy to Fixug@uog.edu. gy for queries.

$4.5B allocated towards medical supplies, COVID-19 relief – Minister Pensioners among 4 arrested after

H

ealth Minister, Dr Frank Anthony on Monday announced that funding has been set aside to aid in the country’s COVID-19 response, which will cover medical supplies, relief and other areas which need intervention.

This has been allocated in keeping with the promise from President, Dr Irfaan Ali, to allocate $4.5 billion to address key areas.

According to Dr Anthony, a chunk of the money will be used for the procurement of supplies to outfit the Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) which will serve as an isolation facility. This encompasses the installation of over 50 beds, so that persons can be treated and housed.

Secondly, automated Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machines will be purchased to boost the testing capability in the public sector. This has proven to reduce the processing time for samples to just two hours.

Apart from supplies, money will be allocated towards a socio-economic response to assist vulnerable households and small businesses.

Funds are also being mobilised from the World Bank, OPEC Fund for International Development, the Inter-American Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank, totalling a sum of US$60

million.

Just over two weeks ago, President Ali had noted that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government will be mobilising resources – financially or otherwise – to tackle the novel coronavirus pandemic in Guyana and recover from the impact it has had on the local economy.

“I’ve also been actively involved in mobilising resources from international agencies and also from bilateral partners [to tackle COVID-19]. It has been going well so far. I’m hoping by Monday, we will be in a better position to say how much resources we’ve mobilised, and what has been mobilised from a medical perspective and from a socioeconomic perspective,” he noted.

In fact, the President had disclosed that he has already engaged some of Guyana’s major donor bilateral partners including the Governments of India, the United States and Canada to secure more resources. He added that he has also reached out to the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Organisation of Islamic Conference and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and is now slated to speak with the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) in the coming days. It was further noted that letters were also sent off to several of the Gulf States for resources in response to

discovery of gun, ammo in Berbice

Health Minister, Anthony

Dr

Frank

the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Head of State, Guyana needs all of the assistance it can get to tackle the life-threatening disease, which has not infected over 1000 persons.

In just one week since taking office, the new PPP/C Administration had mobilised and received 46,000 rapid antibody test kits, personal protection equipment (PPE), approximately 240,000 surgical masks, and face shields, gowns and other urgently needed supplies.

Last week, the Government of India allocated US$1 million from the “Quick Impact Development Project” that is being implemented jointly by the Health Ministry, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support Guyana’s response to COVID-19.

The bow and arrow

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9mm pistol with four live rounds

olice in Berbice on Tuesday swooped down on house on Springlands, Corentyne, Berbice, where several firearms and matching ammunition were found.

Based on information received, the property is owned by two pensioners, who occupy the lower flat of the house, while the upper flat is occupied by a taxi driver and his family. The pensioners are the grandparents of

Police officer injured in accident along Brickdam

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23-year-old Police Constable attached to the Brickdam Police Station is now hospitalised following an accident at Brickdam and Sendall Place, Georgetown, on Tuesday.

Based on reports received, William Austin was riding motorcycle CK 84 along Brickdam when a motor car bearing registra-

tion number PEE 4545 collided with him.

As a result of the collision, Austin fell onto the roadway and received injuries about his body.

The police officer was picked up and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where he was treated for soft tissue damage to the face and a frac-

tured leg. He remains a patient at the medical facility.

The police stated that the motor car, which was driven by a 75-year-old woman of South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, failed to stop at the intersection as was required, thus causing the collision. She was detained as Police continue their investigations.

The 12-gauge shotgun

The air gun along with pellets and gas

the taxi driver’s wife.

The two-hour search of the premises unearthed one black and brown Polymer 80 Inc .9mm pistol #PF9405C; one magazine containing four live rounds; one SA Sports Outdoor gear bow with arrow; one 12-gauge

shotgun, wrapped in black plastic with scotch tape and one black Powerline Air Gun (9mm), with gas and pellets.

In addition, a search was conducted at a house owned by the 27-year-old taxi driver at No 76 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, where two holsters and a pistol cleaning kit were also found.

The four adult occupants of the house were arrested and taken to Springlands Police Station where they were questioned.

The two pensioners were subsequently released on self-bail while the taxi driver and his wife remain in custody.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

Regional

Eldest son of President tests World Bank help for Dominica positive for COVID-19 as T Brazil records 1,271 deaths he World Bank on Monday said it would provide US$5.2 million to Dominica to help strengthen its response to the economic hardship caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The Washington-based financial institution said that the funds would be used to provide income support to people affected by the crisis who meet set criteria.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is causing economic and social challenges for Dominica, particularly due to necessary mitigation measures and the decline in the tourism industry. The World Bank will support the Government’s social assistance measures to provide relief for Dominicans and contribute to economic recovery,” said World Bank Country Director for the

Caribbean, Tahseen Sayed.

The World Bank said that the funds would be distributed under the Government’s Livelihood Support and Social Protection Programme and that grants would be provided to over 7000 Dominicans, targeting people who have lost income because of the pandemic as well as the poor and elderly. (Excerpts from CMC)

T&T: 153 COVID-19 cases announced, highest in 1 day; active cases cross 1000

Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, as Brazil registered an additional 1,271 COVID-19 deaths and 47,134 new cases

B

razilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of President Jair Bolsonaro, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to a statement by his spokesman.

Senator Bolsonaro has no symptoms of COVID-19 and is at home, it said, adding he has started taking

chloroquine and azithromycin as part of a treatment against the virus.

President Bolsonaro is a big supporter of chloroquine, a drug used to treat malaria, despite the lack of solid evidence it works against the disease.

Bolsonaro himself caught the virus earlier, as well as his wife Michelle and his

youngest son, Jair Renan.

Brazil registered an additional 1271 COVID-19 deaths and 47,134 new cases over the last 24 hours, the nation’s Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

The country has now registered 116,580 total deaths and 3,669,995 total confirmed cases. (Excerpts from Reuters)

“Impossible Orchestra” holds virtual performance to battle Mexico’s domestic violence

O

vercoming obstacles put in place by the coronavirus pandemic, some of classical music’s most beloved artists are coming together to create a virtual ensemble to raise funds for women and children suffering domestic abuse in Mexico.

Founded during the pandemic crisis by Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra, the 27-artist “Impossible Orchestra” on Tuesday re-

leased a video of the Danzón No. 2, a classic modern Mexican composition inspired by a Cuban dance.

The video featured classical artists such as Emmanuel Pahud, Maxim Vengerov, Rolando Villazón and Alisa Weilerstein, and the Danzón video performance was filmed and edited during the lockdown period.

Combining individual footage from 14 countries,

the video shows all the artists performing with a custom “groove track” of percussion, piano and bass. Its creators say this was “to approximate as closely as possible the magic of live, collaborative music-making”.

De la Parra wanted to focus on helping women and children suffering abuse because the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the issues this vulnerable group faces. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Rowley returns to work on Tuesday as quarantine ends

T

rinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley returned to work Tuesday after spending days in quarantine.

On his Facebook page on Friday, Dr Rowley said he had learnt on Thursday night that on election day, August 10, he was exposed to someone who later tested positive for COVID-19.

The PM said he had been tested and the results were negative. But “out of an abundance of caution”, he had been told to stay in quarantine at home “until next Monday when the full 14-day period would have expired”.

Dr Rowley told Newsday in a message he would be out on Tuesday, “but will limit my exposure all around as much as I could.”

He added: “I may not go to Whitehall, but will be out with other staff.”

The first meeting of his new Cabinet is scheduled for

congregating in groups over five people; and additionally, and most importantly, to wear a mask once outside the home or in an enclosed space which is being shared at close quarters. (Excerpt from Newsday)

T

he Trinidad and Tobago Health Ministry on Tuesday recorded 153 new cases of COVID-19, the highest number ever recorded in a single day.

One thousand, two hundred and fifty-two samples have tested positive at public and private facilities in Trinidad and Tobago. The total number of active cases now stand at 1059. The

number of samples submitted to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the UWI and other local sites for testing for COVID-19 was 20,439. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Police investigating Bolt party after COVID-19 infection

J

amaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has confirmed that Police were investigating sprint legend Usain Bolt’s birthday party after the retired sprinter tested positive for COVID-19, local media reported.

Meanwhile, according to the Jamaica Observer, Christopher Martin, who was among scores of guests at Bolt’s birthday party in St Andrew last Friday, is now in self-isolation and preparing to do a COVID-19 test.

The singer’s decision came after news reports surfaced Monday that Bolt had tested positive for the virus.

In an Instagram post Monday, Bolt disclosed he was in self-quarantine but was awaiting his COVID-19 test confirmation.

“Just waking up and like everybody else, check social media and I saw that social media’s saying: ‘I’m confirmed to have COVID-19’.

I did a test on Saturday to leave, as I work. I’m trying to be responsible so I’m gonna stay in and stay away from my friends. And also, I’m having no symptoms so I’m going to quarantine myself and wait on the confirmation to see what is the protocol and how I should go about quarantin-

Usain Bolt

ing myself [based on guidelines] from the Ministry of Health. Until then, I called my friends and told them, if they came in contact [with me] they should just be safe [as I] quarantine myself and just take it easy,” Bolt, 34, said in the post.

The Jamaican Health Ministry later on Monday confirmed the diagnosis.

On Friday, multiple videos from the birthday bash made the rounds on social media. It shows very little regard for social distancing and wearing of masks. In addition to local celebrities, in-

ternational footballers Leon Bailey and Raheem Sterling were present. Both have not completed the Jamaican Government’s mandatory 14-day quarantine period.

Last Friday, addressing the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases, Chief Medical Officer Jacquiline BisasorMcKenzie said “parties and nightclub activities” were fuelling the spike.

As of Monday morning, Jamaica recorded 16 fatalities while 1612 people tested positive for the novel coronavirus. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

After private pensions, Peru’s Congress turns to public funds for COVID-19 relief Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley

today.

In his Facebook post on Friday, Dr Rowley said given the circumstances under which the population all now lived, he appealed to everyone to do their part to help fight this virus by strictly following the health instructions of regular, careful hand-washing and sanitisation; physical distancing; not

P

eru’s Congress approved a law on Tuesday that allows citizens to partially draw down their contributions to the State pension fund, a few months after doing the same with the private system and despite fierce opposition from the government.

With 106 votes in favour, three against and 15 abstentions, the fractured, Opposition-dominated chamber gave the go-ahead for Social Security Office (ONP) affiliates to withdraw up to US$4300 to mitigate the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The law will now pass to President

Martin Vizcarra to enact or revise, but the Government has already warned it will appeal to the country’s constitutional court to tear it up.

Presidency sources say the measure could cost the Government coffers up to 13.280 billion soles (US$3.7 billion), at a time when the copper-producing nation is facing its worst economic decline in a century.

Last week, lawmakers rejected an alternative Government proposal for a lower payout for ONP affiliates.

Several countries in the Region have sought to tap private and public-

ly-held pension funds amid economic hardship. In Chile, a move to release 10 per cent of the country’s privately-held funds was staunchly opposed

by Government but has provided the floundering economy with a brief injection of liquidity.

Peru’s Congress approved a law to withdraw up to 25 per cent of private pension funds in April, an initiative that the Government also opposed amid warnings it would skew the economy and push up borrowing costs.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil rises further on large crude, gasoline draws

T

he American Petroleum Institute (API) reported on Tuesday a draw in crude oil inventories of 4.524 million barrels for the week ending August 21.

Analysts had predicted an inventory draw of 3.694 million barrels.

In the previous week, the API reported a draw in crude oil inventories of 4.264 million barrels, after analysts had predicted a draw of 2.670 million barrels.

Oil prices were trading up on Tuesday afternoon before the API’s data release, and at 2:51 pm EDT, WTI had risen

by US$0.77 (+1.81 per cent) to US$43.39—about US$1 over last week’s levels. The Brent crude benchmark had risen by US$0.82 (+1.82 per cent) to US$45.95, just under a US$1 rise.

Oil prices have failed to gain any real traction over the past month, even with OPEC’s historic production cut and production declines in the United States, on the back of grim forecasts of subdued future oil demand in the coming months.

Oil production declines in the United States held steady this week, still down from a high of 13.1 million bpd on March 13.

US oil production currently sits at 10.7 million bpd as of August 14, according to the Energy Information Administration—a 2.4 million bpd loss that lends aid to OPEC’s efforts to curb production to regain market balance.

The API reported a large draw in gasoline inventories too, of 6.392 million barrels of gasoline for the week ending August 21—compared to last week’s 41-million-barrel build. Analysts had expected a much smaller 1.533-million-barrel draw for the week.

Distillate inventories were up by 2.259 million barrels for the week, compared to last week’s 964,000-barrel draw, while Cushing inventory fell by 646,000 barrels.

At 4:36 pm EDT, WTI was trading at US$43.37 while Brent was trading at US$45.93. (Excerpt from Oilprice.com)

FDA Chief apologises for overstating benefits of plasma on COVID-19

T

he top doctor at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has apologised for overstating the benefits of plasma for treating COVID-19 patients.

FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn came under fire after his agency on Sunday gave emergency authorisation to use convalescent plasma on COVID patients.

Echoing President Donald Trump, Hahn touted the treatment as life-saving.

Scientists quickly questioned the data provided by Hahn, who suggested plasma could reduce deaths by 35 per cent.

This claim exaggerated preliminary findings from a clinic at the Mayo Clinic.

During the announcement, President Trump called on Americans to donate blood plasma

"I personally could have done a better job and should have done a better job at that press conference explaining what the data show regarding convalescent plasma," Hahn told CBS News on Tuesday.

But Hahn maintained

that the decision to authorise the treatment for emergency use was made by FDA career scientists, "based upon sound science and data".

Hahn's remarks come as he fields criticism for appearing to play politics, backing

the Trump Administration amid its push for a breakthrough treatment of COVID-19 in the run-up to the presidential election on November 3.

The FDA had already approved the use of plasma transfusions on coronavirus patients under certain conditions.

It has now given the treatment "emergency use authorisation", rather than full approval, saying that early research suggests blood plasma can decrease mortality and improve patient health if it is administered within the first three days of admittance to hospital. However, more trials are needed to prove its effectiveness. (Excerpt from BBC News)

UN Security Council President dismisses US sanctions move on Iran

T

he President of the UN Security Council, Indonesia, said on Tuesday it was “not in the position to take further action” on a US bid to trigger a return of all UN sanctions on Iran because there is no consensus in the 15-member body.

Thirteen council members expressed their opposition on Friday, arguing that Washington’s move is void given it is using a process

agreed under a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers that it quit two years ago.

Indonesia’s UN Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani, Council President for August, was responding to a question from Russia and China on the issue during a meeting on the Middle East.

US Ambassador Kelly Craft hit back after Djani spoke.

“Let me just make it real-

ly, really clear: the Trump Administration has no fear in standing in limited company on this matter,” she told the Council. “I only regret that other members of this council have lost their way and now find themselves standing in the company of terrorists.”

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he triggered on Thursday a 30day process to reimpose all international sanctions on

Iran by lodging a complaint with the Council accusing Iran of breaching the 2015 nuclear deal.

Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said he hoped the United States would now drop its bid to snapback Iran sanctions, “which is not only illegal, but simply will not lead to achieving the result that was envisaged by the United States.” (Excerpt from Reuters)

Petition calls on Google to remove Bosnia “rape camp” from search “A momentous milestone”: Africa now free

from wild poliovirus

H An online petition calls for Google to remove Vilina Vlas hotel in Visegrad, eastern Bosnia as a tourist site from Google search and Google Maps

T

here is not a room or spot in the Vilina Vlas hotel where women were not raped or people were not killed, according to Bakira Hasecic, President of Bosnia's Women Victims of War (WVW) association and a rape survivor from Visegrad.

It is estimated that Serb forces captured and raped at least 200 women and girls, mostly Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims), in 1992 in the hotel in Visegrad, eastern Bosnia.

Some of the victims were as young as 14. Fewer than 10 made it out alive.

One survivor, who wished to remain anonymous, told Balkan Insight how Bosnian Serb strongman Milan Lukic, Head of the Serb paramilitary White Eagles - also known as Avengers - raped her at her home in Visegrad after killing her 16-year-old son in front of her with a

knife.

Lukic then took the woman to Vilina Vlas, where she lost count of how many times she was raped.

She said: "There were many women held in the hotel and there was blood everywhere".

"All the rooms in the hotel were locked. Every day they threw us bread which we had to catch with our teeth as our hands were tied. The only time they untied us is when they raped us," she said.

Yet, the hotel has been promoted this summer as a tourist attraction by Republika Srpska, Bosnia's semi-autonomous Serb-run entity created under the Dayton Peace Agreement that ended the country's bloody conflict in the early 90s - and also promoted by Visegrad municipality's tourism organisation as part of an overall campaign. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

ealth authorities have declared Africa free of the wild poliovirus after decades of efforts, a major step in the campaign to eradicate the crippling viral disease worldwide.

Tuesday's historic announcement by the African Regional Certification Commission for Polio Eradication during a World Health Organisation (WHO) event came four years after the continent's last case was reported in northern Nigeria.

The commission, an independent body, confirmed that all 47 countries in the WHO's Africa region have

eradicated the disease that attacks the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis within hours.

The news was hailed by health experts, who also urged continued vigilance over the still-existing threat posed by polio vaccine-derived outbreaks in more than a dozen countries.

"This is one of the greatest achievements in public health history," WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus co-wrote in an opinion piece published in Al Jazeera.

"Delivering polio vaccines to every child in the African region and wiping out the

A health worker administers a vaccine to a child during a vaccination campaign against polio at Hotoro-Kudu, in the Nassarawa district of Kano in northwest Nigeria

wild virus is no small feat, and the human resources, skills and experience gained in the process leave behind a legacy in how to tackle diseases and reach the poor-

est and most marginalised communities with lifesaving services," Tedros and Holger Knaack, president of Rotary International, wrote.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Beaumont, Galveston and Port Arthur, while an additional 200,000 were told to evacuate Calcasieu Parish in south-western Louisiana.

Port Arthur, Texas, is home to the nation's largest oil refinery, and workers have been taken off of at least 281 offshore drilling platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, officials said on Monday.

Initially, both storms Marco and Laura were fore-

cast to hit Louisiana as hurricanes within 48 hours of each other - raising concerns, particularly as it would have been the first time in recorded history that the state had been hit by two back-to-back hurricanes.

Now only Laura is expected to make landfall as a hurricane, as Marco has been downgraded to a tropical storm. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Thousands told to evacuate Gulf Coast as Hurricane Laura nears

T

housands of people have been ordered to evacuate their homes in the coastal US states of Texas and Louisiana as Hurricane Laura barrels towards them.

The storm is expected to move from Cuba through the Gulf of Mexico, hitting both states by today.

The hurricane lands as another storm, Marco, struck Louisiana on Monday, bring-

ing strong winds and heavy rain.

Both have already wreaked havoc in the Caribbean, destroying homes and killing at least 20 people.

US President Donald Trump has issued a disaster declaration for Louisiana, ordering federal assistance to co-ordinate relief efforts.

More than 385,000 residents were ordered to leave the Texas cities of

20

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SUDOKU

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

A positive attitude will help you excel. Take on a challenge or sign up for a course that interests you.

An emotional encounter will bring you closer to a loved one.

Friendship is featured, and a chance to learn more about someone you enjoy being around will open your eyes to new possibilities.

Kindness and honesty will make differences.

Avoid using force and making ultimatums, and be wary of emotionally manipulative people. A trusted friend will offer sage advice.

Diplomacy and tact will be necessary.

Change direction. Spice up your life, move things around at home to suit your new lifestyle and be open to suggestions that will encourage spending more time with a loved one.

Keep active. Physical activities and challenges will encourage you to test your strength and help you dodge situations you aren’t ready for. Refuse to give in to outside pressure.

You’ll be disappointed if you rely on anyone.

Something unexpected will stop you in your tracks if you are not prepared. Be ready to accept the inevitable and make it work for you.

Reach out and help others. Offer your time, knowledge and services, but not your cash. Someone will recognize your skills and make you an offer you can’t refuse.

Don’t sell yourself short.

Get organised, and you’ll make your life easier. The pressure to finish what you start will mount. Your professionalism and reliability will be crucial. Don’t promise anything you cannot deliver.

Stick to the truth or don’t say anything at all.

Focus on personal growth, physical fitness and emotional stability. Don’t make unnecessary changes.

Truth and fair play will be essential.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Trust in your ability to make your own decisions.

Listen to suggestions, but don’t give in to something you don’t approve of. Keep your loved ones close, and watch your wallet.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Concentrate on doing the best job possible. Refuse to let someone or something from your past disrupt your plans. Offer others the same freedom you want in return.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Stick to the truth or be prepared to face an emotional dispute. A loved one will disappoint you if you expect too much too soon. Avoid making permanent decisions for the time being.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

21

Archery Guyana participates West Indies women's team to tour England in September in qualification round of World Archery Americas

A

rchery Guyana participated in the Qualification Round of the World Archery Americas’ Online Archery Cup of the Americas, which commenced on the afternoon of Friday 21st August in Ontario, Canada.

This match saw Wayne De Abreu and Devin Persaud, both World Archery-ranked archers, competing against each other in the Male Recurve category The match see-sawed between the two archers in the first 60 arrows. Wayne, on Target 1A, was ahead by the 12th arrow; but Devin, on Target 1B, was able to even the score by the 15th arrow, and gained a lead at the 21st arrow. However, Wayne retook the lead at the 24th arrow, and maintained a lead to the half-time break, at which time Wayne was 275 points to Devin's 269 points.

When shooting resumed after the break, Wayne strengthened his lead to end the match at 550 points, with Devin at 530 points.

Wayne De Abreu (at left) and Devin Persaud (at right)

This competition continues on Sunday, when 4 more recurve archers Talita Kissoon, Nicholas Hing, Robert Singh and Umasankar Madray - will be shooting in Guyana. The last match in the qualification round was shot by Samira Duncan on Tuesday 25th August.

The Online Archery Cup of the Americas is a World Archery Americassanctioned competition that seeks to advance the spirit of competing on a virtual are-

na whilst abiding with the COVID-19 safety measures across the Americas (North, South & Central America and the Caribbean).

Archery Guyana, the local governing body, is tasked with conducting the qualification round. Scores will be recorded electronically, and pictures of equipment, scorecards and the target will be sent to the Competitions and Judging Committee via Whatsap for tabulations and scrutiny.

The scores for Guyana qualification round will be submitted to World Archery Americas. The scores will then be tabulated along with the scores from all other competing countries, after which the top two archers in each category will be short listed to take part in an Elimination shoot, set for late September.

Cognisant of the national COVID-19 protocols in place, and abiding with the laws and the social distancing safety rules in regard to the limit on the number of persons permitted to be in any gatherings, shooting was done in pairs at different time and dates (23rd and 25th August). Archery Guyana will then submit the scores for Guyana

by August 31st to World Archery Americas, which will be tabulated along with scores from all other partaking countries. Top 2 archers in each category will be shortlisted to take part in an Elimination shoot, set for late September.

Harry Maguire found guilty of misdemeanour charges in Greece, given suspended sentence

M

anchester United captain Harry Maguire has been given a suspended sentence of 21 months and 10 days in prison after his trial on the Greek island of Syros.

The England defender, 27, was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery, violence against public employees, and insult after arrest on Mykonos.

Maguire said after Tuesday's verdict that he had instructed his legal team "with immediate effect to inform the courts we will be appealing".

"I remain strong and confident regarding our innocence in this matter. If anything, myself, family and friends are the victims," he added.

The sentence is suspended for three years because it is a first offence, and the charges were misdemeanours.

BBC Sport understands that in light of the verdict, the Football Association is reviewing Maguire's inclusion in the England squad for September's UEFA Nations League matches against Iceland and Denmark. The squad had been announced earlier on Tuesday.

Maguire was arrest-

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire, exiting court on Tuesday

ed along with his brother Joe, 28, and Christopher Sharman, 29, on Thursday after an altercation with Police.

Joe Maguire has been found guilty of repeated bodily harm, violence against public employees, and attempted bribery.

Sharman has been found guilty of insult, repeated bodily harm, and violence against public employees.

Both were sentenced to 13 months in prison, suspended for three years.

All three men have denied all charges. Harry Maguire, who was on Tuesday named in Gareth

Southgate's latest England squad, was not in attendance at the trial in Syros, but his father Alan was.

The United captain is being represented by Alexis Anagnostakis, one of Greece's top human rights lawyers, who asked for a postponement, which was rejected by the judge.

Manchester United said in a statement: "Harry Maguire pleaded not guilty to all of the misdemeanour charges made against him, and he continues to strongly assert his innocence. It should be noted that the prosecution confirmed the charges and provided their evidence late on the day before the trial, giving the defence team minimal time to digest them and prepare. A request for the case to be adjourned was subsequently denied.

"On this basis, along with the substantial body of evidence refuting the charges, Harry Maguire's legal team will now appeal the verdict, to allow a full and fair hearing at a later date."

Anagnostakis told the court that events stemmed from Maguire's sister Daisy being injected with a substance by a group of Albanians, and she immediately fainted. The defen-

dants called for transport, and asked to be driven to a hospital, but were instead taken to a Police station.

The prosecution said Maguire, his brother and friend then physically and verbally attacked Police officers. One Policeman alleged that while at the Police station, Maguire said: "Do you know who I am? I am the captain of Manchester United. I am very rich. I can give you money. I can pay you. Please let us go."

His colleague added that Maguire had said to him: "Please let me go; I am very rich, I can pay. I am the leader of Manchester United."

The defence argued that this request may have been lost in translation, and suggested Maguire may have been asking to pay a "fine" to be released.

In response to the charge of insult, the defence added that the defendants said things which did not imply diminished professionalism by the Police officers.

Anagnostakis said the defendants had been beaten, an assertion confirmed by a forensic expert, and added that Maguire became angry only after he was hit on his "golden leg", insinuating his dominant leg in football.

(BBC Sport)

C

The West Indies women’s team

ricket West Indies (CWI) announced on Tuesday that the West Indies women team will face the England women team in five (5) Vitality International T20s (T20Is) at the Incora County Ground in Derby, starting in September.

The decision comes only after cricket operations and medical officials from CWI and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) held detailed discussions and agreed that all local and international logistics and medical protocols would follow those established and successfully implemented for the West Indies men’s tour to England earlier this year.

The players and staff will remain in a bio-secure environment for the duration of the tour, and all matches would be played “behind closed doors” at the Incora County Ground in Derby.

CWI CEO Johnny Grave said, “We are delighted to be able to confirm this tour and re-start our women’s programme. It has been a real challenge to put everything in place at short notice, but knowing that our women’s team will be hosted in the same bio-secure environment as our men’s team, following all the established protocols, has enabled us to confirm the tour in under two weeks since we first spoke to the ECB about the potential opportunity. We are very proud to have restarted men’s international cricket with the ECB, and it’s great that we can now bring back women’s international cricket too.”

CWI has sought the relevant approvals within the Caribbean, including seeking permission from the various governments to facilitate the movement of players and support staff using private chartered planes, as well as conducting medical screenings and individual COVID-19 testing for all members of the touring party.

The five-match series will replace England’s sched-

Cricket West Indies CEO, Johnny Grave

uled series against India and South Africa, after both those teams were unavailable to travel due to COVID-19.

The third T20I on Saturday September 26 will be simulcast live on the BBC and Sky Sports; the firsttime women’s international cricket in the UK has been on free-to-air television since the 1993 Women’s World Cup final.

This will be the first time two ICC-ranked women’s teams will play a bilateral series since the worldwide lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. These teams last played each other at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia, where England defeated the West Indies by 46 runs.

(CWI) The full schedule is as follows: * Monday, September 21: 1st Vitality T20I, England v West Indies (Sky Sports) * Wednesday September 23: 2nd Vitality T20I, England v West Indies (Sky Sports) * Saturday September 26: 3rd Vitality T20I, England v West Indies (Sky Sports, BBC) * Monday September 28: 4th Vitality T20I, England v West Indies (Sky Sports) * Wednesday September 30: 5th Vitality T20I, England v West Indies (Sky Sports)

22

Dunk ensures Lewis does not stand alone

and Anderson both walloped Tanvir for Hero Maximums, and Nurse hit a four to cap a 21-run last over off Tanvir.

Nurse punished Joseph with a superb straight six, and while a good diving catch from Lewis put an end to the Bajan’s exploits, that rapid-fire stand of 56 off just 29 balls had the Tridents well set to dip for the line at 136/5 off 18.

Ben Dunk hit the winning Anderson greeted sixes for the Patriots Emrit’s return with a Hero Maximum en Dunk hit consecuover long-on, but then tive Hero Maximums chipped a full toss in the last over to ento cover. Imran desure Evin Lewis’s brilliance serves credit, as his was not in vain, in process the 20th over went for taking the St Kitts & Nevis just six, but even so Patriots to their first win of the Tridents will have the Hero Caribbean Premier been the happier at the innings’ break.

After a tight first over from Holder, Chris Lynn swung a Mitchell Santner’s full toss for six.

In the third over, Holder was not so accurate he strayed legside and Lewis clipped for four, he bowled length and Lewis lofted for six. Santner found some turn, but two boundaries meant the Patriots were A chaotic catch on the boundary by the Tridents off to a flyer.

Rashid Khan changed League (CPL) 2020 tourna- slashing hard at one wide that first ball, Lynn had no outside off, Ramdin taking a ment. answer to the googly, and smart catch.

The Barbados Tridents fell LBW. Joshua da Silva Holder fell in a fluky will, however, take encouredged a Test style Holder manner Tanvir got a hand agement from their middle leg-cutter to the keeper, on a straight drive, and the order firing at last, as well and a wicket-maiden meant batsman had no chance of as good performances from the Patriots reached the getting back.

The Tridents some inexperienced bowlers.

Powerplay at 41/2. sent Ashley Nurse up the orPatriots captain Rayad Lewis took a liking to Emrit bowled first, perhaps der to join Corey Anderson, Hayden Walsh Jr, hitting four of his first eight balls for six to bring up 50 off just 28 balls.

With the Patriots ahead of the rate and just two down, Holder had to bring on Rashid, and while the Afghan went for just three, the Patriots were well set at halfway at 74/2.

Raymon Reifer’s tight over gave cover for West Indies’ U19 star Nyeem Young to bowl his Rashid Khan and co. celebrate a wicket first senior professional over, and the youngster went for who was more comfortable unsure of the par score at just three.

Lewis was lucky now that he’s been moved Queen’s Park Oval. While Sohail Tanvir was wayward, into the middle-order, and Reifer couldn’t hold a tough the recalled Alzarri Joseph slog-swept Imran for six to caught-and-bowled chance, but there was nothing lucky found some accuracy he’d end the over. about the Hero Maximum The 15th from Emrit lacked in previous games. that flowed from the next was tight, but Joseph reShai Hope again started ball. turned with five wides and slowly, and was still under a The subdued Denesh the over went for 12.

Nurse run a ball at the end of the

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

Powerplay. Jaggesar could have dismissed him three times, but the off-spinner got a reward with the wicket of Johnson Charles, who missed a sweep and was out LBW. Hope continued to eat up deliveries before Jaggesar finally got him, Emrit taking the catch at deep midwicket to leave the Tridents 59/2 at halfway. Kyle Mayers seemed unfazed, and first over after the drinks break, he took ten off Imran Khan, including a big Hero Maximum.

Mayers and Jason Holder saw off Jaggesar’s excellent spell, and Mayers attacked immediately when Tanvir returned. He got a fierce pull shot away, but fell next ball

Ramdin finally hit his first four, and the Patriots seemed to have got going again with a 13-run over.

But back came Rashid again with a tight over, and good bowling from Young and brilliant boundary fielding from Santner meant the Patriots needed 46 off the last five overs.

With Ramdin sluggish, Lewis had to break free off

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“Man of the match” Evin Lewis dispatches a Hero maximum

ple catch for Walsh Jr finally ended Ramdin’s stuttering innings of 20 off 32. Dunk at least ensured Lewis was on strike come the start of the 18th, with 31 still needed.

Lewis heaped the pressure on Young with a six, but the debutant recovered to leave the Patriots needing 10 RPO with two overs to go.

The pressure finally told on Lewis, as he picked out Rashid with nine balls to go and 20 still to win; but he had done as much Cory Anderson was the top as he could. scorer for the Tridents Support finally came from Dunk, who Rashid. He did, just; a toe- found the fence with a deft end went incredibly high reverse flick, meaning the and just landed safely, but inexperienced Young had 13 the Afghan’s last ball ended to defend. While the debuup on the roof of the Learie tant bowled to his field, he Constantine stand as the missed his length twice, and Patriots stayed in touch.

Dunk showed his class in franchise cricket to get the Mayers for the 17th was Patriots on the board at the a gamble, but he denied fourth time of asking. (CPL Lewis the strike, and a sim- T20)

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SCOREBOARD BARBADOS TRIDENTS INNINGS (20 OVERS MAXIMUM) J Charles lbw b Jaggesar 24 SD Hope † c Emrit b Jaggesar 29 KR Mayers c †Ramdin b Sohail Tanvir 22 JO Holder (c) run out (Sohail Tanvir) 2 CJ Anderson c Sohail Tanvir b Emrit 31 AR Nurse c Lewis b Joseph 25 Rashid Khan c Joseph b Khan 1 RA Reifer not out 5 MJ Santner not out 0 Extras (lb 4, w 8) 12 TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 7.55) 151/7 Fall of wickets: 1-50 (Johnson Charles, 7.3 ov), 2-59 (Shai Hope, 9.6 ov), 3-79 (Kyle Mayers, 12.2 ov), 4-79 (Jason Holder, 12.5 ov), 5-135 (Ashley Nurse, 17.4 ov), 6-145 (Corey Anderson, 18.4 ov), 7-147 (Rashid Khan, 19.4 ov) BOWLING Sohail Tanvir AS Joseph RR Emrit JL Jaggesar I Khan

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ST KITTS AND NEVIS PATRIOTS INNINGS (TARGET: 152 RUNS FROM 20 OVERS) CA Lynn lbw b Rashid Khan 16 E Lewis c Rashid Khan b Mayers 89 J Da Silva c †Hope b Holder 1 D Ramdin † c Walsh b Mayers 20 BR Dunk not out 22 Sohail Tanvir not out 0 Extras (lb 2, w 2) 4 TOTAL (19.3 Ov, RR: 7.79) 152/4 Fall of wickets: 1-34 (Chris Lynn, 4.1 ov), 2-41 (Joshua Da Silva, 5.2 ov), 3-119 (Denesh Ramdin, 16.5 ov), 4-132 (Evin Lewis, 18.3 ov) BOWLING JO Holder MJ Santner Rashid Khan HR Walsh RA Reifer NRJ Young KR Mayers

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23

Tallawahs turn tables on Warriors pushed L a m i c h h a n e tucked, with open arms aside and diséjà vu has a way in the first ball patched, Paul fared of resurrecting of his second over through the worst old memories for as Rutherford, of the final overs of anyone, and given the contrary to his Edwards, Rahman severity of those reminisfellow leftie and Lamichhane. cences, it can run a winFidel Edwards Pooran, opted to ter-cold chill down the play against the claimed his 100th spine. turn, sending a T20 wicket when a The thought of facing top edge to extra plum LBW trapped the Jamaica Tallawahs cover, which was Paul in the 19th, again may have caused taken comfort- but Naveen Ul a lump in the Warriors’ Haq was unfazed, ably by Asif Ali. throats, their having Keemo Paul sending the ball only a few days ago been approached the on a one-way trip bowled out by their oppomiddle, and to the stands for a nents. was quite con- much-needed Hero But alas on Tuesday tent with rotat- Maximum. evening, the Jamaica Ul Haq, accoming the strike Tallawahs turned the with the expe- panied by Imran tables and tides on the rienced Taylor. Tahir, did the runRoss Taylor and Nicholas Pooran had Guyana Amazon Warriors Their time togeth- ning between the Imran Tahir, celebrating a wicket the highest partnership for the Warriors in match 12 of the Hero er, however, only wickets in the 20th Caribbean Premier would expect fireworks from spanned five runs to keep the scoreing”, but it may have been a League (CPL) 2020, as both case of mistaken identity re- before Russell caught Taylor board ticking. Some would the get-go. But Russell’s beginteams played their first game garding the direction in which with a beautiful Yorker in say that the Warriors’ total ning looked like a Test match at the Queen’s Park Oval in the ball was pitching when front of his middle, causing would have been slightly larg- at Lord’s, and visible signs of Port of Spain. him to regret not attempting er had the decision been made a nagging injury showed in his Hetmyer was trapped.

On both sides of the coin, Bramble did not make a shot at the ball. And edge to to award the Warriors their refusal to run quick singles. the batting performances left much of a case for his consider- the slips robbed Captain Chris full six runs that was hit by Russell had 4 runs from 12 much to be desired from teams ation in the future, racking up Green of any extra time at the Tahir. Sailing across to deep balls to his name. which each pack a punch in twelve dot balls in comWhether it was somemidwicket, Walton their batting lineup. However, parison to his score of 7. grasped the ball, thing in the water or a whiff there is always a winner, Calculating Bramble’s but fell over the he caught in the evening air, and unfortunately, it was not anxiety to execute the rope and subse- the Danger man, on one knee, the local franchise this time pull shot in the previous quently threw it mustered the courage to send around. in to another field- Tahir for six in the 15th, and it Edwards over, Rovman In this topsy-turvy tale, the Powell set his field acer. Walton could be was the beginning of the end.

Tallawahs won the toss and cordingly, and reaped seen signalling six An over from Paul followed, elected to field. with the hands, but and he, too, was sent over the fruits of his master the fielders were the ropes by Dre- Russ, who plan when the Berbice later given the ben- brought the equation down sigWicket Frenzy native pull the ball to nificantly. efit of the doubt.

Having ridden the bench midwicket and nestled At the Bonner end, in the 2019 season, Anthony it safely in the hands of Nkrumah matched Russell’s Bramble finally got his mo- Powell.

Cool Runnings? ment in the sun, opening with A Hero maximum Since the 2020 class and stride to hit a 6 and last year’s highest run scorer and a boundary off the season began, 4 in the final deliveries of the Brandon King. A great pairing bat of Ross Taylor in Chadwick Walton 18th to bring home the bacon on paper, it was not the same the sixth pushed the has never looked for the Tallawahs. Even with in reality, as the King was de- Warriors to 30-3 at the like his usual ex- inhibitions lingering, Drethroned in the first ball of the end of the powerplay, plosive batting self, Russ proved to be Dangerinnings off the bowling of West and although the partand the script on Russ to the Warriors’ measly Indies veteran fast bowler nership between Taylor Tuesday night was total.

Fidel Edwards. and Pooran looked to be written the same as The Russell-Bonner partnership The following over from a promising one, it was Accolades in games past, with proved pivotal for the Tallawahs Mujeeb Ur Rahman heard still a sub-par powerplay Even though he walked Walton departing cries of an appeal as his fi- score from such a consisearly. crease. nal ball casted full on middle tent team.

At 6-1, the Tallawahs reThe second highest part- fused to fall prey to their past, and leg to Shimron Hetmyer.

Synchrony between the two Hetmyer, who missed out in looked good on the Warriors, nership came from the most having been restricted by the the last two games, had his producing 38 runs to get the unlikely pair. Keemo Paul, de- Warriors on Saturday last. worst fear realised when the local franchise to 55 before the spite not racking up a moun- As such, Glen Phillips pushed Guyana Amazon Warriors Innings (20 overs maximum) umpire raised his finger, send- ‘wicket jumbie’ visited again to tain of runs, displayed ma- himself into gear, dispatching ing the youngster back for yet send Nicholas Pooran back to turity in his approach to the the usual boundary to keep the BA King b Edwards 0 bowling from the Tallawahs, score and run rate healthy. another cheap score. the dugout for 15 runs.

A Bramble † c Powell Commentator Ian Bishop The wicket of Sherfane which proved to be lethal only Like the Jamaican bobsled b Edwards 7 described it as “form dissipat- Rutherford greeted Sandeep minutes before. Played down, team, it was ‘cool runnings’ SO Hetmyer lbw b Mujeeb for Phillips and Jermaine Ur Rahman 5 Blackwood, who last played LRPL Taylor lbw b Russell 23 a CPL match back in 2015.

Batting in tandem, Blackwood N Pooran b Mujeeb even mirrored the aggression Ur Rahman 15 in Phillips’s game, getting the SE Rutherford c Asif Ali Tallawahs to 40 by the middle b Lamichhane 1 of the sixth. Naveen Ul Haq s had obtained in the Hero CPL is fast becoming was punished in the 6th, going KMA Paul lbw b Edwards 9 Caribbean in 2019 folthe destination for the big- for 10 from the first four balls.

CJ Green (c) c Powell lowing the wrath of gest six-hitting in world crick- However, Keemo Paul took a b Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2 Hurricane Dorian, when the et, and this year features re- straight forward catch at backNaveen-ul-Haq not out 20 Hero Caribbean Premier nowned power hitters such as ward point off Ul Haq’s bowlImran Tahir run out 9 League raised funds for relief Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard ing to book Phillips’s return Extras (lb 5, w 12) 17 efforts, the Hero CPL will, in and Chris Lynn. flight to the bench.

2020, be supporting COVIDThis year’s tournament TOTAL (20 Ov, RR: 5.4) 108/9 Asif Ali wasn’t given a mo19-related good causes in the is being played in two sta- ment to breathe at the crease, Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Brandon Caribbean in 2020. diums in Trinidad, with the after opting to launch Paul King, 0.1 ov), 2-11 (Shimron For each six that is hit at six teams playing 33 match- over the ropes. As faith would Hetmyer, 1.6 ov), 3-17 (Anthony the tournament, US$50 will es at the Brian Lara Cricket have it, Green, almost flat on Bramble, 4.5 ov), 4-55 (Nicholas be donated to COVID-19 causAcademy and the Queen’s his stomach, scooped up the Pooran, 10.4 ov), 5-56 (Sherfane es.

Park Oval. The final will take catch, causing Ali to fly into a Rutherford, 11.1 ov), 6-61 (Ross Last season there were place on 10 September 2020. rage at Keemo Paul.

Taylor, 12.4 ov), 7-63 (Chris Hero CPL’s COO, Pete Russell 541 Hero Maximums hit at Last year, The Hero There was a moment of inGreen, 14.1 ov), 8-91 (Keemo the tournament, and already Caribbean Premier League tense fear for the Jamaicans Paul, 18.3 ov), 9-108 (Imran for this season, there have es. There are amazing peo- (CPL) worked with their in the subsequent overs, as Tahir, 19.6 ov) been 115 sixes hit in the first ple from across the Caribbean very supportive sponsors déjà vu from Saturday lurked 10 games so far; meaning that and from around the world and commercial partners to on the horizons. Skipper BOWLING $5,750 has been raised with who have been working in- raise funds to support the re- Rovman Powell and Jermaine FH Edwards 4-0-30-3 credibly hard to help those 23 matches still to go. lief efforts in the aftermath Blackwood fell in quick succesMujeeb Ur Rahman 4-1-11-3 Pete Russell, Hero CPL’s who are most in need, and we of Hurricane Dorian. At the sion to put the Tallawahs at COO, said: “Hero CPL takes have been touched by so many end of the match between 62-5.

AD Russell 3-0-17-1 our responsibility to give of these stories. We are hop- Jamaica Tallawahs and CR Brathwaite 2-0-8-0 back to communities across ing that we see more sixes Guyana Amazon Warriors on R Powell 3-0-25-0 Danger- Russ! the Caribbean very seriously, than we did last year, so the Wednesday, 18th September, From a renowned T20 S Lamichhane 4-0-12-1 total raised is as high as posand we are delighted to supthe total raised had surpassed player like Andre Russell, one port these very worthy caus- sible.”

US$40,000.

By Jemima Holmes

D

away with the classic catch of the match, Guyana’s Skipper Chris Green expressed his concern over the consistency of his team’s batting.

He stated, "Early wickets cost us again.

I thought their spinners bowled really well up front. We weren't able to consolidate. We showed glimpses with the Taylor and Pooran partnership. It was probably a 120-130 wicket. Batters really need to start standing up. The wicket was slow and low, really suited spin, ball not coming on. Guys were caught in two minds, to be aggressive or defensive.

“We've got the quality in this lineup. The first two games we had someone put their hand up, but it hasn't happened in the last three.

We can't have 6-7-8-9 coming in the 12-13th over. To take 108 to the 2nd to last over is a quality effort from our bowlers, we just have to be better with the bat."

Though he was pleased to have another two points, Rovman Powell was also not happy with his team’s batting.

“It's a close, nail-biting game, and it's good to come out on top after the last time what happened against Guyana. We asked [Fidel Edwards] to give us a start, and he did just that.

Mujeeb has been brilliant. We are not satisfied [with how we chased]. The wicket didn't cost us. We played bad shots.

The wicket is a little bit hard to bat on, let's not forget that, but bad shot selection has also been a problem,” he said.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman was given the man of the match award.

SCOREBOARD

CPL to contribute to COVID-19 relief in the Caribbean

A

Jamaica Tallawahs Innings (target: 109 runs from 20 overs) GD Phillips † c Paul b Naveen-ul-Haq 26 CAK Walton b Imran Tahir 1 J Blackwood c †Bramble b Naveen-ul-Haq 23 Asif Ali c Green b Paul 3 R Powell (c) c Green b Nedd 2 NE Bonner not out 30 AD Russell not out 23 Extras (lb 2, w 3) 5 TOTAL (18 Ov, RR: 6.27) 113/5 Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Chadwick Walton, 1.4 ov), 2-40 (Glenn Phillips, 5.5 ov), 3-49 (Asif Ali, 7.2 ov), 4-53 (Rovman Powell, 8.3 ov), 5-62 (Jermaine Blackwood, 10.2 ov) BOWLING CJ Green Imran Tahir AR Nedd Naveen-ul-Haq KMA Paul

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Tallawahs turn tables on Warriors Pg 23 Pg 23

Pg 21

Pg 22

Dunk ensures Lewis does not stand alone

Archery Guyana participates in qualification round of World Archery Americas

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