Guyana Times - Friday, April 24, 2020

Islam’s holy month of Ramadan P commences on Saturday – CIOG

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

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4265

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020

PRICE

GECOM, APNU/AFC destruction of democracy: Day 53 Ballot recount

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

GECOM to sanitise ballot boxes in another delaying ploy See stories on pages 9 and 13

– restricts number of persons to be involved – start and duration of recount still undecided – as work plan to be presented today

Nandlall rubbishes Alexander’s defence of unlawful elections declarations …says APNU/AFC Commissioner hell-bent on derailing recount process

Guyana gets US$475,000 to fight P7 COVID-19

P2 2 busted with ganja at Bartica Stelling

Page 14

Foreign aid for COVID-19 fight stymied by elections results delay – caretaker PM

Page 14

Guyana’s COVID-19 cases jump to 70 Page 3

Page 2

Mechanical issues continue P14 to plague production at Uitvlugt Estate ...utilised nearly 300 tonnes of canes to produce 1 tonne of sugar

– authorities concerned about underreporting of contact due to stigma

Mahaica fisherman stabbed to death by neighbours

Venezuelan woman P2 brutally chopped, burnt by lover

Page 16

Police destroy ganja fields in Berbice River

Last direct flight for stranded Canadians leaves Guyana P13 today

2 NEWS

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Mahaica fisherman stabbed 2 busted with ganja to death by neighbours at Bartica Stelling

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40-year-old Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD) resident was stabbed to death on Wednesday evening by two of his neighbours, whom have since been arrested.

Dead is Zahir Ali, a fisherman of Lot 78 Mosquito Hall, Unity, Mahaica. The incident reportedly occurred at approximately 19:20h.

Preliminary investigations by Police revealed that Ali and his neighbours were not on speaking terms and on the night in question, the two suspects stoned Ali’s house.

The fisherman confronted them on the road during which a heated argument ensued. The suspects then allegedly pulled the now dead man into their yard and shortly after, he was seen fleeing their premises drenched in blood.

Ali was rushed to

Dead: Zahir Ali

the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. He sustained stab wounds to his left chest and his abdomen.

Speaking with Guyana Times, the now dead man’s niece, Radika, related that her uncle’s neighbours were “troublesome” and drug addicts, who would usually

disrupt the community by blasting music late in the nights.

In fact, she noted that last year they had stormed Ali’s yard and beat him up. He had to get stitches for those injuries. That matter had even reached the courts, but the parties then settled it.

Radika related that on Wednesday night, the two suspects began pelting Ali’s house and he went on to the road to confront them.

“He asked them they “want a problem?” and they say “yes, we want a problem” and they drag him in the yard, and beat him up and then they stabbed him,” she stated.

Radika, who lives about six houses away from her uncle, told this publication that she received a call that he had been stabbed and when she arrived at his house, he was lying on the

ground in a pool of blood.

At the time, Radika said Ali was barely conscious.

“I was calling out to him, but froth was coming out his mouth and his eyes was rolling to the top… He wasn’t talking, he was just breathing slowly,” she related.

The man was eventually rushed to the hospital by relatives, but it was too late.

The fisherman leaves to mourn his wife and four children, along with other relatives and friends.

Following the incident on Wednesday night, the Police detained one of the suspects. The following day, Ali’s family got persons to look for the second suspect.

He was found around 11:00h on Thursday hiding in some bushes at the Unity seawall, ECD. Both men remain in custody as investigations continue.

Venezuelan woman brutally chopped, burnt by lover

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hirty-seven-yearold Wilneivis Del Valle Bisram Vadel, a Venezuelan national, is now hospitalised after her lover burnt her in the face with a cigarette, beat her with a cutlass, and chopped her to the head in the wee hours of Thursday.

According to information received, the incident

occurred around 01:12h at Aranka Landing, Cuyuni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) when the suspect identified as “Smokey” was imbibing with Vadel.

During the drinking spree, an argument ensued between the couple and it was at that time, the man reportedly burnt the wom-

an with a cigarette. In retaliation, she picked up a glass bottle and dealt him a blow to his head.

In response, the suspect picked up a cutlass and chopped the woman several times about the body and to her head. He then made good his escape.

A report was lodged at Aranka Police Outpost,

and the Police were currently on the hunt for the man.

Guyana Times understands that the couple have been in a relationship for a month now. The woman is currently in hospital and her condition is listed as stable.

Police are continuing their investigations.

The marijuana which was uncovered by ranks

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24-year-old Guyanese mechanic, along with a 23-year-old female Venezuelan national, was taken into Police custody after ranks swooped down on them at the Bartica Stelling, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) and discovered narcotics hidden in their belongings.

According to information received, ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) acting on information received, turned up at the Bartica Stelling around 21:00h and intercepted the duo. They then conducted

a search on their belongings.

Following the search, a total of 2670 grams of suspected cannabis, which had been concealed in several taped parcels, was unearthed.

According to a Police source, the 24-year-old reportedly told investigators that a man he identified as “Gully” packed their belongings and requested that they take the substance to his father who resided in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

Charges are expected to be laid shortly.

NEWS

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FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, April 24 – 05:00h-06:30h and Saturday, April 25 – 05:30h-07:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, April 24 – 04:50h-06:20h and Saturday, April 25 – 05:10h-06:40h.

Guyana’s COVID-19 cases jump to 70 – authorities concerned about underreporting of contact due to stigma

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny conditions are expected during the day. Partly cloudy to clear skies are expected in the evening. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to North-Easterly between 1.34 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 05:08 and 17:30h reaching maximum heights of 2.73 metres and 2.66 metres.

Caretaker Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence

Low Tide: 11:04h and 23:16h reaching minimum heights of 0.45 metre and 0.60 metre.

s the number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases continue to climb in Guyana – now reaching 70, authorities here are grappling with underreporting from persons who have been in contact with COVID-19 patients who have tested positive.

In her daily update on Thursday, Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence disclosed that Guyana now has three new COVID-19 cases. While the confirmed cases have increased to 70, the number of deaths remain at seven.

As of Wednesday, a total of 375 persons have been tested for the novel coronavirus – 305 of which were negative. In addition, two more persons have since recovered from the life-threatening disease, bringing the total number of recovered cases up to 12.

There are still 17 persons in institutional quarantine and another 51 in isolation.

Currently, there are five persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital. On Wednesday, Lawrence had stated that at least one of the ICU patients was critical.

Nevertheless, she revealed in her latest report that during the period under review, 23 persons in total were admitted to the dedicated COVID-19 ICU. Of the 23, 12 improved and have been removed to a Step-Down Facility while five deaths occurred in the ICU and one person has so far recovered.

Meanwhile, of the 70 positive COVID-19 cases, 66 of the victims contracted the virus right here in Guyana.

The remaining four were imported cases including the country’s first COVID-19 case.

Ratan Baboolall, 52, died on March 11, days after returning from New York. She is referred to as ‘Patient Zero’. At least four of her family members, including a 13-year-old, subsequently tested positive for the novel coronavirus but after a period of medical treatment during isolation,

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they recovered and were released.

However, Lawrence on Thursday disclosed that the Ministry continued to face the challenge of underreporting from persons who have been in contact with a COVID-19 case. This, she explained, is mainly owing to the stigma associated with the coronavirus.

According to the caretaker Minister, this attitude will not benefit anyone. In fact, it would only result in the country’s death toll ris-

Dr Quacy Grant of the National Tuberculosis Programme

ing.

“For those of you who are afraid of the associated stigma, I encourage you to be brave, come forward, help us to help you and your family stay alive. I urge you to stop taking matters in your own hands: COVID-19 is serious business. Please call the COVID-19 hotline or utilise the app… Guyanese, lives matter and because of this, if we stand together, we will stand stronger,” Lawrence implored.

TURN TO PAGE 8

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guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 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

Sacrifices of healthcare workers

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onfirmed cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Guyana now stand at 70, and even as authorities grapple with under-reported cases here, the worldwide death toll and new cases are increasing daily, with over 2.5 million persons testing positive for the virus.

Health systems and health workers are being challenged to their maximum capacity, as no country was ever prepared to deal with a crisis of this proportion. In the middle of all of this are the healthcare workers — including doctors, nurses, medical assistants, lab technicians and others — who are making tremendous sacrifices every day; even risking their lives to win this battle.

Over the past months, we have seen reports from the international media about the selfless services these frontline workers are offering to save lives and contain the further spread of this deadly virus. In fact, there were a few reports of some of these frontline workers becoming depressed after being so overwhelmed with witnessing the suffering of persons firsthand and with seeing the magnitude of the task ahead.

In an article on mental health toll of the COVID-19 pandemic published by TIME, it stated that some early data already paints a bleak picture. According to the article, a study published on March 23 in the medical journal JAMA found that, among 1,257 healthcare workers working with COVID-19 patients in China, 50.4 per cent reported symptoms of depression, 44.6 per cent symptoms of anxiety, 34 per cent insomnia, and 71.5 per cent reported distress.

In Guyana, our healthcare workers, too, are faced with lifechanging decisions, as they put their lives at risk to save those who contracted the disease. Our healthcare professionals are even being stigmatised and discriminated against by public transport operators and some business owners. This was obviously done out of fear, by persons who felt they could have contracted the virus very easily by having any contact with such persons. To some extent, this has been resolved, as transportation arrangements have been put in place for them, but it is noteworthy, since persons continue to put their lives on the line while providing an invaluable and selfless service to the nation.

The challenges healthcare workers, especially nurses, face daily cannot be underestimated. For this reason, governments and other health partners must continue to make the necessary investments in them, to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge, and are well equipped with the resources they need to do their work in a comfortable and safe environment.

Historically, as well as presently, nurses are at the forefront of fighting epidemics and pandemics that threaten health across the globe. As we have seen around the world, they are demonstrating their compassion, bravery and courage as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A new report, titled ‘The State of the World’s Nursing 2020’, which was published recently, provides an in-depth look into the nursing profession. Compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO) in partnership with the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and Nursing Now, the report produced findings which identify important gaps in the nursing workforce and priority areas for investment in nursing education, jobs, and leadership to strengthen nursing around the world.

The report reveals that today there are just under 28 million nurses worldwide. Between 2013 and 2018, nursing numbers had increased by 4.7 million. But this still leaves a global shortfall of 5.9 million – with the greatest gaps found in countries in Africa, South East Asia and the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region, as well as in some parts of Latin America.

To equip the world with the nursing workforce it needs, WHO and its partners have made a number of recommendations. They have recommended that countries educate and train nurses in the scientific, technological and sociological skills they need to drive progress in primary health care; establish leadership positions, and support leadership development among young nurses; and ensure that nurses in primary health care teams work to their full potential, for example in preventing and managing noncommunicable diseases; and improve working conditions, including through safe staffing levels and fair salaries etc.

According to the WHO report, without nurses, midwives, and other healthcare workers, countries cannot win the battle against outbreaks.

Today, locally and further afield, we see the importance of healthcare workers, and we must salute them for their tremendous sacrifices.

Health-care workers seriously putting their lives on the line Dear Editor, Health workers are risking their lives, and the least we can do for them is to make sure they can go to work with personal protective equipment (PPE). They need masks, some need high-quality masks like N95 masks. They need gowns, gloves, goggles. They need simple equipment like thermometers and pulse oximeters. They need ventilators and medicines and reagents for laboratory testing.

The Guyana Government, almost two months after the first COVID-19 case, has failed to ensure these health workers have adequate PPE and other things they need to fight COVID-19. Every day, doctors and nurses are calling us for help.

Different people are providing whatever help they can to our saviours. I am thankful that the National MultiStakeholders Forum established by Dr. Irfaan Ali was able to deliver to the GPHC and other institutions some PPE. While citizens are stepping up to help, the Government seem increasingly paralyzed.

Guyana is at war with an invisible, silent enemy: COVID-19. The SARS CoV2 virus is the enemy. It is all over the world, leaving a trail of dead bodies. Close to 3 million people have been confirmed infected, and close to 200,000 have been confirmed dead around the world.

In Guyana, where we barely test for COVID-19, there are 67 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 7 confirmed dead as at April 22.

We do not really know how many people are affected,

because we barely test.

We do not know if there are other deaths, since people might have died of other “causes” because they were never tested. In this war, Guyana, like the rest of the world, is not fighting an army; it is fighting a more powerful enemy. Our frontline defenders are not soldiers, they are health workers. They have no guns or war tanks or military planes or military boats.

They have themselves, their selflessness, their generosity, their technical knowledge, their dedication and commitment. They put their lives and the lives of their families at risk every minute of the day. The least we can do is to help them fight the enemy with PPE. Worldwide, as millions of people stay at home to minimize transmission of the COVID-19 virus, health-care workers - doctors, nurses, medical technologists, pharmacists, other support staff, including janitors - prepare to do the exact opposite. They go to clinics and hospitals, putting themselves at high risk from COVID-19.

Figures from China’s National Health Commission show that more than 3300 health-care workers were infected as at early March, and according to local media, by the end of February, at least 22 had died.

In Italy, 20% of responding health-care workers were infected, and some have died. More than 100 doctors died in March in Italy. More than 1,000 nurses have died in America.

Reports from medical staff in different countries de-

scribe physical and mental exhaustion, the torment of difficult triage decisions, and the pain of losing patients and colleagues, all in addition to the infection risk.

The Guyanese health workers are facing these same challenges, these same risks.

I highlight this matter not to cast blame. But to ensure that the authorities get their act together.

We need PPE for our frontline heroes, the people who must go to work every day to ensure we win this battle against COVID-19. It is not enough for Guyana to await a shipment of masks from China. It is not enough to ask India to send Guyana some help.

We had a billion dollars to rehabilitate a building owned by some private person, and this rehabilitated building will not be available soon. We have money to hire a lobby firm. My God, we can do better.

Sometime ago, the authorities claimed that a set of ventilators that were delivered was ordered in December through sole-sourcing, because Guyana “had started to prepare for COVID-19”. Why then is Guyana so desperately short of PPE? The temptation will be to insist that there is no shortage. This will be an insult to our heroes, the men and women, mostly young people who, every day, put their lives and those of their families at risk. The Ministry of Public Health cannot claim they have enough PPE when staff at various hospitals and health centres are calling and begging for PPE. By

insisting there is no shortage, the Ministry will be repudiating these brave souls, deeming them liars.

The truth is plain for everyone to see.

In the meanwhile, we have depended entirely on PAHO/WHO for testing. Guyana obtained not a single test kit by itself.

Now the private sector has been given the go-ahead in a loose arrangement with Government. Because there is no coordination between the Government and the private sector, there is now evolving a Wild West situation in testing.

Many pharmacies and private doctors and some laboratories are offering tests that are of questionable quality. Now that the barn doors have been thrown open, the Guyana FDA has warned that it will prohibit the importation of rapid tests. But there already are rapid tests that are being sold for $20,000 per test in Guyana.

The National COVID-19 response has been knee-jerk and reactionary, loose and “let’s see what happens” approach. The National MultiStakeholders Forum established by Dr. Irfaan Ali has had a more cohesive approach. Individuals in civil society have stepped up.

The Government is flailing like a beached whale, confused and desperate, trying to save itself.

The Guyanese people have been abandoned, but in this abandonment, the health workers must bravely put their lives on the line every day. We must stop the nonsense now.

Dear Editor, I will begin my discourse today with an allegory. It speaks about two animals grazing in a pasture, a horse and an ass. There, in the next plot, was a builder working on an animal cart.

As the two animals chomped on the green herbage, the sound of the hammering rang loud and clear into their ears.

The horse then turned to the ass with the words, “Boy, is which one of us is that man building that cart for?” the jackass did not answer, but kept on eating gracefully. A few minutes later, the horse continued his inquiry with the same question, “Boy, is which one of us is that man building that cart for?”

At this point, the ass could not take it any longer and replied, “He is building that cart for the one who has a guilty conscience.”

This story aptly describes the political situation we are faced with in Guyana at the present moment. Here, we have an incumbent who claims to have won the election held on March 2nd, but those claims are on shaky grounds because there can be no proof with which that claimant can substantiate that claim. After a series of back-and-forth with the courts, the decision was made to go back into the ballot boxes for a recount.

Now, this is the problem, I would say a huge problem for them, because the recount would prove them li-

ars on a grand scale. You see, ballots don’t lie, people do; and this is the problem Granger and his cabal are faced with. To openly lie and brazenly so is one thing, but to back that up with solid evidence is another, hence this ‘dilly dally’ on a recount.

The point is they have backed themselves into a shameful and embarrassing corner with no plausible excuse. There will have to be a recount, and damning will be the results. And may I add that great will be the shame, because those boxes will reveal a stunning change in fortunes as it relates to votes for the various parties.

My take on things is that the Opposition as well as the smaller parties will see more

votes coming their way after this recount. This is what the Granger Cabal fears most.

Had I been one of Granger’s advisers, I would have recommended that he accept the official statements of poll (SoP) for Region 4 at the inception and concede defeat, because the trauma and shame that awaits is tremendous.

I hope his old heart can take the experience of a recount. Frankly speaking, a horrible embarrassment will be his portion. The world would see clearly what we have been saying all along: that massive rigging is the norm for those PNCcontrolled areas.

Dr Leslie Ramsammy

Why fear a recount?

Respectfully, Neil Adams

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 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

Impose individual Persons involved in price gouging should be jailed sanctions now

Dear Editor, Personal sanctions should be applied immediately by international communities to APNU/AFC members and GECOM officials, who have continued to derail Guyanese democracy.

Since the close of polls on March 2, 2020, and continuing to date, their actions to cultivate “get away ideologies” from a democratic process is evident to all rational Guyanese. Further, all of us will agree to the fact that the democratic and ethical principles associated with the electoral process has diminished.

In this context, can we, as Guyanese, accept as gospel that Mr. Ramjattan would congratulate Dr. Alli,

our new president, when the recount process is over? Mr. Ramjattan knew that the PPP/ C won the elections since March 3rd, 2020, and should have accepted the results and congratulated Dr. Alli almost seven weeks ago.

Do we believe this seemly sober and democratic portrait that they are seeking to present to our nation; a new, defined thinking, when we all know their speeches contradict a democratic action?

After all, the undemocratic events unfolding since 2018 NCM to present, the recount process and conclusion of the 2020 general and regional elections seems far from over. Are we to believe that APNU/AFC and GECOM’s architects would

ensure that a transparent and uninterrupted recount process will be done after all their sinister motives embedded with deeply undemocratic tactics are evolving as the new normal daily?

The evidence is clear: that key architects within APNU/ AFC and GECOM are ascribing to have power at any cost, whereby derailing our democratic values and principles.

The international community should apply personal sanctions now to these individuals for the beginning of restoration of democracy in Guyana.

Cut the rope now!

Dear Editor, With the upcoming Independence celebration in May, it is important to speak on an issue that has been bothering many Guyanese, this being the lack of unity. A proposal for a path towards sincere reconciliation between the races should be considered.

The internal division in our country permeates our politics, our society, and the way we treat each other. Many have the view that the date of Independence is marred by the tragedy of Wismar, Christianburg and Mackenzie of the 1960s, and to celebrate Independence on that date is to celebrate such a tragedy. Each year it fosters much resentment, and is viewed as a disrespectful act that disregards the loss of life of the inno-

cent, who were killed during that period of our pre-Independence history.

The call for “mo fyah, slow fyah” to many is the same as saying, “Don’t trouble trouble when trouble does bring more trouble.”

As a country, we must remember that the late great President Jagan wanted the date for Independence to be changed. However, this has never come to fruition. There is nothing stopping such an amendment to have this done via an act of Parliament, if the will of the elected leaders are supportive of such an act.

If and when this change does occur, and the history of that dark period of our country, which is a far greater tragedy than what occurred during the recent “troubles”, has also been in-

cluded and taught to our current and future generations of Guyanese, then insult will no longer be added to injury. Only then true efforts towards ending an unofficial racial war and steps towards reconciliation would start to take hold.

First, the country must move past denial, and acknowledge on both sides of the racial divide the loss of life due to racial intolerance, deep-rooted racial hate, and racial envy. This is necessary for Guyana to begin to heal as a Nation of One People. Otherwise, Guyanese will never truly unite, but instead continue as a nation of nations, separate in culture, beliefs and customs under one flag.

Dear Editor, It is rather unfortunate that the same group, APNU/ AFC, who benefited from the imposition of the US State Department through the US Embassy in Georgetown is now so critical about foreign involvement in re-establishing democracy in Guyana.

It was quite normal and okay when Mr. Brian Hunt, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Georgetown, openly assisted the transition of power to the current Government. Mr. Hunt was busy climbing the steps of Freedom House to get Mr. Donald Ramotar to conceded defeat, which eventually happened after a few days following the May 11, 2015 elections.

In 2016, my brother’s friend met Mr. Brian Hunt while on an official business trip in Africa. He questioned Mr. Hunt about his policy in relation to issuing visitors’ visas to East Indians just before the 2015 elections, when the only criterion for

a visa approval was to be of “East Indian Heritage”. The Chargé did not answer the question, but his loud laughter spoke a million words.

That was not interference by foreign forces!

Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan’s constant visit to Washington DC from 2012 to 2014, to give false information on the previous Government, wasn’t foreign intervention?

The “Vote like a Boss” campaign programme initiated by the US was not foreign intervention? The constant reports that came out from DC about the PPP/C was not foreign interference?

I can vividly recall the hero’s welcome Mr. Brian Hunt received from the same APNU/AFC people when he attended the Parliament of Guyana to witness the swearing in of President Granger, who are now very abusive towards Ambassador CarolAnn Lynch.

American political journalist Michael Cowan says that political hypocrisy is

“the conscious use of a mask to fool the public and gain political benefits”; that is exactly what we are seeing from the APNU/AFC Government.

Ambassador Lynch, whom I admire greatly, is very skilful in her utterances, her public relations skills are unmatched. On every occasion, she chooses the right words to say; words

Yours sincerely, Richard Moore

Why the lack of unity?

Sincerely, Jamil Changlee

Dear Editor, It is always despicable to know that in some countries where disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, and/or any kind of pandemics strike, that there are people in business who will price gouge. Price gouging, better known as black marketing in Guyana and around the world is a despicable, distasteful, dishonorable, and total act of thievery and deceit.

For any businessperson to use such a painful situation to enrich themselves when there are viruses or any crisis affecting the population of a nation; such persons need to be imprisoned and lose their licenses.

I witnessed someone selling sanitizers on Facebook and even read in an article from the newspapers whereby it was highlighted that a particular business is selling a small bottle of sanitizer for fifteen hundred dollars in Mahaica. Sanitizers, which are usually sold for one hundred dollars are now being sold for four to five hundred dollars, suddenly. I have seen in Miami when there is a hurricane approaching and people try to buy a generator or two, the price has a tendency of suddenly tripling.

Further, I wish to make a particular mention of Demerara Distillers Limited's (DDL) product “Environ" which I think is a magnificent sanitizer that is being sold at a very affordable price – between a thousand to eleven hundred dollars - at most retailers.

However, unfortunately, I noticed one drugstore, near to Middle and East Streets

It’s unfortunate APNU/AFC is critical about foreign involvement

that can move mountains.

Ambassador Lynch’s field of study is public relations, so she is utterly careful with every word she says in this volatile situation. I urge her to continue her excellent work, for we cannot allow another dictatorship to take root in this country.

Respectfully, Hana Mohamed

that was selling the same product for eighteen hundred dollars.

The acting Government of Guyana through the Guyana Revenue Authority (G.R.A) has withdrawn all taxes on sanitizing products. However, some of our Guyanese people in business have taken advantage of the situation at hand and are seeking to make an absolute killing in the country. We must not forget that this is a time when people are confused and depressed, not only by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic but with the madness of the prevailing election and therefore adding to the mental pressure, confusion, and depression of the citizens of this country.

The G.R.A, in league with the officials and the enforcement arms of the Ministry of Public Health, should have some methodology or a system in place to target establishments conducting this type of practice and sanction them by use of the judicial system to charge them before the courts and concurrently place them in the media by naming and shaming them publicly for these unethical and atrocious acts.

My advice to them, also, is that you must remember

that the businesses seeking to price gouge in a time of pandemic, and employers taking advantage of their employees, generally, is that you must understand: what you put out is what you will receive. So if you acquire things by deceit, the paper money may look plenty but those gains become cursed and consumption of it within that family - inclusive of the owner - would have to suffer undue divine retribution from the Creator and the universe.

At this juncture, I beseech you, my fellow Guyanese, to show concern, care, and work to support each other.

Please remember that monies are very short at the moment and that many people are not working or their fulltime jobs have now become part-time.

Do not abuse the citizens of the country by taking advantage of the circumstances at hand for personal gain.

Let us work as one human family under God to alleviate the stresses of the present time. After all, we are all in this together.

Sincerely, Hajji Dr Roshan Khan Sr

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FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020

Page

Foundation

Guyana Times is pleased to publish the Education Ministry’s National Grade Six Assessment Past Papers. Below is the conclusion of Mathematics Paper 1, 2008 and the first part of Science Paper 1, 2012.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL GRADE SIX ASSESSMENT TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes 1. WRITE YOUR CANDIDATE NUMBER ON THE ANSWER SHEET AND UNDERLINE THE SUBJECT. 2. This test contains 40 questions. You are required to answer ALL questions. Four responses are given for each question.

The responses are A, B, C and D. Only ONE response is correct.

SCIENCE

3. If you are not sure of the answer to a question, then choose the one which you think is BEST. On your answer sheet, draw a heavy black line through the letter you have chosen.

4. BE SURE THAT THE QUESTION NUMBER IN THE BOOKLET IS THE SAME AS THE ONE YOU HAVE USED ON YOUR ANSWER SHEET.

1. The manatee lives in water and suckles its young. It is a/ an (A) reptile.

(B) mammal.

(C) fish. (D) amphibian.

Study the diagram of a body organ below, then answer question 2.

Here is an example done for you. letter next to the answer you have now 1. The capital of Guyana is chosen.

(A) Linden (B) Georgetown ANSWER SHEET A B C D 6. REMEMBER, each answer MUST only be shown (C) Rose Hall (D) Lethem by a heavy black line on your Answer Sheet.

A heavy black line has been drawn through the letter B on the answer sheet because 7. Remember only ONE answer must be provided Georgetown, the correct answer, is next to B. for each question.

5. If you make a mistake, erase the line cleanly, then draw a heavy black line through the

5. The seeds of the mango tree are most likely dispersed by (A) wind.

(B) water.

(C) animals. (D) explosion.

6. The two poles in a magnet that repel are termed poles.

(A) like (B) unlike (C) North and South (D) East and West Use the diagram of the pulley system below to answer question 7.

8. DO NOT TURN OVER THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO.

8. Which planet is found in the orbit nearest to the Sun? (A) Venus (B) Earth (C) Mercury (D) Mars 9. The second largest planet in our solar system is (A) Neptune.

(B) Jupiter.

(C) Saturn. (D) Uranus.

Study the diagram below carefully, then answer question 10.

2. The organ above is directly associated with (A) circulation.

(B) respiration.

(C) excretion. (D) reproduction.

3. One body organ that is found in the excretory system is the (A) stomach.

(B) liver.

(C) oesophagus. (D) kidney.

4. Vegetable skin is an example of waste (A) toxic (B) domestic (C) non-biodegradable (D) recyclable

7. The simple machine shown above is best used to objects.

(A) bend (B) swing (C) turn (D) lift

10. Electrical energy causes this appliance to (A) become very hot. (B) spin a motor.

(C) blow hot air. (D) be silent.

11. The instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure is (A) wind vane.

(B) anemometer.

(C) thermometer. (D) barometer.

38. The enrolment of a school is 600. If the enrolment is de creased by 20%, and then decreased again by 20%, the enrolment is (A) 384 (B) 480 (C) 576 (D) 600 CONTINUED FROM YESTERDAY

The pie chart below shows the sections of the garden planted by a farmer with oranges, bananas, cherries and melons.

39. What percentage of his garden is planted with mel ons?

(A) 10% (B) 25% (C) 30 (D) 40% 40. If the area occupied by bananas is 16 hectares, then the area occupied by oranges is (A) 10 (B) 20 (C) 36 (D) 45 END OF TEST

NEWS

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FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana gets US$475,000 to fight COVID-19 – humanitarian aid as with sanctioned Venezuela

G

uyana will benefit from close to G$100 million from the United States Government to aid in the local fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been devastating countries around the world.

This was revealed by the US Embassy in Georgetown on Thursday as a mean of keeping in line with the US policy of providing humanitarian aid to countries that are even under sanctions as in Venezuela’s case.

On Thursday, Secretary of State of the United States, Mike Pompeo in an address on Thursday stated that the US is continuing to apply pressure on the Maduro regime as it seeks to provide humanitarian assistance for the Venezuelan people.

Nevertheless, according to the foreign mission in Guyana, the funding is “to help address Guyana’s priority areas of laboratory diagnostics and systems strengthening and supplies, surveillance, infection prevention and control, and emergency operation centres.”

The funds are part of a regional funding package of US$3 million, under the US Caribbean Resiliency Partnership, provided to support the current COVID-19 pandemic re-

sponse.

The US’ Regional Caribbean Office of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be coordinating with the Public Health Ministry and its regional partners to disburse these funds rapidly and implement the activities.

Only on Wednesday, it was revealed that Guyana would be benefiting from funds provided by the European Union to the Caribbean. These include nine million euros each to the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).

Additionally, the EU Delegation here in Georgetown this week will be donating personal computers and smartphones to the Deaf Association of

Guyana and the Guyana Society for the Blind to aid the organisations in their communication needs especially during this period when movement and regular daily activities are restricted.

Meanwhile, Guyana is also expecting donations of medical supplies from the Chinese Government and is also seeking to divert development funds to the tune of US$1 million from the Indian Government towards its fight against the novel coronavirus, which has killed seven persons in Guyana and infected more than 60 others.

As Guyana’s confirmed COVID-19 cases continue to climb, caretaker Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence, during her COVID-19 update on Wednesday, pointed out

that the capital, Georgetown has been identified as the epicentre of the deadly virus.

“I am sure that you are noting the steady increase in our COVID-19 confirmed cases as well as the number of persons who have died as a result of the coronavirus disease. I cannot emphasise enough that your daily behaviour is the key to whether we can flatten the curve and stop the spread of COVID-19 in our country or we allow the pattern to continue,” she posited.

During Wednesday’s update, however, the figures provided showed no changes in the number of tests conducted over a 24-hour period.

According to the Public Health Ministry’s daily dashboard on Wednesday,

the total number of persons tested for the novel coronavirus to date in Guyana was 348, of which 67 were positive and the remaining 281 were negative – the same figures given on Tuesday.

On Monday, the number of tests conducted were 328.

Only last week, Guyana recorded more than 18 new cases.

Meanwhile, this situation of no new tests comes even as the PAHO Director, Dr Carissa Etienne called for accelerated and expanded testing for COVID-19 in countries of the Americas.

During a virtual press briefing on Tuesday, Dr Etienne said there was need for a clearer view of where the virus was circulating and how many people have been infected in order to guide actions.

“The pandemic continues to impact our region, and it’s vital for all countries to actively embrace preventive measures, while preparing

for more cases, hospitalisations and deaths,” she noted.

According to the PAHO Director, countries in the Region have been prepared to test and detect cases of COVID-19 since before the pandemic was declared. She added that they have also provided more than 500,000 PCR tests to 34 countries and territories, and have worked with other countries to track and support their capacity.

An additional 1.5 million PCR tests are being dispatched throughout the Region this week, “followed by another three million next week to strengthen laboratory surveillance networks in our member states”, Dr Etienne stated.

To date, Guyana has received 1800 testing kits from PAHO and the Organisation’s Country Representative, Dr William Adu-Krow disclosed last week that 7000 more were expected.

8 NEWS

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Mohamed’s Enterprises reaches out to woman accused of killing husband

Prominent businessman Nazar Mohamed

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hirty-two-year-old Sandra Brescenio, a housewife of Cannaballi Village, Region One (Barima-Waini) who was charged for killing her abusive husband was released from Police custody after several organisations, including Mohamed Enterprises, posted her bail.

The woman, who told the court that she acted in self-defence, was granted bail in the sum of $300,000

by Magistrate Dylon Bess last Friday. However, the woman was unable to post bail. in Several news arti-

cles highlighting this fact went viral and caught the attention of the owner of Mohamed Enterprises, Nazar Mohamed.

Speaking with Guyana Times, the prominent businessman explained that his heart bled when he read the news article and without hesitation, he reached out to the United Bridge Builders Mission (UBBM), a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) to pledge his support.

He noted he has worked in several interior locations and can attest to the fact that many young Amerindian women were mistreated by their spouses on a regular basis. He noted that he was not denying the fact that a life was lost, but based on what he read, the mother of four who is expecting her fifth child acted in self-defence.

“This particular touched me and I, we have decided to assist… we have done our part to make sure that the woman is out of prison and is at home with her children,” Mohamed stated.

He further stated that they have done lots of charitable work, but this was the

Murder accused: Sandra Brescenio

first time they have done something of this nature.

Nevertheless, the NGO’s founder, Bonita Montaque stated that they were able to secure accommodation for the woman.

She stated that any other donations or pledge received would be channelled to the woman’s four children who were currently residing with their maternal grandmother as well as into the family’s reintegration into a new environment since the expecting mother shared concerns over returning to

Guyana’s COVID-19 cases...

During Thursday’s update, Dr Quacy Grant, the Focal Point for Tuberculosis & HIV of the National Tuberculosis Programme in Guyana, spoke about how persons living with TB may be affected by COVID-19.

It was previously reported that persons living with HIV are more at risk of contracting the coronavirus, especially if they are not on medical treatment.

According to Dr Grant, the same is for persons diagnosed with Tuberculosis.

“We want you to know that you are at increased risk of developing the most complicated form of COVID-19. If you become infected, you may require ICU care and there is the possibility of you dying… TB is an opportunistic disease, which simply means that it attacks those persons whose

immune system is already weak. So, your chances of becoming infected with this virus is much higher,” he posited.

Dr Grant explained that if persons were affected by both diseases, their immune system would not produce the full response needed to fight. TB mainly affects the lungs so does the COVID-19; hence, infected persons’ lungs would not be able to

the house where the incident occurred.

Following the incident, the woman was left traumatised, hence forcing the NGO to provide counselling that has been completed. It was revealed that the young mother has a passion for sewing.

Brescenio appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts last Friday before Magistrate Dylon Bess and was not required to plead to the charge which stated that on April 14, 2020, she killed her 35-year-old partner, Clarence Williams.

It was reported that the now dead man had threatened to push Brescenio into a fire, which resulted in a heated argument, during which the man choked her.

It is alleged that Brescenio was cleaning fish at the time and used the said knife to stab Williams twice to the groin. The injured man reportedly went to bed and was later discovered dead.

The pregnant woman is expected to make her next court appearance on July 7 at the Acquero Magistrate’s Court.

FROM PAGE 8

withstand this attack.

“So, we are advising that if you have TB, it is important to take your medication daily as advised by the outreach worker. Also, it is vital that you stay home and avoid contact with persons. Your room should be well-ventilated, so open the windows and use your fan pointing it towards the window. For you it is a must that you wear a mask even while at home, especially if you live with others. A balanced diet will assist you with full recovery, so make it a priority,” he advised, adding that hand hygiene and cough etiquette were particularly important.

Guyana, like other countries around the world, is now strengthening its response to the COVID-19 pandemic by putting medium and long-term measures in place.

World Health Organisation (WHO) Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted, “There are worrying upward trends in Central and South America… even though the numbers are relatively low.”

He further emphasised that “make no mistake, we have a long way to go. This virus will be with us for a long time”.

According to the WHO on Thursday, there were 957,402 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 47,812 deaths in the Region of the Americas.

Globally, over 2.5 million persons have contracted the virus while another 175,000 plus deaths have been recorded.

Clutching…

I

…at COVID straws t’s a thing to behold! Your Eyewitness is talking about the reaction by PNCites to the announcement that the US was releasing less than US$1/2 million to Guyana from the US$3million they’d allocated to the Caribbean in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. They’re literally shouting hosannas from the rooftops!!

Sadly, their joy has nothing to do with the humanitarian gesture the US is demonstrating to the people of Guyana, as the PNC continue to dawdle in this literal life-and-death issue instead of getting ahead of the expected onslaught. The PNC want folks to believe that the US is stepping back from its disgust at the blatant rigging they’re attempting to execute in broad daylight – and from the sanctions they have been threatening since the Mingoing of the SOPs at Ashmins.

Any port in a storm, your Eyewitness guesses. Never mind that the electoral storm they unleashed is growing into a veritable hurricane. And the thunder of condemnation with lightning bolts of sanctions are still poised to strike down the miscreants in the PNC who’ve dared to believe they can stick their fingers into the eyes of countries that have been in our corner all these years.

But they misunderstand the point the US Ambassador made just a while ago: while every country has its own interests foremost, in this instance, however, their interest and ours coincide: democratic governance. And the rigging stunt the PNC are trying to push down their throats and ours vitiates it. In the present circumstance, the US, as it has always done with us, is making a distinction between the people of Guyana – who’re in need – and the PNC-led Government, filled with greed for power.

Everything in its own time. Like the PPP, the US is going to wait out the PNC’s stonewalling on the recount process.

They all know this can’t go on forever – even though the PNC would like to think it can. The COVID-19 pandemic was a fortuitous straw – like the suggestion about 33 not being a majority of 65 – that the PNC seized as they were going down for the count – and recount!

It has bought them some time, but sooner or later – COVID or no COVID - we’ll know what’s in those ballot boxes, and know also why the PNC doesn’t want Reg 4 SOPs to be tabulated transparently. That final recount will be the CCJ informing the PNC that they were acting outside the law all along. And it’s at that time that we will have the western powers coming down on the PNC leadership like a ton of bricks.

Some ah dem guh hallah; some ah dem guh bawl!! …and unclutching In the local parlance, when someone’s “blowing hot and cold” – saying one thing now and different thing later – they’re said to have a “hold me, loose me” attitude.

Claudette Singh, being a former judge and all that, seems to have raised the practice to a whole new level, which we’ll call “clutching and unclutching”. “Clutching”, because each of her decisions on the surface seems geared at throwing the PPP a bone, and then “unclutching” to satisfy the PNC. Remember her (in)famous decision to stop the H2H registration process foisted on us by Patterson and Lowenfield? Clutching for the PPP? But then she integrates all the unverified data gathered into the NRR! Definitely unclutching for the PNC!! And now the decision for a recount – for Granger and Jagdeo?? Certainly not even clutching for the PPP, which had called for just a retabulation of the Mingoed Reg 4 SOPs. And the present never-ending process certainly is certainly unclutching ever so slowly for the PNC. Sadly, she’ll have to be the one to make a final declaration.

Will she clutch or unclutch? …on for dear life Moses Nagamootoo conceded that Guyana’s requests to the IFIs for funds to fight COVID-19 are being held up until a new government is formed.

So why’d he try to delay the count?? Wanker!!

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

NEWS

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FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ballot recount

GECOM to sanitise ballot boxes in another delaying ploy …restricts number of persons to be involved

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he Moses Nagamootoo-led National COVID-19 Task Force has approved the use of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) for the recount of the March 2 General and Regional Elections, but has limited the number of persons allowed to take part in the process to no more than 132 persons, for the counting of each of the 2339 ballot boxes.

The decision was communicated on Thursday by Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Public Relations Officer (PRO) Yolanda Ward, but experts have advised that the virus does not survive beyond one week on any surface and as such, this move can be seen as another delaying ploy.

However, providing an update to members of the media even as the Commission met, Ward disclosed that GECOM was in receipt of some 14 recommendations, in a report from the National Task Force.

According to Ward, while the Commission was looking to have no more than 14 persons present at each of the recount stations, this could not be done at two of the proposed ACCC rooms identified.

As such, the process at these two rooms has been limited to 10 persons, bringing the total number of persons approved for involvement in the process to 132.

Each of the other eight counting stations could be manned by 14

GECOM Public Relations Officer Yolanda Ward

persons, according to the report.

These would include GECOM officials, party representatives, the Caricom delegation, and local and international observers.

There are 10 contesting parties in the still-to-be-declared 2020 General and Regional Elections.

According to Ward, included in the 14-recommendation report are the need for regular sanitisation, including of surfaces; general guidelines for waste disposal, and other COVID-19 preventative measures.

The GECOM PRO suggested this would inherently have to apply to the ballot boxes that are to be used in the recount.

She noted that “they (Task Force) haven’t spoken specifically to that, but given the recommendations in terms of the sanitisation of surfaces, I am sure that is part of our implementation plan.”

Ward explained, saying “as the boxes enter into the room, they will have some sort of protocol in terms of the sanitisation of those materials...”

Additionally, she told reporters there was no obligation for the persons taking part in the recount to be tested for COVID-19, as recommended in the report by the Task Force.

This, however, does not appear to apply to the expected delegation from the Caribbean Community (Caricom), since a decision by the Task Force to have those members be tested for COVID-19 in their respective home countries has already been communicated to Secretary General Irwin LaRocque.

That decision was taken following an intervention by ‘Caretaker’ President David Granger after Nagamootoo had originally demanded that the Caricom officials be subject to a two-week mandatory quarantine on arrival in Guyana.

Asked to pronounce on the likely start date for the recount, Ward disclosed that the Commissioners were in the process of finalising a draft order to be gazetted.

The containers with the ballot boxes

She noted, however, a likely start date for the recount of the elections would be influenced by the arrival date of the specially invited Caricom high-level delegation.

She was, however, unable to say whether Caricom has received a copy of the recommendations from the Task Force.

The recommendations by the Nagamootoo-led Task Force came after a team of health officials – along with GECOM Commissioners and Chairperson, Retired Justice Claudette Singh, toured the ACCC on Monday last with a view to ensuring the venue could be used for the recount,

taking into consideration the Executive COVID-19 orders.

Speaking with media operatives on Monday following the special site visit, Justice Singh said the visit was organised with the health officials of the Task Force, since “we need to ensure and guarantee the safety of the Caricom team; as soon as that is finished, we have to communicate what we have done to ensure the safety [of the delegation] to the Secretary General.”

The GECOM Chairperson was adamant that “the people are virtually afraid of contracting the virus, so that is why we are leaving no stone unturned to ensure their safety”.

10 NEWS

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Islam’s holy month of Ramadan commences on Saturday – CIOG T

he Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) has said the crescent moon for the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan has not been sighted, therefore the period of fasting will commence on Saturday, April 25, 2020.

CIOG has also informed that Taraweeh prayers will commence on the evening of Friday, April 24.

Ramadan is considered the holiest month of the year for Muslims. In Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food

and drink during the sunlit hours as a means of learning self-control, gratitude, and compassion for those less fortunate.

Ramadan is a month of intense spiritual rejuvenation, with a heightened focus on devotion, during which Muslims spend extra time reading the Qur’an and performing special prayers.

Those unable to fast, such as pregnant or nursing women, the sick, or elderly people and children, are exempted from fasting.

Ramadan is the 9th

month of the Islamic calendar, which is based on a 12-month lunar year of approximately 354 days.

Because the lunar year is

11 days shorter than the solar year, each lunar month moves 11 days earlier each year. It takes 33 solar years for the lunar months to com-

plete a full cycle and return to the same season.

Muslims fast from predawn to sunset, a fast of between 11 and 16 hours depending on the time of year, for a period of 29-30 days.

The fast of Ramadan entails forgoing food and drink, and if married, abstaining from sex during the fasting hours.

For Muslims, Ramadan is a time to train themselves both physically and spiritually by avoiding any negative acts, such as gossiping, backbiting, lying or arguing.

Muslims welcome Ramadan as an opportunity for self-reflection and spiritual improvement.

The ultimate goal of fasting is gaining greater Godconsciousness, in Arabic, taqwa, signifying a state of constant awareness of God. From this awareness, a person should gain discipline, self-restraint, and a greater incentive to do good and avoid wrong.

In commemoration of the revelation of the Qur’an, Muslim’s holy book, which began during the month of Ramadan, Muslims attempt to read the entire book during Ramadan, and gather nightly at mosques to hold special prayers during which the entire Qur’an is recited by the end of the month.

All Muslims who have reached puberty are obliged to fast. However, for people in situations where fasting would be a hardship, they are exempted from fasting.

This includes anyone who is sick or travelling; women who are pregnant, nursing, or on their menses; or older people who are too weak or ill to fast. Anyone who is exempted must make up the fast later, except for those who cannot fast due to age or chronic illness. Instead, they can feed a poor person for every day of fasting they missed.

While children are not required to fast until they reach puberty, it is customary for children beginning around seven years of age to perform limited or symbolic fasting, such as fasting half days or on weekends. This trains them gradually and helps to engender a sense of inclusion during the monthlong observance.

Mosques often give special recognition to children who are fasting their first full day or first Ramadan.

A Muslim family usually rises about 5:00 a.m. before the first of dawn and eats a modest, breakfast-like meal called suhoor. After the meal, the family performs the morning prayer, and depending on the circumstances, the family goes back to bed or begins the day.

At sunset, family members break the fast with a few dates and water, and depending on the culture, other light foods such as soup, appetizers or fruit. This is referred to as iftar, which means “breaking the fast.”

After performing the sunset prayers, the family eats dinner. Inviting guests to break the fast or going to someone else’s house for iftar is very common in Ramadan.

Many families then go to the mosque for the night prayer and a special Ramadan prayer called Tarawih. After completing their prayers, the families return home and prepare for the next day.

During Tarawih, the prayer leader recites at least one thirtieth of the Qur’an, so that by the end of the month the entire Qur’an will have been recited.

Since Ramadan is a time for Muslims to be especially charitable, and fasting helps Muslims feel compassion for the hungry and less fortunate, many mosques hold food drives or fundraisers for charity during Ramadan.

Many mosques also host open houses for their friends and neighbours of other faiths to join them for their fast-breaking dinner or iftar at the end of the fasting day.

The Night of Power, known as Lailat al-Qadr, is believed to fall on one of the odd nights during the last ten days of Ramadan, but is most widely observed on the 27th night of Ramadan. It is considered the most blessed night in Ramadan because it is believed to be the night in which the Qu’ran was first revealed. Mosques are open all night as Muslims hold vigils in prayer, Qur’anic recitation, and contemplation.

However, this year, with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Muslims are urged to practise social distancing. This means that their mosques would be closed and all praying will be done in the confines of their homes. Additionally, there will be no Iftar gatherings among others.

NEWS

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FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Foreign aid for COVID-19 fight stymied by elections results delay – caretaker PM

National COVID-19 Task Force Chairman Moses Nagamootoo

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uyana’s appeal to international agencies for assistance against the COVID-19 pandemic might be put on hold until a duly-elected government is sworn in.

This is the position shared by Chairman of the National COVID-19 Task Force, former Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo on Thursday, who stated that international relief would be inhibited by the current political situation.

This means that the country will have to rely on smaller funds or resources from its coffers to lead the coronavirus fight.

It has been almost two months since citizens all over the country cast their vote, but results from this process are nowhere in sight.

In fact, they were hampered by several unlawful moves and court cases, most of which were sponsored by the coalition administration.

Despite warnings from the ABCE countries and reputable international agencies for an immediate resolution to these issues, there has been no outcome.

Nagamootoo indicated during a press conference that while these requests were sent out, approval would not be given amid the

political tension in which the country was embroiled.

“We are aware that there are a few requests… being processed, but I believe that because of the political situation in Guyana…that we cannot say for sure whether some of these international, multilateral … agencies are going to deal with Guyana’s applications anytime soon.

They are probably going to sit it out until a president is sworn in,” he said.

Despite being in the second quarter of 2020, the country is yet to process a budget. In fact, monies are disbursed through the Finance Ministry at the present time for any initiative relating to the coronavirus. As such, he is now of the opinion that the impasse must end to restore normalcy.

“Remember there is no budget…so there is no Contingency Fund that we could draw from. We need to resolve our political problems and we need to move on as a nation and as a government to deal with these pressing matters of how to stimulate our economy, how to keep our production go-

ing, how to keep jobs going.”

Earlier this month, the country was excluded from the first batch of Covid-19 care packages. The World Bank had launched its first aid operation to bolster the capacity of 25 nations to fight the COVID-19 outbreak.

Guyana had approached the World Bank last month for a US$5 million loan to tackle the coronavirus, which had then claimed four lives and infected 31 locally. Guyana is in a tricky situation; however, having conducted elections over a month ago with a winner yet to be announced.

The majority of observers who scrutinised the tabulation process has pronounced it to have not been credible.

The international community has warned Guyana that it could be isolated and even sanctioned if a President is sworn in on the basis of the flawed results, resulting in an uneasy standoff between the international community and the Government.

In a recent interview with this publication, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Executive, Dr

Dr Vindhya Persaud

Vindhya Persaud expressed concern over the lack of a stable Government and the harm this was doing to the country’s ability to access help.

It has been some time since the country requested help in the form of funds from the World Bank. That help has so far not been forthcoming and the coronavirus cases continue to rise.

“Definitely we are in a state where we need so much more to address the needs of the citizens. Because what we’re seeing is poor handling of the COVID crisis in Guyana. There is a lack of testing. There is controlled

testing being dictated by the Minister. And also, poor dissemination of information, not only to the healthcare system but also to the public which is resulting in a risk situation for the country,” she told this publication.

According to her, in addition to the mismanagement of this entire situation by the Government, “we are being excluded from [international help]. The political situation isn’t helping, because we have been in limbo for the longest while and because of the illegalities that have been causing serious questions to be raised around the world.”

CORONAVIRUS HOW TO HANDWASH? (COVID-19) WASH HANDS OR USE HAND SANITISERS

INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF?

People who think they may be affected by coronavirus need to call the Public Health Ministry hotline 227-4986/624-3067 for further advice.

They should not go to their GP, A&E, pharmacy or hospital.

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

(Adapted from BBC News)

12 NEWS

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ramadan: A good reminder of fulfilling our responsibilities – Ali

A

s Muslims across the globe begin preparations for the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan, People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali, in a message, said now was the time to fulfil the responsibilities of being good humans.

Ali said that it was important to realise that beyond the spiritual aspect of fasting, Muslims have a responsibility to the family of humanity.

“As our world battle against a pandemic that has no boundaries, we are reminded of our responsibility to help each other, be of service to humanity, share and play a role in addressing this pandemic. Of course, that role begins with us following the protocols. We must not forget our responsibility in fighting hunger, homelessness, and other social constraints that continue to affect humanity. We also must fulfil our responsibility of promoting justice, peace, democracy, freedom and tolerance whilst we reject dictatorship, hate, intolerance and selfishness,” he notes.

He reminded that

PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Al

Ramadan humbles everyone observing the fast with a stark reminder of the importance of sacrifice, charity, obedience, moral and ethical values, and our commitment to service to all of humanity.

“May this Ramadan bring to your homes fulfilment, contentment, success, good health, and all the blessings to be derived from the month. Please remember all of humanity who are suffering, recovering or the families of those who have lost their loved ones in this pandemic. May Allah reward all of us with his mercies and forgiveness,” Ali declared.

Lifting of curfew to be reviewed – COVID-19 Task Force Head

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overnment will be reviewing the current lockdown measures and curfew implemented amid the coronavirus threat to determine whether the restrictions should be in place for a longer period.

In a gazetted document, it was indicated that these restrictions would last until May 3, unless further advised. With the curfew expected to end in just over a week, Head of the National COVID-19 Task Force, Moses Nagamootoo on Thursday expressed that the possibility of lifting it was to be reviewed.

“If something is working and working in the interest of Guyana, then we need to review its effectiveness and make decisions as we go along. As of now, we cannot say that any measures have been relaxed,” he claimed.

In fact, he indicated that the conduct of the public and their adherence to the outlined measures have been looked at over the past weeks. It was admitted that in some cases, restrictions were being broken, but enforcement authorities would have to apply greater care to ensure that they’re abided by.

“I cannot say at this point in time whether the

PAHO/WHO Country Representative, Dr William Adu-Krow

ures which are currently in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The body noted that that action could result in an exponential spike in the number of cases here.

According to PAHO/WHO Country Representative, Dr William Adu-Krow, these numbers can spike if the emergency measures are lifted too soon.

“If, at May 1, the Government relaxes all the curfew and everything…it begins an exponential rise (in the number of corona-

country did nothing to curb the spread.

He noted that the implementation of the curfew and restrictions has saved many persons from fatally contracting the virus. It was projected that by April 15, there would have been 295 deaths recorded.

According to the PAHO/ WHO Representative, the curfew and restrictions can only be lifted if certain criteria are met.

These include: transmission is controlled; systems are in place to detect, test, isolate and treat every case;

The Linden bus terminal during the curfew

curfew will be lifted. There has been no representation made to the Task Force in this effect. I believe the curfew has been observed to a large extent to point where there has been less or perhaps no clustering and social distancing and physical distancing has been observed.”

The Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) has already warned Guyana against lifting too early the curfew and restriction meas-

virus cases),” Dr Adu-Krow said during a virtual press conference last Friday. In fact, he noted that if the measures were lifted as scheduled, then by midMay there could be as many as 5000 cases in the country.

Last month, PAHO/ WHO had projected that Guyana would record some 20,000 cases of COVID-19.

But the PAHO/WHO Country Representative explained that this projection was in the event that the

outbreak risks in health settings are minimalised; preventative measures are implemented in social settings, such as schools and workplaces; importation risks can be managed; and communities are fully educated, engaged and empowered to adjust to the “new norm”.

With border ports closed to all but essential traffic, there is also a complete restriction on international commercial air travel until the curfew is lifted.

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FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Start and duration of recount still undecided – as work plan to be presented today – Partisan GECOM officials still not excluded from recount as recommended by OAS

PPP Commissioner Sase Gunraj

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o n t r o v e r s i a l Returning Officer for Region Four, Clairmont Mingo, one of the key Guyana Elections

Commission (GECOM) Officers alleged to be part of an attempt to rig the 2020 General and Regional Elections, has not been ruled out of the proposed recount by the electoral body.

This was intimated to media operatives on Thursday last when the Commission wrapped up its meeting for the day, to reconvene today since it is yet to finalise the work programme or complete a draft order.

Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) Commissioner to the electoral body, Sase Gunraj, told media operatives that the Chairperson, retired Justice Claudette Singh, did not appear inclined to removing definitely Mingo and others from the process.

Speaking with report-

GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh

ers on the personnel to be involved in the recount process, Gunraj disclosed that the issue about officers against whom allegations

Last direct flight for stranded Canadians leaves Guyana today that their travel documents are in order.

The airline will permit each passenger on this flight one standard carry-on item and one 23-kg (50 lb) piece of checked luggage.

Additionally, persons flying home today are mandated to wear face masks and are expected to bring their own

has facilitated with special permission from the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF), which had closed all of Guyana’s borders, including the two international airports.

Last weekend, WestJet repatriated 152 Canadians and then another 100 plus on Monday. WestJet is the

Canadian High Commissioner Lilian Chatterjee

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he Canadian High Commission in Georgetown has facilitated what is likely to be the last humanitarian direct flight from Guyana to Canada, today.

In a social media post on Thursday, the High Commission explained that “the second flight, originally scheduled for Monday, April 27 is now cancelled by Global Affairs Canada due to lack of numbers. This means the April 24 WestJet Flight is the LAST direct flight returning to Canada. Please book immediately.”

The WestJet flight is scheduled to depart the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) at 15:30h.

Earlier in the day, Canadian High Commissioner Lilian Chatterjee, in a virtual message, urged stranded Canadians to book their flights if they want to return to Toronto during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

“Please book this flight as soon as possible because tickets sell out very quickly. This is likely your last flight to Canada,” she stated.

Canadians who want to capitalise on this flight are to purchase their tickets online at westjet.com and ensure

The WestJet humanitarian flight departing Guyana on Monday

face covering.

Upon arrival in Canada, they are also required to undergo a 14-day mandatory self-isolation.

Meanwhile, High Commissioner Chatterjee advised those who opted to remain in Guyana to ensure that they ‘shelter in place’ and “take all possible precautions against COVID”.

Canadians in need of emergency consular assistance in Guyana should call the High Commission of Canada in Georgetown at +592-608-7012 or 592-6883578.

Today’s flight is the third direct flight that the Canadian High Commission

first-ever Canadian airline to operate from Guyana. Its first flight last Saturday comprised mainly senior citizens and families with children, who were elated to return home.

Prior to these direct flights provided by WestJet Airline, the Canadian High Commission had arranged two flights to Barbados, whose passengers connected to Air Canada flights to Toronto.

Additionally, the High Commission has been urging persons to capitalise on flights facilitated by the United States Embassy in Georgetown, and then fly home from Miami.

were levelled was brought up and specifically discussed at the meeting.

He said, however, that “The chairman (retired Justice Claudette Singh) has said that she is of the opinion that some of the officers are statutory officers, and that she is not inclined to remove those persons at this time.”

The PPP Commissioner told media operatives, “I disagree with that position I must say -- and I remain adamant -- that certain persons ought not to participate in this process, particularly the Returning Officer Mingo, who has brought us to this position.”

Government aligned Commissioner Vincent Alexander, who also spoke to the matter of the discussions surrounding the use of GECOM personnel in the recount, specifically the Region Four RO, said, “No role has been defined for Mr Mingo.”

Corroborating Gunraj’s position that the matter had been brought up for discussion, Alexander suggested that one Commissioner “reeled out a number of names of persons who he saying should not be involved in the exercise”.

According to Alexander, however, the disposition of some of the commissioners is that there are no specific allegations against the officials, and he added, “If there is no specific allegation, then there is no basis for us to say they should not be involved in the exercise.”

Mingo is being alleged to have declared fraudulently tabulated results for Region Four using a suspect spreadsheet and not the official statements of poll to declare a victory for the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC).

The matter was dragged out in the courts, which subsequently found that the results were unlawful, and subsequent decision had been

Government Commissioner Vincent Alexander

Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo

taken by the Commission for the recount.

Both Alexander and Gunraj related to media operatives, however, that despite meeting all day, the Commission was still to finalise the work plan, including determining the duration of time that would be allocated for the recount process by the Commission.

Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield had submitted a plan to the Commission that would see the recount lasting more than five months, while the PPP’s Commissioner demonstrated in a counter proposal that the activity could be completed in as little as ten days.

Alexander told media operatives that while the Commission has undoubtedly settled on the number of workstations to be used for the recount process in addition to the venue, the time allocation for the recount of each of the 2,339 ballot boxes is yet to be determined.

He said there is a proposal on the table for the Commission to gauge the first day of the recount to determine realistically how long it would take to count each box, and this would set the precedent in determining an approximation for the entire process.

Gunraj, in lamenting the situation, said the members of the Commission would be resuming its meeting today to finalise the work plan for the activity and the draft order, at which time he would be pushing to have the commission set a fixed duration.

According to Gunraj, “I believe that if we set a duration for the process and we take steps to fit within that duration, we can have some process; but if we leave it open-ended, it will be just as that, open-ended and cause issues and cause opportunity to have this process delayed.”

He suggested that the new parameters that have been identified within which the Commission would have to do the recount still puts the duration at beyond a month, which is still unacceptable.

“We need to set a definitive period during which this process will be concluded, and take all the necessary steps to conclude it in that time,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Organisation of American States’ (OAS) election observer mission on April 15 publicly called for “the officials to be engaged in the recount are selected based on their impartiality and those who have displayed partisan behaviour are excluded.”

14 NEWS

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Nandlall rubbishes Alexander’s defence of unlawful elections declarations …says APNU/AFC Commissioner hell-bent on derailing recount process

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xecutive Member of the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) and former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, has lashed out at a Government-aligned Commissioner of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) over his purported attempts to have the recount process being embarked on by the electoral body run afoul of the law.

Nandlall gave the stinging rebuke subsequent to public assertions made by Alexander on Thursday: that the Declarations of Elections Results for Regions One to 10, including the controversial declaration for Region Four, are all still lawful and valid, since they have not been set aside.

Alexander told media operatives that it is only when new declarations are made that the existing declarations would be nullified.

Alexander noted that even if Region Four were to be discounted as not legally made, then the other were,

PPP/C executive Anil Nandlall

and “unless you have a process that supersedes that in its finality, then you cannot repeal what exists.”

He suggested that if the recount process yields new declarations for the March 2 General and Regional Elections, then those would supersede the ones already in existence.

The coalition Commissioner did not rule out the possibility of the existing declarations being

used, and said, “Lord knows, they’re legal.”

He sought to qualify his position by saying, “I am not saying that they are going to be used, but I am not in the business of looking at something that is legal and crossing it out just like that.”

He said it is there to be taken into consideration, and that decision is still to be made by the Commission.

But the PPP member said the exhortations by Alexander “makes him the unsophisticated chief representative of the rigging cabal within GECOM.” Nandlall was adamant that Alexander is in fact the “main architect of the fraudulent design which is currently being executed within the Commission as well as the Secretariat” The former top legal officer in the country reminded that Alexander had, a few days ago, publicly defended the Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield’s proposed 156 days plan for the elections recount.

According to Nandlall,

PNC Commissioner Vincent Alexander

“The plan was Alexander’s”, and “Lowenfield was simply the conduit.”

Responding to Alexander’s defense of the declarations as legal, Nandlall reminded that “every international and local accredited observer team, all the political parties, the diplomatic community, CARICOM and the Governments of the ABC countries have all condemned it as fraudulent.”

He reminded that Alexander also wants to retain the fraudulent report prepared by Lowenfield to the Commission, which report contains Mingo’s fraudulent declarations.

Nandlall was adamant that “The singular reason for this decision is a recognition by GECOM that Mingo’s declaration stinks of fraud. It is this very reason why the Chairperson did not accept the report from Lowenfield and tossed it aside, because that report is tainted with Mingo’s fraudulent declarations.”

He said Alexander is not giving up, and is in fact now “hoping for some event to occur which would either prevent the recount from taking place, or if it takes place, rendering it a nullity, so that the status quo antes the recount will prevail.”

According to Nandlall, Alexander is also hell-bent on including in the Order currently under review by the Commission a host of matters which he hopes will cause the recount process

Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield

to run afoul of the law, and that “he is doing so deliberately, knowing fully well, the likely consequences.”

Additionally, Nandlall charged that the Chairperson’s refusal to remove identified toxic persons from the recount process does not go down well; “neither is her entertaining of Alexander’s illicit strategy, rather than pull the mask from it and reject it unconditionally.”

Mechanical issues continue to plague production at Uitvlugt Estate ...utilised nearly 300 tonnes of canes to produce 1 tonne of sugar

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he Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) has expressed concern over the shortfall in the target set for the Uitvlugt Sugar Estate because of continued mechanical issues.

In a statement, GAWU stated that it has learned from workers on Thursday that the Uitvlugt factory in the last 24 hours uti-

lised on average 296.6 tonnes of cane to produce a tonne of sugar, as opposed to 29 tonnes cane to produce a tonne of sugar on Wednesday. According to the Union, the situation deteriorated by 921 percent.

GAWU noted that workers are deeply upset about the situation, given that mechanical breakdowns are the root cause of the problem.

Meanwhile, GAWU stated that the issue is almost unimaginable and brings into question the efficacy of the Corporation’s enhanced factory operations department.

“The Union has learnt that the factory suffered breakdowns aggregating to some 415 hours over its 11week cropping period. The breakdowns are equivalent to about 3.2 weeks of op-

The Uitvlugt Sugar Estate

eration. Uitvlugt factory’s woes are not unknown, and our Union on several occasions has expressed concern about its functioning.

The GAWU, not too long ago, learnt that the factory suffered 16 breakdowns over a 24-hour period,” the statement related.

Apart from its factory woes, the union revealed, the estate also suffered a shortfall in anticipated cane production due to the constant mechanical issues.

“At this time, Uitvlugt Estate is concluding its first crop with harvesting operations having come to an end earlier this week.

Production for the crop at this morning stood at 8,425 tonnes sugar as against a crop target of 9,410 tonnes.

Based on the canes remaining to be crushed, it is estimated that the estate will fall shy of its target by about 800 tonnes sugar and possibly even more if the disturbing situation of the last 24 hours prevails,” the missive revealed.

Moreover, the news of mechanical issues plaguing the factory comes in light

of GuySuCo considering to approach the caretaker A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) Coalition for support to offset the payment of wages and salaries.

The workers bargaining agent stated that the situation surrounding the Corporation has been exacerbated by the rudderless leadership of the Coalition to address the plight of these workers.

According to GAWU, if the $30B bond was used by the Special Purpose Unit for the intended purpose, the Sugar Corporation could have been in a better place now.

The bond was supposed to be used to finance long term projects for the three-estate, smaller-sized GuySuCo, including acquisition of two co-generation plants; upgrade of existing factories; the production of Plantation White Sugar; the construction of more storage and packaging facilities, and the financing of two years of general operational costs.

However, NICIL has been at odds with GuySuCo

over the use of the bond in operations, with the bond holders and trustees complaining and writing for details of the spending.

Furthermore, GAWU stated that it remains convinced that the ongoing disagreement has to be laid squarely at the feet of the caretaker Government, which, rather than arresting the situation, has allowed it to fester to the detriment of the industry and more so tens of thousands of Guyanese.

“Even a commitment by President Granger in June, 2019 to have the sums quickly released to the industry was not realized, as the NICIL-SPU, apparently overriding the President, has held on to the monies as it says it has concerns. The Corporation, for its part, has said it believed that it had provided satisfactory responses.

Nevertheless, the situation persists,” the statement said.

To this end, the Union stated the industry needs urgent support in order to avoid further disruption in the country.

NEWS

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FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

announces Berbice Chamber calls on Govt GTT more measures to reduce Berbice Bridge toll aimed at mitigating

BCCDA Vice President Ryan Alexander

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he Berbice Chamber of Commerce and D e v e l o p m e n t Association is calling on the Government to reduce the toll for public vehicles crossing the Berbice Bridge Company Inc. (BBCI).

The call comes in the wake of restrictions on the number of passengers hire cars and minibuses are allowed to carry as part of the protocols being put in place for public vehicles during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Public transpiration vehicles are now required to carry one less passenger in each row of seats in a form

of adhering to social distancing.

In light of this measure, the route 56 minibuses (New Amsterdam/Rosignol) and New Amsterdam/ Georgetown hire cars have increased their fares.

The bus fare has moved from $260 to $400 for a trip from one side of the river to the other, while the hire cars have upped fares from $150 to $2000 for a trip to the City from New Amsterdam.

According to Vice President of the Chamber, Ryan Alexander, the Chamber has taken note of the additional hardship commuters are made to face as a result of those increases.

“We feel at the Chamber that if there is a supplemented cost for two categories of vehicles, which would be those that bring goods into the Region to sell (lorry or canter) and hire cars and minibuses that cross the river. It would help in our fight against COVID-19 in the sense that the cost for transportation could be made cheaper and social distancing could be in effect,” he said.

According to Alexander,

COVID-19 effects

…offers bundle services to curb costs, provide bonus data

Vehicles crossing the Berbice River Bridge

the hire car operators have inflated their price because they are now forced to carry fewer passengers.

“If that cost is amended in terms of crossing the Berbice River Bridge, we can possibly drive down the cost to $1500 and they can still practise social distancing by having three passengers in the car.”

As it relates to goods entering the Region, he said if the cost for lorries crossing the Bridge could be amended, then supermarket owners and other merchants would be able to offer goods at a more reasonable price to consumers.

“We are calling on the Government to work with the Berbice River Bridge to have those prices adjusted,

possibly to be supplemented, because I know that the Bridge will have operational cost. Just as they offered a supplemented cost from $2200 to $1900, we are hoping that they can have a further supplemented cost for those categories of vehicles.”

He explained that the Bridge still needs to function, but the cost for goods entering the Region and for persons commuting the River should be reduced so that they will be able to afford it; and in the case of passengers, that they will still be able to practise social distancing.

“COVID 19 is a very serious issue, and we need to deal with it holistically,” he said.

Hospital gets 20 tablets, 1000 masks for critical COVID-19 patients

A staff of the Public Telecommunications Ministry presents the masks to Kristopher Roberts, Liaison Officer of the National Community Policing Organisation of Guyana

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ays after the former Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes came in for much public criticism over the Ministry’s donation of 30 tablets to the Guyana Prison Service, it on Thursday made a similar donation.

This time, 20 tablets and 1000 face masks were presented to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

According to the Ministry, the donation comes as part of “Government’s unwavering determination in ensuring that patients receive the best care.”

The donated tablets – according to a public statement issued on Thursday – are to be used by patients in the hospital’s Isolation Intensive Care Unit (ICU).”

It said the Isolation ICU has a capacity for 16 patients and was recently established

to provide care for COVID-19 patients who require intensive treatment.

The tablets, according to the Ministry’s statement “will allow patients in this unit to communicate with their family members since they are not allowed to have visitors while in isolation”.

It said too that GPHC officials believe that the tablets would provide psychosocial support for patients who were separated from their families during this difficult time.

The Ministry – headed by Cathy Hughes – also donated 150 masks to the National Community Policing Organisation of Guyana to be distributed among its members.

That body falls under the Public Security Ministry as is the case with the Guyana Prison Service.

That entity—following the brouhaha that erupted over

the donation by the Ministry – had said that the assistance was as a result of the suspension of all visits to prisons. The Guyana Prison Service will be introducing at all prison locations video calls for prisoners to communicate with family members and Attorney- atLaw. The calls, according to the Prison Service, would be made via the Google Hangout application from an Internetpowered cellular phone, iPad, tablet, or a computer with a camera and a microphone.

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he Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) on Wednesday launched its ‘2 for 2 Covid-19 response campaign’ in a bid to lessen customer costs and provide bonus data during the current pandemic.

Explaining the development, GTT’s Vice President of Customer Experience and Quality, Orson Ferguson, said, “Customers who combine their internet and mobile accounts under one name will receive a bonus 2GB (gigabytes) of mobile data every month at no additional cost.”

The special offer, according to the company, would enable subscribers to bundle their GTT services to benefit from a special offer.

“This package was created especially for customers who are always on the go and need to stay connected with their friends and family and their work place.”

She said, “We are trying to make this period less stressful for our customers and help lower their spend(ing) through bundling.”

The company said the offer applies to all internet users and both prepaid and postpaid mobile customers

once both accounts are under the same name.

“We appreciate that we are all trying our best to function and stay connected during a challenging time…We are in this together, and GTT will continue to do what it can to offer added value to our loyal customers,” Ferguson said.

In light of the COVID-19 closures of the company’s outlets, it has since advised customers to visit the GTT website in order to benefit from the promotion.

The promotion by GTT is part of the mitigation efforts against the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the company had previously offered free mobile services to doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers.

That free service to the healthcare workers would remain in place until the country’s COVID-19 battle ends.

GTT had announced that its stores closed on April 1, and would remain closed until further notice.

The move, according to the telecommunications giant’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Justin Nedd, is an effort to promote physical distancing while protecting its staff and customers.

ANSA McAL makes donation to orphanage

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NSA McAL Trading Limited on Tuesday donated 15 cases of Smalta to the St. John’s Basco Orphanage at Plaisance, East Coast Demerara.

This gesture is part of a series of donations that will target Orphanages and Homes during this COVID pandemic.

AMTL, through its NonAlcoholic Department, identified orphanages and less fortunate homes as places that can be under some pressure during this time because of the pandemic, and made it their duty to aid these organisations with Smalta, which would aid in building the immune system.

Smalta Brand Coordinator Gabrielle Lopes noted that, “as the world faces a health crisis, ANSA

An official from AMTL hands over the donation to a representative of the St. John’s Basco Orphanage

McAL, under the Smalta brand, is committed to reaching out to those most affected at this time. Our focus is primarily on our healthcare workers and various

orphanages across Guyana.

This pandemic comes at a challenging time, and our hope is that our small contribution can have a positive impact on the fight against

COVID-19.”

Further, this will is first of many donations, with a number of donations of a similar kind set to take place over the next month.

16 NEWS

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

DDL among regional distillers Police destroy ganja to join COVID-19 fight fields in Berbice River

WIRSPA Chairman Komal Samaroo

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s the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic continues, rum producers in the Caribbean Community (Cariom) have modified their production lines to play their part by producing alcohol and hand sanitizer, and making donations of sanitation products.

The companies, among which is Guyana’s own Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), have made contributions to governments, institutions, and frontline healthcare workers, and to support local communities impacted by the virus across the region.

DDL has donated approximately 12,000 litres of Environ, an alcohol-based sanitising cleaner, to institutions around Guyana, such as senior citizens’ homes, or-

DDL Brand Manager Larry Wills handed over 100 litres of Environ to the administrator of Uncle Eddie’s Home last month

phanages, night shelters, and prisons.

In addition, 254 five-gallon bottles of Environ were given to the Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) for distribution to public agencies such as health centres, public hospitals, post offices and Police stations.

The alcohol-based sanitizing cleaner contains 70 per cent alcohol. The company started production of Environ last month in response to the novel coronavirus outbreak in Guyana on March 11.

In addition to these donations, DDL is also supporting the efforts of its own team, sending each of its 1000-plus staff members home with one bottle of the product.

Meanwhile, similar initiatives were undertaking

by Angostura in Trinidad &

Tobago; Antigua Distillery in Antigua & Barbuda; Grenada Distillers and Westerhall Estate Ltd. in Grenada; National Rums of Jamaica and J. Wray and Nephew in Jamaica; Mount Gay Distilleries and West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados; Ron Barceló and Casa Brugal in the Dominican Republic; St. Lucia Distillers; St. Vincent Distillers Ltd.; Suriname Alcoholic Beverages N.V., and Travellers Liquors in Belize.

Together, these regional rum producers have manufactured more than 500,000 litres of alcohol-based products, both sanitizers and cleaners, for distribution and donation in their respective countries.

Chairman of West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA),

Komal Samaroo, has said the initiatives undertaken by these companies will continue as the region continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been devastating the global economy and many countries around the world, including in the Caribbean.

“These contributions are just an early snapshot of our engagement to date, with many producers committed to further steps in the days ahead. We are encouraging everyone to monitor their physical and mental health during this pandemic. We are also encouraging consumers that if they choose to drink, to do so responsibly and be careful not to use alcohol as a coping mechanism for stress and anxiety, especially while in isolation,” Samaroo, who is also the Chairman of DDL, posited.

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embers of the Guyana Police Force on Thursday conducted a narcotics eradication operation at Gaettroy in the Berbice River, Region Six, during which several fields of cannabis were found and destroyed, along with a makeshift tent.

Erosion at No 63 Beach threatens residents Based on information received, more than an acre of cultivation had in excess of four thousand plants ranging from two to four feet in height.

The exercise lasted almost fourteen hours, but no arrest was made.

In the past week, a 10-hour narcotics eradication operation at Ebini, Berbice River, saw the discovery and destruction of five thousand ganja plants ranging from 12 inches to four feet in height.

In addition, a camp and a nursery with an estimated 3000 seedlings were also destroyed.

Massive erosion to the Number 63 Beach

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here has been massive erosion at the Number 63 Beach on the Corentyne Coast in Region Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne).

It has now reached crisis proportion, putting residential communities in danger.

Farmers who cultivated crops off of the beach have seen the ocean taking over their farms within the past two months.

Currently, there are stumps of coconut trees about 75 metres into the Atlantic as part of the massive erosion which is taking place. A decade ago, that was farmland.

During 2018, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Six raised the issue on several occasions at their monthly meetings.

Prime Ministerial Regional Representative Gobin Harbhajan, who sat on

Coconut trees and fruit trees which provided shade are being washed away daily

Most of the sea defense has eroded within the past two months

the RDC and who visits the Beach on a daily basis, is calling on the relevant authorities to act swiftly.

He stated that the construction of a sea dam with boulders is desperately needed in order to break the force of the ocean’s waves.

That was one of the pro-

posals made by the RDC to Central Government in 2018.

Back then, the National Sea Defense Board conducted a survey of the entire coastland of the Region.

A proposal was subsequently submitted to Central Government, but nothing was done.

Harbhajan predicts that the next two high tides would see water flooding residential areas in some villages along the Corentyne Coast.

Last year, a project was awarded to BK International to place boulders along the foreshore between Number 67 Village and Crabwood Creek.

It was proposed that the most critical area, the Number 63 Beach area, would have been tackled in 2020. However, following the no-confidence motion in December 2018, the Government was not permitted to carry out major projects in 2019. For 2020, nothing could have been done, since the outcome of the March 2, General and Regional Elections is still pending and a budget is not imminent anytime soon.

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020

17

Regional

Coronavirus: 1 more death, Coronavirus cases accelerate 1 new case in Barbados in Peru to top 20,000, Government extends quarantine A fter six days with no change in the number of new cases or deaths from COVID-19, Barbados has recorded one of each.

Speaking on the CBC TV-8 news Thursday evening, acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr Kenneth George said a 70-year-old non-national man passed away on Wednesday at the Harrison Point facility in St Lucy.

George said the man, who had diabetes, had a “fairly difficult course” which ended with pneumonia.

He expressed his deepest condolences to the wife, family, and friends of the deceased on behalf of the Government and people of Barbados.

P

eru’s reported coronavirus cases rapidly increased this week and topped 20,000 on Thursday, doubling in nine days, as President Martin Vizcarra extended a national quarantine in the world’s number two copper producer.

The crisis has left millions without jobs and Peru’s hospitals are straining to deal with a rapid rise in the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections, with bodies being kept in hallways, masks being repeatedly reused, and protests breaking out amongst medical workers concerned over their safety.

Vizcarra extended the national quarantine to May 10 from April 26 previously.

The Health Ministry says it expects patient numbers to peak within days or in the following week.

Even Peru’s coca farmers, who grow the bushy plant used to make cocaine, have seen prices fall 70 per cent and plan to ask the Government to buy up excess inventory, according to a Reuters report.

Peru recorded its first coronavirus case on March

Peruvians who were stranded in Lima wait along the Pan-American highway to catch buses out of the city amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Lima, Peru, April 21, 2020

6 and took 25 days to reach 1000 cases. It took only 14 more days to reach 10,000 cases on April 14, according to a Reuters tally. Cases doubled again to 20,914 confirmed cases on Thursday. Peru has a total of 572 deaths.

Peru has the second-highest number of cases in South America after Brazil, despite a tough lockdown aimed at halting the spread of the coronavirus.

On March 15, Peru announced it would close its borders and called on citizens to self-quarantine for 15 days with just 71 recorded coronavirus cases.

Peru’s government has announced a massive economic stimulus package worth 90 billion soles (US$26.41 billion), around 12 per cent of Gross Domestic Product, to support citizens and the key mining sector. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Meanwhile, a 66-yearold Barbadian female tested positive and is currently in isolation.

George said after a lull of six days, this was a setback, but it also sent the message that we need to keep our guard up.

Meanwhile, in Trinidad, four more COVID-19 survivors have been discharged from health facilities in Couva.

The latest discharged persons convalesced at the Couva Hospital and the Home of Football Step Down Facility in Couva.

And in its latest COVID-19 update, on Thursday, the Ministry reported no changes in the

Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr Kenneth George

numbers of persons confirmed infected – 115 – or those who have died from the disease – eight.(Excerpt from Nation News and Trinidad Guardian)

Ecuador's coronavirus case total is twice as high as confirmed – Minister

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cuador’s Health Minister said on Thursday the country’s coronavirus case total was twice as high as previously confirmed, as authorities added 11,000 new infections that resulted from delayed testing.

With 560 confirmed deaths, the outbreak has ravaged the economy of the oil-producing country and overwhelmed sanitary au-

thorities in the largest city of Guayaquil, where corpses remained in homes or for hours on the streets.

Minister Juan Carlos Zevallos said the Government would add the new cases to the confirmed total of 11,183 infections.

Almost 24,000 test results were pending, according to the Health Ministry’s figures, and on average they take a week to process.

Zevallos said authorities were also calling relatives of people who had recently died in Ecuador, with a population of 17.4 million, to check whether the deceased had coronavirus symptoms, as many deaths were not linked to the disease due to a lack of testing. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Brazil’s Justice Minister threatens to quit Costa Rica pushes back coronavirus, over Police appointment, source says reducing current cases

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razilian Justice Minister Sergio Moro has threatened to resign if President Jair Bolsonaro goes ahead with plans to change the head of the federal Police, a person with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Thursday.

Moro is one of the most popular Ministers in the Government due to his record fighting corruption as a federal judge and Bolsonaro originally touted him as a “super minister” in charge of implementing a law-and-order agenda.

Financial markets retreated on the news of instability in the presiden-

tial Cabinet, with Brazil’s currency weakening to a record low of 5.50 against the dollar and the benchmark Bovespa stock index slipping as much as 2.6 per cent.

Moro’s departure along with the head of Brazil’s federal Police would be a serious blow to Bolsonaro’s argument that he is bolstering the fight against graft with investigations free of political interference.

Moro’s spokeswoman said the Minister would not confirm he had said he would resign. The presidential press office did not respond to a request for comment.

Newspaper Folha de S Paulo first reported Moro’s possible departure in an article published to its website, saying he had asked to quit and Bolsonaro was working to change his mind.

Moro’s role in the Government has served as a symbol of the fight against corruption, which was central to Bolsonaro’s 2018 campaign. The Justice Minister’s performance was rated “good” or “great” by 53 per cent of Brazilians surveyed in December by pollster Datafolha, compared to just 30 per cent for Bolsonaro’s performance.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Coronavirus: Uruguay reopens some rural schools

Hundreds of primary schools in rural areas of Uruguay have reopened amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Attendance will not be compulsory to allow parents to decide whether to send their children back

into the classroom.

Schools which have reopened had to be disinfected and will comply with restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the virus.

Uruguay has had 549 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 12 people have

died, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Between 5000 and 6000 children are expected to return to class, but in some schools only a handful of pupils arrived for their first day back on Wednesday.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

While parts of Latin America enter the toughest phase of the coronavirus pandemic, Costa Rica has for the past week reported a steady fall in the number of people currently infected, in a sign the country’s approach to the crisis may be paying off.

The first country in Central America to register a coronavirus infection on March 6, Costa Rica has gone three days without reporting a related fatality.

Thursday was the seventh day in succession in which the number of active cases fell.

The country has likely benefited from the population’s observance of government measures to fight the virus, health experts said. “(The people) have understood the historic moment that we’re in,” Health Minister Daniel Salas said this week. “We’ve had a slight reduction (in active cases), but we’ll have to proceed very carefully because most people haven’t been infected.”

Over the past week, 45 new cases were reported, while 122 people recovered, reducing the number of active cases to 485 from 564,

A woman is given chayotes at a distribution point for fruits and vegetables donated by domestic producers unable to export due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in San Jose, Costa Rica, April 13, 2020

the Health Ministry said.

Costa Rica has not resorted to the outright curfews adopted by some countries in Central America, but it has closed the country to foreigners through May 15, stepped up border surveillance, suspended mass events, and limited road traffic.

It was too early to say for sure, but Costa Rica also

appeared to have had some success in tracking lines of transmission, said Maria Luisa Avila, a former Health Minister.

As of Thursday, Costa Rica, a country of some five million people, had reported 687 coronavirus cases in total and six deaths, 49 days after authorities registered the first patient, a US tourist. (Excerpt from Reuters)

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FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020

Around the World US job losses soar past 26 million as states move to reopen J

ob losses from the coronavirus pandemic in the United States climbed to 26.4 million, as Congress on Thursday was poised to approve a new stimulus measure and Governors in some states move to slowly reopen businesses.

Sobering data released by the Labour Department showed 4.4 million US workers filed new claims for jobless benefits in the week that ended April 18, underscoring the damage done to the world's largest economy by the crisis.

The figure represents a drop from recent weeks, but the weekly totals are many times higher than any recorded during the global financial crisis starting in 2008, as virus lockdown measures force businesses to close nationwide.

The House of Representatives was set to give its seal of approval to the latest stimulus bill, which would add nearly US$500 billion in fresh relief funds for devastated small businesses and overwhelmed hospitals.

T

The coronavirus pandemic continues to ravage the United States, but Georgia plans to allow some businesses to reopen, bowling alleys included -- like this one in Lawrenceville

That builds upon the massive US$2.2 trillion CARES Act stimulus measure passed in late March.

The new bill under consideration would provide another US$320 billion in funding for a depleted programme to aid small businesses, along with US$75 billion for hospitals, US$25 billion to expand virus test-

ing and US$60 billion in disaster recovery loans and grants.

More than 200 lawmakers were to attend the session to ensure a quorum, and only small groups were allowed to enter the chamber at a time. Many wore face masks.

After that, President Donald Trump has said he

will sign it into law.

According to a Reuters tally, the coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 180,000 people worldwide, including nearly 48,000 in the United States, making it the worst-hit country by official statistics and infected more than 2.6 million people. (Excerpted from Reuters)

miologists for reacting too slowly to the novel coronavirus outbreak.

With the number of deaths in hospitals hitting 18,738, Ministers are working to roll out a mass testing and tracking programme to try to reduce the rate of transmission and possibly ease stringent measures that have all but shut the economy.

Ministers have been struggling to explain high death rates, limited testing and shortages of protective

kit, and the reality of the damage to the world’s fifth largest economy hit home on Thursday.

“We are experiencing an economic contraction that is faster and deeper than anything we have seen in the past century, or possibly several centuries,” Bank of England interest-rate setter Jan Vlieghe said.

The recovery, he said, was unlikely to be swift.

The IHS Markit/CIPS Flash UK Composite

Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to a new record low of 12.9 from 36.0 in March – not even close to the weakest forecast in a Reuters poll of economists that had pointed to a reading of 31.4.

The UK will issue 180 billion pounds (US$222 billion) of Government debt between May and July, more than it had previously planned for the entire financial year. (Excerpt from Reuters)

1st patients injected in Oxford vaccine trial

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he first human trial in Europe of a coronavirus vaccine has begun in Oxford.

Two volunteers were injected, the first of more than 800 people recruited for the study.

Half will receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and half a control vaccine which protects against meningitis, but not coronavirus.

The design of the trial means volunteers will not know which vaccine they are getting, though doctors will.

Elisa Granato, one of the two who received the jab, told the BBC: "I'm a scientist, so I wanted to try to support the scientific process wherever I can."

The vaccine was developed in under three months by a team at Oxford

Brokers warn clients against ‘dangerous’ oil futures

A

UK economy crumbling under coronavirus strain; questions mount over lockdown exit he United Kingdom’s economy is crumbling under the strain of the coronavirus lockdown and Government borrowing is soaring to the highest levels in peacetime history, increasing pressure on the Government to set out an exit strategy.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, recuperating at his country residence after being seriously ill with COVID-19, is facing criticism from Opposition politicians and some epide-

OILNEWS

University. Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at the Jenner Institute, led the pre-clinical research.

"Personally, I have a high degree of confidence in this vaccine," she said.

"Of course, we have to test it and get data from humans. We have to demonstrate it actually works and stops people getting infected with coronavirus before using the vaccine in the wider population."

Professor Gilbert previously said she was "80 per cent confident" the vaccine would work, but now prefers not to put a figure on it, saying simply she is "very optimistic" about its chances.

The vaccine is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus (known as an adenovirus) from chimpan-

Elisa Granato was the first volunteer to be injected

zees that has been modified so it cannot grow in humans.

The Oxford team has already developed a vaccine against Mers, another type of

coronavirus, using the same approach – and that had promising results in clinical trials. (Excerpt from BBC News)

fter the WTI Crude futures collapsed into negative territory this week, some brokerages have started to limit the ability of their smaller customers to place new trades in the June futures contracts of WTI and Brent Crude, two brokerages told Bloomberg on Thursday.

INTL FCStone Financial Inc and Marex Spectron are limiting customers, especially smaller ones, from initiating new trades in the two most active international crude oil futures contracts.

INTL FCStone Financial Inc said in a memo to clients with accounts of less than US$5 million that they shouldn’t make new trades in WTI Crude and Brent Crude futures contracts for June delivery.

“The reason for taking this action is for the best interest of our customers during these very unprecedented market conditions,” the memo seen by Bloomberg says.

Earlier this week, the United States Oil Fund LP – an exchange-traded fund (ETF) for crude – said in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing on Tuesday it was suspending the ability of the USO Authorised Purchasers to purchase new creation baskets.

USO, one of the most popular oil-tracking ETFs for retail investors, was one of the reasons for the historic decline in May WTI futures on Monday.

Pierre Andurand, a well-known energy trader, warned traders on Tuesday of massive losses in ETFs. “I think the CME might have no other choice but to close out the ETFs positions. It cannot take the risk to have negative prices before the roll and be on the hook. This shock is real. Be very careful out there. We are going to hear about crazy losses in the days and weeks to come,” Andurand said on Twitter.

Earlier this week, Paul Sankey, Managing Director at Mizuho Securities, who had warned of negative oil prices a month ago, said that the WTI Crude futures prices could crash to as low as a negative $100 per barrel in May. (OilPrice.com)

France testing whether nicotine could prevent coronavirus

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icotine may be able to protect people from contracting the coronavirus, according to new research in France, where further trials are planned to test whether the substance could be used to prevent or treat the deadly illness.

The findings come after researchers at a top Paris hospital examined 343 coronavirus patients along with 139 people infected with the illness with milder symptoms.

They found that a low number of them smoked, compared to smoking rates of around 35 per cent in France's general population.

"Among these patients, only five per cent were smokers," said Zahir Amoura, the study's co-author and a professor of internal medicine.

The research echoed similar findings pub-

Researchers in France are planning to carry out further trials to see if nicotine could protect against coronavirus infections

lished in the New England Journal of Medicine last month that suggested that 12.6 per cent of 1000 people infected in China were smokers. That was a much lower figure than the number of regular smokers in China's general population, about 26 per cent, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

(Excerpt from AFP)

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ARCHIE

ARIES

(March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

If you speak from the heart, you will get a good response. Someone close to you will offer insight into your options that will help you make an adjustment and come to a decision.

Take control and turn an idea into something concrete.

Channel your energy into something productive instead of arguing with someone who won’t budge. Take care of your responsibilities before doing anything else.

Don’t trust someone to be straight with you. Be direct about your feelings and expectations. Walk away from unhealthy situations. Focus on personal growth.

Help others, but don’t let anyone take you for granted.

Attend a reunion or reconnect with an old friend. Take advantage of an opportunity, even if it means making a lifestyle adjustment.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Promote the services you have to offer. You’ll make an impression on someone who can provide you with support and excellent suggestions. Don’t let an emotional incident slow you down.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Make a change that will give you freedom to explore new possibilities. Make a transformation at home that will provide you with the space you need to pursue your dream.

LIBRA

Express your concerns and lay down rules. Refuse to let anyone walk all over you. Aim to improve your relationships by striving for equality. Romance is encouraged.

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SUDOKU

An unfamiliar place will spark your curiosity and inspire you to try something new. Check out real estate or an investment that will push you to make a move.

Do something construcSAGITTARIUS tive, and don’t stop until you (Nov. 23make progress. Don’t neDec. 21) glect a problem that’s hanging over you. Altering your lifestyle may be required to make things better.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Get together with people you don’t see often. Revisit an old idea, as it may inspire you. Make choices that will contribute to your happiness.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Read the fine print. Take charge by saying no to temptation and rejecting plans that put you at a disadvantage. Be observant and get the facts and figures before you promise to do something

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Make sure to be fully prepared before revealing your intentions. Honesty and fair play will make a difference.

If you are willing to compromise, everyone else will be as well.

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Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid…

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he mayor of Liverpool City Region has called for an investigation into whether a Champions League fixture should have taken place in the city in March amidst concerns it could have led to a high number of local coronavirus cases.

Liverpool's match against Atletico Madrid at Anfield on 11 March was attended by 52,000 supporters, including 3,000 from the Spanish capital, where a partial lockdown was already in force.

The UK Government has defended its decision to allow such events to go ahead before restrictions on mass gatherings were enforced 10 days later, but Steve Rotheram told BBC Sport an independent inquiry was needed into a potential connection with a surge of cases in Liverpool since.

"If people have contracted coronavirus as a direct result of a sporting event that we believe shouldn't have taken place, well, that is scandalous," he said.

"That's put not just those people in danger, but those frontline staff in the NHS and others in their own families that may have contracted it."

The latest figures show 246 people have died with coronavirus in Liverpool's NHS hospitals.

Meanwhile, Madrid is one of Europe's worst affected cities, and Spain has the second highest number of confirmed infection cases in the world, behind the United States.

"We've seen an increase in the infection curve, and that's resulted in 1,200 people [in Liverpool] contracting COVID-19," said Rotheram. "That needs to be investigated, to find out whether some of those infections are due directly to the Atletico fans. There were coronavirus hot cities, and Madrid was one of those.

"They weren't allowed to congregate in their own country, but 3,000 of those fans came over to ours, and potentially may well have spread coronavirus; so it does need looking at, and it does need the Government to take some responsibility for not locking down sooner."

The Mayor of Madrid has already said the decision to allow the match to go ahead was "a mistake", as has Liverpool City Council's Director of Public Health, Matthew Ashton.

stand how it was al- lowed to go ahead."

Both European football's governing bodies, UEFA and Liverpool, have declined to comment.

Cheltenham "should have been stopped"

Steve Rotheram

"An interesting hypothesis"

On the day of the match at Anfield, England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Jenny Harries, said the UK was "following the science and the evidence" in not banning sports events, as other countries had done by then.

"In general, those sorts of events and big gatherings are not seen to be something which is going to have a big effect," she said, despite the World Health Organization urging tougher action by governments that day.

A few days earlier, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had attended ‘England vs Wales’ in the Six Nations at Twickenham.

But while there is no confirmed link between the Liverpool match and any coronavirus cases, on 20 April, the Government's Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser, Angela McLean, said it warranted further investigation, as she described it as an "interesting hypothesis."

"The Government was saying it was a low risk at the time; but, of course, just a few days later, they completely locked down the country; they banned sports and events and large gatherings," said Rotheram. "And this could have happened sooner. I haven't got access to the Government's scientific advisors, but they would have been asking those questions.

"That's why I think an inquiry needs to tease out just what the Government was being advised to do at that time."

On Wednesday, Culture Secretary Oliver

Dowden defended the timing of the UK Government's ban on mass gatherings.

"Throughout all of this, we have based what we did on the scientific evidence we received both from SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) and from the medical officers," he t o l d MPs. "There wasn't a case for singling out mass gatherings.”

"I wish I could go back in time and not go"

A Liverpool fan who fears he may have unwittingly spread the disease at Anfield told the BBC the decision to stage the match was "negligent".

Having returned from a holiday a few days earlier, Ben Johnson felt slightly unwell on the day of the Atletico game, and sought medical advice. As he did not have a cough or fever, he was told to carry on as normal, and he attended the match. In the days that followed, he developed coronavirus symptoms. He was not tested, but says he was on the verge of going to hospital, before recovering.

"It was obvious it shouldn't have gone ahead," he said. "It just seems crazy. I wish I could go back in time and not go, and I wish there wasn't the opportunity to go. I just don't under-

The Liverpool vs Atletico match was the last major football game to be played in England, the season was suspended two days later. There have also been calls for an investigation into whether horse racing's Cheltenham Festival - staged in the second week of March - should have gone ahead. There are concerns it may also have led to a high number of local coronavirus cases, with 251,684 spectators in attendance across the four days.

Professor Gabriel Scally, former Director of Public Health in the south west of England and visiting Professor of Public Health at the University of Bristol, said there "seemed to be" a high number of COVID-19 cases in Gloucestershire.

"I think it's very tempting to link it to the Cheltenham Festival," he said. "Really, from a health point of view, [it] should have been stopped in advance."

Government data shows there have been 972 cases of the virus in Gloucestershire, and 147 people have died.

The postcode neighbouring Cheltenham Racecourse had the highest number of coronavirus hospital admissions in Gloucestershire earlier this month, according to leaked official data.

A number of high-profile attendees have reported symptoms, including West Bromwich Albion player Charlie Austin, comedian Lee Mack and Gold Cup-winning jockey Andrew Thornton.

Cheltenham organisers introduced special hygiene measures for the event, including extra hand-washing stations, and say they had followed clear guidance from the Government and science experts.

Dr Sue Smith, Senior Racecourse Medical Officer for the festival, has said the hygiene standards were "of the highest level, and all measures were taken in accordance with daily updates from Public Health England".(BBC sport)

…in order to extend English season

A

bu Dhabi is set to emerge as a potential venue, as attempts are made to salvage some cricket from a ravaged English season. ESPNcricinfo understands Abu Dhabi Cricket (ADC) is set to contact the ECB to offer its facilities for use between October and January. The offer could extend to both county and international cricket, and potentially see a portion of costs covered by authorities in the UAE. At this stage, the UAE has avoided the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, with night-time curfews in place, during which a disinfection programme has been carried out. Perhaps due to the action taken in the early stages of spread of the virus, there are now hopes that much of the UAE will return to work as early as next week.

It was announced on Thursday that malls and shops would reopen within guidelines, ahead of Ramadan which starts on Friday. Infection and death rates have, at this stage, been far below those seen in the UK. The Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, which has, over the years, been home to Pakistan's cricket, the IPL and PSL, County Championship openers as well as ICC events, has the main ground as well as two support ovals, creating the possibility that multiple games could take place within a few days. It also

features 25 lanes of nets and a number of other training resources.

The ground is broadcast-ready in terms of equipment, and being effectively state-run through a partnership with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, would eliminate much red tape along the process. Yas Island - a 10-minute drive away - is the location of numerous hotels.

There are, however, major hurdles to such a plan. For a start, it should be remembered that the England team did not leave Sri Lanka due to fears of catching the virus there. They were arguably safer there than in the UK, but they wanted to be with their families at a time of uncertainty.

There is also no guarantee that players would be granted permission to travel by the UK Government, or whether broadcasters would be satisfied with what may amount to a glut of games after a long fallow period.

But it would appear to be an option worth exploring for the ECB. And if it proves possible to stage some form of cricket - be it international, T20 Blast or County Championship - it might go some way towards satisfying broadcaster demands for content.

ADC, it is believed, is also hoping to hold similar discussions with other national boards struggling with the cancellation of live cricket. (ESPNCricinfo)

Eoin Morgan walks out for a net session at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi

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he BCCI has suggested the World Test Championship (WTC) be postponed as the cricket world grapples with a calendar vastly disrupted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

India currently sits atop the WTC points table, in prime position to qualify for the final, but the suggestion was made by the BCCI as members agreed that the entire FTP through to 2023 would need to be collectively reviewed "with a view to rescheduling as much of the cricket that has been postponed due to COVID-19 as possible."

As expected, no big decisions were taken at the ICC-convened Chief Executives' Committee meeting via conference call, but the CEC did agree that both the T20 World Cup (scheduled to be played in Australia in October-November) and the 2021 Women's ODI World Cup (to be played in New Zealand next FebruaryMarch) for now remain on course.

What has been agreed upon is that there would be regular updates, possibly once a month, to discuss the status of the T20 World Cup - an acknowledgement that the situation remains a fast-evolving one. According to one official, greater clarity on whether or not the tournament goes ahead may not come at the next call - in four weeks' time - but could come in the one after that, in June.

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BCCI’s India currently lead the World Test Championship rankings

the T20 World Cup in particular is clear. Most of the boards in attendance rely heavily on revenue distributions from ICC tournaments, and a disruption to that equation, could have a massive financial impact on boards, as Ehsan Mani has warned.

But in a sign of how unusual the current situation is and the problems in hosting a global tournament within that, the meeting was given a presentation by Peter Harcourt, the ICC's medical committee head, who said the pandemic was "full of significant risk" and that the decision-making would be that much more difficult as a result.

Harcourt struck a note of caution: "Our next step is to create a roadmap for the resumption of international cricket, which will include criteria for decision-making and a checklist for what needs to happen. This will consider everything, from player preparation to government restrictions and advisories and bio-bubbles. “The scale and complexity of getting cricket started again cannot be underestimated,

particularly with respect to a global event. The more teams, venues and cities involved in an event, the greater the risk which has to be assessed and managed."And though it is drawn out over a two-year period, and essentially played bilaterally, as opposed to a oneoff event, a decision on the WTC will also not be easy or be made quickly.

ESPNcricinfo understands the BCCI was the only board holding the view that the WTC should be put off for the time being, until some sense of normalcy returns.It is not clear why Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary on the call, made the suggestion midway into a league where each team plays six series in a two-year cycle, with a maximum of 120 points per series at stake. Not all teams have played the same number of series, and some, like West Indies and Bangladesh, have only played one series so far.Geoff Allardice, the ICC's general manager of cricket, is understood to have noted that it would be better to wait for later in the year, once there is a better understanding of how much international cricket has been disrupted, before reviewing and rescheduling both the WTC as well as ODI Super League,

U

EFA has urged clubs to "explore all possible options" to finish domestic seasons, and use "a different format" if needed in order for teams to qualify for European competitions.

European football's governing body wants clubs to qualify for European competitions through "sporting merit".

If league seasons cannot be finished, it said, national associations would need to select clubs to qualify for Europe.

UEFA said it could "refuse or evaluate" selected teams if necessary, but after a video call meeting of all 55 national associations, it is clear UEFA wants on-field performance to determine which clubs make up next season's Champions League and Europa League competitions, despite the current shutdown of major leagues because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Spanish Football Association suggested places being allocated on the basis of club coefficient, which calculates performance in European club competitions over a five-year period.

Had the method been taken up, Atletico Madrid, who are currently outside the top four in La Liga, would have qualified for the Champions League at the expense of Real Sociedad, while in the Premier League, Manchester United would have done the same at the expense of Leicester City.

"UEFA urges National Associations and Leagues to explore all possible options to play all top domestic competitions, giving access to UEFA club com-

which is the pathway to qualify for the 10-team 2023 men's ODI World Cup. It could be, in fact, that the ICC wait until October, by when the fate of the T20 World Cup will be clear, before taking a final call on both the WTC and the ODI League, both of which were started by the global body to provide context to bilateral five-day and ODI cricket respectively."There was agreement that the disrupted FTP programme would need to be collectively reviewed through to 2023, with a view to rescheduling as much of the cricket that has been postponed due to COVID-19 as possible," the ICC said.

"Discussions and decisions on this, and the future of both the World Test Championship and the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League, will be held at a later date, when there is a greater understanding of the impact of the cricket that has been lost on the competitions."The meeting was attended by the chief executives of the 12 Full Member countries and three Associates, as well as Manu Sawhney, the ICC CEO, Allardice and Chris Tetley, the ICC's head of global events. (ESPNCricinfo)

imate reasons".If a season is not finished for reasons that do not meet UEFA guidelines, then the body can reject the teams put forward by a national association.It said it could refuse selections if they were not deemed to have been chosen in a way which was "objective, transparent, and non-discriminatory"; and can also refuse entry to selected teams if "there is a public perception of unfairness in the qualification of the club".

Euro 2020 name will remain

UEFA − run by President Aleksander Ceferin - has urged national associations to finish their respective league campaigns

petitions to their natural conclusion," UEFA said in a statement.

"The ideal scenario, should the pandemic situation permit it, is to have the currently suspended domestic competitions completed, enabling football clubs to qualify for UEFA club competitions on sporting merit in their original format.

"Should this outcome not be possible, in particular due to calendar issues, it would be preferable that suspended domestic competitions would restart with a different format in a manner which would still facilitate clubs to qualify on sporting merit."

UEFA could reject European selections

UEFA did not make clear what a "different format" would look like, but

it raises the prospect of mini tournaments or playoff-style matches being used to decide European qualification, if seasons cannot be finished.

The Premier League has nine rounds of fixtures remaining, but in Spain and Italy there are still 11 and 12 rounds left respectively.

The Dutch Eredivisie has announced it is unlikely to complete the current season because of an extension of government restrictions until September 1, while Belgium's top division, the Jupiler League, is also set to be cancelled despite there being just one regular-season game and play-offs to be played.

UEFA has said that National Associations can select clubs if their leagues cannot be finished for "legit-

At Thursday's meeting, UEFA also confirmed the postponed Euro 2020 tournament will still be known as UEFA Euro 2020, despite being moved to 2021."This decision allows UEFA to keep the original vision of the tournament to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the European Football Championships (1960-2020)," UEFA added."It will furthermore serve to remember how the whole football family came together to respond to the extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the difficult times Europe and the world had to go through in 2020."This choice is in line with UEFA's commitment to make Euro 2020 sustainable, and not to generate additional amounts of waste. A lot of branded material had already been produced by the time of the tournament's postponement. A change to the name of the event would have meant the destruction and reproduction of such items."

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est Indies ‘great’ Lance Gibbs is not impressed with the current crop of spin bowlers in the Caribbean.

While speaking on Mason and Guest in Barbados on Tuesday, Gibbs expressed disappointment at the spin bowlers currently playing in the Caribbean, and was particularly critical of the much-heralded Rahkeem Cornwall.

Apparently, the 85-year-old former West Indies off-break bowler knows a bit about spin bowling. Between 1958 and 1976, Gibbs played 79 Tests for the West Indies, taking 309 wickets at an average of 29.09 and enjoying an economy rate of under two runs an over.

H e was the first spinner in Test history to take 300 wickets, and the second bowler behind England’s F r e d Truman to do so.

His best performances came in the 1961/62 home series against India.

Over the course of five Tests, he picked up 24 wickets at just 20.41 apiece. Additionally, in one of the game's greatest spells of bowling at Bridgetown, he single-handedly reduced India from 149 for 2 to 187 all out. In 15.3 overs, Gibbs took eight wickets for just six runs, to finish with figures of 8 for 38, his best Testmatch haul.

Asked if he has seen any off-break bowlers in recent times who have caught his eye, Gibbs responded with an emphatic, “No!” “They’re not spinning the ball,” he said.

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Asked about his thoughts on Cornwall, who has taken 13 wickets in the two Tests and 303 FirstClass wickets in 62 matches, Gibbs was critical of the player’s technique.

“How can you take two steps and bowl?

Where is your rhythm, where is that rhythm?” he asked.

“As a spin bowler, you have got to use the

ormer West Indies women’s captain, Merissa Aguilleira, believes players must take personal responsibility if the Caribbean women are to keep pace with the rest of the world.

Now a mother, Aguilleira, who captained the West Indies in both Twenty20 and One Day Internationals between 2009 and 2015, retired from the sport in April 2019. She has since done commentary on several Windies women's matches, taking over as Technical Director of the Trinidad & Tobago Women's team while giving birth to her first child, Zahdia Zahara-Meri Fraser, on March 30.

The former wicketkeeper/batter, who's captaincy stint included three trips to the ICC World T20 semi-finals and the final of the 2013 50-over World Cup, believes that some players' passion for the game has been waning since their 2016 World T20 triumph.

"We cannot continue to remain stagnant," she said while speaking to Donald Oliver and Ricardo Chambers on the Commentators podcast.

She made reference to the team's 5-nil home series defeat by India in November, ahead of this year's T20 World Cup in Australia, where they failed to get beyond the first round.

"Somehow, the drive, the passion, is not there, and that's a huge cause for concern. We, as West Indies players, love to express ourselves; not just play cricket, but have fun playing cricket.

So when you look at the players and you realize they are not having fun, you realize that the passion is not there," she said.

The 34-year-old also opened up about her feelings after losing the captaincy in 2015, and about the sacking of long-time coach Sherwin Campbell that same year.

Former West Indies Women’s Captain Merissa Aguilleira

crease. You have the return crease and you have the stumps; you have to bowl between those two. I never then had to go around the wicket to bowl…because by using the crease, I could get close to the stumps on the offside and still bowl and make it go on straighter, instead of going around the wicket.”

Gibbs, who stood at over six feet in height, also revealed the secret of his success while playing cricket back in his heyday, even while playing in a team characterised by its fast-bowling

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talent.

“I started as a leg spinner and I couldn’t bowl a googly,” he revealed. “I realized that with my height and with my high arm-action, I am going to get bounce off any wicket in the world; and if you’re getting bounce, it is difficult to really hit you in the meat of the bat. It hits more higher up, and therefore you get catches all around.”

After he retired, Gibbs returned to manage the West Indies team in 1991 during their tour of England. (Sportsmax)

ne of the world's top martial artists died on Tuesday from complications o f the coronavirus in the State of Pennsylvania,

USA. Master Teruyuki Okazaki had been a tenth-degree black belt in Shotokan Karate, as well as the founder and chief instructor of the International Shotokan Karate Foundation (ISKF), along with Gichin Funakoshi and Masatoshi Nakayama. The 88-year-old Okazaki had also helped to found the Japan Karate Association's instructor training programme.

This Japanese national had gone to the United States in 1961, originally planning to stay only six months.

He later opened a dojo in Philadelphia and another in Pennsylvania, and settled there.

1977, Okazaki founded the International Shotokan Karate Federation.

He is also the author of V, which was published in 1964.

Meanwhile, Sensei Amir Khouri who is the Chief Instructor of the International Karate Daigaku (IKD) Thomas Lands Dojo, and also the instructor of the Anna Regina Shotokan Karate School, in a social media post on Wednesday, said they were so very lucky to have had him.

“Master Okazaki treated everyone like he knew each and every member personally, and he deeply cared about everyone. Master Okazaki believed his mission was to contribute to bringing peace to the world, and he believed that it should be your mission as well.

“A memorial for the martial arts legend cannot be planned at this time because Philadelphia is still under lockdown because of this pandemic”, Sensei Amir Khouri has said. (Andrew Carmichael)

In

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

−Albion Club joins COVID-19 fight

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nown for producing great cricketers for Guyana and the West Indies, the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club (ACCCC) earlier this week distributed face masks to its members. In a release, the club disclosed that this is the first of several possible activities that would be embarked upon in reaction to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

During presentation of the masks, Club Secretary and Manager of cricket teams, Omarnauth Outar, urged all cricketers to stay fit during their time at home, and to observe all precautions against contracting COVID-19.

"Our mission at Albion is to promote and develop cricket. Right now, with COVID-19 (prevalent), cricket is virtually shut down worldwide. The club lives, we have our membership and we have our responsibility to them, and we are preserving their well-being," he posited.

Now that they have masks, members of the Albion CC would be safe to train at home; and Outar said, "We encourage them to adhere to the social distancing, washing hands and all the other protocols (of) this COVID-19. Distribution of masks is only one way of keeping these cricketers safe," He is hoping that when cricket resumes being played, the Albion

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t is

now no secret that the Athletics Association of Guyana has negotiated with the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) athletics body in order to host the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) Games in 2022, after this year’s Bermuda Games were postponed until Easter of 2021.

While the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) in earlier times were focused on getting the country and its athletes ready for the grand hosting of the games on local shores in 2021, the postponement news came as a relief to the Association; it has been given more time to organize a much smoother event.

The CARIFTA Games were first hosted in Barbados in 1972 as a marker for the Association’s transition into the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and although Guyana was part of the initial organization of the Free Trade Association and even CARICOM, the lucrative Games, in their 48-year history, have never been hosted by Guyana.

What will make the 2022 Games special is the fact that it will be the 50th year of the

cricketers are fit and ready.

The Albion Community Centre Cricket Club is considered one of the best in Guyana.The coronavirus situation would continue to be monitored very closely, and as-

With measures in place to battle the COVID-19, the club, a few weeks ago, temporarily suspended all of its cricketing activities until further notice. The release from the Club also stated that with the neg-

would be explored to further assist the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) with sponsorship.

According to the Club, the sponsorship of the BCB New York Business Group Under-19 50-overs

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be explored.

Albion CC is urging everyone to take the necessary precautions in light of the coronavirus, and encourages everyone to pray that the Almighty would soon bring an end

Albion CC PRO David Brigbhukan presenting a mask to a young Albion cricketer

Club Secretary Omarnauth Outar presenting a mask to national youth player Gourav Ramesh

sistance would be provided to its members, and by extension the community at large, as the need arises.

Tournament is already secured through its efforts, and options for sponsorship pertaining to other tournaments in Berbice would also

Games’ existence and the 50th edition of the event. As such, the AAG is focused on hosting the Games with all the pomp and splendour that the land of many waters has to offer.

“Ironically, this is going to give Guyana an even greater opportunity to showcase our ability to host these Games at the level that is expected from us hosting CARIFTA Games,” AAG President, Aubrey Hutson, said.

However, when NACAC officials had visited in January of this year, they had highlighted a few areas that may need attention. For instance, the Leonora Track and Field Facility on the West Coast of Demerara, at which the games are likely to be held, while issues with the proximity of warm up spaces to the call room and the situation of the long jump area were brought up, this extra time gives the local Association more time to get it right.

Hospitality should not be a problem in a country like Guyana, which frequently pushes the agenda of sport tourism; and according to the NACAC officials back then, Guyana’s hotels are up to par. But with over 1500 persons scheduled to make their way to the coast of South America in 2022, the AAG has thankfully been granted enough time to ensure that the local hospitality sector is ready for the influx.

Another area that the association is focused on is sponsorship, which may not have panned out if the Games

ative impact that the coronavirus would likely have on businesses, and moreso sponsorship in regard to Berbice cricket, all possibilities

to this unwanted situation around t h e globe.

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he Guyanese Volleyball fraternity was on Wednesday plunged into a state of mourning as news circulated about the death of former national player Shawn Sutherland.

The accomplished former player passed away on Sunday last in the United States. According to some sources, he was a victim of the deadly coronavirus, but this is yet to be confirmed by his relatives.

According to an official correspondence from the Guyana Volleyball Federation, Sutherland starting wearing the Guyana cap in the late 90s. He commenced his career with club Falcons of Canje, Berbice, then moved to Vikings of Blairmont in Berbice. Subsequently, he went on to represent the Vipers volleyball club of Georgetown.

During his playing career, the GVF noted, Sutherland was a very enthusiastic player and on numerous occasions would deploy his best efforts to ensure victory for his team.

AAG President Aubrey Hutson

were still on for 2021.

“As it relates to our athletes, it gives us a little more elbow room to prepare our athletes for these championships. And secondly, with the present political situation in Guyana and the global economic crisis that is taking place, it gives our sponsors as well a little more elbow room for the stabilization of world economies, to understand where Guyana is as a player in the global market,” Hutson noted.

All in all, the AAG Boss sees the opportunity as a great one for the sport locally, and is prepared to get the athletes ready to represent their homeland to the best of their abilities when they are ready to host the Games.

“It’s good for Guyana, it’s good for the sport, and it’s good for our athletes, because we will continue to work with them and give them opportunities to be a part of local competition whenever the Government lifts the ban on assembly,” Hutson stated.

The GVF, and by extension

Former volleyball player Shawn Sutherland

t h e entire volleyball fraternity, has taken time out to express heartfelt condolences to the relatives, friends, associates and co-players of the late Shawn Sutherland. May his soul rest in peace.

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020

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

guyanatimesgy.com

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Page 23 Former volleyball player Shawn Sutherland

Albion Club joins COVID-19 fight Club Secretary Omarnauth Outar presents a mask to national youth player Gourav Ramesh

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