Guyana Times - Friday, May 1, 2020

UG to reopen P campuses on May 30

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

Issue No. 4272

THE BEACON OF TRUTH FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

PRICE

GECOM, APNU/AFC destruction of democracy: Day 60

PPP/C demands credible, urgent recount

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

P14 Guyana records 9th coronavirus death …cases jump to 82

See stories on pages 3, 12 and 13

– hiding SoPs shows APNU/AFC’s fear of count and recount ...PPP/C has nothing to hide – Ali – 19-point ballot box checklist another ploy to extend recount period – Jagdeo ...only tendered ballots need to be examined and recounted

3 dead, 2 injured after armoury explodes at Camp Stephenson

P18 Armed bandits rob delivery truck in Roxanne Burnham Gardens

See story on page 17

– BoI launched into circumstances surrounding explosion

Berbice River boat accident

P8

5 arraigned for trafficking narcotics

El Dorado Trading shooting Dead: Lance Corporal Kevon Nicholson

Dead: Lance Corporal Toohey Peneux

Dead: Private Shaqueel DeHarte

“We stand by our word on sanctions” …“the US is certainly watching this unfolds; Page 15

Murder suspect nabbed with pistol, cannabis in Linden P19

we are watching it carefully” – Ambassador

Govt to take High-level ownership of Caricom team Ocean View Hotel National recount

Page 18

arrives today

Page 16

…to build hospice for COVID-19 patients, related illnesses …no word on amount paid to private owners

Motorcyclist dies after P18 crashing into utility pole

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FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

3 PPP/C demands credible, urgent recount NEWS

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, May 1 – 10:05h-11:35h and Saturday, May 2 – 11:35h – 13:05h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

…says credible recount only way to save Guyana ... states any attempt to tamper with ballot boxes will be exposed

Friday, May 1 – 11:00h-12:30h and Saturday, May 2 – 01:00h and 12:30h – 14:00h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery showers will prevail during the day. There will be partly cloudy skies at night.

Temperatures should range between 29 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East North-Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 10:57h and 23:5h reaching maximum heights of 2.23 metres and 2.21 metres.

Low Tide: 17:13h reaching a minimum height of 0.93 metre.

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PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo

P

eople’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo has rubbished claims that the Party intends to challenge the countrywide recount, positing that it was the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition which was trying to prevent the activity from taking place.

“The PPP wants the recount. It wants the recount done expeditiously. It wants it done transparently,” Jagdeo said during a virtual press conference on Thursday, noting that “the PPP has no plan to challenge the recount in the court now”.

In its April 30 edition, the Guyana Chronicle – the State newspaper – reported that the PPP/Civic was planning to challenge the recount, attributing the information to “a reliable source”, but Jagdeo said “this is all a fabrication” and “nonsense”.

The article also mentions a letter sent by PPP/C’s Anil Nandlall, on behalf of Jagdeo to the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, Retired Justice Claudette Singh. But Jagdeo explained that the letter simply requested a meeting with the Chair to discuss its proposals for the recount.

In fact, he pointed out that it was the David Granger-led APNU/AFC which has been frustrating the process since the first fraudulent declaration was made by the Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo.

He reminded that when the PPP/C challenged the declaration in the court, it was APNU lawyers who attempted to frustrate the process.

Further, Jagdeo highlighted that when all stakeholders had agreed to a countrywide recount under Caricom supervision, it was an APNU candidate, Ulita Moore – who filed an injunction to block the activity.

Now, Jagdeo contends that the APNU/AFC Commissioners at GECOM were further trying to frustrate the process since they supported the 156day recount proposal made by Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield whereas the PPP/C Commissioners had submitted a plan which could see the activity completed in 10 days.

The PPP General Secretary also made reference to the fumigation of the recount venue ordered by APNU’s Volda Lawrence and the proposal by the APNU/AFC-led COVID-19 Task Force for foreign observers to be quarantined for 14 days upon arrival in Guyana to

observe the process. The latest in its efforts, he noted, is the requirement for the recount staff to change their masks every 3060 minutes – which will see the Commission needing to procure some 33,000 masks ahead of the recount.

Furthermore, Jagdeo noted that it was APNU/AFC Commissioners who voted against live-streaming the recount which would have guaranteed transparency, against the removal of compromised GECOM staff, and for an auditor to observe the activity.

Jagdeo reasoned that the allegations coming from the APNU/AFC camp were all part of its aim to change the narrative about the elections – something which the coalition’s Campaign Manager Joseph Harmon admitted that the grouping intended to do.

Referring to continuous claims being made by coalition officials that they won the elections, Jagdeo once again challenged them to produce the Statements of Poll (SoPs).

“If they won the elections, they should only be too happy to do that,” he said, noting that “they know if they release them and the recount shows a different number of ballots on the boxes, then it will show that APNU was part of the problem”.

Jagdeo posited that: “If they think, by some miracle, they are going to change that result, they are wrong. They lost the elections and they are the ones trying to frustrate the recount because they know this.”

Noting that the APNU/AFC along with complicit GECOM officials intended to create confusion during the recount process, Jagdeo appealed to elections staff to not take part in any illegality.

“Don’t be part of that process, it will be exposed at one stage or another…if you are part of that, then you will be-

GECOM Chairman, Retired Justice Claudette Singh

Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield

come complicit, so do a professional job,” he urged.

In fact, Jagdeo noted that any attempt to “tamper” with any of the boxes would be exposed.

Making it clear that no one was interested in fresh elections, Jagdeo said “the signal from the international community is this [the recount] is last

chance to resolve this issue in a democratic way”.

“This is their last way to get out of this situation avoiding sanctions,” he posited, reminding that the international community has already made it clear that the swearing-in of a new government based on Mingo’s declarations would result in Guyana being isolated.

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guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 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

Labour Day “L

abour Day” is today, a special public holiday set aside for the workers of Guyana to reflect on their condition and to bring their concerns to the rest of the populace.

This year however Labour Day comes at a time when thousands of persons in Guyana are unemployed and millions around the world are facing the same fate as a result of coronavirus (COVID 19).

The disruption to Guyana’s economy and more so the world’s economies caused by this pandemic has wiped out the equivalent of 195 million jobs worldwide, according to the United Nations in April. Lockdown measures across the globe are no doubt having “devastating” consequences on labour markets. As a matter of fact, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Director-General Guy Ryder has warned that “this is the greatest test for international cooperation in more than 75 years.”

Locally, the national curfew and COVID-19 measures have affected thousands of workers – some of whom are either on a pay cut, fully unemployed or others working from home. Workers in the informal sector, small and medium-size enterprises will no doubt be facing the blunt of the impact and will certainly need income support to survive and put basic food on their tables. The measures put in place by the caretaker David Granger led-administration will not be enough help such vulnerable groups. These workers are unprotected and there will be no union fighting for their cause despite them playing an important role in the informal labour force.

Therefore, the proposal submitted by the Private Sector Commission on Wednesday to the National Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Task Force recommending a swathe of economic relief should be seriously considered. Thousands are not working and therefore the temporary measures as called for by the PSC cannot be considered unreasonable or a burden on the treasury. Among the measures that should be considered are unemployment payments; immediate removal of VAT from all food items, detergents and all household, medical and other cleansers. Bailouts for small businesses, postponement of a number of taxes, should be considered, in addition to the removal of mortgage interests and payments for the period.

Covid-19 impact on the world is “worst global crisis since the Second World War,” the ILO head said, adding that workers and businesses are facing catastrophe, in both developed and developing economies.

In a report earlier in April, the ILO stressed the need to uphold labour rights and strengthen health protection but also the need for fiscal and monetary responses to support the most affected sectors and vulnerable people, including financial assistance for enterprises. To quote the ILO head, “we have to move fast, decisively, and together. The right, urgent, measures, could make the difference between survival and collapse.”

There is no doubt that the survival of many rights here in Guyana are dependent on measures Government will implement. Generally, unemployment and poverty are two of the main challenges that countries, both developed and developing, faces. Unemployment leads to financial crises and reduces the overall purchasing capacity of a nation. For us we are already at the stage of reduction in purchasing power.

To date, while the across the board measures the Government has offered has had a small impact, we are yet to see practical measures that would help sustain the poor and most vulnerable in this COVID-19 crisis. Today, the trade unions that represent the interests of labour will not be marching in the streets to show their solidarity. They too need to step forward and address measures that will help the thousands of workers whom they represent and whom diligently pay their union dues.

The Government must act more swiftly as losing one’s job can means losing one’s dignity also since many will not be able to provide food for themselves and their families.

Iceland: “There are upwards of a thousand lakes in the highlands. Many of them have no name. When the summer sun rises at 3am and the weather cooperates, you can see their silhouettes glow for a brief interval” (Stefan Forster/BBC)

The GECOM process for recount creates room for mischief by the dark forces Dear Editor, GECOM has lost the respect and trust of the Guyanese people. It is now viewed as the adversary of the will of the electorate, and an affront to democracy. After almost two months, Guyana and the world still await GECOM’s final declaration of the General and Regional Elections held since the 2nd March, 2020.

From all indications, voter turnout was quite high, and the process was fairly smooth.

The counting at the polling stations was quite efficiently completed, with the results legally documented on the statements of poll (SoPs) and inserted at conspicuous places for public viewing the very night, as is required by law.

All party agents were given copies of the said SoPs, more so the two major contesting parties, the PPP/C and the APNU/AFC, who were in a better position to collect with their machinery on the ground spread across Guyana.

It meant therefore that those two parties in particular, having collected all the SoPs, surely would have done the math. Those certified documents of the count, when collectively tallied from all the polling stations around the country, amounted to total votes cast and for each party separately, and by all means those in possession of all the SoPs clearly know the final results.

The PPP/C and the APNU/ AFC knew the very night of March 2, 2020 who won the elections but, quite rightly so, had to await the GECOM to make that pronouncement.

For the APNU/AFC to claim otherwise is grossly misleading; and so far, the GECOM has played host to their game by refusing to publicize the very SoPs that they too have. The SoPs are public documents, the nation is the foremost stakeholder and has the supreme right to view

them.

Come on, Madam Chairperson of the GECOM, you are a student of the Law; support the full publication of the Region #4 SoPs, still awaiting final declaration, without any further delays.

Barring Region #4, the Returning Officers’ declaration for the other nine Regions were certified and accepted nationally and internationally as being very transparent and a true reflection of the will of the people. There is absolutely no need to recount those, Region #4 is the bone of contention. The blatant attempts at rigging in clear view of the world, and the two fraudulent declarations made by the Region #4 RO Clairmont Mingo, at the Ashmin’s Building and at the GECOM Headquarters, have been widely exposed and outrightly rejected by the political parties, civil society, a wide cross-section of the Guyanese populace, and the international observers.

To date, it remains acceptable to GECOM and fully welcomed and staunchly defended by the APNU/AFC via their Commissioners, led by Mr. Vincent Alexander with full support of the GECOM Chair agreeing to all he proposes. A primary school student can draw the conclusions, there exists complicity between the contaminated actors in the GECOM and APNU/AFC. The tainted Region #4 RO Mr. Clairmont Mingo had not acted alone, but with the full backing of the APNU/AFC and the compromised staff in the GECOM. That cold-hearted action by Mingo has brought this country down to its knees, with no clear path out of the mess at this time.

Having agreed to a recount, CARICOM had a high-level team flown into Guyana to provide oversight of the process at the behest of caretaker President Granger.

The recount that was sched-

uled to commence at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre never got off the ground.

The delaying tactics employed by top GECOM officials, including Roxanne Myers, saw a raw display of abuse of authority, fumigating of the building by the Ministry of Public Health were all aimed at allowing Granger’s APNU/AFC candidate Ulita Moore time for her legal team to prepare for a successfully piloted injunction in the High Court, blocking the recount, only to be later overturned by the Full Court.

Embarrassed, the CARICOM high-level team had no choice but to leave.

The response by Honorable Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados and Chairman of CARICOM, summed it up all, as she correctly stated that there are dark forces at work in Guyana that do not want the recount. The dark forces continue to act with impunity.

This nation has been suffering long and hard ever since the successful passing of the No Confidence Motion on the 18th November, 2018 against the Granger-led administration, and still with no end in sight. One cannot find a justifiable reason for the rejection by the learned retired Judge Claudette Singh for a transparent process as advanced by Commissioner Sase Gunraj’s ten motions.

The GECOM process for recount creates room for mischief by the dark forces. Live streaming would have been much to the credit of GECOM’s battered image. The proffered twenty-five days for the recount by the GECOM Chairperson indicate no start date, and the planned review of the process in the first week affords the opportunity to manoeuvre and for the dark forces to buy time to plan skullduggery.

It’s anyone’s guess Mr. Alexander might very well

get his 156 days. Sinister plots are in the making, and like the Prime Minister of Trinidad suggested, this will not end good.

During the site visit to the Arthur Chung Convention Centre on the 15th April, 2020, Claudette Singh, when interviewed by media operatives, gave the assurance that the recount will be completed in time for the reconvening of the Parliament, April 30, 2020. She has, for the umpteenth time, trampled on her own words. That assurance has now suffered the same fate like so many others before, while Guyana remains in turmoil.

This letter writer supports the call of all the peace-loving Guyanese at home and in the diaspora for the recount of the Region #4 boxes only, live streaming for greater public scrutiny, remove the GECOM tainted operatives from the process. The GECOM Chairperson would be better advised to accept and implement the ten motions presented by the Opposition Commissioner, which would guarantee transparency, lend credibility, and guard against stealing of the election by the dark forces like what was attempted by Mingo for the APNU/AFC. CARICOM and the international community must act now to have the GECOM Chair recognize the importance of the ten motions and their implementation, which will go a far way in helping Guyana to restore some pride and dignity. Twenty-five days are way too long. The GECOM Chairperson must ensure the cleansing of the process by removing the tainted staffers under her watch, take the high moral ground, and bring to finality the results of the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

Respectfully, Parasram Persaud

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 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

China’s tune Government should enforce workers’ rights across the board

Dear Editor, The GAWU, in April 28 Stabroek News, reported in an article titled “Canadian silver miner buying Guyana Goldfields” that the Government of Guyana welcomed the sale of Guyana Goldfield Limited to Silvercorp Metals Inc. The newspaper also reported that the now de-facto Government, among other things, was very much concerned about the upholding of workers’ rights.

The GAWU as well calls on the relevant actors to ensure that the workers’ rights are respected and that due process is followed, as we saw elsewhere in the media the recognized union expressing concern over the sale.

While we are heartened by the Government’s apparent concern regarding the workers of Guyana Goldfields, we cannot help but point to an uneven approach in the Administration’s attitude. Our Union, as the rec-

ognized bargaining agent of the workers of the Demerara Timbers Limited (DTL), has for some time been seeking to have the company respect the workers’ right to collective bargaining.

We have drawn this situation to the attention of the Government through the Department of Labour; yet, though the law is on the workers’ side, there is apparent foot-dragging. This matter was also championed at the level of the Trade Union Recognition and Certification Board (TURCB), and while certain action was decided upon, again we must lament that there seemingly hasn’t been any alacrity to meaningfully address the issue.

Apart from that, our Union, during 2019, was certified as the recognized bargaining agent on behalf of the workers employed by the NICIL-owned Skeldon Energy Inc (SEI). Our attempts to engage the company in discussions towards

formalising our relations have been stonewalled, as the SEI is refusing to engage the GAWU. Again, we drew this to the attention of the Department of Labour and the TURCB, and, so far, the situation remains unchanged. Like in the instance of DTL, the law favours the workers, and there is apparently little or no effort made to have the company become respectful.

We also are encountering a similar situation regarding our application for recognition at the MARDS. Several months have gone by, and though a decision has been taken to consider our application within the context of the law, we understand that hardly anything was done. This situation is, of course, most frustrating for the workers, as they are eagerly looking forward to our Union’s representation.

In addition, while the Administration speaks about upholding workers’ rights,

we cannot forget it was the same Government that denied sugar workers their severance entitlements. The injustice had to be corrected by the Courts after prolonged legal battles, and saw the workers, for their pains suffered, being awarded damages.

We find the hot-andcold approach of the Administration toward workers’ rights most disturbing. We hasten to point out that rights are rights, and they must be enforced without any fear or favour.

The GAWU, nevertheless, even at this late hour, looks forward to the de-facto Government enforcing workers’ rights across-the-board, and that those who have been denied their rights receiving justice at last.

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU

2 months after, no election results

Dear Editor, Over the past two months, Guyana have been caught in the web of two important issues: the recently held General Elections debacle and COVID-19 pandemic.

Both issues are major concerns to every Guyanese at home and in the diaspora.

It is now two months since Guyanese cast their votes for the political party of their choice, yet, to date, there has been no official announcement of the results. Instead, Guyana and the world continue to witness political bullyism perpetrated by a handful of miscreants, who are aided and abetted by their cohorts at GECOM. This situation has created fear, doubt, and frustration in the minds and hearts of the populace, save and except those who are participants of this charade.

The COVID-19 pandem-

ic has emerged into a global health crisis, yet, our illegal government administrators are yet to address this important health issue with any sense of urgency, clarity and resolution. Instead, COVID-19 is being used as a political tool at their whims and fancy to stall the requested recount of ballots cast on March 2, 2020

by GECOM at the behest of the illegal the David Granger cabal.

Today is May 1, Labour Day. There will not be the traditional May Day Parade and Rally, wherein workers across the country would march through the streets and later listen to the speeches of union leaders and representatives from the Government and the Opposition.

However, despite the political and health crisis that looms over our country, it would seem that the Trade Union leaders have gone into

2-month anniversary

Dear Editor, It has been months since we cast our votes for both general and regional elections in Guyana. We find ourselves still questioning whether the Chair of GECOM, along with the Government commissioners, would allow democracy to prevail, as they are the ones who continue to stall the recount process.

It is clear as light that we won’t have the recount by May 2, 2020 (this is my opinion), given all the excuses so far.

I know the world is suffering from COVID-19, and it affects us all in all forms.

I laughed when I saw that 33,000 masks would be needed for the recount, when a start date wasn’t even given!

I saw in an article dated April

29, 2020 that businesses are willing to donate masks. Why hasn’t GECOM responded to them as yet?

Also, did the commissioners, in the meeting that took place on the 29th April 2020, change their masks regularly while in the meeting? There are so many questions, yet the answer is clear who won this election. It is clear who are still trying to hold onto power at whatever cost!

It is clear that a recount won’t happen by May 2nd 2020; therefore, I congratulate all Guyanese on the 2nd anniversary since we cast our votes for a new and competent Government.

Sincerely, Katrina Niamatali

self-isolation at this critical time in our history. They have somewhat abandoned the cause that they usually chant about. Where are Lincoln Lewis, Coretta Mc Donald, Patrick Yard, Carvil Duncan and the acting President of GAWU? Have they fallen asleep, or have the bestowed national awards muzzled awardees such as Lincoln Lewis?

These two crises will -now and in the future -- have dire consequences on our labour force. Many workers have been sent home, unsure if they will still have a job after all this would have passed.

Government employees are worrying about the continued payments of salaries due to elections results debacle.

Workers have families to take care of; bills to pay, including utilities, hire purchases, loans and mortgages. One would have felt that the Trade Union

leaders would have sought to engage political leaders in seeking answers and a way forward.

The sons and daughters of the Founding Father Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, like some of our politicians, for reasons unknown, have been afflicted with selective amnesia. They have not only abandoned the cause and the organization, but the workers also.

Today, May 1, 2020, is a historical day. There will be no parades, no rallies, no speeches, no after-rally parties, no singing of Solidarity Forever and The International.

Instead, there will be the sound of silence, and instead of singing Solidarity Forever, I suggest the workers sing “You Left Me Just When I Needed You Most”.

Yours sincerely, Gillian Burton Persaud

Dear Editor, Absolute silence; that was the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ (MFA’s) response to the allegation that it had severely compromised Guyana’s sovereignty by accepting funding for its G77 Chairmanship team. While MFA officials sealed themselves in the bunker, events deemed ‘passing strange’ before were being viewed in a different light, and questions were being asked internationally about the G77 Chairman Rudolph TenPow’s address at the United Nations’ fifty-eight session of the Commission on Social Development on February 10.

Locally, the discussion has centred around the demand

by China that Guyana would not bring up the GuyanaVenezuela Border claim at the G77 in return for the slightly more than six million US dollars China will pay the handful of diplomats to ‘represent’ us. This mess of pottage stinks to the high heavens.

When Ambassador TenPow delivered the twelfth paragraph, which said in its entirety: “The Group expresses its full support to the comprehensive efforts made by the Government of China to contain the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, and recognizes China’s efforts in extending cooperation with the international community”, it sent shockwaves through the diplomatic community. Never before had an entire paragraph of a G77 Chair’s address been dedicated to the praise of one country. Guyana was boldly setting precedent and going against decades of practice and norms.

Then the JJ&B Dossier fiasco erupted, which caused even more problems for Guyana, the MFA, and relations with China. Make no mistake, the Government of Guyana contracted and paid JJ& B LLC, Bart Fischer, Michael Granger, and others to concoct an alternate narrative to the truth of what transpired during the SOP verification exercise for Region Four.

Additionally, the service was contracted to create a wedge between the USA and the party democratically elected to govern Guyana, using a tale of a PPPC/China/Russia conspiracy. This move backfired spec-

tacularly; China is no longer courting covert friendships, and Beijing was not amused at the Granger Administration’s characterization, and in true fashion of one who pays the piper, they started calling the tune.

President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, David Granger, was forced to deny his government played any part in the hiring of JJ&B LLC and the offensive dossier, but China did not stop there; Joe Harmon, the signatory on the JJ&B contract, was forced out of his all-powerful office of Director-General and was replaced by Mark Kirton.

Here is where it gets very interesting, for Kirton was also tapped to be the temporary head of the MFA when Karen Cummings was asked to resign. In the spirit of the prevailing anarchy, Cummings refused to resign and Kirton has been human flotsam since. Mark Kirton’s new job now allows him to repair relations with China; MFA has also been doing repair work.

On the 25th April, an Information Note emanating from MFA (since removed from its website), reaffirmed in glorious terms the decades of beneficial partnership, noted the visit of State Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi, in 2018.

The communiqué ended with both sides resolving to work towards the strengthening of “deep and robust relations that exist between the two states”. China is asserting its dominance over the Granger Administration and is ensuring all and sundry are aware.

Guyanese often speak of being ‘put on the map’ by the exploits of its daughters and sons. We are firmly there now, in this Year of the Rat. Granger’s hand is in the Dragon’s mouth, and he is feebly patting its head. The Bear is in hibernation, and the Bald Eagle is watching with piercing eyes from on high. The maxim ‘be careful what you wish for’ could not be more apt, I do hope there is space in the MFA bunker for all of us when the boots hit the ground.

Respectfully, Robin Singh

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FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

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Foundation

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

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL GRADE SIX ASSESSMENT

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes 1. WRITE YOUR CANDIDATE NUMBER ON THE ANSWER SHEET AND UNDERLINE THE SUBJECT.

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.

Red is Tim’s colour. ANSWER SHEET (A) favrite (B) favarite ANSWER SHEET (C) favourite (D) faverite A B C D

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.

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

A heavy black line has been drawn through the letter B on the answer sheet because Georgetown, the correct answer, is next to B.

Here is an example done for you.

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

In questions 'I and 2, choose the word that is spelt incorrectly.

(A) close (B) end (C) commence (D) stop

1. (A) leisure (B) possesion (C) behaviour (D) broadcast

7. BREACH (A) crack (C) opening

(B) split (D) seal

8 ASSEMBLE (A) disperse (C) gather

(B) collect (D) rally

2. (A) boquet (C) conceal

(B) February (D) argument

In questions 3 and 4, choose the correct spelling of the word to complete each sentence.

3. The young people play games at the centre.

(A) comminity (B) comunety (C) community (D) comunity 4 The supermarket did not issue a (A) receipt. (B) reciept.

(C) receet.

(D) riceipt.

In questions 5 to 8, choose the word that is not a synonym of the underlined word.

5. ROWDY (A) wild (B) quiet (C) unruly. (D) noisy 6. CONCLUDE

In questions 9 to 12, choose the best word to complete each sentence.

9. Janet was not ___________to take part in the competition because she was too young.

(A) legible (C) eligible

(B) capable (D) durable

10. Mary was considered ________________enough, so she was asked to act as supervisor.

(A) inefficient (B) good (C) competent (D) strict 11. The angry mother _____________________her child for being disobedient.

(A) praised (B) scolded

(C) shunned

letter next to the answer you have now chosen.

6. REMEMBER, each answer MUST only be shown by a heavy black line on your Answer Sheet.

7. Remember only ONE answer must be provided for each question.

8. DO NOT TURN OVER THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO. (D) hugged

12. The umpire must be _________________and should not favour any side.

(A) impartial (B) competent (C) biased (D) agile In questions 13 to 15, identify the sentence that has an incorrect verb.

13. (A) Jack always finishes practice before dinner.

(B) The concert start earlier than I thought.

(C) The old man walks slowly because of pain.

(D) Jack and Mary attend the same-school.

14. (A) One of the batsmen was bowled.

(B) Neither of the cats sleeps silently.

(C) Everybody takes a picnic basket.

(D) Each of the girls have five minutes for her presentation.

15. (A) The teams play in the sun and rain.

(B) The pair of scissors is on the table.

(C) Everyday I go to school early.

(D) Both John and Toni likes to play cricket.

In questions 16 to 19, select the punctuation mark which should be used to complete each sentence.

16. Oh no J I won't show where the treasure is hidden.

(A) ; (B) (C) , (D) : 17. Did you report the theft to the police (A) , (B) (C) ‘ (D) .

18. He gave me a storybook and a red pencil (A) (B) 19. Mother bought rice sugar and fish at the market.

(A) (B) , (C) ; (D) In questions 20 to 23, identify the part of speech of the underlined words in the sentence.

An agreement was reached between the union and the striking workers.

20. agreement (A) noun (C) verb

(B) pronoun (D) adjective

21. was reached (A) noun (B) preposition (C) verb (D) conjunction 22. between (A) noun (C) verb

(B) preposition (D) conjunction

23. striking (A) adjective (B) noun (C) atterb ( D) verb

TO BE CONTINUED

NEWS

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FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GECOM now to decide on type of masks to use – PRO …confirms many to be excluded from observing process at a given time

GECOM PRO Yolanda Ward

T

he Guyana Elections C o m m i s s i o n (GECOM) is still to decide on the type of face mask to be used during the proposed recount of the March 2 ballots cast, and it has not heard from the Caribbean Community (Caricom) on the arrival of its high-level team which was invited to validate the process.

These were among the disclosures made by GECOM Public Relations Officer (PRO) Yolanda Ward on Thursday, when she provided an update on the Commission’s preparations for the proposed recount exercise.

Recount Simulation

The GECOM Secretariat was at the time staging a simulation/training exercise involving the staff to be used in the recount, inclusive of Returning Officers, at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC).

Detailing the Secretariat’s action in preparation for the recount, Ward told media operatives that some 80 personnel had taken part in the one-day exercise.

She said that while only 40 persons from GECOM would be allowed in the vi-

cinity of the counting stations at any given time, it is the intention of the Commission to have the staff work on alternate days, hence the need to train persons for the exercise.

According to Ward, “The intent, in keeping with the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) guidelines, is not to have the staff work every day, but on a rotational basis, and also to have staff on standby to ensure that we don’t have any slippage or pause in the process.”

She said, “The process this (Thursday) morning is basically to go through the methodology that has been developed for the recount, to apprise the staff of the procedure that it entails and actually to give them a walk through as to their respective stations that they will be at.”

Task Force Report

Asked specifically about the use of face masks and the need for them to be changed every thirty to sixty minutes by those involved in the recount, as dictated by the Nagamootoo-chaired task force, Ward said, “While that has been indicated in the taskforce report, what they did not specify is the type of mask to be used.”

She suggested, “This is something that the Commission will (investigate)”, and reminded that “the use of masks will be in effect” for the recount process.

According to Ward, the frequency with which the masks are required to be changed is something that the Commission will be having further deliberations on.

Ward also confirmed that following the guidelines of the National COVID-19 Taskforce, it is likely that the process would exclude

some key stakeholders, since they would at times be excluded from the vicinity of the counting station.

She reminded that the recount is being conducted under the guidelines set out by the Moses Nagamootoochaired taskforce, and that four GECOM personnel, including a supervisor, would have to be present at each of the ten counting stations to be used.

Restrictions

With the total number allowed to be present at each station restricted to 14 persons at eight of the proposed stations, and 10 at the other two, this would leave six spaces free at one station and four at the other two, to accommodate other key stakeholders.

These involve the high-level delegation that has been invited from CARICOM, in addition to the other international and local observers and, importantly, the 10 political parties that contested the March 2 polls.

Ward disclosed, too, that the Secretariat is still to finalise how it intends to address the malaise, and that the stakeholders could likely work out an agreement between themselves.

According to the GECOM Public Relations Officer, the Commission is also to decide on those observers and their presence at the workstations.

She said, “We haven’t decided on -- in terms of the local and foreign observers -- what we know the law speaks to those that must be present at the count, in particular party agents.”

According to Ward, “There will have to be a methodology to be worked out in terms of a number of local and international

Arthur Chung Conference Centre

observers and all of those that would be present at the workstation, considering that we have to implement a process where they are just 14 persons at 10 of those workstations, and ten at two of those workstations.”

Methodology

She suggested, “Among the groups, we will have to find a methodology, or between themselves, as to how we would be able to accommodate all those persons required to be at the count while at the same time observing the COVID guidelines.”

Expanding on the specific process to be used for the

recount, Ward said that this would be in keeping “with what the law prescribes” and that staffers would be recording key information even before the actual recount of ballots can begin.

“The procedural things that would have to be noted,” she said, but declined to give further details, save to say, “…we have to follow that legal methodology.”

Asked to pronounce on the matter of the proposed live streamed broadcasts of the process being requested by the Private Sector Commission in light of a similar request being voted down by the Commission, Warde said she was una-

ware of the PSC’s proposal.

She noted, further, that the issue of live streaming the activity had already been voted on at the Commission level, “and that motion was voted against.”

Asked to give an update on the expected arrival of the high-level CARICOM delegation that was supposed to have landed in Guyana yesterday, according to a previous announcement made by the Nagamootoo-chaired Taskforce, Ward told reporters, “We haven’t received any communication as it relates to the date (and) who are the team members, we have not received any communication.”

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FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Berbice River boat accident

5 arraigned for trafficking narcotics F ive men were on Thursday remanded to prison after they pleaded not guilty to the possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

The men all from Berbice appeared at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court, where the charges were read

by Magistrate Peter Hugh to them via Skype.

The men are: Kevin Archer, 20, a labourer of Maria Emrita Village, Berbice River; Ramnarine Punwasie, 23, a labourer of Lot 12 Palmyra Village, Berbice; Carl Williams, 51, a fisherman of Lot 6 Adelphi Settlement, East Canje; Marvin Kissoon, 39, a fisherman of Lot 8 Sheet Anchor, East Canje and Netram Punwasie, 38, a carpenter/mason of Lot 12 Palmyra Village.

Police stated that on Tuesday, April 28, at Edinburgh, they had in their possession 36.97 kilograms of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

It was reported that the five men left from Fort Canje on an expedition up the Berbice River on Tuesday morning with the aim of purchasing marijuana, which is cultivated in that area. However, on their way back, the boat in which they were travelling collided with another resulting in the deaths of four men.

The dead men were identified as

What’s ahead…

L

The five men being escorted to the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court

Kidman Lindie,53, of Sand Hills, Berbice River; Romario Denheart, 23, a surveyor attached to the Public Infrastructure Ministry, of 41 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam; Freeman Denheart,53, of Heathburn Village, Berbice and Julian Mc Kenzie, 40, of Sand Hills. Their bodies were pulled from the Berbice River on Wednesday.

Guyana Times understands that the Police had knowledge of the shipment of the illegal drug and had set up an oper-

ation to apprehend the men.

However, that information was transmitted to the captain of the boat who then made attempts to get to New Amsterdam earlier than expected.

It was while speeding on the river, the boats collided in the vicinity of Friendship, which is about 55 miles from New Amsterdam.

The five men are expected to make another court appearance on May 7, 2020.

…after the recount? ike most Guyanese, your Eyewitness doesn’t wake up any longer thinking “today’s the day!”. The “day”, that is, when we’ll get to know when the recount will start.

And that in itself tells you a lot of what’s happened since March 4, when the Reg 4 SoPs were Mingoed. Tells you that folks aren’t even EXPECTING a result any time in the near future. They’ll be satisfied right now just to hear when the Caricom team MIGHT be coming in to start the recount!

Lowered expectations.

But even though in our everyday life we might be forced to live “one day at a time” in this age of COVID-19, we still ought to spare a thought as to what might lie ahead – if and when we ever get past this recount. Both the PPP and the PNC have said they won the election, but we know that there can only be one winner when we’re counting votes.

Just like when we’re counting noses!!

In your Eyewitness’ (humble) opinion, the PPP have presented a better case for its argument. With their SoPs from across the country plastered across their website for almost two months now, no one – including the PNC – has been able to prove that any of them have been altered to favour them. Some have shown some minor errors – for instance, regional totals inserted in the national totals – but these are insignificant. After the Mingoing, however, outsiders were able to show that numbers on the second batch of SoPs were all altered to give the PNC more votes.

In one instance, if the PNC were to be believed, more people voted for them in a Soesdyke constituency that were registered!! Res ipsa loquitur – the thing speaks for itself!!

The PNC, however, – while not conceding that Mingo did the dirty with the Reg 4 SoPs – implicitly lend credence to the PPP’s assertion, by counterclaiming that the PPP did some jiggery pokery in some of the regions that predominate. The argument being “do fuh do na obeah”!

So, what happens after a recount? Well, one certainty is the PNC ain’t gonna accept any result that has them losing.

They haven’t defied the entire free world, to meekly cave in after a mere counting up of ballots! No siree, Bob!!

T&T’s PM, Keith Rowley, who’s been around the Caricom block and then some, has assured us that “this thing (the recount) isn’t going to end well”. What does he mean??

We just have to look what the PNC did after every election they lost in the modern era after their decades of rigging – 1992, 1997, 2001, and 2006.

They’ll riot and burn Georgetown down. Forewarned is forearmed?? …for Gayle??

Who woulda thought Guyanese politics could spill over to cricket all the way in Jamaica? If there’s one thing we’re united in – not just we Guyanese, but all West Indians – is our cricket. Especially T-20 Cricket, which is essentially is the way we always played cricket. It’s OUR thing. So’ your Eyewitness, being the cricket tragic he is, is really mortified over the accusations made by Chris Gayle, about the Tallawahs management and especially his former teammate, Ramnaresh Sarwan.

Gayle’s always been a great favourite of his with his swashbuckling style and oversized image – but who delivered. Now that he’s approaching the end of his career, it doesn’t redound to his legacy to leave in such a bitter atmosphere. Whether the facts are as alleged or not, this was not the way to express his feelings.

For us in the West Indies, to use a cliché which makes it no less true, “cricket is not just a game”.

Your Eyewitness hopes that good sense will prevail and the parties will shake hands. “In the middle”! …on COVID-19 With the experience of other cities like NYC, news that Georgetown has become an epicentre of the pandemic isn’t necessarily reason for panicking.

The NCTF just has to tighten the enforcement of the lockdown rules.

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

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Hiding SoPs shows APNU/AFC’s fear of count and recount ...PPP/C has nothing to hide – Ali

P

eople’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) P r e s i d e n t i a l Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali has lashed out at the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition for spreading what he calls “propaganda” that his party is afraid of having the countrywide recount of the votes cast in the March 2, 2020 polls.

During a brief statement via a video posted on his Facebook page, Ali challenged the APNU/AFC officials,

PPP/C’s Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali

whom he said, are making false claims that the coalition has won the recent elections, to make their Statements of Poll (SoPs) available for the public to see.

“Let me be very clear: the PPP/C is not afraid of any recount. We have made it very clear that we have our SoPs, the SoPs are out there, the persons who are afraid are those who refuse to bring to the public their copies of the SoPs,” Ali fumed.

The Presidential Candidate noted that GECOM also has a respon-

sibility to share its copies of the SoPs with all the Commissioners, but the electoral body has refused to do so.

He added that the SoPs were available to every political party who contested the elections, once they had a representative in the polling station on Election Day. “Where are those SoPs? Why is it that those SoPs are hidden? What is there to hide in those SoPs?” Ali asked.

“I challenge the APNU/ AFC to make their SoPs available,” Ali said.

Political parties’ reps and observers blocked at barricades at the GECOM Command Centre in Georgetown

He added that the international community and the entire Guyanese public know exactly which party won the elections.

Notwithstanding this, he said that the PPP/C was committed to supporting all the steps to ensure that the recount is carried out to enhance transparency and accountability in the electoral process.

Ali also blasted the coalition for rejecting key measures which he said would have added credibility to the recount process. He said that there was no justification for rejecting live-steaming of the recount and having the Auditor General or a reputable audit firm aid the process.

Almost every stakeholder involved in the elections had signalled their support for live-streaming of the national recount on the basis

that it would have boosted public confidence in the process and made it easier for the results to be accepted by all parties.

“We are not going to rest until the votes are counted and a legitimate government is sworn in,” Ali promised.

It is now 60 days since the elections were held and a credible winner is yet to be officially declared by GECOM. Much drama followed the declaration of fraudulent elections results, on two occasions, for District Four by Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo. The courts rejected both declarations and paved the way for a recount of the votes before a winner is declared.

GECOM is in the process of finalising arrangements for the recount, which is expected to commence soon.

NEWS

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FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

19-point ballot box checklist another ploy to extend recount period – Jagdeo …only tendered ballots need to be examined and recounted

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

O

pposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has stated that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is deliberately moving to commit acts that are prohibited by law as a ploy to further extend the national recount process.

According to GECOM’s Plan for the National Recount, the process will be conducted in accordance with the relevant sections of the Representation of People’s Act Chapter 1:03, in particular Sections 83; 84(6) to (11); 87; 89 (1), and 90.

However, Jagdeo noted during a virtual press conference on Thursday that while this is what his party – the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) -- is pushing for, this is not what is being adhered to.

He noted that the 19-point ballot box checklist, a form prepared by the GECOM Secretariat to be completed during the recount, contains the use of documents that are prohibited by the law.

The Opposition Leader, in referring to the checkpoint at No.5, which has provisions for “Ballot Counterfoils” to be counted, pointed out that this is specifically against the law.

Section 89 (2) of the Representation of the People Act states: “The Returning Officer shall not open the sealed packets containing tendered ballot papers, marked copies of the official list of electors, or part thereof or counterfoils of tendered ballot papers.”

According to Jagdeo, “…they don’t wanna do a recount, they want to go to what is specifically prohibited by the law; [that is] counterfoils, and to go to how people voted. They want the list of how, and that is part of the order. Now, that could be deemed illegal in the future, and they’re hoping to create confusion around it.”

The counterfoil is attached to the ballot paper, and is kept by the electoral staff after the ballot has been torn off and handed over to the voter.

The Opposition Leader noted that the Presiding Officer at the Polling Station usually makes a record of these counterfoils. However, he explained that if the PO should mistakenly record an incorrect number, then this could pose a problem during the recount.

“For example, if they get this [counterfoil] and you have 100 people on the list and 75 people voted but the Presiding Officer just sat down and ticked off 71 of them, then this becomes a problem. But this has nothing to do with the number of people who voted and who were observed to have voted in the polling place,” he noted.

According to Jagdeo, the use of the counterfoils during

the recount is deliberately designed to disrupt the process. “[The use of counterfoils is] specifically prohibited by law because its capricious; and it’s not an observed activity, it’s just the Presiding Officer sitting down and ticking [off],” he posited.

The Opposition Leader went on to say that the party have “solid intelligence” that the APNU+AFC Coalition knows that if the recount of the March 2 votes is done cleanly, then it will be revealed that the PPP/C won the elections held nearly two months ago.

“So, by departing from the law now… [they are looking] to create confusion surrounding the recount… But it is transparent, and we know what the plan is, and once we know what the place is, we will be looking out for it,” Jagdeo contended.

He noted that the party had attempted to seek clarity from the GECOM Chair, (ret’d) Justice Claudette Singh, about this and other issues in the Secretariat’s ‘Plan for the National Recount’ but failed.

14 NEWS

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana records 9th coronavirus death …cases jump to 82

Deryck Jaisingh

Jermaine Ifill

Ratna Baboolall

Sydney Trellis

Osa Collins

Colonel John Percy

uyana has recorded its ninth coronavirus disease (COVID-19) death, after another person succumbed to the deadly virus on Wednesday while receiving medical attention in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

In addition, four new cas-

es of the virus were recorded, thus bringing the total number of cases to 82.

The latest death is Samuel Morris, a 67-yearold diabetic patient. He was among three persons receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

This announcement was made by the Public Health

Ministry on Thursday, and it stated that Morris suffered from other complications.

The Ministry has not disclosed which administrative region or area the man was from or how long he had been battling the virus.

The first virus-related death was confirmed after

52-year-old Ratna Baboolall of Good Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD) died on March 11.

The woman travelled from New York, where it is believed that she contracted the virus, to Guyana.

After posthumous tests confirmed that Baboolall was carrying the virus, oth-

er family members were quarantined and tested, adding to the country’s positive statistics.

On March 31, another death was confirmed. The country’s second COVID-19 death was 38-year-old Jermaine Ifill, an emergency medical technician who tested positive and was admitted a patient. His wife later tested positive as well.

The third death, recorded on April 2, was 59-yearold Shadrach Stoll, who also died while receiving treatment in the ICU. Few details were provided by the Ministry of his case.

The fourth person to succumb from the virus was Osa Collins, a 78-year-old resident of New Amsterdam, Berbice in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). Collins died at the Georgetown Public Hospital on the same day, after she was admitted into the COVID-19 ICU after testing positive for the infectious disease.

Health officials noted that Collins was considered an imported case as she had recently travelled to Guyana from the United States of America.

Four days later on April 6, the country learnt of the fifth death. Popular racer Deryck Jaisingh tested positive days after complaining of feeling unwell and displaying symptoms associated with the novel coronavirus.

The sixth death was recorded on April 8. Colonel John Percy was a 77-yearold engineer who died shortly after testing positive.

The seventh death, a 49-year-old Lindener, was announced on April 18. Sydney Trellis hailed

from Wismar, in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) and was visually impaired.

Reports surfaced of an eighth death on April 24.

Lennox Williams, a 45-yearold man, also died at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Caretaker Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence had confirmed that Williams was receiving treatment in the ICU after contracting the virus. However, he too suffered complications.

G

New cases

An updated dashboard released by the Ministry on Thursday showed that Guyana recorded four new cases of the virus. At that time, the number of recovered cases stood at 18.

One day before, Lawrence during her daily update went on to note that Georgetown continued to be the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak here in Guyana.

Positive cases have been identified in Kitty, Sophia, Turkeyen, Liliendaal, Cummings Lodge, Alberttown and Cummingsburg. Cases were also located in Bourda, Lamaha Park, South Ruimveldt, and Thirst Park. “…you would note from the areas listed that the coronavirus disease is in several of the densely populated areas in our city. We need to stop and take stock of this situation; you must adhere to the guidelines provided or we will be in a situation that we cannot control,” the caretaker Public Health Minister stated.

As of Wednesday, 18 persons were in institutional quarantine while there were 52 persons in isolation.

NEWS

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FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“We stand by our word on sanctions” …“the US is certainly watching this unfolds; we are watching it carefully” – Ambassador

US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch

U

nited States Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, says her country stands by its word when it comes to threats of sanctions against individuals here who benefit from electoral fraud. sending a stark warning to domestic leaders, she said, “You don’t just get to call yourself a democracy.”

The diplomat sounded the warning on Thursday during an interview with Newsroom’s Neil Marks, and was asked to pronounce on that country making good on its threats if the current electoral impasse in Guyana is not resolved through a credible process.

She used the occasion to cau-

tion, “When an unresolved election meets a global pandemic, this equals a problem set that not a lot of nations are dealing with; so Guyana has a lot of critical decisions to make here.”

Referring to the neighbouring migrant crisis in Venezuela, the US diplomat also noted the border controversy with Guyana, which is compounded by the fact that Guyana needs to begin addressing its economy. She said, “The answer to all of these things is leadership.”

According to the ambassador, “This is really why this election needs to be resolved soon, so Guyana can get back to the point where it has good leadership…exhibiting this leadership both regionally and locally.”

She again cautioned that the “US is certainly watching this unfold, and we are watching it carefully both here locally and back in Washington…the Secretary of State has said that there will be serious consequences if the rule of law is not adhered to.”

According to the ambassador, the specifics of the sanctions to be imposed, if any, would be dealt with back in Washington “at the highest levels of the State Department.”

According to Lynch, while she would not be able to comment on specific sanctions, “We stand by our word.”

Defending her recent public pronouncements on the Guyana situation, which were met with accusations of foreign interference, Ambassador Lynch said she was

Community for having demonsimply pointing out the difference Motion in December 2018.

According to Lynch, “With all strated that it’s really willing and between that and good diplomacy; and had she sat quietly, that could things pointing to a very good elec- able to assist.

She divulged that the US’ not be considered good diplomacy tions day, it was extraordinarily disappointing to not have things go Carter Centre and International on her part.

Diplomats across the globe, ac- well during the counting in Region Republican Institute are two obcording to Lynch, pronounce on is- Four, and to have it continuing on servers that are willing to again sues wherever they are serving, to today.” field delegations to Guyana for the and Guyana is no different in this She observed that it is close to recount process.

Looking forregard. ward to the activAccording to Lynch posited: Ambassador Lynch, “You don’t just get to call yourself a democracy, ity, “We have to balin its role in the Lima Group, Guyana has you have certain responsibilities as a ance a number of for this respoken out against imdemocracy….If you want to be a member of that things count to be transproprieties it observed in Venezuela. She addclub, you have to adhere to those responsibilities, parent and accountable.” ed: “I don’t see my comyou have to adhere to democratic principles, She said it ments as any differalso needs to be ent.” you have to adhere to the bedrock of democracy, undertaken in a She said it was important, “I mention which is free, fair and credible elections and safe manner, taking into account that, as a democracy, the rule of law.” the coronavirus you don’t just get to (COVID-19), but call yourself a democshe cautioned, “It racy; you have certain nine after the March 2 polls “and needs to be done expeditiously.” responsibilities as a democracy.”

The ambassador said, “I think Reiterating her earlier position we are getting to the point where about democracy being a unique it is a historic amount of time in it can be done. I think Guyana can club, the US Ambassador was ad- an unresolved election in a democ- balance all those things: get the recount started very quickly, and do amant that “if you want to be a racy.”

Describing that country’s rela- it in a safe way that is fully transmember of that club, you have to adhere to those responsibilities; tionship with Guyana as still good, parent.”

To this end, the ambassador diyou have to adhere to democratic the US Ambassador said, “We do principles; you have to adhere to urge the Elections Commission vulged that she was pleased to see the bedrock of democracy, which is and others involved in this election some reconsiderations on the part free, fair and credible elections and to resolve the elections very quick- of the Commission on the issue of ly.” live streaming the activity. She the rule of law.”

The US diplomat told the reLamenting the lack of a start said, “I think that would go a long porter that the international com- date for the proposed recount of way, honestly, to the credibility of munity was anxious for a winner to the votes by the Guyana Elections these elections, and give the citibe declared for the elections, given Commission, the ambassador not- zens confidence to know that the the hiatus that had obtained since ed “that’s a bit disappointing”, recount now was done in a fair and the passage of the No Confidence but she lauded the Caribbean transparent way.”

UG to reopen campuses on May 30

The University of Guyana at Turkeyen

T

he University of Guyana has rescheduled the opening of its campuses – at Turkeyen and Tain – as the administration works to assess the safety of physical classrooms.

The University closed the campuses less than two months ago owing to the novel coronavirus and later employed an online modality on March 11. However, there have been some challenges in providing education during these times.

In a statement, UG said it was theorised from the inception that COVID-19 might have a long ‘recovery tail, and there was a 65 per cent chance of the ‘safe mode’ period being extended. For this, plans needed to be put in place to ensure that the final-year students graduate in 2020.

“As the situation unfolds, the University has continued with variable success

to employ data-driven rapid adaptation measures to keep its focus and to perform in emergency mode.”

The entity says it faced two choices: either to hide for an indefinite period or to figure things out as they forged ahead.

Since the closure, the institution has rolled out an array of emergency policy measures and technological applications to offer the same quality of education.

These include zero-rated data use for any staff or student using a site with a UOG URL, through partnership with telecommunications giant GTT. It has also created a deployed response email fixug@uog.edu.gy interface for processing unusual requests which could not be accommodated by the present software applications for students and lecturers. This means

they could report issues not captured in the questionnaire which needed to be addressed.

Meanwhile, payment of outstanding fees has been deferred in response to requests from students.

Faculties began work to reform assessments, final exams, practicum, field trips, labs and internships. This emergency assessment policy, the University stated, is expected to be in place by May 15.

Based on these measures and projections, the institution announced the May 30 reopening. There are also deliberations on the commencement of a new semester, either in October or February next year.

“UG’s Academic Calendar is revised so that end of semester is extended to June-July. A rolling registration will continue to account for CXC de-

cisions about its CSEC and CAPE exams for 2020. It is expected that two possible commencement-of-new-semester dates could be contemplated October 2020 and February 2021 and that a possible choice of online, F2F, or blended could be offered to students in the future.”

Nevertheless, the possibility of graduation for final-year students is still on the table between December 2020 and January 2021.

“Advanced actions have

alumni with philanthropic, student and volunteer resources.”

While the COVID-19 pandemic deepens in Guyana, essential staff has been physically present on campus to ensure security, cleanliness, fumigation and maintenance of labs and centres running sensitive and continuous processes.

UG shared that during the era of online learning, about 25 per cent of the students have had difficulties in responding to this medi-

UG has not stopped functioning for one single day,” the statement read.

Over the past weeks, students have vented their frustration about the institution’s response in addressing their concerns. They have indicated that while many would have tuned in for classes, the classed is plagued with assignments, instead of discussions and actual teaching sessions from lecturers.

One final-year civil engineering student related

um of learning. For this, fixes are being made, but will take ‘a few weeks to be sorted’.

“The national University maintains that despite being totally unprepared for this pandemic, and though the challenges are real and stubborn in some cases, they are not insurmountable and

that because of the amount of coursework given, many persons were unable to complete them by the given deadline. Some had approached one lecturer for an extension to the submission date, but this was not granted. Instead, the lecturer indicated that they should ask God to help them finish.

UG campus at Tain, Berbice

been taken to source resources for the 20-25 per cent of UG staff and students who are capacity and resource challenged to continue their education online.

Action Assessment Project “UG Cares” will provide modest material and psychosocial…[support] to UG staff, students and

16 NEWS

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt to take ownership of Ocean View Hotel …to build hospice for COVID-19 patients, related illnesses …no word on amount paid to private owners

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ormer Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, on Wednesday signed an Order for the State to convert the Ocean View International Hotel into a hospice care facility as part of Government’s measures to fight the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The caretaker Minister was empowered by caretaker President David Granger under the Public Health Ordinance that was issued in early March.

The actual order to acquire the property using the Acquisition of Lands for Public Purposes Act was inked by caretaker Minister of State Dawn Hastings.

According to the Order inked by Lawrence, the move is in order to transform the dilapidated, defunct hotel into a sanitorium, “in order to facilitate care and treatment of persons suffering from the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and related diseases.”

The order was published in the Official Gazette the same day it was signed by Lawrence.

The order made by Hastings for the state to take ownership of the property was also inked on the same day as the one inked

by Lawrence to turn the acquired property into a san-

Work being undertaken by contractors at the Ocean View Hotel

itorium, with both directives being published in the Official Gazette, giving it immediate legal effect.

As a result of the Order, the Commissioner of Lands, “together with his agents, servants or workmen, is authorized to enter upon the said land for the purpose of surveying or otherwise examining such land with a view to the acquisition of the whole or part thereof for the public work.”

The five-acre facility, which was shut down in part due to its flood-prone nature, was recently taken over by Government in a move that it was unable to explain, save to say it was working out arrangements with the own-

ers. This, since the administration had begun spending money to rehabilitate the private hotel — money Government later admitted would accumulate into more than a billion dollars.

The controversial spending by the administration long after the March 2 General and Regional Election has since also attracted the attention of the Officer of the Auditor General.

It was noted that in light of the coronavirus and the exceptional political circumstances, separate accounts for expenditures incurred are expected to be kept.

Auditor General Deodat

Sharma told this publication earlier this week, “…all of this will be under audit after things have calmed down.

But they’re being looked at right now, for a special audit when we get back to work.”

The Auditor General’s 2017 report had found that drugs were being stored on the Ministry’s behalf in seven rooms of the same hotel, which was said to be termite-infested at the time. Among the issues the Auditor General had raised was the lack of a formal written agreement between the administration and the private owners.

Since the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Government has been ret-

rofitting the flood-prone Ocean View International Hotel at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown into a COVID holding facility.

Granger’s finance tzar Winston Jordan had told the state media that “to retrofit and outfit it will be more than a billion [and this] excludes running cost.”

This estimate, according to Jordan, did not include a purchase price, which he said is a “different matter, which can’t be dealt with at this time.”

Shortly after works began on the facility — devoid of a formal announcement by Government, the then Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency,

Joseph Harmon, had told reporters that financial arrangements were still being worked out, and that the contractors had begun working without a formal signed contract.

The orders by Government, taking over the facility and turning it into a hospice, did not indicate any further details on the financial arrangements or a sale price.

The Ocean View International Hotel was owned by coalition financier Jacob Rambarran, while works ongoing on the site are being undertaken by another known Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR) supporter.

Essential workers must now show Police their ID

…as Govt extends national lockdown by another month

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he National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) announced the extension of Guyana’s COVID-19 lockdown measures would last until June 03, 2020. Additionally, preferential treatment was also ordered for healthcare workers in the new notice published in the Official Gazette of April 29.

The order, signed by former Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence, states that “where a healthcare worker has to do business…the worker shall not join a line, but shall be given preferential treatment on submission of proof of identification.”

The extension of the lockdown measures comes as Guyana recorded a steady increase in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases. However, the measures have been proving ineffective, since nonessential businesses and personnel continue to flock the streets, putting themselves and others at risk.

The enforcement of these measures continues to be lax; nevertheless, the a 12hour daily curfew remains in effect. It means that persons are required to be in their yards by 18:00h every day, and remain there until 06:00h the following day.

They cannot leave, unless they are categorized as essential workers or have an emergency.

According to the notice, all persons employed within the public service, a statutory body or a State-owned enterprise shall work remotely from home, except as may otherwise be directed by the Public Health Minister, acting on the advice of the responsible Ministers and heads of agencies.

With regards to essential services, the former Minister said these will carry on with 24-hour operation. These include hospitals; healthcare and medical services, including pharmacies, drug stores and private veterinary services; nursing homes, orphanages, shelters and other related care centres; immigration; Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA); electricity services; water supply services; the Disciplined Forces; Guyana Prison Services; solid waste management; sewerage and janitorial services; air traffic control (ATC); the Demerara Harbour Bridge and Berbice River Bridge; hotels and accommodation; and factories, manufacturers or distributors of food supplies and essential goods, including medical supplies, where the Minister of Public Health has determined that the

continuation of these operations does not pose a risk to public health.

Telecommunications and media are also included in the essential services category.

Other essential services, such as banks; markets; supermarkets; fruit and vegetable stalls and neighbourhood shops; food services and restaurants, only for delivery, drive-thru and take away services; and gas stations, are to be open only between 06:00h and 17:00h.

“Any service not listed… may only continue their services if their employees can work exclusively from home,” the notice states.

Moreover, these services mentioned are guided by strict social distancing and physical distancing protocols, which they need to make the necessary arrangements to facilitate.

This includes the mandatory requirement of persons wearing a mask whenever entering an establishment.

Restrictions remain in place for all social activities at private parties; sporting events; a banquet, ball or reception; bar or rum shop; the seawall; a pool, creek or river; a wake or vigil; gym; beauty salon or spa; club or discotheque; and meetings of fraternal societies, private or social clubs or civic associ-

Former Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence

ations or organisations.

As it relates to weddings, no one other than the bride, the bridegroom, official witnesses and the marriage officer is to be present. While for funerals, no more than 10 mourners, one officiant and the funeral director and the necessary staff shall attend.

For religious worship, except for the conduct of funeral services and weddings, all churches and places of religious worship, including mosques and temples, shall be closed. However, this does not “prohibit any religious worship by virtual or electronic means, provided that if virtual or electronic worship is being carried on

in the place of worship the number of persons in that place shall not exceed five, and the social distancing of six feet between persons shall apply.”

Restrictions were also placed on visitation to any quarantine or isolation facility; a prison or correctional facility; and patients in a hospital, nursing home, senior citizens’ home, or any other care facility.

With regards to travelling, the two international airports remain closed to all overseas flights except for outgoing flights, cargo flights, medical evacuation flights, technical stops for fuel only, and special authorised flights. However, for domestic travelling whether by land, water or air, those means of transportation are required not to carry more than half the number of passengers which the motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft is licensed to carry. All operators and passengers are also required to have personal protective equipment.

The notice further outlined that a motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft shall not be used for a purpose other than for those ‘essential services’ mentioned above.

The caretaker Minister has also given the Guyana Police Force powers to stop any motor vehicle, vessel or

aircraft and inquire as to the purposes for which that motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft is being utilized; and anyone found in violation may be arrested.

For medical evacuation flights, only the patient, one health official and, where necessary, one family member is allowed in the aircraft.

According to Lawrence, anyone who fails to comply with any of these measures commits an offence under Section 152 of the Public Health Ordinance and is liable on summary conviction to the penalty provided under that Section.

On Wednesday, Romal Gardner was charged for “Breach of restriction to home, in contravention of No.1 Restriction of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures #53/2020, contrary to Section 21 (2) of the Public Health Ordinance, Chapter 145”. He appeared at the Diamond/Golden Grove Magistrate’s Court and was sentenced to an hour of “standing and displaying the curfew notice” as punishment for the violation.

Gardner, stood for an hour outside of the Diamond/ Grove Police Station displaying the sign, which read, “I have breached the curfew.

COVID-19 is deadly. Please stay indoors.”

NEWS

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FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

3 dead, 2 injured after armoury explodes at Camp Stephenson

– BoI launched into circumstances surrounding explosion

Dead: Lance Corporal Kevon Nicholson

Dead: Lance Corporal Toohey Peneux

Dead: Private Shaqueel DeHarte

hree soldiers were killed and two others were injured following a sudden explosion at the armory at the Guyana Defence Force’s Base Camp Stephenson at Timehri, East Bank Demerara on Thursday morning.

The dead ranks have been identified as 23-yearold Lance Corporal Kevon Nicholson of Levi Dam, Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, Berbice; 28-year-old Lance Corporal Toohey Peneux of Orealla Village, Corentyne River; and 20-year-old Private Shaqueel Deheart, of Paradise Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB). They all served with the GDF 4 Engineer Battalion.

According to a statement from the GDF, the incident occurred around 09:00h at the Arms Store Complex of Camp Stephenson.

The statement said, “Preliminary investigations has so far revealed that the soldiers were involved in the preparation of pyrotechnics (fireworks) for demolition when the incident occurred.”

Guyana Times understands that moments before the explosion, another group of ranks had gone into the armory to uplift weapons for the ’21-gun salute’ ceremony at the funeral of a colleague, which was set for Thursday in Berbice.

One of the ranks told this newspaper that when they went into the stores, they saw the Engineer batch in there, and shortly after they left, and were in the bus heading out of the compound when they heard the blast.

Following the explosion, the injured soldiers were air-dashed to Base Camp Ayanganna in Georgetown, where 29-year-old Lance Corporal Paul Peters was treated for minor injuries, while 43-year-old Sergeant Quincy Threlfall was transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), where he was admitted a patient. His condition is listed as stable.

In a telephone interview, his brother Marlon Threlfall told Guyana Times that he was informed of the incident by another rank.

“One of his squaddy – a solider girl – come and say something happened and they bringing down some soldiers to Georgetown Hospital, so I went down there… I saw him talking and everything, but I didn’t get to go in to see him,” the man related.

Marlon said he was told by one of Quincy’s colleagues that Quincy had sustained injuries to one of his eyes and his abdominal region.

Meanwhile, this newspaper also spoke with the

grieving mother of Lance Corporal Nicholson, Cheryl Nicholson, who related that her son had been a jolly young man who was always smiling.

“From the time he hit the gate and he see us, he got a broad smile,” the wom-

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we shop everything, and when he come back [home from shopping] he was jolly and just happy,” she related.

Recalling that her son had always wanted to be a soldier, Cheryl said that Kevon returned to work a few days after that shopping incident, but she did not know it was the last time she would have seen him alive.

“He tell me he have to go back on Tuesday, which in he did went back on Tuesday afternoon. But I didn’t see him before he leave, because I was sleeping. Only to hear this morning that he died. He was so gentle, a mannerly young man. I never get a bad complaint concerning him,” she reminisced.

When contacted, Laddy Peneux, father of 28-yearold Lance Corporal Toohey, told this publication that

Toohey was the youngest of his five children and he always wanted to be a soldier. He noted that the family had last seen the 28-year-old solider back in December, but had spoken with him around 21:00h on Wednesday night – just hours before his demise the following morning.

The elder Peneux noted that family members later received a phone call from the army confirming his son’s death, but no explanation was offered in regard to what had transpired. To this end, the elderly Peneux is calling for justice.

“I want them to get to the bottom of this, because nobody didn’t say what exactly happened. All they say is they will investigate what make the bomb explode… I want my son to come home to bury. He was a very supportive boy to our family,”

Base Camp Stephenson at Timehri, where the explosion occurred on Thursday morning

an recalled.

She added that he was also caring and would always ensure that all their needs were fulfilled. In fact, it was only on April 22 that Kevon had taken his mother shopping when he had gone home.

“For a long while he didn’t go shopping with me, but Saturday he went shopping with we. He made sure

he learnt of Toohey’s death from another son, who informed him that there was an explosion at the Base in Timehri.

He related that his son then went to the hospital, where he positively identified his brother as one of the three soldiers who died in the explosion.

The emotionally disturbed man related that

the man stated.

The grieving father lamented that the GDF had failed to protect his son.

“The Guyana Defence Force didn’t protect him! He was on duty, and the army not protecting the soldiers in any way,” the man contended.

Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Patrick West, and both Commander-in-Chief

Injured: Sergeant Quincy Threlfall

President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo have extended condolences to the family and friends of the deceased ranks, and best wishes for a speedy recovery for those injured.

It was also announced that a Board of Inquiry (BoI) has been launched into Thursday’s incident, which has occurred just over two months after an explosion of fireworks at the GDF Coast Guard Headquarters in Ruimveldt, Georgetown, where several ranks had also been injured.

At the time, the soldiers were preparing for the annual fireworks display to usher in Guyana’s 50th Republic Day Anniversary.

That incident claimed the life of 23-year-old Corporal Seon Rose, who had sustained third-degree burns.

In fact, during a virtual press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo called for a thorough probe into this latest incident.

“I hope that the investigation will look at what took place, because one would have expected that if we know the pyrotechnic ordinance is unstable, then greater precaution should have been taken. And we knew the pyrotechnic ordinance is unstable, given that just a few short months back we had another explosion…,” the Opposition Leader stated.

GAWU upbraids de facto regime over “hot-and-cold” labour approach

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he Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) on Thursday roasted the de facto coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Government over its “hot-and-cold” approach to workers’ rights, condemning this approach as most disturbing.

GAWU General Secretary Seepaul Narine, in a public statement, drew attention to what he called the uneven approach in the Administration’s attitude.

The position was adumbrated in light of public expression of support for workers involved in the recent sale involving Guyana Goldfields Inc to a Canadian company.

Narine, in berating the

irregular defense of workers’ rights, said, “We hasten to point out that rights are rights, and they must be enforced without any fear or favour.”

Expanding on his allegations against the de facto administration’s management of workers’ affairs in the country, the GAWU General Secretary cited this as example: “Our Union, as the recognised bargaining agent of the workers of the Demerara Timbers Limited (DTL), has for some time been seeking to have the company respect the workers’ right to collective bargaining.

He said, “We have drawn this situation to the attention of the Government through the Department of Labour; yet, though the law is on the workers’ side, there

GAWU General Secretary Seepaul Narine

is apparent foot-dragging.”

According to Narine, “This matter was also championed at the level of the Trade Union Recognition and Certification Board

(TURCB), and while certain action was decided upon, again we must lament that there hasn’t been, seemingly, any alacrity to meaningfully address the issue.”

Additionally, the GAWU Leader said, “Our Union, during 2019, was certified as the recognised bargaining agent on behalf of the workers employed by the NICILowned Skeldon Energy Inc (SEI).”

Attempts to engage the company in discussions towards formalising relations have been stonewalled, according to Narine, who accused SEI of “refusing to engage the GAWU.” According to Narine, this was also drawn to the attention of the Department of Labour and the TURCB,

and, “So far, the situation remains unchanged. Like in the instance of DTL, the law favours the workers, and there is apparently little or no efforts to have the company being respectful.”

He said, too, that the union is also encountering a similar situation regarding its application for recognition at the MARDS. According to Narine, it has been several months now, and “though a decision has been taken to consider our application, within the context of the law, we understand that hardly anything was done.”

Describing the situation, Narine said, “Of course, for the workers, (it) is most frustrating, as they are eagerly looking forward to our Union’s representation.”

The GAWU General Secretary used the occasion to also recall that “while the Administration speaks about upholding workers’ rights, we also cannot forget it was the same Government that denied sugar workers their severance entitlements.”

Those injustices, Narine observed, “had to be corrected by the courts after prolonged legal battles, and saw the workers, for their pains suffered, being awarded damages.”

He noted that “GAWU, nevertheless, even at this late hour, looks forward to the de-facto Government enforcing workers’ rights across-the-board, and that those who have been denied their rights at last receiving justice.”

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guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

News

National recount

High-level Caricom team arrives today A

high-level team from the Caribbean C o m m u n i t y (Caricom) is expected to arrive in Guyana today to observe the national recount of the ballots cast at the March 2 polls.

This was confirmed by GECOM’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Yolanda Ward, who noted that “the specifics of the flight details are not known at this point in time”.

The team will comprise Cynthia BarrowGiles, a Senior Lecturer at the University of the West Indies; John Jarvis, a Commissioner at Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission, and Sylvester King, a Supervisor of the Electoral Commission of St

Cynthia Barrow-Giles

Vincent.

When asked if the delegation will comprise more individuals, GECOM’s PRO said “the information received is what I communi-

cated. There were no further details”.

The team had requested and gotten approval from the country’s COVID-19 Task Force for a chartered flight to bring them to Guyana.

The announcement of a starting date for the recount exercise is dependent on the arrival of the team.

GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander, during a recent engagement with media operatives, was hopeful that the recount would begin within two days of the delegation’s arrival.

Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque had informed the country’s COVID-19 Task Force that the members of the team would be tested in their re-

Armed bandits rob delivery truck in Roxanne Burnham Gardens

The truck along with Police after the incident occurred

A

delivery truck was on Thursday morning attacked and robbed of more than $3 million by two gun-toting bandits in Rasville, Roxanne Burnham Gardens, Georgetown.

Based on information received, the incident occurred around 0 9:00h as the truck was making a delivery in the area. Guyana Times understands that two armed men pounced on the truck and requested the driver open the back of the vehicle in which the money was being kept in a safe.

During the course of the robbery, the driver, along with two porters, was assaulted by the two perpetrators.

They were then relieved

a guy and snatch the man and it looking so casual and all I see is this guy pulled this other Indian guy from the front seat and pulled him to the back and forced him into the back to open something and the other one was on the bike waiting on the other one.”

Meanwhile, the eyewitness, who also resides in the area, noted that there has been a surge in crime in the community.

“This is not the first incident; there has been a spike in the community and there is multiple incident. Over the past month, there was like four different incidents that hap-

The bandits as they were about to rob the truck

of personal items and the money belonging to the company with which they were employed.

When this publication arrived at the scene, an eyewitness explained: “Two men came up to the truck on a motorcycle and went to

pened. Only the other day, my neighbour got robbed,” the eyewitness relayed.

Police are currently going through Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footage to apprehend the suspects.

(Shemar Alleyne)

John Jarvis

spective countries, using the World Health Organisation

(WHO)-approved PCR COVID-19 test.

Additionally, the Secretary General made a request for the WHOapproved PCR COVID-19 test to be administered to the team before they depart Guyana.

GECOM had decided upon 25 days for the recount exercise which will take place at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

It was decided that there would be 10 workstations; eight would be able to accommodate a maximum of 14 persons while two would only be able to accommo-

Sylvester King

date 10 persons at any given time.

Motorcyclist dies after crashing into utility pole

months, and I told him and he said he will be home in 30 minutes. His last checkoff is like 10 minutes or less and exactly halfway he had a head-on collision with a utility pole,” the grieving widow stated.

The woman described her husband as a “kind and family-oriented person”.

June 16 would have been their sixth wedding anniversary and 13 years since they met.

Two-month-old baby

The now dead man and his wife in happier times

K

amanee Singh, a teacher at Hope Secondary School, is currently in a state of shock after her husband was killed on Wednesday evening after he lost control of his motorcycle and crashed into a utility pole along the Unity Public Road, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Dead is 33-year-old Taiknauth Samlall, a supervisor attached to Kalibur Security Services who resided at Lot 5 Lancaster Unity, Mahaica.

According to reports, the accident occurred around 20:35h as Samlall was proceeding west along the roadway at a fast pace. He reportedly lost control of the motorcycle and collided with a utility pole on the southern parapet.

Samlall sustained severe injuries about his body as a result of the impact and was rushed to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital in an unconscious state where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

His body is at Lyken’s Funeral Home awaiting a

The widow stated that with her husband’s death, she feels as if her entire

The motorcycle Samlall was riding at the time of the accident

post-mortem examination.

When contacted, Samlall’s widow recalled talking with her husband about 30 minutes before the horrific accident.

Given his position as a supervisor, her husband would usually go to various locations to check on the security guards employed with the company, Singh related.

“Thirty minutes prior to his death, he called and he inquired what was cooking and he asked for his children, ages five and two

world is falling apart given the fact that the couple had a two-month-old baby. She is expected to return to work from maternity leave next month.

“It is hard because he has a two-month-old baby and his children were his everything. His older son, I don’t know if he understands, because he went out and shouting daddy and he came back and said ‘mommy, daddy is not answering me’,” Singh lamented.

(Shemar Alleyne)

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

News

El Dorado Trading shooting

Murder suspect nabbed with pistol, cannabis in Linden

Lusignan prison escapee recaptured at BV …3 remain at large

Recaptured: Sasenarine Bisnauth

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Arrested murder suspect: Lennox Leon Estwick

Dead: Businessman Leon Stoll

ennox Leon Estwick, who was wanted for questioning in connection with the brutal killing of businessman Deon Stoll in front of El Dorado Trading on Da Silva Street, Kitty in October last year, was nabbed on Thursday morning during an intelligence-led operation by the Police.

Based on reports received, Police ranks acted on information gathered and swooped down on a house at Lover’s Lane, South Amelia’s Ward, Linden around 00:45h on the day in question.

A search was conducted on the premises during which an unlicensed pistol, four live rounds of ammunition and 10 grams of suspected cannabis were unearthed.

The 23-year-old suspect and his brother were taken into Police custody.

It was reported that Stoll was shot dead after two masked gunmen attempted to rob him, but the now dead Essequibo businessman returned fire, hitting one of the gunmen.

A security guard attached to the El Dorado Trading company was also shot during the shootout.

Stoll, also known as “Mow”, hailed from Charity, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), but was said to also have resided in Bel Air, Georgetown.

Reports are that on October 14, 2019, Stoll was driven by bodyguard Clayton Powley in motor car PPP 6727 when a white Toyota motor car with tinted windows stopped across the road from the business place moments after he arrived at that location.

Two gunmen, whose faces were mostly concealed by rags/handkerchiefs, ran out of the vehicle and rushed towards Stoll’s car.

One gunman opened the door at the driver’s side and a scuffle began between him and Powley, who soon exited the vehicle to better defend himself. Powley received a gunshot wound to his arm in the process while his assailant rushed back to the waiting white Toyota.

At the time this was happening, the other gunman had rushed to the door of the front passenger seat, where Stoll was sitting, and opened it before attempting to snatch something from the businessman. Stoll appeared to have been putting up a fight from inside of the vehicle but was shot to his stomach. His shooter then ran away, but Stoll also exited the car with his handgun, firing shots at the fleeing gunman.

The gunman returned fire while trying to get back to the white Toyota car, falling to the ground twice in the process, before managing to rush back into his vehicle. The white Toyota then quickly sped away from the scene as the gunmen made good their escape.

Police later issued a wanted bulletin for Delon “Demon” Morgan and Lennox Leon Estwick.

Morgan was arrested at a Police roadblock at Cove and John, East Coast Demerara (ECD) just over one week later.

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ne of the four men who recently escaped the holding bay at the Lusignan Prison was recaptured on Wednesday evening while hiding in the canefield aback Beterverwagting Sideline Dam, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Twenty-four-year-old Sasenarine Bisnauth escaped on April 20, 2020 during a heavy downpour.

He was remanded to prison on January 6, 2020, for two counts of robbery and one count of armed robbery.

Now that he has been re-

captured, additional charges will be instituted. Those who remain at large are Anthony Padmore, 26, of Ogle Street, Beterverwagting; murder accused Kenraul Perez, 26, of Mabaruma, North West District (NWD), Region One (Barima-Waini) and Ganesh Dhanraj, 32, of Facade, Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), who was also charged with murder.

The prison authorities noticed that the men were missing during roll-call on the morning in question after they did not answer to their names.

Further, the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) recordings proved that the men escaped by jumping over the eastern fence.

Over the years, several persons have escaped from the Lusignan penitentiary, but have been recaptured.

Following the fire in 2017 at the Camp Street penitentiary, the Lusignan Prison was used as a holding facility with several holding areas.

However, after a few

Lusignan Prison escapees

days, 13 inmates had escaped by digging a hole under the perimeter fence. The hole was about five feet wide and another five feet deep.

Those who had escaped were murder accused Clive Forde, Pascal Smith, Kerry Cromwell, Odel Roberts, Kendell Skeet, Rayon Jones, Jason Howard, Shawn Harris, Paul Goriah and Jamal Forde, along with Teshawn McKenzie and Winston Long, who were in-

carcerated for armed robbery, and Jamal Joseph, who was remanded on an attempted murder charge.

Goriah, whose last known address was given as Grove Squatting Area, East Bank Demerara, was the only person who was not recaptured and remains on the run to date. The Lusignan Prison is located on the East Coast of Demerara, and houses more than 300 prisoners.

Corentyne cash crop farmers protest EPA over pollution by rice mill

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Some of the farmers at Whim on Thursday

ash crop farmers of Bengal Village on the Corentyne Coast in East Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) on Thursday picketed the office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at Whim Village, claiming that the EPA has not been paying attention to their concerns despite the numerous complaints that were made.

According to them, a rice mill at Bengal has been releasing its waste water into a canal which leads into the drainage canal from which they source water for their crops.

Some of these farmers claim that they have already suffered tremendous losses after using the water from the canal. Fish in the canal have also been dying in their numbers, they claim.

One farmer, Cecil Davis, explained that there is, between the rice mill and his farm, a drain that is used to collect the waste water from

the mill, which he and other farmers were forced to block at Bengal to prevent the rice mill’s waste water from entering their farm lands.

“The water is stink and black,” he declared. “We can’t do farming with that water,” he said.

According to Davis, the Macedonia/Joppa Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) have both instructed the owner of the rice mill to clear the drain.

“I come in to the Environmental Protection place here about two months ago, and they tell us that they would call us, and up to now we ent hear anything from them… Is me and a few more farmers were here,” the cash crop farmer said.

Cash crop farmer Marcus Batson is adamant that the owner of the rice mill did not inform them of his intention to release the waste water

into the drainage system, and as such, he is also being severely affected.

Meanwhile, this publication visited the area and met Premwattie Bhudah, who was also on the protest line.

She explained her plight.

“Ah wata kill out all me peppa! Me na get non peppa no mo,” she said in her native Corentyne accent.

Farmers and millers clash

Meanwhile, as the farmers moved to block the canal leading to the farmlands, the Police were called in to intervene, and this led to the arrest of two farmers.

Sohan Budhi, another farmer, told the media that he and his brother, Mohan Budhan, were placed into the Police jeep without being told what offence they had committed.

“He [the rice miller] get a lot of contacts. He just make a call [phone call] and the Police come. They come and chuck me behind my

neck and tell me to go in the jeep…”

The matter has since been reported to a senior Police officer.

In an invited comment, owner and operator of Rambrich Enterprise, Leekha Rambrich, said the drain behind his mill was blocked by the farmers, and as a result, the water began to ferment.

“It is about five weeks they blocked the drain, and with the pigs that they own going in and turning it up with the burnt paddy shells in there, it started to ferment and so there was a smell. The water being released into the drainage system is fresh water from the rice mill.”

Rambrich noted that on Tuesday he contacted the NDC and the NDIA, and was able to get the drain behind his mill cleared. He contends that it was the NDIA which had blocked the drainage canal, thus preventing any water from the mill to go into the cultivation area.

He explained that the NDIA intends to place a tube with a self-acting door, so that there could still be drainage of the farmlands.

Nevertheless, he admitted that the smoke damaged a few coconut trees owned by cash crop farmers in the area.

Efforts to get a comment from the EPA were futile, but the officer in charge of the local office at Whim has promised to address the media on the concerns of the farmers relative to the environment.

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FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

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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

Take a leadership position. Be the one to stand up for the rights of others and for yourself. Personal gain is apparent, and peace and love are favored.

Play to win. Refuse to give in to pressure or others' demands. If you approach situations pragmatically, you will come out on top. A physical challenge will help you blow off steam.

Take a serious look at your current situation and determine what will make you happy. Don't be fooled by someone who paints a rosy picture.

Make decisions based on the changes going on around you. Don't miss out because you are afraid to make a move. Do your homework and push forward.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Keep an open mind, but don't buy into someone else's risky venture. Look for an outlet that will help you release stress and feel healthy and fit. Engage in romance.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Make changes that count. Do your research and find the most efficient way to incorporate what you want into your life. A change of pace will lead to new beginnings.

LIBRA

Be reluctant to offer help to someone who takes you for granted. Spend time on personal growth, doing things with loved ones and pampering yourself. Make romance a priority.

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SUDOKU

Don't let anyone take charge when you should be calling the shots. A diverse approach may cause controversy, but it will also help you stand out as a leader.

Truth matters. Don't get SAGITTARIUS involved in gossip or situa(Nov. 23tions that can cause probDec. 21) lems with a loved one. Spend more time on fitness, health and looking your best. Make a romantic gesture.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

You'll reach your goal if you are open to change.

A partnership will pay off emotionally and financially. Get to know the people around you a little better.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Be reluctant to make a change too quickly. Put greater emphasis on home, family and your physical well-being. Discuss your intentions with a loved one.

A romantic gesture will enhance your love life.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Collaborate with someone who has something to contribute. Rely on your experience and wisdom to help negotiate a life change. Reach out to someone you lost touch with some time ago.

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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21

-in early finish of Ligue 1 season

P

aris StGermain (PGS) have been awarded the Ligue 1 title after it was announced that the season would not resume because of the coronavirus pandemic.

PSG were 12 points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand when French football was suspended indefinitely on 13 March. Earlier this week, the French Government cancelled the 2019-20 sporting season.

The club said they wished to dedicate the title "to healthcare staff and all the everyday heroes on the front line".

PSG Chairman and CEO, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, added that French essential workers' "commitment and selfsacrifice over many weeks have earned our deepest admiration". He continued: "We understand, respect and support the decisions taken by the French Government to end the championship. Health, as the government has always said, must be everyone's priority.

"In these difficult times, I hope that this trophy will bring a little happiness and hope to all our supporters; and I am grateful to them for their unwavering support, which helps drive Paris St-Germain forward."

Before the Government's intervention, French football's governing body had been hoping to resume the season on 17 June.

PSG have been awarded the title on a points-pergame basis, while Lorient have been crowned Ligue 2 champions on the same principle.

Lorient were just one point above Lens when the season was suspended, and both teams will be promoted. Amiens and Toulouse will be relegated from Ligue 1.

Lyon - who were fifth a week before the last match day, but finished seventh - said they might appeal the verdict.

Now set to miss out on a place in Europe next season, Lyon say they also "reserve the right to claim damages", which the club say amount to "several tens of millions of euros".

"There might be appeals, but our decisions are solid," said Didier Quillot, Chief Executive of the French League (LFP). He added that LFP have until 25 May to tell UEFA which

PSG have now won three consecutive Ligue 1 titles

clubs would be qualified for European competitions.

May 25 is the same day by which European leagues have to tell European football's governing body whether they want to complete or cancel their seasons.

The Dutch top flight was abandoned on Friday with no promotion or relegation and no champions; while, on Monday, Belgian clubs postponed a vote on confirming the cancellation of their top flight until next week.

Analysis BBC World Service reporter John Bennett The French football authorities had three main options when it came to deciding the final league positions. They did not go for freezing the table after 27 games, or freezing the table when everyone had played each other once, and instead they chose the points-pergame system.

The big losers from that decision are Lyon, who were in the Europa League places after match day 27, but under these rules finish in seventh place.

It means their only hope of getting into Europe next season is either winning the League Cup final, which could still be played later in the year but will probably be cancelled, or winning the Champions League, which is unlikely even if UEFA manage to somehow complete the matches.

Meanwhile, PSG's dominance made the decision to crown champions a lot easier in France than it was in the Netherlands, where Ajax and AZ Alkmaar were level on points at the top and the KNVB decided there would be no title winners.

So, a reason to celebrate for PSG, but of course their main aim this season was to win the Champions League; and remember, as unlikely as it would seem, they are still hoping they can complete that mission, saying that they would be prepared to play their matches abroad in August if it is not possible to play in France.

French clubs now have to count the cost of losing crucial TV revenue in this shortened season, and there will be some difficult decisions to be made for many of them.(BBCSport)

Virtual Madrid Open…

A

ndy Murray won the Madrid Open for a third time on Thursday, without even leaving the comfort of his sofa.

With tennis suspended until at least mid-July, the Scot emerged triumphant in a contest of 16 leading ATP players, who had all swapped their racquets for PlayStation 4 controllers.

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NOW!

Andy Murray

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

David Goffin was Murray's victim in the final, with the world number 121 edging out the Belgian 7-6 (5) on the Tennis World Tour video game.

Murray, who reached the final by walkover after Diego Schwartzmann had a "connection issue", twice served to stay in the contest, and trailed 5-4 in the tie-break before winning the last three points.

The Scot, who has not played since November because of complications arising from his hip operation, had previously won in Madrid on a hard court in 2008, then on clay five years ago.

He claimed the biggest share of the 150,000 euros (£131,210)

prize pot, part of which would be donated to lower-ranked players whose incomes have dried up during the coronavirus pandemic.

Murray chose to donate half of his winnings to the NHS. Kiki Bertens, who should have been defending her WTA title in Madrid next week, claimed the women's title.

The Dutch world number seven beat Fiona Ferro of France after overcoming Caroline Wozniacki in the semi-finals.(BBCSport)

22

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

T

he final version of the Berbice Cricket Board’s (BCB’s) flag and emblem was designed and created by Mr Tameshwar Mohabir under his brand, Zidnificent Creations.

In an updated flag/emblem, the Berbice River is present, and different products and religious beliefs are represented.

The BCB would like to thank Mr Mohabir, a teacher at the New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary School, for his cooperation, and would reward him with a prize as soon as this coronavirus problem is over.

Berbice has a rich and diverse cricketing history. Over the years, cricket in the county has grown from strength to strength.

There has been the occasional hurdle, but through the perseverance and commitment of cricket administrators as well as players and corporate entities, Berbice cricket has always found a way to rise to the top.

Since the incumbent administration of the BCB ascended to office, Berbice cricket has seen exponential positive transformation - one which has made it the envy of the country and, by extension, the envy of many regional boards across the Caribbean.

Through it all, one notion has remained at the forefront of the present administrators when it comes to cricket in general – that being a successful cricketer does not only involve knowing how to bat, bowl and field; it also encompasses a high level of self-discipline, determination, commitment, hard work, and humility.

Mohabir has said, "It is with that in mind that I crafted the design for the emblem and the flag."

Symbolic meaning of the colours

ORANGE: represents enthusiasm, happiness, creativity, determination, success and encouragement – key factors which have been instrumental in the high level of success Berbice cricket has seen over the

BCB Flag and Emblem

Tamesh Mohabir

last 81 years.

BLUE: represents the depth and stability which the BCB, in particular this current administration, has brought to cricket in Berbice. It also symbolises trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence and faith, which each and every player of this beautiful game should strive to develop. Further, it illustrates the warmth and friendliness that the people of Berbice are well known for.

The blue also signifies the healing power of God. It is the most sublime subject and colour which represents, biblically, the Word of God. RED: represents the energy, strength, power, determination as well as passion and desire which administrators of the BCB, over its 81 years’ journey, have brought to the table as they seek to develop the game within the county.

WHITE: represents the honesty and transparency which the BCB, in particular this current administration, has always sought to emulate when it comes to the operation of the BCB over the past 81 years.

It also represents the majestic Berbice River – one of the geographical beauties of the county of Berbice.

GREEN: the green stripes represent the main economic activity of the Berbice county – agriculture – both crops and livestock.

Symbolic meaning of the icons

STARS: the stars on the emblem represent the star players which this great county has produced over the years, and who have gone on to the regional and international levels.

The stars on the flag are a symbol of divine guidance; of enlightenment, or light in the darkness, which we seek from the respective Supreme Being we serve as thread the course of our lives.

Batsman and Ball

The batsman and ball symbol in the middle of the emblem as well as the flag represents what the BCB is all about –

BCB President Hilbert Foster

Cricket. Its placement in the middle also signifies the psyche of the BCB over the years – that through it all, cricket is the centre of all discussion and attention.

An opinion expressed…

I

t seems that with Windies veterans Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels unable to speak as effectively with runs from their bats these days, most of the running has come from their mouths via vicious attacks on former teammates.

Surely, gentlemen, you can do much better.

Based on all that you have accomplished, is any issue that significant to warrant injury to what is likely to be your most significant role at this point -- that of a mentor to a new generation of hopeful future West Indies stars?

In many sports, the position of the ageing superstar is worthy of reverence. A sporting

icon who has won the titles and broken the records then stands up as a guide and inspiration for the new generation. Often, once a maverick himself, the rash impetuousness of youth blossoms into a much broader understanding of the greater importance of the sport and their place in it.

In setting this example, the late great Kobe Bryant comes to mind. Bryant was himself mentored by another great; for many, the game’s greatest ever, Michael Jordan.

Closer home, I recently listened to an interview with another great, legendary West Indies spinner Lance Gibbs, who spoke about the im-

West Indian batsmen Marlon Samuels and Chris Gayle

portance having positive examples played in his development as a cricketer.

I’ll go one better: both Gayle and Samuels have spoken of the importance of being examples. It is interesting that in the same video where Samuels speaks of being a mentor to younger cricketers, Jason Holder and Carlos Brathwaite, a current and a former West Indies captain, he launched his unabashed broadside.

Surely, winning multiple world titles and having successes on the pitch most will only ever dream of, combined with significant economic remuneration, should be enough to prevent one from joining needless squabbles regarding team selection at the twilight of one’s career. If not, then what will?

What type of positive could up-and-coming players possibly take from the savage disparagement of a current West Indies captain or a former teammate? In addition, the public nature of these disagreements not only shows a general lack of regard for the person criticized, but seems to suggest a lack of regard for the

sport itself.

These raw, unfiltered responses would draw swift rebuke were they to be uttered by a 20-year-old who perhaps is yet to imbibe the wisdom of thinking before he speaks. It’s truly shocking that that sort of behaviour comes from accomplished veterans. With all their talent and ability, it seems that an important trait for achieving true maturity seems to be missing from some of our senior regional players. What on earth could be the matter?At the very least, you would hope that players who have spent most of their lives developing and contributing to a sport would realize its value and be warier of bringing it into disrepute. The game has, of course, been around long before the current generation, and we should all hope it would be around for many generations after.

Why not accord it the respect it deserves as you fade gracefully to memory?This type of all-encompassing perspective seems to, sadly, not exist for two of the region’s most idolised players.

(Kwesi Mugisa, Sportsmax)

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

R

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

23

enowned Guyanese batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan on Thursday sought to set the record straight following a character tarnishing video that was done by Christopher Gayle earlier this week.

In Sarwan’s statement, he titled Gayle’s expose as false allegations as he speaks directly to Monday’s incident and quickly denounces his former teammate’s claims.

Taking the high road, Sarwan chronicled his experiences alongside the Universe Boss, singing his praises and sharing why the occurrence came as a shock, not only to the former Guyanese batsman, but to his immediate family members, who are quite familiar with Gayle.

Addressing Gayle’s claim that he was out to get him since 1996, the right-handed batsman issued a strong denial, as he did to Gayle’s claim that he was a part of the decision to let the Universe Boss go from the Tallawahs team this year.

The former West Indies middle order batsman also distanced himself from the allegation that he was intent on copping the position of head coach Flashback! Ramnaresh Sarwan and Chris Gayle celebrate after muscling West Indies Sarwan in the Jamaica Tallawahs camp last year in the Jamaican camp last year, but accepted full to a victory responsibility for the allegation that he suggested a team curfew in 2019. However, to Sarwan’s else over the past 50 years. It is my sincere hope was watching television all night in the room which the team. Gayle is fully aware of the background, that Gayle’s damnation has not caused irreparable I shared with him. This is a total fabrication. No yet he accuses me of fighting to be Head Coach.I knowledge, the curfew was never imposed.

Below is the full statement issued by Ramnaresh damage to the unity and brotherhood which cricket competent management would remove him from accept full responsibility for my recommendation has forged across a series, a player of Chris’s calibre, on such a trivial that the team management consider imposing a Sarwan: the West Indies. allegation.I categorically deny any involvement in curfew on players prior to matches. I stand by that C h r i sto p h e r Let me make it the decision or the decision-making process which decision. Such restrictions are standard operational Gayle’s outburst, abundantly clear, led to Gayle’s non-selection to represent the Jamaica procedures in almost every international sport, so disseminated via I have played Tallawahs in the 2020 Caribbean Premier League that when it is time for performance on the field, a YouTube video with Gayle from (CPL) Tournament. In fact, the management of the the players are physically and mentally prepared a few days ago, is the inception of franchise itself has issued a public statement that, for the challenges. In any event, the curfew was quite unfortunate. my international “the truth is that this decision was made collectively never implemented, so I do not understand why In that video, he career, and I by the Ownership and Management team which Gayle has made this an issue.I absolutely reject has levelled false have always did not include Mr. Ramnaresh Sarwan and based Gayle’s allegation that I encouraged foreign players allegations and respected him as purely on business and cricketing reasoning.” to disrespect him. I really do not understand how tarnished the an extraordinary he came to such a conclusion, and this simply is not I have been officially attached to the Jamaica good name and talent, a colleague Tallawahs since 2018. I was first offered to play for true.My deep concern is that young and upcoming reputation of a and, most the side. I refused, because I felt that young and players who regard Gayle as a role model may series of persons. importantly, a close upcoming Jamaican and regional talents as well as think that this is an acceptable way of addressing I was the focus friend. Hence, my overseas players ought to be given that opportunity. problems which may befall them in their careers. of most of the utter shock by I was then offered the position of Head Coach, but To the cricketing world and fans everywhere, more onslaughts. these scandalous deferred to Mark O’Donnell, who was with the team particularly West Indian cricket fans, all of whom I reply not allegations.

He several years prior. Instead, I accepted the position I love and respect dearly, and especially those in because I feel that was welcomed in, of Assistant Coach. In 2019, I was appointed Head my home country of Guyana and Jamaica, who Gayle’s rantings Gayle and Sarwan share a light moment and is loved by, my Coach. I reached out to Chris and discussed with him have always supported me throughout my career, are worthy of it, immediate family, the selection of a team. I did so out of respect for I express my deep regret on this unfortunate saga, but because I feel that the public’s record must be set straight, and also to protect the character and and has hurt them terribly. Fans will recall that him.In my conversation with Gayle about the team, and I hope that it will lower neither (Gayle nor careers of so many people whose image he sought when Ian Chappell called for Gayle to be banned he informed me that Donovan Miller, a Jamaican me) in their estimation.I thank all those who have to besmirch.No doubt, Gayle’s utterances have from international cricket because of remarks he and a very close friend of Chris, should be appointed conveyed their support to me and rallied around done immeasurable damage to the “gentleman’s made to a female journalist, I issued a public call Head Coach, as he would better understand the me during this unfortunate turn of events. I take game” of cricket; in particular West Indian cricket. for fans to rally around Gayle. I stood up for him on culture of the Jamaican players. I conveyed Gayle’s this opportunity to wish Chris all the best with his As a former International Cricketer, who had the every such occasion. But this missive is not about view to the CEO, informing the CEO that I would be new team in the upcoming CPL. privilege of donning West Indian colours, I feel that.Gayle refers to an incident as far back as 24 happy to step aside for Miller’s appointment, given Respectfully, compelled to speak in defence of this great sport years ago. He claimed that I caused him to be sent that Chris feels strongly about his appointment. My Ramnaresh Sarwan which has unified the Caribbean more than anything home from Barbados during a tour, because he priority was what would be in the best interest of

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020

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

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− in early finish of Ligue 1 season BCB President Hilbert Foster

PSG have now won three consecutive Ligue 1 titles

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