Guyana Times - Friday November 13, 2020

P15

“No matter the school you attend, pursue your academic dreams” – newest Attorney Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4468

THE BEACON OF TRUTH FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020

Elections 2020 probe vital in advancing transparency, good governance – Washington think tank Page 3

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

CC&PA officers, Police among 5 injured in Port Kaituma P8 accident

TNM implodes: 6 executives P17 resign

G77 and China Summit

“We must work together to develop, distribute COVID-19 vaccines equitably” – President Ali Page 7

Termination of 5 remain in custody “sinecure as Police check out appointments” alibis – source done in compliance with law Murder of WCB teens

See story on page 9

Page 11

— Nandlall

GEA inks $1B agreement for hinterland solar power plants See story on page 13

Shopkeeper, miner injured during brawl over metal detector P10 Prison officers busted with P10 ganja at Lusignan Prison

Electoral fraud charges

Lowenfield’s lawyers want matters tried in High Court P17

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS OPENINGS BRIDGE

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, November 13 –02:00h-03:30h and 13:00h-14:30h and Saturday, November 14 –02:30h-04:00h and 13:30h-15:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, November 13 – 14:55h-16:25h and Saturday, November 14 – 15:40h-17:10h.

Elections 2020 probe vital in advancing transparency, good governance – Washington think tank

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny conditions will give way to light rain showers in the mid-morning hours with instances of thunder. Partly cloudy skies are expected in the evening. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to West SouthWesterly between 1.78 metres and 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 15:08h reaching a maximum height of 2.83 metres.

Low Tide: 08:41h and 21:07h reaching minimum heights of 0.49 metre and 0.35 metre.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2020

LOTTERY NUMBERS O

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18 19 27

FREE TICKET

24 Bonus Ball

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2020

DAILY MILLIONS

07 12 14 24 26 LUCKY 3

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Afternoon Draw

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DRAW DE LINE

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PAY DAY

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

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$43.53/barrel

-0.62

Rough Rice

$221.76/ton

+0.16

London Sugar

$406.90/ton

+2.39

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1877.10

$1878.10

Low/High

$1862.60

$1885.30

Change

+0.30

+0.02%

President Irfaan Ali

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he Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), in a recent report, stated that President Irfaan Ali’s plan to launch an independent probe of the events surrounding the March 2 General and Regional Elections is vital in advancing transparency, good governance, and rule of law in Guyana.

The report: ‘Guyana: Opportunities and Challenges for the United States and the Caribbean Basin’, was authored by R. Evan Ellis and states that: “in the context of persistent political polarisation and negative sentiment in Guyana”, there are multiple opportunities for Government gestures designed to move the country forward.

“The Commission of Inquiry into electoral problems that the Ali Government has promised represents an important step with respect to advancing transparency, good governance, and rule of law,” Ellis states.

However, the author was quick to point out that there is a risk that those targeted by such an inquiry, with possible criminal charges for wrongdoing associated with the election process, “will try to misrepresent those actions to their supporters as the criminalisation of political opposition, fuelling further political polarisation”.

The report notes that former President David Granger has already accused the PPP/C Government of “persecuting” the Opposition.

The author outlines that in the same vein, the PPP/C Government’s legal review of funds expended during the tenure of the then Granger administration “has the potential to give rise to a series of criminal cases and political polemics throughout 2021 and beyond”.

Such cases, the author contends, would make the APNU leadership and support base feel “threatened and could potentially stimulate populist appeals that could deepen polarisation”.

According to the author, in political affairs, one of

the most pressing tasks for the Ali Government will be to unite the country. “Most importantly, this includes reassuring voters — in a country ethnically and politically polarised between Indo-descendant and Afrodescendant populations — that the interests of all ethnic and other groups are fairly represented and protected”.

On this basis, the report highlights that President Ali’s positive and inclusive inaugural address was a good start, as was Attorney General Anil Nandlall’s expression of interest in working with the Opposition.

However, the author cautions that it remains to be seen how such gestures will be received by those who fought against the PPP’s return to power over the past two years.

The author reminds that “the angry discourse and violent protests” following the September 6 murders of two Afro-Guyanese youth in the West Coast Berbice area highlight the risk of escalating ethnic conflict in the country.

President Ali had announced that Government would be launching a CoI into the events that unfolded post the March 2 polls, and that the panel could be drawn from the Caribbean Community (Caricom), the Organisation of American States (OAS), and the Commonwealth – all of whom had dispatched electoral observation missions in Guyana that witnessed the attempts to undermine

Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield

Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers

democracy in Guyana.

Meanwhile, in relation to the much-needed electoral reforms, the report points out that the more than twenty months of delays and political struggle that “almost prevented the PPP from attaining power” has highlighted weaknesses in Guyana’s electoral and other institutions, and the need to reform them.

The Ali Government has made electoral reform a top priority, and has already sought assistance from the international community in this regard.

The Government has assured that such reforms will ensure the tragedy which unfolded after the March 2 General and Regional Elections never recurs.

“The Government has committed to looking at the Representation of the People Act (RPA) and other pieces of legislation to reform them to cover all the loopholes that have been exploited by the political fraudsters after the elections,” Attorney

General Nandlall had said.

Among the proposed reforms the AG had outlined is ensuring that Statements of Poll (SOPs) are published by the respective political parties on a website and made public within hours of receipt.

Efforts will also be made to ensure oversight mechanisms are in place to scrutinise the work of the Returning Officers (RO), thereby guarding against the declaration of false results by rogue officers.

The proposals also include a system wherein employment procedures and practices are used to ensure the best candidates are selected to work at elections, and to also have fixed qualifications, character references and testimonials for those officials.

It is also seeking to ensure that there is a heavy penal system accompanying electoral offences that will deter any official from doing wrong during the elections.

TURN TO PAGE 9

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guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 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

Govt’s response to COVID

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he ANU/AFC Opposition has sought to lambaste the current Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic without providing any solution or offering to work with the administration to contain the deadly virus. This is not the kind of behaviour that is needed at a time when all stakeholders should be pooling their efforts and ideas to confront the pandemic. While it is not our job to defend the Government in any way, we have a duty to the nation to analyse the performance of any administration in an objective and fair manner, and generally to say it as we see it.

Indeed, there has been a significant increase in positive cases and deaths being recorded due to the virus in recent months. This is the case in most countries around the world, and Governments all over are still trying to grapple with the situation.

In Guyana’s case especially, one has to take into consideration the state of affairs the new PPP/C Government inherited when it took office on August 2. This was well publicised in the media, and the President himself, in a recent address, reminded the nation of what obtained during the previous administration’s tenure.

As stated by the President, during the five-month post-election period, citizens not only patiently awaited the election results, but were forced to confront the effects of the pandemic alone, without any tangible support from the Coalition Government.

“The coronavirus pandemic triggered a downturn in production, a slowdown of business, and the loss of jobs and incomes. Many families struggled to put food on their tables; many small businesses found themselves in a financially perilous state. Schools had to be closed; examinations adjusted and our health care system was left to rot, with no basic medical supplies procured in the last two years”.

He added that instead of a comprehensive, coherent and coordinated response to address the pandemic, the former government’s reaction was illusory, incoherent and inept.

In relation to testing, this was very low. According to the President, there were insufficient quantities of testing kits, testing equipment, protective gear for frontline workers, ventilators and oxygen concentrators. Additionally, the Infectious Diseases Hospital turned out to be an inoperable, bareboned facility.

Further, many regional hospitals were ill-equipped to treat severe cases of the virus.

On top of all of this, citizens were provided with little or no relief, although many of them had been without employment for several months.

As soon it took office, the Government was able to hit the ground running, even though there was a severe lack of financial resources. A comprehensive and multifaceted response to the pandemic was crafted, including establishing a taskforce that included medical personnel and regional/international partners.

The national testing capacity was significantly increased, to the point where as many as 600 tests per day are being done. The Ministry is working to take this number up to 1,000 very soon.

Also, along with the support of the various international partners, the Government was able to acquire adequate supplies of personal protective gear, and allocated $150M in the emergency budget for frontline workers.

Additionally, ventilators, oxygen concentrators and other equipment necessary for treating patients have been received, and are being operationalised. Of note, too, is that the Infectious Diseases Hospital has been retrofitted, making it suitable for offering meaningful patient care, while at the same time the capacity of regional hospitals to treat coronavirus patients has been enhanced.

Just recently, this newspaper reported that Guyana will now be able to strengthen its public health response to COVID-19 through a US$22 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The loan will be used for, among other needs, the purchase of medical equipment, laboratory equipment and inputs, ambulances, and personal protective equipment for health workers, surveillance officers, border personnel. The operation will benefit the affected population of Guyana that receives emergency assistance under the proposed coverage.

The Government has assured that when a vaccine becomes available, Guyana will be part of the worldwide immunisation process, as it has signed on to the facility being provided by the Vaccine Alliance, which will provide the country with access to the vaccine.

While there are still many gaps to be filled, to its credit, we believe, the PPP/C has done extremely well in its first 100 days in office in relation to the manner in which it responded to the pandemic. We would suggest that the Opposition work with the Govt in a mature and collaborative manner to confront the virus.

Ministers of Housing and Water, Collin Croal and Susan Rodrigues, along with staff of the Ministry, posed for the cameras on Thursday after designing a rangoli in observance of Diwali 2020, which will be celebrated on Saturday

President Ali takes country from tax terror to tax reform

Dear Editor, Some years ago, while on a university management consultancy in India, I came across, in one of the Indian dailies, an article on tax terrorism – over burdening the nation with taxes and/or using the tax department to intimidate people to ‘fall in line’ with government. It was a kind of terrorism.

As someone who did doctoral studies in Economics, and having also obtained a doctorate in Political Science, I understand how taxes are ‘politically used’ to bring people “in line”.

It is common practice in Third World countries.

Some strong-willed people tend to resist tax terror out of principle, and fight it out in the court of law and/or in the court of public opinion. Governments are known to fall as a result of tax terror. It certainly played a role in the loss of support of the Congress-led Government in India in 2014, and the APNU- led Government in Guyana in 2020.

The use of taxation in Guyana during the preceding coalition tenure and the policy of the Irfaan Ali-led administration has led me to borrow that term of ‘Tax Terror’ to apply to Guyana.

It was not my creation, and it is a newly coined term in economics (as introduced in the media and academia in India) though it has not been introduced in politics as yet.

My coinage in economics and politics would seemingly be the first in Guyana.

There was a rising per-

ception during the tenure of the APNU+AFC regime that taxation was used to target certain individuals to ‘fall in line’ or ‘else’. It was also used to meet predetermined targets of revenue collection.

It was tax terrorism. When the regime wanted funds (to make up for shortfall of revenues) or party donations or sponsorship of its programmes, it threatened tax audit or raised taxes. Even education and transportation were heavily taxed, although the middle class and poor could not afford the taxes. Political opponents or businesses thought to be associated with the PPP Opposition were dealt with harshly. Friends were left alone. This policy was also used by the Burnham and Hoyte dictatorships to quiet down Opposition. Those without the will to resist fell in line.

Business people always transfer the taxes and fees onto the consumers. In economics, it is called “tax transference” or transferring the incidence of tax. The poor or working class are burdened the most, with the rich hardly affected by taxation; they find ways to avoid it.

On the subject of tax intimidation, do people remember when one had to get an exit clearance or Police clearance to leave the country? That was tax terrorism also. Those wishing to travel just paid a demanded (or negotiated an) amount of taxes, even when they had no earnings. I remember as a youngster, sixteen years old,

out of high school and heading to New York to attend college, I had to get tax clearance and Police clearance.

And my family had to pay a bribe to get it the same day on an early morning journey to town, or else I had to make another trip from the Corentyne to town to obtain it. We were broke, but had to find the money to pay off the boys in town. The bribe was cheaper than the passage to come to town. It was also an arduous task and burdensome journey of travelling at 3:00 AM from Port Mourant to Rosignol to line up to cross the ferry on a vehicle.

And it was not always safe.

On the way, one could potentially be stopped by thugs and robbed on the roadway.

Kick-down-the-door bandits, encouraged by some politicians, were prowling and preying on people travelling in the night. Even children and the unemployed had to get tax clearance. Without a chit from the tax department and the Police department, one could not board the plane. And if you were a political opponent, you could be denied tax or Police clearance. Some went back track through Suriname.

That policy of tax terror was done away with by the Cheddi Jagan administration when he was returned to office in 1992.

During the coalition’s tenure, tax terror returned.

Taxes and fees were raised across the board in almost everything. The regime did lower taxes or fees on a few items or services, but in-

creased it in others that raised the cost of living.

Under the coalition, people were paying much more in taxes than under the preceding regime. Revenues were at an all-time high, yet services worsened under the coalition and people were neglected on account of race and political affiliation.

Under the Irfaan Ali-led administration, there is a tax reform, hence the caption from “tax terror to tax reform”. With the interim budget that was passed in September, taxes were reduced and/or eliminated, VAT was removed from several items, and people have received a basic grant per household. There have been so many handouts and beneficial policies. And this is being given when the tax collection is at its lowest as a result of the COVID. The Government has done much to stimulate the economy, with various grants and tax reforms to encourage private investment. Even critics and many among those who did not vote for PPP are lauding the performance of the Government.

This policy of lowering taxes and giving people some grants is needed at this time in order to stabilise the economy while stimulating economic activities. It would eventually pay its way out through collection of a reasonable rate of taxes and fees.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 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

The Hindu festival of Deepavali/Diwali

Dear Editor, Festivals are innate in every religion, be it Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, or any other religion. They play an integral part in our lives. Festivals are very fundamental in keeping us attached to our origins, our societies, our values; and, to some extent, they play essential roles in strengthening the unity of a nation.

These festivals vary; they can be events featuring music and dancing, or, like many, they can be religious. This article, however, would be based on the Hindu festival of Deepavali.

But while expounding more on this topic, we should give credence to our grandparents and great-grandparents who migrated from India to Guyana. They brought with them their religions, their

traditions, their culture, their festivals, and those were subsequently passed on to our generation. Of the numerous festivals they brought with them, one of them is Deepavali.

Deepavali literally means “rows of clay lamps”, and the festival is commonly known as ‘The Festival of Light’. It symbolises the victory of righteousness and the triumph of good over evil. This festival falls in the month of Karthik, during the months of either October or November.

This year, it will be celebrated on the 14th day of November.

The reasons for this festival are innumerable. But the most known reason that is associated with this festival, based on the Hindu epic of Ramayana, is the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya with his wife Sita and his

brother Lakshmana, after their fourteen years of exile in the forests. During this period, the evil Ravana was deposed with the help of Hanuman and Vibhishan.

This festival is also associated with the demise of the demon king Narakasura by Lord Krishna.

It is stated that King Narakasura troubled the villagers and disturbed the penance of the sages, while simultaneously terrorising the gopis of Vrindavan.

Deepavali also marks the onset of the New Year; it literally means “starting afresh, by cleaning our hearts of all darkness and bitterness we have for one another”.

Prior to and during this Deepavali celebration, a healthy and disciplined environment is maintained.

We clean the rooms of our houses, preparing vege-

tarian dishes, making delicious sweets, abstaining from alcohol, and taking a shower before doing our pujas. Hindu temples are also cleaned, and decked with decorations inside and outside. At dusk, as the sun sets, diyas are lit both at homes and in temples, and are placed on altars, along the steps, and in the pathways. Devotees can be seen dressed in their traditional Hindu clothing as they saunter their way to the temples.

During the puja ceremony, homage is paid to Mother Maha Lakshmi, to give us an abundance of faith, success and prosperity in our lives. Traditional songs are sung, accompanied by traditional dances, while stories are told relative to this festival.

However, to culminate this festival, flotillas of vehicles

Dear Editor, It is with a heavy heart that I write to you. While we wait for the Police to complete their investigations into the heartbreaking death of the four-day-old baby girl, many thoughts flood my mind.

It breaks my heart every time I read about a child or baby being sexually abused.

While I in no way support sexual abuse of anyone, it is even more painful when I read or hear of the sexual abuse of babies and children. It boggles my mind to think that anyone can look at a child or baby and be sexually aroused.

The term “pedophilia” is used by experts to describe such an individual. Call it what you may, I call it “sadistic” and “inhumane.”

I believe it is reprehensible, and those found guilty should be punished to the full extent of the law.

While I am no psychologist or expert, I believe I can pronounce on the lasting impact, the trauma, that is left on the abused. Most abused victims are almost never able to trust anyone ever again, which affects almost every relationship they try to build. Some remain devoid of personal attachment, while many experience problems with physical intimacy. Some even have trouble looking at themselves in the mirror.

Some take extremely long showers in the attempt to wash away the filth.

The effects of abuse are lifelong, and there really aren’t proven ways to deal with the lifelong effects of sexual abuse. One copes on a daily basis; some days are better than some. The lasting effects of child sexual abuse are plentiful, and would require more than

just a letter to explain and discuss.

My appeal is to the adults, the older siblings, the neighbours, the family members: Please help to keep our little ones safe.

Please protect them at all cost. Do not hurt them. Do not abuse them. Do not take their innocence from them.

It is our responsibility to ensure they are loved and cared for.

I have always said that we don’t get to choose our parents, and as such, parents have a right and obligation to protect the children

they chose to bring into the world. I know this is another debatable topic, but let’s leave that for another time.

It is my hope that good sense and compassion

would prevail, and we are able to stop sexual abuse in any shape and form.

Stop abusing our children Yours faithfully, I Ram

are often decked with myriads of lights and colours, accompanied with the traditional songs and dances that meander through the villages and towns.

Today, as we herald a new beginning in our divided and beautiful country of Guyana, let us invoke the spirit of Deepavali in our hearts, despite our

different religions and races. Guyana’s unity is in its diversity, as unity gives us courage, power and strength, while simultaneously not forgetting the phrase “united we stand, divided we fall”.

Respectfully, Mani Jadunauth

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020

Page

Foundation ◄

Æsop’s Fables

FOR CHILDREN Liquid volume is the amount of liquid a container can hold.The customary units of liquid volume (that is the units commonly used) are cups (c); pints (pt); quarts (qt); and gallons (gal).

1 pint = 2 c 1 quart = 2 pt 1 gallon = 4 qt You can compare these units to each other.

Example: How many cups are in a gallon?

Step 1: You know that there are 4 quarts in a gallon, and there are 2 pints in a quart. So multiply the number of quarts x 2 to find out how many pints are in a gallon.

Step 2: 4 x 2 = 8 pints in a gallon.

Step 3: You know that there are 2 cups in a pint. So multiply the number of pints x 2.

Step 4: 8 x 2 = 16 cups in a gallon.

The standard units of measurement that should be used in Guyana are the metric measurements. It is necessary to know customary units of liquid volume to convert them to metric units.

Materials Coloured paper sheets Circle punch Double-sided tacky tape Glitter foam/gold paper/mirror paper. etc Scissors Method Using the circle punch, make 12 five-inch circles (the circles could also be cut out with scissors) Fold each circle in half and then again in half to form a quarter of a circle. Next, paste adhesive tape from the centre of the folded paper dividing it into half (see photo 2). Then

Remember: You do not have to add the plural s when you abbreviate units of measurement.

Exercises: Convert 1) 1 gallon is how many pints?

2) 24 quarts is how many gallons?

3) A 12-gallon gas tank holds how many quarts?

4) 500 cups is how many pints?

5)20 quarts is how many cups?

6)675 cups is how many quarts?

7) 17.25 pints is how many gallons?

8)900 gallons is how many cups?

Thursday’s answers 1) 78 inches 2) 190, 080 inches 3) 2.16 yards 4) 3.25 feet 5)61.5 feet 6) 243 inches 7) 30, 360 yards 8) 5.1 miles

paste adhesive tape in the same manner on the inside of the folded paper and on the other side.

Once you have done this for all 12 pieces, start peeling the adhesive tape cover and stick the circles together to form a nested 3D figure, which is expandable.

Next, you need a diya flame – use any golden material available which has been cut into flame shape.

Cut a small portion of the flame shape to make a flat area at the base and use hot glue/resin glue to hold the flame straight.

Alternately, you could try inserting the flame a little into the folds of the circles to keep it upright.

That’s it; the diya is ready. (thecraftyangels.com)

T

wo bulls were fighting furiously in a field, at one side of which was a marsh. An old frog living in the marsh trembled as he watched the fierce battle.

“What are you afraid of?” asked a young frog.

“Do you not see,” replied the old frog, “that the bull who is beaten, will be driven away from the good forage up there to the reeds of this marsh, and we shall all be trampled into the mud?”

It turned out as the frog had said. The beaten bull was driven to the marsh, where his great hooves crushed the frogs to death.

WORD SEARCH

NEWS

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

G77 and China Summit

“We must work together to develop, distribute COVID-19 vaccines equitably” – President Ali

President Irfaan Ali delivering the keynote address at Thursday’s opening of 44th Annual Ministerial Meeting of the G77 and China

A

s the world continues to battle the novel coronavirus pandemic, the need for international cooperation for the development and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines was emphasised at the 44th Annual Meeting of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Group of 77 and China, held virtually on Thursday.

Delivering the feature address, President Dr. Irfaan Ali, who currently holds the Chairmanship of the G77, pointed out that the world has found itself in an era that highlights the pivotal role of international cooperation through multilateralism in responding to extant global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic which has devastated countries around the world.

“The rebuilding of our economies and the strengthening of our public health systems will depend in large part on our ability to work together towards developing and distributing COVID-19 vaccines as a global public good. It is imperative therefore that the international community enhances its support for institutions that are best equipped to foster this collective effort, particularly the World Health Organisation (WHO),” the Guyanese Head of State noted.

According to President Ali, Guyana, like the rest of the world, has worked assiduously to formulate a response plan to the pandemic.

He noted that the pandem-

ic has exacerbated existing structural problems and fostered a further widening of the gap between the North and the South.

To this end, he asserted that in order to rebound stronger and better from COVID-19, it is imperative that the global leaders internalise the lessons of the pandemic and chart a more inclusive, balanced, and sustainable development path.

“This requires, fundamentally, for us to address issues such as development gaps and high indebtedness, and to advocate for greater access to development financing…

Our Group has acknowledged the vital importance of multilateralism in finding solutions to the multiple crises which have bedevilled humanity. The efficacy of this mechanism cannot be under-

emphasized at this time,” the President stressed.

President Ali’s plea for international cooperation comes as there continues to be several trials around the world to develop a cure for COVID-19.

Only recently, it was reported that a vaccine developed by a German company - Pfizer and BioNTech – can prevent over 90 per cent of people from contracting the virus.

This preliminary result was found after the vaccine was tested on over 43,000 persons in six countries, reports had indicated.

Already, the Guyana Government has taken steps to access a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available on the market.

Guyana has been identified as one of the countries eligible for coverage under COVAX, a body of organisations including the World Health Organization (WHO), to ensure there is equal access to vaccines.

President of the 75th United Nations General Assembly, Volkan Bozkir, during Thursday’s opening of the G77 Meeting, also sounded calls for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. He highlighted how connected the world has become now more than ever, hence the virus was able to spread to all corners of the planet within mere months.

“Just as we have all been affected, we must also work together to shoulder the burden of recovery, and we know what we must do. We must

75th United Nations General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir

ensure fair and equitable access to vaccines, improve and strengthen global supply chains, and improve knowledge and capacity-sharing to ensure that we are better prepared for such disasters in future scenarios,” he posited.

Bozkir went onto say that, on many of these fronts, the international community has already spoken together.

He said this is demonstrated in the COVAX facility, to which more than 180 member states have signed on.

The UN General Assembly President further pledged to advocate for vaccines for all countries during his tenure. He also charged the Assembly to “build bridges” in order to narrow the disparity among countries, as part of efforts to reform and restore confidence in the international body.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres

Similarly, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres also joined in calling for countries to have equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccines. He noted that the international community has already been called upon to take collective action in providing the $35 billion needed for the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT)-Accelerator, in order to ensure there is equitable access to diagnostics, treatments and vaccines.

“We need any future vaccine to be a people’s vaccine, a global public good available and affordable to all, especially to those most in need…

Recovery from the pandemic, securing climate action and implementing the 2030 Agenda must be one single effort. Social and economic recovery policies, domestic stimulus strategies, and nationally-determined con-

tributions must be coherent and mutually reinforcing,” he stated.

According to the UN SG, he will continue to advocate for these policies with international financial institutions and at the virtual G20 Summit scheduled for next week.

“This has not been a good year for multilateralism and international cooperation.

So far, the world has not seen the unity and solidarity needed to tackle the pandemic, beat the climate crisis, end the weakening of nuclear safeguards, and strengthen cooperation around digital technology,” SG Guterres contended.

Guyana assumed chairmanship of the G77 in January 2020 for one year.

Only last month, it facilitated a flagship event as its Chairmanship winds down.

8 NEWS CC&PA officers, Police among 5 injured in Port Kaituma accident T Desperately FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

wo officers attached to the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA) and a female Constable of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) are among five persons injured after the car in which they were travelling crashed at 10 Miles Access Road, Port Kaituma, North West District (NWD).

The injured CC&PA officers are Bibi Samad, 59, of Oronoque, Port Kaituma, and Merlene Williams, 29, of Cat Walk, Port Kaituma.

The injured woman con-

stable was identified as 28-year-old Keisha Newton, also of Port Kaituma.

The others are the driver, 28-yearold Daniel Da Silva of Citrus Grove, Port Kaituma and 18-yearold Samya Goodman of Water Front, Port Kaituma.

According to information received, on the day in question about 20:30h a motor car bearing registration number PRR 5084 was proceeding along the 10 Miles Access Road, Port

Kaituma, at a fast pace and while the driver was negotiating a left turn, he hit a slush puddle and lost control.

As a result, the car collided with a baranka and turned onto its side, causing the occupants to receive

injuries about their bodies.

They were pulled from the wreckage and taken to the Port Kaituma District Hospital, where they were treated.

Constable Newton, who suffered injury to the left hip, left arm and head, and Samad, who suffered injury to the left hip, were admitted for observation in the female surgical ward.

The others were sent away. An investigation has been launched into the accident.

seeking...

Y

...validation through Kamala our Eyewitness has been looking on with great bemusement at the presumptuousness of some folks at the rise of Kamala Harris, the presumptive VP of the US of A. It began as soon as she waded out of the Democratic Primaries and eventually was selected by Joe Biden as his running mate against Donald Trump. It’s all rather pathetic!! First of all, did you EVER hear about anyone mentioning Trump and Pence?? Yes, that’s right, Pence, Trump’s VP? Remember him?

Think about it - Did Pence ever have any influence in Washington? How about Obama’s VP? The same Joe Biden who might have to defend his victory in court. Exactly which power centre did he command during his four years as VP? His visit to the Caribbean to talk to Caricom about energy policy was about as close as he ever got to “power”!! The concern was that the Caribbean was getting too close to Venezuela and its subsidised PetroCaribe oil.

But back to Kamala. She’s being claimed by Jamaica - through her Jamaican father - even though the woman has maybe NEVER mentioned him after he walked out from her mother and his two daughters. Yes, she visited Jamaica and looked up her roots…but does this mean she has any affinity for Jamaica, Jamaicans and their travails in the world?

And then there’s India. From their Prime Minister Modi down to the villagers in Tamil Nadu of South India, there’s been strident claims for Kamala as “theirs”!! After all, they can point to Kamala’s oft repeated praise of her mother, who came out of the latter locale to attend Berkeley back in the day. But even those claims are fraught with ambiguities. Tamil Nadu has a running battle with the centre of power at Delhi and the entire north for their “dismissal” of Tamil culture and civilization. So, is Kamala going to identify with “India” or “South India”?

What all of this “claiming of Kamala” exposes if the pathetic state of the collective self-esteem of the entire Third World. Your Eyewitness even saw stories out of Nigeria boasting that Kamala’s sister Maya’s (out of wedlock) daughter Meena is married to a Nigerian man!!

Now, as a supposed corrective, some may point to some village in Ireland laying claim to “Irish” Joe Biden.

But then Ireland and the Irish were originally seen as not quite “kosher”, weren’t they?!

What all these folks should realise is the mantra of the US, which will not be violated, no matter who occupies the White House: there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies, just permanent interests.

And as Trump discovered, there’s a “deep state” in the US to ensure that nobody forgets that!! …Kamala’s identity What many folks don’t realise when they impose identities on Kamala Harris is that identities are more influenced by one’s environment that by one’s self. And Kamala’s dominant environment was the good, ole US of A, where the rule on identity – vis-a-vis its major marker, race, - is the “one drop of blood” rule. To wit, that any person with even one drop of “black/African” blood is by definition “Black”.

Kamala has very explicitly declared that her mother raised her and her sister as “Black”. There was no question that the PhD mother from India and the PhD father from Jamaica - who were at the very radical Berkeley University and were engaged in the Civil Rights Movement - were intimately familiar with the “one drop rule”. As children, Kamala and her sister Maya attended a Black church in Oakland and Black cultural events.

As an adult, Kamala consciously applied to, and attended, the historically Black Howard University, and joined its most prestigious Black Sorority.

What else can she do to prove her “blackness”? …allies Coming back to the US and its interests, which Biden will have to protect, China will continue to loom large, so Biden will have to continue Obama’s “pivot to Asia” strategy.

With its extension to include India.

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

9 Termination of “sinecure appointments” done in compliance with law — Nandlall NEWS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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Attorney General Anil Nandlall

ttorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall has insisted that the persons whose services were terminated since the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration took office on August 2, 2020 were those holding “sinecure appointments” and who were unfit and unqualified to carry out their functions in the positions they occupied.

Nandlall noted that contrary to what is being peddled by the Opposition A Partnership for National Unity /Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), the dismissal of those persons was done within the confines of the law and the conditions of their employment contracts.

Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon and other leading coalition officials have accused the Government of terminating persons on the basis of racial and political considerations.

They claimed that the PPP/C administration has been engaged in a campaign to witch-hunt persons who are perceived to be aligned with the APNU/AFC. However Nandlall, in

a recent programme, rubbished such claims by saying that they are completely baseless, and encouraged those who feel they were wrongfully terminated to challenge their dismissal if they wished to do so.

“I keep seeing the Opposition saying that we have been unlawfully dismissing people, I have been reading the contracts carefully, and the notice of dismissals that we have been issuing are all in compliance with the law and with the contracts; and whoever wishes to challenge them, they are free to challenge them,” the Attorney General affirmed.

Nandlall insisted that it is not ordinary public servants who were terminated, but those who were found to be involved in doing “political work” and are clearly not functioning in the public’s interest.

“We are not dismissing ordinary people, we are dismissing those political sycophants…who were installed into the public sector under the last Government, and who are sometimes not qualified for the job, or they got the job simply because of political connections, and not on the basis of meritocracy.”

He added: “They were politicians, if you go to their Facebook pages…their outlets, you will see the type of political work that they were doing…they are not public servants…they were given sinecure appointments, and sinecure appointments are to be terminated, that is why is it sinecure,” Nandlall expressed.

The mega-salaries of political appointees came

Larry London

under the spotlight not long after the new PPP/C Administration assumed office. Persons were found to be occupying positions which were specially created for them without any evidence to show that the nation was benefitting from their engagements as public officers.

For example, People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) supporter, Larry London was one of many who seemingly benefited from specially-created positions which saw him raking in millions of dollars.

London was employed by the former Government as Director of Parks, with a net salary of $500,000 per month and his electricity, internet and telephone bills paid by the State.

Further, he benefited from duty-free allowance for the highest grade of vehicles, and a gratuity of 22.5 per cent every six months.

All the while, London hardly spent any time in Guyana.

London was also the beneficiary of the multimillion-dollar contract for

the printing of birth certificates under the previous Government. He is listed as one of the Directors of a Florida-based company called Universal Procurement Services Inc which was sole-sourced for the printing of some 500,000 birth certificates.

He was also previously involved in the controversial D’Urban Park project where $1 billion was spent by the David Granger Government which cannot account for the spending of the funds.

London was the co-owner of the company, Homestretch Development Incorporated (HDI), which was used by the Government to build the D’Urban Park. Efforts by the Audit Office of Guyana to figure out how the monies were spent over the past few years have been futile.

Further, Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall also stumbled upon a bombshell revelation whereby some $800 million was collectively being paid to over 50 contracted workers of the then Communities Ministry headed by APNU/ AFC’s Ronald Bulkan.

What’s worse is that there is no evidence of the work they had done during their time at the Ministry.

Some of these individuals were Oscar Clarke, who was named special ministerial advisor with a salary of $418,674 with a $25,000 non-taxable duty allowance and a $15,000 telephone allowance per month.

There were several others, including; Rupert

was earning $900,000 per month plus benefits as Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency.

The former Granger Administration had created the post of Director General specifically for Harmon after he was forced to resign as a Member of Parliament and ultimately as the Minister of State in 2019.

In addition to his salary, Harmon received a non-taxable duty allowance of $250,000 per month; a non-taxable entertainment allowance of $100,000 per month; a non-taxable maid allowance of $128,400 per month; and a non-taxable gardener allowance of $65,000 per month.

Moreover, his housing, telephone bills, internet bills, electricity bills, and security were paid for by the State. He also received a motor car and driver provided by the State or duty-free concession of up to 4000cc per three years’ period. Harmon was also benefiting from a gratuity of 22.5 per cent of his basic salary every six months.

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FROM PAGE 3

from the National Recount to Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Retired Justice Claudette Singh, for a final declaration.

The national recount exercise showed that the PPP/C won the elections with 233,336 votes. But Lowenfield had repeatedly refused to submit his final elections report with those figures, despite being so directed by the GECOM Chair on several occasions.

Lowenfield eventually complied, paving the way for the declaration and subsequent swearing in of the new Government on August 2, 2020 – five months after elections were held.

Also before the courts are Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo and Deputy CEO Roxanne Myers.

Ganesh Mahipaul

Hopkinson, the former controversial Regional Executive Officer for Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), was employed as a special advisor who earned $376,807 per month with a non-taxable allowance of $70,000 and telephone allowance of $10,000, every month.

APNU/AFC’s Ganesh Mahipaul was on the Ministry’s payroll with a salary of $210,982 per month and a non-taxable duty allowance of $10,000 per month for being a Community Development Officer of Region Three.

Several questions were raised about what exactly was Mahipaul doing as a Community Development Officer.

Former APNU/AFC Member of Parliament Barbara Pilgrim was also on the payroll receiving $210,982 per month, a $10,000 non-taxable duty allowance and a $10,000 telephone allowance.

Interestingly, senior member of the APNU/AFC coalition, Joseph Harmon

  

Elections 2020 probe vital...

Notwithstanding, the Government had indicated that it would ensure that the process benefits from the viewpoints of all stakeholders.

In the aftermath of the controversial five-monthlong elections, a number of high- ranking GECOM officials have been investigated by the Police and charged for misconduct in public office and for forgery.

They include Lowenfield, who on October 12 was slapped with six charges by the Police relating to forgery and misconduct in public office pertaining to his alleged role in the attempts to rig the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

The CEO is accused of attempting to undermine the will of the people by repeatedly refusing to submit the verified results

Oscar Clarke

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10 NEWS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Prison officers busted with ganja at Lusignan Prison T

wo prison officers attached to the Lusignan Prison are in hot water after a quantity of ganja was found in their quarters during a raid on Wednesday evening Based on reports received, 34-year-old Quincy Jemmott of Schoonord, West Bank Demerara (WBD), and 39-year-old Seon Alert of Fort Ordinance, East Canje, Berbice, were occupying the Cecil Kilkenny Training College when the bust was made.

However, on the day in question between 22:00h and 22:15h, a team of prison officials conducted the search during which a black plastic bag was unearthed in a cupboard hidden under a sink.

The bag was opened in the presence of the two prison officers and two large transparent ziplock bags of cannabis were found within.

The ganja was reportedly handed over to the Police and weighed – amounting to 894.5 grams – in the presence of the two officers.

Both men were placed under close arrest, and an in-

Lusignan Prison

vestigation was launched.

Contraband smuggling has long been a perennial problem within the local prison system, and this is compounded by the fact that both prison wardens and Police Officers are facilitating the illegal trade, which is said to be “big business”.

While the authorities have been struggling to curb the illegal practice, there has been a breakthrough in the apparent network among rogue officers. In fact, in 2018, two prison wardens were implicated in contraband smug-

gling at two separate facilities.

One of the officers was caught on camera with a parcel containing 1032 grams of marijuana and 39 packs of cigarettes, which had been thrown over the fence at the New Amsterdam Prison and then hidden in the facility’s kitchen. He later admitted to committing the act.

The other officer was taken into custody after an inmate at the Timehri Prison was found with a container of 584 grams of marijuana in the compound.

The prisoner said he was

given the illicit substance by the officer, who has since

denied the allegation.

Meanwhile, last month, four prison officers were arrested after they smuggled a bottle of rum and a pack of cigarettes into the Lusignan Prison the weekend prior.

These officers were subsequently charged and interdicted from duty.

Furthermore, five other prison officers were relieved of duty back in July after they were implicated in an incident wherein a parcel containing cannabis had been thrown into the Lusignan Prison holding bay area.

Following this development, the Guyana Prison

Service had offered incentives worth as much as $25,000 to expose criminal activities and elements in the prison system.

Prison Director Gladwin Samuels had stated then that “the Ministry of Public Security and the Guyana Prison Service would like to see officers speak out on corruption at all levels. As such, officers are encouraged to help in this fight.

For all those officers who come forward with details that can result in detection and prosecution, they will be given an incentive of between $15,000 (and) $25,000”.

Shopkeeper, miner injured during brawl over metal detector

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wenty-four-yearold Kevon Thomas, a shopkeeper of Big Creek Backdam, North West District (NWD) and of Pakera Village, Matthews Ridge, was on Monday evening chopped during a misunderstanding.

The suspect, a 27-yearold miner, also of Big Creek Backdam, was allegedly injured too during the incident.

Based on reports received, about 18:30h on the day in question, the suspect’s brother and Thomas had a misunderstanding over a gold detector. During the argument, Thomas reportedly took

away the detector that belonged to the suspect.

However, the young man went home and informed the suspect what had transpired. So, the suspect armed himself with a cutlass and went to Thomas’s shop where he dealt him a chop to the left hand. In trying to escape the attack, the injured man reportedly jumped into a clump of bushes and the suspect left.

Soon after, the injured man came out of hiding and was taken to the Matthews Ridge District Hospital, where he was treated, but given the severity of his injuries, he was later transferred to the Georgetown

Public Hospital.

The suspect was found at Big Creek Backdam one day after, and he had sustained lacerations to his head. He told Police that he was first chopped by Thomas and in retaliation, he chopped the victim.

The suspect was told of the offence committed, cautioned and arrested after which he was escorted to the Matthews Ridge District Hospital, where he was treated and handed over to the Police. He is expected to be charged shortly for inflicting grievous bodily harm.

An investigation was launched into the chopping incident.

NEWS

11

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Murder of WCB teens

5 remain in custody as Police check out alibis – source W ith $3 million up for grabs as a reward for any information that may lead to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the murders of Isaiah and Joel Henry and Haresh Singh, the Police have received information which led to the arrest of five men earlier in the week.

Based on reports received, the five men, all of whom are from Rosignol, West Coast Berbice (WCB), remain in custody and are being interrogated by detectives. A source told Guyana Times that the Police received information and have acted accordingly.

He noted that it is too early to determine if the men in custody were involved in the murder of the Henry boys whose mutilated bodies were found in a backdam at Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice (WCB) on September 6, and Haresh Singh whose body was discovered on September 9, 2020.

The source explained that the men have all provided alibis, which are presently being checked out by the investigators. The source nevertheless stated that they are not ruling out any leads that may arrive at the detectives’ desks at this

Murdered: Isaiah Henry, Joel Henry and Haresh Singh

point in time.

“Once a lead is provided, we will pursue same until the end… All we want are those responsible for the teens’ deaths, so that that parents, family, villagers and the country as a whole could have closure.”

On this note, however, the source stated that the investigation is active and is being very careful in collecting data and evidence which would not see the wrong person (s) being prosecuted for the heinous crime.

“The Police continue to interrogate the five men who are in custody,” the source stated.

Only recently, a

five-member team of investigators from the Regional Security System (RSS) visited Guyana to assist the Guyana Police Force (GPF) with its investigations into the murders.

After its investigations, the team recommended that the Police Force do more work, while noting that the local detectives are competent to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.

President Dr Irfaan Ali, prompted for a comment on the content of the RSS report, stated, “I have been briefed on the content of it [the report], and what I have been told is that the RSS did some work, they recom-

mended some additional work to be done, but in total they were satisfied with the work the local Police have done.”

On September 6, the bodies of Isaiah and Joel Henry were found in the backlands of Cotton Tree, WCB – almost one day after they were reported missing. They had left their Number Three Village, WCB home to pick coconuts in the backlands, but did not return home.

Their butchered bodies were found in clumps of bushes partially covered in mud, after relatives went in search of them.

The news of their deaths sparked protests across sev-

eral villages along the West Berbice corridor, where commuters and other innocent persons were beaten and robbed. With roads blocked, some vehicles were also torched.

And then, on September 9, 17-year-old Haresh Singh was found murdered at the Number Three Village backlands. It is suspected that his death was in retaliation for the murders of Isaiah and Joel, since he is related to one of the persons initially held by the Police.

Several persons who were arrested for the murder of the Henry teens were released on station bail, while to date, no arrest has been made in relation to Singh’s murder.

All three teens suffered horrendous deaths.

According to post-mortem results, the Henry teens died as a result of haemorrhage and shock owing to the extent of their wounds; their spines were also severed. In the case of Singh, his death was a result of a brain haemorrhage, blunt trauma to the head compounded by compression injuries to the neck.

Police had explained that the location where the bodies of the Henry boys were found was not the primary

crime scene; that is, it was not the location where the young men were killed.

“Person(s) moved the bodies after the murder and placed them at the locations where they were subsequently discovered,” the GPF had explained.

Notwithstanding, some forensic evidence was retrieved from the secondary crime scene, and it was submitted to the Guyana Forensic Laboratory for DNA analysis to be conducted.

The GPF had also explained that DNA samples were collected from the suspects who were initially in custody and sent for comparative analysis. On September 14, the Force explained that the results would be available in three weeks.

The results, however, came back but none of the samples that were taken to St. Lucia implicated any of the men who were initially taken into custody.

Meanwhile, an Argentine Team of Forensic Anthropology, the world’s foremost agency in forensic anthropology, which was expected to support the Police Force in its probe, is yet to arrive. Of recent, there were no updates with respect to the team’s visit.

Lima Sands gets $4M culvert to alleviate flooding

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he Essequibo Coast villages of Lima Sands and Dredge Creek are now breathing a sigh of relief after work began on the construction of a $4 million culvert in an effort to alleviate flooding in the villages.

Some 2,000 residents are expected to benefit when the Pomeroon – Supenaam Regional Democratic Council (RDC) completes construction od the culvert across the Lima Sands Road.

Region Two Vice Chairman Humace Oudit and the Overseer checking the construction of the concrete culvert across Lima Sands Road

According to the project report, it is 65 per cent completed and the deadline for completion is by the end of the year.

The RDC had budgeted for the culvert to alleviate continual flooding from the backlands and the Tapakuma savannah.

Regional Vice-Chairman, Humace Oudit said the culvert is one of the many initiatives the regional administration has undertaken to

enhance residents’ lives.

“There are other minor projects, unlike this major one, within communities like Dartmouth, and Charity – that community’s bridge broke down [and] is currently being fixed… We will address all needs to be done,” he said.

Earlier this year, Lima Sands residents commended the RDC for the rehabilitation of their main access road. The project was

undertaken after consultations among residents, then Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt and Mayor of Anna Regina Rajendra Prabhulall.

In 2018, the RDC started construction on a new section of road. It was subsequently abandoned after Councillors had argued that the new construction was narrow and inferior and had started to erode one month after initial construction.

12 NEWS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

AGT Energy Group Inc signs MoU with Aqueos to provide subsea services

President and CEO of Aqueos, Ted Roche; Oil and Gas Consultant for DCEL, Darren Debideen; COO of Aqueos, Eric Legendre and Managing Director of AGT Energy Group, Danny Balkissoon

A

queos Corporation and AGT Energy Group Inc., on Wednesday signed

onto a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide subsea and other marine services to

Guyana’s growing oil and gas sector.

Aqueos currently has a five-year enabling agree-

ment with ExxonMobil Guyana, to provide surface and deep-water commercial diving and ROV services.

The company is the only approved diving contractor for ExxonMobil in Guyana.

The MoU was signed at the AGT’s local office at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD)

by President and Chief Executive Office, Ted Roche and Managing Director of AGT Energy Group Inc. Danny Balkissoon. Also present at the signing were Chief Operations Officer of Aqueos, Eric Legendre and Oil and Gas Consultant for DCEL, Darren Debideen.

After the signing of the agreement, Roche stated, “We see this as a strategic initiative for our company since it is really important to align with the right group and that is AGT, and

DCEL who will help to provide local talent.”

The CEO added that Guyana’s oil and gas sector is extremely important to the growth of the country and its people, and as such his company is committed to providing local content wherever it can.

“We remain committed to training additional Guyanese to fill the projects under our portfolio,” he added.

Aqueos Corporation is a premier provider of subsea services to both the oil and gas and civil markets in the Gulf of Mexico and the US Pacific Coast. The company provides marine construction and specialty subsea services, including commercial diving, remotely operated vehicles (ROV), and vessel services, from offices in Texas, Louisiana

and California.

The company is celebrating its 20th anniversary in the marine services business.

On the other hand, AGT Energy Group Inc. is a member of the oil and gas services consortium led by Demerara Contractors and Engineers Limited (DCEL), a subsidiary of Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL).

DCEL’s Oil and Gas Consultant, Darren Debideen says “This is an exciting development for DCEL. This consortium was established to provide services to the oil and gas majors operating in Guyana, and with Aqueos already having a contract with ExxonMobil this augur well for our growth and for getting more Guyanese trained for jobs in the industry.”

Education Minister meets with teachers, parents in Region 9 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) and met with Regional Chairman Daron Adams and Regional Executive Officer Dwight John.

Discussions were held on strategies that can be employed for the delivery of quality education in schools amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the Regional Chairman and Regional Executive Officer indicated their observations, while alluding to measures that were put in place to ensure the safety of students and teachers.

The Chief Education Officer, and Technical Facilitator Kerwin Jacobs, also visited the Department of Education, Region 10. A team was formulated to visit Mackenzie High, Linden Foundation and Harmony Secondary schools.

Residents of Aishalton Village, Region Nine, during the meeting on Wednesday

Education Minister Priya Manickchand chats with seven-year-old Rhys Thomas of Aishalton Primary

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ducation Minister Priya Manickchand met with teachers, parents, students and other residents of Aishalton in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) on Wednesday, and numerous concerns were discussed.

In discussion, Manickchand addressed the concerns made by the residents, briefing them about issues inclusive of the reopening of school and the provision of solar panels in the Region to ensure access to the Learning Channels, among other

matters.

She also visited Sand Creek where she engaged students at the Sand Creek Secondary School as they, too, returned to the classroom this week. Minister Manickchand also took the opportunity to speak to parents and residents of the community at a meeting, where they were briefed on several issues, including the delivery of education in the region during this time.

Meanwhile, also on Wednesday, Chief Education Officer Dr Marcel Hutson visited Region 10

Parents and teachers of Lethem discuss matters related to education delivery within the town

At the schools, Dr Hutson spoke with teachers and students on the im-

portance of the reopening of their schools, and why it is imperative to adhere

to the COVID-19 protocols. School administrators provided status updates

on attendance of students and the distribution of care packages and PPEs to teachers and students.

Areas focused on regarding the visits included: timetabling, mode of teaching, social distancing practice, sanitisation, running water facilities and temperature testing.

The visits revealed that all the schools were adequately prepared for reopening. Upon completion of the visits to schools, the Chief Education Officer held a brief meeting with Education Officers at the Department of Education, addressing the importance of strong leadership.

EWS

13

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GEA inks $1B agreement for Restaurant Week kicks hinterland solar power plants off on Nov 20

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GEA boss, Dr Mahender Sharma and officials of Farfan & Mendes Limited and SOVENTIX Caribbean SRL at the signing

T

he Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) has entered into an agreement with Farfan & Mendes Limited and SOVENTIX Caribbean SRL for the execution of the engineering, procurement, construction ,and installation of solar photovoltaic power plants, including battery energy storage systems, for Bartica and Lethem.

The signing was held on Wednesday at the Office of the Prime Minister in the presence of Permanent Secretary Derrick Cummings; GEA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Mahender Sharma; Farfan & Mendes and SOVENTIX Alternative Energy Manager Martin Carto and GEA Project Coordinator Mfon Akpan.

Farfan & Mendes Limited and SOVENTIX Caribbean S.R.L were among eight companies – both local and international – which participated in the bidding process that commenced with the opening

of bids on January 7, 2020.

Farfan & Mendes Limited and SOVENTIX Caribbean SRL have complied with all the requirements necessary for the execution of the project, inclusive of being substantially responsive to the terms and conditions of the bidding documents and also representing the lowest evaluated cost.

The total contract amount for the two solar PV farms at Lethem and Bartica is $1.098 billion. The duration for the completion of the two projects is estimated at 330 days.

This project falls under the renewable energy solutions for the hinterland – one of the major components under the Energy Matrix Diversification and Strengthening of the Department of Energy (EMISDE) programme funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

The renewable energy solutions for the hinterland seek to address the energy diver-

sification policy goals of the Government of Guyana, by increasing electricity access for the hinterland/rural areas with renewable energy solutions.

By the end of 2023, this programme will finance the investment in solar technology by providing a reliable electricity source for the expanding needs of power supply in the three hinterland townships currently relying on fossil fuel. This will involve the installation of three solar PV farms at Bartica (1.5 megawatts), Lethem (1.0MW); and Mahdia (0.65MW), totalling approximately 3.15MWs and implementation of a storage capacity to manage intermittence of these sources.

The GEA expressed its appreciation to all the companies involved in the bidding process and looked forward to their active participation during the upcoming bidding process for the Mahdia solar PV farm.

he tourism sector was one of the industries most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hence, authorities are eager to employ all efforts to ensure the sector rebounds.

With this in mind, the famed Guyana Restaurant Week will be used to stimulate the industry under strict guidelines from November 20 to November 29, 2020.

During an interview, Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) President Mitra Ramkumar explained that all participating restaurants would be following the guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).

According to Ramkumar, tables will be spaced at a physical distance of about two metres (six feet).

Members of staff are required to supervise physical distancing in waiting areas and queues.

“You will find on the Guyana Restaurant Week

Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana President Mitra Ramkumar

page an entire section that is dedicated to COVID-19 protocol, and it covers everything in terms of sanitisation…,” he said.

In fact, he explained that with the relaxed COVID-19 measures, restaurants across Guyana will be able to host persons in a safe environment.

He said they were also pushing for the use of delivery services, since some restaurants do not have the

capacity for outdoor dining.

“If you cannot come to us, we will come to you… we have employed the services delivery – Hero Carts…. some of the facilities will be doing deliveries as well and some of them have said delivery will be on them, which is an added benefit…” he posited.

Unfortunately, Ramkumar said there has been a decrease in the number of participants this year compared to the previous years. He said this did not make him feel disappointed, but rather, encouraged him, since he was not expecting to have about 16 participants.

Nevertheless, all restaurants will offer special menus and wine, priced at $3000 for lunch, or $5000/$6000 for dinner depending on the restaurant.

The full list of participating restaurants can be found on the Guyana Restaurant Week’s website.

This initiative allows persons to experience fine dining at affordable prices.

Active cases in Kwebanna declining – Minister Anthony

T

he surge in COVID-19 cases at Kwebanna, Region One (BarimaWaini) is under control and active cases are declining on a weekly basis, according to Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony.

The Minister credited this positive outcome to the measures that were imposed in the community. During the COVID-19 update on Thursday, the Minister stated that there were 37 active cases – a significant reduction from the initial figure.

By this weekend, more persons will be discharged.

“The hotspot that we’ve been monitoring is basically Kwebanna. About two weeks ago, we had about 62. Now, we’re down to 37.

Over the weekend, we expect to discharge a number of persons, so I think the measures that we’ve put in place in Kwebanna have been working and that’s why we’ve gotten a reduction of cases,” he indicated.

Presently, a medical team is still on site and is continuing to monitor persons in isolation. The Village Council has also aided the Ministry to curb any further spread.

“So far, we are very pleased with the way people have been collaborating and cooperating with us.

The Village Council has really helped us and they’ve worked very closely with the Ministry of Health. With their collaboration, we’ve been able to curtail the number of cases that we have in Kwebanna,” Dr Anthony said.

In neighbouring villages, a few cases were detected. A similar approach was taken, where teams were dispatched to the commu-

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

nities, talking to residents about COVID-19 prevention and isolating those who tested positive.

“Those numbers are going down as well. We remain vigilant and the community remains vigilant that we will see those numbers decreasing even further,” Dr Anthony noted.

Kwebanna – located in the Moruca sub-district – was under lockdown for 14 days, following the detection of dozens of new cases last month. This was the second time a Region One community had been labelled a hotspot.

Recently, a decision was also taken to strengthen the medical team in St Cuthbert’s Mission, to ensure that COVID-19 patients are given adequate treatment. As of Wednesday, there were close to 100 cases in the community. On Thursday, there were 168.

Addressing this issue, the Minister said they continued to work in the community to bring the situ-

ation under control. The entrance and exit are under watch.

“It’s quite a large village and they’re spread over a large territory. Therefore, sometimes trying to monitor everybody can pose a challenge. However, at the main entrance and exits in St Cuthbert’s, we have been maintaining a presence there and we’ve been deterring residents from going out,” Dr Anthony said.

Dr Anthony cautioned: “As we do more testing, the numbers will go up. We have to get people to self-isolate; we have to get people to reduce their social activity in St Cuthbert’s and I guess once we’re able to accomplish that with some level of social distancing, then we’ll be able to bring the situation under control.”

The Civil Defence Commission is continuously assisting with hampers.

Within three weeks, it is predicted that there will be a steep decline in active cases.

14 NEWS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

COVID-19 death toll jumps to 138 …44 new cases recorded

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here has been another death from the COVID-19 pandemic, raising Guyana’s overall death toll to 138.

The latest fatality is a 61-year-old male from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) who died while receiving care at a medical facility. He had succumbed on Wednesday.

Also, on Wednesday, a 74-year-old male from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice) and a 74-yearold woman from Region Four, both died while receiving care at medical facilities. Guyana has recorded four deaths from the coronavirus for the week thus far but 10 have been recorded for the month of November.

However, the total number of cases has risen to 4662 following 44 new cases on Thursday.

This is a total of 2449 males and 2213 females. The daily dashboard also showed 11 persons remain in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

There are 56 persons in home isolation, 839 on home isolation and 29 in institutional quarantine. There are 3616 recoveries, which indicates that five recoveries were recorded within a 24hour period.

Nevertheless, a breakdown shows that seven new cases were recorded in Region One, eight in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), 31 in Region Four, one in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), two

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

tive or not. Our intention and the protocol that we have been developing for the use of these rapid kits, is to use them on people who would present with certain signs and symptoms,” Dr Anthony outlined.

In the meanwhile, Guyanese are reminded to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 MERGENCY MEASURES (NO. 10), which are in effect until November 31, 2020. This order emphasises, among other things, the need

for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving your home; the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others; and the need for good hand-hygiene to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or need any additional information, kindly contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit us at www.health.gov. gy.

$1.5M Magnum Tonic holiday promotion launched

in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), two in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and four in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The number of cases in Regions Two (PomeroonSupenaam), Eight (PotaroSiparuni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) remained at 92, 144 and 376 respectively.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony said while two laboratories – the National Public Health Refence and Eureka – are certified to conduct PCR testing, other agencies have applied.

“There are other labs that have applied and we are going to assess them to see whether or not they have all the things in place to be able to do PCR testing,” he shared.

In addition to PCR testing, there are antigen tests which can detect fragments of the virus. They are rapid tests which take some 15 minutes, and Guyana is seeking to use them in conjunction with the gold standard PCR test kits.

“It’s a very simple process and you would be able to get a fairly good picture of whether the person is posi-

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Members of the ANSA McAL team at the launch on Thursday

agnum Tonic Wine, distributed by Ansa McAL Trading Limited, on Thursday launched its “Tek Charge of the Season” promotion in Guyana.

This promotional campaign will give consumers the chance to win over $1.5 million in cash and prizes by purchasing a marked three-pack of the beverage. The promotion ends in January 2021.

“Magnum Tonic Wine’s Tek Charge of the Season promotion not only gives consumers the opportunity to win instant prizes, but also a chance to enter for the grand prize draw.

Persons will be able to en-

ter at any of the participating retail outlets, which will have a drop box provided, as we want to ensure that as many persons as possible will be able to enter and win big,” Brand Manager of Magnum Tonic Wine, Jamal Baird, stated.

To enter this promotion via drop box at these participating locations, consumers should fill out the entry form found on the back of the Magnum threepack neck hanger with their names, phone numbers and email, after which they drop it in the entry box provided.

“Magnum Tonic Wine is synonymous with entertainment and dancehall in the Caribbean region. While it

may be impractical to gather for events during this time, Magnum Tonic Wine is still empowering its consumers to tek charge, even if it’s at home. With Tek Charge of the Season, we will be bringing some much needed (relief) to the holiday season by rewarding our consumers with cash and prizes,” the brand’s Marketing Manager for the region, Kamal Powell, added.

The Magnum Tonic Wine Tek Charge of the Season promotion ends on January 15, 2021, and there will be a live Grand Prize Draw on January 19. Broadcast details are to follow for the draw.

GTT to implement 3G software, 17 2G sites to be upgraded

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he Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) will soon implement a new 3G software and will be turning down 17 of its 2G cell sites across Guyana on November 15, 2020.

As a result of the enhancement, customers with 2G devices will no longer be able to connect to cell towers at the 2G layer.

“We are not shutting down our 2G network; however, some of the 2G equipment is categorised as ‘End of Life’ and has been replaced by more modern 3G network equipment. If you have a 3G or 4G phone you will not notice this change,” Chief Executive Officer Justin Nedd stated.

“The new software we

are implementing is not compatible with the older equipment, since some wellknown 2G brands are longer in business. However, customers will benefit overall from this upgrade, since they will see enhanced speeds in mobile coverage.”

The telecommunications CEO further explained that ‘2G network’ refers to the second generation of mobile telecommunication technologies, which include

standards like GPRS and EDGE that send mobile data at rates measured in kilobits per second (Kbps) as compared to the ‘G network’ or third-generation mobile networks with increased mobile data speeds of megabits per second (Mbps).

“In other words, each successive generation of mobile networks is better equipped to deliver online content as well as multimedia, like videos and images, to users as quickly as possible,” Nedd stated.

The CEO therefore encourages all customers with 2G cell phones to upgrade their device to 3G to benefit from the speeds and capacity of the scheduled upgrade.

15 “No matter the school you attend, pursue your academic dreams” – newest Attorney NEWS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

where he completed the oneyear pre-law programme which he passed with distinction. He began reading for his Bachelors of Law Degree that same year, and graduated in 2018, having passed with credit.

That same year, in pursuit of his LEC, he migrated to Trinidad to attend the HWLS. In addition to obtaining his certificate to practise law, he was also awarded a certificate of completion having successfully completed the Energy Law Specialist Clinic programme at the law school.

During his in-service training while attending

Mohamed Ali is flanked by his proud parents

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ohamed Muntaz Ali is the newest Attorney-at-Law admitted to the Guyana Bar. This former student of the Campbellville Secondary School is advising others to pursue their academic goals even if the school they attended is not among the top performers in Guyana.

Ali told Guyana Times, “My journey should be an inspiration to other youths.

I did not attend a top secondary school. I started my journey at the New Campbellville Secondary School, but I did not allow that to lower me in the pursuit of my academic goals.”

He related that his parents, relatives, and close friends were the driving forces behind his success.

His petition was presented on Tuesday by his aunt, Attorney-at-Law Jamela Ali before acting Chief Justice Roxane George at the High Court in Demerara.

Ali graduated from the Hugh Wooding Law School (HWLS) in September 2020 with his Legal Education Certificate (LEC).

Born on December 18, 1998, he is the second of three children born to Mohamed Abdul Aziz Ali and Sunita Durgah. His father is retired, while his mother is the Headmistress at the St Margaret’s Primary School. Ali’s sister, Janet Adeba Ali was admitted to the Bar in 2019.

In presenting the petition on behalf of her nephew, Jamela Ali told the court that it was a very proud moment for his parents.

“Mohamed Muntaz comes from a family of lawyers from his paternal side.

There are at least four generations of lawyers – grandfather, aunt, uncle, sister and cousins. His late grandfather [after whom he was named] was an Attorneyat-Law who was admitted to the Bar in 1954, and who

was a former lecturer at the HWLS,” she noted.

Ali is also the nephew of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC. He graduated from the New Campbellville Secondary School in 2014 with passes in nine subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations.

Apart from being named valedictorian, he was the best graduating student in Mathematics; English A; History; Electronic Document Preparation and Management (EDPM); Visual Arts; Integrated Science and Social Studies.

He had also received a certificate of recognition for outstanding performance in Mathematics in Grades 9 and 10.

This young man commenced his tertiary education in 2014 at the University of Guyana’s Department of Sociology

Over 2500 households to benefit from upgraded water treatment plant at Eccles

GWI’s Executive Director of Operations, Dwayne Shako stands beside one of the filters which were modified

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ore than 2500 households in Eccles and surrounding areas on the East Bank of Demerara will soon benefit from an improved quality of water.

This is as a result of ongoing water quality improvement works at the Eccles Water Treatment Plant, which serves residents of Eccles, Bagotstown, Republic Park, Nandy

Park, Republic Gardens and Windsor Estate.

Guyana Water Inc (GWI) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shaik Baksh and a technical team visited the facility on Thursday to assess the improvements to the aged filtration system which was out of operation for the past three years.

The filters are being modified to facilitate the introduction of manganese dioxide filter media, which has better iron removal efficiency and an improved hydraulic filtration rate than the silica sand media of the traditional treatment process.

This re-engineering of the existing treatment process is being executed by GWI’s in-house technical team.

HWLS, he was attached to his Aunt Jamela’s law chambers. She has been practising at the Civil Bar for over 28 years and has served as the President of the Mediation Institute of Guyana.

Ali also completed the HWLS clinical education programme at the Legal Aid Clinic. “…You have done exceedingly well academically. I can only add and hope that you will communicate, make the right decisions, always be filled with gratitude as you embark on your chosen career to the land of success and achievements.

As you pursue your legal career, you will find those qualities will serve you well, together with hard work, research of legal issues, and respect to all,” Jamela Ali said in lending a word of advice to her nephew.

According to her, during his stint at her chambers, he displayed discipline, punctuality and towering dedication to his duties as well as excellent legal drafting capability. This young lawyer enjoys painting and drawing, playing tennis, swimming, yoga, cricket, draughts, chess, listening to music, and watching movies.

Road Safety body calls for removal of stalls on Vreed-en-Hoop pavement

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Stalls occupying the pavement at Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling

he Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) Road Safety Council has called for the removal of stalls along the Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling, which have been obstructing pedestrians.

On Wednesday, the Council noted that the illegal stalls were blocking the pedestrian crossing, thus endangering road users.

It was indicated that while a few stalls were initially set up at the area; more have been set up and the site now resembles a marketplace.

When Guyana Times visited the area on Thursday, both pedestrians and taxi drivers complained bitterly about the issue. It was evident that persons were forced to walk on the busy roadways.

The Vreed-en-Hoop Stelling is one of the busiest places in the region, and the illegal stalls are having a negative impact on many.

One woman, who gave her name as Pamela, said these establishments needed to remove from the pavement.

“This is honestly an eyesore for us. We have everything organised and then people just come and set up a stall and start selling. Then from one person, it reached five and so the number growing. Soon there won’t be anywhere to walk because of this situation right here,” the woman complained.

Meanwhile, one taxi driver was forced to stop on the roadway itself in order for passengers to disembark his vehicle.

He explained, “You see this here. I got to block up the road and people behind me, because I can’t put them on the pave. It get a big stall there illegally. I got to put people out of the car on the road. We don’t know what going on here.”

The structures were erected several months ago.

The taxi driver contend-

ed that there was a Police Station in close proximity and the matter was reported. However, stern action has not been taken to remove the illegal vendors.

“There’s Police at the traffic light every day.

People keep making reports and nothing happening. It’s like they turning a blind eye to things like this,” he added.

The Vreed-en-Hoop Public Road was part of the 30.7-kilometre road improvement project, which was completed in 2018.

Some of the features which were added to the new roadway include a widened section for cyclists and pedestrians at key junctions, the installation of traffic signs, pedestrian and road markings, concrete drains and the construction of parking lanes along identified sections.

Persons who traverse the area and residents are calling on the relevant authorities to ensure that these illegal structures are removed.

16 NEWS Efforts must be redoubled to eradicate poverty, achieve SDGs – Todd tells G77 meeting FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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oreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd on Thursday told the 44th Annual Ministerial Meeting of the G77 and China that international efforts would have to be redoubled in order to tackle the various global scourges such as poverty, climate change and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

“Collectively, we must redouble our efforts to eradicate poverty and inequality, deal with the impacts and threat of climate change and work towards achieving the 17 interconnected and indivisible Sustainable Development Goals,” Todd said during his presentation.

The meeting is being held under the theme, “Global response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the obstacles it poses to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and achievement of the SDGs.” According to the Minister, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the weaknesses of the world’s public health systems, putting immense strain on healthcare provisions, and widening socio-economic divides.

“In short order, our de-

velopment priorities shifted to the immediate task of saving lives and livelihoods.

Rapid building-up of capacity for the effective distribution of social services became imperative, in the face of deepening inequalities, increased gender-based violence and greater vulnerability among children, youth and marginalised households. But we cannot relent in our primary aim to eradicate poverty and inequality,” he asserted.

Todd noted that Universitas Negeri Surabaya (UNDESA) estimates that over 34 million people globally would be pushed into extreme poverty this year alone while the World Bank projects between 71 million and 100 million people will be pushed into extreme poverty this year.

“One thing is certain,

Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd

that the gains of development of the past decades and the progress made in the fight against extreme poverty have been eroded. The social cost of the COVID-19 pandemic is unfathomable. Children in poor households suffer disproportionally from the closure of schools, with limited or often no access to digital learning facilities and often missing out on school feeding initiatives.

“The World Bank estimates that school closures could cause over seven million students to discontinue their education, drastically increasing their chances of living in poverty. An additional 10 million children globally could face acute malnutrition, with a doubling of the number of people facing acute food inse-

curity in 2020 relative to 2019,” the Foreign Affairs Minister posited.

Globally, some 243 million women and girls between the ages of 15 and 49 have been subjected to sexual and/or physical violence perpetrated by an intimate partner in the previous 12 months.

According to Todd, this number is likely to increase as security, health, and money worries heighten tensions, and strains are accentuated by cramped and confined living conditions.

“Our policy response has evolved, firstly, around the

need to save lives and provide critical household support; secondly, in maintaining financial stability, and; thirdly, in providing liquidity and other support to business, particularly small and medium enterprises,” he stated.

Minister Todd further told the G77 Meeting that not only are world governments forced to consider shifts in policy priorities, but there are clear signs of even greater shifts by development partners. This is evident in the fact that an estimated 10 trillion dollars were spent by G20 developed economies in COVID-19 stimulus packages, in the first few months of the pandemic alone.

To this end, he pointed out that Official Development Assistance could be the most assured form of financial support in the global response to the pandemic and in global efforts to rebuild economic and social structures.

While Official Development Assistance has declined in 2018 and

GNBS to monitor electrical devices from January

Region 5 to receive COVID-19 cash grant next week ─ Region 4 to follow

Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall

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ore than 200,000 Region Four and Five residents will receive the Government’s $25,000 per household COVID-19 relief cash grant over the next two weeks.

Local Government and Regional Development Minister Nigel Dharamlall made this disclosure during a meeting with the Region Four Regional Democratic Council (RDC) on Thursday evening.

“Billions of dollars have

already been injected in the economy as a result of this and within a week and a half, Region Four will benefit. The Region itself is quite expansive in terms of the number of persons and I think the resources will have to be compressed in such a way that we spend enough quality time to deliver the resources to Region Four,” he said.

The Department of Public Information (DPI)

reported that the Minister urged Councillors to inform the residents about this development, since hiccups are likely, given the Region’s population.

Several teams, including Police Officers, will soon begin registering households.

The Minister cautioned the Councillors not to do any registration.

“It will only serve well if we work together so that people can genuinely get what they deserve,” he stated.

The Minister said the distribution will take a few weeks and should be completed before Christmas.

On September 7, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali announced that every household would receive the cash grant to cushion the effects of the pandemic. Distribution began on September 29.

Residents from Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine were the first to benefit given the hinterland’s vulnerable economic state.

2019, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has recognised that the need for concessional development finance like Official Development Assistance is unparalleled in 2020 in response to COVID-19.

The Foreign Affairs Minister pointed out that developed partners, now more than ever, needed to honour their commitment to increase Official Development Assistance flows as a per cent of Gross National Income.

“These factors put together make a compelling case for greater international solidarity and cooperation. We must refocus our attention on implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in this Decade of Action and Delivery of sustainable development…

The frameworks exist. But accelerated implementation will require the requisite financing and, as always, the political will, to give meaningful effect to our aspirations,” Todd told the G77 Annual Ministerial Meeting.

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GNBS Public Relations Officer Lloyd David

he Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) will begin to monitor electrical fittings and equipment from January to ensure defective goods are not sold on the local market.

GNBS Public Relations Officer Lloyd David stated that the Bureau has developed 30 National Standards for these apparatuses, which would be used for monitoring.

“We want to get on board with that; it is very critical that we do so. Many times, complaints are made regarding poor-quality electrical equipment and fittings coming into the country and made available to consumers,” he told the Department of Public Information (DPI) in a recent interview.

The GNBS advanced work on creating the standards as faulty equipment can cause injury and fires.

The Bureau has already done some groundwork to inform stakeholders about the Standards, their roles and responsibilities, and the actions it would take when monitoring started.

“When we find defective items, items that do not comply, we will either seize and remove them or place them on hold so that persons will not be able to sell those items […] We will be very firm with it, because we have given the stakeholders adequate grace time to take the necessary actions to ensure they have quality products when our monitoring fully commences,” David explained.

The GNBS is also working on building capacity to test concrete blocks.

“A lot of persons would like to determine the quality of blocks they have purchased or they have manufactured, so we see a need in that area,” he said.

Currently, the GNBS monitors 17 categories of commodities on the local market, but there are challenges.

“Overall testing of products is a challenge to the GNBS. In the meantime, we rely on the certificate provided by the manufacturer/importer, saying that the product is of quality. Of course, that certificate comes from a third-party testing body,” he explained.

The certificates provided by third parties are authenticated by the GNBS before the items are approved for sale locally.

“Testing requires equipment, laboratories and the right conditions, so we are looking to build our own state-of-the-art facilities sometime in the near future, where we can have the various laboratories available to conduct those testing,” David said.

In the meantime, the GNBS is in the process of identifying the critical areas where testing is needed to develop the required laboratories

17 TNM implodes: 6 executives resign NEWS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Dr Josh Kanhai

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everal high-ranking members of The New Movement (TNM) – one of the new political parties that were formed to contest the March 2, 2020 National and Regional Elections - have resigned.

Among those who have

resigned are the party’s Leader Gerald Forde and the party’s Secretary Dr Daniel Josh Kanhai, who is one of the founding members. Four other executive members have also walked from the helm of the party that is being led by Dr. Asha Kissoon.

Forde, who is the Head of the party’s List of Candidates, was TNM’s Prime Ministerial Candidate at the elections, running alongside Presidential Candidate Dr Asha Kissoon.

In his resignation letter, seen by Guyana Times, Forde said the party has become “inept”.

However, Dr Kanhai, who was the face of the party, said his resignation was driven by attempts to “act selfishly, go rogue, and use dictatorial force to influence my political will.”

Gerald Forde

He pointed out that while TNM began on pure and moral ideas for the benefit of Guyanese, this has since disappeared.

“It became a camp impregnated with turmoil and coup-ism,” he indicated in his resignation letter seen

by Guyana Times.

According to Kanhai, the Executive body had voted on a new way forward for the party, but this was unacceptable to a minority of members, and after weeks of talks to resolve the issue, the majority Executive did not feel comfortable working in an environment that was “toxic… and dictatorial”.

“There are morals, principles, and standards that carve direction for my life, and they will not be compromised by the current apparatus put forward by the minority of TNM members. I cannot see myself working in such a selfish, toxic, and immature environment. I wish to make it public that I am no longer associated with The New Movement…,” he declared.

Kanhai has been instru-

mental in the fight for democracy during the five months after the March elections, when Guyana was locked in a political and electoral impasse caused as a result of blatant attempts to rig the elections.

In fact, he along with another citizen had filed private criminal charges against Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield for electoral fraud.

Lowenfield was slapped with the private charges of conspiracy to commit fraud and breach of trust in public office back in July, and was placed on $450,000 bail.

The charge filed by Kanhai alleged that Lowenfield, between March 5 and June 23, 2020, conspired with person(s) unknown to commit the common law offence of fraud

when he submitted his Election Report dated June 23, which included figures that altered the results of the elections.

However, this private charge – along with two others filed by citizen Desmond Morian - were dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) after similar charges were instituted against the CEO by the State.

The Guyana Police Force is currently conducting a probe into the events following the March 2 elections, after receiving “formal complaints” of electoral fraud.

In addition to the CEO, several other staff members of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) are before the courts on electoral fraud charges filed by the Police.

Electoral fraud charges

Lowenfield’s lawyers want matter tried in High Court

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he legal team representing Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield has requested that the fraud charges brought against him be tried in the High Court by a jury.

The misconduct in public office charges were instituted after Lowenfield allegedly attempted to rig the March 2, 2020 elections in favour of the APNU/AFC coalition.

Speaking with Guyana Times on Thursday shortly after Lowenfield’s court hearing, Attorney-at-Law Ronald Daniels related that given the magnitude of the allegations levelled against his client, he believes the matter should be tried in the High Court.

“The allegation is that he has committed fraud against everybody in the country, so the best forum for that is before the High Court, where the jury, as representatives of the people of the country, (would

determine) whether fraud has been perpetrated against the country.”

In this regard, the lawyer noted that they have raised serious objections to an application made by the prosecution for summary disposal of the matters, which would allow for their client to plead to the charges and be tried by a Magistrate.

As it is, the charges against Lowenfield are indictable, meaning that the Magistrate would have to conduct a Preliminary Inquiry (PI) to determine whether there is enough evidence to warrant a trial in the High Court.

Daniels explained that the team will lay over submissions in support of the application for a trial by jury later this month. In the meantime, the CEO has been released on $300,000 bail.

Lowenfield was arrested and the allegations of electoral fraud were put to

Attorney-at-Law Daniels

Ronald

him, but he exercised his right to remain silent while he was being questioned by ranks of the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown. The CEO is being accused of attempting to undermine the will of the people by repeatedly refusing to submit the verified results from the National Recount to GECOM Chairperson,

Man accused of killing vagrant walks free

Freed: Eustace Griffith

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hirty-year-old Eustace Griffith, who was accused of

the July 4, 2016 murder of Dexter Arthur, a vagrant, was on Wednesday acquitted by a jury. Following the close of the prosecution’s case led by State Counsel Tyra Bakker, Griffith’s lawyer Maxwell McKay presented a no-case submission.

Trial Judge Navindra Singh upheld the no-case submission and directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty.

Media reports were that Arthur, 34, of Middle Street, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara (WBD), was stabbed once to his chest by Griffith, a farm-

er of Kaneville, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

It was reported that the now dead man reportedly threw a banana skin at Griffith, and an argument ensued which quickly escalated into a fistfight.

Griffith reportedly became annoyed, whipped out a knife from his waist, and dealt Arthur one stab to his chest. The injured man fell to the roadway and died almost immediately.

Griffith then ran into the Brickdam Police Station and surrendered. The incident occurred at Hadfield Street, Georgetown.

Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield at one of his earlier court hearings

Retired Justice Claudette Singh, for a final declaration.

Lowenfield’s report claimed that APNU/AFC coalition garnered 171,825 votes while the PPP/C gained 166,343 votes. How the CEO arrived at those figures is unknown, since the certified results from the legally conducted recount exercise supervised

by GECOM and a high-level team from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) pellucidly showed that the PPP/C won with 233,336 votes while the coalition garnered 217,920.

The recount exercise also proved that District Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo heavily inflated the figures in Region Four – Guyana’s largest voting District – in favour of the then caretaker coalition regime.

The private criminal charges filed against Lowenfield by private citizens Josh Kanhai and Desmond Morian for conspiracy to commit fraud, breach of trust in public office, and misconduct in public office, were withdrawn

last month by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Senior Counsel Shalimar Ali-Hack.

Also, the private criminal charges filed against Lowenfield by PPP/C election agent, now Minister of Culture Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr,

were also withdrawn by the DPP. Other lawyers on Lowenfield’s team are Senior Counsel Neil Boston and Nigel Hughes.

The DPP has since hired a team of Special Prosecutors to prosecute the electoral fraud cases against Lowenfield, along with his clerks, Denise Bob-Cummings and Michelle Miller; Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo; GECOM Elections Officer Shefern February and Information Technology Officer Enrique Livan; APNU/AFC activist Carol Joseph and Chairperson of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) and former Health Minister Volda Lawrence.

The DPP has granted a fiat to Attorneys-at-law Sanjeev Datadin, Glenn Hanoman, Mark Conway, Ganesh Hira, Arudranauth Gossai and George Thomas to prosecute them on behalf of the State.

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guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020

Regional

Belize election: Opposition win Storm Eta “devastated” lives of 1.2M children — UN brings change after 12 years

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fter 12 years of being led by conservative Prime Minister Dean Barrow, the Central American nation of Belize will see a change of Government after the General Election was won by the Opposition centre-left People’s United Party (PUP) party.

Johnny Briceño, a former Deputy Prime Minister, will lead the country.

Barrow was not running but the candidate for his United Democratic Party, Patrick Faber, has conceded.

Voters said that the economy was their main concern.

Belize is heavily reliant on tourism as a source of income. With travel severely curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic, Belize’s tourism sector has been badly hit.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted that the economy will contract by 16 per cent this year.

“Belizeans, in impressive numbers, voted for a new be-

Voters cast their ballots for the 31-member National Assembly

ginning,” Briceño said. “This 2020 is a call for our young nation to grow up, to face the challenges of our generation and to advance our peaceful, constructive and progressive revolution.”

Faber congratulated Briceño and spoke of the challenges ahead for the new leader in light of the pandemic and the destruction caused by the passing of Tropical Storm Eta. Briceño “will need all the support in order that he can see our great nation through

the long road of recovery, not just from the recent floods, but from the impact and effects of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Faber said.

During the run-up to the vote, Briceño, who is 60, told voters that he was “mature enough” to “be able to come in and to fix [the] country”.

Before becoming the leader of the PUP, he served as Deputy Prime Minister and as Minister of Natural Resources and of Foreign Trade. (Excerpt from BBC News)

A boy and a man remove chairs from a flooded house owing to the heavy rains caused by Hurricane Eta, now degraded to a tropical storm, in Puerto Barrios, Izabal, 310km north of Guatemala City on Wednesday

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ropical Storm Eta, which left more than 200 dead and missing in Central America, has “devastated the lives” of more than 1.2 million children in the Region, according to UNICEF. The number of children

and adolescents affected by the storm “is expected to increase as relief teams gain access to the worst-affected areas”, the United Nations Children’s Fund said in a statement.

Eta caused severe damage throughout Central

America, destroying road infrastructure, hospitals, schools, and water and sanitation systems.

More than 110,000 people, including some 44,000 children, were evacuated to temporary shelters in the seven countries of the Region, according to UNICEF. “Access to quality water and sanitation has become seriously problematic in the areas most affected by Eta,” said UNICEF Regional Director Bernt Aasen.

“Now the risk of waterborne diseases is increasing as is the risk of COVID-19 spreading in shelters.”

Meanwhile, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said 2.5 million people had been affected by Eta, which first made landfall in Nicaragua as a Category Four Hurricane. (AFP)

TEMS International gets major contract in T&T New COVID-19 guidelines offshore energy assets from PAHO as cases rise

T

he Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) on Wednesday outlined best practices to help countries decide which measures to implement to control the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and for how long.

More than 52 million people have contracted COVID-19 globally and 1,287,051? have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Infections, hospitalisations, and deaths have surged globally, with the United States and Europe scrambling to get ahead of the so-called second wave. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was the latest high-profile case to be hospitalised after he con-

tracted coronavirus earlier this week, a presidential official said.

Zelenskiy said on Monday he tested positive for coronavirus. Three other top officials, including the Finance Minister, the Defence Minister and Zelenskiy’s top aide were also reported to be infected.

The updated guidance, developed by WHO and PAHO, covers “considerations for implementing and adjusting public health and social measures in the context of COVID-19”.

“We are hopeful that with this guidance, countries will be better able to tailor their responses to their individual needs, as their caseload changes overtime,” PAHO’s Assistant Director, Jarbas

Barbosa told a media briefing.

“As we await an effective vaccine and better treatments against COVID-19, countries should expect to see a series of recurring outbreaks, so they would always need to be ready to act. The key has always been to ensure that our public health responses are adaptive to the moment. Only then can we ensure that a few new cases don’t develop into full-blown outbreaks,” Barbosa said.

Barbosa, noting that 22 million people in the Americas have been infected with COVID-19 and more than 660,000 have died, said the virus was still surging, with 150,000 cases reported daily. (Adapted from CMC and Al Jazeera)

CDEMA launches new Caribbean Risk Information System Platform

T

he Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) officially launched the Caribbean Risk Information System (CRIS) platform on Thursday to fulfil its mandate of enhanced knowledge management in the Caribbean.

According to the CDEMA, the CRIS was designed to serve as the ‘one stop shop’ for hosting a wealth of information, contributing to the evidence-based decision-making processes to build disaster-resilient States and promote sustainable development in the Region.

The official online event brought together disaster management partners from

around the world to interact with the revamped platform.

The Agency said the CRIS executes its mandate to “provide a clearing house for relevant information and intelligence on all matters relating to disasters, including current research being undertaken in all related institutions”.

It comprises three main components, the GeoCRIS, Virtual Library and Databases, which were built to provide information on disaster risks, climate change adaptation, geospatial data and knowledge on disaster events for the 19 CDEMA participating States. The CRIS will also host a real-time decision support platform for emergencies.

CDEMA Executive Director Elizabeth Riley said, “The CRIS is fully aligned with our institutional vision to maximise the enabling role that information and communication technology will increasingly play in the delivery of our institutional mandate. This will feature more prominently in the CDEMA Coordinating Unit’s programming going forward.”

Joaquin Toro, lead disaster risk management specialist at the World Bank for Latin America and the Caribbean, emphasised the importance of the CRIS as a place for the contribution of disaster risk information to the Caribbean. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

T

EMS International, a leading provider of environmental management and compliance services to oil and gas exploration and production companies, has been awarded a major contract for work in offshore Trinidad and Tobago, expected to last between 12 and 18 months.

A release issued Thursday by the company says the project got underway in early September 2020, and “will be providing its continuous environmental compliance and drilling performance management services onboard two rigs in the waters off T&T”.

“TEMS International engineers will work alongside rig personnel to ensure drilling operations adhere to – or surpass –local environmental regulations, while also improving the efficiency

TEMS International Managing Director Bill Walkingshaw

of drilling operations,” the statement explains. “This can reduce drilling fluid usage and waste, provide significant cost savings – sometimes major six-figure sums – and contribute to a decrease in the carbon footprint of the drilling asset.”

TEMS International Managing Director Bill Walkingshaw, in acknowledging the work of both his offshore and onshore teams on the project despite the COVID-19 pandemic, said they will help protect the Caribbean marine environment.

“The Caribbean region is an area where the oceans and seas are an important resource for the island communities,” Walkingshaw observed. “The services we are delivering on this project will help to protect the environment around the islands by improving efficiencies, reducing waste and ensuring compliance with local environmental legislation. In turn, this can contribute to a reduction in carbon emissions, further helping the environment.” (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Guatemalan Police find over 1.5 tonne of cocaine in crashed plane

G

uatemalan Police have recovered more than 1.5 tonnes of cocaine worth an estimated US$20 million from a crashed plane near the Mexican border, the Attorney General’s office said Thursday.

The partially burnedout plane was located Wednesday in the Laguna del Tigre forest reserve, the Public Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.

No victims were located, or arrests made.

The area is part of the Peten jungle, a known drug trafficking route on the

border with Mexico and Belize, about 600 kilometres (370 miles) north of Guatemala City.

According to Guatemala’s Office for Drug Crimes, “the approximate value of the shipment is more than US$20 million”.

In September, a plane

carrying drugs from Venezuela crashed near an Indigenous community at Chisec, around 70 miles north of the capital.

Four people were killed, including Jeankarlo Meneses, a drug trafficker who had escaped from a Guatemalan prison in 2019. (AFP)

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020

19

Around the World

OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil price rally is built on shaky ground

O

il prices have surged this week on hopes that an effective coronavirus vaccine could be approved before the end of the year. The rally is starting to look premature.

Major oil producers and the International Energy Agency (IEA) are slashing their forecasts for demand, saying that the resurgence of the coronavirus in Europe and the United States is weighing on fuel consumption again.

The IEA said Thursday that it now expected oil demand to decrease by 8.8 million barrels a day this year, compared to its forecast last month of a reduction of 8.4 million barrels. It downgraded demand forecasts for the second half of this year, and the first quarter of 2021.

"Vaccines are unlikely to significantly boost demand until well into next year," the Paris-based group said in a report. It expects demand to rise by 5.8 million barrels a day next year, 300,000 barrels a day more than its previous forecast. That will leave global consumption still well below levels seen before the pandemic collapsed demand for jet fuel and gasoline.

Preliminary data showing that a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech is highly effective pushed Brent crude futures above US$45 a barrel earlier this week, their highest level in more than two months, as traders bet that a vaccine would spur economic activity and encourage a return to travel. Brent was around US$44 a barrel on Thursday, with West Texas Intermediate, the US benchmark, trading at US$41.50 a barrel.

But a second wave of coronavirus lockdowns across Europe, and the threat of further restrictions in the United States could delay the economic recovery and will depress oil demand. Just last week, oil prices were sliding on fears that major economies will shrink in the fourth quarter. (Excerpt from CNN)

Ethiopia claims big advance in Tigray, Amnesty reports mass killing

Members of Amhara region militias ride on their truck as they head to face the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), in Sanja, Amhara region near a border with Tigray, Ethiopia, November 9, 2020

E

thiopia’s military has defeated local forces in the west of Tigray state, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Thursday, accusing his foes of atrocities during a week of fighting that threatens to destabilise the Horn of Africa.

Rights group Amnesty International said scores and possibly hundreds of civilians were stabbed and hacked to death in the region on November 9, citing witnesses. It said it had not been able to independently confirm who was responsible, but said the witnesses had blamed fighters loyal to Tigray’s local leaders.

Air strikes and ground combat between Government forces and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) have killed hundreds, sent refugees flooding into Sudan, stirred Ethiopia’s ethnic divisions and raised questions over the credentials of Abiy, Africa’s youngest leader who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2019.

“The western region of Tigray has been liberated,”

Abiy said in a tweet. The 44-year-old leader comes from the largest ethnic group, the Oromo and once fought with the Tigrayans against neighbouring Eritrea.

With communications down and media barred, independent verification of the status of the conflict was impossible. Reuters was not able to confirm either side’s version of events or Amnesty’s reports of atrocities.

There are fears the conflict may draw in Eritrea, whose Government signed a peace pact with Abiy two years ago but remains hostile to the Tigrayan leadership, and weaken Ethiopia’s role in an African Union (AU) force opposing Islamist militants in Somalia.

Major conflict could also hinder foreign investment in Ethiopia’s economy, which had clocked nearly double-digit annual growth for years before the coronavirus hit and is liberalising, with multinationals particularly eyeing the telecoms sector.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Republicans urge Trump to allow Biden briefings as election challenges sputter

M

ore Republicans on Thursday broke with President Donald Trump’s refusal to cooperate with Joe Biden, saying Biden is entitled to intelligence briefings even if they were not ready to recognise the Democrat as the winner of the November 3 election.

Most Republican officials and lawmakers publicly remained behind the Trump campaign’s push to contest the result through lawsuits challenging vote counts in individual states as the President, without evidence, claims widespread voting fraud.

State election officials have said no widespread fraud occurred.

Biden, meanwhile, moved ahead with the work of preparing to govern, speaking with Pope Francis as his fellow Democrats in Congress blasted Republican election “shenanigans” and urged action on the coronavirus pandemic.

With a few states still counting ballots, Biden has won enough of election battleground states to surpass the 270 electoral votes needed in the stateby-state Electoral College that determines the next President. Biden is also winning the popular vote by more than 5.2 million votes, or 3.4 percentage points.

A growing number of Republican senators, in-

The President-elect traditionally receives such briefings from the intelligence community to learn of threats facing the United States before taking office

cluding John Cornyn, Ron Johnson, James Lankford,

Chuck Grassley, and Lindsey Graham, urged Trump’s Administration to allow Biden access to presidential daily intelligence briefings.

The President-elect traditionally receives such briefings from the intelligence community to learn of threats facing the United States before taking office.

“I don’t see it as a highrisk proposition. I just think it’s part of the transition. And, uh, if in fact he does win in the end, I think they need to be able to hit the ground running,” Cornyn told reporters. He refused to acknowledge that Biden had won, however. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Surging pandemic has Ontario close to cancelling non-essential surgeries again

O

ntario will likely have to suspend non-essential surgeries again starting in two weeks, as surging coronavirus cases fill hospital Intensive Care Units (ICU), according to modelling released by Canada’s most populous province on Thursday.

The data shows Ontario on track to hit 6500 new COVID-19 cases per day by the end of December with five per cent growth rate per day. The province on

Thursday reported a record 1575 new COVID-19 cases.

In all scenarios projected in the data, the province will reach 150 ICUs filled by COVID-19 patients in two weeks.

“This threshold of 150 beds is important because it’s that point at which we need to start cancelling planned surgeries,” said Dr Steini Brown, dean of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto and co-chair of the province’s COVID-19 sci-

ence advisory table. “Key indicators continue to worsen.”

Ontario is close to six per cent growth rate based on the past few days of data and Brown said it was reasonable to think five per cent growth in cases is a “current or even slightly optimistic scenario.”

“Even with new restrictions implemented today you’d still see continued climb,” Brown said. “I do not believe there’s a way the cas-

es will change without action.”

On Thursday, Premier Doug Ford defended his government’s reopening framework issued last week. On Wednesday, the Toronto Star newspaper reported that he ignored expert advice in creating a framework that sets a cap of 10 per cent of tests coming back positive before stricter regulations take effect. (Excerpt from Reuters)

UK to consider Turkey warns Armenia sanctions against against breaking Nagorno-Karabakh truce China for breaching Hong Kong treaty

D

ays after a peace deal over NagornoKarabakh was reached, Turkey has warned Armenia it will have to bear consequences if it violates the ceasefire.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters in the Azeri capital Baku on Thursday: “If they [Armenia] violate the ceasefire, then they will pay the price for it.”

Ankara is Azerbaijan’s closest ally in the fight over Nagorno-Karabakh and has been celebrating the peace agreement reached earlier this week between Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia that favours Baku.

Armenia must “abide by the deal and withdraw voluntarily”, Cavusoglu added, warning Azerbaijan would otherwise resume its military action to “recapture Azerbaijani territories”.

Turkey and Russia agreed on Wednesday to jointly operate a centre to oversee peace in NagornoKarabakh.

A Russian delegation is set to visit Turkey today to discuss details of how the

joint centre will operate, Cavusoglu said, adding that unmanned armed drones would carry out surveillance missions in the region to ensure there are no violations. “We will continue to stand by Azerbaijan and support them however they would like us to,” he added.

Russia is sending nearly 2000 troops to the region to serve as peacekeepers.

The Russia-brokered deal secured territorial advances for Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, where Azeri troops have been battling ethnic Armenian forces over the past six weeks in a fight that has killed more than 1000 people, including dozens of civilians on both sides.

The accord has triggered protests in Armenia for the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Armenia on Thursday arrested 10 leading Opposition figures who were among the protests; they face up to a decade behind bars for their role in “illegal violent mass disorder”, Prosecutors said in a statement. (Excerpted from Al Jazeera)

B

ritain on Thursday said China had broken its main bilateral treaty on Hong Kong by imposing new rules to disqualify elected legislators in the former British colony, cautioning that it would consider sanctions as part of its response.

The British flag was lowered over Hong Kong when the colony was handed back to China in 1997 after more than 150 years of British rule – imposed after Britain defeated China in the First Opium War. Hong Kong’s autonomy was guaranteed under the “one country, two systems” agreement enshrined in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration signed by then Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

“Beijing’s imposition of new rules to disqualify elected legislators in Hong Kong constitutes a clear breach of the legally binding SinoBritish Joint Declaration,” Foreign Secretary Dominic

Raab said.

“China has once again broken its promises and undermined Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy.”

Britain summoned China’s Ambassador, Liu Xiaoming, to express its deep concerns and Raab’s deputy, Nigel Adams, told Parliament that it was considering possible sanctions on individuals over China’s actions.

“We will continue to consider designations under our Magnitsky-style sanctions regime,” said Adams, Britain’s Minister for Asia, referring to sanctions similar to those imposed on those deemed responsible for human rights abuses under the US Magnitski Act. He was asked by lawmakers if Britain would sanction Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam. Adams said it would not be helpful to speculate on names at this stage. China’s Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Excerpt from Reuters)

20

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020

guyanatimesgy.com

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

A passionate attitude can do you more harm than good.

Don’t display your emotions when dealing with professional matters if you want to get ahead. Listen, be objective and make wise decisions.

Leave nothing to chance.

TAURUS Don’t jeopardize your health (April 20or compromise your reputaMay 20) tion or position. Shoot for the stars; recognition for your accomplishments will be forthcoming.

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SUDOKU

Keep moving forward.

Don’t let anyone interfere with your plans or meddle in your affairs. Incorporate a rigorous health routine into your schedule.

Pursue your plans. Don’t take risks when it comes to your health or physical well-being. Make a move based on intellect, not on emotion. Be ready to answer when opportunity knocks.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Don’t make a rash move. Refuse to get involved in someone else’s dream. Venture down the path that will bring you peace of mind and happiness.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Sign up for online classes, pick up a new hobby or apply for a license that will help you further your professional goals. Share your thoughts and plans with someone close.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Take time to listen to what others have to say.

A misunderstanding will damage an important relationship. Be part of the solution when dealing with domestic matters.

SCORPIO

Refuse to let your emotions step in when dealing with sensitive issues.

A clear view of what’s happening will be necessary if you want to resolve problems. Welcome change.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

Take care of your responsibilities before you move on to other activities.

Plan something special for you and a loved one.

Romance is encouraged.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Get approval before making a change that will affect others. An unusual request or project will entice you. A change at home will ease stress.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Take care of personal matters. Find a healthy, fun way to stay in shape.

Avoid temptation and emotional manipulation. Take care of your health.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Jump into the spotlight.

Join forces with someone who shares your vision and wants to contribute. You can accomplish a great deal if you are disciplined and flexible.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020

21

Indians land in Sydney and go into quarantine I

ndia’s squad landed in Australia on Thursday for a two-month-long tour comprising three ODIs, three T20Is and four Tests.

Most of the players have flown directly from the UAE, where the just-concluded IPL took place. Some of them - like Cheteshwar Pujara, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja - have travelled with their immediate families.

The Indian touring group will go into quarantine for two weeks, during which they would be allowed to train subject to clearing the COVID-19 testing protocols put in place by Cricket Australia in coordination with the local government.

It is understood they will start training from November 14 in Sydney. Most of the players have already been living the bio-bubble life for nearly three months now, and they’ll be going through its rigours for two more months.

The Indian team in the PPE kits before departure

Rohit Sharma - who led the Mumbai Indians to their fifth IPL title this week - and Ishant Sharma were not a part of the touring party.

Rohit, along with Ishant, will be joining the squad only before the Test series starts on December 17. While Rohit is being rested from the limited-overs leg of the tour due to a hamstring injury he got during the IPL, Ishant suffered an abdominal muscle tear that had ruled him out of much of the tournament.

India’s captain Virat Kohli will be returning home after the first Test concludes on December 21, in order to attend the birth of his first child. The Australian Government’s quarantine rules of 14 days - applicable for the entire squad despite flying from a bio-bubble in the UAE - means it would be very difficult for Kohli to come back to Australia and play any part in the remaining three Tests.

India also remain wary about their Test wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, who missed the last two matches for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL after injuring both his hamstrings. They also had to drop mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy from their T20I squad after he was learnt to have been suffering from a shoulder injury, with pacer T Natarajan taking his place.

Meanwhile, Sanju Samson - who was initially a part of only the T20I squad – has been added to the ODI squad as a reserve wicketkeeper.

The tour starts with the first ODI in Sydney on November 27, followed by the three T20Is, ending on December 8. But the second and the third T20Is clash with a three-day tour match between Australia A and India A, which begins on December 6. That follows another warm-up fixture start-

Tim Paine and Virat Kohli shake hands

ing December 11, before the first Test begins in Adelaide.

The Adelaide Test would also be the first time that India would be playing a daynight Test away from home, with their only pink-ball Test having come against Bangladesh in Kolkata last year. The tour then moves to Melbourne and Sydney where the Boxing Day and

New Year’s Day Tests will be hosted - before concluding on January 21 with the fourth and final Test in Brisbane.

Despite restrictions around the COVID-19 pandemic, Cricket Australia has confirmed that crowds of varying degrees would be allowed to attend each of the fixtures between Australia and India. (ESPNcricinfo)

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez out for "significant Hamilton “much prouder” of equality part" of season after surgery

action than potential 7th F1 World title

L

ewis Hamilton says he is “much prouder” of the work he has done to promote equality this year than the prospect of winning a seventh title.

The Briton will win the championship at Sunday’s Turkish Grand Prix if teammate Valtteri Bottas does not outscore him by more than seven points.

Hamilton said: “The drivers’ title doesn’t necessarily impact people’s lives.

Trying to improve conditions for people around the world - equal human rights - that’s the most important thing to me.”

Hamilton will clinch the championship if he wins on Sunday. If he finishes second or lower, he just needs to finish ahead of Bottas.

If the

Finn wins, Hamilton can still clinch the championship with second place as long as Bottas does not set the fastest lap, which earns a point.

A seventh title would put the Mercedes driver equal with all-time record holder Michael Schumacher, whose record of career victories Hamilton has already surpassed.

“Matching an icon like Michael, I’d be incredibly proud of that,” Hamilton said. “But it’s more the message it sends to not just kids, but mostly kids: that you have to dream bigger than you think you

can dream, and don’t let anyone tell you you can’t go for that,” he said However, Hamilton has said he had not thought about the prospect of a seventh title, and was “just focused on trying to do a good job, just taking it one race at a time, trying to do the best we can as a team, not thinking about anything else”.

He added: “I have learned not to add pressure that’s unnecessary. I have four races to battle for those points, so I don’t put it all onto one weekend, one day.

“For me, it is another race; I need to approach it exactly as I have in the past. Maybe then that’s why sometimes it’s a shock.

All of a sudden it hits you, because you have not thought about it much, and you don’t know what to say, because you never truly know whether it is going to happen.

“I am not focused on the ‘what if?’ I am focused on preparing myself the same as before, to try to deliver the way I have all season,” Hamilton has said.

But he did give a strong indication that while he has not yet discussed a new contract with Mercedes to keep him at the team beyond this season, he would continue to race on next year.

“The numbers and the figures and the titles and all that stuff perhaps appear to mean more from the outside,” Hamilton said. “I re-

member watching Michael get seven and thinking: ‘Wow!’ But when you’re in it, it’s different.

“We’re going to continue to fight for more championships, continue to try to improve, and continue to race and do what we love doing. What’s important is the journey this year has been combined with the fight for equality and a real growing process of learning what’s happening around the world and being more aware of surroundings and starting to see progress with that.”

In regard to a new contract, Hamilton has said he “hadn’t got all the answers to what I want to do yet”.

But he added: “I am very conscious of the idea I want to continue with Mercedes.

I would love to help them on this quest of pushing for change. They are taking their cars green, electrifying more, I want to help them on that road, I want to help them pushing for diversity.

“There is a lot to discuss and a lot to go through, but it is something we will do, if not after the job is done at the end of the year. Nothing is set in stone; it is just about talking about it. I don’t feel I’m finished. I don’t feel… moving forward, there are always areas to improve.

“I love racing and the challenge, and I don’t think that is going to change any time soon.” (BBC Sport)

L

iverpool defender Joe Gomez has had surgery on a knee injury, and is “likely” to miss a “significant part” of the rest of the season, the club has said.

Gomez was injured on Wednesday while training with England before Thursday’s friendly with the Republic of Ireland.

The club has said the 23-year-old had undergone “successful” surgery to repair a tendon in his left knee.

The Reds are already without fellow centre-back Virgil van Dijk, because of a long-term knee ligament injury.

“The issue was isolated to Gomez’s tendon, with no damage to any other associated knee ligaments,” Liverpool said. “No timescale is being placed upon his return, though the issue is likely to rule him out for a significant part of the remainder of 2020-21.”

Gomez has played in all but one of Liverpool’s Premier League and Champions League games this season. The inju-

ry is not the same as the cruciate ligament injury he suffered in 2015.

England manager Gareth Southgate has said the injury is “probably a consequence of the number of games that have been played”.

“We are always for player welfare, and to lose a player in the way that we did yesterday, it was really tragic for the boy,” he told ITV. “There needs to be a look at the calendar.”

Van Dijk has had surgery on the knee ligament injury he picked up against Everton in a 2-2 draw on 17 October.

The Premier League champions have also been without Fabinho, because of a hamstring injury. He had been deputising in defence for Van Dijk.

Additionally, Liverpool have an injury concern over right-back Trent AlexanderArnold, who was taken off during the 1-1 draw at Manchester City on Sunday, and withdrawn from England duty. (BBC Sport)

Joe Gomez has played 12 times for Liverpool this season

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020

Guyana a likely host for CPL if pandemic persists

CLASSIFIED ADS

…stakeholders present ideas to boost sport tourism

By Jemima Holmes

T

he biggest question sport association heads have looming as Guyana celebrates Tourism Month is how best they can use their sports to attract attention to the country.

Obviously the COVID-19 pandemic has hindered any chance of hosting games with fan attendance, or even have tourists come in in bulk.

While speaking at a Sport Tourism forum via Zoom yesterday, Guyanese stakeholders in both sport and tourism traded ideas on how sport can bounce back from the ghastly effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Guyana Football Federation (GFF) president Wayne Forde and Guyana Golf Association (GGA) President Alim Hussain shared how best Guyanese sports can navigate the situation.

In Forde’s opinion, in order for Tourism to tie in with sporting events, it must cater to the taste of the fans of different sport disciplines, with a keen focus on the entertainment industry.

“I think that the sport Tourism organization can really create

CPL COO Michael Hall

GGA President Aleem Hussain

specific tourism packages that might be best suited for a travelling football fan.

Because maybe a travelling football fan is not interested in bird watching but he might be more interested in night life.

“What can we do with the entertainment industry in Guyana to ensure that their experience when they’re here to see Guyana play Guatemala is one that is really vibrant, one that causes them to share that experience with people within their social spaces?” Forde asked.

On the other hand, Hussain presented the use of virtual events that might prove to be mor cost effective and bring in larger audiences.

“I believe in massive events.

It doesn’t have t o be massive in pers o n a t ten-

dance. At the end of the day, what we’re looking for is to give value, value to our sponsors and value to our spectators. And to do that, we generate revenue. Our sponsors obviously want to sell their product, and our players obviously as to be support from the amount of revenue that comes into the event,” Hussain explained.

Interacting with players via social media and getting a higher result as opposed to persons swamping players at in person events and the implementation of Travel vouchers and giveaways to encourage tourism were some of the pother ideas put forward by Hussain.

How the CPL can play a part

On the other hand, in March 2018, The Hero Caribbean Premier League and the Trinidad and Tobago Government signed a three-year contract to host the CPL final.

That Contract should

have expired in 2020, leaving the 2021 final of the Regional T20 tournament wide open. The good news for Guyana is that should the pandemic persist, the Land of Many Waters is a strong contender to host the biggest party in Sport. A move that will draw tourist attraction to the country.

“I don’t think that staging an event like the CPL in Guyana would be vastly different from what we did in Trinidad and Tobago, save and except the fact that we had access to two international venues, up to standard. And I expect that it would only b e the Stadium a t Providence that would meet those requirements in Guyana,” CPL’s Cricket Operations Officer Michael Hall noted.

However, Hall was adamant that should Guyana be selected to host the CPL, once the Pandemic persists, a strict bubble set up will have to be in place.

“But once we can create that bio secure environment and police it as effectively as w did in Trinidad and Tobago, I see no reason why Guyana could not offer itself as a venue to host our tournament and certainly if not the entire tournament, then a portion of it like the post season element of it,” he fur-

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President

Wayne

ther explained.

Expounding on the fact that the costs for health Security (In relation to the Covid-19 Pandemic) is not one that is borne by the Country but by the CPL, Hall affirmed that Guyana as a host Country is within the realm of possibility.

“Again, I don’t see it as an insurmountable task to have Guyana host the Caribbean Premier league, assuming that when you are ready to do so the Pandemic is still around and we still have to operate in the same way we did this year,” the CPL COO declared.

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“Hetmyer the Test opener” not initial plan when squad was selected – says lead selector Roger Harper

Shimron Hetmyer

By Brandon Corlette

J

ohn Campbell and Kraigg Brathwaite are considered the two best Test openers in the Caribbean, and they are the lone specialist openers in the Test squad selected to play New Zealand in the two Test matches.

It has been made clear that Guyana’s Shimron Hetmyer has been selected in the Test squad to boost the West Indies’ middle-order. Lead selector Roger Harper said on Wednesday in a virtual press conference that Hetmyer opening the batting in Test has not been considered at all.

However, while responding to a question

posed by this daily publication, Harper discreetly said ‘things’ can change, and depending on the circumstances, Hetmyer opening the batting could be considered as time passes.

In recent press conferences, Harper has said the talented Hetmyer has the ability to become one of the best batsmen in the world, but after 16 Test matches and 30 innings for the West Indies, Hetmyer is yet to score a Test century.

Despite his poor showing in the longer formats, Hetmyer has shown skill and ability on different occasions wherever he plays. However, consistency has been his issue, as it

has been for many other Caribbean batting talents.

During his virtual media interaction after the squad was announced, Harper disclosed that he personally believes Hetmyer has the ability to be one of the best batsmen in the world, even in Test cricket.

“I would like to think that, having missed the England tour, he (Hetmyer) is hungry to get back, and (is) anxious to show what a quality player he is in all formats of the game, especially in Test cricket.

“I personally feel that Hetmyer has the ability to be one of the best batsmen in the world, in Test cricket as well. As he gets to understand the rhythm of Test cricket and the approach needed, he would show that, and help the team to build big totals,” Harper predicted in a recent press conference.

With West Indies’ batting to be under the microscope again, Harper posited that the return of Hetmyer would bolster the team. Harper is expecting

Roger Harper

Hetmyer to give the squad more options in the middle order, and embrace the opportunity to show what a good player he is.

Hetmyer’s familiar role in Test cricket sees him batting at number six, but Jermaine Blackwood has made that spot his own, with good returns in England. Darren Bravo may follow after the openers, Campbell and Brathwaite, while Shamarh Brooks, who showed great promise, is expected to keep his number four spot in the batting order.

Vice-captain Roston Chase is the number five batsman, and he is followed

by Jermaine Blackwood at six. Jason Holder and Shane Dowrich will complete the numbers seven and eight spots in the batting line-up, followed by the bowlers.

The 23-year-old Hetmyer, who played his last Test match in November 2019, opted out of the Test tour to England because of COVID-19 concerns. For now, it is safe to say that the Hetmyer experience at the top of the order will not come to light, but only time will tell whether or not Hetmyer the opener will be a surprise in the upcoming Test series.

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Windies in New Zealand updates Pooran, King, Thomas, Powell, Allen headline Windies A team to face New Zealand A – Pooran to miss Big Bash opening matches to play in A team

W

hile

the West

Indies have not announced the team to play the New Zealand A team in the two first-class matches, starting on November 20, Lead Selector Roger Harper indicated that members of the West Indies T20 team have agreed to feature in these two first-class matches.

The likes of Nicholas Pooran, Oshane Thomas, Brandon King, Fabian Allen and Rovman Powell have agreed to play in the first-class matches.

Guyana’s Romario Shepherd and Keemo Paul, members of the Test reserves and other players who fail to make the Test starting XI will also have an opportunity to play against New Zealand A. Test reserves Nkrumah Bonner, Joshua DaSilva, Preston McSween, Shayne Moseley, Raymon Reifer and Jayden Seales will also complete the West Indies A team.

West Indies A will play New Zealand A in Queenstwon in a three-day match from November 20-22, followed by a

games across the New Year period. The West Indies’ T20 vice-captain, Pooran, is currently in New Zealand for the matches against

the

B l a c k Caps and will head to

fourd a y match from November 2629 in the same Queenstwon venue. The first Test match between West Indies and New Zealand will commence on December 3.

Pooran has been signed by the

pected he will r e main with the touring party after the T20 matches from November 27 to

Melbourne Stars for s i x

Windies get greenlight to leave isolation

A

ll members of the West Indies team have returned negative results from their third and final COVID-19 tests, conducted on Day 12 of the ongoing tour of New Zealand.

The players, management and support staff are scheduled to leave managed isolation on Friday and travel to the southern town of Queenstown, where they will play a three-day match and a four-day match against New Zealand “A”.

These matches will be on November 20-22 and on November 26-29 at John Davies Oval.

Additionally, all of the West Indies players who arrived in Auckland on Thursday following the

end of the Indian Premier League in the United Arab Emirates, have passed initial health screening checks.

They are to spend the next two weeks in isolation in preparation for the first T20 International which will be played at Eden Park in Auckland on November 29.

The T20I Series will start with the defending World Cup champions facing the Black Caps at Eden Park in Auckland for a match under lights. The series then moves to Mount Maunganui for two matches at the picturesque Bay Oval. West Indies will then travel to Hamilton for the first Test at Seddon Park and then south to Wellington for the second match at the historic Basin Reserve.

The T20Is will be the start of an 11-month schedule of matches building up to the ICC T20 World Cup, rescheduled for October 2021 in India. The opening contest at Eden Park will have added significance as this is the venue where the two teams met in their first T20I contest back in

Pooran is Vice-Captain!

C

ricket West Indies (CWI) named the vice-captains for the upcoming series in New Zealand. Nicholas Pooran will be vice-captain for the three T20 Internationals (T20Is), while Roston Chase has been named vice-captain for the two ICC World Test Championship matches.

Wicket-keeper/batsman Pooran, 25, is among the leading white-ball players with two half-centuries in

Australia for a short stint once his international commitments are finished.

While the powerful lefthander has not been named in the West Indies T e s t squad to face the Black Caps, i t ’ s e x -

19 T20I innings and also averaging close to 50 in One Day Internationals.

“Pooran continues in the role of vice-captain of the T20I Team for the tour of New Zealand. He was first named vice-captain for this format for the series against Afghanistan in 2019,” Lead Selector Roger Harper said about the decision.

On the other hand, Pooran Stated, “I see this as another opportunity

to learn and grow in the game. I was vice- captain for the tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year, so this is continuation of that work. It’s always good to share your knowledge as we look to continue the winning mentality. We were successful in Sri Lanka and this is a series we believe we can get more success against New Zealand.”

2006. That match ended in a tie which forced a dramatic bowl-off, won by the home side. Three years later the teams met again at the same venue and played to another tie which was decided by the first ever T20I Super Over, won by the West Indies. (Sportsmax)

November 30 to get some red-ball experience during the Test campaign, which

will run until December 15.

West Indies lead selector, Roger Harper on Wednesday evening in a virtual press conference with the media, confirmed that Pooran has agreed to play in the two 4-Day matches against New Zealand A team. The Big Bash season begins on December 10, meaning Pooran will miss the opening stages of the tournament.

The recent creation of a Trans-Tasman travel bubble means Pooran won’t be required to complete mandatory quarantine when he arrives in Australia as he’s currently nearing the end of a quarantine period in New Zealand. The Stars have confirmed Pooran will be available for six matches in December and January, joining English star Jonny Bairstow as the club’s second international signing.

The signing of Pooran, who can also keep wickets, adds to an already powerful top order at the Stars alongside Bairstow, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell.

(Brandon Corlette)

Simmons apologises…

W

est Indies coach Phil Simmons has apologized for the behavior of his players who breached New Zealand’s Covid-19 safety protocols and caused the team to be stripped of exemptions that had allowed to train while in isolation.

Simmons also confirmed that the players who transgressed would be sanctioned internally.

Earlier this week, the New Zealand Health Ministry, revealed that several West Indies players repeatedly ran afoul of the restrictions imposed while the team was in isolation in Christchurch. The incidents, they said, were captured on closed-circuit television and also reported by staff at the facility where the team is being housed.

The incident has proven to be an embarrassment for CWI, whose CEO Johnny Grave who said he was dis-

appointment.

Simmons was contrite.

“I have to apologise to the New Zealand public and the government who have allowed us to come here.

It’s embarrassing from our point of view,” Simmons told New Zealand media, explaining that the incident has now robbed the team of valuable training time.

“We were just getting to the levels that we would normally start at, but coming from no cricket, we had to start slower. Hopefully everybody tests negative and then we can move to Queenstown and ramp it up as quickly as possible because later in the week we have a training game,” Simmons said.

The West Indies have a practice match in Queenstown from November 20, a week before the first T20 International on November 27.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020

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“Hetmyer the Test opener” not initial plan when Guyana a likely squad was host for CPL if pandemic persists selected …stakeholders present ideas Pg 22

Pg 22

– says lead selector Roger Harper

to boost sport tourism

Windies in New Zealand updates

T20 players make A team

– Pooran is Vice Captain

Simmons apologises – training resumes

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