Guyana Times - Saturday, May 16, 2020

See Region 4 SoRs' comparison with released SoPs on pages 14 to 17 All SoRs are available on our website Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4287

THE BEACON OF TRUTH SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020

Granger regime to US Govt: No Carter Center for elections recount …also rejects Senators' call for more

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Over 35% of COVID-19 cases are asymptomatic – DCMO P10 …Guyana records 3 more positive cases

Page 7

“credible int'l observers” in recount …Canada questions motive for rejection

Recount confirms PPP/C victory in Region 1 Page 13

...APNU/AFC now forced to hatch new plot to attack integrity of electoral process

APNU/AFCappointed COVID-19 Task Force delays GECOM recount See story on page 2

…still to approve additional workstations National Elections Recount

APNU/AFC undermining credibility of elections recount – PPP/C See story on page 3

…as coalition's latest ‘anomaly’ is to dig deeper for “dead votes”, migrated Guyanese …but contradicts its own Presidential Candidate’s position to US Govt, of process being free and fair

APNU/AFC concedes party not paramount over Govt

P9

...US lobbying firm now hired by party, not Guyana Govt

National Elections Recount

Lawyer P12 threatens legal action against public officials functioning as party agents

Convicted P13 thief’s leap to freedom short-lived …recaptured moments after escaping from NA Prison

2 NEWS

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

APNU/AFC-appointed COVID-19 Task Force delays GECOM recount …still to approve additional workstations

T

he Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is yet to hear from the National COVID-19 Task Force regarding the Commission’s request to house at least half a dozen more counting stations at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) in order accelerate the national elections recount exercise of the March 2 ballots that is currently underway.

As such, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Commissioner Sase Gunraj believes the progress of the recount exercise is being stymied by the agency, more specifically “a group of persons at the Task Force that is extraneous to us.”

Gunraj gave the disclosure on Friday—Day 10—of the recount exercise. He told media operatives that as a result of the failure of the COVID-19 Task Force to communicate its report following an assessment of the venue the previous day, the work of the Commission has since inherently led to the postponement of other critical meetings.

He told reporters encamped in the makeshift media centre— erected outside of the Conference Centre—that the Commission did not meet on Friday as a result, “since there was no need to meet and discuss a report.”

According to the GECOM

CEO of the National COVID-19 Task Force, Joseph Harmon

Commissioner, the failure on the part of the National COVID-19 Task Force “poses an issue for us because we need to have that report in hand because we have committed to acting pursuant to that.”

Gunraj signalled to reporters that at present, the Commission is ready to begin populating the proposed locations in order to get the recounting process accelerated.

Lamenting the delayed report from the Task Force, Gunraj said, “I am convinced our progress in this recount exercise is stymied by an agency, or a group of persons in a Task Force that is extraneous

to us.”

The GECOM Commissioner used the occasion to reiterate that the Constitution clearly says that the actions of the Commission should not be influenced or fettered by external persons.”

He was adamant that the issue, “go hand in glove—the failure of the Task Force to give us information in relation to this particular exercise and expanding the work stations.”

According to Gunraj, the same position obtains with the Task Force in relation to international observers to the exercise and pointed to the denial of the US democracy watchdog group, The Carter Center.

He said, to date, the Task Force has also failed to provide the necessary clearances to have the members of that delegation return to Guyana.

The GECOM Commissioner observed that in recent days, the general pace of the recount exercise started to pick up “because of some of the changes that we are implementing daily to speed up and to make the process more efficient.”

He cited as examples, the reduction of the checklist on opening the ballot boxes and the increase in tabulation hours each day, as among the variables that have al-

Head of National COVID-19 Task Force, Moses Nagamootoo

lowed for the process to increase its pace.

To this end, the Commissioner reiterated that based on analysis of the prior week’s activity, there had been consensus on the need for more counting stations to be added.

“We have recognised as a consequence of our analysis after seven days is that one of the elements needed to expedite this process is the increase in the number of work stations.”

As such, according to Gunraj, the delayed report from the COVID-19 Task Force will, in fact,

have a debilitating effect.

Asked to respond to how long the Commission should, in fact, wait on the Task Force and not act independently, Gunraj told reporters the 24-hour timeframe given to the COVID-19 officials to respond to the request “was more than enough…24 hours might have been more than adequate.”

According to the PPP GECOM Commissioner, the recount exercise being run off by the electoral body has been keeping with the COVID-19 guidelines set globally and by the Task Force.

As such, he posited, “setting up new stations with the knowledge that we have already established and taking into consideration the safeguards that are already in place I don’t see it as rocket science…we should have set up and had those station up and running in short order.”

Gunraj did note, however, that even if the Commission were to be allowed to set up the half a dozen more work stations, making the 25-day deadline wouldn’t be guaranteed.

Additionally, PPP Executive Member, Anil Nandlall, in advocating for more stations to be included in a short manner, also called for a review of the working hours and for it to be enforced vigilantly.

NEWS

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SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, May 16 – 01:00h – 02:30h and 13:00h – 14:30h and Sunday, May 17 – 02:00h – 03:30h and 13:30h – 15:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, May 16 – 12:15h – 13:45h and Sunday, May 17 – 13:20h – 14:50h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

APNU/AFC undermining credibility of elections recount – PPP/C …as coalition's latest ‘anomaly’ is to dig deeper for “dead votes”, migrated Guyanese

…but contradicts its own presidential candidate’s position to US Govt, of process being free and fair Gunaj, fall under the Central Immigration and Passport Office, which is an arm of the Guyana Police Force—another Government agency.

He suggested that like tax records, such documents should not be released without “proper channels.”

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

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GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj

T

he coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change’s (APNU/AFC) latest ‘anomaly’ at the National Recount exercise underway at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) is to make a claim that a dead person has voted, without producing evidence and that the Elections Commission must investigate its claims. This has been viewed by the Opposition as the coliation’s new move to undermind the credibility of of the elections recount.

Additionally, the coalition is insisting that ‘Death Certificates’ in its possession and for which it is still looking for a way to turn over to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), were not obtained nefariously since the party or its members would have paid the fees for the documents.

Nefarious methods

15 16 21

PAY DAY

State custody

The positions were adumbrated by APNU/AFC caretaker Minister, Cathy Hughes. The AFC Executive Member made the claims in an impromptu press engagement, minutes after People’s Progressive Party GECOM Commissioner, Sase Gunraj called out the coalition over its use and access to death and immigration records.

During the course of the first week of the recount exercise, a number of coalition agents objected to a series of votes cast on the grounds that the persons had either migrated or were dead.

Gunraj told media operatives that the coalition is still to submit any of the purported records to the Commission.

Addressing the use of death and immigration records, the GECOM Commissioner told reporters, “I am concerned as to who has access to those documents and whether those documents are being accessed for nefarious reasons.”

Gunraj, himself a practicing attorney-at-law, reminded that records such as Birth and Death Certificates fall under the ambit of the General Registrar’s Office and that this agency is under the control of a Government Department.

Similarly, immigration records, according to

Additionally, it was noted that on Friday, the GRO was, in fact, closed to the public.

Addressing the matter of the records being used by the APNU/AFC during the recounting of the ballots, Gunraj told reporters, “I have seen an attempt yesterday in one of these station where one of the representatives of the APNU/ AFC sought to produce a document purportedly emanating from the Immigration Department.”

He explained, however, that the document was later criticised to be “so poorly constructed that a four-year-old could have done so.”

The PPP Commissioner used the occasion to point to provisions in the law for the accessing of categories of information and identified as an example, the Access to Information Act with the constitutionally-appointed and protected Commissioner of Information.

He suggested, “it is worrisome to see persons purporting to have those documents in their hands whether they are legitimate or not, the main fact that they have access to it, is of concern.”

The Commissioner’s position did not resonate amica-

Caretaker Govt Minister Cathy Hughes contradicting APNU/ AFC Presidential Candidate David Granger on Friday during an engagement with the media

bly in the coalition camp as was evidenced when APNU/ AFC’s Hughes rushed to the media to refute any nefarious motives on the part of the

coalition and that the party was, in fact, looking for a way to get the document to the Commission.

TURN TO PAGE 7

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guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 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

Lifechanging decisions of healthcare workers

C

onfirmed cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Guyana now stand at 116, with 10 deaths; and even as authorities grapple with under-reported cases here,both the worldwide death toll and new cases are increasing daily.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Results posted on GECOM’s website indicate PPP/C has won

Dear Editor, As a preface, Guyanese continue to await the coalition’s disclosure of their SoPs after in excess of ten weeks.

As a major supporter of their platform during the 2015 elections, the APNU/AFC has made me a liar by their actions, both during their term, and subsequent to the March 2, 2020 election.

I, therefore, request that they honour my efforts at securing their victory in 2015 by acknowledging the will of the people at the recent 2020 elections and resign forthwith. Many, if not all, are familiar with the results of these elections, and most condemn the ongoing shenanigans aimed at subverting our democracy since March 2, 2020.

Given that the election recount continues to be dragged out beyond what

is acceptable, in an attempt to get everyone on the same page and so dispense with any future confusion and uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the recount, the attached table was prepared based on information available on GECOM’s website.

The focus has been to identify the discrepancy between Mingo’s results for Region Four and those based on the SoPs for Region Four, and to illustrate the outcome of the election based on the two different sets of results.

With this done, the final outcome of the recount should match those results for both Region Four and the final set of results, based on the original SoPs. Mingo’s results for Region Four show that the coalition won that Region by 55,412 votes, while the results based on the SoPs

show that the coalition won Region Four by only 34,266 votes. Importantly, Mingo’s Region Four results overstated the coalition’s votes in Region Four by 15, 873, and understated the votes for the PPP/C by 5273, realising a total difference of 21,146 votes. In other words, the PPP/C was cheated of 21,146 votes based on the Mingo Region Four declarations.

The final results based on Mingo’s declarations show that the coalition won the election by 3973 votes. Based on the SoPs, the PPP/C won the election by 17,173 votes.

Based on information on one of the PPP/C’s Facebook pages (https://www.facebook.com/pg/pppcguyana/ posts/?ref=page_internal 2,024 + 341 votes.), the recount had recovered 2365 of the stolen votes. Another 18,781 more votes remain to

be recovered.

It should be noted here that the results for no other region is in dispute, based on the information available at GECOM’s website.

The results of the recount should merge with the results of the declared SoPs, meaning that the PPP won the 2020 March 2 election.

Come on folks, it’s been two months too long.

Coalition supporters are urged to pursue efforts to have the coalition disclose the results of their SoPs, or better yet, concede the election soonest. Having spent time and money supporting them, the coalition is now accountable to their supporters for the outcome of the election.

Dear Editor, The blatant attempt by the APNU/AFC coalition to besmirch the characters of thousands of GECOM staff who worked on Election Day, March 2, 2020, should be condemned by all.

These staff were widely praised for their work on that day, as the voting process on Election Day was deemed by all stakeholders in the electoral process, including the international election observer missions, to be conducted in a free and fair manner. Even

the APNU/AFC coalition, in their now widely circulated dossier, said the same thing.

They said: “The various comments from the observer missions convey that the voting process in the election was well managed, peaceful, proceeded largely without incident and was free, fair and transparent. It is, therefore, reasonable to conclude then that the voting process was not fraudulent.”

Editor, most of these staff would have been enjoying their first employment and would have been

proud to place that experience on future resumes.

Unfortunately, through the efforts of the APNU/AFC coalition, these young people are now stained with the allegations that they conspired with other GECOM staff, party agents, including those from the coalition, the police officers at the Polling Stations and the local and foreign observers to allow unauthorised persons to vote for persons who either migrated or are deceased.

The APNU/AFC coalition agents at the various recount

stations and the leadership of the coalition who concocted this false narrative should be ashamed of the potential damage they are causing to these young people.

I would recommend that these young people join together and bring a class-action suit against the coalition, forcing them to provide evidence of their wrongdoing or withdraw the obscene allegations.

Dear Editor, On March 13, Attorneyat-Law Charles Ramson Jnr filed private criminal proceedings against Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo and PNC’s Chairperson Volda Lawrence for the alleged forging of documents so as to defraud the Guyanese nation.

The offence read that Mingo, having been procured

by Lawrence on or about March 5 at the Command Centre of GECOM, uttered to the CEO, Keith Lowenfield, the results for Region Four knowing it to be forged with intent to defraud the people of Guyana.

No fair-minded Guyanese at that time had an iota of doubt that the ‘magical spreadsheet’ conjured by Mingo was fraudulent and intended to be used to rig the 2020 elections in favour of APNU/AFC. All the local and foreign observers, including The Carter Center, the OAS, the EU and all the foreign Ambassadors made reports and statements to that effect.

It was these fraudulent declarations by Mingo in spite of a clear court order, which triggered the recount.

Now at last, even though the recount is laboriously journeying at a snail’s pace, the Region Four Statements of Recount have so far proven conclusively that the Returning Officer, Mingo was, in fact, rigging the SoPs in favour of the APNU/AFC coalition and no amount of red herrings vomited by the coalition’s propagandists can now prove otherwise.

It was the most amateurish attempt to rig an election and prompted the Head of the OAS, Mr Bruce Golding, to state that he has, “never seen a more transparent effort to alter the results of an election”. Neither was it a mystery why the coalition took to the courts and spent millions of taxpayers’ dollars to block the recount.

Not only was the attempt

by Mingo the work of an amateur but it is so hilarious. This was evident when Mr Bruce Golding recounted the stringent electoral process as it relates to the preparation and submission of Statements of Poll. He stifled a laugh as he stated that, “…it takes an extraordinarily courageous mind to present fictitious number when such a sturdy

paper trail exists”.

This just goes to expose the fact that Mingo was probably given a 100 per cent guarantee that there will be no recount and maybe that even if there is, his fraudulent figures will never be exposed and he will be protected by all means.

Well, it now seems that Mingo is all alone and he must now come clean to save himself by exposing the people who are behind his fraudulent acts.

He must be reminded that he is still facing a contempt of court proceeding. However, Mingo was just a puppet and we all know who the puppet masters are. It is evident that Mr Ramson’s criminal proceeding already captured two of them. Volda Lawrence as the Chairperson of the PNC, the major party in the coalition, signed one of the fraudulent declarations made by Mingo so let’s see how she defends the indefensible. So much for GECOM’s independence!

Another open fraudulent behaviour is that of the CEO, Lowenfield, who has refused to now abort the fraudulent declaration for Region Four even though he has glaring and conclusive evidence to

prove that such a declaration was fraudulent.

Jagdeo has said that the now proven fraudulent declarations should no longer be held in abeyance as had previously been declared by the GECOM’s Chairperson. The act of GECOM to still hold on to the false and fraudulent declarations is now criminal and must be condemned.

What is GECOM’s Chair waiting on? It must be recalled that Jagdeo had requested a court order to disclose the SoPs for Region Four by GECOM and until now that has not been done. This action is mirrored

by AFC’s General Secretary, David Patterson, who also refused to release the SoPs in his party’s possession.

The same with APNU. The APNU/AFC had claimed that they won the elections, yet they are hiding their SoPs and had tried to block the recount.

This would make it seem like an apparent attempt again to cover the fraud perpetrated

by Mingo on behalf of the coalition. At this stage, a fraudulent declaration is not rejected and valid SoPs are kept in hiding. I smell a sinister motive here.

With regards, Craig Sylvester

Calling shame on APNU/AFC coalition

Yours truly, Sherwyn Greaves

Coalition is still willing to gamble, despite threats of sanctions

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020

5

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

Why give false hope to your supporters?

Dear Editor, The leadership of the A Partnership for Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) must cease creating a “false narrative and spreading propaganda” and be honest with their supporters and the people of Guyana by letting them know they have lost the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

Their leader must “come clean” and prepare supporters for the true results of the elections. The opposition parties fought for “live streaming of the vote tabulations” during the recount process so that every Guyanese has the opportunity to see the truth of the elections live as it unfolds in front of their eyes.

It is disrespectful when politicians feel and think they can play with the intelligence of their supporters and the Guyanese people like the APNU/AFC leadership is doing presently. We have a present verbal attack displayed by Joseph Harmon on camera making a statement trying to discredit Mr Bruce Golding, Head of the Organisation of American States Observer Mission to Guyana’s March 2020 General and Regional Elections, even trying to implicate the People’s Progressive Party General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo as coercing Mr Golding to this statement.

“I have never seen a more transparent effort to alter the results of an elections.

More than a dozen copies of the Statements of Poll are prepared at each Polling Stations after the ballots are counted… it takes an extraordinary and courageous mind to present fictitious numbers when such a sturdy paper trail exists.”

What is more puzzling, Joseph Harmon’s attack occurred indoors instead of in front of the media who could ask him questions directly related to the issues. This is the action of a person who has the intent of discrediting the process, however, this will not happen.

Joseph Harmon and the APNU/AFC leadership, please stop pushing propaganda and creating false narrative among your support base. It is not right. It does not help them. They all must know what you are saying is ludicrous, we are no longer in the 70s and 80s where brainwashing was the norm, the people of Guyana

are smarter than you think.

Now, my mother, at 81, uses a smartphone, thanks to coronavirus (COVID-19), most Guyanese adults are exposed to Zoom, and the young school children are doing their school work online via the internet and are exposed to so much more, while paying keen attention to the elections recount process. The truth has a way of revealing itself, every afternoon between 4 pm and 6 pm the image of the recount vote tabulations is before all our eyes.

The numerous instances of irregularities, discrepancies and anomalies which have been uncovered in the ongoing recount process amounting to fraud on the Guyanese people – dead people voting, persons who are not in Guyana voting, unsigned affidavits of identity in boxes, are all allegations without evidence proposed by the APNU/AFC counting agents, with direction from the APNU/AFC leadership, in an effort to slow down the recounting process, however, with GECOM’s decision to increase the counting stations, the APNU/AFC is in a state of shock and panic. What Mr Bruce Golding has done is call it as he sees it, what more can this honest man say, he was at the Ashmins building when Mingo and his accomplices suddenly changed gears and started using mysteriously generated spreadsheets to announce the tabulation of SoPs in the critical District Four votes.

Guyanese, we are a diverse people, even in the midst of the challenges we are forced to endure because of COVID-19, however, we are on the verge of historic change and prosperity, the decision we are about to make for the future will determine whether or not the people of Guyana enter this new era united and confident with the result of the National Recount.

An elected People’s Progressive Party/Civic Presidential Candidate, Irfaan Ali, will confirm that the PPP/C had won at the polls of March 2, 2020, adding that the Statements of Recount (SoRs) are matching the Statements of Poll (SoPs) The People’s Progressive Party/Civic assures every Guyanese citizen whether you are a supporter of the PPP/C, APNU/AFC, or the other small parties, you

would have an equal stake in the development of Guyana, a PPP/C Government would lead in a way that every Guyanese will see their aspirations fulfilled.

I will like the APNU/ AFC leaders to know that the people of Guyana have seen their incompetence and betrayal...if you asked the simple question to the APNU/AFC leaders what have you done for the people of Guyana lately, the answer must be too little. Supporters continue to be loyal with the hope that things will get better, however, it is evident from the inception the APNU/AFC intentionally tried to mislead their supporters claiming victory in the March 2, 2020 elections. The problem we faced as a nation by doing that is dangerous to all.

Losing can cause embarrassment but social desirability and fear of social stigma all have their role in human behaviour during election and can distort one’s thinking if not acknowledged.

The results of these elections will shock many APNU/AFC supporters who will be pointing their finger at misleading and lying APNU/AFC leadership that didn’t do a great job predicting what actually happened, leaving them on the shame bench. This election will be the term to many of the coalition supporters as outright lies being told by the APNU/AFC caretaker Administration which had an added responsibility to respect the people and let them know the truth given the years of division and rancour in Guyana.

We need to be very careful because there is a deep scepticism in the country about the politic, the People’s Progressive Party /Civic has an enormously high value of truth in their manifesto and must make this a reality from day one when elected, we all know in any election campaign, where there is misuse of the truth as opposed to simple robust and different interpretations of fact then we need to call it out also. Now is the time for all stakeholders to demonstrate a commitment to the democratic principle, processes and institution and not lose sight of the fact that legitimate elections represent the voice and will of the people.

Sincerely, David Adams

Coalition is still...

In conclusion, the using of the COVID-19 Task Force which is headed by coalition politicians, Nagamootoo and Harmon as the CEO, to block The Carter Center from concluding its observation of the recount can only be seen as another attempt to foist its rigging apparatus upon this

nation.

We have also seen that GECOM is still trying desperately to do the biddings of the coalition when it forwarded its proposal to increase its work stations to the COVID-19 Task Force which is headed by the Government. This is so de-

FROM PAGE 4

spite being an independent and autonomous constitutional body. It would seem that despite threats of sanctions and its disastrous effects, the coalition is still willing to gamble.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

Mottley has swept aside years of warm elections-related diplomacy from Caricom towards PNC Dear Editor, The unwarranted attacks on distinguished Caribbean leaders underscore the failure of the groupthink narrative perpetuated by the PNC, that what is best for Congress Place is also best for the country.

Rejection started with former Barbados Prime Minister Arthur Owen who publicly rebuffed being bullied by the PNC regarding his observer status.

Rejection continued when Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Keith Rowley recalled that republic’s elections officer to avoid contamination in Georgetown.

Rejection of the PNC nar-

rative grew louder this week by former Jamaica Prime Minister Bruce Golding who stated: “I have never seen a more transparent effort to alter the results of an election.”

But it is the Chair of Caricom, Prime Minister Mia Mottley who hit the high note or crescendo on March 17, 2020, when she declared: “It is clear that there are forces that do not want to see the votes recounted for whatever reason.”

With her “forces” statement, Chair Mottley has swept aside years of warm elections-related diplomacy from Caricom towards the

PNC. Caribbean leaders and by extension its people are wary of the PNC, which has always embarrassed Guyana. To borrow a recent comment from the esteemed historian, Mr Clem Seecharran, Guyanese have become famously stained due to rigged elections.

Guyanese ought to take guidance from these eminent Caribbean leaders— and resist the groupthink narrative being promoted in good old-fashioned PNC style, just as these leaders have.

Sincerely, Rakesh Rampertab

Joseph Harmon must understand that democracy cannot be preserved on fraud Dear Editor, COVID-19 Chief Executive Officer, Joseph Harmon’s recent tantrums stated that the report presented to the OAS Council

by Mr Bruce Golding, the Head of the OAS Observer Mission to the Guyana March 2, 2020 Regional and National Elections, was “partisan and biased.” One visualises how emotions quickly overpower objectivity in Harmon’s response.

He apparently based his jaundiced conclusion on the premise that Mr Bruce Golding is a friend of Bharrat Jagdeo and is therefore not only partisan but also could not be fair and impartial. This is not only a simplistic position but also a reprehensible and unprofessional one.

I believe it also speaks to the chaotic and vacillating positions of the coalition in their clumsy quest to defend GECOM’s attempt to steal an election in the plain view of the world.

To impugn an elderly Caricom statesman’s integrity because of his friendship with another Caricom leader is preposterous. Why, as CEO of COVID-19 Task Force did Harmon issue this statement? This matter has nothing to do with the COVID-19 pandemic. Does Harmon still function as Director General of the Office of the President?

If not, in what capacity did he issue those callous statements? Mr Golding was referring to the fraud being perpetrated by GECOM’s Clairmont Mingo and not to the PNCR or its coalition.

Why then did Harmon find it convenient to respond on behalf of GECOM? In so doing, hasn’t he demonstrated a symmetry between the PNCR and GECOM? Would this Harmon position turn out to be another case as the dossier one, where he issued it (dossier) on behalf of the de facto Government but was forced

to recant his story when Mr David Granger distanced himself and his de facto Government from the dossier? After that embarrassment, Harmon said that the dossier was a PNCR-AFC document. Really!

Why was Harmon, as CEO of the COVID-19 Task Force, allowed to issue those controversial statements on such an important international issue as the OAS Observer Mission report?

Why didn’t Mr Granger issue that statement or his de facto Foreign Secretary? Is there a jurisdictional conflict involved?

Mr Bruce Golding headed a team of 17 members who are knowledgeable and experienced election observers drawn from various countries. They were screened prior to their selection as members of the OAS observation team, according to Sir Ron Saunders.

Golding’s response was a collective one.

What bothers me is that Harmon, as a lawyer, should know the truth but instead, he turns the other way. He and other top party officials have access to the GECOM-issued SoPs and are, therefore, aware that the PPP/C won the elections. Furthermore, the Statements of Recount (SoRs) so far have proved that GECOM’s Mingo did produce a series of fictitious figures.

Mr Harmon knows that Mr Golding’s presentation to the OAS was not only professional but also that its main findings are consistent with those issued by all the other international (Caricom, EU, Commonwealth, Carter Center, etc) and local observer teams (Private Sector Commission, etc) as well as by all the political parties, except the PNCRAFC. I can’t help but conclude that the PNCR, by their attempts to influence GECOM, combined with

their defence of attempts at electoral rigging, has put themselves into a position where they are standing alone, completely isolated.

The PNCR has taken the position that anybody or group that condemns the open and blatant GECOM’s Mingo’s attempts at rigging is deemed biased and a friend of the PPP/C. Or, interfering in the country’s internal affairs! What a stretch!

International and national observer teams had performed a similar role in previous Guyana General and Regional Elections, including the 2015 elections, and have never been accused of bias. Now the PNCR sees them as enemies because they rejected non-credible and non-transparent elections results.

Instead, they stood up in defence of democracy, something which Harmon’s leader David Granger advocates and claims that he embraces.

When all members of the western diplomatic community condemned GECOM‘s Mingo for his attempts at voter tabulation fraud they too are attacked by the PNCR as interfering in the country’s domestic affairs. In defence, the US Ambassador referred to their (diplomatic) action as “good diplomacy.”

The evidence from the recount is overwhelming.

The PPP/C won the elections. The PNCR lost by a wide margin. For how long more would the PNCR continue to grab power and cause the nation to haemorrhage?

Again, I repeat, the PNCR can still redeem themselves and save the country from further affliction by conceding their defeat. And let the country move forward!

Sincerely, Dr Tara Singh

6

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020

Page

Foundation

Guyana Times is pleased to publish the Education Ministry’s National Grade Six Assessment Past Papers.

Below is the conclusion of Science Paper 2, 2019.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL GRADE SIX ASSESSMENT

SCIENCE

Reading Time: 10 minutes Writing Time: 45 minutes

2. This paper consists of two sections: Section A and Section B.

Read these instructions carefully before you attempt to answer the questions.

Section A consists of four letter topics. Section B consists of four composition topics.

1. Write your candidate number clearly on each page.

Answer one question only, either from Section A or Section B. Each question is worth 20 marks.

4. Darwin carries out an experiment to find out how different materials conduct heat. He places an equal amount of wax at the top end of three rods, made of materials A, B and C. The rods are of the same length but made of different materials.

The three rods are then placed on top of a hot plate as shown below. Study the diagram and answer the questions that follow.

3. You have 45 minutes writing time and 10 minutes reading time. Writing may begin during the reading time.

6. If you have to erase, do so cleanly.

4. Write the answerfor each questuion in the space provided in the booklet.

8. Do not take away any part of this booklet.

5. Answer must be writen in complete sentenses.

(b) Jane wants to make a container to keep food warm using one of the materials. Which material would keep food warm for the longest time? Give a reason for your answer.

(2 marks) (c) What in this experiment did Darwin keep the same to ensure that his results are accurate?

(1 mark)

7. Look over your work when you have finished.

DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO. (1 mark)

(d) The diagram below shows the Earth rotating around an imaginary line. The direction of rotation of the Earth is shown by the arrow. Six places on the Earth's surface are marked with the letters L, M, N, P, Q and R. Study the diagram carefully and answer the questions that follow.

Total 5 marks

Darwin uses a stopwatch to measure the time taken for the wax on each rod to melt. The time taken for the wax to melt completely on each rod is shown in the table below.

5. The diagram below shows the positions of the Earth and the sun and a point, X, on the Earth. Study the diagram carefully and answer the questions that follow.

In the boxes below, sort the six places in terms of whether they are experiencing day-time or night-time.

(a) After how many hours would a person at Point X see the sun again at exactly the same position in the sky?

(1 mark) (a) (i)

Which material is the best conductor of heat?

(1 mark)

(a)

(ii) Briefly explain why you chose the material named in (1 mark)

(b) Name one factor that causes the moon to go through different phases in cycles.

(2 marks) Total 5 marks 6. Deon rides the bicycle shown below to school each day.

Use the diagram to answer the questions that follow.

(1 mark)

(c) The position of the Earth from the sun enables the Earth to support life. Briefly explain what would happen if the Earth moves nearer to the sun.

Using the diagram above, indicate by placing a tick (√ ) under the appropriate column, whether each of the following statements is true or false.

(3 marks) (d) Other than potential energy and kinetic energy, state one other form of energy that is present as Deon rides his bicycle from his home to school.

(1 mark) (e) State the name of one force that is acting against the movement of Deon's bicycle.

(1 mark) Total 5 marks

END OF TEST

NEWS

7

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Granger regime to US Govt: No Carter Center for elections recount …also rejects Senators’ call for more “credible int’l observers” in recount …Canada questions motive for rejection Center from the US had made a second request for the Guyana Government to allow the organisation’s electoral observation mission (EOM) as well as advisors from the International Republican Institute (IRI) to return to Georgetown to monitor the ongoing exercise of the recount of ballots cast in the March 2 elections.

Request denied

US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch

L

ess than one week after Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF), Joseph Harmon, said the Carter Center can reapply for permission to return to Guyana to monitor the ongoing National Recount, the David Granger Administration has

However, in response to the request, caretaker Foreign Affairs Minister Karen Cummings, in a letter dated Friday May 15, 2020, informed the US Ambassador that “…it may not be possible for the Carter Center and the IRI Advisor to participate in the overseeing of the recount of the votes cast in 2nd March 2020 General and Regional Elections, which as you are aware has already commenced.”

Caretaker President David Granger

Center’s return, although they will comply with same COVID-19 requirements as the Caricom team.

“GECOM [Guyana Elections Commission] invited @CarterGuyanaEOM to return. Why doesn’t Govt want them back?” she questioned.

Additionally, the New York-based International Center for Democracy (ICD), in a statement on Friday, denounced the caretaker administration’s refusal.

“The denial only raises more skepticism and lack of trust among domestic and international constituencies in the integrity of the recount, and lays the groundwork for a future political

crisis in Guyana”, it said.

Even with the Caricom team here, the Democracy Center said, there are still few observers on the ground to monitor the recount, and they called on the Government to change its position and allow more observers into the country “to restore faith among the public and international community in the integrity of this momentous and consequential process.”

However, even as the Granger-led administration insists that the country’s international airports would remain closed to protect Guyanese, the caretaker administration has approved some six to eight flights for oil giant ExxonMobil to fly in its workers from around the world.

This forced Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday to call on the coalition to stop playing politics and allow the international observers to return.

He pointed out that, in addition to the foreign observers, there are many Guyanese who are stranded overseas as well.

“All the oil companies have flights coming in here.

People from all around the world can come in, and we have Guyanese stranded in

Senators’ call rejected

Caretaker Foreign Affairs Minister Karen Cummings

many parts of the world who want to come home… They are stranded everywhere.

[Government can] use the same COVID protocols, and they must comply with them, that the workers for the oil companies are using. But it seems as though they have preferences over Guyanese and over the international observers too, when [the recount] is the most important exercise that we’re engaged in now,” Jagdeo asserted.

According to the Opposition Leader, the recent letter written by five top-ranking senators from both the Republican and Democratic parties in the US to President Granger, requesting that the Carter

APNU/AFC undermining...

No provisions

again denied the organisation’s request.

Earlier this month, the Carter Center had revealed that they were hoping to return to Guyana to conclude their observation of the 2020 elections by monitoring the recount exercise, but they did not get the necessary permission from the Guyana Government to come on a scheduled flight to Guyana, which was chartered to repatriate US citizens stranded here. last Saturday, Harmon denied his Government had blocked the team from returning, and indicated that the Carter Center can reapply for permission to return to Guyana, provided that each member of the team get tested in their home country, and each have a certificate that shows their clean bill of health.

As such, only on Wednesday, US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, disclosed that both her office and the Carter

Cummings cited the series of emergency measures, including the imposition of a curfew and the closure of Guyana’s international airports, as reasons for the denial of the request.

The caretaker Foreign Affairs Minister further reminded that the Caribbean Community (Caricom) high-level team remains the “most legitimate interlocutors” in the current political situation; and that Guyana, equally, is confident in the legitimacy, credibility, and competence of the regional team to perform its task of scrutinising the elections.

Decision denounced

Meanwhile, for refusing the Carter Center’s request, Government has come under criticism, including from the Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Lilian Chatterjee.

She said in a tweet on Friday night that, despite ties since the 1990s, Guyana has refused the Carter

Hughes told media operatives the party had been canvassing communities even before the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

Proceeding to contradict, APNU/AFC’s Presidential Candidate David Granger— who up to Friday in a correspondence with the US Government maintained that the March 2 elections were free and fair—Hughes told media operatives that the coalition has long known about the anomalies marring the Elections Day vote.

Hughes claimed that during the earlier Claims and Objections period, parties were allowed to scrutinise the list and that this is what APNU/AFC did.

She told media operatives it is because the party had in its possession the death records all along that the objections could have been raised since the electoral system did not provide for the coalition to make an objection prior “and that is why now this is when we have to make the objections.”

Giving the APNU/AFC’s perspective on the entire affair, Hughes then went on to claim that the same Claims and Objections period it used to find the dead persons, did not, in fact, happen.

She maintained that “the

system that got us to where we are today did not allow us to make an objection” and told reporters, “if there was Claims and Objections period, the list would have been sanitised; and we would have made all these objections and it would have been sorted.”

Claiming to want to know the Commission’s intentions with regards its observations of dead and migrated persons voting, Hughes said: “it’s for them [GECOM] to disprove.”

According to her, the narrative needs to now be changed to whether the certificates the party is producing are authentic.

Without taking questions, Minister Hughes on leaving the podium was quickly reminded that there was, in fact, a Claims and Objections period—a period she had referred to as being used to identify the dead persons. That period lasted for over seven weeks.

Flip-flop

She then denied saying that there was not a Claims and Objections period, saying, “there was a Claims and Objections period” and introduced a new element to the equation saying “but remember that period was halted.”

Reaffirming her new position this time, Hughes said “yes there was a Claims and

Center be allowed to return, as well as similar calls from senior representatives in the US Government, shows that there is very high-level interest in the ongoing recount of the March 2 votes.

FROM PAGE 3

Objections period” and then went on to again claim this was the time when such concerns are normally raised.

According to Hughes, political parties are in possession of the list which is shared with its agents that would be able to ascertain whether some of the persons listed as alive aren’t, in fact, dead.

Dismissing Gunraj’s fears of nefarious motives, Hughes insisted “we have had this information for a long time and we are calling on GECOM to explain how we are going to look at all these anomalies and discrepancies that we are seeing.”

Unable to give a number for the death certificates that the party has to which it intends to raise objections to during the recount exercise, Hughes told reporters “what I would say is that we have quite a few.”

Bizarre stories

In the letter to the US Senators, Granger said his administration has been authorising flights to land for special situations, including the repatriation of foreign citizens in Guyana, including US citizens; as well as for the arrival of workers in the oil sector.

But in a separate response to the Senators’ letter, Minister Cummings, on behalf of the President, on Friday reiterated that US officials should respect her government’s decision to have the Caricom team be the “legitimate interlocutors” in the recount exercise, and that they respect the emergency measures in place.

Meanwhile, in addition to the senators, a bipartisan group of members of the US Congress made similar calls earlier this week. In fact, there has been mounting pressure on the coalition administration to approve the return of the international observers.

The Minister again claimed ignorance on the step forward saying “we are willing to produce them to GECOM and the question that we have been asking is what is the process, what happens after now…what is the process, we don’t have an answer to that yet.”

The Minister at this point claimed that according to legal opinions submitted to the party, “once we

make the objection and give the name, it is for GECOM to investigate, so GECOM is the one that will have to go to the register of deaths and say do you have a death certificate for this individual.”

Hughes’ ‘ludicrous claims’ were quickly pounced on by PPP party agent, Anil Nandlall, who in rebutting the caretaker Minister pointed to what he called the APNU/AFC’s changing narrative and now “bizarre allegations.”

He quickly reminded that the Claims and Objections period referred to by Hughes was, in fact, done by the Commission and that the coalition even objected to a list of 1000 names, claiming the persons were dead.

He said unlike the truncated version of a Claims and Objections period referred to

by Hughes, GECOM, in fact, extended the service and had held an inquiry into the APNU/AFC’s claims, which were found to be without merit.

According to Nandlall, the APNU/AFC member, by her suggestions, is, in fact, slandering thousands of GECOM professionals such as Presiding Officers across the count.

He concluded that “every story they fabricate is more bizarre than the previous one…now they have Death Certificates that they had all the time.”

8 NEWS

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Security officer charged with murder of mother-in-law

Remanded: Linden Junior Isaacs

A

28-year-old security officer appeared at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court where he was arraigned for the gruesome murder of his mother-in-law.

Linden Junior Isaacs of Strathspey

Squatting Area, East Coast Demerara (ECD), appeared before Magistrate Marissa Mittelholzer via Skype and was not required to plea to the indictable offence.

Police stated that on May 11, 2020, between 14:30h and 14:45h, at Lot 257 South Vryheid’s Lust, he murdered Velma Pickering.

It was reported that on the day in question, the accused visited his mother-in-law’s house where she admonished him about his attitude towards her daughter. This led to a heated argument.

According to Police, the man attacked the woman and dealt her several stabs about her body with an ice pick. She attempted to escape the wrath of the man but collapsed in a neighbour’s yard.

The 58-year-old woman was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Three days prior to the incident, the police had issued a bulletin for Isaacs for unlawfully wounding Shamar

Galvanic twitches…

E Dead: Velma Pickering

Roberts, a resident of Buxton, ECD. Nevertheless, Isaacs was remanded to prison and will make his next court appearance on June 9, 2020, at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.

…from the coalition ven when a frog is dead, it’ll twitch when hit with a current. Doesn’t meant it has come back to life… it’s just that the old circuits (nerves) are still in place, and reflexive movements are induced. It’s called “galvanic twitching”.

This is what we’re seeing with the coalition right now.

All the press statements and mouthing off are merely induced by the unrelenting blows they’re taking from without and within, and they’re flailing about like the monster after Frankenstein zapped him with all those lightning bolts!!

OK…OK…your Eyewitness knows the analogy is strained, but how else can you explain what’s going on in the APNU/ AFC camp? Just doesn’t make any sense! Imagine, Amna Ally saying that even if they’re able to show a SINGLE dead person “voted”, the election would then be invalidated!!

What the heck is this?? Karl Popper’s test of “falsifiability”, where the existence of one black swan will invalidate the claim that “all swans are white”?? What is this?? A thought experiment??

This isn’t how elections are evaluated – even the electronic ones. So, she wants a manually executed election involving over 30,000 GECOM employees and 440,000 persons not to have a single flaw?? This is just galvanic twitching!! Has she ever heard about permitted variance in elections and other such mass exercises? Or maybe it’s those Russian spies who may be capable of not only hacking paper and pencil voting, but can also raise the dead!!

Yet, after the recount has shown that there have been dozens of instances wherein Mingo and his Minions (a girl band from the sixties?) inflates APNU/AFC’s numbers by over 1500 while reducing the PPP’s by over a hundred, Amna Ally and her PNC crowd aren’t willing to dump Mingo’s numbers?? Guess the electrodes only give them a jolt when they have to spout inanities. Fact of the matter is that with their strategy of throwing mud every day at the ACCC and hoping something will stick (another galvanic twitch, if there ever was one!!) has already worn thin, and no one’s taking them seriously.

Then there’s the Washington lobbyists Harmon had hired on behalf of the coalition Government - with funds collected by passing around a hat from “supporters”!!

After Granger did his Shaggy bit and insisted “Wasn’t me!!” in a shrill falsetto, you’d think that was the end of that! But here comes news that Harmon has now hitched up with Patterson from the AFC and extended the contract. Gotta be a galvanic twitch!

Surely, they don’t think that anyone in Washington would take any lobbyist seriously when the head of the government they’re supposed to be pushing has denied them thrice??

Dead men walking!! …and the US Ambassador Two of the APNU/AFC top media hacks (no, not the DPI…he’s outta here, along with his Rabbi, Nagamootoo!)

Woolford and Moseley, stepped up to the plate to “interview” US Ambassador Sara-Ann Lynch. They clearly though they’d bushwhack her with all the talking points they’d been spewing to rile up their supporters into an anti-American rage. This had to be the galvanic twitch of the century!!

Lynch is no Republican party donor who was rewarded with a posh (!) posting, but a career State Department senior who’d run a US$5 billion budget at USAID on behalf of Democratic and Republican administrations. So, when the two flat-footed hacks asked her about “interference” in Guyana’s elections, she asked them how different was the US Embassy and Washington’s rhetoric in 2015, when APNU/AFC were in the Opposition?? She’d FUNDED that program!!

It wasn’t only a matter of what’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander…but that the sauce of democracy has always been the US gift that keeps on giving!!

“No mas! No mas,” the media wankers whimpered!! …at GuySuCo The last of the fired workers of Wales finally collected their severance pay – four years after it was due.

The galvanic twitch from the dead GuySuCo was a timely reminder of why the coalition lost the elections.

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

NEWS

9

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

APNU/AFC concedes party not paramount over Govt ...US lobbying firm now hired by party, not Guyana Govt

T

he coalition A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance for Change (APNU/ AFC) has retained the services of the disclaimed US lobby firm JJ&B LLC for an additional three months for a US$24,000 fee.

The paperwork was filed with the US State Department as an amendment to a previous filing which had named its client as the Government of Guyana, with the Ministry of the Presidency listed at the official contact address.

Caretaker President David Granger had denied that Government hired the US lobby firm when the information came to light, despite documents filed with the US State Department suggesting this was the case.

Granger’s denial also came a day after his then Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, in defending Government as hiring the company said “we believe as a Government, it was our duty, our responsibility to ensure that our narrative, the facts as they occurred, should be placed there [on the international stage]. We felt it was necessary to have a company that has that access to be able to

put out our side.”

Granger later recanted this position saying, “the Government of Guyana has not hired JJ&B LLC and has no contractual arrangement or affiliation with the said firm. No Government funds were used to hire the firm.”

The denial was made despite the document stating pellucidly that the Guyana Dossier was prepared on behalf of the Government.

New documents filed with the US State Department has now revealed that the contract has been amended to reflect that the “foreign principal we will be representing is the APNU/AFC coalition instead of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.”

The amendment to the documents also now lists the contact address as Lot 61 Hadfield Street, Georgetown.

Legal observers have since opined that acknowledgement of the change in client from the Government of a country to a political party inherently confirms that the contract with the US lobby firm originally was with the Government of Guyana.

The new contract, this time with the coalition as the principal, has as its sig-

natories, Harmon identified as the coalition’s Chairman and David Patterson, the AFC’s General Secretary.

Additionally, it was noted in the filings that the parties “have agreed to make this contract retroactive to April 15, 2020.”

The first contract is dated March 26, last for an initial retainer of US$40,000 for the month of April.

According to the newly filed documents, the amendments reflect a limit of the initial duration to three months and that the contract could be renewed for another three months.

The amendments were filed by Bart Fisher on April 20, last.

Fisher, Harmon and Patterson on that day too, also inked an agreement with the company, outlining the scope of activities.

According to Fisher in those documents, “we look forward to working with the APNU+AFC coalition on issues related to the electoral disputes now confronting Guyana.”

In outlining its scope of services, Fisher indicated to the APNU/AFC officials that it will be promoting the coalition’s interests through a range of lobbying projects.

These include contacts with the Executive Office of

the President of the United States, including the National Security Council, the US State Department, the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee and contacts with the media

“designed to improve the perception” of the coalition.

The US firm was also contracted to promote economic development efforts in Guyana including with US companies.

According to Fisher, the projects identified will cost the coalition Government a monthly US$40,000 retainer fee, payable within 10 days of the first month.

10 NEWS

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Over 35% COVID-19 cases are asymptomatic – DCMO …Guyana records 3 more positive cases

G

uyana has recorded 116 cases of COVID-19 after three more persons tested positive on Friday. Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Karen GordonBoyle, in the daily briefing, updated that an additional 13 persons were tested, which adds to the total of 1065 tests conducted.

Deaths from the coronavirus have remained at 10, while five persons are in institutional quarantine and 63 in institutional isolation. Another three persons are still receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), while 43 persons have so far recovered from the disease.

Dr Gordon-Boyle mentioned that Guyana’s situation has seen no improvement, with alarming figures being recorded within the last 14 days.

“The situation in Guyana in relation to the transmission of the coronavirus has not improved. We are reporting three new cases today, and our fatality rate from this disease remains very high.

Our positive cases have grown significantly over the last two weeks, as community transmission continues,” she declared.

The DCMO urged people to come forward and get tested. She noted that more than 35 persons of the positive cases in the country are actually asymptomatic.

This means they can operate as per normal while carrying the disease.

“Over 35 per cent of our COVID-19 cases were actually asymptomatic - had no typical signs or symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath etc. So

Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Karen Gordon-Boyle

even if your temperature is normal, you have to continue to behave as if you have the virus. So, you must continue to wear your mask, wash your hands frequently, maintain physical distancing, stay at home, and immediately report to the COVID Hotline should any symptoms arise,” she advised.

Testing, she noted, will be decentralised from Georgetown to other sections of the coast, targeting mostly regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

In the weekend and the upcoming week, health authorities have asked the public to make use of mobile units which will be placed at La Parfaite Harmonie on the West Bank of Demerara and South Ruimveldt in Georgetown.

“We have mentioned to you that we are currently working

on strengthening the health system to respond to COVID-19 on a longer- term basis. The aforementioned activities are a part of the plan to have a comprehensive COVID-19 health network, where patients across the 10 administrative regions will be able to access these services. Please understand that transmission can only be reduced or stopped if we are able to separate those who test positive from those who are not infected,” she added.

Regular screening is also done, which involves taking the temperature of individuals along with information about their medical history and possible symptoms.

Those with high body temperatures would be screened further to determine if their condition is associated with the novel coronavirus.

According to World Health Organisation’s statistics, there are 4,248,389 confirmed cases globally, with 292,046 deaths.

In the Americas, the number of cases is 1,819,553, with 109,121 deaths.

ERC modifies operations

Noticing the constant rise in cases, the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has also joined calls for Guyanese to practise social distancing, and go out only if it is absolutely necessary.

Presently, the doors of the ERC have been closed, but that body continues to operate via virtual means.

The ERC has said via a statement: “There is no existing play-

book to combat this pernicious virus, but what is known is that having fewer gatherings, wearing of face masks, constantly washing of hands, and the use of an alcohol-based sanitiser daily would slow down the spread of the virus.

In spite of the pandemic, the ERC continues to work, although its office remains closed due to the unprecedented COVID-19 lockdown.”

While the body deals with complaints and matters of discrimination on the lines of ethnicity, it said that complaints can still be filed by filling out an online form on its webpage: erc.org.gy or by

downloading the My ERC app.

Along with that, the ERC has been engaged in activities to continue its work on social media and virtual platforms.

“The Commission recently undertook initiatives to strengthen awareness and celebration of the Guyanese diversity. The Public Education and Awareness Unit of the ERC recently launched the ERC ‘Diversity Challenge’ on its Facebook Page, and is inviting Guyanese to celebrate their culture by visiting the page and connect especially with friends and family who are of different ethnic backgrounds.”

NEWS

11

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GAWU, GuySuCo agree Wanted bulletin issued for NA murder suspect on interim pay deal T T

he Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) has brokered a deal with the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) for a salary increase to workers, after five years of wage freeze and countless protests/picketing for a better income.

In a statement, the Union explained that the interim pay rise pact will see piece-rate workers benefitting from a five per cent rise in pay; time-rated workers receiving an increase of $20 per hour, and monthly-paid staffers will receive an increase of $4100 per month.

Apart from those improvements, certain increases have been approved with respect to a number of allowances disbursed.

GAWU, during an engagement with the Corporation on April 3, had proposed the implementation of the new rates retroactive to from January 2020 while the parties continue discussions regarding retroactive payments for 2019.

“The Union, at this time, re-emphasises our strong conviction that the period of retroactivity ought to commence from January 01, 2019. Our position, in this regard, takes into account that the discussions between the GAWU and the GuySuCo flowed from our

File photo: Picketing in front of the President’s Office for a wage hike

2019…It, therefore, follows the obvious logic that every single improvement ought to begin from that point as well. Additionally, the Union and the Corporation have yet to commence any discussion for 2020 and, therefore, we see the GuySuCo position as being misplaced,” the Union explained.

GAWU highlighted that as they remain committed towards discussions on the lone outstanding retroactive benefits, workers have been “badly battered” through five years of no increases.

This was caused by a rise in the cost of living every year among other factors.

However, GuySuCo has positioned that they cannot foster talks on retroactivity at present.

“In the intervening period, the cost of living rose significantly which deleteriously affected their standard of living. Of course, we could not ignore too, the hike in the even more acute hike in cost of living that has permeated since the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in Guyana. It was against that background we proposed to GuySuCo this interim arrangement.”

“We are hopeful that the Corporation would soon be able to provide the outstanding payments to its workers, who obviously are in need of the monies. We look too that the State, as it has done for its other employees, to exempt these payments from income taxes especially at this time when workers need every dollar,” the

statement added.

On another note, other matters were raised, which suggest that the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited – Special Purposes Unit (NICIL-SPU) has been withholding bonds to proceed with capital works.

This, GAWU said, is taking its effect on productivity.

“The stance by NICILSPU has served to significantly hamstring the industry which is seeking to advance certain works in the fields [of] cane productivity and production. This charade has been ongoing now for years and seemingly there is no end in sight.

At the same time, we have seen too the obvious ignorance of the issues by the powers-that-be.”

Workers from the Uitvlugt, Blairmont and Albion Sugar Estates had been waiting for a wage increase since 2015 – when the coalition Administration took office.

he Guyana Police Force (GPF) has issued a wanted bulletin for 29-year-old Donald Sheriff in relation to the murder of 33-year-old Keron Nicholson.

The suspect’s last known address is listed as Patrick’s Dam, Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, Berbice.

Nicholson was lashed to the head with a piece of wood on March 7, 2020, and died while receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

It was reported that on March 7, the suspect and the victim were engaged in a heated argument which escalated into an altercation. However, Nicholson reportedly left the scene and went to another location, where the suspect attacked him with a piece of wood.

Nicholson was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital but was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he subsequently died.

His relatives have expressed some concerns that the police failed to arrest any of the other men who

Wanted: Donald Sheriff

were reportedly involved in the argument, to ascertain what had transpired.

Anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of Donald Sheriff is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 333-2151, 333-5564, 333-3876, 2266978, 225-8196, 226-2870, 226-7065, 227-1149, 2267065, 911 or the nearest police station. According to the GPF, all information will be treated with the strictest confidence.

12 NEWS

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

National Elections Recount

Lawyer threatens legal action against public officials functioning as party agents

Attorney-at-Law Christopher Ram

A

ttorney-at-Law Christopher Ram has threatened to file legal action against several Government officials – including several caretaker Ministers – who are functioning as party agents for the APNU/AFC coalition in the ongoing national elections recount.

In a letter dispatched on Friday, Ram warned these officials that they should not receive salaries for their posts in public offices.

The letter was sent to Alliance for Change (AFC) General Secretary and caretaker Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson; caretaker Housing Minister Annette Ferguson; junior caretaker Minister at the Ministry of the Presidency Simona Broomes; Director of Sport Christopher Jones, and Ryan Belgrave from the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry – all of whom are

AFC General Secretary and caretaker Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson

currently active in the ongoing recount exercise at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

However, Ram reminded them of their oath to “honour, uphold and preserve” the Constitution of Guyana.

According to Ram, while Article 219 (3) of the Constitution of Guyana proves for them to carry on in their public offices and for the Finance Minister to access funds for their salaries, their current function as party agents in the recount exercise is not catered for.

Article 219 (3) states: “Where at any time Parliament has been dissolved before any provision or any sufficient provision is made under this Title for the carrying on of the Government of Guyana, the Minister responsible for finance may authorise the withdrawal of such sums

Junior caretaker Minister Simona Broomes

Director of Sport Christopher Jones

Caretaker Housing Minister Annette Ferguson

from the Consolidated Fund as he or she may consider necessary for the purpose of meeting expenditure on the public services (emphasis added) until the expiry of a period of three months commencing with the date on which the National Assembly first meets after that dissolution, but a statement of the expenditure so authorised shall, as soon as practicable be laid before the Assembly by the Minister responsible for finance or any other Minister designated by the President and, when the statement has been approved by the Assembly, that expenditure shall be included, under the appropriate heads, in the next Appropriation Bill.”

“Public service” is defined in Article 232 of the Constitution to mean “subject to the provisions of paragraph (5), the service of the Government of Guyana in a

civil capacity.”

Paragraph (5) thereof specifically excludes from public service as including, inter alia, the office of Minister and Members of the National Assembly.

To this end, Attorney Ram pointed out that these Government officials cannot function as party agents while still holding their public posts.

“I am satisfied that that function does not constitute public services as contemplated and defined in the Constitution.

Accordingly, any payment to you and any receipt by you would be a violation of the Constitution, the country’s supreme law, as well as the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act,” the political activist noted.

Ryan Belgrave from the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry

As such, Ram notified these officials in the letter on Wednesday that he will be bringing legal action against them, at the appropriate time, for the return of all public monies they improperly received and for other sanctions as the court thinks fit, as well as against persons making these payments.

Travel restrictions in place for Parika-Supenaam ferry services

…priority only for cargo, emergency vehicles

T

he Transport and Harbour Department (THD) has made a decision to open ferry services between Parika to Supenaam, to allow essential and cargo services while monitoring domestic move-

The Kanawan plying the Parika-Supenaam route

ments.

According to the entity, this is in compliance with the COVID-19 emergency measures instituted by caretaker President David Granger under the Public Health Ordinance. As the vessel continues to work, they will continue to keep track of persons going to and from the islands, with special attention on the Parika to Supenaam route.

Two vessels will be allowed to travel on return trips from Supenaam to Parika on Monday to Friday; with the first departure scheduled for 07:00h and the next for some time between 08:30 and 10:00h.

From Parika to

Supenaam, the first departure will leave between 10:00h to 12:00h while the second is slated for 14:00h.

To ensure the health and safety of all persons, it was clearly outlined that priority will be given to cargo vehicles, emergency vehicles and those authorised to travel by authorities. Vehicles travelling on pleasure will not be allowed aboard.

“Small vehicles travelling on pleasure will not be allowed. Please be reminded that once your travel is for pleasure or you do not have cargo you will be denied entry by authorities, including the Guyana Police Force,” the Department positioned.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

NEWS

13

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Recount confirms PPP/C victory in Region 1

...APNU/AFC now forced to hatch new plot to attack integrity of electoral process – PPP/C

T

he recount of the ballots cast in Region One (Barima-Waini) for the General and Regional Election has been completed by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), and the 198 Statements of Recount generated from the exercise for each of the ballot boxes in the region have since confirmed an electoral victory in that district for the Opposition Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C).

The recount of the votes for Region One by the Guyana Elections Commission

(GECOM) at the end of Thursday had completed 98 of 99 ballot boxes, but the process had to be stalled since the contents of one of the ballot boxes were still to be assessed, since the receptacle was found to be soaked on the first day the container was opened.

By the end of day 10 on Friday, however, the contents had been air-dried and found to be legible enough for the recount to be completed without resort to any of the speculated alternatives proffered.

For Region One the PPP/C received 8002 votes while

APNU/AFC received 3909 in the general elections. The LJP party received 170, PRP 24 and URP six. There was a 66 per cent voters’ turnout.

Additionally, the recount process underway at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC) completed an additional 57 boxes, bringing the total for the day to 58 boxes.

A breakdown of the recount during the course of the day illustrates that while the one box was completed for Region One, culminating the count for that district, another 13 box-

Convicted thief ’s leap to freedom short-lived …recaptured moments after escaping from NA Prison

Convicted: Rai Joseph

The convict Rai Joseph being escorted back to prison

A

man who was serving a 15- month jail sentence for simple larceny was on Friday morning recaptured minutes after escaping from the New Amsterdam Prison.

The escaped prisoner has been identified as Rai Joseph, who escaped at about 06:45h on Friday. Joseph, in a dash for freedom, scaled the fence of the facility. However, Prison Service ranks at the security tower saw when

Joseph jumped the fence, and they raised an alarm. Ranks pursued and recaptured him in the ward of Winkel, less than one hundred metres away from the prison fence.

He was found lying flat in a clump of bushes in an alleyway.

One resident of the community told this publication that the escaped prisoner had gone into his yard.

“I was downstairs, and whilst on my phone, I heard

the front gate rattling, so I came to the door to see what is going on. Upon looking, I did not see anyone, (but) realising that it had to be someone scaled the fence, I decided to enquire. When I went on the step, I saw the movement at the back of my fence, and there is it where the guy was hiding.

“About five minutes (later), some of the officers from the Prison Service, backed up by the Police, came, and they were able to apprehend him and escort him back,” the resident said.

When Joseph was found, he was wearing only his short pants. He was promptly escorted back to the prison.

The Prison Service has since launched an investigation into the incident.

Joseph was expected to be released on December 11.

Travel restrictions in...

Meanwhile, passengers will be subjected to additional assessment on the purpose of their trip before being permitted to board the vessel. They are also asked to wear their mask at all times while onboard the vessel and maintain social or physical distancing. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in a passenger being denied re-boarding on the vessel.

Persons permitted to travel to work for es-

sential services under the COVID-19 emergency measures notice are to have in his or her possession an official identification document and official work identification document; or proof of workplace which must be supplied if requested by the Guyana Police Force prior to boarding.

“Please be reminded that T&HD will continue the aforementioned schedule unless otherwise publicly informed. It is apt to

FROM PAGE 12

note that such restrictions on travel are for national health, safety, and protection. Persons are reminded to remain at home and adhere to the COVID-19 emergency measures,” the statement added.

Over the past weeks, many truck drivers have complained about losses they would have suffered since the ferry service changed its operational schedule and then completely shut down all activities.

es were recounted for Region Two while another 17 were assessed for Region Three.

According to a GECOM update provided last evening, a total of 15 ballot boxes were recounted for Region Four, while the newest region to see its votes being recounted — Region Five — had 12 of its ballot boxes recounted.

To date, a total of 101, or 75 per cent of the 135 ballot boxes for that region, has been tabulated. This would position Region Two as the next electoral district that is likely to be completed.

A total of 123 of the 355 ballot boxes for Region Three has since been tabulated, or 35 per cent of the votes; while just about 14 per cent of the boxes for Region Four have been completed.

The process has, over the past two days, completed tabulating 19 of the 158 ballot boxes.

Accuracy of PPP’s SoPs confirmed

With the count solidifying a PPP/C win for Region One, the party, on Friday in a statement, reaffirmed: “The National Recount process continues to confirm the accuracy of the Statements of Poll in the PPP’s possession, and as the process continues to unravel the brazen fraud of Clairmont Mingo.”

Referring to the declarations that had been made

by Region Four Returning Officer Mingo, the PPP/C insists “everyone knows that they (incumbent) have lost those elections, and everyone

knows that they used Mingo to attempt to fraudulently alter the elections result, and that when Mingo failed, they were forced to hatch this new plot to attack the integrity of the electoral process.”

The PPP/C, as such, called on the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), “rather than going to these extremes at fabrication, all they have to do is release their Statements of Poll by which they claim they won the elections.”

Additionally, the party reiterated calls for “work stations to be established, and for GECOM to take such step as are necessary to increase the speed of the process, so that it can he concluded as soon as possible.”

14 ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Comparison of Friday's SoRs with PPP’s SoPs DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF POLL RELEASED BY PPP/C

ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT

15

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Comparison of Friday’s SoRs with PPP’s SoPs DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF POLL RELEASED BY PPP/C

16 ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Comparison of Friday's SoRs with PPP’s SoPs DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF POLL RELEASED BY PPP/C

ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT

17

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Comparison of Friday’s SoRs with PPP’s SoPs DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF POLL RELEASED BY PPP/C

STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

18 ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT

19

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

20 ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020

21

Around the World

OILNEWS

Coronavirus vaccine: Macaque monkey trial offers hope

A Fragile oil markets under threat from 50 million barrels of Saudi crude

S

ome 50 million barrels of Saudi crude oil are approaching US shores just as the Energy Information Administration reported the first inventory decline in months.

This, according to Bloomberg, could reverse a tentative recovery in oil prices.

On Wednesday, the EIA reported that commercial crude oil inventories had declined by some 700,000 barrels in the week to May 8. The modest draw gave hope that the oil storage problem may soon begin to resolve itself even if total stockpiles were still above the five-year average for the season.

Now, shipping data from Bloomberg shows more than 50 million barrels of Saudi crude are about to arrive on the Gulf Coast and the West Coast by the end of June. Unless US production falls sharply during this period and demand improves markedly, both at home and abroad, these barrels would need to be stored, pushing total inventories up once again. And this will pressure prices.

"The current contango exhibited by NYMEX's futures on WTI suggests a degree of recovery in the second half of the year. There's basically no incentive now for anybody to expand production, so logically the supply glut will gradually improve," said Michael Stark, market analyst at Exness.

Yet the second half of the year is still far away, and the immediate outlook remains grim. An additional 50+ million barrels of oil would undoubtedly have a strong negative impact on prices.

"If all the Saudi tankers unload, the crude they carry will offset during May almost all of the production reductions from March levels, effectively maintaining the current high storage filling rates," Rystad Energy Senior Oil Market Analyst Paola Rodriguez-Masiu said in a note, as quoted by Bloomberg.

The tankers were loaded before OPEC+ struck a new agreement to take 9.7 million bpd off the market in May and June when Saudi Arabia had embarked on an aggressive price war for market share after the previous OPEC+ deal collapsed in early March. Now, with demand still weak, they have few options: dock and unload or turn into floating storage, at a cost. (Excerpt from Oilprice.com)

vaccine against coronavirus appears to have provided protection against the disease COVID-19 in six rhesus macaque monkeys.

It gives early hope for the vaccine, which is now undergoing human clinical trials.

There is no guarantee this result will translate to people, though.

A group of monkeys was exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The six animals that were vaccinated had less of the virus in their lungs and airways.

The trial took place in the US, involving researchers from the US Government's National Institutes of Health (NIH) and from the University of Oxford.

The vaccine appeared to

protect the animals against developing pneumonia.

Rhesus macaques have similar immune systems to humans.

Promisingly, the animals also didn't develop "immune-enhanced disease" - which BBC medical correspondent Fergus Walsh describes as a "theoretical risk". That's when the vaccine triggers a worse response to a disease.

This response was seen in some early animal vaccine trials against SARS another coronavirus - and proved a stumbling block in developing a vaccine for that disease.

The study hasn't yet been reviewed by other scientists and formally published, but Prof Stephen Evans at the

Elisa Granato was the first volunteer to be injected in a human trial

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, described it as "high quality" and "very encouraging".

Meanwhile, trials in the UK on more than 1000 human volunteers are current-

ly taking place through the University of Oxford.

There are more than 100 experimental coronavirus vaccines currently being developed. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Coronavirus: Brazil's Bolsonaro sees second Health Minister quit

B

razil's Health Minister has resigned after less than a month in the job following disagreements over of the Government's handling of the country's escalating coronavirus crisis.

Nelson Teich had criticised a decree issued by President Jair Bolsonaro allowing gyms and beauty parlours to reopen.

However, he gave no reason for his resignation at a press conference.

His predecessor was sacked after disagreeing with Bolsonaro.

The far-right President continues to oppose lockdown measures.

Brazil has recently

Nelson Teich, left, and Jair Bolsonaro during his swearing-in ceremony less than a month ago

surged past Germany and France in terms of its coronavirus caseload, becoming one of the world's hotspots with more than 200,000 cas-

es. The latest daily figures on Thursday showed 844 new deaths recorded, bringing the official death toll to just shy of 14,000.

At his news conference, Teich did not reveal why he had stepped down.

He just thanked President Bolsonaro for giving him the chance to serve as a Minister and praised healthcare workers.

But he has clashed with the President over several aspects of how the Government has dealt with the spiralling epidemic.

He is second health minister to leave the post in under a month. Luiz Henrique Mandetta was fired in April after President Bolsonaro publicly criticised him for urging people to observe social distancing and stay indoors. (Excerpt from BBC News)

France: First case of child dying from Kawasaki-like disease Fearing second wave, China's Wuhan ramps up coronavirus tests A

nine-year-old boy has died in France from a Kawasaki-like disease believed to be linked to coronavirus, his doctor said on Friday, the first such confirmed death in the country as similar child fatalities are being investigated in New York and London.

The child died after a "neurological injury related to a cardiac arrest", said Fabrice Michel, head of the paediatric intensive care unit at La Timone hospital in the Mediterranean port city of Marseille.

The boy, who tested positive for coronavirus, received treatment at the hospital for seven days and died on Saturday, the doctor told AFP news agency.

Symptoms include a high fever, rashes, abdominal pain, conjunctivitis and a red or swollen tongue.

In the last three weeks, several countries have reported cases of children affected by the inflammatory disease.

Inflammation of blood

vessels and cardiac damage are "much more pronounced" in cases suspected of being linked to COVID-19 compared with classic, rare Kawasaki disease, France's public health agency said on Thursday.

Over the last five years, doctors there had seen a total of only 19 children with Kawasaki disease, according to The Lancet.

Scientists are still trying to confirm whether the syndrome is linked with the new coronavirus because not all children with it have tested positive for the virus.

Some researchers have suggested the coronavirus family might trigger Kawasaki disease.

"The symptoms in children are different from adults with COVID-19 in whom the illness is more of a respiratory condition," said Dr George Ofori-Amanfo, division chief of Pediatric Critical Care at Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital, New York. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

A

uthorities in Wuhan have tested over 3 million residents for the coronavirus in April and May and aim to test all of the rest, state media said, as the city at the epicentre of the original outbreak faces the threat of a second wave of infections.

Priority will go to residents who have not been tested before, and people living in residential compounds with previous cases of infection, or old or densely populated estates, the official Xinhua News Agency reported late Thursday, citing a Wuhan Government meeting.

Fears of a second wave just as businesses and schools reopen flared at the weekend after Wuhan reported a cluster of cases, the first since a lockdown was lifted on April 8.

Those infections were previously asymptomatic people who had the virus but had shown no fever or other symptoms.

Reuters, citing an internal document to district officials, reported on May 11 that the city planned to conduct the tests for the rest of its 11 million residents over just 10 days.

On Friday in open-air plazas, Wuhan residents waited patiently in long queues for their turn to take the test.

Wuhan has detected more than a dozen asymptomatic infections per day in recent days.

Some experts say the mass testing is unprecedented in scale, and shows the level of concern. Others say the sheer size of the operation is bound to lead to errors.

Medical workers in protective suits conduct nucleic acid testings for residents at a residential compound in Wuhan, the Chinese city hit hardest by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, Hubei province, China May 15, 2020

But the health authority said late on Friday, without elaborating, that

72,791 tests had been conducted on May 14. (Excerpt from Reuters)

22

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CLASSIFIED ADS ASTROLOGY & SPIRITUALITY

T

he ATP Tour and International Tennis Federation (ITF) have extended their suspensions of professional tennis until July 31 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they said on Friday.

The ATP and WTA announced in April that they were suspending all tournaments until July 13, with the WTA saying on Friday it had further suspended four events due to be held in July.

The WTA added that it will in June provide an update on the tournaments scheduled for the latter half of July.

ATP events in Hamburg, Bastad, Newport, Los Cabos, Gstaad, Umag, Atlanta and Kitzbuhel will not go ahead as scheduled, while WTA events in Bastad, Lausanne, Bucharest and Jurmala scheduled for July will not be held.

"Due to continued uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, we regret to announce our decision to extend the suspension of the Tour," ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said in a statement here “We continue to assess all of our options in an effort to resume the Tour as soon as it is safe to do so, including the feasibility of rescheduling events later in the season.

“As ever, the health and well-being of the tennis community and wider public remains our top priority in every decision we make.”

The WTA said in a statement that it would make a decision on tournaments in Palermo and Karlsruhe, which were to begin on July 20 and 28 respectively, when the announcements to its revised calendar are made in June.

The ITF said all events — including ITF Juniors, Seniors, UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis

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Tour, Beach Tennis Tour and the men’s and women’s ITF World Tennis Tour — would be suspended.

However, the ITF suspensions will not affect any of the Grand Slams with Wimbledon having already cancelled this year’s championships. The U.S. Open is scheduled to begin on Aug. 24 while the postponed French Open is now due to start on Sept. 20.

The Swiss Open in Gstaad has been can-

ing at rescheduling the claycourt tournament for September.

Hamburg organisers said they were “focussing on a possible postponement of the tournament.

“We have to closely monitor the rapidly evolving situation related to COVID-19 and we will wait for the next decisions of the ATP and the ITF regarding the North American swing, in particular the U.S. Open,” Hamburg tournament director Sandra Reichel said in a statement.

The Hall of Fame Open in Newport, Rhode Island has been cancelled and organisers said the Hall of Fame Class of 2020 induction ceremony will not take place.

Tennis greats Conchita Martinez of Spain and Croatian Goran Ivanisevic will now be inducted in 2021. (Reuters)

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celled while organisers of the Austrian Open in Kitzbuhel said they were look-

− as he reflects on his basketball season and his patient wait to return to the court

S

tanton Rose Jr is furthering his education by moving to St Mary’s University in the USA, and is also actively pursuing his dream of playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Eagerly awaiting the end of the COVID-19 pandemic so that he might recommence playing competitive basketball, Rose recently chatted with this publication about the high and low points of his career, and what he is look forward to when sports resume.Asked what was the low point of his career, Rose responded: “My low point, to be honest, was when I started to battle with injuries.

I couldn’t score at all! If I can recall, there was like one or two games that I was unable to contribute. I mean, I got to play, but the injuries kept me back. “Earlier on in the season, I started to have knee pains, I didn’t hit it (the knee), but it (the pain) continued to persist.

Then, coming on to the second part of the season, the bottom of my feet began to pain. I don’t know if it was the shoes, but it pained a lot, and I couldn’t run on it that well; but, nevertheless, I was able to run on Stanton Rose Jr it.”Detailing what his high point was, Rose said: “My high point would be when I was able to contribute to winning the games, as this pleased me a lot. I was able to overcome my lows and contribute offensively and defensively. I was able to score big!“There was this one game (in which) I was able to shoot six three-pointers in the second half, and that performance brought us back in the game, and we won (it). From there, we had a few other games, and I was able to contribute; and that was basically my high point. I was able to battle my injuries and return to my normal self.”He was asked what he hopes to achieve after the pandemic has ended, and his response was: “I’m trying to get better all round. I’m trying to win championships. I want to be able to take the next team to the next level. I just want to train hard.“I haven’t touched a basketball for two months, but be assured that I will be back, and better. Right now, I’m just trying to use this time to focus on my mental health, so I can be mentally ready.” (Timothy Jaikarran)

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GUYANATIMESGY.COM

23

− GBA awaits response from COVID-19 Task Force

T

he dire situation of four Guyanese boxers in Cuba has deteriorated to the point where the team is desperately asking to be repatriated.

Guyana Times Sport has been constantly checking in with the boxers in that Spanish-speaking island, enquiring about their condition as they await the reopening of the national ports of entry or a charter flight

The four Guyanese boxers in Cuba in happier times

of some sort to bring them home. When this publication made its usual enquiry about the boxers on Friday, it was informed that the situation has taken a turn for

O

n May 6th, the CPL Tournament Committee received a formal complaint from the CPL, alleging breaches of its tournament rules & regulations

by Chris Gayle, arising from a series of videos

Chris Gayle

which he had posted to his personal YouTube channel on April 27th.

Having circulated the complaint, the CTC unanimously decided that it satisfied the prima facie test. In accordance with its disciplinary powers, it authorised the establishment of an independent three-member tribunal to hear the matter.

Notwithstanding, intense efforts were made to settle the charges for the benefit of CWI, CPL and Gayle before empanelling its members. Those efforts have resulted in an acceptance by Gayle of the need to issue the statement attached hereto.

This was received by the CTC, and shared with the

the worse.

According to Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) President Steve Ninvalle, the four pugilists are barely coping, having to contend with a lack of food supplies, little to no resources, no money, and their unfamiliarity with the island’s language, Spanish.

“We can't sleep at this point, sir; we all are up, and we are very, very sad and restless. We need to go home, sir.

The food we eat today come up back for us tonight; we send it down back, cause’ same thing happen again yesterday, sir,” team leader Colin Lewis responded when asked about their condition during communication with the GBA President via social media.

Reportedly being housed at the Guyana Consulate in Havana, the boxers are frustrated about the way their GBA President Steve Ninvalle needs are being ignored after they had represented Guyana valiantly on many say where we’ll go from here,” he declared. occasions.

It is no secret that the Guyana Boxing Association has “Honestly, personally, we can't take this no more, sir. We written to the National COVID-19 Task Force with the hope of have been keeping quiet for too long, and it's not well here, sir. We represented Guyana a lot of times with good heart and working out a way to bring the four boxers home or make their stay a bit more tolerable. It is important to note that the team spirit; they need to let us (come) home,” Lewis pleaded.

Clearly very concerned, Steve Ninvalle has informed this is expected to receive packages as would the Guyanese scholpublication that it was painful to hear the most recent update arship students in Cuba, but this may not suffice.

“I hope that, in the very near future, we would have a reon the boxers.

“Well, it’s painful having to be informed of the deteriora- sponse which if favourable and would give a glimmer of hope tion. We would have hoped (that) by this time we would have to these young ambassadors. I can just imagine what is going received a response from the Task Force; whether it’s on, and I would not wish that on anyone,” Ninvalle lamented.

The GBA boss revealed that the National Sports no, yes, or maybe. There’s not a lot more we can Commission (NSC) is also privy to the letter sent to the Task tell our boxers. We’ve asked them to hold on, to Force, and Ninvalle is now anxiously awaiting a positive rebe patient, but frustration has clearly sponse. stepped into the camp, and we can’t “We have carbon-copied our letter to the Director of Sport, and I’ll be checking in with him again to find out if there’s been any movement forward. It’s been very painful to learn about the deterioration,” the GBA President lamented.

The three-month trip to Cuba was initially a training stint to prepare the four boxers: Colin Lewis, Keevin Allicock, Dennis Thomas and Desmond Amsterdam, for the Tokyo Olympic Qualifiers, which would have been held in Argentina in March. However, the coronavirus pandemic scrapped that event, and before the quad could board a plane back home, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and the Eugene F. Correia International Airport were closed. While that closure was initially for two weeks, it has now been extended into June.

(Jemima Holmes)

CPL & CWI to the satisfaction of all parties. Given the assurance of Gayle to act in good faith, it therefore is no longer necessary to empanel a tribunal.

The CTC, the CPL and CWI therefore consider the matter closed.

GAYLE'S STATEMENT Recently, I posted three videos on my personal YouTube channel, where I addressed the reasons for my departure from the Jamaica Tallawahs franchise ahead of the 2020 CPL tournament.

I made these videos with one single intention – to explain to the fans in Jamaica the reasons behind what has now become my second departure from the Tallawahs franchise.

It was my greatest wish to finish my CPL career in Jamaica – playing in front of my home crowd at Sabina Park with the franchise that I had previously led to two CPL titles. In so far as my resentment at the treatment, I stand by my comments in those videos. My words were spoken from the heart. Having said that, I must be honest and say that I now realize how portions of my comments may be viewed as being damaging to Cricket West Indies, and to the CPL Tournament and its brand – a tournament which I have sincerely enjoyed not just being a part of, but also helping to build and promote. It was never my intention to damage the T20 Tournament, as playing in the CPL has guaranteed (me) an opportunity for the past 7 years to play in front of the great fans of the Caribbean.

This is a privilege which I genuinely appreciate and have never taken for granted. Right now, my eyes are fixed firmly on the season ahead, and the new challenge which playing for the St. Lucia Zouks franchise will bring. I hope to see you there. (CPL)

R

eports have emerged that Cricket West Indies has contacted 29 regional players telling them to prepare for a possible tour of England this coming July.

The teams were due to contest a three-Test series from June but it was postponed until July. If it is decided that the tour will go head it will most likely be played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, whether the tour occurs is contingent on guarantees that the West Indies players and management will be safe.

According to Andrew Mason, Veerasammy Permaul being applauded after a terrific performance the Barbados-based cricket against the Jamaican Scorpions earlier this year commentator and host of the Mason and Guest talk show, he has confirmed that the players were contacted and that Trinidadian fast bowler Shannon Gabriel was among them, having recovered from surgery and is now fit to play again.

In addition to Gabriel, Mason reports, others called include Darren Bravo, Joshua Da Silva, Anderson Phillips and Shannon Gabriel.

Sunil Ambris, Preston McSween, Alzarri Joseph, Jahmar Hamilton and Rahkeem Cornwall; John Campbell, Paul Palmer, Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Markino Mindley, Shimron Hetmyer, Veerasammy Permaul and Keemo Paul; Jason Holder, Kraigg Braithwaite, Shane Moseley, Kemar Roach, Chemar Holder, Keon Harding, Shane Dowrich, Shai Hope, Kyle Mayers, Roston Chase, Sharmarh Brooks, and Jamal Warrican.

CWI CEO Johnny Grave seemed to have confirmed the news during an interview on the Cricket Show, saying that the West Indies would want a minimum of four weeks in the UK to prepare for the first Test.

Two of those weeks, he said, could be in quarantine if the squad was based at a place where it could train.

He said he would need to be 100 per cent sure that travelling to England didn't put any player at unnecessary risk.

"We've had, as you can imagine, lots of conversations individually and - as of the start of this month - we started really a much wider discussion with the ECB over what a tour might look like," said Grave.

(Sportsmax)

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2020

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

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