Guyana Times - Saturday, May 30, 2020

See Region 4 SoRs' comparison with released SoPs on pages 16 to 19 All SoRs are available on our website Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4301

THE BEACON OF TRUTH SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020

GECOM sets June 16 for final declaration of March 2 elections …to refuse recount figures “would be a tragedy of gigantic proportions” – Nandlall

See story on page 7

Recount exposes “unholy” alliance to push APNU/AFC agenda

PRICE

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

P11 68% of COVID-19 cases in Region 4 …Regions 1, 7 showing increased trends

Stranded P15 Guyanese exceeding stay in US must file for an extension of stay

Guyana-Venezuela border controversy P10

ICJ to begin hearings on jurisdiction case on June 30

See story on page 3

…Vincent Alexander working to undermine GECOM – PPP

State of affairs in Guyana has caused enormous hurt, damage – Irfaan Ali See story on page 2

…says PPP/C looks forward to conclusion of electoral process

Police again break up Grandmother, sugar workers’ protest 9-year-old See story on page 13

granddaughter killed by falling tree ...3 others injured See story on page 2

...protest will continue against “inflexible” GuySuCo – GAWU

Injured: Nineyear-old Fauya John at the Imbaimadai Health Post, Upper Mazaruni, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni)

Private Sector stakeholders disappointed with NCTF P9 structure

…Police clamp down on non-essential businesses

Sister arrested after handing over brother’s illegal gun to Police P13

Prioritise COVID-19 tests to yield better results – PAHO tells Health Ministry P12

2 NEWS

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

State of affairs in Guyana has caused Grandmother, 9-year-old enormous hurt, damage – Irfaan Ali granddaughter killed by falling tree …says PPP/C looks forward to conclusion of electoral process ...3 others injured

T

he Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic has welcomed a “conclusive” timeline for the end of the ongoing National Recount of the votes cast at the March polls and declaration of the 2020 elections results.

“I am very happy, whilst I’m dissatisfied with length of time given – yesterday [Thursday] I said we would like to see a declaration by June 11… notwithstanding that, we have a conclusive timeline now [for the end of the recount and declaration of the elections results,” PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali said during a virtual press briefing on Friday.

His comment came on the heels of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) approving earlier in the day, an extension to the 25-day timeline for the recount process.

The National Recount got underway on May 6 and was expected to conclude today. However, with more than 700 ballot boxes still to be counted, the exercise was extended by an additional 14 days.

According to the addendum to the Recount Order, the exercise shall conclude on or before Saturday, June 13.

However, even with the addition of two weeks, GECOM will take another three days before finally announcing the results of the elections on June 16.

During his briefing on Friday, Ali stressed the need for there to be a conclusion of the electoral process, which has been ongoing now for almost three months.

PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali

“Guyanese and Guyana have been suffering. The unease in our society, the tension that exists, the stress that exists is not only as a result of the COVID pandemic but because of this [situation]. The state of affairs of our country has caused enormous hurt and damage to us, to Guyana locally and internationally. Now, we have [a] definitive timeline as to when we will have the declaration,” he asserted.

The PPP/C Presidential Candidate used to the opportunity to dismiss attempts by Governmentnominated Commissioner at GECOM, Vincent Alexander. He said Alexander sought to misrepresent the seven-member Elections Commission when he claimed that they would be looking into these issues raised by the APNU/AFC during the recount.

The coalition has claimed that hundreds of persons who are ei-

ther dead or migrated have voted March 2.

To this end, Ali expressed concerns over the attempts by the APNU/AFC Commissioner to misrepresent GECOM and misguide the public.

According to Ali, along with stakeholders including the coalition and its leader, caretaker President David Granger, the GECOM Chair, (ret’d) Justice Claudette Singh, who spoke on behalf of the Commission, praised the Elections Day activity.

The PPP/C Presidential Candidate contended that the Elections Day activities and the voting are not the issues. In fact, he noted that the only fraud in the March 2 General and Regional elections were the “fraudulent declaration” made by embattled Returning Officer of Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), Clairmont Mingo.

Ali went on to point out that the evidence of Mingo’s fraud is clear and glaring but like his party, Alexander is also ignoring these. “…the APNU/AFC Commissioner, Alexander, sidesteps the evidence – would say nothing about [Mingo’s fraud] but would rather pontificate on extraneous issues where no evidence exists and on issues that has no relation to the task at hand,” the PPP/C Presidential Candidate posited.

Nevertheless, he noted that at the end of the recount and subsequent declarations of the elections results, then any party that feels aggrieved has the democratic right to file any petition it sees fit.

Dead: Desiree John

A

grandmother, along with her nine-year-old granddaughter were killed after they were crushed by a tree at Panduck Creek, Imbaimadai, Upper Mazaruni, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

Dead are 54-year-old Desiree John, a farmer, and her granddaughter, Cindy John. Injured are 21-year-old Romelia John, nine-year-old Fauya John, and two-year-old Rishauna John, all of Kambaru Village.

Reports are that 55-year-old Benneth John, a farmer, is the owner of the farm, which has two camps, one of which is the kitchen.

According to reports, at about 18:20h on Thursday, Desiree and her daughter, Romelia, along with the three other children – Cindy, Fauya, and Rishauna – were in the kitchen having dinner when a tree fell on the kitchen due to torren-

Injured: Nine-year-old Fauya John

tial downpours.

Romelia and her daughters – Rishauna and Fauya - managed to escape unharmed while Cindy was found lying motionless under a large branch, and Desiree pinned under another branch.

This newspaper was told that Benneth immediately rendered assistance and lifted the branches from the two and then proceeded to the Imbaimadai Health Post, where Cindy was pronounced dead on arrival. However, Desiree succumbed to her injuries on Friday morning at 11:30h at the health post. Police have since launched an investigation.

When contacted, Benneth was still in shock over the passing of his wife and grandchild. During an emotional interview, the man described his wife as a “very loving person”. (Shemar Alleyne)

3 Recount exposes “unholy” alliance to push APNU/AFC agenda NEWS

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, May 30 – 10:30h – 12:00h and Sunday, May 31 – 12:00h – 01:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, May 30 – 09:50h – 11:20h and Sunday, May 31 – 11:10h – 12:40h.

…Vincent Alexander working to undermine GECOM – PPP

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny intervals will prevail during the day.

There will be partly cloudy conditions at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East North-Easterly to NorthEasterly between 1.34 metres and 3.57 metres.

PPP Executive, Anil Nandlall

High Tide: 10:39 and 23:26h reaching maximum heights of 2.32 metres and 2.32 metres.

Low Tide: 16:48h reaching a minimum height of 0.86 metre.

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$35.33/barrel

+0.11

Rough Rice

$311.31 /ton

+2.43

London Sugar

$361.50/ton

-0.69

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1728.70

$1729.70

Low/High

$1715.40

$1739.60

0.00

0.00%

Change

G

overnment-appointed Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Commissioner, Vincent Alexander on Friday claimed that the electoral body’s Secretariat—headed by Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield—had written to the Chief Immigration Officer in order to ascertain whether persons identified as voted by APNU/AFC agents were in fact out of the jurisdiction on Elections Day. The disclosure has since been observed as exposing an informal alliance between Lowenfield’s Secretariat, since this information had not been ordered by the Commission nor shared outside of the Secretariat to any of the other Commissioners.

Addressing media operatives outside the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Alexander revealed that “in relation to the migrants, that information some days ago would have been forwarded to the Chief Immigration Officer [by the Secretariat].”

He was at the time responding to queries that the Secretariat had, in fact, started investigating the claims of dead and migrated voters.

According to Alexander, “they have, in fact, embarked on the process of discerning and determining whether the information is evidential.”

Unholy alliance

Responding to the “startling disclosure that the Secretariat has written, or is about to write certain public authorities requesting certain information relative to the allegations which APNU/AFC have been making” People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) tabulation agent, Anil Nandlall reminded that the Secretariat is subordinate to the Commission.

“The Secretariat under the Constitution and under the various electoral laws is a unit that is subordinate to and subject to the Commission; the Secretariat must and can only act upon the instruction and directions of the Commission…”

Reminding that no Commission decision was ever made for the request to be made to the Immigration Officer, Nandlall observed

that this is being disclosed

by Alexander despite the Commission and other Commissioners being unaware of such decisions.

Nandlall has since concluded this to have exposed “an unholy collaborating between Government Commissioners and certain elements within the Secretariat acting in consort to carry out the agenda of the APNU/AFC.” A PPP/C Commissioner had earlier told reporters the Commission has made no such decision and further, no such diktat has been passed down to the Secretariat for implementation.

According to the PPP/C Commissioner, “GECOM has taken no decision, the Commission has taken absolutely no decision in so far as it relates to treating with any of the issues that have arisen or may arise during this recount process, in so far as they are recorded, either in individual observation reports or compiled observation reports.”

He told reporters “I want to reject out of hand any contention that GECOM has sought or will seek information from any extraneous agency to deal with that and to conduct any investigation, on its own volition or otherwise into these allegations that were raised during this period.”

Gunraj informed media operatives that “at the Commission level, no information was received from any political party who contested the elections on March 2, 2020, and the Commission has taken no decision to investigate or to send it anywhere.”

Government-appointed GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander

Reminding that the Commission is not in fact in receipt of any such documentation, Gunraj cautioned that if indeed the “Secretariat is engaged in such activities, they obviously are engaging in a frolic of their own and will definitely face the consequences.”

The Commissioner used the occasion at the media centre’s podium to remind that the legal ambit under which GECOM functions “does not include investigation of any of these things.”

He quipped that had the Commission been endowed with such investigative powers “we might have already investigated and made findings on the action of the [Region Four] Returning Officer (Clairmont) Mingo in relation to the fraudulent declaration that he attempted to perpetuate on this nation thereby attempting to thwart the will of the electorate.”

Undermining GECOM

Meanwhile, the party in a

Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield

public missive on Friday also weighed in on Alexander’s pronouncement saying “it is worthy to note that none of the three Oppositionnominated Commissioners are aware of such a decision taken at the level of the Commission nor was there any such public announcement by the Commission itself.”

As such, the party has since concluded, “it appears that Alexander, a central figure in the APNU/AFC plot to rig the elections, has abrogated unto himself the role of GECOM spokesperson.”

The party said, “he seems to be working with Roxanne Myers and others of the Secretariat to undermine the Commission and to give credence to APNU+AFC’s false allegations.”

The PPP/C has since called on GECOM CEO, Lowenfield “to urgently say whether he or the Chair has given directions to embark on an exercise outside of their remit.”

4

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 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

Education and the COVID-19 pandemic

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he coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected almost every aspect of national life, and experts have suggested it is uncertain how long it would take for life in general to return to normalcy, if ever it would return to normalcy.

It is the first time in history that the world’s children are at home and cannot attend school due to the various lockdown measures imposed upon populations all over the world to contain the spread of the virus.

With the end of the pandemic being nowhere in sight, we do not know how long schools would remain closed, how students’ learning would be affected, and the level of impact these closures would have on the education systems of developing countries such as Guyana.

In relation to the virus itself, no one knows for sure what would happen next. For example, key questions remain in relation to the source of the virus, whether it is possible for recovered patients to be re-infected, and how long it would take to develop and distribute a vaccine that would effectively combat the virus. Until these questions are answered, there would be no clear path in regard to moving forward. What we know for sure is that learning would indeed be lost, and this would certainly have a negative impact on students’ ability in general. The closure of schools and universities not only interrupts the teaching of students, but severely hampers key assessments or exams which are crucial to students’ moving forward.

While some countries are gradually reopening their schools to students, the majority are yet to do so, since there are new COVID-19 cases every day, and rising deaths are being reported.

Of the 195 countries that had closed schools as at midApril, 128 are yet to announce plans for their reopening, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

Of the countries affected by school closures, a few of them -- mostly the developed ones -- were able to put systems in place quickly to minimise its impact. For example, due to easy access to high-speed internet and the availability of the necessary resources, teachers were able to distribute work to students via online platforms, and also were able to engage the students using these technologies.

In Guyana, caretaker President David Granger said on Thursday that the curfew would remain until the situation is properly under control. This means that not only would students lose out on quite a lot of learning time, but most of the crucial assessments would either have to be postponed or cancelled.

While the few educational resources in the form of past exam papers and radio and TV programmes are generally helpful, they also have their limitations. Not every parent has the ability to provide this level of support to their child/ children. Many families do not have a computer, and also cannot afford to pay for internet services to access the Ministry’s resources online.

The One Laptop Per Family Project (OLPF) was meant to fill this gap, but was unfortunately halted on the basis of politics. Going forward, given the huge impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government and other stakeholders would seriously need to plan for the future. For example, investments would have to be made in building the kind of infrastructure needed to support distance learning.

More and more, classroom learning is being supported by other platforms, including online.

While a definite date for the reopening of schools is not yet known, it is essential that educational institutions reopen in an orderly manner, in line with a number of pre-conditions. The authorities must place the health and safety of pupils, teachers and families as a main concern.

The Ministry would need to consider designing remedial programmes to cater for students who need to redouble efforts to reconcile with the curriculum, since not all students would have been engaged in doing work during the period they were at home.

Concede defeat and make an honourable retreat for the sake of Guyanese

Dear Editor, Mr David Granger’s repeated statement that he has “always, even before March 2nd, emphasised and iterated that I will always be guided by the Constitution of this country and I would not do anything in collision with the Constitution,” reminds of a line in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet when Queen Gertrude says “ the lady doth protest too much, methinks!”

One expects that a President shall abide by and uphold the Constitution and laws of our country at all times. Mr Granger’s assertion, devoid of substantial evidence that he, in fact, complied with the Constitution over the last five years makes one wonder who is he trying to convince— himself ? his supporters? All Guyanese?

We have all lived for the last 5 years under the Granger-led Administration.

One that will be described in Guyana’s history as one where constitutional rule was undermined repeatedly and where discrimination and “party paramountcy” were re-introduced by Granger in keeping with his self-proclaimed mentor, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham. Most Guyanese who lived during the 1970s and 80s believed those days were over, but during the last 5 years, the shadow of Burnham stealthily rose again.

It is no exaggeration to say that Granger and his Administration’s legacy will be one sullied with the greatest infringements of our Constitution and laws, barefacedly and repeatedly, since we gained independence.

The path from May 15, 2015, to date is littered with violations of our Constitution and laws by Mr Granger himself and/or his Ministers, the latter many times with his knowledge. His aloof and many times indolent response to these infractions did not convey the impression that he wanted to halt these incursions on the democratic architecture of our nation.

For the purposes of this letter, l will stick to the violations of the Constitution and laws by Mr Granger himself and omit for the purposes of brevity the scandalous corruption, incompetence and ineptitude of his Administration at all levels.

The Executive President of Guyana is both Head of State and Head of Government enshrined with much power and much responsibility under the Constitution. Ultimately as they saw “the buck stops at his door.” Mr Granger initiated and perpetrated many actions to undermine constitutional bodies and the Constitution from early in his Administration, not just after the No-Confidence Vote which defeated his Government on December 21, 2018.

Executive lawlessness Things started to go wrong from one of the first acts of his Government when he gave himself, the Prime Minister, 3 Vice Presidents, and 27 Ministers enormous increases of salary, allowances and benefits between 50-100 per cent of what the former Government Ministers received. The fact

is that this was denied by Ministers and executed quietly until the Gazette Order became public bringing these increases into effect from July 1, 2015.

From there on came a series of acts that laid the basis for the whittling away of the constitutional and legal restraints on the President and the Government: * Two of his three technocrat Ministers were thought to be unlawfully appointed to the National Assembly, and the matter was taken to the court in the last quarter of 2015. This challenge was solely directed to the President in his exercise of his powers to appoint Ministers. The then Chief Justice Ian Chang ruled on February 19, 2016, that Winston Felix, the Minister of Citizenship within the Ministry of the Presidency, and Keith Scott, Minister within the Ministry of Social Protection, were not lawful members of the National Assembly and could not occupy seats in the House. The Government refused to comply and approached the court to have it quashed. It was not until five years later in January 2020 that the Court of Appeal re-affirmed the then Chief Justice’s 2016 ruling that Minister within the Social Protection Ministry, Keith Scott, and Citizenship Minister Winston Felix unlawfully occupied seats in Parliament in contravention of Articles 60, 103(3), 105, 160 (2) as defined by Article 232.

However, the two gentlemen continue to receive salaries, benefits, allowances and retain the status of Ministers, as do all the Ministers of the Government, although elections ended 83 days ago. * Under his hand, in the last 5 years, leases and transported lands and property were repossessed. These actions demonstrated an abuse of power that led to several legal challenges. Several groups of farmers approached the court. Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, SC, in early August 2017 ruled that the President’s revocation of the leases of the farmers in the Mahaica Mahaicony/Abary Agricultural Authority was unconstitutional and null and void as the applicants’ leases constituted property under Article 142 of the Constitution. * In 2016 the Caribbean Court of Justice ordered the Government of Guyana to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to the Trinidadian company, Dipcon Engineering. The company was only paid a small part of the amount owed, and the company returned to court.

This dragged on for the next 4 years although the National Assembly in the 2019 Budget had included funds to pay the company as ordered by the court. This payment was not made and the President issued a presidential respite to save the Finance Minister from being jailed in 2019. However, it was only in 2020 that the court quashed the executive order. * In sharp contrast was the treatment of the Surinamese company, RUDISA. In December 2015, the Government settled to repay the entire amount of

RUDISA’s US$16 million claim without any negotiations for a debt repayment schedule, despite the fact that the company owed millions of dollars in taxes to Guyana. * Despite the court not awarding costs to, and, in defiance of the court, in January 2016, the Government settled with BK International (a locally-owned company and financier of the APNU/AFC coalition’s 2015 and 2020 election campaigns) for $1.17 billion, the entire US$10 million for the contract, although BK int’l only worked for 3 of the 5 years of the contract at substandard work for Haggs Bosche garbage disposal site.

Other infractions with abuse of power and lack of transparency and accountability continued: * In September 2015, Mr Granger found that the National Stadium and the National Park were unsuitable for the national events and D’Urban Park was identified for a new venue for the Jubilee celebrations. A special-purpose company, Homestretch Development Inc, was established by the Ministry of the Presidency, with one Minister and 2 financiers of the APNU/ AFC coalition, to raise funds and materials for the project. By 2017, $1.4 billion was spent on the D’Urban Park Development Project (DPk).

Monies continue to be spent on this Granger legacy project.

The Auditor General has been unable to access critical documents with regards to the expenditure and accountability of this project. * In September 2016, the Ministry of the Presidency seized 6000 solar panels purchased for the Hinterland Household Electrification Programme before the 2015 elections for the Amerindian households in the interior and re-allocated them for use at the Ministry of the Presidency and State House, residence of the President. * One of the most glaring examples of anti-national and unlawful acts was exposed in December 2017 by media that the Guyana Government had signed an agreement with Exxon and its partners since September 2016 for the newly found oil and natural gas resources for a pittance. This came after one year of consistent requests by the parliamentary Opposition, the media and civil society bodies to know if there was an agreement and if there was one what did it contain. The President has remained aloof and silent on this “give away” of our patrimony with no inclination that he needed to offer the Guyanese people and explanation. * Also in December 2017, the media exposed that there was a US$18 million signature bonus for the Government from Exxon which it had earlier denied. The funds were deposited in a Bank of Guyana interest-bearing foreign currency account instead of being deposited in the Consolidated Fund as required by the Constitution. * The re-painting of State House (heritage site) and the Ministry of the Presidency in the ruling party’s colour once

again demonstrated another violation of the separation of state and party.

Constitutional bodies under duress Between 2015-2019, the Government reduced the budgets of several constitutional bodies in violation of the Guyana Constitution and the 2015 amendment to the Financial Management and Accountability Act (FMAA).

This included the Guyana Elections Commission, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Office of the Auditor General, the Supreme Court and the Human Rights commissions.

Public Service Commission: * In early 2016, Granger through Minister Simona Broomes directed the Public Service Commission to cease all interviews and meetings until further notice. This was successfully challenged in the court and ruled unconstitutional and unlawful. * Despite this ruling, in September 2016, the President removed the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, a constitutional post holder. The court ruled that this act was unconstitutional. * The President proceeded to appoint Mr Patrick Yarde, President of the Guyana Public Service Union, as Chairman of the PSC in violation of the court order and the Constitution. * In the interim, the Public Service Commission continued to make appointments to the public service, mainly of party sympathisers and activists, while others were dismissed.

The new PSC was appointed in 2018.

Police Service Commission * On July 26, 2017, President Granger through the Minister of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, directed the Police Service Commission to halt all Police promotions until further directed by him. * The Police Service Commission expired in September 2017 and the President proceeded to announce a revamping of the Guyana Police Force and appointments to the leadership of the Force. * A legal action was filed challenging this directive of the President. The court found that the letter sent by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon to the PSC directing it to withhold work on the annual Police promotions was in flagrant disregard of the Constitution and was unlawful, null, void and of no effect. The court concluded that this was a blatant disregard of Article 226 of the Constitution which insulates the Police Service Commission from the influence and directions of any other person or authority, especially political directions. The court was also forced to remind the Government that only two years before Minister Simona Broomes had issued similar directions to a Service Commission and that a similar palpable violation of the Constitution was repeated.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020

5

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APNU/AFC is a day late and a dollar short PNC/APNU spokesperson Dear Editor, The impasse following the March 2 elections has seen renewed calls for shared governance and constitutional reform by coalition sympathisers. This was also recently articulated by President Granger who failed to embrace or take any meaningful action on both fronts during his presidency. So why the sudden shift in position? Given everything that has happened since March 2, the APNU/AFC knows that if fresh elections are held tomorrow or in the foreseeable future, they do not stand a remote chance of winning under a free, fair, and transparent process. This is because they have lost all social capital.

The importance of social capital cannot be overstated.

It is the invisible glue of relationships and networks that holds social, economic, and political life together in any country. In Guyana’s context, this is even more important given our multi-ethnic society and delicate political landscape. In its most elementary form, social capital boils down to trust and there seems to be a shortage when it comes to the APNU/AFC. Given the APNU/AFC’s narrow victory at the 2015 polls, building trust was paramount to its ability to gov-

ern successfully and entertain any notion of reelection.

Instead, the APNU/AFC followed a deleterious and divisive course repeatedly betraying the trust of the Guyanese people in the process. In five short years, their highhandedness coupled with the stench of corruption has eroded public trust to such an extent that centrist leaning Guyanese withdrew their support in the March 2 elections.

If that did not do the trick, certainly the events following the elections suggest that the APNU/AFC has become so morally bankrupt, that whatever little trust remained has all but dissipated. In recent weeks, the draining of the public purses while dishonestly holding onto public office has also resulted in public discontent. And their latest attempt to discredit the March 2 elections in yet another desperate attempt to hold onto power has further destroyed their credibility. While one columnist noted that “no one in this world should trust David Granger”, in reality, no one in the world should trust the APNU/AFC, even under a shared governance arrangement.

Furthermore, it is only conceivable that the APNU/ AFC has lost the confidence of the business community. Like

so many stakeholders, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) has been critical of the Government and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and has repeatedly called for credible election results. Similar sentiments have been expressed by the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI). With Guyana’s economy remaining in purgatory, the business community continues to suffer, only to be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is no secret that the APNU/AFC’s relationship with the international community has also deteriorated following the various attempts to rig the March 2 elections. They have burnt many bridges in the process and claims of interference have only strengthened the resolve of the foreign missions to ensure a transparent and credible outcome. The denial of The Carter Center’s request to return to oversee the recount under the guise of public health concerns has further fuelled distrust and made a bad situation worse.

Regardless of the thought process, APNU/AFC should not expect any sympathy from the international community anytime soon.

This brings us back to the

Concede defeat... * In the interim, the leadership of the Police Force was revamped by the President of officers more to his liking and the demotion and side-lining of senior officers.

Judicial Service Commission * President Granger, after a 9-month delay, failed to appoint the nominations of Judges by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in violation of the Guyana Constitution.

This he finally did after several meanderings which included a number of persons being appointed more to his liking. * In 2016 on the retirement of the acting Chief Justice and acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, the President appointed a new Chief Justice acting and Chancellor acting.

However, in order to appoint these two positions permanently, the President is required to adhere to the process specifically laid out in the Constitution. Subsequently, the President commenced a process to advertise for Judges overseas and locally with a committee he appointed to make recommendations to him, one such member was retired Justice Patterson (who he would appoint unilaterally as Chairman of GECOM in October 2017). Between JanMarch 2018, he informed the Leader of the Opposition of his nominees. The Leader of the Opposition did not give his concurrence. * The Judicial Service Commission expired since September 10, 2017. The Parliamentary Commission of Appointments, which is headed by a Minister of

Government, and tasked with nominating members to all Service Commissions for the President to appoint, up to the time of the dissolution of the National Assembly on December 30, 2019, had made no nominations. Thus, there has been no Judicial Service Commission for almost 3 years. * In early 2018, the President appointed 2 temporary Judges in violation of the Constitution which states that he can only appoint on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission.

Guyana Elections Commission * In July 2017, the High Court ruled on a case challenging the Government’s interpretation of Article 161(2) with regards to the appointment of a Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) which the President insisted had to be a judge. The Chief Justice noted that being a Judge “holds no special precedence” in accordance with Art 161 (2) for the appointment of the Chairman. * In October 2017, President Granger unilaterally appointed the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission in violation of Article 161 (2). The Leader of the Opposition had submitted a total of 18 names during the course of almost 9 months, all of whom were rejected. * Following Retired Justice Patterson’s appointment as Chairman, the matter was filed in the High Court, the Appeals Court and all the way to the Caribbean Court of Appeal. On June 18, 2019,

the CCJ ruled that “we have no choice but to conclude that the process that was followed in the appointment of Justice Patterson was flawed and in breach of Article 161(2)” ( 2019-CCJ -9 (AJ).

The Judiciary being tested * In December 2017, the PPP/C filed a High Court Action to compel the Attorney General to commence the Judicial Review Act 2010.

In May 2018, the Court ordered by way of a mandamus that the AG must bring the Judicial Review Act 2010 into force by July 31, 2018. The order was made absolute by the Chief Justice. This is a critical piece of legislation that hold those in public office accountable.

On December 21, 2018, the successful passage of the NoConfidence Motion defeated the Granger-led Government.

Article 106 (6) and (7) was invoked and elections were due to be held within 3 months, by March 21, 2019.

From January 3, 2019, to April 2019, the recourse to the local courts and our apex court, the CCJ, has been well documented. * The Government spent millions to bring foreign lawyers to argue in the High Court and later the Caribbean Court of Justice that the majority of 65 Members of the National Assembly is 34, and not 33.

Guyana was made the laughing stock of the Caribbean. The CCJ had ruled that “Thirtythree votes constitute a majority of the 65 member National Assembly;….Upon the passage of this motion of no con-

question of why the sudden interest in shared governance and constitutional reform?

After all, they had ample time and opportunity to make this happen. The APNU/AFC knows that given the direction of the recount and the destruction of social capital outlined above, anything short of shared governance and constitutional reform will be a certain political death sentence. They risk being left out in the political wilderness for many years to come under the current system.

For the APNU/AFC, the road to overcoming the self-inflicted distrust begins with the unconditional and swift acceptance of the recount results. However, it will require a lot more than this gesture to repair the damage and convince a wider cross-section of Guyanese to support them in the future. And while the APNU/AFC’s calls for shared governance and constitutional reform is a day late and a dollar short, the next Government must nevertheless reach across the political divide and aggressively pursue political and economic inclusion or suffer a similar fate as the APNU/AFC. Yours faithfully, Omchand Mahdu

must pull himself together Dear Editor, The PNC/APNU spokesperson has belatedly been putting forward a number of alleged “irregularities” which he claims could negate the votes of the Guyanese electorate. Those alleged “irregularities” all concern GECOM and are at GECOM’s door and have nothing to do with any political party. Those alleged “irregularities” of GECOM are: (i) Polling District names and numbers (ii)Dead who voted iii) Migrants who voted (iv)No ID card and voted without oath of identity (v) Missing oaths of identity (vi)Unstamped ballots (vii)Missing poll book (viii)Missing OLEs That party claims that it is GECOM which is obligated to adjudicate on these alleged “irregularities”, all of which attack GECOM and have nothing to do

with any political party!

That unhinged spokesperson declares that GECOM has to adjudicate on these accusations against itself.

The Chairman, who knows that GECOM cannot adjudicate on accusations against itself but such fall squarely within the ambit of the courts, decided to humour the unhinged the PNC/APNU spokesperson by politely saying ‘send us your accusations and their proof’ and the spokesperson fell for it. GECOM never claimed that it would usurp the province of the courts and adjudicate on these accusations against itself.

PNC/APNU’s demoralised and unhinged spokesperson needs to urgently pull himself together as PNC supporters are not gullible fools and have begun distancing themselves from this addle-headed thinking.

Yours sincerely, Paul Vallidum Ramlochan

FROM PAGE 4

fidence in the Government, the clear provisions of Article 106 immediately became engaged..” * Most critical was the CCJ ruling on June 18, 2019, and orders of July 12, 2019, that stated “Given the passage of the No-Confidence Motion on 21 December 2018, a General Election should have been held in Guyana by 21 March 2019 unless a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly had resolved to extend that period.

The National Assembly is yet to extend the period. The filing of the court proceedings in January challenging the validity of the No-Confidence Vote effectively placed matters on pause, but this Court rendered its decision on 18 June 2019.

There is no appeal from that judgment.”(2019-CCJ-14 AJ) * The CCJ further ordered that “By convention, the Government is expected to behave during this interim period as a caretaker and so restrain the exercise of its legal authority. It is this caretaker or interim role that explains the three-month deadline, in the first instance, that the Article lays down, in principle, for the holding of the fresh elections.” * These orders were honoured in the breach as elections were not held until March 2, 2020, and the Granger-led Government continued with “business as usual”. The “Ministerial plenary of all Ministers” took the place of Cabinet, performing the duties of Cabinet and awarding multi-million dollar contracts, sale of lands, and resources, appointments on boards etc, with no legal or constitutional

authority. * In August 2019, the Chief Justice (ag) ruled in relation to the interpretation of the Constitution with regards to the issue of residency and removal of names from the National Register of Registrants and the House-toHouse Registration exercise for the purpose of constructing a new voters’ list. The High Court and the Court of Appeal found that the scrapping of the NRR was unlawful and that there was no residency requirement, further a person registered to vote could not be removed unless in keeping with the constitutional provisions of Art 159.

Noteworthy is that the issue of residency and removal of persons who have deceased are being regurgitated

by Mr Granger’s own party, PNC and the APNU/AFC, in the recount of the votes of the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections as if there was no legal interpretation.

This is now the basis of allegations without evidence by his party that the elections had many irregularities and is not credible. Yet on March 13, with discredited declarations - discredited by the international observer missions of the Commonwealth, the European Union, the OAS, the Caricom, all local observers and the nine opposition parties - Mr Granger and his party said they had won the elections and were preparing for his swearing-in. * On March 17, 2020, a case was brought by a candidate of the APNU/AFC, the party headed by Mr Granger, to stop the recount of the March 2,

2020 elections, which he had agreed to in an aide-memoire with Caricom and the Leader of the Opposition. The High Court and Court of Appeal ruled against this attempt to stop the recount.

I believe that Chris Ram in a letter to the editor on Feb 27, 2020, summed it up best when he wrote:“In fact, …from the first year of his election as President, Granger set about violating his Oath, bending the Constitution to his personal, previously unsuspected agenda. It was only the alertness of a few lawyers and the astuteness of the courts that the Constitution and the rule of law have not so far been rendered completely meaningless.…

The cases number more than three dozen….that number has no parallel in Guyana or indeed in any country of the Caribbean, of constitutional violations by an executive or head of state….”

In concluding, Mr Granger’s assertions that he has always abided by the Constitution provides little comfort to Guyanese. After the last 5 years, how can we be blamed?

Regrettably, Mr Granger has placed parliamentary democracy and rule of law in jeopardy as no President of Guyana since the 1980s.

I appeal to Mr Granger to concede defeat in the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections and make an honourable retreat for the sake of the country and our people.

Sincerely Gail Teixeira

6

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020

Page

Foundation

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

Below is Science Paper 2, April 2015.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL GRADE SIX ASSESSMENT 1. WRITE YOUR CANDtDATE NUMBER CLEARLY AT THE TOP OF EACH PAGE. 2. This paper contains SIX questions. You are required to answer QUESTION ONE

SCIENCE

and. THREE others. EACH question is worth 5 marks. Note: You must answer ONLY FOUR questions.

Be sure to answer FULLY the FOU questions.

3.

Write the answer in the space provided

Study the diagrams of the various plants below then answer question 1:

1. tings.

(a)

in this booklet.

4.

Ensure that your handwriting is clear.

5.

lf you have to erase, do so cleanly.

The graph below shows the time taken for water to pass through different types of .soil. Study the graph carefully, then answer question 2.

6. Look over your work when you have finished.

7. DO NOT take away ANY part of this booklet.

SOCIAL STUDIES PAPER 2, 2016 5. The illustration below shows a group of children at play in a climatic zone different from that of Guyana. Study it carefully, then answer Parts (a) to (c).

Name ONE plant that is grown from stem cut(1 mark)

2.

(b) Name the type of root system found in the sugar cane plant.

(1 mark) (c) Which plant is grown mostly in the interior regions and is used as a main food by the Amerindians?

(1 mark) (d) (i) State one reason for the mango plant being called a dic tyledonous plant.

(1 mark)

(a)

Which soil type is most likely clay?

A?

(1 mark)

(b) How long did it take for water to pass through soil type (1 mark)

est?

(c) Which soil type allows water to pass through the fast(1 mark)

(d) (i) cane?

Which soil type is best for planting sugar (1 mark)

(ii) State another characteristic of dicotyledonous plants.

(1 mark) Total 5 marks

(ii) State one reason for your answer in (d) (i).

Total 5 marks

(a) State one reason for the children wearing this type of clothing.

(1 mark) (b) State two ways the children's parents obtain food for them.

(2 marks) (c) (i) Describe a traditional way in which children in this country travelled to school.

(1 mark) (ii) Give one reason why they had to use this means of transport.

(1 mark) Total 5 marks 6. A map of Guyana is shown below. Study it carefully, then answer Parts (a) to (c).

(a) (i)

Name the river labelled P.

(1 mark) (ii) State two ways in which the people living along the banks of the river named in (i) above use this river for economic benefits. ( marks) (b) Name the mountain range found in the area marked z.

(1 mark) (c) Shade the natural region in which approximately 90 per cent of Guyana's population live.

(1 mark) Total 5 marks

END OF TEST

NEWS

7

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GECOM sets June 16 for final declaration of March 2 elections

…to refuse recount figures “would be a tragedy of gigantic proportions” – Nandlall tion aspect of the recount at which point in time the Chief Elections Officer would submit a report to the Commission containing the consolidated recount information.

The order, at this time, gives the Commission three days, or by June 16, to deliberate and determine whether to have Lowenfield use the recount results to prepare the final report for the declaration of the results.

Unfortunate

GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj

C

ommissioners of the Guyana Elections C o m m i s s i o n (GECOM) on Friday agreed to extend the national elections recount exercise underway for an additional two weeks to complete the activity, after which the electoral body will declare a credible count of the March 2 polls within three days.

This does not mean, however, that the results of the recount exercise will automatically form the results of the election.

The positions were articulated on Friday at the end of day 24 of the originally scheduled 25-day exercise.

The changes have since been published in an addendum to the formal Recount Order that was published in the Official Gazette on May 4.

According to the addendum, the GECOM Secretariat has been given up to June 13 to wrap up the recount and tabula-

Addressing the fact that the order does not specifically outline the automatic use of the recount results while nullifying or discarding the results currently on GECOM’s record but held in abeyance, People’s Progressive Party/Civic tabulation agent, Anil Nandlall described the situation as unfortunate.

Speaking with reporters on the sidelines of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Nandlall told reporters, “on the face of it I would say to you that it is unhappily expressed, I will concede that much.”

The former Attorney General prefaced his lamentation, however, by pointing out that “GECOM is a public authority, it is a constitutional body and one expects that there is presumption of regularity.”

As such, Nandlall posited that since GECOM is in fact constituted with a Chairperson that has served as a former Appeals Court Judge along with six “reputable Commissioners will not want to make this nation a joke by conducting an exercise which produces

a result and then refuses to disclose that result.”

According to Nandlall, “that would be a tragedy of gigantic proportions.”

Speaking to the specific provision in the Order, Nandlall told reporters “I myself have noted that language and my inquiry has revealed that it’s simply a transplant of the language that was in the previous or-

der being transmitted down and now appears in this amended order.”

The former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister reminded that he has in the past expressed

his misgivings over the provision in the order “but I believe that the Chairperson has publicly committed to the declaration of results, final results based upon the recount.”

Nandlall used the occasion to also draw reference to similar sentiments being observed by the Governmentnominated Commissioner, Vincent Alexander, who, Nandlall recalled, expressed the view that the recount results should be used for the final declaration.

Speaking with members of the media on Friday, Alexander told reporters “this is an opinion of mine, it is not the Commission’s position.”

He was at the time responding to a query on the fact that the order had not been specific in the automatic use of the results from the recount but for the Commission to deliberate on whether or not to use the results.

According to Alexander “my own opinion is that once we complete the recount, then the previous declarations will be overtaken by that” He suggested, “therefore whatever we pronounce on after will be in relation to what comes out of the recount.”

PPP/C GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj, however, downplayed the wording of the GECOM order telling reporters encamped in the makeshift

Former Attorney General and PPP Executive, Anil Nandlall

media centre outside of the ACCC venue, “for me it is no big deal.”

Gunraj reminded “…we are conducting a recount exercise with view of revealing the results of the March 2 [polls].”

He expressed the view that he was “happy that my colleague has conceded that it should be automatic”. The PPP/C Commissioner was adamant that “the results of the recount will be the results used for the declaration of the results, the official results of March 2, General and Regional Elections held in Guyana.”

He told reporters that a failure to sign off on the Certificate of Tabulation for each of the regions in the recount exercise would not render it invalid.

8 NEWS

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Magistrate in Gary Best trial a no-show ...prosecution serves statement

T

hree months after national cyclist, Jude Bentley was struck down and killed on the Rupert Craig Highway, executive member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Retired Rear Admiral Gary Best, who is accused of causing his death, was served with the statements of the trial.

The statement is evidence that the police have collected to prosecute the case against Best.

However, on Monday when the statements were served, Magistrate Rondel Weever, who will be presiding over the matter, was absent from court, thus forcing an adjournment for July 16, 2020.

On March 4, 2020, one month after the accident, Best was charged for the death of the cyclist and was

Charged: PNCR Executive Gary Best

not required to plea to the indictment which stated that on February 8, 2020, at Clive

Lloyd Drive, Georgetown, he drove motor car PRR 8182 in a dangerous manner to the public, thereby causing the death of Bentley.

Magistrate Faith McGusty heard the matter and accepted a bail application conferred by Attorneys Nigel Hughes and James Bond and the accused was granted $500,000. Best was also charged for driving under the influence of alcohol.

He, nevertheless, denied the charge and was released on self-bail on the DUI charge. As a condition for bail, he is required to report to the Police Force’s Traffic Headquarters on specified dates until the completion of his trial.

Meanwhile, Bentley’s daughter, Jada Bentley, lamented the snail’s pace that the trail is currently moving at while noting that

Sharing…

F

Dead: Jude Bentley

she still cannot come to grips with this loss.

“I really do not like how things are going with the trial, and I usually try to find out, but I don’t hear anything,” she posited.

She explained that it feels like her quest for justice is a never-ending one.

…the corn or some months now, there’s been a developing consensus among African-Guyanese intellectuals and activists about “sharing the corn” in Guyana. There are all sorts of “corn” being discussed, but today your Eyewitness will focus on what are called “economic goods” - money and wealth. The discussion has been ventilated in the pages of our dailies, but it isn’t a new topic. In fact, some would say it’s been the only subject on the national agenda since Independence became a glimmer after WWII. And right away we should see we’ve got a problem. If we’ve been sharing corn for so many years and folks still feel there needs to be more sharing going on, doesn’t that suggest we might be going about this corn-sharing the wrong way?? Frankly, your Eyewitness thinks the problem is all the talk about sharing the corn, and nothing about “planting the corn”!! Makes sense, don’t you think?? If you keep sharing and don’t plant to get more, pretty soon you’re gonna be outa corn to share; ain’t it so??

And that is exactly what happened during the PNC’s first turn at the wheel, between 1964 and 1992.

Burnham had all sorts of grandiose dreams about “housing, clothing and feeding the nation”, but by the time he gave up the ghost on an operating table at the ‘big hospital’, we were all homeless, naked and hungry.

At the start, he shared out all the corn that had been accumulated after the British had shipped out most to the “Mother Country”, and there was great jubilation among his primarily African- Guyanese supporters. But he then nationalised all the corn production, and ran them into the ground within a decade, even though he borrowed more than US$2billion that he couldn’t repay. With no corn to share, “white mouth” stalked the land.

This is what the PPP inherited in 1992, but soon wiped off the debt and started planting corn. Within a decade and a half, we’d moved from being a Highly Indebted Poor Country to being a High Middle Income Country!!

The problem was that, even though by any measurement the corn produced was shared equitably except to the Amerindians, and poverty was reduced almost equally among African, Indian and Mixed-Guyanese, AfricanGuyanese leaders insisted this wasn’t so, and stirred up their constituency to rebel. The production of corn obviously had to fall and the share diminished. During the PNC’s return engagement from 2015, they again started sharing corn without growing any.

But it looks like African-Guyanese have wised up to their siren song, and have switched to the PPP. All Guyana now know you can’t reap if you don’t plant. …the votes Well, looks like we dodged the bullet that most folks had though was coming our way when the recount deadline suddenly loomed like that iceberg in front of the Titanic.

We just heard that - as your Eyewitness said yesterday - all it took was the Chairwoman amending the order she had crafted in the first place. It was a crisis of her making, and she blinked. But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves - she’s just pushing back the real decision that has to be made - once again by her.

And that decision has to do with what she’s gonna do about the 86,000 objections that Lt Col (rtd) Harmon of the PNC has promised will accompany the recounted ballot boxes. She’s given the Commission 3 days to address the PNC’s objections after the extra 13 to get the recount done - which will be summarised by no other than Lowenfield!!

And this is where the next cock is coming.

The Commission can decide only on what’s in front of them; and guess what choices Lowenfield will be giving them!! …the (recount) news Your Eyewitness is quite pleased at an unexpected development that has taken place under the tent outside the ACCC with the reporters and politicians.

The reporters have developed a collective pair!!

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

NEWS

9

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Private Sector stakeholders disappointed with NCTF structure …Police clamp down on non-essential businesses

Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) President, Nicholas Boyer

S

takeholders in the Private Sector are lamenting the lack of representation by civil society on the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF).

The NCTF is comprised mainly of Ministers along with heads of several State agencies such as the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC).

The Private Sector Commission was invited to be a part of the Task Force but during a virtual press conference on Thursday, it was revealed that the Commission is actually on a subset of the Task Force and is not involved at a policy level.

The PSC had nominated Chairman of its Trade and Investment Sub-Committee, Ramesh Dookhoo as its repre-

sentative to the NCTF. However, Dookhoo expressed his dissatisfaction with the arrangement.

“We are not entirely happy with the structural arrangements of the National Task Force. The PSC was invited to sit on the Task Force and we subsequently heard that we will be dealing with a subset of the Task Force. So I don’t believe that we’re getting the opportunity to participate in what major decisions are being made,” he stated.

According to Dookhoo, it is important to consult with civil society in situations like these whereby every facet of the country is being affected by this pandemic. He went on to underscore that COVID-19 is not a political issue and requires a national approach, even the participation of the political Opposition, to tackle this crisis holistically.

Meanwhile, similar sentiments were expressed by Chairman of the PSC, Gerry Gouveia. He expressed his disappointment that the Commission’s representative is not operating at the policy level of the Task Force.

This is also the case with President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Nicholas Boyer, who explained during Thursday’s briefing that there are some grey areas that need to be addressed regarding the enforcement of the emergency measures that were implemented by the National Task

COVID-19 Task Force Chairman, Moses Nagamootoo

Force.

For instance, he explained that a lot of his members in the retail trade have complained that they’re being unnecessarily harassed by Police, especially on the Regent Street corridor.

In fact, on Friday Police ranks shut down a handful of businesses in the city’s commercial hub.

The operation saw the lawmen on Regent Street, and in different areas around Georgetown, ensuring that the non-essential stores close.

However, Boyer said that this lockdown is also being enforced on businesses that are considered essential.

According to the GCCI President, based on the feedback from his membership, there seems to be a major issue with an even application of the rules coupled with a lack of clarity.

“These businesses all need to have clarity… Everybody understands the tradeoff between lives and livelihood, and no business person is that greedy that they will put their profits ahead of people’s lives. But for them to plan – because they do have payrolls and employees who have families to feed – they need to be able to have information…,” Boyer stated.

This issue with businesses in Georgetown comes as the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has stepped up its efforts to ensure that retailers and vendors, especially, comply with the necessary measures and guidelines put in place to curb the spread of coronavirus.

In fact, the M&CC disclosed on Wednesday that some 51 vendors who were found operating without a face mask were fined $5000 each.

With Guyana’s cases continuing to climb, it is anticipated that the emergency measures that are in place will be extended to flatten the curve of COVID-19 in Guyana.

Guyana has so far recorded 150 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 11 deaths and 67 recoveries. However, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) has warned that if these measures are lifted on June 3 as slated, then the county could see an exponential rise in cases to some estimated 10,000.

While there has been no official announcement by the National Task Force as to whether the cur-

PSC Trade and Investment Sub-Committee Chairman, Ramesh Dookhoo

few would be extended, caretaker President David Granger in a recent interview with the Stateowned National Communications Network (NCN) said that all emergency measures will remain in place until the pandemic is under control.

The emergency measures that were implemented to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic includes citizens being required to remain indoors between 18:00h and 06:00h.

It also speaks directly to the work hours that are allotted to essential services, preferential treatment for healthcare workers, social distancing and physical distancing, domestic travel, amongst others.

The President underscored that he cannot predict a date and time when the measures will be lifted. However, it all depends on the cooperation of Guyanese to help reduce the rate of infection and deaths.

10 NEWS

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana-Venezuela border controversy

Tobacco Control Bill without enforcement is pointless – PAHO

ICJ to begin hearings on jurisdiction case on June 30 T T

he International Court of Justice (ICJ) is set to begin hearing the jurisdiction case in the Guyana/ Venezuela controversy on June 30. The Hague-based court has announced that it will begin oral hearings on the question of the Court’s jurisdiction in the case concerning the Arbitral Award of October 3, 1899, between Guyana and Venezuela. The hearings are scheduled to commence at 14:00h and would be conducted via videoconference. This virtual hearing is as a result of the ongoing restrictions due to the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The ICJ had postponed the long-anticipated hearing of the Guyana/ Venezuela border controversy case that was scheduled to begin on March 23, 2020, citing the coronavirus pandemic. In a previous notice, ICJ had informed the parties of the schedules for the upcoming public hearings to determine whether the Court has jurisdiction to preside over the matter.

Guyana filed its case with the World Court on March 29, 2018, seeking a final and binding judgment that the 1899 Arbitral Award, which established the location of the land boundary between the then-British Guiana and Venezuela, remains valid and binding, and that Guyana’s Essequibo region belongs to Guyana, and not Venezuela as is being claimed by the Spanish-speaking country.

Guyana moved to the World Court after exhausting all means of negotia-

International Court of Justice

tion with Venezuela.

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, in January 2018 decided that the case should be settled by the ICJ after exercising the powers vested in him to decide how the controversy should be settled by the 1966 Geneva Agreement between Guyana, Venezuela and the United Kingdom.

However, Venezuela had claimed, in a letter to the World Court, that the Secretary General exceeded his authority under the Geneva Agreement, and therefore, the Court lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate the lawsuit filed by Guyana.

The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It was estab-

lished by the United Nations Charter in June 1945 and began its activities in April 1946. The Court is composed of 15 Judges elected for a nine-year term by the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations.

The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands).

The Court has a twofold role: first, to settle, in accordance with international law, through judgments which have binding force and are without appeal for the parties concerned, legal disputes submitted to it by States; and, second, to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorised United Nations organs and agencies of the system.

hree years after the Tobacco Control Bill was passed, little has been done to ensure that the provisions are enforced, and persons culpable face penalisation.

On Friday, Pan American Health Organisation Representative, Dr William Adu-Krow said that such laws are useless if they aren’t enacted.

His remarks came on the celebration of World No Tobacco Day, which will be celebrated on Sunday under the theme: “Protecting youth from industry manipulation and preventing them from tobacco and nicotine use”.

Adu-Krow stated, “Sometimes I lament over the issue that people who have to be working harder than we are, are not. I’m saying this with a clean conscience…We need to be doing more. If we’re serious, we have to show it in what we do. Otherwise, we will pass laws after laws after laws and get practically get nowhere.”

It was mentioned that the Ministry needs to employ effective campaigns and advertisements to capture the attention of all ages.

This was backed by Chairperson of Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation,

Kesaundra Alves, who represented the caretaker Public Health Minister. She insisted that while “a lot” needs to be done, they are constrained by financing.

“A lot more needs to be done in relation to enforcement. We have a comprehensive piece of legislation; if implemented completely, can really fight tobacco epidemic.

A lot more needs to be done. I believe one bugbear has been funds, to make this possible.

PAHO has put a lot of money into tobacco control in terms of public education, ads.”

According to Alves, human resources to are needed to monitor key locations where tobacco is sold, to ensure vendors are keeping with the guidelines.

“The Ministry of Public Health needs to focus on training of enforcement officers so that they know what their role is in terms of enforcing the Tobacco Control Act. That is something that should’ve been done this year…Enforcement needs to be ramped up. It is too slow and I hope that we don’t [lose] momentum…We need foot soldiers out there and, in some regard, the Ministry of Public Health does not have all the resources required to ensure enforcement,” the Chair highlighted.

TURN TO PAGE 12

NEWS

11

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

68% of COVID-19 cases in Region 4 …Regions 1, 7 showing increased trends

C

hief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud on Friday provided statistics on the COVID-19 cases in Guyana, which shows that Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) accounts for a gigantic 68 per cent of cases.

During the daily update, it was shared that Regions One (BarimaWaini) and Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) are beginning to see an increased trend of positive cases with six and 10 per cent of positively confirmed cases respectively.

Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) also has high figures, accounting for eight per cent of cases.

The senior medical official revealed that the total number of cases remains at 150 with 11 deaths.

Some 1586 persons were tested to which there were 1436 were negative. There were 67 recoveries, 72 active cases in institutional isolation, two patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 11 persons in institutional quarantine.

Threats in border communities

Dr Persaud expressed worry over the threats border regions are

facing from the uncontrollable crisis in Brazil – a situation where thousands are infected every day.

“I wish to focus on our hinterland regions, particularly Regions One and Seven, where we are beginning to witness the emergence of more positive cases and more so to highlight the implications for our bordering communities as COVID-19 continues to spread across the provinces of neighbouring Brazil,” he opined.

One day after Moruca, Region One, had its first case, a second person tested positive. By the eight day, there were nine cases and one death. In Region Seven, six more cases were reported within the first week, three more after six days and 12 days after, another five cases.

He urged, “We know that in Region One, you young men have to go into the mines in order to provide for yourselves and families; this doesn’t mean that you do this to the detriment of those around you; if you practice social distancing, wear a mask and you participate in sanitiSing and washing your hands as often as you should then it is guaranteed that the pos-

sibility of transmission will drop significantly.”

Males affected

In the breakdown by age group and gender, the younger males in the 25-29 age group are predominantly affected in Region One while in Region Seven, it is the 3039 age group.

“As we can see from the statistics, our males continue to be the ones most affected by COVID-19 and contrary to popular Guyanese belief, that COVID-19 is a virus that mainly affects the elderly, our statistics continue to show us that the young now constitute the most vulnerable. Where do we go from here? How do we deal with the challenges that are much more far-reaching than we originally anticipated?” the CMO expressed.

With many ignoring the guidelines instituted for their safety, he urged the public to take precautions. In the past weeks, men have been at the top of their radar.

“When we speak of the asymptomatic person we are referring to a healthy carrier that is actively spreading the disease without showing any signs or symptoms;

this is the reason why we are asking to treat everyone as a healthy carrier and ensure that you follow the guidelines of physical distancing, hand washing and wearing a mask. It is important that you are not the only person wearing the mask, but you should insist that if

you have to interact with someone else that the person is wearing a mask also,” the CMO highlighted.

Globally, there are 5,593,631 cases with 353,334 deaths. In the region of the Americas, the total number of cases is 2,556,479 cases with 148,412 deaths.

12 NEWS

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Prioritise COVID-19 tests to yield better results – PAHO tells Health Ministry

T

he Public Health Ministry is conducting many unnecessary tests for COVID-19 on persons who do not require such testing at this time, causing the country’s positive rate to drop.

This is according to Country Representative of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Dr William Adu-Krow, who stated that while there are adequate testing kits, health authorities should prioritise these cases to yield better results.

As of Thursday, over 90 per cent of the 1559 samples tested returned negative.

“We should have enough to test everybody that needs to be tested. My problem is the positive rate, the number of persons who are positive. After testing a whole lot of people, it keeps falling.

That means we are testing too many people who don’t need to be tested. Because if you are testing less and less

number of positives, then we need to be very careful…One day, we tested 50-something and that day we only had a few positives out of that,” he explained.

Dr Adu-Krow further related that this premature testing produces negative results, even though a person is positive. He advised that testing should be done after symptoms are presented.

“Having said that, 37 per cent of our population happens to be persons who are not showing any symptoms, asymptomatic but they have it. The good thing is that we don’t need to test those people immediately because if you test them, they might not convert to positive. It would still be negative and you would think they don’t have it when they have something.”

He added, “We say normally, look out for symptoms. Let’s see whether, after five to seven days, the

PAHO Country Representative, Dr William Adu-Krow

person develops symptoms.

Then you know that the person has actually gotten the condition. If we do that, we would have more than necessary to test people that need to be tested.”

Lockdown

Caretaker President, David Granger recently announced that the national curfew would ‘remain’,

as the June 3 deadline was soon to expire.

According to Adu-Krow, PAHO had already formulated their statistics, which showed that 10,777 cases were the likely figure by June 15 if the lockdown and curfew were indeed relaxed.

“If we lift everything on June 3, we are likely, by July 15, to see 10,777 cases.

That’s if we lift everything. If we go by a phased approach, the number goes down. We have made some suggestions to Government,” he asserted.

He went on to say that while Guyana has adequate mechanisms to safeguard the population, these measures are being disregarded by citizens who continue to congregate or flout the curfew.

“We cannot do that. The rule says nobody can go out unless it’s for an essential purpose or the person belongs to an essential group of persons…That’s not what’s

happening…We better take it seriously…The only thing I would say is that we have to be careful…when they did the assessment in the whole Latin America and the Caribbean, it was realised that our measures are about 74 per cent in target, so it’s quite high. The problem that we have is that we are not enforcing them,” Dr Adu-Krow lamented.

Enforcement of these national guidelines, he also noted, needs urgent attention. The PAHO representative advised that the lockdown should be continued at least for another two weeks, before reconsidering any opening.

“We have measures, if enforced, could take us a long way. If not enforced, then we are likely to have problems.

If I had my own way, I’d

probably extend the measures for about two weeks and then enforce them; and then begin a phased approach. That would be my recommendation. It is up to Government to decide.”

On Thursday, it was reported that the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) is considering a phased reopening of Guyana’s airports which have, since March 18, been closed to incoming commercial flights.

PAHO had initially projected in March that Guyana would record some 20,000 cases of COVID-19 infection. But the PAHO/WHO Country Representative explained that this projection was in the event that the country did nothing to curb the spread.

41 persons charged for breaking curfew in Georgetown

O

ver the past week, officers of the City Constabulary Department have arrested 41 persons for allegedly breaching the 6 pm to 6 am curfew.

The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) on Friday said, via its Facebook page, that these persons were placed on $10,000 station bail each, and are expected to appear in court to answer the charges next week.

The M&CC also recently announced that it was stepping up efforts to ensure that both shoppers and vendors comply with the nec-

essary measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.

A few days ago, 51 vendors, who were found operating without a face mask, were fined $5000 each.

These vendors were found operating at Albouystown, Stabroek, and Bourda Markets.

“The Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown implores all citizens to observe the COVID-19 precautionary guidelines set out by the Ministry of Public Health.

We have to work together to beat COVID-19,” the M&CC had said.

Tobacco Control Bill without...

FROM PAGE 10

She also spoke about protecting youths from industry manipulation, since companies are known to employ tactics to attract people.

Nicotine is now available in many forms, different packaging and flavours, causing people to underestimate the risks involved in using them.

Government’s Tobacco Control Bill provides that public smoking of cigarettes and other tobacco products, such as cigars, will be prohibited by law. Moreover, no person shall be permitted to smoke in any waiting area or queue in a public place.

Those public places include, but are not limited to, any public transport stop, bus stand, or bus park.

Smoking would also be prohibited in any park, playground, or amusement park; any stadium, arena, or any kind of sport of performance place; or any space for commercial service of food or drinks.

The Act says it shall also be illegal for persons

to smoke in any area within five metres of a window, door, or ventilation inlet to any public place or indoor workplace. Smoking shall also be prohibited anywhere on the premises of — or within five metres from the outside boundary of — any healthcare, educational or child care facility.

Part Five, Section 16 (3) of the Act states “Any person who smokes in any place where smoking is prohibited commits an offence, and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $10,000 for the first offence, and $20,000 for any second or subsequent offence.”

The bill provides for a number of other fines and penalties, ranging from $200,000 - and six-months’ imprisonment.

Corporate bodies can also face fines of up to $9 million for infringing on the ban regarding advertising. The advertising ban includes promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products, even by electronic delivery systems.

13 Police again break up sugar workers’ protest NEWS

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

...protest will continue against “inflexible” GuySuCo – GAWU

W

orkers of the Uitvlugt Sugar Estate, West Coast Demerara (WCD) on Friday continued protest action against the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) for better workplace protocols against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and were yet again dispersed by Police.

The picketing started on Wednesday, with workers demanding that the company promote adequate social distancing while ensuring that their hours of work remained outside of the 18:00h-06:00h curfew period.

In a statement on Friday, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) said the workers practised social distancing and wore masks while protesting for their demands to be considered. They voiced that this stance was in the interest of preserving their safety in the face of COVID-19.

However, the sugar workers were met with opposition from a swarm of Police ranks, with instructions to remove from the site with which they complied.

The Union detailed, “Certainly, their calls are not outlandish or unprincipled as some have sought to say.

Workers picketing outside the Uitvlugt Sugar Estate on Friday

Today, as the workers continued their protests, in keeping with the relevant conditions, a contingent of Police Officers again turned up. In announcing their presence, the officers instructed the workers to immediately end their picketing and to disperse from the vicinity. When asked why they were being asked to end their picketing, the Police advised that the COVID-19 restrictions prevented such activities… Notwithstanding the explanation, the Police insisted and the workers being respectful heeded their call though most upset and disturbed.”

GAWU went on to say that discussions with GuySuCo were required at this time to bring this matter to rest. But this has been lacking from the company’s end. The Union

further added that the situation has escalated to a point where it was “most unfortunate” and moreover, the only intention was to secure proper health practices for workers to remain safe.

“We hold that sober-minded discussions could well see an appropriate arrangement being reached in the interest of all parties. However, it appears from the company’s point-of-view, such an approach is lacking and contributing to the sorry state of affairs. We, nevertheless, look forward to sensibleness being arrived at in view of the prevailing public health crisis. The workers’ call, we reiterate, has significant merit and is in keeping with policies that have been embraced in other sections of the Estate already,” GAWU said.

With no talks to resolve the issue, the workers’ representative body expressed that GuySuCo was being inflexible despite some level of compromise from workers. The Estate continues to uphold its position that the workers must operate in the curfew hours notwithstanding the difficulties they face.

“At this time, … GuySuCo remains inflexible though at

the commencement of the outof-crop period, it had agreed that workers would not work during the curfew period.”

On Thursday, GAWU said these actions were seen as attempts “to trample on the rights of the workers”.

“While we are unsure of how the Police arrived at the scene, the workers were most upset that their peaceful activity was abruptly and forci-

50% of residents of Palms tested for COVID-19

Sister arrested after handing over brother’s illegal gun to Police Palms Geriatric Home

A

The pistol that was handed over to Police

The dried cannabis

41 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, Berbice, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for cultivating a prohibited The shotgun retrieved by Police at Bartica Village during a raid plant.

It was he Police are on the reported hunt for a farmer afthat Police ter his sister handtravelled ed over an unlicensed pistol to Gaettroy to them during a raid at his and De home on Thursday.

Veldt, comBased on reports remunities ceived, Police, acting on inalong the formation, travelled to De Berbice Veldt, Berbice River to conR i v e r , duct a search of the farmwhere they er’s home, but he was not at found aphome at the time. His sisproximately ter, nevertheless, cooperatthree acres ed and handed over the gun of cannato the lawmen. bis plants.

As such, she was taken There were into custody as the Police The packaged ganja found at Bartica Village reportedcontinued to search for her ly 13,000 valued at $1.6 million and sibling. plants ranging from six In addition, the ranks an unlicensed shotgun were inches to two feet in height. proceeded to another house discovered.

A nursery with about Several identification at Bartica Village, Berbice 3000 seedlings, approxiRiver, where they con- documents of the occupant mately 7 kilograms of dried ducted a search and found were found at the site. The ganja, and five camps were 20 kilograms of packaged Police are on the hunt for also discovered and deganja. The cannabis was the suspect. stroyed. Frank was found On Monday, 21-yearfound in 23 parcels. Also, in the fields and as such, he 20 pounds of dried cannabis old Trelon Frank, of Lot was arrested and charged.

T

bly terminated,” GAWU said in the missive.

It went on to reiterate calls for better sense to prevail and for an amicable and workable arrangement to be arrived at. GAWU said it believed that a “sober and sincere consideration” of the workers’ views should be pursued and acknowledgement made of the harm they could face at this time.

t least 200 residents at the Palms Geriatric Home have so far been tested for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) amid reports that several of them have tested positive.

That figure is about 50

per cent of the occupants at the Home.

Director of Social Services, Whentworth Tanner stated that efforts were being made to have all of the residents tested in phases.

Over the past weeks, six

new patients, all female, have tested positive, taking the total cases at the Palms to 12, with one death.

In a recent interview, the Director of Social Services confirmed that the additional patients who tested positive for the virus have been placed in isolation at the infirmary of the Palms.

He added that several staffers of the facility had been placed in ‘home quarantine’.

Tanner said that the situation at the Palms was being closely monitored by the Public Health and Social Protection Ministries.

The Palms recorded its first case of COVID-19 in April. Meanwhile, at a national level, the Public Health Ministry has so far recorded a total of 150 confirmed cases and 11 deaths.

St Rose’s Alumni members donate to vulnerable students

M

embers of the St. Rose’s Alumni Association (Guyana) Inc. have spearheaded a project to provide hampers to vulnerable students of the school in light of the present COVID-19 pandemic.

With assistance from the headmistress and faculty, fifty (50) students were identified to benefit from the receipt of hampers that included food supplies, personal care items, and reading material.

The past students had, earlier this month, gathered to assemble and distribute hampers to families located in Central Georgetown and along the East Coast, East Bank, West Coast, and West Bank Demerara corridors.

President of the St Rose’s Alumni Association, Keon Smith, has expressed immense gratitude to the individuals and businesses who made this inaugural activity possible, including past stu-

Members of the St Rose’s Alumni Association (Guyana) getting the hampers together for distribution

dents and friends.

He has acknowledged that without the kind donations of Universal Janitorial Services & Supplies, 401 Furniture Store, and Doerga Business Enterprise, the project would not have been possible.

Further, Smith has expressed hope that more persons would come on board this project in the future to bring relief to even more vul-

nerable families during this time of protracted lockdown.

Members of the St. Rose’s Alumni Association (Guyana) Inc. include Ronald Kissoon, Ruth Jeffers, Kemie Haniff, Densie Hodge, Raquel Thomas, Chevon Lim, Tracy Smith, Rensford Niles and Simone Gonsalves.

The Association was formed in January 2020.

14 NEWS

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana Goldfields earns US$2.3M in 1st quarter T

he Canadian-owned Guyana Goldfields Inc has recorded net earnings to the tune of US$2.3 million for the first quarter of 2020, compared to a loss of the same value during the corresponding period in 2019, which was driven by higher margins from higher gold prices, partly offset by higher cost of sales per ounce due to the higher fixed cost absorption from lower mined volumes.

This was reflected in its financial results for the first quarter ending March 31, 2020 that were filed on Thursday in Canada.

However, while the company reports a higher net earnings, its gold output at the Aurora mine in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) in the first quarter of this year is 28,100 ounces – a reduction of some 23 per cent com-

pared to the 36,600 ounces recorded in the first quarter of 2019.

The Guyana Goldfields, nevertheless, noted that from the 28,100 ounces produced, 24,200 ounces of gold were sold at a cash cost, before royalty, of US$1084 per ounce. Cost of sales was US$1376 per ounce and allin sustaining costs (AISC) were US$1352 per ounce.

The mining rates during the first three months of 2020 averaged 21,200 tonnes per day (tpd), representing a 62 per cent decrease in mining rates compared to 56,000 tpd recorded in the first quarter of 2019.

“This decrease was due to mine sequencing, pit constraints imposed by smaller benches and the suspension of waste stripping at Rory’s Knoll pit in February to safely allow ore produc-

GTT donates $350,000 in sanitising items to NGOs

tion from the bottom of the pit,” the mining company explained.

It went on to add that the 2020 first-quarter mill performance of 6300 tpd, which is lower than the 7200 registered the previous year, was as a consequence of the lower throughput from mainly hard rock ore being milled during those first three months.

Guyana Goldfields further reported cash and cash equivalents of US$15.5 million as at March 31, 2020.

This is US$6.6 million lower than the US$22.1 million reported at December 31, 2019.

“We generated a lower amount of cash from operations than in the first quarter of 2019 as a result of lower gold sales, an increase in metals inventory due to delays in gold sales as a result of air travel cargo delays resulting from COVID-19related travel restrictions and a concerted effort to reduce payables,” the company stated.

Back in March, the Canadian mining compa-

ny has announced a temporary suspension of all underground development due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, taking into consideration the funding gap and the ongoing circumstances related to the global health crisis, it was further announced earlier this month that the next phase of mine development, both underground and open pit, would not proceed as originally planned. This will result in a period of care and maintenance at sites once Rory’s Knoll Phase Four is completed, and satellite ore and low-grade stockpiles are depleted in the second quarter of 2020.

However, the company said it expected to be able to keep the mill operational up to mid-June, with production estimated to total approximately 45,000-50,000 ounces in the first half of 2020.

“This is higher than our previously-estimated production for the first half of the year of 35,000 to 45,000 ounces. Thereafter, the mine will go into a period of care

and maintenance for one to two quarters.

“Planning for the transition to care and maintenance is well advanced, and as such, we have already started the phased reduction in site activity. The site is expected to be in full care and maintenance by the end of the second quarter and a fulltime security presence will be maintained…, along with adequate crews to maintain the site, including environmental monitoring and compliance. Infrastructure such as camp, water supply, power supply, and other systems will remain in operation at a reduced level,” it stated.

Meanwhile, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Guyana Goldfields said it instituted a number of safeguards in order to continue operating in a safe manner, including reducing the number of employees on site to accommodate single-room occupancy in the camp; social distancing practices; wearing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) where social distancing is not feasible and on flights; temperature checks at the check-in for flights to the site and voluntary time-off for employees with symptoms associated with the virus; and a reduced number of passengers on flights in and out of the site.

It was noted that open pit mining and plant operations continue largely unaffected at this time, utilising the additional safeguards put in place to maintain em-

ployee health and safety.

President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Allan Pangbourne thanked the employees for their hard work and dedication during this challenging time.

“The cooperation and diligence of employees in Guyana in adhering to the COVID-19 measures, have allowed us to continue operating as we prepare for the upcoming period of temporary care and maintenance … I thank the Guyanese Government for their support that allowed us to develop the Aurora Gold Mine and their continued cooperation that will lead to the first significant modern underground mine in Guyana.

What we have been able to achieve at a remote site in Region Seven is commendable and the transition to underground mining will be a great opportunity for the Aurora mine and for Guyana,” Pangbourne added.

The Guyana Goldfields’ financial filing comes on the heels of the company entering into a Cdn$105 million deal with Canadian silver miner Silvercorp Metals Inc. The two companies have entered into a definitive agreement that will see Silvercorp – with Chinabased silver mining operations – acquiring all of the issued and outstanding shares of Guyana Goldfields by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act.

aware of the incident. In the video which went viral, the two can be seen sitting in the back of a car. The minor is then videotaped performing the sexual act. The male can be heard telling the minor to look in the camera, which she refused to do.

As ranks continued the hunt for the taxi driver, yet another video later surfaced implicating him and another man with another female who was suspected to be a minor. Reports had indicated that the other video was leaked within days of the

first. However, the Regional Commander indicated that it has since been proven that the female in the video is over the age of 18. He said the woman has since indicated that she did not wish to press any charges.

Nevertheless, the investigation into the first incident is still ongoing. According to Police, ranks have searched various addresses for the suspect but they came up empty-handed. Police are urging anyone with information on the taxi driver to come forward.

Police yet to nab taxi driver involved in sex tape with minor

T

wo months have passed since a Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) taxi driver released a sex tape with him and a minor but Police are yet to apprehend him.

Following the unlawful circulation of the video back in April, the suspect, who is a Lindener, has reportedly gone into hiding. Police have since been on the hunt for him as he is being sought for questioning in relation to the incident.

Regional Commander,

Superintendent Hugh Winter on Friday noted that the matter is still under investigation and Police are yet to apprehend the suspect. Following the allegations, the minor and a parent visited Police. The Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) Division has since launched a probe into the incident after the video which shows the teen involved in the sexual act, allegedly with the taxi driver, started circulating on social media. The Regional Welfare Department was also made

Suspect in Port Kaituma miner's murder nabbed A representative of the Berbice Cancer Society receiving the donation

A

s Guyana continues to battle with the novel coronavirus, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT), through its monthly Pinktober initiative, has donated several sanitising agents to several Non-Governmental Organisations across Guyana.

The items donated are for distribution to indigent persons within the respective communities of each organisation.

The donation amount-

ed to some $350,000. The Periwinkle Cancer Club, Linden Cancer Foundation, Berbice Cancer Foundation, the Giving Hope Foundation, Women on the Move, and Debra Shipley-George Go Care Foundation are among the NGOs receiving donations this month.

This is the third monthly Pinktober initiative to be rolled out by the company.

The company, through its Pinktober initiative, is expected to make another donation in June – and in the months to come.

T

he prime suspect in the beating to death of a miner at Aranguy Backdam, Cuyuni River, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), was nabbed by ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

Guyana Times understands that the suspect is a 24-year-old labourer of Ogle Old Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD). He was wanted in connection with the murder of David James, of Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini).

According to information received, on May 26 at around 18:30h, James and a

Dead: David James

co-worker were imbibing at their worksite when an argument ensued.

During the quarrel, the other employee left but returned shortly after with a friend who attacked James, punching him several times to the face and body. This resulted in James falling to the ground in a motionless state.

Ranks were summoned to the scene where James was found dead in a hammock.

Regional Police Commander, Senior Superintendent Linden Lord told Guyana Times that the two suspects will be heading to court soon.

NEWS

15

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

1555 ballot boxes counted, 784 remaining A

t the end of Friday - day 23 of the National Recount exercise - the Guyana Elections Commission had also finished recounting an additional 82 ballot boxes.

GECOM has since completed tabulating the results of 1521 boxes, leaving 818 more boxes to be ascertained from the March 2 General and Region Elections. However, the boxes recounted are 1555, with 784 remaining to count.

Votes tabulated during the National Recount exercise illustrate that collectively, the three parties that engaged in a ‘joinder platform’ ahead of the polls have so far managed to secure among themselves 3360 votes, making a parliamentary seat not out of reach with just about 65 per cent of the ballot boxes for the March 2 General and Regional Elections recounted.

The Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) headed by

The GECOM tabulation figures as of Friday

Lennox Shuman has so far secured 2084 votes while A New and United Guyana has had 1137 of its votes recounted while The New

Movement (TNM) has gotten 139 votes.

Collectively, the three parties have managed to ascertain, so far, 3360 votes

out of the 65 per cent of votes tabulated in the recount process.

Shuman’s party has seen most of its support in

Regions Seven, Nine and Four, with the party securing just over 300 votes from Regions One and Two. ANUG has seen Region Three giving that party its second-highest support base behind Region Four while the party failed to pick up more than 300 votes in the four other electoral districts.

TNM while failing to pick up more than 100 regions from each of the electoral districts it contested, the party saw the bulk of its individual support coming from Region Three and its second-highest tally coming from Region Four.

The votes tabulated puts the opposition People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) with 153,726 votes ascertained thus far, while the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) has had 127,791 of its votes recounted.

This from the results of

votes recounted in Regions One (Barima-Waini); Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) which has since been completed and certified in addition to the other ballot boxes counted from across the other electoral districts.

The exercise was originally scheduled to wrap up today at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) but has since been given a two-week extension in order to complete the exercise.

Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) continues to be the single region with the largest outstanding amount of ballot boxes for a recount, making up just about half of the remaining total.

Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) is just about 59 per cent completed with 166 ballot boxes more to be recounted and tabulated while Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) also has in excess of 100 ballot boxes yet to be recounted.

think some of the measures are a little bit unrealistic and unreasonable. If the person is tested before they get on the plane, and then they’re tested again when they get off the plane in Guyana, and we’re still demanding that those people endure a 14-day quarantine in a Government facility or hotel, I think… that if people are corona-free before they board the plane and before they enter Guyana, and if we want to quarantine them, we should let them do it in their own homes, rather than forcing them either into a state facility or a private hotel,” he posited.

The PSC also suggested in its letter to the Task Force that, in order to make the home-quarantine effec-

tive, it should impose a penalty of a $100,000 fine on anyone who breaches this condition.

Meanwhile, Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Egbert Fields, has disclosed that that body has proposed a four-phase plan for reopening Guyana’s borders.

The plan entails reopening first to regional traffic, then to international passengers around August to December, and a resumption to normalcy in the new year.

The current emergency measures and curfew in place would be in effect until June 3. However, caretaker President David Granger on Friday said the “curfew will remain”, but did not say until when.

Stranded Guyanese exceeding stay in US must file for an extension of stay

United States Ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch

G

uyanese who would exceed, or already have exceeded, their approved stay while being stranded in the United States amid the COVID-19 pandemic are being asked to file for an extension of stay.

This was indicated by the US Embassy in a notice posted to its social media Facebook page on Friday.

Many persons who were forced to remain in the US after Guyana had closed its borders, including the two international airports, in an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus here have expressed concern in regard to whether their visitors’ visas would be cancelled if they overstayed, though unwillingly, their approved time.

However, the US Embassy in Georgetown said, “Some non-immigrants may be forced to remain in the United States beyond their authorised period of stay because of travel restrictions stemming from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. If visa holders anticipate that they will be in the U.S. beyond their authorised period of stay, they should file for an ex-

tension of their stay through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)…

This can be done by following the instructions at https://www. uscis.gov/i-539” According to the Embassy, “Lengthy stays in the United States on a visitor visa, and failure to request a timely extension of stay, can affect your continued eligibility for a visitor visa.”

Hundreds of Guyanese stranded in the US as well as other countries around the world have been pleading with the Guyana Government to allow them to return to Guyana.

In fact, a group of Guyanese stranded in the US have since written the National COVID-19 Task Force, urging that they be granted permission to return home. The letter, dated May 18, stated that those Guyanese are willing to abide by all established protocols to return home,

including being tested. In an interview with Guyana Times last week, those persons said they were desperate to return home.

Following mounting pressure, the caretaker Administration, through the National COVID-19 Task Force, finally announced last week that it has approved the conditional return of some 300 Guyanese stranded overseas. This approval encompasses Guyanese in Trinidad and Tobago and in US, including New York, New Jersey, Florida and other states, as well as in other countries. This approval would however apply only to those who have registered with the Ministry of Foreign

have to be provided at least 48 hours before arriving in Guyana.

Only air travel has been approved, and persons have to fund their flight costs.

Moreover, persons are expected to pay for their mandatory two weeks’ quarantine at two private hotels earmarked by local authorities, if they do not want to stay at any of the state’s quarantine facilities.

However, with the cost of two weeks’ stay at the private hotels amounting to some $100,000, this condition has been described as “harsh” by the Private Sector Commission (PSC).

While the local body has welcomed the decision to al-

Brazil COVID-19 death toll hits 27,878, surpassing hard-hit Spain

B Affairs as at Thursday, May 21, 2020. Moreover, the approval does not include Guyanese who are resident in other countries.

Persons returning are also mandated to meet the requirements set out by the Public Health Ministry and other relevant ministries and agencies, including a 14day mandatory quarantine and undergoing a COVID-19 test prior to arrival. These results (PCR, with results in English language) would

low the stranded Guyanese to return home, it says the most convenient measures must be employed during this period.

In fact, the PSC has written the National Task Force on the issue, requesting that it reconsider and relax some of the conditions imposed on the returning Guyanese.

During a virtual press conference on Thursday, PSC Chairman Captain Gerry Gouveia voiced his concerns on the matter. “I

razil on Friday reached 27,878 coronavirus deaths, official figures showed, surpassing the toll of hard-hit Spain and making it the country with the fifth-highest number of fatalities.

The epicentre of the South American coronavirus outbreak, Brazil saw 1,124 deaths in 24 hours, the Ministry of Health said.

It also had a record number of new cases — 26,928 in one day — bringing the total number of infections to 465,166.

The United States, Britain, Italy and France lead the world in coronavirus deaths.

As of Friday Spain, had recorded 27,121 deaths, with virus fatalities there

rapidly slowing. Brazil could soon surpass France, which has seen 28,714 deaths.

Brazil is second in the number of confirmed cases, though trailing far behind the United States which has 1.7 million infections.

Brazil has seen 131.2 coronavirus deaths per one million people — compared to more than 300 in the United States and 580 in Spain — but the pandemic has yet to peak in the South American country.

“There is no way to foresee” when the outbreak will peak, the Ministry of Health said, and experts say the number of cases in Brazil could be 15 times higher than the confirmed figure because there has been no widespread testing. (AFP)

16 ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT SATURDAY, MAY 30, 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

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SATURDAY, MAY 30, 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

18 ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT SATURDAY, MAY 30, 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

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SATURDAY, MAY 30, 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

20 ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT

STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

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guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020

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

APNU/AFC spent billions of dollars wastefully

Dear Editor, Mr David Granger on Thursday made a startling appeal to the United Nations for some money to be thrown our way, so his Government can “fight COVID-19”.

Finishing Ocean View Hotel? But what about this “Last month Guyana received $100 million from the US Government to support its fight against COVID-19, and on Thursday the City Council of the capital Georgetown received an additional $8 million from the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) to aid its efforts in stopping the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, just a month ago the David Granger shenanigans said this country is a sovereign country and the ABC countries should stay out Guyana's politics, the question I keep asking myself is, why is Guyana in this situation, not prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic? However, Mr David Granger conveniently forgot to inform the United Nations that Guyana has its oil money sitting in a USA account, which they have no access to due to the crisis that is imposed on Guyana and the Guyanese citizens, resulting from the fraudulent declaration made by District Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo in an attempt to rig the March

2020 General And Regional Elections.

Post-March 2020 General and Regional Elections, the Granger caretaker Government kept spending billions of Guyanese taxpayers’ dollars on many projects which never brought any returns to our nation.

We will all remember the rumbustious scandals involving millions of dollars that members of the David Granger caretaker Government and cabal were allegedly involved in. I can clearly remember under the previous Administration, the PPP/C had reduced the debt stock to 44 per cent of the GDP which represented a debt stock of US$1.1 billion by the end of 2014.

Here we are five years later, the Granger-led APNU/AFC has expanded this debt by more than 50 per cent compared with the debt that existed at the end of 2014. At the end of 2014, there was almost $25 billion worth of gold in the Bank of Guyana.

It is now almost zero. What has the David Granger Caretaker Government done with the money? At the end of 2014, the total international reserve at the Bank of Guyana was more than US$700 million. It is now less than US$200 million. At the end of 2014, the Government’s local currency account at the Bank of

Guyana was $21 billion; today it is in the negative, this simply means that APNU/ AFC used up the $21 billion and has borrowed billions more. Are we sure that was really a loan from the Bank of Guyana? When I think about this Granger Administration, I am mesmerized by their deception This was a Government that promised the people of Guyana lower taxes in their manifesto, but immediately betrayed people by increasing more than 200 different taxes. They promised to lower the 16 per cent VAT, and although VAT was lowered to 14 per cent, they broadened the items that became VAT-able, including VAT on water and electricity, VAT on internet and computers, etc. All license fees increased and agriculture land rental and leases have been increased by several hundred per cent. In fact, they now collect more than $100 billion annually than the previous Administration collected at the end of 2014.

My next question is, where is the US$18 million Exxon bonus; the same bonus the APNU/AFC Ministers tried to hide in 2016 until they were caught, the many shifts we heard about this money, finally, it was said to pay lawyers representing Guyana against Venezuela, while another said it was

invested, making money for Guyana. The APNU/ AFC Administration has raised and spent billions of dollars wastefully Guyana and should have never been in this position. Granger’s five years in power has revealed a man of poor judgment, weak leadership and low achievement. From the inception, Guyana was not prepared for the ratification of the COVID-19 pandemic. it is obvious that Guyanese will continue to experience even more hardship, since they are still at the mercy of the APNU/AFC caretaker Government that has put little measures in place to assist and help the Guyanese people. Thank God for the Private Sector and the opposition parties who have stepped up to the plate. Once this National Recount is completed and the true declaration is made by the Guyana Elections Commission, Guyanese will see an immediate response from the newly elected People's Progressive Party/ Civic Government with smart investments and actions taken that will help our country not only recover quicker but also boost longer-term development prospects.

Sincerely, David Adams

The haemorrhage must stop: Mr David Granger should concede defeat

Dear Editor, Post-elections’ trauma has struck PNCR’s Congress Place, Georgetown, as well as the NDP’s (National Democratic Party) headquarters in Paramaribo.

Both the PNCR (APNU/ AFC coalition is referred to as PNCR) of Guyana and the NDP of Suriname felt that they had a good chance (probably based on tracking polls, size of rallies, consultants’ advice) of winning their respective national elections. Well, what matters is the real polls on Election Day. Both the governing party in Guyana (PNCR) and Suriname (NDP) have been stunned by their defeat at the polls. Both are resisting efforts to step down gracefully. Citizens of both countries are fearful that such recalcitrant behaviour might set the stage for the building of a full-fledged dictatorship, particularly in Guyana.

While the votes in Guyana’s March 2 elections are being recounted at ACCC, those in Suriname’s May 26 elections are also being recounted. The major difference is that Guyana’s recount has already taken up 23 days and still over 40 per cent of the ballot boxes remain to be counted.

Information on the status of Suriname’s recount is not available.

What is troubling though is the reluctance of both governing parties (PNCR and NDP) to concede defeat and, by such intransigence, are posing a grave threat to democracy within the Caribbean region, especially having regard that both leaders, Guyana’s David Granger and Suriname’s Desi Bouterse are former military leaders, who still exercise a firm grip on the armed forces in their respective country. Such a threat did not escape the attention of Caricom‘s Ambassador to the OAS Noel Lynch who has emphasised the crucial need on May 13, 2020, to preserve democracy among Caricom countries.

In Guyana, the PNCR could have not held onto power and defied court rulings against them for over 16 months following the NCM (No-Confidence Motion) in November 2018, had it not been for its control over the armed forces.

And they have continued on this Constitution busting track for over 11 weeks after the March 2 elections.

Official elections results’ declaration nationally is yet to be made, and 11 weeks have elapsed since Election Day. Elements within the

PNCR with a military background have developed strong links with Bouterse, and it is not surprising therefore that he (Bouterse) seems to be using some of their (PNCR) post-election tactics in Suriname.

There is much scepticism over the role being played by GECOM in the Guyana elections including post-elections events, like Region Four’s vote tabulation fraud perpetrated by GECOM’s Clairmont Mingo. In addition, the controversial “audit“ which was allowed by GECOM to be a part of the recount process, even though President Granger and Mr Jagdeo agreed with mediator Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados to a vote recount of all 10 regions and not an audit.

There is the suggestion that the so-called audit was conceived by the PNCR to gather instances of irregularities (invented or real!) with a view to undermining the credibility of the elections and, therefore, squashing the elections.

This is what the PNC wants but it would not happen.

All the political parties, observer teams, diplomats, and others, except PNCR, say that Election Day polls were credible and transparent.

The good news for Surinamese is that they have a strong Elections Commission that is headed by a strong Chair.

The PNCR operatives have been consumed with belching out daily and sometimes conflicting narratives to divert attention to the massive fraud perpetrated

by GECOM’s Mingo to steal the election victory from the PPP/C. The GECOM-issued SoPs clearly established that the PPP/C won by a huge margin of over 15,000 votes. And Region Four recount validates the PPP/C’s claim to victory.

Despite the herculean efforts by the PNCR to discredit the March 2 elections, this battle that they are waging to remain in power against the expressed will of the people will fall. Let it be known that the EU, the OAS, Caricom, Carter Center, Commonwealth, PSC, diplomats and political parties already have copies of the GECOM-issued SoPs which show a convincing PPP/C victory. To save the country from haemorrhage and agony, Mr Granger should concede defeat and give the country a chance to breathe freely again.

Sincerely, Dr Tara Singh

Sugar workers should not be criticised for demanding their rights Dear Editor, The GAWU refers to Mr Sahadeo Bates letter titled “Government is not solely to blame for the downfall of GuySuCo” which appeared in the May 29, 2020, Kaieteur News.

At the outset, we must agree with Mr Bates’ conclusion that the Government has “…neglected the functioning estates and these are slowly deteriorating”.

Our Union, on several occasions, has pointed out this reality as we have expressed our grave disappointment that though monies have been secured to improve the functioning of Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt Estates, nothing really has been done in that direction.

The letter writer also touched on the functioning of the Uitvlugt Estate in recent times. Again, we must share our agreement with him as we too have shared many times our serious concerns as it regards the malfunctioning of the Uitvlugt factory. More recently too, we saw, the Estate being unable to realise its 2020 First Crop target which was due in part to an absence of canes in the fields.

We, however, fail to share Mr Bates’ views as it regards the ongoing protests by the Uitvlugt factory workers. The GAWU was very much disturbed by the letter writer’s suggestion that the workers “… don't have much work and some are sleeping, hiding and leaving the compound to drink alcohol…”. This, we hold, is not a forthright conclusion. We say this against the background that the Estate has planned several activities to be concluded during the out-ofcrop maintenance period.

Those activities would have taken account of the available workforce, among other things. Moreover, it is these very workers, who an accusatory finger is being pointed at, that are required in and out-of-crop to operate, maintain and fix the factory. To seek to denigrate them and their efforts, we believe, is most unfortunate.

Mr Bates also seemingly was misinformed when he said the workers’ “… working hours are reduced to 5 hrs…”. This too is not factual. The workers of the factory are not afforded that privilege. We must add that other sections of the workforce are being required to work for five (5) hours without any loss in pay. This policy obviously

took into account the need to minimise the numbers of workers present in an effort to promote adequate social distancing. Certainly, shouldn’t the factory workers also equitably benefit from a similar arrangement? It seems only fair to us and the workers as we all seek to protect them and their families’ health and well-being.

The workers are accused of “…lying on the police”. We have no reason to doubt the concerns shared by the workers.

Moreover, even GuySuCo acknowledged this reality. GuySuCo’s Corporate Communications Manager, Ms Audreyanna Thomas in the May 28, 2020, Stabroek News, pointed out that special arrangements were being worked out for the workers. Certainly, to accuse the workers of being untruthful is most disheartening. Undoubtedly, the workers would, like all rational human beings, seek to maximise their incomes at this time, however, are daunted by the difficulties they face going to or coming from work during the curfew period.

The letter writer also asserted that the workers are partially responsible for the downfall of the sugar industry. We find this statement most incredulous.

Workers do not sit in the seat of the decision-makers. They have almost no influence on the industry’s direction though they may have ideas or views given their experience. To ascribe blame to them, for us, is disturbing as they have always sought to give of their best. Why should one seek to castigate them when all they seek is to have their rights respected and gains protected? Sugar workers’ rights and benefits have never been freely given but won out of struggle as several martyrs and incidents remind us. It is incumbent on this and the next generations of sugar workers to continue to defend what has been won by those who came before them as they seek to advance their lot.

The actions of sugar workers are by no means unusual and they are mindful of the road they walk on is paved with the heroism and sacrifices of many as they continue, like all workers, to yearn for a better tomorrow.

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020

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he West Indies are set to play Australia in three T20 Internationals in October, Cricket Australia has announced.

According to a schedule released by Cricket Australia on Thursday, the two-time World T20 champions will take on Australia at the Riverway Stadium in Townsville on October 4, at the Cazaly Stadium on October 6, and at the Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast on October 9.

However, the series will go ahead only if Australia is able to contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), which has shut down all live sporting activities since March.

“While acknowledging the difficulty in navigating a global pandemic, we are nonetheless encouraged by the progress Australia is making in combating the coronavirus, and the positive impact that is having on our ability

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pain's La Liga will resume on 11 June, when Real Betis face Sevilla, and next season will start on 12 September.

Organisers want to finish the season on the weekend of 18-19 July "depending on the evolution" of coronavirus.

The Spanish Government's

prepared."

Following the Seville derby on 11 June, other clubs will begin playing fixtures o v e r the following weekend. Tebas s a i d audiovisual testing is being carried out, so fans have a choice of different viewing experiences when football returns behind closed doors.

Department for Sport has said agreements have been reached with La Liga and the Spanish Soccer Federation (RFEF).

Football was suspended on 12 March, but Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said it can resume from 8 June.

La Liga president Javier Tebas has said: "The important thing will be when the season finishes, although we'll only be able to congratulate ourselves when we start the following season.

"God willing, that day will be 12 September, and hopefully, we'll be able to say we have overcome this most difficult period; but at least we will be better

Those watching at home can choose from two options: the real "silence" from the stadiums, or "simulation of the crowds", with noises being played.

La Liga players started last week training in groups of no more than 10, and Tebas has said the next objective is to progress to full training.

Defending champions Barcelona are two points ahead of Real Madrid at the top of the table, with 11 matches remaining.

The Premier League on Thursday said it would return to action on 17 June, with 92 fixtures this season still to be played.

(BBC.COM)

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to host an exciting summer of cricket in 2020-21,” Cricket Australia’s CEO Kevin Roberts has said.

“We know that circumstances or events beyond our control could mean that the final schedule potentially may look different to the one released today, but we’ll be doing everything we can to get as much international cricket in as possible this summer. We will communicate any changes to the schedule if or when they are required.

“We are engaged in ongoing discussions with federal and state governments, our venues and the touring nations to continually understand and monitor the situation in front of us, which is evolving every day. We’ll continue to act in accordance with public health advice and government protocols to ensure the safety of the public, players and support staff”, Roberts explained.

The West Indies are currently on the verge of agreeing to tour England for a three-Test series in July. (Sportsmax)

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t seems like yesterday that we were all together at the Over-50s Cricket World Cup in Cape Town.

However, just two months later, we are in a totally different place, facing a totally different future, at least for the next year.

“When we said our ‘bon voyages’ in Cape Town, which saw everyone apart from three members of the Sri Lankan contingent (Mahes and Tina de Zoysa, and Suranjith Dharmasena) make it safely home, your Over-50s Cricket World Cup Committee advised that we would announce the future of the event by 1st September 2020, with (the event) most likely (being) held in Cape Town in March of 2021.

“However, the rapid pace and dramatic effect of COVID-19 on the world’s health and economies have forced us to reconsider this, as we now have enough facts and likely scenarios to guide us in our decision-making. Hence, we advise all of

the Over-50s Cricket World Cup participating countries, and those who may consider applying in the future, that the next Over-50s Cricket World Cup will not be staged until at least 2022.

“We also advise (that) it is the Committee’s intention to hold the event in Cape Town in March 2022, and this will be confirmed by 1 January 2021.

“In the meantime, as all countries will be at different stages on the recovery curve over the next year or so, we sincerely encourage as many bilateral and trilateral Over-50s International series between neighbouring member nations as possible.

“Please advise Jim Morrison

(over50sworldcup@gmail.com) of any such fixtures ASAP for publication on www.over50scricket.com and the Facebook page, so we can all enjoy your matches.

“By the way, the stranded members of the Sri Lankan group are being safely cared for by Roger Moult and our VCASA colleagues in Cape Town until their pending departure home.

“We will be in contact with everyone in due course. In the meantime, stay safe.”

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he FA Cup quarter-finals have been provisionally rescheduled for June 27 and June 28, with the final set to be staged on August 1.

Friday's announcement by the Football Association (FA) came a day after it was revealed that the Premier League season is due to restart on June 17.

There has been no football in England since the campaign was halted by the coronavirus crisis in March.

Norwich City are due to face Manchester United; Sheffield United are set to take on Arsenal; Manchester City come up against Newcastle United, and Leicester City meet Chelsea in the last eight of the FA

Cup. The weekend of July 11-12 is when the semi-finals are provisionally set to take place, with further information on venues and timings to be announced in due course.

FA Chief Executive Officer Mark Bullingham said: "We are pleased to agree the provisional restart date for the 2019-20 Emirates FA Cup. The competition has been an integral part of the English football calendar for nearly 150 years, and we'd like to thank the Premier League executive and clubs for their support in scheduling the remaining matches during this unprecedented time.

"This has been a difficult period for many people, and while this is a positive step, the restart date is dependent on all safety measures being met. The health and wellbeing of players, staff and supporters remains our priority." (Sportsmax)

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020

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

guyanatimesgy.com

as a role model while growing up.

Speaking at length on the Maroon Hangout on Tuesday last on Instagram, Hetmyer noted that Gayle

A moment to savour! Gayle presenting Hetmyer his debut cap

Exciting West Indies batsman Shimron Hetmyer has disclosed that ‘the Universe Boss’ Chris Gayle is the person he looked up to

was his idol even before he had started playing cricket, and he continues to idolise the big Jamaican.

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"Even now, he is still one of the persons I look up to; because he is always there, and he is someone you can lean on, you can pick his brain and learn different

stuff about the game," Hetmyer noted. He thus described his playing time with Gayle as “a priceless opportunity”.

he COVID-19 pandemic has had a financial impact on the operations of many industries and organisations all over the world, and the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) has thus been affected.

With the LGC being closed since the lockdown measures have come into effect, the livelihoods of the club’s caddies, who depend on the little income received to support themselves and their families, have been adversely affected.

Knowing the adverse situation confronting the caddies, some LGC members have come to

their rescue by providing monetary and other donations towards creating hampers for them. Thus a total of 30 caddies and 10 less fortunate families within the Lusignan area have benefited from the receipt of hampers over the weekend.

The recipients have each expressed their gratitude for the gift, and have thanked the LGC members for their generosity.

The LGC Management Committee would like to thank those members who contributed towards the hampers, and express special thanks to Hilbert Shields and Pandit Haresh for initiating the process.

"(Gayle is an) excellent team mate, actually. Really funny, loves to have the dressing room in laughter.

It's nice to rub shoulders with him (Gayle), he helps you when you are going through a bad patch. He is someone you can always speak to," Hetmyer expressed in high praise of Gayle.

This COVID-19 lockdown has given many cricketers time to reflect on their game. Asked what aspects of his game he is aiming to improve, Hetmyer readily singled out consistency, emphasising that this is certainly one of his ‘overdue’ wishes. "…being more consistent and, to an extent, hitting the ball on the ground. A lot of times I get out caught, so I am trying (to improve on consistency). It works sometimes, but sometimes it does not. On a good day, if it comes off, I will work with it," Hetmyer explained, as he spoke about his style of batting.

The 23-year-old Berbician disclosed that Indian star bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav are the most challenging bowlers he

has faced at the international level, and Sunil Narine and Oshane Thomas are the most challenging bowlers he has faced at the Regional level.

Currently at home in Guyana, Hetmyer has furnished his home with gym equipment in order to keep himself in shape for the return of competitive cricket. This left-handed batsman has constantly represented the West Indies in all three formats of the game. He shed some light on how he manages this workload.

"There is still Test cricket, (in which) I am trying to make that transition. (In) everything else, I try to be (as) normal as possible with my stroke play and stuff. I try not to be too expressive when (switching) from ODI to T20," Hetmyer explained.

This pugnacious batsman is of the opin-

ion that, when playing Test cricket, he must occupy the crease for longer periods and be more selective in the deliveries he is going after. (Brandon Corlette)

I

Shimron Hetmyer in CPL colours

n an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has issued guidelines relative to penalties that spitting and other related offences would attract if done during play.

This has been done in response to organisers who “have issued protocols recommending that players refrain from spitting and similar actions, such as nose-clearing, during matches.”

In a correspondence dated May 27, FIFA has advised the foll o w i n g : “Spitting at someone is a sending-off (red card) offence under the Laws of the Game. However, where spitting does not fall into this category, it would be impractical to make it a yellow-card (YC) offence; because it is impossible for match officials to detect every incident, as spitting can occur anywhere on the pitch, at any time, and often away from play (eg: as players move to take up a position before the next sequence of play).

“Consequently, treating ‘general’ spitting and other such actions as a YC offence during matches would lead to inconsistency and unfairness”, FIFA has said.

However, the body has noted that “where a competition wishes to enforce protocols regarding spitting (and related actions), any disciplinary decision should be taken by the relevant competition organiser or member association after the match.”

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