Guyana Times - Sunday, June 21, 2020

Nationwide coverage coverage from from the the best best news news team team in in Guyana Guyana Nationwide Issue No. 4323 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON BEACON OF OF TRUTH TRUTH THE

SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020

PRICE

APNU/AFC petition to stop declaration

Machinery of election petition cannot be usurped by GECOM – senior counsel tells COA judges

$120 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE: 1st Father’s Day without dad

P15

“We have not been okay since papa was murdered” – Munilall’s daughters

"Take your P14 responsibility as a father very seriously" – father of 3 urges Justice Dawn Gregory

Justice Rishi Persaud

Justice Brassington Reynolds

Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes

…court to rule on Monday

Senior Counsel John Jeremie

See story on page 3

Bankrupted treasury left by APNU/AFC will impact new Govt – Budget Institute

GECOM Chair never advised CEO not to P28 submit report … elections report ready – GECOM Secretariat

Page 9

…says state of treasury could force incoming Govt into new debt Front Page Comment

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End of the line for APNU/AFC

he caretaker Government’s cynical resort to the courts – even going to the extent of insulting the Appellate Court by forum shopping – to subvert the fundamental right of citizens to democratically choose their Government, will not stand. It represents the desperate effort of a regime that has arrived at the end of the line and the Appellate Court must let them know this, in no uncertain terms.

At each stage of the sordid drama that unfolded after Mingo illegally inflated the Region Four votes for APNU/AFC, international observers and the international community warned of the “consequences” that would follow if democratic electoral norms were violated.

The recount was supposed to verify the votes cast but the APNU/AFC attempted to subvert the process by making unsubstantiated allegations of migrants and the deceased voting.

Their intent was to invalidate the elections but

when GECOM, through its Chairwoman, ruled that such allegations could only be dealt with in an elections petition to the High Court, they switched gears and petitioned the Appellate Court on the specious argument that a constitutional stricture, which was not even applicable, was violated. It is clearly an elections petition through the back door.

The recount has unequivocally certified that “more valid votes were cast” for the PPP/C than for APNU/AFC and as such, the GECOM CEO must be allowed to present his report and the Chairwoman to declare the former as the winner of the elections. The country must not be held to ransom through these cynical manoeuvres.

The international community has not turned a blind eye on this rape of democracy and is ready to impose sanctions on the APNU/AFC regime and individuals.

USAID vows to stand with Guyanese in fight for democracy to prevail Page 12

Change Guyana tells Granger “salvage” respect he has left Page 27

…advises him to put Guyana first, concede defeat

No new COVID-19 tests conducted in 24 hours P26 GuySuCo misses target by over 9,000 tonnes P23 …as sugar estates continue to flounder

Administrative defects not grievously P22 deficient to thwart the will of the people – Caricom Report

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SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

APNU/AFC petition to stop declaration

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, June 21 – 04:30h – 06:00h and 14:30h – 16:00h and Monday, June 22 – 05:00h – 06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, June 21 – 16:50h – 18:20h and Monday, June 22 – 17:20h – 18:50h.

Machinery of election petition cannot be usurped

by GECOM – senior counsel tells COA judges …court to rule on Monday

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery showers will prevail during the day.

There will be partly cloudy skies at night.

Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 16:48h reaching a maximum height of 2.52 metres.

Low Tide: 10:20h and 22:33h reaching minimum heights of 0.55 metre and 0.71 metre.

Justice Dawn Gregory

Justice Rishi Persaud

Justice Brassington Reynolds

he Appeal Court will, on Monday, hand down its judgement in the case seeking to block the Chief Elections Officer from presenting the results of the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

The declaration which the APNU/AFC is attempting to block would see People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s (PPP/C) Dr Irfaan Ali being Guyana’s ninth Executive President.

The Notice of Motion filed by A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) supporter, Eslyn David, named Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield; GECOM Chair (retired) Justice Claudette Singh; the Guyana Elections Commission, and Attorney General of Guyana as respondents.

On Friday at the case management hearing, the Appeal Court granted permission for several political parties – the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), the three-joiner parties: A New and United Guyana (ANUG), Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and The New Movement (TNM); as well as The Citizen Initiative (TCI) and Change Guyana (CG) – to join the proceedings as respondents.

The case is being presided over by Appellate Justices Dawn Gregory and Rishi Persaud along with High Court Judge Brassington Reynolds.

On Saturday, the attorneys for the applicant, respondents and the joint parties to the proceedings presented their oral submission via Zoom conferencing.

Leading the applicant’s defence is Trinidad and Tobago’s Senior Counsel John Jeremie and supported

by Mayo Robertson, Keith Scotland and APNU/AFC candidate Roysdale Forde.

During Saturday’s proceedings, SC Jeremie argued that his client is seeking that the court interprets the Constitution and determine whether more votes cast can be considered as more valid votes cast. David’s application was filed pursuant to Article 177 (4) of the Constitution of Guyana.

Article 177 (4) states: “The Court of Appeal shall have exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine any

question as to the validity of an election of a President in so far as the question depends upon the qualification of any person for election or the interpretation of this Constitution; and any decision of that Court under this paragraph shall be final.”

In oral submissions to the

er to invalidate votes and that is exactly what CEO Lowenfield did, when he revised the figures of the National Recount to reflect what he deemed to be ‘valid’ votes, but added that the CEO is now being prevented from doing that. He urged the court to grant his client the relief being sought so as to ensure that the results of the elections are credible.

In response to the written submission by Counsel for the applicant, attorney for PPP/C’s Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali, and General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, Trinidadian Senior Counsel

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Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes

Douglas Mendes argued that the Appeal Court has no jurisdiction to hear the case since the question of credibility is best addressed via an elections petition in the High Court.

This argument was supported by the smaller parties as well as the Chair of GECOM, who via attorney Kim Kyte urged the court to dismiss the matter forthwith since it is misconceived. She identified that the application speaks to the declaration of Dr Ali as President but reminded that the seat is still being occupied by David Granger.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

COMMODITIES Senior Counsel John Jeremie

court, he furthered that on the issue of jurisdiction, the court it rightly empowered

by Article 177 (4). He added that what they are seeking, in principle, is an interpretation of the Constitution.

Jeremie told the court that the Elections Commission has the pow-

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

Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544 223-7230,223-7231,231-0544, 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

PNC and legal cynicism

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he protests about Police behaviour in the US following their cold-blooded murder of George Floyd have stirred interest in the field of “legal cynicism”. It is mainly concerned with the cynicism certain communities develop as they interact with the legal system, primarily the Police and the lower courts, which are supposed to deliver justice but rarely do. It has been referred to by one of its pioneers as “anomie about the law”.

Most of the studies focus on individuals in the communities and the factors that shape their attitudes about the law and Police, and why some deny the binding nature of laws. While these issues are also germane to what we experience in Guyana, what has occurred over the course of the last five years under the government of the APNU/ AFC coalition has offered us an insight into the system itself – especially the institutions of the Police and the Courts – to consider what might be generating the actions from the top that are creating cynicism in the minds of the populace.

We can begin with the Police. While the two parties stridently criticised the previous PPP regime for alleged Police brutality, and Granger indulged in a massive shakeup of the Police top brass, the courts refused to deal with both contingent and systemic factors that might have affected Police behaviour. For instance, while there have been accusations that the Police were used to kill individuals in an ethnically-directed manner, there has been total silence on the known facts that three dozen Policemen were gunned down by gangs during the politically- directed killing spree that had its epicentre in Buxton. This has engendered a great deal of cynicism in communities that were at the receiving end of the violence that was terroristically directed at them in order to bring down the PPP administration.

Another cynicism-generator has been the refusal of the Granger Administration to follow the recommendation of the Disciplined Forces Commission, on which he sat as the PNC’s representative, to make the Police Force more representative of the country’s ethnically diverse population.

In all jurisdictions, especially in the US and UK, it has been recognised that one of the main factors that create legal cynicism in minority communities is this exact lack of representativeness, which led to the Police not empathising with those communities.

During the PNC’s first and long iteration in government between 1964 and 1992, the entire Police Force and all the other Disciplined Forces had been politicised by the PNC. The dictator Burnham insisted that all officers attend the PNC’s Biennial Congresses and swear personal loyalty and fealty to him. David Granger was the officer who was in charge of promulgating this philosophy in the Forces, and we can discern these tendencies in the present, with him as president. The differential treatment of protestors from the PPP (in front of the Foreign Ministry) and of the PNC (in New Amsterdam, Georgetown and Linden) against the COVID-19 regime betrays the present politicisation. This was also evident when media personnel in front of GECOM were harassed by PNC supporters.

But there is another set of actions by the PNC that are generating legal cynicism even more invidiously, and at such a level that threatens the viability of our entire national edifice. That is: the refusal of the APNU/AFC leaders to abide by the internal rules of the system. The precedent was set in the government of Forbes Burnham, back in the 1970s, when he went as far as to have his most trenchant critic, Walter Rodney, assassinated by a member of the GDF. He also directly interfered with the operations of the Elections Commission and the Judiciary, which we see being repeated in the present with Granger’s efforts to rig the elections to remain in power at all costs. At that time, the Elections Commission was spineless, unlike in the present, with Claudette Singh at the helm. The Judiciary had luminaries like JOF Haynes who also held the line. May his successors be as “fit and proper” to let Guyana breathe.

It is time to swear Dr Irfaan Ali in as President of Guyana (Part 2) Dear Editor, As congratulatory messages continue to pour in from eminent local persons and international world leaders, Guyanese citizens can now breathe easier with the likely imminent swearing-in of Dr Irfaan Ali as the Ninth Executive President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

Albeit, the ongoing vexatious challenge of frivolous related issues which have been brought by agents of the PNC to the Guyana Court of Appeal, Chairwoman of the Guyana Elections Commission Justice (retired) Claudette Singh must be commended for her decisive and firm stand towards the long-awaited closure in this regard.

Notably, it has been the view of many that Chairwoman Claudette Singh allowed too much latitude in GECOM’s treatment of the election matters resulting in the intolerable delays. Retrospectively, however, I have become more understanding of the extreme pressure and difficult position in which she found herself.

Importantly, the role of the many local and international stakeholders in this fight for democracy should never be understated, and one should not attempt to divorce them from all that has taken place in the recent past. Therefore, it is appropriate to recognise all interventionists in this respect, while by no means expansive; the myriad group includes the representatives of the Guyana Bar Association, the Private Sector Commission, the various Chambers of Commerce, individual commentators, as

well as the various media outfits.

Of note, standing up for democracy is indeed the central pillar that binds us to our international partners as the overwhelming interlocutor in our mutual relationships. In this regard, Guyana will, therefore, be forever grateful to the representatives of the Caricom Community, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada, the Organisation of American States, the Commonwealth and the host of international observers including The Carter Center that have played a critical role since 1990.

Although Dr Ali and the PPP/C team has earned the right to govern following these elections, the small contesting parties also played a critical role. In unison, they have presented a united front in standing for right, justice, and truth in confronting the threat of the looming dictatorship while setting the stage for strengthening positive engagements.

Among them, A New and United Guyana (ANUG), the United Republican Party (URP), Change Guyana, Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), The People’s Republic Party (PRP), the Citizenship Initiative (TCI), The New Movement (TNM), The Federal United Party (FED UP) and the Organisation of Victory of the People Party (OVP).

Collectively, our citizens have expressed their will at the March 2, 2020 elections, demonstrating majority support for Dr Ali and the PPP/C team to govern our country for the next five years. It is a deserving significant po-

sition earned by having to tread a thorn-filled pathway, caused by APNU/AFC’s shameless, irrational, vexatious abuse of the legal system and Government power, coupled to the absolute contamination of the election operations machinery.

Indeed, Dr Irfaan Ali and the team would have had to navigate a path constantly booby-trapped by clandestine GECOM and PNC/ APNU/AFC. More than 115 days after the polls, Guyanese have become intolerant and fed up of the uncaring, defiantly cheating Granger cabal. We yearn for a new Government that is weary and frustrated, but determined and cognisant of the need to re-charter Guyana’s development path in resuscitating the country from the failed fraudulence and created a negative trajectory of the APNU/AFC’s system. We do so amidst and against the most outlandish attacks on our citizens’ rights and the most blatant attempts to steal and rig the results of the elections that are visible for all to see.

The greatest threats have been those to the Guyanese future, which the Granger-led cabal uncaringly and indecently allowed into stormy unchartered waters. Therefore, in appreciating the significance of this defining electoral victory, we must do so cognisant that we have halted the imposition of a dictatorship and created a win-win environment for all Guyanese.

Importantly, the recount of votes cast at these elections has opened the eyes of all Guyanese regarding the absolute contamination and prejudice approach of key administrators

in the GECOM. Mr Keith Lowenfield’s behaviour is tantamount to criminal and the police should investigate and prosecute him for electoral fraud along with other culpable players.

Never again should the nation allow the shenanigans which the GECOM CEO perpetrated with full public evidence to raise its ugly face in Guyana.

Further, there must be a full audit of the GECOM accounts given that Lowenfield had overseen the spending of over $15 billion over the past four elections without audit.

It is also necessary that the PPP/C Government give their strongest commitment to facilitating the necessary constitutional review of the electoral mechanism, which has served its purpose but is now clearly inadequate. Notwithstanding, the message has to be sent that those involved in electoral fraud have no place at GECOM and that they will be dealt with condignly.

There is a lot of work that Dr Ali and team have to do in targeting the rebuilding Guyana’s tarnished image because of the de facto Government’s improprieties.

We must hold each other’s hand as we work together to support Dr Ali and the PPP/C team in advancing a prosperous Guyana for all Guyanese.

Mere words will never be adequate to say thanks to PPP Generally Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo and his inspirational leadership.

It is now time to swear in Dr Irfaan Mohamed Ali as Guyana’s Ninth Executive President!

Dear Editor, If you want to predict the growth and development of a country, just look at its institutions. The economic historian and Nobel Laureate, Douglas North has long argued the importance of institutions in shaping political, economic, and social progress. In its broadest sense, institutions encompass both informal controls (eg, customs, traditions, and code of conduct) and formal rules (eg, constitutions and laws). In a narrower focus, institutions refer to credible independent agencies and commissions created to strengthen constitutional democracy and promote good governance through openness, transparency, and public accountability.

In Guyana, there is no shortage of constitutional agencies and commissions mandated to promote good

governance and protect and enhance the fundamental rights of all Guyanese. What is absent, however, is a lack of independence in fact and appearance. This is because many are wholly controlled by the Government of the day and thus are seldom free from political influence in one form or the other.

In developing countries, there has always been a lack of trust when it comes to the function and performance of Government institutions which are often stacked with political and pseudo-political types. This election cycle has sharply reminded us that Guyana is no exception. How else do you explain the actions of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) or that of the Secretariat?

As the constitutional agency charged with the administration and conduct of

elections in Guyana, it was reasonably expected that this agency would act in good faith when it comes to the rights of Guyanese to elect a Government of their choice.

However, as this extended election season has shown us, this is certainly not the case. For over three months, the very agency tasked with guaranteeing free, fair, and credible elections has been at the forefront of the efforts to subvert the will of the people. The scathing report from the high-level Caricom team pulled no punches in its assessment of GECOM and the latest ploy to delay the declaration of the results sums it up.

While GECOM is currently the poster child for all that is wrong with independent institutions in Guyana, it is not the only entity that has been under the microscope during this

prolonged election cycle.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has been under pressure to co-operate with the Government of the day and hence has shown its partisanship as it relates to the removal and reassignment of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Mr Edgar Thomas, the handling of protesters, and the handing over of inaccurate immigration records to GECOM. At times, even the independent Judiciary appears to be faltering around the realm of politics. For instance, several rulings during this period have been incoherent and unclear, leaving much room for interpretation by even an untrained and/or least gifted legal mind. And then there is the Court of Appeal entertaining a case where it has no jurisdiction at this juncture.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

Independent institutions: New Govt needs to overhaul State agencies, institutions

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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

APNU/AFC apologists now trying to discredit Caricom Observer Report Dear Editor, After appearing to welcome the few Caricom election scrutineers able to be mustered for a vote recount caused by GECOM Returning Officer Mingo’s failure to perform his duties, APNU/AFC and its apologists have resorted to trying to discredit the Caricom observer report by claiming the scrutineers only experienced 18 per cent of the recount.

There were other observers accredited by GECOM, but GECOM did not extend them the courtesies afforded the few Caricom scrutineers.

Transparency Institute Guyana Incorporated (TIGI) therefore wrote pointing this out in a letter (copy attached) to the GECOM Chairman, which asked that all observers be afforded official copies of the Statements of Recount (SoRs) ex gratia, because, although not

expressly mentioned by the gazetted order, there was nothing that could be construed as denying them such a courtesy. These other observers worked just as hard, many at great personal cost, but they were reduced to begging party agents to be allowed to photograph SoRs. In other words, it seems GECOM itself set up a system that favoured the one group of observers that were few, so that the 82 per cent

(=100 per cent-18 per cent) they could not survey could be used to call their report into question.

The gazetted order had also set up another system unnecessary for a recount whereby persons who voted were alleged to be impersonations of voters out of the country on March 2, 2020, or of dead voters. As is well known by now, this has been used by APNU/AFC to call the recount into ques-

tion and has inspired CEO Lowenfield to disenfranchise 60 per cent of the voters on mere allegations.

Regrettably, there are still persons gullible enough to believe and be rallied for protests on behalf of APNU/ AFC instigators by misdeeds in GECOM. Such gullible people were ill-served by the

educational system, which must be reformed so as not to promote the next generation until they demonstrate credible proficiency in reading writing and arithmetic.

Yours sincerely, Alfred Bhulai Local TIGI Elections Observer

Clarion call for peace and reconciliation American citizens not precluded from personal sanctions

Dear Editor, “Bart S. Fisher is a partner in JJ&B, which represents the APNU + AFC Coalition.” This is the disclaimer on an Op-ed in the Washington Examiner written by the high-priced lobbyist hired by Joseph Harmon to influence the American Government to disregard Guyana’s elections results.

Fisher makes an argument that alternates between the ridiculous and outright claptrap, but then

Fisher falsely says “Rep. Yvette Clarke, a Democrat from New York and co-chairwoman of the Caribbean Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, has flagged this attempted election heist by the PPP, and warned the international community, including the U.S., the Organization of American States, and Caricom to stop interfering in Guyana’s internal affairs”. It would seem APNU/AFC has found a

true partner that mirrors their characteristics.

Fisher previously lied to the US Government when he claimed to have been retained to represent the Government of Guyana.

Congresswoman Clarke will no doubt clear the air in the coming days but Guyanese need not wait to condemn Fisher’s outrageous attempt to aid the subversion of our democracy and must let Fisher and others understand that US

Government sanctions have been promised for anyone who seeks to benefit from the electoral fraud perpetrated by Mr Mingo and his as yet unknown co-conspirators.

My understanding of the US State Department statement is it does not preclude American citizens from serious consequences and personal sanctions.

Dear Editor, We are concerned at the numerous promotions of alcohol products by businesses for this Father’s Day. We know that alcohol consumption creates problems for men and their families.

The Ministry of Public Health report was clear that men in Guyana are almost four times as vulnerable to COVID-19 as women. In fact, there is wisdom in still opting to close bars during these times of the pandemic; considering all that is known about alcohol usage and clouding judgment. The World Health Organisation has asked countries to take steps to reduce alcohol consumption at this time. BBC’s Megha Mohan in June 2020 re-

ported that the UN has described the worldwide increase in domestic abuse as a “shadow pandemic” alongside COVID-19 and that there has been by 20 per cent increase of cases during the lockdown since victims are trapped at home with their abusers.

Previous studies by WHO have pointed out the strong links between alcohol use and the occurrence of domestic violence in many countries, with evidence suggesting that alcohol use increases the occurrence and severity of these cases. Alcohol consumption as a direct cause of intimate partner violence has often been contested either on the basis of factors such as low socioeconomic

status, impulsive personality and those studies have concluded that frequent heavy drinking can create an unhappy, stressful partnership that increases the risk of conflict and violence (WHO, 2006).

We appeal to all consumers to resist at this time, all efforts to promote alcohol consumption in men. We appeal to all consumers to resist efforts to destroy the health and well-being of men – fathers – in Guyana.

Guyana’s alcohol culture does not need any more encouragement.

Father’s Day is meant to express one’s love and appreciation for his/her father. Many place emphasis on the worth and value of this important figure in

their lives. As such, it is difficult to conceive how a ‘bottle of rum’ can suffice as an ideal gift option for the man who has tremendously impacted one’s life.

We urge all Private Sector companies to provide Father’s Day options which will promote health for men and their families, and which shows that it is possible to be a man without consuming alcohol.

We urge all fathers and sons to take care during this time, to focus on their mental health and well-being and to find alternatives to alcohol consumption.

Happy Father’s Day.

Respectfully, Robin Singh

All fathers and sons should take care during this time

Independent institutions: New...

So, where do we go from here? In recent times, the call for shared governance has increased across many circles. However, shared governance in itself is not a panacea for all that is wrong in Guyana. While it may lead to the sharing of the spoils among the political elite, it does very little to instil confidence in ordinary Guyanese that the institutions charged with good governance and the protection of their fundamental rights will be any better.

Then there is the suggestion that all State Boards

and Commissions be chaired by the opposition. Given Guyana’s toxic political divide especially following these elections, this is a recipe for disaster. With the opposition controlling State Boards and Commissions, nothing will ever get done since it is not in the opposition’s political best interest.

If there is any doubt, we just need to refer to the Tenth Parliament where the combined opposition had a oneseat majority.

While the new Government will certainly have its hands full with

COVID-19, an empty treasury, and a struggling economy, at some point in the not so distant future, it will need to work with all stakeholders to overhaul many of these State agencies and institutions either operationally and/or through constitutional reform. Failure to do so will only result in greater distrust and lack of public confidence in the institutions and people charged with protecting and promoting our fundamental rights.

For Guyana to flourish, we have no other choice than to depoliticise many of

Yours sincerely, Golden Om Dharmic Youth Organisation

FROM PAGE 4

these institutions. We need strong independent institutions outfitted with professionals whose collective moral fortitude represents a paragon of ethics never before seen. If there is one positive to come out of this election fiasco, it is the many young, intelligent, and independent-minded Guyanese whose primary interest is to build a more just and equitable society for all Guyanese to enjoy. Many of them will make fine candidates.

Yours faithfully, Omchand Mahdu

Dear Editor, You were kind enough to publish recently an open letter from me to the President asking him to respect the will of the electorate. That letter, on being uploaded on my media page, gained enormous support from the Guyanese diaspora, many commenting on how timely it was knowing that large sections of our brothers and sisters continue to be in a state of acute anxiety through not being prepared by their political leaders to accept that, in a healthy democracy, there must be winners and losers.

Those of us in the diaspora, in particular in the UK, who have been promoting peace and reconciliation dialogue, supporting work that is being done in Guyana, have been heartened by public statements from leading figures associated with the current Administration, urging for there to be an acceptance of the winners

of the elections. In the current heightened tense situation, the reported comments, in particular from Mr Khemraj Ramjattan, the Administration’s holder of responsibility for public security, to leaders and staff within his department, is most encouraging as it suggests not only the ready acceptance of the democratic processes but, more importantly, it signals to concerned citizens that there is an ongoing commitment to effective security and impartiality regardless of whoever is in Government.

These are good signs which must be applauded as we seek to break down misinformation, barriers to cohesion and move on in a peaceful and conciliatory manner to take cognisance of the health and mental wellbeing of a troubled population.

Yours truly, Peter Ramrayka

SEE ADDITIONAL LETTERS ON PAGE 28

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Machinery of election...

GECOM Chair’s attorney, Kim Kyte

Justice Reynolds sought clarification from Kyte on whether the recount order sought to establish credibility to which she responded in the affirmative but furthered that it is still a matter for the High Court since the Appeal Court can only interpret the Constitution and not the recount order.

She argued that the recount order cannot alter the Constitution of Guyana to give GECOM the power to determine the credibility of an elections and as such noted that she and her client believes that the issue can be ventilated via an election petition.

In her written submission to the court, Kyte submitted that the duty of the court is not to re-write the Constitution but to interpret what is already stated in the Constitution clearly.

The words themselves best declare the intention of the framers.

She argued that Article 177 (4), under which the Notice of Motion was filed, clothes the Court of Appeal with a “narrow special exclusive jurisdiction” to hear and determine any question as to the validity of an election of a President in so far as that question turns upon the qualification of any person for election or the interpretation of this Constitution.

Mere allegations

Dr Ali’s lawyer, Senior Counsel Mendes told the court that GECOM has considered the APNU/AFC’s allegations of anomalies (dead and migrated person voting) but pointed that the Commission has identified that it cannot vest itself the power to investigate and nullify the elections.

He added that Lowenfield went beyond his boundaries when he sought to determine the credibility of the elections and revise the figures from the National Recount.

Lowenfield in his summary report to GECOM had used the unsubstantiated allegations made by the APNU/AFC of dead and migrated voters to disenfranchise thousands of Guyanese and provided figures, which he concluded were credible.

His calculation awarded the coalition 125,010 votes and the PPP/C 56,627 votes.

Kyte in her submissions questioned if GECOM is to embark on this credibility exercise then what basis should be used to deter-

mine the issues of validity and credibility. Meanwhile, Mendes posited that the allegations of anomalies are exactly what they are – mere allegations.

According to Mendes, the machinery of an election petition cannot be usurped by any action of GECOM or the Chief Elections Officer or of the Court of Appeal acting under Article 177 (4), which is precisely what the applicant is asking the court to do.

He argued that the applicant and her supporter, caretaker Attorney General Basil Williams, seemingly shied away from mentioning the concocted numbers of District Four (DemeraraMahaica) Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo. Mingo conjured numbers and added over 19,000 votes to the APNU/AFC while taking over 3000 from the PPP/C. The APNU/AFC have been calling for Granger to be sworn in using Mingo’s numbers.

Asked by Justice Gregory to explain why the court had jurisdiction to determine the irregularities with Mingo’s case and now it does not with the alleged irregularities, Mendes responded indicating that the issues are addressed. He added, however, that the Commission does not have the power to hold court and determine the basis and investigate the alleged anomalies.

He furthered that the High Court action in Mingo’s case saw the presentation in undisputed evidence of tampering with the numbers on the Statements of Poll whereas in this case there was widespread international outcry. He argued that the will of the people must be respected and that the will reflects a PPP/C victory.

The Senior Counsel told the court that the Commission considered Lowenfield’s report on the recount but reiterated that they lacked the power to investigate, hence the reason he was sent to prepare the final report.

“This test of validity and credibility which is not found in the Constitution, cannot be met on the basis of the evidence which Ms Eslyn David has placed before the court… She also references the report of the CEO which also lists various complaints which the CEO had apparently observed. None of this is evidence of invalidity. It is evidence only of the views and opinions which certain persons hold. It is impossible for the Court of Appeal, receiving evidence in such a summary fashion, to make any sort of determination as to whether any invalidity occurred,” Mendes submitted to the court.

Interpretation and not vitiation

However, Williams presented that the Commission can decide the credibility of the elections and based on Lowenfield’s report, the elections should be nullified. This contention saw Attorney Jeremie distancing themselves from Williams,

FROM PAGE 3

GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh

who supported their argument, since David is seeking interpretation and not vitiation.

The Pike Street, Sophia resident is seeking a number of reliefs from the court.

She is asking that the court make a declaration that GECOM has failed to “determine a final credible count and or the credibility of the result of the General and Regional Elections” in accordance with order No 60 of 2020 and the amended Order dated the 29th day of May 2020.

David also wants the court to issue an order for an interpretation of the words “more votes are cast” in Article 177 (2) (b) of the Constitution. Article 177 (2) (b) states: “…where there are two or more Presidential Candidates, if more votes are cast in favour of the list in which a person is designated as Presidential candidate than in favour of any other list, that Presidential Candidate shall be deemed to be elected President and shall be so declared by the Chairman of the Elections Commission…”

Moreover, the coalition supporter is also asking the court for an order restraining the CEO from “complying with the Direction of the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission… to submit to the Guyana Elections Commission an Elections Report under Article 177 (2) (b) of the Constitution of Guyana [and under Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act] without the Guyana Elections Commission determining the final credible count and or the credibility of the General and Regional Elections…”

She also wants an order restraining the CEO from submitting to GECOM, his Elections Report which contains votes that are not valid and credible within the meaning of order No 60 of 2020, and under Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act. Lowenfield’s report, which he failed to submit, would have paved the way for the PPP/C to be declared the winner of the March 2 elections and Ali to be sworn in as Guyana’s ninth Executive President.

Upon conclusion of the arguments on Saturday, Justice Gregory informed the parties that the court will issue its ruling at 13:30h on Monday.

8 NEWS

SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyanese stranded in Curacao expected home today

A

fter several months of being away from home, Guyanese who were stranded due to the COVID-19 measures will be repatriated out of Curacao via a Caribbean Airlines (CAL) flight today.

The airline, which operates its schedule of repatriation flights in strict compliance with the instructions of the Public Health Authorities, said that it will be enforcing the most stringent hygiene practices in adherence with all of the current international guidelines to combat COVID-19.

Under the guidelines issued by the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) in Guyana, the returning passengers are subject to a seven-day home quarantine and will be monitored by the Surveillance Department of the Public Health Ministry to ensure they are complying with requirements.

So far, Caribbean

Airlines successfully completed the second phase of repatriation flights during the period June 18-19, 2020, allowing for Caribbean nationals to return to their home countries.

“Scores of nationals, inclusive of stranded Guyanese citizens, were airlifted and reunited with their families and loved ones, on home soil.

Additionally, some 144 farm workers were facilitated on a special charter service between Kingston, Jamaica, and Miami on June 18. A total [of] 276

passengers were transported during the aforementioned period,” the Airline said in a statement.

On Friday, 141 Guyanese who were stranded in Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados returned home on a CAL flight. Also, 180 stranded Royal Caribbean cruise line workers were allowed to return home on an Eastern Airlines flight the same day.

Director of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Egbert Field on Friday revealed that another set of repatriation flight

is expected soon. However, he noted that the details of these flights are still to be confirmed.

Guyana had closed its ports of entry on March 17 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus during the still-ongoing pandemic. However, the two international airports are scheduled to reopen on July 1 in phases.

So far, scores of persons were repatriated from Miami and New York in the United States, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago in the last couple of weeks.

Another day…

G

…In Court uyanese of all backgrounds are quite leery of our Court system. The poor slaves, being defined as “chattel” (which doesn’t just coincidentally rhyme with “cattle”, but was its equivalent,) couldn’t even get through the court door. Cattle don’t have any rights, do they?? But after emancipation, joined by the indentureds, when they finally had recourse to the law and courts, they found out the latter was just another ploy to keep them in chains. Rather than warfare being waged against them with guns and whips, it was now “lawfare”, armed with thick tomes couched in indecipherable Latin maxims. Guyanese learned to steer clear of Courts with good reason. With the PNC now dragging the declaration of the elections by GECOM to the Appellate Court, trepidation is rife. The PNC wants the Appellate Court to parse what everyone thought was a selfexplanatory Constitutional phrase, “more votes than…” How could Guyanese not remember the last time that body got entangled with the PNC’s politics? No, not when the PNC flew their flag over the building in the 70s, but just the other day, when they were fighting off the NCM. The Appellate Court ruled then, of course, that 33 was NOT the majority of 65, and had to be overruled and lectured ruefully by the CCJ that the phrase “needed no gloss”; that is, needed no explanation. Guyanese were all “shame, shame bad”, but did the eminent Jurists on the Court of Appeal learn anything?

The PNC certainly doesn’t think so!!

Why else would they bring another “no brainer” to them to be decided?? Wasn’t it always that the party with “more votes than” the other party would win an election?? Well, the PNC’s brain trust figures that, like the last time, they would dazzle the Court with bullshit. Then it was by prefacing the word “majority” with “absolute”, and now by prefacing the word “votes” with “valid” to ask that GECOM now consider whether one party has “more VALID votes than the other”.

Now, you may be asking irascibly, (waiting 100+ days for an elections result will do that to you!!) “So what was the recount all about?” But that would be getting to the substance of the PNC’s claim. The GECOM Chair – who was an Appellate Judge, herself for donkey’s years – pointed out that the Appellate Court shouldn’t even be entertaining the case. The authority to adjudicate particular cases – their “jurisdiction” - is divvied up between the several types of Courts in the system. This one is for the High Court to deal with as an elections petition.

But didn’t the PNC know this? Of course they did!

They just believe the Appellate Court will go along with their “schupidness”!! …another lesson in HID Looks like the façade of the coalition’s unity is at last crumbling. The first crack came when Granger’s own son-inlaw – Business Minister Dominick Gaskin – confessed early on that he just couldn’t defend Mingo’s blatant heist of the elections at Ashmin’s. Now, you’d think that would’ve started a stampede for the doors among the PNC troops. But Gaskin was cavalierly dismissed as a “lightweight” – even though his proximity to Granger should’ve signalled his insight into the character of the latter.

Lightweight or not, the fella was demonstrating the very qualities that Granger was patting himself on the back for: honesty, integrity and dignity (HID)!! The man could’ve easily stayed mum and even opposition folks might have brushed it off as showing loyalty to “family” – but he stood up to be counted. Another perceived “lightweight”, CN Sharma of the JFAP, just joined Gaskin, and it goes to show that the “big ones” who’re quiet are hoping against hope that their sinecure and perks will still be saved.

This goes for Ramjattan, who privately said his goodbyes to his staff. …real politik From the moment his minions started messing with the recount, Granger insisted, like a broken record, that he’d “accept whatever decision the Chairwoman makes”.

But when she is about to make her declaration, Granger drags her to court!! HID? Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com

NEWS

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SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Bankrupted Treasury left by APNU/AFC will impact new Govt – Budget Institute

T

he Guyana Budget Policy Institute has expressed worry that the bankrupted state the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) has left the treasury will make it that much harder for the incoming Government.

On Saturday, the Institute’s Executive Director Dhanraj Singh said that the new Government must immediately confront the challenge of the

the past few years, and the necessary lockdown to limit the impact of the pandemic.

The pandemic-induced layoffs would further worsen the situation.

In the circumstances, he noted, a stimulus package would be the best option for Guyana to recover.

In addition, Singh said that it is important to launch a large enough stimulus since an ineffective stimulus will only make matters worse.

However, the state of the

“Many families are without income and are currently surviving on whatever little savings they have while others are forced to make devastating choices like cutting the number of meals per day, rationing nutritious and healthy foods, forgoing needed medical treatment, abandoning or putting off important welfare and quality of life decisions. Some are teetering on hunger and homelessness while others are already found themselves in such inhumane conditions” – Dhanraj Singh economic distress made worse by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Singh in a letter to the editor said that families across Guyana, particularly those living in poverty and on low incomes, are hurting and experiencing financial hardship, “unlike anything we have seen in the last few decades. The longer this continues the worse it will get and the more difficult it will be to resolve.”

He pointed out that at the core are a rapid drying up of consumer spending and consumption due to the loss of household incomes, jobless growth over

treasury is not encouraging.

“This is important considering that the state of the public treasury that the new Government will assume will leave it with no other choice than to rely largely on new debts to finance the stimulus needed.

The main legislative mechanism to operationalise such a fiscal stimulus is the national budget.”

“Without a Parliament, there is no budget and therefore the most effective policy tool to respond to this crisis is not available to the Government. This further emphasises the importance and urgency of bringing the

2020 elections to an end and for speedy installation of the new Administration.”

Budget needed

The data generated from the national elections recount shows that the main opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has won the elections with a total of 233,336 votes. This is 15,416 more votes than their nearest rivals, the incumbent APNU/AFC, which received 217,920 total votes.

When one calculates using the Hare formula, it means that PPP/C would have secured 33 out of 65 seats in the National Assembly and APNU/AFC would have secured 31 - and will form the next Government.

Singh stressed that the earlier a budget is implemented, the better.

According to him, stimulus packages must be implemented as early as possible, must be directed to individuals and entities that spend additional resources and must err on the side of being larger instead of smaller than needed.

“Many families are without income and are currently surviving on whatever little savings they have while others are forced to make devastating choices like cutting the number of meals per day, rationing nutritious and healthy foods, forgoing needed medical treatment, abandoning or putting off important welfare and quality of life decisions. Some are teetering on hunger and homelessness while others are already found themselves in such inhumane conditions.”

Crises have profound human and economic costs, he said, adding that prolonged

Guyana Budget Policy Institute Head, Dhanraj Singh

unemployment harms not only workers’ job prospects and lifetime earnings but also the health and well-being of them and their families. Poor, low-income, and low-skilled workers are the most vulnerable to these adverse effects.”

Long-term effects

According to Singh, longterm unemployment and reduced demand for goods and services can erode job skills among unemployed workers. This will, in turn, reduce business investments and depress the country’s economy and its productive capacity, even after COVID is suppressed.

“What is worse is with each passing day, the fi-

nancial hardship is painfully creeping up the income ladder to those families who ordinarily would be considered safe. Put differently, no one is protected from this crisis if it continues unabated or at the least without a timely and sizeable fiscal response from the Government. How the Government responds to this crisis, however, is equally important to the response itself.”

As the new Administration positions itself to activate Parliament, he said, contemplating a fiscal stimulus that puts income in the hands of families and businesses would be key to surviving the crisis, shorten its impact, restore economic confidence, and ultimately allow for adaptation to the new social and economic realities.

The last budget approved by Guyana’s National Assembly was one for the fiscal year ending 2019 which means that all expenditure for the first half of 2020 has been curtailed to a monthly one-twelfth of the previous year’s expenditure. No new spending was possible during the first half of this year, save for special circumstances as was with the advent of the coronavirus Task Force.

The new Government, however, will soon find out

that Guyana as a country is, as is used in Guyanese colloquial parlance, “broke”.

Not only has the country’s general reserves been depleted to $0, but the account is also now running an overdraft to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars.

This situation is illustrated in the Bank of Guyana’s statement of Assets and Liabilities, published in the May 23 Official Gazette, revealing that the General Reserve is -$290,667,332.

Additionally, Public Deposits have also depleted to below $0, also recording a negative balance of -$88,629,401,855.

Guyana’s Contingency Reserve account also reflects an alarmingly low amount of $2.3 billion.

When APNU/AFC took office in May 2015, Guyana’s General Reserve had in its coffers just about $6 billion while the Contingency Reserve held $4 billion.

While oil revenues are expected to drastically boost Guyana’s revenue, the onset of COVID-19 has led to a drop in demand for oil and consequentially, a drop in prices. ExxonMobil, which is producing oil offshore Guyana, was also forced to announce cutbacks to its global work plans back in April.

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Lone gunman robs ECD businessman

Racism and marginalisation

W

riting about Anti-African racism in the wake of the BLM protests might seem as pandering, so I will submit the following piece, which was written in

2008.

“It has been our position that the debate on marginalisation has been conducted primarily about the effects of the phenomenon without sufficient attention to the underlying world-view or paradigm, which unfortunately structures the arguments in a veritable cul de sac in which we just snarl at each other. That worldview, which we share along with literally the rest of the world, to some extent, is so contaminated at its deepest level with race and racism – specifically anti-African racism – that it distorts our judgement, even our capacity to reason – when subjects like marginalisation – especially African marginalisation – are scrutinised.

In our estimation, the African experience in the Ravi Dev “New World” defines the word “marginalisation”.

Following the demonstrated inability of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas to withstand the labour demands and diseases of the Spaniards (evidenced by ninety percent of then dying off in the Caribbean within decades of Columbus’s arrival) the Christian Church recommended the importation of Africans as slaves. Unlike with Amerindians, they could discern no sign of a soul in the latter, and deemed them beyond salvation. They were fair game for slavery – or extermination, for that matter.

The enthusiastic entry of the English, French, Dutch etc, ensured that some 18 million Africans were eventually dragged across the Atlantic, but the fact that only 600,000 survived at “Emancipation” in 1834 offers a clue to their prior “living” conditions. The appallingly barbaric treatment, which included the most brutal physical brutalisation, destruction of families, wrenching away of languages and cultures etc., impelled the creation of some sort of rationalisation, since Europeans were supposed to be “civilised” while doing all of this. In the beginning, slaves who worked alongside white European indentured slaves were simply defined as “heathens”, and could be kept on the margins as such. It was when they started to convert to Christianity that colour became the marker to distinguish them from the “mainstream”. Race was created, and transmuted into racist practice that relegated and maintained Africans to the margins of society, especially in the 18th century.

As I wrote in 1993, “Race and racism, as we know them today, are very modern constructs arising out of a European 18th century discourse that ran parallel with the European conquest of the rest of the world, and especially with the justification of African slavery. Notable names such as Hume, Kant and Hegel were involved in the project, which gave a social significance to physical markers. This is illustrated in Hume's position that, "negroes… are naturally inferior to the whites".

Other “races”, like Indians and Chinese, were fitted within this White-Black dipole.

My contention is that "race and racism" are part and parcel of the "Western Enlightenment," exported as one weapon in the European arsenal of imperialistic conquest. “African and Black” was constructed as the binary opposite to “European and White”, and like all dualities, it is not possible to eliminate one without the other. Racism is not a phenomenon that ended with the abolition of slavery – and it has not ended, even though many assert that “race” has no objective existence. It persists in the totality of its relations, which have become imbricated on the sinews of the civilization that we all practice.

Following Foucault, one can consider racism as a discursive field that incorporates beliefs, descriptions and actions, and the principles on which racist institutions are based. The discursive formation would include the normative rules and norms – including laws and moral rules about how we “ought” to act towards each other. In the words of Cornell West, racism discourse is a product of the “structure of modern discourse… the controlling metaphors, notions, categories and norms that shape the predominant conceptions of truth and knowledge in the modern west.” As I wrote in 2006, West assures us that “there is the lingering effects of slavery and past discrimination in the continued attack on black humanity, and (there are) racist stereotypes which are designed to destroy black self-image”.

To appreciate racism’s continued impact in Guyana, one must inquire into the extent to which the premises of the old discourse of race and racism have survived into our particular socio-historical conjuncture and continued to influence our thinking.”

And (writing in 2020) how we should, as a nation striving for equality of all Guyanese, work to eliminate this – including antiIndian racism that developed after 1838.

P

olice on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) are on the hunt for a man who carried out a daring robbery on a businessman at Friendship, Railway Embankment, ECD. Reports are on Wednesday evening the man was sitting under a shed chatting with friends when the lone gunman walked into the yard and demanded that he hand over his cellphone.

Police told this publication that the suspect relieved the businessman of his cellphone and made good his escape in a white 212 motor car.

Meanwhile, investigators probing the robbery said that the suspect is of mixed race, about 5ft, and was wearing a blue, red and white toque, a polo jersey, and blue jeans at the time of the robbery.

Investigations are ongoing.

The suspect caught on CCTV footage carrying out the robbery

12 NEWS

SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

USAID vows to stand with Guyanese in fight for democracy to prevail

U

nited States Agency for International Development (USAID) stands with the people of Guyana as the

country continues to wait for the official declaration of the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

This commitment was ex-

pandemic.

The USAID is one of Guyana’s main international donor partner. In fact, the organisation had provided some US$1.7 million ($357 million) last month to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak in Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean.

On Monday, the Court of Appeal is scheduled to hand down its decision on the Notice of Motion filed

declaring the final results.

The Notice of Motion was filed on Thursday by David just as Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield was scheduled to present his final elections report to the GECOM Chair, Justice Claudette Singh and the Commission. That report, which Lowenfield failed to submit, would have paved the way for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic to be declared the winner

by APNU/AFC supporter, Esyln David, who is seeking to block the Guyana Elections Commission from

of the March 2 elections and Dr Irfaan Ali to be sworn in as Guyana’s ninth Executive President.

USAID acting Administrator, John Barsa

pressed by USAID acting Administrator John Barsa, who underscored the importance of democracy and the need for Guyanese to have their voices expressed at the March polls heard.

In a twitter post, Barsa said: “@USAID believes #DemocracyIs essential to advancing a free,

peaceful, and prosperous world and we continue to stand with the people of #Guyana, who want their voices heard.” The tweet comes as the international community continues to monitor developments in Guyana’s prolonged electoral process, as the country engages in yet another legal battle – this time to block the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) from making a final declaration.

Back in May during the National Recount of the votes cast on March 2, the USAID Administrator (ag) had said his organisation was looking forward to a “swift, credible, and clear” conclusion of the recount process so that concentration can be placed on both the development needs of Guyana and the threat posed by the COVID-19

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14 FEATURE

SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

"Take your responsibility as a father very seriously" - father of 3 urges

By Utamu Belle

"I

think it's very important for you to take your responsibility as a father very seriously because in the same vein you’re proud to know that a woman gets pregnant for you and you get a child, also be proud to look after that child. Teeth and tongue must bite. Because at the end of the day, your duty as a parent is to look out

for your children until the day you die,"Elroy Adolph advises.

Adolph is a former Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Vice Chairman. He is also a father of three - two daughters and a son aged 25, 26, and 31. He told the Sunday Times Magazine that he has always tried to instil core values into his children so that they become productive citizens in society.

As he explained, being a father is a position which he holds quite dearly to his heart and he would like to see more fathers in today's society rising to the occasion and playing integral roles in their children's lives.

"As a father, for me, you're always proud. When you look at your children and see them grow up over the years. You try to instil values in them and most of all, it makes you proud when you see them come out to be what you want them to be. They are not perfect, but they at least can live in society and not be a nuisance...I always tell my children, you cannot want to be in society as a nui-

sance, you must try to be of help to the society...and as fathers, we need to be of good value to our children, that is important as well. Not only telling the children how to live but as a father, you must set an example of how they must live," Adolph advised.

He described raising his children as quite an honourable experience, explaining that in his previous official capacity he also sought to instil positive values in young fathers in his community from time to time. Adolph believes that fathers, especially young fathers, should be encouraged to shape their children's lives in such a way that they can be of good value to their society. He admitted, however, that it may be tough trying to mould children in today's society given the increase in outside influences.

"The way that you want them to grow, because of today's society they may see it as 'old fashioned'...so the challenge as a father is trying to embed values when you're faced with today's world," Adolph explained.

Despite this, he encourages fathers to persevere, noting that although his children are grown, he still tries to maintain a good relationship with them.

"One of the things that make me feel proud as a father is when we could sit down at home and laugh and talk, have conversations, listening to them, sharing experiences on what life was all about in your time coming up; when you can sit down and have healthy conversations and just be happy spending quality time; even as they grow, you can still sit down and speak with them. They have an issue, they can share it with you. That makes you proud as a father," Adolph declared with pride.

He related that he intended to maintain this sort of relationship with his children throughout his lifetime. In reminiscing, Adolph noted that years ago, communities were more involved in helping to raise children. He urged that this should be the case again.

In looking at today's society, Adolph warned young fathers against the 'get rich quick' mentality, noting that often it leads to unwise decisions. Instead, he urges them to become educated, work hard with their hands, and adhere to good advice. He further encouraged fathers to work hard to break the cycle of child abandonment.

"I would encourage all young men to take up their responsibility as a man, shake yourself, swallow your pride and look after your children because at the end of the day, they are the future of tomorrow... The child may come by mistake, but at the end of the day, it comes into the world and God expects you to look after your child," he stated.

Admitting that there may be specific circumstances where fathers may not be able to provide for their families, he urges those in a position to make the best use of it. In this vein, he urged that more opportunities be provided to assist young fathers.

"Some men are in prison, so they cannot get to take care of their children as well as they want to...for some, it's unemployment. They may have a child and they would say to me 'I love this child, but I ain't getting work to maintain them...I ain't getting money...and that's one of the greatest challenges...a young man may be willing to work and you don't have jobs to maintain their family, We need to create employment so that the young men could learn to maintain their families. It causes us to think a lot, being in a position. What could we do? It's really heart-rending," Adolph related.

Nevertheless, he encouraged young fathers to also think outside the box and create employment for themselves, suggesting that they get into farming.

"Do a little kitchen garden, do farming. You may not get money today, but consistent farming could help you to get money, so that you could maintain your family... I think it's time Guyanese fathers go back to the soil," he iterated.

Adolph stressed, however, that the reality is that a lot of young people do not see farming as lucrative.

Regardless, he noted that it was a good means of entrepreneurship.

"Sit down and look into your community, see what is needed. Try to fit in there, so that you can help...not only be proud to be called a father, but take care of your children," Adolph reiterated.

As for him, he noted that as Father’s Day comes around each year, he is increasingly happier and proud of his role as a father and being able to celebrate with his children.

FEATURE

1st Father’s Day without dad

By La’Wanda McAllister

W

hat could one possibly say to help someone else who is missing their father not just on Father’s Day, but every day? Mere words can be just a rattling wind for daughters whose wounds are still fresh, and whose minds are yet to wrap themselves around the reality of their loss.

Many of us have the opportunity to throw parties, go on dinner dates, buy luxurious gifts, or even send a card to our fathers on Father’s Day, but this can never happen for the daughters of Sham Munilall.

Munilall, called “Chunnilall” or “Paperman” of Queenstown, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), was murdered by bandits.

His daughters Kaysheena and Vidya Munilall had great hopes of one day seeing their father grow old, or walk them down the aisles, but on January 10, 2020, those hopes were crushed to pieces. It has been misery for his daughters after their father’s life was snatched from him by the cold-hearted bandits who invaded the place they called home.

Munilall was having a “bar-b-que day” with his family when three armed bandits scaled his fence and attacked his wife, who was at the front door of their home. Upon seeing his wife captured by the bandits, who were trying to gain entry into his home, Munilall attacked the perpetrators in an effort to save her.

In retaliation, the gunmen opened fire at the father of two, shooting him four times about his body before making their escape. The newspaper vendor, who was the sole breadwinner for his family, later succumbed to his injuries.

Since then, his family, especially his daughters, have been living in shock.

Munilall’s two children have expressed sadness at not being able to spend this Father’s Day with him. They said as June 21 approaches, they have been questioning themselves about how to deal with the day that is set aside to honour fathers.

“Am I going to be ok? The answer is, I don’t know, I am depressed. I have not been OK since Papa was murdered (by) multiple gunshots - on January 10, 2020; on that dreadful night we watched him die, we could not do anything to save him. I looked up to my dad because of the amazing man he was, he always had a smile on his face, looking at the bright side of life, even in his hardest battle, he fought to the very last,” his daughter, Kaysheena said.

Vidya, Munilall’s second daughter, said things were never the same after her father's death. She explained that their lives took a different turn the night her father was killed.

“So many things were taken away from my mom, sister, and me because of my father’s passing. Father’s Day is forever changed, I love you daddy and I will always miss you! Emotionally, I am not ready to face Sunday, June 21, or any ... Father's Day after this one. I am dreading all the gift advertisements on the radio and television, the posts on Instagram and WhatsApp, the collages on Facebook. The date on the calendar stares at me mockingly, which makes me feel extremely isolated. There are no words to describe the heartache I’m feeling and how much I miss my father,” she said.

Vidya added: “This year, I won’t be able to question mom or sis, 'what do we buy for Father’s Day', but instead question, 'when will we meet again?' When? Am I going to be OK? This year, I won’t be able to be the first to wake up, rushing in his bed, disturbing his early-morning rest with my loud singing, ‘Happy Father’s Day, Papa. Happy Father’s Day, Papa,’ but instead wake up looking at your pictures, reflecting on the good memories shared, hug my pillow, and let the tears flow.”

When Kaysheena was asked what she would miss about her father at this time of year, she said: “This year, I won’t be able to question Mom, 'Where’s the underwear? Where's the socks? Where's the pants? Where’s the shirt?' Yes! Those are the things we bought for Father’s Day! The little things matter! Materialistic? No! Time matters – family moments!”

“Also, this year, I won’t be able to make random calls to know his location just to average the time he’ll be home.

Yes! The time I’ll wait to make him cry? Cry tears of sadness? Oh no! Tears of joy; yes, tears of joy with surprises!

Just when we’ll lay the table with his favourite food, snacks, cake, drinks, and wine. As the regular trend of father’s princesses, we’ll always see the best outfit, the outfit we’ll wait to see him in,” she added.

The sisters expressed that they never needed a special day to bring their father to mind, but the days that they don't think of him are very few. They say each morning they wake up, the reality of not having their father there brings them nothing but heartache.

“As we try to carry on, our heart still aches with sadness and secret tears still flow. What is meant to lose our father, no one will ever know, our thoughts are always with

Sham Muilall, his wife Rita, and two daughters Kaysheena and Vydia

him, his place no one can fill. Father's Day is not the same without our father; he was so special and left memories that

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SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

could never be erased,” they said.

Munilall’s daughters said their father was a remarkable man in so many ways. They described him as "precious and dear", and underscored that as fathers were being appreciated worldwide, they were disappointed that their father was no longer here.

“Memories of past Father’s Day and how things used to be painfully remind us of what is now missing. Sometimes, we quietly reminisce about our father's memories. The injustice of the situation makes it even more difficult. We don’t know what we are going to do on this day,” Munilall's daughters said.

The girls revealed that on Father’s Day they might shed tears, they might write angry entries into their journals, or they might "zone out" on Netflix just to wait for the day to become night.

"We wish with all of our hearts that we could turn off our feelings and become numb for this one day. The pain we feel is devastating; the hole in our hearts is palpable; the loneliness is crushing. With all of our hearts, we want to tell our dad it will be OK, but I know he heard that plenty of times, we are confident that he heard our voices,” they explained.

Munilall’s daughters said they believe the pain of their father’s death will lessen, but it would never go away. They explained they were OK with the feeling of missing their Papa, since they never want to be comfortable with how it feels to be without him.

16 FEATURE

SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

By Shemar Alleyne

O

n Father’s Day, much of the world takes the time to appreciate the work and right after, beof good fathers. A good father makes all came a teacher at the difference in a child’s life since he is the the Western Hogg pillar of strength, support, and discipline. His Island Primary work is endless, and often, thankless. But in School. the end, it shows in the sound, well-adjusted On September children he raises.

22, 2008, while he One man who has been demonstratwas just 23 years old, ing these pillars and more is 35-year-old Isurdeen got marUttamkumar Isurdeen. He has been defying ried to Sharon, and the odds and making the proverbial lemonthey got a bouncing ade with the lemons that life has been conbaby boy - Narindra sistently throwing at him.

Isurdeen, who will celReminiscing on his time growing up, ebrate his 11th birthIsurdeen said he was privileged to grow day in a week. When with both parents, but his father spent asked about being a most of his time in the interior working, father, Isurdeen exand as such, he did not get to spend much plained that this was a time with him. This, he says, has moti- Uttamkumar “once-a-lifetime achieveteaching his son a vated him to think differently and to spend ment” and he was lucky bout whe elchair much quality time with his son. to be a father.

During his earlier years, Isurdeen attended Huis t’ “I am lucky as a faDieren Nursery and Primary Schools before transitioning to ther; I have a son, and that actually becomes like a Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary School. He graduated daily job because, as a father, you want to get things done

like getting your son to do the necessary things that he has to do. Every day, I try to instil good things in him; it's like what I lapsed in my younger age, I don’t want him to lapse in,” he said.

This vibrant father had many goals and plans about showing his son that relationships and family are the most critical things in the world once you make them the priority in life but on Saturday, February 27, 2010, his dreams and hopes for the future were snatched away after being involved in an accident.

He sustained damage to his spinal cord, but this young father of one has refused to allow this unfortunate accident to dull his light or hinder him from ensuring that his son becomes that well-rounded individual.

“I am very thankful for my wife as she helps me to balance things, and I am anxious to be a father, because I want my son to be the best human being. He must achieve as much as he can. I try to do as much as I can so that he must be fully equipped if I am not around,” he explained.

When asked what he loves most about his family, this vibrant father responded in the positive. He said, “We are very humble, we are very contented, and we always try to be happy as much as we can, because there are all kinds of things in life, and despite being a survivor, we say you

Uttamkumar and his wife along with his son

know what? Every second counts for us.”

When it comes to school work, the parental responsibilities are shared, as Isurdeen, a former teacher, stated that he would usually assist, and his wife would also help, given that she was a secondary school teacher.

“We try to come together and make sure that his homework is done, we try to assist him, and we try to encourage him to revise before he goes to bed and even read a book, do research and remind him to be focused and not too absent from school,” Isurdeen explained.

Though he admits that he is not the perfect father, he endeavours in his doings to teach his son the true meaning of a father and would usually use his late grandfather as a role model.

“My grandfather was a positive role model, because he did all kinds of things, and I was with him a couple of years, and we had a garden, we had rare cattle. He always had me busy, and he was a true gentleman around the community.

Everybody respected him, everybody spoke about his legacy because he took part in everything,” Isurdeen revealed.

This avid cricket lover, who has been an active voice for wheelchair users across the country, stated that his son started playing cricket at age four, and he feels the positiveness in his response to the game.

Isurdeen’s advice to fathers is to be an inspiration and “let your children be your best friend.”

“As a father, let your children be your best friend, monitor them, check on them, be concerned with them, get in touch with them, be close with them and try to pass on all the ideas to them,” he concluded.

To celebrate and recognise the contributions fathers and father figures make to the lives of their children, the third Sunday in June of each year is, therefore, set aside as the time to celebrate Father’s Day.

FEATURE

17

SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Losing my son has broken me

By La’Wanda McAllister

T

he pain Verron Bollers is going through right now is one that is immeasurable. The wounds of losing his child are still fresh and what makes it especially harder is that he will be spending Father’s Day without his son.

Father’s Day can be the most painful day of the year for a father who’s lost his son just days before in a gruesome accident. Society still has it that men are supposed to be “strong” and never show emotions. However, men do grieve, and they grieve very deeply.

Following the death of his 18-yearo l d son in an accident at Delph Street, Campbellville, a few days ago, Bollers is now completely devastated, and cannot hold back his tears. For him, his son was his everything.

Just in the prime of his youth, Elijah Bollers’ life was snatched from him as he was making his way home from work.

Elijah was riding his motorcycle, allegedly at a fast rate when he collided with motor car HC 1527 that was driven by a 34-yearold man who reportedly failed to adhere to a stop sign.

The impact of the collision flung the young Bollers several feet away.

Verron said he learnt of his son’s passing just after he returned home from work.

“Somebody came to the house and tell me that my son lying on the road unconscious and that he was struck down. By the time I reach the scene, he was already taken to the hospital so I went there and they told me that my son came in bleeding and they were unable to save him”.

The young man’s father conveyed that he is “lost for words” and feels as though he has failed as a parent since saving his son was too great of a task for him.

“I am broken up, I am distraught, its paining, this destroyed my entire life. My son was my last child, this was the one that I loved the most, this was the one that I spoiled. Right now, I don’t know what to do,” the grieving man said.

He added: “I am dying, I am dying for my little son. I am dying since my son died. I suffer from low blood pressure and I weed people yard for a living. I can’t even go to

work because I wouldn’t be able to focus. I can’t handle it”.

The older Bollers explained that he has been a single parent to 12 children for the past 14 years, and he is not just struggling with the reality of his son’s death, but also with the thought of how he would be able to foot the expenses for the funeral.

“That child was my promise, their mother left me when he was five years old. I did it alone for 14 years without a mother. I did everything to take care of my children. I did odd jobs. I cleaned, from yards to fetching sand, to cleaning drains, and even to cleaning septic tanks to take care of my children. Right now, I am sitting here I don’t even have money to bury my child and its hurts”, the distraught father said.

The man added that he was unable to get a proper job since 2005 after he lost all of his documents in the flood.

He said after the flood he went to the Guyana Post Office (GPO) and the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) to get his documents back and was told that they only have records that he had died and there is nothing they can do for him.

Since then, Verron said, his “misery” started.

“This is my frustrated situation. I don’t even want to say that this is the story of my life. I have had a lot of injustice. Now that my son get big and can help his family and do something for himself they took him away from me”, he said, trying to hold back his tears.

Bollers described his son as a remarkable and loving child who was in the process of achieving great things.

“He wasn’t studying, but he was in the process of build-

ing a house, and he was just 18. I can’t stand it, I am 63 years old. I am only trying to stand up because I am a man and I have nine other people in my house”.

The single father expressed that Father’s Day will never be the same since he lost his son. He is calling on the police to bring the person responsible for this son’s death to justice since he believes that the young man who was full of life did not deserve to die.

18 FEATURE

SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

I

n my “Pet Care” column of May 31, 2020, I dealt with the problems and solutions associated with the arrival of the new family member. I hope that a discussion and decision would have already been carried out within the family as to whether the pet dog will live mostly indoors or outdoors.

There are some pertinent considerations that have to be factored into the discussion: 1. During your “indoors versus outdoors’ deliberations, please remember that the cute, furry ball of fun will develop into puberty and maturity (within months). You will have to accommodate the change in size, especially if you have brought home a breed which you know will grow into a large animal.

2. If you have spent a lot of money to purchase a puppy, then you have to safeguard the animal against human and animal predators. Yes, a $100,000 pup can easily be lifted out of the yard by a passing thief. Also, a vicious dog might want to enter your yard and maul the pup.

3. Can the pet puppy or adult dog withstand the stressors of the outdoors? A Toy Breed “lap dog” (so called because it finds itself in one’s lap) really would find it difficult to exist outdoors (within a kennel notwithstanding).

4. Do you have enough space in the yard for a kennel? I have observed that over the years, Guyanese building houses do not leave space around the house. In order to ensure the maximum square footage for the living quarters, the house is constructed to extend to almost touching the fence line. And, the space between the house and the fence is occupied by a concrete

apron, with no consideration for an appropriately sized kennel, or even a kitchen garden for that matter.

5. The dog cannot be kept for extensive periods inside a kennel or tied to a post in the yard. Such actions are manifestations of cruelty and there are specific laws in Guyana to protect animals subjected to these inhumane circumstances.

6. If you decide to keep your companion animals indoors, please consider the following: (a) There must be areas in the home where the pet ought not to frequent. The animal must be trained to stay away from those areas which you may wish, for sanitation or religious reasons, to be free of dog dander, odours and shedded hair, and which potentially poses a risk to you and the animal’s safety. One specific area of concern (and you of course will know your high-risk areas) is the kitchen and the dining room. I have not carried out a statistical analysis, but empirical observations in my clinic reveal that most dogs get tangled up with the feet of the caregivers and, as a result, get scald burns from the liquids being transferred from the stove to the table. The owner also suffers from burns or may fall and break a limb.

It follows, of course, that the pet’s food/water bowls mut

be placed away from these areas considered to be highrisk/heavily trafficked. (b) You must have the time and patience needed to toilet train. We will discuss this topic next week. (c) Determine which area in the house the dog will sleep at nights. I am not conditioned to accept even the concept of a dog sleeping on the bed with adults and children. I know that one can clean and groom a dog daily and that the burden of ectoand endo-parasites is managed with proper veterinary and home care. But the dog’s indoor and outdoor world is just 18 inches off the ground. We humans breathe air that circulates, on an average, five and a half feet from the surface of the earth. This is a big difference. In the dog’s micro-environment, dust, debris, and every bug known to man exist. In the tropics, the heat and humidity levels allow bacteria, other infectious agents, and sundry vermin to multiply and flourish. A well-cared dog with inherent immunity will cope well, However, he can be a carrier of contaminants. For this reason, I believe that beds, dining tables, sofas, etc. are not places for the dog to inhabit. (d) Make every effort to keep your dog and your home environment as clean as possible. It will entail a great effort on your part. But you will do it. After all you chose the pretty, puny pooch who may not fare well in confronting outdoor life and who will be a new member of your family.

7. If you choose to keep your companion animals outdoors, please consider the following: A kennel is required. It is recommended that the kennel be procured/constructed before the dog is brought home. A puppy can be placed outside from as early as six weeks. The kennel must be functional. I touched on the general requirements in my column of May 31, 2020. To be more specific, here are some further considerations to guide you. (a) Elevation of the Floor: All along the coast and in Georgetown the water level is very high. Therefore, moisture can seep through the floor of the kennel if it touches the ground. Some old concrete hollow bricks will suffice to elevate the kennel.

In fact, many dogs enjoy resting under the kennel on cool earth, especially on hot days. (b) Size: With your knowledge of what will be the adult size of the dog, please ensure that the kennel is at least twice the length, width, and height of the grown dog. This provides for comfort of movement and concept of space. (c) Shade: We do not want to lock a dog in the kennel and barbeque it to death. Situate the kennel in a cool, shaded place.

“Cool” does not mean draft; the kennel must be draft free.

The selected location must also protect the animal from rain, which may enter from all directions and soak the kennel and locked-in dog. Placing the kennel under a tree with a large canopy makes good sense. (d) Sanitation: The kennel must be built to facilitate easy cleaning. Cleaning, of course, does not mean dousing with some nice smelling disinfectant on the floor and walls of the kennel. These surfaces need to be physically brushed with a recommended disinfectant. I have always advocated that the roof be detachable so that the physical cleaning exercise is facilitated. (e) Periods of time indoors: Once you have decided on an outdoor “dog house”, do not encourage your dog to come indoors for lengthy periods of time. Owners may wish to bring the dogs inside on cold and/or rainy nights. We live five degrees away from the equator and no night is that cold, and your kennel has been built to protect if from rain incursion.

N.B. AS PREVIOUSLY ADVISED; CATS HAVE TO BE KEPT INDOORS. THEY WILL GO OUTSIDE WHEN THEY SO DESIRE!

19

FATHER’S DAY RECIPES

SUNDAY, JUNE 21 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ingredients • • • • • • •

• • • • •

Nonstick baking spray, for coating loaf pan 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon fine salt 3/4 cup sugar Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 1/2 cup plain lowfat (2-percent) Greek yogurt 1/4 cup lowfat (1-percent) milk 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 large egg whites 1 large egg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8 1/2- by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with baking spray.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Put the sugar and lemon zest in another bowl and rub the lemon zest

Ingredients

into the sugar with your fingers. Add the yogurt, milk, olive oil, vanilla, egg whites and whole egg and vigorously whisk until well blended. Add the flour mixture into the egg mixture and fold until just incorporated. Transfer to the prepared pan.

Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, and then unmold and cool to room temperature.

Directions

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Add the turkey and scallions and cook, stirring to break up any large chunks, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Directions

Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan.

Add the quinoa, stir once, and return to a boil.

Cook uncovered, over medium heat for 12 minutes. Strain and rinse well with cold water, shaking the sieve well to remove all moisture.

When dry, transfer the quinoa to a large bowl.

Add the cucumbers, onion, tomato, parsley, mint, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and toss well. Spoon onto endive spears, top with avocado, and serve.

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 8 ounces sweet or spicy sausage or ground meat • 2 scallions, sliced • 6 large eggs and 6 large egg whites • 1 3/4 cups 1-percent milk • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper • One 9-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid • 3/4 cup shredded Cheddar • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan • 1/2 whole wheat baguette, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 4 cups) • Cooking spray

• 12 cups water • 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed • 5 pickling cucumbers, peeled, ends trimmed, and cut into 1/4-inch cubes • 1 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch cubes • 1 large tomato, cored, seeded, and diced • 1 bunch Italian parsley leaves, chopped • 2 bunches mint leaves, chopped • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar • 1 lemon, juiced • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt • 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • 4 heads endive, trimmed and separated into individual spears • 1 avocado, peeled, seeded and diced, for garnish

Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

2. Whisk the eggs, egg whites, milk and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl until combined. Add the cooked sausage, spinach, cheeses and bread and toss to distribute ingredients evenly.

3. Spray a 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Spread the egg mixture evenly in the dish. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the casserole, uncovered, until set and lightly browned on top, about 30 minutes.

• 1 cup vanilla-flavored unsweetened almond milk • 1 cup plain low-fat (2 percent) Greek yogurt • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (preferably grade B), plus 4 teaspoons for serving • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • Kosher salt • 1/4 cup chia seeds • 1 pint strawberries or any fruit, hulled and chopped • 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, gently whisk the almond milk, yogurt, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, the vanilla and 1/8 teaspoon salt until just blended. Whisk in the chia seeds; let stand 30 minutes. Stir to distribute the seeds if they have settled. Cover and refrigerate

overnight.

2. The next day, in a medium bowl, toss the berries with the remaining 4 teaspoons maple syrup. Mix in the almonds.

3. Spoon the pudding into 4 bowls or glasses; mound the berry mixture on top and serve.

20 FEATURE

SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

ACROSS 1 Resorting to 6 Cushiony seats 11 Almost boil 16 Atlas or Prometheus 21 West Indies dance 22 Cliff dwelling 23 Winter warmer 24 Deep-space mission 25 Mountain kingdom 26 Virgo’s neighbor 27 Singer -- John 28 Curiosity seeker?

29 Forum hello 30 Cider season 32 Veld grazer 34 Striped antelope 36 Ledger col.

37 Dealers 39 Clown’s prop 40 “-- Dick” 41 Rolling stone’s lack 42 Tick off 43 Leather for honing 44 Skill in speaking 46 Turnpike exits 49 Globe feature 50 Clap of thunder 51 Action-movie name 55 Fossey’s friends 56 Crunching noise 57 Pelvis, but not Elvis 58 Good-natured 59 Martini base 60 Knows somehow 61 Thin fog 62 Door opener 63 Squirrel hangout 64 Leadfoot’s spot (2 wds.)

66 Gets the picture 67 Rackets 68 Wife, to a lawyer 69 Tangled up 70 Eros, in Rome 71 Message concealer 72 Travel papers 73 Android rival 74 Walked on web feet 76 Part of RSVP 77 John Denver’s home 80 Bit of kindling 81 Flip a coin 82 Frozen regions (2 wds.)

86 More than misled 87 Genuine 88 Mongolian abode 89 Whale’s nostril 90 Santa -- winds

91 92 93 94 95 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 106 107 108 111 112 113 117 118 119 120 121 122 124 126 128 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137

Zinger Reiner and Lowe Split -- (nitpick) Make rapid strides Norma Jean Festive log Gannet’s other name They need a PIN Offshore platform (2 wds.)

Hotel lobby focus Drove at Daytona Clean the slate Lavish Snags a fish Gerbil or goldfish Soft plumage Earns as profit Pound sounds Kind of paint I, for Wolfgang Autocrat of yore Eric Clapton classic -- spumante The Plastic -- Band Lorelei’s river Galley slave Batters’ ploys Ready and willing “M*A*S*H” setting Phileas Fogg player Bauxite giant Cache Oregon’s capital Galaxy units Spacious Hikers’ shelters

DOWN 1 Radii parallels 2 Colander 3 Strong-arm 4 Cagers’ org.

5 Greens party?

6 Becomes tiresome 7 Eye, to Pierre 8 Metro loc.

9 It could easily go up 10 Type of seal (2 wds.)

11 Skunk’s trademark 12 Frosty 13 Quit stalling 14 Sentry 15 Budapest’s river 16 Vulcan high priestess 17 1040 agcy.

18 Japan’s capital 19 Helps with a heist 20 Uncool ones

KATHLEEN SAXE

WORD GAME TODAY’S WORD -- QUALITIES (QUALITIES: KWAHL-ih-tees: Inherent or distinguishing characteristics.)

Average mark 40 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 58 or more words in QUALITIES? TODAY’S WORD -- QUALITIES quail quale quasi quest quiet quilt quit quite utile aisle alit lase lasque last late

least lest liaise lieu list lues lust lute isle islet istle tail tale talus teal

tequila tile east equal etui sail sale salt salute sate saute seal seat silt site

slat slate slit slue squat squeal stale steal stela stile suet suit suite

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of "s," such as "bats" or "dies," are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a "d" or an "s" may not be used. For example, if "bake" is used, "baked" or "bakes" are not allowed, but "bake" and "baking" are admissible. 4.

Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

31 33 35 38 39 40 41 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 52 53 54 56 57 58 60 61 62 65

Indiana Jones quest Yodeler’s perch Generators They may be read Wineglass parts Mme.’s daughter Feathered talker Long oar Basin in a church Cheat sheet Mitten wools Of bees Brainy bunch Mountain nymph Order around Reed instruments Burro alternative Fakes out Yields territory Place for a stein Author -- Rice Lawbreaker Burmese utterance Notorious pirate Snooped

66 67 68 70 71 72 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 82 83 84 85 87 88 89 91 92 93 96 97

Haze, plus Forest browsers Swipe Indigo plant Break-even amount Vistas Clean the deck -- d’oeuvres Disdain Crockett’s last stand Red Sea peninsula Round gem Anagram for rent Epic of Troy Ventricle neighbor Prunes-to-be Intuit Zappers (2 wds.)

Egg portion Hay cubes Object on radar Auto-body woe Horse’s ankles Spinach is rich in it Sudden urges

98 99 101 102 103 105 106 107 108 109 110 112 113 114 115 116 118 119 120 123 125 127 129

Brazilian city (2 wds.)

Bohemian Motown Jeep safety device Most uncanny Is taught Psst!

Interest amt.

Scottish daggers Lorena of the LPGA Give it a -Tall tales Ore analysis Sign in (2 wds.)

Dormant Meltdown sites Pair of mules Lascivious glance Fermi split it Born as Md. neighbor PFC superior Ignored a diet

SEE SOLUTION ON PAGE 18

FEATURE

21

SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

By Shemar Alleyne

A

s healthcare workers continue to battle the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which has been hounding our healthcare system, often, these workers are under-appreciated for the daring role they play.

Frontline workers could have been in lockdown like you and me in an attempt to safeguard themselves and families. But instead, they are the ones risking their lives in helping those infected with this deadly virus to get better.

For far too long, many persons have been falling prey to this disease, but according to Arlene Meertens, this pandemic has changed her life, and she is not sure if she can continue to work in the profession if there is a resurgence of the virus.

Meertens is 52 years old and has been in the nursing field for nearly 30 years and is currently a Patient Care Technician at hard-hit Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center in Brooklyn.

Meertens grew up in Guyana, where she spent her entire childhood. She recalled as a young girl growing up, she would usually assist a visually impaired neighbour with chores, among other things. This had inspired her to join this noble profession after she migrated to the United States.

“I saw so many people on ventilators, I saw so many patients couldn’t move, couldn’t help themselves, I saw patients actually where their lips are bleeding just because they have to be intubated. I still speak to them, I am hoping that they can hear me when I am telling them to listen, I need you to fight, I need you to live, your family member needs you,” Meertens stated during an interview.

Further, she stated that “It is calm in the air right now; it is like what we haven’t experience in a long time. What took place in weeks feels like years.”

However, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), as of June 19, 2020, there have been 8,385,440 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 450,686 deaths.

During an emotional interview, Meertens explained that she has lost seven family members to COVID-19.

“I would reach out and rub their hands, and I just rub their head, I think they can hear me, I think they can feel, and I think it makes a difference,” she stated as tears started to flow through her eyes.

Out of the 450,686 deaths, WHO reported that 2,149,166 are from the USA, and according to Meertens, every time she visits a COVID-19 patient, she could look at a patient and determine if they will die due to the way they look.

“It gets a point where I would actually look at patients and say to my co-worker, he is going to die. I just knew the way they looked – I just knew all the signs, they have this

grey look. You know our skin has like a glow, but their skin no longer has that glow.

Each and every time these patient dies, it hurts me more,” she posited.

Further, the technician stated she would usually play gospel to get through the day. Her favourite gospel is “I Give Myself Away,” by William McDowell.

“If I go into a room and I know through the mask, they are not going to hear me clearly, but as I listen to the song, I would try to sing for them so that they can feel a bit calm. So they wouldn’t have to be afraid or to think about the pain,” Meertens said, as she started to sing, I Give Myself Away.

Recollecting on her journey thus far dealing with COVID-19, Meertens stated that she has cried all day since the coronavirus hit the USA. As such, she said that if another strain is to hit the country, she is not sure if she would be able to “hold up.”

“Now that they are talking about opening back the city I know we have to go on, but I am so afraid if we really do have a second weave what’s going to happen and I am trying that it is not so because I don’t know if I can hold up. I am saying to myself; I don’t want to watch people die within minutes. I don’t know if I can do it,” she concluded.

22 NEWS Administrative defects not grievously deficient to thwart the will of the people – Caricom Report T SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

he administrative defects that were discovered during the national elections recount of votes cast at the March 2, 2020 polls were not grievously deficient so as to deem the results not to be credible.

This view was expressed by the seasoned Caricom observer team who in their report submitted to the Guyana Elections Commission Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh, concluded that despite some administrative failings the March 2 polls were credible, and attempts to say otherwise were outrightly rejected. The report was submitted on June 15.

According to the Caricom observation team, overall, “while we acknowledge that there were some defects in the recount of the March 02, 2020 votes cast for the General and Regional Elections in Guyana, the team did not witness anything which would render the recount, and by extension, the casting of the ballot on March 02, so grievously deficient procedurally or technically, (despite some irregularities), or sufficiently deficient to have thwarted the will of the people and consequently preventing the election results and its declaration by GECOM from reflecting the will of the voters.”

The high-level Caricom Electoral Observer Team, deemed “the most legitimate interlocutors” in Guyana’s elections standoff, has concluded that the results were credible, acceptable, and should be the basis from which the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) declares the final results.

The team comprised Deputy

Deputy Supervisor of Elections in St Vincent and the Grenadines, Sylvester King; Senior Lecturer in the Department of Government at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cynthia Barrow-Giles; and Commissioner of the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission, John Jarvis

Supervisor of Elections of St Vincent and the Grenadines Sylvester King; Senior Lecturer in the Department of Government at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cynthia Barrow-Giles, and Commissioner of the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission John Jarvis.

Barrow-Giles, who led the team, noted, “…the recount results are acceptable and should constitute the basis of the declaration of results of the March 02, 2020 elections.”

Will of the people

At every election, people go to the polls to express their choice.

This activity is coined as expressing one’s will, and what was clear on March 2, 2020, was that thousands

of Guyanese went to the polls to express their will.

The will of the people, according to the figures coming out of the recount, shows an overwhelming victory for the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic. The PPP/C secured a victory with 233,336 votes cast in its favour, while the APNU/AFC scraped 217,920 votes. For the new parties, the numbers are as follows: A New and United Guyana – 2313; Change Guyana – 1953; Liberty and Justice Party – 2657; People’s Republic Party – 889; The Citizenship Initiative – 680; The New Movement – 244; and the United Republican Party – 360.

Those numbers are reflective of the will of the people, and the Caricom team endorses this as be-

ing the figures to proceed with. The report added that there are obvious lessons to be learnt from this experience which, going forward, the Government and the people of Guyana must make every effort to rectify in the best interest of democratic governance.

“Many of the instances of irregularities that we witnessed can be explained by either the incompetence of some of the Presiding Officers at the Polling Stations on March 02, 2020, and/or the failure to give adequate training by GECOM to its staff on the varied possibilities which may have arisen at the level of the individual stations,” the report concluded.

Most legitimate interlocutors

Ever since Permanent Representative of Barbados to the Organisation of American States (OAS), Ambassador Noel Lynch on behalf of the Caricom Group during a meeting of the OAS Permanent Council back in May said Caricom was “the most legitimate interlocutors” in Guyana’s National Recount, the APNU/AFC supporters have been parroting that statement.

It was repeated several times by caretaker President David Granger.

In a letter to United States Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, on May 15, Granger said “The Caribbean Community remains “…the most legitimate interlocutors in the Guyana situation” and that Guyana, equally, is confi-

dent in the legitimacy, credibility, and competence of the Caricom team to perform its task.

That was in response to the Ambassador’s request to have special arrangements for The Carter Center’s return to Guyana to observe the recount.

In another letter to the United States Congress, Granger again stated: “The Government of Guyana wishes to inform you that the Caribbean Community did send a new team, which is actually at work with the Elections Commission. The Caribbean Community sees itself as “…the most legitimate interlocutors in the Guyana situation” and Guyana, equally, is confident in the legitimacy, credibility, and competence of the CARICOM Team to perform its task.”

The recount now proves that the David Granger-led APNU/AFC was involved in some collusion with Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo to thwart the will of the people in favour of APNU/ AFC. It is a fact that Mingo manipulated the results of his District – the largest – to give the coalition the victory it wanted. He did so not once, but two times. Mingo inflated the coalition’s votes by 19,116 votes, while deducting 3689 votes from the PPP/C. Neither the caretaker President nor his party has, to date, addressed Mingo’s glaring anomalies. Ironically, the APNU/AFC has been claiming victory, and that has been based on Mingo’s concocted numbers.

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GuySuCo misses target by over 9000 tonnes

…as downsized estates continue to flounder

W

hile Guyana has started producing oil, its traditional sectors and particularly, sugar, continue to wither. It has been revealed that the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) missed its first crop target by almost 9500 tonnes.

According to information from the Guyana Agriculture and General Workers Union (GAWU), GuySuCo missed the target it had set itself, of 46,475 tonnes. Instead, GuySuCo could only manage 37,013, a shortfall of 9462 tonnes of sugar, despite the crop being extended by weeks.

None of the three estates remaining in operation reached their targets.

Albion estate had the greatest shortfall. It had set itself a target of 23,089 tonnes of sugar, but could only manage 16,802 tonnes, falling short by 6287.

Similarly, GAWU pointed out that Blairmont had

set itself a target of 13,976 tonnes of sugar, but only produced 11,867; a variance of 2109. Meanwhile, Uitvlugt failed to reach its target of 9410 tonnes of sugar, producing instead 8344 and falling short by over 1000 tonnes of sugar.

In terms of cane per hectare, GAWU said that Albion produced 57.86 tonnes cane per hectare (TcH), Blairmont 69.90 TcH and Uitvlugt 57.64 TcH. All three estates fell short in this measurement.

Alarmingly, GAWU said, the industry continues to underperform, adding that it was disheartening to learn that no estate achieved even 90 per cent of its target. “For our Union and more so, the thousands of sugar workers, this is most distressing. Additional information obtained by the GAWU indicate that, as at mid-May, 2020, cane yields are far below the Corporation’s planned objective as stated

in its Strategic Plan.”

In addition, GAWU said the information received indicate that overall factory performance was far from acceptable standards.

“Again, as at mid-May, the three (3) factories in operation operated at an average of 95 hours per week against a target of 140. Frequent factory breakdowns has been plaguing the GuySuCo for several crops now.”

GAWU reminded that it has previously drawn attention to these factory failures, despite GuySuCo having an expanded staff structure at its factory operations department. The union, therefore, questioned the functioning of the department and also its plans for procuring spares for the out of crop season and planned maintenance.

“At Uitvlugt factory for example, out-of-crop maintenance is in progress for many weeks now and workers have shared that they

business,” GAWU also said.

Breadline

are instructed to re-use worn parts in areas that required complete replacements. This level of reckless engineering practice directed by the technical team will no doubt eventuate into frequent factory breakdowns during the upcoming grinding operations.”

GAWU said it remains very much disturbed by the laxity on the overall management of the sugar industry, pointing out that the corporation’s performance record over recent years justifies its position. “The coalition Government failed the industry despite spirited claims to make it a resilient

It was the coalition Government which, after coming into office in 2015 on the slogan that sugar was “too big to fail”, that closed down several estates and put thousands of sugar workers on the breadline with no alternative employment. Even the retrenchment they were legally entitled to had to be gained from the Government after court battles.

Since then, the three remaining estates have been a shadow of their former selves. It was only recently that GuySuCo Chair, John Dow, had cause to write to caretaker President David Granger pleading for funds if GuySuCo was to “be able to survive after the second week June 2020.”

The Finance Ministry in a public missive then replied that “the prevailing national circumstances, coupled with the challenges of COVID-19 and a reduced national in-

come, render the Treasury incapable of providing a bailout to GuySuCo”.

The Ministry said too that additionally, National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited, through the Special Purpose Unit (SPU), had sold lands that were vested to it, and garnered deposits of $2.1 billion. This money, however, was used to offset the $30 billion bond payments that became due in May 2020, adding that the balance of $1.5 billion for the lands will be paid over to NICIL when the vesting orders are signed and gazetted.

The balance, however, is not expected to make its way to the Corporation in its entirety, since according to the Ministry, part of this sum will go towards a bond repayment, which is due on July 4, and the remainder to GuySuCo. It had been announced that money from NICIL would have been provided to GuySuCo sometime this week.

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SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PAHO Country Rep fears possibility of COVID-19 endemicity

T

he gradual increase of COVID-19 cases might have been viewed as a positive sign for Guyana, as opposed to an uncontrollable health crisis.

However, Country Representative of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Dr William Adu-Krow has viewed this under a different light, fearing that the country might develop an endemicity to the virus rather than eliminating it completely.

During a forum hosted by the Texila American University on Friday, the PAHO official recognised the

rate at which cases were detected locally, calling it an insidious one.

“Now we have a system in place and I’m hoping we’ll be able to catch new cases as early as possible. If we do, I think we are on the route to getting somewhere that we can all live with. In terms of my outlook, initially what I feared was we in Guyana did not have this exponential rise that many countries were having. Ours was an insidious one; insidious because we were not very serious with the measures being adopted.”

Due to the slow progression of the virus and cou-

pled with non-adherence to guidelines in some sections of the population, he said there were apprehensions that the country was entering a state of endemicity – meaning it would linger and become confined to the region.

“Some people were agreeing to the measures, some people were flouting it with impunity and therefore, even though the measures were working, there was just a slight increase all the time. My fear was that we were entering into endemicity, meaning that you would never get over COVID-19. It would be grad-

Early pension payment for senior citizens

A

s the COVID-19 pandemic continues to persist, senior citizens are advised that their monthly pension payment for July will be distributed at an earlier date.

In a notice published, the Social Protection Ministry announced that old age pension payments will begin on Monday, June 29, 2020, at Guyana Post Office branches countrywide.

The alphabetical system, using surnames, will continue, for senior citizens to receive their payments during the first five payment days of the month at post offices in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Five

(Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

Those whose surnames begin with the letters A to D can uplift their pension on Monday, June 29; followed by letters E to K on Tuesday, June 30; letters L to P on Wednesday, July 1; Q to T on Thursday, July 2 and those with letters U to Z on Friday, July 3.

This alphabetical system will only be used during the first five payment days and after, senior citizens will be allowed to cash their coupon on any day.

The pensioners were advised to ensure social distancing is practiced at all times and are asked to wear protective masks and sanitise their hands before entry.

When collecting payments at these locations, the GPO has had difficulties in the past with maintaining standard social distancing guidelines and ensuring that pensioners wear masks when collecting their vouchers.

In fact, it was reported that despite warnings for senior citizens to avoid visiting post offices during the coronavirus threat, hundreds of pensioners were seen flocking various postal locations countrywide.

The elderly folks were waiting in long queues to uplift their pension payments. Senior citizens have been advised to authorise a younger family member to collect their pension on their behalf.

PAHO Country Representative, Dr William Adu-Krow

ual and then become a part of this life, like HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) or

diabetes. That is not what we want,” the health official expressed.

According to Dr AduKrow, Guyana should seek to have a complete eradication of the virus – a target which can be easily achieved through reduced transmission.

He added, “This is a transmission that can be halted.

With everybody on board, we should be able to halt it. The good thing is that it can be halted with non-pharmaceutical means and therefore, it is my view that if we all apply ourselves; we should be able to do it.”

It has been over 13

weeks since Guyana recorded its first case of the virus and presently, the statistics are close to the 200 mark.

Until July 2, the current COVID-19 measures and curfew will remain in place, as directed by the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF).

Public transport will continue to operate at 50 per cent passenger capacity as social distancing rules and the wearing of face masks must be maintained.

Moreover, gatherings of more than five persons remain prohibited, while the stay at home order also remains in effect.

No new COVID-19 tests conducted in 24 hours

N

o new test for COVID-19 has been conducted within 24 hours in Guyana and the positive cases have remained at 183.

On Saturday, statistics from the Public Health Ministry’s dashboard showed that the number of samples tested is 2048 with 1865 returning negative – the same that was published on Friday.

Presently, 102 persons have recovered, while there are 69 cases in institutional isolation and 24 cases in Institutional quarantine.

There are no patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Deaths from the virus also remained at 12.

This past week, there were a total of 24 new cases and a further breakdown shows that 11 teachers from the Santa Rosa Primary School, Moruca sub-district, Region One (Barima-Waini), are now infected with the coronavirus.

All positive cases were

placed in institutional isolation and the remaining 26 teachers from the school were asked to self-quarantine.

The Ministry would have announced on Friday that a decision was taken to reverse the lifting of the non-curfew measures in Regions Five (DemeraraMahaica) and Eight (PotaroSiparuni). This means the 6 pm to 6 am curfew measures would remain in all administrative regions until directed otherwise.

These were the only two coronavirus-free regions in the country, but given the surge in cases, officials opted to reinforce the measures.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud would have also reminded that in Guyana, the male population is most affected by the disease, along with Regions One (Barima-Waini), Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

In their analysis, the mining community is now

one of the “most vulnerable groups” for the spread of the disease.

“I wish to remind you that we are at a much higher risk because COVID-19 is rampant in our bordering countries and we have not seen a reduction but a constant increase in the number of positive cases. Residents in Region Seven, I wish to make a special appeal to you as the situation in your community is of grave concern to the Ministry,” he highlighted.

He said the CuyuniMazaruni Region, notably Aranka, has the second-highest number of confirmed cases. The mining activities, the continuous movement of people and services in and out of the area also make it extremely likely for the disease to spread.

Globally, the total number of cases is 8,385,440 with 450,686 deaths. In the region of the Americas, there are 4,092,526 confirmed cases with 212,517 deaths.

NEWS

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SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Change Guyana tells Granger “salvage” respect he has left The road to recovery and rebuilding Guyana

G

uyana has endured, in the political environment, one-and-onehalf years of a roller coaster ride that was characterised by great degrees of political uncertainty that dampened investors’ confidence and largely affected businesses in general. It is without doubt that these effects have been painful for the country and its people. It appears now that, finally, this elections saga is coming to an end, and a new Government will be sworn in. A smooth and peaceful transition is expected, and the political economy is expected to revert to stability.

Before addressing today’s topic, this columnist wishes to extend sincere congratulations to the incoming President, Dr. Irfaan Ali; to the Party’s General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, for his resilience and steadfast stewardship during this period, which served to preserve Guyana’s democratic principles and the country’s legitimate international standing; and to the entire team of the new regime which is soon to be installed. On this note, the incoming regime has a humungous task ahead of it: to firstly address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to focus on an economic recovery plan and nation building for a country that has been badly wounded for the last one and a half years.

While proponents would argue that the economy had indeed recorded consecutive and increasing growth rates in real GDP over the last five years, those were driven largely by the oil and gasrelated sector; inter alia, increased levels of foreign capital inflows into that sector, and in large part the performance of the mining and construction sector. Notwithstanding, this outturn does not necessarily translate widely to improved standard of living for the vulnerable and the working-class people, or broad-based and inclusive growth. GDP does not measure progress and human development, and is certainly not a good measure of standard of living. Essentially, GDP measures spending in four different aspects; namely: Government spending, investment (foreign and local), consumption/ household expenditure, and net-exports, which in the case of Guyana has always been a deficit position. The country’s ability to generate adequate supplies of foreign reserves depends largely on its national competitiveness to produce goods at internationally competitive prices to boost export earnings.

The major inhibitor here is the high cost of energy in Guyana, which is among the highest in the western hemisphere. This inhibits the private sector from making investments to produce more value-added goods and services, which in turn would enable greater levels of job creation.

High levels of public debt, coupled with a decline in Government revenue - attributed largely to the adverse economic effects of COVID-19 and the political uncertainties -- would thereby constrain Government’s ability to honour its debt obligation; and if so materialised, this leads to a bankrupt State.

With this in mind, when Government’s revenue has to be redirected to service high levels of debt, this has implications for vulnerable groups, working-class, middle-income families, and the business sector.

The level of non-performing loans in the banking sector, for example, is an indicator of the vulnerabilities and economic hardships, some degree of the gravity thereto, upon which vulnerable groups of people, the working-class and some sections of the business sector have been facing over the last five years. To this end, the level of NPLs increased by over $22 billion in the last ten years; and the business sector alone accounted for 66 percent, or close to $20 billion, and the household sector accounted for 30 percent, or $4.5 billion, representing an increase of 75 percent from the 2010 position.

To interpret this differently, non-performing loans effectively means that individuals and businesses are virtually so bankrupt that they are unable to service their debt obligations because of a number of factors, including loss of income to the extent that 17% or approximately 42,500 of total average households have been pushed into poverty. In 2010, just about 4 percent of total householders were in this position, as determined by using the level of NPLs in the banking sector that were concentrated in the household sector as a benchmark. This, of course, does not include the more vulnerable groups.

Despite the growth in GDP, the level of poverty has grown steadily over the years, and would only worsen with the impact of COVID-19, especially in the absence of adequate fiscal support packages on the part of the Government.

Governments have an obligation and responsibility to provide public goods and services -- where such goods and services serve as the enabler that creates a conducive environment in which businesses thrive through productive development – designed to foster the emergence of new industries and businesses. In so doing, Government needs to allocate resources in public infrastructure, roads, bridges, housing, and industrial development sites for example. These, however, should not be limited to the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure each year, as is the case in Guyana, owing to a series of factors, including substandard work, which translates to a lack of proper mechanisms in place to ensure value-for-money projects. Rather, public investments need to be linked to a national development strategy in which are created new industrial zones that would facilitate commerce, and, by extension, the creation of wealth designed to achieve the sustainable development goals – mainly poverty reduction.

By: JC. Bhagwandin, MSc., Exec Cert.

(The author is a macro-finance and research analyst, lecturer and business & financial consultant. The views expressed are exclusively his own and do not necessarily represent those of this newspaper and the institutions he represents. For comments, send to jbbankingadvice@gmail.com).

…advises him to put Guyana first, concede defeat

C

hange Guyana Presidential Candidate, businessman Robert Badal, who contested the March 2 elections has urged caretaker President David Granger to concede defeat and salvage whatever respect he has left.

Badal made this call on Saturday, one day after two other coalition politicians broke ranks from the party and conceded that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) had won the elections.

“David Granger must now concede victory to the winning PPP and allow for the inauguration of Dr

Change Guyana Presidential Candidate, Robert Badal

Caretaker President, David Granger

APNU/AFC. “The Guyanese economy and social fabric have undergone enormous hurdles since the No-Confidence

is time that Guyanese rally around the elected and legitimate Government and take its place among the league of democratic countries.

According to Badal, the two groups must join hands to heal the racial wounds and formulate a joint economic and social agenda one that lifts Guyanese out of poverty, removes the draconian tax system and properly incentivises the Private Sector.

“We have a country to build together, there’s space for everyone. Let’s move forward in peace and harmony… all for the accelerated growth and development of Guyana,” Badal wrote in his missive.

It was only on Friday that coalition partner Justice For All Party (JFAP) founder CN Sharma broke away from APNU/AFC’s dogged refusal to accept defeat in the March 2 polls. In a statement, he made it clear that enough was enough and it was time for the country to move on.

“Rather than hanging to the last straw, legal and otherwise, to remain in political office, Mr Granger must now put the country he has led for five years first and salvage whatever respect he may have as a former President of our beloved country” – Robert Badal Irfaan Ali as President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. The results of the Caricom supervised recount of the votes cast at the March 2, 2020, National and Regional Elections are irrefutable, confirming a PPP victory,” Badal said in a statement.

“Rather than hanging to the last straw, legal and otherwise, to remain in political office, Mr Granger must now put the country he has led for five years first and salvage whatever respect he may as a former President of our beloved country,” Badal said.

According to Badal, any further foot-dragging on the part of Granger would deal further blows to A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change’s (APNU/AFC) credibility as a political party. It would also affect their effectiveness as an Opposition party in Parliament.

Credibility of elections He further noted that the international community, inclusive of The Carter Center, the Commonwealth Group, Caribbean Community (Caricom), the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the European Union (EU), has confirmed the credibility of the elections. According to Badal, the pressure is on

Motion eighteen months ago with adverse consequences for businesses, investments and job creation. The disruption this has created has affected the livelihood and image of Guyanese and Guyana internationally,” Badal said. He added that it

He chastised the APNU/ AFC which is bent on dragging out the process and extended congratulations to PPP/C on their win. Sharma had pointed out that the National Recount was carried out and from the votes counted, it is clear the PPP/C is the winner.

As such, he had urged that PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali be sworn in without delay.

Sharma had also called the last 108 days exhausting and said that the people are starving and suffering due to the COVID-triggered economic slowdown.

Granger’s own sonin-law, former Business Minister Dominic Gaskin also made a statement on Friday in which he conceded that APNU/AFC lost to the PPP/C and called out his party’s leadership for fooling supporters.

And, incumbent Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan was caught on a recording, conceding defeat to his Ministry staff, during a farewell speech he had given. In that speech, Ramjattan had acknowledged the PPP winning by some 15,000 votes and had told the gathering he was willing to move on.

So far, however, the coalition Government is in the Court of Appeal trying to have the impending declaration by GECOM blocked on the basis of unproven claims of dead and migrated voters.

A decision is expected in the case on Monday.

28 NEWS

SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GECOM Chair never advised CEO not to submit report …elections report ready – GECOM Secretariat

T

he Elections Secretariat at GECOM has confirmed that the Chief Elections Officer’s final election report is completed.

CEO Keith Lowenfield was expected to submit his report to the GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Justice Claudette Singh since Thursday, June 18, 2020, at 13:00h. However, this was not done.

Initially, GECOM’s spokesperson Yolanda Ward indicated to the media that the CEO was served with the Notice of Motion – filed

by APNU/AFC supporter Eslyn David, who is seeking to block GECOM from making a declaration of the March 2 elections results – prior to his 13:00h deadline, hence it was not submitted.

“The Notice restraints the CEO from ‘complying with the directions of Chairperson’ and as a consequence, a report was not submitted,” Ward had told reporters on Thursday.

However, a statement from the Secretariat on Saturday was titled “Chief Election Officer did not submit report based on the ad-

to confirm the Secretariat’s statement were futile.

GECOM CEO Keith Lowenfield

vice of the Chairperson”.

The missive, which came four days after the fact, sought to justify why the CEO did not submit his report as scheduled – something which he has come under criticism for especially since there was no order or injunction granted to stop GECOM from meeting.

It was noted that while the report was ready for submission to the Commission, Lowenfield was served with the Notice of Motion before the highly-anticipated GECOM meeting. As such,

the missive detailed that he went to the GECOM Chair.

“It was then that Justice Singh indicated that she was also served with the said document and explained that “as a former officer of the court” she could not disregard the “Notice of Motion”. As a consequence, the CEO’s report was not submitted to the Chairperson at that time,” the CEO’s office said on Saturday.

Attempts by this newspaper to contact the GECOM Chair on Saturday

Never advised CEO However, according to an interview with local online news entity, Guyana Standard, Justice Singh said when Lowenfield went to her office with his Notice of Motion, after reviewing the document, she informed him that it was not granted but is merely an application to the court to restrain him from presenting the report.

At the same, the GECOM Chair, who is a retired Judge, said she was also served with the Motion and also noticed it was not granted and so she contacted the Court of Appeal to enquire about the date when she was informed that the hearing was set for the following day.

According to the article, Justice Singh related that she then told the CEO that as a former Judge she would not demand or ask him to submit the report since she did not want to trample on his constitutional right.

However, the GECOM Chair said she did ask Lowenfield to take the re-

GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh

port to the seven-member Commission, which was expected to meet at 14:00h on Thursday. She said the CEO agreed but never showed up. Justice Singh noted that she has a witness to attest to these events, telling the Guyana Standard that she is on the side of the law which will see her through.

The submission of the report would have paved the way for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to be declared the winner of the March 2 elections and Dr Irfaan Ali to be sworn in as Guyana’s ninth Executive President.

The National Recount showed that the PPP/C se-

cured 15,416 votes more than its main political rival, the caretaker APNU/AFC coalition.

The Court of Appeal is expected to rule on the Notice of the Motion on Monday.

In her submissions to the court, the GECOM Chair via her lawyer, Attorney-at-Law Kim Kyte, asked the Court of Appeal to dismiss the Motion since it is misconceived. She argued that such a matter is for the High Court to determine and that the Appeal Court can only interpret the Constitution and not the recount order, which it is being asked to do.

Depoo played a role in struggle for Guyana’s democracy Dear Editor, I read of the passing of Randy Depoo, a Guyanese patriot who migrated to the US from Port Mourant, my home village, in the mid1970s.

He studied law and went on to work for the US State Department posted overseas. Before and after his official State Department assignment, He played a role in the struggle for free and fair elections in Guyana. He was a fearless champion of free and fair

elections after his studies in law, and he was in the midst in the three-month struggle against the Mingo fraud. He spearheaded the petition to the State Department calling for sanctions on those who condoned electoral fraud.

I first met Depoo around 1986 through Ravi Dev, who I had known about a year earlier through common friends Bhanu Dwarika and Ramesh Kalicharran.

My association with Bhanu

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES

and Kali go back earlier to when I was doing research on Indo-Guyanese pioneers in America; we would hold meetings at Bhanu’s apartment discussing publications and studies on IndoCaribbean diaspora and VS Naipaul. Bhanu and Kali informed Dev of the activism of myself, Vassan Ramracha, and Baytoram Ramharack on Guyana affairs. Dev made contact with us to unite our efforts in the struggle for the restoration

of democracy in Guyana and we would meet at the CUNY Graduate Center where I was doing doctoral studies; Dev’s office was near CUNY. Dev, Depoo and a few others formed an organization Guyana United Democratic Movement - that met every Sunday morning for religious service on 168 Place Jamaica; Dr Prem Miisir was also with the group. Vassan, Ramharack and I would meet them for discussion on Guyana at that venue and

SYMPTOMS People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness.

Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms or combinations of symptoms may have COVID-19:

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF? Cough

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Or at least two of these symptoms:

Fever People who think they may be affected by coronavirus need to call the Public Health Ministry hotline 227-4986/624-3067 for further advice. They should not go to their GP, A&E, pharmacy or hospital.

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

(Adapted from BBC News)

Headache

Chills

Sore throat

Repeated shaking with chills

New loss of taste or smell

Muscle pain Children have similar symptoms to adults and generally have mild illness.

occasionally at Dev’s building not too far away. Several Guyana related events functions, forums, including a talk with Kwayana, were held at that spacious office.

I helped to organise several events there. I am thankful to Dev and Depoo for granting space for meetings. At the time, Depoo had qualified in law and Dev was pursuing his law degree. They spent their personal money to pay the rent for the second floor (to host GUDM office at a time when few made contributions towards Guyana’s effort or even cared about Guyana) of the two-story building. They were committed and passionate about the struggle for the restoration of democracy in Guyana.

Depoo was not as active as dev but he was very committed and supportive of the struggle. Depoo and occasionally his brothers, wife, kids and parents joined us for rallies and protests and walked the picket line to highlight awareness of human rights violations in Guyana. He was among a few Guyanese who came to meetings and rallies as a family. They even attended Indian Arrival Day celebrations that we organised in Richmond Hill.

Then he was called up for an assignment with the US State Department around 1989. After a brief stint in Washington, he was posted in Manila; when I visited the Philippines during my teaching sabbatical he had left and was posted in Caracas. And when I passed

through Caracas on my way to Guyana from New York, he also left. I would meet him in Trinidad in the late 1990s where he was posted.

In between, we communicated via letters when he was in Manila, Caracas, and Port of Spain. I would meet him at various political meetings all over Trinidad where I used to conduct opinion polls since the early 1990s.

Depoo retired from Foreign Service after his four-year stint in Trinidad around 2002. We continued interaction. In Trinidad, he worked closely with the Guyanese diaspora organising various celebrations. I used to visit Trinidad regularly almost every couple of months over the last three decades and partook in some of these activities. He also did fundraising drives for the PPP campaign effort.

Sometime last year, during a breakfast meet Trinidad, Depoo announced he would remigrate to Guyana permanently and set up a law practice. He was called to the bar in the US, Trinidad, and Guyana.

He came to Guyana about a month before the election and worked assiduously to help PPP get elected. He had found a place for his law office. But God called him. I express my condolence to his wife, daughter and two sons, and grandchildren and his kinfolks. His service to the diaspora in Trinidad will be missed.

Yours truly, Dr Vishnu Bisram

SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020

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Craig Dawson rescues point for Watford after Leicester's late Chilwell cracker T

he celebrations were intense, even in a deserted stadium. Watford were minutes away from a costly defeat, after Ben Chilwell had given Leicester the lead with a stunning goal, but they refused to give in.

They were into stoppage time when Christian Kabasele knocked on a corner, and Craig Dawson swivelled brilliantly before hooking a volley past Kasper Schmeichel and into the Leicester goal, rescuing a draw for Watford just when all looked lost.

Relief pouring out of them, Nigel Pearson and his coaching staff were all off the bench to hail the centre-half’s acrobatic equaliser. It could be a precious moment in Watford’s survival bid, even though a draw keeps them firmly in the relegation mire, and it was hard to argue that they did not deserve a point after competing well in their first game back.

Leicester, who in 5th place lie 8 points above Manchester United, had to pay for one lapse in concentration, and have more to do if they are to secure Champions League qualification.

Leicester did not need anyone to tell them to be wary of a Pearson side scrapping to stay in the division. Five years have passed since he defied the odds by saving Leicester from relegation, and there have been glimpses of his ability to inspire an improbable escape act since pitching up at Vicarage Road in November, not least when Watford pulled off the most surprising result of the season just before lockdown, ending Liverpool’s unbeaten run in

stunning style.

Ismaïla Sarr was the star on that February evening, tearing Liverpool’s defence apart with his speed and skill, and the winger was Watford’s most dangerous player in their first game back. The 22-year-old spread unease in the Leicester back four whenever he charged down the right, and was entitled to ask why none of his teammates were able to seize on any of his inviting crosses during a tight first half, though anyone searching for the answer was able to find clues in Pearson’s constant shouts of “Shape!” from the touchline.

The margins are fine at the bottom; and Watford, with Troy Deeney on his own up front, were determined not to give anything away. They sat deep from the start, allowed Leicester the ball, and worked to ensure there was no space for Jamie Vardy to race in behind. It was pragmatic but necessary from Watford, who might have been carved open had they given James Maddison and Youri Tielemans the space to spring Vardy clear, and it was hard to remember Ben Foster making a save of note before the interval.

Vardy’s only clear opening, a vicious effort that barely swerved wide in the 16th minute, stemmed from a rare error from Kabasele. Chilwell was another threat whenever he burst forward from leftback, and there were shooting chances for Maddison and Wilfried Ndidi from the edge

of the area. Yet, Leicester were not quite at their sharpest in the final third, and the best chance of the half fell to Watford, who could have snatched the lead when a risky touch from Ndidi allowed Abdoulaye Doucouré to test Kasper Schmeichel.

Doucouré had already slashed over after receiving the ball just inside Leicester’s area, and Schmeichel was called upon again at the start of the second half, racing from his line to deny Sarr.

Watford were starting to show more ambition, and they went close again when Deeney planted a header narrowly wide.

You sensed that Watford needed to score during that flurry. Rodgers shook his side

IPL to "review" sponsorship deals after India-China border incident

T

he IPL has convened a meeting of its Governing Council next week, to "review various sponsorship deals" for the tournament following tensions this week on the India-China border.

The move reflects the fact that the IPL's main sponsors, including title sponsor Vivo, have Chinese ownership or links.

While there has, for some days, been tension at the border in the Indian region of Leh, the flashpoint was an incident on the night of June 15. Although details are scarce, the Indian Government has said its army lost 20 soldiers, including one senior officer, in the incident.

Vivo, a Chinese mobile handset manufacturer, first bagged the IPL title sponsorship for two years in 2015. Vivo retained the rights in 2017, signing a five-year contract and paying about US$341 million.

Between 2018-22, IPL also roped Paytm, the mobile wallet company, as the of-

ficial Umpires Partner (an on-ground sponsor) for an undisclosed amount. One of the main investors in Paytm is Alibaba, a Chinese e-commerce company.

Posting a late tweet on Friday, the BCCI just said it would review the IPL sponsorship deals, but did not name exactly which ones.

This development comes one day after BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal said that although the board was open to reviewing any future deals (post 2022), the current contract with Vivo was not likely to be scrapped.

"When you talk emotionally, you tend to leave the rationale behind," Dhumal told PTI on Thursday. "We have to understand the difference between supporting a Chinese company for a Chinese cause and taking help from a Chinese company to support India's cause.

"When we are allowing Chinese companies to sell their products in India, whatever money they are taking from Indian consumers, they are paying part of it to the BCCI (as brand promotion), and the board is paying 42 percent tax on that money to the Indian Government. So that is sup-

porting India's cause, and not China's," he said.

The BCCI had recently postponed the IPL indefinitely, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has already been stressed about losing close to INR 4000 crore (US$0.53 billion approximately) in case the IPL does not take place this year.

The BCCI has been waiting for the ICC to make up its mind on the men's T20 World Cup, which is scheduled for October-November in Australia, but is likely to be postponed, with Cricket Australia preferring to host the tournament in 2021.

(Cricinfo)

up by bringing on Demarai Gray for the disappointing Harvey Barnes, while the introduction of Hamza Choudhury allowed Leicester to reassert themselves in midfield. The mood changed, and Watford escaped when Marc Albrighton cracked a fierce shot against the woodwork. Moments later, Maddison saw a low drive pushed away by Foster.

Leicester were pushing hard, and they took the lead when Chiwell, showing why Chelsea want him, popped up on the left before finding the far corner with a rising drive in the 90th minute. It was a special goal, and it should have been enough, but Dawson had other ideas. (Guardian)

Mashrafe Mortaza, Nazmul Islam, Nafees Iqbal test positive for COVID-19

M

ashrafe Mortaza, left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam, and opener Nafees Iqbal have tested positive for COVID-19 in Bangladesh.

Mortaza, 36, is currently in the capital, Dhaka, after undergoing the test earlier this week. A member of parliament, he had been quite active with humanitarian efforts during the pandemic, especially in his hometown and constituency of Narail.

Mortaza posted about testing positive on his Facebook page on Saturday evening local time, saying: "Today my COVID-19 results came as positive. Everyone please pray for my quick recovery.

The number of infected has now crossed one lakh. We all have to become more careful. Let's all stay at home, and not get out unless it is necessary. I am abiding by the protocol at home.

Rather than panic, we need to raise awareness about corona."

Mortaza only plays ODIs at international level and had stepped down from captaincy earlier this year.

Islam was also heavily involved in distributing food and other supplies in his hometown of Narayanganj, one of the worst-hit areas in Bangladesh Islam, 28 and the youngest of the three, has played one Test, five ODIs and 13 T20Is since his international debut in 2018.

Iqbal, 34, has played 11 Tests and 16 ODIs COVID-19 cases have crossed 100,000 in Bangladesh, with over 1400 deaths, and the Government is now planning an area-wise lockdown.

Bangladesh were scheduled to tour Sri Lanka in July for three Tests (part of World Test Championship), and later host New Zealand in August. Neither series looks likely now.

The Asia Cup, scheduled for September, is also uncertain currently, and this could leave the Bangladesh players without any cricket in the near future. (Cricinfo)

30

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020

Always be on the money ꟷ says Rahkeem Cornwall explained: “In my first Test, I bowled to Rahane, and he is a good player of spin.

Once I was bowling my stock deliveries and my best deliveries, I was being played with an understanding; he understood where I am coming from. So, all I had to do now was to be patient and wait until whoever make a mistake.

ꟷ margin for error very slim in Test cricket

W

est Indies selectors have always believed the 27-year-old offspinner Rahkeem Cornwall to be a special talent. Four years ago, in a tour game against the visiting Indian side, Cornwall picked up the wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, and prompted Kohli to request his presence in the nets before the Tests.

When he made his Test debut last year, at home against India, Cornwall bowled long spells and impressed against the strong Indian batting line-up.

He then picked up a tenfor in his second Test, against Afghanistan in Lucknow last November.

Cornwall is part of the 14man West Indies squad touring England for the three-Test series beginning in July. In the following interview, Cornwall talks about the England tour, understanding his bowling, and his big batting ambitions.

Q: How proud a moment is this for you, to be on the England tour?

A: It is exciting! (It’s) Always good to be back to play cricket.

It was a long break, (and I am) excited to get into English conditions to start this Test series. It is always a proud moment for anyone that makes the West Indies team.

It’s an honour, so you just have to go there, perform, and make sure you be in the team for a long period.

Q: Growing up, was England always a special place for you in terms of Test cricket?

A: It is a good, challenging cricket territory. I played there once for West Indies A team [in 2018]. Growing up, I watched a lot of Ashes series. So, it is good to go there [now] and play there.

No, I don’t need to pinch myself; I just see it as another tour (in which I should) do the right things and the results will come in the end.

Q: Did you have to think hard before saying ‘yes’ to touring?

A: Just a few calls and a few checks to make sure everything is safe; safety comes first. Once I was comfortable with all the necessary checks that the West Indies Board had done, I was ready to go on the tour.

Q: This must be a big moment for your family. Were they nervous about it?

A: I have three sisters and two brothers. We live with our parents. They have always given me love and support for me to go out and perform. We all were on the same page, waiting on CWI [Cricket West Indies] to give us information to see if it is comfortable or not to go. We were not nervous; we were just trying to be safe before we make a decision.

Cornwall also disclosed the following: “In my first Test, I bowled to (Ajinkya) Rahane, and he is a good player of spin. Once I was bowling my stock deliveries and my best deliveries, he understood where I am coming from. Then I needed to be patient and wait for a mistake.”

Q: Last year was one to cherish for you: you made your Test debut in Kingston, against India, and then took ten wickets in the Lucknow Test against Afghanistan, where you did better than even Rashid Khan on a pitch Afghanistan had made to suit their spinstrong bowling attack. How did that feel?

A: It was a proud moment for me, getting my first fivewicket haul in Test cricket. I just knew that, going to India, probably the surfaces there would suit my type of bowling; and so I just went there and put the ball in the right areas, and tried to be as consistent as I can.

It was a special year for me. For a few years, I was very close to making the team, it was just a matter of when. I didn’t imagine I would pick up a ten-wicket haul in my second Test match, but I knew I was capable enough to do those kinds of things. So, it is not a really big surprise to me.

Q: Can you tell us about your first Test wicket Cheteshwar Pujara?

A: He is a player that plays spin well. He looks to use his feet to the spinners.

So, basically, I was trying to keep him in the crease, and I got a little bit of bounce and he cut it to backward point.

(It) probably catch ‘im a little bit off guard in terms of the bounce, Yeah!

Q: In fact, you also got Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane out in a warm-up match before the previous Test series in 2016.

A: That was in a President’s XI game in St Kitts. I got a five-wicket haul in that game as well. I got Kohli lbw and Rahane caught bat-pad. They were basic off-spin deliveries with just a little bit of bounce.

I also got Pujara bowled in that match - he was attempting a sweep shot.

Q: Kohli asked for you specifically to bowl to him in the nets before that Test series started. What was that like?

A: I see it as a breakthrough moment for me where one of the best batsmen in the world is asking for me to come to bowl to him in the nets.

Fielding is something (on which) I put in a lot of hard work. I am a very good catcher.

I catch the ball well at slips, even midwicket or short cover” (Randy Brooks / © AFP/Getty

Images) Q : What do you learn f r o m bowling against such batsmen?

A: You learn a lot. A lot of patience, [that you need to] stick to line and length consistently, rather than being all over the place.

A: normal break.

My off-

Q: You have now bowled more than 100 overs in Test cricket.

What have you learned?

And what do you think you need to work on?

Q: How did your bowling action develop?

A: I bowl like that from ever since I know myself, and I go from strength to strength.

Q: As a spinner, would you say your height is one of your assets?

A: That is one of my biggest strengths, but I also get a lot of bounce as well. And the way how I impart spin on the ball. Yes, control is a very big part of my bowling.

Q: Has anybody helped you with your bowling?

A: I did a lot of work with Mushtaq Ahmed. That was in 2019. We had a two-week bowling camp when I learned a lot of different things from him about spin-bowling. He didn’t really change much, he just worked on what I already had, to see how best we can create that off-spinning art, and we just go from there.

Q: (Sir) Curtly Ambrose came out in support of you after former West Indies offspinner Lance Gibbs was critical of your bowling action.

He said, “Let them see you can get the job done in your own way and you own style.” Were you encouraged by that?

A: Okay. No, I never heard what he [Ambrose] said. Once you know how to master the craft, why would you want to change it? I just stick to what I know.

Cornwall also disclosed, “I’m not too far. I think my batting technique is very good.

Just a couple more things that I need to iron out. I am capable enough to do the job for my team.”

Q: Can you talk about how you find a bowling rhythm?

A: Once you get your mechanics right and everything in line, your rhythm will fall in place. Shoulders, the way how I set up my bowling side to land the ball in the right areas. In the Afghanistan Test, I had good rhythm. The ball was coming nicely out of my hands. I enjoyed that.

Cornwall,

Q: What is your stock delivery?

further,

A: Test cricket and first-class cricket are two different types of cricket. (In) Test cricket, you have to be more patient. You are bowling to better players, so you have to be smarter and more putting the ball in the right areas consistently. In first-class cricket, probably you can get away with one or two bad balls, but in Test cricket the margin is very slim, so you have to be consistent and always be on the money.

Q: After the ten-for against Afghanistan, you said you expected to score a Test century before getting a fivefor. What did you mean?

A: My batting is going to be a big part of my career. I’m capable enough of scoring runs, so I just have to work hard on my batting and do the right things that I know I can do with the bat, and maybe I come up a full-blown allrounder.

A: There’s no doubt about it, I am a big guy, but I have to put in work. I don’t really get too bogged down and lazy about it. I spend a lot of time on my fitness. Try to eat properly.

Q: Does the focus on your body size and weight distract you or mentally hurt you?

A: I don’t really study what other people say. I know what I can do, and I know what I need to do. So, I just focus on that, and leave the rest.

“A lot of people underestimate me because of my size. I fool a lot of people, especially bowling from my height and getting a lot of spin.

Q: You said that a couple of years ago to the Antigua Observer. Does that still hold true?

Q: When it comes to your fitness, what are the things you focus on?

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Q: You have 300-plus wickets in 62 first-class matches with 19 five-fors. Do you think you are underappreciated despite the good numbers?

A: Not really, the numbers speak; I just have to keep building as my career goes on. I have to cherish my performance. Celebrate with my team-mates. You just have to stick to basics, and stay calm and go about your business.

Q: And are you calm at all times?

Q: Pitches in England are not spin-friendly, but you have played there before, with West Indies A. Do you reckon (that), because of that and the bounce you generate, you hold the upper hand?

A: It is a little of both. You have to have both to do the job.

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A: I got the knee surgeries in December 2019. I am getting back there. My knees are way better than before. I had to get the surgery done because of an old injury.

A: I’m not too far. I think my technique is very good.

Just a couple more things that I need to iron out. I am capable enough to do the job for my team.

Q: Is it those big hands plus reflexes?

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Q: You recently had surgery on both your knees. In terms of intensity, where are you right now?

A: I am this calm from day one, that’s how I know myself from ever. Hold your composure and do your thing.

A: Fielding is something I put a lot of hard work into. I am a very good catcher. I catch the ball well at slips, even midwicket or short cover. I am trying to master areas, and see how best I can contribute in the field. During training I do a lot of catching. Just make sure you keep your eyes on the ball right through.

FOR LEASE

A: Yeah. Nothing has really changed. I just have to work from strength to strength.

Q: You have spoken about having the ability to be a toporder batsman. How far away from that goal are you?

Q: You are an amazing slip fielder. Does it come naturally?

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A: England is not really spinner-friendly, but if you put in the work, you’ll get some result. If the weather is dry, you will get spin. You just have to be consistent; and with different bounce, line and length, you will be good.

Q: What will be the key for you to be effective?

A: Patience. Consistency.

Keep at it for long periods.

Q: Finally, what did your family tell you before you left the Caribbean?

A: Stay safe, and enjoy your cricket. Once you enjoy your cricket, success will come.

(Cricinfo)

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31

Chase sets sights on building stock in challenging UK conditions

By Brandon Corlette

W

est Indies all-rounder Roston Chase is seeking to build his stocks and rise in the rankings against England in challenging conditions.

In his virtual press conference on Saturday, Chase disclosed that he is willing to play whatever role the team requires him to play. With Rahkeem Cornwall being the other spin option in the West Indies squad, Chase will certainly have a huge role to play.

With UK conditions favouring the seamers, Chase may be pipped to play as the lone spin option in the team, and he is likely to bowl more.

Bowling against England has not been an issue for Chase. In a Test match against the same opponent, Chase grabbed eight wickets in an innings in Bridgetown, Barbados.

Sharing his sentiments on the role he is expected to play with the ball alongside the four-pronged pace attack, Chase had this to say: “Yea, I am willing to do what it takes for my team, for us, to be successful.

The last time we came to England, it’s something I had to do a bit, so it’s not new to me. I am looking forward for that challenge if it presents itself, if we go with a four-pronged pace attack, but if not, I’ll still contribute.”

Speaking on the significance of this tour, Chase said he believes that once you do well on this tour, your stock as a cricketer rises on the International scene.

“I am always looking to do well in England, just to take up your rankings in World Cricket,” Chase posited.

Chase celebrating his fifth Test ton

Chase et al relishing the monumental moment when he grabbed eight wickets

The 28-year-old, who has played in 32 Tests, described his Test match against England, wherein he took eight wickets, as the best he played.

“It was a great series that we won 2-1. It was the start of something good. We wanted to go 3-0, but it’s good to look back on that and have this ongoing in the series,” he said.

Chase believes that this West Indies bowling attack is one of the better line-ups in World Cricket, so England will have something to think about.

A Barbadian, Chase has no problem with Cornwall, who hails from Antigua and Barbuda, being the number one spinner in the squad; he says that once the team is moving in the right direction, that is priority.

Chase has had experience playing in England, and has since developed into a fine batting all-rounder.

With the absence of Darren Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer, Chase is uncertain about his batting position in this series.

Reflecting on his batting performance against England in the Caribbean, where he scored

160 runs, Chase countered the Englishmen with his strengths.

“The England attack is a world class attack, so patience is key. You can look to dominate, but you have to try wear them down.”

The men in maroon are set to play two practice matches, and Chase believes the team has to take this as seriously as possible, since this is the only preparation outside of net training. With the ball swinging more in the UK, Chase believes that playing late is an essential asset.

“In England, you have to stay

more side-on as a batsman,” he said.

Speaking of stocks, Chase has 1695 Test runs at an average of 31.3. He has five Test centuries and seven half-centuries. In the bowling department, the tall off-spinner took his 59 scalps at an average of 42. His best bowling figure is 8-60, which includes the two five-wicket hauls at this level. He is currently ranked 50 with the bat in Tests and 33 with the ball in the longest format. This middle order batsman, in a home series against India, bowled more overs than anyone else in India’s only innings, to finish with figures of 5 for 121; and he batted through all of the fifth day to score an unbeaten 137 and lead his side to an improbable draw.

In only his second Test, Chase had become only the fourth West Indian, after Denis Atkinson, Collie Smith and Sir Garfield Sobers, to take a five-wicket haul and score a hundred in the same Test match.

Philo Wallace tips Cornwall to GFF President make big impact against England congratulates Martin Braithwaite Christensen F

W

ayne Forde, President of the Guyana Football Federation, has extended congratulations to Martin Braithwaite Christensen, who scored his maiden goal on June 13 while playing for his new club, FC Barcelona.

The forward, who holds dual Danish-Guyanese citizenship, achieved the goal against Spanish Football Club RCB Mallorca following an assist from Lionel Messi.

In a message to the player via the Danish Football Association, Forde expressed delight at the news and the possibility of hosting him in Guyana.

“We were excited to learn about his transfer, and continue to follow his performance at the Club. Please let him know that I wish him well, and look forward to welcoming him to Guyana sometime in the future.”

In response, Braithwaite Christensen shared his appreciation: “Thank you for your kind words; they are much appreciated. I’m looking forward to going to Guyana and meeting all of you.”

The 29-year-old Braithwaite Christensen is the designated ambassador of the GFF and Danish FA’s partnership. He was scheduled to visit Guyana in July 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, his visit along with other aspects of mobilizing the relations, is now being rescheduled.

This player, who joined FC Barcelona in February 2020 on a four-year contract, also plays for the Danish National team.

ormer West Indies batsman Philo Wallace believes the inclusion of spinner Rahkeem Cornwall could yet be a masterstroke if the player manages to break into the final matchd a y squad.

Cornwall was named as part of a 14-man squad for the tour of England, as the regional team returns to international cricket next month for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic struck.

With the series still some

weeks away, there is yet to be any indication of an official starting line-up, but Wallace believes the pick should include Cornwall.

“I think Cornwall is going to be our match-winner because he is the man that is going to apply the pressure. I like him, he is skilful. He is a skilful bowler and he is smart. I think he can be the trump in England,” Wallace told the Mason and Guest radio programme.

Wallace believes

Cornwall should be used as part of a six-man bowling line-up that would also include four fast bowlers.

The combination, he believes, would also have the benefit of adding a deep batting line-up.

The off-spinner has played two Test matches for the West Indies so far, claiming three wickets against India on debut before claiming a five-wicket haul in a one-off Test against Afghanistan. “I would play four fast bowlers: Jason Holder, Kemar Roach, Alzzari Joseph, Chemar Holder, and those two spinners, Cornwall and Chase.

When you look at those six bowlers, four of those six bowlers can bat…so you are still playing with long batting,” Wallace said.

“It’s time that Cornwall recognises his ability as a batsman. He has only played a few matches, but you have to give him the confidence that he can go out there and bat.”

SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020

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Chase sets sights Mashrafe Mortaza, on building stock Nazmul Islam, Nafees Iqbal test in challenging positive for UK conditions COVID-19 Pg 31

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Philo Wallace tips Cornwall to make big impact against England

GFF President congratulates Martin Braithwaite Christensen

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