Guyana Times - Thursday, April 30, 2020

ExxonMobil, partners P give $60M to Guyana’s COVID-19 fight

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

Issue No. 4271

THE BEACON OF TRUTH THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020

PRICE

GECOM, APNU/AFC destruction of democracy: Day 59

No recount date in sight Page 7

…Caricom observer team no longer arriving today …Chairperson reviewing options for live stream

Guyana's COVID-19 …but questions science, cases jump to 78 rationale behind directive

Businesses willing to assist GECOM with 33,000 masks – GCCI

See story on page 3

Page 10

Ganja-trafficking boat collision...

Bodies of 4 missing men recovered from Berbice River Page 14

Dead: Freeman Denheart

Dead: Romario Denheart

Dead: Julian Mc Kenzie

Page 8

Man who breached curfew punished by "standing and displaying the curfew notice"

Private Sector calls on Govt to provide emergency economic relief See story on page 2

…demands payroll subsidies, bailouts, tax waivers

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Guyana expects 1st 2% oil royalty payment P10 today …to be deposited into Natural Resource Fund

Grenade, P9 bulletproof vest, Army clothes found in dog pen Go ahead and plant, fuel P15 available – Armogan tells rice farmers

Political crisis afflicting P9 national response to COVID-19 pandemic – re-elected GCCI President

Still no trace of prison P8 escapees

2 NEWS Private Sector calls on Govt to provide emergency economic relief THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…demands payroll subsidies, bailouts, tax waivers

PSC Chairman Gerry Gouveia

T

he Private Sector Commission (PSC) has written to the National Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Task Force requesting consideration of a swathe of emergency economic relief measures including payroll subsidies and unemployment payments; in addition to bailouts for small businesses, a reduction of fuel prices and waivers or postponement of a number of taxes, including Value Added Tax (VAT).

The emergency measures were submitted to Task Force Chairman Moses Nagamootoo by PSC Chairman Gerry Gouveia.

Gouveia, in the PSC’s let-

ter, said that the proposals were made “amidst concerns of the global pandemic of the COVID-19”.

Among the economic support measures being called for by the business community is liquidity support for banks and loans and financing for businesses in addition to the administrative relief on a range of statutory obligations and payments.

The PSC Chairman had prefaced the demands by pointing out to Nagamootoo that “countries around the world are grappling with the effects and taking precautionary measures to deal with the crisis which it engenders”.

Among the measures being called for by the PSC aimed at cushioning the economic impacts of COVID-19 for the average worker and citizen is for the Administration to immediately raise the threshold to accommodate no taxation for employees in vulnerable sectors who were sent off the job from $65,000 to $100,000.

This in addition to removing removal of mortgage interests and payments for the period.

The PSC also called on

Caretaker President David Granger

the Task Force Chairman to facilitate the reduction of the spread at commercial banks, “that is the difference between the lending rate and the savings rate of interest”.

Additionally, the business support organisation called for the immediate removal of VAT from all food items, detergents and all household, medical and other cleansers.

Gouveia said too that there should be the removal of VAT from essential services including data.

Among the substantive measures called for by the PSC is the temporary removal of the requirement to pay income and corporation tax-

es up front.

He said too that there should be “emergency funding for small businesses at risk of closure” in addition to the extending of the time to pay utility bills and hire purchase debts.

Additionally, the PSC said there also needed to be a reduction in the excise taxes on fuel.

Addressing support measures aimed at the business community specifically, the PSC Chairman said there needed to be firstly a 100 per cent deduction of taxes for items that have been given to the national COVID-19 fight by businesses.

He said too there needed to be a rescheduling of loans and mortgages in addition to the relaxing of overdraft facilities.

Gouveia said that the PSC would also like to see the relaxing of regulations in order to “classify (a) loan as non-performing”.

Speaking to broad proposals aimed at cushioning the economic effects of COVID-19, Gouveia in his missive to the Task Force petitioned for the complete removal of taxes on Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)

Task Force Chairman Moses Nagamootoo

such as face masks, gowns, gloves and other such apparatus used in the fight against the global pandemic.

He said that private hospitals should also be allowed to bring in ventilators without taxes and that labs too should be allowed to import COVID-19 testing kits “without taxes”.

The PSC Chair also said that the Task Force should consider a reduction in fuel prices by removing the tax component.

This was so that the public transportation sector could benefit, with a corresponding reduction in fares, according to Gouveia.

Additionally, the PSC

GRA Commissioner General Godfrey Statia

Chairman said utility companies should defer payments and/or reduce by those payments by at least 50 per cent.

These among other measures proposed to the Nagamootoo chaired Task Force “would touch the mass of our population instantly”, Gouveia said.

Additionally, the business umbrella representative body called for the postponement of the filing of income and corporation taxes until the end of September “provided that the current COVID-19 situation is brought under control by then”.

3 Guyana’s COVID-19 cases jump to 78 NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, April 29 – 09:00h – 10:30h and Thursday, April 30 – 09:30h – 11:00h.

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FERRY SCHEDULE

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Winds: East North-Easterly to North-Easterly between 1.34 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 09:30h and 22:30h reaching maximum heights of 2.27 metres and 2.15 metres.

Low Tide: 15:48h reaching a minimum height of 0.93 metre.

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G

uyana has recorded three more coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases, bringing the country’s total to 78 cases – a majority of which are from Georgetown communities.

This was revealed by caretaker Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence during her daily update on Wednesday.

She noted that while the number of COVID-19related deaths remained at eight, the number of persons considered recovered from the life-threatening disease thus far has increased to 18. Currently, there are three persons in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Additionally, the number of persons tested to date has also climbed to 519, of which 441 were negative.

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

with our families, wearing a mask, washing our hands regularly, and finding new hobbies and routines have become the new norm. Many of us are finding it hard to adjust. The stress associated with this period is manifesting in different ways for some of us; lack of sleep, constant fear, anger, confusion, frustration, anxiety, and depression are what we face daily,” she stated.

According to Dr Thomas,

that can be done with ease.

This, she explained, will reduce stress and increase their sense of achievement, which will then give them the opportunity and drive to focus on the larger tasks.

She added too that persons should set aside time for themselves every day. “…when you neglect your personal time, everything else suffers. So, find the time to look after you.

Include restarting old hobbies such as reading, cook-

and connectedness brings a feeling of security and contentment which is very important in preventing depression.

Exercise, sleep, and eat healthily every day, Dr Thomas added, as these were powerful stress busters and natural anti-depressants.

She also suggested persons journaling twice per week about things they were grateful for, as this practice has been shown to

in order to cope with all these different challenges, persons should ensure that they are talking to someone they trust about their problems, thoughts, and feelings.

“Even if that person cannot solve the problem, just talking sometimes is enough. A problem shared is a problem halved. When we talk about a problem, our brain releases chemicals which ease the symptoms of stress. Vice versa, we must be ready to listen to others so that they too can have the same benefits.

Listen without being judgmental or forcing persons to talk,” she stressed.

The Mental Health Director further explained that persons should know about the help available to them especially in their communities. These include: the religious groups, non-governmental organisations, the health-care facilities where healthcare workers are found, Ministries and other Government departments, clubs, etc.

Dr Thomas went on to note that persons should set aside unrealistic tasks that they may not be able to complete and instead, prioritise focus on those

ing, sewing, playing a musical instrument, knitting, board games, art, decorating, gardening, keeping pets, listening to music among other things,” she suggested.

The Mental Health Director also recommended that persons stay connected with family, friends, workmates and whatever clubs, organisations or social groups they may belong to. She explained that fulfilment of basic social needs such as love, belonging

have powerful positive effects on emotional well-being.

Moreover, it was noted that help can be sought from the Mental Health Unit or any other healthcare worker to relieve persons of their anxiety and help them to cope.

Meanwhile, Lawrence added that the Public Health Ministry stood ready to provide psychosocial support for persons who are desirous of this service.

Hotspots

Meanwhile, Lawrence went on to note that Georgetown continues to be the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak here in Guyana.

Positive cases have been identified in Kitty, Sophia, Turkeyen, Liliendaal, Cummings Lodge, Alberttown and Cummingsburg. Cases were also located in Bourda, Lamaha Park, South Ruimveldt, and Thirst Park. “…you would note from the areas listed that the coronavirus disease is in several of the densely populated areas in our city.

We need to stop and take stock of this situation; you must adhere to the guidelines provided or we will be in a situation that we cannot control,” the caretaker Public Health Minister stated.

Lawrence further reminded of how Guyana suffered during the Spanish flu period, noting that no one wanted a repeat of this.

The Public Health Ministry continued to highlight the impact of the coronavirus on the most vulnerable populations. It recognises that mental health and wellness are important for persons to survive this crisis.

Mental health

During Wednesday’s update, Director of the Mental Health Unit at the Ministry, Dr Util Thomas noted that everyone was affected in some way or the other by COVID-19.

“We have been forced to adapt to a new lifestyle to protect ourselves and our loved ones. Staying at home

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THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

COVID-19 and workers

W

ith the end of the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic being nowhere in sight, a recent report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has reminded us of the massive economic and social impacts the virus is having, and will continue to have, on almost every aspect of human existence, especially as it relates to the world’s workforce.

Based on its projections, the ILO said that some 1.6 billion people employed in the informal economy – or nearly half the global workforce - could see their livelihoods destroyed due to the continued decline in working hours brought on by lockdowns to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The findings appear in the ILO Monitor’s third edition: ‘COVID-19 and the world of work’, released on Wednesday. According to the report, globally, there are some 3.3 billion workers. Two billion have jobs in the informal economy, representing the most vulnerable workers in the labour market.

Due to lockdowns, or because they work in hard-hit sectors, these workers globally have seen a 60 per cent drop in income during the first month of the crisis, according to ILO estimates. This translates into a more-than-80 per cent decline in Africa and the Americas, 70 per cent in Europe and Central Asia, and 21.6 per cent in Asia and the Pacific.

The UN agency also estimated that, compared to pre-crisis levels, there will be a 10.5 per cent deterioration in working hours during this second quarter (Q2) of the year, equivalent to 305 million full-time jobs. This makes it very critical for the world’s most vulnerable workers to be protected and given the kind of support that is so badly needed.

On its part, the ILO has urged countries to implement “urgent, targeted and flexible measures” to support both workers and businesses, particularly smaller enterprises and those in the informal economy.

The agency also stressed that international co-ordination on stimulus packages and debt relief measures would be critical to making recovery effective and sustainable.

While many countries around the world have justifiably instituted partial or full lockdown and other measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, most of them have taken steps to provide relief measures to citizens, so as to avoid much bigger social and economic problems. These governments are well aware that families and businesses would need some form of support to cushion the impact of such drastic measures.

In the coming days, we will perhaps see the largest increase in the number of persons who are laid off from their jobs in recent history in Guyana. Every sector, including tourism, manufacturing, services, retail and financial, will continue to be severely affected.

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, we had already seen the laying off of thousands of workers in the sugar belt by the APNU/ AFC Administration. Those workers were already facing extremely tough times, as there was no system put in place to cater for the accompanying economic and social problems brought on by the closure of the estates etc.

The caretaker Government of Guyana has thus far not done anything of substance to assist families and businesses. The ‘relief’ it has offered in the form of food hampers has been fraught with corruption, favouritism, and mismanagement.

At the moment, thousands of persons are unemployed; prices for basic food commodities have gone up, and are rising steadily; the utility companies continue to send bills that must be paid; households are forced to purchase additional items, such as sanitizers and medical supplies, to protect themselves against the coronavirus; and small businesses are forced to close etc.

We support the calls being made for immediate action to be taken by the relevant stakeholders to cushion the impact of the coronavirus on individuals and businesses. The Private Sector Commission (PSC) in particular has, as recently as Wednesday, made a number of recommendations for the authorities to urgently consider. These include tax relief measures for individuals and businesses, and other forms of support.

All of the measures being recommended by the various stakeholders are aimed at minimizing the impact of the virus on businesses and families.

The nation is hoping that the authorities would act swiftly and respond favourably to these requests. Government cannot expect to impose certain lockdown measures on the population without giving thought to the impact these restrictions would have on individuals and businesses.

Mandy Alison walks through more than 125,000 birthday cards sent to Captain Tom Moore for his 100th birthday on April 30, but displayed in the Great Hall of Bedford School, which has been closed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Bedford, north of London (AFP photo)

Guyana’s new mini-series, ‘election in focus’, now showing Dear Editor, Is this real fear of compromised staff and delaying tactics employed by GECOM that has forced over 6,500 Guyanese to sign a petition asking the US Government to impose sanctions on individuals who have been trying to subvert the tabulation process, and therefore deprive the democratic rights of people to have a government of their choice?

Guyanese remain skeptical about the impending recount process. It is strange that top officials at GECOM have not been formally advice of the arrival of the high-level delegation from Caricom when the country’s National COVID-19 Task Force announced that it had approved a request from Caricom for officials to travel to Guyana on Thursday April 30, 2020 for the purpose of overseeing the recount of the ballots by Gecom. This is a clear indication that the right hand doesn’t have any idea what the left hand is up to, or they are trying to make us all fools. This is part of the rigging manual.

I really hope that sanctions would force GECOM and the APNU-AFC cabal to walk straight and allow a fair count, and declare the true winner.

General elections were held on March 2,2020, and, eight weeks later, the APNUAFC caretaker regime, in

collusion with GECOM, is delaying the recount process negotiated by Caricom and agreed upon by the APNUAFC and Opposition Peoples Progressive’s Party/Civic leadership, and supported by eight other parties.

The proposed duration of the recount is 25 days, with no start date being provided by GECOM. There are serious questions about the credibility of some senior GECOM staff who have been involved in attempts to rig the results. The public trust is severely damaged, and Guyanese are fearful that the recount process would not be credible and transparent.

Guyanese have rallied and concluded that enough is enough, and they have therefore moved to sign a petition seeking the United States’ assistance in imposing personal sanctions on identified PNC-AFC and GECOM operatives. Guyanese never wanted this option, but the recalcitrance of APNU-AFC, in collusion with GECOM, has forced Guyanese to take this necessary action. The petition was delivery to the US Ambassador. Another was also delivered simultaneously to the US Secretary of State.

Guyanese also ask for the invocation of Resolution 1080 of the OAS Charter.

Our Citizens’ patience and forbearance have been tried,

violated, and extended to the limit by GECOM and APNU/ AFC, who have continually demonstrated a reluctance to bring an end to the March 2, 2020 election.

The hardship and the insecurity that APNU-AFC and GECOM have inflicted upon every Guyanese have been noticed by the international community and others. We must have a credible outcome to these elections.

We are all concerned that so much time has elapsed without a credible result. Further delays violate the Guyanese people’s rights to a transparent, credible, and timely electoral process.

These results should have been declared fifteen days after the elections. It is now 58 days after March 02,2020 and we have not even begun the recount as yet.

This has become a mini-series with various episodes, with the latest episode being the 33,000 face masks required for the recount team to do the job. Are you kidding me? This elections recount is hampered by so many obsolesces being imposed by the APNU-AFC caretaker Government and GECOM. As we look around, we can see Guyanese in fear of two elements: the coronavirus (COVID-19) and this travesty of injustice which seems to continue indefinitely and can bring this na-

tion under dictatorship if we don’t come to an early conclusion of these elections.

The People’s progressive Party/Civic had requested that several measures be put in place to secure transparency; such as public streaming, and for the process to be overlooked by an audit firm. These requests were all denied by the GECOM Chairwoman and the APNUAFC commissioners. The PPP/C, along with numerous groups, expresses fear due to the repetition of the PNCR’s past at electoral rigging.

GECOM’s reluctance to implement the appropriate transparency could lead to fraud. After numerous delays caused by several logistical issues, improvised hurdles, and the COVID-19 pandemic, Guyanese -- the Private Sector Commission among other entities -- are skeptical about the recount process as proposed by GECOM. The facts are apparent to all, or most Guyanese: that the PNCR Commissioners and other PNCR operatives are doing everything within their powers to sabotage the recount. Most Guyanese have lost all confidence in GECOM and the electoral system of Guyana, and are pessimistic about the outcome of the recount process.

Sincerely, David Adams

Gouveia, PSC doing national duty as a major civic society stakeholder Dear Editor, I noticed that some Peoples National Congress (PNC) zealots have come out of the woodwork to attack Mr Gerry Gouveia and the Private Sector Commission (PSC) for their advocacy for the elections’ process to be completed speedily and transparently.

In my view, at a time of grave national crisis -- when Guyana is at its lowest point and about to implode from

threats to its democracy by the know PNC rigging machine, aided and abetted by the GECOM, whose constitutional duty is to be an honest broker running clean elections -the PSC is doing its civic duty and God’s will, as any moral person or entity should do.

When others in civic society, such as the major churches and others, are silent or complicit with the PNC rigging apparatus, the PSC is

doing exactly as it should be doing as a major civic society entity. We would be disappointed if they were not advocating far and near for a quick resolution to the political instability which affects job safety and security, and public health.

In matters of justice and fair play, there is no neutrality, no uncrossable line. When there is political instability, it is the business commu-

nity that takes the brunt of the PNC’s access to urban violence and “slo fire, mo fire” strategies. The PSC knows that once PNC street violence is unleashed, as has been the PNC’s history at election time, the PNC’s “night duty” crew, as they were called by Ms. Volda, would create havoc, burning down businesses owned by perceived supporters of the PPP. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020

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Face mask ruse is another bizarre excuse to delay, corrupt the recount Dear Editor, Two weekends ago, GECOM insisted it could not indicate a start date for the recount because it was awaiting the Moses Nagamootooled COVID-19 Task Force’s instructions. This past weekend, GECOM declared it was awaiting word from CARICOM when its HighLevel Team would be available.

CARICOM called the GECOM bluff and said the team would arrive on Thursday. I was waiting to see what the excuse would be for this weekend, for I am certain that GECOM will come up with another contrived bogus excuse to not start the recount.

There was more than a hint yesterday when it was revealed that the COVID-19 Task Force had issued bizarre directives that GECOM must provide face masks for all those participating in the recount, and that the face masks be changed every 30 to 60 minutes. This means GECOM needs more than

33,000 face masks, and up to 66,000 face masks, and even more if the recount exceeds 25 days.

Well, Guyana does not have that large number of face masks available. Just this morning, I arranged for a few doctors and some health centre nurses to obtain face masks, since the GPHC and the Ministry of Public Health were unable to provide them with face masks. The Irfaan Ali-led National MultiStakeholders Forum provided the GPHC staff with 1,500 PPE packages last week, but aside from the team working directly with COVID-19 patients, other staff members must use the same face masks all day, whenever they are provided with masks, and some are told they must reuse them too.

That those who would be engaged in the recount must wear face masks is not in dispute, not a debatable subject. As a former Minister of Health, I would have demanded it. From perusing the outrage emanating from

the news of 66,000 face masks for the recount exercise, I did not see anyone objecting to the use of face masks. The outrage is about the requirement for changing every 30 minutes or every 60 minutes.

I have checked all the guidelines, from the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) to the US CDC’s. I cannot find any guideline that led to this recommendation.

The COVID-19 Task Force in Guyana supposedly visited the Convention Centre on April 20 and made this recommendation for GECOM, but it is only now being forwarded. I know most of the members of that public health team that made the recommendation. Many of them worked with me, and I know they cannot stand before me, look me in the eyes and justify that recommendation. They and their CMO know they would have had to include the scientific evidence to back up that recommendation.

I have looked up for an example of this, and I can-

not find one anywhere in the world. It is not good enough to say “but this is Guyana”, where we like to be the first in stupidity. After all, we were the first ones to require a bunch of international judges to tell us that 33 is more than 32. We are also now the first ones that require more than 60 days and counting to count 450,000 votes.

Other countries count a billion votes in less than a week. South Korea had an election two weeks after us, and, on the same night that 17M people voted, they counted all the votes and swore in a President the next day. We cannot even start a recount after more than 40 days.

The team members that supposedly recommended masks be changed every thirty minutes themselves do not practise that at work.

Many staffers of the Ministry of Public Health, staff members working under those very people, do not even wear masks. When they do, they do not change their masks every 30 minutes or every 60 min-

utes. Worse, the doctors and nurses -- high-risk workers -- do not change their masks every 30 to 60 minutes. How can a team make recommendations like this and not make it for the health workers?

Even as I am writing this note, I am being called by staff members of hospitals, asking for help to obtain masks for their use, since their hospitals are not providing enough to allow even one mask per day, and they are often told to reuse whatever they have.

But, for the recount, the COVID-19 Task Force, chaired by Moses Nagamootoo and with Joe Harmon as the CEO, demands that recount personnel must change masks every half-hour. This is a contrived demand, intended not for safety, but to create another roadblock to delay the recount.

Two things are likely to happen for this weekend to delay the recount: first, they will start a procure-

ment process and insist they must await the arrival of the masks; second, there will be a corrupt procurement transaction in which one of their pre-selected vendors will have an inflated-cost contract to supply the face masks.

This weekend, just like the last two weekends, we will be awaiting the removal of yet another roadblock in this unending journey of recounting the ballots, a task some second-graders could have completed in a few days.

The country that needed the CCJ to tell us that 33 is more than 32 is now confused, and cannot figure out how to start a recount. This is the country that set up a patient tent in the GPHC compound for a 24-hour use, but insist that recount personnel cannot safely use a tent in a secure, off-limit compound for the recount. Or is it that there are more sinister things on their reprehensible minds?

Sincerely, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

500 days since last Parliament; this Questions from abroad has never happened under PPP/C

Dear Editor, I have long been an admirer of Sherwood Lowe, and have held him up to be a role model for youths.

However, with this letter, he has made my hand fall badly.

All Guyanese know that the APNU/AFC have lost the elections; if they had won, we would have been drowned with calls from them for the release of SOPs, like they did in 2015. Little children are making fun of senior members of Government, who are no longer looked up to and held in high esteem. It hurts me to hear, “Rubbastamp!” when Moses Nagamootoo, our former Prime Minister, passes our house.

When Lowe talks about what a ‘second-term’ coalition Government must do, he should begin with ‘democratically elected’; after that, he may suggest as many fanciful ideas as he wants.

All the braggadocio in the world does not help, unless APNU/AFC starts produc-

ing Region 4 SOPs. Lowe also claims there were objections in regions Three, Five and Six. He should also know that those objections were dealt with, and boxes were recounted and settled. In the case of the APNU/AFC demand for a recount of the entire Region 5 vote, it was agreed to, and in one day, twenty boxes were counted using one counting station. The result was an additional 78 votes for the PPPC, and at that point, the APNU/AFC Counting Agent requested the recount be abandoned, as the APNU/AFC were no longer interested in pressing their claims.

Lowe claims that Stabroek News is being paranoid in suggesting that coalition agents will create confusion and chaos during the recount. I suggest we allow all of the counting stations to be live streamed, so we can avoid the blame game if/ when any disruption is attempted. Let the children

of the nation see who is doing what and why. I look forward to raising my children in a democratic society, where Government officials are called on to explain their actions in Parliament. It has been five hundred days since anyone last sat in that great building, and that has never happened under the PPPC. I am a firm believer that democracy needs multiple parties and a parliamentary system to function. I have switched allegiances between parties before, and may one day become disillusioned with the PPPC and back another party; but I will never switch to the deluded APNU/AFC. Newer parties have shown they share my belief in democracy, and I will be looking to them to be the conscience of the nation and keep the PPPC’s feet to the fire when they assume office after the recount.

Sincerely, Dellon Davidson

Country overrun by squatters Dear Editor, In a few days’ time we would have crossed another milestone: we would have completed two months without the official declaration of results for the election held in March 2020.

Guyana is presently without a Government, and is, as such, rudderless; without any chart or compass. We cannot go on like this forever, right now, our country is overrun by squatters. It is time to have the swearing in of the legitimate Government.

Helped by a corrupt Guyana Elections Commission, the squatters

are hell bent on maintaining their status quo as they stick doggedly fast to an illegal occupancy. This is unacceptable under any circumstance, and I firmly believe that it is high time for the International Community to act. Those First World countries that have the resources and means to do so should up the pressure on those who are obstructing the recount and holding democracy hostage.

I therefore join with the thousands in my country, and the thousands more in the diaspora, who are petitioning the ABCE commu-

nity of countries to institute selective sanctions on the obstructionists. Beginning with Granger and his illegal group of squatters, we should move over to the Chair of GECOM and those of her associates. I believe this would be the catalyst that would have the desired effect of spurring them into action. It would send that clear message that we want a transparent recount: one that is free from all political interference; one that would give credible results.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

Dear Editor, When my friends from abroad enquire about the elections in Guyana, and I tell them that we are still waiting on the results, their immediate reaction is shock and bewilderment.

Sometimes that leads to questions about the size of our population, and my answer often draws a chuckle. To save further embarrassment, I am then forced to describe what is

happening at GECOM. Their subsequent reaction can be summarised into the following three perplexing questions: 1) How is it that we have an undignified head of state who refuses to concede he lost the elections?

2)Why, in the first place, do we have such unprofessional and prejudiced people operating GECOM? 3)Why were the riggers, who attempted to fabricate the results in full view

of the public and the international community, not thrown behind bars?

I can tell that, despite my best efforts to explain that most Guyanese do not condone the rigging, my friends are still bemused; for, in their country, it is taken for granted that election officials are people of stature and integrity.

Sincerely, Ravi Ram

Gouveia, PSC doing...

That’s why the nation is always tense at election time; and tense now, some two months after elections were held.

It is interesting that GHK Lall; Beni Sankar - a long time PNC man; and Harris find it necessary to take a whack at the PSC and personally attack Mr. Gouveia.

The PSC, in its consistent position, had called on the PPP to concede in 2015, and had spoken out in previous elections; so you cannot say the PSC is aligned with the PPP. As Mr. Raffik of the PSC pointed out, the old PNC man Mr. Sankar my not have standing to say anything. GHK, who takes twice the column space than is necessary to make his point, seems divided within himself whether rigging should be condemned, or not. Notwithstanding he is not paid for his Gold Board job, GHK faithfully carries water for his political masters.

The PSC has not crossed any line. There is more for them to do in international lobbying for targeted sanctions as a swearing in of an illegal PNC President through rigging will destroy our economy, and the PSC is rightly concerned about

that.

PSC must continue what it is doing, and more; and who vex vex.

My biggest disappointment is that Mr Harris, an old PNC “New Nation,” man, who served well at a major newspaper that fights for liberty and justice, did not take long to go back to his old PNC roots, with his first column directed at PSC and the courageous Mr Gouveia.

Harris knows the international community would listen to a credible PSC repre-

FROM PAGE 4

senting major planks in the economy, so there is need to muddy the waters as to the PSC’s reasons for speaking out.

Mr. Harris, let people remember you as Editor-inChief of a mighty bastion for truth, not an apologist and lapdog for a disgraced PNC rigging machine. Don’t go the way of Moses, Khemraj, Clive, Rupert, Tacuma, Hinds, Lewis, and others.

Sincerely, Jerry Singh

6

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020

Page

Foundation

Guyana Times is pleased to publish the Education Ministry’s National Grade Six Assessment Past Papers. Below are English Paper 2, 2018 and the conclusion of Social Studies Paper 1, 2013.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL GRADE SIX ASSESSMENT

ENGLISH LANGUAGE READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.

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

3. Write your letter or composition on the pages provided in this booklet.

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

4. Write your candidate number on each page that you use.

2. Answer one question only, either from Section A or Section B. SECTION A Answer ONE question in this section OR ONE question in Section B. In about 120-150 words, write a letter based on the information below.

1. For the past three months, Mr Jones, who lives next door to your school, burns r his garbage twice each week while school is in session. Write a letter to Mr Jones in which you provide three reasons why he should discontinue this practice.

OR 2. There is a ban on the use of cellphones in schools in your country, but you see cellphones as a necessary tool for students to use. Write a letter to the Minister of Education in which you provide three reasons why she should remove the ban.

OR 3. Your pen pal from another country has never heard of the game called cricket. Write a letter to him/her in which you provide three reasons explaining why you consider cricket to be an exciting game.

OR 4. Your village has several attractions that you believe would be of interest to tourists.

You are given the opportunity to tell these tourists about the village. Write a letter for a tourist magazine in which you describe three areas of interest in your village for tourists to experience.

OR

SECTION B

Answer ONE question in this section if you have not answered a question in Section A. In about 120-150 words, write a composition based on the information given below.

5 . The girls were in the backyard happily enjoying a game of hopscotch when suddenly there was a very loud hissing sound coming from the bushes. Write a composition in which you describe what happened. Give your composition a suitable title.

OR 6. Write a composition that ends with the following sentences. 'I had gone too far. It was too late to turn back now.'

Give your composition a suitable title.

OR 7. Write a composition that includes this sentence: "Run! Run for your life, Don!" shouted Peter, as the angry bull followed closely behind.

Give your composition a suitable title.

OR 8. Write a composition based on the pictures below. Give your composition a suitable title.

(20 marks)

END OF TEST

SOCIAL STUDIES PAPER 1 CONTINUATION

Study the caption below, then answer questions 38 and 39.

38. Which precautions should residents have taken before the storm struck?

(i) Seal windows and doors

(ii) Move to a shelter

(iii) Stock canned foods

(iv) Stand under a tree

(A) (ii), (iii) and (iv) (B) (i), (ii) and (iii)

(C) (I), (iii) and (iv) (D) (i), (ii) and (iv) 39. Which conditions residents of Haiti and Cuba may have experienced because of the storm?

(I) Flash flooding in low areas

(ii) Destruction of buildings

(iii) Increased crop production

(iv) Loss of lives

(A) (i), (ii) and (iii) (B) (ii), (iii) and (iv)

(C) (I), (iii) and (iv) (D) (I), (ii) and (iv) 40. Roy is a drug user who is unemployed. The community should

(i) prevent him from getting drugs.

(ii) encourage him to get a job.

(iii) send him to rehabilitation centre.

(iv) exchange his labour for drugs.

(A) (i) and (iv) (B) (ii) and (iii)

(C) (0, (iii) and (iv) (D) (I), (ii) and (iii) END OF TEST

NEWS

7

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

No recount date in sight …Caricom observer team no longer arriving today …Chairperson reviewing options for live stream

GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj

T

he Guyana Elections C o m m i s s i o n (GECOM) met on Wednesday for almost four hours, but was still unable to decide on a start date for the national recount, although one GECOM Commissioner was hopeful it could start within two days of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) high-level team’s arrival.

This was revealed at the conclusion of a meeting on Wednesday with the Commissioners and Secretariat. According to GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander, they cannot make a decision on a start date until the Caricom team’s actual arrival. The team was scheduled to arrive today as was announced by the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF). However, Guyana Times was told that the team would no longer arrive today and a date for their arrival has not yet been set.

M e a n w h i l e , Commissioner Sase Gunraj explained that GECOM Chairperson, Retired Judge Claudette Singh remains in favour of a live streaming of the exercise. As such, he

said that the position from Wednesday’s meeting was that the Chairperson will review what GECOM’s options were for a livestream.

“The Chair raised an issue that was brought to our attention by one of the accredited local observers – identifying an agency that is competent and willing to do the livestream free of charge,” Gunraj explained.

“The last time, I did indicate that even though on the face of it the Chairman voted against live-streaming of the entire process, there were aspects she was in favour of. The end position of today, in relation to

live-streaming, is that the Chairman with her own preferences, will consider the technical aspects of it and determine which aspect of (live-streaming) she will want to implement.”

Almost every stakeholder involved in the elections had signalled their support for live-streaming of the national recount on the basis that it would have boosted public confidence in the process and made it easier for the results to be accepted by all parties.

Justice Singh herself, in her written submissions to the High Court, had highlighted the importance of

GECOM and the electoral process enjoying public confidence so that the election results would be accepted by all.

Recount hours extended

Another development is that the hours for the recount have been extended by one hour. It will now be conducted from 08:00h to 19:00h. Gunraj pointed out that this was significant, since the number of hours worked, duration per box, and number of work stations would ultimately determine how long the recount, set to last 25 days, would take.

“The fact that one of these parameters is now being adjusted, ought to redound to the benefit of reduction of the number of days (for the recount),” Gunraj explained.

It is approaching two months since Guyana held its elections on March 2, but a credible winner is yet to be declared. The Caricom high-level team was invited by the Commission’s Chairperson to take part in the observing of the recount of the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

On

Arrival

Monday,

Caricom

GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander

Secretary General Irwin LaRocque informed the Chairman of the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF), caretaker Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, of the team’s impending arrival in the country.

When the team comes, it will be its second attempt to lend expertise to resolve Guyana’s electoral crisis.

After two declarations from Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo which lacked transparency, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and President David

Granger had agreed back in March to have Caricom oversee the recount in a deal brokered by Caricom Chair, Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley.

The first high-level team that came was made up of its Chair, former Attorney General and Foreign Affairs Minister of Dominica, Francine Baron; former Finance Minister of Grenada, Anthony Boatswain; Senior Lecturer in the Department of Government of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cynthia Barrow-Giles; Chief Electoral Officer of Barbados, Angela Taylor and Chief Elections Officer of Trinidad and Tobago, Fern Narcis-Scope.

But before the recount even got started, delay tactics by GECOM allowed A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) candidate Ulita Moore to go to the courts seeking an injunction against the recount.

The granting of this injunction forced the previous Caricom team of observers to leave. Following their departure, PM Mottley had lamented that there were

GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh

“forces” in Guyana who did not want the recount to happen.

The decision by Caricom to again field a delegation to Guyana as part of the country’s electoral process comes on the heels of an earlier decision by Nagamootoo, as Chair of the NCTF, to subject Caricom and any foreign observer to a mandatory 14-day quarantine on their arrival in Guyana.

That decision had led to widespread public outcry and a subsequent intervention by ‘caretaker President’ Granger, to instead have the officials be tested for COVID-19 in their home countries before leaving for Guyana.

8 NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Man who breached curfew punished by “standing and displaying the curfew notice”

A

man was on Wednesday sentenced to an hour of “standing and displaying the curfew notice” as punishment after he breached the national curfew that was implemented by the Public Health Ministry to help curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Romal Gardner, a resident of the East Bank of Demerara (ECD) appeared at the Diamond-Grove Magistrate’s Court.

Gardener was seen walking up and down in front of the Diamond-Grove Police Station, holding a pink cardboard, which read: “I have breached the curfew.

COVID-19 is deadly. Please stay indoors. Orders by the Court Diamond/Grove.”

He was charged for breach of restriction to home, in contravention of No 1 Restriction of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures #53/2020, contrary to Section 21 (2) of the Public Health Ordinance, Chapter 145.

The national curfew

Romal Gardener displaying the placard

– 18:00h to 06:00h – was implemented to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Since its implementation, a number of persons have been arrested for disregarding it.

Several persons who violated the national curfew were expected to be charged and placed be-

fore the courts in Linden as ranks in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) are trying to enforce the measures implemented to combat COVID-19.

Regional Police C o m m a n d e r , Superintendent Hugh Winter noted that anyone who attempts to make

their way into the community from Georgetown via the Bamia-Soesdyke-Linden Highway route after the curfew starts would be redirected back to their location or may be required to wait until the following morning.

On Monday, 28-yearold Christopher Nicholson was killed while three of his friends – ages 15, 17 and 23 – were injured in an accident which occurred during curfew along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway. The four were heading to a creek at 20:00h despite the national curfew.

Also, on Monday evening, despite lockdown measures across the country, a heated cockfight was hosted at approximately 20:00h at Tarla Dam, Meten-MeerZorg, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

Persons were congregated in a large group even as calls for social distancing have heightened in recent days. In fact, the gathering consisted of more than 20 persons, many of whom were not wearing face masks.

Still no trace of prison escapees

I

t has been nine days and law enforcement officials are yet to recapture the four prisoners who escaped from the holding bay at the Lusignan Prison, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels told Guyana Times that members of the Joint Services have not made any progress in recapturing the men. He, however, said that law enforcement officials were still relentlessly pursuing the men.

The four escapees are Anthony Padmore, 26, of Ogle Street, Beterverwagting, ECD, who was serving a threeyear sentence for trafficking in cannabis; Sasenarine Bisnauth of Lot 22 Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), who was charged with armed robbery; 32-year-old Ganesh Dhanraj of Parika Façade, EBE, and Kenraul Perez, 26, of Mabaruma, North West District, Region One (Barima-Waini), who were both charged for the capital offence of murder.

The Guyana Prison Service (GPS) had confirmed that the inmates escaped by jumping over the eastern fence of the facili-

ty on the morning of April 20 at approximately 03:46h, but they were missed during roll-call at 06:15h when they did not answer to their names.

It was then that ClosedCircuit Television (CCTV) recordings were reviewed and they showed that the men escaped by jumping over the eastern fence.

The ranks on duty at the time of the incident were interrogated and were cooperating fully with Police and

prison authorities.

Over the years, several persons had escaped from the Lusignan penitentiary, but they had subsequently been recaptured. In 2017, 35-year-old alleged rapist Dellon Blake, of Kumuni Creek, Demerara River, used his bed sheet and wooden pallets to climb over the fence of the prison.

It was reportedly done in full view of Police ranks who were performing duties in the guard hut tower overlooking the new holding facility. Blake was charged for the rape of an elderly woman.

In 2018, three prisoners escaped by also scaling the fence between towers three and four where security personnel were stationed.

The escapees were Travis Evans, 23, a murder accused of C Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown; Sudesh Dyal, 23, of Wales Backdam, West Bank Demerara (WBD), and Dexroy Pollard, 29, also of Wales.

It was reported that the

three men had taken a considerable amount of time to make their way through the razor wire.

“It is clear, especially taking into consideration the close proximity of the two towers and the number of ranks deployed in those two towers that those ranks were not alert,” Prisons Director Samuels had stated back then.

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

However, after a few days at the facility, 13 inmates escaped by digging a hole under the perimeter fence. The hole was about five feet wide and another five feet deep.

Paul Goriah, whose last known address was given as Grove Squatting Area, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was the only person who was not recaptured and he remains on the run to date.

Technicalities…

G

…abused uyanese are slowly wising up to the realisation that, because the system allows them to get away with it, the PNC will be dragging out the elections results “till the ends of never”, or until they’re declared the winner. It pretty much amounts to the same thing, ‘cause once they get back in, they’ll make sure matters electoral never ever get this far. “But what about justice?” some will cry, “Aren’t the courts supposed to deliver justice?”

And this is what we also have to come to grips with: the very rules we’ve formulated to act as a shield to ensure we enjoy our rights (like choosing those who should form the government) can sometimes be turned into a sword, by folks who scoff at any sense of fairness, to deny those very rights. The situation is created because we’ve divided our law into two parts: one which defines our legal rights (like the right to choose our government), and the other, the means by which the enumerated rights might be maintained; like voting. The first is called “substantive law” and the second is called “adjectival law”, which is mostly about the procedure to be followed to deliver the first.

And that’s where the fly can sometimes land in the ointment. We know, for instance, that with the right to choose a government, the votes of the people must be counted to determine who has won an election to form the government, don’t we? So why the heck have almost two months passed and we can’t get some 430,000 votes counted?? And that’s where the procedures come in – both in the rules set up to have GECOM function and in the rules that the courts have to follow to decide whether the right has been violated, and to say how to fix matters.

Our rules of procedure mandate that, by definition, it must be contentious between the two sides; so the judge isn’t actually making a call for “justice”, but is anxiously watching out that an error in procedure isn’t entered on the record, from which the “smart fly” can appeal, and so prolong the process till the end of never!! So, in GECOM, rather than Claudette dealing with the fact that Mingo messed up with the procedure for tabulating SOPs at Ashmin’s (as the High Court had to be brought in to tell him) she hasn’t thrown out his second tabulation (with the bed sheet at GECOM HQ).

We know, as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, that if this recount ever gets completed, the PNC will use the procedural ambiguity of her calling for the recount without calling out the illegality of the bedsheet count!

And procedural law will trump substantive law once again in the courts!! Ah…justice is blind!! …of the masks So, dear reader, were you really surprised that the COVID-19 Task Force mandated that masks be supplied to the CariCom “watchers of the count” (not supervisors) and be changed every ½ to 1 hour?? If the 30,000 masks run out because this count is “open ended”, do we have “back up supplies”?? Another 30,000? Since masks are pretty much used to ensure that the person with the mask doesn’t spread the virus to others in their vicinity, does it matter that the CariCom persons would’ve been certified coronavirus-free? But how about the other local and foreign observers? Have they been tested?? If not, isn’t this discriminatory??

Have the project management types come up with the plan as to how long each mask change (MC) will take?

Will the MC operation be synchronised time-wise; let’s say every hour on the hour?? Will a whistle be used to signal mask change time??

No. As explained above, these aren’t idle questions.

Each violation can, and will, lead to an appeal by the PNC. …on the PNC Word is that PNC types like Basil Williams are peeved that the army types are dominating the agenda about the party’s future.

Doesn’t it matter that Granger swore he was PNC to the bone since ‘65??

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

NEWS

9

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Political crisis afflicting national response to COVID-19 pandemic – re-elected GCCI President

…absence of robust public management will lead to economic malaise

G

uyana’s transition from a net importer of petroleum to a producer has changed the equation in terms of how the nation benefits, moving from one that benefits from the collapse of international oil prices to one which is adversely affected and as such requires robust public management of the economy in order to avoid the malaise of inherent economic problems from the collapse in prices.

This was the warning sounded by re-elected President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer, who noted that the economic situation locally has since been compounded by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which, “in addition to posing an economic problem is a major health risk”.

He delivered the address during a virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM) held by the GCCI — in keeping with the preventative COVID-19 measure of social distancing.

The GCCI President, in his report on the business support organisation, noted that “this public health crisis –unprecedented in its nature in independent Guyana – has coincided with a crisis

Re-elected GCCI President Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer

in the political arena that has afflicted the quality and extent of our national response to the pandemic”.

Addressing the AGM, Deygoo-Boyer said the March 2 General and Regional Elections have been delayed through subterfuge “by actors in the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM)”.

Delivering his assessment of the domestic political situation, the GCCI President said the now almost two months of delays in the declaration of the results of the elections have “pushed the country’s populace to their wits’ ends of patience and should not be experienced by any coun-

try, let alone a state such as Guyana with a history marred by politically-related conflict and tension.”

Reiterating the GCCI’s desire to see meaningful pursuit of constitutional reform, he reminded of its commitment to standing on the side of the rule of law and democracy in order to ensure that the country did not slip “into dark days of being a pariah State”.

Deygoo-Boyer was re-elected to head the GCCI for another term when the body met for its AGM this past week to elect its Executive Council.

Those members include the re-elected President Deygoo-Boyer, Senior Vice President Timothy Tucker, Junior Vice President Anjie Lambert, Treasurer Kester Hutson, and Secretary Shaleeza Shaw.

Remains steadfast

GCCI, in a subsequent statement, said it remained steadfast in its lobbying and advocacy work, especially under the threat of COVID-19 “which has seen the caretaker Government implement stay-at-home orders to preserve the lives of Guyanese citizens”.

It noted, however, that while the GCCI believed

that such an order should remain in effect, “we call for metrics to be used and a plan to be put in place to allow non-essential businesses to understand when they will be allowed to reopen and whether they will reopen understandably with conditions that encapsulate hours of operations, sani-

tising, screening measures, and social distancing practices.”

According to the GCCI, this type of planning and decision making allows businesses to reduce the anxiety of their workers and manage the expectations of customers so that social distancing can be effective.

Re-elected President Deygoo-Boyer in his report had also noted a largely successful 2019 for the Chamber, and noted that its membership increased by 120 businesses.

This was in addition to GCCI maintaining a positive surplus on its balance sheets.

some time now, but managed to elude ranks.

It was also reported that ranks conducted numerous searches of homes in Linden as they hunted for the suspect.

On Monday, the suspect turned himself in to Police for questioning.

During a search at the suspect’s home, a grenade that was branded with a serial number, bulletproof vest, Guyana Defence Force (GDF) pants and shirt also with serial numbers, a haversack, 10 small bottles of vaccine, and a black face mask were found hidden in a dog pen which was occupied by a pitbull.

Based on reports, a search was first conducted in the house, but ranks came up empty-handed.

However,

they then moved to search the yard where they came upon the dog pen.

The dog was removed from the pen, and the ranks carried out a thorough search of it. Several boards and zinc sheets were removed resulting in the discovery of the items.

After the completion of the search, the suspect was escorted back to the Police Station while two additional persons, including a 27-yearold female, were taken into custody as Police continue their investigations.

Forty-three-year-old Chapman was killed on April 13 in front of his Lot 130 Half Mile, Wismar, Linden home.

He was shot seven times as he sat in front of his yard talking with a friend.

Grenade, bulletproof vest, Army clothes found in dog pen

O

ne day after a man was detained in connection with the murder of Linden clothes vendor Glenroy Chapman, also called “G”, Police on Tuesday discovered a grenade, bulletproof vest, and Army attire at a premises in Linden.

On Tuesday, Regional Police Commander, Superintendent Hugh Winter confirmed that someone was arrested in relation to the case, but noted that he was not considered to be the “prime” suspect in Chapman’s murder.

Guyana Times understands that the person detained is a 21-year-old unemployed man of “F” Wismar Housing Scheme, Linden.

According to reports, he was being sought by Police for

10 NEWS Guyana expects 1st 2% oil royalty payment today THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…to be deposited into Natural Resource Fund

W

ith Guyana already receiving almost US$55 million for its first one million barrels of oil sold last month, it is expected that it will receive its first royalty payment, representing the first quarter of the year, today.

According to Section 15.6 of the agreement with Exxon, “the contractor shall pay, at the Government’s (decision) either in cash based on the value of the petroleum, a royalty of two per cent of all petroleum produced and sold, less the quantities of petroleum used for fuel or transportation in petroleum operations, from all production licences subject to the agreement.”

The section goes on to say that royalty payments “shall be due quarterly, 30 days following the end of each calendar quarter. Within 180

days following the end of each year, assessment receipts evidencing payment of contractor’s royalty shall be furnished by the Minister to the contractor stating the amount and other particulars customary for such receipts”.

The royalty has to be deposited into the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) account held by the Bank of Guyana at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Like the US$55 million already deposited, Government cannot access the funds until Parliament reconvenes.

However, there is a provision in the contract whereby the Minister (Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman at the time the contract was drafted) can choose to defer the contractor’s obligation to pay Guyana until a later date.

“Subject to the conditions of Section 49 of the Act, the Minister may remit in whole or in part, or defer payment of, any royalties payable by the contractor,” Section 15.7 of the contract goes on to say.

Back in December, the Department of Energy had announced that Guyana’s share of the first three lifts of one million barrels of oil each would be sold to Shell. Shell was chosen ahead of companies like Exxon, CNOOC, Hess and BP, all of which bid for the oil. But since the oil were to be sold on the spot market, there have been questions as to whether Guyana would earn less money for the oil.

In defending the decision, the Department had said that at the end of the process, Shell had the most competitive yet secure pricing. The Department had

The Cap Philippe was used to transport Guyana’s first lift of oil

also claimed that Shell’s global trading reach, Latin American interests and willingness to share refinery info were factors in the decision. In addition, they had reported that Shell was ready to support the Energy Department in operating the cargoes.

“The decision was based on the following criteria: A competitive pricing that limits the Government’s exposure to market uncertainty; the size, scale and global reach of the Shell trading operations, the company’s high level of integration between upstream, trad-

ing, and downstream,” the Department had said.

The Department also cited Shell’s “strong foothold in the Latin American markets and the size and scale of their shipping and storage operations in the region, allowing for multiple options on the Liza crude commercialisation.

The range of new grades Shell has recently introduced into the market and their willingness to share critical refinery information with the DE which Guyana needs in order to understand Liza crude behaviour.”

Guyana lifted its first

million barrels of profit oil in February, with oil tanker Cap Philippe transporting it from the Liza Destiny Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel and received its first payment the next month.

But in the wake of the global uncertainty in financial markets caused by COVID-19, a number of businesses have had to re-evaluate their operations. Among these companies were ExxonMobil, the world’s largest publicly traded oil company, which announced last month that it would seek to scale down its operations.

Businesses willing to assist GECOM with 33,000 masks – GCCI …but Private Sector questions science, rationale behind directive

O

ver a week ago, the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) had directed that observers coming to Guyana to oversee the recount will have to be quarantined in light of COVID-19. That decision has since been overturned.

Now, in another bizarre directive, the Task Force has

recommended to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) that persons involved in the national recount need to change their face mask every 30-60 minutes. That, therefore, means that GECOM would need 33,000 to 66,000 masks to conduct the recount.

In an interview with

Guyana Times, Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) President Nicholas Boyer indicated that members of the business community would be willing to contribute to the quantity of masks required.

At the same time, he questioned what science or rationale guided the NCTF

in coming up with this recommendation. Boyer pointed out that even Guyana’s health workers battling COVID-19 on the frontlines did not have the luxury of changing their masks every hour.

“We are ready to supply the number of masks, no problem. But what I don’t

like is that they’re holding GECOM to a different standard than the Ministry of Health. Most frontline workers are not using that type of protocol, because if the Ministry of Health frontline workers were using that protocol, you know how many masks we would need?

“Have they (NCTF)

been advised by the Chief Medical Officer or Deputy Chief Medical Officer? How was this standard arrived at, when I know for sure it’s not being used in the hospital? Because if it is, the hospitals are woefully unprepared. Because they don’t have enough.”

TURN TO PAGE 14

NEWS

11

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

ExxonMobil, partners give $60M to COVID-19 fight

E

xxonMobil Guyana and its Stabroek Block partners, Hess and CNOOC, have provided $60 million to the Guyana Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Salvation Army, and Rotary Guyana to support efforts against coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The CDC received $40 million while the Salvation Army and Rotary Guyana got $10 million each.

The Stabroek Block co-venturers were assisted by the Department of Energy in identifying programmes that were in greatest need of COVID-19 funding. These programmes were selected because they have the potential to reach the wider Guyanese population.

The CDC’s $40 million will support the Public Health Ministry in setting up additional quarantine facilities, food and sanitation items and equipment, including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for staff

at those facilities. Following the funding allocation, CDC Director General, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig said the funds would

also be utilised to supplement the humanitarian efforts designed to bring hampers of relief supplies to the people most vulnerable to COVID-19.

According to the CDC, the hampers will include food, cleaning and sanitation supplies, cloth masks, and educational materials on protecting oneself against COVID-19, and will be distributed to senior citizens, children’s homes, and

the economically disadvantaged.

“We continue to develop the most effective mechanism to ensure that the vulnerable population receives the most appropriate relief, since the levels of impact vary and can have short-, medium- and long-term effects,” Craig said.

The money allocated to the Salvation Army will go towards supporting its hamper distribution in the various Regions, in coordination with the CDC, as well as for hot meals for the homeless in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).

“The Salvation Army is working hard to be there for vulnerable people at this time and we are pleased that this contribution will help us to carry out this mission,” Divisional Commander of the Salvation Army, Major Matignol Saint-Lot said.

Rotary Guyana earmarked its $10 million to be used for medical supplies, including procurement of N95 masks, oxygen tanks, and PPE for hospitals and clinics throughout Guyana.

“This complements our Community COVID-19 Initiative which was launched a few weeks ago

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF?

to provide protection for our brave frontline workers and supplies for those who are infected by this virus,” said Assistant Governor Renata Chuck-A-Sang.

ExxonMobil Guyana President Rod Henson said during times of struggle everyone must lend a helping hand. He added that they would continue to support first responders who were working hard to help Guyana confront COVID-19.

“Hess is committed to helping address the health, safety, and economic challenges posed by this pandemic wherever we do business. As part of the Stabroek Joint Venture, our focus is on providing hospitals and clinics with the medical supplies and equipment needed for the fight against COVID-19, and on helping the populations most vulnerable to its impact with food and other necessities,” Hess Vice President of Exploration, Tim Chisholm noted.

“CNOOC International

stands with fellow Guyanese during these challenging times,” CNOOC International Executive Vice President Liu Yongjie expressed. “As we come to-

gether in the face of this global pandemic, we hope that this contribution makes a positive difference in Guyana.”

ExxonMobil, Hess and CNOOC are co-venturers in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana. Their support adds to the many contributions and assistance from local businesses, international partnerships and individual Guyanese that have been given to relief organisations throughout Guyana.

Sex tape involving minor

Linden taxi driver goes into hiding

A

Linden taxi driver who is at the centre of a viral sex tape involving a female minor has gone into hiding.

Police are on the hunt for him for questioning in relation to the incident after the video surfaced earlier this week on social media.

Regional Police Commander, Superintendent Hugh Winter has since said that the matter was under investigation and the minor and a parent have since come forward to Police.

“Unfortunately, we haven’t arrested the suspect as yet. It appears like he’s in hiding,” the Regional

Commander disclosed.

Police in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) have since launched a probe into the incident after the video which shows the teen involved in a sexual act with the taxi driver started circulating on social media. In the video, which has since gone viral, the two can be seen sitting in the back of a car. The minor is then videotaped performing a sexual act. The man can be heard telling the minor to look at the camera, but she shakes her head, indicating dissent.

The investigation continues.

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:

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

Muscle pain

Children have similar symptoms to adults and generally have New loss of taste mild illness. or smell

12

Helping in fight agains

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020

With contributions from the business community and civil society, volunteers countrywide, who are distributing food hampers and face masks in several coastland and hinterland communities

13

st spread of COVID-19

0 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

e part of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) National COVID-19 Stakeholder Forum, are

14 NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ganja-trafficking boat collision…

Bodies of 4 missing men recovered from Berbice River bourer of No 2 Village, East Canje.

Ganja found

Dead: Romario Denheart

F

our persons are now dead and several have been arrested after a boat transporting marijuana collided with another vessel in the Upper Berbice River on Tuesday evening.

Dead are 37-year-old Kidman Lindie of Sand Hills, Berbice River; 23-yearold Romario Denheart, a surveyor attached to the Public Infrastructure

Dead: Julian Mc Kenzie

Dead: Freeman Denheart

Godfrey Denheart, called ‘Freeman’, of Heathburn Village, East Bank Berbice; and 40-year-old Julian Mc Kenzie of Sand Hills, Berbice River.

Their bodies, recovered on Wednesday in the vicinity of Sand Hills, have since been taken to a private mortuary.

Reports are that the men were in a boat in the vicinity of Friendship Village on the

crashed into their vessel and sped away.

According to the Police, a 39-year-old fisherman of Sheet Anchor Village, East Canje Berbice was the captain of a ‘ballahoo’ – the marijuana transport boat - with four occupants on board when it collided with the wooden boat in which the quartet were travelling.

Police reports are that the 39-year-old man claimed he and his occupants were travelling along the river when he noticed a wooden boat approaching him and, as a consequence, he pulled eastward to avoid a collision; but at the same time, the other captain also pulled eastward, and the boats collided and capsized.

He claimed that he and his occupants re-entered their boat and fled the scene after they realised that the captain and occupants of the other vessel had failed to surface.

Police identified the occupants of the ‘ballahoo’ as a 20-year-old labourer of Maria Henrietta Village, Berbice River; a 51-year-old labourer of Adelphi Village, East Canje; and a 23-year-old la-

R-L: Paula Saloman, who lost her son and ex-husband, sitting with Simone DeCunha who lost her brother Julian Mc Kenzie, being comforted as they waited for the Police to bring out the bodies

Ministry and resident of Lot 41 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam; 60-year-old

Berbice River when another vessel, which was transporting a quantity of marijuana,

Meanwhile, based on information received in their investigations into the fatal crash, Police raided a house at Edinburgh Village, East Bank Berbice where 32 taped parcels of cannabis which, when weighed, amounted to 36.97 kilograms were found.

Three persons were arrested at the house. A fourth person, who resides at Palmyra Village, East Coast Berbice, is being sought, Police said.

Meanwhile, this publication was told that the nowdead quartet were in a small boat travelling to Sand Hills at sometime after 19:00h when they were run over by a larger boat being powered by a 75-horsepower engine.

Villagers who rushed to the scene on Tuesday night reported that the small boat was broken into pieces.

The marijuana which the Police found at a house in Edinburgh Village, East Bank Berbice

were expected back in one week. Romario, she said, had been making strides in life, and she was proud of him. He had been the surveyor head-

ing his department when the East Bank Berbice Road Project was carried out between 2017 and 2019.

than a year.

According to her, the father of two seldom visited relatives who had migrated to New Amsterdam. He also leaves to mourn 10 siblings.

As the search for the men was underway, anguished family members waited for hours in at the New Amsterdam Ferry Stelling and under the Canje Bridge, where it was expected that the police would arrive if they had located the men.

Lindie’s sister Valery said she is still trying to understand what had occurred.

Meanwhile, the body of the elder Dinehart, a father of 12, is said to have marks of violence, suggesting that he was injured when the boats

Meanwhile, Simone DeCunha explained that she had not seen her brother Julian Mc Kenzie for more

collided.

Police are continuing their investigations as they hunt for a fifth suspect.

The boat's ("balahoo") which collided with the quartet's sits in a Police Station compound in Berbice

All that was seen were the footwear of the four men and pieces on the broken boat.

This newspaper was told that Police reportedly had knowledge of the shipment of cannabis, and were staking out the traffickers.

Families devastated

Meanwhile, Denheart’s mother, Paula Soloman, a corporal attached to the Constabulary Department of the New Amsterdam Municipality, explained that Freeman had gone to visit her on Monday, and had collected two of his sons to take them to see relatives at Sand Hills.

She said Romario and a 26-year-old elder brother had left with their father, and

Businesses willing to...

Private Sector Commission (PSC) Chairman, Retired Captain Gerry Gouveia shared similar sentiments. According to Gouveia, pronouncements from the NCTF must be guided by science, not guesswork.

“Even surgeons and frontline medical staff don’t change their masks every 30 minutes. They have masks that are used for eight hours. So, I don’t know. This should be based on science and I would probably want to ask them to explain to us the science behind that recommendation for (GECOM staff) to change masks every 30 minutes.

“The Task Force made the recommendation, so they need to explain to this nation what is the science. Everything to do with COVID, is to do with science. All the circumstances, quarantining people, testing people, has to do with science. It’s not an opinion, it’s not what you think.”

News reports surfacing on Tuesday indicated that the Task Force has recommended to the Commission that personnel involved in the recount process be outfitted with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), namely, face masks, to reduce the possibility of transmission of the virus.

FROM PAGE 10

The directive has prompted criticism, with People’s Progressive Party (PPP) nominated GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj lamenting the guidelines that have been proposed by the NCTF. In questioning the Task Force’s reasoning behind the recommendation, Gunraj referenced that Caribbean Community (Caricom) Chairperson Mia Mottley, on March 17 – following a decision to leave Guyana after the work of the high-level delegation had been frustrated by a court challenge – observed that there were forces in Guyana against the recount.

NEWS

15

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Preparation for rice crop…

NDIA’s claims of all canals cleaned untrue – regional official

Rice farmer and GRDB Extension Officer Ramlakhan Singh pointing to the clogged Excess Canal

A

claim made by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Frederick Flatts, that the agency has made preparation for rice farmers on the Corentyne to go into the Autumn crop, and has cleaned all of the canals, might not be totally accurate.

The Homestead Canal, which links the Excess Canal between

Number 60 and 61 Villages and which drains water from 9,000 acres of land, is overtaken with vegetation. The sluice door at Number 65 Village also is malfunctioning.

On April 14, during a virtual meeting with caretaker Agriculture Minister Noel Holder, Prime Ministerial Regional Representative Gobin Harbhajan, President of the Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce, Mahindra

Persaud; and Chairman of the Rice Millers Association, Rajin Persaud, the NDIA CEO reportedly claimed that all of the D&I infrastructure was cleaned and would be maintained during the coming crop.

The meeting was arranged after the regional representative and the Rice Millers Association Chairman had met with rice farmers on the Corentyne following concerns expressed by farmers about the next crop, since Guyana does not have an official Government in place. They were worried about the necessary infrastructure being in place for the Autumn crop.

Flatts reportedly assured that the necessary infrastructure would be in place. In fact, Harbhajan said, “Flatts also said that even those in the front lands will not have difficulty accessing water during the next crop, because all of the canals will be maintained during the crop.”

However, on Tuesday this publication visited the Homestead Canal between Number 60 and 61 Villages, and found it to be covered with vegetation.

The Excess Canal runs from Number 57 to 61 Villages and provides drainage for more than 1,000 homes. In addition to that, a further 1,200 homes on the opposite side, between Numbers 52 and 66 Villages, also depend on the canal for drainage.

More importantly, the canal drains 9,000 acres of rice land between Numbers 52 and 66 Villages.

The Excess Canal is about 350 metres in length.

Meanwhile, the sluice at Number 65 Village is not function-

ing effectively. In fact, one of the two doors is not working.

The sluice was recently rehabilitated.

With the impending May/June rains, there will be a need for proper drainage and functional sluice doors to prevent flooding of the cultivation areas.

Last year, farmers in the Black Bush Polder had suffered millions of dollars in damages due to floodwaters. That flood, which lasted for close to one month, was caused by silted drainage canals.

Go ahead and plant, fuel available – Armogan tells rice farmers

C

hairman of Region Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne), David Armogan, is giving rice farmers in the region the go- ahead to plant, assuring that the Administration has funding to purchase fuel to supply water for farmers.

Despite this assurance, however, some rice farmers are still worried about the risk of going into the next crop.

During the last rice crop, which some farmers are still harvesting, there had been a battle at the Regional Administration level, with Armogan accusing Regional Executive Officer Kim Williams-Stephens of not purchasing fuel for the pumps.

While Williams had said

Government would provide fuel for the pumps while the farmers prepare for the Autumn crop.

On April 14, Minister Holder assured that farmers needed to go into the Autumn crop because rice is too big a foreign exchange-earner for them not to do so.

But even as he had implored the farmers to go into the next crop, he had said their concerns about a lack of fuel for the pumps should be addressed with the Regional Administration which controls the supply of fuel.

In an invited comment on Wednesday, Armogan told Guyana Times that there currently is enough fuel to last for about one week.

Rice Producers Association President Leekha Rambrich

Rice Millers Association Chairman Rajendra Persaud

Region Six Chairman David Armogan

“It is very important that we go to the crop, because with the worldwide situation with COVID-19, most of the big agriculture countries are facing difficulty.

We have seen a lot of crops destroyed in the developing

bours to survive through this crisis,” he stressed.

However, if rice farmers do not go into the Autumn crop, the Rice Millers Association Head says, it would impact negatively on their obligations to financial institutions.

“Most farmers live on

loans, and if they don’t plant, then they can’t pay their loans,” he stated.

He explained that close to 75 per cent of the irrigation needs for the Autumn crop has been satisfied by rainfall.

Hence, the cost to put the crop into action and make it successful is not as heavy as

A combine harvesting rice in the Black Bush Polder

that all five of the pumps at Manarabisi did not need to be operational and two had been functioning for weeks, farmers had been complaining of an urgent need for water, and had begged for all of the pumps to go into operation.

Lands became dry and had cracked open, and a large percentage of the crop had perished. Now the farmers have sought confirmation from caretaker Agriculture Minister Noel Holder that

In addition to that, the Administration currently has some $19 million available to purchase fuel. This, he said, should be able to operate the pumps for about one month.

However, President of the Rice Producers Association, Leekha Rambrich, is of the view that with the rains expected next month, there would not be a great demand for the pumps to be operational, as was the case during the last crop.

countries, and we have already seen a shortage of rice in China. It would be a severe setback if Guyana does not venture into this crop,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Rice Millers Association, Rajendra Persaud, has said rice farmers must go into the next crop because it is a huge foreign earner for Guyana.

“Rice is very important for us and for our neigh-

for the two other crops.

However, Rambrich is of the opinion that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) can play a better role in ensuring that fuel reaches to the pumps so that farmers can start their crop in time.

In Region Six, 60,000 acres were under rice cultivation, and farmers are currently reaping between 38 and 40 bags per acre, and being paid $3300 per bag of paddy.

There are still about 8,000 acres to be harvested in the Black Bush Polder, and a similar amount in the 52/74 area.

In the front lands of the Black Bush Polder, where an additional 20,000 acres are under rice cultivation, harvesting has reached 60 per cent.

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guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020

News

Barbados PM calls for implementation of global leadership initiative

B

arbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley on Wednesday said she would like to see a global leadership initiative emerging from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, reiterating that the Caribbean and other small island developing states (SIDS) were not prepared to remain “invisible and dispensable”.

In an interview with Christiane Amanpour, the Chief International Anchor for the US-based television network, CNN, Mottley, who is also the chairman of the 15-member regional integration grouping, CARICOM, said while the United States had not been able to show its leadership since the outbreak of the pandemic that has killed more than 200,000 people worldwide, “it is generally a time for all countries to step up and for all global leaders.

“If there is one thing I would like to see coming out of this is a global leadership initiative,” she said, noting that 75 years ago the United Nations was formed and “we used the opportunity of postWorld War 11 to create a number of vital institutions to be able to bring countries together to protect the most vulnerable (and) the weakest among us”.

“We also used it to create the Bretton Woods institutions which we are re-

Chief International Anchor for the US-based television network CNN, Christiane Amanpour speaks with Barbados PM Mia Mottley

lying on. But we need to re-purpose these organisations and having a global leadership initiative, make sure we are really reacting to what is real.

“We are told that we can access concessional funding or grant funding only if we have historic per capita incomes that are below certain levels. Well, Christiane that is like telling me that I should use my blood pressure reading from two years ago to determine whether I am vulnerable tonight to a stroke. It is absolutely futile,” Mottley told the host of CNN International’s nightly interview program Amanpour.

The Barbados leader said

that Barbados and other Caribbean countries “have been carrying on this thesis and argument for over 30 years”.

She said the developing countries were also faced with problems when the World Trade Organization (WTO) was being formed telling her international viewers “we recognised, for example, that much of our domestic production would shut down and it would make us more open”.

She said following the terrorist attacks on the United States in September 2011, “we had other issues that were imposed on us on a one size fits all prescription”.

“Now we have this pandemic. We need global leadership similar to what we had post-World War 11 to be able to recognise that we need a plan that protects not just the strongest among us, but also the most vulnerable and on what we should really be spending money on.

“Does it make sense to continue to build large military constructs when as a result of a mosquito or a pandemic our populations can be put at risk? Doesn’t make any sense,” Mottley said.

Mottley, an attorney, and the first woman to head a government in Barbados, said a number of health care systems are being re-purposed as her island and oth-

ers in the Caribbean seek to lessen the devastating impact of COVID-19 that has infected more than two million people worldwide since it was first detected in China last December.

“But, really where we are feeling it more than ever is in the shutdown. To have a hotel with no revenue coming in, to have no airplanes landing from Jamaica and Bahamas in the north right down to Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago in the south.

“These things are having a devastating impact particularly on the smaller islands of the Eastern Caribbean and to a lesser extent Barbados. So that we now have to see how we can hold our people up, because if you don’t have a successful neighbourhood all of us are at risk in terms of public health, all of us are at risk in terms of lack of security, all of us are at risk of migration.

“So we really, really need to be able to understand that this is about lives and livelihoods, this is about staving off the pandemic, but it is also about keeping people fed and keeping people being able to live,” she said.

Mottley has in the past called for a vulnerability index assessing how developing countries like hers are exposed to economic and

public health issues like climate change, and she used the interview to reiterate her position including the inclusion of natural disaster clauses in sovereign debt contracts.

She said regarding the vulnerability index, the London-based Commonwealth Secretariat has settled on a framework in 1989 and “we believe it needs to be revisited, but we believe you can’t determine whether we need access to funding,” citing as an example, the Caribbean having to pay out US$8.8 billion in debt over the next two years.

Mottley also reiterated that the global leadership initiative was necessary “to be able to look at our debt and restructure it.

“That’s why we need to look and see that moral leadership is important in this world today and that’s why we need to ensure that the Caribbean does not remain invisible and indispensable, nor the South Pacific.

And if our voices have to be spoken over and over and over to make this point we shall not tire to do so because what is at stake is human lives and the wellness and well-being of global civilisation as was envisaged 75 years ago when the United Nations was established,” Mottley added. (CMC)

US "hasn’t seen" North Korean leader Irrfan Khan: Movie world pays tribute Kim Jong-un recently – Mike Pompeo to Bollywood star’s "pure magic"

D

U

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un

S officials “haven’t seen” North Korean leader Kim Jongun recently and are watching reports about his health “closely”, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said.

He also expressed concern that the hermit state could be hit either by the coronavirus outbreak or a famine.

Kim, 36, last appeared in state media on 12 April, triggering speculation that he was seriously ill.

But officials in South Korea later said such reports were not true.

There have also been suggestions that North

Korea’s “supreme leader” may be staying at the sea resort of Wonsan to protect himself from possible exposure to coronavirus.

The secretive state shut its borders in late January due to the pandemic.

Asked on Wednesday by Fox News to comment on the recent reports on Mr Kim’s health, Mr Pompeo said: “We haven’t seen him. We don’t have any information to report today, we’re watching it closely.

“There is a real risk that there will be a famine, a food shortage, inside of North Korea too,” he added.

“We’re watching each of

those things closely, as they have a real impact on our mission set, which to ultimately denuclearise North Korea,” the secretary of state said.

In the 1990s, a devastating famine is believed to have killed hundreds of thousands of North Koreans. On Monday, President Donald Trump said he had a “very good idea” about Mr Kim’s condition, but added that “I can’t talk about it”.

“I just wish him well,” he added.

Trump has met Kim three times since 2018 but the denuclearisation talks have stalled in recent months. (BBC News)

irector Danny Boyle, actress Angelina Jolie and a host of Bollywood stars have paid tribute to Indian actor Irrfan Khan, who has died aged 53.

Priyanka Chopra, who starred with him in 7 Khoon Maaf in 2011, said his “charisma” made for “pure magic” on set and on screen.

Khan was also known for roles in Jurassic World, Life of Pi and the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire.

Boyle told the BBC: “Irrfan was a wonderful actor and a pivotal figure in the making of Slumdog Millionaire.”

He added: “It wasn’t a huge role, and in fact on paper it was even less rewarding-looking.

“But Irrfan saw the possibility of guiding our audience with his dignity, his grace, his charm, his intelligence and his calmness - through this crossword puzzle of an idea of a film.”

“He stood out for his generosity as an artist, which made it a pleasure to work in any scene with him,” she told the BBC. “I remember the intensity of his commitment, and equally his smile. I send my condolences and my sympathy to his family, his friends, and all admirers of his work, in India and around the world.”

Indian actor Irrfan Khan

Rogue One and Venom actor Riz Ahmed described Khan as “one of the greatest actors of our time”.

“I never met him but he was an inspiration and a hero to me and millions of others,” he wrote. Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow described Khan as “a thoughtful man who found beauty in the world around him, even in pain”.

Having been diagnosed with a rare neuroendocrine cancer in 2018, Khan underwent months of treatment in the UK. Khan’s fellow Bollywood star Sonam Kapoor shared a photo of them together on Instagram, declaring: “You have no idea what your kindness meant to me at a time I was at my least confident.”

Khan’s breakthrough came

in the 2001 film The Warrior, the low-budget directorial debut of Asif Kapadia.

The Samurai-esque production went on to win the Bafta Award for best British film, propelling both actor and director into the spotlight.

Kapadia honoured the late star by simply posting the words “Love you Irrfan bhai [brother]” alongside a picture of him in action. Khan was buried at the Versova Kabristan cemetery in Mumbai soon after the news of his death was announced on Wednesday.

His family, close relatives and friends were present.

Four days earlier, Khan’s 95-year-old mother had died in Jaipur - but he could not attend her funeral because of India’s nationwide lockdown, aimed at tackling the coronavirus pandemic. (BBC News)

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020

Regional

Amazon city resorts to mass graves as Brazil’s COVID-19 deaths soar D

eaths from the coronavirus outbreak have piled up so fast in the Amazon rainforest’s biggest city that the main cemetery is burying five coffins at a time in collective graves.

Soon, the city may run out of coffins.

Manaus, the capital of Amazonas state, was the first in Brazil to run out of Intensive Care Units, but officials warned that several other cities are close behind as the country registered a record 6276 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday.

Brazil’s Health Ministry reported 449 related deaths in the prior 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 5466 out of 78,162 confirmed cases.

In Rio de Janeiro, cem-

Gravediggers carry a coffin during a collective burial of people who have passed away owing to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at the Parque Taruma cemetery in Manaus, Brazil, April 28, 2020

eteries have accelerated construction of aboveground vaults to entomb a wave of deceased patients.

Undertakers in Manaus even resorted to burying coffins one on top of the other this week, but the city stopped the practice after

grieving relatives protested.

Brazilian right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, who has downplayed the gravity of the virus, calling it a “little cold”. came under new criticism for his remarks on the soaring deaths.

“So what? I’m sorry, but what do you want me to do?”

Bolsonaro told reporters on Tuesday, saying he could not “work miracles”.

The accelerating death rate in Brazil is the most concerning of all emerging-market nations, Deutsche Bank analysts told clients in a note on Wednesday.

In Manaus, which is accessible only by plane or boat from the rest of Brazil, corpses are accumulating in a refrigerated container improvised as a morgue freezer as they await burial. At the main Taruma cemetery, a new area has been opened where undertakers were digging rows of graves and now just trenches for five coffins at a time. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Jamaica records 396 COVID-19 cases; Cuba’s tally 1389

J

amaican Health and Wellness Minister, Dr Christopher Tufton on Wednesday reported 32 new cases of COVID-19 within the past 48 hours, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 396.

Of the new cases, 15 are associated with the Alorica call centre in Portmore, St Catherine, 11 are contacts of confirmed cases, one is imported and five are under investigation, Tufton

17

informed in an update from the Ministry's office in New Kingston.

There are 11 males and 21 females, with ages ranging from one to 71 years among the new cases.

The latest figures push the total number of infected Alorica employees to 202.

Meanwhile, the Cuban Public Health Ministry says 20 people have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the number of

cases across the Spanishspeaking Caribbean island to 1389.

According to the Ministry, of those who have tested positive, 806 remain active cases, and of them, 794 are now stable.

To date, there have been 56 deaths in the country and over 500 have been medically discharged.

Of the new cases, they were all Cubans and 19 of them were contacts of con-

firmed cases; however, the source of infection for the other person, was not specified by the Ministry.

The Health Ministry stated that the most affected age groups were under 40 years old with 10 cases, followed by the 40 to 60 years old group with nine.

Sixty-five per cent of the positive cases were asymptomatic.

(Excerpts from Jamaica Observer and CMC)

2 dozen people deported to Colombia on US flight found to have coronavirus – sources

A

bout two dozen migrants deported from the United States on a flight to Colombia last month have since tested positive for the new coronavirus, two people familiar with the matter said, adding to worries that US deportations could be spreading the disease.

Of more than 60 migrants deported by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency on a March 30 flight from the United States, approximately 24 have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, the sources said.

ICE said at the time that it then used the same plane to repatriate Americans who had been stranded in Colombia as that country began a national lockdown.

ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The agency said

last week that it would begin testing some migrants before they were deported to other countries, a move that came as other Governments demanded more screening before deportees were put on planes.

The deportation of migrants from the United States who test positive for the virus after arriving in their home countries has caused tensions with Latin American and Caribbean Governments concerned about the spread of the disease.

In Guatemala, at least 103 migrants deported by the US on a handful of flights in March and April have so far tested positive for coronavirus. That is around a fifth of all cases in the Central American country.

Other infections among deportees have been found in Haiti, Mexico, and Jamaica.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Venezuelan migrants block Bogota road, demand ability to travel home

T&T nurses want TT$1M COVID death payout

T

he T&T Registered Nurses’ Association (TTRNA) is asking the Government to consider a TT$1 million payout in the event any nurse loses their life during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The request comes in the wake of the death of head nurse Merlene Placide at the Caura Hospital last week. While Placide’s death was not COVID-related, the anxiety of the fraternity has once again been heightened after what nurses claimed was the poor response to the North Central Regional Health Authority following her death.

Placide volunteered her

Nurses at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital

services for COVID duty and reportedly set up the virus unit at Caura. However, following her death, the NCRHA only sent a fruit

basket and a wreath to her family, as per policy with RHA’s. This prompted calls for hazard pay, death benefits, and health insur-

ance for nurses now on the COVID frontline.

In a 10-page letter to Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh on Monday, the TTRNA, which is headed

by Idi Stuart, proposed that a $1 million disbursement be paid to the beneficiaries of nurses “in the unfortunate circumstance that he or she dies while on duty or in route to or from duty as a direct result of work”. It said the cost to the Government is to be determined.

The TTRNA also asked for tiered hazard allowance for nurses and midwives working in hazardous situations.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Brazil's Bolsonaro withdraws name of family friend as top cop

B

razilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday withdrew the name of a family friend he had picked to run the federal Police, after a Supreme Court Justice blocked an appointment that opponents said would allow him inappropriate influence over law enforcement.

His decision to drop Alexandre Ramagem, who was Director of the Brazilian intelligence agency Abin, was published in the Government’s official ga-

zette.

The suspension of the appointment by Justice Alexandre de Moraes earlier on Wednesday came after the top court authorised an investigation into allegations by Bolsonaro’s former Justice Minister that the President had abused his power by swapping the Police Chief.

Moraes wrote that he granted the injunction, which can still be appealed, because there were relevant signs that Ramagem,

who was set to take office on Wednesday afternoon, could be compromised by his close relationship with Bolsonaro’s family.

Ramagem, who joined the federal Police in 2005 and has run the intelligence agency since July, had the fewest years of service of any officer tapped to lead the force.

He took charge of Bolsonaro’s security in 2018 after the soon-tobe President was stabbed on the campaign trail

and grew close to the President’s sons, who have been accused of taking part in embezzlement and misinformation schemes, which they deny.

Bolsonaro’s shakeup of the federal Police has spurred a political crisis in Brazil, distracting from the battle against an accelerating coronavirus outbreak in the country, whose official death toll climbed past 5000 on Tuesday, passing that of China. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Venezuelan migrants wearing face masks participate in a protest against the blockade of buses that they hired to reach the Colombian-Venezuelan border, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Bogota, Colombia, April 29, 2020

A

large crowd of Venezuelan migrants held up traffic on a Bogota highway on Wednesday, demanding to be allowed to leave Colombia and return to Venezuela.

Altogether, some 500 migrants arrived near the toll booths that mark the northern border of Bogota on Tuesday afternoon.

Some of these migrants said Colombian authorities were preventing the group of about 12 buses in which they were travelling from making their way to the border.

Colombia’s migration agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but Police at the site said Venezuela limits the number of migrants who can return each day. Venezuela has said the number of those returning is limited to 600, to allow for testing and organising the necessary quarantines.

The mass movement of thousands of Venezuelans back to their economically devastated country has been triggered by a coronavirus lockdown in Colombia, which has made it impossible for them to earn a living.

Now in its sixth week, the suspension of Colombian businesses has decimated the informal economy in which many of these Venezuelan migrants work, plunging them deeper into poverty and triggering a reversal in migration flows.

Colombia is the top destination for Venezuelans who have fled their country’s crisis, and some 1.8 million migrants have arrived there in recent years.

Now, a reverse migration has begun. Around 12,000 Venezuelans have returned to their home country as of Monday, according to Colombia’s Government.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020

Around the World

OILNEWS

Remdesivir: Drug has “clearcut” power to fight coronavirus

T

here is "clear-cut" evidence that a drug can help people recover from the coronavirus, say US officials.

Remdesivir cut the duration of symptoms from 15 days down to 11 in clinical trial at hospitals around the world.

The full details have not been published, but experts said it would be a "fantastic result" if confirmed, but not a "magic bullet" for the disease.

A drug would have the potential to save lives, ease pressure on hospitals and allow parts of lockdown to be lifted.

Remdesivir was originally developed as an Ebola treatment. It is an antiviral and works by attacking an

Remdesivir cut the duration of symptoms from 15 days down to 11 in a clinical trial at hospitals around the world

enzyme that a virus needs in order to replicate inside our cells.

The trial was run by the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and 1063 people took part. Some patients were given the drug

while others received a placebo (dummy) treatment.

Dr Anthony Fauci, who runs the NIAID, said: "The data shows Remdesivir has a clear-cut, significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery."

The impact on deaths is

not as clear cut. The mortality rate was eight per cent in people given remdesivir and 11.6 per cent in those given a placebo, but this result was not statistically significant, meaning scientists cannot tell if the difference is real.

It is also not clear who is benefiting. Is it allowing people who would have recovered anyway to do so more quickly? Or is it preventing people from needing treatment in intensive care? Did the drug work better in younger or older people? Or those with or without other diseases? Do patients have to be treated early when the virus is thought to peak in the body? (Excerpt from BBC News)

Boris Johnson becomes a father again after coronavirus scare

P

rime Minister Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds have announced the birth of a son.

A spokeswoman for the PM and his partner said both mother and baby are "doing very well".

It is understood Johnson, who has just recovered from coronavirus, was present throughout the birth, at an NHS hospital in London.

But he has now returned to work in Downing Street, No 10 said, where he is

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson

leading the response to the

pandemic.

He is expected to take a "short period" of paternity leave at some point later this year, Downing Street said.

The couple have received messages of congratulation from across the political spectrum, and Johnson's father Stanley said he was "absolutely delighted" and "thrilled" by the birth of his grandson.

Downing Street declined to say whether the baby was born prematurely, and did not provide details of

the weight, timing, nature or location of the birth.

"The PM and Ms Symonds would like to thank the fantastic NHS maternity team," Downing Street said.

Johnson, 55, and Symonds, 32, announced in March that they were expecting a baby in "early summer", and that they had become engaged at the end of last year.

They are the first unmarried couple to move into Downing Street together.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Spain readies to ease lockdown, warns will need discipline

S

pain’s lockdown is making progress against the new coronavirus, but a gradual easing from next week will require even more discipline, officials said on Wednesday, after the country recorded 325 deaths from the infection overnight.

The lockdown, one of the toughest in Europe, has halted public life since March 14 and nearly paralysed the economy.

In Madrid, workers were painting “keep your distance” signs on to zebra crossings in the capital in preparation for restrictions to be gradually removed.

The country’s over-

Spain’s lockdown is making progress against the new coronavirus, but a gradual easing from next week will require even more discipline, officials said

all death toll from the virus rose by 453 to 24,275, the Health Ministry said,

adding that the additional cases were from the previous days in the region of

Galicia.

The number of diagnosed cases rose by 2144 on Tuesday to 212,917, the world’s second-highest tally after the United States, the Ministry said.

“The evolution we are seeing is still very favourable and is in line with what we expected,” health emergency coordinator Fernando Simon told a news briefing on Wednesday.

He said the so-called ‘R’ rate – the average number of infections that one person with the virus causes – stood at below 1, signalling a downward trend, in almost all areas of the country. (Excerpt from Reuters)

US economy shrinks at fastest rate since 2008

T

he US economy suffered its most severe contraction in more than a decade in the first quarter of the year, as the country introduced lockdowns to slow the spread of coronavirus.

The world's largest economy sank at an annual rate of 4.8 per cent, according to official figures released on

Wednesday.

It marked the first contraction since 2014, ending a record expansion.

But the figures just hint at the full crisis, since many of the restrictions were not put in place until March.

The pandemic "is causing tremendous human and economic hardship across the United States and around

the world", policymakers at America's central bank said on Wednesday.

The US has tried to cushion the economic blow with nearly US$3 trillion in new spending, including direct payments to many families.

The Federal Reserve has also taken a slew of emergency steps, including lowering interest rates to near

zero.

On Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the bank would maintain those levels until it was "confident that the economy has weathered recent events and is on track".

But he warned that the ongoing crisis would "weigh heavily" on the economy.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

US oil jumps 30% as “desperate” traders see green shoots

U

S crude prices shot higher in another day of volatile trading on Wednesday, as traders bet that the gradual reopening of some Western economies would ease the most dramatic collapse in oil demand in history.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the US benchmark, has endured wild swings over the past week after falling into negative territory for the first time on April 20. The market had been spooked by signs that storage was running out after a decline of nearly 30 per cent in demand for oil as economies went into lockdown.

But on Wednesday, the WTI contract for June delivery jumped from US$12 a barrel to about US$16 a barrel. Traders pointed to signs that the worst of the demand destruction might be coming to an end, as parts of Europe and North America began easing some virus-related restrictions.

“There is mounting optimism that lockdown measures will soon be relaxed which in turn will provide oil demand with a much-needed shot of adrenalin,” said Stephen Brennock at oil brokerage PVM. Oil prices are still down more than 70 per cent since January, having started the year near US$60 a barrel, but on Wednesday WTI gained as much as 36 per cent to a high of US$16.78 a barrel, before easing to US$15.79 in late afternoon trading in London.

Brent crude oil, the international benchmark, rose 11 per cent to US$22.61 a barrel.

The oil sector has struggled to cope with the sudden decline in crude demand since early March. Storage has rapidly filled up as unwanted barrels have poured into ships and static supertankers around the world, contributing to fears that the normally 100 million barrel-a-day global oil market could buckle unless producers started to reduce output.

Oil producer group Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies are aiming to cut around 10 per cent of production from May, while US producers have scaled back activity as prices have fallen. But traders are concerned the market could still be overwhelmed by the glut.

US crude inventories increased by nine million barrels last week and are close to an all-time high, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Traders had feared an even larger increase.

Bjornar Tonhaugen at Rystad Energy said traders were clinging to “potentially positive indications that the demandsupply gap may somewhat become smaller soon”, but warned it was too soon to say if WTI’s rally was sustainable.

“Expect a lot of volatility and price swings either way in coming days as bullish and bearish traders weight their hopes and fears in a market that is desperate to find something to hang on.” (Financial Times)

UAE drone strike on factory near Tripoli killed 8 civilians – HRW

A

United Arab Emirates (UAE) drone strike on a biscuit factory near the Libyan capital Tripoli on November 18 killed eight civilians and injured 27 others, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said.

In a report released on Wednesday, the rights group said the UAE appeared to take little or no action to minimise civilian casualties and called on Emirati authorities to conduct a transparent investigation into the incident.

Since the current armed

conflict in Tripoli erupted in April 2019, the UAE has been conducting air and drone strikes to support the Libyan Arab Armed forces, previously known as the Libyan National Army [LNA], one of two major parties to the conflict, some of which have resulted in civilian casualties," HRW said.

"All causalities in the November incident were civilian factory workers, including seven Libyans and 28 foreign nationals, all of them men." (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 30-, 2020

19

ARCHIE

ARIES

(March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

Physical activity will be rejuvenating. Use your skills and knowledge to improve your surroundings.

Take pride in your appearance and share your time and intentions with a loved one.

Gather information and move in a positive direction.

Refuse to let an emotional problem turn into an argument that will stifle your ability to get things done.

Search for common ground.

Added responsibilities will lead to new opportunities if you are patient and productive. How you handle people and situations will help you gain respect and support.

Romance is favored.

Be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Look for ways to bring in more cash and clear up unfinished business. A positive attitude will lead to good results.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Keep a low profile, do your own thing and don't get dragged into someone else's drama. Gravitate toward people and events that bring out the best in you. Romance is favored.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Listen, learn and go about your business. Travel and learning will lead to personal growth, new ideas and a plan that will help you advance. Don't leave anything to chance.

LIBRA

Personal improvement, fitness or whatever eases your stress is encouraged. If you overreact, you could be left doing all the work yourself. Strive for balance and equality.

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SUDOKU

Assess your situation at home and your relationships with friends, relatives and peers, and make adjustments. An emotional incident will leave you in a vulnerable position.

Promote what you want to SAGITTARIUS do.

Your track record will en(Nov. 23courage others to get involved Dec. 21) in your plans. Handpick your team. Love is encouraged.

YESTERDAY'S WORD

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Finish what you start and move on to a new and exciting project. Home improvements will lead to a change of attitude and newly available options.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Let go of the past. Take a giant leap forward and make plans that will improve your personal life. Added discipline will help you say no to anyone who pressures you.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Do your own thing, bring about change and refuse to let anyone stand in your way. Spending less will be necessary if you want to ease stress.

20

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020

Caribbean radio production and broadcast rights…

C

ricket West Indies (CWI) is inviting Caribbean radio production and broadcast partners to submit proposals to produce and broadcast high quality radio commentary for all West Indies Men’s and Women’s International Home Series matches from 2020 to 2021.

CWI has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) document which also includes radio rights for the Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cup in both 2020 and 2021, as well as the West Indies Championship tournaments starting in December 2020 and December 2021.

CWI’s RFP document outlines the scope of the radio production and broadcast rights, and invites potential partners to submit proposals that would cover both radio and online commentary across the Caribbean. In addition to these rights, successful partner(s) would benefit from the right to be “Official Radio Station(s) of the West Indies (cricket teams)” and potentially also the “Official Radio Station(s) for the Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cup and the West Indies Championship tournaments”.

The rights would also provide opportunity for partners to create additional content and programming around international and regional

D

eepak Agarwal, the corruptor involved in Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan getting banned last year for failing to report approaches, has now himself received a two-year ban from the ICC's anti-corruption unit for breaching its code.

Indian businessman Agarwal will not be allowed to be involved in any form of cricket worldwide - both domestic and international - until April 27, 2022, but the last six months of his sentence have been suspended.

The ICC said in a media release that Agarwal had accepted the solitary charge framed by the anti-corruption unit: for "obstructing or delaying" an investigation, including "concealing, tampering with, or destroying any documentation or other information that may be relevant to that investigation and/or that may be evidence of, or may lead to, the discovery of evidence of corrupt conduct" under the ACU code.

Incidentally, Agarwal -who is understood to be 34 years old and lives in the Indian capital of Delhi -- had been on the ACU list of corruptors for some time, and was charged as a "participant" under its code. That was because, in November 2018, Agarwal became one of the owners at the Sindhis franchise in the T10 Cricket League.

Three days after he joined T10 League as an owner, the ACU sat down Agarwal on November 26 to investigate an alleged approach he had made to another "participant" in the past. That approach was not related to the T10 League.

games.

CWI President, Chairman of the Communications and Commercial Affairs Committee, Ricky Skerritt, said: “We respect the fact that local Caribbean Radio has played a significant role in the history of West Indies

At this meeting, the ICC said Agarwal "surrendered" his mobile phone by "consent".

A month later, between December 22-25, 2018, the ACU found Agarwal was "engaged" in WhatsApp conversations with an unnamed person the ICC has called Mr X, who was facing several allegations the ACU was investigating. It is understood that Agarwal had used Mr X to get access to people, including players, to corrupt them and get information from them.

On this occasion, the ICC said both Agarwal and Mr X had been "in conversation" for over the course of the previous year. "These WhatsApp conversations between Mr X and Mr Agarwal related to what Mr Agarwal had told the ACU in his interviews," the ICC said.

"In these conversations, Mr Agarwal effectively instructed Mr X as to what to say to the ACU over certain matters, to ensure that they both told the same story (a story which on occasions was not true) and consequently misled or obstructed the ACU's investigation.

"Mr X also sought clarification from Mr Agarwal over the interview process and what Mr Agarwal had told the ACU on certain matters. In effect, Mr Agarwal and Mr X contrived together to mislead the ACU investigation and not to tell the truth in their answers."

The ICC also said that Mr X was "instructed" by Agarwal to delete all the messages they had exchanged, and his number during the course of the investigation.

"In other words, Mr Agarwal instructed Mr X to

conceal and/or destroy information which might be relevant to the ACU's investigations. Mr Agarwal also instructed Mr X to lie to the ACU about when he had last spoken to Mr Agarwal, as they had had conversations during a time where Mr Agarwal had explicitly been told by the ACU not to engage with Mr X." The ICC said that Agarwal "effectively admitted" to the breach during the investigations, saying both he and Mr X had "connived to mislead and/ or obstruct" the ACU investigation.

On December 22, 2019 the ICC formally charged Agarwal, who accepted that charge in writing on April 27.

The ICC said that although under the code Agarwal could have been charged for the maximum penalty of up to 5 years, it had taken into account some mitigating factors. These included Agarwal "promptly" agreeing to the charge, and, importantly, agreeing to "substantial assistance" he would provide to the ACU with its various other investigations.

"There were a number of examples of Mr Agarwal obstructing and delaying our investigations, and it was not just a one-off occurrence," Alex Marshall, ICC's General Manager of Integrity, said in the release. "However, he made a prompt admission of his breach of the ICC AntiCorruption Code, and continues to provide substantial assistance to the ACU in relation to several investigations involving other participants.

This cooperation is reflected in his sanction." (Excerpted from ESPNcricinfo)

cricket, creating some of the great sports commentary moments for West Indies fans to enjoy and remember. For some, radio remains the most affordable and accessible means to follow West Indies cricket whilst getting immersed into the action through the voices and

stories from radio commentators. I commend all those commentators, journalists, and armchair enthusiasts who help keep the history and ongoing story of West Indies cricket alive via radio.”

Dominic Warne, Commercial and Marketing Director for CWI, said: “We know how important live radio commentary is for fans to connect with the West Indies teams and CWI’s tournaments.

Although the broadcast communications market has changed dramatically over recent years, this RFP is a strong indicator of CWI’s commitment to keep local radio integrated into a modern and sustainable West Indies Cricket broadcast system. We are looking forward to receiving proposals which broaden the reach of radio commentary for avid fans, and refresh its presentation to appeal to new followers of our wonderful game.”

Potential partners can access the RFP document on the www.windiescricket. com website via the Cricket West Indies section of the website and the CWI corporate “News” section. This can be found by clicking here https://bit.ly/CWIRadioRFP. Deadline for the submission of proposals to CWI is May 25, 2020.

…as Vuelta a Espana cancels race start

T

he Tour de France could still go ahead, despite more sanctions on mass gatherings by the French Government.

Cycling's biggest race was set to start two months late, on 29 August, because of coronavirus, but the Government’s ban has been extended until September.

European Championship and the summer Olympics.

The Vuelta a Espana has also announced it would cancel its departure from the Netherlands, set for 14 August.

Also run by Tour organisers ASO, the Vuelta was scheduled to set off from Utrecht, but that leg of the three-week event has been cancelled. The race

Tour race - the Giro d'Italia also awaits rescheduling after being postponed from its May start date in Hungary.

The women's version of the Tour de France, La Course by le Tour de France, was initially scheduled to take place over one day on 19 July on the Champs Elysees in Paris, but organisers ASO said

British Team Ineos (formerly Team Sky) have won the past five Tours

"The Tour de France has not been called into question," said French Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu. "There will not be any large gatherings before September, but with the Tour starting on 29 August, there could be adjustments.

It is up to [organisers] ASO to make some suggestions."

The Tour, won by Team Ineos' Egan Bernal last year, was originally scheduled to run from 27 June to 19 July.

Many large-scale sporting events scheduled to take place this summer have either been called off, such as Wimbledon, or pushed back by a year, such as football's

will now run across 18 stages - three fewer than planned starting in the Basque country of northern Spain.

Cycling's governing body the UCI was expected to release a revised calendar for the men's and women's road cycling 2020 season on Wednesday, but has pushed that date back to 5 May. Four-time winner Chris Froome is set to return at this year's Tour, which will start in Nice, after he missed the 2019 race following a high-speed accident in which he broke his neck, femur, elbow, hip and ribs.Alongside the Tour and the Vuelta, the remaining Grand

it would also be postponed, and instead take place "during the Tour de France 2020".

The Road World Championships, which will be held in Switzerland, remain in their 20-27 September slot.

The postponed 'monument' one-day races - Milan-San Remo, LiegeBastonge-Liege, Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix "will all take place this season, at dates still to be defined", said the UCI. On 10 April, the UCI furloughed staff and cut the salaries of senior employees as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.(BBCSport)

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W

hen Premier League club executives link up for a crucial video conference call on Friday, they will do so amidst unprecedented pressure and mounting unease.

The tension surrounds not only how the plan to resume the football season behind closed doors at a small number of sealed and approved venues should develop, but whether it is realistic, responsible, or indeed appropriate to pursue it at all.

The sense is that hopes of a return to action by early June now hang by a thread.

Confidence has undoubtedly been shaken by the French Government's decision to put elite sport on hold until September, and the warnings of medical experts and player representatives about the health risks involved in rushing back into action.

Some clubs are worried the sporting integrity of the competition could be compromised if only certain venues are used and they play at their home ground fewer games than their rivals. Others "Avoid playing competitive footbal"' - FIFA's medical committee say they feel pressured by politicians chair, Dr Michel D'Hooghe and league bosses into agreeing to play, Chancellor addresses regional leaders and, when they would prefer the season to be no doubt, discusses the Bundesliga's plans with coronavirus, the league was told that Downing Street wanted top-flight abandoned. to resume matches in mid-May; plans that football back as soon as possible to help Privately, the mood within have acted as a source of inspiration to boost people's morale after months both the Premier League and in other countries around Europe. of lockdown, and to support the game Whitehall suggests But with a recent spike in cases in commercially, with many jobs on the line cautious Germany raising fears that their lockdown and the wider football industry desperate optimism may be tightened again -- if Merkel for a restart. remains. follows the French in ruling sport out Premier League bosses have let it be And there are some for several months -- some believe known just how important it is for the reasons for positivity, too. the game could be up for the Premier season to be completed by pointing to Political leaders in League too. the three-quarters of a billion pounds that Switzerland, for instance, How realistic would it be, contractually would have to be paid back have announced that after all, for Germany -- which has to live TV rights-holders Sky and BT. the country's Super suffered far fewer cases and deaths It remains unclear whether the two League will "probably" from coronavirus than the UK, and broadcasters actually intend to demand resume on 8 June if there's no has conducted many more tests -- to all of the refund they are entitled to if the worsening of the outbreak. UEFA's deem sport too dangerous, when that season cannot resume. medical chief, Professor Tim Meyer, conclusion not been reached I understand they are considering meanwhile, has said it is "definitely here? asking to show more matches next year, possible" to plan for the suspended 2019Let us not forget that or requesting a year's free extension to 20 season to restart. Read into that what Wednesday's government their current deal, to mitigate the damage you will. briefing brought the news of their businesses have suffered. But some But by the time Friday's Premier another 765 deaths in the UK. kind of compensation will almost certainly League meeting takes place, is there a real And with so much scrutiny of whether have to be paid.Last weekend, BBC Sport danger that Project Restart could have the British Government was too slow to revealed that football's senior medical suffered a false start? shut sport down last month, and whether experts, along with their counterparts in The clubs know that, ultimately, they events like the Cheltenham Festival and will take their lead from government, and Liverpool's Champions League fixture rugby, racing and cricket, were to be invited their medical and scientific experts. That against Atletico Madrid at Anfield are to a series of virtual meetings in what was was proven by what happened across linked to the numbers of local cases, the described to me a "quickening of the pace" the Channel, where the French league's UK would surely not want to be an outlier. in preparation for a resumption.Ministers continued to make supportive statements modelling and scenario planning was This time last week, amid growing to the media and in Parliament. A number suddenly rendered meaningless by Prime anxiety over the apparent financial crisis Minister Edouard Philippe making his that abandoning the season would trigger, of clubs reopened their training grounds shock announcement, and the season the Premier League's hopes of a return for restricted use by their players. Premier was abruptly cancelled, as it has been in to action were beginning to fade. But League club doctors held a meeting of their own to discuss hygiene standards and the Netherlands and Belgium. then, with frustration growing among Government approval in the UK some executives at what they saw as proposed twice-weekly testing of players. relies on key criteria, such as improved a lack of guidance from Government, Clubs were asked to consider the concept of playing in sealed neutral venues. testing capacity and a relaxation of social encouragement suddenly came.

Broadcasters have been told to work out distancing rules being met.

With Prime Minister Boris Johnson But ministers and their advisers will preparing to return to work, after the minimum numbers of staff they would also be hanging on Angela Merkel's every recuperating from his own brush need at matches.But major questions still need to be answered if professional word on Thursday, when the German

Arsenal’s players returned to training under specific ‘individual’ conditions

sport is to get back on the pitch any time soon, while avoiding damaging headlines.

How do football and other major sports avoid being a drain on an already strained NHS if athletes are injured and need an ambulance or hospital treatment?

How acceptable is it that highly paid stars have access to tests while members of the public are struggling to get tested, even if the sporting tests are being funded privately?And what if fans gather outside stadiums or elsewhere to celebrate, with the pressure on policing that act would inevitably involve?After the controversial furloughing of staff by some clubs, an unseemly row with players over proposed wage cuts, and some regrettable failures to uphold social distancing rules by some teams, football can ill-afford more blows to its reputation.

Exactly seven weeks ago, the Premier League found itself in a similar position to the precarious one it now faces.

With sports event across the world shutting down or going behind closed doors, it defiantly pressed on, issuing a statement insisting that the following weekend's fixtures would go ahead as planned.Accused of poor judgement, less than an hour later, it was forced into announcing an emergency meeting when Arsenal revealed coach Mikel Arteta had contracted coronavirus. No football matches have since been played.

On that occasion, with the Government still insisting it was safe for such events to continue, the Premier League and other sports authorities were left to reach their own conclusions. But several weeks on, much has changed, and the stakes have become even higher.

And this time, one suspects the decision will be taken out of football's hands. (BBC Sport)

…LPGA Tour announces restart plans

T

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

he Women's PGA Championship has been postponed to October 2020, but the LPGA has announced it wants to restart the 2020 Tour by the middle of July.

The Major, one of five in the women's game, was due to take place from 25-28 June in Pennsylvania, but has now been rescheduled to 8-11 October. Other tournaments set to be held in Michigan, Arkansas and Ohio in June and early July have also been postponed.

The LPGA has also announced prize money increases at several tournaments.

"One thing that has become clear is that there will be no 'opening bell' regarding a return to safe play in this new normal of the COVID-19 pandemic," said LPGA commissioner Mike Whan. "To be honest, being 'first' has never been the goal when it comes to returning to play in this new normal. We have built a schedule that we think is as safe as possible, given what we know about travel bans, testing availability, and delivering events that our sponsors and our athletes will be excited to attend."

The LPGA Tour is now due to resume on 15-18 July at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational tournament in Michigan, followed by two further tournaments in Ohio and New Jersey in July.

"While July seems like a long way away, we are certainly aware that restarting our season in Michigan, Ohio and New Jersey will require a continued improvement in the situation in each of those states," added Whan.

On the increase in purse, with more than $56 million (£45m) now available for the rest of the year, he said: "Many of our remaining events will feature higher purses in 2020, thanks in part to some of our sponsors, who could not reschedule their events, offering some of their prize funds to increase other purses.

"In what has been a very challenging year for everyone, we are so thankful to our partners for their creativity, collaboration and dedication to helping our athletes get the most out of the playing opportunities they will have in this unprecedented season."

Earlier in April, Whan had said the Tour would not resume after the coronavirus pandemic until most of the international players are able to compete in tournaments.

The season’s first major, the Evian Championship, is scheduled to be held in France from 6-9 August. However, with France banning until September all sporting events, including those to take place behind closed doors, that event looks in jeopardy.(BBCSport)

Australian Hannah Green won the 2019 Women's PGA Championship for her first major

22

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

− now able to compete in NCAA Division 2 games

T

he name Stanton Rose Jr is a household name among avid basketball fans both young and old in Guyana.

As everyone would remember, Rose’s career took flight when he led Guyana to its maiden Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) title in 2018.

This is a young man whose natural skill and talent caused him to distinguish himself when he played for Panola College in Texas, USA. In 2019, Rose had said it was his goal to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA), noting that it didn’t matter where or whom he played for, once the opportunity given to him allowed him to play for the NBA. He had relayed that, to do so, he must play in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division-2, and with him now being signed to St Mary’s University, he will be able to compete.

In a statement, Rose said, “Blessed to

Russell revealed that he heard about Chris Gayle’s departure from the team only when the Universe Boss sent him a copy of a report appearing in the Jamaica Gleaner suggesting that Gayle was not going to be retained by the twotime CPL champions, and that there were going to changes to the coaching staff, and that Rovman Powell was to be made captain.

T

he 2020 season of the CPL will be Andre Russell’s last with the Jamaica Tallawahs.

On the eve of his 32nd birthday, Russell, perhaps the most dangerous player in T20 cricket globally, in a rambling speech on Instagram Live on Tuesday night, accused the team’s ownership of poor communication and continued disrespect, which he said helped create the impression that he was part of a conspiracy to get rid of Chris Gayle.

“I have another year’s contract with the Tallawahs, and I am going to play and try and win because that is all I play for; but this will be my last, because I have been getting mixed up with all these (expletive) that is happening,” he said. “And I can’t be playing cricket and I am not comfortable.

“And I think another franchise that has been coming last and fifth and fourth in CPL will appreciate me more; I am not getting it here.”

That information, combined with recent statements from Marlon Samuels suggesting that Russell must have known about Gayle's departure, and Chris Gayle's subsequent comments, gives the impression that he knew what was going on behind the scenes at the Tallawahs, when nothing could be further from the truth.

He said that, in 2019, he was not involved in anything with regards to the Tallawahs, whom he said treated him like a player who was making his debut, and whose opinion was not valued. This is despite his decision to play for much less money, because he wanted to play before his home fans.

“I have accepted a pay cut just to play in front of my home crowd, my family and my friends,” he said.

This year, nothing has changed, Russell said.

“They communicated with my agent. My agent agreed. I agreed with my agent, ‘Okay, let we sign’.

The only time the CEO (Jeff Miller) or the only time the Jamaica Tallawahs contacted me was to ask me how soon will I sign,” he revealed. “The deadline is that time and can you sign please.”

Russell said that when he asked whom the team planned on retain-

announce that I’m going to continue my basketball and academic career at the St Mary’s University (In San Antonio). A big thank you to all those been riding with me from start and will be there in the end.

Thank you, coach Aaron Smith, for allowing me to show my talent. Thank you, Coach Christopher Jackson Charles, I’ve learnt a lot from you in a very short time; thank very much, and I’ll never forget your teaching. Willon Cameron Hercules, Andrew Lugard Mohan, Chris Wayne Bowman, special thank you to you guys as well, because you played a major role in my basketball career. Michael Singh, thank you, thank you, for bringing me out to Georgetown to show off my skills.”

Born on December 26, 1999 to Vashawn Hopkinson and Stanton Rose Snr in the village of Kwakwani, the junior Stanton’s life was filled with many rewards as, after he signed with the Bounty

ing, he did not get answers. “Who you guys planning on buying?” I don’t get no answers on that, so I just leave it,” he said.

He said he read the newspaper report before he called Gayle, and it made him nervous when it said that Floyd Reifer was going to be the head coach. Reifer had messaged him, he said, indicating that he might be the head coach for the Tallawahs, and mentioned plans they have for the upcoming season.

However, Reifer suddenly ceased all communication and Miller still was not communicating with him.

During that time, Russell said, rumours began to circulate that Gayle was leaving for the Zouks.

He said his respect for Gayle made him fearful to even approach the ‘Universe Boss’ about whether the rumours were true. So when Gayle messaged him with the newspaper article asking if he knew anything about it, he was stunned.

“I called Chris instantly and I addressed the situation. I said to Chris that the only thing I heard was that Floyd Reifer was potentially going to be the coach.”

However, Russell believes that the fact that Rovman Powell and Reifer are friends and the perception that he knew what was going on behind the scenes create the impression that he was part of a conspiracy to get rid of Gayle.

“Up till now I know nothing that was going on, but now it looks like me, Rovman and Floyd Reifer plan up and a get (rid) of Chris. Why would I get rid of Chris? Chris has a three-year contract, you’re not supposed to breach your contract,” he said. “I had to address the situation, because things don’t look good right now.”

However, Russell said this was a feature of the ownership from the start. He said that when he signed

Colts, he became the captain in 2015, and finished a National Tournament being the MVP, best scorer, and having the most assists.

He then went on to grab the MVP of “the Road to Mecca” tournament, and was the youngest to do it. This all led to him participating in the CBC, in which he scored 41 points against St Vincent.

From there he received a call from Baylor University, but was unable to gain acceptance because he did not have a high school diploma. However, a junior college in Texas called Jacksonville Jaguars gave him an offer.

This team was coached by Aaron Smith, and when Smith moved from Jacksonville to Panola College, Rose followed suit. From there the rest is history, and he is anxiously waiting to play his first pro basketball match and attain his dream of playing in the NBA.

to the Tallawahs in 2018, he had just returned from a one-year ban.

The ban was for whereabouts violations after he had missed three doping tests within a calendar year, which under the WADA Code is equal to a doping violation.

He was made captain, but, according to Russell, “The way they go about

things kinda allowed me to dress back a bit”.

He said that when he was made captain, he gave the owners a list of the players that he wanted them to sign for the team. “Overseas players, local players, players from inside the Caribbean.

It wasn’t about friends. It wasn’t about Jamaicans,” he said. “I am a guy that plays to win, and I have won 13 championships, maybe the only player that has done that, so I don’t play to lose.”

He said he tried to reach out to the owners on the day of the draft, but got no reply.

However, when the draft was completed, they reached out and

asked him if he was happy with the team they selected.

He said it took him a while to reply, because he was disappointed that they did not communicate with him when he reached out to them.

However, his agent urged him to reach out to them and indicate that he still wanted to be captain, and that he was happy with the draft.

He concedes that they did pick a good team, but it lost in the playoffs to St Kitts and Nevis.

“We have to do things better for the future,” Russell said, and he seemed genuinely disappointed and upset.

“To deal with Chris Gayle the way that they have dealt with the situation is nothing to do with cricket; it’s more personal.

“This is going to be an awkward dressing room.

It’s going to be The ominous Andre Russell an awkward CPL, but no one will actually see that when I step out to bat or to bowl while I am on the field, because I play to win.”

(Sportsmax)

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Junior cyclist turns senior…

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G

uyana’s 2019 Junior Cycling Champion Ajay Gopilall announced himself on the cycling stage when he clocked in at three hours, 26 minutes and 11 seconds in the 80-mile National Cycling Championships held in June 2019.

In that year, he also made his debut riding for Guyana in the 13th Caribbean Junior Cycling Championships which pedalled off in Bartica. Now, in 2020, Gopilall is aiming to battle with the big boys as he seeks a smooth transition into the senior level.

Speaking with Guyana Times Sport, Gopilall reflected on his successful career in cycling thus far.

"Cycling started for me back in 2018, when I rode my first race, and that was inter-school branch, where I came out in second place, and it was my aunt who inspired me," Gopilall explained.

Reminiscing on that victory, Gopilall said: "It was a big motivation for me. My goal was to just go out there, do my best, and train hard and just try to be on top."

The Berbician said it has not been an easy road for him thus far. "I did not have enough sponsorship, there were financial difficulties. It was hard for me to go (to these) races, but I had a part-time job where I used to work to support me in going to these races," Gopilall highlighted.

During this testing time, when COVID-19 has brought the world to a Gopilall rocking his Guyana outfit in standstill, Gopilall has not been trainthe Caribbean Junior Championships ing regularly.

"Since this coronavirus started, this has been my second day training. I had dreams planned out (winning races and gaining a top spot on the Guyana Points Classification Table), but due to this pandemic, I cannot accomplish all what I want; but maybe next year (things will be different)," Gopilall added. (Brandon Corlette)

Gopilall on his way to victory in the National Junior championships

Ajay Gopilall

T

M

embers of the local boxing fraternity are shortly expected to benefit from hampers and food supplies donated to the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) by the Briso Promotions as it reaches out to provide relief from the economic ravages of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

This disclosure was made by GBA Boss Steve Ninvalle earlier this week, when he informed that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Briso Promotions, Seon Bristol, had contacted him on Monday with a proposal to assist by providing hampers.

“Mr. Bristol made the proposal, and we are happy to work with him and his company to make the delivery of the hampers a reality. It is not the first time that the association has benefited from his benevolence, and we hope it is not the last time,” Ninvalle said.

Ninvalle explained that the technicalities and procedures for the distribution of the hampers are being worked out, and should be ready in a week’s

GBA President Steve Ninvalle

time.

“I can say without fear of being contradicted that boxers are from tough neighbourhoods, and it would be a colossal understatement to say that they need help; all kinds of help. With the advent of the COVID-19, their need for help has doubled. My intention is to try assisting in the best way that I can,” Ninvalle disclosed.

Bristol, who is based in New York, informed about his commitment to the discipline of boxing. A manager at Con Edison in New York, Bristol said he would be working closely

with the GBA executive to make sure that at least 40 hampers are provided.

“These are trying times for everyone, and it’s important that, even in such times, we continue to be our brother’s keeper. We expect those hampers will be delivered within a week,” he declared.

Ninvalle has also informed that the GBA would be reaching out to several companies and private individuals to assist in providing more hampers.

Bristol remains a close friend and great supporter of the GBA.

he Jamaica Tallawahs have claimed that the decision to not retain Chris Gayle for the 2020 CPL season was strictly business.

The Jamaica-based Hero CPL franchise on Wednesday refuted claims made by Chris Gayle on Monday, that politics and Ramnaresh Sarwan were behind their decision to let Gayle leave for the St Lucia Zouks for the coming season.

Gayle, in a series of videos posted on Youtube on Monday, suggested that Sarwan, his former West Indies teammate, turned management against him. He said that when he refused to back Sarwan’s bid to become team manager, Sarwan sought payback. Gayle called Sarwan a snake, and said he was worse than the coronavirus.Gayle also said he believes that accepting an invitation from Guyana’s former Minister of State, Joe Harmon, had played a part in the decision to let him go.

However, in a statement released early Wednesday, the Tallawahs said Gayle’s comments were ‘far off base’, and that they are focused only on rebuilding a team that disappointed during the 2019 season.“The ownership and management of the Jamaica Tallawahs was disappointed to see the comments made by Mr Christopher Gayle about his departure from the Tallawahs, as we would much rather have had these discussions in private,” the statement said.

It explained that Sarwan did not play a role in any decision affecting the self-styled ‘Universe Boss’.“Mr Gayle gave several reasons for the decision that was made not to retain him in the Tallawahs. However, the truth is that this decision was made collectively by the ownership and management team, which did not include Mr Ramnaresh Sarwan, and (was) based purely on business and cricketing reasoning.”

The Tallawahs also dismissed Gayle’s claim about him being targeted because of perceived political connections.“Further, the ownership and management of the Tallawahs have no political affiliation with any political organization in any country of the Caribbean,” the statement said.“The Tallawahs had a very disappointing season i n CPL 2019, where the team finished last in the tournament. The ownership and management team has exercised its rights in the selection of players for CPL 2020 for the betterment of the team.

“The ownership and management of the Tallawahs will not be making any further comment on this matte,r a s we are focusing on building the team for the future.”

(Sportsmax) T20 legend Chris Gayle

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020

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

guyanatimesgy.com

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− now able to compete in NCAA Division 2 games

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Junior cyclist turns senior…

Gopilall rocking his Guyana outfit in the Caribbean Junior championships

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