Guyana Times - Thursday, June 11, 2020

P7 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4313

State’s assets will be protected – Top Cop assures PPP/C

THE BEACON OF TRUTH THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020

Irfaan Ali already “deemed” President of Guyana – Jagdeo Page 3

…outlined in Article 177 of Constitution; needs no gloss

US reiterates need for “quick and credible” end to elections process

PRICE

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Bandit killed after robbing Linden store

P10

Bypass road in Region P12 9 impassable

Page 7

Former Allegations PNC of electoral Minister fraud calls out Granger’s brazen attempt to disingenuous – APNU/AFC hold on to power Page 10

...says APNU acting in violation of Constitution, damaging country

See story on page 11

Pages 2&9

pollster

APNU/AFC bankrupts Guyana

…treasury too broke to bail out GuySuCo ꟷ Finance Ministry …gold, cash, public deposits ‘dry-up’ ...national accounts now with billions in overdraft

5000g ganja bust

Mechanic P8 released on $100,000 bail

Wakenaam NDC Chair P8 calls for water filtration plant

COVID-19 pandemic

Anna Regina Town Council to prosecute defaulting P8 market vendors

2 NEWS

THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

APNU/AFC bankrupts Guyana …country’s gold, cash, public deposits ‘dry-up’ ...national accounts now with billions in overdraft

W

ith the recount of the ballots cast on March 2 completed, a new resident is expected to be sworn in imminently after which there would be the appointment of a new Government and the convening of a new legislative body in order to, among other things, approve a National Budget of expenditure for the year.

The last budget approved by Guyana’s National Assembly was one for the fiscal year ending 2019 which means that all expenditure for the first half of 2020 has been curtailed to a monthly one-twelfth of the previous year’s expenditure.

No new spending was possible during the first half of this year, save for special circumstances as was with the advent of the coronavirus Task Force.

The new government, however, will soon find out that Guyana as a country is, as is used in Guyanese colloquial parlance, “broke.”

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

This is in addition to an alarmingly depleted gold reserve. The state of affairs can be gleaned from the pub-

lished balance statements of the nation’s accounts held by the Bank of Guyana.

The Bank of Guyana, as part of its statutory requirements, published in the Official Gazette, a Statement of Assets and Liabilities for the country.

The state of play, as illustrated in the May 23 publication of the Official Gazette reveals that the General Reserve is -$290,667,332.

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

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

When APNU/AFC took office in May 2015, the Bank of Guyana’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities reflected a completely different situation.

According to the records, when the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change took Office in 2015, Guyana’s gold reserves were stocked at $15 billion.

The latest figures show that the gold reserves have been depleted by the APNU/ AFC administration to less $1 billion—now standing at $715 million.

This reflects a differ-

May 13, 2015

May 13, 2020

A comparison of the May 2015 Bank of Guyana Statement of Assets and Liabilities with that of 2020

ence of $14.3 billion spent by the sitting Administration during its time in office, not accounting the additional sales for gold that would have cycled through the financial system over the course of the five years in of-

fice.

In 2015, Guyana’s General Reserve had in its coffers just about $6 billion while the Contingency reserve held $4 billion.

Today, those savings have been eroded to below

zero dollars, to now reflect considerable overdrafts.

According to the May 2020 figures, the General Reserves now stand at minus $291 million while the Public Deposits now account for an $89 billion red mark

or overdraft against the country.

While the contingency reserve stood at $4.8 billion when the APNU/AFC coalition took office, the current accounts reflect a balance of just about 2.3 billion.

NEWS

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THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, June 11 – 09:00h-10:30h and Friday, June 12 – 10:00h -11:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, June 11 – 08:10h-09:40h and Friday, June 12 – 09:05h -10:35h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Sunny conditions are expected to prevail throughout the day, interrupted by latemorning rain showers. There will be partly cloudy to clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 08:11h and 20:50h reaching maximum heights of 2.34 metres and 2.20 metres.

Low Tide: 14:18h reaching a minimum height of 0.89 metre.

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$41.73/barrel

+1.32

Rough Rice

$284.454 /ton

-1.43

London Sugar

$394.90/ton

+1.70

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1733.30

$1734.30

Low/High

$1709.50

$1742.10

Change

-6.00

-0.34

Irfaan Ali already “deemed” President of Guyana – Jagdeo …outlined in Article 177 of Constitution, needs no “gloss”

G

eneral Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), Bharrat Jagdeo, has stated that with his party having obtained the highest number of votes from the March 2 elections, its Presidential Candidate, Irfaan Ali, has already been “deemed” the President of Guyana.

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Jagdeo cited Article 177 (2) (b) of the Constitution, and maintained that the law is clear as it relates to the declaration of the elections results.

“The Presidential Candidate on the list [of candidates of the party] that has the majority vote is deemed the President of Guyana, and the (Guyana Elections Commission) Chair shall declare him as President. So, Article 177 (2) (b) of our Constitution is quite clear. It has been established now that the PPP’s list has the most votes, and therefore, Irfaan Ali is already deemed the President of Guyana,” the PPP/C General Secretary noted.

Article 177 (2) (b) states: “…where there are two or more Presidential candidates, if more votes are cast in favour of the list in which a person is designated as Presidential candidate than in favour of any other list, that Presidential candidate shall be deemed to be elected President, and shall be so declared by the Chairman of the Elections Commission…”

What the Opposition Leader was emphasizing was that this article needs “no gloss” or explanation as the CCJ had ruled on Art 106 (6) where the Cabinet and the President should resign after a No Confidence Motion.

Jagdeo added that the PPP/C is now awaiting that section of the Constitution that says that the Chair of GECOM “shall” officially declare Ali as president, adding that this is imperative given the state of the country, particularly the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There are tons of issues that have to be addressed…

That is why we need the declaration very early, so we can address these issues…,” he stressed.

The recently concluded National Recount has shown that Ali’s PPP/C secured a landslide victory with more than 15,000 votes ahead of the caretaker APNU/AFC Coalition.

The publicly tabulated figures from the exercise show the PPP/C taking 33 of the 65 seats in the Legislative Assembly while APNU/AFC will take 31 seats. The remaining one seat is expected to be held by the Joinder

PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo

Alliance comprising the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), A New and United Guyana (ANUG) and The New Movement (TNM).

According to the PPP/C General Secretary, with the law being clear in relation to the declaration of the elections results, any action outside of this would not be tolerated.

“As far as we’re concerned, all of the shenanigans that are going on now to prevent the declaration, that’s not going to work, because that’s the supreme law of Guyana,” the PPP/C General Secretary contended.

The APNU/AFC has claimed that the results from the National Recount cannot be credible because of unsubstantiated “massive electoral fraud”, and has put GECOM “on notice that it cannot use illegal and fraudulent votes to produce a valid and acceptable result”.

Among the fraud the incumbent party is claiming are: unstamped ballots, deceased and migrant vot-

ers voting, and missing poll books. In fact, caretaker President David Granger, in an address to the nation on Saturday, said these irregularities appear to have been committed intentionally, and demonstrate a pattern of manipulation of the electoral process.

However, many stakeholders have deemed the recount exercise transparent, and have noted that the only fraud that was detected was the fraud perpetrated in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) – Guyana’s largest voting district – by embattled Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo.

The recount has unearthed that Mingo heavily inflated figures in his contentious March 6 and 13 declarations in favour of the APNU/AFC, to fraudulently give the coalition victory.

Nevertheless, as the recount process wound down, voices from the domestic and international community – the Private Sector Commission; the US State Department; Ambassadors of the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Caribbean Community (Caricom), and Organisation of American States (OAS) have been call-

PPP/C Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali

ing for an acceptance of the recount by all the parties, leading to a peaceful transition for the new Government that has been chosen by the people of Guyana.

With the recounting and tabulation exercise completed, the Chief Elections Officer will now have to prepare his report to submit to the seven-member Elections Commission on or before June 13. The Commission has in its Gazetted Order on or before June 16 to make a final declaration of the March 2 polls, more than three months after polling was completed on March 2, making this the single longest such hiatus in the nation’s democratic history.

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guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 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

Fostering harmony

T

he current elections climate has once again reminded us of how polarised the nation is; and perhaps now, more than ever, there is need for all stakeholders -including the incoming administration, political parties, civil society groups, religious leaders, and more particularly the Ethnic Relations Commission -- to renew their efforts in forging ethnic harmony in the country.

As expected, the elections campaigns were intense, as the various parties competed for political power in the highstakes elections. With the use of certain mobile technology and accompanying high-speed internet, almost every action or reaction from political parties, their representatives, or even supporters, was publicised in real time via the various social media platforms.

In addition to the two major political parties trying to outdo each other, their supporters were also very occupied in trading barbs, and sometimes even launching vicious attacks against each other via their comments on social media. In a few instances, some even took the time to appear in videos, engaged in racially insensitive rantings as if they were misled to believe that they cannot be prosecuted for such behaviour.

The truth is that quite a lot of content being generated in the form of “comments” on social media platforms in relation to the political elections in Guyana cannot be regarded as informative and healthy debates, and as a result, they do more harm than good.

We have also noted that much of this content is being created by Guyanese in the Disapora, some of whom do not have any interest in coming back here or in contributing to this country’s development. They do this in the guise that they still care about what is happening in their home country.

This is quite acceptable, but the problem arises when their contributions to the political debates border on racism.

Very soon, it is expected that the results of the elections will be officially declared by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), and the party that got the most votes will form the next government. The parliamentary representatives of the various parties will be named, Parliament will convene, and the business of the country will go on.

However, one cannot ignore the fact that the population is fractured at the moment. Race relations are at an all-time low, and it would require serious work by all stakeholders to change the situation.

Stakeholders must begin immediately to address the many challenges confronting citizens, not only as those relate to achieving our developmental aims, but also as they relate to fostering peace and ethnic harmony among the citizenry.

We call on all Guyanese to desist from making racially motivated remarks, which can incite others and contribute even more to the high level of tension in the society. Citizens must be aware that they can attract penalties when they engage in such behaviour, as they can be prosecuted for offences under the Racial Hostility and Representation of the People Acts, as well as under the cybercrime laws.

We urge the ERC to continue being vigilant in its monitoring of both the mainstream media and the various social media sites in order to flag racially insensitive content and to take appropriate actions where necessary. The capacity of the ERC in carrying out its constitutional mandate would certainly be tested in the coming days, and it is our hope that it would be able to deliver in an efficient, fair and transparent manner.

Our political leaders also have a crucial role to play. We expect them to put country above partisan interests. They must rein in their supporters, and insist that they behave responsibly, as the nation’s future is at stake. This is the kind of political leadership that is needed at this time.

Even as we await the final declaration from GECOM, our hope is that every Guyanese would exercise tolerance and respect for each other throughout their daily lives. Now that Guyana is about to benefit fully from the revenues accruing from its oil resources, the possibilities for development are endless, but those would be difficult to achieve in a society where peace and harmony are absent.

There is now renewed hope for Guyana Dear Editor, After 33 days of gruelling mental and physical draining, the final ballot box was recounted for the 2nd March, 2020 General and Regional Elections. The count showed the PPP/C winning by a margin in excess of 15,000 votes ahead of its closest rival, the APNU/AFC. All Guyana breathed a sigh of relief, despite the delayed completion of the GECOM tabulation process due to the sudden acting up of the NCN system. The embattled RO Mingo’s contentious District # 4 recount tabulation was certified on the 9th of June, 2020, thus ending the GECOM National Recount process.

GECOM CEO Mr Keith Lowenfield, having received the certified results of all ten Districts, is required only to do the math and submit the report to the seven-member Commission. Five days are much too long, it is not hypersonic science. He has to be closely watched, for he has earned a reputation of being very devious and untrustworthy.

The nation anxiously awaits the declaration from Madam Chairperson, retired Justice Claudette Singh.

The speedy swearing in of President-elect Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali is of paramount importance. The formation of the legitimate Government, with Prime Minister- elect Brigadier Mark Phillips and the operationalising of the Parliament, is a necessity.

All Guyanese at home and abroad and the interna-

tional community look forward for nothing less. It is time to move on with haste.

It has been a long and arduous battle for the restoration of lawfulness in our dear land.

After publicly acknowledging defeat immediately following the passing of the historic No Confidence Motion on the 18th November, 2018, Caretaker President Granger reneged and refused to call the elections in the constitutionally stipulated three months’ time frame. Ever since, Guyana was plunged into a state of anarchy and depredation as perpetrated by the Granger-led APNU/AFC Administration. Uncertainty and despair permeated the order of the day.

They continued to squat in office, in denial of the fact that they had lost the right to govern, and wreaked havoc on the Constitution; and at the same time, the economy spiralled downwards.

The pain, the anxiety and the trauma inflicted on the Guyanese nation had become unbearable. People’s lives have been severely disrupted, they are at a tipping point. Widespread uncertainties gripped the nation as to the way forward.

The economy is in crisis proportions and needs immediate fixing. We are in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic that requires mature collective efforts to withstand its ravages. The Granger outfit held on to power with disdain and anger meted out to the people. We have recent-

ly marked our fifty-fourth Independence Anniversary, but, at this time, one can safely say that we are starting all over again.

Sunday 7th June, 2020 can be viewed as a day of reckoning for the people of this nation, when the GECOM wrapped up its National Recount of votes cast at the 2020 General and Regional Elections, ushering in a new era. Hats off to all that stood up against the tyranny that has plagued this land since November, 2018.

There is now renewed hope for Guyana.

The nonsensical objections are a misuse of the Observation Report in the GECOM National Recount of votes cast at the 2020 elections. It is a blatant attempt to delay the inevitable and inflict more suffering on the peace-loving people of this dear land of Guyana. The Granger cabal acted with impunity, and showed no remorse for the very people they claim to be representing. They only shamed and disgraced their own supporters, and have now become onerous burdens within the structure of the PNC and need to be replaced urgently.

The inaction, the deafening silence and the questionable decisions made at times by the GECOM Chairperson, retired Justice Claudette Singh, traumatised the Guyanese nation and attracted widespread criticism. She did not only stand idly by, but looked the other way and allowed District # 4 RO, Mr. Mingo, to com-

mit fraud. She sadly missed a glorious opportunity to do good for Guyana. Madam Chairperson needs to make amends, and do it fast. The decision she made to support the inclusion into the recount of the ballot boxes coming from the East Coast of Demerara that were only sealed with the ballots inside is very much commendable and augurs well for the final declaration.

There may be court challenge by the incumbent APNU/AFC to stop the process, but the Judiciary is expected to issue orders consistent with the Constitution.

With the new Government soon to be in office, the democratic institutions will be allowed to function outside of party paramountcy and political underpinnings. The racial tensions spurred and fuelled

by Granger’s belligerent and arrogant PNC operatives will subside as Guyana looks to a future of peace and calm and equal opportunities for all.

It is hoped that the likes of Dr. David Hinds, Eric Phillips, Lincoln Lewis and the others would tone down their nasty racist rhetoric, which is hurting the people of their race rather than helping them, and serves no good to anyone. People will once more be allowed to survive on their own free will and move on with their lives.

A functional democracy is eagerly awaited.

Respectfully, Parasram Persaud

We should not have any difficulty with 233,336 being greater than 217,920 Dear Editor, And the winner is: the PPP/C! Look, this is not rocket science; the bigger number wins. Now that we have all been assured that 33 is greater than 32, we should not have any difficulty with 233,336 being greater than 217,920. It is the greater number that wins.

I was one of almost 460,000 who voted on March 2, 2020. All of us who voted and participated in that process can vouch for the checks and controls that were applied by the staff present before we were allowed to get a ballot to vote.

I experienced courteous, professional and competent conduct. The final act was to stain my finger.

I did not want to keep the stain on my finger long, so I wiped my finger right away; but the stain remained. I tried to remove it with soap and water and bleach, but I could not get it

out completely.

Polling stations average about 200 voters. Polling stations were staffed with people from the community who knew the voters in the area. And if you are going to vote for the dead or migrated, you will first vote for yourself; otherwise, it would make no difference.

Anyone who attempts to vote for himself and for the dead or migrated will have a number of challenges: 1. He will have to remove the ink stain.

2. He will have to take the chance that no one will recognise him from the first time he voted.

3. He will have to look like the dead or migrated person.

4. He will have to know the personal details of the dead or migrated.

5. He will have to have identification and other documents belonging to the dead and migrated.

I do not believe that most Guyanese would be skilled enough to overcome these challenges; so, unless and until we have actual proof that this happened, then, as normal people, we will have to doubt the credibility of the observations by the APNU/AFC. Given that APNU/AFC engineered the Mingo count of Region 4, can we believe anything coming from them? Do they have any credibility left?

The 2339 polling stations had almost 12,000 GECOM staff and observers. We also know that the majority of GECOM staff are supporters of, or are sympathetic to, the APNU/AFC. Are we being asked to believe that they actively cooperated in some scheme or conspiracy to facilitate double voting by some 86,000 PPP/C supporters? Right now, that is what is being alleged. Not only is this claim incredible,

but it impugns the character and integrity of every person present in those 2339 polling stations.

Let us move on. The PPP/C has won with a one seat majority; same as APNU/AFC had in 2015.

Instead of begging for Shared Governance, the opposition should be demanding changes to the Constitution to make it possible for the Opposition to have more resources and power to hold the Government accountable.

The GECOM Chair, with or without the Commissioners and without the Chief Elections Officer‘s report, should proceed with the Certified Recount and declare the winner of the Elections.

It is thus that the GECOM Chair would be vindicated.

Yours truly, Sase Shewnarain

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020

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

Too many lines in a non-aligned country Dear Editor, With 50% of Guyana relatively under age 50, half of Guyana would not know, or cannot remember, the days of food shortages back in the 1980s, and the other half would choose not to remember those anguished days of the infamous KSI, when the very PNC party destroyed the integrity of the people, brought shame and disgrace to Guyanese travelling overseas, and squandered the treasury; bringing the economy to a colossal bankruptcy.

People were forced to endure the cruelty and embarrassment of lining up in long queues from early morning for a miserly pint of cooking

oil and other essential foodstuff, thanks to the generosity of Burnham and his educated and smart cronies, who knew only to destroy and not build, and to full their pockets at the expense of human suffering.

Yes, everything was a line, whether crooked or straight, for the young and old, average and lower income, the sick or the healthy one, PPP or PNC supporter, all a-we were one back then!

It was a time of who wants to know who, and not who you think you know or who know you!

Then, again, the party card was Burnham magic.

Today, once again,

Guyana is queuing up at the mercy of a cantankerous caretaker Government, joining the line to wait on the NCM outcome; joining the line to wait on an illegal selection of a GECOM Chair, Mr. Patterson’s removal; joining the line to wait for another appointed GECOM Chair; joining the line to wait on a HTH result; joining the line to wait on the cleansing of a voter’s list; joining the line to wait for an election date announcement; joining the line to vote in cow pastures; joining the line to wait on election counting; joining the line to wait on the atrocious delays created by the infamous coali-

tion party; joining the line to wait on GECOM’s decision over Mingo’s doing; joining the line waiting on the longdrawn-out court proceedings; joining the line to witness a second act of Mingo’s bull; joining the line to await the second court proceeding result; joining the line to wait on the caretaker President’s generosity to accept CARICOM as observers; joining the line to hold your breath to see who really refused the Carter Center reentry’s request; joining the line to wait on Lowenfield’s master plan to professionalise a recount process; joining the line to wait on Madam Chair to refute the

on all citizens to accept the results of the recount process when declared, and remain peaceful.

The COVID-19 pandemic has given us tremendous insight into our oneness, interdependence, and the importance of unity and solidarity.

The majority of us Guyanese are spiritual people, and we understand

how the will of God works.

We are confident that God will take care of us, no matter who forms the Government of Guyana.

Bearing this in mind, we call on all God-fearing citizens to dig deep and find the resolve to refrain from, avoid, and condemn any and all forms of violence and social unrest.

The IROG calls on those

who love Guyana to engage in constant prayers, and respect each other as we move forward in this historic moment in time. We are confident that God will see us through, because our lives are in His hand.

Peace after recount results declared Dear Editor, In the Name of God: the Most Glorious, the Most High! For the last 18 months, our country has been gripped in a political vice; now the end seems to be in sight. No matter which party wins, there will be a number of citizens who will be unhappy, so the Inter Religious Organisation of Guyana (IROG) is calling

Sincerely, Inter Religious Organisation (IRO) of Guyana

Not surprised about GuySuCo’s financial status

Dear Editor, I cannot say I am surprised to learn that the GuySuCo is out of finance, and could soon face closure unless something is done to address the lingering matter. My own interactions with GuySuCo personnel had revealed to me the

seriousness that faced the Corporation.

I have asked my friends who are in the hierarchy of GuySuCo what is being done to address this matter.

My question drew a blank. I asked specifically if the CEO is engaging the Minister and other governmental officials

Thousands have lost their jobs, thousands more will lose their jobs Dear Editor, With the imminent closure of GuySuCo, unless funding is found, thousands will lose their jobs due to industry failure.

Thousands have already lost their jobs as the APNU/ AFC Government attempts to balance their books and make a profit off citizens. I say this because they introduced VAT on water and electricity, as well as widened the tax base to garner more revenue.

In attempting to balance the books by sacking thousands, the APNU/ AFC Government demonstrated that they are living in a dream world. In

Government, the books rarely get balanced, as there is always something that needs resources, and there are always emergencies.

When the APNU/AFC came to power in 2015, a lot of goodwill was granted to them; only for them to squander this goodwill.

There can be no denying that the “downsizing” of GuySuCo, leading to thousands of citizens losing their jobs, cost the APNU/AFC the 2nd March 2020 elections, as citizens saw how heartless they were.

Yours faithfully, Sean Ori

on the matter, recognising the seriousness of the situation. To my surprise and utter dismay, I learnt that the CEO is not even in Guyana, but has rather been in the United States for several weeks now.

Even if it is that the CEO is making representa-

tion, he is obviously handicapped, given his absence from Guyana. It does not show the CEO in a good light, and I am sure that thousands would like to hear from him.

Yours sincerely, Liebert Alleyne

nonsensical 156 days to 25 days recount; joining the line for a long, uncomfortable and ridiculous recount process that mirrored the incendiary hand piece of a well strategized plan, filled with obnoxious irrelevance and smoking gun factiousness, meant to distract and delay; joining the line waiting for a final recount result that was so evident and transparent from the incep-

tion, except for those looking through the lens made from opaqueness; joining the line for another CEO Lowenfield report, riddled with expected impartialities, vagueness, inaccuracies and trivialities, with the conspicuous absence of the relevant essentials that are detrimental to the Coalition party.

Respectfully, Jai Lall

Guyanese should not buy into instigators Dear Editor, The current situation in Guyana has me pondering on Martin Carter’s words: “This is a dark time, my love”.

My brothers and sisters, do not buy into their downright divisive rhetoric. For the last five years, the coalition has been “aiming at your dream”. I know the majority of us did not buy into their lies, that is why the PPP/C won our free and fair election by 15,416 votes.

It is time for us to stand united, now more than ever.

The country is broke, we have a global pandemic, and the election has caused us to be pushed into a period I and my fellow young people had hoped was behind us. Never, in my wildest of dreams, had I thought I would have witnessed rigging, and then constant narrative changes by the “decent and honest”; from saying they will accept the results of the recount to now trying to nullify the entire election -- an election

which was two years in the making, two years of the theatrics.

My fellow Guyanese, for there to be social cohesion, for Guyana to truly enjoy the good life and progress, stop with the racially divisive undertone. Guyana is made up of six races, we are a diverse melting pot. Think of the best cook-up you have ever had; that is Guyana, an amazing blend of various cultures.

Please do not buy into the instigators, who are trying any possible thing to stay out of jail and remain at the helm of power. Do not listen to the rhetoric coming from persons who are not even in Guyana, but are using their social media fame to pen racially divisive statements.

We are one people, one nation, one destiny; it is time we truly unite as one.

All the races and cultures must stand united!

Respectfully, Odayson Ashby

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THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020

Page

Foundation

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

Below are English Paper 2, 2010 and CXC English.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL GRADE SIX ASSESSMENT

ENGLISH PAPER 2

Reading Time: 10 minutes Writing Time: 45 minutes READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS. .

1. WRITE YOUR CANDIDATE NUMBER CLEARLY ON EACH PAGE. 2. This, paper contains SIX questions. You are required to answer QUESTIONS ONE and THREE others. EACH question is worth 5 marks.

Be sure to:r answer FULLY the FOUR questions.

This paper has two questions. You must answer either question 1 or question 2.

1. In about 120 to 150 words, write a letter on one of the following:

3. Write your answer in the space provided in the booklet.

4. Drawings and handwriting MUST be clear at ALL TIMES. 5. Each step of your work MUST be CLEARLY shown in the booklet.

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

7. Look over your work when you have finished.

8. DO NOT take away ANY part of this question paper.

DO NOT TURN OVER THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO.

low. Begin at 1 and end at 4.

Give your story a title.

(a) Your Sunday School would be having a camp during the August holidays.

Your friend would like to go to camp with you.

Write a letter to your friend's father to persuade him to allow his son / daughter to go to the camp. (b) Your elderly neightbour has complained about the loudness of the music at your birthday party.

Write a letter to your neighbour apologizing for the discomfort you caused. (c) You are the captain of a cricket or football team.

Write a letter to the captain of the team from a neighbouring school inviting his/her team to play a friendly match. (d) Last Saturday you saw a programme on television which you did not like.

Write a letter to the producer of the programme giving three reasons why you did not like the programme.

OR 2. In about 120 to 150 words, write a composition on one of the following: (a) Retell a story you recently read or heard. (b) Write a story entitled "A trip on the river". (c) Write a story entitled "A day I would always remember". (d) Write a story based on the pictures that fol-

CXC ENGLISH I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud

By William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee; A poet could not be but gay, In such a jocund company!

I gazed—and gazed—but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought: For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils.

1a) Summarise "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" b)What is the aim of the poem? c)How are the daffodils described in the poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud"? d)"I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" is an almost-perfect example of Romanticism advocated by its author, Wordsworth. Discuss

NEWS

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THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

State’s assets will be protected – Top Cop assures PPP/C More recently, however, a flooding incident at the Finance Ministry has raised suspicions, especially since it occurred the same day the National Recount was completed, confirming the PPP/C’s victory.

It was reported on Sunday that a water main allegedly broke, leading to water leaking into the bottom floor and soaking boxes of documents, files and computers at the Finance Ministry.

Meanwhile, the PPP/C team was also assured by the Top Cop that the Police Force is actively monitoring the situation and gathering intelligence to deal with any threats of post elections violence.

PPP/C Presidential Candidate Dr Irfaan Ali, General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo, and Executive Member Anil Nandlall leaving Wednesday’s meeting with Police Commissioner Leslie James

P

olice Commissioner Leslie James has assured the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) will put systems in place to secure all state assets, including documents and fixed assets, during this period when there is going to be a transition of government.

The Top Cop gave this assurance during a meeting with a high-level team from the PPP/C on Wednesday morning. The team comprised of PPP/C’s Presidential Candidate Dr Irfaan Ali; Prime Ministerial Candidate, former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chief of Staff, (ret’d) Brigadier Mark Phillips; General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo, and Executive Member, former Attorney General Anil Nandlall.

Speaking with reporters following the meeting, which lasted just over 30 minutes, Ali said he wants the security forces in the country to be ready and willing to safeguard and secure all state assets.

“You would recall, in 2015, there were Police officers stationed at every ministry and department whilst the transition was taking place. So, we raised this with the commission-

er. As you are aware, there’s lots of news and photographs circulating with documents and assets being moved, and we’ve asked him to ensure that he looks at this and to ensure that systems are in place to secure State assets and documents. The Commissioner assured us that systems will be put in place to do just this,” Ali said.

The PPP/C had previously called on the Top Cop to take all necessary steps to protect all public buildings which house Government offices. This was just one day after the March 2 General and Regional Elections, which the recently concluded National Recount has shown a 15,000 plus victory for Ali’s party.

In the March 3 statement, the party said, “We have received credible information that attempts are being made to remove and destroy important records of the Government of Guyana, and other public documents and moveable assets of the State. We expect the Guyana Police Force to discharge its statutory duty in protecting and preserving official records of the Government of Guyana and all Government and State properties.”

US reiterates need for “quick and credible” end to elections process

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ith the recount and tabulation of the votes cast at the March 2 polls finally completed, the United States (US) Government is urging that the exercise process be completely quickly and credibly.

This position was articulated by US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, during a press briefing on Wednesday.

During the briefing, Pompeo spoke about the state of democracy in the hemisphere, and particularly Guyana.

“The United States continues to stand for democratic values in the hemisphere. We look forward to a quick and credible conclusion to the vote recount in Guyana,” Pompeo said during the press briefing.

Pompeo has been vocal in urging for the credible conduct of the recount, and for President David Granger not to be sworn in on results that were not credible; namely, the results that include Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo’s fraudulent figures.

The Secretary of State, who once served as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), has also been on record calling for the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) caretaker Government to respect the will of Guyanese voters.

“Your anniversary is especially meaningful this year, as Guyana stands on

US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo

the brink of a new and more prosperous era. We urge the Government to respect the wishes of the voters, as peacefully expressed in the March 2 election. Any recount should be conducted in a free, fair, transparent, and credible manner,” Pompeo had said on the occasion of Guyana’s Independence Day. Since the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections, the US has expressed its commitment to ensuring that the process is transparent and credible.

Following the two fraudulent tabulations by Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, the US Government warned election authorities “to follow accepted procedures and allow international observers to verify the results”.

Only recently, US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, reminded that the threat of sanctions

still hangs over Guyana’s head should a President be sworn in based on electoral fraud. Lynch had explained that sanctions ranged in seriousness from targeted measures, such as individual visa restrictions, to financial measures that could impact the economy.

“You’ve seen some of the statements coming out of Washington. Secretary (of State Mike) Pompeo.

Assistant Secretary (Michael) Kozak. The National Security Council. They have been very strong. And Secretary Pompeo did point to serious consequences if the democratic process, the rule of law and the principles of democracy, are not followed in Guyana,” Lynch had said.

The recount results for Region Four were certified only Tuesday, showing the PPP/C with 80,920 general votes versus APNU/AFC, which gained 116,941 votes.

Collectively, the certified results mean PPP gained 233,336 votes versus 217,920 for APNU/AFC. The process is not over, as Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield has to now prepare a report on the results, as well as a summary of the observations. These have to be submitted by Saturday to the Commission. In addition, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Scrutinizing Team has to submit a report of its own.

Inciting comments

During the discussions, the party officials also raised concerns about racially hostile and inciting comments on social media.

“The Commissioner responded that he has systems in place. They are actively monitoring what is happening, and they’ve compiled a list of breaches and they’ve sent that list for legal advice in relation to the statements made on social media inciting people and so on,” Ali stated.

It was noted, too, that a request was made for the Party to have a contact within the Police Force to share related information with and identify those persons creating mischief.

According to the PPP/C Presidential Candidate, while his party does not want to deny anyone their constitutional right of ‘freedom of expression’, this must not aim at racially dividing Guyana and its people.

“Freedom of expression does not mean spreading hate and making racist statements and trying to divide our people, making mischief in our country. That is not freedom of expression; that is trying to destroy the fabric of our society and create havoc in our country,” Ali argued.

He further posited that a lot of the persons on social media who are behind these acts are actually Guyanese living overseas, who appear bent on creating mischief. Ali contended that they must be dealt with condignly.

Only Sunday, after the last ballot box was counted, the PPP/C Presidential Candidate pleaded with Guyanese to “act in a responsible manner”, as the country awaits a formal declaration by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) of the official results; and he further pledged to govern the country for all citizens, regardless of their race and/or political affilia-

Police Commissioner Leslie James

tion.

Meanwhile during Wednesday’s meeting, the PPP/C top brass did not raise the issue of the list that was submitted by the Police Commissioner to GECOM, of persons whom the APNU/AFC Coalition alleged were not in the country but votes were cast in their names.

With some of the information submitted by the Top Cop, who is also the Chief Immigration Officer, having since been disputed, PPP/C General Secretary told reporters that the matter has already been ventilated in the public.

“We did not want this to seem as though we’re trying to deal with elections-related matters that are before the [Elections] Commission… APNU will come and say, ‘Had we raised that issue, that we were trying to influence the Commissioner of Police to withdraw his list. It has already been established in the public domain that the list is horrendously flawed. We don’t need to do much more,” Jagdeo contended.

Police Commissioner James had submitted to GECOM a list of 172 persons whom he claims were not in the country on or before March 2. However, dozens of those persons have disputed the Chief Immigration Officer’s data and claimed that not only were they in the country, but also voted on March 2.

Against this background, the PPP/C Presidential Candidate was asked whether he intends to retain James as the Top Cop, and he reiterated his party’s position of not engaging in witch-hunting.

“We are not in any witch-hunting exercise; let me make that clear. We are going to act professionally. The Commissioner has assured us that he and his team will continue to act professionally, [and] we will hold the Commissioner to his commitment,” Ali noted.

8 NEWS

THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

5000g ganja bust Unlicensed bus driver charged for Mechanic released on $100,000 bail woman’s death

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A

n unlicensed minibus driver who allegedly caused the death of a 20-year-old woman has been charged for causing death by dangerous driving.

Patrick Rudolph Edwards appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, where two charges were read to him.

The first charge stated that on May 28 at Rupert Craig Highway, East Coast Demerara (ECD), he drove minibus BWW 6242 in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of Sabita Sukhoo.

It was further alleged that on the same day and at the same location, he drove the minibus when he was not the holder of a driver’s licence.

The man denied both charges and was released on $100,000 bail. The case will continue on June 30, 2020.

Reports are Edwards was driving the minibus

mechanic, of Litchfield Village, West Coast Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), was on Tuesday released on $100,000 bail when he appeared in a New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court on a possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking charge.

Owen Lewis, a 31-yearold mechanic, was arrested on Sunday, June 7 for being in possession of narcotics. Lewis appeared before

R

Charged: Owen Lewis

Dead: 20-year-old Sabita Sukhoo

when it collided with a RAV 4 vehicle causing the bus to topple. Several persons were injured.

Sukhoo, of Lusignan Pasture, ECD, who was a passenger in the minibus, was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The driver was arrested and charged.

The ganja that was seized by Police

Magistrate Peter Hugh. The prosecution is contending that Police ranks, acting on information, intercepted a minibus at the Berbice River Bridge in which the man was

a passenger. Upon conducting a search, the cops discovered the cannabis – some 5000 grams (five kilograms) – concealed in three wrapped plastic parcels. The case will continue on June 30, 2020.

COVID-19 pandemic

Anna Regina Town Council to prosecute defaulting market vendors

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he Anna Regina Town Council is moving to prosecute market vendors for failing to comply with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) measures requiring them to wear face masks while selling at the Anna Regina and Cotton Field Markets.

All stall holders will be given free masks, which were donated by the Essequibo Coast Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and those stall holders who fail to wear them will be charged.

At the last statutory meeting of the Council it was noted that stall holders were not complying with instructions given to them by the Council in keeping with the prevention of the spread-

ing of COVID-19. This resulted in the Council moving to adopt a range of fines to force the delinquent stall holders to comply.

Mayor Rajendra Prabhulall said that the town constables tried many times to enforce the safety measures in the markets, but some stall holders were not complying. He noted most of the defaulters were the ones selling food and food-related items.

When Guyana Times visited the Anna Regina Market on Wednesday, several of the stall holders were seen conducting business without a mask.

Most shoppers were, however, seen with masks.

S

NDC Chairman Sheikh Ahmad

few instances of clear cell service, the prices are often alarming. He also expressed concern about the landline service that was provided by GTT. “There was a landline service by GTT, but that has suddenly failed

…the (PNC) beat goes on

emember when we were pre-K kids and thought that when we closed our eyes the world disappeared?? As we grew older…we wised up to the harsh truth that, unfortunately, all the things we wished would disappear remained stubbornly in place.

Like that cookie jar crashing into little pieces when we tried to stick our grubby paw into it - and Mom was going to go ballistic!!

Well, it looks like David Granger never learnt that lesson. Here he is…the votes from all ten regions have been CERTIFIED by GECOM…Mingo’s three card monte with the Reg 4 SOPs has been exposed…and he’s still holding on to his SOPs?? When he closed his eyes, retreated to his bunker at Shiv Chandrapaul Drive, and suggested the recount…what did he think would happen to the other SOPs that were in the possession of the PPP and the rest of the world?? Not to mention the ones nailed to the door of every one of the 2339 polling stations in the land like Luther’s Theses at Wittenberg Church!! They’d disappear??

Since he, his minions and myrmidons insisted they’d won the elections the very next day after the voting, based on their SOPs, wouldn’t this be the time to whip them out to justify why he hasn’t packed his bags and called a cab to get back to his brother’s house at Pearl??

Surely, he hadn’t…gasp!!... lied, had he?? Naah!! This is a man of the church…almost a man of the cloth, if we go by the amount of time he lets us believe he spends on his knees.

Somehow, your Eyewitness doesn’t think we’ll ever hear about those SOPs, much less see them!!Granger and his (military) crew are now banking on their old squaddie, Maj Lowenfield, to do one for the old epaulets!

That is, front load the simple tabulation of the CERTIFIED votes with so much smoke and noise (like in those old battlefield simulations) of their allegations about voting dead and such like that Chairwoman Claudette will have no choice but to ignore all those “shalls” in Art 177.

Remember that one?? If more votes are cast for one candidate than the others, he “shall be deemed to be elected President and shall be so declared by the Chairman of GECOM”. But then, there’s the caveat that she has “to be advised” by her CEO!! And we’re back to Granger and his “perceptions” on the Constitution!!

Which he says is as good as those of any Judge!!

And don’t forget we have an Appellate Court that found the claim that 33 wasn’t the “majority” of 65 quite persuasive!!

A section of the Anna Regina Market

Wakenaam NDC Chair calls for water filtration plant

itting at the mouth of the Essequibo River is one of the largest of the approximately 375 islands along its stretch and while life on an island is expected to be dandy, this is not the case in Wakenaam.

Over the years, there has been a long list of issues plaguing the island, where basic necessities for residents’ livelihoods are compromised in various ways.

Speaking with Guyana Times, Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Chairman Sheikh Ahmad shared that proper roadways, affordable cell service, and clean water could be considered luxuries on the island, since these continue to elude their grasp.

Ahmad explained that the current road network in numerous parts of the island is a concern for drivers with regard to vehicle maintenance. He went on to share that while there may be a

Slowly, but surely…

for the last three years. Very few are working; out of about 80, we might have about three to four still working,” he revealed.

Another issue, which Ahmad described as the most disconcerting of them all, is the island’s inability to receive clear and clean water. The island’s water is said to come straight from a well to tap, and as such contain dirt and rust. This, he noted, has been troubling them for the past 10 years.

“The quality of water, it is so bad what we’ve been getting. We’re getting water yes, but it is the quality. We need an improved quality of water; we need a water treatment plant, at least two on the island,” Ahmad pleaded.

He further revealed that while electricity on the island is acceptable, the costs were still too high. He had no complaints, however, about Wakenaam’s drainage system which he explained was “very reliable”.

…the PPP keeps moving ahead

It’s been said before, but it bears repeating: If the PPP could do all the things the PNC and their fellow travellers say they did during this election to win it…then, Jeez, the PNC should just close up shop and move on!! How in the heck are they going to ever beat an outfit that could subvert each of the 2339 PNC polling agents; the 15,000 GECOM staff recruited by Lowenfield; the 3000+ Policemen on duty; all the overseas and local observers, and all those media outfits?

But there’s an old medieval chestnut that the PNC should consider at this time. It’s called Occam’s Razor, and it insists that when explaining things, “plurality should not be posited without necessity.” Meaning: don’t try all kinds of convoluted contortions but, as we say nowadays, “keep it simple stupid!”

In the matter at hand, is it too hard for the PNC to concede they just screwed up between 2015 and 2020 and the PPP beat them?

After all, jump high, jump low, Irfaan Ali is gonna be President!

…Granger succeeded with GuySuCo

Granger set out to destroy the PPP’s base in sugar… which had been his hero Burnham’s bugbear. And as he goes through his (political) death throes, he’s ensuring sugar does the same.

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

NEWS

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THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Treasury too broke to bail out GuySuCo – Finance Ministry

...still to get money from sale of sugar lands

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he caretaker coalition Government on Wednesday confirmed that Guyana’s national treasury is presently “incapable of providing a bailout” to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and the Corporation should seek to work out its bottlenecks, since any monies due from the sale of sugar lands still would not be for the industry directly, but rather to make repayments for a bond that was secured.

This position was communicated publicly on Wednesday by the Finance Ministry after a May 15 letter

by Chairman of GuySuCo’s Board, John Dow, was made public, in which the official pleaded for executive assistance.

This, since the sugar industry which still employs thousands of Guyanese, has run out of cash to meet its basic needs and faces imminent closure.

The GuySuCo Chairman in the letter to caretaker President David Granger on May 15, appealed for his intervention “…to use your good offices to arrange for funding to prevent the impending closure of the Industry”.

Dow told President Granger that “…. GuySuCo needs funds now to be able to survive after the second week June 2020”.

The sugar industry’s union representative body, through its representative on the GuySuCo Board, on Wednesday confirmed the President did not respond to the Corporation’s request.

The President’s Director of Press and Publicity Affairs, Ariana Gordon subsequently informed that Agriculture Minister Noel Holder – within whose remit GuySuCo falls – and Finance Minister Winston Jordan met recently, in the presence of President Granger, “with the aim of resolving the issues facing the Sugar Corporation”.

She has since communicated that the “Minister of Finance has since embarked on some arrangements to resolve the ongoing crisis facing the sector”.

Later requests by members of the media for the President’s Public Affairs Officer to elaborate on the meeting or its outcome was met with a directive to “contact the Ministry of Finance and/or Agriculture for further details”.

Incapable of providing bailout

The Finance Ministry in a public missive Wednesday evening said “the prevailing national circumstances, coupled with the challenges of COVID-19 and a reduced national income, render the Treasury incapable of providing a bailout to GuySuCo”.

As such, the Finance Ministry, headed by Jordan, said a $30 billion bond backed by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) assets and guaranteed by the Government of

Guyana was secured through NICIL to retrofit and revitalise the three remaining sugar estates.

According to the Finance Ministry, during the period July 2018 to February 2020, $9.7 billion was disbursed to GuySuCo to fund its Capital and Operational Expenditure – much of which was outside the terms of the bond.

The Ministry said too that additionally, NICIL, through the Special Purpose Unit (SPU), had sold lands that were vested to it, and garnered deposits of $2.1 billion.

This money, however, was used to offset bond payments that became due in May 2020, the Ministry said, adding that the balance of $1.5 billion for the lands will be paid over to NICIL when the vesting orders are signed and gazetted.

The balance, however, is not expected to make its way to the Corporation in its entirety, since according to the Ministry, part of this sum will go towards a bond repayment, which is due on July 4, and the remainder to GuySuCo. According to the incumbent, GuySuCo also generates its own income.

It was noted too that another disbursement is expected in the coming days; and as such, the Government has since urged “that NICIL, GuySuCo and the syndicated lenders work assiduously to resolve any bottlenecks”.

Disturbing news

News of the imminent closure of the Sugar Corporation has since been described as disturbing “for the thousands of Guyanese who, directly and indirectly, still depend on the sugar industry for their livelihoods”.

The condemnation was adumbrated on Wednesday by the sugar belt’s union representative body, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), which lamented the state of affairs and pointed to the plea for intervention on the part of the Executive by the Corporation’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, John Dow. The GuySuCo Chairman, in his missive to the President, informed the Executive that immediate provision for a subvention was desperately needed, acknowledging that the next annual budget for the country was still some months away given the prevailing political state of affairs.

The immediacy, Dow pointed out, is rooted in the fact that the Corporation is without cash to carry it past this week.

He informed the President that the financial situation at GuySuCo was so dire that two accountants on the Corporation’s Board have since resigned.

Outlining the Corporation’s position to Granger, Dow had noted that GuySuCo has run out of cash to meet basic expenditure

such as the payment of salaries, maintenance, and bare essentials.

Dow had noted that compounding the situation was the fact that contractors who usually provide goods and services for the Corporation have now begun demanding large upfront payments before any supplies were acquired for the industry.

Dow, in his missive to the Administration, said that without an imminent cash injection into the Corporation, the effects of its now stagnant cash flow would affect the second sugar crop.

The GuySuCo official had indicated to the President that the Corporation has only ever received just about $9.7 billion of the promised $30 billion that was secured for the industry by the Government-run NICIL’s SPU. According to Dow, recent interactions with the intermediate body – that was placed in charge of large aspects of the Corporation’s management – has revealed that “little or no further funds are likely from this source in the near future”.

On Wednesday,

Caretaker Finance Minister Winston Jordan

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo also indicated that

Caretaker Granger

President

David

the country’s treasury was empty.

10 NEWS

THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Fmr PNC Minister calls out Granger’s brazen attempt to hold on to power …says APNU acting in violation of Constitution, damaging country

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former Minister of Information under the People’s National Congress (PNC) administration, Christopher “Kit” Nascimento, has called out caretaker President David Granger for making a “naked and ugly” attempt to remain in office, effectively violating the Constitution and laws of Guyana.

In a letter to the editor on Wednesday, Nascimento reflected on the General and Regional Elections that were held over three months ago, and the circumstances that led to the recently concluded National Recount. Pointing to the results of the recount, which show a People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) win by over 15,000 votes, Nascimento stated, “The people of Guyana have spoken. They have chosen to give the People’s Progressive Party/Civic a majority through the ballot box and the democratic right to form the new government.”

He also emphasised the fact that the recount figures have matched almost exactly the Statements of Poll that were published by the PPP/C and other parties. The recount, he added, also “dramatically exposed the fraudulent declaration made by the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, based on

Mingo’s fraudulent tabulation, giving the APNU+AFC a majority, still held in abeyance by GECOM’s Gazetted Order.”

Ordinarily, while in a democracy, such a revelation would result in the losing party conceding and congratulating the new leader, this has not been Guyana’s reality.

Nascimento continued, “For weeks now, the APNU+AFC leadership have refused to acknowledge the inevitability of the majority reflected in the ballot box.

Sadly, they have continued to lie to their own supporters and the rest of Guyana.”

According to the former PNC Minister, days before the recount concluded, revealing the results of the election, Granger, in a national address, instead of conceding, chose to make an attempt at discrediting the results of the recount.

“David Granger, for the first time, publicly embraced what he called “numerous reports of irregularities”, and then listed “unstamped ballots, deceased and migrant voters, and missing poll books”, which he claimed “to have been committed intentionally, not accidentally, and demonstrate a pattern of manipulation of the electoral process,” Nascimento

Former PNC Minister Christopher “Kit” Nascimento

stated.

However, Nascimento pointed out that none of these allegations have been substantiated. “Not a shred of evidence has been submitted to GECOM in support of them. In any event, none of these fairytales can have any legal bearing whatsoever on the result of the recounted ballots,” he stressed.

While President Granger previously vowed to abide by the declarations that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) makes, Nascimento has accused him of now trying to “denigrate and refuse to accept the result of the Recount”, in complete contradiction of his prior commitment.

“David Granger’s entire address reeks of dishonesty and prevarication. Here is how he dismisses the reason for the country being forced into a Recount: “Subsequent events resulted in the prolongation of the electoral process well beyond the deadline for the declaration of results…owing to legal challenges” in the courts, which, unbelievably, he blames on the PPP/C,” Nascimento posited.

He continued, “Granger, completely ignores the perfidy of Mingo, and that it was his candidate, Ulita Moore, and his party’s lawyers who attempted to prevent the Agreement which he entered into with the General Secretary of the PPP/C, Bharrat Jagdeo, to conduct

the Recount.”

These attempts to discredit the recount, Nascimento further stated, are “a naked and ugly attempt to enable David Granger and his party to remain in office and hold on to power in violation of the Constitution and the Laws which govern us as a democracy.”

Nascimento, who was a local observer to both polling day and recount activities, said the caretaker president “continues to damage his country, damage his own people, damage our future, and, by misleading his own supporters, seriously threatens the maintenance of peace and good order.”

The expectation, he said, is that GECOM Chairperson, retired Justice Claudette

Caretaker President David Granger

Singh, would make an election declaration in accordance with the tabulated recounted figures of the ballots, making way for the swearing in of the presidential candidate of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali.

Bandit shot after robbing Linden store

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Linden man was shot and killed on Wednesday afternoon, after allegedly robbing a hardware store at Wismar, Linden in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

Dead is Kevin Batson of Wismar. Reports are that Batson and an accomplice, who were both armed, stormed into the Sadam Hardware Store situated at One Mile, Wismar at approximately 15:30h. The men then held the owner and staff at gunpoint.

This publication understands that during the ordeal, the store owner was gun-butted before the perpetrators made off with items from the store.

The owner of the store and one of his friends then pursued the duo in a vehicle, and fired shots in the direction of

Dead: Kevin Batson

the perpetrators.

According to the store owner, one of the perpetrators was shot during the ordeal.

Ranks were later summoned to the scene, and they also discharged several rounds in the direction of the perpetrators following a search.

The Police later managed to recover the store owner?s wallet and identification card in the perpetrators? posses-

sion.

While Batson was fatally shot, his accomplice was apprehended by Police, and remains in custody, where he is assisting with the investigation. Batson succumbed at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), where he was transported by ambulance. It is unclear whether he was killed from shots fired by the store owner or Police.

Regional Commander Superintendent Hugh Winter, when contacted, noted that this is yet to be ascertained.

Shots were fired also, but I?m not sure whether or not the shot was from the Police, (and) I?m not sure how many shots; so, that has to be confirmed, maybe with the post Mortem,? the Commander said.

An investigation is currently underway.

NEWS

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THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Allegations of electoral fraud disingenuous – APNU/AFC pollster …calls out coalition for wasting opportunity for constitutional reform

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Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) has come in for flak from a pollster the party previously hired, as questions have been raised about why the party did not address constitutional reform during its time in office.

In a panel discussion on News talk Radio Guyana, Peter Wickham, a noted regional pollster and head of the Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES), opined that APNU/AFC, particularly AFC, wasted its opportunity.

He added that the reason the AFC is in business was to have electoral reform and power-sharing.

“To have a better system of governance in Guyana, that’s how the AFC got into the whole thing. You were in office for the better part of five years, and what have you done in that regard?”

Wickham asked.

“So, to come and talk about the fact that you want these things now, when there was no single initiative to deal with issues of electoral reform, the bloated list. You had a vote of No Confidence which essentially brought an end to the ad-

Political Scientist Peter Wickham

ministration. And then you go back quarrelling about these things again, when you had the opportunity and did nothing.”

According to Wickham, the will of the people and the judgement of Guyanese is clear. What is now important, he noted, is to get on with the job of installing a new government, and for politicians to put Guyana first.

He also questioned APNU/AFC’s constant allegations of electoral fraud.

Wickham pointed out that every polling place had scrutineers who were drawn from that locality.

According to him, it therefore means that they should

have been able to identify a dead person who showed up at a polling station to vote.

“So, if there is all this evidence of fraud…you need to come with some kind of rigorous evidence. In all the instances I’ve come across of electoral rigging, it’s usually done by the persons who are in office. If you’re out of office and you can rig an election, that is a genius,” Wickham also opined.

“If there wasn’t the hanky-panky with the Statements of Poll (Mingo), we wouldn’t be having this conversation today.

Because, to the best of my knowledge, the recount was coming to an end. Everybody was happy with it. There were no suggestions of dead or migrated people. So, to me, to bring it up now is a bit disingenuous,” he said.

Constitutional reform was one of the main promises on the coalition’s 2015 Elections Manifesto, but the Administration has been heavily criticised for not delivering. APNU, specifically the People’s National Congress (PNC) component, had previously deflected blame for failure to address constitutional reform. In October of last year, PNCR executive retired Rear Admiral Gary Best had

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

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Caretaker Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

thrown the blame on other members of the National Assembly.

“We had to get at least two-thirds of the Members [of the National Assembly] to vote for the many clauses and articles that are now in the Constitution. So constitutional reform is not an activity for the party in power, it’s an activity for all the parties in power and parties that seek to have power…

“It can’t be done without the cooperation of the other Members of Parliament, which are from the PPP [People’s Progressive Party]. So that’s one of the issues with constitutional reform. It has to be a national effort,” Best had said.

Further questioned as to what was done by the coalition to reach out to the parliamentary Opposition to advance the process of constitutional reform, Best had contended that there was always an open-door policy for discussions on the matter.

There is a Constitutional Reform Commission Bill that was to be examined by a bi-partisan committee chaired by Attorney General Basil Williams, but there have been accusations made of members of the committee stalling the process. And while fingers continued to be pointed, the bill languished.

In the meantime, with

Caretaker President David Granger

the National Recount over and the PPP/C have been shown to have won the elections by 15,416 votes, calls for power sharing continue to be made.

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)

Chills

Repeated shaking with chills

Muscle pain

Children have similar symptoms to adults and

Headache

Sore throat

New loss of taste or smell

generally have mild illness.

12 NEWS

THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Bypass road in Region 9 impassable

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he Manari Bypass Road along the southern end of the existing Manari Bridge in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), has become impassable due to flash flooding.

Residents of Region Nine have expressed concerns about the deplorable state of the Manari Bypass Road, one of the main access roads into the township of Lethem, commercial hub of Region 9.

Junior Grant, a resident of Lethem for over 40 years, has said he is saddened by this issue, given that a lot of persons in his community are suffering.

“Water rise yesterday

The Manari Bypass Road that was split in half due to the heavy rainfall

morning, and that is what burst the road in half, so no vehicles can’t come, no vehi-

cles can’t go. If they do have to come into Lethem, which is the main road, they have

to go around like about half an hour to an hour driving from that spot to another vil-

lage, (and) come around by the mountain side to come back into Lethem. When I went this morning to check that part too, that road is breaking away too…”, he said.

Grant further noted that due to the outbreak of COVID-19, Lethem is expected to go into lockdown; therefore, persons would have to transport food from the city.

In April 2019, the caretaker coalition Government had opened the bypass road, which cost some $80 million to construct. However, the residents said since then, further works on the road were done only just a few

weeks before the March 2, 2020 polls.

“Just before the election in March, the works started back there; but the money was budgeted since last year April to complete that bridge and to complete that part of the road. However, nothing was done; nothing done, so now they are hurrying to get it finished,” Grant underscored.

The Public Infrastructure Ministry on Wednesday confirmed that the Manari Bypass Road in Region Nine has become impassable. As such, motorists and pedestrians are asked to detour through Nappi Village to enter Lethem.

Small parties optimistic in PPP/C Govt of meritocracy …say AFC squandered 2011 opportunity

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ith the recounted results of ballots cast on March 2, placing the Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) into Government, small parties are looking to the formation of a new administration based on meritocracy.

This, according to General Secretary of The New Movement (TNM), Dr Josh Kanhai — one of the joinder alliance also slated to take up a seat in the National Assembly, expected to be convened after the swearing in of a new President.

Dr Kanhai expressed his party’s views in a public missive on Monday, wherein he noted that “the PPP enjoys a majority government.”

He noted, however, “but it is my hope that the Parliament in time will be one of many parties, not just two opposing sides. This one seat is the turning of that tide.”

According to the TNM General Secretary, “It is my hope that the newly formed executive arm of government is based on meritocracy.”

As such, Dr Kanhai said, “I sincerely hope the PPP/C equip their new cabinet with qualified young people, and we not see a shake out of the same recycled faces from 2015.”

Speaking to the new parliamentary dispensation for the upcoming National Assembly, Dr Kanhai noted that the 12th Parliament in

“my beautiful land will be a unicameral parliament with an independent third-party voice.”

According to the TNM General Secretary, “The Alliance for Change had this opportunity in 2011 and quickly squandered it.”

With the joiner agreement, the 65th seat of the Twelfth Parliament will be going to the three parties in the joiner agreement.

According to Dr Kanhai, the PPP/C has earned a clear majority in Parliament, which means any bill they want they can just pass, but it is his hope that they use this opportunity to truly include all the voices in the legislative branch when passing bills.

The sentiments by the

TNM on Wednesday coincided with calls by the Inter Religious Organisation of Guyana (IROG) “to accept the results of the recount process when declared, and remain peaceful.”

The organization, in a statement to the media on Wednesday, observed that for the last 18 months, “… our country has been gripped in a political vice; now the end seems to be in sight.”

The entity has since reiterated its call on the electorate to “dig deep and find

the resolve to refrain from, avoid, and condemn any and all forms of violence and social unrest.”

The publicly tabulated figures of the recount of ballots cast show the PPP/C taking 33 of the 65 seats in the Legislative Assembly, while APNU/AFC will take 31 seats. The remaining one seat is expected to be held by the Joinder Alliance, comprising the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), A New and United Guyana (ANUG), and TNM.

The full Commission of the Guyana Elections Commission is expected to receive a report of the tabulated recount results prepared by Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield on or before June 13. The Commission has in its Gazetted Order on or before June 16 to make a final declaration of the March 2 polls, more than three months after the March 2 polls — the single longest such hiatus in the nation’s democratic history.

M&CC gets $7.9M in essential items to fight COVID-19

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he Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) on Wednesday donated over $7.9 million in essential items to the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) to assist its efforts in alleviating the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The Department of Public Information (DPI) reported that PAHO/WHO Country Representative Dr William Adu-Krow said his office is pleased to lend support, particularly under such circumstances. The kind gesture, he noted, was realised following requests from the Public Health Minister and subsequently City Mayor Ubraj Narine.

Among the items donated were chemical respirators, rubberised boots, safety goggles, gloves, hand washing sinks, and mist blower SR420.

Several social distancing floor markers and vinyl posters, along with self-quarantine vinyl posters with COVID-19 message, and two billboards which were established at Stabroek and Bourda markets, were also donated to support the public awareness efforts.

Some of the items donated by PAHO/WHO to the Georgetown M&CC (DPI photo)

At the handing over ceremony, held in the Council’s Chambers, Dr. Adu-Krow noted that “this is only the beginning” of the support for the municipality. He informed those present that the global health entity plans to build and strengthen its relationship with the City Council.

Dr Adu-Krow stressed it is essential for the City Council to be equipped with the necessary gear to tackle the virus, since a large majority of Guyanese traverse the City’s thoroughfares daily.

Expressing gratitude on

behalf of the M&CC, Mayor Ubraj Narine stated that the donation would assist the Council to expand its sanitisation efforts in several markets and public spaces within Georgetown.

Both the PAHO/WHO and M&CC continue to urge citizens to follow the guidelines initiated by the local health authorities in order to put a speedy end to the global pandemic.

Town Clerk Sherry Jerrick and Public Health Department Head Dr Suzette Reynolds were also present at the handing over ceremony.

NEWS

13

THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

No new cases as 22 more COVID-19 tests conducted …6 more persons recovered

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he Public Health Ministry has announced that no new case was confirmed from the 22 COVID-19 tests that were conducted over the last 24 hours.

This was revealed by Director of Primary Health Care, Dr Ertenisa Hamilton, who delivered Wednesday’s COVID-19 update.

She noted that the number of confirmed cases remains at 156, and COVID-19 deaths at 12.

Among these 156 cases, 10 are from Region One (Barima-Waini). The region’s cases increased after another case was confirmed on Tuesday (one of two new cases recorded that day).

The new victim is from Moruca, and is a teacher at the Santa Rosa Primary

Director of Primary Health Care, Dr. Ertenisa Hamilton

School. Already, the sub-district has recorded three cases, including Region One’s first death.

On May 25, 59-year-old

Vincent Torres died as a result of the novel coronavirus. He was Guyana’s 11th COVID-19 death. His wife and son – both teachers -have also tested positive for the virus, and are in isolation.

Guyana Times understands that Torres’s wife teaches at the Santa Rose Primary – the same school as Moruca’s newest victim.

Region One now has seven persons in total who are in isolation.

Nevertheless, the Director of Primary Health Care disclosed during her update on Wednesday that the total number of persons tested thus far has gone up to 1,876, of which 1,720 are negative cases.

There are 52 active cases in institutional isolation,

CCJ rules against Caricom, Barbados in cement dispute case …but cement tariff increase stands

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he Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) upheld the decision of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) to raise the tariff on “other hydraulic cement” imported into Barbados.

The CCJ declared, however, that the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and Barbados failed in their respective duties to conduct prior consultation with the importer, Rock Hard Cement Limited (“Rock Hard”). This was revealed in a judgment released on Wednesday.

The Court’s decision was given in the original jurisdiction matter of Rock Hard Cement Limited v The State of Barbados and The Caribbean Community and Arawak Cement Company Limited, Intervening [2020] CCJ 2 (OJ).

On June 17, 2019, COTED, the organ of Caricom responsible for altering or suspending the Common External Tariff (CET), approved the application of Barbados to suspend the CET of five per cent on other hydraulic cement in order to replace it with a tariff of 35 per cent. The suspension was authorised for a period of two years and not the five years requested.

Rock Hard imports other hydraulic cement manufactured in Turkey into Barbados. Rock Hard was not consulted or notified before the application to raise the tariff was made or granted although both Barbados and COTED were aware of the impact the COTED decision would likely have had on that company.

Rock Hard claimed that the decision to raise the tariff should be annulled because it had a legitimate expectation that Barbados would keep the tariff steady at the CET rate of five per cent. The basis of this legitimate expectation was alleged representations made to Rock Hard by Barbadian officials in 2015

CCJ President, Justice Adrian Saunders

when Barbados reduced the tariff from 60 per cent, where it stood in 2015, to the CET rate of 5 per cent.

The Court held that, in order for Rock Hard to succeed in the Court’s Original Jurisdiction, the alleged representations that gave rise to its expectation must have come from Caricom, but there was no claim or evidence that it was COTED that made the alleged representations to Rock Hard.

The Court held that subsequent knowledge by COTED of the alleged representations could not make COTED a party to them as those representations had not been made on COTED’s behalf.

The Court also dismissed Rock Hard’s claims that the COTED decision was arbitrary or irrational. The Court stated that the rationale and justification presented to COTED by Barbados were supported by the factual circumstances and that in any event the grounds on which the request was approved clearly fell within a category which allows COTED a broad discretion and where the scope for the Court’s intervention is narrow.

On the other hand, the Court decided to declare that Barbados and Caricom had failed to ensure that Rock Hard was consulted be-

fore the application for the suspension was approved.

Because the consultation required for an application of this type was limited to obtaining information as to the impact of the proposed tariff increase, the Court decided that the effect of the failure to consult did not call for annulment of the decision.

The Court expressed dismay that Caricom had failed to maintain an effective system of consultations at the national and regional level as required by Article 26 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC). The Court noted that the agreed procedures for the processing of requests to COTED, such as this one made by Barbados, had not yet been formally brought into force. The Court found that this was a weakness in the system.

The Court concluded by stating that it was a matter of Barbadian domestic policy whether that State wished to adopt measures to facilitate the importation of cement produced extra-regionally or encourage locally-produced cement manufactured by Arawak Cement Company Limited. The Court emphasised, however, that any such measures and the processes accompanying them must comply with the rule of law.

The judgment was delivered by the full Bench of the CCJ comprising the President, Justice Adrian Saunders and Justices Jacob Wit, Winston Anderson, Maureen Rajnauth-Lee, Denys Barrow, Andrew Burgess and Peter Jamadar.

Allan Wood, QC, and Symone Mayhew, QC, appeared for Rock Hard Cement Limited.

Gayle Scott and Jared Richards appeared for the State of Barbados. Dr Corlita Babb-Schaefer and O’neil Francis appeared for Caricom and Eamon Courtenay, SC, and Raphael Ajodha appeared for Arawak Cement Company Limited.

six persons in institutional quarantine, and one patient in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC).

Meanwhile, the number of persons who have recovered from the life-threatening disease to date has gone up by six, bring the total to 92.

According to Dr Hamilton, the Public Health Ministry continues to pay close attention to the impact the novel coronavirus is having on the Region of the Americas.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported some 3.4 million positive cases, along with over 185,800 deaths in the Region.

Globally, there are now over 7.1 million positive COVID-19 cases, and more than 408,000 deaths.

To this end, the Director of Primary Health Care at the Public Health Ministry is pleading with Guyanese to play their part in flattening the curve by adhering to the guidelines in place to protect persons from contracting, or even spreading, the life-threatening disease.

“You are cognisant of the contributory factors that lead to a flattening of

the curve: Physical distancing, Cough and sneeze etiquette, handwashing and, most importantly, staying at home. I encourage you to keep spreading this message in your communities, so that we can arrest the spread of COVID-19 and begin to reshape our lives with some measure of normalcy,” she posited.

Dr Hamilton went on to talk about asymptomatic cases, pointing out that approximately 35 per cent or more of Guyana’s confirmed cases have been asymptomatic. “This simply means that we have healthy persons around us who have the COVID-19 and are unaware of their status because they

have no signs or symptoms, hence the advisory on wearing masks in public, and keeping your distance.

“For fear of repeating myself, let’s try to remain safe and healthy,” she stated.

The Director of Primary Healthcare further encourage Guyanese to visit one of the COVID-19 facilities if they are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, or if they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive.

Persons are also reminded to use the COVID-19 Hotlines, which she noted are available in communities for citizens’ safety and protection.

Silvercorp Metals Inc declines to match Guyana Goldfields’ “new offer”

S

ilvercorp Metals Inc has declined to match the “new offer” made to Guyana Goldfields by a foreign-based multinational mining company announced on June 3.

On Wednesday, Guyana Goldfields announced that it has received notice from Silvercorp Metals Inc that it will not exercise its right to match the offer.

Meanwhile, locally, the company on Tuesday commenced its second phase of termination of workers from the Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) operation base.

The Canada-based company, which operates local subsidiary Aurora Gold Mine (AGM), had moved to downsize its operations since May, after facing constraints from the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with other financial woes. The downsizing is also linked to the company’s transition into underground mining.

Employees were informed of the second termination phase via a circular dated June 8. Penned by Director with responsibility for People and Culture, Emma Geist, instruction was given to those who would be laid off to collect their final papers before leaving the mine site.

Their final payments, the company noted, would be deposited before June 19.

The company has contended that these actions are in preparation for the rebound, when underground mining commences.

“Following our first phase of workforce reduction, this second phase also marks another day in the history of AGM Inc where this initiative will adversely impact many lives. While these are difficult times, we need to keep our heads up high, knowing that this will lead to a brighter future when the underground operations resume at some point in time,” the circular stated.

Added to this, the company sent out a statement on Tuesday in which it announced the cessation of all mining activities and the beginning of a planned care and maintenance period.

This means that mining at Rory’s Knoll open pit and all satellite pits has ended.

“As per our previously announced plan, we will continue to process stockpiles until approximately the end of June, and thereafter the mine site will go into care and maintenance.

The phased reduction of activity and employees is well underway, and is expected to be completed over the course of the coming weeks.

“Full-time security presence will be maintained at site, along with adequate crews to maintain the site, including environmental monitoring and compliance. Infrastructure such as camp, water supply, power supply and other systems will remain operational at a reduced level,” Goldfields said.

Layoffs

In a letter last month, Goldfields Chief Executive Officer Alan Pangbourne said a reduction in the workforce will take place at all levels, including both national and expatriate employees, as the company transitions its mining operation into a state of care and maintenance for an undetermined period. “The reason our timeline is undetermined is because it depends on multiple variable factors.

These factors include financial conditions, COVID-19 issues, travel restrictions, and pending approval from Guyana’s EPA of our Revised Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Permit for underground mining,” he was quoted as saying. According to Pangbourne, these factors include hindrances to mining, the loss of income projected from ore shortage in the open pits, and an overall lack of funding to recommence operations in some areas. The pandemic had also forced the company to cease underground mining development.

No mention was made of exactly how many workers would be affected, but persons have posited that considering AGM employs over 500 personnel, the number of workers being let go would be significant.

This development caps a tumultuous year for the company, which has already made moves to sell its operations.

14 NEWS

THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

UG to release blueprint to guide 20 years of development – new VC

A

2040 blueprint that will dictate the transformative growth of the University of Guyana will shortly be released.

Spearheading this new era of development for the tertiary institution is UG’s first female Vice Chancellor (VC) and change strategist, Professor Paloma MohamedMartin.

In a Zoom interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), Professor Mohamed-Martin outlined the main areas of change that UG would experience over the next year.

According to the Vice Chancellor, one critical component is the strengthening of the institution’s financial systems.

“That work has already begun in terms of digitising, modernising our software [and] finishing the audits that we’ve started,” the VC outlined.

Retraining and hiring of staff with varying capacities have similarly bolstered this area of focus, she noted.

Additionally, the Vice Chancellor highlighted a situation that has captured her attention – one that she intends to change.

New Vice Chancellor Dr Paloma Mohamed-Martin

“My biggest peeve at the university since I got there was the low salaries that we pay, to not only our academic staff but other staff. This is a huge problem […] not because of the money only, but because of what it allows us to do and who it allows us to buy,” she is quoted as saying by DPI. Professor MohamedMartin was adamant that if UG intended to pursue the course of being a science-driven university, the institution would need scholars with doctoral de-

grees. For this to be possible, the Vice Chancellor maintained, salaries must be raised.

Still on the topic of the academic staff, she noted those already in the system must be balanced with imported staff. The VC confirmed, “We have already begun to train 20 PhDs in the sciences and they will come out in the next three years.”

While staff are being trained, the University will continue with its research chair programme, Professor Mohamed-Martin noted.

This programme is one in which academics at UG would be groomed by visiting researchers. The UGbased academics would, in turn, lead their own research agenda after approximately three years.

Another area that will receive attention is the improvement of the University’s support system for students. The VC acknowledged the student support services, along with the quality assurance for students, has been limited, as the students’ association has reached its limit.

“We are putting some energy into expanding stu-

Racism definition: Merriam-Webster to make update after request

T

he American dictionary MerriamWebster is to change its definition of the word racism after receiving an email from a young black woman.

Kennedy Mitchum, a recent graduate of Drake University in Iowa, suggested that the definition should include a reference to systemic oppression.

An editor then responded, later agreeing to update their definition.

The decision comes amid international anti-racism protests after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Floyd died after a white Police Officer held a knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

Mitchum had encountered people pointing to the dictionary to prove that they were not racist because of the way they felt towards people of colour. She felt the definition needed to reflect broader issues of racial inequality in society.

Mitchum told the BBC that she first became aware of the shortcomings of the current definition around four years ago.

"I was just speaking on my social media about racism and just about how the

things I was experiencing in my own school and my own college," she said. "There were a lot of things that were racist, but it wasn't as blatant."

Mitchum says the dictionary definition was being used by people attempting to tell her she was wrong.

"Some troll was messaging me trying to say 'You don't understand what racism truly is,'" she said.

People were copy-and-pasting the definition to her in an attempt to prove racism could only exist if you believe your race to be superior to another.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

US coronavirus cases near 2 million, with new infections rising in 21 states

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s former hotspots like New York and New Jersey see declining infection rates, new coronavirus cases are climbing in 21 US states, as the country marches forward with its economic reopening.

And nationwide, total COVID-19 infections are creeping towards the 2 million mark, with more than 112,500 deaths.

Of these 21 states, 12 of them – including South Carolina, Texas and Utah –- have reported increased hospitalisation rates since the Memorial Day holiday weekend last month.

In Arizona, which has

seen an especially pronounced spike in both Covid infections and hospitalisations, local health officials are starting to sound the alarm. Banner Health, the state's largest hospital system, warned this week that its intensive care units were

filling up, and ventilator use was rising, while the state health director told Arizona hospitals to "fully activate" emergency plans.

As of Wednesday, Arizona had confirmed 29,852 cases and 1,101 deaths. (Excerpt from BBC News)

dents’ services, student care, as well as tracking them all the way and supporting them all through alumni and the first years of their alumni.”

Further, the Vice Chancellor assured that the security of the institution would be given more attention. This includes not only physical and cyber security but upgrades to sanitation as well. Already, a project to revamp Turkeyen’s campus sewage system is underway.

Professor MohamedMartin succeeds Professor Ivelaw Griffith, whose tenure ended in 2019. The new Vice Chancellor served as Chair of the University’s Transitional Management

Committee and Deputy Vice Chancellor responsible for Philanthropy, Alumni and

Civic Engagement (PACE).

The VC was appointed on Tuesday.

Pompeo welcomes agreement for UN Libya talks, urges speedy ceasefire process

U

S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday welcomed the resumption of talks led by the United Nations between Libya’s warring sides and urged speedy negotiations to achieve a ceasefire.

“The agreement between the GNA and LNA to re-enter UN security talks was a good first step, very positive,” Pompeo said, referring to the internationally-recognised Government of National Accord and the Libyan National Army, led by eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar.

“Quick and good-faith negotiations are now required to implement a ceasefire and relaunch the UN-led intra-Libyan political talks,” Pompeo told a news conference.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said on June 2 that Libya’s warring parties had agreed to restart ceasefire talks.

Over the past couple of weeks, Libya’s conflict has taken a new turn. In a series of rapid victories, the GNA has, with Turkish support, suddenly brought most of northwest Libya back under

its control, dashing Haftar’s bid to unite the country by force with help from Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Russia.

While the United States has said it opposes Haftar’s offensive, it has not thrown its support behind the GNA. It has also lambasted Russian involvement, a stance reiterated on Wednesday by Pompeo.

“It’s time ... for all Libyans and all sides to act so that neither Russia or any other country can interfere in Libya’s sovereignty for its own game,” Pompeo said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Canada's political consensus over coronavirus aid programmes starts to fray

C

anada’s political consensus over help for those hit by the coronavirus outbreak began to fray on Wednesday when Opposition legislators blocked a Government move to approve a proposed expansion of benefits.

The move could spell trouble for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, who need the support of other parties to govern.

Legislators have so far been united, approving aid programmes worth more than Cdn$160 billion (US$119 billion) in direct spending, or around seven per cent of gross domestic product.

But the official Opposition Conservative Party, citing concerns over a push by Trudeau to slash how often Parliament meets, formally rejected a Liberal appeal to quickly adopt draft legislation boosting the programmes.

Trudeau said it appeared that Opposition legislators who had been asking for more time in Parliament did not now want to debate the measures.

Canada's Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Pablo Rodriguez speaks during a meeting in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, May 20, 2020

“That’s a little head-scratching,” he told the House of Commons, urging the Opposition to cooperate.

The legislation would expand benefits for the disabled and seasonal workers while punishing those cheating the system.

In a bid to end the standoff, the Government offered to split the bill to allow quick passage of help for the disabled. The Conservatives rejected this, insisting legislators should gather more

often in Parliament rather than taking part in virtual meetings as the Liberals propose.

“Parliament should be sitting. But Justin Trudeau shamefully shut it down,” Conservative leader Andrew Scheer wrote on Twitter after opposing the bid to split the bill.

The total number of Canadian deaths linked to the coronavirus rose to 7897 on Tuesday from 7835 on Monday, data showed.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

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15

T&T Finance Minister hints at Commonwealth leaders reject automatic second general elections in September term for Baroness Scotland A

THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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ommonwealth Governments have rejected a fresh attempt to give the organisation's secretary-general Baroness Scotland an automatic second term of office.

In a letter - obtained by the BBC - Boris Johnson says a "significant and diverse number" of heads of government "from across the Commonwealth" opposed the idea of Lady Scotland being reappointed for another four years without facing re-election.

The prime minister - who is the current "chair-in-office" for the Commonwealth - says that he hopes the heads of government can instead agree just to extend Lady Scotland's contract temporarily until they meet next year.

The 54 heads of government had expected to decide Lady Scotland's future at their big biennial summit - known as CHOGM in Rwanda this month but the meeting was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

A Commonwealth Secretariat spokesman said the proposal for automatic reappointment had been made because of the uncertainty of when CHOGM might take place, probably next year.

Commonwealth governments now have until 22 June to decide whether to extend Lady Scotland's current term until next year.

There is a need for haste because Lady Scotland's existing contract expires on 27 June.

This is the second time that Commonwealth heads of government have rejected the automatic reappointment of Lady Scotland. At the end of last year, some supportive member states put forward the proposal but twice as many countries opposed the idea. In the letter, dated 8 June, Mr Johnson wrote: "As you will recall, I wrote to you on 13 May, in my capacity as Commonwealth chairin-office, to ask whether there were any objections to the proposal from Her Excellency the Prime Minister of Barbados, subsequently supported by others, that we should reappoint Baroness Scotland as Secretary-General of the Commonwealth for a second four-year term now."

Secretary General Baroness Scotland

He went on: "In response to my letter, a significant and diverse number of colleagues from across the Commonwealth have communicated that they do not support that proposal, but prefer that the decision on the next substantive secretary-general appointment should be taken at CHOGM, according to our established practice. Therefore I must respectfully confirm that there is no consensus for the immediate reappointment of the secretary-general for a second four-year term."

Instead, Mr Johnson argues for the temporary extension of Lady Scotland's current term, which he says "would follow our established practice, and would also be the option most consistent with the spirit" of the current rules "according to which secretaries-general are to be appointed by us collectively".

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We don't comment on private correspondence between Commonwealth member states.

"Decisions on the appointment of secretaries-general are a matter for heads of government.

"In the past, those decisions have been made at CHOGMs. "We will work with other Commonwealth countries on the process of appointing a secretary-general for the next four-year term."

'Usual convention' A Commonwealth spokesperson said: "The reappointment process for Commonwealth Secretary General's occurs when leaders gather for the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

"The secretary-general, Baroness Scotland, came into post on 1 April 2016 for a term of four years.

"The usual convention is that an incumbent seeking a second term in office is elected unopposed for his or her second term.

"The secretary-general, Baroness Scotland has been supported to serve a second term by Dominica, her country of birth.

The statement went on: "Commonwealth member states agreed to extend the current secretary-general's contract in order to consider the reappointment at CHOGM in Rwanda in June 2020.

"However, CHOGM has been postponed of due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"A member state wrote to the chair in office to request that Heads of Government consider reappointment now due to the uncertainty of when CHOGM will be able to take place due to the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic.

"The chair in office wrote to member states on 8 June 2020 to state that consensus was not reached for reappointment to occur now in the absence of CHOGM. "Therefore, the chair in office has proposed that, as is customary, the reappointment process will now take place when CHOGM is able to meet.''

Earlier this year the British government suspended its funding of the Commonwealth Secretariat, the body that runs the international organisation from London.

UK diplomats told Lady Scotland that Britain's annual £4.7m voluntary contribution would be withheld until her secretariat improved its financial procedures.

The secretariat insisted it was implementing recommendations made by external auditors.

The UK decision came after Lady Scotland was criticised by auditors for "circumventing" usual competitive tendering rules when she awarded a lucrative consultancy contract to a company run by a friend.

The auditors also discovered that procurement rules had been waived by the secretariat on no fewer than 50 occasions over three years.

Doctor says cannabis leading cause of mental illness in Antigua & Barbuda

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anja is a leading cause of mental illness in Antigua & Barbuda.

That was revealed by Dr Teri-Ann Joseph, the Senior House Officer at Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital, during an interview on state on Wednesday.

Dr. Joseph emphasized she was speaking

about “pure marijuana, I don’t want you to think it’s mixed, pure marijuana and so that’s some cause of concern for us”.

An amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act allowed residents to legally possess up to 15 grams of cured marijuana and four marijuana plants for personal use.

People searching for ways to cope with challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic were warned to stay clear of illicit drugs “even marijuana, people think that it’s good it’s going to help you relax, but trust me, there is something in it called THC and that damages the brain”.

(Antigua News Room)

senior government minister Wednesday hinted at the possibility of the general elections due in Trinidad and Tobago later this year being held in the month of September.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert, who has served as prime minister on numerous occasion since the ruling People's National Movement (PNM) won the September 7, 2015, told a parliamentary committee that there is a possibility that the elections could be held before September 30 this year.

Imbert was addressing the Standing Finance Committee hearing on the increase of TT$43 million (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) for the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) as part of its preparation for the election.

“In this fiscal year, we already have had one election, the local government election of November 2019 and it is likely, possible that there may be an election before the end of this fiscal year by

T&T Finance Minister Colm Imbert

September 30,” Imbert said.

He told the committee in anticipation of that possibility “the Ministry of Finance looked at expenditure over the years with respect to a general election and has come up with this supplementary appropriation for the EBC in the possibility that there may be a general election before the end of September 30.

Imbert brushed aside remarks by opposition legislator Dr Roodal Moonilal that

there was more to the provision of the funds.

“Today we are told that we need TT$43 million more for the EBC because the minister got it wrong with his 2020 figures. Is this another case of the level of incompetence or is it that something is happening at Scott's House (EBC headquarters) that we are not aware of that they require additional monies in excess of TT$105 million budgeted?” (CMC)

Mottley adds her voice to Black Lives Matter protests

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rime Minister Mia Mottley on Wednesday broke her silence on the Black Lives Matter movement – after it was re-energised with the killing of a middle-aged AfricanAmerican man, George Floyd, by a white police officer who kneeled on his neck until he died.

Speaking amid criticism that she has been silent amid the civil rights protests which have erupted in the US and spread worldwide, she declared that she had no issues supporting principles, but that as chairman of CARICOM she needed to be mindful of the comments she made.

Mottley is set to leave the six-month rotating chair of the 15-member community of mostly majority-black nations next month.

She told the House in her first speech on the floor since March 20: “It is easy for people to talk blindly, I note it in this country, there are those who are saying for example, that I have said nothing on Black Lives Matter. There are those who are forgetting that at this time I speak not just as Prime Minister of Barbados but for another two to three weeks as chairman of CARICOM and they would do well to understand that I have never believed in jumping on bandwagons but I believe fundamentally in supporting principles.

“I am not going to take lashes for things because people chose not to get into fights or not to engage in arguments.

“I give this country the assurance that whether it is a march or not, this country is not going to support behaviour that in any way reflects unfair treatment, discriminatory treatment or unconscious bias.”

She stressed that the Barbados Labour Party had pushed the issue of reparations for Barbados and the re-

Prime Minister Mia Mottley

gion and was responsible for the Emancipation Day and Heroes’ Day bank holidays.

But turning her attention to last Saturday’s aborted Black Lives Matter protest, organized by the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration, Mottley acknowledged that she would have preferred if police had shown some discretion.

Yet she insisted that the police were not wrong for halting the protest after the organizers did not adhere to the conditions of the permit. Police stepped in to halt the protest because scores of Barbadians came out to join the demonstration which was only approved by the Attorney General on the stipulation that only ten people could be allowed for the outdoor event.

Commissioner of Police Tyrone Griffith who is responsible for approving permits to march under the Public Order Act referred the group’s application to the AG, after claiming that while he was not opposed to the demonstration, he was bound by the public health emergency restrictions.

The Prime Minister said: “What transpired on Saturday I am not happy with it, but when I investigated the Attorney General

showed me a letter from an attorney-at-law asking for ten persons.

“Now I still do feel that discretion should have been exercised, I genuinely feel so, but let us not believe or make anyone believe that the police acted on their own when in truth and in fact, the letter says clearly that we would grant permission not only to walk, but that there would be no more than 10 persons in accordance with the emergency declaration for COVID-19 and that they would remain on the sidewalks.”

While not dismissing the stances being taken in the US and around the world, Mottley explained that battles were also being fought in Barbados.

She spoke to issues such as sexism and the need for black people to be proud of their skin, saying that there were “glass ceilings that were still not broken”.

The PM declared: “The battles that we need to be facing are not battles that may be fought in the United States’ elections in November. The battles that we need to be facing are the battles that stop our young girls and young boys from wanting to go and buy bleach and use bleach on their skin as if something wrong with the pigment of the skin in which they’re born.

“I believe that the solution to the problem comes not simply at the institutional level but in changing the hearts and minds of people in the small things as in the large things.”

Her comments came just one day after Dr Deryck Murray, the last head of Government’s disbanded Commission on Pan-African Affairs,.chided her for not speaking out against the Black Lives Matter movement and the injustices facing black people in the US. (Barbados Today)

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THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Buju set to release new Cuba to test visitors for coronavirus, limit tourism to keys album June 26

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B

uju Banton’s highly anticipated Upside Down 2020 album will be released on June 26.

That’s according to the Gargamel himself who posted a teaser on his Twitter account.

He told fans that the album will be available for pre-order this Friday (June 12). The musical journey that Buju Banton intends to take his listeners on will consist of 20 tracks and will feature collaborations with John Legend,Pharrell Williams, Stefflon Don, and Stephen Marley. Otherwise, it’s sixteen more tracks of just Buju Banton. Hit singles like Trust, and Steppa also made it on the album.

Last month, in another teaser video, Buju Banton explained why he named his album Upside Down 2020. “I perceive from what I’ve seen from my emergence as being upside down. In other words,

Buju Banton

we as people no longer possess things. These things we think we possess, they now possess us.” He further went on to say many things are not as they ought to be, and “mankind is in a state of disarray”. His decision to add “2020” to the official album title, also has more meaning that it just representing the year. “2020 has a deeper understanding in my mind. It

resonates with a clear vision and seeing things for what it is”, he said. Upside Down 2020 will be Buju Banton’s 13th studio album, and his first since his release from prison in December 2018.

His last album Before the Dawn released in 2010, won a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album one year later. (BUZZ Caribbean)

2nd inmate in less than 1 month reported dead at troubled Brooklyn federal jail

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n inmate at Brooklyn’s federal lockup quietly died of unknown causes more than three weeks ago in a previously unreported incident, the Daily News has learned.

Kenneth Houck, 44, who was being temporarily held at the Metropolitan Detention Center for possession of child porn charges, died at NYU Langone Hospital around 11:30 a.m. May 19, court papers showed. It was not immediately clear what caused his death.

Reports of the inmate’s death comes as the federal Bureau of Prisons has reported zero coronavirus-related deaths at the MDC — and the jail was praised by a Brooklyn federal judge Tuesday for its response to the pandemic.

Houck died just weeks before another detainee at the jail, Jamel Floyd, was

Metropolitan Detention Center (Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News)

pepper sprayed by officers in his cell and died at a hospital hours later.

The circumstances around Houck’s death are less clear than Floyd’s.

Houck appeared for a court conference as recently as April 30, just weeks before his death.

He was unable to attend a virtual court hearing April

24 due to his “disciplinary conduct” at the MDC, according to court papers.

“The MDC consistently dismisses reports from people in its custody about inmates being sick or dying as exaggerated or false,” said Federal Defenders lawyer Deirdre Von Dornum. “A few weeks ago, there were reports from detained people and their families that someone at MDC had died and that ‘something wasn’t right about it.’ We only now have learned that a pre-trial detainee died on May 19."

“Once again, the inmates at MDC are speaking the truth and we all need to listen. Just as with the recent death of Jamel Floyd at MDC after being pepper sprayed by officers, the death of Mr. Houck while in the care of the MDC warrants investigation," Von Dornum said.

Houck was badly beaten while in prison on other child porn charges in 2011, according to Syracuse.com.

The federal BOP did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the circumstances of Houck’s death. (NY Daily News)

uba will test all visitors for coronavirus when it reopens to international tourism, which will be limited at first to the beach resorts at the keys of the Caribbean’s largest island, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz said on Wednesday.

Unveiling cautious plans for lifting Cuba’s partial lockdown, Marrero Cruz said specialists would conduct epidemiological monitoring at hotels, where occupation would be limited. Excursions would be restricted to the keys.

Visitors would not be able to visit Havana, the center of Cuba’s outbreak, at first.

In his presentation to the council of ministers, reported by state-run me-

dia, Marrero Cruz did not give a time frame for the reopening to tourism, one of the cash-strapped country’s top sources of hard currency.

The prime minister said Cuba would open first to domestic tourism and further details would be announced soon.

“There will not be a brusque opening in the first phase,” Marrero Cruz was quoted as saying, adding that avoiding a new outbreak was a priority.

New cases have dropped to less than 10 per day on average from a peak of around 50, and two thirds of the island is virus-free, according to official data.

A cluster of other Caribbean islands have already opened to interna-

tional tourism or will do so this month - with tests mandatory for some and not for others.

Marrero Cruz said public pools would reopen for summer at 30 percent capacity. Beaches will also reopen, with local authorities ensuring social distancing, but summer carnivals will not take place this year. Schools will reopen in September to finish the current year with the new one starting in November, while public and private transport will be restored gradually, he said.

Face masks will remain obligatory in all public spaces in a first phase, and then in spaces with a concentration of people.

(Reuters)

Australian PM on China tensions: country won't trade values in response to "coercion"

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ustralian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that he would not be intimidated or give into coercion when asked on Thursday whether Australia would keep taking hits on exports from major trading partner China.

Diplomatic tensions between China and Australia have worsened after Australia called for an international inquiry into the source and spread of the coronavirus, angering Beijing.

The World Health Assembly last month voted to support an independent review into the pandemic after Australia and the European Union led lobbying.

On Tuesday, China’s Ministry of Education said students should reconsider choosing to study in Australia, threatening Australia’s fourth-largest export industry, international education, worth A$38 billion ($26 billion) annually.

“We are an open-trading

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison

nation, mate, but I’m never going to trade our values in response to coercion from wherever it comes,” Morrison told radio station 2GB on Thursday.

China has in recent weeks banned Australian beef imports and imposed tariffs on Australian barley.

The warning for students followed a similar warning last week from Beijing for Chinese tourists to avoid Australia.

In both cases, officials in Beijing said the warnings

were due to racist attacks against Asians during the pandemic.

“That’s rubbish. It’s a ridiculous assertion and it’s rejected. That’s not a statement that’s been made by the Chinese leadership,” Morrison said in a separate interview on 3AW. Australia lodged a protest with the Chinese foreign ministry in Beijing, and the Chinese embassy in Canberra, about China’s travel and student warnings, said a spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The Australian government rejected the assertion it was unsafe to visit or study in Australia, a statement said.

“Australia provides the best education and tourism products in the world,” Morrison told 2GB. “The ability for Chinese nationals to be able to choose to come to Australia (has) substantively been their decision. And I’m very confident in the attractiveness of our product.” (Reuters)

Florida coronavirus cases hit 66,000

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lorida’s Department of Health on Tuesday morning confirmed 1,096 additional cases of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to hit 66,000 confirmed cases.

There were also 53 new deaths announced, raising the statewide toll to 2,765.

Tuesday’s daily total is higher than Monday, when 966 additional cases were confirmed, ending a five-day trend of daily totals surpassing 1,000.

Less than half of the new cases and nearly half of the new deaths were in South Florida: MiamiDade County reported 224 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 and seven new deaths, bringing the county’s total count closer to 20,000. The county has now had a total of 19,980 confirmed cases and 774 deaths, the highest in the state. Broward County reported 111 additional confirmed cases and three

new deaths. The county’s confirmed total is now at 8,035 with 346 deaths.

Palm Beach County saw 189 additional confirmed cases and 15 new deaths.

The county’s known total is now at 7,518 with 388 deaths. Monroe County did not report any additional cases and had no new deaths. The Florida Keys now has 114 known cases and four deaths. (Miami Herald)

NEWS

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THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Iran says will execute spy who helped US target general

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ehran said Tuesday it will execute an Iranian for spying for the United States and Israel after his conviction was upheld for helping the US to locate a top Iranian general killed in a drone strike.

Mahmoud Mousavi Majd was convicted of spying on Iran’s armed forces, “especially the Quds Force and on the whereabouts and move-

ments of martyr General Qasem Soleimani”, judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said in a news conference.

Majd had been found guilty of receiving large sums of money from both the US Central Intelligence Agency and Israel’s Mossad, Esmaili said.

His sentence was upheld

by Iran’s supreme court and

would be “carried out soon,” the spokesman added.

Soleimani headed the Quds Force, the foreign operations arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and was killed in January in a US drone strike near Baghdad airport.

Iran retaliated by firing a volley of ballistic missiles at US troops stationed in Iraq, but US President Donald

Trump opted against responding militarily.

While the attack on the western Iraqi base of Ain Al-Asad left no US soldiers dead, dozens suffered brain trauma.

Majd “will face the consequences of his actions and his masters will also witness the determination, might and intelligence reach of the Islamic republic,” Esmaili

said.

Iran in February handed down a similar sentence for Amir Rahimpour, another man convicted of spying for the US and conspiring to sell information on Iran’s nuclear programme.

Tehran announced in December it had arrested eight people “linked to the CIA” and involved in nationwide street protests that

erupted the previous month over a surprise petrol price hike.

It also said in July 2019 that it had dismantled a CIA spy ring, arresting 17 suspects between March 2018 and March 2019, and sentencing some of them to death.

Trump at the time dismissed the claim as “totally false”. (AFP)

George Floyd's brother Cop who put middle fingers up at implores US Congress protesters stripped of his powers to act on Police reform A

T

he brother of George Floyd, whose killing by Police sparked worldwide protests against racism, made an emotional plea to the US Congress Wednesday to "stop the pain" and pass reforms that reduce Police brutality.

One day after burying his brother in Houston, Philonise Floyd appeared in person before a House hearing, where he described the anguish of watching a viral video of George's death and demanded lawmakers act to fix law enforcement problems, including systemic racism.

"I'm here to ask you to make it stop. Stop the pain," the younger Floyd said.

"I can't tell you the kind of pain you feel when you watch... your big brother, who you looked up to your whole entire life, die – die begging for his mom," he said.

"He didn't deserve to die over $20," he said, referring to his brother's alleged effort to use a counterfeit bill before his arrest.

"I'm asking you: is that what a black man is worth, $20?" Floyd thundered. "This is 2020. Enough is enough."

Floyd, who wore an anti-virus mask bearing an image of his brother, wiped his forehead and fought back tears as he implored lawmakers to "listen to the call" he and protesters were making for justice.

One day after burying his brother in Houston, Philonise Floyd appeared in person before a House hearing

"Maybe by speaking with you today, I can make sure that his death will not be in vain."

Floyd, 46, died in Police custody in Minneapolis on May 25, when a white officer, who has since been charged with murder, pressed his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes.

Protests – some violent, most peaceful – erupted nationwide in some of the most serious US civil unrest in generations.

Lawmakers united in expressions of sorrow and support for Floyd, with longtime House Republican Jim Sensenbrenner telling him: "The pain of your brother I think has become the pain of America." (Excerpt from Reuters)

Chicago police officer who raised his middle fingers to demonstrators during George Floyd protests last week, has been assigned to desk duty.

During the protests last Thursday, an officer was photographed raising the middle fingers of both of his hands at protesters, as police drove away from the demonstrations.

The unnamed officer has since been stripped of his police powers by superintendent David Brown, according to a statement from the Chicago Police Department.

“The officer used a vulgar, offensive gesture directed at a member of the public while on duty and in uniform,” the statement read. “The member will be limited to administrative duties at the direction of the superintendent.”

On Monday, Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot told reporters that she had been shown a photograph of the officer “giving people the finger” at a protest.

“We’ll find that person and in my view, that person needs to be immediately stripped of their police power and start the process for firing him,” she said.

The mayor added: “They forfeited their right to be a Chicago police officer.”

Federal judge briefly stops US from expelling migrant teen

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federal judge has temporarily stopped President Donald Trump’s administration from expelling a teenager to Honduras under a policy enacted during the coronavirus pandemic that didn’t give the teen a chance under federal law to stay in the United States.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union and other legal groups, the 16-yearold had been scheduled to be expelled Wednesday, six days after he entered the U.S. to reunite with his father. The ACLU says the boy fled because gang members threatened him after he saw one of them kill someone in his neighbourhood.

US District Judge Emmet Sullivan in Washington issued an order late Tuesday preventing the government from ex-

pelling the teenager through the end of the day Wednesday as litigation is pending. The teen was not identified by name in court papers.

Another federal judge also in Washington, Carl Nichols, proposed Wednesday that the boy be allowed to remain the country for two weeks to allow time for formal arguments at a court hearing. Details were to be worked out.

“This lawsuit is a critical step to begin repairing the damage being done by these harmful attacks against our common humanity,” said Noah Gottschalk, a spokesman for the non-profit Oxfam America, which joined the lawsuit.

The ACLU also sued on behalf of a 13-year-old girl who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in April, asking a judge to allow her back into the U.S.

She had hoped to reunite with her mother, a former police officer targeted by Salvadoran gangs who now lives lawfully in the country. According to the ACLU, agents detained the teenager for a week in a Border Patrol processing centre and a hotel, then expelled her to El Salvador.

The Border Patrol did not respond to a request for comment late Tuesday.

The cases are the first known challenges of the Trump administration’s expulsion of hundreds of immigrant children at the border under an emergency declaration citing the coronavirus.

Trump’s administration says that under federal law on public health emergencies it must close the border to asylum seekers — including children — to prevent the spread of the virus. (Toronto Star)

Protesters chant and wave signs at the Chicago Police Department during a protest (2020 Getty Images)

Protests have taken place across the US, following the death of Mr Floyd, who died after being detained by Derek Chauvin, who at the time was a Minneapolis police officer, but has now been charged with second degree murder and manslaughter.

The protests, in opposition of police brutality against African Americans, started in Minneapolis, but quickly spread to Chicago and New York, among cities in every state in the US. Police have clashed with protesters all over the US, and some officers have been filmed using excessive force and antagonising peaceful protesters.

Nine instances of excessive force by police were filmed in the space of a week, during the protests, according to CNN. One incident involved an officer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pushing a black protester to the floor, who was kneeling peacefully at a demonstration.

Last week, footage circulated on social media of a Chicago police officer shouting homophobic slurs at a protester. That incident is also under investigation.

During a press conference last Friday, Ms Lightfoot praised a majority of the city’s police officers, but made it clear that she and the department would

not tolerate officers who crossed the line.

“While I believe that the vast majority of Chicago Police officers have done their job well and, under difficult circumstances, have exercised restraint, unfortunately we’re seeing evidence of some who have not,” she said.

“We will not tolerate people who cross the line. We will not tolerate excessive force. We will not tolerate profanity and homophobic comments that demean the badge, demean the honour of being a Chicago Police officer and demean the value of who we are as Chicagoans.

We will not tolerate that.”

(The Independent)

18

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THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020

Regional

Brazil's biggest cities start Haiti records new COVID-19 case every seven minutes reopening as COVID-19 B surges, nearing 40,000

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razil’s most populous state São Paulo reported a record number of COVID-19 deaths for the second day running on Wednesday even as its homonymous metropolis allowed shops to resume business and prepared to reopen its malls.

The state, the epicentre of the pandemic in Brazil, recorded 340 new deaths in the last 24 hours, raising its confirmed death toll to 9862, a fourth of the country’s total fatalities, the governor’s office said.

That did not stop shoppers flocking to the 25 de Março shopping district in São Paulo city, where around half of the businesses were open on Wednesday.

Although stores considered essential, such as supermarkets and pharmacies, have remained open, most shops in São Paulo have been shut since March.

Shoppers packed the streets. Stores allowed in only people wearing masks and provided alcohol gel.

Some took the temperature of shoppers at the entrance.

“I’m afraid because the

An employee checks the temperature of a woman as people queue to enter a shop as the city hall eases restrictions on the first day of open commerce since the beginning of quarantine due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in São Paulo, Brazil, June 10, 2020

virus is growing, but at the same time we have to go to work and buy things to sell, though always protected by a mask,” said Vanessa Pereira, a saleswoman.

The city’s malls will reopen today for four hours a day after agreeing with authorities on reducing public access as a precaution against the contagion.

In Rio de Janeiro, the second hardest-hit Brazilian city, the Mayor announced malls will also reopen today as part of a scheduled easing of restrictions.

The decisions to reopen shops has been advocated by Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who has minimised the gravity of the coronavirus outbreak and dismissed warnings by public health experts that the contagion is still surging.

Brazil has 772,416 confirmed cases of infection, as the world’s worst outbreak after the United States continues to surge. At least 39,680 people have died, the third highest death toll after the United States and Britain.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

“Exponential” growth in virus cases in Latin America

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he Head of the PanAmerican Health Organisation (PAHO) has warned that coronavirus is spreading "exponentially" in many areas of the Region, which is now home to "nearly half" of all COVID-19 cases.

Dr Carissa Etienne said the virus was still spreading aggressively in countries including Brazil, Peru and Chile, and was increasing in places where it had previously been limited, including Venezuela and Haiti.

Climactic factors such as the winter and hurricane season will pose a considerable challenge to efforts to combat the illness, she warned in a virtual press briefing organised by PAHO.

More than 3.3 million coronavirus cases have been reported in Latin America and North America

"Winter fuels respiratory infections... that can rapidly spread in colder climates and as more people gather indoors to stay warm," she said.

As of June 8, more than 3.3 million coronavirus cas-

A

Winston Campbell was arrested and charged by the Police following investigations into an allegation that he tricked two sisters into having sex with him and conned them out of their money.

Police sources say Campbell was charged after a 32-year-old woman reported that some time between 2014 and 2016 she visited the church where

he ministered, the Faith Works Church of God, and he convinced her that someone set demons to hurt her and that he would need to help her before she dies – by having sex with her.

The bishop also took J$2500 from the complainant towards purchasing items for her healing.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

ed in the west of the country, including that of a child under the age of nine. It brings the total number of COVID-19 deaths to 56.

The Ministry said that there were now 3, 582 active cases and that the country was recording one confirmed case of the virus every seven minutes, particularly over the past two days.

“Over the last 32 days, there were 3615 cases, an average of one case every 12 minutes, it added.

Meanwhile, the Haitian Embassy in Santo Domingo is distancing itself from what it claims to be fake news circulating on social networks,

indicating that Haitians living in the Dominican Republic will benefit from financial aid during the pandemic.

The mission said that it has “not been informed that organisations or institutions, Dominican, Haitian or foreign, have set up an emergency fund via a bank in the Dominican Republic for Haitian nationals living in the country.” But it acknowledged that Haitians residing legally in the Dominican Republic may benefit from certain assistance programmes from the Government there. (Excerpt from CMC)

4 new COVID cases break 17-day trend in Barbados

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fter 17 days with no new COVID-19 cases, four people who returned to Barbados on Tuesday’s repatriation flight from the United States tested positive for the viral illness.

Health Minister Jeffrey Bostic made the announcement on Wednesday during a media briefing at his office.

The four cases, which carry the total to 96, comprise three women (ages 53, 25 and 20) and a 39-yearold man. They returned to Barbados on the JetBlue flight which had 110 passengers, all of whom were tested and remain in quarantine. It is not known at this time if any of them are related.

They were stranded in the United States for about four months after international travel came to a halt.

“While this result is of concern to us, I must say the results themselves were not unexpected and have not alarmed us. The public health officers in this Ministry are fully aware and have been advising the Government that we should be prepared for an uptick in cases once travel from hotbed areas resumed,” Bostic said.

He said COVID-19 was here to stay until a vaccine was found and reiterated an

earlier statement that the island was in a better position to deal with cases and also had the Harrison Point facility in St Lucy.

“I wish to assure the public that Barbados is much better prepared today to deal with this challenge than we were in March when the viral illness surfaced here on island. We certainly have more capacity and experience than we had at the beginning.” (Excerpt from Nation News)

ANR Robinson's grave to be made historical site

es have been reported in Latin America and North America. Brazil has the world's second-highest number of cases, and has recently had more new deaths than any other nation. (BBC News)

Jamaica: Bishop accused of conning sisters into having sex with him nother church leader has found himself in trouble with the law for allegedly raping two members of his flock.

This time, it is a 56-year-old bishop and businessman, of Kitson Town, St Catherine, who is facing charges of rape and obtaining money by false pretence.

OBSERVER ONLINE has confirmed that Bishop

ased on the number of cases reported over the past 48 hours, there is on average one new case of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Haiti every seven minutes.

The French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country recorded nearly 500 cases over the past 48 hours, health authorities there have said. Of that, 124 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 3662 since the first case was detected on March 19.

The Public Health Ministry said that two new deaths had also been report-

ANR Robinson is widely recognised for his role in the establishment of the International Criminal Court

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he Bacolet grave of former Prime Minister ANR Robinson will be made into a historical attraction.

Assistant Secretary, Division of Tourism, Culture and Transportation, Shomari Hector made the announcement on Wednesday during the post

executive council news conference at Scarborough Library.

Robinson, who rose to Prime Minister as political leader of the National Alliance for Reconstruction, also served as TT’s third President from March 1997 to March 2003.

He is widely recognised for his role in the establishment of the International Criminal Court.

Robinson died on April 9, 2014, at the age of 87.

Hector said the upgrade to Robinson's grave will reverse the “widespread and sustained negative media that was associated with the care and maintenance of the ANR Robinson grave site”.

He added strategic work has been done to ensure Robinson’s legacy is honoured “We have decided to take this a step further as an

administration, but, more so, as a department in the Division of Culture, Tourism and Transportation to ensure that the kind of pristine and opulent environment that should be concerned with this site, be restored to his grave.”

Hector said the Division was not building a shrine but a structure befitting Robinson's sacrifice, legacy and contribution.

“As a result, we are prepared to undertake upgrade work so that when persons, for whatever reason, go there to feel associated with the legacy of ANR Robinson or out of curiosity, they must be engaged in a space that allows for them to feel the sense of pride and ordination that was conferred on him and that he, thereafter, conferred on the people of Tobago.” (Excerpt from Newsday)

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THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020

19

Around the World

OILNEWS Oil prices drop on concerns about patchy demand recovery, record US stocks

O

il prices fell more than two per cent on Thursday on worries about slow demand growth with coronavirus cases rising, US crude stockpiles hitting an all-time high and the US Federal Reserve projecting recovery from the pandemic would take years.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 futures erased gains from Wednesday, falling as low as US$38.42 a barrel. The benchmark contract was down 2.5 per cent, or 99 cents, at US$38.61 at 0211 GMT. Brent crude LCOc1 futures fell 2.2 per cent, or 92 cents, to US$40.81 a barrel, also giving up gains from Wednesday.

US crude inventories rose unexpectedly by 5.7 million barrels in the week to June 5, to 538.1 million barrels – a record – as imports were boosted by the arrival of supplies bought by refiners when Saudi Arabia flooded the market in March and April, data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed.

At the same time, gasoline stockpiles grew more than expected to 258.7 million barrels. Distillate stockpiles, which include diesel and heating oil, rose by 1.6 million barrels, but the increase was smaller than in previous weeks.

The market took a negative view on the stock build, even though there were signs of improving gasoline demand in the data, too, said Commonwealth Bank commodities analyst Vivek Dhar.

“Most of the (price) gains have come from when strict lockdowns were lifted. Coming back to where it was pre-COVID – that will take some time,” Dhar said.

“The key for markets to feel like the worst is over is: when will stockpiles peak globally. That’s what the market is paying attention to.”

Adding to the negative sentiment, the US Federal Reserve said the world’s largest economy would shrink 6.5 per cent this year and the unemployment rate would be at 9.3 per cent at the end of 2020 in its first projections of the pandemic era.

“Short-term and fast money traders are very much inclined to sell outright or to take profits on any hint of bearish data,” said Stephen Innes, chief global market strategist at Axicorp.

In a further sign that recovery will continue to be overshadowed by the coronavirus, total US cases topped two million on Wednesday, with new infections rising slightly after five weeks of declines, according to a Reuters analysis. (Reuters)

EU eyes reopening borders as virus grinds down global economy

T

he European Union said Wednesday it hoped to reopen its external borders to foreigners in July, as leaders look to loosen the economic stranglehold of virus lockdowns that are triggering a steep global downturn.

Europe has suffered devastating human losses from the pandemic, accounting for just under half of the 411,000 lives claimed by COVID-19's deadly tear across the world.

Now the continent is trying to contain the fallout of a historic recession spurred by restrictions on movement and business that have saved lives, but have choked global commerce.

The world economy is on course to contract by at least six per cent this year due to virus shutdowns, according to a grim outlook from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

By the end of next year, the loss of income should surpass that of "any previous recession over the

last 100 years outside wartime", the forecast warned.

EU member states have the final say on border measures. But Brussels is suggesting a "gradual and partial" reopening of external frontiers to travellers outside the bloc from July 1, diplomatic chief Josep Borrell said Wednesday.

Greece, whose economy depends heavily on tourism, has already announced it will reopen its skies from June 15 to a list of countries including non-EU states Such as Australia, China and South Korea.

Austria will allow free travel from most European nations in mid-June, but with exceptions for Spain, the UK and several other countries for which testing or quarantines will be required.

Germans will be free to travel to EU member states on Monday, though the country has decided to extend its warning against travel outside the EU until August 31. (Reuters)

North Korea says US has no standing to comment on inter-Korean affairs – KCNA

N

orth Korea on Thursday said the United States has no standing to comment on inter-Korean affairs, and said it is in Washington’s interest to stay quiet if it wants a successful presidential election, state news agency KCNA said.

The statement comes after the US State Department said it was disappointed at North Korea for suspending communication hotlines with South Korea on Tuesday.

“I am sick of the two-sidedness of the US who is eager to stop the inter-Korean relations when it shows sign of progress, but acts up when it seems to sour,” Kwon Jong Gun, Director

US President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea, June 30, 2019 (file photo)

General for US Affairs at North Korea’s Foreign

Ministry, said in the statement.

“Not only would this be in the interest of the United States, but also be beneficial for a successful presidential election ahead,” Kwon said, telling the US “to keep its mouth shut” unless it wants to go through “something terrible”.

North Korea said on Tuesday it would sever hotlines with South Korea as the first step toward shutting down all contact after days of lashing out at South Korea for not stopping defectors from sending leaflets and other material into the North.

On Wednesday, South Korea said it would take legal action against two organisations that conduct such operations. (Reuters)

German FM voices “serious concerns” over Israeli annexation plan

G

ermany and its European partners have "serious concerns" over Israel's plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in Jerusalem Wednesday.

The first high-level European visitor to Israel since the coronavirus pandemic hit, Maas brought a message of disquiet to Israel which he later reiterated in

neighbouring Jordan.

Speaking in Jerusalem, Maas expressed "our honest and serious concerns... about the possible consequences of such a step".

Israel has signalled it intends to annex West Bank settlements and the Jordan Valley, as proposed by US President Donald Trump, with initial steps slated to begin from July 1, the same day Germany takes the ro-

tating European Union presidency.

"Together with the European Union, we believe that annexation would not be compatible with international law," Maas told a joint press conference alongside his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi, calling instead for the resumption of talks towards a two-state solution.

The bloc has yet to agree

on how to react if Israel presses ahead with annexation or whether to impose sanctions on Israel.

"I don't think much of the politics of issuing threats at a stage when no decision has been taken yet" by Israel, Maas said.

Ashkenazi called Trump's initiative "an important milestone" and a "significant opportunity". (Excerpt from AFP)

Olof Palme murder: Sweden believes it knows who killed PM in 1986

S

wedish prosecutors have named the man who they say killed then Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme in 1986, ending years of mystery.

They said it was Stig Engstrom, a graphic designer known as "Skandia Man" who killed himself in 2000.

As a result, they were closing the investigation into Palme's death, Chief Prosecutor Krister Petersson said.

Palme was shot in the back as he walked home from the cinema with his wife in Stockholm.

He had already dismissed

Olof Palme was assassinated on a Friday night walking down Sweden's busiest street

his security team for the day. The assassination took

place on Sweden's busiest road, Sveavagen, and more than a dozen witnesses saw a man fire the shots before fleeing the scene.

Palme's son Marten told Swedish radio that he believed Prosecutors had reached the right conclusion and were right to close the case.

"However, it was, of course, a bit disappointing that they didn't have more conclusive evidence, like DNA or a weapon that they could trace to the crime," he told the BBC. Thousands of people have been interviewed over

Palme's death. A petty criminal was convicted of the killing, but the verdict was later dismissed.

"The person is Stig Engstrom," Petersson told a news conference. "Because the person is dead, I cannot bring charges against him and have decided to close the investigation."

The murder weapon has not been found and no new forensic evidence has been uncovered, but Prosecutors examining Engstrom's statements to Police concluded that his version of events did not add up. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Kano state serial rapes: Man arrested after 40 rapes in Nigerian town

N

igerian Police say they have arrested a man after 40 people were raped in one town over the period of a year.

A mother in the northern town Dangora caught the man in her children's bedroom, according to Police spokesman Abdullahi Haruna. The man ran away, but neighbours gave chase and caught him, he added.

The man was arrested on Tuesday.

The Police say the spate of rapes included an attack on an 80-year-old and children as young as 10 years old.

There has been a recent wave of rapes and killing of women in Nigeria, which have led to a national outcry, with thousands signing a petition and using the hashtag #WeAreTired.

Dangora is a small town in Kano state about 85 kilometres (55 miles) southwest of Kano city, making it difficult for Police to access, reports the BBC's Mansur Abubakar from Kano.

The chief of the town, Ahmadu Yau, said the arrest is a welcome development.

"People of Dangora are so happy at this time and we

hope justice will be served appropriately."

Residents told the BBC that they had lived the last year in fear, even in their own homes, because they had heard that a serial rapist was climbing fences and raping women indoors.

"We can now sleep with our eyes closed," one woman told the BBC. (Excerpt from BBC News)

20

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020

ARCHIE

ARIES

(March 21April 19)

Enforce moderation in all that you do. It’s OK to think big, but sticking to a budget and relying on yourself will prove to be valuable as you put your plans in place.

Change begins within.

TAURUS (April 20- Consider what will bring the May 20) highest return and take action. Intelligence and experience will not let you down. An offer is only useful if it’s what you want.

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Do something you’ve never done before, and it will stimulate your mind and excite you about the future. A new routine will be energizing and prompt you to accomplish more.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Revive some of the activities you used to enjoy. Check on social media for some of the people who took part, and you’ll find someone who wants to participate.

PEANUTS

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

Take note of what others have to say, but don’t let anyone persuade you to take part in something that isn’t right for you. Stick to your plans and finish what you start.

Keep moving forward regardless of what others do. Take the lead and turn your ideas and plans into something that will help you excel. An unusual partnership will interest you.

Focus on what’s important to you. Take care of responsibilities to avoid complaints before you move on to activities geared toward personal growth and self-improvement. Romance looks inviting.

SCORPIO Observation will lead to (Oct. 24- knowledge that will help you Nov. 22) make better choices. A change of heart will warrant an adjustment at home. Speak up and say what’s on your mind.

Persuasive talks will lead SAGITTARIUS to poor decisions. Keep emo(Nov. 23tions and money separate.

Dec. 21) Joint ventures aren’t in your best interest. Concentrate on fitness and proper diet, not indulgent behavior.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Approach the things you want to do or change methodically. An innovative idea will help you bring about a positive lifestyle change. Turn your thoughts into reality.

Don’t trust anyone with personal information, cash or possessions. Take care of domestic matters quickly.

Live by the rules and say no to anyone asking you to do something questionable.

Pour your energy into something that counts.

Getting into a no-win situation will not help you get ahead. Use your intelligence to skirt volatile issues.

THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020

21

Changes in cricket brought on by the novel coronavirus…

W

orld cricket chiefs have approved a ban on using saliva to polish the ball, and have backed the introduction of coronavirus substitutes.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) gave its approval amid a raft of interim changes to regulations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic hitting sport.

Rules on kit sponsorship have also been relaxed for 12 months, allowing teams to bring in extra revenue through placing a logo on the chest of their Test shirt and sweater.

No international cricket has been played since March, due to the health crisis posed by the novel coronavirus. The global governing body is keen to mitigate risks posed by this virus, thereby protecting the safety of players and match officials.

E

ngland's rugby players are heading towards a "significant legal dispute" with clubs over salary cuts.

Premiership clubs voted unanimously on Monday to cut the salary cap by £1.4m from the 2021-22 season.

Most top-flight players had taken a 25% pay cut in March because of the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, but players will take legal action unless urgent talks are held on the matter, the Rugby Players' Association

but subsequent instances will result in the team receiving a warning.

"A team can be issued up to two warnings per innings, but repeated use of saliva on the ball will result in a fiverun penalty to the batting side.

"Whenever saliva is applied to the ball, the umpires will be instructed to clean the ball before play recommences."

Among the other changes will be the introduction of coronavirus replacements for Tests, but not Twenty20 Internationals or ODIs. If a player displays symptoms of COVID-19 during a Test series, his team would be allowed to replace him with "the nearest like-forlike replacement".

The ICC has also re-

Bowlers traditionally apply saliva to the ball to make it swing, but when the sport returns, they will have to rely on sweat, as the use of any artificial substance has already been outlawed.

The ban on saliva was passed despite a number of players, including former Australia captain Steve Smith, suggesting it would give batsmen an advantage.

Repeatedly breaching the new rule could result in teams receiving a fiverun penalty.

An ICC statement read: "Players will not be permitted to use saliva to shine the ball. If a player does apply saliva to the ball, the umpires will manage the situation with some leniency during an initial period of adjustment for the player,

(RPA) has said.

Mark Lambert, Chairman of the RPA, the players' union, has said: "From the outset of this crisis, there has been absolute disregard for the players and the values of the game. The

RPA’s position remains unequivocal: The RPA is opposed to permanent cuts for our members."

Premiership Rugby, which announced last week that the season would provisionally resume on 15 August, had attempted to make the temporary 25% pay cuts permanent in May, but the move was blocked by the Players' Board.

However, the RPA

was not involved in the latest decision to reduce the salary cap unilaterally, and Lambert has been criticising the "totally unacceptable" way the clubs are acting in regard to the players' contracts and pay.

"This latest situation could have been entirely avoided with a collaborative and transparent approach, and we now find ourselves heading towards a significant legal dispute unless meaningful and genuine dialogue takes place urgently," Lambert added.

"Players at some clubs are now being served with ultimatums, and(are) being put under undue pressure to sign amended contracts through the manufactured deadline of 18 June.

"To be clear: This is a totally unacceptable way to operate. Players are the lifeblood of the game, and should be treated with respect.

Players should not engage with this approach. The RPA will continue to fight for our members throughout this crisis," Lambert has said. (BBC Sport)

moved the requirem e n t for a neutral umpire in all formats, due to restrictions on international travel. With this perhaps leading to the use of officials with less international experience, an additional unsuccessful DRS review will be granted.

"This will increase the number of unsuccessful appeals per innings for each team to three for Tests and two for the white-ball formats," said the ICC. "The ICC Cricket Operations Team will support match referees when processing Code of Conduct breaches, and a neutral Elite Panel match referee will conduct any hearing remotely via video link." (Sportsmax)

B

ritish world heavyweight boxing champions Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have agreed to a two-fight deal, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has said.

Talks over an historic bout for the undisputed title began in early May. Joshua, 30, holds the WBA, IBF and WBO belts, while 31-year-old Fury is the WBC champion.

"It's fair to say (Joshua and Fury) are in agreement regarding the financial terms," Hearn told Sky Sports News. "We're in a good place. It's fair to say that in principle both guys have agreed to that fight; two fights."

Hearn added: "There is still a lot to overcome. We are looking at venues and dates.

We've been talking to (Fury's management team) MTK, giving them the assurances from Joshua's side that all the details on the structure of the deal (are) approved from our side; and it is from Fury's side, as well."

In a social media post, Fury has expressed delight at the news. The Manchester-born boxer has said he would fight Joshua in 2021, but would first have to overcome the "hurdle

in the road", Deontay Wilder, in a third meeting. Fury is contracted to fight the American, from whom he won the WBC title in February 2020.

Joshua, who reclaimed his world titles in December, has to face his mandatory challenger, Bulgaria's Kubrat Pulev, when the sport fully resumes after the coronavirus shutdown. (BBC Sports)

-after further knee operation

R

oger Federer will miss the rest of the 2020 tennis season, after having a further operation on his right knee.

The 20-time Grand Slam winner had the initial arthroscopic surgery done in February, but said he suffered a "setback" with his rehabilitation.

Professional tennis has been suspended since March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"I will look forward to seeing everyone back on tour at the start of the 2021 season," the 38-year-old Swiss said.

Federer has not played since losing to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semi-finals in January 2020. He had missed the majority of the 2016

season with a knee injury, but returned the following year to win the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

"A few weeks ago, having experienced a setback during my initial rehabilitation, I had to have an additional quick arthroscopic procedure on my right knee," Federer said on Twitter on Wednesday.

"Now, much like I did leading up to the 2017 season, I plan to take the necessary time to be 100% ready to play at my highest level."

The ATP Tour is shut down until at least the end of July because of the pandemic, with the US Open scheduled to start on 31 August and the French Open beginning on 20 September.

Analysis There will be worse years for Federer to miss through injury, although he would now be well into his 40th year the next time he walks out to compete.

He would have been very much an outsider at this year's delayed French Open anyway, and has struggled in recent years in the humidity of New York, where it is still hoped that the US Open would be staged. Travelling on tour with a family may also prove far less appealing, and even impractical, with so many COVID-19 restrictions still in place.

Federer's chances of overtaking American Jimmy Connors's record 109 titles would also be affected. He currently has 103 to his name. (BBC Sports)

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2020

1st FIDE Online Chess Cup for U-20 players with disabilities…

T

he first F I D E O n l i n e Chess Cup for U20 players with disabilities is set to be staged on June 21st, 2020. It is an open individual tournament for junior players between the ages of eight and 19 years old as at December 31, 2019; and to be eligible to participate, players must belong to any of the three categories of disability: visually-impaired, hearing-impaired, or physically-disabled.

The tournament is to be played in online format,

and Guyana is set to participate in this format; more details are to follow in the coming weeks.

Registered junior members of all FIDE federations whose dates of birth fall between December 31, 2000 and December 31, 2011 have been invited to participate in this first Junior Online FIDE Cup for players with disabilities. All players should have previously been registered with the FIDE DIS Commission, or should register when they express an intent to participate.

The event is to be played as an Open Swiss System tournament of five

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Accusations of racism in IPL…

A

few cricket fans have taken to social media to criticise former West Indies captain Darren Sammy for what they believe is some amount of hypocrisy over recent accusations of racism levelled against the IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Earlier this week, Sammy reacted with anger after finding out that a word he was being referred to by his teammates during his time at the club, “kalu”, did not mean what he had thought.

"I just learnt w h a t t h a t k a l u meant.

When I played f o r Sunrisers in the IPL, they called me and (Kusal) Perera by that name,” Sammy said in a tweet over the weekend.

"I thought it meant

‘strong stallion’. My previous post tells me something different, and I am angry."

The West Indies star later explained in the video, posted on Monday, that he was later told the term was not one of endearment.

"I was listening to Hasan Minhaj talking about how some of the people in his culture view or describe black people,” Sammy said. "Instantly I remembered, when I played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2013 and 2014, I was being called the exact same word that he described.

"I will be messaging those people - you guys know who you are. I must admit, at the time in which I was being called that, I did not

CLASSIFIED ADS

know what it meant.

"Me being a team man, I thought, ‘Hey, team-mates are happy, it must be something funny’. You can understand my frustration and my anger when it was pointed out to me that it wasn't funny at all; it was degrading.

"So, I'm going to be texting you guys and asking you guys, when you repeatedly called me that word over and over again to the point that I was even saying that's my name, did you all mean it in any way, shape or form as a degrading word to me.”

Some fans, however, insisted that the player knew what the word meant after referring to a 2014 tweet in which he called himself “Dark Kalu”. Others insisted the term simply meant “black”, and had no negative connotations, while others pointed to Sammy tweeting ‘Black Bros’ followed by the fire emoji on his IG page. Others wanted to know why it was not okay for Ishant Sharma to refer to Sammy as kalu, when he often referred to himself as black.

Interestingly, there was no mention of whether there were skin colour references or nicknames for Dale Steyn, Brendan Taylor or Aaron Finch, Sammy’s white teammates who represented the club at the time.

chosen by FIDE DIS. The event will, in all aspects, adhere to the FIDE Laws of Chess and the FIDE General Regulations for Competitions, except in those aspects where the contrary is explicitly announced by the Chief Arbiter.

Time control is 10 minutes plus 5 seconds increment per move, starting from move one (10’ + 5” increment). DIS will determine, in consultation with HIP, which player ratings will be used in the tournament. The final ranking order of the players would be determined by the number of points scored.

If, at the end of the tournament, two or more players are tied for any place, the following tie-break criterion would be applied in the listed order: sum of the progressive scores, MedianBuchholz (ignoring the best and worst score).

The tournament would take place on June 21, 2020. An online technical meeting would be held at 14:30 CEST (UTC+2) via a Zoom conference. Round One would start at 15:00 CEST (UTC+2). The sub-

sequent rounds would start sharply on the hour: Round 2 – 16:00 CEST, Round 3 – 17:00 CEST, Round 4 – 18:00 CEST, Round 5 – 19:00 CEST. There would be no default time, and no penalty would be imposed on a player if s/he is late for any of his/her games; his/her clock would simply keep running until the flag falls.

The prizes would be allocated as follows: For the first-place finisher and the best among girls: a threehour teaching session with Grand Master Thomas Luther. For the top three places overall and the top three among girls: a “special package chess gift” including a) Backpack b) T-shirt c) Cap. All participants would receive a chess gift (mug).

Every player is eligible to win or share only one prize, and will receive the most prestigious one.

For instance, if the second-place finisher is at the same time the best among girls, she will receive the best among girls’ prize.

Registration deadline is 15:00 CEST June 15, 2020.

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FROM PAGE 23

Following disruptions caused by threat of the coronavirus, the exact date and details of this tournament are yet to be finalised, but Mohammed admits he is eager to get back on the pitch.

And he might as well be so eager if he is looking to make amends for the disappointment of the previous campaign.

Mohammed has had his poorest showing to date, representing the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the 2019 season of the CPL. Playing in five games, the player aggregated a total of 20 runs at an average of four – a far cry from his heyday in 2016, when he scored 287 runs to lead the Guyana Amazon Warriors with an average of 47.

For the upcoming edi-

tion of this tournament, the player hopes to play more to what he believes is his strength in the middle of the innings.

“I think I feel most comfortable batting at number four and controlling the middle overs. I feel like that is my strength in T20 cricket,” Mohammed said in a recent interview with T&T’s 7PmNews. “I like to be able to rotate the strike and build partnerships, and from there to the end, finish off the innings strong.” (Sportsmax)

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23

Permaul’s omission from Windies July Test tour to UK…

W

CWI Chief Selector Roger Harper

hile a majority of the Guyanese cricket population awaits an explanation from Cricket West Indies (CWI) on why Guyana's left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul was not selected in the Test squad to tour England, CWI Chief selector Roger Harper responded on Tuesday evening.

Harper, who was present on the Mason and Guests Cricket Show, stated that he has been hearing the noise made by Guyanese. "With the sort of performance that Permaul has had this season and over the years, that's not sur-

prising (the surrounding noise) but if you look at the structure of the team, you know the Test squad and the reserves, you realize that there is not a lot of spinners in the party when you look at the sort of conditions in England".

"Cornwall was selected as the spinner in the squad based on his past Test performance. Looking at the reserves, we thought we would have looked at like for like replacements for positions and places in the team and the panel went for the incumbent from the last tour," Harper explained.

When Mason touched on the Berbice Cricket Board President Hilbert Foster being 'disgusted' at Permaul's non-selection, Harper had this to say: Yes, I have heard all of that. Like I said "Permaul has been performing exceptionally well over the last few years, I am not surprised (at the BCB's response)," Harper highlighted.

Harper also commented on the composition of the squad and sharing his sentiments on other players. In Harper's response to no Guyanese being selected in the squad; he noted that Guyana had good players in the squad who opted out of the tour. In terms of 31-year old Jamaican Nkumrah Bonner being selected in the squad, Harper stated that his weight of performance ensured his selection.

"The way he made his runs, and the reports we had from scouts and selectors, Bonner is the sort of player to hold an innings together and bat with the lower order and take charge if

necessary. "Well a lot of people thought a lot of things, but Bonner had an impressive season as well as Kyle Mayers but other things are taken into consideration."

The Chief selector was not surprised at Keemo Paul, Shimron Hetmyer and Darren Bravo's choice to opt out of the tour; and he respects this decision. I am not surprised at any player did this but sometimes this create opportunity for some players to try cement a place."

In a nutshell, Harper believes that this Guyanese-less West Indies squad that are currently in England have what it takes to win the Test series and retain the Wisden Trophy. "Of course, we can (win the Test series). I don't think anyone gave us a chance last year when England tour the West Indies, looking at that we should Spin maestro Veerasammy Permaul have the belief and I

think w e n e e d our senior guys who toured England before to step up, especially the batters."

Harper showed more confident in the bowlers and are calling for the batsmen to step up with consistency.

"Once we can score 600 runs in a Test match, we can win. That means we have to get 350 runs in the first innings and do it on a regular basis and give ourselves a chance at winning," Harper concluded. West Indies will commence their three-match Test series on July 8 but the players will hit the prep-mode when they play practice matches prior the first Test.

(Brandon Corlette)

Windies July Test tour to UK…

W

est Indies captain Jason Holder has said his players feel safe after arriving in England; and “at some point”, some kind of normal must return.

Having landed in the UK on Tuesday for their three-match Test series which begins on 8 July at bio-secure venues, the West Indies are the first international sports team to visit the UK since the coron a v i rus lockdown, b u t Holder has said his team has not felt pressured into playing.

“A lot of people were crying out for cricket,” Holder told BBC Sport. “It is not the case (that) we wanted to be guinea pigs; but, having said that, we always had a tour plan here in the UK this summer.

After we spoke about the possibilities of it coming off, everybody was comfortable, and here we are now.”

Floyd. Some sports stars have taken a knee in support of the protests.

Holder feels the movement could help galvanise his team.

“We have had previous series, particularly against England, where people have come out and said things prior to (the) series and that has fuelled us as West Indians,” Holder said. “Who knows, this could be something serious we could build on and get some real positive energy throughout the entire group.” (BBC Sport)

No international cricket has been played anywhere in the world since 13 March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

While there have been some cases of contraction and deaths in the Caribbean, the impact of the virus has been much less severe in the Caribbean than in the UK, where more than 40,000 people have died.

“It is not about money for us; we want safety, and want to make sure we are treated fairly, and we just get on with it,” Holder said.

“If you put yourself in the position of a healthcare worker or someone who has worked on the front line throughout this whole pandemic, they have not had the opportunity to sit back at home and run from the virus; they have had to deal with it full on.

“We are fortunate we have not been in that position; but, having said that, at some point in time, you have to make an effort to get back to some kind of normality,” he ex-

plained.

Since arriving in the UK, the West Indies have entered quarantine at Emirates Old Trafford, where they will spend three weeks preparing before heading to the Ageas Bowl in Southampton for the first Test. The second and third Tests will take place at Old Trafford, and the players will be staying at the hotels on site at both venues.

Holder, 28, has praised the work done by the England and Wales Cricket Board [ECB] in explaining the safety measures that would be in place before the team agreed to travel, and for implementing the measures for their arrival. He said hand sanitisers, disposable gloves and thermometers have been widely available at their hotel.

“Things like that give you a sigh of relief and that much more comfort,” Holder said. “If we didn’t have things like (those), it would make you wonder if it was actually safe; and again, I cannot thank the ECB enough for what they have done so far.”

Holder has also said his team would discuss whether to support anti-racism protests that have been seen around the world since the death of George

O

ut-of-favour West Indies batsman Jason Mohammed is hoping to recover from a disappointing outing in the 2019 Caribbean Premier

Jason Mohammed

League (CPL) tournament when t h e 2020 tournament commences.

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