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Issue No. 4258

THE BEACON OF TRUTH FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020

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GECOM, APNU/AFC destruction of democracy: Day 46

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

GECOM Chair to ‘rule’ today on election recount modality

P8 Bandits invade, rob Regent Street cellular store – order customers to wear masks to protect themselves from COVID-19

See story on page 3

– had indicated month-end for recount completion – as Caricom queries live streaming activity to avoid travelling to Guyana

Opposition roasts APNU/AFC for using ‘public funds’ to hire lobbyist firm

See story on page 7

– Guyana Govt listed as ‘foreign principal’ in US documents filed – Harmon claims supporters funding firm

Commonwealth warns GECOM to comply with elections law in recount

Page 9

GPL staff charged for attempted P8 murder of girlfriend, stepdaughter

Legal fraternity warns of P10 constitutional deadline for new Govt by month-end COVID-19 pandemic response…

P12

Govt halts CDC relief hampers distribution

…delayed election results more alarming in face of COVID-19

Mazaruni Guyana records Prison 2 new COVID-19 escapee recaptured cases – count now 57 Page 2

See story on page 2

– placed in quarantine before charges are instituted

Schools P13 unlikely to reopen anytime soon

2 NEWS

FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Mazaruni Prison Guyana records 2 escapee recaptured new COVID-19 cases – placed in quarantine

– count now 57

T

he number of COVID-19 cases continues to climb, with two new persons testing positive in the latest statistics.

From statistics released by the Public Health Ministry as of Thursday, the coronavirus cases stand at 57, with the death toll remaining at six.

Some 260 persons have been tested thus far and nine of the confirmed cases have managed to recover. The number of persons in institutional isolation rose to 42, with 14 others in institutional quarantine.

Prior to these figures, Guyana had recorded seven confirmed cases in just one day. At that time, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Shamdeo Persaud explained that Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) still

accounted for most of the cases in the country, with more than 80 per cent in Georgetown.

It was reported earlier this week that two per cent of the COVID-19 cases was found in Regions One (Barima-Waini) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne),

and five per cent in Regions Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

Currently, testing is only conducted at the National Public Health Reference Lab at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

According to Dr Persaud, males represent most of those who have tested positive for the deadly virus to date. In the over-50 group, he noted, males and females are almost equally affected. However, the CMO explained that in the 30 to 49 age group, the ratio was almost 4:1 when comparing males to females who tested positive.

Meanwhile, calls to the

COVID-19 hotline have amounted to 1966 – a figure which Dr Persaud said the Ministry was “extremely happy” about. At that time, he reminded persons to also use the COVID-19 app as well as the hotline in their respective regions to seek information on this disease.

All ten administrative regions have launched hotlines.

Caretaker Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo announced on Saturday via a virtual press conference that private hospitals were given the green light to import kits and conduct testing. Since the epidemic, only the National Public Health Reference Laboratory was permitted to process testing kits.

Government had initially said that only the National Public Health Reference Laboratory was permitted to test for COVID-19, but has since buckled as numbers continue to climb in Guyana.

Nagamootoo claimed, “I know we are working in cooperation with the private sector and we’ve now given the green light for private hospitals to import their own testing kits so that you can supplement and do rapid testing on both State and non-State institutions.”

before charges are instituted

A

Christopher Punch

lmost two months after escaping from the Mazaruni Prison, Christopher Punch was recaptured on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at Norton and John Streets, Georgetown by members of the Guyana Police Force who were on patrol.

Punch escaped on February 28 while attending to animals on the farms at Mazaruni Prison, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

Punch was sentenced to serve four two-year sentences after he was slapped with four counts of “larceny of motorcycle”.

He was also sentenced to one year in prison on one count of attempted larceny.

The one-year sentence is running concurrently with one of the two-year sentences.

On Tuesday around 04:00h, he was seen at the corner of Norton and John Streets and without hesitation the Police arrested him and subsequently handed him over to prison authorities.

In a release issued by the Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels, charges will be instituted departmentally as soon as the prisoner is reviewed and cleared by the medical department of COVID-19 infection, after being isolated for 14 days from the general population.

3 GECOM Chair to ‘rule’ today on election recount modality NEWS

FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, April 17 – 02:00h-03:30h and 14:30h-16:00h and Saturday, April 18 – 02:30h-04:00h and 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, April 17 – 13:05h-14:35h nd Saturday, April 18 – 13:50h-15:20h.

– had indicated month-end for recount completion …as Caricom queries live streaming activity to avoid travelling to Guyana

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny intervals are expected throughout the day. Partly cloudy skies are expected in the evening. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 12:59 reaching a maximum height of 2.10 metres.

Low Tide: 06:31h and 19:06h reaching minimum heights of 1.21 metres and 1.05 metres.

SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2020

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PPP Commissioner Sase Gunraj

G

uyana Elections C o m m i s s i o n ( G E C O M ) Chairperson, Retired Justice Claudette Singh is expected to give a formal pronouncement today with regard to the modalities to be adopted for the recount of the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

This was confirmed on Thursday by Commissioners Vincent Alexander and Sase Gunraj, both of whom briefed media operatives following the conclusion of Thursday’s meeting at noon.

The men indicated that Commissioners from both sides of the political divide were able to present a summation of the proposals for the recount.

These include a proposal

by People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Commissioner Gunraj for the recount to be done using 20 workstations in as little as 10 days. Additionally, there are proposals by Alexander for the use of eight workstations in addition to the original proposal by the Secretariat for the activity to be completed in 156 days.

In fact, on Wednesday, following the site inspection of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Justice Singh expressed the view that the recount could be completed before the deadline, which incidentally is April 30, since Parliament was dissolved on December 30, 2019.

“Of course, it would! Once it starts, it would be finished,” the Chairperson, a retired Judge, said. According to her, she does not envision a constitutional crisis if the recount exceeds the fourmonth deadline.

Importantly, she also sought to dispel any worry that the previous declarations would be used. Justice Singh noted that once a decision is taken to do a recount, the previous declarations are no longer relevant.

“When we would have gone into the recount stage, we will no longer come back to those declarations,” she explained.

In briefing media operatives, Commissioner Gunraj related that the Chairperson “has heard all of the submissions made by both sides of the table”.

“I believe that I have justified all of my proposals; I’d want to suggest that the oth-

GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh

Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield

Government Commissioner Vincent Alexander

The Independent High-Level Mission from Caricom that came to oversee the recount when it was first agreed upon. From left: Angela Taylor, Chief Electoral Officer of Barbados; Anthony Boatswain, former Finance Minister of Grenada; Francine Baron, Chair of the team and former Attorney General and Foreign Minister of Dominica; Fern Nacis-Scope, Chief Elections Officer of Trinidad and Tobago and Cynthia Barrow-Giles, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Government, UWI

er proposal have been articulated to her and she, I believe, is capable and I am confident in her ability to make the right decision,” Gunraj said.

Asked whether the Chairperson would be choosing from one of the proposals or try to come up with a consensus based on those proposals, Gunraj told media operatives “the Chairman has the final say in this and we expect her to do so”.

Elaborating on the modalities for consideration

that have been presented to Justice Singh, the PPP Commissioner noted that in addition to the publicly disclosed submissions from the stakeholders, there has been a request from Caricom for the live streaming of the activities, so that they could be observed by Caricom agents who would not be able to travel to Guyana.

According to Gunraj, “she is engaging with Caricom in relation to their involvement and as a consequence,

Caricom must be concerned: if we are sending people, how long we are sending them for, what can they do, what are the restrictions given the COVID pandemic…”

The PPP Commissioner, when asked whether a high-level team from Caricom, would, in fact, be coming to Guyana, informed that the Commission was yet to receive any confirmation on that.

TURN TO PAGE 9

4

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 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

Real power lies with Claudette Singh

F

or over 15 months now, Guyana has been threading very dangerously close to not only a constitutional crisis, but, in some instances, disregard for spirit and intent of the Constitution of Guyana. In just a matter of days – 13 to be specific - the next session of Parliament has to commence as constitutionally prescribed in Article 69.

Article 69 states: (1) Each session of Parliament shall be held at such place within Guyana and shall begin at such time (not being later than six months from the end of the preceding session if Parliament has been prorogued or four months from the end of that session if Parliament has been dissolved) as the president shall appoint by proclamation.

The 11th Parliament was dissolved on December 30, 2019, which means that the new Parliamentary session must begin no later than April 30, 2020.

To achieve this constitutional deadline, the Guyana Elections Commission, and more so its Chair, retired Justice Claudette Singh, have to end the current impasse to ensure that another constitutional provision is not disregard. Therefore, support must be given to the call of the Bar Council of The Bar Association of Guyana for the current imbroglio over the past six weeks to be put aside and a declaration made that permits the Constitution to be honoured and the people of Guyana to be provided with a freely and fairly elected Government.

To quote the Bar Council: “Effect can only be given to the provisions of the Constitution for Parliament to be summoned by the constitutionally mandated timeline if GECOM and its Secretariat act immediately in a manner evincing transparency, impartiality and fairness. Time is of the essence. The Constitution of Guyana is the supreme law of Guyana, to which all persons and bodies are subject.

Timelines laid down by the Constitution are not merely matters of principle which one can simply choose to abide by or ignore. The failure to abide by the Constitution has farreaching consequences, both nationally and internationally, inter alia, for good governance and the rule of law.”

The seven-member Elections Commission did agree to a recount almost two weeks ago, but the process is yet to commence. What is the hold up? From what is being reported, most of the issues that are being raised by the GECOM Secretariat and its apparently defiant staff are minuscule and inconsequential but are yet being entertained by the Commission, causing further delays. As this newspaper had previously said, it is now crystal clear that these elements within GECOM worked in collusion with others who are bent on seeing Guyana being destroyed all because of selfish political interests and a hunger for power. In the end, these actions will hurt the entire country.

Since the passage of the No Confidence Motion in December 2018, there have been several instances of refusal by the current administration to obey the pellucid command of the Constitution. It all started with the non-acceptance by the David Granger-led administration that they were defeated in Parliament. From there on, Guyana, its democracy and its people began rolling downhill in a fight for a democratic government. There was some silver lining on March 2 when Guyanese thought they drew a proverbial line in the sand on the creeping subversion of the rule of law. However, the events that have since unfolded have left citizens in shock and lost for words, as they cannot believe that what is happening before their very eyes is actually real.

To bring an end to this, it is Claudette Singh who has the real power, and it is time she uses it to bring this entire standoff to an end.

As stated by the Bar Council: “Guyana is a parliamentary democracy based on the rule of law. The absence of parliamentary oversight of those who purport to exercise executive powers, whether de facto or de jure, is of grave concern, as it places the rule of law under siege.”

Granger’s plan was to ensure that the courts and GECOM do his bidding

Dear Editor, Let not Guyanese be deceived; Granger is the leader of the Burnhamite faction that is resurrecting old tricks and creating new ones to rig the 2020 Elections!

It should be instructive to recall that the first ploy Granger used was to surround himself with retired military colleagues and other security persons, who would be effectively used to prepare a foundation and prop for his dictatorship rule. After that, he methodically used the courts and GECOM. Granger’s plan was to ensure that the courts and GECOM would do his bidding. It should be recalled that the PNC flag, not the Guyana flag, flew above the High Court during Burnham’s 28 years of dictatorship rule, and his selected appointments and national awards ensured that ‘justice’ would be dispensed in his favour at the right time by the right persons.

That soon came with the unilateral and illegal appointment of Justice Patterson, and the No Confidence Motion which had to be taken as far as the CCJ. Everyone at home and abroad knew that Chief Justice Roxanne George Wiltshire’s judgment was correct, yet the Court of Appeal headed by Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonnette CummingsEdwards, supported by Justice Dawn Gregory, overturned that legally correct decision.

Then we shockingly witnessed the Region 4 counting fiasco engineered by Granger’s Gang, which

again ended up in the courts.

This time Chief Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire ruled that there had been substantial non-compliance by the Returning Officer of Region 4, Clairmont Mingo, in his purported declaration of that Region’s results, and the results were made null and void and of no effect. She also ordered that GECOM cannot declare a final result until the declaration for Region 4 is properly done in accordance with Section 84 of the Representation of the People Act. That was on March 11.

This was followed by a tabulation process that was flawed and rigged in favour of the Coalition, since a ‘magical ‘spreadsheet’ was conjured and used, and not the original statements of poll figures. GECOM had deliberately failed to comply with this order, and contempt of court proceeding were filed against the Returning Office, the CEO and GECOM on March 12.

But then, lo and behold, on Friday, March 13, GECOM declared APNU/ AFC the winner. Imagine the gross disrespect for the Chief Justice’s rulings. Is this not a clear indication that the PNC’s flag is still flying above our courts?

Such blatant disregard is not tolerated in a democracy!

However, in the pursuit of expediency, the Opposition parties opted for a recount, which would not have been required had GECOM complied with the Chief Justice’s orders. But while Granger and Jagdeo agreed for the recount to be done, and an aide memoir was signed to that

effect, an APNU/AFC candidate not surprisingly sought an injunction to block the recount.

Are Guyanese so gullible as to actually believe that this candidate acted on her own volition, and could afford the huge financial resources required to engage top lawyers? But this was just another ploy to make use of the court system to rule in their favour.

Had the recount not been granted and an election petition been used instead, Guyanese would have had to wait an eternity for a legal resolution, just like the 2015 petition. This gave rise to another questionable judgment delivered by Justice Holder in the High Court, which was correctly overturned again by the Chief Justice. And, as expected, once again, the assistance of the Court of Appeal was sought, even though the Chief Justice denied an application for appeal.

The Appeal Court then bounced the ball back to GECOM. It has become clear that the PNC’s flag still flies high above our courts.

The PNC-controlled GECOM wasted no time in trying to enable the rigging of the recount. The Chief Elections Officer, who has long been carrying out the dictates of the PNC, immediately came out with a recount which would last 156 days, or over 5 months. This, no doubt, would give Granger and his Burnhamite faction the time needed to frustrate the recount by eliminating foreign and local observers and providing an opportunity to tamper with the bal-

lot boxes. This is an old PNC method which was repeatedly used to rig all elections in the past.

The tampering and damaging of the ballot boxes may well give David Hinds his opportunity for a new election a long time from now.

However, it is quite opportune that the Organization of American States has now added its voice for the removal of partisan GECOM officials from the recounting process.

It is now public knowledge that the CEO Lowenfield, his Deputy Myers and Returning Officer Mingo should be removed from the process.

Lastly, Granger and his gang should know that hiring of a lobbyist using taxpayers’ dollars to whitewash their badly tarnished image to the world at large would never be successful. The damage has been done, and numerous coats of elaborate whitewashing would not hide the fact that they have attempted multiple times, and are still attempting, to rig the 2020 Elections. These people should not be allowed to drag Guyana down the abyss of a dictatorship again.

The GECOM Chairperson must now prove to Guyanese and the international community that she is fair and impartial, and is capable of delivery a free, fair and credible election. Again, she has promised the recount to be completed ‘possibly’ by April 30, and Guyanese are holding her to that. Enough excuses Madam Chairperson!

Dear Editor, The coronavirus may have effectively stopped all sports and games globally, but we in Guyana can never be stopped. We, in the personages of the PNC/ GECOM, are merrily continuing to play games with the Guyanese population while showing the finger to the rest of the world.

After the NCM was successfully passed, I had reason to write that GECOM was delinquent in not being ALWAYS prepared for the eventuality of an NCM, and therefore being ALWAYS ready and prepared to have CREDIBLE elections within the time stipulated by the Constitution of Guyana.

As far as any right-thinking person (whether Guyanese or not) is concerned, such irresponsible, incompetent and inefficient management of GECOM should have been enough reason to dismiss the entire hierarchy of that constitutional entity. If anyone had doubted

before, they have now clearly seen GECOM show their partisan character after the NCM; and glaringly, shamelessly, barefacedly continuing to do so with the apparent support of a chairperson who seems hopelessly “lost at sea”.

I hope the Commonwealth advisor who attended the GECOM meeting on April 16 can convince her of the URGENCY to get the accurate results of the March 2 elections and have them declared, have the new government installed, so that Guyanese breathe again, since COVID-19 requires healthy lungs.

On a similar note, I’ve read that a person at the front and CENTRE of the controversy for the declaration of District FOUR, deemed improper by the courts of Guyana, has also been attending meetings of GECOM. I now ask publicly: Is it “fit and proper” for the Deputy CEO of GECOM, moreso after being mired in controversy, to attend meet-

ings of this body? Or was her presence there to exert “influence” on anyone?

I also had reason to write a few days ago that Mr. Granger, after admitting that the Government has lost the NCM, “changed his mouth” and said the Government had been elected for five years, and intended to remain that long in office; which leads me to believe that he is waiting for MAY or AFTER, to finally accept defeat and demit office screaming and shouting.

Since so much has already been offered on the recount and how long such a process should take, I wouldn’t say much, except to repeat that, in my opinion, there is absolutely no need for a recount of District (Region) FOUR, as it was NEVER completed as determined by the Court, and should be continued from when the SOPs being used was discontinued. District FOUR should be COUNTED, NOT recounted.

I reiterate my agreement with the PSC (and others)

that a recount of the nine districts for which results were already declared is a waste of time. It is obvious and glaring to me and many others that GECOM/PNC and their lackeys are using the recount of all ten districts to further drag this madness on and on. I am also certain they have more tricks in their bag.

However, I recognise that my voice is one “in the wilderness” at this time.

Now the latest scandal is their engagement of a lobbying firm in Washington(?) to do their dirty, dishonest, defamatory propaganda WITH OUR MONEY. I have seen known PNC bloggers answering that by saying that the PPP hired Mercury, but wasn’t that engagement done with private funds? I don’t know that the Treasury of Guyana was raided for that engagement, but more on this later.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

And the games continue

Regards, HN Nawbatt

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020

5

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

Coalition officials’ ever- Sanctions required changing narrative

Dear Editor, When one examines the behaviour and recent utterances of some members of the coalition, one can only come to the conclusion that they are suffering from some sort of malady.

Schizophrenia is diagnosed as a serious mental disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally. Schizophrenia may result in some combination of hallucination, delusion, and extremely disordered thinking and behaviour that impairs daily functioning and can be a disability.

I am no medical expert, but the behaviour of some of the members of the coalition leads one to believe that help in this area may be needed. If the hats fit, right.

We had the CEO of the GECOM Secretariat, Keith Lowenfield, presenting a 156-day plan for the recount of all the votes. This plan was defended by the Government-nominated Commissioner Vincent Alexander, and strongly criticised by the Opposition-nominated Commissioners; and rightly so. Strangely enough, a few days later, the new narrative from the coalition was that the 156day proposal emanated from the PPP. This despite a counter-proposal from the Opposition-nominated GECOM Commissioners which drastically differed from the one Lowenfield had presented. Someone is interpreting reality

abnormally here.

We then had the new narrative from the coalition that the PPP does not want the recount of all the ten regions, as it would show a larger margin of victory for the coalition than the fraudulent one presented by GECOM. There are numerous occasions when PPP General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo had called for the recount of all the votes. He even signed on to an agreement with Caricom to do so.

The PPP/C and many other NGOs have been saying that since there were no objections to the declarations of the results of the other nine regions, to resolve our current situation in a timely manner, focus should be on the contentious Region 4.

What is wrong with that? Even so, however, the PPP has consistently stated that it has no objection to all the regions being recounted. In fact, it was the APNU/AFC coalition who asked for a recount of Region 5 and Region 6, which they abandoned soon after the recount started.

It would be interesting to hear from them why they stopped. There is obviously some disordered thinking in the APNU/AFC coalition’s camp, as is evidenced by their actions.

Finally, one has to find it quite strange that the coalition would use taxpayers’ money to hire a firm to lobby on its behalf with the authorities in the US. Wasn’t it this same coalition who rid-

iculed the US for getting into our business? Calling them colonizers and other derogatory terms, and telling them to stay out of our election business. Now they are seeking assistance from these same persons to prop up their illegal government and to stave off sanctions.

The APNU/AFC coalition is in such a confused state that they have both their leaders, David Granger and Joseph Harmon, listed as US citizens in the dossier prepared by their lobbyist. This means that either Harmon lied when he stated that he had given up his citizenship with the US, or he is confused.

David Granger would need to explain why he was listed as a US citizen. It is clear that persons in the coalition are not operating with stable minds.

The alternative to this reasoning is that they are unbothered about exhibiting utter contempt for the Guyanese people.

Outside of the APNU/AFC Coalition’s performance in Government, their recent behaviour, including the abysmal failure that is their response to the COVID-19 pandemic, should disqualify them from being in office.

It is time to get on with the recount of votes in Region 4, so that Guyana could move forward.

Yours truly, S Greaves

Release APNU/AFC’s Statements of Poll to public

Dear Editor, Over the course of the past few weeks, Mr Joseph Harmon has repeatedly stated that the David Granger Government complies with the rule of law and the Constitution. The duplicity of Mr Harmon’s statements can be exposed by considering the following: 1. In Gomes vs Attorney General: The High Court ruled that instructions given

by Simona Broomes to the Police Service Commission were unlawful and unconstitutional.

2. In matters filed by Berbice Rice Farmers: The Court ruled that directions given by the President to the MMA to cancel their leases were unconstitutional.

3. In Jaigobin vs AttorneyGeneral: The Court ruled that directions given by former US citizen Joseph Harmon to the Police Service Commission were unconstitutional.

Clearly, Mr Harmon did not learn from the Broomes’ fiasco, as he committed the identical error.

4. No confidence cases: the CCJ rejected the

Government’s argument that 33 is not a majority of 65, and also ruled that the no confidence motion was validly passed. Yet, the Government refused to hold elections in 3 months.

5. Morian vs AG: Court of Appeal ruled that the President’s appointments of Felix and Scott as technocrats were unconstitutional.

These are only a few examples that expose Harmon’s statement as asinine. Now, if Mr Harmon is serious about the rule of law, which mandates that

the public’s access to information is unhindered, then I challenge him to do 2 things within 24 hours: 1: Release APNU/AFC’s statements of poll for public consumption and scrutiny.

2: Provide evidence that he has relinquished his US citizenship.

Unless he does these things, Mr Harmon has no right to say that APNU/ AFC complies with the rule of law.

Yours faithfully, Krishnanandat Arjune

Guyana’s governance system Dear Sir, Since the March 2020 elections, I have been agonising on the future of this country and where we go from here.

What can be done to stop this madness come every elections cycle? Let’s call a spade a spade, Afro-Guyanese do not want to be ruled by a perceived Indian government, and likewise, IndoGuyanese do not want to be ruled by a perceived Afro- government.

So, what can be done to make every Guyanese feel they are part of the Government and their interests are taken care of by their representatives in the Government? First, complete the recount as quickly as possible. Have the President and Government sworn in, and immediately embark on constitutional reform.

Of course, all of this must be agreed to by Mr. Granger and Mr. Jagdeo via a signed document, both parties will jointly embark on this exercise, and at the end of the process, the draft Constitution must be put to the people in a referendum for approval.

Having said that, I would like to see these changes in our new Constitution: 1. Scrap GECOM completely and replace it with an accounting firm. Firms must bid, and Parliament do the selec-

tion. Never again must politicians be involved in the running of elections in this country. This is the root of all evil in this country. And like in the USA, a fixed date every five years must be enshrined in the Constitution for elections.

2. We must go back to the first-pastthe-post system of elections in this country. We must never again vote for a list wherein our parliamentary representatives are answerable to the maximum leader of his or her party. They must be answerable to us, the people, and if they do not perform, we can fire them at the next election. We can hire you and fire you anytime. No more maximum leader in this country.

3. Scrap the Regional System, so that no Government would ever pump more resources into regions that they have won, and neglect other regions.

The wealth of this country must be distributed equally to all the people of this land, and not to a selected few.

4. And finally, our system of Government: Scrap the Presidency, and the head of state must be the Prime Minister. As I said earlier, no more maximum leader, king or god. Seeing that we, the people, would be electing our parliamentary representatives, let the Prime Minister be elected at the first

sitting of Parliament, and let him then appoint his government from all the Members of Parliament, and his government must not exceed twelve ministers, which are his cabinet, with him being the head and thirteenth member with the casting vote at cabinet meetings.

With a population of just 750,000 people, Guyana has the most bloated government in the whole world. “As them boys seh, everyone wants to be a politician in this country.

Editor, these are some of my recommendations that I would like to see in a new Constitution, and hopefully it can lead to a more prosperous and peaceful Guyana, where all of our people can live in peace and harmony, and not kill each other at elections time.

I am also hoping to hear the thoughts and recommendations from the likes of Chris.

Ram, Henry Jeffery, Freddie Kissoon, Nigel Hinds, Lenox Shuman, Ralph Ramkarran, Timothy Jonas, David Hinds, Ian McDonald and others.

Let us hear the voices of all the people of this beautiful land of ours.

Yours faithfully, Imtiaz Baccus

immediately Dear Editor, This letter is intended for all the law-abiding citizens of Guyana, but with a special emphasis for the President of the United States of America, Mr Donald Trump.

Mr. President, I have been an ardent follower of all your measures to safeguard the United States of America, of which I totally agree in all respects.

I totally agree that all the refugees, squatters and others should be completely prevented from gaining any benefit from the taxpayers of the United States. That is wrong; everyone must work to earn a living. That is how the Western World was built and, more importantly, the US. That is why I am a great fan of Boris Johnson, who did the right thing to have the suckers arriving in the UK from Eastern Europe and other countries banned.

I think those citizens should be refused benefits and be repatriated.

I am writing to ask you to immediately implement total sanctions against Guyana. There is a façade and display of delaying tactics on at GECOM. It is so clear and apparent and, quite honestly, I cannot see anything happening for the next year.

I do not have any respect for this Retired Judge Claudette Singh, and think she should have remained in retirement.

Having lived 40 years in the city of London, the matter would have been easily

solved.

The Chairman should have addressed the issue in no uncertain terms, and should have called in the CEO Keith Lownfield and the deputies, and read them the Riot Act. In the event they do not perform, they should be removed forthwith and shown the door. that is proper administration. This pussyfooting must stop immediately; hence my request for total sanctions immediately.

Whilst writing, I think it is important to note that the APNU has used millions of taxpayers’ dollars to employ consultants to enhance their fraudulent counting of Region 4, such blatant fraud being witnessed by the entire foreign observers. I note also there could be an American citizen in Guyana and part of the APNU who may have orchestrated such action.

Finally, I would like to ask, President Trump, that you review all Americans citizens not born in the United States of America, and are involved in any criminal activity, whether in the USA or overseas, to have their citizenship annulled for such activities.

Such action is required to affect their entire families and bank accounts.

I sincerely hope that sanctions could be brought in immediately to prevent starvation and a catastrophe in Guyana, which are imminent.

Thanking you, Quin Anderson

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FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020

Page

Foundation

Guyana Times is pleased to publish the Education Ministry’s National Grade Six Assessment Past Papers. This is the first part of Social Studies Paper 1, 2011.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL GRADE SIX ASSESSMENT

SOCIAL STUDIES

TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes 1. WRITE YOUR CANDIDATE NUMBER ON THE ANSWER SHEET AND UNDERLINE THE SUBJECT.

then choose the one which you think is BEST. On your answer sheet, draw a heavy black line through the letter you have chosen.

2. This test contains 40 questions. You are required to answer ALL questions. Four responses are given for each question. The responses are A, B, C and D. Only ONE response is correct.

4. BE SURE THAT THE QUESTION NUMBER IN THE BOOKLET IS THE SAME AS THE ONE YOU HAVE USED ON YOUR ANSWER SHEET.

3. If you are not sure of the answer to a question,

Here is an example done for you.

Carbon dioxide is a

1 The Chinese came to Guyana to (A) find gold. (B) work on the sugar plantations.

(C) build forts. (D) work in the rice fields.

(A) mixture (C) gas

(B) liquid (D) solid

A heavy black line has been drawn through the letter C on the answer sheet because gas, the correct answer, is next to C. 5. If you make a mistake, erase the line cleanly, then draw a heavy black line through the letter next to the answer you have now chosen.

6. The flag used by Guyana before independence was the (A) Golden Arrowhead. (B) Union Jack.

(C) Black Jack. (D) Golden Star and Stripes 7. Guyana became an independent nation on May 1966.

(A) 1 (B) (C) 21 (D) 26 8. The green on our National Flag represents (A) agricultural activities. (B) mineral wealth.

(C) nation building activities. (D) water potential., 9. Wearing a seat belt is a rule.

(A) safety (B) class (C) health (D) school

7. Remember only ONE answer must be provided for each question.

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

14. This type of family grouping is called (A) single parent.

(C) nuclear.

(B) extended.

(D) sibling household.

3. Guyana is found on the continent of (A) South America. (B) North America.

(C) Europe. (D) Asia.

5. Which is the capital city of Venezuela?

(A) Lima (B) Paramaribo (C) Cayenne (ID) Caracas

6. REMEMBER, each answer MUST only be shown by a heavy black line on your Answer Sheet.

The picture below represents the instrument used to describe the weather. Study it, then answer question 10.

2. Plantation Northbrook was bought in 1839 by the (A) ex-slaves. (B) white planters.

(C) Portuguese merchants. (D) East Indian immigrants.

4. Careful exploitation of our natural resources could result in (A) water pollution.

(B) destruction of our forest.

(C) maintenance of natural environment.

(D) extinction of rare animals.

ANSWER SHEET A B C D

15. The head of an extended family is most likely the (A) grandparent. (B) uncle.

(C) mother. (D) father.

10. The name given to the instrument is (A) wind vane. (B) anemometer.

(C) wind rose. (D) thermometer.

11. Which is not a leisure time activity?

(A) Singing and dancing (B) Playing games (C) Watching television. (D) Studying for exams

The map below shows one of the continents. Study it, then answer questions 16 and 17.

12. Which is not an over the counter drug?

(A) Alcohol (C) Tobacco (B) Marijuana (D) Aspirin 13. The doctor gave Mother a cough syrup to take three times daily. Mother was most likely suffering from (A) gastro enteritis. (B) influenza.

(C) fever. (D) diarrhoea.

Use the information below to answer question 14.

16. The map represents the continent of (A) North America. (B) South America.

(C) Africa. (D) Australia.

17. The shaded portion represents (A) Guyana. (B) Venezuela.

(C) Suriname. (D) Brazil.

18. One important way in which Guyana benefits from the sale of sugar to other countries is that (A) foreigners learn about the country.

(B) the country earns foreign exchange.

(C) jobs are created in foreign countries.

(D) Guyanese have enough sugar to use.

Read the caption below, then answer questions 19 and 20.

19. Which word best describes the activity mentioned in the caption above?

(A) Import (B) Export (C) Barter (D) Trade 20. Which is the best reason why the activity is carried out in Guyana?

(A) Japanese cars are cheaper (B) Guyana earns foreign exchange in the process (C) Japan is the country nearest to Guyana (D) Japan is the only country that makes cars.

NEWS

7

FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Opposition roasts APNU/AFC for using ‘public funds’ to hire lobbyist firm – Guyana Govt listed as ‘foreign principal’ in US documents filed – Harmon claims supporters funding firm

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

O

pposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has strongly condemned the use of taxpayers’ money by the caretaker APNU/ AFC Coalition to hire a lobbyist firm to peddle a false narrative about the March 2 General and Regional Elections, the results of which are yet to be declared some six weeks later.

The United States has been at the forefront in mounting international pressure for the elections results to be credible and transparent, following fraudulent declarations made by embattled

Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo. Mingo’s declarations have since been set aside, and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is now preparing to conduct a total recount of all the votes cast.

As such, the caretaker Coalition has hired Washington-based lobbyist firm JJ&B LLC to engage the U.S. Department of State on its behalf in changing the narrative on the current political and electoral impasse.

On Thursday, Director General in the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, defended the retainment of the firm.

“We believe (that) as a Government it was our duty,

our responsibility, to ensure that our narrative – the facts as they occurred -- should be placed there in these capi-

tals [around the world]. And therefore we felt it was necessary to have a company that has that access to be able to put out our side of the story,” he noted.

In the document filed with the U.S. Department of Justice, which was received by the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) Unit of the United States National Security Division on March 31, 2020, the Guyana Government was named the ‘foreign principal’; the Ministry of the Presidency was listed as the agency that is being represented by the lobbyist firm; and Harmon was named as the official with whom the company engages.

Despite this, however,

Harmon, who was campaign manager of the APNU/AFC Coalition, is claiming that the retainment of the company is being funded to the tune of US$72,000 by party supporters, and not with money from the State’s coffers.

“This is not funds from the Government. We have supporters around the world who are very incensed, who are upset that this kind of narrative continues to be perpetuated on a daily basis, and have come forward to say, ‘what can we do to help?’,” Harmon stated.

Harmon noted that supporters abroad have pooled their “lil $100, $2000 and things like that, and they are paying for this. No money has come from the Government treasury.”

However, Jagdeo has rubbished this claim, saying that he does not believe that it is in fact Coalition supporters who are funding the lobbyist firm.

“We believe that it’s taxpayers’ money that had been used to fund this activity – a party activity… In fact the company should release the source of the payment, whether it’s coming directly from Congress Place (the head office of the People’s National Congress Reform – the leading party in the APNU faction of the Coalition). When we paid for the Mercury firm, we paid directly from the party, so we can show the money transfer.

It would be interesting for us to see the money transfer order that Harmon made from the party to this company,” he contended.

According to Jagdeo, who is also the General Secretary of the Opposition People’s

Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), if supporters are indeed paying for the document, then it means that the U.S. is being misled.

“If what Harmon is saying today is true (that it’s taxpayers’ money used) then this firm and its principals have misled the U.S. Government. They are gonna circulate what is essentially a party dossier to members of the U.S. Administration and to Congress on behalf of the Government of Guyana…

That’s what they said, they’re lobbying the U.S. Government on behalf of the Government of Guyana…,” he asserted.

However, the Opposition Leader believes that

Harmon’s claim is just a deflection from concerns raised on the grounds of misappropriation of public funds by local stakeholders over the massive spending to hire the U.S. firm, when any spending during this period is supposed to be only for emergency needs and for basic operations of the country, until a new Government is sworn-in. He added that, according to Guyana’s laws, it is illegal to use public funds to pay for a party-related activity.

The 147-page document being circulated, titled ‘Dossier Guyana Elections 2020’, claims that the PPP has been trying to gain U.S. support to stage a coup against the David Grangerled Government, and that if it were to succeed, then Russia and China will be in control of the area stretching from Venezuela to Suriname.

It further alleges that Jagdeo has been working actively to undermine U.S interests, and has been seen as an ally to both current and past Venezuelan Leaders, Nicolas Maduro and the late Hugo Chavez respectively.

In response, however, the former President of Guyana rubbished these claims, calling them “ludicrous”, “utterly stupid” and “nonsensical”. He posited that in its 23 years in office, eight of which were led by him, the PPP/C has never traded the sovereignty of Guyana, and would never do so.

He said that unlike the current behaviour of the Coalition administration, his party has always subscribed to open, democratic values, including the conduct of free and fair elections.

Nevertheless, Jagdeo said the PPP are not worried about the dossier, which

MoTP Director General Joseph Harmon

he noted is riddled with misleading information.

“I am not worried too much about the document itself… All (the US) have to do is to request a brief from the State Department, or just do five minutes of research, and you will see how useless this dossier is. What they’re trying to do, though, is to raise the red herring. They made claims that they won the elections and there is a conspiracy by PPP to deny them this victory…So they’re raising a lot of red herrings, hoping that the U.S. Government’s position will change,” he asserted.

As recent as on Wednesday, Assistant Secretary for the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, Michael Kozak, lamented that Guyana is yet to have a credibly elected Government.

“It has been 6 weeks since elections were held in #Guyana with no result. The U.S. (urges) GECOM to conduct a recount as soon as possible. Guyanese citizens need a government elected based on a credible count of their votes now more than ever,” Kozak tweeted.

8 NEWS

FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Bandits invade, rob Regent Street cellular store – order customers to wear masks to protect themselves from COVID-19

A

businesswoman is now traumatised after two masked gunmen invaded and robbed her cellphone store on Regent Street, Georgetown on Thursday.

Owner of Cellular Connection, 49-year-old Wendy Seepersaud recalled that at approximately 15:00h on the day in question, one man entered the store and under the pretext of being a customer, requested an iPhone charger while the second person was outside.

At the time, the handyman and a salesgirl were in the store and as the salesgirl went to get the charger, the man followed.

He then whipped out the handgun and held her at gun-

the cashier’s drawer and collected an undisclosed sum of money. Not satisfied, he also picked up several mobile phones, electronic tablets, colognes and a suitcase.

The gunmen also relieved Seepersaud of her personal phone and handbag. After the men left, an alarm was raised and the Police were contacted.

An investigation has been launched.

The store which is located on Regent Street, Georgetown

point. As the gunman brandished the firearm, he requested that the customers who walked into the store wear

their face masks to guard against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

After doing so, he went to

GPL staff slapped with attempted murder of girlfriend, stepdaughter

Abused: Sheveika Cameron

A

n employee attached to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) who is accused of attempting to murder his girlfriend and her eight-year-old daughter on Thursday appeared at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court, where he was arraigned for the crimes.

Thirty-two-year-old Junior Benn, a linesman, of Courtland Village, Corentyne, Berbice, appeared before Magistrate Peter Hugh and was not required to plead to the indictments.

The charges stated that on April 8, 2020, at Courtland Village, Benn inflicted grievous bodily harm on Sheveika Cameron and Sojourner Johnson of Scottsburg, Upper Corentyne, Berbice, with intent to commit murder.

The court heard that Cameron and Benn shared a relationship. However, on the day in question, Cameron visited Benn’s house and an argument ensued over her phone being on vibrate every time she visited him.

This reportedly angered Benn and he hit Cameron several times to the face before slamming her to the ground in front of her 11-year-old daughter.

After seeing her mom being abused, the child attempted to help her, but Benn turned his attention on the girl, punching her to the face.

Benn then allegedly took a green liquid substance in a bottle believed to be a poisonous substance and poured it on Cameron’s face and in her mouth.

Neighbours who heard the commotion went over to investigate and saw the mother and daughter on the floor. They were picked up and taken to the Port Mourant Hospital, where they were admitted.

The matter was then reported and following an investigation, Benn was arrested and charged for the offence.

Benn was remanded to prison until April 21, 2020.

The PNC… I

…and the US t’s now public that the PNC hired a Washington lobbyist firm since March 31, to influence the US specifically as it relates to the PNC-led coalition’s frantic efforts to head off threatened sanctions for its barefaced attempt to rig the March elections. Now, the US has a long institutional memory involving the PNC – going back to 1961, during the Cold War, when their interest was stopping communism in Guyana. That the PNC has to hire lobbyists to cover its tracks is the clearest indication that their relations have gone waay south!

Back in the ‘60s, after all, declassified US documents show that Burnham had directly informed the US Ambassador of his intention to rig the 1968 elections!!

The latter even suggested that voting machines be introduced which could (literally) do the trick!! Burnham, of course, wanted to do it his way, to ensure that the PNC institutionalise rigging with a cadre of locals, starting with the appointment of Desmond Hoyte to the Elections Commission. Even as he created an NRR, that’s a source of rigging attempts to this day!!

Folks believe that the US changed its position on the PPP returning to office just because of the fall of the Soviet communist empire. Yes, but it was also influenced by the PNC’s having its cake and eating it too at the Americans’ expense, after 1970, when they nationalised Reynolds Bauxite and kicked out Chase Manhattan Bank; and proceeded to cosy up with Cuba to trans-ship their troops to Angola. An American invasion of Guyana after Grenada was missed by a whisker, only after Thatcher was miffed at not being consulted by Reagan.

During the PPP years, the PNC always assumed that the relations with the US from the sixties were still intact. Just before the 2011 elections, a bunch of PNCaligned academics – led by Ivelaw Griffith – put out a document claiming that the “Strategic Culture” of the PNC was more aligned with that of the US than the PPP’s was. They forgot the maxim of realpolitik that advised there are no permanent friends among nations – just permanent interests. And if US interests coincided with a new PPP, wherein all the old-timers from the sixties were now retired to pasture, the PNC had no transport on their support. As US Ambassador Carol-Ann Lynch said after the PNC persisted with its crude rigging, “The United States Government is entirely non-partisan about which party wins Guyana’s 2020 elections.”

The PNC is barking up the wrong tree. The US isn’t about to discard the personal observations on the elections by their Ambassador, the UK, Canada, the EU, the OAS; and for good measure, CariCom. …and party paramountcy In its grandiosely named “Declaration of Sophia” in 1974, when Burnham defined the PNC party as “socialist”, he declared: “It was also decided that the Party should assume unapologetically its paramountcy over the Government, which is merely one of its executive arms.”

Granger, one of Burnham’s protégés, who along with Elvin McDavid had organised the National Service, was then tasked with imparting Burnham’s vision encapsulated in the Declaration to the army.

In what can now be called the “Declaration of Pearl”, Granger has now signalled that the “paramountcy” of the PNC over the Government is now back with a vengeance.

Do you remember Harmon – who’s GS of APNU – letting slip that he’d gotten a call from a GECOM clerk on the night of the infamous spreadsheets and missing flash drive with SOPs data? So much for GECOM’s “autonomy”!!

And, of course, there’s PNC Chair Volda Lawrence’s justas-infamous utterance that she has “wuk only for her PNC friends” in the Ministry of Health!!

And the icing on the cake is the Government paying the lobbyist to shill for APNU in Washington, and who it represents.

The PNC must think the Americans are simpletons and racists. Imagine, they expect to be favoured by the US Govt by claiming they represent, in the following order, “Europeans, Indigenous Peoples, Afro-Guyanese, Mixed, and Indo-Guyanese”!!

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

NEWS

9

FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Commonwealth warns GECOM to comply with elections law in recount

…delayed election results more alarming in face of COVID-19

Head of the Commonwealth Mission, Former Barbadian Prime Minister Owen Arthur

T

he Commonwealth Observer Group accredited for the March 2, General and Regional Elections in Guyana says it notes a decision by Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) indicating that the Commission has decided to conduct a national recount of all ballots cast, and said it is expected that GECOM would ensure that a general final count is undertaken and concluded in strict accordance with the relevant provisions of Guyana’s Representation of the People’s Act (RoPA).

The Commonwealth Group of Observers was headed by Former Barbadian Prime Minister Owen Arthur.

Citing a failure of GECOM to stop blatant disregard of rule of law in the tabulation process of the Region Four votes, the Electoral Observer Mission had withdrawn from the country as part of the process.

At that time, the delegation had reported persistent electoral malpractice following the March 2 polling day.

Noting the development to have the recount, the group on Thursday reminded that GECOM must ensure that this is done in a

credible, transparent and timely manner, bearing in mind that the people of Guyana have now waited an unconscionable 45 days to bring this electoral process to finality.

“This delay in credibly concluding the electoral process is now even more alarming, as the entire world seeks to contend with the disruptive and devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) on economic, social and political life,” the Commonwealth Mission said in a statement.

It contends that RoPA is unambiguous and specific on the technical modalities by which a general final count is bound, and “we strongly urge the leadership of GECOM not to depart from these legal stipulations”.

“The Commonwealth Observer Group commends the people of Guyana for peacefully exercising their right to vote for the Government of their choice on 2 March.

“This is a sacred constitutional and universal human right. The rights of the Guyanese people will be respected when a general final count is credibly administered in accordance with the law, and given full effect”, the Group said.

In its preliminary report on March 4, the Observer Mission flagged GECOM over, among other things, its finalisation of Polling Stations and the signing of the Code of Conduct by political parties mere days before Election Day. The Group had also highlighted the “urgent need” for constitutional and electoral reforms, specifically comprehensive reforms in the voter registration system, including legislative reform.

The Commonwealth Mission’s withdrawal had come on the heels of the

GECOM Chair to...

He said too that among the other considerations for the GECOM Chair was the communication with the National Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Task Force with regard to the conducting of the recount exercise.

Asked whether the activity would be live streamed for the Guyanese public, he noted that this was a decision still to be taken by the Chair.

Alexander, a Governmentaligned Commissioner, expanded, saying that “what Caricom said is that rather than having all of their personnel come here, that the personnel could be overseas and it could be streamed to them”.

He suggested that among the possibilities was to have some persons here while the activity was streamed overseas for others in the observing process and not a public live stream per se.

He noted the Commission

FROM PAGE 3

rehashed the pros and cons of using eight versus 20 tabulating stations.

Notably, Alexander disclosed too that Justice Singh during the meeting had related that Caricom representatives in their communication with GECOM had expressed concerns over the use of 20 workstations in light of the COVID-19 measures.

He said that it was explained that the concerns over the stations saw their genesis in the fact that 20 counting stations would require the presence of a minimum of 300 persons, “this is a concern that I had raised”.

Asked about the decision to be made by Justice Singh, Alexander posited that it was not a case of choosing one proposal over another and that the Chairperson could come up with a document that supported compromise or consensus.

Commonwealth Secretary General, Baroness Patricia Scotland

Organisation of American States (OAS) pulling its Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) the previous

week, saying that it had no other option than to withdraw from Guyana, since the ascertainment methodology

that was used did not meet the required standard of fairness and transparency.

GECOM Chairwoman,

Retired Justice Claudette Singh, has expressed the view that the recount could be completed in a timely manner.

10 NEWS

FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Legal fraternity warns of constitutional deadline for new Govt by month-end …tells GECOM no elections result 6 weeks later is disgraceful, inexcusable …failure to abide has far-reaching consequences nationally, internationally

T

he legal fraternity on Thursday berated the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) over what appears to be a laissez faire approach taken by the Secretariat in bringing finality to the General and Regional Elections of March 2, 2020.

They say the absence of a declared result some six weeks after the General and Regional Elections were held is -- in addition to being outside of the statutory prescribed period -- disgraceful and inexcusable.

In a strongly worded missive that was widely disseminated to the media on Thursday, the Guyana Bar Association reminded that “Article 69 of the Constitution of Guyana mandates that, on dissolution, the next session of Parliament must commence no later than four (4) months from the end of the preceding session. The last session of Parliament was dissolved on

December 30, 2019. The next session of Parliament must therefore begin no later than April 30, 2020.”

The Bar Association has since expressed its concern by reminding that “Guyana is a parliamentary democracy based on the rule of law” and “the absence of parliamentary oversight of those who purport to exercise executive powers, whether de facto or de jure, is of grave concern, as it places the rule of law under siege.”

GECOM Chairperson, retired Justice Claudette Singh, is expected to pronounce today on the final modalities to be adopted by the Commission in regard to recounting the ballots cast in the elections.

According to the Bar, the Commission and its Secretariat must “do all acts and things necessary in the shortest possible time to ensure the accurate, credible and transparent declaration of the results of the General and Regional Elections held on March 2, 2020, so that the next session of Parliament can commence as constitutionally prescribed; that is, no later than April 30, 2020.”

The legal fraternity noted in its missive that effect can be given to the provisions of the Constitution for Parliament to be summoned by the constitutionally mandated timeline only if GECOM and its Secretariat act immediately in a manner evincing transparency, impartiality and fairness.

According to the Bar Association, “The Constitution of Guyana is the supreme law of Guyana, to which all persons and bodies are subject. Timelines laid down by the Constitution are not merely matters of principle, which one can simply choose to abide by or ignore. The failure to abide by the Constitution

parties adhered to timelines, and both the High Court and Court of Appeal even sat on Sundays to ensure the timely determination of the matters.”

According to the Association, the integrity of any system is only as good as the integrity of the persons who operate the system”, and the

is ticking and there two weeks left before Guyana delves further into the constitutional abyss to which the country was pushed by GECOM on March 21, 2019 when it failed to hold General and Regional Elections within the constitutionally mandated period on the valid passing of the ‘No Confidence Motion’ on December

has far- reaching consequences, both nationally and internationally, inter alia for good governance and the rule of law”.

In calling for the Commission to execute its mandate with dispatch, the Association reminded that the judicial proceedings that were related to the elections results and the declarations were dealt with dispatch, and that “counsel for all the

“recent open disregard for truth and decency by certain members of the GECOM Secretariat leaves a feeling of great distaste in the mouths of ordinary Guyanese, who have been subjected to scorn, disdain and ridicule by the rest of the world even as we struggle to come to terms with the COVID-19 disaster.”

The Bar Association, in its appeal, said the constitutional clock

21, 2018.

“The Bar Council urges GECOM and its Secretariat to put aside the imbroglio of the last six weeks by ending the impasse over results with a declaration that permits the Constitution to be honoured and provides the people of Guyana with a freely and fairly elected Government.”

11 GECOM Chair must be aware entire country awaits recount – Jagdeo NEWS

FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo

W

ith the Chairperson of the Guyana E l e c t i o n s Commission, (ret’d) Justice Claudette Singh, expected to make a decision on the modalities of the pending national recount, General Secretary of the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Bharrat Jagdeo, is calling on the GECOM Head to be cognizant of the fact that Guyanese are eagerly awaiting the final results of the March 2 elections.

Guyana held General and Regional elections more than six weeks ago, and credible results are yet to be declared.

In fact, the seven-member Elections Commission had agreed to a recount almost two weeks ago, but that process is yet to commence.

During a virtual press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo said the process to reach a final decision on the recount of the ballot has been “torturous”.

Nevertheless, he noted that, “The Chair of GECOM must be aware -- she has to be aware now -- that the entire country is awaiting on

her to move this process forward… [They] have been awaiting a decision for several weeks now from the Commission.”

According to Jagdeo, an unfortunate situation currently exists in the Commission: every attempt to move the recounting process forward is being blocked by representatives of the APNU+AFC Coalition.

“This is why the Chair needs to wake up and see that she needs to take decisive decisions. She needs to end this charade that’s going on there… There is a need for urgency, and I hope the Chair understands that, and that whatever proposal they put in place, it cannot take forever,” he stressed.

Jagdeo, who is also the Opposition Leader, said there are compromised staff in the Elections Secretariat who are doing all they can to slow down the process, and then when the matter reaches to the level of the Commission, the Government-nominated Commissioners are putting up road blocks.

He noted that, hopefully, today’s decision by the GECOM Chair would detail when the recount would start, and how it would be pursued.

Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield had previously tabled a 156-day proposal for the recount, but that was widely rejected.

Last week, the PPP/C had submitted a counter-proposal for the recount of the 2,339 ballot boxes to be completed in 10 days – starting with Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) which not only is the largest voting

Woman knifed to death by reputed husband

A

mother of two was on Thursday knifed to death by her reputed husband at Ithaca Village, West Bank Berbice (WBB), after she went in aid of her mother, who was being attacked by the same man.

Dead is 21-year-old Vanessa Benjamin of Francine Street, Ithaca Village, WBB. Based on information received, the stabbing incident took place at about 17:00h, after the woman had gone to assist her mother who was being assaulted by the suspect, who later attempted to commit suicide.

Guyana Times understands that the now dead woman had separated herself from the suspect because she was constantly being abused. However, the man had taken the break-up seriously, and had threatened that if he could not get her, no other man could get her.

On the day in question, the man confronted Benjamin and begged for them to get back together, but the woman refused to get back into the relation-

Dead: Vanessa Benjamin

ship with him. This resulted in a heated argument arising, during which he whipped out a knife from his pants waist and dealt the woman several stabs about the body.

She reportedly collapsed and was picked up and taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The suspect, who inflicted injuries to himself, was treated and referred to the New Amsterdam Hospital, where he has been admitted and remains under guard.

district, but is also the source of contention following a fraudulent declaration by embattled Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo last month.

The Opposition plan also provides that there be 20 recounting stations with one observer from each group and one representative of each of the political parties, along with two independent GECOM staff. This is in keeping with the current social distancing protocols to curb the spread of the COVID-19 disease.

However, Jagdeo on Thursday said there are now efforts to increase the number of GECOM staff present at each station, and these, he suspected, would be handpicked persons who might attempt to compromise the recount.

Additionally, the PPP had requested in its proposal that private auditing firms be hired or the Audit Office of Guyana be present during

GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh

the recount, and that the activity be live streamed.

“These are all critical measures necessary to prevent a situation like the one we had in the GECOM Secretariat, where Mingo made the (fraudulent) declaration and the Secretariat staff interfered with, and tampered with, the tabulation,” the Opposition Leader stated.

Addressing concerns ex-

pressed over possible new attempts to interfere with the recount, Jagdeo said that while the party is worried, the presence of the international community is cushioning this.

There has been mounting pressure from the international community for the results of the March 2 elections to be credible and transparent. There have been warnings of serious consequences, including isolation and sanctions, should Guyana swear in a new government from fraudulent results.

Jagdeo explained that the threats have not yet been enforced, since the international community is still “hopeful” that the recount would be conducted and that there would be a new government based on credible elections results.

“The international community is not giving up on Guyana… If they tamper with the recount, the results would remain not cred-

ible, and so if they proceed to swear in a president on the basis of a recount that is not credible, then the full force and the weight of the international community will fall upon Guyana and those individuals like a ton of bricks,” he asserted.

The Opposition Leader added that the only opportunity left to avoid international sanctions is to allow the recount to be transparent and credible.

Nevertheless, he went on to urge persons to be patient, assuring that the PPP/C will continue to “take all necessary steps to ensure the recount is done in a transparent manner… So we are anxiously awaiting to see that those decisions are consistent with the urgency of the situation and it will ensure the transparency of the recount, and that there will be measures against anyone who tries to tamper with the results.”

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FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

COVID-19 pandemic response…

Govt halts CDC relief hampers distribution …considering stronger enforcement of emergency measures

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irector General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon announced that the Government would be putting a halt to the social relief hampers being distributed by the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) since more long-term solutions are needed at this time.

Harmon, who assumed chairmanship of the Sub Committee of the National Task Force on COVID-19 with responsibility for the CDC and the coordination of the social relief measures, made the announcement after he toured the CDC facility.

“The CDC is a Commission that responds to an emergency. Invariably, those emergencies are usually of a short-term basis and so immediately maybe after a flood, a fire or some other

Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon during his visit to the CDC

disaster, the CDC would go and they would make an assessment of what is needed, and they respond. This situation is a little different, because it is likely that it will not be an immediate impact situation, but a long-term matter.

“We took the view that

this is going to be a longterm matter and, therefore, a one-time distribution would not suffice, because, in the long run, someone who receives a package in April would look forward to receiving a package in June and July and onwards. We have thought it necessary

to look at this matter in a strategic way and, therefore, what we have asked is that the distribution be put on pause in the way it was going. We are going to put a system in place that identifies ... the vulnerable,” Harmon said.

He said that the Government, through the CDC, would put new measures in place to strengthen its social relief response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This move is to ensure that every vulnerable person is assisted. He noted at this time, Government was prepared to consider stronger enforcement of the COVID-19 Emergency Measures if citizens continued to flout those guidelines.

Harmon revealed that the Task Force held a meeting on Wednesday where they took the decision that based on the current projections and timelines for COVID-19, it would be better to undertake long-term solutions. In this regard, it was determined that the current social relief efforts were among the short-term solutions and needed to be reworked.

The Director General noted that while in the past, the Ministry of Social Protection would have recorded the persons who are vulnerable, the situation has changed since there are now persons who have been dismissed or cannot leave their homes in the current circumstances.

“We had lists of the vulnerable in the past, but in this pandemic, we have persons who weren’t vulnerable but have become vulnerable now. There are persons who have lost their livelihoods because of the restrictions, persons have been dismissed, persons who are at

CDC Director, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig updating Harmon

home and cannot move. We are putting in place now arrangements that will facilitate distribution of items and facilitate the distribution of cheques or food vouchers to allow those persons to benefit.

“We have set up a database for persons who are affected to register there. Once that is done, the Ministry of Social Protection will do a check and then we will make a determination on who gets hampers and cheques or food vouchers. We are implementing a different approach, since we believe it is going to be for a longer period and, therefore, we have to increase the capacity of the CDC to manage an operation for a longer period and one that is across the country,” he explained.

However, the CDC has already collected huge donations of food from corporate Guyana and stakeholders and with the halting of the distribution, it is unclear what will become of same.

The Government has also purchased large amounts of goods to be distributed.

Additionally, Harmon said Government has noticed that persons appear to be flouting the curfew and other precautionary meas-

ures that were put in place.

He related that if the number of infections continue to climb, the Government will consider stronger enforcement measures.

“It seems that when I look at the figures now, that the curve is still going in an upward direction and, therefore, we must ensure that we take those measures that are necessary to flatten the curve. While we are still using what I would call a soft stem approach, I believe that we are coming to the time where we will have to be strong on the enforcement measures with respect to the curfew. This COVID-19 is not a joke, and some people are still of the view that it is not going to affect them. The numbers are clear. Many homes in this country are in mourning. Let us not take this as a joke. We have to take all the necessary precautions to ensure that curve doesn’t go upwards,” Harmon said.

He also called for increased collaboration and cooperation among stakeholders, noting that the entire country is affected by the disease, and, therefore, all hands are welcomed on deck.

NEWS

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FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Region 10 COVID-19 patients were infected by ‘known associate’ – RHO

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he Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Administration has started to conduct a contact tracing exercise after it was revealed that both of its COVID-19 patients were infected by someone they both knew and had contact with.

In a statement, Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr Pansy Armstrong disclosed that after investigations of the two COVID-19 cases were completed, they realised that “both victims would have gotten infected by a known associate”.

As such, they are appealing to persons who may have had contact with either of the two individuals over the past two weeks to immediately self-quarantine themselves, as there was a possibility that they might be carrying the disease unknowingly.

According to Dr Armstrong, the first victim had visitors from overseas who came for a funeral while the second victim is related to a known associate of the first victim. She said that this appeal was as a result of the Region’s con-

Region 10 RHO, Dr Pansy Armstrong

tinued proactive approach to ensuring contact tracing.

“What we are aware of is that both individuals were infected by a known associate of them and there is a possibility that others may have been infected. As such, we are appealing to those persons to immediately self-quarantine themselves at home to protect their families and others who they may have met,” Dr Armstrong stressed.

The RHO declared that she was appealing to anyone within the region who

are showing signs and symptoms of COVID-19 to immediately contact the hotline numbers listed as 444-3007, 444-6127 and 444-6137 where they would speak to a public health nurse or a doctor.

“Let me say: do not visit any health facilities, call the hotline and someone will reach out to you…As it is widely known,” she said, “there is no known cure for COVID-19, but if the medical personnel within the region are made aware of your situation, then immediate medical attention and assistance can be rendered.”

She also said that the general public should take the current situation seriously. As such, the required measures and guidelines should be followed.

“I am personally appealing to everyone to follow the instructions as it is only way of keeping us safe. Remember social distancing, wash your hands regularly and wear your mask when you are out; we must and should follow the guidelines to stay safe,” she warned.

Schools unlikely to reopen anytime soon

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chools across Guyana remain closed as the Education Ministry reassesses its decision to reopen on April 20, in light of the recent increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases.

According to the Department of Public Information (DPI), the Ministry currently is formalising a new plan that would keep students, teachers, and other stakeholders safe.

The decision on the way forward will be made by the National COVID-19 Task Force in conjunction with the Education Ministry, DPI said.

Schools have been closed

since March 16, and the Ministry has made available academic material on its website, the Guyana Learning Channel, NCN Radio, Radios Mahdia, Bartica, Essequibo, Mabaruma, Lethem and Paiwomak.

Since the decision was made to close schools in the interest of students’ safety, tests and other major examinations have been postponed.

There is no official date set for the National Grade Six Assessment.

The Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) via a virtual press conference in March had an-

nounced the postponement of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE), offering alternate solutions to ensure that students can matriculate.

The deadline for SchoolBased Assessments has been extended by 30 days while candidates would only be required to sit a General Paper 1 examination.

Sister Caricom Member States whose students also sit the CSEC and CAPE examinations are working on the way forward for their schools.

CORONAVIRUS HOW TO HANDWASH? (COVID-19) WASH HANDS OR USE HAND SANITISERS

INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF?

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)

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FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PPP takes mask distribution exercise to Linden-Soesdyke Highway

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he People’s Progressive Party’s “Mask Up” campaign is in full swing with volunteers distributing masks and other essential items to citizens in several regions across the country to help

contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Several persons have come on board and are helping to sew thousands of cloth masks for free distribution.

PPP/Civic Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali has been leading the initiative, which will see over 10,000 masks being distributed to persons across Guyana.

The programme was launched last

Saturday at the Leonora Market.

The team continued its countrywide distribution exercise on Thursday on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway in several villages including Waikabra, Kuru Kururu,

Laluni, Swaan, Yarrowkabra, Circuitville, Kuru Kuru, Banakari, Long Creek, Kairuni, Silverhill, Adventure, La Vellete, Moblissa and some villages along the Demerara River.

NEWS

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FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GTT supports HELPGuyana app creation

– app to bridge societal gaps through technology

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TT has partnered with STEMGuyana to introduce Guyana’s first-ever crisis management web and mobile app – HELPGuyana.

The app was developed by a stakeholder group of women from STEMGuyana in commemoration of International Day of Girls in ICT to benefit vulnerable groups, but has now been customised for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through the app, households needing support can register to access assis-

tance, businesses can advertise their goods and services, and delivery services can register to promote their offering. The app also enables users to anonymously report cases of domestic violence, fraud, and abuse.

“It is usually our vulnerable citizens who suffer most during a crisis. We wanted to use technology to better identify these persons and create a way to get them to help in an organised and reoccurring manner,” Director of STEMGuyana, Karen Abrams noted.

“There are more than 30,000 vulnerable households in Guyana who will need help during a crisis.

Many Guyanese citizens and organisations are willing to help and the HELPGuyana tool can be used to bridge that gap between those needing help and those equipped and willing to offer assistance,” Abrams added.

GTT Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Justin Nedd explained that the company was delighted to have supported the creation of the app.

“We are always on stream with STEMGuyana’s initiatives as it continuously aims to bridge gaps in society through technology.

I hope that persons utilise this app, especially during this time, to assist each other as we work to flatten the curve; we are in this together,” said Nedd.

The HELPGuyana app aims to enhance the lives of all citizens across Guyana through the use of technology. Persons can obtain more information on the app at www.helpguyana.com.

GTA, Tourism Guyana ink Global experts mobilise under MoU to drive market demand WHO to create COVID-19 vaccine tions locally; and place emphasis on offering Guyana’s first digital interactive magazine,” the release claimed.

Co-founder Lesa Fleming added that the company was seeking to bring new perspective on what Guyana has to offer.

“We want to bring a fresh, new concept of awareness to what Guyana’s 83,000 square miles has to offer. We are all about celebrating what makes Guyana an extraordinary destination from its food, entertainment and cultural diversity to its history, host communities and unique activity offers and attractions – which is what tourism in Guyana encompasses. Our concept is all-inclusive, catering to the Diaspora, those

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GTA Director Brian Mullis

he Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has ventured into a partnership with local tourism promotion company Tourism Guyana via a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to showcase what the country has to offer for both locals and international travellers.

Through the agreement, which was signed on Thursday, the two organisations have agreed to share content, information and ideas, and align efforts to further improve the promotion of Guyana as a leading sustainable destination that offers world-class nature, culture and adventure experiences.

The GTA and Tourism Guyana have reached a common alliance to develop and promote sustainable tourism in Guyana through collaboration to maximise local socio-economic and conservation outcomes and improve the visitors’ and residents’ experiences,” the MoU stated.

Commenting on the new collaboration, GTA Director Brian Mullis stated, “We value our partnerships with all local influencers and we are pleased to add Tourism Guyana to our extended network of marketing partners.

Though travel is not advised right now, we want to make sure that you can easily ac-

The Tourism Guyana team

cess inspiring images and stories, so when it’s safe to travel again, you know exactly where you want to go and what you want to do.”

Tourism Guyana is a branch of the Creative Marketing Company (CMC), which was launched in 2019 to provide a more aggressive and interactive approach to the traditional promotion of Destination Guyana. They operate primarily on social media and can be followed on the Tourism Guyana Facebook and Instagram pages.

“Tourism Guyana is creating a paradigm, shifting away from the traditional format travel magazines used to promote destina-

in Guyana, and international travellers alike. We want people to understand that while Guyana is an attractive destination for international tourism, domestic tourism is a very important part of the sector.”

The GTA is described as a semi-autonomous governmental organisation responsible for developing and promoting sustainable tourism in Guyana through collaboration with sister agencies and the tourism Private Sector in order to maximise local socio-economic and conservation outcomes and improve travellers’ experiences.

T

he World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced that a group of experts in diverse fields has come together to fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, by seeking to formulate a vaccine to cure positive cases.

In December last year, the WHO was informed of a cluster of cases of pneumonia from an unknown cause being detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China.

Chinese authorities then identified the causative virus as a novel coronavirus which was later named the SARSCoV-2; the respiratory disease caused by the virus was named COVID-19 by WHO on February 11, 2020.

As part of WHO’s response to the outbreak, it was revealed via a press statement that a Research and Development (R&D) Blueprint was activated to accelerate the ‘development of diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics, for this novel coronavirus.

“Under WHO’s coordination, a group of experts with diverse backgrounds is working towards the development of vaccines against COVID-19.

The group makes a call to everyone to follow recommendations to prevent the transmission of the COVID-19 virus and protect the health of individuals. The group also thanks everyone for putting their trust in the scientific community,” the Organisation indicated.

The members of the group hail from the United States of America, Italy, Canada,

the United Kingdom, Australia, Argentina, Spain, the Netherlands, Japan, Austria, the Republic of Korea, France, China, South Africa, and Germany among other leading nations.

In its declaration, the group assured, “While a vaccine for general use takes time to develop, a vaccine may ultimately be instrumental in controlling this worldwide pandemic. In the interim, we applaud the implementation of community intervention measures that reduce spread of the virus and protect people, including vulnerable populations, and pledge to use the time gained by the widespread adoption of such measures to develop a vaccine as rapidly as possible.”

As of Thursday, there

were 1,991,562 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 130,885 deaths reported to the WHO. With no vaccine thus far, it was predicted that it would take some months before one is authorised.

For now, some countries have opted to use anti-malarial drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine for treatment of the disease.

The WHO has debunked a common myth that the virus cannot spread in warmer temperatures. In fact, it noted, “You can catch COVID-19, no matter how sunny or hot the weather is. Countries with hot weather have reported cases of COVID-19. To protect yourself, make sure you clean your hands frequently and thoroughly and avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.”

Additionally, most people who contract the virus can recover, completely eliminating the virus from within their bodies. It is not lifelong and consuming alcohol does not protect against the disease.

“If you catch the disease, make sure you treat your symptoms. If you have cough, fever, and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early – but call your health facility by telephone first,” the WHO urged. “Most patients recover thanks to supportive care.”

16 NEWS

FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

The economic health impact of COVID-19 Tariq Jagnarine MD, MMed FAM Med, CCFP

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s the number of coronavirus cases (COVID-19) continues to grow, concerns are simultaneously mounting about both the short-term and long-term effects of the virus on certain demographics of society, e.g., youths, women, elderly population, refugees from Venezuela, and employees around Guyana.

The overwhelming pandemic has already led to a major health crisis in several countries and major disruptions of the global economy. Further, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Director and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for the Americas, Dr Carissa Etienne, recently stated that they did not anticipate, nor were they prepared for, the magnitude of the current COVID-19 pandemic. She also warned the region to prepare for a full blast within the next few weeks.

The situation is likely to become even worse in the coming weeks and months, and the economic fallout from the pandemic might represent one of the biggest shocks of recent decades. Experts predict that hundreds of thousands of people could develop chronic health conditions or mental health problems in years to come because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Institute of Fiscal Studies) The longer-term economic fallout could have persistent negative health effects long after COVID-19 precautionary measures such as social distancing end. The adverse health effects and recession may be greater than the increased morbidity and mortality within the pandemic itself. * Many of those who are most exposed to the economic shutdown, such as low-income families, especially those with young children, are also most vulnerable to long-term effects on both physical and mental health. * Older people and those from poorer backgrounds, including refugees, will be hardest hit by disruption to emergency and non-urgent care during the pandemic. * Cancellations of non-coronavirus treatment and operations will lead to increased

waiting times that could take years to unwind.

One public health expert indicates that the crisis will influence the quantity and quality of non-coronavirus care that can be provided as resources are prioritised.

The medical battle against COVID-19 is developing so rapidly that no one knows how it will play out or what the final casualty count would be. However, history shows that responses to a deep and long economic crisis, coupled with social distancing and other containment measures, would trigger health impacts of their own over the short and long

at home, especially those living in unstable environments or poverty, would miss more assignments, or be unable to access online resources. Without rigorous schooling and therapy, these students face a lifetime of challenges, which can affect their social, physical and psychological wellbeing.

Special needs students with tailored curriculum and special teaching conditions are more likely to be affected, and possible regress from the progress previously made. * Increase in suicides In Europe and the United States, suicide rates rise about 1% for every one percentage

terms. Some of these issues are: * Domestic violence Trapped at home with their abusers, some domestic violence victims, both male and female, are already experiencing more frequent and extreme violence. Many cities around the world are already reporting a drastic rise in the number of domestic violence cases, as much as 24%, as seen in New Jersey. * Vulnerable students and Youths Students, parents and teachers all face challenges adjusting to remote learning, as schools nationwide have been closed and online learning platforms are being launched.

Some experts are concerned that students

point increase in unemployment, according to research published by author Aaron Reeves from Oxford University.

The conventional wisdom is that more people would kill themselves amid skyrocketing unemployment, but communities could rally around a national effort to defeat COVID-19 and help to provide social relief and care packages to those most in need.

This will help cushion the negative impact of the virus on vulnerable persons.

Long-term consequences

Unemployment and mortality Increases in unemployment during large recessions can set in motion a domino effect of reduced income, additional stress, anxiety, depression and unhealthy lifestyles, substance abuse, larceny, rape etc. Those setbacks in income and health often mean people die earlier. The general lifespan of individuals is reduced. * Young people suffer Young adults entering the job market during the coronavirus suppression may pay an especially high price over the long term.

First-time job hunters seeking work during periods of high unemployment live shorter and unhealthier lives, research indicates. * Burden on women At the centre of it remains one demo-

graphic that likely bears the strongest impact of it all; that is, women.

The fact that women make up 70 percent of the global health workforce puts them at greater risk of infection, pushing back the limited gains made on gender equality and exacerbating the feminisation of poverty, vulnerability to violence, and women’s equal participation in the labour force.

Meanwhile, given such a large percentage of the workers are women, the need to care for her kids and family can hinder a woman’s ability to work during the pandemic.

Because mothers’ employment is especially likely to suffer when they cannot find reliable childcare like schools and day care, this can hamper their ability to work and earn.

Refugees and Tradesmen Another demographic that is deeply affected because of the pandemic are refugees and tradesmen. Jobs are already limited for tradesmen, and as a result of the pandemic, social distancing and major lockdowns, this problem is further exacerbated when persons lose their jobs and are unable to earn an income to offset the expenses of their families during and after the pandemic.

Many of the refugees are daily wage- earners, and now they no longer have an income to support their families.

Well-established policies not only address the pandemic and contain its spread, but also address the long-lasting impact of the crisis. These policies help to support the direct provision of resources to support workers and households, the provision of health and unemployment insurance, increase social protection, and support to businesses to prevent bankruptcies and massive job losses.

Efforts should also focus on protecting groups that are most at risk from the negative social and economic impacts of the pandemic. Government, private sector, non-governmental organisations and civil society can all work together to minimise the longterm detrimental health impacts by pooling their resources and expertise to devise effective national crisis responses to combat COVID-19 and protect the population.

As emphasised by the United Nations Secretary-General during the launch of a COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan on 23 March 2020, “We must come to the aid of the ultra-vulnerable – millions upon millions of people who are least able to protect themselves. This is a matter of basic human solidarity. It is also crucial for combating the virus. This is the moment to step up for the vulnerable.”

If our plan and strategies fail to work as they should, unemployment would rise even more significantly, economies would fall, and people’s health would worsen.

Pump attendant attacked, chopped by armed bandits

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pump attendant at a Rubis Service Station on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) was severely chopped about the body by two armed men who robbed him on Easter Monday.

According to reports received, the 61-year-old man was executing his duties when two men in a car posing as customers approached him requesting fuel.

As the elderly man pro-

ceeded to fill the gas tank, the two men reportedly exited the car and one of them whipped out a knife and started to fire chops at him.

The injured man was relieved of his cellular phone valued at $65,000, a haversack worth $3500 and $3500 in cash along with the money the gas station made for the day.

The two men then made good their escape in the vehicle.

According to act-

ing Police Commander of Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) Police SubDivision A (Georgetown), Senior Superintendent Phillip Azore a report was made and an investigation was launched.

The Police have since retrieved and reviewed the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) camera footage, and they were able to identify the car which led to the arrest of two of the suspects.

The driver is still at large.

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FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020

17

Regional

Jump in Jamaica’s Bolsonaro fires Health COVID-19 cases Minister, appoints oncologist J amaica has recorded another 20 coronavirus cases in less than 24 hours. As a result, the country now has 125 confirmed cases.

According to the National Influenza Centre, the 20 additional cases include five males and 15 females, with ages ranging from two to 43 years.

Two cases are imported – one being the two-year-old child from the western parish of St James, the other is a 43-year-old female from St Catherine.

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razilian President Jair Bolsonaro fired his health minister on Thursday after butting heads over how to confront the new coronavirus, and a person familiar with the matter said the President would appoint oncologist Nelson Teich in his place.

Luiz Henrique Mandetta said on Twitter that Bolsonaro had told him of his dismissal.

The two have clashed for weeks over the need for widespread social isolation in the country to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The populist leader argues the measures are unnecessary and economically harmful, insisting the outbreak is being blown out of proportion.

Bolsonaro met with Teich, a candidate for the ministerial role in 2018, Thursday morning in a meeting kept off the official presidential agenda, two sources with knowledge of the meeting told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Teich, now a medical consultant according to his

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro after a media statement to announce the new Health Minister, Nelson Teich, amid coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Brasilia, Brazil, April 16, 2020

LinkedIn profile, has posted on social media defending many of the same positions Mandetta holds, including “horizontal” isolation of the whole population, which Bolsonaro opposes.

Bolsonaro has downplayed the threat of the coronavirus as a “little flu”, arguing that Brazil’s economy must continue to run normally and defending the use of unproven drugs like hydroxychloroquine.

Mandetta said in a live webcast with health indus-

try officials on Thursday that he expected to be fired

by Friday, although he tried to minimise fears that his departure would disrupt efforts to battle the coronavirus pandemic.

Brazil’s death toll from COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus, climbed to 1,924 on Thursday, as confirmed cases rose to 30,425, Health Ministry data showed. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Grenada gets Opposition Leader after 7 years

the Corporate Area and one from the eastern parish of Portland.

The Health Department is currently in the process of tracking approximately 432 close contacts of the confirmed cases.

The National Influenza Centre has also advised that to date, 1391 samples have been tested including those for Severe Respiratory Infections, resulting in 1258 negative and 125 positive, with eight samples pending.

(CMC)

Fears grip Guatemala's Indigenous groups as coronavirus sets in

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n normal circumstances, Guatemala's healthcare system in rural areas is "appalling", said a doctor in the Guatemalan Department of Verapaz, but in the time of the coronavirus pandemic, it is even worse.

Rural and Indigenous communities across Guatemala are increasingly concerned about the spread of coronavirus, questioning whether the country's already fragile healthcare system could adequately respond.

"The Guatemalan healthcare system is not prepared to attend to a pandemic of this magnitude," said Diego Petzey, currently a community leader in Santiago Atitlan, another rural area.

Most of Guatemala's 196 confirmed COVID-19 cases and five deaths have appeared in the country's urban centres, including Guatemala City and Quetzaltenango, but earlier this month, the Government reported the first case of community transmission in the Maya Kaqchikel town of Patzun, some 80 kilometres (50 miles) west of Guatemala City.

"There is a false sense of confidence that the virus will only affect urban areas," said

the general elections in 2013 and 2018 and won his seat as the Member of Parliament for the constituency of St George’s North East area.

He, however, resigned from the party in December 2020 and indicated then that he would not abandon the people of his constituency.

Early Tuesday, Clement took the oath of office and received his instrument of appointment from Governor-General Dame Cecile La Grenade.

He will be the only Opposition member in the House of Representatives and as Leader of the Opposition, he will, among other things, be appointed as Chairman of the Public Accounts Opposition Leader Tobias Clement Committee, appoint three Opposition Senators he vacant seat of Leader of the Opposition and occupy the office of Opposition Leader in was filled on Tuesday for the first time the Parliament building.

His first task as leader of the opposition was since 2013 with the appointment of Tobias Clement, a former member of the ruling to attend a virtual meeting of the finance committee in which the memNew National Party (NNP).

The office became vacant in 2013 following bers are reviewing a rethe general election of that year when the NNP vised appropriation bill to facilitate the proposal prewon all 15 seats in the House.

Before Clement, the Leader of the sented in the COVID-19 Opposition was Prime Minister Dr Keith stimulus package as anMitchell, who held that post from 2008 to 2013. nounced by Prime Minister Clement, who is affectionately called Dr Keith Mitchell in early “Toby”, campaigned as the NNP candidate for March. (CMC) top stifling freedom of the media!

That’s Opposition Leader Kamla Persad- Bissessar’s call to the Rowley Administration after she noted what she deemed as ongoing blatant and very dangerous attempts by the Government to stifle T&T’s traditional media.

23-year-old man has been sage of an obscene and menacShe also slammed moves to alsentenced to 30 days ‘hard ing character. low alleged Government propaHuggins was arrested on Labour after he pleadgandists unfettered time at daily ed guilty to threatening the life April 8 and charged under briefings where traditional meof Prime Minister, Dr Keith Section 106 of the Summary dia queries are stifled. PersadOffences Act. Rowley.

Bissessar issued a statement on He pleaded guilty when he When he appeared in court, the matter on Wednesday. Since Nicholas Huggins admitted that appeared before Magistrate the COVID-19 crisis, Government he used a phone to send a mes- Alicia Chandra. (CMC)

T

The other 18 individuals are from St Catherine. They all worked at a call centre in the parish, from which other cases were confirmed on Tuesday.

This brings to 52 the number of confirmed cases working at the Alorica call centre.

The age range of infected persons who worked at the facility is from 18 to 34 years.

They include 41 females and 11 males.

Of this number, 47 are from St Catherine, two from

Indigenous women wearing masks to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus stand near the National Palace in Guatemala City [Moises Castillo/Reuters]

Lucrecia Hernandez Mack, the former Health Minister from 2016 to 2017 and current congressional representative with the centrist Semilla party.

Guatemala remains a largely rural country, with 46 per cent of the population living in rural communities, according to the 2018 census. The majority of these rural residents are members of the Indigenous Xinca, Garifuna and 22 different Maya groups.

In rural areas, the Government launched a prevention campaign about washing hands and social

distancing in Indigenous languages on local radio and television. But both Hernandez Mack and Petzey said it is not enough, saying many communities still lack daily information in their languages about the crisis.

"They have not taken sufficient necessary measures to attend the Indigenous populations that are more dispersed outside urban centres," Hernandez Mack said.

The Guatemalan health ministry and the presidency did not respond to Al Jazeera's requests for comment.(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Persad- Bissessar bats for media, wants Govt to stop harassment of Journalists

Man jailed for threatening to kill Rowley

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S

has held daily Health Ministry briefings to update on the virus.

Briefings are usually about an hour, with opening and closing statements by the Health Minister and other statements by Ministers and health officials in between.

In the time left, reporters are usually allowed about two queries when they get their turn.

Persad-Bissessar noted Journalists from daily newspapers, television and radio stations have undertaken to report on various issues of national public importance concerning the virus. So far, she said the media has highlighted:

Government’s questionable and contradictory positions regarding repatriation of stranded citizens abroad; the very dangerous, unsanitary conditions of quarantine facilities, including hospitals and private facilities, being used by Government for COVID-19 patients; citizens’ fear of having COVID testing due to very valid fears of ending up in these hellish facilities and ongoing plight of countless citizens suffering serious financial setbacks due to insufficient relief grants, and overwhelming state bureaucracy in accessing them. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

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guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020

Around the World

G7 seeks WHO review and reform, commits to coordinated virus response – White House

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eaders from the G7 group of industrialised nations on Thursday called for a review and reform process at the World Health Organisation (WHO) and agreed to ensure a coordinated global approach to the coronavirus pandemic, the White House said.

“G7 leaders agreed to remain committed to taking every necessary measure to ensure a strong and coordinated global response to this health crisis and the associated humanitarian and economic calamity and to launch a strong and sustainable recovery,” the White House said in a statement after a video conference call between the leaders.

“The leaders recognised that the G7 nations annually contribute more than a billion dollars to the World Health Organisation, and much of the conversation

centred on the lack of transparency and chronic mismanagement of the pandemic by the WHO. The leaders called for a thorough review and reform process,” it said.

President Donald Trump announced earlier this week that the United States would suspend its funding to the WHO while it conducted a review of its handling of the pandemic.

The decision prompted condemnation from world leaders.

Trump has sought to blame the WHO for mismanaging the crisis and not doing more to press China for transparency when the virus first took hold. The President has faced criticism for playing down the severity of the virus himself in its early stages. He has also been complimentary of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s handling of the issue. (Reuters)

Coronavirus: Japan declares nationwide state of emergency

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nationwide state of emergency has been declared in Japan due to the country’s worsening coronavirus outbreak.

The move allows regional governments to urge people to stay inside, but without punitive measures or legal force.

The state of emergency will remain in force until May 6.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had previously declared a month-long state of emergency in seven regions.

Speaking at a special meeting of medical experts, Abe said: “Areas where a state of emergency should be carried out will be expanded from the seven prefectures to all prefectures.”

As the number of infections in Japan has in-

creased, criticism of Abe’s response has grown louder.

One poll shows 75 per cent of people think the Prime Minister took too long to declare a state of emergency in Tokyo.

After a recent spike in cases in the capital Tokyo, experts warned that the city’s emergency medical facilities could collapse under the pressure. Officials in

Tokyo have also urged people to work from home.

After the initial state of emergency came into force on April 8, a number of other regional governors called for the measures to be extended to their areas, saying that cases were growing and their medical facilities were overwhelmed. (Excerpt from BBC News)

far, we’ve lost too many loved ones, we’ve already sacrificed far too much to ease up now, especially when we are beginning to see the evidence that our efforts are starting to pay off,” he told reporters.

Raab is deputising while Prime Minister Boris Johnson recuperates from COVID-19 complications that nearly cost him his life.

Raab chaired an emergency meeting on Thursday to review scientific evidence on the impact of the existing lockdown “Based on this advice ... the Government has decided that the current measures must remain in place for at least the next three weeks,” he said. “Relaxing any of the measures currently in place

would risk damage to both public health and the economy.”

The United Kingdom has the fifth-highest official death toll from COVID-19 in the world, after the United States, Italy, Spain and France, though British figures only cover hospital fatalities and the real number is probably much higher.

The announcement, which had been widely expected, means Britons must stay at home unless they are shopping for basic necessities, or meeting medical needs. Citizens are allowed to exercise in public once a day, and can travel to work if they are unable to work from home. (Excerpt from Reuters)

UK extends lockdown measures for at least 3 more weeks

An ambulance passes a banner thanking the NHS in Kensington, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, London, Britain, April 16, 2020

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ritain extended its nationwide lockdown for at least another three weeks on Thursday, as stand-in leader Dominic Raab ordered Britons to

stay at home to prevent the spread of a coronavirus outbreak which has already claimed over 138,000 lives globally.

“We have just come too

Coronavirus: Security forces kill more Nigerians than COVID-19

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ecurity forces enforcing the lockdown in parts of Nigeria have killed more people than coronavirus itself, a local rights group says.

Evidence of the killings comes from members of the public who rang their hotline or sent in videos, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) adds.

It says law enforcers have killed 18 people in Nigeria since lockdowns began on March 30.

Coronavirus has killed 12 people, according to Health Ministry data.

Nigeria, which has a population of

about 200 million people, has reported 407 cases of coronavirus, but there are fears it could spread quickly in overcrowded parts of the country.

Nigerian security forces have a reputation for brutality.

At least 1476 people were killed by state actors in the country over the past year, says the Council on Foreign Relations.

In its report about Nigeria’s coronavirus lockdown period, the NHRC, a government agency, said it had found “8 separate incidents of extrajudicial killings leading to 18 deaths”.

In total, the group said it received more than 100 complaints across 24 of Nigeria’s 36 states – including Lagos, Ogun and Abuja. Those three parts of the country this week had their two-week lockdown extended.

Other areas have set a variety of restrictions, which have seen the police and army called out to enforce them.

Nigerian security forces have not responded to the NHRC’s report.

But earlier this month, Nigeria’s Police Force encouraged citizens to report officers who violate rules on conduct.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

OILNEWS US oil prices hold ground at the lowest finish since 2002

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il futures settled mixed on Thursday, with global benchmark prices up modestly for the session, but US prices ending flat to hold ground at their lowest in over 18 years.

West Texas Intermediate crude failed to find support at the key US$20 a barrel mark on the back of a global glut in crude.

The shutdown of major economies in the effort to contain the COVID-19 pandemic has led to slowdown in demand for oil and expectations for further growth in surplus supplies.

A recent agreement by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, collectively known as OPEC+, was “encouraging, but reports on demand from agencies like the IEA suggest it’s not enough...to offset the drop in demand,” said Colin Cieszynski, chief market strategist at SIA Wealth Management.

“At this point, it’s still uncertain how long demand will remain low and what an eventual recovery could look like,” he told MarketWatch. So “we appear to be moving into a lower sideways range for oil, say around $19.00 to $29.00, where it could be stuck for a while.”

US benchmark WTI crude for May delivery settled at US$19.87 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, unchanged from Wednesday, which marked the lowest frontmonth contract finish since February 7, 2002, according to Dow Jones Market Data.

Global benchmark June Brent crude rose 13 cents, or 0.5 per cent, to US$27.82 a barrel on ICE Futures Europe. It had seesawed between losses and gains during the session.

Oil prices slumped Wednesday after the International Energy Agency forecast a record drop of 9.3 million barrels a day in oil demand this year. In a report Thursday, OPEC slashed its expectations for crude demand and said it now sees 2020 demand falling by 6.8 million barrels a day.

The near-term demand picture remains front and centre as well, with analysts looking for it to continue sliding at least through May. “At the moment we expect the month of April to take the biggest hit, with demand for oil estimated at 72.5 million bpd (barrels per day), falling by 27.6 million bpd year on year, a 27.6 per cent drop. Similarly, May’s demand is expected to fall by 19.5 per cent, or 19.3 million bpd to 79.7 million bpd,” wrote analysts at Rystad Energy.

Meanwhile, efforts by leaders in Europe and the US to begin reopening economies closed by the effort to contain the COVID-19 pandemic were credited with lifting global equities.

President Donald Trump was discussing his administration’s pandemic response with world leaders, US governors and lawmakers Thursday as he prepares to announce guidelines for states to follow on reopening their economies. Germany will allow small shops to reopen beginning Monday.

“Negative economic news like rising unemployment, rising [crude] inventories,” with the trend more important than weekly changes, and “travel/transport restrictions and falling GDP may continue to weigh on oil,” said Cieszynski.

Still, “oil could get support from any signs of lockdowns easing or additional production cuts,” he said.

The Energy Information Administration on Wednesday reported a 19.2 million-barrel weekly increase in US crude supplies. That marked a 12th straight weekly rise and was the largest weekly climb on record.

With OPEC+ likely done cutting output for now, “the next place to watch would be the earnings reports for North American energy producers which start toward the end of next week,” he said. Exxon Mobil Corp already cut its capital spending and “moving forward, investors may look not only for reduced future supply from cuts to exploration and development, but also for any announcements of cuts to current production,” said Cieszynski.

The Railroad Commission of Texas, which regulates the oil-and-gas industry in the state, held a hearing Tuesday to discuss a potential cut of 20 per cent in Texas oil output, or about one million barrels per day. It is expected to take up the matter again at a meeting on April 21.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is weighing a plan that would pay shale producers to keep crude in the ground as part of the U.S. strategic reserve, Bloomberg reported late Wednesday, citing senior administration officials. (Excerpt from Oil Price.com)

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020

19

ARCHIE

ARIES

(March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

Your charm and helpful suggestions will win favors.

Make sure that you don't commit to something you don't have the time or money to complete. Moderation will be required.

Delegate your time wisely. You don't want to neglect someone special or fall short when it comes to promises you made. Consider an interesting offer.

Intelligent banter will encourage others to take you seriously. Participate in events that will raise your profile. The contributions you make will change your life. Romance is on the rise.

A creative idea will push you in an unexpected direction. Don't worry about pleasing everyone else. Stop worrying about what others think and do what's best for you.

Consider your motives. To judge others without taking a good look at yourself isn't going to help. Focus on educational pursuits, honest conversations and meaningful relationships.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Deceit is apparent when it comes to partnerships.

You should be direct in all matters and look at each situation you face in detail.

LIBRA

Moderation will help you sidestep a problem.

Distance yourself from people who overspend, exaggerate and promote indulgence.

Discipline and sticking to a routine are in your best interest. Romance is favored.

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SUDOKU

Keep jealousy under control. A loved one will not be impressed if you are overly possessive. Focus on being unique, innovative and independent. Make a long-overdue lifestyle change.

Someone will reveal your SAGITTARIUS secrets if you share your in(Nov. 23ner thoughts. Don't jeopardDec. 21) ize your reputation or believe everything you hear. Rely on experience, intelligence and charm to get ahead.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Deal swiftly with inevitable changes. The less time you spend laboring over something you cannot change, the easier it will be to step into something new and exciting.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Take a deep breath and forge into the future with optimism. Personal gains, new beginnings and a positive lifestyle change await. Put the past to rest. Romance is on the rise.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Reach out to people you have enjoyed collaborating with in the past. Attend a reunion or visit places and do things you used to enjoy.

Choose to be positive.

20

A

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FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020

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eyes will be on the W N B A this Friday as it becomes the first major professional league in North America to carry out a “virtual draft” since the coronavirus outbreak that put the start of its season on hold.

Oregon’s guard Sabrina Ionescu is all but assured to be the first overall pick, going to the New York Liberty, as the league navigates the challenges of a draft with coaches and personnel on lockdown.

“If things start to happen on draft night – trade talks, moving up, moving down – those things are a little unique this year, because you just can’t turn to your left or your right and have those conversations,” Connecticut Sun general manager and head coach Curt Miller told reporters on Wednesday.

“I look at it as we’re trailblazers and not guinea pigs,” said Miller. “It keeps eyes on our league, it keeps momentum in our league.”

Miller, whose team lost in the finals against the Washington Mystics last year, said the “top-heavy” draft has its deepest po-

The first round picks of the 2019 WNBA draft

sition at point guard.

For the Dallas Wings, who have the second, fifth and seventh overall picks, that could mean a chance to turn around the ugliness of last season that saw the team go 1024.

T

T

he NFL campaign and an abbreviated baseball season may be possible if games are played without fans and players are kept in lockdown, U.S. President Donald Trump’s leading infectious disease adviser said on Wednesday.

It has been a little over a month since the NBA season was abruptly halted amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, with most professional sports following suit, leaving arenas and stadiums empty amid speculation over when live sport can return.

“There’s a way of doing that: Nobody comes to the stadium, put them (the players) in big hotels, wherever you want to play, keep them very well surveilled,” Anthony Fauci, the leading U.S. health expert said in a Snapchat interview.

“Make sure they don’t wind up infecting each other or their family and just let them play the season out.”

Fauci, who appeared last month in an Instagram live interview with Golden State Warriors sharp-shooter Steph Curry, said he would recommend that athletes should be tested roughly once a week after resuming play.

The prospect of sports going ahead without fans has met with some criticism.

Major League Baseball recently damped down talk it would return as soon as May with players competing in an isolation bubble.

Last month, before professional sport was suspended, 16-time NBA All-Star LeBron James called the notion of playing

“We certainly could use depth at the point guard position,” Wings general manager Greg Bibb told Reuters. “If the right player is there, we certainly will act upon the opportunity.”

Knowing his team would have plenty of

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director, Anthony Fauci

without fans impossible.

“People say, ‘Well, you know, you can’t play without spectators,’” said Fauci.

“Well, I think you probably get enough buy-in from people who are dying to see a baseball game – particularly me.

“I’m living in Washington, we have the World Champion Washington Nationals, I want to see them play again.”

The NFL regular season is due to kick off on Sept. 10, but there is no date for the MLB to start or for the NBA and NHL to resume. Major League Soccer said on Tuesday its projection to return in midMay was “extremely unlikely.” (Reuters)

he United States Tennis Association (USTA) said on Thursday it will oversee a commitment of more than $50 million in spending to help the sport weather what it described as the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of the plan, the governing body for tennis in the United States said it will identify more than $20 million in savings by reducing salaries of its management and eliminating programmes in player development and operations.

The USTA, along with its partners, will offer economic assistance packages, increased support to navigate government assistance for facilities and coaches, as well as webinars and phone support to help individuals impacted from COVID-19.

“We recognised helping tennis facilities, community tennis programs, and teaching professionals navigate the multitude of government grants and loans was of immediate importance,” USTA Chief Executive Mike Dowse said in a statement.

“The foundation of our sport begins with these stakeholders and we need to ensure they can weather the storm and remain viable as the storm recedes. This is all about ‘relief, recovery and rebuild’ for our industry.”

moves to make on draft night, Bibb said he “doubled down” on travel and scouting months before the coronavirus pandemic forced team personnel indoors.

For the reigning champion Washington Mystics, their most dramatic move came on Wednesday, when they gave up their first-round pick in a three-team deal to acquire seven-time all-star Tina Charles from the Liberty.

The move set in place the potential for a terrifying starting lineup that includes two-time WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne and post-season standout Emma Meesseman.

“Somewhere down the road we’re going to have to get another young guard, it doesn’t have to be now,” head coach Mike Thibault told reporters. “We’re in a very luxury spot right now. There’s nothing we have to do.”

The 2020 WNBA draft is set to begin at 7 pm ET on ESPN. (Reuters)

The USTA, which runs the U.S. Open, says the extent of its future support will be determined by the financial performance of the Grand Slam, which is currently

scheduled for Aug. 31Sept. 13 in New York.

The USTA also said it still plans to stage the U.S. Open, which is the main source of revenue for the organisation, and that all decisions regarding the tournament will be guided by federal and local governmental agencies.

Both the men’s ATP Tour and the WTA, which runs the women’s circuit, have suspended all tournaments until June 7 after countries started locking down borders to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

(Reauters) (Reuters)

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FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020

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P

remier League clubs will discuss the option of putting a 30 June deadline on the 2019-20 season at a meeting on Friday.

Not all clubs have been involved in informal discussions at this stage but, with a hoped-for May resumption to the season unlikely, club owners are looking at how to avoid potentially difficult contractual situations.

Numerous players' present deals expire on 30 June, notably Chelsea midfielder Willian and Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen.

In addition, Liverpool are due to change shirt manufacturers from New Balance to Nike, while Watford and Newcastle are also changing kit suppliers.

World governing body Fifa is aware of the problem and is looking at alternatives, like rolling contract extensions, with the season currently suspended indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, legally, players cannot be forced to sign them, raising the possibility of clubs losing key parts of their squad before the campaign has been concluded.

It has led to an increasing body of opinion that, no matter what the state of the Premier League at that point, 30 June should be the final day.

Such a move would also bring more clarity to the 2020-21 season, which BBC Sport has been told by numerous

sources is more important than the current one.

Brighton owner Tony Bloom said on Thursday, he does not want 30 June to automatically mark the end of the season, even though it would be "difficult" to play beyond then.

"There does come a point when you can’t keep waiting, but I don’t think 30 June is that point,” he said "It is difficult to play after 30 June because of contracts but we are in such a unique situation, every option should be looked at."

Putting a deadline on this season

is fraught with problems, particularly surrounding relegation and promotion.

One idea being pushed forward again is to promote current Championship top two Leeds and West Brom, not relegate anyone from the top flight and go with a 22-team competition, which would increase the number of TV games and potentially avoid the need to repay this season's broadcast money.

However, that would create a problem for the Football League as it would lead to an imbalance in their

numbers.

These are all issues that will be debated

by Premier League exe c utives on Friday, although a definitive decision seems unlikely given Uefa has pleaded for leagues to give them time to return with their own proposals for ending the season across Europe, something they expect to do by mid-May at the latest.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder though does not expect a deadline to be set for the end of the campaign.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I'm sure that we will adjust accordingly. I think for the integrity of the competition and competitions, especially the top end of English football and European football, they'll want to finish the season.

"I believe that there will be an ability next year to adjust, with international breaks, with moving a few games into midweek. We have that ability through organisation and planning to finish this season off.

"But only as everybody said, and I'll reiterate that, when it's safe to do so for everybody. And that obviously we have to take our lead off the government and what they suggest and want us to do." (BBC Sport)

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he 2020 Indian Premier League has been suspended "until further notice", the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced.

The Twenty20 competition, originally due to start on 29 March, was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

On Tuesday, India's lockdown was extended

agreed that the tournament " w i l l only c o m m e n c e when it is safe and appropriate to do so".

No date has been suggested for when it could be held.

Eleven England players were due to take part in this year's IPL, including World Cup winners Ben Stokes, Eoin

out

o f his contract with Rajasthan because of injury, while Chris Woakes cancelled his deal with Delhi Capitals to focus on England's international summer.

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Members of New Zealand's women's team perform the haka (Getty Images)

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WANTED

Virat Kohli has 61 IPL catches − the fourth highest

until 3 May. "The health and safety of the nation and everyone involved in our great sport remains our top priority," the BCCI said.

Under the lockdown rules in India, only essential businesses, such as groceries and pharmacies, are allowed to remain open.

In a statement on Thursday, the BCCI said all parties involved had

Morgan and Jos Buttler.

Stokes' contract with Rajasthan Royals was worth about £1.4m, while Morgan, Buttler and Sam Curran were handed contracts worth approximately £500,000.

The other players who will miss out are Chris Jordan, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Jason Roy, Tom Banton, Tom Curran and Harry Gurney.

Jofra Archer pulled

IPL - a lucrative annual event which began in 2008 - have taken place at some point between the beginning of March and the start of June.

The 2009 tournament was moved to South Africa because of security concerns, while the 2014 competition was partly held in the United Arab Emirates when the dates of the event again clashed with general elections in India. (BBC Sport)

orld Rugby has created a $100m (£80m) relief fund to help relieve the financial pressure on the global game from the coronavirus pandemic.

Scottish Rugby announced a series of pay cuts, in addition to furloughing about 75% of its staff, earlier this week.

The Rugby Football Union has said it expects to miss out on £50m of revenue, while Rugby Australia is another union to take drastic cost-cutting measures.

"We are taking unprecedented action as a sport united to support global rugby, its unions, competitions and players," said World Rugby chairman Sir Bill Beaumont.

The global governing body is also exploring options for rearranging the international rugby calendar in the short term in preparation for sport

restarting.World Rugby's contingencies include the possibilities that crosshemisphere travel may not be permitted, which would impact on the northern hemisphere's autumn series, and that no international rugby at all may be feasible until 2021.

"We are rapidly moving towards a viable calendar solution and, while compromises are being made, the outcome will be in the best interests of the whole game," added Beaumont.For the Six Nations unions and Australia, Argentina, South Africa and New Zealand in the southern hemisphere, World Rugby said a financial package would "potentially involve a combination of advances and loans"."World Rugby is also committed to supporting emerging nations and regional associations where required," it added in a

statement.

An RFU spokesperson said: "We welcome all support from UK government and international federations to help sustain the game across England and the rest of the world."

A Scottish Rugby spokesperson said: "We are aware of the relief fund and will consider access to it as one of the options being investigated as part of our ongoing financial planning, as we navigate through the current Covid-19 crisis."

Beaumont is being challenged by World Rugby vice-chairman Agustin Pichot as he runs for re-election to his post next month.

Pichot is calling for a "global realignment" in the game's governing structure, "moving on from the time where those benefits were for just a few". (BBC Sport)

22

FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2020

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Notion of Life & Sport…

By Paul-Andre Walker

C

hairman of selectors, Roger Harper, said in an interview recently that Caribbean territories needed to take more responsibility in the arena of developing world-class cricketers and he is right.

Now, as chairman of selectors, he may have good reason to turn attention away from the Cricket West Indies, since it is they who employ him. But even if that is the case, he still has a point.

For a long time, the blame for the dwindling fortunes of West Indies cricket has been put squarely at the feet of the West Indies Cricket Board now Cricket West Indies.

As the governing body of the sport in the region, placing the blame there is, on the face of it, the natural thing to do.

After all, what else are you there for?

I read a column from one of my esteemed colleagues, a one Leighton Levy recently, where he pointed to the death of grassroots cricket as one of the reasons for West Indies’ demise over the last 25 years.

Furthermore, Leighton went on to vaguely describe a plan to expand grassroots cricket and to create a system for the transitioning of that grassroots cricket to the senior levels and ultimately to the production of more world-class cricketers.

Leighton’s theory doesn’t seem to fall too far adrift of Harper’s, who while not charting a way forward as did the journalist among the pairing, seems to suggest the problem lies at the beginning rather than at the end.

So while Cricket West Indies is the obvious ‘scapegoat’ in analyzing the reasons for the senior team’s decline, there may be merit in pointing a finger elsewhere.

But here’s the kicker. No longer is the Caribbean an escape from the fast-paced world, a place where time stands still and where the things of importance are what they’ve always been.

Today, there is cable television, android boxes, firesticks, and websites that bring the

D

anielle Williams, the 2015 World 100m hurdles champion and 2019 bronze medallist will be enshrined in the USTFCCCA NCAA Division II Track & Field Athlete Hall of Fame as the Class of 2020.According to the USTFCCCA, Williams, who is among six Division II athletes to be inducted, was a shoo-in for the honour from the moment she graduated from Johnson C Smith University in 2014.“If there wasn’t a mandatory five-year moratorium on induction into the USTFCCCA NCAA Division II Track & Field Athlete Hall of Fame, Danielle Williams of Johnson C. Smith probably would have been welcomed immediately after she stepped off the track for the last time as a collegian at the 2014 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships,” they said.

“Simply put: Williams transcended the NCAA Division II level.”

Transcend she did.

“Between 2013 and 2014, Williams won nine NCAA titles (eight individual, one relay), 13 CIAA championships (11 individual, two relays), earned 13 All-America honours and was named either USTFCCCA

West Indian fast bowlers Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Colin Croft and Joel Garner in February 1981

world rushing into the Caribbean.

That has created, and understandably so, a bit of an identity crisis, although maybe it is no crisis at all.

Cricket is no longer the most popular sport in the Caribbean.

Through no fault of Cricket West Indies, children are growing up with heroes on the NBA courts, on the football fields, on the track.

Players like Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Kieron Pollard, impose larger-than-life characters on the Caribbean but it is not the same as the days when Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards walked the region as Gods.

The West Indies, over the course of 15 years had already proved that men from humble beginnings can compete with and beat the world.

That’s nothing new.

Maybe the West Indies were too successful.

Harper suggested the territories in the West Indies were to be blamed for not producing players who could make the jump to the next level, but these territories have much to compete with.

Nobody plays cricket anymore.

I’m in a few sports groups with serious sports fans. They talk about everything from table tennis to curling, but lately, the conversations about cricket have dwindled.

These sports fans are fathers of upcoming sports fans and maybe serious players. They won’t be told about the greatness of West Indies players of old, not that they would listen anyway.

When I was growing up, I had to watch whatever was on TV. And sometimes, that meant missing out on cartoons for, you guessed it, cricket.

I was usually pissed by this, but something happened.

I would sit and watch with my Dad and I would learn.

National Wo m e n ’s Indoor Track or Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year three t i m e s .T h a t doesn’t even count the mark she left on the NCAA DII record book, which includes three divisional alltime bests and a slew of other marks that reside in the top-10 annals of history.”

According to Danielle Williams the USTFCCCA, Williams turned divisional records in the 200 in arguably the greatest two- (22.62) and 4×100 relay (44.05), day performance in NCAA clocked the second-fastest DII history at the 2013 NCAA performance in divisional history Division II Outdoor Track & in the 100H (12.89) and notched Field Championships in Pueblo, the fifth-fastest performance Colorado, where she helped lead in the 100 (11.24).”Williams is the Golden Bulls to their second the third athlete from Johnson consecutive runner-up finish in C. Smith inducted into the the team standings.“The future USTFCCCA NCAA Division II Track IAAF world champion scored & Field Athlete Hall of Fame in 30½ points thanks to event titles the past four years, joining Leford in the 100, 200 and 4×100 relay, Green (Class of 2017) and her as well as a runner-up finish in sister Shermaine Williams (Class the 100 Hurdles. She set current

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rack and field's regional governing body, the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC), said it did not anticipate any major issues arising after the 49th CARIFTA Games was pushed back until next year because of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Bermuda, which was expected to stage the region's premier junior track and field championship over the Eastern weekend, has been retained as host, and the Games will still be designated the 49th edition.

Guyana, originally slated to host next year's showpiece, will now be the venue for the 2022 event.

"To be quite honest with you, I don't see any logistical problems beyond the fact, obviously, the challenge now for Bermuda would be to confirm hotel accommodation, which I believe they're in a good position to do simply because we have a year out to do it," said Mike Sands, president of

I would learn about the difficulty of playing the game, and the bravery of standing up to a big, strong fast bowler and how quickly the .33 of a second you had to figure out what to do with a ball and do it, really was.

I grew an appreciation for it.

But at the time, there wasn’t a lot of football on TV to compete with cricket, there wasn’t a lot of anything.

Now, with a competitive media industry, filled with the pitfalls of rights buying, I don’t have to watch cricket for an entire day.

A couple of things happen with this increased content.

One, you won’t learn very much about cricket because that takes time, and two, you may never acquire the taste for it because it isn’t fast enough. Then, to add to that, your parents don’t drill the stories of Viv Richards having his cap knocked off only crash the next delivery over the boundary ropes.

All of that combined means cricket is slowly being forgotten.

So today, the talent pool that the territories have to draw from is a much smaller thing than in recent times.

How then do these territories produce world-class players?

World-class will come from talented players vying to be the best against many other talented players.

Today, the few talented players excel very easily because there isn’t a lot of talent around them. Then they get stuck in a rut.

A few half-centuries at the regional level, mixed in with one or two centuries is enough to get your team winning more often than not.

There was a time that players had to score six or seven centuries for their team to have a chance.

Then there are the few bowlers with talent. They get easy fivefors and six-fors and have great stats. But then their opposition has come from the dwindling talent pool and the work that they have to put in to be really good isn’t understood until a 16-yearold Indian thrashes them to all parts of the ground for an entire series.

Now they’re playing catch up.

And if you watch world economics, and you’re from the Third World, you understand how difficult it is to do that.

So Harper has a point, and Leighton has a point, but how do we get our youngsters loving and playing a game they have forgotten?

(Sportsmax)

theNACAC. TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS "And obviously, [there is the issue of] the travel arrangements into Bermuda.

We had several charters lined up that were going to fly from the region, including one from Trinidad and one from Antigua."

The decision to postpone the CARIFTA Games was arrived at after talks between the Bermuda National Athletics Association, the CARIFTA local organising committee, the Bermuda government, and all CARIFTA countries.

Antigua and Barbuda was the first nation to announce its withdrawal from the showpiece in early March, and with COVID-19 already affecting several other Caribbean countries, it quickly became apparent that the Games were in serious doubt.

Already, Bermuda has recorded 57 cases and five deaths, with the Caribbean having reported thousands of confirmed infections.

Bermuda's Sports Minister, Lovitta Foggo, said government fully endorsed the decision to postpone until next year, and Sands it was important the country was allowed to continue as hosts.

"We took a decision that we would give them the Games in 2021 and it would still be the 49th edition of the Games," he pointed out.

"We've already cleared that with them because we've been in constant communication with them."

Up to 27 teams had been expected to contest the CARIFTA Games. (CMC)

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Postponement of CARIFTA Games due to coronavirus pandemic…

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hen a contingent from the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) visited Guyana in January 2020, some specific recommendations had been made especially in regard to Guyana’s premier athletics venue, the Leonora Track and Field Facility.

This was as the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) was readying itself to host the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) Games in 2021.

However, while the NACAC and the AAG were putting into place plans in regard to the staging of those Games, the deadly coronavirus was emerging on the world stage. It soon hit the world viciously, as it became a worldwide pandemic that devastated healthcare systems, wreaked havoc with lives, and caused cancellation or postponement of a number of major sporting events; among which are the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the 2020 CARIFTA Games in Bermuda -- one that was much closer to home.

Earlier this week, it was decided that staging of the 50th edition of the CARIFTA Games would be postponed to 2022, with Guyana still being the host country.

One of the aspects that were a grave concern to this publication was the Leonora Track and Field Facility, with which the NACAC team had some issues when they had visited in January.

NACAC General Secretary Keith Joseph,

at a press briefing, had noted that the Guyanese facility was up to standard, but a few areas were not quite to the standard that the NACAC team had expected. In this regard, he had singled out the long-jump/triple jump area, and had emphasised the need for more stands to be in place.

“To be honest: with respect to the track itself, it’s not normal for the long jump/ triple jump pit to be where it is. The issue of the warm-up area: it’s not (situated in) the ideal location. We would have preferred it closer to where your call room is, but if it’s

there and it can be completed, we’ll work with that. You also don’t have enough of an area for javelin practice, so that would mean having the athletes come out much earlier to do their preparation for the event,” Joseph had explained.

Guyana Times Sport decided to ask President Aubrey Hutson about the AAG’s plans for improving the Leonora facility now that there is a longer timeline to work with.

“Yes,” he said. “We will now have more time to rectify those things.”

However, he disclosed that any work done

AAG President Aubrey Hutson

on the facility, and by extension the hosting of the Games locally, would entail a lot of corporate involvement in the form of sponsorship.

It is important to note the AAG had last year disclosed that approximately Gy$120M would be needed to cover the cost of hosting the event.

“By then, we hope, the political situation would have resolved itself and…we would have seen the back of the COVID-19 pandemic, so that we can really and truly talk to our corporate sponsorship about their in-

volvement in the Games from a realistic standpoint; because they would know exactly what their financial position is, and what they would be able to commit to the Games,” Hutson explained.

He, moreover, declared that with coronavirus restrictions causing shutdown or downscale of many businesses, it is difficult to address the issue at such an early stage.

“Right now it is so shaky that, you know, it’s tough to talk to a sponsor now,” he said.

(Jemima Holmes)

Coronavirus on regional sport…

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ormer Guyana Under-19 batsman Garfield Benjamin is among those Guyanese who are stuck in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

With all borders having been closed in a measure designed to combat this deadly virus, it means that all those stuck are experiencing lockdown in unfamiliar territory.

Benjamin, who played for the Guyana U-19 team in 2019, spoke to this publication in an exclusive interview wherein he shared his experience during the lockdown.

"I've been in Trinidad and Tobago since February 4, where I came to play for the Cosmos Sports Club in the Premier Two Division. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, my team was in third place with a game remaining and another being under protest," Benjamin explained.

The right-hander noted that this tournament was not the best of outings for him, but he is still thankful for the priceless experience.

"I know (that) with the things that I've learned I can put them into practice and improve my game," the humble Berbician disclosed.

Benjamin has been making use of the space he has to do what little training he is able to do.

"Being away from physical training is hard, but with the room that I have, I have been putting in core work to keep my body active.

It is tough being away from my family during this quarantine, but the family I am here with have shown good hospitality, and are willing to keep me until the borders are cleared and I can return home," Benjamin explained.

The Tucber Park Cricket Club player is urging everyone to stay safe and follow the necessary guidelines, so that this outbreak may go away as soon as possible.

In an Inter-County Under-15 final against a power packed Demerara team, Benjamin produced a match winning knock of 59 which Berbicians still consider Garfield Benjamin (Brandon Corlette memorable. photos) Benjamin has been a seasoned player for Berbice youth teams at the inter-county level, and is aiming to transition smoothly into senior cricket.

Among the players stuck in Trinidad are Berbice pacer Demetri Cameron, axed West Indies Test opener Rajendra Chandrika, former Guyana seamer Paul Wintz, Port Mourant's Samuel Kishnasammy, and Dion Ferrier. These Guyanese cricketers are anxiously awaiting their homecoming, and, like every athlete, are eager to get back in the field of play when it is safe. (Brandon Corlette)

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est Indies Female cricketer Cherry-Ann Fraser has described her T20 World Cup experience with the Caribbean team as priceless.

Although not given opportunity to play, the 20-year-old Fraser has said she enjoyed the valuable experience Down Under, in Australia, and believes the onus is on her to be the best version of herself and improve in her game.

"Australia was great! (There were) lots of long hours travelling; nice scenery, and friendly people. However, I took a while to adjust to the different time zones and the atmosphere (hot temperatures, oxygen is much different there). To be exposed to real pressure situations and to even have a first-hand look at what international cricket is, moreso a World Cup, from a personal perspective was just fascinating," Fraser explained.

Fraser acted as a replacement player when India toured the Caribbean last year, hence this World Cup call-up was very significant.

"With the World Cup being my first official call-up to the team, along with exposure to the calibre of players at the highest stage, I think that the bar has already been set high. Therefore, the onus is on me to keep improving to be the best player I can be," Fraser posited.

Prior to that outing, Fraser had featured in West Indies Women’s training camps, where she had taken her game to a higher level.

This seasoned Guyana player, who will be celebrating her 21st birthday in July, has dominated the U-19 level and has been showing great potential at the senior level.

Despite not playing a match, she was

Cherry-Ann Fraser runs in at net session

still in high spirits to be a part of the team at such a renowned event, the ICC Women's T20 World Cup. In that tournament, which saw West Indies playing their first match on February 22, and their last on March 3 (match abandoned), the Caribbean team recorded one win, which came against Thailand; and two losses, against Pakistan and England respectively. (Brandon Corlette)

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

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CARIFTA Extension…

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Cherry-Ann Fraser enjoying a light moment in her West Indies outfit

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