Guyana Times - Thursday April 9, 2020

COVID-19 outbreak P8

US Embassy closes Georgetown office

…all staff working from home Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4251

THE BEACON OF TRUTH THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020

GECOM, APNU/AFC destruction of democracy: Day 38

GECOM’s CEO touts 156 days for national recount …Commissioners slam plan as impractical See stories on pages 3&7

…“PPP will never accept” – Jagdeo …says another ploy for Govt to continue squatting in office

Guyana's COVID-19 confirmed cases jump to 37

Dead: Retired Colonel John Lewis

See stories on pages 10 & 12

… death toll rises: retired GDF colonel latest victim …Linden girl dies after suffering shortness of breath, fever

Veteran trade unionist Komal Chand dies Page 2

…hailed as true champion of workers’ rights

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WHAT'S INSIDE: PAGE ONE COMMENT

Keith Lowenfield insults Guyana and int’l community

…should be sacked immediately

E

lections were delayed precisely for one year after being constitutionally due through the operation of the No Confidence Motion (NCM) on December 21, 2018. This was achieved through a combination of the PNC-as-APNU/AFC working in tandem with elements in the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), using the courts and the latter’s Secretariat.

GECOM’s CEO Keith Lowenfield featured prominently when he launched a House-toHouse (H2H) registration ordered by David Granger’s illegally-appointed GECOM Chair.

Lowenfield also facilitated the fraud on the Guyanese people and the international community, which was observing the tabulation of the Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) SOPs, when the GECOM Returning Officer (RO), Clairmont Mingo corrupted the process in favour of the PNC-as-APNU/AFC, even as the latter defied the court’s direction.

Lowenfield expanded this fraud when he submitted Mingo’s corrupted figures to the Commission.

Subsequent to court challenges, a recount of the votes was ordered – 36 days after the elections – for which Lowenfield was mandated to submit a work plan. He has now asserted that it cannot be done in less than 156 days. This is in line with his previous actions to deny we, the Guyanese people, our fundamental right to choose our Government, as was recently invoked by the US Ambassador, whose country pioneered democratic governance in the world.

Lowenfield envisages three stations conducting the counting. Shouldn’t he first pick a reasonable time, say one week, and ask for resources to count the approximately 440,000 votes in that time? Maybe 25 stations? Further is he preempting international observers who would not remain for 5 months?

He and his assistant, Roxanne Myers, however, demonstrate a pattern and practice showing they are part of the cabal working to steal the elections for the PNC-as-APNU/ AFC, who are the beneficiaries. He must now be fired immediately, along with Mingo and Myers, and personal sanctions applied forthwith.

WHAT'S INSIDE: People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Executive member Gail Teixeira packing face masks for free distribution. Volunteers, who are part of the People’s Progressive Party National Stakeholder Forum COVID-19, have been sewing masks in an effort to fight against the spread of COVID -19

"Unelected, caretaker" APNU/AFC regime paralyzing Guyana’s economy – PSC Page 9

…lacks Intl recognition to access financial aid needed to tackle COVID-19

After public pressure

P11

Man wanted for murder of Berbice businessman nabbed

P10

COVID-19 test results now sent directly to doctors

2 NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Veteran trade unionist Komal Chand dies …hailed as true champion of workers’ rights

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ead of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), Komal Chand has passed away while receiving medical treatment in Cuba after a prolonged illness.

According to reports, the 75-year-old died early Wednesday morning. Chand also served as an Executive Member and parliamentarian for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

The Party’s Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali said Guyana has lost a champion fighter for freedom, democracy, and workers’ rights.

“Cde Komal Chand dedicated his entire life to the service of humanity. He led the struggle in securing workers’ rights, welfare, and freedom. His political life was one of dedication and commitment to democracy, social and economic justice which he fought for and defended until today when he closed his final innings in the journey of life. The PPP/C, workers, Region Three, Guyana have lost a true patriot and exemplary parliamentarian. To his family, my prayers and thoughts are with you in this difficult time. May God grant him peace,” Ali said in a statement posted on his Facebook page.

True leader of workers

GAWU, in a statement, hailed Chand as a true leader on workers’ rights. The Union said until the time of his death, Chand served with distinction and pride.

He joined GAWU in 1975 as the Union’s Organising Secretary. At that time, the almost three-decade

struggle for the Union’s recognition on behalf of the field and factory workers in the sugar industry reached a high point. It was on Old Year’s Day 1975 that a poll was held at which the GAWU roundly defeated the incumbent MPCA to become the bargaining agent of the thousands of sugar workers who toiled in the fields and factories of the sugar estates.

Chand was among those who on February 26, 1976 appended the Recognition and the Avoidance and Settlement of Disputes Agreement with the then Sugar Producers Association (SPA), the forerunner of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).

GAWU describes its President as most committed to his work and tasks which earned him the respect of the workers.

“It was his dedication that saw him rising to become the Union’s General Secretary and later its President. He was, in our view, an outstanding trade unionist and very much committed to the upliftment and advancement of the working class in our country and even beyond. Outside of GAWU, he served as the Vice President of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) and a member of the Presidential Council of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU),” GAWU said.

“It was from this vantage point that many of us got an opportunity to see up close how deeply he cared for the workers and more so the working people and their families. He always embraced and

Union extends its sincerest condolences to Cde Komal’s wife, his children, grandchildren, siblings, and other relatives and friends,” the GAWU statement concluded.

Stalwart

GAWU President Komal Chand

espoused policies and initiatives aimed at improving the standard of living and well-being of the ordinary people. He also recognised that unity was an essential prerequisite in order for the workers to win out their principled and justifiable demands. He was always supportive of measures to bring about unity as he brought to bear his own ideas and experiences,” GAWU added.

Chand, according to GAWU, displayed great fearlessness and was never afraid to stand up to authority. He also recognised too that for the workers to advance, they must have a seat at the decision-making table. It was in this context that he entered the world of politics and became a Member of Parliament, serving from 1992 until the dissolution of the 11th Parliament in December 2019.

In that august house, he stood

with and advocated on the workers’ behalf as he used his voice to promote pro-workers’ policies and strategies.

Chand was a staunch advocate of education, recognising the need for us all to be more capable and able. At times, he went out of his way to lend his support to ensure that Union members could grasp at opportunities. Apart from that, he always was willing to offer his advice and lend a listening ear.

It was those, among other qualities, that endeared him to many, GAWU said.

“The GAWU indeed has lost a great leader and the trade union movement and the workers of Guyana have lost an outstanding and dedicated comrade. He was not only an outstanding comrade but an icon, and will be deeply missed by the Union and the members of GAWU. At this time, the

On the political side, PPP/C said Chand was also described as a stalwart and one of the nation’s truest champions of workers, particularly sugar workers.

The Party said Chand served in various capacities, inclusive of being a long-standing member of the Central and Executive Committees. He also represented the PPP/C in Parliament for over 20 years. But his most notable contribution was as the Head of GAWU, the country’s largest trade union.

“His contributions to protecting the rights of sugar workers, fisherfolks, and forestry sector employees, among others, are well-recognised across our country and will be remembered by generations to come. Also, his efforts to unify the labour movement are unparalleled and this led to the formation of FITUG. “Without a doubt, the brutality meted out to thousands of our sugar workers by the APNU/AFC during the past five years would have taken a severe toll on his well-being. But to the end, he remained undaunted and steadfast in his struggles to protect workers and defend their rights,” the PPP/C said.

The Party also extended its condolences to the family and friends of Chand.

NEWS

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, April 9 – 05:00h – 06:30h and Friday, April 10 – 05:30h – 07:00h .

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, April 9 – 05:05h – 06:35h and Friday, April 10 – 05:50h – 07:20h .

More delaying tactics

GECOM’s CEO touts 156 days for national recount …Commissioners slam plan as impractical Attempt to defend

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THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GECOM CEO Keith Lowenfield

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The timeframe was, however, defended by Governmentnominated Commissioner Vincent Alexander, who said that the plan took into account counting General and Regional Elections results and balancing all the stubs, among other things – at a rate of two hours per box.

“The plan put forward was a draft for discussion. Nothing in the plan was final…. (but Lowenfield) did not pick 156 out of the air. He would have had some basis. In the first instance, he determined how long it would take to count a box. Two hours per box.”

A statement from GECOM was also released, in which it admitted that while the timeframe is lengthy, it took into account social distancing and pro-

GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj

GECOM Commissioner Robeson Benn

he Guyana Elections certaining the number of elec- a month of controversy and a Commission (GECOM) tors on the list, the number of credible winner for the 2020 has received a draft work electors who voted, counting General and Regional Elections plan for a national recount votes cast for both General and is yet to be declared. After from Chief Elections Officer Regional Elections and valida- two discredited declarations (CEO) Keith Lowenfield that tion of spoilt, questioned and from Region Four (Demeraraproposes a stunning 156 days Mahaica) Returning Officer rejected ballots.” to recount the ballots, someGECOM further said that Clairmont Mingo, which lacked thing described as untransparency, acceptable by one half Opposition Leader “This nation cannot survive a 156-day wait, but like I said, we inof the Commission.

Bharrat Jagdeo and This was communicaretaker President tend to rework it and come back to find a solution…

This has to be cated to the media after David Granger done in a matter of a very short time. Like I said, we have already the Commission met had agreed to have on Wednesday. An inCaribbean waited a month and a week. That cannot be allowed to happen … the censed Commissioner C o m m u n i t y Robeson Benn dethis country has waited long enough. We counted an entire country (Caricom) oversee scribed the proposal as the recount. in one night” – Sase Gunraj, GECOM Commissioner. impractical. While he That agreement shied away from saywas derailed when ing what elements of the plan jecting the ballots onto a screen. Lowenfield’s proposal was for A Partnership for National would take so long, he said Moreover, the Secretariat em- three work stations to be used Unity/Alliance For Change that the Secretariat was being phasised that this proposal was for 10 hours per day between (APNU/AFC) candidate Ulita most unhelpful in the circum- not a final one.

09:00h and 19:00h at a central Moore moved to the courts and stances.

“In this regard, the location likely to be the Arthur secured an injunction against “I think we are still in the Secretariat considered the re- Chung Conference Centre. the exercise. That injunction realm of being misled, misin- quest by the Commission for There are 2339 boxes to be was discharged by the Full terpreted and the Secretariat each ballot to be projected on counted, at a rate of two hours Court and on Sunday, the Full itself is not being helpful and screen, examination of the con- per ballot box.

Court’s decision was upheld by practical in coming up with tents of the ballot box, ie asIt has already been over the Appeals Court. practical solutions based on the environment and situation in which the Commission finds itself,” Benn said.

“We’re looking at the information again and we’re coming back at 09:00h (today) to respond to it. But I’m telling you, fundamentally, in no way, shape or form should we have been provided with a document that gives that type of duration.”

Opposition-nominated GECOM Commissioner Sase Gunraj was similarly incredulous about the plan proposed by Lowenfield. However, Gunraj was hopeful that they could come together to rework the plan into something more reasonable. He was of the view that a recount should take only a matter of days.

“The plan will be reworked.

I can confirm that the plan envisages completion in 156 days. I will want to reject that out of hand. This nation cannot survive a 156-day wait, but like I said, we intend to rework it and come back to find a solution.”

“This has to be done in a matter of a very short time.

Like I said, we have already waited a month and a week.

That cannot be allowed to happen… this country has waited long enough. We counted an entire country in one night.

I am saying that if the requisite will is (there), the due diligence is exercised, we can be done with this in short order.”

4

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 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

Investing in nurses

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ountries around the world are currently battling the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic with its rising death toll and number of positive cases daily. Health systems and health workers are being challenged to their maximum, as no country was ever prepared to deal with a crisis of this proportion. In the middle of all of this are the health care workers -- including doctors, nurses, medical assistants, lab technicians and others -- who are making tremendous sacrifices every day, even risking their lives to win this battle.

Over the past few weeks, we have seen reports from the international media about the selfless service these frontline workers are offering to save lives and contain the further spread of this deadly virus. In fact, there were a few reports of some of these frontline workers, after being so overwhelmed with witnessing the suffering of persons firsthand and with seeing the magnitude of the task ahead, becoming depressed and even committing suicide.

Right here, in Guyana, there were reports about healthcare professionals who are on the frontlines of the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak being stigmatized and discriminated against by public transport operators and some business owners. Officials of the Georgetown Hospital had related that healthcare workers were being refused entry into public and private transportation, and had even been asked to leave supermarkets when in uniform and badge. This was done out of fear by persons who felt they could have contracted the virus very easily by having any contact with such persons.

This is indeed very unfortunate, as these healthcare workers continue to put their lives on the line while providing an invaluable and selfless service to the nation by saving lives and helping to alleviate suffering of persons.

The challenges health workers, especially nurses, face daily cannot be underestimated. For this reason, governments and other health partners must continue to make the necessary investments in them, to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge and are well equipped with the resources they need to do their work in a comfortable and safe environment.

Historically, as well as today, nurses are at the forefront of fighting epidemics and pandemics that threaten health across the globe. As we have seen around the world, they are demonstrating their compassion, bravery and courage as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A new report, titled, The State of the World’s Nursing 2020, which was published recently, provides an in-depth look into the nursing profession. Compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO) in partnership with the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and Nursing Now, the report produced findings which identify important gaps in the nursing workforce and priority areas for investment in nursing education, jobs, and leadership, to strengthen nursing around the world.

That report points to the shortage of nurses worldwide and notes that, to address this shortage, countries would need to increase the total number of nurse graduates by on average eight percent per year, along with improved ability to be employed and retained in the health system.

The report reveals that today there are just under 28 million nurses worldwide. Between 2013 and 2018, nursing numbers had increased by 4.7 million. But this still leaves a global shortfall of 5.9 million - with the greatest gaps found in countries in Africa, South East Asia and the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region, as well as in some parts of Latin America.

To equip the world with the nursing workforce it needs, WHO and its partners have made a number of recommendations.

These include: increase funding to educate and employ more nurses; strengthen capacity to collect, analyze and act on data about the health workforce; and monitor nurse mobility and migration, and manage it responsibly and ethically.

It has also been recommended that countries educate and train nurses in the scientific, technological and sociological skills they need to drive progress in primary health care; establish leadership positions, and support leadership development among young nurses; and ensure that nurses in primary health care teams work to their full potential, for example in preventing and managing noncommunicable diseases; and improve working conditions, including through safe staffing levels and fair salaries etc.

The report’s message is clear: without nurses, midwives, and other health workers, countries cannot win the battle against outbreaks, or achieve universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Does Keith Lowenfield believe that Guyanese are insane?

Dear Editor, The collective intelligence of the Guyanese populace has been consistently insulted by the continuous reckless and vulgar display of unprofessional and insensitive statements and actions emanating from the GECOM Secretariat.

The Chief Elections Officer, who was prepared for an Elections within the timeframe after the successful passage of the No-Confidence Vote of December 21, 2018, changed positions and put forward proposals that required approximately 181 days. Elections were eventually held 437 days after the passage of the NCM, during which time the Caretaker Regime illegally doled out lands and other assets of the state, and squandered state funds without parliamentary oversight.

Interestingly, during this period of unconstitutionality, Mr. Lowenfield was a beneficiary of 216 acres at Millie’s Hideout, Region 10, and 2 acres of prime residential lands at Mocha, Region 4. A frustrated and disappointed population breathed a sigh of relief when an Elections date was set for March 02, 2020.

The protests at GECOM and the Ministry of the Presidency ceased because people were prepared to give GECOM the benefit of the doubt.

GECOM has been the fig tree that the David Granger Administration has used to hide their nakedness, and GECOM’s Secretariat has always delivered and fulfilled the expectations of the PNC-led APNU+AFC regime.

Guyana and the world have been waiting for 37 days for a credible declaration of the winner of the March 02, 2020 General and Regional Elections. The manufactured controversies -- and in some instances, downright wickedness -- are not coincidental happenings. The script and the actors have been prepared and properly rehearsed before March 02, 2020.

We have completed: 1 Fraudulent Declarations of Region 4 results.

2 - Unfounded and Unaccepted legal arguments in Holladar vs. Mingo, especially the substantial compliance position; it was the comedy scene of the entire play.

3 - The continuous mis-

chievous outpourings from the office of the Public Relations Department at GECOM, some even being used by the APNU+AFC to bolster their cases in the various courts.

4 - The frustrating of international and local observers, including the CARICOM high-level mission for them to demobilize and depart Guyana (close up shop).

5 - The lengthy meetings of GECOM, where technicalities take pre-eminence over principles and substance.

6 - The Chairperson coming out of hibernation and ordering a recount, obtaining an agreement that obfuscates the real issue, which is Region 4. A Recount will verify the actual votes cast; everyone has agreed to a total recount, this recount, we are told, will be done in ascending order.

7 - Lowenfield’s plan that will see a recount taking 156 days. How disgraceful.

A notable observation is that the common objective of the PNC-led APNU/AFC, staying in power illegally using whimsical and spurious arguments, has always been facilitated by highly technical and obstructionist positions of the CEO of GECOM and his Secretariat

staff.

The choreography and dance moves between the GECOM Secretariat, the pro-Govt appointed Commissioners and the Government itself have been seamless, impeccable and of the highest level of ‘devilish’ excellence. More cannot be desired; they have achieved the ultimate.

Collusion would be insufficient to describe it; the three must be Siamese triplets. As a citizen, an elector and a candidate to the polls, I reject this behavior, which can be best described as sinister, nefarious and barbarous.

Does Mr. Lowenfield believe that Guyanese are insane? Guyanese are incapable of reasoning? or has he achieved the status of deity, where he demands that none shall challenge his infallibility? This nonsense must stop now! So, we fought to have free, fair and transparent elections; now we are fighting for credible elections results, and now we have a new fight: to have these elections results in the shortest possible time. We should all continue to pray for Guyana.

Dear Editor, It is with much sadness that the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (GuySuCo) joins with the country in expressing condolences to Cde. Komal Chand’s family and the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU).

Cde. Chand has been an integral part of the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. and the sugar industry for over forty years. Having joined GAWU in 1975, he no doubt found his passion advocating for workers’ rights. His name became synonymous with the rights of sugar workers. His commitment, dedication and overall re-

solve were inspiring to those persons at various levels in the Corporation who had come into contact with him.

When GuySuCo was established in May, 1976, Cde. Chand, through the participation of GAWU, had been a key figure in shaping the industrial relations spectrum from the conceptualization to implementation of more worker-focused systems and general work environment in the Corporation.

Our Industrial Relations department remembers Cde. Chand as being ‘a well-informed, experienced and skilled negotiator, who was loved by the workers.

He always had his finger on the pulse of the working class. He always found a way to navigate out of what most might have concluded were the most difficult situations or scenarios.

Among the fond memories the workers have of Cde Chand are the following: He never gave up on an issue until he had exhausted all avenues in having it addressed. He had a good memory of matters.

He made a day look like it had 40 hours instead of 24 hours with the amount of things he did within it. He could have been depended on to read any document you gave to him and provide

his analysis. If you needed assistance with anything, he never turned you away; even if he did not have the answer, he would find someone who could give you an answer.

The Chairman, Board of Directors, Management and staff of the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc, stand with Cde. Chand’s family and GAWU at this time, as they reflect on the life of their beloved husband, father, leader and colleague.

May his soul rest in peace!

Dear Editor, The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG), at this time, extends sincerest sympathies to the wife, children, grand-children, brothers and sisters and other relatives and friends of the late Komal Chand.

Komal, at the time of his passing, served as the Federation’s First Vice

President.

Komal’s association with FITUG goes back many years, and he was among those who played a critical role in FITUG’s establishment in 1988. Following FITUG’s resuscitation, he continued to serve the organization dedicatedly. He was among the key drivers in the advancement of our organisation.

During his lifetime, he

was a tireless champion of the workers. He was never afraid to speak his mind, as he stood up in defence of the members of the GAWU, and workers generally. He was also a staunch advocate for workers’ unity, as he felt division was most harmful to their plight and call.

Indeed, the FITUG is poorer with his loss, but we are proud that we had

the opportunity -- we daresay privilege -- to associate with him. The Federation is stronger for that, and certainly will go on to higher heights because of the foundation laid by stalwarts like Komal Chand.

May his soul rest in peace.

Yours sincerely, Bishop Juan Edghill

GuySuCo stands with Chand’s family, GAWU at this time

Sincerely, Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc

Condolences on passing of Komal Chand

Sincerely, FITUG

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020

5

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COVID-19 cover for repression

Dear Editor, David Granger now heads a de facto government; all pretense and the cover of legality have been stripped away. Granger speaks of a Cabinet and empowering Ministers in open contravention of laws and norms of civilized, lawful societies.

The sheep’s clothing has been abandoned, and the dictator is there for all to see. Now comes the phase of this game which is most dangerous for all: the rule by decree in the absence of a Parliament. Will there be resistance and attendant repression?

I can point to where the repression will come from as outlined by Granger to date.

The COVID-19 outbreak has provided authoritarian regimes around the world with cover for repression.

This was noted by American organization Freedom House’s President Michael J Abramowitz, who said: “In recent weeks, we have observed a number of concerning signs that authoritarian regimes are using COVID-19 as a pretext to suppress independent speech, increase surveillance, and otherwise restrict fundamental rights, going beyond what is justified by public health needs.”

Certainly, Granger’s use of a 1945 ordinance to allow his de facto Public Health Minister, Hon. Volda Lawrence, to take measures to “restrain, segregate and isolate persons suffering from the disease, or who may be likely from exposure to the

infection suffer from the disease”, to “remove to the hospital and provide curative treatment of persons suffering from the disease”, and to “remove, disinfect, and destroy the personal effects, goods, buildings and any other article, material or thing exposed to infection from the disease”, would fall under the most repressive methods on record in the world.

Already, there have been many troubling issues with the way the pandemic is being handled by Granger’s Junta. We had the issue of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) having sole authority over who would be tested for the virus; then Volda Lawrence was given the results before and instead of the treating physicians, which prompted an official complaint from the Guyana Medical Council. There are instances when doctors and patients alike are being informed by news outlets that have an apparent inside source.

News that Deryck Jaisingh was in self-quarantine with his immediate family filtered out my way almost two weeks before his death. I, like others, assumed that he was under medical supervision and was being monitored by the MoPH, only to find out after his death that he was seeking help from the Ministry’s hotline, to no avail.

It is simply devastating, and adds to the speculation of what the criteria might be for testing and

care. Volda Lawrence’s words of 2018 haunt me: “Well, I got news for you: The only friends I got is PNC, so the only people I could give work to is PNC”. One can only hope these sentiments do not apply to COVID-19.

Politicizing of the pandemic is not limited to MoPH. Granger’s Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, posited that GECOM would need to approach the Government for permission to recount votes as decided by the Commission. The Ministry of Public Infrastructure is collaborating with other agencies to place persons in a makeshift quarantine facility at Camp Madewini. This quarantine facility places persons in dorms on bunk beds. One infected person would defeat the purpose of the exercise. It also placed military personnel in harm’s way, as they deal with possible coronavirus victims without adequate training or personal protection equipment.

Guns have only worked as a defensive measure in North Korea.

Granger’s de facto regime is now quasi-isolated, cut off from much-needed aid. An application to the World Bank for US$5M is being processed while US$14B is being disbursed. De facto Finance Minister Jordan has also applied for left-over funds from an IDB-funded road project to be utilized for the COVID-19 battle, only to be told, “Hold strain, it is being processed”, by the Office in Jamaica.

The obvious message is lost on the oblivious; the good news, however, is that the applications have not been dismissed, and should Guyana’s electoral process be concluded in a credible, fair, transparent and open manner, the international financial institutions would also be able to reach an end to their ‘process’.

There have been developments of recent; the MoPH has caved in to public pressure and will allow private hospitals and labs to conduct COVID-19 tests, and the MoPH has also launched an app to assist with reporting, identifying and tracking possible COVID-19 cases. The first is positive; the second is not for me.

Guyanese don’t just have to worry about the coronavirus, we have to take into account our political affiliation before we use the MoPH app.

The lessons of the period immediately before 1945 are instructive; laws such as those operationalized

by Granger were used by politicians to place persons in camps. Similar to Granger’s edict, persons were picked up and never heard from again; and, eerily, the inmates of camps were also subject to cremation after death.

Should I cough, I will self-quarantine and cross my fingers, I will not go willingly into the ‘de-lousing chamber’.

Editor, it is not by coincidence that Granger has used the 1945 Health Ordinance that predates the UN adoption, instead of the

1953 version which places authority in the hands of the Chief Medical Officer, and even then, limits him to permanent regulations related to treatment and prevention of the disease.

The situation and circumstances Guyanese have been placed in

by David Granger and his de facto cohorts are a clear violation of our human rights as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the United Nations in 1947. The Preamble is instructive: “Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people, Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law”.

Respectfully, Robin Singh

True to form, Lowenfield continues More than televised count/recount needed for transparency of elections his ignominious journey

Dear Editor, I patiently waited with bated breath for Wednesday to reach and for Chief Elections Officer Lowenfield to present his ‘recount plan’.

True to form, he has continued his ignominious journey to facilitate the rigging of the 2020 General and Regional Elections.

Everyone thought it was All Fools’ Day when Lowenfield announced that the recounting process will take 156 days, or approximately 5 months to be completed!

This is absurdity to the extreme when one takes into consideration that this same CEO had said in February this year, it was reported, that GECOM only needs 148 days to prepare for elections.

Therefore, it goes against the very grain of rationality that a ‘recount’ should take more time than preparation for the said Election.

Already 37 days have gone by, so this means that the counting of the votes of the 2020 Elections would be taking 193 days, or over 6 months.

In July last year, just before the CCJ’s decision, Lowenfield went into a delaying mode to support the APNU/AFC’s quest to defer the elections as long as possible. He no longer waited on the CCJ’s rulings, but embarked on the GECOMbacked delay by foisting the house-to-house registration on the Guyanese electorate.

This precipitated the call for another court intervention,

and more delay.

Lowenfield was in charge, and he made full use of his usurpation of the power of the Commission. It must be recalled that the Private Sector Commission had upbraided Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield for commencing and sanctioning ‘an unsanctioned, unverified’ house-tohouse registration. However, Lowenfield was never sanctioned, and neither was he intimidated in any way. He was fulfilling the PNC’s directives!

In fact, he made it plain by his action that he was in charge even after the appointment of the new Chairperson, Justice Claudette Singh.

Since the HtH, he fiddled with the claims and objections, the voters lists and the polling places, but yet the PPP/C withstood this onslaught by tirelessly counterattacking every one of Lowenfield’s tricks.

Dr Jagdeo ensured that he effectively broke the rigging machinery which the PNC had brought into motion since the passing of the No Confidence Motion.

However, the Burnhamite faction of the PNC will never give up, and as I had mentioned in one of my letters, the ball is being played from the Coalition to the court and to GECOM and back; it’s a never-ending vicious circle. In this last circle, we have seen that Granger wanted a recount, GECOM wanted a recount, but a Coalition candidate filed an injunction to block the recount. It moved from the High Court to the Full Court, and

then to the Court of Appeal, which ruled that there must be a recount and the conduct of that recount is in the hands of GECOM. Subsequently, a meeting held by GECOM on the way forward tasked the CEO to come up with a ‘recount plan’.

But this is where Lowenfield is given an opportunity to play his dirty game!

I wrote in one of my letters, the Trail of Rigging, that, “It is now clear for the world to see that the rigging of elections in Guyana could never be possible without the much needed assistance from GECOM, especially from the CEO and the Returning Officer of Region 4, and the ‘missing in action’ GECOM Chairperson”.

There is conclusive evidence that GECOM worked hand in glove with the PNC to rig the 1968, 1973, 1980 and 1985 Elections, and the 1978 Referendum; and it was the CEO who was used.

We must not allow this to happen at any and all cost! Any attempt to rig this election and to install the Coalition as the Government must be rejected. The recount must be done in a speedy manner. I do feel that this lengthy ‘recount plan’ is to get rid of the international and local observers, since it is impossible for them to remain that long in the country. The international community must continue to agitate for, and protect, our democracy!

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

Dear Editor, I applaud those speaking up, including Captain Gerry Gerald Gouveia and the Private Sector Commission, making their voices known concerning the conclusion of the election process through a transparent televised process.

The PSC is an engine of growth and is a powerful voice representing some major economic foundations of the country. The continued impasse of an illegal government, defeated in the No Confidence Motion since December 18, 2018 and walloped at the March 2 election, still squatting in power hurts the business community and affects the jobs of thousands of workers.

I would have been disappointed if the PSC were not speaking out.

In the matter of the PNCGECOM axis of evil, with Police support, working to steal the elections in front of the faces of the whole world, there is no neutrality. There is one and only one culprit in this matter, and it is this axis.

This is not a problem created by both the PPP and PNC. The singular issue is the PNC working hard to rig and steal PPP votes, and not wanting to give up power. The PPP is the victim, not the perpetrator; let’s get our facts straight.

We are not doing a recount. That is misleading. We are doing a count and a recount. The Region 4 count was not finished, so we still need to

count the reminder of the boxes using the real SOPs. The other nine Regions and 45% of Region 4 were completed, and no party had any issues, so I don’t understand why we need to recount those. That only prolongs the national agony and trauma and creates more opportunities for more PNC delaying tactics and vexatious, frivolous shenanigans.

With every day of delay, the PNC gets a chance to give away more land, spend and steal more money, and continue its crookish ways.

Already, Alexander, a rabid Burnhamite who dominates the Chair and GECOM, is calling for an audit, not just a recount.

Now, if the PNC had won, why would they want an audit, and not a quick process so they can form the Government? PNC people are shameless. The call for an audit should be nipped in the bud.

A televised count/recount is inadequate unless these other conditions are also present. All the contesting parties need a joint position and must fight to have these included as conditions: Lowenfield, Myers and Mingo must not be involved. Representatives of the contesting parties must be allowed to attend. Foreign and local observers must be allowed, and “virus” excuses must not be used to bar or reduce the number of stakeholders from being present. 2.

Party reps must be allowed to

verify the SOPs being presented as authentic as they are being presented. 3. The counting process must be transparent and open, with observers being close to the action and being able to see and hear what is going on.

You have to watch them like a hawk. 4. The parties must ask for the media to be present and televise the count.

5. An observer or two must be sitting next to the person calling out the numbers to make sure the correct numbers are being given. 6. The ballots must be held up or shown on a clear screen where the numbers are readable and noticeable, in a slow pace, not rushed through. 7. All observers and representatives present must be able to take pictures; phones and recording devices must not be prohibited. 8. Parties must have the right to make objections as they happen, and objections must be resolved before moving forward with the count.

9. The Chair must be present to make rulings pertaining to the count and move the process forward. Lowenfield is not an honest broker. 10.

Lowenfield, Myers and Mingo, and those who produced the fake “rigsheets” with fraudulent numbers must be banned from coming near to 5 miles within the building. 11.

Foreign embassies must be invited as observers.

Sincerely, Jerry Singh

SEE ADDITIONAL LETTERS ON PAGES 16 & 20

6

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020

Page

Foundation

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

This is the seconf part of English Language Paper 1, 2011.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL GRADE SIX ASSESSMENT

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.

1. WRITE YOUR CANDIDATE NUMBER ON THE ANSWER SHEET AND UNDERLINE THE SUBJECT. 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.

3. If you are not sure of the answer to a question, then choose the one which you think is BEST. On your answer sheet, draw a heavy black line through the letter you have chosen.

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

In questions 26 and 27 select the correct order in which the names should appear in the telephone directory.

26. (A) Andy Smith, John Dey, Kumar Persaud, Carl Wong (B) Kumar Persaud, Carl Wong, Andy Smith, John Dey (C) John Dey, Kumar Persaud, Andy Smith, Carl Wong (D) Carl Wong, John Dey, Andy Smith, Kumar Persaud

27. (A) Michael Dass, John Dover, Ann Duncan, Pam Dyer (B) Ann Duncan, Michael Dass, Pam Dyer, John Dover (C) John Dover, Pam Dyer, Michael Dass, Ann Duncan (D) Ann Duncan, John Dover, Michael Dass, Pam Dyer Choose the correct word to complete each sentence in questions 28 to 30.

28. We should comb our (A) here (B) hear (C) hare (D) hair

everyday.

29. My mother cut the (A) pear (B) pare (C) pier (D) pair

Here is an example done for you: 1. The opposite of interior is ANSWER SHEET A B C D (A) inside (B) outside (C) below (D) above A heavy black line has been drawn through the letter B on the answer sheet because Georgetown, the correct answer, is next to B. 5. If you make a mistake, erase the line cleanly,

with a sharp knife.

30. Mother cleaned the cupboard and left it (A) beer (B) bier.

(C) bare (D) bear.

Read the passage below, then answer questions 31 to 35.

Crab Town is a land of contrast. It is a beautiful country with wealthy people. However, while some people live in fancy houses and drive luxurious cars, many children are not so fortunate. There are those who suffer from malnutrition since the only food they have to eat is what they get out of garbage bins. Some of them do not even own a pair of shoes. These are the children who have never been to school since they have been abandoned by their parents. They are the ones who use the pavement for their pillows and the sky for a roof over their heads. They have no real home life and are crying out for help. Who will help them?

Adapted from Multiple Choice Test for Common Entrance

then draw a heavy black line through the letter next to the answer you have now chosen.

6. REMEMBER, each answer MUST only be shown by a heavy black line on your Answer Sheet 7. Remember only one answer must be provided for each question.

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

31. The passage suggests that Crab Town has (A) only rich people.

(B) both poverty and

wealth.

(C) many wayward children (D) an uncaring government.

32. The writer is concerned mainly with (A) the plight of homeless children. (B) the beauty of the country.

(C) providing shoes for children. (D) making the rich richer.

33. Many disadvantaged children are sleeping in (A) their beds.

(B) schools.

(C) apartments (D) the open.

34. The children in the story need (A) friends. (B) parents.

(C) houses. (D) help 35. Malnutrition means (A) starvation.

(8) poverty.

(C) poor diet.

(D) not eating .

Study the Table of Contents below, then answer questions 36 to 40.

Chapter Page 1 Famous Guyanese 2 2 Worship 13 3 An Amerindian Folk Tale 18 4 let’s Write Poems 25 5 Population Census 32 6 Review 40 36. In which chapter can we find information on Mosques and Mandirs?

(A) 1 (C) 3

(B) 2 (D)4.

37. A story about the Caribs will most likely be found in the chapter entitled (A) Famous Guyanese.

(C) Worship.

Tale.

(B Population Census.

(D) An Amerindian Folk

38. Which chapter will give infonnation about the number of persons living in a particular town?

(A) 6 (B) 5 (C) 4 (D) 3 39. The poem Without the Essequibo will most likely be found on page (A) 25 (B) 18 (C) 32 (D) 40 40. Chapter Six contains .,(A) exercises on work to be done.

(B) exercises on work already done.

(C) a summary of the book.

(D) meanings of difficult words.

END OFTEST

7 PPP will never accept 156-day recount plan – Jagdeo NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…says another ploy for Govt to continue squatting in office

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

T

he proposed 156-day recount plan proposed by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Secretariat has already earned all-round criticism, including from Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and his party, the Peoples’ Progressive Party (PPP).

In a short statement through his social media account on Wednesday, Jagdeo described the plan as a naked attempt to have the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition government hang on to power illegally. He made it clear

that the PPP will not accept the 156-day proposal.

“The People's Progressive Party will never accept the 156 days recount proposal of the compromised, Lowenfield- led Secretariat.

We believe that this is a delay tactic and another attempt by the APNU+AFC to hang on to power illegally,” Jagdeo said.

In a statement on Wednesday evening, the party elaborated even further by pointing out that the party can come up with a comprehensive proposal that is both lawful and able to accomplish the recount in two weeks.

“The proposal presented by the Secretariat of GECOM for a recount of the ballots is simply ridiculous.

The timeframe proposed is 156 days. The law provides a 90- day period for preparation of elections. Further, the entire country’s results are normally totalled in about 2 hours after the close of poll, and the law provides 15 days for declaration of results, including recounts and further recounts.

“Yet Keith Lowenfield wants almost 6 months to count less than 500,000 ballots. This is obviously yet another ploy by the rigging cabal to continue their en-

Caretaker President David Granger

terprise of derailing the electoral process and thwart the will of the electorate,” the PPP said in its statement.

According to the party, many components of the proposal presented by Lowenfield are either unnecessary or can provide opportunities for the recounting process to be disrupted again.

It was also pointed out that the nation’s patience is running out, and that the onus is on GECOM Chairperson, retired Justice Claudette Singh, to be vigilant.

“We take this opportunity, once again, to call upon the Chairperson to not only

be vigilant, but to act decisively in respect of the proposals, and most importantly, in ensuring a fair and transparent framework is established in accordance with the law to facilitate an expedient recounting process that will enjoy the confidence of not only the stakeholders, but indeed the nation and the international community.

“To contribute to such a framework, the People’s Progressive Party, through its Commissioners, will present a comprehensive proposal which is in keeping with the law and will conclude the process within two weeks. The PPP will therefore never accept any proposal that is farcical and which is ultimately designed to keep the illegal APNU+AFC squatting in office.”

It was announced on Wednesday that GECOM had received a draft work plan for a national recount from Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield that proposes a staggering 156 days to recount the ballots, something described as unacceptable by one half of the commission.

A statement from the GECOM was later released, in which they admitted

GECOM Chairperson, Retired Justice Claudette Singh

Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield

that while the timeframe is lengthy, it takes into account social distancing and projecting the ballots on a screen. Moreover, the secretariat emphasized that this proposal is not a final one.

“The Secretariat had to consider matters of law in relation to the procedures to conduct a recount; approved decisions of the Commission and the current COVID-19 pandemic affecting the health situation of the population.

“In this regard, the Secretariat considered the request by the Commission for each ballot to be projected on screen, examination of

the contents of the ballot box i.e. ascertaining the number of electors on the list, the number of electors who voted, counting votes cast for both General and Regional Election, and validation of spoilt, questioned and rejected ballots.”

GECOM further explained that Lowenfield’s proposal was for three work stations to be used for 10 hours per day between 09:00hrs and 19:00hrs at a central location, likely to be the Arthur Chung Convention Centre. There are 2339 boxes to be counted, at a rate of two hours per ballot box.

8 NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

COVID-19 outbreak

US Embassy closes Georgetown office …all staff working from home

Eye pass…

T

he United States Embassy in Guyana has implemented a 100 per cent remote work policy to protect its employees as well as to support public measures to stem the spread of COVID-19.

In a post on its Facebook page, the foreign mission said: “Excepting only those activities, which must be done on premises to protect life and property, the duties of US Embassy staff will be performed from their homes by teleworking.”

The Embassy noted it has instructed its staff, and is encouraging everyone, to stay at home and practise

social distancing.

For those US citizen who received an automated message from the American Citizen Services

(ACS) Unit informing them that their passport, federal benefits document, or Consular Report of Birth Abroad is ready for pickup, they are being asked to confirm with ACS via email at ACSGeorge@state.gov or via phone at 600-2017 to confirm a pick-up date and time before attempting to travel to the consulate section.

This move by the Embassy comes as it is fervently working to secure another humanitarian flight to repatriate US citizens currently stranded in Guyana amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In fact, only on Tuesday, the foreign mission revealed that it was currently seeking special permission from local authorities to have a commercial relief flight next week to fly home its citizens.

While Guyana has closed its two major airports to incoming commercial flights until May 1, 2020, the US Embassy has been successful in securing special permission from the Guyana

Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to operate four commercial relief flights to transport Americans and their families home.

In a social media post on Tuesday morning, the Embassy said: “We are requesting special permission for another commercial relief flight operated by Eastern Airlines to offer service between Georgetown and Miami early next week.”

As such, the US Embassy is encouraging its citizens as well as legal permanent residents currently in Guyana who wish to depart to consider taking this flight or otherwise prepare to shelter in place in Guyana. The Embassy said it would not be able to offer this service indefinitely.

Those interested in next week’s flight are asked to complete an online form (the link available on the Embassy’s Facebook page and its website). Once the flight is confirmed, persons will be informed so that they can book their places.

H

…or raas pass? ow else can you describe Lowenfield’s insistence that it’ll take 156 days to recount our votes, to we Guyanese – and the large part of the world that so magnanimously has taken an interest in our elections, but “raas pass”?? “Eye pass”, of course, is when some jerk does something that shows their total contempt for you and your opinions, and they couldn’t care less! “Raas pass” is when they express their contempt in spades: “Take that, you scum of the earth!”

Here it is, Lowenfield as the CEO has witnessed the schisms in our society that the now over-six-week-delay in the elections results have opened up. And the best plan he can come up with will take 156 days to recount 2400 ballot boxes, with at most 400 ballots in each?? What the arse!! This fellow should be horsewhipped along with his confederate Mingo and assistant Roxanne Myers, who did the dirty over at Ashmin’s. Firing these two would be no less than slaps on their wrists. And pushing our country to the brink deserves much more condign treatment.

While the Commissioners were somewhat tight-lipped about the details of the “Lowenfield Plot” – surely it isn’t a “plan”! – the PRO, in a snippy release (“The Secretariat finds the comments by the Commissioners absurd, distasteful and unethical”.) offered an insight into Lowenfield’s mindset. The gist is: “the estimated time for one ballot box to be counted was projected to be two hours; utilising 3 workstations for 10 hours per day (9:00hrs -19:00hrs) at a central location to count 2339 boxes.” Ergo – 156 days!!

Now apart from his proven record in throwing spanners into the elections world for over a year (remember him launching Patterson’s surreptitiouslyordered H2H registration?), the foregoing is proof enough that Lowenfield isn’t stupid – he’s just “PLAYING stupid”!

Under the present circumstances, even a moron would realise that with the present tensions in the society, the recount has to be done ASAP. In fact, the PRO phrased it thusly: “Though cognisant that the 156 days proposed for the activity may be quite a lengthy duration in the present circumstance”!

So, wouldn’t the reasonable thing to do under the circumstances was to pick an appropriate time – say a week to 10 days – and increase the number of stations??

Lowenfield’s gambit – and that’s all it is, designed for more stalling – reminds your Eyewitness of that old British slapstick comedy movie: “Don’t raise the bridge; lower the river”!! But we all know, Dear Reader, this isn’t slapstick – no, this is playing with the survival of this nation.

But the intellectual author and beneficiary of all of this is none other than David Granger who’s suddenly become “The Invisible Man”.

But the stench of corruption gives him away! …on counting Vincent Alexander, the Burnhamite who Granger gave his only house to, so that the “Burnham Foundation” could have a home, has been the face of the “digging their heels in” for Granger brigade in GECOM. After he realised the gig was up on blocking the recount in the Courts, he came up with the notion of an “audit” of the ballots in the ballot boxes. But this reveals a big contradiction!

Previously, the PNC had sworn that the Mingoed numbers in Reg 4 showed them winning with no problem in the other regions. So exactly what do they expect this “audit” would reveal?? These wankers just don’t think before talking! But Alexander made another blunder when he was interviewed and tried to justify Lowenfield’s 156day Odyssey. He supported Lowenfield’s concoction that each box would take 2 hours to process. Does he realise that the ballots are already segregated in separated envelopes as “spoilt”, “rejected”, “cast” etc??

And that the process would take more than ½ hour?? …on Govt COVID-19 Response Your Eyewitness just can’t get over the PNC’s willingness to put Guyanese lives at risk just so they can tighten their control to hold on to power.

What could a bookkeeper do with COVID-19 test results?

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

9 “Unelected, caretaker” APNU/AFC regime paralysing Guyana’s economy – PSC NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…lacks int’l recognition to access financial aid needed to tackle COVID-19

PSC Chairman, Captain Gerry Gouveia

T

he Private Sector Commission (PSC) says it is the duty and responsibility of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to embark, without further delay, on a recount of the disputed results of Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), because it has been more than 15 months since the caretaker Government has been unelected, and it does not command the respect of either the populace or international community.

This situation is further compounded by the fact that, “business activity and, indeed, the country’s economic and social life as a whole (are) rapidly being paralyzed by the COVID-19 virus pandemic under an unelected administration which has demonstrated a

less than satisfactory ability to manage the challenge of the virus.”

The Business Support Organisation (BSO) on Wednesday noted further that because the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity, Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) “does not command the respect nor recognition of the international community from whom the country desperately needs financial support to fight the virus, the longer this untenable situation prevails, the worse for the people of Guyana.”

According to the BSO, currently headed by local businessman Captain Gerry Gouveia, it has absolutely no interest in which of the contesting political parties is elected to govern Guyana.

The PSC is, however, “as one of the Accredited Local Observers, totally committed and duty-bound to ensure that a free, fair and credible election result is declared in the shortest possible time by GECOM.” According to the BSO, the PSC holds this position especially given the fact that the APNU+AFC has now remained in office as a “caretaker” Government for some 15 months since a NoConfidence Motion was legally passed for its removal from office and the holding of new elections, and now

by the fraud which had taken place within GECOM and which has not evidentially taken place in any of the other Districts, the election results would have long ago been declared and a new, democratically elected government would already been in place with the full support of the international community.”

Caretaker President David Granger

retains office for some five weeks and counting since the General and Regional Elections have been held.

It was noted, too, that the statement just issued by the GECOM Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, that a national recount will take 156 days to conclude, “is adding a further five (5) months to the life in office of an unelected administration and caretaker President.”

The PSC noted that this is very much to the point taken by the PSC: that the recount be confined to District Four, where the declared results are genuinely in dispute, a position that was rubbished by APNU+AFC as disingenuous.

The PSC, in response, recalled that had the Region Four count “not been stopped

The BSO further noted that it is not blind to the fact that GECOM’s commitment to act as the law prescribes to conduct a recount has been consistently delayed by the intervention of APNU/ AFC election candidate Ulita Moore, in spite of, and in conflict with, President Granger’s invitation to the Caribbean Community

(CARICOM) to facilitate the recount.

“The PSC must therefore ask, wherefore does the hypocrisy truly lie,” now that the courts have reinforced that it is the duty and responsibility of GECOM to put right what it has allowed to be wrong, “by concluding the elections in the shortest possible time.”

10 NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana’s COVID-19 confirmed cases jump to 37 … death toll rises: retired GDF colonel latest victim

G

uyana has recorded yet another COVID-19 death, bringing the country’s total up to six according to caretaker Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence during her daily update on Wednesday.

No details of the latest COVID-19 fatality were released during the update by Lawrence.

However, Guyana Times confirmed that the latest victim was 77-year-old Retired Colonel John Percy Leon Lewis, a former President of the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) and current President of the Pepsi Hornets Rugby Club. He was also an engineer and was contracted as a consultant for the ongoing Sheriff-Mandela Road upgrade project.

Lewis, a former member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), died on Tuesday at the Georgetown Public Hospital. He was first admitted to a private hospital and after showing suspected signs of the novel coro-

navirus (COVID-19), he was referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital and admitted to the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where he succumbed.

It was only after Lewis’s death that it was confirmed he was indeed positive for the novel coronavirus.

On Tuesday, it was noted that there were four patients hospitalised in the COVID-19 ICU and one of them was critical. This was likely Lewis, since during Wednesday’s update, there were only three patients in the COVID-19 ICU.

Family devastated

Robert Lewis, the son of the 77-year-old man, told this publication that the family was devastated over his father’s passing, having already lost their mother just 12 days prior. She died from pneumonia – which, according to medical experts, is a complication from viral infections such as COVID-19.

However, she was not tested

for COVID-19.

The elderly Lewis was described as an avid sportsman, having represented the GDF in rugby and also played soccer, badminton, and basketball.

In extending condolences to the family of Lewis, a statement from the Ministry of the Presidency on Wednesday stated: “In over 30 years of military service to Guyana, Colonel Lewis greatly enriched the life and development of the Militia… President Granger extends heartfelt sympathy to Colonel Lewis’s children, relatives, and friends.”

Guyana recorded its first COVID-19 case on March 11 following the death of a 52-year-old woman, who had returned to Guyana from New York. She was considered an imported case and patient zero. Three other deaths were recorded last week within two days.

The fifth fatality was earlier this week was 38-year-old drag racer Deryck Jaisingh,

called “Mad Dog”, who succumbed to the deadly virus on Monday evening at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

He had recently returned from Brazil and was also counted as an imported case.

Increased cases

Meanwhile, during her update on Wednesday, the Public Health Minister further revealed that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Guyana has also increased – this time by four, bringing the total to 37. The total number of persons tested thus far is 145, with 37 positive (inclusive of the six deaths) and 108 negative.

One of the persons who tested positive is from Mabaruma, Region One (Barima-Waini).

She was placed in quarantine this week.

Lawrence further disclosed that the number of persons in isolation has risen to 30 while there are now 27 persons in institutional quarantine – a reduction from Tuesday’s figure of 38.

Guyana’s 6th COVID-19 fatality, Retired Colonel John Lewis

This, according to the caretaker Minister, is as a result of eight persons being cleared for release from institutional isolation and quarantine.

Moreover, this newspaper had reported on Wednesday that there were two suspected cases which have been referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital from Regions Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice).

First Region 10 case

The patient from Region 10, a 49-year-old visually-impaired man, has since tested positive for coronavirus. He went to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) in Mackenzie, Linden on Monday and after displaying several respiratory symptoms which worsened, he was transferred to Georgetown

Public Hospital.

During an emergency meeting on Wednesday, regional and health authorities confirmed that the man tested positive for COVID-19. It was also disclosed that the man had recently accommodated some overseas guests at his home. He had not left his house since and so authorities believe that he was infected during interactions with the visitors.

Acting Medical Superintendent of the LHC, Dr Joseph London informed the meeting that the man’s condition, according to medical reports from Georgetown, has worsened. He noted several persons interacted with him during his time at the hospital and they have all since been quarantined.

Dr London pointed out that there were reports that the man had visited at least two health centres the previous week and as such, investigations were being conducted to ascertain whether the attending nurses and health personnel had used the required protective gear when they dealt with him.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO), Dr Karen Gordon-Boyle, who led a delegation from the Public Health Ministry, warned the regional health officials that with COVID-19 already in the region, there needed to be a continued proactive and aggressive approach.

Man wanted for murder of Berbice businessman nabbed

Nabbed: Daniel McLennon, called “Dutty”

P

olice have arrested Daniel McLennon, called “Dutty”, who was wanted for the murder of Corentyne, Berbice businessman Lomenzo Jhonny, called “Sham”, whose body was discovered on February 27, 2020 McLennon had been on the run for one month.

The arrest was made by members of the Major Crime Unit at Laing Avenue, Georgetown on Wednesday morning. Police did not find any illegal items on the wanted man when he was arrested.

McLennon is suspected to be the mastermind in the businessman’s murder, which was initially planned as a robbery.

Jhonny’s body was discovered in a yard where a building was under construction, some 400 metres from his

home. His feet were bound together with a shoelace. The sweater he had been wearing before was found a few feet away from the body.

A pair of scissors and a piece of wood were also found near the body, which bore a wound to the back, bruises to one hand while the head and face appeared swollen.

When Police went to Jhonny’s home, they found the front door unlocked and the inside of the house ransacked. A safe, along with other items, had been reportedly removed from the building. Investigators subsequently received information about the whereabouts of the safe, which contained an undisclosed sum of cash.

The safe was subsequently recovered and approximately $2 million in cash was found.

Four men were arrested, but McLennon disappeared.

The four – Navendra Narine, Gopaul Ramgobin, Satram Khuslay and Bilal Mc Lennon – were jointly charged with murder.

It is believed that McLennon had taken close to $15 million based on the alleged confession of his accomplices.

He is expected to be placed before the court of law soon.

Meanwhile, the other four suspects are expected to return to the Albion Magistrate’s Court next Friday.

NEWS

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THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

After public pressure

COVID-19 test results now sent directly to doctors After mounting criticism and pressure from various stakeholders over the fact that the results from the COVID-19 tests are being sent to caretaker Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence instead of going back to the doctors, who are treating the patients, the situation has seen improvements.

This is according to Chairman of the Guyana Medical Council, Dr Navindranauth Rambaran.

He told Guyana Times on Wednesday, “My feedback from commissioners is that is has certainly improved.”

Earlier this week, Dr Rambaran had told this newspaper that the Council had wrote Lawrence on Monday, “raising concerns about the delay in the return of results to the doctors and we asked that she look into that.”

According to the Chairman, the letter to Lawrence was not crafted for a response to the Council. In fact, he noted that that the response they

Guyana Medical Council Chairman, Dr Navin Rambaran

are seeking is for actions to be taken and this has been done with the test results now being made available directly to the doctors.

Last weekend, Dr Frank Anthony, a former Government minister and a doctor himself, had condemned the involvement of the minister in the process.

A part from the fact that the minister is not a medical professional, he noted that the delays of the results getting

COVID-19 impact could see 195 million job losses – ILO chief

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he rapidly intensifying economic effects of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the world of work are proving to be far worse than the 20082009 financial crisis, with cutbacks equivalent to nearly 200 million full-time workers expected in the next three months alone, the United Nations labour agency said.

The warning comes almost three weeks after the International Labour Organisation (ILO) predicted that 25 million jobs were threatened by the new coronavirus.

According to the agency, the latest dire assessment reflects the full or partial lockdown measures affecting almost 2.7 billion workers – four in five of the world’s workforce.

Speaking in Geneva via videoconference on Tuesday, ILO Director General Guy Ryder noted that at the start of the year – before COVID-19 spread worldwide – global unemployment already stood at around 190 million.

With the additional shock of the virus, it was “obvious” that the world of work was suffering an “absolutely extraordinary fall” because of the effects of the pandemic and the measures taken to deal with it, he added.

Workers in four sectors that have experienced the most “drastic” effects of the disease and falling production are: food and accommodation (144 million workers); retail and wholesale (482 million); business services and administration (157 million); and manufacturing (463 million).

Together, they add up to 37.5 per cent of global employment and this is where the “sharp end” of the impact of the pandemic is being felt

now, the ILO chief added.

Frontline workers

Taking a moment to reflect on the world’s 136 million health and social professionals who are working in the frontline of the fight against the virus, Ryder underscored that for them, the biggest potential impact was contracting COVID-19 in the workplace.

“We need to make sure that those who are at work are adequately protected… that they have the right types of protection,” he insisted.

Although all regions of the world are suffering from the fallout of COVID-19, Arab States and Europe have seen the worst impact on employment in percentage terms.

The biggest losses numerically are in Asia-Pacific States, the most populous region of the world.

Overall, for the second quarter of 2020 – from April to June – the ILO believes that working hours are likely to decline by 6.7 per cent.

“No matter where in the world or in which sector, the crisis is having a dramatic impact on the world’s workforce,” the ILO said in its latest report. “Policy responses need to focus on providing immediate relief to workers and enterprises in order to protect livelihoods and economically-viable businesses, particularly in hard-hit sectors and developing countries.”

An additional concern is the fact that in low and middle-income countries, the worst-hit industries and services have a high proportion of low-wage workers in informal employment, with limited access to health services and State welfare safety nets. (UN)

back to the doctors, which is sometimes 48 hours, endangered the lives of not only the patients but the medical staff as well.

According to Dr Anthony, it makes a big difference when the medical staff knows about the status of the patients they are dealing with.

Another bureaucracy in the system, he had disclosed is the fact that when samples, from both private and public hospitals, are sent to the National Public Health Reference Laboratory – housed at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) – for testing, then a request first has to be made to the Minister’s office and only

when permission is granted then the test is conducted.

Moreover, Dr Anthony – who is one of the key stakeholders in the National COVID-19 Response Forum that was established by the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) to tackle the spread of the deadly virus – further contended that the process dealing with who gets the test, that is, the criteria for testing is flawed.

Meanwhile, Dr Vindhya Persaud, a former opposition parliamentarian, had also weighed in on the situation regarding the results, saying it is not only disturbing but completely unacceptable.

In a social media post, Dr Persaud argued that “This clamp down attitude is endangering healthcare workers and delaying the care that patients may need based on test results… this is not politics, this is life!”

These issues have even attracted concerns from stakeholders outside the medical profession. In fact, Secretary of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Ramesh Dookhoo, wrote the Chairman of the National COVID-19 Taskforce, caretaker Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, on Tuesday, seeking clarity.

In the letter, Dookhoo said that it was brought to

the Commission’s attention that a patient with identifiable symptoms of being infected with COVID-19 cannot be tested until the doctor has written to Lawrence, requesting permission to test and that it takes three to four days to receive a response from the minister. He added further that when the results of the test confirm the condition of the patient, which is about seven to eight hours after the test is done, the results are not only first sent directly to the minister but approval must first be given by her before the attending doctor administers treatment.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

12 NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Linden girl dies after suffering shortness of breath, fever …COVID-19 suspected

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six-year-old girl died during the wee hours of Wednesday after she was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), suffering from respiratory problems.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was immediately suspected and tests would be conducted to determine if the child was infected with the disease. Up to press time, her cause of death was not determined.

Acting Medical Superintendent of the Hospital, Dr Joseph London confirmed that the child died between 01:30h and 02:00h.

The young girl, who resided in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) was suffering from a mild fever along with shortness of breath and tummy pain upon admission.

According to a press release from the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), when the child was admitted to the Hospital on Tuesday

evening, the paediatric team immediately conducted some x-rays and other tests after which it was recommended that she be transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital for a higher level of care.

It was disclosed that within 90 minutes of arrangements being made for the child to be transported, she died while in the Emergency Room.

“While we were waiting to transfer her, she was not maintaining oxygen over 70, which made her unstable for transfer. She was resuscitated to comfortable level and her condition continued to worsen resulting in her dying. Her condition was suspicious; however, we were unable to conduct a test on her,” Dr London told a meeting, which was held on Wednesday to discuss the situation.

The regional health authorities held the emergency meeting to address several

and not a case whereby she is negative,” she reasoned.

The RDC revealed that a surveillance team would be visiting the child’s family with a view to launching an investigation to evaluate and examine them for signs of COVID-19.

Confirmed case

Regional health officials along with a team from the Public Health Ministry met to discuss Region 10’s plan to fight COVID-19

issues, including its contingency plan to address the rapidly-growing COVID-19 incidence in Guyana.

The meeting was attended by Linden Mayor Waneka Arrindell as well as a team from the Public Health

Ministry led by Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO), Dr Karen Gordon- Boyle.

Accompanying Dr Boyle were Dr Luella Sucie, an epidemiologist; Dr Tracey Bovell, an emergency medicine specialist and Bonita

Lowenfield McDonald.

The DCMO informed the meeting that the test results may not be accurate, given that the child had already been placed in the morgue.

“It was important for the medical staff to have tested her within 24 hours after she would have died… taking into account that she [the child] may have already been taken to the morgue, where she is in the fridge, so I am not sure if the samples being taken off will yield a proper result,” she said.

Dr Gordon- Boyle explained that if the test results came back as negative, that did not mean that the child was not infected, given the circumstances. “…even if it comes back negative, this can be because of the fact that the sample may have been compromised

With one confirmed case in the region, the DCMO said authorities could not take any chances.

A 49-year-old man who was recently transferred from the Linden Hospital to the Georgetown Public Hospital, after displaying signs of respiratory illnesses, tested positive for COVID-19.

The man, who is visually impaired, recently accommodated several guests from overseas.

It is suspected that one of the visitors infected him.

Persons who came into contact with him will be quarantined, Dr London said.

Moreover, Dr London noted that medical staff who tended to the man were wearing protective gear.

However, he revealed that prior to visiting the Linden Hospital, the man had visited at least two health centres in the town.

Authorities are investigating to determine if those attending nurses had used the required protective gear when they dealt with him.

Guyana, according to figures released on April 8, 2020, has 37 confirmed coronavirus cases, including six deaths.

Suspects in Timehri man’s death identified

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wo men wanted for questioning in the killing a young father of one on Sunday morning near the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) have been identified and are believed to be on the run.

Guyana Times understands that ranks at the Timehri Police Station, after identifying the men, made several attempts to locate them, but to no avail.

Lawrence Raymond Benjamin, 24, of Ice House Road, Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was stabbed at least three times – once to his neck and twice to his chest by his assailants.

After the stabbing incident, Benjamin, the father of a five-month-old baby, went to a nearby shop and sat on a chair.

He was seen panting for breath and died subsequently.

A source at the Guyana Police Force (GPF) told this publication that the suspects were identified to the Police by an eyewitness, and “the men are now on the run”.

Reports revealed that efforts are now being made to issue a wanted bulletin.

Dead: Lawrence Raymond Benjamin

Althea McPherson, a sister of the dead man, told this publication, when contacted, that she was at a friend’s house in the area when she received the news that her brother had been stabbed to death. She immediately rushed to the scene only to see her brother’s motionless body in an upright position on the plastic chair.

She is calling on the Police to make every attempt to arrest her brother’s killers as soon as possible.

Investigations are still ongoing.

13 Demerara Bank GPSU cancels annual May Day rally implements additional measures A NEWS

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

to fight COVID-19

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he Demerara Bank Limited has announced the implementation of additional measures to help contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Implementation of these measures took effect from April 8, when only essential banking services began being catered to.

As part of the measures, a limit has been placed on the number and value of cash transactions processed in the bank. New accounts and account reactivation are being facilitated by electronic instructions only, and loan applications are being done by appointment only.

A limited number of customers are being allowed into the bank as social distancing norms are enforced.

The Diamond and Le Ressouvenir branches will be closed on Saturdays until further notice, the Bank said in a notice published in the media, adding that flexible working hours have been implemented, and where possible, staff will be working from home.

Last month, almost all of the local banks implemented several initiatives that would allow them to provide customers with banking services without them having to visit the bank.

As part of its COVID-19 initiative, Demerara Bank is urging its customers to utilize the ATM, e-banking, and night depository ser-

COVID-19 test...

FROM PAGE 11

“We are reliably informed that this political intervention by the Minister of Public Health to exercise authority over an entirely medical matter has already resulted in the loss of life of a patient. I, therefore, write to seek immediate clarity as to whether this, in fact, is the protocol in place at the Hospital for the testing and administering of treatment for a COVID-19 patient. I am, further, requesting that the public is immediately informed with regard to the protocols being applied at the Georgetown Public Hospital with regard to the examination, testing and treatment of a patient reporting identifiable symptoms of the COVID-19 virus and deemed by medical personnel to require testing and treatment,” the PSC official said in the correspondence to Nagamootoo.

He went onto say, “I must point out that, as an officially appointed member of the Task Force, I am duly entitled to a prompt response and that I will feel free to raise this matter as a public concern if I do not receive a clear and prompt response.”

vices, which can meet most of their banking needs.

It further noted that the Bank is cognizant that these steps would impact many of its stakeholders.

Demerara Bank has committed to updating its customers as new developments arise.

s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to spread in Guyana, the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) on Wednesday announced the cancellation of the annual May Day rally.

Every year on May 1, hundreds of workers dressed in red carrying banners march along the streets of Guyana to show solidarity for workers’ rights. This year because of COVID-19 and the restrictions and guidelines to curb the spread of the virus, this will not happen.

GPSU said on Wednesday that it has decided to refrain from any action which could be considered to conflict with the restrictions and guidelines as announced by the Public Health Ministry.

“With this undertaking

Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) workers during the annual May Day parade in 2019 (file photo)

in mind and the fact that these guidelines extend until May 3rd, 2020, the Union has decided at its Statutory Administrative Committee Meeting held on Tuesday, April 7th, 2020, to cancel its

traditional participation in the Annual Mayday Parade and Lime, which would have been slated for May 1st, 2020,” the GPSU said.

It added that it would

continue to play an integral part in the fight against COVID-19.

“We are firmly committed to the national efforts in confronting COVID-19.”

14 HELP IN FIGHT AGAINST THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Volunteers countrywide, who are part of the People’s Progressive Party National COVID-19 Stakeholder Forum, making and distributing facial masks

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THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CORONAVIRUS IDEAS AND MYTHS EXPLORED

By Dr Tariq Jagnarine BSc, MD, MMed Family medicine, CCFP

A

s the coronavirus continues to make the news, a host of untruths has sprung up around the topic the novel coronavirus. The novel coronavirus, now known as SARS-CoV-2, has spread from Wuhan, China to at least 184 countries and territories .The World Health Organization (WHO) officially changed their classification of the situation from a public health emergency of international concern to a pandemic on March 11.

To date, the novel coronavirus — currently dubbed “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2,” or SARS-CoV-2 for short — has been responsible for more than 1453129 infections globally, causing more than 83585 deaths. In the Guyana, the virus has affected 33 persons and has so far caused 5 deaths.

As ever, when the word “pandemic” starts appearing in headlines, people become fearful, and with fear come misinformation and rumours.

Some of the most common myths that are currently circulating on social media and beyond are: 1. Only older adults and young people are at risk SARS-CoV-2, like other coronaviruses, can infect people of any age.

However, older adults or individuals with pre-existing health conditions, such as diabetes or asthma, Heart problems, hypertension etc., are more likely to become severely ill.

2. Spraying chlorine or alcohol on skin kills the viruses in the body Applying alcohol or chlorine to the body can cause harm, especially if it enters the eyes or mouth. Although people can use these chemicals to disinfect surfaces, they should not use them on skin. These products cannot the kill viruses within the body. There is no known cure or vaccine at the moment 3. Children cannot catch COVID-19 All age groups can become infected. Most cases, so far, have been in adults, but children are not immune. In fact, preliminary evidence shows that children are just as likely to become infected, but their symptoms tend to be less severe.

4. COVID-19 is just like the flu SARS-CoV-2 causes illness that does, indeed, have flu-like symptoms, such as aches, fever, and cough. Similarly, both COVID-19 and flu can be mild, severe, or, in rare cases, fatal. Both can also lead to pneumonia.

However, the overall profile of COVID-19 is more serious. Estimates vary, but its mortality rate seems to be between about 1% and 3%.

Although researchers are working out the exact mortality rate, thus far results indicates that it is higher than that of seasonal flu.

5. Everyone with COVID-19 dies This statement is untrue. COVID-19 is only fatal for a small percentage of people. In a recent report, the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that 80.9% of COVID-19 cases were mild. The WHO also report that around 80% of people will experience a relatively mild form of the disease, which will not require specialist treatment in a hospital.

Mild symptoms may include fever, cough, sore throat, tiredness, and shortness of breath.

6. Cats and dogs spread coronavirus Currently, there is little evidence that SARS-CoV-2 can infect cats and dogs. However, in Hong Kong, a Pomeranian whose owner had COVID-19 became infected. The dog did not display any symptoms. In the US, one Bronx Zoo a tiger was tested positive for corona virus. Thus far, it is inconclusive if animals can transmit the virus.

7. Face masks protect against coronavirus Healthcare workers use professional facemasks- N 95, which fit tightly around the face, to protect them against infection. However, disposable facemasks are unlikely to provide such protection. As these masks do not fit neatly against the face, droplets can still enter the mouth and nose. In addition, tiny viral particles can penetrate directly through the material.

However, if someone has a respiratory illness, wearing a mask can help protect others from becoming infected.

The WHO recommend that people who are caring for someone with suspected COVID-19 should wear a mask or If you are coughing or sneezing. In these cases, wearing a mask is only effective if the individual regularly washes their hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water. Also, when using a mask, it is important to use it and dispose of it properly.

8. Hand dryers, heaters can kill coronavirus Hand dryers do not kill coronavirus. The best way to protect yourself and others from the virus is to wash your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub and practice self-Distancing 3-6 feet apart.

9. SARS-CoV-2 is just a mutated form of the common cold Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, all of which have spiky proteins on their surface. Some of these viruses use humans as their primary host and cause the common cold. Other coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, primarily infect animals.

Both Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) began in animals and passed into humans.

10. You have to be with someone for 10 minutes to catch the virus The longer someone is with an infected person, the more likely they are to catch the virus, but it is still possible to catch it in less than 10 minutes.

11. Rinsing the nose with saline or warm water protects against coronavirus There is no evidence that a saline nose rinse protects against respiratory infections. Some research suggests that these techniques might reduce the symptoms of acute upper respiratory tract infections, but researchers have not found that it can reduce the risk of infection.

12. You can protect yourself by gargling bleach Under no circumstances, gargling of bleach can benefits your health.

Bleach is corrosive and can cause serious damage.

13. Antibiotics kill coronavirus Antibiotics only kill bacteria; they do not kill viruses. They should not be taken as a prophylaxis unless prescribed by a physician.

14. Thermal scanners can diagnose coronavirus

Thermal scanners can detect whether someone has a fever. However, other conditions, such as seasonal flu, can also produce fever. In addition, symptoms of COVID-19 can appear 2–14 days after infection, which means that someone infected with the virus could have a normal temperature for a few days before a fever begins.

15. Garlic protects against coronaviruses Some research suggests that garlic might slow the growth of some species of bacteria. However, COVID-19 is caused by a virus, and there is no evidence that garlic can protect people against COVID-19.

16. Home remedies can cure and protect against COVID-19 No home remedies can protect against COVID-19, including vitamin C, essential oils, silver colloid, sesame oil, garlic, fish tank

cleaner, burning sage, and sipping water every 15 minutes.

The best approach is to adopt a good handwashing regimen and to avoid places where there may be unwell people and social distancing.

17. You can catch coronavirus from eating Chinese food Properly cooked food kills the virus; no evidence indicates transmission via food.

18. The virus will die off when temperatures rises.

Some viruses, such as cold and flu viruses, do spread more easily in the colder months, but that does not mean that they stop entirely when conditions become milder. As it stands, scientists do not know how temperature changes will influence the behaviour of SARSCoV-2.

19. Coronavirus is the deadliest virus known to man Although SARS-CoV-2 does appear to be more serious than influenza, it is not the deadliest virus that people have faced. Others, such as Ebola, have higher mortality rates.

20. Flu and pneumonia vaccines protect against COVID-19 As SARS-CoV-2 is different from other viruses, no existing vaccines protect against infection has been developed to date.

During a Pandemic as COVID-19, there are always increased levels of anxiety and worry among the population. However having accurate information, relying of experts advice, can help reduce the feelings of worry.

With regular hand washing, self-distancing and been properly inform we will overcome this disease together.

16

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020

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

A founder member’s views As expected, the recount will on GAPSO and George Gomes be thwarted

Dear Editor, I found it interesting to observe, on April 7th, 2020 edition of the Prime News, Mr George Gomes lashing out at the eloquent and dynamic Private Sector Commission, of which Captain Gerry Gouveia is the current Chairman; and in my opinion, an exceptional Chairman and dedicated son of the soil of Guyana.

I wish to state that any member who belongs to an umbrella body can be quoted, in my opinion, in any release or letter sent out by the said umbrella body. One cannot call and ask every organization their permission on a matter of importance, nor can one call and ask every member within an organizational structure, such as Guyana Association of Private Security Organisations (GAPSO).

As I recall on the commencement of GAPSO, of which I, Roshan Khan, was a founder member, President, Secretary, and Treasurer, one of the aims and objectives was to respect law and order and the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. As a member of the Private Sector Commission, GAPSO falls under that umbrella body, and therefore the leaders are elected to

make decisions of the organization, very much so as when a leader is elected to run a country. In other words, they cannot seek permission from everyone!

Mr George Gomes is out of his depth and logical reasoning due to his political penchant and partisan personality. He seems to think that security in Guyana is owned by him, and the entire Government structure appears to be his personal property. Mr. George Gomes, the Managing Director of Kalibur Security, is not the spokesperson of GAPSO, as far as I know. I recall well when Mr. George Gomes was an employee of the then COPS Security (now Sentinel Security Services) and he had to sit in a meeting that was chaired by the then GAPSO President, Mr Maurice Amres. As an employee of COPS, he thought that GAPSO was an unnecessary institution, and he made it quite clear that he believed it’s a waste of time to sit with the executives or be a part of their association. So, from the start, it is known that he had no respect for GAPSO. However, when he launched his own security company, I was shocked when I heard he had applied

for membership. By this time, I had started to play a lesser role in the organization, due to the fact that one founder member was exposed in the media and courts for manipulating NIS, VAT and PAYE taxes, inclusive of corporate taxes in the tune of billions of dollars combined. That company eventually declared bankruptcy and just changed its name while starting all over again.

But the criminality continues! Many other apparent so-called security services are also known to be manipulators and thieves of VAT, NIS and general forms of taxes. As a result of which, I can no longer sit with such a body.

Further, my understanding is that GAPSO has not paid its dues to the PSC for almost a decade, and yet, out of the decency of the PSC, they are allowed to sit as a member.

It would also appear that there was a conspiracy and plan for military personnel to control the GAPSO, and even move it to what would appear to be ethnic preference at the administration level.

Mr George Gomes needs to display some respect for the Private Sector Commission, bearing in mind that he is no spokesper-

Let our votes be counted, verified/ascertained Dear Editor, In the year 2015, Guyana – more so Guyanese -- voted for change. We have read and heard of the “change” that was supposed to come to our shores of Guyana.

Fast forward to the no confidence motion that led to the fall of the Government.

We all know how the Government fell to its knees and grabbed on to a very thin thread of power, failing to vacate office, failing to call general and regional elections.

Since 2015, the only thing that has changed has been the thirst and hunger for power, power that has slipped away from their hands, and they are doing anything and everything to

keep their so-called powers.

I think I am mistaken: much has changed for the sugar workers that lost their jobs. Many are graduating and are finding it hard to get jobs. And oh yes, we are entering what one may term, “a new era”. Fast forward to present day: we are many days post-election, and GECOM will finally go forward with an outline for a recount.

Throughout this ordeal of excuses and very immature moves by the ones who are grasping at power as if it were oxygen, we must all recognize the young persons who refuse to be bullied by the power drunk ones.

Coalition? Ah, yes, that’s the party that refuses to al-

low this great nation of diverse persons to move forward. The coalition has given us a gift, a gift that has shown us Guyanese that we are strong, we will not be held hostage by our own brothers and sisters; a gift that has shown us actions are truly stronger than words.

Young professionals will not be silenced! This gift we will forever treasure that they served us on what I’d called the platter of doom!

We will continue to raise our voices and not be shunned!

Therefore, to the chefs of doom, we are appealing for you to change those ways and respect the young people of this nation, and stop stalling the process! Please be honest and decent, and let the recount be done smoothly. Let our votes be counted and verified/ascertained. Give us the chance to believe you can also whip up platters of happiness.

I commend all the young persons who are advocating for a change from the doom and gloom of life to a better life which we will all enjoy!

Sincerely, Katrina Niamatali

son for GAPSO; and he must also be able to recognize that Captain Gerry Gouveia is noted as a patriot, a scholar, and an impartial personality. To lump him or any other impartial personality with a political organization just because they speak their minds while protesting against the lawless would be immature, unjust, and obviously an attempt by GECOM to compromise the elections.

Unfortunately, the gentleman is being labelled as being politically biased because of his letter dated March 27th, 2020, that was addressed to the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights.

One, it would appear in Guyana, cannot hoard to be impartial, or cannot speak against injustice, or the likes of Mr George Gomes, who think that they own Guyana and can control Guyana, will rise to control hearts, minds, and Government businesses.

Mr George Gomes, as far as I am concerned, is entitled to his political choice a prerequisite in the democratic norms to which we in Guyana subscribe. However, he should desist from speaking on behalf of GAPSO, as he is neither the spokesperson nor the President.

My advice to Mr George Gomes is that he must know his place when he speaks of men of such calibre as Captain Gerry Gouveia.

Sincerely, Roshan Khan, Sr

Dear Editor, If it were not obvious from the beginning, it is obvious now. The APNU/AFC, with a willing and able Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was never interested in a recount. Barring them not being able to tamper with the containers and ballot boxes, they already knew the outcome of a transparent and credible recount.

Thus Keith Lowenfield’s 156-day recount plan, however temporary and a work in progress, is yet another insult to the intelligence of the Guyanese people and the international community.

Such a proposal is as asinine as David Hinds’s suggestion to scrap the elections and destroy the ballot boxes. A recount should not take more than a week, much less five (5) months.

There is little doubt that trust and confidence in GECOM have deteriorated over the last several weeks.

And whatever little uncertainty remained, this latest stunt has surely solidified how corrupt and biased this constitutional agency has become.

As long as Lowenfield and Myers remain at GECOM, the recount will be thwarted.

Their actions, or lack thereof during the embarrassing Region Four tabulation exercise, speak volumes. They will continue to take orders from their political masters to the detriment of the country, and we will be no closer to a credible declaration of the results.

What makes you think

they will suddenly see the light and act professionally? Thus, the strident calls to remove Mingo from the recount process should have been equally applicable to Lowenfield and Myers.

With each passing day, the country grows wearier. While a transparent and credible recount is in the best interest of Guyana and all her people, it is certainly not in the best interest of the APNU-AFC cabal. It would seem that their hatred for the political opposition is so deep and troubling that they are willing to sacrifice the entire country in the process.

Intentionally or unintentionally, they have also managed to successfully create a new generation of riggers and haters, while simultaneously creating a new generation of non-supporters.

APNU’s best chance was to convince those on the periphery to support them. Now even those prospective supporters are gone. If there was any question that the APNUAFC and GECOM could be trusted, that notion went out the window weeks ago.

And so the charade to deny the Guyanese people the right to democratically elect a government of their choice continues. It is time the international community make good on their promises to institute sanctions, as it is evident that these wrongdoers would stop at nothing to sabotage the outcome of these elections.

successive West Indies selection panels, and that young man is Veerasammy Permaul.

How on earth can a bowler who has dominated regional cricket for the past six years -- either topping the chart or coming in second year after year; who has played six tests and seven one day internationals for the West Indies – not have been given more opportunities? In addition to that, he has taken 536 wickets from 121 matches in his entire career,18 of which came from his six test matches.

Editor, these stats boggle the mind as to why this young man has not been given more opportunities to play for the West Indies, when cricketers with less abilities and stats continue to be selected.

Let me give one example: I recently came across some stats for Kraigg Brathwaite.

In his last ten tests, he is averaging 12 runs per innings, and yet he continues to play for the West Indies.

And there are many more examples too numerous to mention.

What more must Veerasammy Permaul do to make the West Indies team?

This is a plea from me and from all Guyanese and cricket loving fans throughout the West Indies, who have our cricket at heart and are hoping to see our team at the pinnacle of world cricket in the not too distant future. I call on our own Roger Harper and his selection panel to right a wrong and select Veerasammy Permaul in the next West Indies test and one day squad. And please give him a good run, like all the rest has been given.

Yours faithfully, Omchand Mahdu

Right a wrong and select Veerasammy Permaul Dear Editor, As we are all aware, West Indies cricket has been in the doldrums for the longest while now, where we are either number eight or nine in the rankings in all three formats of the game.

I want to submit that one of the main reasons is because we have never selected the best team to represent us over the years, and that times include under the chairmanship of Clyde Butts, Clive LLoyd and Courtney Brown.

I think I have seen a marked improvement under the Roger Harper-led selection panel, and I do hope this will continue in the future, so that we can move up the rankings of world cricket.

Having said that, I would like to highlight the plight of one young man who has been given a raw deal for the longest while now by

Yours faithfully, Imtiaz Baccus

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020

17

Regional

Brazil: Confirmed cases of coronavirus La Luz del Mundo sex crimes case soar to 15,927, with 800 deaths

B

razil’s Health Minister Luis Henrique Mandetta said on Wednesday that the country’s attempts to purchase medical supplies from China to fight the coronavirus epidemic were failing and the Government is turning to Brazilian companies to make ventilators.

Mandetta reported the first case of coronavirus among the Yanomami people on the country’s largest reservation and said the Government planned to build a field hospital for Indigenous communities that are vulnerable to contagion.

Confirmed cases of coronavirus soared to 15,927 on Wednesday, with the death toll rising by 133 in just 24

A Yanomami man follows agents of Brazil’s environmental agency in a gold mine in the Amazon rainforest, in Roraima state, Brazil, on April 17, 2016. The first case of coronavirus among the Yanomami people was reported on Wednesday (Reuters file photo)

hours to 800, the Ministry said.

Meanwhile, The Guardian reported that fears over the devastating impact coronavirus could have on

South America’s Indigenous communities have grown after the Yanomami teenager tested positive for the illness in the Amazon.

The 15-year-old is report-

edly being treated in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Boa Vista, the capital of Roraima, the northern Brazilian state where much of the Yanomami reserve is located.

The teenager was admitted last Friday complaining of chest pains, breathing difficulties and a sore throat, and tested positive for the illness on Tuesday.

Authorities say the boy – who is reported to have travelled back into the Yanomami reserve last month after classes at his school were suspended – is one of seven Indigenous Brazilians to test positive for the coronavirus in three Amazon states: Pará, Amazonas and Roraima. (Excerpt from Reuters and The Guardian)

US Virgin Islands at odds with Epstein estate over “broad” liability releases

W

omen who say they were abused by deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein should not be required to sign broad liability waivers in order to get payouts from his estate, the Attorney General of the US Virgin Islands said on Wednesday.

The office of Attorney General Denise George said in a statement that the estate was demanding the “broad releases”, which would shield not only the

estate but potentially other individuals from legal liability, as part of a proposed victim compensation fund.

A spokeswoman for George said people covered by the releases could include anyone linked to Epstein who was involved in trafficking or abusing girls.

“With this demand still in place, the Fund cannot ensure a fundamentally fair and legally sufficient process for victims who choose to participate,” the Attorney

General said.

George’s office has asked the Virgin Islands probate court, which is overseeing the estate, to resolve the dispute. The estate was valued at US$636.1 million before the recent global market plunge.

Lawyers for the estate could not immediately be reached for comment.

Epstein was arrested last July on charges he abused and trafficked in women and girls from 2002 to 2005 in

Persons with a recent travel history are being urged to self-report and self-quarantine as part of measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“In the past few days, we have seen a significant increase in the number of Jamaicans who have reported to the Ministry as it relates to those persons who came in to the island over the last few days prior to the travel restrictions on incoming passengers,” Dr Tufton

said.

“An estimated 7000 persons came into the island between March 18 and March 24; 1500 of that number left the country. Up to the end of last Friday, approximately 1000 persons have reported to the Ministry, and over the last three days, some 3500 persons have reported to the Ministry,” he noted.

He said that the health authorities are working closely with the Ministries of National Security, and Finance and the Public

Ortega has been conspicuously absent for more than three weeks.

He was one of the key leaders of Nicaragua’s revolutionary Sandinista movement that drove the dictatorial Somoza clan from power.

But in the battle against coronavirus, Ortega has been invisible, sparking wild speculation over whether Nicaragua’s septuagenarian leader is self-isolating, bedbound in hospital – or might even have died.

While much of Latin America is in a state of partial or total shutdown, Nicaraguan Government propaganda websites continue to promote food festivals, beauty pageants, and even the use of outdoor paddling pools.

The Health Ministry insists there has been no community transmission and has recorded only a handful cases of infection and one death – although many doubt those claims.

But on Tuesday, the

Manhattan and Florida and pleaded not guilty. He died on August 10 last year at age 66, five weeks after his arrest and two days after signing his will, by hanging himself in his Manhattan jail cell.

George sued the estate in January, saying Epstein’s sexual misconduct there stretched from 2001 to 2018 and included raping and trafficking dozens of women and girls. (Excerpt from Reuters)

dropped by US court

Charges against Naason Joaquin Garcia ordered dismissed

S

ex crime charges against the leader of an international religious organisation must be dismissed over procedural errors, a US appeals court has ruled.

The La Luz del Mundo (Light of the World) church's Naasón Joaquín García faced a number of charges, including child rape and human trafficking.

Carcía was arrested in California last year and denies the allegations.

The Judges ruled the case should be dropped over a delay in granting him a hearing after new charges were added.

The appeals court determined on Tuesday that García should have been given a hearing within 10

days of the new charges, including child pornography, being filed, AFP reported, but there were delays in the case.

This ruling is not considered final for another 30 days, and prosecutors are reviewing the decision.

The Mexico-based La Luz del Mundo church responded, saying in a statement that it was a decision in favour of justice as "the case should never have been brought".

García, a Mexican national, and three female co-defendants also affiliated with the church, are accused of committing 26 felonies in southern California between 2015 and 2018.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Ronaldinho and COVID: 4500 travellers report to brother under house arrest in Paraguay Jamaican Health Ministry

A

pproximately 4500 persons who travelled to Jamaica between March 18 and 24 have reported to the Health and Wellness Ministry.

Portfolio Minister, Dr Christopher Tufton, gave the update during a digital press conference from his New Kingston offices on Tuesday.

The Government has made calls for the approximately 7000 persons who arrived in the island over the period to contact the Ministry.

Health and Wellness Minister, Dr Christopher Tufton

Service; and Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA) to track the approximately 1000 persons, who have still not reported. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Nicaragua's leaders promote gatherings amid COVID-19 pandemic

N

icaragua has recorded few coronavirus infections as international health officials worry about transparency in reporting.

The country’s leadership is currently promoting mass events such as the football league as no restrictions are in place, despite the country reporting less than 10 cases of the coronavirus.

But as Nicaraguans continue to go out, the country's most important political figure, President Daniel

Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) publicly questioned Nicaragua’s response. “We have concerns for the lack of social distancing, the convening of mass gatherings. We have concerns about the testing, contact tracing, the reporting of cases. We also have concerns about what we see as inadequate infection prevention and control,” said Carissa Etienne, its Dominican Director. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera and The Guardian)

Ronaldinho was met by friends at the hotel in Asuncion where he must now stay

F

ormer Brazil forward Ronaldinho has been released from prison and placed under house arrest in Paraguay.

The 2005 Ballon d'Or winner had spent time in jail along with his brother after being arrested on March 6, accused of using fake passports.

The pair had previously been denied bail, but posted US$800,000 each and must now stay in a four-star hotel in Asuncion while awaiting trial.

Both Ronaldinho, 40, and his brother Roberto Assis deny any wrongdoing.

Their lawyer has called their imprisonment "arbitrary, abusive and illegal".

In allowing the pair to leave prison, Judge Gustavo Amarilla said the size of the bail paid was "significant" and would "guarantee they will not flee".

Ronaldinho had initially visited Paraguay to promote a book and a campaign for underprivileged children.

The 2002 World Cup winner played for clubs including Paris St-Germain, Barcelona and AC Milan before retiring in 2015 after a spell at Brazilian side Fluminense.

Ronaldhinho won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002 and was named Fifpro World Player in 2005 and 2006. (BBC News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020

Around the World

France to extend lockdown as virus deaths soar in Europe, US

F

rance said Wednesday it would extend a lockdown aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus as the death toll soared across Europe and the US – and experts warned the looming global recession could be the worst in decades.

Governments are grappling with how to balance public safety against the devastating economic impact of stay-at-home orders that have erased millions of jobs in a matter of weeks.

More than 80,000 people worldwide have died in the virus crisis, which has sent the global economy spiralling and forced billions of people to remain at home as much as possible.

As the economic down-

turn starts to bite, health experts stressed that any premature loosening of restrictions could accelerate the spread of a contagion that has already infiltrated nearly every country.

In France, one of the hardest-hit nations in Europe with more than 10,000 deaths, President

Emmanuel Macron will address the nation next week to explain the path forward.

The confinement order issued on March 17 "will be extended" beyond the current deadline of April 15, an official close to Macron told AFP. Italy and Spain are still recording hundreds of

deaths a day, though the situation is also deteriorating in Britain, which saw a record 938 fatalities Wednesday as Prime Minister Boris Johnson spent a third day in intensive care.

The 55-year-old leader's condition is "improving" and he is in "good spirits", officials assured the public.

In New York, the epicentre of the US outbreak, the state's Governor noted the new single-day high for virus deaths at 779, but offered an optimistic view for the weeks to come.

"We are flattening the curve," Andrew Cuomo told reporters, as he cited a decreasing hospitalisation rate due to stay-at-home orders.

(Excerpt from AFP)

time for such threats.

"The focus of all political parties should be to save their people. Please don't politicise this virus. It exploits the differences you have at the national level," he said at a press briefing in Geneva, addressing politicians and world leaders.

"If you want to be exploited and if you want to have many more body bags, then you do it. If you don't want many more body bags, then you refrain from politicising it."

Pleading for leaders to put aside differences, Tedros added: "Please, unity at national level, no using COVID

for political points. Second, honest solidarity at the global level. And honest leadership from the US and China," he said.

"The United States and China should come together and fight this dangerous enemy," he said.

Trump on Tuesday had said the WHO was "very China-centric" in its approach, suggesting the UN agency had gone along with Beijing's efforts months ago to minimise the severity of the outbreak.

"We are still in the acute phase of a pandemic, so now is not the time to cut back on funding," Hans Kluge, WHO

regional director for Europe, told a virtual briefing when asked about Trump's remarks.

"If the WHO loses its funding, it cannot continue to do its work. It works on a shoe-string budget already," Heymann said in London. "Of course, it would be disastrous for the WHO to lose funding."

Meanwhile, Bruce Aylward, senior adviser to Tedros, also defended the WHO's relationship with China, saying its work with Beijing was important to understand the outbreak, which was detected in Wuhan in December. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

A health worker walks a patient through a disinfection chamber set up in front of a hospital in Mitrovica, Kosovo

COVID-19: WHO boss calls for 'honest' leadership from US, China

T

he Head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) defended his agency's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, calling on leaders to not "politicise" the situation and focus on saving lives threatened by COVID-19.

The comments by Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday came a day after US President Donald Trump criticised the global health agency and suggested his Administration could review funding.

With the global death toll exceeding 83,000 amid 1.4 million confirmed infections, Tedros said now was not the

Sanders ends presidential bid, setting up Biden-Trump showdown

L

eftist US Senator Bernie Sanders suspended his presidential campaign Wednesday, clearing the way for rival Joe Biden to secure the Democratic nomination and challenge Donald Trump in November.

The feisty 78-year-old democratic socialist shook up the 2020 race with his relentless pursuit of "economic justice" for all Americans and a demand for universal health care.

But he acknowledged his campaign had fallen short, as party voters determined

In this video still image from the Bernie Sanders Presidential Campaign, Sanders announces the suspension of his presidential campaign on April 8, 2020, from Burlington, Vermont

Biden would be a stronger candidate to go up against Trump in the general election.

"I have concluded that this battle for the Democratic nomination will not be successful," Sanders

told supporters in a livestream from his home, where he has remained for the bulk of the coronavirus pandemic that put all in-person campaigning on hold.

"Vice President Biden will be the nominee," he said, adding that he congratulated his rival, a "very decent man, who I will work with to move our progressive ideas forward".

Sanders, who challenged Hillary Clinton for the party's nomination in 2016, mounted a formidable 2020 bid. (Excerpt from AFP)

Congolese President's Chief of Staff arrested amid graft probe

P

olice in Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday arrested the President’s Chief of Staff, Vital Kamerhe, after he testified in an investigation into alleged misappropriation of public funds, a Police official said.

Kamerhe, the Chief of

Staff to President Felix Tshisekedi, was driven by the Police to the Makala prison, Sylvano Kasongo, the Police Chief of the capital Kinshasa, told Reuters.

Tshisekedi’s spokesman, Kasongo Mwema, said he had no comment.

“The President does not

comment on the decisions of the justice system,” he said.

Tshisekedi came to power in January last year vowing to clean up the corruption that watchdog groups said had flourished under his long-serving predecessor, Joseph Kabila.

Kamerhe has been dogged by allegations of graft over his role in a US$304-million public works programme that included roads, bridges, and social housing. He has denied all charges of impropriety. (Excerpt from Reuters)

OILNEWS Saudi Arabia sends wave of supertankers to US ahead of oil meeting

T

he world’s top oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, is making good on its promise to flood the world with oil even as demand collapses, with a surge in tankers carrying Saudi crude to the United States, tanker-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg showed on Wednesday.

Last month, when Saudi Arabia pledged to flood the markets with oil, the Kingdom’s crude oil exports to the US hit a oneyear-high of 516,000 barrels per day (bpd), according to the data compiled by Bloomberg.

So far this month, at least seven supertankers carrying a total of 14 million barrels of oil are currently travelling to the US Gulf Coast. This compares to just two million barrels of Saudi oil en route to America in the same period in March. Almost all tankers are chartered by the Saudi State-run shipping firm Bahri, according to the data compiled by Bloomberg.

Just after the collapse of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries-Plus (OPEC+) production cut deal in early March, Saudi Arabia’s Bahri was understood to have hired Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) to carry all the extra oil that the Kingdom planned on exporting in April –a rare move indeed for the shipping company that sports its own fleet of 41 tankers.

The surge in Saudi oil exports coincides with a colossal demand loss around the world owing to the coronavirus pandemic, and some analysts see global oil demand in April crashing by 30 per cent, or by 30 million bpd, compared to the world’s typical levels of consumption.

While the major oil producers in the world are trying to forge a broader production cut deal, Saudi Arabia isn’t changing tactics – at least not this month; cargoes were scheduled weeks ahead, Fotios Katsoulas, Liquid Bulk Principal Analyst, Maritime & Trade, at IHS Markit, wrote this week.

According to IHS Markit Commodities at Sea, the Saudis are pressing ahead with more crude oil exports as promised.

“Saudi Arabia was exporting close to seven million barrels a day, but current activity stands above nine million barrels a day,” Katsoulas said.

The Kingdom is ready to further boost its exports, despite growing diplomatic pressure for a global deal, the analyst noted.

“At least 18 ballast VLCCs are currently positioned very close to Saudi Arabia's oil terminals of Ras Tanura and Yanbu, which could load around 36 million barrels in total,’’ IHS Markit Commodities at Sea said. (Oil Price)

Britain's Johnson “improving”, but remains in intensive care

B

ritish Prime Minister Boris Johnson's condition was said to be "improving" on Wednesday, as he spent a third day in intensive care battling the coronavirus.

The disease has struck at the heart of the British Government, infected more than 60,000 people nationwide and killed over 7000, with another record daily toll reported on Wednesday.

"The latest from the hospital is that the Prime Minister remains in intensive care where his condition is improving," Finance Minister Rishi Sunak said at a briefing.

"He has been sitting up in bed and engaging positively with the clinical team."

Earlier, Johnson's official spokesman said he remained "clinically stable and is responding to treatment, describing the 55-year-old Conservative leader as being in "good spirits".

The update came as newspapers urged Britons

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson

to keep their stricken leader at the forefront of their minds, with a lockdown to try to stem the spread of COVID-19 now in its third week.

"He stayed at work for you... now pray at home for him," The Sun tabloid splashed across its front page. "Boris 'will pull through'" said the Daily Express. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020

19

ARCHIE

ARIES

Think about the good times. Don’t let your emotions take charge and cause a problem. Getting along with others will be necessary if you want to advance.

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

A change someone makes will not reflect what he or she suggested. Be ready to adjust to counter any fallout that may leave you in a precarious position.

(March 21April 19)

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Curb your habits and take better care of your health.

Fitness and diet will make a difference. Don’t share personal information or passwords, or someone will take advantage of you.

If something is bothering you, speak out. Keeping your feelings inside will only make situations worse. Be honest and focus on moving forward. A creative project looks promising.

Don’t expect someone to be forthright about sensitive information that can make or break an important decision. Control your emotions and maintain a reserved demeanor. Discipline and physical endurance will defeat obstacles.

Communication, travel and networking events will bring about positive decisions and change. Follow your heart and do your own thing, regardless of what others do. Put your health and prosperity first.

Get involved in activities that challenge you mentally and physically. How you react to others will affect your reputation. Offer kindness and consideration, as well as truth.

A change of heart will take place if you educate yourself about something.

Knowledge is power, and being adaptable will help you achieve whatever you set out to do.

Deception regarding joint SAGITTARIUS finances is apparent. Take (Nov. 23a close look at contracts and Dec. 21) agreements before you commit. Let go of the past and find solace in the future.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Use your imagination to come up with sound solutions. A change may not be on your to-do list, but once you start to make alterations, you will feel comfortable with your decisions.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Emotional matters will be difficult to control. When in doubt, retreat, get organized and work on something that gives you a chance to rethink your next move.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

A joint venture will have pros and cons. Before you join in, consider the cost and time involved. You may be best off moving forward on your own.

20

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020

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

National recount can be accomplished in roughly 12 days – Institute urges GECOM to consider proposed plan and pledges technical and logistic support Dear Editor, On April 8, 2020, it was reported that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) proposed a national recount plan that would take 155 days to be completed. The proposed plan is not the most efficient approach to the recount exercise, and thus requires a significant amount of time.

We believe the plan that we are proposing is a more efficient way to undertake the national recount. The need for a more efficient plan is further underscored by the fact that the future of the nation has been hanging in the balance since March 2, 2020, and every effort to complete the tabulation process in an open, transparent, and credible manner must be considered.

Against this background, the Guyana Budget Policy Institute is proposing a plan that can deliver an open, transparent and credible completion of a national recount of votes in all the regions in roughly 12 days.

Based on the institute’s plan, it will take on average 1 hour and 5 minutes to recount each ballot box.

Further, for each 12-hour shift, a maximum of 3 hours can be used for administration (e.g. lunch breaks, shift change, etc.) and 9 hours of actual recounting of the ballots. The institute’s plan is practical and involves the participation of all stakeholders to ensure the process and resulting declarations are credible. The institute stands ready to provide GECOM with technical and logistical support necessary to implement this plan or any other similar plan that would deliver a credible recount in a similar time frame.

The institute sincerely hopes that GECOM would consider this plan, even its concept, to ensure that a credible recount exercise can be completed in the shortest possible time. This is critical not only to complete the 2020 general and regional elections credibly and to install the next legitimate government, but to ensure that a legitimate government can access much-needed resources to deal with the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 virus, retain Guyana’s credibility on the international stage, and continue with the non-partisan business of national development.

Highlights of the plan

– The national recount will be completed in roughly 12 days – The process will not stop once it starts – The process will not require any GECOM staff to work for more than 12 hours at a time – The process provides for added oversight by including live streaming of

the recounting activities – No single GECOM staff will have a monopoly over any aspect of the recount process – The process includes the participation of political party agents, international and local observers.

– The process considers social-distancing requirements.

– The process would not require any significant additional resources, but relies on GECOM’s full-time staff

Key details of the proposed national recount plan

The institute’s plan is based on the following conditions: 1. The recount will be for all ten administrative regions, 2. The recounting process will NOT stop until it is completed once it commences.

3. There will be more than 1 recounting team for each region 4. There will be a 12hour shift schedule for each team.

5. The recounting exercise will commence at the same time for all the regions and NOT one after the other.

6. A team comprises of the following people: a. 2 GECOM staff (1 Presiding Officer and 1 Clerk) b. At least 1 agent per political party c. At least 1 international observer from among the OAS, E.U. Commonwealth, Carter Center, CARICOM, etc. d. At least 1 local observer from among the GCCI, PSC, AMCHAM, Bar Association, etc.

7. It takes at most 20 seconds to validate each ballot (this is a very liberal estimate since the actual time taken on elections night was significantly less). This involves the Presiding Officer calling out the vote on each ballot and showing it to all stakeholders for validation. The 20 seconds also include 5 seconds that is the average per ballot for other

types of administrative processes that can slow the process, e.g. lunch break, short breaks, changing over to another shift, etc.

8. The ballots which are currently stored in the ballot boxes are already sorted which saves a lot of time in the recount process.

Based on these conditions, the table below shows the valid votes for each Region based on existing GECOM declarations except for Region 4 and 7. The valid votes for these two regions are based on their preliminary results in the public domain. The table also shows the number of days (24 work hours) that are required to recount the votes for each region. Further, it shows the number of teams that are required to work on a 12-hour rotation shift system, and the total number of teams for each region to complete the recount process.

For example, for Region 3 which has 73,432 valid votes, 6 teams are required to work on a 12-hour shift rotation system, 2 teams at a time, to complete the recount process in 8 days.

Let’s call the six teams 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E, and 3F. Teams 3A and 3B will start the recount and work for 12 hours. Teams 3C and 3D will relieve Teams 3A and 3B (so that these persons can get rest) and continue the recount for another 12 hours. Teams 3E and 3F will relieve Teams 3C and 3D (so that these persons can also get rest) and continue the process for the next 12 hours. And finally, Teams 3A and 3B (after resting for 24 hours) will relieve Teams 3E and 3F and continue the process for the next 12 hours, and the pro-

cess continues like this until all the ballots are recounted.

Region 4, because of the size, requires a total of 12 teams to complete the recount exercise in 12 days.

The ballots for Region 4 would be split into four main groups (South Georgetown, North Georgetown, East Bank, and East Coast).

Each group will have 3 teams assigned to it (Teams 4A, 4B, and 4C). Let’s take, for example, the South Georgetown group, Team 4A will start the recounting process and work for 12 hours, Team 4B will relieve Team 4A and continue for 12 hours, and Team 4C will relieve Team 4B and continue for 12 hours, and the process continues. This shift system allows each team to work for 12 hours and rest for 24 hours without interrupting the process. What is more importan, is that while the recount is happening for South Georgetown, it is also happening simultaneously for all the other groups in Region 4.

For those Regions that require only 2 teams, each team will work for 12 hours and rest for 12 hours. This process will go on for no more than 6 days among these regions. After one week (7 days), 7 of the 10 regions will be fully recounted.

After roughly 12 days all 10

regions will be fully recounted, at which point GECOM will have all the regional declarations to make an official and credible national declaration within 24 hours.

Total GECOM staff required to undertake the recounting exercise

Setting aside other administrative support staff and focusing only on the staff needed to undertake the national recount, a total of 74 staff are required for the 37 teams (each team having 2 staff members; 1 Presiding Officer and 1 Clerk). That is a total of 37 Presiding Officers and 37 Clerks. This is an insignificant amount of human resources given GECOM’s personnel size. For perspective, Region 4 alone has 879 Presiding Officers and probably 3 times as many Clerks.

In essence, GECOM has sufficient resources to undertake the recount exercise in 12 days. More importantly, it has resources to complete the recount without involving the current Region 4 Returning Officer, Mr. Mingo who has lost the public’s confidence.

Location to accommodate the recount exercise (+covid-19 considerations)

The Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC)

has adequate space and facilities to accommodate the 37 teams to undertake the national recount, taking into account the need for social distancing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ACCC also has adequate open space outside for temporary tents to be erected, if necessary.

Finally, the ACCC is conveniently located and allows for public security of the ballot boxes on a 24hour basis. These accommodations would help to inspire public confidence in the recount process for it to achieve local and international credibility.

Live streaming of the recounting exercise

The need for live coverage of the recount exercise is no longer a matter of debate. The process has thus far been fraught with endless delays and qualms that have eroded public confidence and credibility. To ensure that the recount exercise is open, fair, transparent and credible, live coverage of the recount is necessary. The ACCC provides adequate accommodation for at least a single camera that is properly placed on each team with a live feed available on GECOM’s website and provided freely to media for all Guyanese to witness the process. These recordings will serve as useful evidence of the fairness, transparency, and credibility of the process.

Yours Sincerely, Directors Dhanraj Singh, Executive Director Guyana Budget Policy Institute

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020

21

Effect of coronavirus on horse racing…

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By Timothy Jaikarran

T

he coronavirus pandemic has drastically affected the health systems of the world, and even Guyana has had to deal with issues brought on by the pandemic. All sporting disciplines have been put on indefinite hold as a solution is hoped for to combat the virus.

The Crawford Memorial Turf Club (CMTC) of Alness village, Corentyne Coast, East Berbice, a premier horse racing club, is anxiously awaiting restart of the horse racing season, but is scrupulously observing all health protocols relative to combatting COVID-19.

Having successfully hosted such events as the President’s Cup and the annual Phagwah and

Mashramani Cup meetings, besides a plethora of other events, the club has settled down to await the passing of this pandemic, but says it has seen the dire consequences of not adhering to the COVID-19 protocols, and is urging citizens to practise social distancing and staying at home.

In a little chat with Guyana Times Sport,the CMTC was asked what it was doing to play its part in the fight against COVID-19, and President of the Turf Club, Marcel Crawford Jr, said, “Well, I have been preaching to people to practise social distancing and adhere to the curfew laws.

“A point to note is that there were some animals in a zoo in New York City. They contracted the virus, so we in

Guyana have to be very careful in how we operate.

So, until this virus is combatted, we will not be hosting any events.

“The government had asked the people to practise good hygiene and virtually protect themselves, so therefore we are asking our fans to adhere to the strict regulations about helping to curb the corona,” Crawford explained.

Crawford has said he would like to thank the fans for always supporting his events, and he asks that they should stay safe and look forward for bigger and better events from the CMTC when everything is settled.

President of the Crawford Memorial Turf Club Marcel Crawford JR

Crawford Memorial Turf Club President Marcel Crawford Jr

COVID-19 effect on local promotions…

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By Timothy Jaikarran

P

ink Diamond Promotions, founded

by Warren Wilson, was set to host its inaugural sporting competition, “Daddy & Me”, on Father’s Day, June 21, at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue, but the current COVID-19 pandemic has caused the tournament to be postponed until 2021.

Warren Wilson told this publication that management had been paying close attention to the COVID-19 situation; and since cases of infection had risen to 33, with 5 deaths also recorded as at April 7, 2020, the decision was taken to postpone the date of its staging in order to address the safety of participants in adherence with the guidelines set out by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH).

The following aspects of the tournament remain unchanged: Registration cost for participation in this competition. It has been set at $1000 per person, but because participation has to involve a father and a son, participation per father- and-son team is $2,000.

Entrance fee per spectator is $500, but

children under 10 years old would be admitted without charge.

Wilson explained that this competition takes the form of skills challenges, races, obstacle courses, and much more. Competition would be in the following categories: 7-11, 12-16, and 17 Open, as there would be the requisite challenges for the respective age ranges.

Wilson explained that it is very necessary for teams entering the competition to acquaint themselves with the governing rules, and he said fathers are required to pass a physical test to ensure they are eligible to be in the competition, although the completion is open to all fathers.

All eligible participants must attend cardio and aerobics sessions which would be provided by the committee, and any antecedent health condition must be disclosed.

The Organizing Committee reserves the right to debar participation of anyone deemed unfit.

Persons seeking further information are invited to contact Warren Wilson on 627-2719, Kade Pearce on 620-0462, or Sophia on 6856077.

Founder of the tournament, Warren Wilson

Coronavirus effect on international horseracing…

- Royal Ascot may be run behind closed doors

R

acing's first four Classics of the season - including the Derby at Epsom - have been postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Next month's Guineas meeting at Newmarket, featuring the 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas, is off.

The Derby meeting in June, which includes the Oaks, is also affected, the jockey club Racecourses has said.

Meanwhile, the organisers of June's Royal Ascot have said the meeting “will not take place as an event open to the public".

"It may prove possible to run the Royal Ascot races behind closed doors, dependent on government and public health policy and the approval of the BHA [British Horseracing Authority] for us to restart racing," said Ascot Racecourse's chief executive Guy Henderson.

"We thank everyone in advance for their patience and understanding in completing this substantial task, given the challenging practical circumstances of the current national lockdown," Henderson added.

The total attendance over five days at last year's Royal Ascot meeting was more than 290,000.

Talks are under way over rescheduling the big Classic races, which are solely for three-year-old horses, later in 2020.

Jockey Club Racecourses has said the Guineas fixture (2-3 May) and the Derby meeting (5-6 June) were being called off "due to the ongoing public health emergency".

"As a sport, we have a responsibility to safeguard the staging of our Classics, and to position them within a sensible, balanced schedule of complementary events, wherever possible," said Ruth Quinn, Director of International Racing and Racing Development at the British Horseracing Authority.

"We will continue to work together to deliver the optimal outcome within these unprecedented set of circumstances” she continued."We are developing plans to help ensure that a suitable race programme for the long-term health of the sport can be delivered in these challenging times. Naturally one of the key priorities is the staging of the generation-defining races.

"The plan will adapt depending on when racing recommences, but will aim to ensure that we provide

suitable opportunities for the horses most likely to define the future of the thoroughbred breed if at all possible."Pinatubo, owned by Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin team and trained in Newmarket by Charlie Appleby, had been favoured to win the 2,000 Guineas and the Derby. In January, the colt was given an official rating above the legendary Frankel, who is at the same age. That rating is the highest for a juvenile racehorse in Europe for 25 years.

There are five Classics in the British flat-racing season, concluding with the St Leger at Doncaster in September.It was announced on 17 March that all British racing would be suspended until at least the end of April. (BBC.COM)

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THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

TTFA vs FIFA…

TTFA lawyers request Mark Hovell as sole arbitrator for FIFA dispute

r Emir Crowne and Matthew Gayle, lawyers representing the ousted executive of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), have proposed that Mark Hovell, a solicitor from Manchester, England, be the sole arbitrator in their case against football’s world governing body, FIFA. Hovell is a highly experienced sports lawyer and insolvency practitioner who specialises in regulatory, governance, commercial and financial matters across all sports, both in the UK and across the world. Moreover, he sits regularly as an arbitrator at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and The FA's regulatory commissions.

Mark Hovell

FIFA has until April 14 to submit their comments regarding the request whether they agree to a sole arbitrator deciding matters

Veteran commentator Michael Holding

V

eteran cricket commentator Michael Holding has revealed that he plans to hang up his microphone very soon.

The 66-year-old former West Indies fast bowler was speaking on Mason on Guest from the Cayman Islands on Tuesday when

he revealed his plans to retire from what has been a long and illustrious career providing commentary and analysis on Test cricket.

Holding began his commentating career in 1991 in the Caribbean, and currently works with Skysports in the United Kingdom and

and Hovell's appointment.

On March 17, FIFA wrote to the TTFA, advising them that they were appointing a normalisation committee to take over the running of the heavily indebted association.

However, despite protests from the executive because such a move would be in breach of the TTFA Constitution, FIFA proceeded to name members of the committee on March 26.

The action prompted the attorneys to file an appeal to set aside FIFA's decision before the CAS on Monday, April 6.

On Wednesday, April 8, CAS acknowledged receipt of the appeal.

The lawyers now have until April 17, 10 days from when the appeal was due to be

Supersport in South Africa.

Now, after 29 years in the commentary booth, Holding says the end is drawing near.

“I am not too sure how much farther than 2020 I will be going with commentary,” Holding said. “The last contract I signed with Sky was for one year, 2020, because I told them I could not commit to more than a year at a time. If this year gets totally destroyed (because of the pandemic), I might have to think about 2021, because I can’t just walk away from Sky, a company that has done so much good for me, after a complete dud of a season; but I can’t see myself going too much further down the road with this thing. I am 66 years old. I am no longer 36, 46 or 56.”

Nicknamed Whispering Death because of his quiet approach to the wicket and his blistering pace, Holding played 60 Tests for the West Indies between 1975 and 1987, taking 49 wickets at an average of 23.68.

filed, which was Tuesday, April 7. Should they fail to do so, CAS would deem the appeal withdrawn. FIFA then have 20 days to respond to the filed brief. They would be expected to do so by early May. CAS has also invited the TTFA lawyers to consider the

possibility of mediation.

“I take this opportunity to draw the parties’ attention to the possibility of submitting this dispute to CAS mediation, which would not prejudice the parties’ rights to subsequently re-submit the dispute to arbitration, should the dispute

remain unresolved at the conclusion of the mediation procedure,” wrote Antonio De Quesada, Head of Arbitration.

“A successful mediation procedure would result in a binding settlement, the terms of which have been agreed upon by both parties.”

England all-rounder Ben Stokes named Wisden leading cricketer in world

B

en Stokes has become the first Englishman since 2005 to be named Wisden's leading cricketer in the

world.

Stokes played a key role in England's World Cup victory in July, and was named Man of the Match in the final. Further, the 28-year-old scored a stunning 135 not out to lead England to a thrilling one-wicket victory over Australia in the third Ashes Test at Headingley.

Andrew Flintoff was the last England men's player to receive this award, while India captain Virat Kohli has won it for the past three years.

England pace bowler Jofra Archer has been named as one of Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year. Australians Pat Cummins, Marnus Labuschagne and Ellyse Perry have been named alongside Archer, as well as Essex off-spinner Simon Harmer.

Perry, who is the first non-England women's player to appear as one of the five, has also been named the “world's leading women's cricketer”.

All-rounder Stokes Ben hit an unbeaten 84, and Stokes then batted again in the super over as England dramatically beat New Zealand at Lord's to l i f t the men's World Cup for the first time.

His last-wicket stand of 76 with Jack Leach helped England level the Ashes series, which they eventually drew 2-2.

"Without him, this Almanack might have

been another English hard-luck story," editor Lawrence Booth wrote.

"Instead, it’s a celebration. Stokes is their all-weather cricketer; a giant, come rain or shine. The next few years should be fun.”

The Cricketers of the Year - who else won, & why

Archer made his England debut in May 2019, and two months later bowled the super over that ensured England's World Cup victory.

He made his Test debut i n the

Ashes, finishing the five-match series with 22 wickets at an average of 20.27.

Australian pace bowler Cummins was the leading wicket-taker in that series, claiming 29 wickets as Australia retained the Ashes.

Batsman Labuschagne first appeared in the Ashes as a concussion substitute for Steve Smith, but went on to score four successive half-centuries.

He averaged 112 in the Australian summer, and is third in the Test batting rankings, after Smith and Kohli.

Harmer was part of the Essex side that won the County Championship and T20 Blast in 2019, taking 83 wickets and 10 five-wicket hauls in the Championship.

Perry was the leading run-scorer and wicket-taker as Australia successfully defended their Women's Ashes title against England.

The all-rounder finished the multi-format series with 378 runs, including a Test century at Taunton, and 15 wickets. (BBC. COM)

Coronavirus effect on world athletics…

WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS POSTPONED TO 2022

T

he 2021 World A t h l e t i c s Championships have been moved back to 2022 to accommodate the rescheduled Tokyo Olympic Games, governing body World Athletics has confirmed.

The International Olympic Committee last month elected to move Tokyo 2020 back 12 months in response to the coronavirus pandemic. That announcement was made possible after World Athletics

confirmed its willingness to move its own event; and the championships, originally slated for August 6-15 next year, will now take place between July 15-24 the following year, with Oregon still the location.

The new date has been selected so as not to clash with the Commonwealth Games and European Championships.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe is enthused by the exposure

that will be generated for athletics during six weeks of back-to-back international competitions.

"This will be a bonanza for athletics fans around the world," he said in a statement. "They will be treated to six weeks of absolutely first-class athletics. More than 70 of our member federations are part of the Commonwealth, and more than 50 of our member federations are European, so our guiding principle in rescheduling the World

Championships was to ensure enough space was created around the centerpiece, World Athletics Championship, for athletes to choose other major events to compete in.

"We were also very mindful that we did not want to damage the other major championships in 2022, because they are also very important to our sport."

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

23

Ramdhani siblings striving to stay fit amid COVID-19 restrictions

By Jemima Holmes

W

hile many persons locally are taking the necessary precautions against contracting the deadly coronavirus, many of us tend to forget about our fellow Guyanese who are probably in more danger than ourselves.

While the coronavirus has not had a massive breakout in Guyana, First World territories with much larger populations are facing the brunt of the pandemic, with thousands of persons being infected. In Guyana, many athletes still have the freedom to jog or to conduct personal training, with social distancing warnings in mind. However, in Canada there is a stark difference, with winter weather restricting even the simplest outdoor activity.

Prior to the C O V I D - 1 9 outbreak, t h e

21-year-old Narayan Ramdhani and 18-year-old Priyanna Ramdhani were at the close of a spectacular 2019-2020 college season, both finishing 4th in the Canadian College Badminton National Tournament. The next steps for the pair were the Olympic qualifiers, but the opportunity was weeded out as the Olympics and all of its qualifiers were postponed for 2021.

With approximately 18,000 confirmed cases in Canada and roughly 1300 cases in Alberta alone, the siblings are taking every precaution necessary to stay healthy, but this would include staying away from the sport they love most.

With this in mind, Guyana Times Sport caught up with the racquet wielding siblings, Priyanna and Narayan Ramdhani, who shared their experiences on how they are

coping with training and keeping fit, and offered advice for local players who may also be down and out.

GT Sport: How have COVID-19 restrictions hampered your everyday training?

Narayan: This is the longest I have been away from badminton, the most I can do is watch badminton. The virus also cancelled my Olympic qualifying tournaments in Cuba and Guatemala, but thankfully the Olympics isn’t happening until next year, so I still have time to qualify.

Priyanna: COVID-19 restrictions made a big impact on my training schedule. I usually train five times a week: three times a week on court and twice a week at the gym for strength training etc. In order to keep up this training schedule, I would have to be outside of my house to attend practice, which will have way more benefit for enhancing my Badminton skills.

GT Sport: What measures are you taking to keep fit and sharp in your game?

Narayan:

In Alberta it’s still snowing, but I’m still running outside (staying away from people) and I’m working out; pushups, sits up and doing badminton movements as much as I can.

Priyanna: I have been trying my best to keep fit by doing some exercises daily at home, and sometimes I would go for a run around my neighbourhood when I get the opportunity to do so, because the weather in Canada is really cold, which makes it difficult for me to exercise outside every day.

GT Sport: As an athlete, how difficult is it to have to stay in for majority of your time?

Narayan: I’m actually pretty busy. I still have school, and because of the virus, everything is online. I have online classes twice a day, assignments and tests to do.

But I’m still keeping active. I think I can cook a bit too.

Priyanna: As an athlete, I find it very difficult to have to stay home for majority of the

The Ramdhani siblings

Narayan Ramdhani

Priyanna Ramdhani

time, because I am more of an outgoing person and I like to socialize with my teammates and friends at the Badminton arena and also at school, but our education system has been switched to online classes, and this affects me from seeing my friends and teammates face to face.

GT Sport: What advice would you give to local players in regard to staying fit and focused in the game of badminton?

Narayan: Keep active and watch badminton videos online. The guys back home have it better, they can play badminton in their

yard or over their gate. If my sister and I go outside to play, we might be frozen after. But you can always do something to stay fit.

Priyanna: My advice to the local badminton players to stay fit and focused is to create a training schedule with exercises to follow on a day-to-day basis, and ensure to motivate yourself to follow that schedule to stay fit, because we are all in a rough position, and as athletes, when the dust settles and the world is back on its feet, there is no doubt that the Ramdhani siblings will go on to excel on and off the courts.

Stranded athletes in good care S

ix Guyanese athletes along with a coach who are stranded in foreign lands are said to be in good care, as the National Sports Commission (NSC) has sought to make provisions for them.

While it was known that four boxers and a coach who had travelled to Cuba for a three-month stint at Olympic Qualifier training since January were stuck in that Spanishspeaking island, two footballers who are in Miami last week made their plight known.

The stranded boxers are Keevin Allicock, Colin Lewis, Desmond Amsterdam and Dennis Thomas, and the Coach is Terrence Poole. The footballers stuck in Miami are Jeremy Garrett and Curtez Kellman, who are currently in the United States on scholarship.

In Cuba, the boxing contingent is said to be housed at a villa that is utilized by the Guyana Embassy, and the two footballers in Miami are being accommodated in a hotel room, with

the Guyanese Consulate footing the expenses.

“I can safely say that the athletes are under the care of the Guyana Government, and that they and their families have been informed as it relates to the current situation, and I am in contact on a daily basis. As soon as the present situation is improved and our airports are opened again, they will be returned home safely, but rest assured they are in good care, even as it relates to the present global pandemic COVID-19”, Director of Sport, Christopher Jones, affirmed to media operatives.

However, the fate of the Guyanese athletes still hangs in the balance as they await the reopening of the Cheddi Jagan and Eugene F. Correia International Airports, which is the only way they can hope to return home.

Director of Sport, Christopher Jones

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2020

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

guyanatimesgy.com

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Ramdhani Siblings striving to stay fit amidst COVID- 19 restrictions Coronavirus effect on world athletics…

WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS POSTPONED TO 2022

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