Guyana Times - Tuesday, June 30, 2020

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Sanctions necessary to bring oppressors to their knees – Ali guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4332

TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020

See story on page 3

…coalition will not be allowed to get away with electoral fraud – Phillips

Guyana needs international community – Carl Greenidge See story on page 17

…warns against using sovereignty for political convenience …anticipates ICJ ruling on jurisdiction before year-end

Suriname moves ahead with democratic transition of new Govt

APNU/AFCcontrolled M&CC hikes tax rates …as Guyana’s defeated caretaker retroactively by 10% President clings to power See story on page 15

See story on page 11

Granger plunges Guyana Declaration should be based into more bewilderment, on confirmed anguish – former AG Caricom recount …promises to abide by declaration, but supports Lowenfield's fraudulent report – Michael Grant Page 16

Page 16

PRICE

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

GECOM Chair declines to make new submissions P9 to CCJ …previous submissions stand

Doctors’ P12 residence razed by fire in Mabaruma

APNU/AFC P7 damaging credibility of Guyana on int’l stage Armed bandits invade P15 Moblissa family’s home …escape with vehicles, cash

Port Kaituma P8 miner confesses to killing friend in 2017

Time to honour, respect the will of the P12 people – CIOG to Granger …calls on GECOM to declare elections results

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TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, June 30 – 13:00h – 14:30h and Wednesday, July 1 – 01:30h – 03:00h and 13:30h – 15:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, June 30 – 12:00h – 13:30h and Wednesday, July 1 – 13:10h – 14:40h.

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

WEATHER TODAY

There will be thundery showers and light rain showers during the day. Clear skies will prevail at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Southerly to South South-Easterly to East South-Easterly to Easterly to East North-Easterly between 1.34 metres and 3.12 metres.

High Tide: 12:29h reaching a maximum height of 2.38 metres.

Low Tide: 18:24h reaching a minimum height of 0.83 metre.

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$41.71/barrel

+1.65

Rough Rice

$221.49 /ton

-0.20

London Sugar

$351.20/ton

Live Spot Gold

0

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1769.00

$1770.00

Low/High

$1762.90

$1777.10

Change

- 3.60

- 0.20%

Sanctions necessary to bring oppressors to their knees – Ali

…coalition will not be allowed to get away with electoral fraud – Phillips

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residential Candidate for the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), Dr Irfaan Ali, whose party won the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections, has noted that Guyana will be crippled if the foreign powers are to impose sanctions, as a result of the A Partnership For National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) attempts to thwart democracy, but noted that it will be a necessary factor to bring the oppressors to their knees.

Foreign Governments, inclusive of the United States, Britain, Canada and the European Union have warned that Guyana would be ostracising itself if a new Government is formed on the basis of the concocted figures of Returning Officer for Electoral District Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Clairmont Mingo. In essence, the superpowers are warning of sanctions if the APNU/ AFC and its rigging cabal succeed.

The very threats of sanctions worry the PPP/C since it is of the belief that the country would be crippled and has since been fighting to ensure that the will of Guyanese who voted at the March 2 General and Regional Elections are not derailed. The figures emanating from the National Recount of the ballots prove that the PPP/C won the majority by over 15,000 votes.

In an interview on Monday, at Television Guyana (TV-G), Channel 25 studio, Dr Ali said that the mere threat of sanctions has the ability to reduce the credibility of the country. He explained that investors will question the stability before deciding to invest, also, both regional and international financial institutions would also consider those threats before venturing into Guyana and respond to the needs of the country.

“You are looked at in a totally different light just by the threat of sanctions and especially when that threat is one relating to the rule of law, democracy and good governance. That is the hallmark of every nation. That is the core of every nation and when these are the things that are threatened giving rise to the threat of sanctions then your country is viewed as totally differently,” he noted.

Dr Ali furthered that this is an especially important time in Guyana’s economic development with it in the early stages of being an oil-producing nation and dealing with the global coronavirus pandemic that has the potential to cause tremendous damage to both the financial and economic systems. He related that it is time for the rule of law and good governance to prevail since Guyana should be

Presidential Candidate for PPP/C, Dr Irfaan Ali along with the party’s Prime Ministerial Candidate, Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips

mobilising the support of international financial institutions and not be at an election impasse.

The former Housing and Water Minister explained that every aspect of livelihood would be affected should the superpowers decide to dish out sanctions on individuals complicit in committing electoral fraud. He explained that those sanctions would be more than just travelling restrictions rather they.

“Financial flows will not come from the international organisations, our revenue from the oil and gas sector would be frozen, foreign investment will dry up. These are the types of things that will cripple our country and unfortunately, if this cabal continues in the way they are going then collectively as a nation, though the implications are grave, we would have to understand that sanctions would have to be there to bring those who are oppressing our country

to bring the oppressors of democracy, good governance, and the rule of law to their knees and make them answerable so that our country can return on a democratic pathway,” Dr Ali related.

Not the 70s and 80s

Meanwhile, PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate, Brigadier Retired Mark Phillips noted that the current political situation in Guyana could be best described as unstable. He noted that when political instability exists then every aspect of development will be affected.

“From a security standpoint, it (sanctions) will affect a lot of security cooperation agreements and defence-related agreements that we have with neighbouring countries and organisations. The capacity-building programmes of our Police Force and Defence Force depends on those relations… when democracy is threatened many of those security arrangements will have to be placed on hold until we get our house in order and that is the reality,” the former Army Chief explained.

As international pressure continues to mount on the incumbent APNU/AFC coalition to concede following its defeat at the March 2 General and Regional Elections, Phillips has made it clear that the coalition will not be allowed to get away with electoral fraud as the world will not stand idly by and allow an illegal Government to be foisted on the nation.

According to Phillips during an interview broadcast on Antiguan radio NICE FM 104.3 Online, this is not the 1970s and 80s where the entire world turned a blind eye to what was happening in Guyana.

TURN TO PAGE 7

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guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020

Views After 3 strikes, Lowenfield must be given out 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

Keeping our children safe

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ccording to a recent report published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in collaboration with UNICEF, UNESCO, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General on Violence against Children and the End Violence Partnership, half of the world’s children, or approximately one billion children each year are affected by physical, sexual or psychological violence, suffering injuries, disabilities and death, because countries have failed to follow established strategies to protect them.

The report – “Global Status Report on Preventing Violence Against Children 2020” – is the first of its kind, charting progress in 155 countries against the “INSPIRE” framework, a set of seven strategies for preventing and responding to violence against children.

The report signals a clear need in all countries, including Guyana, to scale up efforts to implement these strategies. While 88 per cent of the countries surveyed have key laws in place to protect children against violence, less than half of countries (47 per cent) said these were being strongly enforced. It is, therefore, clear that having the policy framework in place is not enough, there is a serious challenge as it relates to implementation.

The data for the report was compiled through a survey administered between 2018 and 2019 with responses from over 1000 decision-makers from 155 countries. The INSPIRE strategies, launched in 2016, call for the implementation and enforcement of laws; changing norms and values to make violence unacceptable; creating safe physical environments for children; providing support to parents and caregivers; strengthening income and economic security and stability; improving response and support services for victims; and providing children with education and life skills.

The report also includes the first-ever global homicide estimates specifically for children under 18 years of age – previous estimates were based on data that included 18 to 19 year olds. It finds that in 2017, around 40,000 children were victims of homicide.

Of the INSPIRE strategies, only access to schools through enrolment showed the most progress, with 54 per cent of countries reporting that a sufficient number of children in need were being reached in this way. Between 32 per cent and 37 per cent of countries considered that victims of violence could access support services while 26 per cent of countries provided programmes on parent and caregiver support; 21 per cent of countries had programmes to change harmful norms; and 15 per cent of countries had modifications to provide safe physical environments for children.

Although a majority of countries (83 per cent) have national data on violence against children, only 21 per cent used these to set baselines and national targets to prevent and respond to violence against children.

According to the report’s findings, about 80 per cent of countries have national plans of action and policies, but only onefifth have plans that are fully funded or have measurable targets.

A lack of funding combined with inadequate professional capacity are likely contributing factors and a reason why implementation has been slow.

The report also noted that stay-at-home measures, including school closures, have limited the usual sources of support for families and individuals such as friends, extended family, or professionals. This further erodes victims’ ability to successfully cope with crises and the new routines of daily life. Spikes in calls to helplines for child abuse and intimate partner violence have been observed.

And while online communities have become central to maintain many children’s learning, support and play, an increase in harmful online behaviours including cyberbullying, risky online behaviour and sexual exploitation has been identified.

WHO has underlined the need for global action to ensure that the necessary financial and technical support is available to all countries. It notes also that monitoring and evaluation are crucial to determine the extent to which these prevention efforts are effectively delivered to all who need them.

Dr Howard Taylor, a representative of End Violence Partnership, puts it this way: “Ending violence against children is the right thing to do, a smart investment to make, and it’s possible…We can and must create a world where every child can thrive free from violence and become a new generation of adults to experience healthy and prosperous lives.”

Like WHO and other partners, we believe that it is time to fully fund comprehensive national action plans that will keep children safe at home, at school, online and in their communities.

Dear Editor, It would appear that GECOM CEO Keith Lowenfield either has a charmed life or a “godfather” in high places. Whatever the reason, over the past threeplus months, it has not mattered how many egregious and deliberate spanners he has thrown into the carefully integrated machinery of GECOM, he still remains poised to continue in the same vein, following the decision of the CCJ later this week. This will not do.

In the first instance, after his RO Clairmont Mingo confabulated Reg Four SoPs, even as there was a resort to the courts citing Mingo for contempt in not following

the clear instructions of the High Court, Lowenfield yet used the concocted figures to create the report he submitted to the Commission, showing APNU/AFC as the winner and which the Chair held in “abeyance”, without explicitly rejecting it and censuring Lowenfield.

The second Lowenfield infraction came after the recount when he arbitrarily awarded himself the powers of an elections court to evaluate the “irregularities” APNU/AFC had wildly thrown up during the recount process and in preparing his report disqualified 275,000 persons. This report, which again showed the APNU/AFC winning,

was not accepted by the Commission and he was told to utilise the figures from the Certificates of Recount.

He was not penalised for his gross overreach.

The third infraction came after the Court of Appeal ordered a three-day stay on all GECOM proceedings following a petition to prevent a declaration and ruled that only “valid votes” must be counted. This, as a matter of fact, was what the recount process had produced.

Lowenfield, however, took it upon himself to announce (incorrectly) that he was a constitutional officer and had been given the authority by the COA to prepare his report of “valid and

credible” votes. This he did and disqualified 115,000 voters this time to give APNU/ AFC a win once again. And once again, he was not disciplined nor cited by the Commission or Chair.

The CCJ is about to rule on the status of the votes coming out of the recount.

It is beyond belief that the Commission and the Chair of GECOM will use Lowenfield as the person to effectuate the apex court’s ruling.

The Chair must move expeditiously to declare that after three strikes, Lowenfield is out.

Dear Editor, Where else in this world will elections that cover less than ½ million voters take more than 120 days to have a final declaration being made of the winner?

Where else in the world will these elections produce 6 different results (original figures based on SoPs, Mingo’s figures of March 5, Mingo’s figures of March 13, recount figures of June 8, Lowenfield figures of June 13 and Lowenfield figures of June 23)? Where else in this world will a de facto Government fail to concede defeat and step down, despite all the pressures exerted by local stakeholders and the international community?

Where else in the world will a Government advance an astonishing defence in support of open fraud perpetrated by its operatives at the Elections Commission Secretariat? Where else in the world will a country be regarded as a pariah state? And where else in the world will a governing party launch a vitriolic campaign against western Governments, Caricom, and others? Where else but Guyana!

Since the recount figures (SoRs) have replaced the original figures (based on SoPs), comparisons will be made with the recount figures. The SoRs (recount) figures were 3374 votes more than the SoPs (an increase of 0.7 per cent that works out to an average of 1.44 votes per Polling Station).

The main reason for the increase was that some of the rejected/discarded votes were re-classified as valid and added to the valid votes count. This difference, however, is statistically insignificant.

The data of the recount were duly certified by

GECOM and all the political parties, except the APNU/ AFC. The recount process was deemed credible and transparent. The report by the Caricom high-level Mission was accepted as credible by all the political parties (except the APNU/ AFC), the observer teams of AmCham, European Union, the Organisation of American States, and others. Since the report was publicised, several other national and international organisations as well as the western diplomatic community have embraced the Caricom report and indicate that it constitutes the basis for a declaration of the elections’ results. The PPP/C won the elections by 15,416 votes.

With the release of the Caricom report, there has been a concerted campaign by elements within the APNU/AFC to tarnish the authenticity of the report and to attack the Chair of Caricom as well as senior diplomats who stand up in defence of democracy.

Barbados Prime Minister and Caricom Chair, Mia Mottley dismisses easily those allegations; “the truth hurts.” David Granger said publicly prior to the recount that Caricom was the most legitimate “interlocutor” to oversee the recount process, against the background that he debarred The Carter Center from observing the recount. Speaking in the defense of democracy is not interference. Rather it’s good diplomacy.

The US Senate, the Organisation of American States (OAS), Mandela’s Elders’ Group, among others, including the local Private Sector Commission (PSC) have called upon the Granger regime to concede defeat and make way for a transition to the new

Government. The Chair of Senate Foreign Relations Committee Marco Rubio stated: ”We share in the frustration expressed by the Caribbean Community, the OAS, and other international stakeholders, and call upon the Guyana authorities to issue an official elections declaration that reflects the results of the March 2nd elections which were confirmed in the official recount by the Caricom’s observation team.”

Of note, there is a post on FB attributed to PNCR’s James Bond that indicates that the APNU/AFC lost more votes than the PPP/C as a result of Lowenfield’s hatchet job. Apart from the fact that the APNU/ AFC has stopped shouting that “every vote must count” and has not rebelled over Lowenfield’s disenfranchisement of thousands of their voters, they have moved to intensify their misinformation and propaganda campaign and claiming victory that they know is contrived. They fill social and other media outlets with fake news. The APNU/ AFC has learnt, as part of their culture of “lies, deception, venality and rigging,” that if they push forth a lie continuously, it will take on the life of a truth. They excel at this craft.

Clairmont Mingo of Ashmins notoriety, had produced fictitious figures in his March 5 declaration that allowed the APNU/ AFC 7692 more votes nationally than the PPP/C. In his second declaration of March 13, his fraudulent figures allowed APNU/AFC a lead of 7389 votes nationally over the PPP/C. But if anyone thinks that those figures represent an orchestrated and transparent rigging of an unprecedented scale, then this would be no

match for the “mother of all rigging” perpetrated by his boss, the GECOM’s Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield.

In Lowenfield’s June 13 Observation Report, he gave the APNU/AFC a massive lead of 68,383 votes over the PPP/C, and in the process disenfranchised 275,092 or 60 per cent of voters (92,910 were APNU/AFC voters, 176,709 were PPP/C voters, and 5473 were other parties’ voters).

In Lowenfield’s report of June 23 to the GECOM Chair, he performed another mathematical somersault. But the APNU/ AFC lead this time was reduced to 5482 votes.

Notwithstanding that he still disenfranchised 115,844 or 25 per cent of voters (46,095 were APNU/ AFC voters, 66,993 were PPP/C voters, and 2756 were other parties’ voters). Lowenfield’s statistical gymnastics has created a tremendous assault upon decent Guyanese dignity and intelligence!

I hope that the Guyanese people are smart enough not to accept this level of Lowenfield’s naked, brutal and vicious fraud. Should they allow this to happen, the negative message would be stinging upon the behaviour of the younger generation in particular. “When you can’t get something the legal way, it’s okay to get it through the illegal way via fraud, deception or lies.”

This is a dangerous precedent not only for Guyana but also for Caricom and the Commonwealth. There is only one truth about the 2020 elections results: that is, the PPP/C is the winner, and with a victory margin of 15,416 valid votes.

Sincerely, David Ingram

Only one truth about 2020 elections: PPP/C is the winner

Sincerely, Dr Tara Singh

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020

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

Granger, stop pushing the rules of law to the limit Dear Editor, Guyanese, the false tabulation of the votes of the March 2 elections, and the manoeuvrings that followed have shown little regard for the adherence to democracy.

Free and fair elections have been on trial in Guyana for more than one hundred and twenty days, four months.

Some officers of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) have been proven in a recount of all the votes that started on May 6, for thirty-three days, to have manipulated poll results to increase ballots for the APNU/ AFC party of President Granger significantly, and to reduce votes for People’s Progressive Party drastically, the recount, scrutineered by agents of Caricom and observed by representatives of the OAS and local groups, this elongated and painful process has seen the PNCRdominated APNU/AFC party, making every effort to derail the recount process.

However, at the end of the recount, the trial of democracy had heightened as the recounted votes show that PNCR bullies, APNU/AFC, has clearly lost the elections, hence its officials and leaders were reported to be demanding that the entire General Election should be voided.

The basis for that alarming demand was an unsubstantiated allegation that dead or absent persons voted in the election. Curiously, this ominous statement had come after the APNU/AFC leadership had earlier declared – along with all the observer missions – that the voting, at which every party had agents present, was free and

fair.

In the wake of intense pressure from the international and local community for President David Granger to concede his defeat at the March 2, 2020 polls, sections of his A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition party have signalled a blatant determination not to give up, the USA Senators in one of their many statements said it was “unacceptable” that nearly four months since their National Election, the Guyanese people are still waiting for an official result following the General and Regional Elections. Recent reports suggest questionable manoeuvres by interested parties designed to continue forestalling a final declaration of results, which members of the press say indicates a defeat for the incumbent APNU/AFC Government.

President Granger should honour the will of the Guyanese people and concede, they added, while extending their support and solidarity to the people of Guyana. For the sake of the people, the future of democracy and the rule of law in Guyana by using various ploys and tactics to gain a psychological advantage over their supporters, the primary exercises in propaganda is the daily norm of team David Granger, the ongoing uncertainty in Guyana must end. Team Granger and his conies’ use of dubious methods to win or gain a serious advantage in the election will not happen, the time for that has already gone. APNU/AFC

has lost these elections. It is posted on every light post in Guyana and around the world. Granger, stop pushing the rules to the limit, you are already caught trying to use whatever dubious method possible to achieve the desired end. Another APNU/AFC Administration will not get the opportunity to bankrupt Guyana again. The PNC, PNCR – APNU/AFC is in the bankrupting business. Mr David Granger, please honour the will of the Guyanese people, take your defeat like a man and concede. You like everyone else had confidence in these elections as a political concept, we are fully aware that elections are not an end in themselves, their purpose is to ascertain the will of the people regarding their Government.

They are processes to confer legitimacy to govern, and to peacefully resolve political competition. A genuine election is ultimately one in which the outcome reflects the freely expressed choices of the people. An election is “an easy contest” where the party that gets the most votes must be declared the winner. It was established through the recount process that the People's Progressive Party received the most valid votes and as such must be declared the winner.

Whether an election and its outcomes enjoy credibility in the eyes of the country’s citizens – whether it has achieved its function of giving voice to the will of the people – will depend on the extent to which the democratic principles of universal suffrage and political equal-

ity, as well as other international obligations, are respected, and on the extent to which the election is professional, impartial, accurate and transparent in all stages of its Administration.

David Granger’s mouthpiece, Mr Joseph Harmon, kept rambling that David Granger has no intention of conceding. His direct and own words were “Concede to what? Concede to whom?

What is he to concede to?

It appears to me and I

would venture to say any right-thinking person, to be a most ridiculous and nonsensical proposition… for the persons who are calling for Granger to concede, that is not going to happen”.

The question now arises about what will happen on Wednesday, July 1, 2020, when the Caribbean Court of Justice hears the case of Guyana’s Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, and Dr Irfaan Ali, the PPP/C Presidential Candidate, who

filed a Notice of Motion before the CCJ for several reliefs, including an interpretation of the words “more votes are cast” in Article 177(2) (b) of the Constitution of Guyana. It is clear to all what Harmon had intended to say, that the APNU/ AFC cares about the billions of dollars in oil money and cares less about the will of the Guyanese people.

Dear Editor, It was with utter dismay and, indeed, complete disgust, that I saw via the media recently, a photograph of an ‘involuntary remigrant’ from the United States to Guyana standing in front of the Caricom Secretariat holding a placard over her head bearing the words “Foreigners stay out of Guyana’s business”.

It is ironic that this person, who was happy to live in North America until she ran afoul with the law, and was deported and who continues to have her progeny live in the United States would wish to display such incivility to our Caricom sisters and brothers and other bilateral partners around the world.

Indeed, it is also disheartening that someone who is employed with the State media, the circumstances of how someone of such ignominy could have secured such a conspicuous media role with

a national media entity being another concerning matter, could be allowed to publicly display such crudity, lack of enlightenment and incomprehension.

Primary school pupils are being taught about globalisation and interdependency of countries around the world.

How could this woman really believe that Guyana, listed as South America’s third poorest country, could survive on its own? Does she understand what will happen if there are no remittances from abroad, if there is no international support for Guyana as it seeks to obtain from the International Court of Justice a final and binding judgement in the border dispute with Venezuela?

Does she understand the markets and the investment opportunities that would be lost? Can she envision what would happen to Guyanese should we be locked out from accessing finance from international funding agencies

such as the World Bank, IMF, CDB and IADB and other international banks? Is it her view that we will be able to produce our own machinery and parts, trucks, cars, clothing and all other forms of imported goods we currently use and consume as citizens?

What will happen to our fledgeling tourism industry? And the list goes on.

Guyana’s democratic alliances are the centrepiece of our country’s foreign policy and such reckless displays by a few misguided persons will irreversibly damage Guyana’s future prosperity in addition to being just downright unfair to the rest of the respectable, right-thinking and conscientious citizens of Guyana.

I ask that such foolish thinking and behaviour be immediately stopped and that we let good sense prevail.

Sincerely, David Adams

Good sense must prevail

Sincerely, Ravindra Thakur

Prime Minister Mia Mottley's Guyana cannot countenance statement is of utmost significance a return to dictatorship

Dear Editor, As we await a ruling from the CCJ, there is little dispute in the minds of Guyanese that the National Recount delivered valid votes which satisfied the criteria established by GECOM for the process of counting votes. However, there seems to be a clear intent by stiffnecked individuals within the coalition who do not understand that dictatorships don’t work in the best interests of citizens, that Guyana will not concede to another dictatorship, which will only bring destruction and mayhem to our way of life, and jeopardise the future of our children.

These clearly deficient members only emphasise why they cannot remain in Government, and need to be made to understand that they have no place, and will not be tolerated in office after losing the March 2020 elections.

The Guyana Police Force and the Army should know that the coalition is intent on pushing Guyana back into dictatorship. They are

urged to provide the necessary support to the Guyana Elections Commission in defence of our democracy. All Civil Society organisations are also urged to condemn David Granger, the coalition and what is transpiring at the Guyana Elections Commission.

Justice Claudette Singh must know that she has Guyana's support in doing what needs to be done sooner than later to ensure that Guyana does not slip into dictatorship again. The result of the recount is the only set of valid votes which reflects the will of the people at the March 2020 elections.

As a leader, decisions sometimes have to be made in which all criteria for making them cannot be met. The current impasse which confronts the GECOM Chair is such, and she needs to move without delay to ensure that the results of the recount are officially declared as soon as possible, in my opinion, even prior to any judgment by the CCJ. There seems little doubt now that the Chief Elections

Officer will not deviate from his chosen path, so for the final results to be produced, he will at the very least have to be suspended to have someone perform this function. I am, however, of the opinion that with the first draft of the report available to her, the GECOM Chair has enough information from which to make an official declaration if she so chooses.

After officially advising Commissioners of the requirement at a meeting to make this declaration, she can proceed to declare the results even in the absence of any of these Commissioners, since it is now obvious that even this measure will be used to stop the official declaration of the results by GECOM. As of 15 or 17 days after the elections, I think it is, Guyana has been without a legitimate President, and Government. It is imperative that GECOM act to officially declare the results of the recount.

With regards, Craig Sylvester

Dear Editor, When Prime Minister Mia Mottley made the statement that Caricom would not allow democracy to be stolen from the people of Guyana (paraphrase) she was making a statement of fact. She, being the Chairperson of the Community, is duty-bound to ensure that a fellow sister State keeps in line with the democratic norms and processes that the community holds so dear.

It is a sacred dogma that she, as well as all of Caricom, must uphold. In this regard, she has every right to speak up on an errant sister State.

Now, as true to form, the APNU came out swinging, calling Ms Mottley every vile name known to man, real and imaginary. It was a really low-down gutter type attack. Now what is interesting to note is that some of these foul-mouthed disgraces have relatives and families residing in Mottley's country, Barbados, some of which are illegal aliens, barely existing on the fringes of society.

But such is the low, degrading and crass stupidity of that party and its followers.

These PNC supporters fail to

realise that with one stroke of her pen she could make hundreds of illegal Guyanese residents in her country homeless and that's not a joke. The last survey I have seen shows more than 30,000 Guyanese (legal and illegal) residents in Barbados.

That is quite a large number of persons living outside of their home territory.

Against this backdrop, I turn our attention to the most important aspect of our discussion, that is, the revival of democracy in Guyana.

We are all too familiar with the 1970s way into the 90s when thousands of Guyanese fled their country because of the brutal political and economic persecution - yours truly being one of them - our flight mainly due to the repressive policies of the PNC Government. Many of the selfsame supporters would like to wish away this fact, however, the realities of that period still stand out like a beacon, ever reminding us as to the shameful way it was. If they are honest with themselves, they would hang their heads in shame never to countenance, far less to permit, the occurrence of such

an atrocity of a dictatorial regime here again.

So, Miss Mottley was in a modest and veiled way saying that she would like for the preservation of democracy or simply put, that the will of the Guyanese people be respected. She is attributing that possibility in the swearing-in of the duly elected Government, one that is well equipped with the necessary skills to govern and return Guyana to a place of stability.

In other words, she was subtly saying that she would not like Guyanese to return to the days of being refugees, strangers and foreigners in another person's country.

Guyana should not see poverty years, nothing of that bitter and distressing past, instead, we should be basking in the modern day of development, under a Government of the people's choice.

Finally, Guyanese in and out of Guyana would like a peaceable life in their homeland, this can only be achieved with the transition into the new PPP/C Government.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

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TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020

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Foundation

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

Below are the first part of Mathematics paper 2, 2016 and CXC Mathematics.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL GRADE SIX ASSESSMENT

MATHEMATICS PAPER 2

Read these instructions carefully before you attempt to answer the questions.

1. Write your candidate number clearly on each page.

2. This paper contains six questions. You

are required to answer question 1 and three others. Each question is worth 5 marks Note: You must answer only four questions.

Be sure to answer the four questions completely.

3. Write the answer for each question in the

1. (a) Solve, giving your answer in the lowest terms,

2 3 2 3–x–+1– 3 4 6

Answer_______________________________________________ (b) At a sale, books are sold at $90.75 each, which is 75% of the original price.

(i) What is the original price of a book?

Answer_________________________________________ (1 mark)

(ii) Paul buys 10 books at the sale and pays VAT of 16% on the sale price. Calculate the total amount he paid for the 10 books.

Answer_________________________________________ (2 marks)

space provided in this booklet.

4. Answers must be written in complete sentences where possible.

5. Each step of your work must be clearly shown in this booklet.

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

saved the rest of the money.

(i) What fraction of her pocket money did Mia spend on stationery?

Answer_________________________________________ (1 mark)

(ii) If Mia saved $28.00, how much pocket money did she receive?

Answer_________________________________________ (2 marks)

3. Figure ABCD shown below is made up of a semicircle and a rectangle. 0 is the centre of the line DC. 22 (use ∏ = –– ) 7

7. look over your work when you have finished.

8. Do not take away any part of this booklet.

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

Answer________________________________________cm² (2 marks) (c) What is the area of the shaded region of the figure?

Answer________________________________________cm² (2 marks)

TO BE CONTINUED

CXC MATHEMATICS

1.ABC is a right triangle and r is the radius of the inscribed circle. a) Express r in terms of angle x and the length of the hypotenuse h. b) Assume that h is constant and x varies; find x for which r is maximum.

2. (a) Jai bought 4 different items from the list shown below. Two of the items cost the same amount. He paid with $200.00.

Solution to Problem: a) Let M, N and P be the points of tangency of the circle and the sides of the triangle. OM, ON and OP are perpendicular to CB, CA and AB respectively.

If Jai received $23.60 change, what four items did he buy?

Answer_______________________________________________ (b) Mia received some pocket money. She spent 3 – of it on 5 3 food and – of the remaining amount on stationery. She 10

(a) Calculate the area of triangle AOB. Answer_______________________________________________ (1 mark) (b) Calculate the area of the semicircle.

Triangles COM and CON are right triangles and have two congruent sides: CO and OM and ON; the two triangles are therefore congruent. We denote the size of angle MCN by x and write tan(x / 2) = r / CM Triangles BOM and BOP are right triangles and have two congruent sides: BO and OM and OP; the two triangles are therefore congruent. We denote the size of angle MBP by y and write tan(y / 2) = r / BM Note that y + x = 90 which gives y / 2 = 45 - x / 2 Substitute y / 2 by 45 - x / 2 in the equation tan(y / 2) = r / BM to obtain tan(45 - x / 2) = r / BM We now solve the equation tan(x / 2) = r / CM for CM and solve equation tan(45 - x / 2) = r / BM for BM to obtain CM = r / tan(x/2) and BM = r / tan(45 - x/2) We now use the fact that h = CM + BM to write the equation h = r / tan(x/2) + r / tan(45 - x/2) = r [ 1 / tan (x/2) + 1 / tan(45 - x/2) ] We now use trigonometric identities to simplify the above equation. The first identity we will use is tan(45 - x/2) = (tan(45) - tan(x/2)) / (1 + tan(45)tan(x/2)) = ( 1 - tan(x/2) ) / ( 1 + tan(x/2) )

NEWS

7

TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

APNU/AFC damaging credibility of Guyana on int’l stage – Ali …actions show they do not have interest of country at heart

P

eople’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali has slammed the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) for the damage being done to Guyana’s image in the region and on the international stage.

Ali was at the time in an interview hosted by Television Guyana (TV-G) which was broadcast on Monday, where he was accompanied by Prime Ministerial Candidate, Mark Phillips. He defended the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and other international bodies against the onslaught of abuse they have sustained from APNU/AFC supporters and leaders.

“I saw an interview where (Prime Minister) Moses Nagamootoo has joined the bandwagon of insulting Caribbean leaders, saying they have no business in Guyana. Then why are we part of Caricom? Why did

PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali

we invite them? Why is the Caricom headquarters here?

Why? This is the level to which persons who perceive themselves to be leaders, are willing to go to destroy the credibility of our country,” Ali said.

“This guy went on to say the international community has expressed bias by speaking out and speaking the

truth and they are aligned to the PPP in some way. So, this is the situation we are in, that is damaging to the credibility of our country. I think, to a large extent, it is embarrassing to those leaders who are carrying this narrative. Some of them don’t have the ability to be embarrassed,” he added.

A case in point is the deluge of personal attacks from APNU/AFC supporters which were meted out on Caricom Chair Mia Mottley after she made a broadcast in which she was critical of Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield arbitrarily dumping hundreds of thousands of votes and manipulating the election results in the coalition’s favour. During her broadcast, Mottley had made it clear Caricom would not tolerate one of its members going rouge and reflecting badly on the organisation.

Nor is she alone, as APNU/ AFC supporters have also at-

Sanctions necessary to...

“You hear terms like ‘non-interference’, those were applicable in the 1970s – the important term today is the responsibility to protect [democracy] and the international community is telling us that you’re part of the Civil Society Charter of Caricom, and similar Charters in the OAS and the Commonwealth of Nations, and we have to respect the will of the people in Guyana.

We have to respect the rule of law in Guyana,” he said.

During the 1960s, 1970s 1980s, then People’s National Congress (PNC) Leader, Linden Forbes Burnham blatantly rigged elections to stay in power and ruled the country in a dictatorial style.

The international community at the time did not intervene much, and even if it did, it was met with much protest as then PNC officials wasted no time in accusing countries of interfering in the affairs of a sovereign State.

However, it is a different environment now. Following the blatant attempts to al-

ter the results of the March 2 polls and to hand a ‘victory’ to the APNU/AFC, foreign powers, with a very loud voice, affirmed their position that they will not stand idly by and allow a Government to be sworn in on the basis of fraudulent results.

Foreign powers – including the Kingdom of Norway, the Heads of the ABCE (the United States, British, Canadian and European Union) Diplomatic Missions, a group of powerful US Senators and several bodies such as the Commonwealth, Organisation of American States (OAS), Nelson Mandela’s The Elders’ Group, and Caricom among others – have been calling for the David Granger-led APNU/AFC to concede defeat and demit office.

They have also called on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to declare the results of the elections based on the certified figures emanating from the National Recount.

The National Recount, which was conducted un-

FROM PAGE 3

der the scrutiny of a special Caribbean Community (Caricom) team shows the PPP/C in a landslide victory with some 15,416 more votes than its main political rival, the caretaker APNU/ AFC coalition.

According to Phillips, these foreign powers are merely speaking out in support for democracy to prevail in Guyana.

“The whole world is not against Guyana; the whole world is against the APNU/ AFC attempts to hold on to office after losing a popular election. The people voted for the PPP/C and the PPP/C must be allowed to form the next Government of Guyana,” the PM Candidate posited.

But there has been some pushback by the coalition and its supporters, who have attacked many of the regional leaders, despite Caricom being deemed the most “legitimate interlocutors” in the Guyana situation, and even the ABCE diplomats, accusing them of interfering in Guyana’s affairs.

Caretaker President David Granger

tacked representatives of the international community who have been clear in calling for the will of the people to be respected. Despite these events, APNU/AFC is yet to issue a statement denouncing these attacks or calling for them to be stopped.

Distress and unease

Ali recalled 2015, when the PPP/C had peacefully demitted office after the General and Regional Elections that year. According to him, if APNU/AFC leaders really had the interest of Guyana at heart, they would not put Guyana through the distress and unease it is going through right now.

“As leaders, you have to know there will be a Government and an opposition. In 2015 when we sat down after the elections, although we had an election petition filed, the leadership did an internal review of ourselves, our performance and then we outlined a clear strategy of where we had weaknesses, where were the areas of strength and what we had to do to ensure we gained the confidence of more Guyanese.”

He added that the 2020 result “is the test of where we operate. But what we’re see-

APNU General Secretary Joseph Harmon

De facto Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

ing is a level of irresponsibility from leaders, a small cabal of power-hungry and thirsty individuals, who can never say they have the interest of Guyana at heart. Because they’re damaging our interest and credibility every day.”

At a time when the United States (US) has made it clear that sanctions are possible if APNU/AFC flouts democratic principles, Ali pointed out the destruction sanctions can have on Guyana’s economy. In fact, Ali noted that the mere threat of sanctions can impact Guyana’s image globally.

“When your country is threatened with sanctions, it has severe implications for your country’s credibility, in terms of the way investors, financial institutions, look at your country. The way in which bodies responsible for the rule of law, money laundering, you are looked at in a totally different way just by the threat of sanctions,” Ali said.

“At a time when we’ll have to mobilise financing from financial institutions. If this little grouping believe that this country can live through sanctions, they are crazy. Every single citizen, business, aspect

of our lives would be affected.

Foreign investment will dry up. These are the things that can cripple our country.”

A number of persons have been calling on President David Granger to concede that he lost the elections, from political analysts to powerful politicians in Washington. It was only on Friday that Chairman of the United States’ Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women’s Issues, Marco Rubio wrote a missive urging Granger to concede an elections defeat.

Rubio was joined in his statement by Senators Jim Risch and Bob Menendez, Chairman and ranking member respectively, of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; as well as Ben Cardin, in encouraging Guyanese authorities “to begin a democratic transition of power that reflects the results of the March 2nd General and Regional Election.”

In response to all these entreaties for Granger to concede, APNU/AFC Campaign Manager Joseph Harmon has said: “that’s not going to happen.”

8 NEWS

TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020

| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Berbice farmer charged for unlicensed firearm, ammo

S

ixty-year-old Charan Suresh Guman of Clifton Settlement, Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), was on Monday

munition when he appeared at the Whim Magistrate’s Court.

Guman pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him by

The gun and ammunition found at the farm

arraigned for possession of unlicensed firearm and am-

Magistrate Renita Singh.

The police stated the on June

18, 2019, at Port Mourant, Georgetown, Guman had one .38 revolver along with two live .38 rounds and four .38 spent shells without being the holder of a firearm license.

He was granted bail in the sum of $400,000 and was also ordered to lodge his passport and other travel documents until the determination of the matter.

It was reported that on the day in question, Police acted on information received and went to a farmhouse at Babu John, Port Mourant, and carried out a search during which an unlicensed revolver with matching ammunition were found on a table.

At the time of the discovery, Guman was present and

Concede…

T

Charan Suresh Guman

as such, he was arrested and charged. He will make his next court appearance on August 17, 2020.

Port Kaituma miner confesses to killing friend in 2017

C

harles Leonard, 49, also called “Poon” of White Mile Port Kaituma, North West District (NWD), Region One (Barima Waini), on Monday confessed to killing his friend whom he had accused of eating his wild meat and cassava bread back in 2017.

The man admitted to committing the heinous crime when he appeared before Justice Brassington Reynolds via Zoom at the High Court.

The charge had stated that between October 5 and 6, 2017, at Five Mile Port Kaituma, NWD, Leonard unlawfully killed Romel Gouveia also called “White Boy”.

The accused had appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan on October 11, 2017, and was not required to plead to the indictable charge.

Nevertheless, upon his appearance on Monday before Justice Reynolds, he

had confessed to the crime and the lesser charge of manslaughter was entered on his behalf.

It was reported that the now dead man and the suspect lived in the same house and on October 5, the two men had a misunderstanding over food.

It is alleged that Leonard, who was under the influence of alcohol, saw the now dead man in the kitchen eating his food. This angered the suspect, who armed himCharles Leonard

self with a piece of wood and dealt one blow to the victim’s head.

After committing the act, the suspect left the scene but Gouveia’s lifeless body was later discovered by Leonard’s wife, who raised an alarm.

The man was picked up and taken to the Port Kaituma Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The suspect was arrested and charged a few days later.

During the trial, the State was represented by Prosecutors Teriq Mohammed and Tyra Bakker while Leonard was represented by Attorney-atLaw Siand Dhurjon.

Leonard will make his next court appearance on July 20 for sentencing pending a probation report.

…your defeat, Granger he CEO of the Covid-19 Task Force, Joseph Harmon, still acts as if he’s the major domo of the Presidential Ministry. While he was the Campaign Manager of the APNU/AFC coalition and General Secretary of APNU, your Eyewitness wonders what exactly is his relationship to David Granger to pronounce so authoritatively on the latter’s behalf. Some thought he was Granger’s Svengali – you know, exercising some kinda sinister controlling or “mesmeric” influence on his former army boss.

But nobody takes that seriously…Granger just likes to play the good cop, bad cop routine, and Harmon – who insists he’ll be succeeding Granger, hence his pugnacity – becomes the heavy. Remember him firing off some 11 letters to GECOM on his “irregularities” tall tales and demanding they respond – or else?? GECOM didn’t pay him no mind, and we didn’t hear a squeak from him.

Anyhow, to repeated calls from every country in the free world – and some – that it’s time Granger accepts the APNU/AFC was drubbed at the elections and should concede, Harmon was livid. “[There is] a report in the Elections Commission showing all the valid votes and still people are calling for Mr Granger to concede. Concede to what? Concede to who? What is he to concede to? It appears to me — and I’ll venture to say any right-thinking person — to be a most ridiculous and nonsensical proposition,” he insisted. The fella who (hopefully?) finally gave up his US citizenship when he was outed as a dual citizen and stripped from his Ministerial position then went on to warn that Guyana “does not take lightly interference into its sovereignty as a nation.” Irony is lost when ambition gets the better of you!! He concluded conclusively: “To those persons who are calling for Mr Granger to concede, that is not going to happen.”

“Concede to what??” How about the Constitution of this country?? After he embarrassed the nation when he made Guyana a laughing stock for having to be lectured by the CCJ as to what constituted a “majority of 65”, does he really want us to have a repeat performance on what is the meaning of “valid votes”?? “Concede to who?” Your Eyewitness will overlook Harmon’s grammatical faux pas on confusing the nominative with the objective (“who” with “whom”!) and answer quite simply – concede to the majority of the voters of Guyana who didn’t vote for his “list”.

Wasn’t he the one who said the recount would produce the “valid votes”?? Well, it did – check the SoRs and the 10 Certificates of Recount.

“What is he to concede?” The PNC still retains the loyalty of a significant segment of our citizenry.

Concede to them he’s moving on.

…that the PNC’s isolated Used to be that the Bible for political parties was “How to win friends and influence people”, but that’s been turned on its head by the PNC after the elections. A funny thing happened to them after Mingo did his thing over at the Ashmin’s building: they’ve pretty much run out of people to cuss out!! Could you believe a political party cussing out the ambassadors of the US, UK, Canada and the EU in one breath?? Throw in the Commonwealth (54 countries with one and a half billion bodies) for good measure and you get an idea of their funk!!

The unkindest cut of all was their cussing out of a slew of Heads of Government from Caricom. Heck, does the PNC remember that Burnham was a founding member of the body, which he said was his most noteworthy accomplishment. Does the PNC realise what is the meaning of “Community”?? Heck, this means we’re family; sisters and brothers are we!!

When they run to the rock for rescue, there’ll be no rock! …that time longer than twine The PNC think they’re quite clever to’ve strung out the PPP for a year on the NCM, and now, almost four months on their elections defeat.

But time longer than twine…and all smart flies end on…

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

NEWS

9

TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GECOM Chair declines to make new submissions to CCJ …previous submissions stand

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uyana Elections C o m m i s s i o n (GECOM) Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh will not be making any new submissions concerning the upcoming hearing before the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

This was revealed in a letter that was written on Justice Claudette Singh’s behalf by her attorney-at-law. In the letter, the CCJ was informed that after considering the issue, the Chair does not wish to actively participate in the appeal.

porter Eslyn David had approached the Court of Appeal to block the declaration of results, Singh had submitted an affidavit. In her affidavit, she had urged the court to throw out David’s motion, noting that questions regarding the elections must be ventilated in an election petition.

Singh, in her affidavit, had argued that Article 177 (4) of the Constitution of Guyana, under which David’s application was filed, clothes the Court of Appeal with a “narrow special exclusive jurisdiction”

The letter sent on the GECOM Chair’s behalf to the CCJ

According to the letter, they will not be making any submissions. The Chair’s reason for declining to make new submissions in the case is not clear. Efforts by this publication to contact Singh’s Attorney-at-Law Kim Kyte, were futile.

“On further consideration, we do not wish to actively participate in the Appeal. In the circumstances, we do not wish to make any submissions,” the letter, which was addressed to the Registrar of the CCJ and Attorney-at-Law Devindra Kissoon, said.

In a post on social media, however, former Attorney General Anil Nandlall sought to provide clarity on the issue. According to Nandlall, who represents the applicants in the matter, the GECOM Chair has not withdrawn from the matter. Rather, he noted that she will rely on her previous submission which is on record and render additional submissions unnecessary.

“The Chair has not withdrawn from the appeal,” the former Attorney General said in his post. “She will make no submissions. None (are) necessary. Her previous submissions are on record. No harm done.”

When APNU/AFC sup-

to hear and determine any question as to the validity of an election of a President in so far as that question turns upon the qualification of any person for election or the interpretation of this Constitution.

Article 177 (4) states: The Court of Appeal shall have exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine any question as to the validity of an election of a President in so far as that question depends upon the qualification of any person for election or the interpretation of this Constitution; and any decision of that Court under this paragraph shall be final.

“The Court of Appeal is therefore not vested with original jurisdiction to hear questions on the interpretation of the Constitution outside of this narrow special jurisdiction. It is the High Court which is so vested…

Further, when one reads the entire Article 177, the Article contemplates a person already declared by GECOM as President. It is respectfully submitted that the electoral process has not reached this stage. In any event, the Order sought… [in] the Notice of Motion amounts to the interpretation of an Order and not the Constitution,” Kyte, on be-

GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh

half of the GECOM Chair, had contended in her submission.

It is the appeal of the Court of Appeal’s subsequent decision that more votes as set out in the Constitution mean more valid votes, that is being heard at the CCJ. The applicants in the case are PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali and PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo.

According to the Notice of Application (NOA), filed on their behalf by Trinidadbased Senior Counsel

Former AG Anil Nandlall

Douglas Mendes, the applicants are seeking leave to

appeal the Court of Appeal decision, requesting that the matter be urgently heard and that the application be treated as the hearing of the appeal.

The CCJ had obliged to the appeal, setting July 1 for the hearing of the appeal, with a case management conference held on Thursday, June 25. Further, the CCJ had granted an order that maintains the status quo and injuncts GECOM until further notice.

10 NEWS TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020

| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GDF gets new Chief of Staff ...as West proceeds on pre-retirement leave

D

ays after caretaker President, David Granger called on members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to be loyal to him, he has granted approval to Chief of Staff, Brigadier Patrick West to proceed on accumulated leave with effect from July 1, 2020. The Brigadier’s accumulated leave will end in March 2021.

As a result of this development, Colonel Godfrey Bess was appointed by Granger to function as Chief of Staff; Colonel Trevor Bowman, Inspector General; Colonel Sherwin Anderson, Quartermaster General; and Colonel Raul Jerrick as Adjutant General with effect from July 1.

In light of this being his pre-retirement leave, Granger extended best wishes to Brigadier West for his service as an officer in the Defence Force since 1985.

Brigadier West, who is now 54, served as the country’s 10th Chief of Staff.

Colonel Godfrey Bess

He expressed gratitude to the caretaker President and the Board for both “specific and general direction” which he said has helped to shape the course of effective transformation within the Force, while at the same time developing the concept of Total National Defence.

“I am certain that the momentum of the Force at this stage can see the seeds of transformation which

were sown coming to fruition in another few years”, he noted.

“I think Colonel Bess will have a very good foundation going forward,” Brigadier West said while describing his time in the military as “very good.”

Brigadier West is the recipient of the Military Service Star, Military Efficiency Medal, and the Border Defence Medal, among others.

Meanwhile, 51-year-old Colonel Godfrey Bess said it was an honour to have been bestowed with the privilege of serving as Chief of Staff of the Defence Force and thanked the President and the Defence Board for the opportunity to serve while Brigadier West proceeds on his accumulated leave.

Colonel Bess thanked also, Brigadier West, whom he has worked with over the last three years on what he termed the consolidation and stabilisation period of the GDF.

“Brigadier West’s leadership has been admirable. I have learnt a lot from him.

The vision is clear and indeed what I need to do with my team is follow the vision,” Colonel Bess said, noting that “the path is clear and I will follow that path.”

Colonel Bess, who started his military career in 1990 served in Command, Administrative, Staff and Training appointments throughout the GDF. He said his professional education was supported by the compulsory professional military education of the Guyana Defence Force which includes the Senior and Junior Command and Staff Courses and Managing Security in Wider Defence Context.

Colonel Bess has been serving as Quarter Master General since January 1, 2018, and has been responsible for ensuring that the GDF is well resourced to carry out its mandate in any terrain.

Brigadier Patrick West

He has received military training from the Colonel Ulric Pilgrim Officer Cadet School - Guyana, the United States of America Military

Police School - Alabama, the Caribbean Junior Command and Staff School - Jamaica and the Shrivenham Defence College, United Kingdom.

Colonel Bess is the holder of a Bachelor of Social Science Degree in Business Management and Level Two Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

On Thursday last, Granger demanded loyalty and obedience to superiors in the hierarchy of the Guyana Defence Force in the execution of their duties and to, among other things, support and defend the State against all enemies whomsoever in upholding the preservation of the Constitution of Guyana.

Employees charged for robbing, beating Brazilian boss

Remanded: Jermain Melville

Remanded: Christopher James

hree pitmen who had confessed to beating and robbing a Brazilian businessman at Sandhill/Oku Landing, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), were on Monday arraigned with armed robbery.

Christopher James, 20, of Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo (EBE); 19-yearold Jermain Melville, also of Tuschen Housing Scheme, and 23-year-old Dellon Benjamin of Suddie Sand Creek, Essequibo Coast, appeared before Magistrate Crystal Lambert via Zoom and were not required to plead to the charge.

The police stated that on June 26, 2020, at Sandhill/ Oku Landing, they beat and robbed 62-year-old Adam DaSilva, a gold miner of Boa Vista, Brazil.

In defending their actions, the three men told the

Remanded: Dellon Benjamin

T

Magistrate that they only committed the act after they were not paid for work done for the businessman.

Magistrate Lambert remanded the trio to prison until July 27.

It was reported that the suspects carted off with an undisclosed quantity of raw gold while DaSilva suffered a fractured leg and laceration about the body due to the beating.

11 Suriname moves ahead with democratic transition of new Govt NEWS

TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…as Guyana’s defeated Caretaker President clings to power

N

eighbouring Suriname is moving ahead with putting its new governance structure in place with the swearing-in, on Monday, of its President-in-Office of the National Assembly, while Guyana is still caught up in a fierce political battle due to the incumbent Government refusing to concede defeat and make way for the newly-elected Administration to take its place.

Suriname’s Minister of Labour, Soewarto Mustadja, was sworn in by outgoing President Desi Bouterse as President-in-Office of the National Assembly.

The role of the Presidentin-Office is to swear in and admit the newly elected Assembly Members and to lead the election of President and VicePresident of Parliament.

After these actions, the work of the President-inOffice is completed and he takes a seat in the hall with the other representatives of the people. At that moment, the elected President takes over the leadership of the Parliament.

The opposition parties – Progressive Reform Party, Algemene Bevrijdings- en Ontwikkelingspartij, The National Party of Suriname, and the Pertjajah Luhur,

President Desi Bouterse swears Minister Moestadja in as acting DNA Chairman (Photo: NII)

and the Brotherhood and Unity in politics – together will control 35 of the 51 seats in the National Assembly, while Bouterse’s NDP won the remaining 16 seats.

President Bouterse wished the President-inOffice the very best and success in carrying out the forthcoming acts in the country’s meeting room, according to media reports out of Suriname.

The General Elections in Suriname were held on May 25, and the results were declared and accepted by all stakeholders mere days after.

Suriname’s Bouterse

had conceded defeat for the sake of allowing his country to move forward, but it is the opposite for his counterpart in Guyana. Embattled President David Granger has tightened his grip on power even though the results of a National Recount have confirmed that his ruling party was massively defeated by over 15,000 votes.

It should also be noted that President Granger’s APNU/AFC coalition was defeated twice – first in a no-confidence vote in Parliament in December 2018 and then at the March 2 National Elections.

After prolonging the elections for more than a

year following the no-confidence vote, the elections were finally held in March 2020.

It is now almost four months since the electorate voted but credible results are yet to be declared even though they are widely known and certified by all stakeholders, including the parties themselves and local and international observers.

The National Recount results, which constitute data generated from the 2339 Statements of Recount (SoRs), show that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) won the March 2 General Election with 233,336 votes cast in its favour. The APNU/ AFC secured 217,920 votes.

For the new parties, the numbers are as follows: A New and United Guyana – 2313; Change Guyana –1953; Liberty and Justice Party – 2657; People’s Republic Party – 889; The Citizenship Initiative – 680; The New Movement – 244; and the United Republican Party – 360.

Only a few days ago,

De facto Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

Caretaker President David Granger

former Ambassador of Barbados to the US and Permanent Representative to the OAS, John Beale, expressed that Caricom should be firm in telling Granger that he has lost the elections and should spare Guyana “any further shame” by conceding defeat.

Beale noted that the attempts by the APNU/AFC coalition to “steal the elections” have not worked, since based on the evidence that has been presented so far, it is clear that the Opposition PPP/C has convincingly won the March 2

polls.

“Granger should be told by all Caricom leaders that all attempts to steal the elections have failed and are over. He should go now, put an end to the abuse of the court system, and spare Guyana any further shame,” Beale wrote in the opinion piece published by Caribbean News Service.

Beale also warned that the “dark forces” in Guyana must not be allowed to “contaminate or disgrace” other countries in Caricom that value democracy and free and fair elections.

12 NEWS

TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Time to honour, respect the will of the people – CIOG to Granger …calls on GECOM to declare elections results

T

he Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) has joined mounting calls for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to fulfil its constitutionally mandated duty and declare the winner of the March elections as soon as the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) delivers a ruling.

On Monday, the organisation lauded the degree of patience shown by the Guyanese population in waiting months for a winner to be officially declared. Despite the perspective from international ob-

servers that the polls were credible, a declaration is nowhere in sight.

“Guyanese citizens have demonstrated admirable restraint and patience while the election process and its results have been subjected to many stages of overview and review prior to verification. After intense scrutiny, the Caricom Observer Team declared that they were of the ‘unshakeable belief that the people of Guyana expressed their will at the ballot box on March 2.’ To the great credit of our nation, all international and Caricom observers have vouched that

Guyana’s 2020 election process was free, fair, and credible,” the CIOG indicated.

For this, it was asserted that the will of the people should now be honoured in order for the country to move forward, adding that in order for this to be done, a declaration from GECOM using the recount statistics should be made. After the National Recount of votes was tallied, the outcome showed a win for the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic.

The statement said, “The Guyanese people should be proud of this accomplishment, for when democracy

Corentyne labourer burnt to death

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Corentyne labourer is now dead after receiving third-degree burns. He was seen by his wife in a ball of fire after she heard him screaming. He died a few hours after.

Dead is 34-year-old Naresh Rampersaud of Lot 81 Third Street Miss Phobie, Port Mourant, who worked as a labourer at Nand Persaud Rice Mills.

According to his wife Roopadia Durdial, the incident took place on Thursday morning. She said they went to bed and she woke up to sounds of him screaming.

“3 o’clock morning time I hear a holler and my eyes open…he is not with me on the bed and when I look on the louvres I see the fire reflection and I push the door because the door left open and I run outside. I didn’t even see him on the ground because I looking at the house thinking that the house burning and then when I look on the ground I see him and I start to scream and call for my next-door neighbour. My

Dead: Naresh Rampersaud

neighbour tell me to take clothes or something and beat the fire with it and I start to pull the clothes off the line and then my father and brothers and neighbours run over and out the fire.”

The police were called and took the injured man for medial attention but he succumbed hours later.

This newspaper was told that last November, Rampersaud became ill and began skipping workdays.

In fact, over the past three weeks, he only worked seven days.

Durdial explained that her father-in-law has dis-

played signs of mental illness and some of those same actions she had begun to notice in Rampersaud.

“In December month he tell me that his nerves affecting him and I carried him to the doctor and I get treatment for two weeks,” the woman told this publication.

She said that he was subsequently admitted to the Port Mourant Hospital.

She added that in January, he was caught with a bottle of poison in his hand.

According to Durdial, she once again took Rampersaud to the psychiatric hospital and he was admitted as a patient at the National Psychiatric Hospital, where he spent two weeks.

“Then in February, he take in with this mental thing again.” Over the past week, Rampersaud had reportedly begun having difficulty sleeping and had also started burning himself with lighted cigarettes. A post-mortem is expected shortly. Police have since launched an investigation.

CIOG President Shaikh Moen-ul-Hack

wins, everyone wins. Now it is time to honour and respect the will of the people as expressed by the majority of the electorate at the polls. It is time to move forward and work unitedly for the well-being and success of the entire nation.”

The Islamic Organisation made urges to the Guyana Police Force to uphold the

rule of law in a responsible manner while “simultaneously monitoring and addressing any inflammatory actions in order to serve and protect all Guyanese citizens”.

These calls are compounded by recent statements from other religious organisations such as the Arya Samaj community of Guyana, the Inter-Religious Dialogue and the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha among others.

The Arya Samaj Community had contended that the current stance taken by APNU/AFC Leader David Granger does not encourage better relations among the Guyanese people, nor does it promote peace.

The organisation said to the caretaker Head of State, “By unlawfully holding on to power and misleading

your loyal supporters, you are creating an atmosphere of mistrust, hate and fear.

When this is over, we as Guyanese will have to live together, help one another and be there for each other…Your present posturing does not bode well for relations amongst Guyanese, for peaceful co-existence and love for each other. It is instead causing more pain especially to your loyal supporters, who are still holding on to your words as a beacon.”

Meanwhile, the IRD recognised the PPP as the “clear winner” and therefore indicated that Granger and his party should concede with dignity.

Its missive had read, “It is without a doubt that the incumbent APNU+AFC party has lost the elections, status as Government and the Presidency.”

Doctors’ residence razed by fire in Mabaruma

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fire of unknown origin on Monday destroyed a building at Mabaruma, Region One (Barima-Waini), which was rented by the Public Health Ministry to house Cuban doctors working in the region. Reports are the fire started at about 11:15h. At the time of the blaze, no one was in the building. The flames became noticeable only after it had spread to a large section of the two-storey wooden building. The rear end of the building was destroyed and the fire then moved to the front, gutting the entire structure.

This publication understands that nothing was saved and the belongings of several medical personnel were all destroyed.

During the past few days, almost one fire has been reported every day, leaving numerous persons homeless.

Just last Saturday, an entire family of three was killed after a fire started in their Sixth Street, Cummings Lodge apartment complex.

In that ordeal, 28 persons were also left homeless.

Dead are Beverly Miller,

The Mabaruma doctors’ quarters engulfed in flames

40; Martin Lewis, 46, and their 14-year-old son teen son Dawall Ifill, all of E-Half Sixth Street, Cummings Lodge, ECD. On the same day, a family of three was also left homeless after a fire ravaged their one-storey Lot 197 Section A Field Seven South Sophia, Greater Georgetown wooden home.

Meanwhile, on Friday, millions of dollars in furniture and equipment were destroyed when the ND&S furniture store and factory, located at Gap Road, La Jalousie, West Coast Demerara (WCD), went up in flames.

On Thursday, the home

of an 81-year-old Kingston pensioner went up in flames after he left for work in the wee morning hours.

According to reports, residents reportedly saw smoke emanating from the Lot 33 Barrack Street, Kingston property sometime after 07:30h and summoned the Guyana Fire Service.

Three tenders responded to the scene shortly after and managed to contain the blaze from spreading to other neighbouring properties. However, nothing was saved.

Investigations were launched by the Guyana Fire Service into each incident.

NEWS

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TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

APNU/AFC neglected COVID-19 while focusing on politics – Mark Phillips …as Guyana's cases rise to 235

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n its quest to prove a win despite contrary results which showed their defeat at the March polls, the caretaker A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition neglected the health sector at a crucial time and allowed the coronavirus pandemic to spiral out of control.

This was the position taken by PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate, retired Brigadier Mark Phillips during an engagement on Monday, whereby he noted that the country has adequate human resource capacity to handle COVID-19.

However, it lacks direction while the coalition continues to absorb itself in politics in order to remain in power.

“I’m convinced that the expertise to deal with COVID-19 exists in Guyana.

We just need some restructuring and some redirection.

The reality is that the present Government is more preoccupied with the political side of remaining in office and they’re not focusing as they should on dealing with this pandemic,” the Prime Ministerial Candidate positioned.

As soon as the PPP is declared winner, Phillips noted, their governance will immediately restructure the sector and ensure that the epidemic is handled appropriately.

“If we can have the tran-

“catch up” if they do not desist from such.

Once again, residents of Moruca, Region One (BarimaWaini) and Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) were asked to remain vigilant and heed warnings as these areas continue to witness heightened cases in recent weeks.

“We have indicated that a large number of positive cases in both of these regions

sition as is required after the elections, we are ready to go and we will restructure and redirect the resources and the Guyanese people will see almost immediately, a better approach to deal with this pandemic.”

235 cases

After 17 weeks of battling with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Guyana recorded 235 positive cases on Monday.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud provided the daily update, which showed an increase of five cases.

Over the weekend, the National Reference Laboratory, which processes samples for COVID-19 was closed for electrical works, resulting in a suspension of testing.

From the 235 cases, a total of 114 persons have recovered thus far and the number of deaths remains at 12.

In the facilities, there are now 109 active cases in institutional insolation, 18 persons in institutional quarantine and one patient in the COVID-19 ICU. Some 2552 tests were conducted with 2317 of those being negative.

“Our number of positive cases is a clear indication that we have not achieved the targeted results as expected with limiting the transmis-

have no signs and symptoms.

These persons can transmit this disease and you will not even know that they are sick because there is no sign to tell you this.”

According to the World Health Organisation, the total number of cases is 10,021,401 with 495,760 deaths. Regionally, the number of cases is 4,933,972 with 241,931 deaths.

COVID-19 hospital

sion,” Dr Persaud lamented.

He further recognised that many persons were seen congregating at the Georgetown seawall in large masses this weekend, despite repeated warnings. Despite multiple warnings, the curfew and guidelines continue to be flouted, especially in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).

“Over the weekend, we observed large gatherings on the seawall in Region Four after 06:00 pm despite repeated warnings to observe physical distancing, to wear a mask when out in public and to adhere to the curfew measures.

It is quite obvious that all our messages are falling on deaf ears and that our young population is determined to do as they please, evidently of the opinion that COVID-19 is a hoax and that they cannot be infected.”

The CMO went on to question why the public is

continuing with their careless actions, despite seeing the dreadful effects in many countries.

“Is neighbouring Brazil’s death toll a figment of our imagination? Do we have to see our citizens dropping and dying on the road before we take COVID-19 seriously? Are we so callous that we think little of the service being done by all the frontline workers even at the risk of infecting themselves and their family? What about the statistics which show that our males are predominantly being affected and that our 2029 age group is most at risk?

Finally, do we really care for our loved ones particularly our grandmothers and grandfathers whose lives we endanger when we go home after such gatherings?” he asked.

For those displaying this “lax behaviour”, he reminded that the coronavirus will soon

Renovated flood-prone Ocean View Hotel to be ready soon

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he flood-prone Ocean View Hotel, which is under renovation works to function as a COVID-19 hospice care facility, will soon be completed after remaining works are done.

The caretaker coalition would have expended about $1 billion to transform the facility into a specialised sanitorium for those suffering from the novel virus.

Presently, patients are seeking accommodations at various makeshift units as cases continue to rise.

After a tour of the facility on Monday, Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud indicated, “a facility like this

will take some time but hopefully it will be ready for operation very shortly.”

According to senior health officials, the facility is designed to house three categories of persons. There is also space for an operating room, kitchen, laundry, waste management, holding area for gases and other pharmaceuticals.

“The plan is to handle at least three categories of persons - those who are infected and are suffering from the signs and symptoms of the disease; those who are infected but remain asymptomatic and those who are in quarantine and waiting for their results.”

TURN TO PAGE 15

14 NEWS

TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Journalist’s vehicle destroyed by fire in Ministry’s compound

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black Honda CRV owned by television journalist, Travis Chase, went up in flames in the wee hours of Monday morning.

Reports are the fire started at about 02:45h in the compound of the Public Service Ministry, located at Vlissengen Road and D’Urban Street, Georgetown.

Closed-circuit Television (CCTV) footage has since revealed that someone scaled the fence, after which the fire erupted. Chase said that he usually parks his vehicle in the Ministry’s compound for security purposes since he lives in close proximity.

Reports indicate that the fire began at Chase’s vehicle and quickly spread to a minibus belonging to the Ministry, an employee’s motorbike and a car that is privately owned.

The security guard stationed at the location said that she noticed the fire and alerted Chase.

“When I went and peep and see where the fire start, I scrabble the keys, and I started hollering for Travis Chase, bout fifteen time and eventually somebody in the house wakes up, and then I see Travis Chase run down

The vehicles which were burnt in the Public Service Ministry compound

with his towel around he,” the guard recalled.

She added that the vehicles could have been saved if the Fire Service had responded promptly.

“The other vehicles were not burning, you know. The footage we see

shows that somebody jump the fence and throw something and light a match, and them said this happened a little while after our supervisor left,” the guard said.

In February 2019, someone had slashed the tyres of Chase’s vehicle.

Major financial irregularities, other issues plague Hururu Village Council

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epresentatives of the Hururu Reservation Village Council and residents in the remote riverine area are seeking assistance from the relevant authorities regarding a number of issues that have been plaguing their community.

A representative, who requested anonymity, spoke with Guyana Times and related that the Village Council has been dealing with accountability and administrative issues over the years which has led to the replacement of a number of officials.

The representative explained that he was involved in the investigations that were conducted into the misappropriation and based on the findings, an official who was in charge of finances was demoted.

He noted that a decision was also taken by the Village Council some time ago to remove another official from his position after allegations surfaced that he was removing items without permission. He was replaced but soon after the new person was also implicated in financial irregularities.

The representative related that more recently, the Village Council decided to purchase hampers for villagers in light of the COVID-19 pandemic but it was later alleged that the items were purchased without any receipts being provided. That person was also relieved of their post.

“So that is what causing this whole problem...They say they buy 2.5 million dollars in ration with no receipt, no bills nothing”, the representative related.

He further alleged that a Community Development official from Linden, who recently hosted a COVID-19 sensitisation meeting in the community, had asked for $61,000 to offset his transportation and documents distributed to the residents.

According to the representative, this official would

usually take money from the Village Council to fund his trips into the riverine community.

“That is what he come and tell the residents. That we got to pay him to get these things, to get these papers what the Minister send. We got to pay $61,000.

We pay it because we ain’t know what really going on, but when we get the ‘shout’ like it’s not true. He making money off of us”, he alleged.

He also claimed that the officer had visited the village with the aim of reinstating the former officials who were relieved of their duties by the Village Council but this proposal was met by disagreement.

“We ain’t reach to no decision for these people to be reinstated...accountability is not there”, the representative stressed.

“When we asked for help, the Region (Regional Democratic Council) said they’re going to come in and investigate and to see what was happening in the village”, the representative noted.

Nevertheless, the Village Council has since opposed the visit by the RDC. As a result, he said residents had planned a protest for Monday but decided against this following a meeting with a Ministry official.

“What they wanted to do was to shut all businesses in the village… cease all operations, no business transactions until somebody come from the Region or the Ministry. We don’t want no transaction to do during this time at all. That is what we asking for...We need help”, the representative noted.

He noted that instead, a team visited the RDC in Linden on Monday where a decision was taken to cease all money transactions until all the issues are sorted out.

He added that the Village Council was also advised to make reports to the RDC, relevant Ministry and police with regards to financial irregularities.

NEWS

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TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Armed bandits invade APNU/AFC-controlled M&CC hikes Moblissa family’s home tax rates retroactively by 10%

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…escape with vehicles, cash

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rmed bandits on Sunday evening wreaked havoc on a Mobissa family of five as they stormed their home, making off with vehicles, cash and several other valuables. The bandits who were reportedly armed with cutlasses stormed the home of 34-year-old Maxine DeNobrega at approximately 19:54h. This newspaper was told that after terrorising the family, the bandits made off with a number of items including a silver grey Fielder wagon motor car, PTT 4321 valued at $3M; a Mitsubishi short base canter truck, GWW 5695 valued $2.4M; four Stihl 51 chainsaws valued $900,000; a Stihl 160 grass cutter valued $100,000; a 50 inch TCL television set valued $68,000; a twenty pound gas cylinder valued $12,000; four cellphones valued $207,000, a YZ grass track motorcycle engine and chassis; a Lenovo Laptop computer valued $80,000; a computer and printer valued $120,000 and $40,000.

Reports are that the Linden- Soesdyke Highway family was making dinner in their kitchen when they were pounced upon by the

perpetrators who began assaulting them and demanding that they hand over their valuables. Guyana Times was told that the bandits ransacked the victims' home and forced them into their bathroom and made good their escape with the articles. Meanwhile, after receiving information regarding the incident, the woman’s brother who is a security guard proceeded to the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) where he spotted the car PTT 4321 travelling in the opposite direction at Pearl Public road, EBD. He begun to follow the car which was reportedly being driven at a fast rate of speed. This caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle and crashed into the curb wall opposite the Demerara Distillers

Limited (DDL) at Diamond, EBD. Two male occupants then exited the car and made good their escape in some nearby bushes. Police reported that checks were made for the suspects which proved futile. The car was then taken to Golden Grove Police Station and lodged to be processed. Meanwhile at about 21:45h, ranks attached to the highway patrol base and relatives of the victim, acting on further information made checks along a trail at Haruni village, Linden Soesdyke Highway where they found another of the family’s car parked and locked. The car was towed and taken to the highway patrol base. Police then found a chain saw and a television set in the front seat of the car. An investigation was launched.

Renovated flood-prone Ocean...

Being the prime building for coronavirus-related cases, he indicated that they are working to comply with all standards to protect both patients and medical personnel on duty. As such, a few modifications were initially requested in keeping with this mindset.

“The facility is a modified facility so we’re looking to try to comply with all of the most up-to-date standards with regards to control of infectious disease.

We are working closely with Ministry’s standards department but also with the engineers to ensure that everything in this facility will meet those standards,” Dr Persaud shared.

He added, “The progress of the work has been commendable, to say the least.

They’ve transformed the facility from where it was to where it is now. I think the quality of the work from the initial inspection seems to be up to date.

We had some suggestions about a few modifications.

Like with every medical facility, we will have to cater for special services.”

The CMO also pointed out that after Guyana is free from the disease, they will use the centre to treat other respiratory viruses such as tuberculosis and influenza among others.

FROM PAGE 13

Works ongoing at the flood-prone Ocean View facility

“COVID-19 is a respiratory disease at this point in time and along with COVID-19, there are several respiratory infections.

We call them severe acute respiratory illnesses. Those come seasonally like with flu and other kinds of challenges. So, I guess there will always be a role for a facility like this, even if we were to get out of this pandemic shortly.”

Shortly after works began on the facility — devoid of a formal announcement

by Government, the then Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, had told reporters that financial arrangements were still being worked out, and that the contractors had begun working without a formally signed contract.

The orders by

Government, taking over the facility and turning it into a hospice, did not indicate any further details on the financial arrangements or a sale price. The Ocean View International Hotel was owned by coalition financier Jacob Rambarran, while works ongoing on the site are being undertaken by another known People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) supporter.

The order made by the then Minister of State Dawn Hastings for the State to take ownership of the property was also inked on the same day as the one inked by Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence to turn the acquired property into a sanitorium, with both directives being published in the Official Gazette, giving it immediate legal effect.

oth residential and commercial stakeholders will have to pay an increased 10 per cent in taxes, after the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) made a decision to hike these rates.

In an Official Gazette document published on June 27, 2020, it was announced that with effect from January 1, 2017, residential owners would be paying 44 per cent while commercial owners would be paying 275 per cent increases.

The retroactive hike came into effect after Town Clerk, Sherry Jerrick signed off on the document.

According to the notice, “The Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown is hereby informing members

Mayor Ubraj Narine

Narine claimed that he was not acquainted with this development, since he had not seen the Gazette.

“I can’t really say at this point in time…I didn’t see the Gazette so I have to

Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC)

of the Public that Property Rates for residential and commercial have increased by 10% with effect from 1st January 2017.”

When contacted on Monday, Mayor Ubraj

check it out,” Narine said.

Meanwhile, the Town Clerk later told Guyana Times that there was no increase in “general rates” and refused to comment further

on the matter.

This move comes as a surprise since just last Thursday, it was reported that the Council would be expanding tax relief for individuals and businesses in keeping with its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Narine has said that the municipality also decided not to charge interest on the general rates and taxes for 2020 only, commencing from June 22 to December 2020.

This announcement also comes at a time when there is grave economic hardship due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from households, businesses have been forced to close or remain partially open. Meanwhile, others have reduced their staff capacity until the situation is brought under control.

Meanwhile, a senior member of the business community said that the Private Sector Commission and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) will have to seek an audience with the M&CC since such a move is not only arbitrary but uncaring considering the COVID pandemic facing Guyana.

Last week, the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) announced that over 50 per cent of manufacturers are facing constraints. In December 2019, the City Council had claimed that businesses in Georgetown owe City Hall over $8 billion in rates and taxes.

16 NEWS Granger plunges Guyana into more bewilderment, anguish – former AG TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…promises to abide by declaration, but supports Lowenfield’s fraudulent report

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aretaker President David Granger on Monday evening committed again to abide by the elections declaration, but in the same breath supported the fraudulent report submitted by Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, in which he unilaterally invalidated over 115,000 votes. This illegal action by Lowenfield was in direct defiance of directions given to him by Guyana Elections Commission Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh.

Singh had directed Lowenfield to use the national elections recount fig-

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

ures certified by the Caricom Observer Team pursuant to Article 177 (2) (b) of the Constitution and Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act, Chapter 1:03 to compile his final report.

On a radio programme with party supporter Mark Benschop, Granger said that Lowenfield was correct when he included the unsubstantiated claims made by A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) agents during the elections recount.

Meanwhile, following Granger’s sanctimonious pledge of constitutional obe-

Declaration should be based on confirmed Caricom recount – Michael Grant

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ssistant Deputy Minister for the Americas at Global Affairs Canada, Michael Grant on Monday evening expressed concerns that even after 119 days since Guyanese went to the polls to elect a Government there is still no elections result.

Grant in a Twitter post said, “very concerned that we still do not have an election result in Guyana. As demanded by CARICOM, the OAS and the Commonwealth, the outcome should be declared based on the recount which was confirmed by the CARICOM observer team.

This has gone on too long.”

Grant’s tweet comes on the heels of mounting international pressure for the results emanating from the National Recount to be used

as the basis for the final declaration of the March 2020 elections results.

Only last week, The Commonwealth Secretariat condemned the move by Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield to invalidate over 115,000 votes and warned of the consequences that this could bring to Guyana’s reputation as a democratic nation.

Secretary General, Baroness Patricia Scotland reminded that just last week she had

Assistant Deputy Minister for the Americas at Global Affairs Canada, Michael Grant

welcomed the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Observer Report, which was clear that the recount results represented the will of the people of Guyana when they exercised their right to vote on March 2.

As such, Baroness Scotland posited that the move by the CEO to present results to GECOM that did not reflect those certified at the end of the recount exercise would be contrary to the fundamental principles which are treasured by the Commonwealth family and are enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter.

“We call on all responsible parties to consider the consequences to Guyana’s reputation as a democratic

country if such an approach was allowed to stand,” the Commonwealth SG posited Baroness Scotland also expressed concerns over the fact that Guyana’s General and Regional Elections are not yet concluded almost four months since polling day.

Also, acting United States Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Michael Kozak in a tweet on Twitter supported the Commonwealth statement, adding that Guyana’s electorate has spoken clearly.

“Guyana’s electorate spoke clearly & respected international observers @OAS_official & @ CARICOMorg have certified the recount results as credible. We join them in calling for a conclusion to the elec-

toral process in #Guyana & the announcement of a winner,” Kozak said.

CEO Lowenfield on Tuesday last submitted his final elections report to the seven-member Commission in which he disenfranchised some 115,000 voters.

Lowenfield’s new figures, which he said are “valid and credible votes”, have invalidated nearly 25 per cent of the votes cast at the March polls.

dience, former Attorney General Anil Nandlall said that Granger has succeeded in plunging a tortured nation into further bewilderment and anguish. He said that after his usual pledge of compliance with orders of the courts, and binding himself to a declaration of the elections results to be made

by GECOM, Granger wandered off into his own frolic.

Nandlall, in blasting Granger for his disingenuous statements, said that the truth was that Granger did not want to accept the results produced by the electoral process.

The data generated from the 2339 Statements of Recount (SoRs) showed that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) received a total of 233,336 votes.

This is 15,416 more votes than their nearest rivals, the APNU/AFC, which received 217,920 total votes. When one calculates, using the Hare formula, it means that the PPP/C has secured 33 out of 65 seats in the National Assembly, and APNU/AFC has secured 31.

However according to Nandlall, Granger paints a picture of how complicated and complex Guyana’s electoral process is and offered that as the reason why foreigners may not understand it.

Caretaker President David Granger

“The Guyana electoral process has been the same since 1992. It has produced results accepted by every previous politician. The accuracy of those results may have been disputed, but the process was never. It is the same electoral process that produced victory for David Granger in 2015. So, his attempt at making the process complex and complicated is a clumsy farce,” Nandlall said.

He added that Granger miraculously placed heavy reliance on the Caricom Observer Team report, quoting liberally from it.

“Except that he failed to quote the part that said that the allegations made by APNU/AFC were false, fraudulent and ridiculous and that

the recount process was credibly and transparently done, and that the results generated from the process are valid and credible,” he said, adding that Granger further turned the law upside down in respect of the relationship between GECOM and the Chief Election Officer.

Granger, he noted, wrongly asserted that the Chief Elections Officer’s report is binding on GECOM whatever that report contains.

“The truth is that the CEO is subordinate and subject to the directions of GECOM. Not the reverse.

Therefore, the CEO can only act upon the directions of GECOM. His own commissioner, Vincent Alexander, claims that in 2011, he identified a flaw in the then CEO Gocool Boodhoo’s report and the caused the Commission to reject that report and directed the then CEO to bring back a proper report. Well, the law has not changed since. GECOM reserves the power to reject any fraudulent report presented by any Chief Election Officer,” he pointed out.

In light of Granger’s outrageous remarks, Nandlall added that those “who are speaking about personal sanctions should now consider whether it is not appropriate to translate their language into actions”.

Man pleads guilty to killing bedridden father

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43-year-old man pleaded guilty to killing his 83-yearold bedridden father, Mohamed Sulaymon.

Alli Mohamed was arraigned at the High Court in Demerara before Justice Brassington Reynolds via Zoom on Monday.

Initially, he was indicted for murder, however, Mohamed opted to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. He admitted that on January 13, 2015, in the county of Demerara, he killed his father.

The indictment against Mohamed was presented by State Prosecutors Teriq Mohammed and Tyra Bakker. The prosecution’s case contended that at the time of the incident, Sulaymon was bedridden while his son was known to have been suffering from mental illness, which resulted in him being violent at times.

During January 2015, Mohamed was living with his father and sister, Shaliza Mohamed and her family at Lot 38 Parker

Guilty: Alli Mohamed

Street, Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

However, at about 19:20h, on January 13, 2015, Mohamed was at home with his father, sister, and her family when his sister called him to take his medication. According to her, when her brother came to her, his eyes appeared “wild,” and before she could have given him the medication, he hit her to the head.

Her husband came to her rescue, and she left the

house with her son to get help from the neighbours.

The family’s neighbour, Devon Persaud, related that he was at home when he heard someone shouting, “Mark! Help! Help! Alli killing his father.”

As a result, Persaud said he left his home and went over to Mohamed’s house, where he saw him in the bedroom, beating his father with a piece of greenheart wood while he laid in bed. Persaud said he called Mohamed and took the wood away from him.

Police were summoned on the scene, and Mohamed was arrested. His father was rushed to the Diamond Hospital and later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). He died while receiving medical attention.

Alli, who was represented by lawyer Ravindra Mohabir, will return to court on July 20, 2020, for the presentation of a probation report in a plea of mitigation before sentencing is handed down.

NEWS

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TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana needs international community – Carl Greenidge …warns against using sovereignty for political convenience …anticipates ICJ ruling on jurisdiction before year-end

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ormer Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge lashed out against those using Guyana’s sovereignty for political convenience, warning that Guyana needs the international community. During a telephone interview with two APNU/AFC supporters on a live social media programme, Greenidge said that he has seen and heard senior officials in Guyana speak inappropriately about the country’s sovereignty. He noted that one cannot on one hand call on the international community to have Venezuela respect the rule of law internationally but at the same time say that they have domestic legislation and the international community has no right to ask questions of their actions.

He noted that it is in Guyana’s interest that “people” do not do things then argue that the country is a sovereign State, adding that one must be very careful not to invoke issues that suit a specific topic because it may have implications for the country. “…for Guyana, the rule of law internationally is our only protection, this is very very important,” Greenidge pointed out.

Former Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge

Since the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections, the APNU/AFC has been very confrontational with the international community which has been calling for credible elections results to be declared in Guyana. The David Grangerled Administration has accused the international community of interfering in the domestic affairs of Guyana.

The unified international community including the US, United Kingdom, Canada and the European Union, has made it abundantly clear

that they will not stand for the will of the Guyanese people being subverted.

Greenidge’s comment comes on the heels of Caretaker Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo criticisism of the international community for speaking out against Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield fraudulent election report.

Nagamootoo has asserted that the western powers and regional partners are now part of a grand orchestrated scheme to use Guyana as a pawn in a global political game of chess aimed at toppling the Nicolas Maduro Government in neighbouring Venezuela and are not really interested in democratic elections.

Several APNU/AFC officials including former Director of Sport, Christopher Jones; AFC member Sherod Duncan; APNU General Secretary, Joseph Harmon have been berating the international community for its pro-democracy stance on the current political situation in Guyana.

ICJ case

Meanwhile, Greenidge, who is acting as an ‘agent’ of Guyana in the border

The International Court of Justice, The Hague, Netherlands

controversy case before the International Court of Justice – Arbitral Award of October 3, 1899, on Monday said that Guyana anticipates that the Court will issue its decision on the jurisdictional question before the end of the year.

Greenidge’s statement comes as Guyana prepares to appear in the ICJ today in its case against Venezuela.

Today’s hearing is for the sole purpose of addressing the question of the Court’s jurisdiction. The hearing will be by video conference in a move by the Court to keep the wheels of justice turning despite the constraints of COVID-19.

“Should it rule in Guyana’s favour, as we expect, it will then proceed to the next phase of the case,

Nandlall calls out coalition lawyer over alleged conflict of interest ahead of CCJ hearing

T

he Grenadian Queen’s Counsel, Dr Francis Alexis, who appeared in the Guyana Court of Appeal for the applicant, in the case of Eslyn David v Chief Elections Officer et al, should have never been part of the proceedings knowing of the likelihood of it journeying to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

According to former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs under the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government, Anil Nandlall, Dr Alexis’ involvement in the case is “highly reprehensible and must be condemned” as it is a clear case of conflict of interest.

Dr Alexis, who is a former lecturer of law at the University of the West Indies and a former Attorney General of Grenada, currently holds the position of Deputy Chairman of the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission. The Chairman of this body is ex officio the President of the Caribbean Court of Justice, Justice Adrian Saunders.

The stated mission of the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission is to appoint Judges of the Caribbean Court of Justice.

The Guyana elections re-

count case is pending, on appeal, at the CCJ. Its hearing is scheduled to take place on July, 1, on Wednesday.

According to Nandlall, over the centuries that English Law has evolved, evolving with it, have been certain doctrines commonly called “conventions”. With the passage of time, they have graduated to assimilate the force of law and indeed, form an integral part of the body corpus of English Law. He outlined that these conventions supplement the law to protect institutions of the law, the legal system itself, the rule of law and cannons of fundamental justice.

Nandlall explained that when the British Legal System was supplanted in Her Majesty’s colonies so were those conventions, deeply ingrained. When these colonies were granted independence, some of these conventions were codified in the independent Constitutions of these territories. However, those conventions that were not codified, still form part of the rule of law in these territories.

Nandlall pointed out that Guyana and the Caribbean are among those territories whose legal systems de-

Grenadian Queen’s Counsel Dr Francis Alexis

volved in the manner just outlined.

“One of these conventions is that lawyers who sit on bodies that appoint Judges should not appear before those Judges. A logical corollary of this principle is that they should not make any public statement, adopt any posture or commit any acts which may be viewed as influencing, or intending to influence, litigation pending before Judges whom they have appointed or has a responsibility to appoint,” Nandlall argued.

“Dr Alexis, in my respectful view, has egregiously violated these principles,” Nandlall said.

Nandlall, a PPP/C Candidate, stated that not only does a conflict of interest exist in Dr Alexis’ appearance in the matter, but he has unwisely commented on the outcome of a live matter, which is also a clear breach of the sub-judice rules.

The Grenadian lawyer recently commented extensively on the elections recount case in the Stateowned Guyana Chronicle saying that the PPP/C’s appeal at the CCJ has no real prospect of success.

“If Dr Alexis wishes to remain a respectable jurist, he must withdraw his remarks with an appropriately worded statement admitting this gross misadventure.

“Not only has he made a public statement but has expressed his legal opinion on how the case should be decided, exposing himself to the obvious accusation that he is attempting to prejudice the outcome of the proceedings,” Nandlall argued.

According to Nandlall, an ordinary citizen who violates the sub-judice doctrine is likely to be hauled before the courts for contempt. “Dr Alexis is not an ordinary citizen, in this regard. He has done much worse,” he posited.

and ultimately decide the question that Guyana has put before it: whether the 1899 boundary that separates the two States, is a lawful and permanent boundary, such that the Essequibo region is confirmed as an integral part of Guyana’s territory for all time,” Greenidge said in a statement. He added that Guyana will continue to do everything in its power to achieve that result, and is confident that the final outcome will be what all Guyanese wish for.

He pointed out that Guyana has long valued the opportunity of a judicial settlement of Venezuela’s outrageous claim to nearly three-quarters of Guyana and welcomed the decision of the Secretary General of the United Nations in 2018 (acting under the 1966 Geneva Agreement) that the International Court of Justice shall be the forum of the settlement of the controversy.

Guyana has maintained that the ICJ has jurisdiction to rule on the validity and permanence of that boundary but Venezuela claims that it does not. However, to-

day only Guyana will present its arguments as Venezuela has decided to boycott the hearing.

Guyana filed its case with the World Court on March 29, 2018, seeking a final and binding judgement that the 1899 Arbitral Award which established the location of the land boundary between the then-British Guiana and Venezuela remains valid and binding, and that Guyana’s Essequibo region belongs to Guyana, and not Venezuela as is being claimed by the Spanish-speaking country. The border controversy gained new life when oil giant ExxonMobil announced in 2015 that it had found oil offshore Guyana.

Venezuela had inexplicably been against oil exploration in Guyana’s Stabroek Block, where multiple oil deposits were found by ExxonMobil, and had laid claim to the Essequibo region, which represents two-thirds of Guyana’s territory.

After some two years of mediation, the UN announced back in 2018 that it had sent the matter to the ICJ after careful analysis of the good offices process.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020

Regional

Argentina and Brazil crops Facing crisis, Cuba threatened by locust swarm calls on citizens to grow

B

razil and Argentina are monitoring the movements of a large swarm of locusts, which has been eating its way through crops in the region.

The insects, which can cover a distance of 150 kilometres (93 miles) in a day, have already travelled from Paraguay to Argentina and it is feared Brazil and Uruguay could be next.

Brazil has told farmers to be alert to the possible arrival of the locusts.

Kenya and India are also currently fighting locust swarms.

The swarm originated in Paraguay and crossed into Argentina on May 21.

The insects have al-

The locust swarm covers an area of 15 sq km, according to officials

ready moved through the Argentine provinces of Santa Fé and Formosa, where they caused damage to crops of corn, sugar cane, wheat and oats.

The swarm is currently in Corrientes province and the authorities there said that they had managed to reduce its size through fumigation.

Corrientes borders Brazil and Uruguay and both countries are monitoring the swarm's movements closely.

A cold weather front has made the locusts lethargic, so they have moved little in the past days, officials from Argentina's food safety body Senasa said.

Nevertheless, a phytosanitary state of emergency is in effect in the two southern Brazilian states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina.

Argentina and surrounding countries are no strangers to swarms of locusts.

Most recently, there were large swarms in Argentina in 2019 and 2017. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Venezuela's Maduro orders EU envoy to leave the country

V

enezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Monday ordered the European Union’s envoy to leave the country within 72 hours, after the EU sanctioned a group of Venezuelan officials for acting against the Oppositionrun Congress.

According to the EU Council, it on Monday added 11 leading Venezuelan officials to the list of those sub-

ject to restrictive measures, because of their role in acts and decisions undermining democracy and the rule of law in Venezuela.

“The individuals added to the list are responsible notably for acting against the democratic functioning of the National Assembly, including by stripping the parliamentary immunity of several members of its members, not least its President,

Juan Guaidó. Actions motivating the decision for listing also include initiating politically-motivated prosecutions and creating obstacles to a political and democratic solution to the crisis in Venezuela, as well as serious violations of human rights and restrictions of fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of press and speech.

“Today's decision brings

to 36 the total number of individuals under sanctions, which include a travel ban and an asset freeze. These measures target individuals and do not affect the population in general. The EU will continue working to foster a peaceful democratic solution in Venezuela, through inclusive and credible legislative elections.” (Excerpts from Reuters and consilium.europa.eu)

Dominica lifting COVID-19 curfew

D

ominica says it will not extend the state of emergency and the curfew that had been in place as part of the efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) when it expires on today.

“The emergency powers come to an end on Tuesday, June 30. The Government does not intend to extend this and, therefore, in large measure we go back to quote unquote the new normal,” Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit announced.

Dominica had recorded 18 cases of the virus that

Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit

was first detected in China

last December and blamed for the deaths of 502,000 people and infecting 10.2 million others worldwide.

Health Minister Dr Irvine McIntyre said despite the decision to lift the curfew and state of emergency, citizens should continue to follow the various health guidelines put in place to stem the virus as Dominica reopens its borders sometime in July.

“You have to appreciate the fact that the chance of importing a case is real. It has happened all over the world. Dominica is no excep-

tion. If we open the borders, chances that someone is going to slide in is real.

“So, to mitigate that, that is where we have to continue practising all the public health measures that we have been discussing all along,” he said.

He urged Dominicans “to go back to the basics…it is all about our hand hygiene, our social distancing” adding that people should also prevent as much as possible having to go to stores and other business places on a daily basis when only one visit is required. (CMC)

OAS electoral mission arrives in Dom Rep to observe July 5 elections

T

he Electoral Observation Mission of the Organisation of American States (OAS) for the Extraordinary General Presidential, Senatorial and Deputation Elections in the Dominican Republic arrived on Monday in Santo Domingo to begin the field observation tasks for elections on Sunday, July 5.

The mission, made up of more than 80 experts and observers from 18 nationalities, is headed by former

Chilean President Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, who, due to the travel restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, is monitoring the process from Santiago de Chile using virtual platforms to dialogue with the main actors of the election.

The OAS Secretary for Strengthening Democracy, Francisco Guerrero, leads the mission on the ground.

“Given the challenges posed by the global health situation, the mission will

combine experts and observers present in the country with some of its specialists working remotely,” the OAS said in a statement.

“The EOM will deploy a team of more than 70 people in the country, made up of OAS officials, specialists in electoral organisation and technology, and international observers residing in the Dominican Republic, who will observe the process in the different provinces of the country,” it

added.

The OAS electoral observer mission said specialists in women's political participation, political financing, electoral justice, and other members of the mission who carry out support tasks are working from their home countries.

The specialists, it said, have initiated meetings with the different actors of the elections through virtual platforms. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

more of their own food

Nelson Piloto waters his garden in the courtyard of a temple belonging to the Afro Cuban Abakua brotherhood amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Havana, Cuba, June 26, 2020

I

n the courtyard of a temple belonging to the Abakua Afro-Cuban religious brotherhood in Havana, Nelson Piloto is pulling up the lawn to plant bell peppers and cassava in the face of Cuba’s looming food crisis.

Piloto, 40, says he is responding to the Communist Government’s call for citizens to produce more of their own food, including in big cities, in whatever spaces they can find, from backyards to balconies.

Standing across from two giant ceiba trees that are considered sacred by many in Cuba, the temple usually resounds with ceremonies involving drumming, animal sacrifices and dance. But it sits empty now due to coronavirus lockdown restrictions on gatherings.

“I’m making the most of the earth,” said Piloto, leaning on his hoe.

Food security has lately risen to the top of the national agenda in Cuba, with countless news headlines

and televised roundtable discussions dedicated to the topic.

“Cuba can and must develop its programme of municipal self-sustainability definitively and with urgency, in the face of the obsessive and tightened US blockade and the food crisis COVID-19 will leave,” José Ramón Machado Ventura, 89, deputy leader of the Cuban Communist Party, was quoted as saying by State-run media on Monday.

The Caribbean island imports roughly two-thirds of the food it consumes at a cost of around US$2 billion annually, in addition to key farming supplies like fertiliser, machinery and animal feed.

But imports have nosedived in recent years as aid from ally Venezuela shrank following its economic implosion and US President Donald Trump tightened the half century-old US trade embargo. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Trinidad: No alcohol for bars breaching regulations

B

ars that do not comply with the COVID-19 guidelines for reopening would not be supplied with alcoholic products from Monday.

This is one of the measures announced by the Trinidad and Tobago Beverage and Alcohol Alliance (TTBAA) at a news conference on Sunday, as it seeks to stave off any reclosure of the industry.

“The TTBAA, comprised of 90 manufacturers, producers, distributors and marketers of alcohol in T&T, have taken the decision that for bars that are non-compliant as of tomorrow (Monday), the bodies that constitute the TTBA Alliance – the likes of the Caribs and Brydens and others – we are going to withhold delivery and supplies of those entities,” TTBAA chairman Dr Patrick Antoine.

The news conference followed a stern warning by the Prime Minister that the Government would close bars again if reports of breaches continued.

Videos circulated over the weekend showing bars jam-packed and there were reports of people “hiding” in bars after the 10 pm closing time.

“Where bars and bar owners continue to be non-compliant, we will support without reservation, fully, the closure of these bars by the State,” Antoine added.

He pointed out that over 75,000 people work directly or indirectly in the alcohol industry and said that they could not allow the few errant ones to affect the many who rely on the industry for their livelihoods.

The Bar Owners Association (BOA) and the Trinidad Hotels, Restaurants and Tourism Association (THRTA) were also represented at the news conference.

“We cannot endure another 90 days of a shutdown. That would entirely condemn the industry as we know it,” interim President of the BOA, Teron Mohan said. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020

19

Around the World

OILNEWS Oil rises on improving economic data, but new coronavirus cases loom

O

il prices rose about US$1 a barrel on Monday, after bullish data from Asia and Europe, but investors are wary about sharp spikes in new coronavirus infections around the world.

Brent crude LCOc1 gained 69 cents, or 1.7 per cent, to settle at US$41.71 a barrel. US crude CLc1 rose US$1.21, or 3.1 per cent, to settle at US$39.70 a barrel.

The recovery of economic sentiment in the euro zone intensified in June with improvements across all sectors, European Commission data showed on Monday. Overall sentiment rose to 75.7 points in June from 67.5 in May, though still short of expectations.

In China, profits at industrial firms rose for the first time in six months in May, suggesting the country’s economic recovery is gaining traction.

US stock indexes, which broadly rose on Monday, also added support for oil prices, which at times track with equities.

But fears of a second wave of the pandemic are keeping prices from going higher. The death toll from COVID-19 surpassed half a million people on Sunday, according to a Reuters tally.

Some states in the United States have reimposed restrictions after jumps in cases. California ordered bars to close on Sunday following similar moves in Texas and Florida.

Washington state and the city of San Francisco have paused their reopening plans.

“Whilst these localised measures on their own are unlikely to see any major immediate impact on demand, they do highlight the significant risk to gasoline demand,” JBC Energy said.

Brent is set to end June with a third consecutive monthly gain after the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, known as OPEC+, extended its 9.7 million barrels-per-day (bpd) supply cut agreement into July.

“OPEC+ supply cuts have been helping keep the oil price afloat, and after the stellar nearly 90% compliance in May, in the next few days we will be getting data clues on June compliance,” said Louise Dickson, Rystad Energy’s oil markets analyst.

OPEC has cut oil output in June by 1.25 million bpd from May levels, according to estimates from tanker-tracking company Petro-Logistics. (Excerpt from Reuters)

US top court strikes down law limiting abortions

T

he US Supreme Court has ruled that a law restricting abortions in Louisiana is unconstitutional.

In a landmark decision, the Justices said a law requiring that doctors who provide abortions have the right to admit patients at a local hospital placed an undue burden on women.

Chief Justice John Roberts joined liberal Justices in the 5-4 decision in a blow to anti-abortion groups.

The court struck down a similar policy in Texas in 2016, the opinion noted.

This was the first major

abortion case ruling from the Supreme Court during the Trump presidency.

The 2014 Louisiana law said that doctors must hold so-called admitting privileges at hospitals within 30 miles (48 kilometres) of their practice.

But critics said the controversial law would limit the number of providers in the state, violating a woman's right to an abortion.

June Medical Services v Russo asked the Supreme Court to rule on whether to uphold a lower court's opinion concerning the Louisiana law. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Another flu virus with "pandemic potential" found in China

A

new strain of flu that has the potential to become a pandemic has been identified in China by scientists.

It emerged recently and is carried by pigs, but can infect humans, they say.

The researchers are concerned that it could mutate further so that it can spread easily from person to person, and trigger a global outbreak.

While it is not an immediate problem, they say, it has "all the hallmarks" of being highly adapted to infect humans and needs close monitoring.

As it's new, people could have little or no immunity to the virus.

The scientists write in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of

Sciences that measures to control the virus in pigs, and the close monitoring of swine industry workers, should be swiftly implemented. A bad new strain of influenza is among the top disease threats that experts are watching for, even as the world attempts to bring to an end the current coronavirus pandemic.

The last pandemic flu the world encountered - the swine flu outbreak of 2009 that began in Mexico - was less deadly than initially feared, largely because many older people had some immunity to it, probably because of its similarity to other flu viruses that had circulated years before.

That virus, called A/ H1N1pdm09, is now covered by the annual flu vac-

cine to make sure people are protected.

The new flu strain that has been identified in China is similar to 2009 swine flu, but with some new changes.

So far, it hasn't posed a big threat, but Prof Kin-Chow Chang and colleagues who have been studying it, say it is one to keep an eye on.

The virus, which the researchers call G4 EA H1N1, can grow and multiply in the cells that line the human airways.

They found evidence of recent infection starting in people who worked in abattoirs and the swine industry in China.

Current flu vaccines do not appear to protect against it, although they could be adapted to do so if needed.

Prof Kin-Chow Chang, who works at Nottingham University in the UK, told the BBC: "Right now we are distracted with coronavirus and rightly so. But we must not lose sight of potentially dangerous new viruses."

While this new virus is not an immediate problem, he says: "We should not ignore it."

Prof James Wood, head of the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Cambridge, said the work "comes as a salutary reminder" that we are constantly at risk of new emergence of pathogens, and that farmed animals, with which humans have greater contact than with wildlife, may act as the source for important pandemic viruses. (BBC News)

Coronavirus: Worst could be yet to come, WHO warns

T

he worst could be still to come in the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned, six months on from when the outbreak began.

WHO Head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the virus would infect many more people if Governments did not start to implement the right policies.

More than 10 million

cases have been recorded worldwide since coronavirus emerged in China late last year.

The number of patients who died is now above 500,000. Half the world's cases have been in the US and Europe but COVID-19 is rapidly growing in the Americas.

The virus is also affecting South Asia and Africa, where it is not expected to

peak until the end of July.

Dr Tedros told a virtual briefing on Monday: "We all want this to be over. We all want to get on with our lives. But the hard reality is this is not even close to being over.

"Although many countries have made some progress, globally the pandemic is actually speeding up."

"With 10 million cases now and half a million

deaths, unless we address the problems we've already identified at WHO, the lack of national unity and lack of global solidarity and the divided world which is actually helping the virus to spread... the worst is yet to come," he said.

"I'm sorry to say that, but with this kind of environment and conditions we fear the worst." (Excerpt from BBC News)

Ambulances are seen parked outside Pakistan Stock Exchange building after an attack in Karachi, June 29, 2020

7 die as "separatist" gunmen attack Pakistan Stock Exchange

A

group armed with guns and grenades attacked the Pakistan Stock Exchange in the city of Karachi on Monday in a bid to take hostages, killing two guards and a policeman before security forces killed all four attackers, security officials said.

Separatist insurgents from the troubled southwestern province of Balochistan claimed responsibility, a senior counter-terrorism official, Raja Umar Khattab, told Reuters.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) had claimed the attack on Twitter but Reuters could not verify the account. Spokesmen for the group were not available.

The Police Chief of Karachi, Pakistan’s big-

gest city and financial hub, Ghulam Nabi Memon, told Reuters the gunmen attacked with grenades and guns after pulling up in a silver Corolla car.

Two guards and a policeman were killed and seven people were wounded, Deputy Inspector General of Police Sharjil Kharal told

media.

A counter-terrorism official told Reuters the attackers were carrying significant quantities of ammunition and grenades in backpacks.

An aide to Pakistan’s prime minister on national security matters, Moeed Yusuf, and the country’s Foreign Minister, Shah

Mahmood Qureshi, both said the attack was sponsored by hostile foreign elements.

Nuclear-armed foes India and Pakistan often accuse each other of being behind cross-border attacks.

Pakistan has regularly blamed India for supporting Baloch separatists.

Delhi rejected the charge, which external affairs spokesman Anurag Srivastava said was an attempt by Pakistan to blame India for domestic problems.

Separatists have been fighting for years in Balochistan, complaining its gas and mineral wealth is unfairly exploited by Pakistan’s richer, more powerful provinces. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Michelle Bachelet added her voice to the chorus urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to drop the proposal.

"Annexation is illegal. Period," the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a statement.

"Any annexation. Whether it is 30 per cent of the West Bank, or 5 per cent," she said, urging Israel to "listen

to its own former senior officials and Generals, as well as to the multitude of voices around the world, warning it not to proceed along this dangerous path."

International condemnation of the possible Israeli annexations has mounted ahead of July 1, when Israel could take its first steps towards implementing part of a United States-proposed

Middle East plan.

But Defence Minister and alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz said Monday that any annexation of West Bank territory must be placed on hold until the coronavirus crisis has been contained.

His office later clarified that he was referring specifically to the annexation plan.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

UN's Michelle Bachelet says Israel's annexation plans “illegal”

I

srael's aim to annex parts of the occupied West Bank is clearly "illegal", the United Nations' human rights chief said on Monday, warning that the consequences could be "disastrous".

Just days before Israel intends to kick-start plans to annex its West Bank settlements and parts of the strategic Jordan Valley,

20

TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020

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SUDOKU

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Keep your thoughts to yourself. If you act in haste or make assumptions, you will have to reverse your steps as the day progresses.

Focus on fitness, health and personal growth.

It’s up to you to initiate change. Consider what makes you happy and pursue your dreams. If you share your feelings and intentions with someone you care about, you’ll be given advice and support.

Get serious about what you want. Dig in and start the ball rolling, and you will discover something you enjoy doing that can result in extra income.

Choose your words thoughtfully and proceed with caution. Put your plans in place before you share your intentions. Your success depends on maintaining control and avoiding interference.

Focus on what’s important to you. Learn new skills and research services you can offer others. Find a practical way to use your attributes to prosper.

Put a smile on someone’s face. Reaching out and doing your part will lead to an unexpected chance to improve your life. Share your ideas, offer advice and make a difference.

Carefully examine an offer someone makes that promises to help you look and do your best. Refuse to let someone pressure you into something you don’t want to do.

Put your emotions into whatever you decide to do.

Head in a direction that feels comfortable. If you plan your actions using intelligence as well as intuition, you will succeed.

Make alterations at SAGITTARIUS home that are conducive to (Nov. 23helping you keep the peace.

Dec. 21) Use your space in a way that helps you add to your income.

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Think big, but when it comes to putting your ideas in motion, stick to a budget and a carefully made, practical plan. An in-depth discussion will yield positive results.

Spend more time addressing your concerns and less time trying to appease others. The more you give, the more others will expect from you. Take care of your needs first.

A change to how you handle your money will help you avoid coming up short. Put more time and effort into maintaining good health.

Make fitness, diet and rest priorities.

TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020

21

Mercedes to race in new black livery for 2020 F1 season M

ercedes will run a new black livery in Formula 1 in 2020 as a signal of their commitment to greater diversity and inclusion in motorsport.

Silver had been the company’s colour scheme in racing since the 1930s.

Mercedes said the Black Lives Matter movement had “shone a searching light on how much we need new measures and actions in the fight against racism”.

World champion Lewis Hamilton called it an “important statement we are willing to change and improve as a business”.

Mercedes F1 team said in a statement that “just three per cent of our workforce identify as belonging to minority ethnic groups and only 12 per cent of our employees are women.

“This lack of diversity shows that we need to find new approaches to attract talent from many areas of society we do not currently reach.”

The team will also launch a diversity and inclusion programme that will include raising awareness, analysis of their recruitment programme, collaboration with F1 stakeholders on accessibility and education initiatives.

Mercedes F1 team principal Toto Wolff said: “Racism and discrimination have no place in our society, our sport or our team: this is a core belief at Mercedes.

“But having the right beliefs and the right mindset isn’t enough if we remain silent.

“We wish to use our voice and our global platform to speak up for respect and equality, and the Silver Arrow will race in black for the entire 2020 season to show our commitment to greater diversity within our team and our sport.

“We will not shy away from our weaknesses in

this area, n o r f r o m the progress we must still make; our livery is our public pledge to take positive action.”

Six-time world champion Hamilton has announced he is setting up a commission in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering to promote black

participation in motorsport.

He added: “It’s so important that we seize this moment a n d use it to educate ourselves, whether you are an individual,

brand, or company to make real meaningful changes when it comes to ensuring equality and inclusivity.

“I have personally experienced racism in my life and seen my family and friends experience racism, and I am speaking from the

heart when I appeal for change.

“When I spoke to Toto about my hopes for what we could achieve as a team, I said it was so important that we stand united.

“I would like to say a huge thank you to Toto and the Mercedes board for taking the time to listen, to talk, and to really understand my experiences and passion, and for making this important statement that we are willing to change and improve as a business.

“We want to build a legacy that goes beyond sport, and if we can be the leaders and can start building more diversity within our own business, it will send such a strong message and give others the confidence to begin a dialogue about how they can implement change.” (BBC Sport)

Epsom Derby: Aidan O’Brien has 7 entries as he seeks record

A

idan O’Brien has seven of the 17 entries as he seeks a record eighth triumph in the Derby at Epsom.

The Irish trainer has Mogul, Russian Emperor and Vatican City among his contenders to tackle home hopes English King and Kameko on Saturday.

He is set to saddle Love and Peaceful on the same day in the Oaks, where opponents include Frankly Darling.

A bumper weekend of racing action sees the return of Enable in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on Sunday.

Rivals could include Coronation Cup victor Ghaiyyath and Royal Ascot winner Lord North.

Frankie Dettori will ride Enable, having partnered Derby favourite English King and Oaks second favourite Frankly Darling on Saturday.

O’Brien’s Derby squad is completed by Amhran Na Bhfiann, Armory, Mythical and Serpentine, although Armory and Mythical are also entered in Sunday’s French Derby.

He has decided not to run Santiago seven days after winning the Irish Derby, while Ennistymon and Passion

complete his four-strong team in the Oaks, which has a total of 11 entries.

The Oaks and the Derby at Epsom – two of British racing’s five Classics – are taking place behind closed doors and on the same day for the first time.

Three miles of fencing are being erected around the track, where public rights of way will be suspended for the day.

But racehorse owners – two per horse initially – will be able to start attending race meetings in England from Saturday in a “safe and risk-managed way”, under plans agreed by the Racecourse Association, the Racehorse Owners Association and the British Horseracing Authority.

They will need to register before all meetings, arrive no earlier than 45 minutes before their first horse is due to run and leave the racecourse within one hour of the final race in which they have a runner.

There will be dedicated ‘owner zones’, which will separate owners from race-day workers, including trainers and jockeys, for infection control purposes, with no movement permitted between the two areas.

(BBC Sport)

Christian Coleman: Lord Coe says athletes should not “minimise” whereabouts rule

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o athlete should “minimise the importance of the whereabouts rule”, says World Athletics President Sebastian Coe after Christian Coleman missed three doping tests.

The world 100m champion, 24, is provisionally suspended while he disputes the third whereabouts failure.

The American claims he was Christmas shopping near his home and the tester made no effort to contact him.

“It’s not a good story [for athletics],” Lord Coe told BBC Sport.

“And it’s not a good story, because whereabouts are really a very important part of our landscape.”

Coleman said he had “never and will never use performance-enhancing supplements or drugs” after his third missed test on December 9 was revealed earlier this month.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said it did not regard Coleman’s explanation for the missing test as a defence, as it was not their policy to call an athlete if they were not at the designated address.

“It’s not really our policy to comment on unresolved cases – this is now quite

properly a matter for the AIU,” said Coe. However, he said the whereabouts rules were “absolutely a part of our landscape and the vast majority of athletes accept them and actually welcome them as being a protective mechanism for them”.

He added: “No athlete should minimise the importance of the whereabouts rule. The whereabouts rule is to protect the athletes, it’s to protect their reputations and it’s to make sure that we move as hard and as fast as we can to drug-free sport.

“It’s one hour a day – this is not arcane maritime law; this is not complicated.

“The vast majority of athletes make sure they don’t miss those tests. They have to take it seriously.”

Coleman – who won his first major title at the World Championships in Doha last year –- had previously missed a test on January 16, 2019 and experienced a filing failure on April 26, 2019.

Three whereabouts failures in a 12-month period can result in a ban of up to two years by the AIU. (BBC Sport)

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TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020

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est Indies will wear a Black Lives Matter emblem on the collars of their shirts during July’s Test series against England.

Captain Jason Holder hinted in his first press conference of the tour that West Indies would look to support the movement in some way, and said in a statement on Sunday: “We believe we have a duty to show solidarity and also to help raise awareness.”

The logo used will be that worn on the shirts of all 20 Premier League football clubs since the sport’s restart earlier this month, designed by Alisha Hosannah, whose partner Troy Deeney is Watford’s Captain. Deeney was contacted by Cricket West Indies (CWI) for approval, and the International Cricket Council (ICC) gave permission for the emblem to be worn on the teams’ collars.

“This is a pivotal moment in history for sports, for the game of cricket and for the West Indies cricket team,” Holder said.

“We have come to England to retain the Wisden Trophy, but we are very conscious of happenings around the world and the fight for justice and equality.

“As a group of young men, we know of the rich and diverse history of West Indies cricket and we know we are guardians of the great game for generations to come.

“We did not take our decision lightly. We know what it is for people to make judgments because of the colour of our skin, so we know what it feels like, this goes beyond the boundary. There must be equality and there must be unity. Until we get that as people, we cannot stop.

“We have to find some way to have equal rights and people must not be viewed differently because of the colour of their skin or ethnic background.”

Deeney said: “Alisha and I are immensely proud to be asked and take part in a monumental

moment in world sport; this amazing decision by the West Indies cricket team to show their support for Black Lives Matter.

“Watching cricket with my grandad and seeing Brian Lara transcend from being a cricketer to a worldwide superstar shaped my childhood, so it’s great to be able to help West Indies cricket show their support in such a meaningful way.”

The shirts are expected to be worn for the first time in this week’s First-Class, fourday warm-up match at Emirates Old Trafford, which started on Monday.

The ICC had previously told ESPNcricinfo that it would operate a “common-sense approach to the implementation of regulations” regarding demonstrations of solidarity with the movement, which would be assessed on a “case-by-case basis”.

England are also expected to mark their support for the movement during the series following discussions within the squad, and may also wear blue armbands in recognition of the contribution of NHS staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced last week that players would wear the names of cricket-supporting key workers on their training shirts ahead of the first Test.

West Indies’ shirts will also be the first to feature a chest sponsor, like those seen in football since the 1970s. The ICC’s chief executives’ committee ratified a change earlier this month to allow a relaxation of rules on apparel logos for the next 12 months, seemingly to

help them maintain relations with sponsors during a difficult financial period.

Logos on the fronts of players’ shirts will not be permitted to exceed 32 square inches in size, as per the regulations for One-Day Internationals (ODI) and T20 Internationals kits.

England are also expected to release a shirt with a chest sponsor in the next few days.

(ESPNcricinfo)

TKR to ramp up CPL preparations

Former Reggae Boy Claude Davis’ academy inks 5-year deal with Liverpool FC

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rinbago Knight Riders (TKR) Manager Colin Borde said the local players will ramp up their preparations for the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) as the Government starts to relax COVID-19 measures.

Last Monday, contact sports and team sports were allowed to resume following an announcement by the Prime Minister at a COVID-19 media conference on June 20.

It was uncertain if the CPL would be held because of the virus, but the Government and CPL officials are in the process of making final arrangements to hold the entire tournament in Trinidad from August 18 to September 10.

It would be the first time the entire tournament would be held in one country.

“The players have been working with programmes throughout the COVID period. The month of July will see the group come together and begin outdoor training at both Tarouba (Brian Lara Cricket Academy) and Queen’s Park Cricket Club (Queen’s Park Oval).”

Borde also said plans were in place for players to participate in a few outdoor matches to prepare.

“Match fitness can only be attained through playing and so we are working in the return-

to-play phase.

The Coaches have decided a schedule alongside some senior players and the expectation is that July we will see a ramp-up of activities with the local players.”

TKR retained nine TT players for the tournament including Dwayne Bravo, Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons, Khary Pierre, Akeal Hosein, Amir Jangoo, and Tion Webster. The franchise also signed TT and West Indies Under-19 fast bowler Jayden Seales.

In terms of the overseas TKR players, Borde said, “Those out of the country have their respective programmes and plans to reach certain set targets.”

Despite Government giving the green light to resume team sports, COVID-19 guidelines must be followed such as maintaining physical distancing.

Borde said the TKR staff would ensure the players gradually get back into a more intense training programme. “It is important to be mindful of the ease into the various phases. The Coaches, technical staff, medical staff, alongside the senior players are working with all components in mind.” (TT Newsday)

ormer Reggae Boy Claude Davis is a part-owner of a Florida-based football academy that recently signed a five-year deal with the 2019-2020 Premier League champions, Liverpool FC. Davis, 41, represented Portmore United, Preston Northend, Crystal Palace, Sheffield United, and Derby County in a career spanning more than a decade. The towering defender also represented Jamaica 69 times between 2000 and 2012.

These days, Davis is part owner and technical director of the Liverpool International Academy of Central Florida and revealed the deal with the now 19-time English

champions.

“Everything that we do comes from the Liverpool Academy in England. It’s a pathway for us to try and do things the right way,” Davis told the Jamaica Observer.

“I have been working here for five years and I try to implement stuff. You know I play all my life in England and I see the ways the academies run. I try to do that here, but unfortunately, we do not have the financial backing.”

After approaching Liverpool FC with their proposal, the club responded positively, he said.

“We had a meeting with Liverpool like six, seven months ago and we explained to them, lay out the vision and the plans we have, and they came back to us as they loved it and they wanted to be a part of it. So, we signed a five-year contract with Liverpool to use the name,” he said.

“It’s not just their name, but their curriculum as well, and they will send coaches over here three times a year to work with my coaches, teach them the right way, help the coaches to deliver the training sessions, the same sessions the academy in Liverpool is working with.”

(Sportsmax)

TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Stokes set to captain as Windies quicks worry England E

ngland Captain Joe Root is wary of a “formidable” West Indies bowling attack in the three-Test series starting next week in Southampton.

The Windies are banking heavily on their pace attack in England to defend the Wisden Trophy they claimed 2-1 on home soil in the 2019 series.

Root said England could not afford to lower their guard against an attack which featured Captain Jason Holder, Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel – among the top 20 in official Test rankings.

“We are very aware of the skill West Indies have and what they will bring to this series,” Root told BBC Sport.

“One thing that stood out was how formidable their bowling attack can be. It is really important we prepare well and we are ready for all of that.”

Holder is also the topranked Test all-rounder, followed by England’s Ben Stokes, and West Indies Head Coach Phil Simmons has predicted their rivalry will light up the series.

“Jase is one of the most wellrespected guys in international cricket,” Root said.

“He took the job at a young age and we are starting to see him at the peak of his career.

“He comes across as a very good bloke. I am looking forward to chatting to him from a social distance.”

Root has said he would miss the series opener from July 8 if it clashed with the birth of his second child, with Vice Captain Stokes on standby to take the reins.

Veteran seamer Stuart Broad, 34,

believes the side would still be in good hands, with Vice Captain Stokes wellequipped to take the reins.

“Stokes will be fine. The toughest part of the job is off the field, lots of extra meetings and planning, which he won’t have to get involved in,” Broad told reporters in a virtual

“It will be a mental test... I’ve just got to make sure to train my brain not to get into a negative mindset,” said Broad, who has claimed 485 Test wickets.

“There might be times when the minds of players drift but we need to make sure we are as engaged as possible.”

England are considering joining

The West Indies will wear a Black Lives Matter emblem on the collars of their Test shirts in the series to show solidarity with the anti-racism movement sweeping the globe.

England may yet follow suit.

Broad says it is important to educate people on matters of racial equality.

“It’s been

news conference.

“He has a great cricket brain, he has grown and matured over the last few years so captaining one game will be easy.

“There won’t be much pressure as he’s not being judged over a long period of time. I have no doubts he will be brilliant.”

The three Tests – with the second and third to be played at Manchester’s Old Trafford ground – will be played in biosecure venues without fans in attendance as part of protocols to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Broad says he has spoken to sports psychologists to learn ways of dealing with the challenges of playing in empty stadiums.

good to open the conversation with everyone.

People can admit that maybe their views were different in the past. It’s now about moving forward,” he added.

West Indies Captain Holder said he wanted racism to be treated as seriously as doping and match-fixing in cricket.

“I don’t think the penalty for doping or corruption should be any different for racism,” Holder told BBC Sport.

“If we’ve got issues within our sport,

we must deal with them equally.”

“This is a pivotal moment in history for sports, for the game of cricket, and for the West Indies cricket team,” Holder said.

“We have come to England to retain the Wisden Trophy, but we are very conscious of happenings around the world and the fight for justice and equality.

“As a group of young men, we know of the rich and diverse history of West Indies cricket and we know we are guardians of the great game f o r generation to come.

“We did not take our decision lightly. We know what it is for people to make judgments because of the colour of our skin, so we know what it feels like, this goes beyond the boundary. There must be equality and there must be unity.

Until we get that as people, we cannot stop.

Holder said teams should be briefed about race issues before the start of any series.

“In addition to having anti-doping briefings and anticorruption briefings, maybe we should have an anti-racism feature before we start a series,” the all-rounder said.

“My message is more education needs to go around it.

“I’ve not experienced any racial abuse first-hand, but have heard or seen a few things around it. It’s something you just can’t stand for.”

(BBC Sport)

Archery Guyana members continue representation at 13th stage of International Remote Archery Competition

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he 13th stage of the ongoing 60X ISOL Remote Shoot Virtual Competition highlighted strong competition among three of Archery Guyana’s members in the Recurve 30m category, on Sunday, June 28, 2020 during the world’s ongoing lockdown for the COVID-19 pandemic.

The match ended with Samira Duncan scoring 541 points while Umasankar Madray and Nicholas Hing scored 522 and 518 respectively. Sunday marked the second appearance of all three archers in this series of matches.

The exciting match took place in rather wet conditions with our local archers competing throughout the rain which cleared up only after the event was completed.

Duncan’s performance was much improved over her last appearance, and she was able to find the 10 ring 10 times during her 12 ends. The competition between Madray and Hing was fierce, with Hing having a 22-point lead after six ends. However, Madray produced a masterful performance in the final six ends to overtake Hing’s final score by four points.

On the previous Sunday (June 21, 2020), the 12th stage of this competition had Madray competing against fellow Archery Guyana member Robert Singh. Madray performed well with excellent groupings, but then experienced a problem with his equipment. Singh came in one point ahead of Madray, the final scores being Singh 531 and Madray 530.

The interest in this virtual competition continues to grow with archers from around the Caribbean participating regularly along with representatives from Europe, Africa, India, Korea, Australia, and the USA.

Registration for this competition series is done online and athletes choose which session and division they would shoot.

Scaleddown target faces are used to suit the specified distances for those shooting from home with limited space.

Equipment inspection is done by taking a photo of bow and arrows, as well as target faces, and sent online. A QR code is then sent for archers to log in and send scores after every end along with pictures of arrows in target for scoring.

The competition continues next Sunday, July 5, with stage 14, as Archery Guyana urges its members with access to safe home facilities to participate.

All archers are mandated to observe our national health and safety requirements and the Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/ WHO) guidelines for prevention of COVID-19.

Archery Guyana wishes to thank Robert Singh for his input and facilitation of this novel competition here in Guyana.

LGC host in-house tournament …all proceeds go towards staff

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Nicholas Hing preparing to shoot

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he Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) hosted its first indoor tournament on Saturday following months of inactivity owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, with proceeds going towards assisting club members.

Some 29 golfers took to the greens in an effort to ensure those attached to the club and were heavily affected by the pandemic were still able to provide for their families.

As such, the local pros took the necessary precautions to ensure they abided by the social distancing guidelines while still bringing out their A-Games.

Entrance fee for the club tourney was $3000, which meant LGC staff, including caddies, club-house workers, groundsmen, were able to receive some means of financial stability while waiting for normalcy to return.

Coming in at first place was veteran golfer Deanand “Deno” Bissessar, who ended with a Gross 83 and 61 Net. Second, third and fourth place were also occupied by a few star players in “Pandit” Ravi, Ian Gouveia 80/64, and Shanella London 84/70.

The LGC, last month, donated a number of hampers to the Lusignan community as a means of providing COVID-19 relief to their caddies and their families as well as other residents in the neighbourhood.

Meanwhile, local golfers will continue to slowly ease back into action with occasional in-house tournaments, as they further wait out the lockdown period.

TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020

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

guyanatimesgy.com

West Indies to wear Black Lives Matter logo on Test shirts Pg 22

Archery Guyana members continue representation at 13th stage of International Remote Archery Competition

LGC host in-house tournament

Pg 23

…all proceeds go towards staff

TKR

to ramp up CPL

preparations

Pg 23

Trinbago Knight Riders Manager Colin Borde

Umasankar Madray

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