Guyana Times - Tuesday, June 9, 2020

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4311

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Elections 2020: The next steps

ow that the elections recount and formal tabulation of those figures have completed, the nation now awaits a speedy declaration by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). The next step has already been laid out in the order made by the GECOM pursuant to its powers under Article 162 of the Constitution and Section 22 of the Elections Laws (Amendment) Act No 15/2020, published in the Official Gazette on May 4, 2020, and amended by an addendum published in the Official Gazette on May 29, 2020, which sets out the nature, purpose and procedure of the National Recount of the ballots cast on the March 2, 2020 Regional and National Elections. Therefore, the

next steps based on that gazetted order are: a) The matrices produced for the 10 electoral districts shall then be transmitted to the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), who shall then tabulate the same and submit a report, together with a summary of the observation reports for each district to the Commission, on or before the 13th day of June 2020; b) Within 3 days of receipt of the report from the CEO, the Commission shall deliberate and then request the CEO to use the data compiled to prepare a report under Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act and declare the results of the election.

It is expected that the Chief Elections

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Officer, Keith Lowenfield, will now follow this order as stipulated. His functions are clear based on the order and as such he has no power to inject a personal opinion or make any recommendation or pass any judgement in the preparation of his reports. His duty is, therefore, to summarise the observation report, total the matrices and prepare the final report in a form provided for by Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act. Lowenfield’s role in the process is quite straightforward and does not provide for him to address or opinionate on issues of unsubstantiated allegations that had marred the recount process by a group not willing to let the will of the Guyanese people be upheld.

US Congress called upon to support GECOM’s declaration as final See story on page 7

Poll documents were Use contrived, nonsensical objections in election petition carelessly handled – Chris Ram to APNU/AFC at Mingo’s office – video shows

GECOM cannot ignore the will of 233,336 Guyanese P3

…winner must be declared based on recount figures – former AG

PPP/C to meet with Top Cop on Wednesday

…national security on agenda P11

“Severe” P12 damage to documents, equipment at Finance Ministry

Page 13

…as Change Guyana rejects APNU/ AFC’s claims of ‘voter fraud’ 2Pages & 14

Berbice labourer burnt to death See story on page10

Efforts to subvert the will of Guyanese spell dire consequences – business community warns Page 9

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Speedy elections declaration needed for nation to begin “healing” – P10 FITUG COVID-19 slows down economic activities in P15 Wakenaam

2 NEWS

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Use contrived, nonsensical objections in election petition – Chris Ram to APNU/AFC

are reasonable grounds but that the challenges raised by the party during the exercise were, “mostly contrived and nonsensical.’

According to Ram, “an election petition can be pursued, if there are reasonable grounds.”

He was adamant however, “in my opinion, it is not in the national interest, or indeed its own interest, for the APNU/AFC to consume all its energies on elections that have now been held.”

Acknowledging the completion of the recount activity as a milestone, Ram in his public missive noted that it is now for the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) of Political commentator and Attorney-at- the Guyana Elections Commission Law, Christopher Ram (GECOM), to consolidate the completed tabulations “along with a uyanese has for 99 days summary of the observation renow waited for the declaports from the recount, send a reration of the results of the port to the Commission no later March 2, General and Regional than June 13.”

Elections and with the completion Ram in his writings noted of the recount of the ballots cast, that “contrary to what (Caretaker “it is time that this country moves President) David Granger has on, with a President, Parliament, said, the CARICOM (Caribbean a Government and a Budget in Community) Scrutinising Team place.”

(CST) has no date by which to subThis is the view held by outmit a report to the Commission spoken political commentator which may include conclusions and attorney-at-law, Christopher and recommendations…This type Ram, who in a public missive on of documentation is typical of obMonday, suggested that the govserver teams but because of its erning coalition A Partnership special role, the CST will submit for National Unity, Alliance for its report to GECOM, presumably Change (APNU/ AFC) could purfirst reporting to the CARICOM sue an election petition, if here Chair.”

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Caretaker President David Granger

The vocal commentator said, that under the Order, GECOM is specifically mandated to deliberate over the CEO’s report and according to Granger, over the CARICOM report as well and that part of the deliberation, is the determination by the Commission, whether to request the CEO to use the data submitted by him as the basis for a report to ascertain and declare the results of the elections.

Ram posited, “this may sound simple enough but it is unclear whether APNU/AFC will cooperate in these further steps to conclude the process, ending with the swearing in of the President.”

He has since drawn reference to the fact the Coalition has been

refusing to sign all but one of the Statements of Recounts and may very well refuse to sign matrices to be submitted to the CEO. He noted, “that while that is unlikely to stall the process, the statement by the Coalition after GECOM had decided to tabulate the East Coast ballots is more serious; declaring that GECOM must give the rationale for what APNU/ AFC referred to as an inexplicable decision, the Coalition made clear its non-acceptance of the tabulated vote which it claimed contained several votes which are fraudulent.”

Ram suggests it is unclear how the coalition reached that conclusion since its initial case was that the votes could not be tabulated because of the absence of documents.

He noted too that while the term “fraudulent” is of wide import, it is used only three times in the Representation of the People Act and suggested “unless the APNU+AFC is somehow accusing GECOM officials of fraud, the use of the term is unfortunate, misleading and incorrect.”

According to Ram, it is unlikely that the author of the statement would have used that word had s/ he been familiar with elections principles and laws.

The eminent local chartered accountant and attorney at law, was adamant “if the recount has proved one thing it is that the only

Caretaker Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

clear fraud was committed by the Returning Officer for District No. 4 (Clairmont Mingo).

He said with respect to GECOM’s rationale for its decision on the East Coast boxes, “that too is simple” and that “even if there is fraud or gross negligence on the part of GECOM, the sacred principle is whether the will of the voters can be seen on the facts of the case.”

According to Ram, “the principle is that elections should reflect the wish of the people, expressed through the ballot box and that the Court should put first and foremost the intention of the electorate.”

3 GECOM cannot ignore the will of 233,336 Guyanese NEWS

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, June 9 – 05:00h – 06:30h and Wednesday, June 10 – 09:00h – 10:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, June 9 – 06:35h – 08:05h and Wednesday, June 10 – 07:25h – 08:55h.

…winner must be declared based on recount figures – former AG that the recount has been completed. According to him, Lowenfield’s role in the process is straightforward.

He noted that the recount order does not provide for the CEO to have any personal, subjective input. “He is simply to summarise the obser-

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

presents that report, on or before June 13th, then the Commission will have to deliberate on the report.”

Nandlall posited that in all likelihood, GECOM will check to ensure the numbers and the observation report summary are accurate.

Thundery showers and light cloud will prevail during the day. There will be partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 06:36h and 19:09h reaching maximum heights of 2.57 metres and 2.37 metres.

Low Tide: 12:41h reaching a minimum height of 0.67 metre.

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$40.80/barrel

-3.68

Rough Rice

$316.13 /ton

-7.85

London Sugar

$387.30/ton

-1.43

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1695.40

$1696.40

Low/High

$1686.10

$1704.40

Change

-3.20

-0.19%

PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali and Prime Ministerial Candidate, Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips

By Jarryl Bryan

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fter 34 intense and at times dramatic days, the curtains have finally drawn on the national elections recount exercise and based on the preliminary data generated by the exercise, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has emerged the winners of the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections in Guyana.

The final box was counted on Sunday, while the final tabulation was completed just around midday on Monday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

The data generated from the 2339 Statements of Recount (SoRs) shows that the PPP/C, whose Presidential Candidate is former Housing Minister Dr Irfaan Ali, received a total of 233,336 votes.

This is 15,416 more votes than their nearest rivals, A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), which received 217,920 votes. When one calculates using the Hare formula, it means that PPP/C would have secured 33 out of 65 seats in the National Assembly and APNU/AFC would have secured 31.

The Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), which is led by former National Toshaos Council (NTC) Vice Chairman Lenox Shuman, was the third highest-grossing party with 2657 votes.

Coming in fourth was A New and United Guyana (ANUG), led by former Speaker of the National Assembly, Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran, which received 2313 votes.

Prior to the elections, both LJP and ANUG had entered into an agreement to join their candidate lists with The New Movement (TNM).

However, TNM, which is led

by Dr Asha Kissoon, only secured 244 votes, the least of any contesting party and well behind Change Guyana (1953), People’s Republican Party (889) and the Citizens Initiative (680).

Between them, LJP, ANUG and TNM secured 5214 votes, which, by using

the Hare formula for seat allocations, means they are expected to get one seat. The process is not over, however, as a number of steps have to be completed by GECOM before the final declaration and swearing-in of the next President.

According to the recount order, Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield must tabulate the matrices for the recount in all 10 Regions, prepare and submit a report based on those tabulations to the Commission.

The report has to then be deliberated on by the Commission, a final report pursuant to Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act has to be submitted and a declaration has to be made.

In an interview with the media outside the recount site on Monday, PPP Executive and former Attorney General Anil Nandlall laid out his party’s expectations now

Containers with ballot boxes making their final trip from the Arthur Chung Conference Centre back to GECOM compound for storage (Jarryl Bryan photo)

vation report and tabulate, aggregate and total the numbers which would have been tabulated and put on the certificate, constituting the declaration of results for each of the regions,” Nandlall said.

He added that there is no place for the Chief Elections Officer to inject a personal opinion, to offer any recommendation of any sort whatsoever. “His duty and role, in the letter and spirit of the order, is quite mechanical and straightforward. When he

Subsequently, he said, a result will be declared based on Lowenfield’s report.

“It’s upon the declaration of that result that the party whose Presidential Candidate received the most votes, will be declared the President and deemed to be the President of Guyana.

Having regard to the numbers you are all aware of, the political party and Presidential Candidate that ought to and is expected to be declared, is Dr Irfaan Ali.”

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TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020

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

No one will benefit from this dangerous game

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fter many hurdles and great sacrifice by persons and groups, both from within and outside Guyana, the first and main component of the national recount, which started on May 6, was completed on Sunday, with the final set of tabulations showing the number of votes each political party received at the March 2 polls.

Every stakeholder except the incumbent APNU/AFC coalition has accepted the final figures of the recount and is supporting the process through to its finality, considering the fact that the nation has waited way after three months for a credible winner to be declared.

After the last ballot box was completed on Sunday evening, coalition officials took to the airwaves again to send confusing and dangerous signals about not accepting the results of the recount on the basis of what they claim was “massive electoral fraud”.

When the clumsy efforts by Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo collapsed in front of their eyes, the coalition was forced to find other avenues to delay the inevitable. As expected, no one bought their story that dead and migrated persons ‘voted’.

From day one when the claims were made, they were shut down and the relevant evidence was provided showing otherwise. Today, they continue to peddle this falsehood of voter fraud in spite of the fact that all of the allegations were proven to be false by the persons concerned themselves.

Everyone knows that the real intention was to push to have the elections nullified after it was clear that the coalition had lost. However, legal experts within the coalition must be aware that GECOM does not have the power to annul an election. This power can only be exercised by the High Court via an elections petition.

It is quite unfortunate that coalition leaders continue to mislead and confuse their supporters telling them one time that they have won the elections and another time that there was “massive fraud” on E-Day. This is a dangerous game they are playing and no one will benefit. It is their supporters who would feel betrayed when reality begins to sink in.

On his part, caretaker President David Granger has not helped in any way to provide leadership and guidance or the necessary moral support to his followers. He is siding with some of the hardcore elements within the coalition to endorse the false narrative being pushed that there were widespread voter irregularities when every other stakeholder thinks otherwise.

Now that the physical recount has been completed, there are two main statutory steps left to be followed before a new president is sworn in; these include, the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield presenting his report for the Commission’s deliberation and the Commission then making a declaration based on the recount figures provided by the CEO. The CEO can only present what is before him in terms of the figures of the recount; and it is on this basis that a winner must be declared. There is no provision in law for him to inject his personal opinion in the report.

We expect that the Chair of the Commission, Justice Claudette Singh, will act with haste once she is in possession of the CEO’s report in declaring the winner so that Guyana can return to a democratic path as soon as possible.

The Chairperson has been commended for “leading from the front” in ensuring that the actual recount was completed in a credible and transparent manner. Justice Singh must now continue to take charge of the process and ensure that the other two steps are followed to the letter and spirit of the Recount Order, the Representation of the People’s Act and the Constitution, without any delays.

Nothing less is expected from the Chair. Guyanese and the wider world will remember her for the kind of action she takes in these elections, whether she will allow herself to be bullied by rogue elements who are bent on derailing the will of the people or whether she will stand on the side of what is legally and morally right for our country. We will hold her to a previous statement she made when she declared: “I only know one way, and that is the right way”.

The next few days will be crucial as all eyes are on Guyana.

The future of Guyana is in the hands of the Chair of GECOM. We have full confidence that she will choose to stand on the right side of history.

A man practises yoga on a paddle board outside Trump National Doral golf resort in Doral, Florida (Reuters photo)

PNC will have to do some serious soul searching

Dear Editor, In all the contentious wrangling that went on over the past weeks during the recount of the votes cast at the March 2 election, there emerged a very bright ray of hope for Guyana’s future. This hope is embodied in the young political leadership from several of the smaller parties including ANUG, LJP, The Citizenship Initiative, and Change Guyana.

They stood courageously shoulder-to-shoulder on a principled position of upholding democracy and were not ever sucked in by any of the usual partisan, race/ethnic interests that have been the bugbear of Guyana’s politics. They show what we can achieve by acting in unison, and in a principled manner that respects the country’s Constitution and its laws.

Outstanding leaders among them were Lennox

Shuman, who displayed a sense of humour that obviously derives from a keen intelligence. Among the others who showed brave leadership were Timothy Jonas, Kian Jabour, Rhonda Ann Lam, and Dr Josh Kanhai, who once commented on the stories he had heard about the PNC dictatorship from his parents and grandparents and had believed that those dark days were behind us.

For Dr Kanhai and many of the youngsters at the frontline, the post-election impasse was a first-hand experience of the very thuggery and corruption that had informed that dictatorship and which we had believed was a chapter of our political history that we would never see again.

With the recount tabulation finalised, we must now hope that the PNC and its collaborators in APNU, the

AFC and GECOM will do the right thing by Guyana and concede defeat.

In politics, defeat at the polls is never a matter of shame, disgrace or dishonour. The defeated more often than not deal with the outcome in a positive manner: to assess why they were defeated and to reorganise in order to win the next election.

The PNC, however, appears to be imprisoned by its history and will have to do some serious soul searching in order to bring new direction to the party. Unless it does this, the PNC might well find itself discarded as a contender for any future role in Guyana’s politics.

Going forward, I hope to see these younger faces in leadership roles as Guyana moves into a new era of its development. Whether they will have positions within the Government of President

Irfaan Ali or serve within civil society, I hope they will continue to remain as independent and principled voices in Guyana’s politics and will not fall prey to any of the ugly partisanship that lends itself to corruption.

All these young political leaders must be congratulated for their bold and unswerving stand for democracy and for putting our country first. They were a breath of fresh air in what is often a very tired political landscape of the sameold figures and rhetoric, and they must continue to set the example for even our hardened political players to emulate.

Wherever the future takes us all now, they give us every reason to hope that everything will be alright.

Sincerely, Ryhaan Shah

Mr Granger must resist pressures from self-serving cabal

Dear Editor, Now that the elections have come to an end, the self-serving group that has seized control of the PNC party has become frantic and deranged.

That group, which I have heard some people calling “the cabal”, is even willing to sacrifice Mr Granger and the few other respectable people left in the party by pressuring them to do queer things against their own interests so that they could hold on to the sweets of office.

In their deranged condition, they

are lashing out everywhere, even on PNC/APNU supporters. For example, Mr Mingo, the RO for Region Four, just before the close of elections on March 2, ordered the Presiding Officers and their deputies on ECD who were responsible for 29 boxes to extract the ancillary documentation from the boxes and bring them to him.

Though against their training, the Presiding Officers and their deputies, under pressures of the moment, did as Mr Mingo ordered. Now

that the story has been exploded, the PNC/APNU is accusing the Presiding Officers and Deputies of criminal offences and they and the Deputy ROs are liable for police action on them.

Mr Granger and the decent people left in the party have to stand up against the pressures and bullyism of the cabal and protect their reputations and save the party from being further weakened.

Yours sincerely, Paul Vallaidum Ramlochan

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TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020

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Political parties must Not writing fully accept recount exams will set children back Dear Editor, The International Center for Democracy (ICD) would like to commend all political parties that have participated in the National Recount of the ballots from the General and Regional Elections that was held on March 2, 2020. The ICD would also like to acknowledge and thank the Caricom team, international and local observers and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) staff

for their dedication and commitment during the recount process and most importantly, ensuring that the recount was done in a free, fair and transparent manner.

Based on the preliminary recount tabulation reports from the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) the PPP/C is projected to win. The nation awaits the final declaration of the recount from GECOM. The ICD expects

GECOM to make their final declaration based solely on the final tabulation from the recount of the ballots and to do so objectively without any bias and/or influence by any political party and or individuals.

The ICD strongly encourages all competing political parties to fully accept the final declaration of the General and Regional Elections from the recount of the ballots. The will and rights of all Guyanese re-

gardless of race, religion, political affiliation and/or belief must be respected. The ICD joins the ABCE countries, Caricom, international and local observer groups and the rest of the world in supporting a smooth transition to the next democratically elected President and Government of Guyana.

Dear Editor, It is heartening to see parents beginning to speak out against the Ministry of Education’s unfortunate and brash decision to hold examinations from early in July 2020 as Guyana struggles to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. I encourage other parents to continue to make their concerns heard loudly for it is the health and safety of our families that are at stake.

The Stabroek News editorial of June 7, 2020, was an insightful one that cor-

rectly identified an issue at the heart of this debacle: the possibility of the families of both students and teachers being infected with the COVID-19 virus as a result of the untimely re-opening of school for examination level students and the sitting of examinations. It is a risk that is too great for our nation to take.

For the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examination, which my 11-year-old daughter is scheduled to write, the editorial also presented a sen-

sible and practical solution.

It is for the Ministry of Education to delay the sitting of the examination to a time when it is safer but which would still allow for schools to be reopened before January 2021. This may be achieved, as the editorial suggests, by working through the holidays and finding ways to speed up the marking of the Grade Six Assessment.

I believe this is a practical solution that would address the concerns of students, teachers, parents and the Ministry of Education. It is my sincere hope that the Ministry would pursue this option.

We now live in an extraordinary time when a CNN report of June 5, 2020, reminds us that “new

cases of the novel coronavirus are rising faster than ever worldwide, at a rate of more than 100,000 a day over a seven-day average.”

Our neighbouring Brazil has recorded the astoundingly grim figure of over 36,000 COVID-19 related deaths! We cannot allow the risk that the Ministry’s decision presents. In these extraordinary times, the Ministry must take a different approach.

If the Ministry does not listen to the pleas of parents, then we must consider taking legal action to stop the Ministry from exposing our children and teachers to this deadly virus.

Respectfully, The International Center for Democracy (ICD)

MoE can find ways to reschedule sitting of NGSA

Yours sincerely, Mela Ganes

Dear Editor, Guyana has been told that schools will be reopened for the sitting of the Grade Six, CSEC and CAPE examinations. This decision by the Education Ministry has received mixed reviews with both opponents and proponents of this decision.

As a parent of a child who will be sitting the NGSA exam, I too am concerned about the dangers of COVID-19 and how it can affect me and my family. As a parent, I have to be reasonable and practical about my decisions. In relation to the opening of schools, I must say that I commend the MoE for making this bold but necessary decision in ensuring our children write these examinations that they were preparing a long time for, despite the prevailing situation.

What has given me the confidence in the MoE’s decision is the publishing and gazetting of the Examination Order which outlines a series of measures which I am satisfied will be adequate in protecting not only the children and teachers but everyone involved.

At this time, no one can be sure how long this COVID-19 situation is going to be around for. If this disease is to continue being a part of our lives for another two or three years, how long we will be at a standstill and have our children at home?

Editor, while it is understandable, the outcry of some

parents at the decision of the MoE, I noticed that the reopening of the schools was not a decision taken alone by the MoE. I recall reading in one of the newspapers that guidance was given by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and also the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and it was the COVID-19 Task Force that approved the reopening of school.

I wonder if my fellow parents have considered the confusion that can arise from not holding not only the NGSA exams which places children into secondary schools but also CSEC and CAPE which is necessary for university acceptance and employment.

As parents, we cannot look at this situation from a narrow view, not writing these exams will set the children back for a considerable amount of time.

I hear the talk that our children will not adhere to social distancing and the other measures to protect them, and this offends me. Many parents are taking our children for granted, once we explain the importance of these measures, I am confident that these smart children will adapt quickly to the new norms.

As a country, we have to adjust to deal with what is before us. We are a resilient people and we will overcome COVID-19.

With regards, Elizabeth Williams Parent

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TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 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 Science Paper 2, 2011, the conclusion of Social Studies Paper 2, 2015 and CXC English.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL GRADE SIX ASSESSMENT

SCIENCE PAPER 2

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

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

Be sure to:r answer FULLY the FOUR questions.

Question one is compulsory

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

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

Study the diagrams below, then answer question 2.

The diagram below is a system of the human body.

Study it, then answer question 1.

2. (a) (i) Name the process shown in the diagram above. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ (1 mark)

1 . (a) What system of the human body is shown above? _______________________________________________________ (1 mark) (b) (i) Name the part labelled N. _______________________________________________________ (1 mark) (ii) State one function of the part M. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ (1 mark) (c) State the waste product stored in M by this system. (i) _________________________________________________ (1 mark) (ii) From where does the product come? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ (1 mark)

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

7. Look over your work when you have finished.

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

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

3. (a) Which soil type is clayey? (i)___________________________________________ (1 mark) (b) State two reasons why soil B is cracked. _______________________________________________________ (2 marks) (c) Which soil type is most suitable for growing sugar cane? _______________________________________________________ (1 mark) (d) Give one reason for your answer at (c). _______________________________________________________ (1 mark)

TO BE CONTINUED

(ii) State two conditions necessary for this process to occur. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ (2 marks)

CXC ENGLISH

(b) On which day did the radicle emerge? _______________________________________________________ (1 mark)

Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

(c) What is another name for the cotyledon? _______________________________________________________ (1 mark)

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date; Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm'd; But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st; Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

The diagrams below shows two types of soil.

Study them, then answer question 3.

PAPER II

BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

(a) Summarise the poem (b) Discuss TWO devices used in this poem (c) Describe the overall mood of this poem, citing evidence from the text (d) Analyse the form of the poem

NATIONAL GRADE SIX ASSESSMENT SOCIAL STUDIES CONCLUSION Read the caption below,then answer question 6.

Johnny and Jason were found sitting behind the classroom door using illegal drugs.

6.(a) Name an illegal drug. _______________________________________________________ (1 mark) (b) State one cause for the boys using illegal drugs. _______________________________________________________ (1 mark) (c) Give one reason we should avoid using illegal drugs. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ (1 mark) (d) state two actions the teacher can take to help Johnny and·Jason. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ (2 mark) Total 5 marks END OF EXAM

NEWS

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TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

US Congress called upon Court action to block declaration would be an abuse of legal process – Nandlall to support GECOM’s declaration as final A

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resolution has been placed before the US Congress, to have that body formally deliberate and call on Guyana’s political actors to respect the Declaration of Results by the Guyana Elections Commission, consistent with the laws of Guyana, as the final decision.

The resolution was introduced to the deliberative body by US Congressman Sanford D Bishop Jr on Monday, before the House of Representatives, and acknowledged that “the Guyanese people showed their strong belief in the democratic process by approximately a 75 per cent voter turnout.”

As such, the US politician is seeking to have the House of Representatives affirm a vow for peace and stability in Guyana and has also called on the citizenry “to respect the rule of law and human rights as the recount proceeds under the framework of respected democratic norms.”

Congressman Bishop further noted that “although international observers such as the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Commonwealth, The Carter Center, and the Ambassadors of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and the European Union issued preliminary statements, based on their observation on Election Day, suggesting that the voting itself was free and fair, it has been alleged that irregularities occurred in the vote tabulation process.”

As such, the Congressman’s resolution pointed out that it was this situation that led to GECOM eventually deciding on a recount under the watchful eyes of scrutineers fielded by the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

The Congressman commended Guyanese for the holding of peaceful multiparty General and Regional Elections and has observed in the resolution, that the US Congress has supported

US Congressman Sanford D Bishop Jr

the recount by GECOM “under the scrutiny of Caricom, an organisation deemed acceptable by all parties.”

The recount of the votes cast on March 2, concluded on Sunday with GECOM ascertaining the contents of each of the 2339 ballot boxes used from across the country.

The preliminary tabulated figures have so far placed the Opposition – People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) – with a commanding lead over the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) coalition.

The PPP/C is projected to take 33 of the 65 seats in legislative assembly while APNU/AFC will take 31 seats.

The remaining one seat is expected to be held by the Joinder Alliance comprising the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), A New and United Guyana (ANUG) and The New Movement (TNM).

With all of the votes recounted and final district certificates completed, it would then be up to the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, to provide a report to the full Commission. A final declaration of the March 2 polls will then be made. This has come three months after the March 2 elections —the single longest such hiatus in the nation’s democratic history.

ny court action by certain political elements to prevent the official declaration of the final results of the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections as derived from the National Recount process, would be a “misconceived use of the legal process.”

This is the view proffered by former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration, Anil Nandlall, who was on Monday responding to questions from the media outside the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, where the final tabulation process was being wrapped up.

“There should be no court action; at least not challenging the results before the declaration. Once filed before, that seeks to stop the declaration or seeks to impugn the results produced by the National Recount prior to the declaration of the results, and not by an elections petition; in my humble view, would be misconceived use of the legal process,” Nandlall said.

In fact, Nandlall noted that APNU/AFC, a coalition party that is dominated by persons of the legal profession, should know better.

These lawyers include the influential Joseph Harmon, incumbent Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman, the President’s principal legal adviser, Attorney General Basil Williams and coalition candidate Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde.

“By which system of law or logic, would you invalidate those voters vote?

When they have committed not a single wrong and they are exercising a right? And nobody at GECOM can do anything about it. Because they have to be heard.

Every single voter. Natural justice says you cannot take a man’s right away, without hearing him. A fair hearing, which includes allowing him to be represented by a

certain persons who ‘voted’ at the March 2 polls were either dead or migrated.

Delay tactics

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

lawyer of his choice, before a tribunal established by law.”

“GECOM is not equipped with that wherewithal. So, Harmon knows the right thing. Harmon is a lawyer with over 25 years standing.

Harmon is playing politics.

Roysdale Forde knows the right thing. Basil Williams, I hope he knows the right thing. We practice this law together. They were in the Esther Perreira case. They won that case. They didn’t win it at GECOM. They had to go to the High Court.”

During the recount exercise, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) had arbitrarily raised a number of objections, claiming that

Several political stakeholders had accused the coalition of merely trying to delay the recount by getting GECOM to go on a wild fishing expedition to verify their claims of voter fraud.

Immediately after the allegations were made, it was proven that hundreds of these persons whom the APNU/AFC claimed were out of the jurisdiction but ‘voted’, were, in fact, present in Guyana at the time of voting. Also, several of the persons whom the coalition claimed were dead but ‘voted’ were found to be alive and well.

In spite of the coalition being proven wrong, it is repeating the outlandish claims that there was voter fraud on E-Day, and hence, has signalled its intention to reject the results coming out of the National Recount.

However, Nandlall in debunking the baseless claims once more, reminded that these are all matters that would have to be addressed by way of an elections petition, after the declaration of the results and a President is sworn in.

“Those are matters that ought to form the subject of an elections petition and present to an elections court

by the proper procedure, once the declaration of the results is made,” he noted.

“What Harmon and the others are coming here to do is politics. But I have a problem when lawyers trample upon the law for political gains. That should not be done.”

The tabulation of votes recounted during the National Recount exercise was completed on Monday and it has confirmed that the PPP/C won the 2020 General and Regional Elections. According to the vote tabulation, the PPP/C secured 233,336 votes while the APNU/AFC garnered 217,920 – a difference of 15,416 votes.

A New and United Guyana gained 2313 votes; Change Guyana got 1953; Liberty and Justice Party won 2657; People’s Republic Party received 889; The Citizenship Initiative won 680; The New Movement garnered 244, and United Republican Party received 360.

Meanwhile, this publication was told that a meeting was held with the top brass of the PNC, APNU and AFC on Monday afternoon where discussions were proffered on legal manoeuvres to block the declaration. Among the issues discussed was the ability to find a sympathetic Judge that will hear such a case.

8 NEWS

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Teen charged with stabbing schoolgirl back in January injured student was involved in a physical altercation with another female student of the said school when she was stabbed in the lower back by a third female student.

In the video, the knife

could be seen lodged in her body as she bled profusely and pleaded with persons to be taken to the hospital.

She was later taken to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), where she was admitted.

Woman nabbed with cocaine, ganja at Parika

The fight caught on video

A

15-year-old girl virtually appeared before Magistrate Wanda Fortune at the Linden Magistrate’s Court charged for the offence of felonious wounding committed on a fellow Linden schoolchild back in January.

The teen, who hails from Mackenzie, Linden, pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on January 23, 2020, she wounded another child at Amelia’s Ward, Linden.

She was placed on $100,000 bail and was scheduled to reappear in

court on June 15, 2020.

The virtual complainant (VC), of Central Amelia’s Ward, was reportedly stabbed in her lower back with a 12-inch “Rambo” knife by the accused, during a fight on the day in question.

The incident was caught on camera and shared extensively on social media.

Following the incident, the VC, who is a student of the Linden Foundation Secondary School, underwent emergency surgery as she suffered extensive injuries.

Based on reports, the

The 90 grams of ganja that was found

A

39-year-old woman, of Leguan Island, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), is currently in custody after Police uncovered a quantity of cocaine and cannabis in her possession.

Reports are that on Saturday at approximately

The 16 grams of cocaine inside the Ziploc bags

14:20h, ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) acting on information received, went to Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), where they approached the woman and conducted a search of her person and belongings.

During the search, they discovered 16 grams of cocaine wrapped inside three Ziploc bags, along with 90 grams of ganja in a black plastic bag.

The woman was arrested and an investigation was launched.

In fact, on the same day, a man and a woman were taken into Police custody after more than 18 kilograms of ganja was found in a motor car along the Zeelugt Public Road, EBE.

A first look…

T

…at the votes o the surprise of many, we crossed the latest hurdle in this long and winding road called “Elections 2020” – to get the final numbers in the recount. After the bluster of the “Sanctimonious Gangster” the day before about “numerous reports of irregularities” - followed by an even more hysterical Press Release by APNU/AFC about “electoral fraud affecting 84,000 votes” - the elections rigging crew clearly expected that they’d stave off the numerical proof of their rejection by the majority of the populace.

While the Sanctimonious One kept up his studied pose and didn’t actually wave a stick, the PR from his party didn’t leave anything to the imagination. “GECOM is put on notice that it cannot use illegal and fraudulent votes to produce a valid and acceptable result. Fraud cannot produce credibility.” Imagine the man whose mantra for five years has been “I will obey the Constitution” approving this crude threat to an organisation he has insisted is “autonomous”!!

But to its credit, the Commission’s Chair went ahead and had the Secretariat complete the “long recount”, which will certainly put Guyana once again in the Guinness Book of Records. The first was when we had the Jonestown largest mass suicide in the world back in 1978. Both thanks to the PNC, thank you!! And there were the numbers that everyone was waiting for: APNU/AFC 217,920, PPP/C 233,336!! The PPP had won!

This winning margin of 15,416 votes by the PPP, of course, was what they’d always insisted was secured based on their SoPs and those in the possession of the other small parties. The PNC also had these same SoPs – since they were all generated from the same source – but chose to inflict all this damage on the Guyanese psyche over the last three months.

The smaller parties – almost all formed just before these elections – didn’t fare too well but the three of them that had decided on forming a “joiner of lists” did managed to scrape up a single seat - ANUG 2313; LJP 2657 and TNM 244. CG of Robert Badal managed a (comparatively) decent 1953 but will be left out of Parliament. However, while these newbies didn’t do as well as their founders must’ve hoped, they did manage to throw up some new faces on the scene who played a big role in performatively destroying one of the PNC’s biggest weapons.

This was their hope to make the elections into a racial battle – even though with Guyana’s present demographics, each of the two big guns had to get substantial crossover votes to go over 50%.

With the PPP’s 33 seats forming a majority (no half men needed!) in the National Assembly, the Joiner party can still play a mediating role. …at what’s ahead The PPP leadership didn’t waste any time to literally hit the ground running after the final numbers were coming out. Both President-elect Irfaan Ali, Prime Minister-elect Mark Phillips and Party General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo showed up at the ACCC. After thanking all the Guyanese who stuck to their tasks – GECOM, the political parties, the counting crew; the guardians of the ballots, the media, etc…they all went on message.

To wit, they recognise the challenges posed to good governance by both the electoral system and political system and vowed to address both. They, of course, couldn’t have failed to witness the divisions in our society the PNC desperately tried to deepen and widen, and spoke out forcefully about their commitment to deal with those divisions. Thankfully they didn’t insult the collective wisdom of Guyanese to promise panaceas - like “executive shared governance” one reporter doggedly pushed.

They maturely promised to look at all models before involving the Guyanese people to eventually decide.

This is what democracy’s all about!! …a new AFC? The PNC never really trusted Ramjattan: they never forgave him for his “dead meat” prediction if he coalesced with the PNC. Now that it proved to be true, it stings even more.

Expect Ramjattan to be dumped. Unceremoniously!!

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

NEWS

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TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Efforts to subvert the will of Guyanese spell dire consequences – business community warns

President of the Rupununi Chamber of Commerce, Daniel Gajie

T

he Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) on Monday cautioned that any attempt to thwart or subvert the will of the people or the process through which that will emanates spells dire consequences for our nation.

The public pronouncement was made in light of the completion of the recount aspect of the process to ascertain the votes cast on March 2 last.

As such, the GCCI in a public statement on Monday reminded that “out of the recount process, there can only be one winner – a winner elected by the people of

Guyana.”

The Chamber has since urged that the winner of the process humbly enter Government and govern for all of the people of Guyana.

According to the statement “the GCCI remains supportive of any Government brought to power by the democratic process and, will continue to act as a partner in nation-building as we all seek to develop this nation of ours.”

The Business Support Organisation (BSO) in its adumbrations noted that with the National Recount currently drawing to a conclusion, it would like to express its satisfaction with the process of the recount and state that the process undertaken is one from which the will of the people can fairly and credibly emanate.

“It is with this in mind that the GCCI encourages all political parties to support the timely completion of this exercise.”

According to the BSO, “the timely completion of this exercise is underscored in light of the global pandemic currently gripping our nation for which the non-completion of this exercise has adversely affected our response as a nation.”

Further, the Chamber said it “would like to call

BSO has since called on the electorate “to continue to be patient and maintain the peace, while we wait on the declaration; we also call on all contesting par-

GCCI President Nicholas Boyer

on the political parties involved in the process to respect the outcome of the recount and uphold the rule of law and democratic pillars and principles upon which our nation rests.”

Rupununi Chambers

Meanwhile, the Rupununi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) in echoing similar sentiments in a similar statement on Monday noted that “it is expected that after the necessary formalities, there will be the declaration of the winner and the installation of a new Government.”

The hinterland-based

ties to accept and respect the decision of the Guyana Elections Commission when it is declared.”

Like the GCCI, the Rupununi BSO also remind-

ed “there can only be one winner, and in the interest of moving our country’s development forward, a peaceful environment must be maintained.”

10 NEWS

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Speedy elections declaration Berbice labourer burnt to death – family suspects foul play needed for nation to A begin “healing” – FITUG

FITUG President Carvil Duncan

T

he Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) has called on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to ensure that the results of the March 2 General and Regional Elections are declared speedily now that the National Recount and tabulation of ballots is completed.

FITUG on Monday noted that unofficially, the country and by extension, the world is now aware of the results and the consequences of those results.

According to the workers’ union, at this time, as is the practice of democracies the world over, the nation expects acceptance of the results and a peaceful transition of power. “In the same vein, we expect all our political leaders to pledge their commitment to the country and its people as we move towards a new Government. At this time, we expect President David Granger to gracefully concede and to offer his and

his party’s congratulations to his successor,” the Union said in a statement.

The umbrella body said that they are aware that the coalition has committed not to accept the results and finds that decision to be unfortunate. It added that it remains hopeful that this position would change in the interest of putting Guyana first.

“The coalition’s stance, which comes against certain accusations, has seen many Guyanese coming forward offering evidence that has directly contradicted those contentions. However, if the coalition remains adamant, we urge the examination of an elections petition which is the only mechanism lawfully provided to address such matters. We do not believe other shenanigans, legal or otherwise, would be helpful at this point in time,” FITUG stated.

The Federation also applauded the various stakeholders involved in informing the public as well as ensuring that the process was free, fair and credible, It added that the patience of the Guyanese people is also noted as they remained calm in what was a distressing period in our nation’s history. “We need not procrastinate any further but an end to what has been an excruciatingly long process. What is now required is for the healing process to begin in earnest as we put behind what was a blistering campaign season and an even more difficult period in the days after Elections Day.” The Union added that it is now time for Guyanese to work together and face up collectively to the many challenges that face us as a nation and people.

labourer met a fiery death after his camp allegedly went up in flames between Saturday evening and Sunday at Shieldstown Backdam, West Bank Berbice (WBB).

The now dead man has been identified as 61-year-old Abdool Basheer Rahoop of Lot 149 Shieldstown, WBB. While the circumstances surrounding the man’s death re-

a fire engulfed the camp.

The police were immediately summoned and the man was arrested. “The police ask me if this is the man that carry my husband to the backdam and ah tell them yes.”

According to the mother of ten, her husband and the suspect were imbibing prior to their departure to the backdam. Upon leaving home, they purchased

Dead: Abdool Basheer Rahoop

The wife, daughter and another relative of the dead man on Monday

main sketchy, family members believe that he might have been murdered and then set alight since he was reportedly threatened days prior to his demise.

Wife of the dead man, Dhanram Ramkisoon told Guyana Times that her husband left home and went into the backdam on Saturday afternoon with a relative. However, the relative turned up at her house on Sunday and informed them that Rahoop was burnt to death after

another three bottles of booze to take with them.

She claimed that they were expected back out on Monday.

Access to the backdam is quite difficult since persons can only travel by motorcycle or hitching a ride from GuySuCo trucks.

However, the woman claimed that her husband’s body was severely damaged and is holding out that he was murdered.

Guyana Times understands that the suspect and the now

dead man’s daughter were in a relationship but after some time, she moved on with someone else.

Nevertheless, they secretly meet each other from time to time.

The woman’s reputed husband claimed that about three months ago, he found his wife at the suspect‘s house. As a result, he was assaulted by the suspect and the now dead man.

The matter was subsequently reported to the police but no charges were brought against them. Meanwhile, now that her father is dead, the daughter told investigators that she along with her father were threatened by the suspect.

“He threaten that if [he] nah get back me, he go kill me and meh father,” the woman added.

With this in mind, she believes that her father and the suspect might have gotten into an argument at the camp that led to his demise.

The family is calling on the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.

NEWS

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TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PPP/C to meet with Top Cop on Wednesday …national security on agenda

T

he People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) will be meeting with Police Commissioner, Leslie James on Wednesday following the party’s request for a meeting to discuss matters of national security.

The meeting is scheduled for 10:00h at the Commissioner’s Office.

On June 4, the PPP/C wrote Commissioner James requesting an “urgent meeting” on Monday. However, that meeting did not happen and was rather scheduled for Wednesday.

The letter, which was sent by former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, stated that the party’s General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo will be accompanied by a team of PPP/C leaders at the meeting to “discuss certain security concerns of public importance”.

The Top Cop has been under fire recently for releasing inaccurate immigration information to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

The PPP/C has been continuously expressing concerns over the use of independent agencies, particularly the Guyana Police Force, for political purposes. It is believed that the caretaker David Granger-led Administration utilised the Department of Citizenship, headed by Winston Felix, to access immigration and death records for political purposes.

The APNU/AFC submitted the information to GECOM after alleging that

Porter gets 3 years, fined $19.7M for ganja, cocaine possession

– alleged accomplice freed

A

porter and a driver who were jointly charged in January 2020 for trafficking in narcotics reappeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Monday.

Twenty-four-year-old Randy Chester, a porter of Kildonan Village Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) was found guilty of trafficking 2.74 kilograms of cocaine and 22 kilograms of cannabis by Magistrate Ann McLennan.

As such, he was given a three-year sentence and fined $19.7 million.

His accomplice, 45-yearold Christopher Garraway, a driver of Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown, was freed of the charges brought against him.

The court heard that on January 16, 2020, at John Fernandes Container Terminal Road, Mandela Avenue, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Garraway allegedly supplied Chester with the illegal drugs.

On the day in question, ranks of the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) acted upon information and intercepted a truck which was destined for Berbice.

A search was carried out on the vehicle, and a quantity of marijuana and cocaine were unearthed in two white salt bags.

During the court proceedings, Chester was represented by Attorney-at-Law Amora Giddings and was found guilty by the Chief Magistrate due to his incriminating statement when he told CANU officers that he collected the salt bags containing the drugs and loaded them onto

Charged: Randy Chester

the truck for them to be taken to the Berbice Bridge where they would be collected.

During the trial, CANU led evidence in court showing that Garraway was on video recording handing over the drugs to Chester.

However, the court found that Garraway was not properly identified as the provider of the drugs. After submissions and objections by Garraway’s Attorney, Siand Dhurjon – the court found that the evidence presented

by CANU Prosecutor Konyo Sandiford to be unreliable.

Chief Magistrate McLennan also agreed with Dhurjon’s submissions and found that the eyewitness could not be relied upon to single out Garraway in the video.

The confession statement allegedly given by Garraway was also successfully challenged, and was barred from being put into evidence by the learned Magistrate.

The Chief Magistrate, however, acquitted Garraway of the charges.

those persons were out of the country or dead. To date, they have not provided the evidence to support their claim of voters’ irregularity.

Police Commissioner James had submitted to GECOM a list of 172 persons the Guyana Police Force claims were not in the country on or before March 2.

However, many of those individuals have since come forward to refute the Police Force’s records.

The Top Cop supplied the list to the GECOM Chairperson, Retired Justice Claudette Singh – after she would have sent him an initial list of some 200 names, provided by the coalition, to verify whether those individuals were out of the jurisdiction on Elections Day as is being claimed by the coalition.

However, eventually, Justice Singh submitted more than 500 names to the Top Cop to verify whether they were in Guyana on March 2 or not.

After numerous persons came forward to refute the data provided by the Top Cop, the Guyana Police Force issued a statement saying that these persons would have left Guyana “legally” but returned “illegally”. However, this statement was highly criticised.

The Opposition Leader disclosed that, in just days, the PPP/C found in Guyana 210 of people whom the Top Cop had said his records show are out of the country.

To this end, Jagdeo has called for James to withdraw his response to GECOM. Just recently, Kaminie Singh of Cornelia Ida, West

Police Commissioner Leslie James

Coast Demerara, came forward after the Top Cop said she was out of the country.

Singh said the last time she left Guyana was over five years ago and did in fact vote at the Cornelia Ida Nursery School.

Another voter whom APNU/AFC claimed migrated, Nishani Bissessar,

presented an Affidavit of Existence and Presence on Tuesday last to attest to her physically voting. She denied the claims, contained in the list of ‘migrant’ voters, that she was out of the country. The woman resides at Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo, and would have voted at the Vergenoegen Nursery School.

Compton Bacchus and Amos Bhola of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) both denied the allegations that they were migrant voters.

Meanwhile, Sydney Douglas Jones of Diamond, East Bank Demerara, and Kimbelie Karishma Raghunandan are among others who the Top Cop claims were out of the country. They have all come together to deny the inaccurate information.

12 NEWS

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

58 active COVID-19 “Severe” damage to documents, equipment cases in Guyana at Finance Ministry …as stats remain at 154 T he Finance Ministry has confirmed that there has been severe damage to several documents and equipment after a water main allegedly bust in the building on Sunday.

This has resulted in the disruption of all phone services. According to the Ministry, the counter services are suspended until June 11.

A pipe allegedly burst under the second floor which led to flooding of the lower flat of the Soaked boxes with documents

Director of Primary Healthcare, Dr Ertenisa Hamilton

W

ith the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases remaining at 154 for the past two days, Guyana still has 58 patients suffering from the virus.

Prior to this, 153 cases were recorded for five consecutive days – the longest period the country has experienced without a new case.

Director of Primary Health Care, Dr Ertenisa Hamilton, during the daily update on Monday, noted that eight additional tests were done and none returned a positive result. The number of deaths remained at 12.

To date, the total number of persons tested is 1816, with the total number of negative results being 1662. In total, 2651 tests have been conducted. There are currently 84 recoveries, two patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 14 persons in institutional quarantine. The active cases are being treated in institutional quarantine.

“Many of you would have noted over the past seven days that we have recorded only one new case.

This does not mean, however, that

we can return to business as usual.

In fact, I encourage you to be extremely vigilant, as our vulnerability for imported cases is heightened given the current situation in the countries around us,” she said.

Within one day, Brazil recorded 30,830 new cases and 1127 deaths; Suriname now has 90 positive cases with eight new cases; and in neighbouring Venezuela, there are 58 new cases.

“I wish to remind you of the important role you have to play in this crisis. If you follow all guidelines, we will be on our way to limiting transmission and flattening the curve making our return to normalcy sooner than later. I plead with you for us to work together to defy the coronavirus disease,” the Director urged.

Recognition was given to the rapid response, mobile unit and surveillance workers, whose coordinated efforts resulted in the tracking, diagnosing, and manage-

ment of cases.

“In this concerted effort, let us give kudos to the rapid response, mobile unit and surveillance teams and the staff at the National Reference Laboratory, whose coordinated efforts are allowing us to track, diagnose and manage patients in an efficient manner,” Dr Hamilton stated.

Health officials continue to encourage Guyanese to utilise the services available by calling the hotline; making contact with the health facility nearest to you or by visiting one of the COVID-19 facilities if they experience any symptoms of COVID-19 or if they have been in contact with someone who tested positive.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO), there are 6,799,713 cases globally with 397, 388 deaths. In the Region of the Americas, the total number of positive cases is 3, 234, 875 with 179,394 deaths.

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF?

Damaged computers

building on Sunday. This caused water to seep through the ceiling and soak boxes of documents, files, and computers in the lower

flat of the Ministry.

The sudden flooding was on Sunday viewed with much suspicion as it occurred on the very day that the national elections recount was completed and showed that the Opposition – the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) – had won the General and Regional Elections.

When Guyana Times visited the Ministry on Sunday, a security guard said “everything under control”. This newspaper was told that no clean-up crew went to the Ministry on Sunday, but rather the water was left to soak the materials.

SYMPTOMS

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness.

Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms or combinations of symptoms may have COVID-19:

Cough

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Or at least two of these

Fever People who think they may be affected by coronavirus need to call the Public Health Ministry hotline 227-4986/624-3067 for further advice. They should not go to their GP, A&E, pharmacy or hospital.

If you have come into contact with somebody who may be infected, you may be told to self-isolate. People needing to do so should take "common-sense" steps to avoid close contact with other people.

(Adapted from BBC News)

Headache

Chills

Sore throat

symptoms:

Repeated shaking with chills

New loss of taste or smell

Muscle pain Children have similar symptoms to adults and generally have mild illness.

NEWS

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TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Poll documents were carelessly handled at Mingo’s Office – video shows

E

lections officials attached to the Office of the Returning Officer for Region Four (DemeraraM a h a i c a ) , Clairmont Mingo, have been captured on video carelessly handling polling documents.

The documents were last seen in the possession of the staff of the Guyana E l e c t i o n s Commission ( G E C O M ) in March at Polling documents carelessly stuffed into bags at the Office of the Region Four Mingo’s Office Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo at the Ashmins of the People’s Progressive (DROs), who worked bebuilding, located at High and Hadfield Party’s (PPP) strongholds. tween Ogle to Lusignan to Among the missing docu- explain what transpired on Streets, Georgetown.

The polling documents, ments are poll books, coun- Elections Day but those ofwhich were sealed in en- terfoils, the marked (ticked ficers did not turn up to the meeting. velopes, were being untidi- off) Official List of Electors.

Those documents were However, GECOM has ly scattered across the floor supposed to have been not published to names of and disorderly stuffed into stored in the ballot boxes, the DROs who deliberately garbage bags. however, they were placed missed the meeting.

The APNU/AFC coalition into bags instead.

GEOCM has since has been claiming “electorGECOM said on claimed that efforts would al fraud” because the documents for several polling Saturday last that it checked be made to contact the places on the East Coast of the poll bags in hope of re- Presiding Officers who were Demerara (ECD), Region covering those missing doc- responsible for the respecuments but they were not tive Polling Stations.

Four, cannot be found.

However, several of the The areas from where found.

As such, it summoned the Presiding Officers have since the ancillary documents Deputy Returning Officers indicated they were instructare missing include several

GTU tells teachers to stay home

…opposes Education Ministry’s school reopening

I

n defiance of the Education Ministry’s reopening of schools for examinations, the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) has asked its members to remain at home in light of the COVID-19 crisis.

The Ministry had instructed teachers to return to work from Monday to prepare for upcoming examinations, but the Union believes that the exam dates should be postponed until authorities manage to flatten the curve of this life-threatening virus.

It went on to say that the situation is still fluid and, therefore, urged educators to work from home and continue disseminating information through online platforms.

In a statement, the GTU voiced, “The decision was based on the fact that Guyana’s situation remains fluid. Positive cases of coronavirus are still being recorded and this possesses a threat to the wellbeing of all Guyanese whose desire is to remain healthy. To this end, teachers are advised to remain in the safety of their homes and continue to give virtual support to learners as they finalise their preparations for their respective examination.”

The Union sought to mention that no sense of

GTU President Mark Lyte

guilt should be felt by teachers, since the Union’s recommendations for a later exam date was not acknowledged.

The Union’s recommendations to have these examinations written at a later date fell on deaf ears, it said, adding that it remains committed to the “development of Guyana by way of an educated nation, but cannot risk the lives of our dedicated educators, their families and that of our learners,” the GTU noted.

Assurances were made for them not to fall prey to victimisation, since this will be resisted in the “strongest possible way” by the GTU. “Your Union will fight to uphold the right to life for

every member. We urge that you remain safe and continue to follow the health protocols established by WHO and supported by the Ministry of Public Health here in Guyana,” the Union said to teachers.

Guyana Times was informed that a few schools on the coastland saw turnouts of about 50 per cent of teachers on Monday, especially on the outskirts of the city. Some principals chose not to comment on the matter when contacted.

However, one teacher at Queen’s College explained that there was some hesitation from her colleagues to show up for work, given that Georgetown is the COVID-19 epicentre. They are working to prep as soon as possible to avoid any prolonged contact.

“While we don’t want to be here and know that our families can be affected, we can’t see our children fail so it was a tough call. I hope we can finish soon and then work at home with our children because they too are at risk. Some of them don’t even know what social distancing really is,” she explained.

Head Teacher of the West Demerara Secondary School, Harinarine told this publication that 26 teachers turned out for work.

ed by the Returning Officer’s (Clairmont Mingo) Clerk to hand over these documents to the DROs at the last minute despite them insisting that this was outside of their training.

Presiding Officer of Montrose Primary School, Wendy Ann posted on social media that “we were instructed by our DRO to not put the documents in the box”.

DRO Paul Jaisingh, in a letter to GECOM, said the instruction was passed down from the Returning Officer’s Clerk.

“Please be informed that instructions were given by Miss Carlyn Duncan (Clerk to the Returning Officer Mr Clairmont MingoDistrict #4) to include only unused, valid and rejected ballots in the Polling documents untidily scattered across the floor ballot boxes. This was placed in the bag provided. Other Deputy Returning communicated to the respective Presiding Officers This instruction was given Officers affected by this deciwho complied. As a result, on Election Day a few hours sion can confirm the same,” the other documents were before the close of the poll. he stated in the letter.

Gunmen rob M&M fast food outlet at Houston

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wo gunmen on Sunday executed a daring robbery on the M&M Snackette at Houston, East Bank Demerara (EBD), carting off with an undisclosed sum of cash.

A staff of the fast food outlet told Guyana Times that the two men showed up and ordered juice. While a staff was serving them, one of the men requested to

use the washroom facility but was informed that there was none available for customers, only for employees.

It was then, he whipped out a handgun and forced himself through a door at the side of the snackette and relieved the staff of their cell phones and emptied the cash register.

He then exited and joined his accomplice on a CG motorcycle which sped

off the scene.

When contacted, Acting Region Four Divisional Commander, Senior Superintendent Phillip Azore related that the police are currently reviewing Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footage as they continue their investigations.

In 2018, the same snackette was robbed by a lone gunman of an undisclosed sum of cash.

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TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Elections recount

Supreme Court urged to notify PPP/C if legal proceedings filed

Change Guyana rejects APNU/ AFC’s claims of ‘voter fraud’

…says electoral process was a transparent one

Change Guyana candidate Dexter George

Caretaker President David Granger

The Citizenship Initiative (TCI) candidate, Rondha Lam

hange Guyana, one of the newcomers on the political scene, has rejected claims of ‘voter fraud’ being peddled by the A Partnership National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition.

Dexter George, a party official, speaking with the media outside the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Monday, said that his party does not support these claims.

“In relation to the anomalies proposed by the APNU/ AFC, we do not support those claims…persons had the right to vote, they came out, they exercised their franchise. And they did what was best for them,” George told media operatives.

During the recount exercise, the APNU/AFC had arbitrarily raised a number of objections, claiming that certain persons who ‘voted’ at the March 2 polls were either dead or migrated.

Immediately after the allegations were made, it was proven that hundreds of these persons whom the APNU/AFC claimed were

out of the jurisdiction but ‘voted’, were, in fact, present in Guyana at the time of voting.

Also, several of the persons whom the coalition claimed were dead but ‘voted’ were found to be alive and well.

In relation to the National Recount exercise, George commended the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for ensuring the recount process was conducted in a fair and transparent manner.

“It was transparent and we have no issues in what occurred at the ACCC,” George said.

The Change Guyana official added that going forward, it is his party’s hope that “good sense would prevail and the country would move forward”.

The recount figures show that Change Guyana, which is being led by businessman Robert Badal, got a total of 1953 votes. Meanwhile, Presidential Candidate of The Citizenship Initiative (TCI) party, Rondha Lam said her party is “very proud”

of what it has achieved at the recent polls.

The National Recount has shown that TCI received 680 votes.

“We are very proud of it, it seems like nothing when you look at it, but for a party that’s just out …to get into the three-digit range, we are very proud of that number,” Lam said.

The tabulation of votes recounted during the National Recount exercise was completed on Monday and it has confirmed that the PPP/C has won the 2020 General and Regional Elections.

According to the vote tabulation, the PPP/C secured 233,336 votes while the APNU/AFC garnered 217,920 – a difference of 15,416 votes.

In addition to those stated before, other parties that got votes include: A New and United Guyana, which gained 2313 votes; Liberty and Justice Party - 2657; People’s Republic Party - 889; The New Movement garnered 244; and United Republican Party received 360.

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F

ormer Attorney General and Executive Member of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Anil Nandlall has written the Supreme Court, asking to be notified if any legal action is filed in relation to the National Recount of votes cast on March 2, 2020.

In fact, Nandlall is requesting an opportunity to be heard by the court before any order is granted in relation to the recount activity.

“Please be informed that should any legal proceedings be filed in the Supreme Court of Judicature in relation to, or in connection with, or in any manner whatsoever, touching and concerning the National Recount of ballots cast at the General and Regional Elections held in Guyana on March 2, 2020, being conducted

by the Guyana Elections Commission, at the Arthur Chung Convention Center, I hereby respectfully request an opportunity to be heard before any Order of Court is made or any relief is granted by any Court in the Supreme Court of Judicature in respect of any such legal proceedings,” Nandlall said in the letter dated June 8.

The letter is addressed to the Registrar of the Supreme Court and copied to the Registrar of the High Court of the Supreme Court of Judicature as well as the Registrar of the Court of Appeal.

Nandlall pointed out in the correspondence that “I act for and on behalf of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic, an interested party that would be aggrieved or affected by any such order or relief.”

His letter was dispatched amid concerns that the APNU/AFC coalition might approach the courts to block GECOM from declaring the results of the 2020 General and Regional Elections – which was held more than three months ago.

The recount of the votes cast at the March 2 polls has confirmed a landslide victory for the PPP/C, which secured over 15,000 votes more than its main political rival, the APNU/AFC coalition.

The David Granger-led party has been resorting to the courts to hang on to Executive power, starting with the legal actions they filed following the passage of the No-Confidence Motion in December 2018 – which had mandated them to call elections within three months.

The party had also, after its leader agreed to have a National Recount supervised by the Caribbean Community (Caricom), resorted to the courts through its supporter Ulita Moore to block the exercise from taking place.

This legal action resulted in more delays. Eventually, the recount action began on May 6 and now, 34 days later, it has finally been completed.

GECOM has until June 16 to make a final declaration of the results, after which steps will be taken to have the new President sworn-in and the democratically elected Government, which represents the will of the people, installed.

Miner found dead at Omai Backdam

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he lifeless body of a 28-year-old miner was found in a hammock at Granny Backdam, Omai, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

Dead is Alwin Daniels of South Ruimveldt Park, Geogetown.

According to information provided, the discovery was made at a shop at about 15:00h last Thursday. While it is unclear who found the body, Police said the man was last seen at about 17:00h on June 3.

After inspection, it was concluded that no visible marks of violence were detected. It is suspected that the miner suffered from underlying medical conditions.

Nevertheless, the body was transported to the Lyken Funeral Home awaiting an autopsy.

One week prior to this

incident, another miner was reportedly beaten to death in Region Seven and later discovered dead in a hammock. David James of Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini), and another employee were imbibing at their worksite, which is located at Aranguy Backdam, Cuyuni River, when an argument ensued.

During the dispute, the

employee left and returned shortly after with another man, who proceeded to punch James several times to his face and body. This caused him to fall to the ground, after which he became motionless. Ranks were summoned to the scene where James was found dead in a hammock. In that matter, one of the suspects was taken into custody.

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TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Tips on staying healthy and COVID-19 slows down economic fit during COVID-19 pandemic activities in Wakenaam Dr Tariq Jagnarine, MD, MMED Fam Med, CCFP

groups, and avoid cutting out any food group to lose weight.

Proteins and fibre-rich foods are essential as they help you feel satiated and this ensures that you do not overeat.

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s new COVID-19 cases continue to emerge around the world, many individuals are encouraged to stay at home and to avoid large crowds and if they must go out for essentials, practise social distancing. In some countries, like Guyana, gyms, parks, and recreational sports centres remain temporarily closed.

Staying at home for prolonged periods can pose a significant challenge when it comes to staying physically active.

Sedentary behaviour and low levels of physical activity can have negative effects on the health, emotional well-being, and quality of life of individuals.

Social isolation can also cause additional stress and challenges to the mental health of citizens.

Physical activity and relaxation techniques can be valuable tools to help us remain calm so that we can continue to protect our health during this time.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week, or a combination of both. These recommendations can still be achieved even at home, with no special equipment and with limited space.

Here are some suggestions to help us to remain active, healthy, fit and less bored at home.

1. EXERCISE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES

With most of our daily movements restricted during the coronavirus pandemic, it can be difficult to keep up an exercise routine. Yet, there is a direct relationship between our diet, physical activity, and health.

Lifestyle factors may also determine if some can get sick or remain healthy. One of those factors is physical activity. A sedentary lifestyle is usually associated with an increased risk for chronic disease, loss of movement, and decreased immune health.

For those reasons, physical activity and movement are extremely important during the coronavirus pandemic.

Can exercise help protect you from coronavirus?

While being fit will not prevent you from catching the virus, it does have many other protective effects. Physically active individuals usually live longer than those who are inactive or may have a risk of heart disease. Inactivity is an important risk factor similar to high blood pressure, smoking, or high cholesterol.

These are some benefits of exercise: • Stress and anxiety relief: Stress and anxiety are rising with the current pandemic, and it can lower your immune response. Exercising releases chemicals in your brain, such as serotonin and endorphins that can help improve your mood, reduce the risk of depression and cognitive

4. MAKE TIME TO RELAX

decline, and delay the onset of dementia.

• Immune support: Regular exercise helps support the functions of the immune system.

• Weight management: Exercise along with a balanced nutritious diet helps with weight management. Excess weight is associated with higher health risks.

• Reduces health risks and prevents diseases: Regular physical activities helps to reduces blood pressure as well as risks of serious health issues such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke especially when combined with a balanced and nutritious diet.

• Bone, muscles, balance, and flexibility: Physical activity also improves bone and muscle strength, and increases balance and flexibility. This is important for everyone, especially older adults because it can prevent falls and injuries.

As for children, it aids with growth and development and sets healthy habits for the future.

• For children, being active can lessen behavioural issues such as Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and help with concentration during schoolwork, which is important now that they are at home all the time.

2. DANCE THE COVID-19 BLUES AWAY

Dancing is an excellent way to protect the heart and maintain fitness as it can reach moderate and vigorous intensity and can even imitate high-intensity interval training.

Dancing also has established mental health benefits to help us cope with the coronavirusimposed solitude.

3. BALANCED DIET

Amid the COVID-19 lockdown, many of us do end up overindulging in junk food. That is where mindful eating can help. Nutrition is a key player when it comes to physical, mental, and social well-being.

Moreover, it is important for preventing disease.

When at home, there is a tendency of indulging in comfort treats like chocolates, chips and ice creams, all of which add up to those extra kilos. A sedentary lifestyle simply compounds this problem. Hence, it is vital to be mindful about what we are eating. To satiate sugar cravings, have a fruit or a date. For snacks, use grains or corn, or healthier options that has less sugar and more proteins and fibre.

Avoid snacking on potatoes and salted chips. Include pulses, eggs and meats in your diet. Ensure you are getting your nutrition from all food

Apart from work and daily chores, make time for entertainment. It will help you unwind. Watch a movie or a show together with your family while self-isolating or catch up via video chats with your friends and loved ones. The important part is to stay connected with the ones you love, as that is also key to your and their mental health and well-being.

5. SLEEPING SOUNDLY Maintaining a proper sleep cycle should be a top priority during this period. A good night of sleep will help our bodies repair its cells, clear toxins, consolidate our memories, and process information. Sleep deprivation can have major health impacts such as negatively affecting our psychological health and emotional intelligence.

For most people, six to nine hours of sleep per night is enough. During the lockdown, remember to maintain a proper sleep pattern and wake up at a proper time. This will help in maintaining a normal routine throughout the day. Further, limiting the electronic screen time before going to sleep can also help.

6. CARING FOR PETS

Social distancing is a good opportunity to bond more with the little two and four legged members of our family through active play. Both children and dogs will love you replacing some of your online media and sitting time with playing in and around the house with them.

7. MAKE TIME TO SUNBATHE

Sunbathing could improve our immune system. Sunlight is the main source of natural vitamin D, and helps improve the production of vitamin D in the human body. Vitamin D has an immunomodulator effect that can improve the body’s immune system. Hence, a lack of vitamin D can inhibit growth and lead to vulnerability against viruses and bacteria.

It is recommended to get around 10 to 15 minutes of sun, when your shadow is shorter than your actual height, anytime between 10 a.m. and 3 a.m. Do not do it earlier because the sun exposure will not be sufficient.

8. BE ACTIVE AND CREATIVE

Being at home for weeks for many could indeed be boring and frustrating. Getting rid of boredom does require some level of creativity. Some try to get rid of boredom by doing a lot of cooking and this is excellent since the whole family is at home during this time. Some prefer to play fun games or record videos to be uploaded on social media while others offer online tutorials on various subjects. Play family games, read a novel, create small building or garden project are all things you can do to stay active

Amid the disarray and boredom of being at home for such lengthy periods, we can often neglect our health, making us more vulnerable to many illnesses besides COVID-19. Be mindful and monitor your daily activities, try your best to maintain a balanced diet and exercise so that you can remain fit and healthy while in isolation.

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esidents of W a k e n a a m , Essequibo Island, are facing economic hardships, including difficulties accessing food supplies, during the COVID-19 outbreak in Guyana.

The emergency measures announced to protect the population from contracting the virus have resulted in a countrywide economic slowdown, and the quiet island of Wakenaam was not spared.

During a recent visit there, residents expressed that one of the major challenges is the reduction in the flow of food products as well as other supplies to Wakenaam.

This reduction in supplies coming to the island is

ly by boat from the Parika Stelling.

But the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) has reduced travelling to and from the island to just two days per week: Mondays and Fridays.

But the import of sup-

as a result of a decrease in transportation services.

Wakenaam, located at the mouth of the Essequibo River, is accessible main-

plies to the island is not all that has been affected.

Farmers are unable to export their produce as often as before.

A businessman, Kamar Abjal, told Guyana Times that “not even businesspeople would purchase as before... these things affect us because of the same pandemic. It would cost me more to transport goods from here also to the markets and other places.”

Wakenaam’s Chairman, Sheikh Ahmad, said persons have been trying to cope with these challenges as they have received no support from the Government thus far.

It is these challenges that prompted the Bebeisa Sardar Charity Inc (BSCI) to donate hampers to vulnerable residents of Wakenaam.

The donation exercise took place on Sunday and persons were grateful for the assistance.

BSCI intends to reach out to other communities to donate hampers as many people are experiencing difficulties during the economic downturn accompanied by COVID-19. (Abel Harris)

Police Youth Groups get face masks …food hampers donated to Angoy’s Avenue residents

Residents of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam shares a photo moments after receiving the donation

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embers of the Police Youth Groups in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) were on Sunday presented with face masks.

The parents of some of those children living in Mount Sinai, which is popularly referred to as Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, also received food hampers.

That community has been hard hit by the pandemic restrictions.

The closing of many businesses which are considered as non-essential resulted in many persons from that community being out of a job and scores only gaining part-time employment.

This coupled with an increase in the prices for many consumer items has

seen many families, most of them single-parent families, in that community struggling. The hamper distribu-

tion was supported by the business community from Number 2 Village, East Canje.

16 NEWS

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Tractor operators using cage wheels on public road will be charged – Commander

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ractor operators using cage wheels on the Corentyne Highway, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), will be placed before the court of law for traffic violation.

This is according to Regional Police Commander, Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus.

Several vehicle operators traversing the Corentyne Highway have repeatedly complained of the difficulty they experience while driving when mud is deposited on the carriageway from the cage wheels of tractors coming out of dams on the rice cultivation areas.

According to Brutus, it is something which has been happening for years and it has become a culture.

Mud deposits along the Corentyne Public Road, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne)

ed.

“Not a good one,” he add-

“The mud, when it dries, it damages vehicles and it is also a risk on the road because it becomes slip-

pery when it rains,” the Commander noted.

One driver, in explaining the difficulty of driving with the deposits of mud on the road, said as drivers they

have to be extremely cautious.

“If something run across the road, you can’t stop. The car could go anywhere when you try to stop or try to turn to save the animal.”

On April 16, 2018, one person was killed and two others injured when a car slammed into a parked truck at Number 58 Village along the Corentyne Highway.

The 52-yearold station pump attendant, Soorajine Surjraj, also called “Pammy”, of Lot 13 Grant, 1805 Crabwood, died in the accident while her only child, Nesa Sukhra, 15, and her 70-year-old mother, Khemnie Surjraj, were injured as they were returning home from the CBJ International Airport after

taking a relative to the airport to board a flight back to the US. It is said that the driver lost control of the vehicle because of mud on the road.

Thick deposits of mud are left on the Highway from tractors with cage wheels coming out of dams which lead to the backlands where rice is being cultivated.

Each village in the cultivation areas has such a dam at the two ends and one also in the middle which is called the Middle Walk Dam. The Commander said owners and operators of those tractors could first wash the mud off of the wheels before coming onto the main thoroughfare.

“There are a lot of trenches there that they can use to wash the mud off of the cage wheels before coming on to the Public Road. We will be seeking to enforce this from now onwards,” Brutus said.

(Andrew Carmichael)

GA-FDD Director Marlan Cole

Regulation of 1977.

Inspectors and Environmental Health Officers in the regions and other municipalities of Guyana will be actively inspecting and swabbing surfaces in eating houses/food service establishments and manufacturing premises to ensure they are properly disinfected (sanitised – meaning being free of germs) in an effort to prevent or reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus on contaminated environmental surfaces or objects.

Regional Commander, Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus

Substandard disinfectants will be removed from local market – GA-FDD Director

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he Government Analyst - Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) in collaboration with the Environmental Health Unit (EHU) – Public Health Ministry on Monday advised the public on principles of cleaning followed by disinfection of surfaces and objects in households, institutions, eating houses/food service establishments and manufacturing premises.

This is in an effort to reduce the risk associated with the spread of the COVID-19 virus, where strict cleaning and disinfecting measures must be employed.

Cleaning, the GA-FDD said, is the process of applying energy to remove dirt (organic matter) from frequently touched or used surfaces and objects using soap and water or detergents, along with some mechanical action (brushing, wiping or scrub-

bing). Cleaning does not kill microorganisms (germs) such as the COVID-19 virus but it reduces significantly the number of germs that may be present on a surface or an object, thereby reducing its spread.

Disinfection, on the other hand, is the process of using chemicals to kill microorganisms - germs such as the COVID-19 virus. In order for the process of disinfection to be effective, it must be applied after surfaces or objects are cleaned. In addition, the time the disinfectant is in contact with the surface or object also plays a role in the effectiveness contact time must be in excess of one (1) minute or as is otherwise stated on the label.

The GA-FDD added that examples of disinfectant solutions are 70-90 per cent concentration alcohol (etha-

nol/isopropanol), Chlorinebased products – most popular being sodium hypochlorite – (household bleach 5-6 per cent solution and diluted to 0.05 per cent - 500 ppm or 0.5 per cent - 5000 ppm), hydrogen peroxide > 0.5 per cent and the popular disinfectant sprays which in most cases are a combination of an alcohol, an alkali and/or quaternary ammonium compound.

The GA-FDD and the EHU-MoPH also reminded persons to not mix cleaning solutions with disinfectants in an attempt to clean and disinfect surfaces or objects at the same time because fatal or dangerous gases can be created with such mixtures.

It added that more importantly the effect of the disinfectant will be reduced when it is mixed with a detergent, resulting in micro-

organisms (germs) such as the COVID-19 virus not being killed.

According to the GAFDD Director, Marlan Cole, disinfectants tested that are found not to be in compliance or in accordance with established standards will be removed from circulation on the local market and those imported will be restricted from being released for use in Guyana. This will be in accordance with provisions made in the Laws of Guyana - Food and Drug Act Chapter 34:03 and the Food and Drug

ExxonMobil, Rotary Club partner to offer free online learning

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xxonMobil Guyana has partnered with the Rotary Club of Stabroek to ensure students continue their education while home during the COVID-19 pandemic through free online tutorials and quizzes to help them remain engaged academically and prepare for examinations later this year.

The Rotary Club of Stabroek stated that it is delighted to roll out this initiative and will collaborate with local technology services company BrainStreet through the BrainCentral (www.braincentral.online) online portal.

The initial focus will be on Grades 4, 5, and 6, and resources for other grades will also be developed. The primary overall objective is to help ensure that students continue to prepare for the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC), which is slated for the first week in July and other academic examinations.

The tools being used on BrainCentral to deliver educational content and re-

sources to the participants include live classrooms, quizzes, assignments, discussion forums, chatrooms, interactive lessons, wikis, competency assessments, and online workshops.

Students will have the opportunity to participate in online olympiads and other contests to foster the spirit of competition in the overall pursuit of excellence. Additionally, students will have access to over 125,000 questions ranging from Grades 4 to 11 (CSEC), which will be available on computers and a wide range of mobile devices.

President of the Rotary Club of Stabroek, Rotarian Colin Thompson said the Club is pleased to partner with ExxonMobil and The BrainStreet Group on an initiative that supports youth literacy. Having worked with these partners before, he believes that joining forces again signals a deepening partnership to address common concerns.

He further opined that it is important, in this evolving landscape, where the delivery of content, communicating with students and assessing learning may

never be the same again, to develop sound online learning platforms. These platforms should not mimic the face-to-face classroom experience but instead must address all the nuances of access, convenience, distance, and engagement.

Meanwhile, ExxonMobil Guyana’s Senior Director for Public and Government Affairs Deedra Moe has indicated that support for this initiative demonstrates the company’s commitment to Guyana’s social and economic progress. “Children are an important part of Guyana’s development story, and as we all find ways to adjust during these difficult times, ExxonMobil Guyana considers it necessary to support a project geared at ensuring they are meaningfully engaged and that there is no major disruption to their education.”

BrainStreet has experience in delivering online tutoring and began using its online learning platform to offer free online tutoring and practice questions in Mathematics and English since March 2020, following the closure of schools due to the COVID-19 outbreak here.

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TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

COVID-19 Task Force green-lights phased reopening of airports

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he National COVID-19 Task Force has set into motion a blueprint for the four-stage phased reopening of the country’s airports to international travel.

This was disclosed by Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Egbert Field.

According to the Department of Public Information (DPI), at a webinar hosted on Monday by the GCAA, the aviation body submitted the blueprint to 48 local, regional and international stakeholders.

“They [the stakeholders] were able to make some very valuable contributions that we will be looking it, not only now but in the future to see how we can take aviation into the post-COVID-19 period,” the Director-General told DPI. DG Field, the DPI said, was adamant the reopening of the airports must not be rushed. To that effect, the GCAA head stated that critical planning, as outlined by

Cheddi Jagan International Airport

Phase 1 of the blueprint, is essential to the airports’ resuming international travel.

During this phase that began June 1, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were developed to guide health, safety and security at the airports and aboard flights in light of COVID-19.

Further, the GCAA has already drafted regulations that will bolster the SOPs by applying penalties to individuals and entities should there be any infractions.

DG Field added that training for stakeholders to interact with passengers also forms a necessary part

of the phased reopening plans.

Phase 2 is expected to be set into a higher gear with travel permitted for diplomats, foreign workers. It will also see an increase in repatriation flights while moving towards the resumption of regional and international travel. This phase will culminate on July 31.

For Phase 3 which will commence in August, paving the way for more travel of foreign nationals and the persons in the tourism and business sectors. It will run until year-end when phase 4 will kickstart. That phase leads to the further reopen-

ing of the airports into 2021.

Throughout all phases, the Director-General noted there will be continuous engagement with all stakeholders to make adjustments where necessary.

Further, he pledged GCAA’s commitment to working alongside other states within the region to have a harmonised reopening strategy.

“We have got to keep an eye on the environment,” the Director-General emphasised. The circumstances are said to be fluid and therefore subject to change.

Presentations at Monday’s webinar were made by officials from the Timehri and Ogle airports along with the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Air Transport Association (IATA) and representatives of airlines also made presentations.

On March 18, Guyana closed its airports to international travel to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Oceans key to COVID-19 recovery – some world leaders

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ourteen Heads of State and Government around the world, including Jamaica's Andrew Holness, today declared that the ocean is key to global recovery from COVID-19.

In a joint statement on the occasion of World Oceans Day — observed annually on June 8 — the members of the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy argued that nature plays an important role in recovery, and positioned blue nature - not just green – as a solution.

“World leaders must value the ocean in recovery from the COVID-19 crisis,” the group argued. “In a sustainable ocean economy, effective protection, sustainable production and equitable prosperity go hand-in-hand.

Investing in a sustainable ocean economy is an excellent deal: it has considerable benefits for the global economy, the ocean and societal well-being.

The high-level panel comprises the leaders of Australia, Canada, Chile, Fiji, Ghana, Indonesia, Japan, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, Norway, Palau and Portugal.

“Blue nature is central to the planet and its people,” they argued. “The ocean covers over 70 per cent of the earth's surface, absorbs about a quarter of all carbon emissions, and captures more than 90 per cent of the additional heat they generate.

“A fundamental building block of the global economy, it contributes over $2.5 tril-

lion annually in value-added services, feeds over three billion people, provides a livelihood for over three billion people, and transports around 90 per cent of world trade. It is also a source of renewable energy and key ingredients for fighting disease. And it can do more if we sustainably manage it,” the joint statement said.

Meanwhile, in its own statement to mark the international observance, the Government of Jamaica has declared that it is “far advanced” in the process to declare the Pedro Cays and surrounding waters as well as the Black River landscape/seascape as protected areas.

The statement, released

by Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Simth, said the move is in tandem with the island's commitment to safeguarding its marine resources, improving its network of protected areas, and fulfilling the voluntary commitments made at the 2017 United Nations Oceans Conference.

She did not disclose a timeline for the completion of the process.

“Jamaica joins the international community in celebrating World Oceans Day 2020 under the theme 'Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean', with the focus on uniting conservation efforts of the ocean and its resources through novel ideas and solutions,” Johnson Smith said.

“As a small island state, we cannot over-emphasise the significance of conserva-

Bounty Killer teams with Digicel in $42M charity hand out

Dancehall star Bounty Killer assists a resident of Majesty Gardens in South-Western St Andrew, Jamaica with a box of goodies courtesy of the Digicel Foundation

D

ancehall artiste Bounty Killer has teamed up with the Digicel Foundation via his own Bounty Foundation to hand out care packages to residents of vulnerable communities affected by the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The donation is part of the Digicel's ongoing $42 million Operation SAFE Mode (Sanitisation.

Advocacy.

Feeding. Enabling) project.

The Digicel Foundation said it has made significant donations of food to several community groups

and special needs organisations since the Launch of Operation SAFE in May. On Labour Day the foundation carried out sanitisation activities in Coronation Market and along Ocean Boulevard in downtown Kingston.

The foundation has also enabled better access to education for special needs students through the donation of 1,000 tablets to the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information.

(Jamaica Observer)

KKK 'leader' charged for attack on Black Lives Matter protesters

A tion and management of the oceans and seas, as they represent important elements in the achievement of a sustainable future for all,” she added.

Roughly nine per cent of the island's land and marine surface area is currently classified as protected.

Seeking to extend it, Johnson Smith said, is also in line with the country's efforts at the international level to protect and govern the common heritage of mankind as well as its participation in the discussions focused on the ocean and the management of its resources.

“We remain an active member of the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy spearheaded by Norway, which is aimed at developing, catalysing and supporting solutions for ocean health and wealth in policy, governance, technology and finance. We look forward to a successful UN Ocean Conference now rescheduled for 2021 in Lisbon,” the minister said.

In terms of the coronavirus, Johnson Smith said that while the pandemic has dealt a blow to those who rely on it for a living, it has

been an unlikely source of respite for the marine environment.

“Many people who depend on the oceans and seas for a living have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the maritime sector and related economies on which they depend have been either shut down or slowed significantly. We are, however, deeply grateful for the resultant silver lining of the reduction in marine pollution.

“In this context, it is therefore imperative that as a world, we collaborate and innovate to develop new measures to combat pollution, establish higher standards and promote research to ensure the sustainability of the ocean and its resources, so that our “new normal” in the maritime sector is in fact a better one,” she remarked.

Johnson Smith also used the occasion to call on members of the public, to whom she referred as stewards of the global common, to build awareness of the importance of the ocean and the need to sustainably use its resources to the benefit of present and future generations.

(Jamaica Observer)

self-described Ku Klux Klan leader has been arrested for allegedly driving his car into a group of Black Lives Matters protesters gathered on Sunday in the US state of Virginia.

Prosecutors say that Harry Rogers, 36, drove "recklessly" towards a protest in Henrico County, and "revved the engine" before driving into protesters.

Rogers appeared in Henrico court on the outskirts of Richmond on Monday, facing charges of assault and battery. A hate crime investigation is underway.

One protester was injured and treated at the scene, authorities said, but was not seriously hurt.

In a separate incident on Sunday night, a man drove at a crowd of protesters in Seattle, and brandished a gun at them. The suspect is now in custody, while a 27-year-old man who was shot at the scene was taken to hospital, local authorities said.

Anti-racism protests sparked by the death of George Floyd are entering their third week. Floyd died while being restrained by a Minnesota police officer last month. Large rallies and protests have been held in several US cities, including Richmond, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

Though some protests have involved rioting or looting, and violent clashes between participants and

Harry Rogers may face hate crime charges

police, an overwhelming majority have been peaceful.

"An attack on peaceful protesters is heinous and despicable and we will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law," Henrico Country Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Taylor said in a statement.

Rogers told officers he was president of the Virginia KKK, the highest-ranking member of the white supremacist group not in prison, US media report.

"The accused, by his own admission and by a cursory glance at social media, is an admitted leader of the Ku Klux Klan and a propagandist for Confederate ideology," Ms Taylor said. "This egregious criminal act will not go unpunished. Hate has no place here under my watch."

Rogers is expected back in court in August.

Virginia has long been a locus for racial tensions in the US. (BBC)

18 NEWS

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Cuba nears declaring coronavirus victory

R

eina Paula, a saleswoman at Havana’s La Epoca supermarket, said the same day that a worker tested positive for the coronavirus, local authorities sent the rest of the staff in a fleet of state vehicles to isolation facilities for testing.

Healthcare providers traced their relatives and sent them into quarantine, while state news outlets publicly appealed to anyone who had had close contact with them to come forward to prevent the virus from spreading.

“They followed the clinical steps like a Swiss clock,” said Paula, at home after recovering from the worst of COVID-19, the respiratory disease the novel coronavirus causes.

Those who tested positive were transferred to hospital, where they were given antivirals and immune system boosters, while the others were sent home to quarantine for two weeks.

Paula’s story illustrates the rigorous approach Cuba has taken to curb the coronavirus outbreak - helped by the Caribbean island nation’s preventive, universal and well-staffed healthcare

ty.

Nurse Yosian Diago checks door-to-door for people with symptoms amid concerns about the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in downtown Havana, Cuba, June 8

system, centralization and use of coercion.

Doing so was politically vital for Cuba’s ruling Communist Party, which claims the country’s strong healthcare system as a key achievement, even as it has failed to deliver on the economy, partly due to a US trade embargo.

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

Monday was the ninth consecutive day with no

deaths from COVID-19, while the highly infectious disease continues to rage throughout the Americas.

“We could be shortly closing in on the tail end of the pandemic and entering the phase of recovery from COVID,” President Miguel Diaz-Canel said this weekend.

Like many countries, Cuba closed its borders and schools at the start of the outbreak and urged Cubans to practice social distancing, though that was complicated by large queues outside shops amid growing scarci-

The country’s official coronavirus death toll rose to 14,053, up from 13,699 on Sunday.

The government has said the actual number of infections and deaths

caused by COVID-19, the highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the virus, is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases. (Reuters)

Mexico reports nearly 3000 new coronavirus cases, total infections at 120,000

T

he Mexican government reported 2,999 new coronavirus cases on Monday, bringing total confirmed infections to 120,102, according to data from the health ministry.

But Cuba swiftly made face masks obligatory and quarantined large numbers of people rather than just telling them to stay home.

Disobeying pandemic measures carried a fine or even a prison sentence. And the Cuban state has used its monopoly of traditional news media to broadcast trials for such offenses to set an example and educate citizens on the virus.

It has also sent tens of thousands of family doctors, nurses and medical students to homes nationwide daily to conduct screenings, underscoring a strength of the healthcare system, even as tight resources in recent decades have seen hospitals fall into disrepair and more frequent medicine shortages. Cuba’s top epidemiologist, Francisco Duran, said early detection, hospi-

Doctor Ximoara Acosta (centre) gives orientations to medical students before checking door-to-door for people with COVID-10 symptoms

talization and the application of experimental treatments - many developed by the country’s own biotech sector - have helped reduce COVID-19’s fatality.

Cuba, with a population of 11 million, has reported 2,200 cases and 83 deaths.

That translates to 0.73 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, according to a Johns

Hopkins University tally, slightly above Costa Rica’s 0.20 per 100,000 but far below Brazil’s 17.4.

The success has won plaudits from citizens.

“Once more,” Havana resident Marina Rodriguez said, “our country has shown that despite its difficulties, it is always able to control an epidemic.” (Reuters)

George Floyd murder suspect Derek Chauvin has bail set at US$1.25M

T

he Minneapolis ex-Policeman accused of killing the unarmed George Floyd has made his first court appearance, where his bail was set at $1.25m (£1 million).

Prosecutors cited the "severity of the charges" and public outrage as the reason for upping his bail from US$1 million.

Derek Chauvin faces charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter.

Three other arresting officers are charged with aiding and abetting murder.

Floyd's death in May led to global protests and calls for Police reform.

Chauvin, who is white,

knelt on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes while he was being arrested in Minneapolis on May 25.

He and the three other Police Officers have since been fired.

Meanwhile, mourners in Houston, Texas, where Floyd lived before moving to Minneapolis, have been viewing his body, publicly on display for six hours at The Fountain of Praise church.

On Tuesday, a private funeral service will be held in Houston. Memorial services have already been held in Minneapolis and North Carolina, where Floyd was born.

It is believed a family member escorted Floyd's body on a flight to Texas late on Saturday.

Democratic US presidential candidate Joe Biden met privately with Floyd's relatives in Houston to offer his sympathies on Monday.

"He listened, heard their pain, and shared in their woe," said Floyd family spokesman Benjamin Crump, who tweeted a photo of the meeting. "That compassion meant the world to this grieving family."

Aides to the former vice-president said he would also record a video message for Tuesday's service.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

“Hunger is worse than corona”: Sir Tom Jones celebrates 80 Sudanese demand end to lockdown

L

ike many Sudanese, car mechanic Mohamed Othman said the government must end its coronavirus lockdown so that he can get back to work because "me and my family have no other source of income".

Sudan's transitional civilian government, which runs the country under a power-sharing deal with the army, ordered most businesses, markets, schools and mosques to shut and imposed travel restrictions nearly two months ago.

But Sudan is facing growing demands to end the restrictions from a population mired in poverty and facing annual inflation of nearly 100 percent - as well as fielding complaints that promised aid for poorer Sudanese has failed to materialise.

"We demand that the lockdown is lifted immediately so that we can ... get on with our lives, because hunger is worse than corona," said Othman, who is a daily wage earner.

The government said the lockdown, extended in the

capital Khartoum until June 18, has helped to stem the spread of the virus.

Sudan has reported 6,081 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, with 359 deaths.

The government blames technical issues for the delays in aid to the poor.

Officials say only 60 percent of some half a million designated families have received food baskets and cash transfers.

"There are now efforts to distribute the rest of the aid supplies," said Information Minister Faisal Mohamed Salih.

The Multipurpose Women's Cooperative Union, which represents 15,000 tea sellers and street vendors, said its members had not received aid despite presenting the government with lists of those impacted when the lockdown began.

"They're isolating, but they're in a difficult situation," union leader Awadiya Mahmoud Kuku said last week. "We need to stand with these people so they

don't go back onto the streets [to sell]."

The government later announced it would begin to provide money transfers to union members.

Some Sudanese complain that the lockdown is being widely flouted, with some stores remaining open and people continuing to mix in public.

"The government is being lax in enforcing the lockdown and the government forces are only present at the bridges and main markets, while life in the rest of the city is almost as it was before," said school teacher Nadia Ahmed.

Health minister Akram Ali Altom has criticised security forces for not fully enforcing the lockdown.

Adil Mohamed said he had tried unsuccessfully to report mosques that continued to host banned congregational prayers during the holy month of Ramadan.

"Why make the announcement of shutting mosques if you're not going to enforce it?" he asked. (Al Jazeera)

A

s he celebrates his 80th birthday, Sir Tom Jones has said he will keep singing "as long as there's breath in my body".

The Welsh legend, who was born on June 7, 1940, said he did not mind growing old because "the memories are tremendous".

And he said lockdown reminded him of his own twoyear isolation with tuberculosis from the age of 12.

"I sympathise with young people that can't go and play," he said.

Sir Tom, who grew up in Pontypridd, enjoyed huge commercial success with hits including “It's Not Unusual”, “What's New Pussycat” and “Kiss”.

He became one of the world's biggest stars, with his live Las Vegas performances earning the admiration of Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.

Throughout his career he has constantly reinvented himself, moving from pop, rock and country to gospel, soul and blues and then on to electronic and dance music.

Speaking to friend

Sir Tom Jones said "the memories are tremendous and I don't want to stop". Sir Tom has enjoyed success with hits like “It's Not Unusual”

and fellow-singer Cerys Matthews for BBC Radio 2, he said: "The memories are tremendous and I don't want to stop.

"To reach 80 and to have such wonderful memories and to be still doing it and still making a point, or trying to – thank you to everybody that has been with me, the audience.

"You can't express yourself properly unless there's people there to listen to you.

"God has been good to me and my voice is still there. So as long as it's there, I wanna

get up . . . singing live to people is the thing."

The current lockdown means his birthday celebrations might be limited, but Sir Tom has experienced self-isolation before, having been kept at home in a single room for two years after his TB diagnosis as a child.

"With this lockdown now, I'm thinking 'my God, how are those kids coping?' because I remember it," he said.

"It taught me not to take health for granted." (Excerpt from BBC News)

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020

19

Regional

UWI Vice Chancellor: Caribbean Venezuela says flight arrives from Iran people sickest in the world carrying COVID-19 aid W V

hile the Caribbean is currently experiencing the lowest coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections and death rates in the entire hemisphere, Caribbean people are the sickest people in the world, said Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, President of Universities Caribbean and University of the West Indies (UWI).

Beckles said, “Clearly, the Caribbean has done something well. I wish to express gratitude not only to our political leaders but to the university sector.

“It was the university sector that gave the Governments necessary information and guidance to enable early public action.

“Our scientists now say in the Caribbean islands the

virus has been contained, and that no doubt is a circumstance that is worth celebrating.

“But,” he added, “we have the highest per capita incident of hypertension and diabetes.

“Fifty per cent of the people in the Caribbean over the age of 50 have either hypertension, diabetes, or both.”

Beckles was speaking on May 27, during the Universities Caribbean’s One Caribbean virtual forum: Assessing the Impact of Covid19: Designing the Future of the Caribbean University Sector.

Beckles said the Caribbean was already challenged with climate change and chronic diseases, and was now faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, creat-

Sir Hilary Beckles

ing a “cocktail of disasters” within the Caribbean space.

He said it was expected that 25 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the Caribbean would be destroyed by COVID-19.

“While we have been deal-

ing with the climate-change issue and the constant devastation not only of hurricanes but with chronic diseases, we are now called upon to deal with the devastation of COVID-19. (Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

Some Barbados students back at school

S

ome of the senior students at the Princess Margaret Secondary School said they were pleased to be back in their familiar learning environment when they returned to school on Monday to complete their School Based Assessments (SBAs).

John Cox said he could not complete his SBA for building and furniture technology at home because it involved mixing concrete and creating stepping stones.

His classmate Ju-Sean Shepherd agreed, noting that they were also going to be tested on how they used the power tools and this was something e-learning could

Mechanical engineering and drawing teacher Kenroy Birch helping student Macario Lashley with a design he is creating on the computer (Picture by Lennox Devonish)

not facilitate.

Both students will be tak-

ing the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate

(CSEC) examinations next month.

This is the first time students returned to the physical compound since March 18 when the Hilary Term ended, and new public health protocols to protect against the spread of COVID-19 are in place.

Students had their temperatures checked and hands sanitised by the school guard on entering the compound.

There are sanitising stations dotted about, classes are smaller, desks are more widely spaced, school hours are shorter and there is a limit to numbers at the facility. (Nation News)

4 members of Antigua security forces charged with murder

F

our members of the security forces were remanded into custody on Monday after they appeared in court on a charge of murdering Bruce Greenaway, whose body was found at Indian Creek on the outskirts of Antigua’s capital, on April 13, a few days after he had been reported missing.

Police Officer Jason Modeste, 44, and members of the Antigua and Barbuda

Defence Force – Shakiel Thomas, 25; Armal Warner, 26; and 20-year-old Aliyah Martin, have been charged with murder and will return to court on September 23.

Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel-Edwards remanded the four accused to Her Majesty’s Prison despite a plea from defence lawyer Lawrence Daniel that they be housed at Camp Blizzard.

There was tight security around the court building on

Monday.

A post mortem had found that Greenaway, a father of two, died as a result of asphyxiation and Foreign Affairs Minister EP Chet Greene said, in a statement last month, that he was joining with all the residents of his St Paul constituency in anticipating “absolutely no delays in bringing the perpetrator or perpetrators to justice”.

Attorney General and

National Security Minister Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin had earlier said he was confident that the Police would conduct a fair and thorough investigation into the death of Greenaway.

The victim was last seen in the company of members of the ABDF, during the period when the island was under a curfew as part of the measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

(Excerpt from CMC)

cumstances that led to the death of the young family.

It was alleged, however, that the two had been having relationship challenges.

The Police report that Taylor, a security guard with the Portland Municipal Corporation, on Saturday morning rented a Nissan Latio motor car for two days.

The owner of the car indicated that he received a call

from Taylor early afternoon the same day advising him that he was in St Thomas and had developed difficulty. The call ended abruptly.

Attempts by the owner to again reach Taylor by phone proved futile. The owner then engaged the vehicle’s electronic tracking system to locate the car, which had been seemingly abandoned in the Pear Tree River com-

munity.

According to the Police, a child restraint seat and a piece of rope, which appeared to be new, were found inside the motor vehicle.

The owner of the vehicle advised that these items had not been in the vehicle when it was handed over to Taylor under a two-day rental arrangement. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Family of 3 found dead in Jamaica

T

he burnt remains of the three bodies found at Beach Road, Point Morant, in St Thomas, on Saturday have been identified as that of a female Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) soldier Lexton Clayton, 21; her child, Tyler Taylor, 2; and the child’s father, Kimani Taylor, 28.

Police in St Thomas were unable to determine the cir-

e n e z u e l a ’ s Government said on Monday that a flight carrying humanitarian aid for the COVID-19 epidemic had arrived from Iran, which has become a crucial ally to the South American nation amid US sanctions.

Washington has created a broad sanctions programme against the Government of President Nicolás Maduro in efforts to force him from power. That has led Maduro to expand an alliance with Iran, which recently supplied gasoline to Venezuela.

“Right now, what we are receiving is different types of testing kits,” Planning Minister Ricardo Menendez said on State television, standing on a runway at the country’s Maiquetia airport near what appeared to be boxes piled on pallets.

Iranian Ambassador to Venezuela, Hojjatollah

Soltani, said: “Today we are seeing the arrival of these materials to strengthen Venezuela in its fight against coronavirus.”

Health experts say Venezuela is at high risk in the epidemic due to a broad economic collapse that has severely weakened public hospitals and undermined public services including electricity and running water.

The South American nation’s oil industry, which for years provided fuel nearly for free, is now barely producing any gasoline at all and has struggled to import it because sanctions have left most companies unwilling to provide it.

Iran recently sent tankers of gasoline against the wishes of the United States, helping ease chronic fuel shortages. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Salvadorean war crimes suspect Montano on trial

The ex-Colonel battled for years against extradition to Spain from the US

A

former military commander in El Salvador, Inocente Montano, has gone on trial in Madrid accused of ordering the murder of six Jesuit priests in 1989.

He was alone in the dock on Monday. A man suspected of shooting the priests, ex-Lieutenant René Yusshy Mendoza, is helping Prosecutors as a witness now. Two Salvadorean women – a housekeeper and her daughter – were also murdered.

Five of the Jesuit priests were Spanish. Salvadorean troops were fighting leftist rebels at the time.

Prosecutors believe Montano, a former Deputy Defence Minister, was part of a far-right group in the military responsible for atrocities and opposed to any peace deal with the Farabundo Marti Liberation Front (FMLN).

He was extradited from

the US in November 2017, having been charged, along with other Salvadorean officers, by a Spanish Judge in 2011. He has denied wrongdoing.

He had moved to the US in 2002 and was in jail there for immigration fraud and perjury when the Spanish extradition request was made.

One of the murdered priests, Ignacio Ellacuria, was rector of the Central American University (UCA) in the capital San Salvador and a leading figure in the liberation theology movement, which reached out to the poor of Latin America.

Prosecutors are calling for 150 years in jail for Montano, accusing him of having “given the direct order to assassinate the Jesuits”.

He is expected to make a statement in court on Wednesday. (Excerpt from BBC News)

20

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020

Around the World

US Democrats introduce sweeping legislation to reform Police

U

S Democrats in Congress have proposed sweeping legislation to reform American Police, following weeks of protests against Police brutality and racism.

The bill would make it easier to prosecute Police for misconduct, ban chokeholds, and addresses racism.

Its comes as Minneapolis lawmakers vowed to disband the city's Police Force.

The death of George Floyd at the hands of a white

officer there sparked national pressure for change.

However, it was unclear whether Republicans, who control the US Senate, will support the proposed Justice in Policing Act of 2020.

Floyd's brother is expected to testify to the House of Representatives later this week in a hearing on Police reform.

The bill forces Federal Police to use body and dashboard cameras, ban chokeholds, eliminate unan-

nounced Police raids known as "no-knock warrants", make it easier to hold Police liable for civil rights violations and calls for federal funds to be withheld from local Police Forces who do not make similar reforms.

The bill makes lynching a federal crime, limits the sale of military weapons to the Police and gives the Department of Justice the authority to investigate State and local Police for evidence of department-wide bias or misconduct.

It would also create a "national police misconduct registry" - a database of complaints against Police.

Some Republican leaders have said they would consider the possibility of writing their own bill, with a hearing scheduled in the Senate Judiciary Committee next week.

However, members of President Trump's party have been largely reticent on signalling support for legislation. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Pandemic pushes US into official recession

T

he economic downturn in the US triggered by the pandemic has been officially declared a recession.

The National Bureau of Economic Research made the designation on Tuesday, citing the scale and severity of the current contraction.

It said activity and employment hit a "clear" and "well-defined" peak in February, before falling.

The ruling puts a formal end to what had been more than a decade of economic expansion - the longest in US history.

Meanwhile, US markets continued their rebound on Monday, as investors re-

Employees screened by healthcare workers before entering the New York Stock Exchange, which partially reopened in late May

mained optimistic that the downturn will be short-lived.

A recession was expected after the US economy contracted 5 per cent in the first three months of the year.

Employers also reported cutting roughly 22 mil-

lion jobs in March and April, as restrictions on activity intended to help control the virus forced many businesses to close.

Some economists are hopeful that the job losses have now stopped, and a re-

bound has begun. In May, US employers added 2.5 million jobs, as states started reopening.

The National Bureau of Economic Research, a private research organisation, said it viewed the scale of the decline that started in February as more significant than its duration.

The bureau typically defines a recession as an economic contraction that lasts "more than a few months".

It has declared 12 recessions since 1948, the longest of which was the Great Recession, which lasted 18 months, from December 2007 to June 2009. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Libya's GNA forces press ahead after failed truce offer by Egypt

L

ibyan fighters allied with the country's internationally recognised government have pressed their advance into the strategic city of Sirte, boosted by recent battlefield gains and a withdrawal by forces of renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar from around the capital, Tripoli.

The push on Monday came despite a unilateral cease-fire proposal over the weekend by Egypt, a backer of the self-declared Libyan National Army (LNA) commanded by Khalifa Hifter, who has waged a year-long campaign trying to capture the capital.

Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha of the internation-

ally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) said the Government side would engage in political talks only after taking Sirte and also the inland Jufra airbase, to the south.

GNA Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj urged his troops to "continue their path" towards Sirte, according to a statement posted by Mohamed Gnunu, a spokesman for the Tripoli-allied forces. Gnunu posted footage of allegedly captured tanks and vehicles in the outskirts of Sirte.

Haftar's military media unit, however, said his forces destroyed a military company that included Turkishmade Hausers and tanks, along with a bus alleged-

GNA troops celebrate after taking Tarhuna city, the last stronghold of Haftar's forces in western Libya

ly carrying Turkish troops and Syrian mercenaries who have been aiding the Tripoli militias.

Two Sirte residents said shelling by Tripoli militias on Monday killed at least eight civilians and wounded six others in the town of Thalatheen, 30km (18 miles)

west of Sirte. The residents spoke condition of anonymity because of fear of reprisals. There was no immediate comment from the Tripoli militias.

The Libyan Red Crescent in Sirte said the dead included a family of seven people.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

and other material into the North.

Top Government officials in North Korea, including leader Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, and Kim Yong Chol, Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea, determined “that the work towards the South should thoroughly turn into the one against an enemy,” KCNA said.

As a first step, at noon on

Tuesday, North Korea will end lines of communication at an inter-Korean liaison office, and hotlines between the two militaries and presidential offices, among others, the report said.

The official pronouncements appeared to be a setback for a thaw in tensions in the past two years. The two Koreas remain technically at war because the 1950-1953 Korean War ended with an armistice rather

than a peace treaty.

The people of North Korea have “been angered by the treacherous and cunning behaviour of the South Korean authorities with whom we still have lots of accounts to settle,” KCNA said.

The report accused South Korean authorities of irresponsibly allowing defectors to hurt the dignity of North Korea’s supreme leadership.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

North Korea says it will sever hotlines with South Korea – KCNA

N

orth Korea said on Tuesday it will sever hotlines with South Korea as the first step toward shutting down all means of contact with Seoul, state news agency KCNA reported.

For several days, North Korea has lashed out at South Korea, threatening to close an inter-Korean liaison office and other projects if the South does not stop defectors from sending leaflets

OILNEWS Crude oil prices slip despite OPEC+ cuts as Gulf ends voluntary curbs

O

il slipped on Monday after Saudi Arabia said that an extension of output cuts by OPEC+ nations would not include additional voluntary cuts by a trio of Gulf producers.

Brent crude was down 65 cents, or 1.5 per cent, at US$41.65 a barrel by 1400 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 72 cents, or 1.8 per cent, to US$38.83.

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia and other producers - a group known as OPEC+ - agreed in April to cut supply by 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd) in May and June. They agreed on Saturday to sustain those cuts through July.

After the extension was agreed, top exporter Saudi Arabia increased its monthly crude prices for July.

However, Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman told a news conference on Monday that the kingdom and Gulf allies Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates would not cut by an extra 1.18 million bpd in July as they are doing this month.

Those cuts were in addition to the 9.7 million bpd OPEC+ plan.

"It would be too good to be true to have a total of nearly 11 million bpd in voluntary cuts extended for a month at times when we see supply deficits," said Bjornar Tonhaugen at Rystad Energy.

"Keeping those bonus cuts would just not be justified for the three Gulf producers."

Low prices have prompted Chinese buyers to boost imports, with purchases by the world's largest crude importer hitting a record high of 11.3 million bpd in May. But consultancy JBC Energy warned that higher prices could discourage buying and undercut a fragile recovery in demand.

"We cannot shake the feeling that, price-wise, this market has gotten a bit ahead of itself and will need a good confluence of bullish surprises to continue in order to maintain current pricing levels," JBC said in a note. (Excerpt from The Economic Times)

WHO says pandemic 'far from over' as daily cases hit record high

N

ew coronavirus cases had their biggest daily increase ever as the pandemic worsens globally and has yet to peak in Central America, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday, urging countries to press on with efforts to contains the virus.

More than 136,000 new cases were reported worldwide on Sunday, the most in a single day so far, he said. Nearly 75 per cent of them were reported from 10 countries, mostly in the Americas and South Asia.

In response to a question on China, WHO’s top emergencies expert, Dr Mike Ryan, said retrospective studies of how the outbreak has been addressed could wait, adding: “We need to focus now on what we are doing today to prevent second peaks.”

Ryan also said infections in central American countries including Guatemala were still on the rise, and

that they were “complex” epidemics.

Brazil is now one of the hotspots of the pandemic, with the second-highest number of confirmed cases, behind only the United States, and a death toll that last week surpassed Italy’s.

Maria van Kerkhove, a WHO epidemiologist, said that a “comprehensive approach” was essential in South America.

More than 7 million people have been reported infected with the coronavirus globally and over 400,000 have died.

“This is far from over,” van Kerkhove said.

At least half of Singapore’s newly discovered coronavirus cases show no symptoms, the co-head of the government’s virus task force told Reuters on Monday, reinforcing the city-state’s decision to ease lockdown restrictions very gradually.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020

guyanatimesgy.com

21

ARCHIE

ARIES

Your actions will make a difference. Finish what you start and take care of responsibilities on your own.

Steer clear of anyone trying to take advantage of you or make you look bad.

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

Don’t second-guess yourself. Consider what’s working for you, and what isn’t, and head in the direction that leads to the rewards you desire. Refuse to let an opportunity elude you.

(March 21April 19)

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

Don't lose touch with friends. Pick up the phone, set up an internet conversation or send someone you care about a gift in the mail. Make a difference by offering a kind gesture.

A small change can make your life easier. Be inventive, and you’ll find a way to make an improvement that will help you excel. Live and learn.

Be realistic and listen to your inner voice.

Uncertainty should be considered a signal to take a breather and become a spectator until you are confident you can be successful.

Set your goal and proceed. Take note of what others have to offer, but also be aware of the financial or emotional cost involved before you decide to work in tandem.

Keep an open mind. A physical challenge will encourage you to take better care of yourself. Understanding what’s best for you will help you say no to someone pushing lousy advice.

Consider what will imSCORPIO prove your life, and then plan (Oct. 24Nov. 22) your strategy. Handling of personal and financial affairs intelligently will help you let go of the past and move forward with optimism.

SAGITTARIUS Do what’s necessary and don’t look back. Arguing will (Nov. 23Dec. 21) be a waste of time. People will be with or against you regardless of what you do.

Choose what suits you best.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

LAST PUBLISHED WORD – DIPLEGIA

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

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Be the mastermind behind the changes you want to make. Use persuasion and enthusiastic persistence to talk others into seeing things your way. A domestic change will ease your mind.

A positive change at home will bring you closer to someone you love. Distance yourself from troublemakers or anyone interfering in your personal affairs.

Choose love over chaos.

You’ll be eager to get things done, but first begin putting a plan in place.

Being ill-prepared will leave room for error. Rely on intelligence over brute force.

22

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020

Jason Kenny tips wife Laura for British Olympic gold medal record

J

ason Kenny expects wife Laura to become Great Britain's most successful Olympian – even if he achieves that feat in Tokyo next year.

Jason and retired fellow track cyclist Sir Chris Hoy share the British record with six gold medals, while Laura is the most successful woman with four.

"Laura will probably come along and trump it anyway," 32-year-old Kenny told BBC Sport.

"So, it would be shortlived even if I did get it."

Asked about the possibility of overtaking Hoy, he insisted: "It's not something I think about, really – but it would be nice, obviously."

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, a hat-trick of gold medals in sprint events took Kenny level with Hoy's tally of golds and one silver, while Laura won two golds.

Kenny secretly retired after Rio, but said in 2017 he had reversed his deci-

sion with a view to competing at this summer's Tokyo Games, which have been postponed for one year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It could be that in order for Laura to overtake him she may need to continue beyond Paris 2024 as he has no intention of retiring

post-Tokyo.

"Last time I was hell bent on retiring after Rio and I had a year away and drifted back into it," he said.

"Now I'm happy to plod along and go with how I feel. I'm not making any decisions on anything – just go with the flow.

"Since coming back after

that year off, I've just been determined to enjoy it and do what I want and stick to the bits I like. That's what I've been doing."

Kenny is among the first dozen GB cyclists who have returned to training at the Manchester velodrome after a two-month hiatus because of the coronavirus

Championship: Fulham v Brentford set to be 1st match on June 20 return

F

ulham's match against Brentford is scheduled to be the first Championship game to be played when the second tier resumes on June 20.

No Championship fixtures have been played since March 8 because of the coronavirus pandemic, and the English Football League’s restart date is provisional, subject to safety requirements being met.

The two promotion rivals will meet in a 12:30h BST kick-off.

Leaders Leeds United will return to action against Cardiff on June 21.

West Bromwich Albion, who are second in the table, will face local rivals Birmingham City in one of 10 15:00h BST kick-offs on Saturday, June 20.

The full revised Championship schedule was released by the EFL on Monday.

There will be no midweek fixtures June 23-24, but full rounds scheduled every subsequent midweek until the final matches of the regular season, which are set to be played on Wednesday, July

lockdown.

Several new health and safety measures are in place to minimise the risk of COVID-19 infection.

"We have an app to assess our health as well as a temperature check when we enter the building," he said.

"There's a one-way system corridor that runs all the way outside the track and it's all about social distancing.

"We've been doing handheld starts with our coach, who's fully PPE'd up from head to toe.

"I come out of the track centre and I'm hoarse because we're all spread out and shouting at each other."

Sprinter Kenny, who trained on static rollers at home as well as doing road rides during the lockdown, added: "The track is so specific. You just can't replicate being on wood, being on that bike, in that position, and doing the effort.

"It was a long time to be

Mikaela Mayer to miss Las Vegas show after positive coronavirus test

U

22.

The play-offs are expected to follow, with August 2 or 3 targeted as a potential date for the final.

Revised Championship schedule Saturday, June 20 (15:00h BST kick-off unless stated)

Huddersfield Town v Wigan Athletic Hull

City v Charlton Athletic

Luton Town v Preston North End

Blackburn Rovers v Bristol City

Middlesbrough v Swansea City

Fulham v Brentford (12:30)

Millwall v Derby County

Queens Park Rangers v Barnsley Reading v Stoke City Sheffield Wednesday v Nottingham Forest West Bromwich Albion v Birmingham City

Sunday, June 21

Cardiff City v Leeds United (12:00h BST) (BBC Sport)

away from that and it feels a bit alien initially, but you soon get back into the groove."

Kenny and his sprint team-mates hope they can use the enforced Olympic delay to work towards overcoming a Netherlands team who have dominated the track for the past two years.

"Inevitably, it will have helped some people and it will hinder other people," he said.

"All we have to make sure is that we're at the right end of that and make sure we're the ones cashing in on the extra 12 months.

"We'll do our best – obviously another year older, but hopefully another year faster as well. We just have to keep pushing.

"Our job remains the same now as it was when the Olympics was this year in that we've just got to make the most of every second that we have." (BBC Sport)

ndefeated American Mikaela Mayer is "heartbroken" after a positive coronavirus disease (COVID-19) test ruled her out of boxing's first major event since the sport's shutdown.

Mayer, 29, was due to fight Nigerian Helen Joseph on Tuesday in Las Vegas, where the sport has been suspended since March because of coronavirus.

Mayer has no symptoms and said testing positive was "a complete surprise".

"I was really looking forward to bringing back boxing for all of you," Mayer posted on Instagram.

Mayer, who fought on the undercard of Tyson Fury's win over Tom Schwarz in 2019, added:

"I'm disappointed for myself, my team, my supporters and for my opponent, Helen Joseph, who worked just as hard to be here this week and put on a show for everyone."

Promoter Bob Arum's Top Rank organisation said the test was flagged as part of "extensive measures" and a "protocol playbook in place" to manage the risk of spreading coronavirus during the event.

The MGM Grand show – which will not be open to fans or media – will feature American super-featherweight Shakur Stevenson taking on Puerto Rico's Felix Caraballo.

A second show will be broadcast from the venue on Thursday. (BBC Sport)

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020

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shane Thomas, who has been named among the reserve players for West Indies' upcoming tour of England, is eyeing a Test debut with international cricket set to resume after a hiatus forced b y the

be an average cricketer; you want to be among the greats.

"Coach Phil [and I], we always have a talk.

He says I can't be bowling that fast – probably bowling the fastest in the

Caribbean COVID-19 pan– and not demic.

Thomas, play in 23, has played h i s Test 20 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and team."

12 T20 Oshane Thomas Internationals Thomas had (T20Is) since his debut in done well in his last outing late 2018, and picked up for West Indies before cricket five-wicket hauls in both – and life – came to a standlimited-overs formats. He's still due to the coronavirus. set on cracking the longest He took 5 for 28 and 1 for format now, an ambition 24 as West Indies swept Sri that Thomas said Coach Lanka 2-0 in a T20I series in Phil Simmons supports. the first week of March. His "I definitely want to play performance was especially Test cricket; I want to do significant, since it came afwell in all three formats," ter Thomas escaped with miThomas told the Jamaica nor scrapes from a car crash Observer. "Test cricket is in February. really the ultimate that evWith no cricket since that eryone wants to play to be Sri Lanka tour, Thomas said great. You don't want to just he has been concentrating

Recent battles against England should give Windies confidence boost – Holding

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est Indies bowling legend Michael Holding believes the team’s previously strong performances against England should give them plenty of confidence heading into next month’s Test series.

England are currently ranked at fourth in the world, four places above the eighth-ranked West Indies. On paper, it should be a comfortable win for the home team. But, although the Windies have not managed to get any sort of result in the UK since 1995 and have not won a series there since 1998, the regional team have put in some solid performances, including when they last visited in 2017.

On that occasion, the West Indies were obliterated in the first Test, but rebounded strongly on the back of two centuries from Shai Hope to win the second. England went on to win the third Test. Holding believes that particular battling performance and the fact that the Caribbean team turned the tables on the Englishmen on their last visit to the region will give the team some hope heading into the series.

“West Indies lost 2-1 when they were in

Michael Holding

England the last time.

They didn’t play that badly…the second Test match will have showed them that they are able to compete in England,” Holding said on YouTube podcast Mikey – No Holding Back.

“There are about 75 per cent of the guys who toured England in this same squad, so it won’t be anything new for them.

So that should give them a little bit of help mentally and of course, they have the Wisden Trophy.

They beat England in the Caribbean and that should spur them on to make sure they retain that Wisden Trophy.

That is a big thing for them,” he added.

(Sportsmax)

on getting match fit, with a training camp at the Sabina Park in Jamaica.

"Coming back from the Sri Lanka tour – a good series [and taking] a five-wicket haul – and then the pandemic just came into play and no cricket," Thomas said. "Last week is my first week back bowling on a pitch. I had been doing some little bowling here and there. I'm very happy to be back bowling and I'm looking forward to playing Test cricket. It's just up to me as

a person; I just need to be fit and ready, and I should be in the Test team."

The accident and subsequent lack of cricket, interrupted by the two T20Is in Sri Lanka, has left Thomas not yet at full fitness.

"I'm not going to say I'm at 100 [per cent], but I think I'm aware of where I want to be," he said. "Only thing I'd probably be short of now is match fitness, because I haven't played for about three months now. Coming back from a car accident [in

which] fortunately I just got some scrapes, but the car flipped a few times, so I got jerked up here and there.

Now I'm just feeling some stiffness because I just started bowling back at full speed but otherwise, I'm all right.

"I just want to relax, bowl, put the ball in the right areas and let the ball do the work. Even if I'm not playing, I'll be training and keeping my fitness up.

If I'm not playing, I want to learn as much as I can."

(ESPNcricinfo)

Windsor Forest-New York Association distributes COVID-19 relief hampers

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Some of the Windsor Forest Guyana Chapter members

he Windsor ForestNew York Association has distributed coronavirus relief hampers to families who are in dire need of help, both financially and otherwise, as a result of the current situation.

Three hundred and sixty hampers were distributed to families in Windsor Forest, La Jalousie and Ruimzeight last weekend. Two teams worked tirelessly to ensure all the hampers were distrib-

uted in a timely manner.

The Windsor ForestNew York Association was established over 20 years ago by a group of villagers from Nouvelle FlandersLa Jalousie Village district, living in New York. The Association is a not-for-profit organisation registered in the state of New York.

It has made significant contributions towards the communities, especially the Windsor Forest Primary

School, donating a home economics facility, roofs for the bleachers, a swing set and slide, toilet facilities just to name a few. The Association also provided monetary gifts to top-performing students in the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), and started a food hamper drive for villagers a few years back.

The organisation will continue to work throughout the year to carry out other planned projects.

Former Windies skipper rages after finding word he was called in IPL meant black not strong

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Darren Sammy

ormer West Indies Captain Darren Sammy has been left seething after realising a term used to refer to him when he took part in the Indian Premier League (IPL) may not have been a term of endearment after all.

Sammy, the two-time T20 World Cup winner, recently took to social media platform Instagram to reveal that during his time playing for the Hyderabad franchise he and Sri Lanka all-rounder Thisara Perera were called 'kalu'.

The West Indian reveals he was told that the word meant ‘strong stallion’, but in Hindi, it translates as black and is said to be a common name for black cats.

"I just learnt what that kalu meant when I played for Sunrisers in the IPL. They called me and Perera by that name. I thought it meant strong Stallion. My previous post tells me something different and I am angry,” Sammy wrote.

Earlier this week, the 36-year-old called out the International Cricket Council (ICC) and other boards for not speaking out in support of ongoing protests around the globe which call for racial equality.

The protests originated in the United States after an African American man in his 40s, George Floyd, was killed by a white police officer. Derek Chauvin, who has since been charged with second-degree murder, was filmed kneeling on the neck of the handcuffed man for several minutes. Floyd, who pleaded with the officer, went unconscious at the scene and later died at the hospital.

(Sportsmax)

TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2020

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

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Windies’ England tour missed opportunity for Bravo, Hetmyer – Holding Darren Bravo

A

lthough insisting that he respected the decisions, legendary West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding believes the tour of England could be counted as a missed opportunity for the duo of Darren Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer.

Hetmyer and Bravo joined bowler Keemo Paul in rejecting the offer to join a 25-member squad to tour England this month. With the United Kingdom being one of the countries most badly ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic, the trio insisted that they did not feel

T

it was safe to take the risk associated with going on the tour, despite safety assurances given by the England Cricket Board (ECB). The matches will take place in front of empty stadiums and players will be kept in an enclosed and heavily quarantined environment.

With both players, despite their prodigious talent, struggling for firm footing when it comes to the West Indies squad, Holding believes the matches could have provided useful hitting time.

“I think it’s unfortunate as far as West Indies cricket is concerned.

I’m not going to tell anyone that they should be going to England, because the COVID-19 is around.

Someone may get sick or even

Keemo Paul

Shimron Hetmyer

w o r s e , ” Holding said on YouTube podcast Mikey – No Holding Back.

“But at the same time, I think it’s unfortunate for the West Indies team because these guys have quite a bit of talent and they’ll be missed,” he added.

“I’m sorry that Bravo in partic-

ular isn’t going, because I think he needs to resuscitate his career. He started off so brilliantly, everyone thought he was going to be another great West Indian batsman, but he hasn’t really fulfilled that. I think the more cricket he can play now, especially with the West Indies, is the more he has a

chance of getting on track and showing everyone the great player, he could be,” Holding said.

“Hetmyer is another talented player and again I’m sorry that he is not going to get more opportunities to express himself, but I’m not blaming them for not going.”

(Sportsmax)

West Indies depart the Caribbean for Sandals Tour of England

he West Indies team departed from Antigua Monday evening for the Sandals Tour of England 2020, having all arrived safely on the two charter planes that collected the players and staff from their home countries throughout the day. All the touring party based in the Caribbean completed their COVID-19 tests last week and all the results have been confirmed as negative. The group will now travel on a private charter which is due to arrive in Manchester this morning.

On arrival at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, the whole touring party will be tested again for COVID-19 as they begin the seven-week tour where they will live, train, and play in a “bio-secure” environment, as part of the comprehensive medical and operational plans to ensure player and staff safety. The bio-secure protocols will restrict movement in and out of the venues, so a group of reserve players will travel to train and help prepare the Test squad and ensure replacements are available in case of any injury.

Meanwhile, Floyd Reifer will join the coaching staff as Batting Coach, as he fills in for Monty

CWI Chief Executive Officer Johnny Grave addressing the players and management team

Desai, who is based in India and due to travel restrictions cannot join the team for this tour. AR Srikkanth, the Team Analyst, is also based in India and will work remotely from Bangaluru for the duration of this tour where he will continue to support the team.

Reifer, the current West Indies A and High-Performance Head Coach, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role having coached the West Indies team last year. The other members of the coaching staff are Phil Simmons (Head Coach) and Roddy

Estwick (Assistant Coach), and Rayon Griffith (Assistant Coach).

The medical support staff are bolstered by the additions of Dr Praimanand Singh (Team Doctor); Neil Barry Jr (Physiotherapist); Nkoyo Meade (Massage Therapist) and Donald LaGuerre (Team Psychologist).

“This is a huge step forward in cricket and in sports in general as we travel over to England for this series. A lot has gone into the preparations for what will be a new phase in the game. I’m happy for the support and well-wishes we

have been receiving from our loyal and dedicated fans once it was confirmed the tour would go ahead.

This has been a source of great inspiration,” said Captain Jason Holder.

“We have a fantastic group of cricketers, coaches, medical staff, and support staff and I know everyone is eagerly looking forward to the start of the first match when we can get back on the field of play.

There is expectation in the air that we will defend the Wisden Trophy and we will certainly put in the work and give it our all to keep hold of it.”

The series will feature three back-to-back Test matches for the Wisden Trophy, starting July 8.

The first Test will be played at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton (July 8-12) with the second and third matches at Old Trafford in Manchester from July 16-20 and then July 24-28.

Test Squad: Jason Holder (Captain); Jermaine Blackwood; Nkrumah Bonner; Kraigg Brathwaite; Shamarh Brooks; John Campbell; Roston Chase; Rahkeem Cornwall; Shane Dowrich; Chemar Holder; Shai Hope; Alzarri Joseph; Raymon Reifer and Kemar Roach.

Reserve Players: Sunil Ambris, Joshua DaSilva, Shannon Gabriel, Keon Harding, Kyle Mayers, Preston McSween, Marquino Mindley, Shayne Moseley, Anderson Phillip, Oshane Thomas, and Jomel Warrican.

Team Management: Phil Simmons (Head Coach); Rawl Lewis (Team Manager); Roddy Estwick (Assistant Coach); Rayon Griffith (Assistant Coach); Floyd Reifer (Batting Coach); Dr Praimanand Singh (Team Doctor); Ronald Rogers (Strength & Conditioning Coach); Denis Byam (Physiotherapist); Neil Barry Jr (Physiotherapist); Zephyrinus Nicholas (Massage Therapist); Nkoyo Meade (Massage Therapist); Donald LaGuerre (Team Psychologist); AR Srikkanth (Team Analyst) and Dario Barthley (Media & Content Officer).

WISDEN TROPHY MATCH SCHEDULE

July 8-12: 1st Test Match at Ageas Bowl, Southampton July 16-20: 2nd Test Match at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester July 24-28: 3rd Test Match at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester (CWI)

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