Guyana Times - Wednesday, June 3, 2020

See Region 4 SoRs comparison with released SoPs on pages 15 to 20 All SoRs are available on our website Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4305

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020

More APNU/AFC “migrant voters” prove they were here to vote See stories on pages 3, 7 & 12

...including 1 who did not travel in 5 years ...also Attorney Devindra Kissoon who was an election observer

PRICE

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

National curfew to end 1 day after P10 elections result declaration

NGSA exams to be written on July 1 & 2

P14

Kaminie Singh

Syndey Douglas Jones

Kimbelie Karishma Raghunandan

Attorney-at-Law Devindra Kissoon

Media operative Latoya Wills

…as Police now say "migrant voters" travelled "illegally"

Will of Guyanese people must be respected – Mandela’s "Elders" group

P8 Marcus Bisram freed after Judge quashes DPP’s orders …signals intention to sue DPP, State for unlawful detention, arrest

Page 11

…urges legitimate swearing-in of President based on recount

410 more ballot boxes to be counted

Page 7

…as Region 9 tabulation certified

3 months after elections

Guyanese suffer while election results dragged out – FITUG Page 9

…says rampant claims of irregularities fictitious

Stranded Guyanese now have to selfquarantine at home upon P2 return

Region 1 will need more COVID-19 P13 facilities – Regional VC

2 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Stranded Guyanese now have to selfquarantine at home upon return

T

he stranded Guyanese who have sought approval from Government to be repatriated home will be mandated to spend one week in self-quarantine at home.

This was decided by the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) on Tuesday, clarifying that this quarantining is to be done at the respective homes of these persons. Over the course of seven days, they are not permitted not leave their homes for any reasons, other than to seek emergency medical attention.

“The NCTF also clarifies that Guyanese who are stranded overseas and who have received permission to return to Guyana are required to home quarantine for seven days immediately following their arrival,” the Task Force said.

To return home, persons must complete the repatriation form and submit a COVID-19 PCR test 48

Some of the stranded Guyanese will be returning next week

hours prior to arrival. Only persons with negative results will be permitted to enter Guyana.

“The NCTF reaffirms that no person who tests positive for COVID-19 will be allowed to return to Guyana at this time. For the avoidance of doubt, home quarantine means quarantining at their respective private residences,” the Task Force said.

This new revelation means Government has ditched the idea of quaran-

tining these persons at guest houses or hotels. Initially, a notice by the Public Health Ministry had said that persons returning home could stay at the Governmentassigned quarantine facilities or pay for accommodation at designated hotels. The hotels listed were Brandsville Apartments at Pike Street, Kitty and Bacanas Guest House at Charlotte Street, Georgetown.

To be accepted on board one of the incoming flights,

Guyanese nationals must complete the application for entry form. This form can be found on the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s website, as well as on those of Guyana’s embassies, consulates and honorary consuls overseas.

Subsequently, an email confirming receipt of application would be issued, followed by confirmation of the intended date of travel.

Approvals have followed through for Guyanese nationals in Trinidad and

Tobago and New York, New Jersey, Florida, and other states in the United States of America. It is open to other countries and is subject to certain strict conditions.

For months a group of Guyanese stranded in the US had written the COVID-19 Task Force, urging that they be granted permission to return home. One of the most recent letters, dated May 18, stated that those Guyanese were willing to abide by all established protocols to return home, including being tested. In an interview, those persons said they were desperate to return home.

Following mounting pressure, the caretaker Administration, through the Task Force, finally announced that it had approved the conditional return of some 300 Guyanese stranded overseas.

Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Director General Egbert Field disclosed this week that the first

set of Guyanese stranded abroad, starting with those in Barbados, will arrive in Guyana in the second week of June. In the third week, those in North America will be put on flights to return home.

In anticipation of their arrival, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport – which has been closed since mid-March – underwent sanitisation with the establishment of specialised protocols to welcome these persons safely.

Guyanese can visit https://www.minfor.gov. gy/featured/travel-advisory-for-repatriation-of-guyanese-nationals-stranded-overseas/ for more information. Contact can also be made with Foreign Service Officer Comica Johnson on telephone numbers (592) 618-4929 or office (592) 226-1606, ext 276 or email: cjohnson@minfor.gov. gy for more information.

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, June 3 – 03:00h – 04:30h and 14:30h – 16:00h and Thursday, June 4 – 03:30h – 05:00h and 14:30h – 16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, June 3 – 14:30h – 16:00h and Thursday, June 4 – 15:25h – 16:55h.

More APNU/AFC “migrant voters” prove they were here to vote ...including 1 who did not travel in 5 years

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny intervals will prevail during the day.

There will be partly cloudy skies will at night.

Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East North-Easterly to NorthEasterly between 1.78 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 14:50h reaching a maximum height of 2.67 metres.

Low Tide: 08:22h and 20:40h reaching minimum heights of 0.52 metre and 0.60 metre.

Kaminie Singh displaying her national identification card at her West Coast Demerara home on Tuesday

T

he list of alleged migrant voters in the possession of the Guyana Elections Commission continues to be debunked. In an interview with this publication, 30-year-old Kaminie Singh expressed shock at the allegations against her, since she

Kimbelie Karishma Raghunandan displaying her national identification card

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$39.57/barrel

+3.16

Rough Rice

$353.39 /ton

+2.77

London Sugar

$364.80/ton

+0.00

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1725.60

$1726.60

Low/High

$1717.20

$1746.90

Change

-0.80

-0.05%

has not left the country in over five years.

Kaminie Singh’s name appears on the list APNU/ AFC submitted to GECOM, on the basis that those voters were out of the country but yet voted. GECOM, in turn, received confirmation from Police Commissioner Leslie James that 172 of those persons were indeed out of the country.

According to Singh, however, the last time she left Guyana was back in 2014, when she travelled to the United States. She confirmed that she was present and voted on March 2 in person at the Cornelia Ida Nursery School, West Coast of Demerara (WCD).

“I was in the country and I voted on that day...Cornelia Ida Nursery School, that’s where I voted. I don’t know [why they’d say] I was out of the country, but I did travel in 2014 to the United States.

That was the last time I travelled,” Singh said on Tuesday.

This publication was also shown Singh’s passport details, confirming the trip to and from the United States in 2014.

“I stayed in New York, a little less than three weeks.

And I did return, I've been living in Guyana since then.

I got married, had a family, family business, I am work-

Syndey Douglas Jones

ing at a school,” she also emphasised.

Meanwhile, another voter whom APNU/AFC claimed migrated, Nishani Bissessar, presented an Affidavit of Existence and Presence on Tuesday to attest to her physically voting. She denied the claims, contained in the list of ‘migrant’ voters, that she was out of the country.

"On March 2nd, 2020, I presented myself to Vergenoegen Nursery School, which I had identified through GECOM advertisements, as the polling place where I was to vote. I used my identification card to identify myself and I voted. I complied with all that GECOM asked of me before, during and after I cast my ballot,” she said.

Meanwhile, Syndey Douglas Jones, who was also listed as as migrated has also confirmed that he was in Guyana on Elections Day and voted at Diamond, East Bank Demerara.

The 75-year-old on man on Tuesday was in the presence of his nephew where his

Nishani Bissessar’s Affidavit of Existence and Presence

identifcation card was displayed.

Additionally, Kimbelie Karishma Raghunandan, also confirmed her presence in Guyana on Elections Day where he voted in person.

These confirmations come just a day after Compton Bacchus and Amos Bhola of Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) both denied the allegations that they were migrant voters.

The publication of the list has led to a number of other persons taking to social media disputing the claims they were out of the country.

In a widely criticised move, GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh had written to Police Commissioner Leslie James, in his capacity as Chief Immigration Officer, to have him verify whether those on the list were out of the country.

At this time, however, there is no word on whether ballots were issued for these individuals or whether they voted via proxy. For instance, APNU/AFC had previously claimed that a deceased elector had voted.

TURN TO PAGE 7

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guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 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

Supporting local

T

he current COVID-19 pandemic has caused many to rethink their approach to their own food supplies.

At the beginning of the pandemic, there was a mad rush to stock up on food supplies as there was a fear that stocks would become scarce due to the emergency measures that were implemented. This saw supermarkets and other retailers jacking up prices for their items which in effect contributed to households facing more financial pressure.

However, an important lesson that could be learnt from the pandemic is the need for persons to become less reliant on imported products. One way in which this could be done is for families to get involved in growing some of the items they consume, especially in terms of vegetables and fruits. Not only would this ease the financial burdens on families, but it also means that persons would be consuming healthier foods.

In addition to planting their own kitchen gardens, etc, to meet the demands of their own household, there is a need for persons to support local manufacturers so that they would thrive and be able to meet local demands and to export, if possible.

It continues to surprise many to see the number of foreign products which are on offer in supermarkets here as against the same type of local products. A quick glance at the shelves in most of the supermarkets in Georgetown and its environs will show that in spite of several campaigns being carried out to encourage consumers to ‘support local’, more foreign products are being offered to consumers, sometimes even at higher prices.

In the past, supermarket managers, though not dismissing the quality of local products, have claimed that it was easier to stock foreign products and that consumers have a preference for such products, and as such, there is greater turnover. It should be noted too that many local producers have claimed that the supermarkets would buy only limited quantities of their products despite the fact that their prices were competitive.

The Guyana Consumers Association (GCA) has been pushing local products and has even suggested that if the local product is of good quality and being offered at a competitive price when compared to foreign ones, then it would be in the consumer’s own interest to support locally-produced items. The GCA had stated that when consumers go into supermarkets, they should ask for local products, noting that if they keep buying foreign products, the supermarket owners will continue stocking foreign products.

Buying local products generates wealth and employment locally and is as much of social as economic benefit to communities and the country as a whole. Supporting local is something which all countries, even the wealthy ones such as the United States, advocate in one guise or another despite talk about globalisation and free trade.

Buying local is of ultimate benefit to the consumer himself; and it is easy to buy local if one analyses and compares the local product with its foreign equivalent. While we are not advocating that supermarkets or other retailers should limit the choices to consumers in any way, many consumers would agree that some local products are as good, or even better than the foreign ones, but yet, as a result of long indoctrination, they almost mechanistically buy the foreign ones.

That said, we just cannot assume that consumers would change their attitude to local products overnight. It requires much effort from both the Government and the mainstream Private Sector to encourage persons to support local products.

While there have been campaigns in the past to encourage persons to buy local, such efforts were limited; they were basically ‘food fairs’ with minimal participation from local companies and citizens.

Additionally, some analysts have pointed out that the vast majority of the local manufacturing initiatives have been undertaken on a small scale, with minimal financial investment.

In most cases, there is hardly enough money allocated towards ensuring that those local products are effectively marketed.

We urge the authorities to take the necessary steps that would really begin to see local products being pushed on the market.

Death by a thousand cuts: How Stanley Ming’s attempt to cast doubt on electoral system tragically failed Dear Editor, This letter summarises a detailed response to Stanley Ming’s analysis regarding our electoral system and more subtly, his attempt to cast doubt on the credibility of the 2020 election results. The detailed response is available to the public. On May 20, 2020, about 80 days after the March 2, 2020 elections and about 1800 days after the 2015 elections, Stanley Ming questioned the validity of the OLE, voter turnout, and valid votes cast in the 2015 elections. Before addressing his core question and claims, it is worth noting that the single question Ming raised relates to the 2015 elections and not the 2020 elections, although this is what his analysis seeks to cast doubt on in our humble view. While public debate on this issue is always welcome and important, the timing of Ming’s concerns raised serious questions about the motive given that the nation is embroiled with the most transparent electoral fraud in its history.

Ming’s analysis epitomises the expression ‘death by a thousand cuts’ – a figure of speech that refers to a failure that occurs as a result of many small problems.

Indeed, his analysis suffers from a combination of poor assumptions, selective use of data, improper comparisons, poor measurement and interpretation of data, and most of all, a lack of clarity on the issue he attempted to investigate, related fac-

tors, and their relationships with the electoral outcomes.

Consequently, while his analysis may appear orderly on the surface, it failed tragically let alone to support his efforts to cast doubt on the 2020 elections and more specifically the underlying presumption of possibly widespread voting by persons not entitled to vote or by the dead.

At the heart of his analysis is the argument that the 2015 OLE is bloated. Ming asked: How is it possible that for 2015, the OLE contained 570,787 persons with a voter turnout of 416,055 and 412,912 valid votes? He also noted that these numbers show that compared to 2011, the OLE increased by 95,291: the voter turnout increased by 73,819, and valid votes increased by 70,676.

First, an increase in voter turnout of 73,819 is not unheard of in our history. Based on Ming’s numbers, in 1997, voter turnout increased by 99,961 (almost 100,000) over 1992. The same is true for valid votes. In 1997, valid votes cast increased by more than 96,000 over 1992. Thus, the mere suggestion that the increase in voter turnout or valid votes in 2015 is an anomaly would be ignorant of historical facts.

More evidently, in 2012, based on the census data, the number of people aged 15-19 was 84,798. People who were 19 years in 2012, a subset of this age group, would largely be eligible to be on the OLE in 2011 since

they would have been of the age 18 in 2011. But all the persons who were aged 1517, the bigger subset of this age group, who were not on the 2011 OLE would become eligible to be on the 2015 OLE since even the youngest in that sub-group would be age 18 in 2015. What this shows is that in 2015, there was an influx of eligible voters on the OLE due to demographic shift. This does not account for the total increase in the 2015 OLE but almost certainly most of it.

Persons who were entitled to be on the OLE in 2015 but were not on it for whatever reason would also contribute to the additional persons added.

The same dynamics apply to the 2020 OLE which is what Ming is really concerned about but avoids attacking it directly. Again, for emphasis, if Ming had paid attention to the evidence, he would have been more informed. In 2012, the number of people aged 10-14 was 83,139. None of these individuals would have been eligible to be on the 2015 OLE since even those who were age 14 in 2012 would only have been age 17 years in 2015. However, almost all these individuals are eligible to be on the 2020 OLE since even the youngest who were age 10 in 2012 would be age 18 in 2020. Thus, like 2015, there is a large cohort of new electors eligible to be on the 2020 OLE. What the evidence shows is that the increases in the OLE in 2015

and 2020 are not magical but driven largely by demographic shifts.

Perhaps, the most unfortunate part of the analysis is the clear trail it left behind that exposes the likely motive for the exercise which is to undermine the 2020 elections by not attacking it directly but by attacking the credibility of the entire system focusing on the 2015 elections. More specifically, to develop a theory that would provide some basis to the baseless claims of widespread irregularities in the 2020 elections resulting is illegitimate votes. Not only do the data he provided fail to support his presumption, it also turned it on its head.

In the process, he sacrificed not just statistical standards and basic research, but several related facts which include the rigorous process involved in getting on the OLE as well as voting on Elections Day. No system of election is perfect. However, Guyanese can be confident that the 2020 OLE and the elections are robust and credible. The only threat to our elections is the fraud that Mingo perpetrated on the tabulation process in Region Four and ongoing efforts to tarnish the credibility of the results of the elections and deny the will of the people.

Respectfully, Economist – Dhanraj Singh Financial Analyst – Joel Bhagwandin

The 10 confusions

Dear Editor, An astronomical amount of analysis has been performed over the fiasco of the March 2 Guyana elections so it would be superfluous for me to give further discourse, however, some deductions are worthwhile highlighting.

• The emerging recount numbers of the Region Four ballot boxes are very instructive for accounts and book-keepers: falsified calculations will inevitably backfire!

• The ubiquitous target is the Chief Elections Officer for Region Four, a person with sketchy concept of computer programs to construct a spreadsheet a week after being picked up by an ambulance and rushed to the hospital.

• The uncovered fake numbers, therefore, did not start, nor end with Clairmont Mingo: There was expert help

in the concoction of the numbers as they had to incorporate the total number of votes cast per box as well as the overall figure to give the coalition ‘victory’.

• The coalition which has declared itself winner of the elections now claims the elections were tampered with.

• Why, after fourscore and ten days after elections the PNC is claiming names of deceased and migrated persons on the List of Electors? Should this not have been corrected during ‘Claims and Objections’?

• Why did a senior GECOM Secretariat functionary order Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Edgar Thomas to remove GECOM Commissioner, Sase Gunraj from the Ashmins building oblivious that Gunraj has more constitutional power? Thomas correct-

ly ignored the edict and has been demoted.

• Attorney Basil Williams claims that the law does not provide for a recount, but went on to state that this is his personal opinion and not of the coalition. Has this comedian ever won a case representing the Govt?

• The Attorney General has expressed three beliefs: (1) the elections and current declarations are illegal, (2) the recount process is illegal and (3) the elections were not credible.

• Why do top PNC headhunters expound on the sovereignty of Guyana as the rationale for keeping The Carter Center out of the recount, stating ‘we do not need white people to meddle in our affairs’, yet in the same token hire a Washington firm to lobby the Coalition’s positions?

• Why is Justice Claudette Singh writing to the po-

lice seeking evidence of electoral fraud regarding absentee (migrated) and deceased voting?

Why is she not pursuing the evidence at her doorstep to summon the police to take action against the deliberate fraud committed by Clairmont Mingo? This woman is schizophrenic and radiates double standards.

It is clearly evident that the APNU/PNC is using the most imbecilious issues to declare the elections null and void. Clearly, a case of dodging the raindrops as the recount will reveal that the PPP won. The big question is: will the coalition accept this result. Or would the cabal be calling for fresh elections?

Sincerely, Leyland Chitlall Roopnaraine Former AFC NY Executive

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020

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

Guyana’s political actors So why does the could learn much from sports city need all of Dear Editor, Many of life’s most important lessons are learned in a child’s formative years on sports fields. Among those lessons is how to handle winning and losing.

While it is important to teach children to win and succeed, teaching them to lose is just as important. By showing them that losing is not the end of the world, children learn that life is full of second chances. It seems to be a lesson David Granger and the APNU/ AFC membership have not learned. Faced with a loss, they have become intransigent and intractable, refusing to leave the field after the stumps have been shattered.

The question of whether adversity builds character or reveals it often arises in the fraternity of sports coaches but is also applicable to all spheres of life.

Guyana’s political actors could learn much from the sporting arena.

The PPP/C under Ramotar fled from sure defeat from a NoConfidence Motion by the prorogation of

Parliament for 71 days and then announcing a date for elections. They (PPP/C) lost those elections, accepted those results, and handed over the reins of Government administration within six days in 2015. They (PPP/C) did not do so without grumbles, but ‘cheated not defeated’ never gained widespread support and soon faded.

This revealed a weakness in the character of leadership, from the avoidance of the motion to the faint-hearted accusations of cheating after the loss but also inherent respect for the rules of the game. The responses to the exact situations

by APNU/AFC under Granger are worthy of analysis and comparison.

“Bring it on!” was the braggadocious cry from the APNU/AFC’s Chief Whip as they boldly faced their testing motion of No-Confidence; then came Charrandas’ emphatic “Yes! Yes! Yes!” and acceptance that the APNU/AFC Government had fallen. Then came the ‘suggestion’ that 33 was not the majority of 65 and the thin veneer

of honesty, decency and sensibility was scorched away, the possibility of holding onto power overrode personal integrity and revealed mass venality; a susceptibility to whispers.

The adversity also exposed David Granger (who used a transparent three-card trick of Constitution, Courts, and Commission to delay elections by 347 days) as a man with no integrity or shame. Those cards are back in play and 91 days after the elections we are spending over a billion dollars on a recount to appease Granger’s ego. Granger’s constant subversion of the Constitution using feigned ignorance has worn thin and yet, no person within his team has stepped forward to condemn him (Granger).

Civil society organisations and actors have overwhelmingly condemned Granger and his cohorts to no avail; they are treated as hostile fans at a cricket game; background noise but not active participants in the game. I believe this mischaracterisation

will haunt APNU/AFC or whatever form the PNC assumes in the foreseeable future. When your biggest proponent (GHK Lall) refers to you “like a sick addict and serial defrauder, its leading powers, higher circles, and broader followers just cannot help themselves; hence, the proverbial wisdom of the dog that returneth to its own vomit”, it is time for a serious soul-searching.

Granger has lost this game and is behaving like a petulant child; the other participants are displaying infinite patience with the histrionics employed. The PPP/C and other parties are all participating in a 10 region recount where there are no issues save and except the Fourth, where Mr Mingo’s fraud is now thoroughly exposed. It is the hope of all that the APNU/AFC can learn the valuable lesson of losing and returning to compete another day. As to following the rules and fair play, those are lessons for another day.

Respectfully, Robin Singh

USA, UK, Canada and EU must act now!

Dear Editor, The law-abiding citizens of Guyana wish to thank the representatives of the USA, UK, Canada and EU and their respective Governments for supporting democracy in our country.

The lawlessness exhibited

by GECOM and this caretaker Government will cease when the non-immigrant visas of these persons and their families are cancelled and their bank ac-

counts in these countries are frozen.

We, therefore, humbly request the representatives of the respective High Commissions and Embassies to act now and bring an end to this charade.

This will send the correct message to the GECOM officials, staff and the caretaker Government and all those who are planning to commit and perpetrate fraud on the innocent cit-

izens of our country.

This action by our foreign missions will reinforce the importance of remaining impartial and discharging of responsibilities without fear or favour by persons who are employed at GECOM, the Judiciary, the Guyana Police Force among others.

With regards, Karen Defreitas

this money?

Dear Editor, Once more the Georgetown municipality is singing the tune that the old cow died on, which is that they are again broke and will be unable to foot its monthly salaries bill going forward which amounts to a whopping $120 million a month, This time they are blaming the COVID-19 pandemic and I guess will be showing up at the doorsteps of the Communities Ministry and the National Task Force, cap in hand.

So why does the city need all of this money for just salaries alone when they hardly provide any municipal services to the residents and businesses of the capital city? The abattoir has been out of commission for several months now due to its roof caving in as a result of a crane accident, so cattle owners are not benefiting from slaughtering and other food hygiene services. The incinerator ceased to operate many moons ago with the Central Government having to take over the solid waste disposal responsibilities for the city.

Several daycare centres and crèches have been shuttered in recent years resulting in scores of working mothers in the capital being unable to access care and supervision for their infants and young children whilst they are at work. The municipal markets are not properly secured and are extremely unhygienic, buildings are going up all over the city in violation of building codes and at odds with approved plans. The City Constabulary have all but abdicated their responsibility of securing the city and handed over these duties to the national police.

For years now, sanitary inspectors have stopped visiting

One people, one nation, uncertain destiny

Dear Editor, In Guyana, as recounting of the ballots cast painfully drags on at a snail’s pace and too often punctuated annoyingly by unnecessary stoppages, Guyanese at home and abroad anxiously await a finality and a justified conclusion to the election of March 2, 2020.

The country and the Guyanese people have experienced many periods of mental trauma from the time of foreign rule, to current times where even locally appointed and oath taken election officers find themselves compromised and unprepared or unwilling to deliver the credible election results the electorate crave for. A people at times with glimpses of hope is again rendered downtrodden, demoralised or perhaps even hopeless. A nation handicapped in its quest for harmony and cannot yet determine a common destiny, is stunned.

What has transpired in Guyana following the elections of 2020 did catch the attention of patriotic Guyanese in the Canadian diaspora and led to the formation of an apolitical ad hoc committee dubbing itself Democracy Watch 2020. The chosen mandate

of this committee is to join with the democratic-minded, everywhere, in the struggle to stave off an impending return to dictatorial rule in Guyana. Cognisant of the history of rigged elections in order to hold on to power in Guyana, the committee anticipated since mid-March 2020 that it would require international intervention with the possible threat of sanctions against key actors in Guyana who are actively engaged in denying the people their will and a Government of their choice. A letter seeking sanctions was forwarded on March 28 to several MPs, the PMO and the DPMO. It was to encourage the Canadian Government to join with other major Governments in implementing punishing individual sanctions until a legitimate Government was installed in Guyana.

Advised and assisted by prominent Guyanese Canadian professionals, Democratic Watch 2020, which does not solicit funds nor accept donations, intends to remain active and vigilant, paying keen attention not only in the heavily interfered with recount process but to also focus its attention on the

behaviour of the de facto Govt and it’s less than impressive manoeuvres in preventing internationally recognised and highly reputable election observers from entering Guyana to assist in bringing about a credible declaration of the election result. The committee will advocate for the return of The Carter Center and others.

Also, of grave concern is the mistreatment of foreign diplomats and especially the campaign by known operatives and supporters of the de facto Guyana Govt, for the recall of the Canadian High Commissioner. Her yeomen service to Canada and to Guyana is highly applaudable and enormous gratitude to her is owed. Spearheading the support of Her Excellency Chatterjee is notable retired Canadian Lawyer, Mr Ramnarine Sahadeo, who has been sharing his time between the distribution of his new book on the life Mohandas “Mahatma” Gandhi Ji and this effort. Mr Sahadeo, who is referred to as the father of the adopt a school programme in Guyana in the 1980s, is currently promoting the Gandhi Taxdeductible Scholarship which

he initiated at Mc Master University. The committee stands with Mr Sahadeo and all others who are supporting the foreign diplomats in Guyana. A petition at change. org “Supporting the Canadian High Commissioner and others Championing Democracy in Guyana” has been in circulating since Friday, May 8. and has already garnered more than 3200 signatures.

The committee calls on all relevant authorities in Guyana to help in the progress of the recount, albeit slow, and to not engage in any effort to thwart or abandon the recount exercise. The security of diplomats and observers active in Guyana must also be guaranteed.

It is “now or never”, for real progress and the “one destiny” that all Guyanese so painfully look forward to soon attain.

Respectfully submitted, R Singh, Mississauga, ON; H Ragnauth, Waterloo, ON; N Megnauth, Brampton, ON; Rick Persaud, Mississauga, ON; S Alexander, Toronto, ON; S Bernard, Mississauga, ON; N Hanif, Toronto, ON

the premises of both private and public business property owners to conduct routine inspections of yards to ensure adequate, safe and healthful conditions and to identify deficiencies and violations, neither are routine inspectional activities of food service establishments to assure safe, wholesome and sanitary food and food products, wherever produced, processed, distributed, transported or served in Georgetown is being carried out, the city is not being fogged for mosquitoes, nor is rodent and vector prevention being practiced.

Roads are not being built or maintained, neither are bridges or street lighting, stray animals are not being impounded. Just look at the awful state of the cemetery. Our drains and gutters are not being dug, nor are our parapets being weeded.

So why does the city need to dole out $120 million a month for salaries and wages? Should they not just slash their human resources by half, by getting rid of half of the super salaried positions, staffed by friends and family? Mr Mayor, do you need all those bloated departments, managers, directors and senior staffers? And by the way, if one should divide a hundred and twenty million dollars by eight hundred employees, one would get an average of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars per employee which we know the constables, sanitation workers, weeders, clerks, gravediggers, drivers, etc do not get. So where are those large sums of money going? To the bigwigs at City Hall or to phantom workers who might have died or migrated?

Sincerely, Jermain Johnson

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020

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Foundation

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

Below is the continuation of English Language Paper 2, 2012. Also below CXC English

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL GRADE SIX ASSESSMENT TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS. 1. WRITE YOUR CANDIDATE NUMBER ON THE ANSWER SHEET AND UNDERLINE THE SUBJECT. 2. This test contains 40 questions. You are required to answer ALL questions. Four

responses are given for each question. The responses are A, B, C and D. Only ONE response is correct.

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

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

CONTINUED

In questions 15 to 17, choose the option that is not a sentence.

15. (A) They ate rice and peas. (B) Am I going?

(C) At some other time.

(D) She adores mangoes.

Here is an example done for you.

ANSWER SHEET 1. Red is Tim’s colour.

A B C D (A) favrite (B) favarite (C) favourite (D) faveriteu

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

next to the answer you have now chosen.

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

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

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

(B) Toby as well as his mother is an early riser.

(C) The cat and the dog is very friendly.

(D) None of the girls has ever been late for school.

book. He must look in the (A) Contents.

(B) Glossary.

(C) Preface.

(D) Acknowledgement.

24. (A) One of the children find four turtles.

(B) Bring only those you know well.

(C) The wealthy miner adopted the school.

(D) Their father is Mr. Simon.

Read the passage below, then answer questions 32 to 35.

In questions 18 and 19, choose the correct preposition to complete each sentencei,

Allot - Alone 25. (A) aloof (C) alike

(B) allocate (D) ally

18. The ball went the window.

(A) through (B) against (C) into (D) from

Heel - Hell 26. (A) heed (C) helmet

(B) heir (D) helpless

19. His handwriting is different mine.

(A) of (B) to (C) with (D) from

Optional - Orchard 27. (A) optical (B) ordinary (C) option (D) orbit

In questions 20 and 21, choose the function of the underlined word in each sentence.

In questions 28 to 30, choose the correct idiom to complete each sentence.

In the past in some schools, a pupil who did not behave in school was beaten by the teacher with a cane or stick. The teacher would hit the pupil hard enough so that it really hurt. But in other schools, there were teacher who did not beat their pupils.

If a boy behaved badly in class, he would not be beaten. In fact, the stick would be placed in the back of his shirt collar so that it would rise in the air above his head. Then the boy would stand up on a bench in-front of the other children. He would indeed bend his head in shame.

If a boy did not come to school on time, the teacher would send a few boys to bring him to school. One would carry a lighted lamp and another would carry a bell. The boy with the lamp would walk in front, to show the way, while another would ring the bell to indicate that the child should be in school.

One morning the teacher slept late. When the boys realized that he was late, they took the lamp and the bell and went to get him. They brought him to school with one boy leading the way with the lighted lamp, and another boy ringing the bell behind him.

Adapted

20. You must apologise to Audrey for soiling her uniform.

(A) noun (B) verb (C) pronoun (D) preposition

28. He was told to get to the point and not (A) beat around the bush. (B) flog a dead horse.

(C) sit on the fence.

(D) tell tall tales.

32. In the past a pupil was punished (A) with a lamp. (B) for misbehaving.

(C) with a bell.

(D) for making a mistake.

21. The boy is neat and clean although he is poor.

(A) adjective (B) adverb (C) noun (D) conjunction

29. If you are to be on your best behavior, you must (A) burn the midnight oil.

(B) take the bull by the horn.

(C) mind your p's and q's.

(D) make hay while the sun shines.

33. When a pupil stands on a bench, he would most likely (A) cry.

(B) be embarrassed.

(C) disturb the class. (D) dance.

16. (A) Wait until Daddy comes. (B) She is my mother's sister.

(C) The dog's new collar.

(D) I'm going home.

17. (A) Only his father-in-law. (B) They are twins.

(C) Are you ready?

(D) They are the primary colours.

In questions 22 to 24, identify the sentence that is grammatically incorrect.

In questions 25 to 27, the two words in bold are guide words on the pages of a dictionary. Choose the word that would be found on each page.

22. (A) Who is the bigger, John or James?

(B) Of the two, I like her best.

(C) She is the most beautiful person I have ever seen.

(D) The taller of the twins is going to be there.

30 She never does anything the right way, and would always (A) be a chip off the old block.

(B) turn a blind eye.

(C) tell tales out of school.

(D) put the cart before the horse.

23. (A) Each of the children has a favourite toy.

31. Ravi wants to know the meaning of a term in his Science

34. The lamp in the passage does a similar job as a (A) vehicle.

(B) firefighter.

(C) flashlight. (D) teacher.

35. A suitable title for the passage would be (A) Disrespectful Students.

(B) Means of Punishment Long Ago. (C) Teacher and Students.

(D) Punishing a Teacher.

TO BE CONTINUED

CXC ENGLISH Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802

By William Wordsworth

Earth has not any thing to show more fair: Dull would he be of soul who could pass by A sight so touching in its majesty: This City now doth, like a garment, wear The beauty of the morning; silent, bare, Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie Open unto the fields, and to the sky; All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.

Never did sun more beautifully steep In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill; Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!

The river glideth at his own sweet will: Dear God! the very houses seem asleep; And all that mighty heart is lying still!

1. “Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802” is one of Wordsworth’s famous sonnets. (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

NEWS

7

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

APNU/AFC objects to 410 more ballot boxes to be counted Attorney Devindra …as Region 9 tabulation certified Kissoon’s vote, claims he migrated

...but records show he was an elections observer on E-Day

votes illustrates that while Shuman’s party has secured the bulk of the votes required thus far for the alliance, LJP has not contested Region 10.

With TNM so far picking up just over 70 votes in Region Four and less than 20 votes in Region 10, it would mean that ANUG and LJP would need to secure an average of about

and 23 for Region 10.

GECOM also signed off on the Tabulation Certificate for the Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo) Electoral District, with the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) again refusing to affix a signature.

That Certificate records

two votes from each of the remaining boxes to clinch, or three to all but guarantee a parliamentary tenure.

Shuman’s LJP has so far secured 470 votes in Region Four while tabulation figures give ANUG 903 votes from the boxes tabulated.

ANUG and TNM collectively failed to garner more than 200 votes so far from Region Six which is still to be completed while LJP did not contest the district.

This would see three parties requiring collectively, about two votes from each of the 410 ballot boxes still to be recounted, with Region Four recording the largest amount of the outstanding ballots still to be ascertained.

The parties have collectively picked up in excess of 1600 votes from the Region so far.

Meanwhile, GECOM on Monday completed recounting 93 boxes—completing 36 from Region Four, 34 for Region Six

4887 for the incumbent, APNU/AFC, while the opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) secured 7070 votes from the Region.

Shuman’s LJP secured 277 votes from Region Nine while the United Republican Party picked up 27 votes.

The recount results for the region also documents 196 rejected ballots from the 12,457 persons that according to GECOM “appear to have voted.”

The Certificate records 12,261 valid votes cast for Region Nine while 28 were found to be spoilt.

The recount is scheduled to continue until no later than June 13, at which point in time the CEO is expected to provide the Commission with a report at which time a decision will be taken on the way forward with regards to using the results of the recount in providing a final declaration for the election by June 16— three days later.

Attorney-at-Law Devindra Kissoon at the Enmore Community Centre Ground on Election Day conducting his observer duties

T

he APNU/AFC coalition continues to arbitrarily and haphazardly object to the names of persons who voted on March 2, claiming that they were not in the country.

One such person they objected to is prominent attorney Devindra Kissoon, whose serial number on the Official List of Electors is 157.

Attorney-at-Law Devindra Kissoon on [the] ground that he migrated. Not only did Mr Kissoon vote but was accredited as an observer!”

This is not the first instance whereby persons whom the APNU/AFC claimed were not in the country have come forward to reject those allegations.

In fact, the coalition’s claims have been exposed as false-

Media operative Latoya Wills, whom APNU/AFC claimed migrated

In the corresponding observation report, for ballot box 4497, the APNU/AFC objected to serial numbers 89, 93, 157, and 244.

But Guyana Times has been able to confirm that attorney Kissoon was in the country on Elections Day and voted at the African Heritage Museum in Bel Air Park, Georgetown.

In fact, the prominent lawyer was an accredited observer for the American Chamber of Commerce Guyana Chapter. He was seen at several Polling Stations across the country on Elections Day including at the Enmore Community Centre Ground.

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall also confirmed in a social media post that the lawyer was in the country on Elections Day. Nandlall posited that: “APNU/AFC objected to the serial number of prominent

hoods on numerous occasions.

In another instance, APNU/AFC objected to media operative Latoya Wills as they claimed she had migrated and was not around to vote.

However, Wills has since confirmed that she did not travel anywhere and was around to vote on March 2.

T

he Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has so far completed recounting 1929 ballot boxes out of the total 2339, which leaves 410 boxes to be recounted.

The number of boxes completed amounted to 80 per cent of the ballots cast at the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

However, while the political juggernauts eye forming a new Government, or be relegated to opposition benches, three newcomers that had formed an acceptable political alliance are within reach of securing a seat in the National Assembly whenever it is reconvened.

This can be gleaned from the tabulated results of recounted votes cast in the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

The three that formed an electoral alliance in the run-up to the elections—The Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) headed by Lennox Shuman, A New United Guyana (ANUG) with Timothy Jonas as its Chairman and The New Movement (TNM) with Presidential Candidate Dr Asha Kissoon—have so far secured in excess of 4200 of the votes that have been tabulated from the recount process.

The exact number of votes to equate to one parliamenta-

ry seat from the final results of the March 2020 Elections are still to be worked out since the Chief Elections Officer is still to prepare a final tabulation and report outlining the allocation of seats based on the total valid votes cast.

Traditionally, 5000 votes have been the ‘mean’ expectation by political parties, as being enough votes to secure a seat given the average size of the Official List of Electors in recent electoral cycles.

With 410 more ballot boxes to be recounted, it would mean that the Joinder Alliance has already secured more than 84 per cent of that 5000 mark.

More than half of the alliance’s votes have come from LJP headed by Shuman, so far ascertaining more than 2300 votes, while ANUG has secured in excess of 1600 to the collective tally, with TNM also bringing in almost 200 votes so far.

GECOM has so far completed recounting seven of the 10 electoral districts across the country. Those remaining include Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) which has the largest quota of ballot boxes to be recounted, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) and Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne).

An assessment of the

More APNU/AFC “migrant voters”...

Further checks had revealed, however, that the woman was never issued a ballot on Election Day. In addition, GECOM, through its Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward, admitted that no checks were made on the names to see if ballots were issued.

The main opposition party, the People's Progressive Party (PPP), has labelled this as a fishing expedition

that APNU/AFC has sent GECOM on. According to them, this is all part of the coalition’s “nefarious” political agenda of delaying the recount.

“We wish to highlight that a political party, APNU+AFC, not the Government, was provided by the Commissioner of Police/Immigration Department with the immigration records of citizens

without their consent, which APNU+AFC is using for its nefarious political agenda.

The matter is compounded by the Commissioner of Police purporting to verify the very information that he or his servants/agents supplied to that political party.”

The party added that it is already on the public record that APNU/AFC is concocting these allegations.

“One would recall a couple in

FROM PAGE 3

Berbice who are in Guyana and voted for APNU+AFC, but APNU+AFC claimed that those persons were overseas on Elections Day. This issue was fully ventilated in the Kaieteur News,” the party said in a recent statement.

According to the party, they have found hundreds of cases where persons who APNU/AFC claimed were out of the jurisdiction but voted, were, in fact, pres-

ent in Guyana at the time of the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

The media itself has carried several such exposés, with APNU/AFC claims even being denied by a Berbice couple, Shirley and Aubrey Nicholson of Kortberaadt Village, who said that not only were they in Guyana on Election Day, they voted for the coalition.

8 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Marcus Bisram freed after Judge quashes DPP’s orders

…signals intention to sue DPP, State for unlawful detention, arrest

Outrageous...

I Marcus Bisram with his attorneys after being released from the Camp Street Prison

H

igh Court Judge, Simone MorrisRamlall released murder accused Marcus Bisram from prison after she ruled that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) acted in contravention of the law when she ordered Magistrate Renita Singh to commit him to stand trial for the murder of

Magistrate Renita Singh

Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall

DPP Shalimar Ali Hack

Guyana Times in an interview on Tuesday.

On Monday, Judge MorrisRamlall agreed with the defence’s argument and quashed the DPP’s orders to commit Bisram to stand trial as well as to have the case reopened.

Justice Morris-Ramlall also declared that Bisram’s arrest and subsequent incarceration was unlawful and ordered his release from the Camp Street Prison.

Bisram was able to leave the Camp Street jail on Tuesday after the relevant paperwork and filings would have taken place.

carpenter Fayaz Narinedatt.

On March 30, Magistrate Singh upheld the no-case submission by Marcus’ battery of lawyers at the Whim Magistrate’s Court in the East Berbice-Corentyne region. However, his freedom was short-lived when DPP Shalimar Ali Hack directed Magistrate Singh to re-open

Bisram’s case and commit him to stand trial in the High Court. He was committed to stand trial on April 6.

Bisram’s lead counsel, Sanjeev Datadin challenged the orders in the High Court and argued that DPP Hack acted in contravention of the statutes when she issued her orders. He contended that the DPP’s decision was unreasonable, unlawful, malicious, made in bad faith and contrary to the rules of natural justice. He also argued that there was no legal foundation for the DPP to order the Magistrate to commit his client.

Datadin sought, from Judge Morris-Ramlall, several other orders inclusive of Bisram’s immediate release.

“We went through all the submissions and the Judge agreed [with us]. The DPP, in fact, never received the deposition before she decided there was evidence upon which he [Bisram] could be committed to trial for murder. The process of law is the DPP must send to the Magistrate and get the deposition – which is essentially the Magistrate’s notes, and when they get the notes then the next thing they do is the DPP makes an assessment as to whether it is sufficient to make out a charge and on the evidence there is, then the DPP will direct that he be charged.

This [the DPP’s orders] happened one hour [after] the Whim Magistrate Court [ruled]. So how could the DPP have received anything?

Whim Magistrate’s [Court] is three hours’ drive away at least. So clearly the DPP acted precipitously so we were able to argue to the Judge that compliance to the statute had not been followed and that he should be freed,” Datadin told

Legal action

Since his extradition from the United States to Guyana, Bisram has been accusing the authorities of attempting to score cheap political points when there was no evidence linking him to the murder of Narinedatt. After he was freed on March 30, he reiterated those comments and threatened legal action against the State.

That position has not changed according to Datadin.

He told this publication that his client is ready to go ahead and sue the DPP as well as the State for unlawful detention among other issues.

“He is going to take legal action against the DPP and the State for locking him up all this while without any evidence to support or substantiate it. We are kind of ready to go but as you know I am occupied with things of national importance at the moment so it might take a day or two but we intend to file it shortly,” Datadin said.

Bisram was accused of ordering the death of Narinedatt between October 31 and November 1, 2016. On March 7, 2017, an arrest warrant was issued for Bisram, who was in the US at the time. The warrant was issued on the allegation that Bisram instructed five other men – Harri Paul Parsram, Radesh Motie, Niran Yacoob, Diodath Datt and Orlando Dickie – to kill Narinedatt because the carpenter retaliated when Bisram made sexual advances to him.

In November 2018, he was extradited to Guyana after a US Appeal Court two months prior ordered his extradition after denying both a rehearing of his appeal and a motion to stay the extradition.

...claims n years to come, surely when those who’re today in short pants describe what the PNC did to rig the 2020 elections, they’d be accused of weaving a Guyanese version of “The tall tales of Baron Munchausen”. You know, like the one where the Baron’s sailing ship flies him to the moon or that time, when caught in a swamp, he rescued himself and his horse by lifting them both up by his pigtail!

Who, for instance, would believe that a grown-a55 PNC man – the heir presumptive even – would tell the nation that none of the 8000+ Disciplined Forces ballots weren’t stamped by the Presiding Officers at the hundreds of Polling Stations to which they’d been sent? When he KNEW he was “trying a thing” and the recount would show that not more than a few hundred ballots were unstamped in the ENTIRE count of 450,000 ballots!! In line with other elections. Didn’t he worry how he’d be seen when his tall tale was discovered – as he certainly knew it would be??

Or when the same fella insisted they’d received hard information that thousands of PPP votes had been cast by folks who’d long departed these shores, never to return.

The elusive “migrated voter” which had become an urban legend – always invoked but never caught. In the beginning of rigging back in ‘68, when tracked down, a couple turned out to be horses grazing in an English field. Well, the Guyanese Baron (actually he’s just a retired Lt Colonel) went further than just making the outlandish claim – he actually submitted a list of these teleporting voters. Not, of course, the alleged “thousands and thousands” – of which his minions had confessed, when pressed, that it was collected from “field work”, which boiled down to gossip – but 217 names from the OLE that were identified to particular polling stations.

“Gotcha!!” the PNC faithful roared from the sidelines at the PPP. This was evidence of PPP’s perfidy, wasn’t it –- even though it would’ve hardly had an effect on the election outcome?? It was the “principle” of the thing, one suspects. So convincing evidently was the list, that backtracking on the vow she’d made just the day before about “he who alleges must prove”, the GECOM Chair unilaterally whisked off the list to no other than the CoP. He, in turn, dashed it over to the head of Immigration, who turned on a dime to report that he’d verified that 172 of the names had been out of the jurisdiction on March 2!!

The smoking gun, no? No!! The PPP quickly located these persons, who were actually here!!

Makes you wonder about how credible our Immigration was on those Haitians, doesn’t it?? ...GECOM Chair If it’s one thing elections in Guyana have achieved is they’ve completely destroyed the notion that judges are paragons of probity. When Burnham was doing his thing with ballots boxes back in the day, both of the two heads of the Elections Commission were former Chief Justices and even knighted – first Sir Donald Jackman and the Sir Harold Bollers. Both of them left such a bitter taste on the tongues of Guyanese that when free and fair elections were imposed from 1992, the law was amended to include persons other than Judges.

So, when Granger insisted (illegally) on unilaterally picking a Judge (James Patterson, who actually lied about being a Chief Justice), a lot of folks thought that was a dead giveaway that mischief was afoot. But the PPP obviously holds the Judiciary in high regard, ‘cause they went along with Granger’s choice of another Judge (who thought she should’ve been Chief Justice!!) Claudette Singh!!

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Should Judges be barred from Chairing GECOM?

...incestuous relationships How come PNC’s Vincent Alexander alone in the Commission knew that Claudette Singh has sent off Harmon’s list of alleged “migrants” to the CoP? Did she whisper it into his ear?

Don’t they keep minutes of the Commission’s meetings?

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

NEWS

9

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

3 months after elections

Guyanese suffer while election results dragged out – FITUG …says rampant claims of irregularities fictitious

O

n the three-month anniversary of the March 2 General and Regional Elections, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) has urged a timely conclusion to the election impasse while noting that the whole country is suffering.

FITUG on Tuesday pointed to the COVID-19 strain on the economy, the inability of City Hall to pay its workers and the Government halting its hamper distribution drive, as further evidence of the need for a stable, legitimate Government to take care of the country’s needs.

“The ongoing electoral shenanigans, of course, have been more harmful for our working people and their families. In recent days, media reports have brought to the public attention the pain and suffering many Guyanese are facing as they confront the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic,” the trade union said on Tuesday.

It noted that the virtu-

al shutdown of commercial activity has had a significant impact on thousands of Guyanese. Quite a few have been made jobless and the shutdown of certain operations has shut off incomes for tens of thousands.

FITUG recalled that they had called for a number of measures to ease the burden on the backs of Guyanese. These measures had included tax waivers, direct financial support and that assistance in meeting financial obligations be provided to the people in need.

According to the trade union, nothing has been forthcoming and even the State’s hamper distribution was halted without any successor arrangement. “At this time, we see that Guyanese are asked to submit requests for assistance, though it remains unknown as to when the assistance would be forthcoming. We have heard that appropriate assistance has been withheld given the current status of the

coalition Government. We take this explanation with a pinch of salt, fully well knowing that the de facto Government has identified some $1B to rehabilitate the former Ocean View Hotel,” FITUG observed.

Wild claims

Some of these electoral shenanigans, according to the union, have included wild claims of electoral fraud. This is likely to be a reference to A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) claims of dead and migrant voters. According to the union, however, several of these claims have been widely debunked as false and belonging to the “world of fiction.”

“We have seen in recent days and weeks; several have sounded the call for credible results. While we share that view, we see that notion of credibility, for some, has taken a warped connotation. In as much as everyone is entitled to their views, we contend that certain principles ought to re-

main sacrosanct and not bent to suit a certain viewpoint. We know that those who hold those warped points-of-view stand with those who have been consistently harping about certain irregularities.”

The union added that the fact that men and women who stand up and call themselves “principled” and seek to espouse calls about credible elections but yet ignore the many fallacies, “causes us, at this time, to question their sincerity to upholding democracy, to respect the rule of law and the concept of social justice and equity. We have to wonder whether it is a case of he who pays the piper calls the tune.”

To compound the issue, the union noted that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) submitted a list of alleged ‘migrant’ voters to the Chief Immigration Officer and Police Commissioner, Leslie James, that turned out to be riddled with errors since some of the persons on the list insisted

FITUG President Carvil Duncan

that they were in Guyana.

As a matter of fact, the union noted, GECOM by law should not have even asked the police to assist in the matter. According to the union, the law states that an election petition has to be used to address such issues. According to the union, the current economic and social situation strengthens the need for the electoral process to be completed with haste.

“The biggest victims of the prevailing elections imbroglio remain the nation’s workers and their families. They are facing the brunt of the hardship and are seeing their standard

of life slipping away by the day. At the same time, we see any prolongation in the declaration of the results only serving to further undermine their and their families’ well-being.”

According to FITUG, any pursuit or ploy that would give rise to the installation of a Government that is not reflective of the will of the people would be most harmful to thousands of ordinary Guyanese and reverse several years of development and improvement. “Clearly, we are seeing the situation of when elephants fight the grass being trampled,” the union declared.

10 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

14 new COVID-19 tests conducted National curfew to end 1 day after elections result declaration …cases remain at 153

A

T

he National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) has taken a decision to extend the emergency measures and curfew to June 17 – exactly one day after the touted date for a declaration of Guyana’s elections result.

This announcement was made on Tuesday, after the measures were scheduled to be lifted today - June 3.

However, the announcement has been met with much suspicion as questions arise about the motive of ending the curfew one day after the declaration.

According to several political commentators, such a short extension demonstrates that there will be no directives preventing persons from protesting or gathering in large masses in nonacceptance of the outcome. Setting precedents, Guyana’s post-elections period has always been followed by some form of objection, raising questions as to what systems will be in place at that time to safeguard against COVID-19 threats.

Some 153 persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Guyana.

As of now, the 18:00h to 06:00h curfew will remain in place one day after the date flouted for an official declaration.

Last week, caretaker President David Granger

was quoted saying that the measures will remain until the local crisis is brought under control. Prior to this, the caretaker Administration had also received cautions from the Pan American Health Organisation about a premature relaxation of the curfew and partial lockdown.

Country Representative of the PAHO, Dr William Adu-Krow had signalled a reduction in positive cases if the country extends the emergency measures and works to implement a phased reopening.

According to the PAHO/ WHO Representative, the curfew and restrictions can only be lifted if certain criteria are met. These include: transmission is controlled; systems are in place to detect, test, isolate and treat every case; outbreak risks in health settings are minimalised; preventative

measures are implemented in social settings, such as schools and workplaces; importation risks can be managed; and communities are fully educated, engaged and empowered to adjust to the “new norm”.

From its initial composition, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo had said that Task Force is political. After several questionable decisions by the Task Force, the Opposition Leader pointed out that it is unfortunate that the Task Force appears only interested in enforcing COVID-19 measures conveniently and for political purposes.

After much speculation, Chief Executive Officer of the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF), Joseph Harmon last week clarified that there will be no complete lockdown of the country.

fter 153 cases were reported on Sunday, this number has remained constant and no new person has since tested positive.

This was disclosed on Tuesday by Director of Primary Healthcare Services, Dr Ertinesa Hamilton.

Up until that time, COVID-19-related deaths remained at 12. Some 14 new samples were taken, bringing the total number of persons tested to 1672, with the total number of negative cases being 1519. There are 70 recoveries, 71 active cases in institutional isolation, two patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (UNIT) and 25 persons in institutional quarantine.

Residents of Regions One (Barima-Waini), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) were reminded to desist from crossing the borders as COVID-19 continues to affect Brazil significantly.

“We wish to remind the residents of Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine to desist from crossing the borders as COVID-19 continues to strike viciously and take lives in Brazil.

Let us continue to pray for guidance and protection for health workers worldwide and especially our frontline

workers who are heroically waging the war against COVID-19,” Dr Hamilton urged.

In Brazil, authorities are battling a whopping 539,045 cases with 30,486 deaths. Crossing the borders can bring more cases into the country, some of which might go undetected.

She commended Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) on its record of only one imported case and death since March.

According to the Director, it is evident that residents in

this area are following the established regulations.

Persons experiencing the signs and symptoms associated with the disease are asked to contact the hotline or the closest health facility to access the necessary services. The same is being asked of persons who have been in contact with a positive case.

Globally, the total number of cases is 6,057,853 with 371,166 deaths. In the region of the Americas, there are 2,817,232 cases with 160,514 deaths.

NEWS

11

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Will of Guyanese people must be respected – Mandela’s “Elders” group …urges legitimate swearing-in of President based on recount

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he Elders, an international group formed by legendary South African President Nelson Mandela, has become the latest organisation to urge Guyana to follow the democratic process and ensure a legitimate President is sworn in.

The group made this assertion in a brief statement shared via social media on Tuesday. According to them, they have been observing the elections and its aftermath in Guyana and are concerned with the way things have been going.

They cited the specific instance of The Carter Center, which has been barred by the APNU/AFC Government from returning to Guyana to observe the recount. This is despite their election accreditation still being valid. The David Granger led-Administration has used the COVID-19 measures as a blockage to having the democracy watchdog return.

“The Elders continue to view the situation in Guyana with concern, especially the recent barring of the Carter Center Observers,” the group, which includes former United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, said.

The group stressed in their statement that the will of the people who voted on March 2 must be respected.

This, according to the group, must be done through the swearing-in of a legitimate President based on the recount results.

“The will of the people must be respected through the swearing-in of a legitimate Government,” The Elders said, going on to add that the election of a new Government should be “based on the recount’s results.”

Guyana has been and continues to be, under significant international scrutiny to ensure that elections which were held over three months ago, are concluded in a credible manner.

This pressure has manifested in the international community, revealing that sanctions could be applied if an illegitimate President is sworn in.

Last week, Head of the EU Delegation in Guyana, Fernando Ponz Canto said that once the National Elections recount is credibly completed and the results generated accepted, Guyana will avoid being hit with sanctions from the European Union (EU) – which has once again warned that cooperation will be suspended if democracy fails.

Canto expressed that “the best thing I would like to do about sanctions is to prevent them.”

Concerns are being raised about the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition gearing up to reject the results emanating from the recount exercise.

They have already been refusing to sign off on the Certificates of Recount for district tabulation for several regions.

But Ambassador Ponz Canto reminded that the current recount is a “window of opportunity” to avoid sanctions.

As recently as a few weeks ago, United States Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah Ann-Lynch said that while sanctions are on the table if the democratic will of the people is not adhered to, it is an option the United States is hopeful it will not have to use.

Lynch explained that sanctions range in seriousness from targeted

Members of The Elders organisation with late founder, former South African President Nelson Mandela

measures such as individual visa restrictions to financial measures that could impact the economy.

“You’ve seen some of the statements coming out of Washington.

Secretary [of State Mike] Pompeo.

Assistant Secretary [Michael] Kozak.

The National Security Council. They have been very strong. And Secretary Pompeo did point to serious consequences if the democratic process, the rule of law, and the principles of democracy are not followed in Guyana.

It has already been three months of controversy and a credible winner for the March 2 General and Regional Elections is yet to be declared.

After two discredited declarations from Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, which lacked transparency, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and caretaker President

David Granger had agreed to have the Caribbean Community (Caricom) oversee the recount.

That agreement was derailed when A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) candidate Ulita Moore moved to the courts and secured an injunction against the exercise.

That injunction was discharged by the Full Court and later, the Full Court’s decision was upheld by the Appeals Court. But by then, the Caricom team had long since left.

GECOM re-invited them and the recount started with the understanding that it would last for 25 days.

That timeline has since been extended to a June 13 deadline, with the declaration of results within three days. APNU/AFC has, meanwhile, been pushing for the original declarations, which include Mingo’s inflated

recount figures, to be used to declare a winner, rather than the recount figures.

The Elders is an international non-governmental organisation of public figures noted as elder statesmen, peace activists, and human rights advocates, who were brought together by Nelson Mandela in 2007.

At the launch ceremony, an empty chair was left on stage for Aung San Suu Kyi, the human rights activist who was a political prisoner in Burma/Myanmar at the time.

Present at the launch were Kofi Annan, Jimmy Carter, Graça Machel, Nelson Mandela, Mary Robinson, Desmond Tutu, Muhammad Yunus, and Li Zhaoxing.

Martti Ahtisaari joined The Elders in September 2009, Hina Jilani and Ernesto Zedillo in July 2013, and Ricardo Lagos in June 2016. In June 2017, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also joined the group.

The Elders is, as of November 2018, chaired by Mary Robinson, and consists of eight Elders and five Elders Emeritus. Kofi Annan served as chair from 2013 until his death in 2018; Desmond Tutu served for six years as chair before stepping down in May 2013, and remains an Elder Emeritus.

They describe themselves as “independent global leaders working together for peace and human rights”.

The goal Mandela set for the Elders was to use their “almost 1,000 years of collective experience” to work on solutions for seemingly insurmountable problems such as climate change, HIV/AIDS, and poverty, as well as to “use their political independence to help resolve some of the world’s most intractable conflicts”

12 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Police now say “migrant voters” travelled “illegally”

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n an astounding turn of events, the Guyana Police Force on Monday claimed their statement that verified APNU/AFC’s allegation that 172 voters were actually abroad cannot be debunked by the persons proving that they were, in fact, in Guyana on March 2 even though their passports have no stamps, because persons travel “illegally”.

The GPF is now following GECOM to insist their employees are corrupt so as to uphold the People’s National Congress’s (PNC) wild assertions designed to support rigging.

The Force in a statement stated that “the administration of the Force iterates

Police Commissioner Leslie James

that migration data produced by the Immigration Department of the Guyana Police Force is generated

through its record system which includes an Electronic Border Management System.”

In addition, the Force stated that the system, however, does not record persons who travelled illegally.

“Hence, the Guyana Police Force stands by the information provided to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM),” the GPF added. This statement has since caused much debate as to the Guyana Police Force’s motive in making such a claim.

In a unilateral decision, GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh had written to Police Commissioner Leslie James

Berbice sailor who allegedly fell overboard drowned – PME

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post-mortem performed on the body of Berbice sailor Damion McAlmont on Monday proved that the father of two died as a result of asphyxiation due to drowning.

The examination was performed by Government pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh at the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary.

The body of the 38-yearold man has since been handed over to relatives for burial.

Reports indicate that McAlmont fell overboard at the Toolsie Persaud Quarry’s St Mary Wharf, Essequibo River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), in the wee hours of Saturday.

Dead: Damion McAlmont

The man, who hails from Lot 420 Wapping Lane, New Amsterdam, Berbice, was employed by Toolsie

Persaud Quarry and worked as a sailor on a barge.

It was reported that on the day in question, the now dead man and others were working on a barge when he fell into the water and disappeared.

One of his colleagues told Police that he was pulling the bow rope when he saw McAlmont running and eventually falling into the river.

In an attempt to save him, the worker plunged overboard to rescue McAlmont but he had already disappeared under the water.

A search was subsequently launched but it was unsuccessful. The man’s body was found later on Saturday.

in his capacity as the Chief Immigration Officer, asking him to probe the allegations made by APNU/AFC that persons who voted were actually out of the country.

Attached to the letter was a list of those names of alleged ‘migrant’ voters.

It was reported that the Commissioner had responded to the letter and informed the GECOM Chair that 172 persons who were on the list were out of the country.

However, there is no word on whether ballots were issued for these individuals. Since the list was revealed to the public, four persons on the list have come forward proving that they never left the country and voted in person on E-Day. The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has since said they have found hundreds of cases where persons who APNU/AFC claimed were out of the jurisdiction but voted, were, in fact, present in Guyana at the time of the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

The PPP had also related that it will seek a meet-

GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh

ing with the GECOM Chair, regarding this development since it predicts that APNU/ AFC’s claims of electoral fraud will increase over the coming days.

“It will be recalled that in a sample of 87 ballot boxes on the East Bank Demerara, Mingo fraudulently gifted to APNU+AFC over 5000 votes. In order to detract from Mingo’s fraud and in their frantic effort to prevent the declaration of the final results of the recount, the likes of Joseph Harmon will manufacture more ridiculous allegations, such as

that 96,000 ballots cast are invalid,” the PPP added.

Also expressing concern over the GECOM Chair’s letter was Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) Presidential Candidate, Lennox Shuman. During his engagement with the media, Shuman expressed concern over GECOM undertaking to ask the Police Commissioner to investigate APNU/AFC claims.

He said that based on the legal advice his party received, GECOM is acting out of its remit.

According to him, Singh never revealed to stakeholders that she had written to the Police Commissioner to have the issue investigated.

According to him, Justice Singh has shown a selective attitude towards investigating wrongdoing, since the recount has shown that Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo manipulated numbers to give APNU/AFC a victory, yet the Chairperson has not asked the police to investigate this. According to him, the Chairperson is going down a slippery slope.

Prime suspect in murder of Port Kaituma miner nabbed

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fter being on the run for several days, the prime suspect in the murder of David James, who was stabbed to death at Arrangay Backdam, Cuyuni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), has been captured. This was confirmed by Regional Commander, Senior Superintendent Linden Lord during a telephone interview on Tuesday.

On May 27, at about 18:30h, James and another

employee were imbibing at their worksite when an argument ensued between them.

During the quarrel, the other employee left, but returned shortly after with a friend, who attacked James, punching him several times to the face and body.

This resulted in James falling to the ground motionless. Ranks were summoned to the scene where James was found dead in a hammock with injuries and bruises to the neck, face, and

about his body.

One of the men were arrested while the other fled the scene. Now that he was captured, the police are expected to institute murder charges shortly.

Meanwhile, a post-mortem examination conducted on the body of James on Monday by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh has revealed that he died from a brain haemorrhage due to blunt trauma to the head.

NEWS

13

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ramsammy’s Ruminations Region 1 will need more COVID-19 SoRs confirm the facilities – Regional VC truth of the SoPs R

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n E-Day, 2339 Statements of Poll (SoPs) confirmed the PPP had won and Guyana was ready to move on from President David Granger to President Irfaan Ali. Today, the SoPs are being replaced by Statements of Recount (SoRs).

The SoRs have so far confirmed what the SoPs concluded on the evening of March 2 - Irfaan Ali is the new President and the PPP is the new government of Guyana. The SoPs were clear.

The SoRs now affirm the truth - the President of Guyana is Irfaan Ali and there must be no further delay in swearing him in.

By early Tuesday morning, March 3, both major political parties (PPP and APNU+AFC), GECOM, the local and international observers, the new political parties, the Dr Leslie Ramsammy media, knew the results of the elections. Everyone knew by then that the PPP had won a resounding victory, repeating its overwhelming victories at the 2016 and 2018 local government elections. Everyone knew then that David Granger had served as a one-term President. Everyone knew by early March 3 that Guyana had a new President – Dr Irfaan Ali – and a new Prime Minister – Mark Philips.

The PPP and APNU+AFC and GECOM knew the results because each had copies of 2339 SoPs prepared by GECOM on the evening of E-Day, March 2. Sometime soon after midnight, both political parties had in their possession somewhere in their logistical infrastructure all 2339 SoPs. At the national command centers for both parties, the results were already being tabulated and the results were making clear who had won and who had lost the elections. Local and international observers were present throughout Guyana and had taken pictures of these SoPs. The new political parties had begun accumulating copies of SoPs for stations where they were not present.

It was not rocket science – no one needed to await an announcement from GECOM to know the results. GECOM's announcement was the formalization of what everyone knew.

That GECOM has mismanaged and played games with the results have led to a recount. The recount (with more than 75 percent completion) has so far confirmed, with no material change, the results contained in the SoPs. Three months have elapsed and GECOM shamefully has shown no urgency to get to the results. It is still playing games.

APNU+AFC which falsely insisted it won the elections, now has moved to alleging fraud during the elections. It is alleging that almost 100,000 votes were fraudulent votes. It is alleging that the votes of the disciplinary services were not counted. Their fraud allegations are themselves fraudulent. In law, in Guyana and in the world, "those who assert, must prove". This has always been so. When Justice Claudette Singh stated this two weeks ago, she was not making up her own law, her own principle, this has been a truth in history around the world. But in Guyana's 2020 elections, such legal, well-founded, well-established legal principles are being thrown out of the window. While Justice Singh is looking for evidence for hearsay allegations, she conveniently ignores the Mingo fraud committed in front of the world.

One allegation made by APNU+AFC is that "thousands who now live abroad voted in Guyana' elections". They provide no proof, other than insisting people in the communities told them so. They submitted as evidence a list of only 207 to Justice Claudette Singh on May 21. Justice Singh, a judge for decades, did not ask for proof from APNU+AFC. She did not remind them it was not her or GECOM's responsibility to go frolicking around looking for evidence. Instead, she personally, without ever seeking the approval of GECOM, asked the Police Commissioner to help her find evidence. The Police Commissioner responded that 172 persons on the list were not in the country.

But now persons from that list of 172 are coming forward that they were in the country on March 2, showing their passports that they have never been out of Guyana, never travelled outside of this country. APNU+AFC has previously admitted its list is hearsay. The big question is how come two persons steeped in the workings of the law – a former Judge and a Police Commissioner – have acted so expeditiously on mere hearsay? And how come the Police Commissioner asserts evidence that is so blatantly fraudulent?

Clearly, there are forces bent on ensuring the will of the people is denied. The Prime Minister of Barbados, on behalf of Caricom, is convinced of this. The ABCE countries are equally convinced of this. The OAS, the Commonwealth, the Carter Center, the IRI, the local observers are all convinced of this. By the end of today, more than 85 percent of the ballots cast in the March 2 elections would have been reexamined and recounted. All of the ballots recounted so far have confirmed the accuracy of the results contained in the SoPs from E-Day. We must not allow APNU+AFC to derail the will of the people. We must not allow GECOM to be complicit in thieving Guyana's elections. Time is long past for swearing in the new President, President Irfaan Ali.

egion One (BarimaWaini) has seen an alarming trend of positive cases, with reports of nine, and one death in the Moruca sub-district, creating the need for quarantining facilities.

In fact, the region has been identified by the Public Health Ministry for its growing trend in positive cases.

As positive patients accumulate at the present facilities, Regional Vice Chairman, Sarah Brown told Guyana Times that authorities will have to identify additional sites if the numbers escalate further.

Brown is currently based in the sub-region while Regional Chair, Brentnol Ashley is stationed in Mabaruma. She noted that Santa Rosa remains the most populated area in the zone, with approximately 10,000 residents, citing a need for concern.

There are currently a few facilities available that can house a limited number of patients. After the first case was detected, efforts were then made by the responsible officials to put systems in place for quarantining and treatment of coronavirus patients.

“For Santa Rosa, having the most population, when the first case happened, they weren’t prepared at that time. After they got

Region One Vice Chair Sarah Brown

more cases, they started to put systems in place. We have nine cases so far with one death…The facilities they’re using is the Aqua Guesthouse and there’s only about eight rooms there.

Then there is also the quarantine facility that they would have built at the airstrip, there’s another four there. God forbid if we should exceed more, I don’t know what other plans we have,” the Vice Chairwoman explained.

Presently, a Santa Rosa Task Force was established to make decisions on how the communities should address these issues. Brown said she was not invited to

these discussions but has been receiving information through stakeholders and social media.

“So far, I would’ve learnt from social media and other persons that there is a Task Force. However, nobody invited me to any meeting for the Task Force. I can’t say exactly what plans they have. Over here, we would have had nine cases so far in Santa Rosa Village and I can’t say exactly what plans the Village Council has.”

Santa Rosa houses the main hospital – the Kumaka District Hospital, but is supported by other primary healthcare centres. Brown was unable to say if all of them are equipped to handle COVID-19-related cases.

“The others are just health centres. Only cases would have to be referred here first. In Cubano, there is also a health centre there but I don’t know if they are equipped.”’

On May 24, former teacher, Vincent Torres was the first fatality in the region. He was admitted to the Kumaka District Hospital after experiencing breathing complications and other symptoms. A COVID-19 test was conducted on the man, which revealed that he was positive.

However, the elderly man later succumbed and

medical personnel who tended to him were placed in isolation.

Last week, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud shared that Regions One and Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) are beginning to witness an increased trend of positive cases with six and 10 per cent of positively confirmed cases respectively.

One day after Moruca, Region One, had its first case, a second person tested positive. By the eight day, there were nine cases and one death. In Region Seven, six more cases were reported within the first week, three more after six days, and 12 days after, another five cases.

He urged, “We know that in Region One, you young men have to go into the mines in order to provide for yourselves and families; this doesn’t mean that you do this to the detriment of those around you; if you practice social distancing, wear a mask and you participate in sanitising and washing your hands as often as you should then it is guaranteed that the possibility of transmission will drop significantly.”

In the breakdown by age group and gender, the younger males in the 25-29 age group are predominantly affected in Region One.

90-year-old forced to beg, experiencing difficulties over pension book replacement

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inety-year-old John Dhanraj also called as “Uncle John”, who depended solely on his old age pension for survival is now left to beg after waiting for more than three months for a replacement of his pension book which was stolen in March.

The elderly man, who has no place to live and no money to buy food, has taken up residency in a bus shed at Anna Regina, Region Two (Pomeron-Supenaam).

During his stay at the bus shed, he was attacked and robbed of a bag containing

his old age pension book, ID card and other documents.

Speaking with Guyana Times from what is called home, Dhanraj explained that after he was robbed, he made a report to the police and the local office of the Social Protection Ministry at Anna Regina.

Although pleading with the staff at the Ministry to speed up the process so that he can get a replacement pension book, he is being told that the Georgetown ofJohn Dhanraj

fice is dealing with the matter.

In this regard, he believes that the local office at Anna Regina is not doing enough to assist him and as such, called on the relevant authorities to look into his matter.

He believes that the elderly will from time to time misplace important documents and thinks there should be a more caring system to assist them in time of need.

14 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NGSA exams to be Murder accused stabbed to written on July 1 & 2 death during row over ganja gazetted and published on June 3, 2020, and will be written using the paper-based modality.

The order will address the public health protocols which will be implemented for the examinations.

Schools around the world and more so in the Caribbean were forced to close their doors as a result of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

However, parents were encouraged to continue working with their children

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fter months of delay as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) will finally be conducted on July 1 and 2. NGSA, popularly known as “common entrance”, was initially scheduled to be written on April 8 and 9.

On Tuesday, the Education Ministry announced the timetables for NGSA, Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE).

CSEC has been set for

July 13 - August 4, 2020, while CAPE examinations have been set for July 13 July 31, 2020.

The Ministry underscored that the official examinations order will be

in preparation for examinations, as well as to conclude the school’s curriculum. In Guyana, educational resources were placed online in the form of past exam papers and radio and TV programmes.

However, many parents complained about their limitations since many families did not have the ability to provide the level of support to their child/children that was needed. Also, many families do not have a computer and also cannot afford to pay for internet services to access the Ministry’s resources.

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murder accused, who was recently released from prison after serving seven years was on Sunday found stabbed to death in the vicinity of Orange Walk and Cummings Street, Georgetown.

The body of 51-yearold Floyd David also called “Food Face” of Lot 43 Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was reportedly found between 16:30h and 18:30h.

According to Regional Commander, Senior Superintendent Phillip Azore, David and another man were reportedly en-

gaged in a heated argument over a dispute involving ganja.

However, the argument escalated into a scuffle during which the suspect whipped out a knife and dealt David several blows to the body.

Guyana Times understands that on the day in question the now dead man had purchased 10 bags of marijuana from a supplier, and later expressed his dissatisfaction with the grade.

The suspect, who heard the argument between David and the supplier, approached David and asked

him to leave the yard.

David, in anger, reportedly drew a knife from his waist and attacked the supplier.

The suspect reportedly intervened and in the process of relieving David of the knife, the knife penetrated his chest. David collapsed onto the roadway and died.

The police were summoned and his motionless body was picked up and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was confirmed dead.

The suspect was arrested and is assisting Police with their investigations.

The National Milling Company of Guyana (NAMILCO) through their COVID-19 relief programme presented 300 hampers to the senior citizens in Linden in observance of the town’s 50th anniversary.

The presentation was recently made by Managing Director of the company, Bert Sukhai, to the Mayor of Linden, Waneka Arrindell, at the company’s office in Agricola, Greater Georgetown.

NAMILCO has assisted organisations in their fight against COVID-19 by donating flour and offering substantial discounts on products produced by the company.

ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Comparison of Tuesday’s SoRs with PPP’s SoPs DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF POLL RELEASED BY PPP/C

16 ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Comparison of Tuesday’s SoRs with PPP’s SoPs DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF POLL RELEASED BY PPP/C

ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT

17

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Comparison of Tuesday’s SoRs with PPP’s SoPs DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF POLL RELEASED BY PPP/C

18 ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Comparison of Tuesday’s SoRs with PPP’s SoPs DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF POLL RELEASED BY PPP/C

ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Comparison of Tuesday’s SoRs with PPP’s SoPs DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF POLL RELEASED BY PPP/C

20 ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Comparison of Tuesday’s SoRs with PPP’s SoPs DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF POLL RELEASED BY PPP/C

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020

OILNEWS

Around the World

Protests over George Floyd's death expose raw race relations worldwide

Surprise crude draw sends oil prices soaring

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he American Petroleum Institute (API) estimated on Tuesday a small crude oil inventory draw of 483,000 barrels for the week ending May 29.

Analysts had predicted an inventory build of 3.038 million barrels.

In the previous week, the API estimated a build in crude oil inventories of 8.731 million barrels. Meanwhile, the estimates of the Energy Information Administration (EIA) were more muted, with the industry body reporting last week that the inventories had climbed by 7.9 million barrels.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was trading up on Tuesday afternoon prior to the API’s data release as the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) pushed up the timeline for its meeting to discuss the future of the group’s current oil production cut plans which are set to expire at the end of June. Indications are that Saudi Arabia hopes to extend the cuts in some form until the end of the year, while Russia is rumoured to prefer an extension of a month or two at most.

Either way, the market likes the idea of more cuts, with the understanding that cutting production through June will be insufficient to draw down the global glut that is weighing on prices and taxing storage capacity, Oil production in the United States has now fallen from 13.1 million bpd on March 13 to 11.4 million bpd for May 22, according to the EIA —a drop of 1.7 million bpd—more than OPEC’s production cut agreement from last year.

At 16:16h EDT on Tuesday, the WTI benchmark was trading up on the day by US$1.42 (+4.01 per cent) at US$36.86. The price of a Brent barrel was trading up on Tuesday as well, by US$1.31 (+3.42 per cent), at US$39.63.

(Excerpt from Oilprice.com)

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People take part in a protest against the death in Minneapolis Police custody of George Floyd in The Hague, Netherlands

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mages of a white Police Officer kneeling on the neck of African-American George Floyd, who then died, have sparked protests from Amsterdam to Nairobi, but they also expose deeper grievances among demon-

strators over strained race relations in their own countries.

With violent clashes between protesters and authorities raging in the United States, anti-Police-brutality activists gathered by the thousands

in support of the Black Lives Matter movement in various European and African cities.

Peaceful protesters highlighted allegations of abuse of black prisoners by their jailers, social and economic inequality, and institutional racism lingering from the colonial pasts of the Netherlands, Britain and France.

“If you want to believe that we in the Netherlands do not have a problem with race, you should go ahead and go home,” Jennifer Tosch, founder of Black Heritage Amsterdam Tours, told a crowd in Amsterdam, from where the Dutch West India Company operated ships estimated to have traded 500,000 slaves in the 1600s and 1700s.

Tosch and others drew a comparison between Floyd’s death and the treatment of slaves centuries ago. “We have seen this image before

as white persecutors and enslavers held down the enslaved and branded them with an iron.”

In London, a protester held a placard reading “The UK isn’t innocent,” while in Berlin around 2000 people protested outside the US Embassy and two Bundesliga soccer players wore “Justice for George Floyd” shirts on Monday.

A similar message came from Dominique Sopo, President of French NGO SOS Racisme, which organised a small protest outside the US Embassy in Paris on Monday.

In Istanbul, more than 50 people clashed with Police Officers minutes after beginning a protest over Floyd and what they called Police brutality in Turkey.

Protests are planned in coming days in Gambia, Britain, Spain, and Portugal. (Excerpted from Reuters)

WHO Director for Americas urges US help as coronavirus surges in Region

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he World Health Organisation’s Regional Director for the Americas urged the United States on Tuesday to keep helping countries in the Region to fight the novel coronavirus even as the Trump Administration leaves the United Nations agency.

Coronavirus has infected almost three million people in the region that has massive inequalities, vulnerable Indigenous groups in the Amazon and megac-

ities where people live in close quarters and share public transportation, said the Director, DR Carissa Etienne.

She said in a virtual briefing that the United States provides 60 per cent of the funding for WHO’s regional branch, the Washington-based Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), which she heads. US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he was cutting ties with the WHO,

accusing it of becoming a puppet of China. The WHO has denied Trump’s assertions that it promoted Chinese “disinformation” about the virus.

The Geneva-based WHO was founded in 1948, and Dr Etienne said US ties with PAHO go back further to its founding in Washington in 1902.

“The United States has long been PAHO’s largest financial supporter and an important partner as well,” Dr Etienne said.

PAHO Directors on the call advised Latin American Governments not to open their economies too fast and to avoid public crowds especially where coronavirus cases are still increasing, such as in Brazil, which has the second worst outbreak – 555,383 – in the world after the United States. Its official COVID-19 death toll of 31,199 released Tuesday is the fourth-highest in the world, after the US, Britain and Italy.(Excerpt from Reuters)

ple were in the group.

An activist in the town the group left from said 102 had started out in the morning, including a dozen Cubans. Lizandro Vallecillo, a spokesman for the national migration institute, said he counted 50 people from television images.

Vallecillo said the migrants were among some 260 people in migrant shelters in the southern Honduras city of Choluteca since midMarch, when Honduras and neighbouring El Salvador

and Guatemala closed borders in an effort to contain the coronavirus.

“They were in Choluteca, but decided to leave in a caravan. They are aiming to reach the border with Guatemala on the way to the United States,” he said.

Jimmy Aguilera, an activist with civil society group ACI-PARTICIPA in Choluteca said Police had stopped them at a road block in a nearby town called El Marillal. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Cyclone Nisarga: Storm set to African, Cuban, Haitian migrants in Honduras hit COVID-ravaged Mumbai defy border closure in attempt to reach US

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Strong winds and rain began lashing Mumbai on Tuesday

uthorities in India's financial capital Mumbai are bracing for a severe storm which could hit its coast early today.

Cyclone Nisarga is set to make landfall on India's west coast, near the city in Maharashtra state.

Neighbouring Gujarat state is also likely to be impacted.

The National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) has deployed to both states.

The storm comes bare-

ly two weeks after Cyclone Amphan hit India's east coast.

More than 85 people were killed by Amphan in both eastern India and Bangladesh.

Mumbai is already experiencing heavy rains, strong winds, and heavy tides. Although the exact path of the storm will take some hours to become clear, weather officials say that there is a chance it could hit the city directly.

If that were to happen, it would make it the first cyclone to impact Mumbai in centuries.

Authorities have begun evacuating people from low-lying areas in and around the city, the state Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said.

Fishermen have also been called back in from the sea and told not to venture out.

The area has been put on "red alert" until Thursday, with storm surges expected.

NDRF officials told local media that they were working on a "zero casualties" approach, which means they are hoping that there will be no deaths.

However, the onset of the storm is likely to worry officials in Mumbai. With more than 50,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the city is already India's worst-impacted in terms of infections.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

A

frican, Cuban and Haitian migrants stranded in Honduras after borders were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic began trekking northward on Tuesday in an attempt to reach the United States, migration authorities said.

Young men and women carrying backpacks along with children wearing face masks walked along a highway in southern Honduras near Nicaragua, television images showed, although it was not clear how many peo-

Embattled Chilean Women's Minister pulls 'tears of an aggressor' ad

C

hile’s new Women’s Minister has been forced to apologise and pull a controversial advertisement aimed at curbing an increase in domestic violence amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Macarena Santelices, a relative of former Chilean

dictator Augusto Pinochet, was accused by women’s rights groups of painting abusers in a sympathetic light through the short film, which was aired on Government social media accounts.

Lockdowns aimed at slowing the spread of the vi-

rus have brought an uptick in domestic violence around the world.

In Chile, calls to emergency telephone hotlines for abuse victims have increased on average 60 per cent since lockdowns were announced in March. (Excerpt from Reuters)

22

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020

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

Who is "operating like a double agent”?

Dear Editor, It was 1992 when free and fair elections were conducted for the first time since 1964 in Guyana, a brief euphoric moment of positive change was simultaneously accompanied by a set of long-term difficulties which 28 years later would return to haunt the nation reducing its democratic prospects to shambles.

The Carter Center was the midwife which delivered the electoral triumph overseeing a deeply embedded proclivity of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) to a steal election. In 2015 an APNU/AFC Government was erected on an old discredited order akin to an incompetent physician who uses band-aid to cure cancer. This was a Government that effectively continued the political apparatus which it chafed for decades while in power before 1992, One can, therefore, argue that what was accomplished in 1992-2015 by the

People's Progressive Party/ Civic was simply swept under the rug by the APNU/ AFC Administration and has now brought irreparable harm to the Guyanese people.

The Caricom Election Observation Mission to Regional and General Elections in Guyana on March 2, 2020, was satisfied that the conduct of the poll was “free, fair and transparent.” Chief of Mission, Ms Cynthia Combie Martyr said the people of Guyana “should be proud of themselves,” and the mission salutes the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and the citizens of the country “for the peaceful conduct of the Poll.” Ms Martyr said the observation mission expects that the results of the poll “will reflect the free expression of the will and aspirations of the Guyanese people, for a Government of their choice. However, we were able witness-

es that Clairmont Mingo, the Returning Officer (RO) for District Four, blatantly manipulated votes from District Four, to favour his own political party the caretaker APNU/AFC and if this is not enough we have heard, all the false claims made by the PNCR Executives, Aubrey Norton and Joseph Harmon, that in the APNU/ AFC strongholds, a vast majority of stampeded ballots were discovered including more than 8000 ballots cast by members of our Joint Services, turned out to be a "big" lie. So far for the recount, a total of 1536 rejected, from the five tabulated Districts were discovered of which, we will all remember that the representatives from the opposition parties had all condemned these allegation made by the coalition and called on the members of the Joint Forces and the Guyanese Public to reject the claims and focus on the truth and fact.

What is happening here is

that the APNU/AFC caretaker Government continues to spread the narrative and the tunes that they lost the votes due to the ballots that were rejected, GECOM must recognise the seriousness of these ridiculous false claims made by the APNU/AFC caretaker Government and their conspirators, these people are liars and dangerous, telling lies to ensure they cling on to power is not the right thing to do.

When the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, Retd Justice Claudette Singh, took the decision on her own accord to request from the Immigration Department in an effort to support verification to support the claim of the APNU/AFC coalition, that migrants voted during the General and Regional Elections, must be considered downright wrong.

Justice Singh is one of the former Judges that I have high regard for and have

always trusted her decisions in the past. This was someone who advised so many lawyers and police, even when she sat in her office and allowed Clairmont Mingo to make the false tabulation of the votes of District Four, I still had the faith that Justice Singh would have done the right thing. Mingo's rigging is no allegation, there is indisputable evidence of this on film or tape which GECOM must have in their possession. The recount had provided irrefutable evidence of blatant and barefaced attempts to rig the elections in favour of APNU/AFC and this was never reported to the Commissioner of Police.

Guyanese. you be the judge.

Justice Singh is now looking into jumbie story about migrated persons voted, she must know that this is virtually impossible given the electoral system that is in place. Justice Singh is operating like a double agent in a James Bond movie,

who is strong-armed by the David Granger APNU/AFC Administration. We now see why David Granger and his cabals met with GECOM and the Secretariat.

Editor, the people of Guyana are not stupid, they are not blind to the facts that are unfolding day after day by the news media and will soon see Justice Singh for who she really is. It is her own performance that will defile her, her most recent actions are incendiary and serve to fuel further suspicion about alleged con conspiracy with the APNU/ AFC. Justice Singh, please do what is right for the people of Guyana.

Don't allow the APNU/ AFC Commissioners to table a motion to declare this election tainted, all the wrongdoing here points to the APNU/AFC, don't get intermingled in their wicket acts.

Sincerely, David Adams

I applaud East Berbice Corentyne Ministers Association for June 1 national day of prayer

Dear Editor, I would like to applaud the East Berbice Corentyne Ministers Association in collaboration with Ministers across Guyana and the diaspora for observing a day of national prayer and fasting for Guyana on June 1, 2020.

The online event which started after midnight on May 31, concluded at midnight on June 1. Different

local and foreign churches took turns sharing the one-hour timeslots, leading the praying and ministering. Different church leaders were asked to pray for specific topics including the following: “A national day of repentance, prayer for the economy, the election, racism, natural resources, COVID-19, violence, witchcraft, and crime, etc.”

Pastor Alim (Paul) Mursalin of the Elperazim Full Gospel Church of Linepath, Corriverton was the event’s coordinator. Other leaders involved were Alvin Alladin, Premraj Parshotam, Troydell Williamson, Angela Harris, Shurdon Murray, Motie Singh, W D Babb, Lionel Etwaru, Joseph Persaud, and several others.

In light of two recent ed-

itorials in the media asking where is the voice of the church at such a time as this, the day of prayer is a welcome start. It remains to be seen what the Georgetown Ministers Fellowship, the Guyana Evangelical Fellowship and Guyana Council of Churches will do.

Some prominent leaders from the Assemblies of God and Full Gospel Fellowship who received appointments and national honours from Mr David Granger had done some support activities for Mr Granger.

It remains to be seen if the East Berbice Corentyne Ministers Association will follow up with some kind of jointly signed statement calling on the two major political parties to commit to

respect the results of the original SoPs and recount.

The country can ill afford more national gridlock at a time of a health emergency and ongoing collapse of the closed Guyanese economy.

I suspect the new incoming PPP Government will need

lots of prayer and fasting support from the religious community, as all church members and their families will be affected, in addition to all others in the society.

Dear Editor, The prevailing COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated, for me at least, the sincerity of many companies. I make this statement against

the background of the steady cry of many workers seeing their pay cut as they and their families face difficulty and hardship.

While I will refrain from naming names, many of these well-known enterprises boast of their corporate social responsibility but fail to remember that charity begins at home. They sadly forget that their successes and massive profits over the years came from the efforts of the very workers they are now treating so shabbily.

I heard the basis of their actions is to preserve their enterprises. I see that as a weak explanation and the reality is, they are seeking to protect their profits at the expense of their workers.

This is indeed a sad time for thousands of workers and their families.

Sincerely, Dr Jerry Jailall

Sad time for thousands of workers

Yours faithfully, Liebert Alleyne

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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There will be no CBC championship this year

T

he International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has published recommendations on returning to basketball in the “Return to Basketball – Restart Guidelines for National Federations”, in the wake of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

A basketball-specific Risk Assessment Tool has also been produced in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO).

FIBA's guidelines, published in English, French and Spanish, are primarily for national federations that are seeking direction and advice on the restart of basketball activities and competitions, with the vast majority around the world having been

halted in mid-March owing to the pandemic. The guidelines and risk assessment tool will serve as a checklist to ensure any decisions on basketball events are based on an assessment of risks and the best chance of a successful restart.

Guyana were set to defend, in Paramaribo, Suriname, their Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Senior Championship, which was won in 2018. The Guyana side had a successful three-match prep series after they thrashed Grenada at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall 3-0. Once the pandemic has ended, Guyana will be able to participate in the FIBA Americup 2023 qualifying tournament.

Despite no tournament being completed in 2020, FIBA will use current

rankings to decide who will represent the Caribbean, as Guyana also placed third in the Americup qualifiers in 2019.

Local COVID-19 cases have risen to 153 as of June 1, 2020. The pandemic affected the basketball fraternity here by forcing the cancellation of a number of tournaments.

Nevertheless, National Basketball Coach Junior Hercules has urged players to follow the safety measures and work on a lot of strength and personal health training as they await the end of the pandemic.

Therefore, these risk assessment guidelines will be beneficial to the game of basketball as Guyanese fans will avidly await the return of the game.

F

ollowing his completion of an International Technical Officer (ITO) course late last year, one of Guyana’s best and brightest boxing referees, Elton Chase, on Tuesday received his certification.

An extremely elated Chase was presented with his ITO certificate by Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) President Steve Ninvalle.

Last year, the experienced local referee/judge was among a handful of Caribbean officials who were successful at the ITO exams held in St Lucia. The accomplishment created history for local boxing as Chase is the first Guyanese to be certified as an ITO by the three International Boxing Associations (AIBA).

Chase thanked Ninvalle and the GBA for providing the opportunity and assured that he would impart the knowledge gained for the good of the sport.

T

he Premier League has given clubs permission to play friendly matches, with strict restrictions, before the restart on June 17.

Top-flight sides made requests to face other teams in preparation for the League's return, which was accepted, according to the Telegraph.

Premier League leaders Liverpool held an 11-a-side game in training at Anfield on Monday.

Friendlies can be played at either stadiums or training grounds.

However, the Premier League has outlined a number of conditions such as negative COVID-19 tests being returned by players involved.

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ngland are set to face West Indies in three Tests in as many weeks in a behind-closed-doors series at Old Trafford and the Ageas Bowl, subject to Government clearance.

The Windies were due to face England in matches at The Oval, Edgbaston and Lord's in a series beginning on June 4.

However, the coronavirus pandemic has decimated a cricket calendar in which England are also set to face Australia, Pakistan, and Ireland.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on Tuesday that a threeTest series without spectators is scheduled to start on July 8 at the Ageas Bowl.

Old Trafford will host the second and third Tests.

The venues have been selected from a group of four that submitted an interest, having had to demonstrate to the ECB Board an ability to meet criteria surrounding biosecurity, medical screening-testing provision, footprint to enable social distancing, and venue-cricket operations.

Edgbaston was picked as a contingency venue and will be utilised for additional training throughout July.

The Windies are due to arrive in England on June 9 and will use Old Trafford as their base for training and quarantining before travelling to the Ageas Bowl.

ECB Director of events Steve Elworthy said: "Our main objective is to deliver a safe environment for all stakeholders including

West Indies Test Captain Jason Holder in conversation with his opposite number Joe Root

players, match officials, operational staff, essential venue staff, broadcasters, and media.

"We are in daily dialogue with Government and our medical team, who have been incredibly supportive during this period. These are our proposed dates and they remain subject to UK Government approval.

"We would like to thank Cricket West Indies for their cooperation and dedication in making this tour a reality, and we all look forward to the prospect of cricket returning in the coming weeks."

A decision on the scheduled series with Australia, Pakistan, and Ireland will be made at a later date.

(Sportsmax)

Liverpool held an 11 v 11 game in training at Anfield on Monday

Measures have also been put in place to ensure hygiene and social distancing rules are adhered to which include: * Clubs being forbidden from travelling for further than 90 minutes, though teams like Newcastle will be granted special dispensation if they have to travel further. * All players must travel in their own cars, possibly in their kits. * No official referees will be allowed, with members of coaching staff taking charge. * Full risk assessments of the stadium/training ground before games.

Championship clubs have reportedly already been approached about games and BBC Sport understands that the EFL will issue guidance to clubs on this later in the week.

Upon the resumption, some games could take place at neutral venues and Liverpool Manager Jurgen Klopp told BBC Radio 5 Live he "would love" to play their home games at Anfield.

"We will not have the help from the crowd, but no team will have that, so where is the advantage? Whoever we play, it is the same situation which is why I'm not too worried about it," said Klopp.

"We have tried to simulate the situation by training in the stadium and getting used to it." (BBC Sport)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2020

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

guyanatimesgy.com

T

he Caribbean Premier League (CPL) organisers have submitted a proposal to Dr Keith Rowley, the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, to stage the entirety of this year’s tournament in the country, starting in mid-August.

Last week, Dr Rowley told the local press that he was waiting for a formal approach from the CPL, but said his Government was “cautiously optimistic” about The coveted CPL Trophy hosting the tournament, subject to clearance from the country’s health authorities.

As part of the proposal, the CPL has said it would want to host the entire tournament, comprising 34 matches, at Trinidad’s two main grounds, the Queen’s Park Oval and the Brian Lara Academy. Games might be played back-to-back on the same day at 10am and 6pm local time, meaning the tournament would be played over 25 days rather than last year’s 39. The tournament had initially been due to take place between August 19 and September 26.

Tournament officials hope that overseas players will be willing to participate, with the first round of international signings due to be announced next week, and remain optimistic that some fans will be able to attend games while adhering to social-distancing protocols.

Pete Russell, CPL’s Chief Operating Officer, has said that officials will hold a virtual meeting with Cabinet Ministers on Thursday, June 4, in order to talk through details such as possible quarantine periods upon arrival in Trinidad, health protocols, and any assurances that need to be given.

“We’re ready to play,” Russell told ESPNcricinfo. “If you get the second wave that everyone hopes won’t come, we’d be back to square one, but the only other thing that will derail us is the Government not

allowing us to play for safety reasons. It’s just a case of getting the green light from them.”

The cricketing part of the Caribbean has avoided the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, with death tolls remaining low after Governments imposed strict lockdowns before the virus could spread.

The Region’s relative success in managing the pandemic has raised hopes that the CPL might be able to proceed, and the tournament has appointed a medical board of four doctors who are putting health

The Guyana Amazon Warriors

protocols in place. The Caribbean has already hosted competitive cricket in the form of the Vincy T10 Premier League at the Arnos Vale Sporting Complex, where there were sanitising stations on and off the field.

Under current plans, all six CPL teams would stay in the same hotel in Trinidad, with each team being cordoned off and treated as a single household. Within that household of around 25, teams would be broken down into ‘clusters’ of four or five, within which social distancing could be relaxed. Players and support staff would also be subject to daily temperature checks, as well as viral and antibody tests both in the days before they would fly to Trinidad and on arrival.

While organisers had initially discussed the possibility of hosting games at Kensington Oval in Barbados, Trinidad is currently “Plan A” on account of the fact it has two international-standard grounds, which would reduce the prospect of pitches becoming worn and slow by the end of the tournament. Playing games in the morning will also be an attractive commercial proposition: the CPL’s business model relies heavily on India for broadcast revenue and sponsorship, and a 10am start time in Trinidad (7.30pm IST) would suit that market. The second game would be played at some point in the evening, with 6pm the provisional local start time.

However, the Government’s approval remains the main stumbling block. “We don’t have a proper handle yet, but we are cautiously optimistic if the CPL authorities would like to host the tournament in Trinidad,” Dr Rowley had said last week.

Dr Rowley said that once the proposal was submitted, the country’s Chief Medical Officer would need to give his approval, with public safety the top priority. “We have to be careful… but we want to look at [staging the CPL] positively and we will,” he said.Russell admitted that the tournament will make a financial loss this year, but said that all six franchises had confirmed they wanted to take part after being given the option not to. “They want continuity, and they want their teams to be represented,” he said. “Our thought was that if we had the option to play, we should; it’s good for the Caribbean.“The Caribbean relies on tourism, that’s its bread and butter. So, it needs to show the rest of the world that it’s open, and beaming live cricket around the world is a very good way of doing that.” While plans to allow fans into grounds remain at an early stage, the tournament’s organisers have developed various contingency plans for behind-closed-doors cricket. These include the possibility of having socially-distanced cheerleaders, LED screens with videos of fans, and playing stadium sounds on the global TV feeds even if no fans are physically present.With Cricket West Indies announcing last week that players across the Region would be asked to take a temporary 50 per cent pay cut, Russell said that the CPL felt a “sense of responsibility” to get players earning again following the lockdown.“These guys’ livelihoods have been decimated through no fault of their own,” he said. “CPL isn’t just about the guys who have their IPL riches, but it’s about the journeymen, and the up-and-coming players who want to make a name for themselves. It’s very important for the whole cricketing ecosystem in the Caribbean that we get it on and these guys can earn money.” (ESPNcricinfo)

Pg 23

Pg 23 There will be no CBC championship this year

Elton Chase receives his certificate from GBA President Steve Ninvalle

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