Guyana Times Monday April 27, 2020

Beyond the surface of COVID-19

US Embassy’s Youth P12 Ambassadors alumni launch virtual engagement programme

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Jordan trumpets oilfuelled nominal growth guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4268

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020

Page 3

PRICE

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Porter busted with ganja, ecstasy pills P8 gets bail

...while rest of economy and standard of living have collapsed – Jagdeo GECOM, APNU/AFC destruction of democracy: Day 56

US likely to go route of individual sanctions – former UG Vice Chancellor Page 11

– rather than sanctions against country, since Guyana has strategic importance

Nagamootoo 13 more tests conducted, no praises Granger new COVID-19 for reversing his cases Page 9

...insists he was not “intimidated” or “coerced”

See story on page 15

– placed order for phones via social media

Canal No 1 Polder woman brutally P7 stabbed to death

Page 2

quarantine decision

Former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Keith Massiah – President among dies others pay tribute

Armed bandits relieve P8 salesman of high-end phones

P10 Woman arrested after stolen gun, ammo discovered in WBD house

– 3 mobile testing units launched

GDF Coast Guard dies in motorcycle accident

See story on page 9

Bandits storm Massy Inc, P15 escape with gas cylinders

2 NEWS

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

13 more tests conducted, no new COVID-19 cases

– 3 mobile testing units launched now 53 persons in institutional isolation, one less than Saturday’s figure. The number of persons in quarantine also increased by one, totalling 24.

There are still five persons in the dedicated COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). The number of persons who

main at 12.

Currently, Guyana is conducting COVID-19 tests at a rate of less than one per cent of the population, and calls are being made for there to be increased testing for the pandemic, which has been devastating countries around the world, killing more than 193,000 persons and infecting in excess of 2.8 million people.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

I

n light of mounting calls for increased testing for the novel coronavirus, the Public Health Ministry disclosed on Sunday that 13 more tests were conducted on persons.

However, according to the Ministry’s updated COVID-19 dashboard on Sunday, none of these results was positive. In fact, the number of confirmed cases remain at 74 and deaths at eight – the same figures as Saturday.

Nevertheless, the total number of persons tested for coronavirus to date is 455, of which 381 were negative.

Meanwhile, there are

have recovered from the life-threatening disease re-

In fact, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on

Friday pointed out that based on consultations with medical professionals, enhanced testing is needed in Guyana.

“We are testing too few people and… if you have the virus, there is a stigma attached to people. So many people are afraid of being tested and they are afraid that if they test positively, they’ll be placed in quarantine facilities that are not conducive to the non-spreading of the virus or in conditions that are not livable,” he stated.

Only Thursday caretaker Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence disclosed that the Ministry continues to face the challenge of under-reporting from persons who have been in contact with a COVID-19 case because of the stigma associated with the coronavirus.

Nevertheless, Jagdeo contended that the country needs to work on removing the stigma, thereby enhancing testing. He said that it is unbelievable that only 400plus persons have been tested so far.

“When countries are boasting about testing several percentages of their population, we’re lagging not just behind but unbe-

Former Health Minister Volda Lawrence

lievably way behind…,” he stressed.

This call by Jagdeo for increased COVID-19 testing comes days after Director of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Dr Carissa F Etienne called for accelerated and expanded coronavirus testing in countries of the Americas.

During a virtual press briefing on Tuesday, Dr Etienne said there is a need for a clearer view of where the virus is circulating and how many people have been infected in order to guide actions.

“The pandemic continues to impact our region, and

it’s vital for all countries to actively embrace preventive measures while preparing for more cases, hospitalisations and deaths,” she noted.

Meanwhile, the Public Health Ministry is now moving towards increasing its testing capacity and announced on Sunday that three mobile testing units have been launched in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica).

According to the Ministry, the establishment of its mobile units will provide COVID-19 services for citizens who have symptoms or who have been in contact with a positive case and think that they are at risk.

One of the mobile units will be in Central Georgetown – the epi-centre of the pandemic in Guyana. It will be at East La Penitence Health Centre from today, April 27, 2020, to Wednesday, April 29, 2020, between the hours of 09:00h and 15:00h.

The other two mobile testing units will be on the East Coast of Demerara at Paradise and the East Bank of Demerara at Herstelling.

This service will be available from Monday to Friday between 09:00h and 15:00h.

NEWS

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MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, April 27 – 05:00h – 06:30h and Tuesday, April 28 – 09:00h – 10:30h.

Jordan trumpets oil-fuelled nominal growth

...while rest of economy and standard of living have collapsed - Jagdeo

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, April 27 – 06:10h – 07:40h and Tuesday, April 28 – 06:50h – 08:20h.

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 partly cloudy skies at night.

Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to North-Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 06:47h and 19:19h reaching maximum heights of 2.62 metres and 2.44 metres.

Low Tide: 12:50h reaching a minimum height of 0.59 metre.

SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2020

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Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

O

pposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has taken de facto Finance Minister Winston Jordan to task after he boasted about Guyana’s projected growth rate despite the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which has decimated global economies.

Both the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have revised the country’s economic growth for 2020 to be just over 50 per cent due to the novel coronavirus.

Last year, it was pro-

maximum but the other labour-intensive sectors are having to lay off workers or pay them half of their salary/wages or even send them off on leave without any pay.

“There are tens of thousands of Guyanese who are now suffering. They're not getting an income, economic activities have shrunk traumatically in these sectors and [Jordan] takes solace in the fact that a number has changed in our national accounts…,” the Opposition Leader stated.

He noted that while the GDP is growing, the coun-

jected that Guyana would see more than 80 per cent growth as a result of its oil production offshore – which started in December 2019 in the Stabroek Block.

In a recent interview, former Minister Jordan boasted that even with the revised projections of Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), it would be the country’s “best-ever growth rate".

However, Jagdeo, at his recent virtual press briefing, pointed out that this projected growth is because of oil production and does not reflect the debilitation the other economic sectors are currently facing because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“So yes, we increase GDP because we’re producing oil but what has happened to the economy. All the sectors are down, all the other sectors and those employing majority of people,” he posited.

According to Jagdeo, the oil and gas sector employs about two thousand persons

try's revenue has practically collapsed, with fewer people being employed and not many economic activities occurring. This is also compounded with the loss of revenues from tax relief measures put in place for essential items such as the removal of VAT on medical supplies and testing kits as well as on water and electricity.

Meanwhile, Jagdeo further pointed out that even though Guyana’s economy will grow from oil production, the global petroleum industry is currently in trouble with oil prices falling less than US$1 per barrel.

He noted that it has been forecasted that these low prices will persist for a while.

“First of all, the demand fall is outstripping the cut in production. And even if you have a return to demand in the near future and that depends on the future of the recovery… even if you have a quick rebound in the demand for oil then what will

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DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

COMMODITIES Indicators Crude Oil Rough Rice London Sugar

US$ $ 21.44/barrel $298.62/ton $317.40/ton

Live Spot Gold

Change % +0.51 -0.51 0.00

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask $1729.50 $1730.50 Low/High $1707.10 $1739.50 Change 0.00 0.00%

Former Finance Minister Winston Jordan

happen is, because of the inventories that have been gathering up, several billions barrels of inventory that people had to store oil, they'd have to work out the inventories and then resume production,” Jagdeo noted.

Moreover, the Opposition Leader related that there is no data right now to show how much of a decline there has been in terms of economic output and jobs in the country during this global pandemic.

In fact, he lamented the absence of any relief package given that majority of the country is on pause due to the lockdown imposed by the Government to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus locally, which has infected more than 70 persons, killing eight of them.

While a number of countries have implemented stimulus packages for businesses and its citizens to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic, Jordan had stated that the country’s scarce resources have to be prioritised for other purposes ahead of a stimulus.

“Some people have suggested that the worst is yet to come… So more and more our resources, slender as they are in the best of times, will have to be reprioritised to fighting this virus frontally. So, our attention is turned to that. We are looking for resources to assist in

the public health sector,” he posited but noted that the caretaker Government is working on establishing a database of the vulnerable people including those who have lost employment and the self-employed.

But according to Jagdeo, who is a former President and was in office during the 2008 global recession, economic relief for both households and companies is needed.

He explained that households need assistance now to survive during the pandemic, while measures will have to be put in place for companies to make sure that as soon as this is over, they can resume operations.

This, he added, would require the necessary support, such as tax measures, fiscal measures including monetary policy and direct interventions through loan and loan guarantees, provision of working capital for companies and payroll support.

The Opposition Leader noted that these and many other measures were recently outlined by Presidential Candidate of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Dr Irfaan Ali. “So, we have to tackle those things, we'd have to put people back to work and boost their Government revenues so that you can support public expenditure and not have to borrow too much…,” Jagdeo asserted.

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guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 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

On FARA and dual citizens

I

t is not against the laws of Guyana to hire lobbyists to influence foreign governments nor is it against the laws of the US for such hired lobbyists to operate in their country.

However, they are required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and the particulars be made part of the public record. As such, when the PPP announced they had hired the US lobbying firm Mercury Public Affairs last year, there were no raised eyebrows about the latter’s promise to set up meetings and provide information on Guyana to members of the US Executive and members of Congress. But when it was revealed that APNU/AFC had done the same on March 31 of this year with the firm JJ&B LLC, the repercussions were explosive.

Of note was that the coalition did not of its own volition announce that it was hiring lobbyists in Washington, this was revealed when the public record was consulted and red flags raised through some of the information contained in the registration of a 147-page “Dossier” on “Guyana Elections 2020” that was given to the lobbyists and purported to supply information on the present Guyana political situation, where results of the elections of March 2 were still pending.

Foreign observers had uniformly denounced the actions of GECOM that violated the standard operating procedures to deliver the result for the Region 4 votes that were intended to skew the results to favour the APNU/AFC coalition.

The first subversive piece of information was that the Government of Guyana was listed as the client that had hired JJ&B, with Joseph Harmon of the Ministry of the Presidency listed as the contact. The firm would contact “officials of the executive and legislative branches of the US Government in order to seek resolution of disputes regarding Guyana’s recent presidential election, and in order to improve relations between Guyana and the United States.” In terms of fees, the contract noted, “we will provide services on a monthly basis, as requested, in return for an initial retainer of $40,000 for the month of April.” Four other payments were detailed of US$8000 each. The Opposition PPP immediately pointed out the anomaly of the Government of Guyana using public funds to pay for services which were actually on behalf of the coalition of parties that had contested the elections as APNU/AFC. Joseph Harmon, the then Director General of the MotP, however, denied this and asserted: “I would say to you that this is not funds that have been from the Government. We have supporters around the world who are very incensed, who are upset that this kind of narrative continues to be perpetuated on a daily basis and have come to say ‘what can we do to help?’, and our supporters and friends abroad have come together…(and)… are paying for this. No money is coming from the Government treasury.”

Harmon also claimed that the dossier had been prepared months before and presented to a delegation of Caricom Prime Ministers from Barbados, Dominica, Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines last year. The claim, however, that the GoG had hired the lobbyist was stoutly denied by no other than Caretaker President David Granger, who was listed in the dossier as a “US citizen” along with Joseph Harmon.

Granger also denied that he was a US citizen.

One matter arising from the revealed lobbyists’ documents certainly cannot be swept under the carpet as is happening under cover of the elections crisis created by the APNU/AFC coalition and also the COVID-19 crisis. This would be clear proof provided by both Joseph Harmon and David Granger that they are not US citizens. It was only last year that it was conclusively pronounced by the Judiciary that dual citizens cannot contest elections for the National Assembly and both gentlemen, in fact, were candidates for APNU/AFC. Both individuals are still vying for public offices and the public needs definitive proof of their bona fides to occupy such offices.

Say it is not so, Justice Claudette Singh you are really not part of the rigging cabal

Dear Editor, The Prime Minister of Barbados, on March 17, in recalling the high-level Caricom team she sent to provide oversight for the recount of all ballots, declared there were forces within GECOM determined to prevent the recount. Last weekend, some 40 days after Prime Minister Mottley made her damning remarks, GECOM said we had to wait until Moses Nagamootoo and the COVID-19 Task Force gives a go-ahead for the recount.

This weekend, GECOM is now waiting for Caricom to give the go-ahead. I hope next weekend we are still not waiting for the recount to start because of some other flimsy excuse. Clearly, GECOM is buying time, consolidating its plans to rig the results of the elections. The ballots represent the will of the people and they are still in the box. The GECOM/ APNU/AFC cabal is not in a hurry to recount the ballots; they know what those ballots say. The recount will happen only when the rigging cabal is assured it can manipulate the results.

The recount was agreed to since March 14. It is now more than 40 days since the agreement for the recount and more than 55 days since the elections. Yet it is one excuse after another. Diverse stakeholders want the recount to begin right now and to last for no more than ten days. APNU/AFC insists we must leave it up to GECOM, where forces inside that APNU controls are determined to prevent the free and transparent recount.

GECOM wanted 156 days for the recount. Confronted

with national and international outrage, they have agreed to a recount process with ten counting tables and to work only between the hours of 8:00 am and 6:00 pm, in an open-ended process, lasting a minimum of 25 days, but possibly extended for months.

There is no starting date or a deadline for completion of the recount. The APNU/AFC Commissioners insist on this open-ended recount process.

The GECOM Chair, Justice Claudette Singh, agrees with them. The extraordinary effort to extend this process can only mean they want more time to corrupt the results.

The Guyanese people and every stakeholder who wants to see free and fair elections are highly suspicious and their suspicion is now heightened because the GECOM Chair has given them reasons to believe she was always part of the rigging cabal. Last Friday, the PPP Commissioners at GECOM made 10 recommendations to ensure transparency and accountability in the recounting process.

Every single transparency and accountability measure that stakeholders have proposed has been rejected by GECOM. Justice Claudette Singh and the three APNU/AFC Commissioners joined forces to reject all the measures proposed intended to guarantee every vote is counted for the party earning that vote.

Why were these measures rejected? Mia Mottley told us why more than a month ago.

Prime Minister Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago is correct when he surmised that “this will not end good”.

The Statements of Poll were provided on March 2 to the political parties, to all Presiding Officers, Returning Officers and to GECOM. These are public, not secret properties. Why is it GECOM Commissioners cannot see them? They have an absolute right to request examination of the SoPs. That forces in GECOM want these SoPs to stay hidden indicate a sinister secret is being desperately hidden. Is it that these SoPs confirm the PPP won or GECOM tried altering the SoPs and they now cannot let anyone see the evidence?

Why would GECOM not want to video the counting process, why would they object to live-streaming the counting? The argument that the Representation of the People Act does not cater for live-streaming of the recount is ridiculous. The same law did not cater for a spreadsheet to replace the SoPs, but that is exactly what the same GECOM did.

In any case, the GECOM outline for the recount is not in accordance with the Act. But even if live-streaming is not mentioned in the law, the law does not object to anything that increases transparency. The law sets out the minimum conditions that must be met for transparency and accountability.

Anything adding transparency and accountability to the process is meeting the objective of the law. The law is not an ass and was never intended to prevent the addition of more guarantees for transparency and accountability.

Why would anyone object to having a qualified audit body present to ensure the

proper counting and tabulation of the votes? GECOM is not in a position to argue it is totally capable of doing this task when it so spectacularly failed just a few weeks ago, caught rigging the process, in front of the whole world. No one has confidence GECOM will conduct themselves professionally and reflect accurately the vote count.

Thus, all stakeholders want an independent audit firm to ensure no jiggery-pokery and the law provides GECOM with the power to allow the presence of qualified professionals to record and tabulate the results. In addition, why limit the observers who could be present? The observers that were present for the elections have a right to be present for these proceedings.

That GECOM opposes these transparency and accountability provisions, none of which contravenes anything in the law, none of which limits the authority of GECOM, all of which add to the overall confidence in the recount process, tells a story.

It is that GECOM is part of the APNU/AFC rigging cabal.

Until now, most people thought that the GECOM forces included the APNU/ AFC Commissioners and a Lowenfield-led team within the GECOM Secretariat.

But the behaviour of Justice Claudette Singh throughout this process left many with serious questions where she stood. This last week leaves many more people convinced that Justice Singh has been part of the rigging cabal all along.

Dear Editor, It is sad to say that a man who I respected prior to him joining the APNU/AFC slate in 2011 is so engaged with others to see further rigging of the 2020 General and Regional Elections. Moses Nagamootoo was an icon in the PPP during the years of struggles for free and fair elections in Guyana. This man was in the forefront against Burnham’s dictatorship during those bleak and dreadful years.

I can recall Cde Cheddi and Mrs Janet Jagan’s closeness with Cde Moses in many demonstrations across this country. Cde Moses was and is still an excellent speaker who captivates many of the young-

er supporters of the PPP. He was very inspiring and encouraged many of us to join the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO).

I am now 65 years of age and I remember being involved in three decades of the fight for democracy in Guyana. As a teenager, filled with youth and the passion for democracy and justice; I joined all the protest actions in Essequibo where I was residing. We were beaten, charged and abused by Burnham’s policemen and women.

I can vividly recall Dr Jagan sending Senior Counsel Doodnauth Singh to represent us at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court.

It is still fresh in my mind,

the greeting that was given to Honorable Cde Singh

by Magistrate David Singh.

Words that still resonate in my thoughts, “it is an honour to have a distinguished gentleman like you in my court today”.

I cannot understand what could have caused Cde Moses in his final years of his political career to be on the side of blatant riggers of elections. This is beyond the man I knew, the man venerated and I struggled with. I can never forget those loyal servants who remain steadfast and struggled with Cde Cheddi, those who went through bitter poverty, who ate cake, mauby, catfish curry and rice and who slept in prison cells for democracy in

Guyana.

I salute Cde Harry Persaud Nokta, Cde Reepu Daman Persaud, Cde Sheik Feroze Mohamed, Cde Donald Ramotar and all the others who refused to join those terrible people who brought hardship on the populace through incompetence and rigged elections.

Cde Moses has disappointed me by his actions to support that which he fought against. I sincerely hope that this onetime gentleman redeems himself by doing the right thing and stays far from that which he struggled against.

Sincerely, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

Moses has disappointed me by his actions to support that which he fought against

Respectfully, Mohamed Yousuff (Br Bob)

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 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

CXC needs to revise current exam strategy Dear Editor, I am a recently turned 18-year-old Upper Six student of Guyana’s premier secondary institution: Queen’s College. My ambitions lie in the medical field.

However, do note this: the contents of this letter were neither vetted nor altered by any teacher at the aforementioned institution, for I will not be anyone’s propaganda doll. This is my independent opinion.

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has proposed a July timeframe for the upcoming CAPE and CSEC examinations. More notably, the examination structure

has been modified. The essay style component (Paper Two) has been completely removed, leaving our final grades to be determined by our SBA score and a multiple-choice exam (Paper One). I assume that the Council is familiar with the countless objections to this strategy, our teachers’ union being one notable critic. The Jamaica Association of Principals of Secondary Schools (JAPPS) being another. With the utmost respect, I must add my voice to the chorus of disapproval. I too am asking the Council to reconsider their strategy for the upcoming examinations.

First and foremost, I do

understand that these are trying times and that the Council is under pressure right now to deliver credible and fair examinations. After all, we are in the middle of a global pandemic, unaware of when this crisis will end.

However, I do believe I speak on behalf of countless students regionally when I say that the proposed strategy will be a grave disservice to all of us writing the examinations. We have been preparing since the beginning of the academic year to get our SBA’s out of the way to tackle both the multiple-choice as well as the essay style examination.

Are we supposed to ac-

cept that we must dump all our hard work for the past months down the drain? The Paper Two component is an absolute necessity. We, the student population, take in and process our knowledge differently. Paper Two allows us to organise and project our thoughts in a way that is unique to us. We are the creative youth of today, let us express ourselves! The same Paper Two allows us to link our responses to other concepts resulting in a delivery demonstrating greater proficiency. It separates the sheep from the goats. A multiple-choice exam being the only source of validation of our knowledge puts us at

Elections series still in progress Dear Editor, Space does not allow me to fully convey to the readers, all of the current election episodes that have been rapidly released since March 2, 2020; however, I would like to share some of my views on Guyana’s elections saga that’s still in progress. It has been more than 50 days since General and Regional Elections were concluded in Guyana and to date, credible results has not been declared by GECOM. Guyanese and the entire world were forced to subscribe in witnessing the most blatant and clumsiest rig attempt with Region

Four tabulation by suspected APNU/AFC operatives employed by GECOM. The RO for Region Four, Claymont Mingo shamelessly disregarded Section 84 (1) of the Representation of the People Act, which is pellucid in regard to the procedures that should be followed during the tabulation of votes.

Mr Mingo, on March 4, 2020, using inaccurate numbers, declared victory in favour of APNU/AFC; an injunction was filed in court by the PPP/C whereby the Chief Justice ruled that the declaration made by Mr Mingo isn’t valid because he

didn’t follow the law in conducting Region Four’s tabulation.

He was ordered by the court to conduct the tabulation as prescribed by law in the Representation of The People Act Cap 1:03. On March 14, 2020, Mr Mingo disregarded the court order and once again declared victory in favour of APNU/ AFC, using a different set of inaccurate magical numbers.

Due to several litigations and non-acceptance of Mr Mingo’s magical numbers by the PPP/C, all small political

parties, local and international bodies, GECOM is in the process of conducting a national recount of all votes cast on the March 2 General and Regional Elections, but we continue to witness forces that seems hell-bent on delaying and frustrating the process.

By now every right-thinking person should realise the inevitable, which is the PPP/C won the elections, who vex vex!!

Kind regards, Quincy Anderson

a disadvantage.

Moreover, I do not believe that any recognised university will accept students based on the results of a multiple-choice examination. It simply is not a true reflection of students’ potential. The Council can repeat the fallacy that a valid grade can be determined using the SBA and Paper One, but it would only be like trying to convince an ostrich that it can fly. In addition to this, we have already paid our exam fees.

We paid to write both papers. At the time of writing this (April 26, 2020) I have not been made aware of any provisions made by CXC to reimburse the students due to the removal of the Paper Two. If this new exam structure will not change then I believe that we should be refunded for Paper Two. After all, our parents did work hard for that money to write those exams. It must not be blatantly disregarded.

Further, if we really are to sit these exams in July at a centre then we are still breaking quarantine. We are still leaving our houses and placing ourselves at risk of contracting COVID-19.

And for what? To take a multiple-choice examination that is highly unlikely to be recognised? Is it not

best we just write the whole examination (Papers One and Two) and get it over it?

Why put ourselves in danger for the sake of an examination that will not reflect our true potential? CXC believes that their strategy is a good one as it allows the students to write the exams within a shorter timeframe and have the papers marked and results released quicker - much like a driver’s exam.

But anyone can read my previous sentence and realise the only party benefiting from this strategy: CXC. The only logical solution is to have the students write the complete examination (Papers One and Two) at a postponed date, after the pandemic subsides. The curve will flatten and soon it will be safe for us to leave our homes without the risk of contracting COVID-19.

Once again, I am calling on the Council to respectfully reconsider their current proposal for the upcoming CSEC and CAPE examinations. It is the only way forward to write credible examinations to ascertain bright futures for us, the students.

Yours faithfully, Nikhil Sankar, Concerned student

SEE ADDITIONAL LETTERS ON PAGE 16

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MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020

Page

Foundation

Guyana Times is pleased to publish the Education Ministry’s National Grade Six Assessment Past Papers. This is the third part of Science Paper 1, 2012.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL GRADE SIX ASSESSMENT TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes 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.

SCIENCE

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.

Study the diagram below, then answer question 31.

31. Which animal does not have the stages shown above as

its life cycle?

(A) Grasshopper (C) Cockroach

(B) Honey bee (D) Cricket

Here is an example done for you. letter next to the answer you have now Carbon dioxide is a chosen.

ANSWER SHEET (A) mixture (B) liquid A B C D 6. REMEMBER, each answer MUST only be shown (C) gas (D) solid by a heavy black line on your Answer Sheet.

A heavy black line has been drawn through the letter B on the answer sheet because 7. Remember only ONE answer must be provided Georgetown, the correct answer, is next to B. for each question.

5. If you make a mistake, erase the line cleanly, then draw a heavy black line through the

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

the same amount of alcohol.

34. What will happen to the plant if there is a very long period of hot weather? It will

(A) bear fruits for a longer time. (B) develop and mature faster.

(C) lose its leaves. (D) bear more flowers.

Study the Food Web carefully, then answer question 35.

32. In a bicycle accident, Harry broke a bone which punctured his lung. The bone is most likely his

(A) femur.

(B) vertebra.

(C) shoulder bone. (D) rib bone.

36. The alcohol will evaporate the quickest from the container marked 37. Which beach activity is least likely during springtide?

(A) Swimming (B) Fishing

(C) Boating (D) Running

33. Ronita’s diet lacks Vitamin C. Which food sources will balance her diet?

(A) Lemon and cherries (B) Plantain and fish

(C) Calaloo and chicken (D) Potatoes and egg

38. Sue washed her dress on the same day of a special function. Which conditions are best for drying her dress fastest?

(A) Dry and windy (B) Wet and windy

(C) Cloudy and wet (D) Cloudy and dry

Study the picture below, then answer question 34.

35. Two carnivores in the food web are

(A) frog and water beetle. (C) seaweed and trout.

(B) mosquito and tadpole. (D) tadpole and water beetle.

Study the list of items below carefully, then answer question 39.

Below are containers of different sizes. Each contains

Coke-a-cola Carbon dioxide Cloth Alcohol Cardboard 39. The correct number of each state of matter is (A) one liquid, two gases and two solids.

(B) two solids, two liquids and one gas.

(C) one gas, three solids and one liquid.

(D) one solid, one gas and three liquids.

Study the circuit diagram, then answer question 40.

40. The bulb at A is dim. What can be done to the circuit to make bulb A brighter? (i) Remove bulb B ii Remove a cell (ii) Add a bulb (iv) Add a cell

(A) (i) and (ii) only (B) (ii) and (iii) only (C) (iii) and (iv) only (D) (i) and (iv) only END OF TEST

NEWS

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MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Court hearings further suspended – Supreme Court

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n keeping with measures put in place to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Supreme Court of Judicature has announced that court hearings will continue to be suspended for another month pending an assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement on Sunday, it was noted that “All ‘in-person’ hearings shall continue to be suspended during the onemonth period. Sittings of the courts shall continue to be conducted remotely.”

It was noted that ‘court’ shall include any place, whether or not at a designated courthouse, where a Judge or Magistrate elects to sit to conduct the business of the court.

All time-sensitive filings pursuant to Rules of Court or Orders of Court are also suspended during the onemonth period. Affidavits in support of applications must be sworn to and subscribed as required by law.

Exhibits to affidavits must be similarly marked as required.

Where a matter is due to become statute-barred under the Limitation Act, Chapter 7:02 or any other legislation during the one-month period when the Emergency Directions are in force, it may be filed by electronic means notwithstanding it is not urgent.

The matter must be accompanied by an affidavit explaining the circumstances.

Meanwhile, all Chamber matters and Full Bench sittings of the Court of Appeal are further suspended for the one-month period subject to the directions of the Judge or the court.

However, hearings of urgent applications by the court will be conducted remotely.

Subject to the decision of the hearing Judge, all pending civil matters in the High Courts in Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice are

further suspended for the one-month period. Sittings will resume after the onemonth period but will also be subject to an assessment of the prevailing public health conditions.

The opening of the Demerara Criminal Assizes for the April session is further postponed for the onemonth period. While the Berbice and Essequibo Criminal Assizes are further suspended for the onemonth period.

“After the one-month period has ended, the reopening of sessions will be reviewed on the basis of the prevailing public health guidelines,” the Supreme Court stated.

With regards to the Supreme Court Registry in Georgetown, Demerara, and the Sub-registries at New Amsterdam, Berbice and Suddie, Essequibo, they will remain in operation but the counter and ‘in-person’ services continue to be suspended until Friday, May 22, 2020. Unless otherwise advised, these registries will reopen to the public on Monday, May 25, 2020.

Filing of urgent matters, or pleadings for the Court of Appeal and High Courts as directed by the court, until May 24, 2020, must be done by email in accordance with paragraphs 30-33 of the Emergency Practice Directions.

Where urgent matters are required to be filed under these Directions, litigants and/or attorneys-at-law must file an undertaking to present hard copies of their documents and pay the requisite filing fees on a date, as directed by the Registry, which shall be on or after May 25, 2020.

It was noted that the Registry staff are working remotely to provide services to attorneys-at-law, litigants and other court users.

With regards to the operation of the Magistrates’ Courts Offices during the

period May 4 to 22, 2020, sittings will continue to be by electronic means – Zoom, Skype or WhatsApp video and teleconferencing.

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uyana has, to date, recorded eight coronavirus disease (COVID-19) deaths, with Region 10 recording the highest mortality rate per-region.

Three persons have succumbed so far, the last victim being announced on Friday last, having contracted the dreaded virus, but authorities have lauded the region’s contact tracing efforts as being key to the region’s fight.

Regional Health and Emergency Committee Head (RHEC), Orrin Gordon has since reiterated the importance of contact tracing as part of the efforts of the authorities.

According to Gordon, “the mere fact that we would have been able to identify, sample and obtained confirmation of suspect cases means that so far, our method in contract tracing is showing results”.

He said, “the vigilance, commitment and purposeful actions that our team of rapid response, first-line defence personnel have demonstrated is commendable and

T

Murdered: Laila Ramnauth

The bed, eyewitnesses related, was drenched in blood which suggested that she might have been stabbed on the bed and attempted to escape but collapsed.

It is also believed that the woman might have been raped by the suspect before she was brutally killed.

Additional information received revealed that after realising the suspect was

cations; habeas corpus applications; public health ordinance, cap 145; applications for extension of time to detain persons; matters related to the national and regional elections; matters under the interception of communications act, cap 47:03 and curfew and related matters.

Notwithstanding these, all guilty pleas for traffic cases and new charges will be facilitated.

“These directions may be altered, where necessary, after periodic review and assessment of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic,” the Supreme Court stated in the massive on Sunday.

Contact tracing led to identifying Region 10 COVID-19 victim – RHO

Canal No 1 Polder woman brutally stabbed to death he close-knit community of Canal No1 Polder, West Bank Demerara, was plunged into a state of shock after a well-known young man brutally chopped and stabbed a woman to death.

The dead woman has been identified only as 53-year-old Laila. Based on reports received, the woman, who lived in the two-storey house with her brother, was at home alone when the suspect reportedly attacked her while she was on her bed.

Guyana Times understands that at about 20:30h residents heard loud screams emanating from the house and rushed to the woman’s aid.

Upon arriving at the scene, the woman was found lying in a pool of blood on the floor next to her bed.

The Magistrates’ Courts Offices will be open to the public on the following days from 08:30h to 12:30h.

According to the

Supreme Court. filing of all urgent matters must be on the dates the court offices are open.

Where urgent matters are required to be filed on the days when the court offices are not open, contact can be made with the Clerks of Court for the relevant magisterial districts for the matters to be filed.

Meanwhile, the following matters are deemed to be urgent for purposes of applications pursuant to the Practice Direction No 1 of 2020 – COVID-19 Emergency Directions: custody applications; domestic violence and related matters; maintenance appli-

hiding in the ceiling of the house, residents attempted to apprehend him, but in the process, one man was chopped to his hand.

The suspect, who goes by the name “Kevin” is said to be 22 years old and resides a few houses away from the conservancy. Up to press time, the police were still conducting their investigations.

Regional Executive Orrin Gordon

Officer

need to stay at the highest level”.

Gordon, in an appeal to residents to recognise that the infection is deadly, warned that all required precautions should be taken at all times and was adamant that, “we can’t let up, our responsibilities as persons who are involved in this fight mean that we can’t let up as we are at a very critical and crucial juncture and any letting up now could create a false sense of security which as we have seen across the world is not a chance to be taken with this pandemic”.

The RHEC Head, who is also the Regional Executive

Officer (REO), revealed that the aggressive, effective and efficient approach by healthcare professionals and other stakeholders working on COVID-19 within the region is helping in the fight against the pandemic.

This, he said, is evident in the region being able to track down a positive case through the contact tracing efforts.

He reminded residents that COVID-19 is deadly, therefore, they must continue to be alert and adhere to all Ministry of Public Health guidelines, thus resulting in them remaining safe.

“Moreover, this time around and within a very short time we were able to get the patient to an institution in the shortest time possible, after getting confirmation of the results,” he revealed.

Meanwhile, Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr Pansy Armstrong, also praised the efforts of the nurses tasked with conducting contact tracing within the region.

She said that remain-

Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr Pansy Armstrong

ing vigilant and effective will only yield more results through contact tracing.

“Contact tracing is the key in helping to flatten the curve in identifying cases early. Therefore, allowing us to be able to manage those cases thus resulting in the curve being flattened.”

According to Dr Armstrong, “I want to continue appealing to the general public to adhere to all the instructions that the Ministry of Public Health is putting to them, which include stay home, washing of hands, practice social distancing as all of that will help in flattening the curve.

8 NEWS

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Armed bandits relieve salesman of high-end phones – placed order for phone via social media

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rmed bandits on Saturday relieved a sales representative of a popular online elec-

The order came up to $800,000 and it was requested that the proprietor of the business make the

ly provided.

Soon after, three men attacked the taxi that was used to deliver the goods and subsequently placed a gun to the taxi driver’s head. They then relieved that employee of the bag containing the phones, his Note10, two other phones and $100,000 in cash.

The armed bandits then made good their escape in a motor car bearing registration number HC 6364.

A report was made to the East La Penitence Police

Station and the sales employee tracked down his personal phone and provided the police with the information, but Police were unable to catch the men.

The taxi was later found abandoned in Diamond.

The police have also confirmed that the phone used by the bandits was reportedly stolen during a robbery committed on “Shameer Shafeek” on March 22 at Ruby, East Bank Essequibo.

He was also relieved of his motor car.

Porter busted with ganja, ecstasy pills gets bail

One of the conversations before the robbery

tronic store – Smart Fix cellphones and Electronics – of several high-end phones at North Ruimveldt, Georgetown. The order for the phones was placed via social media.

Based on information received, the online establishment received an order for four cellphones – three S9s and one S8 – via its Facebook page from a customer whose profile name was “Shameer Shafeek”.

drop off at Prashad Nagar, Georgetown.

A sales employee who was tasked with delivering the order contacted the buyer to get directions but was instead provided with a North Ruimveldt, Georgetown address.

Upon arriving at the location, the employee noticed that the woman who turned up to collect the order did not match the description that was previous-

The two parcels of marijuana along with the 10 ecstasy pills

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27-year-old porter was granted bail by Magistrate Crystal Lambert when he appeared at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court charged with trafficking in narcotics.

Rayon Morgan of Lot 121 Fourth Avenue Bartica, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

Charged: Rayon Morgan

The charge stated that on April 24, 2020, at Itabali, Region Seven, he had 716 grams of cannabis in his possession along with 10 ecstasy pills.

Police stated that on the day in question, ranks stopped and searched motor lorry GXX 6389 at Itabali Checkpoint, Region Seven.

During the search, the items were found concealed in a brown carton box belonging to Morgan, which contained two parcels secured with clear scotch tape.

Morgan was told of his offence and allegedly admitted that he was aware of the contents in the box.

However, in his confession, he said that he was given the box by a taxi driver to drop off at a particular shop in the “Quartz Stone” Backdam.

He was placed on $200,000 bail and will make his next court appearance on July 17, 2020.

Musical chairs…

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…in the PNC he recent personnel move by Caretaker Granger has set a lot of tongues wagging as to what’s really going on in the upper layers of the caretaker government.

Some of them might even be speaking in tongues since Granger insists he’s in communion with the Big Fella who speaks from behind burning bushes! What are the facts that’re out in the open at this time?

Well, for one, we know that Harmon is no longer the “Director General of the MotP”, which post had been created for him after he fessed up he was an American citizen. It’s another of the reasons PNC-types haven’t forgiven Charrandas – he just didn’t bring down the PNCled government, he cut the legs under some of the big ones. They had to swallow the poison pill of dual citizenship when they went after the man who voted “yes…yes…yes!”

There was some ambiguity early on Saturday when it was announced that Harmon had been made CEO of the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) Permanent Secretariat. He’d been referred to as “Director General, Ministry of the Presidency”. So just to make matters pellucid, a couple of hours later, the MotP issued a release that needed no “gloss”: “MotP wishes to clarify that Mr Joseph Harmon is no longer performing the functions of Director General of the MotP.” While have hedged their bets and simply repeated the words “Harmon is no longer performing the functions of Director General of the MotP” verbatim, this paper insists: Harmon has been let go from the MotP. So, what is it?

Just a ploy by Granger to have Harmon in a critical position from where he has the powers to do just about anything he wants to further the PNC’s cause?? Like shutting down the recount when they get to the “Mingo point”??

Or does it reveal a split in the PNC ranks after Granger got pi55ed about Harmon’s dossier to the Washington Lobbying group?? Not that the Group was hired…Granger was absolutely in on that deal…but that they listed him as a “US Citizen”!! He never wanted that to be out in the open and he’s absolutely livid!! How can he play his sanctimonious, butter-can’t-melt-in-his-mouth role when he’s now exposed as lying through his teeth on the citizenship question??

There goes all his hyper-patriotic pose through the window. How can you talk about being loyal to Guyana when you’ve sworn loyalty to a foreign power?? No wonder he insisted that the CJ’s ruling was her “perception” and he was entitled to his!!

But is Harmon actually out in the cold? Naah!! He’s just being disciplined.

As he would’ve in the army, when he committed an infraction!! …and Nagamootoo But what about the man who would be the once and future Prime Minister – Moses Nagamootoo?? Well, as you know when playing Musical Chairs, there’s one less chair than the number of players. And when the music stops, unfortunately one player has no seat. He’s OUT!!

And it’s clear that Nagamootoo now is without a chair – even though he remains “Chairman” of the NCTF! Poor fella never did get to even Chair Cabinet meetings, as Granger had promised!

When he was PM, Harmon was the one who called the shots –- and so will it be once again. But as Nagamootoo confessed after the song had stopped and he found himself seatless, he’s used to working with Harmon. He shouldn’t have any difficulty maintaining his present supine position.

Nagamootoo was never going to get any substantive position save to bloviate paeans of praise to Granger.

Did he think he’d get a chance to say how that $100 million from the US would be spent??

Please!! The PNC has lobbyists to pay!! Wanker!! …and voter confidentiality Claudette Singh says she refused the PPP’s motion to stream the recount process because she didn’t want to reveal who voted for which party.

But as far as your Eyewitness remembers, there isn’t any identifying number on the ballot papers, is there??

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

NEWS

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MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Nagamootoo praises Granger for GDF Coast Guard dies reversing his quarantine decision in motorcycle accident ...insists he was not “intimidated” or “coerced

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

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ays after caretaker President David Granger reversed Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo’s controversial decision to quarantine election recount observers from the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Nagamootoo has defended the President’s intervention.

During his most recent press conference in his capacity as Chairman of the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF), Nagamootoo was of the view that the President had a right to reverse his decision, which had touched off intense criticism.

“When decisions such as those that we have taken regarding the participation of Caricom nationals in any

event in Guyana, we had to be guided by the stipulations that we have made. And it is for the President, after consultation and representation, to tell us whether we can relax the specific measure.”

“We have not backpedalled on any issue. We’re always open to suggestions; we’re open to guidance and constructive suggestions.

We have been flexing, we have been flexible and we adapt to any particular circumstance, particularly those of a national significance,” he said.

Nagamootoo also insisted that there was “no coercion, no intimidation” behind the President’s intervention, which led to the decision to quarantine observers being amended to pre-testing them for coronavirus in their home countries.

“I want to let you know there was no coercion, intimidation or any other consideration except for us, the health and safety of the Guyanese people come first.

And the measures we will advise on is to protect our people,” Nagamootoo said.

It has already been over a month of controversies and a credible winner for the 2020 General and Regional Elections is yet to be declared. After two

President David Granger

declarations from Region Four’s (Demerara-Mahaica) 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. GECOM has since re-invited Caricom, although there is no word on

whether they will accept the invitation.

The latest controversy came over a week ago after caretaker Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo instructed the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), a constitutional body, that it cannot extend its recount into curfew hours.

I n e x p l i c a b l y , Nagamootoo also informed GECOM that observers granted special permission to oversee the recount must quarantine for 14 days after arriving, again delaying the exercise.

After an outcry from the PPP, however, these stipulations were relaxed. A decision was made for the 06:00h to 18:00h curfew to be relaxed and for foreigners coming here to observe the process to be pre-tested in their own countries as against being quarantined for fourteen days upon their arrival here.

It would not be the only time Nagamootoo has taken a position that has been rebuffed by the President.

On Thursday Nagamootoo had suggested that international agencies might be reluctant to help Guyana until a President is sworn in, resulting in the Ministry of the Presidency issuing a statement denying this.

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40-year-old rank attached to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is now dead after losing control of the motorcycle he was driving while negotiating a turn at Herstelling, Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD), on Saturday.

Dead is Theotroy McDonald Phillips of Republic Park, EBD. Based on reports received, at about 14:30h on the day in question, the now dead man was driving his motorcycle bearing registration number CH 2111 when it is alleged that he lost control and collided with a metal sign.

Phillips, who was attached to the Coast Guard, was allegedly driving at a fast rate when the accident took place.

Due to the impact, Phillip was flung off the motorcycle and landed onto the roadway, thus sustaining severe head and bodily injuries.

He was taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where he died while receiving medical attention.

Earlier in the month, 33-year-old Dexter Cole, a father of one of Dowding Street, Kitty, Georgetown, was killed after he lost control of the motorcycle he was driving along the Coverden

Dead: Theotroy McDonald Phillips

Public Road, EBD. It was reported that the now dead man and a few of his club members were heading to Georgetown but he raced ahead of the group and from all indications, the front wheel of the motorcycle fell into a hole, thus causing him to lose control.

As a result, he was flung off the motorcycle, into the air and eventually landed on the roadway.

The helmet he was wearing at the time was not properly strapped on and as he went into the air, it fell off.

As he landed on the roadway, it is suspected that he would have suffered a broken neck.

10 NEWS

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Woman arrested after Non-essential businesses in Region 3 continue to operate beyond curfew hours stolen gun, ammo

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ith strict lockdown guidelines imposed to limit activity in the public domain and the mandated restrictions on the operation of non-essential enterprises, business owners in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) have been operating as normal.

Amid talks that there is a lack of contingency plans by the caretaker coalition Government to cushion the impact of Covid-19 on the non-essential workers, the evidence has manifested with the continued operation of these services.

As part of the imposed curfew, businesses are expected to operate from 06:00h to 18:00h with modified working conditions for the protection of customers and employees.

However, some non-essential businesses such as clothing stores and hire car operators have continued beyond the specified time.

Throughout the West Coast of Demerara, Guyana Times observed many persons breaking the stipulated curfew and tending to customers along the stretch of road.

Furniture stores, DVD sellers and roadside vendors were all operating. Over at

Tuschen on the East Bank of Essequibo (EBE) and other hotspots, even taxi drivers were awaiting passengers despite being informed that all public transportation should cease at 18:00h.

One shop owner explained that he has a loan to repay the bank and as such, closing the door to his business is not an option.

At the end of the month, he needs to pay his instalments and earn a livelihood.

The caretaker coalition Administration has come under heavy criticism over its lack of contingency plans to cushion non-essential workers. While it had revealed that it is now making assessments to determine the impact on the operations of local businesses to shape an informed economic policy, this does not include the ‘common man’.

In fact, it is seen as the reason why many non-essential services and workers

have continued to operate as per normal to earn a livelihood. The original order has since been revoked and replaced with the newly gazetted directives. Under the emergency measures directive, “any person who fails to comply with any of the new measures commits an offence”, and shall be liable to summary conviction.

Some of the measures outlined in the Govt directive include instructions to stay at home, stating that “every person shall remain in the confines of his or her home and its yard space”, except or as otherwise provided.

All persons employed within the public service, a statutory body or a Stateowned enterprise shall also work remotely from home, except as may otherwise be directed by the Public Health Minister, acting on the advice of the responsible Ministers and Heads of

Agencies. With regards to essential services, these will carry on with 24-hour operations.

These include hospitals, healthcare and medical services, including pharmacies, drug stores and private veterinary services; nursing homes, orphanages, shelters and other related care centres; immigration; Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA); electricity services; water supply services; the Disciplined Forces; Guyana Prison Services; solid waste management, sewerage and janitorial services; air traffic control (ATC); the Demerara Harbour Bridge and Berbice River Bridge; hotels and accommodation; and factories, manufacturers or distributors of food supplies and essential goods, including medical supplies where the Minister of Public Health has determined that the continuation of these operations do not pose a risk to public health.

Telecommunications and media are also included in the essential services category. Other services deemed essential include those involved in mineral and petroleum exploration and development, including those involved in the supply chain.

discovered in WBD house – 3 men on the run

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woman was arrested after the police swooped down on a house at Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara (WBD), on Saturday and found a shotgun, ammunition and other items suspected to have been stolen. Police have confirmed that they are on the hunt for three men who are known to them.

Based on reports The items that were found during the received, the 20 gauge Police raid on Saturday single-barrel shotgun along with sevthe woman in the house. eral rounds of live ammuniA search was conducted tion which were recovered on the house and the yard were reportedly stolen from during which a number of a businessman in the area on items were found, includApril 20. ing the shotgun, binoculars, The discovery was made empty gas cylinders, Xbox after Police ranks received console, camera, water pump reports that several stolen and cutlasses. items along with the weapThe firearm and amon and ammunition were munition were reportedly stashed at a property in the found in a bathroom in the area. yard. However, the woman Upon arriving at the who was at home during the property at about 16:00h on raid was escorted to the poSaturday, the gate to the lice station where she was property was locked and the questioned but has since dethree men who spotted the nied having knowledge of the police approaching the house items. started to run. Although Police are continuing Police gave chase, the men their investigations into the managed to escape, leaving incident

NEWS

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MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GECOM, APNU/AFC destruction of democracy: Day 56

US likely to go route of individual sanctions – former UG Vice Chancellor – rather than sanctions against country, since Guyana has strategic importance

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uyana currently has the threat of international sanctions hanging over its head like a sword of Damocles, if an illegitimate President is sworn in based on rigged election results. Weighing in on the issue is former University of Guyana Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith.

In comments recently published by Russian news agency Sputnik, Griffith was quoted as saying that should the United States impose sanctions, it will likely be against individuals deemed to be responsible for the electoral rigging.

“The US likely will take into account that ExxonMobil and other US firms have made massive investments in the oil sector and likely will have those investments impacted with the imposition of heavy sanctions against the State.”

“Thus, as a first step they are likely to introduce sanctions against individual political operatives, such as suspending and denying visas, freezing their financial assets in the US, and the like,” Griffith said.

It was a view also shared by United States (US) based Guyanese economist, Dr Tarron Khemraj, who was also interviewed

by Sputnik. Khemraj was optimistic that the US is

Former UG Vice Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith

likely to take into account Guyana’s poverty and shy away from sanctions that can hurt Guyana’s economy.

“The US, OAS (Organisation of American States) and Commonwealth are likely to impose some sanctions because of the recent rigged elections. US sanctions will most likely be personal and targeted instead of against the entire country.”

“I think the US knows how poor Guyana is and will be reluctant to do widespread sanctions. The individuals responsible for the election problems could face personal sanctions,”

Duo arraigned for armed robbery committed on NIS officer

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Rawle Park

Balram Sukraj

wo men were on Friday arraigned with armed robbery charges when they appeared at the Whim Magistrate’s Court. They were accused of robbing a National Insurance Scheme (NIS) officer.

Forty-nine-year-old Rawle Park, a cane harvester of Lancaster Village, Corentyne, along with 37-year-old Balram Sukraj, a fisherman of the same village, appeared before Magistrate Renita Singh via Skype and pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them.

The police stated that on April 20, 2020, at around 21:30h, the two men attacked and robbed 29-yearold Robindra Hansrajua also known as “Vicky” - a NIS officer.

It was reported that Hansrajua was walking on the Whim Public Road on his way home when he was attacked from behind by two men - one of whom was armed with a cutlass and the other with a piece of wood.

The duo reportedly choked and threw the young man to the ground and started to beat him to the head and other parts of his body.

They then relieved him of an iPhone 6 Plus valued at $80,000, a gold chain valued $30,000, and $25,000 in cash.

The two men were granted bail in the sum of $100,000 each and will make their next court appearance on June 6, 2020.

Khemraj was quoted by Sputnik as saying.

Meanwhile, Francis Perrin, Research Director at think tank Institute of International and Strategic Relations (IRIS) France, added another dimension to the question of whether the US would impose sanctions.

He pointed out that given the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela and Venezuela’s notoriously poor relationship with the US, it is unlikely that the US would want to weaken Guyana economically.

“We must not forget the border dispute between Guyana and Venezuela. It is not in the interest of the US to weaken too much Guyana during this period,” Perrin said.

It has already been over a month of controver-

sies and a credible winner for the 2020 General and Regional Elections is yet to be declared. After two declarations from Region Four’s (Demerara-Mahaica) 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. GECOM has

Guyanese economist, Dr Tarron Khemraj

since re-invited Caricom, although there is no word on whether they will accept the invitation.

In the meantime, criti-

cisms have flowed from the United States (US), the United Kingdom, Canada, the European Union (EU), the Caribbean Community (Caricom), the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the Carter Center about the lack of credibility in the vote count. There have been warnings that sanctions can be imposed if this is not corrected.

The United States has, in fact, been at the forefront of mounting international pressure for the March 2 elections results to be credible and transparent… so much so, that A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) hired a Washington-based lobbyist firm JJ&B LLC to lobby on its behalf to change the narrative on the current political and electoral impasse.

12 NEWS

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Beyond the surface of COVID-19

US Embassy’s Youth Ambassadors alumni launch virtual engagement programme

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he Youth Ambassadors Alumni of the United States Embassy in Georgetown is coming together, virtually, to do their part in the battle of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

They are gearing up to launch a virtual engagement programme to combat the social effects of the pandemic. That programme, #CatchMeInside, is expected to be launched later today.

It will take all hands on deck to tackle the coronavirus. This includes alumni of the US Embassy’s youth and cultural exchange programmes, who have reunited with one mission in mind; to lessen the social effects the virus may have on Guyanese youth and their communities.

The team will be embarking on a virtual engagement programme, titled #CatchMeInside, which is the brainchild of Natisha Mokutnauth and Ashraf Dabie, participants of the 2015 Youth Ambassadors Programme.

Starting Sunday, April 26, this initiative will take the form of a 14-day social media conversation, addressing topics such as wellness, being productive, smart spending and staying

Youth Ambassadors alumni of the United States Embassy in Georgetown

engaged.

“While COVID-19 is a global health threat, there are other side effects that will accompany this pandemic, which we cannot ignore. Many of us have never experienced something like this and it can affect us in so many ways, beyond physical health,” Mokutnauth said.

It is with that in mind that the duo crafted this initiative aimed at providing the necessary information to ensure that Guyanese youth are taking sustainable measures to safeguard not only their physical but social, mental and financial health, during these unprecedented times.

“This pandemic will not go on forever. When it is over, we need to ensure

our youth are ready to take our country forward, rather than being left behind, battling to recover,” added Dabie, who is currently studying in Toronto.

“This is also a way of reducing the fear and anxiety brought on by the pandemic and allowing Guyanese to connect and engage with likeminded individuals, which is crucial now more than ever,” he said.

As such, each day will feature a new topic being discussed on Facebook through live sessions or posts, hosted by the alumni as well as other Guyanese young professionals. Among the lineup are local entrepreneur and owner of Java Café, Evie Kanhai, women in business advocate Abbigale Loncke,

among a whole host of others.

While the messages are being targeted to youth, all Guyanese at home and abroad are invited to tune in to the Youth Ambassadors Guyana 2015 or the US

Embassy Georgetown Facebook pages to participate in this virtual programme. The sessions will commence at 13:00h each day and last for approximately 30 minutes.

Persons can also follow the conversation at any time, using the hashtag #CatchMeInside.

“So, while the world is battling to reduce the spread of coronavirus and return countries to normalcy, you are invited to stay inside, stay safe and tune in to the #CatchMeInside virtual programme to stay engaged,” Dabie noted.

The Youth Ambassadors Programme brings together outstanding young people from across the Americas for an enrichment pro-

gramme to promote mutual understanding, increase leadership skills, and prepare youth to make a difference in their communities to participate in a cultural and leadership exchange programme in the United States. It is focused on civic education, community service and youth leadership development.

Follow-on activities are an integral part of the programme, as the participants apply the knowledge and skills they have learned to implement projects that serve needs in their communities and country. The #CatchMeInside virtual engagement programme is the fifth follow-on project initiated and executed by the 2015 cohort.

Police yet to make breakthrough in Belle West cattle farmer’s murder

T

wo weeks after the body of 67-year-old Sohan Ramdial was found in a shallow grave on his farm at Belle West, West Bank Demerara (WBD), the detectives are yet to make a breakthrough in the case.

Police Commander of Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Assistant Commissioner Simon McBean on Sunday told Guyana Times that the ranks are continuing to pursue the matter but to date, there are no leads that would lead to the arrest of the perpetrators.

However, a police source related that during their investigations, a large quantity of marijuana was found on the man’s farm.

Further, this publication was told investigators are currently tieing up loose

Dead: Sohan Ramdial

ends which will eventually lead to the arrest of the perpetrator(s).

On April 5, 2020, Ramdial left his home at about 17:00h to check on his cattle, and did not return.

This resulted in worried family members launching a search for him the following day.

On April 6, 2020, the family made the gruesome discovery. The man’s body was found in a shallow grave with his hands tied.

Detectives, upon examination of the body, discovered stab wounds to the man’s chest.

An autopsy, which was done by Government Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh at the Ezekiel Funeral Home, proved the farmer died as a result of perforations to the lung and heart owing to multiple penetrated wounds.

Family members stated that the man tended to his cattle on a daily basis and they were not aware that he had enemies.

13

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PPP/C National COVID-19 Stakeholders’ Forum continues to distribute hampers across Guyana

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he National COVID-19 Stakeholders’ Forum headed by People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali on Sunday distributed hundreds of hampers in several villages along the

West Coast of Demerara and Abary Creek, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

The villages on the West Coast of Demerara that were targeted were Wallers Delight, La- Jalousie, Ruimzeigt,

Best Road, Crane, Cornelia Ida Block N, Block Y and Block X, Anna Catherina North and Anna Catherina Seaview.

A team also travelled to Abary Creek where hampers were also distributed.

14 NEWS

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SAFE Guyana, 25IWL assist Linden families with COVID-19 relief

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he 25 Influential Women Leaders Organisation (25IWL) has collaborated with SAFE Guyana Inc to distribute hampers to families across Linden who were in need of support during these challenging times.

25IWL 2019 Awardees Setra Oslemo and Stephanie Sinclair made the presentations to families from Wismar and Mackenzie, as the organisations joined in the efforts to lend a helping hand to persons struggling to provide for themselves as economic hardship sweeps across Guyana as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sexual Assault and Family Education (SAFE)

Setra Oselmo

Guyana Inc focuses on providing support for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and also to in-

dividuals struggling with mental health and other welfare issues.

Co-founder of the NGO, Michelle Nicholas noted that the aim is to provide assistance to those in vulnerable situations. "... over the past weeks, it became apparent that some of the persons engaged by the organisation were facing even greater challenges to support themselves and their dependents as a result of the current COVID-19 restrictions on earnings and movement. Though this is a situation that is not unique to Linden, various organisations have stepped up to assist in other parts of Guyana, and the principals decided that it was time to do what they could

for a community, choosing Linden to do so since the community was familiar ground to one of the principals", she noted.

As such, Nicholas noted that hampers of grocery essentials with a long shelf life, as well as hygiene products, were put together with funding provided by the 25IWL Award organisation. This, she noted, was received with an outpouring of gratitude by the recipients.

Recognising that the 25 hampers provided were nowhere close to addressing the needs and requests the organisation was aware of, Nicholas hopes that the effort will provide encourage-

in Guyana and we are happy to collaborate with the 25 Influential Women Leaders Awardees (25IWLA) to get these hampers to some of the families who need it most right now. Myself, and 25IWLA co-creator, Lyndell Danzie-Black are committed to assisting as far as resources would allow and look forward to recognising the great work of influential Guyanese women through these awards in years to come", Nicholas said.

Families at Wismar were the first to receive hampers followed by those on the Mackenzie shore of Linden.

Lindener Setra Oselmo, who is a recipient of the 25

The packaged hampers that were distributed in Linden

ment for others to follow.

"As mentioned, Sexual Assault and Family Education (SAFE) Guyana continues to address the welfare concerns of families

Influential Women Leaders Awards, was one of the facilitators of Monday's distribution.

Oselmo said it was a privilege to be involved in

the process. The families also expressed gratitude for the hampers, noting that it will assist them greatly in these times.

Nicholas, a born Lindener, who presently resides in the United States, is the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NICO Consulting Inc. She also co-founded the 25IWL Award programme along with Cerulean Inc Managing Director, Lyndell Danzie-Black.

The award recognises the successes of national, regional and city women leaders, honouring trailblazers from CEOs to small business entrepreneurs to social advocates who are moving their companies and communities forward in the public, private or non-profit sectors.

Nicholas related that NICO Consulting Inc and Cerulean Inc were very pleased to offer whatever limited support they could muster at this time, and again urged anyone who was in a position to assist to seek out ways to contribute to families in need.

Presenting sponsors for the upcoming 25 Influential Women Leaders Award include Symmetry Brokerage and Logistic Services Inc, Strategic Recruitment Solution Inc and CAMEX.

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

INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF?

People who think they may be affected by coronavirus need to call the Public Health Ministry hotline 227-4986/624-3067 for further advice.

They should not go to their GP, A&E, pharmacy or hospital.

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

(Adapted from BBC News)

NEWS

15

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Berbice Chamber defends Former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Keith Massiah dies inflated prices of goods – President among others pay tribute

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ormer Chancellor of the Judiciary and Appeals Court Judge, Senior Counsel Keith Massiah, a man who exuded legal excellence and influenced many current law practitioners, has died at the age of 93 years.

According to reports, Massiah passed away on Friday at the St Joseph’s Mercy Hospital and leaves to mourn his wife, Maureen Massiah, three children and three grandchildren as well as other relatives.

Massiah served as Chancellor of the Judiciary from 1984 to 1988. He then served as Attorney General from 1988 to 1992 under President Hugh Desmond Hoyte. He has also served as an Appeals Court and High Court Judge, as well as a law lecturer at the University of Guyana.

Following the death of the former Chancellor, there have been several tributes from his former students, some of whom have gone on to make their own impact in society. Leading those tributes is former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, who in a social media post on Sunday expressed sadness on hearing of the loss of Massiah.

Former Chancellor Keith Massiah (second right) presented a petition on behalf of Attorney-at-Law Thandiwe Lyle (second left) back in 2013. Also in picture are the late former acting Chief Justice Ian Chang (left) and Thandiwe Lyle’s mother, Joylyn Lyle (right)

“It is with profound sadness that I learnt of the passing of one [of] our great Judges of that remarkable era. I was taught by him and practiced law alongside him. I never had the honour of appearing before him. He presided over a generation of which I was not a part.

Perhaps his greatest legacy will remain his extraordinary literary prowess,” Nandlall said.

“He employed it splendidly in his voluminous written judgements. His prose style of metaphoric writing laced with influences of Greek mythology, political philosophies, biblical references and excerpts from the clas-

sics, created that fertile figurative canvas upon which he wrote those scintillating legal judgements. Reading any of them is an excursion in poetry, art and jurisprudence all in one.”

Nandlall, who served as Attorney General from 2011 to 2014, also praised Massiah’s work in the classroom, noting his ability to break down complex public law concepts and ensure that students can absorb their principles.

“He spoke of authors of renowned fame whose books he used as teaching materials, Judges of the Commonwealth and the Law Lords of the UK with a

collegial sense of familiarity that never failed to amaze me. But then again, perhaps he saw them as intellectual peers. Professor Massiah played his part on the stage of life and did so with distinction. To his wife and children, I express my sincere condolences,” Nandlall said.

Meanwhile, President David Granger in a message on Massiah’s passing expressed “heartfelt sympathy to Mr Massiah’s wife, Mrs Maureen Massiah, [and], his three children, three grandchildren, other relatives and friends.”

Former Deputy Mayor of Georgetown, Sherod Duncan also took to social media to express his condolences on the passing of the former jurist. Duncan pointed out that having passed through Massiah’s class, he will be missed.

“Professor Massiah taught me ‘Law and Society’ while I was an undergraduate reading Law at the University of Guyana. He took over our ‘Jurisprudence’ course after Professor Calvin Eversley passed. Professor Massiah was a delightfully beautiful human being and we will miss him very much,” Duncan wrote.

Tuschen-Uitvlugt NDC begins sanitisation of public spaces

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he Tuschen-Uitvlugt Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) in collaboration with the National COVID-19 Multi-stakeholder Response

Vishal Ambedkar explained that the human resource in Guyana is an important facet and as such, must be protected against the deadly virus.

important resource, our human resource, must be protected. It is evident that preventative measures are the only sure way of being safe from the virus. And so, with the Tuschen-Uitvlugt NDC residents, members of our business community, and

Organisation (PAHO) and the Public Health Ministry seriously.

“We want to advise the public that mask alone does not prevent the spreading of the virus, we need to practice good hygiene to wash our hands and face. Take

Workers sanitising the Tuschen Health Centre

Workers spraying the Uitvlugt Community Centre Ground

Forum activated by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) have embarked on a sanitisation initiative with the aim of combating the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Speaking with Guyana Times, Chairman of the Tuschen-Uitvlugt NDC,

Guyana recorded six new COVID-19 cases in the past 48 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in the country to 74 as of April 26, 2020.

“As you are aware, the number of COVID-19 cases has been rising and the council agrees that our most

the COVID-19 NSF formed

by Dr Irfaan Ali formulated a plan to be more proactive in this regard with our limited resources,” the Chairman posited.

Health centres, post offices, market place and main streets in the various villages were sprayed with disinfecting agents.

The Chairman acknowledged that wearing a mask will protect everyone fully against the virus but urged citizens to take the guidelines set out by the Pan American Health

special care when bringing items into your home. Wash and sanitise to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus.

Eat foods to build our immune systems. Let us all do our part in keeping each other safe, please practice social distancing,” Ambedkar explained.

The Mayor and City Council of Georgetown (M&CC) has also commenced sanitising heavily populated areas within the city of Georgetown in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Bandits storm Massy Inc, escape with gas cylinders

A

t least six bandits, two of whom were armed with guns and four with cutlasses, executed a daring robbery at Massy Gas Products located at Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD), on Saturday evening.

The men managed to steal 10 gas cylinders before making good their escape.

The incident reportedly occurred at about 20:00h after the men allegedly cut a hole in the back fence of the establishment.

At the time of the incident, an unarmed female security guard was facing the main entrance of the building when the suspects invaded the premises.

Two of the bandits held the woman at gunpoint and relieved her of her radio set.

Meanwhile, the other four bandits carried 10 cylinders out of the compound through the hole in the fence. The men then made good their escape over the canal that was opposite the compound.

This publication understands that while the female guard was held hostage, other security measures were in place but were not activated.

After the men left the premises, the female guard managed to alert others.

The police have launched an investigation into the robbery.

...as costs for goods and services skyrocket

I

n light of the increase in prices of goods on the shelves of supermarkets in Berbice, the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCCDA) has defended its members, claiming that the prices were jacked up after the distributors in Georgetown increased theirs.

“This is one of the things which has sent up prices for goods across Berbice,” said Vice President of the Chamber, Ryan Alexander.

He was at the time responding to questions from the Berbice media on the Chamber’s seeming silence as its members offer goods and services at increased prices. Prices at some outlets have tripled in some cases over the past two months.

At some supermarkets, the price displayed on the shelves is significantly different from the cost in the cash registers.

Alexander said the Chamber is looking at alternative measures to stabilise prices on the shelf so that products can still be affordable to the average person.

He added too that the Chamber has written the caretaker Government on the issue. “We are hoping that the Government responds positively,” he explained.

According to Alexander, the Chamber is not in support of persons raising their prices unnecessarily or just to garner a larger profit, es-

pecially at this time.

“This is a dangerous time for all citizens of Guyana and Berbice is no exception. We would have been informed that merchandisers from Berbice and persons who buy products from Berbice would have said to us that when they go to replenish their stock from suppliers, the stock would have doubled and tripled and this is the reason why they would have had an increase in prices. If that is so then I am calling on suppliers to not inflate prices if it is stock that was here before.”

However, with Government closing all ports, ocean-going vessels have not been able to dock, thus making it difficult not only on the small companies but also the main distributors.

In fact, some commodities are being smuggled in from Suriname and according to officials in the Dutchspeaking country, goods being shipped to Guyana is shortening supplies there, thus carrying up the price for acquisition.

Alexander called on suppliers to understand the humanitarian services that are required at this point in time.

“The world is suffering and we know that there would be shore supplies of stocks so we are asking that persons show heart so that persons would not go on the starvation line,” the Chamber official appealed.

Former school principal robbed at gunpoint during home invasion

F

ormer school principal, Sir Arthur Chandra is now counting his losses after bandits invaded his Bel Air Park residence on Sunday and carted off with an undisclosed sum of cash and jewellery.

According to information received, the incident occurred at about 01:30h when bandits entered Chandra’s house through a window at the bottom flat of this two-storey house and pointed a gun at his head as they demanded money and gold.

One of the men watched the elderly man as the others ransacked the house for money and jewellery.

However, after finding an undisclosed sum of money, and a quantity of jewellery, the men made good their escape through a back door.

Arthur Chandra

When contacted, Police Commander, Senior Superintendent Phillip Azore stated that several persons are being questioned and the police are reviewing closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage collected with the hope of identifying the men.

16

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020

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

Alexander executing political agenda of Congress Place

Dear Editor, Expectedly, my characterisation of Vincent Alexander as “the unsophisticated chief representative of the rigging cabal within GECOM,” earned his wrath, as expressed in a letter, published in Sunday Stabroek, April 26, 2020.

I stand resolutely by that description. Alexander expects that his design being executed at GECOM, thinly veiled by pseudo-intellectual verbiage, which he disseminates to the press after every GECOM meeting, will not be detected. It is the same audacity, nay, idiocy, which persuaded his co-conspirators to believe that Clairmont Mingo would be able to execute their fraudulent plan by use of a manufactured spreadsheet, in the presence of the entire diplomatic community, international and local observer teams and representatives of the political parties.

The inconvenient truth is that Alexander and his accomplices never wanted the recount. Naively, they were determined to enforce and prosecute Mingo’s fraudulent declaration to the very end. I distinctly recall the livid rage on Alexander’s face and his subsequent fulminations when I read to the Chief Justice (ag), at Diamond/ Grove Magistrate’s Court, on Saturday, March 14,

2020, the statement from the Chairperson of Caricom, indicating that President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo agreed to a recount of the ballots.

The Commissioners and the Chairperson were present in the court. It was the first time they were being made aware of this agreement. Although the court adjourned for half of an hour, for everyone to confirm the statement and familiarise themselves with its content, and notwithstanding that the Chairperson was advised via telephone by the General Counsel of Caricom that the statement was actually issued and so informed the court, an angry Alexander instructed his hapless lawyers to report to the court that he was unaware of any such statement. So from the inception, I was aware that despite the President’s commitment to Caricom to do a recount, the other co-conspirators were not going to be willing participants.

I am fortified by everything I have seen, thereafter. At a Commission meeting, later that evening, the Government Commissioners refused to acknowledge the Caricom statement and immediately begun to execute a plan to undermine the proposed recount. For example, they began to clam-

our for the signatures of the President and Leader of the Opposition to the document.

Thus, the aide memoir was born.

It is a two-sentence document which took the President three days to sign.

Then came the fumigation, for COVID-19, of the Author Chung Convention Centre, although the facility was not used for over six months prior. These dithering tactics were all employed to give the other co-conspirators time to prepare legal proceedings to be filed in the name of Ulita Moore to rescind the Caricom initiative, prohibit the recount and declare Mingo’s fraudulent results, as valid and lawful.

While this case was ongoing, Alexander’s vehicle and Lowenfield’s SUV were photographed, parked in front of the office of Ulita Moore’s attorney-at-law.

This litigious resort failed and did not bear the desired fruit. But Alexander remained undaunted and continued in the Commission, as the main protagonist, in prosecuting a design to thwart and frustrate the recount process, at every step of the way. Now unmasked, he is agitated.

His insistence that the declarations of all the Returning Officers and Lowenfield’s report, tainted

by Mingo’s fraudulent declaration, remain valid, is but

only one thread in that sinister fabric which he weaves.

He is quite right when he contends that he made no specific reference to Mingo’s declaration.

He did so intentionally knowing full well that it is too risky to openly embrace Mingo’s fraudulent declaration, by itself, so he espouses for them all. But in reality, it is Mingo’s declaration that he is protecting. That is part of the guile. As it is Mingo’s flawed declaration which takes his party to victory. As I explained before, if, for any reason, the recount process is aborted or declared a nullity, the status quo ante the recount would have to prevail. Hence the reason for keeping these declarations and Lowenfield’s report intact.

Alexander argues, quite simplistically, that no Court has pronounced that Mingo’s declaration and Lowenfield’s report are unlawful and therefore, they are not. That GECOM, itself, has refused to act upon those two documents but chooses to do a recount of the ballots, instead, without more, defeats Alexander’s argument. It means that like the rest of the world, excepting Alexander and his clique, GECOM, either expressly or by implication, has accepted that Mingo’s declaration is poisoned by fraud and therefore not val-

Dear Editor, The daily shenanigans of David Granger and his cohorts are a test of the resolve of the Guyanese people like never before; the determination to disenfranchise Guyanese and subvert democracy is relentless and patience is wearing thin.

The question of what course of action should be taken is asked countless times as the frustration builds. As we enter the month of Ramadan, a period of fasting, prayer, and reflection, I believe the answer can

be found in Ecclesiastes 3:18: "For everything, there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven."

Those of you familiar with the Old Testament will know 3:1-8 speaks of "a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up" so which time are we in now? I firmly believe this is a time for healing and building.

The PPP has always been a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural party; under the stewardship of Bharrat Jagdeo, there have been honest and

frank conversations in public of the perceptions of the PPP as a party of mainly IndoGuyanese; there has been great effort put into making the membership more reflective of the make-up of the nation. There have been great gains in this direction and these must be protected and improved upon.

We should use this time to build, to start conversations about the way forward.

Inclusivity must be with sensible, honest, decent people who hold great values for family and fellow man; it cannot be with this criminal cabal that is willing to use the COVID-19 pandemic to enrich themselves. Joe Harmon shut down the delivery of relief hampers to our vulnerable and needy citizens.

A fellowship of the willing has formed, Irfaan Ali's National Stakeholders’ Initiative, Rotary, AmCham, the 'new' parties, and numerous other individuals and organisations have been working to fill the void left by the coalition of the unwilling. These are the cornerstones of Guyana's inclusive future being laid before our eyes. The robber barons of the APNU/AFC must not be

allowed to think they have a God-given right to plunder the resources of the nation.

As the APNU/AFC stands unmasked as the worst incarnation of the PNC, this is the time for all activists of the PPP/C to seek the company of persons who may have been ambivalent or those who supported the coalition but now have seen the true faces behind the masks; let us seek those who are willing to listen to the message of an inclusive future for all Guyanese and who may want to join/participate in making this a reality shortly.

All Guyanese are suffering from the doddering and dithering in Shiv Chanderpaul Drive; there is much to unite us for "No cause is left but the most ancient of all, the one, in fact, that from the beginning of our history has determined the very existence of politics, the cause of freedom versus tyranny" Hanna Arendt.

Let us use this testing time to build and to heal and defeat those who want us to kill each other and break down the ties that bind us together.

A time to build and heal

news@guyanatimesgy.com

Respectfully, Robin Singh

id.

Alexander’s lawyers would advise him that fraud “unravels everything”, that is to say, any decision, action, or document tainted by fraud, is void ab initio and a nullity. As Lord Denning famously remarked in Mac Foy v United Africa Co Ltd (1961) 3 All ER, “a void act or order is automatically void without more ado; it does not have to be set aside by a court to render it void, although for convenience only, it may be sometimes necessary to have the court set it aside.” I, along with dozens of others, witnessed, firsthand, the fraud perpetrated by Mingo.

A court pronounced that the first declaration was unlawful. Mingo resumed the tabulation process, using the

identical method which the Chief Justice, mere hours before, declared unlawful.

Yet, Alexander wants us to recognise that perverse second declaration as lawful.

Alexander’s insinuation that Commissioners at GECOM are “independent” of the political parties whom they represent is simply puerile. The Opposition Commissioners are duty-bound to represent the instructions of the political party upon whose nomination they are appointed.

If Alexander believes that people do not recognise that he is executing the political agenda of Congress Place, then he is more disoriented than I thought.

Sincerely, Anil Nandlall

What is the purpose of holding on to fraudulent Statements of Poll?

Dear Editor, When asked about the use of the fraudulent declarations made by Regional Officer Clairmont Mingo, the Chairwoman of GECOM replied "The declarations are in abeyance, we put them in abeyance because I cannot replace them until after the recount. They can only be replaced by a new declaration from the recount."

When you view that statement you gather that these are mere empty words, however, there is a deeper and more sinister meaning behind that bland response.

That deeper and more sinister meaning comes into focus when you analyse the context in which it was made, that is the main crux of my argument, why hold on so dearly to fraudulent SoPs when the legitimate official copy is top secret? And the answer comes back again, that fraudulent declaration would be tapped into somewhere along the course of the recount. Those fraudulent declarations that gave the election away to the PNC would come in handy when the rigging apparatus has reached its fulfilment.

Why something so despicable and abhorrent should be held on to is anybody's guess. You are talking about a declaration that was thrown out by the acting Chief Justice and considered null and void. Why should those results be held on to by the Chairwoman? It does not make any sense. So, let us discuss the reason for this strange move of hers.

The holding on to the fake Statements of Poll has one specific purpose and that is, for it to be used in an official capacity for the dec-

laration of results for Region Four, it is as clear as the noonday sun. I say this on recent moves by Granger in the re-positioning of Joseph Harmon as Chief Executive Officer of the NCTF. His position as Chief Executive Officer was created specifically at a time as this to carry out Granger's dirty work.

The plan is to make that last grandstand assault on our democracy as it relates to the right to choose a party with which to govern us.

And here's how they will do it, at the most opportune of times, that is, when the recount of the Region Four votes is midway, Harmon will suddenly spring into action.

He would cite the increasing cases of COVID-19 and there would be the urgent need to close proceedings as far as recounting goes. At this juncture, the Government-appointed Commissioners would clamour for a cessation of activities and a return to the fictitious figures of Mingo.

Granger can now sigh a sigh of relief that he has outfoxed the system once again.

But wait a minute, that is not a recount, it never met the requirements of the law, and that is all that matters at this crucial juncture of our democracy. Even by her own crooked standards, Claudette Singh must not forget her own words: “We are going into the boxes, every one of them." I call on Ms Singh to remember those words and remember too that they have to be fulfilled to the letter. Guyana is waiting, the world is waiting.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020

17

Regional

stay-at-home order, border Coronavirus: Chile to introduce T&T closure extended to May 15 controversial “virus-free” ID T C hile's Government says it will go ahead with a controversial plan to issue certificates to people who have recovered from COVID-19.

The documents would be given to people to allow them to return to work, Deputy Health Minister Paula Daza said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said there is "no evidence" that people who contract coronavirus are immune from being infected again.

The body said "immunity" certificates could help the virus spread.

Chile has reported 189 virus-related deaths and more than 13,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

"There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from COVID-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection," the WHO said in a

he stay-at-home order in effect in Trinidad and the closure of the country's borders have been extended to May 15.

The announcement by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley on Saturday came five days before the April 30 deadline for the current lockdown was due to end.

The PM will return to the population on May 10 to advise if there are any changes.

Hours after meeting

Chile has confirmed more than 13,000 cases of COVID-19

briefing note on Friday.

The body argued that so-called "immunity certificates" could even be harmful, because they could lead people to ignore public health advice and therefore increase the risk of transmitting the disease.

However, MS Daza told reporters on Sunday: "One of the things that we know is that a person who has had the illness has a lower

probability of becoming ill again."

She added that the certificates would not confirm that people had immunity to COVID-19, but rather state that they had recovered from the disease and had completed a period of isolation.

At least 200,000 people have died of COVID-19 across the world. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Jamaica: Health Minister launches investigation into death of young mother refused care

H

ealth and Wellness Minister, Dr Christopher Tufton says an investigation has been ordered into the death of a young mother who was denied access to health-care after presenting with flulike symptoms.

In a message shared on social media, Tufton said that no person should ever be denied access to healthcare and the results of the investigation would be made available to the public once it was completed.

The Health Minister also announced that the newborn child was in stable condition in hospital.

He said that the Government would step for-

ward and provide support for the child and counselling for family members.

Before the social media statement by Dr Tufton, the People's National Party (PNP) said in a news release that the young mother's death called into question the public health system's operation protocol for COVID-19.

Opposition spokesman on health, Dr Morais Guy said that “the refusal of admission of this patient because of lack of preparedness for COVID-19, the fear of contracting the disease, or lack of space to a mother in active labour is unacceptable.”

“The Jamaican people

need to be assured that our hospitals can treat with their emergencies, even in the face of the coronavirus epidemic. For months, the Minister of Health and Wellness has been saying, we are ready. If we are ready, this situation should not have occurred,” he added.

Dr Guy urged the Government to immediately review the preparedness arrangements in all public health facilities to ensure that adequate space for isolation was in place and that the required personal protective equipment was available to all front-line workers. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Bermuda confirms 10 more cases of COVID-19

T

he Health Ministry has confirmed a newspaper report that 10 residents from the Westmeath Residential and Nursing Home had tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), taking the island’s total cases past the 100 mark.

A further 213 new test results – of the 1173 that have now been carried out, were received from across Bermuda over Friday and Saturday, all of which were negative, the Ministry said on Saturday night.

These included 74 essential workers, who received

negative results at the new drive-through testing facility at Southside, near the international airport, which remains closed to regular commercial flights.

Bermuda is under lockdown until May 2, although more businesses are being allowed to reopen on a limited basis.

The island has now recorded a total of 109 confirmed cases, of which 65 are active.

Eleven people are in hospital, 54 are under active public health monitoring and 39 have recovered. Five people have died.

The average age of people in hospital is 74.

Westmeath, in Pembroke parish, the largest care home in Bermuda, has recorded a total of 13 cases – 11 residents and two staff.

Another care home, Matilda Smith Williams Seniors Residence, in Devonshire parish, has recorded 27 cases, one of whom died.

Health Minister Kim Wilson criticised the Royal Gazette newspaper at Friday night’s press briefing for reporting the Westmeath results online earlier in the day. (Excerpt from Reuters)

with technical experts from the Health Ministry during the mid-morning period, Rowley said: "We started out on a fairly long journey.

We are still on that journey and there's still a long way to go. However, we can report that our travels have not been as painful as it could have been."

Comparing T&T's position to others, he said, "T&T today is in a fairly good place because we have taken certain steps that have paid us dividends

with respect to controlling the negative output that could have come to us."

Speaking during a media briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann's, Rowley said while the local health system had so far weathered the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, they could not afford to prematurely relax the rigid measures currently in place as it could still prove to be detrimental for the population.

(Trinidad Guardian)

Mexico all but empties migrant shelters after outbreak

M

exico has almost entirely cleared out its migrant shelters over the past five weeks to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, returning most of the occupants to their countries of origin, official data showed on Sunday.

In a statement, the National Migration Institute (INM) said that in order to comply with health and safety guidelines, since March 21 it had been removing migrants from Mexico’s 65 migrant facilities, which were harbouring 3759 people last month.

In the intervening weeks, Mexico has returned 3653 migrants to Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador by road and air with the result that only 106 people remain in the shelters, it said.

Mexico’s migrant shelters have a total capacity of 8524, the INM said.

Among those who remained were migrants awaiting the outcome of asylum requests or judicial hearings, and others who had expressly sought permission to stay, a migration official said.

The vast majority of those sent back were mi-

grants detained by authorities because they were in Mexico illegally, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Some no longer wished to stay in shelters due to the risk of coronavirus infection, the official added.

Most of the migrants passing through Mexico to reach the US border are from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.

More than 80 Guatemalan migrants deported to their homeland from the United States have tested positive for coronavirus. (Excerpt from Reuters)

17 Police Officers killed by coronavirus in Peru

S

eventeen Police Officers in Peru have died after contracting coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while enforcing the nation's pandemic lockdown, officials and State media said.

Authorities admitted earlier this week that at least 1300 officers had been infected by COVID-19.

On Saturday, new Interior Minister Gaston Rodriguez, who was sworn in a day earlier after the sudden resignation of his predecessor when the infections tally emerged, said: "We have 17 deceased Police Officers nationwide, 11 of them in Lima."

The high number is linked to "the exposure that Police Officers have when intervening with people who violate

At least 1300 Police Officers – out of roughly 140,000 in the force – have been infected by COVID-19

the measures issued to contain the spread of the coronavirus," State news agency Andina said Saturday.

Peru has been on lockdown since March 16.

Rodriguez said his department had allocated 50 million soles (US$15 million) "for the purchase of protection elements such as masks and gloves" for Peru's Police.

He added that roughly

220,000 COVID-19 tests for the force were due to arrive by the first week of May. "We have an obligation to take care of them," said Rodriguez. "The Police must be well equipped."

Peru has recorded more than 25,000 infections and 700 deaths so far, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University in the United States. (AFP)

son said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The appointments will place both jobs in the hands of two former Police Officers with close personal connections to Bolsonaro and his sons.

Moro, a former judge who is popular for jailing corrupt politicians and businessmen, said he was quitting the government because Bolsonaro had fired the chief of the federal police for personal and political reasons.

Bolsonaro called the accusations “baseless,” while saying it was his right to pick the police chief.

Bolsonaro denied interfering in police investigations involving members of his family or asking for federal police intelligence files.

Secretary of the Presidency Jorge Oliveira will take over as justice minister, with the nominations likely to be announced on Sunday, the source said.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Close Bolsonaro aide to become Brazil’s Justice Minister – source

B

razilian President Jair Bolsonaro is expected to name his presidential secretary to replace former Justice Minister Sergio Moro, who accused Bolsonaro of wrongdoing in his resignation on Friday, a person with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The current head of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin), meanwhile, will be chosen as the new federal Police Chief, the per-

18

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020

Around the World

Back from COVID-19, Johnson urged to reveal UK lockdown exit strategy

P

rime Minister Boris Johnson returned to his Downing Street residence on Sunday after recovering from COVID-19, ready to take the helm again with pressure growing for the Government to explain how it will ease a month-old coronavirus lockdown.

Johnson, 55, spent three nights in intensive care with the illness. A spokeswoman confirmed he was back at 10 Downing Street on Sunday evening after two weeks recovering at Chequers, his country residence.

He will resume full-time work on Monday and is “raring to go”, his stand-in Dominic Raab said.

On his desk, Johnson will

find a letter from opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer urging him to set out when and how an economic and social lockdown to slow the spread of coronavirus might be eased, one of many demanding more in-

formation.

Raab, the Foreign Secretary, said speculation about this risked diluting the message that people should stay at home.

“We are at a delicate and dangerous stage and we

need to make sure that the next steps are sure-footed,” he told Sky News.

The official number of deaths related to COVID-19 in hospitals across the United Kingdom rose to 20,732, up by 413 in 24 hours, while confirmed cases stood at 152,840, up by 4463.

Deaths in the community and in nursing homes are slower to arrive, meaning that the overall toll is likely to be significantly higher.

Raab said the Government was following medical and scientific advice, and that there would not be a sharp easing but a gradual progression to a “new normal”. (Excerpt from Reuters)

es until September.

Italy has endured the world’s longest active coronavirus lockdown, and has Europe’s highest official death toll.

The country has suffered 197,675 cases of the virus, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, and 26,644 people are confirmed to have died with it.

The number of cases has been falling, however. Italy

reported 260 new deaths on Sunday - the lowest daily toll since March 14.

Authorities now believe Italy’s contagion rate - the number of people each person with the virus infects - is low enough to justify a cautious easing of curbs.

Italians have been living under a national stayat-home order since March 9, with everyone required to stay within a few streets of

their door.

The country brought in very limited easing of its virus control measures on April 14, permitting some small shops - including bookstores, dry cleaners and stationers to reopen.

There was no announcement on the possibility of Italy’s premier football league Serie A resuming, even behind closed doors.(Excerpt from BBC News)

A Yemeni Government soldier holds a weapon as he stands by an emblem of the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) at the group's headquarters in Ataq, Yemen [Ali Owidha/Reuters]

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson waves as he leaves Downing Street, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, London, Britain, March 25, 2020

Coronavirus: Italy's PM outlines lockdown easing measures

I

taly’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has given a televised address outlining how the country will begin “Phase Two” of easing its coronavirus lockdown.

Restrictions on daily life will start to be eased from May 4, he said, and people will be allowed to visit their relatives in small numbers, in masks.

Parks will reopen, but schools will not restart class-

Yemen southern provinces reject separatists' claim to self-rule

A

uthorities in five southern provinces in Yemen have rejected a separatist group's claim to self-rule, further heightening tensions among ostensible allies in the Saudiled coalition battling Houthi rebels elsewhere in the country.

The separatists' Southern Transitional Council (STC), which is backed by the United Arab Emirates, scrapped a peace deal with the Saudi-backed Government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and declared a state of emergency overnight.

The separatists said they would "self-govern" the key southern port city of Aden

and other southern provinces, accusing the Government of corruption and mismanagement.

The STC seeks the return of the independent state that existed in the south until 1990.

Yemen's internationally recognised Government

rejected the STC's self-governance, and described the move as a continuation of the armed rebellion that started last August.

The authority to declare an emergency lies with the President only, and militias cannot replace state institutions, Shabwa security forces

said in a written statement.

The administration of Hadramout, the biggest province in the south, said the STC's announcement is "a violation of legitimacy and the Riyadh Agreement", referring to a 2019 power-sharing deal between the separatists and the Yemeni Government.

Abyan and Socotra administrations called for loyalty to the President, while the local authorities of al-Mahra province said the STC's step aimed to deepen the crisis already existing in the country.

The STC did not immediately comment on the statements from the five provinces. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Sonntag newspaper.

With schools closed and many companies encouraging their employees to work from home to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, about 25 per cent of Germans are now estimated to be working from home, up from about 12 per cent normally.

Heil, a Social Democrat (SPD), said he would present legislation later in the year to

anchor a right to home working in law, with employees allowed to work from home the whole time or for one or two days a week.

Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, also from the SPD, supported the idea, telling the paper: “The past weeks have shown how much is possible in the home office - this is a real achievement that we should not just abandon.”

However, the German

Employers’ Association rejected it, telling the Funke media group that the last thing the battered economy needed at this time was more rules.

Katrin Goering-Eckardt, parliamentary leader of the opposition Greens, supported a right to home work but said it would only work if the Government also guaranteed high-speed internet for all.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

German Labour Minister wants to put right to home working in law

G

erman Labour Minister Hubertus Heil is working on legislation to give employees the right to work from home even when the coronavirus crisis is over, he told a newspaper on Sunday.

“Everyone who wants to and whose workplace allows it should be able to work in a home office - even when the coronavirus pandemic is over,” Heil told the Bild am

OILNEWS When oil became waste: a week of turmoil for crude, and more pain to come

T

he magnitude of how damaged the energy industry is came into full view on April 20 when the benchmark price of US oil futures, which had never dropped below US$10 a barrel in its nearly 40-year history, plunged to a previously unthinkable minus US$38 a barrel.

In just a few months, the coronavirus pandemic has destroyed so much fuel demand as billions of people curtail travel that it has done what financial crashes, recessions and wars had failed to ever do - leave the United States with so much oil there was nowhere to put it.

While the unusual circumstance of negative oil prices may not be repeated, many in the industry say it is a harbinger for more bleak days ahead, and that years of overinvestment will not correct in a period of weeks or even months.

“What happened in the futures contract the other day indicated things are starting to get bad earlier than expected,” said Frederick Lawrence, Vice President of Economics and International Affairs at the Independent Petroleum Association of America.

“People are getting notices from pipeline companies that say they can’t take their crude anymore. That means you’re shutting down the well yesterday.”

Evidence of the erosion of value for a product that has been a mainstay of global society since the late 19th century abounded across the world last week.

In Russia, one of the world’s top producers, the industry is considering resorting to burning its oil to take it off the market, sources told Reuters.

Norwegian oil giant Equinor slashed its quarterly dividend by two-thirds. Next week will bring earnings reports from the world’s largest oil companies including Exxon Mobil Corp, BP PLC and Royal Dutch Shell PLC. They are all expected to detail additional spending cuts, and investors will be watching closely for how those companies plan to manage dividends.

Continental’s decision to declare force majeure - usually reserved for wars, accidents or natural disasters - came as a shock, bringing a sharp response from the leading refinery industry group. But some say there is a logic behind it, even if it may not pass muster in court.

Even the long-rumoured decision by the White House to tell Chevron Corp last week it could no longer operate in Venezuela, where it has had a presence for nearly 100 Years, met with a shrug.

The market is forcing the hands of all producers. Across the world, governments and companies are preparing to shut down output, and many have already begun.

The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies had already committed to record cuts of 10 million barrels of daily supply that have yet to take full effect. That commitment was not enough to prevent oil’s fall below zero.

Saudi Arabia has said it and other OPEC members are prepared to take further measures, but made no new commitments. It is a measure of the depth of demand destruction that even if OPEC stopped producing altogether, supply may still exceed demand.

More than 600,000 barrels per day in production cuts have already been announced in the United States, along with another 300,000 bpd of shut-ins in Canada. Brazil’s state-run Petrobras has reduced output by 200,000 bpd.

Azerbaijan, part of the group of nations known as OPEC+, is forcing a BP-led group to cut output for the first time ever.

Oil majors in those countries have generally been excluded from Government-imposed cuts.

As of Thursday, energy researcher Kpler said onshore storage worldwide is now roughly 85 per cent full.

Demand is expected to fall by 29 million bpd in April, the International Energy Agency estimated. Paris-based IEA expects consumption to pick up in May, but researchers cautioned that its expectation of a mere 12 million bpd fall in year-over-year demand may be too optimistic. (Excerpt from Reuters)

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020

19

ARCHIE

ARIES

(March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

Dealing with the past will be more complicated than you imagined. Keep your distance from people who have let you down. Stay focused on finishing what you start.

Turn up the volume and march to the beat of your own drummer. Be a self-starter, an organizer and someone who makes a difference.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Listen to what others say, but verify information before you pass it along. Prepare to make a change if someone backs out of a deal or disappoints you.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Be a leader, not a follower. Put your energy into doing what’s right, not what someone pressures you to do. Rely on experience and accurate information. Selfimprovement will result in compliments.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Consider your objective and what it will take to reach your goal. Use your time wisely and protect yourself against being misled or taken advantage of.

LIBRA

Discipline will be required to get things done.

Going over budget or failing to factor in an expense will lead to a stressful situation.

Focus on health and financial well-being.

PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

Put a smile on your face.

Your congeniality will pay off when it comes to essential connections. Physical activity will help you look and feel your best. Romance is featured.

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SUDOKU

Let your creativity take the reins and your charisma attract support. An exciting concept appropriately used can be a life-changing experience. Don’t get angry when action is what’s required.

If you want someSAGITTARIUS thing done, do it yourself.

(Nov. 23Physically follow through Dec. 21) with your plans. Talking about what you want to do and doing it are not the same.

SATURDAY'S WORD – DISCLAIM

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Do whatever it takes to improve your surroundings or enhance your personal life. A change you make at home should be wellthought-out and within your budget.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Take stock of what you have and what you can pass along. Decluttering will make you feel good and can also bring in extra cash.

Romance is favored.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Consider the consequences before making a promise.

Additional responsibilities will affect your productivity and ability to do a good job.

Don’t risk your reputation by covering for someone else.

20

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020

D

avid de Gea described his almost decade-long attachment to Manchester United as a "dream" and plans to remain at Old Trafford for a long time.

De Gea, 29, joined United from Atletico Madrid in 2011 for a reported £19 million, a British record fee for a goalkeeper at the time.

After an initially tricky settling-in period, De Gea established himself as an indispensable part of the team and one of the world's best at his position.

A move to Real Madrid fell through in August 2015, but the Spaniard swiftly signed a new contract after that and then agreed an extension last September, keeping him at the club until 2023.

But De Gea's form over the past few years has not been as consistent as some might expect, giving rise to suggestions from a section of supporters that United might be better off giving Dean Henderson – on loan at Sheffield United – a chance next season.

De Gea does not seem concerned about his future with the club, however.

"Just to be a part of this club is amazing. So, imagine, [nearly] 10 years, it's like a dream," De Gea said in a United Hangout.

"It's great to play games with this club, so I hope I can be here more years, many years."

Before European football came to a standstill owing to the coronavirus pandemic, United had hit their best run of form since Ole

B

oxing action may have ground to a halt in the United Kingdom and across the world because of the coronavirus pandemic - -but in Nicaragua, it is business as usual.

Well, almost. On Saturday night, a fight card with a difference took place in capital city Managua, with fighters sporting face masks – as did referees, judges, the media, fans and ring girls.

Boxers were allowed to remove their protective mask to fight, while those in attendance were instructed to disinfect their hands and shoes upon entry before being forced to sit a safe distance apart.

Nicaragua has not adopted social distancing measures and as a result, fighters were allowed to stand nose to nose for a

traditional face-off at Friday's weigh-in, albeit while wearing masks.

Nicaraguan legend and current WBA super-flyweight champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez turned out to watch

Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed Manager on a full-time basis last March.

A 6-0 thrashing of Tranmere Rovers in

the fight night – and like all spectators, had his temperature checked before entering the Alexis Arguello Sports Centre.

Several fighters withdrew

from the card but organisers had said they wanted to send a message that the sport continues by staging the show, which offered free tickets. In the main event, Nicaraguan lightweight

Robin Zamora outpointed compatriot Ramiro Blanco.

Authorities in Nicaragua have allowed sporting events – such as the country's football season – to continue during the coronavirus pandemic. World

the FA Cup at the end of January began an 11-match unbeaten run across all competitions, including a pair of wins over Manchester City,

an away triumph at Chelsea and 5-0 Europa League wins against Club Brugge and LASK. Bruno Fernandes' arrival has made a telling difference and De Gea acknowledged the Portugal midfielder's influence, also pointing out United still have key players in Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba to return from injury when they return to action.

"I think the whole team improved a lot," De Gea added of United, who sit just three points adrift of the top four. "We were in a good moment. I think we were in very good, top form.

"We didn't concede many goals, and of course, with Bruno he brings a lot of quality.

He's a clever player, a top midfielder, the team improves with him and it was a pity that everything stopped, because we were in a good moment.

"But, hopefully with some players that were injured … fit when it all starts again, so it will be a good challenge for everyone."

(Sportsmax)

T Health Organisation (WHO) data shows three people have died from the virus in the Central American country.

More than 20,000 people have died from the virus in the UK, where boxing has been shut down until at least the end of May. Some promoters hope to resume action behind closed doors, but the British Boxing Board of Control has intimated the sport could take time to resume when day-to-day restrictions are lifted in the UK. General Secretary Robert Smith has said the medical personnel needed ringside and

hospital access required for fight nights must be considered when the NHS is already under strain.

(BBC Sport)

he post-Tom Brady era is off to a shaky start at the New England Patriots after a controversy surrounding their new kicker.

As part of the Patriots’ rebuild, they selected Marshall kicker Justin Rohrwasser in the fifth round of this week’s draft.

However, it soon emerged that the 23-year-old has a logo of the Three Percenters tattooed on his forearm. The group, which advocates for gun rights, has been described as a right-wing militia. Three Percenters have been accused of advocating against immigrants, refugees, and mi-

norities.

During a call with reporters on Saturday, Rohrwasser said the tattoo did not represent his views.

“I got that tattoo when I was a teenager and I have a lot of family in the military. I thought it stood for a military-support symbol at the time,” Rohrwasser said. “Obviously, it’s evolved into something that I do not want to represent. When I look back on it, I should have done way more research before I put any mark or symbol like that on my body, and it’s not something I ever want to represent. It will be covered.”

The kicker also has tattoos reading “Liberty or death”, “Don’t tread on me” and one celebrating the Dave Matthews Band. He said in an interview in 2019 that the tattoos were “random”.

The Southern Poverty Law Centre and the Anti-Defamation League describe the Three Percenters as an anti-Government extremist group. Members of the group were present at the Unite The Right rally in Charlottesville in 2017, although the Three Percenters have subsequently said they do not support white supremacy, and are not a militia.

The Patriots selected Rohrwasser to replace long-time kicker Stephen Gostkowski, who the team released in March. Gostkowski had been with the Patriots for 14 seasons and won three Super Bowl titles. (The Guardian)

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By Lance Whittaker

W

est Indies cricket’s greatest spinner Lance Gibbs is under fire in Antigua and Barbuda this week because of comments he made on Tuesday’s Mason & Guest radio programme on Voice of Barbados.

Fans in Antigua and Barbuda and the Leeward Islands are infuriated by sharp views Gibbs proffered about off-spinning all-rounder Rahkeem Cornwall while evaluating the quality of spinners in Caribbean cricket.

With 309 wickets in a 79-match career, Gibbs has almost twice the number of wickets in Test cricket as the next most successful spinner in West Indies history, Sonny Ramadhin at 158. Alf Valentine (139), Devendra Bishoo (117) and part-time spinner Carl Hooper (114) are the only other spin bowlers surpassing the 100-mark in our Test cricket history. Ramadhin and Valentine preceded Gibbs – with a few years of overlap – but Hooper and Bishoo came after, long after.

So Gibbs speaks from a position of strength and achievement when he bemoans the dearth of spin-bowling success coming out of the West Indies for decades since his departure in the mid-1970s.

Social media is now flooded with comments lashing out at the 85-yearold icon, because Cornwall did not escape his criticism in the few minutes he used in the radio interview to submit his views o n the quality of West Indies spin bowlers.

Antigua and Barbuda’s cricket fraternity has understandably been prickly whenever the name Rahkeem Cornwall is mentioned in the context of West Indies selection.

They had become bitter and resentful because his several years of steady, at times compelling

performances, went unrewarded until his Test debut against touring India last summer.

To be fair to Gibbs, he did not deliberately target Cornwall in his criticism of spinners, but merely reacted to prompting from Andrew Mason and co-host Dr Andrew Forde.

Responding to questions probing whether any new-generation off-break bowlers had impressed him, his response was a sharp “No! …

They’re not spinning the ball, like who? Lance Gibbs and Rahkeem Cornwall call a name (laughs),” produces significant turn with his deGibbs said.

Asked explicitly to comment on liveries, the reason why he has been Cornwall’s ability, Gibbs knocked the the leading off-spinner in recent years player’s technique. “How could you in the Regional 4-day tournament take two steps and bowl? Where is and why he was Man of the Match for your rhythm, where is that rhythm?” the West Indies in their one-off Test against Bangladesh last November he asked.

So, Gibbs obviously has an issue with a 10-wicket haul. He posted magwith Cornwall’s bowling technique nificent figures of 7-57 and 3-46 in and while I disagree with some of his that Lucknow Test.

Because the vast majority of assessment, his overarching view on the issue, I concluded, was that “they” Cornwall’s cricket has been played doare not spinning the ball. He grouped mestically, I am not sure how much of a cluster of this generation of bowlers him the Florida-based Gibbs has seen.

The burly Cornwall had been cited and proceeded to address Cornwall, by the previous Courtney Browne-led because it was the name put to him by selection panel as a player with talent his interviewers. but at 300+ pounds needed to work on So, blasting Guyanese Gibbs over his body conditioning.

He underwent these Cornwall comments, accusing work with a specialist and there has him of regional insularity and been some improvement in his weight the other venomous outbursts, get us nowhere. management.

In his delivery, Cornwall uses apGibbs has an opinion on proximately five steps before he rethe state of West Indies spin bowling that existed leases, not two as Gibbs says, but at before Cornwall started his weight and size, he really is an unorthodox and unique specimen in inplaying cricket.

Before I tackle the ternational cricket.

Gibbs is also on record in the postspin icon’s “two steps and 1995 years -- when the mighty West bowl” observation, I must Indies were unseated as the world’s say an evaluation that best – urging regional selectors, Cornwall does not spin the Coaches and Captains to give spinball is grossly incorrect. ners opportunities to develop when it The big man consistently was evident the fast-bowling prowess

21

had tapered.

Spinners have had a tough time flourishing in a West Indies cricket culture, propelled in the 1970s to world dominance by a battery of bullet-quick pacers. With that legacy, the selection approach has, for decades, persisted with a fast-bowling bias even when the material did not support it and unfortunately for the spinners, non-performance on their part often swiftly resulted in the axe.

Recent history is replete with some substandard fast bowlers getting more opportunities at the highest level than slow bowlers, who, I think, were often better spin bowlers than they were fast bowlers.

Year after year, spinners have dominated the bowling statistics in West Indies First-Class cricket. In the last three domestic seasons, Cornwall and left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul (twice) have led the bowling statistics. Only once in the past decade – dominated by Nikita Miller – did a non-spinner top the bowling statistics, that was 2013-14 through medium pacer Kenroy Peters. Before that, try 13 years ago in 2007 for another pacer topping the Regional First-Class bowling statistics, Jermaine Lawson.

If spinners have been so poor, how do you explain this stark supremacy in regional cricket? (Sportsmax)

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T

he first online tournament will feature eight compound archers.

World Archery has announced the Lockdown Knockout, the first remote archery competition to be streamed live on the federation’s digital channels.

Eight compound archers – four men and four women – will be invited to take part in the first edition of the tournament, which will start with a qualification period on May 1 and matchplay following on May 9-17.

The winner of the event will receive 1000 CHF and runner-up 500 CHF in prize money.

Matches will be filmed with mobile phones and a live broadcast produced from a remote location. Coverage will be available live on World Archery’s YouTube and Facebook platforms, with highlights available to linear television channels.

Only archers who can safely shoot in socially distanced settings and in accordance with local health guidance will participate.

World Archery has suspended its international competition calendar due to the current outbreak of COVID-19. No physical events will take place before the start of July, with the situation reviewed monthly.

on entertainment. Participants are encouraged to embrace the spirit of the event.

Schedule Matches are expected to take place in the afternoon in Europe. Exact scheduling will take place on a match-by-match basis.

April 27 – Participants announced May 1-4 – Qualification period (filmed) May 9-12 – Quarterfinals (live) May 14-15 – Semi-finals (live) May 17 – Final (live) Structure World Archery rules will apply wherever possible, with common-sense adjustments due to limitations caused by the remote nature of the event.

1. Format – The target used will be a 40cm triple-spot target face, triangular or

vertical, set at 18 metres.

2. Qualification – The ranking round will consist of 60 arrows. Men will be seeded on one side of an elimination bracket and women on the other.

3. Matchplay – Each match will consist of 15 arrows with ties resolved in a singlearrow shoot-off.

4. Linecutters – Any decision normally requiring a judge (primarily linecutters) will be decided between the athletes, by the live stream host or, if possible, by allowing the viewing public to vote. These decisions are final.

5. Spirit – While a winner will be crowned, this event is focused

Technical details Participating archers will send two IP video streams – archer and target – via mobile phones on 4G or laptops on stable wifi to a remote production site. The signals will be mixed with graphics and commentary in Vmix and streamed live by World Archery.

Competitors will only see the broadcast available to the public during the filming of the production. They will be able to interact with their opponent and commentators.(Worldachery.com)

22

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020

T

he Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has seen numerous special knocks. So far, there have been 16 hundreds and 286 fifty-plus scores. Traditionally, the top knocks are all classified as the highest in-

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man of T20 cricket in the Caribbean: Chris Gayle. The Jamaican was in belligerent form in 2015 – in the CPL and in T20s in general. On such a day in the CPL, the big lefthander unleashed his brute power against TKR (then Red Steel) with 105 runs in 57 balls. Gayle scored 47 runs in 22 balls in the powerplay, 62 runs in the first 30 balls – all signs of his peak hitting in 2015. The Tallawahs ended up scoring 180 with almost 60 per cent of the runs coming from Gayle. Gayle’s impact for this innings was +51.9 – a typical Gaylestorm – putting him at number five among all the innings in the competition.

almost 75 per cent of the team's runs. He scored 54 runs off 23 balls in the powerplay with 46 of those runs coming only in boundaries. The left-hander cleared the ropes in each over where he faced more than two balls in that over. The impact of this innings was +54.9 – Gayle is the only player to feature multiple times in the top five in our list – both coming in the 2015 edition. Gayle’s batting impact in CPL 2015 was +13.8 – the highest of all players to have played at least five innings in a season.

Two: Evin Lewis - 97* (32) - St Kitts and Nevis Patriots v Barbados Tridents – September 3, 2017 – Impact Score: +59.2

The Caribbean have produced a

end was none other than Gayle who only scored 22 runs off 14 balls. For all these reasons, this innings registered an impact score of +59.2 – putting it at number two in our list.

One: Andre Russell - 121* (49) – Jamaica Tallawahs v Trinbago Knight Riders – August 10, 2018 – Impact Score: +71.8

Under the lights at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Andre Russell produced one of the most special knocks in T20 history. Chasing TKR’s target of 224, Russell walked in to bat at number seven with the Tallawahs struggling at 41-5

Four: Shoaib Malik – 81* (43) – Barbados Tridents v Jamaica Tallawahs – Aug 3, 2014 – Impact Score: +52.5

Chris Gayle comes in at numbers 5 and 3

dividual scores which makes the 132* off 72 balls by Brandon King in the CPL 2019 – the best knock of the competition by this measure. Top-order batsmen and especially, openers, have the best chance to post these scores considering the number of overs they have at their disposal. What if we could classify the best innings in a different manner? At CricViz, we have a model - Match Impact, that looks at more than just the volume of runs but looks at the specific context within which they are played to determine the best innings. Here are the top five innings in the history of the CPL based on Match Impact.

CricViz’s Batting Impact measure calculates how many runs more than the average player any given batsman contributes. It’s an alternative to scoring rate or average and it takes into account the game situation, and gives a better indicator of the actual value of a player’s innings.

Performances are measured ball-byball using a model which prescribes a positive or negative run value based on whether the actions of the batsman have increased or decreased the expected total.

Five: Chris Gayle – 105 (57) Jamaica Tallawahs v Trinbago Knight Riders (formerly the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel) – July 9, 2015 – Impact Score: +51.9

One of T20 cricket’s biggest stars – the Universe Boss and the talis-

Shoaib Evin Lewis comes in at 2 Malik is one of the most underrated players in T20. He is the fourth highest scorer in T20 history and the highest overseas run scorer in the CPL. Malik’s highest score in the CPL – 81* was a great knock, but in vain as the Tridents lost to Tallawahs looking to chase down the target of 148, but ended up with only 128. Malik walked in with the score at 11 for 2 and scored 81 of the remaining 119 runs with almost no support from the other end.

The Pakistani stalwart scored 81 off 43 balls (at a strike rate of 188.4) while the rest of the team put together scored 47 runs off 77 balls (at a strike rate of 61). It was this context – a superb individual performance alongside a terrible team one and in a low-scoring game – that earned Malik +52.5 runs of impact.

Three: Chris Gayle – 90* (36) - Jamaica Tallawahs v St Lucia Zouks – Jun 28, 2015 – Impact Score: +54.9

Like we mentioned earlier, 2015 was Gayle’s year in the CPL. He finished as the highest run scorer in the competition that year with 430 runs. Across all CPL seasons, only once has a player scored more runs in a year compared to Gayle’s 430 in 2015 – that was Lendl Simmons with 446 in 2014. The big Jamaican came up with a crazy knock scoring an unbeaten 90 facing a meagre 36 balls. Batting first, St Lucia struggled to get going after a decent opening stand of 39 in 34 balls, ending up with a below-par 118 in their 20 overs. Gayle waltzed in the next innings, scored 90 runs off 36 balls at a strike rate of only 250, out of the Tallawahs’ tally of 121 runs – that’s

and thirteen sixes. All thirteen sixes came in his arc scoring towards mid-wicket, long on and long off and overall, 100 of his 121 runs came in that region.

The right-hander scored 40 runs off 13 balls against Dwayne Bravo and 35 runs off 14 balls off Sunil Narine – that’s 75 runs off 27 balls against two of the best T20 bowlers. He reached his century in 40 balls – the fastest 100 in CPL history – the second fastest in T20 history batting at number six or lower – breaking records aplenty. The pressure of a high-scoring run chase with half the team dismissed in 37 balls and successfull y going to reach the target with three balls to spare makes this the most impactful innings in the history of the CPL with a score of +71.8 – well ahead of Andre Russell is number 1

Lewis’ knock i n sec-

Shoaib Malik is number 4 August

plethora of T20 batsmen – Evin Lewis is one of those stars. In terms of sheer volume of runs – since the start of 2015 – only Gayle, Pollard and Russell from the Caribbean have scored more runs than Lewis in the shortest format of the game. Lewis is one of the best T20 openers, and touted as the next Chris Gayle for his raw hitting prowess. In CPL 2017, on one such day, Lewis showed what makes him such a special player. Chasing a target of 129 set by the Barbados Tridents, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots reached the mark in seven overs scoring at an astounding 18.4 runs per over. The chief destructor behind that carnage was Evin Lewis, who was unbeaten on 97 facing only 32 balls. The lefthander scored 90 runs in boundaries (six 4s and eleven 6s) out of the 97. He faced 26 balls in the first six overs and scored 76 runs. In the history of T20s, only on two other occasions has a batsman scored more runs in the first six overs of a T20 innings. The pull shot, Lewis’ sig- n a ture shot, fetched him 32 runs off only six shots – with five sixes in the mix – the sign of the lefthander playing at his best. Another fact about this carnage makes this innings all the more special, while Lewis was teeing off, the man at the other

after 6 . 1 overs. Even in the wildest imagination of the most optimistic Tallawahs fan, a win from that situation would’ve seemed impossible, to put it mildly. With 183 runs needed with 83 balls and only five wickets remaining – Russell unleashed in a way only he can, scoring 121 of those runs in 49 balls, in a knock that included six fours

ond place.

In T20 history, Russell’s knock is the 12th highest in terms of impact score and considering all knocks batting at six or below Russell’s is top. In addition to his century, Russell took a hat-trick in the first innings – which makes it one of the best all-round performances in T20 history. (windiescricket.com)

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020

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Corlette's players to watch (Part 4)...

23

for Guyana at the tournament. In six t feels like a fall from grace for Sachin Singh and Joshua matches, he chalked up Persaud. The talented duo were achieving at a high rate of an average a shade besuccess in junior cricket, but for some time now, they have with a high score of 80*. encountered a rough patchNevertheless, this duo has not yet played for the are still regarded as two of the most talented young Guyana senior team, but batsmen in Guyana. Persaud has finished youth t h e wicketkeeper-batsman has cricket while Singh has one final year to make it plied his trade in Trinidad count. and Tobago.

His most recent success came earlier this Joshua Persaud year where he scored The 20-year-old Persaud played a maiden centuseven matches for the West Indies ry in the Trinidad U-19s between 2017 and 2018. For and Tobago Cricket Persaud, his West Indies U-19 Board National stint was more of a heartbreak.

Premiership competiHe was forced to leave the tion. In four outings, West Indies U-19 World he had 338 runs. As Cup due to the passing Persaud thirsts of his mother in a car for a senior callaccident. up, he continPrior to that, the ues putting in lad from the Demerara the hard yards Cricket Club (DCC), Sachin Singh of work and his who once played talent for Gandhi Youth for DCC too, was also selected in West Indies U-19 training O r g a n i s a t i o n Singh bats in an Under 19 inter-county w i l l camps, but he failed to make the final cut for the clash (Brandon Corlette photo) (GYO), dominated World Cup after a poor run of form. the ring of rivals Singh played for Guyana’s U-19s at the club and intwice and is expected to rock the nater-county levels. tional colours again in an U-19 tourtake him He also carried nament for a third time. In his secto further his success to ond year at that level, he failed heights. the regional to score significantly; scoring youth tournaonly 79 runs in the regional ments when Sachin Singh U-19 tournament that was he rocked A gifted played in St Vincent and the Guyana left-handed batsthe Grenadines. outfit. He has man, the punchy Singh After chalking up big copped Most has also been a dominant scores for DCC at the club Valuable Player (MVP) force at the junior level of cricklevel, and Demerara at the inawards with Guyana’s et in Guyana. He also transferred ter-county level, Singh has enyouth teams. his success to the regional level; countered a dark patch. He had Persaud, who he has led the West Indies U-16 rough U-19 inter-county and rescored his maiden team and has played on numergional tournaments in 2019, but Joshua Persaud bats(Royston First-Division cen- ous occasions for Guyana at the he still remains positive. Singh still Persaud in West Indies youth colours Alkins Photo) tury against Police youth level. This lad, who plays remains one for the future. back in 2018, had a

By Brandon Corlette

I

decent final year Regional U-19 limited-overs 149 runs at low 30 Persaud

F

ormer West Indies leg-spinner Samuel Badree believes his spell last season as bowling coach with Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Capitals has enhanced his overall status as a coach.

The Trinidadian, who played the last of his 52 Twenty20 Internationals two years ago, served alongside Head Coach Ricky Ponting as Capitals reached the semi-finals before being knocked out by eventual losing finalists, Chennai Super Kings.

“[I served] with two of the modern greats of cricket in Sourav Ganguly as the mentor of the team alongside Ricky Ponting – one of the greatest batsmen ever – who was the Head Coach,” the 39-year-old told the Express newspaper here.

“With those two and along with the other coaching staff, it

was really a tremendous learning experience for me.

“I was able to get an understanding of different mindsets, different philosophies and different cultures coming together to make an environment that is conducive to players performing at that level.”

He continued: “The IPL is one of the toughest competitions in the world and each of these coaches would have different philosophies and to mesh that together in a team environment helped me to learn a lot about the philosophy of coaching.

“I also learned a lot about the mental and strategic aspects from some of the greatest players who would have played the game.”

Earlier this month, Badree applied for the vacant Trinidad and Tobago Head Coach position, pitting himself against the likes of the incumbent Mervyn Dillon and Trinbago Knight Riders assistant coach Imran Jan. Applications are expected to close next Thursday, leaving the T&T Cricket Board to deliberate over its choice to oversee

Red Force’s upcoming campaigns.

Uncertain times

However, with the IPL suspended indefinitely because of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Badree said any IPL stint this year now seemed unlikely.

“At the moment, everything is so uncertain and it will be tough to get a window for the IPL with all the bilateral series and the World T20 as well later in the year,” he explained.

“It will be very difficult to get an international window where all the international players will be free at that time.

It might very well be an IPL with only the Indian players, but how that pans out, only time will tell. I don’t see it just happening on the same scale that we are accustomed to.”

Cricket West Indies domestic itinerary has also been impacted by the pandemic, with the last two rounds of the FirstClass championship aborted last month and all home tours now in doubt. (CMC)

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020

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Corlette’s players to watch (Part 4)...

Joshua Persaud bats (Royston Alkins Photo)

Singh bats in an U-19 inter-county clash (Brandon Corlette photo)

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