Guyana Times Saturday March 28, 2020

UN urges Govt to introduce “urgent stringent measures” P15 to stem COVID-19 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4239

THE BEACON OF TRUTH SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

PRICE

GECOM, APNU/AFC destruction of democracy: Day 26

Fulfilling recount commitment will restore democracy ꟷ Ali Page 11

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

P8 Thieves invade, rob home of family in quarantine

SoPs should be released P10 as was done in 2011 ꟷ PSC …disappointed with GECOM’s refusal

GECOM Chair, CEO at loggerheads over recount

Page 7

…court to hear conflicting positions on Monday …Judge refuses request for Region 4 SoPs to be used as evidence

Recount necessary for Canada to recognise new Govt ꟷ DM for Global Affairs See story on page 14

WDRH staff protest unprepareness for COVID-19 Pages 13 & 15

Labourer P16 accused of brandishing firearm allegedly shot

by Police

– possible coronavirus death still "uninvestigated" – DCMO …as 4 Cubans test positive after returning home from Guyana Mother of 3 hacked to death by jealous P16 husband

Young father charged for P13 armed robbery

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SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

3 Judge refuses request for Region 4 SoPs to be used as evidence NEWS

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Saturday, March 28 – 05:30h – 07:00h and Sunday, March 29 – 08:00h – 09:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

…Attorneys believe court erred, will appeal all the way to CCJ

Saturday, March 28 – 06:05h – 07:35h and Sunday, March 29 – 06:30h – 08:00h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Expect light cloud during the early morning hours. Light rain showers and thundery showers should follow until the early afternoon hours.

Light rain showers will prevail for the rest of the day and during the night. Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to North-Easterly between 0.89 metre and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 06:39h and 19:03h reaching maximum heights of 2.70 metres 2.58 metres.

Low Tide: 12:17h reaching a minimum height of 0.62 metre.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020

LOTTERY NUMBERS C

01 02 13 21 26 27 23

FREE TICKET

Bonus Ball

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2020 DAILY MILLIONS

02 19 23 25 26 LUCKY 3

9

4

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8

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Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

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17 20 21

PAY DAY

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THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020

02 09

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COMMODITIES Indicators Crude Oil Rough Rice London Sugar

US$ $24.93/barrel $251.55 /ton $350.40/ton

Live Spot Gold Bid/Ask Low/High Change

$1628.00 $1605.30 0.00

Change % -5.66 +1.49 +3.39

USD Per Ounce $1629.00 $1642.40 0.00%

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

Attorney-at-law Anil Nandlall

Justice Franklyn Holder

APNU/AFC Candidate Ulita Grace Moore

n application by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, to have the controversial Region Four Statements of Poll (SoPs) tendered as evidence in a case brought against the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to block a recount of the ballots was on Friday thrown out by Justice Franklyn Holder.

The Judge handed down the ruling on Thursday after first finding that the court did in fact have jurisdiction to hear the case that was brought by A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) candidate Ulita Grace Moore.

That litigation seeks to block a recount of the votes cast in Region Four at the recently-held General and Regional Elections—a recount that had been agreed to

by APNU/AFC Presidential Candidate David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, as part of a Caricom initiative.

Jagdeo, through his attorneys, this past week challenged the court’s ability to hear the case brought by Moore after lawyers for the Elections Commission vehemently objected to the request by Jagdeo to have the SoPs produced.

Efforts by Jagdeo’s lead Attorney, Douglas Mendez, to have the court stay its proceedings in order to facilitate an appeal was also refused by Justice Holder.

The Attorney-at-Law for the applicant, Moore, Roysdale Forde, himself an attorney for the APNU/AFC coalition, told media operatives at the High Court that Justice Holder in handing down the ruling against Jagdeo noted that such a request could not be accommo-

dated through such an application, but rather by way of an elections petition.

It was noted that the request by the Opposition Leader dealt with the issue of tabulation of the SoPs in order to determine fraud, but this, as had been previously iterated by the acting Chief Justice, must be done by way of a petition.

Attorney-at-Law Anil Nandlall—another of Jagdeo’s lawyers in the case – told members of the media the Opposition did not believe that Moore’s case could be heard by Justice Holder, since that application questioned decisions of the Elections Commission.

Nandlall insists that this must be heard by way of an elections petition and has since announced that the team of attorneys have already begun working on an appeal to the Full Court and the Appeals Court and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) if needs be.

“We have signalled an in-

tention to appeal that decision, because we believe that the learned judge fell into error and we will prosecute our appeal to the very end,” he said.

According to the former Attorney General of Guyana, the laws are clear in that all decisions of the Commission can be challenged by an elections petition.

This, he said, is opposed to the decision of an officer within GECOM Secretariat, such as the Returning Officer.

Speaking to the second ruling by Justice Holder in refusing to have the SoPs tendered as evidence, Nandlall told media operatives “most importantly, the substantive matter is still there in Ulita Moore’s case”.

GECOM Attorney Neil Boston, in giving his take on Saturday’s proceedings, reminded that Jagdeo’s application challenges the validity of the final result declared

by RO Clairmont Mingo, on the basis it was fraudulent.

He was adamant, however, that “if Mr Jagdeo’s issue is a question of fraud then he is saying that the election was not lawfully conducted and under Article 163 of the Constitution it says anything that has to do with whether an election has been lawfully conducted or the result of an election has been affected by some unlawful act or omission, then it has to go to a special court and you go to that court by elections petition”.

Boston told the media that the Opposition Leader could still be addressed, and that the relevant statutes set out the parameters under which this could be done.

Explaining the Judge’s decision, Boston said that the court found in determining jurisdiction in the Ulita Moore matter that while substantive judicial reviews would need to come by way of an elections petition, there can be an intermediate judicial review of an unlawful act.

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guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 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

Quagmire T

o say that Guyana is in a quagmirical state at this juncture would be an understatement. There is no doubt that the populace is suffering from the twin evils of a viral pandemic occasioned by external factors and the erosion of our democracy occasioned by the greed of a few internal APNU/AFC “leaders”, who are hell-bent on holding on to the precipice of power.

The political aspect of this was addressed in a prior editorial.

However, what does this invariably mean for Guyana’s economy as an oil producing country? To put it subtly, the road ahead will be a rough one. With the global economy, and more so the First World countries that have been affected, reeling from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the globalised/liberalised market that we have come to rely on has essentially been plunged into a recessionary state.

This is due primarily to countries having to forcibly shut down their workforce/productive sectors to contain the spread of the virus. As such, the wheels of production, and by extension growth, have come to a halt.

The trickledown effect that this will have on developing countries such as ours, while not quantified as this point, will be tremendous, to say the least.

One only has to look at remittances, Foreign Direct Investment, Guyana’s proclivity to import more than it exports, and our reliance on those same imports for sustenance, and the picture becomes clear that the absence of these will have devastating consequences for us.

Moreover, with movement restricted, flights to destinations around the world will be grounded, as would the transportation sector. What this means is that the demand for fuel (oil) will drastically decrease, and so will the selling price for same. Right now, the world market price for oil has plummeted to US$23 per barrel, with experts outlining that prices are expected to decrease further.

As such, there is no doubt that Guyana’s revenue from its fledgling oil sector would be paltry. Had the incumbent APNU/AFC championed for a better signing bonus and royalty, maybe we would have been in a better position to receive more, regardless of the state of production.

Further exacerbating this dynamic is that Guyana’s economy, which has already contracted with the delays and uncertainty of the 2020 elections, has now ground to a halt as we struggle to address the viral pandemic under the auspices of the incumbent caretaker administration, whose constitutional legitimacy has come into question post March 2nd.

Under this dispensation, one can infer that any policy direction coming from the incumbent, even health-wise, will not hold the same significance and veracity as that of a legitimate administration which has the confidence of the majority of persons who voted for same.

It is therefore logical that, for Guyana to have a sliver of hope going forward, we first have to address objectively the legitimate concerns of elections rigging on the part of the APNU/AFC/GECOM. The only way to do this is to have the votes recounted and all the parties, including the international community, satisfied that the process was credible and fair.

The stark warning delivered to Guyana’s US Ambassador Mr Riyad Insanally, that every vote must be counted and any attempt to swear in a Government on “flawed election results” will be sanctionable, serves as the most formal warning yet from the US that good sense must prevail in Guyana.

Having a legitimate Government installed is the first step towards providing the populace with the confidence that the only economic threat that Guyana currently has to deal with is related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We can recover more quickly from the pandemic than from the effects of sanctions and economic starvation that characterise life under a dictatorship, which it seems the APNU/AFC is comfortable having us under.

Political turmoil grips Guyana, educators call for transparent elections results

Dear Editor, The views and ideas of the following are purely those of educators in the teaching profession who mould the nation’s children.

These persons are in no way politically affiliated to any party in Guyana. As professionals, we work in the classrooms to teach without prejudice and bias. Since no public statement was made by the Guyana Teachers’ Union, we are forced to publish this article to highlight our concerns. The political climate has cast a dark cloud over Guyana.

Everyone is affected. As educators, we are deeply concerned about the impact the March 2 Elections are having on our country.

Our school system is built to ensure each learner is empowered with academic knowledge and moral values. Truth, honesty, cooperation, and, respect, especially for the laws of Guyana, are taught at a very early stage to students. An educated nation is expected to behave maturely and responsibly, especially our leaders whom Guyanese have trusted with our votes. The present state of our country leaves us to wonder if the incumbent Government of Guyana is truly practising what they are preaching. “Education is generally regarded as a basic requirement for the socio-economic transformation and advancement of societies. It is a prime ingredient in human resource development and the overall development of a nation.

This is well recognised by the Government of Guyana and education reform exercises are therefore a regular feature of the Government’s development agenda” (Ministry of Education website). Taking the aforementioned into consideration, is dishonesty, indecency and fraudulent computation of numbers part of the regular

reform exercises for the nation?

Delayed elections results have negatively impacted the social, political, and economic state of our country.

The daily ordeals that have plagued the media have highlighted the social disintegration, political and economic instability and threat of weakened international relations that presently lurks over Guyana.

Post elections activities have contributed to social unrest in Guyana. Be it in the form of protests to court cases, or otherwise, social media has been tracking these daily developments, and keeping our citizens informed. Every citizen has that the civic right to their political affiliations and beliefs, however, when these very beliefs and affiliations have overpowered rational thinking that has led to our innocent children being targeted in and out of schools, well let’s just say that it was a recurrence of the darkest of days during colonial times that Guyana has experienced. For those who cannot recall history, Martin Carter’s poem “This is a Dark Time My Love” attempts to give a summary of those very dark days. Do we intend to sit silently and witness our once free and beautiful country return to the days of bondage? What happened to One People, One Nation, One Destiny?

Are these just mere words?

Don’t they have any meaning anymore? As Guyanese, we should never have allowed political affiliations to be the death of our once free country. We should never have allowed our political emotions to give birth to the monsters that were within that are destroying relationships in our country. What about social cohesion? Doesn’t this exist in our beautiful country any longer? Do we as people

want to witness, experience and contribute to the return of colonial days in Guyana?

Are we truly Guyanese?

The General and Regional Elections have struck destructive blows to our education system. From poor attendance at schools to disruptive classrooms due to race, ethnicity and parental political affiliations, teachers have had their work cut out for them before and after the March 2 Elections. Both of these situations have caused a setback in curriculum implementation and by extension, postponed school activities which aim to promote social bonding, tolerance, acceptance, and unity in and out of schools. Is this the message and kind of education to which we as parents want to expose our children? Do we want to contribute further to the ethnic divide in our country?

Our children are the future of tomorrow and if we don’t guide them on the right path and instil in them the values that promote harmony then there will be no Guyana tomorrow. For the once independent and beautiful Guyana would have been sucked up by the existing hate and political and ethnic divide like how a black hole sucks up everything in outer space. Do we as Guyanese want to sit idly and witness the slow and painful death of our once glorious country?

Guyana is weeping! If you just forget about that hate that has filled your hearts and listen you will hear her cries. The constant battles between our leaders for political power have crippled Guyana. Our nation continues to be held at ransom because of a few greedy, power-hungry individuals who fail to deliver credible elections results on time. Additionally, the venom, racists’ remarks and vulgar display spewed by some politicians and cit-

izens have continued to influence our charges of young impressionable minds which presently affect social cohesion in our schools. Is this what our country has turned to? Has the blatant disregard for rules and laws become the order of the day?

These subliminal messages continue to create a highly chaotic and explosive state in our nation. Not forgetting the cognitive and moral influences they have on the general population of the country - mental fatigue of citizens, persons’ distrust for the political system, blatant disregard for the supreme law of the land – the Constitution, dishonesty in the judicial process and psychological effects on young minds.

Our leaders need to take a stand! Guyanese need to see democracy prevailing.

Our only request is for transparency in the results of our elections. It is incumbent that we eradicate this political turmoil that presently grapples Guyana. Therefore, for the benefit of all Guyanese and the future of Guyana, we join with all stakeholders, in the call, asking GECOM and all political parties, especially APNU/AFC, to publish all Statements of Poll so that a true and thorough national verification of the ‘actual’ votes cast at the March 2 Elections can be done at the earliest. Such a move will erase all possible doubts from people’s minds and direct GECOM towards producing credible elections results which can be accepted locally and internationally. The future of Guyana depends on all of us. As a people, we need to stand united.

There is still a beacon of hope for Guyana. Let’s all join in the struggle to restore glory and democracy in our nation.

Sincerely, Concerned teachers

What happens when the music stops?

Dear Editor, Regardless of what the courts in Guyana rule, any Government formed using the flawed results will be deemed illegitimate and all individuals who seek to benefit from the electoral fraud will face serious consequences, including personal sanctions from the civilised world.

This much is crystal clear, it behoves the question then of why the PPP/C is participating in the cases being heard

by Justice Holder? The answer is complex but deserves exploration.

The PPP/C is led by persons who have a deep appreciation for the rule of law; it is a strength and also a flaw; one that was exploited by David Granger after his Administration fell to

the motion of No-Confidence in December 2018 and now after his (Granger’s) Administration has been voted out of office.

The PPP/C also sets great store in democracy and peaceful transitions of Government; they understand fully that every possible option must be taken to avoid the spilling of blood and loss of lives. The characteristics of inherent decency and responsibility are exploited

by Granger’s party, members of which find ways to let it be known that there will be no acceptance of loss by its supporters and “Georgetown will burn and ethnic violence will erupt”, some see this as “bullyism”, I characterise it as blissful ignorance.

The will of the people

is known and the PPP/C can only keep the peace for a limited period. Anger is seething throughout the land and it is not confined to any ethnicity or party; as time goes by and Granger leads Guyana into the world of pariah states with an empty treasury, a high overdraft and no sensible plan to deal with the coronavirus, there will be an inevitable eruption and there is nothing the PPP/C can do to prevent this happening. The fate of the APNU/AFC leaders is within their control at this point; embrace the democratic transition of power or face the wrath of the people scorned. David Granger is a historian, he must know where this all ends.

People are dying from

COVID-19 as I pen this, many more will die and Granger’s response is to place the response in the hands of the singularly incompetent hands of a man labelled a ‘rubbastamp’ based on his track record, Moses Nagamootto is not the person to lead us out of this pandemic safely. The transition to a legitimate Government must be effected immediately to prevent significant loss of life.

For now, the PPP/C is playing the Granger musical chairs of Cs, the Courts, Constitution, Commission (GECOM) and Confusion; what happens when the music stops is anyone’s guess.

Respectfully, Robin Singh

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SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

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Guyana’s poor, downtrodden will suffer in the long run Elections rigging

Dear Editor, The current “regime”, namely PNC/ APNU/AFC, and others in the cabal are overplaying their hands. The hierarchy in the PNC have control of the power apparatus, ie, David Granger, Joseph Harmon, and others in the secreted sinister background.

The peripheral appendages do not really count. They have been reduced to nonentities in the existential political praxis.

The PNC (the operational power in the alliance) has always “won” elections by way of rigging, subverting all democratic norms – since the ignominious days

of Forbes Burnham – reducing beloved Guyana to be relegated as the poorest countries at one time, second to Haiti.

Where are we going, and what are we heading to? Granger and APNU have snubbed all implorations from the overseas observers and local VIPs – with total disregard and disrespect – ignoring diplomatic, consular, and ambassadorial international norms.

The power play is tantamount to a dictatorship, not unlike the Burnhamite.

(Recall the infamous Sophia Declaration.)

Guyanese must protest and object vehe-

mently. Those who know better should do better. The dark days of dictatorship must never return.

Guyana should not be categorised as a “shithole” country or a “turd” world country, although applicable in the current context.

Let us hope that good judgement prevails. Let us work towards a solution to avoid sanctions. It is the poor and downtrodden who will suffer in the long run.

Sincerely, G Girdhari

Understanding the concept of summoning an ambassador

Dear Editor, Your front-page news item (March 27) reported that the Guyana Ambassador was summoned to the State Department.

This concept is studied in International Relations or International Politics in courses on Diplomacy or Foreign Affairs. I did doctoral studies in both fields and as such understand the concept and when it is used.

Summoning an Ambassador is a diplomatic tool that a host country has when it wants to make its anger felt to another country. An Ambassador is a representative of a country to another country; relations between countries are normally carried out by the Ambassador (and staff) and the Foreign Ministry (State Department).

“Summoning” an Ambassador (of a home Government) simply means that the host state ‘orders’ an Ambassador (or his representative based in the capital) to the Foreign Ministry (diplomatically if not legally obligated to appear) usually to express displeasure and warn of consequences of an act (policy) carried out by the country of the Ambassador. The disapproval can be verbal and/or written. It is the highest level in the host country of a show of disapproval of an act. Normally, there is a dress down (the Ambassador gets an earful) of the act or policy of the country. If the Ambassador is unavailable, the Deputy goes in. Summoning an Ambassador is a serious action by the host state; it is usu-

ally the last verbal warning before actions are taken. A summoning is not normally or lightly taken by a host state or ignored by a home state (especially if it is small and weak). And the US hardly summons Ambassadors of small countries to deliver messages for their governments. The Ambassador can refuse to attend a summoning. But it will lead to serious consequences like banning from all social events and trigger more serious actions like withdrawal of aid, instructing the Ambassador to leave the country, etc.

The US summoning of the Washingtonbased Ambassador is the first time in Guyana’s history that her Ambassador was summoned to a foreign Ministry of another state. The summoning of the Ambassador has to do with the election.

The State Department official was blunt that fraudulent results of the election will not be accepted. There would be serious consequences for a Government that swears in from a farcical count of ballots.

The Ambassador had an obligation to report that message to his Government.

And the State Department made the act of summoning and the message public so that Government and the population in Guyana and the diaspora are aware that the US means business about its intolerance for rigged elections. If it was not that important, the US would not have made it public.

The summoning signals a strain in re-

lations. It is the first act of upbraiding with more to follow. Such an act is not normally followed by a second warning although it is possible that the Secretary of State could intervene more directly and give another serious warning to the Guyana Government. If there is continued intransigence, sanctions could be the next step. A summoning needs to be backed up by other action to send a clear message that the host country means business. In short, the message from the summoning means the US would not accept a fraudulent electoral outcome declared by Clairmont Mingo.

And if GECOM and the Government continue on that path, both will suffer serious consequences for their action.

The Ambassador of the home Government would brief his superior (Minister) and get instructions on the most appropriate way to respond. But no explanation would suffice; the US wants a Government based on the real outcome of the elections not Mingo’s declaration of the count of Region Four. Nothing else matters to the US at this time! It will become more serious if the correct result is not declared within days. The Guyana Government and GECOM are urged to act quickly and decisively in bringing the electoral count to an end, declaring the real winner, and letting relations with America return to normal.

Dear Editor, We wish to humbly suggest to all non-essential businesses to close for an initial period of 14 days being the COVID-19 incubation period, so as to fight the spread of this new and deadly virus.

However, our isolation will only be effective if we all close at the same time and stay at home to have the greatest impact, as seen in other countries Our nation needs direction and guidance at this time and I trust the power of the media

to assist in calling for this urgent and timely response to a virus no one was prepared to deal with.

The sooner businesses and individuals start this stay at home initiative, the better it will be for all of our health and safety, but it must be done together and at the same time.

We are well aware of the negative economic effects the closure will have on an already ailing country coupled with the current political impasse, but the cost of losing the lives of family and friends can

never be quantified.

We urge all businesses and individuals to strongly consider a nationwide voluntary closure and stay at home, possibly starting April 1 to 15. It is hoped that the closure and isolation will have a definite and positive impact on reducing the spread across the country.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours truly, Dr Vishnu Bisram

Voluntary business closure/stay at home

Yours faithfully, John Lewis

may no longer be a thing of the past

Dear Editor, In May 2015, many young independent-minded Guyanese across the ethnic divide went to the polls not knowing any other Government than the PPP/C. For many, it was an opportunity to institute change while for others it was a chance to exercise their franchise and vote like a boss. Yet, for others, it was an opportunity to send a strong and pellucid message to the political leaders of the country: if you govern poorly, we will vote you out.

Despite the many warnings by their parents and those who would have lived through the dark days of rigged elections in Guyana under the previous incarnation of the APNU, these young people were determined to charter their way and make their own choice. And rightly so. Many argued that rigged elections were a thing of the past and quickly dismissed the notion. No one could blame them, after all, they grew up in a different era, laden with advanced technology, shopping malls, supermarkets, and fast-food joints. They were tech-savvy, more educated, and better informed than the generations before them and cared very little about the electoral transgressions of the past.

Despite efforts to rebrand itself over the years, the PNC, the major partner in the APNU/AFC configuration had done little to convince non-supporters that they had changed.

However, the passage of time coupled with the fact that they had not been in office for 23 years helped to shake off the riggers tag so much so that young Guyanese could not be bothered about rigged elections that occurred long before they were born.

And so, many of them voted for and rewarded the APNU/ AFC coalition with a slim victory. With one misstep after another by the coalition over the last 5 years, these young people quickly realised their trust was misplaced and swiftly voiced their concerns and outrage in different ways. Some took to social media, while others used the two Local Government Elections to voice their disapproval. Yet, some took the laudable decision to form political parties to contest the March 2, 2020, general elections.

Amidst rising fear of authoritarianism, many of these young independent-minded Guyanese reversed their support for the incumbent on March 2. Once again, they sent a strong message to the political leaders of Guyana: shape up or ship out. Then came the disgraceful events of the last three weeks and counting. In one comedy of errors after another, the APNU/AFC’s blatant attempts to rig the elections in broad daylight were repeatedly exposed for all and sundry to see.

Whether their latest attempt succeeds or not, these reprehensible acts by the APNU/AFC should serve as a potent reminder to all Guyanese, young and old, that elections rigging may no longer be a thing of the past. More importantly, these blatant attempts to rig the election have left an indelible impression on the psyche of young independent-minded Guyanese, many of whom would have nonchalantly dismissed such notions in the past. If there is one good thing to come out of all of this, it is that the APNU/AFC has unintentionally managed to unite and strengthen the resolve of young independent-minded Guyanese who are prepared to stand up for what is right and just and fight all attempts to undermine the will of the people. One can only imagine how the APNU/AFC hopes to attract young independent-minded Guyanese in the foreseeable future.

Yours faithfully, Omchand Mahdu

An open appeal to President David Granger to save Guyana

Dear President David Granger, As you are aware, I have always had the greatest form of respect for you and your Government since 2015 and forever in my life, past and present. However, I always stand for what is right and good for my God, country and fellow humans.

We all know this is a time of great pain and distress. Guyana, Mr President, as we all know, is in a time of upheaval and psychological warfare which could very well turn out to be riotous and could create a mindset in our people of ethnic strife and party loyalty warfare.

Guyana is set for greatness as we all know (despite the setback in oil prices) through our discovery of oil, minerals, agriculture and possibly rare earth discoveries. You, as President, need to ensure that Guyana does not go into a state of civil unrest and war. You, sire need

to ensure that sanctions are not levied on our country. We know of countries where sanctions have been unleashed and this has had devastating effects on the lives of citizens, the economy and international degradation where the nation becomes like a pariah state. States where people are being looked down upon as children of a lesser God, as we have seen with the Venezuelans.

I wish to paint a clearer picture as to how countries with international sanctions have suffered. Take Iran for example, in 2010 the United States passed the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act. It revoked, for example, permission to import “certain foodstuffs and carpets of Iranian origin,” the US Treasury says. Those who violated the law could face a fine of up to $1 million and 20 years’ imprisonment. The law established that Iranian goods or services may not be

imported unless they are gifts valued $100 or less; informational materials, or personal property of someone coming into the United States. In 2011, the United States added further sanctions, including tightening restrictions on companies that provide Iran with equipment and expertise to run its oil and chemical industry. It prohibited groups that do business with financial institutions in Iran from holding accounts in the United States.

EU sanctions: The European Union announced Monday it will ban the import of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products. Assets of Iran’s central bank in the European Union will be frozen, and trade with Iran in gold, diamonds, and precious metals will be blocked, the Union said.

“Every single day, as soon as people open their eyes, they face a dark and vague future,” wrote Iranian mu-

sician Mehdi Rajabian. Mr President, is this the future you see for your people? I hope not.

What sanctions are already in place on Syria?

The EU, Syria’s biggest trading partner, has imposed travel bans and asset freezes on more than 120 individuals and 40 companies. These include President Assad and most of his close family, the Syrian Central Bank and senior officials, including seven Ministers.

In 2013, the EU banned crude oil imports from Syria and in February it expanded sanctions to block trade in gold, precious metals and diamonds with Syrian public bodies and the central bank. President Granger, do you see how easily our natural resources industry with so much promise could crumble? Are you prepared for this?

The bottom line is, military action isn’t the only option for countries that

are in the midst of a political dispute.

Instead, economic sanctions provide an immediate way for the US to crack down on rogue countries without putting lives on the line.

It was estimated that if sanctions were to be levied against this great nation economically we will regress forty years and we don’t need this for our country. I also would not like for you, Mr Granger, as a gentleman and a scholar, to be sanctioned or for any member of Parliament to be sanctioned. Thus, I implore you to use whatever persuasive skills and authority you may possess to weigh in on the situation at GECOM to ensure that we have a proper count/recount of votes and so we can sway the minds of the observers and the world at large to once again see Guyana in a positive light.

Sincerely, Roshan Khan

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Foundation

Guyana Times is pleased to publish the Education Ministry’s National Grade Six Assessment Past Papers. This is the second part of English Paper 1 2013.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL GRADE SIX ASSESSMENT PAPER 1

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Reading Time: 10 minutes Writing Time: 60 minutes

READ THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY 1. This test has 40 questions. You have 1 hour 10 minutes to answer them.

2. Each question has four possible answers: (A), (B), (C) and (D). Read each

question carefully then choose the correct answer.

3. On your answer sheet, find the number that matches the question you intend to answer.

4. Shade the circle which has the same letter A, B, C or D, next to the answer you have chosen.

Sample Question

In question 21, what is the function of the word underlined?

21. Sanjay threw his bag over the wall.

(A) Pronoun (B) Conjunction (C) Adjective (D) Preposition In questions 22 and 23, choose the underlined word which should have an apostrophe.

22. The girls in the childrens choir said the instruments were theirs.

(A)Girls (B)Childrens (C)Instruments (D)Theirs 23. The grades awarded by the teachers were questioned by the students parents.

(A)Grades (B)Teachers (C)Students (D)Parents In questions 24 to 26, choose the name given to the part of the book described.

24. The section that gives a brief outline is called the (A) appendix.

(B) preface.

(C) index.

(D) content.

25. An alphabetical listing of names or subjects found at the end is called the (A) index.

(B) reference.

(C) glossary.

(D) forward.

26. The writer thanks those who helped in the (A) preface.

(B) acknowledgement.

(C) foreword.

(D) introduction.

In questions 27 and 28, choose the most suitable meaning of each of the proverbs.

1. The opposite of interior is ANSWER SHEET (A) inside. (B) below.

A B C D (C) outside. (D) above.

The letter C is shaded on the answer sheet because outside, the correct answer, is next to C.5.

If you want to change your answer erase it completely before you fill in your new choice.

6. When the supervisor tells you to begin, turn the page and work as quickly and as

27. When the cat’s away the mice will play.

(A) Workers do not play when they are at work.

(B) The mice will not play when the cat is around.

(C) Workers neglect their duties when the supervisor is not around.

(D) The mice will always play with the cat’s toys when it is not there.

28. We never miss the water ‘til the well runs dry.

(A) The water will never be missed by its users.

(B) When something is needed it is always there.

(C) Whenever something is needed it is never there.

(D) Something is missed only when it is not available.

In questions 29 and 30, choose the meaning of the underlined phrase.

29. The shopkeeper is always above board when he deals with his customers.

(A) Honest (B) Plain spoken (C) Hard-hearted (D) Concerned 30. Despite the difficult situation, she refused to throw in the towel.

(A) Give away the towel (B) Ask for help (C) Give up the struggle (D) Change her opinion Read the passage below, then answer questions 31 to 35.

Of ever-increasing importance in many parts of the world is the tourist industry.

The presence of a volcano, especially if it is very large, or active, is a great advantage. Tourists are always eager to visit the scenes of disasters, as happened on Etna in 1971, when tourists flocked to the areas where lava overran vineyards and threatened houses. This volcano is also an attraction because it is so large and impressive, and has snow on the summit for much of the year. Mount Teide in Tenerife is an impressive and even higher volcano which has a snow cap for 3 or 4 months of the year. Lanzarote, another Canary Island, has a few tourist vol-

carefully as you can.

7. If you try a question and find that you cannot answer it, leave it and go on to the next one.

You may return to that question later.

8. You must not use calculators for this assessment.

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

canic attractions. There is a stretch of 18th century lava studded with numerous small craters which resemble a lunar landscape. In the same area are a few hotspots where the ground is extremely hot. Only sixty centimetres below the surface the temperature reaches 400°C. Water can be thrown into a hole and will reappear as a small geyser within seconds. Brushwood thrust into a hole in the ground bursts into flames almost immediately. Both of these localities are near a new restaurant which has an open barbeque utilising heat from subterranean sources. The restaurant is of course built on lava.

Adapted from: Communication Tasks — An Integrated Approach by Sheila Callow and P. L. Maxwell 31. The first sentence shows that tourism is (A) on the decline.

(B) limited to few countries.

(C) not attracting many people.

(D) becoming more popular.

32. All are reasons for the attraction of visitors to Etna except to (A) see vineyards covered with lava.

(B) see the volcano erupt.

(C) see how impressive the volcano was.

(D) note its snow-capped mountain peaks.

33. According to the passage, barbeque is done (A) in the restaurant.

(B) in open pits.

(C) using underground heat. (D) using coals.

34. Which is not a tourist attraction of Lanzarote?

(A) A stretch of 18thcentury lava (B) Numerous small craters (C) A lunar landscape (D) Snow cap for 3 or 4 months 35. From the passage it can be said that (A) volcanoes do not provide interest for tourists.

(B) Lanzarote is smaller than Mount Teide.

(C) tourists visit volcanoes only at times of eruption.

(D) restaurants are not new to volcanic areas.

Read the poem below, then answer questions 36 to 40.

I wonder what my kite can see, So high above the world and me; And if the birds are friends to him, 4 As I am friends with Jack and Jim, And are the clouds just really rain, That melts and pours all down again?

Oh! he must know a thousand things, 8 As much as schoolmasters, and kings; But will he breathe a word to me?

No, he’s as quiet as quiet can be.

100 Comprehensive Exercises - by Harry Subnaik and Reginald Charran 36. “Wonder” in line 1 suggests that the poet is (A) curious.

(B) happy.

(C) hesitant.

(D) elated.

37. The author’s friends are (A) Jim and kings. (B) Jack and Jim. (C) schoolmasters and kings. (D) Jack and schoolmasters.

38. Which two lines suggest that the kite has great knowledge?

(A) 1 and 2 (B) 4 and 5 (C) 7 and 8 (D) 9 and 10 39. “No, he’s as quiet as quiet can be” in line 10 shows that the poet (A) knows that kites do not talk. (B) feels that the kite is rude.

(C) feels that kites should talk. (D) knows that kites are silent.

40. A most suitable title for the poem is (A) Kites.

(B) My Kite and I. (C) Friends.

(D) Kites in the Air.

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General and Regional Elections

GECOM Chair, CEO at loggerheads over recount …court to hear conflicting positions from electoral body on Monday

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hief Elections Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Keith Lowenfield and Chairperson of the Commission, Retired Justice Claudette Singh are preparing to fight a case brought against the electoral body on Monday, but the entity’s two top brass are getting ready to present conflicting cases.

The matter stems from an application brought by A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) against the Commission, asking the court to prevent the electoral body from executing a recount of the votes cast in the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

Lowenfield’s Attorney, Neil Boston, on Friday told media operatives that his submission on behalf of his client was that a declaration has been made and a recount by the Commission based on a request by political actors would be ultra vires.

He was making reference to the Caribbean Community (Caricom) initiative, which saw Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and Head of State, President David Granger agreeing to a deal brokered by Caricom Chair, Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley.

“That agreement between Granger and Jagdeo is ultra vires,” he told re-

GECOM CEO Keith Lowenfield

porters.

Following the agreement by the two political leaders, an APNU/AFC candidate, Ulita Moore, moved to the courts to file an injunction against the recount.

According to Boston, the Elections Commission does not have the lawful authority to accommodate an unlawful act.

Asked specifically whether the Commission would accommodate a recount of the votes cast in the elections, Boston was adamant “they can’t do that, to do that is unlawful”.

He explained, “The count has already been declared; there is an elections court that will have to review all the evidence by the persons who were there to determine whether there was some unlawful act or omission which affected the results.”

The position adumbrated by the CEO’s Attorney is

in stark contrast to the submissions made to the court on the matter by GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Singh.

Speaking to media operatives outside the High Court on Friday, Anil Nandlall, the Attorney-at-Law for Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, expressed optimism at the notion of a recount based on Singh’s submissions.

He said the GECOM Chairperson’s submissions that were tendered to the court illustrated that she has finally assumed her role “and has indicated in those submissions that she is prepared to discharge her duties under the Constitution”.

According to Nandlall, the GECOM Chair in her submissions reiterated that it was that entity that was in charge of the electoral process and Moore’s application should not be granted, “because it would force GECOM to make decisions that are not truly GECOM’s decisions”.

He said the GECOM Chair noted in her submissions that the entity has already taken a decision “that a recount of the ballots should take place, that GECOM has drafted an order to be sent to be gazetted and that she intends to give effect to that decision”.

Nandlall said too that Singh, in her submissions, conceded that while Caricom

Justice Franklyn Holder

was intended to play a role in the recount process, the actual decision to facilitate the recount was in fact taken by the Commission.

Singh, in her submissions – a copy of which was seen by Guyana Times – observed that the most important order that was sought by the APNU/AFC candidate was that the recounting of the votes was unconstitutional and that the basis of the contention was that the Commission could not do so on the terms contained in an Aide Memoire signed by the President and the Opposition Leader, or at all.

Justice Singh was adamant, however, that once there was evidence that the

electoral process was compromised, then to ensure the impartiality, fairness, and compliance with the provisions of the Constitution or of any Act of Parliament, the Commission was constitutionally mandated to intervene to ensure public confidence in the electoral process.

“Thus, it is respectfully submitted that pursuant to Section 22 and Article 162 of the Constitution, with or without the Aide Memoire, the Commission has separate and independent powers under the Constitution to execute supervisory powers in respect to the electoral process.”

As such, “This means that the Commission can order a recount”. The Chairperson said in her submissions to the court, “the intention of Parliament was to vest GECOM with independent supervisory powers to ensure the fairness, transparency, and impartiality of the electoral process”.

As such, “it is further submitted that Section 140 provides GECOM with a further protective shield to allow the body to act independently and unfettered

GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh

to provide the nation with a credible electoral process”.

Singh reminded too that GECOM had already given a previous commitment to the court for a recount, and said the undertaking accorded with GECOM’s role to ensure fairness, transparency, and credible elections.

She as such appealed that “this Honourable Court should not fetter GECOM in the exercise of its constitutional role and functions”, and added that GECOM “as an autonomous constitutional agency is guided by a legal framework and the decision to recount was in keeping with its supervisory mandate over the electoral process”.

8 NEWS Thieves invade, rob home of family in quarantine T SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

he home of the Good Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD) family in mandatory quarantine for COVID-19 was broken into on Thursday evening, thus raising several concerns.

One of the owners of the house, Suraj Baboolall, who has been isolated for the past 12 days at a quarantine facility, told Guyana Times that health authorities promised them before they left their residence that their property would be protected. This was to be done in the form of regular police patrols.

“About two Tuesdays ago, we were quarantined and they gave us the reassurance that we will have Police watching the home.

After the assurance, we said we’re going to move, so we did.”

However, according to Baboolall, this was never done. On Friday morning, a neighbour observed a win-

dow was broken and upon further inspection, the back door was found ajar.

“We had gone through the isolation process, quarantine process until this morning. One of the neigh-

bours that always watch the house, they saw the door ajar and they saw like the windows and stuff was broken. When they reached the back of the yard, they saw the back yard was broken,” the man detailed.

The family has not been able to assess their losses since they are still under quarantine. He indicated that the community is prone to robberies and other crimes, which makes security of paramount importance.

“We don’t know what’s missing. We don’t know what really took place. The Police came and they took pictures and then they left. We know the community that we live in. That’s why we know this was going to happen. When I asked my neighbour over the last 12 days, they said they haven’t seen any Police patrolling around the area.

They have not seen anyone there,” Baboolall shared.

The family has expressed dissatisfaction that their property was left unguarded, despite reassurances from the health authorities.

“They said they are patrolling. If they are patrolling, how did someone break into our house and take our stuff away. I was in communication with the CMO. He said they will get protection for the house. I did send him a message and he said he will speak with the Minister,” he explained.

Guyana’s first imported case of the coronavirus was 52-year-old Ratna Baboolall, who died at the Georgetown Public Hospital on March 11. To date, four of her family members have tested positive for the disease.

Other relatives were also placed under quarantine as a precautionary measure.

The family was awaiting the testing of more samples to determine if they could leave.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), symptoms of this new coronavirus disease are fever, tiredness, dry cough and diarrhoea. While the mortality rate is low, the infection rate is high.

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

And the farce…

Y

…goes on our Eyewitness has repeatedly referred to Marx’s aphorism that “history repeats itself, first as tragedy and then as farce”. He was referring to the pitiful attempts of Napoleon’s nephew to execute a coup d’etat so as to seize power – as Napoleon had done. The “farce” is not “ha ha” funny, but just ludicrous in Granger’s ahistoricity and clumsiness.

As Granger and his myrmidons plough ahead with the rigging farce in the Courts, he’s like the Titanic’s captain shouting, “Full steam ahead”. Justice Holder just ruled that he had jurisdiction to hear the APNU candidate’s contention that GECOM couldn’t agree to a recount either of the Reg 4 votes or those of all the regions. Never mind that her leader Granger claims otherwise!!

Your Eyewitness didn’t have to be a legal luminary to figure out this was always on the cards – and in the bag.

So, too, was Holder’s denial of the PPP’s claim that if the court assumed jurisdiction to look into an election matter, it also had the jurisdiction to order GECOM to release its copies of the SOPs. They weren’t even asking the Judge to count the Sops or anything like that - which would imply he was getting involved with the election process itself.

No siree Bob!!

These SOPs, the PPP not unreasonably figured, would be part of the evidence normally produced in the “discovery” process, when both sides are allowed to see “what the other has”. No surprises and sandbagging and all that! As to whether the APNU candidate can actually halt GECOM’s authority over a recount, Holder says that will have to go to trial – next week!! And the farce goes on!!

So, we’ll have grown men, including the Judge – like we saw Harmon do the other day at his presser – lie their heads off with no compunction. Yet those at the bar will be forced to address the bench as “Your Honour”!! It makes one want to puke. Never in the annals of our history were our Courts so dishonoured (deflowered?) by the political directorate – even in the times of Burnham and what we thought were his egregious riggings. But alas, there’s no JOF Haynes left, is there?? During the tragedy there was, but this is the farce, let’s not forget.

So, Holder will rule next week, after much storm and fury, that the CEO’s submitted figures stand – so there’s no need for a recount. The Commission, with the casting vote of Claudette Singh – notwithstanding her amended pledge - will approve those figures and Granger will be sworn in.

Even as the PPP makes a beeline to the Appellate Court. And sanctions kick in. …of the Government’s reaction to COVID-19 Your Eyewitness knew this Caretaker Government didn’t give a hoot about the people of this country – ALL of the people, including its supporters – when it placed Moses Nagamootoo as Chairman of the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF)!! Yes, that’s right, Moses Nagamootoo!!

Now, if this isn’t a farce – and for sure not a ha-ha one -- what is?? Which country in the world would place a political hack in charge of facing the greatest threat in our history?? And that includes Forbes Burnham, whom we always brought up when fellow West Indians would share horror stories about hurricanes and earthquakes and such other disasters!

Let’s not forget that Nagamootoo wasn’t even trusted

by Granger to chair Cabinet meetings!! And that after serving god-knows-how-many-years in the PPP, when Cheddi finally got back into office. All he was entrusted with was being in charge of the Chronic and “information”!!

Nagamootoo has never managed anything larger than a rum bottle in his entire life.

All he does is revel in the sound of his own voice.

Wanker!! …of Volga Lawrence But Nagamootoo’s heading the COVID task force was just part of a one-two punch to the Guyanese solar plexus.

The other was Volda Lawrence’s retention as the Caretaker Health Minister.

After her performance at Ashmins, she’s best suited for a fish market!!

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

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SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SoPs should be released as was done in 2011 – PSC …disappointed with GECOM’s refusal

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he Private Sector Commission (PSC) has expressed disappointment over the response it received from the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Retired Justice Claudette Singh, in relation to its request for the disclosure of all copies of the Statements of Poll (SoPs).

On Thursday, the PSC wrote Justice Singh asking that copies of all SoPs of every District be released to the Commission, and further proposed that scanned copies be made available to all of the contesting political parties.

However, in response, the GECOM Chair informed the Private Sector body that same day that: “While I understand your request is intended to contribute meaningfully to the process, you would be aware that this matter is currently engaging

PSC Chairman Gerry Gouveia

the attention of the Court…

In this regard, any further action on this subject would be dependent on the decision of the Court.”

Justice Singh further reminded the PSC that Section 83 (9) of the Representation of People Act specifies the statutory officers to be issued with SoPs at the close of poll and the alternative mechanism for other interested groups or persons to

obtain the information contained therein.

The GECOM Chair had responded to the PSC on Thursday and the following day, the High Court refused an application for GECOM to produce copies of SoPs from District Four, where there have been controversy surrounding the tabulation process and “credible allegations” of fraud from most of the parties that contest-

ed the elections, and even the observers – who are all pushing for a recount of the votes cast in the region.

That recount was halted after APNU/AFC candidate Ulita Moore secured an injunction, blocking GECOM from conducting the process.

The matter is currently engaging the courts.

But according to the PSC on Friday, it “…is disappointed at the response received from the Chairman of GECOM to its request… in claiming that any action on her part on this matter is dependent on the decision of the Court, where the matter is currently being engaged.”

The PSC noted that this request was made as an accredited local observer and on the basis of what had obtained at the November 2011 General and Regional Elections. It pointed out that GECOM voluntarily released the SoPs then

GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh

to all of the contesting parties after the credibility of the tabulation of the election results was questioned by then Opposition party, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) – the majority party of the caretaker coalition Government.

PSC Chairman, Caption Gerry Gouveia, told Guyana Times that the conduct of GECOM nearly 10 years ago had set a precedent. In fact, he noted that when APNU had raised concerns about the 2011 result, the PSC had also represented the party’s position to the Elections Commission for the release of the statements – which contain information on voters from each polling station.

“So, what we’re asking GECOM to do is exactly the same thing. We’re asking GECOM to just do what they did in 2011 … You see transparency and democracy goes hand in hand, and anybody that is arguing against transparent and democratic process is on the wrong side. Anybody that is arguing against transparency and a democratic election is on the wrong side. We feel very strongly that GECOM should be able to share their Statements of Poll with the accredited observers. I don’t know why is it that GECOM is keeping these Statements

of Poll like it is a state secret. These SoPs are public documents,” Gouveia argued.

The PSC further outlined in the missive on Friday that from its own observation, that its request for the SoPs was in the interest of providing credible public disclosure of the results of the elections. This is in light of the fact that the Private Sector body is perfectly satisfied that the SoPs used by the Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, in tabulating the results of the current elections in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) were never established as authentic and were not verified in a transparent manner as directed by the Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George.

The PSC’s request for the release of the SoPs for Region Four comes some two weeks after a similar request was made by one of the international organisations that had fielded a large observation mission to monitor Guyana’s elections.

The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) had written the Returning Officer requesting the SoPs which he had used to prepare the spreadsheet of results during the contentious tabulation process. That request too was not granted.

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Fulfilling recount commitment will restore democracy ꟷ Ali

PPP/C Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali

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r e s i d e n t i a l Candidate of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Irfaan Ali said that if all parties stay true to their commitment for a national recount then it would resolve the current electoral situation that Guyana finds itself in today.

Ali’s comment came following the various rulings from the High Court on Friday. Justice Franklyn Holder ruled that the court has jurisdiction to hear the legal proceedings filed

by APNU/AFC candidate, Ulita Moore, that blocks

the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) from conducting the national recount that was requested by President David Granger and agreed to by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo under the supervision of Caricom.

The High Court Judge also denied an application made for GECOM to submit the Statements of Poll from Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), where the tabulation process has been mired in controversy and fraud.

This resulted in calls by most of the parties that contested the March 2 elections – as well as from both local and international observers, and the international community – for all votes to be accurately counted.

But according to Ali, while many have claimed that they will adhere to the rule of law and uphold the Constitution, this cannot be done if they do not first adhere to the will of the people and do right by the will of people, which was exercised almost four weeks ago.

“Today, we continue to battle to secure our democracy and to have your votes counted to ensure that the

votes of District Four reflect correctly the will of the people… Now, this issue can be simply resolved by doing what all of us would have committed to doing, that is, the national recount.

Rather than exposing our country, rather than exposing our democracy, rather than having the state of affairs in our country today where not only the business community [but] every citizen is uneased,” the PPP/C Presidential Candidate noted.

Ali, who has an economic background, further stated that the country’s system is collapsing with its international reverses plunging downwards and gold reserves deteriorating.

On this note, he posited that all Guyanese have a responsibility now to speak up and ensure that the country proceeds on a pathway that is democratic and stable.

“What is happening now is going to drive investments away from us. What is happening now is leading to a lot of distrust in our country as a whole, not only our political system but our country as [a] whole.

When the democratic rights

GECOM CEO Keith Lowenfield

of people is eroded, it’s the strongest signal of a failed state that any country can send to investors. We don’t need this at this time,” he asserted.

The PPP/C Presidential Candidate referenced a recent statement made by APNU/AFC campaign manager, Joseph Harmon, for political parties to “sit and work out our differences”.

But Ali posited that before this is done, there needs to be a commitment to move the process forward through a democratic pathway, whereby the people’s votes must be respected and their fundamental right of

electing a Government of their choice is protected.

“You must ensure that that process is completed.

We must ensure that a democratic elected Government, based on the will of the people, is sworn into office,” he added.

Nevertheless, Ali further added that there is a lot on the agenda that the leaders have to talk about in moving Guyana forward.

He noted that greater inclusiveness, greater participation, constitutional reform – were all things that the PPP/C spoke about on the campaign trail while noting that the conversation on these and other matters cannot commence from an illegal platform.

“We cannot commence the conversation from a platform of mistrust and distrust. We have to commence the conversation on a platform of fairness, dignity, honesty and respect for the will of the people.

And that platform requires us to do the right thing – have the recount, declare the true results and have a Government of the people’s choice, assume office so that together, we can take our

GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh

country forward. Together, we can rebuild our international image and together, we can send a strong signal internationally that Guyana is ready to stand up, protect and safeguard its democratic principles,” he contended.

In urging Guyanese to play their part to ensure this, the PPP/C Presidential Candidate also urged the international community to continue to press forward and assist local efforts that seek to protect Guyana’s current fragile environment.

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SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Recount necessary for Canada to recognise new Govt – DM for Global Affairs – says recount needed to ensure every vote is counted

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ne day after Guyana’s Ambassador to the US, Riyad Insanally was warned that any Government sworn in based on flawed results would not be recognised by the Trump Administration, Michael Grant, Assistant Deputy Minister for Global Affairs of Canada has echoed similar sentiments.

Grant in a statement on Friday evening stated that the Canadian Government is closely monitoring the legal proceedings relating to Guyana’s National and Regional Elections that was

held on March 2, 2020.

“We believe a recount of ballots is necessary to ensure every vote is counted.

The will of the people must be respected for Canada to recognise the legitimacy of a duly elected Government.”

On Thursday Michael Kozak, a diplomat in the United States Department of State, currently serving as acting Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs stated that the Guyanese Ambassador was summoned to a meeting where the US reiterated its stance on the current politi-

cal situation in Guyana.

“On behalf of the US Government, today (Thursday), I summoned Guyana Ambassador to the US, Riyad Insanally to convey our firm position that any Government sworn in based on flawed election results would not be legitimate. Every vote must be counted,” Kozak tweeted.

The US has previously warned that there would be “serious consequences” for those who seek to benefit from electoral fraud in Guyana.

This warning was even Deputy Minister for Global Affairs of Canada, Michael Grant

relayed by the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, during a press conference on March 17.

“The individuals who seek to benefit from electoral fraud and form illegitimate Governments, regimes will be subject to a variety of serious consequences from the United States,” Pompeo had stated.

The US National Security Council, the forum that decides the US’s national security and military policies,

has also called for democracy to prevail in Guyana.

The United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab had also warned of “serious consequences” for those who seek to benefit from electoral fraud in Guyana.

“Any Government sworn in on the basis of non-credible results will face strong international condemnation. If the situation continues to deteriorate, this international response will

include a range of serious consequences for those concerned,” Raab had stated on March 24.

Only on Thursday, A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) campaign manager Joseph Harmon dismissed allegations of electoral fraud, saying “fraud is not a political term, it is a legal concept which requires specific averments that speak to fraud. You have to detail the particulars of fraud.”

He also stated that those who are endorsing calls for sanctions were anti-national.

But Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo pointed out that sanctions could be avoided if the APNU/AFC coalition did the right thing.

“They are the ones who are anti-national. The civil society organisations, the small parties, etc, we are still trying to avoid the sanctions by asking them to do the right thing, which is to have a recount done that would allow the rightful President to be sworn in and then we can avoid all of the sanctions, personal as well as national sanctions,” Jagdeo said.

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WDRH staff protest unpreparedness for COVID-19 – possible coronavirus death still "uninvestigated" – DCMO

Nurses refusing to enter the facility on Friday

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t was high drama at the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) on Friday morning after medical staffers refused to enter the facility at Vreed-en-Hoop, WCD, following a suspected COVID-19 death the day before and the failure by authorities to sanitise the hospital.

Particularly, they complained of the admission of visitors into the facility without any screening and the shortage of supplies.

More alarming, however, is suspicions by staffers that there was a positive case of the virus at the facility.

The employees are alleging that on Thursday evening, a male died at the facility and it was a suspected case of the novel coronavirus. When contacted, however, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Karen Boyle, indicated to Guyana Times that the ‘rumours’ have not been investigated as yet.

But a social media post from the Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) Administration on Friday stated that staff at the West Demerara Hospital have had direct contact with the suspected COVID-19 patient, who died, and as such, they are on self-quarantine, pending the test result.

Further, it noted that the

hospital has been sanitised two times since the death of the suspected individual.

With the COVID-19 epidemic in great effect, the implementation of greater hygienic practices has been highly recommended to prevent any further spread.

At about 06:00h on Friday morning, nurses gathered in front of the facility, located in Region Three, where they were greeted by locked gates.

to their lives.

“Some nurses came since like 06:00h and the gate was locked. We were told that no entry until we get somebody to screen. We stand up till 07:55h and they open the gate to allow everybody to go in, all the visitors to the different wards,” the health worker explained.

“We are saying that, if you want to screen the nurses, you have to screen everybody. We’re at risk when

er, bleach, Lysol, alcohol and those things so how are we working? However, they promise to sanitise the place. As of yesterday, they had a suspected case that die and we’re saying that they need to sanitise the whole area…We need to have the place sanitised,” the nurse urged.

By midday, some employees of the facility opted to return home while others braved the scorching sun until they received word from the administrator or Regional Executive Officer (REO), who were both in a

meeting. “We will stay outside until they sanitise the area and we feel safe 'cause that person that died went to two other departments.”

Another said, “Some things are irreversible. You don’t wait until things happen. People want to be certain that everything is okay.

We came and meet the crowd and if the nursing staff saying that they not taking chances to go in, then we the utility staff have to touch everything so we don’t know what next is coming.”

Nevertheless, the Regional Administration is

urging citizens to take all the necessary precautions and remain calm. It called for adherence to the advice from the Ministry of Public Health and urged persons not to be misled by false information.

Meanwhile, while delivering the daily update hours later, caretaker Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence said the number of coronavirus cases in Guyana still stood at five.

The Ministry would have received 1800 kits so far, which were donated for testing for COVID-19.

Duo remanded on break and enter charge

T

wenty-seven-yearold Joel Johnson, a miner of Old Road Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD), and his accomplice, 22-year-old Quincy Wilson, were on Friday slapped with a joint burglary charge when they appeared before Magistrate Dylon Bess in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The unrepresented men denied the allegation which stated that between March

23 and 24, 2020, at First Street McDoom, EBD, they broke into the dwelling house of Lisa Ahmad and stole a quantity of articles including gold jewellery amounting to $155,000.

Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh told the court that Johnson was previously charged with attempted murder and has failed to attend court on numerous occasions for the matter’s Preliminary Inquiry (PI).

The prosecutor further objected to bail being granted, pointing that two defendants are involved in the matter.

With regards to the present charge, the court heard that following a police investigation, the stolen articles were recovered in the possession of the two defendants.

Magistrate Bess upheld the prosecution’s submission and remanded both men to prison until May 29, 2020.

Young father charged for armed robbery

The West Demerara Regional Hospital

When Guyana Times arrived at the medical facility, one of the nurses explained that they were denied entry until some form of screening was done. However, after some time had elapsed, they were allowed to enter along with visitors.

Thereafter, the nurses raised concerns that these persons were allowed to enter without any form of screening or sanitising – which poses a major threat

you send these people from all walks of life around the place and they’re saying to us that we can go and work because we’re taking chances every day in the bus and car,” she added.

The medical staff went on to say that there are insufficient disinfecting supplies to ensure that the surroundings are kept clean.

“A next thing is that we don’t have enough things to work with, like sanitis-

A

23-year-old father of two, who hails from Rasville, Georgetown, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday on an armed robbery charge.

Phillip English was slapped with three charges, all of which he denied when they were read to him by Magistrate Dylon Bess.

The allegation stated that on February 10, 2020, at West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, while being

armed with a dangerous weapon – a gun – he robbed Chatram Sookram of one CG motorcycle valued $340,000.

Meanwhile, another charge detailed that on March 16, 2020, at Roxanne Burnham Gardens, Georgetown, while being armed with the said weapon, he robbed Loraine Edward of one gold chain valued $85,000.

The final allegation read that on March 21, 2020, while being armed with a gun, English robbed Cleveland

Glasgow of a cellular phone valued $71,000.

In a submission to the court, Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh objected to bail being granted based on the serious nature of the charge. The court heard that one of the virtual complainants in the matter was injured during the attack by the repeat offender.

As such, the accused was remanded to court and will make his next court appearance on May 30, 2020.

14 NEWS

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

5 months later, family GTUC calls for unified still seeks justice for approach to fight COVID-19 death of retired cop I – accuses Police of dragging feet during investigation

F

ive months after retired policeman Fitzroy Hill was killed by a speeding car, justice is yet to be served.

On Thursday the Hill family spoke out, urging the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to do the right thing.

Yvonne George, sister to the deceased, told the media that her older brother’s life was snuffed out in an untimely gruesome manner on October 11, 2019. Hill was 62 years old when the incident occurred.

“We have never heard from a family member of him [the person who hit Hill down], we have never heard I am sorry, any apology, no condolences, nothing. I felt it the most because I called my brother the Sunday before his death from Bartica.

I asked him what happen my birthday pass you didn’t give me a call..., he called me back on the 8th of October and told me that he is coming down the Friday which was the weekend, that’s when he came and that is when he met his demise,” she said.

According to reports, the speeding car bearing license plate number PRR 1396 which belonged to then Lance Corporal Winston Neville Gouveia, struck Hill while he was standing in front of the Ocean View Hotel, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, while he was awaiting a bus.

Ryanna Lewis, the dead man’s niece, is adamant that the GPF is dragging its

Dead: Retired Policeman Fitzroy Hill

feet on the case. The family said that they believe that nothing much will be done since Gouveia is attached to the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), which is responsible for investigating Police ranks who might have been accused of misconduct or the commission of crimes in their professional functions.

“I haven’t been able to confirm, but from what I understand if Police have a matter of such nature ongoing, they cannot be promoted. They are claiming that they are investigating the matter but the person was promoted on January 1st, he was a Lance Corporal and he was promoted to full Corporal. I don’t think they are doing anything.

According to the Hill’s

family, they are positive that Gouveia was under the influence of alcohol whilst driving. They said that several eyewitnesses said that the officer was spotted consuming alcohol earlier.

However, when asked, ranks told the family that Gouveia’s blood content was not above the legal limit of alcohol when the breathalyser test was conducted.

The man’s son, Fitzroy Junior, also expressed his disappointment with how his father’s case was handled.

“Not even one time did this man ever come to the hospital, that made us feel worse. We feel like my father’s life isn’t worth it “, he said sadly.

Nevertheless, the relatives of the dead man said when they made contact with ranks of GPF earlier this month they were told that the case is currently at the criminal investigation department (CID). They further stated that they are exhausted with the running around they have been experiencing from the Police Force. The father of two, who served in the Guyana Police Force for over 29 years, was described by his family as a devoted and dedicated individual.

When contacted, Traffic Chief Linden Isles said that the file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) who recommended that an inquest be conducted.

n light of the novel coronavirus reaching Guyana’s shores with five confirmed cases of the infectious disease in the country, inclusive of one death, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) is calling for a unified approach to deal with the situation This was said in the context of the country’s political atmosphere due to the lack of transparency surrounding the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections. As such, GTUC is calling on citizens and workers to put “aside differences and fight the disease as one.”

GTUC posited “we are dealing with a three” issues matter and as such, it must be tacked simultaneously by focusing on the health of the nation, the economic well-being of the people and the need for assurance.

Focusing on healthcare workers, the Union noted that our healthcare workers are our front-line workers and as such, measures must be given to support them to ensure they remain safe as they wage a battle in close contact against the virus.

“I am not aware of the adequacy of equipment they have in event of grave need but there is need for inventory and collaboration to ensure that every healthcare worker is adequately protected and safe whether they are in the public or Private Sector health care delivery. This is the same with essential respiratory support equipment so that every life is given a chance to survive,” the missive explained.

Further, the Union stated that all should come on board with the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) to eradicate the deadly virus since it is important that everyone has the same goals and recognise that the safety of one deter-

GTUC General Secretary Lincoln Lewis

mines the safety of everyone despite political partisanship and efforts geared towards political mileage.

According to GTUC, the Public Health Ministry needs constant updates as to what mechanisms are being put in place to safeguard citizens consistent with public health guidelines. In fact, he implied that the group of Guyanese who arrived from Barbados via a chartered flight who are being quarantined at a location on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway after they were whisked away in a bus with Police and escorted to the quarantine facilities were “properly schooled”.

“It has been observed that some Guyanese who arrived from Barbados on a chartered flight yesterday are being quarantined. It is not clear if the authorities screened them before placing them on the flight and if they all practiced safety measures including wearing masks during said flight. One imagines also that those subjected to quarantine are properly schooled in its application not only to the wider society but even amongst themselves; that the appropriate supportive hygiene measures are there to facilitate handwashing etc.”

So far Guyana’s numbers of the virus remain low but GTUC stated that we must remain diligent and not lapse into a sense of complacency.

Recognising that this pandemic will adversely impact persons’ livelihood, the Union reminded the business owners that sending workers home for three months without pay is against the labour law.

While some are being sent home for six weeks and this is permitted under the law in that regard; not being paid is a violation of the law and transgression of the workers’ right.

To this end, the Union is calling on the Government to examine relief measures not excluding the removal of value-added tax (VAT) on some essential goods and services to cushion the damaging effect of the virus.

“The Guyana Trades Union Congress is on record calling on the Government to examine relief measures not excluding the removal of VAT on some essential goods and services. Where this nation and world face a pandemic, it is the human and decent thing for Government to enact interim measures. Our current ongoing political crisis must not hinder the application of appropriate interventions” GTUC noted.

Stressing that the safety of all lies in the caretaker Government’s hands, the Union noted that Guyanese need constant assurance that the Government is on top of this situation and this must be evident for all to see. Concerns expressed that the Government is not doing enough should not be seen as a slight but rather fear and the need on the part of the Government to do a review, increase visibility and action.

NEWS

15

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

UN urges Govt to introduce 4 Cuban nationals test positive for coronavirus after “urgent stringent measures” returning home from Guyana to stem COVID-19 …could signal large number of undetected infections

G

uyanese are of the view that the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) is not being entirely truthful about the number of persons who are suspected to have contracted the coronavirus (COVID-19).

This conclusion was drawn after the MoPH failed to provide specific numbers as to the persons in quarantine and those being monitored.

Guyana confirmed its first case of COVID-19 just over three weeks ago; that number has grown to five, with several other persons in mandatory quarantine.

However, this number can increase dramatically following reports from the Cuban health authorities that four Cuban nationals recently tested positive for the coronavirus upon returning to Cuba from Guyana.

Reports coming out from the Cuban Health Ministry stated that an eight-year-old child and her mother are the two latest to be tested positive.

They both travelled to Cuba from Guyana on March 21. A 31-year-old Cuban national who arrived in Cuba from Guyana on the same

United Nations Resident Coordinator Mikiko Tanaka

Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Karen Gordon-Boyle

day also tested positive.

All three persons have been hospitalised.

A source told Guyana Times that the Cuban authorities made several attempts to contact the Ministry’s hotline, but were unsuccessful.

Based on information received, the Government of Guyana had given permission for a chartered aircraft to fly the Cuban nationals back home after the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCCA) had suspended all flights leaving and entering Guyana.

However, last week, the Cuban health authorities

also reported that a man who travelled from Guyana to Cuba on March 12 had tested positive for the deadly virus.

When this publication made contact with the Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO), Dr Karen Gordon-Boyle, she stated that the Ministry was currently investigating the matter and it could take a while to track down these persons along with persons they might have come into contact with.

Cuba has recorded more than 70 cases of the novel coronavirus with two deaths.

W

hile the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) expressed concerns over the complacency of citizens and their cavalier attitude towards the advisories on the novel coronavirus, the United Nations (UN) has now called on the incumbent Government to urgently introduce more stringent measures to fight the disease.

In a statement on Friday, the UN expressed grave concerns that social gatherings are still continuing even after advisories were issued. The Government was reminded that Guyana is not insulated against the deadly virus, therefore, prevention is critical and com-

placency should not be tolerated.

The statement issued by the UN’s resident coordinator, Mikiko Tanaka, reiterated the complete lockdown recommendation, made by PAHO/WHO representative Dr William Adu-Krow.

“We are very concerned that social gatherings are continuing despite public advisories discouraging this for some time. Reinforcing the advice from PAHO/ WHO representative in Guyana Dr William AduKrow, the United Nations (UN) System calls on the Government to urgently introduce more stringent measures to stem COVID-19.

This includes workfrom-home in public and private institutions except for essential services, limiting people’s movements to essential errands,” the statement read.

But even so, the UN asserted its dedication in providing both relief and advice on measures against the global pandemic, which, according to the statement, will build on the ongoing support from the Pan-American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/ WHO), and other UN agen-

cies.

“The UN System stands ready to provide advice and assistance in elaborating and implementing a national response plan that covers the health sector and other socio-economic sectors to help citizens cope with the impact of the COVID-19 response and in particular to protect the most vulnerable.”

After Guyana recorded its first COVID-19 case, the Ministry of Public Health and relevant authorities have initiated enhanced preventive measures which includes the suspension of international commercial flights, temporary closure of schools, border closures and public information and advisories for hygiene and social distancing.

To date, over 465,915 confirmed cases and 21,031 deaths as a result of the coronavirus have been recorded worldwide.

Meanwhile, Guyana has recorded five cases including one death.

The local COVID-19 Task Force had warned that it is considering implementing extreme measures to restrict the movement of people if the complacency trend continues.

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)

16 NEWS

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Corentyne man sets house on fire before disappearing

A

Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice man on Thursday set his one-story wooden house on fire before disappearing.

The burnt building

Based on reports received, 40-year-old Rajendra Balkarran called “Gomes”, a cattle ranger, lived alone at the Bound

Yard, Port Mourant residence. Neighbours recalled hearing him making threats to burn down the building.

A neighbour told Guyana

Mother of 3 hacked to death by jealous husband

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mother of three was on Friday evening hacked to death by her jealous husband at their home in Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

Dead is 37-year-old Natoya Speed, a primary school teacher. While information remains sketchy, Guyana Times understands that the woman and her husband were engaged in a heated argument after

Dead: Natoya Speed

he accused of her being unfaithful.

The argument escalated into an altercation during which the man armed himself with a cutlass and started to chop the woman in the full view of their three children. The man was arrested and is assisting the police with their investigation.

The woman’s body was taken to the Bartica Hospital Mortuary.

Times that at about 20:00h on the night in question, she heard Balkarran in the yard using indecent language and he was hitting a cutlass against the zinc fence.

“And he shouting out ‘Bring the cloth leh me burn down this house’, I don’t know who he was talking to.”

However, a few minutes later, the woman said flames started to emanate from the building. An alarm was raised and the Rose Hall Town Fire Service was contacted.

Firefighters responded promptly with one unit but they were unable to save the burning building. No household items were salvaged.

Police are on the lookout for Balkarran, who went into hiding.

Guyanese dies from coronavirus in New York

A

Guyanese-born man, who was a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bus operator, died from coronavirus on Thursday in New York.

Sixty-one-year-old Oliver Cyrus drove buses for the Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority, a subsidiary of the MTA that op-

Labourer accused of brandishing firearm allegedly shot by Police

erates a handful of express and local bus routes. This is according to a report from the New York Daily News on Thursday.

Cyrus, who has been working for the MTA for 21 years, was born in Guyana and lived in Brooklyn.

The Daily News noted that it is not clear when Cyrus tested positive for the disease. However, accord-

Guyanese-born Oliver Cyrus died from coronavirus in NY (New York Daily News photo)

ing to the article, he is the second member of MTA’s workforce to succumb to the deadly disease.

The New York-based newspaper reported MTA officials on Wednesday revealed that 52 of the agency’s employees had tested positive for COVID-19, the same number they reported on Tuesday.

Cyrus’ death was reported hours after the MTA confirmed longtime subway conductor Peter Petrassi, 49, died from the disease.

“Oliver was well-liked by all his co-workers,” Transport Workers Union

Vice President Richard David was reported saying, adding that “The workers at Manhattanville are all very upset. There’s a sombre mood at the depot.”

The New York Daily News also reported that the MTA head of buses, Craig Cipriano, said Cyrus was “loved by his friends and colleagues.”

“The men and women of New York City Transit are doing incredible work, going above and beyond the call of duty as they have done in the past,” Cipriano said in the Daily News article.

Shemar Bob being dragged into a bus after being shot

T

wenty-five-year-old Shemar Bob, a labourer of Lot 1 Mandela Avenue, Phase 1 East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was allegedly shot by Police after he was seen brandishing a firearm on Friday.

Reports are that the man along with his cousins were celebrating his uncle’s 75th birthday when a group of men rushed into the yard shouting “police” followed by men in uniform.

In fear of what might be happening, the occupants of the Mandela Avenue home ran for shelter. It was then that the injured man’s cousin recalled hearing about seven gunshots. Upon getting closer to where the sounds were emanating, he saw his cousin lying in a pool of blood and begging for his life.

“When I heard the shots, I run around to see what was happening, when I look me cousin on the ground can’t walk, and it's like he is paralysed from his waist down already and begging Officer Cosbert to don’t kill him. Even though he told

him that the man [the police] still shoot him”.

Bob’s cousin said after seeing his cousin in that state, he too joined in to beg for his life.

“After I beg, Officer Harris that I went to school with said okay and they put him on the bus and they took him to the hospital”.

Upon arriving at the hospital, the man’s family said they were denied access to see him.

“When I reach the hospital, they told me we can’t see him, so I wait until the bus coming out now and I asked them why I can’t go and see my cousin and they told me ‘he deh in deh’. Apparently, the next man that went on the bus that the police catch, he was showing me signs that my cousin didn’t make it. I couldn’t confirm if he died because they didn’t want me to go in the hospital”, Bob’s cousin reminisced.

The injured man’s family said as far as they know, the man does not have any criminal record.

WBD man gets 4 years for armed robbery, other crimes

A

man who was found guilty of three charges, including armed robbery, was sentenced to four years behind bars by Magistrate Wanda Fortune when he appeared at the Linden Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Cleon Phoenix, who hails from 113 Good Intent, West Bank Demerara (WBD), pleaded guilty to the charges of possession of firearm and ammunition without being the holder of a licence and

an armed robbery charge.

The court heard that on March 20, 2020, at Central Amelia’s Ward, Linden, Phoenix robbed a Chinese national of $125,000 and an iPhone 6S valued $58,000.

He was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on the possession of firearm charge, two years for the possession of ammunition and four years for the robbery under arms charge.

The sentences will run concurrently.

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

17

Regional

Brazil headed for COVID-19 claims 2nd T&T patient ‘whatever it takes’ QE as coronavirus crash looms T

A man walks in front of the central bank headquarters building in Brasilia, Brazil October 29, 2019

B

razil’s central bank could soon be forced to fire up the money printing presses if the coronavirus-fuelled recession facing Latin America’s largest economy is as devastating as some economists fear.

Hopes for any growth this year have all but evaporated. Many observers expect Brazil’s US$1.8 trillion economy to post its first annual contraction since 2016.

Some are predicting the big-

gest crash in decades, with a slide of up to 6 per cent.

With President Jair Bolsonaro’s Government keen to reduce a substantial deficit, it may fall to the central bank to fire the financial “bazooka” required to prevent recession from turning into depression, economists say.

That could mean taking a leaf out of major central banks’ post-2008 crisis playbook and embracing “quan-

titative easing,” or QE: buying Government bonds with newly-created money to lower long-term interest rates and flooding the financial system with cash.

At the height of the eurozone crisis in July 2012, Mario Draghi, then President of the European Central Bank, uttered his now-famous remark that the ECB would do “whatever it takes” to save the euro.

It was the turning point of the crisis.

The ECB, US Federal Reserve, Bank of England, and Bank of Japan have already pumped trillions into their financial systems, often leaning on deft legal and political guidance to overcome domestic opposition.

This week, the central banks of Australia and New Zealand took their first forays into the world of QE and Israel’s central bank resumed bond-buying for the first time since 2009.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

rinidad and Tobago has recorded its second death and 66th COVID-19 case.

The Ministry of Health made the announcement in its first daily update on Friday.

“The Ministry of Health informs the population that today, Friday 27th March, despite the best efforts of the health care professionals, a second national of T&T who tested positive for COVID-19 has died,” the release said.

The news comes almost 48 hours after the Ministry announced the country’s first death due to the virus on Wednesday night. That patient was identified as Hansel Leon, 77.

The release also stated that the 66th overall case is

a Tobago health worker.

Guardian Media under-

stands that the worker is attached to the Scarborough General Hospital and tested positive early Friday.

In a release, the Tobago Regional Health Authority that the worker has been isolated, staff meetings held and staff provided with psychological support. Contact tracing has also been initiated. It also noted that the hospital will be sanitised

4 passengers die on board cruise ship stranded near Panama

Mexican President’s poll ratings hit record low in coronavirus crisis

Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador holds a news conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, Mexico, March 17, 2020

S

upport for Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has fallen below 50 per cent for the first time, hit by criticism of his response to the coronavirus crisis, public security concerns and a strug-

gling economy, a daily tracking poll showed on Friday.

The survey, by polling firm Consulta Mitofsky for newspaper El Economista, showed that Lopez Obrador’s approval rating had dropped to 49.6 per cent from 50.1 per cent a day earlier.

Lopez Obrador, whose approval rating stood at 80 per cent barely a year ago in some surveys, has suffered a steady decline in popularity since discontent over his reaction to highly publicised murders of women last month sparked protests.

While his medical experts urged people to avoid physical contact and stay at home to contain the spread of the virus, the President has continued to hold mass rallies around Mexico, shaking hands with, hugging and kissing supporters.

Over the past few days, Lopez Obrador has struck a graver tone on the health crisis, encouraging people to avoid major gatherings, setting out how the Government is closing down possible transmission avenues and spelling out the symptoms.

Nevertheless, he has continued to blame adversaries for fanning public panic, and said he would carry on with his schedule of public events around Mexico with a tour of states in the Pacific west and northwest this weekend.

Meanwhile, Mexico tipped into recession during his first year in office, dragged down by a decline in investment spurred by concern over his unpredictable management of the economy. (Excerpt from Reuters)

and the scheduled cleaning and disinfection will continue. This was the second case reported in Tobago. So far, 15 Tobago samples have been sent to CARPHA for testing.

Thus far, the Caribbean Public Health Agency has tested 453 T&T samples with 66 people testing positive. Some 47 of these 66 patients were from among a group of 68 nationals who recently returned home from an ill-fated Caribbean cruise and were immediately quarantined in Balandra.

Of those who were admitted with the virus, one person has recovered and has been discharged. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

The Zaandam cruise ship, left, carrying some guests with flulike symptoms, is anchored shortly after it arrived at the bay of Panama City

F

our passengers have died on board a cruise ship carrying several people with flu-like symptoms that has been stranded off the Pacific coast of South America for several days, the liner company said on Friday.

The Zaandam, with 1800 passengers on board, is currently in Panama’s territorial waters, having been prevented from docking in several countries due to coronavirus fears.

“Holland America Line can confirm that four older

guests have passed away on Zaandam,” the Dutch-owned company said in a statement.

“Yesterday a number of patients with respiratory symptoms were tested for Covid-19 and two individuals tested positive.”

The Zaandam liner left Buenos Aires on March 7 and was supposed to arrive last Saturday at San Antonio, near Santiago in Chile.

Since a brief stop in Punta Arenas in Chilean Patagonia on March 14, it

was turned away from several ports after reporting that 42 people on board were suffering from flu-like symptoms.

It is trying to head to Florida, but to get there, it must pass through the Panama Canal. On Friday, authorities denied the ship access to the waterway.

Holland America sent another cruise liner, the Rotterdam, carrying COVID-19 test kits, supplies and relief staff to meet the Zaandam in Panamanian waters.

The company said 53 of the 1243 guests and 85 of the 586 crew onboard the Zaandam “have reported to the ship’s medical centre with influenza-like symptoms”.

It plans to transfer those passengers that have not been ill or exposed to someone who has been to the Rotterdam, while leaving ill passengers and all crew onboard the Zaandam.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

PM warns J’cans who continue Russia calls US sanctions on Venezuela to ignore coronavirus orders a ‘tool of genocide’ amid epidemic

R

ussia said on Friday US “narco-terrorism” charges against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro were absurd, adding that sanctions on Caracas could become “a tool of genocide” amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The US Government on Thursday indicted Maduro and more than a dozen other top Venezuelan officials on charges of “narco-terrorism,” the latest escalation of the Trump Administration’s pressure campaign aimed at ousting the socialist leader.

Russia, Maduro’s longtime political and financial backer, considers those accusations “absurd” and “wild” at a time when countries across the world join efforts to fight coronavirus, the Interfax news agency cited Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, as saying.

“We can not stress enough our call for an immediate lifting of unilateral unlawful sanctions that are turning in the current epidemic into an instrument of genocide,” Zakharova was

quoted as saying.

Zakharova said Russia had supplied coronavirus test kits to Venezuela, which has reported 107 confirmed cases of the disease and that Moscow would continue helping Caracas to stop coronavirus spreading.

President Donald Trump denied that the charges were an attempt to take advantage of Venezuela at a vulnerable time when it is expected to be hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

P

rime Minister Andrew Holness has chastised Jamaicans who continue to flout COVID-19 restriction orders issued under law, and has said, if it becomes necessary, the country will be put on lockdown to stem the spread of the infectious disease.

Speaking on Thursday on a digital town hall meeting on measures being implemented to assist workers and small businesses, he warned against the continued “weak fence” behaviours by some, which puts the entire population at risk.

Holness said the con-

firmed cases of the virus in the island shows that the numbers are rising on a fairly flat trajectory compared to some other countries, stressing that what the Government does not want are sharp spikes that could overwhelm the public health system.

In making his point, the Prime Minister mentioned that Jamaica has 26 cases of COVID-19 in 16 days, since the first case was confirmed, while countries such as Panama — also at 16 days into its outbreak — has 443 cases, and the Dominican Republic, at day 24 since its

first case, has 392 cases.

Holness said many factors could cause the numbers to increase, but it essentially comes down to a resistance to behavioural change.

The Prime Minister emphasised that even with Jamaica having closed its borders for now, if countries around it do not get their outbreak under control, there could be a resurgence of imported cases.

Holness said, too, that the Government is wary of going into a lockdown too early. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

Around the World

OILNEWS

Oil industry braces for biggest idling of wells in 35 years

O

nly the old hands at the Coffeyville oil refinery could remember anything like the prices posted this month.

The small Kansas plant in the heart of rural America was offering just US$1.75 a barrel for Wyoming sweet crude.

With more than two billion people on virus lockdown from India to California, energy demand has plunged. In corners of the US, Canada, Russia and China, oil prices at the well-head are collapsing under the weight of an unprecedented glut.

And with it, the industry is bracing for something that last happened on this scale 35 years ago: producers shutting down their wells as pumping crude makes no economic sense.

“I have never seen anything like this in the markets,” said Torbjorn Tornqvist, the co-founder of Gunvor Group Ltd, a large commodity trading house. “We’ve never seen anything even close to today.”

The oil market -- hit by the double blow of a demand slump and a supply surge as Saudi Arabia and Russia wage a price war -- is battling a surplus of as much as 20 per cent of global consumption.

The consequences are brutal: prices are now low enough to force a widespread suspension of production, or a shut-in as it’s known in the industry. For those waging the price war, it counts as a victory -- as long as the shut-ins happen elsewhere.

Brent and West Texas Intermediate, the benchmarks closely followed in Wall Street, are hovering around US$25 a barrel. But in the world of physical oil -- where actual barrels change hands -- producers are getting much less.

The industry is navigating what Paul Sankey, a veteran oil analyst at Mizuho Bank Ltd, described as “uncharted waters to unknown lands.”

Wyoming Sweet, a landlocked crude with few outlets other than American refineries like Coffeyville, is paradigmatic of how the dynamics of the oil market are forcing output cuts. There are others: North Dakota Light Sweet has traded at US$9.97 a barrel. Across the border, Western Canadian Select has plunged to US$6.45. In Siberia, Russian crude has changed hands for less than US$10 and Chinese domestic prices have fallen to single digits.

Ultra-low oil prices are starting to work: Petrobras, the Brazilian state-run producer, is cutting output by 100,000 barrels a day from high-cost offshore platforms. Glencore Plc, the commodity giant, is shutting down its oilfields in Chad. In Canada, Suncor Energy Inc has partially shut down its Fort Hills oil sands mine. As the pain spreads, industry executives believe many other companies will stem production in the next few days.

“We need to cut crude supply by 10 million barrels a day pretty quickly,” said Russel Hardy, the head of top independent oil trader Vitol Group. “Oil prices will need to go lower, to bring the prices to a level that triggers a response.”

The last time the oil industry faced widespread shut-ins was in 1986, when Saudi Arabia also ravaged the market in a price war. During the price battles of 1998-99 and 2015-16 the industry also saw cuts, but not on a large scale.

Put simply, the world cannot continue pumping at the current level of about 100 million barrels a day while demand is as much as 20 per cent lower. The surplus would overwhelm storage capacity within weeks.

In some emerging markets, where infrastructure is less developed, it’s already happening. Pakistan has told refiners to stop importing gasoline and diesel as the tanks are already brimming.

Where there’s access to the sea, traders use tankers to store oil -- and wait for prices to go up. Crude is now moving onto ships at a record pace, according to one of the industry’s largest shipowners. But inland, producers are reliant on sending crude to local refineries like Coffeyville and the lack of storage capacity will be decisive.

“The surge in inventory in coming weeks will inevitably saturate local infrastructure, in our view, forcing many inland producers to shut-in wells,” said Damien Courvalin, oil analyst at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Some producers will prefer to take the hit of negative prices -- paying someone to take the oil off their hands -- to the longterm costs of shutting down a well. In the aftermath of the last major downturn, a North Dakota sour crude went to a negative 50 cents. But as storage fills up, production will have to respond.

IHS Markit Ltd, a consultant, estimates the Canadian province of Alberta has inland tanks able to store the equivalent of just 3.2 days of daily production. The central US, which includes Wyoming, has room for just 12.8 days’ output.

“Production is going to have to be reduced or even shut in,” said Jim Burkhard, head of oil markets at IHS Markit. “It is now a matter of where and by how much.” (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

British PM Johnson has coronavirus, self-isolates in Downing Street

B

ritish Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for the coronavirus and is self-isolating at his Downing Street residence but said he would still lead the Government’s response to the accelerating outbreak. Johnson, 55, experienced mild symptoms on Thursday, a day after he answered questions at a weekly question-and-answer session in Parliament’s House of Commons chamber. He received the positive test result at around midnight.

“I’ve taken a test. That has come out positive,” Johnson said on Friday in a video statement broadcast on Twitter. “I’ve devel-

oped mild symptoms of the coronavirus. That’s to say - a temperature and a persistent cough.”

Health Minister Matt Hancock, another senior member of the British Government’s response, said he had also tested positive and was self-isolating at home with mild symptoms.

The Government’s top medical adviser also said he had symptoms.

Johnson is the first leader of a major power to announce a positive test result for coronavirus. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau went into isolation this month after his wife tested positive for the virus.

Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson applauds outside 10 Downing Street during the Clap For Our Carers campaign in support of the NHS, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, London, Britain, March 26, 2020. Picture taken March 26, 2020

US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have both been tested, so far with negative results.

Johnson Chaired a Government meeting on the coronavirus on Friday morning via teleconference.

His designated Deputy is Foreign Minister Dominic Raab. Britain does not have a publicised contingency plan in case senior Ministers were incapacitated.

Britain has recorded more than 14,500 coronavirus cases and the death toll had risen to 759 as of Thursday afternoon, up by nearly a third in 24 hours.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Coronavirus: India ‘super spreader’ quarantines 40,000 people

I

ndian authorities in the northern state of Punjab have quarantined around 40,000 residents from 20 villages following a COVID-19 outbreak linked to just one man.

The 70-year-old died of coronavirus - a fact found out only after his death.

The man, a preacher, had ignored advice to self-quarantine after returning from a trip to Italy and Germany, officials told BBC Punjabi’s Arvind Chhabra.

India has 640 confirmed cases of the virus, of which 30 are in Punjab.

However, experts worry that the real number of positive cases could be far higher.

There are fears that an outbreak in the country of

1.3 billion people could result in a catastrophe.

The man, identified as Baldev Singh, had visited a large gathering to celebrate the Sikh festival of Hola Mohalla shortly before he died.

The six-day festival attracts around 10,000 people every day.

A week after his death, 19 of his relatives have tested positive.

“So far, we have been able to trace 550 people who came into direct contact with him and the number is growing. We have sealed 15 villages around the area he stayed,” a senior official told the BBC. Another five villages in an adjoining district have also been sealed.

This is not the first time

Punjab has 30 confirmed cases of the virus

that exposure has resulted in mass quarantining in India.

In Bhilwara, a textile city in the northern state of Rajasthan, there are fears that a group of doctors who were infected by a patient could have spread the disease to hundreds of people.

Seven thousand people in villages neighbouring the city are under home quarantine.

India has also declared a 21-day lockdown, although people are free to go out to buy essential items like food and medicine. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Mali to head to polls amid security crisis, coronavirus pandemic

Soumaila Cisse, leader of the opposition URD party, was kidnapped by gunmen on Wednesday [Annie Risemberg/Reuters]

M

alians go to the polls on Sunday for the long-delayed parliamentary election despite a security crisis, the recent kidnapping of a leading opposition politician and the coronavirus pandemic.

Experts see the vote as a key step towards leading the

West African state out of its spiral of violence and closer to a political solution to stop the bloodshed.

The parliamentary election has been delayed several times since 2018, mostly over security concerns.

Mali announced measures, including a night-time

curfew, to stop the spread of the coronavirus after the country’s first case was reported earlier this week.

The country now has confirmed four cases of the virus which has infected more than 542,000 people worldwide and killed at least 24,000 people, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University in the United States.

Unidentified gunmen also kidnapped leading opposition figure Soumaila Cisse on Wednesday in the volatile centre of the country, killing his bodyguard in the process.

In a televised address made before Cisse was reported missing, Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita said the election

would go ahead “in scrupulous respect of protective measures”, referring to the health crisis.

Mali has been struggling to contain an armed uprising that erupted in the north in 2012, and which has killed thousands of soldiers and civilians.

Holding the election was a key recommendation from crisis talks in December, which aimed at exploring non-military solutions to the country’s worsening violence.

The hope is that a new crop of MPs will adopt reforms agreed in a peace deal brokered between the Government in Bamako and several armed groups in Algiers in 2015. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

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PEANUTS

Standing your ground may be necessary, but do so with kindness. If you handle people with dignity and understanding, you'll be able to persuade others to see things your way.

Get the facts. Make choices based on truth, practicality and common sense.

Someone you encounter will offer you a different perspective. Take everything you hear into account.

Back away from anyone asking too many questions.

Keep personal information in a safe place. Take pride in the way you look. The way you present yourself to the world matters You've got more going for you than you realize. An effort to improve your health is favored. If you voice your opinions, you'll attract someone likeminded. A partnership or financial opportunity looks promising.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Don't limit what you can do or let someone lead the way. Do what's best for you and avoid getting left behind.

Refuse to get caught in someone else's emotional mess.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

If you spend more time on hobbies and interests you enjoy, it will help you make choices that will improve your life and help you achieve happiness. Financial gain looks promising.

LIBRA

Consider your long-term plans and revise them to fit your current lifestyle and financial budget. Reviewing the past will help you come to terms with something you've lost.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Keep moving forward.

Timing is everything, and if you act fast, you will be able to take advantage of something that will help you excel. A money matter will improve.

Choose wisely. Be realSAGITTARIUS istic when looking at your (Nov. 23options. Don't be fooled by Dec. 21) something or someone that sounds too good to be true.

You are best off doing your own thing.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Catch up with old friends, attend a reunion or host an event. Your hands-on approach will put you where the action is and help you take advantage of an exciting opportunity.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Put a plan in place that is budget-friendly and geared toward fitness and a healthy lifestyle. What you accomplish will motivate you to be your best mentally, physically and financially.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

If you connect with someone from your past, you'll realize what's missing in your life. Shared memories will clear your vision and encourage you to pursue a dream.

20

S

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

teve Baldas, the Adelaide Strikers general manager, is among 16 members of staff and seven contractors made redundant by the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) as it became the first state cricket association to reduce the size of its operation amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

The SACA's cost-cutting, announced to its members on Thursday night, is linked to the vast downturn in projected revenue for the Adelaide Oval after the AFL season was suspended due to health risks, with the association a joint partner in the management of the multi-purpose stadium with the SANFL. SACA and SANFL finances are further complicated by the need to help repay a A$42 million state government-guaranteed loan to the Stadium Management Authority for the construction of a new hotel at Adelaide Oval, in time for the 2020 men's Twenty20 World Cup later this year.

Other measures confirmed by the SACA president Andrew Sinclair included the reduction of salaries by 20% among remaining staff across the board, including on the executive team led by the CEO Keith Bradshaw.

The association has also frozen the search for a new coach of the Redbacks men's state team, after Jamie Siddons departed his post by mutual agreement.

Two experienced coaches remain in the SACA system, with Jason Gillespie contracted as coach of the Strikers and the former Australia coach Tim Nielsen still on board as high-performance manager.

The departure of Baldas, formerly the chief executive of Tennis SA, after one season, has taken place at the same time Cricket

Australia looks closely into the declining fortunes of the Big Bash League entering its 10th season, including the presentation of a competition review by the highly regarded broadcasting director and executive Dave Barham.

The Strikers finished third at the end of the 14-game BBL regular season behind the Melbourne Stars and Sydney Sixers, before be-

ly - people are our number one priority," Sinclair said in a message to members. "However, we need to act in the best interests of SACA as we face one of the toughest times in our 149-year history. We will continue to plan for next year's cricket season, with the hope that we can all return to normality as soon as pos-

The Strikers gather into a huddle to celebrate their first BBL title win (Getty Images)

ing eliminated in a knockout final at Adelaide Oval by the fifth-placed Sydney Thunder.

"These decisions have not been made light-

sible.

"It is now apparent that SACA's financial operating position has been, and will contin-

ue to be, severely affected as this situation continues. While we are now in the cricket 'off-season', the shutdown of Adelaide Oval (and all associated match/event revenues) impacts us significantly as a fifty per cent joint-venture partner in the Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority.

"As a response, SACA has been forced to implement significant cost-saving measures.

The focus of these measures is to ensure that we can continue to operate and that we can get back to our role of providing cricket programs and matches across South Australia when conditions improve."

Other states have not yet announced similar cuts, and all have somewhat different financial arrangements either directly tied to memberships, as is the case with the SACA and the WACA, or different models in New South Wales and Victoria where the SCG Trust and the Melbourne Cricket Club hold the memberships to watch matches at each state's principal venue.

CA, which under its financial model provides an annual grant to each of the state associations for the running of their businesses and the development of cricket in each state, has indicated that its intent is to absorb the shock of the coronavirus pandemic into the business without resorting to staff cuts.

(ESPN cricinfo)

A

ll athletes who had qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will keep their spots for the Games next year following their postponement due to the coronavirus pandemic, the International Olympic Committee said on Friday.

The IOC and Japanese organizers postponed the July 24-Aug 9 event earlier this week but confirmed that those among the 11,000 athletes set to compete in Tokyo who had already earned their spot would keep it.

The IOC also said that the amount of spots allocated for each sport at the Games would remain the same next year. “The 57% that are qualified do remain in place and the goal is to maintain the same athletes quotas across the dif-

The giant Olympic rings are seen at the waterfront area at Odaiba Marine Park (Reuters)

ferent sports,� an IOC official said.

The virus has wreaked havoc with sports schedules and forced the cancellation of many Olympic qualifiers across many sports. Athletes have also been restricted in their training due to measures taken to stop the spread.

Though a huge blow to Japan, which has invested $12 billion in the run-up to the Games, the decision to postpone was a relief to thousands of athletes fretting over training with the world heading into lockdown to fight a disease that has killed thousands of people. (Reuters)

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

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helsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi is "fully recovered" from coronavirus, says Blues manager Frank Lampard.

The England international, 19, became the first Premier League player to test positive for Covid-19 earlier this month.

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throughout that first week when he first got the illness and it was a strange time," Lampard said.

"Thankfully he didn’t suffer too much and we are happy he’s come through this."

Chelsea were fourth in the Premier League when elite football in Britain was suspended on 13 March.

A number of individuals at clubs in the Premier League have been diagnosed as having the coronavirus, which has subsequently had an effect on others, including team-mates, coaches, staff and so on.

After the Premier League announced that games would go ahead as planned, Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta was confirmed to have contracted the virus.

As a result, the entire Gunners squad was quarantined and their game against Brighton was postponed. (BBC Sport)

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aris St Germain have raised over 200,000 euros ($221,320.00) for local healthcare professionals battling the coronavirus outbreak with the release of a limited edition jersey, the Ligue 1 champions have said.

The shirt is a replica of PSG’s current home strip but has the words ‘Tous Unis’ (All Together) where the main sponsor logo usually sits and features badges pledging support to doctors.

The club confirmed here on Twitter they had sold out

a batch of 1,500 shirts via their online store on Thursday night, with all the proceeds going to Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Paris.

“We cannot be grateful enough for the tremendous and courageous work that healthcare staff are doing every day to deal with this emergency,” PSG President Nasser al-Khelaifi said.

More than 25,000 people in France have been infected by the virus and over 1,300 have died, according to Reuters tally. (Reuters)

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cal advisory committee, we’ve extended the suspension that we announced 10 days ago which was for an initial 30-day period.” (Sportsmax)

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CEO of Cricket West Indies, Johnny Grave

C

ricket West Indies (CWI) CEO Johnny Grave has insisted the organization is doing all it can to keep the women’s senior and junior tournaments on the cards for this year.

Concerns arising from the coronavirus pandemic led to the cancellation of the region’s Under-15 boys Championship and Under-15 tour of England set for later this year. In addition, the domestic first-class championship was aborted two rounds early with table-topping Barbados declared the winner.

With the Women’s World Cup expected to bowl off early next year, Grave and CWI believe the tournament as a crucial part of the women’s team’s preparations.

Instead, the tournaments up for consideration, the Women’s Super50 Cup and inaugural Regional Under-19s Women’s T20 Championship will be pushed forward until later this year.

“They are very important tournaments, not just in terms of the preparation but in terms of the preparation for the selection of those respective squads as we look to compete in the World Cups of those events due to take place in the early part of 2021,” Grave said.

As expected, the official could not a date for the start but insists the CWI would be guided by the medical given to the association.

“Following the advice from our medi-

22

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SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

est Indies Limited overs captain Kieron Pollard is asking his players to, not just stay safe during the most worrying times in recent history with the massive spread of COVID-19, but is also telling them to be ready for when normalcy returns.

According to Pollard, while the spread of COVID-19 has brought sport around the world to a halt, there is an opportunity for West Indies players to improve.

“I think it is a good time for introspection, a good time for reflection, a good time to look at where you are as an individual, in your career and what you want to achieve going forward,” said the skipper, a man not known to mince words.

The West Indies have been sporadically producing good results under Pollard’s watch, but the big all-rounder has craved consistency, something he says will come with a better mental approach.

That approach, thanks to COVID-19, can be honed

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

−reduced ceremony planned, −Hand-in-Hand gives boost

T

might not be enough time to prepare so you, yourself as an individual have to be prepared mentally in order for you to try to perform at your best,” he said.

According to Pollard his public statements won’t count as new to the players. “[…] guys have been notified as to where they need to be and the onus is on individuals to try and meet those requirements,” said Pollard. (Sportsmax)

during this time off. “[…] you have to take the time to do that and also to keep yourself in physical shape and mentally as well because when the bell rings and you hear ‘ok everything is back to normal and we need to go on tour,’ there

he Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) MS, has planned its 2020 Awards Ceremony for early May. It is expected to be a greatly reduced affair because of the ongoing political situation and the presence of the coronavirus pandemic, but already, a donation of seven trophies has been received from the Handin-Hand Insurance Company in regard to this staging.

Secretary/CEO of the RHTY&SC, Hilbert Foster, having rationalized why a much smaller awards ceremony will be held this year, explained that only club members would be present at the ceremony, and just over a million dollars’ worth of trophies and prizes will be distributed, instead of the usual $3 million.

Because of the Public Health Ministry’s cautionary statements regarding the pandemic, the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) would not be hosting any cricket this weekend, as had been planned, because it intends to play its part in this national effort.

Foster and his BCB team would nevertheless continue working tirelessly behind the scenes to develop Berbice cricket, and as soon as it is A Hand-in-Hand representative presents the trophies to RHTY&SC possible for play to resume, the Assistant Secretary/CEO Simon Naidu two under-15 tournaments, the under-21 tournament, the its cricket academy in July, and its Annual two- day first division, Cricket Awards Ceremony, among other offNBS 40-over, field activities.

UCCA 20/20, Distribution of score books and youth inFriends of New formation booklets would also continue during A m s t e r d a m , this period. In fact, the RHTY&SC last week and the Asphalt donated 20 scorebooks to the Upper Corentyne 100 balls tour- Cricket Association (UCCA) as part of its naments would cricket development programme. be completed.

The BCB’s offices would remain closed The BCB is re- until the public health situation improves as grettably forced to cut both of its staff members are in the high-risk back the amount of compe- age group. titions this year to 18, inThe BCB is exhorting clubs to be very stead of the 25 planned; careful with their training sessions, and to folbut plans are still on- low as much as possible the guidelines of the going to host its Public Health Ministry. Further, the BCB is countywide coach- urging all Berbicians to work together to get ing programme, past this worrying situation.

T

he COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc all over the world has forced the cancellation of all sporting disciplines, and there is general uncertainty as to when things would return to normalcy.

One event affected by the situation is the Chess Olympiad, which was scheduled for staging in the Russian cities of Moscow and Khanty-Mansiysk during the summer of 2020, but has now been pushed to the summer of 2021.

The FIDE Council, in a release, said:

pone the 44th Chess Olympiad (including the competition for players with disabilities) and the FIDE Congress.

“These events, to be held in Moscow and Khanty-Mansiysk during the summer of 2020, are rescheduled to the summer of 2021 at the same locations. FIDE will continue to work hard in order to support various chess activities, at the same time caring first and foremost about the health and well-being of the entire chess community.”

In a discussion with this publication,

Anthony Drayton

“The mission of Chess Olympiads is not only to determine the sportive results, but also to popularize our game and unite chess lovers around the world in this truly global sports festival.

“At the same time, FIDE is deeply concerned about the growing COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on people's lives.

Taking into account the reports from the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicating the constant increase in the number of cases worldwide, and given today's IOC statement regarding the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, FIDE has decided to post-

National Chess Coach Anthony Drayton was asked about the ongoing situation, and he said: “It really give us more time to prepare for the games, as in getting players trained and raising sponsorships for the players to travel. Currently, I’m offering online classes to my students so that they can keep active.

“In terms of selection of the team to represent Guyana, the process went well according to plan. (There were) no big issues, (and) as soon as the nationals are completed, the team will be selected on the terms that we implied for the selection of the team.”

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

W

ith no live sport currently available, the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has partnered with cloud video production platform Grabyo to create a unique and innovative content experience for cricket fans to enjoy. From next week, CPL will be broadcasting classic matches from the last seven years of the tournament, but with a twist.

They will be broadcast as if they are live, with the first game going “live” around the globe via CPL’s Facebook and YouTube channels on

these matches as if they are live, providing match clips, graphics and behind the scenes content to replicate the CPL experience. Opening the CPL vault has served as a reminder of the classic, high impact CPL games there has been. Now fans can re-live the best matches with an up to the minute twist, thanks to CPL’s brilliant commentary team.

The CPL has also featured some of the greatest T20 cricketers of all time, and fans will be able to enjoy some of their amazing

since 2013. Some of the best players in the world in action showing their class and we’ll be calling it, without knowing what game we have in advance! I hope that the biggest party in sport brings some comfort and a smile.”

Pete Russell, CPL Chief Operating Officer, said: “The thoughts of everyone involved in CPL are with those who have had their lives impacted by this crisis and we have been spent a good deal of time thinking how we can provide sports fans with something different and exciting for them to enjoy as we get through this Pandemic. We all miss live sport, and we wanted this experience to be as immersive as possible. So we hope that cricket fans around the

23

talented team have highlighted how creativity and innovation will get us all through this challenging and worrying time.”

Gareth Capon, Grabyo CEO, added: “The time has come for sports federations to go the extra mile to engage with fans in this trying time. CPL is leading the way and showing everyone how

Guyana Amazon Warriors

Tuesday 31st March!

In an industry first, rather than airing the original commentary, CPL has enlisted its worldclass broadcasting team, including Tom Moody, Danny Morrison, Ian Bishop, Daren Ganga and Alex Jordan to commentate live on the action.

To make each match as realistic as possible, CPL will not give any of the match information to the commentary team before the game starts.

Their reactions and comments will be as if they are watching the games live for the first timeproviding unparalleled levels of authenticity.

The CPL digital team will also be covering

performances as if they are watching them for the first time, with the commentators calling the game as if it was live.

These matches will be broadcast using Grabyo’s state of the art live streaming software, which will allow the commentators to broadcast remotely. The commentary team will be based in Australia, Trinidad and Barbados.

Tom Moody, CPL Director, International Cricket and commentator said: “Thinking of everyone around the world during this challenging time. I’m thrilled to be involved with CPL’s initiative to revisit some of the best matches

world enjoy this unique interactive experience with some of the best cricket commentators in the world and some of the best T20 cricket on the planet. I would also like to thank Grabyo who have helped make this happen. Their incredibly

to be truly fan-first. We are excited to play our part in this series and create unique experiences for cricket fans all over the world, delivering joy to those who need it now more than ever. We can’t wait to get started!”

Clocking in at 80mph…

By Brandon Corlette

G

ifted with raw talent, and naturally blessed with vitality, West Indies U-16 player Isai Thorne has the ability to produce lightningbolt deliveries that travel in the approximation of 80 miles per hour (mph).

And he apparently can keep up this fusillade for extended periods of time.

journey in the world of cricket, and his aspirations therein.

It all started for Isai Thorne through happenstance, when as an 8-year-old he just paid a ‘visit’ to the Young Warriors Cricket Club. He thereafter became a consistent ‘visitor’, and was eventually stuck in the game of cricket. An imposing figure who exudes

Isai Thorne

This publication caught up with the 15-year-old Isai at his Rose Hall Canje Community Centre Cricket Club, and there followed an insight into his

vitality, Thorne opined that for him to reach greater heights, he must remain disciplined, and his fitness must be on point.

"I have to keep working

hard (to) keep my fitness up there and, most importantly, discipline," Thorne declared.

Reflecting on his short but successful career thus far, Thorne said it could have been much better if he had better ball control. Having played for West Indies U-16 in England last August, this right-arm pacer disclosed that the conditions there were a bit tough.

"It was tough, because the ball (does not) swing over here (Guyana); but I still think I managed well over there," Thorne posited. This talented speedster, who is seeking to get into the West Indies Senior Team through hard work and determination, has declared his short-term goals as representing Guyana at the Under-17 and Under-19 levels, and being selected to the West Indies U-19 Team.

Thorne disclosed that his favourite fast bowlers are Jofra Archer, Malcolm Marshall, Mitchell Starc and Courtney Ambrose. Some of his local heroes are Shimron Hetmyer, the late Basil Butcher, and Rohan Kanhai.

He shared that the most memorable wicket he has taken to date is that of Seon

Hetmyer, older brother of Shimron Hetmyer. "It was tough to get him out. I bowled a lot of dot balls, and he was not giving his wicket away," Thorne reminisced.

The last time his bowling speed was checked was when he was 13 years old. It was clocked at 78mph, and Isai Thorne has declared that his aspiration over the next two years is to be bowling at speeds of between 85 and 88 mph.

In regard to where his gratitude lies, he firstly thanks the Almighty; then his parents; then Sheldon Phillips and ‘Sir’ Ameer Rahaman, his teacher, coach and mentor at the Rose Hall Canje Community Centre Cricket Club. ‘Sir’ Ameer Rahaman revealed that he knew Thorne for quite a while, being his form teacher for three years in high school. "I encouraged him to come out. I even spoke to his mom and I promised her that, if he comes out, I will make sure I take special care of him and give him all the attention (he needs). I guaranteed her that within the next two years she would see him in West Indies colours," Rahaman explained. Thorne has been one of the brighter prospects

Thone bowls

of this East Canje cricket club, being the first player therefrom to represent West Indies at the youth level. "It is something that we are proud of, and he is playing all formats for us. He is one of the prominent bowlers for us at the first division setup, and he is working to become

an all-rounder. His batting has improved and his leadership style as well, since he was given the opportunity to lead in the club," Rahaman explained.

Thorne is simply a work of art who, given the necessary investment, is certain to become a West Indies great in the future.

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2020

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

guyanatimesgy.com

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Clocking in at 80mph…

Page 23 Isai Thorne

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