Guyana Times Saturday March 7, 2020

Guyanese pay tribute to late Cheddi Jagan on 23rd anniversary P10

…as fight for democracy renewed Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4218

THE BEACON OF TRUTH SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020

Granger defies world’s rejection of concocted election results …injunction hearing for court today See story on page 14

...will be sworn in if court lifts injunction – Harmon

Caricom calls for Region 4 tabulation to resume under independent RO

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WHAT'S INSIDE: Elections 2020

P9

PPP/C submits request for recount in Region 4

P2 Police Commander removed from duties after refusing to evict int’l observers …“he deemed the orders unlawful” – Police source

See stories on pages 3&7

…as Carter Center slams GECOM for silence …says electoral body can still salvage process

Pro-democracy protesters shot by Riot Police

...1 dead, 10 wounded

See stories on pages 11, 12&13

...3 cops also injured General and Regional Elections

Bipartisan US Congress reps to GECOM: Attempt to steal “deliver credible count before declaration”

blank SOPs for further rigging thwarted Page 7

…US State Dept Asst Secretary says Guyana deserves “credible elections” …British politician calls out “ballot rigging” Page 14

Refusal to verify Region 4 results is courting P2 disaster – former GECOM Chair …will fuel tensions among supporters who feel cheated

P8 Business, religious, human rights reps rap GECOM over unverified results …say no to swearing-in anyone until count is lawfully completed

Civil society leaders convene emergency meeting over P2 political impasse

2 NEWS

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Police Commander removed Refusal to verify Region 4 from duties after refusing results is courting disaster – former GECOM Chair to evict int’l observers …will fuel tensions among supporters who feel cheated

…“he deemed the orders unlawful” – Police source

A

ssistant Police Commissioner, Edgar Thomas has been removed from his commanding officer post for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) Sub-division A with immediate effect after refusing to execute a decision, which he opined was unlawful.

A source close to the Commander said that on Thursday night, an order was given by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, to remove both international and local observers along with Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) appointed Commissioner from the Region Four Returning Officer’s (RO) office at Hadfield and High Streets, Georgetown.

According to a source in the top brass of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), after the instruction was handed down, the Commander related that such a move would be unlawful while pointing out that to execute such an order would also escalate the already high tension at the location.

“Thomas and at least one Deputy Police Commissioner discussed whether it was legal for him to do that and he

Assistant Police Commissioner Edgar Thomas

stated to his superiors that in his opinion and in the level of professionalism, he didn’t have the authority to remove them. He did communicate it to his seniors but the order was given for him to be permanently removed as Commander immediately after he expressed his opinion,” the source said.

Further, this publication was told that after the APC assessed the situation on the ground on Thursday night, he opined that the persons should not have been removed and made a “judgement call” not to carry out the order.

“Although they closed

off, those persons in the building asked the then Commander Thomas to stay in the building to see that the Statements of Polls were secured properly before leaving. But the order was that they be removed immediately without observing and ensuring the integrity of the documents there. He made the right choice to ensure democracy and transparency and also he felt, in all his years of experience, that it would have been unlawful at that point,” the source added.

Following APC Thomas’ refusal to carry out the orders, a rank junior to him was sent to clear the building, while he was relieved of his duties as Commander.

Deputy Commander Phillip Azure has since been placed as acting Commander of Region Four, while a Superintendent of Police has been elevated to Deputy Commander in the interim.

Just months ago, APC Thomas was placed in the Division after Assistant Commissioner of Police Marlon Chapman went into retirement. He was promoted to that position based on his exemplar and stellar performance in the GPF over the years.

Former GECOM Chairman, Major General (retired) Joseph Singh

GECOM Chairperson Retired Justice Claudette Singh

Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield

ormer Chairman of the Guyana E l e c t i o n s Commission (GECOM), Major General (retd) Joseph Singh is calling on the current Chairperson, retired Justice Claudette Singh and Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield to undertake a verification of the Statements of Poll for Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), since to do otherwise would be courting disaster.

This is according to the former GECOM Chair,

who in a public missive at the end of the week said: “to deviate in District Four, from a process that was reportedly applied relatively smoothly in the nine other districts, and to treat apparently dismissively with the genuine concerns raised by the contesting parties, as well as those raised by local and international accredited Observers, is to court disaster.”

According to the former Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force and presidential advisor, “I

hold no brief for any political party but am an advocate for the right of every citizen to have his or her vote accurately attributed to the political party of choice and for the accurate tabulation, verification and declaration of the results”.

Singh said to do otherwise is “to taint the democratic process with allegations of fraud, to insult the intelligence of Guyanese, and to incur the criticism and sanctions of the international community.”

He posited that such a scenario will exacerbate the lack of confidence in national institutions, betray the inviolability of the Constitution and set a poor example to the younger generations of Guyanese.

“More immediately, it will fuel tensions among supporters of the political parties whose expectations have been raised and those who will feel cheated.”

According to the former GECOM boss, “arbitrary decisions that are based on self-interest and which are patently inconsistent with the Constitution, will take us down a slippery slope of confusion and chaos that will have far-reaching consequences for our plural society and for Guyana’s future.”

The former GECOM Chairman in his appeal to “the Chair and Commissioners of GECOM and to the leadership of the contesting political parties” said they must ensure that verification of the Statements of Poll and the Declaration of the results by the Returning Officer, District Four, and the Official Declaration of Results of the 2020 National and Regional Elections by the Chief Elections Officer, be in compliance with the relevant Act and the Constitution of Guyana.”

F

Civil society leaders convene emergency meeting over political impasse

Representatives of the business community, religious organisations, trade unions and other non-governmental organisations during the civil society meeting on Friday

P

eople’s Progressive Party (PPP) leaders on Friday met with representatives of a broad cross-section of civil society over the current political impasse that has embroiled the country—described as coup de tat of Guyana’s democratic principles.

Executive members Gail Teixeira and Bishop Juan Edghill met with representatives of the business community, religious organisations, trade union and other non-government organisations at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition to brief them on what “we know that is taking place”.

Teixeira subsequently told media operatives that it was related to the representatives that “we face the worst threat that we have ever had to our democracy”.

Explaining the rationale be-

hind the meeting, Edghill—a former Junior Finance Minister under the PPP administration—told media representatives that apart from what is already being published and broadcast, the Party wanted to continue with its prac-

“We face the worst threat that we have ever had to our democracy” – Gail Teixeira tice of consultations with stakeholders and to “ensure that they participate”.

Teixeira in her remarks said

while the PPP was heartened by the statement by the international community and observers, “as Guyanese, regardless of political affiliation, we have a moral and ethical duty to stand up for moral and ethical issues and for what is right”.

She said the current brouhaha engulfing the country was not partisan matter but rather “a national issue”.

The PPP Chief Whip told members of the media that it was not a case where the group met to issue the joint position taken since each organisation will now, following internal reviews, release individual position statements.

She used the opportunity to also remind that Friday was, in fact, was the death anniversary of its Founding Member, the late

Cheddi Jagan, and pointed to the irony of still having to be talking about defending democracy and the Constitution on that day.

Edghill concluded by calling on the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Retired Justice Claudette Singh, to abide by the Oath of Office taken when she promised to uphold the Constitution and the law, especially “in light of the saga of yesterday (Thursday) events”.

He said too that traditionally, at this point after an election, there would be messages of congratulations pouring in from Heads of States and other international bodies but the messages being received this time around, are more akin to warnings that Guyana is heading on dangerous grounds.

NEWS

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SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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

Saturday, March 7 – 03:30h – 05:00h and 14:30h – 16:00h and Sunday, March 8 – 04:00h – 06:30h and 14:30h – 16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Caricom calls for Region 4 tabulation to resume under independent RO …ABCE diplomats concerned over “electoral fraud” briefed the current Chair of Caricom, Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley, and the Commonwealth SecretaryGeneral, Baroness Patricia Scotland, via telephone. It was further noted that on Thursday, he also briefed diplomats from Britain, the United States of America, Canada and the European Union.

Saturday, March 7 – 14:30h – 16:00h and Sunday, March 8 – 15:20h – 16:50h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Partly cloudy skies will prevail during the day.

There will be clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 20 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North North-Easterly to East NorthEasterly between 1.78 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 02:54h and 15:12h reaching maximum heights of 2.44 metres and 2.60 metres.

Low Tide: 08:44h and 21:14h reaching minimum heights of 0.77 metre and 0.55 metre.

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Electoral fraud

Head of Caricom EOM, Cynthia Combie-Martyr

I

n the most pointed comment and recommendation by an elections observer group, the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Mission proposed that “the transparent tabulation of results for [Region Four] must be resumed under the independent control of the Returning Officer”.

Head of the Caricom Elections Observer Mission (EOM), Cynthia Combie-Martyr, in a statement on Friday noted that the tabulation process “was interrupted and remain incomplete”.

It, therefore, had to be resumed under the conditions which it had started under on Wednesday, “in accord with the legislative provisions of Section 84 of the Representation of the People’s Act Cap 1:03…”

Combie-Martyr said, “… it is evident that the transparent tabulation of results for Region 4 must be resumed under the independent control of the Returning Officer, as these scores are necessary and critical in order to determine the outcome of the national poll”.

She went on to say that, “Like in other regions in Guyana, it is imperative that the Returning Officer [for Region Four] be allowed to carry out his functions independent of any influence or directive from the GECOM Secretariat. Until this occurs, the outcome of the elections of March 2, 2020, cannot be reliably proclaimed”.

On this note, the Caricom Mission Head joined in calls for the tabulation to resume with transparency. She also appealed to the political parties and the Guyanese People to cooperate with the process by honouring the subscribed codes of conduct.

This statement from the regional Observer Mission was issued after SecretaryGeneral of Caricom, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque and representatives of the Organisation of the American States (OAS) met President David Granger on Friday morning.

A missive from the Ministry of the Presidency around noon also detailed that the Head of State also

Despite this, however, the ABCE diplomatic community in Guyana on Friday morning issued another joint statement in which they expressed “deep concern over credible allegations of electoral fraud which may influence the results of this election”.

The Heads of Mission of the Embassy of the United States of America, SarahAnn Lynch; the British High Commission, Greg Quinn; the

UN Resident Mikiko Tanaka

Coordinator

of democracy in Guyana,” noted the jointed statement from US Ambassador SarahAnn Lynch, British High Commissioner Greg Quinn, Canadian High Commissioner Lilian Chatterjee and Head of the European Delegation Fernando Ponz-Canto.

The diplomats went on to call on President Granger to avoid a transition of government, which they believe would be unconstitutional as it would be based on a vote tabulation process that lacked credibility and transparency.

Tabulation incomplete

Canadian High Commission, Lilian Chatterjee, and the Ambassador of the European Union, Fernando Ponz-Canto expressed deep concern over credible allegations of electoral fraud which may influence the results of this election.

“We call on all to ensure proper procedures are in place to yield a credible election result. A fair and free process is vital for the maintenance and reinforcement

Meanwhile, the various international observer missions here in Guyana to monitor the elections also issued a joint statement on Friday, insisting that tabulation of the results from Region Four was interrupted and therefore remains incomplete.

The Commonwealth, OAS, the European Union (EU), and The Carter Center contended, “The law requires that tabulation must be conducted in the presence of party agents and observers. Until this transparent process takes place, the counting of votes recorded for Region [Four] remains incom-

plete”.

According to the international observers, the transparent tabulation of results for Guyana’s largest voting region must be resumed in order to proceed to the establishment of national results.

They went on to urge that the Guyana Police Force provide a calm and conducive environment and further urge all political parties to adhere to the codes of conduct signed by them.

“The Guyana Elections Commission, including the Chairperson, the Commissioners, the Chief Election Officer, the Returning Officer and Deputy Returning Officers in Region [Four], must be available and committed to establish the results for Region 4 in accordance with the law. Until this occurs, the result of these elections cannot be credibly declared,” the international observers stressed.

United Nations

On the other hand, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Guyana, Mikiko Tanaka, said on Friday that they are following the latest developments here with concern.

She pointed to the statements issued by international observers and Ambassadors accredited in Georgetown raising concerns regarding lack of compliance with national legal procedures and the need to resume the tabulation of results for Region Four.

“We encourage the relevant Guyanese authorities to finalise the process in a manner which leaves no doubts as to the credibility of the results that reflect the will of the Guyanese people. The United Nations calls upon all sides to act with calm, patience and in full respect of human rights, the rule of law and Guyana’s constitutional order,” the missive from Tanaka detailed.

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guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 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

Re-tabulation must be independently verified by RO

G

uyana now seems to be overwhelmed with chaos and confusion as a result of blatant attempts by various elements within the society to perpetuate electoral fraud and derail the democratic processes of the country. This is all happening at a time when the world’s latest emerging oil giant has started oil production and is about to take advantage of all the opportunities expected to come its way.

At the moment, the tension is rising in the capital city and communities across the country. Much of this is a result of the recklessness and irresponsibility on the part of the David Granger-led A Partnership for Unity/ Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) Coalition, and certain elements within the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

The APNU/AFC supporters are now convinced that they have won the elections as they were told so by their leaders.

The blatant refusal by GECOM to follow the legal and statutory requirements as it relates to the counting, tabulation and declaration of results has worsened the situation and has created a national crisis which would not be extremely difficult to contain.

Currently, the APNU/AFC supporters are creating havoc and driving fear into residents in some areas. There are reports that they launched attacks on persons perceived to be PPP supporters yesterday at Bush Lot, Berbice. They were riled up by their leaders who sought to convince them that the APNU/AFC have won the elections and “will serve another five years” where they will benefit from “the good life”. They are also being entertained at ‘victory parties’ where they are feted and thanked for “returning the coalition to office”.

In spite of pleadings from the international community and foreign observers, GECOM went ahead and declared the unverified results of Region 4, after a series of delaying tactics by the Chief Elections Officer and the Returning Officer and others within the organisation. They even breached a court order preventing them from declaring the results until they (results) are verified. It must be noted also that the law requires that the process be carried out in the presence of party agents and observers; this did not happen.

It must be noted that GECOM’s actions are occurring under the watch of its Chairperson who had given the nation all assurances that holding free, fair and credible elections is her priority and she would not sell her integrity “for all of Guyana’s oil”. It is not clear as to the reason for her inaction during the recent shameless events at GECOM’s Command Centre. What is clear, however, is that there is credible evidence to suggest that were serious attempts by the APNU/AFC, acting in collusion with persons inside GECOM, to subvert the will of the people by derailing the tabulation process of the 2020 elections results.

The western countries, through their Ambassadors here, have registered outrage over the coalition’s attempts to hijack the elections and have restated their call to ensure statutory procedures are followed to derive at a credible election result.

They have stated clearly that there is no other way for this to happen other than to return to the verification of the Region 4 results. GECOM cannot proceed to declare national results if the required legal procedures are not followed. Until this occurs, the result of the elections would always be regarded as tainted and any government taking its mandate from this illegal process will be regarded as such.

There is still time for GECOM to do what is required under the law and possibly restore its credibility. We support Caricom Mission’s proposal that the re-tabulation of the SOPs must be done independently by Region Four Returning Officer (RO). This would satisfy all stakeholders as it would ensure that there is a credible elections result, which, in turn, would see the country returning to some level of normalcy.

The recent actions by APNU/AFC and elements within GECOM could only be viewed as a blatant and deliberate attempt to destroy the democratic gains made over the last two decades or so. Political parties, civil society, international and regional governments must continue to pressure GECOM, APNU/AFC and all others involved in this process to abide by the country’s laws. The will of the people must be respected or Guyana would face the risk of descending into chaos.

People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) former Member of Parliament, Dr Vindhya Persaud and former Education Minister, Priya Manickchand appeal to Riot Police at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara to stop firing at the pro-democracy protesters

The need for us to stand together has never been more urgent Dear Editor, The events that have unfolded since the General and Regional Elections of March 2, 2020, bring shame and disgrace to our country. Rumours were rife in the months leading up to the elections that the PNC would rig to stay in power but no one was sure what methodology would be used and how it could be managed successfully given that our electoral procedures and systems are supposedly robust and can guarantee free, fair and transparent elections.

None of us ever imagined the scenes that have played out over the past few days. It appears that the scoundrels are using the fact that we are a sovereign nation to justify their obscene acts which are intended to hijack the elections and defraud the electorate of our constitutional right to freely elect a Government of our choice.

Being a sovereign nation does not give any Government the right to abuse the nation’s Constitution and to dis-

regard the rule of law. It means quite the opposite.

Sovereignty, more than ever, requires leaders to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, to respect the rights of every citizen, and to have due regard for international treaties and conventions that guarantee peace and security not only for our country but, in good neighbourly fashion, for every country that subscribes to the rules that underpin the rights and freedoms of people everywhere.

Sovereignty brings with it huge responsibilities and despite all our celebrations over being an independent nation, we have not yet matured enough to understand this. It does appear that the widespread belief held is that the “sport” of jubilee celebrations, the jump-up and wine aspects are all that constitute being independent people.

Our dependence on the international community to help us at this moment must give us all pause as to our claim to that independence. It is shameful that

after years of self-governance, Guyanese are looking at a return to PNC-led dictatorial rule.

Our fragile democracy is being dragged back into the darkness of a past which we would all prefer to leave behind. The same actors are in play. We hope, however, that the international observer missions and the diplomatic community will stand with us at this critical moment and see us through to a successful conclusion where the verified results for the elections will be declared.

Let me express here the sincerest gratitude from every right-minded citizen of Guyana for their continued presence and their help.

This grievous situation points out the urgent need for radical constitutional reform that will help us elect future Governments that will reflect the diverse nature of Guyana’s political and cultural landscape; and we, the citizens, must insist that the new legal Government, once in place, will prioritise this process

of reform.

There is, I fear, an illegal Government now in place. This is the time for all right-minded Guyanese to put aside our differences and to unite under the cause of saving our country from a destruction from which it might never recover.

This is the time to remind ourselves of Martin Niemoller’s post-war confession that has since taken poetic form about the cowardice of his countrymen that allowed the Nazis’ rise to power in Germany.

Pastor Niemoller’s confession ends with the ominous words: “Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

The freedom of the press that we now enjoy will be among the first democratic institutions that will be destroyed by the illegal regime. The need for us to stand together has never been more urgent and the cause never more grave.

Sincerely, Ryhaan Shah

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020

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

Stealing vs rigging Dear Editor, The current attempt by the APNU/AFC party to steal the General and Regional Elections is more cause for relief than worry. In the months before the elections the topic of ‘rigging’ was a question often asked of me and I have been vociferous in my defence of

the integrity of the system, it works and it is watertight.

Those invested in an APNU/ AFC victory were unable to execute a ‘rig’, every ploy to do so failed to breach the layers of scrutiny. Rigging deals in grey areas, stealing while in the harsh glare of international and local observers leaves no doubt as to

the outcome of the election.

The attempt to steal the election finally exposed the APNU/AFC’s true character to the world, the façade of ‘honesty and decency’ fell like the robe of a courtesan on the sight of lucre.

In an act of grave folly, the Returning Officer for Region Four made a ‘decla-

ration’ of numbers. That the observer missions were present and able to refute the credibility of this ‘declaration’ instantly, left no doubt that this was not an attempt to ‘rig’ the numbers in the APNU/AFC favour, but instead a brazen attempt to bypass the electoral system of checks, balances and intense scrutiny. The District (Region) Four declaration is a failure for APNU/AFC but

it is a triumph for democracy and the electoral system in Guyana. Everyone now knows that APNU/AFC has lost the elections and cannot form a democratically elected Government.

The situation and factors affecting our nation’s future are very fluid; APNU/AFC have floated a ‘declaration’ trial balloon, it has been brought down with alacrity by a barrage of condem-

nation, it would be interesting to see if any member of that party, including David Granger, is willing to climb onboard a vessel powered by such a discredited engine; it would be tantamount to personal endorsement and easily subjected to personal sanction.

Respectfully, Robin Singh

Region 4 votes must be verified It is a chargeable offence to be in accordance with law Dear Editor, The Region Three Chambers of Commerce and Industry is deeply concerned about the current situation in Guyana and highly disappointed in GECOM and the manner in which it is operating. We firmly agree the electoral process must reflect the will of the people and this must be established in accordance with the law.

We, therefore, join with the international observers in calling to have the Region Four’s votes verified as stipulated by law.

The process of tabulating these votes in the presence of party agents and observers is a provision to ensure the electorate’s voice is reflected fairly and legally. We, therefore, call on GECOM to return to the rightful process in ver-

ifying these votes and be aware, any declaration prior to the completion of this process will be premature and lack credibility.

We would also like to remind all parties of the code of conduct agreement signed and expect strict adherence of this.

Dear Editor, The almost year-long mantra that GECOM must be able to conduct free, fair and credible elections has left us wondering where credible went.

It is amazing and unbelievable that the gains of Monday, March 2 could unravel so swiftly, killing in the process, democracy and the rule of law as the world watched, stunned.

Where do we go from here? That is the question on everyone’s lips.

Dear Editor, Andaiye often said that silence could be construed as a political act. Silence had seemed the sensible course while we waited for the election results to be processed and announced. Now that the process has been subverted, it is time to speak.

What has taken place in Guyana in the past 48 hours is the political equivalent of a toddler covering his face and believing that he cannot be seen. It fools no one.

There will be those who are prepared to accommodate or overlook the irregularities. I am not one of them.

To David Granger, who has claimed a second term, to the officials at GECOM who have departed from the verification of SOPs in Region Four and to any others abetting these actions by their silence, I echo Andaiye’s statement many years ago and say, as one Guyanese: “No. Not in my name.”

With regards, Richard Sukhdeo Vice President

Where did credible go?

Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed

“No. Not in my name” Yours faithfully, Isabelle de Caires

actively involved, complicit in fraudulent electoral activities

Dear Editor, The People’s National Congress must be held accountable in our court of law for their actions. It is an illegal and chargeable offence to solicit and be complicit in fraudulent electoral activities. All Guyanese must condemn their behaviour and stand united in support of our democracy because a democracy we are! Our businesses can do much to restore our democracy by keeping their doors closed.

Maybe Guyanese will now understand what I meant when I said that the PNC is an anti-social, anti-democratic organisation which should be disbanded. Which organisation or Government institution is responsible for overseeing the affairs of such organisations, with the power to dis-

solve them? They are governed by our laws and these laws must be examined to determine how to approach the dissolution of the PNC. Furthermore, the actions of both the Chairperson and CEO of GECOM have now declared them unfit for their respective positions, and as I have been saying all along, steps should be taken to have them both removed and replaced. They are quite clearly not operating independently and in the interest of Guyanese, one of the principal criteria for their posts. Both of these individuals and the incumbent Administration are reminded that it is illegal, and a chargeable offence to be involved and complicit in fraudulent activities as these relate to the administration of our elections.

Guyanese need to understand that the People’s National Congress and its executive have absolutely no respect for Guyanese, or even the international community, to try to pull what they are currently in the process of so doing. We cannot tolerate this. Not another 28 years of dictatorship and rigged elections. This time, from 1968 onwards, David Granger must be made to understand that Guyanese do not subscribe to Section 182 of our Constitution. There is an element of much of Burnham to his actions which disqualifies him as our President.

What is transpiring with regards to our elections simply cannot be tolerated.

With regards, Craig Sylvester

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SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020

Page

Foundation

address and solve the challenges in our world.

It doesn’t feel good (or good enough) when that happens.

The hard truth I learned while raising my son was that good enough parenting might no longer be good enough. The silver lining was this: Being part of the solution doesn’t have to be a burden on the already weighty role of parenting.

Rather, it can be an invitation, one that will help you and your children build a thriving world where integrity and a sense of purpose are their own rewards. (psychologytoday. com)

By Zoe Weil

W

hen I was pregnant and reading every book I could find about parenting, a friend and mother of four introduced me to the concept of “good enough” parenting, a term coined by British paediatrician and psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott.

“Good enough” was such a relief: All I had to be was supportive, consistent, protective, and lenient enough. I didn’t have to be perfect, which my generation seemed to have adopted as the standard for parenting. Sure, I wanted to be a great mom, but good enough sometimes had to be good enough, particularly during some tough years.

But I soon found myself wondering what it really meant to be good enough. The world had changed since Winnicott coined that phrase, and over time, good enough took on new meaning.

During, and following, the years that I raised my now 26-year-old son, I began to realise that being a good enough parent meant protecting not just my son, but his planet; not simply providing him with opportunities to succeed in life, but with the prospect of a sustainable future.

It’s a truism that parents are their children’s first teachers and role models, but I came to understand that in the face of melting glaciers and ice caps, the rapid extinction of species, dying coral reefs, burning forests, climate refugees, and more, parents must be role models of sustainable living and solutionary thinking and action. They must be able to show their children what they are doing to protect the ecosystems that allow life to flourish.

It’s not necessarily what parents sign up for when they have or adopt children.

As a humane educator who has been teaching young people about global ethical issues related to human rights, animal protection, and environmental preservation for more than 30 years, I’ve known many children and adolescents who’ve gone home after school to teach their parents how to be better stewards and protectors of the planet. That was sweet when the crises facing the Earth were less understood and imminent. Now, it’s not so sweet.

If we allow our children to face the catastrophic impacts of climate change – to teach us as if we had and have no role to play – I fear that we are not being good enough parents.

What this means in practice is that we parents have a responsibility to learn about the impacts of our choices on the environment – from the foods we eat to the energy we consume to

the products we buy – and to make the most sustainable choices we can. Further, we need to participate in systemic change, not only because there are limitations to the impact of our personal choices as individuals, but also because systemic problems require systemic solutions.

That might sound like a daunting new version of the parenting perfectionism my generation began, which has caused so much unnecessary anxiety and stress, but while I was raising my son and realizing the existential threat that climate change, species extinction, and habitat destruction posed, I discovered that striving to be a positive role model for my child could be deeply rewarding. Teaching our children how to be adept researchers and fact-checkers; critical, systems, strategic, and creative thinkers; and solutionaries motivated to make the world a better place for all life prepares them in profoundly important ways for a meaningful and successful future, while building positive relationships within our families and communities.

We risk losing our children’s respect if we are not honestly considering their future and doing what we can to make it sustainable, just, and peaceful. While they may carry our family behaviours forward as a matter of habit, it is inevitable that they will learn about the impacts of our typically destructive lifestyles and diets and come to us ask why we aren’t trying harder to live sustainably, and why we aren’t doing our part to

R

obots are everywhere! The car or bus you ride in? A robot helped build it! That ice cream cone you enjoyed? A robot helped make it! At some point, robots have worked on almost everything we eat, wear or use. As you read and discuss books about robots, think and talk about the roles robots play in your own lives. Then get ready to look for evidence of robots around you.

Getting started

Make a list of foods, toys or other things you use every day. Then imagine how a robot was used in the creation of the items on your list. Talk about why you think that would be a good job for a robot to do or if a person could do it better. Note how you feel about having robots involved in making things that you use.

Now that you have had a chance to think about the kinds of tasks robots can do to make things in a factory, what kinds things would you like a robot to do in your home. Create your own robots for specific tasks.

Create a description and illustration of each robot, including: • A name • What materials it is made of and details about its shape • How it looks and how it moves • What it can and can’t do • Any safety considerations • What is required to keep it working well (Adapted from startwithabook.org)

NEWS

7

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

General and Regional Elections

Attempt to steal blank SOPs for further rigging thwarted A n attempt to secure blank Statements of Poll (SOPs), which could have been used to further corrupt the ongoing APNU/AFC controversy over the Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) vote tabulation was on Friday morning thwarted by alert and experienced officials of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

Chief Elections Scrutineer of the PPP/C, Zulfikar Mustapha turned up at the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM’s) Head Office in Kingston, Georgetown, after receiving a call that attempts were being made to open the container which has the excess election materials stored.

Mustapha explained that he received a call from

Former AG Anil Nandlall

one of his agents that they were asked to go to GECOM to open the container to access blank SOPs and other elections materials that had been secured by locks from each of the 11 political parties contesting the March 2 General and Region Elections.

It was noted that only the APNU/AFC agent opened their lock. However, the container cannot be opened unless all of the parties unlock their individual locks.

The reason given for reopening the container, according to Mustapha, was that materials were needed

to facilitate recounts in the regions where this was requested, something which he found suspicious.

“We found this very strange that after an election, after they would have declared the Region Four results, now they are calling for blank SOPs. Now we are very concerned and we are very suspicious of the activity at GECOM here,” the PPP/C’s Chief Elections Scrutineer stated.

In fact, Mustapha, an elections agent for several elections for the PPP/C, went on to note that he had participated in several recounts and none of them had ever needed unused, blank materials.

This was confirmed by former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, who had ac-

Carter Center slams GECOM for silence …says electoral body can still salvage process

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hairman of the Board of Trustees of the Carter Center, Jason Carter, on Friday evening, lambasted the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) over its failure to adequately communicate its activities with the Guyanese people.

According to Carter, “if there is no information coming from GECOM, you get rumours and misinformation that become the dominant story of the day”.

He noted nonetheless that “we want to remind everyone that there still is a process that is ongoing there is an opportunity that GECOM has to re-establish and salvage the process and have a credible election”.

Carter spoke to the possibility of a recount in Region Four—similar to a recount ongoing in Regions Five and Six and that there is also the possibility of additional activities and tabulation that can be done in the presence of observers that can lend

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Carter Center, Jason Carter

credibility to the elections.

He was adamant that people need to know that the process is not over and it is ongoing and additionally asked that GECOM be clear and speak out about exactly what is going on and divulged, “…we have gone a whole day (yesterday) without hearing anything from GECOM about the status of these very important issues.”

The Carter Center representative used the occasion of a press engagement at the Pegasus Hotel to call on GECOM to report on the status of its operations and to let people know what is going on, “report on the status of district four; report on when we may get additional results”.

He told media representatives that at the time, “in this election, we have no idea who won, we do not know if the numbers we have seen are accurate from anybody; we do know that GECOM is the only body that can properly provide the results and so we are asking them to do so in a transparent and credible way”.

Speaking to the previous day’s commotion at the Region Four’s Returning Officer (RO), it was reported that the Carter Center did observe what happened at the GECOM office and it was chaotic and inappropriate at times but “we also want to say we are disheartened by

the partisan activities that occurred particularly with respect to the Chair”.

According to Carter, the Center notes that during the verification process that was ongoing, it was conducted in an orderly way and that the uproar in the GECOM’s Office came only after the declaration by the RO. He said for the vast majority of electoral process, “it was smooth and one with which we could have faith” and that “we can still salvage the process and hopes Guyanese gives the process an opportunity”.

Reporting on yesterday’s activities by the Centre, Carter told members of the media that at the time, the Center did not have any observers at the tabulating centre since there was nothing ongoing and as such there was nothing to observe.

He also confirmed that the observers had been asked earlier in the day to leave the building, which was later locked.

PPP/C Chief Elections Scrutineer Zulfikar Mustapha outside GECOM’s Head Office on Friday morning

companied Mustapha to the GECOM Head Office. He pointed out that recounts have nothing to do with those blank documents but is merely a review of a count that was already done.

“A recount has nothing to do with [the container and its contents]. A recount, as it says, is a review of a count already made.

The count was already made at the place of poll by the Presiding Officers and the polling agents at the close of polls. So, if you want to review that the law is very clear, and English language is very clear.

A recount means a review of a count already done. It cannot involve and it does not contemplate the intrusion of alien material – something that was not counted before, and the law sets out how a recount or final count is done,” Nandlall explained.

The former AG further pointed out that during that process, ballot boxes are reopened and the ballots recounted to get a final figure.

“This request for something additional – a new Statement of Poll or a blank Statement of Poll – is sinister… We are deeply suspicious that there will be or there is an attempt to fabricate, duplicate and forge Statements of Poll because we know they are relying on Statements of Poll from Region Four that are inaccu-

rate, that are a forgery,” he added.

According to Nandlall, it is for this reason that the Region Four RO, Clairmont Mingo, on Thursday abandoned the verification process of the SOPs and went ahead to declare the regional results without completing that process.

“That is why [the RO] can’t bring his real Statements of Poll and show it to the verification process and show it to the observers and show it to the parties. It’s obvious that they have different Statements of Poll from the ones that were actually use in the electoral process.

They fabricated it and that is why they arrived at different numbers. This, I believe, was an attempt to get more Statements of Poll out so that they could insert the numbers and insert the people’s signatures for it to appear valid,” Nandlall asserted.

The former AG noted that this is another attempt to rig the election that has been uncovered by the PPP/C. He went on to say that when they objected to the reopening of the container, the GECOM Official contacted Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, via telephone and the CEO indicated that he was going to seek legal guidance and return at the Head Office at noon but never showed up – which Nandlall had predicted.

8 NEWS

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Business, religious, human rights reps condemn GECOM over unverified results …say no to swearing-in anyone until count is lawfully completed

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everal business support organisations, non-governmental bodies, religious and other organisations on Friday joined in the growing voices of condemnation against the actions of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), namely the declaration of unverified results for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).

The declaration has since left the country on edge and the Guyana Manufacturers and Services Association (GMSA) noted that, as an important affiliate of the Private Sector, “feels compelled to

lend its voice directly to the major political stakeholders, in seeking a sensible and reasonable resolution to the current unsatisfactory situation”.

GMSA also urged that action be taken to ensure the achievement of credible results to the recently held elections.

“Conscious of the specific roles ascribed to political parties, civil society and GECOM, as outlined in our Constitution, in consort with the neutral presence of the international community, our Association strongly believes that only one practical course of action is available”.

It was noted that GECOM, as the principal administrator in the conduct of our elections, should immediately conclude on the process for Region Four using a similar procedural and process approach as was adopted in earlier results of the previous nine regions, and arrive at an accurate and consensual result which has the support of the international observers.

Fair and transparent process

Another business support organisation, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), in lending its voice to the impasse, said in a public missive that it strongly condemns the actions of GECOM “to corrode the integrity of the electoral process by circumventing established procedures prescribed in the laws of Guyana

during the tabulation process for Region Four”.

GCCI, which served as a domestic observer in the recently concluded General and Regional Elections, disclosed that its representatives were present at the office of the Returning Officer (RO) for Region Four when the tabulation process was halted “without sound justification in several instances”.

According to GCCI, it views the actions of GECOM as a direct assault to the democratic processes of this country, as the refusal to conduct the tabulation process in accordance with the law has disenfranchised all Guyanese w h o w o u l d have cast their votes in Region Four.

The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), a recently formed business support organisation, in weighing in on the country’s political stalemate, also called on GECOM to restart the verification process for Region Four.

lished laws governing electoral process.

“The current situation, if allowed to continue, can cause Guyana to face international sanctions and negative consequences which will impact all Guyana and Guyanese people— economically and socially, not forgetting the stake of losing our reputation.”

Adding its voice to the condemnation, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) said that GECOM must obey the rule of law.

“We urge all the parties not to accept these results or governance, even if it is in their favour, using unverified and illegal declarations.

It will not augur well for Guyana. We remind the leaders of all political parties, and more so President Granger, of their combined commitment to a credible, free, fair, and transparent elections and reiterate the need to maintain our fragile democracy,” GDDMA said.

It added that all party supporters should not be misled by non-credible declarations and wait on the transparent and credible announcement

by GECOM that reflects the will of the Guyanese people.

“We beg leaders and citizens to be responsible and calm.”

Doubts over credibility

According to AmCham, the people of Guyana deserve to have a Government that is lawfully elected through a fair and transparent process.

“Based on our observation of the process, the Chamber is of the opinion that the purported declaration being circulated of the results for Region Four is not credible due to the incomplete verification process.”

The Region Five Chamber of Commerce and Industry in its appeal said democracy is at stake and that Guyana can plunder into economic crisis as a result of the current political impasse that has embroiled the country.

Registering discontent and concerns at the current developments in relation to the March 2, 2020 General Elections, the Region Five Chamber called on GECOM to execute their functions in accordance with the estab-

Meanwhile, the constitutionally established Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) also weighed in saying, firstly, that the holding of free, fair and transparent elections is a vital tenet of democracy and for the promotion of unity, harmony and good relations and that “the credibility of the elections is therefore paramount”.

According to the ERC, “the declaration of results for Region Four, after an incomplete verification process, has now cast doubts over the credibility of the March 2 General and Regional Elections”.

It said, “…having delivered a credible voting process, GECOM is urged, in the best interest of peace and harmony, to safeguard the integrity of the elections by ensuring that the verification and tabulation process, as reflected in The Representation of the People Act, is followed”.

ERC used the opportunity to also caution that “the historical lessons and the inevi-

table consequences over elections must guide during this sensitive period”.

The Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG), in lending its voice to the chorus against GECOM, called on all party leaders to consider the long-term consequences of their actions, adding that the “winner” of a compromised election will always be tainted and viewed as unworthy.

The organisation said too that “beyond that, you would be wounding the democratic process, thereby inflicting se-

vere harm on the country and the people that you profess to love”.

The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, another of the religious organisations to speak on the issue, said it is deeply concerned about the occurrences at GECOM “over the past few days which culminated in the purported declaration of the results for Region Four without the required verification process being completed as required by law.

Our democracy is precious and must be maintained and defended…Elections offer Guyanese an opportunity to vote for a government of their choice and GECOM is responsible for conducting free and fair elections with honesty, integrity and transparency in strict accordance with our laws”.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA), in lending its voice to the debate, said that in light of obligations to voters, and the interests of legality and transparency, it calls upon GECOM to complete the count in Region Four based on the SOPs as mandated.

According to GHRA, “the results should then be announced according to established procedures and accepted by all political parties and all citizens, regardless of who may be winners or losers and further, there should be no swearing-in of anyone until the Region Four count is completed”.

The mark of the beast…

D

…and David Granger avid Granger insists he’s a “godly man”. He’s worked diligently and assiduously to cultivate that image. He utters little homilies at the drop of a hat; he simpers cloyingly as he kisses babies and ruffle the hair of toddlers – and you can’t miss pics of him kneeling with bowed head in one church pew or other! But folks in the know do say, not all who cries “Lord, Lord!” shall enter into the big house in the sky, don’t they??

Indeed, in the big book, it is written, “You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles?” So as to whether Granger is “godly” or not, we gotta look at his “fruits”. We won’t go back to the years he was a faithful acolyte of Burnham and was his ideological purveyor in the Armed Forces. People can change, can’t they?? So what is the yardstick we can use to measure Granger’s “godliness” factor??

Your Eyewitness dug deep into the (very dim) recesses of his childhood Sunday school catechism classes and remembered this desideratum: “You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another”.

And right away, we know Granger is in deeeep trouble on the “godly” sweepstakes!! And we don’t even have to go back to the past five years, like with the lie that 33 was not more than 32 and suchlike. We just have to follow what unfolded since Monday, March 2: Elections Day 2020.

Mostly everyone voted in the end…no thanks to the hoops Granger forced the folks to jump through to get to their polling stations in tents in cow pastures. And this is when Granger did the trifecta in the ungodly department: he tried to STEAL the elections by DEALING FALSELY with the count in Reg 4 and continued to LIE in his teeth that he had won Region 4 big enough to overcome the PPP’s advantage in the rest of the country.

Now some of you, Dear Readers, might protest that Granger didn’t do all of that by his lonesome. But first of all, he’s boasted he’s “the man with the plan”!! And you can bet your bottom dollar that getting back to get his hands on that oil money is part of that plan!!

Secondly, this is a man who spent 40 years in the army as an officer— those decisions that come from ‘the man at the top’ is part of his genetic makeup by now!!

So with all the nastiness that has been committed since Tuesday, we can finally see the true nature of Granger.

The mark of the beast has been exposed!! …in action Now the first thing we must appreciate is the idea of stealing the elections didn’t just pop into Granger’ head on March 1! This was a premeditated act that should now be evident to even the most rabid Granger fan: why else did he go to so much trouble to unilaterally appoint the geriatric James Patterson?? This was a man who plotted his heist of the polls years ago – something even Oceans 11 didn’t do!! Premeditated stealing is the worst in the ungodly pool!!

The other parts of the robbery plan, we can now see with perfect 20/20 hindsight, was the hiring of the Returning Officer (RO) Mingo, for Region 4. The CEO Lowenfield was an old army subordinate who would snap to attention, more so since he was already a faithful PNC lackey!! Imagine Granger would insist that a whole series of “big people” – the Chair, CEO, RO and so many officials of GECOM – also lie for him to steal the elections.

That’s nasty! But it’s how the Beast works!! …and politics Granger isn’t the anti-Christ himself, but the False Prophet who seeks to institute the “mark of the Beast” to exercise total economic and political control.

We know him by the number of votes he added to Reg 4’s count!!

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

NEWS

9

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Elections 2020

PPP/C submits request for recount in Region 4

PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali and Attorney-at-Law Charles Ramson Jr speaking with the media on Friday

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he People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) was on Friday able to successfully submit their request for a recount of electoral District Four (DemeraraMahaica) following the declaration of unverified results by Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo.

The unverified results were released on Thursday.

However, the due process was not followed to arrive at the preliminary declaration and received international condemnation.

This, according to the PPP/C, led them to resort to requesting the recount of the entire region.

RO hiding

However, RO Mingo has been missing since the declaration and access to his office has been restricted by the Guyana Police Force along with the Deputy Chief Elections Officer. With parties having until noon the following day after the declaration of results to request a recount, the PPP/C was concerned that they would have

missed that time because of the actions of the DCEO. However, they were able to successfully present the request to an agent of Mingo’s since he was not in the building.

PPP/C Candidate Charles Ramson Jr was the one to present the request and he spoke with members of the press shortly after the presentation.

“I was informed around 11:40h that I would be able to enter the GECOM building in the company of an officer. I was received by Ms (Roxanne) Myers, who I believe is the Deputy Chief Elections Officer of GECOM. They allowed me to take my letter to a Clerk of Mr Mingo who is the Returning Officer and the person I was able to deliver the letter to, in the presence of Ms Myers, was Michelle Miller. They signed for it and it was delivered at 11:53h,” he explained.

That letter gives the PPP/C an opportunity to get a recount for Region Four.

“The verification process, tabulation process was not

followed for Region 4 and it was stopped after three hundred odd boxes were completed and it never restarted again,” Ramson added.

Meanwhile, the party’s Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali, noted that they have seen the coalition – APNU/AFC— being granted requests for recounts for Districts Five and Six. Attorney-at-Law Sanjeev Datadin explained that there are provisions in the law which allowed the Party to not only make requests to the RO but also the Deputy Returning Officers as well.

“Mr Mingo can’t be located and he is the Returning Officer for Region 4. That is something we are not surprised about. We felt he was being influenced and being kept away from everyone.

The law in the definition of what is for the Returning Officer says that the RO includes the DRO and what has happened is that we have served multiples of 10 of DRO with the same notice. We will be putting forward the affidavits that service has been effected on Deputy Regional Officer… the Representation of the People’s Act says upon receipt of a request for a full recount the Returning Officer shall commence the full recount and if the Returning Officer is not there then the DRO should do so. It is for the administration of GECOM to work out a process for the recount,” Datadin stated.

Injunction, court, missing Chair The PPP/C, after the declaration of the unverified results for Region Four, went

to the courts and got an injunction to stop all declarations until the correct laws are followed.

However, the Court Marshalls were prevented from serving the order due to inaccessibility to Chairperson Retired Justice Claudette Singh and Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield.

On Friday, the Marshalls came again to the Command Centre at the corner of High and Hadfield Streets, Georgetown to effect service of the notice.

“Marshall Adams and Marshall Noble came to effect service of the orders.

There were two things that were happening today, the Deputy CEO has been saying that no one is allowed in to serve any orders. That is, of course, contrary to law.

Marshalls are permitted to go anywhere and serve an order that a Judge has granted. They cannot be stopped or interfered or restrained in the execution of their duty so that didn’t happen this morning,” Datadin said on Friday morning.

“Eventually, the Police Officer, he said as long as it is a Marshall and the Marshall comes properly

The completely closed RO office at High and Hadfield Streets, Georgetown

accredited, of course, they would allow him to do their job. That Marshall did come back, which was Marshall Adams and Marshall Noble and Mr Azore was permitting him but the Deputy CEO is still refusing to allow anyone to enter the building and specifically refusing the Marshall in to serve,” he added.

Datadin related that Marshall Adams left after they were prevented and he took away the orders of the court.

“There is a lot of misconception as to whether personal service to the Commissioner is required.

Let me tell you that if we wanted to bring contempt proceedings for imprisonment then personal service

is required because the criminal standard implies to contempt. This is an order of court. For an order of court to be obeyed personal service is not required, knowledge of the order is required.

We have circulated it widely to everywhere and everyone.

Clearly there is a fair inference that the order is known.

Disobedience of the order becomes a civil contempt,” he explained.

The GECOM Chair has been missing and the Commission’s Secretariat refuses to speak to the media about the present situation.

However, the six Commissioners of GECOM have been served with the court’s order and it is expected that they would be in court today at 10:00h.

10 NEWS

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyanese pay tribute to late Cheddi Jagan on 23rd anniversary

…as fight for democracy renewed

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t a time when the country’s democracy is under threat, Guyana observed the 23rd death anniversary of the late Dr Cheddi Jagan, one of the nation’s founding fathers, who is widely remembered for his fight against undemocratic rule.

Tribute was paid to Dr Jagan during a simple, yet significant wreath-laying ceremony on Friday at the Cheddi Jagan Play Park, Anna Regina, in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

Among those in attendance were the President of the of Essequibo Coast Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ramesh Ramotar as well as Regional Chairman, Devanand Ramdatt.

During his remarks, Ramotar – who is also a member of Change Guyana (one of the smaller political parties) – endorsed the current fight for democra-

The late former President and founder of the PPP, Dr Cheddi Jagan

cy being led by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).

According to Ramotar, Dr Jagan’s legacy should not be allowed to be trampled upon, since he worked tirelessly to fight many battles to have democracy restored in Guyana.

Similarly, Ramdatt said

all Guyanese should use this period to honour Dr Jagan, who stood up to a “dictatorship Government”.

Referring to the current developments unfolding at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Ramdatt argued that the APNU/AFC coalition is refusing to accept defeat, and as such, they are violating the laws of the country and trampling upon the rights of the people.

Meanwhile, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) – which was founded by Dr Jagan – also recognised his contributions during his death anniversary.

In a press release, the party said Dr Jagan’s fearless struggles for free elections and the restoration of democracy remain a source of inspiration to all Guyanese.

“Ironically, his death anniversary at this time comes when the will of the Guyanese people to choose their Government through the ballot box, is being subverted by the illegal and undemocratic APNU/AFC regime led by David Granger,” the PPP/C said.

“With support from some officials of the GECOM, fraudulent results were released in an effort to steal the recently held March 2 elections for the APNU/AFC coalition. Such were some of the same electoral malpractices which took Guyana down the path to dictatorial rule and destruction which Dr Jagan fought against to ensure the return of free and fair elections in 1992 and democracy.”

Additionally, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) also paid tribute to the late

Members of the PPP/C in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) at the wreath-laying ceremony held for the late former President and founder of the PPP, Dr Cheddi Jagan, on his 23rd death anniversary

PPP/C Founder.

In a statement, the Workers’ Union noted that “his contribution to our country and our people is undeniable and outstanding.

During his lifetime, he was a staunch ally of the working class. He used several fora to champion their call, to speak on their behalf and to high-

light their plight.”

The GAWU pointed out that Dr Jagan had served in many trade unions and was the Honorary President of their Union for many years.

“In his years of association, he brought to bear his considerable experience and wide knowledge to the struggles of the sug-

ar workers…Dr Jagan will also be remembered as one of the fiercest supporters of the restoration of democracy and consolidation of our nation’s democratic practices. His consistent call for the return of free and fair elections stands out as one of his most sterling contributions to our nation.”

Annual Phagwah celebrations at National Stadium cancelled

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he highly-anticipated annual festival of colours has come amid growing countrywide tensions following credible allegations of electoral fraud.

As a result, the grand Phagwah Mela celebration at the National Stadium, Providence, on the East Bank of Demerara – a yearly fete which has attracted hundreds of people from all walks of life – has been cancelled.

Organiser, Yog Mahadeo – Director of Inspire Inc, announced in a press statement on Friday that the decision to cancel the event was made with deep regret.

“It is with deep regret and tears in my eyes that I announce, on behalf of the team, the cancellation of this

A picture of 2019’s Phagwah celebrations

year’s Phagwah festival,” Mahadeo stated.

Phagwah is expected to be celebrated on Monday, March 9, 2020.

Phagwah/Holi is a Hindu celebration that symbolises

the triumph of good over evil.

In Guyana, it is a festival that celebrates unity; a festival where people from across the political, religious and ethnic divide, come together and celebrate as one.

NEWS

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SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Tear gas, shots fired on pro-democracy protesters …7 injured

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ayhem was unleashed in the community of Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, on Friday evening after a heavily armed riot squad of the Guyana Police Force released teargas and later opened fire on a group of protesters.

Earlier in the day, thousands of persons gathered at Lusignan to join the countrywide protest against the unlawful act by the Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) Returning Officer to declare unverified results for the district.

This was done without verifying the information on the Statements of Poll in the presence of party agents, international and local observers, despite a

Police ranks heavily armed at Mon Repos

in a corner in a semi-unconscious state. His foot, bleeding profusely, was bandaged with a piece of cloth as residents fumed.

By then, the roads were blocked with burning tires

uncalled for. Her brother, Wazir Mohammed, was one of the injured persons.

“We see a teargas throw where we sit down. We run.

When we run they keep firing. We don’t know who

Pro-democracy protesters at Lusignan

Court Order being secured by the PPP/C to have an injunction against such an unlawful declaration.

However, as the pro-democracy protesters were voicing their concerns, shots of rubber pellets rang out in the afternoon hours.

as glass bottles were hurled into the air. The ranks bolstered themselves in the middle of the roadway, using force to get people into their homes.

Bibi Mohammed, who witnessed the ordeal, detailed what transpired, not-

rived to quell the situation.

The injured were transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for medical attention but the emotions of residents were difficult to contain.

The other injured were identified as were Ejaz Ally, and two others were recognised as “Alligator” and “Swalla”. One of the protesters was shot in the face while others were shot about the body. A teen who was walking along the roadside and who was not part of the protest was shot by the police.

The situation reached a point where former Attorney General Anil Nandlall was forced to return to the community to address the crowd. He explained that the People’s Progressive Party and other smaller parties are still working to ensure that

Throughout the day, many persons from the community raised their disappointment with the attempts to ‘rig the elections’.

In the early gathering at Lusignan, the protesters said this was last resort after waiting since Thursday for GECOM to rectify its

GECOM returns to the lawful process.

“Of course, we’re trying everything to get the position reversed at the other level to get the verification process completed by the Returning Officer or

blatant blunder.

Faye Alleyne, a supporter of the PPP/C, told this publication that she along with the mass of protesters want to ensure that the count of the votes and the verification process is “thor-

the Deputy and to have the electoral process restored,” Nandlall said.

He added, “The people are very outraged by what has happened…They saw the electoral process and democratic machinery of this country highjacked in a most brazen and foolish way.”

He indicated that they are working to ensure that democracy returns to Guyana. Some persons were convinced to return to their homes while others stayed at the corner of the streets.

Last resort

create the scene but this teargas keep throwing and we face start to burn. Just now, we at Mon Repos market, the police them start to shoot up and couple [persons] get shoot,” Mohammed shared.

By then, other ranks

Some of the persons who were shot

Seven persons were shot while some were arrested, resulting in mass chaos. When Guyana Times arrived at the scene, the last shots rang out a short distance away in Mon Repos and one man was seen lying

ing that they were sitting when the shots came out of nowhere. While expressing that their grievances were displayed in a peaceful manner, she reiterated that the violent behaviour from law enforcement was

had shown up at the scene in their battle uniform and weapons. As tensions brewed, former Member of Parliament, Dr Vindhya Persaud and former Education Minister, Priya Manickchand ar-

oughly transparent.”

“There must be an admission from this Government (APNU/AFC) coalition that they are incompetent, they have been voted out, and it is time that they give up peacefully and this is entirely my opinion. The PPP/C’s opinion is that if that count, if that verification shows that they (APNU/AFC) won then fine, we will not protest… we are standing here peacefully demanding our democratic rights.”

Another protester, Travez, told Guyana Times that the thousands of persons protesting at Lusignan on Friday were not only supporters of the PPP/C but others who supported other political parties in this year’s elections.

“We are in the 21st century and we have to be on the road like this protesting for democracy…clearly we have seen rigging, attempt to rig that has backfired… we are not drinking, we are not partying, we are not having fun, we are not stealing and we are not destroying people’s property.

We are just here to have a peaceful protest to represent what is right.”

Additionally, Pandit Rajin Seemadray stated that he never attended a rally hosted by any political party before the recently held elections but that his presence at the protest is in light of his fight for democracy to reign.

“GECOM should process the results of the elections in a credible manner, to verify it the way it was supposed to be verified, not behind closed doors, not to go lock up in some room and to come back with some miscellaneous figures. We want them to do it the way it was supposed to be done, in front of us, that is what we want. Our votes must count.”

Throughout the countrywide protests, another group gathered at Schoonord next to the Demerara Harbour Bridge, West Bank Demerara, with placards, voicing similar calls.

12 NEWS

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020

1 dead, 3 injured during p

…as thugs terrorise com

Beaten and robbed: Anan Tram

patients at the health facility to call their family members to come and take them home.

Protesters at Bath Settlement

O

ne man is now dead and three police officers injured following a pro-democracy protest on the West Coast of Berbice (WCB) in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice).

The dead man has been identified only as 19-year-old Devon Hansraj, also known as “Lil Boy” of Cotton Tree Village, WCB. He was the nephew of local singer, Romeo Mystic who produced popular songs like “Coolie Boy”.

Hansraj was reportedly shot dead by Police officers who were deployed to the area in light of the protest actions.

In a video seen by this publication, the situation was relatively calm when suddenly, several gunshots rang off. Persons began to raise an alarm while others ran for cover.

It is still unclear what caused the cops to open fire on the young man.

Attempts to get a comment from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) on this matter proved futile.

David Granger to accept defeat in the General and Regional Elections.

News of the peaceful demonstration quickly spread to the APNU stronghold village of Hopetown –

leashed a trashing.

Police arrived during the attack on the village but did nothing to help those being terrorised.

Earlier in the day

Beaten and robbed: Jerry Lochan

Jefta Fraser.

They were the residents was shot.

According cers ran into

reportedly injured by after the young man to reports, the offia nearby yard to es-

Persons who were attacking protesters

In a statement on his Facebook page, Mystic said “RIP to my nephew…killed tonight at Cotton Tree... lost for words at this time”.

Meanwhile, the injured Police officers are Sergeant Purit Ibaran, Constable Roy Grant and Constable

Earlier in the day, scores of villagers gathered along the road at Bath Settlement, WCB, in a massive civil protest against GECOM’s decision to declare unverified results for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).

The protesters were calling on

which is several communities away.

Guyana Times understands that residents of that community had armed themselves with sticks and cutlasses and declared that their village is a “no-pass area” for PPP/C supporters.

They then pounced on the village of Bush Lot, looting businesses and beating anyone in sight; even some who were in their private yards were attacked as the mob entered and un-

cape the angry residents. However, one resident, reportedly armed with a cutlass, allegedly chopped one of the cops. Another officer escaped by jumping into a nearby canal.

The villagers used flashlights to locate him and when they did, his

head was reportedly pushed under the water while he was being lashed with a piece of wood.

Four persons are said to be in custody.

New Amsterdam Hospital

It was high drama at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where the injured cops were taken to be treated.

Shortly after the law enforcement officers arrived, a car pulled up, with the shot civilian inside.

He was pronounced dead on arrival.

The other occupants of the vehicle, three men armed with cutlasses and a fourth individual, began to attack one of the officers in the vicinity of the Accident and Emergency Unit.

The cop, however, managed to escape into the building.

The security guards at the hospital disappeared as the men remained in the compound.

After about ten minutes, the men entered their car and left.

Moments later, they were arrested.

The commotion caused several

Persons who attacked protesters

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0 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

13

protests in West Berbice

mmunities, rob residents

The Police Sargeant who was chopped

Meanwhile, in seeming response to the attacks, protesters lined the main access road with drums, concrete posts and trees – and then set the items ablaze, creating a fiery roadblock accompanied by thick black smoke.

The police were on the scene and tried to clear the roadway to allow traffic to pass but they were unsuccessful.

body take a brick and hit me in my head.”

Tram said he was relieved of more than $100,000 in cash, his driver’s licences, cellular phone, tools from his car trunk while a laptop computer and clothing were taken away from his son.

When Tram spoke with this publication, he said he did not have any money to pay to get his car to cross

Protesters at Cotton Tree

bus was stopped.

According to her, there were school children aboard and when the bus was stopped, the driver was pulled out. The driver, however, managed to save himself from an attack.

Meanwhile, in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), protest action started in the morning hours at Lesbeholden and Black Bush Polder, and by noon, the protesters converged at Tain along the Corentyne Highway where they had a standoff with Police ranks.

Teargas was used and several warning shots were fired in the air.

Condemnation

Vehicles were trapped in several pockets on the main access road.

Meanwhile, at Number Four Village, supporters of APNU responded and also blocked the road there.

They were only allowing certain people to pass through the village.

This triggered another reaction from the PPP/C supporters in their villages.

In every other village between Bath Settlement and Number Four Village, the PPP/C supporters came out in their numbers and set fire to the road while they chanted, “Granger must go”.

At Number Four Village, several persons were beaten and robbed.

Some were pulled out of their vehicles and hit with pieces of wood, hammers and bottles.

Anan Tram of New Amsterdam told this publication that as he approached the roadblock at Number Four Village, he was attacked.

“I was coming from Bath Settlement and before I could do anything, they open the door and scramble me and my son and some-

the Berbice River Bridge.

Ameer Bacchus, a supporter of APNU, was also beaten and robbed when he got to the roadblock at Number Four Village. According to Bacchus, he was lashed several times with an iron pipe.

“They took away my wallet and then I told them that we are the same thing [APNU] and a man came and told them that they can’t do that.”

He said he was given back his wallet but the $30,000 was missing. His worker, Wasim Ally, who was also in the car, was also lashed several times. They were eventually allowed through but had to stop at Cotton Tree where there was a huge fire being fuelled by burning tyres.

Jerry Lochan of Whim Village suffered the same fate. According to him, his car windscreen was smashed, while his son was robbed of gold jewellery and lashed three times with a hammer.

Meanwhile, at the same location, a bus with passengers was also stopped. Shelly Basso said she was travelling from Belladrum trying to get to the bank at Rosignol when the

Meanwhile, the PPP/C leadership reiterates the call that General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo made to all Guyanese to observe and act within the law at all times even when they may be protesting this blatant act of election rigging being perpetuated by the APNU/AFC regime.

The party notes the reports of a children’s school bus being damaged by some protesters and find this to be totally unacceptable even though it is understood that the children were not seriously affected. The party condemns these acts committed by the perpetrators.

Persons who went to provoke protesters

14 NEWS

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Granger defies world's rejection of concocted election results …injunction hearing for court today ...will be sworn in if court lifts injunction – Harmon

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s thousands of Guyanese impatiently wait for their votes to be properly counted, the PNCled coalition Administration is hoping that the court discharges an injunction ordering them to comply with the laws of the land, so that they can unconstitutionally swear-in their leader, David Granger, as President of Guyana.

In a rare proceeding set for today at 10:00h, the Demerara High Court will deal with the case surrounding the injunctions delivered to the six Commissioners on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), who were served with court orders, barring them from declaring the elections result without verification.

The injunction was sought by former Attorney General Anil Nandlall after the Returning Officer for Region Four, Clairmont Mingo attempted to declare unverified

APNU/AFC Leader David Granger

results for the General and Regional Elections.

Mingo, however, secretly declared the results – to the surprise of the main political Opposition, smaller political parties, elections observer missions, and the wider international community.

On the evening of March 5, Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield had com-

mitted to having the vertification process run throughout the night until completeion.

However, this was never done, which was a clear violation of the law.

The injunction also had to be delivered to the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield as well as GECOM Chair, Justice Claudette Singh. However, despite repeated attempts to do so, Nandlall and the court bailiffs failed in their quest to deliver the court orders.

In a pre-recorded video message released to the media Friday night, Executive Member of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Joseph Harmon announced that the GECOM Chair has “decided to follow what the court says”.

He said the matter will be heard at the High Court and it is the APNU/AFC’s hope that “this matter will be treated with some amount of speed”.

Notably, the GECOM Chair herself did not make this announcement. In fact, she has been missing in action since Thursday when the RO declared unverified results.

“Chairman of the Elections Commission, herself being a former Justice of Appeal, decided that she will follow what the court says and has agreed that this procedure for the swearing-in of the President will be put on hold,” Harmon announced.

In his message, the Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency said the APNU/AFC coalition wants Granger to be “swornin very quickly”.

This is despite mounting international pressure for GECOM to resume the verification process of the results. In fact, the ABCE countries have even called on Granger not to transition into a new Government, as such a Government will be consid-

GECOM Chairperson Retired Justice Claudette Singh

APNU/AFC Executive member Joseph Harmon

ered “unconstitutional”.

“We have to have the President sworn in very quickly,” Harmon said.

In order for a new President to be sworn-in, GECOM’s CEO has to make a declaration of the winner of the general results, followed by a meeting of the entire Commission.

Thereafter, the GECOM Chairperson is supposed to send a statement to the Chancellor of the Judiciary, who will then make the ar-

rangements to have the President sworn-in.

On Friday also the international community – including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, European Union among others – called on President Granger to avoid a transition of Government, which “we believe would be unconstitutional as it would be based on a vote tabulation process that lacked credibility and transparency,” they said in a joint statement.

Bipartisan US Congress reps to GECOM: “deliver credible count before declaration” …US State Dept Asst Secretary says Guyana deserves “credible elections” …British politician calls out “ballot rigging”

US State Dept official Michael Kozak

F

our United States Congress representatives from New Jersey (NJ), New York (NY) and Florida, where there are large Guyanese populations, called upon the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to deliver credible tabulation of the Region Four results before moving ahead to declare the final results of the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

On Thursday, the Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) Returning Officer (RO), Clairmont Mingo, abandoned the ongoing verification process of the regional results and reportedly went ahead to declare the results. This was objected to by representatives of most of the 11 political parties that contested the elec-

Congress Representative Eliot Engel

tions as well as international observers – all of whom have labelled the declared results as lacking credibility and transparency and has been calling for the verification process to resume.

In a joint statement on Friday, Congress Representatives Albio Sires (D-NJ), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), and Francis Rooney (R-FL) expressed deep concern about the allegations of fraud in Guyana’s elections.

“International election observers are in agreement that the results released for Region [Four] could not be verified and were presented [Thursday] in violation of the established vote tabulation process. We call on the elec-

UK politician Barry Gardine

Congress Representative Francis Rooney

tion commission (GECOM) to return to the established procedure and not to declare a winner until a credible vote tabulation process has been completed,” the missive detailed.

Congressmen Sires and Meeks along with

Congress Representative Albio Sires

Congresswoman Clarke had visited Guyana in January on a fact-finding mission ahead of the March 2 elections. The congressional team had met with political leaders and other stakeholders from civil society.

Moreover, just days before the local elections, the Bipartisan Congress representatives in a statement called for free and fair elections.

“We strongly support free, fair, and peaceful elections in Guyana that reflect the will of the Guyanese people. We also recognise the important role of local civil society and international election observers working to safeguard the integrity of the vote. No matter who wins on Monday, we hope to continue to deep-

Congress Representative Gregory Meeks

en relations between our two countries and support the Guyanese people in the months and years ahead,” the February 28 missive stated.

On the other hand, also joining in questioning the credibility of Thursday’s results is the acting Assistant Secretary for the US Department of State's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, Michael Kozak.

He tweeted on Friday that, “The people of Guyana deserve a credible election and legitimate transfer of power; the democracies of the region expect that Guyana will uphold our shared values".

To this end, the State Department official posited that “no candidate should declare victory or be sworn in

Congress Representative Yvette Clarke

while serious questions remain about [the] credibility of [the] March 2 elections and whether procedures were followed”.

Meanwhile, over in the United Kingdom (UK), British Labour Party politician, Barry Gardiner, flags the attempts to “rig” the elections by the incumbent APNU/AFC coalition.

“It appears that Guyana's Government lost Monday's election but have refused to complete the legal count.

Instead, they’ve ‘persuaded’ the elections commission to produce a completely fictitious statement on results. UK must not ignore this ballot rigging,” the Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade asserted.

NEWS

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SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Current political climate can negatively impact tourism – THAG

G

uyana’s hardearned title as the number one eco-tourism destination in the world could face major setbacks if the current political climate in the country escalates, said the Tourism Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG). “[The tourism industry] is one of the industries that takes years to build, but it can shut down in a matter of days if you make the wrong decisions,”

THAG President Mirta Ramkumar

said Mitra Ramkumar, the President of THAG. “It would be extremely sad if we as a nation that is the number one eco-tourism in the world… [with] six awards that we would have won last year… it would be incredibly sad if we throw all of this away just because we can’t go through an election process”, he explained.

N e v e r t h e l e s s , Ramkumar empathised with the concern of the people but he called on them to

exercise maturity. He also called on GECOM to have the electoral process completed transparently.

“We understand the anxiety in people and so we want to appeal to GECOM to bring closer and have this process completed transparently. I am calling on all Guyanese to let peace prevail,” he expressed.

Up to press time, THAG had not received any reports of cancellations of reservations at hotels, but he is concerned that such

actions may be imminent with the current political climate.

Meanwhile, he also encouraged people to visit Guyana.

“I want to encourage people to come to our beautiful country because we have so much to offer, in our people, in our food, in the way we dress, different festivals… we have Phagwah around the corner a lot of people come for that festival. We want to encourage you to contin-

ue to come to our beautiful country,” he urged.

There is much uncertainty in the country following an attempt to commit electoral fraud – a development which has been acknowledged by the international community including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, European Union, Commonwealth, Organisation of American States and even the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

US tourist is Costa Rica’s Saudi crackdown: King Salman’s brother and nephew detained 1st coronavirus case

A

US woman on a tourist trip to Costa Rica has tested positive for the coronavirus, the first confirmed case in Central America, the country’s health minister said Friday.

The 49-year-old woman had contracted the virus before entering the country on March 1, Health Minister Daniel Salas said.

The woman is currently “in strict isolation” in a hotel in the capital San Jose with her husband — who Salas said had contact with people in New York who had tested positive for the virus.

“The man has not manifested symptoms. The lady has, but they are very mild flu symptoms, diarrhoea and abdominal pain,” the minister told a news conference hosted jointly with President Carlos Alvarado.

The infected woman had travelled to the country’s Pacific coast and to the north before becoming ill, Salas said.

Tests were being carried out on five people the authorities identified as having had close contact with the couple, the minister said.

He added that the first positive case “does not mean

there is sustained transmission from person-to-person” in Costa Rica.

“It is not necessary to suspend mass gatherings, classes or similar,” he said.

Coronavirus cases topped 100,000 worldwide, across more than 90 countries on Friday, and has killed more than 3,450 people. (Jamaica Observer)

Trump abruptly replaces acting Chief of Staff

P

resident Donald Trump parted ways on Friday with acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and replaced him with conservative lawmaker and close ally Mark Meadows, who was a strong Trump defender during the Democratic impeachment drive.

Representative Meadows takes over as the White House struggles to advance a consistent message about the coronavirus crisis and as Trump goes into a bruising re-election contest.

He becomes the fourth chief of staff in Trump’s three years in office, tasked with attempting to bring order to a chaotic presidency.

Meadows is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina and was a combative defender of the president during the impeachment saga, so much

Mick Mulvaney

so that Trump singled him out for praise at a Feb. 6 event after the Republicanled Senate acquitted the president.

“He’s a tremendously talented man, not just as a politician. As a human being, he’s incredible,” Trump said at the time.

Trump named Mulvaney to be his special U.S. envoy to Northern Ireland, just as he prepares to welcome Irish Prime Minister Leo

Varadkar to Washington for St. Patrick’s Day ceremonies later this month.

A former senior administration official said the change had been a long time in the works and was a “done deal” some time ago.

Trump announced the Friday night move just after arriving at his Mar-aLago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, where he is spending the weekend.

“I am pleased to announce that Congressman Mark Meadows will become White House Chief of Staff.

I have long known and worked with Mark, and the relationship is a very good one,” Trump said on Twitter.

“I want to thank Acting Chief Mick Mulvaney for having served the Administration so well.

He will become the United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland. Thank you!” said Trump. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabian authorities detained a brother and a nephew of Saudi King Salman [Faisal Al Nasser/ Reuters]

S

audi Arabian authorities detained a brother and a nephew of Saudi King Salman in a move that extends a crackdown on royal relatives by his son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Prince Mohammed bin Nayef and Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz al Saud were arrested on Friday and accused of treason, a person familiar with the matter said. Prince Mohammed’s brother, Nawaf, was also detained with him at a desert camp, the person said.

The news was reported

earlier Friday by the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.

Since King Salman took power, senior Saudi princes have been sidelined in favor of his son Prince Mohammed, who has consolidated power to an unprecedented level by arresting princes and removing them from key posts as he took control of the kingdom’s ministries and institutions of power. Prince Mohammed bin Nayef had been in line to the throne and was the country’s interior minister before be-

ing stripped of his powers in 2017.

Later the same year, Prince Mohammed embarked on his most sweeping crackdown during his reign, ordering security forces to arrest senior princes and prominent businessmen in what was declared a crackdown on corruption.

Billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal was detained at the Ritz Carlton Hotel.

Prince Miteb, son of the late King Abdullah, was removed from his post as head of the powerful National Guards. (Al Jazeera)

Ethiopian investigators set to blame Boeing for plane crash

E

thiopian crash investigators have tentatively concluded that the crash of a Boeing Co 737 MAX last year was caused by the plane’s design, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing a draft report being circulated to participants in the probe.

The conclusions say little or nothing about the performance of Ethiopian Airlines or its flight crew, the report bloom.bg/2InQ4gu said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Boeing did not immediately respond to a request

for comment. (Reuters)

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guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020

Regional

CARPHA upgrades coronavirus risk Haiti Opposition parties say they will not recognise new PM

O

pposition political parties which have been demanding the resignation of President Jovenel Moise, Friday, said they would not recognise the newly announced Prime Minister Jouthe Joseph.

Opposition spokesman, André Michel, speaking on behalf of the so-called “Democratic and Popular” movement, also rejected a call for a truce by Joseph, describing the third prime minister since Moise came to office in 2017 as “de Facto” having not been ratified by Parliament.

In January, Moise announced the end of the bicameral Parliament with the departure of all members of the lower cham-

Prime Minister Jouthe Joseph

ber and two-thirds of the Senate, leaving just 10 senators. The institutional void occurred after the country failed to hold legislative and local elections in October.

When he announced Joseph as the new Prime Minister, Moise said that

he was calling on him to “form, as soon as possible, a Government of openness and consensus, capable of responding to the emergencies of the day”.

But Michel said contrary to Moise's call “it is now that the fight begins” against the government.

Meanwhile, former foreign affairs minister, Bocchit Edmond, said he was honoured to have served “my country at this prestigious level”.

“I gave my all to support political stability in Haiti. Thank you President Jovenel Moïse for the opportunity to serve. I wish good luck and success to the new Jouthe Joseph team,” he added. (CMC)

Guatemala seeks to limit migrants returned under US asylum agreement

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uatemala’s new government is trying to limit the number of foreign migrants the United States sends its way under an agreement that makes the Central American nation a buffer zone to reduce US asylum claims.

The United States has sent hundreds of Honduran and El Salvadoran asylum seekers to Guatemala under the agreement implemented in November and is now seeking to expand the programme.

However, Guatemala’s priority in ongoing talks with US officials is to make sure the number sent back daily does not exceed its “very limited” capacity to process new arrivals, deputy foreign minister Eduardo Hernandez told Reuters.

“We have only one runway” and one migrant reception centre, Hernandez said in an interview last week. The agreement “cannot exceed our installed capacity”.

Honduran migrants, sent back to Guatemala from the United States under an Asylum Cooperative Agreement (ACA), walk in Casa del Migrante shelter in Guatemala City, Guatemala

As it stands, the deal is one of a series of overlapping measures the Trump administration sees as key to bringing down irregular migration into the United States.

US President Donald Trump has made his performance on controlling immigration a plank of his 2020 re-election campaign.

Known as an Asylum Cooperative Agreement and signed by the previous Guatemalan government, the deal is similar to the

safe third country agreement under which asylum seekers who pass through Canada must apply for refuge there rather than in the United States.

Critics of the arrangement, and similar US deals with Honduras and El Salvador, say those countries do not offer adequate conditions for protecting atrisk migrants and that their asylum systems are too rudimentary to cope. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Prime Minister of Barbados and Chairman of Caricom Mia Amor Mottley (right) and Secretary General Irwin LaRocque at the meeting being held for regional Heads of Government and other officials to discuss the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) [Picture by Nigel Browne]

T

he Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has upgraded the region’s risk of the COVID-19 virus from low to moderate-high in light of the increased of the importation of the virus to the region.

According to CARPHA’s executive director, Dr Joy St John, health authorities of Member States must shift their mindset from preparedness to readiness and rapid response and continue to do all that is necessary to strengthen their capacity to respond to possible importation of cases.

Based on this upgrade, stakeholders in the regional

tourism and health sectors are in the process of implementing readiness and response measures to prevent an contain the virus.

The recently established COVID-19 Caribbean Tourism Task Force, in a statement issued by the leaders of member organisations, indicated that a Memorandum of Understanding was agreed upon to foster closer collaboration.

“Recognising the essential need to safeguard the health and safety of residents and visitors to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 threat to the Caribbean; and further rec-

ognising the importance of building upon the collaborative efforts which are already underway, and the need to pool organisational resources to do so; we have agreed to formalise our efforts and messaging through the establishment of the COVID-19 Caribbean Tourism Task Force (CCTTF),” the MOU reads.

The organisations acknowledged concerns about the high level of misunderstanding about the virus which has elevated the panic at the global level and resulted in the dissemination of a high level of misinformation. (Excerpt from CMC)

Peru records 1st confirmed case of coronavirus, President Vizcarra says

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eru recorded its first confirmed case of coronavirus, President Martin Vizcarra said in a televised statement on Friday, as the disease begins to spread around South America.

The patient is a 25-yearold man who had travelled to Spain, France and the Czech Republic, Vizcarra

added.

South American neighbours Argentina and Chile also announced their first

confirmed cases this week, while a number of cases have been confirmed in Brazil. (Reuters)

Brazil recalls diplomats, Strong tremor rattles Trinidad officials from Venezuela A

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razil's right-wing government has started pulling its diplomats out of the embassy and consulate in Caracas as it moves to downgrade relations with Venezuela's leftist government.

Instructions published on Thursday in the official gazette removed five diplomats and 11 members of consular staff in Caracas, including Consul General Elza de Castro and two minister counsellors at the embassy.

It marks a new level of tension between Brazil's

far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and Venezuela's socialist leader Nicolas Maduro.

Roughly 10,000 Brazilians are living in Venezuela, and Brazilian authorities say more than half a million Venezuelans have fled the country's economic and political crisis into Brazil, with many of them continuing to other South American nations.

For the Brazilian government, it clears a path to ask Venezuela's diplomats to leave Brazil.

Brazil is one of more than 50 countries to have recognised the claim of Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido to be his country's acting president.

Guaido made the proclamation early last year following the opposition-controlled parliament's branding of Maduro as a usurper over his 2018 re-election in a poll widely derided as rigged.

Brasilia has also recognised the ambassador to Brazil appointed by Guaido, Maria Teresa Belandria.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

n earthquake with a magnitude of 5.1 rocked Trinidad on Thursday night, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The Trinidad-based Seismic Research Centre (SRC) of the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) said that the quake occurred at 10:44 pm (local time) and was located at latitude 10.93N, longitude 62.14W and at a depth of 83 kilometres.

The tremor was felt 76 km north west of the capital, Port of Spain, 100 km

west north west of Arima, and 106 km north west of San Fernando.

Thursday night's tremor is the third within a one week period to rattle

Trinidad and Tobago.

Late last month, two quakes with magnitudes 4.2 and four shook the country within a 12-hour period.

(CMC)

guyanatimesgy.com

OILNEWS Oil slammed as investors flee after Russia rejects steep OPEC cut

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rent suffered its biggest one-day loss in more than 11 years on Friday after Russia baulked at OPEC’s proposed steep production cuts to stabilise prices as the coronavirus outbreak slows the global economy and hurts energy demand.

A three-year pact between OPEC and Russia ended in acrimony on Friday after Moscow refused to support deeper oil cuts to cope with the outbreak of coronavirus. OPEC responded by removing all limits on its own production.

That triggered a rout, with more than 1 million US crude contracts shares trading hands on Friday. US crude futures settled down more than 10 per cent, the largest one-day percentage loss since 2014. More than 4.58 million US front-month crude contracts changed hands this week, the busiest week ever for that contract.

Brent futures fell US$4.72, or 9.4 per cent, its biggest fall since December 2008, to settle at US$45.27 a barrel, its lowest close since June 2017, while US West Texas Intermediate crude dropped US$4.62, or 10.1 per cent, to US$41.28, its lowest close since August 2016.

That was the biggest daily percentage drop for WTI since November 2014, putting both contracts down over 30 per cent so far this year.

The number of people infected with coronavirus across the world surpassed 100,000 as the outbreak reached more countries and the economic damage intensified. Business districts began to empty and stock markets tumbled.

The split between OPEC and Russia revived fears of a 2014 oil price crash, when Saudi Arabia and Russia fought for market share with US shale oil producers, which have never participated in output-limiting pacts.

“This could be the end of the OPEC-Russia alliance,” said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago. “For the first time in years at the end of March, there could be no quota on OPEC producers.”

OPEC was pushing for an additional 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) of cuts until the end of 2020.

Non-OPEC states were expected to contribute 500,000 bpd to the overall extra cut, OPEC Ministers said. The new deal would have meant OPEC+ production curbs amounting to a total of 3.6 million bpd, or about 3.6 per cent of global supply.

“From (April 1) all oil producers are allowed to produce as much as they like,” analysts at ABN AMRO said in a report lowering their oil price forecast.

The Dutch bank noted that OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo indicated there will be more informal meetings on the proposed cuts in coming weeks, however.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Premier Oil commits to carbonneutral operations by 2030

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ritish North Sea-focused oil and gas producer Premier Oil has committed to carbon neutral operations at its fields by 2030, reporting a record free cash flow of $327 million last year, up around 30 per cent and boosted by its flagship Catcher field.

It said on Thursday it would develop its operated projects on a carbon-neutral basis in respect of Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, referring to emissions from its direct operations and from the power supply it uses.

Premier is awaiting a court decision on its plan, approved by a majority of its shareholders, for a capital raise of US$500 million for new North Sea acquisitions between March 17 and 20 and postponing its debt maturities.

Debt holder ARCM, a hedge fund with a large short position in Premier’s stock, vehemently opposed the plans.

Premier’s climate targets follow similar commitments by other pure oil and gas exploration and production companies, such as Energean and Kosmos Energy, which will make use of emission offset programs.

European oil and gas majors with refineries and petrol stations, such as BP or Eni, have set themselves reduction targets for Scope 3 emissions, which typically vastly outstrip operational emissions.

Premier put a stake in its Zama discovery off Mexico on the market last year and Durrant said “multiple” bidders were still in the process, which depends on the outcome of talks with Mexico’s Pemex to determine access to reserves and operatorship.

The process might have to go to arbitration, which can be triggered from next week and would take a maximum of 125 days, Durrant said.

Premier plans to produce between 70,000 and 75,000 barrels of oil equivalent this year, excluding its planned acquisitions.

Premier hedged 3.4 million barrels in the first half at an average price of US$64 a barrel and 1.3 million barrels in the second half at US$63 a barrel. (Excerpt from Reuters)

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020

17

Around the World

Coronavirus infects more than 100,000 worldwide, wreaking financial havoc

T

he number of people infected with coronavirus surpassed 100,000 across the world on Friday as the outbreak reached more countries and intensified economic damage, with business districts beginning to empty and stock markets tumbling.

An increasing number of people were asked to stay home from work, schools were closed, large gatherings and sports and music events were cancelled, stores were cleared of staples like toiletries and water, and face masks became a common sight.

The outbreak has killed more than 3400 people and spread across more than 90 nations, with six countries reporting their first cases on Friday.

A man is seen wearing a protective face mask at Waterloo station in London, Britain, March 6, 2020

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said every country should make containing the epidemic its top priority, pointing to Iran’s national action plan to combat one of the worst

outbreaks after a slow start.

Iran’s death toll from the virus jumped to 124, as more than 1000 new cases were diagnosed over 24 hours.

In the United States, the world’s economic power-

house, at least 57 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed as the virus struck for the first time in Colorado, Maryland, Tennessee and Texas, as well as San Francisco in California.

Some 230 people have been infected in total and 12 have died.

More than 2000 people were stranded on the Grand Princess cruise ship after it was barred from returning to port in San Francisco because at least 35 people aboard developed flu-like symptoms. Test kits were delivered at sea.

US President Donald Trump signed a bill allocating US$8.3 billion to bolster testing for the virus and other action. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Dozens killed in Kabul ceremony attack claimed by ISIL

A

t least 27 people have been killed in an attack, claimed by the ISIL (ISIS) group, at a ceremony in the Afghan capital where a top Afghan political leader, Abdullah Abdullah, was present but escaped unharmed.

While a Health Ministry spokesman confirmed the death of 27 people, a NATO source told Reuters news agency that the death toll was slightly higher. More than 30 people were killed and 42 wounded, 20 of whom were in a serious condition, the agency reported.

The ISIL claimed it killed and injured 150 people, according to the group’s

Amaq website, without providing evidence.

It is the deadliest attack since a peace deal was signed last week between the United States and the Taliban that aims for the complete withdrawal of US and NATO troops within 14 months. The war in Afghanistan is the longest one in US history, which continues for more than 18 years.

Al Jazeera’s Hoda AbdelHamid, reporting from Kabul, said a standoff between Afghan security forces and the attackers lasted for nearly six hours.

Meanwhile, the Taliban denied a role in the attack on the gathering marking

The Taliban denied a role in the attack on the gathering marking the anniversary of the death of Abdul Ali Mazari, an ethnic Hazara leader who was killed by Taliban fighters in 1995 after being taken prisoner

the anniversary of the death of Abdul Ali Mazari, an ethnic Hazara leader who was killed in 1995 after being taken prisoner by Taliban fighters.

Despite the deal between the Taliban and the

US, fighting has continued to rage across the country, casting a pall over hopes that the agreement would lead to a reduction in violence. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Tunisia: Suicide attack targets US embassy

T

wo suicide bombers have blown themselves up outside the United States embassy in the Tunisian capital, killing a policeman and injuring six other people, authorities said, in the most serious attack in months.

An explosion at around midday on Friday rocked the Berges du Lac district, where the highly fortified embassy is located, causing panic among pedestrians and motorists.

Photos posted on local news websites showed damaged vehicles on the road outside the embassy.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Police at the scene said the assailants drove to the area on a motorcycle and detonated their explosive devices as they were approached by officers deployed at a roundabout leading to the embassy.

The two attackers died and one officer, identified

as a 52-year-old father of three, Lieutenant Taoufik Mohammed El Nissaoui, succumbed to his wounds.

Five more injured officers and a lightly wounded female civilian were in a stable state, Interior Minister Hichem Mechichi told reporters.

“It was a homemade explosive device and we are looking for those who helped make it,” he said.

Donald Blome, the US ambassador to Tunisia, said he was “outraged” by the at-

tack, before adding that all embassy personnel were safe and accounted for.

Armed men have targeted Tunisia repeatedly in recent years, killing scores of people.

Last summer, the ISIL (ISIS) group said it was behind three blasts in the capital, including one near the French embassy that killed a policeman and another that wounded five people during a security operation to detain a suspect. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Migrant crisis at Greek-Turkish border in second week, EU mulls more aid

T

he European Union on Friday pleaded with migrants on the Turkish border to stop trying to cross into Greece but dangled the prospect of more aid for Ankara as a standoff between Greek riot police and refugees entered a second week.

Tens of thousands of migrants have been trying to

get into Greece, an EU member state, since Turkey said on Feb 28 it would no longer try to keep them on its territory as agreed in 2016 with the EU in return for billions of euros in aid.

Greek and Turkish security forces again deployed tear gas on Friday, witnesses said, sending plumes of smoke above the Kastanies-

Pazarkule border crossing. Some migrants dabbed stinging eyes with water.

Other trekked through fields probing for chinks in the well-guarded frontier.

The EU could offer more money beyond the 6 billion euros (US$6.79 billion) pledged in 2016 to help the refugees but Turkey must first stop using them as a

“bargaining chip”, he said.

Turkey, which hosts nearly 4 million Syrian war refugees, says the EU has failed to honour earlier promises.

It also wants more European support in Syria, where its troops are facing off against Russian-backed Syrian Government forces. (Excerpt from Reuters)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS

DILBERT

(April 20May 20)

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Aug. 23Sept. 22)

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Plan a retreat or a night of entertainment. Getting away from daily pressure will give you a new outlook on bothersome situations.

It’s time to move along.

You’ll get your way regardless, so don’t push your will on others. A renewed interest in something or someone from your past will encourage you to reconnect.

Romance is favored.

Look to someone you respect for answers, not to acquaintances who know little about you. Avoid being the topic of conversation by keeping your personal life secret.

Finish what you start.

Consider how to use your skills and qualifications in a new and exciting way.

Overspending, overdoing or overindulging won’t help you get ahead. Romance is on the rise.

You’ll find a solution to a problem if you take a step back and rethink your strategy. Cut your overhead and save for something that will make you happy.

Do your own thing. The more riled up you become over something you cannot change, the harder it will be to move forward. Don’t confide in someone who can’t keep a secret.

Mix business with pleasure. Show how entertaining and intelligent you can be. Physical activities will prove to be stimulating and will lead to exciting people and prospects.

Someone will offer you inside information. A change at home will confuse you.

Don’t make a hasty decision; instead, wait to see what develops. Nothing will turn out as bad as you anticipate.

Keep your plans to yourSAGITTARIUS self.

Visit an establishment (Nov. 23that offers the information Dec. 21) you require to make a useful decision. Distance yourself from personal problems and people who perplex you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

Work on your resume or qualifications if it will help you head in a direction that you find more exciting.

Don’t let a personal partner discourage you or hold you back.

AQUARIUS

Keep the peace. Listen to others and nurture relationships. Consider your lifestyle and the changes you can make that will improve your current situation.

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

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Spend more time with people you can count on to give you good advice. Run your ideas by experts, as well as by those who will be affected by the choices you make.

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020

19

248

Adesanya, Zhang to defend title tonight in Las Vegas

I

don’t think it’s outrageous to suggest that Yoel Romero’s title shot, which comes against Israel Adesanya in the UFC 248 main event tonight in Las Vegas, is the work of charity, a gift from promotion president, Dana White, who appears to have longterm plans for the middleweight division.

Romero (13-4) is coming off a loss to “The Eraser” and has already dropped two separate middleweight title fights against Robert Whittaker. In addition, “Soldier of God” turns 43 next month and sports an ugly history of blowing up the scale at the most inopportune times.

Not exactly the kind of fighter you keep idling on the corner of Next & Shot.

If the power-punching Cuban comes up short against Adesanya, there is really nowhere left for him to go but the front gate, where he’ll likely be used to judge the value of future title contenders. “Yeah, but he hasn’t beaten Romero” is the kind of sentence we’ll use for

UFC President Dana White separate Strawweight champion Weili Zhang (left) and former champ, Joanna Jedrzejczyk

the remainder of his career.

Or maybe he can just go be tiny (and happy) at 205 pounds.

If he wins, that validates White’s decision to soldier on (no pun intended) while other contenders, like UFC 248 back up Jared Cannonier, continue to build their case. No question Costa would be next in line, with an Adesanya rematch somewhere down the pipe.

More importantly, it gives Romero a second lease on his combat sports life.

“I want to prove there are

no limits, that age is pretty much a number,” Romero said during fight week (via MMA Fighting). “I think you can do anything if you believe in yourself. If you live a disciplined lifestyle, if you live a not-so-emotional life, (and) if you live under a conviction, everything is possible.”

The same can be said for Joanna Jedrzejczyk

While certainly not as old as Romero, and already far more accomplished in terms of championship success,

the Polish piston turns 33 this summer and is already 0-3 in her last three title fights. Outside of Urijah Faber and Holly Holm, securing a fifth title fight after an 0-4 run is damn-near impossible and at the very least, takes a considerable amount of time.

Or an injury shake up, similar to the one that benefited Romero.

Jedrzejczyk (16-3) must also prove that she’s not yesterday’s news, a criticism that has continued to haunt her in losses to Rose

Namajunas and Valentina Shevchenko.

Alongside up-and-coming stars like the No. 3-ranked Tatiana Suarez, reigning strawweight champion, Weili Zhang, is being called the future of the division.

And not without merit, as “Magnum” has 17 finishes in 20 wins.

Handing Zhang her first UFC loss reestablishes Jedrzejczyk as the top of the 115-pound food chain and sets up a rematch with the winner of Andrade vs.

Namajunas, who mix it up at the UFC 249 extravaganza next month in Brooklyn, New York.

More importantly, it gives Jedrzejczyk a little more leeway when it comes to future losses, if and when they come.

Beating Zhang, coupled with the equity she accrued during her dominant run from 2014-17, keeps Jedrzejczyk relevant in the crowded strawweight title picture, even if she fails to defend her belt the next time out. It would also help silence the weight cutting

critics who believe she may no longer be fit to compete at 115 pounds, particularly with these new additions.

“It’s the most important fight of my fighting career, in my life,” Jedrzejczyk said about the UFC 248 co-main event (via MMA Junkie).

“I’m very happy to be the challenger and take back what belongs to me – the strawweight belt. It’s been a while. I was the champ for 966 days and it’s been more than 518 days without me having the belt, without me being the champ. It means I was the champ for the reason, and I’m the right person to be the challenger for the strawweight belt.”

Just so we’re clear, losing at UFC 248 doesn’t make Romero or Jedrzejczyk washed up, exposed, overrated, or whatever other buzzwords the Just Bleed’rs like to throw around behind every defeat. But a loss does end their championship relevance for the foreseeable future, putting more on the line than just a shiny gold belt. (MMA Mania)

NBA round-up: Clippers win 6th straight game

K

awhi Leonard scored teams finish tied two steals in just 28 minutes 25 points, Ivica Zubac in the while Zubac (17 points, 12 and Montrezl Harrell standings. rebounds) and Harrell posted double-doubles, and (19 points, 10 rethe visiting Los Angeles bounds) punished Clippers drubbed the the smaller Rockets Houston inside.

Paul Rockets George (13 points) 120-105 o n and Marcus Morris Thursday Sr. (11 points) addnight. ed to the Clippers The Clippers extended onslaught. their winning streak to six Russell Westbrook consecutive games and, paired 29 points with perhaps of great15 rebounds while er significance, Leonard James Harden squared the added six scored 16 season series with re- bounds, points on 4-forHouston at two games five assists and 17 shooting for apiece. The Clippers Houston. own the superior record Golden State Warriors forward Marquese within the Western Chriss drives the ball around Toronto Raptors Toronto Raptors 121 Conference should the centre Serge Ibaka (USA TODAY Sports) Golden State Warriors 113

Norman Powell stole the spotlight in Stephen Curry’s long-awaited return with a career-high 37 points, and Pascal Siakam hit a key hoop with 45.7 seconds remaining, helping Toronto outlast Golden State in a rematch of last June’s NBA Finals.

Curry had a team-high-tying 23 points in 27 minutes in his first action since breaking his left hand in the Warriors’ fourth game of the season in October. He missed 58 games.

Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka, two key contributors when the Raptors ended Golden State’s bid for a threepeat with a 4-2 win in the Finals, each recorded a double-double, lifting the Raptors to a second straight win after

three consecutive losses.

Denver Nuggets 114 Charlotte Hornets 112

Jamal Murray’s short jumper with 6 seconds remaining gave Denver a victory over host Charlotte in a dizzying finish.

Murray finished with a team-high 18 points as seven Denver players scored in double figures.

Charlotte’s Terry Rozier missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer. From the four-minute mark to the two-minute mark, there were seven lead changes and a tie.

Philadelphia 76ers 125 Sacramento Kings 108

Tobias Harris scored 28

points and grabbed 14 rebounds, and Shake Milton added 20 points as short-handed Philadelphia slowed down red-hot Sacramento.

De’Aaron Fox scored 23 points and Buddy Hield added 22 for the Kings, who saw their three-game overall winning streak come to an end as well as their six-game home winning streak.

Al Horford had 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Sixers, who led by as many as 19 in the third quarter only to see the Kings cut the deficit to six with less than three minutes remaining in the period. However, a quick 12-2 run built the Sixers’ lead back to 96-80 at the end of the third. (Reuters)

20 Ronaldinho: Former Brazil forward avoids charge for fake passport F SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020

ormer Brazil forward Ronaldinho will not be charged for using a fake passport to enter Paraguay, says the lead official in the case.

The 39-year-old and his brother were both questioned by law enforcement on Thursday having shown false documents.

Prosecutor Federico Delfino said the brothers were aware they had committed a crime but said they did so unwittingly.

The pair have agreed to face an alternative punish-

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

ment.

“We are looking for a different way out of this that doesn’t result in a formal accusation and that recognises that these people were, we can say, taken by surprise,” Delfino told reporters in Asuncion, Paraguay’s capital.

Another man who travelled with the brothers - 45-year-old Wilmondes Sousa Lira - was held.

A judge will decide whether to accept Delfino’s recommendation on Friday. An alternative

Ronaldinho retired from playing in 2015 after a 17-year professional career (Getty Images)

punishment could be a fine payable to a local charity.

Reuters report that Ronaldinho’s lawyer Adolfo Marin could not be reached for comment.

The brothers left Guarulhos airport in Sao Paulo on Wednesday with Brazilian passports and were given Paraguayan ones “as soon as they got off the plane” in Asuncion.

According to Delfino, the pair said the passports were a gift. An investigation indicated the numbers on the passports cor-

responded to other people.

The twice World Player of The Year had travelled to the South American country to promote a book and a campaign for underprivileged children.

Ronaldinho was the 2004 and 2005 World Player of the Year and enjoyed the prime of his career at Spanish giants Barcelona. He won the World Cup in 2002 alongside fellow superstar forwards Ronaldo and Rivaldo. (BBC Sport)

Liverpool’s keeper out of Atletico game with hip injury

L

iverpool goalk e e p e r Alisson Becker has been ruled out o f

their

Champions League last16 second leg Liverpool’s goalkeeper, Alisson Becker

against Atletico Madrid with a hip injury.

Alisson will also miss Saturday’s home Premier League game against Bournemouth and is a doubt for the Merseyside derby at Everton on 16 March.

Liverpool host Atletico on Wednesday, trailing 1-0 from the first leg.

“He is not available for tomorrow and then the next week,” manager Jurgen Klopp said of the 27-yearold.

“We have to judge the situation. I would say after the international break, 100%. Whatever we can get before that we will see.”

Alisson has also been left out of the Brazil squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Bolivia and Peru on March 28 and 1 April.

The Brazil international, who has played 28 times for Liverpool this season, picked up the injury in training before Tuesday’s 2-0 FA Cup fifth-round defeat at Chelsea.

Alisson - the world’s most expensive goalkeeper when he

joined Liverpool from Roma in 2018 in a deal worth up to £66.8m - also missed nine weeks of the campaign with a calf injury sustained in their opening league match against Norwich City in August.

“He [Alisson] had a little incident in training before the Chelsea game,” Klopp said.

“We all thought it was nothing and it was clear he would not play anyway. The plan was that he would be on the bench. “[There was a] scan the next day and they found something, so now he is out.”

TTFA, commentator end Darren Sammy appointed long-running battle over head coach of Peshawar Zalmi rights to Soca Warriors brand

A

Melville insisted he coined the nickname, Soca Warriors

long-running dispute between the Trinidad and Tobago (TTFA) and radio commentator Selwyn Melville over ownership and rights to the ‘Soca Warriors’ brand has come to an end with a settlement.

Melville and the administration have battled for the better part of 15-years over the right to the trademark.

The commentator insists he coined the nickname in 1998 during a senior men’s match.

With various administrations failing to come to an agreement with Melville on the issue. The newly appointed Williams Wallace associa-

tion has reportedly, however. come to an agreement that is expected to see both parties benefit finan-

cially.

“There was a matter in the court for probably over 15 years – the Selwyn Melville matter (concerning) the issue of Soca Warriors trademark... when we look at everything, the FA just had absolutely no evidence to claim the trademark, there was nothing,” Williams told Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.

“At this point in time, we are drawing up an arrangement to go forward with Selwyn Melville, who has claimed the trademark, for profit-sharing from the trademark between Selwyn and of course the FA.” (Sportsmax)

D

arren Sammy has been appointed head coach of the Peshawar Zalmi franchise in the Pakistan Super League after stepping down as captain in what has been described as an overhaul of the club’s management.

Wahab Riaz will be the full-time captain, while Mohammad Akram, the now-former head coach will continue as the director of cricket as well as the bowling coach.

Sammy who was recently made an honorary citizen of Pakistan because of his immense popularity might still play for the franchise but according to Akram, the St Lucian’s primary role will be as head coach.

“His contract is already as a playing coach, so if the committee feels he’s in the form to play, he can take the field as well. But from today, he is head coach first,” Akram said.

For his part, Sammy

said the decision to take on the role as head coach was a difficult one.

“As a player, it’s always difficult to make the transition,” he said.

“The truth is the last two years I’ve played not fully fit. This year, I feel I’m ready to go, but if there’s one thing that made Peshawar Zalmi what it is, my message is to do what’s necessary, what’s best for the team. As a leader, I feel I’ve demonstrated that.”

(Sportsmax)

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020

Formation of a USA National Cricket Team…

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21

Berbician Rikhi selected for national cricket camp in USA

F

ormer Guyana Youth batsman Dominique Rikhi, who commenced his cricketing career as a member of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) in Region 6 (East Berbice/ Corentyne), has now earned selection to the national cricket camp of the United States of America in Houston, Texas.

Rikhi has been a prolific figure for the Liberty Cricket Club of Richmond Hill, USA, having scored over 2200 runs across all formats of the game in the 2019 season.

Meanwhile, USA Cricket has been pleased to announce the new panel of national selectors for the USA Men’s National Team. After a review of the role, structure and composition of the National Selection Panel towards the end of last year, USA Cricket invited applications for the roles of national selector. All applications were carefully considered, and following a comprehensive process, five selectors

were appointed to the panel, with two of them (Michael V o s s and Amer Afzaluddin) continuing in the role to ensure some steadiness.

The five persons appointed to the National Selection

Afzaluddin (2 years), Orlando Baker (3 y e a r s ) , Clayton Lambert (3 years), and Niraj Patel (3 years).

These new selectors have already been busy convening meet-

Dominique Rikhi

Panel are: Michael Voss, as Chair (2 years); Amer

ings to select a squad of players who would be attending

a talent camp to be held at the Prairie View Cricket Complex in Houston from March 6 to March 8. The talent camp, which would feature 26 players, would be run with the following twin objectives, as explained by new Chairman of the Selection Panel, Michael Voss: “The talent camp in Houston has been specifically designed to give the selectors the best possible options ahead of the crucial ICC Cricket World Cup League series next month in Fort Lauderdale.

“On this occasion, it is an invitation-only camp, where we have invited a group of players for whom the primary purpose will be to spend three days together working on fitness, fielding skills, and match-specific scenarios.”

In related matters, the recruitment process for the next men’s head coach is nearing completion.

Following an exhaustive search that has uncovered a number of outstanding can-

didates, the preferred candidate, former first class Ranji Trophy and IPL player and coach, Jagadeesh Arunkumar, has been invited to the USA to meet with USA Cricket officials for further discussions about the potential for him to assume a permanent position with USA Cricket.

Players who have been invited to, and are attending, the talent camp are: Abhiram Valisamagari, Abhishek Paradkar, Ali Sheikh, Aman Patel, Dominique Rikhi, Fahad Babar, Gayan Fernando, Jasdeep Singh, Jaskaran Malhotra, Josh Dascombe, Kyle Phillip, Majjid Zubair, Rahul Jariwala, Raymond Ramrattan, Ruchir Joshi, Sachin Asokan, Sagar Patel, Saideep Ganesh, Sanil Navar, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Sanjay Stanley, Shashank Vittaldevaram, Sunny Sohal, Usman Ashraf, Usman Rafiq and Vatsal Vaghela.

Fallout of General & Regional Elections… Elroy Round Robin T20 Competition…

GCA suspends Bell Vue outplay Saw cricketing activities Pit to enter finale over the weekend

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Chairman of the GCA Competitions Committee, Shaun Massiah

T

he Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) has had a successful 2019/2020 season of cricket thus, however, with the current situation that entails the results of the 2020 general elections the association has seen it fit to halt all cricketing action over the weekend.

Play is set to resume next week on March 14, 2020.

In an interview with Guyana Times Sport, Chairman of the GCA Competitions Committee, Shaun Massiah said, “Our competition is at that stage where it has a couple of matches remaining. These matches are between Police and GDF and as we no these men are in line with the elections at the moment. In this case we have paused for elections, cause some persons have been working as well and persons were hardly training because of the election tension.”

Massiah also went on to state that the next week they will re-

sume cricket once everything has settled in the country. He stated that his expectations have been met as the games have being going according to plan and with just a few more games remaining, better is yet to come.

He also noted that the current cricket season could have been completed but with a few ongoing county competitions, the grounds are occupied in Georgetown.

Massiah also said, “From the winner and runner-up of the final of the NBS 40 overs cricket, the teams have a chance to compete in ‘the Clash of the Champions’.

This competition will see the winner and runner-up (teams) from Georgetown battling the winner and runner-up teams from Berbice.”

The senior players will be expected to employ their best efforts to win games, since they will want to advance in the ranking and even be selected for the Country’s franchise cricket.

The victorious Belle Vue Cricket Team

T

he Belle Vue Cricket Club defeated the Saw Pit Sports Club by 17 runs in the first semi-final match of the Elroy Round Robin T20 Competition.

Witnessed by a fairly large crowd at the Belle Vue Centre Ground, Saw Pit won the toss and chose to bowl under conditions that favoured batting. It was their first mistake.

Belle Vue were able to post 1858 in their 20 overs, the side finding their groove and attacking from the opening over. And although wickets tumbled regularly, Belle Vue persevered in their quest to post a big total.

Ajula Bowman’s score of 43 for Belle Vue was supported by Nicholas Rajpat’s 35, Ravi Persaud’s 22, and Ryan Seecharran’s 21.

Bowling for Saw Pit, Imran Khan returned figures of 2-40 from his 4 overs; while Satesh Jodah, Mahesh Persaud, T. Singh and Z. Khan each bagged a wicket.

Saw Pit fought hard to surpass

this score, but their innings ended on 168-6 when the overs expired.

However, Satesh Jodah, who top scored with an unbeaten 68, gave Belle Vue quite a scare at integral parts of the game, although deceptive bowling and the lack of partners kept him at the non-striker’s end for most of his innings.

Those contributing meaningfully to the Saw Pit score were: K. Ragnauth, with 33; Avinash Ragnauth, with 23; and A. Rameshwar, with 15.

Satesh Jodah and Ragnauth played extremely well in this truly entertaining match, but Belle Vue’s Paul Ashby, who had to defend 20 runs in the last over, conceded just two runs, as he bowled 4 ripping Yorkers to take his team to a resounding victory.

Ashby finished with a wicket during his spell, while his compatriots Krishna Singh and Colin Boucher each ended with figures of 2-35 from 4 overs.

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SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Russell blitzes 40* as West Indies sweep Sri Lanka 2 - 0 this West Indies batting line up, it was probably 30 short.

King of the Powerplay

Brandon King

S

ri Lanka limped their way to 155 for 6 on a good track in Pallekele, as West Indies put in a strong collective bowling effort. The target was no match for West Indies' batting might, as the visitors flew at over 10 an over in the Powerplay, before the middle order kept the score ticking, and Andre Russell then finished the game in a hail of sixes. They needed only 17 overs to complete the chase and complete a 2-0 whitewash of the T20I series.

ships were worth more than 33. That would almost be passable, if they had managed to score quickly. But they didn't.

Against West Indies' varied and canny attack, most in the top order could not consistently find timing, with no one in the top five breaching 25.

Just as a partnership

Sri Lanka stutter through the early/middle overs

None of Sri Lanka's first six partner-

Andre Russell

seemed to be developing, and it would be time for the pair to raise the tempo, the attempted big shot would go awry. Avishka Fernando was bowled by Oshane Thomas, swinging across the line. Kusal Perera holed out to point trying to cut Fabian Allen.

Shehan Jayasuriya was caught at deep midwicket, and Kusal Mendis sent a legside flick straight down the throat of deep square leg.

Despite a good final partnership between Thisara Perera and Dasun Shanaka, Sri Lanka had ceded too much ground earlier in their innings.

Their total of 155 always seemed at least 15 short. Against

West Indies hit 61 in the Powerplay, getting themselves well ahead of the rate. Of those runs, Brandon King had made 43. He'd also hit every single one of the boundaries.

He started with a flick of the wrists to send a wayward Lasith Malinga ball skimming away behind deep square leg for four, before busting out the big power shots. He blasted Angelo Mathews' first ball through the covers, then clipped him beautifully behind square for a four later in that over.

Malinga bowled the final over of the Powerplay, and it was here that King really put West Indies well ahead of the required rate. He edged the third ball past the keeper for four, but later, launched Malinga over long on for six, before clobbering him over cow corner for another one. He faced each of the balls in that over and reaped 19 runs. He'd be out in the eighth over for 43 off 21, but by then, West Indies were flying.

Cyclone Russell

At the other end of West Indies' chase, an even more devastating innings. From who else, but Andre Russell? He came to the crease in the 13th over, when West Indies needed only 53 off 44 balls, but man, did he make sure this good chance of victory was emphatically grasped. He

SCOREBOARD

Sri Lanka Innings (20 overs maximum) MDKJ Perera † c Simmons b Allen 15 WIA Fernando b Thomas 9 GSNFG Jayasuriya c Powell b Allen 16 BKG Mendis c Powell b Bravo 11 AD Mathews run out (Allen) 23 MD Shanaka not out 31 PWH de Silva c Hetmyer b Cottrell 8 NLTC Perera not out 21 Extras (b 5, lb 5, nb 1, w 10) 21 TOTAL (20 Overs, RR: 7.75) 155-6 Did not bat: CBRLS Kumara, SL Malinga (c), PADLR Sandakan Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Avishka Fernando, 2.3 ov), 2-48 (Shehan Jayasuriya, 6.3 ov), 3-48 (Kusal Perera, 6.4 ov), 4-81 (Kusal Mendis, 11.2 ov), 5-95 (Angelo Mathews, 13.5 ov), 6-109 (Wanindu Hasaranga, 16.1 ov) BOWLING FA Allen (4-0-24-2) SS Cottrell (4-0-29-1) O Thomas (4-0-24-1) AD Russell (4-0-33-0) DJ Bravo (4-0-35-1)

hit six sixes in his 40 off 14 balls - that's a strike rate of 286.71, by the way, if you're struggling with the maths. No fours, because why bother? The third six, off Thisara Perera, flew high over cow corner, and out of the Milky Way, probably.

Malinga's bowling plans get messed up

First of all, Malinga himself was having an off night, conceding 12 runs off his first over, and eventually finishing at none for

West Indies Innings (target: 156 runs from 20 overs) LMP Simmons b Mathews 9 BA King c Malinga b Kumara 43 SO Hetmyer not out 43 R Powell c Jayasuriya b Shanaka 17 AD Russell not out 40 Extras (w 6) 6 TOTAL (17 Overs, RR: 9.29) 158-3 Yet to bat: N Pooran †, KA Pollard (c), FA Allen, DJ Bravo, O Thomas, SS Cottrell Fall of wickets: 1-23 (Lendl Simmons, 2.3 ov), 2-69 (Brandon King, 7.2 ov), 3-103 (Rovman Powell, 12.4 ov) BOWLING SL Malinga (3-0-46-0) NLTC Perera (2-0-15-0) AD Mathews (4-0-26-1) GSNFG Jayasuriya (1-0-11-0) PADLR Sandakan (2-0-17-0) CBRLS Kumara (4-0-33-1) MD Shanaka (1-0-10-1)

46 off 3 - an economy rate of 15.33, thanks to Messrs King and Russell. Then, his prize spin-bowling asset, Wanindu Hasaranga, pulled up lame chasing a ball at deep square leg in the second over and had to be rushed off to hospital for scans. This meant Sri Lanka's best wicket-taking weapon of the tour didn't get to bowl a single delivery, and Malinga had to make up those overs with others, with predictable results. (ESPN Cricinfo)

Silver Bowl Table Tennis Tournament commences today – 3 Guyanese to participate

T

he 2020 Silver Bowl Juniors Table Tennis Championships, sponsored by the Trinidad and Tobago Table Tennis Association and The Insurance Company of the West Indies Ltd, will commence today and conclude on Sunday, March 8, at the National Racquet Centre in Tacarigua, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.

The tournament will be contested in 6 categories; namely, the Under-9, Under-11, Under-13, Under-15, Under-18 and Under-21.

Guyana will be represented at this tournament by three promising players of the Titans Table Tennis Club: Jasmine Billingy, Samara Sukhai and Narren Persaud.

Narren Persaud will be

competing in the Under-15 and Under-18 boys’ categories, Jasmine Billingy will be competing in the Under-11 and Under-13 girls’ categories, while Samara Sukhai will be competing in the Under-9 and Under-11 girls’ categories.

Head Coach of the Titans Table Tennis Club, Dwain Dick, has said he has confidence in the team he is sending to compete in the tournament. He noted that these three players are special, and each has a bright future ahead of them.

He said the girls have a good chance of winning in their categories, while although this is Narren Persaud’s first outing, he is a young player and is capable of springing a few surprises.

He said this team has

Narren Persaud

performed well on the local circuit, and did well in the recently concluded National Juniors Table Tennis Championships and the annual Forbes Burnham Memorial Table Tennis Tournament.

He said nine-year-old Billingy won her first seniors title this year when she topped the under-21 females. Persaud won the ‘C Class’ title in the Forbes Burnham Memorial tournament in February 2020, and Sukhai has faced tough opponents and is expected to perform well in her campaign.

The coach also said, “Our concentration moving forward will be high-performance, developing our young and dedicated players so that they can reach the podium starting on the Central American circuit.

We have been qualifying for some junior tournaments, but for unknown reasons, the national federation (GTTA) has not been able to, or seemed interested in, attending.”

Jasmine Billingy

Samara Sukhai

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020

23

CWI/PCL Regional 4-Day Championships…

SINGH MISSES OUT ON 2ND CENTURY – as Jaguars, Hurricanes engage in serious tussle

Story and Photos by Brandon Corlette

S

enior Guyana Jaguars batsman Vishual Singh has missed out on his second century in this tournament, falling for 90 as Jaguars posted 261 all out in 107.5 overs on the second day of their seventh-round clash against Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the West Indies Regional 4-Day Championships.

Resuming the day on 115-4, Singh pressed on from his overnight score of 53, but fell short of a well-deserved century by ten runs.

His was the sixth Jaguars wicket to fall – as he edged a delivery from Louis to the keeper. The left-hander’s innings spanned just over two hours, during which he faced 229 balls and produced six boundaries.

Singh’s teammate Raymon Reifer had looked organized in his composed innings of 43 from 125 balls, but his was the first wicket to fall on the second day.

Reifer, who hit six fours, added 93 runs for the fifth wicket with Singh.

At 192-5, right-arm fast bowler Jerimiah Louis then made inroads into the Jaguars line-up, causing the Jaguars to find themselves at 198-7 by lunch. Kevin Sinclair, who continued to experience difficulty with the bat this season, was bowled all ends up by Louis for a second-ball duck.

Anthony Bramble, batting with urgency as he hit fours with ease and grace, was dismissed for a shotfilled 23 from 29 balls. He was Louis’s fourth victim.

The Albion spin twins

of Gudakesh Motie and Veerasammy Permaul added 36 runs together for the ninth wicket. Motie made a useful 37-ball 15, but departed with the score at 2559.

Nial Smith was the final Jaguars batsman dismissed: trapped by the lively right-arm speedster Kian Pemberton with the score at 259.

Louis ended with 4-48 in 26 overs, including seven maidens, while Rahkeem Cornwall claimed 4-96 in 39 overs.

Pemberton, a former West Indies youth player playing his second firstclass match, picked up his first two wickets at this level, ending on 2-53 in 16.5 overs.

With tension high in the country, a mere 10 spectators were in the Red Stand at the National Stadium at Providence to witness the proceedings.

negotiated well to tea with the score on 10-0. Permaul took the first wicket – Powell’s – with the score at 26-1; the left-arm spinner bowling the former Test opener for 13 after he had hit three fours.

‘New kid on the block’ Ross Powell was trapped in front by Kevin Sinclair, who extracted turn and bounce.

Having b e a t e n the lefthander’s bat on multiple occasions, Sinclair sent the young Powell back to the hut for six, with the score on 40-2 in 19.1 overs.

A m i r Jangoo a n d Hodge, looking solid, ensured n o further hiccups for the remainder of the session; and at stumps, Hurricanes were

Hurricanes start brewing

Hurricanes openers Montcin Hodge and Kieran Powell

73-2, trailing by 188 runs, with Montcin Hodge unbeaten on 21 and Amir Jangoo on 22.

The third day’s play is expected to commence from 9:30h today.

SCOREBOARD Jaguars 1st Innings T Chanderpau lbw b Cornwall T Imlach b Cornwall L Johnson b Cornwall V Singh c Hamilton b Louis C Barnwell c Jangoo b Cornwall R Reifer c Ward b Louis A Bramble c Hodge b Louis K Sinclair b Louis V Permaul not out G Motie c Hodge b Pemberton N Smith lbw b Pemberton Total (10 wickets, 107.5) (9 extras) 259

9 2 35 90 8 43 23 0 24 15 1

FOW 13/1 (8.6) Tevin Imlach, 14/2 (12.2) Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 87/3 (42.3) Leon Johnson, 99/4 (44.2) Christopher Barnwell, 192/5 (85.1) Raymon Reifer, 197/6 (87.2) Vishaul Singh, 197/7 (87.4) Kevin Sinclair, 219/8 (93.3) Anthony Bramble, 255/9 (105.6) Gudakesh Motie, 259/10 (107.5) Nial Smith

Bowling Sheeno Berridge 1-0-1-0 Jeremiah Louis 26-7-48-4 Rahkeem Cornwall 39-7-96-4 Kian Pemberton 16.5-2-53-2 Terance Ward 23-3-53-0 Kieran Powell 2-0-5-0

Hurricanes 1st Innings M HodgeN K Powell b Permaul R Powell lbw b Sinclair A Jangoo

21 13 6 22

Total (2 wickets, 45) (11 extras) 73-2 FOW 26/1 (12.6) Kieran Powell 40/2 (19.1) Ross Powell Bowling Nial Smith 5-2-12-0 Raymon Reifer 7-2-14-0 Veerasammy Permaul 18-12-15-1 Kevin Sinclair 11-2-27-1 Gudakesh Motie 4-3-2-0

Gajnabi aiming to score heavy Sports Extra Inter Village Football… as Women’s Regional looms Woven Texture Barber Shop lines up support

Shabika Gajnabi is all smiles as she celebrates a wicket with her West Indies teammates

F

resh from a dominant double century against the Select U-19 Team in the current Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Superbet Inter-County Tournament, Berbice Trophy Stall Female team capatin Shabika Gajnabi is hungry for runs as the Regional Women's Tournament looms.

The Regional Tournament is expected to be played later this month in Guyana, and Gajnabi disclosed that scoring her maiden doublecentury, a blistering 215 in her highest individual score, represented a happy moment in her career.

The 19-year-old said her batting approach has been different in this mas-

terclass innings. "We lost wickets on top, so as captain I had to lead from the front," Gajnabi disclosed.

The right-handed Gajnabi revealed that she is preparing from now to go into the Regional Tournament with the aim to play her game and score runs. Gajnabi, who played five ODIs and five T20s for West Indies, had not featured in the recent squad that toured Australia for the ICC Women's World Cup. Describing how she felt about being omitted from that squad, Gajnabi said: "it's nothing to be sad about or vex about, I just have to keep working." She disclosed that she is seeking to improve on her fitness

as she continues to work on her batting.

Gajnabi has been involved in various West Indies training camps. The Cricket West Indies contracted player highlighted that she has gained a lot of experience during her time spent at those camps.

Gajnabi is a proud product of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC). She made her One Day International (ODI) and T20I debuts in September 2019, and played her last match for West Indies in November 2019. As the Regional Tournament looms, and with Gajnabi enjoying home conditions, she will be seeking a recall to the maroon colours. (Brandon Corlette)

Owner of Woven Texture Barber Shop, Tyrese Jeffrey (left), handing over sponsorship cheque to Franklin Wilson

Y

oung and budding entrepreneur Tyrese Jeffrey, Manager/ Owner of the Woven Texture Barber Shop at 3rd Avenue Diamond, East Bank Demerara, is sponsoring the staging of the inaugural Sports Extra Inter-Village Football Competition.

In handing over his sponsorship to Director of Sports Extra, Franklin Wilson, at the Barber Shop,

Jeffrey said he was very happy to be approached to sponsor the event, even though his business is still ‘very young’.

“Woven Texture Barber Shop is happy to support this tournament, which will bring together teams along the East Bank corridor and the LindenSoesdyke Highway. Sports have a way of uniting people, and I am happy to be part and parcel of this

venture. As I know, many players would be afforded the chance to play for their village, and this in itself will bring out the pride, as they would want to show who is better in a positive way,” Jeffrey declared.

This young entrepreneur has said he has no doubt that the members of the various communities would come out in support of their respective teams.

Wilson, in response, thanked Jeffrey and Woven Texture Barber Shop for supporting the tournament, which he promised would be very competitive.

He explained that each participating village would be required to register a total of 25 players and 3 officials, and only players living in the respective villages would be allowed to play for the village team.

Registration to participate in this tournament will close on March 11th.

The winning village will walk away with $400,000; the losing finalist will walk away with $200,000; third place winner would receive $120,000, and 4th place winner would get $50,000. The top individual players: Best Goalkeeper, Highest Goal Scorer and Most Valuable Player, would also each be rewarded with cash and a trophy.

SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020

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

guyanatimesgy.com

CWI/PCL Regional 4-Day Championships… Formation of a USA National Cricket Team…

SINGH MISSES OUT ON 2ND CENTURY

Page 22

Page 23

ꟷ as Jaguars, Hurricanes engage in serious tussle

Berbician Rikhi selected for national cricket camp in USA

Russell blitzes 40* as West Indies sweep Sri Lanka 2 - 0

Pg 22

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