Guyana Times Sunday, July 19, 2020

COVID-19 forces single mother to find economic empowerment through creativity Nationwide coverage coverage from from the the best best news news team team in in Guyana Guyana Nationwide Issue No. 4351 guyanatimesgy.com

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THE BEACON BEACON OF OF TRUTH TRUTH THE

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020

PPP/C exposes Granger-Govt’s attempts to deflect US "rigging" sanctions …as APNU/AFC falsely touts VOA denial as reason

…trouble coalition facing is because of efforts to subvert See story on page 3 will of Guyanese – Opposition

BoG report signals economic crisis Page 7

…projects rising unemployment, reduced export earnings for Guyana

Corentyne Coast battered by massive Atlantic erosion

Page 10

PRICE

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

“It’s like they forget about us” – COVID-19 patients P at Moruca 8&10 …as 7 new cases reported, active cases now at 150

Berbice Chamber issues warning as curfew lifted in Regions 5, 6

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Leadership a critical aspect of being an excellent commander – Chief of Staff P25 tells officers

Complaints P9 over raciallyinciting remarks skyrocket – ERC …causing more division in Guyana

Page 2

…Sea Defence Board urged to swiftly intervene

US Embassy donates over $6M COVID-19 supplies to GPHC

Businesses feeling impact from COVID-19, political crisis – PSC Chairman Page 24

…investments delayed, workers laid off, but no stimulus from Govt – GCCI

Caribbean P22 judicial systems plagued with backlogged cases Artists to be trained in P23 forensic skills to assist with Police probes

2 NEWS Corentyne Coast battered by massive Atlantic erosion SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…Sea Defence Board urged to swiftly intervene

By Andrew Carmichael

E

rosion at the Number 63 Beach on the Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne), has now led to water from the Atlantic Ocean gushing into the waterways along the coast.

This is the current situation following massive erosion through reinforcement at the Number 63 Beach.

During 2018, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Six had raised the issue of the erosion of the beach

Erosion at the Number 63 Beach on the Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne)

on several occasions. Now with much of the reinforcement eroded, water from the Atlantic is now reaching farmlands in some instances.

The affected area stretches from Number 65 Village to Number 52 Village on the Corentyne.

Back in 2018, the RDC had proposed that boulders be used to break the force of the ocean’s waves.

Following that, the National Sea Defence Board conducted a survey of the entire coastland of the region. A proposal was subsequently submitted to Central Government. Last year a project was awarded to BK International to place boulders along the foreshore between Number 67 Village and Crabwood Creek.

However, the most critical area - Number 63 Beach was left out of the project.

Regional Representative Gobin Harbhajan, who sat on the RDC and had made some proposals back in 2018, has been monitoring the situation.

“During the last spring tide, the water ride over the bank and got to where the cash crop and watermelons were planted. I highlighted this a few times about the erosion of the Beach from Number 65 all the way to Number 62 Village,” Harbhajan told this publica-

Sea water inundate an area adjacent to the beach where residents used to cultivate vegetables and melons

tion.

A decade ago, residents of the community cultivated vegetables and melons just adjacent to the beach.

However, the ocean has claimed that portion of land.

What used to be referred to as the “first fields” is now being taken over by the ocean.

This was after a defence dam was built to prevent further erosion, but by that time more than 50 metres had already been reclaimed by the threatening Atlantic. Additionally, “first fields” can no longer be cultivated. In fact, it is now a swamp which holds water every high tide. It could be a prospect for aquaculture but that will only be possible if the ocean can be prevented from making fur-

ther inroads. Government had claimed that the affected area would have been addressed this year. However, no progress has been made.

“We keep looking at it and no one seems to pay any heed to it,” Harbhajan told this publication as he called on the Sea Defence Board to urgently address the issue.

“With a few more high tides you will see the water reaching to the pasture which is next to the residential area and the animals will not have a pasture to graze,” he added.

Ironically, the Sea Defence Board has an engineer in the region, who lives in a Government building, which is situated along the main entrance to the Number 63 Beach.

NEWS

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SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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

Sunday, July 19 – 03:30h – 05:00h and 14:30h – 16:00h and Monday, July 20 – 04:30h – 06:00h and 14:30h – 16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, July 19 – 16:00h – 17:30h and Monday, July 20 – 16:45h – 18:15h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

PPP/C exposes Granger-Govt’s attempts to deflect US "rigging" sanctions …as APNU/AFC falsely touts VOA denial as reason …trouble coalition facing is because of efforts to subvert will of Guyanese – Opposition

WEATHER TODAY

Light rain showers will prevail during the day. There will be partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East South-Easterly to Easterly to East North-Easterly to Easterly between 1.34 metres and 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 15:50h reaching a maximum height of 2.45 metres.

Low Tide: 09:22h and 21:37h reaching minimum heights of 0.65 metre and 0.77 metre.

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$43.14/barrel

-0.53

Rough Rice

$212.72 /ton

+0.24

London Sugar

$352.40/ton

+1.12

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1810.30

$1811.30

Low/High

$1797.00

$1813.20

Change

0.00

0.00%

PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo

T

he People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has blasted the David Granger-led regime over its attempts to link the recent visa restrictions imposed by the United States to the Administration’s denial to grant permission to the US to relay Voice of America (VOA) radio broadcasts to neighbouring Venezuela.

On Saturday the PPP/C said “David Granger and his rigging cabal have launched yet another wave of lies to deceive Guyanese. In this latest attempt the Guyana Chronicle, in an article under the caption ‘Guyana refuses US request to facilitate radio broadcasts to Venezuela’, tried to link these sanctions to Granger’s refusal to grant permission to the US to relay the Voice of America (VOA) radio broadcasts to Venezuela. This is a blatant lie.”

On Wednesday last, Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo announced visa restrictions against Guyanese Government and elections officials, and their immediate family members, who are responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy in Guyana.

In response the same day, the caretaker Government in a statement said it “regrets” the decision by the US Government.

However, on Friday, reports surfaced claiming that the visa sanctions on Guyanese officials by the US was retaliation after the Guyana Government refused to grant permission to relay broadcasts from Voice of America (VOA) radio station to Venezuela through local medium wave frequencies.

It was reported that in an April 1, 2020 memo to Public Telecommunications Ministry, the Foreign Affairs Ministry indicated that the US was enquiring whether Guyana would be “open to issuing a licence to VOA to put a new sign on MW, either on an existing allocated frequency or a new one”, among other things.

The US had noted it was informed that Guyana has four Medium Wave allocations registered – 1010kHz, 7000Khz; 760kHz and 560kHz – and was seeking permission for the 560kHz station to be leased to VOA. It was reported that this request was turned down by

Guyana.

The revelation of this came on the heels of the Granger Administration accusing the US, which has been vocal on Guyana’s protracted electoral process, of interfering in Guyana’s internal affairs as part of a plot to overthrow the Nicolas Maduro regime in Venezuela.

However, US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, during a virtual media engagement on Thursday dismissed this claim.

“Our objective here is singular; it is to make sure democratic principles are adhered to as well as the law… We’re are focusing on Guyana and it has nothing to do with any other nation,” Ambassador Lynch contended as she pointed out that the US is not alone in its position on Guyana’s current political and electoral impasse.

Rigging cabal’s trampling

In fact, the PPP/C echoed similar sentiments in its missive on Saturday. It said the world knows that these sanctions were long in the making and the reasons for their imposition.

“These sanctions were imposed because of the rigging cabal’s trampling upon the rule of law, their flagrant violations of the Constitution of Guyana, and their repeated attempts to corrupt the results of the March 2nd General and Regional Elections, by various fraudulent endeavours, all designed to defeat the will of the people.

This much was made clear by both Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and the

De facto President David Granger

United States Ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch,” the party contended.

With other countries likely to follow suit and impose sanctions against Guyanese officials, the PPP/C outlined that this increasing pressure that the caretaker coalition is now facing from the international community is because of its deliberate efforts to subvert the will of the Guyanese people.

“Mr Granger needs to be reminded that the trouble his Government is encountering is directly linked to their efforts to subvert the will of the Guyanese electorate who have clearly spoken on March 2 by electing the PPP/C as the new Government,” it noted.

According to the party, the entire world has condemned the attempts to declare fraudulent figures and called for the use of the figures generated from the Caricomscrutinised recount process.

Noting that such calls have come from the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, European Union (EU), Organisation of American States (OAS), the Caribbean

US Ambassador Lynch

Sarah-Ann

Community and the Commonwealth, the PPP/C questioned whether they too had requested to relay radio broadcasts.

Moreover, the party went on to highlight that even President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Justice Adrian Saunders, in his decision two weeks ago, was clear when he said, “Unless and until an election court decides otherwise the votes already counted by the recount process as valid votes are incapable of being declared invalid by any person or authority”.

As such, the PPP/C contended that “the rigging cabal is now brazenly attempting to ensnare the Judiciary in their fraudulent network to steal the next Government.

Their approach to the court is simply for the court to order GECOM (Guyana Elections Commission) to use the fraudulent report of disgraced Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield which includes more than fifteen thousand (15,000) votes that were not even cast on March 2nd. The law will never countenance such fraud and dishonesty.”

(G8)

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guyanatimesgy.com

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544 223-7230,223-7231,231-0544, 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

A man of The Word & his word

Dear Editor, Our man, the President, is surely a devout and truthful man: he falls on his knees, bows his head, and clasps his hands at every opportune moment. He frequently pro-

hold “credible elections”.

In his defence, about a week later, he corrected both the fallacy that he had the authority to call an election and the notion that he gave GECOM the green light to

add the President hadn’t then, and still hasn’t now, seen the SOPs in the possession of his party.

After the Mingo route was stymied by the courts, and following many delays that

claims his love for abiding by the Constitution and the law. Yet, despite this, some critics try to diminish his reassurances to all and sundry by pointing out that a lion doesn’t have to tell you it’s a lion; it’s self-evident!

Now Caribbean diplomatic circles have taken to calling His Excellency a Sanctimonious Gangster.

Bearing in mind the limits of time and space to look at the copious disabusing evidence, let’s look at a few snippets of chronology arising out of the Non-Confidence Motion and the March 2nd General Election, His Excellency’s statements, his and his subordinates’ actions, and other interlocutor contributions.

As seen from the short chronology, the very next day after the NCM, on December 22nd 2018, President Granger did the honourable thing. He pledged early elections, which I interpreted to mean early March. And elections were held in early March – March 2020 that is.

The little detail of the year might have slipped him.

Also, even with all the hindsight we have now, who can say that there was any hanky-panky with GECOM. He did write a letter on February 16th to then GECOM Chairman James Patterson, in which he promised as much funds and “sufficient time” for GECOM to

take as long as they wanted.

The occasion was the March 6th meeting with Jagdeo to negotiate setting an election date. The President let it be known at that important meeting, “I cannot decide when elections will be held.” His elucidation enlightened us that GECOM was not only charged with being ready to hold elections

Mr. Granger had no part in occasioning, he said during a May 17th Presidential Visit to the Recount Centre that he would accept “any” declaration by GECOM. We could not ask for a more definitive statement.

at any time, but they could also call an election whenever they wanted. As he so often reminds us, GECOM is an independent constitutional body.

Moving on from the NCM to the Election, there is some confusion on what election results the President will accept. Let’s clarify that.

What follows is much abbreviated.

On March 6th, Harmon said our President was ready to be sworn in on Mingo’s numbers. I must hasten to

thinking the “any” GECOM thing, and maybe the whole GECOM thing, after the SORs kept matching the SOPs even in the wake of his visit to the Recount Centre.

He therefore let us know that, in the final analysis, CARICOM! CARICOM! Will make a statement. That was very emphatic.

But he hadn’t completely given up on GECOM. He gave us a new window on GECOM on June 12th when he alluded that the GECOM Chair would scrap the elec-

Dear Editor, The legal debate on the latest election petition before the High Court was played out on Friday afternoon with oral arguments. Respected lawyers who listened in on the arguments tell me that the petitioner does not have a case.

GECOM must bring the process to a finality at its next meeting. The lower court cannot upend the judgment of an apex court. The CCJ, being the final court, passed judgment on the election matter and instructed GECOM what it ought to do. Was the order valid?

GECOM must carry out that order and bring the election to finality.

Guyanese are very frustrated, and are saying that

GECOM has let the nation down by not moving expeditiously to declare the outcome of the election. Supporters of both sides want the process to end, and want GECOM to do the right thing one way or the other, and stop dithering.

They say GECOM had several opportunities to make the declaration, but failed to do so.

Many are now saying that GECOM is behaving the same way the Government did when it lost the no-confidence motion: engaging in judicial proceedings. Some have even accused GECOM of giving the coalition time to file one judicial petition after another.

The gist of the petitioner’s case is: GECOM cannot instruct the CEO what

numbers to use for a declaration. Listening to the oral arguments before the CJ, it was quite embarrassing for one side, which stammered with inarticulate and illogical arguments and evasive responses from probing questions of the judge. The other side was direct and very clear with its presentations.

The petitioner’s arguments were very weak, and the answers to the CJ’s questions were not good. The petitioner’s presentation also was very poor in terms of language and persuasion.

Some of the petitioner’s lawyers spoke very badly and ineloquently; they don’t belong in a court.

I was quite impressed with the forceful use of language by Mr. Edwards, al-

Sanctions: the next step

U

S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was characteristically laconic in his announcement of sanctions on the David Granger that has been holding Guyana hostage since March 2. He declared: “Today, I am announcing visa restrictions on individuals responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy in Guyana. Immediate family members of such persons may also be subject to restrictions. The Granger Government must respect the result of democratic elections and step aside.”

Guyanese had been becoming impatient at the US for issuing warning for months but not following up with concrete actions. They knew through bitter experience the nature of the PNC and had long concluded they would not be deterred through moral suasion. The PNC thought they were clever in keeping their naked grab for power in the Courts and in GECOM so as to deflect foreign intervention that might earn opprobrium as being seemingly hasty. But their last ploy to challenge GECOM from making a decision sanctioned by the apex CCJ appeared to be the proverbial straw that broke the US back.

But in stubbornly pursuing their bullheaded course of action in the Courts, while simultaneously thumbing their noses at the US by attacking them directly for “intervening” on account of racist motives, the PNC is ensuring the US must ratchet up their legal processes to a higher level designed to prevent Guyana from becoming a rouge state that will destabilize the regional democratic order. This level is exemplified for the sake of clarity with the action taken in Belarus in 2006, when the then government attempted to subvert democracy. It took the form of an Executive Order titled, “Executive Order Blocking Property of Certain Persons Undermining Democratic Processes or Institutions in Belarus.”

“By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America...I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, determine that the actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Belarus and other persons to undermine Belarus’ democratic processes or institutions, manifested most recently in the fundamentally undemocratic March 2006 elections...and to engage in public corruption including by diverting or misusing Belarusian public assets or by misusing public authority, constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat, and hereby order: “....all property and interests in property that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of any United States person, including any overseas branch, of the following persons are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in: (i) the persons listed in the Annex to this order; and (ii) any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, after consultation with the Secretary of State: (A) to be responsible for, or to have participated in, actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in Belarus; (C) to be a senior-level official, a family member of such an official, or a person closely linked to such an official who is responsible for or has engaged in public corruption related to Belarus; (D) to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services in support of, the activities described in paragraph (a)(ii)(A) through (C) of this section or any person listed in or designated pursuant to this order; or (E) to be owned or controlled by, or acting or purporting to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person listed in or designated pursuant to this order.”

The sanctions include those who make any contributions of any form to the sanctioned person, even those who reside or are citizens of the USA. For the latter “because of the ability to transfer funds or assets simultaneously” there needs to be no prior notice before seizing assets.

It was a slight shift when he subsequently signalled, on May 26th, that he was re-

tion and that he might have to call a State of Emergency.

At the same time, he himself came on board with the claim that the very election that he had lauded as free and fair was actually quite fraudulent.

Notwithstanding, he had been prepared to be sworn in on the election’s results.

Astonishingly, our President emerged from the shadows to join Harmon in bashing CARICOM partners, as well as other international bodies and ambassadors to Guyana. The uncharacteristic outing of our President may have been a forecast of what was to come from the CARICOM team. On June 14th, the team issued its report, which stated that the Recount figures should be used by GECOM to declare the elections.

The wheels looked about to drop off the bus at that point. On June 20th, Ramjattan admitted to his staff, “The PPP/C has beaten us”. And Dominic Gaskin has urged APNU/AFC to stop deceiving its supporters.

Now our President has retraced to GECOM with an ever-so-slight twist on his May 17th statement. On July 15th, his office issued a statement that he would accept any GECOM declaration “made in the spirit of the law”.

The matter is before the High Court at this very moment.

Truly a man of The Word.

Sincerely, Ron Cheong

GECOM must bring process to closure

though the case he presented was weak. At least he tried to impress, and one could listen to him. The client petitioner could do without the other lawyers; she could have appeared for herself and made a better argument on her own. Some with letters behind their names are not worth the fees they charge.

The AG has said that if the CEO prepared a flawed report, the way to correct it is through an election petition.

So, if the CEO manufactures numbers that don’t reflect the outcome of an election, must one accept them? Then, using the same logic, in using the right recount numbers for the declaration, if GECOM’s action is flawed, is filing an election petition the way to go?

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

guyanatimesgy.com

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 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

Granger, PNC have brought much shame, embarrassment to Guyana Dear Editor, The PNC, fighting hard to delay its day of judgment, has brought much embarrassment and shame to our beloved country as it races towards self-destruction.

We were starting to get good press: that with the discovery of oil, we are a nation on the rise and would be the richest in the region: the Dubai of the Caribbean, with all roads leading to Guyana.

Now we have become the sick man of Caricom and the sick man of the OAS; the sick man of the Commonwealth, and even the Secretary General of the United Nations has rung in on the PNC’s crude, vulgar, open attempt to steal the elections and install itself as a dictatorship.

We have retrogressed from “potential” to “pariah” status. It’s the Granger PNC versus the rest of the world.

Everybody is now “washing their mouths” on us.

This past Wednesday was a bad day for the hard mouth, hard ears PNC and its leader, Mr Granger. On his birthday, the world, which they kicked against and cussed out in every imaginable way because it asked the PNC

to respect democracy, gave Mr. Granger some bad birthday gifts with sanctions like a ton of bricks coming from right, left and centre.

Despite their US$40,000 a month lobbying group telling them sanctions will not come if they steal the elections, the USA, Canada and UK have so far announced sanctions are here, and more are coming, with the US Secretary of State clearly asking Mr. Granger’s PNC to “step aside.” That’s a sharp rebuke.

On top of that, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, current Chair of CARICOM, made a release which everyone should read.

It summarises the electoral wickedness of the PNC, and described its behaviour as “demonic.”

Not to be outdone, the head of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee rang in, and others have condemned the Granger regime for refusing to demit office.

Next week, the OAS is set to hold a Permanent Council meeting to discuss the Guyana “election problem”, and the CARICOM Heads of Government are also set to hold a meeting on our elec-

tion dysfunctions.

We are now a “problem child” to the world in a manner similar to other dictatorships across the globe.

CARICOM and OAS countries are not thrilled that Guyana has given the US an opening to impose sanctions on a country in the region.

That’s never a good thing, but the PNC has never acted in the national interest when it engages in rigging at all cost and by any means necessary. All that matters is staying in power. Mr. Granger should heed the advice of his son-on-law and tell the truth to the PNC supporters: that they lost the election.

Many major newspapers and media have featured this story of Guyana’s electoral fraud by the PNC, damaging our image as a decent, democratic nation, thanks to the one now being called the “sanctimonious gangster” and his out-of-control PNC refusing to concede and demit office.

For a man who intentionally set out to choreograph that image of an honest man kneeling in church praying, taking communion;

a grandfatherly Christian gentleman (which I bought and supported him in 2015), Mr. Granger will leave office disgraced, as someone whose party used every trick imaginable and unimaginable to retain political power, despite his government being defeated at the December 2018 No Confidence Vote, defeated by 25,000 votes at the 2016 Local Government Election (LGE), defeated by 40,000 votes at the 2018 LGE, and now defeated by 15,000+ votes at the March 2, 2020 election.

Coming to power through enormous goodwill from crossover voters, whom he lost in 2020, Granger has sullied his name by being too wedded to the ways of his idol, the PNC’s founder rigger Forbes Burnham.

Once Burnham got into power in 1964, he rigged every election, and never gave up until death knocked at his door when he went into the Georgetown Hospital for cancer surgery.

Mr Granger’s refusal to concede the election held over 135 days ago has revived the ghost of Burnhamism, and the spectre of the PNC seiz-

Dear Editor, The country is being held to ransom through an abuse of the judicial process. The coalition recognises that it has lost the election, so now it seeks the court to give it a victory. It is tantamount to abusing the court to realise its goal.

The court can’t hand the coalition a victory when other courts have already ruled on the issue. The High Court must reject the arguments of the coalition and order GECOM to complete the process.

I appeal to the coalition to end litigation of the election matter. There has been countless election adjudica-

tion – case after case all repeating themselves over the same issues, and the highest court has already pronounced on all the issues.

The way judicial matters proceed, this election will not come to an end, as there may be more litigation after this one concludes. Stop wasting the court’s time and get on with the declaration.

After this matter before the High Court is disposed of, there should be no more appeals. Please! We are near completion of five months since the election was held.

When will it all end? The court should not entertain flimsy, frivolous challenges, and allow GECOM to make a

declaration.

One recalls that in May 2015, the PPP requested a recount, and it was promised but was never carried out.

Also, in order to expedite a declaration, the PPP was not allowed to file a court petition before the official declaration, when requests for recounts were not granted. GECOM officials and court judges could not be found. Fake statements of poll were introduced into the system used for the declaration. Lowenfield was in charge of the preparation of the final count for declaration, which gave the coalition a victory by 4500 votes. There were reports then that, without fake statements, the PPP

would have won. The coalition knew the real count was a victory of 2100 for the then incumbent.

The PPP was not allowed to file court cases until after a declaration, which it did.

Judges could not be found. It would not be fair now for the court to tolerate ongoing, nonstop court cases to prevent a declaration.

The election must come to an end. The court cannot be the substitute for GECOM, which must move quickly to make a declaration as it did in 2015, so that aggrieved parties can proceed to court.

The defendants made very strong arguments. As usual, Mendes was excellent. Other lawyers: the Ramkarrans, Kashir Khan, Jonas, Kim Kyte-Thomas, among others, were all stars. They shone. It was clear to me which side won the debate, and how the court would rule.

Kyte-Thomas was excellent: short and pointed, and convinced me that the judge would rule in GECOM’s favor. She made a compelling case for the matter to be dismissed. She is very professional. Counsel is right that one can’t take a whimsical report and arguments of the CEO or allegations from a party in making a declaration. The law does not allow for an investigation of allegations. That is done via an election petition.

Arguing that one has to use the count of the ten regions and ignore the recount to make a declaration of an election in idiotic and absurd.

The purpose of a recount is to verify the count, and in this case it panned out – within a fraction of deviation by a decimal point of the real unofficial count. The argument that one can ignore or invalidate a recount is specious.

The CCJ so ruled on the matter.

The recount did not change the original count of authentic SOPs in the hands of poll workers and observers.

No amount of fraud would be accepted.

No court can supersede the CCJ and instruct GECOM not to use the Recount figures to make a declaration. The CEO acted

with the intention to impede the declaration of the election results as ordered by the Elections Commission. He is acting against the law, and can be charged accordingly.

He must be charged for misconduct and for being partisan and partial.

If GECOM is serious about a declaration, then it can call an early meeting on Tuesday morning and dispose of the matter. The CEO is a servant of GECOM, the Chair is the boss. The CEO can’t dictate what numbers he wants to use for a declaration; he must use the numbers advised. One person can’t decide the outcome of the election, or hold the GECOM hostage.

Lowenfield must be removed. Since he has already failed half a dozen times to

provide a declaration, then someone else must be given the instruments to prepare the declaration. Regrettably, the judgment is coming late in the day on Monday.

When will GECOM meet to complete the declaration?

How much time will it need to study the ruling? People ask how much time would GECOM give the petitioner to appeal the ruling, for it remains in the court’s power to provide time to read and reread the judgement.

Giving the same person the power to prepare the final figures is telegraphing to the loser what next to do, and giving them time to do it. The Chair must proceed with the declaration early on Tuesday.

Stop abusing the court system

Yours truly, Shawn Simmons

GECOM must bring process...

FROM PAGE 4

Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram

ing power again has raised up those old traumas, anxieties, hurts, and fears of the rigging years.

The PNC was on a collision course with truth and democracy, and seemed to have purposed in its heart that it would not give up, regardless of what the election results say. As former PNCite Mr. Fenty warned us, the PNC will stay in power “by any means necessary.” Its antics are like slow torture to the nation. It has worn us down with one frivolous lawsuit after another, and its refusal to concede that it has lost had been a daily mental and physical cruelty to everyone. People have told me they could not sleep, and are tormented as they agonize over the Guyana election situation.

The PNC and its acolytes will regret chasing out the ambassadors and observers from the Ashmin’s Building; for cussing them out and calling them nasty, racist, vile names on Facebook; and for harassing local and foreign media people and anyone who said rigging was wrong. One of the lowest points of the PNC antics is parading a coffin with a doll in it, with people punching it and calling out GECOM Chair Claudette Singh’s name. This low act was not condemned by anyone in the party or by any pastor.

Hopefully, the PNC’s antics will reach the end soon, and the rightful PPP government will assume office.

Sincerely, Jerry Singh

Guyana is a virtual tinderbox

Dear Editor, Guyana is, at the moment, a virtual tinderbox as a result of the prolonged duration in declaring the election results. In such a volatile situation, it would take little for people to ‘let go’.

I implore all religious, civic and political leaders to go the extra mile to entreat their followers to desist from violence, and to use this opportunity to show acts of grace and kindness, even though one perceives the other as the antagonist.

Our people have suffered intensely and for a long time. Our nation cannot afford, nor would it sur-

vive, violence. It is high time that we take a deep breath and offer a prayer of love and grace, even though it is difficult to do. As an evangelical Christian, I especially appeal to pastors, leaders, Bishops, etc. to use your power and influence to impact society by being the salt and light of Christ.

“Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth, I call to you when my heart is faint.

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I…”. Psalm 61:1–3. God bless Guyana.

Yours truly, Dr Devanand Bhagwan

Our High Court must be guided by the ruling of the CCJ Dear Editor, Our Courts cannot be complicit in these acts of electoral fraud committed by the very sanctimonious gangsters who are seeking to have the Court approve of fraud.

Even as the APNU+AFC continues to glaringly and obtrusively delude its supporters into believing that it has won the General and Regional Elections of March 02, 2020, I ask these very supporters: Have any of you -- especially those who shelter under the umbrella of the

church and the concomitant values of decency, honesty and truth which the very churches extol -- stopped to enquire and to consider the lies upon lies which the APNU+AFC gangsters, like Lucifer, have been perpetrating and encouraging you to be complicit in?

Our High Court must be guided by the truth, the facts before it. It must be guided by the results of the Recount.

Sincerely, Norman Whittaker

SEE ADDITIONAL LETTER ON PAGE 25

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SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BoG report signals economic crisis …projects rising unemployment, reduced export earnings for Guyana

Governor of the Central Bank, Dr Gobin Ganga

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hile the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) artificially prolongs its time in office, the Bank of Guyana has sounded the alarm on the impending economic gloom facing the country.

In the Bank’s recently released quarterly report and statistical bulletin for the first quarter of 2020, it was observed that Guyana will be unable to escape the effects of the expected slowdown in global economic growth.

In fact, the report notes that the world is likely to experience the worst depression since the great depression of the 1930s. According to the report, a number of businesses and the ordinary man, are likely to be affected in Guyana during the re-

mainder of 2020.

“The daunting prospects for the global economy are likely to adversely impact commodity-exporting economies like Guyana, as demand for exports are expected to decline resulting in lower export prices.”

According to the Bank, the global slowdown coupled with the several measures Guyana has taken since its first COVID-19 case on March 11, 2020, will have a debilitating effect on the economy. Among the alarming projections the Bank made, was a rise in unemployment.

“These measures, which have limited business activities and mobility, are expected to result in a decline in economic growth, largely in the services sector. A number of businesses in the services sector, particularly wholesale and retail trade and transportation, will be affected and subsequently, unemployment levels will increase.”

Another worrying projection the Bank of Guyana made, was a rise in the balance of payment deficit.

Balance of Payment (BoP) or trade balance, is a summary of statistical data on a country’s fiscal transactions, including imports and exports. To record a deficit, Guyana would, therefore, have had to spend more on imports, among other things, that it derived from exports.

The last time in recent history that Guyana’s trade balance recorded a surplus was under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Administration in the years 2009, 2010 and 2012. But the main export earners, in particular sugar, have suffered under the current Government. According to the report, the situation will only get worse due to the decline in export earnings.

“The balance of payments deficit is projected to expand on account of declining export earnings, remittances and FDIs. Foreign exchange earnings will undoubtedly decrease, resulting in lower international reserves,” the Bank stated.

“The contraction in business activities will significantly reduce Central Government’s revenues and this, coupled with the expenditure Government will have to spend to aid the fight and recovery of the coronavirus, will lead to a larger fiscal deficit. Consequently, debt levels will rise as the Government seeks to fill financing gaps.”

No stimulus package from Government

Since the detection of the deadly COVID-19 disease in Guyana, the APNU/ AFC Government has taken a number of steps from closing its borders to mandating that only essential businesses open their

doors. The remaining businesses have received nothing in the form of a stimulus from the Government, which last passed a budget in November of 2018. There have been reports of workers being laid off, businesses closing their doors for good and investments being held up.

The economic problems created by COVID-19 are compounded by Guyana’s political crisis. It has been over four months since Guyanese went to the polls and there has been no lawful result. APNU/AFC has taken issues surrounding the election before every court from the Court of Appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), using arguments that many have described as frivolous and designed to waste time.

The international community has overwhelmingly declared that the results from the 33-day National Recount, which show a People’s Progressive Party (PPP) victory, should be used to declare a President.

Calls urging President David Granger to concede have come from several US politicians, the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, other countries and organisations

The Bank of Guyana

around the world and even the President’s own son-inlaw, Dominic Gaskin.

Many, such as the Organisation of American States (OAS), have urged the APNU/AFC to begin the process of transition, which will allow the legitimately-elected Government to take its place. In fact, the OAS is scheduled to discuss Guyana’s political crisis at the level of the Permanent Council on Tuesday.

But the APNU/AFC has been defiant, using supporter Misenga Jones to go to court to compel the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to use declarations tainted by fraud to declare the election results.

This is despite GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh discarding these declarations and directing the Chief Elections Officer that the recount results be used. He too has been defiant.

During the oral submissions to the court on Friday, Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes told the court that if it were to allow the CEO to present his own figures, which consisted of the fraudulent figures of embattled Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, then it would not only be undermining democracy and the rights of people to elect their representatives but also rewarding criminality. (G3)

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SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

7 new COVID-19 cases; active cases now at 150

T

he Public Health Ministry reported seven new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Guyana up to 327.

This was indicated in the Ministry’s updated COVID-19 dashboard.

Presently, the number of active cases in Guyana is 150, of which 145 persons are in institutional isolation and the other five are patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) located at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Additionally, there are 13 persons in institutional quarantine.

To date, a total of 3603 persons have been tested for the novel coronavirus, of which 3276 were negative.

While the COVID-19 death toll remains at 19, the number of persons who have recovered from the life-threatening disease has increased by seven – bringing the total number of recoveries to 163.

Only on Friday, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Karen Gordon-Boyle disclosed that the country’s re-

covery rate is at 50 per cent.

She said authorities are looking to have a similar decline in the number of positive

cases and as such, pleaded with citizens to adhere to the guidelines in place to protect themselves and others from contracting the deadly virus.

The DCMO’s pleas come on the heels of the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) relaxing some of the emergency measures that were put in place to curb the spread of the virus. This relaxation is part of Government’s plans to reopen the economy.

Phase Three of the national reopening plan entails a change in the curfew hours to 20:00h to 06:00h (8 pm to 6 am).

However, this curfew will not apply to Regions Five (Mahaica-Berbice), which has not recorded any COVID-19 cases, and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), which only had one case that was imported from the United States, on Mondays to Fridays, but shall be in effect during weekends.

TURN TO PAGE 9

Mulling the case over...

W

…for some logic ell, we have a weekend to contemplate not just our navels, but also our fates - which, in the end, is what the former seeks to shed light on the latter, no?? Anyhow, once again, your Eyewitness will spare you all the citations from the Constitution, the Representation of the People’s Act, the Recount Order, and all the other “subsidiary” legislation we hear about. His eyes glaze over by now whenever these come up, and he’s pretty sure you, dear reader, have the same reaction.

But really, we know by now that what’s going down has nothing to do with the law, don’t we?? The PNC would like us to believe that everyone who feels he/she has a grievance over being “wronged” must have their day in court. And, of course, we’ll all agree with that. But, really, what’s the PNC’s present grievance? That Mingo’s numbers aren’t being used, as is proposed by Lowenfield, for the Chair to declare the winner of the elections??

Now hold it!! Didn’t that matter already have its day in court?? In fact, the same court that’s hearing the present matter?? And it decided that Mingo was “cocking” the works like a three-card-hustler to ensure “the more you look the less you see”, in order to give the PNC a win? The subsequent recount confirmed it was such a big horning that it left even the international community gasping. And they began calling for sanctions and such like.

So, no matter how you twist it or turn it; no matter which law or Article is cited, can anyone in their right mind really believe we should use those “cocked” numbers to decide who’ll govern Guyana for the next five years?? Really??

Some supporters of the PNC are raising the question as to whether we should “allow” the PPP to return to office. That they committed so many atrocities during their 23 years, in effect they should be banned from running for elections.

Are we serious?

The PNC had five years, during which they deployed SARU, SOCU, the Police Force, the Integrity Commission, and so many other institutions - after conducting 50-odd “forensic audits” - to nail the PPP with their accusations. Did they prove even one??

Another line the PNC partisans are taking is that both the PPP and PNC have been fiddling with elections over the past 60 years. So, if they’re right, doesn’t that mean the PNC won the 2015 elections because of their rigging??

So why are these worthies only bringing up these objections in this 2020 elections?? Isn’t sauce for the goose also sauce for the gander?? Or two thief man mek God laugh!!

…for our social cohesion As the Chief Justice conducted the oral hearings via Zoom over social media, your Eyewitness saw a huge crowd of PNC supporters thronging the High Court. Did they really think all the lawyers making their presentations were in the building with the Chief Justice?? How exactly did they think this Zoom thingy works?? Or was it a rent-a-crowd that nowadays throws in a kit of APNU/AFC pants, T-shirt and mask, with a plate of cook-up rice thrown in at the end??

Your Eyewitness understands. Things hard!!

But what really concerns your Eyewitness is how we’re doing in “social cohesion” front, which Granger announced in 2015 as his central concern for this nation. The “coalition of all the peoples”, which the APNU/AFC Coalition represented, would be transformed to the grassroots. A tear rolled down your Eyewitness’s cheek.

Now, even if we were to accept the Mingoed numbers, didn’t the PPP get 47% or so of the votes?

Have their gymnastics since March 2 increased Social Cohesion??

…for Praks Poor Praks. Here it is, the man sacrificed and became Dead Meat, for what?? For Moses to enjoy the big House on Main Street, which he insisted be air-conditioned and get a new stove?

Can’t Moses resign and give Praks a taste of the good life for even two weeks??

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

NEWS

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SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Complaints over racially-inciting remarks skyrocket – ERC …causing more division in Guyana

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he Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has been receiving a “plethora” of racially insensitive and inciting complaints, mainly targeted at politicians and political parties.

According to the ERC, many of these complaints are continuously reported, and mainly emanates through social media posts.

“The Ethnic Relations

Commission continues to receive a plethora of complaints which are deemed to be racially insensitive and inciting and which target individuals, politicians and political parties,” the entity said.

While these matters continue to be investigated, the ERC said its capacity was unavoidably reduced, resulting from adherence to COVID-19 protocols.

Nevertheless, it continues to work towards investigating complaints, and further highlighted that these incidents continue to incite hatred among the population while further dividing the ethnic makeup.

The ERC added that it, being fully cognisant of the devastating impact these incidents, “which incite race hate and violence, have on the further widening of di-

7 new COVID-19 cases...

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eanwhile, the previous 18:00h to 06:00h curfew will remain in Aranka and Arangoy in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), and Moruca in Region One (Barima-Waini) until August 3. These areas have been hard hit by high numbers of coronavirus cases. In fact, these two regions are targeted for intervention owing to the uncontrollable infection rate.

On the other hand, food services and restaurants are permitted to open for delivery, drive-thru, curbside pickup and take away services from 06:00h to midnight daily. Indoor and buffet dining is prohibited.

Outdoor dining at restaurants will be per-

mitted from 6 am to 6 pm under strict conditions.

They are required to place tables six feet apart from each other with no more than four persons permitted to sit at one table, at least three feet apart.

Public transportation services (except in Aranka, Arangoy and Moruca) are now allowed to operate at a 75 per cent passenger capacity. Private Sector construction is permitted to resume, including clothing, shoes and book stores.

On this note, the DCMO has warned, “I know that many of us will want to take full advantage of these new measures, but please do not throw caution to the wind and behave as if the situation is

FROM PAGE 8

back to normal. Do not forget that COVID-19 is still a highly infectious disease, that there will be asymptomatic persons around us from whom we may become infected. Do not take unnecessary risks and leave home without your mask and fail to observe the physical distancing protocol.”

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the total number of COVID-19 cases in the region of the Americas is more than 7,306,000 while the number of deaths is over 302,500.

Globally, there is in excess of 13,876,000 coronavirus cases recorded while the death toll has reached over 593,000. (G8)

ERC Head Office: corner of Peter Rose and Anira Streets, Queenstown, Georgetown

vision among the ethnic groups and the need for investigations to be completed swiftly, seeks the public’s indulgence for understanding. It assures of its continual efforts to work assiduously to have these matters resolved within the shortest possible time.”

Calls were made again for political parties and their supporters to act in a responsible manner and be mindful of their conduct, especially on social media platforms.

The Commission expressed, “regrettably, the Commission cannot conceal its disappointment that such unnecessary attempts to divide our people continue openly despite its repeated calls for cessation and for all who are involved, including political leaders and their supporters, to act in a more responsible manner in the best interest of our dear nation. Those calls are,

therefore, reiterated with the fervent hope they will be heeded.”

Earlier this month, People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) lodged a complaint with the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) against APNU/AFC’s Prime Ministerial Candidate Khemraj Ramjattan over racially incendiary remarks he made during a television programme broadcast in Trinidad and Tobago.

The complaint was filed by PPP/C’s Executive

Member Anil Nandlall.

According to the letter of complaint, Ramjattan’s remarks are “capable of inciting racial hostilities amongst the people of Guyana, in particular between Indo and Afro Guyanese…”

A few days later, the Commission disclosed that it will officially write to the leaders of all political parties, urging them and their constituents to work towards de-escalating tensions and adherence to law and order.

“The desire for peace and good relations will take genuine and collective efforts by stakeholder groups and individuals. These efforts would also include acceptance of the elections results when they are declared by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM),” the ERC stressed. (G12)

10 NEWS

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“It’s like they forget about us” – COVID-19 patients at Moruca

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OVID-19 patients who were placed at the Amerindian Hostel in Moruca, Region One (Barima-Waini), have shared their tales of the poorly sanitised environment and innutritious meals at the facility - a situation which has been ongoing for several weeks, much to their frustration.

The Region One zone has been labelled by health officials as the new hotspot for the virus after close to 100 cases were detected.

On Saturday, patients staying at the facility decried the current facilities and treatment which they are subjected to. They

Meals being served to patients at the hostel

fruits.

“We are having breakfast or lunch, not on time.

There is an elder person

Cleaners could not remove trash due to PPE shortages

claimed that it is exasperating to be locked in their surroundings without proper care or any indication that they are recovering.

Wyndell Rodrigues told Guyana Times that she was transferred to the facility on June 12, where she currently occupies a room with two other patients. At the hostel, she explained, their meals are delivered late. On most occasions, persons are given a small portion of an “undercooked” carb component with no vegetables or

and it is really difficult. The patients are feeling more sick than anything else…

Patients have been crying in here and I feel so sad. My roommate is very frustrated because she has a family at home and a six-year-old and there is nobody looking at the family at home in terms of food supply,” the concerned woman expressed.

She added, “The food is poor…Sometimes, it’s pieces of bake not fully cooked.

It’s undercooked. We don’t get greens. In the morning, it’s an oily sauce. If I am at

home, I would have a better meal than that. If we are focused on recovery, then definitely we need something that will build our immune system.”

with sheets. When people asked, they were told that there isn’t any. For one week, their sheets weren’t changed.”

Sanitisation

Also staying at the facility is 49-year-old Yvette Torres. She is the wife of the country’s 11th COVID-19 fatality, Vincent Torres.

The woman and her son tested positive for the virus over six weeks ago and were first placed at the Acquero Guest House. There, their meals were commendable and provided on time.

Since she was moved to the hostel, Torres said she has been in a state of distress due to the living conditions.

“The first place was good. Everything was up to date but since I came here, it is far different. Since I came here, they don’t really come to sanitise. Today (Saturday) was the worst day of all. We have to clean.

They’re not coming to do anything. They did a little spraying on the wall and that was it,” the COVID-19 patient voiced.

Along with the meagre meals, patients were told to sanitise their own surroundings since the cleaner was not tasked with carrying out such duties.

Rodrigues explained that there are elderly persons or others with symptoms who are finding it difficult to do so.

Meanwhile, the cleaner was unable to take out the trash due to a shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

“For three days, the rooms weren’t cleaned.

When we found out today (Saturday), the cleaner said she asked if that is a part of her job and she was told that each patient is responsible for cleaning their own room…There was a pile-up of garbage and she said that was because of a shortage of PPE gears that they’re supposed to wear,” the patient revealed.

Meanwhile, there are no sheets for patients to use and those who have are forced to use the same one for weeks.

“When we got here on Sunday, we walked

Slow testing

Her son, 28-year-old Twain Torres, also lamented that they are waiting for long intervals before being tested and for those results to return. On one occasion, he was told by one of the doctors that the test was

they are still battling the deadly virus, since the conditions remain below par, coupled with late testing.

“In terms of testing, my test came positive and then it came negative. They test again and wait a week to say the test was misplaced or something. Now, I did a next test and then that one said positive. It’s like they forget about us. They didn’t test us in a long while,” the young man “For us, we tested again since Wednesday and we haven’t received our results. We don’t know when we’re going to get it. There’s a little child here that hasn’t been tested for over 10 days. It is becoming frustrating,” Rodrigues also added.

Similar complaints have

COVID-19 patients forced to clean their own surroundings

positive. Three days later, they clarified that the sample showed up negative.

He expressed that health officials seem to forget that

been raised over the past months by COVID-19 patients in other facilities – many of whom spent weeks before recovering.

US Embassy donates over $6M in COVID-19 supplies to GPHC

US Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch making the donation to a GPHC staff (US Embassy photo)

U

nited States Ambassador SarahAnn Lynch and members of the Security Cooperation Office at the US Embassy donated medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

According to a post made on the US Embassy’s social media page, the donation, worth $6.2 million, is intended to as-

sist the Guyanese first responders in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The locally-procured items include respirator masks and face shields, medical examination gloves, infrared thermometers, wrist heart monitors, and disinfecting products.

Ambassador Lynch emphasised to the receiving members of the GPHC the United States’ steadfast commitment to support Guyana and that “we’re in this together.”

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The PNC takes on America

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ost Guyanese must be wondering why the PNC continue dragging out their elections heist, even after the US have finally put their money where their mouths are and slapped visa restrictions on those who were, in the words of Secty of State Mike Pompeo, “responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Guyana”.

Pompeo called for “the Granger Government to step down”. If the PNC continues to traduce democratic norms, as they did by returning to the courts to relitigate matters that were already settled by the apex court CCJ, then the US will continue to turn the screws. They would move to other personalised Ravi Dev sanctions, such as freezing bank accounts, especially sequestering bribes, and seizing US assets such as the homes of several members of the administration.

The rationale offered by the US for the sanction is in line with the previous pronouncements of other US officials and the local US ambassador: “This action is not about interference; it is to send a clear message of the consequences of subverting democracy and the rule of law, which poses a danger to us and our hemispheric partners. We have long said that we have no preference for a winning party, as long as it is selected through a free and fair electoral process that is credible”.

However, even though Granger has vowed to “fulfill the legacy” of his “founder leader” Burnham - and has done so in spades on the rigging front - he is definitely going off course in his relations with the US. In the 1960s, while Jagan took what in retrospect was a fatal mistake in putting “the West on trial”, Burnham boasted about being more pragmatic and sensitive to US strategic interests in this hemisphere. As PNC insider Tyrone Ferguson titled his book on the era, Burnham’s choices were “To survive sensibly or to court heroic death”, and he chose survival. The PPP, of course, was banished to the wilderness for the next 28 years, while Burnham was allowed to rig elections to remain in power and flirt with his “cooperative socialism” experiment that destroyed the economy.

At this juncture, it appears the PNC under Granger have decided to do a role reversal with the PPP, since they and their surrogates have launched a series of vicious attacks on the US. In addition to invoking and castigating the US for interventions in the hemisphere and elsewhere as reprising their Cold War “Ugly American” role in the wake of the Black Lives Matter activism, the PNC have also accused the US of being racist in their foreign policy.

Joseph Harmon made this explicit when he asserted: “Guyana today is a nation, and no longer a plantation from whence our history of slavery and indentureship came.” The subtext, of course, is that the US sanction is designed to take us back to those days of chains and whips in the hands of “white massas”.

Following on the heels of the local partisans’ verbal warfare, one of the PNC’s supporters in the US has followed up with his contacts in the Democratic Congressional Black Caucus - Jeffries and Clarke - to accuse the Republican administration of also backing a “racist” anti-Black PPP in the present elections’ crisis.

But most worrying has been the latest salvo from Granger’s Ministry of the Presidency, in which they suggested a spiteful rationale for the US sanctions rather than their elections’ heist.

Completely unprompted, Granger revealed that on April 1st, almost a month into their election heist via the Mingo inflation of PNC’s votes, the US and other Western ambassadors had protested the US Voice of America’s requested permission to utilise our radio frequencies to broadcast into Venezuela.

This the Granger regime refused, but as is usual in these diplomatic requests, the matter was not made public; until now.

Granger is unctuously attempting to play not just to the local gallery, but to stimulate anti-American sentiments in Caricom and the OAS, both of which are scheduled to meet this week to discuss the PNC’s raw subversion of democracy.

The PNC’s ploy is transparent: the US is kicking sand in the face of the 97-pound weakling, Guyana.

While every country would act in their own interest, does the PNC believe Guyanese and our regional partners do not understand that, in this instance, American interests coincide with ours: to continue on our democratic trajectory?

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Caribbean judicial systems plagued with backlogged cases

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he judicial system throughout the region has been overwhelmed by a significant number of backlogged cases, which are waiting to be heard in the respective courts.

This was revealed during the UNDP’s forum on a needs assessment of the judicial system on Friday by Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Dame Janice Pereira.

She pointed out that this challenge is attributed to a number of issues but has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, now that the courts cannot facilitate normal hearings.

“Case backlogs within the systems has been a problem throughout the region and no doubt, a problem which of course impacts security and justice in our region. The problems may be multifaceted and they are encountered at different stages and in different ways but it is an area clearly that we have to address and address it in a significant way if we are to ensure that the public maintains trust and confidence in our justice system,” Dame Pereira said.

Backlogging is commonly caused by slow investigation, lack of resources and a slow judicial process. In most cases, she said, there is a significant accumulation of criminal cases than others.

According to the Chief Justice, specialised courts

for juvenile, sexual and drug offences or family matters can provide some relief to this trend. The needs assessment report would have highlighted a few countries within the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States which have been lacking court facilities, thus contributing to the problem.

“The country-level efforts at legislature reform must be continued as these too will assist with the management of case backlog.

This is really fundamental and extremely important as a requirement, if we are to achieve the desired levels of success,” she added.

Presently, the countries are working to develop a strategy during the pandemic, of which the most successful will be adapted as a model in other nations.

“Most recently, we have been plagued and we still are with the effects of COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated the case backlog problem. I have noted the strategies which are being employed in the different countries. Once these strategies are assessed, I’m sure that those that are successful will be of assistance to other countries,” it was contended.

Meanwhile, Ambassador of the United Nations to Antigua and Barbados, Aubrey Webson indicated that the needs assessment report can go beyond countries involved, in a bid to improving the justice system across the board.

Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Dame Janice Pereira

According to him, islands remain most vulnerable due to their overdependence on tourism, which can foster corruption.

“Our islands are vulnerable. We are defined as some of the most vulnerable states within the United Nations family and vulnerabilities are a key characteristic of small states…

It’s not only hurricanes and climate as our main vulnerable challenges…The over-dependence on tourism has proved to be a challenge in our justice system as well because that can lead towards corruption and criminalities, and can lead to the perception of a weak judicial system,” the Ambassador said.

At the end of last year, the backlog of criminal cases within the Supreme Court of Judicature was reduced by 212, after they were disposed of by the Director of

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF?

Public Prosecutions (DPP) Chambers throughout 2019.

In its annual report, the DPP said of the 212 cases, 178 received attention in High Courts across the country while 34 matters were nolle prosequi (not prosecuted) by the DPP. There were 86 cases for murder, 84 sexual offences, two cases for the offence of manslaughter, five cases of attempt to commit murder and one case for accessory after the fact to murder.

These cases resulted in 36 convictions, 56 guilty pleas,

32 formal verdicts of not guilty, 28 not guilty verdicts by jury, five hung juries, four aborted trials and 51 cases were nolle prosequi - 16 of which were done in court.

During 2019, the DPP also appeared in 30 matters in the Court of Appeal. Of these appeals, 12 were for sexual offences, three for the offence of manslaughter, eight for murder appeals, two for wounding with intent, another two for possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking and one each for felonious

wounding, causing death by dangerous driving and uttering a forged document.

Within the year, the DPP’s office received 318 depositions, of which 174 indictments were proffered, 16 were returned to Magistrates’ Courts for reopening of cases, 13 matters were discontinued, two were nolle prosequi while 113 matters are receiving attention. The Chambers also gave legal advice in 3725 files received from the Guyana Police Force and other law enforcement agencies.

Cops seeking help to ID dead man found on Rosignol roadway

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man that was found dead on the Rosignol Public Road, West Bank Berbice, on June 26 about 05:00h, has not yet been identified, and Police in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) are still trying to figure out how he met his demise. The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has since asked for the public’s assistance in identifying the man.

However, to date, no one has come forward.

According to reports, the man, who is of East Indian ancestry, and believed to be in his 40s, is 5’5” tall and was clad in a pair of blue long jeans and a black short-sleeved jersey when he was discovered.

Regional Commander

Dead man found

Yonette Stephen confirmed that the man’s body remains at Bailey’s Funeral Home, West Coast Berbice, and is awaiting identification and a post-mortem examination (PME) to ascertain the cause of his death.

The police is asking anyone with information that might lead to the man’s identification to contact the Guyana Police Force on telephone numbers 2320313, 232-0291, 911 or the nearest police station. (G9)

SYMPTOMS

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

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

Cough

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Or at least two of these symptoms:

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

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

(Adapted from BBC News)

Headache

Chills

Sore throat

Repeated shaking with chills

New loss of taste or smell

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

FEATURE

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SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

By GCCI Green Economy Committee

E

co Green Guyana is managed

by Mario Amres, a member of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Mario indicated that after working with his family businesses over the years, late last year (2019) he decided to start his own business to exemplify his personal passion for

the environment, one that he hopes will have a lasting effect on his home country, Guyana. Hence, the birth of Eco Green Guyana.

Mario’s beginnings go back to when he was the Marketing Director of GEB Security Services Inc. Back then, he said: “I handled our marketing, PR campaigns, clients’ relation, and new client contracts, as the first private security company here established in 1967.”

Mario is very proud of his father, who is considered the pioneer of private security services in Guyana.

For him, it was always important to maintain very high standards in the industry and also be innovative. He did that by introducing technology to the private security industry such as CCTV cameras, wireless alarms, GPS, and remote monitoring.

In a very reflective mode,

Mario noted that what he is most proud of with GEB Security Services Inc is that in 2010, following an analysis they had done, it was found that over 10,000 Guyanese have been employed over the years. For him, providing honest pay for that amount of Guyanese meant far more than the technical aspect. He reminisced that in those days, GEB was the acronym for Guyana Employment Bureau.

Mario said, “We first started as

an employment agency, however, due to the overwhelming response for watchmen as they were called at the time, my father decided to fill the need. So he went to London for training and the rest is history.”

As it relates to eco-tourism, Mario was proud to relay that in the 1980s his father, Maurice Amres, introduced the Timberhead Resort. This resort was marketed as Guyana’s first nature resort. Over the years, notable visits were made by the Royal family including Queen Elizabeth, Prince Phillip, Princess Margaret, and several celebrities as Mick Jagger and Eddy Grant amongst others.

In 1996, his brother, the late Anthony Amres, started the first mobile concrete business in Guyana (Readymix Concrete). This was after his brother witnessed the bucket brigades of concrete being pulled up in

multi-storied structures. Mario noted it was not all smooth sailing and acceptance of the product took time. He said that it took two years before they got their first order because clients were not accustomed to flowing concrete that contained concrete chemicals.

Mario advised that over the last 10 years, he has represented Tencate Geosynthetics and introduced Geosynthetics which includes Geotextiles, Geocomposites, Geotubes, Geogrids. These materials, he related, are now being embraced in Guyana. Mario explained that due to the family’s existing Readymix business, he introduced concrete chemicals for the engineering of concrete finishes especially for industrial and commercial use as a value-added step which allows more longevity.

With Eco Green Guyana, in his words, “I have added new leading global brands that will help us to deliver new Green Solutions that are proven. Our Tencate Geotubes is not only for coastal and inland erosion control, but also for industrial waste management, flood management, and land and water reclamation and

remediation. We not only sell materials but Tencate with over 100 engineers at their global offices, lend a high level of technical assistance to projects using our materials. We can go to both local and remote communities and show them new techniques, for building roads, flood and erosion control, rainwater harvesting, stormwater management, aquafarming, building better drainage structures.”

When questioned what is Green about his business and how it reduces carbon emission, his reply was, “We offer a Dewatering System using Tencate GeoTubes. This means mining companies, farms, municipal plants and any industry producing industrial waste can now separate this sludge and return clean water to the environment (creeks, rivers, streams). This service alone can help companies with reducing their carbon footprint and build their repute for being Green-conscious.”

He added that Tencate materials are also designed to be environmentally friendly and do not affect marine life.

The GCCI queried with Mario that given the huge waves we get hit

with sometimes, 6ft and over, what size in diameter of the tube would our coast need? He advised that Tencate Geotubes are used around

the globe in massive projects. He noted that waves in Guyana are no problem, once the data is provided then they would design for specific application each time.

GCCI: Mario, years ago we had a lot of jetties along the coast, about every 500 metres, they broke the waves and aided accumulation of mud, etc which in itself reduced the impact of coastal erosion. Do you think that is still a viable measure?

Mario: Jetties are still useful being attached to the coastline. It interrupts the natural sediment flow that is needed along the coast.

Accumulation of mud will happen.

However, this will have an adverse effect downstream on other areas with no accumulation. When building Jetties today, we have to look at the effects downstream and build accordingly.

On the question of successes and challenges, he indicated that “We’re a new company dealing with the present situation, but we intend to use this opportunity to get our message to a wider cross-section of the public.”

When asked if local clients are

supportive, Mario said that clients would be more supportive with the EPA strengthening its resources to enforce the environmental laws on a more consistent basis. He added that we also need more stringent penalties for defaulters. This would greatly help in getting people to treat the environment with more respect and not just as a commodity to exploit.

GCCI: What about future plans, if any, Mario?

Mario: We would like to build energy-efficient Green homes of all sizes and use materials that are strictly environmentally friendly.” He passionately went on to say that, “Guyana needs a sub-development that is eco-friendly with residents that are eco-friendly. With the present global crisis, many Guyanese are looking to return home. Only prefabricated homes will even have a chance to fulfil this present and future demand. At Eco Green Guyana, we are looking at ways to bridge this gap.

Mario reflected that Guyana is one of the few countries in the world that can be fully sustainable and advised that we use this opportunity very wisely. For him, a sustainable Guyana means that we will be able to maintain a good standard of living, should we have to deal with any global financial collapse or pandemic. According to him, with the times we’re presently facing, we must be able to prepare for just about anything.

Mario and his family have had a tradition of being pioneers in a number of business initiatives that have all turned out to be successful and created much-needed employment opportunities. With Eco Green Guyana and the perseverance his family is noted for, we have no doubt another success story will unfold.

Eco Green Guyana (Helping to Build Sustainable Communities Across Guyana).

Tel No. (592)-647-4997 Email:ecogreenguyana@ gmail.com

16 FEATURE

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Exploring the natural side of Linden

A

nyone who’s ever had a chance to explore the natural landscape of Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) would certainly agree that it’s a nature lover’s paradise.

From waiting to be explored paths, to the mesmerising and enchanting blue lakes, wondrous hills, lush green forests; glorious hilltops and crystal-clear water springs, the serenity of the landscape is truly inspiring.

Being a nature lover myself, I love to go exploring (with safety in mind) mainly for sightseeing and the out of the hustle and bustle of the town experience.

The countless bauxite "mined-out" secluded areas provide the ultimate sightseeing experience, and in recent times, the blue lakes, which are also a product of bauxite mining, have become a regular feature for water sports activities such as kayaking; a haven for getaways, parties, weddings and celebrations or just the perfect place to relax. Then there

are the scenic views of the Demerara River – but the site of the blue lakes at both Wismar and Mackenzie is perhaps one of the most captivating sceneries.

The countless hills on both the Wismar and Mackenzie shores are perfect for hiking and exploring. Lindeners particularly enjoy this experience on weekends – whether it’s with members of the family or through tour guides or local tourism agencies. With numerous unique species of birds, these outdoor spaces are also perfect for birdwatching and listening to the chirping sounds that many find so calming.

Watching the sunset from a hilltop late in the afternoon is the ultimate experience. A view of the mountains from the Block 22 or Wisroc area provides one of the most breathtaking sceneries at Wismar, Linden. The same can be said for the Amelia’s Ward or Richmond Hill areas at Mackenzie.

Climbing to a suitable spot atop a hill also reveals the most spectacular view of forested and populated lands on both shores. For years, the picturesque nature of Linden and its environs has been an escape for many who crave tranquillity away from a hectic life experience. Now, with the COVID-19 pandemic, Lindeners are rediscovering the value of nature and its benefits.

From sprawling hills to beautiful green valleys and calming blue lakes, there is something unique about Linden and its enchanting sceneries that is sure to captivate you.

FEATURE

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SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

EVERYDAY HABITS THAT CAN AFFECT OUR HEALTH - Part 2

Dr Tariq Jagnarine, MD

"H

ealthy living", to most people, means both physical and mental health being in balance, or functioning well together. In many instances, physical and mental health are closely linked, so that a change, good or bad, in one directly affects the other. It is easy to get confused when it comes to health and nutrition. Even qualified experts often seem to hold opposing opinions. Yet, despite all the disagreements, a number of wellness tips are well supported by research.

Here are some additional health tips that are actually based on scientific research.

1: NOT WEARING SHOES WITH PROPER SUPPORT

A recent In-Depth Report from The New York Times found that 75 percent of persons will experience foot pain at some point in their lives, and two of the main causes are ill-fitting shoes and high-impact exercise.

Most persons probably would not want to give up working out in order to prevent foot pain, hence getting the right shoes is of great importance not just in the gym, but also during work and more casual leisure time.

Pick out shoes with solid arch support, and persons with flat feet or pre-existing foot problems should look into getting soft shoe inserts.

2: CONSTANTLY STARING AT A SCREEN ALL DAY

At the end of a hard day, most persons are fatigued, and can experience pain in the eyes with burning, especially if they were staring at a screen for long hours.

Several studies have found that the human eye, for some reason, feels compelled to stare at screens for far longer periods than at other things, like books or the outside world, hence the often dry, tired feeling in your eyes after long periods on the computer. To avoid a case of computer vision syndrome (a rare, harsh result of long hours at the computer), or at least to avoid having some particularly fatigued eyes, be sure to keep the screen at a distance, and shift focus ever so often.

3: NOT WASHING HANDS BEFORE MEALS

It may seem self-explanatory, but it is not a common practice for many, even for those who wash their hands every time they finish up in the bathroom. They are still comfortable with taking public transit, shaking hands with some friends, and sitting down to some sandwiches without washing up.

Moreover, despite all the studies about keyboards carrying more bacteria than toilet seats, it is rare for anyone to feel the need to wash

up after sending a few work emails. Our hands are exposed to many infected surfaces on a daily basis, increasing the chances of infection transmission if not cleaned often.

4: NOT GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP

Everybody should aspire to get at least seven hours of sleep every day. The downtime is needed so that the body can repair itself. In order to be productive, persons need the energy boost and relaxation that comes with deep, restful sleep.

During sleep, the body rebuilds muscle, regulates hormone production, and corrects little problems. Sleep is also an important part of preventing diseases like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

5: POOR DIETARY CHOICES

Fast food and snacks are convenient when persons are on a tight schedule. They also taste good. However, their downsides outweigh their benefits by a whole lot.

Here are some reasons why we should keep our intake of fast food to a minimum: * Snacks like potato chips have high salt content, so long-term consumption of such foods can lead to high blood pressure. * Although trans fats are banned now, a meal made up of burgers and fries still has lots of bad fat that is harmful to us. * Many snacks and fast foods get their irresistible taste from high fructose corn syrup, which spikes our blood sugar.

So, take the time to cook at home, whenever possible.

It will pay dividends now and in the future.

6: FORGETTING TO FLOSS

Good oral hygiene is just good manners, but it has an important health benefit. It prevents gum disease.

A person who suffers from advanced gum disease is at a higher risk of developing health issues, the reason being that advanced gum disease is an infection that puts the body’s immune response into overdrive. This causes inflammation of the entire body, and as a result, the body tires itself out, leaving it vulnerable to other illnesses.

7: GETTING TOO MUCH SLEEP

Many persons get too little sleep, but did you know that sleeping too much could also have its pitfalls?

In a study that was presented at the American Heart Association's medical meeting 2020, researchers found that getting too much sleep was linked to poorer heart health in older women.

Researchers found that older women who slept more than 9 hours a night had an estimated 13 percent risk of developing heart disease in the next 10 years, compared with an

estimated risk of 12 percent in women who slept for 7.5 to 8 hours a night.

It is advisable that we develop a regular sleep routine of 7-8 hours’ sleep, which helps to boost our immune system and helps us to feel rejuvenated at the same time.

8: TAKING VITAMINS

People may take a multivitamin to cover nutritional gaps in their diets or to stay healthy. However, researchers have found that these popular supplements may not protect against chronic dis-

eases, and could be a waste of money.

Three studies done in 2013 found no evidence that taking a daily multivitamin prevents or slows the risk of developing chronic diseases, such as cancer and heart disease, or delays the progression of cognitive decline.

Results from earlier studies have also shown no benefits from taking antioxidants or B vitamins, and have even suggested some possible harm.

Despite these findings, supplement sales throughout the world remain high.

In 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration outlined another potential harm from taking supplements. They issued a warning to consumers about the risks of high doses of biotin, a B-complex vitamin. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has

indicated that high levels of biotin in the blood can skew the results of some lab tests, including tests that measure hormone levels and tests that detect heart attacks. These faulty test results have been linked to one death.

By making small changes to the way we go through our days, we can improve both our physical and mental health.

Health risks can sometimes turn up in the most unexpected places. From being licked by your dog, to checking social media, researchers are uncovering hidden hazards that may be lurking in our daily lives, and may possibly cause us harm or be unsafe.

Having a healthy lifestyle -- including being physically active, eating a nutritious diet, and not smoking -- plays a significant role in living a longer, healthier life.

18 FEATURE

SUNDAY, JULY 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

KEEPING AN EYE ON SINGLEUSE PLASTICS

T

FAQ # 4: Can I feed adult “Dog Chow” to my puppy?

A: Unless you have no other recourse (like no food in your house during a natural disaster), then the answer is a resounding “NO”.

Offering the young puppy adult commercial dog food

daily (eg. 7am; 2pm; 9pm – or whatever your personal lifestyle dictates). \ FAQ # 5: Doc, why are you insisting that we force pups to nurse from their mother from day one to day 30 and beyond?

er content of proteins, antibodies against certain diseases (which the mother may have previously contracted or had been vaccinated against), vitamins and minerals. In addition, that colostrum has less sugars and fats than the milk produced later by the moth-

compromises the ability of your pup to thrive and prosper physically and physiologically, because you would be robbing your puppy of appropriate and important nutrients, which it needs and which may not be found in adult dog chow.

T h e American Kennel Club (AKC) endorses what I have just written in the previous paragraph.

The AKC advocates four feedings a day as being adequate.

Large breeds should be fed unmoistened dry food by 9-10 weeks of age; small dogs could wait until 12 weeks for unmoistened dry food. Later the puppies’ feeding schedule can decrease to three times

A: The answer is simple. In all mammals the first days after the mother delivers her baby, the maternal milk (called colostrum) is quite specialized, especially during the first 3-5 days after the birth of the

er. Colostrum is truly a “Wonder Milk” supplying essential immune bodies to the newborn animal, while it aids also in the improvement of intestinal function.

NB: Next week we will deal with the automatic question which follows

baby. This “First Milk” differs from the milk produced later, in that it has a high-

from the paragraph above: What can the caregiver do if the mother abandons her pups, or if she is ill and has to be removed from her pups, or – horror of horrors – if she dies at pupbirth or immediately thereafter.

1) All the advice given so far must be contextualized. As I said before one size does not fit all.

Different breeds, large dogs, small dogs have varying puppy nutrition requirements, which are quite different from adult dogs of the same breed.

2) Later, in associated “Pet Care” columns, we’ll deal with actual feed content for puppies especially relative to:

 Energy – Young growing pups need greater amounts of energy per unit body mass than fully grown adult dogs.  Minerals –

Especially Calcium and Phosphorus.  Fats – Fats and Fatty Acids are the nutrient which provide more energy per gram than all other nutrients.  Vitamins – Should the caregiver supplement the puppy-feed with vitamins?  Fibre – Although young growing dogs have immature gastro-intestinal tracts, there is a need for fibre in the diet. This will be explained.  Protein – Can a puppy be fed diets with too much protein?

I had mentioned right at the outset that acquiring and nurturing a dog over years can be a relatively expensive undertaking.

On a more philosophical note, the question has been asked whether families already i n c o m e stressed should place on to themselves the extra burden of spending money to feed (and otherwise care for) the pet.

Actually, I find the question quite odious. Are we saying that economically challenged families should be deprived of and not experience the joy pets bring to a family? But since we are dealing with answers to questions on puppy nutrition, the issue of a homemade food for puppies must be dealt with. The internet may document homemade formulae and recipes that are in themselves expensive here in Guyana, if we were to follow such advice. We will expand on this matter of homemade diets which were first posited in last week’s (July 12, 2020) Pet Care column, at a later date.

he year 2021 has been designated for the systematic ban of single-use plastics in Guyana. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is leading the implementation of the ban on single-use plastics.

Preparations for the ban had commenced since 2018, and the EPA has been making deliberate efforts to ensure the process is participatory and that stakeholders are adequately engaged.

Given Guyana’s commitment to addressing the issue of plastic pollution and the Agency’s role in providing a safe and healthy environment for all, the Agency has amplified its media presence, and has transitioned to conducting virtual consultations, given the COVID-19 pandemic and guidelines for social and physical distancing.

Prior to the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, the EPA conducted a series of consultations with the public and several business stakeholders, including supermarkets and non-governmental organisations, as well as importers and distributors of single-use plastics or biodegradable alternatives to single-use plastics. The

virtual consultations, like the physical ones, were aimed at educating the public on the impending ban of singleuse plastics, and discussing the potential impacts the ban may have on different sectors, along with opportunities for businesses to make recommendations to remedy any possible social and economic gaps which may arise as a result of the ban.

Some major concerns the Agency received thus far were centred around the availability of alternatives for the proposed items to be banned, increased education and awareness campaigns targeting the business community, and fiscal incentives to support the local development of alternatives.

The EPA is grateful for the positive response received in regard to continuing engagements virtually, and has, over the past three months, met with some critical stakeholders who represent the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA); the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA); hotels, resorts, restaurants and bars; the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI); commercial banks; the Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED); the Small Business Bureau; international NGOs, international funding agencies, research institutions, and entrepreneurs engaged in importing or manufacturing alternatives to SUPs. The Agency has also conducted several virtual sessions and challenges targeting our more-than 10,000 social media followers, in addition to our other media programmes and publication of awareness materials. We have partnered with the two (2) telephone companies to send blast text messages to over four hundred thousand (409,000) subscribers. Approximately 4000 posters have been printed for distribution to the business community along with other materials, such as a “Frequently asked questions” booklet which will be available in the near future. The results of the public engagements are being analysed and will be shared with members of the public.

The Agency is not oblivious to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the time period for implementation of the ban would take the economic recovery period into consideration, and would also be informed by the results of the consultations conducted.

Please share your views by taking part in the public survey being circulated on our social media pages. #592SaysNoToSUP You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O Communications Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

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FEATURE

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20 FEATURE

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

ACROSS 1 Sweet cherry 5 Gun-cleaning tool 11 Not sit well 17 Big hunk 21 By mouth 22 Plaza Hotel kid 23 "Venus" singer 24 Canter 25 Zhivago's beloved 26 Flat broke (2 wds.)

27 Layout 28 Put a lid -- --!

29 Deadline determiners (2 wds.)

31 Telescope lens 33 Excavates further 35 Spanish money, now 36 Used a jimmy 37 "Aida" composer 38 Funny -- DeLuise 41 Nile god of pleasure 42 Glider's lack 43 Heifer's mouthful 44 Growl 48 Toughened 50 Turn color, maybe 51 -- de mer 52 Lacey's partner 53 Lay a new lawn 54 Said in fun 55 More out of practice 57 Switz. neighbor 58 Goddess sacred to joggers?

59 Slalom markers 60 Dare to 61 E. -- bacteria 62 JFK predecessor 63 Territories 64 Is curious 65 Eyewash acid 66 Trellises 68 Female whale 69 "-- you kidding?"

70 Navajo lodges 71 Heavy burden 72 "Ulalume" poet 73 Naval off.

74 Belafonte hit (hyph.)

75 Primitive weapons 78 Oola's guy 79 Be prone 80 Immature 84 Rabbit 85 Dermis plus epidermis

(pl.)

87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 109 110 112 115 116 120 121 123 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133

Turmoil Cosmonaut's lab Howard and Reagan Shrivels Fragrant blossom Kind of physics "-- -- tree falls ..."

Nags Greek physician Shoulder muscles Pitter- -Amtrak et al.

Stadium hoverer Gridiron conference Not our Pisces mo.

Trot and canter Actor Herbert -Dublin's -- Lingus Rule Pastime Says "yeth" Arthur's realm Expert Lingerie buy Freeze!

Maui miss Surface Like prime steak Pavarotti piece Poet -- Wylie Suit materials A memorable Scott Give free -Hang onto Dirty looks Counting-rhyme start

DOWN 1 Weevil's lunch 2 Latin hymn word 3 Tourist center of Japan 4 Forest clearing 5 Ended a layoff 6 Los --, N.M. 7 Social customs 8 Disposes of 9 Buckeye sch.

10 Kicked out 11 Roof support 12 Shun 13 DEA operative 14 Dutch carrier 15 -- for bear 16 ATM key

KATHLEEN SAXE

WORD GAME TODAY’S WORD -- PLENARY (PLENARY: PLEN-uh-ree: Complete in all respects; fully attended.)

Average mark 38 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 54 or more words in PLENARY? TODAY’S WORD -- PLENARY

pale paler pane panel pare parley payer peal pear pearl pearly penal plan plane planer

play player plea plyer pray prey pyre lane layer lean leap learn lyre earl early

earn elan nape napery nary neap near nearly aery aper rale real reap relay rely

renal repay replay reply yare yarn year yearn yelp

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of "s," such as "bats" or "dies," are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a "d" or an "s" may not be used. For example, if "bake" is used, "baked" or "bakes" are not allowed, but "bake" and "baking" are admissible. 4.

Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

17 18 19 20 30 32 34 36 37 38 39 40 42 43 45 46 47 49 50 51 52 54 55 56 59 60 61 63 64 65 67 68 70 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 85 86 87 90 91 92 94 95 96 98 100 101

Inclined Unfrequented Could hear -- -- drop Poker stakes Floated downstream Subatomic particle Psychic -- Cayce Vatican figures Condor Full skirt Lake near Syracuse Old firearm Podium features Wheels on swivels Longhaired cat "-- and Rockin'" Sheet-music words Future fish Cameos, maybe Run-of-the-mill Fair grade Indiana or Casey Stimpy's buddy 1040 org.

Hocus- -Solemn promise Grass for thatched huts Full of zest Misfortune "Gaslight" star Charles Hues Office machines Devastation Sage or bay (2 wds.)

Frozen Wasser "No mas" boxer Roberto Movie-to-be Vegetable sponge Natural Got too big Brown of renown Minty drink Shoe-happy Marcos Not much Pencil top England's FBI Almost-grads Thin coatings Tolstoy title word Pew occupiers Sweater sz.

Emerald, in geology Gift-of-gab Short and stout Lama, usually -- Zaharias of golf Restaurant seater

103 104 105 108 109 110 111 112 113 114

Femme -Rule over Dawdle Berth preference Asian capital Mammoth Partial darkness Sear a steak Berne's river Twice DXXVI

115 116 117 118 119 122 124

Girl in "Dracula" Paris papa People devourer Caught red-handed Whirlpool Gold record "Of Mice and --" SEE SOLUTION ON PAGE 18

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22 NEWS

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Caribbean judicial systems plagued with backlogged cases

T

he judicial system throughout the region has been overwhelmed by a significant number of backlogged cases, which are waiting to be heard in the respective courts.

This was revealed during the UNDP’s forum on a needs assessment of the judicial system on Friday by Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Dame Janice Pereira.

She pointed out that this challenge is attributed to a number of issues but has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, now that the courts cannot facilitate normal hearings.

“Case backlogs within the systems has been a problem throughout the region and no doubt, a problem which of course impacts security and justice in our region. The problems may be multifaceted and they are encountered at different stages and in different ways but it is an area clearly that we have to address and address it in a significant way if we are to ensure that the public maintains trust and confidence in our justice system,” Dame Pereira said.

Backlogging is commonly caused by slow investigation, lack of resources and a slow judicial process. In most cases, she said, there is a significant accumulation of criminal cases than others.

According to the Chief Justice, specialised courts

for juvenile, sexual and drug offences or family matters can provide some relief to this trend. The needs assessment report would have highlighted a few countries within the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States which have been lacking court facilities, thus contributing to the problem.

“The country-level efforts at legislature reform must be continued as these too will assist with the management of case backlog.

This is really fundamental and extremely important as a requirement, if we are to achieve the desired levels of success,” she added.

Presently, the countries are working to develop a strategy during the pandemic, of which the most successful will be adapted as a model in other nations.

“Most recently, we have been plagued and we still are with the effects of COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated the case backlog problem. I have noted the strategies which are being employed in the different countries. Once these strategies are assessed, I’m sure that those that are successful will be of assistance to other countries,” it was contended.

Meanwhile, Ambassador of the United Nations to Antigua and Barbados, Aubrey Webson indicated that the needs assessment report can go beyond countries involved, in a bid to improving the justice system across the board.

Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Dame Janice Pereira

According to him, islands remain most vulnerable due to their overdependence on tourism, which can foster corruption.

“Our islands are vulnerable. We are defined as some of the most vulnerable states within the United Nations family and vulnerabilities are a key characteristic of small states…

It’s not only hurricanes and climate as our main vulnerable challenges…The over-dependence on tourism has proved to be a challenge in our justice system as well because that can lead towards corruption and criminalities, and can lead to the perception of a weak judicial system,” the Ambassador said.

At the end of last year, the backlog of criminal cases within the Supreme Court of Judicature was reduced by 212, after they were disposed of by the Director of

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF?

Public Prosecutions (DPP) Chambers throughout 2019.

In its annual report, the DPP said of the 212 cases, 178 received attention in High Courts across the country while 34 matters were nolle prosequi (not prosecuted) by the DPP. There were 86 cases for murder, 84 sexual offences, two cases for the offence of manslaughter, five cases of attempt to commit murder and one case for accessory after the fact to murder.

These cases resulted in 36 convictions, 56 guilty pleas,

32 formal verdicts of not guilty, 28 not guilty verdicts by jury, five hung juries, four aborted trials and 51 cases were nolle prosequi - 16 of which were done in court.

During 2019, the DPP also appeared in 30 matters in the Court of Appeal. Of these appeals, 12 were for sexual offences, three for the offence of manslaughter, eight for murder appeals, two for wounding with intent, another two for possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking and one each for felonious

wounding, causing death by dangerous driving and uttering a forged document.

Within the year, the DPP’s office received 318 depositions, of which 174 indictments were proffered, 16 were returned to Magistrates’ Courts for reopening of cases, 13 matters were discontinued, two were nolle prosequi while 113 matters are receiving attention. The Chambers also gave legal advice in 3725 files received from the Guyana Police Force and other law enforcement agencies.

Cops seeking help to ID dead man found on Rosignol roadway

A

man that was found dead on the Rosignol Public Road, West Bank Berbice, on June 26 about 05:00h, has not yet been identified, and Police in Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) are still trying to figure out how he met his demise. The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has since asked for the public’s assistance in identifying the man.

However, to date, no one has come forward.

According to reports, the man, who is of East Indian ancestry, and believed to be in his 40s, is 5’5” tall and was clad in a pair of blue long jeans and a black short-sleeved jersey when he was discovered.

Regional Commander

Dead man found

Yonette Stephen confirmed that the man’s body remains at Bailey’s Funeral Home, West Coast Berbice, and is awaiting identification and a post-mortem examination (PME) to ascertain the cause of his death.

The police is asking anyone with information that might lead to the man’s identification to contact the Guyana Police Force on telephone numbers 2320313, 232-0291, 911 or the nearest police station. (G9)

SYMPTOMS

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

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

Cough

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Or at least two of these symptoms:

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

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

(Adapted from BBC News)

Headache

Chills

Sore throat

Repeated shaking with chills

New loss of taste or smell

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

Yolander Persaud

T

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GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020

GCF to participate in FIDE 2020 Online Olympiad

that were held to select the teams to represent Guyana at the Olympiad that was planned to be held in Russia in August of this year, and ii) the results of the last qualifying tournaments for the 2020 Junior Championships.

he International Chess Federation (FIDE) announced on June 30th that an ONLINE CHESS OLYMPIAD would be held from July 22nd to August 30th 2020. National Federations desirous of participating have been advised that the names of team members had to be submitted by July 13th.

The tournament will have two stages: i) A Division stage ii) A Play-off stage

The Olympiad was postponed to next year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The GCF had explored the possibility of organizing a series of RAPID tournaments to select the team, but decided that it would be impractical to do so due to a number of factors, including i) the COVID-19 social distancing constraints that eliminated the possibility of hosting over- the-board tournaments, and ii) the limited time available to implement measures that would be necessary to reduce the possibility of online cheating.

The Division stage

FIDE has indicated that participating teams would be ranked based on their performance ranking achieved at the last Olympiad held in Batumi, Georgia. Based on this ranking, teams will be placed in five divisions. Lower ranked teams will be placed in the Base Division while the higher ranked teams would be placed in Division 1.

Category tournaments would be held progressively, starting with the Base Division.

The best performing teams will progress to Division 4, where a similar category tournament will be held. Again, the best performing teams will advance to the next Division (3).

Guyana placed 128th at the last Olympiad, and would most likely be placed in Category 4, as opposed to the lower Base

Anthony Drayton

Wendell Meusa

Maria-Varona Thomas

category group. Category 4 games are scheduled for play from July 29th to August 2nd.

On completion of the Division 1 tournament, the top twelve teams will advance to the second stage of the tournament.

Preliminary round, Quarter finals, SemiFinals and a Final Duel between the top two (2) teams.

The Play-off stage

This stage will comprise of a series of knockout duels. There will be four rounds:

Selection criteria used by the GCF

Given the extremely short notice (2 weeks) received for the submission of the names of the team, the GCF decided to utilise the results of i) the prior tournaments

Team Selected Open Section

- Anthony Drayton (FM) - Reigning Open National Champion - Taffin Khan (CM) - 1st Place ranking – 2020 Olympiad Grand Prix standings - Wendell Meusa (CM) - 2nd Place ranking – 2020 Olympiad Gran Prix standings - Loris Nathoo - 3rd Place ranking – 2020 Olympiad Grand Prix standings

Women

- Maria-Varona Thomas (WFM) Women’s National Champion - Samirah Gobin - 2nd Place Women’s National Championship - Sheriffa Ali (WCM) - 3rd Place Women’s National Championship - Yolander Persaud - 4th Place Women’s National Championship

2019 2020 2020 2020

Under-20 (Open)

- Rajiv Lee - 1ST Place Qualifiers, 2020 National Junior Championship - Joshua Gopaul - 2nd Place Qualifiers, 2020 National Junior Championship

Under 20 (Women)

Rajiv Lee

Sasha Shariff

Joshua Gopaul

- Sasha Shariff - 2020 Women’s National Champion - Angel Rahim - 5th Place 2020 Women’s National Championship

2nd Test: WI v England…

England’s victory chances hit after Old Trafford washout E ngland need to take 19 wickets in two days if they are to keep their series alive against West Indies, after the third day of the second Test at Emirates Old Trafford was a washout.

With finer weather forecasted for Manchester today (Sunday) and tomorrow (Monday), and a fresh seam attack, England’s prospects are “not ideal”, to use Ben Stokes’s words, but they are not dire.

Failure to force victory in the coming days, however, will mean West Indies retain the Wisden Trophy that they won in the Caribbean 18 months ago.

“It’s looking like we’ve got to take 19 wickets in two days,” Stokes told Sky Sports. “But the wicket has offered something throughout the whole Test so far; so we just need to make sure that we can expose that, and put as many deliveries as we can, challenging their defensive

shots as much as we can.”

Stuart Broad is back in the team, and likely to be hungry

after his consternation at being overlooked for the first Test in Southampton, which West

Indies won by four wickets.

He is joined by Sam Curran, who made an early breakthrough when he had opener John Campbell out lbw late on Friday to put the tourists one wicket down and still trailing by 437 runs.

Chris Woakes is the other addition, after England opted to rest Mark Wood and James Anderson following their efforts in the first Test, and Jofra Archer was omitted on the first morning of this match for his unauthorised trip home en route to Manchester.

Archer will be available for selection for the third Test, also to be played at Old Trafford, after a disciplinary panel fined him £15,000 and gave him a written warning for his indiscretion.

In the meantime, it will fall to Broad, Curran, Woakes and Stokes to get the job done for England; not to mention Dom

Bess, who had watched with interest as fellow off-spinner Roston Chase claimed a fivewicket haul in the first innings after finding good spin and bounce.

“It’s not only offering for the seam bowlers,” Stokes said.

“We’ve got the options there that we feel we can bowl West Indies out twice if we have to.”

It was Stokes’s performance with the bat that went a long way towards putting England in a commanding position at the end of the second day. His 176, combined with Dom Sibley’s 120, meant the hosts posted a first-innings 469 for 9 declared.

Had England not lost the first Test, for the eighth time in ten series, their task over the next two days may not have been quite so pressurised.

“If we use the first two days as a benchmark for how we want to bat, then the better we’re going to become,” Stokes

has said. “We are a very good team at bouncing back from defeats, and we’ve proven that.

“If we can keep producing days and games like we generally do after a first Test, then we’ll start coming closer to being the No. 1 team, which is obviously a goal of ours.

“We’re in a great place as a side. We’ve got the right personnel, the right team, the right people helping the players out right now. And I think (that) in two or three years’ time, all the tough times that we’ve experienced - in South Africa and this first game against West Indies - is a great learning curve, not just for the younger guys in the team at the moment, but also for the more experienced guys.

“If you are always learning from mistakes, it’s going to make you a better player as an individual, but also a better team.” (ESPNcricinfo)

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

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020

guyanatimesgy.com

Local boxing coaches who complete AMBC virtual training get certification

Pg 31

2nd Test: WI v England…

England’s victory chances hit after Old Trafford washout

Pg 30

RHTY&SC/BCB GCF to participate Basil Butcher In FIDE 2020 See story on page 31 Trust Online Olympiad project continues to make strides Pg 30

GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, NEWS HOTLINE: 231-8063 EDITORIAL: 223-7230, 223-7231, 231-0544, 225-7761 SPORT: sport@guyanatimesgy.com SALES AND MARKETING: 231-8064 - lezas@guyanatimesgy.com - PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC.

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SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

The oil-andgas situation in Guyana goes from bad to worse

By David Blackmon (Senior Contributor, Forbes)

A

s I wrote earlier this month, the future of the nascent oil and gas industry in the South American nation of Guyana is standing on shaky ground amid the ongoing controversy related to this year’s national elections.

The situation only grew worse this week as US Secretary David Blackmon of State Mike Pompeo urged Guyanese President David Granger to “step aside” and respect the results of the election that took place on March 2 and has remained unresolved for more than four months now.

At the same time, Secretary Pompeo also announced that the United States would place “visa restrictions on individuals responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy in Guyana.” It is clear that the American Government believes those individuals include President Granger and members of his A Partnership for National Unity coalition that continues to rule the country despite election results that appear to indicate that the opposing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) was the actual winner.

As reported by the Trinidad Saturday Express, former Trinidad Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine is now warning that the nation’s oil industry and economy are at risk, especially if the US follows its usual pattern of gradual escalation of sanctions. "As we have seen with Venezuela, the United States' application of sanctions usually follows a gradual and incremental pattern. This might, therefore, be the first wave of sanctions. Should the US see no improvement in the situation in Guyana, the sanctions might be ramped up to include economic sanctions such as sanctions on shipping, on senior Guyanese Government officials doing business with American companies and on the payments of goods and services for the oil industry," he said.

Many billions of dollars of potential economic impact from the development of the nation’s rich offshore oil and gas assets stand at risk. Indeed, according to a new report from Rystad Energy, the delays in permitting caused by this ongoing election dispute have already cost the people of Guyana millions and lowered the net present value (NPV) of the entire development.

Rystad ran four different scenarios in its analysis, assuming further permitting delays ranging from 3 months to 24 months in duration. The firm finds that delays that have taken place to this point have already removed more than 50 million barrels of oil that could have been produced by 2030, along with a loss of $300 million. Their various scenarios show that the country will lose an additional 10 to 75 million barrels, depending on the length of further delays.

The firm projects a current NPV to the Government of the offshore development - most of which would be operated by a consortium led by ExxonMobil XOM -1.7 per cent, with partners Hess Corp HES -1.6 per cent and CNOOC - through 2028 of $4.4 billion. However, another 12-month delay in permitting would reduce that number by $1.6 billion, a huge loss of wealth to a nation of just 800,000 people.

Ramnarine understands the severity of this situation: "I am certain that what is happening in Guyana is of concern to ExxonMobil and Hess given that they are American companies.

This makes the situation in Guyana even more complicated.

Prior to these sanctions, ExxonMobil said the political impasse was responsible for the slippage in the start-up of the Payara project which is the third development project by ExxonMobil in Guyana following on Liza 1 and Liza 2," he said.

As I pointed out in that July 2 piece, Guyana is in competition with other high-potential projects around the world for the massive capital investments these companies and other developers must deploy to find and produce these oil and gas resources. For companies like ExxonMobil, stability and predictability are big considerations when determining where to deploy their capital dollars, since those factors have a tremendous impact on the anticipated rate of return on those investments.

Right now, Guyana is losing stability and predictability - two precious assets for any Government wishing to benefit from minerals development by international operators - due to this ongoing election controversy. The intervention by the United States in the form of sanctions that are likely to escalate only serves to exacerbate that situation.

Whether he wants it or not, the duty to work to restore stability for the Government falls to President Granger. The international community appears to believe that his coalition did in fact lose the March election. If that is the case, he should do what Secretary Pompeo advises and step aside for the good of his country and the future of its economy. (Forbes)

Leadership a critical aspect of being an excellent commander – Chief of Staff tells officers

L

eadership is a critical aspect of being an excellent commander, Chief of Staff Brigadier Godfrey Bess said as he declared the Senior Command and Staff Course 16 open.

Bess in delivering the charge reminded the officers of the importance of the realities of command, emphasising that they must also understand that leadership is a critical aspect of being an excellent commander.

“Military men may obey the commands of their commanders as given, but military men and women will go to battle with the commander who can best lead them: the commanders who lead by example; the commanders who can be firm but compassionate; the commanders who may seem devilish but who are seen to have a heart and soul. Your men and women will always choose you as a commander when you are courageous and bold and ready to lead,” Bess is quoted as saying by the Guyana Defence Force in a post on the army’s Facebook page.

He challenged the officers

19 GDF ranks are pursuing the 12-week course

to pursue the course to become critical thinkers by going beyond the digestion of the materials presented in the training modules. “You must apply yourselves not simply to digesting the materials presented in the taught modules, but also, to discovering the breath beyond your tuition. You must do that in order to be the quality of senior officers the GDF needs for its future development.

You must, therefore, become critical thinkers. Learn to deconstruct ideas and concepts in order to gain the fruit of knowledge contained therein,” he urged.

He also highlighted the

significance of the capstone military course, which, he explained, is exemplified by its terminal objective to train officers to function as unit commanders and senior staff officers across the full spectrum of military operations.

These are significant functions, he emphasised, which are grounded in the knowledge and skills to be acquired during the course.

He explained that the leadership concepts and related exercises to be conducted on the course are designed to develop an officer’s command and control as well as enhance his capability for delivering efficient staff-du-

ty functions. “These are not only military skills, but professional and lifelong learning skills that are required in your daily lives. It is a challenging course and having the right motivation is key to your success. You are more likely to succeed as a student if you take the time to prepare. You should approach this course with confidence in your abilities,” he urged.

He charged the officers to be bold and courageous in expanding their learning during the course.

Nineteen officers are pursuing the Senior Command and Staff Course 16 which is being conducted over a period of 12 weeks. The course covers several areas including minor staff duties, communication skills, tactics in open and close country warfare, internal security operations, military law, military history, administration and logistics.

Successful completion of the Senior Command and Staff Course is one of the requirements for an officer to be elevated to the Senior Officer Corps.

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

Guyanese must resist all threats and unite in our struggle for democracy Dear Editor, It is perhaps coincidental that the date of the penning of this missive coincides with the 47th anniversary of the July 16, 1973 death of the Ballot Box Martyrs, which clearly exemplifies the ultimate and supreme sacrifice of their lives in the struggle for free and fair elections.

Almost half of a century later, we will not forget Mr. Granger’s dirty role in their crucial sacrifice, which now continues to inspire our people’s demand that democracy must prevail in our dear country. The framework is now different, and it is clear that the cabal's intention to manipulate our Police Force and military to support Granger’s conspiracy is failing to gain significant traction.

In a plain cyclical pattern, the tenure of the Granger-led regime, from its inception, has demonstrated a focus on the imposition of systems that are suppressive to the will of the Guyanese people.

A look at events since the period following passage of the No-Confidence Motion would evidence the graduated desperate assault on the democratic tenets enshrined in the Constitution to preserve the rights of our citizens. Thanks to the continuous prudent scrutiny by the Leader of the Opposition and supporters, the timely counter of the key elements in their diabolic thieving plot were repeatedly exposed.

With almost every fraudulent effort placed under sustained scrutiny by the Opposition and supporting media, the thieving options for the Granger cabal became thinner. The cabal finally cracked under the immense pressure of keen

attention, exposing the contamination of the CEO and his cohorts in the GECOM Secretariat. Their obvious connection with the extremely prejudiced APNU trio of Commissioners at GECOM served to advance the partisan interest of Mr. Granger’s party, but something soon had to give.

It has been more than five months since the General and Regional Elections were held on March 02, 2020, and likewise since Mr. Granger’s APNU cabal became aware that the overwhelming majority of citizens rejected them.

We have since witnessed the cabal’s unleashing of the most callous, vulgar, and relentless public affront to the sane and rational minds in a 21st century setting of internet-based communication for the world to see.

Simultaneously, their propaganda agents scream “sovereignty” in a futile attempt to silence international criticisms.

Editor, I therefore find it prudent to emphasise that, according to Section 9 of the Guyana Constitution, “Sovereignty belongs to the people, who exercise it through their representatives and democratic organs established by or under this Constitution.” It follows that the invitation of international interventions is not premised on the voice of Mr. Granger’s henchmen and women, but on the equally common voice of all who speak for democracy in this context.

Our citizens and the world at large have seen in full public view Mr. Granger and his cohorts’ unadulteratedly wicked attempts to trample on our citizens’ rights realising grave damage on the

international image of our country. In so doing, his bulldogs have been uncaringly contemptuous and bullish to the nation's needs in the face of a most threatening health crisis. This rogue clique continues to demonstrate absolute abuse of the Judicial Process, which the Judiciary MUST decisively put to a halt.

Consequently, there can no longer be any good faith in the establishment of an enabling environment for investors under the undignified smear of Mr. Granger’s naked exploitation.

The cabal seems oblivious to the fact that, under his dictatorial and bullish approach, Guyana faces threats of suspension or expulsion from almost every trading bloc or economic grouping, including our very own Caricom. This translates into obvious limitations in obtaining raw and intermediate materials for our factories, as well as the loss of current international markets.

Simply put, Mr. Granger’s rogue clique’s approach to power at all cost has set Guyana on a path that would swiftly maximise the loss of thousands of jobs through the closure of our main productive sectors. In such circumstances, even the tax authorities would have to lay off staff, given the likelihood of a significantly depleted tax base. Indeed, a future under this rogue cabal would be most frightening!

Of note, it is factual that emerging from the supporters of Mr. Granger are myriad fuel-filled tyrannical insults of unimaginable despotic filthiness. They target, and are abusive to, the intelligence of not only those competing par-

ties who stood to challenge their glaring excessiveness against the naked ‘Truth and Justice,’ but also the will of Granger’s cabal to haul over a hot grill, all representing institutions that have served us as partners for decades of struggle in representing the same democratic cause.

It is despicable and unacceptable that Mr. Granger remains silent to these egregious overtures, initially pretending to be holy! Editor, the threats and propagandistic fear-mongering attempts will no longer frighten our people, whose minds have become steeled and sharper, given the indication by the riggers that they will not bend. Our people must draw strength from our strong and astute leadership and our fighting spirit in the PPP/C. Further, the unflinching support of more than one hundred and seventy countries globally must serve to strengthen our resolve for victory.

The Guyanese people will always be grateful to our Caribbean friends and neighbours for their firm stance on peace and democracy, together with our global support in the fight against a dictator. The Granger rogue regime must be held accountable and globally condemned for their vexatious posture that holds our country at ransom. In this respect, we urge the strongest individual sanctions on the riggers, as the Guyanese people remain resolute and together in facing any threats as we await the swearing in of Dr Irfaan Ali as the ninth Executive President of Guyana.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

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SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020

guyanatimesgy.com

Regional

Barbados diplomat wants Bermuda to lift curfew on Monday more than good intentions B in dealing with reparations

T

he Barbados Ambassador to the Caribbean Community (Caricom), David Commissiong, Saturday said it is just not enough to simply have good intentions as the Caribbean seeks reparations from Europe for the slave trade.

“Rather, what is required is a determination to pitch our demands for reparatory reforms at a level where, if and when they are implemented, they will achieve a fundamental and decisive breakthrough in the structure of black poverty and inequality,” said Commissiong, as he delivered, virtually, Australia’s annual Nelson Mandela Lecture, commemorating the birth of the late South

African leader.

Commissiong told the audience that for the Caribbean, “reparations is not simply about a money payment.

“Yes, there is a money component, but reparations is about much much more than a mere money payment. We conceive of reparations as a revolutionary programme of transformation that is designed to eradicate structures, practices and consequences of anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism, discrimination and inequality, and to create just societies.

“Indeed, we conceive of our campaign for reparations as the latest, and perhaps the most critical phase, in our mass-based mission

to “humanise” the locations of barbarism that our ancestors were deposited in when the political and commercial elite of 17th century Europe decided to create slave societies in the Caribbean as mechanisms for the generation of super abundant profits.”

Commissiong said that based on the Caribbean programme for reparation, the region is indeed sending a message to Europe.

“That we are saying to Europe: “You cannot commit a crime; profit from that crime; cause immense damage to a people as a result of that crime, and simply walk away from the scene of the crime with your ill-gotten gain!” (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Brazil’s Bolsonaro under pressure to protect Amazon

F

aced with investors demanding “results” in the fight against Amazon deforestation, Brazil’s Government seems to be performing something of an about-face, although it will have to work to convince sceptics.

The simple fact that Vice President Hamilton Mourao committed on Wednesday to cutting deforestation and forest fires “to an acceptable minimum” was a mini-revolution in the administration of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro.

Less than a year ago the international community watched in horror as the number of forest fires in the Amazon soared to their highest levels since 2013.

Ireland and France threatened to scupper a trade deal between the European Union and Mercosur -- of

Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro

which Brazil is a member -- unless Bolsonaro acted to protect what French President Emmanuel Macron described as a “common interest.”

Macron called the fires an “international crisis” and Bolsonaro fired back at his counterpart’s “colonialist mentality.”

“Europe is an environ-

mental cult,” Bolsonaro said Thursday on Facebook.

“They haven’t preserved their environment, almost nothing... but they hit us all the time over this, and unfairly.”

But at the end of June, investment funds from Europe, Asia and South America that collectively administer close to US$4 trillion in assets cranked up the pressure in an open letter to Bolsonaro, urging the end of projects that threaten to accelerate destruction of the world’s largest rainforest.

That seems to have hit home.

Last week those investors held a video conference with the Government, after which Mourao admitted words were not enough.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Mexican cartel shows its might as President visits its heartland

A

video depicting a sprawling military-style convoy of one of Mexico’s most powerful drug cartels circulated on social networks on Friday just as President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador visited the group’s heartland.

In the two-minute clip, members of the fearsome Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) stand in fatigues alongside a seemingly endless procession of armoured vehicles.

“Only Mencho’s people,” members of the cartel shout, pumping their fists and flashing their long guns. The cry was a salute to their leader, Nemesio “El

Mencho” Oseguera, one of the country’s most-wanted drug lords.

“They are sending a clear message... that they basically rule Mexico, not Lopez Obrador,” said Mike Vigil, a former chief of international operations for the US Drug Enforcement Administration.

It was unclear when the video had been filmed, but it appeared to be authentic, Vigil said.

CJNG is regarded as Mexico’s strongest gang, along with the Sinaloa Cartel formerly led by jailed kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. It is often credited with infiltrating poorly paid

and trained police departments across the country to protect its wide-ranging criminal rackets.

In late June, the cartel was quickly fingered as the probable culprit in a brazen attack on Mexico City security head Omar Garcia Harfuch that took place in broad daylight in a posh neighbourhood in the capital.

Unlike his predecessors, Lopez Obrador has taken a less confrontational approach on security, preferring to attack what he describes as root causes like poverty and youth joblessness, via social spending.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

ermuda is to lift its COVID-19 curfew on Monday, but premises with a liquor licence must close at midnight, the Government has announced.

Public Works Minister David Burch said the decision to end the midnight to 5:00 am (local time) curfew would be reviewed on a weekly basis.

It was also revealed that two new cases of the disease had been reported — taking the island’s total to 152, including nine deaths — and that one had broken quarantine restrictions and gone to work.

Six cases — all returning residents — have been

recorded since the airport was reopened on July 1. Five have been on Delta Air Lines’ flights from Atlanta and one from Toronto.

The Government also unveiled new legislation in the House of Assembly on Friday to include a US$25,000 fine and/or six months imprisonment for a breach of the requirement for travellers to quarantine as they waited for the result of the mandatory airport COVID-19 test.

“The ending of the curfew not only represents a major landmark in the reopening of our economy, but it will also create more opportunities for employment,” said Premier

David Burt, adding “this is something that many of us will welcome, but it must not be taken as a licence to lose our minds. Simply put, as I said before, please don’t tear it.”

Skyport, operator of Bermuda’s LF Wade International Airport, has announced the August schedule of incoming flights, which include the return of JetBlue Airways for the first time since the airport closed on March 20 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Bermuda has so far carried out more than 15,000 COVID-19 tests. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Rowley unfazed by Kamla’s ‘race’ talk

P

rime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has accused Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar of waging another racially-motivated campaign, after the latter appeared to attack his race yet again during a virtual meeting on Thursday night.

“Some people out of concern, and, in fact, the black/ blank man on the other side talked about kindergarten.

What a great disservice and disrespect to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.”

While Persad-Bissessar insisted yesterday that she said “blank man,’’ Rowley said without doubt, it was “black man.”

After filing nomination papers to contest the Diego Martin West constituency yesterday, Rowley, supported by a wave of red, accused PersadBissessar of using race in the past, saying he was called an Oreo by her before.

Around two hours after the Prime Minister spoke to the media after submit-

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley interacts with a member of the public while walking to the Point Cumana Regional Complex to file his General Election nomination papers on Friday

ting his nomination papers to Elections and Boundaries Commission officials, the Opposition leader had her say.

“No. I said blank! I said blank! I said blanking. I said blank. I said on the 10th of August, blanking out,” she insisted in Siparia, cheered on by scores of supporters donning yellow.

In a press release yesterday as well, the UNC also knocked Rowley’s attempt to

inject racial discord ahead of the election.

She accused the PNM leader of trying to divide the population using the word “black” instead of “blank,” saying it was an attempt to distract from “his failed tenure.”

She said this was politics at its lowest and most dangerous, saying the statements risked inciting racial discord. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

PM says tourists using fake COVID-19 certificates

P

rime Minister Gaston Browne said some visitors are trying to gain entry into Antigua by using fake COVID-19 certificates.

He said the problem is not unique to Antigua & Barbuda but at other destinations where ports have reopened.

Browne said this may lead to authorities taking another look at COVID-19 protocols next week.

Currently, visitors are expected to test before arriv-

al into Antigua and present a negative COVID-19 certificate.

Browne said this policy has resulted in a lower number of imported cases.

The Prime Minister has also reported that two of the four visitors who recently tested positive for the coronavirus continue to protest quarantine. He said the visitors in questions were angry because they tested negative in the US.

Based on this, he said the two Americans called officials in the White House who then contacted the American Embassy in Bridgetown.

He said the Embassy made representation on behalf of the visitors noting that “some of the people who come here are well connected.”

The Prime Minister is appealing to all visitors to comply with the laws of the country. (Excerpt from Antigua News Room)

Diplomats to be tested too – Bostic

D

iplomats coming to Barbados will not be exempt from COVID-19 testing.

Minister of Health and Wellness Jeffrey Bostic made that clear on Friday, saying an agreement had been reached with multilateral partners on diplomatic immunity as it related to ad-

herence to contingent protocols for commercial travel.

During a webinar on the reopening of borders hosted by the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO), Bostic said this was one of the teething problems discovered as the country reopened to commercial flights last Sunday.

“Another issue that we

have encountered, and we had one major concern to date, is the issue of diplomats. How do we treat to diplomats, especially diplomats who do not want to play ball and who want to cite diplomatic immunity but did not come with a valid test? (Excerpt from Nation News)

guyanatimesgy.com

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020

Around the world

OILNEWS US Energy Secretary signs initial agreement with India on emergency oil reserves

T

he United States and India signed a preliminary agreement on Friday on cooperating on emergency crude oil reserves, including the possibility of India storing oil in the US emergency stockpile, officials said.

US Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette told reporters in a teleconference with India Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, that officials will discuss details of the emergency reserves in the next months.

The United States would like to begin the process of sharing with India the establishment of a strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) and then see how the US SPR, comprised of underground caverns in Texas and Louisiana, could help India store oil there, Brouillette said.

US President Donald Trump in March ordered Brouillette to fill the SPR to its capacity of about 714 million barrels of capacity, but Congress failed to fund a purchase.

Brouillette said it could mirror a recent plan with Australia, which in April committed to spending about US$60 million to build an emergency oil stockpile, first by buying crude to store in the US SPR. Global oil prices LCOc1 fell steeply earlier this year as shutdowns from the novel coronavirus sapped demand, but have stabilised at around US$43 a barrel on hopes for stimulus programmes.

In May, Pradhan said India, the world’s third-biggest oil consumer and importer, had already filled its 5.33 million tonnes of strategic storage and parked about 8.5-9 million tonnes of oil on ships, primarily in the Gulf.

India is the fourth-largest export destination for US crude.

It plans to build new strategic storage to expand capacity by 6.5 million tonnes.

Pradhan said on Friday that the bilateral hydrocarbons trade between the two countries had touched US$9.2 billion during 2019 to 2020, about 10 per cent of the overall bilateral trade. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Coronavirus spike continues amidst new Catalonia restrictions

Mask-wearing is encouraged in Barcelona as the region endures new restrictions

S

pain's north-eastern Catalonia region has again recorded a daily COVID-19 infection figure of more than 1000, as residents endure new restrictions.

Health authorities are trying to halt this week's surge, which has led to four million people around Barcelona being asked to stay home for 15 days.

Catalonia's is the worst of 150 Spanish outbreaks and neighbouring France said closing borders should be discussed.

Spain has recorded 260,000 cases and there have been 28,400 deaths.

The latest 24-hour figures from the region's department of health on Saturday record another 1226 cases, 894 of them in the Barcelona metropolitan area, adding to a surge over the past week.

27

The surge led to tough new measures being announced on Friday.

Although they did not amount to a full lockdown, they have caused considerable concern in a region that was hoping to see an easing of restrictions.

Barcelona bar owner Maria Quintana told AFP: "We'd just started to see things coming back to life with the arrival of a few foreign tourists, so this is a step backwards."

Spain only ended its tough national lockdown about four weeks ago and was hoping to kick-start the economy, particularly with tourism numbers.

The streets of Barcelona were reported emptier on Saturday, although some residents may have defied orders and headed off in cars for second homes. (Excerpt from BBC News)

John Lewis, Civil Rights icon and Congressman, dies aged 80

R

ep John Lewis, a leader in the civil rights movement and later US congressman, has died at the age of 80.

Lewis was one of the "Big Six" civil rights leaders, which included Martin Luther King Jr, and helped organise the historic 1963 March on Washington.

As a congressman he was a Georgia Democrat, and represented an area which covered most of its capital Atlanta.

In December 2019 Lewis announced that he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

"I have been in some kind of fight - for freedom, equality, basic human rights - for nearly my entire life," he said in a statement released at the time. "I have never faced a fight quite like the one I have now."

During the civil rights movement, Lewis was one of the founders of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and then became its chairman from 1963 to 1966.

He co-organised and spoke at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the rally at which

Dr King delivered his historic I Have a Dream speech.

Lewis was the last surviving speaker from the march.

Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi confirmed Lewis's death in a statement posted on her website and on social media.

She wrote that Lewis "was a titan of the civil rights movement whose goodness, faith and bravery transformed our nation", and that as a congressman he was "revered and beloved on both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Capitol".

"Every day of John Lewis's life was dedicated to bringing freedom and justice to all," she said. "As he declared 57 years ago during the March on Washington, standing in the shadow of the Lincoln Memorial: 'Our minds, souls,

and hearts cannot rest until freedom and justice exist for all the people.'

"How fitting it is that even in the last weeks of his battle with cancer, John summoned the strength to visit the peaceful protests where the newest generation of Americans had poured into the streets to take up the unfinished work of racial justice."

Upon news of his death, civil rights group the NAACP tweeted that they were "deeply saddened".

"His life-long mission for justice, equality and freedom left a permanent impression on our nation and world," the organisation said. "The NAACP extends our sincerest condolences to his family, and we send prayers of comfort and strength to all."

In a statement, former President Barack Obama said he had spoken with Lewis after a virtual town hall with a group of activists following the death of George Floyd. Obama said Lewis could not have been prouder of their efforts - "a new generation standing up for freedom and equality".

"Not many of us get to live to see our own legacy play out in such a meaningful, remarkable way. John Lewis did," he said.

"And thanks to him, we now all have our marching orders — to keep believing in the possibility of remaking this country we love until it lives up to its full promise."

Former presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren tweeted that Lewis "was a true American hero and the moral compass of our nation".

Lewis's death comes on the same day as the death of fellow civil rights leader C T Vivian at the age of 95. Vivian helped organise the Freedom Rides - a protest to integrate buses in the south - and later went on to lead the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). (BBC)

The elections, originally scheduled to be held in April, were postponed twice due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Although several lists are running in the polls, real opposition to al-Assad's Baath Party is absent in the election.

Opposition groups traditionally tolerated by the Government are expected to boycott the polls and the Baath Party is guaranteed to monopolise the new Parliament as it has done in

previous elections.

In the last vote in 2016, the Baath and its allies took 200 of the 250-seat Parliament while the remaining posts went to independent candidates.

Observers say the contest lacks credibility with the majority of candidates being either part of al-Assad's Baath Party or loyal to his regime.

"The majority of Syrians believe the election is only a process controlled by the regime to represent itself as a legitimate authority in

Syria," said Zaki Mehchy, a senior consulting fellow at Chatham House and co-founder of the Syrian Centre for Policy Research.

Karam Shaar, an expert on Syria at the Middle East Institute, said: "The al-Assad regime uses parliamentary elections to reward loyalty. This time around, warlords and militiamen are expected to gain yet more seats for their contributions to the state over the past four years." (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Rep John Lewis, a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, and later US Congressman

Syria launches parliamentary elections amidst war, economic woes

D

amascus launches parliamentary elections across Government-controlled areas of the country today, as President Bashar al-Assad marked 20 years in power amid a continuing war and deep economic woes.

More than 2000 candidates, including businessmen under recently-imposed United States sanctions, will be running in the legislative election - the third since the start of the 2011 protests and ensuing civil war.

Rouhani says 25 million Iranians may have been infected with coronavirus

P

resident Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday that some 25 million Iranians may have been infected with coronavirus, as Iran reimposed restrictions in the capital and elsewhere.

The figure, from a report Rouhani cited in a televised speech, was far higher than Saturday’s official figure for infections of 271,606, and corresponds to more than 30 per cent of Iran’s 80 million population.

Rouhani’s office said the number of infections was based on an “estimated scenario” from a Health Ministry research report.

Iran has been the Middle East country hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with infections and deaths

An Iranian woman and her son, wearing protective face masks, walk the street following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Tehran, Iran, June 28, 2020

rising sharply since restrictions were eased, beginning in mid-April.

“Our estimate is that so far 25 million Iranians have been infected with this virus and about 14,000 have lost their lives,” Rouhani said.

He added that “there is

the possibility that between 30 and 35 million more people will be at risk”, but did not elaborate on what he meant.

More than 200,000 people have been hospitalised, he said, adding the Ministry expected that another

200,000 might need hospital treatment in the coming months.

An official at the Government’s coronavirus task force said the 25 million people mentioned by Rouhani were “mildly affected patients who ... did not need to seek medical advice”, the semi-official news agency ISNA reported.

The Health Ministry reported 188 deaths in the previous 24 hours to take Iran’s total to 13,979.

Authorities on Saturday reimposed restrictions for a week in the capital Tehran, including banning religious and cultural functions, closing boarding schools, cafes, indoor pools, amusement parks and zoos. (Excerpt from Reuters)

28

guyanatimesgy.com

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020

Archie

ARIES (March 21April 19)

Avoid getting into a senseless argument. Keep physically active, and you will avert that disgruntled feeling when things don’t go your way.

TAURUS Someone will offer a dif(April 20ferent perspective on a situMay 20) ation that shows potential.

Weigh the pros and cons and prepare to make a move that can influence your life.

Don’t hesitate, stop or GEMINI (MAY 28- give anyone the chance to mess with you. Stay focused June 20) on being and doing your best.

Good health begins with a proper diet and fitness routine.

Stop questioning and start CANCER doing. Make a decision that (June 21will help you let go of the past July 22) and move forward with your life. Don’t miss an opportunity to explore new possibilities.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Dilbert

VIRGO Set rules and standards (Aug. 23that you feel comfortable Sept. 22) with, but don’t expect others to follow suit. Allow others the freedom of choice, and you’ll get the same in return.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Peanuts

Do what you need to do without making a fuss.

Refuse to let anyone make decisions for you or entice you into something risky.

Pay attention to health and fitness.

Make your position clear and keep heading in a direction that suits your needs. A personal gain will be dependent on how you handle your money. Avoid indulgent behavior.

Discard what you no longer need. Reevaluate your intentions and walk away from those standing in your way. Explore new ideas and embrace new beginnings.

Choose mind over matter.

Investments will go sour SAGITTARIUS if you trust someone with (Nov. 23your cash or embark on a Dec. 21) joint venture. Don’t let anyone take advantage of you.

Immerse yourself in self-improvement.

CAPRICORN Spit it out if you don’t like (Dec. 22the way someone is treating Jan. 19) you. Don’t raise your voice, but do state the facts and offer alternatives. Aim to solve problems, not to fuel them.

Calvin and Hobbes

A change of plans that AQUARIUS someone reveals will come (Jan. 20as a surprise.

Consider Feb. 19) what’s best for you and adjust. When in doubt, look inward and focus on personal growth.

PISCES Get in touch with your (Feb. 20inner self, and you’ll discovMar. 20) er you have more to offer than you realize. Refuse to let anyone put you down or make you feel inadequate.

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020

29

IPL 2020 likely to be played in the UAE between September and November T

he 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) being played entirely in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is now a distinct possibility, and ESPNcricinfo understands that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has earmarked a tentative window: between September 26 and November 7, for it.

A final decision will be taken by the BCCI once the ICC announces the likely postponement of the men's T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held between October 18 and November 15 in Australia.

The ICC Board is scheduled to have a call on July 20 to discuss the matter, and a final decision on the World Cup is likely to be taken then. It is understood that the BCCI has written to the Indian Government seeking permission for the tournament to be shifted to UAE, and also to get the necessary travel permission for the players and officials of the teams.

On Friday, the BCCI's apex council discussed the possibility of the IPL being played in the UAE in its entirety. It is understood that the BCCI would still prefer conducting the tournament in India, but the COVID-19 situation - the number of infections in the country are on the rise - has meant that the UAE has been identified as the next-best option. the BCCI had indefinitely deferred the IPL in April because of the pandemic.

With over a million cases at the moment, India is third on the list of countries in terms of infections, and has officially recorded over

26,000 deaths.

"We are ready to fully support the IPL if it chooses to come and play in the UAE. We will provide all the support concerning the protocol and government permission required to host the IPL. We are waiting for written confirmation from BCCI" Mubashshir Usmani, Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) Secretary, has said.

The BCCI had originally wanted to conduct the IPL behind closed doors and in limited venues, and had singled out Mumbai as the hub, but India's commercial capital has a huge number of COVID-19 infections in the

country, making that proposition unfeasible.

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly had in June written to the state associations to inform that the board was "optimistic" about the IPL taking place this year, and "all possible options" were being worked out, including playing in "empty stadiums".

If the tournament does shift to the UAE, it would be the second time for the IPL there, after the first 20 matches of the tournament were staged in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in 2014 because of the general elections in India.

The ECB had in April written to the BCCI,

UFC Fight Island in Abu Dhabi…

Richard Shore hopes Brett Johns repeats Jack Shore’s success

R

ichard Shore hopes to celebrate a second win of the week as the UFC's “Fight Island” continues in Abu Dhabi.

Shore trains his son Jack, a

bantamweight who secured his second victory in the UFC with a second-round win over American Aaron Phillips on 15 July. Jack’s training partner, fellow Welsh bantamweight Brett Johns, faces American Montel Jackson today (Sunday).

"Brett and Jack have trained with each other for quite some time," Shore said. "Brett helped

Jack out for four weeks with the camp, and both lads saw the benefits of having each other to train with. You've got two elite-level athletes, and there's probably nowhere else in Europe that's got two fighters in the UFC in the same division training together and pushing each other to the next level.

"That's how it came about. Both enjoy working with each other, and both mutually could see the benefits of training on a day-today basis with each other. You can't put a pin between them. I think (that), for the first time in their careers, Jack has got somebody that's pushing him to the limit and giving him a 50-50 bout.

"Brett is in the same position with Jack; they're both learning from each other. Jack has got strong points Brett can learn from, and Brett has got strong points Jack can learn from. I truly believe (that), 12 months from now, we'll see the level of both guys go through the roof from the ability of training with each other on a daily basis," he said.

Jack Shore had been due to face Brazilian Geraldo de Freitas in London in March, while Brett Johns was scheduled to fight in April. However, the coronavirus crisis caused postponement of those fights, and lockdown restrictions have meant the fighters' training camps at their Aberdeen base in Blaenau Gwent have been shorter than usual.

"They've had good training, and have been training five days a week at the facility," Shore added. "It's making the best out of a bad situation.

It's an even playing field, because everybody is in the same position. The only downside to that is

that I normally like a 10 (to)12-week fight camp for the guys when they are fighting at the higher level. We've only had seven weeks with this.

"Under normal circumstances, that would be plenty, but you've got to remember the gym was closed completely and the guys were doing absolutely nothing until we were given the goahead to resume. As a coach, it's been difficult, but we've persevered with it, and it's one of those things. We just get on with it."

It comprises a safety zone, including an arena, hotel, training facilities, and a restaurant which is only open to fighters, coaches, UFC staff and other event personnel.

There are more than 2,500 UFC personnel and Yas Island employees staying within the zone, with all local staff having been in quarantine for 14 days.

Shore said it had been a "tough couple of weeks" leading up to the event, which began with two days’ isolation in London before they could be allowed to travel to the Middle East.

"We got tested when we got to London, got the all clear and were allowed on the plane," Shore told BBC Sport Wales. "When we arrived in Abu Dhabi, we got tested again, and had to go into isolation. Twenty-four hours later, if your test was clear, you were tested again. So, at the end of day five, if it was all negative, you were given your pass for the hotel and the safe area around the island.

"It was a tough five days, but since we've been here, the UFC and the people of Abu Dhabi have been absolutely brilliant, and (have) gone above and beyond to make sure we're all safe."

(BBC sport)

offering UAE as an alternative venue for the tournament. And the board is ready to play host now, if the BCCI green-lights the switch.

"We are ready to fully support the IPL if it chooses to come and play in the UAE," Usmani told ESPNcricinfo. "We will provide all the support concerning the protocol and government permission required to host the IPL. We are waiting for written confirmation from BCCI." The tournament is expected to be played at the three main grounds in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, while it is not clear whether the Oval at the ICC Academy in Dubai would also be used as one of the venues, with the tournament likely to be played behind closed doors.

As far as the franchises are concerned, they discussed playing in the UAE during an owners' call on July 13. With most of the global pool of players homebound due to the pandemic, the franchises are primarily concerned about the players getting enough training ahead of the tournament, which could go on for at least six weeks.

If the tournament does move to the UAE, it is understood that franchises are likely to set up their bases a month in advance, for training and also to cater to any quarantine measures imposed by the UAE Government.

It is understood that the main reason for marking November 7 as the date for the IPL final was to ensure Indian players get enough time to travel to Australia for the fourmatch Test series, set to begin in December.

(ESPNcricinfo)

Spanish GP qualifying action…

Rins suffers shoulder dislocation and fracture in crash

A

lex Rins appears set to miss an extended period of the new MotoGP season, after dislocating and fracturing his right shoulder in qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix.

Suzuki Ecstar rider Rins lost control at turn 11 on his final lap in Q2, when Jack Miller was already in the gravel, and was transferred to hospital after the damage was detected in the medical tent.

The diagnosis will be a blow for the Spaniard, who qualified ninth for today’s race, with the coronavirus pandemic meaning the delayed 2020 campaign is more condensed than usual.

A team statement read: "After the crash, Alex had a lot of pain in his right shoulder.

He was taken to the Clinica Mobile for an X-ray, where doctors detected a fracture and dislocation, administering a mild sedative to ease the pain. Alex will be transferred to hospital for further tests."

The Spaniard had secured his place in Q2 by going fastest in Q1, despite venturing off track at the end of the session.

Rins was also involved in an on-track disagreement with reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez at the end of FP3. (Sportsmax)

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GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020

RHTY&SC/BCB Basil Butcher Trust CLASSIFIED ADS project continues to make strides T

FOR LEASE

he Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, MS, (RHTY&SC) and the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) had of recent jointly launched the Basil Butcher Trust Project in tribute to the late legendary West Indies Test Player Basil Butcher.

Among their activities had been distribution of 500 hampers and assistance to a family whose house had collapsed due to high winds that had assailed the Corentyne Coast.

The ten cricket teams of Guyana’s leading youth and sports club, in conjunction with the BCB, have launched another project to make a positive difference in the lives of the less fortunate in Berbice.

The teams: Poonai Pharmacy Under-12, Under-13, Farfan and Mendes Under-15, Bakewell Under-17 and Second Division, Pepsi Under-19 and Intermediate, Metro Females, and Namilco Under-21 and First Division, with the blessings of the family of the late West Indies batting legend, launched the Basil Butcher Trust Project.

With the cooperation of the proactive BCB, the teams have, to date, donated more than 500 food hampers in areas in West Berbice, New Amsterdam/

Canje, Lower and Upper Corentyne, and have assisted the family of Ms Roopranie Latchminarine of No 67 Village, whose house had collapsed during a recent storm.

Secretary/CEO of the RHTY&SC and President of the BCB, Hilbert Foster, stated that the late Basil Butcher was a very close friend of the club and played a major role in the development of its cricket section and charity outreach programme.

The management sought, and was granted, permission by the Butcher Family to honour the veteran of 44 Test matches for the West Indies.

Butcher had scored 3104 runs at an average of 43.10, and had made seven centuries and 16 half-centuries. His highest test score was a brilliant 209 not out versus England, while he had scored 11,628 runs at the first- class level, with 31 centuries and 54 half- centuries at an amazing average of 49.90.

After his retirement at the age of 36 years in 1969, Butcher had served Guyana and West Indies cricket as an administrator, doing so with great success.

The teams and the BCB intend to assist dozens of less fortunate players

The late Basil Butcher

with cricket gear under the project, such as batting gloves, batting pads and wicketkeeping gloves; while bicycles would also be given to less fortunate students in an effort to get them to attend school regularly after its reopening following the coronavirus crisis.

The RHTY&SC, with the support of Blossom Butcher, has opened a Go Fund Me account in the United States to raise funds for the project.

Foster led an eight-man delegation

to distribute the hampers, and also handed over a special donation of food items, clothing, footwear, household and kitchen utilities to the Latchminarine family, while committing the club and the board to assisting the family in the future. He wished them well as they try to carry on with their lives after the family house had fallen down during a storm. He urged them, also, to remain strong in their faith in God. The team also shared out food hampers in the No 65 Squatting Area, where dozens of families live in poor conditions.

The RHTY&SC and the BCB have, over the last four months, shared out 21,000 pounds of chicken products and cleaning supplies, and hundreds of face masks as part of the coronavirus response programme. Foster has stated that as long as he remains head of both organisations, those organisations would be involved in activities that are intended to make a positive difference in the lives of people and in their home communities.

The cricket teams would like to express gratitude to all the donors who contributed to the effort, including NAMILCO, Bounty Farm, Farfan and Mendes Ltd and Bakewell, among others.

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T

he office staff of the Trinidad & Tobago Football Association (TTFA) have finally been paid, after four months of waiting.

Guardian Media Sports was reliably informed yesterday that office staff members last week each received lumpsum payments for March, April, May and June, which accumulated to approximately $400,000 in total.

Guardian Media Sports was also told that the FIFAappointed Normalisation Committee, which is being led by businessman Robert Hadad and includes retired banker Nigel Romano and attorney Judy Daniel, is expected to make another payment of an estimated $600,000 to all the national team coaches.

However, senior men’s team coach Terry Fenwick will not be on the pay-sheet, since his contract has been a subject of public scrutiny for various reasons.

A TTFA staff member also spoke to Guardian Media Sports, on condition of anonymity, and con-

firmed that TTFA staff have been paid.

Guardian Media Sports was also told that, apart from coach Fenwick, both Shaun Fuentes, the TTFA’s Media Officer, and Ramesh Ramdhan, the football association’s general secretary, were also not paid.

The payments, it is understood, were wired directly to the accounts of the staff members via a special account from an unknown company. According to the source, the monies were made available from the FIFA payment of US$3.5 million which represents grant funding to member associations, and an additional amount for the FIFA Relief Fund was given to help member associations through the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which has severely affected sports all over the world since March.

Guardian Media Sports attempted to reach Nigel Romano for a response, but calls and messages to his phone went unanswered.

The source told Guardian Media Sports: “It

is uncertain why Fuentes was not paid, but there are concerns about Ramdhan’s twoyear deal, which have prevented him from being paid.”

Since accepting the position as general secretary in December last year, the former T&T and FIFA referee, who also had a short employment stint with FIFA, the world governing body for the sport, has not been paid.

Ramdhan could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Guardian Media Sports understands that there are opposing views in regard to the interpretation of Article 39 of the TTFA Constitution between the Board of Directors of the T&TFA and the President, on whether the terms of the contract for the general secretary should be determined by the president or the board members.

The board, on December 14, 2019, voted for Ramdhan’s contract on a one-year deal.

However, in June, through a media release, former president William Wallace stated that his position allowed him ulti-

mate power to decide on the contract of the general secretary.

On June 17, Wallace was called to answer questions about the contracts of Fenwick, Ramdhan, Peter Miller, the football association’s marketing representative, and the Avec Sports sportswear deal which was set to cost a whopping $25 million.

It is uncertain whether salaries will be forthcoming at the end of this month. The Normalisation Committee and the ousted TTFA executive, which comprises vice presidents Clynt Taylor, Susan JosephWarrick, Joseph Sam Phillip and Wallace, have been in a battle for ownership of the football association’s bank accounts held at First Citizens Bank, as well as the right to use the TTFA letterhead.

First Citizens, through its attorney Kendell Alexander, told both the TTFA and the Normalisation Committee that it would hand over the accounts to any party that presents a legal document showing ownership. (TT Guardian)

Local boxing coaches who complete AMBC virtual training get certification

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

NOW!

F

ive local coaches who had the honour of participating in a virtual training seminar in the past week were yesterday certified for completing the lucrative course.

Last week, the Guyana Boxing Association selected five of their most prominent Boxing Coaches to participate in a virtual seminar that was being hosted by the Americas Boxing Confederation (AMBC).

Three Star coaches Terrence Poole, MS, and Sebert Blake were joined by Orlon Rogers, Clive Atwell and Joseph Murray in the virtual exercise that commenced last Saturday, July 11.

Conducted by Puerto Rico’s Jose Laureno, the course focused on the return to boxing after the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and training protocols that

w o u l d serve best when that time comes.

AMBC Vice President and President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Steve Ninvalle, was tasked with organising the participation of the English-speaking Caribbean. Ninvalle revealed that the Region was represented by more than 80 coaches coming from 15 countries.

The five coaches attached to the GBA received their certificates on Friday, signifying their successful participation in this special seminar. The certificates were presented by GBA President Steve Ninvalle.

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

Yolander Persaud

T

31

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020

GCF to participate in FIDE 2020 Online Olympiad

that were held to select the teams to represent Guyana at the Olympiad that was planned to be held in Russia in August of this year, and ii) the results of the last qualifying tournaments for the 2020 Junior Championships.

he International Chess Federation (FIDE) announced on June 30th that an ONLINE CHESS OLYMPIAD would be held from July 22nd to August 30th 2020. National Federations desirous of participating have been advised that the names of team members had to be submitted by July 13th.

The tournament will have two stages: i) A Division stage ii) A Play-off stage

The Olympiad was postponed to next year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The GCF had explored the possibility of organizing a series of RAPID tournaments to select the team, but decided that it would be impractical to do so due to a number of factors, including i) the COVID-19 social distancing constraints that eliminated the possibility of hosting over- the-board tournaments, and ii) the limited time available to implement measures that would be necessary to reduce the possibility of online cheating.

The Division stage

FIDE has indicated that participating teams would be ranked based on their performance ranking achieved at the last Olympiad held in Batumi, Georgia. Based on this ranking, teams will be placed in five divisions. Lower ranked teams will be placed in the Base Division while the higher ranked teams would be placed in Division 1.

Category tournaments would be held progressively, starting with the Base Division.

The best performing teams will progress to Division 4, where a similar category tournament will be held. Again, the best performing teams will advance to the next Division (3).

Guyana placed 128th at the last Olympiad, and would most likely be placed in Category 4, as opposed to the lower Base

Anthony Drayton

Wendell Meusa

Maria-Varona Thomas

category group. Category 4 games are scheduled for play from July 29th to August 2nd.

On completion of the Division 1 tournament, the top twelve teams will advance to the second stage of the tournament.

Preliminary round, Quarter finals, SemiFinals and a Final Duel between the top two (2) teams.

The Play-off stage

This stage will comprise of a series of knockout duels. There will be four rounds:

Selection criteria used by the GCF

Given the extremely short notice (2 weeks) received for the submission of the names of the team, the GCF decided to utilise the results of i) the prior tournaments

Team Selected Open Section

- Anthony Drayton (FM) - Reigning Open National Champion - Taffin Khan (CM) - 1st Place ranking – 2020 Olympiad Grand Prix standings - Wendell Meusa (CM) - 2nd Place ranking – 2020 Olympiad Gran Prix standings - Loris Nathoo - 3rd Place ranking – 2020 Olympiad Grand Prix standings

Women

- Maria-Varona Thomas (WFM) Women’s National Champion - Samirah Gobin - 2nd Place Women’s National Championship - Sheriffa Ali (WCM) - 3rd Place Women’s National Championship - Yolander Persaud - 4th Place Women’s National Championship

2019 2020 2020 2020

Under-20 (Open)

- Rajiv Lee - 1ST Place Qualifiers, 2020 National Junior Championship - Joshua Gopaul - 2nd Place Qualifiers, 2020 National Junior Championship

Under 20 (Women)

Rajiv Lee

Sasha Shariff

Joshua Gopaul

- Sasha Shariff - 2020 Women’s National Champion - Angel Rahim - 5th Place 2020 Women’s National Championship

2nd Test: WI v England…

England’s victory chances hit after Old Trafford washout E ngland need to take 19 wickets in two days if they are to keep their series alive against West Indies, after the third day of the second Test at Emirates Old Trafford was a washout.

With finer weather forecasted for Manchester today (Sunday) and tomorrow (Monday), and a fresh seam attack, England’s prospects are “not ideal”, to use Ben Stokes’s words, but they are not dire.

Failure to force victory in the coming days, however, will mean West Indies retain the Wisden Trophy that they won in the Caribbean 18 months ago.

“It’s looking like we’ve got to take 19 wickets in two days,” Stokes told Sky Sports. “But the wicket has offered something throughout the whole Test so far; so we just need to make sure that we can expose that, and put as many deliveries as we can, challenging their defensive

shots as much as we can.”

Stuart Broad is back in the team, and likely to be hungry

after his consternation at being overlooked for the first Test in Southampton, which West

Indies won by four wickets.

He is joined by Sam Curran, who made an early breakthrough when he had opener John Campbell out lbw late on Friday to put the tourists one wicket down and still trailing by 437 runs.

Chris Woakes is the other addition, after England opted to rest Mark Wood and James Anderson following their efforts in the first Test, and Jofra Archer was omitted on the first morning of this match for his unauthorised trip home en route to Manchester.

Archer will be available for selection for the third Test, also to be played at Old Trafford, after a disciplinary panel fined him £15,000 and gave him a written warning for his indiscretion.

In the meantime, it will fall to Broad, Curran, Woakes and Stokes to get the job done for England; not to mention Dom

Bess, who had watched with interest as fellow off-spinner Roston Chase claimed a fivewicket haul in the first innings after finding good spin and bounce.

“It’s not only offering for the seam bowlers,” Stokes said.

“We’ve got the options there that we feel we can bowl West Indies out twice if we have to.”

It was Stokes’s performance with the bat that went a long way towards putting England in a commanding position at the end of the second day. His 176, combined with Dom Sibley’s 120, meant the hosts posted a first-innings 469 for 9 declared.

Had England not lost the first Test, for the eighth time in ten series, their task over the next two days may not have been quite so pressurised.

“If we use the first two days as a benchmark for how we want to bat, then the better we’re going to become,” Stokes

has said. “We are a very good team at bouncing back from defeats, and we’ve proven that.

“If we can keep producing days and games like we generally do after a first Test, then we’ll start coming closer to being the No. 1 team, which is obviously a goal of ours.

“We’re in a great place as a side. We’ve got the right personnel, the right team, the right people helping the players out right now. And I think (that) in two or three years’ time, all the tough times that we’ve experienced - in South Africa and this first game against West Indies - is a great learning curve, not just for the younger guys in the team at the moment, but also for the more experienced guys.

“If you are always learning from mistakes, it’s going to make you a better player as an individual, but also a better team.” (ESPNcricinfo)

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SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2020

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