Guyana Times Thursday March 12, 2020

Region 4 vote count

Canada, US Congressional rep applaud CJ for nullifying unverified results Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 4223

P2

THE BEACON OF TRUTH THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020

CJ rules RO's Region 4 declaration of elections result "unlawful" See story on page 7

"It is particularly saddening that 19 years after the Hamilton Case, the words of Chief Justice Bernard as follows still ring true, I quote: 'the role of the elections commission and its staff is to take such action that it appears necessary to ensure impartiality, fairness to ensure compliance with the Constitution and any other acts of Parliament. In the present volatile situation which pervades our country, no effort must be spared to assure everyone that the process was fair and impartial. Lingering doubts that hang like a sword of Damocles over the head of the commission must be removed. Confidence of the electoral process must be restored. This is absolutely essential if we as a nation are to move forward and strive to heal the wounds that divide us. Let fairness pervade all of our actions at all times,' end quote. I could not have said it better, I would add, going forward all must strive to encourage respect for the other. While elections are often – with anxiety and sadly even a lot of hostility, it must be remembered that the elections staff are human and they must be treated with respect. Leaders of the respective political parties must encourage their supporters to be civil, respectful and responsible. The integrity of our nation demands that we act responsibly." – Chief Justice Roxane George

...orders process to restart today at 11:00h ...must be witnessed by stakeholders ...prohibits GECOM from declaring results 2020 Guyana Elections

US must stand in support of preservation of rule of law, democratic transition of power – Senator Rubio See story on page 10

Opposition Leader suggests public recount if any disputes today Page 3

PRICE

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE: Unlawful declaration by RO

“We will P9 abide with Court’s ruling” – GECOM’s lawyer …verification of SoPs will start today – GECOM

2 nabbed with ganja in juice box P10

Fmr Deeds Registrar P8 to repay State $4.5M after fraud conviction …saved from serving jail time

Jealous fit of rage lands P2 Lindener before Judge, jury Failure to pay Dipcon

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo chatting with Cariom Chair Mia Mottley, T&T Prime Minister Keith Rowley, Dominican PM Roosevelt Skerrit, and Caricom Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque outside of his Church Street, Georgetown office. Jagdeo met with the five Caricom Heads of Government to discuss the ongoing electoral issues in Guyana

1st suspected coronavirus death recorded in Guyana …additional tests advised for certainty Page 11

President’s intervention to save Finance P8 Minister from jail time unlawful – High Court Judge

2 NEWS

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Region 4 vote count

Canada, US Congressional rep applaud CJ for nullifying unverified results

New Jersey’s 8th Congressional District representative, Albio Sires

T

he Government of Canada on Wednesday evening said that it welcomes acting Chief Justice Roxane George’s ruling requiring a return to the credible and transparent tabulation of ballots in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).

Through its local High Commission, the Canadian

Government noted that this process is necessary before any declaration of electoral results is issued.

“The people of Guyana deserve free and fair elections. Canada urges all parties to resume the democratic process in Guyana in a peaceful manner and urges all citizens to refrain from violence,” the statement reads.

Meanwhile, US Representative for New Jersey’s 8th Congressional District, Albio Sires, on Wednesday held talks with the International Republican Institute (IRI)) Global, over Guyana’s March 2, 2020, General and Regional Elections with a focus on the results and observers’ concerns.

Following the ruling by Chief Justice Roxane George, vitiating the March 5, 2020, declaration for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), the

Canadian High Commissioner Lillian Chatterjee

US Congressman said, “I applaud Guyana’s High Court for nullifying the unverified election results that were released for Region Four last week”.

According to Sires, “I urge the Election Commission to return to the established procedure under the law and ensure the process be conducted in a full and transparent

manner including with the presence of accredited domestic and international observers”.

He said too, “I hope all parties refrain from violence while awaiting the results…I wholeheartedly support the right of the Guyanese people to choose their own leaders”.

Speaking to his IRI Global meeting, Sires disclosed that in a meeting with representative, David Hamilton, “I appreciate his efforts and those of all domestic and international observers to ensure the election results reflect the will of the Guyanese people.”

Overseas observers were this past week threatened to have their accreditations revoked by Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs in a move that did not sit well with delegations.

The threat was issued during a meeting with some

Chief Justice Roxane George

observers at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Command Centre at High and Hadfield Streets, Georgetown amid much commotion following a fifth dramatic delay in the verification of the results for Region Four.

Cummings, a candidate for the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC), was accused of trying to intimidate the international missions that are keenly observing the electoral process in Guyana.

She told the international observers that she was instructed to withdraw their accreditation, but she was not in agreement that it

should be done; she did not reveal who gave her those instructions and why.

However, her comments were quickly countered by observers in the room, who argued that her remarks are considered a form of intimidation.

“It comes across as intimidation that you are trying to intimidate the observers when you speak about taking away accreditation,” one of the observers was heard saying.

Only on Wednesday, the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called on President David Granger to preserve the sanctity of democratic elections Raab and the UN Secretary-General’s Office join a long line of foreign powers who have weighed in on the current electoral issues in Guyana.

On Monday, Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo announced that he discussed Guyana’s elections during a meeting with Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister, Chrystia Freeland.

In a tweet, Pompeo said he spoke about several issues including “support for democratic transition in Guyana”.

Jealous fit of rage lands Lindener before Judge, jury

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Linden man who appeared before Magistrate Dylon Bess at the Linden Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday has been committed to stand trial at the High Court for the offence of attempted murder.

Dave Smartt, also known as “Brown”, is accused of chopping his ex-girlfriend and another man in a jealous fit of rage on October 4, 2019, at Blueberry Hill, Wismar, Linden.

The prosecution contended that accused severed islander, Charles Clarke’s, left hand and dealt him several chops to his back and head during the ordeal. It is for this offence that he was committed to stand trial in the High Court. His former girlfriend, Shellon Sandiford, was also injured

during the incident. For injuring her, Smartt is also facing unlawful and malicious wounding charges.

Though he was granted bail in the sum of $450,000.

Magistrate Dylon Bess on Tuesday informed the court that he was satisfied with the prosecution’s case against Smartt as he noted that a prima facie case had been made out against him.

Magistrate Bess informed Smartt that his case will be heard at the High Court where witnesses can also testify in his defence.

Counsel for the accused, Yondessa Welcome, noted that the list of witnesses will be reserved for the High Court. Smartt opted not to say anything in his defence while under caution by the Magistrate.

Linden pensioner on bail for using threatening language

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eventy-three-year-old Robert Williams of Lot 187 Wisroc Housing Scheme, Wismar, Linden, was on Tuesday granted bail in the sum of $10,000 when he appeared before Magistrate Dylon Bess at the Linden Magistrate’s Court to answer to the charge of threatening language.

It is alleged that on February 7 he made use of threatening language, which resulted in a breach of the peace. The pensioner pleaded not guilty to the alleged incident which is said to have occurred at Wisroc Housing Scheme.

He was placed on $10,000 bail and the case will continue on Wednesday.

NEWS

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THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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

Thursday, March 12 – 05:00h – 06:30h and Friday, March 13 – 05:00h – 06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Opposition Leader suggests public recount if any disputes today

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Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo with Caricom Chair, Barbadian PM Mia Mottley; Grenadian PM Keith Mitchell, Dominican PM Roosevelt Skerrit, Caricom SG Ambassador Irwin LaRocque and T&T PM Keith Rowley at his Church Street office

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eneral Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Bharrat Jagdeo has suggested that should there be any disputes during the verification process of the statements of polls (SoPs) from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) today, then there should be a public recounting process.

He made this comment to media operations on Wednesday evening following a meeting with a Caribbean Community (Caricom) delegation led by current Chair, Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley.

She, along with the Prime Ministers of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit; Grenada, Keith Mitchell; St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, and Trinidad and Tobago, Dr Keith Rowley, are on a two-day visit to Guyana for engagements with various election stakeholders.

Jagdeo told reporters that during the meeting with the Caricom delegation, which also included Secretary-General of Caricom, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, he outlined his suggestion that should the need for a recount arise, then it must be an open, public process that is done before all stakeholders.

“We in the People’s Progressive Party, once the containers are secured, we prefer them brought to GECOM in a central location and secured by all the political parties, the observers, the GECOM staff and the Police, and that you should have a recount of all the boxes should there be a dispute.

And… in the presence of the media, the international community, the diplomatic corps, Caricom (Caribbean

Community), Guyanese – everyone, it should be televised and whatever the recount in those boxes, we will live with it,” the Opposition Leader noted.

Asked about the Caricom delegation’s response to his suggestion of them having a role in a possible recounting process, Jagdeo noted that it was taken into consideration.

According to Jagdeo, recounting is a vital remedy provided for in the laws. In fact, he noted that several of the Caricom leaders were baffled as to what is the “big deal” with doing a recount.

“I’ve heard expressions about what’s this big deal about refusing a recount when that is how you can settle this [controversy] and end it all. People, APNU supporters, as well as PPP supporters, can then see what actually took place and then our country will go forward... So, you can end it definitively by going back to the ballots and recounting it in front everyone,” Jagdeo contended.

Today, the Returning Officer for Region Four, Clairmont Mingo, is expected to complete the verification process of the district’s SoPs, following a court order handed down by acting Chief Justice Roxane George.

But Jagdeo expressed concerns over the integrity of the RO, who had previously issued a “fraudulent declaration” of the region’s results.

“Given that Mr Mingo was the one who made this declaration and I think know that happened to the chain of custody on the statements of poll, I’m very concerned, as would any Guyanese be… [We still haven’t found out] how is it that Volda

Lawrence (Chairperson of the PNC – the largest party in the APNU fraction of the incumbent coalition administration) made the declaration for Region Four for GECOM,” he posited.

Nevertheless, the PPP/C General Secretary contended that he is “cautiously optimistic” that Caricom’s efforts here will work.

Attempts by media operatives to solicit a comment from members of the regional delegation after their meeting with the Opposition Leader and other PPP/C members including Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali and Prime Ministerial Candidate (retired) Brigadier Mark Phillips were largely futile.

Grenadian Prime Minister Keith Mitchell stated that “Progress is occurring… We’re getting some progress.” He added in response to Wednesday’s court ruling that “We’re happy how things are going”.

Prior to their meeting with the Opposition, the Caricom delegation met with a government delegation led by incumbent President David Granger.

A statement from the

Ministry of the Presidency detailed that Prime Minister Mottley said the regional leaders have travelled to Guyana to find an amicable solution to the challenges facing the country’s leaders.

She said it is undesirable to see the loss of life, injury, and damage to property.

“We are conscious that the Court has ruled and that the process [verification] has to be continued.

We [Caribbean leaders] do not want to see the loss of life, damage to property or injuries,” PM Mottley was quoted saying with the full agreement of the other leaders.

Meanwhile, President Granger said he will continue to abide by the Constitution of Guyana, the ruling of the Supreme Court and the decision of the Guyana Elections Commission.

In addition, the regional leaders also met with leaders of the smaller political parties that contested the March 2 elections on Wednesday evening.

The Caricom delegation will have a press briefing this morning before ending their two-day trip.

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guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Irrationality and dishonesty

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he accusation by two senior members of the AFC that Russians hacked the March 2 elections in an effort to tamper with the results is laughable and ludicrous. The two officials in question are qualified professionals and held high offices in the coalition government. By that, one would assume they possess a profound sense of reasoning and rationality. In reality, assumptions are just what it is.

Surely, they must have known that the voting and tabulation process in Guyana’s elections is manual; voters’ choice is indicated through the use of a pencil and the count is by hand. How could that have been hacked? More so, how could they even contemplate such a ridiculous theory? The answer lies in their desperation to fathom any excuse to try and extend the APNU/AFC’s illegal hold on power.

What is even more bizarre is that one of the two officials is the assigned Minister of Public Security and from his actions, he seems more obsessed with holding high office at the expense of combating the ongoing and escalating crime situation.

Again, by assumption, the expectation is that if someone commits an unlawful act as serious as tampering with national elections and is caught, he/she would be made to face the full force of the law regardless whether a local or a foreigner. Why then were they reportedly escorted and made to leave the country?

With foreigners being placed before the courts for illegal entry, overstaying or drug trafficking, having caught the Russians, charging and them placed before the courts, should have been routine. In addition, their arrest would have been a fillip to law enforcement.

However, their inexplicable absence from the courts or any visual evidence of them being taken into custody and deported makes a compelling case that the accusation could be totally false.

With the Security Minister being a lawyer, he cannot be blind to that fact that evidence is vital. So far, no rational Guyanese, except for the two officials and probably their colleagues in the coalition, have bought that balderdash of Russians tampering with voters’ pencils and the manual counting of the ballots.

The other official is the assigned Communications Minister.

Again, by rational thinking, someone in that position is expected to communicate accurate and verifiable information more especially during this very sensitive period. It is therefore extremely difficult not to conclude that the two deliberately set out to mislead the nation for a particular purpose.

Given the circumstances where the verification and tabulation process for Region Four Statements of Poll (SOP) was halted after less than 50 per cent were completed, and the promise by the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) to resume before a declaration was made, a link to the Russian accusation is difficult to discount.

SOPs from both the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and Opposition parties corresponded up to the point when the verification was abruptly ended. With APNU/AFC in possession of their copies of the SOPs, they knew the results of the elections and with Region Four SOPs made public, it showed that, overall, they lost the elections.

Having proved their unwillingness to remain unmoved after repeatedly violating the Constitution since May 2015, the APNU/ AFC coalition remains steadfast in holding on to office even in the face of international condemnation. As it is, GECOM’s CEO, in the presence of international and local observers, broke his promise to the nation for the constitutional verification and tabulation process to resume and continue until all the SOPs for Region Four are verified. That can only be described as wantonly dishonest.

What remains mindboggling is that a simple process has been deliberately subverted by some operatives from the GECOM Secretariat who reportedly are in collusion with APNU/AFC. The action of the Returning Officer (RO) to make a declaration without completing the verification and tabulation caused additional delay in declaring results that reflect the true will of the Guyanese people.

With reportedly false accusations of interference by Russians, the CEO blatantly reneging on his commitment to the verification and tabulation process, the RO’s declaration without the process being completed and the office cleared leaving the SOPs out of the sight of Party Agents and observers, point to suspected deliberate collusion to deny Guyanese their choice of government.

President David Granger led the coalition campaign’s thrust. He must know why the alleged Russians were not charged but given a free passage home. He must know what the Constitution says about the verification and tabulation process. Of course, that’s rational thinking given the office he holds. Unfortunately, from what has unfolded, we are clearly not dealing with rational people within the APNU/AFC.

Members of “BANDALOOP” perform at the opening of “Edge,” the Western Hemisphere’s highest outdoor sky deck, rising 1131 feet in the air from the heart of Hudson Yards, located on the 100th floor in New York City (AFP)

Who is ‘patient zero’ in the coronavirus outbreak?

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s the cases of coronavirus increase in China and around the world, the hunt is on to identify “patient zero”. But can singling out one person as causing an outbreak do more harm than good?

Chinese authorities and experts are at odds about the origin of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. More specifically, who is “patient zero” for the outbreak. Also known as an index case, patient zero is a term used to describe the first human infected by a viral or bacterial disease in an outbreak.

Advances in genetic analysis now make it possible to trace back the lineage of a virus through those it has infected. Combined with epidemiological studies, scientists can pinpoint individuals who may have been the first people to start spreading the disease and so trigger the outbreak.

Identifying who these people are can help address crucial questions about how, when and why it started.

These can then help to prevent more people from getting infected now or in future outbreaks.

Do we know who patient zero is in the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak that started in China?

The short answer is – no.

Chinese authorities originally reported that the first coronavirus case was on December 31, and many of the first cases of the pneumonia-like infection were immediately connected to a seafood and animal market in Wuhan, in the Hubei province.

This region is the epicentre of the outbreak.

However, a study, by

Chinese researchers published in the Lancet medical journal, claimed the first person to be diagnosed with Covid-19, was on December 1, 2019 (a lot earlier) and that person had “no contact” with the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market.

Wu Wenjuan, a senior doctor at Wuhan’s Jinyintan Hospital and one of the authors of the study, told the BBC Chinese Service that the patient was an elderly man who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.

“He (the patient) lived four or five buses from the seafood market, and because he was sick he basically didn’t go out,” Wu Wenjuan said.

She also said that three other people developed symptoms in the following days – two of whom had no exposure to Huanan either.

Researchers also found that 27 people of a sample of 41 patients admitted to hospital in the early stages of the outbreak had been exposed to the market However, the researchers also found that 27 people of a sample of 41 patients admitted to hospital in the early stages of the outbreak “had been exposed to the

market”.

The hypothesis that the outbreak started at the market and could have been transmitted from a living animal to a human host before spreading human-to-human is still considered the most likely, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO)

So can one person really trigger a massive outbreak?

The 2014 to 2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa was the largest since the virus responsible was first discovered in 1976. It killed in excess of 11,000 people and infected over 28,000, according to the WHO. The outbreak lasted more than two years and was found in 10 countries, mostly in Africa but there were also cases reported in the US, Spain, the United Kingdom and Italy.

Scientists concluded this outbreak of a new strain of Ebola started with just one person – a two-year-old boy from Guinea – who may have been infected by playing in a hollow tree housing a colony of bats.

They made the connection on an expedition to the boy’s village, Meliandou,

taking samples and chatting to locals to find out more about the Ebola outbreak’s source before publishing their findings.

But perhaps the most well-known “patient zero” is Mary Mallon, who earned the nickname Typhoid Mary for causing an outbreak of typhoid fever in New York in 1906.

Originally from Ireland, Mallon emigrated to the US, where she began working for rich families as a cook.

After clusters of typhoid cases among wealthy families in New York, doctors traced the outbreak to Mallon.

Anywhere she worked, members of the household started to develop typhoid fever.

Doctors called her a healthy carrier – someone infected by a disease but who display little or no symptoms of the disease, which means they often go on to infect many other people.

There is now growing evidence that some people are more “efficient” than others at spreading viruses and Mallon is one of the earliest recorded cases of a person having this “ability” known as a “super-spreader”.

At that time the disease afflicted several thousand New Yorkers annually and had a 10 per cent fatality rate.

But the term “patient zero” comes loaded with meaning and stigma. Many health experts are against identifying the first documented case of an outbreak, for fear that it might lead to disinformation about the disease or even victimisation of the person. (Excerpt from BBC News)

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 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

Change cannot be brokered with Caricom’s sudden concern must be a subverted electoral process closely watched

Dear Editor, Miles Fitzpatrick died a year ago.

In the1960s, he and our father, David, set up a small law practice and devoted a large part of the next 50 years to defending the principles and practice of democratic rule in Guyana and the wider Caribbean. During the Burnham era, they faced censure, intimidation and many of the customary threats that are levelled at critical voices in transitional democracies. Nevertheless, they persisted. After the 1992 election, both men hoped that our fledgeling democracy would take flight, delivering us from the viral political quarrels which had

consumed us. These hopes outlasted the many imperfections of the governments that had a democratic mandate.

Miles and David stood shoulder to shoulder with many Guyanese who had no political ambition other than to live in a democracy, free from fear and confident in the rule of law. As we remember them today it is not difficult to imagine what they would make of the current impasse, nor of some of the responses it has produced. We cannot have a selective buy-in to the democratic process. That process is sacrosanct.

If a democracy is to mean anything, every vote must count. It seems prema-

ture to call, at this stage, for a government of national unity. Nearly half of the electorate will see this, correctly, as a watering down of the democratic process. Both Miles and David advocated tirelessly for constitutional reform and inclusive governance. Those are prerequisites. But change cannot be brokered when an electoral process has been subverted. It must emerge under the auspices of a democratically-elected government.

Yours faithfully, Brendan de Caires Isabelle de Caires

Response to Lincoln Lewis’ defence of APNU/AFC Dear Editor, Trade Unionist Lincoln Lewis is misguided. A declaration for District 4 can only be made when the District 4 Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, complies with the statutory requirements in Section 84 of the Representation of the People Act. Given that the verification process for the District 4 Statements of Poll was aborted, a declaration should not have been made by Mr Mingo. The fact that the verification process was not completed means that the declaration made by Mr Mingo is fraudulent.

Mr Mingo unilaterally declared the results for District 4 after failing to verify almost 60 per cent of the Statements of Poll. Of 879 SOPs, only 349 were verified.

That leaves 530 Statements of Poll to be verified. It is unfortunate that this fraudulent act by Mr Mingo followed his commitment to

complete the District 4 verification process.

This fraudulent act clearly jaundiced the District 4 verification process and lead to vehement objections by everyone present except APNU/AFC representatives.

Why did the APNU/AFC embrace this anomaly?

The demand for the use of the District 4 Statements of Poll cannot be unfounded since Chapter 84 of the Representation of the People Act is pellucid. This is coupled with the fact that Statements of Poll were used for the tabulation of results in the other nine Districts.

At no time during the aborted District 4 verification process did the People’s Progressive Party/Civic invade GECOM. At no time during the aborted District 4 verification process did the PPP/C intimidate GECOM staff or disrupt them from conducting their work. Such accusations are ridiculous.

Instead of peddling what

has now become ridiculous rhetoric and falsehoods, Lincoln Lewis should answer the following questions for the Guyanese people: 1. Why is the signature of Volda Lawrence, the Chairperson of the PNCR, affixed to the declaration of the Region 4 Returning Officer, when the declarations of the other 9 Regions only have the stamp and signature of the Returning Officers of those areas?

2. Why was Amna Ally, the General Secretary of the PNCR, visiting the GECOM Chairperson at her home, when the Chair is unavailable to her international advisors, members of the international election observer missions and the political parties?

3. Why was the GECOM lawyer, Neil Boston, being openly assisted by Roysdale Forde and Darren Wade, two APNU/AFC candidates?

4. Why was the Region 4 Returning Officer, Clairmont

Mingo, after he made the fraudulent declaration, escorted from the GECOM Command Centre by six ranks of the Guyana Police Force, and has not been seen or available to any stakeholders in the electoral process, since?

5. Why did former Foreign Affairs Minister, Karen Cummings, threaten to revoke the accreditation of members of the International Election Observer Missions?

6. Why are former Ministers, Cathy Hughes and others, peddling falsehoods about Russians hacking into our electoral system, when that system is manual?

7. Why the fear about returning to verification of the election results Statement of Poll by Statement of Poll, and/or a recount, if there is such confidence in an electoral victory?

Sincerely, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips

District 4 verification should be allowed to reboot

Dear Editor, There is no hierarchy of documents among the Statements of Poll held by GECOM and those issued to political parties, placed on the exterior of polling places and given to law enforcement officers. It is in this context that I found the discussion by the Chief Justice of the lack of exactitude in the verification process alarming. There was a mild suggestion that, should a situation arise where the eleven contesting parties and GECOM all have varying and irreconcilable differences in SOPs, the Returning Officer (RO) can go with the numbers on the GECOM copy and objections can be entertained by way

of election petition after a final declaration. Given that there is no hierarchy of documents as stated in the beginning, the RO’s copy has no more value than that of the smallest contesting party, the legal solution in the event of a dispute is to refer to the source of information on the SOP for clarification and verification, the ballots stored in the ballot boxes.

The RO cannot declare his/ her numbers to be superior to any other. The very process of returning to the ballot box as outlined above has been utilised in this election (2020) in Region Five during the APNU/AFC requested recount. That the recount was aborted after the PPP/C lead grew is of

no consequence, the precedent has been set. Given that a return to the verification process is inevitable and there seems to be some grey area developing to cloud the transparency and integrity of the procedures, I would suggest that the offer of assistance from the United Kingdom be accepted

and visiting that CARICOM heads also be focused on ensuring a credible process of verification be agreed to before GECOM’s District Four verification is allowed to reboot.

Respectfully, Robin Singh

Dear Editor, Fellow Guyanese, I am a supporter of the regional integration movement. As an economist, I believe it is a good model to give voice to small states and also help to address some of the fundamental issues of development. That said, I have serious reservations with Caricom, especially in its sudden interest in democracy and the rule of law in Guyana. For this reason, I am cautioning all to treat Caricom’s visit with caution.

In fairness to the organisation, let me justify my concerns. First, Caricom, to date, has never condemned the Government for trampling on our Constitution, even after the CCJ ruled that the Government fell and elections must be held within the constitutional timeframe. Second, even after the September 18, 2019, deadline was passed and all the international community declared the Government to be in breach of the Constitution, Caricom remained silent.

Third, Caricom was the first to issue a press release saying that they were okay with how the elections were conducted in Guyana. It was the last to condemn the illegal declaration in Region 4.

It only broke its silence after the world was united in its condemnation of the illegal declaration. Fourth, when the people of Venezuela were stripped of their freedom and democracy by the Maduro Government, Caricom invented the con-

cept of non-interference. It remained silent.

Fifth, and this is glaring.

Back in 2010 (I can be wrong with the date), when Haiti had its political and constitutional issues, Caricom was the loudest voice. It deployed a team, it invested resources, and it openly advocated its position, whether that was.

Sixth, and this one is ever ongoing, even as a founding member of Caricom, Guyana and Guyanese continue to be treated as second-class citizens of the block with inhumane immigration treatment to poor trading relations with other Member States.

I can go on, but I will take it that you get the point. I will say this publicly and openly, I trust some people working in Caricom, they are some of the most professional people I know and have worked with; some even taught me in University. BUT, I do not trust Caricom as an organisation. It has proven that it cannot be an impartial arbitrator of justice, fairness, democracy and the rule of law.

At best, it appears to be concerned about these values selectively.

As we fight to save our democracy, freedom and our way of life, let us be cautious and careful about those that claim they are here to help.

At all times, let us peel back the curtain and look at what or who is behind.

Sincerely, Dhanraj Singh Guyana Budget &Policy Institute

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THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020

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ou’ve probably seen a kid in the cafeteria take out his retainer before eating lunch. Carefully, he places it in a plastic container to make sure that it’s safe while he eats. You can tell that this small plastic and metal mouthpiece is important to him.

You might wonder why. Let’s find out.

What’s a retainer?

A retainer is a piece of plastic and metal that is custom-made for each individual kid who needs one. It fits the top of the teeth and mouth. No two retainers are alike, even though many look similar.

Retainers are really common. In fact, most people (kids and adults) who have braces have to wear a retainer for at least a little while after getting their braces taken off. Other people wear them to close gaps in their teeth, to help with speech problems, or to solve certain medical problems.

Why do I need to wear a retainer?

You might need a retainer for a few reasons. The most common reason is to help your teeth stay set in their new positions after wearing braces. It’s important to wear your retainer because as your body grows, your teeth do some shifting. The retainer helps to control this shifting, which occurs naturally.

After your braces are removed, your orthodontist (a special dentist who helps straighten teeth and correct jaw prob-

lems) will fit you for a retainer and tell you how long to wear it and when. For example, you might have to wear it all day for three months but then only at night after that.

Some kids may wear their retainer only at night right from the start, but they may have to wear it for more than a year.

The retainer keeps the teeth in line and you won’t even notice it while you’re sleeping!

Other kids may wear retainers to close a space between their teeth or just to move one tooth. In these cases, braces aren’t needed because retainers can do the job. Often, retainers will be worn for several years to close a space, for example, and then keep the gap closed by holding the teeth in place.

When you wear a retainer for any reason, certain teeth may feel pressure and might even feel sore for the first few days. If you experience this, don’t worry — it’s completely normal.

Retainers can help many mouth problems besides shifting teeth. Sometimes they’re used to help a medical problem. For example, you may have a tongue thrust (a condition where your tongue sneaks through your teeth when you talk). Some retainers, known as a crib or tongue cage retainers, are designed with small metal bars that hang down from the roof of your mouth. These retainers keep your tongue from going forward in between your teeth when you speak. Your tongue is trained to go to the roof of your mouth instead of through your teeth. The length of time kids wear a tongue cage varies depending on the kid.

Another use for retainers is to help people with temporomandibular disorder (TMD). This disorder is usually a result of a bite problem (the teeth don’t meet together properly when the jaws are closed) called malocclusion (say: mal-uhKLOO-zhun) or bruxism (say: BRUK-sih-zum), which is grinding your teeth while you sleep. Grinding stretches the muscles and joints in your mouth and jaws and sometimes can cause jaw pain or headaches. Retainers can help you by preventing your mouth from closing completely at night, which keeps you from grinding your teeth.

style and likes.

Sometimes you can have a picture such as Batman or Christmas trees on the plastic part of the retainer. Once you’ve been fitted for the retainer, you usually have to wait less than a week to get the real thing.

You may think your retainer feels weird at first. That’s normal. But see your orthodontist for an adjustment if the retainer causes pain or cuts or rubs against your gums.

At first, you’ll need to get used to talking with it in your mouth. Talking slowly at first is a good way to practise and eventually, you won’t even notice it’s there. Dentists advise reading aloud for several minutes each day. You may also notice an increased saliva flow (more spit in your mouth) in the first few days of wearing your new retainer, which is normal.

Caring for your retainer

Retainers live in your mouth along with bacteria, plaque, and leftover food particles. You should clean your retainer every day, but make sure to check with your orthodontist about how your type of retainer should be cleaned (some kinds shouldn’t be cleaned with toothpaste). You can also soak it in mouthwash or a denture-cleaning agent to freshen it up and kill germs.

Because the plastic of your retainer can crack if it gets too dry, you should always soak it when it isn’t in your mouth. Plastic can warp easily, so don’t put it in hot water or leave it near a heat source. Finally, do not bend the wires.

Flipping the retainer around in your mouth will cause the wires to bend.

One important way to take care of your retainer is not to lose it. They are expensive and your mom or dad might have to pay for lost or damaged retainers. Worse yet, they might ask you to help pay for a new one! So, look before you dump your lunch tray and try to keep it in the same spot at home when you’re not wearing it. In other words, retain your retainer! (kidshealth.org)

Getting fitted for and wearing a retainer

This is the easy part. Your orthodontist will fit you for the retainer using a material known as alginate (say: ALjuh-nate). It’s a chewy, chalky kind of thick liquid that makes a mould of your teeth when you sink them into it.

The fitting process is fast, painless, and doesn’t even taste bad – and you can choose from different flavours.

Your finished retainer can be designed to express your

T

he journey from Earth to Mars takes about 6 months or longer.

What will you need to pack on your trip to get there?

What kind of gear will you need when you get there?

What is different on Mars compared with Earth?

• There’s less gravity so you weigh less and would float (If you weigh 29.5 kilograms (65 lbs) on Earth, your weight on Mars would be 10.89kg (24 lbs)).

• It’s cold and can be windy and dusty.

• There’s no oxygen to breathe.

• There’s no food on Mars.

More questions about

going to Mars: • Where would you get water?

• What’s there to see on Mars?

• What will you do on Mars?

• How will you travel around?

• Where will you live?

• What will you do on the long journey back to Earth?

If you have Internet access, watch Max Goes to Mars, a story read by astronauts from the International Space Station! https:// storytimefromspace.com/ max-goes-to-mars-2/ (startwithabook.org)

NEWS

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THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CJ rules RO’s Region 4 declaration of elections results “unlawful” ...orders process to restart today at 11:00h ...must be witnessed by stakeholders ...prohibits GECOM from declaring results

Acting Chief Justice Roxane George

Attorney-at-Law Anil Nandlall Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo and Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield at the High Court on Wednesday

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hief Justice Roxane George has found that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) breached the Representation of the People Act when Region 4 Returning Officer (RO) Clairmont Mingo purported to make a declaration of unverified results on March 5, three days after the recently concluded General and Regional Elections.

Those results announced

by Mingo essentially awarded the election win to the ruling A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) but this was met with protests from each of the other ten parties contesting the election.

The Chief Justice ruled that given the blatant breaches of the laws governing the elections and their processes, the results declared by Mingo were unlawful, and as such, have since been vacated and ruled that they are to be deemed null and void and without effect. More specifically, the Court ruled that the RO did not compile the tabulation of the majority of the SOPs in a transparent manner to ensure accountability in front of the statutorily authorised stakeholders as defined by Sec 86(1).

In handing down the ruling, Justice George ordered the Commission via its RO and staff that they would have to comply with the rulings of the court starting at 11:00h today.

Having ruled that the declaration by Mingo was unlawful, Chief Justice George upheld that the injunctions previously granted be held in place, which means that the results will have to be determined in compliance with section 84 (1) of the Representation of the People Act. This provision demands, among other things, that identified personnel such as observers and party counting agents be present for

the process.

She noted in her ruling that the discretion would be left up to the RO and Deputy RO to decide on whether they wanted to restart the entire tabulation process for the Region Four or to continue from where it left off, meaning the remaining 458 boxes would

“confusion” was the result of various stratagems to delay the count and then finally to seek to announce unverified figures.

She said too that when compared with the processes used for other regions as was highlighted in evidence given, there appears to be no standard methodology employed across the various regions when it comes to the process to be used.

It was observed that while there appeared to be

International observers arriving at the High Court

be verified using Statement of Polls (SoPs) as was done with 421 boxes when various delays interrupted the process.

She said too, it is for the two named officials to determine the best method to be used in the tabulation including spreadsheets.

The Chief Justice, in handing down her ruling yesterday, was especially critical in her summation, when she turned to evidence provided by the RO, his Deputy and Attorneyat-Law, James Bond, a coalition candidate among others.

According to the Chief Justice, the evidence submitted “confirms the confusion that ensued with regards to tabulation and declaration of the votes for Region Four”. She did not take cognisance that the

contention over the accuracy of the figures being used to tabulate the Region 4 votes using a spreadsheet, the reports indicated that spreadsheets had been used in other regions also.

Justice George told the packed courtroom that what can, in fact, be gleaned from the affidavit is that the GECOM offices had descended into mayhem and chaos during the time of the tabulation and attempted declarations.

She noted too that noticeably, there was no affidavit from the Senior Clerk who took over “and played a critical role” in the finalising of the tabulation process when RO Mingo fell ill on March 4 and had to be taken to the hospital.

Justice George in her ruling adumbrated that the portfolio did not in any way

safeguard that the provisions in 84(1) would have been complied with since the clerk was not a designated officer to whom the task could have been delegated and the RO was not present to supervise her.

The Chief Justice noted that there was no affidavit from that person accounting for what transpired at the Commission during that time and that the other affidavits provided conflicting accounts.

She said the evidence illustrated glaring inconsistencies particularly as it re-

lates to the suspension of the tabulation of the votes and the declaration by Mingo.

The Chief Justice said there was no evidence presented in relation to the tabulation of votes in Mingo’s absence and the formulation of the questionable spreadsheet.

GECOM’s Attorney, Neil Boston, had argued that there was a presumption of “regularity” to be assumed by the RO upon his return in assuming that the clerk essentially did what was supposed to be done in the manner in which it should be done and that in any event there was ‘substantial compliance’ with the relevant section of the law.

These arguments did not find favour with the Chief Justice.

In handing down her ruling, the Chief Justice noted that taking into ac-

count the arguments and evidence put forward by the litigants, the non-compliance has, as such, vitiated the announcement of the results by Mingo.

The Chief Justice ruled also that GECOM cannot declare the results of the elections of March 2, 2020, unless the RO or Deputy RO for Region Four complies with the relevant provisions of the Representation of the People Act. She was adamant that the ruling did not decide on the result or the validity of the result for Region Four but rather the decision dealt with the conduct of the RO and his noncompliance with section 84 (1) of the Act. Costs were awarded against the Elections Commission in the sum of $500,000. The matter had been brought against GECOM and its officials by Reaz Holladar.

8 NEWS

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Failure to pay Dipcon

Fmr Deeds Registrar President’s intervention to save Finance Minister to repay State $4.5M from jail time unlawful – High Court Judge after fraud conviction

…saved from serving jail time

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

President David Granger

Justice Nareshwar Harnanan

Attorney-at-Law Timothy Jonas

igh Court Judge, Justice Naresh Harnanan on Tuesday ruled that President David Granger’s intervention to save Finance Minister Winston Jordan from serving jailtime over an unpaid court judgement was unlawful and arbitrary.

In June 2019, Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry had granted a judgement of US$2.2 million to Trinidadbased construction company Dipcon, but Jordan refused to pay the sum and as such was found in contempt.

However, as jailtime hung over his head, he was pardoned by the President who intervened.

On Tuesday, Justice Harnanan stated that the President’s intervention enabled and perpetuated con-

tinued defiance by the State through its finance minister of court orders and of the provisions of the State Liability and Proceedings Act, by insulating the Minister against the lawful consequences of default and contempt. He noted that it also perpetuated the default of the State of its obligations under orders by the High Court, Court of Appeal and the Caribbean Court of Justice.

Additionally, Justice Harnanan pronounced that the presidential respite facilitated the continued deprivation of the fruits of judgement while leaving the successful litigant without any remedy or means to collect its lawful debts.

Dipcon’s lawyer, Timothy Jonas, who sought to challenge the validity of the res-

pite, told Guyana Times on Wednesday that Minister Jordan was by all means liable to be arrested if he failed to comply with the court’s order.

The Trinidad-based construction company had taken the Finance Minister to court for failing to honour the payment of millions of dollars, which was awarded

by Justice Rishi Persaud in 2015.

After Dipcon took the Government to court back in 2009 to recover monies owed for road works done, Justice Persaud had ordered Government to pay the company US$665,032.17 as payment for the works done along with US$1,563,368.50 for costs it incurred for those works, together with interest on both amounts, at a

rate of six per cent annum from February 10, 2009, to October 21, 2015 and thereafter at the rate of four per cent per annum until fully paid.

Jordan was given eight days to pay up the millions, during which time he was given a presidential pardon. He had expressed the view that he should not be responsible in his personal financial capacity for the State being sued when the matter is an inherited one.

Asked whether he was prepared to pay the money, the Minister had adopted a “wait-and-see attitude”.

Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry, through its public relations department, on Wednesday evening said that the Ministry paid Dipcon in December 2019.

tary camp north of Baghdad on Wednesday, U.S. officials told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The officials, who cautioned the death toll may

rise given the severity of some of the injuries, said it was too soon to assign blame. Any indication that Iran-backed militia were responsible could spark a new round of confrontation between the United States and Iran.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and they “underscored that those responsible for the attacks must be held accountable,” the State Department said.

The last military escalation led to a U.S. strike

in January that killed top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, which, in turn, led Iran to fire missiles at a base in Iraq hosting U.S. forces, leaving more than 100 troops with brain injuries.

Pompeo has argued the killing of Soleimani was necessary in part to deter Iran and Iran-backed groups from additional attacks.

The US-led military coalition in Iraq said in a statement that 18 107 mm Katyusha rockets struck the base and suggested they may have been fired from a

H

Azeena Baksh

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agistrate Leron Daly on Wednesday morning found Former Deeds Registrar Azeena Baksh guilty of fraudulently procuring over $4.5 million while being employed by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) between 2014 and 2017.

Baksh was on trial at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts for the past three years after being slapped with a fraud charge in 2017.

The charge stated that while being employed by the JSC between May 1, 2014, and January 31, 2017, in Georgetown, caused or procured valuable securities in

2 US, 1 British personnel killed in Iraq rocket attack – officials

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ne British and two American personnel were killed and about a dozen people were wounded when 18 small rockets hit Iraq’s Taji mili-

truck.

It confirmed three personnel were killed and about a dozen wounded but declined to disclose the nationalities of the casualties or offer any other identifying information.

“The attack is under investigation by the Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces,” the U.S.-led coalition said.

The State Department readout of the call with Raab said that there had been American, British and other casualties in the attack, but it did not provide details.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson issued a statement condemning the attack and added that Raab had spoken with Pompeo.

“We will continue to liaise with our international partners to fully understand the details of this abhorrent attack,” Johnson said, without confirming British casualties. (Reuters)

the sum of $4,534,486 million to be delivered to her Bank of Nova Scotia account for her own use pretending she was a contracted employee at the Deeds Registry.

After ruling that sufficient evidence was found to convict Baksh, Magistrate Daly ordered that the defendant repay the State in full the sum of money falsely procured, instead of serving jail time. The Magistrate in her ruling said that Baksh is not a threat to society and as such did not impose jail time.

Baksh was further ordered to lodge $1 million on Wednesday before leaving the court and has three months to pay the remaining balance.

In April of 2017, the Legal Affairs Ministry had disclosed that the Deeds and Commercial Registries Authority had requested an investigation to be launched into financial irregularities into Baksh’s payroll documentation.

Upon her appointment as the Deeds Registrar in 2012, Baksh received $326,171 monthly, as well as duty, entertainment and house allowances among many other benefits. This was approved by the JSC. The Legal Affairs Ministry asserted, however, that Baksh increased her payment to $400,000 in 2014 when the Deeds Registry was merged with the Commercial Registry, without the approval of the JSC. It was further reported that Baksh – being the sole person with authority to sign off on such documents— approved gratuity to herself and several staff members from the period May 2014 to November 2016.

Baksh was represented

by Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes.

NEWS

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THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Unlawful declaration by RO

“We will abide with Court’s ruling” – GECOM’s lawyer …verification of SoPs will start today – GECOM or Deputy RO, Ward indicated that the RO will advise on this today.

Consensus

People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Representative for Region Four and lead counsel in the concluded proceeding in the High Court, Anil Nandlall, told media operatives following Wednesday’s ruling that there is consensus among

time with the aim of concluding the verification in the shortest time possible. In the same breath, however, he contended that the integrity of the process should not be sacrificed for speed.

“Once everything goes well, it should be completed with every convenient speed but I’m saying, again, that integrity and the thoroughness of the process must not be compromised at the altar

Attorney Anil Nandlall

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he attorney for the Guyana Elections Commission, Neil Boston, SC, has assured that his clients, Returning Officer (RO) for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) Clairmont Mingo, Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) will abide by Wednesday’s ruling of the High Court.

Acting Chief Justice Roxane George has ruled that Returning Officer for Region Four acted unlawfully when he declared unverified results for that district. She also ordered that GECOM cannot lawfully declare the results of the 2020 General and Regional Elections until the Returning Officer for Region Four complies with Section 84 of the Representation of the People Act and completes the verification process. An order was handed down for compliance to this to commence by 11:00h today.

Following the ruling, Boston told reporters that while they are disappointed by the Court’s decision, his clients will comply with the

GECOM Chair Retired Justice Claudette Singh

order.

Moreover, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of GECOM, Yolanda Ward, subsequently informed reporters that the Office for the Returning Officer, which is housed in the Commission’s Command Centre at the Ashmin’s Building on High and Hadfield Streets, will be opened at 09:30h today.

However, she noted that the process of verifying the Statements of Poll (SOPs) will begin at 11:00h as ordered by the court.

Asked whether the process will be restarted or resumed, which the Court said is at the discretion of the RO

Returning Officer (RO) for Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) Clairmont Mingo

Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield

the majority of the parties that contested March 2 polls that the verification process should start from where they left off and not be redone.

“My personal preference would have been for [the RO] to resume where he left off because a lot of work was done and that did not evoke any controversy. So, I think all parties accepted the number of boxes that were verified so far. I hope that the Returning Officer resume rather than start all over again,” Nandlall posited.

According to Nandlall, with the entire country agonising and in a state of flux over these turns of events, it is anticipated that the CJ’s orders will be carried out on

of speed,” Nandlall asserted.

Further, he went on to note that while they are vindicated with the ruling, these court proceedings were unnecessary had the law and processes catered for been adhered to in the first place.

Several questions had been raised over the security of the 458 SOPs that are

SC Neil Boston

still to be verified after the process was abandoned last week. These crucial documents were left behind at the Office of the Region Four Returning Officer, in the GECOM Command Centre.

Only Sunday, Chairman of A New and United Guyana (ANUG) – one of the parties that contested last Monday’s polls – Attorney Timothy Jonas, had expressed concerns over the integrity of the documents. He explained that several parties’ agents and even observers had remained in the building on Thursday after RO Mingo declared the results without completing the verification process. But he noted that later that night, they were ousted from the Command Centre building by armed ranks from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and they are unsure what happened to those unverified SOPs since.

Transparency and accountability

Meanwhile, Nandlall said on Wednesday that he hopes that political parties, as well as the electoral observers, are given the opportunity to be present during this process since provisions for this is there to ensure transparency and accountability in the process.

The Chief Justice, in her ruling, said it is up to the RO to determine how many persons be allowed the verification process.

To this end, Nandlall noted that “The purpose of all these exercises to ensure that the process is transparent and appears to be transparent and fair to the society and to the electorate. And no efforts should be spared to ensure that that transparency is there to dissipate and remove suspicions and mistrust which unfortunately cloud the atmosphere surrounding the process.”

10 NEWS

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2020 Guyana elections

Coronavirus…

US must stand in support Immigration officers need to of preservation of rule of be attentive when screening arriving passengers – CMO law, democratic transition of power – Senator Rubio

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nited States Senator for Florida, Marco Rubio has weighed in on Guyana’s current political climate, saying that the completion of a peaceful, free, and fair electoral process in Guyana is in the best interest of the country.

In statement issues, Senator Rubio said that such a process will also augur well for all the freedom-loving nations in the hemisphere.

“Following a marred vote tabulation on March 2, the presence of international electoral observers and representatives of all political parties must be guaranteed. At a time when Guyana’s democratic future is at stake, the US must stand in support of the preservation of the rule of law and democratic transition of power as established by the nation’s

United States Senator Florida, Marco Rubio

for

Constitution,” the senator’s statement read. He added that it is critical that “all actors call for maintaining social order and defend Guyana’s Constitutional order”.

Rubio is the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Western

Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women’s Issues.

Only on Wednesday, the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called on President David Granger to preserve the sanctity of democratic elections Raab and the UN Secretary-General’s Office join a long line of foreign powers who have weighed in on the current electoral issues in Guyana.

On Monday, Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo announced that he discussed Guyana’s elections during a meeting with Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister, Chrystia Freeland.

In a tweet, Pompeo said he spoke about several issues including “support for democratic transition in Guyana”.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud

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oting that some arriving passengers fail to fill out certain parts of the form used to screen for suspected cases of coronavirus, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Shamdeo Persaud is urging immigration officers to pay more attention to this.

Addressing a gather-

ing of stakeholders during a coronavirus symposium held at the National Cultural Centre on Wednesday, Dr Persaud explained that persons arriving in Guyana are required to complete a form which requires them to indicate the countries they would have visited within

2 nabbed with ganja in juice box T wo men were nabbed

by Police with 235 grams of ganja in a juice box at 70km Police Outpost on Tuesday.

According to reports, the discovery was made about 09:50h, after the ranks searched motor vehicle GRR 5768 during a routine stop-and-search exercise.

According to the Police,

a brown box was discovered with a transparent tape containing several boxes of juice. Police said that the juice boxes were checked and it was during the search that ranks saw that the bottom of one of the boxes was tampered.

It was opened and a transparent bag containing leaves seeds and stems

were found concealed in the box.

Upon questioning the men, the passenger of the car admitted that the box belonged to him, Police said.

The two men in the car are from McKenzie, Linden and West Back Road, Georgetown. Both the driver and the passenger have been detained.

The marijuana that was found in the juice boxes

Just two weeks ago, a taxi driver and his passengers were nabbed long the Barnell Public Road, Parika, East Bank Essequibo with cocaine and ganja in a car.

Reports are that Police received information that the illegal substances were being transported in motor-

The marijuana wrapped in the juice boxes

car PYY 717, and a roadblock and search were conducted and over 2000 grams of cannabis along with a small quantity of cocaine wrapped in several layers of plastic were found.

The two passengers, along with the driver, were arrested and taken to the Parika Police Station.

the last six weeks.

However, he noted, some persons fail to answer that question. “[They] just leave that part of the form blank,” Dr Persaud informed.

As such, he called on immigration officers to pay more attention to this when they are screening arriving passengers.

“We’ve been asking that immigration officers pay keen attention to that area,” Dr Persaud said, explaining that the list of countries to look out for expands beyond China – where the virus originated.

In its last statement to the media, the Ministry of Public Health had revealed that 18 persons were under surveillance for signs of the virus.

The Ministry had revealed that since the commencement of active monitoring at ports in Guyana on the January 18, a total of 54 persons arrived in Guyana with history of travel from high-risk areas.

The Ministry said 51 persons arriving from mainland China or Hong Kong were screened.

Thirty-seven of these persons were Chinese Nationals, 12 Guyanese (10 Students, one tourist and a child) and one each from Finland and the United States of America.

Two Ukrainians and one Singaporean travelled from Singapore through Europe to Guyana and were also cautiously screened and cleared for entry to Guyana.

Fifty-three persons were contacted with daily telephone calls from the Ministry of Public Health.

One person (the female traveller from Finland) was not contacted and on further investigation, was found to have left Guyana the day after arrival for Suriname.

Four persons, when contacted during the monitoring, indicated that they were not feeling well and were visited by a medical team from GPHC and Linden Hospital. All four were examined and temperature checks were done. All were diagnosed with other medical conditions and cleared as suspects for COVID-19.

Since the monitoring programme commenced, 32 persons were found to be free from signs and symptoms of the infection after 14 days since arrival and were declared free of COVID-19.

11 1st suspected coronavirus death recorded in Guyana NEWS

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…additional tests advised for certainty

the nation, confirmed the country’s first suspected imported case and advised of precautionary measures.

He revealed that health professionals sought to conduct tests for COVID-19 based on the patient’s travel history. A clinical sample was collected and sent at 10:00h on Wednesday to the National Reference Laboratory, where laboratory tests confirmed the diagnosis at approximately 17:00h. However, medical specialists have questioned the diagnostic approach, including the tests which were conducted to verify that this was indeed a death of COVID-19. PAHO has not commented on the death.

APNU/AFC leader David Granger

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he Guyanese health care system is now in overdrive after the country evidently recorded its first coronavirus (COVID-19) death on Wednesday. The case is said to be an imported one.

However, medical experts have expressed doubts about the reliability of the test used since these normally take one to two days minimum to be confirmed and in this instance, the results were supposedly confirmed in nine hours. They advised that additional tests be conducted in an abundance of caution, because of the impact for the country.

Although the authorities have not released the information about the victim, this publication understands that the dead woman has been identified as a

52-year-old woman of Good Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD). The woman recent-

Lockdown

The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation

Volda Lawrence

ly travelled to Guyana from Queens, New York.

President David Granger, in an address to

(GPHC) Accident and Emergency Unit went into a semi-lockdown mode on

Wednesday following the death of the woman. At the time, it was suspected that the woman died as a result of complications arising from pneumonia.

The woman’s family indicated that they could not confirm if the woman had any contact with anyone with the virus.

Suriname border closure

A week ago, Volda Lawrence on Wednesday called an emergency press conference to brief the me-

dia on the country’s preparations to deal with the coronavirus— which has been declared a pandemic. Lawrence, who is also the Chair of People’s National Congress (PNC), had written to Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan to cease service between Guyana and Suriname from February 29 to March 7, as a result of the alleged threat of coronavirus. However, the border was reopened just after the conclusion of the General

and Regional Elections.

There were no comments about the implications of the procedures supposedly instituted at Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) to quarantine passengers that displayed symptoms of the coronavirus infection.

If you or anyone you know are experiencing symptoms of coronavirus, please call the hotline on 227-4986 ext 215 or 6243067 and a team would be sent to your home.

“I’m Beyoncé” – suspected car thief tells cop

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he might have gotten away with Solange.

But Beyoncé?

Alleged car thief Surena Henry thought she was pulling a fast one on a New Mexico cop last Saturday by claiming she was none other than the “Single Ladies” superstar, reported the Las Cruces Sun News.

The officer — presumably not blind — saw right through the 48-year-old suspect’s ruse and arrested her after running her fingerprints through a scanner. The unidentified cop reportedly previously had interacted with Henry.

Henry allegedly told the arresting officer she took the illicit joyride when she noticed keys inside the vehicle. When asked why she didn’t pull over when the cop car began blaring its lights, she replied she didn’t feel like it. The vehicle’s owner told cops he ei-

ther dropped the keys outside his home or accidentally left them in the vehicle, according to the Sun News.

He contacted the Las Cruces Police Department e a r l y Saturday morning to report his 2000 Saturn missing at his apartment complex, reported El Paso TV sta- Suspected car thief Surena Henry told cops she was superstar Beyoncé Knowles tion KTSM. Henry, ing identity and resisting who was booked into the Dona Ana or obstructing an arrest.

County Detention Center, She was released on bond was charged with a felony two days after her arrest, count of unlawful taking according to KTSM. (NY of a motor vehicle, conceal- Daily News)

12 NEWS

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

City Constable foils attempted 4 charged for murder of burglary at Stabroek Market Corentyne businessman

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ity Constable foils attempted burglary at Stabroek Market A man was on Sunday last nabbed by a City Constabulary rank after he was caught trying to break into a food stall at the Stabroek Market, Georgetown.

This was revealed during a recent statutory meeting of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC).

The break-in attempt occurred around 01:30h.

This newspaper understands that after the City Constable intervened, a scuffle erupted between the duo.

This resulted in the law enforcement officer discharging his gun in the perpetrator’s direction, caus-

The perpetrator broke the lock on the door to make an entry

were retrieved.

Guyana Times understands that the stall belongs to Margaret Persaud, who has been operating the establishment for more

Town Clerk Sherry Jerrick on the matter of security at the Stabroek Market and its environs.

However, she told this newspaper that “I don’t

than 24 years. Efforts to contact the woman proved futile.

When this publication visited the location on Wednesday, the stall was closed.

Meanwhile, Guyana Times contacted acting

think I wish to comment on the security measures.

What I wish to say is that we do have security systems in place that can provide adequate security to our facility and as a result of that we were able to apprehend the perpetrator”.

The stall which was broken into

ing him to become injured.

As such, he was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was admitted under guard.

Cash and other valuables which he would have taken away from the stall

DHB conducting repairs …after SUV plunges overboard

T

he Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) has begun repair works to the retractor span which was damaged when a car careened off the floating structure on Monday evening.

This was confirmed by Managing Director Rawlston Adams.

“We will install offsite, do some testing, and then we will bring it back to the bridge and hopefully install the cabin on the bridge by Friday,” Adams said.

On Monday last, a motorcar was proceeding along the bridge when it made a plunge off the retractor span, resulting in damages. While the entire vehicle fell into the water, the driver was saved and taken into custody.

A crew from the DHB

The Demerara Harbour Bridge

management was deployed to assess the situation as these damages would prevent vessels from passing.

Meanwhile, in September 2019, a barge and tug slammed into a section of the bridge, caus-

ing major damages which resulted in the bridge being closed to vehicular and marine traffic.

The owner of the vessel was slapped with a bill of $100 million.

our persons have been arraigned for the murder of 49-yearold Lomenzo Johnny, whose battered body was discovered on February 27 a short distance away from his home.

They are 27-year-old Satram Khuslay, called “Steve”, a cane harvester of Lot 80 Hampshire, Corentyne; 30-year-old Billal Mc Lennon, a labourer of Moora Street, Swamp Section, Rose Hall Town Corentyne; 24-year-old Gopaul Ramgobin, called “Ling”, a hire car driver of Lot 170 Tain Village Corentyne, and 24-year-old Navindra Narain, called “Husk”, a hire car driver of Lot 28 Tain Settlement, Corentyne.

The four men appeared before Magistrate Alex Moore at the Number 51 Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday and were not required to plea to the indictable charge which alleged that between Wednesday, February 26, and Thursday, February 27, they murdered Johnny at Rose Hall Town, Corentyne. The matter was adjourned to April 17 and has been transferred to the Albion Magistrate’s Court.

Johnny, called “Sham”, of Lot 11 Portuguese Quarters, Corentyne, operated a grocery store located in the same yard as his home.

On February 27, his body

Dead: Lomenzo Johnny

was discovered in a yard where a building was under construction; it was located some 400 metres from his home.

His feet were bound together with a shoelace. The sweater he was seen wearing the evening before was found a few feet away from the body.

A pair of scissors and a piece of wood were also found near to the body.

There was a wound to the back, bruises to his hand, while his head and face appeared to be swollen.

When Police went to his home, they found that the front door was not locked.

The inside of the house was ransacked. A safe along with other items were reportedly removed from the building.

Investigators subsequently received information about

the whereabouts of the safe, which contained an undisclosed amount of cash.

One person was subsequently arrested and provided investigators with the name of the three other men who reportedly assisted with the crime.

One of the suspects reportedly confessed that they had intended to rob Johnny but it was because he knew two of them that they decided to kill him.

After committing the act, they removed the house keys from his pockets and entered the building.

Police have since issued a wanted bulletin for Daniel McLennon, called “Dutty” of Lot 153 Third Street, Swamp Section, Rose Hall, Corentyne, in connection with the crime.

LGC refuses application for deferral of city treasurer’s suspension

T

he Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) and the Local Government Commission (LGC) are at loggerheads over the suspension of the acting City Treasurer, John Douglas, after a bag containing the city’s revenues was found in a vehicle instead of being deposited into the bank, as was required.

The LGC, earlier in the year, recommended disciplinary actions against the city treasurer and several other officers who were found to be guilty of misconduct in light of the incident.

The city treasurer was supposed to proceed on suspension by January 12, 2020 – but to date, he has not yet done so.

Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine had written the LGC, asking for the suspension to be deferred since, according to him, Douglas was needed for the preparation of the budget, which is likely to be completed in March.

In response, however, the Commission said the suspension cannot be deferred. The LGC instructed to acting Town Clerk Sherry Jerrick to ensure compliance. “[The] Local Government Commission hereby acknowledged your letter dated January 28, 2020, for

Acting City Treasurer John Douglas

the subject captioned. The Commission at its statutory meeting held on February 23, 2020, did not accede to the Council to refer the suspension for one month without to Mr John Douglas City Treasurer (ag). The Commission has reformed its decision communicated to you on January 2, 2020. I hereby instruct you Sherry Jerrick Town Clerk (ag) to ensure compliance to its instruction, should you fail to do so, the Commission will have no other recourse, to take appropriate action,” the letter stated.

However, during a recent statutory meeting, Councillor Oscar Clarke contended that it is the M&CC’s call to determine any action

against the City Treasurer.

“The Local Government Commission responded respectfully to the letter supporting to deny the Council request. That being so, is left to the Council to determine the further actions based on the fact that the Council has written to the Commission,” Clarke argued.

He further contended: “I don’t understand this, the instruction to you, by the Local Government Commission to the Town Clerk. The Local Government Commission cannot instruct the Town Clerk.”

On June 20, 2019, a bag with revenues collected from Bourda Market was found in a vehicle inside City Hall’s compound. At the time, the bank drop had already been made and the bag with the money was not deposited as was required.

The city treasurer and several other officers were found to be in breach of the standard operating procedures for escorting and dispatching revenues collected.

The LGC had said that the fact that Douglas failed to act on a computer-generated report handed to him and which indicated that the deposit was not made, determined that his action/omission amounted to negligence or dereliction of duties.

13

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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

INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF?

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

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

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

(Adapted from BBC News)

14 NEWS Trump curbs travel from Europe as coronavirus disrupts schools, sports THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

be played in arenas without fans.

Late-night television was taking a hit as well, with at least two shows produced in New York City - NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” and CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” - planning to begin taping without a live studio audience for the first time, Hollywood trade publication Variety reported.

The outbreak even touched one of Hollywood’s most beloved stars, as Oscarwinning actor Tom Hanks announced on Twitter that he and his wife, Rita Wilson, had tested positive for coro-

US President Donald Trump delivers remarks to the news media during a meeting with bankers on COVID-19 coronavirus response, inside the Cabinet Room at the White House in Washington [Photo: REUTERS/Tom Brenner]

P

resident Donald Trump ordered the suspension of European travel to the United States for 30 days to help curb the spread of a coronavirus pandemic that has disrupted nearly all corners of U.S. daily life, from education to sports and entertainment.

Trump, whose administration has come under sharp criticism for its response to the public health crisis, also announced several steps aimed at blunting economic fallout posed by coronavirus.

“We are marshaling the full power of the federal government and the private sector to protect the American people,” Trump said in a prime-time televised address

from the Oval Office. “This is the most aggressive and comprehensive effort to confront a foreign virus in modern history.”

Trump, whose re-election bid on Nov. 3 could hinge on how well he responds to the crisis, stopped short of declaring a national emergency as the number of coronavirus infections continued to mount.

In the hard-hit Seattle area, the largest public school district in Washington state announced a two-week closure.

The unprecedented shutdown coincided with Washington state Governor Jay Inslee banning public gatherings of more than 250 people in the Seattle region.

The greater Seattle area is the epicenter of the deadliest, and one of the largest, clusters of coronavirus infections in the United States, accounting for the bulk of at least 37 people killed in the country by the highly contagious respiratory illness, also known as COVID-19.

The outbreak took a major toll on U.S. sports as the National Basketball Association said it was suspending the season until further notice after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the coronavirus.

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) said earlier on Wednesday that its wildly popular “March Madness” basketball tournament games would

navirus in Australia, where he was on a film shoot.

Extending U.S. travel restrictions he imposed last month on airline flights from China, Trump said all travel from Europe to the United States would be suspended for 30 days, effective at midnight on Friday, though he exempted the United Kingdom.

Coronavirus outbreaks have flared in several European nations, especially in Italy, whose government has imposed a virtual lockdown of the entire country.

Seeking to stem the financial and economic impact of the pandemic, which has

sent stocks plunging over the past week, Trump announced he was taking several steps, such as instructing the Treasury Department to defer tax payments without interest or penalties for certain business and individuals hit by the health crisis.

The president also said he would take emergency action to provide financial relief for workers who are ill, quarantined or caring for others due to coronavirus. And he said he was directing the Small Business Administration to provide capital and liquidity to firms affected coronavirus, including low-interest loans.

(Reuters)

Tom Hanks, wife test positive for coronavirus

A

ctor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, they revealed Wednesday evening.

The Forrest Gump actor and his wife, both 63, announced the positive test results on Instagram urging the public to 'take care'.

The couple is currently in Australia where the Oscar-winner is filming for an untitled Baz Luhrmanndirected Elvis Presley film produced by Warner Bros.

Hanks revealed he and his wife experienced symptoms including the common cold, body aches and chills before they decided to get tested.

“Hello, folks. Rita and I are down here in Australia.

We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches. Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers too. To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the Coronavirus, and were found to be positive.”

“Well, now. What to do next? The Medical Officials have protocols that must be followed. We Hanks' will be tested, observed, and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires.

Not much more to it than a one-day-at-a-time approach, no?,” Hanks wrote.

“We’ll keep the world posted and updated. Take care of yourselves! Hanx!”

He shared a picture of what appears to be a medical waste basket and a latex glove in a hospital.

Hanks was cast in the film alongside actors Rufus Sewell, Austin Butler, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Olivia DeJonge, according to IMDb. At the moment the film is still in pre-production meaning cameras have not started rolling yet.

In the film Hanks was filming he plays Presley’s longtime manager Colonel Tom Parker.

Warner Bros. said in a statement that when they

Actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson

became aware someone in production was diagnosed with the virus they worked with Australian health agencies to assure that the movie production is safe.

'We have been made aware that a company member from our Elvis feature film, which is currently in pre-production in The Gold Coast, Australia, has tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus).

'We are working closely with the appropriate Australian health agencies to identify and contact anyone who may have come in direct contact with the individual. The health and safety of our company members is always our top priority, and we are taking precautions to protect everyone who works on our productions around the world.

'The individual who tested positive for COVID-19 is currently receiving treatment.'

Australia has more than 120 cases confirmed cases of coronavirus.

The news of Hanks' diagnosis broke as President Donald Trump announced a 30-day suspension on travel from Europe to the US due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Also on Wednesday, the World Health Organization deemed the COVID-19 a global pandemic.

Hanks and Wilson have been visited several cities in Australia this month, making stops in Sydney, Brisbane, and Bondi Beach in New South Wales.

Just last week on March 5 Rita Wilson performed at the Emporium Hotel in Brisbane, Australia at her sold out concert where her husband of 32 years and their 24-year-old son Truman attended.

On Saturday Hanks shared a snap enjoying the view at Bondi Beach in New South Wales.

Also on Saturday Wilson shared a picture posing in front of the iconic Sydney Opera House.

'Oh, Sydney You are beautiful and @sydneyoperahouse you made a dream come true tonight.

Performing at this iconic place is unlike any other.

And, the warmth of the audience made me feel so welcome. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.' Hanks and Wilson share four children together. It's not clear if they have been tested for the virus. (UK Daily Mail)

NEWS

15

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Oil slumps 6% as US bans travel Harvey Weinstein jailed over coronavirus pandemic for 23 years in rape trial

O

il prices slumped again on Thursday amid a broader market rout after the United States banned travel from Europe following a declaration that the coronavirus outbreak is now a pandemic.

The threat of a flood of cheap supply compounded market concerns as Saudi Arabia promised to raise oil output to a record high in a standoff with Russia.

Brent crude LCOc1 was trading down $2.12, or 5.9%, at $33.67 by around 0214 GMT, having flipped in and out of positive territory before the U.S. announcement. The contract fell nearly 4% on Thursday.

US crude CLc1 was down $1.87, or 5.7%, at $31.11 after dropping 4% in the previous session.

Oil is down around 50% from highs reached in January.

Global shares also crumbled after U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States will suspend all travel from Europe as he unveiled measures to contain the coronavirus epidemic. [MKTS/GLOB] “Travel restrictions equal slower global economic activity, so if you need any more coaxing to sell sell sell sell ... it just fell in your lap,” said Stephen Innes, markets strategist at AxiCorp.

On supply, the United Arab Emirates followed Saudi Arabia in announcing plans to boost oil out-

D

Harvey Weinstein

Oil field workers prepare a swabbing rig in a cotton field in Seminole, TX, US (Photo by REUTERS/Adria Malcolm/File Photo)

put after the collapse last week of an agreement between OPEC, Russia and other producers, a grouping known as OPEC+, to withhold supply and buttress prices.

UAE’s national oil company, ADNOC, said it plans to raise crude sales to more than 4 million barrels per day (bpd) and accelerate a push to boost capacity by a quarter to 5 million bpd.

“Without OPEC+, the global oil market has lost its regulator and now only market mechanisms can dictate the balance between supply and demand,” said Espen Erlingsen, head of upstream research at Rystad Energy, which es-

timates that oil will need to fall to the low $20s to achieve equilibrium.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) have slashed forecasts for oil demand because of the coronavirus outbreak and now expect demand to contract this quarter.

Still, weekly data on U.S. inventories showed minimal effects from the coronavirus pandemic. Crude stocks increased by 7.7 million barrels, but inventories of gasoline and diesel fell sharply, as refining runs remain at seasonally low levels. (Reuters)

Cuba announces COVID-19 cases, Italian tourists

Havana, Cuba

C

uba confirmed its first cases of the new coronavirus on Wednesday, while its textile industry has been drafted to fabricate masks and the government also urges citizens to make their own, amid a cash crunch and dwindling supplies worldwide.

Cuba’s state news broadcaster said four Italian tourists who were staying at a

hostel in the southern town of Trinidad after arriving at Havana airport on Monday had presented respiratory symptoms and were taken to a hospital on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the hospital confirmed that three of the tourists had tested positive for the coronavirus, the broadcaster said.

Authorities were tracking down those who had come

into contact with the three and was checking up on them.

Outside of Asia, Italy has had the highest number of coronavirus cases.

Over the past 10 days, Cuba has ramped up its campaign on how to ward off the infection, through talks at workplace and community meetings, and through state media. (T&T Guardian)

isgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for rape and sexual assault.

He was found guilty in a trial in New York last month, a dramatic fall from grace for one of Hollywood’s most powerful figures.

The 67-year-old appeared in court on Wednesday in a wheelchair.

His lawyers had appealed for leniency, saying even the minimum sentence of five years could be a “life sentence”.

But prosecutors argued

Weinstein should be given the maximum possible sentence given his “lifetime of abuse” towards women and “lack of remorse” for his actions.

Weinstein addressed the court for the first time on Wednesday, saying he had “deep remorse” but described him and other men as “totally confused” by events in comments seen as critical to the #MeToo movement. Dozens of women have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct, including rape, against Weinstein since

October 2017.

He has consistently denied wrongdoing and his lawyers have vowed to appeal against his conviction.

These were the first charges to make it to trial. Weinstein still faces further criminal charges, for rape and sexual assault, in Los Angeles, where officials have started extradition proceedings.

Hours after being sentenced, he was taken to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan with chest pains, a spokesman said. He had heart surgery after his conviction. Weinstein was found guilty of committing a first-degree criminal sexual act against production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006 and of the third-degree rape of aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013.

New York jurors acquitted him of the most serious charges, of predatory sexual assault, which could have seen him given an even longer jail term.

All six women who testified against him during his trial sat together on Wednesday as he was sentenced and told to register as a sex offender. (BBC)

‘Chaos’ as US universities send students home over coronavirus

H

arvard University students were given just five days to pack up, leave the Cambridge, Massachusetts, campus and not come back until the end of the semester, in a move that drew outrage from students who say they have been left scrambling between making travel arrangements, school work and classes.

The announcement came as universities and colleges across the United States began cancelling in-person teaching and moving to teaching online amid growing fears about the spread of the new coronavirus.

Schools and places of worship nationwide have closed, and concerts, election rallies, sporting events and conferences have been called off in an effort to stem the spread of COVID-19, which has infected more than 1,000 people in the US and killed at least 28, according to official counts.

Harvard student Tom Osborn said he was “shocked” by the announcement, which was especially devastating for students set to graduate in June.

“It’s almost utter chaos, most are trying to see if they can get extensions on their senior thesis,” the 24-yearold student from Kenya told Al Jazeera, “Seniors are distraught, we might not have commencement this year, and we might not see each other for a while.” The move

A student who suffers from cancer wearing a mask at the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US [Brian Snyder/Reuters]

prompted Harvard students to create an emergency contact list that connects students seeking temporary housing and transportation with those who can provide it. As of Wednesday morning, more than 100 faculty and students offered guest rooms, spare beds, couches and cars.

Emma Forbes, a second-year student at Harvard, said her parents have a home in Attelboro, Massachusetts, with an unused room in the basement as well as two cars that can be of help.

Forbes, 21, told Al Jazeera that the Sunday deadline was “not feasible for everyone for various reasons”.

She added the measure assumes that everyone can afford to go home and has a home to go to in the first place.

“Many people still have not yet figured out how

they are going to go home or where they are going to go, because some people don’t have a home to go to,” she said. Other students called on Harvard to offer students greater support and wrote an open letter to the administration that condemned the decision that students leave campus on short notice as it would “exhaust” their resources and put unexpected financial pressure on their families.

“The nature of financial struggle is one of inaccess,” the letter reads. “Being asked to fully move out and ship our rooms away with no system of subsidies and on-campus, accessible storage makes this issue undeniable.” Harvard University on its main website on Wednesday said that two community members are currently being tested for the virus, and that there are currently no confirmed cases on campus. (Al Jazeera)

16

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020

Regional

Trinidad: Boy, 7, chokes 2nd case of COVID-19 to death on pholourie confirmed in Jamaica A R elatives of sevenyear-old Shazard Mohammed who choked to death on a pholourie believes he would have survived had the ambulance responded swiftly.

“They were too slow.

They move to slow for my child. The ambulance was too slow, to know right, there to right. They could have saved my child life,” lamented the child’s father Sheriff Mohammed.

Speaking at their Platanite Trace, Rochard Road, Penal home on Monday he complained that the ambulance took about an hour to arrive.

He said, “I had time to leave Corinth (Ste Madeleine) and reach down Siparia (health centre) and my child did not come yet.

When I take up my child from the ambulance he was dead,” Shazard’s mother Sheriffa Shyam tried her best to save his life. She was too distraught to speak to the media.

Shyam collected Shazard, a Standard One student, and his nine-yearold sister from their school, Clarke Rochard Government Primary, in Penal, just after

Shazard Mohammed

15:00h on Monday.

She bought pholourie for the children from a vendor whom they were accustomed to buying from just in front of the school.

Shyam’s mother Jennifer Shyam said, “She break it (pholourie) and give the child to eat. The child started to choke and she started to knock the child back and by knocking the child back it did not come out so she push her finger to take it out.” But, the child’s jaw locked. “She had to squeeze his mouth and get her finger out and a piece of pholourie (came) out,” said the grandmother.

With the assistance of other people, the mother tried to perform CPR on

him.

The grandmother said his lips began turning blue and froth began seeping from his nose. The grandmother said the ambulance took too long to arrive. “If they reach early the child could ah still be alive.” She said Shazard was healthy, had no allergies and was accustomed to eating pholourie.

Mohammed, a heavy equipment operator, said his son wanted to follow in his footstep and pursue a career as an operator and a driver.

Still in disbelief over his son’s sudden passing, he said, “It eh natural boy because everybody was eating pholourie there.”

The grandmother said the doctors pronounced her grandson dead 13 minutes after the ambulance brought him to the health centre.

She described Shazard as a happy child who loved to dance. An autopsy performed at the San Fernando mortuary found that he did die from asphyxiation due to upper airway obstruction.

It also confirmed that the mother was able to extract the pholourie from his airway. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Canada says COVID-19 case passed through Trinidad and Tobago

A

Canadian who returned from Trinidad and Tobago recently has tested positive for coronavirus.

At a press conference on Monday, Alberta's chief medical officer Dr Deena Hinshaw said the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province had doubled to 14. She said all of the cases were trav-

el-related.

She named TT as one of 11 destinations that patients had visited.

The others were France, the Netherlands, Egypt, Iran, Taiwan, Germany, Malaysia, Panama, the Philippines, and the US. Hinshaw said many of the travellers had visited more than one country during their trip and so

could not say where each patient may have contracted the virus.

She added that one of the people who tested positive had travelled in the Caribbean on the cruise ship the MS Braemar.

That cruise ship docked in Port Royal, Jamaica.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Newsday)

second case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Jamaica. Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton confirmed the second imported case via Twitter Wednesday evening.

Dr Tufton said the second case is a US Embassy employee who returned from the United Kingdom.

The two COVID-19 cases in Jamaica both involve people who travelled to the UK. On Tuesday, Dr Tufton confirmed that Jamaica's first case of the virus involved a dual citizen who had returned to Jamaica

from the UK to attend a funeral.

The UK is not on the list of places that Jamaica has imposed travel restrictions for, in light of the COVID-19

outbreak.

Travel restrictions are in place for China, Italy, South Korea, Singapore, Iran, Spain, France and Germany.

(Jamaica Observer)

Court allows Trump's ‘Remain in Mexico' asylum policy

T

he US Supreme Court on Wednesday handed a win to President Donald Trump by leaving in effect a policy that requires thousands of people seeking asylum at the southern border to wait in Mexico while their claims are adjudicated.

The court granted an emergency request filed by the Administration and lifted a partial block on the programme imposed by the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals. The appeals court on February 28 issued a ruling blocking the policy, but then immediately put it on hold while the Trump Administration asked the Supreme Court to intervene.

The brief court order noted that one of the nine Justices, liberal Sonia Sotomayor, would have denied the application.

“Asylum seekers face grave danger and irreversible harm every day this depraved policy remains in ef-

Migrants, most of them asylum seekers sent back to Mexico from the US under the "Remain in Mexico" programme officially named Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), occupy a makeshift encampment in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, October 28, 2019

fect,” said Judy Rabinovitz, a lawyer at the American Civil Liberties Union, which represents those challenging the policy.

Trump has declared the policy, announced in December 2018, a success in reducing the flow of hundreds of thousands of people from Central America into the United States as he campaigns for a second term in

office.

Challengers, including 11 asylum seekers who were returned to Mexico and several immigration advocacy groups, say the programme, called the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), violates US immigration law and international obligations on the treatment of asylum seekers. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Persad-Bissessar suing Chile marks 30 years of democracy; students ramp up over swine flu comments protests against inequality L

P

resident Sebastian Pinera celebrated 30 years since Chile’s return to democracy on Wednesday, but students calling for Pinera himself to leave office due to income inequality and other issues led civil disobedience protests, skirmishing with Police around the capital and disrupting public transport.

Pinera said in a speech at the presidential palace that democracy was squandered when former dictator Augusto Pinochet seized power through violence, and urged against substituting “intolerance for dialogue.” Opposition lead-

ers boycotted the ceremony, calling it inappropriate given a heavy-handed Police response to protests over inequality that began last October.

On March 11, 1990, Pinochet handed the presidency to Patricio Aylwin.

Pinochet had ruled since September, 1973, when he overthrew the socialist government of Salvador Allende. During his regime, some 3000 people died or disappeared while many more were tortured, according to Government truth commission findings.

“We must combat violence and care for our de-

mocracy,” Pinera said.

“Democracy is never guaranteed.”

High school students, many in uniform and some wearing bandanas and gas masks, led a day of civil disobedience called by unions to protest against Pinera marking two years in office. #FueraPinera (Pinera Out) was the top trending topic on Twitter in Chile as teenagers in the capital shut down at least 15 metro stations by dangling their feet over the lines, seized control of several schools and clashed with riot police who made liberal use of tear gas.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

eader of the main Opposition United National Congress (UNC), Kamla PersadBissessar has filed legal action in the High Court against Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh in relation to claims that she engaged in a cover-up of actual swine flu statistics.

This follows a statement made by Deyalsingh last November, in which he alleged that Persad-Bissessar instructed public officers to hide data regarding H1N1 (swine flu) related deaths for the period 2013-2015.

The Opposition Leader subsequently issued a pre-action protocol letter

she instructed her attorneys to pursue legal proceedings in the High Court.

Kamla Persad-Bissessar

calling for an apology from the Minister within seven days. She said that having not received a response from the Health Minister,

Speaking at an opposition forum late Monday, Persad-Bissessar said she decided to move forward with legal action against the Health Minister.

“Today I caused my lawyers to file a case in the Supreme Court against Terrible Terrence. For defamation against me.

Persad-Bissessar said she was claiming for aggravated damages, exemplary damages and costs over the “lies and untruths” publicly uttered by Deyalsingh.

(Excerpt from CMC)

guyanatimesgy.com

OILNEWS Saudi Arabia doubles down on threat to flood the oil market

O

il prices are falling again Wednesday after Saudi Arabia doubled-down on its threat to flood the world with millions more barrels of crude despite the coronavirus shock to global energy demand.

Just a day after confirming that it would jack up production by about 2.5 million barrels per day starting April 1 in a battle for market share with Russia and US producers, State oil company Saudi Aramco said it would increase its “maximum sustainable” capacity by 1 million barrels to 13 million per day. In other words, the Saudis are digging in for a war of attrition.

“As this does not affect production in the short term, we believe this does not impact short-term prices much, but could influence sentiment negatively, which explains the modest price decline today,” said Bjoernar Tonhaugen, head of oil markets at Rystad Energy.

Saudi Arabia had signalled its intention to go allout for market share over the weekend after the acrimonious collapse of an alliance with Russia that had restrained oil supply in recent years, keeping a floor under prices.

Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, and US oil fell four per cent to US$32.98 on Wednesday.

Brent prices have fallen by about 28 per cent since Thursday, and 48 per cent since a peak in early January.

Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), led by Saudi Arabia, had proposed additional production cuts through the end of 2020, but Russia refused to agree and warned it would produce as it pleases from next month in a bid to recover market share lost to US shale companies in recent years.

The falling out has opened the door to a free-for-all fight for customers just as the oil industry faces its biggest challenge since the global financial crisis. The coronavirus epidemic is destroying demand for fuel as air travel slumps and as efforts to contain the spread of the disease force businesses to close, at least temporarily.

Saudi Arabia told its preferred customers over the weekend that it would cut its official selling prices by US$6 to US$8 a barrel. Other members of OPEC are now piling in. ADNOC, the UAE’s State oil producer, said Wednesday it was ready to supply four million barrels per day in April, up from about three million at present.

“In addition, we will accelerate our planned five million barrels per day capacity target,” it said in a statement. It had been aiming to hit that target by 2030.

Russia shows no sign of blinking in the standoff with its erstwhile OPEC allies, as it sees an opportunity to undercut American energy dominance. The United States has supplanted Russia as the world’s biggest oil producer thanks to the recent shale boom.

“Saudi Arabia announced that it had reduced the prices ... announced the increase in oil production. We believe that in these conditions this is probably not the best option,” Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told state media on Wednesday. “It would be right to keep the production at the levels achieved in the first quarter.”

Now, the energy meltdown threatens to cause a repeat of the 2014-2016 crash that bankrupted dozens of oil and gas companies and caused hundreds of thousands of layoffs.

It could also seriously damage countries such as Iraq, Angola, Nigeria and Algeria at a time of mounting concern about the health of the global economy because of coronavirus.

Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, told CNN Business on Tuesday that producers should stop playing “Russian roulette” with the oil market because it could have “grave consequences.”

“The only thing I would hope, that in the oil markets, common sense will prevail and all the actors behave responsibly as the world is facing major challenges today,” he told CNN Business’ Richard Quest. “Weak economy and the coronavirus is a problem for all of us.

If they don’t do it, the citizens of this world will not forget it.” (CNN)

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020

17

Around the World WHO calls coronavirus a pandemic as Britain, Italy shore up defences T

he World Health Organisation described the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic for the first time on Wednesday as Britain and Italy announced multibillion-dollar war chests to fight the disease.

The United States also said it was considering new steps to battle the virus that emerged in China in December and has spread around the world, halting industry, grounding flights, closing schools and forcing events to be postponed.

“We are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity and by the alarming levels of inaction,” Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva.

“We have, therefore, made the assessment that COVID-19 can be character-

ised as a pandemic,” he said, using the formal name of the coronavirus.

There are now more than 118,000 infections in 114 countries and 4291 people have died of the virus, with the numbers expected to climb, Tedros said.

Use of the word pandem-

ic does not change the WHO’s response, said Dr Mike Ryan, the Head of the Geneva-based agency’s emergencies programme.

WHO officials have signalled for weeks that they may use the word “pandemic”, but said it does not carry legal significance. The WHO classi-

fied the outbreak as a “public health emergency of international concern” on January 30, triggering an increase in global response coordination.

“The use of this term (pandemic), however, highlights the importance of countries throughout the world working cooperatively and openly with one another and coming together as a united front in our efforts to bring this situation under control,” said Nathalie MacDermott, an expert at King’s College London.

But not all the news was bad. Some key industries in Wuhan, the Chinese city at the epicentre of the epidemic and a hub of car manufacturing, were told they could resume work on Wednesday, a day after President Xi Jinping visited the city for the first time since the outbreak began. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Biden extends lead over rival Sanders in Democratic presidential race

J

oe Biden has cemented his position as front-runner in the Democratic race to take on President Donald Trump in November’s White House election.

The former Vice President won Michigan, the biggest prize of primary voting on Tuesday, extending his lead over main rival Senator Bernie Sanders.

Five other states – Washington, Missouri, Mississippi, Idaho and North Dakota – voted on

Tuesday.

Biden also swept aside Mr Sanders in Missouri, Mississippi and Idaho.

Sanders won North Dakota, with results from Washington state still outstanding on Wednesday morning.

The Democrats’ next big election milestone is in a week’s time when 577 delegates are up for grabs.

To secure the nomination, a candidate needs the support of 1991 delegates.

Before Tuesday’s vote, Biden

had 648 to Mr Sanders’ 563.

The former Vice President had lagged behind his Democratic rivals in early voting states, but rebounded after big wins on Super Tuesday and endorsements from several former nomination rivals.

Thanking supporters from Philadelphia on Tuesday evening, Biden said Democrats, including supporters of Bernie Sanders, could beat Donald Trump.

“It’s more than a comeback, this campaign,” he

said. “It’s comeback for the soul of this nation.”

“Tonight, we are a step closer to restoring dignity and honour to the White House,” Biden added.

“We have to lead the world again,” the former Vice President said. “Donald Trump’s America First policy has made America alone.”

Senator Sanders, 78, enjoys widespread support among young voters, but has so far failed to turn that into electoral success. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Hong Kong dismisses US Fresh blow to India criticism over human rights Opposition as Madhya

H

ong Kong on Thursday dismissed US criticism of its human rights practices, saying the Asian financial hub was “firmly committed” to upholding and safeguarding freedoms.

The former British colony was rocked by months of sometimes violent protests from last June, triggered by a now-suspended bill that would have allowed extraditions to mainland China.

The US State Department said in a report on Wednesday that significant human rights issues in the Chinese-ruled city included police brutality against protesters, interference with the right of peaceful assembly and restrictions on political participation.

Hong Kong’s Government said the Police were duty bound to take appropriate action, including the use of necessary force, in the face of violence that endangered public order.

“The degree and extent of violence committed by radical protesters was unprecedented in Hong Kong, and it has

seriously endangered people’s personal safety, public order and security,” the city’s government said in a statement.

Safeguarding human rights and freedoms was a constitutional duty, it added.

“The Government attaches the utmost importance to and is firmly committed to upholding human rights and various freedoms in Hong Kong.”

The US State Department, in its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, noted examples of Police brutality against protesters including on Aug. 31 when police “rushed onto a subway train and beat several individuals while making arrests”.

On press freedom, the State Department cited many journalists as saying they were harassed, detained or assaulted while covering the protests, while the house of democracy activist Jimmy Lai, who is also an outspoken critic of Beijing and owner of the Apple Daily newspaper, was attacked. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Pradesh leader joins BJP

O

ne of India’s only states not ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to see its government toppled after a top Congress leader defected.

Jyotiraditya Scindia joined the BJP on Wednesday following a day of high drama in Madhya Pradesh, where the Congress party is in power.

“I’m excited to work under the leadership of PM Modi,” he told reporters.

A number of Congress state legislators are believed to be supporting him.

Scindia hit out at his former party saying it had lost direction and had betrayed the people of Madhya Pradesh. (Excerpt from BBC News)

US air strike in Somalia killed civilians – MP

A

US air strike in southern Somalia killed civilians, not alShabab fighters as claimed

by Washington, family members and a politician told Al Jazeera.

Washington carried out the air strike near the farming town of Janaale, 95 kilo-

metres south of Mogadishu, on Monday claiming the attack killed “five terrorists”.

The victims were civilians travelling in a minibus heading to the capital Mogadishu, Abdullahi Abdirahman Ali, who lost his father in the air strike, said. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

DILBERT

PEANUTS

Make your feelings clear.

Honesty will help address anything that’s been bothering you and give you the push you need to get your life in order.

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

Networking will get results. A chance to work with someone you respect will result in knowledge and experience. Traveling for business or educational pursuits will pay off. Change is heading your way.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Stick to whatever makes you feel passionate. Start a project or make strategic cuts that can help pay for all the extras you want. Plan an entertaining evening that will help you relax.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Avoid taking on other people’s responsibilities.

Learn to say no. Call the shots and live life your way.

A personal adjustment is long overdue. Know when to take a pass.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Embrace what life has to offer. Keep up the momentum and finish what you start.

You’ll make a lasting impression on someone special. A personal change will turn out better than anticipated.

LIBRA

Get motivated and incorporate exciting activities into your schedule. Take a day trip, sign up for a course or start a new hobby. Avoid volatile situations.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

Quickly take care of personal matters. Make a change to your home, financial investments or family living arrangements. A physical improvement will ease stress and give you a new lease on life.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Concentrate on something that you enjoy doing.

Practice will improve your skills and talent. Beware of ulterior motives behind someone’s generous offer.

Romance is on the rise.

The less time spent with SAGITTARIUS pushy or negative people, (Nov. 23the better.

Complaints and Dec. 21) criticism will not help you get things done. A pending situation will take an unexpected turn.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

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

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Think about your next move. Meet with someone who has as much to offer as you, and form a prosperous partnership. Don’t sell yourself short. Romance is featured.

Take care of all the little things on your to-do list.

Avoid overspending. Use your imagination to come up with cheaper or more efficient alternatives. Update your qualifications.

Fill your mind with ideas that will spark enthusiasm. An investment will pay off, and gifts and repayments will come your way.

Romance is in the stars.

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020

S

p e n c e r Dinwiddie scored 23 points and hit the go-ahead basket, and Caris LeVert added 22 points as the Brooklyn Nets surprised the host Los Angeles Lakers 104-102 on Tuesday night.

Timothe LuwawuCabarrot had 13 points, Joe Harris finished with 12 and Chris Chiozza added 11 for the Nets, who have won four of their past five.

Dinwiddie’s jumper with 28.8 seconds left was the difference.

LeBron James had 29 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists for the Lakers, who had their four-game winning streak snapped. Anthony Davis scored 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds but missed a game-winning 3-point attempt at the buzzer.

Washington Wizards 122 - New York Knicks 115

Bradley Beal scored 27 of his 40 points in the second

T

he US women's football team is less skilled and has fewer responsibilities than their male colleagues, according to US Soccer.

Lawyers for the football governing body in the US have submitted the claims in legal papers as part of a lawsuit over equal pay filed by 28 women's national team players - the court trial is expected to start on 5 May. It stated that the job of a male footballer on the national team "requires a higher level of skill based on speed and strength" than their female counterparts.

'Plain sexism' While the men's national team has never won a relevant international title, the women's side are four-time world champions and have won five Olympic gold medals.

Harden feeding Eric Gordon (16 points) for a pair of decisive 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.

D’Angelo Russell paced the Timberwolves with 28 points and five assists while Juancho Hernangomez posted 18 points and 10 rebounds. Rookie Jarrett Jarrett Culver scored 12 points off the bench Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie (26) drives down the for Minnesota, which court defended by Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis fell for the fifth time in (3) in the first half at Staples Center seven games. half as host Washington blew an early 14-point lead and then stormed back from an 18-point deficit to record a victory over New York.

After his streak of 21 consecutive games scoring at least 25 points ended Sunday, Beal scored 20 points in the third quarter as the Wizards outscored the Knicks 33-17.

He scored 16 of Washington’s final 23 points in the period and tied the game 87-87 heading into the fourth by hitting a 3-pointer with 37.5 seconds left.

Frank Ntilikina posted his second career double-double with a career-high 20 points and 10 assists as the Knicks lost for the ninth time in 12 games. Bobby Portis also scored 20 points, with 16 of those coming in the first half when the Knicks built a 70-54 lead.

points, Gordon Hayward recorded 27 points and 10 rebounds, and Boston recovered after giving up a late lead to beat Indiana in Indianapolis.

The Pacers’ Victor Oladipo finished with 27 points and seven rebounds, and T.J. Warren added 22 points.

Daniel Theis scored 20 points for the Celtics and Kemba Walker added 11, giving all five Boston starters double figures in scoring.

Houston Rockets 117Minnesota Timberwolves 111

Jayson Tatum scored 30

James Harden scored a game-high 37 points and Russell Westbrook added 27 while keying a decisive stretch late in the third quarter as Houston beat visiting Minnesota.

The Rockets snapped a four-game losing skid.

Harden and Westbrook combined to shoot 22 of 36, with Harden connecting on half of his 10 3-point attempts. Both recorded seven assists, with

American women footballers also outdid men in terms of revenue in the last few years: it has emerged that the women's team generated more money from ticket sales than the men's side between 2016 and 2018.

However, the male athletes serving the national team are disproportionally paid more, according to lawyers representing the group of female players.

They claim, for example, that women can earn a maximum $4,950 (£3,858) bonus per friendly game played for the national team, while the men's pay topped $13,000 (£10,132).

"Literally everyone in the world understands that an argument male players 'have more responsibility' is just plain simple sexism," Molly Levinson, a spokesperson for

the players, said in a statement.

"It also illustrates the very gender discrimination that caused us to file this lawsuit to begin with."

The group of players took legal action on 8 March 2019, seeking equal pay and $66m (£51.4m) in damages for lost earnings.

They also accused governing body US Soccer of "institutionalised gender discrimination".

That happened before the women's team took part in and won - the 2019 Women's World Cup in France.

Megan Rapinoe, one of the side's stars, is adamant about the group's resolve.

"We won't accept anything less than equal pay," she said in an interview with ABC TV channel last August.

"We show up for a game, if

Boston Celtics 114Indiana Pacers 111

Portland Trail Blazers 121- Phoenix Suns 105

Damian Lillard registered 25 points and seven assists to help Portland notch a victory over visiting Phoenix.

Trevor Ariza registered season highs of 22 points and five 3-pointers as Portland won for just the fourth time in the past 12 games. CJ McCollum also scored 22 points, and Hassan Whiteside had 16 points and 14 rebounds.

Devin Booker recorded 29 points and nine assists for the Suns. Dario Saric contributed 24 points and 11 rebounds while Ricky Rubio had 21 points and nine assists.

Los Angeles Clippers 131Golden State Warriors 107

Kawhi Leonard scored a game-high-tying 23 points in 25 minutes, helping visiting Los Angeles beat Golden State in San Francisco.

The win was the Clippers’ seventh in their past eight games, the only loss in the run a 112-103 setback against the rival Los Angeles Lakers on

we win the game, if we lose the game, if we tie the game, we want to be paid equally, period."

Equal pay offer The women's case was publicly supported by male players.

On 12 February the US men's team issued a statement criticising the governing body in no uncertain terms.

"Yes, the federation continues to discriminate against the women in their wages and working conditions," the statement read.

Kirsten Schlewitz, a US journalist who specialises in women's football, told the BBC that public perception is also favourable to the plight of the female players.

"Almost all fans in the US see the women's team as one of the few things that have gone right in US football," she

Sunday.

Reggie Jackson scored 16 points while Paul George and Patrick Beverley had 14 apiece.

Dragan Bender matched Leonard’s total with 23 points for the Warriors, who snapped a 10-game home losing streak in their previous game, a 118114 win over Philadelphia on Saturday. Stephen Curry (flu) sat out his second game in a row.

Chicago Bulls 108Cleveland Cavaliers 103

Rookie Coby White scored a team-high 20 points in his first career start, and Chicago held on for a win over visiting Cleveland.

Wendell Carter Jr. added 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting for the Bulls, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Lauri Markkanen, Otto Porter Jr. and Denzel Valentine finished with 15 points apiece.

Collin Sexton scored a game-high 26 points on 12-of-16 shooting for the Cavaliers, whose two-game winning streak ended. Andre Drummond had 21 points and Larry Nance Jr. scored 16, but it was not enough as the Cavaliers fell short several hours after head coach J.B. Bickerstaff signed a multiyear extension.

San Antonio Spurs 119Dallas Mavericks 109

LaMarcus Aldridge poured in 24 points, nine of them in a pivotal late-game stretch, as San Antonio rallied to beat visiting Dallas and snap a two-

said.

"Then US Soccer, which most fans already had little time for, made degrading and dismissive remarks about how the women weren't earning their keep."

US Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro released an open letter on 7 March saying that the governing body had made multiple attempts to meet with the women's national team.

Prize money gap Cordeiro claimed that US Soccer had offered an equal pay package for matches under its control.

But the governing body did not offer compensation for the difference in prize money paid to men and women's teams at World Cups, as they are of responsibility of Fifa, the global governing body.

The last men's World Cup

19

game losing streak.

Marco Belinelli scored 16 points for the Spurs, with Rudy Gay hitting for 17, Trey Lyles and Derrick White adding 14 points each. DeMar DeRozan scored 13 points and dished out 12 assists, and Patty Mills tallied 12 in the win.

Luka Doncic had another brilliant game, scoring 38 points. Tim Hardaway Jr. added 20 points, Dorian Finney-Smith hit for 15 and Maxi Kleber had 12 points for the Mavericks. Porzingis led Dallas, which took its second straight loss, with 12 rebounds.

Orlando Magic 120Memphis Grizzlies 115

Terrence Ross highlighted his 24-point performance with five 3-pointers to lift visiting Orlando over Memphis.

Michael Carter-Williams scored 20 points to eclipse his previous season-best total of 17, set during Orlando’s win over Minnesota on Friday.

Nikola Vucevic recorded 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Magic, who overcame a 17-point deficit to post their third win in a row overall and seventh in their past nine games against Memphis.

Jonas Valanciunas led the Grizzlies with 27 points and 16 rebounds while Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks had 21 points apiece. (Reuters)

US Soccer President Carlos Cordeiro says that the organisation offered equal pay in matches under its control

champions France received $38m (£29.6m) after winning the tournament in Russia, in 2018.

The US women's team however, went home with $4m (£3.1m) for winning the trophy last year. (BBC Sport)

20

THURSDAY MARCH 12, 2020

A

number of West Indies players have returned from recent international duty to spice up the rivalries, beginning today, in the eighth round of the 2019-20 West Indies Championship.

Players such as West Indies Test Captain Jason Holder, left-handed batsmen Darren Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer, as well as pacer Alzarri Joseph are among the changes to the teams in what could be a pivotal round of the Championship.

After all, the race for the Headley/Weekes Trophy, the symbol of supremacy in the Championship, is still very open, after there were unexpected outcomes in the previous round of matches that have impacted on all of the teams.

With a maximum of 24 points available in every round, 72 points are left on the table for each team in the Championship, so they all, especially front-running Barbados Pride and fivetime defending champions Guyana Jaguars, will chase as many as possible to make secure their places in the points table.

Pride currently head the standings in the Championship on 116 points – 30.2 clear of the Jaguars – and this weekend’s day-

night contest, a renewal of the longest-running rivalry in the domestic West Indies First-Class competition, at the Guyana National Stadium, could play a huge role in the final destination of the title.

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and Windward Islands Volcanoes, the two teams which won in the previous round to solidly move into mid-table positions, will be seeking to enhance their chances of seriously getting into the final mix for the title at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.

And, Leeward Islands Hurricanes and Jamaica Scorpions will be looking for a strong finish to the season when they face-off at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.

Red Force v Volcanoes in Tarouba, Trinidad

Red Force will relish the return of Bravo to further boost their batting line-up, which came into the picture strongly with their victory in the previous round against the Pride at the venue for this weekend’s contest.

Volcanoes are not so blessed, but the choice of left-arm pacer Obed McCoy as an injury replacement for Test pacer Shermon Lewis could add more fire-

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

power to their attack, which set up their victory over the Scorpions in the previous round.

Weather badly disrupted their fourth-round match last month in Dominica, but the storyline remains similar going into that contest.

Neither side will want to fall behind and will chase a big haul of points that would keep them in step with the front-running pair.

Their rivalry has been fierce in the PCL era of the Championship with the Volcanoes holding a 5-4 edge over Red Force – and the visitors have reason for hope in this match, having won the contest between the two sides last season.

Red Force: Imran Khan (Captain); Bryan Charles; Cephas Cooper; Joshua da Silva; Jyd Goolie; Kyle Hope; Akeal Hosein; Jason Mohammed; Uthman Muhammad; Khary Pierre; Anderson Phillip; Isaiah Rajah and Daniel St Clair.

IN – Bravo, Hinds; OUT – Bryan Charles, Khary Pierre Volcanoes: Sunil Ambris (Captain); Roland Cato; Keron Cottoy; Kenneth Dember; Larry Edward; Andre Fletcher; Kavem Hodge; Ryan John; Obed McCoy; Preston McSween; Kimani Melius; Devon

Smith and Emmanuel Stewart.

IN–McCoy; OUT– Shermon Lewis

Hurricanes v Scorpions in North Sound, Antigua

Hurricanes, too, will be excited to have Joseph lead their attack, but the return of West Indies leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr to their colours, after he spent the last two seasons with the Pride, comes at the right time.

West Indies off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall will be missing from the line-up for this match, and the presence of Walsh and his new bag of tricks are more-than-adequate cover for his fellow international. Hurricanes easily had their best batting performance for the season against the Jaguars in the previous round on the road and earned a draw.

Replicating that performance will be their challenge.

Scorpions had a match to forget in the previous round.

They were bowled out for a double-figure total in the second innings, after scoring nearly 400 in the first innings, and though the bowlers made things interesting in the chase, they lost.

A big haul of points could still keep the Scorpions a long-shot for the title, so

there is still an incentive for them to keep up appearances, but the Hurricanes are practically out of the race and playing for the enhancement of personal records. Again, bowling appears to be the strength for both sides, but it will be the batting that could ultimately turn the match in favour of either team.

All 11 matches between the two sides in the PCL era of the Championship have been decided by a victory, with the Scorpions holding a 7-4 edge, including a five-wicket victory in the fifth round this season.

Hurricanes: Jahmar Hamilton (Captain); Keacy Carty; Montcin Hodge; Amir Jangoo; Alzarri Joseph; Jeremiah Louis; Kian Pemberton; Jaison Peters; Kieran Powell; Ross Powell; Akeem Saunders; Hayden Walsh Jr and Terance Warde.

IN – Joseph, Peters, Walsh; OUT – Sheno Berridge, Rahkeem Cornwall, Adelvin Phillip Scorpions: John Campbell (Captain);

Darren Bravo

Jermaine Blackwood; Nkrumah Bonner; Gordon Bryan; Derval Green; Patrick Harty Jr; Andre McCarthy; Jamie Merchant; Marquino Mindley; Paul Palmer Jr; Denis Smith; Alwyn Williams and Oraine Williams.

IN – McCarthy; OUT – Dennis Bulli

ity by providing a grueling schedule. The near one-month tournament could see teams play as many as 17 matches, with a minimum of 14 during the short period.

“I think the IPL is going to be a huge point or signal for who is actually going to carry on. It’s still going to be five months after the IPL for the World Cup,” Lara said in a recent interview with bdcrictime.

“Fitness levels are very important, but a gruesome tournament like the IPL is going to tell the West Indies selectors who are the players that they really need going into the last four months of preparation for the World Cup,” he added.

Al-Amin Hossain arrives for a practice session wearing a face mask

T

he global spread of the coronavirus has claimed another international sporting fixture with the Bangladesh Cricket Board postponing the World XI v Asia XI matches that would have marked the birthday celebrations of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, referred to as father of the nation.

These matches were scheduled to take place on March 21 and 22 in Dhaka and were set to include a variety of superstars including Virat Kohli, Lasith Malinga and Chris Gayle, but the BCB president Nazmul Hasan announced on Wednesday that they have been "deferred" un-

til further notice.

The board has also postponed the AR Rahman concert at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, which was also set to be a part of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's birth centenary celebrations.

"We could have held the concert in a small scale but decided against it," Hassan said. "It will not take place on March 18, and the March 21 and 22 matches are also causing concern. There's no guarantee that those who are supposed to play will be able to arrive, or can leave after the matches. There are a lot of restrictions, so we have deferred both programmes. We will

organise after a month taking stock of the situation. It is postponed for the time being."

Hassan, however, said that the Dhaka Premier League, the country's premier 50-over tournament, will take place as scheduled since it does not attract big crowds.

Even so, the matches have reportedly been shifted to BKSP from Chattogram and Cox's Bazar.

The ongoing BangladeshZimbabwe T20I series is taking place at the Shere Bangla National Stadium amidst ticket restrictions due to concerns over the spread of coronavirus. (ESPNcricinfo)

Chris Gayle

W

est Indies legend Brian Lara believes the upcoming IPL could prove a key barometer for veteran players like Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo, who could be looking for one last hurrah at the ICC T20 World Cup later this year.

At the ages of 40 and 36, the players are in the twilight of their careers and currently on the fringes of the West Indies squad looking to prepare for the upcoming tournament.

Lara is, however, convinced that a successful IPL campaign could put the players back in the mind of the selectors. The tournament, the former batting star insists, will not only test their current form but also their longev-

Dwayne Bravo

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

THURSDAY MARCH 12, 2020

21

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GABA President Jermaine Slater

GABA President Jermaine Slater, GABA PRO Rawle Toney and representatives of the participating teams

By Timothy Jaikarran

A

t a simple ceremony held at the Palm Court on Wednesday, the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) launched its highly anticipated Andrew Ifill Knockout Tournament.

The tournament consists of two categories namely the Open and U-21 categories. It will officially commence on Sunday, March 15, and conclude on April 5, with the final. All matches will be played at the Burnham Hardcourt.

Speaking at the launching of the inaugural tournament was GABA President Jermaine Slater who said, “This is the first tournament of this kind under our new administration. We did this tournament to honour Andrew to ensure his name and his legacy is

carried on; we are hoping that this can be held annually under this administration. We have excluded Second Division, but to try and use the Open division where more players can come out to play. We are inviting everyone to come out and watch as top level of basketball will be played; we also have upcoming tournaments that will be announced in the future.”

Slater also noted that there will be trophies available for the respective divisions; he stated that Ifill represented the Bounty Colts and thus Bounty has sponsored the first-place trophy in his honour.

Ifill last represented Guyana at the 2014 Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championships in the British Virgin Islands (BV)I, where he teamed up with former Dallas Mavericks and Indiana Pacers guard Rawle Marshall, to guide Guyana to a fifth-

place finish. In that tournament, Ifill finished with an average of 12.2 points, six rebounds, and 1.6 assists.

The first match of the tournament will commence at 18:00h, with Eagles battling the Colts in the U-21 division and the Guardians battling the Colts in the Open division. It will feature a total of 19 matches. The teams participating in the tournament are Eagles, Colts, Sonics, UG B, Guardians, and UG A in the Open and U-21 categories.

The games will be played under the current Fédération Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) rules, as playing time will feature four quarters of 10 minutes per quarter. Teams are required to be present 30 minutes before the game as players are encouraged to follow strict protocol.

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Production Division winner Andrew Phang receiving his trophy from sponsor Brian Backer of Orinduik Development Inc

T

he Guyana Sport Shooting Foundation (GSSF) on Saturday, February 29, 2020 successfully hosted its first Practical Pistol match for 2020, sponsored by Orinduik Development Inc. Local practical shooters gathered at the Timehri shooting ranges to take part in an exciting Practical Pistol match, which comprised five challenging stages. Shooters participated in two divisions – the Limited and Production divisions. Each division had its unique require-

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Limited Division winner Ryan McKinnon receiving his trophy from sponsor Brian Backer of Orinduik Development Inc

ments and restrictions, as prescribed by the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA). Since each division has its own regulations, the shooters do not directly compete with each other across divisions. As such, prizes were awarded for first to third place in each

division.

Stages included: - Zig-or-Zag challenged shooters' strategic abilities with multiple possible routes to complete the course of fire.

- Reverse Gear tested their ability to shoot from a stable position while moving backward.

- 4 Bill Drill was a standard exercise, meaning that shooters could compare their scores on that stage with shooters around the world for a skill ranking. It involved drawing from the holster multiple times, rapid magazine changes and firing both right and left-handed.

- Go a fish was a fun, quickfire stage which involved rising from a seated position to engage close-range targets.

- The Ironsides stage rigorously tested the technique and discipline of the shooters with shooting positions that were unfamiliar and uncomfortable while they aimed at targets that demanded high accuracy.

At the end of it all, the match results were announced as follows:

Limited Division: 1st Place – Ryan McKinnon (335.4148 Points) 2nd Place – Pravesh Harry (324.8440 Points) 3rd Place – John Phang (225.3842 Points) Production Division: 1st Place – Andrew Phang (351.7516 Points) 2nd Place – David Dharry (230.8017 Points) 3rd Place – Dallas Thomas (185.1150 Points) At the end of the match, members of the GSSF were all treated to a special Side Match whereby they could use any firearm on the Range to engage three steel targets to compete against each other to see who can do so in the fastest time. After many tries and enthused cheering on, Harold Hopkinson emerged victorious.

The GSSF has sought to extend its sincerest gratitude to Brian Backer and the Board of Directors of Orinduik Development Inc for the kind sponsorship and support of the Foundation’s activities and events for the third consecutive year.

T

he Mc Gill Super Stars Sports Club demolished their opponents, All Youths Sports Club, at Wales CDC in the semi-final of the West Demerara Cricket Association (WDCA) Beacon Cafe 50 Overs competition last Sunday.

All Youths Sports Club won the toss and chose to bat first on a bowler-friendly surface which proved to be a vital mistake. Off-spinner Abdul Razack and left-arm spinner Kheshram Seyhodan bowled economically within the powerplay overs which set the tone for the rest of the innings. All Youths Sports Club lost their first wicket with the score on eight in the fifth over when Razack bowled Sanjay Persaud for zero.

All Youths skipper Rickey Persaud then joined opener Travis Wright at the crease; they added 21 runs for the third-wicket partnership before former Guyana Under-19 all-rounder Travis Persaud had the latter lbw for 14 in the 11th over.

Jadesh Persaud and Rickey Persaud took the score to 38 before Mc Gill skipper, medium-pacer Sudesh Persaud struck twice in the same over, removing Rickey Persaud (18) caught at deep mid-wicket and Anthony Carrington (0).

All Youths found themselves in even more trouble when off-spinner Travis Persaud uprooted the stumps of Tejnaught Jadunauth (0) and Dereck La Rose (0) in the 19th over at 506. Jadesh Persaud continued to lose partners as he tried to hold the innings together.

Ganesh Puran removed

Prahalad Singh and Travis Persaud were instrumental in their team’s victory

Rajendra Tulsie (2), bowling him at 52-7 in the 20th over.

Travis Persaud then removed Arvin Persaud (0), caught in the covers; Amir Imran (0), lbw, and Dwayne Scott (0), bowled, in the same over. All Youths Sports Club managed 64 all out in 25.4 overs, Jadesh Persaud was left stranded on 18*. Bowling for Mc Gill were Travis Persaud 6-12 (8.4 overs) and Sudesh Persaud 2-9 (3 overs).

Mc Gill started off their chase in a no-nonsense mood after losing opener Travis Persaud (1) caught at short leg in the second over to Rickey Persaud at 1-1.

Prahalad Singh and Diquan Murray added 47 for the thirdwicket partnership before Murray was adjudged lbw to Arvin Persaud for 12 in the seventh over. Prahalad Singh demolished the AYSC bowlers blasting a 23-ball 45 not out to see his team over the line in 8.3 overs without any further hiccups. Mc Gill ended on 692, winning by eight wickets and thus advanced to the final.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…GBA looking for avenue to keep boxers active

Guyana Boxing Association President Steve Ninvalle

T

he Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) has suffered a tough blow after it was announced that the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Qualifiers will be cancelled owing to coronavirus concerns.

The GBA was informed on Wednesday by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Americas Boxing Confederation (AMBC) that the Americas Olympic Qualifier for boxing has been cancelled given the fear of the spread of the coronavirus.

Guyana was scheduled to send a team of five boxers and three coaches to the tournament, which was scheduled for March 26 to April 4 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. GBA President Steve Ninvalle described the cancellation as a major setback, but reasoned that it was done for the safety of all involved.

“It’s more or less disappointing news for us. Disappointing because of the fact that we would have had those four boxers preparing and we had programmed it that way for them to peak at around next week. So, they would have been back in Guyana then headed out to the qualifiers. However, we understand the seriousness of this situation; we understand just how serious the spread of the Corona virus is, so we respect the decision to cancel that tournament,” Ninvalle explained.

After scurrying to source funds two weeks ago to lock in accommodation and travel for the boxers, the GBA is now suffering a hefty loss owing to the fact that those monies are non-refundable.

“There’s a cost factor to that, seeing that we would have purchased all the tickets and we would have purchased all the insurance for the boxers and coaches; that came at a hefty price and those monies are not refundable.

So, you know that is a punch that we will have to take, but, nevertheless, we understand the seriousness about trying to curb the spread of that virus,” Ninvalle noted.

“We will now have to await information from the IOC regarding if there would be a rescheduling," Ninvalle went on to share.

Fareed Hosein successfully appeals for an lbw against Neil Ronaldson

S

pin twins Fareed Hosein and Azad Mohammed engineered a batting meltdown then threatened with the bat, but could not deliver the knock-out punch as West Indies Over-50s lost to New Zealand Over-50s by 36 runs in their Over50s Cricket World Cup opener at Rondebosch, South Africa on Wednesday.

The Caribbean side opted to bowl on a green track with bounce and carry, but were doubting themselves when New Zealand raced to 124 for 2 in quick time. However, offspinner Mohammed (3-25) and leggie Hosein (3-46) combined for figures of 18-1-71-6 to bowl out the opposition for 186 in 44 overs.

Captain of New Zealand and later Player-of-the-Match, Adrian Dale stroked a commanding 56 from 61 balls, batting at number three after openers Richard Petrie and Andrew Hore (17) put on 34. After hitting three boundaries, Hore was first to go when he miscued a pull to deep mid-wicket and was caught by Ishwar Maraj off the consistent right-arm seamer Kenny Girdharry (1-23).

Petrie, who played 12 OneDay Internationals (ODIs) for New Zealand, was in a destructive mood hitting 34 from 32 balls (6x4; 1x6) while taking a liking to everything loose from new ball bowlers Girdharry and Allison Johnson (1/31). However, after adding 29 with his captain, Petrie played down the wrong line and was comprehensively bowled by WI O-50s Captain Amin Zamin (133) at 63-2.

John Garry then joined his captain to put on 61 for the third wicket before a mix-up that resulted in a run-out which brought on the great collapse.

Garry went for 34 from 61 balls (1x4) and was quickly followed

by Hosein’s first victim, Mason Robinson for 5 at 146-4. Dale, who hit six fours, then holed out to Krish Harricharan at deep mid-wicket to give Hosein his second wicket which brought the Caribbean side back into the contest.

Mohammed then got into the act and also picked up wickets at regular intervals which saw the last seven New Zealand wickets falling for 40 runs with no other batsman getting into double figures. At the half-way stage of the round-

one match, West Indies Over50s were strong favourites to win their debut match in the Over50s Cricket World Cup, but New Zealand were prepared to fight.

In the run chase, WI O-50s lost their first four batsmen to lbw decisions and were pegged back at 46-4, which proved to be the point of no return before Mohammed and Hosein momentarily threatened. Righthander Mohammed, batting at number 5, hit the top score of 35 (60 balls; 5x4) while Hosein, the south paw, made 24 (50 balls; 1x4) batting at number 7.

Opener Ishwar Maraj made 25 and number 10 Mark Audain, 18 not out; they were the only other batsmen to reach double figures as WI O-50s were bowled out for 150 in 42.5 overs.

The Kiwis bowling was led by right-arm seamer Neil Ronaldson with 4-18, and left-arm spinners Andrew Nuttall (2-14) and Glen White (2-33) supported admirably.

WI next take on defending champions Australia while New Zealand meet Canada in round two matches on Friday. The other match of the group will bring together Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

In group B, India take on Pakistan; South Africa battle England and Wales meet Namibia. (John Ramsingh) West Indies O-50s Itinerary at Over-50s Cricket World Cup 2020 Wednesday, March 11 lost to New Zealand by 36 runs Friday, March 13 v Australia Sunday, March 15 v Canada Monday, March 16 v Zimbabwe Wednesday, March 18 v Sri Lanka Friday, March 20 Semi-final Tuesday, March 24 Final

Ninvalle said that he has sent off a message informing the boxers of the sudden turn of events, and has also called Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) President KA Juman Yassin, SC, to update him. Efforts to contact Director of Sport, Christopher Jones on the disappointing news proved futile.

Meanwhile, Ninvalle informed that in light of the recent cancellation, the GBA is planning The four boxers who are currently on a training stint in Cuba an international card for early April in hopes of keeping the four local boxers in competition National Sports Commission (NSC), the GBA had dispatched Keevin Allicock, Desmond mode.

“At this end, we’re working now to see Amsterdam, Colin Lewis and Dennis Thomas what we can do to keep our boxers active. I’m for a three-month training stint in Cuba. The speaking with the President of the Trinidad stint is scheduled to conclude next week. They and Tobago Boxing Association to see if we can would have been joined by Canada-based pull off within two weeks/20-day time frame, Taveena Kum at the Qualifier in Argentina. The an international tournament in Guyana so as Coaches accompanying them were Terrence to try and keep those four boxers active,” he Poole, Sebert Blake, and Cuban Francisco Roldan. disclosed.

With the support of the GOA and the

B

ermuda National At h l e t i c s Association President Donna Raynor has revealed that the fate of this year’s CARIFTA Games remains in the balance, but has not yet been cancelled over the threat of the coronavirus.

The spread of the virus has wreaked havoc on sporting events across the globe, with several events cancelled or postponed. The 2020 CARIFTA Games are scheduled for Bermuda next month but the threat of the spread of the virus has put the staging of the event in doubt.

“Basically, what we are [doing] in Bermuda is keeping a close eye on what has been happening with the coronavirus not only in Bermuda but in the Caribbean islands as well,” Raynor told the SportsMax Zone in an exclusive interview.

“One of our local

limited footprint of the virus in the Caribbean so far. With Jamaica confirming its first case on Wednesday and Canadian authorities claiming that one of their latest cases travelled to the country from Trinidad and Tobago, things could be about to change.

Trinidad and Tobago organising committee have reported no cases members sits on the so far. The Games have Health Organisation been staged every year Committee of at various countries Bermuda and they around the Region are having a meeting since 1972.

“It changes the tomorrow to discuss all (Jamaica of the sporting events ballgame positive test).

Today that are taking place in it’s Jamaica, tomorrow Bermuda,” she added.

“We also have the it could be the international triathlon Bahamas, the day after So set to take place the that Bermuda.

Friday after CARIFTA that’s definitely shaken and, of course, that our confidence and we will involve several definitely cannot say it athletes from the US, (the Games) will take Europe and so forth. place.” (SportsMax) The only saving grace All plans a go for is that most of our AAG’s CARIFTA athletes are coming from the Caribbean qualifying event and on charters. So Meanwhile, far, Bermuda hasn’t all plans are a go had anybody that has in Guyana as the tested positive, but we Athletics Association of cannot be confident Guyana (AAG) plans to it will take place. We host its final CARIFTA are ready to host the qualifying event Games but we have this weekend. With to be directed by our 12 athletes already government,” she meeting the qualifying explained. standard for the Easter Initially, Raynor weekend regional admitted that the body event, their peers will had been confident have a final chance on of being able to stage Saturday and Sunday the event due to the to add their names to

AAG President Aubrey Hutson

the Guyanese roster.

In addition, the Early Season Classic will be used for a similar purpose by Guyana’s senior track and field athletes.

When contacted

by Guyana Times Sport about the threat that the CARIFTA event may face, AAG President Aubrey Hutson shared that no official communication has reached the Association as yet.

“No, nothing has been officially communicated to us as yet, so we’re going ahead with our preparations as planned,” Hutson stated.

However, he noted that if the hosting of the track and field event is to be affected by the pandemic, the Association will act in the best interest of Guyana’s junior athletes.

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020

Story and Photos by Brandon Corlette

F

ive-time defending champions Guyana Jaguars will welcome the table leaders, Barbados Pride to their home fortress at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence for the "match of the season".

This day-night match is scheduled for today, Thursday, March 12 to Sunday, March 15 from 14:00h. Jaguars will have the services of West Indies trio Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul, and Romario Shepherd.

The trio have replaced Tevin Imlach, Keon Joseph, and Nial Smith in the 13-man squad that was announced on Wednesday morning. On the eve of the clash, Jaguars Head Coach Esuan Crandon noted that this top-of-the-table match is very crucial for the Jaguars.

"This obviously is more crucial than the others; in Barbados, they had the upper hand against us and obviously we are looking to turn the table. They have a good team on paper; we had a team meeting to discuss our plans, and it is just a matter of us executing our plans and do the right things for an extended period and control the game in our conditions," Crandon stated. With the top trio returning in the form of Hetmyer, Paul, and Shepherd, Crandon believes that they will bring a lot to the table.

"From a bowling perspective, we know what Paul and Shepherd have to offer. We are expecting more consistency from Hetmyer's perspective, we know what he is capable of with the bat. Those guys are a big boost to the team and we always welcome them when they are in Guyana to give back something for the Jaguars," Crandon disclosed.

The champion Coach is hoping that they can see the best from these players and he remains positive of recording a win. With this crucial clash being a day-night affair, Crandon and his team are unfazed, since they opened their Regional 4-Day campaign this season with a day-night match.

"The guys understand how the pink ball operates during the day and the night, so it is nothing strange to us," he noted.

With them 30.2 points away from Pride on the points table, Jaguars will be keen on putting their best foot forward. In the batting department this season, Captain Leon

Story and Photos By Brandon Corlette

Coach Emmerson Trotman and Ashley Nurse

B

arbados Pride have certainly looked a formidable unit in this season of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Professional Cricket League (PCL) Regional 4-Day championships. The supreme team of the tournament have 116 points in seven matches, 30.2 points ahead of their closet opponents, Guyana Jaguars.

On the eve of the match that promises to be a blockbuster, Pride Head

Johnson has led the way with 460 runs. The classy leftie has a high-score of 189* at an average of 41.81. He will be aiming to extend his form. Christopher Barnwell has 424 runs with a high-score of 107 while Vishaul Singh has 378 runs.

Milestone man Veerasammy Permaul has 49 wickets in the season thus far while Nial Smith, who was omitted from the squad for this round, has 20 wickets. Paul and Shepherd, who have donned the Jaguars whites in previous seasons, have shown their dominance in the past. Their inclusion will form a formidable bowling attack.

Jaguars have already lost to Pride by seven wickets earlier in the season. Hetmyer has played one match this season while Shepherd and Paul 20 set to play their first match of the season. Paul played three matches last season for Jaguars, picking up 20 wickets while Shepherd played all 10 matches, ending as the leading seamer in the Caribbean with 37 scalps.

Jaguars squad: T a g e n a r i n e Chanderpaul, Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul, Romario Shepherd, Leon Johnson, Vishaul Singh, Christopher Barnwell, Raymon Reifer, Kevin Sinclair, Gudakesh Motie, Veerasammy Permaul, Anthony Bramble, and Akshaya Persaud.

Coach Emmerson Trotman disclosed that this was the most important match of the season for the Pride unit.

“Playing against the five-time champions and since we are looking to be champions, it’s important that we get a good game against Guyana. They have been playing and a win would be important to us,” Trotman posited.

When asked what has been the winning formula for the Pride team, Coach Trotman noted that it was the discipline to execute well. He added that this gave the players confidence heading into the upcoming rounds. With Test Captain Jason Holder in the squad fresh from a stint in Sri Lanka with the West Indies team, Trotman said this was a motivation.

“It’s always going to be a boost, because Holder is a top-class player; he would make anybody’s team in the world.

He would motivate the youngsters and he is a great player and the Pride unit is a happy one with his return,” Trotman added. Sharing his sentiments on what to expect at Providence, Trotman disclosed that it was a good wicket to play on, so they were looking forward to “a good outcome”.

A good find for Pride this season has been former West Indies U-19 fast bowler Chemar Holder, who has 34 wickets in what has been a consistent season. Coach Trotman stated that he has been a very good listener, and Coach Vasbert Drakes has been working with him and he has been executing.

“Having some of the West Indies players like Kemar Roach that has also been a motivation for Holder.”

Shimron Hetmyer on the attack in the nets

Romario Shepherd steaming in Keemo Paul runs in

Leading wicket-taker Veerasammy Permaul

Pride skipper Kraigg Brathwaite going through the motion

Pride star-player this season has been Kyle Mayers, who has 630 runs at an average of 57.27, with two centuries and five half-centuries. Shayne Mosely has 475 runs while the out-of-form Kraigg Brathwaite, who has an average of 25, has 336 runs. Test quick Roach has 21 wickets while Keon Harding has 29 wickets.

Pride squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain); Shamarh Brooks; Jonathan Carter; Shane Dowrich; Justin Greaves; Keon Harding; Chemar Holder; Jason Holder; Kyle Mayers; Shayne Moseley; Ashley Nurse; Kemar Roach and Jomel Warrican.

IN – Carter, Holder, Roach; OUT – Dominic Drakes, Kevin Stoute, Tevyn Walcott

Brooks and co at Providence

Team Pride

23

Head Coach Esuan Crandon and Assistant Coach/Manager Julian Moore having a discussion

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Page 23

Page 22 Keemo Paul

Romario Shepherd

The four boxers who are currently on a training stint in Cuba

Page 21

GABA President Jermaine Slater, GABA PRO Rawle Toney and representatives of the participating teams

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