Guyana Times Thursday May 28, 2020

See Region 4 SoRs comparison with released SoPs on pages 14 to 17 All SoRs are available on our website Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4299

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020

PPP already has “inclusive governance” on agenda

PRICE

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Absence of budget, COVID stymie work of EPA – P10 Director

Page

Page 7

…discussions will be initiated after winner of elections declared – PM Candidate Phillips

Region 5 recount completed See story on page 3

... APNU/AFC refuses to sign off …956 ballot boxes more to go …no word on deadline extension

GGMC pulls plug on extension for payments Page 7

$80 VAT INCLUDED

Uitvlugt sugar workers down tools

No new COVID-19 cases

P11

…1 new test in 24 hrs

51 vendors fined $255, 000 for not wearing face P8 mask

Page 12

…now demanding overdue …protest delayed payments, working hours claim fees by next week

3 weeks’ notice needed before national shutdown – City Hall to NCTF Page 2

…as municipality unable to pay workers

Scotiabank to cease noncustomer P13 transactions

Quarantine in luxury hotel or 'short time' guesthouse

…as Govt offers paid option for returning Guyanese P11

2 NEWS

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

3 weeks’ notice needed before national shutdown – City Hall to NCTF …as municipality unable to pay workers …laments M&CC’s absence on APNU/AFC Task Force

Chair of COVID-19 Task Force, Moses Nagamootoo

CEO of COVID-19 Task Force, Joseph Harmon

he Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is calling on the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) to give adequate notice before making any announcement for a national lockdown.

Currently, the National Task Force, through the Public Health Ministry, has implemented a 6PM to 6AM curfew among a series of emergency measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus in Guyana.

As at Wednesday, the country has recorded some 139 confirmed COVID-19 cases, along with 11 related deaths. To date, 67 persons have recovered from the life-threatening disease, while there are currently 61 ac-

tive cases, including two in the COVID-19 ICU. The curfew was extended for a second time last month until June 3. But with that date fast approaching and Guyana’s figures continuing to climb almost daily, it is anticipated that there would be a further extension to the curfew.

In fact, there have been talks of a possible national shutdown. However, no formal announcement has been made as yet, but Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine wants at least three weeks’ notification before any such announcement is made.

“I am kindly asking the National Task Force to communicate with us, and we also

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would like to have that notice to the Mayor and City Council, so that we can put things in place for the various markets that we control, and as well to see how we can able to strategise to deal with our workers,” he stated at a press conference on Wednesday.

According to Narine, there are depressed areas in Georgetown, and people who depend on the road for their livelihood. As such, there should be some strategies at the Task Force level in regard to how it would deal with those “depressed areas”.

The Georgetown Mayor further lamented the fact that there is no City Hall representative on the NCTF, even as City Hall manages the capital city.

He explained, however, that there is a team working along with the Ministries of Communities and Public Health, but there is no one on the NCTF. “At the Task Force level, we don’t have anyone sitting there. However, I would like – we have a medical officer… I don’t know much about health, but she, as a doctor, is fully aware, and she can sit there to represent the City. I solely believe that a representative from the City [should be on the Task Force], you’re taking about the capital city… I would love to have someone sit there yes, but

Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine

currently no,” he contended.

Narine went on to point out that the entire Government operates out of Georgetown and, as such, the Task Force needs to work more closely with the M&CC, as Central Government usually does.

“I just can’t make a decision because Central Government operates here [as well as], so we both have to make decisions together,” he posited.

On this note, the Georgetown Mayor posited that such collaboration is need, given the Council’s limited resources. In fact, he noted that he is not even sure where he would get money to pay salaries next month.

“As the Mayor and City

Council, we’re very limited in resources. I don’t know how I will pay staff for next month.

I’m seeking Government’s help. I did all they asked me to do…and supply it to Ministry of Communities. However, I do look forward to hear from Ministry of Communities and National Task Force, so we can do it together,” Narine stated.

Nevertheless, the Mayor called on companies in the City to ensure that they pay their rates and taxes.

The NCFT was set up by caretaker President David Granger back in March to coordinate Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is currently headed by Moses Nagamootoo as its Chairman and Joseph Harmon as its Chief Executive Officer.

Hamon was appointed to the post only last month, after being removed as Director General at the Ministry of the Presidency. He was handed most of the duties that previously fell under Nagamootoo’s portfolio.

Of recent, allegations have been mounting that the caretaker APNU/AFC Coalition, through the Task Force, is using COVID-19 as a political tool to hang on to power, especially when it comes to issues regarding the ongoing National Recount of the votes cast on March 2.

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has had to seek permission from the NCTF to increase the number of counting/work stations from 10 to 12 to accelerate the pace of the 25-day exercise.

Most stakeholders, including the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), say that GECOM is an independent constitutional body and does not need approval from anyone to conduct its work. The Party argued that the guidelines previously outlined by the Task Force to maintain social distancing, among other things, during the recount can be used by GECOM as a model to implement additional work stations.

NEWS

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, May 28 – 09:00h-10:30h and Friday, May 29 – 09:30h-11:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, May 28 – 07:35h-09:05h and Friday, May 29 – 08:40h-10:10h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Light rain showers are expected followed by cloudy skies in the afternoon hours. There should be partly cloudy conditions and light rain showers in the evening. Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 08:15h and 21:02h reaching maximum heights of 2.44 metres and 2.28 metres.

Low Tide: 14:26h reaching a minimum height of 0.78 metre.

US$

Change %

Crude Oil

$34.74/barrel

-4.12

Rough Rice

$294.39 /ton

-0.05

London Sugar

$364.00/ton

-3.29

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1714.00

$1715.00

Low/High

$1692.50

$1717.50

+4.30

+0.25%

Change

... APNU/AFC refuses to sign off …956 ballot boxes more to go …no word on deadline extension

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he Guyana Elections C o m m i s s i o n (GECOM) on Wednesday completed tabulating the votes for all the ballot boxes for electoral district Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice), but the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) has refused to sign off on the results certificate.

Venued at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC), the National Recount exercise being undertaken by GECOM has since generated a Tabulation Certificate for that electoral district, documenting 14,502 votes for the incumbent while registering a commanding lead of 18,326 votes for the main political Opposition.

This, contrasted with the declared results for the region following the March 2, polls, indicate that the recount increased the votes for the incumbent, which had 14,475 votes initially, and for the opposition Peoples Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), which had 18,263 votes.

There were 374 rejected ballots, while 61 were found to be spoilt votes of the 33,004 valid votes cast.

The incumbent coalition agent has since refused to sign the certificate, leaving signatures for representatives of the PPP/C, Change Guyana (CG) which picked up 127 votes in the region, the Peoples Republican Party (PRP) and the United Republican Party (URP).

At the end of the day, the Commission completed recounting an additional 93 ballot boxes across the regions, which would leave in excess of 956 ballot boxes still to be recounted in the three days remaining of gazetted allotted time.

Extension

COMMODITIES Indicators

Region 5 recount completed

Guyana Times was told that while there was a commission meeting to discuss an extension of the allotted time for the recount, a decision was not taken.

The Commission is expected to resume that meeting today, when GECOM continues recounting votes cast on March 2. There is a proposal for the extension date to be June 16.

However, the commission is yet make any formal decision.

At the end of Wednesday, Day 22, GECOM had completed recounting the votes cast in Regions One, Two and Five, confirming PPP/C wins for each of the Regions, while the tabulation agent for APNU/ AFC has signed off only for Region One. Confirmed results for the Barima/Waini electoral district produced a

The Region Five tabulation declaration which the APNU/AFC agent refused to sign

result of 8,002 votes for PPP/C and 3909 for APNU/ AFC. Declared Pomeroon/ Supenaam results have verified 18,752 votes for the PPP/C in that Region while APNU/AFC got 7,293 votes.

Ascertained results for Region Three — scheduled for completion today — on Wednesday, documented a gargantuan lead for the PPP/C with 44,691 votes

while APNU/AFC trails with 22,115 votes.

The third highest votes for the region were secured

by CG, picking up 359 ballots in that district.

Votes tabulated for Regions Six, Seven, Eight and Nine each confirmed commanding leads for the PPP/C in those districts.

The incumbent has to date however, confirmed

45,645 votes in its traditional stronghold, Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica) while the PPP/C has so far had 25,671 of its votes from the district ascertained in the recount exercise.

The recount process is yet to begin addressing the Ballot Boxes for Region Ten. Addressing the figures coming out of the recount exercise, PPP Tabulation Agent Nandlall had on Tuesday again lamented the repeated objections being made by the agents for the coalition, concluding, “There is no science, there is no logical theory which informs these objections, there is no reason behind the strategy; its scatter bullets shooting, and whichever target they hit they hit.”

The PPP/C agent reasoned that the rationale behind the ploy is to, at the end of the process, accumulate a basket of anomalies and irregularities which, if investigated, would whittle.

Nandlall suggested this to be the course of action, since “they are being beaten…”

He conceded, “Of course they will win Region Four in the end, and we all know that and we said that from the beginning, and they will possibly win Region 10; in all the other regions, that is what they want to distract from.”

He suggested this to be the motive behind the APNU+AFC agents “raising all these spurious, frivolous and vexatious objections to the proceedings.”

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guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020

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

The toll of COVID-19 on workers

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ccording to a recent report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), more than one in six young people have stopped working since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, while those who remain employed have seen their working hours cut by 23 per cent.

In the coming weeks, the unemployment rate is expected to soar in countries everywhere. Especially with the end of the virus being nowhere in sight, one can only imagine the economic impact the virus would have on poor and developing economies.

According to the ILO Monitor: COVID-19 and the World of Work; 4th Edition, youth are being disproportionately affected by the pandemic. The report states that, in 2019, there were around 267 million young people not in employment, education or training (NEET) worldwide. Those 15-to-24-year-olds who were employed were also more likely to be in forms of work that leave them vulnerable, such as low-paid occupations, informal sector work, or as migrant workers.

Last month, the ILO had projected that some 1.6 billion people employed in the informal economy – or nearly half the global workforce - could see their livelihoods destroyed due to the continued decline in working hours brought on by lockdowns to curb the spread of COVID-19. Globally, there are some 3.3 billion workers. Two billion have jobs in the informal economy, representing the most vulnerable workers in the labour market.

For its part, the ILO has urged countries to implement “urgent, targeted and flexible measures” to support both workers and businesses, particularly smaller enterprises and those in the informal economy. The agency also stressed that international coordination on stimulus packages and debt relief measures would be critical to making recovery effective and sustainable.

The organisation has also underlined the need for “urgent, large-scale and targeted policy responses to support youth, including broad-based employment/training guarantee programmes in developed countries, and employment-intensive programmes and guarantees in lowand middle-income economies”.

In Guyana’s case, a detailed study is needed to determine the real impact of the pandemic on the employment sector; more particularly, to find out how many persons have become jobless, how many have had their hours of work reduced, and how all of this has impacted individual families.

There is also need to gather useful information on the impact of the virus on businesses, especially small and medium-scale ones, many of which were forced to cease operations. This would assist policymakers with the necessary guidance to design and implement certain measures to assist those affected. Almost every sector, including tourism, manufacturing, services, retail and financial, have been, and will continue to be, severely affected due to the pandemic.

Prior to COVID-19, we had already seen the laying off of thousands of workers in the sugar belt by the APNU/ AFC Administration. Those workers were already facing extremely tough times, as there was no system put in place to cater for the accompanying economic and social problems due to the closure of the estates etc.

While many countries around the world have justifiably instituted partial or full lockdown and other measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, the majority of them have taken steps to provide relief measures to citizens, so as to avoid much bigger social and economic problems. Their governments are well aware that families and businesses would need some form of support to cushion the impact of such drastic measures.

However, calls made here by the various stakeholders, for the caretaker Government to implement certain relief measures to cushion the impact of the virus on households and businesses, have fallen on deaf ears. The authorities are clearly oblivious to the concerns of citizens. Perhaps this is due to the fact that they are being consumed by the desire to hold on to political power.

Once the National Recount is completed and a credible winner is sworn in, immediate steps must be taken to address the huge economic and social fallout due to COVID-19. Many persons are currently jobless, and facing tough times. The crisis demands exemplary leadership, for which the nation could hardly wait.

Democracy on Trial: The case of Guyana and Suriname

Dear Editor, The elections’ events unfolding in Guyana as well as in Suriname have cast on to centre-stage the important remarks of Noel Lynch, Caricom’s Ambassador to the OAS. “The Guyanese people deserve a credible and transparent process to put into office a legitimate government that they elected.”

It goes without saying that Ambassador Lynch’s statement is equally applicable to neighbouring Suriname.

The Suriname election of May 25th has many parallels with the March 2, 2020 national and regional elections of Guyana. These include, but are not limited to: allegations of electoral irregularities, the need for opposition forces to watch over the ballot boxes, and the reluctance of the incumbent party to step down. There is one noted difference: Suriname’s Elections Commission is run by civil society, and not by political parties; and the Chair is a strong and independent person.

The President of Suriname, Desi Bouterse, was a former military strong man, and so was the President of Guyana, David Granger.

Both men are in their mid70s, and have presided over culturally and racially heterogenous societies, where there is no ethnic majority group. Both of them exercised firm control over their respective national armies.

Granger and Bouterse have lost recent national elections in their respective countries, but are reluctant to give

up power. Their loss at elections is attributed to several factors, including financial mismanagement, corruption, and poor governance.

Guyana’s David Granger and Suriname’s Desi Bouterse want to continue to preside over their respective emerging oil economies. For self-gratification? Or to facilitate their cabal to rip off the countries’ resources? Both men have shown an aversion to democracy, the rule of law, and the constitution. Granger has, for example, violated the constitution on multiple occasions, and Bouterse was convicted for grave human rights violations, including the murder of political opponents, following the military coup that he staged in 1980.

The fear of sanctions, to be imposed upon them for violations of human rights and the subversion of the democratic process, has forced their respective governing parties to hire the sanction-busting Washington firm of JJ&B LLC to lobby on their behalf, to avoid the incurring of sanctions for their aberrant acts.

The incumbent governing National Democratic Party of Suriname (NDP), which is led

by Desi Bouterse, is projected to lose the May 25th election. Its previous 26 seats in the 51- seat Parliament has been reduced to 16. Stepping down from power would be resisted. An almost similar situation exists in Guyana, where the SOPs indicate that the Opposition PPPC won the elections, but the incumbent PNCR government has refused to concede defeat. A

fatigue-prone recount process is underway, and the results are expected to be validated by a Caricom team.

There have been several reports of electoral irregularities in Suriname by opposition forces, including the OAS. These were described as “heavily exaggerated” by the Caricom team.” (ABC News: 5/25/2020). The truth might be somewhere in between.

In Guyana, there has been no major report of Election Day irregularities. Ambassador Lynch’s report notes: “irregularities occurred not in the system by which the Guyanese electorate cast their votes on March 2, but in the presentation of the count afterwards.” This is the reference to Clairmont Mingo’s voter tabulation fraud on March 4th and 13th.

Moreover, President David Granger praised the Election Day process as free, fair and orderly. The Chair of the Elections Commission (GECOM) paid compliments to her staff for conducting free and fair elections. All the major national and international observer groups and diplomats expressed their satisfaction for relatively incident-free elections.

Notwithstanding the statements of Mr Granger, Ambassador Lynch and others, the PNCR has begun to allege, after a period of 9 weeks following the March 2nd elections, the occurrence of irregularities on Election Day, and even prior to Election Day. But they have not yet provided any ev-

idence.

In Guyana, the history of rigging by the PNCR, and the glaring effort to rig the tabulation process on March 4, 2020, and again on March 13th have forced the opposition parties and defenders of democracy (GOD) to keep a 24- hour watch on all the ballot boxes every day since March 2,2020. Taking a cue from Guyana, Suriname’s opposition forces have been keeping watch over the ballot boxes in Paramaribo.

The Guyana election impasse has caused the Caricom Ambassador to OAS, Noel Lynch, to make a telling comment: “If democracy fails in any Caricom country, it fails in the larger community. If it is imperiled in any part of our community, it is imperiled everywhere in it. As an institution, Caricom can’t allow this to happen in any member state.”

This statement becomes more significant with the election situation in Suriname.

Civil society groups, fearing that the Guyana election fiasco happenings might be replicated in Suriname, have made an urgent call to major international organisations and governments to stop electoral fraud and to defend democracy.

There is one rogue state in the region; namely, Venezuela. Would the West and Caricom allow Guyana and Suriname to join that anti-democratic (rogue) club?

Sincerely, Dr Tara Singh

English common law is meant to preserve, not undermine, rule of law, Mr AG

Dear Editor, Reference is made to a missive by the learned Attorney General (AG) Basil Williams titled, “It is for GECOM to resolve irregularities in observation reports.”

Having been publicly moved from his perch by his Coalition Leader that the recount is legitimate, Mr. Williams resurfaces, but under the auspices of the office he occupies. It is therefore unclear initially on whose behalf he speaks, as the de facto Government did not contest the elections.

The learned AG made no reference to any legal precedence or authority to support his contentions, except GECOM’s Order, which by now must have swallowed the Constitution and all Election Laws or Amendments pertaining to recounts. The AG, or Mr. Williams as a Coalition figure, no longer questions the legality of the recount, but seeks to add to these “special recount process” two new roles for GECOM that must occur as part of the recount.

Although he uses the noun “dichotomy”, which generally means two different things — it is a smokescreen, because his partisan aim is to transform GECOM from an elections body into a court with exclusive and immediate jurisdiction to hear arguments, take testimonies, solicit and examine evidence, and other-

wise conduct an audit of ballots under the umbrella of a recount.

This court, or tribunal, is to now be headed by the “well qualified” but retired Justice Claudette Singh as GECOM Chairperson, who will return to judicial duties and conduct elaborate evidentiary hearings because, as Mr. Williams’s colleague Joseph Harmon has claimed, there are at least 86,000 “anomalies” to be examined.

The CARICOM team can pack up and go home. Put another way: Guyana, with its de facto President with limited authority having lost the people’s confidence since 2018, must continue to exist in this dangerous state for an indefinite period, to accommodate an examination of death certificates and immigration records.

Despite being a fiduciary officer of the state with good-faith duties towards Guyana, the AG has placed the Coalition before the country.

Specifically, he is using this Order to make GECOM a law onto itself, overriding the Constitution and parting with separation of powers, which allows for a robust Judiciary to pronounce on electoral “anomalies.”

The AG has, in effect, eliminated a right to file election petitions afforded to petitioners, and a right to hear such petitions as afforded to

the people or peers via the Judiciary.

Moreover, to get GECOM to do the Coalition’s bidding, the AG has resorted to English common law. He tells us: “The Chairman of GECOM would be familiar with the time hallowed common law principle that evidence is admissible once relevant, irrespective of how it was obtained.”

Arguably, there is hardly anything more chilling on the electoral conscience as this statement. In other words, if murder will make evidence “relevant,” then such evidence is admissible into GECOM’s chambers. As such, GECOM can circumvent legal principles that protect privacy issues to get relevant evidence; its Chair can “call” on the General Registrar’s Office for birth and death records, and the Immigration Department for immigration records, and adjudicate just as “she would have done in Court between two opposing litigants”.

Interestingly, the eagerness with which the AG refers to the General Registrar’s Office and the Immigration Department exposes his use of public office for pro-Coalition business, because it references the Coalition’s allegations that dead and migrated persons voted. He must recall also that this recount applies to more than two parties, none of which incidentally happens to be the General Registrar’s

Office or the Immigration Department.

More importantly, while this AG is now comfortable accepting the word of the de facto President as authority on legal matters (e.g., the AG’s reference to a letter by the President to the PPP on March 14, 2017 about the aforesaid “two opposing litigants”), his reference to “two opposing litigants” points to an adversarial legal system in which generally the “litigants” do the heavy lifting as to evidence, with a court acting merely as an umpire.

In such a court or tribunal, GECOM Chair cannot therefore “call” for death certificates and immigration records. Indeed, given this low common-law evidentiary standard of admissibility, combined with her new superwoman powers, the GECOM Chair can simply flick her fingers and send her agents to the appropriate state offices to forcefully seize anything pursuant to this beloved GECOM’s Order for the “reconciliation of the ballots.”

It is this terrifying interpretation of English common law and what it allows for that forces one to respectfully disagree with the learned AG. English common law is meant to preserve, not undermine, rule of law.

Sincerely, Rakesh Rampertab

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 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

HOGWASH – Incumbent’s claims are highly improbable and have no impact in determining the winner Dear Editor, In the past few weeks, we continue to see the incumbent government (APNU/ AFC) making claims regarding the conduct of the March 2020 elections. First, they claim they won the elections on the grounds of Mingo’s infamous Region 4 tabulation.

This was legally challenged, and a recount exercise was initiated. Terrified of the recount exercise and the results it would yield, the incumbent started to make alleged anomalies from day 1 of the recount, mostly targeted at discrediting the validity of the votes cast in March 2020. These allegations were made specifically in the opposition’s strongholds.

Here is the killer: when these anomalies were statistically extrapolated on the back of a napkin, they amounted to a whopping 86,000 invalid votes, indicating there was systematic fraud in the opposition’s strongholds ONLY!?!

Some of these allegations have been reported in the observation reports to date for the respective regions, and some were being heard of for the first time by most stakeholders at an in-office press conference held by Mr. Harmon on May 25, 2020.

Given the sensitivity around these allegations, and the incumbent’s efforts to discredit the foundation of the electoral process and ultimately impact the outcome, it is important to understand why these allegations are almost impossible to have occurred. The procedures as laid out in the Representation

of the People Act and enacted by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) have been time tested, modified over the decades, and are viewed by experts as solid.

There are multiple layers of internal controls, segregation of duties, protection of voting assets, sign-offs, audit trail and other safeguards.

As a matter of fact, it is because of this rigorous process that Mingo’s fraud was so easily uncovered.

Additionally, when engaged in a manual electoral process, some of these anomalies are common and were noted by accredited observers in prior Guyana elections.

Based upon the above, it is reasonable to conclude that the allegations made by the incumbent are nearly impossible to have occurred. Any errors detected have been deemed immaterial, and do not have an impact on the valid votes cast in determining a winner.

Observations noted in the observations report during the recount as well as those noted by independent observers should be evaluated by GECOM and considered in making improvements to the process going forward. To date, no material weakness was identified to deem the electoral process systemically flawed. A credible winner can therefore be announced based upon the party receiving most of the total valid votes.

Missing documentation

Improper making on ballots

Dead and ineligible migrants voting

Warmest regards, Bibi Ramdayal, CPA

Trapped in a prism of time Dear Editor, I can vividly recall a 1986 sociology lecture at the University of Guyana

by Professor Ken Danns, in which he said that no matter what party had persuaded him to cast his vote for them, once he got into the voting booth, the X would end up next to the Palm Tree (symbol of the PNC).

In reading Dr. George K. Danns’s letter in support of a David Granger Presidency, I can see that sociology is still winning, and 34 years and a doctorate later, my old professor is seemingly trapped in a prism of time.

Dr. Danns influenced and

Allegations Voters list is padded

inspired me and countless others during his time at UG, as I am sure he does wherever he teaches. I hope I can return the favour by asking him to look past the sociology and examine the accomplishments of Dr. Irfaan Ali to date, and examine any of Ali’s campaign speeches to ascertain his vision for all Guyanese. It has been my experience that it is never too late to break free from the chains of sociology; Bob Marley’s Redemption Song is the perfect soundtrack for the journey.

False ballot papers

Disciplined service ballots deemed invalid

Respectfully, Robin Singh

Internal controls and safeguards in place to mitigate List was cleansed by GECOM of the deceased and migrated citizens identifications were issued with proper paperwork and proof of residency/citizenship period of claims and objections for major political parties was extended.

Recommendations were reviewed and adjustments made by GECOM Actual Impact – the procedures above mitigate invalid voters from being on the list.

Even with a bloated list, there are other controls and processes in place at the polling stations to ensure that only valid votes are cast.

Mostly due to human error or misplacement by polling staff None of the primary voting assets (ink, ballot papers or Statements of Poll) which would allow for fraudulent votes to be cast were missing missing documentation discovered during the recount do not have an impact on the actual votes cast Actual Impact – this does not have an impact on the number of votes cast to date, and these incidences are not significant to indicate there was a material breakdown in controls on E-Day. This is most likely attributed to human error, and upon second review in the recount, it was determined these should be included/excluded.

Actual Impact – adjustment to the count was made accordingly; and, to date, this does not have a material impact on the total votes cast. The volume does not indicate that there is any significant breakdown in controls.

These allegations are unfounded, with no conclusive evidence provide by the incumbent that dead and ineligible migrant persons voted. Limited dead certificates submitted show that those individuals, although on the voters list, were not marked as voting. Additionally, immigration or travel papers were not submitted to prove that ineligible migrants voted.

Below are the safeguards in place on E-Day to support that this was highly unlikely: Voters have 2 layers of ID verification There is limited access to primary voting assets Semi-permanent ink used on voter’s index finger is difficult to remove Voting and counting of the ballots occurred in the presence of GECOM staff, party agents, local observers, international observers Matters arising on E-Day were transparent and documented Statements of Poll (SOPs) are signed off by major stakeholders as to their accuracy and credibility and are posted for public access No evidence of massive collusion amongst GECOM staff, polling agents and international and local observers on E-Day. In Fact, all stakeholders, including independent observers, attested that the voting process was credible.

Collusion at 2,339 polling stations with over 17,000 individuals involved would require extensive coordination, and is not likely to go undetected. Collusion with a few individuals at the executive level (as in the case with Mingo) is easier to pull off. However, because of the transparency of the Guyana electoral process, this was promptly detected.

Actual Impact – to date, there is no proof to indicate that this occurred.

Each ballot paper is printed with a unique marking and serial number to validate its authenticity.

At the end of E-Day, all ballots were securely locked and sealed with codes/locks, and only GECOM and major political parties had access to them.

Any tampering would have to involve these stakeholders, and tampering by any one stakeholder would be visible. The ballot boxes are then securely locked in large containers, making it difficult for any one key stakeholder to access.

As part of the recount, these boxes are closely examined, and there is no evidence that these boxes were tampered with.

As part of the recount, the ballot papers are also examined by GECOM, party representatives, and independent observers for authenticity.

Actual Impact – to date GECOM has not identified any false ballot papers as part of the recount.

It is impossible to decipher which votes belong to disciplined service voters, as they are combined with other votes. A blanket claim that these were excluded has no merit.

In general, votes not stamped, properly marked etc. are excluded from the count because they do not meet the requirements of a valid vote as laid out in the Representation of the People Act. These principles are consistently applied to all votes.

Actual Impact – to date, invalid votes were properly excluded from the count.

However, the impact is not material to the overall votes cast

Diplomats in Guyana are currently subjected to constant abuse Dear Editor, The Canadian High Commission in Georgetown, Guyana is the primary channel for communication between the Government of Canada and a legitimate Government of Guyana. It supports many initiatives, business development, cultural exchanges etc., and other areas of cooperation between the two countries.

Most importantly, though, is Canada’s principled involve-

ment in ensuring that human rights practices adhere to international conventions, and that democratic processes are held to the highest standards in Guyana.

HE Lilian Chatterjee, the current High Commissioner of Canada, has been active in ensuring that Canada’s expectation of a free and democratic society is not threatened or lost. So, when HE Chatterjee joined with the other inter-

national diplomats and accredited election observers to challenge the broad daylight rigging of the March 2nd election results, she was engaging in what was expected of her

by Canada’s Government, the Foreign Ministry, and the people of Canada.

Every decent and democratic-minded Guyanese at home and in the diaspora applauded her efforts.

Soon after the attempted swearing in of an illegal Government via fraudulent election results was thwarted, a petition which apparently originated in Toronto and a letter out of London, Ontario addressed to PM Trudeau appeared in the media. The petition and letter, based on frivolous excuses, are asking for the recall of Lilian Chatterjee as Canada’s High Commissioner to Guyana.

Consequently, a counter petition, in support of HE Chatterjee and other diplomats who are championing democracy in Guyana, was initiated by an apolitical ad hoc group that does not ask for, or accept, donations: ‘Democracy Watch 2020’, and uploaded on change.org (Supporting the Canadian High Commissioner and others championing democracy in Guyana) Current signatories are at 3189 and

counting.

Canada has long stood for democracy and freedom in Guyana. Canada has always been generous to Guyana and to Guyanese.

We recall the mass exodus of Guyanese between the late 1970s and the early 1990s, during the last dictatorial rule in Guyana. It was Canada which accepted thousands of people.

TURN TO PAGE 22

6

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020

Page

Foundation

Guyana Times is pleased to publish the Education Ministry’s National Grade Six Assessment Past Papers.

Below is Mathematics Paper 2, April 2016.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL GRADE SIX ASSESSMENT Read these instructions carefully before you attempt to answer the questions.

1. Write your candidate number clearly on each page.

2. This paper contains six questions. You are required to answer question 1 and three 1. (a) Solve, giving your answer in the lowest terms,

others. Each question is worth 5 marks Note: You must answer only four questions.

Be sure to answer the four questions completely.

3. Write the answer for each question in the space provided in this booklet.

,.

(b) At a sale, books are sold at $90.75 each, which is 75% of the original price. (i) What is the original price of a book?

MATHEMATICS

4. Answers must be written in complete sentences where possible.

5. Each step of your work must be clearly shown in this booklet.

6.

If you have to erase, do so cleanly.

7. look over your work when you have finished.

8.

Do not take away any part of this booklet.

(i) What fraction of her pocket money did Mia spend on stationery?

(1 mark)

(2 marks)

(1 mark)

(ii) If Mia saved $28.00, how much pocket money did she receive?

(2 marks)

3 . Figure ABCD shown below is made up of a semicircle and a rectangle. 0 is the centre of the line DC. (Use ∏ = 22/7). (a) Calculate the area of triangle AOB.

Find the value of (i) angle x (2 marks) (ii) angle y.

(ii) Paul buys 10 books at the sale and pays VAT of 16% on the sale price. Calculate the total amount he paid for the 10 books.

(2 marks)

(1 mark) (b) Find the value of p in the diagram below.

(2 matrks)

lnstruction: Answer any three questions from questions 2 to 6.

2. (a) Jai bought 4 different items from the list shown below.

Two of the items cost the same amount. He paid with $200.00.

If Jai received $23.60 change, what four items did he buy?

(1 mark) (b) Calculate the area of the semicircle.

(2 marks)

(b) Mia received some pocket money. She spent 3/5 of it on food and 3/10the remaining amount on stationery. She saved the rest of the money.

(2 marks)

4. (a) TP = TQ.

How many pupils are in the club altogether?

(2 marks)

(c)What is the area of the shaded region of the figure?

(2 marks)

5. (a) The ratio of the number of girls to the number of boys in a sports club was 4:7. There are 18 more boys than girls in the club.

In the figure below, PQR is a straight line and

(b) Kaydeen is a long jumper whose personal best is 6 m. Her personal best jump is 20% greater than the school’s championship record. (i) What is the school’s championship record?

(1 mark) (ii) The national record is 7.5m.

By what percentage must Kaydeen increase her personal best jump to equal the national record?

(2 marks) 6. A group of 30 Grade 6 pupils is asked which of two colours, red or green, they like. Of the 30 pupils, 6 like red only and 17 like green. The Venn diagram below shows the information.

(a) If twice as many pupils who like red only like green but not red, find the value of a, b and C. (b) How many pupils do not like red?

(1 mark) (c) How many pupils like red or green?

(1 mark) (3 marks)

END OF TEST

NEWS

7

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PPP already has “inclusive governance” on agenda …discussions will be initiated after winner of elections declared – PM Candidate Phillips

C

aretaker President David Granger, in face of what appears to be an imminent electoral defeat, has reached out to the political Opposition with talk of inclusive governance; but the Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) has responded by telling the executive that any such talks would have to await the conclusion of the National Elections Recount exercise of the votes cast on March 2.

This is according to PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate Brigadier (rtd) Mark Phillips during a media engagement on the sidelines of the activity underway at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC) on Wednesday.

The PPP/C PM Candidate told media operatives that Constitutional Reform would be high on the agenda

of his party’s new administration, and that this would include a consensus structure of inclusive governance.

According to the former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) chieftain, it is only after the democratic process of electing a new Government is completed that the party would be engaged “in any discussion about constitutional reform and about inclusive governance.”

He was adamant that what must first be obtained is, “Respect the people who voted on March 2; respect the will of the people.”

Reminding that the PPP/C is committed to seeing the recount process through to the end, the PM Candidate drew reference to the party’s 2020 elections campaign manifesto and said, “We are the ones who started this whole discus-

PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate, Brigadier (rtd) Mark Phillips

sion as part of this electoral process of constitutional reform and inclusive governance.”

Responding directly to caretaker President Granger, Brigadier (rtd)

GGMC pulls plug on extension for payments

…now demanding overdue claim fees by next week

The GGMC is now demanding overdue payments by next week

T

he Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has resumed collecting fees for renewal of mining small and medium scale claims, bringing an end to the extension it had given miners for payments that were due since March 31, 2020.

This was communicated in a notice from GGMC’s acting Commissioner, Newell Dennison. Notwithstanding the fact that Guyana is now in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic, GGMC has set next week Friday as the new deadline for payments.

“Notice is hereby given for general information that, due to unexpected and continuing challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a final opportunity on renewal of claims, which was due March 31st, 2020.

“Payments will now be permitted, and must be done on or before June 5, 2020.

Please make contact with the Commission’s Mines Administrative Department for further information,” the notice also said.

With Guyana having confirmed 139 cases of COVID-19 as at May 27, 2020, the country is currently under emergency orders that were declared by the Government, putting restrictions on all but

the most essential of services.

Mining is one of those essential services.

In recent times, however, the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has called for the removal of mining from the list of essential services. The body has cited the threat of COVID-19 transmission posed by neighbouring Brazil, by far the worst hit country on the continent.

“The vulnerability of indigenous communities to the COVID-19 virus cannot be overstated. But should the virus really take hold in the Rupununi, it will then definitely spread to the entire country. The call from the Chairman of Region 9 for a complete lockdown of Lethem from coastal contact reflects the only realistic strategy,” the GHRA had said in its statement.

“The controversial issue of mining being declared an ‘essential service’ is at the centre of this problem.

Many ordinary Guyanese are struggling to provide for their families while abiding by the lockdown, while miners driving 500 miles through Amerindian communities, putting many people at serious risk ‘en route’ to what is considered an essential activity. This kind of contradic-

tion discredits the official anti-COVID-19 strategy, fosters indignation, and needs to be addressed urgently.”

Since spreading around the world, coronavirus has had a debilitating effect on the global economy and the way of life of millions. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) had recently released an assessment in which it ranked Guyana among the few countries in the region least prepared to deal with the effects of the Coronavirus epidemic, particularly the negative effects it would have on the economy and tourism.

In the assessment, the IMF rated countries in the Americas from red (least prepared) to green (most prepared). Countries like the United States and Canada were in the green zone. However, Guyana, Guatemala, Belize and Honduras were not so lucky.

Neighbouring Brazil was considered more prepared than average, while countries like Colombia were rated as less prepared. According to the IMF, the virus is likely to have immediate economic impacts in the region, including financial restrictions, declining commodity prices, and reduced tourism.

Phillips said it was heartening to hear the coalition A partnership for National Unity, Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) change their narrative on the need for inclusive governance, “and they are coming on board with us.”

Inclusive governance is in the PPP’s manifesto, he said, and both the Presidential Candidate Dr Irfaan Ali and General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo have reiterated that before and after the March 2nd elections.

He was adamant, “However, we said it before, and we say it again: respect the people who voted on March 2; respect the will of the people, and we are committed to seeing this recount process to the end and respecting the results of the process as declared by GECOM (Guyana Elections Commission).

According to Phillips, this would ensure “democracy prevails in Guyana.” As such, he stressed that it “is only through a democratic process we must determine who win or who lose; and after then, only after then, after respecting the democratic process, we must engage in any discussion about conditional reform and about inclusive governance.”

Asked to elaborate on what is being proposed by the PPP/C as it relates to inclusive governance, the PM Candidate told media operatives, “It is too early to talk about structure”, save to say “it will first begin with a discussion between all stakeholders.”

According to Phillips, “We are not going to talk about structure now, we prefer to allow the democratic process to determine who wins the election, and after then we will sit down with all the stakeholders and we will hammer out a structure. We start with inclusive governance by being inclusive as against being dictatorial.”

He told reporters, “Once we come through the democratic process and the will of the people is respected through the democratic process, whoever forms the Government -- and we are confident that we are going to form the Government -- as early as possible will invite all the stakeholders.”

Providing an update on the recount on day 22 of the exercise, the PPP/C Candidate, in briefing media

operatives, said: “We, in the PPP/C, are confident that we won these elections.”

He told media operative that notwithstanding the “mischief” allegedly perpetrated by Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Ming, “We have in our possession the SOPS that were presented to us by GECOM. Utilising those SOPs has led us to the conclusion that we won this election.”

He surmised that, “Everybody is aware of Mingo’s mischief” and said, “The whole recount is an effort to verify this whole electoral process. We are having a recount, at the end of the recount, GECOM is expected to do a number of things, including declaring the results of the report.”

Directing attention to media reports, the PM Candidate noted that his party has managed to have published copies of its SOPs for Region Four declared

by Mingo alongside the Statements of Recount that are generated during the recount exercise.

This, he said, illustrates pellucidly that the recounted ballots from the sealed boxes are confirming with the copies of the SOPs that were prepared by GECOM and given to parties, including the PPP/C. As such, he was adamant, “The recount process is necessary to determine the will of the people, necessary to determine who will govern this country for the next five years.”

8 NEWS 51 vendors fined $255, 000 for not wearing face mask T THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

he Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is stepping up efforts to ensure that vendors comply with the necessary measures to contain the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

On Wednesday, the Council stated that 51 vendors who were found operating without a face mask were fined $5000 each. These vendors were found operating at the Albouystown, Stabroek, and Bourda Markets.

“The Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown implores all

citizens to observe the COVID-19 precautionary

guidelines set out by the Ministry of Public Health.

We have to work together to beat COVID-19,” the M&CC said.

On May 4, City Hall had announced a series of measures to combat the spread of COVID-19 which both vendors and shoppers must follow.

Both shoppers and vendors, once in the municipal markets, are required to wear face masks.

City Hall said a limited number of shoppers would be allowed to enter each market at a given time and as persons exit, others would be allowed to enter.

Linden home invasion

2 accused gunmen released on $60,000 bail each T

wenty-eight-year-old Royston Thompson and 35-year-old Travis Hazel were each granted bail in the sum of $60,000 by Magistrate Faith McGusty on Wednesday when they appeared virtually at the Linden Magistrate’s Court to answer to the joint charge of robbery under arms.

Thompson, of Lot 176 Wisroc Housing Scheme, Wismar, Linden, and Hazel, also called “Fifty”, of Lot 25 Silvertown, Wismar, are accused of robbing Julian Jones of $4 million; Yonette Allicock of four pennyweight of raw gold valued $60,000, a Samsung Galaxy smartphone valued $15,000 and Francine Pinto of a gold and silver cricket band valued $60,000 and a Samsung Galaxy smartphone valued $40,000.

The home invasion occurred on May 23 at the Block 22 Wismar home of the Virtual Complainants (VCs). The men are expected to make their next virtual court appearance on June 22, 2020.

Reports are that three gunmen invaded the home

Royston Thompson

at approximately 05:30h on Saturday. According to reports, Jones, who is a gold miner, gave his reputed wife the $4 million for her sister to secure after returning from the interior last month. The woman’s sister reportedly told investigators that she kept the money secured in a black garbage bag which she hung on a wall in her bedroom. She disclosed that she was in her bedroom sleeping on Saturday when she was awakened by two armed men, who held

her at gunpoint, demanding cash and jewellery. The woman told investigators that the gunmen then started to ransack the house.

During this time, the other victims heard the commotion and ventured up to the upper flat of the house, and the gunmen turned their attention to them. During the ordeal, one of the gunmen reportedly dealt the gold miner’s reputed wife a lash to her left shoulder while demanding cash and jewellery.

Thereafter, the suspects discharged a round into the ceiling of the house, which caused the woman who feared for her life to go into the bedroom where she handed over the bag containing the cash. One of the gunmen then proceeded to relieve the other victims of their valuables before they all ran out of the house, making good their escape.

The suspects discharged several shots while fleeing the scene. A report was later made to the Police, who then launched an investigation into the incident. Ranks reportedly recovered two 9mm spent shells and a warhead fragment at the scene.

Travis Hazel

Several persons were questioned by Police, which led to the arrest of three men, including Thompson and Hazel. A 19-year-old student of the Linden Technical Institute (LTI) was also taken into custody for questioning in connection with the robbery, but was later released. Hazel is no stranger to the courts. In May 2019, he was freed of the September 2018 murder of 55-year-old Lindener Leroy Barron at Co-op Crescent, Mackenzie, Linden.

Port Mourant Hospital to begin taking samples for COVID-19 tests

A

mobile testing unit has been established in the compound of the Port Mourant Hospital, and it will become the first facility in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) to conduct screening and sample collection for COVID-19.

Like the other mobile testing units in other parts of the country, this facility is equipped with staff who will screen members of the public and where necessary, samples will be extracted to be sent to the National Reference Laboratory in

Georgetown for testing.

Results will be available within 48 hours to 72 hours.

Medical personnel will also make a determination on whether persons should be quarantined pending the availability of the results.

When the results are available, respective individuals will be notified and advised about their next step.

The facility will be opened from 09:00h to 15:00h daily beginning today.

The domino effect…

I

…of Granger’s rigging n one of his “Meditations”, John Donne reminded us: “No man is an Island entire of itself….” Four hundred years later, our own Martin Carter phrased it a bit more urgently, “All are involved; all are consumed”. The point they were making is that our actions have repercussions on those around us - and this is true for individuals or nations writ large. David Granger and the PNC are fond of insisting that we’re a Caribbean people. Their “founder leader” Forbes Burnham was one of the founders of the Caribbean integration movement - now dubbed “CariCom”.

But have they considered the implications and possible impact of their obscene grab for power on the rest of CariCom?? Coming out of slavery and indentureship, one of the reasons for CariCom was to uphold the values that were honed in those days of oppression and brutality.

Freedom and equality were at the top of the list for the simple fact that our bondage and inequalities served to define those values for the rest of mankind - as their antitheses. And, as newly independent nations, one of the goals of CariCom was to ensure that our democratic form of government would be sacrosanct, so that our people would never have to experience despotic rule and live like serfs again.

By and large, the Caribbean has been able to stave of dictatorships (unlike so many of our South American neighbours, we snickered at) with the notable exception of Burnham’s rule between 1968 and 1985. Because of the ideological question, many of the CariCom leaders at that time were able to justify the much nastier domestic reality that Burnham’s iron rule exploited - even as they were embarrassed. But today, nothing can hide the implications of Granger’s replication of Burnham’s grab for power through rigging, nor can they stop the impact.

With our elections dragging on for three months as Granger’s minions engage in all sorts of gymnastics to justify their attack on our democratic institution of elections to choose our leaders, right next door, Bouterse, who’s been convicted for murder, is taking his cue from the PNC to challenge their elections which were conducted a few days ago. It’s a domino effect that will ripple through the entire CariCom if Granger is allowed to get away with his electoral heist.

The US and other western nations have sent the wrong signals by not imposing sanctions on Granger the moment Mingo disobeyed the Court and concocted his second count. CariCom should now call out Granger before their own political systems become subverted.

To paraphrase Donne, “The death of each member’s democracy diminishes ours. Therefore, never ask for whom the bell tolls.

The bell rolls for thee”. …of the recount deadline We’ve got just three days for the 25-day recount deadline to expire - with some 956 more ballot boxes to go.

The GECOM Chair knew this would happen the moment she allowed the recount to become a de facto audit to please the PNC. She was giving the recount teams basket to fetch water!! If she insists she’d decided to add two recount stations all by herself and she had merely INFORMED the NCTF, why does she have to wait for their permission for additional stations now??

But that’s all now moot, isn’t it?? There’s no way they can get the now required number of stations in the ACCC to get the job done. So, what happens next?? Well, the agreement

by Granger and Jagdeo to have a recount was agreed to by Claudette Singh…but there was no prearranged timeframe for that to be completed. She arbitrarily plucked that 25-day deadline from the air.

So, all that she has to do now is to pluck another, more reasonable timeline. …on national dress for Independence Day You gotta hand it to Schuman for standing up to the true meaning of Independence. No more being stuck with imitating the erstwhile masters’ sartorial choices.

Let it all hang out!!

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

NEWS

9

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Corentyne NDC not providing needed services with subvention money – residents …Communities Ministry stymies NDC work – Councillor

M

aterial purchased by one Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) with the last year’s subvention from Central Government have not been used, despite appeals by residents for streets to be repaired.

The country’s largest NDC -- the 52/74 NDC on the Corentyne -- has $2.3 million worth of material sitting for more than one year while residents plead for better roads.

Part of the NDC 2019 subvention came in the form of crusher-run stone, which has been sitting at the Number 66 Cemetery since

NDC Councillor Lakeram Singh

April 2019.

Records indicate that 223

Crusher-run stone at the Number 66 Cemetery

tons of stone were delivered to the NDC. On record, the NDC has not used any of it.

A former Member of Parliament who lives within the NDC area and is also a former President of the Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce, David Subnauth, told this publication that what is currently at the site is estimated to be 50 tons of stone.

“That thing was there for a good while now; since early last year. I understand that 223 tons should have been there, but that does not look like 223 tons. I can’t see that the NDC is having that crusher-run and having the streets in this area like they

terest of residents. He noted that the material has been sitting at Number 66 Village for more than one year.

He said it appears as though some of the crusher-run has been removed, while adding that within the 52/74 NDC, residents have been complaining of potholes.

Stymie work

Former Member of Parliament David Subnauth

are, with pot holes that vehicles can stick into. I do not know what is going on.”

The former head of the National Association of Regional Chambers further explained that the NDC is also expecting a similar amount of stone for 2020.

“But then they should account for what they did with the 2019 223 tons, because what is there now looks like about 50 tons.”

Meanwhile, Regional Representative Gobin Harbhajan, who also lives in the NDC area, weighing in on the issue, said the NDC is not working in the best in-

A councillor on the NDC, Lakeram Singh, said that while not pleased with what has been happening at the NDC, the Council had been waiting on the Communities Ministry for permission to purchase laterite to mix with the crusher-run as a binding agent.

That permission, according to Singh, was received in April 2020. The request to purchase the laterite was sent to the Communities Ministry in April 2019.

Singh said the supplier currently does not have laterite in stock because of the closing of the Corentyne River by Suriname authorities as part of measures being implemented by the Dutch- speaking territory to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The laterite in mined

APNU/AFC Regional Representative Goblin Harbhajan

at Orealla, which is situated along the Corentyne River, and is transported to the Corentyne Coast via the Corentyne River.

“But even though we don’t have the laterite to mix with the crusher-run, there are other NDCs that do not use laterite as a binding agent; they use the crusher-run from the supplier to the streets,” Singh said, while explaining that the 52/74 NDC has done that in the past. He is questioning why the change, which had resulted in a lengthy delay.

(Andrew Carmichael)

10 NEWS

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Absence of budget, COVID stymie work of EPA – Director

G

uyana’s last budget was in November 2018. Political events and a global pandemic have since overtaken the country and resulted in Government departments having to scale down their work. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is no exception.

In an interview with this publication, EPA Director Dr Vincent Adams explained that these developments have hampered his agency’s capacity to effectively monitor oil companies.

While he acknowledged that unfettered 24-hour access to oil rigs is a goal the department aspires to, he

noted that that capacity is now being built.

“We do not have the capabilities at this time in terms of the personnel and resources. We are now building.

We worked with the World Bank to set up a Petroleum Unit of about 36 staff members with specialised skills, who will be dedicated to the oil and gas,” Adams said. He added, “Now, we have not started filling those positions as yet, because we haven’t gotten our budget. It’s in the budget that was submitted, except that we have to wait until we have parliament. We’re sitting etc for them to pass the budget. So, we don’t have that, we can’t

EPA Director, Dr Vincent Adams

go out and recruit people to train and get them onsite 24/7. But that is our goal. I can’t promise when it will happen.”

Apart from the fact that Guyana is without a result almost three months after elections, Adams also cited coronavirus (COVID-19) as another factor that has impacted the EPA’s work.

According to the EPA Director, a shift system has been implemented for the EPA workers.

“We’re working with limited staff. We’re rotating staff in and out of the agency. Unless it’s an emergency, we’re not doing any site visits. Like we had that spill

at DDL, we had to get people out there. Unless it’s an emergency, we’re not sending people out there, especially if it’s out of reach,” he explained.

Responsibilities

Among other things, the EPA has to peruse and approve the environmental impact assessments from companies, including oil operators. It also has to make site visits to these operations, preferably unannounced and random visits.

This is to ensure that companies are complying with regulations designed to safeguard the environment.

Last year, at the close of an EPA workshop that targeted community forest operators (CFOs), Dr. Adams had expressed the goal of having an EPA office in every region by 2020. That was until COVID-19 and Guyana’s unresolved election crisis hit.

It has been almost three months since elections were held, yet a winner cannot be declared. At present, a National Recount is underway at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC).

As at day 21 of the recount, a total of 1,290 ballot boxes had been processed. This is

little more than half of the total number. With just a few more days left in the initially scheduled 25-day exercise, it means an extension will have to be granted in order to recount all 2,339 ballot boxes.

So far, only a few regions have been completely recounted and certified.

In light of the controversies leading up to the recount, a unified international community has already warned Guyana that it could be isolated and even sanctioned if a President is sworn in on the flawed results, resulting in an uneasy standoff between the international community and the Government.

All of this is compounded by the fact that the last time a budget was passed was in November 2018.

The very next month, the Government fell to a NoConfidence Motion, something it spent much of last year trying to reverse.

In keeping with the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act, the Government has had to curtail its expenditure for 2020 to just 1/12 of the previous year’s spending. This is expected to continue until a new budget is passed.

Charlestown accident

“He was my baby” – grieving mother

A

n East Coast Demerara (ECD) family is now devastated following the death of a 23-year-old man, who lost his life tragically in an accident at “Saffon and Sussex Streets, Charlestown, Georgetown.

The accident occurred at 21:00h on Monday at Saffon and Sussex Streets, Charlestown, Georgetown during curfew hours.

CCTV footage has since shown that the driver of the container truck that was also involved in the accident with a car did not stop before making his turn out from Sussex Street onto Saffon Street, and that caused the collision.

Following the accident 26-year-old Stephan Pearson, the driver of the car, and 23-year-old Terry Danraj, the passenger thereof, were rushed to the hospital.

Dhanraj, of Ogle Railway Road, East Coast Demerara, succumbed to his injuries at around 13:30h on Tuesday.

His mother, Devi Ramdass, told this publication on Wednesday that her family is still in shock.

“It’s me alone! It’s hard, because me and him alone live in the house, because his sister is married. It’s hard for me, because that was my baby, and the only word he said to me before he left on Monday was, ‘Mommy, I gon come back just now’, but he never returned. When I went to the hospital, I knew

Dead: 23-year-old Terry Danraj

my son wouldn’t have survived, because if you see his face”, the grieving mother said.

Ramdass explained that her son had left his home on Monday to accompany a friend to the West Coast of Demerara. However, whilst returning home, the accident occurred.

She recalled that her son died due to a fractured skull.

“He passed through the windscreen and he hit his head on the truck, because it is the left side brain smash,” Ramdass said.

The young man took his last breath without regaining consciousness.

Meanwhile, the driver of the car remains hospitalised, but his condition is listed as stable. The lorry driver has since been taken into custody and is assisting with the investigations.

NEWS

11

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

No new COVID-19 cases …1 new test in 24hrs …bordering villages worry over Brazil pandemic

N

o new COVID-19 cases were recorded in Guyana over the past 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry reported on Wednesday.

The daily update was delivered by Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud, who said that the number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in Guyana remains at 139, the same as on Tuesday.

The number of COVID-19 deaths is still 11, with the most recent case recorded on Monday following the death of 59-yearold Vincent Torres, a resident

of the Moruca Sub-Region in Barima-Waini. Prior to this, the last COVID-19 related death was recorded on May 6, 2020.

According to Dr Persaud, the total number of persons tested for COVID-19 to date is 1,500, of which 1,361 were negative. However, on Tuesday, the number of persons tested was given as 1,499, which meant that within 24 hours, only one new test was conducted.

Nevertheless, there are 61 active cases in institutional isolation and eight in institutional quarantine. To date, 67 persons have recovered from the

life-threatening disease, while two patients remain in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC).

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are some 5,488,825 coronavirus cases globally, with the death toll at 349,095.

Meanwhile, in the Region of the Americas, the total number of cases is 2,495,924, and there are 145,810 deaths recorded.

During Wednesday’s update, the Chief Medical Officer noted that the Ministry is very concerned over this develop-

ment, especially in neighbouring Brazil, which continues to be the epicentre of the novel coronavirus in the Americas, having registered more than 600 deaths in the past 24 hours alone.

He pointed out that the virus has now spread to three of Guyana’s four hinterland regions.

“Our Regions did initiate very early a gamut of measures to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus disease, but you recognize that we have absolutely no control over the situation in our bordering country.

The Ministry is gravely con-

Quarantine in luxury hotel or ‘short-time’ guesthouse …as Govt offers paid option for returning Guyanese

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uyanese who are stranded overseas and wish to return home are required to complete the form at the link https://www.minfor. gov.gy/…/…/05/RepatriationForm_Final.pdf and submit same to their closest diplomatic mission or directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The advisory was issued on Wednesday after the National COVID-19 Task Force last week announced that, within the controlled re-entry policy, the Task Force has approved the return of approximately 300 Guyanese. According to the

Brandsville Apartments, Pike Street, Campbellville, Georgetown

ipated that all persons entering Guyana will need to exercise patience, as social distancing and health and safety protocols will be observed.”

After mounting calls and accusations of leaving its people stranded, the Task Force has decided to allow 19 Guyanese students from the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and 70 Guyanese cruise ship workers attached to Royal Caribbean to return home.

In addition, the Task Force

A room inside Bacanas Guest House at Charlotte Street, Georgetown

Task Force, this approval encompasses Guyanese nationals in Trinidad and Tobago and in New York, New Jersey, Florida, and other states in the United States of America, and also in other countries; and is subject to certain strict conditions.

On Tuesday, a notice by the Public Health Ministry stated that those persons returning can stay at the Governmentassigned quarantine facilities or pay for accommodation at designated hotels. These hotels are Brandsville Apartments at Pike Street, Kitty and Bacanas Guest House at Charlotte Street, Georgetown.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs Ministry has also indicated that it would phase out the process of persons returning. The Ministry has said that to control the spread of the virus, there are a few steps which persons would be required to take before and after entering these shores.

“You are required to plan your return in coordination with, and on approval from, the Government of Guyana. This will enable control of the spread of COVID-19 in Guyana, and protect the health and safety of

all citizens dwelling there, particularly those who are most vulnerable. Further, in the interest of public health and safety, approvals for re-entry will be phased in a manner deemed appropriate by the Ministry of Public Health, as the designated quarantine authority, and other key Government entities,” the Ministry informed.

To be accepted on board one of the incoming flights, Guyanese nationals must complete the application for entry form. This form can be found on the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s website, as well as on those of Guyana’s overseas missions — embassies, consulates general and honorary consuls. Subsequently, an e-mail confirming receipt of application would be issued, followed by confirmation of the intended date of travel.

The Ministry has cautioned that these persons should expect the precautionary procedures which would greet them in Guyana. It stated, “Guyanese nationals should expect to be screened and possibly tested for the novel coronavirus on return to Guyana. This is a condition of return, and will be undertaken at the point of entry. It is antic-

approved applications from four Guyanese in St Vincent to return home via SVG Air. Applications from 10 Guyanese in St Maarten to return were also approved.

However, the Task Force took pains to warn that any person who tests positive for COVID-19 would not be permitted entry into Guyana, and that all arriving passengers must undergo the PCR testing.

The force warned that if a pre-test is not available, prior written consent is required from each arriving passenger for quarantine, if deemed necessary by the Public Health Ministry. The force also emphasised that the applicants or their employers have to bear all costs for their return. Guyanese can visit https://www.minfor.gov.gy/ featured/travel-advisory-for-repatriation-of-guyanese-nationals-stranded-overseas/ for more information. Contact can also be made with Foreign Service Officer Comica Johnson on telephone numbers (592) 618-4929 or Office (592) 226-1606, Ext 276 for email: cjohnson@minfor.gov.gy for more information.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud

Region 8 RHO, Dr Chrissundra Abdool

cerned at the alarming situation emerging just across and along our borders, as our indigenous brothers and sisters are at extremely high risk for the influx of imported cases and for contracting the disease,” he stated.

respectively, and testing kits are available. She further stated that the region’s Emergency Response Task Force meet 72 hours and that sensitisation of the population and dissemination of vital information on COVID-19 have been undertaken.

In addition to its regional hotline on 608-7517, Region Eight has also set up a checkpoint at Seballi Landing, where persons are screened before crossing over to Mahdia; and another screening area has been set up in the vicinity of the Mahdia District Hospital.

Moreover, Dr Persaud lamented during Wednesday’s update the nonchalant and laissez-faire behaviour of Guyanese, who seem to be unappreciative of the efforts, especially by frontline workers, who are risking their lives to protect others in the fight against COVID-19.

“One death is already too many, and we have eleven. Please note that our sister CARICOM countries have begun to see a decline in their numbers, yet we have an almost runaway situation. Over the past four days, twelve new cases were confirmed. Our efforts in limiting the spread of this disease are dependent on all of us. If we do not want to end up as the PAHO model indicated, with an exponential rise in positive cases and deaths that will overwhelm our health system,” the CMO noted.

Bordering villages

Meanwhile, Dr Chrissundra Abdool, Regional Health Officer of Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni), joined Wednesday’s briefing to share some of the regional interventions to fight the coronavirus.

She noted that with a number of villages in the North Pakaraimas Sub-District One bordering Brazil, the situation is worrying. As such, they are working on strengthening presence at the border to curb illegal crossing.

To date, Region Eight has had four suspected cases, with 40 persons having to be quarantined as a result. All of those tests were negative, and those persons were released from quarantine after spending 14 days therein. While there have been seven samples taken for testing with no confirmed case to date, the RHO noted that there is one suspected case that is awaiting results, and contact tracing is already being conducted.

In its preparation to fight COVID-19, the Region has already sat with quarantine and isolation facilities to cater for suspected or confirmed patients

12 NEWS

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Uitvlugt sugar workers down tools …protest delayed payments, working hours

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ugar workers attached to the Uitvlugt Sugar Factory on the West Coast of Demerara on Wednesday morning downed their tools in protest following a disagreement regarding their work hours and payment of outstanding monies to them.

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), in a statement, said that since it was the end of the first crop, the workers protesting were engaged in out-of-crop maintenance work.

GAWU said at the commencement of the out-ofcrop season, the workers and the Union reached an agreement with the management wherein the working hours during the period would be confined to outside of the national curfew

hours. This came about after the estate had initially sought to have the workers divided into two shifts.

The Union said it had to broker this arrangement because of the fact that many of the sugar workers would have been facing difficulties with the Police.

“Through the proposed arrangement, workers on the second shift would have concluded their work during the curfew period. At that time, the Union drew to the estate’s attention that during the cropping period many workers had faced many difficulties with the law enforcement officers when they returned home during the curfew period although they were deemed essential workers. In view of what prevailed, it was agreed that workers would

not be required to work during the curfew period. It was suggested, at that time, that appropriate representation be made to the authorities to ensure workers do not confront similar difficulties should the curfew period prevail when the second crop commences,” GAWU said in a statement.

According to GAWU, despite the agreement, the estate’s management began demanding that the workers return to the initial agreement without even consulting the Union. Additionally, the estate also failed to make representation on behalf of the workers so as to avoid the difficulties they faced while returning home during the curfew hours.

At the same time, the workers recognised that the requirement to have them all working at once prevented adequate social distancing.

During the cropping period, to maintain round-the-clock operations, workers are staggered in three shifts. Since 24-hour operations were no longer necessary, at this time, all the workers were required to be present.

“In view of the large number of workers present, the Union suggested two shifts of workers be organised during the initially-agreed hours of work. This suggestion came against the back-

Workers outside the Uitvlugt factory on Wednesday morning

ground, that the estate has approved similar arrangements for its administrative staffers, undoubtedly, to protect their health and well-being. However, the Uitvlugt management has not yielded to the suggestion from the Union and the workers. Indeed, it is felt that this is not in keeping with adequate safety and health practices in the era of COVID-19,” GAWU said.

Delayed payments

The Union reported that workers were also upset that their holiday-with-pay payments for those workers who have 10 or more years of service have been delayed for two weeks now.

Sugar workers employed in the fields and the factories receive holiday-with-pay payments in lieu of annual leave.

This arrangement is among the benefits set out in the extant Collective Labour Agreement between the Union and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).

Regarding the payments, the workers entitled to such were told just the day before that the Corporation did not have the monies to offset the payments.

“Many workers anxiously looked forward to receiving their entitlements, and the delay for them has been upsetting. Following the

workers’ protest, the Union was informed by GuySuCo during the day that the workers would finally receive their outstanding monies on May 29, 2020. It appeared hadn’t the workers raised their voices in protest, they may have continued to see their payments withheld. The GAWU is heartened that the workers can receive their outstanding entitlements, though it is saddened that they were forced to take protest actions to have their rights respected,” the Union stated.

The Union added that it has become the norm that workers have to down tools in order for their pleas to be heard.

NEWS

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Essequibo Coast family pursuing legal action against APNU/AFC …perturbed over use of relative’s death certificate

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he family of the dead woman whose death certificate is being used by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition to push its contentious narrative of dead persons having voted during the March 2 polls is pursuing legal action against the political grouping.

Since the national election recount commenced some three weeks ago, APNU/AFC agents have been making objections to certain ballots claiming that the vote was cast using the names of either dead people or those who have migrated.

However, in several instances, some of the so-called ‘migrated’ persons have expressed dismay at the rhetoric by the APNU/AFC since they are right here in Guyana.

The party officials have claimed that they had hundreds of death certificates to show that dead persons voted. In fact, caretaker Minister Cathy Hughes had defended her party’s access to the documents, telling me-

dia operatives that the persons were identified by the party through its fieldwork and that the certificates were later applied for and the $300 fee paid.

As such, a recent article published in the Stateowned newspaper featured the death certificate of ‘Chitnandani Ramdass’ – a now deceased resident of Maria’s Lodge, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) under whose name the coalition is alleging a vote was cast.

However, it was reported that no one actually voted under the dead woman’s name. Her name was unticked on the voter’s list, that is, the ‘pink list’ from the polling station indicating that there was no vote was cast in her name – as has been the case with most of the objections made by the coalition during the ongoing recount exercise.

Family perturbed

Nevertheless, the woman’s family is upset that the APNU/AFC is using its pri-

vate records for political purposes.

Her son, Puran Manbode, told Guyana Times that they never granted permission for APNU/AFC to access or even use the death certificate.

Manbode explained that a coalition representative from the area went to their house and asked for the full name of his dead mother under the pretext of doing some infrastructure work in the area.

“The coalition had a guy… going around. They come by me now and asked “who name ‘Ramdass’”. So, my wife told him that is her mother-in-law. But he come around in a way like and say water running over in somebody yard. So, he come impersonating,” the man related.

He noted that two days later, they saw the article in the state-owned Guyana Chronicle newspaper with his mother’s death certificate.

“Then my wife tell me he did come, and then we realise that the fella instigate the thing, because he de ask for

my mother right name. My wife didn’t know what going on, so she tell he my mother name ‘Chitnandani’,” the son added.

After the article was published, the man said he called up his siblings and none of them knew that their mother’s death certificate was being used by the coalition.

According to Manbode, this is not the only instance.

He told this newspaper that the same individual had even approached another man in the same street for information on a family member.

This publication was told that a Government Minister, who lives one village away, has a representative manoeuvring in several villages on the Essequibo Coast, finding out about dead relatives of residents.

Nevertheless, Manbode contended that his mother’s death certificate is a personal document for the family and should not be published for the world to see.

To this end, the family has retained Attorney Glenn Hanoman to pursue legal ac-

tion.

“A death certificate supposed to be in the family; it’s a personal document. How come they gone and pick it up and who authorised them to pick it up. I didn’t authorise them; and none of my siblings didn’t authorise them… [For example] if my mother had died of AIDS now and they gone and publish the death certificate for the whole world to see, how this woulda look for my family? That’s why we want to take this thing further,” the man stated.

Legal pursuit

Meanwhile, Opposition People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Executive and former Attorney General Anil Nandlall spoke about the issue on Tuesday and offered to assist the family in their legal cases.

He believes that this is just one of many such infractions whereby the coalition is abusing State power.

An examination of the original death certificate issued to the family in 2017, and the copy obtained by

the coalition show that the latter document was issued on January 30 of this year.

Notably, it does not bear the identification number for the dead woman while the first certificate supplied by the family does bear the name.

Nandlall told reporters outside the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Tuesday that it appeared that the APNU/AFC was securing the records by using Government apparatus to extract people’s personal documents without their permission “and use it, worse yet for political purposes…we don’t know how many thousands of these have been generated for the purpose of this.”

The former AG was adamant that the records in question could only be accessed by family members and that this authorisation had not been provided.

He noted that the APNU/ AFC, in addition to possibly breaching the Access to Information laws, could very well be guilty of a range of other electoral-related legal infractions.

Scotiabank to cease non- Miss World Guyana 2020 customer transactions competition cancelled

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cotiabank Guyana on Wednesday announced that it would no longer be facilitating transactions for non-customers commencing from June 8, 2020.

The Bank notes that this move comes as a result of the change in the business landscape owing to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement, Scotiabank said it was continuing to take important steps to protect its customers and most importantly, its employees. The Bank explained that the ongoing pandemic has changed the way business is conducted, and keeping its customers and employees safe remained its top priority.

“In line with this, practising physical distancing is critical, and to this end limiting the number of persons in our banking halls at any given time is a necessary requirement. Effective June 8, 2020, we will no longer facilitate transactions for non-Scotiabank customers on a permanent basis,” the statement related.

Scotiabank informed that the restrictions to non-customers include transactions such as cashing of cheques, cash exchanges, and cash advances in branch. However, non-customers would still be able to access the ATM ma-

M

chines. It also informed that limitations would be placed on foreign currency transactions.

The Bank encouraged customers to take advantage of its digital and online platforms for processing payments which gives them the ability to conduct their transactions at their convenience.

It related that personal banking customers were now able to conduct third-party transfer of funds to other accounts within Scotiabank and at other banks via the online banking service – ScotiaOnline.

Small Business and Corporate, Commercial and

Business Banking clients have the award-winning Cash Management Services (CMS) platform available to them for processing payments.

The Bank noted that it continued to enforce additional measures in its branches to keep customers and employees protected. It explained that regular sanitisation and physical distancing among other measures were now part of its day-to-day operations.

Customers are encouraged to visit Scotiabank’s website: www.gy.scotiabank.com for official COVID-19 updates, or reach out via 223-4357 (HELP).

a j e s t y International, the official licence holder of the Miss World Guyana franchise, announced on Wednesday the cancellation of the 2020 Miss World Guyana national competition.

According to the franchise holder, the decision was made given the prolonged uncertainty of what may happen in the upcoming months given the coronavirus pandemic and the associated preventative protocols.

“This continues to disallow event gathering, and the impact the prolonged quarantine is currently having on Guyana’s economy and the world at large along with concerns building over Guyana’s inconclusive electoral results,” a statement from the organisation said.

According to Majesty International, it had no alternative but to cancel the 2020 Miss World Guyana semi-finals and finals competition altogether, adding that these unprecedented and unfortunate circumstances brought on by the coronavirus and the effect it is having on all lives were sad.

Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease

(COVID-19) cases, several events worldwide have been cancelled to help curb the spread of the deadly virus. In Guyana, an 18:00h

to 06:00h curfew was implemented by the Public Health Ministry. As of Wednesday, Guyana’s total number of cases were 139.

14 ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Comparison of Wednesday’s SoRs with PPP’s SoPs DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF POLL RELEASED BY PPP/C

ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Comparison of Wednesday’s SoRs with PPP’s SoPs DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF POLL RELEASED BY PPP/C

16 ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Comparison of Wednesday’s SoRs with PPP’s SoPs DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF POLL RELEASED BY PPP/C

ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Comparison of Wednesday’s SoRs with PPP’s SoPs DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

DISTRICT 4 STATEMENTS OF POLL RELEASED BY PPP/C

STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

18 ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT

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THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

20 ELECTIONS 2020 RECOUNT THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

STATEMENTS OF RECOUNT

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020

Around the World

OILNEWS Oil plunges after API reports large unexpected crude inventory build

T

he American Petroleum Institute (API) estimated on Tuesday a large crude oil inventory build, of 8.731 million barrels for the week ending May 22.

Analysts had predicted an inventory draw of 2.50 million barrels.

In the previous week, the API estimated a draw in crude oil inventories of 4.8 million barrels. Meanwhile, the estimates by Energy Information Administration (EIA)were wildly different, with the industry body reporting last week that the inventories had fallen by five million barrels.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was trading down on Wednesday afternoon prior to the API’s data release, although the outlook for a rebalanced oil market is more positive than it was even just two weeks ago, with many US states easing lockdown restrictions and the world’s largest oil producers, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the United States, cutting production by more than many market analysts had predicted would be the case.

Oil production in the United States has now fallen from 13.1 million bpd on March 13 to 11.5 million bpd for May 15, according to the Energy Information Administration—a drop of 1.6 million bpd—more than OPEC’s production cut agreement from last year.

On Tuesday, the WTI benchmark was trading down on the day by US$1.35 (-3.93 per cent). The price of a Brent barrel was trading down on Wednesday as well, by US$1.29 -(3.57 per cent), at US$34.88.

The API reported a build of 1.120 million barrels of gasoline for week ending May 22 – compared to last week’s 651,000-barrel draw. This week’s draw compares to analyst expectations for a 33,000-barrel draw for the week.

Distillate inventories were up by 6.907 million barrels for the week, compared to last week’s 5.1-million-barrel build, while Cushing inventories saw a draw of 3.370 million barrels.

On Wednesday, WTI was trading at US$32.7 while global benchmark Brent was trading at US$34.68.(Excerpt from Oilprice.com)

US preparing criminal indictment against wife of Venezuela's Maduro – sources

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he United States is preparing to charge the wife of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in coming months with crimes that could include drug trafficking and corruption, four people familiar with the case told Reuters.

If Washington goes ahead with an indictment of First Lady Cilia Flores, these people said, the charges are expected to stem, at least in part, from a thwarted cocaine transaction that has already landed two of her nephews in a Florida penitentiary.

Nicole Navas, a spokeswoman for the US Department of Justice, declined to comment on any investigation or pending charges against Flores.

Flores and her office at the National Assembly didn’t respond to questions for this article.

Venezuela’s Information Minister, Jorge Rodriguez, told Reuters that its ques-

21

tions about the possible US indictment of Flores were “nauseating, slanderous and offensive.” He declined to elaborate.

In late March, US Prosecutors indicted Maduro and over a dozen current and former Venezuelan officials on charges of narco-terrorism and drug smuggling. Maduro, now in his eighth year as Venezuela’s President, for years sought to flood the US with cocaine, prosecutors alleged, seeking to weaken American society and bolster his position and wealth.

In a televised speech after the indictments, he dismissed the charges against him and his colleagues as a politically motivated fabrication by the Administration of US President Donald Trump.

“You are a miserable person, Donald Trump,” he said.

Maduro’s office didn’t respond to requests for comment on this report. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Coronavirus deaths in US top 100,000 T

he United States has passed 100,000 deaths in the coronavirus outbreak, figures from Johns Hopkins University show.

It has seen more deaths (currently 100,047) and infections (1.69 million) than any other country.

The first US infection surfaced in Washington state on January 21, in a man who had just returned from China.

Globally, there have been 5.6 million people confirmed infected and 353,414 deaths since the virus emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

As the US tops 100,000 deaths, BBC North America editor Jon Sopel says there is an uncanny symmetry, as the toll is almost the same as the number of US ser-

Some hard-hit states like New York are seeing a drop in death rates, but 20 states reported a rise in new cases for the week ending on Sunday

vicemen and women killed in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan over an aggregate 44 years of fighting.

Some hard-hit states like New York are seeing a

drop in death rates, but 20 states reported a rise in new cases for the week ending on Sunday, according to a Reuters study.

Many millions of

Americans have lost their jobs.

President Donald Trump has insisted that without his administration's actions the death toll would be far higher.

On Tuesday, he said the fatalities could have been 25 times higher.

Back in February he said the US had the virus "under control" and that by April it could "miraculously go away".

He predicted 50,00060,000 deaths, then 60,00070,000 and then "substantially under 100,000".

Trump also argued on May 20 it was "a badge of honour" that the US had the world's highest number of confirmed infections "because it means our testing is much better". (Excerpt from BBC News)

Brazil coronavirus death toll above 25,000, more than 410,000 cases

B

razil’s death toll from COVID-19 surpassed 25,000 people on Wednesday, at 25,598, the Health Ministry said. Deaths from the disease caused by the coronavirus over the last 24 hours were 1086.

The number of cases

rose by 20,599, reaching 411,821 confirmed cases of infection by the novel coronavirus, according to the Ministry.

According to the BBC, health experts in Brazil have warned that the real number of confirmed infections may be far higher

than the official records, due to a lack of testing.

A study by the University of Washington found that the country could record more than 125,000 deaths by early August, that's almost a five-fold increase on its current total of 24,512.

The prediction followed Brazil's daily death toll surpassing that of the United States for the first time. It recorded 807 deaths on Monday, while 620 people died in the US. (Excerpts from Reuters and BBC News)

Suriname election: Preliminary results show Opposition winning

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uriname's main Opposition party is poised to win the country's general election, preliminary results showed on Wednesday, an outcome likely to end the longtime rule of President Desi Bouterse, who was convicted months earlier of ordering the murder of political opponents.

Chan Santokhi's Progressive Reform Party (VHP) was set to win 20 seats in the 51-member Parliament which elects the President, ending Bouterse's majority, according to results released by The Interior Ministry with more than 80 per cent of the votes counted.

Bouterse's National Democratic Party (NDP) was likely to win 16 seats following Monday's polls – a collapse from its 26 seats in the outgoing Parliament.

The turnout was 72 per cent.

A man walks on an overpass during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 27, 2020

Opposition parties have previously ruled out forming a coalition with the NDP. Counting is still in progress in the ethnically-diverse oil and gold-exporting country of 600,000, which sits on the north-eastern shoulder of South America.

An observer mission from the 15-nation Caribbean Community (Caricom) said it had not detected irregularities after opposition Parties and civil organisations raised concern, and the count was twice suspended.

"We have not detected any evidence of fraudulent acts, but we have seen that the elections were well organised and transparent," said mission chief Dora James.

Santokhi's VHP dropped previous alliances to run alone in Monday's election after a campaign dominated by Suriname's corruption scandals, the financial crisis and Government overspending.

Santokhi, a former Justice Minister and Police Commissioner, had been bullish before the election.

"I give you the guarantee that VHP will be the largest and we will govern and we will remove the NDP from power," he said, buoyed by opinion poll predictions of victory.

However, Santokhi will likely need to form a coalition to govern. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Pompeo says Hong Kong no longer warrants special US treatment

U

S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday China had undermined Hong Kong’s autonomy so fundamentally that the territory no longer warranted special treatment under US law, a potentially big blow to

its status as a major financial hub.

Pompeo’s certification to the US Congress follows China’s announcement of a plan to impose new national security legislation on Hong Kong, which has triggered fresh unrest in the territory,

with Police firing tear gas and water cannon.

It now falls to President Donald Trump to decide to end some, all, or none of the US economic privileges which the territory enjoys.

Pompeo made no recommendations in his state-

ment. But people familiar with the matter said the Trump Administration was considering suspending Hong Kong’s preferential tariff rates for exports to the United States as part of its response to China’s plan.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

22

guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020

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

COVID-19 Task Force is political arm of APNU/AFC Dear Editor, The caretaker APNU/ AFC Government, through its political arm, the National COVID-19 Task Force, led by its CEO Joseph Harmon, continues to use its power for evil, and not for the good of the people.

The Task Force and the

APNU/AFC Administration have consistently denied the Carter Center Observer Mission permission to re-enter Guyana to observe the ongoing recount of the votes case on March 02,2020.

These actions propelled the People's Progressive Party supporters to take to the streets. During that pick-

eting exercise, two PPP supporters were held and brought before the court to answer charges. these are charges that should be condemned, while several others were placed on station bail.

I believe strongly in the freedoms enshrined in our Constitution. The attempt

Dear Editor, I write to urge the Medical Council to show leadership and immediately hold the kick-down-the-door-doctors involved in the incident at the Diamond COVID-19 Isolation Facility accountable for their appalling actions. Never before would I have thought to put the words “kick down the door” and “doctors” in the same sentence, and in no other country of the world have I seen such atrocious and unprofessional behaviour.

Yes, stress and tension are high at this time, and many healthcare providers are working very hard in often difficult circumstances.

However, it is imperative that the rights of those in quarantine and isolation be remembered and respected at all times. These persons are not criminals, and they do not deserve to be treated as such. Their concerns about potential re-infection by new arrivals at the facility are completely valid, and

the fact that this was not recognised by the doctors who attempted to place a new arrival with a current resident brings into question the training and competence of the doctors. Obviously, these kick-down-the-door-doctors need re-training on basic infectious disease transmission processes as well as in conflict resolution, anger management, courteous communication, and human rights.

The seemingly vindictive response of withholding and serving spoilt food to the residents of the facility is also reprehensible, and illustrates a system and persons who are extremely immature in their emotional development. That children, pregnant women, the elderly, and sick -- stressed individuals -- were so penalised for expressing their concerns and trying to protect their health is disturbing, and must not be repeated; those responsible must also be held accountable.

Finally, the silence from

the Ministry of Public Health on this incident is also noteworthy in the negative sense. Many Guyanese already have a great mistrust of public entities and personnel, as continues to be clearly demonstrated by the lack of responsiveness of the Guyanese populace to the public health admonitions to observe physical distancing and other measures to flatten the curve of coronavirus transmission. Quality leadership is essential at all times, especially now, and silence on matters like this do nothing to help inspire confidence in the system.

Speaking out against staff who disregard and abuse patients’ rights, holding them accountable and training them to be and do better is sorely needed, and would help greatly to demonstrate true commitment to protecting and providing quality healthcare to Guyanese.

Medical Council needs to show leadership

Respectfully, Sherlina Nageer

was to strip our citizens of the basic freedoms of speech and assembly and the right to peaceful protest, with the corresponding and equal responsibility. It is disappointing that we find ourselves in such a place when the most important event is happening in Guyana -- our recount of the votes cast in the elections of March 2,2020.

Joseph Harmon and the APNU/AFC continue to maliciously attack GECOM's integrity and the integrity of thousands of Guyanese who worked so hard and honestly to deliver a free and fair election on E-Day, which was certified by all the accredited local and international observers.

There are continuous hostilities levelled on GECOM by Joseph Harmon and the APNU cabal with their daily accusations, and they have since fabricated a new dimension to the coalition’s version of events, lying to say that there are many counterfoil ballots ap-

pearing in the ballot boxes.

Dear Editor, who are these people? As they continue to make irresponsible, baseless accusations, attacking the character and reputation of those Guyanese who worked and voted for the party of their choice on March 02,2020, Forbes Burnham must be rolling in his grave to see what his rigging legacy turned out to be in 2020. And he must be saying, “Look at what this pack of APNU/AFC riggers are doing to my dear land of Guyana.”

APNU is working overtime to convince the Disciplined Services that their votes were not counted, and has ordered the National COVID-19 Task Force to test more people and to report false positives, to build a narrative of a serious outbreak in Guyana.

The Chinese Army advisors will be invited to Guyana as medical teams and logistical support systems. Their plan is set to be triggered

in motion very soon by a sudden upsurge in positive COVID-19 tests.

How can the David Granger-led Caretaker Government disrespect the Guyanese people; disrespect our Constitution; intimidate our people; disrespect our courts; try to hijack our electoral process; allow his cabal to rig the March 02, 2020 elections; abuse our taxpayers’ dollars to enrich the lives of his former ministers, their families and friends -- families and cronies at the expense of the Guyanese citizens; refuse to have Carter Center return to Guyana to observe the recount? It is unacceptable to the people of Guyana!

Do these members of the APNU/AFC leadership have conscience? How can they face the people of Guyana every day, knowing that they have deceived them by doing these many wrong things?

Sincerely, David Adams

Diplomats in Guyana...

FROM PAGE 5

Few today would believe that, in 1984-85, refugee claimants from Guyana represented the greatest number in Canada.

Continued support and confidence are required to be placed on our current top diplomat in Guyana, as her engagement is now at a critical stage. Canadians as well as Guyanese will not accept a return to those dark days when there was very sluggish recounting of the ballots deliberately perpetuated by agents of the caretaker Government, coupled with the ever chang-

ing directives and “the midstream” bending of the rules from the questionably independent GECOM, together with the shutting out of internationally recognised and accredited observers from the process; all which pointed to the conclusion by many that, “this will not end well”.

The freedom of Guyanese is once again hanging in a dangerous balance. We strongly urge our Canadian Government to stay the course; lend our diplomat all the support she needs by strengthening her hand

and demanding that local authorities in Guyana facilitate the completion of her work without hindrance.

We understand that all the ABCE diplomats in Guyana are currently subjected to constant abuse, but our diplomat seems to be the one most singled out.

Respectfully, H. Ragnauth N. Dhanai R. Persaud R. Singh S. Barnard S. Alexander N. Hanif

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020

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ricket West Indies (CWI) did not make an official announcement when some 30 players were shortlisted to participate in an uncertain three-match Test tour to England. Various regional publications across the Caribbean disclosed this list of 30 to the general public.

Three of those players have been selected from the Guyana Jaguars franchise: Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul and Veerasammy Permaul. That is a good sign, especially for the latter, who led the Regional 4-Day bowling charts.

The 30 players shortlisted may be reduced to 25 if the series is given the green light. According to the hopeful chief selector Roger Harper, he and West Indies Test captain Jason Holder have had discussion. This was disclosed in an interview on the popular Barbados Radio show Mason and Guest earlier l a s t week.

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Veerasammy Permaul

the pacemen would find those conditions enjoyable.

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H a r p e r, who was discreet in his discussion when it came to squad combination, hinted that if the conditions in England make for a "dry summer", more fast bowlers would be on t h e to u r, since

In the 30-man squad shortlisted, fo u r spinners are named. Leftarm spinners Veerasammy Permaul and Jomel Warrican and off-spinners Roston Chase and Rahkeem Cornwall are the main spin options. If the squad is trimmed to 25 and the series is given the green light, some of these spinners may be eliminated.

Harper also believes in current form of players in his selection policy. In the 30-man provisional squad, most of these players, especially the prospective Test players, have registered strong performances in the truncated 2020 Regional 4-Day tournament.

Unfamiliar and familiar batting suspects Regular Test openers John Campbell and Kraigg Brathwaite, together with Shayne Mosely, are the three specialist

I

n line with its decision made on March 12 to suspend all FIBA competitions, a decision which was confirmed at the FIBA Central Board on March 26 and 27; FIBA, on May 20, announced a new series of updates for the FIBA 3x3 2020 season.

No FIBA 3x3 official competition will take place before August 2020 at the earliest, and this is due to the current situation with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

As a result, some events had to be cancelled. The majority of them are still on

order men in the squad.

West Indies Test team

openers in the 30-man squad. In the 2020 Regional 4-Day tournament, Campbell scored 491 runs, the most among opening batsmen in the Caribbean. He also scored two centuries.

A left-handed Jamaican, Campbell has

Shayne Mosely had also been in the runs in the recent season. He scored 490 runs, one run less than Campbell.

The middle-order batsmen in the squad include leading Regional 4-Day batsman Jermaine Blackwood (768 runs),

Shimron Hetmyer

Steam trains The new seam bowling options who picked up some wickets in the Regional 4-Day tournament are newbie Marquino Mindley (24 wickets), Anderson Phillip (21 wickets), Windward Islands seamer the left-arm Preston McSween, who claimed 31 wickets, the second highest by a seamer in the 2020 four-Day season, Chemar Holder (36 wickets, most by a seamer), and Keon Harding (29 wickets).

Popular West Indies players: captain Jason Holder, Keemo Paul, Shannon Gabriel, Alzarri Joseph and Kemar Roach are also frontline options. Leeward Islands wicket-keeper Jahmar Hamilton will serve as back-up to main gloves-man Shane Dowrich.

While some players may have counted themselves unlucky, the selectors have stuck with the nucleus of the Test squad, and recognize those who made significant contributions in the recent Regional 4-Day season.

W i n d i e s provisional squad reads: John Campbell (Jamaica), Jermaine Blackwood (Jamaica), Nkrumah Bonner (Jamaica), Paul Palmer Jr (Jamaica), Marquino Mindley (Jamaica), Daren Bravo (T&T), Joshua Da Silva (T&T), Anderson Phillip (T&T), Shannon Gabriel (T&T), Sunil Ambris (Windwards), Preston McSween

also played six Test matches for the West Indies, and is likely to accompany the experienced and calm Brathwaite, who had encountered somewhat of a baptism of fire in international cricket in recent times, but had a mini-redemption in the recent 4-Day season with 468 runs, but with only three fifties to his name.

Promising left-handed Bajan opener

Nkrumah Bonner (523 runs), Paul Palmer (432 runs), Kyle Mayers (654 runs) and Joshua Da Silva (507 runs), who each had a good outing with the bat and are the inform players.

West Indies class act Darren Bravo, together with Sunil Ambris, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Roston Chase and Shamarh Brooks, are the familiar middle-

(Windwards), Alzarri Keemo Paul J o s e p h (Leewards), Jahmar Hamilton (Leewards), Rahkeem Cornwall (Leewards), Shimron Hetmyer (Guyana), Veerasammy Permaul (Guyana), Keemo Paul (Guyana), Jason Holder (Barbados), Kraigg Brathwaite (Barbados), Shayne Mosely (Barbados), Kemar Roach (Barbados), Chemar Holder (Barbados), Keon Harding (Barbados), Shane Dowrich (Barbados), Shai Hope (Barbados), Kyle Mayers (Barbados), Roston Chase (Barbados), Shamarh Brooks (Barbados), Jomel Warrican (Barbados)

course to be played in the third or fourth quarter of the year. A final decision will be taken at a later date.

This may be good news, as events can be pushed around and rescheduled if the current COVID-19 pandemic in Guyana is put to a stop. In terms of Guyana and its 3×3 ranking, the men’s team are 152nd, while the women’s team are unranked.

This ranking was determined by the nine top performances of the players in the last 12 months. Normally, the 3×3 basketball season starts in April each year,

but because the entity has suspended all competitions since March, the sport will see the beginning of its year delayed by a few weeks.

The Federation has said that competitions held before the halt in activity would continue to attract points, but those would be counted only after the resumption. The service life of previous events’ points would also be extended, but with a hard cut-off of October 1, 2021.

It is worth remembering that ranking is a fundamental element for the 3×3

basketball organisational model. Individual rankings determine the positioning of teams and selections. In addition, several competitions are based on the rankings to define their classifieds.

Guyana shot off its inaugural 3×3 competition in 2019 as it featured a classic thriller in the Rawle Toney/Mackeson 3×3 tournament. The match-up saw Pitbull emerging victorious.

When the COVID-19 period has ended, many 3×3 teams would be anticipating the second edition of the tournament.

Jermaine Blackwood

THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Pg 23

- Says Brandon Corlette Veerasammy Permaul

Shimron Hetmyer

Keemo Paul

A

s prospects for the men’s T20 World Cup proceeding on schedule in Australia this October recede by the day, the ICC board will meet today to consider alternative scenarios.

An official decision may not come after the board meeting the ICC issued a statement to say that reports of a postponement were “inaccurate” - but according to one official familiar with the contingency planning, a tournament this year would be “too big a risk” to take in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The official said the logistics of arranging a global tournament would be “impossible to manage,” and that the “safe option” would be to not have it this year.

Alternative options as to when the tournament can take place were drawn up in a meeting of the Finance & Commercial Affairs (F&CA) Committee, an influential sub-committee within the ICC, on May 22.

Although it is looking increasingly likely that international cricket will resume soon enough, the challenges of bringing together 16 teams from across the world into one country and creating a biosecure bubble for them is of a different scale altogether.

The ICC has to take into account multiple travel restriction policies, different quarantine measures in different countries, and the loss of revenue from a tournament played behind closed doors (not to mention the additional cost of playing matches in a bio-secure environment).

It is possible for the ICC Board not to make the decision official tomorrow; for the ICC to just point to a “number of contingency plans” in its statement, and instead wait till its annual conference, scheduled for mid-July.

But one official has said that leaving the final decision late would hurt all stakeholders. “If there is uncertainty too close to the actual event itself, then stakeholders like the broadcaster will not like it.”

The four main scenarios for when the tournament can be postponed to in chronological sequence are: Scenario 1: February-March 2021. Venue: Australia Moving the T20 World Cup to February-March next year. For that to happen, though, the ICC will have to reschedule the 2021 Women’s ODI World Cup, currently scheduled for between February 6 and March 7 in New Zealand, to start mid-January. The proximity of the events shouldn’t be an issue, the ICC having held back-to-back world events in 2017, with the Men’s Champions Trophy and the Women’s ODI World Cup in England. Another key advantage is that keeping it in Australia ensures a continuity to plans already in place.

Questions: Will there be an appetite among the game’s commercial and broadcast stakeholders to have two men’s T20 World Cups in the same year (and three major ICC events overall), considering India are scheduled to host the 2021 men’s T20 World

The men in maroon won the last T20 World Cup in 2016

Cup in October-November? And don’t forget: the year might include a de facto global event in the IPL as well.

Also, would the pandemic have eased enough to make this viable?

Scenario 2: October-November, 2021. Venue: Australia Postpone the event by a year without changing the venue.

Australia can then play host to a big summer of cricket, which also involves the 2021 Ashes, scheduled from November through January 2022.

Questions: India is already down as the host for the 2021 edition of the Men’s T20 World Cup (tax exemptions notwithstanding). This would mean India hosting the event in October-November 2022, but one senior BCCI official has indicated that the board would not be in favour, as the 2023 World Cup is also scheduled to be held in India in February-March 2023. Two global events would take a significant chunk out of the BCCI’s bilateral home season. It could also impact broadcast and commercial revenues to hold back-to-back global tournaments.

Scenario 3: February-March, 2022. Venue: Australia Australia host the tournament 14 months later, subject to all other teams adjusting their international schedules.

Questions: The predicament of two T20 World Cups within the space of five months remains if India hosts the 2021 edition. Also, would Australia want to play a global tournament on the back of fiveTest Ashes, which could leave some of their key players exhausted?

Scenario 4: October-November, 2022. Venue: Australia Australia hosts the tournament two years down the line. The tournament still gets played in the Australian summer, and by then crowds could be back, and gate money and merchandising are key revenue streams for Australia.

Questions: Again, would the ICC, as well as the broadcaster, want two world events in the space of five months (with the Men’s ODI World Cup in early 2023)? That World Cup is, as of now, the only ICC event scheduled in 2023, so potentially that could be pushed to October-November later that year.

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