Guyana Times_Wednesday 6, 2020

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4277

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020

PRICE

GECOM, APNU/AFC destruction of democracy: Day 64

"Let's get this over with!"– British High Commissioner on recount

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Guyana records 10th COVID-19 death, 1 new P14 case

Page 3

– reminds that Guyana needs credible Govt to tackle COVID-19, other issues – expresses support for Carter Center to observe recount

PPP/C worried over provision that gives Lowenfield time alone with SoRs Page 11

… as objections mount over ‘details’ in elections recount order GECOM begins national recount

Man beaten P2 to death by female who accused him of stealing gun Miner nabbed with over 2kg of ganja in P2 dried coconuts

Page 7

Order gives Claudette Singh ultimate power to accept results

2nd Lusignan P8 Prison escapee recaptured in LBI

…experts cite open recourse to using Mingo’s declaration in event of dispute

The containers with ballot boxes were on Sunday transported to the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) from GECOM’s Headquarters under heavy security as the national recount of the votes cast on March 2 General and Regional Elections commences today (Dexter Ceres)

GECOM Opposition political cannot parties reject audit itself GECOM, NCN staff solely page 9

…exercise will extend and paralyse recount – Attorney

See story on page 8

controlling livestreaming

Govt was P10 advised to continue oil production – Bynoe … despite falling Brent oil prices

2 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

beaten to death by female Miner nabbed with over 2kg Man who accused him of stealing gun of ganja in dried coconuts A pork-knocker was on Sunday beaten to death by a female who accused him of stealing her gun at Siparuni Backdam, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

The dead man has been identified as 24-year-old Vanir Nasio of Paramakatoi Village, North Pakarimas.

Based on reports received, on the day in question, about 14:30h, the now dead man was in his camp when the suspect accused him of stealing her firearm.

A

37-year-old miner of Lot 22 Den Amstel Public Road, West Coast Demerara, was on Tuesday morning nabbed with more than two kilograms of ganja concealed in the shells of dried coconuts.

The arrest was made by Police at Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) as the suspect disembarked a boat at the ferry stelling.

Based on information received, the man was seen acting in a suspicious manner and the ranks requested that he visited the Bartica Police Station for a search to be conducted on his belongings.

During the search, 10 dried coconuts, along with greens, were unearthed.

However, upon close inspection of the coconuts, their ‘eye’ and ‘weight’ appeared to be unusual. As such, ranks shook the coconuts, but the sound of coconut water sloshing about was not detected.

This further raised suspicions and one of the coco-

The man denied the allegation, and this led to a heated argument.

The suspect, a 23-yearold female, of 111 Miles, Mahdia, Region Eight reportedly dealt him several kicks and punches about his body. The injured man

was picked up by a female miner, who headed to Mabura, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) to get him medical attention, but he succumbed on the trail.

The Police have since launched a manhunt for the suspect.

Items stolen from Lethem quarantine facility retrieved The ganja found in the dried coconuts

nuts was broken in the presence of the ECD resident.

Marijuana was unearthed in the broken-open coconut, in which a piece of wood had been modified to plug the eye of the nut.

The others were cracked open and the results were the same. The miner was

told of the offence and was arrested. The illicit drug was weighed and amounted to 2018 grams.

The suspect is being processed for court where he is expected to be arraigned on a possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking charge.

...Police on the hunt for 2 suspects

P

olice in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) were able to retrieve the items stolen from the refurbished building which is being prepared to be used as a COVID-19 quarantine facility in Lethem.

On Sunday the burglars made good their escape with 11 mattresses, a refrigera-

tor, two 4-burner gas stoves, and a ceiling fan.

Speaking with Guyana Times, Regional Police Commander, Superintendent Keithon King stated that some of the items that were stolen were retrieved and the police are on the hunt for the two suspects who broke into the facility. He did not say what

items were retrieved.

It was reported that final works are being added to the building after which it will become operational. It will be used to house persons who might need to be quarantined in Lethem.

Reports revealed that at the time of the robbery, no one was guarding the facility.

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, May 6 – 04:00h – 05:30h and 14:30h – 16:00h and Thursday, May 7 – 04:30h – 06:00h and 14:30h – 16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, May 6 – 15:35h – 17:05h and Thursday, May 7 – 16:35h – 18:05h.

“Let’s get this over with!” – British High Commissioner on recount

– reminds that Guyana needs credible Govt to tackle COVID-19, other issues – expresses support for Carter Center to observe recount work station, provision for one local observer at each station and one international observer.”

“So in my view, the more international observers you can bring in to [do] what GECOM itself has proposed, the better.

That’s why I would certainly support the Carter Center and IRI [International Republican Institute] coming in. And ideally, some others, if they could make it.”

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny intervals will prevail during the day.

There will be partly cloudy skies at night.

Temperatures should range between 23 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Recount

Winds: North-Easterly to East North-Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 16:01h reaching a maximum height of 2.81 metres.

Low Tide: 09:33h and 21:50h reaching minimum heights of 0.34 metre and 0.42 metre.

SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2020

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DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

COMMODITIES Indicators

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$30.97/barrel

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Change

British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn

W

ith the recount scheduled for today, His Excellency, British High Commissioner to Guyana, Greg Quinn has urged that it be concluded quickly and incident-free, so the elected Government can focus on tackling COVID-19 and the other challenges Guyana currently faces.

High Commissioner Quinn made this pronouncement during an appearance on a local radio programme on Tuesday. He pointed out that with the current challenges facing the country, Guyana needs to be able to focus on facing them.

This includes mitigating the economic and social fallout of the coronavirus, which as of Monday has claimed nine lives and infected almost 100 in Guyana.

“I think everybody is actually wanting to get to the stage where we can actually get a result and move on. One of the reasons why we need to get a credible result and move on is because we’re in a situation where we have COVID, we have economic and social impacts and we have health impacts.”

“That really should be where the focus of all our attention should be. So what happened, happened. We made clear what we thought about what happened. Here we are now, we need a credible result, we need a Government in place so we can then address these very concerning issues of a global pandemic.”

Quinn called the pandemic one of the greatest threats the world has ever seen and certainly the greatest one in generations. Asked how confident he was that GECOM can carry out the recount without hitch, Quinn was optimistic.

“We have to have faith in the process being completed. It’s the only option. So we have to give all our support to that process going forward,” Quinn said.

The British diplomat also voiced support for the United States (US)-based Carter Center observation mission to be able to return and observe the recount.

The Center has said that its requests to come to Guyana have gone unheeded by the local authorities, prompting the international community and civil society to put pressure on the Government. According to Quinn, their presence can only help the process.

“Whenever people say to me, why is it important for the Carter Center to be there, it’s partly because you have 10

It has been over two months since Guyana’s elections, but a credible winner is yet to be declared after two widely discredited declarations from Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo.

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is set to embark today on a 25-day recount at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

But the inability of the Carter Center to observe the recount has left an air of foreboding over the process.

An observer from the Carter Center was unable to travel to Guyana on Monday as planned owing to the denial of approval to travel to Guyana from the COVID-19 Task Force.

In a statement on Monday, the democracy watchdog reaffirmed its commitment to providing an independent observation of Guyana’s electoral process; however, it stated: “The Center deployed an observer to Miami, who was prepared to travel to Georgetown today [Monday], but, unfortunately, his flight was denied approval to carry international election observers.”

According to the Center, attempts continue to be made to ascertain from Government officials what is required to allow the Center’s staff to return to

Members of the Carter Center

Guyana to observe the recount process The United States Embassy in Georgetown had revealed that permission was sought from the National COVID-19 Task Force – which is chaired by caretaker Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo with Director Joseph Harmon functioning as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), for a flight to land on Monday, May 4, and for

the observers from the Carter Center to be allowed entry into Guyana on that flight.

In response, the Task Force only approved the arrival of the flight and not the observers. In light of this situation, Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission, Retired Justice Claudette Singh has indicated that she would address the National Task Force on this issue.

4

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 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

Let the recount begin

T

he Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has finally gazetted the Order, and the nation was given all assurances that administratively and logistically, everything is in place for the national recount of votes cast in the March 2 General and Regional Elections to commence. The Caricom scrutineer team is also in Georgetown and is ready to play its part in the long-awaited national recount.

After more than two months of drama, the recount is slated to start today at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) and all eyes will be fixed on the process to ensure that the recount is credible and transparent. While we would want to be optimistic that the electoral process would be allowed to conclude and a legitimate government is sworn in on this basis, we will not hold our breath considering all that has happened in the past.

Over the past few weeks, the nation and the entire world saw the unthinkable happen. Many Guyanese could have never imagined that they would have witnessed such barefaced attempts at elections rigging. Many of our young people had only heard of such happenings when LFS Burnham had ruled Guyana during the People’s National Congress (PNC) dictatorial rule.

Guyana will certainly go down in history as the first country, which calls itself ‘democratic’, that took the longest period of time to declare a winner after an election, more so considering its relatively small voting population. This country will be notoriously remembered as the first country to attempt to derail an election on “live television”.

However, with the recount now about to commence, all stakeholders here, including GECOM and the political parties, still have one last chance to show the world that they can save Guyana from going down a path of destruction and hopelessness and return the country to the democratic fold.

Whatever happens in the next few days will determine the path the country takes.

Certainly, Guyana cannot claim to be democratic and a basic element of allowing citizens to choose their government is missing. United States Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, puts it this way: “if you want to be a member of the democratic club, you have to adhere to those responsibilities; you have to adhere to democratic principles; you have to adhere to the bedrock of democracy, which is free, fair and credible elections and the rule of law.”

The world values democratic governance and the general fundamentals of democracy as a whole. Hardcore elements within the APNU/AFC are clearly “unbothered” about the warnings from the most powerful capitals in the world about sanctions that would face Guyana if a government is formed on the basis of fraudulent elections results.

It could be recalled that Guyana’s Ambassador to the US, Dr Riyad Insanally was summoned to a meeting with Assistant Secretary of State Michael Kozak, with the US restating its position that it will not take lightly the formation of a government here based on questionable elections results.

However, mere days after the Ambassador was summoned, in a typical act of defiance, the Government, through the caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karen Cummings, issued a statement ‘reminding’ the international community that Guyana was a ‘sovereign state’, meaning that the APNU/AFC would not allow foreign powers to intervene in Guyana’s domestic issues.

It is a fact that Guyana is a sovereign state, but at the same time we claim to be part of a democratic fold of nations and we are also a signatory to a number of international conventions and agreements which compel us to adhere to certain basic democratic norms; this includes ensuring that citizens are allowed the opportunity to elect a government of their choice in a free, fair and transparent manner.

We have seen over the past few days, the number of impediments and deliberate acts aimed at frustrating the international observers from returning to Guyana to complete their mission. The national recount is the most crucial task ahead for this country. And in the coming days, the eyes of the world will be fixed on Guyana to see who are the “forces” that Prime Minister Mia Mottley referred to, that do not want to have a transparent and credible vote recount.

Not only will history judge these forces harshly, but they will be condemned and sanctioned by the international community.

It is our hope that it will come to this. Let the recount begin and the will of the people be heard.

Trust issues with GECOM

Dear Editor, Please permit me space to highlight some possible fraudulent issues which may arise during the days of the highly anticipated recount/election 2020 audit.

I have little to no trust in the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) as an organisation and also, more specifically, the “trained”, handpicked staff they have selected to conduct the recount of our sacred ballots.

Having highlighted this, I would like to publically advocate for a few additional security measures. They are as follows: 1. Each day before the recount commences, I would appreciate if the Commissioners conduct a check on all counting sta-

tions, leisure rooms, restrooms, security hut and any other part of the building they see fit to examine for stashed ballots.

2. Each day before the respective party’s counting agents and GECOM’s handpicked staff enter the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC), I would like for them to be appropriately patted down by two security professionals and have all bags, pockets, satchels, device cases etc examined before they step into the compound of the ACCC. Every time an individual leaves the compound (this should be highly limited to a specific amount of time) and reenters, this security process must be conducted on them.

In addition to these security measures which might not have been considered, I will reiterate my position on having the entire process of the recount live-streamed with additional cameras at each station. I ask for additional cameras since I anticipate some sort of confusion with intentions to distract other counting agents so that their sticky fingers can work.

To the counting agents of the new parties and opposing party, they will try to intimidate you but do not fall for it. Walk away from any sort of confrontation since they can use that confrontation to restart or not carry on a recount. Also, you will not be replaced if they put you out of the compound, therefore, that team you were

on will have an extra load which decreases their ability to focus on fraudulent acts. GECOM had boasted about their code of conduct but they fail to enforce it when it was most needed. I plead with GECOM to have those codes of conduct and penalties printed and taped on the desk of each counting stations.

I may sound somewhat paranoid but I’d prefer to be called paranoid than feel insecure and cheated upon. As Martin Carter puts it, “This is the dark times my love…”, therefore let us be vigilant as counting agents and let us hold our head high as Guyanese.

For Guyana with love, Dr Josh Kanhai

The DNC acknowledges the PPP as winner of the March 2, 2020 elections

Dear Editor, The Democratic National Congress once again condemns the PNC’s willful and consistent attempts to rig and delay the results of the March 2, 2020 elections. Based on available information, we should already have had our new

President sworn in since March 17, 2020, and our new Government installed and active in Parliament since April 30, 2020.

In the circumstances, as the party leader for the DNC, I have no alternative but to use my best judgment to fulfil the requirements of our

Constitution and other related laws, and so acknowledge the People’s Progressive Party as the winner of the March 2, 2020 elections, and Mr Irfaan Ali, their Presidential Candidate, as our new President.

I urge other Guyanese to join me in doing so to help

recover Guyana from the tyranny of David Granger and the People’s National Congress.

Dear Editor, After listening to that statement made by David Granger one might be tempted to believe that he is sincere and he actually means what he said. That meaning I am talking about is the close of this long night of waiting which comes by way of a recount and by extension an acceptance of the results of that recount. In fact, Granger himself said that he is prepared to accept the results of the recount, but is this an honest statement?

I must say I think not, because this is the same man who said that he would abide by the Constitution when the No-Confidence Motion was passed against him, but in reality, withstood that motion to its very end. So, you don’t have to look very far to get the real picture of what manner of man the caretaker President is. Under the

microscope of his immediate past, you see a deceptive and slippery character, one that is avid for power, who does not want to give up office. In fact, his supporters see this recount as the lastditch effort for him to beat the system and come out on top. So, this entire recount is meant to be a farce and here’s how they plan to do it: 1. Already the main international observer group, that is, The Carter Center has been debarred from entering Guyana. This fits snugly into Granger’s plan of not wanting any international scrutiny.

2. No cell phones are allowed; only sanitised information must be shown to the public. The rigging plan is better able to flourish in a controlled environment.

3. There will be the counting of ballot stubs and what is in the sealed envelopes thus wasting valuable

time on non-essential matters, while the real counting of the ballots is kept in abeyance.

4. The simultaneous opening, counting and tabulation of information from various boxes would be deliberately mixed up creating confusion. In the absence of the video of the proceedings, the real extent of the skullduggery is kept from the outside world. This is the desired effect.

5. All the observers and opposition parties would vociferously object to these illegal proceedings.

This development would be considered as “hooliganism” and an effort to derail the recount. At this juncture, there would be an immediate suspension of the recount.

Now, you must not forget that the opposition parties would not remove from the premises until those boxes

that were opened are sealed and placed back into the container. Here is where the situation becomes messy, because the incumbent would want the boxes kept open for nefarious purposes of tampering with the votes therein. Refusal of opposition groups to leave means that the police is likely to be called in to evict them.

When this does not succeed the CEO of the COVID-19 Task Force would declare the area unfit for use.

This now paves the way for the politically controlled Chairman of GECOM to rely on the fraudulent results given by Mingo to declare the incumbent as winners.

I think without a ballot being counted we are going headlong into the realm of sanctions.

Sincerely, Craig Sylvester Party Leader Democratic National Congress

There shall be no recount

Respectfully, Neil Adams

Ensuring a peaceful end to the 2020 elections

Dear Editor, In the absence of a Government and given the volatile history of violence after highly contested elections, especially when an injustice is perceived, it is necessary that the two major parties work on joint plans to mitigate the risk of after elections violence.

There is currently a high level of tension in the country, so Comrades (PPP and

PNC) please take the necessary steps to keep all Guyanese safe. One death is too many.

There will need to be a lot of caution taken on the roadways as election results come out and having an agreed-upon curfew and predetermined roadblocks along major roadways (eg the Linden Highway and the Corentyne Road) and around Linden,

Georgetown and other sensitive areas will help increase the level of safety for all Guyanese.

It is also important that each party is well organised and has the ability to keep their supporters safe while also maintaining control over their supporters to ensure no rogue elements create mischief nor commit violent acts during a peaceful transition into the new ad-

ministrative period.

We the law-abiding citizens of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana thank the major parties involved in the elections in advance for trying to ensure the maintenance of a safe and secure civil society during this tense period of our history.

Best regards, Jamil Changlee

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020

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No observation, In praise of 45 no recognition Dear Editor, It would appear that those in charge of the recount are not really interested in producing credible results.

There can be no good reason for refusing to allow The Carter Center and the International Republican Institute to observe the recount.

It will, therefore, only be reasonable for the US Embassy to declare that; since its accredited observers were not allowed to be present to observe and report on this recount, it will reserve the right to decide whether to accept the results of this recount, as the basis of forming the new Government.

In the absence of objective observers reporting on the results of the recount, the entire process will be useless.

Observers acting in unity have the opportunity now to make sure the recount follows a process that will be simple, transparent and without opportunities for confusion, rigging and corruption. They must insist that the following conditions exist for them to participate: 1. Count only one region at a time.

2. Have present the polling officers from each Polling Station to open their box and to answer any queries that may come up during the recount; includ-

ing a declaration, if the box has been tampered with. If there is evidence that any box was tampered, stop the recount.

3. Live stream the recount.

4. No GECOM personnel that was part of the Mingo declaration to be allowed to participate.

5. The Carter Center must be allowed to field an observation team.

It is my position that GECOM can accommodate these conditions.

If GECOM wants the results from this process to be recognised, then it must meet these demands.

Dear Editor, In my last letter, I urged parents to think of the lockdown as a Master’s programme in simply chilling. After my last letter, a friend extended thanks for the read, saying she was less overwhelmed and it was at that moment, I realised, that’s what we are all feeling now, admittedly or not: overwhelmed!

Life worldwide and more so, in Guyana right now is so overwhelmingly uncertain.

Emotionally, we worry about family and friends getting COVID-19, going from cautious to nervous to panicked at rapid speed. The more you read – the harrowing photographs of Italian hospitals, America’s unpreparedness, what to do and not to do, possible treatments, local journalists and Banks DIH employees sharing stories, amidst the usual Elections ludicrousness going on for 2 months now….

Get on with it already!

It’s demanding, emotional and terribly overwhelming. For me and many others, managing the threat of the virus is adding a new and significant dose of domestic and emotional stress to our lives.

What makes this anxiety

much worse is its disruption of our daily routines combined with a deeper uncertainty as to how it will play out.

How long will our children be out of school? How will we go to work, get the job done and earn money to pay our several bills? Managing children and a house is work.

The logistical anxieties are far more severe for parents who are also caring for an elderly parent.

At the centre of our anxiety sits all the unknowns, which are extremely difficult to reason through. For one, our understanding of the virus and how it functions is extremely limited, and there are new findings every day.

Parents, I realise that we need to try to take breaks from the news, and put our family’s risk in perspective. This will be hard on this digital age but we need to try anyway. It is important for us as parents to protect our mental health because children can be traumatised by a parent’s anxiety.

While our children may be feeling nervous to some degree, those whose schools are cancelled are more so likely to be unsettled. Children thrive on stability and routine and

when those go away, it is up to parents to model how to cope. To survive, we all need to both commit ourselves to some sense of order, and at the same time, yield to the chaos.

Parents, I urge you to do what you need to do to lower your stress levels.... maybe ease up on your television and video game policy. Create some structure that you can realistically commit to and on most days, achieve, and importantly, make sure you are enjoying some parts of it.

At our end, we are very lucky to have supplies, a garden and lots of activities and projects we kept meaning to tackle to keep us going.

However, the thing we miss most by far is people ? My son is still too young to understand what’s happening and his interactions with others are now limited to video chats.

He, however, clearly misses the ‘normalcy’ and asks to play with his cousins and stay with his grandparents.

I leave you with a beautiful idea I read about which in turn I hope readers can try in their respective homes. I will certainly start this from tomorrow. A mom was talking about coping mechanisms

Respectfully, Sase Shewnarain

Dear Editor, It is most fortunate that Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States in 2016; had he lost; the current pandemic would have been catastrophic to the western world. Trump's leadership has been bold and innovative; it has not been stymied by the weakness of politically correct liberalism.

In 2016, I wrote a note on Facebook to explain to my friends why I supported Trump, entitled "The Ideological Divide: A Conservative View" in which I said, "I think Trump is running for President because he is simply alarmed at the state of the Union, it has been degenerating at a rapid pace, weak foreign policy, weak trade deals, weak, weak, weak, America, everyone's policeman, being taken advantage of by 'friends'. He

Being overwhelmed during this time

with her active children and said: “Every time we wish we could do something, go somewhere, treat ourselves, see someone we love, visit a new place, invite people to visit us, we’re going to write it down on a post-it note and put it in a jar. When all this is over this will be our bucket list and we’ll work our way through the jar and be more grateful than ever for the little and lovely things in our lives. Until then we’ll enjoy watching the jar fill up with magical things to look forward to.”

So to everyone who’s really feeling overwhelmed at the moment, hang in there and stay strong. Try the magic jar!

It is all we really have right now ? hope that our loved ones will all be okay and that we will survive this and that one day soon we can see the people we love and do the things we love. That is what this is all about: documenting all of those precious things we take for granted and when we come to take them back out of the jar, they will mean so much more to us.

Stay well and safe parents!

Sincerely, Mommy V

Traffic advisory for the national recount Dear Commissioner James, This is with respect to the abovementioned subject, which was sent out to the media on May 4, 2020, at approximately 15:00h which stated that from May 5, 2020, at 06:00 am, the Railway Embankment between UG Road and Conversation Tree, Bel Air, will be closed to vehicular traffic. It further stated persons proceeding to Caricom Secretariat and persons residing to the east of the Convention Centre will be given access to enter the Embankment from UG Road, while persons residing to the west will be given access from Bel Air. The Giftland Mall, as you’re aware, resides between the Convention Centre and the Caricom Secretariat and since the impact of COVID-19, FoodMaxx and Shoppers Pharmacy have provided essen-

tial services and are open from 09:00h to 17:00h daily to accommodate customers.

These traffic regulations which seem to be catering for the national recount personnel will put us to a great disadvantage. For customers and staff, we are kindly requesting that you reconsider this closure in line with previous security arrangements for events at the Arthur Chung Centre where provisions were made to allow traffic to the Giftland Mall.

This road closure could bring hardship to the thousands of daily travellers traversing the roads and is potentially a health impediment to safe travel.

We are kindly asking for our customers and staff to be given access from UG Road to the Giftland Mall. Employment at the Mall still covers the welfare of 200plus families, who will be affected if this

road closure is maintained, ensuring that there is 100 per cent certainty of putting these families on the breadline.

We have spoken to the Senior Police Superintendent who advised us that only you can authorise the opening of the road to allow traffic to our Mall, I am kindly requesting your assistance in this matter.

I am available for a meeting at your convenience.

Thank you in advance for your usual corporation.

Respectfully yours, Kenon Sutherland, Deputy Head of Security Giftland Group of Companies The Foodmaxx Supermarket MCG Investments Inc

SEE ADDITIONAL LETTERS ON PAGE 16

understands that America has paid an enormous price for these friendships and cannot continue to do so, world stability depends on a strong America and its friends must pay their share of the bill." '45' has delivered on his promise to make America great again, and now he is making a difference in the COVID-19 pandemic with real leadership.

President Donald Trump closed the borders/airports to China much earlier than anyone else suggested, Trump labelled COVID-19 the 'China virus' and the 'Wuhan virus' and the liberals shouted "racism" and tiptoed around the Chinese in that politically correct way of theirs. We are now finding out that the Wuhan Institute of Virology is a mere nine miles away from the 'wet market' where China claims the virus originated. Only the naive would believe that is a coincidence.

Trump's instincts are unmatched and were spot on early in this crisis and many lives were saved as a result.

Liberals would rather have left the airports open than offend the Chinese, hundreds of thousands would have died because they can't handle the truth.

Democrats in America have blindly fought every word uttered by Trump in a display of ignorance unmatched in my lifetime; when Trump said "So, supposedly we hit the body with a tremendous, whether it's ultraviolet or just very powerful light, and I think you said that hasn't been checked, but you're going to test it. And then I said supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way" it was spun and made fun of but it turns out that Trump is capable of understanding creative thinking and science much better than most, Trump was refer-

ring to the Healight Platform Technology being developed by researchers at CedarsSinai Medical Center, a medical device which consists of LED lighting that would be inserted down the trachea of COVID-19 patients to bring controlled ultraviolet light into the patient. The LA Times described it as "UV light to be used as a disinfectant in treating COVID-19 patients," It is no surprise that such an innovative idea would catch the imagination of '45'.

While the liberals were busy appeasing the Chinese with platitudes, China was engaging in a PR campaign to suggest that the virus did not originate in Wuhan. From the beginning, China has been lying to the world about the origin and characteristics of the virus. The Chinese lied about every aspect of the outbreak and they continue to lie; these lies have made the death tolls higher and the search for a cure/vaccination that much harder.

Given that China has been bold enough to tell bald-faced lies about the origin of the virus, the world must hold China accountable for its actions that have cost trillions of dollars in economic losses.

The only world leader that will be able to stand up to China and make them pay is Donald Trump; no doubt others will hastily join the line behind him to collect their pound of flesh. The world should be thankful for Trump's leadership in ridding us of the Chinese virus and his innovation will be well appreciated when it comes time to make them pay for the damage done. The greatest gift America can give the world will be a second term for the greatest President they have ever seen. Re-elect 45.

Respectfully, Robin Singh

6

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020

Page

Foundation

Guyana Times is pleased to publish the Education Ministry’s National Grade Six Assessment Past Papers. Below are the conclusion of Mathematics Paper 1, 2013 and the first part of Science Paper 1, 2009.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

NATIONAL GRADE SIX ASSESSMENT

SCIENCE

TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes 1. WRITE YOUR CANDIDATE NUMBER ON THE ANSWER SHEET AND UNDERLINE THE SUBJECT.

3. If you are not sure of the answer to a question, then choose the one which you think is BEST. On your answer sheet, draw a heavy black line through the letter you have chosen.

2. This test contains 40 questions. You are required to answer ALL questions. Four responses are given for each question.

The responses are A, B, C and D. Only ONE response is correct.

4. BE SURE THAT THE QUESTION NUMBER IN THE BOOKLET IS THE SAME AS THE ONE YOU HAVE USED ON YOUR ANSWER SHEET. Here is an example done for you.

1. Carbon dioxide is a

1. The organism shown above belongs to the group of (A) crustaceans. (B) molluscs

(C) arthropods (D) myriapods

(C)

(A) mixture (B) liquid (C) gas (D) solid

5. If you make a mistake, erase the line cleanly, then draw a heavy black line through the letter next to the answer you have now

(D) ,lamina.

6. Which of the following forces is the greatest?

Study the drawing of a leaf below, then answer question 4.

(A) r (C) t

(B) (D)

7. On which surface would there be the least friction?

(A) Tyres on a vehicle

(C) A safety shoe

(B) A gravel road

(D) A polished floor 8. Full moon is when

(A) the whole earth is in moonlight.

(B) the moon is seen as a whole

(C) light from the moon is on the earth.

(D) moonlight shines fullyon the earth.

4. The part labelled A is the

(A) midrib. (B) margin.

6. REMEMBER, each answer MUST only be shown by a heavy black line on your Answer Sheet.

7. Remember only ONE answer must be provided for each question.

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

5. Erosion is the process by which

(A) trees are cut from the forest.

(B) plant roots hold the soil together.

(C) topsoil is removed by water and wind.

(D) the rainwater floods the low lands.

chosen.

A heavy black line has been drawn through the letter B on the answer sheet because Georgetown, the correct answer, is next to B.

2. The largest sense organ of the human body is the

(A) nose. (B) skin.

(C) eye.

(D) ear.

3. Which is a male reproductive organ?

(A) Uterus (B) Oviduct

(C) Ovaries (D) Testicle

ANSWER SHEET A B C D

(A) pathway.

(C) rotation.

(B) axis.

(D) orbit.

10. Which circuit symbol represents a bulb?

(A) (B)

(C) (D) 11. The instrument that measures the amount of moisture in the air is called a

(A) hydrometer.

(B) hygrometer.

(C) barometer.

(D) thermometer.

12. The handle of a kettle is most likely made of a/an

(A) conductor.

(B) insulator.

(C) condenser.

(D) resistor.

Study the diagram below, then answer questions 13 and 14.

Study the diagram below, then answer question 9.

9. The part labelled X is called the

13. Which one identifies the organism above as an insect?

(A) it has six legs.

(B) it has wings.

(C) the wings are thin (D) the body has fine hairs.

TO BE CONTINUED CONTINUED FROM YESTERDAY 37. Arrange the quantities 7-10 , 0.8 and 8% from greatest to least?

(A) 8%, 0.8, 7\10 (B) 7\10, 0.8, 8% (C) 0.8 , 7\10, 8% (D) 0.8, 8%, 7\10 38. The cost of a cell phone was reduced from $12 000 to $9600. What was the percent decrease in the price of the cell phone?

(A) 10% (B) 15% (C) 20% (D) 25% The graph below shows the children who visited their favourite places during the vacation. Study it, then answer questions 39 and 40.

39. How many children visited the zoo, park and creek?

(A) 25 (B) 30 (C) 35 (D) 90 40. How many more children visited the zoo than the park?

(A) 5 (B) 15 (C) 20 (D) 35 END OF TEST

NEWS

7

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GECOM begins national recount

Order gives Claudette Singh ultimate power to accept results …experts cite open recourse to using Mingo’s declaration in event of dispute

T

he Guyana Elections C o m m i s s i o n (GECOM) will today commence what is planned to be a minimum 25-day recount of the March 2, 2020 ballots cast, but acceptance of those results is left up to the Chair of the electoral body, Retired Justice Claudette Singh.

As such, a final declaration of the results of the March 2, General and Regional Elections is ultimately dependent on Singh’s decision, in the event of a split vote over the outcome of the exercise expected to take place at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

This is made possible since Clause 14 of the recount order stipulates that “the Commission shall, after deliberating on the report at paragraph 11, determine whether it should request the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), to use the data compiled in accordance with paragraph 11, as the basis for the submission of a report under Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act Cap 1:03.”

The Clause (11) referred to by Clause 14 of the order, speaks to the preparation of the report to be handed to the CEO and stakeholders such as contesting political parties and observers and Commissioners and Chairperson, and to be used in order to tabulate the allocation of seats.

The tabulations are to utilise Statements of Recount (SoRs) and not Statements of Poll (SoPs).

It was noted that Clause

GECOM Commissioner Vincent Alexander

GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh

Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield

Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo

14 also speaks to the acceptance by the Commission of that report, to be used as the basis for, “the submission of a report under Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act Cap 1:03.”

That aspect of the law (Section 96) referred to, speaks to the division of seats—based on the allocations of votes—that will determine the share-makeup of the 65-member legislature and serves as the precursor for the final declaration with a President being declared.

That is to say, the report compiled from the recount is to be used as the report intended in that Section of the law to decide how many seats are allocated to which party and ultimately who becomes President, instead of the declarations that have already been made and that stand on the Commission’s records.

Legal experts have since pointed out that the order ultimately also means

that Claudette Singh still decides whether to have that report from the recount used by CEO Keith Lowenfield—to satisfy the requirements of the law for seat allocations and determining a President.

This is in the event of a dispute of the results of the recount, or reversion to declarations that stand in the records of GECOM. These declarations, according to the experts, have not been nullified and include those controversially declared for Region Four

by Returning Officer (RO), Clairmont Mingo.

Additionally, the order which has since been published in the Official Gazette at Clause 15 expressly states, “for the avoidance of any doubt, the Chief Elections Officer and every person appointed or authorised to perform any act or functions by virtue of this order, are and shall remain subject to the general supervisory power of the

Commission.”

Government-nominated Commissioner Vincent Alexander has in recent days made a point of the legality of the declarations that have been made by the various Returning Officers.

The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) Commissioner, Alexander, told media operatives that it is only when new declarations have been made that the existing ones, already on record, would be nullified.

He had said that that if the recount process yields new declarations for the March 2 General and Regional Elections, then those would supersede the ones already in existence—a decision, which, according to the order, is left ultimately up the Chair.

He qualified his position at the time saying, “I am not saying that they are going to be used, but I am not in the business of look-

ing at something that is legal and crossing it out just like that.”

He said it is there to be taken into consideration, and that decision is still to be made by the Commission.

The Commission on Tuesday began to remove the containers with the ballots cast on March 2, for ACCC for the first set of openings and subsequent recounting of the votes beginning today.

According to the order, dated May 4, “the recount shall commence with the allocation of ten (10) workstations as follows: District 1 – two workstations; District 2 – two workstations; District 3 – three workstations and District 4 – three workstations. The recount for Districts 5 through 10 shall be conducted based on the completion of, and the workstations assigned to, Districts 1, 2 and 3.”

Each workstation will be equipped with facilities

to capture and broadcast a picture of the ballot box, depicting the state in which it is delivered to the workstation, and an audio feed of the recount process.

The order further states, “There shall be installed an audio-visual facility in the Tabulation Centre which shall broadcast live the entire tabulation process.”

On the arrival of the ballot box at the workstation, it is envisaged that the containers “be first examined to ascertain that the seals are intact” and that “the contents shall then be emptied, and the election materials examined.”

It stated that the result of the General and Regional Recount of each ballot box “shall be recorded as provided for on a Statement of Recount upon the completion of the recount of each box.”

SoRs are also to be signed by a representative of each contesting party present, in the presence of the specially invited scrutinising team fielded by the Caribbean Community and representatives of political parties that contested the elections, international and local observers accredited by the GECOM. Meanwhile, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has since announced that “as the premier law enforcement organisation in the State of Guyana and in keeping with its mandate of maintaining safety and security, [the GPF] will be in charge of all security arrangements during the recount of the ballots.”

8 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Opposition political parties reject GECOM, NCN staff solely controlling live streaming …say at least one private entity should be involved

T

he major opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and seven of the other small parties that contested the March 2 elections are vehemently objecting to the decision of the Guyana Elections Commission to allocate the live streaming responsibility for the recount to the State-owned National Broadcasting Network (NCN) working in conjunction with staff from the GECOM Secretariat.

The national recount, which is expected to last for a minimum of 25 days, commences today at 08:00h and is being conducted at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) located at Liliendaal, Greater

Director of Department of Public Information, Imran Khan

has been giving very partisan, sycophantic coverage to the PNC-led APNU/AFC Government since they took office but this has been ratcheted up after the elections process grounded to a halt

Arthur Chung Convention Centre

Georgetown, from where it will be streamed.

But the opposition parties are insisting that at least one private broadcasting entity should be involved with the live streaming.

According to the parties, the State media as a whole

when embattled Returning Officer (RO) Clairmont Mingo corrupted the tabulation process on March 4, in favour of the coalition. This led to the acceptance by the GECOM Commission that a recount of the ballots needed to be conducted and live-

streamed to the public in order to instil some confidence in the process given a widespread feeling of ‘betrayal’ following the actions by RO Mingo.

Typical of the blatant bias by the State media, it was pointed out is the editorial in Monday’s edition of the Chronicle newspaper – another State-owned entity – that the coalition’s demand for the recount to be an audit had been accepted by the GECOM Chair when in fact it was not.

The opposition parties believe that to place sole responsibility for a process that demands integrity and impartiality cannot be at the sole discretion of a proven biased entity. At a minimum, they insist the Government mouthpiece should be joined by one of the independent broadcasting entities that have the capability to conduct the live streaming.

Meanwhile, Public Relations Officer at GECOM, Yolanda Ward on Tuesday revealed that the recount process will be streamed on the Election Commission’s Facebook and YouTube pages as well as on its website at www.gecom.org.gy According to the recount order published by GECOM on Monday, provisions are made for each of the 10 workstations to be equipped with facilities to capture and broadcast a picture of the ballot box depicting the

Counting…

N

Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Roxanne Myers

state in which it is delivered to the workstation.

In addition, there will be an audio stream of the recount of the ballots, while the tabulation process will be live-streamed.

During the course of the 25-day recount, the Railway Embankment between UG Road and Conversation Tree, Bel Air, will be closed to vehicular traffic from 06:00h daily. This closure became effective on Tuesday until further notice.

Persons proceeding to the Caricom Secretariat at Turkeyen, and persons residing to the east of the Convention Centre will be given access to enter the Embankment from UG Road, while those residing to the west will be given access from Bel Air. Additionally, the compound of the Aquatic Centre will be used to facilitate parking for the observers, agents and other officials.

2nd Lusignan Prison escapee recaptured in LBI

Prison escapee: Anthony Padmore

A

s Police intensified their search for the three other men who escaped the holding bay at the Lusignan Prison, another one was recaptured on Tuesday evening hiding in a house at La Bonne Intention on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).

Twenty-six-year-old Anthony Padmore was recaptured after Police received a tip-off that he was

hiding in the house.

Two Wednesdays ago, 24-year-old Sasenarine Bisnauth was arrested while hiding in a cane field on the BV Sideline Dam. Those who remain at large are murder accused Kenraul Perez, 26, of Mabaruma, North West District (NWD), Region One (Barima-Waini), and Ganesh Dhanraj, 32, of Facade, Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), who was also charged with murder.

The prison authorities noticed that the men were missing during roll-call on the morning in question after they did not answer to their names.

Further, the ClosedCircuit Television (CCTV) recordings proved that the men escaped by jumping over the eastern fence.

Over the years, several persons have escaped from the Lusignan penitentiary, but have been recaptured.

Following the fire in 2017 at the Camp Street penitentiary, the Lusignan Prison was used as a holding facil-

Still at Large: Kenraul Perez

Still at Large: Ganesh Dhanraj

ity with several holding areas.

However, after a few days, 13 inmates had escaped by digging a hole under the perimeter fence. The hole was about five feet wide and another five feet deep.

Those who had escaped were murder accused Clive Forde, Pascal Smith, Kerry Cromwell, Odel Roberts, Kendell Skeet, Rayon Jones, Jason Howard, Shawn Harris, Paul Goriah and Jamal Forde, along with

Teshawn McKenzie and Winston Long, who were incarcerated for armed robbery, and Jamal Joseph, who was remanded on an attempted murder charge.

Goriah, whose last known address was given as Grove Squatting Area, East Bank Demerara, was the only person who was not recaptured and remains on the run to date. The Lusignan Prison is located on the East Coast of Demerara, and houses more than 300 prisoners.

…votes? o…your Eyewitness hasn’t suddenly woken up on Planet Bizzaro after Arrival Day. He doesn’t think that just because the GECOM Secretariat employees reflected on the travails of their forefathers and foremothers, they’ll suddenly have an attack of integrity to do the right thing. Nah…even as they were being hired back in the day by Lowenfield, they’d been vetted for the willingness to bend their conscience. So what if they took an oath to ensure that: “each of your actions should reflect the highest standards of Integrity; Neutrality; Transparency; and Fairness.

He knows Guyanese are about to get “cocked” – he just doesn’t know exactly how. One fella told your Eyewitness that what’s gonna happen at a crucial point in the counting is each worker’s gonna suddenly start coughing. Yes – coughing. Fella figures with COVID-19 in the air, (literally) that should clear that Convention Centre faster than the bomb threat at Ashmin’s!

When pressed as to why he felt this was the way the recount will be “cocked”, fella asked whether your Eyewitness hadn’t listened to Patterson’s reason for not supporting the live-streaming. Seems that the AFC-nowPNC insider claimed if the workers’ faces are shown to the public, they’d be in danger. Now why would some folks who’re just counting ballots be in danger? your Eyewitness asked. And the answer came: ‘cause they’d be “cocking” the count!

But your Eyewitness doesn’t think the riggers will go that route. Why? Too obvious. But it just goes to show what the Guyanese public think of this elite bunch in the Secretariat who’ll be deployed for this recount. They’re the SEALS of the Secretariat – well-honed rigging machines!!

Another theory is that the ballot boxes were already switched with others stuffed with PNC ballots. Like what happened in ’73 after the Army took the ballot boxes to Ayanganna. But here again, this seems too far-fetched.

And hadn’t those fearless Guardians of Democracy been guarding those containers??

What your Eyewitness think will happen is more prosaic and the trained Rigging Seals won’t have to be called in.

They’ve already done the dirty when they came up with those 19 rules that have to be followed for each ballot box. They will actually be conducting an AUDIT rather than a recount and the PNC will go to the courts to reject the results in toto!!

So you say (incredulously) hasn’t the PNC been calling for an audit?! Well, after the 1997 elections, they went to court to annul the elections because of IDs being required.

Never mind, they’d solemnly voted for that requirement in the National Assembly.

And guess who ruled for them? Go to the head of the class, Dear Reader: Claudette Singh!! …slights to the Carter Center Over the past months, ever since the question of observers came up, your Eyewitness has been emphasising how visceral was the hatred for that organisation in the bosoms of the Burnhamites in the Administration. Yes, hatred! Remember Hamilton Green’s – who’d been OR’d and pensioned by Granger for the slights they’d both suffered at the hands of Desmond Hoyte – reaction? The old rigger reminded the country that the Carter Center’s located where folks who looked like him were lynched a century ago!! Talk about holding grudges!

But the bitterness was actually because the Carter Center had braced their bête noir Hoyte to resist their pressures for the 1992 election to be rigged at the last moment when it was clear the PPP was winning. They knew the Carter Center wasn’t going to fall for their identical ploy three decades later.

More than any other signal by the PNC, denying the Carter Center permission to return tells us that what’s going down at the Convention Centre. It’s just a big “’cock”.

Will the US go along? …Arrivals First came the Portuguese, then the Indians and the Chinese in that order to join the Africans and Whites.

Arrivals all, who found the Indigenous Peoples.

So, apart from them, we’re all arrivistes!

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

NEWS

9

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GECOM cannot audit itself …exercise will extend and paralyse recount – attorney

T

he Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is today preparing to embark on another ruse spearheaded by the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) meant to extend the credible declaration of the March 2, General and Regional Elections, “so that they could continue clinging on to power.”

This, through an officially gazetted order that calls on GECOM officials to comply with the 19-point checklist provided by the Secretariat that is “simultaneously pro-

viding them with a wider array of reasons for returning to the courts.”

This is according to Attorney-at-Law Sanjeev Datadin, who on Tuesday stated that the incumbent caretaker Government is strenuously pushing for GECOM to conduct an audit of the ballots, rather than a recount, which has actually been authorised by the Commission.

Additionally, the main opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) on Tuesday— one day after the order was published in the gazette—expressed concerns over pro-

Attorney-at-Law Sanjeev Datadin

visions in the recount order that would give Chief

Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, time alone with the tabulated Statements of Recount to be used in the process.

Expanding on his concerns with the manner at which the Commission intends to proceed with the elections recount, the prominent attorney noted that any de facto audit “ignores Section 89(2) of the Representation of the People Act (RPA) that expressly states “the Returning Officer shall not open the sealed packets containing tendered ballots, the marked copies of the official list of electors …or

GTT reopens stores today ...special service hour for seniors, essential workers

W

eeks after the closure of its retail stores in a bid to support the global call for physical distancing during the coronavirus pandemic, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) has decided to reopen its doors to serve its customers as of today.

“Our decision to close was in the best interest of the health and well-being of our staff and customers. During closure, we took the time to consider and implement recommended safety measures – and to procure the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for our team,” explained GTT CEO,

Justin Nedd.

GTT’s stores located at 55 Brickdam, Forgarty’s, Beterverwagting, New Amsterdam, Linden and Essequibo will be open from 08:00 am to 03:30 pm from Monday to Friday. GTT has dedicated 08:00 am to 09:00 am to serving senior citizens and essential workers.

Persons opting to make bill payments and access services at the stores are asked to abide by the special arrangements that will be in place to honour the company’s commitment to support physical distancing.

This includes the wearing of masks, washing or sanitising of hands, standing on

GTT’s Chief Executive Officer, Justin Nedd

markers 4-6 feet apart, temperature checks and the understanding that only a limited number of persons will be permitted within a store at any given time, (inclusive of staff present).

The GTT team serv-

ing customers, as well as the security guards, will be equipped with masks and other protective gear.

“These are challenging times and we are adjusting to the changing circumstances around us. I’d like to publicly thank the GTT team for agreeing to return to the stores to serve our customers who would prefer in-person transactions. However, e-commerce is the new normal and the way of the future.

I also encourage customers to continue using our MMG app to pay all of their bills in the interest of convenience and safety,” Nedd said.

Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield

counterfoils of used ballot papers.”

He noted, “whilst it is true that the recount is under GECOM exercising its constitutional and statutory powers [Article 162 of the Constitution] and not the RPA, the edict of RPA should not be easily ignored.”

According to the attorney, the RPA codified the restriction because “it was recognised that to do otherwise in a recount would be chaotic and take far too long.”

He noted that in its editorial of May 5, the Staterun Chronicle boasted about the supposed recount that GECOM had authorised, which noted: “there will be a full, comprehensive recount, and a thorough forensic audit.”

Datadin argued, however, that there is a more fundamental point that the caretaker Government ignored.

According to Datadin, “to

engage in anything except a recount of the ballots allows [Vincent] Alexander and his APNU cohorts to raise all manner of issues relating to the Official List of Electors (OLE) and voters with no dispute resolution protocol in place – the recount process would be rendered paralysed.”

It was noted too that another issue of concern regards the propriety of any organisation auditing itself.

According to Datadin “while internal audits are standard for most organisations, these exercises are “usually used for internal purposes and assess such issues, such as control, governance and risk management processes within an organisation.”

He suggested that there is in fact, a need for an internal audit to discover what actually occurred with the tabulation of the Statements of Poll

by Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo.

He was adamant that “if the GECOM Commission felt it was necessary to have an audit of the ballots for the credibility of the March 2 elections, it should have counted the ballots, declared the results – as was requested by the Peoples National Congress after the 1997 elections.”

At the time, an external auditor would have to be retained as was “Ulric Cross in that instance,” according to Datadin.

10 NEWS Govt was advised to continue oil production – Bynoe WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

…despite falling Brent oil prices

W

hen it comes to suggestions that Guyana cap oil production until global prices improve, Department of Energy Director, Dr Mark Bynoe has poured cold water on these suggestions.

In an online press conference on Monday, Bynoe confirmed that indeed, Guyana plans to continue oil production as per normal. He noted that the country is pressing full steam ahead based on the advice they received from the experts.

“Having discussed with industry experts, the gen-

Department of Energy Director, Dr Mark Bynoe

eral impression [is] that Guyana should continue producing at steady-state position with Liza destiny.”

“This is a time to keep production as is and do nothing to jeopardise the operational integrity of Liza.

Shutting down existing production can prove costly and detrimental to any future production from that reservoir,” Bynoe added.

Moreover, Bynoe noted that Guyana’s crude oil is only just starting to leave a global footprint that will benefit the country’s reputation as a light crude producExxon’s Liza Destiny

ing nation.

“We are beginning to see that the Liza Crude is indeed having a global impact, a number of refineries are touching to know how it will perform. That feedback that comes to us gives us a very good idea as to how our crude is performing and how it can be marketed,” Bynoe said.

Guyana had entered an agreement to sell its initial share of crude to Shell’s Barbados subsidiary. Only recently, Guyana received almost US$55 million for its first one million barrels of oil sold.

It also received its first royalty payment for the first quarter of the year. But given the market volatility, there has been concern that if Guyana continues selling its oil it would get less than it would in stable conditions.

Bynoe also explained that Guyana’s oil is sold on ‘dated Brent’, which means payment of the average price at least 10 days after the oil is delivered.

Guyana only became an oil-producing nation last year, with Exxon so far making 16 oil finds in the Stabroek Block. I’m 2019, the company made five discoveries. These discoveries have pushed the total estimated recoverable barrels of oil equivalent to over six billion.

In addition, Exxon has its Liza Phase Two project, which will contain approximately 30 wells and which has already received the requisite approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Payara, meanwhile, is expected to have 45 wells that include production wells, water and gas injection wells.

But the onset of the global coronavirus pandemic has had a serious impact not just on lives but also the global economy and specifically, oil. With it came a massive slump in demand and an oversupplied market.

Brent crude is currently trading at around US$30 per barrel. While this is a recovery considering how low it previously sank, it is also a steep drop compared to a few months ago when it was being traded at over US$50.

Since oil production started, Guyana produces an average of between 75,000 and 80,000 barrels of oil per day in the Liza field.

Moreover, production is expected to be ramped up to 120,000 barrels per day by next month.

Meanwhile, Guyana’s second lift of 1 million barrels of oil is expected in a couple of weeks. This comes on the heels of Guyana’s first lift of its 1 million barrel share of the crude oil in February of this year.

NEWS

11

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PPP/C worried over provision that gives Lowenfield time alone with SoRs … as objections mount over ‘details’ in elections recount order

T

he Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) Official Order in the Gazette for the national recount has made provisions for the original Statements of Recount to be lodged with Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, for an unprescribed period of time before party representatives and other scrutineers are provided with a copy, and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has voiced scepticism over this, given Lowenfield’s actions in the past.

According to Clause Eight (8) of the Order made under the Constitution of Guyana and the Election Laws (Amendment) Act No 15 of 2000, under which the recount is to be conducted, “The Statement of Recount shall be signed by the person conducting the recount and by the representative of each contesting party present, in the presence of the Caricom scrutinising team, representatives of political parties that contested the said elections, international and local observers accredited by the Guyana Elections Commission and advisors to the Guyana Elections Commission.

These documents shall be lodged with the Chief Elections Officer and copies distributed to the signatories thereto, the Caricom scrutinising team, the Chairman and the Commissioners.”

In making their criticisms and voicing their concerns over these provisions, the PPP pointed out that the usual procedure for a count at a Polling Station provides certain safeguards as it relates to the Statements of Poll (SoPs).

In the case of a recount, the Statement of Recount has the same function as an SoP. The Opposition noted that the practice during a count, which allows for

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

transparency, sees the SoP containing the results being signed by the Presiding Officer (PO) and a duplicate copy of the original immediately being handed to each polling agent representing their respective political parties, while the original copy is sent by the PO to the Returning Officer (RO) and another duplicate copy of the original is sent to the CEO. Pointing to the vast difference in procedures as it relates to SoPs and the provisions made for the handling of SoRs, the PPP in a statement on Tuesday stated, “The original copy of the SoP being sent to the RO and the different duplicate copies of the original being handed to the representatives of the respective political parties and the Chief Elections Officer, is a fundamental check and balance mechanism, the importance of which is now even greater, having regard to the various attempts at fraud, which we have witnessed in relation to tabulation of results in relation to Electoral District number Four (4).”

The party continued to stress, “This means that for a period of time, unknown, the Chief Elections Officer shall have sole custody of these documents and shall have the sole responsibility of making copies of them

for distribution, without any oversight, whatsoever, before they are delivered to the other persons named in the provision.”

Their objections to this provision, they said, is the SoRs being in the sole possession of the Chief Elections Officer for the purpose of making copies, without any oversight and scrutiny.

The basis for concern dwells on the fact that it was CEO Lowenfield who “has unlawfully refused to make SoPs in his possession public and has also withheld them from the Commissioners of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) despite their repeated request.”

As a measure of transparency and accountability, the PPP has, therefore, recommended that “when the necessary information is recorded on each SoR upon the completion of the recount of each ballot box and before that SoR is signed by anyone, that the relevant number of copies be made, then signed by all the persons who are entitled to do so and be distributed to the different persons entitled to possession of them; so that if there is any discrepancies, it can be detected before the relevant persons sign them.”

Further, the party said, “We take this opportunity to call upon the APNU/AFC rigging cabal and their cohorts to stop their surreptitious as well as blatant attempts to derail, frustrate and undermine the recount process, including their strenuous efforts to deny the process transparency and the widest possible oversight and public scrutiny.”

The PPP’s incredulity towards Lowenfield’s integrity follows several incidents post-March 2 that have raised concerns over his impartiality. On March 8,

One of the containers with the ballot boxes being transported to the ACCC on Sunday

2020, even after contesting parties, local and foreign observers and the diplomatic and international community declared that the Region Four declaration made by Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo lacked credibility, Lowenfield attempted to make a final declaration of the results based on Mingo’s declaration—even as the Region Four declaration was being challenged in court.

Lowenfield in an email to the GECOM Chairperson, Retired Justice Claudette Singh had in March stated that he “received declarations from Returning Officers for General and Regional Elections 2020 from Districts 1-10,” and “I have prepared the final report for submission to the Commission. In this regard,

a request is made for a meeting of the Commission at your earliest convenience.”

The PPP Commissioners – Sase Gunraj, Bibi Shadick and Robeson Benn – in rejecting his attempts had stated that this was a “flagrant attempt to breach the order of court… and a naked attempt by the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, to suborn us to breach an order of court and exposing us to liability for contempt of court.” The Commissioners had also stated that it was an attempt to “subvert the course of justice.”

Later in March, when Ulita Moore took to the court to prevent the GECOMsupervised national recount, Lowenfield’s lawyer, Neil Boston, in his submission

on behalf of the CEO had argued that a declaration had already been made and a recount by the Commission based on a request by political actors would be “ultra vires.”

Lowenfield’s lawyer had pushed the argument that a recount would be illegal, saying, “The count has already been declared; there is an elections court that will have to review all the evidence by the persons who were there to determine whether there was some unlawful act or omission which affected the results.” These were the arguments on the CEO’s behalf despite the Chairperson’s submission at that time that a recount should take place and she was ready to give the orders to pave the way for such.

12 NEWS COVID-19 severely impacted Corentyne fishermen WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

...fisherfolk banned from going to sea ...no assistance from Government

O

nly one-third of the 150 fishing boats attached to the Number 66 Fishermen’s Co-op is currently operating at sea but the coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on their livelihood after prices for their catch has

the virus on the world, buyers are offering lower prices to the fishermen.

There are presently 800 members of the Co-op who are now fighting to make ends meet.

Chairman of the Number 66 Fishermen’s Co-op,

A fleet of grounded boats at the Number 66 Fishermen’s Co-op

drastically decreased.

Previously, the fishermen were paid $25,000 for a pound of fish glue but with their only market in China closing its borders, the price has been reduced to $8000.

With production being less, the ban on the exportation of fish and the reduced hours of the local markets, their revenues have been affected.

In light of the effect of

Parmeshwar Jainarine in an interview with Guyana Times stated that about 600 fishermen are currently unemployed.

The boats are being prevented by Suriname authorities from venturing into Surinamese waters to fish.

This is part of measures the neighbouring country has put in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in that country.

Officials in Suriname

have since stated that since the country has closed its ports, persons are not allowed to venture into Surinamese waters.

Those who operate from the Co-op are hard-pressed to comply since the waters beyond the fishing port belong to Suriname and as such, boat owners will have to acquire a license from Suriname in order to operate.

“Suriname has stopped all vessels from traversing in its waters. For us, the fishers cannot go out. The few that are going out, they are taking a chance,” the Chairman reiterated.

Meanwhile, Jaichan Gopaul has decided to take the risk by passing through Surinamese waters to travel to French Guiana to fish.

“The ice is expensive. $80,000 in ice we have to buy to go out. Now the price for snapper and trout gone down.”

He said it is now difficult to get persons to go out to sea because after some trips, there is no money to pay them.

“Plenty times we make a loss. They get pay based on how much fish we get.

Nobody wants to go out

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF?

One of the fishermen who took the chance to go Chairman of the Number 66 Fishermen’s Co-op, out to fish, Jaichan Gopaul Parmeshwar Jainarine

there for a whole month and at the end, they only get $15,000.”

Jainarine noted that at least seven boats have been detained by authorities in Suriname.

“They were supposed to release the boats in the second week in April. Then they said the end of the month. The boats are still over there. They sent the crew back to Guyana and they had to be quarantined.

By the rain is falling and there is no one there to bail the boats they eventually sink with all the gas and ration,” Jarnarine explained.

One of the boats detained was reportedly on its way back to local shores but the authorities confiscated it.

“When boats leave the port for sea, the crew

takes between $300,000 to $400,000 worth in ice, gasoline and grocery,” he noted.

Jainarine is holding out that all the fishing vessels have licenses to operate in both Guyana and Suriname and as such, the vessels should not have been seized.

Meanwhile, in an effort to assist fisherfolk who are being affected by the shutdown of the waterways, the Co-op distributed 250 food hampers.

Sixty were distributed at Corriverton, ninety in Crabwood Creek and the remainder were distributed to fishers attached to the Co-op.

“We were expecting something more tangible from the Fisheries Department. We have not heard from them as yet,”

Jainarine said.

In fact, the National COVID-19 Task Force has made no mention of the fisheries sector to date.

Jainarine noted that the Co-op has approached the National Task Force and after three weeks, they are still awaiting a response.

“They called us and said that they will look into the matter and that is all we heard. So there has been no assistance from the authorities. We contribute towards the national economy and we feel something should be done since ninety per cent of our catch is sent overseas.”

He explained that a list of all the members including boat owners was sent to the Chief Fisheries Officer with the hope of getting some assistance but this did not materialise.

SYMPTOMS

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

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

Cough

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Or at least two of these symptoms:

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

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

(Adapted from BBC News)

Headache

Chills

Sore throat

Repeated shaking with chills

Muscle pain

Children have similar symptoms to adults and generally have New loss of taste mild illness. or smell

13

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Helping in fight against spread of COVID-19 The National COVID-19 Stakeholders’ Forum, under the patronage of People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali distributed hundreds of food hampers to residents of Shieldstown and Bush Lot Village in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) on Monday.

14 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana records 10th COVID-19 death, 1 new case G

uyana has recorded another death from the novel coronavirus, bringing the country’s total COVID-19 deaths to double figures.

The Public Health Ministry confirmed the 10th death on Tuesday when it published the daily COVID-19 Dashboard on its Facebook page. No details were shared about this latest COVID-19 fatality.

This comes almost one week after the last COVID-19 death and nearly two months after the country’s first case on March 11.

Meanwhile, the country has also recorded one more confirmed coronavirus case, bringing the total number of

(GPHC).

To date, a total of 680 persons have been tested for the deadly virus and 587 of these were negative.

Currently, there are 56 persons in institutional isolation and six in quarantine.

During Monday’s update, caretaker Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence had reported that seven persons were in quarantine.

Nevertheless, some 27 persons have recovered from the life-threatening disease thus far.

Guyana recorded its first coronavirus case following the death of 52-year-old Ratna Baboolall on March 11. She was deemed an imported case having returned

death was recorded more than two weeks later. An emergency medical technician (EMT), 38-year-old Jermaine Ifill died on March 31 after contracting the disease.

Three days later, a 78-year-old resident of New Amsterdam, Berbice, Osa Collins, became the third persons to die from the coronavirus after experiencing complications from the disease.

On the same day, Guyana recorded its fourth COVID-19 death when 59-year-old Shadrach Stoll succumbed while receiving treatment in the COVID-19 ICU. Meanwhile, popular rac-

Five of the ten COVID-19 victims; Ratna Baboolall, Michael Ifill, Shadrach Stoll, Osa Collins and Deryck “Mad Dog” Jaisingh

cases up to 93. There are still three persons in the dedicated Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation

to Guyana from New York days prior to her death and has been listed as ‘patient zero’.

The second COVID-19

er, Deryck Jaisingh died on April 6 after testing positive for coronavirus. Two days later, the country had its sixth COVID-19 fatal-

Colonel John Percy Leon Lewis, Sydney Trellis and Lennox Williams

ity following the death of Colonel John Percy Lewis, a 77-year-old engineer who also died shortly after testing positive.

A 49-year-old Lindener, Sydney Trellis, was the seventh death after dying on April 18. His death was followed by 45-year-old Lennox Williams, who died in the dedicated ICU at GPHC on April 24.

The last COVID-19 death, 67-year-old Samuel Morris, was recorded on April 29.

As Guyana’s COVID-19 figures continue to climb with nine new cases and one death already recorded for this week, authorities continue to plead with persons to adhere to the necessary guidelines and restrictions in place to curb the spread of the virus. These curfew and restrictions have been extended for another month, until June 3.

In fact, during her up-

date on Monday, Lawrence said “Our health care workers continue to work selflessly in order to protect us all, but you continue to behave very selfishly, with total disregard for your own safety and for your own life. With

tion and those around you.”

She added, “fellow Guyanese, It is extremely unfair to those who are following the guidelines to be placed at unnecessary risk.

From the inception you were all told that we can stop

regard to the social distancing guidelines, you have interpreted them to suit your own agenda. Not only are you continuing to congregate in large numbers, but you are also there way past the curfew time and with no face mask for your protec-

COVID-19 from spreading; by simply staying home and following all the precautionary guidelines; that advice is still in effect. You know all these guidelines, so please adhere to them so that we can get on with our lives and our livelihood.”

Mr India Guyana contest launched A

s Guyana celebrates its 182nd Arrival Day Anniversary, the Miss India Guyana franchise has launched its inaugural Mr India Guyana contest.

The unique platform of the Mr India Guyana franchise has been created by a name that never fails to impress and one who’s contributed immensely to Guyana’s entertainment

and pageant industry, Hashim Alli.

Alli is known for his sterling legacy in pageantry by bringing a combination of international pageant placements to Guyana, and the most important - Guyana’s only international crown for 2017 - Miss Global International, whereby he was the National Director for the period 2014-2017.

Name: Avishkar Jaikaran Age: 25 years old Occupation: Teacher Academic Pursuit: Bachelor’s Degree in Education

This multitalented pageant fanatic has once again established another amazing avenue for our industry by introducing The Mr India Guyana 2020 Pageant.

This competition will be the very first of its kind and will also see five remarkable contenders who are ready to take up the role of the title, while fostering a cohesive brotherhood, along

Name: Paul Andrew Dwarka Age: 23 years old Occupation: Accounts Clerk Academic Pursuit: Business Management

with continuing to promote and sustain the rich Indian culture and traditions.

The organisation believes that this platform will be a solid support system in allowing our men of Indian origin to be well equipped with our traditional values, while actively sharing these teachings to the wider community.

It will also allow them to use this title to establish

Name: Ranjeet Bramnarain Age: 23 years old Occupation: Accountant Academic Pursuit: Finance and Creative Arts

and/or enhance any form of cultural, social or entertainment platforms of their own. Our history has a fusion of successful men in all areas of Indian culture, and the organisation hopes that by creating this title, it will be able to introduce many more iconic names to this prestigious legacy.

As we wait for the COVID-19 pandemic to subside, the organisation

Name: Shazam Somwar Age: 23 years old Occupation: Student Academic Pursuit: Medicine

will continue working with the Mr India Guyana contenders, to begin preparation for their journey to the title, while contributing towards the prevention campaigns for COVID-19.

Photography by: Saajid Husani Outfits By: Colours of India - Ravi Latchman Meet the delegates:

Name: Mario Moonsammy Age: 23 years old Occupation: Group Sales Manager Academic Pursuit: Business Management

NEWS

15

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Ramsammy’s Ruminations

COVID-19 outbreak

Mining union challenges former Govt Ministers APNU/AFC, GECOM banking on confusion to donate half their salaries – in light of example set by other leaders to thief elections

D

avid Granger says he will accept the results of the recount.

But Alexander claims GECOM will not automatically use the recount results. Why then the recount and what results will Granger accept? By now, with the Wednesday newspapers out, the long-awaited and long-delayed, on-andoff recount for the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections might finally be on the way, hopefully.

APNU/AFC and GECOM know the recount will prove, without a shadow of doubt, the PPP is the winner. It is the reason why APNU/AFC, with GECOM’s full complicity, has stubbornly obstructed the recount for almost two months, leaving Guyana with another shameful Guinness Dr Leslie Ramsammy World Record – the country with the longest wait ever for an election result. APNU/AFC and GECOM’s focus now is on creating confusion and somewhere in the confusion finding another criminal excuse to discount the actual votes and to continue squatting in government.

GECOM is actively collaborating with APNU/AFC in this goal.

It is the reason why APNU/AFC and GECOM have moved from a recount to illegally conducting an audit. Their focus is no longer on who the people voted for; they have given up on that.

Their focus is on finding the “i” that was not dotted and the “t” that was not crossed by one or more of the 2339 presiding officers. The experienced observer will not tolerate APNU/AFC and GECOM’s trivialities to dismiss the will of the people. It is why APNU/AFC is so desperate to keep the Carter Center and other international observers away.

With the attempted live-streamed rigging of the Region Four tabulation after March 3 and the subsequent shenanigans of GECOM and APNU/AFC, international observers had to leave, with a promise they would be back once the recount got underway.

However, now the Government has denied permission for the Carter Center and the IRI observers to be present. The excuse is the COVID-19 lockdown. The same COVID-19 Task Force did not stop the Caricom team to come in.

The Governments of the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom and the European Union have urged APNU/AFC to permit the Carter Center to enter the country. The UN and the OAS have joined in the appeal to APNU/AFC to allow the Carter Center to come and, therefore, to add to the transparency of the recount.

Local and international organisations have appealed to David Granger.

These pleas have been totally ignored, so far. The GECOM Chair promised to personally meet with the COVID-19 Task Force to have them give the go-ahead for the Carter Center and other international observers to come. But as of Monday night, there is no indication that either the Task Force or David Granger will act to allow these observers to be in Guyana on time for the start of the recount.

The COVID-19 excuse is totally bogus. What is “good for the gander must be good for the goose”. Why is it that the COVID-19 Task Force can find a way to allow the Caricom team in, but object to the Carter Center team coming? Clearly, it is not COVID-19 related. Is it that APNU/AFC believe they can take their chances with the three-person Caricom team? Is it that APNU/AFC believe the Caricom team will give them the benefit of the doubt, given that Caricom was silent throughout the No-Confidence fiasco? Is it that they believe the Carter Center is too experienced for them to be fooled?

The truth is that Caricom did not tolerate GECOM and APNU/ AFC’s criminal behaviour after March 3 and Caricom will not standby this time around and permit GECOM and APNU/AFC to manipulate the results during the recount. Caricom did not give them the benefit of the doubt because there was no doubt that GECOM and APNU/AFC tried to rig the Region Four results.

The whole world saw it; there was no benefit of the doubt for any observer to give. The recount, similarly, will show clearly who won the election, there will be no doubt. The simple truth is APNU/AFC is left with no choice but to gamble, in the stupid belief that a Caricom team is more likely to give them a lifeline, should they be able to point out that an “i” was not dotted or a “t” was not crossed.

The world knows GECOM was complicit with APNU/AFC to thief the elections. The GECOM Chair has joined with the rigging cabal in GECOM to allow a process that provides an opportunity for confusion. The simultaneous counting of different regions, the procedures to ensure Region 4 results are not available until the end or close to the end, the divergence from a recount process to more of an audit process create the perfect milieu for confusion.

They will use the most trivial of reasons as an excuse to disavow the elections and the free and fair votes of the people.

Observers and Caricom must not permit the sinister motives of APNU/AFC and GECOM to block the will of the people. The international community has spoken firmly in the last two months. The time has now come for action to match words. The only way the rigging cabal will budge is if they feel – they and their families must be sanctioned.

President David Granger and former Ministers of Cabinet

I

n light of the paralysis of the State owing to the political situation, the National Mining Workers Union (NMWU) has called on the President and the former Ministers of Government to take a pay cut by donating half their salaries to the COVID fight.

In a statement to the media, NMWU President Sherwyn Downer made this call while referencing the plight of many workers who are unable to work owing to the economic slowdown and COVID-related restrictions. “[We] call on the President, his Ministers and all State agencies to donate 50 per cent of their salaries to the COVID-19 fight that has so far claimed the lives of 9 Guyanese, punctured the economy and sent business-

es into a coma since reaching the shores of Guyana.”

“It is the view of the NMWU that the Government and its agency Heads [should] contribute to this fight by making contributions financially and not just by being in a position or carrying a name or ‘title’ in this fight,” he said.

He noted that in other countries including the United States, Governments have provided direct cash transfers to households to help them cope with the challenges related to COVID. In Guyana, such measures are still in the discussion phase.

“During this season and period of trials and testing, the continued support financially from the USA to COVID-19 fight has not escaped the eyes of all Guyanese at home and in

the diaspora. The USA has continued in the darkest of hours in Guyana proven to be a friend of Guyana and all Guyanese.”

“As President of the NMWU, I urge the President and Cabinet and State agency Heads to lead by example,” Downer also stated.

As early as April, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who has won praise for her leadership during the pandemic, had announced that she and her Cabinet would take a 20 per cent pay cut to show “leadership and solidarity” with people hit by the coronavirus.

In India, it was announced in April that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Ministers and Members of Parliament would take a 30 per cent pay cut. The amounts saved, according to reports, would go towards fighting the coronavirus. In addition, it would show solidarity with those suffering financially from the lockdowns.

Closer to home, St Lucia had announced since April that Prime Minister Allen Chastanet and his Cabinet Ministers would take a 75 per cent pay cut in order to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

In Guyana, there has been no word on whether the Government would also take a pay cut. The situation is compounded by the fact that the Government has been functioning in caretaker mode since December 2018, when it lost a No-Confidence

National Mining Workers Union (NMWU) President, Sherwyn Downer

Motion.

Caretaker mode means that the Government carries out only routine functions and facilitates early elections as soon as possible. In Guyana’s case, that was supposed to be within three months.

However, elections were only held on March 2, 2020, a year and three months after the No-Confidence Motion.

One of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change’s (APNU/AFC) earliest acts after entering power in 2015 was to raise their salaries. Cabinet Ministers’ salaries were raised to $10.4 million per year, a 50 per cent increase from what they previously got.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo’s salary was bumped up to $20.5 million per year. Junior Ministers meanwhile had their salary raised to $8.3 million. In the aftermath of the criticisms, President David Granger said he does not regret granting the increases.

RHEC is a national committee, no personal agendas should be derived – Head

T

he Head of the Regional Health Emergency Committee (RHEC) of Region 10, Orrin Gordon indicated that he welcomes all the assistance by public-spirited and concerned citizens as it continues to fight the spread of the coronavirus.

However, he noted that gifts have found their way into a sort of advertisement which is not the way his committee will be approaching its work.

Persons who need to get mileage can obtain that on their own and would not need the committee’s endorsement, he stated.

“I applaud the initiatives of many to assist those in need as I have no problem with people seeking to assist their fellow Lindeners and want their pound of acclamation, however, it is not the normal way for a national outfit going about doing its national duties. Of course, you will see the efforts made by the national organisation to ensure that people are aware of what it is doing for its citizens,” Gordon said.

He also explained that the Mayor of the town approached some businesses for donations in which she was informed that these businesses would like their own recognition, but the RHEC said it will not take part in something like that.

Gordon questioned the

Items and the bags that were distributed by the Linden Business Network

agenda of persons in these uncertain times, noting that it is evident that several persons are experiencing grave economic challenges, urging persons to give with a heart of love, affection, concern and care, rather than using people’s situation to extract personal attention.

“We should not be a part of anything that brings personal glory to ourselves because this is a national response to a particular situation affecting our country. Therefore, it is expected that each of us will play our part in ensuring

that we can address it. Once we seek personal credit and attention because we give out something to someone then this RHEC cannot be party to glorifying the benevolent. I am sure the recipients and beneficiaries will do so adequately,” he declared.

The RHEC Head stressed accountability, asking individuals and organisations to be responsible and accountable for donations received as not all donors want to pass through the established committee.

He said BOSAI provided a few tons of basic food items for

the RHEC and he expects that a wide cross-section will benefit from this contribution.

He urged the President of the Linden Chamber of Commerce, Victor Fernandes, and Head of the business committee of the RHEC to address all such situations involving the Linden business community and affiliates.

“The RHEC will not be giving any recognition. We are happy that more persons are giving but for them to say that its part of the RHEC then that is where I have some problems” Gordon declared.

16

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020

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

No light at the end of the tunnel Mourning Feroze

Dear Editor, Helpful Not Helpful Justice is conscience, not a personal conscience but the conscience of the whole of humanity. Those who clearly recognise the voice of their own conscience usually recognise also the voice of justice – Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008, Russian writer and 1970 Nobel Prize winner).These words should be the guiding compass of the GECOM Chair, however, Madam Claudette Singh is neither conscious of the perils of the recount nor has she radiated any semblance of judicial conscience. Here is where the Chair has faltered badly: * The Chief Justice ruled a month ago for a recount of Region Four, where the improper declaration was made by Mr Mingo, yet

there is a recount for all 10 regions. * Public viewing via live streaming would instil confidence in the recount process; the Chair has flip-flopped on this issue. * The Chair has not requested Mr Lowenfield to produce Statements of Poll for Region Four which has been the central issue of the present catastrophe. * Far from the 15-day requirement for the declaration of results, the wheelchair approach of Chairwoman Singh leaves people wandering about her honesty as Guyana enters 65 days without a result. * How can there be an accurate recount when the same personnel are present?

The core players responsible for the fraudulent speed reading of the amended

Region Four SoPs are still ominously present, except for Mingo. It is insanity to expect the same GECOM staff that committed major acts of fraud in the tabulation to morph from Saul the bandit into Paul the Apostle! * Why do the Statements of Recount have to be in sole possession of the Chief Elections Officer in order for him to make copies? This is the same individual who unlawfully refused to make public the copies of the March 2 elections. * The PPP proposed that all members of GECOM staff who were involved in the controversial activities, allegations of fraud and legal proceedings in the High Court after Elections Day be removed from active participation in the recount process. Justice Singh de-

clared that there was no evidence before the Elections Commission to support the basis of the motion. * By far, the worst judgment of Claudette Singh is her refusal to nullify the SoP for Region Four; giving rise to the conclusion that should the recount be thwarted, the results of Region Four will stand.

For many, there is no comfort and reliance in the recount, and whether you are in coach or first class, the structure of this process is horribly questionable and poorly designed by a Chair functioning with a double-digit IQ with a 6-figure monthly paycheck.

Dear Editor, Guyanese must know the truth. On Saturday, May 2 the Carter Center indicated that they were unable to get approval from the caretaker Government to fly to Guyana on Monday, May 4, to observe the national recount of the votes cast on March 2, 2020. This shocking turn of events now tells us all that the APNU/AFC rigging machinery is in full motion as the PNCR calls war break with the Carter observers and the people of Guyana “to remain in Government at any cause”.

How low will this caretaker Government go? The Carter Center first played a key role in the historic election in Guyana since 1992.

The people of Guyana have great respect and confidence in the Carter Center.

APNU has been on the offensive, trying to dominate social media with lies to create confusion around the recount process. Their narrative is that they won the elections and that the People’s Progressive Party doesn’t want the recount.

The APNU/AFC will do anything possible to continue to create doubts in the minds of many citizens of Guyana, leaving them to believe that nothing positive will come out of the recount process. We have done our part as Guyanese citizens; we went out and voted for the party of our choice on March 2, 2020.

We the people of Guyana call on all stakeholders in Guyana to ensure a credible and transparent recount process in order to provide legitimacy to the Government that will be sworn in after the recount is completed.

Our country now finds itself in an embarrassing situation before the world and the international observers by rejecting the Carter Center from observing these recounts. Our decent Guyanese citizens, the international and the diplomatic community continue to ask GECOM to do everything possible to protect our democracy and to ensure that this recounts is done credibly and transpar-

ent We asked the APNU/ AFC and their cabal to stop peddling lies that will distort the recount process, even as the process begins today. Stop fabricating contention that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic will be challenging the start of the recount process. These are bizarre lies. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic has led the struggle and the way for this recount to happen, the will of the Guyanese people must prevail. The APNU/AFC needs to publish their SoPs for every Guyanese to see and stop holding us hostage.

Sincerely, Leyland Chitlall Roopnaraine New York

Guyanese must know the truth

Sincerely, David Adams

Mohamed Dear Editor, The passing of Feroze Mohamed has touched our hearts – my heart, indeed.

I join with many others—his friends and PPP/C colleagues – in expressing condolences to his family. Glowing remarks from GAWU are apropos: “Undoubtedly, our nation is poorer with his passing but stronger for his work and contributions.” And Mr Anil Nandlall’s words resonate – “a towering giant in the party, which no one before him could have or any in the future will ever measure up to”; and, about his speech in the National Assembly on the 1980 Constitution which “ranks as one of his most glorious moments in the political annals of this country.”

Unquestionably a protege of Dr Cheddi Jagan—the “profound influence on my life,” Feroze said.

Many party colleagues knew Feroze far better than I do—but I want to focus on provenance: Feroze’s beginnings—and, often I tried to apprise myself of how and what he was doing during those troubled years of the command system pre-1992 – when so many thousands left Guyana. This was before the internet days.

Yes, we were teenage friends prior to his committed party activism. I vividly remember the early sixties when we attended seminal PYO meetings in the CanjeRose Hall plantation area where we grew up. Imbued with nationalistic ideals aligned to our formative socialism, I remember Feroze

as being more passionate than all of us—uncompromising about the sugar workers’ plight which became his ideological grounding, perhaps when some of us appeared ambivalent or conflicted. Geo-political angularities aligned to Cold War tropes might have informed our consciousness.

Feroze’s humanism bonded our friendship— even as I was away from Guyana. But memory—like the soul itself – remained.

Vivid recall: The sixties when he asked me to adjudicate the PPP’s poetry competition. (I was a recognised poet by the National History and Arts Council). And on his first visit to the Soviet Union, he brought back for me a specially bound copy of Mayakovsky’s poems— which started my love of Russian poetry. (Later in Ottawa I would meet celebrated Andrei Vosnezensky.)

And see, it didn’t pass me by that in delivering the eulogy at Dr Jagan’s State Funeral, he quoted the Russian novelist Nicolay Ostrovsky.

Feroze had a genuine literary sensibility.

With Guyana’s politics becoming internecine, I often sought out information about Feroze from his family members and close friends.

I’d also asked Dr Jagan about him—his well-being – when serendipitously we met at a Guadeloupe-organised conference. Feroze and I would meet up again in Ottawa after long years; and there was immediate affection, our being facile El Toro boys again – our teenage adolescent identity.

After I won the Guyana Prize for best fiction in 2006/7, Feroze invited me to a “comradely” lunch at the Pegasus Hotel with Dr Frank Anthony, Donald Ramotar, and Komal Chand; and then, for dinner at his home and to meet his wife. In our discussion, he was concerned about Canadian Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s stance in international politics.

Feroze also alluded to the many problems he faced as Home Affairs Minister. My own Public Administration background and working with Canadian politicians was somehow evoked. Most of all, I figured Feroze’s stance is what is enshrined in Dr Jagan’s New Global Human Order.

Now the personal tied to memory becomes the monumental as I mourn Feroze’s passing. For me, this is what ultimately endures, beyond party politics and ideology.

My affection for him is what I hold dear. Rest in peace, good Comrade!

Yours faithfully, Cyril Dabydeen

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020

17

Regional

Major Brazilian cities set Trump denies link to Venezuelan attack lockdowns as virus spreads with 2 US men jailed S

ão Luis became Brazil’s first major city to begin a coronavirus “lockdown” on Tuesday with another, Fortaleza, saying it would follow suit on Friday, as local health services struggle to cope with the pandemic.

Tuesday’s lockdown measure covers São Luis and parts of three other municipalities with a total population of around 1.3 million people in the poor north-eastern state of Maranhão.

It forbids people from going outside except to obtain groceries, medications, or cleaning supplies.

Maranhão has not felt the brunt of the crisis, in contrast to the populous south-eastern states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and the interior state of Amazonas, where hospitals are overwhelmed and authorities have resorted to burying victims in mass graves.

But with 4227 confirmed cases and 249 deaths, Brazil’s poorest state is still dealing with a significant caseload.

On Friday, Fortaleza in Ceara state, among the hardest-hit of all Brazilian cities, will enter a 20-day lockdown period, authorities there announced on Tuesday.

The two cities’ attempts to imple-

P

Brazil is by far the hardest-hit nation in Latin America, with 105,222 confirmed cases and 7288 deaths as of Monday

ment stricter confinement measures run counter to loosening elsewhere in the country even as the virus’ spread shows little sign of slowing.

Brazil is by far the hardest-hit nation in Latin America, with 105,222 confirmed cases and 7288 deaths as of Monday, according to the Health Ministry.

Maranhão Governor Flavio Dino of the Brazilian Communist Party told

Reuters that 95 per cent of intensive care beds in State-run public hospitals in the area under lockdown are occupied.

“We’re doing a preventative lockdown,” Dino said. “We aren’t dealing with chaos, but what we were observing is that demand was growing quickly and was above our expansion capacity for beds and health professionals.”

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Jamaica: 2 more confirmed COVID-19 cases, total now 473

T

he National Surveillance Unit of the Health and Wellness Ministry in Jamaica reported on Tuesday that two samples have tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the past 24 hours.

This brings the total number of

confirmed cases in the country to 473.

The two new cases are males, age 30 years and 34 years, both from Kingston and St Andrew.

The Ministry said one is a contact of a confirmed case from the Alorica Call Centre in St Catherine and the

other is a contact of a confirmed case which is still under investigation.

The ministry added that seven more patients have recovered from the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 56. (Jamaica Observer)

resident Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States Government had nothing to do with an alleged incursion into Venezuela that landed two US citizens behind bars in the crisis-stricken South American country.

Trump said he had just learnt of the detention of the pair, accused by Venezuela of being mercenaries.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said they were part of an operation to kill him that was backed by neighbouring Colombia and the United States.

“Whatever it is, we’ll let you know,” Trump told reporters in Washington, DC, before departing from the White House to Arizona.

“But it has nothing to do with our government.”

Maduro said that “the United States Government is fully and completely involved in this defeated raid”, and praised members of a fishing village for cornering one group and netting the “professional American mercenaries”.

US Defence Secretary Mark Esper echoed Trump’s comments later on Tuesday, saying “the United States Government had nothing to do with what’s happened in

Venezuela in the last few days”.

Authorities in Venezuela identified the two detained men as Luke Denman and Airan Berry, both former US special forces soldiers associated with the Floridabased private security firm Silvercorp USA. A third US ex-Green Beret and Silvercorp founder, Jordan Goudreau, claimed responsibility for leading “Operation Gideon”, which was launched with an attempted beach landing before dawn on Sunday that left eight suspected attackers dead.

The two former US soldiers were detained Monday dozens of kilometres from the first attempted beach landing in a fishing village.

Authorities say they have confiscated equipment and detained dozens of others.

Goudreau said the operation was designed to capture – and not kill Maduro.

He said he carried it out on a “shoestring budget” after signing an agreement with US-backed Venezuelan Opposition Leader Juan Guaidó, who Goudreau accuses of failing to pay him.

Guaidó denies having any relationship with Goudreau.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

difficult decision was finalised after discussions with our public health officials and other stakeholders,” it said, adding that it was “fully cognisant of the impact of this decision on our many stakeholders”.

However, the Corporation said it was confident that it has taken the right decision to safeguard public health and safety.

“We are optimistic that the cancellation provides an extended timeframe for us

to plan and execute a bigger and better Spicemas 2021. We look forward to your eager support and whole-hearted involvement in making Spicemas 2021, the biggest and best ever,” Spicemas 2020 was scheduled to have been launched on May 2, but the Corporation announced the cancellation of the launch event after Grenada declared a state of Emergency on March 25. (Excerpt from CMC)

T&T: Point Lisas ammonia plant Grenada cancels Spicemas shuts down due to low prices G

N

utrien Ltd has announced that it will be shutting down one of its ammonia plants in Trinidad and Tobago for a minimum of three months.

In a news release issued on Tuesday, the company said it “has made the difficult decision to temporarily shut down one of the four ammonia (NH3) plants at its Trinidad facility.”

According to Nutrien, the temporary shutdown is in response to the current market price of ammonia.

The plant has an annual ammonia capacity of 600,000 metric tonnes per year. The other three ammonia plants and one urea facility at the site will continue to operate at normal rates, the release said.

“We expect the shutdown to last for a minimum of three months. We will con-

Point Lisas Industrial Estate

tinue to monitor market conditions going forward as we assess any further changes in production,” the release ended.

This is the third petrochemical plant to shut down on the estate since the start of the year, with Yara shutting its doors for good and Methanex not producing at its Titan plant after failing to reach an agreement on a

new natural gas price.

It’s another dagger in the heart of T&T’s petrochemical sector, which has been struggling for the last five years under low commodity prices and the concomitant relatively high prices for natural gas, the main feedstock in the production of methanol, ammonia, and urea. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

renada has officially cancelled it 2020 Carnival celebrations saying that the annual event could give rise to a second wave of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and further impact socio-economic growth.

“Grenada, like the rest of the world, is dealing with the wide-ranging effects of COVID-19, not only on public health and the local economy but also our way of life.

While great effort has been made by the local authorities to manage the spread of this disease, an event, the size and nature of our carnival can give rise to the often-touted ‘second wave’ of COVID-19 and further impact the lives and livelihoods of Grenadians,” Spicemas Corporation said in a statement on Tuesday.

“It is against this backdrop that Spicemas Corporation has decided to cancel Spicemas 2020. This

“We’re winning” – Mexico’s coronavirus czar sees victory in sight

M

exico is winning the battle against the coronavirus and has enough spare capacity to see off the peak of the pandemic this week, but the number of deaths linked to the disease is likely higher than official data reflects, a top health official said.

Deputy Health Minister Hugo

Lopez-Gatell, who has spearheaded Mexico’s response to the outbreak, told Reuters the country was containing the virus even as he cautioned that a second wave of seasonal illness could strike in October.

“We’re winning,” Lopez-Gatell said in an interview on Monday night at the National Palace, the

seat of the federal government in the historic centre of Mexico City.

“The numbers are encouraging. We still have a very broad response capacity.”

Since closing schools and ramping up social distancing in late March, Mexico has urged its 126 million inhabitants to stay at home

and ordered the suspension of non-essential business activities.

The measures enabled Mexico to “change the course of the epidemic and have very positive effects, leading to a reduction of transmission speed and infections”, Lopez-Gatell said.

Mexico had by Monday night

officially registered some 25,000 cases of coronavirus and almost 2300 deaths, although the Health Ministry has repeatedly said the true number of infections is probably several times that.

Deaths are also likely higher, Lopez-Gatell said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020

Around the World

UK overtakes Italy with Europe's highest official coronavirus death toll

T

he United Kingdom has overtaken Italy to report the highest official death toll from the new coronavirus in Europe, figures released on Tuesday showed, increasing pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson over his response to the crisis.

Weekly figures from Britain’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) added more than 7000 deaths in England and Wales in the week to April 24, raising the total for the United Kingdom to 32,313.

Only the United States, with a population nearly five times greater, has suffered more confirmed fatalities from the virus than Britain, according to the data so far.

A general view of ambulances and staff outside the NHS Nightingale Hospital at the Excel Centre, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), London, Britain, May 5, 2020

Tuesday’s figures are based on death certificate mentions of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, including suspected cases.

While different ways of

counting make comparisons with other countries difficult, the figure confirmed Britain was among those hit worst by a pandemic that has killed more than 250,000 worldwide.

Opposition politicians said the figures proved the government had been too slow to provide enough protective equipment to hospitals and introduce mass testing.

Responding to the ONS figures, a Downing Street spokesman pointed to Johnson’s recent comments that Britain had passed the peak of the disease but remained in a “dangerous phase”.

The daily cumulative death toll published

by Britain’s Government, which records deaths only for confirmed coronavirus cases, rose on Tuesday to 29,427 - exceeding Italy’s own daily toll for the first time. (Excerpt from Reuters)

US family murdered shop guard for enforcing mask policy

A

woman has been charged along with her husband and son with killing a security guard who refused her daughter entry to a shop because she was not wearing a face covering.

Calvin Munerlyn, 43, was shot in the back of the head on Friday at the Family Dollar store in Flint, Michigan, one of the US states hardest hit by the

pandemic.

He was attacked after telling 45-year-old Sharmel Teague's daughter she could not come into the shop without a state-mandated mask.

The mother's husband, Larry Teague, 44, and son, Ramonyea Bishop, 23, are accused of going to the store shortly afterwards and fatally attacking Munerlyn.

Sharmel Teague has been arrested, but the two other

suspects remain at large. All three face first-degree premeditated murder and firearms charges.

Larry Teague is also charged with violating the governor's order requiring face coverings inside stores in order to prevent coronavirus transmission.

Her daughter has not been charged.

An order that went into effect on Friday in an

Oklahoma town requiring the use of face masks in business premises was rescinded within hours amid a furious backlash from customers.

Store employees in Stillwater reported threats of violence, including one involving a gun. Mayor Will Joyce swiftly amended the order to strongly encourage, but not mandate, the wearing of face masks. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Coronavirus: White House plans to disband virus task force

U

S Vice-President Mike Pence has said the White House coronavirus task force could be disbanded this month because of the country's "tremendous progress".

He told reporters the task force may hand over US pandemic response to be led on an "agency-by-agency level" at the end of May or early June.

New confirmed infections per day in the US currently top 20,000, and daily deaths exceed 1000.

US health officials warn the virus may spread as businesses begin to reopen.

In a briefing with report-

ers on Tuesday, Pence was asked about a report that the task force would soon wind down.

He said the Trump Administration was "starting to look at the Memorial Day window, early June window as a time when we could begin to transition back to having our agencies begin to manage, begin to manage our national response in a more traditional manner".

He said it was "a reflection of the tremendous progress we've made as a country".

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany later tweeted that the President

Vice President Mike Pence visited a plant manufacturing ventilators last week

"will continue his data-driven approach towards safely re-opening".

During a visit to a mask-manufacturing factory in Phoenix, Arizona, President Donald Trump told journalists: "Mike Pence and the task force have done a great job, but we're now

looking at a little bit of a different form, and that form is safety and opening. And we'll have a different group probably set up for that."

The President was asked if it was "mission accomplished", and he said: "No, I wouldn't say that at all."

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Nigeria reports record infections hours after lockdown was eased

N

igeria has recorded its highest single-day infection rate of COVID-19, the day Africa's biggest economy began a six-week phaseout period of the emergency lockdown measures.

A total of 245 new cases were confirmed on Monday by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), 73 of them in the country's commercial capital Lagos.

The total number of infections in the country stood at 2802 on Tuesday, including 93 deaths and 417 recoveries.

The update came just hours after the Government relaxed restrictions in Abuja, Ogun and Lagos states, after more than four weeks of lockdowns imposed to contain the new coronavirus.

These densely populated regions will come into line

with the rest of the country in which slightly looser restrictions introduced last week by President Muhammadu Buhari included an overnight curfew, mandatory face masks in public and a ban on non-essential interstate travel.

On Monday, the usually frenetic streets of the coastal megacity Lagos, largely empty during the lockdown, were busy again with cars, buses and tricycle taxis.

Social distancing rules were largely ignored.

However, in a crucial difference to pre-lockdown life, most people on the streets of Lagos wore face masks.

The decision to begin a phased lifting of the lockdown despite the recent sharp rise in cases was criticised by some medical experts, including the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

OILNEWS Oil prices surge as coronavirus lockdowns ease

O

il prices soared on Tuesday, as some European and Asian countries along with several US states began to ease coronavirus lockdown measures.

The rally extended Brent crude’s gains to six straight days, while US benchmark West Texas Intermediate has now rallied for five consecutive sessions. Fuel demand worldwide was down roughly 30 per cent in April, but demand is rising modestly due to efforts to lift travel restrictions.

International benchmark Brent crude rose US$3.77, or 13.9 per cent, to settle at US$30.97 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained US$4.17, or 20.5 per cent, to close at US$24.56 a barrel.

Prices extended their gains in after-hours trading despite industry data showing a larger-than-forecast weekly build in US crude inventories, as the report also showed a surprisingly large fall in gasoline stocks.

US crude inventories rose 8.4 million barrels last week, data from industry group the American Petroleum Institute showed late Tuesday. Analysts forecast a build of 7.8 million barrels ahead of the Government’s report on Wednesday morning.

The API also reported gasoline stocks fell 2.2 million barrels, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a 43,000-barrel increase, signalling that demand was recovering.

Italy, Spain, Nigeria and India, as well as some US states including Ohio, began allowing some people to go back to work and opened up construction sites, parks and libraries.

Health experts, however, have warned that such moves could cause coronavirus infections to rise again.

“The market is starting to realise that demand destruction has been terrible, but we’re reopening and demand is going to get better,” said Phil Flynn, senior analyst at Price Futures Group. “But the production pullback is just beginning.”

US President Donald Trump hailed measures by the states to reopen their economies.

Vehicle traffic in most of the United States, including those parts that have yet to lift shelter-in-place orders, has also rebounded, RBC Capital Markets research said in a note.

Swiss bank UBS said the easing of restrictions would help balance out supply and demand, leading to a shortfall in supply by the fourth quarter.

Morgan Stanley said the peak of oversupply in global markets had likely been reached and a storage crunch was abating.

“Inventories have built but not quite as strongly as feared: With social distancing measures ramped up in March ... the observed inventory increases have not been quite as strong as feared,” it said in a note.

Saudi Arabia’s crude oil exports in May are expected to drop to about 6 million barrels per day (bpd), the lowest in almost a decade, industry sources and analysts say.

The top exporter is cutting production from May under a supply pact with the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies like Russia.

However, Vitol Chief Executive Russell Hardy told Reuters long-term peak demand may be permanently eroded. Global oil demand sank by 26 million to 27 million barrels per day (bpd) in April, and Hardy predicts a year-on-year drop of more than 8 million bpd.

In addition, air traffic is not expected to rebound soon, which will slow the recovery for fuel demand. (Excerpt from Reuters)

guyanatimesgy.com

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020

19

ARCHIE

ARIES

Stop worrying and start doing. Be willing to make peace and put negativity behind you. If you are ready to compromise, you will find a way to please everyone.

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

Turn a business prospect into something tangible.

You'll gain recognition for your contributions and accomplishments. Don't share your remedy for success; being mysterious will attract more interest.

(March 21April 19)

DILBERT

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

CALVIN AND HOBBES

Do what feels right. If that means enhancing your appearance or checking out someone who interests you personally or professionally, do so confidently.

Take control and avoid upsetting situations. Use your intelligence, perception and persuasive powers to get what you want. A financial opportunity, contract or settlement will require finesse and patience.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Listen and observe, but don't share your opinions until you reassess where you stand and what you might lose or gain by divulging your plans.

If you listen to complaints, you will find solutions.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Move in a profitable direction. If you have a good idea that could potentially make you some extra cash, get it up and running. A positive change is heading your way.

LIBRA

Avoid conflict. Peace of mind comes with patience, the ability to see all sides of a situation and compromise.

Weigh the pros and cons before you proceed. Personal improvement is favored.

(Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SUDOKU

If you appreciate others, you will avoid unnecessary criticism and complaints.

Channel your energy into tying up loose ends, making investments and choosing a healthier lifestyle. Be well informed and prepared.

Get back to basics and SAGITTARIUS stick to the facts. Focus on (Nov. 23personal fitness, health, diet Dec. 21) and maintaining functional relationships. Honesty will be essential when dealing with partnership issues.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

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

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

A change is doable, as long as you keep everyone affected by your decisions in the loop. Simple solutions, a willingness to listen and compromise will pay off.

Emotional spending won't ease stress. Make personal adjustments that will leave you feeling good about the way you look, what you do and the goals you set.

Linger over fond memories, reconnect with someone from your past and revisit ideas that can help you bring in extra cash. An unexpected gift or cash injection is heading your way.

20

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2020

P

rofessional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor has suggested halves of less than 45 minutes could be considered when football resumes.

Discussions about the Premier League's return are ongoing, but Taylor says players are "concerned" about safety.

"They are not stupid," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "They would have to be satisfied that it is safe."

T h e meeting to next Monday.

The Premier League said the idea is "not on the table"

Football League Chairman Rick Parry said "there haven't been any discussions about it", but did tell a Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee hearing: "I don't think we should be ruling out any creative ideas."

The Premier League is hopeful of a potential June 8 resumption. No set date has been given for the

EFL, but Parry said the current season must be concluded by July 31.

What did Taylor say?

Taylor was talking about how to combat player fatigue, with so many games expected to be played in a short period.

He told the BBC: "We don't know the future, but we do know what propositions have been put, what ideas have been put – the possibility of having more substitutes, games possibly not being the full 45 minutes each way, talks of neutral stadiums.

P

Premier League are discuss the plans

What are we up to with “Project Restart”?

"Ideally, you want to keep the integrity of the competition, and of course, that was about playing home and away and having the same squad of players as before it was suspended.

"The very fact that you are in professional sport, you need to be very resilient. You need to be able to bounce back, because you'll get more set- backs than you will good times, a n d I would like to think that's how my members are.

"So, it remains in process and we shall just have to wait and see, and look at it on a day-by-day basis and see if it's achievable. But if we don't try, then it's never going to be achievable.

"There's lots of points to be made, but above all, can the seasons be completed and can they be completed safely?"

What else has been said on players’ welfare?

Taylor's comments come after Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero said he was

layers due to take part in The Hundred this summer have had their contracts terminated by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

On Thursday, the new tournament was postponed until 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The eight men's teams selected their squads in a draft in October while the women's teams were in the process of completing their squads.

The ECB sent players a letter to inform them of the decision.

An ECB statement said: "We can confirm that a letter terminating current player contracts has been issued today to all involved.

"This letter is necessary paperwork to legally update and inform players of the situation, which follows a notification last week around the launch of the new competition being moved to 2021.

"We are working closely with PCA [Professional Cricketers' Association] on a number of options for players regarding next year's launch."The 100-ball competition, involving eight teams in separate men's and women's tournaments, was due to begin on July 17 and end on August 15. (BBC Sport)

"scared" about the prospect of returning to action, while a number of Premier League club doctors have raised a range of concerns with League bosses over plans to resume the season.

Speaking to Argentine TV station El Chiringuito, Aguero added: "I'm scared, but I'm with my girlfriend here and I'm not going to be in contact with other people. I'm locked in my house and the only person I could infect is my girlfriend."

One issue that the senior medics have sought assurances over includes their own liability and insurance cover if players contract the virus.

The Premier League has also been asked to provide some clarity over medical protocols, testing and players’ welfare.

The Government is set to review its lockdown measures later this week, while football, rugby and cricket chiefs were scheduled to appear at a committee hearing with the DCMS on Tuesday to talk about the impact of coronavirus on their sports.

R

acing in France is set to resume on Monday behind closed doors as a restart to action in Britain edges nearer.

The sport has been suspended in both jurisdictions since March 17, but Police have given permission for racing to take place at ParisLongchamp.

Edouard de Rothschild, President of governing body France Galop, said the authorisation was "very good news".

British racing is planning for a resumption this month, including 16 Group races on successive weekends.Action can start within a week of any goahead from the Government, British Horseracing Authority chief executive Nick Rust has told BBC Sport.Racing has continued without spectators,

The Premier League has been suspended since March 13 because of the coronavirus pandemic, but all clubs are committed to playing the 92 remaining fixtures of the 2019-20 season if and when safe to do so.

Plans to resume the League have been labelled “Project Restart”. The League is hopeful of a potential June 8 restart and finishing at the end of July to fit in with UEFA's European competition plans. This would require full training to begin by May 18.

The League would also need up to 40,000 tests for players and staff if plans to play the outstanding games behind closed doors are pursued.

On Friday, after their most recent meeting by video conference, Premier League clubs reiterated a commitment to resuming the season "when safe and appropriate to do so".

What about players returning to training?

A number of clubs reopened their training grounds for individual training last week.

If full training is resumed before social distancing rules are relaxed, BBC Sport understands players will be tested for coronavirus twice a week and would be screened for symptoms every day.

In addition, players must arrive at training grounds in kit and wear masks at all times. (BBC Sport)

and with social-distancing protocols, at some tracks in the United States, Australia, and Hong Kong.Last year's French Derby winner Sottsass is set to run on Monday in Paris for the first time since finishing third behind Waldgeist and Enable in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October.The unbeaten Victor Ludorum, favourite for the French 2000 Guineas, could be among other runners at the meeting."We have had some strong support from the Ministers in charge of racing – the Ministers for Finance and Agriculture, so it was more a question of local areas allowing us to proceed," said France Galop chief executive Olivier Delloye."We have explained in close detail how we will race behind closed doors and we have had positive feedback from them."

(BBC Sport)

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H

aitian Football Federation President Yves Jean Bart has denied claims of brazen sexual abuse that have rocked the association to its core in recent days.

The damning allegations against Jean Bart popularly referred to as “Dadou”, were made in a recently-published exposé by the UK Guardian and concern activities at the Centre Technique National (CTN) in Croix-desBouquets. Referencing anonymous sources, the publication claims the President used his power to coerce young female players into having sex with him or else they would find themselves kicked out of the institution.

In a country beset by poverty, the CTN provides shelter and care for disadvantaged youth and provides a window of opportunity to provide for

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t h e m selves through sport. The incidents re- portedly happened in the last five years.

“There is a lady who works there who puts pressure on the girls to have sex with Dadou,” one alleged

M

victim told the Guardian. “He will see a nice girl who is attractive and he sends the lady to tell her that she is going to be thrown out of the centre. She starts crying and then the lady says: ‘The only way to resolve this is to speak to Dadou.’ At that moment, the young girl has no choice but to put up with sexual abuse.”

The report goes on to claim that two players were forced to have abortions, including one player, who lost her virginity to Dadou when she was 17 in 2018. Another player claims to have been almost raped by a friend of the President when she was living at the centre and that the President has tried to keep things quiet. Jean Bart has strongly denied the allegations, insisting that no such claims have ever been made.

“Never been any complaint against the Federation, nor against the staff engaged in our academy, nor against my person. This kind of practice of sexual abuse is almost impossible in our camp centre given the physical structures, the principles of education, and continuous awareness that we have put in place,” read Jean Bart’s response.

“I would not encourage such practices in Haitian football, much less in the centre which is under my responsibility. If there were such cases, I would encourage the victims to file a complaint with the Federation and the judicial author-

anchester City star Raheem Sterling and German kit manufacturers Puma are said to be close to a record-breaking deal that will see the Jamaica-born winger becoming the face of Puma’s

reported by media in the United Kingdom is contingent on whether Sterling decides to walk away from his current kit sponsors Nike, whose deal with him expires on June 30.

Media reports say rival brands

global advertising strategy.

The deal said to be valued at approximately US$120 m i l l i o n would make Sterling Puma’s highest-paid footballer. The player currently earns wages of more than £300,000 a week playing for the Citizens.

However, the deal that is being

including Under Armour, Adidas, and New Balance have been pursuing Sterling's signature for more than two years.

If the deal with Puma does go through, Sterling could collaborate on the development of a sportswear range with American rapper Jay-Z, who is also Puma's Creative Director.

(Sportsmax)

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Haitian Football Federation President Yves Jean Bart

ities of the country. We are ready, at the level of the Federation, to support them,” he added.

Another anonymous player, however, claimed that a fear of retaliation is what has prevented players from speaking out, particularly with families still in Haiti.

The President, who promised to take the allegations to the courts, FIFA and CONCACAF, however, strongly his portrayal as a ‘dangerous’ man.

“To date, in women’s football in Haiti, where there are generations of players who are now 50 or

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60 years old, there has never been, to my knowledge, even suspicions of this kind. Personally, I am and I have been a non-violent man. I don’t understand how someone can make me look like an executioner to the point where families would feel intimidated by me.”

“Our project is, first of all, a human project, which aims to change the future of young people, to roll back the exclusion through play even if we know that in this country and even in the world some spirits are always at war against the beautiful and the good.” (Sportsmax)

he Tour de France will start on August 29, with the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana overlapping during October, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has announced.

Cycling's three Grand Tour races are part of a packed schedule across just over three months from August 1.

The Tour de France – pushed back from June – had been cast into doubt when the French Government said it was "not sure" the country would be ready.

France last week extended a ban on mass gatherings until September.

That was because of the coronavirus pandemic, and French Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu cast questions over the Tour de France's viability for 2020 when she said on Tuesday: "We do not know what the epidemic will be like after lockdown."

The Tour had been scheduled to run from June 27 to July 19 originally; that start date was pushed back last week by the UCI, world cycling's governing body.

It will stick with that adjusted schedule, starting on August 29 and ending on September 20.

La Course by le Tour de France, the women's race, was initially scheduled to take place over one day on July 19 on the Champs Elysees in Paris. It will now take place on the opening day of the men's Tour.

The Giro d'Italia will run from October 3-25, and the Vuelta from October 20 to November 8, seeing two of the biggest races of the season run concurrently.

The cycling calendar has been affected significantly by the pandemic.

The men's season is set to begin with the Strade Bianche one-day classic in Italy on August 1 and end on November 8 with the Vuelta, which has been reduced by three days.Other major races include the 'monument' classics MilanSan Remo on August 8, Liege-Bastogne-Liege on October 4, Tour of Flanders on October 18, Paris-Roubaix on October 25, and Il Lombardia on October 31.The Road World Championships, which will be held in Switzerland, remain in their September 20-27 slot.The women's calendar runs from August 1 with the Strade Bianche, and ends with the two-day Madrid Challenge by La Vuelta on November 8.The eight-day Giro d'Italia Internazionale Femminile is set for September 11-19.Many large-scale sporting events scheduled to take place this summer have either been called off, such as Wimbledon, or pushed back by a year, such as football's European Championship and the summer Olympics.UCI President David Lappartient said: "We have drawn up a solid, attractive and varied new calendar that is as realistic and coherent as possible. "The recommencement of our activities will remain dependent on the evolution of the world health situation," he added. (BBC Sport)

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he late great Malcolm Marshall was a terrifying pace bowler and many have argued that he was the best there has ever been.

Smart, deceptively quick, and brutal, Marshall had all the attributes to make him a nightmare for any batsman, no matter how much class he possessed.

But on a day in 1983, in India no less, Marshall showed something new, well it was at least new to them.

Marshall had scored four centuries in his career outside of Test cricket, three for New Hampshire, and one when he was an Under-19 cricketer, playing against Zimbabwe but his Test cricket average of 10 hadn’t shrouded him in glory. He would eventually push that average up to 18 by the time his career ended in 1991. But still, there was not much expected of him.

On a surprisingly slow wicket in Kanpur, the West Indies went to bat on the first day and soon got in trouble with Desmond Haynes, 6; Viv Richards, 24; Larry Gomes, 21; skipper Clive Lloyd, 23, and Gus Logie, 0, all back in the pavilion.

In step Phillip Jeffrey Dujon to join the unusually sedate Gordon Greenidge and the two set to rebuilding the innings, but at 2555 on the first day and despite a recovery from 157-5, the game was still in the balance.

Greenidge would resume on the second day on his overnight 130 and go on to bat for just over nine hours on his way to scoring 194 from 368 deliveries.

The great West Indies opener would strike 23 fours and not a single six in his near-200-run innings, while Dujon, who was on 48 from the day before, was marginally more adventurous, batting for just about three hours before he was bowled by Roger Binny for 81.

Marshall walked to the wicket looking like he did not have a care in the world on the second day, probably sure in his mind that when he got the ball, the balance of the game would swing yet again.

But before that though, he might have

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fter a stellar and spotlightgrabbing performance at the 2020 International Cricket Council (ICC) Under-19 World Cup, West Indies U-19 fast bowler Jayden Seales is looking forward to building on this momentum and serving the Region in the sport he loves.

At the ICC Under-19 World Cup held in January and February, Seales thrilled fans around the world as he attained speeds of over 90mph on numerous occasions throughout the competition held in South Africa.

He went on to amass a total of 10 wickets at an average of 18.3 in the six West Indies matches played.

Although the West Indies U-19 team missed out on the chance to compete in the tournament's final match-up, Seales' performance earned him ICC's nod for Team of the Tournament, along with his teammate Nyeem Young.

In an exclusive interview with Windies Cricket Instagram LIVE last week, Jayden reflected from his home in Trinidad: “It was a great experience: being able to observe and learn other cultures while being on the big stage; representing your country and the Region is an amazing feeling”.

Seales beamed that wearing the Maroon on the global stage gave him a great sense of pride: “It was a dream come true. I was a little nervous at first, but once we got out into the middle, all I wanted to do was represent the West Indies to the best of my ability and I was ready to go.”

Back in March, Seales made the list of West Indies Emerging Players who were drafted into the 2020 Caribbean Premier League (CPL). The initiative, which is now in its second consecutive season, is aimed at presenting budding stars like Seales with an opportunity to train and play with senior cricketers from around the world.

While there's uncertainty surrounding details of this year's “Biggest Party in Sport” due to the current global pandemic, Seales is preparing to be a good steward of this opportunity and is looking forward to learning as much as he can from West

Indies and CPL veterans such as Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard, when the time comes around.

“I wasn’t expecting a CPL selection this early, but I am very pleased. I’m currently training at home; doing as much fitness and strength work as I can. I am looking forward to the CPL, to get back to proper training and playing, with the main aim being to break into the Trinidad [and Tobago] senior team in the near future.”

Jayden, like all other regional cricketers, is staying safe at home and following the established protocols in the fight against coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

When asked if he had any advice for youth cricketers of the Caribbean, who aspire to star in an ICC Under-19 World Cup one day, Jayden stated without missing a beat: “Train hard, remain disciplined, stay humble, take advice and keep a level head." (windiescricket.com)

well given his fellow pacers some more time to relax in the pavilion.

Marshall, batting with Greenidge, showed he wasn’t just good with ball in hand, but hunkered down for the next three hours or so and faced 151 deliveries on his way to his highest-ever Test score, 92. Forty-four of those 92 runs would come in boundaries.

He played no small part in helping Greenidge score as many as he did. When Greenidge went, Eldine Baptiste, 6; Michael Holding, 0, and Winston Davis, 0, did not last long.

But Marshall wasn’t done yet either. He would return to make a mockery of Kapil Dev’s 4-99 with 4-19 that put the result decidedly in West Indies’ favour. The West Indies had made 454 all out on the back of Marshall, Dujon, and Greenidge’s innings, but then the paceman helped rout India for just 207.

The West Indies would not bat again, as for the second time in the game, Marshall grabbed four, this time going for all of 47. Marshall’s bowling, as per usual, was tremendous, but this was the first time his batting was doing the talking as the West Indies removed Pakistan for 164 to win the game by an innings and 83 runs. The West Indies would go on to win the six-Test series 3-0 and Marshall become a legend in India. (Sportsmax)

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amaica Olympic Association (JOA) President Christopher Samuda has been appointed a member of the Caribbean Professional Working Group that will focus on the feasibility, format, and structure of a potential Caribbean Professional League as part of the overall development of the sport regionally.

Samuda's appointment comes in the wake of a nomination by CONCACAF, the regional governing body, which was supported by FIFA, the sport’s world governing body.

"I am grateful for the opportunity of serving the sport and to be a part of the committed efforts of CONCACAF and FIFA to professionalise and develop the sport in the Region of which a viable Caribbean Professional Football League can only serve to build capacity, strengthen institutional infrastructure, and inspire stakeholder confidence," Samuda, an Attorney said in reaction to his appointment.

The group, a subgroup of CONCACAF's Competition Committee, will be chaired by Yon de Luisa, Chairman of the Competitions Committee, and also Randolph Harris, CONCACAF Vice President and President of the Caribbean Football Union, who will serve as Deputy Chairman.

Other members of the group are Brent Sancho from Trinidad and Tobago, Patrick Massenat from Haiti, Manuel Estrella of the Dominican Republic, and Valdemar Florentino Marcha of Curacao.

A FIFA representative is to be appointed to the group in short order. (Sportsmax)

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he Trinbago Knight Riders have announced the Caribbean players they will be retaining for the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

International retentions and signings will be announced at a later date. This year, teams can retain as many players from their 2019 squads as they wish. They could also transfer players to other teams and sign emerging players.

The Knight Riders have chosen to retain or sign 10 Caribbean players ahead of the CPL draft:

Dwayne Bravo (Trinidad & Tobago) Kieron Pollard (Trinidad & Tobago) Sunil Narine (Trinidad & Tobago) Darren Bravo (Trinidad & Tobago) Lendl Simmons (Trinidad & Tobago) Khary Pierre (Trinidad & Tobago) Jayden Seales (Trinidad & Tobago)* Amir Jangoo (Trinidad & Tobago)* Tion Webster (Trinidad & Tobago) Akeal Hosein (Trinidad & Tobago)

Emerging player

Making the announcement, Venky Mysore, Director of TKR said: “Over the last five years, TKR has built the franchise by consciously bringing back players from Trinidad and Tobago, and also developing local talent. We are delighted that all 10 of our Caribbean players in the TKR squad for 2020 are from Trinidad and Tobago.”

The CPL is scheduled to take place between August 19 and September 26, but the tournament organisers are currently watching the current situation with COVID-19 closely and are liaising with medical advisors and Governments. A decision on whether the tournament can proceed as planned, or at a different time, will be made as soon as possible. (cplt20. com)

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ormer West Indies batting coach Toby Radford has urged Caribbean batsmen to emulate Shivnarine Chanderpaul if they want to find the kind of consistency that leads to a successful career.

Chanderpaul retired from international cricket in 2016 after an incredible, if unheralded, career that saw him score 30 Test centuries and 11, 867 Test runs. During that career in which he often played the sheet anchor role in the West Indies middle order, he had scores of 50 or more 96 times, which saw him end his playing career with a healthy average of 51.37.

His tenacity and refusal to give his wicket away cheaply became a trademark for the soft-spoken Guyanese batsman.

Radford, who had two coaching stints with the West Indies, the last ending just before the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, believes that batsmen in the Caribbean have been lacking in the kind of application shown by Chanderpaul during his playing days.

In the recently-truncated season of the West Indies Four-Day Championship, no batsman scored more than two centuries, with Jason Mohammed, Nkrumah Bonner, Paul Palmer Jr, John Campbell and Kyle Mayers being the only batsmen to do so.

In addition, only three batsmen – Jermaine Blackwood, Kyle Mayers and Devon Smith – scored more than 600 runs during the season.

The numbers bring into sharp focus the apparent inability of the batsmen to remain at the crease for long-enough periods to score heavily.

“Could a player be a lot better if he reined himself in, prepared to bat a bit longer, and prepare to bat through the difficult patches?” Radford said during an interview with News Room Sport.

“Someone like Shiv, if you bowled three tight overs, Shiv would play three maidens, but in the fourth or fifth over when you are tired, Shiv would pick you off, because he had the patience. For him, the mental capacity to be patient is part of that as well,” Radford explained.

He added that some players have been impatient and eager to play big shots all the time leading to their downfall.

“It doesn’t matter how talented you are, if the all is not there in the right spot, you can’t put it away,” he said.

“I tell a lot of young players that Shiv Chanderpaul was professional and that’s the mindset you want to see with your young players coming through, this hunger and sell your wicket so dearly; do not give your wicket away and that was Shiv.” (Sportsmax)

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eigning Twenty20 (T20) world champions West Indies have moved up to ninth in the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings, gaining one place after sitting in 10th for several months.

Though there has been a cessation of all cricket globally because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the ICC revised t h e rankings to eliminate re-

sults from the 2016-17 period.

As a result, Windies gained three points from the ICC update to move to 229 points while Afghanistan dropped five points to slip to 228 points, and down to 10th in the rankings.

Best form

After a run of bad results, the Windies found their best form last March, beating Sri Lanka 2-0 in a two-match series in Pallekele, Sri Lanka.

However, the series win was only the Caribbean side’s second in 10 outings, a run of form which had led to their steady slide down the rankings.

In fact, since their capture of the T20 World Cup in India four years ago, Windies have won just four of 15 series, excluding

one-off matches.

For their part, Afghanistan have won their last six bilateral series, including a 2-1 verdict in a three-match series against the Windies in India last November.

Australia, meanwhile, have climbed to the top of the T20 standings for the first time since they were introduced in 2011, with England moving into second spot, and India assuming third position.

Pakistan, who spent the last 27 months at the top, have moved to fourth.

The T20 World Cup is to be played in Australia from October 18 to November 15, but could be scrapped as the world remains in lockdown because of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.

ICC Men’s T20 world top 10:

1. Australia 2. England 3. India 4. Pakistan 5. South Africa 6. New Zealand 7. Sri Lanka 8. Bangladesh 9. Windies 10. Afghanistan

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