SATURDAY 21st March, 2020
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‘Stop attacking GECOM’
No.105946
…President hopeful of solution to elections challenges
…says GECOM, judiciary must be allowed to function without interference SEE PAGE 03
Scores of APNU+AFC supporters showed up in front of the High Court on Friday in solidarity with their party during the hearing of the case blocking a national recount of the votes cast at the March 2, 2020 elections (Adrian Narine photo)
Injunction against recount remains 02 PAGE
…small parties, PPP added to case challenging the interim orders
Carter Center pulls out, citing PPP disruption …EU blames exit on COVID-19
SEE STORIES ON PAGES 09&15
AG rebuffs Jagdeo’s statements on status 13 of PM, ministers PAGE
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 21, 2020
Injunction against recount remains
…small parties, PPP added to case challenging the interim orders By Svetlana Marshall BHARRAT Jagdeo, leader of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) List of Candidates, and three other political parties, will now have the opportunity to submit arguments in response to the Fixed Date Application (FDA) filed by Ulita Grace Moore, which, in effect, seeks to bar the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) from facilitating a national recount on the grounds that it is unconstitutional and in breach of the Representation of the People Act. Jagdeo and the three political parties – A New and United Guyana (ANUG), the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and The New Movement (TNM) – were joined to the substantive matter on Friday, after their applications to be heard in the case, were approved by High Court Judge, Franklin Holder. However, an application by Reeaz Holladar, Anil Nandlall’s personal driver, who on behalf of the PPP/C had earlier this month asked the High Court to invalidate the March 5 declaration by the Region Four Returning Officer, was not approved, and as such he would not be a party to this case brought against GECOM; it’s Chair, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh and the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield by Moore. Moore is being represented by Grenadian Queen's Counsel, Dr. Francis Alexis; Attorneys-at-Law John Jeremie S.C., Keith Scotland out of Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyanese Lawyers Mayo Robertson and Roger Yearwood. Jagdeo is being represented by Trinidad’s Senior Counsel, Douglas Mendes, and Attorney-at-Law, Anil Nandlall, while the Chief
Elections Officer is being represented by Senior Counsel, Neil Boston, and GECOM Chair, the former Solicitor General, Kim Kyte-Thomas. On Friday, the overseas-based lawyers appeared via SKYPE. On the corridor of the High Court, Senior Counsel Boston told the Guyana Chronicle that while Holladar’s application, to be a party in the case brought by Moore,
He disclosed on Monday, March 23, 2020, the attorneys in the matter will put forward arguments on whether or not Jagdeo and Holladar’s application should be heard simultaneously with Moore’s application. Meanwhile, Nandlall told journalists that in the Ulita Moore case, Jagdeo, through his lawyers, will be required to submit an Affidavit in De-
Ulita Moore’s lawyer, Mayo Robertson
GECOM’s Attorney, Senior Counsel Neil Boston
was refused by the High Court Judge, another application was filed seeking to set aside the second declaration made by the Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, on Friday, March 13, 2020. “Bharrat Jagdeo and [Reeaz] Holladar filed another judicial review application seeking to set aside the second declaration made by [Clairmont] Mingo on the night of March 13. An application was made by Bharrat and Holladar’s lawyers to have their applications be heard together with Moore’s application,” Senior Counsel Boston explained.
fence by Monday, March 23. Moore’s attorneys have until Wednesday, March 25 to submit their replies. “We are going to come back here at 13:00hrs to hear an application to consolidate the Ulita Moore matter with the Jagdeo and Holladar matter…The consolidation of the two cases brings before the court all the contentious issues – all leading to a recount of the ballots cast and then a declaration of the accurate results,” he further added. Last week, President David Granger and Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, following an intervention by
Bharrat Jagdeo’s lawyer, Anil Nandlall (Photos by Adrian Narine)
the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), had agreed that a national recount was necessary but by Tuesday, March 17, Moore secured an interim injunction blocking GECOM from facilitating the national recount of all the votes cast at the March 2 General and Regional Elections. Moore secured a total of
four interim orders, which will, in effect, bring the electoral process to a halt until the judicial review is completed. Chief among the orders granted by the High Court is an interim injunction restraining the Elections Commission from setting aside, varying or substituting the declarations of the returning officers of the
10 Electoral Districts with any other document until the hearing and determination of the judicial review application. The interim injunction has also tied the hands of the Chief Elections Officer. “An Interim Injunction is hereby granted restraining the Chief Elections Officer from submitting any report of the total votes cast for each List of Candidates pursuant to Section 96 (1) and (2) of the Representation of the People Act, save and except the votes counted and the information furnished by the returning officer under Section 84 (1) of the Representation of the People Act until the hearing and determination of the judicial review application…” Justice Holder said as he granted the second order. GECOM is also barred from authorising any agreement with the President of Guyana and the leader of the opposition and or itself with CARICOM, until a final determination is made by the High Court. The GECOM Chair and Chief Elections Officer is also being restrained, temporarily, from authorising any person or persons to facilitate a recount of the ballots cast in the elections on March 2, 2020. In the FDA, Moore is seeking a total of 25 declarations from the High Court. In effect, the declarations, if granted, would set aside any decision of the Elections Commission to facilitate a recount, thereby paving the way for the Chief Elections Officer to submit his report to the Elections Commission for a final declaration of the results of the March 2 General and Regional Elections. Once this is done, GECOM will inform the Chancellor of the Judiciary and the President will be sworn in.
GWI warns of fake disconnection crew
THE Guyana Water Incorporation (GWI) is advising its customers to be on the lookout for persons purporting to be employees of the company who are visiting homes and disconnecting their water supply. During a press conference on Wednesday, GWI Managing Director, Dr Richard
Van-West Charles made it clear that these persons do not work for the company. “This is not an instruction from us!” Dr. Van-West Charles emphasised. He advised customers to ensure persons claiming to be employed with GWI, identify themselves by displaying their badges which will clear-
GWI Managing Director, Dr. Richard Van-West Charles
ly show their photograph and name. Customers are also urged to be vigilant and report any attempt by persons trying to disconnect their water supply. “We ask you to be aware of people moving around in communities attempting to remove your service and ask-
ing that you pay. This is not a legal activity and I ask you to report any such activity that has been seen in communities across the country,” Dr. VanWest Charles urged. The Managing Director said GWI understands the importance of a regular water supply, especially with the presence of the novel coro-
navirus (COVID-19) in the country. To this end, he explained that the company is working to ensure squatting communities have access to potable water at this crucial time. “As far as possible try to ensure there is access to water via a standpipe,” he explained. (DPI)
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‘Stop attacking GECOM’ GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 21, 2020
… President hopeful of solution to elections challenges
… says GECOM, judiciary must be allowed to function without interference PRESIDENT David Granger, in addressing the current electoral impasse, said should the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and the Judiciary be allowed to execute their functions without inference, a solution to current challenges facing the country would be forthcoming. It has been 19 days since thousands of Guyanese went to the polls but attempts by the elections commission to declare the results have been met with one litigation after another. Amid claims of a flawed electoral process, President Granger and Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, had agreed to have the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) supervise a national recount of all the votes cast on March 2, but that too was blocked by an injunction filed in the High Court last Tuesday (March 17). In an address to the nation on Friday night, the Head of State, who has repeatedly iterated his respect for the Constitution, laws of the country, Judiciary and GECOM, said the independent institutions must be allowed to carry out their mandate. “I have iterated, always, my commitment to respect the Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, to protect the integrity of the chairperson and members of the elections commission and to obey the rulings of the courts. I am confident that these institutions, once allowed to function
without interference, will provide a solution to the present situation,” he told the nation. President Granger, who led the APNU+AFC Coalition into the elections as the Presidential Candidate, said all and sundry must demonstrate respect for the elections commission as it executes its function, and desist from attacking Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, the Chair of GECOM, and the other arms of the elections commission. “The elections commission has the sole authority for the conduct of general and regional elections and must be allowed to function independent of political interference, instruction and influence,” President Granger said. In the interest of transparency and accountability, the Head of State had endorsed moves by the Chairperson of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Mia Amor Mottley, to assist Guyana by sending a high-level delegation to oversee the recount of ballots cast at the elections, but this initiative has been temporarily blocked in the High Court. “I am disappointed that the high-level team of five departed Guyana this week after efforts towards a ‘total national recount’ were stymied following the granting of an injunction by the Supreme Court. This matter remains before the court,” he said, while noting that the country’s democracy allows for interested parties to approach the Supreme
Court of Judicature for judicial review of the electoral laws. The Head of State has maintained that the electoral process must be credible. “Free and fair elections are essential to representative democracy,” he told the nation. Even as the nation awaits the decision of the High Court but more importantly the decision of GECOM, President Granger is calling on Guyanese to allow peace to prevail. “I urge all Guyanese, therefore, to respect each other as we work together to build a cohesive nation. Violence in any form, at any time and in any place, particularly against innocent school children, must be condemned strongly. The violent attacks on innocent children and law enforcement officers in the Mahaica-Berbice Region (Region Five) were hateful acts of hostility. I urge all citizens to be calm and patient as we await the ruling of the Supreme Court and the final declaration of results by the elections commission,” the Head of State told the nation. While the March 2 Election was smoothly executed by GECOM, the electoral process was brought into disrepute during the tabulation of the votes in Region Four. To date, the returning officer for that electoral district, Clairmont Mingo, has made two declarations – the first one was invalidated by the High Court due to a breach of the Representation
President David Granger of the People Act. On Friday (March 20), another application was filed in the High Court to set aside the second declaration of votes by Mingo – that case is currently before High Court Judge, Franklin Holder.
Some supermarkets limiting amount of groceries per person By Tamica Garnett SOME supermarkets across the country have begun to limit the amount of groceries a person could purchase as a means of curbing what some believe is unnecessary “panic buying” of foodstuff due to fears arising from the coronavirus (COVID-19) reaching Guyana. Several persons are reporting being limited in their purchase of products such as flour, rice, milk, cooking oil, canned goods, and toilet paper, while at other supermarkets, some of these items were either missing, or only had a few of the products available on the shelves. This adds to the mass buying of bleach and other cleaning products. Panic-buying entails persons buying large quantities of products due to sudden fears of a forthcoming shortage or price rise. As a protective measure, several countries have implemented quarantine, while the general fear of food running out has led to persons stockpiling goods in the event of Some supermarkets have instituted quotas for customers to counter mass buying out of food stuff. In this supermarket stock of cooking oil is declining a food crisis.
Guyana has been experiencing many of the symptoms other countries have experienced after recording its first coronavirus case on March 11. Four other cases have since been confirmed; however, they are all related to the original patient, a 52-year-old woman who died from the virus. The first reaction by Guyanese saw a rush at local pharmacies and store for various preventative medication and disinfectants. Products included hand sanitizers, Lysol, Clorox and other disinfectants, face masks as well as medications. Several businesses have taken advantage of the situation by inflating prices for products in demand. That situation has since evolved into an increase in demand for food commodities. According to reports from consumers, some supermarkets are engaging in “price gouging” for certain types of groceries. A number of supermarkets have also put measures in place that do not allow customers entry into their stores. Customers make their purchases at the doors of these See page 5
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 21, 2020
Coronavirus: US, Canada and Mexico suspend most border traffic (BBC) The US has suspended all non-essential traffic across its borders with both Mexico and Canada as it battles to control the coronavirus outbreak. The curbs will go into effect at midnight on Saturday but will not affect trade, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday. Meanwhile New York State ordered non-essential businesses to close, a day after a similar move by California.
Countries around the world are stepping up restrictions to combat the virus. The virus has claimed more than 220 lives in the US and infected more than 16,000 people. Globally nearly 250,000 patients have tested positive for the respiratory illness and more than 10,000 have died. As both the number of cases and the global death toll continued to soar, many countries and regions took
new measures on Friday, including: * Spain: The government warned that army patrols would catch people outside without good reason * Bavaria: Germany’s second most populous state became the first state in impose a lockdown * France: police said patrols at Paris railway stations had been reinforced to stop people going on trips for the weekend * Indonesia: a state of emergency will be in force in the capital Jakarta from Monday - bars, cinemas and many other businesses will be shut down. Why did the US restrict border traffic? President Donald Trump said on Friday: “Our na-
tion’s top health care officials are extremely concerned about the grave public health consequences of mass, uncontrolled cross-border movement.” He added: “Every week, our border agents encounter thousands of unscreened, unvetted and unauthorised entries from dozens of countries.” Earlier this week President Trump announced that the border with Canada would be closed to non-essential traffic “by mutual consent” During Friday’s news conference, Mr Pompeo said the restrictions would take effect on Saturday and also apply to Mexico. They are due be in place for at least 30 days.
US citizens “should arrange immediate return” unless they intend to remain abroad for a time, Mr Pompeo said. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said the US was “working with both our Canadian partners as well as our Mexican partners”. He added: “We want to make sure cargo continues, trade continues, healthcare workers continue to be able to traverse that border. But tourism, some recreational activities and other things need to stop during this crisis.” Also on Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said asylum seekers crossing into the country on foot from the US would be turned back as part of the border shutdown. What about New York and California? New York State gov-
ernor Andrew Cuomo ordered all “non-essential workers” to stay at home across the state from Sunday evening. Public gatherings are also restricted across the state. The measures come as confirmed coronavirus cases in New York reached 7,000 - the highest in the US. “These provisions will be enforced,” Mr Cuomo told reporters. “These are not helpful hints.” The announcement comes after California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a similar order. He estimated more than half of the 40 million people in his state would contract Covid-19 in just the next two months. Nevada announced its own ban on non-essential businesses on Tuesday. President Trump has so far ruled out any nationwide lockdown.
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Some supermarkets limiting amount ... From page 3
business places. At some supermarkets, persons can be seen queuing up at the barred doors, awaiting their turn to make their purchases. LONG LINES At a supermarket on the West Bank Demerara, one shopper said she left after refusing to deal with the long line. “I went to buy drink, and everybody got to give them a list. I see the madness for one bottle drink, and I beat out and went to another shop. They tell a woman she has to get a list and give them; that she can’t go in,” said the consumer, who asked not to be named. Though this measure is being implemented as a means of reducing the spread of the virus, the consumer does not believe it is necessarily achieving its aim. “They get the people outside, but collecting the money. You can still get ‘corona’ from the money. It didn’t really bother me, but I felt sorry for the people sitting outside. It was as if they scorn the people,” she said. At a supermarket at Vreed-en-Hoop, in West Demerara, another consumer said quotas are being placed on products such as garlic and potatoes. “My friend picked up two parcels of garlic, some potatoes and two parcels of onion. But when we went to cash, the cashier said, ‘You can’t get two onions; you can only get one onion.’ They said the ‘bossman’ said they don’t have enough stocks, so they want everybody to get at least one,” the consumer shared. Several countries have experienced waves of panic-buying when they began to record cases of the coronavirus, which has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The coronavirus has been sweeping the globe since the first outbreak in Wuhan, China in December 2019. It has since spread to 176 countries, infecting over 234,000 persons, and being responsible for over 9,800 deaths, as at last Friday, according to WHO statistics.
Here, the supply of milk has begun to run low LIMIT In Essequibo, another consumer said that at one supermarket, shoppers are only allowed to buy three packs of flour per person. “I believe that supermarket owners are creating a panic in people’s mind; the fact they are limiting makes me believe there will be a shortage,” shared the consumer from Essequibo. In light of the growing fear of running out of flour products, the National Milling Company of Guyana (NAMILCO), one of the country’s top flour producers, on Thursday issued a statement, assuring customers that there is no shortage of their products. Neither has there been any price increases. “Namilco is advising all customers and consumers that there should be no panic- buying or hoarding of flour. We guarantee you that we have adequate quantities of all NAMILCO Thunderbolt and Maid Marian products, providing your normal pattern of buying is maintained. We have adequate quantities of all raw materials necessary to maintain production. We have not increased prices, and we are imploring sellers not to do so,” the company said in its statement. BUSINESS AS USUAL For many of the supermarkets in the city, however, it is business as usual. At Bounty Supermarket on Regent Street, Branch
Manager Sherwayne Clarke confirmed that he has seen an increase in purchases by customers. He also said that the supermarket is not at risk of running out of products. “As fast as we can, we’ve been restocking the shelves. We’re trying to still provide customers with a good customer service experience,” Clarke said. Customers are allowed to enter the supermarket and shop as usual, but the supermarket has put in place several sanitisation measures to help curtail the potential spread of viruses. “We’ve taken several measures. We have hand sanitizers; we give staff regular breaks to wash their hands. We encourage customers to wash their hands and take precaution, if they are around anyone who is sick. We’re cleaning and disinfecting our store regularly,” Clarke shared. At the ‘Bounty’ Stabroek Market branch, customers are offered a squirt of hand sanitizer on entry by a staff at the door. Inside, other staffers are restocking shelves just as fast as customers make their purchases. At Beepats on Regent Street, Store Manager Shamella Applewaite said the supermarket has not instituted any limitations on the sale of groceries. However, earlier this month the company had instituted quotas on Lysol products after mass purchasing by consumers. The company is the official authorised distrib-
utor of Lysol in Guyana, Applewaite said. She said the company is also expecting another shipment of Lysol products within the next two weeks.
Prisoner sets fire to catwalk of Camp Street jail’s solitary division OFFICER in Charge of the Georgetown Prison, Superintendent Olivia Cox, has reported that at about 16:50hrs on Friday, March 20, 2020 a fire was set on the catwalk of the solitary division of the Georgetown Street Prison. This was quickly brought under control by the officers on duty at the prison, said a press release from Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels. The release said that according to investigations, the fire was set by convicted prisoner Odel Roberts who is serving three years for trafficking in narcotics and who is also to stand trial for murder. “It is reported that he was upset with a fellow prisoner who refused to lend him a cell phone and DVD player. It is alleged that Roberts lit newspaper and a piece of his mattress and threw these on the catwalk outside the door of the prisoner with whom he has the dispute,” the release said. Officers of the Guyana Fire Service visited the scene and declared the prison compoundsafe. The police are investigating.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 21, 2020
Contextualising our saviours GUYANA’S ability to manage her own affairs has been tested lately. Our institutions have been criticized, and our politicians and leaders have been cautioned by local stakeholders and the wider international community. In the midst of all of this, Guyanese have been seeking a conclusion to the March 2, 2020 Regional and General Elections. Whilst most Guyanese, at home and in the diaspora, are anxious for the conclusion of these controversial elections, and for the restoration of normalcy in Guyana, there are those who do not believe that Guyanese are equipped to deal with our own problems. This group of Guyanese would prefer the outside intervention of the international community, as they have been deemed by this group as more equipped to resolve Guyana’s current elections impasse. The presence of the ABCEU nations, along with other international organisations which were invited to observe our elections, has created some confusion amongst certain sections of
the populace who seem to believe that these groups and their representatives have more right and power than they actually possess. That being said, the international community does play a role in some of Guyana’s affairs. Being a sovereign democratic nation, Guyana has certain obligations, and is party to numerous multilateral agreements with many of the ABCEU nations. The benefits to be derived from these partnerships and agreements are numerous, and have contributed to the development of Guyana’s economy and overall development, to an extent. Where Guyana has garnered special attention from the international community, it has largely been in relation to our newly-acquired status as an oil- producing nation. The importance of these elections, therefore, cannot be underestimated within this context. History would indicate that where there is oil, there is usually corruption. The oil curse is no mere urban legend; it is a very real prospect for any nation with traditionally weak governance and low lev-
els of development. Guyana is no different from many of the less developed nations that have discovered oil. The saviours from the ABCEU nations need good puppets and comrades who would sacrifice the wealth of their nations for the benefit of themselves and of a small, well- connected oligarchy; this to the obvious detriment of the rightful beneficiaries, the Guyanese people. Democracy and human rights are the buzzwords often used to justify the ABCEU intervention into our internal affairs, however, their true intentions are usually much more aligned with economic interests and resource-control strategies. Guyanese who might want this outside intervention, under the pretext of upholding democracy and the rule of law, would be wise to examine the ABCEU nations’ relationships with some of our non-western allies. Guyana has enough oil reserves to put us right on par with the highest oil-producing nations; enough to make us capable of influencing global oil prices. If we are not aligned with the
goals of the ABCEU nations, then the oil curse becomes a very real prospect, as history would dictate. Nonetheless, we must stand on our sovereignty, and not allow the forces that seek to separate and marginalise our collective goals to achieve their aim of subverting our collective will as a people. Education is the key differentiator between those who seek to find a saviour to intervene in Guyana’s internal affairs and those who recognise that we must save ourselves. Our laws, institutions and people are enough to guide us out of this elections impasse, and indeed further into our future development. Guyana was only earlier this year made Chair of the G77 and China Group of Nations, and was at that time deemed capable of leading these nations forward. We all celebrated this accomplishment; let us not lose sight of our potential, and let us remain steadfast in our support of our Constitution, institutions and, most importantly, ourselves.
Why do holders of high office so often act contrary to reason?
Dear Editor,
EXCEPT for the iconoclast and the radicals, I believe that the rest of Guyana is anxious to overcome the wide political gulf that is apparent as a result of Elections 2020. I broke my curfew to attend a funeral on the West Bank, and spent some time on a fish wharf earlier today (before daybreak), and this is the impression I got from persons who may have supported either side of our unhappy political divide. President David Granger has clung to the proper position, and, as a Statesman, made it clear that he is not prepared to interfere with constitutionally-established bodies, including GECOM. The independence of these constitutionally-independent bodies is crucial to securing the integrity and viability of our Nation’s State. It appears that under some pressure, he and the Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, at the instance of our CARICOM friends and others, signed an MOU, seeking the recount of votes in all of the regions. This Jadgeo-Granger agreement has been challenged, and I dictate this letter before the Court may have adjudicated on this matter. But, Dear Editor, after over six decades of efforts by our political and other leaders, the March 2020 events have shown that our beloved Guyana is still unhappily polarized, and therefore vulnerable to the machinations of imperialist forces, which are far from dead. History has a puckish
way of repeating itself. The trouble is that Mankind seems unable to benefit from the lessons that history has to offer, and Guyana seems to be no different, and to quote prize-winning historian Barbara Touchman in her well-researched publication, ‘The March of Folly’, “A phenomenon noticeable throughout history, regardless of place or period, is the pursuit by governments (I add and political leaders) of policies contrary to their own interests…” Mankind, it seems, makes a poorer performance of government than of almost any other human activity. In this sphere, wisdom, which may be defined as the exercise of judgement acting on experience, commonsense and available information is less operative and more frustrated than it should be. Why do holders of high office so often act contrary to the way reason points, and enlightened self-interest suggests? Why does intelligent mental process seem so often not to function? For now, I wish to allude to statements made by two prominent members of our Portuguese Community; persons I once regarded as credible Guyanese and friends. In my tribute on Portuguese Arrival Day, I singled out Christopher ‘Kit’ Nascimiento and the Gouveias of Lodge, who, of course, would have included Captain Gerry Gouveia. Recent statements by these two friends of mine have been cause for worry and disbelief. ‘Chris’ said that the elections have been rigged; judging from the tone of his letter, he is suggesting that
APNU/AFC is trying to rig the elections. This is absurd, untrue and unfortunate. My friend, ‘Kit’, has been in the political hustings for nearly as long as I have, and should know that you don’t make statements of that kind without credible evidence. As I noted earlier, my contact with ordinary folks and a worrying situation is that there is a developing perception that we have not lost the old Portuguese disdain for certain ordinary folks. You must remember the ‘Angel Gabriel Riots’; under pressure, blacks turned against the Portuguese shopkeepers in Georgetown. Similar provocation and discrimination led to the ‘Cent Bread Riots’, which started around the Stabroek Market. We must be very careful not to expose our deep-seated prejudices. Where were the Gouveias and the Nascimentos when the ‘Coalition’, led by the PNC, complained about a bloated list? Not a squeak from these gentlemen. The truth of the matter is that this whole contention about the 2020 Election is born out of the use of a bloated list, which allowed a certain type of manipulation of Election Day. Recent investigations show that in certain areas, the PPP received votes greater than those on the Voters’ List (indications of high-class rigging). Yet, nary a word from Kit. When Opposition members, including Mr. Yearwood, a burly Portuguese-local white, assaulted a small-built Afro-Guyanese female, not a word of condemnation. It is that some folks believe they are still part of an elite. Is it the same philosophy
that led to the Rupununi Uprising in 1969, when the Melvilles and the Harts, the local Portuguese-whites group said that they were not prepared to be ruled by the likes of Burnham, hence the ‘Uprising’, where Afro-Guyanese policemen were shot and killed. This letter seeks not to ignite, but to remind others that we should be a ‘Bridge over troubled waters’, remembering our troubled history. The advice to my friends is to deal with facts and evidence, and to know that perceptions still exist among certain folks when we said ‘Massa day done.” I end by saying when we celebrated Portuguese Arrival Month, I lauded the many Portuguese who made a solid contribution. My own personal experience with many Portuguese is one of love and mutual respect. For the records, I refer to the likes of John Fernandes (Honest John), his son, Chris; John Gabriel Joaquin; Carl D’Aguiar, Mackenzie businessman; Eugene Francis Correia, after whom the Ogle Airport is named; Joseph De Barros (Uncle Joe of Howes Street, Charlestown); Joe Vieira (Houston Estate); Dr. Jose Da Silva; Peter Stanislaus D’Aguiar; and a host of others who contributed to the wholesomeness of our society. Let us not have them turn in their graves. Regards, Hamilton Green
Op-Ed
GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 21, 2020
By Dr Lystra Fletcher-Paul
AS the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly unfolds around the world, and particularly the Caribbean, people are now awakening to the new reality of the far-reaching impacts that this pandemic will have on their lives in the future. One of the sectors which will be affected is regional Food and Nutrition Security. There will be impacts on all dimensions of Food and Nutrition Security: Food availability, access, utilisation and stability. Food availability, both from local production and imports will be reduced. In terms of local production, our farmers, with their average age being 60 years and over are among the most vulnerable to the virus. Food and feedstock imports which, according to the FAO, account for over 80 % of the food consumed in some countries of the region, are likely to be considerably reduced as our foreign suppliers grapple with the impacts of the pandemic in their own countries and protect their markets to ensure their own food security and sovereignty. Panic buying and hoarding will also exacerbate food availability and contribute to increases in food prices. Food access, both economic and physical will also be impacted. As global ports close, economies shrink, manufacturing slows and demands shift, in countries such as Guyana, export markets for rice and other commodities will decline. As workplaces close to reduce the spread of the virus, many consumers will be out of work for at least 2 months and will therefore, not have an income to purchase food. Moreover, food prices are expected to rise as supply chains decline. Markets for food will also be reduced. With the closure of restaurants and reduced hotel occupation, caused by the travel restrictions, many farmers who sell their produce directly to restaurants no longer have markets for their fresh produce. Furthermore, farmers have indicated that they are reluctant to go to the local wholesale and retail markets to sell their produce for fear of contracting the virus. The poor and vulnerable will be most heavily impacted. With the closure of school, many students who rely on the school feed-
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The Coronavirus, and Food and Nutrition Security in the Caribbean
ing programme as their source of a healthy nutritious meal of the day, will now have to go without food. The FAO estimates school feeding is the most reliable source of food for 10 million children in Latin America and the Caribbean. Unless local food production is increased to fill the void left by reduced imports, problems related to malnutrition caused by insufficient food are likely to arise if the food shortages last for a prolonged period of time. Additionally, malnutrition caused by eating foods which are nutritionally deficient will further contribute to the problems of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which currently plague our region. It is also noteworthy that persons with these NCDs are among the most vulnerable to the effects of the disease. In an effort to address these challenges, farmers are being called upon to increase local production, albeit after the proverbial horse had bolted from the stable. Stability of food supply, especially in times of crises is the fourth dimension of food security which needs to be addressed. As we head into the dry season, do farmers have sufficient water to increase production? Moreover, countries which reach their peak infection levels later in the year may have to contend with hurricane season as well – a double whammy! Are farmers equipped to adapt to the impacts of climate change? Do they have sufficient water? Do they practice climate smart agriculture? Do they have access to the inputs and information to help them to adapt to climate change and increase production? There are also other factors to be considered such as market distortions, gluts and increased praedial larceny. What can and should be done to mitigate the impacts of the coronavirus on Food and Nutrition Security in the region? The onus is not only on the part of government or the Ministries of Agriculture. Coordinated action needs to be taken by all stakeholders in the agriculture sector – farmers, consumers, technicians, private sector and government, as well as other sectors such as health, education and finance. It is also important to employ a mixture of short and medium term, as well as temporary actions. In the short term, local production by
farmers and backyard gardeners can be promoted. In this regard, inputs such as seeds, seedlings and fertilizers need to be made available to these food producers in sufficient quantities. In Trinidad and Tobago, input suppliers have indicated that they have already run out of seeds, seedlings and potting soil. One supplier even said that his supplier in Miami had signaled that he would not be able to replenish his supply because he was closing his business for fear of contracting the virus. To address food access immediate assistance should be provided to relieve the plight of the poor and vulnerable such as the unemployed, pensioners, as well as students affected by the discontinuation of the school feeding programme resulting from the closure of schools. In this regard, temporary measures such as food delivery systems can to be put in place to deliver meals to the affected households. Cash transfers can also be provided to persons who are not able to work because of the closure of some businesses as mandated by government, in their efforts to contain the virus. For the private sector, business opportunities arise for on-line food delivery systems especially to the homes of the elderly who are most likely to be affected by the virus. Restaurants may also participate in school feeding programmes. Communication with the public is also critical. Panic buying contributes to unnecessary stress on individuals, communities and sectors. Clear messages should be developed and disseminated to reinforce public confidence, to promote alternative foods where there is scarcity, and to reinforce healthy consumption habits and promote proper sanitation practices such as hand washing and the washing of fruits and vegetables. In the medium to longer term, support must also be given to the fisheries sector as an immediate source of protein and food stocks also need to be augmented. The private sector will have to increase their contracts with local farmers to meet the shortfall caused by the reduced supplies of imported foods. Production planning needs to be promoted
to plan for emergencies such as these. This can only be done with the establishment and maintenance of proper market information systems to review the trends in demand and supply. To improve nutrition and food safety during the crisis, local and regional food safety systems and legislation need to be strengthened and enforced. Extension systems need to be improved and strengthened to provide advice and information to producers on climate smart technologies which should be adopted to ensure food stability. Government will also have to enact and enforce legislation to deal with the perpetrators of praedial larceny and strengthen the systems to address this problem. More importantly, Agriculture needs to be made a compulsory subject in all schools at both the primary and secondary school level so that all households have the required skills to produce food and take responsibility for their personal food security. In summary, the abovementioned recommendations call for the establishment of a robust agri-food system which takes into consideration the economic, social and environmental factors which contribute to a sustainable system of food production in which people are placed at the centre and no one is left behind. These impacts on food security are felt almost every year in many Caribbean countries in the wake of hurricanes and floods, yet we continue to repeat the mistakes of the past. All of these recommendations are not new, technicians in the agriculture sector have been preaching these practices for decades. Yet, once again, we find ourselves scrambling to feed ourselves in the face of a disaster. Have we not learned the lessons from the world food crises in 2008, or the droughts caused by El Nino in 2012 or Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017? How many times must we experience food crises before our governments pay more than lip service and allocate more resources to the agriculture sector? In the face of this global pandemic, I am reminded of the words of my dear mother, “Who can’t hear will feel”.
For democracy to stand, GECOM cannot lose battle for truth Dear Editor, FOR democracy to stand, GECOM cannot lose the battle for truth. Following media coverage on GECOM throughout the election cycle, but more particularly at this period of post-voting controversy, the public, domestic, regional and international, will benefit greatly from information emanating directly from the Commission. This is given that GECOM has the constitutional mandate of responsibility for many of these processes, which are under review by your external public. As a workers’ representative, and being personally concerned about the accuracy of non-GECOM information and its impact
on the public about matters that GECOM has first-hand information of, I am calling on GECOM to provide this nation with a daily, or otherwise determined, convenient schedule of updates. Where necessary, corrections of every bit of information that is placed in the public domain and can affect public confidence in the process should be addressed, via all available media. Of note, GECOM’s Facebook account that can be an accessible source of information, was addressed on the 2nd, 3rd and 17th only in the month of March, when so many contentious issues have occurred. GECOM does itself no good by remaining silent and being drowned in a tsunami of information put forward by sources that
may not have a vested interest in supporting GECOM’s independence and ability to perform its constitutional duty without interference. In the 20th March, 2020 edition of the Stabroek News, it is insinuated in an article captioned, “Six parties call for vote recount, urge protection of ballot boxes”, that the ballot boxes, particularly those of Region 4, are at risk of being compromised. In another article recently, State police guarding the boxes also surfaced as an issue of mistrust. These are just an example of the many areas of information that requires clarification, for they serve to undermine public trust and the credibility of this constitutional office. GECOM is reminded that as often as information that threatens its public image,
independence and credibility is made public, an immediate response becomes absolutely necessary, if its public image and ability to perform its constitutional duty without external interference is to be upheld. GECOM must take responsibility for disseminating information that will contribute to creating a post-electoral communication environment driven by valid and credible facts. If democracy is to stand, GECOM cannot afford to lose this battle to destroy its truth with information influencing public opinion against it. Regards, Lincoln Lewis
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 21, 2020
Joe Singh’s flawed reasoning, and confession of never having voted Dear editor, I READ a very concerning open letter published in the print media, authored by Joe Singh, Major-General (Retired), suggesting that President Granger should call off the ‘Dogs of War’. First and foremost, I have never personally met or spoken to Joe Singh. My opinion of him is based on what I would have read in the print and digital media. Having said that, I was taken aback by his statement that he has never voted, despite the fact that he would have been eligible to vote for at least 10 election cycles. The argument he puts forward is bordering on the ridiculous, and is clearly a failed attempt at putting himself forward as being apolitical. Personally, I do not believe that hogwash emanating from the retired Major-General, and he would have been better served by keeping such foolish comments to himself. While I do not know Joe Singh personally, I do know his late brother, Dr. Benjie Singh, a vicious ‘Dog of War’ that he should have controlled. When Dr. Benjie Singh died last year, I wrote a letter to the media, outlining my not-so-nice experiences with him. Generally, I do believe that one should not speak ill of the dead, but when the Indian Arrival Committee chose to have a revisionist approach to history by characterising both Dr. Benjie Singh and Ronald Gajraj as great Indo-Guyanese, which was clearly not the case, I had to provide balance to their statement. The fact is that Dr. Benjie Singh was a part of the PPP’s ‘Dogs of War’ machinery. When innocent Afro-Guyanese were murdered by the ‘Black Clothes’ and the ‘Phantom Squad’, Dr. Benjie Singh and the PPP-aligned GPHC hierarchy would present themselves in A&E in cel-
ebratory mode over the bullet- riddled bodies of the innocent dead Afro-Guyanese men. The murderers were conferred with “OE” national awards in the A&E. I took my oath of “First do not harm” and “respect my patients” very seriously. What I witnessed, as a doctor just out of medical school, I have written about on many occasions, and this can be easily corroborated. So no one can accuse me of confabulation. I would assume that since the retired Major- General has not commented on other relevant recent events, that his Internet is a tad slow. As a result, the terrorist incidents inside GECOM have not yet arrived in his inbox. These unsightly terrorist events include staff being verbally and physically assaulted, and the Chairwoman, Justice Claudette Singh’s office door being kicked in. When the unbiased Major-General does receive these images, I would be grateful if he can identify the owner of these vicious Pit Bull-type ‘Dogs of War’ and pen them a severe reprimand in the media. Also, I guess the retired Major-General has not received the images of the terrorist attack at Lusignan, where schoolchildren were attacked and hospitalised with broken bones; police were attacked, and they too hospitalised with broken bones; school buses were attacked; private cars set on fire; cane fields and properties burnt; innocent civilians threatened by a gentleman with a gun; roads blocked with logs, and tyres set ablaze. Mr. Joe Singh, I will render you some assistance. The owner of those vicious Pit Bull-type ‘Dogs of War’ is Bharrat Jagdeo, whose pre and post-election utterances triggered them. Would you be penning him a reprimand in the print media to muzzle his vicious Pit Bull-type ‘Dogs of War’? Better yet, can you muzzle him? What Guyanese are witnessing had trans-
pired in 1997, albeit many have developed selective amnesia. The only difference is that the Presidential Candidate for PPP, Mrs. Janet Jagan, said, ‘To hell with the laws of Guyana’, and threw the court document over her shoulder, after being egged on by the then GECOM Chairman, Doodnath Singh. The elections were then rightfully but belatedly vitiated by Justice Claudette Singh. Joe Singh, what Mrs. Janet Jagan did when she threw the court documents over her shoulder and had PPP bouncers assault the court officials as they attempted to serve the court order to stop her swearing in, was that unconstitutional? If it was, why were you silent? Why you allowed these vicious Pit Bull-type ‘Dogs of War’ to have their way? Let’s examine the political and crime situation in Guyana in the early 2000s, which I briefly alluded to. There was definitely a ‘Phantom Squad’ murdering mostly innocent Afro-Guyanese. As a matter of fact, hundreds of them were murdered by these vicious Pit Bull-type ‘Dogs of War’. Why were you silent Joe Singh? A sitting Minister, Satyadeo Sawh and others were gunned down in his house by vicious Pit Bull-type ‘Dogs of War’. This was a period where over 50 policemen were murdered; where police were forced to place massive padlocks on the gates of their police stations, and the streets were a veritable ghost town. Why was the Retired Major- General silent while these vicious Pit Bull- type ‘Dogs of War’ roamed the streets? What about the Bacchus brothers who were visited by the ‘Angels of Death’ in the form of vicious Pit Bull-type ‘Dogs of War’ when they revealed the existence of the ‘Phantom Squads’? Any comments Major-General Singh? I am quite sure Joe Singh would concur that discrimination, victimisation, marginalisation, et al are
not consistent with the Constitution. All Pit Bull-type ‘Dogs of War’ were unleashed by the PPP, and yet again, the Major-General is silent. WHY? You see, Joe Singh is yet another “victim” who is struggling with the “psychological trauma” of being part of a group that the President deemed “not fit and proper”. It is this label and tribalism that motivated this poorly-timed missive, when this political and legal process is working towards a resolution. Don’t tell me nonsense about sanctions and comments by the ABCE countries! They were also silent when Guyana went through worse, but now barrels are overflowing with oil, they are aware of the fact that Guyana is much more than Jim Jones. This tribal approach to issues in Guyana, where one group is always labelled bad, would forever result in conflict. These tribal allegiances would result in silence when their fellow Guyanese are being mauled by vicious Pit Bull-type ‘Dogs of War’ that look like them, but come out breathing fire when the tables are turned, would have only one consequence. TRIBALISM BY ALL. Unless we see each other as Guyanese; each other as brothers and sisters, then Guyana as a country would be reduced to a Land of Six rather than one people. In my opinion, justice should be blind and rightfully so. If we as a people see an injustice against a Guyanese but keep silent because the victim does not look like us, then as a people we are feeding our own ‘Dogs of War’. Sadly, folks like Christopher Ram, Seelall Persaud and Joe Singh are telling us to euthanise our Chihuahua-type ‘Dog of War’, while they are secretly feeding blood to their Pit Bulls. Regards, Dr. Mark Devonish
If the ABCE countries are so powerful, let them sanction Covid-19 Dear Editor, THERE is a pandemic that has engulfed this earth that we live in, and it has already visited over 80 countries. Positioned east, west, north and south, it has no vaccination. Covid-19 does not discriminate, and I will get straight to the point I want to make. Let the ‘powerful countries’ with their deadly weapons upon their warships and their missiles of destruction challenge Covid-19. Covid-19 is an enemy of Mankind; the ABC countries and world powers cannot see this. It is not visible, so Covid-19 cannot be another Osama Bin Laden. These mighty countries came to my country in 2020 and sent their people to see that Guyana conduct a free and fair election. They came, they saw, and they insulted our intelligence, getting into the political business of a sovereign country. Personally and individually speaking, whatever comes out of this present fiasco in
Guyana will be the result of Guyanese with their colonial and foreign mentality, looking to ‘massa’ to solve our problems. It is because of massa’s interference in the 60s that my country and its people are where they are today. They came, they ‘observed’ and went back and gave politicians seeking power the conception that they have all the answers. If they are so powerful, let them sanction Covid-19, and cease what is going on in Italy (they like to pelt black-foot zillions with banana skins). I was a young political activist 19 to 20 years old when those colonialists and imperialists put their mouth in my country’s political affairs in the 60s. Today, in 2020, they are doing the same thing, at the expense of our populace. I say to the outsiders who interfere, keep out and stop threatening to isolate my country. If you are so powerful, why not go and ‘isolate’ Covid-19! There are so many instances of eye-pass perpetuated by these powers on my country that I wonder how Mr. Granger could have sat down
and cut cake with the colonial ambassador in celebration of the Queen’s birthday about two years ago. And as an historian, you should have known better. I am one of those who were in the streets; in the trenches, fighting for independence for our country. Independence was not given to us on a platter. The Worcestershire Regiment, Queens Fusiliers, Black Watch, and Argylls, these four military regiments were on the streets of Georgetown. They were on the dams with their long guns, with bayonets affixed in the 60s, telling us the people of Cheddi and Burnham that between 6pm and 6am, we must not be out of our homes. We of that era fought them in many ways to show our resentment for their disrespect. Today, they are doing the same; today, 60 years after, they are telling us, a sovereign nation, how to run our affairs. I am not taking sides; I am speaking as a proud Guyanese, who
saw the atrocities of the super ‘big countries’ who perceive themselves to be so powerful and cannot find a cure for Covid-19. Guyanese leaders, stop looking for political turf, and find a solution for the present standoff that now exists in our country! Bharrat, I still remember the first national holiday we celebrated, when you became President of Guyana in the 90s. Remember when ‘Six-Head’ beat James Page for the World Title back in 2001? You Bharrat gave that holiday. I remember because the next day, which was a Sunday morning, I was speaking at a public meeting outside of the LaPenitence Market. Also speaking at that meeting was Manzoor Nadir, then leader of TUF; not Peter D’Aguiar’s UF. Present political leaders, let us have pride in ourselves. Regards, Murtland ‘Slugger’ Williams Veteran political activist
Is Giftland using hi-tech technology to safeguard their business, or to mind other people’s business Dear Editor, I WISH to respond to the statement made by Giftland Mall regarding the use of surveillance cameras which capture footage beyond their premises. Please note that I’m not a lawyer, but a private citizen who seeks clarification on the matter.
Firstly, I do believe that universally, there is a reasonable expectation of privacy. Private companies should have a policy in place regarding the storage, retention and discarding of data that is being retrieved from their data systems. It is uncertain whether Giftland uses only video, audio or a combination of both. Secondly, is Giftland using general security
cameras to protect their property, or is Giftland using hi-tech camera technology to zoom in on other properties, such as the Arthur Chung Convention Center? Using zoom-in technology to invade the property of others could be one of the reasons why the police were advised to speak to Giftland about the matter. In conclusion, everyone has the right to protect their property, using surveillance cameras, but to the
extent that it doesn’t infringe on the personal and property rights of others. I believe that the police were correct in stating that placing surveillance cameras on other properties could be an offence. Regards, Riaz Hamid
GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 21, 2020
Aggressive global response to COVID-19
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…Guyana among countries that introduced stringent measures to slow spread AS the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread, several countries around the world have taken stringent measures to reduce the rate and likeliness of infection. Here in Guyana, where only five cases and one death have been confirmed, the Ministry of Health has set up a toll-free number for persons experiencing symptoms of the disease; several quarantine facilities for persons infected, and persons who came into contact with someone infected are being placed on mandatory quarantine. Meanwhile, many businesses and offices in the private and public sector have either closed completely or introduced greater measures to practice the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended ‘social distancing’. Guyana has also banned international flights for two weeks beginning March 18, 2020; closed schools for two weeks since March 16, 2020; temporarily banned permits for social gathering events; launched an education campaign into handwashing and COVID-19 preventative measures, and introduced a shift system for public servants amongst other efforts. In the nearby Caribbean where cases have also been confirmed, Jamaica is being hailed for its stand-out and efficient response to the virus. Their government has implemented laws which restrict movement and which took effect on March 18, 2020, and all travellers from countries where there is local transmission of COVID-19 will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days. Added to this, all non-es-
sential work is required to be done from home; hospital visits have been reduced to once per day; there must be no gathering of over 20 persons at one place whether funeral or entertainment events; public transport (JUTC busses) must carry only seated pas-
20, 2020. British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has closed all pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes and the government there has also pledged to pay 80 per cent of wages for those unable to work and has introduced a package of mea-
A Jamaica Urban Transit Company employee sanitises one of the company’s buses in the Half-Way-Tree Transport Centre yesterday (Jamaica Observer photo)
Somali women wash their hands during coronavirus awareness training conducted by the local paramedics and doctors in Somali capital Mogadishu, on Thursday, March, 19, 2020 (AP Photo/Farah Abdi Warsameh)
sengers and taxis one fewer passenger than the licensed limit. The country has also invested millions in the fight against the spread of the disease and fines not exceeding $1,000,000 or imprisonment up to 12 months can come to those who disregard these and other measures in place. The country has recorded 16 cases of the virus, thereby leading the Caribbean where there are over 45 cases including three deaths. All the way over in the United Kingdom (UK) – made up of Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland – there were over 3,000 positive cases and over 140 deaths as of March
jobs. While other measures implemented are similar to most countries, some others stand out. Just recently, the Church of England limited weddings to just five people where, a
Workers disinfect a bus station in Bogota, Colombia (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
sures to protect the income of workers who may lose their
part from the couples themselves, everyone should ob-
serve social distancing while the priests have cut out the tradition of touching the rings or the couple’s hands. In neighbouring Brazil where there are over 600 cases, the country’s government announced on Thursday that it would bar citizens from certain countries but would leave its ports open to the United States. As Brazil continues to record additional cases of the virus, its government gazetted an order to close its border with several countries including Guyana on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Washington Post said on Friday that Venezuela’s “broken healthcare system is uniquely vulnerable to coronavirus,” as the country was recently denied a requested five billion from the IMF to fight the disease. Its leader, Nicholas Maduro, has ordered all citizens to wear face masks in public; military branches and the national
police have been deployed to enforce quarantine measures and WHO has agreed to provide tests and other medical supplies. Suriname’s ports and borders have been closed since its first imported case. In Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom announced a total of 270 cases as of Friday and has since shut down its mosques for the customary five daily prayers. The United Arab Emirates has suspended its visa on arrival scheme and up to five years jail time await those who disregard an implemented 14-day quarantine time frame. The Guardian reported on Friday that over on the continent of Africa, Governments across countries were rushing to reinforce measures to contain or prevent the spread. However, as of Monday, only 27 countries there had recorded cases of COVID-19, amounting to 347. Sudan has shut off all its sea ports, land crossings and airports; Egypt has suspended flights from all its airports facing over 126 cases; South Africa has declared a ‘national state of disaster’; Kenya and Ghana have imposed a travel ban on foreigners from all countries with reported cases and Ethiopia, Senegal and Kenya have announced school closures. As of March 20, 2020, there have been 709 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia and six persons have died. Australia has applied travel restrictions to reduce visitors from highrisk countries; implemented a $17.6B economic support package to encourage investment and keep people in jobs and more.
NA market remains open as town tackles coronavirus EU observers wing out over COVID-19 fear
THE New Amsterdam Municipality has allowed the town’s lone market to remain open but has closed the recently-opened Kiddie’s Corner until further notice as it takes measures to fight the coronavirus. Five Guyanese have been affected by the global pandemic. While Kiddie’s Corner is closed, the adjoining Esplanade Recreational Park, an open space used for exercise and recreational purposes, will also remain open to the general public. The benabs there are expected to be sanitised daily by the park’s attendants. This announcement was made by Mayor, Winifred Haywood, along with her Deputy, Wainwright Mc Intosh, during a press briefing at the council chambers prior to a walk about at the market. At the briefing, members of the local press corps were informed about the municipality's prepared-
Mayor Winifred Haywood informs a vendor about the importance of self-care in the light of the coronavirus, during a walk about at the New Amsterdam Market
ness to tackle the coronavirus. Additionally, a 48-hour schedule has been timetabled for staff in keeping with national guidelines. However, while the municipality will be opened for business during
08:00 to 14:00hrs, the Treasurer's Department will be opened until 13:00hrs during weekdays for financial transactions. Further, the mayor was quick to dispel rumours of a forced clo-
sure of the municipal market. "Persons were calling and asking whether we will be closing… we will not be closing down. It will operate as at regular time with Wednesday half days as usual,” he said. However, during the walk about, the chief citizen and her deputy informed the public and the vendors of the importance of self-care while sharing guidelines of the Ministry of Public Health as well as the work of the council to keep the market clean. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a new strain that was discovered in 2019.
FOLLOWING the lead of the Carter Center, the European Elections Observer Mission has wrapped up its work here and flew out its observers. In a terse statement issued on Friday evening the mission said: “In light of the COVID-19 pandemic it has been decided to repatriate the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) back to Europe. The EU EOM calls on all stakeholders to complete the electoral process in a credible and transparent way in accordance with legal requirements.”
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 21, 2020
COVID-19…
Scotiabank offering three-month moratorium on loan repayments BEGINNING Monday, Scotiabank will launch its Customer Assistance Programme for customers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic which will see their loan payments for mortgages, auto loans, personal loans, credit cards and lines of credit, deferred for three months or more. In a recent release, the bank stated that customers who contact Scotiabank indicating they have been impacted by COVID-19 can see these loans being deferred up to six months, but first for a period of three months with the possibility of extension for a further three months. No processing fees will be applied to loans extended for working capital support for businesses affected by COVID-19. “We are com-
mitted to working with our customers to help support them during this time. We know that the COVID-19 pandemic may lead to some customers being in a challenging position financially, so we hope these measures will help them navigate this period,” said Scotiabank Guyana Country Manager, Raymond Smith. Meanwhile, payments for secured and unsecured loans may be deferred for up to six months and debt consolidation and fixed payment plans are available for customers requiring long-term financial assistance. At the same time, loan fees and penalties for late payments will be waived on customer assistance facilities and the bank will also be implementing a reduction in credit card interest rates. The bank has stated that for retail, and business bank-
ing customers, although no payments may be due during the deferral period, interest will continue to accrue and will be payable at a later point in the loan’s cycle. “These measures will definitely help customers’ cash flow over the next several months,” the statement said. Regarding corporate and commercial customers, Scotiabank will be offering support to our corporate and commercial banking customers impacted by COVID-19 across various industries to maintain their operations. These customers are also eligible for temporary principal payment relief on term loans of up to six months, with a corresponding extension on the loan and increased working capital lines of credit to cover payments and other business expenses.
Those who qualify will receive no loan fees for additional working capital for businesses impacted by COVID-19. At the same time, the bank will also continue to offer a robust online banking platform to process payments to staff and suppliers, thereby providing them with flexibility and ongoing connectivity to operate their business remotely. This is also available to business banking customers. Do note that offers will
be subject to applicable terms and conditions and requests will be assessed on an individual basis. Customers are also encouraged to reach out to their relationship manager to discuss any needs for support. “Our team is here to support customers with any questions regarding financial needs. Please contact our call centre at 223-4357 (HELP) which is available 24/7 for further details. We
also ask for your patience and understanding during this challenging period as we are dealing with a higher-than-usual volume of calls. Please also stay tuned to our website www.gy.scotiabank.com for further info related to our Customer Assistance Programme as well as all our official updates on COVID-19,” the bank stated.
Nandlall using personal Linden couple died of driver for injunction matters multiple stab wounds …blocked from joining recount case
REEAZ Holladar or Reeaz Mohamed, the driver of attorney and PPP executive, Anil Nandlall, was denied an application to join the case calling for the discharge of an injunction blocking the recount of the ballots cast at the March 2, 2020 elections. Holladar had also featured in an earlier application before Chief Justice, Roxane George-Wiltshire, which sought to block the declaration of the Region Four results. He was represented by a battery of lawyers, including the high-priced senior counsel of Trinidad and Tobago, Douglas Mendez. Questions have been raised as to how Holladar, a simple driver, was able to fund the legal fees for the battery of lawyers. Holladar had said in his affidavit that he is a registered voter in District Four and cast his ballot at the Redeemer Primary School, located on Pike Street and Stone Avenue, Georgetown. The opposition PPP has a history of using dubious characters to file cases in the court. Cedric Richardson quickly comes to mind. He was the man who had filed the motion challenging the presidential term limit, but has never been seen. During the time of the case at the Caribbean Court of Justice, the Attorney General Chambers had tried to serve him a copy of the Notice of Application and Affidavit in Support of Application for leave to appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the said matter. In a statement then the AG chambers, Office Assistant, Shaun Mearns, said he visited Richardson’s known place of abode located at Lot 4 West Ruimveldt on March 17, but
Reeaz Holladar
was told by a female that Richardson does not reside there. According to Mearns, the female also denied knowing of Richardson ever living at the address. “I return to the said premises on the 20th day of March, 2017 between the hours of the 4 and 4:30 hours and no one answered. On the 21st day of March, 2017 I returned to the said address between the hours of 4:30 and 5:00 hours and again no one answered,” said the office assistant who then reported his findings to the chambers. Richardson, just before the May 2015 General and Regional Elections, sought to challenge the amendments made to Article 90 of the Constitution that were enacted in 2000 following a bipartisan Constitutional Reform Process. Justice Chang ruled, among other things, that the presidential term limit was unconstitutional without the approval of the people through a referendum.
FORTY-EIGHT-YEAROLD Imogene Gordon and 42-year-old, Roylon John, the Linden couple whose bloodied bodies were discovered in their yard on Wednesday evening, at Prosville, Wismar Linden, both died of multiple stabs wounds. This was the result of the post-mortem examination that was conducted on Friday, by government pathologist, Nehaul Singh. He concluded that the couple died from deep incised wounds numbering 28, which include cuts and stabs. The 48-year-old suspect, the ex-lover of Gordon, remains in police custody. He was arrested on Thursday after attempting to return to the murder scene. Regional Commander, Hugh Winter, said a file is being prepared to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the suspect will appear in court in the new week. When he was arrested, he had a gaping wound to his hand and was treated at the Linden Hospital Complex, before being placed in cus-
Deceased: Imogene Gordon
tody at the Mackenzie Police Station. It was less than two weeks ago that the suspect was in police custody, charged and placed before the court for threatening to chop off Gordon's hands and feet. He was placed on six months bond to keep the peace. The suspect shared a relationship with Gordon for four years but friends of Gordon said he was very abusive. She decided to end it after the situation worsened. Since they were in a common-law relationship and both contributed financially to the house that was present-
Deceased: Roylon John
ly under construction, he was ordered by the magistrate, to live on another property owned by the deceased, which is just one lot away from where the attack took place. Gordon, a mother of six, returned to Guyana in 2019, after living years overseas. She was described as a hardworking woman. John was a mason and came to Linden to ply his trade. He was actually employed to construct Gordon’s house. He hails from Kildonan Village, Corentyne Berbice and leaves to mourn four children.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 21, 2020
DDL joins fight against Covid-19 pandemic IN an effort to support the national response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) is donating approximately 12,000 litres of alcohol-based sanitising cleaner. DDL is distributing the cleaner to institutions around Guyana such as senior citizen’s homes, orphanages, night shelters, prisons, and other facilities similar to these. In addition, the sanitising cleaner will also be distributed to agencies that provide public services to assist in keeping counter surfaces clean. These include post offices, police stations, health centres, and public hospitals. DDL Chairman, Komal
Samaroo, said that, “it was imperative that DDL supports the national effort because we are all at risk”, adding that “alcohol-based cleaners are among the best defences against the virus causing Covid-19, so this was natural for us to do.” The sanitiing cleaner, with 70 per cent alcohol, will be distributed in bottles of 19 litres (five gallons) and in barrels. The first delivery of the alcohol-based sanitising cleaner, branded Environ, was to the Uncle Eddie’s Home in Tucville Georgetown. The five bottles (approximately 100 litres) were handed over to the Administrator, Bonita
Bonita Moore, Administrator of Uncle Eddie's Home, receiving the donation from Larry Wills, DDL Brand Manager
Moore by DDL Brand Manager, Larry Wills. Bonita Harris, in thanking DDL for the contributions, said that, “the management committee, staff, and residents of the Uncle Eddie’s Home are very grateful for the assistance. We are always challenged for resources and the present circumstances make it more challenging. This cleaner will go along way to make the environment in the home much safer for the staff and residents.” In addition to these dona-
tions, DDL is also supporting the efforts of its own team. Each staff member will be taking home one bottle of the product. DDL has activated their crisis management team and has employed strict protocols for mitigating the spread of the disease at any of our facilities. DDL currently employs more than one thousand persons. More deliveries are being made today and will continue until all the product is at facilities and institutions where it is needed.
Sharon Munro, Caregiver at St Ann's Girls Orphanage, receiving the donation from DDL Brand Manager, Larry Wills
NIS limits visits to its offices Today is International --- to slow spread of Coronavirus
THE National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has limited access to its 15 offices countrywide in light of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which will see a reduction of in-person visits, increased information online and alternative payment methods. These measures will take effect on Sunday, March 22, 2020 and are in keeping with the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for social distancing. In a release on Friday, the NIS stated that access to all of NIS offices by pensioners and contributors will be limited to persons encashing vouchers and persons paying contributions. Those who seek to access the company’s records for information on their contributions must do so online [www.nis.org.gy]; via the Company’s live-chat platform, email address [records_queries@nis.org.gy] or telephone numbers 226-8059 or 225-2798. Persons are asked to place all requests for change or correction to names along with supporting documents in drop boxes located at strategic points at the entrances of the NIS offices. Regarding pensioners, the signing of Life Certificates by
The National Insurance Scheme (NIS) head office at Brickdam
NIS officers will be suspended until further notice. In the interim, this can be done by a justice of peace, notary public, minister of religion, medical practitioner, head teacher, manager of a bank or branch of a bank and the requisite designation stamp must be affixed. Persons wishing to make pension enquiries can do so via the company’s live chat platform, on its website, through the email address [pensions_queries@nis.org. gy] or telephone number 2252793,5,7. Meanwhile, all new application for pension must be submitted via post or can be dropped in the boxes; application forms can be downloaded from the company’s
website and information in relation to distribution of pension books will be communicated shortly. When seeking to make payment of contributions, employers can utilise the online submission system; a flash or electronic device can be placed in drop boxes located at strategic points at the entrances of offices and cheques can be placed in the NIS’ regular cheque boxes and receipts will be sent through the post. Self-employed persons seeking to make payments can utilise the GTT Mobile Money service. Meanwhile, all applications for Compliance Certificates can be placed in the drop box and all enquiries
related to Compliance Certificate can be made via email address [compliance_queries@nis.org.gy]; the live chat platform on the company’s website or telephone number 226-5809. Compliance Certificates will be processed within five working days and can be uplifted at specially identified areas at Brickdam and NIS offices. When seeking an application for refund of contributions, applications can be placed in drop boxes and all cheques for refund of contributions will be sent through the post. All claims will also be received using drop boxes and claimants wishing to make enquiries about outstanding claims can do so via our live chat service, through the company’s website; by email [claims_queries@nis.org.gy] or at telephone number 2252793,5,7. Persons can rest assured that all Short Term Benefit vouchers will be posted on the company’s website All persons seeking to send the NIS job applications can do so via mail to the Legal Adviser, National Insurance Scheme, Brickdam and Winterplace Georgetown or email address legal_advisor@nis.org.gy.
Day of Forests
THE world will celebrate International Day of Forests today and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has urged the public not to forget the important role they play in protecting the forests. The Regional Forestry Officer at FAO Caribbean, in a release on Friday, reminded that the forests remain invaluable to the Caribbean Region as major contributor to food security and sustainable food production. Some of the other important realities the Regional Organisation has highlighted are the fact that Caribbean islands are surrounded by saltwater and therefore fresh water is primarily collected from in and around forests. Many Caribbean islands being densely populated, much of their forests in the coastal areas have been converted into agricultural land, leaving forests only on top of the mountains, in gullies and ravines. The organisation pointed out: “In the areas where no one wanted to work, the terrestrial biodiversity of our islands survived; plant
and animal species that were believed to be lost survived ‘out there’ and are now coming back. The gullies harbour the biodiversity, which is now needed to restore abandoned agricultural fields.” Meanwhile, it noted that forests reduce the risk of flash floods; can be the source of sustained income; provide timber for construction and fuelwood to cook; are the habitats for bees to produce honey and are sources of food. Also, more than 80 per cent of the terrestrial biodiversity on Caribbean islands is found in the forest and the FAO said to preserve the diverse genetic resources because they are crucial to the development of new medicines and synthetic materials. “Everyone has a role to play in the protection of our forests. Think twice before you cut a tree in your yard – instead, plant a new one, trees offer fruit and help keep our surroundings cool, it attracts butterflies and birds. An older tree gathers many species and by itself forms a biotope,” the organisation stated.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 21, 2020
COVID-19 will have grave effects on global economy
…ECLAC warns impacts will be dire for countries in Latin America and the Caribbean The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Alicia Bárcena, warned on Friday that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will have devastating effects on the global economy that will
certainly be more intense than and distinct from those felt during the 2008-2009 global financial crisis, adding that Latin American and Caribbean countries will not be spared since they will be affected through numerous channels.
The senior United Nations official participated this Thursday, March 19, in an Inter-American Dialogue Conference Call on the Coronavirus and its Consequences for Latin American & Caribbean Economies, moderated by Michael Shifter, president of
Executive Secretary of ECLAC, Alicia Bárcena
that institution headquartered in Washington, D.C. The other speaker on the call was Santiago Levy, a senior economist from the Brookings Institution. According to Alicia Bárcena, the COVID-19 crisis will go down in history as one of the worst the world has endured. She explained that this virus endangers an essential global public good, human health, and it will impact an already weakened global economy, affecting it both from the supply and demand side, whether through the interruption of production chains – which will severely hurt global trade – or through the loss of income and profitability due to higher unemployment and greater difficulties to pay debt service obligations. “Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as other developing regions, will be negatively affected,” ECLAC’s top authority stated. She recalled that the region grew at an estimated rate of just 0.1% in 2019, and that the Commission’s latest forecasts made last December projected growth of 1.3% for 2020. However, “forecasts have been significantly revised downwards in the current scenario,” she indicated. She explained that at this time, ECLAC is estimating a contraction of -1.8% in regional Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which could lead to unemployment in the region rising by 10 percentage points. This could lead to the number of poor in the region rising from 185 million to 220 million people, out of 620 million inhabitants in total; and the quantity of people living in extreme poverty could increase from 67.4 million to 90 million. Bárcena specified that the Coronavirus will affect the region through five channels. A first channel of transmission of this crisis is the effect that the decline in economic activity in several of the region’s main trading partners will have on
countries’ exports of goods. China, for example, is an important destination for exports from several Latin American economies, and it is the top trading partner of Chile, Peru and Brazil. ECLAC estimates that the value of region’s exports to that destination could drop by as much as 10.7%. A second channel comes from lower demand for tourism services, which would most sharply affect Caribbean countries. It is calculated that if a travel ban prompted by the virus were to last for one, two, or three months, tourism activity in the Caribbean, for example, would contract by 8%, 17% or 25%, respectively, in 2020. Bárcena added that a third transmission channel would involve the interruption of global value chains. This would mainly affect Mexico and Brazil, countries that import parts and intermediate goods from China for their manufacturing sectors (particularly in the case of auto parts, household appliances, electronic products and pharmaceuticals). A fourth channel that would affect the region of Latin America and the Caribbean is the drop in commodities prices, above all for South American countries that export raw materials. Meanwhile, a fifth transmission channel stems from greater risk aversion on the part of investors and the worsening of global financial conditions, she explained. “Part of these effects are reflected in the decline in the stock market indices in the region,” Bárcena indicated. During the conference call, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary also referred to the measures that governments in the region are already taking to try to counteract the negative economic effects of the pandemic. These range from sanitary steps to reduce and prevent contagion, to social containment measures that seek to protect the most vulnerable groups.
Governments are also taking economic, fiscal and monetary measures that involve increasing social spending, lowering interest rates, intervening in foreign exchange markets, suspending bank credit fees, providing lines of credit for the payment of company payrolls, freezing the reconnection fee for households that fail to pay their water bills, and actions to avoid depleted stocks of basic goods, among others. Alicia Bárcena also stressed the importance of protecting the most vulnerable groups from the crisis, particularly the elderly, lower income sectors and the poor. “The degree of inequality is also important in assessing the extent to which the crisis will impact on the most vulnerable groups of society. The more unequal a country is, the more vulnerable groups will bear the burden of the economic impact of the pandemic and the fewer resources they will have to fight the pandemic. Special attention must be paid to women for their dual role as workers and caretakers,” she said. Finally, ECLAC’s highest authority called for global and regional coordination and cooperation to cope with COVID-19. “No country will be able to fight this pandemic without global and regional cooperation. At the end of the day, what we really need to consider is what will happen to multilateralism. There must be more integration. Without a doubt, we must move towards greater coordination, and the policy priority must be how to address the current social and health crisis," she underscored. “This pandemic has the potential to reshape geopolitical globalization, but it is also an opportunity to recall the benefits of multilateral action. That is what, for example, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is trying to do: see how policy coordination can serve to support developing countries, since the asymmetries between developed and developing nations will be ever more clearly noticeable. We have already seen this with the movements of social discontent against these models of globalization that are not meeting people’s expectations,” she said. “We need to rethink everything, the entire economy. We need a new vision to focus ourselves on how to cope with the extremely difficult scenario that lies before us,” Bárcena emphasized.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 21, 2020
AG rebuffs Jagdeo statements on status of PM, ministers
RECENT statements by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo that the portfolios of the prime minister and ministers of government cease to exist during an elections period have been shot down by the Attorney General, Basil Williams. Williams told the Guyana Chronicle that there are provisions made in Article 183 of the Constitution of Guyana regarding the tenure of a minister. He made reference to sub-heading two of Article 183 in which it is stated that the office of any minister shall become vacant if the holder of that office (a)
ceases to be a member of the assembly for any cause other than dissolution of parliament.” Williams said what is clear from that provision is that the “dissolution of parliament is not a move in which [a minister] ceases to hold his/her portfolio.” He added that in sub-paragraph three of Article 183, it is noted that there are provisions which indicate that the existence of a minister is tied to the President. It is stated in that provision that the office of the minister shall become vacant if he/she resigns it by writing under his/her hand addressed
Presidential respite matter taken to Court of Appeal A RECENT High Court ruling, in which a Presidential respite which was granted to Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, was thrown by Justice Nareshwar Harnanan, has been taken to the Court of Appeal. The appeal was filed on March 18, 2020 by the Attorney General, Basil Williams. On March 10, 2020, Justice Harnanan, quashed the Presidential respite granted to Jordan by President Granger, who invoked his power under Article 188(1) (b) of the Constitution, in a bid to spare the minister from being sent to prison for 21 days. The granting of the respite by the President is tied to a court matter involving Trinidadian firm, DIPCON Engineering, which dates back to 2015. Justice Rishi Persaud handed down the judgement in the matter on October 21, 2015 in favour of DIPCON. DIPCON’s lawyer, Timothy Jonas, subsequently filed contempt proceedings on the matter in May 2019 regarding the sum owed to the firm. Last June, Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry held Jordan in criminal contempt for failing to pay over the sum of US$2,228,400 in damages for breach of contract, together with interest which had been awarded to DIPCON. Justice Sewnarine-Beharry, in handing down judgment on the matter, gave Minister Jordan up to July 8, 2019 to pay over the sum to DIPCON. However, the President exercised his power under Article 188(1)(b) of the Constitution to grant Jordan, both in his personal capacity and in his capacity as minister, “respite of the execution of the punishment until all appeals and remedies available to him and the State have been exhausted.” On March 18, 2020, the Attorney General filed an appeal to the ruling made by Justice Harnanan on several grounds, one being that the judge erred in law by finding that the decision of President David Granger to grant a respite after the refusal of the stay of Execution by the Court, undermined the administration of justice and the rule of law and also it breached the separations of powers doctrine. In addition, the Attorney General contends that the trial judge “erred in law by finding that the decision of the President of Guyana to grant a respite was an interference with the functioning of Parliament which had laid before it a Supplementary appropriations Bill to issue from the Consolidated Fund, as there was no nexus between the issuance of the respite and the Supplementary Appropriation Bill.” The Attorney General also contends that the trial judge erred by “breaching the principles of the Separation of Powers in entering the province of the executive, especially in relation to the use of prerogative powers exercised by the Executive Arm of the state.” As regards the monies owed to DIPCON, the Minister of Finance, earlier this month, paid the Trinidad engineering and construction company the sum owed for work undertaken under the Peoples Progressive Party Civic administration. Recently, the Full Court of the High Court threw out an appeal made by Minister Jordan on the contempt charges on the grounds that he refused to carry out his obligation to pay. Judgement was handed down by Justice Diana Insanally and Simone Morris-Ramlall. The Attorney General is expected to file an appeal on that matter at the Court of Appeal next week.
Attorney General, Basil Williams
to the President and , if the President so directs. Williams said, “All these things are in consonant with what is said in Article 183.” Recently, a ministerial task force was formed to address the health situation in Guyana regarding the COVID-19 (coronavirus) and according to Williams, the mere existence of the taskforce is an indication that at any point in time, the country cannot function without a government. Williams deemed the
statement by the Leader of the opposition as “erroneous” and “ridiculous” and according to him, even the Caribbean Court of Justice in its rulings of the December 2018 no-confidence motion made reference to the tenure of ministers. He recalled that the CCJ noted in its judgment that the Cabinet and President would remain in office until elections are held and a new President is sworn in.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 21, 2020
Gas bottle explosion leaves Albouystown couple homeless
A YOUNG couple is now homeless after a gas bottle exploded on Friday morning. Steven Warner and his wife were at their Lot 20 Independence Boulevard, Punt Trench, Albouystown home when the explosion occurred. Warner, who suffered minor burns due to the explosion and fire, stated that when he heard the explosion between 9:00-9:30 hours, his wife, along with two children who are relatives of couple, were in house at the time of the explosion. According to Warner, his wife was in the kitchen cooking while he was in the bathroom. “I come out to bathe this morning while I come out fi bathe them girls went inside cooking, all I hear is ‘boom’, when I run
A distraught Steven Warner speaking to the Guyana Chronicle after the explosion
A section of the couple’s home destroyed by the fire
back inside the whole house with fire. They had two children, I just had to try to save
them and save the house,” Warner said. He added that soon af-
ter raising the alarm, other residents jumped into swift action and called the fire
The head of the gas bottle which exploded
Fire fighters on the scene of the explosion Friday morning
service and formed a bucket brigade to out the flames. Warner’s sister-in-law, who requested to remain anonymous, told the Guyana Chronicle that she was at her home resting next door when she heard a loud explosion and quickly rushed outside to investigate where the loud sound came from. “I went lay down and all I hear is ‘boosh’, when I run out all I see Steven running out so and hollering fire, fire, fire. I run for a bucket, all I see was the whole of the wall blazing up so everybody run with bucket and start throwing, we trying for out the fire but the fire keep blazing up,” she stated. The woman, who was still shaken by the events,
told this publication that with the help of neighbours and other residents, who formed a bucket brigade, they managed to save the structure from being fully engulfed by flames. “Eventually we get to out the fire and pull out the gas bottle and disconnect the head from it and that’s how the fire end up outing.” Warners wife, along with the two children who were in the house at the time, were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where they received treatment for minor burns.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 21, 2020
Carter Center pulls out, citing PPP disruption of declaration
THE Carter Center is the second Elections Observer Mission (EOM) to have departed Guyana even as it has assured that it remains committed to observing and supporting Constitutional reform of the electoral process here in Guyana. The center announced on Friday that its decision was made in light of the absence of an ongoing electoral process, increasing restrictions on international travel because of COVID-19 and the decline in the security environment in Guyana. The team left early on Friday referring to the decision as a “difficult” one and gave all assurances that its future assistance is still available. “In light of the current injunction and subsequent legal process, there is not currently electoral activity for The Carter Center to observe. The security environment in Georgetown has declined in the wake of the impasse created by the non-transparent tabulation process in Region Four. International observers have been
18, 2020 with the exception of outgoing flights; cargo flights; Medevac flight; technical stops by airplanes for fuel and special authorised flights. Meanwhile, the interim injunction preventing a recount and other legal advice
electoral process began well with polls on March 2 but was marred with the tabulation of Region Four’s results which would be the ultimate determination for which party won the elections. The center also acknowledged the “chaotic” environment of the
THE center also acknowledged the “chaotic” environment of the Office of the Region’s Returning Officer (RO) during the tabulation, noting that efforts were made by “the large number of persons present and the efforts by PPP/C representatives and others to disrupt the declaration of results”. against the gazetting of an Order by the Elections Commission for the said recount resulted in the CARICOM high-level team pulling out from the process in Guyana earlier this week. On this matter, the Carter Center stated: “The center hopes that conditions will be in place for CARICOM to
Office of the Region’s Returning Officer (RO) during the tabulation, noting that efforts were made by “the large number of persons present and the efforts by PPP/C representatives and others to disrupt the declaration of results”. Based on subsequent actions taken by the region’s
The more than 40 Carter Center officials who were spread across the country’s 10 administrative regions to observe the polling-day exercise harassed, and protestors supportive of the APNU+AFC Coalition have, at times, blocked international observers from doing their work. Specific threats have also been made against the international community that are unacceptable and further undermine the credibility of the electoral process,” the center stated. “The center remains committed to promoting democracy and constitutional reform in Guyana and is willing to return when the electoral process resumes, assuming international travel is feasible.” Guyana closed its ports to all international flights at midnight on March
return to Guyana to supervise a national recount. The Carter Center noted the Guyana Election Commission’s (GECOM’s) willingness to support the recount under CARICOM’s supervision and appreciated the measures taken to make that happen. Both the president and the leader of the opposition agreed to the recount process, and GECOM was satisfied with its legality. The center hopes that that any remaining legal issues hindering the recount can be addressed quickly to avoid further delaying a satisfactory resolution to the electoral process.” It lamented that Guyana’s
RO during a recount of the Region’s Statements of Polls (SOPs) – which was believed to be in none compliance with expectations set by Guyana’s chief justice – the Carter Center and other international election observation groups have denounced these results as “not credible”. Post elections, the Center has recommended that Guyana’s ‘winner-takes-all system’ be reformed and that all parties commit to national reconciliation and to completing key constitutional reforms in the near future. “The Center hopes that the electoral process can still be concluded with credible results and that the will of
the Guyanese people – as expressed at the polls on March 2 – will be carried out,” it stated. “The Carter Center is thankful to the government for extending an invitation to international election observation organisations and would like to thank GECOM Chairperson, Justice (ret’d)
Claudette Singh for her welcome and openness. She has, thus far, shown great personal commitment to achieving a credible election process. The Carter Center remains committed to its mandate to observe the entirety of the electoral process and remains on standby to return to
Guyana.” Over 40 observers, representing 15 countries, had travelled to Guyana to observe the electoral process. The delegation was coled by Aminata Touré, former Prime Minister of Senegal; and Jason J. Carter, Chairperson of The Carter Center’s Board of Trustees.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, March 21, 2020
Blood Bank in dire need of blood –– since COVID-19 hit Guyana By Indrawattie Natram
THERE has been a significant reduction of blood donors at the National Blood Transfusion Service, popularly known as Blood Bank, and this is having a negative effect, especially on those in need. This is according to National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) Director, Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Pedro Lewis, who said it is still safe to give blood and there is no risk attached in light of the recent coronavi-
rus/COVID-19. According to Dr. Lewis, it is important for the public to be informed that there is no risk in the transmission of COVID-19 through blood donation. The NBTS has since seen a sudden reduction in the past two weeks and many persons/companies have canceled their blood drives due to the COVID-19. Dr. Lewis said many persons have been calling the National Blood Transfusion Service asking questions if they could still donate blood
and inquiring about their safety when doing so. “We at the NBTS want to encourage the general public that we will put measures in place to prevent the transmission from person to person. We are also practicing social distancing. We therefore encourage you to go to the collection site and please donate blood,” Dr. Lewis said. Meanwhile, NBTS Recruitment Officer, Radha Ramdhari, said in an effort to maintain a consistent supply of blood for patients in need, the NBTS is encouraging all
NBTS Recruitment Officer, Radha Ramdhari
blood donors and potential blood donors to continue to donate since there is a need.
She also said the NBTS provided blood for both private and public hospitals nationwide; hence, it is important for a constant supply. She also used the opportunity to remind persons of the blood collection sites throughout the county. These are the Suddie Public Hospital, the West Demerara Regional Hospital, the Linden Hospital Complex, the New Amsterdam Hospital, and the Lethem Regional Hospital. These collection sites are opened from 08:00hrs to 16:00hrs daily and weekend from 08:00hrs to 15:00hrs. The NBTS staffers are encouraging the public to
NBTS Director, Dr. Pedro Lewis donate blood since there is always a need and every drop counts.
Caribbean bishops urge swift resolution to electoral stalemate THE Caribbean Bishops Conference has urged political leaders in Guyana to pool efforts to ensure that the current elections impasse is resolved so that greater focus can be shifted to dealing with the severe threat of COVID-19. The Conference is made up of nineteen Roman Cath-
–– says focus should be shifted to COVID-19 olic Bishops of the English, Dutch and French territories. In a press release on Friday, the Conference appealed to those responsible for the verification process of the ballots cast on March 2, to “bring it to an early comple-
tion” the matters at hand. “The people of Guyana, as other peoples of the Caribbean, are facing the global pandemic of the COVID-19. This needs urgent attention and we earnestly appeal to those responsible for the ver-
ification process of the polls of March 2, 2020 to bring it to an early completion in order that a functioning National Assembly can see to the people of Guyana [who are] now under severe threat of COVID-19,” the Conference stated. “As Catholic Bishops of the Caribbean, we urge the people of Guyana not to allow the flame of hope and resilience to be extinguished. We believe that God has empowered and inspired you throughout your political history to overcome many political and social challenges – challenges that have “tested you like gold in the furnace” (Wisdom 3:6) to shine brightly in the Caribbean.” The leaders stated that they were heartened by the persistent efforts of the leaders of CARICOM to facilitate a resolution of this issue by organising a delegation to supervise the re-counting of the ballots of the general and
regional elections. However, they noted that this feeling of hope was hindered when the interim injunction was granted by the High Court to halt the recount. They quoted the words of Guyana’s own Bishop, Francis Alleyne, in his response to an enquiry from the Bishops of the Region, who said that he is “saddened by the present impasse and judges that delay in completing the electoral process is a great disrespect to the people of Guyana.” The Conference of religious leaders reminded
that the Caribbean has a general history of fair and honest elections which have produced respected political leaders and this status must be preserved to ensure development in the Region. They agreed with the sentiments shared by former Guyanese Foreign Affairs Minister and Commonwealth Secretary-General, Sir Shridath Ramphal who said that Guyana is being deprived of regional and international approval and global respect at a time when it matters most. The Conference stated: “Therefore, we encourage them to persevere in their commitment to facilitate a peaceful resolution… we invite all our Caribbean brothers and sisters to unite in prayer as we accompany the people of Guyana through these challenging times. May God bless the People of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.”
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Trinidad’s Professional League supports FIFA takeover
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Acting chairman Brent Sancho, who is a TTFA Board member, has been instructed not to support any move by the former administration to engage in any legal battle against FIFA.
(CMC) – THE local professional league Thursday gave its support to FIFA taking over responsibility for running the sport in the twin-island republic from the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA). The Board of Directors of the Trinidad and Tobago Pro League said in a statement that it “unanimously” accepted the decision by football’s world governing body to establish a normalisation committee to steer the financial and statutory affairs of the TTFA. “As a football company that have invested over $200M into the national economy over the last 18 years, the TT Pro League stands ready to work alongside the Ministry of Sports and the FIFA-appointed normalisation committee for the continued development of the game,” it stated. Acting T&T Pro League Chairman Brent Sancho, who is a TTFA Board member, has been instructed not to support any move by the former administration to engage in any legal battle against FIFA. The statement came a day after TTFA president William Wallace announced that the association was mounting a challenge to FIFA’s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The Pro League was clear it wanted no part of that. “We have instructed our representative on the former TTFA Board, Mr Brent Sancho, that the TT Pro League will not support any move by the former administration to engage in any legal battle
against FIFA over their removal from office,” it said in its statement. The FIFA takeover follows an assessment which it carried out in conjunction with continental governing body, CONCACAF, that found extremely low overall financial management methods, combined with a massive debt that resulted in the TTFA facing “a very real risk of insolvency and illiquidity”. FIFA said the financial situation was putting the local association and development of football in the country at risk, and corrective measures needed to be taken urgently. The normalisation committee will have up to 24 months to carry out its work which would include creating a debt repayment plan which the TTFA can implement, reviewing the local governing body’s statutes and ensuring their adherence to FIFA regulations, and overseeing new elections.
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CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (SATURDAY MARCH 21, 2020) COMPLIMENTS OF XTRA ENERGY DRINK – STABROEK BAZAAR (Tel: 683-9500) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) 375-Andy Sandham (Jamaica, 1930) (2) 400*-Brian Lara (ARG, 2004) Today’s Quiz: (3) (1) Who is the first WI to bag a ‘pair’ on his Test debut? (2) Who is the first English player to take a Test match hattrick? Answers in tomorrow’s issue
GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 21, 2020
Tokyo Olympics should be called off
(REUTERS) - THE Tokyo Olympics should be called off to spare athletes the “stress” of trying to train in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, UK Athletics chairman Nic Coward said yesterday. During the week, International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Tokyo 2020 organisers insisted the Games will proceed as planned, Coward became the highest-profile UK sports administrator to say the Olympics could not go ahead. Four months before the event is due to start, global sport has been brought to a standstill by the virus which has infected more than 250 000 persons worldwide and killed more than 10 500 - including 184 in Britain as of yesterday. Most Olympic athletes in Britain have found training facilities closed and are being advised to avoid going out. When asked whether it was now time to call off the Games in an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Coward said: “Yeah, it seems to be absolutely what has to happen. “And look, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that these very personal (athlete) experiences take time to come through to the IOC lev-
el. I can understand that. “But as governments take action to protect their people - which includes closing down facilities on which athletes and para-athletes rely - and as that message is coming through more clearly now... I mean, we’re only a week in this country.” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday that he believed that the virus could be beaten in 12 weeks, but Coward said that time scale would make it impossible for team members to prepare for the Olympics which starts in July. “I would never be so grand as to demand x, y or z. All I would say from a UK perspective, knowing what we know now, even since the Prime Minister’s announcement on Tuesday evening (about avoiding mass gatherings and social contact), we thought the facilities would be able to remain open,” he said. “Now they can’t. They are closing. And that is creating stress. From my perspective, right now, I think that will have to lead to the conclusion that the Games must be (postponed); that the decision has to be made that the Olympic and Paralympic Games can’t take place as currently scheduled.”
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Patrick Haynes named on new FIBA 3x3 Commission GUYANA’S Patrick Haynes is the lone West Indian on the newly-established FIBA 3x3 Commission, which recently held a one-day meeting at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball, FIBA Headquarters, which was the first for the new cycle of 2019-2023 and also the first for this new commission. The 3x3 Commission is a newly-formed group not in place in the previous working cycle, and consists of 18 members who are former or current 3x3 players, officials, national federations’ representatives and private organisers. Former NBA great Andrei Kirilenko from Russia will serve as the Chairman of the Commission and will have Uganda’s Ambrose Tashobya as his Deputy Chairman.
The commission held discussions on a wide range of topics which included an update on the growth of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour and the entire FIBA 3x3 competition network, the qualification system for national team events, the FIBA 3x3 Federation Ranking and women in 3x3 one of FIBA’s priority strategic pillars. During their life cycle, the Commission will be tasked to develop recommendations for improvement to 3x3 governance and organisation and for the introduction of new official 3x3 competitions, to give advice on the allocation of official 3x3 competitions, to be responsible for training, examining and implementing the requested qualification of all 3x3 officials and to
draw up the text of the FIBA 3x3 Basketball Rules, draft amendments to these rules for adoption by the Central Board, give the official interpretation of the rules and solve doubtful cases or cases not clearly covered by the rules themselves. They will also be tasked to study the regulations governing all 3x3 competitions and to recommend changes to such regulations and to monitor the state of 3x3 around the world and to make recommendations for the development of 3x3. Meanwhile, Kirilenko who played 10 seasons with Utah Jazz in the NBA, stated that he started his basketball career playing outside on the street with his friends, adding that “3x3 aligns with my life principles and I am very hap-
py to be part of this commission and help to continue to grow and develop 3x3 around the world. “I truly believe that 3x3 is the future of basketball and being involved in this commission takes me back to my youth and unites me with people who enjoy basketball. The game has improved in all aspects and 3x3 is now an Olympic discipline and I am excited to be part of this movement,” said Kirilenko. Kirilenko, who also played with the Brooklyn Nets, called the Commission’s first meeting as “very productive, and this year is a very important year for 3x3, with its debut in Tokyo. Everyone at the table today was involved and brought important topics to the meeting, and these topics were discussed at length.
I really look forward to the next four years and being part of 3x3 as it continues its journey.” The meeting was also attended by FIBA Secretary General, Andreas Zagklis and FIBA Executive Director Europe, Kamil Novak. The other members of the FIBA 3x3 Commission are Peter Bodnar (HUN), Lothar Boesing (GER), Jay Demings (USA), Jiang Guan (CHN), Patrick Haynes (GUY), Martin Ho Suie Sang (NED), Michal Konecny (CZE), Hoang Bao Nguyen (VIE), Jerome Prigent (FRA), Giancarlo Sergi (SUI), Myagmarjav Luvsandash (MGL), Radu Petre (ROU), Mikiko Yasuda (JPN), Rae Lin D’Alie (ITA), Jasmina Juras (SRB) and Michael Linklater (CAN).
AAG suspends all Athletics until April 30
AS countries across the globe battle with ways to contain COVID-19 (Coronavirus), locally, the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) joins a list of local and regional sporting organisations, associations and federations that have suspended any event under their jurisdiction.
The AAG, through its president Aubrey Hutson, yesterday noted via a release that the sport in Guyana has been affected directly by the worldwide health phenomena caused by the COVID-19, pointing to the postponement of the CARIFTA Games and the threat of suspension of the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Hutson said, “It is a reflection of the negative effects of this virus on our sport, which is a major cause for concern for all in our fraternity … to this end the Athletics Association of Guyana will be suspending all activities (competitions, camps and meetings) until April 30, when the council will do a further review based
on the prevailing conditions.” The office, however, will remain open to deal with correspondence and other issues coming from the various international bodies, local clubs, coaches and athletes. “My advice to members of the local fraternity is to kindly use the electronic means of com-
munication at this time,” Hutson said. The AAG president further related that once the threat of this virus is over, the sport’s governing bodies will try to pull-off competitions as soon as possible, while encouraging athletes, especially those seeking qualification to a number of regional and interna-
tional competitions, to find innovative ways of staying fit and prepared. Hutson, however, cautioned the local athletes to heed the advice of the country’s health officials as it relates to social distancing, but ensure that they work with their coaches in planning strategic ways of training.
GBA reaches out to Government, GOA to assist boxers stranded in Cuba STEVE Ninvalle, president of Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), is seeking the intervention of the Government of Guyana and Guyana Olympic Association, in getting the four Cuba-based boxers back to Guyana, after the Government announced last week that the country’s airports will be closed as they increase efforts to tackle the Coronavirus pandemic. Keevin Allicock, Colin Lewis, Desmond Amsterdam and Dennis Thomas were on a prolonged training stint in Cuba, ahead of their
now-cancelled Olympic Qualifiers tournament, which was scheduled for Argentina. According to Ninvalle, the closure of the airport affected the boxers’ return and he is requesting further assistance to buffer the extended 14 days the team will have to stay in Cuba. The GBA was left counting their losses in the millions, after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Americas Boxing Confederation (AMBC) cancelled the Americas Olympic
Qualifier for boxing, because of fear of spread of the coronavirus, following a move from the Government of Argentina to restrict international events in the country with immediate effect. The Qualifier was scheduled for March 26 to April 4 in Buenos Aries, Argentina. Guyana was scheduled to send a team of five boxers and three coaches to the tournament. The boxing tournament at Tokyo 2020 will be run by an International Olympic Committee (IOC)
task force after the International Boxing Association was stripped of involvement for a series of governance issues. The IOC Boxing Task Force (BTF) announced the decision joins the long list of events that have been cancelled because of COVID-19. Officials now face a headache in creating a fair qualification system for all athletes, with the African event in Dakar already completed and the Asia-Oceania competition finished in Amman.
GBA president Steve Ninvalle had called the cancellation a major setback but reasoned that it was done for the safety of all involved. With the support of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) and the Government of Guyana, GBA dispatched Keevin Allicock, Desmond Amsterdam, Colin Lewis and Dennis Thomas for a three-month trading stint in Cuba, which concluded this week. They would have been joined by Canada-based Taveena Kum at the Qualifiers.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday March 21, 2020
TTFA appeal likely to be ‘unsuccessful’ – CFU boss (CMC) – PRESIDENT of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Randy Harris says while the decision by FIFA to take over the administration of football in Trinidad and Tobago is unfortunate, an appeal against the move is likely to be unsuccessful. While the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) and others in the local football community have described, as a coup, the plan by the world governing body for the sport to replace the board with a normalisation committee, Harris said FIFA was acting within the rules that all member associations (MAs) have agreed to play by. TTFA president William Wallace announced Wednesday that the association has mounted a challenge to FI-
FA’s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). He questioned why such drastic action was taken, considering no such move was made against the David John Williams-led administration from which his executive inherited a TT$50M (US$7.4M) debt when it took over last November. “This is a very unfortunate situation because we have a duly elected body of members to run the TTFA,” Harris told Andre Errol Baptiste on I955 FM’s ISports radio show on Thursday. “The TTFA has found itself in a sad situation which all of us in the Caribbean could be in tomorrow.” However, he said, an appeal would be an expensive option that had little chance of success.
“In this particular situation – in my view, based on my experience – it would be very, very difficult to win a case such as this because FIFA has a right to decide when they will introduce normalisation. If you read the statutes, basically we all agree to play under the statues of FIFA,” Harris contended. FIFA said Wednesday that it was going the normalisation route because an assessment it carried out in conjunction with continental governing body, CONCACAF, found extremely low overall financial management methods, combined with a massive debt that resulted in the TTFA facing “a very real risk of insolvency and illiquidity”. Harris noted that given the
TTFA’s financial situation, it would be difficult for it to adequately administer football in the twin-island republic. Against that background, he reiterated the need for the Caribbean to develop the sport so associations could all become self-sufficient and not have to depend on FIFA money. “You can’t have it both ways…. The funds that FIFA is allotting to us is not a right, it is a privilege. FIFA can get a president next week that decides that is not the position that FIFA will take in the future. What will we do in the Caribbean?” he questioned. “We need to get together and we need to work together to ensure that we develop football properly. Yes, we are individual MAs, but when it comes to education in the
CFU president Randy Harris
game, development in the game, searching for sponsorship, we need to get together and bring our numbers together.” FIFA’s normalisation committee will have up to two years to carry out its
work, including creating a debt repayment plan which the TTFA can implement, reviewing the local governing body’s statutes and ensuring their adherence to FIFA regulations, and overseeing new elections.
Early preparation, desire to win form part of Pride’s success Barbados Pride have won six of their eight matches.
(CMC) – EARLY preparation, a desire to win and above all else, fitness, president of Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Conde Riley says are responsible for the success of champions-in-waiting Barbados Pride in the Regional four-day competition. In fact, Riley referred to the squad as the region’s “fittest team”, and said the men had put in the necessary work.
Although the championship has been suspended with two more rounds left, due to the Coronavirus pandemic that has affected the region, Pride ended the eighth round on 134.8 points, giving them an unassailable lead. “Once we are fully fit and we have all our players available, we would be a hard unit to overcome. But I think the key was fitness. It’s a supremely fit team,” Riley said
on the Mason & Guest radio show here. “For the last two years we have been the fittest team in the Caribbean. The guys pay a lot of attention to that and they prepared very well.” The BCA boss said the squad had been practising from day one of their contract and with the assistance of the coaching staff, had made sure they were ready to defeat
five-time defending champions Guyana Jaguars in the 10-round West Indies Championship. “We worked hard and they wanted to win. Having won all the junior competitions in the region over the last two years, they felt that this was the time to do it,” Riley said. Pride won six of their eight matches. They are 40.2 points ahead of Trinidad and Tobago Red
Force who are on 94.6 points. Jaguars and Jamaica Scorpions share third place on 91.8 points, followed by Leeward Islands Hurricanes on 78 points, and Windward Islands Volcanoes at the bottom of the six-team standings with 52.5 points. Two rounds are left to be played in the championship when it resumes and teams can collect a maximum of 48 points.
Patrick Haynes named on new FIBA 3x3
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Commission Guyana’s Patrick Haynes (first from right), along with Chairman of FIBA 3x3 Commission, Former NBA great Andrei Kirilenko from Russia (centre), and Deputy Chairman Uganda’s Ambrose Tashobya.
PAGE 30 AAG president Aubrey Hutson
AAG suspends all Athletics until April 30
A O G , t n e m n r e v o G o t t u o s e h c a a b e u r C n i GBA d e d n a r t s s r e x o b to assist PAGE 30
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From left, Keevin Allicock, Colin Lewis, Desmond Amsterdam and Dennis Thomas are the four boxers stranded in Cuba after Guyana announced the twoweek closure of its airports. SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2020