Guyana Chronicle E-paper 8-19-2020

WEDNESDAY 19th August, 2020

’ No. 106096

Prime Minister, Mark Phillips; Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, and GPL Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Albert Gordon, in discussion on Tuesday (DPI photograph)

GPL open to purchasing power

–– PM charges company to alleviate power outages 03 PAGE

Bond signals mission to ‘break up’ 08 Granger cabal PAGE

Attorney-at-Law, James Bond

Man suspected to have 09 malaria dies from COVID-19 PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Gold-price boom assisting – operations collectively local airlines at a 91 per cent average WHILE domestic airlines in Guyana have experienced a decrease in revenue due to COVID-19, most airlines are operating at an average 91 per cent rate compared to their preCOVID operations, owed partially to the boom in gold prices and demand for support to gold-mining regions. This was relayed to this newspaper on Tuesday by Director of Operations at Roraima Airways and Secretary of the National Air Transport Association (NATA), Captain Learie Barclay. NATA was formed by nine local aircraft operators, namely Air Services

Limited, Roraima Airways Inc., Hinterland Aviation, Oxford Aviation, Fenix Airways Inc., Flights of Hope Missionary Outreach, Jags Aviation, Wings Aviation and Hopkinson Mining Aviation. “The hike in gold prices and the fact that for many of our communities you really can’t get any commercial quantity of supplies into many interior regions other than using an airstrip, that has kept our business afloat,” Captain Barclay said. He added: “Where we have loss, we are gaining because the surge in gold mining and the gold price means that we’re now doing a lot more flying for

cargo or mining support operations; we’re adapting. We’re at about 91 per cent of what we were doing before COVID-19.” Earlier in the month, it was reported that gold prices advanced to $2,004.97 per ounce, one of the best performing assets in 2020 despite the pandemic. Captain Barclay said while concerns about operation have been raised by operators, they understand the importance of adapting to the health measures in place which are to ensure their safety and the safety of others. In the August 14 updated COVID-19 measures, it was announced that no

person shall travel into or out of Regions Seven, Eight and Nine during the period August 16 to August 31, 2020, without the authorisation of the minister of health. Captain Barclay said domestic airlines have recently been receiving improved facilitation of authorisation under the new government. “The restriction is there but the restriction has conditions and once you meet those conditions then you’ll travel,” he said, adding: “Our requirements are being responded to very quickly. Before the change of government, we were h-aving to wait for as much as three weeks to get

the requests and inquiries answered but, now, we have it answered within an hour, two hours or, max, a day. You can pick up the phone and call ministers and get clarification and they’re responding very quickly.” NEGATIVE IMPACT Captain Barclay said the coronavirus has also affected charters and the way they do business as well as passengers who must now ensure they are tested before travelling to Region Seven. Speaking specifically to travel to Region Seven, See page 10

Director of Operations within Roraima Airways and Secretary of the National Air Transport Association (NATA), Capt. Leary Barclay

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 19, 2020

GPL open to purchasing power –– PM charges company to alleviate power outages By Navendra Seoraj

GUYANESE have been in the ‘dark’ for far too long because of inefficiencies in the services offered by the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) but Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips, has demanded that there be a concerted effort to alleviate power outages, even if it means purchasing power from Independent Power Producers (IPP). Purchasing power from IPPs is an idea which was considered many times in the past but the project seems closer to fruition as GPL will be advertising for “expression of interest” from persons who have the capacity and are willing to sell power which would be added to the national grid. This decision was made following a meeting among Prime Minister Phillips; Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar; GPL Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Albert Gordon, and other officials of GPL, on Tuesday. “The issue of private investment in the energy sector is an important one if GPL is to make the kind of progress that is required to solve some of those generation problems,” Programme Manager for Energy and Head of the Energy Unit at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, Devon Gardner, had said in a past report. “If GPL was able to focus on transmission and distribution a lot more and allow the private generators to generate and sell to them, then they would be able to focus on what

Prime Minister, Brig. (ret’d), Mark Phillips and Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, during the meeting with the senior management of GPL (DPI photo) utilities typically do, which there in the private sector to aside from the 46.5 mega- from renewable energy is figuring out how to move add to the grid so that we watts of power being done sources. the electricity from where could have backup power,” for April 2021,” Minister In September 2019, the it is being generated to the said Indar. Indar lamented. former government had demand centres,” Gardener The coastal generation The utility company begun the process to amend had advised. of power is largely handled had sought to improve that section of the GPL As it is now, the nation- by Power Producers and this system and acquire licence, opening the door al grid is providing 120 Distributors Incorporated more power early this year for more IPPs to come on megawatts of electricity, (PPDI), which is also state- through private producers, board. an amount which is equal owned, and contracted to but that project never mateEven though there was to the consumer demand operate and maintain the rialised. GPL was expected not much talk after this, the of 117-120 megawatts of power plants on behalf of to source power from MCG new administration seems power. This leaves no room GPL. Investments Inc., owner of to be firm in their decision for reserve power, said PPDI is responsible for the Giftland Mall, as the to purchase power from Minister Indar following a total electrical output of Power Purchasing Agree- private suppliers. the meeting on Tuesday. 106.7 megawatts within the ment (PPA) between the Minister Indar said GPL “If any generator goes Demerara to Berbice Inter- two companies had been has a solid plan for the out and it falls below that connected System (DBIS), signed, but there was no short and medium term, (120 megawatts), you will sourcing from four power progress on this. but implementation and have blackout… the de- plants, namely Garden of A critical issue was, funding are issues which mand and output are the Eden (22 MW), Kingston however, identified during need to be addressed. same… any mechanical #1 (22MW), Kingston #2 the discussions between GPL’s plan was also failure will lead to a black- (36.3 MW) and Vreed-en- G P L a n d I P P s . T h e r e recognised by Prime Minout,” said Minister Indar. Hoop (26.4 MW). were technical and legal ster Phillips, who said: It is to this end that a “GPL and the capital constraints regarding the “GPL has plans in the decision was taken to pur- programme for adding the sourcing of power from short, medium and long chase power from IPPs as generating capacity sys- IPPs, as GPL’s licence re- term to have reliable electheir power would add to tem was neglected for five stricted the utility company tricity for all the people of the grid and reduce power years. Only three Caterpil- from purchasing power Guyana, and expand the outages. lar systems were added to from entities other than an electricity.” “We want to see what is the system in five years, IPP which produced power

REDUCE IT In the short-term, the main concern is reliable electricity and zero power outages, said the prime minister, who has since directed GPL’s CEO to ensure that there is a reduction in power outages from now to the first quarter of 2021, and then further into the future. He has advised Gordon to take all the necessary steps to ensure that there is reliable electricity and a reduction in power outages. The prime minister pointed to the immediate step of purchasing power from IPPs, noting that this step will help to curb blackouts in Guyana. “We want to end blackouts… but, in all fairness, GPL is a victim of poor planning by the previous administration… there are many projects which should have started before now, but we are prepared to face the problems and direct energies towards fixing those problems,” Gordon said. He has since given the assurance that he will do everything to ensure that power outages are averted. GPL was expected to acquire power generating sets worth US$41 million but Gordon said the supplier of the sets experienced challenges because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the sets were being manufactured in Italy, but because that country was hit hard by the pandemic, manufacturing was shifted to Finland. The new generator sets will add 46 Megawatts (MW) in total to the DBIS but it expected until 2021.

Parika man wanted for escaping police custody LAW enforcement officials have issued a wanted bulletin for Deodat Jaipaul ‘aka’ Davendra Singh and ‘Collie boy’, for questioning in relation to

‘break and enter and larceny’. Singh is also wanted for escaping from lawful custody – from the Leonora Police Station - on August 2.

The suspect is 26 years old and his last Known address is listed as Parika Sea Dam, East Bank Essequibo. Anyone with information

that may lead to the arrest of the suspect is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers, 268-2343, 268-2223, 268-2298, 268-2222, 226-6978, 225-8196,

226-2222, 617-3721, 911 or the nearest police station. Information received will be treated with the strictest confidence

Wanted: Deodat Jaipaul

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Soldiers seize Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta

(BBC) Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta has been arrested by mutinying soldiers, a government spokesman has confirmed to the BBC. Prime Minister Boubou Cissé has also been arrested, despite earlier appeals for “brotherly dialogue”. The apparent coup attempt in the West African nation began with gunfire at a key military camp near the capital, Bamako, on Tuesday morning. In the city young men set a government-owned building on fire. It comes hours after disgruntled junior officers detained commanders and took control of the Kati camp, about 15km (nine miles) from Bamako. The mutiny has been condemned by regional group Ecowas, the African Union

and former colonial power France. The unrest coincides with calls for more protests to demand that the president resign. What do we know about the mutiny? It is led by Col Malick Diaw - deputy head of the Kati camp - and another commander, Gen Sadio Camara, BBC Afrique’s Abdoul Ba in Bamako reports. After taking over the camp, the mutineers marched on the capital. In the afternoon they stormed Mr Keïta’s residence and arrested the president and his prime minister - who were both there. The reason for the move is unclear, as is the number soldiers taking part in the mutiny. Some reports say it was fuelled by a pay dispute. Kati camp was also the

Wednesday, August 19, 05:00hrs - 06:30hrs

focus of a mutiny in 2012 by soldiers angry at the inability of the senior commanders to stop jihadists and Tuareg rebels taking control of northern Mali. Footage from AFP news agency showed a building owned by the justice ministry in Bamako ablaze on Tuesday.

SHADES OF 2012 What began as a mutiny appears to have morphed into a coup. This will be welcomed by the huge number of protesters who have been out on the streets for months calling for President Keïta to step down. Parallels will be drawn between these events and 2012 when the government’s mishandling of a rebellion led to another coup. Violent jihadists took advantage of that chaos to seize northern Mali. And they continue to cause havoc across the region. Why is the president unpopular? Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta won a second term in elections in 2018, but there is widespread anger over corruption, the mismanage-

The mutinying soldiers were cheered by crowds as Bamako ment of the economy and the The chairman of the Afworsening security situation rican Union Commission, with jihadist and communal Moussa Faki Mahamat, said violence on the increase. he “emphatically condemns” In recent months huge the arrests of President Keïta crowds led by populist imam and his prime minister. Mahmoud Dicko have been The Economic Commucalling on President Keïta to nity of West African States step down. (Ecowas) urged the mutineers Much smaller crowds to return to their barracks. reportedly gathered in the “This mutiny comes at capital on Tuesday in support a time when, for several of the soldiers. months now, Ecowas has What has the reaction been taking initiatives and been? conducting mediation efforts

they reached the capital with all the Malian parties,” its statement said. France’s Foreign Minister Jean Yves Le Drian also condemned “in the strongest terms this serious event” and he too urged soldiers to return to barracks. Earlier the French embassy in Bamako posted a tweet “strongly” advising people to stay at home. France has troops in the West African state to fight militant Islamists.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Three held for questioning –– into whereabouts of missing Canadian citizen

POLICE in ‘B’ Division have detained three persons for questioning as they continue their investigations into the disappearance of a 23-year-old Canadian citizen from his grandfather’s residence in East Berbice, Corentyne. Nicholas Jaipaul, of Canada and Number 69 Village, East Berbice, Corentyne, was last seen by his grandfather on Sunday evening, around 19:00hrs, just as the 86-year-old was about to retire to bed. On Monday morning, at around 05:00hrs, Nicholas’s grandfather, Ramkissoon Jaipaul, received a call on the landline phone saying that the lad had been kidnapped and that the kidnapper was demanding a ransom for his

release. Mr Jaipaul said he got so confused and flustered after receiving the call, all he could do is to appeal to whoever has his grandchild to return him safely. “He is a good boy; he does not go anywhere or get into trouble. He don’t even have friends here, so whoever have him, please do not harm him and return him to us,” the old man pleaded. According to his granddad, Nicholas was scheduled to visit his other grandfather the said Monday morning he went missing. He said the lad had already packed a bag and laid it on his bed, while all his other belongings were in their normal place in his bedroom.

Nicholas Jaipaul

Kamla concedes 2020 General Election (TRINIDAD GUARDIAN) Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has conceded the 2020 general election and also accepted responsibility for the party’s loss at the polls. “You must accept responsibility for mistakes made whether you were aware of them or not, whether you had any control over them or not. And yes, some of them you make on your own – I lay no claim to infallibility. I accept full responsibility,” she said in a media release Tuesday. Persad-Bissessar was expected to host a virtual media conference yesterday at 12.30 but a media release came one hour later instead. This concession comes more than a week after the the August 10 election when the People’s National Movement (PNM) claimed victory. in the days between, the United National Congress (UNC) has been busy with recounts in five constituencies. The recount did not impact on the bottom line, which was that the PNM had won the general election. In a media release Tuesday, Persad-Bissessar said that the “people have spoken” and leader of the PNM, Dr Keith Rowley and his party will form the new government. “After some days of reflection and monitoring of the progress of the election recount process, I am satisfied that the people have spoken,” she said. She admitted to being “disappointed” with the results but wished Rowley “the best”.

Despite the congratulatory statements, Persad-Bissessar said that she shared the “grave concerns” about the electoral process. “We remain deeply concerned, especially since the release of correspondence relating to Trinidad and Tobago’s request for independent election observers raise more questions than answers,” she said. On Monday, the Office of the Prime Minister released pages of correspondence between itself and the Caricom Secretariat and the Commonwealth on the issue of independent observers. During the height of the campaigning, Persad-Bissessar called for independent observers and while Rowley said he wrote to the both bodies, he did not share the responses publicly. He did say that the bodies could not afford to come to the country. However, in those letters, the Commonwealth Secretariat agreed to stem the costs of the visitors, but said it could not fund the cost of the 14 day quarantine period. T&T

would have had to stand those costs. “Personally, I am disappointed with the results but note that the UNC was able to achieve gains in three of the key marginal seats, which may have given us a chance at that majority, but those gains were insufficient. What the results have shown us is that once again our nation is deeply divided on which Party should be running the affairs of Trinidad and Tobago,” she said. She said that the partisan views are reflected in the “bitter chatter” on social media and across the country. “Unfortunately, the country has drifted far away from those ideals of unity. I am not prepared to fan the flames of hate,” Persad-Bissessar said. Persad-Bissessar said that with the election over, the country must return to the “harsh reality” of putting food on the table. She acknowledged the calls for her to step down and said that she questioned whether it was time for her to step down.

The family is at their wits end, trying to figure out who or why Nicholas was taken. There were neither signs of forced entry into the home, nor of a struggle. ‘B’ Division Commander Calvin Brutus has reassured the missing lad’s relatives that all leads are being pursued, including a request for a record of all calls to the landline to validate his granddad’s claim that he’d received a call saying that Nicholas had been kidnapped. The call log on the phone shows an incoming call at the time as per the grandfather claims, ut unfortunately, the caller’s ID had been blocked. The police are asking that anyone with information regarding the missing young man please make contact with the nearest police station or call the family on 338-4222. Nicholas was in Guyana on vacation since January, and due to the COVID-19 outbreak here, he was unable to return to Canada.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 19, 2020

The unspeakable courage of the abused woman ABUSED women carry the scars from their wounds until they die, but a largely unfeeling, insensitive public often callously, figuratively say “Get over it already”, implying her traumas are a bore, without recognising that they are adding to her relentless and enduring pain. It takes great courage for a woman to publicly reveal that she was abused. Effective leadership is about recognising the weaknesses and travails of citizens, and transforming their lives by addressing their problems, issues and concerns, without criticising them, saying that they are delinquent or problematic in any way, thereby adding to their degraded self-esteem and depleted emotional energies, which consequences a multiplicity of additional problems, including the deterioration of the victim’s physical and mental health. Leaders and policy-makers should empathise with the various travails women endure in a male-dominated society, then address and represent, in empowerment paradigms, all facets of the nuances of a society that generally, as a norm, with rare exceptions, puts the strengths and capabilities of women in almost every sphere of endeavour

on trial. This societal scourge does not recognise boundaries or borders and proliferate in global societies, even first-world countries. Within the Guyanese landscape, there is need for a review of all the laws that will encourage and promote women’s rights and equality, with legislation effecting zero tolerance on domestic violence. This is the bane that cuts across every divide of ethnicity, religion, culture or class. The Sexual Offences Act 2010 stipulates that a sexual offence is any sexual violation on an individual that includes rape, and any other form of sexual assault, such as touching or causing the complainant to touch a third party in a sexual way. The Sexual Offences Act 2010, passed by the National Assembly on April 22, 2010, provides prosecutorial rights against perpetrators by their victims, particularly women and children, and assures protection from law-enforcement institutions against sexual molestation and abuse, and every type of sexual violation. The Sexual Offences Act 2010 places special emphasis on women and children, who are usually the most vulnerable to sexual

abuse. With this Bill all the penalties for such crimes are clearly defined. The Equal Rights Act 1990 (Cap. 38:03) (No. 19 of 1990) “Provides that women and men have equal rights and the same legal status in all spheres of political, economic and social life and that all forms of discrimination against women or men on the basis of their sex or marital status are illegal. Women and men shall be paid equal remuneration for the same work or work of the same nature and no person shall be ineligible for, or discriminated against in respect of any employment, appointment or promotion in, or to, any office or position on the ground of sex: Provides that an employer shall not be prevented from making special labour and health protection measures for women, or from making provisions for conditions enabling mothers to work or for material and moral support for mothers and children including paid leave and other benefits for mothers and expectant mothers: Made under Art. 29 of the Constitution.” However, this Constitutional diktat is often honoured in the breach. Male protagonists need to realise that when they demolish and devastate their life

partners by inflicting pain and degradation on their spouses/partners, who are their strongest support systems and that of their children, they consequently destroy family constructs and, as a natural progression, these destructive relationships often produce juvenile delinquents and dysfunctional adults. Despite requisite legislation having been enacted to protect women, and many policies and programmes formulated, specific to the education and empowerment of women, yet the scourge remains rooted in the socio-psychology of the nation. It takes great courage for a woman to stand up at a public forum and admit to allowing, and maybe even enabling the abuse and degradation of herself at the hands of someone who should have protected her instead; but if the males in society would be brought to the recognition, as an imperative, that their strengths should be used for protecting instead of abusing their families, then every woman in Guyana should take hope for the resurrection of family ideals and the strengthening of familial bonds – with reciprocal and mutual respect, trust and love being the bonding factors.

Thank you, High Commissioner Quinn

Lowenfield and the Election Petition Dear Editor,

I’VE been reading of efforts to have the DPP consider withdrawing the private criminal charges against Lowenfield, and this morning saw a post, allegedly by one Rickford Burke in the USA, claiming that Granger, before he was deposed, should have used his powers to have the charges dropped. I, and I’m certain, hundreds of thousands of Guyanese in and out of Guyana, would, if this is done, regard this as one of the most serious travesties of justice ever done to GUYANA and GUYANESE. This man, in association with many known, like Mingo, and many unknown, has held this nation for OVER FIVE months to ransom, while attempting everything he could to delay the inevitable. I’m certain that MILLIONS of dollars, if not BILLIONS were expended on his subversive (possibly even treasonous) actions. Shouldn’t those responsible for this waste of resources be made to pay for their actions? I can only hope that these charges are NOT discharged, and that he faces the full brunt of the Law.

I remember the advertisements before elections clearly stating elections offenses and the associated penalties for such offenses, and would have a severely difficult time in understanding how what he (and Mingo) did cannot be deemed offenses to attract the relevant penalties. I hope the DPP acts with the full knowledge of the torture the Guyanese (and others) endured before he reluctantly complied with the Laws of Guyana. Just as an aside, I seem to remember that FORMER President Granger is reported as having said that their election petition would have been ready for filing by this weekend. May I suggest that if they are having difficulties in doing so, they can consult with Mr. Anil Nandlall? Should they eventually succeed in putting something together, would the election petition filed after the 2015 elections be heard before the one related to 2020 elections? Regards, Harry Nawbatt

Dear Editor, I AM moved by the commentaries, insights and sagaciousness of outgoing British High Commissioner Greg Quinn in his recent interview on the Kaieteur News Radio programme, ‘Room 592’. I implore all Guyanese to take the time to listen and learn from this eminent citizen of this planet who has taken his time to share his observations and understanding of the fundamental problems facing the people of this country. It is gratifying to hear how much Mr. Quinn has appreciated the culture, food, and geography of Guyana. What is striking, however, is his insights about our social, political, and economic challenges. One of the concerns that stand out in Mr. Quinn’s mind is the need for constitutional and other structural reform that could ease the political and racial tensions that have dogged the nation for decades. Guyanese could learn, for example, how Northern Ireland, Mr. Quinn’s home country, handled the humongous (religious) divide, thereby reducing the hatred, enmity and suspicions between the two sides. I wish to thank Mr. Quinn for his outstanding service to this country. I do trust that the President of Guyana would heed Freddie Kissoon’s suggestion to erect a bust of Mr. Quinn (as well as one each of Bruce Golding, Owen Arthur, US Ambassador Sarah Ann Lynch, Canadian High Commissionner Lilian Chatterjee, and EU Ambassador Fernando Ponz Cantó) to remember their roles in helping to preserve freedom and democracy in Guyana. Thank you, High Commissioner Quinn, for your distinguished contributions to our country. Yours truly, Dr. Devanand Bhagwan

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 19, 2020

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The abominable scent that lacks a Guyanese fragrance

Dear Editor, AS of July 9, 2020, President Donald Trump of the USA during his term made 20,055 false or misleading claims. This was according to the Washington Post’s Fact Checker database, netting an average of 12 per day. Speaking at a press conference in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Thursday, August 13, 2020, a Huff Post reporter, S.V. Date, asked him an upsetting and unsettling question, “Do you regret all of the lying you have done to the American people?” Characteristically uncharismatic and unabashed and immodest, he outrightly ignored the question and moved on. The reporter had waited some five years to ask him that question, and it would seem as if he does not regret any of them. Which reminds us, coming back to home in Guyana, even the smallest child would tell you how many press conferences the former president held. This is so because the child in nursery can count from one to five with the fingers on any hand, and, that will account for another of the famous embarrassments of typical Granger-style limitation. It wasn’t as if he was secluded in privacy, or prevented

from approaching the public or limited as an orator or not knowledgeable or fearful of public speaking or timid or handicapped; it was simply a case of being ashamed and scared to face the hard-hitting questions that would have been hurled at him, and to which he had no answers, and ones that he would have had to again lie his way out. He would have been unable to dodge the bullets, while shrinking, flinching and only praying for a quick end, or curtailing the meeting himself, running for his life and not wanting to sin his poor, overburdened soul any more. He took the cheap way out, lacking substance, but gravitating with alacrity to his comfort zone of oblivion. So many flimsy, lame and lazy excuses were offered by hollow incompetence to disguise the hard facts, but unfortunately ended up instead doing more damage and hurting his ego and image! If only Guyana was monitoring the lying process count, the figure would also be astronomical! To the question of regretting the lies, dishonesty, deceits, fraud, corruption and collusion, an unashamed reply would be his typical, “Naw! I am proud of doing what I did, and saying what I said, for that is what the Party is made of, and I am the head, and

I support this ideal principle, because our root, strength and survival is contingent on this concept. So, please don’t blame me, for I am only doing my job of what is required of me. If I have to do it again, I would gladly do so, because that is the only way out. Rigging is our first name; that is what we live, eat, breathe, and teach, and is our dearly beloved mantra. We respect that way of life more than the Constitution, the National Anthem, and any law and order. That is our regulation: To rule, and if we had our way, the prolonged five months would have come along another five years. That ain’t no lie, but the sole truth, and who vex, vex.” Guyana is famous and infamous for a number of things, including Kaieteur Falls and election rigging. This year, Guyana is competing with no one to make a name in the Guinness World Record Book. We already made an application as the country with the longest undeclared election recount result. Smell another rotten onion entry? Oh yea! The wily Willy is jealous and doesn’t want to be excluded. He is knocking on the door with his entry as an Attorney- General with the most lost cases! How sad, pathetic, shameful and demeaning! Yet, he stands tall,

undeterred, and insists to be in the forefront to show his sly and crooked smile, ready to lie through his nose and teeth, not only to the Guyanese public, but also to spread his wings, flapping and fluttering a forked tongue in the annals of any foreign domain. Where is the pride and dignity of being an obedient servant of the court of justice, and an honourable member of the judiciary, to always uphold the law and defend what is only right in the name of truth and honesty, to display and proudly be seen in a robe that signifies decency and righteousness, not to walk the thin line that demarcates uncertainty, falsity and ambiguity, but to traverse the lighted path that broadens the horizon of reliability, legitimacy and transparency? Perhaps the days of chivalry are buried in the deeper depth of anonymity, where nobility is submerged and the zeal for its obscurity is treasured and worshipped to satiate the appetite for diabolical pleasantries. Such abominable stench must never be scented as a Guyanese fragrance again, and Guyanese must never adore such an odor! Respectfully, Jai Lall

Politically-affiliated GTU General Secretary should step down Dear Editor, DURING the elections campaign and after March 02, 2020 electoral process, all sorts of drama started to unfold along with all sorts of people that hold office and positions that mandate neutrality in order for them to hold that specific position politicised themselves, and compromised their trust to those whom they are supposed to serve. I must firstly commend the President of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) for his professionalism in executing his duty throughout the Electoral Process. He never showed to the public any political affiliations, nor any sign of being compromised. While we’re at it, there is one out of many persons in the Guyana Teachers Union’s Executive that showed tremendous signs of being compromised and politically affiliated, and that is the General Secretary, Ms. Coretta Macdonald, who took to the stage at the Area ‘H’ ground in Rose Hall and campaigned for the then caretaker APNU+AFC adminis-

tration. And on that campaign trail, the very same GTU General Secretary Macdonald bombarded and lambasted the newly-elected government and all of its members via social media. Let it not be forgotten that Coretta Macdonald is the General Secretary of the Guyana Teachers Union, and it brings into question whether the deals made on behalf of teachers in 2018 with the then APNU+AFC administration in which Miss Macdonald was a negotiator for the teachers of this great country was fair, and whether any other “underhand” business was carried out to broker that deal, with the evidence of Ms. Macdonald in early 2020 surfacing on the list of candidates of the very same APNU+AFC that she sat down with to negotiate for the Teachers of Guyana in 2018. It should also be known that during the historic election campaign trail and elections drama after March 02, 2020, Ms. Macdonald had a political feud via Facebook with the now Education Minister, Hon. Priya Manickchand. And so what should we as citizens expect in

future to come if there should be, and there will be, any negotiations between GTU and the Government. The Hon. Minister Priya Manickchand is already a politician, and so is Ms. Macdonald, having portrayed that she is a politician who is associated with the coalition APNU+AFC in the 2020 elections campaign trail. Yet Ms. Macdonald is still the General Secretary of the GTU, a position that must and should be held by one that is not politically affiliated, and is neutral just as the President of the Union has displayed throughout the 2020 campaign trail and still is portraying. The most exonerating thing about this situation is that the General Secretary of the GTU represents the Teachers and speaks for the Teachers of this beautiful country Guyana. And when she speaks and performs in public, she’s looked down upon as speaking for the Teachers of Guyana on Public and Private Forums. One of my reasons for writing this letter is because of the numerous complaints made to me by numerous teachers. And it should be known that out of those numerous complaints,

disappointments and condemnations of Ms Macdonald were made by teachers of all ethnicities. My letter entails most of the views of those university-qualified teachers. With all that evidence and points being made, Ms. Macdonald I encourage you to leave the position of General Secretary of the Guyana Teachers Union for someone who is not politically affiliated and is neutral. It should be noted that the Guyana Teachers Union is not a political union, more-so politicians cannot negotiate or lobby for the teachers of this great country. Furthermore, politicians who do not support the “government of the day” will always have their own agenda in terms of making deals for those who they represent. All eyes are on the Guyana Teachers Union Executive body on their next move in regards to dealing with this matter. Yours truly, Randy Da Silva (Concerned Citizen)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Bond signals mission to ‘break up’ Granger cabal

AMIDST backlash from its members on its recent parliamentary selection, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) has defended the coalition’s List of Candidates for Parliament as being the “face of the future” which will revitalise the PNC/R. Just recently, major criticism was met out to the head of the party, former President David Granger and other Executives of the PNC/R for dropping the likes of PNC/R Chair, Volda Lawrence, and Executive Member, Aubrey Norton from the list. The list was required to be submitted to the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, for the allocation of parliamentary seats. Excluded were also David Granger; former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams; and PNC/R General Secretary, Amna Ally. However, many wellknowns within the party took offense primarily with the exclusion of Lawrence, who was also the former public health minister and Norton. Attorney-at-Law, James Bond, took to his social media page in a live video where he stated, plainly, that efforts were not made to engage in consultations to select individuals who would bring the best value to the party, but based on favoritism and ulterior motives.

hard working comrades a leadership that listens to ordinary comrades enough of fascism! Time to rewrite their failed legacy with a new one!” he said.

Attorney-at-Law, James Bond “The omission of Cde. Volda Ann Lawrence from the APNU+AFC list of parliamentarians was a cold, crude and callous decision. That decision has left a bad taste in the mouths of the people of Georgetown, the women of the PNC/R, the youth of the PNC/R, more importantly the hard-working members of the PNC/R. I must make mention of the omissions of Aubrey Norton, Jevaughn Stephen, Thandi Mc Allister, Ryan Belgrave who suffered at the hand of fascist leadership. These aren’t fly-bynight comrades, these are comrades like you and I who have worked tirelessly in the trenches and weren’t afforded the decency of consultations or private communication of their endings. It is time for a leadership that values

NOT MALICE Bond added that while he holds no malice against anyone individually, he has noticed that hard work is not respected or rewarded in the party. He posted a photograph of Lawrence on his timeline captioned: “They know if you go to Parliament you would have had to be made opposition leader. The first woman opposition leader in our Parliament’s history.” The attorney was also on the coalition’s List of Candidates submitted in January on Nomination Day but was not selected to serve in Parliament. In a release on Tuesday, the PNC/R published the full list of candidates for Parliament from the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) which make up the coalition. Collectively, there were 40 names listed, nine from the AFC and 31 from the APNU. In the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections, the coalition won 31 seats. Under the revised Cummingsburg Accord, the AFC will only get 30 per cent of the seats secured by the coalition in the National

Assembly based on a new 70:30 ratio agreed upon with APNU. The formula will also guide the allocation of seats at the level of the Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs). “The PNC/R has taken a bold step forward. The composition of the list of candidates extracted to be representatives in the next Parliament is the face of the future and will empower a new generation of leaders. The PNC/R has always advocated that young people are essential to Guyana’s development,” said the party whose coalition government was dominated by persons who passed retirement age. However, many supporters are still disgruntled. Famed Guyanese singer, Lisa PunchBenn commented on Facebook: “I stand with Cde. Hon. Volda Lawrence. The fact that she was snubbed upsets me! Why isn’t James on the list too? I don’t understand this. The only thing that makes sense is that someone is afraid of Volda being competent enough to run this country and afraid of the youths that fiercely support her.” Political activist, Norman Browne added: “There is no letting up. There is no party without the people. You stand strong and firm my brother and friend, James Anthony-Bond. We are not waiting for the sitting of another Congress next year. We must go back to Con-

‘Shawny’ to appeal ‘life sentence’ – over conviction for ‘Blue Martini’ murder

SHAWN Harris, called ‘Shawny’, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for killing a man in 2017, is now moving to the Court of Appeal to challenge his conviction and sentence. In January 2020, Harris was sentenced by High Court Judge, Justice Jo-Ann Barlow after a 12-member jury found him guilty of murder. It was alleged that on February 5, 2017, he killed Sunil Singh, called ‘Grey’, at the Blue Martini nightclub on Owen Street, Kitty. Harris was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after serving 20 years. According to reports, pa-

trol ranks swooped down on the Blue Martini nightclub and ordered it closed at around 02:45hrs on February 5, 2017. According to Charles Valenzuela, an employee of the nightspot, shortly after the police left, three men arrived and demanded to be allowed to enter the club. At that point, Valenzuela said, he told them that they couldn’t, as the Club was closed. This led to an argument, during the course of which one of the men stabbed Valenzuela in the left arm. Singh, who perhaps thought that Valenzuela was being taken advantage of, intervened and was trying to

Shawn Harris, called ‘Shawny’ make peace when one of the suspects dealt him a blow in the head. Not satisfied with what

he’d done, the assailant reportedly pursued Singh, who’d gone running north into Railway Street, Kitty, and when he caught up with him, stabbed him several times. Both Singh and Valenzuela were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where the former was pronounced dead on arrival, and the latter was treated and sent away. In 2016, Harris was released from prison after serving a sentence for drug trafficking. He had also served time for the Bank of Baroda robbery committed at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara on January 22, 2016.

The List of Candidates for Parliament as presented to the media by the People’s National Congress Reform gress now! The party is not people. Joseph Harmon and ComAnd the people have rade David Granger; it is the spoken.”

Cops trying to locate man reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 POLICE as well as health officers in Region Six are seeking the whereabouts of a man who recently returned to Guyana and was reportedly tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The Guyana Chronicle was unable to confirm when the “patient” returned or when and where he was tested. However, reliable sources related that police in ‘B’ Division were contacted on Monday to assist in locating a male identified from Number 77 Village, East Berbice, Corentyne. The source added that information provided by the person was incorrect and later it was confirmed that the person resides at Number 74 Village. Up to press time, the person was still to be found.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Man suspected to have malaria dies from COVID-19 –– deaths related to the disease move to 25 By Navendra Seoraj

THE Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to show its deadly form, claiming the lives of three Guyanese in three days, with the latest person being a miner who was initially suspected to be suffering from malaria. The miner, who resided in Region One (Barima-Waini), was working in a mining community in the Cuyuni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), where he developed symptoms of what was suspected to be malaria. According to a press statement from the Ministry of Health, the man, after falling ill, was hospitalised at the Bartica Hospital. “This male, 32 years old, was rushed to the hospital with suspicions of malaria but was later swabbed because of his previous contact with other possible cases at his work site,” said the health ministry. The man, however, died before the result of the test returned, but the result later proved that the man was infected with COVID-19. The miner’s death followed the passing of 87-year-old, Aron Peters and 73-year-old, Wilfred James, who both died while receiving treatment in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), on Monday and Sunday respectively.

The health ministry has since confirmed that they are in contact with all relatives and other contacts to facilitate contact tracing and rapid assistance to everyone who may have been exposed. As seen in recent days, there has been a consistent increase in cases of the disease and deaths caused by the disease. Among the persons who died in recent times are 74-year-old, Milton Paul; Geerjadai Jagnarine, 69; and 76-year-old May Portsmouth, who died while receiving treatment at the GPHC. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly-discovered coronavirus. Most people, who fall sick with COVID-19, will experience mild to moderate symptoms and recover without special treatment. There are, however, vulnerable groups such as persons with underlying conditions and elderly patients, who may develop the severe forms of the disease. The Guyana Chronicle had earlier reported that the COVID-19 disease has proven to be a “real killer”, especially in cases involving persons who have co-morbidities. This was according to doctors of the GPHC. At the time, Guyana had recorded six deaths due to the COVID-19 disease, and, while the loss of life is never pleasant, doctors had said most of the persons who

died had co-morbidities. In medicine, co-morbidity is defined as the presence of one or more additional conditions co-occurring with a primary condition; in the countable sense of the term, a co-morbidity is each additional condition. The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that 81 per cent of the persons who contract COVID-19 will have mild symptoms, while 14 per cent will have severe symptoms, and another five per cent will need intensive care. “Most of the people who passed have [sic] co-morbidities; some had diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and one of them even had severe pneumonia, which, without COVID-19, can also cause death…. These, coupled with the complications related to COVID-19, can be dangerous,” said Head of the Department of Internal Medicine at GPHC, Dr. Genellys Camps, during an interview with Guyana Chronicle. Among those who lost their lives to the deadly disease are, 25-year-old Lethem schoolteacher, Donna Ambrose-Greaves; 34-year-old Abdool Khan, a resident of Bartica, who was asthmatic; and local ‘drag-racer’, Deryck Jaisingh, called “Mad Dog”. Guyana’s first COVID-19 victim, 52-year-old Ratna Baboolall, was also hypertensive and a diabetic. Jermaine Ifill, an emergency medical technician (EMT), who had also succumbed to the dreaded disease,

was also being treated for pneumonia. Two other persons who died from the disease were Osa Collins, a 78-year-old resident of New Amsterdam and 77-year-old Colonel, John Percy Leon Lewis. Fortyfive-year-old Lennox Williams, who also had underlying conditions, died because of COVID-19. COVID-19 remains a serious issue not just here in Guyana, but globally as well, and according to global statistics, there are 20.1 million cases of COVID-19, with over 775,000 deaths. And, with no approved treatment or cure, there is no assurance that persons will survive after contracting the disease. In the absence of treatment, government has established emergency measures to prevent the spread of the disease. “Members of the public are encouraged to observe the COVID-19 emergency measures #8 published in the Official Gazette on 14 August. 2020 which emphasises the need to practise physical distancing at least 6ft apart, use a facemask correctly and consistently when leaving their homes and practise good handing washing hygiene to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” said the health ministry. Persons with symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to call the COVID-19 hotline numbers 231 1166, 226 7480 or 180/181 for assistance.

Water to flow full force at Lust-en-Rust by weekend –– Minister announces shortly after hearing of community’s plight By Jared Liddell RESIDENTS of the little-known community of Lust-en-Rust, some six or so miles from Vreed-en-Hoop, seat of administration for Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), will by weekend have consistent access to potable water after going for years with little or none at all. The announcement came shortly after leaving the village from Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues during a visit to the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) well plant at Westminster, about a mile away from Lust-en-Rust. According to Minister Rodrigues, one of the two wells at the plant is currently being cleaned out to facilitate the provision of potable water to the fledgling West Bank Demerara (WBD) community. Currently, the residents of Lust-enRust Housing Scheme have little or no access to water, necessitating their having to make the almost 15-minute journey to and from the nearest settlement to get some, or alternatively stocking up on supply from

the nearest canal. During her visit to the Westminster facility, Minister Rodrigues met with Well Maintenance Engineer Kerene Gordon, who brought her up to speed on the project, stating that it is currently in its final phase, and will be ready to pipe water to Rust-en-Lust by weekend. Taking a certain pride in noting that this was one of the very first projects being undertaken by her ministry since the new PPP/C government took office, Minister Rodrigues said she was moved to take action after being contacted by several Lust-en-Rust residents and learning about their not having access to potable water. She said that given the new administration’s primary objective is to be ‘people-centered’, one of its top priorities is to bring comfort and a higher standard of living to all Guyanese, regardless of where they live. The Lust-En-Rust Housing Scheme is presently being supplied with 2.1 million gallons of water per day, but is still experiencing some level of difficulty in terms of water pressure. With the well being cleaned, it is anticipated that it will be

able to generate some 2.8 million gallons of water per day to the community, with the expectation that that will significantly increase the pressure level so that everyone can have their fill of the precious commodity. GWI Director of Operations, Dwayne Shako, who accompanied Minister Rodrigues during her tour of the site, told reporters that he was aware of the problems Lust-en-Rust residents were having with getting water after being alerted to it some time ago, and having since had several meetings with them on the matter. He stated that since having had those discussions, the GWI has been working on finding a solution to the issue. Shako explained that their limited access to water is largely due to a technical problem the GWI is currently working on to get resolved. He stated that GWI’s engineers have been working feverishly on it, and will continue to do so throughout this week, working day and night if needs be to have the project completed by the coming weekend. He explained that when the community was being developed, the majority of

the house-lots were provided with GWI service lines. But unfortunately, several of those lines were accidentally damaged while weeding, thereby causing lots of water to go waste. He said that locating those lines where the wastage is occurring is proving problematic at the moment, given the magnitude of the Housing Scheme. He’s indicated, however, that going forward, the GWI will be looking to locate the source of those leaks, so as to ensure that residents will have access to greater water pressure. Shako further explained that this phase is not the beginning of the process to get water to Lust-en-Rust, but rather a six-month-long journey that is now coming to an end. Since the new government took office a few short days ago, it has brought the services of the GWI directly under the Ministry of Housing, a move that Minister Rodrigues feels is the best way of ensuring that a cohesive and detailed plan is drawn up and implemented, since both organisations will be working as one, and not two separate entities.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 19, 2020

COVID-19 Task Force continues robust countrywide response measures GUYANA’S COVID-19 Task Force continues to push forward with its robust agenda as it monitors the country’s response measures to the novel coronavirus. Prime Minister, Mark Phillips, who serves as chairperson of the Task Force, on Monday, met with its members for a weekly progress report and to discuss further

plans to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Guyana. Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony and Minister of Local Government, Nigel Dharamlall, were also present at the meeting along with members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and other officials. The prime minister received a briefing

Prime Minister, Mark Phillips along with Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony and Local Government Minister, Nigel Dharamlall during the COVID-19 Task Force meeting on Monday (DPI photo) on the increase in countrywide testing as well as the increase in the number of cases resulting from amped-up testing. The current emphasis of the task force is to look at continued restricted access to and from Brazil; a review of the current operations at checkpoints in bordering regions and a focus on facilitating increased medical response in Regions One, Seven and Nine.

In the area of economic and social response, focus is being placed on the provision of hampers and sanitation supplies to vulnerable areas. Recently, communities in Regions Eight and Nine received this government assistance and the task force will now focus their attention on taking these supplies to citizens in communities located in Region One. (DPI)

Gold prices boom ... From page 2 he said: “Each one of the passengers [travelling to the region] now has an additional $30,000 bill to pay [for PCR tests] before they could be considered to travel on board the aircraft into a place like Issano and Kamarang. These are mining areas which are COVID-19 free because they’ve successfully managed very strict access control and have put health protocols into place.” Furthermore, Captain Barclay said that local operators have been equally adhering to the COVID-19 Emergency Measures as established by the government as it is the responsible thing to do and will ensure that they are authorised to transport passengers and cargo. He said the local industry has decreased its fares in many cases to cater for passengers during the financially challenging time. As result, some local airlines have had to cut their compliment of staff. Before passengers leave the hinterland regions to travel to the capital via plane, they are subject to temperature tests, questionnaires and visual checks

by airport authorities trained to look for visible symptoms of the virus. The captain said pilots, possible flight attendants, passengers and cargo are all sanitised from head to toe by the spraying of alcohol-based sanitisers before boarding and after disembarking a flight. This is apart from the wearing of masks and observing the physical distancing guidelines in place. When transporting a COVID-19 patient, he said only the affected person and the health worker tending to the said person are allowed onboard. No COVID-19 patient is transported without the permission of health authorities and the cost of the flight is borne by the State. The crew onboard must suit-up in full protective gear and once the patient arrives in Georgetown, the Ministry of Health takes over. “Whatever protocols the Ministry of Health demands, we follow them,” the captain said. Barclay noted that local airlines are hopeful that economic relief measures will be pursued by the government to address the financial challenges faced in the sector.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 19, 2020

No money to fix ‘Le Repentir’ –– City Mayor concedes coffers empty, but families of the ‘Dearly Departed’ could help out from time to time

FROM a place of peace and tranquility where many a family member say their final good-byes to the Dearly Departed or pay them a visit on special occasions, the once iconic Le Repentir Cemetery is fast evolving into a thick forested jungle, its deep-rooted vegetation threatening to throttle the very graves in which they repose. Back in March 2019, City Mayor Ubraj Narine, under previous administra- City Mayor Mr. Ubraj Narine tion, had put together a com- of the cemetery’s grounds. mittee comprising five City According to the Mayor Councillors to look into the and City Council (M&CC)’s proposed restoration of the plans, the entire cemetery Cemetery. was to have been fenced, This sub-committee of the ground levelled, and the sorts was put together to es- trenches palled off. The entablish ways in which to bet- tire facility, so to speak, was ter manage the maintenance to have been maintained and

treated like one would a clinic card, so as to keep it up to standard. All work towards repairing the cemetery were brought to the table, but to date, the cemetery remains an eyesore to the residents living in and around the La Penitence area and other neighbouring communities. In a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Mayor Narine made no bones about it that the Council lacks the finances to facilitate any form of rehabilitative work on the cemetery currently. “The Council don’t have the resources to clean up the cemetery. However, we’ll just have to work with Central Government to put a plan in place,” he said, adding: “We do have plans and

Lab technicians being trained for COVID-19 molecular detection A WIDE cross-section of medical laboratory technologists, from both the public and private sectors, are engaged in a two-day virtual training for COVID-19 molecular detection. This training exercise, which runs from August 18-19, is facilitated through a collaboration between the Ministry of Health and PAHO/WHO, following recent fruitful discussions between these two entities. The exercise will be hosted by Dr. Lionel Gresh, who is a virologist, in the Infectious Hazard Management, Department of Health Emergencies, PAHO/WHO in Washington DC. Molecular detection speaks to a collection of techniques used to analyse biological markers. In this case, building specialised capacity to do more PCR testing in Guyana. Among participants are representatives from the National Public Health Reference Laboratory (NPHRL), Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), Suddie, West Demerara, Lethem and Linden Regional Hospitals, Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS), and other public health facilities. Trainees from the private health facilities are from Eureka Medical Laboratory, Medical Art Medical Centre and Davis Memorial Hospital. Specific areas of focus include COVID-19 laboratory-based surveillance, principles of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) while hands-on training will commence shortly.

Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, in his remarks at the commencement of the training exercise, noted that it will ensure there is the capacity for COVID-19 testing at regional and private health facilities which is an appropriate response to the pandemic. Minister Anthony said upon coming into office, a quick analysis of the country’s capacity to conduct mass testing of the virus was done. “We have a human resource problem. We do not have enough persons with the capacity to do the PCR testing… If we don’t have the people, we won’t be able to scale up testing,” he explained. Therefore, the training exercise aims to qualify more persons to ensure there is a faster ‘turnaround’ time for results. The trainees will complete a practical rotation component at the NPHRL. PAHO/WHO Country Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow said that this is one way in which quality laboratory services will be taken to the various regions. It will also address the backlog in cases which need to be cleared and provide results in a timelier manner. “Persons have had their tests [done], but for days they cannot receive their results, and that is emotionally crushing, and that is what this training will correct,” he said. The activity is in keeping with the push, by the Ministry of Health, to ramp up testing to ascertain the actual COVID-19 situation in Guyana. (DPI)

The Le Repentir Burial Ground in southern Georgetown sketches for such, but we need money to do so.” He also suggested that the relatives of the deceased could help out by taking responsibility for ensuring that the spaces in which their loved ones are buried are clean and well-kept. “The same people who bring their dead there, if everybody work together and clean up parts of the

cemetery, the cemetery can be kept clean,” the no-nonsense straight-talking Mayor Narine said. Under the Municipal and District Council Act 28:01, the M&CC has the responsibility for establishing, maintaining and controlling burial grounds and crematoriums. Le Repentir Cemetery was first established in March, 1861. A road was later constructed

through the cemetery to link the ward of La Penitence with Lodge, Wortmanville and Werk-en-Rust. The first person to have been interred there was 45-year-old Antonio Gonzales, on March 15, 1861. As the old-timers would say, he was a Madeiran, having been born and raised in Madeira, Portugal.

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One dead in Lusignan prison brawl

A PRISONER who was chopped about the body, Monday night, after a heated argument with four other inmates of the Lusignan Prison, died on Tuesday at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. He was identified as 40-year-old Aldryn Adonis called Ehawn Peters. He was on remand for simple larceny. Reports indicate that Adonis was in bay two of the Lusignan Prison, while the suspects were in bay one. On Monday night, at about 22:30 hours, Adonis jumped the fence which separates bay one from bay two and eventually had a heated argument with the four suspects and a fight ensued. Adonis received several

chops about the head, chest, hands and both feet. The victim was then taken to the medical outpost at the prison, where he was examined by a prison medex on duty and subsequently escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where he was further examined by a doctor and admitted as a patient in a critical condition. On Tuesday, at about 10:30 hours, Adonis succumbed to his injuries. The matter was reported to the police and an investigation was launched. Meanwhile, Director of Prisons of Gladwin Samuels said that a review of the CCTV footage from the location as well as other CCTV footage obtained allowed the adminis-

The weapons that were used to chop Shawn Peters to death

tration to positively identify the perpetrators of the fatal incident. As a result, he said a partial search of the prison by warders unearthed the improvised weapons used in the stabbing and chopping. The prison director noted that an additional 111 impro-

vised weapons and nine cellular phones were seized. He explained that improvised weapons are materials/items which have been converted by the prisoners into weapons for the sole purpose of maiming and threatening officers and fellow prisoners.

Improvised weapons seized in the prison after a search was conducted

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 19, 2020

NIS offers extended amnesty on interest THE National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has recently re-introduced an amnesty period on interest for payment of contributions for the period December 2019 to August 15, 2020, due to the COVID 19 pandemic. The extended deadline for payment of contributions without interest is September 30, 2020. According to a release issued, Employers and self-employed persons who have existing agreements to pay outstanding contributions with the National Insurance Scheme’s Debt Recovery Unit are not entitled to the waiver of interest. This is not the first time that amnesty was offered to employers and self- employed persons. In an earlier release in May of this year, the Insurance body, in an effort to mitigate the spread of the virus among the elderly and persons who are in constant contact with the organisation, directly supporting and encouraging social distancing, had introduced a period of amnesty for payment of contributions for the period January to May 15, 2020. A waiver of interest on the amounts owed and the deadline for those payments without interest had been issued. The above-stated action is part of the Insurance body’s plan to ensure that there is compliance with the precautionary measures advocated by local and international health authorities. Other measures introduced by the insurance body can be found on its website.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 19, 2020

ICT hub installation expected to commence next month By Lisa Hamilton A PROPOSAL regarding the installation of 200 Information and Communications Technology (ICT) hubs to Hinterland, Poor and Remote Communities (HPRCs) in Guyana has been sent to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) for review, with hopeful commencement in September 2020. In an interview with Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday, HPRC Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Project Manager, Phillip Walcott, said all equipment have arrived in the country and underwent the necessary checks on Tuesday before final payment was transferred. At a previous stakeholder consultation of the Tourism Recovery Action Committee (TRAC), Walcott had relayed that the arrival of the equipment had experienced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The equipment, which all hubs will possess, include Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs); all-inclusive solar solutions; approximately 12 laptops; one printer and scanner; one 32inch television; monthly VSAT bandwidth and network services free of cost and security lights and cameras.

The communities identified for the establishment of ICT hubs are as follows: Region One – 22; Region Two – 7; Region Three – 7; Region Four – 15; Region Five – 2; Region Six – 4; Region Seven – 33; Region Eight – 21; Region Nine – 52 and Region 10 – 37. A total of 82 out of the 200 already possess connectivity either through VSAT or through GTT or Digicel. In the proposal sent to the OPM, and awaiting feedback, it was recommended that those 82 communities be given priority. Walcott said that these communities Residents of Surama construct and close the gate to their village in light of COVID-19 in the country back in March 2020

Hinterland, Poor and Remote Communities (HPRCs) and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Project Manager at the MOPT, Phillip Walcott

are mostly located in the hinterland regions such as Region Nine. However, priority will also be given to easily accessible communities. With the challenges associated with COVID-19 in Guyana, the National Data Management Authority (NDMA) --- responsible for the installation of the hubs --- will have to receive approval from the government to visit certain Regions and, once authorised, must adhere to strict health protocols. “In some communities, we may not be able to enter because of their high level of COVID-19

An ICT Hub in Guyana

restrictions and those are the kind of decisions that we are undertaking as we work out the details of the plan. We’ll make sure that, before the officers go in, each person is tested and cleared and we’ll be using our transportation so there’s no risk of mixing with others,” the ICT project manager explained. MONITORING COVID-19 Several indigenous villages across Guyana have constructed closed gates at the entrance of their villages, for the

very first time, in order to monitor visitation to curb the spread of COVID-19. When it comes to transporting the large amount of equipment, it is likely that previous methods will be utilised whereby the equipment is transported in bulk to a bond or store house in the region and NDMA staff then visits those locations for distribution to individual communities with the help of land cruisers. Walcott sees the installation of the ICT Hubs across the country as timely and crucial to the fight against the coronavirus. He said: “One of the challenges of this COVID-19 situation is the lack of communication in these communities. We will now be able to have direct contact with them and therefore they can report, in real time, when these situations develop in these villages as against waiting for a message to come out.” On the issue of training, Walcott reminded that there are NDMA offices in Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and 10 and staff from these offices can assist with training. When an ICT Hub is established in a community, residents are allowed to elect a Monitoring and a Manage-

ment Committee made up of members of their community. The two committees ensure the proper management of the equipment and assist with training, while NDMA staffers also assist with the upkeep or repair of the equipment. Meanwhile, a community development officer is assigned to each hub and is required to visit the hub once every fortnight and submit a report, while a technical officer must report on the state of the equipment. Th HPRC Information and ICT project manager is pleased that, over the years, of all the hundreds of ICT Hubs established, there have been very few reported cases of mismanagement. Walcott said: “One of the things we’ve said to them is we don’t have the resources to keep replacing if you lose it. So, you have got to take care of it to ensure that you don’t have those problems.” The workplan put forward in the proposal runs from September to December. However, the ongoing review and subsequent feedback from the NDMA and Prime Minister’s Office will determine whether the timeline and its specifics are given the September ‘green light’.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, August 19, 2020

‘Cash-crop’ advocates determined to reposition Guyana –– make it the ‘bread-basket’ of the Caribbean once again

By Naomi Parris THE Farmers Advancement Network (FAN), a group of cash-crop farmers from Belle West, West Bank Demerara, is optimistic that with the support of more local farmers and the relevant authorities, they can become the ‘bread-basket’ of Guyana and the Caribbean. FAN President, Mahadeo Deokarran told the Guyana Chronicle on Monday that he’d applied for a piece of land from the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) some time ago, but was only successful in acquiring it in 2016, following the closure of the Wales Sugar Estate. He said that given the difficulty he’d had in acquiring that land, he decided to band

FAN President, Mahadeo Deokarran together a few like-minded persons, among them ex-sugar workers who were interested in his vision for a safe haven for farmers in the region. “Since 2012, I personally applied to acquire a piece of land from GuySuCo/NICIL, and only two years things

got into action,” Deokarran said. “On roll we have like 80 members; it was like three acres per person. And as it is right now, we are progressing very smoothly, because the 80 persons already have a few crops on their farmlands, and they start getting some produce. So, as it is right now, I can say we are seeing great progress.” That progress notwithstanding, there are still a few challenges dogging the organisation; and they all have to do with infrastructure. Things like drainage and irrigation (D&I) and access bridges to their homesteads, which he is hoping could be addressed by the Ministry of Agriculture. Deokarran noted that when he first started the project, all he wanted to do was be an entrepreneur of sorts, and provide jobs for a few youths in Belle West and oth-

er surrounding communities through farming. But he soon came to realise that making that start was no easy task, but with the help of a few hardy souls like himself, who are all part of the network, they’ve been have been able to reap the benefits of their hard work and perseverance, particularly during the COVID-19 outbreak, since the initiative has seen them not having to worry about where their next meal will come from. “The good side of it is that it helps individuals to get more serious and cultivate more in the COVID-19 situation,” he said. “And we see the good sign in it, because we get to be more independent.” ULTIMATE GOAL He told the Guyana Chronicle that FAN’s ultimate goal is to be the ‘bread-basket’ of Guyana and by extension the entire Caribbean, since he believes that agriculture is the pillar of economic development across the region.

“We are looking to be the ‘bread-basket’; to start first in our own country, then on a wider scale,” Deokarran said. “We are looking to be the ‘bread-basket’ of the Caribbean, because we see the potential. And I know we have among us the assets, in terms of the wide base; and we have capable people to take us to that,” he added. NICIL’s Mr. Charles Browne said he’s been working closely with Mr. Deokarran and the other members of FAN, helping them go through all the legal channels in getting the organisation registered, as well as providing them with whatever heavy machinery and equipment they may need for land preparation and drainage and irrigation and such like. He said he’s no intention of giving up on them, as he’s in it for the long haul; providing them with whatever support they may need, since he, too, has a vision for agriculture in the region. “It shows that these farmers were indeed deter-

mined,” he said. “And while it was viewed as marginal lands, they were able to demonstrate that several cash crops can be planted on this land. As such, a decision was taken to lease these lands instead of having persons squat on them. And as they say, the rest is history; as originally, we gave first preference to ex-GuySuCo employees,” Browne said, adding: “There are several persons who continue to approach me and the office daily, seeking land, because they have recognised what this place has become, and they want to be a part of it.” Browne said he has always encouraged persons to seek financial assistance collectively, either as an organisation or a group to see better results. “I have reminded them that they would garner more assistance if they seek help as a group, rather than as individuals, and thus far, they have proceeded to legally register themselves,” Browne said.

Bandit in Guy America robbery nabbed ONE of three bandits was arrested on Tuesday, after a robbery in the wee hours at Guy America Housing Scheme, Hill Foot, Soesdyke Linden Highway. The armed bandits escaped with one Excavator Sensor/monitor. Reports indicate that two men were on duty in the Housing Scheme when the three robbers ran up to them, held them at gunpoint and demanded the article mentioned for the excavator. One of the suspects ended up in a scuffle which resulted in the two employees of Guy America being tied up and beaten. The suspects then removed the item mentioned from a parked ex-

The toy gun and knife dropped by the bandits cavator and made good their escape. However, at approximately 05:50 hours, acting on information received, to the effect that the three suspects were seen at the Soesdyke Junction, police ranks responded and arrested one of the suspects.

He was identified as a 21-year-old unemployed man of Kuru Kururu Soesdyke Linden Highway. Police found him hiding in a yard. The excavator senor and a toy gun were dropped by the men after the police gave chase.

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Sunil Narine’s heroics lead TKR to victory in CPL opener

THERE was rain, rustiness and a remarkable display by a bona fide T20 great, as Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) overcame a stumble to win the opening game of CPL 2020 against Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW). With most players getting back to cricket after layoffs longer

than they’ve ever had before, the cricket was patchy in parts - but that didn’t apply to Sunil Narine. With ball in hand he showed off new tricks, and with the bat, proved just how valuable he could be for a team with the licence to go for it at the top of the order.

Scores:Trinbago Knight Riders 147 for 6 (Narine 50, Darren Bravo 30, Naveen-ul-Haq 2-21, Tahir 2-40) beat Guyana Amazon Warriors 144 for 5 (Hetmyer 63*, Taylor 33, Narine 2-19) by four wickets Persistent rain meant the game began 90 minutes after the scheduled start and was reduced to 17 overs a side. A cloudy sky

and a shortened match made it a straightforward decision for Kieron Pollard to bowl first on winning the toss, but he and the TKR would have hoped to chase a bit less than the 144 for 5 that the Warriors got, riding on the back of Shimron Hetmyer’s unbeaten 63* off 44 balls.. However, Narine - who had taken 2 for 19 in four overs - came back out to slam 50 off 28 in the chase, which provided enough of a buffer to account for a late collapse as TKR won by four wickets, with two balls to spare. THE RETURN OF NARINE, THE MYSTERY BOWLER He has apparently spent the COVID-19 enforced lockdown perfecting new skills, because Narine unveiled a new bowling action in his first match back. He did away with any sort of load-up, instead hiding the ball behind his hip as he ran in to bowl and delivering from there itself. He had not been easy to read for batsmen in any case, and now proved even more difficult. Crucially, he didn’t lose any bite or accuracy with the new action. He bowled two overs in the Powerplay (reduced to five overs) and then two in the middle, getting the important wickets of opener Chandrapaul Hemraj and a resurgent Ross Taylor. Narine gave up runs at 4.75 an over, and no other bowler went below 7. HETMYER CARRIES WARRIORS Warriors had a tepid start, with Hetmyer walking in to bat in the first over itself after Brandon King had fallen for a duck. He took his time settling in, preferring to knock the ball around rather than go for big shots. The pitch too wasn’t one where it was easy to start rapidly. Hetmyer assessed that and gradually started stepping on the pace, eventually finishing with a flurry that took Warriors to a more than competitive total. Taylor had provided the initial impetus after two early wickets, which allowed Hetmyer to bide his time. Importantly, he made it count. NO RUSTINESS FOR NARINE In the first four overs, Narine faced only four balls as Lendl Simmons ate up deliveries and was unable to get on with it. There was nothing to show that the mounting rate and not feeling bat on ball affected Narine in any way though, as he blazed merrily away once Simmons fell. As with several Narine top-order innings, this one had its share of balls not always middled but it also had some amazingly struck shots. Narine gave TKR enough impetus with his half-century that despite some late strikes by Imran Tahir and an impressive Naveen-ul-Haq, they had the chase within reach at all times. (ESPN Cricinfo)

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Despite Mitchell’s 57, Nuggets beat Jazz in OT JAMAL Murray scored 10 of his 36 points in overtime, Nikola Jokic had 29 points and 10 rebounds, and Denver Nuggets overcame 57 points from Donovan Mitchell to beat Utah Jazz 135-125 in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series near Orlando on Monday. Mitchell set a franchise post-season scoring record - and scored the third-most points in NBA playoff history - but had just six points in the overtime when Denver outscored Utah 20-10. Jerami Grant had 19 points, Monte Morris added 14, Michael Porter Jr scored 13 and Torrey Craig had 11 before fouling out for Denver. For Jazz, Joe Ingles scored 19, Jordan Clarkson chipped in 18 off the bench and Rudy Gobert had 17 for

Jazz. Utah played without guard Mike Conley, who left the bubble for the birth of his son. Los Angeles Clippers 118 Dallas Mavericks 110 Kawhi Leonard registered 29 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and three steals to help Los Angeles hold off Dallas in the opening game of their Western Conference firstround playoff series. Mavericks led by five points early in the third quarter before big man Kristaps Porzingis was ejected following his second technical foul of the game. Clippers immediately responded with a 9-2 run. Luka Doncic recorded 42 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and three steals, setting an NBA record for the highest point total in a play-

er’s post-season debut. He also committed 11 turnovers, one shy of the post-season record set by Houston Rockets’ James Harden in 2015.

Toronto Raptors 134 Brooklyn Nets 110 Fred VanVleet scored a career playoff-best 30 points and added 11 assists as Toronto set

Denver Nuggets’ Jamal Murray (27) and Nikola Jokic (15) react during overtime against Utah Jazz in game one of the first round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs at The Field House(Mandatory Credit: Ashley Landis/Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports)

a franchise record for points in a playoff game to top Brooklyn in the opener of their best-ofseven first-round series. Raptors dominated early and led by as many as 33 points in the second quarter only to have the lead shrink to nine points entering the fourth quarter. Toronto regained control early in the fourth quarter and increased the lead to 18 points at 114-96 with 7:09 to play on a dunk and a free throw by OG Anunoby. Serge Ibaka had 22 points and seven rebounds off the bench for Raptors, and Pascal Siakam added 18 points and 11 rebounds. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot matched his career best with 26 points for Nets. Boston Celtics 109 Philadelphia 76ers 101 Jayson Tatum scored a

playoff-career-high 32 points, Jaylen Brown added 29, and Boston beat Philadelphia in the opener of their first-round playoff series. Brown had 15 points in the fourth as Celtics outscored 76ers 34-22 in the quarter to take Game 1 of the best-of-seven series. Tatum finished with 13 rebounds, and Kemba Walker chipped in 19 points. Gordon Hayward left the game in the fourth with a right ankle sprain and did not return. He is reportedly set to undergo an MRI exam. Joel Embiid led Philadelphia with 26 points and 16 rebounds, and Josh Richardson and Alec Burks each scored 18. The 76ers played without All-Star guard Ben Simmons (knee surgery). (Field Level Media)

Srinivasan: ‘I exercised all my authority as BCCI president’ to save Dhoni’s captaincy in 2011 N SRINIVASAN has revealed he overruled the selection panel and “exercised all my authority” as BCCI president to save MS Dhoni’s captaincy in 2011. Dhoni’s position had come under scrutiny, despite India’s World Cup win, after they had been whitewashed 4-0 in the Test series in England and Australia. The Australia reversal, in particular, made the national selectors contemplate appointing a new ODI captain for the tri-series that was to follow. However, this is when Srinivasan is believed to have vetoed any such move by the selectors. Under the BCCI’s constitution at the time, every appointment had to be ratified by the board president. Therefore Srinivasan was within his rights to intervene in this matter. It is not clear, however, whether another captain was picked by the selectors and vetoed by Srinivasan (as the rule specified); his comment only says he ensured Dhoni was retained as captain. “This was 2011. India had won the World Cup. And (then) in Australia, we didn’t do well in the Tests. So, one of the selectors wanted to

remove Dhoni as the ODI captain,” Srinivasan told the Indian Express. “The point is, how do you remove him as the ODI captain? “He had won the World Cup (in April 2011). The selectors had not even thought of who would be his replacement. There was a discussion and then (before the formal meeting) I said there was no way in which he would not be a player (captain). “In fact, it was a holiday. I was playing golf. I came back. Sanjay Jagdale was the (BCCI) secretary at that time and he said, ‘Sir, they (selectors) are refusing to choose the captain. They will take him (Dhoni) in the team (as a player).’ I came and said that MS Dhoni would be the captain. I exercised all my authority as the (BCCI) president.” Srinivasan’s comments merely confirm what was widely speculated at the time. That the BCCI president, who also happened to be the owner of the IPL franchise (Chennai Super Kings) Dhoni captained, intervened to prevent a captaincy change. There was also speculation that this also led to Mohinder Amarnath being sacked as a selector when

he was tipped to take over as chairman of the selection committee from Kris Srikkanth. Amarnath had been vocal in his decision to oust Dhoni as captain at the time. Sandeep Patil, Amarnath’s former India team-mate, eventually took over. ‘DHONI CAN PLAY FOR CSK AS LONG AS HE WANTS’ Srinivasan has also left the door open for Dhoni to play for CSK for as long as he wants. Dhoni announced his international retirement on August 15 from Chennai, where he is currently involved in a preparatory camp with the other Indian players before flying out to Dubai for the 2020 IPL. “He can play for CSK as long as he wants,” Srinivasan said. “At present, let CSK win the IPL. One of the reasons for CSK’s success under Dhoni is that he never thinks beyond the match. He never digresses. And we will follow the same policy now.” Earlier this month, Kasi Viswanathan, the Super Kings CEO, said they expect Dhoni to play for the franchise for another two years at least.

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Basil Butcher Trust Fund, Mike’s Pharmacy donate to Berbice Sports Award programme THE very popular Basil Butcher Memorial Trust Fund continues to make a positive difference in the county of Berbice, as the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC) and the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) continue to pay tribute to the legendary West Indies Test player whose 87th birthday would be celebrated on the September 3. BCB president and RHTYSC Secretary/CEO, Hilbert Foster, along with a delegation, visited several public institutions over the last weekend to donate dozens of clocks under the fund. The clocks were donated to the RHTYSC by popular businessman, Lakeram Singh, of Mike’s Pharmacy of BelAir, Georgetown. Among the recipients were Port Mourant Public Hospital, Rose Hall Town Police Outpost, Rose Hall Post Office, Rose Hall Town Fire Station and Rose Hall Town Council. Plans are also being finalised to provide clocks for every police station and fire station in

Region Six. Foster stated that the donations were made as visits to most government offices revealed the absence of clocks,

with workers and visitors depending on their cell phones to know the time. The fund also donated a large amount of children’s

three-match series starts on August 28 in Manchester. Sussex bowler Jordan has taken 58 wickets in 46 T20 appearances for England. No Test players have

Dawid Malan scored a century for England against New Zealand in Napier in November 2019

Malan missed the oneday series against Ireland with a calf problem, while Jordan had surgery in July. Malan scored an unbeaten century against New Zealand in his last T20 match for England in November 2019. The first T20 of the

the clocks and promised more assistance in the near future. Most of these institutions had already received cleaning detergents from the fund.

BCB president Hilbert Foster (third from left), hands over donation to the Port Mourant Public Hospital representatives

Malan, Jordan return to England T20 squad BATSMAN Dawid Malan and pace bowler Chris Jordan have been named in England’s 14-player squad for the T20 series against Pakistan after recovering from injury.

medicine to Port Mourant Hospital, which would be used in its out-clinics. Foster urged the management of the different recipients to take care of

been named in the squad, with the final Test against Pakistan finishing three days before the first T20 at Emirates Old Trafford. The second match of the series will be shown live on BBC TV. “ We w a n t t o g i v e multi-format players some

opportunity to rest and refresh, while still selecting strong squads for every series,” national selector Ed Smith said. Top-order batsman James Vince, who struggled against Ireland, has not been included, while Reece Topley is named in the reserves. Head coach Chris Silverwood will miss the series, with former England batsman Graham Thorpe overseeing the squad. Ex-Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood will also be part of England’s coaching staff. England T20 squad Eoin Morgan (capt.), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow (wkp.), Tom Banton, Sam Billings (wkp.), Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Lewis Gregory, Chris Jordan, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, David Willey. Reserves: Pat Brown, Liam Livingstone, Reece Topley. (BBC Sport)

Assistant Secretary/CEO, Simon Naidu, disclosed that items worth over $3M have been distributed so far under the fund, including 960 food hampers, cricket gear to 67 young cricketers, cleaning detergents, scorebooks, footwear, clothing, household utilities, educational materials and bicycles. The fund would shortly visit Linden to share cricket gear and cycles to young cricketers and students. Meanwhile, the Fund would also sponsor the Annual Gregory Gaskin Region Six Sports Award Programme. Foster disclosed that five awards would be presented: Sportsman-of-the-Year 2019; Sportswoman-of-theYear 2019; Sports Association-of-the-Year 2019; Lifetime Achievement Award and Sports Personality-of-the-Year. No ceremony will be held due to the COVID-19 social-distancing guidelines, but the awardees would receive their awards at home. Awardees would receive trophies, medals, certificate of excellence and a collection of gifts.

SA women unable to tour England in September due to travel restrictions

England lost to South Africa in their opening group match of the T20 World Cup in February

SOUTH Africa women will not tour England next month because of coronavirus travel restrictions. The Proteas had been set to play two Twenty20s and four one-day internationals in England in September. A tri-series had also been proposed for the summer but India withdrew in July because of similar restrictions. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) says it is determined to play some women’s cricket this year

and is in talks with several boards. West Indies are understood to be keen to replace South Africa. “Women’s and girls’ cricket is a huge part of the ECB strategy and despite the devastating impact of COVID-19, this ambition has not waned,” said Clare Connor, managing director of women’s cricket. “We continue to explore all options to see England Women play competitively

this summer.” England’s players have been in a bio-secure training bubble in Derby, where the matches were set to be played. They have not played any international cricket since the T20 World Cup in Australia in March. The 50-over World Cup - in which England are defending champions - was set to be held in February in New Zealand, but has since been postponed until 2022. (BBC Sport)

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Barcelona’s boss says former player Ronald Koeman will be new head coach RONALD Koeman will be the new manager of Barcelona, says club president Josep Maria Bartomeu.The 57-year-old, who is currently in charge of the Netherlands, is set to join the La Liga runners-up this week.

CSA appoints Beresford Williams as acting president FLASHBACK: CRICKET South Africa (CSA) has appointed Beresford Williams as acting president of the board - following the resignation of Chris Nenzani on Saturday - with a more long-term appointment expected when the board’s annual general meeting is convened on September 5. The decision came a day after Dr Jacques Faul resigned as acting CEO of the board, not long after the organisation revealed that Nenzani had stepped down from his position over the weekend and COO Naasei Appiah had been fired. Faul, who was seconded from the Titans in December 2019, was due to return to his role with the franchise on September 15, but opted to leave his post four weeks

Beresford Williams (right) with Graeme Smith after the Cape Town Test against Australia in November 2011 (Gallo Images/Getty Images)

early. While Faul was not available for comment on Monday evening, ESPNcricinfo understands that he chose to leave his post following a heated board meeting in which his position became untenable. An acting CEO is expected to be named imminently, with Appiah, who is fighting his dismissal in court, making himself “available” on a radio show minutes after news of Faul’s resignation was made public. Company secretary Welsh Gwaza, who was at the board meeting, and was unable to divulge any information, is one of the names being mentioned for the acting role. In a statement, CSA said: “Dr Faul has put in place a

detail transitional plan that will ensure the organisation makes a seamless transition to a new Acting CEO that the Board will advise on shortly. The Board is forever grateful for the outstanding commitment and leadership that Dr Faul has made and continues to make to CSA and the game of cricket.” Nenzani stepped down three weeks before his term was due to end, following increasing pressure in the face of administrative upheaval. A CSA statement, issued on Monday morning, gave no reason for Nenzani’s exit, and thanked him for his time in office. “Mr Nenzani has provided valuable leadership, insight, assistance and direction in advancing the game of cricket with a focus on

achieving transformation and access for the majority of the South African population,” the statement read. Not everyone feels that’s enough, though. “Given what has happened over the last nine months, the president owes stakeholders an explanation for why he is stepping down now,” Andrew Breetzke, SACA CEO, told ESPNcricinfo. Nenzani had been in the position since 2013 and served two three-year terms, the second of which was extended through a change in CSA’s constitution in 2019. That gave Nenzani an additional 12 months, to see CSA through a difficult period. But he has since said he regretted staying on. (ESPN Cricinfo)

sell players. “There is money but Covid-19 has reduced income so we have to reduce payroll to be able to bring in new footballers,” he said. Koeman, who played for the Catalan giants between

Ronald Koeman (right) arrived at Barcelona’s El Prat airport on Tuesday

Speaking on Tuesday night, Bartomeu said: “Koeman is the one we’ve chosen. If nothing goes wrong he will be the head coach next season.” Former Netherlands and Barca defender Koeman flew to Barcelona on Tuesday to finalise a deal with the club. There have been rumours that the team’s star Lionel Messi could leave but Bartomeu said: “Messi wants to end his career at Barca, he has said that many times. “I have spoken with Koeman and the pillar of our project is Messi. “He has a contract until 2021, I speak a lot with Leo and more regularly with his father. “He is number one in the world. There is no doubt that in Koeman’s new project you can count on Messi.” But the president added that the club would have to

1989 and 1995 and helped them to four league titles and the European Cup, has a contract with the Dutch FA which runs until the 2022 World Cup. Earlier on Tuesday, when the former Barca player was asked if he wanted to return as manager, he said: “I’d like to, but it’ll only be confirmed once I’ve signed the deal. “Until then, I cannot say any more about it - even though I’d like to.” Barcelona parted company with sporting director Eric Abidal on Tuesday, one day after relieving head coach Quique Setien of his duties. The dismissals come after the club’s humiliating 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich in the Champions League last eight on Friday. Meanwhile, Barca’s German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, 28, will be sidelined for 10 weeks after an operation on his right knee. (BBC Sport)

Ferrari, McLaren and Williams sign new F1 agreement By Alan Baldwin LONDON, England (Reuters) - Formula One’s three oldest and historically most

successful teams - Ferrari, McLaren and Williams committed to the sport until at least the end of 2025 yesterday by putting their sig-

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER Wednesday, August 19, 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) Raymond Reifer-4/24 (Tridents) (2) 13 sixes (1) (2)

TODAY’S QUIZ: Who has taken most wickets for the Warriors in CPL cricket to date? Who has scored most runs for the Warriors in CPL cricket to date? ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

natures to a new commercial ‘Concorde Agreement’. Yesterday was the first day the 10 teams could sign with rights holders Liberty Media and the governing FIA and McLaren were first to confirm they had done so, followed by their Italian and English rivals. The final deadline is the end of the month. “This is the right deal at the right time for the sport, its owners, its teams and, most of all, the fans,” said McLaren Racing chief executive Zak Brown in a statement. “A more equitable sport is better for everyone: greater balance in the sharing of revenues among all the teams and clearer, simpler governance that cuts through vested interests and puts the sport first. Brown, whose team have

competed in the championship since 1966 and have won eight constructors’ and 12 drivers’ titles, said the new agreement would make the teams collectively stronger. “Everyone has had to give ground for the bigger outcome, which will be a more competitive, exciting and thriving Formula One for future generations, which in turn secures a healthy sport for both participants and fans alike,” he added. Ferrari chief executive Louis Camilleri said it was an important step to ensure the sport’s stability and growth. Formula One’s finances have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with races so far being run without spectators while others such as

the showcase Monaco Grand Prix have been cancelled. “We are very confident that the collaboration with the FIA and Liberty Media can make Formula One even more attractive and spectacular, while preserving its status as the ultimate technological challenge,” Camilleri said in a statement. Ferrari are the only team to have raced in every world championship season since the first in 1950 and have won 16 constructors’ titles and 15 drivers’ crowns. Williams, the third oldest and most successful team who are currently struggling, said the new deal was “vitally important” and represented “a significant opportunity for Williams to continue on our journey back towards the front of the grid.”

Champions Mercedes are also set to sign soon after earlier resistance. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff had said the new agreement hurt his team the most, financially, while Ferrari had “maintained an advantageous position”, but they had decided to go forward. Formula One chief executive Chase Carey said grand prix racing and Ferrari had “gone hand in hand since 1950 and we are happy that this relationship is set to continue for a long time, as it is part of the very DNA of this sport.” He hailed Ferrari’s “constructive role always aimed at making the pinnacle of motorsport stronger, fairer and more sustainable”.

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‘Windies flopped in key moments’―Adams

BRIDGETOWN, (CMC)West Indies’ director of cricket, Jimmy Adams, believes the regional side failed to seize the critical moments on the just-concluded tour of England, costing them a valuable series win in the three-Test rubber. Pointing to the batting collapse in the first innings of the second Test at Old Trafford, Adams said West Indies surrendered the momentum and then found it difficult to regain their footing, especially against a quality England side. The former West Indies captain said going forward, it was now important the Caribbean side learned to capitalise on key moments during tours if they were to come away with winning results. “We pushed the contest to a critical point which was the latter part of that first innings

of the second Test,” Adams said. “So we’ve gone into battle and early in the battle England realise they have a fight on their hands and they dig in, and both teams spar to that critical point and … England won that critical point. “And I can say easily from experience, when you give a team that have the capacity they have a foot in the door, a lot of good teams don’t give you a second chance [and] they didn’t give us a second chance. “It would’ve been great if we’d had the capacity at that critical point to have held onto the lead that we had by batting England out of that game [by] posting a near-400 total.” Having beaten England by four wickets in the opening game at Southampton, West Indies found themselves well placed on 242 for four in their

first innings on the fourth day of the second Test, after rain had forced the abandonment of the third day.

the final day, West Indies collapsed to 198 all out in their second innings to plunge to a 113-run loss.

West Indies director of cricket Jimmy Adams

But a stunning collapse saw the Windies lose their last six wickets for 45 runs and surrender a massive 182run lead to England. Set an improbable target of 312 on

They were completely outplayed in the decisive third Test to lose by 269 runs, relinquishing their hold on the Wisden Trophy they had won a year earlier in the Caribbean.

Adams said that moment in the second Test was a learning curve which West Indies would find useful in future series. “That is something that we have to learn from and hopefully if we go back to England in three or four years time, we’ll be better prepared to deal with situations like that,” Adams told Starcom Radio’s Mason and Guests cricket show. “And not just going back to England but as a team, wherever we go … if we go to the subcontinent, we learn from that experience and get better at not just fighting our way to a critical point in the game where the game or the series is going to hinge, but to grab these moments.” Adams, who has spent the last three years in his current role, said individual players also needed to assess key

periods of a game in order to put West Indies into winning positions. Several batsmen scored half-centuries during the series but none managed to convert to three figures, falling at crucial times and letting the tourists’ advantage slip. “As a player you can be fighting your way to a critical moment where – and I speak as a batsman – you know that if you get through this particular spell, you’re home [and] dry in terms of the way the game will swing and you just have to survive a period,” Adams explained. “Your value as a player is a lot of times dictated by your ability not just to fight to a critical point but to win it, to conquer it and to move on from there so I’m hoping there would have been lessons learnt for the group that was there.”

Owners of Tallawahs, Tridents buy Statistics will count for nothing when we face Bayern - Lyon coach franchises in USA-based T20 competition (REUTERS) - Statistics will count for nothing when underdogs Olympique Lyonnais take on free-scoring Bayern Munich in their Champions League semi-final today, coach Rudi Garcia has warned.

which was on full display in the German side’s 8-2 dismantling of Barcelona in the previous round, Garcia pointed out that his team had just sent an equally formidable attacking side packing. “City scored more than

Champions League - Olympique Lyonnais Training Estadio do Restelo, Lisbon, Portugal - August 18, 2020 Olympique Lyonnais coach Rudi Garcia during training Franck (Fife/Pool via REUTERS)

Lyon, in their first Champions League semi-final since 2010, fear nothing after knocking out Juventus in the last 16 and Manchester City in the quarter-finals, showing resilience and poise to secure their place in the last four. Asked about Bayern’s impressive firepower,

100 goals in the Premier League, so if we just look at the stats we can just watch the game at the hotel and Bayern can play alone,” Garcia told a news conference on Tuesday. Ten years after being denied a spot in the final by Bayern in a 4-0 aggregate defeat, Lyon believe they

have a chance against the German champions. “They don’t have a lot of weak points but no team are perfect,” Garcia said. “We might be the underdogs but we beat big teams to get there and others may start taking us seriously. “Maybe we’re not a big mountain to climb but sometimes just a little pebble in your shoe can prevent you from climbing that little mountain.” Garcia said he could rely on his whole squad as no player is injured and does not think having played against City only four days ago will be a problem. “Now we can change half of the team - with five substitutions being allowed - so it’s okay,” he explained. “We can be a pain for any team.” Goalkeeper Anthony Lopes was confident he and his team mates would not give up until the final whistle. “We have the opportunity to play in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Bayern are a big team but we’re going to give everything,” he said.

KRISH Persaud and Manish Patel, the American-based owners of Jamaica Tallawahs and Barbados Tridents, respectively, have purchased franchises in a T20 competition in the United States. USA Cricket released a list of franchise owners this past weekend. Persaud owns the Fort Lauderdale Lions while Patel, who previously owned Jamaica Tallawahs when they won the CPL in 2016, and who now owns the Tridents, is the principal behind the owner of the Austin Athletics. The 24-team competition, the result of a partnership between USA Cricket and American Cricket Enterprises, was set to begin later this year but was postponed because of the pandemic. However, they remain enthusiastic about the competition. “We have spent the last several weeks on-boarding franchise owners. We have always been aware of the deep-rooted enthusiasm for cricket in the United States. However, the passion that this group of owners has for growing cricket in this country far exceeded any expectations we had when we commenced this process. We are excited to embark on this journey with them and look forward to the upcoming Minor League Cricket Draft,” said Sameer Mehta and Vijay Srinivasan of American Cricket Enterprises. “In consultation with team owners, the decision has been made to reschedule

the Minor League Cricket Draft for Saturday, August 22. “This decision was made to provide teams with additional time to evaluate players and allow further planning in advance of the Draft. All players who have completed the player registration process will be eligible to be drafted onto a

MiLC team for the upcoming Franchise Exhibition Matches. Players who are selected will be notified by Minor League Cricket, with final team rosters to be announced publicly in due course.” According to USA Cricket, the USA has an estimated 20 million fans of cricket. (Sportsmax)

Sunil Narine’s heroics lead TKR to victory in

Sunil Narine carts one into the offside Randy Brooks - CPL T20 / Getty

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opener LEAGUE FINAL

Angel Di Maria (left) celebrates with Neymar after scoring in the semi-final

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Shimron Hetmyer’s unbeaten 63 came off 44 balls

Classy PSG reach first first Champions League final Paris St-Germain (PSG) are through to their first Champions League final courtesy of a deserved victory over RB Leipzig in an entertaining semi-final in Lisbon. One of Europe’s biggest spenders, but also one of the continent’s most high-profile underachievers on the grandest stage, PSG finally seized their opportunity courtesy of goals from Marquinhos, Angel di Maria and Juan Bernat. The former, who scored the first of two late goals in a comeback win over Atalanta in the last eight, rose to head home a superbly delivered free-kick from Di Maria. The Argentine forward then finished well from close range following an audacious flick from Neymar after Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi had relinquished possession with a dire kick. With the fit again Kylian Mbappe and Neymar terrorising the Leipzig backline, the French side should have been out of sight before the break, but the latter twice hit the post - from a clipped finish and then an opportunist free-kick from range - before side-footing another chance wide at the near post. Prior to PSG’s second, Yussuf Poulsen had Leipzig’s best chance but fired wide after he was found by a Dani Olmo pull-back. Bernat sealed the win in the second half with a header that Leipzig felt was offside but was legitimate as the prone Nordi Mukiele, who had slipped in the build-up, was playing the scorer onside. PSG will find out who they face in Sunday’s final when five-time winners Bayern Munich play Lyon in the other semi-final today.

FRONT THREE GIVE PSG THEIR WINGS This is glorious, but nervous, virgin territory for PSG. The vast sums of money pumped into the French club by owners Qatar Sports Investments since 2011 has enabled them to dominate domestically. In Europe, though, not so much. In the three seasons prior to this one they exited in the last 16, and before that they went out in the quarter-finals four years in a row - results that ultimately cost managers Laurent Blanc and Unai Emery their jobs. Thomas Tuchel, though, has found a way to break the glass ceiling, leading the side from the French capital to their first major European final since the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1997, a year before Mbappe was born. You cannot begrudge them it either on the basis of Tuesday’s performance, which was calm, confident and incisive, in contrast to a nervy and often negligent display from their opponents. The first and third goals gave Di Maria his 88th and 89th assist in all competitions since he joined the club in August 2015 - only Barcelona’s Lionel Messi has more in Europe’s top five leagues in that time. He also now has nine goal involvements in the competition this season, surpassing the tally he managed in helping Real Madrid lift the trophy in 2013-14. Neymar’s brilliant assist took him to 23 goal involvements in 19 appearances for PSG (14 goals & 9 assists) in the Champions League and while Mbappe’s finishing was rusty, he was still able to regularly fashion chances for himself and others. (BBC Sport).

‘Windies flopped in key moments’―Adams

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2020