WEDNESDAY 23rd September, 2020
’ No. 106131
Modern detention facility for Lusignan PAGE
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–– recent death of inmates ‘regrettable’, says Minister Benn
–– 140 prisoners infected with COVID-19, 80 transferred to Madewini
Remdesivir shows positive signs
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Coalition prevented from slashing Amerindian funds
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CSEC pass 18 rate up, CAPE down PAGE
GUYANA has already lost 69 persons to the dreaded novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and while the loss of life is never pleasant, there has been a small, but significant development, in the use of the remdesivir drug, which has so far shown positive signs in the treatment of COVID-19. Cardiologist, Dr. Mahendra Carpen, who is spearheading the
trials of the drug, said it was administered to nine patients and there was no adverse effect. “Patients responded good and three patients did not need oxygen or intubation after starting the drug,” said Dr. Carpen during an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Monday. According to New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), remdesivir, a nucleotide analogue
pro-drug that inhibits viral RNA polymerases, has shown in-vitro activity against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). While Guyana has been able to acquire and use hydroxychloroquine, remdesivir had been out of the country’s reach for quite some time, as the supplier has been producing only limited amounts. Most of the drugs were being consumed by the US, but Guyana
was able to acquire 240 doses of a generic version of remdesivir from India. So far, as Dr. Carpen said, there have been no adverse effects from the drug, but one patient, who was critically ill, could not be saved despite the drug’s responsiveness. Some of the patients are still under hospital supervision, but the doctor maintained that patients have been responding well.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Not again –– Coalition thwarted in attempt to cut funding for Amerindians By Rabindra Rooplall
THE APNU+AFC on Tuesday failed in a bid to vote down the capital expenditures under the Amerindian Affairs Ministry in the National Assembly. The coalition was outvoted 32 to 25 with two Members of Parliament (MPs) abstaining from the vote. The odd move by the Coalition occurred on Tuesday during the consideration of the agency estimates in the Committee of Supply. Had the coalition been successful in voting down the $845M, funds for development in Amerindian communities in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine would have been cut.
tourism and developmental projects, the reinstatement of the CSOs the coalition sent home when they assumed office in 2015 and transport that will include the procuring of ATVs and pickup trucks for Amerindian villages. In the celebration of Amerindian Heritage Month, the minister said it is a travesty that the APNU+AFC saw it fit to vote against develop-
Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Campbell-Sukhai The allocation the opposition unsuccessfully voted against is disbursed under the ministry’s Community Development and Empowerment Programme. The division vote was proposed by coalition parliamentarian, Ganesh Mahipaul. Missing from the opposition side during the vote was their Chief Whip, Chris-
Government MP, Yvonne Pearson-Fredricks topher Jones and Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon. Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Campbell-Sukhai said the opposition voted against sums to support agriculture, youth development, investment funds,
velopment of Amerindians,” the subject minister said, adding: “They are vindictive because they feel they did not get the majority of votes (electoral) and support from the Amerindians so they are intent on discriminating them.” Government MP, Dr. Thandika Smith, was also taken aback by the move by the coalition. “I had firsthand experience of seeing the most malicious and discriminatory act by the APNU+AFC as they voted against over $800M for the development of Amerindian Communities,” she said, contending that the mindset of the coalition seems to be a continuation of what the APNU+AFC had done over
Coalition Parliamentarian, Ganesh Mahipaul
ment and relief for Amerindians countrywide. “Over the past five years the APNU+AFC Government had stifled the growth and de-
people,” Dr. Smith conveyed. The parliamentarian said that the PPP/C government has plans and programmes to benefit every Amerindian community and as Amerindian Heritage Month is being celebrated, government will continue to work hard and make representation countrywide. Meanwhile, government MP Yvonne Pearson-Fredricks, in her response, noted that the APNU+AFC is vindictive and under the current government, all interest of the Amerindian community will be respected and supported. SHOCKED “You know it was not really shocking but I wish to point out that representative of Region One, Ronald Cox, he voted against the Amerindian budget; Region Seven, Dawn Hastings sitting there in person also voted against it; Region Nine, Vincent Henry See page 9
Government MP, Dr. Thandika Smith the past five years. HEARTBROKEN “I am really heartbroken to see the persons who took an oath to stand for all Guyanese and especially for the Amerindian community and would vote against the development of their fellow brothers and sisters. You know something that really hurt me and that I am really upset about, is Ms. Dawn Hastings specifically mentioning she will tell the Amerindian community in her language and in their language that she didn’t vote for them. That is what she said, it’s disappointing to see how these people are dishonest, barefaced, shameless, you know, sitting in Parliament and claiming they are representing the Amerindian
Government MP, Alister Charlie
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
New, modern detention facility to be constructed at Lusignan –– Minister Benn says recent death of inmates ‘regrettable’ –– 140 prisoners infected with COVID-19, 80 transferred to Madewini By Navendra Seoraj
JUST days after an unrest which resulted in the death of two prisoners, Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, has announced that government will be building a new, modern detention facility to house inmates of the Lusignan Prison, which has been overrun and crowded since the Camp Street Prison fires. In October 2017, Guyana was advised that the Lusig-
office, kitchen and facilities for approximately 185 to 190 prisoners. Authorities had established makeshift holding bays in the compound of the facility, but the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) had exacerbated the situation, causing prisoners to become uneasy and most recently leading to an unrest which resulted in the death of two prisoners and the injury of five others. In responding to questions from Opposition Member of Parliament, Geeta Chandan-Edmond on the issue at Lusignan, Minister Benn said the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), while in opposition, had recognised the conditions at Lusignan and had concluded that there was severe congestion. “We are working to improve conditions to allow for better separation among prisoners,” said Benn, adding that some 570 prisoners were lying closely together when the PPP/C first in-
Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn nan Prison should be closed down without delay. This advice came from the United Nations’ Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent. The group had issued a raft of recommendations addressing the state of the country’s penal system, stating that steps should be taken to improve the infrastructure and hygienic conditions within prisons, bringing them within international standards. The Lusignan Prison had been overrun since the destruction of a large part of the 133-year-old Camp Street prison in 2017- a little over a year after 17 prisoners were killed in a fire at the same facility. The situation at Lusignan was worsened earlier this year, following a fire which destroyed one of the facility’s main buildings which housed an administrative
COVID-19. The issue of congestion and other underlying concerns caused a stir at the Lusignan prison on Saturday, said Minister Benn. Prior to the unrest, it was reported that two prisoners had tested positive for COVID-19. He said prisoners had started refusing their meals since September 18, but the situation escalated on Saturday following his visit to the facility. Minister Benn was accompanied by Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony. “We thought conditions would have settled on Saturday, as they were asking to see the minister…Frank and I tried to get the prisoners to settle down, and even when we got there, we were welcomed on entering. “We spoke with the prisoners in bay two and the discussions revolved around the overarching issues related to court hearings and so on, then we moved to bay one where the discussions degenerated to individual issues,” said Minister Benn. He said the discussions were going good until prisoners in other holding bays became agitated and started throwing missiles. In further recounting what occurred, Minister Benn said: “They got unruly and we exited the prison… on exiting the prison, they continued throwing inside and outside and we decided to leave because they were coming over the prison gate and people had to duck for cover. “We were aware that the
Opposition Parliamentarian, Geeta Chandan-Edmond spected the facility after being sworn into government in August. The minister told the National Assembly that he visited the prison and identified those problems and had already started initiating plans for the expansion and separation of prisoners to reduce congestion, but those plans were stymied by
Opposition MP, Nicolette Henry
prison guards in the restricted part had to rush out of there and slam shut the main gates; there were bricks and stuff being thrown at them ...the understanding I have so far is that the prison guards opened the tents and went to the towers, and while being under attack, shots were fired.” Seven prisoners were injured as a result, but two of those persons die-d in the compound. Three of the remaining five were detained at Lusignan, while the others were treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). “The loss of life is regrettable and sad, but I would have to say that my understanding is that the final parameter was under attack and they took necessary measures to ensure we do not have what occurred in the past (prison breaks),” said Minister Benn.
The Lusignan Prison Chandan-Edmond pressed Benn for more answers, but the minister said those questions will be answered once a comprehensive review is done. COVID-19 MEASURES Both Chandan-Edmond and her colleague on the opposing side of the National Assembly, Nicolette Henry, further questioned the minister on what measures are in place to ensure the safety of prisoners amidst COVID-19. To this, he replied that 140 prisoners have tested positive for the disease, but 80 persons were transported under ‘tight’ security to a secure area at Madewini. To cater for the remaining prisoners and to further promote social distancing, the minister said authorities are expanding an area to the east of the facility. This area, he said, will be equipped
with beds and tents. “I anticipate by tomorrow (today) we will be in a better position to move some of those prisoners over to that area,” said Minister Benn. Authorities have also been promoting social distancing at other detention facilities and have also been providing those facilities with masks, washing materials and sanitisers. Health authorities have so far tested 12,394 persons, with 9,823 being negative, and 2,402 positive. Some 133 of those cases were recorded within the past 24 hours. Of the total positive cases, 1,359 persons have recovered, and 69 have lost their lives. The remaining cases include 102 persons in institutional isolation, 860 in home isolation, and 16 in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Covid: US death toll passes 200,000 (BBC) The US coronavirus death toll has passed 200,000, according to data from Johns Hopkins University (JHU). More than 6.8 million people are known to have been infected in the US, more than in any other country. The milestone comes amid an increase in cases in a number of states, including North Dakota and Utah. In March, President Donald Trump said if deaths were between 100,000 and 200,000, the country would have done a “very good job”. The previous month, when 15 cases had been reported in the country, he predicted that the number was going to be “close to zero” within a couple of days. JHU reported the new death toll of 200,005 on Tuesday. The university
has been collecting US and global coronavirus data since the outbreak began late last year in China. The first case in the US was confirmed in January. President Trump’s administration has been repeatedly criticised over its handling of the outbreak. “Due to Donald Trump’s lies and incompetence in the past six months, [we] have seen one of the greatest losses of American life in history,” Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said on Monday. “With this crisis, a real crisis, a crisis that required serious presidential leadership, he just wasn’t up to it. He froze. He failed to act. He panicked. And America has paid the worst price of any nation in the world.” But on the same day, Mr Trump said he and his administration had done “a
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 09:30hrs
phenomenal job” and gave himself an “A+” for his handling of the pandemic. He said the US was “rounding the corner on the pandemic, with or without a vaccine”. WHAT’S THE CURRENT SITUATION IN THE US? North Dakota has seen a sharp rise in coronavirus cases in recent weeks. Of-
ficials say there were more than 3,200 active cases in the state as of Monday, while 87 people are in hospital. The state ranks first in the country for the number of cases per capita in the past two weeks, according to data cited by the Associated Press news agency. Cases are also rising in states including Utah, Texas and South Dakota. On Tuesday, Wisconsin extended
a public health emergency order for the third time since 30 July. There is growing concern that infections will continue to rise during the winter months. US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci warned earlier this month that Americans should “hunker down” for autumn and winter. On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) removed guidance on airborne transmission of coronavirus that had been updated on Friday. In the now removed advice, the CDC said the virus could spread via particles that remain in the air and advised on the use of air purifiers indoors. The CDC said this was a “draft version of proposed changes” and had been “posted in error”.
Ginsburg Supreme Court: Republicans secure vote for replacement
(BBC) Republicans have secured the numbers needed to ensure that President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee will face a confirmation vote in the Senate. Senator Mitt Romney of Utah has given the party the 51 backers needed to move forward with voting on Mr Trump’s candidate to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died on Friday. Democrats argued there should be no confirmation in an election year. The move guarantees a bitter political battle going into November’s vote. President Trump says he will announce his chosen nominee on Saturday, and has vowed to pick a woman. Supreme Court justices are nominated to the bench by the US president, but must be approved by the Senate. With the death of Justice Ginsburg, a liberal stalwart, Mr Trump has been given the chance to cement a rightward ideological tilt of the nine-member court by replacing her with a conservative. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has
Mr Romney, who has clashed fiercely with Mr Trump, was seen as a possible Republican holdout vowed to hold a confirmation vote before the election in November, but a question mark had hung all week over whether enough Republicans in the chamber would back him. Although they hold a slim majority with 53 seats, two centrist Republican senators - Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska - said they were sceptical of confirming a lifetime judicial appointment in an election year. Mr Romney, a Trump critic who the president called “our worst senator” earlier this month, was seen as a possible defector. Mr Romney is one of the few Republicans in Washington willing to criticise Mr Trump in public and voted earlier this year to convict him during his impeachment
trial. However, in a statement released on Tuesday, Mr Romney said he would give Mr Trump’s nominee a hearing, citing “historical precedent”. “My decision regarding a Supreme Court nomination is not the result of a subjective test of ‘fairness’ which, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder,” he said. “It is based on the immutable fairness of following the law, which in this case is the Constitution and precedent. The historical precedent of election year nominations is that the Senate generally does not confirm an opposing party’s nominee but does confirm a nominee of its own.” REPUBLICANS FALL INTO LINE
It didn’t take long for Republican senators to fall into line. In the end, concerns about hypocrisy - just four years ago the Republican majority blocked Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nomination because it was made in “an election year” - took a backseat to simple power politics. The Republicans have the opportunity to cement a solid conservative majority on the high court, and they won’t let it slip away - even if there are political consequences for Republican senators seeking re-election in moderate states. Democrats will howl with anger, but at this point there’s not much they can do, procedurally, to stop what seems inevitable. Instead, they will issue warnings of grave consequences if and when they take power next year. They’ve threatened to add seats to the Supreme Court, admit new, Democratic-leaning states (namely, Washington DC and Puerto Rico) or strengthen the power of the Senate majority. All those are hypothetical battles for another day, however.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
T&T: Cops seize cash, detain 10 in alleged pyramid scheme (TRINIDAD GUARDIAN) At least ten people, including personnel from the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force, have been detained and millions of dollars recovered from what police say is an illegal pyramid scheme based in La Horquetta. Investigators told Guardian Media that the exercise, co-ordinated by Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith, ACP for Crime Jayson Forde and Sen Supt Ramkhela-
wan along with officers from the Special Operations Response Team(SORT) under Sgt Mark Hernandez, went to the La Horquetta apartment shortly after 10 am Tuesday. Officers acting on information executed a warrant at the apartment located at 516 Kathleen Warner Drive. During their search, police sources told Guardian Media that they found huge sums of money hidden in the ceiling of the apartment, as well as a nearby water tank
and other areas. “It’s a lot of money and looks like millions. The money was everywhere,” one source disclosed. Investigators also apprehended at least ten people, some of whom are serving members of the T&T Defence Force. The officers believe the cash may be related to money laundering activities by key persons held during the raid. Up to a short while ago the area was still cordoned
Jamaica: Four COVID Field Hospitals To Be Established (JAMAICA GLEANER) With the sharp spike in the number of Jamaicans contracting COVID-19, four field hospitals are to be established to provide more bed spaces for treating persons with the virus. Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton today reported that a 40-bed facility is to be erected at the National Chest Hospital and a 36-bed facility at the St Joseph Hospital in St Andrew. He was addressing a digital press conference at Jamaica House. The COVID health facility at the National Chest Hospital, which was donated by the United States government, will be officially handed over on Thursday. The Jamaican Government will spend $60 million to build out the St Joseph field hospital. Minister of Health and Further, two 36-bed field hospitals are to be established Wellness Dr Christopher at the Falmouth Hospital in Trelawny and Mandeville HosTufton addressing a pital in Manchester. digital press conference The Canadian government will be contributing at Jamaica House on SepCDN$100,000 to build out one of the facility, while the tember 22, 2020. Jamaican Government will be spending another $60 million to erect the other.
off and several lawyers had also arrived on the scene, sources said. The father of one of the people detained said he has been on the scene since his daughter was detained but up until 1 pm he had not been told why his daughter was arrested. Guardian Media understands that the main suspect is alleged to be running the biggest “sou sou” group in the country. To join, members must allegedly pay in $10,000 to receive $56,000
in return. A new group was started on Saturday morning and Guardian Media understands there are almost 8,000 members. Only recently, Guardian Media had run a series of stories about the dangers of the pyramid scheme. Several regulatory authorities, including the Intelligence Unit (FIU), Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT) and the Financial System Regulatory Author-
ities had jointly issued an advisory urging members of the public about jointing “pyramid schemes.” In recent months, members of the public have been encouraged to join these schemes via the social media platform of Whatsapp or by face to face contact with an individual. These schemes, authorities warned, falsely take the shape of new investments or even “sou sou” arrangements in other cases.
Barbados’ New High Commissioner To Ottawa Announced
(BARBADOS ADVOCATE) Member of Parliament (MP) for St. George North, Gline Clarke will be demitting office on September 30th to take up the post of Barbados’ High Commissioner to Canada. Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley announced this on Sunday night while addressing the St. George North branch’s Annual General Meeting at the St. George Secondary School. The post of High Commissioner to Ottawa was formerly held for two years by Reginald Farley who recently returned to Barbados and was appointed President of the Senate.
“He will step down from September 30th from the Parliament of Barbados after a distinguished career as the representative of St. George North, unbroken since 1994. That means that under the laws of this land, the people of this country will have to go to an election within 90 days of October 1st.” Mottley further congratulated the Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly on his 26 years as a parliamentarian and said she trusted he will do well in the new role. She also mentioned that he was formerly the Vice Counsel and Liaison Officer at Barbados’ High Commission in Canada in the past.
“I believe Gline that you will continue to bring that approach that you have that brings people together, people of different backgrounds, people of different perspectives [and] people of different ideologies. That is the genius of Gline…that he has been able to let everyone come and work together in the pursuit of common mission whatever that mission is.” Addressing the branch prior to the Prime Minister’s remarks, Clarke, who has been a member of the Barbados Labour Party for over 40 years, thanked his constituents and everyone who has supported him throughout his career.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Embrace technology THE announcements in the 2020 Budget confirmed that Dr. Irfaan Ali’s administration is set to fast track and streamline applications for housing titles and construction permits. This situation exposed how much the Granger Team failed this nation. This drive is set to cause a boom in the construction sector. What is set to happen under His Excellency the President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, is that housing development is set to rapidly expand with the targeted issuing of house lots in Region Two, Three, Four, Five, Six and 10 at a rapid pace with the processing being rolled out in the other regions mainly in the towns like Lethem. In total by Christmas 2021, there will be 10,000 proud owners of
new land titles thanks to the Dr. Irfaan Ali plan. But on top of that, there is a push to open some new industrial sites and complete such as the one at Belvedere in Corentyne. But meeting those deadlines will depend on the active participation of some nine state agencies involved in the process of breaking down all doors to get this done. With the push for greater participation in E-Governance, the existing paper-based process has to be pushed into the history books and replaced by a more digital system to reduce the number of touchpoints. To get a construction permit in Guyana, according to the World Bank Doing Business Report, takes an average of 208 days to complete. This
is unacceptable! The reality is that construction approval is more realistically counted in months, not days. This has to change. Why can’t all documents for the opening of a business and securing all construction permits be done on-line so that the system can be better monitored and tracked so that the slackers can be exposed and displaced? If there is any project that the local government system and the central government system can collaborate on, is getting all the NDC and the Town Councils on-line. It is at this local level that most of the time-wasting can be found. Navigating the Mayor and City Council in Georgetown is a nightmare and they have no benchmarks to measure their efficiency. Anyone
who had any dealing with the City Engineer’s Office can attest to this fact; it is a bureaucratic nightmare that needs urgent technological rescue. The Ministry of Business should try to make a big push to coordinate a project to get all of these local government agencies on-line and more functional to the point that one can be in New York City and apply for a business permit at any NDC or government agency and once all the right uploads are made, there will be a success. And why not? This is a standard operating procedure in any modern country in the world. Now that Guyana is once again in the ocean of democracy, it is important that we crush our rating on the World Bank’s Ease of Do-
ing Business Index to enhance our competitiveness. No one is standing still and parking their finances out there waiting for Guyana to become competitive. All market-leading participants in the global economy are hustling and Guyana either gets into the game or not! A project of this nature to help the local government system to get on-board to fast forward all business permits will also cut directly into a daunting tangle of ancient paperwork and arcane filing procedures that govern the operations at the Local Government Planning System; if there are any functional ones. Such a digital transformation project will create an automated, paperless information repository of the data currently trapped in huge paper
ledgers and rotting files in dingy offices (just visit the NDC Office in Buxton that covers the Buxton-Foulis area and you get the picture). At the end of the day, it is the little things that count in human development and any automation of the house-lot distribution system and the permit-issuing system in the local government network would have both positive philosophical and practical underpinnings. In the final analysis, some 50,000 Guyanese families are on the radar of the government to secure house-lots and hundreds of legitimate business ventures desperately need land to invest in job-creating opportunities. Let us break down all barriers to ensure they get it.
Under President Ali’s mantle, ‘The best is yet to come’ Dear editor, DURING US Secretary of State, Mr. Michael Pompeo’s visit last week in Guyana, both himself and President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, had expressed agreements and commitments whereby both countries are open to advancing economic development for this country and the US’ willingness to provide help in realising this goal. They also spoke on strengthening the relationship in various areas, including the safety and security of this nation and Secretary Pompeo promised to review existing trading constraints. Guyanese would recall many skeptics expressing reservation and fear about the sovereignty of this country at stake via the concept of “Quid Pro Quo”. Of interest also, was the election of 71-year-old Mr. Yoshihide Suga as Japan’s new prime minister in a par-
liamentary vote last Wednesday, becoming the country’s first new premier in nearly eight years, bringing the curtain down on the ailing outgoing Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe’s record run of almost eight consecutive years in the country’s top job. Suga’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party used its majority in the powerful lower house of parliament, which is empowered to pick the premier, to elect him to lead the world’s third largest economy as it tries to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. Interestingly, Japan, the world’s third largest economy, has a Cabinet consisting of members who are all over the age of 52 except for the youngest, the Minister of Environment, who is 39 years old. Suga’s noteworthy comment mentioned that, Japan’s alliance with the U.S. will remain the cornerstone of its foreign policy and that he wants to maintain stable ties with
China, his country’s biggest trading partner. If Japan can decide on this policy with the US, why not Guyana? With the on-going firing and hiring of political appointees in the midst of the budget debates under the stress of COVID-19 pandemic and handling the race crime in Berbice, Primetime Emmy Awards, TV industry’s shiniest night of the year, was hosted remotely, virtually and digitally in L.A. last Sunday, emceed by Jimmy Kimmel. Perhaps, of more enthusiasm, is the viewer’s anxiety to see who is wearing what to credit the fashion industry, with astonishing, amazing, challenging and revealing evening gowns, dresses, suits, costumes, jewellery and makeup, befitting the rich and famous. Incidentally, when one of the conversations in Guyana wraps around the rule of thumb regarding firing policies, Chicago radio station, 670 The Score,
has fired on-air host, Dan McNeil, after a comment he made on social media about the outfit ESPN sideline reporter, Maria Taylor, was wearing on last week Monday night. In a tweet that has since been deleted, McNeil posted a screenshot of Taylor, 33, who was making her debut on ESPN’s Monday Night Football and referenced the adult film industry in posing the question: “NFL sideline reporter or host for the AVN annual awards presentation?” The sports-talk station’s parent company called the tweet, “degrading and humiliating” and apologised to all who were offended, especially Maria. When one can be fired for sexist comment, what about racial comment in Guyana? Isn’t Guyana a copycat nation? Silk is an expensive material and known for its beauty and refinement. Wearing silk gowns bestowed on senior counsel is an honour
and signifies dignity, service and respect (among other attributes) to the court and the judiciary system. A counsel has to earn and deserve this merit before he or she may be awarded with this credit. Who has (or doesn’t have) the privilege to decide and authorise this ceremonial right is an engaging affair, currently being argued in the court in Guyana. Interestingly, Queen Elizabeth has stripped imprisoned American film producer, Harvey Weinstein of the royal honorific Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Weinstein was given a “CBE” in 2004 for his contributions to the British film industry. In March of this year, Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison after a NY City jury found the former Hollywood mogul guilty of committing a criminal sex act in the first degree and rape in the third degree. Although the Queen is
technically responsible for granting and canceling such honorifics, such decisions are in practice made by the Cabinet Office of the British government. In Guyana, so many counsel are grossly guilty of staining the gowns that they wear with their twisted words, misdeeds and immoral actions and yet their reputation, character and profession remain unblemished, valid and unchallengeable by the relevant authorities. Is this the land that God or time forgot? Prior to the election fiasco, there was a lot of ruction created by the infamous PNCR regarding all the hullaballoo about President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s qualification. After the unparalleled five-month wait for an election recount result, some Guyanese inculcated an adaptation of the US version of “Black Lives Matter” and “Knee on my See page 7
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Capt. Mazahar Ally seems out of sync with his own company’s operations Dear editor, CAPT. A Mazahar Ally of Air Services Ltd. in letters published in the Sunday Kaieteur and Stabroek News (September 20, 2020), represented himself as a “substantial shareholder” of Ogle Airport Inc. (OAI), when, in fact, he, personally, has no shares in OAI. His Company, ASL, however, is a minority investor in the airport, holding roughly 14 per cent of the shares in OAI. Immediately prior to his writing the media, Ally, inexplicably and irresponsibly, sent a series of threatening and grossly insulting emails to members of the OAI Board. He has now taken to the media to make completely unfounded and unsubstantiated allegations against the airport which are entirely false and have absolutely no basis in fact. I respond with some reluctance to this entirely misplaced letter. It is now well known that the Eugene F. Correia International Airport (EFCIA) is managed and operated under a comprehensive Agreement, entered into in 2001, between Ogle Airport Incorporated and the Government of Guyana. The management of the airport is further strictly regulated by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and operates in compliance with all of the International Agreements which govern the operation of an International Airport. The transformation
of Ogle Airport, now the Eugene F. Correia International Airport, from a small aircraft airstrip in 2001 to a fully licensed regional, international and domestic airport, is a public private partnership success story that any country would be proud of. The private investment which made this possible was funded by the issue of shares offered to all of the private aircraft operators using the airport at the time of the agreement, including ASL, each with an equal opportunity to invest. The airport is governed by a qualified and highly-respected Board of Directors consisting of: Michael O. Correia Jnr. Nicole Correia Ronald Reece Marcel Gaskin Malcolm Chan-A-Sue Anthony Mekdeci Timothy Jonas It’s worthy of note that four of the seven directors represent minority shareholders. Since the new government has come into office, both the Minster of Public Works, Hon. Bishop Juan Edghill, and the Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Hon. Deodat Indar, have visited the airport, have been fully briefed on its operations and have been given an extensive tour of the airport, including the construction site for the development of the ExxonMobil Office Headquarters. The investment by ExxonMobil in the airport’s
development and their substantial aviation operations adds significant value and importance to its operations and benefit to the shareholders which we would expect Capt. Ally to understand and appreciate. The current operational relationship between myself and ASL’s management, is good, so I am at a loss to understand Capt. Ally’s unprovoked diatribe in the media. His assertion, for instance, that the maintenance of, what he incorrectly calls the “Capital Replacement Reserve Fund”, is sheer nonsense, as was explained in the Director’s Annual Report submitted and accepted at the last Annual General Meeting where ASL was represented. The Reserve Fund has long since ceased to be necessary since continuing capital expenditure improvement at the airport have far outdistanced the need for a Reserve Fund originally required at the time of the agreement and, in fact, the government was so advised some six years ago. Again, this is a non-issue and not a matter of concern to the other shareholders of the company. As for the airport building a hangar facility for small operators, there are only two small operators at the airport adequately serviced by the Light Aircraft Park built four years ago. Again, this is a non-issue. The truth is that Capt. Mazahar Ally seems to be out of sync, even with his
Under President Ali’s mantle... From page 6 Neck,” infused as a repertoire. Ironically, Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden, acknowledged the existence of white privilege in his own life a few weeks ago, saying his privileged experiences as a white man have benefitted him. “Sure, I’ve benefitted just because I don’t have to go through what my Black brothers and sisters
have.” But Biden also said that he had faced unfair treatment of his own, mentioning how some people had looked down on his working-class upbringing in Scranton, Pa., and the fact that he does not hold a degree from an Ivy League university. “Who the hell makes you think I need an Ivy League degree to be president?” he said. Ole
people say, “the more you live, the more you learn and see!” Just wait and see where this beautiful land we cherish and love, Guyana, is heading towards. Under President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s mantle, “The best is yet to come.”
Respectfully, Jai Lall
own company’s operations at the airport. His letter is no more than yet another senseless attempt by him to use the newspapers to revive a decade-old ven-
detta against the airport. Sincerely OGLE AIRPORT INC.
Anthony Mekdeci, A.A. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
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Truck crushes cyclist on Mahaicony Branch Road A SIXTY-EIGHT-yearold cyclist was crushed to death by a rice truck on the Wash Clothes, Mahaicony Branch Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD) on Tuesday. Dead is Deonarine Lalchand of Wash Clothes, Mahaicony Branch Road, ECD. The truck was being driven by a 25-year-old resident of Woodley Park, West Coast Berbice. The driver is in police custody assisting with the investigation. Reports indicate that the truck was proceeding south along the eastern side of the said road when it is alleged that while in the process of passing the pedal cyclist who was proceeding in the said direction, the cyclist suddenly swerved (to avoid a pool of water) into the path of the lorry. This police said, caused
Dead: Deonarine Lalchand the driver to take evasive action by pulling to the western parapet to avoid a collision. However, despite his efforts, the left rear wheel collided with the pedal cyclist which resulted in him falling onto the roadway where the said wheel ran over him and caused multiple injuries to his head and body.
The cyclist was picked up in an unconscious state and taken to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital where he was seen and examined by a doctor on duty who pronounced him dead. The body is currently at Anthony’s Funeral Home awaiting autopsy.
GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Small loggers had fruitful budget engagement with Minister Bharrat Dear editor, THE small loggers of Region 10 would like to congratulate the Government of Guyana and particularly, the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, for a budget that will revitalise the forest sector and improve the lives of thousands of rural and hinterland households. The past five years have been the worst for small loggers in Guyana, especially in Region 10 which is supposedly a strong hold for the then government. Proud loggers who were accustomed to earning a decent living for themselves and their families, were on the bread line, literally starving. As such, the many inventions by the current government will surely play a significant role in providing the necessary incentives for the sector to once again thrive.
We must not forget how the once thriving Guyana Forestry Commission was bankrupt within a short period by the previous government. The loggers and the regulators suffered alike, but no more again, never. The many incentives for the sector will not only support small loggers and their families, but will also generate funds for the commission to maintain its operations and pay staff on time as it used to prior 2015. Further, I must point out that many of the incentives and measures for the forest sector in budget 2020 resulted from the sector itself following numerous engagements with the Minister Vickram Bharrat, who was appraised of the situation and what needs to be done. This is a reflection of a government listening to stakeholders and making the necessary adjustment to policies such
as the Log Export Policy, allowing logs to be exported. Additionally, tax concessions on all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), removal of VAT on all exports and removal of VAT on hinterland travel will benefit everyone within the forestry sector. In moving forward, I would like to urge the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, to continue his efforts to engage all stakeholders within the natural resources sector making positive representation to the government for all Guyanese. All small loggers of Region 10 would like to commend your efforts Hon. Minister as we look forward to more engagements and policy decisions that will transform the forest sector for the benefit of all stakeholders. Sincerely T. Williams
Azeena Baksh deserves an expedited appeal hearing Dear editor, I REFER to the letter of Attorney-General, Anil Nandlall, (Sep. 8) relating to the Azeena Baksh matter. Ms. Baksh was convicted of taking gratuities that was approved by the PPP/C administration in 2012 but which the APNU+AFC government claims she was not entitled. It was not a criminal case but the APNU+AFC government made it a criminal matter. It seems that the conviction of Ms. Baksh and lack of a written decision are politically motivated. Some six months after the conviction, the judgment has not been submitted to allow for the hearing of an appeal, a violation of the law. She is denied an expedited appeal on account of politics and vendetta. Ms. Baksh was appointed Registrar in 2012 by the Judicial Service Commission. Only the commission can terminate her service. The termination never happened. By law, she is still Deeds Registrar. Thus, she is entitled to return to her job until the JSC says otherwise. But the Granger administration
did not appoint a JSC. Thus, the matter is left unresolved. The terms and conditions of her job were approved by Cabinet making her appointment and salary legal. She was entitled to a certain amount of money $4.5 M over a period of time for her service as a result of a change of title and terms of employment. Ms. Baksh was convicted of a crime she did not commit; she did not violate any rules. She was convicted of receiving gratuity that the coalition government claims she was not entitled. But when she accepted the terms of the contract it was on the basis that she would receive gratuity. She lawfully authorised payment to her bank account. Ms. Baksh was punished because she was appointed by the previous government and coalition wanted her out. Her contract was approved by Cabinet and the JSC. Cabinet made a ruling that she was entitled to gratuity. Yet the magistrate ruled (KN March 12) that she was not entitled to gratuity upon which the conviction was based. It was a preposterous ruling in violation of norms of justice. Her lawyer, Nigel Hughes, has appealed. Mr.
Hughes and other lawyers are convinced that the case reeks of politics. Lawyers I spoke with said Ms. Baksh is entitled to gratuity and she did not violate the law. Every lawyer I spoke with says the ruling will be reversed based on misunderstanding of the Cabinet approval. Anyone who studies constitutional law would know that the judgment would be thrown out on appeal. But the matter is not fixed for hearing because the Magistrate Leron Daly has not submitted the written judgment. The magistrate, by convention and law, was supposed to submit the judgment within three months. It is now six months, and there is no written submission. Was the conviction and lack of written judgment politically-motivated? A case is being made for the termination of the magistrate’s service because of violation of the law. Whenever the JSC is constituted, Daly’s tenure must be visited as must the matter pertaining to Azeena Baksh. Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
COVID-19 makes it harder to achieve SDGs THE world was already off track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and the COVID-19 pandemic has made it even harder both to achieve the goals and to monitor progress where it is being made, according to a new report released by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. “We need better data to better understand the path we need to take to get to our destination,” said FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero. “Knowing more about where we are and how slowly or quickly we are moving will help us focus our efforts and actions to target interventions to achieve SDGs.” The unprecedented global health crisis, with associated economic and social impacts, is “making the achievement of these SDG targets even more challenging,” according to the report, “Tracking progress on food and agriculture-related SDG indicators 2020”. Hunger, as well as other forms of food insecurity, are rising, and the pandemic has disrupted longer-term practices from conserving genetic resources as well as immediate operations such as national agricultural censuses, which are key both to identifying immediate needs and nudging the world’s farmers to more sustainable practices. These censuses have been delayed, postponed or suspended in more than half of the 150 countries canvassed. Around one in four countries say that COVID-19 has disrupted national statistical agencies, with “nearly all” key data collection being adversely affected
and vastly complicating FAO’s work as the custodian agency for 21 SDG indicators and a contributing agency to another five. The report assesses current trends, finding many stagnating - including the hunger benchmark known as Prevalence of Undernourishment used to track SDG target 2.1 - or even deteriorating - such as the broader Food Insecurity Experience Scale used for the same target. Many of the indicators, particularly for measuring smallholder labor productivity and incomes with the aim of doubling them by 2030, suffer from inadequate data to assess both current status and progress. “Members can rely on FAO to help work through the often very substantial methodological complexity and pursue harmonized and comparable results that will enable the necessary acceleration of efforts to achieve the SDGs, as we enter the crucial Decade of Action culminating in 2030,” said Pietro Gennari, FAO’s chief statistician. “And while the general assessment is concerning, it’s also important to note positive trends, such as improved water use efficiency in Southern Asia, increases in plant genetic resource conservation efforts in Northern Africa, progress towards sustainable forest management, and some improvement in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing .” INNOVATION CAN TRUMP DISRUPTION
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and they all talking about what they did for Amerindians,” Pearson-Fredricks said. She continued: “Fighting about the name Indigenous and Amerindian and here is the chance that they had to support a budget that will bring betterment for our villages and our communities throughout the country and what happened? They have failed; like APNU+AFC failed in the last term of office they have failed here this afternoon in Parliament to truly represent the Amerindian people. But we don’t expect better and we want the public to know, we want particularly the Amerindian peoples to know what is happening in Parliament. However, we will continue to stand up and bring true representation to the table so that our people can move forward.” Further, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Nigel Dharamlall, expressed outrage, noting that the Coalition has been deliberate in its attempt at pursuing a course to delegitimise and deconstruct Amerindian welfare and capital support. Noting that this was also done in 2012 by the PNC/R, Minister Dharamlall said “what is even more worrying is the fact that Amerindian MPs Dawn Hastings of Upper Mazaruni; Juretha Fernandes of Bartica; Vincent Henry of Rupununi and Ronald Cox of Mabaruma, all voted against the 2020 Capital Budget of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.” Government MP and Region Nine representative, Allister Charlie, said the action by the Coalition in the House on Tuesday was callous and vindictive. “We have seen the attitude of the coalition parties on the campaign trail, being
very nice with the Amerindians, being cordial with the Amerindians but they just wanted their votes and now in Parliament today (Tuesday) they voted against the most important budget -- Guyana first peoples,” he said. DÉJÀ VU PPP/C Parliamentary Secretary, Sarah Brown, said the Coalition’s negative vote was Déjà vu when one looked back at what they did six years ago. “I would’ve witnessed and for me is something that I did not expect umm, given that I would’ve seen some new faces and I thought that it would have brought with them more representation for people and it was a big disappointment and I hope that this trend, will not continue and that they can be able to see that we need to be able to support projects that will bring relief to our people, especially when, as a nation, we are fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and also the effects and the hinterland… we need, desperately need the assistance for farmers, for agriculture, we need our young people to be back on board to have them in employed as CSOs and communities are starving for resources,” she said. Some measures covered in Budget 2020 that will support Amerindian development include the removal of VAT on hinterland travel, the 25,000 solar units for hinterland, the $15,000 cash grant for school children, the new ferry for the North West District, the $25,000 for Old Age Pension, the $1.5B for hinterland urban and rural roads and the $25,000 per household for COVID-19 relief.
“The COVID-19 crisis makes the job more difficult but is also an opportunity to find new ways to work smarter, faster and harder,” said Torero, who along with Gennari presented the report virtually in Geneva. FAO has set up a Big Data laboratory and tool to gather real-time information for a series of indicators, a Food Price Monitoring and Analysis tool, as well as the Hand in Hand Geospatial Platform, and is also increasing its efforts to bring all data public. The organisation is exploiting alternative data sources to help members assess in real-time the impact of the pandemic disruptions on food systems and also to overcome the current limitations on data collection in the field. Satellite imagery is being used to identify and monitor risks of disruption on crop production and value chains. Machine-learning models have been developed to calibrate and classify crop prospects, and these are integrated with other data sets - including government restriction measures and trends on the impact ofCOVID-19, to inform evidence-based decision-making. SOME OF THE KEY FINDINGS Agricultural productivity data are scarce, but indications are that small-scale food producers lag behind their larger peers. Data on smallholder incomes are relatively more abundant, but show that in most countries, smallholder incomes
are less than half of those of larger producers. Global holdings of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture rose to 5.43 million in 2019 from 4.21 million in 2005. But efforts to secure crop diversity for crop wild relatives and underutilised crop species continue to be insufficient. The number of livestock breeds with sufficient genetic material stored to allow them to be reconstituted in case of extinction rose 10-fold in the decade to 2019. But they still amount to only 101 of the roughly 7 600 breeds reported around the world, some 73 per cent of which are at risk of extinction. Gender equality, investigated through the lens of women’s land tenure, is far from realized, and legal provisions in many countries do not adequately protect the rights of women to land. Only 12 percent of assessed countries guarantee a very high degree of such protection. Both forests and the sustainability of global fish stocks continue to decline, though at a slower pace than before. Government investment in agriculture, measured as a share of GDP, has declined globally by around a third since 2001, led by sharp drops - from high levels - in much of Asia. “Working together, we need to work together to find innovative ways to accelerate the information needed to catalyze the changes the world has pledged to achieve,” said Torero.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Visit from Pompeo not one-time event – Ambassador Lynch
US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch has given assurances that the recent visit by US Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo was “not just a one-time event”, and that the US is committed to deepening its partnership with this nation. “I foresee many additional engagements with Guyana by high-ranking US government officials, as well as a variety of private sector businesses,” the US ambassador said in a statement expressing her appreciation for the
hospitality shown during the Secretary of State’s visit. Ambassador Lynch said Americans want to partner with Guyana, as the country has “demonstrated its commitment to democracy, the rule of law and strong government institutions”. “They want to partner because Guyana also prioritises the building of a safer, more prosperous hemisphere. The visit of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stands asTourism, proof of how Industry and Commerce Minister, Oneidge Walrond
Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and U.S Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo share a light moment deeply the United States values Guyana and was also signed, and will enable US and its people; all of its people, and how we look Guyanese law enforcement to embark on forward to an even stronger partnership as the joint maritime patrols to stop the movecountry moves forward,” the ambassador said ment of illicit drugs. Secretary Pompeo in the statement. also committed US$4.5 million in USAID The Secretary of State is the high- assistance for youth and citizen engagement est-ranking official to ever visit Guyana. programmes. The official visit saw the launching of a Ambassador Lynch pointed out that the Growth in the Americas Initiative, in which US takes its commitments seriously. both countries will cooperate to strengthen “As we enter a new chapter in our trade and investment, on building infra- already unwavering relationship, I know structure, and framework for Guyana’s en- that this partnership will continue to ergy and information technology backbone. deepen and grow,” Ambassador Lynch A second pact, the Shiprider Agreement, said. (DPI)
Hinterland communities to access small business fund THE Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce has allocated $172 million for the Small Business Bureau (SBB) to provide grants and loans for the development of small businesses. A large percentage of this sum will be used to nurture the development of small businesses through training, coaching and mentoring owners and potential business owners. Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, made this disclosure when she, today, defended budgetary allocations for her ministry. A special sum has also been set aside for the de-
velopment of hinterland business, the minister said, noting that the ministry “will always support Indigenous communities.” Additionally, a small business fund valued $100M has been set aside for communities in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine. These are for areas including Matthews Ridge, Port Kaituma, Arakaka, Moruca, Bartica, Mahdia, Kato, Paramakatoi, Nappi and Parishara. Some 40 per cent of this sum will be utilised in those areas while another 30 per cent from the SBB Tourism, Industry and allocation will be used in Commerce Minister, hinterland communities. (DPI) Oneidge Walrond
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Family of murdered fisherman protest suspect being granted bail FAMILY and friends of John Alexander Yhap, a fisherman and father of two who was stabbed to death on September 14, 2020, staged a protest outside the Albion Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, after the suspect was granted bail on Monday. Bearing placards that read “Justice needed, no bail” and ‘No bail, Justice needed”, the small group of about 30 protesters stood in the morning sun to express their displeasure at the granting of bail to the prime suspect, a fishing colleague and fellow Kilcoy villager. Yhap was fatally stabbed multiple times about the body on September 14 in Kilcoy, East Berbice, Corentyne, some two streets away from his home, allegedly, by Arjune Mohabir, 21. Reports are that Mohabir called “Piken’’ and Yhap had a prior altercation on September 18, where Yhap was stabbed to the neck by Mohabir, which required multiple sutures, after he
got into another argument after Mohabir started to verbally abuse Yhap for returning to the said female to braid his hair earlier that day. During the argument, Mohabir allegedly whipped out a knife from his waist and dealt Yhap several stabs before fleeing the scene. He was subsequently arrested the following day out at sea by police and eventually placed before the court on Monday. Appearing before Magistrate Peter Hugh and charged with manslaughter, Mohabir was granted bail in the sum of $250,000 on Monday and the matter transferred to the Albion Magistrate’s Court for Tuesday. After the family learnt that the suspect was granted bail, they staged the protest, demanding that the suspect be charged for murder since his actions were pre-meditated. “We are here today because we want justice for my brother. How can you place a murderer on bail for $250,000? He took the
Suspect: Arjune Mohabir called “Piken” went to a female acquaintance that Mohabir likes, to get his hair braided. Sometime around 21:00 hrs on September 14, at a Superbet location in Chesney, with tensions still rife from the previous feud, the men
knife and juk me brother first, seven times he juk him. How can that be self-defence when he took the knife he had and juk him? We want justice for my brother and his two children and wife,” Mariam Yhap, 22, the sister of
Some of the family members and friends of John Alexander Yhap who came out in protest on Tuesday the deceased told the Guyana Chronicle. However, the actions of the protester did little to deter Magistrate Renita Singh who adjourned the matter until October 28, 2020. Earlier in the day, the relatives were in the Albion court yard voicing their frustration in a bid to influence the magistrate, but were removed by police since they were disrupting the court’s proceedings. The family then moved to the public road with their placards and continued their protest. Yhap’s 22-year-old widow, Minesha Chandralall, expressed frustration and fear that the man who murdered her husband will be free to move around the community and may want to harm her. On the night of the murder, Chandralall came face-to-face with the suspect who had the alleged murder weapon in his hand and blood on his clothes and confronted him. “I asked he why you do that and he seh meh get more fuh am; that nah done yet.” This, the woman said was more than enough to have the suspect charged for murder, in addition to the fact that he had previously stabbed her husband. The family is calling on the relevant authorities to look into the matter since they claim their loved one was not the aggressor during the altercation that led to his death.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Nature education for a new generation of environmental stewards
EDUCATION is an integral part of our work and is the key to equipping people with vital information that can inform decision-making, action and change. We at the Protected Areas Commission recognise the importance of nature education in ensuring effective conservation in Guyana. As outlined in our Strategic Plan (2016-2021) and reflected through the objectives of our Awareness, Education and Outreach Department, we aim to: - Increase knowledge of stakeholders about the National Protected Areas System (NPAS) of Guyana. - To foster greater stewardship of
It offers children the opportunity to learn about our local wildlife, conservation and nature preservation, by instilling environmental values and nature appreciation.
the environment by Guyanese citizens. - To increase national and international support for the NPAS.
2017 in the Kanuku Mountains Protected Area and has since been held in all the other protected areas. For overnight camps, learners are accompanied by teachers, parents and village leaders as they camp in the outdoors close to a creek running through the Protected Area. Day camps are usually held in schools or villages during school breaks. The camps are facilitated by rangers and technical staff of the PAC who diligently teach students concepts such as climate change, biodiversity conservation, waste disposal and management and animal care. Students are also exposed to training in research methodologies for the identification of animal and plant species. Rangers take time to demonstrate the use of several pieces of equipment that are used in their everyday work, for example training on the use of binoculars, cameral traps, GPS and drones. An integral aspect of the camp is interacting with the students and allowing them to share their own knowledge of the environment and their traditional customs. Elders from the villages are also invited to share traditional stories and teach students about their culture.
IT ALL STARTED IN THE ZOO! The PAC set out to develop grassroots environmental education strategies across the NPAS under its Strategic Plan. This goal had a strong foundation stemming from programmes set up in the Guyana Zoo, the genesis of which is the Zoo Volunteer Programme, which started more than 20 years ago. Over a 15-week period, young adults are trained with skills to share nature education using the zoo as their classroom. In return, volunteers are required to give back time spreading environmental awareness with patrons of the zoo for at least a year. This programme served as a training ground for many young conservationists who are now currently playing leading roles in the environmental sector in Guyana. As an outcome of the Volunteer Programme, a summer programme called “Zoo Camp” was birthed. This is a one week activity for children ages six to 14 years.
THE JOURNEY TO THE HINTERLAND PROTECTED AREAS Building on these existing programmes, the PAC expanded nature education to the hinterland regions where protected areas are located. This took the form of overnight nature camps, day camps and education outreach visits to schools under the theme “It’s In Our Nature”. Our nature camps began in
The theme song for our camps has been “Let Us Cooperate for Guyana” – We hope to build a sense of national pride and a resolve among the youth to work for the unity and development of Guyana. BUILDING CAPACITY OF EDUCATORS AND STAFF TO DELIVER NATURE EDUCATION During 2019, the commission embarked on a new mission, which is to improve the capacity of educators and staff to better deliver environmental concepts. As such, a three-day training work-
shop on environmental education was delivered to 25 participants comprising PAC staff, teachers and community representatives surrounding the Kanuku Mountains Protected Area. The purpose of the training was to equip participants with the skills necessary to make environmental education accessible through appropriate methodologies and teaching techniques. The course was delivered in a very participatory way with hands-on practice in an outdoor setting. In collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency, the PAC provided training for 16 primary and secondary school teachers in the Moruca Sub-District, of Shell Beach Protected Area, Region One. The main objective of this training was to train teachers in the region to establish and maintain nature clubs in their respective schools. The training included the importance and history of Nature Clubs; activities that can be done at club meetings; keeping club records; starting the club and getting registered with the EPA. ON THE HORIZON!
Beyond the stakeholders in and around protected areas, the PAC is seeking to build the consciousness of all Guyanese to better appreciate and care for nature. To this end, a plan is being mulled for the re-purposing of the Guyana Zoo. For a number of years the Guyana Zoo, as a policy, has avoided the acquisition of new wildlife for its exhibits. The zoo continues to be the main destination for injured, sick, orphaned, unwanted or confiscated wildlife. In a significant number of cases, the zoo releases these animals as soon as they are found to be healthy or capable of surviving in the wild. As such, the zoo
has already been functioning as a de facto rehabilitation centre for some time. On the other hand, animals that are orphaned, severely injured or with a history of captivity are often kept at the zoo, and eventually become permanent residents. With this in mind, it is proposed that the zoo be officially designated as Guyana’s Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Centre. The facility’s primary mission would be revised to focus on the rehabilitating and reintroduction of wildlife to natural spaces, while providing environmental education opportunities for the Guyanese public, particularly students and citizens who may not have an opportunity to see these precious animals in the wild. This plan would involve the construction of a new nature school outfitted with staff to teach students visiting from schools across the country. With the coming of COVID-19 and its associated challenges, the commission is currently re-tooling to be better able to connect people with nature – through education. This article was prepared by the Protected Areas Commission.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
93,000 households to benefit from COVID-19 relief hampers PRIME Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips, has said that $1.8 billion has been budgeted to provide hampers to households across the country affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and a further $900,000 to deliver hampers to affected hinterland communities. An estimated 93,000 households, including 38,000 in the hinterland, are expected to benefit from this initiative which is to be rolled out over the next three months. The Prime Minister explained that an assessment
the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), 45 per cent of the population is deemed as having the need to be given some sort of assistance and support during COVID-19. Based on that percentage we arrived at this target figure,” the Prime Minister said. Prime Minister Phillips Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips was done to determine the number of people or households requiring government assistance. “Based on the work done by all the agencies including
Office of the First Lady flags fake account
THE Office of the First Lady is informing the public of a fake Facebook page purporting to be associated with First Lady, HE Arya Ali. The user(s) behind the fake account – which is strikingly similar to this, the authentic one – is/are seeking to negotiate land and other deals with unsuspecting citizens, a release from the First Lady Office said. “At no time will the First Lady or her Office attempt to do same. The public is therefore advised to be mindful of the social media pages they engage with, and to scrutinise them thoroughly before subscribing and interacting. The official Facebook page of the First Lady bears the name ‘Arya Ali – First Lady of Guyana’ and all social media accounts bear the username: @ aryaaligy,” the release concluded.
said persons on the coast can apply online to prequalify for a hamper or any other form of government assistance. “The Economic and Social Sub-Committee of the COVID-19 Task Force, which is working through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security
and CDC will manage the whole process to ensure all households benefits as the criteria approves,” Prime Minister Phillips said. An additional benefit of this exercise is that the process of preparing hampers for the hinterland will provide jobs and generate
income in some hinterland areas. PM Phillips noted that this initiative is separate from the $4.5 billion relief (the $25,000 cash grant) measures which President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali announced earlier this month.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Agri. Minister urges NGSA pupils to consider careers in agriculture sector IN sending well wishes to the scores of children who recently completed their primary education, and did so successfully, Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha has urged that they consider taking up careers within the agriculture sector. “I see each of you as the next generation of skilled agronomists, veterinarians, engineers, hydro-chemists and Ministers of Agriculture. I therefore encourage you to remain committed to your own advancement, and to the development of Guyana,” Minister Mustapha said in his congratulatory message to the children on Monday. In commending them for doing well at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) this year in
spite of the many hurdles they would have no doubt had to overcome, he said, “I know this year you, our children, faced many challenges, the greatest one being the global pandemic, COVID-19. However, despite those challenges, you were able to stay focused, and today, I join with the rest of the nation to celebrate your achievements.” As a proud parent himself, he encouraged them to stay the course and press ahead with their studies. “You are one step closer to becoming leaders of this great nation; your strength and commitment throughout your primary school Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand (centre) with the top performers at this year’s NGSA
See page 15
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
EPA welcoming input on major construction projects
THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reminding members of the public that it is welcoming their input regarding major construction projects that will be commencing in Guyana before it makes a final decision on the need for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Several of these projects are in the oil and gas field and construction is expected to take place along the East Bank, West Bank and East Coast of Demerara. The public has, until October 13, to raise any concerns they have about these projects with the Environmental Assessment Board. In accordance with Section 11 (2) of the Environmental Protection Act, Cap. 20:05, Laws of Guyana, the application for these and other projects has been screened by the Agency, to assess its potential environmental impact and it has been determined that these projects will not significantly affect the environment or human health, and will therefore be exempt from the requirement of having to conduct an Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA). However, public input is required by law before the EPA finalizes its decision. One of the projects spotlighted is the planned construction of Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited’s (EEPGL) office complex at Ogle. It is to be built on 15 acres of land leased by the Ogle Airport Inc. (OAI). The contract was awarded to NABI/KCL Oilfield Construction Services Guyana, a Guyanese-led joint venture initiative between NABi Construction Inc.
(Guyana) and Kee-Chanona Limited (Trinidad). Meanwhile, the notice now bears the name of new President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, and any person who may be affected by this project may lodge an appeal against the Agency’s decision to exempt the company from conducting an EIA. Notice was first given
on September 13, 2020, but the EPA reminds that persons who have concerns must raise these to the Environmental Assessment Board within 30 days from the aforementioned time. In other words, by October 13, 2020. The same applies to the state-of-the-art US$200 million ISIKA Shore Base Inc. project which investors intend to build on 330 acres of land along the Essequibo River. It will include approximately 1,500 feet of waterfront, industrial areas, offices, warehouses, workshops, spool base, a liquid mud plant, equipment and construction laydown areas for all oil and gas related activities. It is being pursued as a result of a joint venture between InterOil Group and Guyana’s Mings Products
and Services (MPS). Notably, ISIKA’s technical area will accommodate a large facility for the storage of gasoil and gasoline, water
Agri. Minister urges NGSA ...
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lives have paid off,” Minister Mustapha said. “It is now time for you to go forward and continue to strive for excellence,” he added. He further charged the pupils to not be discouraged if they feel as though their achievements were not as outstanding as they would have liked them to be, but to rather use the opportunity to enter into the new school term with a more determined attitude to better themselves, and achieve whatever goals they have set. He also had a word of encouragement for those parents, guardians and educators who all played a major role in the success of this years’ NGSA pupils. “I also want to congratulate the parents, guardians and teachers of all the children who wrote the NGSA. You have proven to be champions, as many of
Samuel Barkoye you battled to ensure resources were available to guarantee success in these troubling times. I encourage you to continue to be that beacon of strength and inspiration and the source of support they need as they enter into this new and exciting chapter of learning,” he said. This year’s top performers are 11-year-old Samuel Barkoye and 12-year-old Rovin Lall, who both obtained 525 out of 528 marks. The other top 10
and Rovin Lall NGSA performers are Alexander Singh, who secured 524 marks; Lianna Dharampaul a n d B r a n d o n R a mdin who tied with 523 marks; and Britney Peters, Gabriel Felix and Dhanesh Tularam who each obtained 521 marks. Meanwhile, Yuki Clarke, Charisma Etwaroo, Robert Forrester and Salmah Bacchus each obtained 520 marks. They will commence the new school term at Queen’s College.
The proposed location for Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited’s (EEPGL’s) office complex at Ogle and sewage treatment plants a separate application was Romel Jagroop is seekand a power plant to ensure sent in for by JOP Property ing to construct a Machine continuous power supply to Holdings Inc. for similar Fabrication and Mechanic the entire shore base. The constructions at the plot of Workshop. application was submitted land. The EPA’s role is to by well-known businessOn the West Bank of provide for the manageman, Eric Phillips. Demerara at Versailles/ ment, conservation, proAnother project pending Malgre Tout, Tristar Incor- tection and improvement approval is the ‘Operation porated (Versailles Shore- of the environment, and of Oilfield Super Centre’, base) is hoping to construct is also required to presubmitted by Baker Hughes a wharf and the Harmony vent or control pollution Guyana Company Inc., a Medical and Ambulatory and assess the impact of subsidiary of the US-based Surgery Centre is seeking economic development on energy and technology com- approval for the construc- the environment. Details pany Baker Hughes. The tion and operation of a new on the procedure for subSuper Centre is to be locat- healthcare facility. Over on mission of Appeals can be ed at Plot X Land of Canaan the East Bank of Demer- obtained from the AgenEast Bank Demerara while ara, businessman Diamond cy’s website.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Gov’t requests forensic audit into Larry London’s contract
ATTORNEY-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall has written to the Auditor General, requesting an immediate forensic audit into the details surrounding the contract awarded to PNCR executive, Larry London to the tune of US$150,000. Universal Procurement Services Incorporated is the company
that won a Ministry of the Presidency-Department of Citizenship contract, with London listed as its principal. The Florida-based business was used to procure 100,000 birth certificates, as was disclosed by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira during the Committee of Supply examination of the
Budget Estimates on Monday. In the letter, the Attorney-General asked the Auditor General to forensically examine, inter alia, the following: Whether there was compliance with the provisions of the Procurement Act, and if not, the reasons for the non-compliance; reasons why the service of the convention-
al publisher of these documents were not sought; had the services of the conventional publisher of these documents been retained, what the estimated costs would have been to print and publish said documents; what is the status of the company contracted at the time of the contract; what was/is its main line of business;
what experience does it possess, in relation to similar work; what due diligence, if any, was conducted prior to the award of the contract; was there a need for 100,000 birth certificate forms at the time when the contract was entered into; and comparatively, what is the quality of the documents produced. Copies of the letter
PNCR Executive, Larry London were also sent to President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn. (DPI)
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Aspiring doctors, politician among Region Five’s top NGSA performers
Mariam Baksh
Adrian Saul
By Nafeeza Yahya-Sakur FIVE of Region Five (East Berbice-Corentyne)’s top 10 performers at the recently-concluded National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) are aspiring doctors, with the others having their sights set on the fields of accountancy, politics and aviation. Mariam Baksh, with 513 marks and a spot at Queen’s College, is the top pupil in the region, and among the top one per cent candidates in the country. Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, an excited Baksh said she always wanted to achieve a spot at the Berbice High School, following in her dad’s footsteps. She worked towards her dream with help from her older sister, parents and Teacher Constance from the Sapodilla School of Excellence, and exceeded her own expectation. Excited and somewhat shocked to learn that she topped her region, Baksh is on the right track of fulfilling her dream of becoming a doctor. “There is a shortage of specialists in the medical field, and I intend to help fill that void by becoming a doctor; more specifically a specialist, so that the average person can get quality medical care,” the 12-year-old said confidently. Copping the Number Two spot in the region with 510 marks was Amisha Ramjit, who will be heading to her dream school, Bishops’ High. The aspiring politician had to control her emotions as she gave credit to her parents and teachers from the Latchmansingh Primary School. Ramjit, who encountered several administrative challenges and nearly missed the examinations due to a technical mix-up, managed to persevere and came out on top. Given the challenges she had to undergo, she wants to become a lawyer, fighting for the cause of the oppressed. However, she was keen to note that her ultimate goal is to become a politician, or a minister, so that she can help to promote social cohesion, and be in a position to effect positive change. Gabriel Adrian Saul, who re-migrated from Canada just over a year ago, scored 509 marks at the examinations. He noted that initially he had some difficulties in adjusting to the curriculum, but was pleased with the result. Saul wants to become a surgeon, architect, or a lawyer, but has not quite decided on which one at this stage. The Treasures Primary Academy pupil gave credit to his mother and teachers for his success. Dheeraj Ghansham tied with Saul for the third highest performance in the region. Both of them obtained 509 marks, and will be heading to Bishops’ High. Ghansham, an aspiring doctor, gave credit to his teacher, Ms. Rohini, and his parents for his success. Rohit Mohabir from the Treasures Primary Academy, with 507 marks, will be heading to St. Stanislaus College. The excited youngster said he wants to assist people, and feels that if he becomes a doctor, he can achieve that goal comfortably, and make the world a healthier place. Okel Cooper from Mahaicony Primary School, and Zaki Ishmael of No. 29 Primary School, both achieved 505 marks, and a spot at St. Stanislaus College. Cooper also wants to become a doctor, while Ishmael has his sights set on becoming a pilot.
Amisha Ramjit
Dheeraj Ghansham
Rehanna Boston and Supriya Premchand of the Sapodilla School of Excellence, and Chandini Sharma from Rosignol Primary School, who each scored 504 marks, have secured places at St. Rose’s High School.
Rohit Mohabir
Boston has a passion for mathematics, and wants to become an accountant. Premchand wants to become an engineer, while Sharma wants to become either a surgeon or dentist.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
CSEC pass rate up, CAPE down --MoE compiling report for release of Guyanese students’ performance at both exams By Tamica Garnett THE Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) saw a slight 1.47 per cent decline in the pass rate for students across the Caribbean who wrote them in 2020, while the
Caribbean Secondary Certificate Examinations (CSEC) saw a 3.81 per cent increase in the passes attained by students who sat them in 2020, as compared to 2019. The Barbados-based Caribbean Examinations
Council (CXC) on Tuesday officially released the results of the various examinations written by students across the Caribbean in July/August, so that said students can access them Online @ (https://www.cxc.org/student-results/), using their re-
spective Candidate Number. With the release of the results by CXC to the respective Caribbean nations, the Ministry of Education (MoE) here in Guyana is expected to release them shortly. Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday, Chief Education Officer (CEO) Dr. Marcel Hutson confirmed that the MoE has been in receipt of a spreadsheet of Guyana’s results from CXC, and is in the process of analyzing it for the compilation of a report. Hutson noted that while a timeline could not yet be provided for when the Ministry will make an announcement, it is working to provide the information as soon as possible. “We are presently compiling a report, so we can’t speak on that,” he said, adding: “As it is now, it is a broadsheet that we have, and we have to do the analysis before we speak. The Superintendent of Exams is working to put the stuff together, and I am sure the Minister will make a decision going forward in terms of information.” Of the suite of exams administered by the Council to students across the Caribbean Region, CSEC and CAPE are the ones most commonly written here in Guyana, where some 11, 998 students and another 851 were scheduled to write CSEC and CAPE respectively this year. BY SUBJECT In overall results for individual subject areas, CSEC Mathematics has finally been able to exceed the 50 per cent mark, recording a 52 per cent pass by the students, which is a six per cent improvement on last year’s performance, and three per cent above the passes recorded in 2018. There was also an increase in the number of Grade Ones achieved in this subject this year, moving from eight per cent in 2019 to now stand at 12 per cent. English A (Language) saw a three per cent increase in the pass rate, which is 82 per cent this year, with 23 per cent of the students achieving Grade One. For
CSEC, Grades One to Three are considered acceptable grades, while for CAPE, Grades One to Five are regarded as acceptable passes. The CXC statistics were released by CXC Director of Operations, Nicole Manning when she presented a report on students’ performances during a press conference on Tuesday. In other individual subject areas, Manning highlighted that Social Studies increased by five per cent to 70 per cent of the students passing. Also in the 70s are Biology and Physics, which each had a pass rate of 73 per cent in 2019, and saw pass rates increasing to 79 per cent and 75 per cent, respectively, in 2020. Chemistry saw a 62 per cent pass rate, which marked a 2 per cent increase from 2019; of which 19 per cent of the students earned a Grade One, increasing from the 14 per cent Grade Ones seen in 2019. In individual subjects for CAPE, this year the pass rates for both Caribbean Studies and Communication Studies remained in the high 90s. For Caribbean Studies, the pass rate increased from 97 to 98 per cent this year, while in Communication Studies, the 2020 pass rate remains the same 96 per cent that it was last year. The percentage of students earning Grade One also improved, where for Caribbean Studies there was a 4 per cent increase, with 24 per cent of the students attaining Grade One in 2020; and for Communication Studies there was a one per cent increase, whereby 9 per cent of the students achieved Grade One. For Pure Mathematics Unit One, 72 per cent of the students passed, with 22 per cent of them obtaining a Grade One; History Unit 1 had a 92 per cent pass rate, while Management of Business Unit 2, as well as Computer Science both had 95 per cent passes. ‘CXC PARTICULARLY PLEASED’ Manning noted that the Council is particularly pleased with the results that were recorded in
Mathematics, both at the secondary and advanced levels. “For both subjects,” she said, “we would have seen an increase. We are happy this would have happened; we would have seen not just an increase as compared to previous years, but also an increase in the Grade Ones that would’ve been awarded this year. The Council is happy about that, and continues to encourage the candidates,” Manning said as she responded to queries. Though the CXC examinations are customarily written annually in May/ June, this year it was postponed and eventually written in July/August, due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has swept across the Caribbean Region, and effected school closures in most countries as they sought to curb the spread of the virus. Speaking at Tuesday’s press conference, CXC Registrar and CEO, Dr. Wayne Westley described the situation as “a year like no other” for the Council. “It has really challenged not only our organisational and operational systems, but our capacity for leadership to inspire confidence that will see us advancing and overcoming the challenges of this pandemic,” Dr. Westley said. Notwithstanding the challenges, he said, the Council is grateful it was able to credibly carry out the examinations thanks the support and ingenuity of its staff. “Two principles we maintained was first, that no candidate should be disadvantaged and that the integrity is preserved to ensure we instill confidence in the results being released today. Given what we have gone through and were able to complete the process I want to recognise the staff. They have been resilient and creative for us to achieve this milestone,” Dr. Westley noted. At the press conference, Dr. Westley did a symbolic presentation of the CXC results to the Barbados Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, Ms. Santia Bradshaw.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Chris Jones applied for $22M bank loan –– then sought millions more under SLED programme for barbershop venture
DOCUMENTS detailing the transaction between former Director of Sport, Christopher Jones and the Ministry of Social Protection, have revealed that Jones had applied for a $22M bank loan to build a barbershop, but later sought millions more under the Government’s Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneur Development (SLED). The additional funding sough was reportedly to buy the equipment needed for the building. The documents seen by the Guyana Chronicle indicate that Jones did not factor in the cost of the equipment in his loan application. Jones, 40 of Conciliation Drive, Tucville, Georgetown, is currently on $100,000 station bail and is still being investigated by the police. On Friday, August 21, the police carried out a search on Jones’ Tucville home during a power outage. They initially had no warrant to carry out the search and seizure, but eventually got one. A search of the property lead to the seizure a quantity of barbershop chairs and other items. The search was executed after an audit of the ministry showed that it had approved the disbursement of $4.8M, through the Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) administration, for the procurement of
Former Director of Sport, Christopher Jones equipment for a barbershop under the SLED programme. The presentation of a financial return would reveal that the entire sum of money was spent by December 31, 2019, but almost $1M in items were not physically delivered but were instead stored at Jones’ home, and neither had the project been executed. The SLED programme, which falls under the purview of the Social Protection Ministry in collaboration with the US Government funded Skills and Know-ledge for Youth Employment (SKYE) initiative, has been providing skills-training to disadvantaged youths. According to documents seen by this newspaper, on
February 7, 2019, Jones wrote then Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally, seeking financial assistance from the SLED fund to equip his prospective business ‘Precision Cuts Barbershop and Salon’ to be located at Festival City, North Ruimveldt, with 18 barber chairs, ceiling tiles, mirrors and central Air-conditioning units at an estimated value of $4.7M. Jones stated that the barbershop would provide jobs for 22 persons, and the $22M loan he had applied for from a commercial bank for the construction of the building, did not include a sum for equipment. On January 2, 2020, the business name was registered by Jones at the Deeds Registry and issued on September 8, 2020. To this date, construction of the building at the proposed site has not started. Jones has filed legal proceedings in the High Court against the State challenging the alleged warrantless search, the seizure of the barbershop equipment and his arrest. His attorneys, Nigel Hughes, Ronald Daniels and Kezia Williams named acting Commissioner of Police, Nigel Hoppie; Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum; Inspector, Rodwell Sarrabo; Assistant Superintendent of Police, Chibanauth Singh; Corporal
The plot of land on which ‘Precision Cuts Barbers-hop and Salon’ is expected to be built Singh and Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, as respondents in the civil suit. In his court documents which were filed on August 31, he said the search was illegal and a violation of his constitutional rights. Jones, who is the Opposition Chief Whip, is seeking damages in excess of $100,000 for the 18 barber chairs and two air conditioning units, together valued $4.8 million. He is also seeking in excess of $100,000 for trespassing at his Lot 609 Conciliation Drive, Tucville, Georgetown home. Additionally, he is seeking
$100,000 for his wrongful arrest on August 21, 2020. He also wants the court to order the return of the equipment which remains in police custody. The Attorney-General (AG), in his defence which was filed by State Solicitor, Prithima Kissoon, is asking the court to dismiss the application. The AG contends that a police officer has the power to arrest, without warrant, anyone whom he suspects, with reasonable cause, is about to commit an offence or whom he suspects has already committed such an
offence; moreover, the offence need not actually have been committed to legitimise the arrest without warrant by a police officer. “The claimant is not entitled to any damages at law or at all and the claim should be dismissed for being frivolous and vexatious,” Nandlall said. According to the AG, Hoppie and the Crime Chief are wrongly named as parties in the proceedings as they were nowhere close to, in proximity of, or at, the Jones’ premises, nor did they arrest or detain him as alleged.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Remdesivir drug showing positive signs in treatment of COVID-19 -- Dr. Carpen says the biggest challenge remains the absence of a ‘magic bullet’
By Navendra Seoraj GUYANA has already lost 69 persons to the dreaded novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and while the loss of life is never pleasant, there has been a small but significant development in the use of the remdesivir drug, which has so far shown positive signs in the treatment of COVID-19. Cardiologist, Dr. Mahendra Carpen, who is spearheading the trials of the drug, said it was administered to nine patients and there was no adverse effect. “Patients responded good and three patients did not need oxygen or intubation after starting the drug,” said Dr. Carpen during an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Monday. According to New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), remdesivir, a nucleotide analogue pro-drug that inhibits viral RNA polymerases, has shown in-vitro activity against SARSCoV-2 (COVID-19). While Guyana has been able to acquire and use hydroxychloroquine, remdesivir had been out of the country’s reach for quite some time, as the supplier has been producing only limited amounts. Most of the drugs were being consumed by the US, but Guyana was able to acquire 240 doses of a generic version of remdesivir from India. So far, as Dr. Carpen said, there have been no adverse effects from the
Cardiologist, Dr. Mahendra Carpen drug, but one patient, who was critically ill, could not be saved despite the drug’s responsiveness. Some of the patients are still under hospital supervision, but the doctor maintained that patients have been responding well. “In fact, three persons have been discharged so far,” said Dr. Carpen, adding: “We will use the drug continuously once we have stock… we have been applying international guidelines and protocols in the use of this drug.” While the local trials are still in its early days, there is potential for the drug to be used constantly in the fight against COVID-19. There are, however, other treatment methods which are being used. Among those methods is the plasma treatment. Monoclonal antibody therapy, as the treatment is
called, is defined as a form of immunotherapy that uses monoclonal antibodies to bind specifically to certain cells or proteins. The objective is that this treatment will stimulate the patient’s immune system to attack those cells. And, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), since the last century, passive immunisation has been used for the prevention and treatment of some human infectious diseases. The serum of convalescent patients is the treatment of choice in cases of Argentine Hemorrhagic Fever. In addition, WHO said it was used during outbreaks of Ebola in Africa and also during the SARS and MERS outbreaks, as no other therapeutic options existed. “Patients, who meet criteria and are compatible with
The remdesivir drug (Adrian Narine photo) plasma, would receive this treatment, but our biggest challenge is the shrinking donor pool…we also have a compatibility challenge in terms of blood transfusion… but the treatment has been working,” said Dr. Carpen. MAGIC BULLET Despite small successes in the use of these treatment modalities, the overarching problem remains the absence of what Dr. Carpen called a “magic bullet,” an internationally accepted cure or standardised way of ensuring the best outcome for patients. “There are many things we use that contributed in small ways to better outcomes, but there is no magic bullet, so the important thing is to wear mask and sanitise
and maintain social distancing… simple things that are hard to enforce and to do,” said the doctor. Health authorities have so far tested 12,454 persons, with 10,017 being negative, and 2,437 positive. Some 35 of those cases were recorded within the past 24 hours. Of the total positive cases, 1,361 persons have recovered, and 68 have lost their lives. The remaining cases include 163 persons in institutional isolation, 830 in home isolation, and 16 in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU). According to the 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. The WHO had said that 81 per cent of the persons who contracted COVID-19 will have mild symptoms, while 14 per cent will have severe symptoms, and five per cent will need intensive care. But the COVID-19 disease has proven to be “a real killer,” especially in cases involving persons who have co-morbidities such as diabetes and hypertension, among other ailments. Persons were encouraged to take extra precautions because there is no approved cure or specific treatment for the disease. Guyanese were also reminded to observe the protocols established in the COVID-19 emergency measures.
25-year-old dies from COVID-19 THE novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has claimed the life of 25-year-old Richard Charles, making him the youngest person on record to succumb to the disease in Guyana. The Guyana Chronicle was reliably informed that Charles, after testing positive for COVID-19, was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC)’s COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) because he was experiencing severe symptoms of the dreaded disease. This newspaper was informed that the patient, who was diabetic, died while receiving treatment on Tuesday. Early in the day, authorities had reported the death of a 74-year-old woman from Region One (Barima-Waini). The Guyana Chronicle had 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, and even Minister of Health. Dr. Frank Anthony.
In medicine, comorbidity is defined as the presence of one or more additional conditions co-occurring with a primary condition. In the countable sense of the term, comorbidity is each additional condition. The World Health Organisation (WHO) had said that 81 per cent of those persons who contract COVID-19 will have mild symptoms, while 14 per cent will have severe symptoms, and 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, 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 in a past interview. In a more recent interview, Cardiologist, Dr. Mahendra
Carpen said that during a pandemic, every death that is positive for the infection will be associated with the pandemic as cause of death. “So even if you have COVID-19 and have a heart attack, it will still be categorised as COVID-19; you will be categorised as that, as these are the rules in the pandemic,” Dr. Carpen said. Persons are being encouraged to take extra precaution, because there is no approved cure or specific treatment for the disease. Guyanese are also reminded to observe the protocols established in the COVID-19 emergency measures. Anyone who displays any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or needs any additional information, can contact the COVID-19 Emergency numbers: 231 1166, 226 7480 or 624 6674 immediately, or visit the ministry’s website at www.health.gov.gy.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Corriverton Primary excels at NGSA
CORRIVERTON Primary School, East Berbice Corentyne, has a lot to celebrate. The school has produced three pupils who are among the top 10 in the region. Headmistress of the School, Michelle Hooper, attributed the success to the hardworking staff and commitment from the parents as well as sacrifice from the pupils. She related that despite the setback from the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers persisted and ensured the pupils had access to learning materials, worksheets and vital information. “We are very happy with the results and could not have achieved it without the input and teamwork of the committed teachers, parents and students,” the headteacher said. One hundred and two students wrote the National Grade Six Examinations (NGSA) at the Corriverton Primary School. Miss Hooper said in addition to the three
Suhana Bacchus
top students, six other pupils earned a spot at the prestigious President’s College, while the other pupils also did well. The top performers, Suhana Bacchus and Dillan Pawaroo, who both earned 512 marks, and would be going to Queen’s College. Gabriella Sukhu has earned a place at Bishops’ High with 511 marks. Bacchus, 12, an aspiring
lawyer said she finds the profession intriguing and would work hard to achieve her desired career. She related that the examinations and the months leading up to the examination were challenging due to the pandemic but she worked hard to achieve her dream school. “At first I found studying from home was hard because I wasn’t accustomed
Dillan Pawaroo
to that type of teaching but then it eventually became a habit and it became comfortable,” Bacchus said, as she credited her success to God, her teachers and parents. Her massage to her fellow peers is “Study hard, be a leader; not a follower.” Meanwhile, Pawaroo said he was surprised when he heard the results and had to take time out to compose
Gabriella Sukhu
himself. He credits his success to his parents and grade five teacher. Pawaroo, who wants to become a doctor, said he was aiming for a place at Queen’s College and “the hard work and studying paid off.” Gabriella Sukhu, who secured a place at the Bishops’ High, was happy with her achievement. Sukhu said she had a rigorous studying rou-
tine. The teen added that she would ensure she recapped and study each day. “Dealing with COVID-19 and having to be at home to do our school work was boring and sad at the same time but afterwards, when I got into a routine it became easy and I know what I had to do. In the end it was worth the effort and I am happy,” she said.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Employee hospitalised following New Amsterdam robbery The M. Ali Gas Station at Main and King Streets that was robbed by two armed bandits on Tuesday
Region Six Commander, Senior Superintendent, Linden Isles; Officer-in-Charge of Crime, Assistant Superintendent, Elton Blair; and Officer-in-Charge of Number One Sub division, Orin Joseph, at the crime scene
A MID-MORNING robbery at a Super 95 GuyOil sub-station in New Amsterdam left an employee hospitalised from a gunshot in the back. An undisclosed amount of cash was also stolen. The Guyana Chronicle was informed that the attack on the M. Ali Gas Station at Main and King Street occurred just after 10:00hrs, as employees were preparing to transport the previous night sales to the main location at Strand Road, New Amsterdam. An eyewitness related to this publication that he heard an explosion and initially thought it was a tyre that exploded from the adjoining wash bay.
Hospitalised pump operator, Shazam Melville But on a closer inspection, he observed two males on a motorcycle bearing reg-
An image of the robbery extracted from the security camera
istration number CJ 5411. The pillion rider was armed with a gun and he fired a shot in the direction of an employee. Seconds later, a haversack containing cash was grabbed from the employee before the motorist and pillion rider fled the scene. The motorcyclist and the pillion rider were masked and they also wore helmets. During the robbery, customers who were refuelling their vehicles, on hearing the gunshot, took cover in their vehicles. After the robbers fled, the wounded man was quickly taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital where he was admitted. Meanwhile, Ferose Ali, owner of the business chain which includes supermarkets and restaurants, related to this newspaper that, after responding to a telephone call, he was informed that his employee, Shazam Melville, of Lot 114 Experiment Village, West Coast Berbice and Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, was shot in the back. Ali said the monies stolen reflected sales from the previous night. The gas station operates for 24 hours each day. Minutes after the attack, Region Six, Commander, Senior Superintendent Linden Isles; Officer in Charge of Crime, Assistant Superintendent, Elton Blair; Officer in Charge of Number One Sub- division, Orin Joseph, and other ranks visited the scene. Footage from security cameras were reviewed. An Investigation has been launched.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
49 Guyanese return from Suriname –– placed on one week self-quarantine
A TIMELY intervention by the Government of Suriname has resulted in the ‘smooth’ and ‘successful’ repatriation of 49 Guyanese, who were stuck in Suriname for more than five months. According to the Ministry of Health, most of these persons had been in neighbouring Suriname prior to March 2020 and were left ‘stranded’ following the implementation of novel coronavirus COVID-19 guidelines at all ports of entry into Guyana and out of Suriname. Since Suriname does not administer polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing to persons without symptoms of the
COVID-19 disease, Guyanese there could not have fulfilled all the requirements for re-entry, as a negative COVID-19 PCR test, not less than seven days old, is a requirement for immigration authorities to allow entry for passengers into Guyana. A timely visit to Guyana by the President of Suriname, Chandrikapersad Santokhi, however, changed the fate of those persons as President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, had highlighted the issue. Following discussions with Dr. Ali, President Santokhi committed that his government would facilitate the PCR testing for Guyanese
COVID-19 claims another life GUYANA has lost yet another life to the dreaded novel coronavirus (COVID-19), taking the death toll to 68. Authorities of the Ministry of Health confirmed that the latest victim was a 74-year-old woman from Region One (Barima-Waini). She died while receiving treatment at a local health facility. The ministry expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and pledged to make every effort to provide all the necessary support during this difficult time. Officials of the ministry have since contacted all relatives and persons to facilitate contact tracing and rapid assistance to everyone who might have been exposed to the victim. Health authorities have so far tested 12,454 persons, with 10,017 being negative, and 2,437 positive. Some 35 of those cases were recorded within the past 24 hours. Of the total positive cases, 1,361 persons have recovered, and 68 have lost their lives. The remaining cases include 163 persons in institutional isolation, 830 in home isolation, and 16 in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU). According to the World Health Organisation (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. The WHO had 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 five per cent will need intensive care. But the COVID-19 disease has proven to be “a real killer,” especially in cases involving persons who have co-morbidities such as diabetes and hypertension among other ailments. Persons were encouraged to take extra precautions because there is no approved cure or specific treatment for the disease. Guyanese were also reminded to observe the protocols established in the COVID-19 emergency measures. Anyone who displays any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or needs any additional information, can contact the COVID-19 Emergency numbers: 231 1166, 226 7480 or 624 6674 immediately, or visit the ministry’s website at www.health. gov.gy.
citizens who wanted to return home. With further assistance from Guyana’s Ambassador to Suriname, Keith George, and staff of the Guyana Embassy in Paramaribo, all 49 persons were tested and the MB Sandaka Ferry was dispatched to Guyana.
Local authorities conveyed their gratitude to the government and people of Suriname for all the assistance and hospitality afforded to the group of Guyanese while they were staying in Suriname. As an added precaution, and in keeping with the Min-
istry of Health’s COVID-19 protocols, all 49 persons have been placed self-quarantine, which will last for one week. It was reported in August that the Government of Guyana brought home over 2,000 Guyanese, including students, who were left
stranded overseas as result of the closure of airports, in an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19. There have since been flights from New York, Miami, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Canada, St. Maarten, Jamaica, Grenada and Curaçao.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Bandits bolt in botched ATM robbery BANDITS attempted to rob the Scotia Bank ATM in the Courtyard Mall, Robb Street, Georgetown, in the wee hours of Sunday morning but were not as successful as their counterparts in movies. Reports indicate that the bandits gained access to the Scotia Bank ATM after breaking into a barbershop that is located adjacent to the outlet. The bandits allegedly dug a hole through the concrete wall and later realised that the safe was designed to withstand a welding torch. At the Courtyard Mall there was no security but an alarm was raised after someone noticed what was happening and the masked bandits sprinted from the scene. Police have obtained security footage from the robbery site as investigations continue.
The Scotia Bank ATM that was targeted by bandits
Guyana joins rest of the world in observing Child Protection Week THE Ministry of Human Services and Social Security through the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA), on Sunday, began observing Child Protection Week under the theme, “Protecting Children and Empowering Families to cope with the Global Pandemic.” A statement from the ministry, explained that this year’s theme focuses on continued efforts to ensure that our children are kept safe and build the capacity of their families, thereby enabling them to reach their full potential during this COVID-19 pandemic. Among the highlights for the week is the “Breaking the Silence on Child Sexual Abuse” virtual rally slated for Wednesday. The Minister of Human Services, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, will be delivering remarks at the event. Additionally, there will be various activities for different groups of children until September 29, when the celebrations will end. Guyana first observed Child Protection Week in 2004. It is an annual national project with the purpose of increasing common awareness and providing a better understanding of the importance of primary prevention needed to reduce child abuse and neglect in the country’s society, the ministry said. It added that the project instills the core principle, that child protection is everyone’s business.
GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Blood technician on bail for abusing journalist PRIYA SINGH, a blood technician attached to the Ministry of Health National Blood Transfusion Service, was, on Monday, slapped with an abusive language charge. She made her first court appearance before Essequibo Magistrate, Esther Sam, and pleaded not guilty to the charge. The charge stated that, on Saturday, September 19, she used abusive language to the annoyance of Indrawattie Natram, a journalist, at Golden Fleece, Region Two. Singh told the court she is 30 years old and resided at Lot 16 Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara and was living in a common-law relationship. Singh was visiting a friend for her birthday in Region Two when the said friend drove motor vehicle PSS 2069 in front of the journalist’s house and used a few exCharged: Priya Singh pletives. The journalist was in her hammock at the time. Natram told the police, in her statement, that she knew Singh for about 10 months, and, on many occasions, Singh threatened her verbally. It is alleged that Natram, in December 2019, was threatened by Singh who claimed that she would come to look for her at her home. The matter concerning cyberbullying was also reported to the CID headquarters and both parties were warned to keep the peace. Despite continuous warning from police, Singh continued to defame Natram’s character on social media. Natram said she believed the issue stemmed from jealousy after Singh, along with friends and other media personnel, went on a Know India Programme (KIP) trip to India with Natram’s boyfriend. The boyfriend had told police, in a statement, that he had nothing, nor want anything, to do with Singh. On Monday, Prosecutor Chattergoon did not object to bail but told the court the respondent was living outside of Region Two and requested for the matter to be transferred to the Suddie Magistrate’s Court. The trial into the matter will commence on October 23, 2020. Singh was arrested on September 20 and was granted station bail in the sum of 50,000 before her court appearance Monday. On Monday, she was also granted $5000 bail.
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Samson,, Smith Samson Smith,, Archer...
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And then, Samson, coming in at No. 3 made the early impressions of the pitch seem questionable. He did take a couple of attempts to get his pull shots right, but once he got the pace of the surface came two short-arm pulls to clear the shortest square boundaries in the
tournament. It was the start of a torrent. Royals got to 54 for 1 in the powerplay, and in the immediate over after, Samson took to Ravindra Jadeja’s quick, overpitched deliveries like they were throwdowns in training. Two sixes off his first two balls against him - one over long-on, one over longoff - started Samson off, and the exact feat was repeated against Piyush Chawla next over. Chawla, who was also hit straight off a full length, did try to pull his length back the next ball along with a wider line; even so, Samson produced one of his best shots of the night, reaching out to slap him over extra cover without even managing to get to the pitch of it. That turned out to be the last real challenge until he got out. He completed a 19-ball fifty - equalling Owais Shah for the Royals’ second fastest one - and by the end of that over, which went for 28 including a Smith six, had five sixes in his last nine balls. Royals went into the first time-out 96 for 1 in eight overs. It took another three overs - with three more straight sixes off spin bowling that continued to be too
full - before the partnership ended via a short ball.
SIX OR NOTHING Smith had played himself in, in his usual busy manner, but he was reprieved at the long-off boundary, drilling one to Sam Curran who couldn’t hold on to the flat hit on his left. He managed a cheeky ramp off Ngidi, falling over into the off-side while doing it, but those were rare highlights in what proved a downturn in the innings. Miller was run-out without facing a ball on his Royals debut, caught short at the non-striker’s end as his bat plonked in the turf as he dived. Robin Uthappa, one of whom Royals bought at the auction, came in at No. 5 and managed only five off his nine balls. Sam Curran and the spinners had adjusted their lengths, just behind a good length, to bring some control for the Super Kings in the second half. Paradoxically, the pitch seemed to be difficult to score on if the scoring shots weren’t boundaries or sixes; until the 19th over. Royals only made 54 after Samson had fallen at 132 in 11.4 overs, and had lost Smith by then.
Then came what was probably one of Ngidi’s worst overs in his life. It started with a reversion to the overpitched length. On hand to take advantage in the last over was Jofra Archer, who pumped the first ball over the straight boundary. The next ball, a short one, ended up over the roof at midwicket. Following those were two more sixes - both of which also happened to be no-balls - and a wide that immediately follow them meant Ngidi had gone for 27 runs off two legal balls. To his credit, he conceded only three off the next four, but the second 30-run last over of this edition lifted Royals to 216 for 7. SUPER KINGS GET STUCK Super Kings’ chase began with eight off the first two overs, no boundaries scored, and it turned out to be a precursor for the rest of the innings. The six-or-nothing theme stuck for them as well, and they did manage to more or less match Royals’ powerplay effort. But just after their most fluent batsman on the night - Shane Watson - had struck four sixes and a four and looked set to take on the
spinners, the plan fell apart. Leg-spinner Tewatia skidded one on leg stump and Watson was bowled off his thigh, trying to pull him. M. Vijay’s run-a-ball 21 hadn’t helped when he fell next over, and only the promoted Sam Curran’s 17 off 6 seemed to be taking the Super Kings anywhere near their big target in the face of much better lengths from the Royals’ spinners. But Tewatia had him and Ruturaj Gaikwad stumped off consecutive deliveries, and Kedar Jadhav’s promotion meant Dhoni came in at No. 7 with 104 required off 38 balls. du Plessis had struck at less than run-a-ball for 19 balls at that point, and was dropped at long-on by Riyan Parag off Tewatia. That catalysed a late six-hitting surge from him - and a 21-run over off Jaydev Unadkat. But his second fifty of the season, 72 off 37, came at the other end of Dhoni trudging to 10 off 13 before hitting his first six and turning it into three in a row in the last over. But the chase had already been mathematically closed off by Archer - with the ball in the 19th over, after he had done the work with the bat earlier.
Brazil to allow some fans back into football stadiums (REUTERS) - The Brazilian government yesterday sanctioned the partial return of fans to football stadiums. “It is important to stress that the reopening should be up to 30% of capacity of stadiums,” Brazil’s Health Ministry said in a short statement, adding that the percentage can increase later if required. The decision would allow for crowds of around 25 000 in Rio’s Maracana stadium and came after the Brazilian Football Confederation asked health officials to rule on their proposal to get fans back into grounds that have been closed since March when football shut down due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Individual cities can override the decision, with Belo Horizonte saying it
will veto the return of fans, according to Brazilian media reports. Hundreds of people are still dying each day from COVID-19 in Brazil, one of the world’s most badly-affected nations, and the decision comes the same day that the British government shelved plans to allow fans to return to watch live sport. Professional matches kicked off again in June in Rio de Janeiro and in Sao Paulo state, Brazil’s most populous, in July. Clubs, however, are struggling to keep their players virus-free. Brazilian champions Flamengo, for example, were due to play a Copa Libertadores tie in Ecuador yesterday but seven players and two staff tested positive for COVID-19 before the match.
Several other clubs have reported similar problems, with one Brazilian league game last month cancelled just minutes before kickoff after members of one side tested
positive. More than 136 000 people have died from COVID-19 in Brazil, the second highest death toll in the world after the United States.
CRICKET QUIZ CORNER
(Wednesday September 23, 2020)
COMPLIMENTS OF THE 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) Jasprit Bumrah (MI) (2) Andre Russell (KKR) Today’s Quiz: (1) Who scored most runs in last season’s IPL? (2) Who took more wickets in IPL 2019?
Answers in tomorrow’s issue
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Cycling thrown into fresh turmoil with Tour de France doping investigation By Julien Pretot PARIS, France (Reuters) - Cycling has been thrown into fresh turmoil after French judicial authorities opened a preliminary investigation into potential doping at Nairo Quintana’s team Arkea-Samsic on Monday, a day after the Tour de France ended in Paris. Two people had been taken into custody, Marseille prosecutor Dominique Laurens said, adding that the probe was targeting a “small part of the team” and that those in custody were part of the “close entourage of the main rider”, without naming him. Arkea-Samsic’s leader on the Tour was Colombian Quintana, a two-time runner-up, and Vuelta and Giro d’Italia champion. He finished 17th overall on this year’s Tour. The French team confirmed their hotel in Meribel was searched by the OCLAESP, the Central Office for the Fight against Environmental and Public Health Damage, after last Wednes-
The Arkea-Samsic team before stage four of the Tour de France
day’s 17th stage. Laurens said the search had resulted in the “discovery of many health products, including drugs and especially a method that can be qualified as doping”.
A source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters that a “saline solution” and “injection material” had been found. Injection material can only be in possession of doctors as per the ‘no needle
policy’ in place in cycling since 2011. Arkea-Samsic team manager Emmanuel Hubert said on Monday that the investigation did “not target the team or its staff directly.
Jordan, Hamlin form Nascar Cup Series Jordan, team with Bubba Wallace as driver
BASKETBALL legend Michael Jordan and threetime Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin have formed a single-car Nascar Cup Series team, with Bubba Wallace as their driver. Wallace is Nascar’s sole black full-time driver while Jordan is the second black team owner at its elite level. Earlier this year, Wallace successfully campaigned to get the Confederate flag banned from Nascar races. Six-time NBA champion Jordan said the team would “educate a new audience”. The 57-year-old added it would also “open more opportunities for black people in racing”. “Historically, Nascar has struggled with diversity and there have been few black owners,” Jordan said. “The timing seemed perfect as Nascar is evolving and embracing social change more and more.” In June, it was feared
Bubba Wallace is Nascar’s sole full-time black driver.
Wallace, 26, had been subject to a racial attack when a noose was found in his garage stall at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. An FBI investigation concluded it was actually a handle on a garage door and had been there since the
previous year. On joining Jordan and Hamlin’s team, Wallace said: “This is a unique, once-ina-lifetime opportunity that I believe is a great fit for me at this point in my career.” Hamlin, 39, will be a minority partner in the team
while he continues to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing. The team will start racing in 2021 with their name, car number, manufacturer and sponsors to be announced in due course. (BBC Sport)
Quintana was allowed to continue working with his own doctor when he signed a three-year deal with Arkea-Samsic this year. Quintana’s management had not responded to a Reuters request for comment.
This year’s Tour was won by Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, who produced one of the most stunning performances in recent history in the final time trial last Saturday. The 22-year-old is with Team UAE Emirates, which is managed by Mauro Gianetti and Matxin Fernandez, sports directors at Saunier Duval in 2008 when the team left the Tour in the wake of Ricardo Ricco’s failed doping test. The duo were also managing the Geox-TMC team when Spaniard Juan Jose Cobo won the Vuelta in 2011, only to be stripped of the title because of a “violation of the anti-doping rules (use of a banned substance) based on irregularities found in his Athlete Biological Passport in 2009 and 2011”. “I am too young to remember that era,” said Pogacar when asked about his entourage at UAE Emirates. “I was 10 in 2008 and it’s weird to be talking about this because it goes against everything I believe in.” The last notable rider to fail a doping test on the Tour was Luxembourg’s Frank Schleck in 2012.
German F1 Grand Prix to allow up to 20 000 fans BERLIN, Germany (Reuters) - Next month’s Eifel Grand Prix at Germany’s Nuerburgring track can have as many as 20 000 fans in attendance, local authorities said on Monday, with the region’s coronavirus infections under control. “The permission for 20 000 fans is within the decision of the state that allows up to 20 percent of stadium capacity for major sports events if infection figures are inconspicuous and the public infrastructure allows for social-distancing rules to be met,” Ahrweiler district council said. Tickets for the October 11 race went on sale shortly after the decision. The Nuerburgring can normally accommodate more than 100 000 spectators. Germany reported 922 more positive coronavirus cases on Monday with the overall death toll at 9 386. The old Nuerburgring was a famous pre-World War Two venue for grand prix racing and the remodelled circuit last featured in the Formula One world championship in 2013. The circuit sank into insolvency in 2012 and changed ownership in 2014. Six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has won six of nine races this season and is 55 points clear of second-placed Valtteri Bottas in the standings with eight rounds remaining.
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Langer hints at minimal changes for Indian Tests
AUSTRALIA will go almost a year between Test matches but coach Justin Langer expects to take a similar squad into the upcoming four-match series against India. The world No.1 ranked Test team hasn’t played together since completing a 3-0 sweep of New Zealand at the SCG in January. Australia planned to face Bangladesh in July, but that two-Test series was postponed because of COVID-19. Although the dates for home Test summer could still change, Langer’s team is due to open their blockbuster series against India on December 3. The 11-month hiatus between international red-ball
contests is something no Australian team have had to deal with in 33 years. In 1987, Allan Border’s team didn’t play after losing the Ashes in January until facing New Zealand at the Gabba at the start of the following summer. “We’ve been able to play some great Test cricket in the last 12-18 months,” Langer said from quarantine in Adelaide on Monday. “We’re ranked number one at the moment and there are reasons for that. “If someone’s banging so hard on the door (in the Sheffield Shield) that we can’t ignore them, that’s what we’re looking for. “In our mind it’s pretty clear at the moment what that
Australia head coach Justin Langer
first Test squad would be, but it’s exciting to see if anyone
else is going to put their hand up.”
Australia used just 12 players in their five successful home Tests last summer, with James Pattinson replacing the injured Josh Hazlewood after three Tests. The inclusion of an all-rounder might be on the agenda if conditions require it, with Mitchell Marsh or even highly-rated youngster Cameron Green among the candidates. Langer is confident his team will be as prepared as can be to take on Virat Kohli’s side this summer despite the challenges associated with the coronavirus pandemic. Langer, along with players from Australia’s successful ODI touring party of England, is completing two-
week quarantine at the new Adelaide Oval hotel. But Test stars, including Steve Smith, David Warner, Pat Cummins and Hazlewood are plying their trade in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Dubai until November. Those playing in the IPL will miss out on the early rounds of the Sheffield Shield, although the domestic calendar is yet to be finalised. “We look at performance and there are great opportunities every time they play cricket,” Langer said. “Whether it’s in the IPL or the Sheffield Shield, there’s a great opportunity to show everyone what they’ve got and put their hand up for the selectors.” (Cricket.com.au)
Essex, Somerset to clash in Bob Willis Trophy final today “TO play a five-day final at Lord’s is special. You don’t tend to get that in red-ball cricket, and it might not happen again.” It is fair to say the importance of today’s Bob Willis Trophy final against Somerset is not lost on Essex head coach Anthony McGrath. The final of the one-off competition, named in honour of the late ex-England fast bowler Bob Willis, sees the two teams who were involved in a last-game County Championship decider in 2019 again battle it out for red-ball honours in a coronavirus-impacted 2020 season. And with a new trophy to play for, featuring a cuboid design painted by Willis’ widow Lauren, both sides will be eager to emerge victorious for what could be a once-in-a-lifetime honour.
“For me, arguably the best two teams in the country have got to the final,” Somerset head coach Jason Kerr told BBC Somerset. “We know we’ve got an opportunity to continue to play the cricket that we’ve played over the past five games and if we do that I’m sure we’ll get the right result.” The two sides progressed to the final as group winners with the most points. Somerset won the Central Group with four wins out of five and 97 points, while Essex finished first in the South Group with four wins and 90 points. Yorkshire fell just short, having won the North Group with 87 points. “We knew we needed three or four wins to get to the final, so to win four out of five and have the other rained off, you can’t
Essex emerged as champions after last season’s County Championship decider against Somerset, but will they do so again in this season’s Bob Willis Trophy? ask for much more,” McGrath said after they beat Middlesex to reach the final. “We have carried on from
last season. It has been unbelievable consistency from everyone.” The weather and pitch at Taunton stole the headlines in
last season’s decider. Following Essex’s rain-affected draw which crowned them champions, Somerset were
handed a 24-point penalty, with 12 suspended for two years, because the wicket was judged to have “excessive unevenness of bounce”. That deduction was delayed until 2021 because of the shortened 2020 season, but does the punishment, as well as the defeat by Essex, add an edge to this year’s final? “For me not at all - it’s an opportunity to test ourselves against the best,” Kerr continued. “They’re number one; we’re number two, that’s how it finished. We’re looking to overturn that. “Part of the aim on the back of last year was to improve our skills and we’ve done that and that’s without the overseas players and with the emergence of some really exciting young cricketers. (BBC Sport)
Rikhi hits two half-centuries over the weekend in Minor League Cricket
FORMER National youth batman Dominique Rikhi struck his second and third half-centuries over the weekend to lead the New Jersey Stallions to their opening victories in the USA Cricket-organised exhibition matches of T20 Minor League Cricket (MLC). The opening batsman, who had hit 76 runs in a loss to the Empire State Titans the weekend prior, struck 71 from 62 balls last Saturday when his team tackled New Jersey Somerset Cavaliers Cricket Club, and 56 from 38 balls on Sunday when they played the New England Ea-
gles (A). Stallions batted first at Howe Athletic Complex, in New Jersey, and were able to score 149-3 from their allotted overs with Rikhi scoring almost half of the total. The Berbician, who started his cricketing career with Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, clobbered two sixes and four fours in his innings. In reply, Somerset Cavaliers were bowled out for 104 in 19.2 overs. Gavon Brown picked up 4-9 from 3.2 overs to lead Stallions’ bowling attack. On Sunday, Stallions vice-captain
Rikhi was again in a no-nonsense mood at the Athletic Complex. He belted three sixes and three fours in his innings, which helped his team to a 26-run victory. For the first wicket, the Berbician and Savan Patel (40) put together 75 runs, which was key in the side reaching 169-5 from their allotted overs. Former Guyana and West Indies batsman Assad Fudadin had a start with the bat, in the Eagles’ chase, but his run-a-ball 33 runs (2x4s, 1x6) could not lead his team to victory as the overs Dominique Rikhi has hit three consecutive half-centuries in the exhibition matches. expired with them on 143-6. (Photo: USAcricketers.com)
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Bleak winter ahead for British sport as fans kept out of stadiums By Alan Baldwin LONDON, England (Reuters) - British sport faces a bleak winter, and for some a fight for survival in the cold months ahead, after the postponement of plans to allow a limited number of fans back into stadiums from October. What had been seen as a glimmer of light at the end of a tunnel now looks like another long stretch of darkness for clubs and sports already in crisis-management after being forced to do without their ticketing income stream. The government had planned to allow 25-33% capacities from October 1 but Prime Minister Boris Johnson said yesterday that was being postponed as part of measures to tackle a second wave of COVID-19. More than 100 sports bodies - including from tennis, cricket, rugby and the Premier League - had called on Monday for emergency funding in the light of the expected development. They warned also of “a lost generation of activity”.
The Premier League said its members suffered 700 million pounds ($895.09 million) of losses last season and the national game was losing more than 100 million a month with a ‘devastating’ impact on clubs and communities. While the top tier enjoys lucrative television deals, the financial picture for those whose business models rely heavily on gate receipts remains stark, with some warning of collapse without a bailout. “A lot of clubs were already having financial difficulties before this pandemic started and this may sadly tip some of them over the edge,” said Mark Palios, chairman of fourth tier Tranmere Rovers. English Football League chief executive David Baldwin said last week that EFL Clubs lost 50 million pounds in gate receipts in 2019-20. “It is estimated a further 200 million pounds will be lost if crowds do not return during the 2020-21 campaign,” he said. “The contribution to football’s finances made by match-going supporters ... is critical to the viability of League football and all
General view inside the stadium during the match -Third One Day International - England v Australia - Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester - September 16, 2020. (Pool via REUTERS/Jason Cairnduff) EFL Clubs.” RUGBY REVENUE LOSS The Rugby Football Union had hoped for a 20 000 crowd at Twickenham for England’s game against the Barbarians on October 25 but have suspended ticket sales for what would have been a major revenue stream. In July, the RFU projected a short-term revenue loss of 107 million pounds due to
the closure of Twickenham and proposed making 139 positions within the organisation redundant. The entire backbone of the sport’s funding across the UK is the money made from hosting internationals, with the RFU making around 10 million pounds from each Twickenham full house and its internationals at the venue providing around 85% of its income. Without those funds it has warned of a
devastating knock-on effect on the grassroots game and now even a smaller figure from a 50% or 25% capacity looks in jeopardy. Rugby Football League (RFL) chief executive Ralph Rimmer said this month that the potential impact on revenues of not being able to admit fans was up to 2 million pounds a week. Horse Racing’s Jockey Club, which owns the Grand National and the Cheltenham Festival as well as a number of courses, said the main revenue streams for many sports had been cut off. “With no prospect of a change soon, this threatens the survival of sports organisations and the many livelihoods they support,” said chief executive Nevin Truesdale. He said sport and physical activity sustained 600 000 jobs and contributed more than 16 billion pounds a year to the UK economy. The prospect of thousands of people travelling to venues, even if well separated inside, jars with a message to avoid social mingling. The United Kingdom has the biggest official COVID-19 death toll in Europe.
Brown: I should have scored a hat-trick Former Jamaica Under-17 Jevani Brown
LONDON, England (CMC) – Former young Reggae Boy Jevani Brown said he was happy to help English League Two club Colchester United claim an impressive 2-0 home win over Bolton Wanderers at the weekend, but felt he should have scored a hat-trick. The 25-year-old, who was born in England but represented Jamaica at Under-17 level, scored one goal and laid on another after leading the line superbly for Steve Ball’s team. Brown scored his first league goal of the season in the 71st minute when he
calmly lifted the ball past Bolton keeper Billy Crellin to wrap up his side’s win. But while he was pleased to see Colchester win their first league game of the season, Brown felt he should have hit the net more than once. “I’m pleased with my goal but I’m disappointed in myself, as I feel I should have scored a hat-trick. I’m still dwelling a little bit on the two other chances I had,” he explained. “But if I keep getting myself into those kind of positions, I should score more often than not.
“I’m not negative towards the team or anything else but from a personal standard’s point of view, I feel I should have scored at least two; but I’m just happy to get the three points,” said the former Cambridge United attacker, who was on loan at League Two rivals Forest Green Rovers last season. Meanwhile, Bermudian striker Nahki Wells was equally happy to open his account for the new season after netting in second-placed Bristol City’s 2-0 win away to Stoke City in the Championship.
Wells, 30, put his side ahead in firsthalf stoppage time, hooking in Chris Martin’s headed pull-back. “It was important for us to come away with the three points,” Wells said. “It was a hard-fought match and I’m just delighted to leave with the three points and get my season up and running from a goals perspective.” It was Wells’ sixth goal for City since being sold to the West Country outfit by Premier League side Burnley for a reported £5 million (US$6.4 million) fee in January.
Lara XI cart off… inaugural Canada Deonandan cops Player Softball Bash -of-Tournament award
By Frederick Halley
TORONTO, Canada - Yadram Bogh’s Lara XI carted off the inaugural Canada Softball Bash 10/10 tournament when the two-day extravaganza climaxed at the Greenbriar ground, Brampton Ontario on Sunday. On a day which saw pulsating and nail-biting finishes take centre stage, Lara XI proved their superiority, playing unbeaten in Saturday’s preliminary round; surviving in a last-ball thriller with Toronto Softball Cricket Club (TSCC) in their semi-final encounter then trumping Northern Warriors with two balls to spare in a heart-throbbing final. Northern Warriors, who also entered Sunday’s semi-finals unbeaten, stopped upstarts Canadian Legends by 11 runs after the Mohan Singh side had won their two matches on Saturday and harboured thoughts of going home with the $4 000 (Can) first prize and the Prem Punwasi-sponsored winning trophy. Set 84 for victory, after limiting
Northern Warriors to 83 all out in their allotted 10 overs, Lara XI were given a rollicking start of 61 in eight overs by man-of-the-match Bogh (32 not out) and Anil Etwaroo (35) before skipper Shaun Deonandan (15 not out) ensured victory was achieved without any further alarms. Etwaroo, who went via run-out, struck a four and three sixes while Bogh’s knock contained one four and two sixes. Earlier, Northern Warriors innings never got going, as they lost wickets at regular intervals with Faheer Juman’s 18 (one four and two sixes) being the top score as Shazam Baksh (three for 28), Mohan Harihar (two for 18) and Deonandan (two for 21) were the main destroyers. One of the main highlights of the day was a brutal display of power-hitting by the burly Farook Hussain who bludgeoned nine huge sixes and three fours in a lightning innings of 74, albeit in a losing cause as his team TSCC failed to defend their 102 for four, made in the allotted 10 overs. Eventual winners Lara XI reached the
target off the last delivery as they rallied to victory in the face of some poor roundarm bowling display by their opponents. In the other semi-final, Northern Warriors made light work of Canadian Legends, limiting them to 66 for nine, the lowest total of the day as they stoutly defended their 77 for six, made in the allotted 10 overs. Skipper Loaknauth Ramsuchit led from the front for the winners with an enterprising 37 (one four and four sixes), At the presentation ceremony, which followed at the Cabana Restaurant & Lounge, Mississsauga, Lara XI collected $4 000 (Can) and the winning trophy while runners-up Northern Warriors were rewarded with $1 000 and the runners-up trophy. Players on the winning team also received medals. Deonandan was adjudged the Player-of-the-Tournament and received a diamond ring worth $1500, compliments of Omesh Jewelry. Other incentive prizes were awarded to Nick Sarwan of Double Trouble – best
Members of Lara X1 pose with their winnings. catch; Hussain – best batsman; Anil Mahadeo (Lara X1) - best bowler; Randy Roopnarine (Double Trouble) - best fielder and Zaheer Allard (Lara X1) - best wicketkeeper. Ramsuchit, Riaz Kadir, Avish Rukhram, Anil Etwaroo and Shazam Baksh received household appliances, compliments of Mohan Singh of I Saw That On TV and more for outstanding performances. The winning and runners-up captains, who are also members of Softball Cricket Canada (SCC), handed over $1 000 each to the president Rajesh Willie to assist in overseas tournaments. Willie assured that the tournament will be expanded next year and will be
played over the Labour Day holiday weekend with the winners guaranteed a whopping $10 000. The tournament was played with the white ball, with teams required to bowl two overs using the roundarm method. Among the several sponsors were Softball Cricket Canada, Tropical Nights, I.R General Contracting Inc., Windies Restaurant & Bar, AP Staffing, Omesh Jewelry, JDG Tooling & Automation, Cabana Restaurant & Lounge, Dent Wizard, I Saw That On TV, Canadian Surplus Guyana, Fusion Restaurant, RR CPA Professional Corporation, RRW Accounting Solutions, Alarm TechZ, Bhowan Persaud – Century 21 Regal Realty and Cynthia Singh - Realtor.
Sanju Samson eventually fell for 74 in the 12th over but Smith powered to his fifty off 35 balls.(BCCI photo)
Samson, Smith Samson, Smith,, Archer help RR win battle of sixes
By Varun Shetty
SANJU Samson, Steven Smith and Jofra Archer managed to out-hit Chennai Super Kings with 17 sixes between them as Rajasthan Royals (RR) opened their campaign with a win in Sharjah. The tournament’s first 200-plus score was fuelled by Samson’s 32-ball 74, Smith’s balanced 47-ball 69, and Archer’s four sixes in a row in the last over and proved to be too much for the Super Kings whose chase meandered into near-surrender in the middle overs before bursting to life at the end. (Scores: Rajasthan Royals 216 for 7 (Samson 74, Smith 69, Archer 27*, Sam Curran 3-33) beat Chennai Super Kings 200 for 6 (du Plessis 72, Watson 33, Dhoni 29*, Tewatia 3-37) by 16 runs)
West Indies Women’s captain Stafanie Taylor
Rahul Tewatia’s three wickets played a big role in that, but Royals’ defence was aided by the Super Kings’ experimental batting order and an ostensible lack of purpose in chase; by the time MS Dhoni came in, at No. 7, they needed to score at more than 16 an over. That proved too much on the night despite a late attack from Faf du Plessis.
Sanju Samson’s knock took MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings by complete surprise with his 32 ball 74. (Courtesy by BCCI/PTI)
Jofra Archer took pacer Lungi Ngidi to the cleaners in the final over, smashing six after six as the Royals took 30 runs from the last over, taking them to an ominous 2167. Image Credit: Deepak Malik / Sportzpics for BCC photoI
Brand new Rajasthan, same old Samson The area that Royals really wanted to revamp at the auction was their opening partnership, but the experiment with Smith alongside debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal lasted a laboured 14 balls, in which they only managed to put on 11 trying to come to terms with what looked like a sluggish pitch. Jaiswal was out trying to pull one that gripped and got big on him.
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`We were always behind’ in loss to England - Taylor WEST Indies Women’s captain, Stafanie Taylor believes a failure to adapt to the playing surface resulted in their downfall against England at Derby on Monday. Taylor’s side managed 116 for 6 in their 20 overs chasing an England total of 163 for 8 set by the hosts who took first strike. England’s match-winning total was due largely to the innings of Player of the Match Tammy Beaumont who scored 62 from 49 balls aided by some wayward bowling from the Caribbean women. Deandra Dottin led the scoring for the West Indies
with a 59-ball 69 but no other made double figures as the West Indies struggled to keep pace with the required rate of just over eight runs an over. Taylor was not happy with the performances. “It’s not one of our best [performances]. We didn’t adapt well to the pitch,” she said. Tammy batted really well and set the game up nicely for them. Looking back at that, we thought we were always behind and had to gain some momentum going into the batting.” Taylor conceded that the bowlers and the batters
Brazil to allow some fans back into football stadiums
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let the team down. “Some bowlers bowled well in patches but... not the best, really. Deandra batted well, but she needed someone to stay there with her,” said the despondent Windies captain. “We thought too many dot balls strangled us a bit. We needed to go back to the footage and assess it and see areas we can improve on. We have a training day tomorrow just to fine-tune for Wednesday’s game.” The next match in the five-match series bowls off today.(Sportsmax)
Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian forward Neymar (R) prepares to shoot a corner kick during the Friendly football match between Le Havre Athletic Club and Paris Saint-Germain at the Stade Oceane, in Le Havre, on July 12, 2020. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP)
Bleak winter ahead for British sport as fans kept out of stadiums PAGE 39
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2020