Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_06_05_2020

FRIDAY 5th June, 2020

' No.106020

‘There’s enough proof of fraud’ SEE PAGE 02

Elections Commissioner Vincent Alexander

…GECOM commissioner says electoral process has been breached …that credibility of polls has to do with whether the system was corrupted or not PAGE

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‘We need a word today’

…APNU+AFC gives GECOM deadline to respond to irregularities ….says several lists of migrated voters were sent to electoral body for probe PAGE

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The Coalition has alleged that a number of discrepancies have been found in ballot boxes

Seven more win battle against COVID-19

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 5, 2020

‘Enough proof of fraud’ …GECOM commissioner says electoral process has been breached …says credibility of polls has to do with whether system was corrupted or not

By Svetlana Marshall ELECTIONS Commissioner Vincent Alexander said there is clear evidence that Guyana’s General and Regional Elections were compromised, as he cited cases in which unscrupulous people voted in the place of persons who were either dead or out of the country when the elections were held on March 2. “Now the fact of the matter is that where we’re at, there is proof that the system has been breached; it has been breached,” Alexander told reporters on Thursday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), even as he explained that there is sufficient evidence to suggest that there are persons on the Official List of Electors (OLEs), who were out of the country on polling day, but have been marked off as having voted. One such person is Adler Bynoe of Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown. Bynoe was listed among 172 persons whom the Commissioner of Police and Chief Immigration Officer, Leslie James confirmed were out of the jurisdiction on Elections Day, and according to the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) were marked off on the OLE as having voted. In a letter to the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, Bynoe confirmed that had been out of the jurisdiction as indicated by the chief immigration officer, and therefore could not have voted. “I can confirm that as a citizen of Guyana, GECOM duly regis-

tered me as an elector and my name appeared on GECOM’s Official List of Electors for the 2020 General and Regional Elections. Further, I can confirm that I am usually resident in Guyana, although I was out of the jurisdiction on Elections Day,” Bynoe wrote. Bynoe made it known that he is not a part of any scheme to perpetrate electoral fraud. “I reject any contention that I may have supported electoral fraud,” Bynoe made clear while “seeking confirmation

from GECOM as to whether or not someone did vote on my behalf without my permission to do so.” To date, APNU+AFC has cited more than 1,200 such cases in which persons are

alleged to have voted in the place of electors who were out of Guyana. While Bynoe has confirmed that he was out of the jurisdiction on March 2, other individuals, who are reportedly listed on the list

provided to GECOM by the commissioner of police, are alleging that they were present in the country and therefore exercised their franchise. TURN TO PAGE

Elections Commissioner Vincent Alexander

This is among the Death Certificates reportedly submitted to GECOM as evidence by the APNU+AFC. According to the coalition, someone voted in the place of the late Chitnandani Ramdass in District #2. The alleged irregularity was cited in Box 2107. Adler Bynoe’s Letter to Chair of GECOM, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 5, 2020

‘We need a word today’ …APNU+AFC gives GECOM deadline to respond to irregularities ….says several lists of migrated voters were sent to electoral body for probe

THE APNU+AFC has stated that the party expects a response from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) by today June 5, 2020 on how it will treat with a mountain of alleged irregularities uncovered during the national recount. At a press conference on Thursday, APNU General Secretary, Joseph Harmon, said that since May 30, the APNU+AFC has dispatched over 11 letters to GECOM detailing the irregularities uncovered by party agents and requesting immediate investigation to verify their claims. “There has been no direct response by the Elections Commission to these letters. We sent another five letters to GECOM on the fraud that is piling up. The commission must, with certainty, make its position known on these issues that put the credibility of over 90,000 votes into question,” he said. The list of irregularities highlighted by APNU+AFC include: counterfoils and ballots carrying the same number; ballots for one region cast in another; ballots cast for the dead and persons who have migrated; persons voting without proper identification; persons voting outside of their districts with-

out employment documents; large numbers of improperly stamped ballots at locations where disciplined services members voted; missing poll books and documents from one polling station being found in the ballot boxes of another. Harmon said that he expects that the physical recount process will be completed by Sunday, or early next week the latest, and GECOM needs to act now on the said concerns. He stated: “We will have to get a decision from GECOM on this matter and we are serving notice that we expect a decision by GECOM on these matters by the end of Friday June 5, 2020. They must say to us how they will treat with these matters, it is very important.” Harmon reminded that the recount exercise has four phases which begin with the physical counting of ballots, followed by the preparation of a report by the GECOM Secretariat to the Elections Commission. The commission will then deliberate on the report or any other report such as one coming from the CARICOM scrutinising team, followed lastly by a final declaration from the Chairperson of GECOM. In the

letters sent to the commission, the APNU+AFC outlined cases of several

that almost 90 per cent of the said persons were not in the jurisdiction on E-Day. The

APNU General Secretary, Joseph Harmon

persons not listed on the Official List of Electors (OLE) voting at the Corriverton Primary School; over 162 unused ballots unaccounted for at Number 77 Village on the Corentyne and 85 unused ballots missing from ballot box #9068 amongst others. LIST OF MIGRANTS Meanwhile, Harmon said that the party has submitted several lists of migrated voters to GECOM for investigation and the Immigration Department has confirmed

APNU+AFC has accused the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Opposition of being the masterminds behind the alleged electoral fraud and expects that hundreds more such cases will be unearthed in the remaining boxes. Contrary, as it relates to the immigration matters, PPP/C has come out with some individual/s who state that they were named on the said list sent to the commission but can verify that they were in the country on E-day. They have also

criticised the Immigration Department headed by Police Commissioner, Leslie James, questioning his impartiality. However, the APNU+AFC maintains that 90 per cent of those on the list were not in the jurisdiction on March 2, 2020. “As a tactic, the PPP now, they’re attacking the Immigration Department. The Immigration Department is the legal body that monitors movement in and out of the country, but here the PPP, they’re clutching at straws in the wind. That is the official record of the country and they’re trying to impute the character of the officer in charge of the records and the records themselves,” Harmon rebutted. He accused PPP/C-nominated GECOM Commissioners of forcing a postponement of investigations into the said irregularities. Even so, he pledged that his party will continue to expose such cases and will not let up on its requests of the commission to investigate all irregularities as doing otherwise puts a barrier between Guyanese citizens and credible elections results. Meanwhile, PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate, Mark Phillips, speaking to the media outside the Arthur Chung

‘Enough proof of ... But Alexander, while emphasising that there is scope for reconciliation and correlation, reminded media operatives that the list was submitted to the police commissioner by GECOM based on APNU+AFC’s contention. “A list was presented, and that list was presented in keeping with the allegation that here are persons whose serial numbers were identified in the workstations who have been voted for,” he explained. He further explained that once a serial number is called out by a political party at the level of the workstation, verification takes place to ascertain whether or not a person’s name has been ticked off as having voted. “The APNU+AFC verified the serial numbers that were ticked off. Anybody who is involved in the election process verifying a serial number, can go to a source document, and verify the

names. That’s a fact, this is not something to be argued; this is a fact. My construct is based on fact, my construct is not an imagination, my construct is based on fact, irrefutable fact,” the elections commissioner reasoned. In addition to the provisions of Lists of Electors who were out of the jurisdiction on Elections Day, APNU+AFC has submitted a number of death certificates for persons who reportedly have been marked off on the OLE as having voted as well. Further to that, the APNU+AFC highlighted a number of other irregularities such as missing poll books, Certificates of Employment, OLEs, Oaths of Identity and an alarming number of unstamped or incorrectly stamped ballots, which have been deemed rejected. These irregularities have been included in Observation Reports, which will be sum-

marised by Electoral District and submitted to the elections commission along with the tabulated votes for deliberation in accordance with the gazetted Order. “The chairman was very pellucid previously that evidence must be produced; and if evidence has been produced then there could be no choice but to see if the evidence justifies the allegation,” the commissioner said. Questioned whether the magnitude of the irregularities would be the determining factor, Alexander said not necessarily. “I don’t think the issue of credibility is merely an issue of comparison of numbers; the issue of credibility has to do with whether the system was corrupted or not, and so therefore my measurement, my yardstick is not to compare a margin between parties, my yardstick is to ask the question, is there evidence that this process

has been corrupted, and if it has been corrupted, can we declare it credible”? he explained. SAFEGUARDS But were there enough safeguards in place to prevent electoral fraud? According to Alexander, the electoral system, as it is, has loopholes that cannot be ignored. The commissioner pointed to his earlier calls for houseto-house registration to be conducted so as to generate a National Register of Registrants (NRR) from which the Preliminary List of Electors and Official List of Electors are extracted. Guyana, he posited, went into the 2020 General and Regional Elections with a bloated list. “I was one of the advocates for a new list because in my humble opinion, if you have a bloated list, and not withstanding what some people are saying, we do

Conference Center (ACCC) on Thursday, said that Harmon’s pronouncement of a deadline amounts to interfering with the Constitutional rights of GECOM. “GECOM is a constitutional body and, in the state of things today, at this final phase of the recount, we find it difficult to accept that a political party who contested the elections will want to issue an ultimatum to a constitutional body that enjoys independence from control of government or any other political party of organisation in Guyana,” he said. He said that his party finds concerning the immigration list of 172 names submitted by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) as, from the PPP/C’s investigation, many of the said persons were in Guyana on E-Day. Phillips stated that the GPF should not respond to the “demands” of the APNU+AFC. It was GECOM Chair, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh who wrote to the Commissioner of Police on May 22, 2020 requesting the information.

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have a bloated list. The mere mathematics of population of 750,000, a school population of 250,000 persons, cannot allow you to have a list of 661,000 persons, so we have a bloated list; that is beyond question; that is beyond reason,” he reasoned. The commissioner contended that a bloated List of Electors creates a platform for persons to cheat the electoral system. “My disposition was that once you have a bloated list, then you are providing a platform for the possibility of the human factor to invade the process; the human factor I meant to be, and still mean to be, how would biased human beings who are part of the system seek to manipulate that situation,” Alexander explained. He added that the country’s demography is also a contributing factor. “My argument was and is, and this has nothing to do with

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any particular party, it has to do with the reality of society, that if you have that demography, and you have a bloated list, then you are providing for an opportunity for things, untoward to happen,” he said. These loop holes, he posited, have been alluded to by political parties in the past, particularly during court actions and therefore cannot be ignored, simply because they were party agents within polling stations on Elections Day. “These safeguards not perfect or absolute, and what you have to perfect is not just the safeguards but the entire system, and the extent to which we have a bloated list, the system remains imperfect, and allows for certain demography, and the human factor to impact the system,” he said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 5, 2020

NCTF approves 16 flights for transport of national exam papers to hinterland

TO facilitate the sitting of exams in the hinterland region, the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) has approved flights that will transport national examination papers and scripts between the Eugene F Correia International Airport (ECIA) and 16 locations. While the flight dates are to be determined, Minister of Education, Hon. Nicolette

Henry, has made the provision for the flights in the June 2, 2020 Gazette, under the COVID-19 Special Measures- Administration of National Examinations. Schools in Guyana will be in session during the period June 8 to August 15, to facilitate the preparation for, and writing of, the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA); the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate

(CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE). This decision has been solidified by a Gazetted Order signed by Minister of Education, Dr. Nicolette Henry, as of June 2, 2020. The order includes clear COVID-19 prevention guidelines to be followed by the Ministry of Education, Departments of Education, Headteachers, Mayor and City Council/

Town Councils, Parent/ Teacher Associations and parents/guardians. The ‘Notice COVID-19 Special Measures on the Administration of National Examination’ is given authority under the Public Health Ordinance. In so far as they differ from the COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No.3) 2020, these measures, being specifically provided to meet the necessity for the hold-

ing of examinations, shall prevail. NGSA has been set for July 1 and 2, 2020, while CSEC and CAPE will begin on July 13, 2020. The Order states that, to prepare for national examinations, face-to-face contact between teachers and students is permitted at their respective schools, but classes shall not be held every day. The seating

arrangements for classes and the national examinations shall permit only 15 learners in each classroom or examination room at a time, sitting at least six feet apart from each other. To control and prevent the spread of COVID-19, several measures shall be implemented by a designated responsible entity or person.

Hong Kong: Tens of thousands defy ban to attend Tiananmen vigil (BBC) Tens of thousands of demonstrators in Hong Kong have defied a ban to stage a mass vigil for the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing. Officers erected barri-

cades around the city’s Victoria Park, but some pro-democracy protesters knocked them down and held candlelit gatherings. Police banned the vigil this year, citing coronavirus measures.

Friday, June 5, 2020 - 04:30 hrs-- 14:30hrs

Earlier, lawmakers approved a controversial bill making it a crime to insult China’s national anthem. Ahead of the vote, two legislators were taken away by security guards after throwing a foul-smelling liquid on to the chamber floor. They said they were protesting against China’s growing control over Hong Kong, and also marking the Tiananmen Square anniversary. The latest events come

as the Chinese government is drawing up a new security law for Hong Kong, a move that threatens to raise tensions even further. Why was the Tiananmen vigil banned? Hong Kong and Macau are the only parts of China that have been allowed to mark the killings. An annual vigil has been held in Hong Kong since 1990. On the mainland, references to the crackdown are

banned, and the government mentions it rarely - if at all. On 4 June 1989, troops and tanks opened fire on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing - estimates of the dead vary from a few hundred to several thousand. Tens of thousands of people normally mark the anniversary in Hong Kong, but police told local media that 3,000 riot officers would be deployed to stop smaller or impromptu commemorations. At Victoria Park, demonstrators shouted pro-democracy slogans including “Stand with Hong Kong” and “End one-party rule”, referring to the Communist Party’s monopoly on power in China. “I’ve come here for the vigil for 30 years in memory of the victims of the June 4 crackdown, but this year it is more significant to me,” one 74-year-old man told AFP news agency. “Because Hong Kong is experiencing the same kind of repression from the same regime, just like what happened in Beijing.” Candlelit vigils also took place in other parts of Hong Kong. Hundreds gathered in Mong Kok district, where there were brief scuffles between protesters who attempted to set up barricades and police who used pepper spray to disperse them, Reuters reported. It was the first time there had been unrest at a Tiananmen vigil in Hong Kong, the news agency said. Police said they had made several

arrests. In Mong Kok, Brenda Hui held a white battery-illuminated umbrella that read “Never Forget June 4”. “We are afraid this will be the last time we can have a ceremony but Hong Kongers will always remember what happened on June 4,” she said. Groups of up to eight are allowed to gather in Hong Kong under the territory’s virus rules. But police sources told the South China Morning Post that if different groups gathered for a “common purpose”, they would be moved on. The US and Taiwan have both called on China to apologise for the Tiananmen crackdown. “Around the world, there are 365 days in a year. Yet in China, one of those days is purposely forgotten each year,” Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen tweeted. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted a photo of him meeting prominent Tiananmen survivors. China’s foreign ministry said the calls were “complete nonsense”. “The great achievements since the founding of new China over the past 70 or so years fully demonstrates that the developmental path China has chosen is completely correct,” spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 5, 2020

Rejected ballots in Sophia ought to be counted – Alexander ONE day after it was discovered that some 84 ballots were rejected at a Sophia Nursery School polling station, Elections Commissioner Vincent Alexander said the ballots should be counted as valid, in his opinion. When Ballot Box 4549 was opened, it was revealed that on March 2, 2020, 184 electors from a list of 256 turned up to vote at Sophia Nursery School at a single Polling Station. But of the 184 ballots cast, only 101 were deemed valid for the General Elections, the other 83 were rejected. According to the Observation Report, which was generated, of the rejected ballots, 82 were rejected “for want of official mark,” meaning it lacked the official six digit stamp. The other rejected ballot was marked for more than one Party List of Candidates. For the Regional Elections, there were 182 valid votes cast, and three ballots within Ballot Box 4549, which were deemed rejected – two because of the absence of the official six digit stamp and another because it was marked in favour of more than one List of Candidates. Weighing in on the issue on Thursday, Alexander, while speaking to reporters

outside of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), said that it is clear they are legitimate ballot papers, explaining that the unstamped or incorrectly stamped ballot correspond with a similar number stamped. He said from all indication, it was an error on the part of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Secretariat staff. “It is apparent that in that instance, the officer responsible folded the ballot paper horizontally, rather than vertically and did place two stamps, which eventually ended up on one half of the ballot and not on the other half,” the Elections Commissioner explained. According to the Electoral Laws, unstamped ballot ought to be rejected, however, Alexander believes that if a judgment is made not merely on what the Law says but what it intended, then the ballots would be deemed valid. While noting that the Elections Commission has not deliberated on that specific issue as yet, Alexander expressed the hope that when the issue arises at the level of the Commission, there is a fair judgment. “I can hardly see us not admitting those ballots as valid ballots. The Commission, itself, has not yet adju-

dicated on the matter but this clearly falls within one of the three scenarios that I had earlier articulated and I am looking forward to a sensible, rational and just decision to have those ballots counted,” Alexander told reporters. According to the Observation Report for the Ballot Box, which was seen by the Guyana Chronicle, 69 of the rejected ballots were marked in favour of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) while 12 were marked in favour of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C). “It was noted by the APNU+AFC agent that the rejected ballots for want of official mark, the extra official mark was seen on the Regional Part of the Ballot,” a section of the Observation Report read. The alarming number of rejected ballots for want of an official mark was among issues raised with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) by the APNU+AFC. During her most recent press conference on Monday, GECOM Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward said there were 1,536 rejected ballots for the General Elections based on the five Electoral Districts for which Certificates of District Tabulation have been generated. The re-

PPP/C lead down to 7000 As the National Recount enters its final few days, the PPP lead over the incumbent APNU+AFC has been cut by more than half with close to three hundred more ballot boxes to be processed.

Remarks: Ballot boxes processed: 2063 of 2339 Region Four-603 of 879 boxes tabulated (276 outstanding) Total votes counted at Recount - 116,469 Total votes counted in March, 2020 - 217,425

jected ballots for the Regional Elections totaled 1,927. These numbers are likely to

want of official mark, which is the stamp, unmarked or void of uncertainty, marked

increase as more districts are certified. Ward explained that a ballot is deemed rejected “for

for more than one party List of Candidates, or mark so that the Elector can be identified.”

“Anything within those categories is what constitutes a rejected ballot,” she added. While Ward was able to provide a breakdown of the ballots rejected thus far based on the five regions certified, she was unable to indicate how many of those ballots were unstamped. There have been cases in which half of the ballot was stamped and the other half unstamped. According to her, the Commission is still deliberating on how it will treat with the ballots that were partially stamped. “At this point I can’t say where they are at with their discussion,” Ward said while noting that there is a concern that some of the unstamped ballots may be that of members of the Disciplined Services. The Disciplined Services – members of the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Defence Force and Guyana Prison Service – voted 10 days ahead of E-Day.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 5, 2020

Protecting our gains

WE are in the presence of yet another political firestorm which has consequences for our country’s immediate future. Therefore, we are forced to once again contend with both our frailties as a nation and our desire to march on despite those frailties. It seems as if we can never find what it takes to muster that spirt that is needed to prevent political disagreements from becoming political liabilities. It is natural to have different approaches to national development—after all we are a diverse society—but it is not natural to succeed in constantly becoming trapped by those differences. Guyana, like the rest of the Caribbean, is a very complex space. Its politics is fuelled by a complex convergence of social class, ethnicity, race, gender and political tribalism. Ours is a post-plantation society which still bears the raw scars of the plantation, but it’s a society that often allows itself to pretend that the plantation has receded into the distant past. Truth be told, most of our Guyanese and Caribbean history have been a story of bondage. And that must mean and teach something to its victims. From the splits of our fledgling nationalist movement in the 1950s to the present, we have searched for that magic touch of national

harmony. While there have been moments of hope and optimism, these have often given way to disharmony. And our moments of disharmony have stood in the way of our national development, our independence imperative and our constant struggle for survival in a world that is perpetually hostile to newly independent societies. Fifty-four years after our final blow to formal colonisation launched us on the road to unfettered nationhood, we are still fighting the same internal political battles that threatened to tear us apart before we achieved full statehood. No doubt, we congratulate ourselves on the fact that we have stayed together as a nation, but how many times have we not been to the edge of ruin? While the legacy of colonisation is still very much present in our institutions and political culture, we have got to own the consequences—the colonials are no longer physically here. In the end, we remain trapped in bondage, even if without the chains of the plantation. The mystery of our underdevelopment in the face of our potential riches lies in this national malady. Every now and then, together and separately, our factions have embraced reason, but these have been fleeting—we have allowed ourselves to be too wedded to the

politics of unreason which has, over time, become normative. How can the descendants of the colonised so often find ways to undermine national solidarity? Is it that the spirt which generated the quest for joint freedom no longer resides in our national consciousness? We refuse to believe that Guyanese have given up on becoming the model nation of co-equals. So, there must be a way out of this vicious cycle of aggression and victimhood. Many have correctly put the onus on our political leaderships to show the way towards something healthier and hopeful. But maybe that’s where we have gone wrong. For all the visionary leaders that have passed our way, we still yearn for that zone of satisfaction where we can look the rest of the world in the eye and say we are worthy of emulation. Most of our leaderships have flattered to deceive. It is as if the lure of power proves to be so seductive that they have not been able to help themselves. Or, is it that they have long surrendered to the emptiness of jargons, cuss-outs, false promises and the carnival of political spite? But leaderships arise out of followerships and in turn cultivate those followers. As our national poet, Martin Carter cautions: “All are

involved/All are consumed.” We feel that it is time to move beyond the leader-led model and reach for something much more inclusive and responsible. We cannot survive as a nation, if we continue to allow leaders to dictate our collective notion of socio-political reality. We must again become accustomed to questioning our leaders—not just the government, but our leaders in and out of government. It is the essence of civic engagement which unfortunately has been in short supply recently. We, therefore, renew our call for a widening dialogue away from the political competition. Governments come and go, but the nation must live on. In a matter of days the Guyana Elections Commission will announce results from the national recount of the votes cast at the March2, 2020 polls. Allegations of fraud and manipulation of the system cannot be wished away. Already, the ruling coalition has made it clear that the results from such a “fraudulent” process cannot be deemed as credible. The outcome of this will again test our strength as a people.

U.S. Ambassador’s statement facilitates resetting of American diplomatic engagement in Guyana Dear Editor, A PUBLIC response by the U.S. resident Ambassador to Guyana, Her Excellency Sarah-Ann Lynch on the embassy’s Facebook page decrying the murder of Mr George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer was drawn to my attention. Having called on the ambassador to speak out in my letter published in both the Stabroek News and the Guyana Chronicle under the captions, “ Massive protests are questioning very basis of American democracy” and “ The killing of George Floyd” respectively. (3 June 2020 editions) it is only proper that I acknowledge Ambassador Lynch’s statement on her own behalf and the “ Embassy

Georgetown family” in condemning this racial killing in her country, This is the full text of the remarks sent to me: “I am, like the entire U.S. Embassy Georgetown family, profoundly troubled by the horrific events in the United States. We mourn the tragic death of George Floyd, and support a full criminal investigation into the circumstances of his death. We offer our prayers to family, loved ones and friends of Mr. Floyd. Each of us must aspire every day to work together, respecting each other with actions that give us a more just and equitable world, free of racism. The embassy’s social media will remain dark today in honour of ‘blackout Tuesday.’ – Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch.”

While the ambassador’s statement is expectedly diplomatic it must be recognised on its merit as a welcome break of silence. Without being overtly polemical, I am forced to observe that there is no recognition in the statement that the destruction of African-American lives in the USA is a systemic problem that has its roots in African enslavement in that country, the legacy of which extends for 400 years. This is not a matter of individual personal racism on the part of white Americans. Recognition of these historical problems whether in the U.S. or the Caribbean, is important in understanding the challenges facing African peoples and people in general living in post-slavery societies. The struggle for democracy in

the Caribbean and Guyana cannot be separated from Africans’ struggle to end “chattel slavery” in which Africans were not considered humans by the system. What is a misnomer as “democracy” in Guyana was achieved by centuries of African struggle to end slavery and in doing so guaranteed that no other groups of humans be enslaved in Guyana. It is against this background that the present political crisis related to the March 4th 2020 General and Regional Elections must be appreciated. While Western-style democracy correctly places great importance on the right to vote and the right to have those votes counted, we victims of slavery, which the United Nations (UN) deemed as the worst crime

against humanity, are forced to attach equal importance to the other aspect of democracy, that is, the right to life and economic and social justice. For us Africans, if elections mean racial/ethnic domination and economic marginalisation, we reject that notion of democracy. Since our aspiration has always been and still is for a society based on the principle of non-domination, we have no interest in dominating others and reject being dominated. It is my humble submission to Ambassador Lynch and her country’s government that the greatest tribute to Mr George Floyd, the African- American community and humanity, in general, is for the USA to use its enormous powers to help Guyanese resolve their

historical challenges derived from slavery. This will be a fitting tribute to George Floyd’s unfortunate murder. In this regard, U.S. support for shared governance, and to end to our winner-takes-all political system which the U.S. and UK governments played a major role in shaping is very appropriate. Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch’s statement on the George Floyd Killing opens the way for a resetting of American diplomatic engagement in Guyana. Regards Tacuma Ogunseye

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 5, 2020

Ramkarran parrots PPP/C line; not interested in electoral propriety Dear Editor IT was about two weeks ago that Irfaan Ali, presidential candidate of the PPP/C, and Sase Gunraj, one of the PPP/C’s serving GECOM commissioners, described the emerging electoral anomalies, discrepancies, and irregularities as ‘’immaterial’’ and “inconsequential,” respectively. If memory is a guide, these two descriptions were about the first indications that such kinds of responses would be forthcoming from the opposition who saw nothing, absolutely nothing wrong with a startling, but not surprising situation that now reveals in excess of 1,000 migrants-- absent Guyanese -- voted; persons already dead and buried returning from their eternal rest to cast their ballots; persons being allowed to vote without ID cards, but no

accompanying statement of identity; missing official lists of electors which should be in each sealed ballot boxes; and missing counter foils, among the plethora of premeditated electoral acts of fraud. More disturbing was the fact of close to 300 missing poll books, described as the Bible for each ballot box, as they contain the entire track record of voting for each ballot box. These are fraudulent acts, ever since suspected and noted to have taken place on March 02 by coalition officials, but only confirmed with the hard evidence unearthed since the commencement of the recount. The fact of the matter is, these discoveries are increasing and will be significant as Statements of Observations that have to be the centrepiece for the most critical observation, and deliberation that the GECOM HAS EVER UNDERTAKEN

WITH REGARD TO ANY NATIONAL ELECTIONS AND SUBSEQUENT DELIBERATIONS PENDING A DECLARATION OF RESULTS IN THIS COUNTRY. And quite contrary to the false narrative being peddled by a column of pro-opposition media distortionists; paid and hired columnists, letter writers, and despicable elements who have crawled from that woodwork thing called civil society that it is just a numerical count, they must be reminded that the pivot is to examine the question of the credibility of MARCH 02 – OF EVERY BALLOT CAST. It is very interesting that Ralph Ramkarran, that 720 degrees turnstile who has returned to his traditional political home, blared out in a recent print media report a statement that the “end game” of the recount is a declaration.

Proven knowledge must guide in any crisis; we are now in one I WRITE this letter on the premise of what I have experienced, witnessed and know. I have functioned in the media for over 40 years and I am rooted in my community. I am a founder-member of the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA) and the representative of Afro-Guyanese groups on the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC). I do not, however,write this letter from the premise of the later. This is from ‘me.’ This letter will be sent to all print media, but I do expect that it will be treated as previous letters and not be published. I particularly address its contents to my fellow citizens of GECOM. These elections of 2020 have become contaminated with contentions, of late, some very

convincing; there has been an attempt to even promote an ethnic terror wave. This failed because of on-the-ground activists who have prevailed successfully to prevent the attacked from retaliating; the attacks are now viral on social media. We watch the WASP supremacy actions of the Republican administration in the US of A and the continuous deaths of Afro-Americans and the reluctance to alleviate it, even as we greatly admire the collective support for change across the racial divide in that country. In this country there is an unchanged cultural and ethnic polarisation, kept that way for political reasons, not by all political parties, but one predominantly. What there is undoubtedly is an unabated negative stereotypical sub-

liminal and vocal narrative directed at the Afro-Guyanese community that has become almost innate. Going forward with the 2020 elections, how will any of what is before us in the public consciousness be reconciled in good faith by all. The opposition has its media houses who are relentlessly promoting its mandate; the alternative fact-finding for the government supporters is singularly The Chronicle. This is a social hand-grenade, how it is managed based on the facts I have related will determine the nature of the future. I implore you -- manage the pin sensibly and with courage. Barrington Braithwaite Artist /Writer, Social Activist

A proposed list of facilitators for shared governance

Dear Editor

AFTER the publication of my letter in the Stabroek News on 2 June, 2020, titled ‘Facilitators for Shared Governance Talks’, I received a number of calls on possible names for a revised proposed list of facilitators for discussions on a shared-governance approach between President David Granger and the Leader of the Opposition,

former President Bharrat Jagdeo. The names on the updated list of recommended facilitators, are: Sir Shridath Ramphal, former Ambassador Rudy Insanally, Mr. Rashleigh Jackson, Baroness Valarie Amos, and Mr. Clem Seecharan. One of the key factors as part of the criteria for identifying these persons, is that they are all of Guyanese heritage. President Granger and

Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo, can we do this? YES, we can! Can we achieve our National Motto of ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny? YES, we can! This suggestion is part of our ‘Dream Guyana Campaign’ from a group that I call, my ‘Ad hoc Group of Professionals’. Yours faithfully, Citizen Audreyanna Thomas

Editor, here is a continuation of the deliberate intention of Ramkarran to both deceive, and be dishonest about a process which continues to bring to the nation’s attention very troubling and serious revelations of what amounts to electoral fraud, provenly committed by the PPP/C in their constituencies; and which by their mounting scale will have to examine the question of credibility of the March 02 elections. One does not need to remind the Ramkarrans about what the Gazzetted Order is all about. But this is Ramkarran, dutifully pushing the dishonest PPP/C line of an immediate swearing in, of a perceived PPP/C presidential nominee, irrespective of the big electoral con that has been committed on the nation. In such a statement he is implying, like his other dishonest PPP/C colleagues, that such matters should be

adjudicated on via an elections petition. Remember the Ulita Moore challenge and the frantic scramble by the PPP/C to the judiciary, to argue that GECOM has the powers to grant a recount instead of a petition? It would seem that Ramkarran et al, DID NOT CATER FOR THE KIND OF RECOUNT WITH ALL THE ELECTORAL CRIMINALITIES COMING FORTH. THEREFORE, HIS DISINGENIOUS STATEMENT IS ONE IN THE PROPAGANDISTIC LINE OF THE PPP, DESIGNED TO SIDETRACK AND TO DOWNPLAY THE HIGH CRIMINAL ACTS, THAT ARE DAILY BEING FOUND IN THE BALLOT BOXES, PARTICULARLY FROM PPP/C STRONGHOLDS. By such a statement, Ramkarran is making it quite clear that he is not interested in electoral propriety and

that the nature and purpose of the recount can go to hell. In fact, he never did, if one should trace his track record on GECOM and the houseto-house registration. As such, he is no different to Irfaan Ali and Commissioner Sase Gunraj, in their publicly described descriptions of the discrepancies, irregularities and anamolies, found in the ballot boxes. THEY ARE ALL DEMOCRATIC FAKES; UPHOLDERS OF ELECTORAL FRAUD, FOR HOW CAN THEY SEEK TO INSULT THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE NATION AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF RESULTS OF THE STILL ONGOING PROCESS? Regards Earl Hamilton

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 5, 2020

Supreme Court updates emergency measures …opens criminal assizes in Demerara, Essequibo THE Supreme Court of Judicature has extended and updated its COVID-19 Emergency Directions with additional matters considered as urgent and fit for hearing. Simultaneously, it has announced the opening of the May Criminal Assizes in Essequibo and the June Criminal Assizes in Demerara. In a June 3, 2020, gazetted Order, the Supreme Court stated that the updated measures took effect from May 25, 2020 and will last for a one-month period. It follows the first gazetted Directions on March 23, 2020 and updated notices on April 3, 5 and 23. According to the Order, matters related to children, bail applications, injunctions, applications for stay of execution, application for grants of probate and letters of administration, applications for absolutes of divorce, landlord and tenant cases, guilty pleas in traffic cases, and new charges in the magistrates’ courts, can be deemed urgent and fit for hearing. They join those previously established, which include custody applications, domestic violence and related matters, maintenance applications, habeas corpus applications, Public Health Ordinance, Cap. 145, applications for extension of time to detain persons, matters related to the National and Regional Elections, matters under the

Interception of Communications Act, Cap 47:03 and curfew-related matters. The hearing Judge or

sion of the Demerara Criminal Assizes are open while the June, 2020 Session of the Berbice Criminal Assizes will

merara, Berbice and Essequibo Assizes are not required to attend court until notified by the Registrar of the Supreme

FLASHBACK: Justice Brassington Reynolds inspecting the Guard of Honour during April 2019 Assizes opening ceremony.

Magistrate will determine whether a matter or application is urgent or deemed fit for hearing and requires a hearing, during the onemonth period. Meanwhile, under the matter of criminal trial Assizes, the January, 2020 session of the Demerara assizes is extended until the completion of the pending criminal trial. The May 2020 Session of the Essequibo Criminal Assizes and the June, 2020 Ses-

open on June 16, 2020. “With the exception of the pending trial of the Demerara Assizes, jury trials continue to be suspended during these sessions until further notice. Notwithstanding the suspension of jury trials, where a prisoner indicates an intention to plead guilty, such plea will be taken in these Sessions and dealt with according to law,” the Order states. It should be noted that jurors summoned for the De-

Court. While the previous guidelines for Court Settings remain, regarding Statute of Limitations and Time-bound Filings, a guideline has been added that, whereby appeals are required to be filed pursuant to Rules of Court, such can be filed notwithstanding that they are not urgent matters. At the Court of Appeal, all in-person hearings for Chamber and Full Bench mat-

ters continue to be suspended during the one-month period, and hearings of all matters will be conducted remotely. However, where hearings are to be conducted remotely, attorneys-at-law must file and exchange written submissions within 4 days of the date set for hearing or within such time as may be ordered by the Court. For High Court civil trials, in-person hearings continue to be suspended, subject to the decision of the hearing Judge. The trial judge shall also decide how all pending civil matters in the High Court in Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice will be case-managed and heard. However, urgent matters, as well as other matters deemed fit for hearing by the Court, will be heard during the one-month period. In the case that in-person trials or urgent hearing are considered necessary, these will be curtailed to the minimum period of time necessary. Before the hearing date, written submissions, speaking points and addresses as directed by the Judge must be submitted to the Court and the hearing judge will determine the duration of the trial or hearing. Where possible, hearings will be conducted by electronic means. Where parties have arrived at the settlement, whether through mediation or otherwise, and may wish to have judgment entered during this period, application may be made to the hearing Judge for the terms of settlement to be reviewed and made an order of court.

The offices of the Magistrates’ courts will be open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on specific days based on a timeline provided and filing for all urgent matters or other matters fit for hearing must be done based on the timelines. Where such matters are required to be filed on a day the courts are closed, contact can be made with the Clerks of Court for the relevant magisterial districts. Along with other guidelines for the magistrates’ courts, all Coroner's Inquests will remain suspended for the period. Attorneys-at-law and self-represented litigants need not attend court to request adjournments as these will be communicated via email. Media representatives wishing to cover matters in court may contact the Registrar of the Court and clerks first for permission Where it is necessary for in-person hearings to be conducted, all health and safety measures as outlined must be strictly observed. This must see all persons entering a court compound or court wearing a mask or face covering; submitting themselves to temperature checks and sanitising their hands with an alcohol-based sanitiser or via handwashing. Those who do not comply; those whose temperature exceeds 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit and those displaying flu-like or COVID-19 symptoms will not be permitted to enter.

Concerns over garbage disposal in Linden THE General Manager of Linden Mining Enterprise (LINMINE), Emmet Alves, is raising an uproar in the township, over indiscriminate dumping of garbage in key locations, which he says is hastening deterioration and stymieing repair works to key bridges in the bauxite-mining community. Alves said that he is outraged by the oxen stubbornness of residents who turn a deaf ear to repeated pleas by officials of the Mayor and Town Council (M&TC), the Bridge Committee and LINMINE. “We have identified an area not very far away that the Council

provided for residents to dump their garbage and the Council can remove it on a weekly basis. This suggestion has not been taken on board so we continue to struggle with getting residents not to dump around the bridge,” he said. Lamenting further that “Nothing has materialized. We have even suggested for the strategic placement of large bins…for residents to use but the Council, while embracing the idea informed us that they have no place to access such bins.” He said a contractor is currently manufacturing skid bins, which, hopefully, residents would use to

General Manager of Linden Mining enterprise (LINMINE), Emmet Alves

dispose household refuse. The wanton dumping of garbage helps hasten rotting of structures and delays effective and efficient maintenance of bridges, Alves explained, referring to the McKenzie-Wismar Bridge linking the two Region 10 communities. He said that officials are maximizing on the ongoing national COVID-19 influenced curfew to fix the problem. “We have less people on the road and more are using the bridge so the situation will afford us an opportunity… to be able to better monitor what goes on around the bridge. The public must understand that their ac-

tions have long term and significant impact on the bridge’s operation,” the LINMINE official argued. The intervention by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Ltd (NICIL) to help the M&TC to solve the garbage crisis has borne little fruit, Alves admitted. This, he said is done every month to the tune of three to four million dollars to helping the Council with its upkeep of the town. He warned residents that the company will be forced to use tougher measures to force compliance with the rules to help preserve the life of the bridge.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 5, 2020

FAO Food Price Index falls to 17-month low

Global commodity food prices fell for the fourth consecutive month in May, as supplies appear strong and demand weakens due to economic contractions triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reported today. The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks international prices of the most commonly-traded food commodities, averaged 162.5 points in May, 1.9 percent below the previous month and marking its lowest reading since December 2018. The FAO Dairy Price Index declined 7.3 percent from April, led by steep drops in the quotations for butter and cheese due to seasonal supply factors and lower import demand, and averaged 19.6 percent below its level one year ago. Quotations for milk powders declined only moderately, as low prices and renewed economic activity in China fueled strong buying interests. The FAO Sugar Price Index bucked the trend, rising 7.4 percent from the previous month and undoing half of its April decline due to a rebound in international crude oil prices as well as lower-than-expected harvests in India and Thailand, respectively the world's second-largest sugar producer and second-largest exporter. The FAO Cereal Price Index declined 1.0 percent from

April. International rice prices edged up slightly, buoyed

while those for poultry and pig meats continued to fall,

mand situation for cereals. Maize accounts for 90

by rising Japonica and Basmati quotations, while wheat export prices fell, amid expectations of ample global supplies. Coarse grain prices fell further, with U.S. maize prices now almost 16 percent below their level of May 2019. The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index fell 2.8 percent to a 10-month low. While quotations for rapeseed and sunflower oil prices increased, those for palm oil fell for the fourth consecutive month, reflecting subdued global import demand and higher-than-expected production and inventory levels in major exporting countries. The FAO Meat Price Index declined by 0.8 percent in May, averaging 3.6 percent below its May 2019 value. Bovine meat quotations increased

reflecting high export availabilities in major producing countries, despite an increase in import demand in East Asia following the relaxation of COVID-19 social distancing measures. Records ahead for global cereal output and trade Global cereal production is on track to reach a new record level of 2 780 million tonnes, 2.6 percent higher than 2019/2020, according to FAO's Cereal Supply and Demand Brief, also released today. FAO's first forecasts for the 2020/21 season, based on conditions of crops already in the ground, planting expectations for those still to be sown and assuming normal weather for the remainder of the season, point to a comfortable global supply-de-

percent of the predicted output increase of all cereals, with an expected expansion of 64.5 million tonnes - to a total of 1 207 million tonnes boosted by anticipated record harvests in North America and Ukraine and near-record harvests in South America. Rice production is seen reaching an all-time high of 508.7 million tonnes, up 1.6

CHPA extends Republic Jubilee promotion until June 30 THE Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) has extended its Republic Jubilee promotion until June 30, 2020. The promotion was initially to run for a period of three months - March 1 to May 26, 2020.Reports coming out of the agency state that due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the decision was taken to allow house lot owners, who may have been affected, more time to make their payments. This means persons

who were allotted house lots costing $2.5M or less, will be able to cash in on the fifty per cent discount on the cost of their land. The extension allows these persons until June 30, to make their first 50 per cent down payment of the value for the lot. Thereafter, they have until August 31, 2020, to cash in on the fifty per cent off promotion. The “50 per cent off Republic Promotion” will benefit those individuals who received lands for residential purposes in housing schemes that

were either established or regularised by CH&PA. The promotion amounts to an additional $90M in subsidies from the CH&PA which is already selling some lands as low as $92,000. This initiative is in keeping with CHPA’’s efforts to make housing affordable for Guyanese. It was noted that the CH&PA staff are continuing to work from home but will come into the office to process land applications when necessary.

percent from 2019, boosted by expected recoveries in China, Southeast Asia and South Asia as well as the United States of America. Wheat output, by contrast, is forecast to decline from the solid level of 2019, as likely drops in the European Union, Ukraine and the U.S. more than offset expected increases in Australia and the Russian Federation. World cereal utilization in the year ahead is also forecast to reach an all-time high, rising 1.6 percent to 2 732 million tonnes, as feed, food and industrial uses are all expected to expand. Maize is the primary driver, as its use for livestock feeding in China and for ethanol production in the U.S. are both foreseen increasing. Rice utilisation in 2020/21 is forecast to expand by 1.6 percent, underpinned by ample supplies, with global per capita food intake rising 0.6 percent in the year to 53.9 kilograms. Reflecting the new production and consumption forecasts, FAO now expects

9

world cereal inventories by the end of national marketing seasons in 2021 to reach a new record of 927 million tonnes, a 4.5 percent increase from their already high opening levels. That would drive the global cereal stock-to-use ratio to 32.9 percent, a comfortably higher level than the 21.2 percent low registered in 2007/08. China is expected to hold 47 percent of global cereal stocks. FAO expects world cereal trade in 2020/21 to rise by 2.2 percent to 433 million tonnes, setting a new record, with expansions expected for all major cereals, led by a 6.2 percent anticipated increase in the global trade in rice. More detailed analysis of cereal markets will be available in the Food Outlook, to be released by FAO on 11 June.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 5, 2020

243 more ballot boxes to be counted

Two hundred and forty-three (243) ballot boxes from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) are left to be processed by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Secretariat as the National Recount of the votes cast at the March 2020 General and Regional Elections come to a close. Today, all 12 workstations at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) will be assigned to the country’s largest electoral district. Region Four has a total of 879 Ballot Boxes, and already, more than 72 percent of the boxes have been processed, in addition to all of the boxes from the other nine (9) Electoral Districts – Region One (Barima-Waini), Region Two ( Pomeroon-Supenaam), Region Three (Essequibo

Islands-West Demerara), Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice). In total, votes within 2096 ballot boxes have been recounted. On Thursday, Day 30 of the National Recount, the last two boxes from Regions Six and 10 were counted, in addition to 81 ballot boxes from Region Four. In total, 2,063 Statements of Recount (SORs) have been tabulated for the General Elections and 2,068 SORs for the Regional Elections. When asked on Thursday, whether the Elections Secretariat is well on its way to complete the re-

A summary of the Statements of Recount Tabulated as of Thursday, June 4, 2020

count of votes ahead of extended (June 13), deadline, Commissioner Alexander told reporters, he doubts it. “The gazette deadline in the amendments is the 13th of June; we are now only counting District Four, all the other Districts for all intents and purposes have been concluded, subject to the presentation of the report with the observation reporters for the purpose of determining the credibility of those counts,” Alexander told reporters. The amended order outlines the procedure to be employed, once a report of the recount is submitted to the Elections Commission by the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield. The amended order states: “The Commission shall, after deliberating on the report at Paragraph 12, determine whether it should request the Chief Election Officer to use the data compiled in accordance with Paragraph 12 as the basis for the submission of a report under Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act, Cap 1:03, provided that the Commission shall, no later than three (3) days after receiving the report, make the declaration of the results of the final credible count of the elections held on the 2nd day of March 2020.” According to Paragraph 12 of the Order, the matrices for the recount of the 10

Electoral Districts must be tabulated by the Chief Elections Officer, and a report submitted to the Elections Commission, together with a summary of the Observation Reports for each District. In a previous interview, Alexander had explained that, in accordance with the amended order, the Chief Elections Officer is required to submit his Report on the National Recount no later than June 13. He noted that once the report is deliberated upon by the Elections Commission, it will determine whether the Chief Election Officer should use the data to compile a final report for the declaration of the results. Commissioner Alexander explained that during the deliberation on the report submitted on the recount, the Elections Commission will confirm or negate whether persons voted in the place of the dead or individuals who were out of the jurisdiction on E-Day, in addition to a number of other anomalies that have surfaced since the commencement of the recount. But Elections Commissioner Sase Gunraj, in a separate interview, had offered a slightly different explanation, which suggested that the results of the elections ought to be declared three days after the June 13 deadline. “Finally, the Order specifies the time within

which a declaration has to be made by the Guyana Elections Commission of the final results of the elections held on the 2nd of March, 2020, and that date is no later than three days from the 13th day of June, 2020,” Gunraj had said. While Alexander, in his discourse, indicated that the Commission will deliberate on, among other things, the Observation Reports ahead of any declaration, Gunraj has long maintained that GECOM has no such authority. “GECOM has taken no decision; the Commission has taken absolutely no decision in so far as it relates to treating with any of the issues that have arisen, or may arise during this recount process,” Gunraj contended. To date, more than 1,500 ballot boxes have been processed from a total of 2,339.” The National Recount, which commenced on May 6, 2020, is being executed under Article 162 of the Constitution, and Section 22 of the Elections Law (Amendment) Act under the supervision of the Elections Commission, based on an agreement reached between President David Granger and Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo following the intervention of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 5, 2020

Parents, teachers share mixed views about schools re-opening for examinations

SUBSEQUENT to the confirmation of Guyana’s first case of the deadly coronavirus, schools across the country have been closed since March 2020; however, the Ministry of Education on Wednesday disclosed that schools in Guyana will be in session during the period June 8 to August 15 to facilitate preparations for upcoming examinations. The ministry further noted that students and pupils are expected to return to their usual classroom setting to sit the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA); the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) by June 15, with the necessary COVID-19 measures implemented. This decision has spawned some mixed views as some parents along with teachers are concerned of a massive outbreak if students are to return to the usual classroom setting. One parent who spoke briefly with the Guyana Chronicle stated that her daughter,

who is expected to sit the NGSA examinations is asthmatic and such she is not in

which can eventually result in a massive outbreak of the virus among them.

should we do say our country is not ready then what?” she questioned.

Deputy Headmistress of CV Nunes Primary School, Bindawattie Ketwaru attending to her pupils back in 2019

agreement with the ministry’s decision to re-open schools, as she is fearful for the well-being of her child. The woman added that children will be children and one cannot trust that after the classroom sessions are over, they will take on the responsibility to maintain social distancing and observe the other COVID-19 rules.

NIS announces new requirements for overseas pensioners …persons required to contact Guyana Consulate; pensions to be sent to bank account THE National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has instituted new measures for persons residing in the United States of America and Canada with regard to the verification of their status for the collection of pensions, according to a press release from the scheme’s Public Relations Officer, Dianne Lewis Baxter. “The National Insurance Scheme remains very cognisant of the essential services that it provides to our pensioners and the effects an interruption of such services can have on the livelihood of this category of our stakeholders,” the release said. It noted that in light of the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic and in an effort to maintain the integrity of their system, “the Scheme will be implementing the following measures with immediate effect. (i) All pensioners residing in Canada and the United States of America are required to make contact with the respective consulate office in their country to have their status verified to facilitate the continuous payment of their pensions.” It said that pensioners residing in Canada can contact the consulate General of Guyana Toronto during 9:00 hours to 12:00 hours, Monday to Friday, on telephone

Another parent who opted to remain anonymous also noted that she does not sup-

numbers 416-494-6040 or 416-4946059. It said additional information can also be obtained from the website https://guyanaconsulatetoronto.com/ “Pensioners residing in the United States of America can contact the Guyana Consulate New York via telephone number 212-947-5110 or email address cgny@guyanaconsulatenewyork.org or batherly@guyanaconsulatenewyork.org,” the release said. In addition, the NIS, on Thursday, advised that new applicants for pensions are required to fill out additional documentation to enable the scheme to remit monies to their bank accounts. “The National Insurance Scheme wishes to inform all new applicants for pensions that along with the relevant documents for the specific pension, they are now required to complete a P3C for local applicants and a P3B for overseas applicants. This is to facilitate their pensions being sent to an active bank account of their choice,” the release said. The Scheme noted that this new requirement is being implemented to ease the overcrowding that takes place at its offices, especially during pension’s week and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic where social distancing is required.

port the ministry’s decision, since she too is concerned for her children’s well-being, she believes students or pupils will not act accordingly and will observe the necessary precautions while under the supervision of teachers; when the sessions are over however, she is especially worried that the children may not adhere to the social-distancing rule

Meanwhile, a secondary school teacher stated that several other neighbouring countries have already outlined a similar plan to accommodate students and pupils. “CSEC and CAPE are not national exams they are regional exams; most Caribbean territories are exposed. They have given out their dates and a draft timetable, what

The teacher further added that some schools house over 800 pupils/ students daily. Hence, students can be spread across the school buildings to accommodate 15 children per classroom. She noted in order for the system to work parents also have to play their part, “Parents here is where you come in. Get up, make your child’s

snack, give them water and fruit juice so they will not have to do much moving around and sit at their designated seats all day. It is a collaborative effort.” Expressing similar views, another parent stated that, teachers and parents who are against the re-opening of schools for health concerns, must also look at the long-term logistical effects. “Should kids of age for nursery not be allowed to go in September because primary schools can’t take them since grade six pupils are still there? Do schools have the capacity to accommodate twice the numbers of CXC students? Or are they willing to have everything in education pushed back by one year, while teachers are just paid to stay at home?” the parent questioned. Nevertheless, the parent added that the latter is said against the fact that school buildings will now be used to house less than 20 % of the school's population, which will facilitate the social- distancing rule.

Five charged in Berbice Layne gets 9 months for tossing bag for drug trafficking over jail walls –as police crackdown in the Ancient County picks up steam TWO men, a couple and a widow are among persons charged with ‘ganja’ trafficking, while millions of dollars worth of the plant from which the illicit substance is derived have been destroyed as the police intensifies its drug eradication exercise in the East Berbice/Corentyne region. Appearing before Magistrate Peter Hugh at the New Amsterdam Court on Thursday was 24-year-old Reginald Motie of Mount Sinai, West Canje, Berbice for allegedly cultivating cannabis sativa, as is the scientific name of marijuana, better known as ‘ganja’. He pleaded not guilty of committing the offence, and was granted bail in the sum of $100,000, and ordered to return to court on June 30. According to the prosecutor, Corporal Winston Poliah, Motie was caught in the act, when the police, acting on a tip-off, swooped down on his Vryheid Village, West Canje farm, where he was found tending about an acre of marijuana plants in varying stages of development, the estimated street value of which is $5.8M Meanwhile, an unemployed Devon Pydana, 27, of Stanleytown, New Amsterdam was also ordered to post $100,000 bail, after pleading not guilty of being in possession of 27 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, as alleged, when he was arrested at Adelphi Village, a short distance from where he lives. His matter has been put down until July 8, when he is expected to return to court. Next on the roster was 26-year-

old Christiana Munsami and husband Derrick Narine Munsami, a farmer, both of Auchlyne Village, Corentyne, who were charged jointly with being in possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. The couple appeared at the Whim Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Renita Singh, where they pleaded not guilty, and was each granted bail in the sum of $300,000.That matter has been adjourned to July 5 for statements and fixtures. Finally, appearing before Magistrate Alex Moore at the Mibicuri Court in Black Bush Polder, also on Thursday, was 54-year-old Bibi Habida Yakub of Johanna North, Black Bush Polder, in whose home was found a quantity of marijuana stoked away in a gas stove, and concealed in two bottles labelled ‘Boom Energy Drink’. According to the police, when the plastic bottles were opened, ranks discovered several foil wrappings containing what was suspected to be the leaves, seeds and stems of the cannabis sativa plant, which, when weighed, totalled 65 grams. In her defence, Yakub reportedly told investigators when she was rumbled that her husband, who is the family’s sole breadwinner, was amongst the five men who were murdered at Black Bush Polder last year. She, however, pleaded guilty to the offence, and ordered to pay a fine of $30,000, or alternatively serve three we

FORTY-year-old Anthony Layne, who threw a bag containing prohibited items over the New Amsterdam Prison walls, was sentenced to nine months imprisonment by Magistrate Peter Hugh, during a video hearing at the New Amsterdam Court. Layne, not wanting to waste the court’s time, pleaded guilty to the charge of introducing narcotics in to prison. Prosecutor, Police Corporal Winston Poliah, said that on Tuesday May 26, 2020 at about 05:00hrs, ranks of the Guyana Prison Service New Amsterdam Task Force were conducting regular routine checks around the perimeter of the New Amsterdam Prison, when they observed the defendant, a repeat offender, tossing a bulky bag over the prison’s wall, before fleeing the scene. He was quickly pursued and apprehended a short distance away. The bag was retrieved and found to have contained 140 packs of Pall Mall cigarettes, 10 packets of bambu, (a wrapper used for smoking narcotics) three packets of zip-lock bags containing a quantity of tobacco leaves, three cellular phones with sim cards, two phone chargers , one ear-piece, two energy drink bottles containing suspected alcohol, and 11 transparent bulky parcels containing 1,638 grams of suspected cannabis.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 5, 2020

CDC helps Reg. 5 boost COVID19 capacity

--to house patients needing to be put in quarantine THE Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and support organisations on Thursday installed two pre-fabricated housing units in the compound of the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital in Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice) to add to the facility’s capacity to accommodate COVID-19 patients, should the need arise. Head of the installation team, Major Loring Benons disclosed that the Units were among a large number

donated to the Government of Guyana by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and the installation at Mahaicony Hospital is the first of its kind at a healthcare facility here. Similar Units are to be eventually installed in the compounds of healthcare facilities countrywide. Regional Health Officer and Head of the Region Five Emergency Operations Centre (REOC), Dr. Desmond Nicholson disclosed that as

Assembly in progress at the Mahaicony Hospital Compound

A completed pre-fab housing unit to house confirmed COVID-19 cases in Region 5

The entrance

Inside the unit

of Thursday, there were no confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Region, and that the two pre-fab units will boost accommodation for isolation in Region five from ten to 14

beds fourteen beds. The pre-fab units are generally 12’ X 12’ in size, and can each accommodate two patients comfortably. And while they have doorways

and windows, other facilities like toilet and lighting and water supply and so on will have to be installed separately. According to Major Benons, the Units can be dismantled and assembled elsewhere in the hospital’s compound or wherever they may be needed. The assembly team comprised members of the UNHCR Guyana office; CDC officials and volunteers; members of the Volunteer Emergency Response Team (VERT); and Region Five’s Senior Engineer Mr. Dhanpaul Sukha.

Taxi driver charged for murder A TAXI driver has been charged for the murder of 61-year-old businesswoman, Sattie Monica Singh Beekharry, who was bludgeoned to death in her Atlantic Gardens, East Coast Demerara house. Rafeek Kahn is expected to be arraigned at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court today. The police, on Thursday, were able to obtain legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions to charge Khan with the capital offence of murder. On June 1, the businesswoman’s motionless body was discovered in a pool of blood in the kitchen area of her Lot

152 – 154 Begonia Drive, Atlantic Gardens house. She was reportedly beaten to death with a padlock. Khan, who is said to be her ‘close friend’ hid in the upper floor of the two-storey building, and had to be ‘flushed out’ with teargas by the police. Police arrived at the scene after neighbours reported about hearing the woman screaming for “murder.” Around 15:00 hrs, on the day in question, the police were able to gain entry into the house, after breaking down a door. Under caution, the man reportedly told investigators that the businesswoman owed

him money, and, on the day in question, they had an argument which caused him to lose his temper. In a fit of rage, he reportedly picked up a large padlock and attacked the woman until she became motionless. A post-mortem done by Government Pathologist, Doctor Nehaul Singh, gave the woman’s cause of death as brain haemorrhage as a result of multiple trauma to the head, compounded by multiple fractures to a right side rib. Beekharry often travelled to Canada and returned to Guyana weeks ahead of the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 5, 2020

Seven persons win battle against COVID-19

-Active cases down to 67 SEVEN locals have “escaped the clutches” of the dreaded Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) after they were medically cleared by health authorities here within the past 24 hours. They’ve now joined 70 others who have already recovered from the disease in Guyana. The recoveries were reflected in a virtual COVID-19 update, which was presented by Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO), Dr. Karen Boyle on Thursday. The World Health Organisation (WHO) had said that 81 per cent of those who contract COVID-19 will have mild symptoms, while 14 per cent will have severe symptoms, and five per cent will need intensive care. It was also reported that those who’ve recovered from the disease are no longer infectious, meaning they cannot spread the disease, but they can, however, be re-infected. There have also been some positive developments

as regards infections, since the country has gone four days without recording a new case of the disease. “As of today (Thursday), of the 20 tests done, there are no new cases; our COVID-19 deaths remain at 12, and the number of confirmed cases 153,” Dr. Boyle reported. To date, the total number of persons that have been tested is 1, 719, with the total number of negative cases being 1,566. There are 67 active cases, of which number 64 are in institutional isolation, while the remaining three are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Health authorities continue to work towards strengthening the healthcare system to respond to COVID-19 on a long-term basis. The potential and existing activities are part of a plan to have a comprehensive COVID-19 health network, whereby patients across the country’s 10 administrative regions will be able to access these services. The United Nations High

Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Karen Boyle

Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has been the latest stakeholder to aid Guyana in this fight, with the donation of 48 ‘pre-fab’ housing units to the Government of Guyana in the furtherance of its cause. “Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) is the first to benefit from this initiative that will greatly assist the regions in their efforts to cater for patients affected by the Coronavirus Disease,” Dr. Boyle said. “These units will be set up in every region, with special attention to the

very remote locations,” she added. THE EPICENTRE Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) remains the epicentre of the disease, and there are a number of communities outside of Georgetown which have recorded cases. Among communities on the East Coast Demerara (ECD) where cases have been recorded are: Atlantic Gardens, Friendship, Golden Grove, Good Hope,

Lusignan, Plaisance, and Strathspey. Among communities on the East Bank Demerara (EBD) where there were cases are: Diamond, Grove, Land of Canaan, Providence, and Timehri. Health authorities are also placing emphasis on the four hinterland regions, especially now that three of them have recorded cases of COVID-19. The need for surveillance in those regions is also important, because Guyana’s South American neighbour, Brazil, is now rated as the COVID-19 epicentre of the Americas. “We continue to ask for the residents of Regions One, Six, Seven, Eight and Nine to remain on high alert, recognising that our neighbors Brazil and Suriname are reporting new cases,” Dr. Boyle advised. In the last 24 hours, Brazil recorded 11, 598 cases and 623 deaths, while Suriname has recorded 26 new cases in the last 24 hours. “We also want to remind persons who have underlying conditions, our pregnant women and parents to ensure

that you make contact with your nearest health facilities to maintain your clinic schedules. It is important that your conditions are controlled,” Dr Boyle said, adding: “We continue to encourage all Guyanese to utilize the services available to you and call the hotline; make contact with the health facility nearest to you, or visit one of the COVID-19 facilities if you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 or if you have been in contact with someone tested positive.” COVID-19 remains a serious issue, not just here in Guyana, but globally as well. And, according to global statistics, there are over 6.2 million cases of COVID-19, with over 379,000 deaths. And, with no approved treatment or cure, there is no assurance that persons will survive after contracting the disease. In the absence of approved medications, governments and authorities across the world have employed a number of preventive measures to contain the spread of the disease.

CARICOM implementing measures to build resilience in agri-food sector

- As COVID-19 shocks Region’s agri-food system IN a virtual meeting with Ministers of Agriculture, financial institutions, donor organisations and donor countries in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on Thursday, the Secretary-General of CARICOM, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque said that the coronavirus pandemic has undoubtedly brought a shock to the Region’s agri-food system. It was on that basis of realisation that the meeting was held, to mobilise support for CARICOM Agri-Food and Food Security response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ambassador LaRocque said that the measures to combat the pandemic are resulting in a large contraction in economic activity globally and the effect is disproportionately deeper in the Caribbean. “The necessary social-distancing and stay-at-home orders have contributed to agricultural market disruption, particularly, regarding harvest and the sale of fresh produce, meat, fish and a range of other value-added agri-food products. In addition, due to job losses and reduced incomes, many consumers have had to reduce their expenditures and shift their consumption patterns

to processed foods, much of which are imported. The collapse of tourism, along with the shrinkage of the food service sector, has resulted in an unwelcome surplus of certain agricultural supplies (poultry, vegetables, fish) in several member states. The pandemic undoubtedly has brought about an unprecedented shock to the Region’s agri-food system,” he expressed in the meeting. Circumstances now dictate a greater emphasis on building capacity towards greater self-sufficiency in the agri-food sector, he noted further, and this reality is even more urgent, given the onset of the annual hurricane season which has been forecasted to bring several severe storms to the Region. Notwithstanding the reality of the situation at hand, the secretary-general outlined a bright side to the pandemic. “This crisis has, however, provided us with an opportunity to build resilience and enhance our food security. We must take actions that would ensure that we produce the food supplies to sustain our Region, along with the necessary capacity to distribute such supplies. It is our chance to reach for the goal of reducing our food-import

bill by 25 percent within the next five years. The Region must now place maximum emphasis on restoring and facilitating intra-regional trade in agri-food products. To do so, a system for actively linking buyers to sellers needs to be put in place, along with removing technical barriers to intra-regional trade,” LaRocque outlined. He noted too that he has hopes that the current project funded by the European Union and being implemented by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), in partnership with key regional institutions, will assist in addressing that constraint. The other major constraint impeding the growth of trade in the sector is transportation. A study conducted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) found that CARICOM intra-regional trade can be doubled if issues relating to transportation are addressed, trade facilitation and SPS measures. “CARICOM has adopted a Multi-Lateral Air Services Agreement (MASA) which could potentially assist the sector, but efforts to develop the regional maritime transportation sector continue to be challenging. It

is an area that is crying out for investment, but so far has not attracted sufficient interest from the private sector,” LaRocque posited. He however pointed out that the regional private sector has been working with governments to devise strategies to build resilience and enhance food security. “Dialogue has been initiated at the highest level, our Heads of Government, with the CARICOM Private Sector Organisation (CPSO) which has submitted a plan for increasing investment in the agri-food sector in order to reduce the food-import bill. The CPSO is also part of the regional COVID-19 Food Security Task Force, which includes representation from member states and regional institutions,” he said. The major initiative however, is the CARICOM COVID-19 Agri- Food Security Action Plan, which was prepared by the CARICOM Secretariat, in collaboration with partner organisations, including IICA, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI). LaRocque said the plan outlines interventions to be

undertaken by member states and regional organisations to treat with the immediate agri-food supply needs arising from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to strengthen the Region’s food and nutrition security in the ensuing years. “The plan has the full endorsement of CARICOM Heads of Government and, in addition, hemispheric ministers of agriculture have agreed to support the Region. Among the immediate actions included in the Plan are: the creation of a trade and information portal for Member States and the private sector to access information with the aim of linking excess production with food deficits throughout the Region; intervention by the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) and national Agricultural Health and Food Safety (AHFS) authorities in implementing SPS measures and protocols to facilitate intra-regional agri-food trade; and promoting the availability of relevant planting material, agricultural inputs and livestock feeds,” he expounded. The long -term actions include the promotion of scientific and technologi-

cal innovations across all aspects of the agriculture value chain, as well as strategies to create an information and statistical system to support evidence-based decision-making, and to strengthen the financial architecture surrounding agriculture and agribusiness. Ambassador LaRocque said that implementation will be under the leadership of the COVID-19 Food Security Taskforce, which is chaired by Honourable Saboto Caesar, Minister of Agriculture in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. “These are measures that have been initiated by CARICOM governments, as we seek not only to respond to the immediate challenge posed by COVID-19, but also to build our resilience in the agri-food sector and to enhance our food security. In laying out the plans and actions being undertaken to fulfil the goals of resilience and security, I do so fully aware that accomplishing them requires the co-operation and assistance of our development partners. The recovery from this crisis depends on no country or region being left behind,” the secretary-general said to participants of the virtual meeting.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 5, 2020

Song and Poetry

‘Spice and Clove’

event makes waves on Entertainment Scene T he COVID 19 virus has changed the way persons access entertainment and the arts as both performers and audiences have turned to social media as a way of expressing themselves and having a truly needed moment of relaxation. ‘Spice and Clove’, a locally organised Song and Poetry night made waves this weekend drawing a massive following on social media, as the event brought together some of the best young Guyanese artists to share their craft. The event, which was hosted on May 30, 2020, featured a host of singers, songwriters and poets, including Onix Duncan, Angie Mootoo, Joshua ‘Tujay’ Macey and Abiki Barker aka The Shady Poet. The original song and poetry pieces took the four thousand-plus virtual attendees on an imaginative ride as the artists touched on several topics including love, pain, change and even personal peace. Organiser of the event, Gracie Brown aka ‘The Olive’ stated that she and poet Renata Burnette who was the second organizer, along with other art enthusiasts received several requests from persons to share their art through Facebook live

stream; she said this is where the idea was birthed. “We saw the need persons were reaching out and asking us, and myself and Renata we started brainstorming the idea of having this event; how we would pull it off, how we would recruit artists and so on. We realised that the arts are extremely important to many persons. People feel art, people need it, and artists need a channel to share, so we decided to go ahead with the event.” Brown said that the hunt began to find local artists to take part in the show. Stating that she and Burnette used their resources and connections from their time performing at Franale’s Hip hop and poetry night events and they started contacting several of the persons they knew. She said following the initial team of persons she used her social media to invite up and coming artists to be a part of clove

and spice. Brown told The Buzz that the event gained much more traction than had been anticipated by her, Brunette or any of the other performers stating, “The event was wildly more successful than we had thought. By the end, persons were commenting and texting us telling us we have to do a second edition

Gracie Brown, Organizer/ Poet Spice and Clove

Joshua ‘Tujay’ Macey, Poet

Angie Mootoo, Singer and Poet

Onix Duncan, Poet

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 5, 2020

Local Poet unleashes her magic at Guyana’s TEDx Talks

Maryam Haniff, during her performance at TEDxLamahaSt held at the Umana Yana back in February

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any young people often feel like their voices go unheard or whatever they may have to say is swept under a rug forcing them to keep their ideas to themselves. However, TEDx Talks affirms people with the notion that whatever ideas or opinions they have, it is worth sharing with the world. Guyana’s first uploaded TEDx Talks, hosted by Keiba Murray, orga-

nizer of TEDxLamahaSt saw the likes of artists showing their talents along with many established speakers sharing ideas. However, one individual, in particular, stole the show with her poetic talents performing an original piece called ‘Unleash your magic’ which speaks to the slogan of TEDx Talks ‘ideas worth spreading’. Maryam Haniff proved that no matter what others may say or think, whatever you have to share despite how little you may think it is, it’s worth

Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). Dr. Doerga is executive chairman of ActionINVEST Caribbean Inc., as well as being a certified ActionCOACH. He holds a PhD in management, specialising in entrepreneurship, as well as an MBA and engineering qualifications. Agard holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, in addition to a Postgraduate Diploma in International StudMaryam Haniff and Keiba Murray, organiser of TEDxLamahaSt along with the ies. She also studied esteemed guest speakers who attended the TEDx Talk event in February French at the Université des Antilles and Université Nancy 2 in France. She has more sharing with the world. are a lot of people who want to draw, The 25-year-old who has been writ- to paint and to step away from the than 10 years of experience in maning since the age of eight told The Buzz traditional careers and peruse the arts aging and coordinating projects at a that she has always been a fan of TEDx which and this is not always accepted in national and international level. Fischer is a serial entrepreneur, inTalks and was elated to find out that society as a career, but rather a hobby. there was one set to be held in Guyana. Hence her poems speak to be being ternational speaker, and world traveller. She noted that she immediately made true to one’s self and living out their He went from being fired from almost contact via Facebook for tickets for the authenticity and sharing their talents every job he ever had to currently running two businesses. One of these busievent but was instead asked to be part with the world. nesses, Koohlah, is helping to relieve of the main stage. “My message in my poetry is all the global obesity epidemic by crafting Haniff described her experience and performance as an amazing, once in a about being about yourself and being affordable and delicious radically lifetime one to which she poured her confident enough to show the world that healthy snack foods. The other helps heart and soul out giving her newfound this is you and don’t let society tell you American financial institutions structure confidence that whatever she has to way who to be because in the end it’s about their benefit programmes to instantly is worthy to be heard and is appreciated. you and you have a message to give to generate substantially more income for “For me now, I feel now that what- the world everyone,” Hannif explained. both their employees and owners. The event was held back in FebAside from Haniff the event saw ever I have its worth sharing, because ruary, however, videos of the event esteemed speakers from various backof the tag line of TED, its ideas worth was recently uploaded to YouTube grounds within society. They were sharing it’s like an affirmation for like and other platforms making TEDxVishal H. Joseph, Dr Vishnu Doerga, what I have and what I do is worth sharLisa Mae Agard and Harrison Hunter LamahaSt the first to be shared not ing with the world,” she said. Fischer. Joseph is a youth ad- only with Guyanese but the entire The young woman noted that there Reid vocate who recently completed his world.

Guyana RumFest production joins the virtual party

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everal forms of Virtual entertainment have arisen since the COVID-19 pandemic, the latest being the ‘Quarantine Mix’ which is a production of the Guyana RumFest Committee. The segment which showcases some simple drink mixes and mixing techniques is hosted by Organiser and Guyana RumFest committee member Yonnick David. David told the Buzz Magazine that the committee saw the need persons had for a form of entertainment and somewhat distraction in this period and said that it started brainstorming ideas on what to bring to the festivals supporters that would be different, a virtual event that was not being done in Guyana at present, and that’s where the committee landed on the idea of ‘Quarantine Mix’.

The ‘Quarantine Mix’ segments feature the best in locally produced alcohol, with simple recipes that anyone can follow and make on their own: as a midnight drink for family, or a morning cocktail to give persons; a pick me up during the day, or even a drink just to chill and watch movies. David explained that most of the episodes are recorded then posted online, with several special Live episodes, where persons are given the opportunity to mix along with David. “When COVID-19 first started a lot of people were heavy on the quarantine and people were staying home, and we also had the curfew so we figured we’d give people something at home. We know the bars are closed and so on, so we thought if we could give people the ingredients they can go out and purchase

it and they can do it at home and have a good time with their family.” David said the committee tries to use mostly locally produced alcohol as a way to ensure local products are advertised, explaining that due to the observed reach of the events it is a great platform for local products to reach homes, companies and especially individuals. He further explained however that in some cases the local producers may not always produce the ingredients recommended for the mixes and he has no other choice but to use foreign products. The event which Aired its first segment on May 7, has been gaining huge traction bringing in large numbers of viewers, the last video reached some 23,000 viewers in less than 24 hours online.

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Beyond, the beauty blender A unique approach to makeup

By Naomi Parris

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ike many young makeup artists, Shaunell Duesbury sees makeup as more than just a form of self-expression but a way of life, however, the young woman’s talents go beyond the beauty blender as she wears several professional hats. Venturing into the world of makeup at a young age, Duesbury told the Pepperpot Magazine that she first fell in love with the artistry after watching her mother apply makeup on several occasions. “As a young girl, I became fully enticed by observing my mom apply her makeup for years. This tempted my bravery to sneak and play with my mom’s makeup despite the consequences of being caught in the act,” she stated. The young woman noted that she took her love for makeup to an even higher level when she ventured into the world of entrepreneurship kickstarting her very own business selling makeup products among other things, “At age 16 I decided to venture into the field of young entrepreneurship whereby I started selling makeup products along with jewellery and accessories.” Duesbury revealed that soon after starting her business she applied for a job overseas at a cosmetics store which initially allowed her to gain the knowledge of various makeup products and later the acknowledgement of the intriguing art form, which sparked an interest to develop further into the makeup world to develop the skills in makeup application at the age eighteen. Big things have small beginnings Revealing that her makeup journey has encouraged her to be more discipline preparing her to handle any hurdles the everyday life may throw at her, Duesbury stated that, “my

makeup journey has [taught me that] practice definitely makes you perfect, most significantly your passion in your craft has a tremendous effect on being focused and in love with your craft… undoubtedly this provides you with the will power to overcome any unpredictable pessimism thrown your way.” However, Duesbury stated she sees herself

and other makeup artists as inimitable being created by God as such their hands are not the same. Duesbury further noted that constantly partaking in one activity tends to bore her as such it is a pleasure for her to explore her talents. “Among these talents, I am also a vocalist I love to sing. I am currently developing and advancing my vocal skills also. I have acquired a great admiration for use of my hands, therefore, designing added to the list of my pursuits,” she stated. Inclusive of Duesbury’s designs are carnival wire bras, tulle skirts, floral crowns and other handmade designed accessories which she has managed sell on the local and international markets, designing several pieces for various carnival bands. She noted that her accomplishments are a living proof to anyone to show that growth is prone to occur as long as one is passionate enough to pursue your craft. “I am a firm believer of “big things have small beginnings” my accomplishments thus far provided me with the evidence of this quote,” she said.

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NBA season heads to Disney World from July 31st (BBC) - The rest of the NBA season is set to be played at Florida’s Disney World Resort from 31 July. The season was suspended on 11 March because of coronavirus measures. Thirteen Western Conference teams and nine Eastern Conference teams will contest eight games each to determine seedings for the play-offs. The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando includes a 5,000-seat indoor basketball facility. Under the NBA’s proposals, all 22 teams will be based at the resort and games will be played without spectators to minimise the threat of Covid-19. On Thursday the NBA board of governors approved the plan to resume the season. The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) must agree to the plan before it is confirmed. It is expected to vote during a conference call on Friday. The Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies are in play-off positions in the Western Conference. The Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets and Orlando Magic currently occupy play-off spots in the Eastern Conference. Those 16 teams will be joined by the New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference and the Washington Wizards in the Eastern Conference. The latest date possible for finishing the season - what would be game seven of the NBA finals - is 12 October.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Friday June 05, 2020) COMPLIMENTS OF XTRA ENERGY DRINK – STABROEK BAZAAR (Tel: 683-9500) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) Birmingham, 1979 (2) Albion, 1983

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Who is the first Indian player to score an ODI hundred against the WI? (2) Who is the first WI player to hit an ODI century against India?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 5, 2020

Saints quarterback Drew Brees apologies over ‘knees bent’ outburst (BBC) - New Orleans Saints quarterback, Drew Brees says “it breaks my heart to know the pain I have caused” following his opposition to NFL kneeling protests. Brees was criticised, including by teammate Malcolm Jenkins, for saying such protests would be “disrespecting the flag” of the United States. Former NFL star Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the US national anthem in 2016 to highlight racial injustice. Brees said his comments lacked “awareness, compassion or empathy”. It comes in the wake of global protests held following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, while being restrained by a white police officer in Minneapolis on 25 May. Many athletes have also supported Kaepernick, who was frozen out of the league after his protest and has been unemployed since being released by the San Francisco 49ers in 2017. “I made comments that were insensitive and completely missed the mark on the issues we are facing right now as a country,” said Brees in an apology on Instagram.

Brees has thrown 547 touchdown passes - more than any quarterback in NFL history “Instead, those words have become divisive and hurtful and have misled people into believing that somehow I am an enemy.

This could not be further from the truth, and is not an accurate reflection of my heart or my character.” Brees said he wanted to apologise to his “friends, team-mates, the City of New Orleans, the black community, NFL community and anyone I hurt”. “I am sick about the way my comments were perceived yesterday, but I take full responsibility and accountability,” he added. “I recognise that I should do less talking and more listening... and when the black community is talking about their pain, we all need to listen. For that, I am very sorry and I ask your forgiveness.” Jenkins, who posted his emotional response on social media, returned for a second spell at New Orleans Saints this year In response to comments made by Brees on Wednesday in an interview with Yahoo, Saints safety Jenkins said his team-mate was “part of the problem”. “Drew, unfortunately you’re somebody that doesn’t understand their privilege,” said 32-year-old Jenkins in an emotional video on social meda. “You don’t understand the potential you have to actually be an advocate for the peo-

ple that you call brothers. “You don’t understand the history and why people like me - people with my skin colour - whose grandfathers fought for this country... I still protested - not against the national anthem - but against what was happening in America and what the fabric of this country stands for.” Jenkins added: “While the world tells you that you’re not worthy, that your life doesn’t matter, the last place you want to hear it from are the guys that you go to war with, that you consider to be allies and to be your friends. “Even though we’re team-mates, I can’t let this slide. “Drew Brees, if you don’t understand how hurtful, how insensitive your comments are you are part of the problem. “The whole country is on fire and the first thing that you do is to criticise one’s peaceful protest. That was years ago when we were trying to signal a sign for help, to signal for our allies, our white brothers and sisters, the people we consider to be friends to get involved. It was ignored.”

PL teams to make five subs per match (BBC) - Premier League teams will be able to make five substitutions, rather than three, in each match to the end of the season after clubs approved new rules. Teams will also be able to name nine substitutes instead of the usual seven. Football’s international law-makers gave competitions the option of increasing substitutes to protect player welfare on the sport’s resumption. Premier League football will return on 17 June after a three-month absence. An announcement of the first few rounds of fixtures since the campaign was halted by coronavirus on 13 March is expected in the next 24 hours. Though teams can now make five substitutions, each will only have three opportunities to make changes throughout the match in order to minimise disruption to

Premier League teams have been permitted three substitutions since the 1994-95 season the game. Clubs have also agreed in principle to the use of neutral venues if required, although the vast majority of matches are expect-

ed to be played in their usual grounds, barring local spikes in coronavirus cases. A draft document detailing the extensive bios-

ecurity measures required for each match has been circulated. It is believed the number of people in the stadium while each match is being played will

be limited to about 300. How to end the season, decide the league positions and the possible consequences should it prove impossible to play

the remaining matches was discussed at a meeting of clubs, but any decision was delayed to concentrate on the return of action. The International Football Association Board said in May that the temporary changes to substitutions had been made for interrupted 2019-20 competitions as “matches may be played in a condensed period in different weather conditions, both of which could have impacts on player welfare”. Concerns had been raised about the reduced preparation time that players have had before the season’s resumption with Premier League teams only returning to contact training at the end of May. Newcastle club doctor Paul Catterson told BBC Radio 5 Live on Tuesday that he was expecting more injuries as the intensity of training increased.

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Khan cautions Paul, Hetmyer over England tour absence (CMC) – A former manager of the West Indies team has cautioned that all-rounder Keemo Paul and left-handed batsman Shimron Hetmyer may have taken a big risk opting out of next month’s tour of England. Omar Khan, who is also manager of the Guyana Amazon Warriors franchise, which Paul and Hetmyer represent, said that while he understood the duo’s concerns, they should have been part of the three-match series that will be the first Test played in a “bio-secure” environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cricket West Indies (CWI) confirmed Wednesday that the two Guyanese, along with Trinidadian Darren Bravo, had declined to be part of the 14-man team chosen to help West Indies retain the Wisden Trophy. A total of 25 players, including 11 reserves, will fly to England on private charters on June 8 and will live, train and play in a “bio-secure” environment during their seven weeks in England, which includes Test matches beginning on July 8, 16 and 24. “A situation like this is mentally taxing on the player. This is the first

time that a series is being played under the present COVID-19 situation and, hence, the players are not sure how all will pan out,” Khan who managed the West Indies team from 2007 to 2010, told Guardian Media Sports on Thursday. “I could understand mentally that the players would want to be totally comfortable but, in my personal view, I think Hetmyer and Paul should have gone.” CWI said it fully respected the decision of those cricketers not to go on the tour, and assured that would not be held against them when consideration is given to future selection. Khan said while that was comforting, the players who opted out could face another problem. “Other players have come in to replace them and if they perform and cement a spot, then it will be harder for them to break back into the team,” he cautioned. However, he added: “They would have had to weigh all those options before making a decision. Once they are comfortable that is important.” The centrally-contracted Paul, Hetmyer and Bravo, in declining selection,

reportedly expressed concerns about their health and the wellbeing of their families, given that more than 281 000 people in the UK had been infected with COVID-19, including almost 40 000 who succumbed to the virus. According to ESPNcricinfo, CWI chief executive Johnny Grave said 22-year-old Paul had emailed the governing body for cricket in the region, explaining that he was the sole breadwinner for his household and wider family and was “really concerned if something happened to him how his family would cope”. “He wrote a personal note to us to explain it was with a heavy heart that he had decided not to tour but that he just didn’t feel comfortable going to England. He wrote passionately about how hard a decision it was for him and how much he loves playing for West Indies, but with consultation with his family he doesn’t feel he can leave them and doesn’t want to go on the tour,” Grave told the cricket website. He added that 23-year-old Hetmyer also “didn’t feel comfortable from a safety point of view, leaving his home,

leaving his family and heading over to England”. “Darren Bravo had concerns about his health and any consequences that it may have on his young family. He also mentioned he made his decision with great remorse as it was always a huge honour for him to play for West Indies. So, yes, perfectly valid reasons and the ones that we fully respect. We were never going to force or try to coerce and we didn’t ask them to reconsider,” the CWI CEO added. The West Indies squad for the upcoming tour which will be played behind closed doors in three venues, is captained by Jason Holder and includes Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Kraigg Brathwaite, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shane Dowrich, Chemar Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Raymon Reifer and Kemar Roach. The reserves are Sunil Ambris, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Keon Harding, Kyle Mayers, Preston McSween, Marquino Mindley, Shane Moseley, Anderson Phillip, Oshane Thomas, Jomel Warrican.

Gauff demands change in BLM protest (BBC) - Sixteen-year-old American tennis player Coco Gauff has given an emotional speech at a Black Lives Matter protest saying she “demands change now”. Gauff, one of the sport’s rising stars, urged people to vote and speak out against racism, adding: “If you are choosing silence, you are choosing the side of the oppressor.” Protests have been held across the United States and globally since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Gauff has repeatedly spoken out since. Speaking in her hometown of Delray Beach, Florida, Gauff said it is “sad” she was protesting against the “same thing” her grandmother did “50plus years ago”.

“We must first love each other, no matter what,” Gauff added. “I have spent all week having tough conversations and trying to educate my non-black friends about how they can help the movement. “Second, we need to take action. “I am not of the age to vote - it is in your hands to vote for my future, my brothers’ future and for your future so that is one way to make change. “Third, you need to use your voice no matter how big or small your platform is, you need to use your voice. “I saw a Dr [Martin Luther] King quote that said the silence of the good people is worse than the brutality of the bad people.” She added: “It breaks

Gauff was speaking at a peaceful protest in Florida my heart because I’m fighting for the future for my brothers. I’m fighting for the

future of my future kids. I’m fighting for the future of my future grandchildren.”

Gauff rose to fame last year when she beat fivetime champion Venus Wil-

liams at Wimbledon aged 15 in a run to the fourth round.

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 5, 2020

F1’s managing director weighs in on Williams, positive COVID-19 tests (BBC) - A driver could have to miss part of a race weekend if one of his mechanics tested positive for coronavirus when the season resumes, Ross Brawn says. Formula 1’s managing director said the chances of a positive test were “very low” because of the health and safety protocols that have been set up. “If somebody comes down with the symptoms, you’d have to deal with it straight away,” Brawn said. “We would have to isolate that group until they could all be tested.” In a wide-ranging interview with BBC Sport, Brawn discussed the medical protocols that have been set up by F1 so it can start its season in Austria on 5 July, the first of eight European grands prix that were announced this week. He also discussed the problems F1 has in trying to build a calendar of races further afield than Europe, the possibility of further grands prix in Europe if long-haul races can-

“So if we have somebody test positive in one of the groups, then we would have to isolate that group until they could all be tested. We would have to isolate that group until we could be sure the virus hadn’t spread but the rest of the team could still function.” The testing procedures in place will take up to two hours to return a result, and anyone within a test group would have to isolate until the results come through. And would this mean a driver could not take part while that was happening? “Yes it would,” Brawn said. This could mean a driver sitting out part of or even a whole practice session, but it is very unlikely a race would have to be missed in these circumstances. That’s because no work can be done on cars after qualifying unless they are damaged, and teams could switch around mechanics to fulfil any essential tasks. CALENDAR DIFFICULTIES

Brawn says Williams - run by Frank Williams ad daughter Claire - are very “close to my heart” not be held and his frustration with Mercedes at their decision to veto qualifying ‘sprint’ races. He also expressed his confidence in F1’s ability to ride out the coronavirus crisis and his concerns for the future of Williams. THE IMPACT OF A POSITIVE TEST F1 has plans to create what Brawn has dubbed a “biosphere” environment to minimise the risk of spreading the coronavirus by re-starting its season, including extensive testing for everyone involved, medical support with every team, and an on-site test facility for rapid response. Part of this plan is to create what Brawn calls “families and sub-families within teams” to limit contact between people as much as possible. “If we do get a positive case then we can isolate that case and people who have been in contact with that person very quickly,” Brawn said. He added: “A group of mechanics working on a car, while they will be wearing PPE (personal protective equipment), it will be very difficult to socially distance. “But there is no reason why that group of mechanics will necessarily be part of another family of mechanics working on the other car.

Brawn believes the eight European races announced this week are “pretty firm”, although he admits “if something erupted in one of the countries we’re going to, we’d have to adjust our plans again” But F1 faces a difficult conundrum in trying to build a calendar outside Europe, because as Brawn puts it “different countries are at different stages of their situation with the virus”. He adds: “There is still quite a lot of volatility in the situation in different countries, so until that stabilises and we can see where the situation is, it’s difficult to commit. “Brazil is in the middle of a very difficult period. Mexico is in the middle of a very difficult period. But we’re optimistic that those situations will improve and therefore we will be able to build a programme around that.” There are two concerns - whether the virus situation in a particular country allows F1 to feel confident it is safe enough to go there; and whether countries such as Japan and Vietnam that have the virus under control want to risk letting F1 in. The US, Brazil, Mexico and Russia are in the first category and Brawn admits: “If we judge the health and safety risk is too high, even if we can meet the obligations of the country, then we may not go there.

The revised 2020 F1 season kicks off in Austria on 5 July “We can’t operate at a level that is worse prefer to stick to his first reasons, which I than the country needs. Our standards will respect, and I might even be the same in always exceed the standards of the country his position.” we are going to.” THE FUTURE OF WILLIAMS There is the added complication of street Williams have put their team up for races such as Baku and Singapore, where sale after a £13m loss last year forced them months are needed to set up the track. Brawn admits “it is coming to the point to look for external investment. Brawn says F1 are “concerned” about the where decisions will have to be made” on situation and “have been supporting them in these events. And he says having further races in Eu- many ways”, although he won’t explain how. “They are a team with a great herirope “is an option if we can’t have the overtage,” Brawn says. “I spent a lot of my seas or flyaway races we’d like to have”. career at Williams, certainly my formative years were at Williams, so they are close SPRINT-RACE FRUSTRATION In recent weeks, F1 has revived an idea to my heart, and it’s saddened me to see of trying out sprint races with reverse grids the level of performance they had the last in place of qualifying at a couple of events few years. “Their situation reflects their poor perthis year. Brawn said this came up again because formance. You can’t get around it. There is there will be two races at at least two venues a price to pay when you’re performing that this year - Austria and Silverstone - and F1 badly. “With fresh investment and involvement wanted to introduce some variability. But the idea needed unanimous agreement I’m optimistic they can get into a more comand it has been killed by Mercedes, who were petitive position.” Brawn emphasises that the new rules opposed. Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff cited a being introduced in 2022 with the aim of survey that showed the vast majority of fans closing up the field “will be very helpful to were opposed to the idea. Brawn said F1 a team in Williams’ position in terms of the “can’t find” that survey, although the idea increased prize money there will be next was strongly opposed in two separate polls year, the reduction in cost, the increased competitiveness of a smaller team”. in 2015 and 2017. Wolff said on Wednesday that he THE FUTURE OF F1 was against the proposal because F1 is a The European races announced so meritocracy and doesn’t need gimmicks; the races are open to being ‘gamed’ by far will all be held without spectators teams wanting to ensure their driver starts and F1 will not be receiving fees for the main grand prix at the front; and it many of them, although that situation penalises the quickest team because they will change when it moves on to governwill generally start behind the second and ment-backed events later in the year in places such as Russia, Bahrain and Abu third fastest. Brawn says it is “a shame” the idea can’t Dhabi. The entire sport is facing a financial shortbe tried out, but Wolff’s objections clearly fall but Brawn says: “It can certainly sustain still rankle. Brawn says Williams - run by Frank Wil- it for this year. “A large part of our income comes from liams ad daughter Claire - are very “close to broadcast rights. A large part of our income my heart” Brawn said: “In the first instance, Toto comes from sponsorship. Those are things we was very frank and said: ‘I think I’m in a very can fulfil whether the fans are there or not. “We want races with fans as soon as we strong competitive position and I don’t want anything that is going to upset the chances of can but we can’t do it unless we can do it me winning races.’ And that’s fine. That’s his safely. We will be making a call on all the races with or without fans but for me it is prerogative. “Since then, all sorts of things have sustainable for the rest of the year if we had come out as to why we shouldn’t do it. I still to have the majority of races without fans.”

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 5, 2020

BCB puzzled about exclusion of Permaul for England tour CMC – The exclusion of Guyanese Veersammy Permaul from the West Indies squad for the upcoming tour of England has provoked the ire of Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) president, Hilbert Foster, who condemned it as “sickening treatment” and demanded an explanation for the non-selection of the right-handed batsman. Permaul was not among the 14 selected to take on England in the three-Test series that is taking place under strict protocols due to the COVID-19 pandemic, nor the 11 reserve players who are accompanying the team to ensure replacements are available in case of any injury. Fellow Guyanese Shimron Hetmyer and Keemo Paul declined places in the squad. In a statement issued on Wednesday, hours after Cricket West Indies (CWI) released the names of the selected players, Foster said he was particularly puzzled how Permaul did not even make the reserve list when he was the leading bowler in this year’s Regional Four-Day tournament with 50 wickets in eight matches, including three five-wickets hauls in an innings and two ten-wicket hauls in a match.

“The BCB would like to condemn in the strongest possible way the sickening treatment being handed out to this outstanding son of Berbice and would like for an explanation to been given on his non-selection,” he said. “Has a decision been taken that Permaul’s career is over at just 30 years old? is there another unknown factor for his non-selection? Is he indisciplined? Is he considered just a regional bowler or is he too old? “We deserve to know as the BCB is without doubt the hardest working cricket board in the Caribbean and we would not sit back and watch our cricketers being treated like second class when they deserve better,” Foster added. He pointed out that in the last six years, the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club cricketer has taken 290 wickets at the senior Four-Day level at an average of 16.90 and has 18 five-wicket hauls and seven ten-wicket hauls in a match. These performances, the BCB president contended, were unmatched by anyone in the Caribbean, yet Permaul last played Test cricket in 2015, ODI in 2017 and Twenty20 in 2018. “Does performance matter anymore in West Indies cricket or are our players being judged by other factors that we are unaware

of?” he questioned. “Some of the players who have made the team have not even come close to Permaul’s performance and yet continues to be ahead of him in the eyes of the selectors. What message is the West Indies selectors sending to our players when they turn a blind eye to performances of the highest standard and rewarding those at rock bottom?” The West Indies squad for the upcoming tour which will be played behind closed doors, is captained by Jason Holder and includes Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Kraigg Brathwaite, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shane Dowrich, Chemar Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Raymon Reifer and Kemar Roach. The reserves are: Sunil Ambris, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Keon Harding, Kyle Mayers, Preston McSween, Marquino Mindley, Shane Moseley, Anderson Phillip, Oshane Thomas, Jomel Warrican. Apart from the figures Permaul has put on the board, Foster added, the cricketer has been a very committed, focused, discipline and wholehearted player over the past decade. “It is an undisputed fact that based on performances, Veersammy Permaul deserves

to be on a senior regional team and this profound nonsense needs to stop with immediate effect,” he said. “Shame on the persons responsible for his non-selection and surely you must have some guilt in your conscience that you did the young man wrong.” Subject to the final approval of the UK Government, the West Indies will defend the Wisden Trophy, starting July 8. The players will fly to England on private charters on June 8. They are scheduled to arrive in Manchester the following day and will be there for a three-week period before moving to Southampton for the first Test at the Ageas Bowl, July 8-12. They will return to Manchester for the second match on July 16-20 and the final encounter at Emirates Old Trafford on July 24-28. The squad will live, train and play in a “bio-secure” environment during the seven weeks of the tour, as part of the comprehensive medical and operations plans to ensure player and staff safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has already infected close to 280 000 people in the UK, resulting in almost 40 000 deaths.

CAS defends independence amid TTFA allegations of bias CMC – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has chastised the ousted executive of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) for accusing it of bias in the battle against the sport’s world governing body, insisting that it is “independent and impartial from all parties”. In correspondence confirming the termination of the action that the William Wallace-led United TTFA had filed against FIFA, deputy president of CAS’s appeal division Dr. Elisabeth Steiner defended the Switzerland-based court, saying its independence “has already been confirmed by several national and international tribunals”. “Any statement to the contrary, such as the ones which have been published in some media, is totally unacceptable,” she stated. Wallace – who led the TTFA before FIFA removed the executive and installed a normalisation committee in mid-March because of mounting and potentially crippling debt – and his three vice-presidents had filed an appeal

against FIFA’s takeover with CAS in April. However, complaining that they were not likely to get a fair hearing, given some of the decisions CAS had taken in the early stages of the case, they withdrew the case last month and turned to the High Court in Trinidad and Tobago to deal with the matter instead. The former executive, through their attorneys, had written to CAS pointing out some “irregularities” that demonstrated the court’s bias towards FIFA. They complained that the TTFA was asked to pay all the fees for the arbitration – in contravention of the court’s regulations which require that the parties split the cost, which FIFA refused to do – and that the court had accepted FIFA’s request for the case to be heard by three arbitrators which tripled the cost of the proceedings. CAS’s head of arbitration Antonio De Queseda had responded to those concerns, rejecting the alleged irregularities. He indicated that CAS had decided to use a three-member arbitration panel

instead of a single arbitrator requested by the TTFA attorneys because of the legal complexity and sensitivity of the case, and stated that the association’s lawyers did not provide a single reason to justify their request. In the correspondence sent on Monday, Steiner indicated that TTFA would not have to pay anything more than the 1,000 Swiss Francs (1 US$ = 1.04 CHF) it had deposited to register its appeal. “Consideration that the present order is rendered without costs, except for the Court Office fee of CHF 1 000 which was paid by the appellants and which is retained by the Court of Arbitration for Sport,” she explained. “The appeal filed by the appellants shall be deemed withdrawn and the procedure CAS 2020/A/6915 Trinidad and Tobago Football Association et al. FIFA shall consequently be terminated and deleted from the CAS roll.” In its case filed in the High Court last week, the former TTFA executive is asking for: a declaration that FIFA’s removal of the TTFA executive, which

was elected to office on November 24, 2019, is null, void and of no legal and/or binding effect; a permanent injunction preventing FIFA from interfering in, and/or seeking to override the fair and transparent democratic processes of the TTFA and/or from attempting removing the duly elected executive from office; and a permanent injunction preventing FIFA and/or its agents and/or assigns and/or servants from interfering in the day-to-day management of the TTFA, including the association’s bank accounts and real property. FIFA has officially informed the High Court it will defend itself against the legal challenge. The TTFA stands to be suspended as a result of taking FIFA to the local courts, as Article 64 of the FIFA statutes prohibits member associations from taking internal disputes, or disputes affecting Leagues, members of Leagues, clubs, members of clubs, players, officials and other Association Officials to ordinary courts of law.

BCB puzzled about exclusion of Permaul for England tour

Veerasammy Permaul appeals for a wicket© West Indies Cricket Board

see story on page 23

LeBron James’ LA Lakers are top of the NBA Western Conference

NBA season heads to Disney World from July 31st see story on page 19

Khan cautions Paul, Hetmyer over England tour absence

Former West Indies team manager Omar Khan

The sign and building of the Court of Arbitration (CAS) (FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)

see story on page 21

Chelsea eye RB Leipzig striker Werner Leipzig’s German forward Timo Werner (Front) vies with Mainz’ German midfielder Ridle Baku. (Photo by KAI PFAFFENBACH/ POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

CAS defends independence amid TTFA allegations see story of bias on page 23

(BBC) - Chelsea are in talks to sign RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner. The 24-year-old Germany international has been linked with Liverpool and said he was “proud” of that

association. But BBC Sport understands Liverpool are not interested in signing Werner, who has scored 25 league goals this season Reports suggest his re-

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lease clause is about £54m. Last month, French striker Olivier Giroud extended his contract by a year. Werner, who has netted 11 times in 29 games for Germany, would be Chelsea’s second signing for next season after already completing a £37m deal for Ajax winger Hakim Ziyech in February. He has impressed at Leipzig following his 2016 transfer from hometown

club Stuttgart. Werner scored a hattrick in Leipzig’s recent 5-0 victory over Mainz and he also netted three times against the same opposition in an 8-0 win before Christmas. In January, Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard was linked with Paris St-Germain forward Edinson Cavani and Napoli’s Dries Mertens but neither deal materialised. FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2020