Issuu

WEDNESDAY 15th July, 2020

’ No. 106061

‘NOT THOSE RESULTS’ …Tucville voter moves to court to challenge GECOM’s decision to declare results from Recount data …argues for President to be sworn in, based on 10 declarations

Arsonists strike thrice

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03 PAGES

11&16

… set fires to GECOM Linden office as well as Police, GDF bases in Anna Regina

Fire destroyed the Guyana Elections Commission, Linden office located at Burnham Drive, Wismar

‘Highly 13 Outrageous’ PAGE

–– MOTP rejects Nandlall’s ‘dangerous accusations’

8 new COVID-19 Young miner murdered in cases recorded 15 triangular love affair 10 PAGE

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TO HIS EXCELLENCY

DAVID ARTHUR GRANGER

PRESIDENT OF THE COOPERATIVE REPUBLIC OF GUYANA FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, MANAGEMENT AND STAFF OF THE GUYANA NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS LIMITED

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

‘NOT THOSE RESULTS’ …Tucville voter moves to court to challenge GECOM’s decision to declare results from Recount data

…argues for President to be sworn in, based on 10 declarations By Svetlana Marshall A PRIVATE citizen has moved to the High Court in an attempt to compel the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to declare the results of the General and Regional Elections in accordance with the Declarations made by the 10 Returning Officers in midMarch as advised by the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield. Ultimately, the applicant, Misenga Jones, a registered voter from Tucville Georgetown, wants the Presidential Candidate to be deemed elected, in keeping with those declarations and the advice of the Chief Elections Officer and not on the basis of the data generated during the National Recount. The case (Misenga Jones v The Guyana Elections Commission, Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, the Chief Election Officer and the Attorney-General) will be heard virtually in High Court today (July 15) at 10:00hrs before Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire. Jones, who is being presented by Attorney-at-Law Mayo Robertson, filed the Fixed Date Application on Tuesday (July 14), one day after the Chairman of GECOM, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh took a decision to invalidate the 10 Declarations, in an attempt to force the hands of the Chief Elections Officer to submit an Elections Report based on the Certificates of Recount generated during the National Recount. On July 11, Lowenfield, in keeping with the Representation of the People Act, had submitted an Elections Report based on the Declarations, a move which was rejected by both the GECOM Chair and the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) – nominated Elections Commissioners.

Attorney-at-Law, Mayo Robertson Through her application, Jones is seeking a total of 21 Declarations and six Orders from the High Cour; chief among them is a declaration that Justice Singh failed to act in accordance with the advice of the Chief Elections Officer as mandated by Article 177 (2) (b) of the Constitution of Guyana, and in effect would have failed to declare the Presidential Candidate deemed to be elected as President in accordance with that advice. Lowenfield’s July 11 Elections Report showed a win for the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition, which meant that President David Granger is in line to be elected to office for a second term, but that report has not gained the support of the GECOM Chair and the PPP/C-nominated Commissioners. But Jones, in her application, told the Court that only the Declarations made by the Returning Officers in the 10 Electoral Districts are legal, and as such is seeking a declaration from the High Court that would confine the Chief Elections Officer, and by extension the Elections Commission to those declarations as stipulated in Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act. As such, she asked the Court for: “A Declaration that the Chief Election Officer is not entitled to base his

Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield report required by Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act on data generated from the recount purported to be carried out under Order No. 60 of 2020. [And] A Declaration that the votes counted at the National Recount pursuant to Order No. 60 of 2020 as amended, are invalid for failure to conform with the concept of valid votes described by the CCJ in its Judgment in the Appeal of Ali and Jagdeo v David, et al [2020] 10 (AJ) GY.” Jones is of the opinion that the recount was an unconstitutional process, which encroached upon the exclusive jurisdiction of the High Court as outlined in Article 163 (1) (b) of the Constitution. Further, in light of the decision of the Elections Commission that Lowenfield will be substituted by his deputy, should he fail to submit an Elections Report reflective of the Certificates of Recount, Jones wants the Court to declare that GECOM has no authority to declare any person as President except in accordance with the advice tendered by the Chief Elections Officer in his report pursuant to Section 96 (1) of the Representation of the People Act, and Article 177 (2) (b) of the Constitution. Additionally, she wants the High Court to safeguard the constitutional role of the Chief Elections Officer as outlined in Article 177 (2) (b), by ruling that he is

GECOM Chair, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh

not subject to the direction of either the Chairman or GECOM, with respect to the content of the advice he is expected to provide as outlined in that Article. In that regard, Jones has asked the High Court for: “A Declaration that letters from the Chairman of GECOM on June 13th, July 9th, and July 10th 2020 purporting to direct the Chief Elections Officer as to the content of his advice and report under Article 177(2) (b) and Section 96(1) of the Representation of the People Act respectively, are unlawful, constitutional, void, and of no effect; and a Declaration that, in particular the letter of July 9th 2020 citing Section 18 of

the Election Laws (Amendment) Act No 15 of 2000 as authority that the Chief Election Officer was subject to the supervision and control of GECOM, is misguided, invalid, and has no application to the Chief Elections Officer in the performance of his duties under Article 177(2) (b) of the Constitution and Section 96(1) of the Representation of the People Act.” Further, she asked the Court to rule that GECOM does not have the constitutional authority to alter the advice of the CEO, or the

that while the first Declaration made by Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo on March 5, 2020 was invalidated by the High Court on March 11, 2020, his second declaration made on March 13, 2020 was never invalidated by the Court. “Applications for recounts made of the Returning Officers of several Electoral Districts were refused for varying reasons, and all Declarations were forwarded by the various Returning Officers to the Chief Elec-

The High Court declarations of the 10 statutorily-appointed Returning Officers. To concretise the declarations being sought, Jones is asking the High Court to restrain the Elections Commission from acting contrary to Article 177 (2) (b) and Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act with respect to the advice and report of the CEO tendered on July 11, 2020. GROUNDS FOR APPLICATIONS In defending her Application, Jones, through her lawyer, told the Court

tions Officer in accordance with Section 89(1) (f) of the Representation of the People Act, Chapter 1:03. Pursuant to Section 96 (2) of the Representation of the People Act, Chapter 1:03, the Chief Elections Officer, after calculating the total number of valid votes of electors which had been cast, prepared his report in accordance with Subsection 96(2) for the benefit of GECOM, and furnished GECOM with the same,” Jones detailed. However, she noted that on March 17, 2020, the President and the Leader of the Opposition agreed See page 8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Foreign students in US:

Trump administration drops deportation plans

Iran executes man convicted of selling missile information to CIA

(BBC) Iran says it has executed a former defence ministry employee convicted of selling information to the US. The execution of Reza Asgari took place last week, judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili told reporters. Mr Esmaili said that Asgari had passed on details about Iran’s missile programme to the Central Intelligence Agency after retiring from the defence ministry’s aerospace division in 2016. He did not mention when Asgari was arrested, put on trial or sentenced. Mr Esmaili made the announcement while responding to a question about another man convicted of spying, Mahmoud Mousavi-Majd. He has been sentenced to death for providing intelligence to the CIA and Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency on the movements of Iranian forces in Syria. There was no immediate comment from US officials about Asgari’s execution. Last July, Iran’s intelligence ministry said it had arrested 17 people accused of collecting information on the country’s nuclear and military sectors for the CIA. The ministry said some had been sentenced to death but did not name them. US President Donald Trump dismissed that announcement as “totally false”. The previous month, a former contractor for Iran’s defence ministry, Jalal Hajizavar, was executed after being found guilty of espionage. Hajizavar was said to have confessed that he had been paid to spy for the CIA.

Ghislaine Maxwell denied bail in Epstein sex trafficking case

(BBC) US President Donald Trump’s government has dropped its plans to deport international students whose courses move fully online because of the

coronavirus pandemic. The U-turn comes just one week after the policy announcement. Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute

WEDNESDAY, 15 JULY ― 13:00hrs ~ 14:30hrs

of Technology sued the government over the plan. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Massachusetts says the parties have come to a settlement. Foreign students were told last week that they would not be allowed to stay in the US this autumn unless they switched to a course with in-person tuition. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency had said people could face deportation if they did not comply with the rules. Large numbers of foreign students travel to the US to study every year and are a significant source of revenue for universities. SHOULD I GO TO UNIVERSITY THIS YEAR? Harvard announced recently that, because of concerns over the virus’s spread, all course instruction would be delivered online when students return for the new

academic year. The Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which is run by ICE, had permitted foreign students to continue with their spring and summer 2020 courses online while remaining in the country. But on 6 July the agency said foreign students who remained in the US while enrolled in online courses and failed to switch to in-person courses could face “immigration consequences including, but not limited to, the initiation of removal proceedings”. The policy applied to holders of F-1 and M-1 visas, which are for academic and vocational students. The state department issued 388,839 F visas and 9,518 M visas in the fiscal year 2019, according to the agency’s data. According to the US commerce department, international students contributed $45bn (£36bn) to the country’s economy in 2018.

Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite and ex-girlfriend of the late US convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has been denied bail in a high-profile sex case. At a hearing via video link, a New York judge said she would remain in custody while awaiting trial on charges of trafficking minors for Epstein. Ms Maxwell, who pleaded not guilty, will go on trial in July 2021. Her lawyers had said she was at risk of contracting coronavirus in prison. Epstein died in prison on 10 August 2019 as he awaited his trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was determined to be suicide. ‘TRIED TO FLEE’ Ms Maxwell, who was arrested on 2 July, faces up to 35 years in prison if convicted. During Tuesday’s hearing, federal prosecutors said she was an “extreme” flight risk and should remain in custody. In a filing, they said that when FBI agents visited her property on 2 July, they identified themselves and asked her to open the front door. “Through a window, the agents saw the defendant ignore the direction to open the door and, instead, try to flee to another room in the house, quickly shutting a door behind her,” they said. They added: “Agents were ultimately forced to breach the door in order to enter the house to arrest the defendant.” But her lawyers denied that she was a flight risk and asked for her release on bail of $5m (£4m). The requested bail was secured by a $3.75m property in the UK. Ms Maxwell’s lawyers also said her detention at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, put her at “serious risk” of contracting coronavirus. Prosecutors allege that between 1994 and 1997, Ms Maxwell helped Epstein groom girls as young as 14. They have said that they expect “one or more victims” to testify. Four of the charges Ms Maxwell faces relate to the years 1994-97 when she was, according to the indictment, among Epstein’s closest associates and also in an “intimate relationship” with him. The other two charges are allegations of perjury in 2016. The indictment says Ms Maxwell “assisted, facilitated, and contributed to Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse of minor girls by, among other things, helping Epstein to recruit, groom and ultimately abuse victims known to Maxwell and Epstein to be under the age of 18”. WHO IS GHISLAINE MAXWELL? Ms Maxwell is the daughter of the late British media mogul Robert Maxwell. A well-connected figure, she is said to have introduced Epstein to many of her wealthy and powerful friends, including Bill Clinton and the Duke of York (who was accused in the 2015 court papers of touching a woman at Jeffrey Epstein’s US home, although the court subsequently struck out allegations against the duke).

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Suriname election: Convicted murderer Dési Bouterse is replaced by ex-police chief

(BBC) The National Assembly of Suriname has elected Chan Santokhi as the South American country’s new president. The move comes after Mr Santokhi’s party won the largest share of votes in legislative elections in May. Mr Santokhi, a former police chief, will replace outgoing president Dési Bouterse, who was found guilty of murder in 2019. The two men are bitter rivals as it was Mr Santokhi’s investigation which led to Bouterse’s conviction. Bouterse is currently appealing against the verdict.

WHO IS CHAN SANTOKHI? Chandrikapersad “Chan” Santokhi, who is 61, leads the Progressive Reform Party. Born in Suriname, which is a former Dutch colony, he studied at the police academy in the Netherlands. After his return to Suriname, he became a police inspector and in 1991 was named chief of police. From 2005 to 2010 he served as minister of justice. He ran for the presidency in 2010 but lost to Bouterse. Bouterse was re-elected to a second term in 2015 and was confident of winning a third consecutive term in elections in May but it was Mr Santokhi’s party which emerged victorious. The Progressive Reform Party won 20 of the 51 seats in the National Assembly, enough to form a coalition government with the General

Liberation and Development Party. The latter is led by Ronnie Brunswijk, who will serve as vice-president.

Chan Santokhi is an ex-police chief and former justice minister

THE END OF DESI BOUTERSE’S CAREER? Bouterse, 74, has long influenced politics in Suriname. He first came to political prominence when he led 15 follow non-commissioned officers in overthrowing the government of Henck Arron, the first to lead Suriname following its independence from the Netherlands. In his role as National Military Council chairman, he was Suriname’s de facto leader for much of the 1980s. It was during this time, in December 1982, that soldiers rounded up, tortured and executed 15 of Bouterse’s opponents. Bouterse claims the vic-

tims, who included trade union leaders and journalists, were shot as they were trying to escape from the colonial-era fortress in which they were being held. In 2007, he admitted “political responsibility” for what has become known as the “December murders” but he has always denied personal responsibility. A trial started that same year and three judges concluded 12 years later, in November 2019, that Bouterse was guilty of murder and should serve 20 years in jail. However, no arrest warrant was issued. The guilty verdict over the “December murders” is not his only conviction. In 1999, a court in the Netherlands found Bouterse guilty of smuggling more than a thousand pounds of cocaine and sentenced him in absentia to 11 years in prison. Bouterse has always denied the drug-smuggling allegations.

WHAT NEXT? Chan Santokhi will be sworn in as president on Thursday. Speaking after the National Assembly elected him, he said that he was inheriting a country “on the brink of financial collapse”. “We are balancing on the edge of an international default,” he added while calling on the people of Suriname to stand “shoulder to shoulder” to tackle the challenges ahead. He also said that “the government we form will pursue a coherent policy to work to-

gether towards that one goal: the recovery of Suriname”. In order to achieve a united front, Mr Santokhi will have to work with his vice-president, Ronnie Brunswijk. As a former rebel leader who fought a civil war against Bouterse, Ronnie

Brunswijk would seem like a natural ally of Mr Santokhi. But Ronnie Brunswijk has been known to switch allegiances in the past. Between 2010 and 2015, he put his differences with Bouterse to one side to join him in a coalition government. Bouterse himself referred

to the challenges ahead for Mr Santokhi when he said on Monday that “out of experience, I can tell you it won’t be an easy job”. It is not clear yet if an arrest warrant will be issued for Bouterse once he ceases to be president on Thursday.

The National Assembly’s move puts an end to the presidency of Desi Bouterse

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Safeguarding our society NOT by accident does society set out to put in place laws. Moreover, it is not by chance that independent nations such as ours, having emerged from political domination and oppression, have put in place a system of laws to which all are subject. Though the focus here is not to engage in discussion on the laws of other lands, given that such understandably are shaped by the realities in those societies, the nexus is drawn insofar as respect for and enforcement of the laws, both domestic and foreign, are key to maintaining a stable and cohesive society. And a stable and cohesive society creates the environment for growth and development. The World Justice Project, an independent, multidisciplinary organisation working to advance the rule of law around the world and in bringing to bear internationally- accepted standards, has defined the “rule of law [as] a system in which the following four universal principles are upheld: 1) the government

and its officials and agents, as well as individuals and private entities, are accountable under the law; 2) the laws are clear, publicised, stable, and just; are applied evenly; and protect fundamental rights, including the security of persons and property; 3) the process by which the laws are enacted, administered, and enforced is accessible, fair, and efficient; and 4) justice is delivered timely by competent, ethical, and independent representatives and neutrals who are of sufficient number, have adequate resources, and reflect the makeup of the communities they serve.” To the extent that the rule of law reigns in societies, it is not surprising there is more progress. This is so because citizens know that regardless of their diversity; socio-economic status; political title or influence or connection; or entitlement status; if they do the crime and are caught and found guilty, they will have to do the time. Thus it is not surprising to hear reports of the ordinary man and woman, as well as the connected and

influential, being placed before the court, and once found guilty, are sentenced. In such societies, upholding the rule of law is equivalent to a badge of honour which the public rewards such persons by holding them in high esteem. This is not to say that persons may not deliberately set out to violate the law, being fully aware of the consequences, but it makes the point that even when there is ignorance of the law, or when one feels sufficiently immunised to violate the law, by upholding the principle of the rule of law, the society’s well-being is safeguarded. Where the law is allowed to rule, people not only cultivate a sense of security, but adopt an aura of assurance. In the instance of the weak/powerless, she/he stands a better chance of not being exploited by the mighty/powerful, because redress can be sought and protection under the law demanded. The businessman has needed assurance to invest, in that the law will bring to justice those who rob him. Equally, he

knows that if he fails to respect the law, he is courting the consequences thereof. The Police Force, tasked with responsibility to “Serve and Protect”, is better able to discharge its duty, assured that the law safeguards the law-abiding, and violators will be held to account. Elected and appointed members of the legislature, executive or other constitutional offices, in taking the oath of office and in having pledged to serve consistent with the law, are equally to be held to account consistent with the rule of law. For the rule of law is premised on the legal doctrine that it is the law that should govern a nation, and not that a nation should be governed by arbitrary decisions of individual government officials. Guyana must reach the stage when it matters not whether one is in government or opposition; whether one belongs to a particular race or ethnicity; whether one has great influence or connection; one must know that one has to subject oneself to the rule of law.

The Chairman of GECOM keeps digging a hole for herself Dear Editor, There is a clear conflict between the Chair of GECOM and the Chief Elections Officer who are supposed to work together and have been doing so until recently. The departure from cooperation in an otherwise harmonious relationship stems from the type of respect that each is displaying towards the Constitution of Guyana. What is good is that the tension in the relationship is not driven by a personality conflict. This means that the problem between the two can be resolved easily and their working relationship effectively rebuilt. The tension between the two interlocutors has intensified with the ruling issued by the CCJ last Wednesday. The CCJ noted in its judgement that Order 60, which produced results that the Chairman

seems wedded to, was in tension with the Constitution of Guyana. It further noted that any Order issued by GECOM in any particular context can never determine how the Constitution should be interpreted. Yet, the Chair of GECOM insists on this breach in the request that she is making of the CEO for the advice that he must give her. The CEO is defending the Constitution in a clear embrace of the Pledge of Allegiance while to the horror of many, the Chairman is not. The CEO, a former military officer, has taken the defence of the Constitution seriously and is seeking to remain obedient to the laws of Guyana as he understands he must from his responsibilities circumscribed in the Constitution and the Pledge of Allegiance. His most recent conduct in advising the Chairman as he is doing are reinforced by the words of the CCJ in the judgement that it issued on July 8, 2020

about the jurisdiction of the Court. Germaine to the dispute is the personality given to Order 60 by the CCJ. The CCJ made clear that an Order issued by GECOM “in any particular context can never determine how the Constitution is to be interpreted”. The words “in any particular context” might have slipped by the Chairman of GECOM since it must be understood that while the CCJ was speaking about Order 60 governing the recount, those remarks apply to any order from any part of GECOM, including from the Chair, that contradicts the Constitution. The CCJ reminded everyone in the judgement that it was only information furnished by Returning Officers that can be used to declare a winner. The Chair is willfully ignoring this fact to the detriment to the rule of law in this dear land. The CCJ also took the time to point out that even if the result to

declare a winner was gotten as a result of any “unlawful act”, it was unaffected by Order 60. In making that observation, the CCJ also made it obvious that the only way to undo any unpleasant or unacceptable result of the election is by an election petition. Unfortunately, the Chairman of GECOM is seeking to take matters into her own hands in violation of the Constitution and the Pledge of Allegiance. By insisting on what she knows is wrong, the Chairman is thumbing her nose at the rule of law and digging herself a hole. She needs to stop digging and let good reason prevail. She must stop carrying the burden of politicians and remain impartial. Regards Aubrey C. Norton

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Submission to the OAS General Council for consideration on the Guyana situation Dear Editor, Even as the Secretary General of the Organisation of American States (OAS) has written to the Chair of the Permanent Council requesting a meeting to review the situation in Guyana, I wish to make this humble submission to the OAS Permanent Council for consideration as a part of the wider context of the Guyana/Guyanese situation. Firstly, Mr. Chair of the General Council of the OAS, I write because I am convinced that the OAS is intended to be a solution-oriented organisation and in my humble view, the current approach of the OAS about pushing for a declaration of a winner from the March 2, 2020 elections, will only trigger a civil war in Guyana. What Guyana need at this point, is a solution, not a declaration; and the OAS and the international community are well resourced and positioned to assist Guyana and the Guyanese people to find a solution. I am also convinced that the OAS and the international community does not understand the Guyana situation sufficiently, and as such, is not being helpful with its current approach. I would like to put some additional context on the Guyana and Guyanese situation before the council. I distinctly suggested the Guyanese situation as separate from the Guyana situation, so that you will also consider that there are people involved. There is oil, resources, democracy, rule of law but also people; and a country with almost 70 years of issues between the two major ethnic groups, Afro-Guyanese and Indo-Guyanese. Albert Einstein said that if you have 60 minutes to solve a problem, spend fifty-five minutes trying to understand the problem and five minutes trying to solve it. This missive is intended to provide the honourable General Council with context as a part of the fifty-five minutes of trying to understand our problems in Guyana and that of the Guyanese people. On May 11, 2015, the APNU+AFC Coalition was legally elected as the Government of Guyana. The government indeed made several missteps, the fact is, they made too many missteps. Then on December 21, 2018, a No Confidence Motion (NCM) was passed against the government. Here is where the OAS General Council needs to understand Guyana and Guyanese, in the context of this situation. I have been studying the Guyanese society, its people and leadership for about 10 years in my attempt to develop a deeper

understanding of how the society works, in order to be an effective part of the solution. Societies are complex, it took the United States of America; one of the oldest democracies, almost 200 years, to develop the democracy they have today; and even they are still evolving as a society. By the time Guyana went to the Local Government Elections in November 12, 2018, many supporters of the APNU+AFC Coalition were sufficiently indifferent to the government, that they had no difficulty with the PPP/C going back into the government. What the PPP/C ought to have done, was to wait until the May, 2020 elections, while they continued to mobilise the support base of the APNU+AFC; however, in an attempt to fast track things, the PPP/C brought the No Confidence Motion (NCM) against the government and it was passed when one of its parliamentarians, in the one seat majority government, voted with the opposition. The APNU+AFC supporters then felt that this was a ‘coup’ against their government and once again rallied around their government. During 2019, at various points, it appeared to many of their supporters, that the APNU+AFC were not responding positively to the decisions of the courts and even though it was their party, many were not in support of what was apparent, that the rule of law was not being adhered to, so by mid to late 2019, many of them had become indifferent again to the APNU+AFC and had no difficulty with the PPP/C winning the elections. However, after the events around the March 2, 2020 elections and the malpractices committed by both the APNU+AFC and the PPP/C, the APNU+AFC supporters are again rallying around their party. It is also widely believed that the international community wants a change in regime in Guyana and the supporters of the APNU+AFC are of the view that they need to fight for their government. In addition, the way in which the international community is approaching this matter, it is also seen as an attempt not only to achieve a change in regime but to disgrace the black leadership in Guyana in the process. This is where I believe that the international community does not sufficiently understand the intricacies of the Guyanese society. In my view the big mistake the PPP/C made, was to bring the No Confidence Motion and for one of the government parliamentarians to vote in favour, effectively

bringing down the government. How different was this No Confidence Motion from the one that was brought in 2014 by the APNU and AFC majority opposition against the then PPP/C minority government, in that instance there was a majority opposition that could have passed the motion, in this case it was a government parliamentarian that voted with the opposition. The emotions might have been similar as it is now, had an opposition parliamentarian voted with the then PPP/C minority government, not to pass the motion. I will now include the following two concepts in my discussion – the ‘Settlers’, ‘Prospectors’ and ‘Pioneers’ Value Modes model. Using the concepts of the Settlers, Prospectors and Pioneers. Guyana, like Britain, is evolving from being more of a country of ‘Settlers’ and to some extent, ‘Pioneers’. Over the years we have also seen an emergence of more ‘Prospectors’ in leadership in Guyana, as well as within the society. President Granger, in my analysis, is from the ‘Settler’ and to some extent ‘Pioneer’ generation, however, President Granger is more of a ‘Settler’. He is also more of a thinker as such he needs time to internalise and process, his weakness therefore, is translating these ideas into processes and systems, this is where he needed to select his team based on his strengths and weaknesses. The Opposition Leader, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo on the other hand, is more of a ‘Prospector’, in my assessment; he is more of a strategist, but more a cunning strategist instead of a clever strategist. One of the reasons Guyana is facing the challenge with the current election impasse, is because of this aspect with the Opposition Leader’s approach to finding solutions in our complex society. Some of his ideas are very good but the approaches, methodology and pathways he chooses to achieve these goals and find solutions, create problems in our complex society, as is currently the case. Many questions are being asked, such as, what has President Granger done for the international community to be so aggressive about a change in his administration? However, let us continue with this examination. With President Granger being more of a ‘Settler’ and a thinker, this has been a challenge; for example, with the private sector. With him being more of a ‘Settler’, the President is more risk averse, specific areas where this has impacted on, is the long decision-making time span. The aggressive push from the private

Police were unhelpful

Dear Editor,

The police in my Region Number Two district were not at all helpful to my cause to trace the whereabouts of a missing bull with a market value of $140,000 from my pasture in the Supenaam Creek area with my main concern being that it was impounded by escaping from the damaged fence. Following the discovery last Monday

(June 29) futile searches were made and later the same day a check was made at the nearest station being Aurora, but there I was harassed and advised to go to the Suddie station. In doing so, the harassment continued with the worse yet to come when I was chased out of the station from an abuse of power and no justifiable reason as though it was not within my right to say something even in an orderly manner.

Out of frustration, I went to explain my predicament to the Divisional Commander at her Anna Regina Office but this was not possible after being informed that an appointment had to be made before, but time was against me. From my own investigation, information surfaced that my immediate neighbour had brought out the animal to Supenaam road head and placed it in a Canter, which was confirmed by the driver, for transporting it

sector for a change in administration, in my analysis, is not all about them wanting the PPP/C to win, but the private sector is profit-driven, and some of the concerns with a President coming from more of a ‘Settler’ generation is how an economy that will grow at least 10 times more in 2020 that in 2019, be managed. So many of them are of the view that Mr. Jagdeo, as a ‘Prospector’ (some call him a maximum leader), will manage the differently, even though many do not totally agree entirely with his leadership style and approaches to governance and problem-solving. While I understand the issues, they do not justify what seems to be an attempt to overthrow President Granger’s government. If the Guyana and Guyanese problem is understood properly, then, and only then can a workable solution be developed. Surely, President Granger needs to make some adjustments in his leadership style, to become more of a ‘Pioneer’. Mr. Jagdeo’s needs to make some adjustments in his leadership style, to be more clever as a strategist and less cunning These adjustments in both leadership styles would facilitate the inclusive governance approach that is absolutely needed at this point in Guyana. A few of us have pulled together an adhoc so-called ‘Governance Group’ in an attempt to find a solution to this current election impasse and governance solutions for our country moving forward. We developed a proposal for an inclusive governance approach for possibly the next three years, where APNU+AFC and the PPP/C will rotate the Presidency and Prime Ministerial positions during this period, other suggestions were also made for an inclusive governance arrangement. This proposal was shared with our leaders. My appeal to the OAS General Council is to have a look at this document, as you deliberate on a solution (I hope) for Guyana. What Guyana and the Guyanese people need at this time, is not a declaration but a solution to our 67 years old ethno-political which leads to social and economic exclusion. Finally, it is important to note that these Values Modes (Settlers, Prospectors and Pioneers) are not necessarily good or bad or right or wrong, they are more about who people are and ‘what makes them tick’. Yours faithfully, Citizen Audreyanna Thomas to the Suddie Station compound. It is as clear as daylight that on the way to be impounded, the animal suffered extensive injuries so much so that it could not stand, with death now imminent with me being the loser through no fault of my own. Someone is culpable and should be prosecuted criminally for causing suffering and injury to the animal. It appeared to be a big joke for the Suddie police being so misleading and careless of not having knowledge of the animal just to make a fool and mockery of me when ipso facto it was there. Regards Bissoon

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Court action scuttles alleged plans to fire Lowenfield –– forces GECOM to abort meeting to address pending issues, among them the contentious Elections Report

By Svetlana Marshall EVEN as the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was preparing to meet in anticipation of another Elections Report from Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, it was served with legal docu-

ments filed in the High Court, challenging its failure to declare the results of the General and Regional Elections in accordance with the July 11 advice of the CEO. The meeting, though reportedly convened at GECOM’s Headquarters at around 14:00hrs on

‘NOT THOSE ... From page 3

to a National Recount as a result of the intervention of the then Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The Courts later ruled that there could not have been a CARICOM-supervised recount, and in keeping with that April decision, GECOM initiated a National Recount on May 6, 2020, using Order No. 60 as its legal cover. But approximately one month after that recount process came to an end, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), in its July 8 judgment in the case Bharrat Jagdeo and Irfaan Ali v Eslyn David and others, stated that Order No. 60 could not create a new election regime. “The Court further declared that validity means, and could only mean, those votes that ex facie are valid. Determination of such validity is a transparent exercise conducted in the presence of, inter alia, the duly appointed candidates and counting agents of contested parties,” Jones pointed out. She added: “After votes were duly cast in the General and Regional Elections of 2020, votes were tabulated, and spoiled and rejected ballots were removed in the presence of counting agents and representatives of the political parties by Returning Officers, as required by Section 84 of the Representation of the People Act, and a return in writing was issued by each of the ten (10) Returning Officers, in accordance with Section 89(1)(f) of The Representation of the People Act. Based on returns received from the Returning Officers of the ten (10) Electoral Districts, the Chief Elections Officer calculated the total number of valid votes, and prepared a report as required by Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act.” The CEO’s Election Report, Jones noted, was submitted to the Chair of GECOM on March 13, 2020, but was placed in abeyance by the Commission amid complaints against Mingo. Jones however reminded that at no time did the Court ever invalidate Mingo’s second declaration, or any of the other nine declarations made by the Returning Officers.

Tuesday, was eventually aborted, and as such the anticipated fourth Elections Report was not submitted by the Chief Elections Officer. Outside of GECOM’s Headquarters, Government-nominated Elections Commissioner Vincent Alexander told reporters that it has been the practice of GECOM that once legal proceedings are initiated in the Court, it would await the Court’s judgement before proceeding with the electoral process. “The usual practice has always been when a matter has been filed… that our business is held in abeyance until the determination of that matter. In fact, even when the matter is terminated in Court, she (Justice Singh) always insists that we await the written judgement to proceed,” Elections Commissioner Charles Corbin added. It was on the basis of this “common practice” of GECOM’s Chair, both Alexander and Corbin said that their Government-nominated colleague Desmond Trotman made a case for the Elections Commission to await the judgement of the High Court. According to both gentlemen, the Elections Commission, chaired by Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, did not treat with any of the substantive issues on the agenda that day, including the Chief Elections Officer’s pending report. Lowenfield, on July 11 had submitted an Elections Report reflective of the Declarations made by the Returning Officers in the 10 Electoral Districts in accordance with Section 96 of the Representation of

Elections Commissioner Vincent Alexander (centre) speaking to members of the press outside of GECOM’s Headquarters on Tuesday. With him are his government-nominated colleagues, Commissioners Charles Corbin and Desmond Trotman, left and right respectively the People Act and Article 177 (2) (b) of the Constitution, but the GECOM Chair, on Monday July 13 ordered him to produce one based on the Certificates of Recount generated during the National Recount no later than 14:00hrs on Tuesday July 14. Opposition-nominated Elections Commissioner Sase Gunraj told reporters that while Court proceedings have been initiated, there was no order granted by the High Court blocking the Elections Commission from proceeding with the electoral process. Gunraj said that once the meeting was convened, the Opposition-nominated Commissioners, he included, enquired about the CEO’s Elections Report. “This enquiry which was made by members of my side of the Commission was met by at least one member of the Commission on the other side saying to the CEO that he doesn’t have to answer to us,” Gunraj

said, adding: “Well, if he doesn’t have to answer to the Commission, I don’t know who he has to answer to.” According to him, both the Government-nominated Commissioners and the Chief Elections Officer subsequently left the meeting, forcing it to be discontinued. LEGAL ACTION In the Fixed-Date Application (FDA) filed in the High Court, the applicant Misenga Jones, is seeking a total of 21 Declarations and six Orders from the Court, with the primary objective of having a Presidential Candidate declared president in accordance with the July 11 Elections Report of the Chief Elections Officer, which was compiled based on the Declarations made by the Returning Officers in the 10 Electoral Districts, as provided for in the Representation of the People Act. Further, Jones is asking

the Court to rule that the National Recount created a new electoral regime, in contravention of the Constitution and the Electoral Laws, particularly the Representation of the People Act. The National Recount was conducted in May-June, based on Order 60, which was brought into effect by Article 162 of the Constitution, and Section 22 of the Elections Law (Amendment) Act. In an Affidavit in Support of the Application, Ganesh Mahipaul told the High Court that during the recount exercise, which spanned from May 6 to June 7, 2020, GECOM arrogated unto itself the function and authority to decide on the validity of votes cast at the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections. Mahipaul was an accredited counting agent for the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) during See page 9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Court action scuttles alleged plans ... From page 8

the National Recount, which was conducted at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. It was explained that the Elections Commission developed a string of criteria and standards for the determination of the validity of votes cast. Such actions, Mahipaul contended, are inconsistent with the requirements of the Representation of the People Act. “Votes which were determined to be valid pursuant to the process set out in the Representation of the People Act were determined by the Elections Commission to be invalid, on the criteria and standards determined by the Elections Commission during the Recount, and, similarly, votes which were determined to be invalid pursuant to the process set out in the Representation of the People Act were determined by the Elections Commission to be valid during the recount process,” the APNU+AFC counting agent told the High Court. Further, he noted that the criteria used to determine the validity of a vote varied throughout the recount exercise, as he pointed to the “Basket of Issues” that was de- Elections Commissioner veloped by the Elections Sase Gunraj Commission. Citing as an example, Mahipaul pointed out that at polling stations, Presiding Officers invalidated votes for want of an official mark (a six-digit stamp); ballots with names and or initials; ballot papers marked by Electors with more than one marking; and torn ballot papers, however, during the recount exercise, some of those votes were validated by the Commission. “The Elections Commission, during the Recount, had initially invalidated votes where the Presiding Officers had written missing numbers of the Official Mark but later treated votes as valid, but nevertheless did not revisit those votes which had earlier been treated as valid,” Mahipaul said, adding: “Ballots which were considered to be smudged and invalid by the Presiding Officers were treated by Recount Workstation Supervisors and District Coordinators as valid, based on their understanding of voter-intent being clear. After May 27, 2020, the Elections Commission took a decision to channel smudged ballots through the hierarchy for decision. This resulted in a variance, because on some occasions, the members of the Elections Commission and the Chairman determined such votes to be valid, and on other occasions the District Coordinator made such decisions and determined such votes to be invalid.” Further, Mahipaul told the High Court that the Representation of the People Act never authorised Workstation Supervisors, District Coordinators, or Elections Commissioners to operate and function as Elections Officers. Important to note, he said was the fact that Presiding Officers and Returning Officers did not participate in the recount exercise. “The statutory documents required by the Representation of the People Act, that is, Form 24, the Declaration Forms to be signed by the Returning Officers, are the documents which must be submitted to the Chief Elections Officer and these are the documents which must be used to declare the results of the Elections under Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act,” he explained. Mahipaul, through his Affidavit, told the Court that there was a clear breach of the Representation of the People Act.

‘Public Security’ promises to ‘throw the book’ at firebugs THE Ministry of Public Security is urging that persons remain calm and desist from any acts of arson. In a statement, the ministry said that over the last few hours, there have been at least three fires in several locations around the country, and that preliminary reports from the security forces point to arson in each case, a development that is most unfortunate. According to the ministry, based on the information available so far, it cannot be concluded that any of the fires were politically-directed or motivated, as investigations are still ongoing.

It however pledged that it will endeavour to ensure that the public is kept abreast of the findings, and is well informed. “As it stands,” the ministry said, “we are awaiting a more detailed report from the Commissioner of Police as well as the Fire Chief, having gotten their assurance that they are conducting a thorough investigation, and will be following all leads.” Noting that the perpetrators will be subject to the fullest extent of the law, the ministry said: “The Minister of Public Security has requested that more security personnel be dedicated to more frequent patrols in every division.”

In closing, the ministry quoted its subject minister as saying: “Being conscious of the current political atmosphere, we wish to implore citizens to remain calm, and keep an eye out for mischievous elements who may seek to fuel fear by setting on fire valuable property and the emotions of many citizens along with it. We can ill-afford any further loss of valuable assets, so I therefore call on all citizens to cooperate with our security forces by assisting to safeguard both public and private property. If you see something, say something.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

‘We’ll only accept recount data’ - Jagdeo says

THERE is a contest over which of two elections data should be used to make a final declaration. Though the country’s two major political parties have labelled one or the other of the elections data as being “fraudulent”, PPP/C General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, made clear his party’s preference on Tuesday. At different points of the over four-month long election, both parties have accused the other of wanting to use fraudulent results. Presently, the PPP/C is at odds with the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield for his utilisation of the March 2020 10 Electoral District declarations to form his Elections Report. The CEO’s report, in utilising these results, show a win for the APNU+AFC. However, it is unlikely that this will be accepted by the PPP/C as the party has long deemed “fraudulent” the Region Four declaration made by Returning Officer (RO), Clairmont Mingo. On the other hand, the PPP/C wants the CEO to utilise the data coming out of the national recount process which, from its numerical standpoint, show a win for the party. However, it is unlikely that the APNU+AFC will accept this as they have highlighted that the process uncovered massive “fraudulent” cases of voter impersonation and ballot boxes void of their statutory documents.

Young miner murdered in triangular love affair POLICE are investigating the murder of Teo ‘Max’ James, 30, a gold miner, of 37 West La Penitence Housing Scheme, Georgetown, which occurred on Monday allegedly by a male known as “Tall man” who is currently being sought. The incident occurred in a camp at Blackwater Crusher, Cuyuni River, police said in a press release. The victim, who was found with multiple suspected stab wounds about his body, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Bartica Regional Hospital; the body is presently at the hospital’s mortuary awaiting an autopsy. The victim and suspect were both said to be sharing a relationship with a female. No further information is available at this time, police said.

PPP/C General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo In a previous elections report of the CEO --- since set aside by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) --- when the votes which were unable to be verified as valid were removed, it showed a win for the APNU+AFC. The CCJ had invalidated this report noting that if the integrity of a ballot or the manner in which a vote was procured is questioned beyond the validation exercise, such could only be pursued under Article 163 of the Constitution by way of an Elections Petition. The court’s judgement tarnished the main aim of the recount which was to determine the validity of votes cast in the March 2, 2020 General and Regional elections. It was Order

No. 60 that set the national recount into legal motion and which gave GECOM the power to ensure that it could “remove the difficulties” in the process such as the anomalies highlighted by the APNU+AFC. However, the CCJ slashed this remit in its judgement when it said that to give GECOM the power to determine the validity of ballots cast beyond “votes that, on their face, are valid” is contrary to the Constitution. In other words, even if there is proof of fraudulent acts beyond the weeding out process of spoilt of rejected ballots, this can only be pursued through an elections court after a declaration is made. However, fast forward to the CEO’s return to the utilisation of the declarations for the 10 Electoral Districts, in accordance with Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act (ROPA), the PPP/C has objected to a declaration based on these results because they see it as “Mingo’s fraudulent results”. The party has not turned to Article 163 of the Constitution which states that any grievances should be taken up by way of an Elections Petition after a declaration is made. PPP/C General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, contested at Tuesday’s public briefing: “This whole country, the entire world, has witnessed the numbers that Mingo produced out of the air and in the recount how those numbers were proven fraudulent. They’ve already been proven fraudulent. So, what effectively they’re asking the court, is to allow the use of fraudulent numbers to declare the results of the elections.”

In a recent interview, APNU+AFC Co-Campaign Manager, Raphael Trotman had said that, according to law, once the CEO tenders his report under ROPA, it cannot be changed or replaced whether or not there is inadvertent or deliberate error. Jagdeo did not take kindly to these remarks and argued that the commission must have some power to compel the CEO not to compile a “fraudulent” report. “He [Trotman] says even if the report is wrong…GECOM must accept it as a rubber stamp. [It is a] Constitutional body and… they must now be subservient to the statutory officer [Lowenfield]? How could you be so perverse to even suggest that?” he argued. Also, on Tuesday afternoon, a court action was filed against GECOM and its Chairman. The applicant is seeking to have the 10 declarations submitted by the CEO used for the finalising of the election result. It has paused the commission’s meetings and further deliberation on the route towards a declaration. Jagdeo believes that if the matter were to once again end up before the CCJ, that the court would have much to say about the “distortion of their ruling” with regards to the use of the recount data. The General Secretary said that the recount data is the only data his party will accept and, should the APNU+AFC be declared the victor of the elections, his party will take to the streets in its numbers. For now, he said that it is too risky because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rio Conventions workshop held for educators AIMED at increasing the knowledge on global environmental problems in local educational institutions, some thirty-one participants from across 15 institutions last Tuesday took part in a virtual workshop hosted by the Ministry of the Presidency, Department of Environment entitled “Training of the Trainers for the Mainstreaming of the Rio Conventions”. The Rio Conventions refers to a collection of resolutions that focus on promoting a sustainable planet for future generations, through focusing on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification. Together the Rio Convention refers to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Guyana signed onto these conventions at the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit in June 1992, and therefore has particular responsibilities to fulfil as it relates to management of the

Project manager of Rio Conventions Mainstreaming project at the DoE, Michelle Klass (Adrian Narine photo) local environment, these entailed international environmental agendas Guyana has pledged to initiate by 2020. Tuesday’s workshop is part of the “Strengthening Technical Capacities to Mainstream and Monitor Rio Convention Implementation through Policy Coordi-

nation” project (Rio Project). The workshop was facilitated by the University of Guyana (UG) Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences. Presenters at the workshop included UG Head of Department of Environmental Studies Shanomae Rose; along with Lecturers Dina Benn and Denise Simmons. DoE Project Manager, Michelle Klass, in opening remarks, emphasised the need for collaborative efforts in achieving the aims of the Rio Conventions, and Guyana carrying out its international obligations. She stressed the need for the incorporation of environmentally conscious teachings in the curriculum of educational institutions. She noted that much progress has been made in forming linkages with a number of vital institutions. “We have achieved a number of important milestones: mainstreaming of the conventions; we have a number of operational by laws; we have started mainstreaming into the NDC plans and programmes; and the signing of MoUs. The MoU is for us to

collaborate and share data for a spatial data platform we are in the process of developing,” Klass noted. Klass also spoke on the establishment of the Environmental Information Monitoring and Management System (EIMMS), and the important role it will play once functional. “It is a platform we are setting up to share environmental data to share with the public at large. It will be networked to key environmental agencies systems. It is the vision that the platform will be accessed by environmental agencies, academic agencies and everyone,” Klass explained. Areas covered in the workshop included “Review of Fundamental Concepts”, “the Nexus between Environmental Issues and the Rio Conventions”, and “Introduction to Environmental Management” among other topics. The participants were also able to share their own experiences as relates to teaching on environmental issues.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

GECOM-rented building destroyed by fire – arson suspected

GECOM’s Wismar branch engulfed in flames

POLICE and fire investigators are currently examining circumstances surrounding the burning of the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) Wismar, Linden branch which occurred early Tuesday morning. According to police report, investigations revealed that the suspected arson occurred around 1:55 hours. At that time, the two-storey, concreate building located at Burnham Drive, Wismar, Linden, was being guarded by a 54-year-old female guard who told investigators that she initially heard sounds coming from the back of the building. In the process of going to the back of the building,

Countries in the Americas pool efforts to ensure access to COVID-19 vaccines COUNTRIES in the Americas are pooling their efforts to ensure access to treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, The Director of the Pan American Health Organization, Carissa F. Etienne, said today. “Acting as a bloc, PAHO member states will benefit from our technical expertise, as well as our decades of experience securing and distributing vaccines quickly and efficiently. We will also ensure the process is as inclusive as possible by allocating doses fairly among those countries participating,” said Etienne. Dr. Etienne said that the PAHO Revolving Fund for vaccines can be used as a strategic asset to buy and distribute vaccines for COVID-19 when they become available. Some 20 of the 150 current vaccine candidates are already being tested on volunteers. PAHO is also involved in the WHO COVAX facility, a group effort to negotiate with vaccine producers, and it is supporting Latin American and Caribbean countries to join a collaboration to accelerate the development, production and distribution of future COVID-19 vaccines. Under WHO’s Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, the COVAX Facility will negotiate on behalf of many countries worldwide with the producers of all promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates. “We already have 30 countries and territories joining the facility through PAHO’s Revolving Fund, and we are excited to see more expressions of interest from our Member States in the coming days. The more countries that join, the stronger we will be.” “This will enable countries – regardless of income level – to secure better prices and assume less risk than if they negotiate individually. No country should do this alone—especially since we improve our chances of success and reduce competition if we work together,” noting that some 20 of the 150 current vaccine candidates are al-

ready being tested on volunteers, the PAHO director said. “PAHO is also coordinating with GAVI and other partners to guarantee that the most vulnerable countries in our region receive the vaccine against COVID 19 subsidized and at an affordable price,” Dr. Etienne said. The PAHO Revolving Fund, a shared mechanism for purchasing and delivering vaccines, has worked for 35 years to pool resources for 41 countries, which can buy high-quality, life-saving vaccines for their national immunization programs at lower prices, and has been vital in eliminating polio, measles, mumps and rubella from the Americas, she said. Update on COVID-19 in the Americas In a recap of the COVID-19 situation in the Americas, Dr. Etienne said, “As of July 13, we have reached 6.8 million cases and 288,000 deaths across the region of the Americas. This equates to roughly half of all cases and deaths reported around the world. In the past week, our region has reported 60% of all new cases and 64% of all new deaths in the world.” The past week has broken records as regional hotspots, like the U.S., reported their highest-ever daily case counts. ”The number of people dying of COVID-19 is also climbing, particularly in Brazil, Mexico and the United States, reporting 77% of all the deaths over the last week and currently experiencing some of the deadliest outbreaks in the world,” Dr. Etienne said. “This virus has redefined how we perceive time. In a few short months, it has transformed our way of life, our region and our economies. We must look ahead to plan how we will select, manufacture, pay for and distribute a vaccine. We need to improve our regulatory capacities on immunization, build vaccine post marketing surveillance, boost vaccination programs, and improve or adapt our cold chain facilities,” she added.

Remains of the building destroyed by the fire the guard said that she then heard glass breaking and what sounded like an explosion. The guard subsequently observed the top floor of the building in flames. She then observed two males running west into ‘First Alley.’ The fire service and police were immediately contacted.

According to the Chief Fire Officer, Marlon Gentle, fire fighters immediately responded to the call, however, when they arrived, the top floor of the building was fully engulfed in flames. Nevertheless, they were able to extinguish the fire before it could have spread to nearby buildings.

Investigations are ongoing. The building was rented by GECOM and hosted one of GECOM’s two offices in Linden. The second branch is situated on the Mackenzie shore of the town, and is currently being guarded by police officers.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

GECOM Chair cannot invalidate March declarations – AG – points to CCJ judgement –– Dr. Hinds states Chair crossed the line By Lisa Hamilton

“THE Chairman cannot invalidate the votes of the 10 Returning Officers already counted as valid votes; only an election Court decides otherwise,” Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams S.C. has stated. He based his position on the Caribbean Court of Justice’s (CCJ’s) written judgement on the Bharrat Jagdeo and Irfaan Ali v Eslyn David case, paragraph 46, in which it states: “…It is clear that, under the legal infrastructure governing the

electoral process, unless and until an election court decides otherwise, the votes already counted as valid votes are incapable of being declared invalid by any person or authority.” The Court noted that, in this respect, Guyana’s electoral system is not very different from other such systems in other Commonwealth Caribbean countries. GUIDED BY LAW The AG had reason to bring attention to this information as just on Monday, reports indicated that Chairman of the

Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, had set aside the declarations made in March 2020 by the Returning Officers in the country’s 10 Electoral Districts. This information was made public by People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) nominated Commissioners and was later confirmed by GECOM’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Yolanda Ward. It comes as the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, in presenting his Elections Report to the Commission, did so on the

Elections Report to the Commission, the CEO reminded the Chair that the national recount was not undertaken by Returning Officers and the use of its data would therefore be in contradiction to law. At Monday’s meeting of the Commission, the Chair rejected this report and directed that the CEO present another report in keeping with the recount data. She added that, if he chooses not to comply, she would request such services from the Deputy Attorney General (AG) CEO. and Minister of Legal AfHowever, the AG has fairs, Basil Williams S.C. informed the public that basis of the said declara- the Elections Commistions made by the Return- sion must be guided by ing Officers, in accordance the Constitution, the laws with Section 96 of the of Guyana and the recent Representation of the Peo- interpretation of the said ple Act. laws by the CCJ, which While the High Court state that the Chair or had invalidated the March anyone else, cannot in5, 2020 declaration made validate or set aside votes by the Region Four Re- already counted as valid. turning Officer, Clairmont Mingo; his second declaYOU’VE CROSSED ration made on March 13, THE LINE 2020 was never invalidatAlso observing the ed by the Court. actions of the Chair, Those declarations Political Scientist, Dr. and the Elections Report David Hinds, on a rewere placed in abeyance cent APNU+AFC proby the GECOM Chair to gramme, said that the pave way for the nation- retired Justice seemed al recount. It was public to be flip-flopping in her understanding that they adherence to the law. would be held in abeyance He said that when the until replaced by another APNU+AFC had written declaration. dozens of letters to the However, with the CCJ Chair requesting that the indicating that the Consti- anomalies, irregularities tution trumps the recount and voter impersonation Order No.60, in the areas be dealt with by the Comwhere there is contradic- mission, it was indicattion, the Commission is ed to the party that this now divided on whether was outside of the remit the recount data can be of GECOM and only an used to make a declaration. election court could act on The APNU+AFC has such matters. put forward that the Order However, he pointed created a new electoral out that the Chair was regime and is therefore not quick to reverse this poin keeping with the Con- sition when she claimed stitution. On that basis, it to have invalidated the argued that the votes tab- 10 district declarations, ulated during the National something only an election Recount cannot be used court can do. to declare the results of “That is ominous. For the General and Regional a GECOM Chair who has Elections. been saying that GECOM On the other hand, the does not have the powers PPP/C argues that the CCJ of the Court…you’re sayendorsed the Recount Or- ing that when one contesder and that the numerical tant asks you to act on an results from the recount illegal document – that is should be used to make a the recount, at that time declaration. – but when another conHowever, in the sub- testant has no place to go, mission of his July 10 they come to you and you

then are taking on the powers of the Court and setting aside the legal process,” Dr. Hinds said, adding: “You can’t anymore argue that you are an impartial actor. I am ready to make that conclusion.” Furthermore, on the matter of the Chair’s threats to bypass the CEO and to resort to the DCEO for a declaration in keeping with what she specified, the Political Scientist said that not only is this unheard of but it is alarming. He said: “You’ve crossed the line. I have n o t h e a r d i n t h e E n-

Political Scientist, Dr. David Hinds glish-speaking Caribbean, since our independence, where a public officer has been put in abeyance, not for breaking the law but because he does not submit to what is, in effect, a political demand.” Dr. Hinds said that the Constitution is very clear about the relation between the Chair and the CEO and it is only through the CEO that a declaration can be made. He added that, in seeking to conduct his role according to law, the CEO formally requested the Chair’s guidance and even this was withheld by the Chair amidst the crucial, national process. “He [Lowenfield] goes back to the only place he can get guidance from, which is the Constitution or the Court, and he has done that. So, I find it extremely disappointing that the Chair of the Elections Commission is in collusion with three partisan Commissioners to derail everything.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

‘Highly Outrageous’ –– MOTP rejects Nandlall’s ‘dangerous accusations’

THE Ministry of the Presidency, in a statement, rejected, outrightly, what it called the “wicked and highly outrageous” statement

issued to the media by Mr. Anil Nandlall captioned, “The sanctimonious gangster on the prowl… and the clinical insanity continues…”

The statement by Nandlall accuses President David Granger of hatching a plan to remove Chairman of the Elections Commission, Justice (ret’d) Clau-

No bomb found A BOMB scare led the Sharon’s building at the corner of King & Charlotte Streets, Georgetown, to go into lockdown during the early hours of Tuesday. According to Commander of Guyana Police Force (GPF) ‘A’ Division, Phillip Azore, a call was made to the GPF alerting them to the alleged presence of a bomb hidden within the building. Following the threat, business owners and their staff vacated the building for their safety. Azore told the Guyana Chronicle that GPF bomb squad responded swiftly and swept the building for the presence of a bomb and was unable to find any evidence of a bomb ever being in the building. “We received a call this morning and we would have re-

Sharon’s Building following the bomb scare - (Adrian Narine Photo) sponded in relation to that with der of the day while businessthe bomb disposal unit. They es nearby remained open. swept the entire building and are Business owners belongnow in the process of doing fur- ing to Sharon’s mall, who ther investigations to ascertain were viably upset at this who made the call and where it morning’s events, refused to came from,” stated Azore. speak to the media on their Meanwhile the mall re- experience and how they mained closed for the remain- learnt of the threat.

Jamaica reaffirms commitment to reparations … as National Council on Reparations continues nationwide consultations

SPEAKING at a recent media engagement sponsored by the CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC), Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports, expressed the Jamaican government’s ongoing commitment to the cause of reparations for the Caribbean Region. “The Government of Jamaica, as part of the CARICOM Reparations Commission, continues to lobby for reparatory justice, and will strengthen our collaboration with our Caribbean neighbours, who have now also established national councils on Reparations in their respective countries,” she said. Grange’s ministerial portfolio includes oversight of Jamaica’s National Council on Reparation, which has the primary role of advising the Government of Jamaica on the legal and political route to reparatory justice, consistent with the role of the CARICOM Reparations Commission. “Our ancestors suffered the most degrading and inhumane treatment recorded in world history, the foundations upon which a global economic and socio-political system evolved, one that perpetually defames and disenfranchises people of African descent. We will relentlessly pursue justice and reparations in its varied forms,” she added. The minister stated that the issue of reparatory justice is not new to Caribbean people

of African descent. “Our history records many so-called ‘revolts’ which we have re-named ‘wars’ because of the strategic and tactical elements involved in these events. Our ancestors and leaders over the past many decades have never relented in this call. “Jamaica recognises the strength of its people and Caribbean peoples in their own quest for self-definition and their indomitable spirit in rising to the state we are in today despite persistent poverty” she said. Grange cited “a perceived need for a jolt to action” in an effort to mobilise public support for reparations and the assumption of greater postures of assertiveness, which the movement requires for both success and greater public buy-in. “Jamaica’s National Council on Reparations is about to continue its island-wide consultations towards the framing of a National Policy on Reparatory Justice for Jamaicans,” said Min. Grange. “The result will be a robust policy of intergenerational scope to guide this and successive governments on the path to reparatory justice. The CARICOM Reparations Commission was established in July, 2013 by the region’s Heads of Government, to pursue reparations from the former slaveholding and colonising countries in Europe. Twelve member states of CARICOM are today represented on the commission.

dette Singh from the helm of the Commission. “Mr. Nandlall’s accusations are dishonest, malevolent, and dangerous and based on spurious and unsubstantiated fiction,” the Ministry said. It said that Nandlall’s statement “is clearly aimed at creating panic

and confusion amongst the citizenry.” The Ministry called on “every right-thinking Guyanese” to reject this statement and to condemn Mr. Nandlall for his attempt to instigate fear and confusion in the country. “President Granger has repeatedly said

and demonstrated that he respects the integrity and autonomy of the Elections Commission and that he would abide by any declaration that the Chairman makes in keeping with the laws of Guyana,” the Ministry said in the statement.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Major strides made in ‘Agri’ sector over the past five years

THE proverbial “backbone” of Guyana’s economy has been its bountiful agriculture sector, a sector which has made major strides over the past five years under the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration. The Ministry of Agriculture, in its report on the performance of the sector over the past five years, said agriculture is a mainstay in Guyana’s development. Guyana’s history has been one where agriculture has

According to the ministry, reducing disaster risk has been addressed by programmes focused on drainage and irrigation and hinterland development, while programmes to increase productivity and exports focused on technology and extension support, and market-led production via export promotion and import substitution. These interventions targeted the subsidiaries of the sector, which include livestock, fisheries, crop, irrigation and drainage, pesticide management and control and, the marketing of agriculture

As part of improving drainage and irrigation across the country, the NDIA has installed pump stations across regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six. A number of pump stations have been built and rehabilitated across the coastland at a cost of $2,921,000,000. The areas benefitting from this investment include Lusignan, BV/Triumph, Good Hope and its environs, Friendship, Vigilance, Buxton, Herstelling/Mocha/Providence, Hope and Enmore in Region Four; Three Friends, Columbia, Aberdeen, Land

the readily available market of the school feeding programme in the region as well as to develop intercommunity agricultural trade, since the majority of food items have to be sourced from outside the hinterland communities and transported at high cost. Production and productivity are important, but the quality of the produce is also very important. And, it is to this end that another subsidiary of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board (PTCCB), has sought to manage the use of pesti-

to emphasise the need for proper storage facility to house seized illegal and unregistered pesticides found in Guyana. The facility was completed in 2015 at a cost of $46M. Education and training is, however, important to ensure that stakeholders understand the adversities related to the use of those chemicals and even learn the best practices in the agriculture sector. The Guyana School of Agriculture has been doing its part to ensure that stakeholders are educated and trained. And, to improve its capacity,

sector to inherit not only what exists, but also the advanced and innovative initiatives undertaken by the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI). Over the last five years, NAREI has placed emphasis on crop diversification, something which enabled the Ministry of Agriculture to record a 29.5 per cent increase in production of non-traditional crops in the first half of 2019. In 2014, production stood at 436,878 MT compared with 709,496 MT for 2018. NAREI’s diversification thrust has seen expansion in

Buxton Pump Station, ECD, Region 4 (2018)

Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder, inspecting one of the bridges along the Ebini Road (Region 10)

Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder, and Registrar of the PTCCB, Trecia Davis, unveil the plaque to the chemicals storage facility (Mon Repos, 2015)

The Turmeric Factory in Hosororo, Region One

been the backbone of the economy and, the sector has been a catalyst and a pillar in our development trajectory. Agriculture contributes almost 16 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and accounts for more than 17.8 per cent of employment. Additionally, almost 26 per cent of Guyana’s export earnings come from agriculture. And, an average of about five per cent of the national budget is allocated to agriculture. Sustaining and improving the output and productivity of the sector has not been an easy task, but over the period, 2015-2020, the Ministry of Agriculture has worked to reduce disaster risk, increase productivity, and increasing exports.

produce. In a sectoral breakdown, the ministry said the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has been building its capacity, by acquiring a significant number of equipment, inclusive of mobile and fixed pumps, long reach excavators, bulldozers and other machinery. The NDIA has adopted a policy of constructing and rehabilitating sluices that are found to be functional through suitable foreshore conditions along the coast and riverine areas, aimed at upgrading and expanding the drainage system. These works allow for expanded acreage of agricultural activities and to better cope with extreme rainfall events associated with climate change.

of Plenty, Mainstay, Lima and Reliance in Region Two; Trafalgar in Region Five; Windsor Forest in Region Three; Bengal, Gangaram, Eversham and Joppa in Region Six. In addition to improving drainage, NDIA has assisted 100 hinterland farmers to improve the agricultural activities and productivity of 120 acres at a value of $20M. “NDIA intends to obtain the requisite agricultural equipment and associated implements to assist farmers in the preparation of their fields. These services will also be available to ensure efficient harvesting and transport of crops,” said the agriculture ministry. This project will also ensure that farmers can access

cides and eradicate the use of illegal and unregulated substances. Pesticides have been linked to a wide range of human health illnesses, ranging from short-term impacts such as headaches and nausea, to chronic impacts like cancer, cognitive disorders, reproductive harm, and endocrine disruption. It is important to note that these health impacts are inherently linked to poor pesticide use and practices. In consideration of those effects, the PTCCB had commissioned a state-of-the-art Chemical Storage Facility for Guyana during 2015. The facility is housed in the compound of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI). The PTCCB continues

the school embarked on a process to reform its curriculum in November 2016 to make it more responsive to the needs of stakeholders. This process, which was spearheaded by a Curriculum Review Committee (CRC), a broad based committee comprising representation from the major stakeholders within the Sector, was completed in December 2019. New programme structures were developed and the courses within each programme were comprehensively reviewed, with each conforming to a specific template consisting of 18 descriptors. The new outlines resulting from this process are in full use. These courses will allow budding professionals in the

acreages for ginger, pepper, turmeric, black pepper, carrots, new varieties of sweet potatoes and onions encouraging more farmers to return to the land. During 2015 to 2019, the average annual exports of non-traditional commodities stood at approximately 10,000 metric tonnes with a value of approximately GYD$3 billion per year, with coconut, pumpkin, watermelon, eddo, pineapples, mango among the top exports The significant contributions of agriculture as a major component of the local economy is likely to persist, even though the country envisages accelerated growth because of the oil and gas sector.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Guyana records 8 new cases of COVID-19

THERE continues to be a consistent increase in the number of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, and the past 24 hours was no different, as authorities recorded eight new cases. Health authorities have so far tested 3,379 persons, with 3,071 being negative and 308 testing positive for COVID-19. Of the positive cases, 156 persons have recovered and 17 persons have died, but authorities are still monitoring and managing 135 active cases. Five of the active cases are being treated in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU). “It must be noted that our number of positive cases is still on the increase and that we now have nine out of 10 regions with COVID-19 cases, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) being the newest region to report cases,” said Deputy Chief Medical Officer

(DCMO), Dr. Karen Boyle, during a recent update. It was reported that residents of Region Eight were urged to be vigilant, especially if they are in mining areas and bordering communities. Despite the consistent rise in cases, Guyanese are still taking the disease lightly, and this is proven by the findings of a survey conducted by the Ministry of Public Health in collaboration with UNICEF. The two main results of the survey were that the level of fear of becoming infected with COVID-19 has decreased from 81.6 per cent to 53.5 per cent; and that 30 per cent of the respondents reported their unwillingness to give up their daily practice and adhere to guidelines provided. “I wish to emphasise that the decline in your fear factor may be as a result of your tiring from the constant messages

concerning COVID-19. Nonetheless, I wish you to recognise that our cases are still on the increase, and that we all are susceptible. COVID-19 is a ‘smart Alec’, according to our Guyanese parlance, so the best approach is not to behave as the 30 per cent

of those persons in the survey who are unwilling to give up their free lifestyle; rather, let us try to avoid being infected, and to safeguard ourselves from the potential damage that COVID-19 can cause,” Dr. Boyle advised. COVID-19 remains a

serious issue not just here in Guyana, but globally as well, and according to global statistics, there are 12.8 million cases of COVID-19, with over 566,000 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.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Government army building burnt at Maria’s Lodge

A BUILDING that was used to train cadet officers for the Guyana Defence Force at Maria’s Lodge in Region Two was completely burnt early Tuesday morning. The building was unoccupied at the time of the fire. It is alleged that an arsonist gained entry from a back window and used

kerosene to set the building on fire. Neighbours noticed the smoke and immediately called the Anna Regina Fire Station where firefighters responded. They managed to extinguish the fire but by then the interior of the building was already gutted. An investigation is currently ongoing.

The inside of the burnt building

The bottle that was, allegedly, used to set the building on fire

Fire destroys CID Office at Anna Regina A FIRE of unknown origin has completely destroyed the northern section of the Criminal Investigation Department’s (CID’s) Office at Anna Regina Police Station, in Region Two. The fire allegedly occurred on July 14 around 05:00 hours. The Criminal Investigation Department’s office building is located on the north-eastern corner of the Anna Regina Police Station. According to information reaching Guyana Chronicle, a police constable was making routine checks around 05:06 hours, on Tuesday, when he observed smoke coming from the Regional Detective Inspector’s office. A call was immediately made to the Anna Regina Fire Service and fire tenders immediately responded. The firefighters managed to extinguish the fire and save parts of the building from burning. According to information, several louvre panes of the Detective Inspector’s office were removed. A substance suspected to be kerosene was found on the ground in the said area. Several documents and two wooden desks were completely burnt. The office was used to store files, stationery and several law books. The western side of the office was partly

Inside the building

burnt. The extent of the damage is yet to be determined. An investigation is currently on-going.

The detective’s chair

Evidence that louvre panes were removed

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

New social compact needed in Caribbean –– ECLAC advances LATIN America and the Caribbean urgently need to take action on a new social compact, a political instrument based on a broad and participatory dialogue that would arrive at agreements and consensuses to face the present contingency and rethink the reactivation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Alicia Bárcena, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), stated on Monday. The senior United Nations official participated in a high-level panel entitled, “From an impending issue to an emergency: the imperative need for a new and more inclusive social pact in Latin America and the Caribbean,” held in the framework of the OECD-Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Virtual Social Inclusion Ministerial Summit: Informality and Social Inclusion in the Times of COVID-19. On the panel – which was moderated by Miguel Vargas, the Foreign Affairs Minister of the Dominican Republic – the participants also included Martha Delgado, Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights of Mexico; Rebeca Grynspan, the Ibero-American Secretary General; Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); Ana María Rodríguez, Vice President for Sectors and Knowledge at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB); and Hernando Soto, President of the Institute for Liberty and Democracy. During her presentation, Alicia Bárcena underscored that Latin America and the Caribbean is facing a civilizing crossroads and an exceptional time for rethinking and addressing the future with strengthened roles for the State, the market and society. She said that the legiti-

macy of and trust in States is being tested today and that given the disconnect between society and the State, it is necessary to move towards broad social compacts in the main political sectors, as a pathway for attaining welfare states and sustainable production and consumption models in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. She added that these compacts must incorporate environmental sustainability, investment and an industrial policy that truly allows the region to achieve a big push for sustainability. ECLAC’s highest authority emphasised that a fiscal compact constitutes another crucial area, with a view to promoting progressive and sustainable taxation and ensuring steady and sufficient resources for permanent social investment in the population’s welfare, enjoyment of rights and resilience. “We are facing an unprecedented crisis that requires transforming the development model in Latin America and the Caribbean, and promoting universal, redistributive and solidarity-based social policies,” she affirmed. ECLAC’s Executive Secretary recalled that, due to the current crisis prompted by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the region runs the risk of erasing 13 years of progress. She specified that, according to ECLAC’s latest estimates, the region will suffer a 9.1 per cent drop in GDP and a 5.4 percentage point increase in the unemployment rate, which is forecast to reach 13.5 per cent. In 2020, poverty in Latin America is seen rising by 7.1 percentage points (45.4 million more people) compared with the previous year, taking the total number of people living in poverty to 230.9 million (37.3 per cent of the region’s population). Extreme poverty is expected to rise by 4.5 percentage points (an additional 28.5 million people),

affecting in all 96.2 million people (15.5 per cent of the population) who will not be able to meet their basic food needs. Inequality, meanwhile, will grow by 4.7 per cent, and already 54 per cent of people work in informal conditions, with women the most affected as they represent 60 per cent of that population. In Latin America in the first income decile, 65.8 per cent of workers neither contribute to nor are affiliated with a health system, compared with a weighted average of 42.7 per cent, she added. To confront the crisis, Bárcena said, ECLAC proposes implementing an emergency basic income equivalent to one poverty line ($147 dollars) for six months, at a cost of 1.9 per cent of GDP, as well as an anti-hunger grant equivalent to 70 per cent of one extreme poverty line ($57 dollars), which would cost 0.45 per cent of GDP. Further proposals include subsidies for microenterprises, greater multilateral cooperation, and a new social compact that would incorporate environmental sustainability. She added that, according to the commission’s calculations, there will be a loss of 2.7 million companies, which represent 19 per cent of the business fabric in the region. Therefore, she indicated, ECLAC proposes a subsidy for microenterprises and expanded credit for small and medium-sized enterprises, at zero interest and for a two-year term. It also recommends bailing out big, strategic companies but only on certain conditions, such as that they do not invest in tax havens or redistribute profits among the partners. Alicia Bárcena stressed the need for an international compact, a much bigger multilateral response than the existing one, which would be extended to middle-income countries that face structural limits and are not taken into consideration in multilateral assistance or concessional funding cooperation mechanisms. “This will require emer-

gency liquidity assistance, special drawing rights, trade exemptions, a debt service standstill, humanitarian aid. This proposal dovetails with the strategy of the Secretary-General, António Guterres, who, along with Jamaica and Canada, is

calling for expanding instruments of financing and looking at the sustainability of debt in countries like the Caribbean that do not have the financial wherewithal to tap markets,” she stated. Finally, Alicia Bárcena highlighted that deepening

regional integration must be an essential component of any strategy to emerge from the crisis. This entails strengthening our own production linkages and promoting intraregional trade, she concluded.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Win over England gives Windies first points on Test Championships table AMIDST all the excitement and celebration surrounding the West Indies’ four-wicket win over England on Sunday, fans of the Caribbean side might have missed out on something else to celebrate. The hard-fought victory spearheaded by the efforts of Jermaine Blackwood, who scored a match-winning 95, Jason Holder’s seven wickets and Shannon Gabriel’s nine-wicket haul, earned the West Indies their first points on the ICC World Test Championship table for 2019/2021. Under the rules of the championship, each team plays six series, with each series counting for 120 points, distributed over the number of matches in a series. A twomatch series will mean 60 points for each Test while a three-match series will give 40 points to each Test match. A tie will be 50 per cent of the points available, whilst a draw will be a 3:1 points ratio. When the West Indies beat England in their three-match #Raisethebat series, the Caribbean side picked up their first 40 points, which sees

the side sitting seventh on the table, 16 points ahead of South Africa who have 24 points from seven matches played. Bangladesh have not yet scored after three matches. However, the West Indies, who have only played three matches in the championship so far, have a long way to go if they are to get into the top levels of the standings that are being led by India with 360 points from nine matches played. They have seven wins and two losses. Australia, who have played 10 matches have seven wins, two losses and a draw for 296 points. New Zealand are third with 180 points from their seven matches – the points coming from the three matches won. They have lost four. England are not having a good time of it in fourth with 146 points. Their recent loss to the West Indies means they lost four Tests of the 10 played so far. They also have five wins and a draw. Pakistan 140 and Sri Lanka 80 are fifth and sixth respectively. If the West Indies win

their next match against England they will move into a tie on points with Sri Lanka and draw that much closer to Pakistan. The ICC World Test Championship is a league competition for Test cricket run by the International Cricket Council (ICC), which started on August 1, 2019. It is intended to be the premier championship for Test cricket in line with the ICC’s goal of having one pinnacle tournament for each of the three formats of international cricket. In October 2017, the ICC announced that a Test league had been agreed by its members, which would involve the top nine teams playing series over two years with the top two teams qualifying for a World Test League Championship Final. The first ICC World Test Championship started after the 2019 Cricket World Cup from August 1, 2019, with the Ashes series. The second ICC World Test Championship will run from July 2021 to June 2023. (Sportsmax)

Did Bolt quit prematurely? Former Coach Mills: ‘It was not I who told him to retire’

USAIN Bolt’s return to competitive track and field could be closer than ever after his former coach, Glen Mills gave an indication that the double sprint world record holder might have walked away from the sport prematurely. Bolt ignited a storm of anticipation on Thursday last when he told an American magazine in a virtual interview

he would return to the track, but only if Mills gave him a call. The 33-year-old Bolt limped away from the sport three years ago, hobbling off the track at London Stadium after he pulled up on the anchor leg of the men’s 4x100m final at the World Athletics World Championships. And his departure left a gap in Jamaica’s men’s sprinting on the global level. In the interview with Variety magazine on Thursday for a series called Greatness Code, and in which he was featured among a number of others who had left a big impression on their sport, Bolt said: “The only person that I told was my coach. And if he came back and told me ‘Listen, let’s do this,’ I will, because I believe so much in my coach so I know if he says we are going to do this then I know it’s possible. So, give Glen Mills a call and I will be back.” In a typically terse response to questions posed by the Jamaica Observer on Friday, Mills said: “It was not I who told him to retire.” Bolt, who holds the world records in the 100m (9.58 seconds) and 200m (19.19 seconds), both set at the World Championships in Berlin, Germany, in 2009, said while he did not miss the training, he

missed the fans. When asked if he missed the competition Bolt replied: “No, I miss the crowd. When I watch football and hear the cheers I miss that, not the training.” The only man to win three straight sprint doubles at the Olympic Games — Beijing in 2008, London in 2012 and Rio in 2016 — said he does not visit the Racers training ground at The University of the West Indies, Mona campus too often. “I stay away from the track [as] my coach gets too excited when I come to the track, so I stay away from the track,” said the new father of daughter Olympia Lightning. In the decade between 2007 and 2017 Jamaican men won 23 medals — 13 gold by Bolt alone at the World Championships and Olympic Games — but managed only a fifth place by Yohan Blake in the World Championships 100m final in Doha, Qatar, last year. Bolt refused to get into naming anyone who he thought would be the next super star, admitting he did not have any luck in predictions. “I just watch; I have bad luck in choosing people. I just observe and appreciate the talent and hope my records never go,” he said. (Reprinted from Jamaica Observer)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

RHTYSC, BCB launch Basil Butcher Trust Project … share out 500 hampers, assist family whose house fell

THE ten cricket teams of Guyana’s leading youth and sports club, Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC MS), in conjunction with the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), recently launched another project to make a positive difference in the lives of the less fortunate in Berbice. Teams - Poonai Pharmacy Under-12, Under-13, Farfan & Mendes Under-15, Bakewell Under-17 and Second Division, Pepsi Under-19 and Intermediate Metro Females and NAMILCO Under-21 and First Division with the blessings of the family of the late Guyana and West Indies batting legend have launched the Basil Butcher Trust Project. With the cooperation of

the proactive BCB, the teams have to date shared out over 500 food hampers in the West Berbice, New Amsterdam, Canje, Lower Corentyne and Upper Corentyne and have assisted the family of Ms Roopranie Latchminarine of No. 67 Village, whose house collapsed during a recent storm. Secretary/CEO of the RHTYSC and president of the BCB, Hilbert Foster, said the late Basil Butcher was a very close friend of the club and played a major role in the development of its cricket section and charity outreach programme. The management sought and was granted permission by the Butcher Family to honour the memory of the veteran of

44 Test matches for the West Indies. Butcher scored 3 104 runs at an average of 43.10 with seven centuries and 16 half-centuries. His highest Test score was a brilliant 209 not out versus England. He scored 11 628 runs at the first-class level with 31 centuries and 54 half-centuries at an amazing average of 49.90 After his retirement at the age of 36 in 1969, Butcher served Guyana and West Indies cricket as an administrator with great success. The teams and BCB intend to assist dozens of less fortunate players with cricket gear such as batting gloves, batting pads and wicket-keeping gloves. Bicycles would also be given

to less fortunate students in an effort to enable them to attend school regularly when it reopens after the corona virus pandemic.

household and kitchen utilities to the Latchminarine family. Foster committed the club and the board to assisting the family in the future and wished

conditions. RHTYSC and BCB over the last four months have shared out 21 000 pounds of chicken products, cleaning supplies and hundreds of face masks as part of the coronavirus response programme. Foster has stated that as

BCB president Hilbert Foster hands over donation to Ms Latchminarine

RHTYSC, with the support of Blossom Butcher, has opened a Go Fund Me account in the United States to raise funds for the project. Foster led an eight-man delegation to distribute the hampers and also handed over a special donation of food items, clothing, footwear,

them well as they try to carry on with their lives after the family house fell during a storm. He urged them to remain strong in their faith in God. The team also shared out food hampers in the No. 65 Squatting Area where dozens of families live in poor

long as he remains head of both organisations they would be involved in activities to make a positive difference. The cricket teams would like to express gratitude to all the donors to the effort including NAMILCO, Bounty Farm, Farfan and Mendes Ltd and Bakewell.

England to back Buttler, but Denly in the firing line London , United Kingdom (AFP) — England are set to keep faith with Jos Buttler despite defeat to West Indies in the first Test of a three-match series, but time may be up for Joe Denly. Captain Joe Root is set to return for the second Test starting on Thursday at Old Trafford after missing the four-wicket defeat in Southampton to attend the birth of his second child. The England selectors have big decisions to make after again losing the game with the bat rather than the ball despite the controversial omission of Stuart Broad. An under-par 204 in the first innings and the loss of five wickets for 30 runs on the fourth evening set the platform for the tourists to take first blood. Denly and Buttler were involved in both passages and find themselves increasingly under pressure for their places — the former being squeezed by Root’s return and Zak Crawley’s fine 76 on Saturday, the latter from Surrey gloveman Ben Foakes. England Head Coach Chris Silverwood, though, has only offered strong reassurance to one of the duo. Buttler has a Test average of just 23.22 since the start of 2019 and now only one hundred in 75 innings. “I’m not gonna go down that road yet of putting Jos under pressure, because I don’t think it’s going to help

him,” said Silverwood. “First and foremost we want to give Jos the best opportunity to succeed. “But I’m sure he is asking the same questions. He looked brilliant coming into this game, in practice and everything and he looked very good in the first innings. He just needs to go and make those big scores now doesn’t he? He knows that as well.

standard for a long-term Test number three. At just 22, Crawley is 12 years Denley’s junior and by producing England’s top score of the match in tense circumstances in the second innings he appeared to make an irresistible grab for the shirt. “We’re all desperate to see Joe do really well. We can see he’s trying hard, he’s training hard and he’s a great

England’s Jos Buttler is bowled by West Indies’ Alzarri Joseph for nine on the fourth day of the first Test cricket match at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton, southwest England, on Saturday. (Photo: AFP)

“From our point of view it’s just making sure that he feels confident in the environment he’s in.” There looks certain to be change higher up the order, though, with Denly’s knocks of 18 and 29 doing little to show that he can haul his performances up to the required

bloke, hence why we all want to see him do well,” said Silverwood. “But obviously he’s under pressure a little bit, yes. Zak is improving constantly. I think he certainly showed maturity and the innings he played was very good.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Man City manager Pep Guardiola says club deserve an apology MANCHESTER City manager Pep Guardiola says his team deserve an apology after the club successfully overturned their ban from European club competitions. On Monday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) cleared City of committing “serious breaches” of Financial Fair Play regulations between 2012 and 2016. Yesterday Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho called it a “disgraceful decision”. “What we have done is right. Jose and all the managers should know that we were damaged,” said Guardiola. “We should be apologised (to). “(I’m) incredibly happy for the decision, which shows what all the people said about the club was not true and to defend on the pitch what we won on the pitch. “Like I said many times, if we did something wrong we would accept the decision of UEFA and CAS because we did something wrong. We can defend ourselves. We have the right to defend ourselves when we believe what we have done is correct.” UEFA had issued Man City with a two-year ban in February. But CAS cleared City of “disguising equity funds as sponsorship contributions” and cut the club’s fine from 30M euros (£26.9M) to 10M euros (£9M). In this year’s Cham-

pions League, City face Real Madrid in their last-16 second leg at Etihad Stadium on August 7 .

the pitch and play as rivals and after if you beat us, we will shake hands and congratulate you’.” REACTION FROM AROUND THE PREMIER LEAGUE The decision to allow City to play in Europe next season means it is

normal service in terms of qualification for the Champions League and Europa League from the English top flight. The top four sides will qualify for the Champions League, while fifth and sixth place will progress into the Europa League. Had the ban remained in place, with City now guaranteed a top-four domestic finish, the team finishing fifth would have qualified for the Champions League and the seventh-place team would have got a Europa League spot. Here’s what some of the other Premier League managers had to say: Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp: “From a personal point of view, I’m happy Manchester City can play in next season’s Champions League, because if they have 12 games

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola

They lead 2-1 from the first leg and will face Juventus or Lyon if they progress. When asked about his future with last season’s Premier League champions, Guardiola said he was “happy” but added “now is not the time” to discuss a new contract. His current deal runs until the end of the 2020-21 season. “We have made a step forward in 10 years. We invested a lot of money, like a lot of clubs. We did it the right way. We have not been banned because we followed the FFP rules. If we hadn’t we would have been banned,” Guardiola added. “We showed it was not true. That’s why people have to be happy or should at least accept it. “I would love to say, ‘look in our eyes and say something face to face and go out onto

No roars as Tiger makes return to sounds of silence By Steve Keating (REUTERS) - Tiger Woods makes his long-awaited return to competitive golf at the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio this week and no golfer will feel the impact of the strange new spectatorless world created by COVID-19 than the 15time major winner. For his whole career Woods, one of sport’s most recognisable personalities, has been the focus of the golfing world. He is followed by massive galleries and battalions of reporters, photographers and television cameras wherever he plays. But when he steps onto the first tee at Muirfield Village Golf Club on Thursday for his first competitive round in five months the only sound is likely to be chirping birds, with the PGA Tour having banned spectators for all events this season. “I’ve had cameras on me since I turned pro, so it’s been over 20-some-odd years that virtually almost every one of my shots that I’ve hit on the Tour has been documented,” Woods told reporters. “That is

something that I’ve been accustomed to. That’s something I’ve known for decades. “But this is a different world and one we’re going to have to get used to. It’s just a silent and different world.” Woods last competed on the PGA Tour in mid-February when he laboured through a final-round 77 at the Genesis Invitational where he finished last among players who made the cut. The 44-year-old reigning Masters champion then skipped a number of events with back issues prior to the PGA Tour’s three-month COVID-19 hiatus that began in mid-March and opted to sit out the circuit’s first five events since the break. Woods, who is one win shy of a record 83 PGA Tour victories, did play a May 24 charity match with Phil Mickelson and Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Saying he was unwilling to risk a return to the Tour until he saw how safety protocols would work, Woods made his decision to play only when he felt comfortable

enough to do so. “I just felt it was better to stay at home and be safe,” said Woods. “I’m used to playing with lots of people around me and that puts not only myself in danger but my friends and family. “That’s something that I looked at and said, ‘Well, I’m really not quite comfortable with that, that whole idea. Let’s see how it plays out first’.” Woods has watched the PGA Tour restart on his computer and said he was immediately struck by what he saw. “It was more watching golf to see how it is now, see what our near future, our reality is and our foreseeable future is going to be,” said Woods, who has won the Memorial a record five times. “To have no one yelling, no one screaming, no energy, the social distancing, no handshakes. “There’s nothing to feed off of energy-wise. There’s no one there. “I think this is going to set up for not just in the short-term but for the foreseeable future for sure.”

less, I don’t see any chance for any other teams in the Premier League. “I don’t wish anything bad on anyone but I don’t think it was a good day for football. Financial Fair Play (FFP) is a good idea and it is there to protect teams and the competition.” Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho: “If you’re not

guilty you shouldn’t have a fine. I don’t know if Manchester City are guilty or not but either way it’s a disgraceful decision.” Arsenal boss, and former Man City assistant manager, Mikel Arteta: “There is no question about what happened. They completely deserve to be in (the) Champions League because what

they’ve done on the pitch is unquestionable and the regulators have looked at it and have decided that they haven’t done anything wrong. “So you have the two aspects that are really clear and transparent; and they’re going to be in Champions League because they deserve (it) for what they do on the pitch.” (BBC Sport)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Eoin Morgan on 2019 World Cup final:

‘For a split second I thought we were dead and buried’ By Alan Gardner

MUCH has changed about cricket and the world, in general, since this time last year. But for Eoin Morgan, one of the benefits of lockdown is that he has at last been able to sit down and watch back the 2019 World Cup final in all its harum-scarum grandeur - including the moment when he thought the game was lost. England’s World Cup win, a four-year project overseen from start to finish by Morgan, was the crowning achievement during a summer that promised to rejuvenate the game in the UK. The final was screened simultaneously on Sky and Channel 4 - the first time cricket had been free-to-air since 2005 - with more than 8 million viewers tuning in as England prevailed, by the barest of margins, in a dramatic Super Over finish against New Zealand. Morgan has subsequently had to get used to an increased level of recognition in the street, posing for selfies and being regaled with individual anecdotes about watching the game. And while the ECB’s hopes of building on that success this summer have been severely impacted by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, England’s limited-overs captain remains convinced that legacy of that July day at Lord’s can “do wonders for the sport” in this country.

“I think that the profile of the game has lifted quite substantially,” Morgan said. “Just going off the back of people coming up to me in the street or in a pub or a cafe. It is not just at home. When we go on holiday there will be someone who flicked over during the tennis or the Grand Prix or who heard someone shouting next door and wondered what they were watching. It was just a celebration of sport and people obviously love it when they win trophies.

“For a minute I thought, ‘That’s it, it’s over, Ben’s out, we still need 15 an over’ - that’s when I thought we were dead and buried” (IDI/Getty Images)

Cricket has certainly become higher profile and with that that’s how my life has changed. People recognise me more. “I think in life when you have to work harder for anything regardless of whether it’s a World Cup or a forward defensive, the harder you work the better it feels after. That’s human nature and that’s how I feel. But the dramatic nature of the day really does do won-

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ders for sport. The final is, actually; it’s bigger than cricket, and it’s actually propelled up as one of the highlights of a sporting day ever in British history. That will be around for a very long time so it was probably more satisfying that it will continue to be like that.” Having become a father in March, Morgan could be forgiven for not having much spare time on his hands - but admitted he had had multiple opportunities to relive the final during cricket’s enforced

TODAY’S QUIZ:

Who has the distinction of being the first player to contest 100 Test matches? How many runs Viv Richards made in the WI/ ENG Test series in ENG in 1976?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

shutdown. Despite calmly marshalling his team through one of the most fraught days in the history of the English game, Morgan revealed there was one point when he briefly considered they were “dead and buried” as Ben Stokes attempted to drag New Zealand’s target within reach. “Obviously the last four months has been a bit of a challenge but that’s actually allowed me to watch the World Cup final - I’ve watched it three times now. And that’s allowed me time to sit back and actually enjoy it for the first time. I suppose I haven’t had it on DVD or computer from start to finish, full production, but now I have it I’ve watched it three times and it’s been an incredible day to sit back and watch. It’s still tense throughout the whole day every time I watch it back, the ebbs and flow of the game, is a privilege. “There’s only one (moment of doubt) for me and it probably came to me the second time I watched it. Jimmy Neesham’s bowling to Ben,

he bowls a slower ball, Ben hits it down to long-on and I remember the ball being in the air and you can see the trajectory of the ball - and you full well know when you hit it up the hill you have to absolutely smoke it to hit it for six. And it’s gone high and not quite as long as he’d liked and for a minute I just thought ‘That’s it, it’s over, Ben’s out, we still need 15 an over’ - that’s when I thought for a split second we were dead and buried.” Fortunately for England, Trent Boult stepped on the boundary rope, before Stokes scrambled his side to a tie and Jofra Archer completed the resurrection from the final ball of an epic contest. Although Morgan subsequently took some time to consider his future, he opted to stay on in charge of England’s white-ball teams ahead of back-to-back T20 World Cups. The fate of this year’s competition, still scheduled to be held in Australia in October and November, remains undecided due to COVID-19 restrictions, but Morgan will return to action later this month in three ODIs against Ireland, followed by a T20I series against Pakistan later in the summer. With his 2019 winner’s medal now parked “on a shelf” at home, Morgan’s focus is on attaining another peak with England though he admitted topping the country’s maiden 50-over World Cup win would be difficult. “There hasn’t been a team who have held T20 and 50-over World Cups so that would be a nice challenge,” he said. “But, realistically, probably out of the next two World Cups, winning one of them would be unbelievable. To win two would be a bigger achievement than winning the 50-over World Cup. Just because both of them are away from home and would favour Australia in Australia and India in India, so you would have to win both of them to top the 50-overs win.” (ESPN Cricinfo)

Gough suggests England rotate Archer and Wood

England Pacers Mark Wood (left) and Jofra Archer

LONDON (Reuters) - England should not be overly reliant on express pace in the next two Tests against West Indies and must consider alternating Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, former quick Darren Gough has said. England opted for the express speed of Archer and Wood and the experience of James Anderson in Southampton but lost by four wickets in the series opener. “I’ve said from the start — rotate Archer and Wood,” Gough, who played 58 Tests between 1994-2003, told Sky Sport Cricket. “We got a bit carried away, seeing Wood bowl really quickly in South Africa. We’ve seen Archer do it, but it’s very hard to do it every single game.” Gough said England should also bring back Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes for the second Test, which begins on Thursday at Manchester’s Old Trafford. “I would rest Wood and Anderson at Old Trafford and bring in Broad and Woakes,” Gough said. “That would be my plan then, with back-to-back Test matches, you bring Anderson and Wood back (for the third Test).” Former captain Michael Vaughan said it would be unfair to criticise Archer, who claimed three second-innings wickets in Southampton, for not bowling consistently in excess of 90 miles per hour. “The body just doesn’t allow you to do it every single over that you bowl,” Vaughan told BBC Radio 5. “But when you get that click, that six or seven overs where everything is in sync and you see the ball flying down at 90mph-plus causing chaos, that’s why you put Jofra Archer in your team.”

Wigan hammer struggling Hull 8-0, West Brom draw with Fulham

(REUTERS) - Wigan Athletic recorded their biggest ever league victory as they beat Hull City 8-0 in the Championship on Tuesday, hitting seven past their beleaguered opponents in the first half. The Latics broke the deadlock through Kal Naismith inside the opening minute of the contest, before Kieran Dowell and Kieffer Moore netted a brace each, and Jamal Lowe and Joe Williams also got on the scoresheet before the halftime break. Dowell completed his hat-trick in the second half for Wigan’s eighth goal as the club celebrated their biggest league win, surpassing a 7-0 victory achieved against Oxford United in 2017. The result also matched the biggest ever Championship victory — Bournemouth’s 8-0 win over Birmingham City in 2014. Wigan, who face a 12-point deduction after going into administration, are 12 points clear of the relegation zone with two games to play, with four other games to be played in the Championship later on Tuesday. The defeat leaves relegation-threatened Hull a point adrift of the safety zone, having lost four matches in a row. West Bromwich Albion’s grip on an automatic promotion spot loosened when they were held to a frustrating goalless draw by Fulham at the Hawthorns. Grady Diangana’s effort from close range in the second half was saved brilliantly by visiting goalkeeper Marek Rodak, while Fulham forward Anthony Knockaert hit the crossbar with a thunderous effort. West Brom are currently second in the league and four points above third-placed Brentford, who have a game in hand against Preston North End on Wednesday. Slaven Bilic’s West Brom still remain in control of their own destiny and maximum points from their remaining two games against Huddersfield Town and Queens Park Rangers will secure a return to the Premier League.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Holder hails Gabriel’s ‘massive heart’ SOUTHAMPTON, United Kingdom (AFP ) — West Indies Captain Jason Holder praised the “massive, massive heart” of Shannon Gabriel following the tourists’ four-wicket win in the first Test against England at Southampton on Sunday. Fast bowler Gabriel was named man –of- the- match after taking combined figures of nine wickets for 137 runs as international cricket returned from lockdown. The 32-year-old Trinidad quick was originally only named as a travelling reserve as he recovered from ankle surgery. But he proved his fitness in two intra-squad warm-up matches and then showed his class as West Indies went 1-0 up in this three-match series. Gabriel now boasts a fine career record of 142 wickets in 46 Tests at an

average of under 30, with Holder telling reporters after stumps: “What Shannon has done in this game is nothing surprising. “Shannon is just one of those guys who keeps doing it. He has a massive, massive heart and he’s been through a lot. “He wants success so badly. His body hasn’t held up the way he would like but to see him back out there fit and well and bowling fast for the West Indies is always a pleasing sight. “He deserves every bit of success he’s had in this game. I’m really, really happy for Shannon; I know what he’s been through. “We kept in contact while he was doing rehab. At some stages he was very frustrated by how things were going but he stuck it through,” added all-rounder Holder, who himself took a Test-best 6-42 in England’s

lowly, first-innings 204. “We all know when Shannon is fit and healthy, he is a handful and he proved it in this game.” For all Gabriel’s heroics, the West Indies still needed to bat well after being set a target of 200 to win on yesterday’s final day. They got there largely thanks to Jermaine Blackwood’s 95. Blackwood might not have played had fellow batsmen Darren Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer decided to tour rather than opting out of a campaign taking place against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic. Holder said of Blackwood: “He had an outstanding, first class competition — his case to get back in the team was pretty strong. “He’s not a slouch at this level either. He has done well for us and I hope

he can kick on.” England stand-in skipper Ben Stokes said he had no regrets over either leaving out veteran paceman Stuart Broad or deciding to bat first in overcast, bowler-friendly conditions last Wednesday. Broad, England’s second-most successful Test bowler of all time, revealed how “frustrated, gutted and angry” he felt at being left out of a home Test for the first time in eight years, during a midmatch interview. “We made a decision based around thinking pace was going to stand us a better place in the long game. Stuart is a fantastic bowler and he understands the reasons why,” said Stokes. “If I was to regret that, I don’t think that sends the right message to the other guys I picked. “Looking at the interview he gave I thought it

Drawing first blood is huge plus for young Windies squad … Roach’s form key to series win By Clifton Ross

WEST Indies re-entered the world of live sports during the pandemic and struck gold, as their young side dominated England in their backyard, heading into the second Test with the psychological edge. With much to prove heading into the series, Windies quicks, led by Shannon Gabriel who returned to action with nine wickets, roughed up the English batsmen. The home team were rattled out twice as the conditions at Southampton favoured the fiery Caribbean pacers; who kept England to an under-350 score in both innings. Although Jermaine Blackwood hit a match-winning 95 in Windies’ second innings, it was Gabriel who set the tone with 4-62. Jos Buttler and stand-in skipper Ben Stokes showed glimpses of form amidst a dismal outing from a relatively young English batting line-up. Skipper Jason Holder ended with seven wickets after bagging a

6-for in his first bowling outing, duly adding ideal support to Gabriel. England’s approach without Joe Root leading the troops seemed a bit timid, given their reputation as a powerhouse at home. Root’s inclusion for the next match could possibly alter how things resonate batting-wise, as his worldclass talents and leadership will i n flue n c e how the other batsmen approach the

next encounter. England’s fast bowlers weren’t that shabby either as Jofra Archer, veteran James Anderson, Mark Wood and Stokes, collectively gave good accounts of themselves by taking 11 Windies wickets in the first innings, before running into Blackwood. One major concern is their main strike-speedster Kemar Roach, who went wicket-less for 91 runs despite his teammates relishing in the luxury of the fast-bowler-friendly conditions. His returns were uncharacteristic, especially for a bowler of his ferocity, coupled with his decent record against England over the years. Roach will definitely bounce back as the series progresses, but his wicket-taking prowess could have handed the West Indies pacer Windies Kemar Roach an even

more emphatic victory had it kicked in during the first Test. Also, one Windies seamer who could likely shine as things progress is Alzzari Joseph. Like Roach he too had a horrid first innings but showed even more maturity and calmness a second time around when he returned with 2-45 from 18 overs. ‘Old Trafford’ in Manchester is the next venue of battle between these two storied rivals and, looking at West Indies’ 4-pronged pace attack’s current intent to ensure that 20 wickets fall, England enter the second match under immense pressure having folded twice. It is possible that the home team will make amends for the batting woes in a few days’ time and the inclusion of Root impacting the youngsters in Zak Crawley, Rory Burns and others might help level the series. If Gabriel hits his straps again in Manchester then it could be a certain wrap for England - especially if the old Roach returns to support Holder and the others who seem to be well-adapted mentally and technically - as Windies look to make history during the pandemic.

w a s absolutely brilliant, to see the desire and passion that he showed.” Stokes said he was looking forward to handing the reins o v e r t o re g u l a r Captain Joe Root for thist week’s second Test, after the star batsman missed this match following the birth of his second child. “He’s one of the best players in the world so he is a big miss when he doesn’t Fast bowler Gabriel was play — and obnamed man –of- the- match viously next after taking combined [this] week figures of nine wickets I for 137 in the Test don’t need to make any of the decisions so good luck, Joe.”

Drogba’s election hopes suffer serious blow

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Didier erees and the association of Drogba’s hopes of becoming former professionals, who are the next president of the supporting rival Sory Diabate. Ivory Coast’s football federThe former striker must ation has suffered a serious now receive the endorsement setback after the failure of of the association of football his fellow players to support medical practitioners to be his candidacy. able to stand in the election Drogba, 42, is one of three on Sept. 5. Their decision is candidates standing for elec- expected in the coming weeks. tion as president of the Ivorian On top of the endorsement Football Federation in Sep- of one of the special interest tember but is yet to win the groups, candidates must also endorsement of any of the five nominated by three of the 14 special interest groups needed Ligue 1 clubs and two from to get onto the ballot. the lower divisions. He was expecting to be Drogba played in three backed by the footballers’ World Cups with the Ivory union, headed by former Coast and twice helped them team mate Cyrille Do- to the final of the Africa Cup moraud, but they are supof Nations, also porting Idriss Diallo, one of earning cult the two other candidates. status among “The majority of our fans for his members decided to grant exploits with our endorsement to the list Chelsea in led by Mr. Idriss Diallo,” said the Premier a statement by the Association League and of Ivorian Footballers, adding Champions they were remaining loyal to League. a grouping formed three years ago to contest the elections, before Drogba had declared his candidacy. Diallo had also previously received the backing of the local coaches’ association. Drogba has also Didier Drogba played in three failed to win the endorsement of the refWorld Cup with Ivory Coast

Win over England gives Windies first points on Test Championships table PAGE 23

Southampton: West Indies captain Jason Holder, right, hugs teammate John Campbell after their win on the fifth day of the first cricket Test match against England, at the Ageas Bowl last Sunday

Did Bolt quit prematurely?

Former Coach Mills: ‘It was not I who told him to retire’ PAGE 23

Former coach of Usain Bolt, Glen Mills

PAGE 27

FIFA welcomes CAS decision to uphold life ban on former Afghan soccer president (REUTERS) - FIFA has welcomed a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejecting an appeal against the life ban imposed on the former president of the Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF). Keramuudin Karim was banned from soccer for life last June and fined 1 million Swiss francs ($1.07 million) after FIFA’s ethics committee found him guilty of abusing his position and sexually abusing female players between 2013-18. CAS on Tuesday confirmed the decision taken by FIFA and said that Karim’s offences violated basic human rights and damaged the mental and physical integrity of young female players, destroying their careers and lives. “In a case of unprecedented gravity, CAS has confirmed the importance of

FIFA’s zero tolerance policy against physical, mental and sexual abuses at all levels of football, as well as the adequacy of the strongest sanctions in such cases,” FIFA said in a statement here on Tuesday. “FIFA commends the bravery of those victims who, under dreadful personal circumstances in their home country, have come forward and allowed for justice to be served. “We trust that their example will encourage other victims and survivors of such terrible circumstances to report them in the future, knowing that they can count on FIFA’s support at all times.” Keramuudin Karim was banned from soccer for life last June and fined 1 million Swiss francs ($1.07M)

s e p o h n o i t c e l e Drogba’s w o l b s u o i r e s r e f f su

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2020