Issuu

SATURDAY 8th August, 2020

' No.106085

President holds first Cabinet meet SEE PAGE 03

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali having his first official meeting with his Cabinet of Ministers at the Office of the President on Friday

‘Not here to take food from people’s mouth’ --new PPP/C gov’t assures nation

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Suriname President, 09 Foreign Minister to attend President’s inauguration PAGE

Sophia ‘drive-by’ sends residents diving for cover

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, August 8, 2020

President Ali meets with Brazil, Chile and Argentine Ambassadors - is congratulated by PROSUR

NEWLY elected President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Friday received a courtesy call from Ms. Maria Clara Duclos Carisio, Brazil’s Ambassador to Guyana; Mr. Patricio Becker, Chile’s Ambassador to Guyana and Mr. Felipe Alejandro Gardella, Argentine Ambassador to Guyana at the Office of the President. During the meeting, the ambassadors extended congratulations to President Ali and noted that they are looking forward to working with the new government to advance mutual interests. They also shared a communique from the Forum for the Progress and Integration of South America (PROSUR), which stated that the “Governments of Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador Paraguay and Peru, member countries of the Forum for TURN TO PAGE

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali greets Ms. Maria Clara Duclos Carisio, Brazil's Ambassador to Guyana during the meeting at the Office of the President, Friday morning.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, August 8, 2020

President holds first Cabinet meeting

SIX days into his presidency, His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Friday held his first official Cabinet meeting. The meeting comes two days after the Head of State appointed the remaining members of his Cabinet and Ministers of Government, according to a press release from the Department of Public Information.. After taking the Oath

of Office on Sunday last, the new President had appointed his transition team and senior government ministers. Confirmation of Friday’s Cabinet meeting came from Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, the Hon. Gail Teixeira, during a virtual media update Friday. “This is where some major decisions, I’m sure, will be made to allow for

some expediting transition of our government,” Minister Teixeira stated. While still adhering to COVID-19 regulations, the minister said the Head of State held meetings with stakeholders across the board, and at the moment is awaiting reports from a Rapid Assessment Team on the status of various government agencies. That team, Minister Teixeira clarified, is work-

ing pro-bono. “It’s a rapid-assessment team to give the President, in the shortest possible time, an assessment of key state agencies and, of course, you the viewers know one of the key ones is NICIL [National Industrial & Commercial Investments Ltd.], where a lot of state assets have been transferred and purchased in the period since the no-confidence motion

and even during the period of the five months waiting on the election results.” The senior government minister explained that the assessment was not an audit. “This is just to present to the government and the President, a quick overview of the state of these critical agencies in government,” Minister Teixeira noted. Meanwhile, remarking on comments made

by former President David Granger of alleged witch-hunting by the current government and of persons being dismissed, Minister Teixeira described this as exaggeration and misinforming the public. “No one has been terminated or fired,” the minister stated. The Rapid Assessment Team is expected to hand in its report very soon.

Natural Resources Minister promises restructuring of Ministry THE recently appointed Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, met with the Heads of the various agencies under the purview of the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) on Thursday. The meeting provided an opportunity for the new minister to be updated with the current state of operation of the various agen-

cies and for the various agencies to move forward with effiency under his stewardship The agencies provided a grim report which points to gross mismanagement of the sector under the previous administration. The Guyana Forestry Commission is reporting that is unable to pay salaries for July and owes millions to the utility com-

panies. Major restructuring is needed to ensure these agencies function in a more effective manner. The previous administration had set up a task force to restructure the ministry. The task force’s mandate was to look into reorganising the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) in light of Guyana’s national objective of moving to-

wards a ‘green’ economy. “Further, mandate has included, but will not be limited to, an examination and evaluation of current job descriptions and performance standards, personnel procedures, conditions of employment and appointment, wages and salary structures and payroll administration,” the release says, and that “it will further aim at improving the

efficient performance and effective management of the commission by identifying training and development opportunities for staff. Meanwhile, the previous administration had accused the now government of a total mismanagement of the Forestry Commission back in 2014. In a statement, the now opposition accused the cur-

rent government of removing over 1.3 billion dollars from the GFC for several projects inclusive of the Marriott Hotel , Clico , Iwokrama and a building constructed on High Street costing $600 million. The building was previously occupied by the Guyana Broadcasting Corporation, now the National Communications Network.

President Ali meets with Brazil,...

Mr. Patricio Becker, Chilean Ambassador to Guyana greets President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali

the Progress and Integration of South America (PROSUR) and Bolivia as Observer, congratulates Mohamed Irfaan

Ali on his election as President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and appreciate the work carried out by the Elec-

toral Observation Mission of the Caribbean Community and the support of the Organization of American States.”

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From left to right: Mr. Patricio Becker, Chile’s Ambassador to Guyana; Ms. Maria Clara Duclos Carisio, Brazil’s Ambassador to Guyana; President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Mr. Felipe Alejandro Gardella, Argentine Ambassador to Guyana at the Office of the President Friday morning

The communique also said, “We salute the people, political forces and institutions of Guyana for their

commitment to democracy and with respect for the popular will expressed at the ballot box on March 2. We vote

to continue to strengthen our ties with Guyana and contribute to the development and well-being of its people.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, August 8, 2020

How the pandemic is sending some Brazilians ‘two steps back’

(BBC) When the coronavirus pandemic spread to Brazil, it dealt a double blow to Beathriz Samary. In early March, the 21-year-old fell ill with a high fever, body aches and shortness of breath. While she was not able to get access to a coronavirus test, she suspects that what knocked her out for a month was Covid-19. “I was so ill, I couldn’t even lift myself up,” she recalls. But the financial impact she suffered was just as hard. Ms Samary, who was earning most of her income from working as a manicurist, was no longer able to go to clients’ homes. She and her partner were surviving on a “cesta basica”, food parcels donated by a local charity in the Salsa e Merengue neighbourhood they call home. “What saved us during that time were those food parcels,” she says. Even after she recovered, work was hard to come by. Ms Samary applied for emergency aid - a measure the government approved in April - but it took weeks to arrive. She and her partner fell behind on rent and their internet was cut off. “There was no money, not even for the basics.” MOVING UP Before the pandemic, Ms Samary was among the millions of Brazilians who had been climbing out of poverty since the turn of the century. She grew up in the care of her godmother in Complexo da Maré, a sprawling patchwork of favelas in Rio de Janeiro. The family of eight lived in a modest wooden home. Her godfather sold fruit and eventually found a steady job as a fishmonger. Ms Samary started working when she was just 11, but was able to get ahead, eventually earning about 3,000 reais ($585; £450) per month - nearly three times the minimum salary in Brazil. Stories like that of Ms Sa-

mary were not uncommon in Brazil in the last two decades, as the country made strides towards alleviating poverty and inequality. A mix of generous social programmes and a flourishing economy - fuelled by a decade-long commodities boom - helped lift some 36 million Brazilians out of extreme poverty between 2003 and 2014, according to official figures released at the time. The country received high praise for government-run poverty reduction schemes like Bolsa Familia, which guaranteed healthcare to poor families and gave cash transfers to those who sent their children to school.

UNRAVELLING GAINS In recent years, some of these gains have unravelled as commodity prices slumped and a crippling recession hit, says Marcelo Côrtes Neri, a researcher and director of the think tank FGV Social. Some 3.4 million Brazilians slid back into extreme poverty between 2014 and 2018, FGV Social’s figures suggest. Now, dealt a further blow by coronavirus, Brazil’s most vulnerable may be in for even tougher times ahead. “We’re in the middle of something that we’ve never seen in Brazil,” Mr Neri says. “We’ve seen lost decades before,” he adds, but says that the country has never before regressed. “And given the prospects for the future... we’re going to go back many years.” There are already signs that poverty is deepening. In the beginning of 2020, the average income of the poorest half of the population dropped 7.7%. Inequality after starting to decline in late 2019 for the first time in four-and-a-half years - began widening again this year. “Those who are suffering the most are those who have precarious jobs, the person who is living hand to mouth, who doesn’t have a way to pay their rent,” says

Beathriz Samary, a manicurist, lost most of her clients when the pandemic struck Sonia Rocha, an economist and researcher at the Institute of Labour and Society Studies (IETS). SEARCHING FOR OPPORTUNITIES Before the pandemic, Francisco Flavio Eufrazino spent most of his waking hours running his restaurant in Rocinha, one of Brazil’s largest favelas. The son of agricultural workers, Mr Eufrazino, was born in Ceará, one of Brazil’s poorer states in the north. When he was 18, he moved to Rio de Janeiro in search of better opportunities. The oldest of five sons, he quickly found work and started helping his family back home. Three years ago, Mr Eufrazino, who is now 56, finally managed to open up his own restaurant, after decades toiling first as a waiter and later as a doorman in a condominium. “It was going well, it was growing,” he says. “We weren’t advancing quickly but we were moving forward, one step at a time.” But the pandemic left Mr Eufrazino’s restaurant without guests and wiped out most of his income. He had to let his two employees go and could not pay the rent for the premises. The emergency aid and the few takeout lunches he is selling are just about helping him stay afloat. “It’s been really difficult,” Mr Eufrazino says. “And the worst is that we don’t know when it will end.” UNDER ANAESTHESIA

The government aid has been key to softening the blow of the pandemic on the poor, Mr Neri says. But the true toll of the crisis will only become clear when the help runs out. “It’s like we’ve had a big dose of anaesthesia,” he says. “But unfortunately, this is not sustainable.” Karina Victoria da Silva was starting out in life when the pandemic hit. Last year, the pedagogy student got a coveted apprenticeship at a private school, caring for toddlers in the nursery. She was preparing to move out of her mother’s cramped home in Baixada Fluminense, a sprawling working-class area on the fringes of Rio de Janeiro. For years, the Bolsa Familia scheme had sustained their family. But Ms Silva was moving in a different direction. Then the nursery where the 23-year-old was work-

Francisco Flavio Eufrazino managed to open his own restaurant ing was closed amid the pandemic and her classes at university were suspended. She was left without income and an uncertain future. “I was in the middle of moving and the pandemic happened,” Ms Silva says. “And then I lost my apprenticeship, I lost everything.” She is surviving thanks

to emergency aid from the university and from the government - vital aid that is helping her mother scrape by, too. For Ms Samary, the pandemic has marked a turning point. With manicures now a luxury for many Brazilians, she found herself with few clients. She got a second job as a telemarketer, “earning less and working a lot more”. She says the uncertainty brought on by coronavirus made her realise she needed stability. And with health professionals in high demand, she has decided to start a course to become a nursing assistant. Despite all of the setbacks she has suffered, she says she is grateful to have survived Covid and remains optimistic for what lies ahead. “Everything has gotten better, it’s already better now,” she says.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, August 8, 2020

Alternative energy SOLAR energy forms an integral part of any country’s plan in addressing alternative energy. Where Guyana is pursuing a Green Economy, as a matter of its primary developmental thrust, whenever a business or individual switches to this form of energy, such act takes the country closer to the goal. Alternative energy, such as solar power, plays a significant role in protecting the environment. This is so given that it replaces the consumption of fossil fuel which gives off emissions that have been scientifically proven to be harmful to the environment. As the consumption of fossil is reduced, the air we breathe becomes healthier and will help in enhancing the health of citizens and nations. According to the watchdog group, Union of Concerned Scientists in its 2011 Report (which was revised in November 2014), Guyana is among the 20 per cent “rest of the world” countries where each’s share of total carbon dioxide emission comes from energy consumption. The top emitters are China at 27 per cent, United States 17 per cent, Russia five per cent, India five per cent and Japan four per cent. Specifically to Guyana, accord-

ing to the World Resources Institute, as at December 31, 2012, our greenhouse gas emissions, excluding land-use change and forestry, was 3.60. When land-use change and forestry are added to the equation, however, the figure is closer to 7.64. As a signatory to the United Nations Climate Agreement comes the responsibility of helping meet the international timetable of goals for reducing emissions. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) also has its own Energy Thrust, which Guyana has helped shape and has a responsibility to bring to fruition. Government, in last year’s National Budget, committed to granting concessions to those desirous of benefitting from alternative-energy technology. This opportunity not only helps in harnessing the natural energy at our disposal, but also creates a more reliable source of energy than presently obtains. Further, such a pursuit would realise reduction of overhead expenses over time, new opportunities for employment and economic opportunities, and Guyana elevating its image as a credible nation among member-states, regional and extra-regional. The government has set itself the lofty but not unachievable goal that by 2025, the

country will achieve renewable energy and energy-efficiency status. With eight years remaining to achieve this goal, and in the midst of evident public delight with reported fossil fuel finds, such aspiration may not be taken lightly, which may require a re-focusing of interests and energies. While the government has targeted special attention areas to be retrofitted, where businesses and private citizens are following suit, they are deserving of commendation, even as all efforts must be made to encourage others. We have seen in the past the Nand Persaud Group of Companies going fully solar when it commissioned a $110M system at its Tain, Corentyne call centre. The Demerara Bank Limited’s Camp Street headquarters was also fully converted. In 2016, a team from Toronto, Canada met with ministers of the government, seeking to explore opportunities to establish a solar farm here, with the aim of working in tandem with the Guyana Power and Light to augment our electricity supply. Though the present status of this engagement has not been made public, when citizens continue to suffer from daily outages, realisation of such a project would be looked forward to

with much anticipation. The government has constructed Guyana’s first solar farm at Mabaruma in the North West District. Four acres of land had been allocated for this ambitious 400-megawatt project. When it becomes operational, it would afford an additional 17 hours of electricity to the 3,000 residents. The Demerara Bank Limited, in addition to going ‘green’, is providing support for others to do likewise. Though in our society, where there can be little dispute, habits are hard to change and the full appreciation of alternative energy is yet to be grappled with, this bank is helping the process of changing behaviour by making funding available at reasonable cost. At an eight per cent interest rate, the impetus is there to act. Retrofitting homes and other buildings creates new types of jobs and other economic opportunities, direct and indirect. For home owners, opportunities are presented to opt for going fully solar or creating a hybrid system. The possibilities for using alternative energy are limitless, and Guyanese are being encouraged to take advantage of the opportunities.

Former President Granger kept a disparate coalition together Dear Editor,

I AM writing to neither praise nor bury President David Granger. Many harsh things have been said about our former president who could not have envisaged or believed that he deserved the level of opprobrium that has been heaped upon him for five years and especially since the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections in Guyana. In five years, the Coalition never restricted, controlled or tried to kill members of an increasingly hostile press or the social media. While it is disappointing to lose what seemed like a winnable election, the ruthlessness, political acumen and desperation of a well-oiled opposition might have been underestimated. The simplicity of disregarding decency and fairness, by edict, by those who consider our resources their strategic reserves, blindsided a major effort to reformat Guyana for the next decade. Apart from building and rebuilding arches on the main approaches to the city and the roundabout that Freddie Kissoon said would be a disaster; making Carifesta Avenue safer; improving roads in Lethem and Mahdia and digging wells in the Rupununi, there were

major difficulties that were overcome and major initiatives undertaken in the five years of the APNU+AFC Coalition Government. Within the first two months of the coalition being in office in 2015, they were faced with several crises created by the PPP/C. The PETRO Caribe facility of cheap oil in exchange for better priced rice was quickly terminated by Venezuela, creating immediate issues of electricity supplies and finding new markets for our rice farmers. The President was forced to start new regional initiatives to secure oil and to send out teams to several countries to find markets for our rice. Today, rice farmers enjoy higher levels of production in firmer markets than five years ago. Rice is doing well in the Rupununi and coffee is being grown once again in the Hinterland Region. Within the first month of the APNU+AFC’s term in office, the PPP/C announced that the central government had to pay sugar workers’ salaries and find billions of dollars since the Guyana Sugar Corporation (Guysuco) had no funds to meet its expenses. This lack of liquidity, where expenses heavily overwhelmed revenue and caused the PPP/C to close four sugar estates, continued until further rationalisation led to the closure

of even more estates by the coalition. The heavy capital burden and repayment on the Skeldon Estate factory still require resolution. The capital city was in a filthy state requiring immediate efforts to clean the drains, parapets and canals. The neglect of the capital city by the PPP/C was a cardinal sin and even today the municipal markets and City Hall are not fully rehabilitated. Nor is the horrible state of police and army accommodation. Sloppy construction of roads and schools saw major remedial works and unnecessary expenditure. Another major remedial project was dismantling the underground economy with the introduction into Guyana of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), for years resisted by the PPP/C. The almost total elimination of illegal smuggling of gold and cocaine, with the resultant money laundering that created housing and entertainment opportunities, caused the economy to falter. These funds were not replaced by equivalent Foreign Direct Investment, which would have created jobs and growth. Similarly, discontinuing the corrupt and wild construction of the hydropower and specialty hospital facilities was not replaced by equivalent investment projects. Plans were reportedly in train for new environmentally-sustainable power sup-

plies and modern healthcare facilities. The completion and administration of the onerous Anti Money Laundering legislation was a necessary nuisance but gave Guyana high marks for financial transaction transparency. While the reduction of the Value Added Tax was important, the increase in tax compliance measures was an important step in preparation for the oil economy. Granger introduced several security initiatives and there was a major reduction in the killings and kidnappings, and there were no assassinations of government officials (even a minister and his family), media operatives and gang executions that had characterised years of government-sponsored and supported gun violence across the country. Youths were given extensive training in entrepreneurship and incubators established to nurture initial efforts. Local specialist banks to facilitate investment in housing, agriculture and manufacturing were presented in the APNU+AFC Manifesto reportedly to be established. David Granger had a vision for the country that was not partisan or for short term benefit. He installed structural changes See page 7

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, August 8, 2020

The people’s expectations far outweigh the PPP/C’s manifesto Dear Editor, IS the common idiomatic phrase “fresh off of” and “fresh out of” interchangeable? Not sure? Don’t worry or “break a sweat,” just relax and join the many millions, including Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. Is there a mad rush on (gold)? Is it a blush from the rush of the blood, or, the anxiousness to go with the zeal of enthusiasm, or, being ready, willing and able to prove one’s worth, or, go with the flow of vigor and vitality? Perhaps it’s being fresh off the stove and being new, want to be innovative with a difference, or, fresh off the boat without grounded assimilation but assertive and confident? Then again, is it a deflection right off the bat, spontaneously, immediately and without thought or a case of to get the show on the road without wasting time and get the wheels turning without hesitation? One thing is for sure, this is certainly not a case of “fresh out of.” There is no depletion because the stock has been replenished with a knowledgeable quality of qualified freshness that radiates a personality of competence and capability, one that can accomplish the uphill task with professional proficiency. The many missives of opinioned variance should be welcomed, understood , acceptable and not regrettable. Sharing optimism and pessimism is within the parameters of human nature, primarily confined as a natural reaction and not necessarily intentionally superimposing “drawing first blood.” You bet, the first delivery will be a vicious bouncer, aimed straight at the head to create unsettlement or to drive in the fear of intimidation. The other choice will be a deadly yorker, thunderously sent down with the lightning of speed and curved to split the toes or the middle stump, causing pain, anger or being sent home. No opening batsman wants an early arrival with an early departure with a duck to fetch home and eyes glued to the ground! The rescue workers are finding a bloody battlefield, soiled with battered bodies scattered in a matted configuration. The new

Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat was, on Thursday, presented with a grim report from the various agencies within the ministry which points to gross mismanagement of the sector under the previous administration. On the surface is what meets the eyes. What will digging deeper reveal? The recently $1.6B recently commissioned Infectious Diseases Hospital, formerly the Ocean View International Hotel, was proclaimed to be “a total disaster,” by the newly-appointed Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony. It is not only a shell but a new building already in need of renovation and restructuring. A project that costs almost double the original budget is a gift from the previous administration, an empty box. There is no equipment nor any oxygen centralised suction pipe system that is so critical yet basic. Talk about hindsight or is it a drain pipe for the smooth flow of perks! More reason for the stall for time becomes more evident as the new government is sandwiched between COVID-19 repercussions and the misdemeanors from the past. What a choice at the tax payers’ expense. In the process of picking up the pieces where the crumbs are tinier than the tiniest, the people’s expectations far outweigh the promises of the PPP/C Party’s manifesto. But a silver lining was revealed by Guyanese optimist, Sir Ron Saunders, when he underlined that, “The one upside of the challenges facing the Government of Guyana after a five-month impasse in declaring the result of General Elections held on March 2 is that the country’s economic growth in 2020 is projected at a whopping 52.8 per cent – surpassing all 26 Latin American and Caribbean States. This trend is likely to continue for many years to come.” The man in the street is anxiously and impatiently waiting and curious to know when this will materialise, if earlier than later and how this will translate to actual money in one’s pocket to feel the jingles, to plug the hole and replenish the exhausted depletion. Of much and lamentable concern is the cry of the agriculture industry where farmers are suffering tremendously and where

the sugar industry is in a crisis, having seen the closure of four sugar estates and the loss of almost 7,500 jobs. The experienced Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Zulfikar Mustapha, empathised that “I know for a fact that over the past five years, many farmers, have been suffering because the cost of production has been increased tremendously and there were not sufficient markets for farmers’ produce (to be sold).” “I am hoping that immediately we can address the plights of cash crop farmers, rice farmers, and more importantly development in the sugar industry.” The horse is starving while the grass is growing! What methodology will this breed of optimists apply in their approach? Will it be one of “trial and error,” or “grabbing the bull by the horn,” or “the tried and tested method,” or the “brain storming fielder,” or the “let’s try a ting,” or the “luck and chance fling,” or the “wait and see hoping it will resolve itself or die,” or the “procrastinate for another person to resolve” or perhaps the “do nothing method?” The starting point may be the “bird in the hand” and according to the new kid on the block, Guyana’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, he cautioned, “It’s a learning curve for me but I have a team at the ministry, we have a structure there already,” the new minister explained, noting that he will look to his staff for the much-needed support in managing the country’s foreign affairs. This may represent a classic example of “reaching across the board,” “shared governance” and “inclusivity.” The elephant in the room remains the biggest challenge and the most horrible, living nightmare that grows larger than life daily i.e. money to spend from a bankrupt treasury that was brutally ravaged and raped in the most unceremonious and flagrant obscenity! It was reported that, not only has the general reserves been depleted to $0, but the account is also running an overdraft to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars. This is in addition to an alarmingly depleted gold reserve. The Bank of Guyana’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities showed that at the time the General Reserve

was almost -$300M. Additionally, public deposits were depleted to below $0, also recording a negative balance of almost $90B. Guyana’s Contingency Reserve account also reflected an alarming low of $2.3B. Luckily, the oil revenue of some US$93M was inaccessible by the last regime and remained secured in NY. Today’s inauguration ceremony promises some degree of pomp and show that can provide, soberly at least, some relief for fun and entertainment, something that was sadly missing for the past five months, badly needed and gloriously earned. But with the startling reality that COVID-19 is very much alive and will not depart shortly or anytime in the near future, this problematic issue will necessitate full necessary precautions and all requirements and conditions will have to be strictly adhered to. Complacency cannot be tolerated and there should be no room for excuses or mistakes and all must be in compliance with established protocols. This is the stark reality, that is why the new Health Minister is tasked with the immediate restructuring of the COVID-19 team for efficient and effective management, to be led by qualified and competent medical personnel. “Managing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is also a major and urgent challenge,” Sir Saunders had lamented. It is commendable that the country has already received a sizeable amount of supplies on Wednesday to the CDC through the collaborative efforts of CARICOM, the CDEMA and the WHO. These include 5,730 N95 masks, 316,600 surgical masks, 46,250 rapid-test COVID-19 kits and 200 overalls and 5,000 gloves. This is the result of having a legitimate government, democracy prevailing and the cognisance of an “in-charge team” that responds to responsibility and having the interest of the people at heart. Guyana is surely in a better frame of mind and not in the “hand that rocks the boat” but one that “shakes the cradle.” Respectfully, Jai Lall

Former President Granger kept ... From page 6

that will, hopefully, last for a long time. He believed that all regions of the country needed to be developed equally. He not only followed the constitutionally required Local Government elections (staging two in five years where the PPP/C held only one in 20 years), but devolved budget power to the local organs; and decentralised court, passport and other services to the regions, rather than have residents travel to the capital or wait long periods for important processes. He also created four towns with the view to localising better municipal development and decision-making. The PPP/C preferred unaccountable Interim Management Committees and executive officers by fiat, instead of holding mandated elections. One of his other fundamental initiatives was to take the albatross of the territorial

claims by Venezuela to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), a major move to permit Guyana to fully exploit our resource-rich Essequibo ‘county’. Earlier bilateral attempts by the leadership of the PPP/C with Venezuela might have cost Guyana control of its oil resources offshore. It is difficult to not to appreciate the resolution of this nearly 60-yearold impasse. The case is before the ICJ and the PPP/C is expected to see it through to a successful and final legal outcome. Brigadier Granger saw education as the vital link to better long term development of Guyana. He focused not only on examination results (which improved significantly) but on the fundamentals of the problem for all the regions – getting to school, obtaining a healthy meal and paying teachers better. The Five Bs program was born – buses, books, boats,

bicycles and breakfast, provided mainly by donations from the public. Higher funding was given to the university and the announcement was made that tertiary education would have been made free. Although management of the oil negotiations with the ExxonMobil oil giant was criticised, there were firm and transparent steps to install comprehensive legislation; local content rules; sale of our oil allocation; environmental safeguards and more advantageous future revenue shares from our oil resources. A Natural Resource Fund has been established into which oil revenues are already been paid. One of President Granger’s personal achievements was keeping a coalition of disparate ideas, multiple objectives and several leaders of small parties together. Not an easy

task politically, especially where seat allocations and ministries were negotiated before taking office. Even while recovering from ill health, President Granger waged an energetic campaign across the country inspiring supporters and opponents alike with his integrity and honesty. He has been statesman-like in the post-election haggling and has overseen a transition in a situation where the legal challenges have been exhausted, notwithstanding overwhelming evidence of systemic fraud. President Granger can go out of office satisfied that he achieved much, amidst a hostile and volatile local and regional atmosphere. Regards, Carl Campbell

President revokes Commissioner of Lands and Surveys’ authority to sanction leases

President Irfaan Ali

PRESIDENT Irfaan Ali, on Friday, issued an order in the Official Gazette revoking the Commissioner of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) authority to sanction the renting and granting of leases and other functions. Made under “The Interpretation and General Clauses Act (Cap 2:01)” the order is cited as the “Delegation of Functions (Revocation) Order 2020” “The Delegation of Function Order 2016 delegating certain function to the Commissioner of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission is revoked… Made this 7th day of August,” the order, which was signed by Ali, read. The current serving Commissioner of the GLSC is Trevor Benn. The referenced “Delegation of Functions Order 2016” had empowered the Commissioner to exercise functions on behalf of the president as conferred by the Lands Department Act and State Lands Act, delegating powers to the post in relation to public and state lands. The functions had previously been conferred on the post by former President David Granger in 2016. Under the 2016 order, the Commissioner of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission was “deputed to exercise on behalf of the President the functions relating to the sanctioning

Commissioner of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, Trevor Benn

of renting and granting of leases, licences, and permission of occupancy of all Public Lands (government lands under the meaning of the Lands Department Act and State Lands under the meaning of the State Lands Act)”. The withdrawal of the functions means that approval for leases must now pass through the Office of the President and get the president’s approval before going forward. When contacted by the Guyana Chronicle, Benn said while the change will slow up the work of the Commission somewhat, the powers were always at the discretion of the President of the day.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, August 8, 2020

SASOD launches cyberbullying campaign THE Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) has launched a social media campaign to put a halt to cybercrimes against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community in Guyana. According to Managing Director, Joel Simpson, the non-governmental organisation, which usually documents cybercrimes against LGBTQ persons in Guyana, has noticed an increase in cybercrimes since the country entered a partial lockdown and more persons were forced to stay home. Simpson, during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, noted that the discovery led the organisation to launch an online campaign against cybercrime and cyberbullying. “We noticed that because of the partial lockdown, and the stay-at-home guidelines, that there was an increase in cyberbullying and also cybercrimes. It seemed logical because now persons weren’t interacting in person as much and so they were taking their grievances and their prejudices out on other people online,” Simpson said. He told the Guyana Chronicle that while the organisation has been providing services for victims of cybercrimes and cyberbullying, they needed to adapt a strategy to target the perpetrators to spearhead a prevention method. “We recognised that while we are providing services for people who are victims, we really wanted to prevent

these cybercrimes and cyberbullying from happening in the first place.” A huge part of prevention, Simpson said, is edu-

Simpson added that given the ages of the perpetrators, the campaign is based on social media platforms which see posters and other

Managing Director of the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), Joel Simpson

cation since according to the organisation’s research and data collection, many Guyanese are not aware of the serious consequences that follow when one commits a cybercrime, especially when it relates to the sharing of nude photographs, without consent, acts of humiliation, vulgar comments about people’s health status and defamation of character. “A lot of people, especially young people, don’t know that some of these acts that they are committing online are actual crimes and that they can go to jail for a minimum of three years and be fined for millions of dollars for committing these crimes,” he stated.

content being posted with the particulars of the Cybercrime Act 2018. “The average person won’t sit down and read a piece of legislation to learn something so you have to kind of give them it in a bitesize digestible social media like post… we [decided] to do an online social media campaign to educate people about what are the particular offences in the Cybercrime Act 2018 and what are the very, very serious penalties and hefty fines,” he told this newspaper. Additionally, Simpson disclosed that the organisation has been working with the Guyana Police Force’s Cybercrimes United to keep

track of cases that would have been reported during the pandemic. “We work very closely with the cybercrimes unit at CID both here in Georgetown and at New Amsterdam in Berbice [and] because of those relationships, we are able to monitor cases [and] let them know that we are representing people and follow up on people’s behalf.” With respect to the COVID-19 guidelines, SASOD has been offering their services online, providing members of the LGBTQ Community in Guyana with psychosocial counselling via the Zoom application and WhatsApp. “When the COVID-19 pandemic had started we had generally transformed our services online, especially our legal services, human rights documentation and our counselling services so we were giving and all of that primarily online,” he said. Simpson added that the organisation has been urging persons to reach out to SASOD not only to report crimes, but also for counselling as well as encourage others who have been a victim of a cybercrime of cyberbullying. “Apart of the campaign as well, we have been telling persons who would have recently experienced any form of cyberbullying or cybercrime to reach out to us so we could provide support and we had a few people coming forward,” he said.

DDL workers benefit from 5-7 % wage, salary increases

EMPLOYEES of Demerara Distillers Limited this year received wage and salary increases of 5-7 per cent. In a press release issued after joint negotiations between the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), the Guyana Labour Union (GLU), and the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union (CCWU) and Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), workers in the respective union bargaining units are benefitting from improved pay and other conditions of work. The increases are based on evaluation of employ-

ees’ performance by the company. The three unions jointly engaged the company in several rounds of negotiations and through those discussions, a number of multi-year agreements were agreed. The agreements provide a mechanism whereby dissatisfied workers could approach the union and for another evaluation to be conducted to determine their performance and thus, pay hikes. Apart from pay hikes, the unions and the company agreed on improved rates for meals allowance, overtime rates, premium rates and

leave-passage assistance. The unions and the company commenced discussions earlier this year, but these were thwarted by the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic. While face-toface engagements were hamstrung, the discussions continued and led to the agreements. According to the release, the workers are most pleased with the agreements and look forward to receiving their retroactive payments. The GAWU, for its part, is also pleased that an agreement could be reached and looks forward to engagements a bit later with the company as discussions begin to fo-

cus on future agreements. The GAWU as a responsible union continues to stand by and with its members in this difficult time. It continues to engage employers regarding their employees’ health and well-being at the workplace, while ensuring that adequate and appropriate protection is provided. We are hopeful in the coming weeks of engaging other employers regarding improvements in conditions of work.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, August 8, 2020

‘No public servants were fired’ – Teixeira assures public

…but says ministers need to relinquish State property as customary

MINISTER of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, has made it clear that no public servant has been asked to resign since the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) took Office. The reports were made recently by a television news agency which stated that several staff attached to the Ministry of the Presidency had been asked to resign. This information was corrected by Minister Teixeira on Friday at a virtual press conference. “Let me make it clear, no one has been terminated or fired. No one has received a letter terminating or firing them,” she said. Even before the end of the elections, now Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo had made it clear that Guyanese have nothing to fear should the PPP/C take office. He assured supporters earlier in the year: “They [APNU+AFC] are spreading fears in their minds…about losing their jobs but ordinary people don’t have to worry about

the PPP/C, whether they voted for APNU+AFC or not, because we take care of all Guyanese.” Meanwhile, Teixeira was plain-spoken when she explained that this privilege is not given to Ministers of Government as when a new administration is elected, it is only expected that they vacate office. Along with their departure of office must also be their departure of all government residents and relinquishment of government assets such as vehicles or equipment. The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance said that the PPP/C will not sit idly by while the APNU+AFC Opposition paints the request of the government that former Ministers vacate and relinquish state assets as “witch-hunting”. She made direct reference to a statement by former President David Granger on Friday, in his capacity as Leader of the People’s National Congress (PNC),

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira

on which occasion he stated that the government had commenced a “vulgar, divisive and vindictive campaign of alienation, discrimination and separation against…Coalition ministers and members of Guyana’s Public Service”. Teixeira said that these comments are disturbing and cannot go without response. She said that Granger, as

a former President, should not be exaggerating what is customary and misinforming the public. “As you well know, ministers automatically lose their jobs when a government changes and so, on August 2, when the results were declared, at that time in the afternoon, the ministers no longer had their jobs. And,

as per norm in Parliamentary democracies, ministers vacate their residences,” she said. “This is what is considered honorable, decent, dignified and democratic. So, what we have seen here is that, yes, ministers are no longer Ministers of the APNU+AFC government. We know that they have vacated their offices and that they are expected to hand over State property and State assets.” Clearing up further the misconceptions, Teixeira that two former ministers who do not live in Georgetown have been given one month to vacate the requisite government residence they occupy as opposed to just a few days as relayed to the media. With regard to those given 36-hours to vacate, who reside in Georgetown, she said that the PPP/C Government has received no request by any former minister for a time extension. However, she said that it is common practice under the circumstance that if one resides on

Guyana National Cadet Corps launches virtual camp THE Guyana National Cadet Corps (GNCC) on Wednesday launched its third annual summer camp under the theme, “Remaining innovative, integrated and motivated to mould our youths to secure our future.” In observance of innovation and in view of the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s camp will be facilitated virtually via the Zoom platform. The camp’s opening ceremony saw the virtual participation of some 100 cadets from across the various regions of Guyana. Participants in the camp are of the ages 12-16. Declaring the virtual

camp open, Commanding Officer (CO) of the GNCC, Lieutenant Colonel Eon Murray, emphasised the timeliness of the camp’s theme. “Our theme emphasises our need to remain motivated, and that starts with you [the cadets] doing the right thing when no one is watching. We will attempt to motivate others by our positive responses and our determination to overcome challenges,” he said. He explained that the GNCC cadets can stay integrated through various forms of communication across all the regions. “In this global village, we do not have a choice. It is important for us to be innovative and adapt

a government property, he/ she would leave as early as possible when the position of minister is no longer held. The minister recalled that in May 2015, the day after former President Granger was sworn-in to Office, then former Ministers of the PPP/C vacated all properties belonging to the State by the morning of the next day. She said that it is ironic that the opposition decries the PPP/C’s request of the customary actions post-elections but treated now President Irfaan Ali and former President Sam Hinds poorly when they won the 2015 elections, preventing them from retrieving personal belongings from ministries and other acts. “We don’t want to do this to ministers, we don’t want this level of indignity and therefore we expect that the ministers and the political appointees will recognise that they have to behave in a particular way this time,” she said.

Suriname President, Foreign Minister to attend President Ali’s inauguration

A screenshot of the launch of Guyana National Cadet Corps virtual camp

to change. Here we are, making our own history; here we are making the impossible possible and this is because of our commitment to bonding and staying integrated,” he said. Lieutenant-Colonel Murray challenged the cadets and staff of the GNCC to remain positive and focused, and to continue working hard. “Seek knowl-

edge when you are in doubt and share knowledge when you have been enlightened. Stay safe to avoid contracting COVID-19 or any other infectious diseases,” he concluded. The GNCC was established on March 1, 2018, with the initial participation of six schools. Five more schools were integrated into the pro-

gramme in 2019. Another five schools which ought to have joined the corps in 2020, have had their inclusion put in abeyance due to the current COVID-19 pandemic impacts. The GNCC is now operational in all 11 of Guyana’s education districts.

THE President of the Republic of Suriname, Mr. Chandrikapersad Santokhi, and his Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business, and International Politics, Mr. Albert Ramdin, will attend today’s inauguration of His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. This is according to a press release from the Department of Public Information. President Santokhi will be in Guyana for 24 hours. Subsequent to the Inauguration Ceremony, President Ali will have bilateral discussions with the Suriname President and his delegation. Further, a Special Envoy from the Prime Minister of Barbados, Hon. Mia Mottley, will be attending the Inauguration Ceremony.

CCAC warns consumers of disguised Pyramid, Ponzi Schemes THE Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC) has issued a warning to consumers to be wary of Pyramid and Ponzi schemes which are disguised as legitimate investments. This comes after several enquiries were made to the commission about the “investment” scams. The commission has also been told of approaches made to persons with the “get-rich-quick” schemes through investing in these groups that will earn them multiple times their investments. Part of the scheme is for them to also engage in continuous recruitment of persons to join this pyramid scheme. Consumers need to note that, “Essentially, the foundation on which the pyramid scheme is built is the problem. Any plan that offers commissions for recruiting new members will inevitably collapse. The real casualties in the collapse are always the people at the bottom, with the people at the top of the pyramid protected,” the commission said in a statement. Part V of the Guyana Consumer Affairs Act, No. 13 of 2011 speaks to the issue of “Pyramid selling” as it clearly states: A person shall not promote or operate a pyramid selling scheme and any person who contravenes the subsection of this Act commits an offence. The Act spells out that the term “pyramid selling scheme means a scheme that (a) provides for the supply of goods or services or both for reward; (b) that, to many participants, constitutes primarily an opportunity to sell an investment opportunity rather than an opportunity to supply goods or services: and (c) that is unfair, or is likely to be unfair, to many of the participants in that – (1) the financial rewards of many of the participants are dependent on the recruitment of additional participants; and (11) the number of additional participants that must be recruited to produce reasonable rewards to participants is either not attainable, or is not likely to be attained, by many of the participants. The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) highlights several tips that should be considered when making a decision to be involved in these schemes: Avoid any plan that includes commissions for recruiting additional distributors. It may be an illegal pyramid. Beware of plans that ask new distributors to purchase expensive inventory. These plans can collapse quickly and may be thinly disguised pyramids. Be cautious of plans that claim you will make money through continued growth of your “downline” – the commissions on sales made by new distributors you recruit – rather than through your sale of products. Beware of plans that claim to sell miracle products or promise enormous earnings. Just because a promoter of a plan makes a claim doesn’t mean that it is true! Ask the promoter of the plan to substantiate claims with hard evidence. Beware of “decoy” references paid by a plan’s promoter to describe their fictional success in earning money through the plan. Don’t pay or sign any contract in an “opportunity meeting” or any other high-pressure situation. Insist on taking your time to think over a decision to join. Talk it over with a knowledgeable friend, an accountant, or lawyer. In the case of the “investment” ponzi schemes, the CCAC reminds consumers about an advisory issued in October 2019 by the Guyana Securities Council warning persons about fraudsters fleecing unsuspecting persons by asking them to invest in business in the securities market, but who are not licensed to so do by the council. In this case, consumers are advised to check with the Securities Council before making investments. The CCAC is urging consumers to do thorough research before becoming entangled in any of these schemes. If you think you have been scammed, please contact the CCAC to investigate.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, August 8, 2020

Sophia ‘drive-by’ sends residents diving for cover

Leroy Little

A HAIL of bullets meant for Office of the President member of staff, Leroy Little late Friday afternoon miraculously missed its target but sent residents of his Farmers Field, Sophia neighbourhood scurrying for cover. Little, a television journalist, told the Guyana Chronicle it’s a miracle he’s still alive as he was standing right there in his yard when the gunmen opened fire. Noting that it was the third

Leroy Little’s house

time for the week that he’d come under fire, Little, said he and his teenaged brother were standing in the yard, listening to a strange murmur coming from his car when he alerted him that there were two motorcycles approaching their house from the opposite ends of the street. “My brother told me there were two motorbikes approaching, and because of the two shootings we had here during the week,

we all on alert,” he said. “And once the vehicles got in front of my house here, both of the persons on the bikes opened fire.” He said that once their mission was accomplished, the gunmen just kept on riding, shooting as they went until they were well out of sight. Little said he is still at a loss as to who might want him dead and why. “Me ain’t get no problems with anybody,” he said, adding

that he does not believe it has anything to do with his job at the Office of the President. Thankfully, no one was injured during any of the random shootings, but the police have since recovered seven spent shells from the scene, and with the little information they’ve gathered are trying to piece together the identity of the hitmen.

PNC forging ahead with elections petition THE People’s National Congress (PNC) through its leader former President David Granger, has iterated that it will soon be challenging the results of the 2020 General and Regional Elections which the party does not believe were legally declared. In a statement on Friday, Granger urged supporters to remain calm and to rest assured that the party intends to pursue justice on the matter. “The PNC will challenge the declared results lawfully. We urge our members, supporters and friends – who have been patient throughout our campaign and the post-elections process – to continue to conduct themselves in a lawful and peaceful manner,” the PNC Leader stated.

While the current opposition had sought to challenge the declaration of the results based on the recount data through the courts prior to the declaration, several subsequent rulings made it clear that they could only do so through an elections petition. The APNU+AFC has since vowed to do so. According to the former President, the recount process revealed a plethora of grave anomalies, discrepancies and irregularities and, given that it set out to determine the quantitative and qualitative nature of the votes cast, excluding these findings from the Elections Report has prevented “a final, credible count.” The PNC Leader stated: “The PNC and APNU+AFC coalition have stated repeatedly from the start of the

electoral process, that they expected a lawful ‘Declaration’ of the Elections Commission. We have never altered this position. The PNC cannot endorse a flawed report and will continue its campaign to ensure that the votes of all Guyanese are accurately recorded, tallied and reported.” He thanked members of the coalition, supporters of the party and all who participated in the challenging 2020 General and Regional Elections for doing so. Meanwhile, the former President also accused the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) of being engaged in a “vulgar, divisive and vindictive campaign” against APNU+AFC ministers and members of Guyana’s Public Service. He disputed the requests

sent out by the government that former government ministers vacate the government properties they occupy to allow the new ministers to move in. On Wednesday, 19 new ministers were sworn in to office by President Irfaan Ali. “The People’s National Congress warns the People’s Progressive Party to desist from pursuing this dangerous pattern of aggression against officials, members of society and persons perceived to belong to other political parties. The PPP will bear responsibility for the consequences of its conduct,” he cautioned, though he did not state what these consequences would be.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, August 8, 2020

Land, youth development and jobs priorities for new Amerindian Affairs Minister ONE of the major issues affecting Guyana’s first peoples is that of land ownership and newly-appointed Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Hon. Pauline Sukhai, said she intends to resume a more robust mechanism towards completing the Amerindian Land Titling project. Minister Sukhai told media operatives on Wednesday that the PPP/C Administration, in their previous tenure, would have put together and committed funds to pursue the completion of the land project to resolve Amerindian land issues. “We were expected to have all the land that was applied for by Indigenous people looked at, but there has been a setback and a pause on it more or less and I intend to resume with more robust attention towards completing that project,” the minister is quoted in a Department of Public Information (DPI) press release as saying. Further, she said an immediate course of action will be to ease the burden of hinterland communities, especially in those areas that were neglected over the past five years. In the long term, Minister Sukhai said her government intends to expand on the housing project, youth development and jobs, and

invest in private enterprises. “I believe that empowerment is going to help in any national drive to bring on par those who are in a lesser economic position and therefore we are going to see how we going to continue to invest in the area of entrepreneurship,” she said, according to the press release. Minister Sukhai added that projects such as the Presidential Grant programme which was started under the PPP/C government will continue since it provides an income and a source of livelihood and promotes food security within hinterland villages. Community tourism will be another area of focus for the government, she said, noting that this sector has great possibilities in the hinterland. “So, there are many potential areas that we will have to continue to work in,” she added. Additionally, as it relates to the issue of COVID-19 and its impact on hinterland communities, Minister Sukhai said His Excellency President Irfaan Ali has swiftly put together a plan of action which will comprehensively address the national COVID-19 issues. Just recently the minister sent face masks to the Pakaraimas. Region Eight has only two confirmed cases.

Minister Pauline Sukhai was sworn in as Minister of Amerindian Affairs by President Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Wednesday.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Hon. Pauline Sukhai taking her Oath of Office

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, August 8, 2020

‘There will not be any form of discrimination or witch-hunting’ – Says AG during meeting with staff at Legal Affairs Ministry

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, during the meeting with his staff members THE Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, on Friday met with professional, managerial, clerical and secretarial staff of the Ministry of Legal Affairs. In brief remarks, the AG reminded the staff that their priority, at all times, must be to render professional and competent service to the government and to the people of Guyana at large . Minister Nandlall assured all staff members that there will not be any form of

discrimination or witch-hunting of any sort at the ministry and that all staff members are expected to discharge their duties professionally and competently. However, the minister indicated that there will be a review of the work and operations of the ministry and any action and conduct considered to be excessive and unlawful will be addressed swiftly and condignly. The AG emphasised that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration is committed to improving the lives of every

Guyanese and reminded his staff that this is the ministry that is charged with the responsibility of laying down the legal infrastructure to make that possible. Minister Nandlall further assured the staff that he remains accessible at all times to any staff member, irrespective of the position they hold. The Attorney General concluded his address by expressing his best wishes to everyone and stated that he expects a cohesive and harmonious relationship with every member of staff.

Nandlall, who also previously served as chief legal adviser under Donald Ramotar’s minority government, asserted that this time around in a previous interview, posited that the government will work towards an “active legislative agenda.” This is because there are many important pieces of legislation that have to be passed in this era, especially considering the fact that Guyana is now entering into a new economic vista as an oil-producing nation.

Radio Shack celebrates launch of third local store IN a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony, Radio Shack Guyana on Friday opened the doors to its third store under the Unicomer Guyana network of retail stores at the Fogarty’s main outlet mall Robb street entrance. Speaking at the opening, Brand manager of Radio Shack Guyana Roberta Ferguson, in her remarks, stated “Radio Shack was launched in Guyana in 2017 and during that short period of time, we’re opening our third store. We’re very happy to be here and to be at this location in the heart of Georgetown. We’re committed to serving

Brand ambassador of Radio Shack, Roberta Ferguson

Director of Commercial Operations of Unicomer, Laverne Barker

Store manager Rondel Bristol interacts with customers at the opening ceremony

Radio Shack, located in the bottom flat of the Fogarty building the Guyanese community tioned endeavour, as it would RadioShack is proud to with the best in electronics further provide customers open its largest store on the and the fact that we’re open- with the very best in elec- ground floor of the Fogaing our third location is a tes- tronic products. rty’s Building. timony to the great services Radio Shack was first RadioShack stores prowe provide. “ launched in Guyana in vide real solutions to conAccording to Laverne 2017 at the Giftland Mall. sumers’ everyday technoBarker, director of commer- Later, the brand further logical needs and a unique cial operations of Unicom expanded its operations to but interactive shopping Guyana, the opening cer- include a smaller outlet in experience with staff, who emony had long been de- the Lucky Dollar building have expert knowledge layed because of the current on Regent Street, along about their products , pandemic. Nevertheless, the with a few courts outlets. while also offering affordcompany is very happy to Now, as the brand con- able and flexible financing have pursued the aforemen- tinues to grow in Guyana, plans to its customers.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, August 8, 2020

‘We are here to deliver’ - Minister Juan Edghill

NEWLY-appointed Minister of Public Works (MoPW), Honourable Bishop Juan Edghill, on Friday, met with the various heads of agencies within the ministry when he pointed out

that he and Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Honourable Deodat Indar, “are here to deliver”. Minister Bishop Edghill cautioned his staff to be “brutally

frank” with him and to operate in an environment of communication. Moreover, he advised the heads of agencies against “dragging of feet” on the job. Meanwhile, Minister Indar

told the staff not to be intimidated as the leadership team seeks to perform better than the previous administration. He said that, “We have to work together to deliver to the people.”

The minister added that President of Guyana, His Excellency Dr. Irfaan Ali, campaigned for a transformational agenda for infrastructure “that we have to make a reality.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, August 8, 2020

Cuba congratulates H.E Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali

President of Cuba, Hon. Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez

THE Government of Cuba has sent a congratulatory message to His Excellency, President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, on his ascension to government. In the letter sent to the Head of State by President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, Dr. Ali’s electoral win was lauded and supported. “Congratulation on the electoral triumph of the People’s Progressive Party and your election as President of the Cooperative of Guyana” President Díaz-Canel Bermúdez stated, according to a press release from the Department of Public Information (DPI). The Cuban President said the occasion was an auspi-

cious one and expressed the will to continue strengthening the friendship and cooperation between the two countries. “Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration and esteem.” President Díaz-Canel Bermúdez added. Dr. Ali was sworn into office on Sunday last. He has since appointed his transition team of Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo; Prime Minister, Mark Phillips; Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira. On Wednesday, President Ali appointed 19 more cabinet members and Ministers of Government.

‘Not here to take food from people’s mouth’ — new PPP/C gov’t assures nation THE People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government, on Friday, assured that it has no intention of “taking away food from people’s mouth, as its only concern right now surrounds former political appointees who are reluctant to move on.” Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Hon. Gail Teixeira, explained that there are still individuals who served under the previous administration that have refused to adhere to the Standing Operational Protocols in Parliamentary Democracy, according to a press release from the Department of Public Information (DPI). Minister Teixeira appeared on a live broadcast moments after an address was made by former President David Granger calling on the PPP/C administration to desist from what he said is a “witch-hunting” exercise. In responding to the address, Minister Teixeira noted the new PPP government is not seeking to remove hardworking public servants from their jobs. The minister reminded that upon the change of any administration, ministers automatical-

ly lose their jobs, and political appointees who are usually selected by the president of the day, are also expected to resign. While two political appointees at the Office of the President (OP) have already submitted resignations, others are still to do so. The political appointees have until Monday, August 10, 2020. “Unfortunately, there are a number of political appointees who were advised to hand over their vehicles and vacate premises paid for by taxpayers but have refused to do so. We are looking to address the political appointees at the Office of the President. While we have not dismissed and terminated people, we have asked persons to remove from government premises.” “We want to assure all people that we are not here to take away food from people’s mouth. We are not here to take away public servants who are working hard in the system. We are not dealing with public servants.” Minister Teixeira reminded that back in 2015, when the PPP/C lost the elections, officials did not resist what was expected of them.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, August 8, 2020

Jakobsen out of coma

(BBC) - Dutch rider Fabio Jakobsen is out of a coma and in a “good” condition, according to the Tour of Poland organisers. The 23-year-old was involved in a high-speed crash at the finish of the opening stage of the race on Wednesday. Jakobsen had facial surgery, but his Deceuninck-QuickStep team denied he had suffered head and brain injuries. “Fabio Jakobsen is awake now from the coma. Condition is good,” read a tweet from race organisers. His team says he is now facing a “long and arduous” recovery. “Fabio underwent a fivehour maxillofacial surgery,” Deceuninck-QuickStep said in a statement. “He was able to move his legs and arms and communicate with the doctors, which immediately ruled out major neurological problems. “Due to the surgery, speaking and eating will be a challenge in the coming period as the recovery process is expected to be a long and

Bagioli dedicated his debut win to his injured team-mate arduous one.” rule and that’s unacceptable,” sional victory to Jakobsen after sprinting home on the Jakobsen’s compatriot said the team. Dylan Groenewegen, who “We have decided that opening stage of the Tour de caused the crash, has been Dylan will not start in a race l’Ain in Ceyzeriat yesterday. “Thanks to my team. This suspended by his Jumbo-Vis- until the judgement of the disma team pending the outcome ciplinary committee to which win is for Fabio,” he said. Team Ineos’ general clasof a disciplinary inquiry by the UCI has handed over the sification contenders Geraint the UCI, cycling’s governing incident. body. “We will support Dylan Thomas and Egan Bernal The 27-year-old, who has and his family as a team to finished alongside the leaders apologised for the crash, come through this (mental- in a bunch finish, but Chris Froome, who is leaving the drifted across the road as he ly) tough time for them.” team for Israel Start-Up Nacontested the sprint finish in tion at the end of 2020, lost Katowice. ‘THIS WIN IS time on his rivals. “Team Jumbo-Visma FOR FABIO’ The three-day race constands for fair sportsmanship, Deceuninck-QuickStep within the rules. With his team-mate Andrea Bagioli cludes at the top of Grand move Dylan broke a sports dedicated his first profes- Colombier tomorrow.

Three teams lodge protest over Racing point’s ‘copy’ debacle (BBC) - Ferrari, McLaren and Renault intend to appeal the decision to punish Racing Point in Formula 1’s “copying” row. Racing Point were docked 15 constructors’ championship points and fined 400 000 euros (£361 000) after being found guilty of illegally copying Mercedes parts. However, Racing Point can continue running those parts. BBC Sport understands the three teams are seeking clarity on the wider issues raised by the verdict. Protesting against the verdict allows these issues to be dealt with in front of a panel of lawyers at the FIA court of appeal. Ferrari, McLaren and Renault have lodged an intention to appeal. They have 96 hours from doing so to confirm that intention. Racing Point have not said whether they intend to appeal against the verdict. The decision found Racing Point guilty of using an effective copy of Mercedes’ 2019 rear brake ducts on their 2020 car, which is forbidden by F1 regulations. The information regarding these parts had been supplied legally by Mercedes in 2019, but a change of regulations before the 2020 season made brake ducts a part of the car that teams have to design themselves. Despite the ruling saying the parts had been designed illegally, were run il-

legally at the first four races, and would continue to be in contravention of the regulations if they remained on the car, Racing Point have been allowed to carry on using them. Stewards said this was because the verdict was considered to be an appropriate punishment for the breach, and as a result of problems caused by asking Racing Point to redesign parts given the knowledge they already have. But rival teams are also concerned about the wider issue that the entire car is a virtual copy of the 2019 Mercedes. Racing Point say they achieved this by taking photographs of the Mercedes and designing their car from them, a claim treated with scepticism by their rivals, who argue that if this was possible to this extent, other teams would have done it before. Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto, speaking before Ferrari made their intentions clear, said: “One thing that is important is that it has somehow been clarified that there has been a breach of regulation. That is the starting point. “Obviously that is relative to the braking ducts, but there is an entire concept behind, which is about copying. Are we allowed to copy, or not, an entire concept? “But the two things need to be split. On the braking duct there is a breach of regulation - that is a fact and it has been clarified. Is the penalty sufficient or not?”

McLaren Racing chief executive officer Zak Brown said: “My initial reactions are that Racing Point has been found guilty and I am concerned that they still have those… what were deemed illegal in Austria on the race car now. “That is confusing for the fans, how something that is not legal in Austria is still on the car. “This is, potentially, the top of the iceberg, the starting point of looking at what’s happened here, because I don’t think it’s healthy for the sport.” Renault F1 team boss Cyril Abiteboul said: “We need to recognise that what Racing Point has done, based on a car that has such an advantage, against anyone else on the grid, has been a shock in the system, has been a disruption. We need to see how we deal with it.” Mercedes team Principal Toto Wolff said: “The verdict that came out today is extremely complicated. It comes up with an interpretation that is new - new to all of us. We have provided certain data in 2019, which was totally within the rules. “I don’t think the brake ducts are the reason that they suddenly compete for the first six positions. I think it’s a splendid engineering team there that has extracted the most from the regulations. I think we can have the debate of ‘do we want this going forward?’ in terms of having copies of whole cars.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, August 8, 2020

Racing Point docked points, fined over copying Mercedes parts (BBC) - Racing Point have been docked 15 points and fined 400 000 euros (£361 000) for illegally copying parts of last year’s Mercedes car. The ruling came following a protest by Renault against the 2020 Racing Point, arguing that they had copied the brake ducts used by Mercedes in 2019. F1’s governing body FIA upheld the protest in part in handing down the fine and points deduction. Racing Point can appeal but have not indicated whether they will. The ruling hangs on the stipulation in the rules that teams must design specific parts of the cars themselves. Renault argued that the front and rear brake ducts of the Racing Point were too similar to those on the 2019 Mercedes to fit this description and that the information could not have been obtained other than by a transfer of intellectual property. Brake ducts are key parts in the aerodynamics of an F1 car, as they help control the airflow off the front wing, increasing downforce. Mercedes admitted they had supplied information about the front and rear brake ducts of their 2019 car, but this was allowed because these were not listed parts at the time. The FIA decided that the front brake ducts of the Racing Point were legal as, although they had been copied from Mercedes, they had been used on the 2019 car. But a rule change between 2019 and 2020 added brake ducts to the category of so-called “listed parts” that teams have to design themselves. Stewards found that Racing Point had used computer

Racing Point’s 15-point deduction will only affect the constructors’ championship. design data legally supplied by Mercedes to Racing Point in 2019 to design their rear brake ducts with “minimal changes” and fit them to their 2020 car. As the parts had not been used on the 2019 car, they were not permitted to be used in 2020, because they were a Mercedes design, not Racing Point’s, and had not been an integral part of last year’s car. The FIA said that had Racing Point asked whether they could use the 2019 Mercedes rear brake ducts on their car this year, they would have been told they could not. But they did not ask whether this was allowed. And the FIA found that “on a fair reading” of the rules, the

rear brake ducts on the 2020 Racing Point “were designed in large part by Mercedes”. The FIA found that Racing Point “minimised the significance of the input it received from Mercedes and overstated the amount of work it actually did. Mercedes gave Racing Point a large proportion of their brake duct designs. Racing Point then made relatively minor changes to them.” The protest covered the first four grands prix of the season, and the FIA stewards said the points deduction was “intended to penalise the potential advantage Racing Point may have accrued in the design process”. Although the design process has been declared illegal, the stewards ruled that Racing Point are able to run the brake ducts for the rest of this season. The penalty “covers the entire process of (non)-designing of the brake ducts and making them available for use during the whole 2020 season”, even though their use “remains an infringement” of the regulations. The points deduction and fine are considered to be a sufficient punishment for the offence. FIA head of single-seaters Nikolas Tombazis said the governing body intended to introduce new rules to prevent teams following the route Racing Point have taken in designing effective copies of other cars in the future. Tombazis said the new rules would “prevent teams from using extensive parts of photos to copy whole portions of other cars in the way that Racing Point has done. “We will still accept individual components to be copied in local areas, but we don’t want the whole car to be fundamentally a copy of another car.”

Hamilton heads Bottas in British Friday practice (BBC) - Lewis Hamilton headed teammate Valtteri Bottas for Mercedes in second practice at the 70th Anniversary GP. Hamilton was 0.176 seconds ahead of Bottas but on different tyres. Mercedes were assessing which tyres might be most suitable for qualifying as teams struggled with durability in high temperatures at Silverstone. Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo was third, from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Racing Point’s Lance Stroll and Nico Hulkenberg. The lifetime - or lack of it - of the tyres was the big focus of the day as teams came to grips with a softer tyre selection from Pirelli than at last weekend’s British Grand Prix at the same track. The tyres are all one grade softer this weekend, so last weekend’s ‘soft’ tyre which was very much not favoured - is the medium this weekend, and the ‘hard’ which was the preferred race tyre last weekend is

not supplied this time. The tyre supplied as the ‘soft’ this weekend is the second softest of Pirelli’s range, and it appears unsuited to the demands of Silverstone’s high-speed sweeps on a summer’s day with temperatures of 30C. Hamilton’s fastest time was set on medium tyres, while Bottas’ was on a soft. Stroll and Hulkenberg also used the medium to set their fastest times. Behind the Racing Points, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was seventh quickest, ahead of the McLarens of Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz. George Russell was 16th in the Williams. Leclerc’s team-mate Sebastian Vettel was closer to the 22-year-old than he was on a bad weekend for the German last time out, but still 0.4secs back in 14th place. Vettel also suffered an engine failure towards the end of the session. The day was dominated by off-track

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel had engine troubles news. Hulkenberg’s role as stand-in for Sergio Perez, who has coronavirus, was confirmed only a couple of hours before the first session. Following a series of protests from Renault, Racing Point were also found to have breached the regulations on designing

their car and fined €400 000 and docked 15 points for illegally copying Mercedes’ 2019 brake ducts. And in the gap between the sessions, Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff revealed that the team were in a stand-off with the sport’s bosses over the new contract they need to sign to race in 2021.

CWI receives report from task force for Corporate Governance Reform CRICKET West Indies (CWI) is in receipt of the comprehensive and detailed report prepared by the Independent Task Force for Corporate Governance Reform. At the request of CWI, Jamaican Senator Don Wehby headed the Task Force, which also included Sir Hilary Beckles, Mr Deryck Murray, Mr O.K Melhado and Mr Charles Wilkin QC. The Task Force consulted extensively within CWI, the region and internationally; and the 36-page report drew from a wide cross section of expertise – from knowledgeable stakeholders in the West Indies as well as in the global game. Senator Wehby said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of my Task Force for their selfless dedication to the completion of this project, over the past year. Their time, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, has made the finalisation of this report a reality. We would also like to commend CWI president Ricky Skerritt and his Board of Directors for seeing the need for governance reform and

giving us the opportunity to make a contribution to the sport we love, and for which we wish the utmost best.” Wehby added: “Our Task Force has met formally sixteen (16) times over the period and we have spent many hours preparing the report submitted (the Wehby Report). We are positive that, if implemented, the recommendations of the Wehby Report will improve the governance of CWI and result in positive effects on team performance.” The Report recognised the enormous cricket talent in the region and the need to harness that talent and promote its growth and presented the significant way in which improved governance will contribute to the process. The Task Force also conducted case studies of cricket governance models among major cricket nations and considered it important, in exercise of their mandate, to highlight those principles of modern corporate governance which, in their opinion, should apply to the Board of Directors of CWI as a corporate entity carrying out a public function.

“The principal roles and responsibilities of the Board are organisational and financial planning and reporting, decisions on investments and capital projects, preserving the assets of the company, establishing policy, selecting the executive, general oversight of the executive and exercising other powers given to it by the constituent documents of the company. The membership of the Board should reflect a wide cross section of the skills and competencies required for carrying out its roles and responsibilities.” President Skerritt said: “Governance reform is one of the important promises vice president Kishore Shallow and myself made prior to our election last year. When all is said and done, we expect that the Wehby Report will be seriously considered by the directors and member representatives. The task force and stakeholders can be assured that we will do all we can to ensure the implementation of this report.” The report focussed primarily on the Objectives of the Governance Task Force.

Late England surge leaves Test match in the balance (ESPNCRICINFO) - Yasir Shah collected four wickets as Pakistan secured a healthy first-innings lead but England’s five-pronged seam attack chipped away to keep them in contention during the opening match of what could turn out to be a classic three-Test series. Late on an intriguing third day, it felt as though there were multiple scenarios yet to be played out, but it would take much more than England had shown so far to completely flip the script. By the close, the hosts had put themselves in a position to do just that, provided they can take early wickets on the fourth day and then produce an improved batting performance in their second innings. England had resumed in peril at 92 for 4 and required either Ollie Pope or Jos Buttler or both to produce big innings with the deficit 184 runs, following Shan Masood’s outstanding 156, built over the first two days. Instead, Pakistan seamers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Abbas kept the pressure on the batsmen with a miserly first hour in which England managed 19 runs. Abbas was particularly exacting, conceding just one run from his initial seven overs. Pope, who had resumed on 46, passed fifty during that time but he and Buttler, who began the day on 15, just couldn’t get into a flow. It was teenage firebrand Naseem Shah who caused the batsmen real bother, however, eliciting loose shots from both before he had Pope out to an excellent ball, that lifted late off a full length, found the splice and went straight to Shadab Khan at gully for 62. Three balls later, Naseem cracked Chris Woakes on the side of his helmet with bouncer. Concussion tests passed,

Woakes joined Buttler in guiding England to lunch otherwise unscathed, despite the introduction of Yasir, who bowled two overs before the break. In all, England had added 62 runs for the session and trailed by 167. Yasir, who had Joe Root caught behind on the second evening, struck with his second ball after lunch, bowling Buttler between bat and pad as he played forward to a ball he expected to turn more than it did and which crashed into the top of off stump. Buttler, having come in under pressure to score runs, added just 23 for the day before he found himself out to a very good delivery. Yasir then removed Dom Bess with turn and bounce and an excellent slipscatch by Asad Shafiq, who leapt high to his right to pull down the ball which looped off the shoulder of the bat and, crucially, held on as he hit the ground, horizontal and at full stretch. Woakes had dug in for 19 runs off 48 balls but he also fell to Yasir, whose quicker ball clattered into middle stump. For a third day in a row, England were struggling after lunch but being eight wickets down brought Stuart Broad to the crease and there was a sense of anticipation following his crucial half-century in the third Test against West Indies a fortnight ago. Three consecutive boundaries followed off Afridi but by the time Khan had Jofra Archer caught behind off the glove for 16, Broad had quietened down. He had another go with 6-4-2 in succession off Yasir to move to 29 but that’s where he stayed, unbeaten, when James Anderson fell lbw to Khan attempting a reverse sweep and England were all out for 219, trailing by 107. When Broad removed Masood for

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, August 8, 2020

Ben Stokes roars for an lbw. (Getty Images)

an 11-ball duck, Pakistan were 8 for 1 and they could have been two down at tea but for Ben Stokes putting down Abid Ali off the bowling of Anderson. It took the introduction of Bess to make further inroads after the interval. Bess struck with his sixth ball to remove Abid, hoicking in ungainly fashion to deep square leg, and so began an enthralling period where the plot deviated one way then another. Like Bess, Woakes came in with immediate effect, removing the dangerous Babar Azam - who scored 69 in the first innings - for just 5, caught by Stokes holding on this time at second slip. Woakes then trapped Azhar Ali lbw for 18 to put Pakistan at 63 for 4 with the lead 171 and keep England in the fight. Asad Shafiq and Mohammad Rizwan pushed Pakistan’s advantage beyond the 200-mark with a partnership that looked set to frustrate the hosts but which ended on 38 with a superb run-out by Dom Sibley, descending on the ball from point and firing it in off-balance to take out the stumps with Shafiq nowhere near making his ground. Stokes, who did not bowl in the first innings due a quad injury suffered in the West Indies series, came into the attack late in the day and his ability to make things happen could not be denied. Stokes had Rizwan out lbw and Afridi, gloving a bouncer to gully, with Broad accounting for Khan via the DRS in-between after his appeal for lbw was initially turned down by on-field umpire Richard Illingworth but was shown to be hitting leg stump. That left Yasir set to be the protagonist again, seeking quick runs to push the lead up on the fourth morning as the storyline came full circle.

Ronaldo heroics fail to save Juventus (BBC) - Lyon survived a Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired comeback from Juventus to hang on and book a Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City. Leading 1-0 from February’s first leg, the French side were handed a soft early penalty which Memphis Depay converted in style. That left Juve needing to score three times to progress and Ronaldo got one back from the penalty spot. He then thundered in his 130th Champions League goal but Lyon held on. Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri may have guided his side to a ninth straight Serie A title but they were lethargic throughout and his position could be under threat. Juve have not won the Champions League since 1996 and the wait goes on at least another year. UNINSPIRING OLD LADY To question Sarri after one year in charge may seem harsh, but the reality is

that in Turin - as in Paris and in Munich - winning the league is the minimum requirement. Ending that now 25-year drought in the Champions League is the goal and were it not for Ronaldo, Juve offered next to nothing as an attacking force. Six of Sarri’s starting XI are in their 30s and they were painfully slow in approach at times, showing why they had only actually won two of their last eight games in Serie A. Where there is the remarkable Ronaldo there is hope, and his second on the night was a superb, swerving left-footed shot from range that gave hope of another tilt at the business end of the competition. But when Ronaldo headed a corner over the top, that hope was extinguished. Ronaldo could yet win the trophy with a third team, joining Clarence Seedorf in an exclusive club, but time is running out for the 35-year-old, as it may be now for Sarri, too.

LYON LOCK IT OUT Lyon were only seventh in the French top flight when the season was cancelled in April and this was just their second game back. They held Paris St-Germain to a 0-0 draw in the French League Cup final last Friday night - losing on penalties - and were equally resolute in Turin. Referee Felix Zwayer helped them out with a gift of a penalty as Houssem Aouar went down after a drive into the area, with Rodrigo Bentancur clearly winning the ball. Depay converted with a fine Panenka chip, and Lyon always looked likely to see the tie out even after Ronaldo’s double. Depay was harshly adjudged to have handled while blocking a free-kick in the wall to give Juve a way back in and it would have been easy to cave. But Aouar, Bruno Guimaraes and Maxence Caqueret all excelled in midfield as Lyon booked a one-off tie against City in Lisbon next Saturday night.

Women’s World Cup postponed to 2022 (CMC) – Cricket’s world governing body, the ICC, announced yesterday it was postponing the 50-over Women’s World Cup until 2022, amid the ongoing global health risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Three weeks ago, the ICC said it could continue “to evaluate the situation” regarding the staging of the tournament in New Zealand next February, noting that planning would continue as scheduled. However, chief executive Manu Sawhney said pushing back the tournament would help ensure the quality of the tournament, since there had been no women’s cricket played since the global lockdown of sport began six months ago. “We have taken the decision to move the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup to give players from every competing nation, the best opportunity to be ready for the world’s biggest stage and there is still a global qualifier to complete to decide the final three teams,” Sawhney said. “There has been no women’s international cricket played since the conclusion of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup earlier this year and due to the varying impact of COVID-19 globally that is likely to remain the situation for a number of the teams. “Moving the event by 12 months gives all competing teams the chance to play a sufficient level of cricket ahead of both the qualification event and leading into a Cricket World Cup so the integrity of the tournament is maintained.” Five teams – hosts New Zealand and the top four in the ICC Women’s Championship of Australia, England, South Africa and India – have already qualified for the event. West Indies, who finished seventh in the Championship standings, will enter a qualifier next year to determine the remaining three spots for the World Cup. The latest decision by the ICC follows a similar one to also scrap this year’s men’s Twenty20 World Cup in Australia, and stage an event in 2021 and 2022. India will play host to next year’s tournament with Australia staging the 2022 showpiece. Acting ICC chairman Imran Khwaja said the revising of the global itinerary had been necessary in light of the fallout from the pandemic, and done in the best interest of the sport. “Over the last few months as we have considered how we return to staging global events, our number one priority has been to protect the health and safety of everyone involved in ICC events,” he stressed. “The decisions the Board has taken today are in the best interests of the sport, our partners and importantly our fans.” Sawhney pointed out due to the governing body’s early rejigging of the fixtures, participating teams could now plan strategically. “We now have absolute clarity on the future of ICC events enabling all of our members to focus on the rescheduling of lost international and domestic cricket,” he said.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Saturday August 08, 2020) COMPLIMENTS OF XTRA ENERGY DRINK – STABROEK BAZAAR (Tel: 683-9500) CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD- 83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz:

(1) 12 catches (2) 7 catches

Today’s Quiz:

(1) Who are the defending Caribbean Premier League (CPL) champions? (2) Which two teams are scheduled to contest the opening game of CPL 2020?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

GUYANA CHRONICLE Saturday, August 8, 2020

Allen says he’s ‘Too Sharp’ for Morrell Jr ... Guyanese fights tonight for WBA Super Middleweight title GUYANA’S Lennox ‘Too Sharp’ Allen will step into the ring tonight, at 20:00hrs at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles, where he faces Cuban David Morrell Jr for the World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Middleweight Interim World title. Morrell was just six years old when Allen first turned pro in 2004 (a TKO win over Troy Lewis and the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall) and somehow both have managed to arrive at the title stage at the same time. While Allen gets his first bid at a major belt 16 years into his career, for Morrell (2-0, 2KOs), it comes less than one year as a pro and in just his third fight. “I feel like he skipped the line to the title,” Allen (22-01, 14KOs) told BoxingScene. com. “It is what it is. I know the politics of the sport; I have witnessed them firsthand throughout my career. This is a business, though, and I now have the opportunity to handle my business in the ring.” It’s been a long journey in every sense of the word for Allen, who relocated from his Georgetown, Guyana-homeland to Brooklyn, New York

in 2009. The move came shortly after his 10th pro fight, with all but one ring appearance since then taking place in the United States. Also included along the way were lengthy gaps in activity, going all of 2014 without a fight and then experiencing a near threeyear removal from the sport before returning in July 2018. Just two fights have come on his comeback, including a landslide 10-round win

over Derrick Webster last February on ESPN+, where he won the WBA Super Middleweight Gold title. Another year passed by without a fight before getting the call from manager Steven Heid for an opportunity to challenge for his first major title. The fight was to have taken place on April 11 in Minneapolis, the adopted hometown of Morrell who defected from Cuba after amassing a 135-2 amateur

Hero CPL squads ...

From back page

involved in the tournament and the public of Trinidad. “There have been other changes to the squads and support staff as a result of other logistical challenges with the difficulty of travelling at the current time.”

The tournament gets underway on August 18 and will see 33 games played at two venues in Trinidad. The first match will pit last year’s runners-up, Guyana Amazon Warriors against Trinbago Knight Riders. The final will take place on September 10.

record. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic shut down the PBC on Fox event, which is now shifted to tonight live in primetime from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The bout will serve as the chief support to the original headlining act between Jamal James and Thomas Dulormoe for the WBA interim Welterweight title. For Morrell, it’s a fourmonth delay and nine months

between fights in a career that hits its one-year anniversary later this month. As for Allen, it means going 18 months between fights in a career burdened by hard luck but where he’s always found a way to persevere. “I’ve waited a long time for this opportunity, so long that there were many points in my career where I felt like it would never happen,” admits Allen, while further noting that “It’s kind of amusing

that I finally get to fight for the world title and it’s against a fighter who jumped ahead of a long line of fighters.” “But I’m the type; I always say that I have to look forward. I can’t worry about what happened or how someone else got here. This is my opportunity to prove to everyone where I belong in the Super Middleweight division, and to bring that world title home.”

Allen says he’s ‘Too Sharp’ for Morrell Jr ... Guyanese fights tonight for See story WBA Super Middleweight title on page 23

Lennox ‘Too Sharp’ Allen prior to the weigh-in

Hero CPL squads confirmed THE squads for the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) have been confirmed with all players and coaching staff now in Trinidad & Tobago. The whole CPL cohort will be in strict quarantine for the first 14 days they are in the country. There were three players and one coach who could not travel as a result of the stringent protocols to ensure the safety of the CPL cohort and the population of Trinidad & Tobago. Every person was tested 72 hours before they travelled in order to ensure that all members of the party were travelling virus-free. One player based in Jamaica tested positive for COVID-19 and he had been training with two others so all three were withdrawn. One coach based in Australia also tested positive before he departed so he too was not able to travel. Michael Hall, CPL Tournament Operations Director, said: “These withdrawals are a sign that the testing protocols that CPL put in place are working as they should, and while it is disappointing for the players and coach involved it is vital that CPL does nothing to compromise the safety of all those See page 23

Women’s World Cup postponed to 2022 See story on page 22

Mady Villiers of England runs out Afy Fletcher of West Indies during T20 Women’s version of the Women’s World Cup. Fans will have to wait till 2022 for the 50-over edition. (Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

CWI receives report from task force for Corporate Governance Reform Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

See story on page 21 SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 2020