Election Date, Finally
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NothingADVERTISING Better THAT Published BRINGS RESULTSWeekly in theJoin our Guyanese-Caribbean many satisfied clients who know that ads Community in Equality News work. Call for rates: Marie 416-759-2359To advertise, or Bhaskar call at 647-216-2359 647-216-2359 SERVING, CARIBBEAN, EAST ASIANS, GUYANESE, JAMAICANS, TRINIS AND MORE. 416 759 6397 EQUALITY TRAVEL Your first stop to the Caribbean 150 Lawson Road, Toronto 416-759-2359 ON M1C 2J4 Thursday• Thursday September February 26 2019 21 • 2019.Volume • V37,ol Issue 37, #12 #44 • Serving the community for 36 years. www.equalitynews.ca Election date, finally A date on when new General and Regional Elec- tions can be held in Guyana was expected to be an- nounced Wednesday evening after Equality went to press by President David Granger who has stated that this date is not likely to be placed much beyond the February 2020 timeframe. Granger stated that prior to making the an- nouncement he will meet with Guyana Elections Com- missionChair (Ret’d) Justice Claudette Singh. “I had discussions with the Cabinet yesterday (Tues- day) and, naturally, we’d like to get from her [Singh] more details. So, we’ve accepted her date and I hope this evening we’ll be able to ROGER KHAN RELEASED Three and a half days after he was deported make a public announcement to Guyana from the United States, Shaheed ‘Roger’ Khan was on Tuesday released to the nation on the dates,” from police custody on $200,000 bail. Khan had been jailed in the US in 2009 for the President said. HAT IN RING: Meet Baljit Bawa, the Candi- conspiracy to import cocaine into the US; witness tampering and illegal possession Sources in Guyana told date for Brampton Centre for People’s Party of of a firearm. He was accused of running a criminal enterprise in Guyana during Equality that they expected Canada. Originally from Jalandhar, India, the IT his reign in the 2000s. On his release and deportation last Friday, police held him the election to be called in professional believes the October 21 federal election and questioned him over the murders of TV talk show host, Ronald Waddell and early March. is time for a change. boxing coach, Donald Allison. He was then released. Here, a beaming Khan is Stay tuned for more! See more on his ad on Page 21 pictured with a close relative after his release. Calling all West Indians -- Guyanese, Trinis, ELECT QUINTUS Jamaicans -- as well as East Asians, South Asians and more: See my Real Estate in Scarborough-Guildwood specials for this week on Page 11 See ad on Page 4 Clinton V Ellis, BA (Hons), LL.B., J.D. Distinguished Criminal Lawyer for more than thirty years. 8920 Woodbine Avenue, Suite 201, Markham, All Criminal code offences, including driving infractions, as- ON L3R 9W9. Tel: 905-475-9412 saults and other associated domestic offences. • Fax: 905-475-0442 • Email: offi[email protected] A result driven office 2 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26 2019 EQUALITY NEWS 3 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26 2019 EQUALITY NEWS 4 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26 2019 EQUALITY NEWS Your assistance is needed and would be appreci- ated as we work for victory in Scarborough Guild- wood. Please drop into our campaign office, 3704 Kingston Road (just west of Scarborough Gold Club Rd) to help with signs, dropping literature, canvassing, and telephoning. Our campaign is going well and our team is working hard. Have you spotted the Quintus van around the rid- ing...the traveling billboard? Please call or drop into our office. See you soon. Many thanks! Quintus Thuraisingham Federal Conservative Candidate Scarborough-Guildwood 3704 Kingston Road Scarborough, ON M1J 3H3 416-857-3737 electquintus.ca 5 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26 2019 EQUALITY NEWS Commonwealth says Guyana elections ‘overdue’, calls for early date As the country awaits a decision from President David Granger, four days after he was given advice by the elec- tions body, international pressure contin- ues to pile up, with the 53-nation Commonwealth saying there is need for an early election to restore constitutional rule. In a statement, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, urged the President and all relevant stakeholders and institutions “to restore constitutional rule in Guyana by imme- diately setting an early election date in consonance with its constitution, en- abling elections to be held without fur- ther delay.” The London-based Commonwealth Secretariat said the the Secretary-Gen- eral has taken note of the June 18 ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland and President David Granger during a recent meeting and its consequential orders of July 12. “The CCJ’s ruling was clear that the passage of a No Confidence motion. The date and expressed hope that the Presi- with the ruling of the CCJ, a general Guyana Constitution sets out certain re- Court had deemed June 18 as the date dent will announce a date for elections election in Guyana is now constitution- quirements for the time of an election from which the Constitutional deadline in February itself. ally overdue.” after the valid passing of a no confidence should be counted as the legal challenges The President said he needed to dis- “A general election should be held motion,” the Commonwealth Secretariat to the passage of the No Confidence mo- cuss GECOM’s advice with his Cabinet, in accordance with the unambiguous stated. tion put the December 21 date on pause. but no emergency meeting has since constitutional imperative to do so,” the The CCJ had ruled that it did not On Thursday last, the chairman of been held and a Cabinet meeting is Commonwealth Secretariat has stated. need to direct the President or other po- the Guyana Elections Commission scheduled for Tuesday, as is the norm. It said the Secretary-General has litical actors in Guyana on an elections (GECOM) advised the President that “The rule of law and constitutional spoken with the Chair GECOM and dis- date, as the timeframe for elections is GECOM could pull off elections by the governance are fundamental Common- cussed Commonwealth support to clearly stated in the Constitution. Ac- end of February. The Opposition Leader wealth values to which Guyana has sub- GECOM. cording to the Constitution, an election Bharrat Jagdeo has said he understood scribed. should be held three months after the that reasons why the Chairman gave that “In this regard, and in accordance Dr Anthony wants end of AIDS by 2030 Guyanese MP Dr. Frank Anthony team proposed a set of indicators by recently attended Graduation Ceremony which they would monitor the project. at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem in “One of the indicators that the Bank which he was the featured guest speaker suggested was to measure the reduction to the graduates. of the prevalence of HIV.For the Bank, Dr Anthony focused mainly on this was a logical indicator, but for me, I health issues, including HIV Aids in his knew they did not read Leon Gordis’s speech. Epidemiology, because if they did, they Following is an excerpt: would understand that with successful “It is said that graduation is a time treatment, fewer people would die and of beginnings and endings; of looking to the prevalence would increase. the future with hope while saying “If we hope to end AIDS by 2030, farewell to faculty and friends. It a time then we must remove these legal obsta- of emotions, of joy, of sadness and some cles and other barriers that prevent us inexplicable feelings, but whatever you from reaching the most vulnerable. We are feeling, try to enjoy it; as these expe- Dr Frank Anthony in Jerusalem must ensure that new prevention meth- riences will help to make and shape you. the tassel was worth the hassle. dull moment after graduating. ods, such as PrEP are widely deployed. Nineteen years ago, my classmates and “Sometime soon, you too would “I remember going to Washington Now is not the time to prevaricate and I were fortunate to be in your position; have to answer that question, and when to negotiate with the World Bank for an procrastinate. Now is the time for us to we were teeming with excitement and you do, I hope you would find the worth HIV grant. A major part of the grant was renew efforts, replenish the resources to ready to conquer the public health world. of what you have accomplished here. As for the treatment of HIV patients. As we make that final push to end AIDS by Looking back, I would proudly say that I think about it now, there was never a concluded the negotiations, the Bank 2030.” Advertise in Equality News, the only buzz. weekly paper serving the Guyanese Create some 647-216-2359 and Caribbean communities 6 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26 2019 EQUALITY NEWS EDITORIAL & OPINIONS StopFighting the games, climate AG change Williams The decision by Guyana Attorney Gen- of all Members of Parliament present re- Legal minds everywhere have said that bring them into disrepute. eral BarbadianBasil Williams Prime to file twoMinister appeals Mia of ingardless the world, if they beforeare present giving or not. a Theblister- ofthe hergovernment generation. has no ground to stand on theThey larger may states think these to revise are strategic their poli- Mottleythe decision told by the Chief United Justice Nations Roxanne cli- ingchief speech justice concludedcriticizing that world an absolute leaders ma- via thisIn latest spite appeal. of what All theit is doingalt-right is drag- and moves,cies on but climatethe drama change,is being seen especially by the mate summit on Monday that even for their “betrayal” of young people people like Trump claim, climate since most of their economies are underGeorge-Wiltshire’s the current findingsgoal to thatlimit last global De- throughjority is 33.