Issuu

6th September, 2026

See Inside No.1081898

Guyana, US finalise migration framework Puruni River Bridge project advances

– gov’t cites human rights safeguards

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— to improve access to almost 500 mining properties, forestry concessions

Government is advancing construction of a permanent 109-metre modular steel bridge across the Puruni River in Region Seven, replacing the existing pontoon crossing as part of a wider push to improve critical infrastructure supporting Guyana’s mining and forestry sectors. The project, which also includes improved access roads, is being undertaken by Aris Mining and is expected to be completed by December 2026.

$246.2M invested in Kimbia, Wiruni since 2020 — Human Services Ministry to expand services in riverain communities; child protection, social service officers for Kwakwani

Berbice positioned as major agricultural, trade and investment hub – Mustapha 18

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— billions in infrastructural, agricultural and business investments driving Region Six transformation

Guyana on track for over 500,000 visitors by year’s end SEE PAGE

— August arrivals climb 5.6%; year-to-date figures up 11%

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

Guyana, US finalise migration framework – gov’t cites human rights safeguards

GUYANA has concluded a migration co-operation framework with the United States under which the country will accept a limited number of vetted, skilled individuals with no criminal record through the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Assisted Voluntary Return Programme, the Government of Guyana announced in a statement. Under the arrangement, the government said in a statement, Georgetown retains full discretion to review and reject anyone proposed for relocation,

and Washington will bear the entire cost of the process. The government said it intends to accept only people who have chosen relocation to Guyana of their own volition. IOM, the UN Migration Agency, will handle the programme’s operational implementation, covering the costs of receiving, housing and supporting relocated individuals and providing the services needed for their integration, including access to communication with legal representatives and family members. Guyana’s government said it will not bear any of the financial

cost, and that IOM has confirmed the arrangement will not transfer to it any of Guyana’s own responsibilities over admission, legal stay, protection or removal. Officials said relocated individuals must retain the right to seek international protection, with IOM supporting the referral of such cases to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in coordination with Guyanese authorities. The government also pledged regular, effective and sufficiently private access to legal representatives and family members. The arrangement is

temporary and does not amount to permanent resettlement, according to the statement. Individuals will remain in Guyana under a set of pre-defined terms while they await the outcome of their immigration status determination, after which they will either return to their country of origin or relocate elsewhere of their choosing. The framework caps more than a year of discussions. The government cast the framework as an extension of Guyana’s human rights commitments and part of a bilateral relationship it says has grown across

energy, trade, investment, security and diplomacy, describing Guyana as “a trusted and constructive partner” to Washington in the region. The government said it would continue

working with IOM, UNHCR and domestic stakeholders to ensure the framework is implemented in line with Guyana’s laws, human rights obligations and national development priorities.

Puruni River Bridge project advances — to improve access to almost 500 mining properties, forestry concessions

THE Government is advancing construction of a permanent 109-metre modular steel bridge across the Puruni River in Region Seven, replacing the existing pontoon crossing as part of a wider push to improve critical infrastructure supporting Guyana’s mining and forestry sectors. The project, which also includes improved access roads, is being undertaken by Aris Mining and is expected to be completed by December 2026. According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, the new infrastructure will provide a safer and more reliable connection along the important extractive-sector corridor while allowing heavy industrial traffic to be diverted away from the main community road. The corridor currently encompasses almost 500 mining properties and concessions, in addition to several large forestry concessions. With improved connectivity, the Ministry said the project is expected to facilitate more efficient movement of workers, equipment, fuel, timber, mining supplies and other goods while providing businesses and trans-

The Puruni River Bridge and access roads are expected to strengthen connectivity within Region Seven while supporting economic activities and improving access to services for communities along the corridor port operators with a more dependable route. Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, said the investment forms part of the government’s broader approach to ensuring

that growth in the country’s productive sectors translates into development for surrounding communities. “As we strengthen the infrastructure needed to support our productive sectors,

we are equally focused on ensuring that the communities in which these activities take place benefit from improved infrastructure, better access to services and greater economic opportunities,”

Bharrat said. Beyond the bridge and access roads, the wider development will see several pieces of community infrastructure established. These include a

multi-purpose government facility, health centre, digital school facility, playground, agricultural area and a formal waste-disposal area. The Ministry said these investments are intended to ensure that communities located within extractive areas benefit directly from the continued expansion of Guyana’s natural resources sector. The project has already progressed through the planning, reconnaissance, site-investigation and design-development stages, with construction now commencing. The Ministry of Natural Resources will coordinate the project, while the Ministry of Public Works will provide technical oversight. The government has been placing increased emphasis on improving infrastructure in mining and forestry areas, particularly routes that are critical to moving people, equipment and commodities. The Puruni River Bridge and access roads are expected to strengthen connectivity within Region Seven while supporting economic activity and improving access to services for communities along the corridor.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

Region 10 records 38.7% drop in crime, 21.4% decrease in traffic incidents — Commander credits increased resources, manpower and community engagement REGION 10 (Upper Demerara- Upper Berbice) has recorded a 38.7 per cent decline in overall crime-related matters and a 21.4 per cent decrease in traffic incidents when compared with the corresponding period last year. Commander of Regional Police Division 10, Senior Superintendent of Police John Barker, disclosed the figures during a public update earlier this week, noting that continued policing efforts have been supported by increased resources, manpower and community engagement. Highlighting the reductions, Barker said both crime and traffic statistics are currently

below those recorded during the corresponding period in 2025. “We have both traffic and crime ‘stats’. We are at a minus in both areas. For traffic, we are at a 21.4% decrease in comparison to last year. As relates to crime, we are also in a minus. We are currently at a 38.7% decrease in overall crime-related matters,” he said. The Senior Superintendent said community engagement remains a priority for the division, with ranks continuing outreaches and meetings with residents. “As relates to our policing efforts in Regional Police Division 10, we will continue to be in the community.

Commander of Regional Police Division 10, Senior Superintendent of Police John Barker

As relates to the community meeting, the community outreach, we also continue to collaborate with members of the society,” Barker said. He noted that this collaboration continued with the recent reopening of schools, with ranks conducting

road-safety exercises and educating children and adults about proper road use. “Most recently, we had, for the opening of the schools, painting of the road signs and also education, as relates to informing persons of the rules when using the road, which include

children and adults,” he said. INCREASED RESOURCES Barker said the division has also benefitted from Government support through the allocation of additional resources and manpower, strengthening its ability to respond to incidents and maintain a visible presence in communities. “As relates to the government improvement in the division, we have seen tremendous support towards the police in terms of resource allocation, both in terms of material and the manpower,” he said. The Commander pointed specifically to the allocation of vehicles, which he said has improved the division’s response capacity and enabled increased patrols. “I am speaking to material in terms of the allocation of vehicles to the region. We have enough vehicles to respond should the need arise. Our presence in the communities is felt because of the resources allotted to us, particularly patrol vehicles and the ranks on the road,” Barker said. The division has also benefitted from investments in infrastructure, with several police buildings either

modernised, newly constructed or currently under construction. “As relates to the buildings, we have modernised buildings now to accommodate every aspect of policing. Most of our buildings in Region 10 are up to date in terms of the condition and newly constructed. We have a few buildings in terms of outposts and police stations that are currently under construction and will soon be completed,” he said. Barker said the improved facilities will provide a more comfortable environment for both police ranks and members of the public seeking assistance. “These buildings, when completed, will provide comfort to both members of the force who perform duties and persons, members of the society, who come to the various departments or stations to report matters. They could be handled in a comfortable and conducive environment,” he said. The Commander said the additional resources, infrastructure and manpower, coupled with continued community engagement, will further strengthen policing efforts across the region.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

AG questions opposition’s ability to govern — says failure to address key issues raises after APNU-WIN meeting questions about decision-making

ATTORNEY General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, has questioned whether the opposition would be capable of making the decisions required to govern Guyana, pointing to the outcome of the recent meeting between A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and We Invest in Nationhood (WIN). Nandlall criticised the August 24 meeting, describing it as an example of what he considered a lack of direction, maturity and decisive action. He made the remarks during his weekly programme, Issues in the News, where he examined the meeting between the two major opposition groupings and questioned the outcome of their much-anticipated engagement. The meeting brought together Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, leader of the 16-member WIN, and Aubrey Norton, leader of the 12-member APNU. Mohamed, who leads WIN, is under United States sanctions, faces an indictment in that country and is currently fighting extradition proceedings to the United States. According to Nandlall, the meeting had been in the making for about a year and was expected to address three outstanding matters between APNU and WIN. He said the issues included an apparent impasse over the composition of opposition members at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), nominees proposed by the Leader of the Opposition for the Local Government Commission, and an apparent impasse at the Linden Regional Dem-

Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC

ocratic Council (RDC). Nandlall said the significance of the meeting was heightened because APNU and WIN are among the country's major opposition parties and represent a significant number of Guyanese at the parliamentary and political levels. However, he said the meeting failed to produce progress on any of the three matters. “None of the three issues that they claimed that they were meeting to discuss was discussed,” Nandlall said. He added the parties also did not indicate when the outstanding matters would be discussed or when they intended to meet again. Nandlall said the lack of information was particularly notable because both sides had spoken to the media following the meeting but, in his assessment, failed to explain what had actually been discussed or why the meeting had been held. The meeting involved six representatives from each party, including their respective leaders, parliamentary representatives and other senior members. Nandlall said the representatives met for just over an hour before emerging to address the media. He criticised the responses provided by the parties, stating members

Leader of APNU, Aubrey Norton

of the press were unable to determine what had been discussed. He also pointed to a promise by the parties to issue a joint statement later that day outlining what had transpired. According to him, that statement was not released until five days later and, when it was issued, he considered it lacking in substance. He said, “It says nothing. It achieves nothing. It tells you nothing.” Nandlall questioned why a meeting convened specifically to address three identified issues had ended without any of those matters being dealt with. He described the episode as being marked by what he called “non-action,” as well as incompetence, clumsiness, lack of direction and lack of maturity. He urged members of the public to examine the entire episode, from the planning of the meeting to the eventual release of the joint statement, and consider what it could indicate about the opposition's ability to govern. “I want you to look, examine that non-action. The incompetence, the clumsiness, the lack of direction, the lack of maturity, and everything else that permeated that engagement. Imagine that bunch is in a government and has to make decisions about your

life and about your children's life. And about the future of your children and the future of this country,” the Attorney General noted. He argued that governments are required to make thousands of decisions each day, many of which have significant consequences for citizens and the wider country. According to Nandlall, such decisions can

Opposition Leader, Azruddin Mohamed

affect people's lives, national security, diplomatic and international relations, as well as broader geopolitical matters. He said the responsibilities of government require leaders to make decisions on a wide range of issues and questioned whether the conduct displayed during the APNU-WIN engagement demonstrated the capacity to manage those responsibilities.

The August 24, 2026 meeting WIN and APNU ended without agreement on the major issues that prompted the talks. The agenda included opposition representation on the Guyana Elections Commission, electoral scrutineers, the Region 10 Regional Democratic Council impasse and nominations to the Local Government Commission. Instead, the parties discussed creating a framework for future engagement, including possible terms of reference and a memorandum of understanding. A joint statement issued five days later said no final decisions were taken on the substantive matters, with both sides agreeing to consult their respective leadership and consider further talks.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

Protecting Public Assets

THERE is a legitimate place for the scrap-metal trade in Guyana’s economy. It creates employment, supports small and micro businesses, generates foreign exchange, and contributes to recycling and environmental preservation. The Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce itself recognises those benefits through the Scrap Metal Unit, which exists to regulate the sector and support what it describes as a “clean” trade. But there must also be a line, and that line is crossed when public infrastructure becomes a source of inventory.

The recent theft of copper cable from the Demerara River Bridge should trouble every Guyanese, not simply because of the value of the material stolen, but because of what such acts represent. Public infrastructure is built with taxpayers’ money, and exists to serve the entire country. When copper is stripped from a bridge, utility installation or other national asset, the loss is not confined to a government agency. The public ultimately pays twice: once to build the infrastructure, and again to repair what has been vandalised. That is why the Government’s warning to the scrap-metal trade is justified.

The Ministry has made clear that no licensed dealer will be allowed to purchase, receive, sell or facilitate illegally obtained copper, and that any licensed operator found doing so faces cancellation of their licence, and prosecution. It has gone further, warning that if illegal practices continue, the State is prepared to shut down the scrap-metal trade altogether. That should not be viewed as hostility towards legitimate businesses. In fact, the opposite is true. A regulated industry cannot survive if illegal operators are allowed to undercut responsible dealers by purchasing material with no

questions asked. The Guyana Metal Recyclers Association has itself stressed that the persons linked to the recent bridge cable theft were not registered dealers and has called for stronger enforcement against unregistered operators. The law already provides considerable regulatory authority. The Old Metal Dealers Act requires registration and licensing, provides for inspection of businesses, and allows the Minister to suspend the export of old metal. The Scrap Metal Unit also monitors the legitimate acquisition and transportation of material, requires 24-hour CCTV surveillance at reg-

istered yards, and oversees container loading for export. Those safeguards exist for a reason. A dealer should know who is selling copper, where it came from, and whether there is a reasonable explanation for its possession. A length of specialised cable, utility equipment or material obviously associated with public infrastructure should immediately raise questions. Profit cannot become an excuse for looking the other way. Guyana is investing billions of dollars in bridges, electricity systems, telecommunications, roads and other infrastructure as the country

modernises. Those assets must be protected with the same seriousness with which they are being built. There is room for a thriving scrap-metal industry in modern Guyana, but there is no room for an industry that becomes a ready market for stolen national assets. The Government is, therefore, right to put the sector on notice. Legitimate operators have nothing to fear from stronger enforcement. Indeed, they should welcome it, because protecting public infrastructure and protecting the reputation of lawful businesses are ultimately part of the same task.

Taking government to the people: Leadership with a human touch

Dear Editor, THE recent Government outreach across Linden and Region Ten represents an important and commendable approach to democratic governance that cannot be overstated. His Excellency taking his government directly to the people, listening to citizens where they live, and creating opportunities for communities to engage with policymakers without the usual layers of bureaucracy is most noteworthy. I was particularly pleased to see the large number of residents who seized the opportunity to attend meetings within their communities and engage Ministers and other government officials directly. Citizens came not merely to complain, but to participate. They raised personal concerns, identified community challenges, and, importantly, offered ideas and recommendations for improving the delivery of public services for their benefit. That is democracy at its most practical.

In several instances, residents received immediate assistance or answers to matters affecting them. In others, commitments were given for follow-up and resolution. This kind of direct engagement helps to narrow the distance between government and governed, and it reinforces an important principle of public administration: Government must not only formulate policies for people; it must continuously listen to the people those policies are intended to serve. I must note that the two recurring concerns were particularly evident in the reliability of electricity and the quality and delivery of water across Linden and other communities in Region Ten. Residents were right to raise these issues. Reliable electricity and access to safe, dependable water are fundamental to household wellbeing, business development and the overall economic advancement of our communities. What was encouraging was that these concerns were

not simply heard; residents were provided with information on immediate and short-term interventions, as well as the longer-term direction for addressing these challenges. The real measure of success, naturally, will be the timely implementation of those commitments and the improvements residents experience in their everyday lives. President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali's approach to governance deserves particular recognition in this regard. His willingness to leave the confines of offices and formal meetings and engage ordinary Guyanese directly has become a distinctive feature of his leadership. Whether speaking with a businessperson, a young person seeking an opportunity, a pensioner, a parent, a farmer or an ordinary resident concerned about conditions in his or her community, the President demonstrates an understanding that leadership must ultimately have a "human touch".

There is something valuable about a President being prepared to stand among citizens, hear their concerns firsthand, ask questions, demand answers from officials and seek practical solutions. It sends a powerful message that public office should never become disconnected and aloof from the everyday experiences of the people. This hands-on approach also strengthens accountability. When Ministers, technical officers and other decision-makers are brought directly before communities, citizens can articulate their concerns without having their voices diluted or lost as information passes through multiple administrative layers. Government officials, in turn, gain a clearer appreciation of conditions on the ground. Equally encouraging was the confidence and boldness demonstrated by the people of Linden and Region Ten. Residents engaged their elected representatives and government officials respectfully, firmly and constructively. They did not

surrender their right to question government; rather, they exercised it responsibly. That is precisely the relationship a mature democracy should encourage. The people must speak, government must listen, and where legitimate problems exist, practical solutions must follow, this is what the Ali administration is about. President Ali's philosophy of taking government directly to communities therefore deserves support, not simply because it brings Ministers closer to citizens, but because it encourages a more responsive model of governance, one in which people increasingly become participants in national and community development rather than spectators. For Linden and Region Ten, this engagement should therefore be viewed not as the conclusion of a process, but as another important step in an evolving partnership between government and the people. President Ali's down-toearth engagement with ordi-

nary Guyanese, his practical and hands-on approach to problem-solving, and his willingness to take government beyond Georgetown and directly into communities represent a leadership style worthy of commendation. The last time the majority of Guyanese had experience with this type of engagement was with then President Jadgeo more than 20 years ago and President Ali has taken it to a new level. Ultimately, government is at its best when it is closest to the people. Leadership must listen. Leadership must engage. Leadership must act. And when government goes directly to the people not merely to speak, but to listen, understand and deliver it gives genuine meaning to the principle that development must be with the people, for the people and ultimately felt by the people. Yours respectfully, Jermaine Figueira Former Member of Parliament

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

One year ago, Irfaan Ali wrote his name in the history book

THE definitive presidential candidate for the PPP/C in the 2030 national election is Anil Nandlall. I wanted to use the word, “presumed” but I think when you examine political trends in Guyana, I cannot see a credible challenger to Nandlall. Four years is too short a time to see the emergence of a credible, charismatic, dynamic, persuasive, mesmerising candidate within the PPP/C to give Nandlall headaches. Since it is a foregone conclusion as to his candidacy, Nandlall should start researching the GECOM data base for the 2025 national and regional elections. It tells the story of how Mohamed Irfaan Ali came from obscurity to leave a permanent motif in Guyana’s history book. Dr Ali in a country driven by perennial racial psychology, Dr. Ali has achieved the unthinkable. Dr Ali received more cross racial votes than another party leader in Guyana in a free and fair national election. It is one year since he won re-election, and his detractors will never go to that GECOM database. You name any consistent critic of Ali and I will bet you anything that they will not touch that GECOM database for the 2025 election. It is left up to the academics to publish the

President Dr Irfaan Ali

political and sociological changes revealed in Guyana’s voting pattern in 2025. It is for this reason, I advise Anil Nandlall to research that GECOM database. It will galvanise him to want to reach the cross-racial horizons that Dr Ali walked on in 2025. To date, only one Guyanese has done an indepth analysis of that database. He is Geoff DaSilva, former head of GO-Invest and former Guyana Ambassador to Venezuela. Mr. Da Silva’s research is impressive. And Mr. Nandlall needs to go through it with a fine teeth comb. Mr. Da Silva ought to put his research in book form. Breaking down the categories into ethnic communities, first time voters, regional voting, plurality balloting and methodological comparison with 2020,

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall

Mr. Silva showed that Irfaan Ali became a political phenomenon. The compelling characteristic that stands out in the GECOM database is Dr Ali’s brilliant achievement of cross-racial voting. I saw the President two months after the 2025 elections very briefly. I remember saying to him that you and who you are, and what you are made of, brought victory for the PPP/C in 2025. I am not at liberty to write about his response, but Dr Ali has a penchant for evocative humour (most West Indians do), and I laughed at what he said. Since we are on the topic of evocative humour, I think Forbes Burnham comes first in the entire CARICOM family of nations. But Ali can make you laugh. Here are some brief sta-

tistical outlays where Dr Ali’s phenomenal feat can be found. Dr Ali won 64 percent of the vote in the combined Regions of 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 9. The average percentage of Indians in that combined territory is 36 percent. In 2020, the PPP/C got 12. 2 percent of the votes of Africans and the Mixed-race group. In 2025 that percentage went up by 20.8. In 2025, the PPP/C got the same percentage of total votes cast in the 1997 – 55.3. But contextually that 2025 percentage shines brighter because you have to remember that in 1997 President Cheddi Jagan died and there was a massive sympathy vote for the PPP/C. In 2020, the PPP/C collected 25.5 percent of non-Indian votes. That percentage went up in 2025 to 34.2. Indian existence in Region 7 and

10 is 4 percent. In the 2025 election, Irfaan Ali took home 27. 8 percent of votes cast in those two Regions. These statistics demonstrate the dialectical changes Guyana is going through. The Guyana we know and lived in from 1950 to 1990 is gone. Politicians who do not understand that are fools unworthy to be part of modern Guyana. What these statistics cited above have shown is that as Guyana grows, as Guyana gets more modern, as Guyana demography changes, there is a new nationality named Guyanese, not the nationality we knew 60 years ago. These changes have profound impacts on voting patterns. People in Guyana today, do not care about who is black, white or brown.

They care about what their country can do for them. And if a politician can deliver, they will vote for that politician without thinking about the texture of his hair and his ethnic last name. The reason why Kaieteur News, the Stabroek News, Christopher Ram, David Hinds, opposition parties, and anti-government civil society groups and others failed to change how people voted last year was because they do not understand the new Guyana and how it has embraced Irfaan Ali. DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

Why Guyana can receive about 39.8% of Total Stabroek Production while its profit-oil share remains 50%

RECENT discussions about Guyana’s oil revenues have focused on one number, 39.8 percent. For some, this has raised the question of whether Guyana’s share of its oil has fallen from the 50 percent agreed under the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA). It has not. Guyana’s contractual share of profit oil remains 50 percent. The 39.8 percent figure represents approximately how much of total oil production Guyana currently receives after accounting for oil used for cost recovery. These are two different measurements. Every barrel produced can be understood through three basic concepts: total production, cost oil and profit oil. Total production is all the oil produced. A portion can then be used as cost oil to recover eligible costs associated with developing and operating the projects. The PSA allows up to 75 percent of monthly production to be

used for cost recovery. However, 75 percent is a ceiling, not an automatic deduction. The amount required depends on the eligible costs that need to be recovered at a particular time. The oil left after cost recovery is profit oil, which is then shared equally between Guyana and the Stabroek Block partners. A simple example shows why Guyana can receive about 39.8 percent of total production while retaining its 50 percent profit-oil share. Imagine 100 barrels are produced. If roughly 20 barrels are needed for cost recovery, about 80 barrels remain as profit oil. Guyana receives 50 percent of those 80 barrels, about 40 barrels out of every 100 produced. That is broadly consistent with the reported 39.8 percent figure. So, Guyana is not receiving 39.8 percent of profit oil. It is receiving 50 percent of profit oil, which currently works out to approximately 39.8 percent of

total production. The figure is not permanent. As accumulated costs are recovered, fewer barrels may be needed for cost recovery, leaving more profit oil to share. Conversely, new eligible development and operating costs can be added as projects expand, increasing the amount that may be recovered. This means Guyana’s share of total production can move in either direction over time, even though its contractual share of profit oil remains 50 percent. This also explains why questions about the cost bank, audits and disputed expenditure matter. A cost can be under review, disputed, or ultimately determined to be non-recoverable. These are not the same thing. A disputed cost may remain recoverable while the matter is being resolved. If it is later determined to be non-recoverable, the necessary accounting adjustment can be made, potentially increasing

the profit-oil pool. These are legitimate areas for transparency and accountability. However, they should be considered separately from the basic operation of the PSA’s cost-recovery mechanism. The 39.8 percent figure also does not represent Guyana’s complete petroleum take. Guyana additionally receives a 2 percent gross royalty on production. Therefore, the country’s overall petroleum revenues cannot be measured by looking at the 39.8 percent figure alone. Recent public commentary has also renewed calls for ring-fencing and greater scrutiny of how future developments are financed. Ring-fencing would generally restrict costs associated with one development from being recovered against production from another, potentially allowing a greater proportion of production from established projects to become available as profit oil sooner. On the other hand,

the absence of ringfencing allows companies to pool costs and revenues across multiple projects within a single contract area. In the case of Guyana, this has created a financial incentive for investors to accelerate field development in the Stabroek Block. The issue has gained attention as current cost recovery has declined, while future developments could introduce new eligible investment and operating costs. Government has indicated that it is examining how the next phase of oil and gas investment should be structured and financed, but has maintained that the existing 2016 PSA will not be reopened or renegotiated. These questions form part of the wider debate about how Guyana maximises value from its petroleum resources, but they do not change how entitlement is calculated under the existing agreement today. The fiscal debate, how-

ever, is only one dimension of the value associated with petroleum production. Production also generates benefits beyond the direct fiscal return, including opportunities for Guyanese businesses, employment, workforce development and the transfer of increasingly specialised technical capabilities. The bottom line is simple: Guyana’s contractual share of profit oil remains 50 percent. The 39.8 percent is a current snapshot of how that 50 percent share translates into Guyana’s share of total production after cost recovery. It is not a renegotiated share, a permanent entitlement or the complete measure of Guyana’s petroleum revenues. DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.

THERS’S an old Yiddish word that has been circling in my head these past few days: chutzpah. Instead of a dictionary definition, let me use it in a sentence: “It takes chutzpah to defraud a country of its natural resources for decades, to the tune of billions of dollars, then turn around and brand yourself a champion of the poor.” That’s gall. Audacity. Insolence. And as some Guyanese would put it: “De man gat some nerve.” After spending the day in Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman’s court listening to Senior Superintendent Prem Narine, head of Special Branch, testify in his U.S. extradition hearing, Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed found the temerity to appear near President Irfaan Ali’s private residence in Leonora, escorted in two heavily tinted vehicles. According to the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority

(GCAA), “several unregistered drones were reportedly discovered in the possession of the occupants.” And when the script no longer served his interest, he flipped the narrative. In Azruddin’s version of events, it is never the accused who must answer for the criminal allegations hanging over his head; it is the President who is suddenly “corrupt,” “authoritarian,” and “threatening democracy.” It’s the story that dominated headlines and social media. The saga continued a day later, when Narine complained to Magistrate Latchman that Azruddin’s sister, Hana Khamelia, had made a social media post he considered to be a threat. In court, Magistrate Latchman warned Hana about her Facebook activity in the context of Narine’s testimony and safety concerns. Contrast the spectacle of the Opposition's delusional theatre with the substantive and urgent business of Guy-

ana’s head of state these last few days. President Ali and his cabinet were in Guyana’s hinterland where, over a period of five years, more than $41.7 billion was invested to ensure that residents in 253 remote communities received 24hour power and high-speed connectivity. Even so, President Ali criticised the three big internet providers for not doing more to rapidly expand connectivity in remote communities. Pause for a moment and picture this: the Opposition Leader lurking near the president’s home in the dead of night, while the president was at work ensuring that every child in hinterland villages can study online after dark, that health posts have reliable power to keep life-saving vaccines cold, and that small businesses can plug into the national grid and the global economy. While Azruddin was snooping, admiring the seawall upgrades along the

coastline on the West Coast, not only in Leonora as he falsely claimed, President Ali was announcing US$422.2 million in transmission-line contracts for the gas-to-energy plant, the physical backbone that will make “24hour power” credible beyond Georgetown and Linden. And just yesterday, Guyana Power and Light (GPL) announced that it has signed US$422.2 million (about $90 billion GYD) in contracts with PowerChina and Kalpataru to extend transmission lines critical to the gas-to-energy project. While the Opposition Leader fixates on drones and makes baseless allegations to keep his admirers distracted, Guyana’s head of state is expanding his country’s diplomatic horizon, announcing

that King Charles III has accepted an invitation to visit Guyana later this year, marking 60 years of bilateral relations with the United Kingdom. Azruddin and his echo chamber on social media are quick to ask: what is oil wealth for? The answer is in plain sight. I am willing to bet that years from now, Guyanese will forget the antics of a desperate man in a full-blown state of panic as he fights an extradition to stand trial in the United States. They will remember, though, whether their lights stayed on, whether their children were able to learn online, and whether the promise of oil translated into hospitals, schools, roads, bridges, and opportunities for residents in the hinterland.

While some are fixated on the surveilling antics of a bored scion, this administration, thankfully, is working to ensure that the wealth beneath our seas benefits every community from the coast to the savannahs of the Rupununi. In the end, history does not reward chutzpah; it records delivery. And on that measure, Guyana is being built, kilometre by kilometre, village by village, contract by contract, while the Opposition Leader rehearses his next scene in the dark. DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.

When spectacle meets statecraft

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

Checkmate for the Mohamed Machine

THERE is something almost revealing about the latest chapter in the Azruddin Mohamed saga. At precisely the moment when the courts have rejected another attempt to halt the extradition proceedings, the Opposition Leader finds himself at the centre of a fresh police investigation involving suspicious vehicles, drones and the vicinity of President Irfaan Ali’s private residence. The facts should be allowed to speak. The police reported that two heavily tinted vehicles were seen acting suspiciously near the president’s Leonora residence. The occupants reportedly moved away when they noticed the presidential guards. The police subsequently intercepted the vehicles and a DJI drone and cellular phones were found in the vehicle in which Mohamed was travelling. The Civil Aviation Authority has separately said that unregistered drones were discovered and warned that unauthorised drone operations in restricted or protected areas can constitute criminal offences. Mohamed denies owning or operating the drone. Another occupant, technician Dwayne Ross, reportedly admitted ownership and acknowledged that his drone-operator licence had expired in 2023. The investigation remains ongoing and no charge has been announced against Mohamed in relation to it. That is precisely why the police deserve to be allowed to investigate without being bullied into silence by political noise. The Opposition Leader

is not above investigation because he is an elected politician. Nor should his wealth, social-media following or political organisation create a parallel system of justice. The timing is also difficult to ignore politically. The Mohamed family is already engaged in a protracted legal battle over extradition to the United States. The proceedings resumed this week after the Caribbean Court of Justice refused an application to keep them suspended. The defence had sought to pause the committal proceedings pending the constitutional appeal, but Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman refused to stop the matter from proceeding. This is where the chessboard becomes interesting. For months, the Mohamed strategy has appeared to be one of creating as many legal and political complications as possible around the central question: will the extradition proceedings be allowed to reach their conclusion? The defence has every legitimate right to challenge the prosecution. That is democracy and due process, but repeated attempts to interrupt proceedings cannot become a substitute for answering the substantive case. The courts have already demonstrated that they will not simply allow the process to be frozen indefinitely and now there is another extraordinary development. Senior Superintendent Prem Narine, a prosecution witness, told the court that he feared for his life and the safety of his fami-

ly following social-media activities connected to Hana Mohamed. Chief Magistrate Latchman intervened and warned that the proceedings must not become material for social-media attacks on witnesses and prosecutors. She subsequently directed that an apology be made to Narine. That should concern every Guyanese who believes in the independence of the justice system. A courtroom is not Facebook. A witness cannot be tried by a digital mob. A prosecutor cannot be intimidated by an online campaign and the family of a defendant cannot be allowed to transform social media into an extension of the courtroom. This is where the Mohamed political machine has perhaps misunderstood modern politics. Facebook can create attention, but attention is not authority. Views are not votes and followers are not evidence. Similarly, virality is certainly not justice. For Mohamed Jnr, social media has become more than a communication platform. It has become a political weapon, a megaphone and, arguably, the principal mechanism through which his political identity is maintained. That is why the temporary disappearance of the Mohamed page created such an interesting political vacuum. For three days, Guyanese were spared the relentless digital theatre being the accusations, counter-accusations, outrage, personal attacks and political garbage that had increasingly become as-

sociated with the WIN political machine and its social-media representatives. Perhaps those three days demonstrated something important and that is that politics can survive without the Mohamed Facebook machine. The real question is whether WIN can. After all, a political party built heavily around one personality faces an uncomfortable problem when that personality loses the ability to dominate the conversation. Who speaks for WIN? Please don’t say, Odessa! Who sets its agenda? Who controls the narrative? Who commands its supporters when Facebook stops delivering the daily political oxygen? This is the weakness of personality-driven politics. Traditional political parties are supposed to have institutions, policies, cadres and ideas that survive individual personalities. Mohamed’s model has increasingly appeared to

invert that relationship: the personality creates the attention, the attention creates the movement, and the movement is then presented as political power. But political power is not measured by Facebook impressions. It is tested in Parliament, in elections, in institutions and, ultimately, in whether a political movement can survive scrutiny. The Mohamed saga therefore resembles a chess game. The Mohamed camp has repeatedly tried to create new positions on the board: legal challenges, appeals, constitutional arguments, political messaging and social-media offensives. But the government and the institutions of the state do not need to win every social-media argument. They need only to keep playing by the rules. The police investigate, the prosecutors prosecute, the courts adjudicate and the law moves forward. That is the checkmate Mohamed’s political es-

tablishment should fear most: not a Facebook ban, not a viral video and not a political insult. Finally, it is the return of politics to institutions. If Mohamed is innocent of wrongdoing in the drone investigation, the investigation should establish that. If the evidence ultimately reveals an offence, the law should take its course. Either way, Guyana should resist the politics of intimidation and spectacle. The state does not need to shout louder than Mohamed. It simply needs to remain standing when the noise dies down. And, for perhaps the first time in this extraordinary political chess match, the board appears to be getting smaller. DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

DPP fails in bid to remove judge from Haresh Singh murder case DIRECTOR of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack’s bid to have Justice Priscilla Chandra-Hanif removed from the Haresh Singh murder proceedings involving three of the four accused men has been rejected. The judge ruled that her earlier decision to sever the trials did not amount to prejudging the accused. The three accused are Joel Gittens, called “Bolo”, of Jangotown, East Coast Demerara; Charles Scott, called “Bucko”, of Lot 29 Jarvis Street, Rosignol, Berbice; and Glaston Henry, also known as “Gladwin Henry” or “Soldierman”, of Number 3 Village, West Coast Berbice. The three men are accused of murdering 17-year-old Singh, who was found bloodied in a rice

Justice Priscilla Chandra-Hanif

field in the Number Two Village Backdam, West Coast Berbice, on September 9, 2020. The case initially involved four accused, but the trial of one accused, was severed from that of Gittens, Scott and Henry. Justice Chandra-Hanif, in a judgment delivered on Friday at the High Court in Demerara, said the prose-

Killed: Haresh Singh

cution’s concerns about her August 24 severance ruling did not establish apparent bias. She stressed that the ultimate decision on the evidence and guilt remains with the jury. “The trial judge is not the arbiter of fact and does not determine guilt,” Chandra-Hanif said. She explained that

DPP Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC

while deciding whether the accused should be tried together, the court was required to examine the evidence and assess its potential prejudicial effect. According to the judge, that assessment was provisional and did not mean that she had reached conclusions about the truthfulness

raised concerns about the judge’s treatment of a caution statement allegedly made by the other accused, the handling of case management deadlines and comments concerning the constitutional role of the DPP. But Chandra-Hanif said the words relied upon by

recusal application is not an appeal against a ruling with which a party disagrees. She said the legal question was whether a fair-minded and informed observer, having considered the circumstances realistically and practically, would conclude that there was a real possibility the judge would not decide the matter fairly. The State, she noted, did not allege that she had acted in bad faith or out of personal animus. Its case was based on apparent bias and alleged prejudgement. Chandra-Hanif also addressed the arguments surrounding the DPP’s constitutional authority and the court’s responsibility to manage criminal proceedings. She said the recusal application did not determine

From left to right: Charles Scptt, Joel Gittens, and Glaston Henry

of witnesses, the reliability of identification evidence or the guilt of any of the accused. She ruled, “The Court therefore rejects the contention that the reasoning employed in determining the severance applications amounted to a prejudgement of the guilt or innocence of any accused.” The recusal application was filed by the State, represented by State Counsel Praneta Seeraj and State Counsel Christopher Belfield, after the judge ruled that the trial of one of the accused should be separated from the trial of Joel Gittens, Charles Scott and Glaston Henry. The prosecution argued that aspects of the severance ruling created a reasonable perception that matters which should properly be determined at trial had already been decided. Among the issues raised was the judge’s description of certain evidence as being “capable of altering the jury’s assessment” and an evidential contrast as “stark.” The prosecution also

the State had to be considered within the context in which they were used. “The words ‘capable of altering the jury’s assessment’ and the description of an evidential contrast as ‘stark’ must therefore be read in context,” she said. She explained that the observations concerned “the potential prejudicial effect of materials in a joint trial” and whether safeguards could adequately protect the accused. The judge said, “They did not purport to find that the statement was true, that the alibi witnesses were false, that identification evidence was reliable, or that any accused was guilty.” Chandra-Hanif also rejected the suggestion that her involvement in earlier decisions meant she could no longer approach the trial with an open mind. “If the giving of reasons on a severance application were itself sufficient to disqualify the judge from the trial, ordinary criminal case management would become unworkable,” she said. The judge noted that a

those broader legal questions. “Nothing in this ruling diminishes the constitutional independence of the Director of Public Prosecutions or the Court’s corresponding duty to ensure a fair trial and to manage proceedings according to law,” she said. “Any disagreement as to their precise legal boundary must be resolved by legal principle and, where appropriate, appellate process, not by converting the disagreement itself into an inference of bias.” The judge ultimately dismissed the State’s application. “The State’s application for recusal is therefore refused,” she ruled. Justice Chandra-Hanif’s latest ruling means the recusal request has failed and the proceedings remain before her. Gittens and Henry were represented by attorneys Nigel Hughes and Kiswana Jefford. Scott was represented by attorneys Dexter Todd, Dexter Smartt, Eden Corbin and Keona Higgins.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

Kwakwani to get child protection, probation officers — residents to have easier access to pension, public assistance, disability services

THE community of Kwakwani in Region 1 0 ( U p p e r D e m e rara-Berbice) will soon have its own Child Protection and Probation Officers, bringing critical social services closer to residents who currently depend on officers travelling from Linden. Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, made the announcement during a recent community outreach to Kwakwani, stating that the Government is moving to have the officers in place as soon as possible. The officers will handle matters relating to child protection and probation, while assisting residents with Old Age Pension, Public Assistance and Permanent

Disability applications, among other social services. For residents of Kwakwani, the move means they will no longer have to depend solely on officers travelling from Linden to access these services. According to the Ministry, while the intervention may appear simple, having officers based in the community will make accessing services significantly easier for residents. “So, it’s big progress and with that presence here consistently, whatever issues, whatever

Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud in Kwakwani, Region 10

complaints you have, you can have them addressed,” Minister Persaud said. During the outreach, residents were also given the opportunity to engage Minister Persaud and ministry officials one-on-one, allowing them to raise concerns, receive answers and access services directly within the community. Residents received assistance with Old Age Pension, Public Assistance, Permanent Disability and childcare matters. Several persons also received assistive aids,

including wheelchairs, walking canes and walkers. Minister Persaud was accompanied by Permanent Secretary, Dr Erica Forte; Deputy Permanent Secretary (Administration), Arianna Beharry; Director of the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA), Levine Gouveia; Head of the Family Enhancement Services Section (FESS), Cardel Haunte; Manager of the Difficult Circumstances Unit (DCU), Paul Dwarka and other ministry officials.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

‘Development is evident in every village’ — Amerindian Affairs Minister says $41B investment only part of wider transformation of Indigenous communities

DEVELOPMENT across Guyana’s Indigenous communities is increasingly evident, with billions of dollars invested in agriculture, education, infrastructure and other areas, according to Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Sarah Browne-Shadeek. The Minister said that while some $41 billion has been invested through the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs over the past five years, that figure does not capture the full scale of investment in Indigenous communities, as other ministries and agencies continue to fund roads, schools, water systems and other critical infrastructure. Speaking on the most recent episode of the Starting Point Podcast, BrowneShadeek pointed to the significant growth in resources allocated to Amerindian development over the years and the impact those investments have had on communities. The Minister said it is important to examine the history of funding for Am-

erindian development to understand how far the country has progressed. “We must understand where we came from. And I always refer to that. I did my research, and as we know, Carolyn Rodrigues, now contesting for U.N. Secretary-General, was the first minister,” she said. Browne-Shadeek said her examination of previous national budgets showed a significant difference between the resources available to the ministry more than two decades ago and those available today. “I would have been looking back at budget books, budget estimates, and it was surprising to see that when Carolyn got her first budget, maybe in about 2000, 2001 thereabouts, the budget for the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs was $200 million at that time. And this year our budget is $7.5 billion. That is how much, as to what she would have gotten then and what we are getting now,” she said. According to Browne-

Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Sarah Browne-Shadeek, during her appearance on the Starting Point Podcast Shadeek, the impact of increased investment can be seen firsthand in communities across the country. “On the ground, the development is evident in every village that we go to,” she said. While acknowledging that more remains to be done, the Minister said the $41 billion invested through her ministry over the past

five years represents only one aspect of the overall development taking place. “I always like to point out that there is still much more that needs to be done, of course, but the $41 billion does not really reflect a true reflection,” she said. “Our ministry maybe alone would have invested that, but then there is infrastructure being put in,

whether it is new secondary schools being built, whether it is roads, water infrastructure.” COMMUNITIES DECIDE Browne-Shadeek explained that funding provided through the Ministry is invested using a collaborative approach, with community leaders and residents playing a central role in determining their development priorities. “The support from our ministry, it is basically given to villages. And the good thing about it is that the community decides how they want to spend the money,” she said. “We do not dictate as a ministry. Every year they come to us and they say, ‘Here is what we want to do for this year. We want to embark on an economic project,’ whether it’s agriculture, youth, women.” This approach, she said, allows individual communities to pursue initiatives that best suit their needs, including projects in agriculture, tourism, cultural

development, youth and women’s empowerment and community infrastructure. “The village decides basically how they want to spend the money. We just make the resources available and monitor,” BrowneShadeek said. The Minister noted that the approach also requires accountability at the community level. “There are issues too in villages, accountability issues and other issues. When we say we talk about free, prior, informed consent, that is the essence of it. Whatever is happening in villages comes from the ground up. And so it is a different village, different needs, different requests,” she said. While Guyana’s Indigenous communities are at varying stages of development, Browne-Shadeek said investments continue through collaboration among ministries, agencies and communities, with the priorities identified by residents helping to guide the development process.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

Celebrating Amerindian Culture, Heritage and Tradition at Whirlwind Village SCENES from the final night at Whirlwind Village at the National Exhibition Centre, Sophia, as the Amerindian Arts, Craft and Cuisine Exhibition comes to a close. This year’s exhibition is being held under the theme, “Observing Our Cultural Heritage During Our Diamond Jubilee: Honouring Our Traditions, Culture and Contributions,” celebrating the rich traditions, creativity, cuisine and enduring contributions of Guyana’s Indigenous peoples. (Sachin Persaud photos)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

Guyana’s Himanshi Kumar adjudged Best Speaker at Regional Youth Parliament

YOUNG parliamentarians gathered virtually on Thursday, September 3, 2026, for the 19th Regional Youth Parliament which formed part of the 48th Conference of the Caribbean, the Americas and the Atlantic Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. Under the umbrella Conference theme of “Strengthening Parliaments in the Digital Age,” this year’s Sitting focused on the theme, “Youth Leadership in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” The virtual proceedings were adjudicated by a panel of judges which comprised Bermuda’s Shadow Minister of National Security, Governance & AI, Hon. Jarion C. Richardson, JP, MP; Founder and Executive Director of the Jamaican Association for Debating and Empowerment, Germaine

Barrett; and Jamaican Law student and Youth Policy Committee Member Jordaina Denton. Following the debate, Mr. Richardson commended the participants across all benches for the quality of their performance, content and delivery, highlighting that Himanshi Kumar distinguished herself in her content as well as in her style of presentation, which made the judging quite challenging. Himanshi simulated the role of Leader of the Opposition, challenging the premise that foreign development and ownership of artificial intelligence technologies pose a threat to Caribbean sovereignty. Opening her presentation, Kumar made clear that the Opposition was not against technological advancement or regional investment in AI. Instead, she argued that the Caribbean’s

Kumar was the Best Speaker in the Finals of the Speaker’s National Youth Debating Competition in Guyana approach to AI should be centred on regulation, institutional capacity and regional co-operation, rather than an assumption that foreign technology inherently compromises sovereignty. Kumar advanced the argument that sovereignty is fundamentally about a State’s ability to exercise legal and political authority, rather than ownership of ev-

ery technology it uses. She strengthened this position by pointing to the European Union’s regulatory influence over global technology companies, referencing the “Brussels Effect” and the European Union’s AI Act and General Data Protection Regulation. Her argument was that regulatory authority can extend beyond a jurisdiction’s physical bor-

ders, allowing countries and regional blocs to influence how multinational technology companies operate. Kumar also grounded her argument in regional initiatives, pointing to the UNESCO Caribbean AI Policy Roadmap 2024 and CARICOM’s digital resilience initiatives as examples of how Caribbean countries can pursue technological development while maintaining domestic legal and regulatory authority. Kumar’s presentation took a further turn as she examined what she described as the more serious democratic risk: the potential misuse of AI by Governments and other actors in positions of power. She cautioned that under the banner of “digital sovereignty,” Governments could potentially seek excessive control over algorithms, surveillance systems and citizens’ data.

In conclusion, Kumar drew a distinction between technological dependence and the loss of sovereignty, arguing that dependence can create risks without necessarily amounting to surrender. Instead, she argued that the Caribbean’s digital future would depend on the region possessing “the knowledge to understand it, the laws to regulate it, the institutions to hold it accountable, and the political power to decide how it serves our people.” Kumar’s performance demonstrated a strong command of the motion, combining geopolitical analysis, examples of international regulatory practice and Caribbean-specific policy considerations. Kumar was the Best Speaker in the Finals of the Speaker’s National Youth Debating Competition in Guyana.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

Ministers follow up on Kuru Kuru commitments — sites identified for agricultural wells; recreational ground assessed for upgrades

GOVERNMENT ministers and technical officials returned to Kuru Kuru on Saturday to advance commitments made during President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s recent visit to the community. Minister within the Ministry of Housing Va n e s s a B e n n w a s joined by Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning Keoma Griffith and Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Affairs Kwame McCoy at the Kuru Kuru Training Centre. The visit focused on following through on several interventions identified during the President’s engagement with residents. Already, Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has identified

two sites for shallow wells to support agricultural activities in the community. Engineers from the Ministry of Public Works have also assessed the community’s recreational ground, which is earmarked for rehabilitation, including the installation of sanitation facilities, fencing and bleachers. The follow-up forms part of the Government’s commitment to ensuring that residents play an active role in shaping development within their communities.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

Students encouraged to strive for — as UG reopens academic excellence this week

New and continuing students during the University of Guyana’s official opening ceremony at the Turkeyen Campus on Friday

NEW and continuing students of the University of Guyana (UG) were officially welcomed to the Turkeyen Campus on Friday, ahead of the start of the new academic year on Monday. Delivering the feature address, Professor Stafford Griffith, Chair of the Transitional Management Team (TMT) at UG, encouraged students to make full use of the opportunities afforded by a university education, particularly as they pursue their studies tuition-free. Griffith told students that a university education provides significant benefits to those able to access it, including greater career opportunities, personal development and the ability to contribute meaningfully to their country. “It provides opportunities for personal growth and development, and it improves the contribution you can make as a valued citizen to the development of your country,” he said. “I would like to say as well that it gives you the opportunity to contribute to the development of the country, broadly speaking. But sometimes we forget the other part, that

it also gives you an opportunity to benefit from the development.” Griffith urged Guyanese students attending UG to respect and make the best of the opportunity to pursue a tuition-free tertiary education. He reminded them that they are being provided with an opportunity to obtain a university education in their chosen area of specialisation at a much lower personal cost than those who came before them. “As university students,” he remarked, “you are numbered among the privileged few in the world who will benefit from an advanced education. You are on the road to becoming a trained professional in a specialisation of your choice, and this cannot be accomplished without the hard work, sometimes the gruelling work, that is required.” The TMT Chair advised that success at university requires persistence, a sentiment he said is shared by UG’s team. He told students that they will need to make an effort to attend all of their classes and undertake

their assignments to the best of their abilities. UG’s Registrar, Dr Nigel Gravesande, in his remarks, encouraged students to view the new academic year as the beginning of an educational journey that will bring its own challenges, but also opportunities. “Here at the University of Guyana, I want to encourage you to be assured that you will be part of a strong community, involving the administrators whom you’ve been introduced to, lecturers, past students and the continuing students with the support systems; and know that we value at this institution two things: academic excellence and learning diversity,” Dr Gravesande stressed. He underscored that UG is Guyana’s premier tertiary institution and is registered and accredited by the National Accreditation Council of Guyana. According to the Registrar, paramount to academic achievement and excellence at UG is the commitment of the faculty, as well as those responsible for creating an enabling environment in which students can succeed.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

Berbice positioned as major agricultural, trade and investment hub – Mustapha — billions in infrastructural, agricultural and business investments driving Region Six transformation

By Bebi Shafeah Oosman BERBICE is being positioned to become a major agriculture, trade, logistics and investment hub as the government continues to roll out billions of dollars in infrastructure, agricultural development and business-support initiatives across the region. Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, outlined this vision while delivering the feature address at the launch of the 20th Berbice Expo and Trade Fair which will run from October 2 – 5 at the Rose Hall Estate Community Ground in East Canje Berbice. The Minister said the transformation taking place across Berbice is being supported by major investments in agriculture, transportation, tourism, technology, agro-processing and other productive sectors, creating new opportunities for farmers, businesses and young people. This year's Expo is being held under the theme, “Harnessing AI to transform the future: while enhancing our People.” As such, Mustapha said the theme is particularly relevant as Guyana embraces technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve productivity and service delivery. “Artificial Intelligence is no longer a distant concept; it is a practical tool that can help our farmers increase yields, our agro-processors improve efficiency, our businesses reach wider markets, and our young people access new skills and opportunities,” he said. However, he stressed that people must remain at the centre of the transformation, with technology being used to enhance human potential rather than replace it. Mustapha then pointed to the Farmers Connect App as one of the ways technology

Launch of the Berbice Expo and Trade Fair

is already transforming Guyana's agriculture sector. The platform provides farmers with access to agricultural information and services and includes an AI-driven assistant developed specifically for Guyana's agricultural environment. According to the Minister, the app has attracted 4,389 subscribers, including 2,212 active farmers. The Agriculture Information System (AIS) is also being used to improve the Ministry's ability to collect and utilise information on farmers, farms and agricultural activities. T h r o u g h p a r t n e rships with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the Government is also pursuing AI-driven production systems and large-scale agricultural innovations, including hydroponics and climate-resilient crop and livestock management. Meanwhile, the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board's Licensing and Registration System, launched on July 1, 2026, has registered

325 users and issued 752 licences. MAJOR TRANSFORMATION Mustapha further stated that under the leadership of President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Guyana's development is advancing at an unprecedented pace, while emphasis continues to be placed on building a diversified economy beyond oil and gas. Among the major projects expected to transform Berbice is the US$285 million Berbice Deep-Water Port at the mouth of the Berbice River. Situated on approximately 30 acres north of Crab Island, the development is expected to support oil and gas operations while expanding Guyana's trade and logistics capabilities. The Minister said the Government is also finalising negotiations for a new four-lane, high-span bridge across the Berbice River, which is expected to remove existing weight and transit limitations and integrate with the planned four-lane highway towards Moleson Creek. Other transformative investments highlighted included the 10,000-seat Palmyra International

Multi-Purpose Stadium, the planned municipal airport at Rose Hall, Canje, and the Hospitality and Tourism Training Institute at Port Mourant. The Government's Model Village Initiative has also been extended to Region Six, with communities including Port Mourant, Rose Hall Town and Skeldon targeted for improvements such as modern internal roads, drainage, street lighting, CCTV cameras and green spaces. Mustapha also spoke of the modernisation of the Skeldon Market and surrounding infrastructure, including upgrades to approximately 9,277 metres of roads, which are expected to benefit some 720 households, vendors and businesses. Specialised business clusters for poultry, egg production and commercial hatching are also expected to be supported through financing from the Guyana Develo pnment Bank. AGRICULTURE REMAINS CENTRAL Despite Guyana's rapid industrialisation, Mustapha said agriculture remains central to the government's development agenda, pointing to

the $113.2 billion allocated to the sector in the 2026 National Budget. In Region Six, more than $600 million has been invested in the brackish-water shrimp industry. Production reached approximately 1.557 million kilogrammes in 2025 and has since expanded to approximately 145,000 kilogrammes per month in 2026. At Black Bush Polder, a state-of-the-art seed-processing facility, retrofitted with a 10-tonne dryer and seed cleaner at a cost of $75 million, is serving more than 600 farmers. The government is also moving to open approximately 35,000 acres of new agricultural land while pursuing additional international markets for rice. Mustapha said significant investments are also being made to revitalise the sugar industry, particularly at the Albion, Blairmont and Rose Hall estates. The objective is to increase production and efficiency while positioning the industry to satisfy regional demand for industrial-grade white sugar and other value-added products.

Flood protection and drainage infrastructure are also being strengthened, with two high-level, Hope-like drainage canals being developed at Number 52 Village and the Lancaster area. Farm-to-market roads at Numbers 52 and 58 villages are improving access to more than 50,000 acres of agricultural land, while all-weather trails are being advanced from Moleson Creek towards riverine communities, including Orealla. Communities along the Canje River, including Baracara, have also benefitted from heavy land-clearing equipment and drainage works aimed at increasing cashcrop production. In the livestock sector, approximately 6,000 acres have been dedicated for new pasture lands in Region Six, while investments are also being made in feed production. Mustapha also highlighted the Tunnel Ventilated House Poultry Project at Onverwagt, where pens are designed to accommodate between 20,000 and 45,000 birds, with birds reaching market weight within five to six weeks. Agro-processing and new markets AGROPROCESSING, NEW MARKETS Modern agro-pro cessing facilities have also been established at Crabwood Creek and Orealla to reduce post-harvest losses, increase farmers' earnings and encourage value-added production. The Crabwood Creek facility is fully operational and provides services including dehydration, milling, blending and juicing. Mustapha urged farmers and agro-processors to utilise the facility to improve product quality and expand production. He further announced TURN TO PAGE 21

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

$246.2M invested in Kimbia, Wiruni since 2020

— Human Services Ministry to expand services in riverain communities; child protection, social service officers for Kwakwani MORE than $246 million has been invested in the riverain communities of Kimbia and Wiruni since 2020, as the Government continues efforts to expand infrastructure, economic opportunities and access to essential services across the country. Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, highlighted the investments during the Government’s recent Cabinet outreach, noting that Kimbia has benefitted from $132.7 million in investments, while $113.5 million has been invested in Wiruni. The Minister also announced several initiatives aimed at bringing services closer to residents, including garment-construction training in Kimbia and the placement of child protection and other social service officers in Kwakwani. Speaking to residents of Kimbia, a riverain farming community along the Berbice River in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), Minister Persaud commended the community’s leadership, particularly Toshao Antwan Gordon. “When you go to every community, you make observations. And I think you must be very proud of our young Toshao. This is what we want to see in Guyana—young people in leadership,” she said. “They bring a refreshing perspective and they build on what the foundation was that the Toshaos before them left. And they bring a very youthful perspective.” Minister Persaud also highlighted the impact of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), which she said was evident in the community’s development. “I was so excited to see LCDS everywhere. And it speaks to the thoughtful way in which development is happening in Kimbia. It is $132.7 million worth of development,” she said. Describing the investment and its impact on community development as significant, Persaud highlighted the various Government grants and funding from which Kimbia has benefitted.

“Taking into account the presidential grant, the capital grant, as well as the LCDS investment, you have done well. You have invested well. And you will see the rewards of what you are doing here,” she said. “This is what we mean by development in action. This is what we mean when we say investment has definitely provided dividends.” MORE TRAINING With Kimbia recording progress across several sectors, Minister Persaud said the Human Services Ministry intends to complement those investments by expanding opportunities available to residents. Among the initiatives planned are garment-construction classes, which will be provided to residents free of cost. “The Ministry of Human Services would like to complement what has been done by the other ministries. You have agro-processing going to be started here. You have education in motion. You have the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs in motion,” she said. “We want to offer a number of things. We want to offer youth-friendly classes. We can invest with you in garment construction. We train, at no cost, people in your community to do sewing or garment construction.” Similar investments were highlighted during the Minister’s visit to Wiruni, an Indigenous community along the Upper Berbice River. Persaud pointed to infrastructure, including a sewing hub, school kitchen and village kitchen, as evidence of the community’s development. “As I walked in, I saw the school kitchen. I saw the sewing hub. I see the village kitchen. I see so many things. And it tells me that thought has gone into what you want to see for your community,” she said. The Minister disclosed that $113.5 million has been invested in Wiruni since 2020. “I also paid attention to what was the investment to make all of this happen. And when I looked at the numbers, they told a story.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, alongside Toshao of the community of Kimbia, Antwan Gordon (MHSSS photos) $113.5 million would have been invested in Wiruni from 2020 to now,” she said. Persaud added that the community has also benefitted from presidential grants, including a $9.5 million investment. SERVICES FOR KWAKWANI While Government funding and grants continue to support development in the communities, Persaud said efforts are

also being made to expand access to critical social services. During a stop in Kwakwani, she announced that the Ministry will move to place a child protection officer and other personnel in the community to address pension, probation and other social service matters. According to Persaud, the officers are expected to be in place within one to two weeks. “You will be happy to

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, during a recent cabinet outreach, speaks in the community of Kimbia where $132.7 million has been invested in recent years

know that the ministry will have its own child protection officer and its own person from our ministry, and officers who will be dealing with pension, probation and all the social service issues of the ministry,” she said. “We are making sure that that happens almost immediately, within a week to two here in Kwakwani. It is big progress.” The interventions form part of the Government’s wider effort to pair infra-

structure and community investments with expanded access to services and economic opportunities, particularly in riverain and hinterland communities. The most recent outreach highlights the government's proactive and strategic approach to community development, with investment being paired with services that improve infrastructure and the quality of life for Guyanese.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

Ministry warns scrap-metal dealers over — threatens to shut down industry illegal copper trade if illegal practices continue

THE Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce has warned that licensed scrap-metal dealers found purchasing or handling illegally obtained copper will have their licences immediately cancelled, as authorities move to clamp down on copper theft and the destruction of public infrastructure. The Ministry issued the warning on Saturday following the recent theft of approximately 90 feet of heavy-duty copper cable, valued at G$1.62 million, from the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge. In a statement, the Ministry made it clear that the persons identified in connection with the incident were not licensed scrap-metal dealers and said strong action would be taken against persons operating outside the regulatory framework. “The Ministry is also placing all licensed scrap-metal dealers on notice: no dealer will be permitted to facilitate, purchase, sell, receive or otherwise deal in illegally obtained copper,” the statement said. It added: “Any licensed dealer found engaging in such activities will face immediate cancellation of their licence, in addition to prosecution where applicable.” The Ministry went further, warning that continued illegal activity could jeopardise the entire scrap-metal trade in Guyana. “If the illegal practices within this trade continue, the Ministry will not hesitate to take the necessary steps to cancel the scrap-metal trade altogether,” the statement said. The warning comes one day after 39-year-old Roy Morgan, of no fixed place of abode, was sentenced to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty to simple larceny in connection with the theft of the bridge’s copper cable. Morgan was accused of stealing the cable between August 23 and September

1, 2026. He appeared before Magistrate Dylon Bess at the Diamond/Grove Magistrate’s Court on Friday. Police said that following his arrest, Morgan told investigators that he sold the stolen cable to a scrap-metal operator in Albouystown. Fifty-one-year-old Mustafid “Mustaf” Pashaw of Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo, was subsequently charged with receiving stolen articles. He appeared before Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on Friday and was granted G$300,000 bail. Pashaw was not required to plead to the indictable charge and was ordered to report to the Ruimveldt Police Station on the third Friday of every month. The matter is expected to continue on October 2, 2026. According to the Ministry, the individual accused of purchasing the copper is a repeat offender who was allegedly involved in a similar incident earlier this year. It stressed that he is not a licensed scrap-metal dealer. “The destruction of public infrastructure and the theft or unlawful removal of private property will not be tolerated,” the Ministry declared. The bridge incident comes amid wider concerns over copper theft and vandalism targeting critical infrastructure. Telecommunications providers have also reported disruptions to services as a result of copper cable theft, adding to concerns about the economic and public-service impact of the illegal trade. The Ministry said it remains committed to protecting the integrity of the legitimate scrap-metal industry while strengthening compliance with Guyana’s laws and regulatory requirements. It pledged “decisive regulatory and enforcement action” against unlawful operations and persons who continue to use the scrap-metal trade as an outlet for stolen material.

Berbice positioned as major...

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

FROM PAGE 18

that the Agriculture Ministry will invest in a dedicated cold-storage plant to help reduce spoilage and post-harvest losses for perishable crops. Another initiative will establish stronger direct linkages between Region Six farmers and the hospitality sector. Under the initiative, hotels will be connected directly with local producers of fruits, vegetables, poultry and other agricultural products. Mustapha said this should reduce dependence on middlemen and imports while providing farmers with more reliable markets and fairer returns. EL NIÑO SUPPORT Addressing current El Niño conditions, Mustapha said the Agriculture Ministry and its agencies are implementing measures to safeguard agricultural production. These include maintaining irrigation and drainage infrastructure, pumps, canals and conservancies, while providing farmers with technical support on water conservation and climate-resilient farming practices. Rice farmers are being guided on water-saving practices, drought-tolerant varieties and adjusted planting schedules, while farmers are also being encouraged to utilise mulching, micro-irrigation and water-harvesting techniques. The Minister also pointed to direct financial interventions aimed at reducing production costs. More than $490 million in subsidies was

distributed to Berbice rice farmers, while $3.2 billion worth of urea fertiliser was distributed to 15,460 rice farmers nationally. Mustapha also highlighted the availability of collateral-free and interest-free financing through the Guyana Development Bank, saying greater access to financing will allow farmers, agro-processors and entrepreneurs to expand viable businesses. Reflecting on the 20year milestone of the Berbice Expo and Trade Fair, Mustapha congratulated the Central Corentyne Chamber of Commerce for sustaining an event that has become an important platform for regional businesses. He said the Expo provides businesses, farmers and investors with opportunities to showcase products, establish market linkages, network and explore new investments. “Berbice is quickly emerging as an investment hub, offering a range of opportunities across key industries,” Mustapha said. With continued investments in infrastructure, logistics, agriculture and value-added production, he said Berbice is poised to play an increasingly important role in Guyana's economic growth and the wider Caribbean agricultural economy. “Let us work together to transform Berbice into a beacon for agricultural excellence and a driving force in Guyana’s economic development,” the Minister said.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

Guyana on track for over 500,000 visitors by year’s end — August arrivals climb 5.6%; year-to-date figures up 11%

Guyana is projected to have a milestone of over 500,000 visitors by year’s end GUYANA is projected to welcome more than 500,000 visitors by the end of 2026, as the country continues to record growth in visitor arrivals, according to the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce. The Ministry announced on Friday that Guyana welcomed 48,582 visitors in August 2026, representing a 5.6 per cent increase when compared with August 2025. According to the Ministry, visitor arrivals from January to August 2026 were also 11 per cent higher than during the corresponding period in 2025, continuing the country’s strong tourism growth trajectory. Leisure travel remained the largest contributor to arrivals, accounting for 62 per cent of visitors, followed by business travel at 14 per cent and other forms of travel at 24 per cent. The United States remained Guyana’s largest source market, accounting for 39 per cent of visitors, followed by the Caribbean at 33 per cent. Latin America accounted for nine per cent of arrivals, Canada seven per cent, Europe five per cent and other markets six per cent. The Ministry said the increase in arrivals was supported by several ma-

jor activities, including the Global Super League (GSL) cricket tournament, which extended into early August and attracted international teams and fans. The tournament further reinforced Guyana’s growing reputation as a sporting destination. The return of diaspora visitors during the August vacation period also contributed significantly to arrivals, reflecting the strength of family and cultural ties. According to the Ministry, these activities have helped strengthen Guyana’s image as a destination that combines cultural experiences, sporting attractions and community connections, while maintaining momentum towards the projected yearend visitor figure. Several major activities are still scheduled for the remainder of 2026, including the State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC), along with annual observances and events surrounding Diwali, Tourism Awareness Month and the Christmas season. The Ministry also pointed to the recently announced State Visit by Their Majesties, The King and Queen, among the major upcoming events expected to attract attention to Guyana’s tourism product.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

Ashes tickets pricing people out of game - Vaughan FORMER England captain Michael Vaughan says the rise in the cost of tickets to next year’s men’s Ashes is “pricing a lot of people out of the game.” Having labelled a 43% price increase for the 2027 Test at Edgbaston as “really poor” on social media, he subsequently told BBC Radio 5 Live that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) could be “in for a shock” from the impact of their ticket policy. Members at Edgbaston can purchase tickets for £92, but the cheapest non-member adult tickets across the first three days are £115, with every ticket carrying a £2.50 booking fee. “I think the game’s got to be very careful. I think you’re going to be pricing a lot of people out of the biggest series of them all,” said Vaughan. “A family out of four with

children over 16 it’s near on £1,000. And then you’ve got to price in a few drinks when you’re there, a bit of food, travel, maybe accommodation -- this is the sport the ECB are[sic] wanting to be the most inclusive in the country. “The fans first and foremost are the reason any sporting occasion is a good one, don’t price them out because they might get a shock.” The Birmingham ground will host the third Test of the best-of-five series between England and Australia next summer, with ticket prices in the Hollies Stand -- which holds almost 6,000 spectators -- costing £165, up from £125 in 2023. Vaughan added: “It’s a 43% uplift, that for me is far too much. I think fans know that ticket prices over time will go up, but next week you’ll be paying £82 and next year on the same seat it’ll be

Edgbaston Cricket Ground has a capacity of 25,000

around £167.50. “The Hollies Stand is one of the most famous stands in cricket, in the UK. We love the atmosphere, but you’ll be sitting among the beer snakes, there’s going to be giraffe and elephant [costumes] walking by.

BCCI plays down Agarkar’s absence

AJIT Agarkar was conspicuous by his absence from the high-powered review meeting in Mumbai – his hometown – on Thursday. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) went to some lengths to explain that there was nothing to read into his non-participation in the meeting. But questions lingered. “Today, he was out of station, so he could not be a part of the meeting. The meeting was called at very short notice, and our chairman of the selection committee, Ajit, was not in town. So he could not join the meeting, and he was in an area where he could not join online either, despite our best efforts,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia remarked. A few days ago the chairman of selectors himself held an online selection committee meeting to pick the T20I squad for the threematch series against Afghanistan. On Thursday, however, he could not even be connected online. “Today, we did not have any selection meeting. There was no such discussion in today’s meeting,” the BCCI secretary said. Despite the BCCI secretary’s categorical assertion, social media exploded with speculation over Agarkar’s future. Some social media handles even claimed that he was on his way out. When the BCCI secretary says something with absolute clarity, it would be inappropriate to draw a different conclusion. Yet Agarkar’s absence continues to cause curiosity. Questions about his position have been raised particularly since the Rohit Sharma

“A lot of these venues are having a huge amount of expenditure and it’s great. The Hundred sale money, I thought was going to be helping for that. A year or so after all that money coming in, it looks like [sic] it’s been put on the ticket prices as well.” “We are being priced out of watching Test cricket.” Following the 2023 series, which ended in a 2-2 draw after Australia won the first two Tests [at Edgbaston and Lord’s], the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)

said “every day sold out in advance, with total attendance topping 545,000.” An Edgbaston Stadium spokesperson said: “Our prices for the 2027 Ashes Test are broadly in line with other host venues and major British sporting events such as Wimbledon and the Formula One at Silverstone. “Our entry-level ticket prices roughly match inflation compared to the last time Australia visited Edgbaston in 2023, but like the rest of the country, we’re battling

increased costs and trying to manage these wherever we can.” Despite Warwickshire’s Edgbaston stadium being at a reduced capacity because of the construction of an on-site hotel, tickets for next week’s third Test between England and Pakistan, which range between £57.50-£87.50 for adults, have not sold out. The ticket ballot for the 2027 Ashes opened on Wednesday, with prices more expensive at Lord’s and the Oval in London, with the best tickets at £190 and £185. England, who lost 4-1 in Australia last winter, begin their quest to regain the Ashes at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on 18 June. The second Ashes Test at Lord’s begins on 30 June and the third at Edgbaston on 8 July. The Utilita Bowl in Southampton will become the 10th UK ground to host a men’s Ashes Test when the fourth Test gets under way on 21 July, with the series concluding at the Kia Oval from 29 July. BBC Sport has contacted the ECB and all the Test venues for comments.

Donald and Crocombe get England white-ball call-ups

Devajit Saikia categorically insisted that there was no discussion around the future of Ajit Agarkar or the selection committee

episode, when the selectors reportedly told the former captain to retire, only for the BCCI to intervene. Currently, he is said to be out of town, but many sources insist that no changes are expected to the selection committee and that Agarkar will complete his term, which ends next July. He could even be given an extension until the World Cup in October-November 2027, although that could not be independently verified. “I do not want to give any fodder to the speculators,” Saikia said. He is expected to show up for the Duleep Trophy final, starting September 6. It is being said that he will be in Chennai for the fiveday red-ball game, along with a couple of his colleagues. Two other selectors are expected to be deputed to Delhi for the T20I series against Afghanistan. Agarkar was hard to miss during the just-concluded Test series in Sri Lanka. The cameras captured him repeatedly during the two Tests. On Thursday also he was hard to miss, although the cameras could not capture him. (Cricbuzz)

ENGLAND have named the uncapped Aneurin Donald and Henry Crocombe in their squads for the white-ball series against Sri Lanka. Derbyshire opener Donald has been included in the 16-player squad for the three-match T20 series, while Sussex seamer Crocombe makes the 16-man line-up for the three one-day internationals. Donald scored 489 runs in 12 matches captaining Derbyshire Falcons in the Vitality Blast and hit the most sixes in this year’s competition with 37. He also helped Trent Rockets to the final of the Hundred, which the 29-year-old’s side lost to Manchester Super Giants. Crocombe, 24, has taken hat-tricks in his past two County Championship matches and has three five-wicket hauls this season. England men’s national selector Marcus North said the pair are “two promising players who have earned their places on the back of impressive performances in domestic cricket”. He added: “Aneurin has had an exceptional season for Derbyshire in the Vitality Blast and also with Trent Rockets in The Hundred while Henry is a player we have had an eye on all summer.” Meanwhile England all-rounder Jacob Bethell will again be absent after he “underwent successful surgery on his injured knee

Aneurin Donald helped Trent Rockets get to the final of the Hundred

earlier this week”. He is targeting the whiteball series against Australia in November for his comeback. Bethell sustained his injury in the ODI series against India in the summer and missed the Test series against Pakistan. He is also expected to be absent for an ODI tri-series against hosts Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Lahore and Rawalpindi in October. Batter Phil Salt is unavailable because of a right quad injury, while bowler Jamie Overton is in both squads after missing the white-ball series against India earlier with a thigh injury.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

Pakistan players used to ‘chaos’ - head coach Hesson

INTERIM Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson said his players are used to “chaos” after the tourists dropped seven players and called up seven others for the final Test against England. Pakistan have been woeful in losing the first two Tests, and responded by making sweeping changes to the squad as well as replacing head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed with New Zealander Hesson. Hesson, Pakistan’s whiteball coach, had recently been in Japan preparing for the Asian Games and was only due to travel to the UK for the squad’s audience with King Charles, which took place on Wednesday. Now, Hesson has been placed in charge of the Test team on a temporary basis for the third Test at Edgbaston, beginning on Wednesday, 9 September (11:00 BST). “I was heading over to see the King and be part of a nice occasion,” said Hesson. “That got expedited. “The last couple of days have been challenging for

being in a hotel with some players coming, some players going and then the arrival of everyone. “The guys are probably more used to a little bit of chaos than I am. There’s no doubt they have been disappointed, incredibly disappointed. “We’ve had to park that and go ‘righto, where to from here?’ They’ve been really good over the past couple of days.” Hesson was able to explain the process for the squad changes. The three most senior players dropped – batters Imam-ul-Haq and Salman Ali Agha, along with wicketkeeper Muhammad Rizwan – were removed from the party before the former New Zealand coach took over. Hesson said he then looked at the bowling attack and made changes based on what he believed is required for the conditions at Edgbaston. Spinner Ali Usman and seamer Khurram Shahzad have both been released after playing in the first two Tests. Neither Aamir

Jamal nor Muhammad Awais Jafar have featured on the tour, yet have still been let go Into the squad have come batters Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal, both possessing previous Test experience. Five uncapped players have also been called up: spin-bowling all-rounder Arafat Minhas, left-arm seamer Mohammed Imran Jr, wicketkeeper Said Baig and all-rounders Mohammad Imran and Razaullah. “When I took over, three players had already left the squad – Rizwan, Imam and Salman Ali Agha,” said Hesson. “From there it was a matter of trying to get a balanced squad for the third Test. “I don’t think anyone wants these to happen in the middle of a series, clearly not. “From my perspective, it’s about putting a balanced squad together, not only for this Test, so we actually have some variety in our attack. “Pakistan is known for the pace, unusual actions, mystery spin – we haven’t re-

Pakistan will look to avoid a 3-0 clean sweep in the third Test against England at Edgbaston

ally been able to present any of that.” On Friday, Pakistan trained at the indoor centre at Edgbaston because of wet weather in Birmingham. Four of the new arrivals trained with the squad, with three more due to link up later in the day. Hesson also hit back at reports that Salman refused to attend the meeting with King Charles after being dropped. Salman, Pakistan’s T20 captain under Hesson, led the Test side in the series opener at Headingley because of an injury to Babar Azam, then was left out of the XI

for the second Test before being omitted from the squad entirely. Hesson said Salman did not attend the audience with the King because he was part of the trio of players dropped from the squad first and, as a result, Salman, Imam and Rizwan were taken from the list of attendees to Clarence House. A Pakistan official then confirmed that the four players dropped after Hesson’s arrival were still able to meet the King. “I know there’s been a void in news, but people are just making up stories,” said Hesson.

“Three players were released from the squad before I arrived and well before [meeting the King]. They were sent a note at the time that these three players will not be attending. “Someone has just made something up. All of the rest of the players in the squad were already on the list. I was on the list as the white-ball head coach. There has been no changes to it. “Someone has put two and two together and come up with nine. For me, that’s unacceptable journalism.”(BBC Sport)

Zhang’s towering presence steals spotlight India, Japan to play as US open World Cup with win over China historic one-off T20I THE United States opened the FIBA World Cup in Berlin with a 94-61 victory over China on Friday but much of the attention centred on China’s 2.2-metre (7-foot-3-inch) centre Zhang Ziyu, whose imposing presence and oncourt interactions with the Americans quickly became a social media sensation. Zhang, 19, presented a rare challenge even for a U.S. team stocked with elite professional talent. The towering Chinese phenomenon scored 13 points, made nine of 10 free throws and registered two blocks as China tried to counter the Americans’ pace ⁠and perimeter play. “This was a different type of basketball game than I’ve probably ever played in my entire life,” U.S. guard Caitlin Clark said. “I’ve never played against a woman of that size. She obviously presented some challenges for us, but you’ve got to give our post players a lot of credit.” Video clips and images

Caitlin Clark had 14 points with 11 assists

of Zhang alongside the U.S. players spread rapidly online, with fans focusing on the

striking size difference and the logistical puzzle she created around the basket.

Social media ⁠joked about the difficulty of defending a player who could catch passes and shoot over most opponents without leaving the floor. Zhang’s height forced the Americans to reconsider some of their usual decisions in the lane, where shots that might ordinarily be routine became high-risk ⁠attempts. Their answer was to limit easy entry passes, pressure China’s ball-handlers and use their speed in transition. “She obviously presented some challenges,” added Clark, who made 14 points and 11 assists. ⁠Paige Bueckers also scored 14 as the U.S. seized control early and pulled away. C l a r k ’s a s s i s t t o t a l marked the highest by a U.S. player in a Women’s ⁠World Cup game since Dawn Staley had 12 in 1998. The victory put the U.S. on two points in Group D, tied with Italy who defeated Czech Republic 63-54. (Reuters)

IN order to launch the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of India-Japan diplomatic relations, the men’s cricket teams of the two countries will face off in a one-off T20I match, the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced on Friday. The first-ever international match between the two teams will be played at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Tochigi Prefecture on September 22 later this month. Taking note of India’s ambition of hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036, this contest will be the first step of “Sport 75” - an initiative that stems from an agreement reached during a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and aims to promote human exchanges and cooperation between India and Japan in the field of sports, the board stated in a release.

Speaking on the historic decision, Devajit Saikia, the BCCI secretary said, “The BCCI is delighted to be part of this historic occasion as the Indian and Japanese men’s teams come together for a special T20 International in Japan. This is a significant moment for cricket, as it takes the Indian team to new territory and provides an opportunity to introduce the sport to a wider audience in Japan and East Asia. Naoki Miyaji, the CEO of Japan Cricket Association, further added, “To be able to invite the reigning World Champions to the home of cricket in Japan is a landmark moment for our association. We thank the BCCI for working with us towards this goal and greatly look forward to welcoming the passion of Indian cricket fans, and we actively encourage any local Japanese people curious about cricket to come and cheer on our team in what will be a truly memorable occasion.” (Cricbuzz)

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

Fernandez and Ndiaye show signs Somerset thump Glamorgan of promise on Man City debuts to boost hopes of first title

MANCHESTER City gave £185m worth of talent signed on transfer deadline day their Premier League debuts in the 1-0 Premier League victory over Coventry and manager Enzo Maresca will have been quietly satisfied with what he saw from his new duo. Midfielder Enzo Fernandez, brought in from Chelsea for £125m, was initially named as a substitute but was given a late call-up into the starting XI after Nico O’Reilly sustained a knock in the warm-up, while £60m Iliman Ndiaye also played from the off. Both players have had limited time on the training ground with their new teammates, but showcased early signs of what they will bring to the side and how competition for starting places has ramped up at Etihad Stadium. Maresca knows Fernandez from his time in charge at Chelsea, with the pair winning the Europa Conference League and Club World Cup together, and he played a pivotal role in Erling Haaland’s winning goal. Maresca said: “It is much more easier when a player you already share time together [joins] because they know exactly what you want. “We know each other very well, I know how good he is and I know that he is going to help the team to win games.” Man City maintain 100% start with win over Coventry Players will ‘learn how

Enzo Fernandez joined Manchester City from Chelsea for a joint-high £125m Premier League record fee from Chelsea.

we want them to play’ City clung on to a nervy victory against the Sky Blues to maintain their 100% winning start to the season, but managed to get the job done courtesy of a string of saves from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Haaland continued his fine start to the season by converting his third goal in as many games from Antoine Semenyo’s deep cross, which came after Fernandez played through a slide-rule pass to the Ghanaian. Playing in the number eight role, Argentina international Fernandez was given licence to roam and make late bursts into the box - he touched the ball six times in the opposition area, with only Haaland managing more with 11. Fernandez could have had a dream debut

but saw two shots blocked, before being replaced after 76 minutes by fellow summer signing Ayyoub Bouaddi. The 18-year-old Morocco international was part of City’s midfield rebuild and highlights the options available to Maresca despite the departures of Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders and Nico Gonzalez. Ndiaye, meanwhile, became the first Senegalese player to represent City and is bound to give opposition defenders with his trickery and pace. No player attempted more dribbles in the match than his eight. Maresca said: “Enzo and Iliman [played their] first game with us and then Ayyoub and Ryan [McAidoo] their first game in front of our fans. “That is why I said there are many reasons I am happy about our win. I think they were all good. “Ili just had two sessions with us. He needs to understand how to move. Most of the time he was moving in the wrong way, wrong position, but he needs to learn and for sure he is going to learn.” Asked to elaborate on Ndiaye’s performance, Maresca said: “When Marc Guehi has the ball and he was dropping a lot and we don’t need that. “We need him in the last third so he can be a little bit more higher. That space was more for Josko Gvardiol. “It is the same thing in this [other] side. But it is normal and with time they will learn the way we want them to play.(BBC Sport)

St. Therese’s Primary outplay...

before Adon Holmes executed one of the tournament’s finest counter-attacks. Holmes smashed an unbeaten 47 off just 16 deliveries, featuring six maximums and two boundaries, pushing his side to a competitive 78 for 7 from their allotted eight overs. Despite the loss in the final, Charity’s Holmes scooped up the tournament’s Most-Runs award after finishing with 68 total runs. St. Therese’s all-round hero Elijah Bhandan was named both Most Valuable Player and top wicket-taker, ending the campaign with three wickets and 23 runs. With this title win, St. Therese’s Primary joins Huis

T’ Dieren Primary (2024) and Cropper Primary (2025) on the roll of national champions. Adding to their triumphant day, the Berbice unit also scored a memorable victory over the Guyana Amazon Warriors in a novelty match. St. Therese’s path to the trophy began in emphatic fashion in Match One, where they secured a seven-wicket win over West Ruimveldt Primary. Restricting West Ruimveldt to 46 for 7 in eight overs—thanks to tight spells from Melroy Grant (2 for 9) and Lomar Williams (2 for 10)—St. Therese’s overhauled the total in just 4.1 overs, finishing on 49 for 3. Southwell led the charge

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again with an unbeaten 23, supported by Bhandan’s 17, while Ceon Rajkumar’s 16 remained the lone highlight for West Ruimveldt. In Match Two, Charity Primary booked their final spot by edging past West Ruimveldt. Charity posted a formidable 66 for 6 from their eight overs behind contributions from Holmes (21*) and Campbell (13), even as West Ruimveldt’s Vincent Farley (2 for 5) and Steven Orie (2 for 27) bowled smartly. Despite conceding 24 extras, Charity defended the target comfortably as Troy Boston’s 2 for 12 helped restrict West Ruimveldt to 54 for 4 when their overs expired.

Somerset have never won the County Championship title

JACK Leach, Craig Overton and Lewis Gregory shared nine wickets as Somerset stepped up their challenge for a first ever County Championship title with victory by an innings and 64 runs over Glamorgan inside three days at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton. Left-arm spinner Leach finished with 3-46 and seamers Overton and Gregory 3-29 and 3-68 respectively to restrict the visitors of 183 all out in their second innings from an overnight 30-1. Asa Tribe top scored with 49, while Sean Dickson made 47, but the Welsh county were comprehensively outplayed in all department. Somerset took 23 points from the game to heap pressure on rivals Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire in what is building towards the most thrilling finale to the title race in years. Glamorgan had to settle for three points and their challenge appears to be petering out. The hosts did not have to wait long for a breakthrough when play began five minutes late because of a shower. With 12 runs added to the Glamorgan total, skipper Kiran Carlson nicked a forward defensive push off Migael Pretorius to wicketkeeper James Rew and departed for a duck. ( Scores: Glamorgan 194 & 183: Tribe 49; Overton 3-29 Somerset 441: Lammonby 95; Crane 4-95

Somerset (23 pts) beat Glamorgan (3 pts) by an innings & 64 runs) It was 65-3 when Ben Kellaway, on six, got a thicker edge to Overton and presented a waist-high catch to Gregory at third slip. Colin Ingram survived a run-out scare when Leach missed the stumps at the bowler’s end from mid-on with the Glamorgan player short of his ground attempting a quick single. But there was no stopping Somerset as Leach turned a ball sufficiently from the River End to find the edge of Tribe’s bat and Overton pouched the chance at first slip. The opener had faced 108 balls and hit eight fours. Ingram was next to go, feathering a defensive shot off Overton through to Rew and at 81-5 Glamorgan required a further 166 runs to avoid an innings defeat. Much rested on the experienced partnership of former Somerset player Dickson and Chris Cooke. By lunch, they had added 30, not without alarm as Leach began to extract regular turn. Dickson was unbeaten on 20 and Cooke nine. The afternoon session saw the Glamorgan sixth-wicket pair extend their stand beyond the half-century mark as Dickson reverse-swept a boundary off Leach and followed up with a pulled four in the same over. But, having fought his

way to 20 off 46 balls, Cooke was tempted to hook a short ball from Overton and directed the ball into the safe hands of Josh Thomas at fine leg to make it 143-6. With only five added, Dan Douthwaite fell for a first ball duck, lbw to a delivery from Leach that pitched on leg stump from around the wicket and turned sharply. Dickson’s 74-ball resistance ended when he aimed to cut a wide ball from Gregory and Tom Abell took a smart catch two-handed above his head at second slip. With the scoreboard reading 150-8, Somerset’s work was almost done. Gregory found a way through Connor O’Riordan’s defences to bowl him for the third duck of the innings and the match ended at 14:40 BST when the Somerset skipper had Timm van der Gugten caught at cover. Glamorgan coach Richard Dawson told BBC Sport Wales: “It was a tough two and a half days against a good side high in confidence. “They put us under pressure from the first morning and we struggled to get back into it. “We started showing some confidence with individual performances - Asa Tribe played well, Sean Dickson and Ben Kellaway in the first innings. We showed snippets and we hung in there with the ball but realistically Somerset outplayed us.”

Alfred, Seville, Gayle claim...

took bronze in a personal best time of 43.78 seconds. It eclipsed his own previous mark of 43.72 seconds, which he set last September at the World Championships in Tokyo. It is the third time Richards has broken the Trinidad and Tobago 400 metre record, the first in 2024 at the Paris Olympics when

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he finished fourth in 43.78 seconds to break Machel Cedenio’s previous record of 44.01. Jamaican Roje Stona took home bronze in the men’s discus with a throw of 68.86m, behind Slovenia’s Kristjan Ceh (71.29m), and Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna in second with 70.14m.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

Headquarters retain supremacy with dominant performance in CoP T20 Cup final

HEADQUARTERS are still the “kings” of the Guyana Police Force Commissioner of Police (CoP) T20 Cup tournament after completing a ruthless nine-wicket victory over upstarts Tactical Services Unit (TSU) when the 2026 tournament climaxed at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary, on Friday. Set a paltry 125 for victory, after limiting their opponents to 124 for six in their allotted 20 overs, the four-time reigning champions rushed to 126 for one in a mere 9.4 overs to claim their fifth unprecedented consecutive title. The victory charge was led by opener Pernell London, who blasted four fours and three sixes in a fine unbeaten 56, adding 85 in 7.2 overs with fellow opener Andrew Lyght Jnr, who spanked four fours in his 30 and an unbeaten 41 off 14 balls

MVP of the final, Pernell London, receives one of his awards from Superintendent Ronald Ali. (Pictures, courtesy of GPF Cricket Facebook page)

The victorious Headquarters players pose with their winnings

for the second wicket with Dwain Dick who was unbeaten on 30 from 23 balls, which included four fours, when victory was achieved. The lone wicket-taker was Andre Baker who claimed one for 45 from 2.4 overs.

Earlier, the TSU, who promised much in the preliminary rounds, found the going tough against their more experienced counterparts and were never let off the hook. Opener Eon Rodrigues led from the front with an effi-

India to host inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy next year

The Vadodara International Cricket Stadium will be one of the venues for the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, (CMC) – The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that India will host the first-ever Women’s Champions Trophy in early 2027. India has been named as a replacement for Sri Lanka, with the tournament slated to be held in the cities of Mumbai and Vadodara from February 14 to 28. The Cricket Club of India (CCI) in Mumbai and the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium will be the venues for the landmark tournament, which will bring together six of the world’s leading women’s cricket teams – Aus-

tralia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka. The tournament was originally scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka but will now be staged in India as Sri Lanka Cricket continues to make the requisite reforms outlined at the ICC’s Annual Conference in July. The ICC assessed three candidates -Bangladesh, India and South Africa – against its established host evaluation criteria before recommending India as the replacement host, a decision ratified by the ICC Board on September 2. ICC chairman, Jay Shah, said: “The ICC Women’s Champions Trophy 2027 marks

an exciting new chapter for women’s cricket. As the inaugural edition of the tournament, it will bring together the best teams in the world in an intense, high-quality competition, while creating even greater incentive for teams to continue rising through the rankings and competing for a place on the global stage. “With a marquee ICC women’s event now taking place every year, we have a significant opportunity to build greater momentum, provide more consistency and create a stronger rhythm for the women’s game, its players and its fans around the world.”

cient 35 off 25 balls, hitting four fours and two sixes in the process, while Alex Burnett supported with 20. The wickets were shared by Kanhaiya Ramkarran who grabbed two for 19 from his four overs, while there was one each from Kapildeo Charandeen, Hazel Williams and Ewan Blair. London was named the final’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Best Batsman, while Ramkaran earned the

Best Bowler award. National wicket-keeper Kemol Savory, who represented Region 10, topped the tournament’s run-scoring charts with 260 runs, including back-to-back centuries. He has since left to join St Lucia Kings for the remainder of the ongoing Caribbean Premier League (CPL) tournament. In the race for the third place, the GPF Academy won from Region Six in a low-scoring affair. Set 103 for victory, after Region Six were shot out for 102 in

17.4 overs, the GPF Academy huffed and puffed their way to 105 for seven in 17.5 overs. At one stage, the GPF Academy were 76 for seven in the 14th over before Manof-the-match, Shane Prince, who hit an undefeated 28 (three fours), joined forces with Osafa Matherson (three not out) to add an unbeaten 29 for the eighth wicket, ensuring no further alarms. Opener Vishaul Williams had earlier score 41 off 35 balls which was spiced with five fours.

Campbell captures shot put title in record fashion

RUSSELS, Belgium, (CMC) – Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell produced a personal best throw to stun the field in the men’s discus and win gold at the Wanda Diamond League final here on Saturday. Competing at King Baudouin Stadium, Campbell threw the discus a stunning 23.08 metres to give Jamaica their third title after Oblique Seville and Tajay Gayle captured the 100m and long jump titles, respectively on Friday’s opening day. American Jordan Geist was second with his effort measured at 22.23m and his compatriot Joe Kovacs finished third with 22.09m. Campbell’s mark is the fourth best ever in the history of the event, and shattered Jamaica’s national record of 22.62m, which he threw in the second round. It was the fifth time that Campbell, the Olympic Games bronze medalist, broke his own national record. He had extended his own Jamaican record to 22.34m in China in May, then threw 22.44m in June in Zagreb, Croatia and 22.59m in Brescia, Italy last weekend.

Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell

Knight Riders stun defending champs Barbados Tridents in season opener

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – Three-time defending champions Barbados Tridents Women began their Women’s Caribbean Premier League in disappointing fashion, falling to a 21-run defeat at the hands of Trinbago Knight Riders Women in the opening match of the season here on Saturday. After a scorching start to their innings, the Knight Riders would have been disappointed to only get up to 154 in their 20 overs after they were sent in at Kensington Oval. The Tridents looked set to register a comfortable win until they shockingly lost seven wickets for just 24 runs to be bowled out for 134 in 18.4 overs. Meaningful contributions from the Tridents’ top order gave them

a solid start in front of a modest home crowd. Openers Qiana Joseph and Hayley Matthews added 40 runs for the first wicket in five overs until Shikha Pandey had the latter caught for 19. Joseph fell shortly after for 25 to leave the score 46 for two, but Kiran Navgire and Maddy Green put them back on track during a 39run partnership for the third wicke And even when Green – who looked in fine nick for her 24 off 16 balls – lost her wicket, Naijanni Cumberbatch and Navgire carried them past the 100-run mark and installed them as favourites. But with the score 107 for three, Pandey bowled Cumberbatch for six, Suzie Bates was run out for just one, Navgire was trapped lbw

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, September 6, 2026

Shikha Pandey (left) celebrating one of her three wickets against the Barbados Tridents.

by Samara Ramnath and Pooja Vastrakar was dismissed by Deandra Dottin for two, to see the Tridents slump to 113 for seven in the 15th over. The end came swiftly thereafter, with Player-of-the-Match Pandey delivering the final blow by dismissing last batter Afy Fletcher for 12. She finished with 3-17, Ramnath took 2-16 and Dottin 2-24.

St. Therese’s Primary outplay Charity to win Champion of Champions title in Future Warriors Tapeball

Minister of Education Sonia Parag, President of ExxonMobil Guyana Alistair Routledge, among other ExxonMobil Guyana staff, along with John Ramsingh of FL Sport, with the championship side, Therese’s Primary School

NEW Amsterdam’s St. Therese’s Primary School were crowned the new Champion of Champions in the ExxonMobil Guyana-powered Future Warriors Tapeball tournament for Primary Schools, capping off a dominant campaign with a dramatic six-wicket victory over Essequibo champions Charity Primary at the Everest Cricket Club on Saturday.

Chasing a daunting target of 79 in eight overs, St. Therese’s reached 81 for 4 in 7.2 overs, propelled by a blistering attack upfront. Justin Southwell set the tone early with a quickfire 35 off just 17 balls, while Melroy Grant provided the finishing touches with an unbeaten 19 off 10 balls. Ravaldo Campbell was the pick of the bowlers for Charity Primary, taking 2 for

14 in his two overs, but his efforts were not enough to halt the Berbice side’s momentum. Earlier in the match, Charity Primary mounted a breathtaking recovery after being reduced to a precarious 17 for 7 in 3.1 overs. A disciplined opening spell from St. Therese’s Elijah Bhandan (3 for 12) and Jaden Lewis (2 for 21) shattered Charity’s top order TURN TO PAGE 26

Earlier, the Knight Riders were given a speedy start by openers Yastika Bhatia and Laura Harris, with the pair bludgeoning 67 runs inside the power play. Harris was the first to go after scoring a boundary-laden 38 off 19 balls that contained four boundaries and three sixes. Dottin maintained the momentum with Bhatia, with the two keeping the run rate at over nine runs an

over, until Dottin was stumped for 14 to leave the Knight Riders 93 for two after 10 overs. From thereon, the visitors struggled to push on, with only Madeline Penna, who scored 27 from 21 balls, getting into double figures. Qiana Joseph was the main architect of their struggles, picking up 3-27, while Bates (2-25) and Matthews (2-26), took two wickets apiece.

Alfred, Seville, Gayle claim Diamond League titles

BRUSSELS, Belgium, (CMC) – Saint Lucian Julien Alfred captured her third consecutive Diamond League title, while Jamaicans Oblique Seville and Tajay Gayle also won their respective events at the final here at the King Baudouin Stadium on Friday. On a chilly night, Alfred stormed to victory in the women’s 200 metres in a time of 21.79 seconds to add to the 100m titles she won in 2024 and 2025. Kayla White of the USA crossed the line second in 22.00 seconds, followed by European champion Amy Hunt, who produced a personal best of 22.16 seconds to round out the podium. Running out of lane 6, the 25-year-old Alfred faced early pressure off the bend from White, but powered home in the last 50 metres to comfortably win the race in the seventh-fastest time of the season. “The only goal tonight was to come out here and finish, from point A to point B,” Alfred told FloTrack after the race. “I think just that – despite the time, despite the

Oblique Seville won his maiden Diamond League title by winning the men’s 100 metres final

weather.” Seville captured his first-ever Diamond League title by winning the men’s 100 metres. He recovered from a shaky start to cross the finish line in 9.90 seconds to edge Commonwealth Games champion Emmanuel Eseme of Cameroon in 9.93 seconds, and Kayinsola Ajayi of Nigeria, who placed third in 9.97 seconds. Gayle was also in winners’ row, claiming his second men’s long jump title in three years by leaping to victory in a season’s best effort of 8.46 metres in the final round to overtake series leader Miltiadis Tentoglou of

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Greece, who finished second with a jump of 8.40m, while Switzerland’s Simon Ehammer was third (8.23m). Fellow Jamaican Wayne Pinnock placed fifth (7.94m). Meanwhile, Trinidadian Jereem ‘The Dream’ Richards set a new national record in the men’s 400 metres on his way to copping a silver medal. Richards clocked 43.68 seconds to finish behind Busang Collen Kebinatshipi who won in a Diamond League and Botswana national record of 43.40 seconds. The USA’s Jacory Patterson TURN TO PAGE 26

| SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026