A blend of experience, youthful energy
A blend of experience, youthful energy
- as President Ali appoints vibrant group of experts, professionals to serve in new Cabinet, continue aggressive development drive
By Trina Williams
THE atmosphere came alive at State House on Saturday as President Dr. Irfaan Ali administered the Oath of Office to 25 ministers who will form the new Cabinet and constitute a vibrant team stitched together to continue taking Guyana forward.
The ceremony was a moment of national pride, attended by Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips and Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, alongside diplomats, military officials, former officials, and proud families.
Several new ministers have joined the administration, underscoring a fresh group which integrates technical knowledge into governance and introduces young, vibrant voices into national decision-making.
Prior to administering the oath to each minister within his Cabinet, President Ali made some brief remarks, and assured the Guyanese citizenry that these next five years will see further advancement in making life better for all.
He also put the new Cabinet on notice, firmly stating that the foundation of the new government is about results,
people, efficiency and relentless hard work.
“This government is the exercise of responsibility, service, and humility; no egos. It's about service responsibility,” President Ali said.
The Head of State noted that the Cabinet has been drawn from a pool of highly-skilled professionals, and will serve in playing key and critical roles in the nation’s development.
First-time Ministers include: Keoma Griffith, who will be the Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning; Sarah Browne, now heading the Ministry of
Amerindian Affairs; Vanessa Benn, assuming the role of Minister within the Ministry of Housing; and Madanlall Ramraj, who is now the Minister within the Ministry of Public Works.
Vickash Ramkissoon is also now the Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, and Steven Jacobs is now the Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.
Also, the government has created new portfolios to sharpen governance, and create targeted focus on critical sectors, and to head these are Deodat Indar, who will be the Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, while
the Ministry of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation will be Zulfikar Ally.
Several senior ministers of the past Cabinet have taken on fresh responsibilities.
Among them are former Education Minister Priya Manickchand, who is now Minister of Local Government and Regional Development; former Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai, who is now Minister within the Ministry of Local Government; and previous Tourism Minister Oneidge Walrond will take over as Home Affairs Minister.
Further, Sonia Parag now
leads the Education Ministry, and Susan Rodrigues has been reassigned to the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce.
EXPERIENCE RETAINED
At the same time, some of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C)’s most seasoned ministers will continue their long-standing roles.
Mohabir Anil Nandlall will continue to serve as Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney-General; Dr. Ashni Singh will continue as Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance in
the Office of the President; while Hugh
Anil Nandlall – AG & Min. Legal Affairs Gail Teixeira – Min. Parliamentary Affairs & Governance
Priya Manickchand – Min. Local Government & Regional Development
Dr. Ashni Singh – Snr. Minister in the OP with Resp. for Finance
Hugh Todd – Min. Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation
Pauline Sukhai – Min. within the Ministry of Local Government & Regional Development
Oneidge Walrond – Min. Home Affairs
Sonia Parag – Min. Education
Zulfikar Mustapha – Min. Agriculture Dr. Frank Anthony – Min. Health
Juan Edghill – Min. Public Works
Deodat Indar – Min. of Public Utilities & Aviation
Zulfikar Ally – Min. Public Service, Government Efficiency & Implementation Susan Rodrigues – Min. Tourism, Industry & Commerce
Sarah Browne – Min. Amerindian Affairs
Kwame McCoy – Min. within the Office of the PM Keoma Griffith – Min. Labour & Manpower Planning
Charles Ramson – Min. Culture, Youth & Sport
Vickram Bharrat – Min. Natural Resources Collin Croal – Min. Housing
Dr. Vindhya Persaud – Min. Human Services & Social Security Vikash Ramkissoon – Min. within the ministry of Agriculture
Madanlall Ramraj – Min. within the ministry of Public Works
Steven Jacobs – Min. within the ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport
Vanessa Benn – Min. within the ministry of Housing
Guyana, Suriname presidents commit to improving Canawaima Ferry Service
PRESIDENTS Dr. Irfaan Ali of Guyana and Dr. Jennifer Geerlings-Simons of Suriname emphasised the critical role of the Canawaima Ferry Service in supporting border communities.
They also highlighted its importance in facilitating bilateral trade, the movement of people, and the transport of goods during their meeting in Nieuw Nickerie on Saturday.
In a joint statement issued after the discussions, the two Heads of State highlighted the urgent need to review the operation of
the ferry service, aiming to improve its reliability and efficiency for the benefit of citizens on both sides of the Corentyne River.
“The Presidents emphasised the importance of the Canawaima Ferry Service to the well-being of border communities, the facilitation of bilateral trade and movement of people and goods,” the statement said.
According to the statement, they agreed on the urgent need to review its operation to improve and strengthen the reliability and efficiency of the service.
It added, “Both heads
also confirmed their willingness to collaborate closely on the regional ferry project to facilitate regional integration.”
The meeting underscores both nations’ dedication to practical solutions that improve cross-border transport infrastructure and foster closer economic, social, and cultural ties. The Canawaima Ferry Service is the sole legal marine link between Moleson Creek in Guyana and South Drain in Suriname, facilitating the movement of passengers and goods across the Corentyne River.
Established in 1998, the service was a collaborative initiative between the governments of Guyana and Suriname, aiming to enhance bilateral trade and connectivity between the two nations.
The ferry service operates daily, except on major public holidays, and is managed by the Canawaima Management Company N.V., a joint venture between the two governments. The MV Canawaima, the primary vessel, has a capacity to transport approximately 24 cars and up to 200 passengers.
A blend of experience, youthful...
FROM PAGE 3
Todd will continue to serve as Foreign Affairs Minister.
Meanwhile, Gail Teixeira continues her role as Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance; Zulfikar Mustapha as Agriculture Minister; Dr. Frank Anthony as Health Minister; Juan Edghill as Public Works Minister; and Kwame McCoy as Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister.
In the line-up also are: Charles Ramson as Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport; Vickram Bharrat as Minister of Natural Resources; Collin Croal as Minister of Housing; and Dr. Vindhya Persaud as Minister of Human Services and Social Security.
The Cabinet appointments followed Monday’s swearing-in ceremony for Vice- President Dr. Jagdeo, and Prime Minister Phillips, who President Ali had described as capable, tested and proven leaders.
PARLIAMENTARY
PICKS
Indigeous Leaders Lenox Shuman and Sonia Latchman; Attorneys-at-Law Sanjeev Datadin and James Bond; former Minister within the Ministry of Local Government, Anand Persaud; Guyana's Chief Investment Officer and Chief Executive Officer of Go-Invest, Dr. Peter Ramsaroop were also identified as parliamentarians.
Educator Mischka White-Griffith, and maritime expert Thandi Mcallister are the new parliamentary secretaries.
ADVISERS
Former Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn is now the senior adviser on Home Affairs and Natural Resources, while former Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton is the adviser on labour and manpower planning. With a mix of experienced policymakers and new, fresh faces, the new PPP/C administration is setting the stage for its next phase of governance, balancing continuity with renewal as Guyana pursues its development priorities, President Ali said.
President Ali hails Corentyne River Bridge as catalyst for regional integration
- during meeting with Suriname’s President - leaders pledge close coordination on timely completion of transformative project
PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali and Suriname’s President Dr. Jennifer Geerlings-Simons met in Nickerie, Suriname, on Saturday to discuss bilateral initiatives aimed at strengthening trade, tourism, and regional connectivity.
At the centre of discussions was the long-anticipated bridge over the Corentyne River, a project the two leaders described as transformative for both nations.
During a press briefing following the meeting, President Ali underscored the bridge’s “timely advancement of the transformative potential for trade, tourism, connectivity, and peo -
bridge, once completed, is expected to be a key link in fostering stronger ties among South
in the Corentyne River. Guyana has earmarked GY$5 billion (US$23.9 million) for the project in
its 2025 budget. Plans are underway to transform Long Island into a vibrant commercial
ple-to-people exchanges.”
He emphasised that both governments are committed to close collaboration to resolve remaining legal, technical, and financial matters.
“[We] recognise that this bilateral initiative is also an integral part of the interconnectivity within the Amazon Region,” Dr. Ali stated, noting the strategic importance of enhanced links between Guyana and Suriname.
The Guyana-Suriname
American and Caribbean nations, boosting trade flows and unlocking untapped tourism opportunities. China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) is set to construct the US$236 million project bridge over the Corentyne River.
Designed to last 100 years, the bridge, which will span approximately 3.1 kilometres, is set to connect Moleson Creek in Guyana to South Drain in Suriname, with a landing point on Long Island
hub and tourist hotspot.
The envisioned duty-free zone will feature significant infrastructural developments, including hotels, recreational parks, shopping malls, farmers’ markets, and a variety of entertainment venues.
Moreover, the two Heads of State reaffirmed the strong bonds of friendship and co-operation that exist between Suriname and Guyana rooted in their shared val-
ues and aspirations, cultural ties, and geographic proximity.
They expressed their mutual commitment to further deepen the bilateral partnership to promote peace, security, and prosperity for the peoples of both countries.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on November 25, 1975. This date marks the day Suriname gained independence from the Netherlands.
President Dr. Irfaan Ali greets Suriname’s first female President, Dr. Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, with a handshake in Nickerie on Saturday
President Ali greets officials of the Surinamese government
Artistic impression of the Corentyne River Bridge
The leadership Guyana needs
PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali's meeting with Permanent Secretaries and Deputy Permanent Secretaries on Friday shows the kind of strong leadership Guyana needs as it enters a new era.
By setting clear expectations for modernising government services through a fully digitised framework, the President shows that the PPP/C administration knows how to govern in
the 21st Century.
This isn't just about managing the administration; it’s about building the nation. Focusing on customer service, efficiency, transparency, and results sends a strong message that bureaucratic delays and the "royal run-around" are things of the past.
When the President insists that transformation must remain focused on people, with reliability, efficiency,
and timely delivery as guiding principles, he expresses a vision that prioritises citizens over bureaucrats.
What makes this approach particularly impressive is how it fits well with the broader Digital Guyana strategy that has been gaining momentum in 2025.
The government's commitment to the Citizen Portal, AskGov AI assistant, and sovereign AI cloud shows that Ali
isn't just talking about modernisation; he is putting it into action.
The recent appointments of Sharon Roopchand-Edwards, Roger Rogers, Duan Ellis, and Dr. Erica Forte to key permanent secretary positions indicate that fresh leadership will drive this digital change.
Critics might call this political talk, but the results speak for themselves. The Ali ad-
ministration has already delivered on biometric ID cards, paperless airport systems, and integrated 3D geographic information systems.
These are not just promises; they are achievements that are changing how Guyanese interact with their government.
The timing of this meeting, as part of Ali's transition into his second term, highlights the urgency and priority
given to public service reform. By making digitalisation a key part of his renewed mandate, the President is ensuring that Guyana's rapid economic growth leads to real improvements in citizens' daily lives. This is the kind of forward-thinking governance that will position Guyana as a regional digital leader, and ensure that prosperity reaches every citizen.
Learning from ASEAN: Building a digital financial future for Guyana
Dear Editor,
AS Guyana's leadership urges the financial sector to present plans for modernisation via digitalisation, it is timely to reflect not only on the benefits frequently cited: speed of transaction, security, reduced cash handling, but also on what real, working digitised financial systems look like in practice.
Observing ASEAN countries, especially Thailand, offers useful models but also cautions that Guyana should take seriously in crafting its strategy.
In Thailand, the widespread use of QR-codes and bank applications linked to fast payment rails (such as the PromptPay system) allows people to pay for both formal and informal purchases: in shops, on sidewalks, at markets, and between individuals, often by scanning a QR code and entering minimal details. Such systems have sev-
eral virtues. They reduce the risk and cost of carrying cash (for individuals, for merchants, for the State), improve the speed of transaction clearance, reduce informal leakages, assist traceability (important for tax compliance), and provide data for better governance and credit scoring. They also help financial inclusion: those in rural or marginal areas who previously had little access to banks can participate via mobile applications or digital wallets. Furthermore, linking fast-payment systems across borders (as Thailand has done with Singapore via PromptPay-PayNow) reduces foreign exchange/transfer fees and delays, aiding cross-border trade and remittances.
But what lessons should Guyana heed so that digitalisation is not simply a slogan, but works as fully as in Thailand?
First, regulatory and
infrastructural readiness is essential. It is not enough to issue mandates; there must be broadband internet reaching rural and underserved areas, mobile penetration must be reliable, and strong frameworks for consumer protection, data privacy, and cybersecurity must be in place. ASEAN case studies show that gaps here slow adoption and open risks of fraud or exclusion.
Second, interoperability and standards matter greatly. Standardised QR codes allow any wallet or bank app to work with any merchant’s QR rather than requiring many different ones. Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia moved toward QR-standardisation so that users of different banks can use the same system. This kind of harmonisation reduces friction and accelerates uptake.
Third, costs and incentives must be aligned. For
ordinary people, transaction fees must be low or zero; for merchants, especially small ones, registering and using the system must be affordable and simple. Thailand’s experience shows that lowering fees and providing support for small vendors were key.
Fourth, financial inclusion and equity must be central. Digitisation risks leaving behind those without smartphones or digital literacy. ASEAN countries are now focusing on ensuring rural areas, elderly citizens, and informal vendors are supported. This is not just about fairness but about maximising the size of the digital economy.
Fifth, trust, security, and governance are crucial. Citizens must feel confident that payments are safe and that they have remedies if fraud occurs. ASEAN nations have learned that public trust is easily shaken if security is breached or
redress is slow.
Sixth, sequencing and piloting make success more likely. Thailand did not simply flip a switch nationwide. Instead, they piloted, refined, and then expanded. Guyana should adopt a similar approach—test in selected regions or sectors, learn, and then scale.
Seventh, cross-border potential is significant.
ASEAN’s move to link payment systems across countries has slashed remittance and transfer costs. Guyana, with its diaspora and regional trade, could gain much from planning ahead for regional digital connections.
Finally, public education and habit change are vital. People must see the benefits, learn how to use digital payments, and trust them. Only then will both formal and informal sectors embrace the change.
In li ght of these lessons, it is important that
Guyana not proceed in isolation. I strongly suggest that a dedicated team of financial regulators, policymakers, and private-sector representatives undertake a guided study visit to ASEAN countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Seeing these systems in action, engaging with their regulators and banks, and learning how obstacles were overcome will give Guyana’s leaders a clearer, practical understanding of what effective digitisation looks like in real life.
Digitalisation offers tremendous promise: safer transactions, broader financial inclusion, faster commerce, and more efficient governance. But for Guyana to capture these benefits, it must not only design carefully at home but also learn from proven experience abroad.
Sincerely, Dr. Walter H Persaud
This masquerade ended in tragedy for PNC and AFC
MY wife and I went to Wakenaam last Friday for her cousin’s funeral. On our way back to Region 4, we got stuck for an hour at the western entrance of the Demerara Harbour Bridge (the bridge is a destructive intrusion into one’s psychological serenity). On our way back, I put into the car stereo my wife’s favourite female singer in the English language - Karen Carpenter.
As we waited with expanding agony to cross the bridge, “This Masquerade” was playing. It is one of the most beautiful love songs ever written and sung, and will remain like that forever. It is one of my wife’s favourite songs of all time. When you are waiting on the bridge, you get so resigned to your fate that the conversation in the car ceases, and everyone inside the car has periodic moments of silence.
Something struck me as This Masquerade was playing. It was uncanny, weird,
surreal and unbelievable. I know the lyrics of the song by heart. But I pressed the rewind button to listen to it again. Please read the lyrics or listen to the lyrics coming from one of the most inviting voices in English pop music, and tell me if any song in any language is more relevant in understanding the “bust-up” between the PNC and AFC in the run-up to the 2025 election.
I implore readers to read the lyrics at the end of the column and tell me if I am not a thousand per cent right. The back and forth in the negotiation between the PNC and AFC was identical to a masquerade. In the end, the masquerade imploded into electoral tragedy.
I always felt that Irfaan Ali was unbeatable in 2025 because his personality and transformative style had too compelling an influence on the electorate to make him lose. What I felt also was that a PNC and AFC Alliance would have done better if
the two were together rather than alone, because Norton was unelectable and Hughes could not make it on his own.
Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, put it correctly. He said some people didn’t want to vote for the PPP, but they didn’t want to vote for the PNC either so they gave their ballots to WIN. Even a cursory examination of the Statements of Poll (SOPs) showed the PPP support held steady and increased, while the PNC’s votes had a gargantuan reduction, and the AFC was wiped out. Those SOPs showed that WIN took the PNC’s ballots, and voters rejected the AFC.
If you had the following formula, the coalition would not have won the election but would have substantially reduced the Xs that WIN got. Here is that formula. A presidential candidate not from the AFC to placate Norton, and a presidential candidate not from the PNC, to make the AFC comfortable and a
women PM candidate from the PNC.
Forget about Azruddin Mohamed. Once you had that APNU+AFC covenant with small parties of people like Simona Broomes and Dorwin Bess, then that arrangement would have dented Mohamed. With that coalition, Mohamed could not and would not have picked up 16 seats.
PNC supporters and AFC admirers thought that the masquerade of three months between the PNC and AFC was just a pantomime that they found unpalatable, so they stayed home and voted for WIN out of emotional rage. I believe their thoughts went like this – “these are experienced, mature politicians who tell us to vote out the PPP, but look at how they be-
have; they aren’t better than the PPP, they are obsessed with power.”
This was the crucial moment when the masquerade turned into tragedy. And Aubrey Norton is to be blamed, not the AFC people. Norton was simply unelectable, but his congenital ego got in the way. WIN is a passing phase, but the selection of the 12 PNC parliamentarians is another masquerade that will turn into another tragedy.
Please read the lyrics below.
This masquerade by the Carpenters
Are we really happy with this lonely game we play?
Looking for the right words to say
Searching but not finding understanding anyway
We're lost in this masquerade
Both afraid to say we're just too far away
From being close together from the start
We tried to talk it over but the words got in the way
We're lost inside this lonely game we play
Thoughts of leaving disappear each time I see your eyes
And no matter how hard I try
To understand the reason why we carry on this way
We're lost in this masquerade
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.
The dangers of populism
Dear Editor,
POPULISM is a widely used term, but one that is also widely misunderstood. The most elementary error is to derive the meaning from the adjective “popular”, where the latter refers to a person or thing that is well-liked. By contrast, we should understand populism as a distinctive way of practising politics. I shall demonstrate that Azruddin Mohamed (AZM hereafter) is a populist.
In what follows, I outline the key elements of populism.
(a) populism is based on a politics of mobilisation rather than a politics of aggregation. While democratic politics work by aggregating interests and developing policies and programmes to address the same, populist politics focus on recruiting or mobilising sections
of the population who are told that they are the REAL people, but who have been abandoned, ignored, and forgotten.
(b) populism is leader-dominant. The top man, such as AZM, presents himself as someone who is above society. He stands above the fray and will only intervene to save the ‘people’, who in fact are only a segment of the population. In this case, the populist leader emits messianic waves.
(c) The populist leader (AZM again) uses images and other signifiers to portray himself as a ‘strongman’ who is unafraid of those who hold political and economic power. Max Weber used the term charisma to specify this strongman quality.
(d) The populist leader makes promises to the poor, knowing fully and well that these promises are not real-
istic and won’t be delivered. The message is that if you are a faithful follower, you will be rewarded, one way or another, but nothing really specific. The trick is to make belonging to the movement itself the key reward.
In aggregative (democratic politics), citizens make requests that governments respond to in ways set out in the governing principles, institutions, and capabilities. The work of Amartya Sen is indicative of how this works at an aspirational level.
The populist, by contrast, converts all requests into demands.
Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe explain the differences here. While a request is the product of a civic process, a demand politicises the ‘thing’. For instance, if a trench is clogged, resulting in flooding, a community can request that NAREI
clear it up. If that fails, a call might go to Lionel Wordsworth. Still in the ambit of ‘request’, the matter can climb the governance ladder all the way to OP. Nothing political so far.
A demand occurs when a request is transformed into something political. The populist leader can take the same trench, call a meeting, and say something like, “Look how they take their eyes and pass you.” He then calls for a march to an iconic political location (perhaps OP). The task and strategy of the populist leader is to transform a matter of mundane governance into a political crisis. The underbelly of the crisis is the elite versus the people.
The danger of populism is that this strategy can be enacted quite easily at an operational level, and with practically no political costs
to the populist movement. The worse the crisis, the higher the populist leader rises.
The ruling party in these instances must worry about the proclivities of the middle class, whose political identity is highly unstable and can shift tactically if and when the streets become crisis-prone.
The populist model is based on constantly finding ways to divide the country. Simple differences are regularly transformed
into implacable confrontations. The leader of the movement is more like a field commander who issues the order, and the infantry goes out because of the movement patriotism, based, as it were, on a world divided between the saved and damned, a Manichean world cultivated, constructed, and reproduced through endless rhetorical performances. Regards, Dr Randy Persaud
Tune out the noise, turn up the truth
BEYOND the spirited exchanges between rival parties, every election is, at its heart, a contest of our competing visions for our future. Most Guyanese dream of a better tomorrow for themselves and their children, a future shaped more by choice and less by chance. This yearning often makes continuity a comforting preference, and yet sometimes, our circumstances demand bold change, not just incremental adjustment.
In our elections, the vote for continuity prevailed; that much is evident, but victory demands reflection. If we truly desire progress, there are things within us and around us that must change. We are duped too easily by the slime of social media trolls rather than by the incredible opportunities Facebook, Instagram and TikTok offer us to learn and improve our understanding of the world.
I can’t count the number of times that someone would ask me whether I heard what “Melly Mel,” Amier Ahmad or “The Critic” had to say
about something or the other. On every single occasion that I have allowed myself to indulge, I have never been able to find anything of merit in the so-called “explosive dirt” they claim to dredge up. Nothing I have ever heard passes the litmus test of being credible evidence that can be published in a reputable media outlet. And yet it is trafficked on social media and peddled in society as if it reflects a worthy version of the truth.
We can’t get to the shining ‘city on the hill’ by allowing social media trolls to hang out in our backpacks. It is time to switch them off and begin supporting credible media outlets; thankfully, there are many to choose from in Guyana, regardless of which side of the political aisle you happen to sit. I don’t agree with the editorial position of some newspapers, but I read them nevertheless. I’d be a fool not to do so.
I have a surprising but somewhat predictable confession; I’d prefer to live in a society with competing free media than one in which
journalists are killed for doing their job. I shiver at the thought of what it must be like for the families, and for society, of the 25 journalists who were reportedly killed in Yemen by Israeli air strikes two days ago.
Days before our elections, five journalists, including a photographer who worked for Al Jazeera, the news outlet that many Guyanese depend on to report on the genocide taking place in Gaza, were killed when Israel launched an attack on the Nasser Medical Complex. In total, 21 people were killed in what was a “double tap” strike, one missile hitting first, then another moments later as rescue crews arrived. It wasn’t only the Al Jazeera family that grieved the loss; Reuters, The Independent Arabic, Quds Feed Network, Middle East Eye and The Associated Press news agencies suffered as well. Mohammed Salama, one of the Al Jazeera journalists killed, was planning to get married after a ceasefire. Mariam Abu Daqqa leaves behind a 12-year-old son.
AFC: Judas of politics in Guyana
THE Alliance for Change (AFC) has recorded its worst election performance since being formed in 2005. The leaders of the party underestimated the intelligence of Guyanese and the mood of the people. The AFC miscalculated its steps, and thought that Guyanese would seriously pick Nigel Hughes and his brand of bravado and classist politics ahead of the working-class PPP. It was thought that the AFC could stand on its own in the elections, but it was wrong. When Raphael Trotman, Sheila Holder and Khemraj Ramjattan formed the Party, they made a solemn oath not to coalesce with the PNC or PPP under any circumstance. It wasn’t written, but it was its bargaining chip that made it look attractive to the people. The Party also pledged that it would be the Third Force
in politics in Guyana, and eventually become the government. People believed and trusted the AFC, rewarding it with a handsome five seats in parliament after the 2006 election.
Since then, it successfully captured seven seats, improving its electoral appeal in the elections of 2011 alone. The Party blundered when it chose to coalesce with PNC disguised as APNU in the 2015 elections, despite being elected to government.
The Party was the worst part of the coalition, with every ministry that it was given responsibility for performing below par, and having some of the biggest corruption scandals. The AFC neglected its Party members and supporters; it treated them unfairly, and did not uphold democracy internally.
Additionally, the AFC allowed itself to be subsumed
In a separate incident that same day, Hassan Douhan, a journalist and academic who worked as a correspondent for Al-Hayat al-Jadida publication, was killed in Khan Younis. More than 273 journalists, the majority Palestinians, have been killed in Gaza and the Occupied West Bank in less than two years, making Gaza the most dangerous place on earth for journalists.
The intent of the Israeli regime has been obvious all along for anyone paying close attention: bury the truth. We do them a disservice when we choose to feast on gossip and disinformation instead of verifiable information.
I still tear up every time I remember my dear friend and investigative journalist Saleem Shahzad, Pakistan’s Bureau Chief for Asia Times Online. He was murdered in 2011 at the age of 40. I still recall our many phone calls
when we were collaborating on stories.
Saleem and I were in Kabul together in January 2008 when the five-star Serena hotel was attacked by terrorists linked to the Haqqani network. In all, six people were killed, including U.S. citizen, Thor David Hesla and Norwegian journalist, Carsten Thomassen. Having breakfast with him that morning, Saleem told me that fear was his bedtime companion. I don’t know what he was working on at the time of his death, but it must have been something that evil people didn’t want the public to know. I am fortunate to be living in a country where press freedom is constitutionally enshrined and robustly defended, a privilege we must never take for granted.
Guyana’s media serves as both a mirror and a conscience for our nation. We have a choice: to seek out
truth through reputable sources, to hold fast to the standards of evidence, and to value the many journalists who risk much and endure many pressures in defence of the public’s right to know. Let us not squander our freedom on the cheap currency of gossip and internet bile. Instead, let’s champion media that pursues accuracy, context, and integrity. When we choose substance over spectacle, inquiry over innuendo, we honour the memory of those who have paid the ultimate price for the truth, and, in doing so, we are investing in a Guyana that our children deserve to inherit.
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.
in the coalition and treated badly. There was bullying and a lack of respect. By the time the AFC realised what was happening, it lost government, and attempts to get back into office were rejected by the electorate.
Even if it stood a fighting chance, its silence and part in trying to steal Guyana’s democracy and the will of the people in 2020 sealed its fate. Frankly speaking, the AFC lost the 2025 elections because of its deafening silence in 2020, and it broke its covenant with the people in favour of a coalition with the PNC/APNU.
Additionally, the AFC allowed itself to be hijacked by Nigel and Catherine Hughes. The Party also sided with APNU/PNC to stall the development of this country over the last decade. It is the ‘Judas’ of politics in Guyana, and has made it very difficult for smaller parties and other
Third Parties to be trusted again.
Hughes, as leader of the AFC, must not shy away from taking the blame for his Party’s defeat at the polls this time. The public is growing wary of his leadership style and failure to accept defeat.
The truth is, despite talking a ‘big game’, Hughes must resign or retreat to the Party’s headquarters and do an independent analysis of why they did so badly. The AFC leadership must decide whether he stays or goes at the upcoming conference.
Hughes will never become president, because he is failing to connect with ordinary people and voters. The AFC’s campaign was very embarrassing to watch, and even more embarrassing when one knows what
the Party used to stand for and could do.
Hughes has to apologise to the public for the Party’s silence and role in the attempted rigging of the 2020 elections. He must, similarly, apologise for breaching the trust of the public and coalescing with the PNC. He must apologise for the Party’s record in office and show remorse.
The AFC, under Hughes’ leadership, must start a process of healing and reconciliation with the Party’s membership and support base. He must start working hard to make the AFC appealing to the public once more. The AFC should use the time to understand the issues which ordinary people face daily, and make the necessary representation by lobbying the government.
They must hold the government accountable when it needs to, and give praise to the government. It must be a responsible partner to the government and people of Guyana.
The AFC has to regroup and refocus itself during the next five years. The people will judge the Party by the quality of its representation and its relations with WIN and the PNC over the next few years. That is the only way it will rid itself of being thought of as the ‘Judas’ of the people.
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.
Oil and gas set to play a growing role as President Ali gets new mandate
AS we approach vision 2030, it is evident that the President Irfaan Ali-led government will leave no stone unturned in pursuing continued national development in the next five years. At his inauguration ceremony last Sunday, the President delivered bold and powerful words, renewing his call to shape Guyana’s future as he embarks on a second term.
“Our vision is a Guyana as a rising frontier where oil fuels ambition, sugar and rice sustain, and gold and diamonds anchor prosperity," he proclaimed.
Guyana’s rapidly expanding economy, powered by
oil revenue, has created the foundation for accelerated growth across all sectors. This was reflected in the last two national budgets, the last of which hit the trillion-dollar mark. Before oil, Guyana’s overall GDP growth stood at 0.7 per cent in 2015, 3.3 per cent in 2016, 2.1 per cent in 2017, 4.1 per cent in 2018, and 4.7 per cent in 2019. In contrast, the non-oil economy expanded by 11.7 per cent in 2023 and a further 13.1 per cent in 2024, outpacing pre-oil growth rates by a wide margin. Traditional industries such as mining, agriculture, fisheries, and forestry have all benefitted
from this momentum.
President Ali emphasised that oil revenue will not make Guyana a “one-sector nation.” Instead, it will be used to drive diversification, create more jobs, raise incomes, and secure broad-based prosperity. This direction is a continuation of the government’s 2020-2025 plan for economic diversification.
In the next six weeks we will see the roll out of several major projects reflecting this vision. These include a second Gas-to-Energy (GtE) plant in Region Six, a new bridge across the Corentyne River linked to Suriname, fertiliser and natural gas
plants, new urban centres such as Silica City among other projects. While infrastructure remains a priority, there are plans for continued technological advancement that will see the modernisation of government services being done at a faster and seamless pace. These projects are all geared towards both individual livelihoods and the wider economy. Opportunities for local companies to provide services for industrial, construction, engineering and other economic development will be made available.
Take the Gas-to-Energy project as an example. Once
Racism in sport/tennis
FROM the time black American Arthur Ashe entered the world of professional tennis in the early 1970s, racism has been brewing beneath the surface of this white-dominated sport.
It was certainly there in 1957 when American Althea Gibson became the first black woman to win at Wimbledon, considered then and now to be the most auspicious of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments. A year earlier, Gibson also became the first black player to win a Grand Slam event - the French Open.
She experienced countless acts of racism in an era where segregation was still the 'order of the day'. Even though she dominated on the courts, she was excluded from social events attended by her white peers and was once refused a room in a Chicago hotel despite her Wimbledon win.
Gibson was subsequently acknowledged as one of the first black athletes to cross the 'colour line' and credited with paving the way for black athletes to enter this elitist sport. She has also been hailed as "one of the greatest players who ever lived" by Coach Bob Ryland, former coach to
black tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams.
Arthur Ashe now has the largest tennis arena in the world - the main stadium at the U.S. Open tennis tournament - named after him. Yet as the first and only black, male tennis player to ever win a Grand Slam, he was also barred from tournaments before he eventually took three Grand Slam titles - Wimbledon, the US Open and the French Open.
In fact, on one notable occasion, Ashe, who was a champion for racial equality, stormed off the courts, forfeiting the match, after his opponent used racial slurs. The other player, Romanian Ilie Nastase, known for his disruptive acts during matches, was subsequently disqualified.
While Ashe was also disqualified for walking off the courts, he ensured that Nastase was penalised, in a move that ensured players were held accountable for poor behaviour.
It seems that in every sport where black athletes perform, they face some form of racism, either in words, actions or treatment. Boxers, footballers, swimmers, track and field stars, have all spoken of this, with boxing icon Muhammad
Ali being one of the more vocal, not only about racist attitudes surrounding the sport, but racism in general.
At a Conference held in Brussels, Belgium, earlier this year to discuss 'Racism in Sport ...', Sociologist Marco Martiniello had this to say: "Racism in sport is not limited to insults in a stadium. It is systemic, present at all levels of the sports sector." He also contended that "Sport functions as a mirror of society where inequalities are reflected and sometimes reinforced."
The Williams sisters can attest to this, having been the recipients of racial bias from within the sport and, in Serena's case, from booing spectators during tennis matches. In fact, the tennis authorities and media alike often refused to acknowledge that racism was at the root of many issues, reflecting the racial construct of American society.
But racism is by no means limited to the United States and American spectators. It is widespread - across all sports, nationalities and countries. A recent incident after a tennis match highlighted the international nature of racist attitudes, when black American tennis player, Taylor Townsend
and Latvian Elena Ostapenko were seen in a heated exchange.
Townsend had just beaten Ostapenko when the latter berated her for having no class and being uneducated. The American player revealed her anger to a crowd who, while they could not hear the exchange, knew something was amiss.
When Townsend later repeated what the Latvian actually said, it sparked a social media firestorm and outrage within the tennis community. Some, like mixed-race Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka, held that the remarks had racial undertones, given the historic stereotyping of black people as lacking in education and social status.
When Ostapenko later issued a social media apology, claiming that English was not her first language and that her comments were not intended to be racist, it was seen as merely 'damage control' and not genuine.
Townsend, who did not receive a personal apology from the Latvian, nonetheless attempted to diffuse the situation, pointing out that players can make outrageous statements in anger after a loss. She was gracious and poised, declaring
completed, it is expected to cut electricity costs by up to 50 per cent, reduce reliance on imported fuel, and significantly minimise outages and disruptions, marking a major step towards a sustainable energy future. Similarly, the soonto-be-opened Demerara River Bridge and ongoing road network upgrades will address long-standing infrastructure challenges, directly easing the traffic woes faced by many Guyanese. Investments in affordable housing, free university and tertiary education, and expanded healthcare services further underscore the ad-
ministration’s commitment to fueling ambition with tangible progress.
President Ali has pledged to “convert ambition into action, and action into transformation.” Ultimately, his second term will be defined not by promises, but by the government’s ability to deliver results that improve lives across the nation.
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.
that she let her racquet 'do the talking'.
A few months ago, following her loss to American Coco Gauff in the finals of the French Open, Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka also came under fire. The World Number One female player made derogatory remarks about Guaff's win during a press conference, refusing to give the American credit.
While her comments were not overtly racist, they were seen as having racial undertones by many, who argued that the Belarusian would not have been so disparaging had she lost to a white player.
So, tension continues to 'bubble' in tennis and the sporting world as a whole, around both overt, covert and systemic racism.
Some of the solutions proposed at the Brussels Conference to address
this issue include Awareness-raising and training to identify and combat racism, as well as better representation of minorities in governance bodies. Additionally, the imposition of sanctions and accountability is recommended, so that offenders acknowledge their actions and face the consequences. Sports organisations need to implement these and other supportive measures forthwith if we are to rid the sporting world of the pernicious nature of racism and ensure that sports indeed can bind people of the world together.
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.
‘Guyana has lost an outstanding citizen’
- Pres Ali says as the country mourns the death of Ambassador Harper
GUYANA is mourning the passing of Ambassador Elisabeth Anne Harper, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Guyana’s Ambassador to CARICOM.
She died on Saturday at the age of 67 after battling cancer. President, Dr Irfaan Ali, observed a minute of silence on Saturday evening at State House before swearing in his new cabinet members.
“Her passing is a monumental loss for our country, but her legacy of service, dedication and excellence will continue to inspire generations to come.
“Guyana has truly lost an outstanding citizen, the Foreign Service has lost one of its finest,” the Head of State said.
Ambassador Harper, a career diplomat whose service spanned decades, will be remembered as one of Guyana’s most accomplished public servants.
Mrs Harper joined the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1976 as a Clerk in the Registry. She acquired a wealth of experience in international affairs and other governmental matters, serving in every major department of the ministry with a wide scope of responsibilities. She served as Foreign Service Officer I in the Administrative Division (1981-1984); Foreign Service Officer II in the Protocol Division (19841988); Foreign Service Officer III in the Politi-
cal Affairs Division with responsibility for Latin America and the Caribbean (1988-1991); Head of the Frontiers Division (1990-1991); Counsellor at the Guyana High Commission in London (19 91-1995); Director of the Department of the Americas and Asia (1996-2001) and Director General (2001- 2015).
As Director General, she also held the portfolios of Ambassador to CARICOM and Non-resident High Commission-
er to Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Grenada and St. Kitts and Nevis.
Mrs Harper was a member of Guyana’s Delegation to numerous meetings of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM); the Amazonian Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO); the Latin American Economic System (SELA); the Association of Caribbean States (ACS); the Rio Group; the United Nations (UN); the Union of South American Na-
tions (UNASUR) and the Commonwealth.
She was a member of Guyana’s Team for the Guyana-Suriname Maritime Arbitration and was involved in several negotiations on behalf of Guyana, both at the bilateral and multilateral levels. She was once chair of the CARICOM Intergovernmental Task Force to revise the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.
Mrs Harper’s distinguished service to Guyana was recognised by the government in 2011 when she was awarded one of Guyana’s most prestigious National Awards, the Golden Arrow of Achievement, for long, dedicated and distinguished service in the Guyana Foreign Service.
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic nominated Mrs Harper to stand as its prime ministerial candidate in the 2015 General and Regional El ections. It was a role that Mrs Harper was proud to accept, as
she viewed this as an opportunity to continue to contribute even further in service to Guyana and its people.
From 2016 to 2020, Mrs Harper served as a Consultant to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Border Matters. In October 2020, she was appointed Special Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and in December 2020, she was appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. She was also the CoAgent for Guyana in the case regarding the validity of the 1899 Award about the frontier between Guyana and Venezuela, which is currently before the International Court of Justice.
Mrs Harper was born in Kitty, Georgetown, on October 2, 1957. A devout Christian, she was married to Mark Harper. Between them, they have five children.
Ambassador Elisabeth Harper
Guyana poised for take-off
- Youths and experts support President Ali’s transformative vision for second term
- Hail mega-projects that will be executed
By Trina Williams
A FINANCIAL analyst and a youth leader are voicing optimism about Guyana’s future, following President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s announcement that his second term will focus on major infrastructural and economic projects aimed at transforming the nation.
These projects include a deep-water harbour, a bridge across the Corentyne River linking Guyana and Suriname, and a fertiliser and natural gas plant, all designed to position Guyana as a regional industrial powerhouse.
Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) will also see the construction of a second gas-to-energy plant, a new Berbice River Bridge, and an economic zone.
The Sunday Chronicle spoke with Financial Analyst Joel Bhagwandin and University of Guyana student Nikhil Sankar on the potential impact of these initiatives on job creation, regional integration, and national development.
Bhagwandin said Guyana is moving from a historically primary-sector economy to a value-added, tertiary-sector one.
“In economics literature, there are five stages of development. Between 1992 and 2015, Guyana completed the first stage, known as the ‘traditional society’. And thanks to the economic progress achieved under President Ali’s admin-
istration between 2020 and 2025, Guyana is no longer in this stage,” he explained.
He said Guyana is now in the “preconditions to take-off” stage, as characterised by major infrastructure development, the rise of entrepreneurship, and investments in education and technology.
“Looking ahead, the 2025–2030 Manifesto signals a transition into the third stage of development by the end of the decade,” Bhagwandin said, adding that agriculture, manufacturing, energy, and services are the key growth poles that can drive sustained economic expansion.
CLEAR DIRECTION
Fourth-year medical student Nikhil Sankar welcomes the President’s development agenda, saying it positions Guyana as “not just entering its first Industrial Revolution, but on its way to becoming the industrial hub of the Caribbean”.
He urged policymakers to focus on diversification, and avoid overreliance on oil.
“As we embark on this next chapter, we must strengthen public investment, build production capacity, and create a foundation for continuous job creation, economic growth, and an improved quality of life,” Sankar said.
He identified the second gas-to-energy project and the deep-water harbour as the most impactful initiatives.
“When the Wales
Gas-to-Energy plant comes online, electricity costs will be cut by 50 per cent, cooking gas will be available at a fraction of today’s cost, and 300 megawatts of reliable power will be added to the grid,” he explained.
Sankar also praised government investments in healthcare and education, citing the construction of 12 regional hospitals, the distribution of 39,000 Online scholarships, and the decision to make the University of Guyana tuition-free.
“This is what tangible development looks like,” he said, adding that every child, regardless of background, should have access to quality education, affordable housing, and good jobs.
He added, “This is what separates the current government from the empty, populist rhetoric of the combined Opposition. There are some who talk about change, but
the PPP/C is the only party that practises change. There are some who talk about investing in nationhood, but it is evident that the PPP/C is the only party that actually invests in nationhood. With their leadership and policy capacity being second to none, every citizen can look forward to the days to come.”
In his inaugural address, just after taking the oath of office last Sunday to mark the beginning of his second term, President Ali outlined an ambitious vision to foster deeper and more lasting national unity.
While highlighting the ambitious projects to propel the country’s economic future, President Ali said development is meaningless if it does not touch people’s lives. To this end, he assured the gathering and all those listening that equal emphasis will be placed on advancing personal wealth and financial
security.
“We will reduce taxes, raise disposable incomes, and continue direct cash grants. We will build prosperity in every family and home… over the next five years, we will bring more families closer to the dream of home ownership, because owning your own home is not a luxury; it is a foundation of dignity and security. We will strengthen financial inclusion so that every small entrepreneur, whether in farming, commerce, or innovation, has the access and support to start, grow, and thrive.”
He vowed to confront the cost-of-living head-on, intervening where necessary to ensure that Guyanese are guarded from global trends.
The nation’s youth will benefit from broader access to skills training programmes and the guarantee of free education at all levels.
Housing will be made more affordable, and investment will be directed towards developing new sports infrastructure.
Commonwealth reaffirms support for Guyana’s sovereignty, territorial integrity
THE Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana (CMGG) has once again underscored its firm support for Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, following a high-level meeting on 11 September 2025, convened at the request of the Government of Guyana.
The meeting, chaired by H.E. Md. Touhid Hossain, Foreign Affairs Adviser to the interim Government of Bangladesh, brought together Foreign Ministers from Antigua and Barbuda, Canada, and Jamaica, along with representatives from Guyana and the United Kingdom. Commonwealth Secretary-General, Honourable Shirley Botchwey, convened the session under the Group’s mandate to
monitor developments in the longstanding border controversy with Venezuela.
Guyana was represented by Ambassador Ivan Evelyn, who provided an update on the case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding Venezuela’s challenge to the 1899 Arbitral Award that settled the land boundary. Evelyn also briefed the Group on recent developments, including provocative actions by Venezuela despite the ICJ’s binding orders.
“The Group noted with concern the reports from Guyana on the developments in Venezuela since the last CMGG meeting, including the holding of elections in Venezuela related to the Essequibo Region, contrary to the
International Court of Justice Order of 1 May 2025; and the Group condemned the provocative action taken by a Venezuelan naval vessel in Guyana’s maritime waters on 1 March 2025,” the release said.
The CMGG commended Guyana for its restraint and commitment to interna -
tional law, reiterating its recognition of the ICJ’s 2020 judgement affirming jurisdiction in the matter. Ministers encouraged both parties to continue engaging with the Court, which is expected to begin oral hearings on the merits of the case in 2026.
The Group stressed that Guyana has already pledged to accept the Court’s ruling, while urging Venezuela to do the same. It reaffirmed that the ICJ process is
the lawful, peaceful, and appropriate avenue for resolving the dispute.
Beyond support for the ICJ, the Group underscored Guyana’s right to self-defence and to the full, unobstructed development of its territory for the benefit of its people.
“The preservation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana is non-negotiable,” the statement read, while calling for
respect for the sovereignty of all nations.
While firm on the legal process, the CMGG also encouraged Guyana and Venezuela to continue dialogue under the framework of the 2023 Argyle Agreement, aimed at improving relations and de-escalating tensions.
The Ministerial Group agreed to present its report on the matter at the upcoming Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting later this month, ensuring the issue remains on the agenda of all member governments.
The group also commended Secretary-General Botchwey’s Good Offices in promoting peace and stability across the Caribbean, urging her to continue working with international partners to encourage acceptance of the ICJ’s jurisdiction.
4th batch of Guyanese complete phase one of SBM Offshore training in Canada
ANOTHER batch of Guyanese has completed the first phase of SBM Offshore Guyana’s Trainee Technician Programme at LearnCorp International (LCI), located at Cape Breton University in Canada. On Friday, August 22, they were honoured during a small ceremony.
Over twelve months, these aspiring technicians received advanced skills training across four disciplines – Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation and Production – enhancing their knowledge of petroleum operations.
This milestone brings
them one step closer to being the next generation of qualified technicians to operate and maintain the Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels in Guyana. Phase two of their training will soon commence at the Facility Simulator (FacTor) Unit of the Guyana Technical Training College Incorporated (GTTCI) in Port Mourant, Berbice.
During the ceremony, David C. Dingwall, President and Vice-Chancellor of Cape Breton University, extended words of encouragement to the young pioneers.
“As you leave here today, I encourage you to carry with you a spirit of exploration and leadership. The world needs your ideas, your courage and your commitment,” he said.
SBM Offshore Guyana’s Human Resources Manager, Shaun Prince, commended the trainees for their hard work and underscored the importance of the occasion.
“For SBM Offshore Guyana, this milestone represents progress in our commitment to developing a local workforce, building national capacity and ensuring Guyanese
are a part of the heart of our sector’s growth. You are proof that when we invest in people, we create lasting value, not only at SBM Offshore Guyana, but for communities, families and our country,” he posited.
The programme has a heavy focus on safety, an element that is integral in SBM Offshore’s global operations.
“At SBM Offshore, we hold this value close, protecting lives by fostering a culture that blends both safety and competence going hand in hand together. Through continuous training and development, we ensure that the people are equipped to uphold this standard every day,” underscored Matthew Cor-
reia, Training Analyst on the FPSO Prosperity.
President of LearnCorp International, Phil Doody, also shared powerful words of wisdom with the trainees. He emphasised, “While academic performance is very important, it is the attitude that each of you bring to the workplace every day that will shape your future. The person with the top marks has no more guarantee to be the first Guyanese Offshore Installation manager than the person who finished last. Success is built on work ethic, attitude and how you treat others.”
The ceremony marked the final batch of Guyanese trainees who will receive training abroad under this programme. Future cohorts will receive full training at the GTTCI, which has been outfitted with the necessary equipment to execute this initial stage of training as well.
The Trainee Technician Programme, piloted in 2020, is one of several initiatives undertaken by SBM Offshore Guyana to build the capacity of young Guyanese, strengthening the local workforce supporting the oil and gas industry. The programme is now a key initiative that aligns with the requirements of the Local Content Act, which was enacted in 2021. (SBM Offshore press release)
SBM Offshore Guyana’s Human Resources Manager, Shaun Prince, presents an award to Top Overall Trainee - Kavesh Persaud
The trainee technicians with SBM Offshore Guyana’s Human Resources Manager, Shaun Prince and President of LearnCorp International, Phil Doody
APNU, WIN clash over Opposition-appointed GECOM Commissioners
THE A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) political parties are at a standoff over the composition of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) as WIN is pushing for the resignation of the opposi-
idential Candidate for the APNU coalition in the 2025 General and Regional Elections. He also served as Opposition Leader in the last Parliament.
APNU only managed to pick up 12 seats at the elections this year. The
tion-appointed commissioners, a move resisted by APNU Chairman, Aubrey Norton.
According to an article published by Demerara Waves online, WIN wants representation at GECOM now that it has emerged as the main political opposition party following the September 1 polls.
During a virtual press conference on Friday, Norton was asked whether he would encourage the opposition commissioners - Desmond Trotman, Vincent Alexander and Charles Corbin - to resign and make way for the incoming opposition.
Norton responded: “Well, I don't know that I want to do that… because I don't think it is the best thing for me to do at this stage.”
According to Norton, the law mandates a permanent commission, opining that: “As far as I'm aware, there's nobody with the authority to move anybody from the Commission except the person on the Commission decides that that person is going. There is no law to move them.”
Norton was the Pres-
WIN party is set to become the main opposition. It will have 16 seats to fill based on the official results released by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
Based on the results, the WIN party flipped APNU’s strongholds, including Region 10 (Upper-Demerara-Berbice).
In the last parliament, the APNU and AFC held 31 seats in the National Assembly, forming the main parliamentary opposition, with 22 of those seats being held by APNU members.
Meanwhile, former APNU parliamentarian Amanza Walton-Desir’s party, Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), picked up one seat.
Six political parties contested the polls this year, but the PPP/C’s strong showing across the ten administrative regions has solidified its mandate to govern for an additional five years.
Based on the results, the PPP/C will be returning to office with a substantial parliamentary majority, having secured 36 of the 65 seats.
APNU Chairman, Aubrey Norton and WIN Party Leader, Azruddin Mohamed
Culture & Commerce thrive at Amerindian Village
- Entrepreneurs, artisans excited for next week’s ‘Tasinpansa’ event
By Shaniya Harding
AS the curtains come down yet again on the Amerindian Village at the Sophia Exhibition Centre, participants, which included craftsmen to chefs, said this year was a success. Despite a few challenges, entrepreneurs from across Guyana said this year, like any other, offered a major opportunity for their businesses, as they look forward to what is in place for the rest of the month.
For Leomie Willis, a vendor from Mabaruma in Region 1, the Amerindian village is more than just a marketplace; she sees it as a vital avenue for her business.
“I’ve been coming since 2017. Every year, I’m normally here. Coming from Region One (Barima-Waini), my purpose in being here has always been to sell and showcase our products, because we don’t have a market in Mabaruma. Every September, we come
down here to showcase and do business,” she said.
Leomie explained that the work she and her team do is demanding, but the event provides an essential platform for their craft.
“The work we do is very hard. Not all of it I can do myself, but I have skilled people working with me.”
Although she would have liked to see the Amerindian village extended, Leomie said she is excited about the other business opportunities the month has to offer, adding, “We wish we had a few more days, but I understand that Main Street will have a few extra days, which will help even more.”
Sharon Stanton, a craftswoman from Leguan, Region Three, has been participating in exhibitions for over 20 years and continues to see the event as important to both her business and culture. Over the more than two decades she has been participating, Sharon noted that the event has grown
significantly.
“I’ve been an exhibitionist for over 20 years, since I was 29. The first time I worked at the Expo, it was just a few other vendors and exhibits.
The next year, we got more exhibitions, and people started coming; it’s been picking up ever since,” she said.
Sharon emphasised the importance of sharing Amerindian culture with the public, adding that events like the Amerindian village are a chance to highlight her culture and craft to Guyanese and tourists alike.
“In Leguan, I am the only craftswoman there making these items. Children and school students want them, so there’s always a demand. But it is very important to me that people experience indigenous and Amerindian culture. I try to meet as many people as possible, introduce my work to them, and encourage them to buy.”
For first-time vendor Steven George, also from Maba-
ruma, the event was an exciting opportunity to showcase his work.
“This is my first year at the Expo. I came for the experience, and I’m really enjoying it. The pieces I brought are made in Region One,” he said.
Steven said the exposure and sales are a major incentive for him to continue participating.
“It has been very exciting. Seeing people shop and getting sales has encouraged me to come back next year. Normally, we purchase some of these items and store them for September. We don’t sell them often, so this is a big opportunity here in Georgetown. I would definitely encourage other small business owners and craftsmen to participate.”
Veteran artist Roland Taylor, who has been attending since the start of the Amerindian Heritage, spoke about how the exhibition has grown over the years.
“Back then, there were
just a few artists, but today it has grown into a national thing,” he said. Reflecting on the challenges of selling art, Roland said, “Being an artist and selling art is not easy, but living as an artist is nice. I’ve been doing it full-time since the age of 13. When I come here, I often get more sales than I would normally. Some people have been interested
in my artwork for a long time, and they would come here in September and find me.”
With the success of this year’s Amerindian village still fresh, vendors are already looking ahead to other events, like next week’s ‘Tasinpansa’ slated to be held from September 16th to the 18th on Main Street.
Leomie Willis at her booth in the Amerindian Village at the Sophia exhibition centre
Sharon Stanton displaying her handmade craft
Steven George with tibisiri crafts made in Region One
Roland Taylor standing with his wooden artwork
Fear of reprisals deters complaints against judicial officers — Nandlall
- urges public to use JSC to report misconduct, inappropriate behaviour
Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, has expressed concern that many citizens are hesitant to file complaints against judicial officers, despite the existence of constitutional mechanisms to ensure accountability.
He stressed that the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) plays a vital role in receiving and addressing such grievances, and urged the public to make use of this important institution.
Nandlall, in a recent media appearance, noted that while clear channels exist to address misconduct or inappropriate behaviour by judges and magistrates, many individuals are still reluctant to come forward.
“When there is conduct that goes beyond the pale of a wrong discretion and amounts to misbehaviour, then you have available remedies. In societies, and in a society like ours, you hardly find that persons might want to complain to a judge or a magistrate, for fear of repercussions,” Nandlall, who served as the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs in 2020-2025, explained.
He reminded citizens that there are constitutional mechanisms in place for holding judicial officers accountable.
“And it is not something we have done in the past. As a member of the public, you can lodge a complaint with the Judicial Service Commission if you feel a decision of a judge is not merely wrong, but it must amount to an abdication of responsibilities. It has to be so wrong that no rational judge/ magistrate would make a mistake like that.”
The JSC is a constitutionally mandated body tasked with recommending appointments,
promotions, and disciplinary action for judicial officers. This safeguard is designed to preserve judicial independence while also ensuring accountability.
The commission operates outside of the executive and legislative arms of government, meaning no minister or politician has the authority to interfere with its decisions, reassuring members of the public that complaints will be handled fairly.
The members of the JSC were sworn in in July 2023. They took their oaths of office before President D. Irfaan Ali and included Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, SC, retired Justices of Appeal Beasraj Singh Roy and Carl Singh, and Manniram Prashad, Chairman of the Public Service Commission. JSC members are appointed for a three-year term.
Article 199 of Guyana’s Constitution empowers JSC to make appointments to key offices, including the Commissioner of Titles, Magistrates, Director and Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Registrar and Deputy Registrar of the High Court, Registrar and Deputy Registrar of Deeds, and other similar positions.
The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government has committed billions of dollars to modernising Guyana’s judiciary, undertaking major infrastructure upgrades, investing in the training and development of judicial personnel, and implementing advanced technology systems to improve efficiency, transparency, and access to justice across the country.
Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC
Suspect confesses to armed robbery in Corriverton
ONE of the suspects arrested in connection with a recent armed robbery in Dukestown, Corriverton, has reportedly confessed to the crime, admitting his role in the violent home invasion and implicating two accomplices.
Kevin Padmore, also known as “Bulla,” a 31-yearold unemployed resident of Dukestown, reportedly told investigators that he, along with 34-year-old labourer Cordell Small, known as “Mad Dawg,” of No. 77 Housing Scheme, Corriverton, and another suspect identified only as “Moses,” carried out the robbery on the night of September 9, 2025.
Padmore’s confession came following a targeted cordon-and-search operation conducted early on September 10, led by a senior officer from Police Headquarters in New Amsterdam.
Both Padmore and Small were apprehended during the operation and are currently in custody at the Springlands Police Station.
According to reports,
at approximately 20:20 hrs on the night of the incident, the victims, 43-year-old labourer Richard Dhup, called “Dutchie,” and his wife, Willeina Dhup, 38, were in the backyard of their Lot 35 King Street home when three masked men breached their yard by scaling the northern fence.
The assailants, armed with what appeared to be a firearm and sharp weapons, forced the couple into their home, ordered them to lie on the kitchen floor, and proceeded to ransack the house. They fled the scene with an undisclosed sum of cash, several pieces of gold jewellery, three mobile phones, and a Samsung tablet.
While Padmore has admitted to taking part in the robbery and sharing the stolen items with his accomplices, police are continuing efforts to locate the third suspect, “Moses,” who remains at large.
Investigations are ongoing, and both Padmore and Small remain in custody as police work to bring all involved to justice.
APNU reviews election loss as Norton rules out another presidential bid
FORMER Opposition
Leader Aubrey Norton is confronting APNU’s historic election loss, announcing that he will not seek the presidency again and has stepped aside for businessman Terrence Campbell to lead the party in Parliament.
At APNU’s first press conference since its defeat, Norton confirmed that the party has begun a comprehensive review of its performance following its loss of the main opposition seat and several traditional strongholds to newcomer We Invest in Nationhood (WIN).
“We have started a review. All the candidates met. They have another review session this afternoon with a smaller group. We will review it and develop our strategies and tactics,” Norton said. While he stressed that the process is urgent, no timeline has been set, and there is no guarantee that the findings will be made public.
Norton, APNU’s 2025 presidential candidate, compared the coalition’s loss to past setbacks, including the 1961 and 2006 elections, when the PNC-R – APNU’s main component – also ceded ground to new parties. Campbell, who once publicly criticised Nor-
ton’s leadership and declared APNU’s coalition talks “untenable,” will now serve as APNU’s lead MP. He had previously acted as a negotiator between APNU and the Alliance For Change (AFC) in coalition discussions that eventually collapsed.
Explaining his decision to step aside, Norton said, “I have no intention of running for the presidency in the future. My task now is repairing the party for the future and making way for fresh blood.”
The official results from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) confirmed WIN as the new main opposition, securing 16 seats, including flipping APNU’s stronghold of Region 10. APNU and AFC, which together held 31 seats in the last parliament, saw their representation drastically reduced.
Meanwhile, Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), led by former APNU parliamentarian Amanza Walton-Desir, captured one seat.
The PPP/C maintained its dominance, winning 36 of the 65 parliamentary seats and securing a strong mandate to govern for another five years.
APNU’s Chairman Aubrey Norton
ENGLISH RACING TIPS
DONCASTER
08:20 hrs Telephatic
08:55 hrs Nightsinwhitesatin
09:30 hrs God Of War
10:00 hrs Ten Pounds
10:35 hrs Moonjid
11:10 hrs Queen Of Mougins
11:40 hrs Getreadytorumble
12:18 hrs HK Fourteen
MUSSELBURG
09:15 hrs Far And Away
09:50 hrs Parisisn Scholar
10:25 hrs Rory The Cat
11:00 hrs Keats House
11:33 hrs I’m Next
12:08 hrs This Years Love 12:43 hrs Ahamoment
BATH
09:00 hrs Zambezi Magic
09:35 hrs Rejjien
10:08 hrs Francesco Baracca
10:43 hrs Savannah Smiles
11:18 hrs White Island
11:50 hrs Marcus
12:28 hrs Ajrad
SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS
SCOTTSVILLE
08:15 hrs Buddy Boy
08:50 hrs Dawn Till Dusk
09:25 hrs African Dusk
10:05 hrs Golden Aspen
10:40 hrs Dricus
IRISH RACING TIPS CURRAGH
08:30 hrs Carla Ridge
09:05 hrs Joyful Tidings
09:40 hrs Composing
10:15 hrs Bucanero Fuerte
10:50 hrs Saba Desert
11:25 hrs Al Riffa
12:00 hrs Red Letter
12:35 hrs Crosn Of Oaks
Brentford grab 93rd-minute equaliser to deny Chelsea
Brentford substitute Fabio Carvalho tapped in a 93rd-minute equaliser to deny Chelsea victory in a dramatic London derby.
Carvalho, 23, had been on the pitch for less than four minutes before turning in from a long Kevin Schade throw-in.
It had looked as if Chelsea substitutes Cole Palmer and Alejandro Garnacho would steal the headlines. With the visitors a goal down, Palmer swept in a first-time volley to equalise just after the hour mark, having only been on for five minutes. Then Garnacho, recently signed from Manchester United, helped set up midfielder Moises Caicedo to power in a shot past Brentford goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher in the 85th minute. Brentford had deserved their half-time lead – forward Schade struck in the 35th minute after Jordan Henderson’s long ball had sparked a counter-attack.
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca made three half-time changes in response. Reece James, Marc Cucurella and Tyrique George came on for debutant Facundo Buonanotte, loaned from Brighton, Jorrel Hato, another new arrival, and Wesley Fofana, making his first start since recovering from a major hamstring injury.
Chelsea remain fifth after four Premier League matches and now turn their attentions to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, before facing Manchester United. Brentford sit 12th. (BBC Sport)
Sampson (76) powers Warriors into playoffs
• From Page 32
At the end of the sixover power play, the Warriors were 51-1 with Sampson on 32 and Hope on three.
Watched by his Police first division Coach, former Guyana pacer Jermaine
Neblette, doing Radio Commentary, Sampson hit Keon Gaston for his second six to reach his fifty from 26 balls with seven fours and two sixes.
The pugnacious Sampson celebrated his maiden fifty with a huge six in the same over. Sampson continued to play his shots to the delight of the flag-waving and horn-blowing Essequibians in the grass mound.
Such was his belligerence that Hope was reduced to a spectator at the non-striker’s end.
When Sampson was caught off Chase at 102-3 to end the 66- run stand, Hope’s
contribution was just 10. Chase struck with his next ball when he bowled Shimron Hetmyer for a second consecutive duck and third in this tournament.
Shamarh Brooks (5), Hassan Khan (7) and Romario Shepherd (6) all fell cheaply, while Hope fell to David Wiese when six short of his fifth fifty, at 176-7. Ali was dropped off a no-ball, and the batters ran two before the free hit cost a single. Ali (17) was then run out at 179-8.
With four to win off the last ball, Wiese served up a juicy full toss, which Pretorius (12) hit for six.
Fabio Carvalho has now scored twice this season - he was on target in the Carabao Cup victory at Bournemouth.
Lyles ‘in form of his life’ ... But will it be enough?
NOAH Lyles says he is in the form of his life - but will it be good enough to retain his world 100m title?
On a blockbuster Sunday night in Tokyo, the men’s and women’s 100m finals are scheduled to start just seven minutes apart.
Saturday’s heats gave a flavour of what is to come, with a series of statement performances igniting the sell-out crowd at Japan’s National Stadium.
It was at the last World Championships in 2023 that showman Lyles asserted himself as the dominant male sprinter on the sport’s biggest stages with three golds in Budapest, before claiming the Olympic 100m title at Paris 2024.
Yet the American is by no means the outright favourite for gold in his pursuit of a third consecutive global title. Lyles had an injury-disrupted start to this season and his 100m season’s best of 9.90 seconds ranks 14th fastest in 2025, while he was comprehensively beaten by Jamaica’s Oblique Seville over the distance in August.
But, after qualifying for the World Championship semi-finals fourth fastest overall after winning his heat, the outspoken 28-year-old remained as self-assured as ever.
“I had a great start today but I had even better ones at practice. I know there is more in the tank,” said Lyles.
“This is the best form I have ever been in my life. I am bringing
special things here. Running 9.95 in the first round is exactly what I wanted to warm up my body.”
His biggest threats could come from Jamaica.
While Seville demonstrated his superior form last month with that commanding win over Lyles at the Lausanne Diamond League, it is compatriot Kishane Thompson who holds the title of the fastest man in the world this year.
The 24-year-old, who has improved his personal best to 9.75, will be determined to get his hands on gold after missing out on the Olympic crown by five-thousandths of a second.
Should either Thompson or Seville triumph, they would become the first Jamaican man to win a global 100m title since Usain Bolt nine years ago.
Speaking on BBC One, fourtime global heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill said: “Kishane Thompson looked phenomenal. The strength and power he had coming out of the starting blocks, his transition phase, he even slowed down massively towards the finish line.
I think he’s definitely one to really watch.”
Meanwhile, Kenny Bednarek will believe he can keep the world title on American soil as the second-fastest athlete this year, with a best of 9.79 seconds.
That is so long as he remembers to bring his spikes, having forgotten to pack them when travelling to Tokyo.
“I am just a clumsy dude,” he explained.
“I have been focusing on so many things, I am the type of athlete that will always leave something at the track or forget something back home. It is just something that has always been like that. Friends and family help me out.”
Great Britain’s world 100m bronze medallist Zharnel Hughes, world indoor 60m champion Jeremiah Azu, and Romell Glave will hope to put themselves into the medal race
Alfred takes on Jefferson-Wooden as Fraser-Pryce aims to go out on high. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden has been the standout performer over 100m this season, clocking an unmatched 10.65 seconds in August.
Not only that, but the American has run the three fastest times in 2025, and five of the top six - interrupted only by Olympic champion Julien Alfred’s best of 10.75.
Those two athletes appear a class above their other rivals, but it is by no means a two-horse race.
Continues on Page 30
Harbhajan likely in fray for BCCI top post
AFTER Sachin Tendulkar, it is now Harbhajan Singh whose name is being linked to the top post at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Tendulkar has already denied being in the fray, but Harbhajan is yet to clarify, leading to speculation over his possible interest.
There appears to be some substance to the latest buzz, with the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) nominating the 45-year-old former spinner, who holds 367 international caps across formats. The picture will become clearer once the nominations are officially filed, as only candidates backed by a state association are eligible to contest. The ruling BJP, which wields considerable influence over the functioning of the BCCI, is known to prefer accomplished sportspersons for the top positions in sports bodies. Sourav Ganguly and Roger Binny, both former India internationals, ascended the BCCI presidency largely due to the ruling party’s player-first policy.
Harbhajan did not respond to calls and text messages from Cricbuzz. However, the truth should unfold in less than two weeks, when candidates are required to file nominations for the posts. According to BCCI electoral officer AK Joti, the nomination window will be open from September 20 to 21, with the elections scheduled for September 28.
The elections will be held for the posts of president, vice-president, secretary, joint secretary and
treasurer. Going by recent trends at BCCI AGMs, contests for these positions appear unlikely. Incumbents Devajit Saikia, Prabhtej Singh Bhatia and Rohan Dessai are expected to continue as secretary, treasurer and joint secretary, respectively.
As per the election timeline, September 12 was the last day for state associations to submit the names of their respective representatives who will attend the AGM and, if required, cast their votes. The list is expected to be announced on September 13. After the nominations are filed on September 20 and 21, scrutiny will be on September 22. Candidates will be allowed to withdraw their nominations on September 23, following which the final list of contestants will be announced. The election and counting are scheduled for September 28.
As per the electoral officer, the candidates will have to specify if they have held any positions in the BCCI. “An Information Sheet from the Representative specifying all Elective Posts held by the Representative in the BCCI and/ or any Full Member of the BCCI Previously and/or Currently, along with the Name of the Elective Posts and Tenures of such positions [will have to be addressed]. The Information in this regard is to be submitted in the prescribed Form C signed by the Representative and duly attested by a Notary/ Oath Commissioner,” says the notification. (Cricbuzz)
Nissanka, Mishara and SL bowlers trample Bangladesh in NRR-boosting win
They were locked 8-8 in T20Is in the decade leading up to this match, and all signs pointed to the first close contest of this Asia Cup after it kicked off with four mismatches.
It was a bit of an anticlimax in the end, however, with Sri Lanka brushing Bangladesh aside by six wickets, with 32 balls remaining.
Given the high stakes of this group-of-death contest, Sri Lanka got everything they wanted from it: two points and a massive netrun-rate boost. Bangladesh, who had already copped criticism for taking 17.4 overs to chase down 144 against Hong Kong, now face an uphill task to qualify for the Super Four.
• Scores: Sri Lanka 140 for 4 (Nissanka 50, Mishara 46*, Mahedi 2-29) beat Bangladesh 139 for 5 (Shamim 42*, Jaker 41*, Hasaranga 2-25) by six wickets.
Sri Lanka dominated the match
from its extraordinary start – Nuwan Thushara and Dushmantha Chameera bowled back-to-back wicket maidens with the new ball – to its breezy finish, with Bangladesh only really competing during an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 86 between Shamim Hossain and Jaker Ali.
That partnership, which began at 53 for 5, gave Bangladesh some sort of total to bowl at. Very quickly, though, Pathum Nissanka’s fluency and Kamil Mishara’s power made it look like no sort of total. Nissanka scored 50 off 34 balls and became the quickest Sri Lankan batter to 2000 T20I runs, while Mishara finished unbeaten on 46 off 32.
Sri Lanka found new-ball swing after they chose to bowl, but that couldn’t have been the only reason why Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain Emon struggled. Tanzid kept failing to find the middle of the bat in the first over before Thushara swung his sixth ball through his
gate. In the second over, Chameera had Emon edging behind, leaving Bangladesh at 0 for 2.
Bangladesh sank deeper in the fifth over when Towhid Hridoy was run out going for a needless third run, but Litton Das made sure they didn’t let Sri Lanka have it all their own way. He struck three fours off Dasun Shanaka in the sixth over. Wanindu Hasaranga, back from a hamstring injury, made an instant impact in the eighth, trapping Mahedi Hasan lbw with a wrong’un. Litton survived one lbw on review, while Jaker was beaten comprehensively but saved by the bails staying put. Hasaranga did get a second wicket, with Litton gloving a reverse-sweep. Bangladesh’s sixth-wicket pair came together at 53 for 5 and walked off with unbeaten 40s. Both went at strike rates in the 120s and struggled to find the boundary for long stretches, a testament to Sri Lanka’s defensive bowling and the
two-paced surface. Shamim hit the only six of Bangladesh’s innings, off Matheesha Pathirana in the 19th over, with the bowler conceding 42 in four overs.
Nissanka and Mishara then showed Sri Lanka’s extra gear. Off just his fourth ball, Nissanka pulled Mustafizur Rahman for six, and after Kusal Mendis fell, he and Mishara peppered the boundary. Bangladesh bowled short too often, and Mishara dispatched them with stand-and-deliver power. He could have gone early when Mahedi dropped a chance at mid-on with him on 1, but after that, he punished Shoriful Islam with 6, 4, 4 off three balls.
Nissanka manipulated line and length, timing the ball with unmatched fluency.
The pair put on 95 in just 52 balls, and Sri Lanka could have finished earlier, but lost 3 for 18 in a short spell when the result was already sealed. (ESPN Cricinfo)
Noah Lyles has won five individual global sprint titles
Wanindu Hasaranga delivered
Better Hope upstage Carr Tec to claim OMSCC Masters Over-40 crown
UNDETERRED by ending the regular season in the fourth position, giant killers Better Hope stunned number two seed Carr Tec by 15 runs to capture the Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC) Masters Over-40 title when the 2025 season climaxed last Sunday at the St Bede ground in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.
The victory followed a similar feat over the Divisional champions Masters in the semi-final encounter, played the previous Sunday at the same venue. Led by a blistering undefeated 97 from Loaknauth “Colgate” Ramsuchit, who had earlier skippered Mercenary to a victory in the Ontario Softball Cricket Softball League (OSCL) T20 championship final, at the same venue, Better Hope proved superior to their opponents.
The experienced Ramsuchit, who clobbered five fours and 10 sixes, shared an undefeated 126-run fifth-wicket partnership with Rishi Singh who’s 49 not out was spiced with one four and five sixes. The two came together in the 11th over with the score on 77 for four and stayed to the end with Better Hope ending on 206 from their allotted 20 overs.
Carr Tec was immediately on the backfoot, losing two wickets within the first two overs, including the prized scalp of Rovendra Mandolall, going via the run-out route for one. Opener Parbu Balkarran and Rawle Scott gave Carr Tec hope with a fine third-wicket
partnership of 116 but once the two were dismissed, Scott for 55 and Balkarran for 51, their hopes faded. Scott struck four fours and an equal number of sixes while Balkarran’s knock included six fours.
There was one wicket each for skipper Sunil Ramkissoon, Anil Mahadeo, Mahendra Monelall and Rishi Singh. Second-placed Carr Tec was also the recipient of the runner-up trophy while players from both teams also collected medals.
Most Valuable Players (MVPs) Ramsuchit and Balkarran received trophies, compliments of Jas and Terry Mathura of TDMJ Inc.
OMSCC President, Azeem Khan, lauded Better Hope on their success and also praised Carr Tec for their efforts in reaching the final. (Frederick Halley)
English Premier League
Tottenham cruise to victory over West Ham
Tottenham claimed a comfortable Premier League victory over 10man West Ham at London Stadium to renew the pressure on Graham Potter.
The result moves Spurs up to second in the table, level on points with leaders Arsenal with Brentford and Chelsea still to play on Saturday evening.
It also ensured that Thomas Frank became only the third Tottenham manager to win his first two away top-flight matches in charge of the club, along with Ossie Ardiles (1993-94) and Tim Sherwood (2013-14).
However, after the respite of a fine win at Nottingham Forest before the international break, it was a familiar tale for the Hammers and Potter, whose side have not won a Premier League game at home since 27 February.
Alarmingly they have also conceded eight goals
in two home matches in the league this term although the dismissal of Tomas Soucek in the 54th minute hardly helped matters.
By then, the Hammers were already trailing, with Spurs midfielder Pape Matar Sarr left unmarked to head his side ahead shortly after the break. And things went from bad to worse for the hosts after their Czech midfielder was shown a red card for a lunging challenge on
Palhinha, with Lucas Bergvall’s looping header doubling Tottenham’s lead just nine seconds after the match restarted.
When Micky van de Ven capitalised on some passive defending to drive in a third for the visitors just after the hour mark it was the cue for a number of home supporters to head for the exits on a disappointing evening that leaves their team 18th in the table.
Noah Lyles ‘in form of his life'
From Page 29
“Melissa Jefferson-Wooden has been phenomenal all year. When you’re recording victories consistently, you’re just gaining confidence upon confidence,” two-time world 110m hurdles champion Colin Jackson said.
“She is the favourite in many people’s eyes because she hasn’t put a foot wrong this year.”
Jamaica has a trio of medal threats in the women’s event, with Tina Clayton the third fastest athlete this year in 10.81.
She is joined by the vastly experienced Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, contesting the final 100m races of her illustrious career in Tokyo, and Shericka Jackson.
Fraser-Pryce will retire following these World Championships and is hoping to sign off with a 25th and final global podium, 18
years after she made her first in Japan.
Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, Daryll Neita and Amy Hunt each secured straightforward progression to the semi-finals.
Neita in particular shone with a season’s best 10.94, second only to Alfred’s leading 10.93 in the heats, and she will be determined to make her first individual global podium after finishing fourth at the Olympics.
On the women’s event, Ennis-Hill said: “Watching Julien Alfred’s form, she looked phenomenal. She is such a powerful athlete and she has the experience as well as being Olympic champion.
“She will be a tough one to beat but Melissa Jefferson-Wooden is going to obviously give her a run. It will be very close.”
The 100m semi-finals take place from 12:20 BST today (Sunday), with the finals following from 14:13.
Green, de Kock help Royals send Knight Riders to third consecutive loss
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) –
The Barbados Royals ended their miserable home stand in the 2025 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League campaign in winning fashion by upstaging the Trinbago Knight Riders by seven wickets here on Friday night.
Playing their final match of the season at Kensington Oval, off spinner Chris Green mesmerised the Knight Riders’ batters on his way to finishing with the impressive figures of 3-9 from his four overs, as the visitors were limited to 166 for eight from 20 overs.
Opener Quinton de Kock then scored a half century to see the Royals stroll to 172 for three in 19 overs, to register just their second
win in five games at home.
A win would have sent the Knight Riders top of the table, but they will now have to wait on the outcomes of the Guyana Amazon Warriors’ final two matches and the Saint Lucia King’s final match to see if they finish in the top two.
The Knight Riders will be concerned with their batting heading into the playoffs, as they produced yet another mediocre performance after being sent in by the Royals.
Only captain Nicholas Pooran, who scored 45 from 44 balls, Kieron Pollard, who hit 36 off 25 balls and Akeal Hosein, who smashed a whirlwind, unbeaten 23 off just six balls, put up any resistance against the Royals’ bowlers.
Green accounted for both openers Colin Munro and Alex Hales cheapy, to reduce the Knight Riders to 28 for two in the fourth over.
And when Joshua Da Silva and Keacy Carty lost their wickets, their side had slumped 41 for four in the eighth over.
Pooran and Pollard then added 71 runs for the fifth wicket in eight overs as they tried to rebuild the innings.
However, once Pollard lost his wicket, the Knight Riders needed Hosein’s cameo, which saw him bludgeon three sixes and one four to get up to a respectable total. Green received good support from Daniel Sams (2-25) and Ramon Simmonds, who took 2-42.
The Royals then gave their supporters
something to shout about during an 87-run opening partnership between de Kock and Kadeem Alleyne.
Alleyne struck two fours and two sixes in his knock of 36 off 27 balls before he was spectacularly caught by Andre Russell coming in off the deep midwicket boundary. Soon after, de Kock brought up his 50 off 31 balls, but spinner Usman Tariq dismissed him for 55 and Rassie van der Dussen in quick succession to leave the Royals 116 for three in the 13th over.
Sherfane Rutherford (32 not out) and captain Rovman Powell (27 not out), then guided the Royals to victory during an unbroken stand of 56 in just over five overs.
Joao
Lucas Bergvall (right) is the second youngest player to score and assist a goal in the Premier League for Spurs (19y 223d) after Nick Barmby. (Getty Images)
Better Hope’s MVP Loaknauth Ramsuchit collects his award from Terry Mathura of TDMJ Inc.
The victorious Better Hope players and supporters pose with their winnings
The victorious Regal Masters Over-40 players pose with their winnings in the presence of Vice-president Dr Bharrat Jagdeo at last year’s second edition of the tournament.
GSCL’s historic Unification softball extravaganza set for September 26-28
DURING the launching of the second edition of the Vice-president’s T20 softball extravaganza, held at the Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) ground, last year October, the Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL) Inc Executive Member and Tournament Director John Ramsingh, made the bold announcement that the entity will stage a Unification tournament in 2025.
That tournament is set to become a reality over three days – September 26-28, at several venues around Georgetown and its environs, culminating with the final on the last day. Ramsingh, who is also an international cricket commentator and head of FL Sports, had pointed out then, that “there will be one tournament with three titles at stake.”
According to Ramsingh, the GSCL, or-
ganisers of the Prime Minister’s T20 Softball Cup and the Vice-President’s Cup is also promising the timely return of the President’s Cup Softball extravaganza in 2025.
Ramsingh disclosed that “instead of three independent tournaments, there will be one tournament with the champions in the respective categories walking away with three titles.”
The Unification Softball Tournament will be played in the usual window of the Prime Minister’s T20 Softball Cup which follows the final of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), which is currently being hosted in Guyana.
The Unification Tournament is another innovative move by the GSCL to further grow the beautiful game of softball cricket in Guyana.
According to a release from the GSCL, the inaugural tournament is being held in conjunction with Regal Stationery & Computer Centre of Seaforth Street, Campbellville.
The tournament will be played in the usual three men’s categories – Open All Stars, Masters Over-40 and Legends Over-50 over 20 overs, while the women will compete in 15-over affairs.
The winners of all three men’s categories will take home a whopping one million dollars, while the women’s winners will cart of $400,000.
In addition, the Most Valuable Player in the Legends category will drive away with a motor car, while those in the Open and Masters Over-40 are guaranteed motorcycles.
Registration of teams are ongoing.
(Frederick Halley)
Leicestershire signs South Africa spinner, Maharaj
LEICESTERSHIRE has signed South Africa left-arm spinner, Keshav Maharaj, for the first four months of the 2026 season.
Maharaj, 35, has taken 313 wickets in 152 matches for the Proteas and is the second overseas player the Foxes have signed for their return to Division One.
“Alongside his exceptional cricketing abilities, he will bring vast international experience, leadership skills, and a huge passion for the game,” said Leicestershire director of cricket, Claude Henderson.
Keshav Maharaj joined Middlesex in 2023 but withdrew with an achilles tendon injury
work throughout the season and have built some great momentum heading into next year,” said Maharaj, who played in the Proteas’ World Test final win over Australia in June.
“It’s early days but we’re tracking in the right direction, so who knows how far this team can go?
“I love playing county cricket. The competitiveness helps you adapt and improve your game, so I can’t wait to get stuck into that challenge and hopefully put in some big performances for the Foxes.”
United States sprinter Erriyon Knighton has been handed a four-year ban after the Court of Arbitration for Sport partially upheld appeals from World Athletics and the World Anti-Doping Agency against a decision not to suspend him.
The 21-year-old tested positive for trenbolone - a banned substance used for muscle growth - in March 2024.
He avoided a ban following an independent arbitrator’s ruling and was cleared to compete at the 2024 Olympics, but is now banned with immediate effect. Knighton, who finished fourth in the 200m in Paris last summer, was not selected in the USA team for the World Championships, which take place from 13-21 September in Tokyo, Japan.
He was intially cleared after submitting evidence claiming the adverse findings were due to meat contamination.
World Athletics and Wada found the evidence “fell short of the required proof of source” and was “statistically impossible”, and Cas has now ruled in their favour.
“The Cas panel determined that there is no proof that would support the conclusion that oxtail imported into the USA would be likely to contain trenbolone residues at the level required to have caused the athlete’s adverse analytical finding,” Cas said.
Meanwhile, Ethiopian middle distance runner Diribe Welteji will also miss the World Championships after Cas upheld a provisional suspension while her doping case is heard.
The 23-year-old, who won 1500m silver at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, was charged with failing or refusing to submit a doping
by the
“The boys have done some exceptional
“All of [that] will be fundamental to our changing room.” Maharaj claimed 55 wickets across a total of eight County Championship appearances for Lancashire in 2018 and Yorkshire in 2019.
Captain Peter Handscomb signed a new one-year deal last week at the club, which was promoted on Thursday after a 22-year exile.
sample
Ethiopian Anti-Doping Authority in late August. (BBC Sport)
Flashback:
Erriyon Knighton won 200m silver at the 2023 World Championships in Hungary
Sampson (76) powers Warriors into playoffs
By Sean Devers
IN sweltering heat in their first day game, the Guyana Amazon Warriors, led by a swashbuckling 76 from opener Quintin Sampson, beat defending Champions St Lucia Kings by two wickets in a thrilling last-ball victory yesterday at the Providence Stadium to move to 10 points from nine games.
With a match remaining, the Warriors join TKR, Kings and Falcons to qualify for the play-offs. West Indies Test Captain Roston Chase showed his versatility with a magnificent unbeaten 90 from 55 balls with six fours and five sixes.
The 33-year-old Bajan added 90 for the third wicket with the 22-year-old St Lucian Ackeem Auguste, who made 50 from 30 balls with three fours and three sixes, lifted the Kings to 185-4 from their 20 overs.
Pacer Dwaine Pretorius took 2-36, Gudakesh Motie 1-24 and 46-year-old leggie Imran Tahir 1-27 were the wicket takers for the hosts. Tahir, who had 16 scalps last year, moved further onto the top of the wicket-takers list with 17.
The Warriors replied with 188-8 as Dwaine Pretorius (12) hit David Wiese for six with four runs required from the last ball to wild celebrations from the smallest crowd for the Guyana leg of the men’s CPL. Chase took 3-30 and Tabraiz Shamsi 2-31.
The 25-year-old Sampson, who played two games in the 2023 Super50, hit 76 from 39 balls with seven fours and five sixes and dominated a 66-run third-wicket partnership with Shai Hope, who stroked four fours and a six in his 44,. is the leading run-scorer with 412 runs from nine matches.
Smeed takes Somerset past Hampshire to win T20 Blast
Somerset chased a record-breaking 195 to beat Hampshire Hawks and win their third T20 Blast title.
Will Smeed’s magnificent 94 off 58 balls formed the backbone of Somerset’s innings, while Sean Dickson weighed in with a crucial 33 not out.
Smeed fell at the start of the 19th over with 18 still needed, but captain Lewis Gregory came in and struck two sixes to take Somerset to 195-4 – the highest score in a final.
Kings opted to bat on a good track and a lightning-fast outfield.
Tim Seifert (1), who attempted to hit leftarm spinner Motie over cover taken by a tumbling Hassan Khan at 10-1 in the fourth over.
Pretorius bowled Johnson Charles (16) to leave the Kings on28-2 before Auguste and Chase came together to steady the ship.
Chase launched a brutal attack on the offspin of Moin Ali,clobbering him for 21 runs in the fifth over to bring up the 50.
The Kings were 64-2 after the six power-play overs. The pair continued to bat positively, and the 50 partnership was achieved from 28 balls. The left-handed Auguste hit Khan for consecutive sixes, and the 100 was posted in 11.2. Auguste soon reached his half- century from 29 balls with two fours and three sixes.
Auguste soon pulled a long hop from Skipper Tahir and was taken by Motie on the mid-wicket boundary at 117-3 for an even 50.
Khan was dumped for a six and two fours by Chase, who smashed Romario Shepherd back over his head for six.
Pretorius removed Tim David (3) at 1444 and Delano Potgieter (14) while Chase finished 10 short of joining Seifert (125) and TKR Colin Munroe (120) with three-figure scorers. When the Warriors began their chase, Ben McDermott hit two fours in his 16, but again failed to fire, being removed by left-arm spinner Khary Pierre at 37-1.
Sporting long locks, Sampson stroked Pierre for an imperious cover-driven boundary in the first over to set the stage for his brutal onslaught. Sampson, who plays for Essequibo in Guyana’s inter-county tournament, lofted Delano Potgieter for six and a four to post the 50 in six overs. • Continues on Page 28
• Scores: Hampshire 1946 (20 overs): Albert 85, Vince 52; Ball 2-39 vs Somerset 195-4 (19 overs): Smeed 94; Currie 2-44
After Chris Lynn’s blistering century in the semi-final, Hampshire impressed again with 194-6. Toby Al-
bert became the competition’s leading run-scorer this season with 85 off 48 deliveries, but Hampshire were denied a fourth Blast trophy thanks to Smeed’s wonderful knock.
Somerset now join Hampshire and Leicestershire with three titles, following wins in 2005 and 2023. They can proudly claim to be the team to beat in T20 cricket in England, having made three finals in a row, winning two of them.
Following their 2023 victory over Essex, it was a different story last season when they suffered an eight-wicket thrashing by Gloucestershire. This time they appeared to be struggling to keep up with the required rate of almost 10 per over before Smeed and Dickson turned the game with a fourth-wicket stand of 88. Smeed and
Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who made 81 in the semi-final win over Lancashire, gave Somerset a lightning start, taking them to 46-0 in the fifth over before Kohler-Cadmore was bowled by Sonny Baker’s rapid yorker.
On a day where 44 sixes were struck, Kohler-Cadmore hit the biggest when he swiped Chris Wood over the Eric Hollies Stand. At 89-3 in the 10th over the game was in the balance, but Smeed continued to find boundaries, hitting 14 fours and a six. A crucial moment came in the 14th over when Scott Currie dropped Dickson with the rate above 12.
Smeed chipped Currie to James Vince six short of a deserved century to give Hampshire hope before Gregory finished it in the same over with a four and two leg-side sixes. (BBC Sport)
TOKYO, Japan, (CMC)
– Jamaica’s trio of Kishane Thompson, Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake easily advanced to the semifinals of the men’s 100 metres at the World Athletic Championships here on Saturday.
Competing in Heat 2, Thompson, the fastest man in the world over the distance this year, strolled to victory in 9.95 seconds, with Canada’s Eliezer Adjibi second in 10.19 seconds and Ronal Longa of Columbia claiming the third automatic qualifying place in 10.21 seconds.
Blake was second in Heat 3 in 10.07 seconds, behind Olympic champion Noah Lyles of the USA who won in a time of 9.95 seconds.
Terrence Jones of The Bahamas also advanced by finishing third in the heat in 10.16 seconds.
Barbados’ Kuron Griffith failed to qualify for the next
round, placing seventh in 10.40 seconds.
Meanwhile, Seville finished third in Heat 1 to also automatically qualify for the next round.
Seville crossed the line in 9.93 seconds, with South Africa’s Gift Leotlea placing first in a personal best time of 9.87 seconds and Kayinsola Ajayi (9.88 seconds) second, also in a personal best.
In today’s semifinals, Blake and Lyles have been grouped in Heat 1, Thompson and Kenneth Bednarek of the USA along with Jones will compete in Heat 2, while Seville, Leotlea and Canada’s Andre de Grasse will line up in Heat 3.
Jamaica sprinter Kishane Thompson
triumph
Quintin Sampson hit a brutal 76 after being asked to open the batting for the Warriors. Roston Chase
Kings