Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly
Over 140,000 displaced in a week in Gaza amid
renewed Israeli attacks: UN
Businessmen complain of foreign currency shortage - say goods spoiling
Jamaica rebuffs
Cuban doctors Rubio push against
with Mohamed and Berbice residents
PPP disrupts meeting impacts in all Exxon’s EIAs
hanging from tree video of one-year
Canadian company to pay over US$3.8 million to local titleholders to fully acquire
High Court orders EPA to include carbon dioxide second gold project in Guyana -10-dayworkersforcedtojoinprotest Man arrested after sending wife -old daughter Woman found dead at Sunflower Hotel
Prime Minister Andrew Holness (left) greets US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at Jamaica House on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)
Man who broke into Housing Annex, remanded on several charges
Thirty-nine-year-old
Devon Hubbert, who allegedly broke into the Ministry of HousingAnnex, w a s r e m a n d e d o n Wednesday on several other break and enter charges whenhewasarraignedatthe Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Hubbert, of Lot 91
G a r n e t t S t r e e t , Campbellville, made his appearance before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty He was charged for allegedly attempting to commit a felony, breaking and entering with larceny, and breaking and entering with intent. He pleaded not guilty to all of the charges and begged the magistrate for leniency, asking for “a smallbail.”
It is alleged that on or betweenMarch1andMarch 4, 2025 at Lot 37 Croal and Camp Streets, Georgetown, Hubbert allegedly broke entered I and J Reflections Salon and stole six pairs of brand name sneakers valued at$100,000,aVisiowireless surround system valued at $90,000, a Baby Bliss flat iron valued $52,000 and a Kertin bonding iron valued $28,000; total value: $270,000, property of LauriceCollmore.
It is also alleged that he broke into Guyana Gaming Authorityandstoleacaseof Frutajuicevaluedat$4,500, a spray can valued at $18,000, three bales of Bounty tissue valued at $25,000 and a quantity of stationaries valued $20,000. Total value: $67,000, property of Guyana Gaming Authority The third charge alleged that Hubbert broke and entered the Ministry of
HousingAnnexwithintentto steal,onorbetweenMarch2, andMarch3,2025atUnited Nations Place, Croal Street, Georgetown The final charge alleged that the defendantattemptedtobreak and enter a salon belonging toAbeholaPrincewithintent to steal, on or between February 27 and March 1, 2025 at Chalmers Place and Brickdam,Georgetown.
In his address to the court, Hubbert said that he wasassaultedbypolicewhen he was arrested. He stated thattheyshackledhimtothe police van on Camp Street and drove off with him, causinghimtosustainsevere injures about his body The prosecution told the court that the defendant is no strangertothepolicesincehe was charged in 2017, 2018 and2021forsimilaroffences and was recently released fromprison.Theyaddedthat thereisCCTVfootageofthe defendant committing all four offences. They stated that when the defendant was arrested, he already had marks about his body Magistrate McGusty remanded the defendant to prison and the matter was adjournedtoApril23,2025.
Canadian company to pay over US$3.8M to local titleholders to fully acquire second gold project in Guyana
Greenheart Gold Inc., a Canadian exploration company, has signed option agreements to acquire a 100% interest in the Tamakay gold project in Guyana. The company announced that it will make payments totaling over US$3.8 million to “arms’ length local titleholders” overthecomingyears.
The company disclosed that it has already paid US$500,000 in 2024 and US$230,000todatein2025.
“To maintain its rights under all of the agreements andbeentitledtoexercisethe various options, the Company will have to make additional payments of US$675,000 in 2025, US$1,055,000 in 2026, US$1,380,000 in 2027 and US$80,000 annually for the following seven years,” Greenheart Gold stated Some agreements also includecontingentpayments based on future reserve estimatesandproduction.
Tamakay is Greenheart Gold’ssecondgoldprojectin Guyana and the fifth earlystage exploration project in Greenheart Gold’s exploration pipeline, which to date consists of three projects in Suriname, including Majorodam, Igab, andTossoCreek.
The site, located approximately 300 km west of Georgetown and 20 km west of Aris Mining Corporation’s Toroparu project,hasbeenminedona smallscalesince1937.
The company noted that despite ongoing alluvial mining,“thereisnorecordof any ‘modern’ exploration having been carried out on the project to investigate the extent of the gold-bearing quartz veins or to uncover additional potential hard
Tamakay Project showing location, access and regional geology
rock sources of the gold found in the alluvial material.”
Preliminary exploration work has identified promisingtargetsforfollowup. Grab and soil samples returned high-grade gold assays,including969g/tAu, 213 g/t Au, and 144 g/t Au. “Follow-up work planned for Tamakay includes trenching over thes
a
malous areas to determinetheextentofgoldbearing quartz veins across the stratigraphy, as well as
testing for any potential pervasively mineralized zones within the volcanics,” thecompanystated. Notably, Greenheart Gold is working on the A
Notably, Greenheart Gold said its goal is to build a robustportfoliooftheearlystage exploration projects thattargetthekeygeological factorsbelievedtohavebeen crucial to the discovery of OkoWest.
Greenheart Gold is an
exploration company that builds on a proven legacyof discoverieswithinthe Continued on page 18
Devon Hubbert
Kaieteur News
24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.
Publisher:GLENNLALL-Tel:624-6456
Editor-in-Chief:NigelWilliams
Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
Confidenceandtrust
The political parties here have been gearing up for general and regional elections slated for this year Inevitably, citizens would have to decide which party and its leaders they can trustwiththeirlivesandtheirchildren'sfuture.
Trustismotherhoodandmarriageofaspecialkind, a brotherhood and sorority that speaks for itself. But when there is a scarcity of trust, then for all that there maybe,thatcanbehad,itisasifthereisnothing.
Whenthereisthatnightmareofnightmares,where there is a total absence of trust, then for all the oil and moneyandpromiseofsomuchmore,thereisnothing.
We trust each other to be there for us, look out for us,whenweplacecertainheavyresponsibilitiesinthe hands of others. Sometimes it could be over hardearned money, of other valuable property, of our family, and for the day-to-day present as well as the unknownfuture.
We do this with security guards in whom we entrustoursafetyandtheintegrityofourproperty
Wedothiswhengreattrustisplacedinthehandsof those colleagues and comrades who help us get things done, both little and big, sometimes personal, oftentimesnationalinscope.
When they turn around and betray that trust, a battering of the spirit comes. There is a draining of resolve, or a reflexive temptation to throw up hands andask,'Howcouldthishappen?'.
That is, if this one could so quietly and secretly study and scheme so cunningly, then why even bother to continue to invest in trusting others when the prospect of favourable returns for the trust given is shatteredsocallously
We urge our fellow citizens to look around and review how our environment is today We ask them to recallfromlongagoandrecentmemory,fromthelong listofexamples,howprecioustrusthasbeentrampled uponinthissociety,andateverylevel.
Think of those who raised their hands and pleaded forthegiftofourtrust,andpromisedtodowhatisright for us, the Guyanese people. Politicians in Guyana, particularly the senior, more vocal, and recognisable ones, make pretty speeches of how much good they have in mind for the Guyanese people, as they beg for our support, for their votes. But deep down in their hearts, is where the real truths of their commitments givensoeasilylie.
To support is to vote for, and to vote for is to trust. Every ballot cast with that simplest of letters from the alphabet,anXintherightplace,isadeedoftrust.
Do right, do good, do what is truthful, do what is wiseandjustandclean.
We ask our fellow Guyanese a simple question: what is it that citizens have gotten in return for the last six decades for their trust? Outside of leaders' inner circleoffriends,family,andotherfavouredfollowers, what have leaders delivered in return for the priceless trusttheyreceived?
Politicians were liars and frauds and deceivers long before oil, and now that beauty springing from below the sea is here, men in the PPP/C Government andtheAPNU+AFCOppositionhavelosttheirminds. They hide, they lie, they make up stories, and they mock Guyanese as they kick aside the trust given to them.
Then they pour salt in the wounds of despairing citizens with more falsehoods, more trickeries, and more thieveries. So, as we go forth this election season,let'sbemindfulofwhomwetrustandtowhom we give our support, because some of the biggest betrayersandbiggestrobbersinGuyanaarehigherup. They are in government offices and political headquarters.
The importance of the next elections
DEAR EDITOR,
The upcoming National Elections will be a vote on whether or not democracy and fair elections are important.Itwillbeavoteon whether corruption should be allowed or denied. It will be a vote on who can be trusted with protecting our national sovereignty Also, it will provide an opportunity to say who we the Guyanese people trust with the development of our country and the management of our resources.
Democracy has been a struggle in our Nation since the splitting of the pre independence PPP into the PPP and PNC, which fell along racial lines The struggle for democracy and fair elections continued as recently as the last elections, and the courts have been unable, for over four years, to bring back justice and fairness to our electoral process. Our vote in the next elections must send a clear message as to where we the people of Guyana desire our democracytogo. Corruption and the abuse of power have been extensive since the last elections.
Top officials have been caught and many have been
involved in acts of theft, sexual misconduct and lawbreaking activities. As the income of our small nation increases so does the level of corruption. Disregard for the law by those in positions in the government has also led toalackofaccountabilityfor actions that could be considered criminal. It has also resulted in more corrupt actsatthelowerlevelsofour socioeconomic system More importantly, the culture of our country has been changed to one that is morematerialisticandwhere regard for the life of others has been diminished. The examplesofsexualviolence, theftandtheresultinglackof accountability have underminedthevaluesinour society that were once nurtured by our previous leadersandfoundingfathers. We must now ask ourselves who can be trusted withthefemalesinourlives? Who can lead the young and vulnerable without taking advantageofthem?Istherea price for the honesty and integrity in our society that wearewillingtoaccept?Our beautiful Guyana is much better than this! Our society must remain on a solid foundation in order for our nation's sons and daughters
to be the best that they can be.
Our nation's sovereignty has never before been more threatened than it is today. Diplomatic ties continue with our adversaries and military threats continue to amplify Where there is an opportunity to show strength, we have seen hesitation and preference for dialogue. Dialogue that has been ignored by our adversaries. Dialogue that has brought no results. What we have seen instead has been the taking of definitive action by the enemy, which has left our nation more vulnerabletooccupationand the loss of territory and resources. Our vote in the upcoming elections must also send a clear message as towherewestandasanation on the protection of our sovereignty and the integrity ofourborders. It must send a clear message as to where we stand on the Venezuelan migrant crisis, the military buildup at our borders and the increased vulnerability our nation will suffer as a result of a bridge with Suriname. There is still time for our leaders to take a stronger position on these issuessoastoallowustocast
a vote of confidence in the handling of the border issues with both Venezuela and Suriname.
Our national resources and the development of our nation have suffered from severe mismanagement and what could be considered acts of treason. There has been no Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Exxon PSA signing and there has been no referendum on the renegotiation of the Exxon contract. The early morning meeting between the Presidentandthecontractors was testament to how poorly managed the development process has been. The waste and overage is becoming more obvious each day, resultinginthecontinualloss of funds and resources. The management of the natural resource fund has been controversial and disastrous. This has prevented the continual disbursement of cashgrantstoourcitizens. What should have been easily given and made sustainable has instead been traded for a process that aggressively depletes the fund and funnels its resources into wasteful and poorly executed projects Ourvoteinthenextelections (Continue on page 5)
Call for a Treaty with transparent costs
DEAR EDITOR,
Let's face facts. Might is ultimatelyrightinourworld. Sure, we have progressed to behaving more civilly with each other when the stakes are relatively low However, there are no holds barred whenthestakesarehigh.
The new administration in the USA seems to get to the greedy point with fewer covering euphemisms of civility Let us take the opportunity to call for a transparent treaty to pay for their protection from the
Venezuelan bully Make a national contract instead of this dance with ExxonMobil and the USA. We already surrendered our sovereignty to the oil companies in the current Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with its 'stability clause' that preventsusfrompassingany law to change it - for very lowreturnsonouroilandgas resources.
Q u a n t i f y i t commercially: not leave us clouded in uncertainty as to the conditions of paying for
US military protection. Tell us in a plain treaty what we aregettingforhowmuchand forhowlong.
This is nothing new
Long ago vassal countries used to pay tribute to the emperor Let it be registered with the United Nations as a bowtomodernity But let the costs be known. We don't want the politicians on both sides of the deal to get the opportunity to collude with the exploiters, secretly enrich themselves with
monetary considerations for their performances, and leaveusstillwonderingifwe willbedefendedineventofa showdown. After all, the Venezuelan aggression happened to start in the 1960sjustwhentheUSAdid not like the brand of politics they thought we were getting.
This recourse only becamenecessarybecauseas a nation we do not pay genuinetributetoAlmighty
Sincerely Alfred
Bhulai
Welcome Secretary Rubio
DEAR EDITOR,
Allow me some space to extend to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his team a warm welcome to Guyana andtotheCARICOMregion in general. I live in former S e n a t o r R u b i o ' s constituency in Florida and have had the honor of interacting with him and his staff over the years, more recently as Co-chair of the Legislative Week Planning Committee for Caribbean American Heritage Month
celebrations organized by the Institute of Caribbean Studies(ICS)inJune. A s a Guyanese/Caribbean American it is much appreciated that the new Secretary of State is visiting the region very early in his tenure.
It is my sincere hope that he and his team will appreciate the complexities oftherealitiesofGuyanaand the rest of CARICOM and seek to ensure that US
policies do not adversely impact the shared values of the Caribbean andAmerican people. A kinder gentler approach is needed on the p a r t o f t h e Tr u m p Administration towards these long-standing allies of America--the member states ofCARICOM.
This kinder gentler approach should take account of the indispensable contribution of the Cuban Medical Brigade to the
people of the Caribbean, thousands of whose lives are saved each year through the service of an exceptionally high standard of the Cuban doctorsandnurses.
The Cubans often fill the gaps left by taxpayer trained localdoctorsandnurseswho migrate to the US and serve with distinction in medical facilities across America, especially along the Eastern seaboard.
Itshould
(Continue on page 6)
Thousands at Annual NY Phagwah Parade
DEAR EDITOR,
The traditions associated with Phagwah celebrations in Guyana and other parts of the Caribbean are being kept alive in New York by the early Guyanese migrants of the1960sandlateryearsand by their descendants, second, third, and fourth generation. The fun and revelry associated with the Phagwah celebration in Guyana were on display in Richmond Hill last Sunday th March 23 at the 37 annual Phagwah Parade with thousandsofparticipants.
The parade was founded by a group of Guyanese and commenced small with only a few thousand revelers and one float in 1989. In recent decades, the parade attracted tens of thousands of onlookers and participants. The parade was held last Sunday in Richmond Hill thatiswidelyknownasLittle Guyana and Little Trinidad.
And thousands more gathered at the culmination of the parade at Smokey Oval where there was a fourhour cultural variety concert that concluded just after 6 PM.
The mood was very festive on Liberty Ave as thousands gathered to watch and cheer the many floats and to throw multi-colorful powder (gulal) as they also did at the park. Lumes of powder can be seen on the parade route as well as in the park. Mists of powder rose from below at the mela concert when Phagwah songs (from Bollywood movies) were sung. There were several popular entertainers from the Caribbean (Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad) including Terry Gajraj also knownastheGuyanaBabu.
The parade was kicked rd off on Liberty Ave and 133 Street with chanting of m a n t
s b y t h e D h a
m
h a r y a R a m Hardowar and pandits at noon Queens Borough
P r e s i d e n t D o n o v a n
Richards, of Jamaican ancestry, and NYPD First Deputy CommissionerTania Kinsella were Chief Guests and grand marshals Richards and his white Indian wear was covered from head to toe with multitudeofcolors.
The Boro President is up for re-election this November with the Primary setforJune.
As the Boro President noted,Queenshasthelargest concentration of Indians (and Hindus) outside of India. It is the most diverse borough in America with some two hundred different nationalities or ethnic groups. It is also home to the largest the largest IndoCaribbean community in America.
The presence of IndoCaribbean Hindus, first, second, third, and fourth generations, of all ages, at the parade and other Hindu celebrations help to keep Phagwah and other Hindu traditionsalive.
The almost two dozen colorful floats filled with dancing participants to Bollywood music and chowtaal or singing of Phagwah songs proceeded ontheAve.Amongthemany floats, there was a “One Guyana” float On it were Ambassador Sam Hinds, Consular General Michael E. Brotherson, Joe Yussuff, businessman Dave Narine, and party supporters They waved the Guyana flag. Several tassa bands and chowtaal groups also marchedwiththefloats.
In Guyana and the Caribbean and among IndoCaribbean Americans, the festival is called Phagwah, which is also the name used in the northern parts of India from where most Indian Guyanese (and their diaspora)originated.Inother parts of India, it is called Holi,anationalholiday Phagwah was brought to
the Caribbean from the HindiandBhojpurispeaking beltofnorthIndia.
From the Caribbean, it was brought to New York City during the early 1970s and spread to other parts of America by Indo-Caribbean Hindus and institutionalized in Florida, Boston, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Schenectady, Chicago, Texas, and elsewhere Phagwah was alsointroducedonNewYork college campus (CCNY) beginning in 1978; several American campuses had Holicelebrations.
Phagwah or Holi is an ancient festival that is thousands of years old and was celebrated throughout the Caribbean territories where Indians were indentured during the first few decades and gradually died off as the Hindu population declined. Only Trinidad, Guyana, Suriname and a small village in JamaicacelebratePhagwah. It marks the beginning of Spring or end of the winter solstice. It is also known as the Festival of Colors because of the variety of colorful powders and abeer (colored water) used in the celebration.
At the mela, several politicians delivered remarks.RomeoHitlall,who isrunningforofficeforacity councilseatintheRichmond Hill area, chair of the parade festival committee, said he "was deeply honored to be named a Grand Marshall for theparade".
He thanked the c o m m i t t e e f o r t h i s recognition and for their dedication to making this celebration possible”. There were other candidates at the parade As pandits explained, it is a celebration of togetherness, forgiveness, renewalandnewbeginnings. Barriers based on faith, caste, gender, and ethnicity are removed. Everyone is treatedequally Asmany (Continue on page 6)
Rohee's attack on illegal Guyanese in America
DEAR EDITOR,
Mr Clement Rohee's letter, a response to Dr Vishnu Bisram's retort (March 25) on Rohee's communist ideology, caught myattention.
It is replete with inaccuracies, self-opinions, c o n t r a d i c t i o n s , i r r e l e v a n c i e s , a n d redundancies He writes generally without any evidence to support any claimorassertion. It is unreadable. It is pathetic. Good luck to Dr Bisram in trying to make sense out of nonsense and responding to nothingness. But I would like to address Rohee's denigration of undocumented (Indian)
Guyanese in “Little Guyana”, jeering them. Being illegal in America is nolaughingmatter.
It is because of illegal or
undocumented Guyanese fromthe1960sonwards,that one million Guyanese have been able to make USAtheir home. Illegals followed the law and legalize their status, sponsoring kinship to join them.
We have lived successful lives.And yes, there are tens of thousands of illegal Guyanese in USA, seeking to make an honest living and pursuinglegalizedstatus.
But legal or not, Guyanese have contributed significantly to the growth and development of Guyana sending annually over the last several decades tens of millions ofAmerican dollars toGuyanainremittancesand material things and rehabilitating homes in their formerhomeland.
I t i s , t h e r e f o r e , reprehensible and a sad commentary for Rohee (and
associates in PPP) to mock and ridicule illegal Indian Guyanese in Richmond Hill. IsRoheespeakingforPPPin launching this scathing m o c k i n g a t t a c k o n undocumented Guyanese and those with green cards. Isn't that nimakharamism?
The party should dissociate fromRoheeonthatremark.
On his communist ideology, on one hand, in a previous response to Dr Bisram, Rohee stated he is not anti-American and antiTrump.Ontheotherhand,in a marked contradiction, in his latest unsubstantiated assault, he accuses Dr Bisram of writing to impress MAGAsupporterstogoeasy on illegal and green card Guyanese,suggestingRohee is anti-MAGA and, therefore,anti-Trump.
Idon'tknowof
(Continue on page 6)
The importance of the next...
From page 4 must consider these multiple factors and their importance in the future of our nation The parties running for office have both strengths and weaknesses. The choice comes down to what is more important to you and the future of your family
Who do you trust to do what is best in the long-term interest of our country and ourcitizens?
What are you willing to sacrifice should not be an option, but reality may say otherwise.
Wemustasapeoplehold
our elected officials accountable for what they havedonewrong.
When there is no guaranteed path to victory
and to parliament, all participants must improve to earn the respect of the electorate. The will of the people of Guyana is paramount! Our vote is
where we the people of Guyana keep the power to hold our elected officials accountable.
Sincerely, Mr. Jamil Changlee
High Court orders EPA to include carbon dioxide impacts in all Exxon's EIAs
In a groundbreaking decision in a matter filed against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), High Court Judge Simone Morris has ruled that the i n d i r e c t e ff e c t s o f ExxonMobil Guyana Limited's Hammerhead project will produce carbon dioxide pollution or scope 3 emissions.
According a release on behalf of the applicants in the case, these scope 3 emissions are produced when people burn fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide pollution causes global overheating, leading to climate change. It also causes ocean acidification which harms marine life.
The release explained that Justice Morris' ruling means that all of the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for ExxonMobil Guyana Ltd must now identify, describe and evaluate the impactsofscope3pollution. That includes all carbon dioxide pollution from Guyana's oil, even if that oil is burned overseas; in the USAorEurope,forexample.
Two citizens, Wintress Morris and Joy Marcus, had filed a legal action against the EPAfor failing to ensure theimpactsofExxonMobil's seventh oil projectHammerhead- is properly assessed. The citizens had explained that the EPA issued a Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Hammerhead Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which does not take into account theimpactofgreenhousegas pollution from burning the associated oil and gas from theproposeddevelopment.
Attorneys-at-Law MelindaJanki,TimPrudhoe,
Anna-Kay Brown and S
citizens. The release, issued onWednesday,notedthatthe EIAs did not cover scope 3 carbon dioxide pollution Research conducted by this newspaper in the aftermath of the court decision, found t h a t t h e E I A f o r Hammerhead now includes the impact of greenhouse gases.
Wintress Morris said, “People are always saying you cannot do anything about oil but that is not so.
Joy Marcus and I are ordinary grassroots women. We brought this case. We changed the law We feel proud as citizens of Guyana to know that we have done something good for our country.”
Joy Marcus urged that othercitizensshouldusethis ruling to protect themselves. She said, “People need to go and check whether this HammerheadEIAdoeswhat the judge says it should do. We know the EPA is weak. WecannotrelyontheEPAto protect us. We cannot sit back and let ExxonMobil and the government destroy
our future. What about our c h i l d r e n a n d grandchildren?”
Justice Morris had refusedtogranttheremedies prayed for by the applicants, in part due to the EPA changing the terms and scope of the EIA after the case was filed She, therefore, dismissed the application.
Janki said, “Obviously, we are disappointed that the judge did not go a step further and grant the remedies, but this is an excellent ruling on scope 3. It shows that Guyana's judges can deliver decisions that are in keeping with international standards Only last year, the UK Supreme Court reached the same decision as Justice Morris.”
Ms Janki added, “I have to commend Justice Morris for dealing with this judicial review matter so swiftly From filing to decision took threemonths.Shecarriedout her constitutional duty to uphold the rule of law and she has set a standard for judges.”
Anna-Kay Brown said, “I share the disappointment that the court did not grant the requested orders However, the decision has positive implications for environmental protection Justice Morris' ruling offers important guidelines for EIAs related to petroleum development. Notably, the decisionhighlightsthatEIAs must evaluate Scope 3 emissions as an indirect effect Additionally, it clarifies that assessments under the Environmental Protection Act are not limited to quantitative discussions.”
Thousands at Annual...
From page 5
A Nation at a Crossroads: The Choice Between Control and Progress
DEAREDITOR,
As Guyana stands on the precipice of a new era, the political landscape unfolds like a stage where familiar actors attempt to script yet another performance.Elson, the chosen puppet, dangles on the strings of Norton—a shadow in the grander illusion, orchestrated by the ever-present Jagdeo-Ali machine.
Thepeoplehaveseenthis play before, the same tired script of control, division, andemptypromises.
Butinthismoment,anew forceemerges.
A leader not bound by the old chains of patronage but driven by competence, intellect,andvision.Nigel.
A man educated not just in academics but in the art of
leadership.
A statesman, not a showman.
He is the one who possesses the clarity to navigate Guyana into the 21st century, to take the country beyond mere survival and into a future of prosperity, innovation, and nationalpride.
Ye
movement requires a pillar ofstrength.
A
A
changer, the leader who commands the power of a v
underestimated force: the womenofGuyana.
NeverbeforehasaPrime Ministerial candidate held such leverage, such a deep and authentic connection
with the backbone of the nation Women, long sidelined in the corridors of power, now find a voice in her Amanza is not just a candidate; she is a revolution.
A s y m b o l o f empowerment, of change, of the kind of leadership that listens, understands, and delivers.
The choice before the peopleisstark.
Toremainshackledinthe cycles of political puppetry or to break free into a future of bold, intelligent governance. Guyana stands a t t h e e d g e o f transformation.
The question is: will it choosetorise?
Regards SusanBelmont
Welcome Secretary...
From page 4 alsotakeintoaccountthe invaluable contribution America's Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) makes to creating a n d m a i n t a i n i n g employment for thousands of workers in the region, and to the sustainability of small businesses and farmers in CARICOM. This one-way free trade agreement (which a l r e a d y h a s s o m e restrictions) should be maintained if not improved. Reconsideration should also be given to the Cover Over program which puts Caribbeanrumexportstothe USatadisadvantage.
brought about by the c r i m i n a l s m y U S Government claims to be deporting. The CARICOM countries are already struggling to address crime and gun violence. No guns are manufactured in the Caribbean.
NowonVenezuelawhich for the Caribbean is a complex issue. CARICOM continuestopubliclysupport Guyana in its repudiation of Venezuela's baseless claim while some of its member states rely on oil from Venezuela through its PetroCaribe program
Sanctions on these countries w o u l d h u r t t h e m significantly Guyana needs their ongoing genuine support on the Venezuelan claim and responses to threats of military action
against Guyana All Guyanese at home and abroad welcome the expressed firm commitment of the US in support of Guyana on this issue
young American born revelers of Guyanese extractionwhoseparentsalsoAmericanborn remarked, “It is our celebration and we are keeping it alive in New York and America”. Phagwah was also celebrated publicly in the Bronx, Jersey City, Ft. Lauderdale, and Orlandoaswellasothercities.
Several politicians hosted Phagwah celebrationsintheiroffices.
Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram
Rohee's attack on illegal...
From page 5
While the economies of Guyana and Suriname are projected to improve monumentally as a result of their nascent oil and gas industries, the CARICOM region as a whole requires extra regional assistance in areas such as human resource development, information technology and infrastructure. The Chinese are marching ahead with such assistance USAID needs to be restored and the levels increased if the Chinese are not to emerge as the major ally of the CARICOMregion.
Dr Bisram's intention in his response to Rohee. So what if Dr Bisram is seeking protection “of Guyanese who are undocumentedandwithagreencard”? Isn't that a noble objective to help fellow Guyanese,aknownlifelongcharacteristicof Dr Bisram's? Does Rohee want the illegals and green card holdersdeported?
He must be selfishly seeing them as voters forPPPiftheygetdeported.
Yours truly, Dharamdatt Durjan
On the issue of the acceptance of deportees from third countries, please spare the Caribbean of the risks and burden associated therewith A majority of these countries depend on tourism and would face the risks of escalating crime
However, there are still lingering thoughts as to whether America would 'put boots on the ground'or bomb the hell out of Venezuela should Maduro exercise a military option thereby threatening the oil and gas assets in Guyana. While I personally have no doubt a b o u t A m e r i c a ' s commitment in this connection, I hope the need never arises and better sense would prevail on the part of Maduro. In the context of the
dependence on Venezuelan oil by some CARICOM states, I support the view expressed at the recent State Department briefing that these countries could look to Guyana for their oil and gas supplies. But Guyana will needmarketpricesforitsoil, which, if I understand correctly, is not paid for Venezuelan oil. So here is where President Trump could help craft a deal. Since America needs Guyana's oil in addition to supplying CARICOM member states, the US can in the interest of hemispheric security including its own national security, encourage a revisit, not renegotiation (revisit is a kinder gentler approach) of the Exxon contract to adjust royaltiesfromtwopercentto 10percent.Additionally,the US can budget 500 million dollars annually for 25 years to a regional oil fund that would subsidize Guyana's oil exports to all of C A R I C O M t h e r e b y ensuring affordable energy security as well as stable socities. This way all of Guyana's oil is sold to America and the CARICOM region. Such a deal would be a lasting impactful legacy of the presidency of the great DonaldJ.Trump. And America does not have to make these countries states of the USA. They are America's true friends that wouldoftenprovide15votes ininternationalfora.
Regards
Wesley Kirton
Attorney-at-law
Melinda Janki
No word from Govt. on timely completion of ExxonMobil’s third audit
The Ministry of
N a t u r a l R e s o u r c e s (MNR) has refused to respond to queries on the completionofthethirdaudit of ExxonMobil’s US$19.6B expenses.
Since March 13, at least five attempts were made by Kaieteur News to seek an updateontheprocess,which is slated to be completed by theendofthismonth,aswas previously communicated byPermanentSecretary(PS)
of the Ministry, Joslyn McKenzie at a press conferenceinJanuary
At the time, he informed reporters, “That’s the period 2021-2023, and the audit sum totals roughly about US$19.6billionthereabouts. Thisisthequantumspentfor thethreeyearsright,andthat audit commenced in November of 2024 and is expectedtobecompletedby Marchof2025.”
McKenzie however did not respond, prompting Kaieteur News to send a reminder of its request on March 15, which was again ignored.
On March 24, this publication again reminded the Permanent Secretary of its request, which received no response. Consequently, on March 25 Kaieteur News via a message to Bharrat
...as timeline draws near
informed the Minister that thePSdidnotrespondtothe query
Bharrat committed to “remind” McKenzie of the informationrequestedbutup topresstimeonWednesday, no further detail about the processwasshared. Itshouldbenotedthatthe Chief Policymaker for the Oil and Gas Sector, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo often directs such questions
Resources This therefore raises questions about government’s commitment totransparency,especiallyin the management of the petroleumsector
The audit in question is the largest in the country’s history and is specific to the period 2021 to 2023. It was awarded to the local consortiumVHEConsulting onOctober10.
Notably, unlike what obtainedduringthefirstcost oil audit, the media was not invited to attend the signing of the contract, sparking conc
m
he Opposition.
ChairmanoftheAlliance For Change (AFC) and former Minister of Public In
tructure, David Patterson believes that the media was blanked on purposefromtheevent.Inan inte
with this newspaper, Patterson said, “We noted that the contract signingwasdonewithoutthe presence of the media, departing from earlier such contractsigning.Weseethis as an attempt by the government to dodge q u e s t i o n s o n t h e performance of the company, as well as the contentsoftheirreport.”
On May 24, 2022 the Government of Guyana (GoG),throughtheMinistry of Natural Resources awarded a contract for a four-month review of ExxonMobil’s expenses between the years 2018 to 2020 VHE Consulting which is a locally registered partnership between Ramdihal & Haynes Inc; Eclisar Financial; and Vitality Accounting & ConsultancyInchadwonthe contract and subject Minister, Vickram Bharrat was faced with a plethora of
questionsfromthemediaon the process and next stages following the completion of thereview
On this occasion however, journalists were notaffordedthatopportunity even as questions linger concerning the completion of the two previous audits. The first audit for Exxon’s pre-contractcosts,duringthe period 1999 to 2017 was awarded to a British Consultant, IHS-Markit ThatauditofUS$1.6Bfound o v e r U S $ 2 1 4 M i n questionable costs claimed bythecontractor Thesecond audit which was awarded to VHE however only found less than US$100M in disputed charges for the period2018to2020.
TheExtractiveIndustries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Report for 2022 highlightedGuyana’sfailure to complete any of the two cost oil audits conducted to date.
InitslatestReportforthe year 2022, the transparency watchdog explained that the EITI Standard states, “implementingcountriesare expected to disclose final costandtaxauditreports,or summaries of those reports, including costs deemed as non-recoverable and costs deemed non-deductible and anyadditionalrevenuestobe collected as a result”. In keepingwiththetermsofthe 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), costs deducted by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) aresubjecttoanauditbythe Government of Guyana (GoG). Consequently, the documentnotes,“Atthedate of this report, two such audits have been carried out by separate teams, but agreement has not been reached on any potential adjustmentstobemade.”
Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat
The U.S. pressure on Venezuela may backfire on Guyana
The world is full of unintended consequences, thoseslylittlegremlinsthat slip into the machinery of statecraft and gum up the works just when we think we've got everything runningsmoothly Thelatest example of this immutable law of human affairs is unfolding in the Caribbean, w h e r e t h e Tr u m p administration's tightening of the screws on Venezuela may, in the end, squeeze Guyana harder than anyone intended.
Recently, the U S revoked a license that allowed Chevron to export Venezuelan oil toAmerican refineries a small but tellingturnoftheeconomic vise.Chevronnowhasuntil the end of May to end the exports to the United States fromVenezuela.Venezuela, despiteitswell-documented troubles,was,untilrecently, the third-largest supplier of crudetotheUnitedStates.
Now, with this market abruptly closed, the already faltering Venezuelan
economy will shudder anew Andwheneconomies shudder,peopleflee.Where to? Guyana, of course—the small, English-speaking neighbor to the east. The problemforusisthatweare already straining under the weight of tens of thousands ofVenezuelanmigrantswho have crossed the border in search of work, food, and a reprievefromdespair
Guyanaisnostrangerto hardship itself But its recent oil discoveries have lent it a precarious sort of optimism a sense that prosperity, though uneven, mightatlastbewithinreach. Yet, prosperity, like a shy animal, is easily startled.
The sudden arrival of more Venezuelans desperate, jobless, and in need of shelter, medicine, and schooling for their children threatens to overwhelm Guyana's modest social services.
Hospitals may wilt under the strain, schools may be overstretched and seriously challenged to cater for non-
Spanish speaking persons, and the patience of locals, though considerable, is not infinite. There is already a backlash against certain occupations being pursued bysomefemalemigrants. But the trouble does not stop there The Trump administration is never one to leave well enough alone. Itisnowthreateningtoslap 25% tariffs on any country that buys Venezuelan oil. Thismeasureispresumably aimed at China, which has been a steady customer of Caracas. China, of course, can afford to shrug off such penalties, but the real dama
y crippled oil industry, which needs every dollar it can mustertokeepthelightson. Withoutthemeanstorevive production, the country's economic death spiral will onlyaccelerate.
Andherewearriveatthe most dangerous possibility ofall:acorneredregime,its economy in tatters, its people in exodus, may well
Toddler drowns in Upper Berbice River
Tauren McLeanon, a two-year-old child from Kwakwani waterfront, reportedly drowned on Wednesday in the Upper Berbice River In a press release, police said that the child’s mother, Tamika Joaquin, stated that the childwenttotherivershortlyafter15:00hrsto take a bath and subsequently disappeared. The matterwaslaterreportedtothepolice.
A search was carried out in the river by residents and Tauren’s lifeless body was recovered The body was taken to the Kwakwani Hospital and was pronounced dead onarrivalbyadoctoronduty Thebodyisatthe hospital’s morgue, awaiting a post-mortem examination.
Two-year-old
Dem Boys Seh...
Traffic warden wuk coming!
Dem boys seh if yuh stand up in de middleofGeorgetownfuhfiveminutes,yuh gon realize something—de city got more carsthanpeople!Islikeeveryman,woman, and dem pet dog get a vehicle. Yuh cyan evencrossderoadinpeacewithoutrisking yuhlife.
Dem traffic light deh fuh show off, but people still driving like dem color-blind. Redlightmean"stop"butsomepeoplethink it mean "hurry up before it turn green again!".Anddemminibusmen?Well,dem doestekshortcutthroughtimeandspace. Every single day, dem got accident. Is like people wake up and seh, "Lemme see who I could bounce today." Bumper-tobumper traffic in rush hour? Yuh bettah believe it.And if rain fall, oh gawd, is like demdriversdoeslosedemsenses.
Dem boys seh we need bout 100 traffic wardenindecityalone—onefuhevery100 reckless driver Put dem pon every main
seek to distract from its failures by picking a fight with its neighbors. Guyana, with its vast, sparsely populated Essequibo region a territory Venezuelahaslongclaimed as its own—makes for an easy target. Just last year, Caracas revived its historical grievances over the area, staging a dubious referendum to assert its supposed rights. It is now threateningelectionsforthis area on 25th May 2025, something that can only be achieved through a fullscale invasion. While that doesnotseempossibleright now, should Venezuela's rulers feel the walls closing in, they may decide that a little nationalist fervor is just the thing to rally the masses and divert attention from empty stomachs and emptytreasuries.
The irony, of course, is that the very U.S. sanctions
meant to weaken the Venezuelan government mayendupdestabilizingthe region in ways that hurt Guyana far more than they hurt Caracas. It is a curious thing,thishabitofpowerful nations to apply pressure without quite calculating where the cracks will spread.Onedoesnotneedto sympathize with the Venezuelan regime to see that starving it into submission may produce consequences far beyond whatwasbargainedfor Guyana, for its part, is doingwhatsmallnationsdo whencaughtinthecrossfire oflargerpowers:itistrying to stay out of the way But geographyismerciless.The flood of migrants will continue so long as Venezuela's crisis deepens, and the threat of territorial mischief will linger so long as Caracas finds it useful.
TheUnitedStates,initszeal
inadvertently punish a friendlyoneinstead.
One wonders, as so often in these matters, whethertheremightnotbea betterway—someapproach that considers not just the immediate target of policy but the wider ripples it creates. For now, though, thegremlinsarelooseinthe machinery, and Guyana, innocentbystanderthatitis, mayyetpaytheprice.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the a
necessarily reflect the
newspaper.)
streetcornerlikesoldierponduty Letdem direct traffic like orchestra conductor, because right now, de whole roadways playing one big outta tune symphony of horns,cusswords,andnear-misses.
And while we at it, mek some of dem street one-way Too much two-way street causing nuff two-way cussing and threewaycollision.
Some people cyan decide if dem going left, right, or straight—so dem just go all threedirectionatonce.
Dem boys seh we always hearing bout "smart city" but we cyan even get smart traffic management. By now, we shoulda hadself-drivingcars—datway,atleastone thingonderoadwouldahadcommonsense! Until den, dem boys seh de best advice fuh drivers in dis country when dem leff home:Closeyuheyes,sayyuhprayers,and hopedenextmanknowhowfuhdrive. Talkhalf.Leffhalf...
Tauren McLennon
President Ali's dawn patrol
Older Guyanese
w o u l d c a l l
ExcellencyAli a 'night owl'. I agree; for the record, though, I have never encountered a day owl Night owl fits the President neatly,nowthatheismaking these predawn appearances part of his wakeup Guyana call. OnWallStreet,therewas Morning Call during my time. In Guyana, it is Wake Up to the Dawn with Irfaan. It has a rather sweet ring, doesn't it? The more boisterous around here may prefer Dawn Brukk-up and Battery by Ali. I, however,
am grateful for the President's company, since everybody else is sound asleep. Except, the busy people at Exxon, of course; theyarebusymakingmoney round-the-clockoffGuyana.
d summoned some wayward contractorslatelastyear,and
brought out the cat o' nine tails before the crack of dawn. Now, that's a President after my own heart. Respectfully, sir, on the next occasion that such a meeting is necessary, I recommend putting that apparatus to good use. Let the rubber hit the road, and
showcontractorsthatthe government is not to be taken for a ride, that it means business. Early to bed,earlytorise.
I t m a k e s f o r a progressive society Cooler heads, too. The honorable Vice President should consider keeping such hours, and keeping his balance. Beforeleavingthis 2024 predawn verbal lash, b a s h , a n d s p l a s h , compliments of Dr Irfaan Ali, I ask that same question again.
D i d t h e l a z y , u n d e r p e r f o r m i n g , incompetent, tardy, and humiliated contractors ever deliver by the deadline that the President gave them? Thisisimportanttoknow If they did, good job. If they didn't, then I ask, quite reasonably, what was that fore day mawnin' beatdown all about? One of those familiarperformancesbythe President where he puts on a showforthepublicandthere was nothing of substance behind? In other words, a bigjoke?
President Ali was at it again in the early hours, this time at the Demerara River Bridge. Contractors again. Delaysagain. ThePresident onthewarpathagain. Thisis gettingtobeabrokenrecord. What else is new in this part oftheworld?
This country must be living in the Ice Age, when the head-of-state has to berate the boss contractors, and introduce them to the hustles, efficiencies, and outcomes that flow from workinground-the-clock.
Which contractor on which planet and with what for a brain in his (or her) head is so impaired that it requires a presidential visit to get that (a 24-hour work schedule) across? Even my ancestorsusedtoputinmore hours, and they were not working for anyone. The New Bridge has been delayed, so it is surprising that the access roads are not aheadofschedule.
It could be that these guys are getting paid by the hour, tryingtopullafastone byscheminghowtogettheir road contract extended to August, the same as the new scheduled completion for the bridge. Or, it could be that the people building the access roads are family contractors who couldn't build a doghouse, or walk and chew gum at the same
time Meaning, they are fromFreedomHouse,Office of the President, and offices of those other people who don't count; like Vice Presidents and Prime Ministers. Though I confess to being awed, I am wondering how long the President is go to keep up t h e s e R e d D a w n excitements. If my head is still working according to plan, President Ali has two Ministers of Works. Two, not one; one is a churchman, the other is a top ranked businessman. Bothsidejobs say all that has to be said, no moresubtitlesneeded. ButI am not yet ready to let the two Honourable Ministers off the hook. Of what use are the two of them? How so, when the President ('Daddy prezzie' to the youngfamily)hastotakeoff at these ungodly hours to deal with, ah, lackluster contractors who don't know a wheelbarrow from a spare wheel?
Still, I must tip my top hattoPresidentAli. Hemay be allergic to sun and light, so he favors the darkness of the dawn. It figures, given the state of his government. A little while ago, His Excellency went to the Meadow Bank fish depot during the dawn hourswhenelse?
The President was a sight! For there he was clad in a raincoat that was a winter coat, and an umbrella bigger than an oil rig, while the poor suckers around him were getting properly soaked. The highlight from that visit was a pile of prawnsthatwerefresherand brighter than when they were in the ocean. Talk aboutputtingonashow If I didn't know better, I would have fallen for that propaganda picture involving prawns. Of all things, prawns? If there is one thing that can be said about Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, it is that he is a showman, knows how to drawattentiontohimself.
Dawn hours shake the pesky media from his trail, keep Guyanese at a healthy distance.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the a u t h o r a n d d o n o t necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
Jamaica rebuffs Rubio push against Cuban doctors
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AFP) Jamaica on Wednesday rebuffed a push by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to sever a programme that brings in Cuban doctors, who have becomecriticaltohealthcare in fellow Caribbean countries despite allegations oflabourexploitation.
Donald Trump’s top diplomat held talks on the sidelines of a Caribbean summit aimed in part at finding new ideas on violence-ravagedHaiti,with hostJamaicasayingitwould h e l p t h e n e w U S administration in a “global warongangs.”
But Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness made clear his differences
with Rubio on the doctors, whoaresentbyCubaaround theworldandhavebecomea major source of revenue for t h e c a s h - s t r a p p e d government Rubio, a Cuban-American and vociferous foe of the communist government in Havana, announced last month that the Trump administration would bar visasforforeigngovernment officials who assist the programme, which he characterized as human trafficking.
“Let us be clear, the Cuban doctors in Jamaica havebeenincrediblyhelpful tous,”Holnesssaidatajoint newsconferencewithRubio. He said that the 400 Cuban doctorsinthecountryfilleda
deficit as Jamaican health workersemigrated.
“We are, however, very careful not to exploit the Cubandoctorswhoarehere. We ensure that they are treated within our labour laws and benefit like any otherworker,”Holnesssaid.
“So any characterization of the program by others certainly would not be applicabletoJamaica.”
Rubio promised to engagewithJamaicatohave a “better understanding” of how it treats Cuban doctors.
“Perhapsnoneofthisapplies inthewayit’shandledhere,” Rubio said. But Rubio said the United States remained opposed “in general” to the programme “The regime does not pay these doctors,
$335 million to build new police stations in Bonasika,
Leguan, Kwakwani & Ituni
With an allocation of $1 billion to constructandcompletepolicestationsacross thecountry,theMinistryofHomeAffairswill bespendingapproximately$335millionout ofthattobuildstationsatBonasika,Leguan, KwakwaniandItuni.
This is according to the contracts that were awarded through the National
Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) officethismonth.
According to information provided, the Home Affairs Ministry previously went out totenderseekingacontractor to construct the Bonasika Police Station in Region Three. Following the national bidding process, NPTAB revealedthatprojectwasawardedto contractor L. Pool Civil Works for $79,352,627.
Empirefor$88,258,072.
These projects bring the total to $335,084,867 that the ministry will be spendingtoexecutetheconstruction.
Accordingtothisyear’sbudget,asumof $1 billion is budgeted towards the construction and completion of police stations and outposts in Imbotero, Bonasika, Leguan, San Souci, Albertown, Beterverwagting, East La Penitence, Kitty, Mahaica, Mahaicony, Weldaad, Orealla, Ekereku, Paramakatoi,Annai,Lethem, ItuniandKwakwani.
takes away their passports and basically, it is, in many ways,forcedlabour,andthat we cannot be in support of,”
Rubio said. The US special envoy on Latin America, Mauricio Claver-Caron, has also credited Barbados with taking steps to pay Cuban directorsdirectly AntiguanPrimeMinister Gaston Browne earlier this month sharply denounced the US pressure, saying the
absence of Cuban doctors would “literally dismantle our healthcare services and put our people at risk ” According to Cuban official figures, Cuba sent 22,632 medical professionals to 57 countriesin2023,withCuba earning US$6.3 billion in 2018 and US$3.9 billion in 2020, in part in the form of oilfromVenezuela.
–‘Globalwarongangs’–Rubio’s trip comes as he
considers a new strategy on Haiti, the hemisphere’s poorest country, which has been plunged into chaos for years after government authority collapsed and armed groups took over A Kenyan-led mission supported by former US president Joe Biden has deployedtoHaitiinhopesof bringing stability, but the troopnumbershavecomeup
Continued on page 22
L Pool Civil Works will also be constructing the station at Leguan Island for $77,592,026, while Orin’s Supreme Enterprise will be reconstructing the police station at Kwakwani in Region 10 for $89,882,142.
Meanwhile, the Ituni Police Station also inRegion10willbereconstructedbyEnergy
Senior Minister with the responsibilityforFinance,Dr Ashni Singh had stated during his budget speech that, “ Since coming into office, we have completed several projects geared towardsupgradingtheForce’sinfrastructure including the construction, reconstruction, andrehabilitationof23policestationsand14 buildings of strategic importance; construction of five command operation centres, five divisional headquarters, four information technology training complexes and five living quarters, among other facilities.”
Jamaica Prime Minister, Andrew Holness and US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio during their press briefing on Wednesday
Major project to revitalise fishing cooperatives to be launched today
Agroundbreaking
partnership
a i m e d a t
s t r e n g t h e n i n g t h e professional capacities and working conditions of Guyana’sartisanalfisherfolk willbelaunchedtoday
T h e i n i t i a t i v e , spearheadedbytheFoodand Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), under the FISH4ACP Project, will focus on revitalising cooperative culture and empowering women within the fisheries sector
This partnership will bring together the implementing partners, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Ministry of AgricultureFisheries Department, the Ministry of Labour, fish cooperatives, and informal associations, FAO said in a
Local fishermen have complained about low catch in recent months
pressrelease.
The ILO will contribute its extensive expertise in cooperative development to enhance governance, boost business management skills, and promote sustainable practices.
FISH4ACP, an initiative of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (OACPS), implemented by FAO with funding from the European Union (EU) and GermanFederalMinistryfor Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), is focusing on improving the p r o d u c t i v i t y a n d competitiveness of the AtlanticSeabobfishery
Key highlights of the p r o j e c t i n c l u d e empowerment, where the partnership will prioritise empowering women in artisanal fisheries Additionally, through expert collaboration, the partnership will see the ILO providing technical expertise in cooperative development.
The initiative also promotessustainablefishing and business practices, and will focus on improving the business acumen of the cooperatives to be a legitimate and transparent business that will contribute toGuyana’seconomyaswell asthecountry’sfoodsecurity and nutrition. It will also work with cooperatives to m e e t e x p o r t a n d international market requirements that will support the rest of the
Caribbean community The launch is slated for 8:00 am at Herdmanston Lodge, Peter Rose Street, Georgetown.
Thelaunchoftheproject comes at a time when Guyanese fishermen are complaining bitterly about theirinabilitytocatchfishin the country’s waters. The fishermensaidthattheyhave beenreelinginemptyseines since 2020 Many have voiced their frustration throughvariousmediabutas the situation worsens, they havetakenmattersintotheir own hands by posting TikTok videos of their hardships.
One crew posted a video recently, complaining after they spent four days at sea andcaughtnothing.“Inever seesomethinglikethisinme born life,” one of the crew memberssaid,whileadding, “Ayo watch one (expletive) nah come pon this seine hay.” The men said that empty seines are outweighing their catch for about three months now. “All them pickney (their children) hungry and suh now,” one fisherman said as heexplainedthatcatchesare not sufficient to cover fuel costsfortheirboats.
Another fisherman declared,“Awedesegarent fuhpayandsuh…Wecollect $100,000 (the cash grant) duh can’t even pay the rent whenyuhdonebuylilration andsuh.”“Aweawukanda we nah get pay, nah fuh seh like a we nah work. This
thingasendawemadnow… a mad a we a run now, watch,” another fisherman added.
The fishermen believe that ExxonMobil’s oil operation offshore Guyana might be chasing away the fish. “All dem time when dem nah a draw oil, a we been a ketch a we fish aright,” the fisherman said with support from his colleagues.
The government has, in the recent times, dismissed claims that the oil operation is contributing to the disappearance of fish from Guyana’s waters but the fishermen are not accepting that.“Elevenyearsmeawuk a sea now and me neva see something like a this, and dematellawethatoilnahdo fish nothing, ayo watch (shows their empty seines) ayuhgetsense,ayowatch”,a fishermanargued.
The fishermen said that they have been complaining for years but their concerns are falling on deaf ears so they have decided to protest publicly, using the various social media platforms so that the masses can see their plight.
TheMinistryofFinance, in its 2021 mid-year report, had claimed that chemical changes in Guyana’s coastal waters have caused a significant decrease in seafood production, specifically shrimp. It was stated that the significant reduction in the production of white belly shrimp was caused by a change in salinity of coastal waters. Salinity is the degree of saltiness of the water In 2023, a report for one of ExxonMobil’s proposed well campaigns for the Stabroek Block sought to discredit the fishermen’s claim that oil operations are dwindlingfishsupply
Thereporthadstatedthat Guyanahasseenadeclining trend since 2013, two years beforethediscoveryofoil.
Father arrested after sending wife video of one-year-old daughter hanging from tree
Kester Johnson was arrested by policeonTuesday,afterhereportedly made a video of his one-year-old daughterhangingfromatreewithbed sheets around her neck at Lot 218 BlueberryHill,Wismar,Linden.
The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday last, around 22:26h. Police reported that investigations revealed that the mother of the child Sawdia Bobb, shared a relationship with Johnson for ten years and they havethreechildrentogether
Prior to the horrific incident the mother highlighted that during the second week of February 2025, Johnsonallegedlyslappedherduring an argument over a voice note, causing her to leave and stay with a friend for several days. Police stated thatonMarch22,2025,Bobbbecame involvedinaphysicalaltercationwith Johnson at their Blueberry Hill, Wismarhome. Followingthat,Bobb wenttotheWismarPoliceStationand madeareportaboutabuseandassaultagainst Johnson.
asked to retrieve the video from her ‘trash’, which she did, and she showed the police a videoofherchildhangingfromasheet.”
“However, she did not give a written statement, claiming she would return but neverdid,”policestated.OnTuesdayatabout 15:25h, after receiving information, ranks from Wismar Police Station contacted Bobb and interviewed her about a video showing herchildbeingill-treated.Thevideoshowed the toddler was in an unpleasant state, with bed sheets wrapped around her neck, while she was hanging from a tree. The child was seencryingandgaspingforair
Themotherclaimedthatshehadthevideo on her phone, but deleted it because she did not want anyone to know about it due to her daughter’s age. Police said, “Sawdia was
Thereafter, an investigation was launched,whichrevealedthatJohnsonmade the video and sent it to Bobb’s phone. The suspectwas arrested,andbothBobbandher mother’sphoneswerelodgedforthevideoto beextracted.Furtherinvestigationsarebeing carried out. Police also said that a charge of assaultwaspreparedagainstJohnson,andhe isslatedtoappearbeforeacourtonThursday “Afileisalsobeingpreparedforchildabuse,” police said. The one-year-old child was medically examined, and there were no visiblemarksofviolence.Policesaidthatthe toddler is alive and well. Investigations are ongoing.
Kester Johnson
PPP disrupts meeting with Mohamed and Berbice
residents - 10-day workers forced to join protest
Screen grab from Team Mohamed’s live, showing when the resident (right) was pushed, while saying, “Video this big man (Hussain) he telling the girl to slap Mr. Ramayya (Dr. Veerasammy Ramayya), video him.”
A peaceful meeting
between businessman Azruddin Mohamed and Letter Kenny residents descended into chaos on Tuesday when supporters of the People’s Progressive Party(PPP),allegedlyledby Region Six Vice Chairman Zamal Hussain, disrupted thegathering.
AccordingtoaFacebook post made by Team Mohamed’s on Wednesday, it was stated that, although the businessman had been invited by the residents, his visit resulted in a standoff between a group of 10-day workers and councilors who were allegedly instructed to create raucous “Hussain, during the commotion, was heard ordering his agents to slap supporters of Team Mohamed’s, which resulted in his agent chucking a supporter,” the statement highlighted Notably, the protestors were not from Letter Kenny but were
transported to the community by a bus from Freedom House, New Amsterdam, according to TeamMohamed’s.
Teams Mohamed’s said in the statement, “This disruption has become a commontacticofthePPPto prevent any interaction between Team Mohamed’s and the citizens Despite these efforts to discourage him from engaging with the community and listening to their concerns, Mr M o h a m e d r e m a i n s undeterred ” Team Mohamed’s asserted that despite the disruption, the residentsweredeterminedto sharetheirdailystruggles.
In addition, according to a video posted on Team Mohamed’s Facebook page, a resident of Letter Kenny was heard saying, “Video this big man (Hussain) he telling the girl to slap Mr
Ramayya (Dr. Veerasammy Ramayya), video him.”
Afterthemanspoke,another man accompanying Hussain pushed him and told the resident, “Go suh.” This led toabriefscufflebetweenthe two.
The altercation did not stop there. PPP supporters were seen holding placards and mocking the meeting, attemptingtoblockresidents from entering. One of the residents was heard saying, “This Government is not a one Guyana, it’s for themselves, you can see all the ten-day workers, they come and protest.” Another resident added, “That’s dictatorship, how you could threaten the people, threaten the people livelihoods, in this country, because you supporting a political party or a human, one single person,yougonloseyuhjob, whatnonsense!”
Throughout the meeting, residents shared their hardships, including poor living conditions, lack of sanitation, and the government’s failure to address their needs One woman shared, “I am 84 years of age, I don’t have a toilet, I don’t have a bathroom, I barely got a room to sleep, rain falling (and) coming in everybody there,Ihaveoneroom.Only nowfuhweallgandownthe ground and nobody is helping,sowhathappen,the PPP government not helping.”
Another resident, showing video footage of flood damage, said, “When therainfalls,thewholeyard flood, all my ducks die out, all meh chicken die and my pigs them die. You could come now and see, now the water going down. I ain’t gettingnohelpontonow.”
A common theme throughout the testimonies
government.Manyresidents complained about threats of retaliation for speaking out, and feared losing their jobs orfacingotherconsequences for not participating in
political protests. Awoman
said, “This is the Government, if you so love the people, why you threatening the people to knock them off. People give them (PPP Government) a fair chance and a fair game
and them doing a lot of wrong, that’s why when people talk, them silence you. Them making people handfall.”
Mohamed expressed empathy for the 10-day workers, many of whom, according to him reportedly felt forced to participate in the protest. “The ten-day workers, I understand the situation they are in. They areforcingthemtodothings theydon’twanttodo
Continuedonpage20
Businessman Azruddin Mohamed, along with residents of Letter Kenny, with protesters at the back disrupting the meeting
US$1.9M Hopetown Practical Instructional Centre commissioned
T
he Honourable
MinisterofEducation,Priya Manickchand, on Tuesday officially commissioned the US$1.9 million Hopetown Practical Instructional Centre at Mahaica-Berbice, Region5. This state-of-the-art facility was implemented under the Ministry of Education’s Guyana Skills
D e v e l o p m e n t a n d Employability Project. The commissioning of this facility marks a significant achievement in the government’s ongoing efforts to modernize and expand technical and vocational education across
thecountry
The project’s primary goal is to enhance access to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and reduce unemployment among the target population of 400 students. With these new facilities and training programs, the institution is set to become a leading hub for skills training in Region 5,offeringyoungpeopleand adults alike the opportunity to build technical expertise and improv
ir employability
The establishment of the Centre is expected to significantly benefit the
students, early school leavers, and members of the surrounding communities in Region 5, along with three neighbouring schools and the Ministry of Education. Byincreasingaccesstohighquality vocational training, this initiative directly aligns with the government’s broader mission of fostering economic growth and reducing unemployment The project activities included the construction of aLearningResourceCentre, a Commercial Food Preparation building, a Graphics Workshop, and a Sanitary Block with a ChangingRoom. Additionally, the
Education Minister, Priya Manickchand (centre) and others at the ribbon-cutting ceremony
Carpentry Making building was rehabilitated, and new tools and equipment were supplied and installed for each workshop These infrastructuraldevelopments ensure that students and instructors have access to modern, industry-standard training environments that will better prepare them for theworkforce. S
H
Instructional Centre will now have access to CVQ Level 1 training in Graphic Arts, Electrical Installation, C o m m e
F
Carpentry Making With
graduates will be equipped withrecognizedcertification that will enable them to pursue further education or enter the workforce with marketable skills The institution now boasts a Learning Resource Centre, tworehabilitatedworkshops, m
equipment, and a newly constructedwashroomblock with provisions for persons withdisabilities. Additionally, the Centre offers a second-chance e
individuals looking to enhance their skills and e
y This inclusive approach ensures thatindividualswhomay
Continued on page 22
Students of the institution showing off their culinary skills
Man remanded for fatally chopping fisherman
A 24-year-old man was remanded on Wednesday in connection with the fatal chopping of a fisherman at Dundee, Mahaicony, East CoastDemerara.
D i v e s h w a n a n d Latchman, also known as Adesh, of lot 22 Dundee Village,isaccusedofkilling 30-year-old Parmanand Singh, also known as Mousie,onMarch22,2025. According to reports, police were alerted around 5:50 PM on March 22 about a chopping incident in Dundee.
Uponarrivalatthescene, officersfoundSinghlyingin a pool of blood. Kaieteur
News was informed that Singhsufferedaseverechop woundtohisneck,whichled to his death. Following the incident, Latchman was arrested and charged with murder
Latchman appeared before Magistrate Allan Wilson at the Mahaicony Magistrate’s Court, where the charge was read to him. Hewasnotrequiredtoenter a plea and was remanded to
Diveshwanand Latchman
Dead: Parmanand Singh
prison. His lawyer, Bernard Da Silva, requested a psychiatric evaluation to d
Latchmanisfitfortrial.The courtgrantedpermissionfor t
,
nd Latchman is scheduled to return to court on April 30, 2025, with the psychiatric reportandstatements.
The lawyer also informedKaieteurNewsthat Latchman is a patient of Dr Bhiro Harry, a Senior Psychiatrist.
Frompage3
Guiana Shield, a highly prospective geological terrain that hosts numerous gold deposits yet remains relatively under-explored The Company is led by former executives and members of the exploration group of Reunion Gold, a team that was most recently noted for the discovery and de
of the multimillion-ounce Oko West deposit in Guyana Greenheart Gold intends to build on its technical knowledge, strong contact base and previous success fromexploringintheGuiana Shieldtoassemble,maintain and explore a portfolio of early-stage exploration projects in Guyana and S
prospective for orogenic golddeposits.
Corentyne man remanded for possession of gun and ammunition
A 58-year-old man from Lot 41 Portuguese Quarters, Corentyne, Berbice was remanded onWednesday for the possession of a firearm, ammunitionandspentshells.
Walston Maxwell, also known as ‘Guzu Man’, appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty Maxwell is accused of having in his possession a 9mm pistol, without being a licensed firearm holder, as well as matching ammunition and spent shells. He pleaded not guiltytoallthreecharges.
The prosecution told the courtthatonMarch23,2025 at Leopold and Cross Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, a search was conducted on the defendant and a gun was found on his person at the front of his pants The prosecution added that Maxwell reportedly said, “Officer, don’t shoot, watch megetaguninfront.”
Meanwhile, Maxwell told the court that due to his disability, he is unable to holdagun.Hestatedthathe was at a bar when police cameandarrestedhimanda
fewothers,andtookthemto apolicestationwherehesaw an officer putting together a gun. He alleged that the police stole several items from him including cash, a goldringandagoldband.
Magistrate McGusty remanded Maxwell until his nextcourtappearance,which is scheduled for April 23, 2025.
Pensioner found dead in chair at apartment
A73-year-oldpensionerwasfounddeadonWednesday morning in his apartment at John’s Guest House, located at Lot100LeopoldStreet,Werk-en-Rust,Georgetown.
The deceased has been identified as Aubrey Calder According to police, Calder was discovered by his relative, 54-year-old vendor Nyshell Jemmott from Sophia, who assisted him with cleaning his room. The discovery was madearound09:30hrs.
JemmotttoldpolicethatCalderhadbeenlivingatJohn’s GuestHouseforthepastfouryearsandwasdiagnosedwith prostate cancer some time ago, receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). On Wednesday,Caldercontactedherviaphoneandaskedforher assistanceincleaninghisroom.
Jemmott immediately raised an alarm, and police along with Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) were summoned to the scene. Upon arrival, they found Calder sittinguprightinhischairwithhisheadleaningtotheright. Hewasofficiallypronounceddeadbyadoctor.
The scene was processed and photographed by a technician. “His body was examined, but no marks of violence were seen, and no foul play was suspected. Nevertheless, several persons were questioned,” police added. ThebodyisattheMemorialGardensFuneralHome.
Walston Maxwell
PPP disrupts meeting with Mohamed and...
Frompage15
because whilst walking coming in, they told me quietly, ‘Mr Mohamed,wedon’twanttodothis buttheyareforcingustodothis,’so I understand the position they are in.”
Mohamed highlighted his humanitarianapproach,statingthat hehadcometothemeetingwiththe sole purpose of listening to the concerns of the residents He
expressed deep empathy for their struggles, highlightingthe difficult circumstances they face. “I can’t believe people are living in those conditions.Evenifthey(the10-day workers protesters) come to me now to voice their concern I will listen to them, that’s one people, one nation, one destiny You don’t discriminate against anyone, regardlessoftheirpoliticalbeliefs,” thebusinessmantoldthecrowd.
Dr Ramayya, who recently resigned from his government job as Coordinator for the Region Six Rapid Response Taskforce, described the actions of the PPP supporters and Hussain as a “very disgraceful act ” “The Vice Chairman was already there with the protesters and their placards. So, then we (Team Mohamed’s, along with his supporters) went through the crowd and went to the
people’s house. Now as soon the discussion was going on, all of them had placards and she (a councilor)wascursing.So,whenI cameout,shewalkuptomeandsay she will slap me because I left the PPP, and then I said if you only do that,Icouldbreakupallsheteethin she mouth,” Dr Ramayya told this publication.
Contactedontheissue,Hussain strongly denied the allegations,
claimingthatthemajorityofpeople present at the meeting were residents from the area. He further accused Team Mohamed of attemptingtosway10-dayworkers by offering them money, suggesting that Mohamed was using his wealth to influence the vulnerable workers. “The meeting he (Mohamed) had was mostly with 10-day workers. So, he is using the 10-day workers for meeting to reach with them, becausethepeoplevulnerableheis trying to persuade them, trying to give them some money, using his wealth to try persuade the people, so that they can come with him that’sbasicallywhat’shappening,” Hussain told Kaieteur News. The Region Six Vice Chairman stated that the residents of Letter Kenny hadbecomeagitateduponlearning about this, as they believed Mohamed was attempting to manipulate them with financial incentives.
“The people was agitated, they don’t want him there because they supporting the president and he trying to come persuade people with some cronies and the AFC (Alliance For Change).” Hussain claims that he did not lead the protest. He explained that when he heardaboutthegrowingcrowd,he went to the scene to observe the situation and to “calm protestors down.” He noted that the protest wasdrivenbytheresidentsandnot him.
PPPintimidatingcitizens
In a statement, the AFC expressed growing concern over reportsofintimidationtacticsbeing employed by agents of the ruling PPP. This issue is particularly troubling as the country prepares for the General and Regional Elections, scheduled for later this year, according to AFC. “The fact that there has been no condemnation or rebuke of such behaviourbytheleadersofthePPP, is a clear indication that these subversive actions are not only sanctioned by the hierarchy of the PPP but are organised and carried out at their bidding and with their full approval and support,” the partysaid.
TheAFCcondemnstheactions ofPPPactivistswhoarepreventing citizens from exercising their constitutional rights, disrupting peaceful assemblies, and engaging in rowdy behaviour AFC stated that such actions create a negative climate ahead of the upcoming elections and are intended to intimidate not only opponents of the PPP but also its traditional supporterswhoareseekingchange and better governance. The AFC also notes the troubling absence of police forces, whose role it is to maintainorderandprotectcitizens’ rights. The party called on the PoliceCommissionertoensurethat all divisions uphold the rights of citizens to assemble peacefully Failing to do so would be a derelictionofduty,asthepoliceare sworn to protect and serve the public.
Four-lane highway for Essequibo, new ferry for Parika-Supenaam route - Pres. Ali promises
PresidentDr Irfaan Alihasannounced plans for a fourlanehighwayinRegionTwo and the procurement of an additional fast ferry to service the Parika to Supenaam,Essequiboroute.
Speaking at the opening of the Deeds and Commercial Registry building in Suddie on Wednesday, President Ali outlined several initiatives for the region, including improved transportation infrastructure and expanded accesstoeducation.
“When we built this highway,weneverexpected suchfastandrapidgrowthin the traffic here in Region Two. So whilst in these five years,wefocusedheavilyon community roads and community infrastructure, one of the plans and programmes that we have, that will commence before the end of this year, is the designandrebuildingofthis highway into a four-lane highway in Essequibo,” the Presidentstated.
Ali also disclosed that efforts are underway to
Essequibo through the acquisition of a new ferry
“To support that, we are actively working to procure an additional fast ferry that will do the Parika to Essequibo route, that is ongoing,”hesaid.
improvements,PresidentAli
revealed plans to expand educational opportunities for Essequibo residents. “I have asked them within the next 8 months or before to operationalise university education here in Guyana through the Guyana Digital School so that our young peoplecanhaveaccessright hereinEssequibotodegrees and diplomas in pharmacy and these are the areas we have identified, degrees and diplomas in pharmacy,
tourism and hospitality, agriculture science, dentistry,civil,electricaland mechanicalengineering,”he toldthegathering.
President Ali further pledged enhanced water services,stating,“Outsideof that, there are some specific initiatives that we are workingon,thisregionvery soonwillhave100%treated water through every single tap.”
Ontheagriculturalfront, Ali underscored the need to diversify farming efforts to boost income for rice farmers. He explained, “For rice farmers, I have asked EKA and the Ministry of Agriculture to work on developing with you complementary high value crops that will support your rice farming so that with your rice farming there will be complementary high value crops that bring additional income, disposableincomeandwhat I call buffet income to your pockets and your family’s pockets.”
A33-year-old con
ction worker from Annandale, Sand Reef, East Coast Demerara (ECD) was remanded to prison on a simple larceny charge when he appeared at theVigilance Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday Azad Mohammed appeared before Senior Magistrate Sunil Scarce. He
pleaded not guilty to the charge Mohammed is accused of committing the offenceonorbetweenMarch 23 and March 24, 2025 at Lusignan,ECD. He allegedly stole $98,800worthofitemsfrom SherwinSancho. Magistrate Scarce remanded him until his next court date, which is scheduledforApril29,2025.
Parents of Mahdia fire victims sue State for over $16B
Tenparentsof11of the victims of the devastating Mahdia School Dormitory fire,whichclaimedthelives of 20 children back in 2023, have sued the State for in excessof$16billion.
According to a lawsuit filed by attorney Darren Wade, the parents are suing for inter alia, loss of life, distress, and negligence. In documents,theclaimantsare asking the Court to declare that the deaths of their children- Arianna Arlene
and Natalie Shanta Bellarmine- were the result ofnegligencebytheStateof Guyana.
They are seeking declarations from the Court that the confinement of the now dead students behind locked grills, with the doors and windows padlocked from within, constitutes torture, inhumane and
degradingpunishment,anda violation of fundamental human rights under Article 141 of the Guyana Constitution; a breach of their fundamental rights and liberty, specifically the freedomofmovement.
As such, the parents are asking the Court to grant a Declaration for ordinary damages of at least $500 million for each child who perishedintheincident.The
claimants also want aggravated damages in excess of $500 million for each child, in light of the emotionalandpsychological distress caused by the actionsandomissionsofthe StateofGuyana. They are also seeking exemplary damages in excess of $500 million for each child, in order to deter the respondent from engaging in such reckless, negligent, and inhumane conductinthefuture.
In documents to support theirclaim,theparentsstated that the deceased children lost their lives tragically in the Mahdia School DormitoryonMay22,2023. At the time of their deaths, the children were under the care, custody, and control of the State of
The
Guyana at the student dormitory at the Mahdia Secondary School, located inMahdia,Region#8.
According to the claim, the State of Guyana had a dutytoensurethesafetyand wellbeingofthechildrenand all other occupants in the dormitory The dormitory was locked from the inside, heavily grilled and padlocked with no emergency exit, preventing thestudentsfromescaping.
The claimants explained that the State had a positive duty to ensure that all persons under its care and custody were in a safe and
protectedenvironment.“The State breached this duty by failing to implement proper safety measures, including: Fire extinguishers and sprinklers and fire sand buckets,” the document stated Additionally, the claimants noted that the State breached its duty by failing to provide adequate security, access control, and an evacuation plan for the dormitory
“The dormitory further lacked proper ventilation, with doors padlocked and windows grilled, which exacerbated the danger during the fire. The
authoritiesresponsiblefailed in their duty to ensure that the dormitory had properly trained and adequately staffed personnel to supervise the students,” the documentadded.
Accordingtothelawsuit, the direct and foreseeable consequence of the State’s failure to uphold its duty of care, was that barriers trapped the students inside the burning dormitory, leading to tragic and avoidabledeaths.
“The failure,” it said, “was to ensure proper fire
safety mechanisms, including accessible exits,
directlyresultedinthelossof the children’s lives due to smokeinhalationandburns”
Additionally, the documentnotedthatonJuly 3, 2023, the distraught parents of the deceased children met with the Attorney General Anil Nandlall in Mahdia, Region 8, Upper Takatu Upper Essequibo. At that time, the tragedy was recent and they werestillindeepgrief.
According to the document, despite this, they were encouraged by the AttorneyGeneraltosignthe agreement with the indication that it was part of several initiatives that the Government was offering to them. However, they said thatthepurportedagreement has no legal effect on the estate of the deceased, as they lacked the necessary authority to enter into such an agreement The court papers say that before signing the purported agreement, the family did not have any independent legal advice. As such, the deceased are now each representedbyaparentafter Justice Nicole Pierre appointed them to be responsible for their late children’sinterests.
devastating fire that claimed the lives of 20 children at Mahdia
President Dr. Irfaan Ali
Azad Mohammed
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US$1.9M Hopetown Practical Instructional...
From page 16 have missed out on traditional education pathways still have an opportunity to gain qualifications and improve their economic prospects.
This initiative was made possible through strategic collaboration among key stakeholders, including the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, the Caribbean Development Bank, the Ministry of Finance, the Council for TVET, the Ministry of Labour, the Regional Democratic Council of Region 5, and the Neighbourhood Democratic Council. These partnerships were instrumental in bringing the project to fruition, demonstrating the value of cooperation between government agencies, financial institutions, and local authorities in advancing national development goals.
The Hopetown Practical Instructional Centre is not just an investment in infrastructure but an investment in people. It represents a tangible commitment to empowering citizens with the skills they need to secure meaningful employment and contribute to the national economy. The new programs in Com-
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mercial Food Preparation, Graphic Arts, and Masonry/ Plumbing provide students with hands-on, practical experience in high-demand fields. By offering a structured learning environment equipped with industry-relevant tools and resources, the Centre bridges the gap between education and employment, fostering a skilled workforce that is prepared to meet the evolving needs of the job market.
Dr. Ritesh Tularam, Deputy Chief Education Officer (Technical), underscored the Ministry’s commitment to creating seamless educational pathways that guide students from secondary school into technical careers. He highlighted the implementation of competency-based education models in secondary schools, ensuring that every student is exposed to TVET subjects early in their academic journey. “The Ministry of Education would’ve ensured that all the necessary systems are in place, mechanisms are in place to ensure that our students are transitioning in a very smooth way from the entrance of their Secondary School life, ultimately, to the exiting of their secondary school life.
We would’ve launched the CCSLC in our secondary schools. That programme mirrors a competency-based education modus. It means that every child will be exposed to a TVET subject, as articulated by the Honourable Minister of Education. And so, from Grade Seven, we are chartering the pathway in a very systematic fashion so that our students can realize their career projection in becoming an engineer, an architect, a masonry and all the other areas we’re talking about, especially in technical education,” the DCEOTechnical explained.
Speaking at the ceremony, Honourable Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, reflected on
the significant strides made in educational development across Region 5. She detailed the government’s ongoing projects, including the expansion of teacher training facilities, extensive school rehabilitations, and efforts to ensure universal access to nursery, primary, and secondary education.
The Minister also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing all students with necessary resources, such as textbooks, to support their academic success. In addition, she announced the commencement date for the ‘Because We Care’ Cash Grant, aimed at alleviating financial burdens on families and ensuring continued student participation in education. “We started around 2022 at Belladrum, the teacher training college, so that your teachers don’t have to travel to New Amsterdam or to Turkeyen. We are repairing significantly at a cost of either $300M or $400M, the Bush Lot Secondary School. We are repairing significantly also, the Fort Wellington Secondary School, we’re rebuilding a Nursery School at Number Eight, we’re looking to move a primary school from the riverbank to further in –that’s Number Ten at Mahaica De Hoop. Every school in this region has been rehabilitated, one way or another. From De Hoop, to Hopetown, to Belladrum, to Number Eight, to Rosignol which we made a list ‘A’ school and then an ‘A’ level school – we did that two years ago- so now, we have CAPE happening in the region, the children don’t have to go down to town.
She went on to add that Region Five has achieved Universal Nursery, Primary and Secondary Education.
“I’m happy to tell you that this is one of the few regions where we have achieved Universal Secondary Education. That means every single child in this region could access, at a place close to their homes,
or be facilitated at a dormitory, a discreet secondary school. So, right now, we’re building 28 secondary schools across the country and not a single one is being built in region five. We’re rehabilitating Region Five schools, but that is because we have already achieved universal secondary education”
“We’re making sure every child has all the textbooks they need and that are recommended from Grade One all the way to Grade Twelve. In this region, like other regions, we have not forgotten a single community. We’re committed at the Ministry of Education and in the government to make sure that despite the noise and the narratives, that we focus on that ethos, that ideology.”
Speaking on the ‘Because We Care’ Cash Grant, Minister Manickchand noted, “Over the last four years, it’s been the smoothest process. You come, once your children’s name is on the register. The only problem is that we always have a line, and that’s because there’s always a line. But this year, we’re making it less cumbersome by expanding the number of schools. So, we’re not grouping schools. This will happen in your school or the school your child was registered in as of the 28th of March 2025.”
The commissioning of the Hopetown Practical Instructional Centre marks a significant step in strengthening TVET in Guyana, equipping young people with the skills and training necessary to access meaningful employment opportunities. The Ministry of Education remains committed to fostering technical education and ensuring that citizens have enhanced access to career-driven learning pathways. As the demand for skilled professionals continues to grow, initiatives like this will play a crucial role in shaping the future workforce and driving national economic development. (DPI)
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From page 11 short and violence has resumed. Holness said the United States has been an “incredible partner” on Haiti but that the priority should be on a “significant expansion in resources” to Haiti’s fledgling national police so it can take on gangs.
“The present holding situation that we have, it’s not necessarily moving the situ-
ation forward,” he said.
Holness said he spoke with Rubio about “a global war on gangs, and there is already significant policy alignment” between Jamaica and the Trump administration. Rubio has issued a waiver to Trump’s sweeping cuts to aid to back the Haiti mission. He also announced that the United States would provide assistance to Jamaica to com-
bat gangs, including software. Rubio said that the support to Jamaica “highlights exactly what our vision for aid moving forward is.” “The United States is not getting out of the aid business,” he said. But instead of funding non-governmental groups, Rubio said, “We want to provide foreign aid in a way that is strategically aligned with our foreign policy priorities.”
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Female
currency shortage Businessmen complain of foreign
- say goods spoiling
The constant
“unavailabilityof U.S currency” in Guyana is frustrating local business people woth those who import perishables complainingnof osing millions Frustrated, the businessmenarenowcalling onthegovernmentandlocal banking system to come cleanandsay“whatisreally going on with the availability of foreign currencyinGuyana”.
The Central Bank has been injecting millions of US dollars into the local bankingsysteminanattempt to stabilise what it called “a short-term mismatch” but according to the Guyanese businessmen, it has done nothing to alleviate what mightlikelybeashortageof foreign currency in the country
Sourcing U.S dollars to pay for goods still remain a huge problem for local importers.
One of the businesses whose goods have been held-up for more than three weeks now due to the unavailability of foreign currency,Double‘D’trading and Distribution Limited, decided to go on the record, sharing the hardships it is facing.
The business imports perishables mainly onions and potatoes and according
to its owner, (name provided), the company’s trouble to source foreign currency began last year November, just a few monthsafterthegovernment was forced to inject US$80M into the local banking system to address thesamesituation.
“My goods are spoiling ontheportandIhadtodump millions of dollars”, he said before later adding “The banking, the system and government must tell us what is going on moving forward. It is not good for investment”.
He even shared his privateemailswithKaieteur News of his bank turning down his request to pay his supplier because it did not haveU.Scurrency
Inoneoftheemailsseen by Kaieteur News, the bank toldDouble‘D’Tradingand Distribution Limited, “your payment requests were received; however, we were unable to proceed with the payment due to the unavailability of US currency, and unable to commit to a date on when payment will be processed. We are monitoring this situation and will expedite thepaymentassoonasfunds become available. We do apologise for the inconveniencecaused”.
The company tried
openingaccountswithother banksinthecountrytoseeif it can source some foreign currencybuttonoavail. Atleasttwoofthebanks refused to open new accountsforthebusinesses.
K a i e t e u r N e w s understands that the banks are now refusing to open new business accounts because they are unable to source enough foreign currency to make transactions on behalf of clientstheyalreadyhave.
AsDouble‘D’continues its bid to source US dollars, the owner explained how it
has been affecting business for the company and even customers who now have to pay a higher price for the goodsitimports.
“IfItieadealtodaywith my supplier, we have to put 50percentthroughtosecure the item at the price that we bargain for” he said, while explaining that if the paymentisnotmadeintime, then the company will lose outonthedealandwillnow have to pay more for the sameitem.
“So if I say I need two containers or three containers of garlic, he (the
Supplier) says 30 percent down.Iwillinstructthebank topayonmybehalfbecause Ihavelocalcurrencybutthe bank will only send through this payment three weeks after”, the businessman explained as he noted that sometimes weeks turn into months.
“SowhenIgobackIpay a higher price for the goods and when the goods meet to Guyana I still have to wait for the 70 percent to deliver tosupplier”headded.
The businessman
continued “So the goods come at the port and the supplier cannot get his money so he is not going to releasethecontaineruntilhe receiveshispayment”
“Now if he does not receivethatpaymentandthe containerisontheportandI have10freedaysandwithin thosetendaysthebankdoes not gave me that foreign currencytopayforthegoods then I have to pay for the storage, I have to pay cost andIhavetopaydemurrage which is 150 US dollars a day per container” the businessman further pointed.
According to him, He will have to recover his cost so in the end, it is the consumer who suffers the mostbecausetheynowhave to pay more for essential goodstheyneedforfood.
Thebusinesstoo,hesaid, also suffers losses when it hastodumpspoiledgoodsit stillhastopayfor
Meanwhile importers of non-perishables goods have risen their prices to recover thehugecostincurreddueto the unavailability of foreign currency
Kaieteur News was told that they are willing to sit and wait until the consumer pays the price because their goodswon’tspoil.
Kaieteur News, a media company,hasbeenfindingit difficult too, to restock supplies due to the unavailability of foreign currency
T h e l a s t t i m e businessmen were facing a similarsituationwasinJune lastyear
The Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo at one of his press conferences had outlined, that escalating demand for foreign currency, driven by importation and other financial transactions, had caused prolonged waiting times and a significant disparity between supply and demand within the bankingsector
He had emphasized government’s vigilant oversight of the banking sector, underscoring its readiness to intervene when necessary
$14M estimated to extend Occupational Safety & Health Department
he Ministry of
TLabour will soon e x t e n d i t s Occupational Safety and Health Department for an estimated cost of $14 million Bids for the project were opened earlier this week at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office and there it was revealed that four contractors applied for the contract and who all bid above the ministry’s engineer figure
Below are the companies and their bids: MinistryofLabour ExtensionofOccupational Safety&HealthDepartment. GuyanaDefenceForceRehabilitationofPirai CompanyOffice,FirstInfantryBattalion.
ConstructionofRevetment attheMinistryofLabour.
Over 140,000 displaced in a week in Gaza amid renewed Israeli attacks: UN
(ALJAZEERA) Israel's renewed attacks on the Gaza Strip have continued for a ninth straight day,killing dozensofPalestinians, as the United Nations says more than 140,000 people have been displacedsincelastweek.
TheUN'shumanitarianagency, OCHA, said 142,000 Palestinians wereforciblydisplacedsinceIsrael resumeditswaronGazaonMarch 18. “Fleeing with only a few personal belongings, many people are now staying on the streets, in desperate need of food, drinking water, and shelter essentials,” the agencysaidlateonTuesday Israeli attacks killed at least 39 people, including children, and wounded 124 across Gaza in 24 hours, the Gaza Health Ministry said on Wednesday Attacks were reported across the enclave, including in northern Gaza's Jabalia,aswellasKhanYounisand Rafahinthesouth.
In Jabalia, Israeli military planes hit a house packed with civilians, killing at least eight of them.Amongthevictimswasasixmonth-old baby At the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, a residentialflatwastargeted,killing one child. “This night has been marked by utter devastation, with Israeli forces bombarding densely populated areas in central and northern Gaza,” said Al Jazeera's TareqAbuAzzoum,reportingfrom Deir el-Balah in central Gaza.
“People here are quite terrified of what might come next as there's
Palestinian women mourn beside the shrouded bodies of their loved ones killed in an Israeli attack on Jabalia camp in Gaza. [Dawoud Abo Alkas/Anadolu Agency]
been no breakthrough in the ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas.”
Tensofthousandsdisplaced
According to the UN's OCHA, about 250,000 Palestinians are in the areas slated for evacuation in Rafah, Khan Younis and northern Gaza, including more than 50,000 people at 240 sites for internally displacedpeople.AlJazeera'sHani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City in the north, said displaced people were seeking all and any
“They are moving into tent sites, overcrowded areas, they are moving into the near-collapsing, partially destroyed evacuation centres,”hesaid.“Theyarelacking the most basic necessities to survivethedifficultconditions,the by-products of displacement –hunger, thirst and trauma, and aboveall,theconstantfearofbeing attacked in their tents ” The displacement is being driven
mainly by Israel's forced evacuation orders and its destruction of homes and public infrastructure, OCHA said. Since Israelresumedthewar,itsmilitary has issued six notices, placing about 15 percent of Gaza under evacuation,itadded.
Humanitarianaidinperil Gaza's remaining water system isalsoinperil,andwillcompletely collapseiffuelsuppliesrunout,all but cutting off people's access to clean water, according to Doctors
Without Borders, known by its FrenchacronymMSF Themedical NGO's statement came as Israel's punishingblockadeenteredits25th day MSFsaidthelackofaccessto safe water is already having dire consequencesforpeople'shealth.
“The sheer number of children with skin conditions is a direct result of Gaza's destruction and blockade,” said Chiara Lodi, the MSF medical team coordinator in Gaza.
“In addition to treating adults and children who have severe war injuries, our staff are treating an increasingnumberofchildrenwith entirely preventable skin diseases like scabies, which is not only uncomfortable,butinseverecases, seesthemscratchtheirskinuntilit bleedswhichcanleadtoinfection.” The siege began on March 2 after Israelrenegedontheceasefiredeal andsoughttoextendthefirststage of the three-phase agreement that expired – without committing to endingthewaronGaza.
On top of the number of civilians who have died, OCHA saidatleasteightaidworkershave been killed in Gaza since Israel resumeditswarlastweek,bringing the total number killed since the breachoftheceasefireto399.
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Trumpannounces25%tariffsoncarimportstoUS
(BBC NEWS) US President DonaldTrumphasannouncednew trade taxes of 25% on cars being importedtotheUS.
Trump said the latest tariffs would come into effect on 2April, with collections starting the next day Heclaimedthemeasurewould lead to “tremendous growth” for thecarindustry,promisingitwould spurjobsandinvestmentintheUS.
Butanalystshavesaidthemove is likely to cause major disruption in car production, increase prices, and strain relations with allies. Mexico is the top foreign supplier ofcarstotheUS,followedbySouth Korea, Japan, Canada and Germany
Many US car companies have operations in Mexico and Canada aswell,setupunderthetermsofthe longstanding free trade agreement betweenthethreecountries.
It is unclear the impact the tariffs will have on car parts being
manufacturingplants.
Shares in General Motors slid roughly 3% on Wednesday, as the White House said it was planning theannouncement.
The sell-off spread to other companies, including Ford, after
thepresident’sremarksashesigned theexecutiveorder
Asked at a press conference if there was any chance he would reverse course, Trump said no.
“This is permanent,” he said, adding:“Butifyoubuildyourcarin theUnitedStatesthereisnotariff.”
The fresh import taxes on cars are set to come into force on the same dayasso-called“reciprocaltariffs” kick in for individual countries based on their trading relationship withtheUS.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen saidtheblocwouldstudythelatest announcement, alongside other tariffs Trump has promised to unveil in coming days. “As I have said before, tariffs are taxes – bad for businesses, worse for consumers equally in the US and theEuropeanUnion,”shesaid.
“The EU will continue to seek negotiated solutions, while safeguarding its economic interests ” The introduction of tariffs on a host of goods being imported to the US is part of Trump’s efforts to protect American businesses and boost manufacturing.
But in protecting domestic businesses, prices for consumers can go up if a company importing goods from abroad passes higher costs on, rather than absorbing themorreducingimports.Inrecent weeks, US carmakers, including General Motors and Ford, have called on the US president to exemptimportsofcarsandvehicle partsfromtariffs.
But Trump has proceeded with the move, which is a revival, an actionhefirstconsideredduringhis firsttermintheWhiteHouse.
A study by the Commerce Departmentatthetimewarnedthat American share of global car production was sh
US President, Donald Trump
Woman found dead at Sunflower Hotel
A40-year-oldwomanwasfounddeadon Wednesday morning at the Sunflower Hotel/Restaurant and Bar, located at the cornerofSouthRoadandCummingsStreet, Georgetown.
ThedeceasedhasbeenidentifiedasJunan Gomes, of Lot 306 Timehri, East Bank Demerara(EBD).
According to police, Gomes was discovered in Room #5 by the hotel’s supervisor,ColeenCush,ataround08:45hrs. Investigations revealed that Gomes had checked into the hotel on Monday and had complained to Cush about feeling unwell. Cush told police that Gomes was a frequent customeratthehotel.
“Atabout08:45hrs,Cushstatedthatshe went to Room #5 and knocked on the door several times but got no answer She immediately went downstairs and collected the extra keys to the room and when she openedthedoor,shediscoveredGomeslying on her bed, naked, and in an unconscious state,”policesaid.
Emergency services, including police officersandEmergencyMedicalTechnicians (EMT),wereimmediatelycalledtothescene. Gomes was officially pronounced dead by a doctor Crimescenetechnicians,alongwitha
team from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Crime Laboratory, processedthescene.Investigatorsconducted asearchofGomes’bodybutfoundnosignsof violence Several individuals were questioned as the investigation continues.
Hotel staff informed Kaieteur News that Gomeswasabusinesswomanwhofrequently stayed at the hotel for short periods before returninghome.
Vendor on bail for ganja possession
A 23-year-old vendor was granted $200,000 bail when he appeared at the GeorgetownMagistrates’Courttoanswerto apossessionofnarcoticscharge.
On March 22, 2025 at Water Street, Georgetown, Jermaine Saran of Lot 7 LamahaParkSquattingAreawasarrestedfor possession of 195.5 grams of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. He pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to him by ActingChiefMagistrateFaithMcGusty Saranwasrepresentedbyattorney-at-law, Dominic Bess. He told the court that on the day in question, his client was at his stall at StabroekMarket,whereanothervendoralso pliestheirtrade.
Bess told the court that the police conducted a search at a nearby stall that is approximately20yardsawayfromhisclient whentheyfoundthemarijuana.
Thelawyercontendedthathisclientwas in police custody for allegedly having 140 grams of suspected marijuana but is now charged for 195.5 grams. He later revealed thattherewasnoconfirmationthattheitems found was indeed marijuana. For their part, theprosecutionstatedthatthedefendantwas under close observation, since he was seen selling an unknown substance to numerous individuals out of a push cart The prosecution case states that the police
conductedasearchonthesaidpushcartthat waslocatedinSaran’sstallwheretheyfound leaves, seeds and stems, suspected to be marijuana Magistrate McGusty granted Saran bail and he is scheduled to return to courtonApril23,2025.
Dead: Junan Gomes
Junan Gomes’body being taken into the hearse
Jermaine Saran
Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) releases list of debarred players for 2025
BySamuelWhyte
The
Berbice
Cricket Boardhasreleasedthelistof players who have been debarred from taking part in Second Division Cricket competitions organized by the BCB in the Ancient Countyfortheyear2025.
Thelistofplayersasper clubsislistedbelow
From Young Warriors Cricket Club the players are
Gajanand Singh, Shimron Hetmyer, Richard Ramdeen andPaulWintz.
TheTucberParkCricket club have the following players Romario Shepherd, Shamar Joseph, Nial Smith, Zeynul Ramsammy and JamalLafleur
Albion Community Centre debarred players are
Verasammy Permaul, DavendraBishoo,Gudakesh
Motie, Jonathan Foo, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Narsingh Deonar
ne, Anthony Bramble, Demetri Cameron, Rajiv Ivan and AdrianSukwah.
Rose Hall Community Centre-IsaiThorne.
RHTYSC N
shows Clinton Pestano, Assad Fudadin, Royston Crandon, Esaun Crandon, Kevin Sinclair, Kevlon
Anderson, Sylus Tyndall, Junior Sinclair and Keon Sinclair
P o r t M o u r a n t Community Centre are Rampertab Ramnauth and MahendraNagamootoo.
West Berbice Cricket Association are Keon Joseph, Raun Johnson, Brandon Bess and Keron Fraser
This list takes effect immediately and is for upcomingtournaments.
Thursday March 27, 2025
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
Itwillbeasthoughyou'reina newandhopefulworldtoday, Aries. The people you meet willbecordialandcaring,and the future will seem like a bright,attractiveplacetolive.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Because you tend to brood over everything right now, Taurus,adaylikethiscan'tbe anythingbutbeneficial. Ithasbeendifficultforyouto find satisfaction within the realm of the known world lately
GEMINI(May21–June20)
Therearedayswhenyoufeel wonderfulwithoutbeingable to attribute the feeling to any real event. Of course, your rationalmindwillsearchfora reasonforyourhappiness.
CANCER(June21–July22)
If you're in the arts or sciences, Cancer, sudden inspirationcouldcauseyouto startorcontinueaprojectthat meansalottoyou.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
You will probably be perfectly in tune with the day ahead, Leo. Of course, it's temptingtorunawayfromthe reality and hardships of the moment. But at other times, w h e n y o u ' r e s o compassionate and find it easytolisten.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Don't try to control what happenstoday,Virgo,because you won't be able to fathom what'sgoingon.Howcouldit be otherwise when collective currents are interfering with yourlife.
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
This kind of strange day doesn't come around often, Libra. It will seem as though you no longer know what you want. Do you have a yen to takeofffortheothersideofthe globe? People won't understandyou.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)
Do other countries represent realopeningsforyou?Thisisa question that you will soon have to answer This may be true, but it may also be an illusion that gives you a simplistic explanation for the dissatisfactionyoufeelnowin yourprofessionallife.
SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)
You're going to think this is a strange period It isn't, Sagittarius. It's just that today won't be like others. Look around and you will see that people are either depressed or trying to keep up a good façade.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Today, Capricorn, you might get the chance to take a trip around the world to visit fabulous palaces and experienceatimelesslove,and all-getthis-totallyfree!
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb.
18You will float today, Aquarius. You won't talk, you will be sleepy, and your mood won'tbethebest.OK,perfect! Getbackintoyournovel,take several siestas, and do as little aspossible.
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)You'recertainlyinastrange mood today, Pisces True, things have been going smoothlyforthepastfewdays butbecarefulnottobefooled.
National player Nigel Bryan represents Guyana...
Frompage30 the respective sports disciplines selected for the first edition of the project, the opportunity to train and practiceinhighperformance environment along with highperformanceplayers.
The central aim is building a nucleus of talent whichwillpossessandhave the requisite skills to compete and represent Guyana at a high-level, winning medals, providing our athletes with the opportunities to fulfill their
Sahadeo
Female cricketers and U21 players have not been debarred and are eligible to participate. However, U21 National players who have played with the senior national team will not be eligibletoplay.
McClaren pleased with Reggae Boyz....
Frompage34 miles an hour, which, when we play like that, you know, wecauseteamsproblems.”
Jamaica’s qualification extends their Gold Cup streak, having featured in every edition since 2015. They finished as runners-up in both 2015 and 2017, reached the semi-finals in 2019 and 2023, and the quarter-finals in 2021. The draw for the 2025 tournament is scheduled for April10.
Tuesday’s victory was also significant for young forwardsWarnerBrownand Renaldo Cephas, both of whom scored their first seniorinternationalgoals.
Notably, four of Jamaica’s last five goals have come in the final 10 minutes of matches, with Tuesday’sresultmarkingthe third consecutive game in which the Boyz have found the net in second-half stoppagetime.
Krystian Sahadeo
High on confidence: Back Circle, Gold is Money ready for Rock Futsal Showdown
The stage is set for a t h r i l l i n g conclusion to the Rock Futsal Championship this Saturday evening at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, as defending champions BackCirclepreparetobattle GoldisMoneyinthehighly anticipatedfinal.
At a pre-match press conference held at Fireside Grill on Garnett Street, both team captains expressed confidenceintheirabilityto claimtheprestigioustitle.
Selwyn Williams, captain of Back Circle, emphasized his team’s determination to retain the c h a m p i o n s h i p
Acknowledging the strength
of their opponents, he noted that while Gold is Money poses a formidable challenge, Back Circle has triumphed over them in previous encounters, albeit not in a final. Williams also took the opportunity to commend the organizers for successfully hosting the tournament.
BackCirclesecuredtheir spotinthefinalafteratense semifinalvictoryoverNorth E
, prevailing in a penalty shootout.
Meanwhile, Gold is Money captain Jaffar Ali expressed optimism about his team’s chances, despite t
appearances in major finals. Heanticipatesacompetitive showdown and emphasized that his squad will not approach the match with overconfidence.
Gold is Money booked their place in the championship match with a narrow 1-0 semifinal win overFestivalCity
Thestakesarehigh,with the tournament champions set to claim $1,000,000 alongwiththechampionship trophy, while the runners-up will receive $500,000 and a trophy
Priortothefinal,Festival City and North East La Penitence will clash in the third-place playoff, with
bothteamseagertofinishon ahighnote.
A representative from Festival City praised the quality of the tournament, highlighting its smooth execution and competitive nature. On the other hand, North East La Penitence
captain Akil Plass acknowledged that every teamenterswiththeintentto win,butemphasizedthatthe gameisdecidedonthenight. He assured that his squad will be well-prepared to seizevictory
The third-place winner will walk away with $300,000andatrophy,while the losing side will receive $200,000andatrophy
National Table Tennis Champion and many time Caribbean medalist, Nigel Bryan, is currently representing Guyana at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Star Contender Chennai India from March 25th to 31st2025.
Bryan who has signaled his intention to commence representing Guyana’s national men’s team in key international engagements in 2025 and beyond, played hisfirstWTTeventwhenhe played against Yiu Kwan of HongKong,aworldleading player who has recently beaten current world #03 from Japan Tamokazu Harimoto and has victories againstformerworld#01Xu XinfromChina.
Playing in his first international match after a long period, Bryan showed brilliance, but ended up losingtoKong11-3,11-6,118.Takingsometimetoadapt, he gradually improved in each matched and offered somegreatcounteroffensive toKong’sattack.
Bryan and Krystian Sahadeo’s participation in the WTT event were made possible by the GTTA, the University of Jain and N a t i o n a l S p o r t s Commission.
Bryan, a member of the Guyana Police Force Immigration,divisionisona training scholarship in India
along with national Junior PlayerKrystianSahadeoare currently on a training stint made possible through collaborative engagement between Government of Guyana, the GTTA, the University of Jain and coordinated through the Goal programme with significant support and inputs from the Ministry of CultureYouthandSportand National Sport Commission through Minister Charles Ramson and Director of SportMr SteveNinvalle.
The scholarship initiative offered training opportunities for athletes and coaches from six (6) sportsdisciplinestoenhance their coaching and athletic capabilities.This is with the objective of exposing athletes and coaches to m o d e r n t r a i n i n g methodologies, the use of scientific approaches to coaching in high yield environments in addition to offeringyouthathletesfrom
(Continuedonpage29)
The Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) has expressed sincere gratitude to all its sponsors and supporters. The club takes the opportunity to say a big thankyoutoallcontributors that make its recently concluded Phagwah horseracemeetthesuccessit was.
Among those receiving special commendation are the Metro Stationery and Officesupplies,TheTrophy Stall, Joe Jagmohan, Continental Group of Companies provider of Torginol Paints, New Building Society Limited, Colin Elcock Delmur Company Limited, Sylvie’s Variety Store, R Singh and Sons, P and P Imports and Exports, Hand in Hand Insurance, Top Notch Auto Sales, Mike Pharmacy, Ron Ramnarayan, Mrs. Chand Kennard and Family,
TheKMTCisoneofthe premiere horseracing venuesinthecountryandis synonymous with staging top-notch horserace meet. The Phagwah horserace event was no exception. A l s o r e c e i v i n g commendation was the Guyana Police Force contingent led by Deputy Superintendent Michael Newland. Theday’s event wasdominatedbyhorsesof Mr DennisDeRoopSimply RoyalRacingSable. Matriarch and honorary PresidentoftheKMTCMrs. ChandKennardstatedthata
and the
event was by and large incident free (SamuelWhyte)
Attorney at Law Rajendra Poonai, Nand Persaud Group of Companies, Blue Seenarine, Peter Parsatoon, Ramesh Persaud, and SurendraGanesh.
bumper crowd was on hand
day’s
Nigel Bryan
Raducanu finds ‘competitive spirit’ to reach last eight
BBC Sport - Emma Raducanu says she has found her “competitive spirit” after defeating 17th seed Amanda Anismova in Miami to reach her first WTA1,000quarter-final.
The Briton was in brilliant form from the off against her American opponentandneededjust24 minutestosecurethefirstset onherwaytoablistering6-1 6-3win.
It is the first time since her US Open triumph in 2021thatRaducanuhaswon four WTA main-draw matches in a row, and she was dominant in sweeping Anisimovaaside.
“The biggest thing I’m proud of is just finding the competitive spirit and being there for every ball and drawingthatoutofmyself,” Raducanusaid.
“I think that’s kind of been missing in the last few monthsandevenafewyears attimes.”
Prior to this tournament, Raducanuhadlostfiveofsix matchessincetheAustralian Open - and last week ended
her partnership with coach Vladimir Platenik after just twoweeks.
“I’vecomealongwayin the last week since Indian Wells, I wasn’t necessarily feeling great about my tennis, about everything,” the 22-year-old told Sky Sports.
“This week I have some really good people around me who I trust and who I havefunwithoffthecourtas well That’s extremely important.
“When I play my best I am definitely authentic, truetomyselfandcreative IfeelwhenIamboxedinto a regimented way then I am notabletoexpressmyselfin thesameway.SoI’mhappy with how I realised that this week.”
Raducanu broke in the openinggameofthematch and raced through the opening set without losing apointonherownserve.
Itwasherreturningthat mostimpressed,though,as she continually put pressure on the Anisimova serve
The American grew increasingly angry as the first set went on and appeared to be struggling witharightwristissue.
Following a medical timeout between sets, she was much improved but could still not prevent Raducanubreakingtogo3-1 upinthesecond.
Anisimova broke straight back but Raducanu onceagaindemonstratedthe resilience she has shown in Miami, breaking again before confidently serving outforthematch.
“I’m walking on to the court knowing that I’m
Newton embarks on two-week training in Paraguay
Guyana’s top U23 cyclist, Aaron Newton, is makingthemostofapivotal two-week training stint in P a r a g u a y T h i s developmental initiative, facilitated by the Guyana OlympicAssociation(GOA),
u n d e r s c o r e s t h e organisation’s dedication to improving the local sporting landscape and nurturing youngtalent
Newton, a familiar name in the cycling scene, has been steadily rising through the ranks with commendableperformances in recent years This latest exposure will undoubtedly provideasignificantboostto hisdevelopmentasanathlete
Timeandagain,experiencein diverse competitive environments has proven to be a game-changer, allowing athletes to refine their skills andelevatetheirperformance levels The impact of international exposure on Guyanese cyclists is well
documented Se
al prominent riders have flourished after undergoing s
programmes, including the sensational Briton John, whohasdominatedthelocal and regional cycling scene following his own training stints/outings abroad. With continued investment in initiatives like these, Guyana can ensure that moreyoungathletesbenefit fromcrucialdevelopmental opportunities, refining their skills and broadening their approach to local competition.
Adapting to new training environments can bechallenging,butNewton i s e m b r a c i n g t h e experience Speaking to KaieteurNewsafterhisfirst session, he reflected on the transition: “Though this is my first-time training or using this type of facility, I wasabletoadjustatadecent pace. Initially, there were a fewnerves,butIeventually gotthehangofit.Now,Iam doing well and trying to learn as much as I can during my remaining time h
Emma Raducanu
expressedhisdeepgratitude
invaluable support he has received: “I would like to thank everyone involved in making this trip possible. I am currently acquiring new skills and riding techniques that will greatly contribute to my overall development asarider.”
Beyond just cycling, the GOA’s commitment to fostering athletic growth extends across multiple sporting disciplines By providing athletes with international training opportunities,theassociation playsacrucialroleinensuring thatGuyanesesportscontinue to progress on the global stage As Newton benefits fromthisexperience,thehope is that more young talents acrossdifferentsportswillbe
Sabalenkaisalsothroughto the quarter-finals after a 6-4 6-4 win over defending champion Danielle Collins oftheUSA.
The Belarusian secured theonlybreakofthefirstset at 3-3 and, after breaking in the opening game of the second,wentontocomplete thevictoryinanhourand19 minutes.
going to be there for every point,everyball,”theBritish numbertwosaid.
“So far that’s really worked.
Also, I think on the match court now I’m just thinking less, which is probably a good thing, and trying to just let my creativity come out because I think that’s when I’m playingmybesttennis.”
Raducanu will play world number four Jessica Pegula in the last eight after theAmericanbeatUkraine’s MartaKostyuk6-26-3. Sabalenka, Swiatek & Zverev progress but Gauff
Italy’s Jasmine Paolini came from a set down to overcome four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka3-66-46-4.
World number two Iga Swiatekpressedonwithher questforafirsttitleof2025, beating Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina7-6(7-5)6-3toset up a meeting with 19-yearold wildcard Alexandra Eala, from the Philippines, who will be playing in her firstWTAquarter-final.
Eala’s eye-catching run inMiamicontinuedafterher fourth-roundopponent,10th seed Paula Badosa, withdrew before the match
because of a lower back injury
T h e r e w a s disappointment for world number three Coco Gauff who was beaten 6-4 6-4 by Poland’sMagdaLinette. In the men’s singles, AlexanderZverevovercame a slow start to beat A
Thompson7-56-4.
The German was 4-1 down in the first set before fightingbacktowineightof the next nine games and set upafourth-roundtieagainst France’s Arthur Fils, who beatFrancesTiafoe7-6(1311)5-76-2.
Taylor Fritz also advancedwitha7-56-3win against Canada’s Denis S
Tommy Paul suffered a 6-2 7-6 (7-4) defeat by Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo.
Australian 10th seed AlexdeMinaurfoughtback tobeatBrazilian18-year-old JoaoFonseca5-77-56-3and setupalast-16meetingwith Italy’sMatteoBerrettini.
Swiatek gets extra security after harassment
AFP-Worldnumbertwo Iga Swiatek is receiving additional security at the Miami Open after she was harassed by a spectator duringherpractice.
The issue comes after British player Emma Raducanu was targeted by a stalker during last month’s DubaiOpen.
Media reports said that Swiatek was verbally harassedbyaspectator,who has a history of online attacks against the player, duringpracticeonSunday
“Security is a top priority We monitor the networktocatchthesetypes of issues Constructive criticism is one thing, and threats, hate speech or even disturbance during training is another - this cannot be condoned,” a spokesperson forSwiatektoldAFP
“We reported the matter to the tournament organizer, aswellastotheWTA,which reacted immediately and took additional precautions, such as additional security, for which we are very grateful.
“Ensuring the safety of the players is crucial, they are the ones at the center of
theevent,anditisourjobto protect them, ” the spokespersonadded.
A spokesman for the Miami Open said: “We take thesafetyandsecurityofall players and tournament attendees
y seriously
“ We c o n s t a n t l y evaluate any potential threats and take every measure to respond appropriately To ensure the effectiveness of these efforts, we do not disclose the details of our security operations”.
The WTA declined to comment on the matter, directing inquiries to the
response from tournament organizers Swiatek, who beat Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina on Monday, faced Alexandra Eala of the Philippines in her quarterfinalonWednesday Raducanu was left distraught after a man later said to be displaying “fixated behavior” appeared at a courtside seat during her defeat to KarolinaMuchova. The man was escorted away by security, subsequently given a restraining order and banned from attending WTATourevents
World number two Iga Swiatek was harassed by a fan during practice at the Miami Open. (Al Bello/Getty Images North America/Getty Images via AFP)
Ramdehol named Berbice skipper ahead of GCB U17 Inter- County tournament
National Under-17 allrounder Romario Ramdehol willleadastrongBerbice15man squad at the upcoming Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) U17 Inter- County tournament.
The BCB junior selection committee met recently following two trial gamesovertheweekend.
Ramdehol, among Guyana’s top youth players with both bat and ball, was the leading wicket taker in 2024 Regional U17 2-Day tournament and as such will pull double-duty as a key playeraswellasCaptain.
National youth middleorder batsman Adrian Hetmyer, who represented Guyanain2024atbothU15 and U17 levels, will cocaptain the Ancient County alongsideRamdehol.
Thesquadfeaturesamix oftalentedplayerswhohave been on the fringe of Berbice’syouthcricketpool.
Players like Micah Amsterdam,GilbertGriffith, Navin Boodwah,Arif Khan, Vishal Williams among others will have key roles in the upcoming Inter- County champions.
Dr Kishore Shallow has revealedthattheICCMen’s T20 World Cup 2024, cohosted by the West Indies and the United States, generated a staggering US$1.66billionineconomic impact for the Caribbean region an unprecedented
return that he says underscores the economic powerofsportandtheurgent need for greater investment in infrastructure across the region.
“Itwasagoodvibes,”Dr Shallow said in his address, borrowingaphrasefromhis native St. Vincent and the Grenadines “This tournament was more than justasportingevent.Itwasa transformative moment for our region, solidifying the Caribbean’s position not only as the heartbeat of world cricket but also as a hub for economic growth, tourism and global investment.”
According to an independent Economic
Impact Assessment conducted by the ICC and NielsonSports,thefinancial windfall touched nearly every corner of the Caribbean, with each host nation reaping substantial benefits: Barbados led the way
withUS$426.4million
St Vincent and the Grenadines followed with US$224.8million
St Lucia brought in US$132.5million
Antigua and Barbuda recordedUS$114million
Guyana earned US$76.7 million
Trinidad and Tobago postedUS$68.9million
“These figures are not just statistics,” Shallow emphasized “They represent real income for families, real opportunities for entrepreneurs, and real investments in our tourism infrastructure.”
Shallow went further, detailinghowthiseconomic activity was spread across various sectors, directly benefiting hotels, restaurants, transportation services, retail outlets, and culturalindustries:
A c c o m m o d a t i o n spending totalled US$174.3 million, with hotels, guesthouses, and Airbnbs reporting high occupancy rates.
Food and beverage sales
generated US$116 1 million, boosting local restaurants and stimulating agriculture.
Retail and tourism
spending accounted for US$133 7 million, enhancing commerce and supporting local shops and vendors.
Local transportation and flight bookings were valued at US$124 5 million, strengthening regional travelnetworks.
Future tourism impact was projected at US$36.6 million, as thousands of international fans expressed interest in returning to the Caribbean after their World Cupexperience.
In total, 383,000 fans attended the tournament, many of them international
visitors experiencing the Caribbean for the first time.
According to Shallow, this influx did more than fill stadiums—itbroughtlasting benefitstosmallbusinesses, workers, and local communities.
“This World Cup brought direct economic relieftothousands,”hesaid.
“From hospitality and transportation workers to security personnel, media professionals, artisans and event staff, this tournament provided real employment andtrainingopportunities.”
The multiplier effect from the tournament also generated an estimated US$537 4 million in secondary spending, further amplifying the economic impact.
Dr Shallow urged Caribbean leaders to take heedofwhathedescribedas a blueprint for economic revitalizationthroughsport.
“Our economies have been overly reliant on traditional industries for far toolong.
Astheregionpreparesto commemorate the 50th anniversary of the West Indies’ first Cricket World Cup triumph in 1975, Shallow believes the legacy of the 2024 tournament will i n s p i r e a n e w generation not just of players, but of sports administrators, marketers, andentrepreneurs.
“Cricket is not just something of great significance in our past,” he said. “It is an economic and social force for our future. The Caribbean is open for business, investment, and g l o b a l s p o r t i n g partnerships.”
Shallow closed his remarks with a heartfelt thankstoallthosewhomade the event a success—from the ICC and regional governmentstothefansand communities who rallied behindtheWestIndies.
“You are the true champions of this tournament,” he said “Through sport, through cricket, our potential is limitless. As David Rudder sang—let’scontinuetorally, rallyaroundtheWestIndies. Long live West Indies Foreveronerace.”
This World Cup has proventhatsport—cricketin particular is a powerful and underutilized economic engine,” he said. “We must now invest in our sporting infrastructure, strengthen our tourism product, enhance digital and media capabilities, and craft policies that attract internationalsportingbodies andinvestors.”
Romario Ramdehol Adrian Hetmyer
Arif Khan (left) and Gilbert Griffith (right) Grif
The region is preparing to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the West Indies’first Cricket World Cup triumph in 1975.
TSU, Region 2 book semi-final spots as teams look towards the finale
The Tactical Services Unit
( T S U ) a n d Region #2 have booked respectivespotsinthesemifinals of the ongoing Commissioner’s T20 CricketTournament.
The lawmen earned qualificationsafterdefeating Regions 4’A’ & ‘B’ and Region#5onTuesdayaftera pair of thrilling matches played at the Police Sports ClubGround,EveLeary Battingfirst,TSUposted 214-8fromtheirallotted120 deliveries, only to restrict RegionalDivision4A&Bto amodest147-6astheywent
downby67runs.
In the battle between Region #2 and Region #5, the latter posted 173-6 in 20 overs, as they’re opponent wastednotimeinsurgingto 174-3 in the 14th over, handingtheiropponentsa7wicketdefeat.
DamionVantull led with a robust 97 which featured some 10 sixes and six fours, aswellasawell-constructed 29fromFazeerKhanhelped seetheirteamhome.
Meanwhile, action continues as Region #2 will battle the Officers team today, as teams look to get past the semi rounds with a
West Indies Women set for ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in Pakistan
ST.JOHN’S,Antigua–
Cricket West Indies (CWI) confirmed the West Indies Women’s squad to compete intheICCWomen’sCricket World Cup Qualifiers 2025, scheduled for 9 to 19 April, inLahore,Pakistan.
Theteamwillgotoapretournament camp in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before moving on to Pakistan to compete for one of two final qualification spots for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, to behostedinIndiainOctober toNovemberthisyear
TheWestIndieswillface five opponents in a roundrobinformat:hostsPakistan,
Ireland, Bangladesh, Scotland and Thailand. The top two teams will join Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka,andhostsIndiainthe maintournament.
Bangladesh,WestIndies, Pakistan and Ireland were unabletosecureadirectspot for the Cricket World Cup via the 2023-25 ICC Women’s Championship, having finished in seventh, eighth,ninthandtenthplace respectively, in the standings.
Scotland and Thailand qualifiedafterbeingthenext two best-ranked sides in the ICC Women’s ODI Team Rankings.CWI’sDirectorof Cricket Miles Bascombe
The West Indies will face five opponents in a round-robin format. (CWI)
expressed confidence in the team’s preparation: “Our women have been training intensively and are fully prepared for the challenges ahead. We have seen many enterprising performances coming out of the home series against Bangladesh in January as well as the CG United Women’s Super-50 Cup,bothheldinStKitts.”
“Now, the qualifiers represent a crucial opportunity for us to secure our place in the World Cup andIbelieveaswehaveseen in the last few months, we have the talent and determinationtoachievethis goal.”
“ P a r t i c u l a r l y encouraging is the blend of experience and youth in our ranks. The senior players have embraced their mentorship roles, while our emergingtalentshaveshown
countless times they can perform on the international stage. This dynamic will create a resilient team that canthriveunderpressure.”
All 15 games in the round-robintournamentwill be played in Lahore, Pakistan at the Gaddafi Stadium and Lahore City CricketAssociation(LCCA) Stadium.
The West Indies Women begin their campaign on 9 AprilagainstScotlandatthe LCCAStadium,followedby matches against Ireland, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Thailand.
West Indies Head Coach Shane Deitz also shared his confidenceand expectations fortheteam.“It’sgoingtobe a tough tournament with some really good teams to playagainst,butweareright up for the challenge. We know how important it is to
qualifyfortheWorldCupin India later in the year but obviously, all the teams will bedoingeverythingtheycan to get those two spots in the WorldCup.”
“We’ve prepared well and played some good cricket in the last series against Bangladesh We have got to be at our best in everygame,preparewelloff thefield,trustourskills,play ourbestcricketandtheresult willtakecareofitself.”
C a p t a i n H a y l e y Matthews highlighted the team’s ultimate focus on the taskahead.“Asweheadinto the World Cup Qualifiers, we know we’ve prepared wellforthismoment.
The team environment feelslikeafamily,andwe’ve all been enjoying ourselves outonthepark.”
“We trust our skills and each other and are staying
focused on playing our best cricket without any distractions. Winning this is a big goal for us as a team, and we’re confident in our chancestoperformatahigh level.”
TheWestIndiesWomen will be represented by a formidable 15-player squad that blends experienced veterans and emerging talent.
There are three (3) changes from the squad that contested the ODI home series versus Bangladesh in St.KittsinJanuary
Stafanie Taylor and Chinelle Henry return from injuries, while Rashada Williams joins the squad after impressing with her performances in the CG United Women’s Super50 Cup. They replace Nerissa Crafton,DjenabaJosephand DeandraDottin,whomisses outthroughinjury
West Indies Women’s Squad:
Hayley Matthews
(captain) Shemaine
Campbelle(vice-captain)
AaliyahAlleyne
AfyFletcher
CherryAnnFraser
ShabikaGajnabi
JannilleaGlasgow
ChinelleHenry
ZaidaJames
QianaJoseph
MandyMangru
AshminiMunisar
KarishmaRamharack
StafanieTaylor
RashadaWilliams
TeamManagementUnit:
Head Coach: Shane Deitz Team Manager: Sheena Gooding Assistant
Coach: Ryan Austin
Assistant Coach: Damien Wright
Team Analyst: Gary Belle
Physiotherap
AngelicaHolder
Strength&Conditioning
Coach: Hector Martinez
Charles
Performance Coach: Dr NadineSammy
RuchelleBrownCalvert
nt Officer:NicholasMaitland
ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2025 –We
Schedule: 9 April: West Indies vs Scotland – LCCA Stadium (12:30 am AST / 9:30 am PKT) 11 April: Ireland vs West Indies – Gaddafi Stadium (12:30 am AST / 9:30 am PKT) 14 April: Pakistan vs West Indies –Gaddafi Stadium (5:00 am AST / 2:00 pm PKT) 17 April: Bangladesh vs West Indies – LCCA Stadium (12:30 am AST / 9:30 am PKT) 19 April: West Indies vs Thailand – Gaddafi Stadium(5:00amAST/2:00 pmPKT)
Yorke delights in Soca Warriors’ Gold Cup qualification after 4-0 Cuba rout
SportsMax - Trinidad and Tobago’s head coach, DwightYorke, beamed with pride as the Soca Warriors secured their spot in this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup,aftertheyblankedCuba 4-0inadominantsecond-leg performance at the Ato BoldonStadiumonTuesday With a raucous home crowd behind them, the Warriors turned in a clinical display to seal a 6-1 aggregate win, and Yorke made sure to credit the fans whoturnedoutinsupport.
“It’s cause for a bit of celebration We haven’t
done the double over Cuba for quite some time. Going
forward now, we’ve qualified for a major tournament like the Gold Cup;wehaveasmallmatter to deal with in St Kitts and Nevisonthe6thofJuneand Costa Rica on the 10th. So, we have some work to do,” Yorkesaidpost-match. Thenightbelongedtothe Soca Warriors, who came into the game with a 2-1 advantage from the first leg. Isaiah Lee netted a first-half brace (22nd, 37th), while captainKevinMolino(51st) and substitute Nathaniel
James (84th) added to Cuba’smiseryasthevisitors played much of the game with10men.
From the opening whistle, the hosts meant business, and their task becamealoteasierjustthree minutes in when Cuban defender Romario Torres received a straight red card for a reckless studs-up challenge on Andre Rampersad.
Despite their dominance at the end, Yorke stressed thattheyarestillsomeways from being the finished product.
“From a tactical point of view, we felt that if we became resilient and hard to beat, these players would become desperate Tactically,whenateamgoes down to ten men, we try to makethefieldreallybig.But we’re still a work in progress; some of these players have only been here 10 days, so it’s not going to be perfect, but we continue tobuild,”Yorkenoted.
The breakthrough came when Tyrese Spicer, the 2024 MLS SuperDraft numberonepick,provideda low cross that found Lee,
whocalmlyslottedhomefor hissecondgoalofthetie.
Lee doubled his tally 15 minutes later as he pounced on a defensive error from Cuban captain Yosel Piedra and passed the ball into an open net to put the Soca Warriors2-0upatthebreak.
Molinoextendedthelead six minutes into the resumptionwithacomposed tap-in after Spicer weaved through defenders and saw hisinitialeffortblocked.
James then delivered the final blow when he latched onto a clever through ball and calmly finished past the
haplessCubancustodian. Yorke also took a momenttorenewhiscallfor nationalsupport,asheagain highlighted the importance of a united front behind the team.
“Ithinksupportiscrucial forus.Footballisthenumber one sport in the world, and we want T&T football to be the number one sport in this country Wecan’tdoitonour own, so we are grateful for the tremendous turnout tonight, and long may it continue,” the former Manchester United striker ended.
SportsMax - Jamaica’s head coach Steve McClaren sayshewaspleasedwiththe tempo at which the Reggae Boyz played on Tuesday nightintheir3-0winoverSt Vincent and the Grenadines at Sabina Park, a result that sealed a 4-1 aggregate victory and secured the team’s place in the 2025 ConcacafGoldCup.
Comingoffa1-1drawin the first leg last Thursday, theReggaeBoyzproduceda much sharper and more decisive performance in frontoftheirhomefans,with goals from Warner Brown (27’), an own goal by Andrew Elton Johnson (89’), and Renaldo Cephas (90+4’) sending them through to their sixth consecutive Gold Cup tournament.
McClaren, addressing the media in the post-match press conference, noted the
improved energy and urgency from his players,
something he had emphasized following the flat performance in the first leg.
“Yeah, absolutely,” McClaren responded when askedifhewaspleasedwith the tempo. “I don’t mind keeping the ball and possession, which is fine, but a lot of the times in the first game we turned down
playing forward too many times and went square and back, which slowed the gamedown,allowedthemto getbehindtheballandmade itverydifficultforus.”
“So we worked on that for the two days and said we’ve got to have more urgency and tempo in our game,” he added. “Really, we were kind of saying we’re comingout and we’re one-nildown.Becausewhen
we were one nil down, our tempo increased and we’ve got players with ability and speed who will cause problems.”
McClaren pointed to the need to get the ball to his attacking players more quickly “Wehavetofeedthe front players as often as possible. That is closer to howwewanttoplay.”
T h e c o a c h a l s o highlighted the team’s improved control and game management.“Ithoughtthat the game management from the boys was excellent from back to front, controlled it, upped the tempo when we neededto.Icallitplaying90 milesanhourandplaying10 miles an hour,” McClaren explained. “And I think in the first game we played 10 milesanhourtoomuch.This time I was pleased with the balanceandwegotthe90
(Continuedonpage29)
Philippines teen Eala ousts No.2 Swiatek from Miami Open
AFP-AlexandraEala, a 19-year-old wildcard from the Philippines, produced a huge upset at the Miami Open on Wednesday, defeating world number two Iga Swiatek 6-2 7-5 to reach thesemi-finals.
Ranked 140th in the world, Eala, the first woman from her country to reach the last eight of a WTA 1000 tournament, took advantage of a unusually poor display fromSwiatek,keepingher focus as she fought back from 4-2 down in the secondset.
“It’s just surreal,” said Eala, who has now beaten three grand slam winners onherroutetothelastfour at Miami — having dealt withJelenaOstapenkoand Madison Keys before upsetting four-time French Open champion Swiatek.
“I’mtrustingmyshots and I have a great team to tellmethatIcandoit,”she said.
EalamovedtoSpainat theageof13tojoinRafael Nadal’s academy in Mallorca.
Eala will face the winner of Wednesday’s quarter-final between Britain’sEmma
and
EalabrokethePolefor the eighth and final time whenSwiatekwasserving to stay in the match at 6-5 downinthesecondsetand looked in disbelief as she struggled to contain her emotions.
Raducanu
American Jessica Pegula.
Trinidad on attack during the contest against Cuba. (Concacaf Media)
Trinidad and Cuba battle for possession. (Concacaf Media)
Jamaica’s head coach Steve McClaren
World Athletics recognize AAG Elections
-
Colesaysit’stimetomoveon
AAG General Secretary, James Cole
BYRAWLETONEY
With both World Athletics and Atletismo
Sudamericano, the governingbodyfortrackand field in South America, officially recognizing the results of the March 16 Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) elections, General Secretary James ColetoldKaieteurNewsthat it’stimetomoveforward.
An email from World Athletics’ Governance
Department, seen by
K a i e t e u r N e w s , acknowledged receipt of the AAG’sreportontheelection of Sheryl Hermonstine as president of the national trackandfieldbody
Hermonstine’sexecutive teamincludesMarkScottas First Vice President, Mayfield Taylor-Trim (Second Vice President), Dwayne Carter (Treasurer), Niall Stanton (Assistant Treasurer), and Kenisha Headley as Assistant Secretary
Thecommitteemembers are Dr Ariane Mangar, Thelson Williams, Tyrone Smith, Osafo Dos Santos, andTowannaMcAlmon.
Following the AAG’s elections, six of Guyana’s leading athletics clubs have outright rejected the AAG elections, branding them unconstitutional and illegitimate.
In a strongly worded statement issued on March 20,theseclubscalledforthe annulment of all decisions madeattheAGM,including the election of the new ExecutiveCouncil.
W(WCM)AditiJoshihastaken lead in the Diamond Insurance Women’s Chess pionship, securing crucial victories in the first rounds of competition weekend at the David Special School, getown.
Athletics Club, Running BraveTrackandFieldClub, TytanUnitedTrackClub,De Challengers Athletics Club, Christianburg Wismar Secondary School Track Club,andRuralitesAthletics Club, allege that the AGM was fundamentally flawed, violated the AAG Constitution, and was marred by disorder and intimidation.
However, speaking to Kaieteur News yesterday, Colenotedthatfiveofthesix aggrieved clubs were not in goodfinancialstandingwith theAAG, citing breaches of Articles 5 and 6 of the organization’s constitution.
As a result, he argued, the aforementioned clubs were ineligible to participate in theelections.
Cole further stated that Charles Nestor of Mercury Fast-Laners wrote to multiple organizations, including the media, and copiedWorldAthletics.
In response, track and field’s global governing body stated, “Regarding the communication from Mr Nestor, we will refrain from responding as it is not addressed to World Athletics However, on behalf of both us and Atletismo Sudamericano, we can confirm that we recognize theAGM held on 16 March 2025 and its results.”
With World Athletics encouraging the AAG to keep them informed as the situation develops, Cole highlighted the need to shift focus toward the future, startingwithpreparationsfor theCARIFTAGames.
The highly anticipated ound, round-robin tournament began Saturday (March 22), bringing er ten contenders for the prestigious National Women’s Championship title. tournamentopenedwith mix of excitement and us anticipation as competitors geared up for intense battles on the chessboard.
Joshi’s aggressive playing style has been instrumental in her early dominance She secured victories against Italy TonChung,CielClement,WCM Sasha Shariff, and Aniyah Couchman, positioning herself as the front-runner This marks Joshi’s third appearance in the Women’s National Championships, andatjustfourteenyearsold, she is determined to claim thetitle.Withrapidprogress over the past two years, culminating in her earning
Aglimpse of previous rounds…Ten female participants in the 2025 Women’s Championship
the WCM title at the last ChessOlympiadinHungary, she appears closer than ever toachievingherdream.
One of her most challenging matches came against Italy Ton-Chung, stretching to 69 moves before Joshi delivered a decisive checkmate in an electrifying endgame. Against Clement, Shariff, and Couchman, she exerted relentless pressure, compelling them to resign beforereachingcheckmate.
Hot on Joshi’s heels are Aniyah Couchman and defending champion WCM Jessica Callender, both with three points. Callender, a formidablecompetitor,isset to face Joshi in a pivotal matchup this weekend Meanwhile, Couchman, fresh off a victory in the
Women’s Qualifiers, has made a strong comeback after a year-long hiatus, displaying notable improvement Couchman secured wins against Angelina Yhap, Treskole Archibald, and Kataleya Sam.Callender,ontheother hand, claimed victories over Lusianna Farlot and Yhap while drawing with ArchibaldandTon-Chung.
Archibald and Clement currently hold 2.5 points each, while Sam and TonChunghave1.5points.Yhap and Shariff stand at 1 point, with Farlot still seeking her first win. The championship resumes this weekend, with rounds set for March 29 and 30, leading up to the final gameonSaturday,April5.
The tournament follows classical time controls,
granting players 90 minutes with a 30-second increment permove.FIDEArbiterJohn Lee, supported by National ArbiterKimShingChong,is officiatingmatchestoensure fair play and adherence to international chess standards.
This event also serves as an opportunity for unrated players to earn their initial ELO ratings by securing
expanding the pool of female-rated players in Guyana.
The Guyana Chess Federation extends its gratitude to Diamond Fire and General Insurance for their continued sponsorship and to the David Rose SpecialSchoolforproviding thetournamentvenue.
High on confidence: Back Circle, Gold is Money ready for Rock Futsal Showdown
Sports
Joshi
Back Circle captain Selwyn Williams (left) and Gold is Money captain JaffarAli pose with the championship trophy
Aaron Newton (left) shares moment with session instructor.
Aniyah Couchman (left) and Aditi Joshi keen on the challenge.
