Kaieteur News

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Dead: Hemchan Utan

Guyana paid US$80M in interest on US$6 billion debt in 2024

The Government of Guyana(GoG)in2024spent a total of US$196M to service the country's ballooning debt, of which US$80M went towards interest.

This is according to a report from Central Bank.

According to the document, approximately US$79 9M was paid in interest by the country on its total stock of external and domestic debt. Itisimportanttonotethatby the end of 2024, the government racked up the country'stotaldebttoalmost US$6B, after closing 2023 with a total public debt of US$4.5B.

Meanwhile, in 2024, total principal payments during the period amounted to US$119 7M The document states, “The total stockofgovernment'spublic andpubliclyguaranteeddebt increased by 33% to US$5,994 million and represented 24.3 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This increase was due to a 37.4% rise in the outstanding stock of domestic bonded debt to US$3,745millionanda26.1 percent growth in external debttoUS$2,239million.”

It goes on to explain, “Total debt service grew by 10.5% to US$196 million and represented 5 2% of government's current revenue Domestic debt service declined by 6.8% or US$5 2 million due primarily to a decline in principalpaymentduringthe

reviewperiod.Externaldebt service rose by 23.6% to US$125 million on account of increased principal repayments to both multilateral and bilateral creditors.”

In 2024, the government gotthegreenlighttoincrease theceilingsonbothdomestic and external debt The domestic public debt ceiling has been increased to $1.5 trillion,upfrom$750billion from its last revision Meanwhile, a new external borrowing ceiling of $1.5 trillion has been approved, afteritslastincreaseto$900 billion. This move was part of a broader financial strategy to increase the nation's capacity, in order to finance its $1.146 trillion 2024 budget, including

infrastructureprojects.

While the Opposition andotherstakeholdersraised concerns about the GoG's borrowinganditsrelianceon oilrevenuestorepayitsdebt, the Irfaan A

led administration maintains that the country would be able to repay its debt even without revenue flow from thepetroleumindustry

In 2023, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, during a press conference, was asked by Kaieteur News whether the country's current borrowing could be sustained by the non-oil sectorwhenherespondedin theaffirmative.

“Yes, because as I pointed out now that, and I don'twannagobackthrough

Chinese national pistol-whipped during robbery

A 44-year-old Chinese national on Wednesdaynightwasbeatenwithagunand robbed by five masked bandits at Blankenburg, Public Road, West Coast Demerara(WCD).

TheChinesenationalhasbeenidentified as Haimin Huang. The incident occurred at 23:30h Wednesday Police reported that the victim resides with his parents, brother and sixotherrelatives.Onthedayoftheincident, the victimand his familyreportedlysecured theirsupermarketandhedecidedtorelaxina hammock which is located at the back veranda.

The Chinese national reported to the ranks that ten minutes later, he was awoken by a strange noise. Upon checking, he observed five males wearing dark-coloured clothingwiththeirfacescovered."Twoofthe suspectswerearmedwithfirearmswhileone was armed with a black Rambo knife. The

armed suspects then started to hit the victim abouthisbodywiththeirfirearmcausinghim to receive injuries to his forehead," police saidinthereport.

The bandits relieved him of one Huawei phone valued $200,000 and a SIM card. Further, as the bandits continued to beat the victimwiththegun,hebegantoshoutandin theprocess,thesuspectsranawayandmade good their escape in an unknown direction. Huang was taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital,wherehewastreatedandsentaway The matter was reported to police. Several persons in the area were questioned but no usefulinformationwasreceived,policesaid. The scene was checked for anything of evidentialvaluebutnonewasfound.Thearea wascanvassedforClosedCircuitTelevision (CCTV) cameras and several were seen affixed to the building. Same is yet to be viewed.Thesuspectsarestillontherun.

thatagain,ourdebtto GDP (Gross Domestic Product) ratio and our debt service to revenue ratio are among the lowest in the world today as I speak in spite of all the borrowing,” Jagdeosaid.

During the presentation of Budget 2025, Finance

Minister, Ashni Singh said that over the last four years, Guyana's ratio of total PPG debttoGDPdroppedbyover 20%. The minister said that the debt to GDP ratio was 47.4%attheendof2020and by the end of 2024, it had reducedto24.3%.

MinisterSinghsaid,“this

provides an indication of a marked indication in Guyana's capacity to maintainpublicdebtintothe future without the need for fiscaladjustment,andplaces Guyana in the position of having one of the lowest debts to GDP ratios worldwide…”

Table showing payments made to external creditors

Table showing the country's domestic debt repayment

Kaieteur News

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Publisher:GLENNLALL-Tel:624-6456

Editor-in-Chief:NigelWilliams

Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

The wretched of Gaza

The news keeps coming of Gaza and it is all bad. Horrible to absorb, as hospitals are bombed, Palestinians killed. It is not the first or second time that the Israeli war machine has deliberately taken aim at a hospital with the sole objective of blowing it apart, regardless of who is in it. Inaplacewherehealthfacilitieswerelimitedtobeginwith, thereisthismachinelikeapproachtoeradicatingthemunder theflimsiestofpretexts.

Members of the hated Israeli group Hamas must be wipedout,andtherewillbenostoppingtheaggressorsuntil thelastHamasfighterisdead. FromtheIsraeliperspective, if the last remaining hospital in Gaza has to be demolished, thenthatiswhathastobe.

Fusing these pieces together, that old racist saying that has its roots in early America is making a rebound in a different place. The only good Palestinian is a dead one. The trail of evidence is thick and long since the ill-fated Palestinian surprise attack on Israeli settlements was unleashed in October 2023, and resulted in the deaths of some 1200 Jewish settlers. The Israeli response has been fast and furious, devastating and death dealing. Food caravans attacked, hospitals bombed, refugee camps strafed, among other choice targets, and always with one result. More dead, more maimed, and more left homeless, orphaned,widowed,anddestitute.

This is not war in the Holy Land of Judea and Samaria, those famed names out of the Bible. This has been one massacre after another, one instant of genocide following the other, and one holocaust on the heels of what came before. Thisisnotwarbyanyconvention,ordisagreements fought by adversaries, civilized men forced into barbaric circumstances. What is happening today in the Gaza, is nothing but a plan that has wipeout of the Palestinians from the face of the earth. The next step in the not-so-disguised plan is to take possession of Palestinian land, which continuesthecatastrophicprocessthatbeganinthe1940s. With the benefit of hindsight, there is no question that Hamasanditsbackersoverestimatedtheirownstrengthand gavetheIsraelistheopeningtheywerewaitingfor,andwith thebestofreasonsintheirfavour.

There are those 1200 dead Israelis, and the hostages. Worse still, Hamas underestimated both the ferocity of the Israeli response, and the all-out and out-of-control aspects of it. All the conventions of war that serve as restraints in a contest of death have been ignored at will and discarded evenquicker Inconflictspast,whenahospitalcameunder fire, those responsible paused. In the Vietnam War, when the My Lai massacre was uncovered, there was the usual coverup first, but then the contrition and soul searching began. There is none of that in this war of total extermination against the Palestinians being waged by the Israelis, who make the fullest use of their European and Americanarsenalofweapons.

Also, in past wars, there has been some buffer, some intangible diffusing presence, to slow the killing down, to bringthecombatantstothetableofdiscussion. Therewere a few of such presences in the earlier phases of this IsraeliPalestinian War In recent times, they all seem to have st become muted, if not absent altogether In this the 21 century of modern civilization, and in the Holy Land of all places,thereisthisone-sidedwar Warwithoutletup,whileleadersfrommanycountriesin theworldturntheirfrightenedfaces,andholdtheirtongues. ThepoweroftheIsraelisreachesfarbeyondthebattlefields of Palestine, to the corridors of the highest decisionmakers. Individuals are cowed into silence for fear of attracting the wrath of friends of Israel. National leaders toe the line by uttering platitudes that they believe present them as taking principled stands. Their double standards and hypocrisies are so odious that they spur retching.All the while, the now virtuallyunchallengedandunstoppableIsraeliwarmachine rolls ruthlessly forward. The Palestinians are prostrate, yet the bombing and killing continue indiscriminately This is notwarinaHolyplace. ItisofIsraelisdriventomadnessby theirbloodlusts.

Unrealistic and outdated speed limits

Dear Editor,

I recently saw a report in t h e G u y a n a T i m e s Newspaper (April 15th, 2025), edition on His Excellency President Irfaan Ali's visit to Goed Fortuin, Region Three where he spoke briefly on the Electronic Ticketing System (E-Ticketing) that was recently introduced to the roadsinGuyana.

I must commend His Excellency and the PPP/C government for introducing such a system in Guyana to help curb the recklessness anddangerousdrivingonour roadways. This is basically bridgingthegapbetweenour old ticketing system with modern infrastructure using technology

As he mentioned from the first day, the E-ticketing system went online to now, there has been a significant drop in traffic offences from an average of 275 per day to 75 Th

Government in building a safer Guyana for everyone and its efforts in diminishing the number of road fatalities thatweseehappeningalmost every day For this, the President Irfaan Ali and his government deserve a pat on theback.

However, there are a few observations that I wish to highlight and hope that they are taken into consideration at some point. It is no doubt that road safety remains a pressing issue in Guyana, with accidents and traffic violations that continue to claim lives and even cause serious injuries almost every day While we can allude to the fact that various factors contribute to this challenge inclusiveofrecklessdriving, poor road conditions (in some cases), and limited enforcement, we often overlook the major

contributor which is the presence of unrealistic speed limits.

Many of the speed limits on our roadways are too low to reflect modern vehicle capabilities and road designs. Today, many cars are equipped with new technologies such as pedestrian alerts, collision warning, automatic braking, etc.andourroadstodayhave modernised in their design thanks to the current PPP government.Despitethis,we are still using speed limits f

mismatch is a serious issue as it confuses drivers which o

undermining of respect for traffic laws and affects effective and efficient transportation.

If we look across several major routes in Guyana, speed limits can seem arbitrary or outdated. For example, some well-paved

and relatively straight highways still impose speed limits as low as 35km/h, while some others lack any clear speed regulations for drivers. On the Rupert Craig Highway/ East Coast Public Road where there is a fourlane highway, a speed limit of 80km/h is in effect from Georgetown up to BetterHope and a 65km/h from there all the way to Belfield while that part of the road wasstillatwo-lanehighway Now there has been an extension of the four-lane from Better-Hope to Annandale but the old limit of65km/hisstillenforcedon that section of the road. These inconsistencies not onlyfrustratedriversbutalso reduce the effectiveness of the law Drivers often ignore speed limits they encounter when they feel that they are unreasonable,whileitcanbe arguedthatobeyingthelimit (Continue on page 6)

Alexander is part of the problem, never part of the solution!

Dear Editor, I wish to clarify that Vincent Alexander does not speakformeormostAfrican Guyanese Also, the Independent Decade for PeopleofAfricanDescentof Guyana has done nothing to fast-track my development, whether socioeconomically or politically, in this country

I am not sure what

Alexander or IPADA-G has made on behalf of the

A f r i c a n G u y a n e s e community here, but it is really not getting to the root causes of issues related to land ownership, crime, health, black businesses or empowerment.

I am not sure that hosting conferences and workshops equate to a real grassroots approach of seeking to deal with the African Guyanese cultural, socioeconomic and other challenges we face in thiscountry

Let'sbeclear ThisPPP/C Government has done three times as much as the last APNU/AFC Government in lessthanhalfoftheirtermfor young African Guyanese in homeownership, business empowerment, cultural industries, education and health, to name a few Africans who are Guyanese have an equal and equitable opportunity to change their lives as they are afforded the same opportunities as any otherraceorpeople.

African Guyanese communities are better off than ever before under this

government Only those blinded by race, loyalty, and the hateful politics of the P N C - A P N U / A F C opposition would say the opposite. I reject the notion that the African Guyanese community, descendants of the enslaved, have been systematically marginalised a n d r e m a i n disproportionately at the bottom of the economic and socialorder

Alexander's remarks are hurtful and disingenuous to every single race because they know that they are not true. African Guyanese as a g r o u p a r e t h r i v i n g economically and socially Black-owned Guyanese businesses have increased over the last four years.

Homeandlandownershipby Guyanese of African ancestry has tripled now compared to the last five years, when the opposition, APNUAFC,wasinpower

When African Guyanese communities try to pull themselves out of the lesser favourable conditions that exist here, they are faced with vitriol at the hands of IPADA-Gandtheopposition elements I have seen African Guyanese being tortured by the onslaught of verbal, emotional, physical and psychological attacks by their own for accepting things and opportunities that are offered to them by this government They have been called sellouts, house slaves, slave catchers and other despicable names

because they dared to think differently and objectively, making the right changes for their lives, and choosing the PPPGovernment.

W h i c h w o r l d i s Alexander living in and seeks to describe to the UN?

Not this Guyana in which I am living now Alexander, a bitter politician and sore to G u y a n a ' s f u t u r e development, must know that Guyana is governed by lawandnogroupisabovethe law Ancestral lands must be subjected to the laws and regulationsoftheState.

So, if they are seized by the State for development, there is always adequate compensation involved There are no institutional or legal manipulations involved.This is unfortunate t h a t I PA D A - G a n d Alexander feel this way, but this is not a fact. I sat in horror as Alexander told the UN that Guyana's school curriculumcontinuestoomit the history and contributions of the Guyanese of African descent. This is a barefaced lie. Alexander knows that there have been attempts at revision of the school's curriculum to make more facets of Guyana's rich history integrated in the education system, inclusive of the African Guyanese slave history, contributions andexperiences.WhatIfear, Alexander did not say is that he wants to tell history as he seesitandnotasitoccurred.

What Alexander and IPADA-Gfailedtodowasto

go to the UN for more resources to bolster the support given to African Guyanese communities here by the government. What he failed to do was to state the numberofAfricanGuyanese communities that were created and are thriving e c o n o m i c a l l y i n homeownership

nd businesses here. What he failedtodoistostatethatthe government is making significant strides in reducing the poverty that exists here, particularly in A f r i c a n G u y a n e s e communities.

What he failed to state is that IPADA-G is being hijacked by opposition sympathisers who hide and shield their dirty acts of preaching discrimination and racism charges to the A f r i c a n G u y a n e s e community Alexander knows too well that the middle class of African Guyanese is growing. They are wary of his opportunistic politics d i s g

e d a s ' n o ngovernmentalism and activism' He doesn't represent the views of all African Guyanese who love that Guyana is advancing steadily I know we have to move tocorrectthewrongthattook place for hundreds of years during slavery, and the Guyana government is at the forefront, calling for reparations in the Caribbean regionandfromthose

(Continue on page 5)

The China world dominance revolution

Dear Editor,

If one looks at the US news, one would see very c o n f l i c t i n g reactions/opinion to the Trump tariffs, especially regardingChina.OnFox,for example, they were calling for more serious attention to be made by the US government to take on the China problem Other channels MSNBC, CBS are hold totally diametric views criticizing the Trump tariffs. Personally, I don't pretend to know which one is better for the USA today I am merely trying to establish the two sides of the dilemma, without seeking to establish which is right. I will happily declare that I am totally unqualified to do that. So, whatistheChinaproblem?

Many years ago [2002] due to the research I was doing, I felt then, and I mentioned it in my commentary, that China had embarked on a policy of g l o b a l e c o n o m i c

domination, Global

Imperialism using their citizens quite literally as slaves working without unions or reasonable pay to compete with the world, even today after many upward salary adjustments they still only earn between 21to26Yuanperhour,thisis about 2.86 [two dollars and eighty-six cents per hour].

The current minimum wage in the US is $11 per hour China was not satisfied to just earn enough to make their country and people wealthy, they were using the new economic power of the STATE to dominate and control smaller states with loans which could never be repaid, Guyana is a very good example, anyone who thinks that what they are seeing are just Chinese from China, coming in to dominate local supermarket, hardware and commercial enterprises, is just blind or asleep, they are coming here with the help of their

Embassy and therefore the Chinese Government itself, to become very important commercial economic entities here. Local media writers have already alluded to the close unhealthy connections they see the Chinese have to some very high-ranking public Guyana governmentofficials.

For decades now, the entire world has been forced to compete unsuccessfully with this inequity, you can't compete with a competitor whose labour alone costs nearly 4 times less than what yours is costing, supported by the China State resources to make the products even more noncompetitive, there are numerous accusations that Guyanese owned supermarkets/hardware store owners have been forcedoutofbusiness,dueto questionabletaxwaiversand duty-free privileges being accordedto the Chinese here t h r o u g h w h a t e v e r mechanism is being used.

Alexander is part of the problem, never...

From page 4 countriesthatbenefitedfrom the spoils of countries like ours. Slavery is wrong!And, wewillcontinuethestruggle forreparations.

Similarly, I loathe leaders like Alexander and IPADA-G because they are doing more harm than good to the African Guyanese community by seeking to manufacture controversies and issues which simply do not exist. They are busy complaining to international organisations when the problem begins with these veryleaderswhodonotseek to empower the African Guyanese community to take advantage of the very same government systems that they condemn. They are guilty of taking donor funds and swindling them away on aprogrammenotdesignedin a way to help the African Guyanese community here practicallyandsimply They are part of the problem but

never part of the solutions that could help many Guyanese of African descent.

It is hurtful that Alexander seeks to present his views and the views of his organisation as the views of hundreds of thousands of Afro-Guyanese living comfortably here. I don't view my past merely and onlyas a disadvantageto my forward movement It is riddled with stories of perseverance, triumph and dignity I believe with every opportunity that presents itself for me to have a better quality of life, I should take it. African Guyanese have b e e n t a k i n g t h e opportunities that exist both in politics and government. Their sociocultural wellbeing and prosperity are not dependent on how equal the playing field is, or how equitably the resources are distributed, but on whether theyseizedthem.

Looked at it this way, and frankly the Republicans in the USAsee it that way also, this creates a vision that China has embarked on a process of world domination using not planes and tanks, but conquering and controlling the poorer countries, many of which have recently been complaining about the hole theyhavedugforthemselves when the smiling, bowing Chinese show their true ugly colours and agenda. Recent headlineslike“China'sloans pushing world's poorest countries to brink of collapse” abound, Pakistan being a major one thus affected owing more than 26

billionUSdollarstoChina. And remembering that within my life span starting from 1949, the father of China's communism Mao Zedong had burnt all the science books and given all Chinese a little red book described on the internet as “essentially an unofficial requirement for every Chinesecitizentoown,read, and to carry it at all times during the latter half of Mao'srule,especiallyduring the Cultural Revolution” the book containedof coursethe spoken words of Mao and communism. All the science bookswerethrownawayand for a long time The scientific technology of

China was completely stagnated and was 20 years behind other mainstream countries.

Startingessentiallyinthe 1980's, therefore this

implemented by Communist ChinaafterMaodiedandhas already very seriously dominated many other countries like Guyana, aided and abetted by corrupt politicians allowing these people to have free reign in thosecountries.Theproofof the pudding is always in the eating, it is unreasonable to believe that the China Mao leftcouldhaveadvanced (Continue on page 6)

Unrealistic and outdated...

From page 4 couldsavelives.

That is the bottom line. Can Alexander honestly say t h a t t h e r e a r e n o opportunities available for Guyanese of African ancestry here, culturally, economically, socially and politically for them to thrive in the meantime? Why s h o u l d h e l i e s o unashamedly to the 4th UN Forum on the Decade of People of African Descent? Oh,yes,politicsisintheair! I repeat, the views expressed by IPADA-G and Alexander come from a dark place and are not the views of the people of African ancestry living peacefully in modern and free Guyana. Africans do not subscribe to the victimhood mentality and should not be treated as such.Alexander will not use Africans for his vengeful politics against this government. We have been usedenough!

Yours truly, MichaelYounge

Guyana is currently on the rise in terms of its economic activities and as such, there has been a growing vehicle population and evolving infrastructure. What this means is that old standards may no longer be appropriateorapplicabletoa new and modern Guyana. What we once knew as quiet roads serving a few villages maynowbetransformedinto busy arteries connecting multiple communities and businesses.

In these scenarios, k e e p i n g o l d s p e e d restrictions may slow down economic activity and increase travel time unnecessarily

The other side of the problem is almost as dangerous.

In some locations, the conditions of roads, lack of adequate lighting, improper signage, etc demands a lower or safer speed limit than what is often the reality This is also a particular concern for school zones, market areas and residential neighbourhoods where high speeds can increase the chancesoffatalities.

What Guyana therefore

needs is a comprehensive and thorough review of its nationalspeedlimitpolicy It is important for this review to not be limited to just adjusting speed limits but in doing so, it must have an assessment of the current road conditions, updated traffic studies and have a communityinput.

The new speed limits therefore should be based on several clear criteria including but not limited to road quality, surrounding environment, pedestrian traffic and history of accidents.

Oncethespeedlimitsare made more realistic and justified then public awareness campaigns and improved law enforcements can help to ensure compliance.

Inconclusion,unrealistic speed limits in Guyana are not merely an inconvenience for drivers but it is also a pressing road safety hazard and a barrier to modern day transportationefficiency. A smarter, inclusive and data-driven approach to settingspeedlimitsandother road regulations paired with adequate enforcement and modern infrastructure (currently taking place) can makeGuyana'sroadnetwork safer, more efficient and more respectful of both driverandpedestrian.

Sincerely Shivesh Persaud

Govt. declares Regional Disaster in Amelia's Ward

…as sawmill fire rages on

Government has d e c l a r e d a regional disaster in Amelia's Ward Linden as the firefighters and other stakeholders struggle to contain the blaze that destroyed a sawmill in the arealastweek.

In a press statement, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) said it is actively monitoring and responding to the ongoing fire in Amelia's Ward Industrial Area, which has been burning continuously for approximately five days “Despite firefighting efforts by the Guyana Fire Service, with support from the CDC, the Guyana Defence Force ( G D F ) , R e g i o n a l DemocraticCouncil,Region 10, and other supporting agencies, including the operators in the area, the fire continues to emit thick smoke and dust, affecting nearby communities,” the statementread.

According to the CDC, Prime Minister Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips visited the area on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. He informed a community radio station in Lindenthatwhilethefirehas

been mostly contained, additional efforts are needed to prevent further spread and to reduce smoke in the area.

“HealsodeclaredaRegional Disaste

he significant environmental, social, and economic impacts the fire has had on theregionthusfar,”theCDC said.

According to the CDC, environmental assessments and resident interviews conducted by emergency response teams have revealed significant public health and environmental concerns,aswellasproperty damage. The CDC said it is continuing to coordinate with all relevant agencies and stakeholders to manage theresponse.

Meanwhile, the CDC s a i d t o o t h a t t h e

Environmental Protection

A g e n c y ( E PA ) h a s confirmed that the average level of carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in residential areas is approximately 2.5 parts per million (ppm), well below the national standard threshold of 20 ppm. “While thesereadingsremainwithin the safe range according to

Despite firefighting efforts, the fire continues to emit thick smoke and dust, affecting nearby communities

standards, the persistent smokeandparticulatematter may still pose risks to vulnerableindividuals.

The Civil Defence Commission urges residents in affected areas to report any new symptoms or concerns to the local emergency services and to limit outdoor exposure where possible Affected residents who wish to be evacuated can be housed in temporary shelters managed by the CDC. Please also be advised that the area is

Numerous crises. The cross and the resurrection

Dear Editor,

As we convene to observe Good Friday, a period dedicated to reflecting upon Christ's sufferingandcrucifixion,we also contemplate the hope t h a t e n s u e s t h e resurrection on Easter Sunday In Guyana, this

period of reflection concurrently coincides with the challenges many citizens faceduetotherisingcost-ofliving.

Numerous individuals s t r u g g l e t o s a t i s f y necessities, such as providing nutritious meals for their families, as

escalating prices for essential goods have engendered significant hardships.

Additionally, the exploitation of the nation's natural resources by foreign corporations and certain local entities raises substantial concerns. This exploitation often benefits a limited sector of society while adversely impacting

the environment and Indigenous communities,

leading to inquiries regarding the prioritization

of profit over the welfare of citizens Consequently, wealth generated from these r e s o u r c e s t e n d s t o concentrate in the hands of a small elite, further perpetuating cycles of p o v e r t y a m o n g t h e vulnerablepopulace.

The alarming incidence ofviolenceagainstwomenis a crisis of critical importance, with reports indicating that it has reached severe levels. Instances of violence frequently underscore the difficulties that victims encounter in seekingjustice,asdisparities within the legal system may enable affluent and influential individuals to evadeaccountability

Another crisis to highlight is: critiques from government officials directed at individuals who challenge the prevalent issues of nepotism and cronyismreflectaprevailing atmosphere of denial and vindictiveness toward those advocating for transparency and accountability in governance.

Also, elevated rates of alcohol consumption in

society appear to serve as a coping mechanism in response to the pressures arising from these various societal crises Most individuals may resort to alcohol and celebratory gatherings (washdown) as a means of alleviating the hardships posed by the currentenvironment.

In contemplating the significance of Good Friday alongside contemporary societal predicaments, there existspotentialforcollective action towards a more equitable future. The concept of resurrection serves as a metaphor for renewal, emphasising the necessity of addressing issues of violence, injustice, and corruption In this context, there is a pressing need for a leadership opportunity akin to that of the resurrected Jesus, which i n s p i r e s h o p e a n d transformation, centred around the respect for the dignityofallcitizensandthe pursuitofajustanduplifting Guyanese society Wishing everyoneahappyEaster!

Regards MedinoAbraham

restricted to public access andshouldbeavoidedunless you are emergency response personnel To mitigate against future incidents, an alternate dumpsite is being considered,” the statement concluded.

Linden Mayor Sharma Solomontoldthisnewspaper on Wednesday that the township is receiving aerial support from the CDC as efforts continue to contain the fire at the Waaldijk SawmillinLinden.Solomon explained that a helicopter is being used to disperse water

from overhead onto a few sporadicareas.Heexpressed gratitude to the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) for bringing the inferno under control.

“So that is the visual look of whatthingsare,however,the smoke, because they've managed to control most of that flame, the material is still combustible, not combustible, but it is still flammable from internal; it's smoking a lot, and that is the major concern now,” he explained.

There were a number of agencies involved in the

battle against the flames in the last few weeks, however, additional resources were requested due to the severity of the situation. The mayor disclosedthatfromtheonset, the township has been “seeking intervention and help beyond the capacity of the local community, and I wanttoalsosaythatcapacity included not only the Fire Service, but also many organisations and private people who rendered assistance. It was outside of that capacity, and help was beingaskedfor.”

Easter Celebration at Brickdam Cathedral

Dear Editor, The annual Easter Celebration in Music and Song will be held at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Brickdam on Friday,April25,2025.

Performances by the Woodside Choir and others, as well as Steel Pan and

Violin renditions The audience will also be invited to participate in the singing of Easter hymns. The programme of Easter entertainment is planned to last about one and a half hours and begins at 6:30pm.

Admission is $500 per person and children 12 and under will be admitted free. The Cathedral this year celebrates 100 years since it was opened officially. Tickets can be had at the CathedralortheParishoffice onBrickdam.Allareinvited. Regards Francis Canzius Coordinator

The China world dominance...

From page 5 technologically to what it is now,inonly40years.

How did they do it? The internet is riddled with statements like “The People's Republic of China has been accused by the United States, other nations, and companies of stateorganized economic espionage and infringement of intellectual property, in violation of international tradeagreements.

So that is what Trump and the Republicans see, and what he has decided to address after decades of, in his opinion, less enlightened Presidents inaction and he is hell bent of demanding a betterdealfromChina.

I would like to state publicly that I have no real

interest in US politics, except as if it affects me as a Guyanese. Today, I am just giving the other side of the Coin. But for me, it explains a lot, and accounts for what we are seeing. Editor, there are only two further facts about the US- CHINA trade war I can offer, last year, the US imported from China US$440bn but China only imported from US$145bn the US a difference of US$295billion. If they both add 124% to their respective import tariffs, then China will have to pay 368 billion more than in US tariffs ANNUALLY! And secondly, the things which China should be paying tariffs on i e copyright drugs and other intellectual property,

including literature, music, movies and electronic and mechanical inventions still undercopyright,arenotonly not being paid, they are in fact are being manufactured by China, this post on the internet tells the story “The People's Republic of China has been accused by the United States, other nations, and companies of STATEorganized economic espionage and infringement of intellectual property, in violation of international trade agreements” if the US were to demand their proper duties on pirated intellectual propertyfromChinaitwould come up to much more. They respect sovereignty? I thinknot!

Sincerely

Tony Vieira

BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT

Good Friday Spirit

Over two thousand years ago, an ordinary man had the courage and conviction to fulfill his earthly mission. He girded his loins and pushed himself to the extreme in this vale of life.

He instilled hope in countless others, he gave inspiration to ordinary men and women who needed something to hold onto. He made regular human beings, many of the ordinary fisherfolk, a few with powerful gifts, believe and humble themselves to manifest unshakeable, unbreakable faith.

It was in the promises that were held out, the rewards that could be reality, but only if the will was there to carry past whatever was ahead, wherever it was, and beyond whoever stood in the way.

The fake money that was found

GRAseizes US$50,000in fakemoneyat CJIAcargobond

CustomsOfficersoftheGuyanaRevenue Authority (GRA) on Thursday seized a package containing a large quantity of counterfeit United States currency totaling US$50,000attheCheddiJaganInternational Airport(CJIA),locatedatTimehri.

A statement from GRA highlighted that the package, discovered during routine inspections at a cargo bond, held 500 pieces of fake US$100 bills. The imitation bills closely resembled authentic U.S. currency, bearing all standard trademarks along with additionalsuspiciousmarkings.

The counterfeit money was immediately seized, and law enforcement authorities are activelypursuingtheintendedrecipientofthe package.TheGRAhassincealertedrelevant authorities both in Guyana and overseas to assist with the ongoing investigation, which

is being conducted under the Customs Act and the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism legislation.

According to GRA, under the Second Schedule,PartIIoftheCustomsAct,Chapter 82:01,itisprohibitedtoimportgoodsbearing a design in imitation of any currency, banknote, or coin in circulation—either locally or internationally, without the approvaloftheCommissioner-General.GRA added, "TheAuthority continues to note the alarmingtrendintheeffortstosmuggleitems including gold, monetary instruments, arms, and narcotics through ports in Guyana. It reiterates that all such persons dealing in or contemplating engaging in such illegal activities to cease and desist therefrom, or facetheconsequencesfortheiractions."

Brutus's wife still not in Guyana

–defencecitesU.S.passportprocessing

Afternearlyfivemonths,AdonikaAulder, the wife of former Assistant Police Commissioner Calvin Brutus, has not yet returnedtoGuyanafromtheUnitedStates.

HerattorneysstatedonThursdaythatshe hasappliedforaUSpassportthatwilltakesix to eight weeks to be processed. Back in December 2024, Aulder, who was heavily pregnantatthetime,wasallowedtoleavethe country by Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court.ShewasduetoreturnbyDecember18, 2024, to face charges related to alleged financial crimes. While she has appeared virtuallytodate,shehasnotreturnedtocourt inperson.

Aulder is facing two charges of money laundering. She is accused of acquiring GY$352,082,315 from her company's bank accountatRepublicBankinDecember2023, "knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that the funds were derived from criminalactivity."

OnThursday,Aulderonceagainappeared virtually, while with her husband, Calvin Brutus and co-accused Kevin George, appeared in person as the court moved forward with statements and further disclosureinthematter

Duringproceedings,MagistrateMcGusty inquiredaboutAulder'sreturntoGuyana.Her attorney, Dominick Bess, informed the court

thatshehadappliedforaU.S.passportandthe defence currently has in their possession a copy of the receipt for the passport. The prosecutionthenrequestedthatthereceiptbe submitted to the court. Magistrate McGusty granted the request and asked for a specific timeline regarding the processing of the passport and Aulder's expected return to the country.Brutus, when permitted to speak, explained that the passport process will take six to eight weeks. He also added that the processing of the passport is appointmentbased,dependentonavailabledates. Magistrate McGusty still questioning the (Continuedonpage14)

WifeofBrutus, Adonika Aulder

Good Friday in Guyana is not what it used to be.Thedayhaslostitshush.

There was a time—still close enough to be remembered, far enough to feel like myth—when Good Friday was the stillest day of the year The stillness was not of neglect but of reverence The kind of stillnessthatstretchedacross neighborhoodslikeablanket and made you lower your voiceevenindoors.

You did not speak loudly on Good Friday You did not joke The radio did not entertain;itmourned.Theair itself felt thick with memory and devotion If a pin dropped, Guyana heard it, from the dry grass of the Corentyne to the salt air of Kitty Long ago, the shops—big and small, those that sold things and those that sold nothing but hope closed their doors without a second thought. Streets stood empty as if in solidarity with the crucified Christ The bars were shuttered.

Alcohol disappeared from public life. Meat gave way to bun and cheese, rice and vegetables, served in quiet and consumed with care. Even the sky joined the fast—kites, so common a sight in the Lenten season, werekeptgroundedonGood Friday They would have seemedtoojoyful,toofree.

In those days, even those who hadn't darkened a church's doorstep in years wouldfindthemselvesunder stained glass, caught in the solemn pull of an ancient

A Different Silence

story Good Friday had a gravity to it. It drew people inward, toward reflection, restraint, and a shared sadness that wasn't always spoken but was always understood.

But that is not quite the GoodFridayoftoday

These days, Good Friday haslostsomeofitsgravity It floats. It no longer holds Guyana still. The roads are busy with cars; the markets hum with activity Most shops are closed, yes—but the air is not still. Radios play what they will. The silence has lifted, and in its place is something more ordinary, more forgetful Some will say this is the inevitable price of progress. Others call it secularization, a long word that sounds like a slow erosion But the change is not only about the weakening of religion; it is also about the stretching of identity. Guyana, after all, is notaChristiancountry Itisa country where Christians live but also where Hindus, M u s l i m s , B a h a ' i s , Rastafarians, and people withnoparticularlabelshare thesamespace.

Foralongtime,theGood Friday tradition reigned by lawaswellasbycustom.But time has a way of asking questions of every tradition: Why this day? Why this silence? Who decides, and forwhom?

One could argue that the fading of Good Friday's stillness represents the crumbling of moral values and social cohesion. But it could also be seen—less d r a m a t i c a l l y, m o r e

Dem Boys Seh...

democratically as the relaxation of a cultural hegemony

For decades, nonChristian Guyanese observedChristianholydays outofrespect.Butnow,there is a greater deference to religiouspluralism.

And yet, the greatest erosion may not be coming from outside Christianity, butfromwithin.

The traditional Christian denominations Anglicans, Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists—are no longer thedominantvoices.

In their place have risen the Pentecostals, the Evangelicals, the free churches with their raised hands and amplified praise. These new churches have their own ways of observing theCrucifixion.Somedonot at all. There is a restlessness even in religion now And Good Friday, that once-deep well of communal restraint, has begun to dry around the edges.

So what do we make of allthischange?

Should bars open? Should meat sizzle on grills? Should footballs fly across the fields and music pump from speakers? Should we let Good Friday go entirely the way of solemn Sundays andhandwrittenletters?

No, not quite While traditions may evolve, they ought not be discarded wholesale Good Friday offers us something beyond theology something humane. It reminds us of stillness. It reminds us of restraint.And in a time when everything urges us to do

Is nah fair fuh pickney fuh wake up before cock crow

Demboyssehdeschoolclosenow,and fuh the first time in months, some people actually see de road again. Yuh cud even hear yuhself tink when yuh driving. De traffic ease up — not disappear, just ease up,likeafatmanunbucklinghebeltaftera bigplateahcook-up.

Butlehwetalkplain.

Istwoweekoflilbreezeindemorning, and then boom! All hell gon bruk loose again when dem school open. Every morning turn into a episode of Survivor: EastBankEdition.

People ducking and weaving, minibuses bouncing off potholes like they in a rally, and pickney crammed in de backseat half-asleep, trying fuh eat breakfast, tie shoelace and say prayers — allatonce.

Demboyssehisnahfair Isnahfairfuh childrentobewakingupbeforedesuneven get out of it blanket, just fuh beat traffic. Is nah fair fuh lil ones to be rubbing eye and draggingbagbiggerthandemselftoketcha

more, buy more, go faster, andtalklouder,weneeddays thattellustostop.Daystodo less, consume less, and think more.

Good Friday was a day when the country, whether it believed in Christ or not, learnedtopausetogether

That, to my mind, is a t r a d i t i o n w o r t h preserving—notoutofpiety, but out of need. If nothing else, let Good Friday remain

a day when we reconsider noise. Let it be a day that doesn't chase us toward malls and marketplaces. Let it be a day when we allow ourselves to be bored, to be still, to be unfinished

rideat5:30amjusttoreachschoolby8.

Somebody got to come up wid a plan. Anddemboyssehnowisdetime!Whilede school out and de roads get a lil breathing space, de big ones in charge should sit downandcomeupwidarealtrafficplan— not one dem pick out from Google or borrow from a city dat got subway and escalatoreverycorner

Stagger school times? Try park-andride?Useschoolbuses?

Open up dem school gates early so children nah blocking up de road? Something!Anything!

Demboyssehyuhcan'tkeeppunishing de youth dem fuh poor planning. Is de future yuh punishing, and yuh can't build a bright future when de whole next generationsleepinginclass'causedemdeh intrafficbeforeevendedogstartbarking.

Tek de next two weeks and do something smart fuh once. And leh de childrensleepintillatleastcockcrow Talk half. Leff half.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the a

necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

Guyana's Good Friday may never return to what it once was. But it can still be something. Not a relic. Not a rule. Just a gentle pause in a world too fast. We need that silence—not just to honour the past, but to survive the present.

H@RD TRUTHS

Good Friday-an hour, a message, a standard

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind.Itdoesnotenvy,itdoes not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love

does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

I thought that the words of 1 Cor 13:1-7 serve the hourofGoodFridaywell. A man scorned and stoned could still be about selfless sacrifice. It is the one message that transcends all others, as profound as they may be, of love that brings k i n d n e s s , i n s t i l s a mysterious moment of compassion.

A man out of nowhere with no following and nothing to recommend him, sets a standard-so radical as to be revolutionary-that it endurestothisday

Love thine enemy Say what? MyGod!Whatisthis being asked? To what place am I being pushed, some may ask, fervent people? I ask, and I am not. Well, a little fervent, on occasion becauseIamalwaysawedat the grandeur of the standard. “Father, forgive them for they know not…” They know not. What do I know, ifanythingatall?

In the first hour of Palm Sunday last, while standing on the doorstep of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Brickdam), someone approached and said something My response was that a 'call must be made.' I failed him in his hour of need. It was thebeginningofHolyWeek, but when the calling to higher ground was there right before me, I was found wanting.

A better guiding hand would have been 'surrender thy self to above, and there will be finding of self. I didn'tsayso,andthatisalost moment;notaholyone. For in their torments, someone

wasrespondingtheonlyway that they knew: cursing And there wasn't the healing grace that should have been inside.

That fleeting encounter, alloflessthan15seconds,is mentioned here, because if that principled love (agape), which is the embodiment of the new commandment is at itsfullest,thentheessenceof Good Friday is not lived well. Perhaps, not at all. I cast eyes at the world beyond Guyana. A time of turmoil, of great darkening, rushingfears.

What will be amidst all the upheavals, the caustic words, the clash of wills? How will I manage? Will I, is the question on many minds,morelips? Intothine handsIcommendmyspirit.

Like elsewhere the material competes with, overwhelms, the spiritual right here. There is a time foreverythingunderthesun. Andwhenallisdone,itisall vanity We have everything, yet so many are searching forananswertohowisitthat Ihavenothing.

IlookfarandIlooknear, and there is a common ingredient, a thread that connects. Menhaverisento the crests of achievement, havethewholeworldintheir hands, only to discover that thelossoftheirsoulswasthe price that they unknowingly paid. Maybe if they knew that immeasurable price, it still would have been paid, thought to be a cheap one. Amid their screams and

snarls, there is the discernmentthatmenand women cry out their anguish, but are unable and unwilling to make the shift, to chart a different path,torestarttowardsanew vision. Inoneofthesublime passages of the Bible, Paul reminds me, reminds all of us, in 1 Corinthians 13: 1-7, thatalifewithouttheloveof God, and God's love is no lifeatall.

No amount of money, no concentration of power, not even the greatest of strategies from the best strategists and visionaries mattersawhit.

All the logic manifested, allthewisdomowned,allthe earthly power accumulated, Icouldhaveallofthat,butif there is lovelessness in me, then my world is that of darkness. It is of grimness, despite the pretense at joyfulness. I am sitting atop of an oil barrel (billions of them)andtheyareworthless to me. The poor, the widow, the afflicted in body and spirit, are thought of, and when they are held close, thenthatisGoodFriday

Since my essence of divine origins, and this includes the worst of the worst,thenallareequal. All must be cherished. Let the revilers revile, for they, too, couldcometotheirsensesin due time, according to Holy Writ. 'So, you are a king?'

More than a question, a Pontian mockery, the putdown of a Roman God of ameaninglesssubject. “The

wordsareyours.” Andthese aremywords.

We talk of unity Only love and respect could bring that to fruition. We talk about being one, then each one of us must be ready to give one and a half. And then some more, and a little more.

Thestonescameflying, and the swords and spears came out in all their sharpness, and there is the mystery and the epiphany: one bearing all these blows, carrying all these burdens, on the hard, rocky road to Calvary and salvation. Where is the once allconquering Roman Empire today? Whose name is on a billionlipsrightnow?

Good Friday is every day Having written it, I must represent it. Having said it, I must live. Having sharedit,thisiswishedofall from number one to those without a number, because theydon'tcount.

Blessed Good Friday to brother and sister, to strangers and partners. And last of all, to all friends, for there are no foes. None whomsoever on this day, or any other day Let there be light,lovetoo.

(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.)

Man in Heroes Highway crash dies

‘Hire guards, beef up security’

...ChineseEmbassyurgessupermarketsownersamidwaveofrobberies

In the wake of a rising number of violent robberies targeting Chinese-owned supermarkets across Guyana, China's Deputy Chief of Mission, Huang Rui, is encouraging his countrymen to beef up their s e c u r i t y w i t h t h e employmentofguards.

D u r i n g a p r e s s conference held Wednesday at the Chinese Embassy in Georgetown, Rui stressed the importance of security for Chinese businesses operating in Guyana. He noted that Chinese supermarkets are wellreceived by Guyanese for their affordable prices and customer-friendly services. However,henotedthatheis notinthepositiontosayhow many Chinese owned supermarketsareinGuyana. “To ensure that these supermarkets are not targeted, it is important they

take safety seriously

Employing local security guardsisnotonlyapractical safety measure, but it also helps foster better ties with the Guyanese community,” Ruistated.

The embassy official acknowledged that not all Chinese stores are large enough to afford private security, but said the embassy has been working with the Ministry of Home Affairs and local police officials to address safety concerns.“Wehavemetwith theDeputyCommissionerof Police to encourage collaboration on crime prevention, and we have urged our businesses to adopt measures such as installing protective barriers andensuringCCTVsystems are active and effective,” he said.

Rui's comments come in the aftermath of a foiled

armed robbery at Jai Jai Supermarket on Hadfield Street, Georgetown, during whichtwobanditswereshot dead by an on-duty armed securityguard.Thesuspects, identified as 15-year-old Tyrese Adams and 22-yearold Orwin Garraway, were killedafterattemptingtorob thestore.Policereportedthat theduo,alongwithtwoother accomplices, were armed with handguns and stormed the supermarket. However, the security guard, armed with a 9mm pistol, responded and fatally shootingthetworobbers. Reports issued by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and reported by Kaieteur News revealed that between October 2024 and March 2025,sevenarmedrobberies tookplaceatChinese-owned businesses across Guyana, resulting in the theft of millions.

These incidents, which have primarily occurred in Georgetown and East Bank Demerara (EBD), indicate a rising trend of violent crime targeting the Chinese businesses,althoughmostof the supermarkets are o

CC

cameras and armed security guards. The robberies have mostly been concentrated in areas like South Ruimveldt,

Diamond. The first major robbery in this series took placeonOctober21,2024,at Chao Hui Supermarket in Providence, EBD where a Chinese businesswoman was robbed of $200,000.

China'sDeputy ChiefofMission, Huang Rui

Two masked men, arriving on a motorcycle, held a security guard at gunpoint before demanding the cash from the businesswoman They escaped from the scene.OnOctober25,2024, An Sheng Supermarket on

Highway was targeted by armed robbers who stole $500,000, $150,000 in phone cards, and three bottles of Hennessy One suspect, Jason Howard, was (Continuedonpage21)

Man remanded for attempted murder

Twenty-seven-year-old

Sean Dos Santos was remanded to prison on Thursday, on a charge of attempttocommitmurder

Dos Santos of Lot 238 Freeman Street East La Penitence Georgetown, appearedbeforeActingChief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court.

He was not required to plea to the charge which alleges that on March 13, 2025,atFreemanStreet,East La Penitence, Georgetown, he with intent to murder, unlawfully and maliciously woundedSeonArchibald.

Theprosecutionobjectto bail since the defendant and Archibald are from the same area. They added that there was a misunderstanding in relation to a missing phone.

The defendant was armed with a firearm and fired several shots at Archibald andhisfamilyandasaresult, Archibaldwasshotinhisleg.

The prosecution argued that if Dos Santos is released on bail, he is likely to commit the said offence again since he was previously charged

Sean Dos Santos at the Georgetown

withmurderin2017. The defence was led by Attorney-at-law Kiswana Jefford, who told the court thatDosSantoscaneasilybe found and he is sustaining a not guilty plea since he was not involved in the incident.

She indicated that when her client learnt that he was wanted by the police, he willinglyturnedhimselfover Magistrate McGusty after hearing the arguments remandedDosSantosandthe matter was adjourned until May21,2025.

The suspected getaway car Berbice businessman shot dead by bandit

...onesuspectincustody,getawaycarimpounded

A 5 4 - y e a r - o l d businessman lost his life tragically on Thursday morning, after he was shot during a robbery at his business place located by his home at Lot 119 Edinburgh Village,EastBankBerbice.

Dead is Hemchan Utan. The incident occurred at 10:30h, while Utan was conducting usual business at hishome.Policereportedthat while he was doing business, a man pounced on him and said,"givemethemoney."

Following that a scuffle ensued, which resulted in the suspect discharging a round from the firearm he was allegedly armed with The suspect then fled the scene, leaving an injured Utan behind The victim was r u s h e d t o t h e N e w

Amsterdam Hospital, where he succumbed unfortunately, tohisinjurieswhilereceiving treatment. It is unclear whether the suspect stole any valuables. Police confirmed that a suspectisincustodyassisting with investigations. Notably, a motorcar, which is suspected to be the getaway vehiclewaslodged.

Magistrates' Court

Hemchan Utan

AFC calls for competent staff to be hired at GPL

TheAllianceForChange on Thursday has lamented the blackout situation

Guyana, saying that pumping billions into the Gast-to-Energy Project without fixing the issues at theGuyanaPowerandLight (GPL) will only produce excusesonthegovernment's partinsteadofsolutions.

During the party's weekly press conference, Former Minister of Public Infrastructure and Chairman of the AFC, told the media that despite the presence of 27 containerised generator sets and two powerships,

Guyana continues to face a blackout crisis on a daily basis. The excuses provided by the government are comicalandhave“becomea running joke to the citizens, ifitisnotbirdsonawire,itis batteriesinthepowerstation to excavator drivers and order such simple, preventableexcuses.”

Looking at last year, Patterson highlighted that a $16B subvention was given to the GPL which translates toUS$80Mtooffsetthecost of the equipment mentioned earlier; in 2025, the amount has increased by UD$10M,

equivalent to a whopping $18B in local currency, which was approved in February.He argued that in spiteofthehugeamountsof money, there has not been anything accomplished, as the management remains intact, with financial and commerciallossesonthealltimehighabove30%.“Daily blackouts continue, the Alliance For Chance, on behalf of the country, is demanding that the government immediately employ external as well as local,competentstaff,asthe country can recall in 2020

most of the competent staff would have been let go on resumption of the PPP tenure, and the result is exactly what we are seeing now…,”hesaid. He stressed that the much-vaunted Gas-toEnergy project which he termed as the government's silver bullet is languishing, andtheAFChasmaintained that it will not solve the electricity issues. “Now, the PPPhasboastedthatwiththe two powerships, the 27 generators, containerized generators, as well as the existing generation stock

Former Minister of Public Infrastructure and Chairman of the AFC, David Patterson

that we have doubled the capacity needed, yet every single day the country is

faced with blackout. So the challengesandtheproblems are obviously not limited to the generation alone,” he added. With the government pumpinginexcessofUS$3B into the gas project without fixing the underlying issues that the GPL is facing, “we can expect nothing else but excusesfromthePPPandthe GPL cooperation going forward.So,itisourdemand thatthetimeishereforthem toemploycompetentstaffto advise them. Some of the staff in GPL, we do know havethecompetence,butit's time that new ideas, new staff, new thinking are injected into GPL, ” Pattersonsaid.

Duo charged with murder of Cuban national

Two young men

wereremandedto p r i s o n o n Thursdayforthemurderofa Cuban national during a robbery last Sunday in Melanie, East Coast Demerara.

The defendants are: 20year-old Tyrese Blair of Lot 44 Middle Walk, Buxton, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and 21-year-old Omar BacchusofLot121Paradise Housing Scheme, ECD TheyappearedbeforeSenior Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Vigilance Magistrate's Court.

Brutus's

Frompage8 lengthytimelineandordered that copies of the passport receipttobesubmittedtothe court.

Meanwhile, in the related caseinvolvingBrutuswhois facing 261 financial crime charges, and George, the prosecution admitted that some key bank documents were still outstanding Brutus's attorney, Everton Lammy-Singh, expressed concern over the delays,

Theywerenotrequiredto plea to the indictable charge which alleges that on April 13, 2025 at Melanie Market Road, ECD, they murdered 54-year-old Jose Aurelio Ramirezduringthecourseor furtherance of a robbery Blair was represented by Attorney-at law Adrian Thompson, while Bacchus was unrepresented Magistrate Scarce remanded BlairandBacchusuntiltheir nextcourtappearance,which is scheduled for May 22, 2025.

stating, “They should not be charginganyoneiftheydon't havetheirevidenceinorder.” HefurtherarguedthatBrutus should not be required to make frequent court appearances given the prosecution's lack of preparedness and requested that his client's appearances be adjusted to once per month. Magistrate McGusty agreed to the defence's request.Thematterwasthen adjournedtoMay16,2025.

Defendant, Tyrese Blair

Defendant, Omar Bacchus

Entertainment Kaieteur Entertainment Kaieteur

Rolling into a New Era

-MarlisaOsbourneBringsRoller SkatingCulturetoGuyana

In the heart of Georgetown, along the iconic Kingston Seawall Esplanade, a new movement is taking shape every Sunday evening. As the sun begins its descent, dozens of Guyanese gather, strapping wheels to their feet and experiencing the exhilarating freedom of roller skating, many for the first time in their lives.Behind this burgeoning skating community is Marlisa Osbourne,thevisionaryfounderof Glide.gy, who has single-handedly introducedrollerskatingcultureto a country where the sport was virtually nonexistent just over a yearago.

"IwokeuponedaylastJanuary andjustfeltlikelearningtoskate," Osbourne recalls That spontaneous decision sparked something unexpected, a passion thatwouldsoonspreadthroughout Georgetownandbeyond.

As a fitness enthusiast, Osbourne quickly recognized the physical benefits of skating, but it was the pure joy of gliding along smooth surfaces that truly captivated her "It's fun, freeing,

keeps you fit, and takes you away fromthescreen,"sheexplains."It's anewsenseofenjoyment."

Seeing the potential to create somethingbiggerthanherpersonal hobby,OsbournefoundedGlide.gy andhostedherinauguraleventlast August. The turnout exceeded all expectations,revealingasurprising appetite for roller skating among Guyaneseofallages.

What began as occasional meetupsonthefirstandlastSunday of each month quickly gained momentum The overwhelming support motivated Osbourne to expand, and today, Glide gy operates every Sunday from 4 pm to 8 pm on the Seawall Esplanade, offering a unique recreational experience for locals and visitors alike.Understanding the barriers to entry for a sport that requires specialized equipment, Osbourne has acquired approximately 100 pairsofrollerskatesthatshemakes availableforrent$1500forhalfan houror$2500forafullhour.Each rental includes a crash course for beginners, ensuring that everyone, regardless of experience, can

participatesafely

"Rollerskatingisabigthingin otherpartsoftheworld,"Osbourne notes, "and with the trajectory that Guyana is on, it's only fitting that we also cr

ating community." Her vision extends beyond weekly gatherings Osbourne dreams of establishing Guyana'sfirstproperrollerskating rink, a multipurpose facility that wouldserveasthepermanenthome forthisgrowingcommunity

TheimpactofGlide.gyextends beyond recreation. Osbourne has connectedwithexpatriateslivingin

Guyana who grew up with skating rinks in their home countries, creating cultural bridges through shared experiences For many Guyanese, roller skating offers not just a new hobby but a window to globalrecreationaltrends.

As Guyana continues its rapid development, initiatives like Glide.gy represent the kind of grassroots cultural enrichment that complements economic growth Osbourne's passion project is adding texture to Guyana's recreational landscape, providing an alternative to screen-based

entertainment and introducing a sport that combines physical activitywithsocialconnection. For anyone curious about experiencing this new phenomenon, the invitation stands—every Sunday from 4 pm to 8 pm, the Kingston Seawall Esplanade transforms into Guyana's unofficial rollerskating hub. Whether you're a seasoned skaterorhaveneverwornapairin yourlife,MarlisaOsbourneandthe Glide.gy community are ready to welcome you to Guyana's newest recreationalrevolution.

"Friends With Benefits" set to Boost Bartica Regatta Tourism

Bartica's annual Easter Regatta celebrations

w i l l r e c e i v e a significant tourism boost this weekend with the inclusion of popular promoter Marlon Jacobs' "Friends With Benefits" event to theofficialcalendar Thestreetjam, scheduled for Saturday,April 20th at Futu's Square, is expected to draw hundreds of visitors from across Guyana to the riverside town.

Theevent,nowinitssixthyear, has evolved from its Georgetown origins into a staple of Guyana's entertainment landsca expanding to various regions even internationally This year's Bartica edition has received official endorsement and support from both the Ministry of Tourism and the MinistryofCulture,Youth& Sport, highlighting its recognition as a valuable additiontoGuyana'scultural andtourismofferings.

Headlining the event is Trinidadian artist Lady Lava, known for having some of the biggest current hits on ra alongside Guyanese favo Carlvin Burnett The mus

lineup also features renowned DJs including Slingers Sound, Mix Master Tony, and Ghost, with Jacobshimselfpossiblymakingan appearanceasaperformer "IalwaysdoaneventinBartica aroundRegattaeveryyear,"Jacobs explained,"butthisyearIengaged with the chairman and the regatta committee to do the annual street jam event and add an international artisttospiceupthecalendar Lady Lava is trending right now with someofthebiggestsongsonradio, s o I tho

t she would be perfect for he street jam Carlvin Burnett is also a crowd favourite, people in Bartica him as much as they love It's going to be a night filled

with excitement that will take the Regatta experience to another level!"

As the mind behind Freedom Family Entertainment, Jacobs has shown a knack for identifying

opportunities to bring quality entertainment to areas beyond Georgetown. His vision to expand "Friends With Benefits" from its capitalcitybeginningstobecoming part of official regional celebrations demonstrates a commendable commitment to cultural development across Guyana.

The inclusion of "FriendsWith Benefits" in the official Regatta program represents a strategic move to enhance Bartica's appeal during the Easter weekend, traditionally one of the town's busiesttourismperiods.

The Regatta itself is a longstanding tradition featuring boat races, beach activities, and various cultural events that showcase the unique character of theregion.

Tourism industry observers notethateventsblendinglocaland international talent are precisely what smaller destinations need to attract visitors willing to make the journey Withhundredsexpectedto traveltoBarticaspecificallyforthis event, local businesses including

transportation services stand to benefitsignificantly

Guyanesepromoter, Marlon Jacobs

FounderofGlide, Marlisa Osborne

Patrons gliding on Kingston Seawall Esplanade

Shake it to the Max (Fly) remix rises on the charts

Mature crowd gets their moment to shine at

“Big People Party” this Easter

While Easter weekend in Guyana typically sees an abundance of events catering to younger crowds, the mature audience isn't being left out this year As many venues fill with youth-oriented celebrations, Marvelous Entertainment is offering something different with "The Original Big People Party: Big & Ready Edition"scheduledforSunday,April20atthe GuyanaNationalStadium.

Bull (Blue Ribbon), Big Papa, DJ Akelo, Selector Ricky, Killa Milla, Selector Diamond, Father Ndey, and Green Dungs will be trading spots behind the decks and keepingthedancefloorpackedallnightlong.

(JAMAICA OBSERVER) What was intended to be a simple club anthem has emergedintoaninfectiousglobalhit.

ShakeittotheMax(Fly),billedasMoliy, Silent Addy, Skillibeng and Shenseea, has exploded and is making moves on several charts.

Locally,ShakeittotheMaxspentseveral daysat#1onYouTube'sTrendingforMusic. This week it moves up from #5 to #4 on the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs chart, while debutingat#97ontheDutchTop100,#44on theUKSingleschart,#13inSurinameand#1 ontheUKAfrobeatschart.

The song is produced by Jamaican-born Adam“SilentAddy”AlexanderandFloridabased Neil “Disco Neil” Dyer, who is of Jamaicanparentage.

In an interview with the Jamaica Observer,DiscoNeilspokeabouttheconcept ofthesongandhowtheartistesfortheremix werechosen.

“TheconceptofShakeittotheMaxwas tomakeasimpleinfectiousclubanthemthat woulddowellonsocialswithadancepaired

with it. We were working with Moliy in Miami at the Bashment Sound Studio and sincewehaddoneonesessionprevioustothe ShakeitTotheMaxSessionDiscowithme,I put together a beat/production that I thought would be great with Moliy's tone and style. Oncesheheardit,sheimmediatelycaughtthe inspirationandstartedtowrite,andtherestis history,”hesaid.

Disco Neil told the Observer that the originalsongwasteasedonTikTokandwent viral within days and just continued to grow intotheholidayseason.

“Asfatewouldhaveit,SilentAddywasin Jamaica for the holidays and the song was being played at every event. One of those eventsSkillibengwasinattendanceheardit, and Addy made the link with management andgottheverse.Wewerealreadyconnected with Shenseea's team, so once she showed interest in the song we just connected all the dotsandhereweare,”hecontinued.

The success of the song didn't come as a surprise, charged Disco Neil, “[We]knew it

(Continuedonpage23)

The much-anticipated event features an impressive lineup of performers and DJs underthehostingdutiesofDJKillaMillaand DJAkelo,whopromiseattendees"thetimeof theirlife".

The lineup reads like a who's who of crowd-pleasers tailored for those who know their music: Murphy One Man Band, Big F One Man Band, Genesis One Man Band, SuperRay,ErrolOneManBand,andCalibro Bandwillalltakethestagelive.Andasifthat wasn't enough star power, the legendary OscarBwillbebringingdecadesofmusical masterytothefestivities.

For those who prefer their music curated bymasterselectors,theeventboastsadream team of eight DJs ready to spin the classics and hidden gems that will have you saying "they don't make music like this anymore!"

General Admission will set you back $5,000, but you'll also walk away with a branded BPPumbrella. For those looking to elevate the experience, VIP tickets are available for $15,000, complete with food anddrinkstokeepyourenergyup.

Asthepromotersboldlydeclare,therecan be no "Big People Party without BIGGG Music", a promise that this isn't just another eventbutacelebrationwherethesoundtrack matches the sophistication of its audience. This is your chance to break out that outfit that's been waiting for the right occasion, gather your crew who understands that age brings wisdom even to partying, and show that maturity and having a blast go hand in hand.GT Lager Beer, Ivanoff Vodka, Banks DIH, and One Guyana have all thrown their support behind this celebration of grown-up revelry, recognizing that the "big people" demographic knows how to appreciate qualityandhaveamemorablenightout. Thosereadytoclaimtheirspotcansecure ticketsthroughhjexperience.com

Disco Neil (left), Moliy, and Silent Addy on the set of the video shoot for Shake it to the Max at Uptown Mondayz in March.

Bamia Primary School to be ready in time for September – Contractor

The long awaited Bamia Primary School in Region 10willbefullyreadyforthe new 2025 academic year in September

This is according to a statement by the contractor St8tment Investment Inc whoinareleaseonThursday said that only minor works are remaining to complete theproject.

“With only minor electrical installations, lightingfixtures,andlimited plumbing work remaining, the school is on the verge of being handed over,” the releasestated.

A recent inspection conducted by the Regional Executive Officer (REO), Mr Dwight John, other regional authorities and Project Consultant Mr Rudolph Anthony (from E&A Consultants Inc ) confirmed that construction is progressing at a satisfactory standard, the companydisclosed.

The contract for the Bamia Primary School was

November2021.Sincethen, the project has experienced severaldelaysduetoarange of challenges, including labour shortages, increased

om facilities.

Commenting on the

company, Kerwin Bollers in the release expressed that

conditions These setbacks collectively impacted the

d contributed to extensions, thecontractormentioned. When completed, the moderneducationalbuilding willinclude44classrooms,a fully equipped gymnasium, an auditorium, a science laboratory, a music room, a library, smart classrooms, a

“We are proud to have brought this project to its final stage and look forward to officially handing it over to the Region and the young mindswhowillbenefitfrom it ”This publication had reported that the project started some three years ago and has since missed four deadlines for completion St8mentInvestmentInc.was

incorporated in March of 2021 and its principals are RawleFergusonandKerwin Bollers of Hits and Jams Entertainment along with Aubrey 'Shanghai' Major and Kashif Muhammed of the Kashif and Shanghai footballtournament.

At the time of the signing, the project was expected to be completed

30 graduate from youth entrepreneurial development programme

Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited has announced the successful graduation of 30 young entrepreneurs from the second cohort of SSYDR

Entrepreneurial Development Programme(SEDP). This programme was implemented by Specialists in Sustained Youth Development and Research (SSYDR) Inc. with the generous support of the Bank's Power to Make a Difference social investment initiative The graduation ceremony held onApril 11, 2025 at Herdmanston Lodge, Georgetown marks a significant milestone in the Bank's ongoing commitmenttoyouthentrepreneurship andcommunitydevelopment.

In a press release, the bank said 20 of the graduates, from Regions 2, 3, 4,

and 6 will now receive startup grants totaling$4.5millionGuyanadollars,to launch or expand their business ventures In the coming weeks, recipients will begin acquiring the necessary equipment and supplies to pursue their chosen business paths, supported by continued business coachingtoensuretheirsuccess.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Mr Eon Grant, Manager, Head Office emphasised the Bank's dedication to supporting young entrepreneurs: "At Republic Bank, we deeply believe in the transformative power of youth entrepreneurship.As a proud sponsor of this significant initiative, we aim to positively impact livesandchangefortunesforthebetter Our partnership with SSYDR

represents more than fulfilling our corporate social responsibility—it's a valuableinvestmentinGuyana'sfuture throughyou,ouryoungentrepreneurs."

First launched in November 2022, the SSYDR Entrepreneurship Development Programme has now served115youthsfromRegions2,3,4, 5,6,7,and10.Thecomprehensivesixmonthinitiativebeginswithtwoweeks of intensive training using the SSYDR entrepreneurship curriculum, followed by a One-Day Business Challenge and two additional weeks focused on business plan development and presentation.Duringthesecondmonth, participants begin purchasing equipment and setting up their operations,followedbyfourmonthsof (Continuedonpage23)

within20months,thatbeing completed by July 2023

However,thecontractorwas unable to finish the project, and was given a several deadlines to complete the works.

It was reported that the project was signed for $346 million and in 2024, the National Assembly approvedsome$127million more to go towards completingtheschool.

Skeletal remains of missing man found in Zeelugt trench

The skeletal remains suspected to be that of missing man were found on Thursday afternoon in a trench next to a culvert at Zeelugt Fisherdam, East BankEssequibo(EBE). It was clad in an orange jersey,abrownclothbeltand a dark-coloured pants. The same clothes that a 65-yearold labourer, was last seen dressed in before he went missinginJanuarylast.

The missing man was

Gansham better known as "Bad Boy" of Lot 815 Zeelugt,EBE.

Police reportedly called in his son to check the remains and to confirm that

theclothesthebodywasclad in belongs to his missing father. He revealed too that his fatherusuallydrinksrumata shop nearby where the skeletalremainswerefound. I

individuals in the area and reviewing some camera footagewithhopesoffinding out how the remains got there. Ranks were alerted to the discovery of the remains

Thursday after persons saw what looked like a human head in a trench. Residents had also reported a strong stenchcomingfromthatarea somethreeweeksago.

The new Bamia Primary School in Region 10. (Photo courtesy, St8tment Investment Inc.)

Graduates of SSYDR Entrepreneurial Development Programme, along with officials of Republic Bank and specialists in Sustained Youth Development (SSYDR).

AFC says will go it alone

TheAllianceForChange (AFC) on Thursday announced that it will be contesting the upcoming General Elections without the A Partnership for NationalUnity(APNU).

AFC and APNU had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on January 21, 2025 to identify shared principles, a political platform, goals, and terms for collaboration in the interest of achieving the mutual political goal of successfully contesting this year's General and Regional Elections.

The MoU stipulated that ifnoagreementisreachedby March 31, 2025, to proceed as a coalition, the agreement will end, and no coalition willbeformed.Thetwosides had however agreed to

$4.2B

extend this timeline after failingtoreachanagreement bythattimeline.

On Thursday, Chairman of theAFC, David Patterson during a party press conference revealed that despitethebesteffortsofthe two negotiating teams, a mutually agreed position couldnotbemet.

“Regrettably, we have, despitethebesteffortsofour negotiation team, been able to arrive at a mutually beneficial arrangement with A P N U W e ' v e communicated our decision, regrettably so toAPNU, and we have also indicated to them that we will proceed with our campaign as the Alliance For Change since time is of the essence,” the Member of Parliament (MP) explained.

Patterson added that the AFC is willing to cooperate with the APNU and “other individuals” in areas outside the elections. According to him, the door is open to changestothispositionprior tonominationday

Meanwhile,Leaderofthe AFC and the party's Presidential Candidate, Nigel Hughes made it clear that theAFC never objected to Opposition and Leader of the People's National Congress Reform (PNCR), Aubrey Norton as the Coalition's Presidential Candidate Instead, he believes that a scientific process should make such a determination.

“If we conducted those scientific reviews and we looked at the data and Mr (Continuedonpage23)

in contracts signed for road works in Reg. 6

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill and the Regional Administration engaging contractors at Berbice High School on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy, Regional Democratic Council, Region 6)

The Ministry of Public WorksonWednesdaysigned approximately$4.2billionin contracts for a number of infrastructure works for communitiesinRegionSix.

A c c o r d i n g t o information provided by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region

Six, the simple yet significantsigningceremony took place at the Berbice High School in New Amsterdam, which was overseen by Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill andhisteam.

The projects which are for the upgrading of community roads in the region saw a total of 293 contractssigned. Notably, the RDC said that contracts were awarded to small and emerging contractors most of whom arefemales.

that this approach not only empowers small and young contractors but also fosters

g infrastructuredevelopment.”

This publi

T h e R e g i o n a l Administration further reported that Minister Edghill at the ceremony “highlighted that the contracts fall under what he described as 'fixed-rate contracts' which are designed to benefit small contractorsbyallowingthem to bid on projects valued at $16millionorless.Henoted

n understands that the Public Works Ministry has been

d constructingroadsacrossthe country to enhance not only their conditions but also improve the accessibility of residents living in those communities.To support its variousroadprogrammesfor this year, the ministry was allocated over $50 billion fromthenationalbudget.

PNCRandOppositionLeader, Aubrey Norton

AFCLeader, Nigel Hughes

CXCsaysnewcertification notattempttowaterdown standards

( J A M A I C A OBSERVER) Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC)RegistrarandChief Executive Officer Dr WayneWesley has assured that the Caribbean

Targeted Education Certificate (CTEC) — the new qualification unveiled bythecertificationbodyon Tuesday is not an attempt to water down its standardstocoverforpoor studentperformance.

The region's premier assessment and awarding body, in unveiling sweeping changeswhichitsays“marks the beginning of the end” of CXC “as we know it”, said consequentonCXC'sshiftto become more flexible and responsivetotheneedsofthe region, the new learnercentred qualification was developed.

“The new qualifications, one of the concerns we are seekingtoaddressisthatyou have too many persons leaving the school system now without certification and it can't be that students would have spent the better part of 18 years within the school system and end up leaving without any certification.

So how do we begin to address that particular concern, and one of the response is through the CTEC,” Wesley said on Tuesday

“Wewillbedealingwith the learning style of the individual, the learning rate and the learning depth; how students learn, the pace at which they learn, and the amount of content that they canabsorbatanyonetime.In that regard, we have recognised that there are multiple options; you have advanced gifted students whocantaketheaccelerated track and those who can do so through a compressed programme.

We also recognise that therearethetypicalstudents who will take the general track, completing a programme in a specified period of time as in most of our syllabuses [two years], and then you have the individual who will need a flexible track and extended programmetimetotreatwith and absorb the content,” he explainedfurther

He said CTEC will be at the same standar

(CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE); will

utilisethesamesyllabus;will be focused on related and relevant learning outcomes; as well as provide for the progressive achievement of competencies and will be non-terminal.

“WhatCTECisdoing,is providing a level of flexibility to the system for persons; regardless of their own particular circumstance that caused them to either leave school earlier than planned or any difficulty in covering certain content, they can now manage that contentoveraperiodoftime. Hence,thiscertification.

It's not lowering the standard, it is the same level of CSEC and CAPE. CTEC will be at O'Level; we are using the same syllabus, so we are not changing the standard,” the exam chief stated.

“ W h a t w e h a v e innovatively done is to pull these out into manageable components as modules within a particular subject and allow students to focus on a particular module at a particulartime.

Thatfocuswillstillallow them to achieve the full CSEC certification, hence module 1 provides for stackability

You start with module 1, move to module 2 and then module3,youobtainthefull certification; but if for some reason you are not able to continue within the school system and you have to leave, you can leave with something rather than this all-or-nothing situation,” he added.

“You have a basis on which you can re-engage Becauserightnow,asitis,if you did not achieve CSEC mathematics, for example, you have to start all over again to write the subject. Now, if you have completed module1,youcanre-engage the system at module 2,” he explained.

“The other level of flexibilitythatexistsisthata student might be pursing the sciences or engineering or construction and they want

CXCRegistrar andChief Executive Officer, Dr Wayne Wesley

something in business, let's say entrepreneurship, they can now do that module in entrepreneurshipandbeable to apply that to their engineering field without having to do the entire syllabus for business So that'stheideabehindCTEC, whyweareputtingitforward asoneofthesolutionstodeal with the challenges facing the secondary school system,” the CXC head told thebriefing.

Last year only 58.18 per cent of candidates achieved passes in five or more subjects, including mathematics and English Furthermore, only 36 per cent of the total candidates passed the mathematics CSEC exam, with pass rates fluctuating between 34 per cent and 43 per cent from 2021 to 2023. The poor performance was, however, attributed to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tuesday Wesley said CXCwasexpectingtosee“a lot more improvement” in the maths performance with theCTECapproach.“Weare taking a research-based approach…andso,fromthe primarylevelwearetreating with the issue of numeracy and literacy because if those foundational skills are acquired early enough then obviously, when they get to the upper level of the secondary school system to begin to write these eternal examinationsthentheyarein apositiontodoso,andtothat endwehavedevelopedaset of standards that will be applied at the lower secondaryschoolsystemand the primary level to ensure students get the foundation required in literacy and numeracy to be able to take on what obtains at the upper levelofthesecondaryschool system,”hestated.

A pilot of the CTEC certification will begin in September 2025, with the firstcertificatetobeawarded in 2026 when the first set of students will be writing that examination.

Scientists find 'strongest evidence yet' of life on distant planet

(BBC NEWS) Scientists havefoundnewbuttentative evidence that a faraway world orbiting another star maybehometolife.

A Cambridge team studyingtheatmosphereofa planet called K2-18b has detected signs of molecules which on Earth are only produced by simple organisms This is the second,andmorepromising, time chemicals associated with life have been detected intheplanet'satmosphereby Nasa's James Webb Space Telescope(JWST).

But the team and independent astronomers stress that more data is needed to confirm these results. The lead researcher, Prof Nikku Madhusudhan, told me at his lab at Cambridge University's Institute of Astronomy that he hopes to obtain the clinching evidence soon. "This is the strongest evidence yet there is possibly life out there. I can realistically say that we can confirm this signal within onetotwoyears."

Could this faraway worldbehometolife?

K2-18b is two-and-ahalf times the size of Earth and is 700 trillion miles, or 124 light years, away from us - a distance far beyond whatanyhumancouldtravel in a lifetime. JWST is so powerful that it can analyse the chemical composition of theplanet'satmospherefrom the light that passes through from the small red Sun it orbits.TheCambridgegroup has found that the atmosphereseemstocontain the chemical signature of at least one of two molecules that are associated with life: dimethyl sulphide (DMS) and dimethyl disulphide (DMDS). On Earth, these

gases are produced by marine phytoplankton and bacteria.

Prof Madhusudhan said he was surprised by how much gas was apparently detected during a single observation window "The amount we estimate of this gas in the atmosphere is thousands of times higher thanwhatwehaveonEarth," he said "So, if the association with life is real, then this planet will be teemingwithlife,"headded.

Prof Madhusudhan went further: "If we confirm that there is life on K2-18b, it should basically confirm that life is very common in thegalaxy."

He told BBC Radio 5Live on Thursday: "This is a very important moment in science, but also very important to us as a species. "If there is one example, and the universe being infinite, there is a chance for life on manymoreplanets."

Dr Subir Sarkar, a lecturer in astrophysics at Cardiff University and part oftheresearchteam,saidthe research suggests K2-18b could have an ocean which could be potentially full of life - though he cautioned scientists "don't know for sure". He added that the research team's work will continue to focus on looking for life on other planets: "Keepwatchingthisspace."

Therearelotsof"ifs"and "buts" at this stage, as Prof Madhusudhan's team freely admits.

Firstly, this latest detection is not at the standard required to claim a discovery For that, the researchers need to be about 99.99999% sure that their results are correct and not a fluke reading. In scientific jargon, that is a five sigma

Artwork

result. These latest results are only three sigma, or 99.7%. Which sounds like a lot, but it is not enough to convince the scientific community However, it is much more than the one sigmaresultof68%theteam obtained 18 months ago, which was greeted with muchscepticismatthetime.

B u t e v e n i f t h e Cambridge team obtains a five sigma result, that won't be conclusive proof that life exists on the planet, according to Prof Catherine Heymans of Edinburgh University and Scotland's Astronomer Royal, who is independent of the research team.

"Evenwiththatcertainty, there is still the question of what is the origin of this gas," she told BBC News. "On Earth it is produced by microorganisms in the ocean, but even with perfect datawecan'tsayforsurethat this is of a biological origin on an alien world because loads of strange things happen in the Universe and we don't know what other geological activity could be happeningonthisplanetthat m i g h t p r o d u c e t h e molecules."

That view is one the Cambridge team agree with. They are working with other groups to see if DMS and DMDS can be produced by non-living means in the lab. "There is still a 0.3% chance

'Hire guards, beef up...

From page 11

a r r e s t e d , b u t t w o accomplicesremainatlarge.

In South Ruimveldt, a robbery occurred on December 1, 2024, at Kang ChineseSupermarket.

Two gunmen disarmed the security guard and stole an undisclosed amount of cash. They fled the scene on a motorcycle, and the investigation is ongoing Soesdyke, another area that has seen repeated robberies, wasthesiteofanarmedheist on December 18, 2024, at C&HSupermarket.

Two gunmen threatened staff and customers, stealing cashandvaluables.

OrlandoScott,oneofthe suspects, confessed after his arrest, but the second

accompliceisstillatlarge.

OnDecember31,2024,a Chinese-ownedrestaurantin Sophia was targeted, resulting in a 21-year-old bandit being shot dead by a securityguard.

One accomplice was captured, and a third suspect escaped.

The trend continuedinto the new year, with a robbery on February 10, 2025, at Titan Supermarket in Cummings Lodge, where two armed robbers stole $30,000 in cash, during which Robert Massiah, a securityguard,wasshot.

There was also a robbery on March 29, 2025, at Great Diamond, EBD, where two armed robbers targeted Qing Yi Cue and Xian Cheng Xie,

that it might be a statistical fluke," Prof Madhusudhan said. Suggesting life may exist on another planet was "a big claim if true", he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme, adding: "So we want to be really, really thorough, and make more observations, and get the evidence to the level that there is less than a one-in-amillion chance of it being a fluke."

He said this should be possible in "maybe one or twoyears".

Other research groups haveputforwardalternative, lifeless, explanations for the data obtained from K2-18b. There is a strong scientific debate not only about whether DMS and DMDS are present but also the planet'scomposition.

The reason many researchers infer that the

planethasavastliquidocean is the absence of the gas ammonia in K2-18b's atmosphere. Their theory is thattheammoniaisabsorbed by a vast body of water below

But it could equally be explained by an ocean of molten rock, which would preclude life, according to Prof Oliver Shorttle of Cambridge University "Everything we know about planets orbiting other stars comesfromthetinyamounts of light that glance off their atmospheres. So it is an incredibly tenuous signal that we are having to read, not only for signs of life, but everything else," he said. "With K2-18b part of the scientificdebateisstillabout thestructureoftheplanet."

Dr Nicolas Wogan at Nasa's Ames Research Center has yet another interpretation of the data. He p u b l i s h e d r e s e a r c h suggesting that K2-18b is a mini gas giant with no surface.

Both these alternative interpretations have also been challenged by other groups on the grounds that theyareinconsistentwiththe d a t a f r o m J W S T , compounding the strong s c i e n t i f i c d e b a

surroundingK2-18b. Prof Chris Lintott, presenter of the BBC's The Sky at Night, said he had "great admiration" for Prof Madhusudhan's team, but was treating the research with caution. "I think we've got to be very careful about claiming that this is 'a moment' on the search to life We've [had] such moments before," he told Today He said the research should be seen instead as "part of a huge effort to try and understand what's out thereinthecosmos".

Prof Madhusudhan acknowledges that there is still a scientific mountain to climb if he is to answer one of the biggest questions in science. But he believes he and his team are on the right track. "Decades from now, we may look back at this pointintimeandrecogniseit waswhenthelivinguniverse came within reach," he said. "This could be the tipping point, where suddenly the fundamental question of whether we're alone in the universeisonewe'recapable of answering." The research has been published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters

Chinese nationals running a supermarket.

The suspects made off with over $1 1 million, including$200,000inphone cards and an iPhone 12 Pro Max.

The robbers forced the security guard to the ground before stealing the valuables and fleeing on foot Investigations into this incident are ongoing, and CCTV footage is being reviewed.

The total amount stolen across the seven incidents exceeds $2 million, and while some suspects have been arrested, investigations are still ongoing in all cases. Police are working to identify and apprehend the remainingsuspects.

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Guyana slams China’s silence on Venezuela’s provocations

…rejects suggestion for “friendly negotiations” to resolve border controversy

The Government of Guyana has called out the People’s Republic of China for its continued silence on Venezuela’s provocative actions amid the ongoing border controversy and Caracas’ intention to conduct elections in Essequibo.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said it has “taken note that there has been no comment from the Government of the People’s Republic of China on Venezuela’s plan to hold elections on May 25, 2025, in what it has declared the “Guayana Esequiba State” which is the name Venezuela has given to Guyana’s Essequibo region.” The ministry noted that this move by Venezuela is a clear violation of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

This sharp rebuke follows remarks made by China’s Deputy Chief of Mission to Guyana, Huang Rui, during an embassy press conference on Wednesday in Georgetown where he initially suggested the long-standing border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela could

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be resolved through “friendly consultations and negotiations.” Although Rui later retracted the comment, Guyana made it clear that such suggestions are unacceptable, as the matter is already before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation rejects the statement made on April 16, 2025 by the Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China that Guyana and Venezuela can solve the border issue through friendly consultations and negotiations,” the statement said.

Reiterating Guyana’s longstanding position, the ministry noted that the issue is being adjudicated by the ICJ in accordance with the 1966 Geneva Agreement. “Guyana will not engage in discussion of any matter that has been brought before the Court. To do so would be to undermine the jurisdiction and authority of the International Court of Justice,” it was stated. Notably, China’s Deputy Chief of Mission to Guyana Rui, has stated that China will not interfere in the Guyana and Venezuela border controversy. He said China maintains a strict policy of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs. “If you actually follow the Chinese foreign policies, all those

policies, as long as possible, you will see, first of all, we never intervene in internal affairs of any nation. The second principle is we always respect [other countries] sovereignty and territorial, that’s all,” Rui added. For his part, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said at his press conference said that given that Guyana’s national position has always been that the matter will be resolved by the ICJ, for China’s Deputy Chief of Mission to suggest going back to bilateral talks “is improper now to place, and that is what this statement mentioned, because it’s not respectful of our national position.”

Rui’s remarks about friendly negotiations came amid heightened tensions

between Guyana and Venezuela over the long-standing border controversy regarding the resource-rich Essequibo region, which spans over twothirds of Guyana’s landmass.

The Guyana-Venezuela border controversy is currently before the International Court of Justice. Despite a December 2023 agreement between President Ali and Venezuelan President Maduro committing to regional peace, on March 1, 2025, a Venezuelan naval vessel entered Guyana’s waters and approached Exxon’s Prosperity Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel operating in the oil-rich Stabroek Block and radioed that the FPSO was operating in disputed territory.

The Stabroek Block is operated by American oil major ExxonMobil, which holds a 45 per cent interest, Hess with 30 per cent, and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), a Chinese state-owned entity, with a 25 per cent stake. Rui’s remarks were in response to questions about whether CNOOC’s offshore presence signalled broader Chinese involvement, particularly in the face of Venezuela’s aggression. The Government of Guyana has insisted on the ICJ’s role in providing a conclusive judgment on the matter, noting that it has no intention of having direct dialogue with the Nicolas Maduro regime regarding the border controversy.

McDonald leads nominations for President of GTU

The Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) has announced the list of candidates who have officially accepted their nominations and will be contesting in the upcoming elections. According to the list released by the GTU, Coretta McDonald is the single nominee for the position of President of the GTU.

McDonald who holds the position as General Secretary of the GTU is vying for the President of the union months after a High Court judge ruled that she can for the post.

Present General Secretary of the Guyana Teacher’s Union (GTU) Coretta McDonald is the only nominee who has accepted the

nomination to run for the presidency of the union.

In an interview with this publication, she disclosed that there were three other persons who were nominated: Sir Martin Samaroo from Essequibo, Collis Nicholson and Julian Cambridge but she was the only person who accepted. The election will be conducted using the postal ballot method. Teachers will have one month to receive their ballot and cast their votes.

According to the information posted via the GTU’s Facebook, Mariska Williams and Andy Cameron are in contest for the post of 1st Vice President; Mariska Williams, Karl Vanier, Raywattie

listed as the nominees for Regional Vice President Berbice; Randy Mingo, Kenisha Headley and Fanica Lewis are in contest for Regional Vice-President Demerara; and Rabindranauth Boodram and Thakurdeen Durga are listed for Regional Vice President Essequibo.

General Secretary of GTU, Coretta McDonald

Persaud , Ronald Cox and Andrew Dhanraj are vying for 2nd Vice President; Imran Ally and Collis Nicholson are in contest to be General Secretary ; Heathcliff Peters , Wykieta Stoute and Tiffani Hinds are nominated to contest for Deputy General Secretary; Roxane St. Hill, Raelene Phillips are in contest for Treasurer; Mehalai McAlmont , Imran Ally are

In a brief statement accompanying the list of nominees, the GTU noted the dedicated individuals have stepped forward to serve the teaching fraternity with commitment, transparency, and a vision for progress.

“We commend them for their courage and willingness to lead, and we encourage all members to stay engaged in the electoral process. Let us continue to strengthen our union by supporting a free, fair, and democratic election,” the statement concluded.

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

China’s Deputy Chief of Mission to Guyana, Huang Rui

Shake it to the Max (Fly) remix rises...

Frompage16 was special from what we recorded, but it’s always a surprisetoseehowfarithas really gone. From hearing it play at events and on radio worldwide, to family challenges, businesses promoting their companies withthesong. Howmanytimesithasgone viral online along with the collaboration of these two dancehall giants on one track, along with Moliy, is truly a moment in dancehall music history that will be remembered, and this is a song that will be played for quitesometime.”

Meanwhile, on the Billboard US Afrobeats Songs chart, Awuke by Davido, featuring YG Marley, moves up from #22 to #19 in its 22nd week on the chart It previously peaked at #9. The track is featured on Davido’s new album 5ive, which is being r e l e a s e d v i a DMW/Columbia Records

onApril18.Thesong R & B , f e a t u r i n g Shenseeaand450,isalsoon thealbum.

Over on the German Urban chart, Push 2 Start (remix) by Tyla and Sean Paulinchesupfrom#3to#2; the song backtracks from #66 to #89 on Nigeria TurntableHot100.

While Let it Talk to Me by Busta Rhymes, featuring Akon and Vybz Kartel, improvesfrom#11to#10in itssixthweek.

SeanPaul’sLetitTalkto Me,featuringINNA,risesto #8 on the German Urban chart.

Bob Marley & the Wailers continue their dominance on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart, with Legend spending 274 nonconsecutiveweeksat#1.

Best of Shaggy: The Boombastic Collection by Shaggyis#2,DuttyClassics CollectionbySeanPaulisat #3,and World on Fire by Stick

Figureis#4. Greatest Hits by UB40 remainsat#5,DuttyRockby Sean Paul is firm at #6, and StickFigurehasSetinStone and Wisdom at #7 and #8, respectively.

Welcome to Jamrock

by Damian Marley inches up to #9, while Exodus by Bob Marley & the Wailers dips to #10. Moving now to regional charts, Shaggy and

Sting’s Til a Mawnin spends a 5th week at #1 on the New York Reggae chart, while over on the SouthFloridareggaechartit clocksits2ndweekat#1.

I am the One by 6ixGal is again the #1 song on the Rebel Vibez

Changes by Zantelly at #3, Jah Sunlight by Rayzalution at #8, and Warm and Tender Love

by Deemo Matthews enteringat#10.

AFC says will go it alone...

Frompage19

Norton was the person on top, clearly that would be quite acceptable to us,” Hughesexplained.

Although it was proposedthatscientificdata be used to determine the Presidential candidate, Patterson said this was not mutuallyagreedto.

Bethatasitmay,hewas reluctant to disclose any specificissuesthetwosides failedtoagreeto.

“There is no specific issue I will like to venture into and we do think timeis of the essence,” Patterson told reporters as he noted elections are likely by Novemberbutcanbehosted muchearlier Hughes had previously indicated his willingness to step aside for a consensus candidate and had touted businessman Terrence Campbell as a suitable candidate.

Norton on the other hand did not make his

position known on that suggestion. Instead he said thataPresidentialCandidate wouldhavetobeselectedby hisparty

In the meantime, the Chairman said the AFC is opentomembershipfromall individuals,eventhosewith ties to the ruling PPP administration.

He said, “Should anybody want to join, groups, parties, individuals, former members, even the PPPwhoeveritisthatwants to come on board, as we have done all the time we will openly disclose such, when and how, and if that happens.”

PattersonsaidthePPPis currentlyina“freefall”with failed decisions and is currently in a “giveaway” mood and “unplanned expenditure” as it attempts tochangeitsfate.

To this end, he said, “To suggest that they will be back in government after beingsoinept,socorruptisa

stretch we don’t agree with...to think that they will get back in is obviously a beliefthatwedon’tholdto.”

HebelievesthatthePPP willlosealthoughtheAPNU and AFC are to contest the electionsseparately

So far, the Executive Committee of the AFC has not decided who will run alongside Hughes as the party’s Prime Ministerial Candidate.

In a separate statement, the APNU said it was formally notified of the AFC’s decision to contest the 2025 elections in a writtencorrespondence.

It added, “The PNCR and APNU remain committedtodiscussingand working with all interested parties in establishing a coalitiongovernmenttotake Guyanaforward.

Assuch,shouldtheAFC wish to re-engageAPNU in coalitiontalksorinanyjoint endeavour,westandwilling andready.”

30 graduate from youth entrepreneurial...

Frompage18 structured business coaching to help ensure the sustainability and growth of their ventures.

In her address, Mrs. Magda GriffithFrance, Executive Director of SSYDR reflected on the organization’s journey, she stated “For over eight years, SSYDR has workedtirelesslytoempoweryoungpeople throughvariousinitiatives.

Time and again, we have encountered talented, driven youth with a passion for business but lacking the financial resources andknowledgetoturntheirdreamstoreality Providingthisopportunitytoownandgrow their businesses is not just an investment in

the future – it’s a step toward realizing our vision of inspired youth transforming themselves, their communities and their nation.” She further expressed her gratitude toRepublicBankfortheircontinuedsupport adding “Your dedication is proof that collaboration is one of the most powerful toolsforsocialchange.”Thistransformative initiative is made possible through the ongoingsupportofRepublicBank(Guyana) Limited, under its Power to Make a Difference (PMAD) social investment initiative. Through PMAD, Republic Bank remains deeply committed to making a lasting difference in the communities it serves.

Israeli strikes flatten tented area for displaced Gazans

...37 people killed

(BBC NEWS) At least 37 people have been killed in a series of Israeli strikes, most in areas where displaced civilians have set up tents, Gaza's Hamas-run civil defenceagencysays.

Witnessesinal-Mawasitoldthe BBC that tents were engulfed in flames following a "powerful" explosion, causing the deaths of dozens of Palestinians including children. One man said he woke to "screamingandpanic"andwatched as "the flames spread rapidly from onetenttoanother".

Israel has previously told Palestinians to evacuate from other parts of Gaza to al-Mawasi. The Israelimilitarydidnotimmediately comment but said that it was looking into reports of the strikes.

Civil defence spokesman Mahmoud Bassal said that two missiles had hit tents in the coastal al-Mawasi area near the southern city of KhanYounis, killing at least 16 people, "most of them women and children". Twenty-three others werewounded,hesaid.

Video verified by the BBC showedthecharredremnantsofthe camp with belongings strewn across the ground and survivors surveying the damage. Survivors

described waking to the "sound of screaming and panic" after a "powerful" explosion hit the encampment. "I rushed outside and saw the tent next to mine engulfed in flames," a man told the BBC's GazaLifelineprogramme.

"Women were running out, trying desperately to escape the fire,"hecontinued.

"Many martyrs were lost in the fire and we were helpless to save them.Itwasheartbreakingtowatch them die right in front of us, unable to do anything as the flames spread rapidlyfromonetenttoanother."

Hesaidthata"largenumber"of childrenhaddied.

Adisplaced woman from Khan Yunis said that the strike had killed 10 members of one family while they were sleeping, with another five family members injured. A man described rushing to the scene with others after hearing the explosion and attempting to extinguish the flames by throwing sand on the tents. "But we failed," he said. "The fire was too intense, consuming the tents and the people inside We were helpless, we couldn'tdoanythingtosavethem."

Amande Bazerolle, an emergency coordinator for

Witnesses told the BBC that flames spread rapidly between tents, causing dozens of deaths, including those of children

Medicines Sans Frontiers (MSF) in Gaza, said the strikes had occurred close to their office and MSF received some of the victims. "Last night it was very close to our office in the south. When the tents were targeted and caught on fire we received the patients. Most of them are actually dead and arrive dead but we have some very critical patients,"shetoldtheBBC.

Gaza's civil defence agency said further air strikes killed seven people in the northern town of Beit Lahia, two near al-Mawasi and 10 people in Jabalia, including seven members of one family in one attack and three people at a school building being used as a shelter in another.

In a statement on Thursday, the Israelimilitarysaidthatstrikesover

the past two days had "struck over 100 terror targets" including "terrorist cells, military structures and infrastructure sites". The IDF said that earlier in the week strikes in the area of Khan Younis had killed Yahya Fathi Abd al-Qader Abu Shaar, the head of Hamas' weaponssmugglingnetwork.

It said steps had been taken to mitigate the risk of harm to civilians.

Israel put Gaza under a complete blockade on 1 March and resumed the war on 18 March. Since then Israeli attacks have killed 1,691 people, the Hamas-run health ministry says. About half a million Palestinians have been displaced by renewed Israeli evacuation orders and Israel has incorporated 30% of Gaza into

"securityzones".

On Thursday the heads of 12 major aid organisations said the humanitarian aid system in Gaza was"facingtotalcollapse".

"This is one of the worst humanitarian failures of our generation,"thechiefexecutivesof 12 NGOs, including Oxfam and Save the Children, wrote in a statement. Israel says it aims to pressure Hamas to release hostages and has vowed to maintain the blockade. It claims there is no shortage of aid because 25,000 lorry loads of supplies entered duringtheceasefire.

Israel has reportedly put forward a proposal for a renewed ceasefire under which dozens of Israeli hostages would be released and Hamas would disarm. Hamas has rejected disarming On ThursdayAFPnewsagencyquoted Hamas officials as saying that the groupwasstilldeliberatingoverthe Israeliproposal.

The war began on October 7, 2023 when Hamas carried out a cross-border attack on Israeli communities, killing around 1,200 people and seizing 251 hostages according to Israeli tallies. Israel's military campaign against Hamas has killed at least 51,065 people, according to the territory's Hamasrunhealthministry

Supreme Court to hear arguments in May in challenge to Trump's plan to end birthright citizenship

(CNN)

The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear oral arguments over President Donald Trump'srequesttoenforceaplanto end birthright citizenship against all but a handful of individuals, though it deferred a request from the administration that would have allowed it to implement its plan immediately

The high court will hear argumentsinthecaseonMay15.

Though Trump was raising what the administration described asa“modest”requesttolimitlower court orders against his plans, the court's decision to hear arguments in the case was nevertheless remarkable and historic. A win for Trump would allow him to enforce a policy that a lower described as “blatantly unconstitutional” throughout most of the nation. The court did not explain its reasoning andtherewerenonoteddissents.

Whilepresidentsofbothparties have complained about lower court temporary orders for years, Trump has been a particularly vocal critic since beginning his second term as hehasbeenpummeledwithaseries of adverse rulings that have slowed hisagenda.

“The Trump administration is trying to use a procedural issue to get the Supreme Court to put its birthright citizenship policy into effect across 99% of the country withoutactuallyhavingtodecideif the policy is constitutional,” said

Steve Vladeck, CNN Supreme Court analyst and professor at Georgetown University Law Center

The main issue the government has asked the justices to decide is whether it's appropriate for district courts to issue nationwide injunctions, an issue the justices have already had multiple opportunities to take up in cases with far less fraught politics, Vladecksaid.

“It would be a stunning development if the justices used these cases, specifically, to resolve that issue – since it would have the effect of allowing a policy that just about everyone thinks is unconstitutional to nevertheless go into effect on a near-universal basis.”

Trump made ending birthright citizenshippartofhiscampaignfor reelection, even though past presidents and courts for more than a century have read the 14th Amendment to guarantee citizenship to anyone “born or naturalizedintheUnitedStates.”

Hesignedanexecutiveorderon his first day back in the White House that would have barred the government from issuing or accepting documents recognizing citizenship for people born in the UStoforeignparents.

Themovedrewaseriesofswift lawsuits and lower courts issued sweeping injunctions requiring

Trump to halt implementation of his birthright citizenship order That is likely why Trump focused his appeal not on birthright citizenship, per se, but rather framed it as a “modest” request to limit the scope of the lower court orders.

While that was technically a modest legal request that, in another context, might have found bipartisansupport,itisapotentially explosiveonepractically

A landmark Supreme Court precedent from 1898, US v Wong Kim Ark, affirmed the idea that peoplebornintheUnitedStatesare citizens, and the modern court 'hasnt signaled a desire to revisitthatholding.

Butsomeconservativesbelieve those long-held views are misguided. The 14th Amendment includes a phrase that citizenship applies only to people who are “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States.And, they have said, foreign national parents who are in the US illegally may not be viewed asmeetingthatrequirement.

Asithasinmanypendingcases, the Department of Justice claimed lower courts were vastly exceeding their authority by handing down “nationwide” injunctions that block the government from taking action against anyone – including peoplewhodidnotsuetochallenge the policy Presidents of both political parties have complained

about those orders in recent years. So, too, have some of the Supreme Court'sjustices.

But opponents of Trump's birthright citizenship policy argued that if there was any case that demanded nationwide action, it wasthisone.That,theyargued,was partlybecauseTrump'seffortswere so flagrantly unconstitutional. It also doesn't make sense, they said, to have one set of citizenship rules for some people and another set for others.

Emergency orders don't decide the merits of a case, but they often have significant practical implications in the short term. In 2021, the Supreme Court declined to block a Texas law that banned most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy – even though the law conflicted with the court's landmark 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade. The court's decision effectively allowed Texas to enforce that six-week ban. Months later, the court's conservative majorityoverturnedRoe.

Days after Trump signed the order, a federal judge in Washington was who nominated to the bench by President Ronald Reagan, temporarily blocked the administrationfromenforcingit.In early February, the judge issued a preliminary injunction that indefinitely blocked its enforcement. Days later, a threejudge panel of the 9th US Circuit

Court of Appeals upheld that decision.Thatsuitwasfiledbyfour states – Washington, Arizona, Illinois and Oregon – and was later consolidated with a suit filed by individualplaintiffs.

“I have been on the bench for overfourdecades.Ican'tremember another case where the question presentedwasasclear,”USDistrict Judge John Coughenour in Seattle said in January before temporarily blockingTrumpfromenforcingthe order

At one point, Coughenour described Trump's effort as “blatantlyunconstitutional.”

On February 5, a federal judge in Maryland, appointed to the bench by President Joe Biden, handed down a separate preliminary injunction, barring Trump from enforcing the order nationwide in a case filed by two immigrant rights groups and five individuals. A three-judge panel of the4thUSCircuitCourtofAppeals voted2-1toupholdthatdecision. The two judges in the majority were appointed by Democratic presidents and the dissenter was named by President George H.W Bush. Days later, a federal judge in Massachusetts, issued a third injunction in a case filed by New Jersey and 17 other states. That judge was named to the bench by President Barack Obama. Trump appealed all three cases to the SupremeCourtonMarch13.

Volodímir Zelenski

Henry, Alleyne star as West Indies Women edge Bangladesh to keep World Cup hopes alive

SportsMax-WestIndies WomensecuredavitalthreewicketwinoverBangladesh on Thursday in Lahore to keep their fading hopes of qualifying for the 2025 ICC Women’sCricketWorldCup alive.

Set a target of 228, the Caribbeansidereached2287 in 46 overs, thanks to a composed, unbeaten 51 from Chinelle Henry and a Player of the Ma

performance by Aaliyah Alleyne, who not only took 4-39 but chipped in with 11 valuablerunsneartheendof thechase.

The victory was West Indies’ second of the qualifying tournament, having previously edged Ireland by six runs However, earlier losses to Scotland and Pakistan mean their qualification prospects remainslimheadingintothe

finalroundofmatches. Bangladesh had earlier posted 227-9, built around a 94-run partnership between Sharmin Akhter (67 off 79) and Fargana Hoque (42 off 78). The pair helped Bangladeshrecoverfromthe early loss of Sobhana Mostary to take the score from 16-1 to 134-2 before West Indies clawed back through disciplined spells from Afy Fletcher (2-43),

Hayley Matthews (2-42), and Alleyne, whose four wickets included top-scorer Akhter and captain Nigar Sultana.

In response, the West Indies innings saw steady contributions throughout Qiana Joseph set the tone with a brisk 31 at the top, while veteran Stafanie Taylor (36) and captain Hayley Matthews (33) stitched together a crucial 66-run fourth-wicket stand aftertheteamslippedto743.

Friday April 18, 2025

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Overall,theforecastfortoday is fairly good. The aspects seemtofavorfiguringoutthe meaning of all that's transpired over the past several weeks It's an opportunity for you to take a leisurely

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Have you felt somewhat lost forthepastfewdays?Thefog maylifttodayandenableyou to situate yourself at last. You'reprobablyeagertosettle a question that has nagged at you and interfered with your judgment.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

You may have been feeling somewhat disillusioned. Perhapsyoulostsightofyour goals or misplaced your faith in yourself. You'll feel some reliefbeginningtoday

CANCER(June21–July22)

Youmightbetemptedtosettle certain matters by radical means. The visionary part of you means you're painfully aware of the world's wrongs. You see no reason not to take actiontocorrectthem.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Today will be fairly calm in terms of outside events, but yourinnerworldislikelytobe in a rush of activity Today you wish you could find the solutiontoyourheartachesas well as your career predicaments.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

You have a lot of thinking to do about your professional goals, Virgo. You'll go over the elements to see if there isn't some way to approach thingsdifferently

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Youjustcan'tdoeverythingat once, Libra. How do you expect to reduce your stress and recuperate while at the same time continue to be a superstar performer in every areaofyourlife.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

Thisisagoodmomenttoadapt your logic and reason to reality, Scorpio. If you don't, you're going to run into some

Everyone knows that you find newideasplentiful.

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

It'sgoingtobealittledifficult t

u to

y, Sagittarius. You, who can be easily influenced by others, will be listening to and criticizing everything that peoplesay

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Haveyoubeenreviewingyour family history lately, Capricorn? Of special interest is your cultural background. What educational, social, and religious environment were you born into? What are its values?Intheend.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) It's time to elevate your senseofself,Aquarius.You're justasgoodasanyoneelse,so why don't you believe it? The problem is that you're very sensitiveabouthavinganego. Even though you know everyonedoes.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Today your intellectual and expressive abilities should receive a boost from the planets.It'sanexcellenttimeto organize your thoughts about presentingaproject.

2025 Inaugural Breakout T20 League… Savory named skipper of Guyana Rainforest Rangers

With the Inaugural Breakout T20 League just days away, local franchise the Guyana Rainforest Rangers have appointed KemolSavoryasCaptainof theteam.

Henry then took charge in the closing stages, anchoring the innings as wickets fell around her She added 50 runs with Shabika Gajnabi (20) for the sixth wicket and another key 30runstandwithAlleynetoall but seal the win. Though Alleynefellwithjustonerun needed, Fletcher calmly knockedoffthewinningrun inthe46thover,givingWest Indies a much-needed victory with four overs to spare.

Despite the win, West Indies remain on shaky ground in the standings and will likely need to win their final group match convincingly — and hope otherresultsgotheirway— toadvancetotheWorldCup proper

Still, the fighting spirit shown in Lahore, led by HenryandAlleyne,haskept the regional side’s dream alive—ifonlyjust.

Savory,wholedGuyana duringtheearlystagesofthe CWI Regional 4-Day Championships before handing the keys back to skipper Tevin Imlach, recentlyreturnedhomeafter the Harpy Eagles retained their title in this year’s competition and was immediately named as Captain of the T20 franchise.

The wicket-keeper was among the leading runscorersforGuyanaandakey cog in the wheel across all formats, with this new role further highlighting the immensetalentpossessedby one of Guyana’s top batsmen.

Harpy Eagles Head and Assistant Coaches Ryan

Hercules and Garvin Nedd, will also oversee the team’s mobilization during the tournament as they will assume similar roles with theRainforestRangers.

The players entered camp on Wednesday and will have their final match simulations tomorrow evening from 17:00h at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence; weather permitting.

Camp is expected to break on April 21 with the team winging out for Trinidad and Tobago on April22.

Guyana Rainforest Rangers:NialSmith,Kemol Savory (Captain), Ronaldo Alimohamed, Kevin Sinclair, Ashmead Nedd, Kevlon Anderson, Riyad Latif, Rivaldo Clarke, Jediah Blades, Isai Thorne, Richie Looknauth, Zynul Ramsammy, Adrian Sukhwa, Quentin Sampson. (C.Ross)

RHTYSC cricket teams honours outstanding teachers and students DropattieRansammy/HeerieSeenarineAwards

Awardees of the Heeria Seenarine Tribute to Teachers Programme.

The outstanding teachers and five students were honoured on Thursday last whenthecricketteamsofthe Rose Hall Town Youth and SportsClubMShostedtheir a n n u a l D r o p a t t i e Rammsammy tribute to teachers and Heeria

Seenarine Memorial tribute

to students award

p r o g r a m m e T h e programmeswereheldatthe L o w e r C o r e n t y n e Secondary School and hostedbytheFarfanMendes Under25, Poonai Pharmacy Under11 and 13, Bakewell

Under17 and second division,PepsiUnder19and Under21 team, Metro Females and Namilco Thunderbolt Flour Under23 andfirstdivision.

Club secretary Hilbert Foster in brief remarks

stated that the two programmes are held annually by the cricket teams as part of their selfdevelopment programme and is one of the seven hundred activities done annuallyunderawiderange of sub-headings like antidrugs, sports, award, proeducation, community development and youth development.

Under the Heeria

Seenarine Memorial tribute to teachers’programme, ten teachers dawned from

schools between Port Mourant to Belvedere were honoured based on their attendance, personal discipline, relationship with students, relationship with their peers among others.

Thefiveawardeesunderthe Dropattie Ramsammy

Tribute to students’ programme were the top students from grade 7 to 11 at the Lower Corentyne Secondary school. The ten teachers received a trophy, medalofexcellence,framed certificateofexcellenceand three special gifts while the fivestudentscarriedhomea trophy, medal, famed certificate and an electronic tablet.

The students honoured from the Lower Corentyne Secondary were Bindiya Phillips Grade 7, Jayden Ganpat Grade 8, Michael Smith Grade 9, Amanda Sampson Grade 10 and NeyaBasdeoGrade11.The teachers were Rehanna Chunoo (Port Mourant Secondary), Tillicia Fraser (Rose Hall Town Primary), Tina Devnand (Port Mourant Primary), Reanna Watson Durant (Rose Hall Nursery), Sunita Gomes (Rose Hall Town Primary), Eldeca Hema (Corentyne

Comprehensive High School), Josafaime Holder Giddings(LowerCorentyne Secondary), Sabana De

Dowald and Shalenee Seepersaud (Belvedere Primary).

R

Spo

mmy a f

student of the Lower Corentyne Secondary school and now a registered nurse in the USA, urged the awardees to always strive for excellence. Education she stated can transform lives and used herself as an example Two of the awardees Miss Rehanna Chunoo and Michael Smith expressed gratitude to the sponsor and the club for honoring them Miss Chunoo pledged on behalf of the others teachers to always uphold their high standards and to always be anexampletotheirstudents.

The RHTYSC since it wasformedin1990bythree timesCommonwealthYouth Service Awardee, the St. F

y Developers has won a total of 125 cricket tournaments atalllevelandhasproduced a total of 126 players for Berbice, Guyana and West Indies combined Its

Anderson, Kevin Sinclair, SylasTydall,JuniorSinclair, Clinton Pestano, Jonathan Rampersaud, Shemaine Campbelle, Erva Giddings, Shabika Gajnabi and SheneetaGrimmond.

Awardees of the Dropattie Ramsammy Tribute to Students Programme.

Affiance surge to 51-run win in NECC/Samaroo Investment T20

Affiance Sports Club surged to a comprehensive, 51-run win over Bacchus Cricket Club last Sunday in the 2025 North Essequibo Cricket Committee (NECC)/ Samaroo Investment T20 round-robin competition.

Playing at Bacchus venue, Affiance, racked up a competitive 142-8 from the allocation of 20-overs after deciding to bat first.

BacchusCricketClubrespondedwith93 all out in the 17th over Pacer Bheesham Narine was sensational with the ball for Affiancetaking6-14from3.2overs.

He wreaked havoc on a lively pitch leaving the hosts tottering on 61-7 at one stage Standing among the carnage for Bacchus Cricket Club was Kevin Martinborough with 34 runs which eventually gave the score a great degree of respectability

Earlier,formerGuyanayouthplayerand skipper Parmesh Parsotam led the way with

Parmesh Parsotam

thebatblastinganenterprising41-ball76for thewinningcombination.

The right-handed Parsotam got quality support from the consistent Navindra Persaud who weighed in with 42 runs. Both batters reached the boundary on several occasions.Thepairalsofeaturedinasteady, 98-run second-wicket stand after opener GaneshMangalsuccumbedearlyfor2at3-1.

Another ex-Guyana youth player Yogeshwar Lall took 3-19 runs in his threeover stint, delivering left-arm spin for BacchusCricketClub.

Affiance suffered a lower-order collapse aswellwiththeversatileLalldoingmostof the damage Meanwhile, the 12-team competition is slated to continue April 27 withanumberofmatchesacrosstheCoast.

InthiszoneBfixture,Affiancewillclash with Lima while Bacchus Cricket Club is slatedtocollidewithDevonshireCastle.

Details from other games were unavailable.

RHTYSC salutes Kevlon Anderson on his runs making achievements

The management of the Rose Hall Town Youth and sportsclubMSwouldliketo congratulate Kevlon Anderson on scoring a total offivehundredandseventythree (573) runs in the recently concluded cricket West Indies (CWI) four-day first class 2025 season Kevlonwasthethirdhighest scorer in the tournament after Jason Mohamed and JoshuaDeSilvaofTrinidad. Anderson joined the RHTYSCthirteenyearsagoat the tender age of eleven as a member of our cricket academy and over the years hasrepresentedtheclubatthe Under15, 17, 19, 21, 23 and senior levels The club has alwaysbeenimpressedbyhis determination, personal discipline, hunger for success and his commitment to the success of the team he plays for TheRHTYSCwouldlike to dedicate his success to our cricket sponsors - Farfan and Mendes LTD, Bakewell, Demerara Distillers LTD,

Kevlon Anderson

Namilco Thunderbolt Flour andMetroOfficeSupplies.

To g e t h e r, t h e i r investmentovertheyearshas resultedintheclubproducing a total 126 players for Berbice, Guyana and the WestIndiesincludingtwotest players and a total of sixteen fortheWestIndiesortheUSA at all levels Our products includesKevinSinclair,Asad

Fudadin, Shemaine Campbelle, Erva Giddings,

Dominic Rekhi, Clinton Pestano, Shabeka Gajnabi, Trisha Hardat, Donellia Manns, Askay Homraj, Junior Sinclair, Esan Crandon, Eon Hooper and DelbertHicksamongothers Theclubwouldalsolike to congratulate Rafeal McKenzieonhisselectionto the national Under15 team. We are very proud of his achievement and wish him allthebest.

Fruta Conqueror-GDF FC to headline Sunday’s Elite League showdown

Alleyeswillbeon the National Training Centre (NTC) this Sunday as the G u y a n a F o o t b a l l Federation’s Elite League serves up a thrilling doubleheader sure to excite fans and keep the momentum of Season VII alive.

In the opening clash, SantosFCwillgotoe-to-toe with league newcomers Mainstay Goldstar FC at 6:30 p.m., followed by a high-stakes showdown at 9:00p.m.betweendefending champions Guyana Defence Force (GDF) FC and the always-spirited Fruta ConquerorsFC.

This season has already shattered attendance records and reignited passion for localfootball.

Fromdazzlingfinishesto pinpoint passing and

shocking upsets, the league has delivered an electric atmosphere reminiscent of its glory days, rekindling national pride for what was once Guyana’s most followedsport.

At the top of the standings, Slingerz FC have emergedasearlypacesetters. TheVergenoegen-basedside boastsaflawless4-0record, accumulating 12 points and an eye-popping +23 goal difference. Den Amstel FC trails distantly in that department, though they remain competitive with a +9GD.

Meanwhile, the race for top-four positioning is heating up Guyana Police Force FC, Santos FC, and Western Tigers FC are all level on seven (7) points and locked in a tight battle for second place

Monedderlust FC sits just

behind with six points from four matches, after splitting their campaign

Both GDF FC and Fruta Conquerors FC will be looking to secure three point this Sunday at NTC.

with two wins and two losses

It’sbeenarockystartfor some of the league’s traditional heavyweights GDF FC, Ann’s Grove

United, and Fruta Conquerors all have five points, while Mainstay Goldstar FC remains

winless, still in search of their first points after four straightdefeats.

Sunday’smatchesarenot just about points; they’re about pride, recovery, and stakingaclaiminoneofthe most competitive seasons to date.

Fans can expect nothing

short of fireworks under the lightsattheNTC.

The2025EliteLeagueis proudly supported by key sponsors including Guyana Beverages Inc , Turbo Energy, Blue Water Shipping, and the National MillingCompanyofGuyana (NAMILCO).

2025 CWI Rising Stars U15 championships Round 2…Guy. VS Jam.

Jamaica ease to 7-wicket win over Guyana in low-scoring affair

Guyana failed to maintain a winstreak as they were steamrolled by 7wickets courtesy of the Jamaicans who won a rainaffectedbattleattheAntigua Recreation Ground, St John’syesterday

After rain provided a slight scare early on, Guyana’s batting innings imploded with opening batsman Justin Dowlin (15), Arif Bacchus (22), Reyaz Latif (17) and Lomar Seecharran (12) struggling to get out of theblocks Jamaica did well to restrict their opponents to 104 in 28.1 overs, thanks to returnsof4-14fromAndrew Lloyd with Eckoney Robinsonchippinginwith238. With a low total needed

for victory, the Jamaicans skippedto106-3in29overs flat, thanks to a steady 38 from opener Jayden Shawh, whostruck7fours.

M i d d l e -

batsman, Tesfa Ward (25) and wicket-keeper Luain Prince (19*), provided the necessary finishing touches needed to take Jamaicahome.

Skipper Richard Ramdehol spun his way to 2-13 while Patrice Fraser bag

wicket to headline

Guyana G

o their next encounter which bowls off tomorrow, Saturday, against the Windward Islands at the same venue (C Ross)

Arif Bacchus starred in Guyana’s tough loss.

Milo/Massy U-18 Football semifinals postponed due to inclement weather

A s p r e v i o u s l y scheduled, the highly anticipated semifinal matchupsinthe11thedition

of the Milo/Massy

Secondary Schools Under18 Football Championship have been postponed due to persistent inclement weather

The tournament was expected to determine the two finalists for the 2025 edition on Wednesday. However, both matches were forced to be

rescheduled as torrential rain rendered the playing conditions unfit ahead of kickoff.

While an official announcementregardingthe newdatehadnotbeenmade at press time, this publication will keep fans updated as soon as the revised schedule is confirmed.

In a brief release, the tournament organisers issued an apology for any inconveniencecausedbythe

Milo/Massy U18 Football Championship new semifinals date to be announced soon.

p o s t p o n e m e n t A spokespersonfromthePetra Organization stated, “Our teamisworkingassiduously to complete this year’s tournament Though the situation is beyond our control, we remain hopeful that the weather will improve in the coming days so we can confirm a new date for the Milo/Massy U18Footballsemifinals.”

As a result, the four semifinalists Chase’s Academic Foundation,

Charlestown Secondary, Waramuri Top Secondary, andDolphinSecondarywill havetowaitalittlelongerto battleforaspotinthefinals.

This year’s tournament is proudly sponsored by Nestlé Milo and Massy Distribution,withadditional support from MVP Sports, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, and the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. The event is sanctioned by the Ministry ofEducation.

Essequibo

Legends record

victory in ESCL T20 competition

Essequibo Legends produced a fine all-roundperformance to beat Untouchables by five wickets last Sunday when actioncontinuedinthe2025 Essequibo Softball Cricket League (ESCL) T20, over40 competition at Reliance ground, Essequibo Coast, Region 2 (PomeroonSupenaam).

Chasing 166 for victory from the allotted 20-overs, Legends reached 170-5 in the18thover

Middle-order batsman Rajesh Gopaul led the way with 43 while he got valuable support from TameshwarSanicharanwith 42.

Theirmostinformbatter ImamGafoorcontributed18 onthisoccasionatthetop.

FormerEssequibosenior Inter-County player Ravi Beharry grabbed two wicketsfor30runsfromhis maximumfourovers.

In Untouchables’ innings, Jeetendra Jimmy stroked a top-score of 61 which contained four sixes andthreefours.

Sunil Bissoon added 32 as Seow Sankar grabbed 437 from his four overs

S

Seow Sankar

removing the prized wicket of Beharry for 02 before helped wrap up the innings asUntouchableswereallout for165in19.4overs.Sankar received assistance in the bowling department from Cort Livan who finished with3-21(4). Inotherthree encounters,Queenstowngot awalkoverfromDevonshire Castle while defending champions Caribbean Cricket Club also got the same result from Reliance SportsClub.

Hibernia Strikers also claimed a walkover from

RichmondUnited.

The 8-team competition will continue this Sunday with four more preliminaryround matches at various venuesacrosstheCoast.

The competition is expected to conclude May 25 at a venue to be named withthegrandfinale.

The winning team will take home a trophy and $100,000 while the secondplaced team will cart off $50,000andatrophyaswell. Most other cash incentives for excellent, individual performances.

Project “Cricket Gear for young and promising cricketers in Guyana” provides support to two more young cricketers

Berbiceunder17players, Ramzam Koobeer and Sohail Mohamed, were the latest youths to benefit from this noble joint initiative between Anil Beharry of Guyana and Kishan Das of the USA. Koobeer was the recipient of one cricket gear bag, one pair of thigh pads and one pair of batting gloves, while Mohamed benefited from one pair of wicketkeeping gloves with inners and one metal spike boots The items were bought,andpartofthefunds donated by Nafico/Nalico, were used to do same. They both represented Berbice in the recently concluded Guyana Cricket Board under17 inter county tournament.

At a simple ceremony held recently, the aspiring stars expressed gratitude for the tokens and promised to continue to work hard on their cricket. This initiative will continue to strive to make every community a saferandbetterplace.Weare pleased to be part of the development of young cricketers in Guyana. Our aim is to keep them off the streetsandgetthemactively

involvedinsports,cricketin particular Cricket related items, used or new, are distributed free of cost to young and promising cricketers in Guyana. Skills, discipline and education are important characteristics of the recipients. Talent spotting is being done across the

countryandclubleadersalso assist to identify same Progressive and well managedcricketclubswitha youth programme, will also benefit.

Anyone interested to contribute can contact Anil Beharry on 623 6875 or Kishan Das on 1 718 664 0896.

Deitz,Matthewscelebratecrucialwinbuteyebiggergoal asfatestillinbalanceatWomen’sWorldCupQualifiers

SportsMax-WestIndies coach Shane Deitz and captain Hayley Matthews were all smiles following their team’s gritty threewicket victory over Bangladesh in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers.

But both know that celebrations must be shortlived,aswithonegameleft to play and qualification hanginginthebalance,their missionisfarfromover.

After restricting Bangladesh to 227-9, the Caribbean side showed poise under pressure to reach 228-7 in 46 overs, thanks to a well-played unbeaten 51 from Chinelle Henry and a match-shaping all-roundperformancefrom Aaliyah Alleyne, who claimed 4-39 with the ball and chipped in with 11 valuablerunsneartheendof thechase.

The win gave the West Indies a much-needed lifeline, but their fate still rests on the outcome of their next clash and a little help from other results to secure one of the two qualifying spots to India later this year Pakistan, who were set to register their fourth straight victory—as they required only two wickets against Thailand at the time of reporting would move back to the top of the standings on eight points. Bangladesh slipped to second with six points, whileScotland(fourpoints) and the West Indies (four points)follow

“A win’s better than a loss, but we’ve got a big gamecomingup All we can do is win and win well, and fingers

crossed things fall our way,” Deitz said after the match

Deitzpraisedtheeffort and unity shown by his

t e a m , e s p e c i a l l y highlightingthefieryspell from Alleyne that turned thegameonitshead

He also lauded

ChinelleHenry’sfinishing effortwiththebat

“Aaliyah Alleyne bowled probably the best ballI’veseenfromanyone for the West Indies since I’vebeenhere.

It was inspirational fast, accurate, and hostile She changed the whole game singlehandedly,” the beamingcoachshared

“And the Chinelle Henry brought it home brilliantly We know she can hit big, but she batted smart too, knocking it into gapsandstrikingwhenthe

ball was in her area So that was a magnificent innings from her to bring theteamhome,”headded

Still, Deitz admitted there are areas that need urgent improvement, particularly the inability of setbatterstocarryon.

“Every time we got a good partnership going, welostawicket.

That’s something we’ve got to fix. If two battersgetin,they’vegot to push it beyond a hundred. That’s how you win games easier,” he noted

F o r H a y l e y Matthews, the victory was both a relief and a reset, as well as a chance

to breathe, before gearing up for an even bigger battle against Thailand

“The pitch had a bit in

it, so we were happy to bowl first It was tough in the first 25 overs, but then Aaliyah came in with a match-winning spell

She really pulled the game back into our favour,”Matthewssaid

W i t h t h e b a t , Matthews was pleased with the start provided by openers Qiana Joseph and Zaida James and how the team navigated the c h a s e . S t i l

e e m p h a s i z e d t h e importance of recovery and mental preparation aheadofthefinalfixture.

“We’ll take a lot of confidence from this game, but we understand the importance of the last matchtoo

Net run rate is going to come into play So we don’t just want to win;

declared

experience that Thailand, though at the foot of the standings,shou

b e underestimated. A big win over Thailand could propel WestIndiesintothecoveted second spot, provided Bangladesh suffers a big loss to Pakistan and Ireland upstageScotland.

“They’ve got some real skillful spinners, and they fight hard. They field hard. It’s going to be a tough game.

But we’ve got to show our skills, come out aggressive, and really put them to the sword. We’ve got to push that net run rate upandhopeforthebest,”he ended.

From left: Beharry, Koobeer and Mohamed.

Springer, Austin, Hinckson read to retain CARIFTA titles

Athaleyha Hinckson, the U17 100m champion, will be in action in the Girl’s U20 100m on the opening day of the CARIFTAGames.

TrinidadandTobago.

With gold medals under their belts from last year’s Games, Springer, Austin, and Hinckson will look to defendtheirtitlesandfurther etch their names in Caribbeanathleticshistory

Springer, widely regarded as the Caribbean’s top junior 400m sprinter, will be going for her third consecutive CARIFTA Gamesgoldmedal.

Afterstormingtovictory in the U17 category in 2023 andagainintheU20division last year, the University of Georgia-bound athlete enters the Championships with an unblemished CARIFTA record and a reputationtouphold.

alreadyimpressiveresume.

JoiningthemisHinckson who made headlines last year by winning the U17 100m title, a historic momentforGuyana.

Now back and stronger thanever,Hincksonhasalso joined LSU’s ranks and is ready to showcase her growthinthesprintevents.

Guyana will also field several promising athletes

on Day One, including Shaquan Shepherd (U17 400m), Kaidon Persaud (U20 400m), Angel Jeffery (U17 100m), Jonathan Richards (U20 100m), SkylarCharles(U20100m), and Adessa Albert (U20 100m).

At last year’s CARIFTA Games,Guyanaachievedits best-ever medal haul, securing four gold medals

through Springer, Austin, Hinckson, and the 4x400m MixedRelayteam.

Silver medals came courtesy of Hinckson in the Girls’ U17 200m and Persaud in the Boys’ U17 800m Attoya Harvey claimed bronze in the 3000m, while the U20 4x400m Relay team also finished third (Rawle Toney)

AsGuyanasetsitssights on regional glory at this year’sCARIFTAGamesthis weekend, the spotlight will shinebrightlyonthreeofthe country’s brightest stars; Tianna Springer, Malachi Austin, and Athaleyha Hinckson.

Austin, another standout andanLSUrecruit,willalso featureontheopeningdayof competition.

The trio will be among the 42-member Guyanese contingent competing from April 19–21 at the Haseley Crawford Stadium in

MalachiAustin will be hunting another 400M title at this year’s CARIFTAGames.

The reigning U20 400m championreturnstothetrack with momentum and confidence as he aims to repeat his golden performance and add to an

FLASHBACK! MalachiAustin celebrates winning the U20 400M at last year’s CARIFTAGames.

AaliyahAlleyene took four wickets for the Windies Women.

Henry, Alleyne star as West Indies Women edge Bangladesh to keep World Cup hopes alive

Chinelle Henry hit 51 for the Windies.